Pepperd

Is it me or is Hugh Jackman pulling a Matthew McConaughey?

By that I mean the man is attempting a return to “serious” acting – you only need to read the reviews McC has been getting for Magic Mike and the upcoming Killer Joe to know what I mean. And the Awesome Aussie is already on his way there, since he has Les Misérables coming out later this awards season and all....

Anyway, the point is Jackman is, at the very least, seemingly wanting to do it, especially now that he is said to be circling a starring role as real-life lawyer William Pepper in Lee Daniels’ Orders to Kill.

Pepper, you should know, spent his life arguing that Martin Luther King Jr. was not assassinated by James Earl Ray but by people who wanted to silence his opposition to the Vietnam War. 

The project would mark a long-awaited collaboration between the actor and the director. The two were gonna work together before on the latter’s MLK-related Selma, but that project didn’t go, I guess.

Photo: DigitalSpy.co.uk.

A Fifth Mission Coming Up?

Is Ethan Hunt getting for a fifth go at movie-theater domination (to capitalize on the success of Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol?).

It would be a safe presumption given the tweet that Tom Cruise – or Camp Cruise – sent out tonight asking the star’s followers who they think would make a good villain in MI5.

Now, I will note they didn’t ask about a “potential” fifthquel. The query was pretty pointed.

As for my smart-ass answer? I suggested Nicole Kidman.

Hey, crazier things happen in Hollywood all the time. Plus, these two are pros. And it would like box office catnip to finally get some closure on that drama (for us...).

Photo: USAToday.com.

Getting Over K. Stew

They say the best way to get over a heartbreak is to keep rather busy.

Sounds like that’s exactly what Robert Pattinson is going to be doing....

The actor’s next movie, The Rover (a so-called futuristic western from Animal Kingdom director David Michôd), is a officially a go, and will see R. Paz playing a hardened drifter who tracks down the gang that stole some of his stuff, gosh darn it.

It’s kinda just too easy, but I guess the guy won’t have trouble with the hardened part of his role, huh.

Photo: PlayerAffinity.com.

Sexiest Elephant Man

Leave it to a Sexiest Man Alive to handsome up a character thought of as all that H-O-T.

That’s what Bradley Cooper is doing on stage at the Williamstown Theatre in Massachusetts this summer, starring on a revised production of The Elephant Man?

You can catch Cooper hitting the boards, with Patricia Clarkson and Alessandro Nivola, through Aug. 5 – so get, people...get!

Photo: UsMagazine.com.

Anatomy of a Non-feud, Tony Lucca-style

Ever wonder how Tony Lucca felt once the dust settled on his time on TV’s The Voice?

And by that, of course, I mean how the singer looked at his reported feud with Christina Aguilera, his fellow former Mouseketeer and one of the coaches on the show.

Well, I got to ask the guy when he stopped by FIU to perform at the university’s Summer Fest 2012 concert earlier this month. Check out what he had to say about his non-feud with “Queen Christina”:

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Team Tony Lucca!

Crowe Girl

Emma Stone is showing no sign of stopping.

The Amazing Spider-Man star has signed on the dotted line to lead Cameron Crowe’s next untitled love story.

No male co-star lead is in place yet, but I would and will suggest Crowe give a look-see at this Ryan Gosling guy.

The pair had an awesome rapport in Crazy, Stupid, Love, and I would adore to see them on screen again on a peppy note now that their Gangster Squad finds itself in the middle of a thematic conundrum to the massacre in Aurora, Colo.

Just sayin’, Cam....

Photo: Vogue.com.

Scarlett Sings (Again)

Scarlett Johansson has had quite a summer, getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, kicking butt in The Avengers, pseudo-canoodling with a hottie who may or may not be her bodyguard off the coast of Italy....

So, what’s a girl to do to cap it all off (other than enjoy the rumor she may be getting $20 million to suit up as Black Widow in the next Avengers movie)?

Sing a song, of course.

Johansson – who a few years ago dropped an album of Tom Waitts covers (GTS) – is featured in French singer Lulu Gainsbourg’s tribute to his father, songwriter Serge, From Gainsbourg to Lulu, which has her doing some sexy guest-vocal work on “Bonnie & Clyde.”

The single is now out on the iTunes, while the full record – which also features Iggy Pop, Rufus Wainwright, and Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis – will be out in October.

Photo: FanPop.com.

From Lafayette to MLK

The cast of The Butler just got a shot of True Blood.

Nelsan Ellis, a.k.a. scene-stealing Lafayette on the HBO summer hit, has been tapped to play Martin Luther King Jr. in director Lee Daniels’ follow-up to Precious.

The actor joins a star-studded cast that includes Forest Whitaker in the titular role (a man who worked at the White House over the course of eight administrations), as well as Robin Williams, Jane Fonda, Oprah Winfrey, James Marsden, Alex Pettyfer, Minka Kelly, and Vanessa Redgrave, among others.

Photo: Posh24.com.

No (Ana) Steel for Em. Wats

If you are hoping the rumor will be true and that Emma Watson will star in Fifty Shades of Grey, well then...keep crossing those tired little fingers of yours.

That’s right, horns – the actress herself has revealed as much.

“I haven’t read the book,” she said, thus debunking any and all wishful whispering. “I haven’t read a script, nothing.”

Watson was quick to remind people this is not the first time her name is all but attached to a high-profile literary adaptation for the silver screen.

“It was the same thing with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo [which eventually went to Oscar nominee Rooney Mara] – I never even saw a script!”

Alrighty then.

Photo: BellaSugar.com.

Dr. Horrible Is Coming to TV

The Whedonverse is smiling.

Looks like Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog – a project cult god Joss Whedon came up with during the writers strike of a few years ago – will see the light (or lack of) of your living room when it airs on The CW this fall.

Yes, the Neil Patrick Harris-starring labor of love is going broadcast on Oct. 9!

Swoon.

Photo: EW.com.

Guess the Wolfpack’s Serving Up Thirds...

Looks like The Hangover 3 is happening, people.

With luck, the powers that be won’t bamboozle folks again by simply changing the location of the shenanigans in which Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis find themselves like they did in The Hangover Part II.

Seriously, and honestly, I think the only reason I tolerated the unoriginality of the sequel was that I caught it for free at a press screening....

Anyway, this is the preview the masterminds behind the comedy franchise served up on Facebook today.

Simple and to the point, I s’ppose.

Photo: EW.com.

007 Reporting for Duty

You know what surprised more than seeing a doppelgänger of the Queen of England jumping off a helicopter with Daniel Craig-as-James Bond during last Friday’s London 2012 opening ceremony?

Seeing a TV spot for 007’s next adventure, this November’s Skyfall.

Can you dig it or can you dig it?

Grey Fashion

Sooo I gotta read that mommy porn book o.k.a. Fifty Shades of Grey.

The best-seller’s influenced is being felt everywhere, especially now that Hollywood is prepping a movie based on E L James’ titillating tome, and the includes the world of fashion.

Andrew Marc has jumped on the Fifty Shades of Grey bandwagon and will be advertising its Marc New York shingle for the first time this fall in a campaign inspired by the book and featuring 2008 Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza and former Scottish rugby player Thom Evans, who looks hella happy in that towel.

I approve.

Photo: NYDailyNews.com.

Lochte’s Loot

Ryan Lochte proved why he’s dominated the Olympic swimming conversation leading into London 2012 today when he won his first gold medal in the men’s 400-meter individual medley.

“I’m kind of shock,” the swimmer said after the race.

Even more shocking? Michael Phelps did not even place at the race, finishing fourth.

Guess it really is all about Lochte, this year.

Photo: UsMagazine.com.

He Wants To Awaken Her

Prince Phillip is coming to TV’s Once Upon a Time.

No, not that one – the one that will try to awaken Sleeping Beauty (Sarah Bolger) from her slumber when the show comes back for another magical season in the fall...and he will be played by Julian Morris from ABC Family’s Pretty Little Liars.

Lots of new characters are headed to Storybrooke for the show’s sophomore season, including beanstalk enthusiast Jack, Mulan, and a to-be-cast Captain Hook.

That’s great, but what’s the ETA on Ariel and Prince Eric?

Photo: Coolspotters.com.

A Mortal Instrument

That cutie-patootie Kevin Zegers is getting a YA adaptation/potential franchise of his own.

Ish.

The Transamerica actor has scored a lead role in the anticipated Mortal Instruments: City of Bones based on the Cassandra Clare’s best-selling series about a seemingly ordinary girl (to be played by Lily Collins) who finds out the truth about her bloodline after her mother is attacked and taken by a demon.

Zegers is going to play the gay brother of another girl, and will be in conflict with Collins’ character because the guy he likes (a part that’s gone to Jamie Campbell Bower) is in love with her.

So much drama....

See how it all plays out when the movie arrives in theaters late next August.

Photo: CPPS90.com.

Potente Horror

So, is everyone going to be on the sophomore season of FX’s American Horror Story?

There’s, of course, the anthology’s MVP, the one and only Jessica Lange, plus Sarah Paulson, Zachary Quinto, Joseph Fiennes, Chloë Sevigny, Adam Levine, Jenna Dewan, Chris Zylka, and French actress Lizzie Brocheré,  among others, and now there’s also Franka Potente.

The German actress is set to play a patient at the 1960s insane asylum that will house the horrors the show has in store for a two-episode arc.

Well, since, again, everyone has scored part, Ryan Murphy – may I make my screen debut on American Horror Story next season?

Photo: FanPop.com.

Becks the Torchbearer

And here we thought David Beckham was going to be completely left out of the London Olympics.

Nah – Becks made the games happen for London, so it’s only fitting the guy should have a big part to play.

And he did: the footballer officially ushered in the 2012 Olympiad tonight by riding down the Thames on a speedboat to the Olympic Stadium with the Olympic flame on board.

Yeah, son – that’s how David Beckham do!

Photo: UsMagazine.com.

Just Because, Pt. 83

I am dying looking at this picture of DILF Matt Bomer walking around New York City with his twin boys.

Like, I’m dead.

The actor’s husband is a lucky man, indeed.

Photo: UsMagazine.com.

Sub Man

There are plenty of reasons why this fall’s Shawn Ryan-produced Last Resort is one of the most hotly anticipated shows of the season, but one of them – the cutest one – is Scott Speedman.

Clearly, the folks at ABC know that Speedman has a fan base that’s quite die hard because of his time as Ben Covington on TV’s Felicity.

So, it was a no-brainer, I guess, to feature the actor on some key art to promote the upcoming drama. Like, duh.

Btw, I’ve watched the pilot for Last Resort, and I cannot wait to see more.

The action, centering on a nuclear submarine crew that goes rogue after defying orders that they deem suspicious, simmers to a boil and the last few moments just beg the powers that be to dare not take this to series (Andre Braugher plays Scottman’s captain, and he is fantastic in the sequence).

LetPhoto: EW.com.