Ansel Elgort Is Augustus Waters in "The Fault in Our Stars" Opposite Shailene Woodley

From siblings to star-crossed lovers! EW reports rising star Ansel Elgort has been offered the male lead in "The Fault in Our Stars" opposite Shailene Woodley - who plays his sister in the currently-filming dystopian adaptation "Divergent." The two Read more

Dylan O'Brien Lands "The Maze Runner" Lead; Ki Hong Lee Also Joins

UPDATE: Director Wes Ball tweets that Ki Hong Lee has also joined the cast as Minho, a fellow Glader and ally to Thomas throughout the series. Lee is probably best known as a regular on short-lived ABC Family Read more

Shailene Woodley Confirmed for "The Fault in Our Stars"

I mean, duh, we called it. It has now been officially confirmed with glowing quotes from director, producer and author in tow that the increasingly in demand Shailene Woodley will play the lead role of Hazel Grace Lancaster Read more

Up and Comers Presents: 20 Faces to Watch in 2013

After a somewhat unpredictable year in which the stars we expected to break out largely didn't but fresh faces came out of nowhere to surprise us all, we are ready to look ahead to the new talent waiting to Read more

Up and Comers Presents: The Breakout Stars of 2012

Another year, another new crop of fresh talent. Just like last year, the hardest part is narrowing down which of the dozens of the year's rising stars shone the brightest. This year we heralded the arrival of the unlikeliest Read more
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michelle monaghan

Anthony Mackie and Aubrey Plaza joining “A Many Splintered Thing” starring Chris Evans and Michelle Monaghan

October 2, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

Anthony Mackie, Aubrey Plaza, Giovanni Ribisi and Philip Baker Hall are all in talks to join Chris Evans and Michelle Monaghan in indie “anti-romantic comedy” “A Many Splintered Thing”, reports Variety.

Evans plays a man disillusioned with love, who meets the beautiful but engaged Monaghan while pretending to be a philanthropist at a charity dinner. He pretends to put himself into the Friend Zone in order to continue to pursue her romantically. No word on who any of the aforementioned new cast additions will play, but according to Deadline, Topher Grace will play Evans’ best friend. Commercials director Justin Reardon makes his feature directorial debut from a Black List script by Chris Shafer & Paul Vicknair. Production is slated to begin next month.

Mackie and Evans will work together here first, before heading to Cleveland to shoot “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.” Mackie has been confirmed for the role of Marvel superhero Sam Wilson, aka The Falcon in that film. He also has Michael Bay’s dark comedy “Pain & Gain” opposite Mark Wahlberg, as well as Ruben Fleischer’s “Gangster Squad” with Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone awaiting release. Plaza, a regular on NBC comedy series “Parks and Recreation”, and Mackie worked together on the recently released high school reunion drama “10 Years.” Her completed indie films include “The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman” opposite Shia Labeouf and Evan Rachel Wood, and Roman Coppola’s “A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III” with Mary Elizabeth Winstead.

Chris Evans to headline “A Many Splintered Thing” opposite Michelle Monaghan

September 7, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

Chris Evans and Michelle Monaghan will star in indie comedy “A Many Splintered Thing”, reports Deadline from Toronto.

In the film described as an anti-romantic comedy, Evans will play a man disillusioned with love, who meets the beautiful but engaged Monaghan while pretending to be a philanthropist at a charity dinner. He pretends to put himself into the Friend Zone in order to continue to pursue her romantically. Commercials director Justin Reardon makes his feature directorial debut from a Black List script by Chris Shafer & Paul Vicknair. Production begins on October 26th.

“Captain America” himself has smartly interspersed his portrayals of Steve Rogers with smaller, darker fare to contrast the popcorn blockbusters like “The Avengers.” He’ll be seen in serial killer drama “The Iceman” opposite Michael Shannon and recently wrapped up futuristic thriller “Snowpiercer” opposite Jamie Bell and Octavia Spencer. He’ll return to the Marvel universe to begin filming “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” in early 2013, but they’ll have to find him a leading lady first.

Olivia Wilde, Judy Greer, Michelle Monaghan and more vying for “Burt Wonderstone” opposite Steve Carell

October 27, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

A rather eclectic collection of young actresses are vying for the female lead in “Burt Wonderstone”, the magician comedy that sees Steve Carell and Jim Carrey as rival illusionists on the Las Vegas strip. Deadline reports the shortlist right now conists of Michelle Monaghan, Judy Greer, Olivia Wilde, Sarah Silverman and Jessica Biel.

The Don Scardino-directed comedy sees Carell as the title character, a magician who splits from his longtime partner and finds himself on the verge of being upstaged by a hip David Blaine type street magician who begins stealing all his thunder. No word on what the female lead entails. Of the five ladies in contention, Silverman and Greer are the comic veterans, though Silverman certainly has a set personal style of comedy, doing stand-up and starring on her own show on Comedy Central; and Greer (an underrated favorite amongst the blogosphere) has traditionally been more of the kooky best friend comedic relief in past roles (“27 Dresses”, “Elizabethtown” and countless TV series. Monaghan, Wilde and Biel, often cast in more shallow “hot girl” roles, have each done a fair bit of comedic acting themselves. Monaghan headlined romantic comedy “Made of Honor” opposite Patrick Dempsey while Wilde and Biel have played love interest roles in frat-boy comedies like “The Change-Up” and “I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry.”

Which actress gets chosen may be a good indicator of what direction the filmmakers want to take the film in.

Olivia Wilde to replace Jennifer Garner in “Better Living Through Chemistry”

August 25, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 3 Comments

Call it a win-win situation. Jennifer Garner is gearing up to welcome a third child, and subsequently has left the door open for Olivia Wilde to add another movie to her rapidly filling upcoming slate. Garner had been attached to play the female lead in dark indie comedy “Better Living Through Chemistry”, but due to her just-announced pregnancy, has had to drop out. Variety reports Wilde is now in negotiations to take her place opposite Sam Rockwell (who himself is a replacement, taking the role left vacant by Jeremy Renner).

Directed by Geoff Moore and David Posamentier, “Chemistry” follows a straight-laced pharmicist (Rockwell) whose life spirals out of control after he begins an affair with Wilde’s character, a trophy wife regular customer that “takes him on a joyride involving sex, drugs and possibly murder.” Michelle Monaghan plays Rockwell’s neglected wife. Filming is set to begin this fall.

Wilde was recently seen in summer flops “Cowboys and Aliens” and “The Change-Up” but will have plenty more chances to turn her luck around. She co-stars with Garner in ensemble comedy “Butter”, headed for TIFF next month, and also stars alongside Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried in Andrew Niccol’s sci-fi thriller “In Time.” In addition, she has also completed work on family drama/thriller “Blackbird” with Eric Bana and Charlie Hunnam and “Welcome to People”, where she plays Chris Pine’s love interest. It’s no wonder her character Thirteen will finally be written off Fox series “House”, freeing Wilde up for a movie career that increasingly demands her full attention.

Watch: “Source Code” trailer features Jake Gyllenhaal, body-swapping and star-crossed love

November 19, 2010 | Posted by Linda Ge in Videos 1 Comment

“Unstoppable” meets “Groundhog Day” in the first trailer for Duncan Jones’ new sci-fi thriller “Source Code”, starring Jake Gyllenhaal as a soldier who is transported into the body of a man aboard a bomb-rigged train doomed to explode and kill all its passengers. He has 8 minutes to solve the mystery of who the bomber is in order to prevent another attack set to take place 6 hours later. If he can’t solve the riddle, the train explodes, he dies and is then sent back in to try again and again until he succeeds. Of course, a wrench is thrown into the plans when he begins falling for fellow passenger Michelle Monaghan, and his mission begins to revolve around trying to save her life, though scientists reassure him it’s impossible.

It sort of feels like the filmmakers are trying to fit a lot of different genres and themes into one movie, but the premise is rather intriguing, the acting talent assembled is impressive (Vera Farmiga seems a bit wasted as mostly a voice behind a computer screen) and the action sequences look seamless. The movie hits theaters April 15, 2011 and you can watch the first trailer below.