Drawn Back to Drama

Cameron Diaz is eyeing a return to serious drama.

The actress, who shined so in fare like Vanilla Sky, is in negotiations to join Michael Fassbender, a possibly reuniting Brangelina, Javier Bardem, and Penélope Cruz in Ridley Scott’s The Counselor.

She would play what is reportedly a strong supporting role in the Cormac McCarthy-penned story about a lawyer (the Fass) who dabbles in some dealing of the drugs that just doesn’t end well.

I hope she does it – I enjoy it when Cam goes for a little grit.

Photo: LaineyGossip.com.

Update: This is the role that Angelina Jolie would have played, so I guess that Brangelina on-screen reunion will have to wait.

Raise Your Hand If You’d Let This Guy Vamp Ya

Bon Temps will never be the same.

You could argue that that can be said every year before a new season of HBO’s True Blood starts, but this coming fifth season it’s different, for this time Christopher Meloni’s coming to town.

The erstwhile Det. Stabler is playing an ancient and very powerful (and H-O-T) vampire. It remains to be teased just how bad he will be, but I know this much: he’ll be bloody good at it. And I likey.

True Blood is set to return to our lives on June 10, if memory serves.

Photo: TVLine.com.

Britney Wants Some X

Want some more Britney Spears? ’Cause you’re about to get some.

The pop tart is officially unofficially confirmed to have signed on to be a judge on The X Factor, for a reported very cool $15 million, and will join Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid on the show next season.

Said Spears of her deal (not really), “That’s a lot of gum, y’all!”

Photo: Zimbio.com.

Dr. Bamber!

TNT is rocking my bones.

The cabler has given a 10-episode go-ahead to a new David E. Kelley medical show called Monday Mornings that will star Ving Rhames, Alfred Molina, and Jamie Bamber.

Oh yeah – I totally am making this post about the show’s third male lead.

Like you wouldn’t.

Photo: Galactica.Wikia.com.

Pitt No. 5

Brad Pitt is such a pretty face – we know it, the world knows it...and, evidently, so does Chanel.

The venerable fashion house has made him the newest (and handsomest) spokesmodel for the iconic Chanel No. 5 perfume, a gig that is reportedly netting him somewhere in the seven figures.

Well that’s silly: Chanel No. 5 is for girls, not boys.

No matter – the folks at Chanel know what women want, and that’s a healthy serving of still-hot Pitt.

This is the actor’s first job as a beauty spokesmodel (although you could argue that he’s been serving as the face of gorge for like, forever) and also the first time a man has promoted the women’s scent since it was launched way back when in the 1920s.

He is said to be shooting his first campaign in London this week, so you can expect to see those photos later this year.

Photo: UsMagazine.com.

Here Comes Frankenstein

Yes! Frankenstein, the U.K. stage production starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller, is coming back to America.

I am excited because I just heart those two guys.

The filmed version of the play written by Nick Dear and directed by Oscar winner Danny Boyle will be rebroadcast into select movie theaters on June 6-7.

The award-winning production – both actors won an Olivier Award for Best Actor for the work they did taking turns playing Dr. Frankenstein and the Creature – was first broadcast into American theaters last spring.

Do check out the trailer:

And get your tickets early people!

Well, Duh!

In a turn of events that should surprise no one (like, no one), The Avengers will get a sequel.

Joss Whedon’s multi-star blockbuster did make more than $207 million its first weekend out in the United States, after all.

The movie will follow 2013’s Thor 2 and Iron Man 3, which is already adding to its cast, and 2014’s Captain America 2.

Whether Whedon – who would like an Avengers sequel to be a bit more intimate – will be back to helm remains to be seen.

Photo: EW.com.

So Dapper, So Sharp

F---in’ Tom Brady, man.

Not only is he like, an amazing QB and married to Gisele Bündchen, the guy can pull off just about any gosh darn haircut and make midnight blue velvet for spring an absolute must.

The guy turned heads at the 2012 Met Gala last night while rocking a slick semi-fohawk that slanted right and did him all kinds of favors and a gorge tom Ford evening jacket, black tux pants, and a sweet grosgrain bowtie.

I get it – you’re H-O-T. Now...keep it up.

Photo: People.com.

She’s Perky and She Knows It

Gwyneth Paltrow brought out the girls over the weekend – and they looked good.

The actress pulled out a LBD by Diane von Furstenberg to attend a party celebration The Conversation with Amanda de Cadenet on Sunday night.

It’s a tight look...I likey...although I woulda put a little som’in’ in her hair, y’ know. (Shine, girl!)

Photo: UsMagazine.com.

B’s (Got) Back!

Well, that Most Beautiful Beyoncé made what I believe to be her first official appearance post-having her baby last night, at the 2012 Met Gala (you know...that Oscars of fashion annual tradition)....

And, lemme tell ya, girlfriend put the back in her comeback.

I mean, check out that Riccardo Tisci for Givenchy Haute Couture gown, huh.

Dayum, girl – you got a permit for that?

Photo: People.com.

Girding His Loincloth

Kellan Lutz, king of the jungle?

Alright!

The Twilight Saga vamp is set to play Tarzan in a new and updated performance-capture 3-D adventure based on the Edgar Rice Burroughs property – so get ready to see his...monkey comin’ at ya (ish).

Joining him will be Resident Evil player Spencer Locke as Jane.

Now, here’s to hoping the final rendering of the character stays mighty close to Lutz’s goodies, OKRRR?

Photo: MyDaily.co.uk.

Kingly Man

Sharlto Copley is going for the crown.

The District 9 star is in talks to join Angelina Jolie and Elle Fanning (wait – is her deal done?) in Maleficent, the retelling of the Sleeping Beauty story from the POV of the evil fairy who sends Princess Aurora into a deep slumber.

Copley would play King Stefan in the live-action movie, whom I presume is the young girl’s father...?

What an interesting cast this long-in-the-making project is assembling, huh.

Btw, the actor also has booked the part of the villain in the English-language remake of Oldboy that Spike Lee is directing with Josh Brolin starring.

Photo: MovieLine.com.

Cannes Is Sooo It This Year

Cannes is the place to be this summer.

Not only is the world-famous Nikki Beach celebrating its 10th anniversary at its outpost in the French Riviera (flip to page 75 of the latest Miami Living magazine), the annual film festival is hosting a beyond-swank-and-special fundraiser to benefit three celebrity-led Haiti charities.

That’s Sean Penn’s J/P HRO, director Paul Haggis’ Artists for Peace and Justice (Haggis is pictured here, in the shorts, in Haiti in April 2010, with Olivia Wilde, Penn, Susan Sarandon, Demi Moore, and Gerard Butler), and Petra Nemcova’s Happy Hearts Fund, to be precise.

Haiti: Carnival in Cannes will center on a gala fundraising dinner on May 18 at the Festival Agora benefitting all three outfits. It sounds like it’s gon’ be quite the affair....

Be there if you can, people!

Photo: Zimbio.com.

The List, Pt 36

In: Amanda de Cadenet.

So Five Minutes Ago: Chelsea Handler.

O-V-E-R: Oprah.

Photo: TheConversation.tv.

The A-Team

OMJoss.

That’s exactly what you should be uttering after you catch Joss Whedon’s The Avengers this weekend, for the mastermind behind Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel and Firefly and Serenity and Dollhouse and Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog (not to mention the script for the first Toy Story) delivers the geekasm.

Heck yeah he does.

This is the one you’ve been waiting for from Marvel – what I call the payout for the super-cool Iron Man and the better-than-Ang Lee’s The Hulk The Incredible Hulk (the promise of which was right there in the title), and for Iron Man 2, and for Thor, and for Captain America: The First Avenger.

This is the one that assembles ’em all – with even more Samuel L. f---in’ Jackson as the cucumber-cool S.H.I.E.L.D big boss Nick Fury, a little more of Scarlett Johansson reprising her role as Black Widow, a rather healthy serving of Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye thrown into the mix, and some more Clark Gregg as the oh-so-essential Agent Coulson.

This is the one that kicks the most butt, as standardly good vs. evil as the story is, because this is the one that fulfills the promise of a popcorn movie that not only is super-good but also delivers what movie fans all around the world have been waiting for: a golden opportunity to see their fave comic-book characters go mano a mano and then get it together to save the world.

In other words, this one will rock your bones.

In IMAX 3-D (go on – treat yourself to the biggest adventure yet in the biggest screen possible).

The story, as you should know if you have been keeping up with these movies, revolves around the Tesseract (that cosmic cube of blue energy so teased in the Thor and Captain America movies) and how it falls into the hands of Thor's megalomaniac – and quippy! – adoptive brother Loki (played by Tom Hiddleston), who intends to rage the ultimate war on Earth and bring the planet to its knees since he’s still royally pissed off he was passed in favor of his blond and muscle-y brother (Chris Hemsworth) to receive the keys to their Asgardian kingdom.

The world on the reddest of red alerts, Nick Fury activates the Avengers Initiative and assembles his motley crew of superheroes to help defend mankind. He and Agent Coulson call upon Black Widow (who makes quite an impressive entrance into the blockbuster, IMHO, complete with lots of visual refs to my favorite slayer), who then goes looking for the reclusive Dr. Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo, stepping into the Hulkian shoes Edward Norton vacated after a dispute with Marvel).

They call on Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), too, who would rather stay home, plotting his next move on his quest to out-Stark himself (while keeping grounded by – Spoiler Alert! – his main gal played by one of my favorite gals); and on Steve Rogers, a.k.a. Captain America, who’s still reeling from, y’ know, waking up in our time after that very cold nap that interrupted his heroics during World War II.

As I said earlier, Whedon has devised a story that relies on the conflict inherent to bringing together all these people and their egos and their considerable amounts baggage. He doesn’t shy away from it, and, in fact, he thrives in it. The Avengers brings it because it divides to conquer – because it dares to remind its audience of the human flaws these supers have so that we can buy into it when they decide to put them aside in the name of the greater good. In other words, yeah, these boys and girl do not like to play together, but by golly, they will when it comes to saving the s---.

Yeah, of course all these characters, all this explosive action, all this climaxing by bringing chaos to Midtown Manhattan after a darn portal to another universe opens up so an alien race can invade and ravage Earth opens up in the middle of the sky is a little bit much of a good thing.

But it works awesomely. The movie does exactly what it needs to do with lots of smarts and humor and a little trademark-Whedon heartbreak of the most shocking sort. My jaw was seriously on the floor for a good couple minutes and I think a few tears wanted to begin to form behind my eyes.

Plus, the movie also finally solves the Hulk problem (who knew – when use sparingly, Banner’s mean ol’ green alter ego totally can so leave us wanting more), so yay.

And Hemsworth’s biceps and triceps get a lot of camera luvin’. And we’re introduced to Maria Hill, a new S.H.I.E.L.D. agent played by new crush, Cobie Smulders (TV’s How I Met Your Mother).

I think you should – and you more than likely – will go see The Avengers this weekend. And I so know for sure that you are just going to heart it. (Don’t get up and leave once the movie ends – if you want to hear a gasp! moment from the fanboys you’ll wanna check out the tag that sets up the next adventure, and long after that for a second, more winky tag).

My Rating ****

Photo: Walt Disney Pictures.

Saturday Night’s Going Jagger

I guess Madonna’s just too busy prepping for her world tour and all....

Nevertheless, Saturday Night Live will end the season on a high note (let’s hope) now that Mick freakin’ Jagger has been tapped to host the show’s season finale on May 19. The rock legend also will show us all how to really move it like Jagger, for he will be musical act for the night.

And you know what this year marks, right? The Rolling Stones’ 50th anniversary, so you best be sure you can expect tons of funsies related to that.

Btw, the band plans to celebrate the landmark occasion with the release of a career spanning documentary this fall.

Yeah, yeah – why couldn’t you, at least, come out to play a little something off MDNA, my Queen?

Photo: USAToday.com.

Corrections Interrupted

HBO has no need for Corrections.

That’s right – the cabler has decided to pass on ordering a series based on Jonathan Franzen’s The Corrections that would have starred Chris Cooper, Diane Wiest, Ewan McGregor, and Maggie Gyllenhaal (pictured here with her on-screen brother, played by the Moulin Rouge! actor).

It’s not so much that the powers that be didn’t like the pilot they saw (Franzen himself co-wrote it with director Noah Baumbach), they just didn’t see any long-term potential – they reportedly had concerns about adapting the best-seller into a long-running series.

Mmm, I wonder if perhaps another company (cough, cough, Showtime, cough) would be into picking this up.....

Photo: Zimbio.com.

The Bestest Smile

Oh, Chris Evans – you can smolder and you can look rascally cute in a beard?

That’s just not fair, but that’s exactly what you did when you stopped by GMA to talk up The Avengers, which I cannot wait to see and heart again.

Photo: UsMagazine.com.

Boys Reassembled

Backstreet’s back, alright!

The most famous of boy-band prodigal sons, Kevin Richardson, is rejoining the group, which he left in 2006 to do...something else.

Well, they did say that as long there was music they’d be coming back again....

Richardson (who was always my favorite because of his tall, dark, and handsome quietness – plus, he wore man-skirts!) tweet-confirmed the news, first announced during a concert in London a couple of days ago, saying he was “thrilled” to be back with his Boys (a pictured-here reunion first teased when he joined the quintet-cum-quartet for a fan-favorite rendition of “I Want It That Way” on stage in L.A. last summer).

“It’s on and crackin’!” he said.

Oooh yeah.

Photo: WaterCoolerConvo,blogspot.com.

I Want What Happy He’s Having

Matt Bomer has got it all (and I honestly couldn’t be happier for him): killer looks, the most amazing blue eyes, awesome raven hair, an H-O-T career, a bod to salivate over, and three kids who sound like the loveliest thing and a supportive partner who’s a champion for family building in all communities.

Sometimes nice guys finish first – and, for once, the rest of us aren’t one bit cynically jelly.

Bomer made a rare public appearance with his longtime main man, Simon Halls, last weekend, at the American Fertility Association’s Illuminations event where Halls received an award for his work.

Good goin’, Matty (mind if I call ya that?). Got any single, eligible friends?

Photo: UsMagazine.com.