Kathryn Bigelow, Eliza Dushku, Olivia Wilde and Allison Janney lead this installment of the Hollywood Trade Roundup, a collection of hotties making headlines in The Hollywood Reporter and Daily Variety.
It was quite a week for showbiz as Beyonce's record-breaking night at Sunday's Grammy Awards and Tuesday's Academy Awards nominations overshadowed another weekend of James Cameron's Avatar ruling the boxoffice for the seventh weekend in a row. The visual effects masterpiece went on to oust the Kate Winslett starrer Titanic and become the top-grossing film of all time.
The mammoth week for women also featured more history as the Directors Guild of America awarded The Hurt Locker helmer Kathryn Bigelow — Cameron's ex-wife — its top prize for the best directed film of the year. Bigelow's win for the intense Iraq War drama was the first win for a female director. Bigelow went on to add an Oscar nomination to her résumé, marking the third time a female director has been nominated — while Cameron was overlooked by the Academy.
Kathryn Bigelow on the set of The Hurt Locker
Queen Latifah has been tapped as one of the hosts for Friday's "SOS Saving OurSelves — Help for Haiti" concert and telethon. The fundraiser airs tonight on BET, MTV and VH1.
Debra Granik's Winter's Bone, a drama revolving around a girl trekking through the Ozark Mountains in a quest to find her missing father, collected the Sundance Film Festival's grand jury prize as well as the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award.
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Winter's Bone also secured U.S. distribution rights at the festival.
NBC's Amy Poehler starrer Parks and Recreation was picked up for a third season, marking a vote of confidence in the sitcom, and assisting in its hectic production schedule.
Allison Janney will star opposite former Friends star Matthew Perry in ABC's Mr. Sunshine. The pilot, stars Perry as the manager of a stadium who realizes he can't get by on looks and charm as he turns 40. Janney will play Perry's boss.
Eliza Dushku and everyone aboard Joss Whedon's futuristic Dollhouse bid Fox farewell last Friday as the sci-fi drama aired its series finale, collecting 2.2 million viewers. We'll miss you, Ms. Leather Pants. Find another project soon, m'kay?
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House babe Olivia Wilde has been tapped to star opposite Daniel Craig in Cowboys & Aliens, a sci-fi Western that Swingers and Iron Man helmer Jon Favreau will direct. Wilde will play Ella to Craig's gunslinger in the film based on the popular graphic novel. Lost's Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci are producing and wrote the script with Lost creator Damon Lindelof. Steven Speilberg is among the film's producers.
Uma Thurman and Kristin Scott Thomas have joined Twilight heartthrob and Kristen Stewart fan No. 1 Robert Pattinsonin Bel Ami. The film, which centers on a man (Pattinson) in 1890s Paris who seduces his way to wealth and fame. Yeah, that sounds like a stretch for R-Patz, doesn't it.
Fox Searchlight, the company behind Oscar contenders Crazy Heart and Fantastic Mr. Fox, as well as lezbo favorite Whip It, has picked up rights to the Hilary Swank starrer Betty Anne Waters. The film, which is based on a true story, stars Swank as a high school dropout and single mom who puts herself through law school to overturn the murder conviction of her brother (Moon's brilliant Sam Rockwell).
Kathy Bates and Whoopi Goldberg have joined the cast of Earthbound, a love story currently filming in New Orleans that also stars Kate Hudson and Gael Garcia Bernal.
Oscar favorite Mo'Nique has been tapped to emcee Shaquille O'Neal Presents: All-Star Comedy Jam, a Feb. 13 special set to air on Showtime.
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HBO has given an early renewal to its Mormon drama Big Love for a fifth season. The ensemble drama, starring Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chloe Sevigny and Ginnifer Goodwin, just kicked off its fourth season opener with a 49 percent gain in the ratings.
Former Scrubs and Roseanne star Sarah Chalke will return to ABC with a starring role on the network's pilot Freshmen. The sitcom follows the friendship between three freshman members of Congress — two men and one woman.
Looking at the Billboard charts, Lady Antebellum debuts "Need You Now" at No. 1 on the album charts, with Lady GaGa's "The Fame" holding steady at No. 3. Corinne Bailey Rae returns with "The Sea," debuting at No. 7 on the chart, while Ke$ha's "Animal" drops eight slots to No. 16.
Moviegoers, meanwhile, should break out the Kleenex as the Nicholas Sparks adaptation Dear John opens this weekend. The tear-jerker starring Amanda Seyfried opposite hunky Channing Tatum, faces From Paris With Love, the action pic starring John Travolta. For Oscar aficionados, the Carey Mulligan starrer An Education expands to more than 750 theaters this weekend for a prime opportunity to catch the best picture nominee.
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