EURweb |
FILM/TV BITS: 'Chris' lobby; another Keys 'Diary'; Torry joins 'Flirt'; 'Flav of Love 2'; Epps' HBO special.
*If the bootleg man around the way suddenly has DVDs of the entire first season of “Everybody Hates Chris,” including shows that haven't aired yet, we’ll know exactly who they came from. According to Daily Variety, producers of the UPN series are sending DVD copies to all 12,000 members of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in an attempt to drum up Emmy votes. Company spokesman John Wentworth told the trade: "We know that when the show launched, the critics raved about it and the industry buzz was palpable. We thought it would be appropriate to not only get the first season to [voters], but to get it to them early so that they'd have a chance to truly digest the shows." The 2006 Primetime Emmys will take place on Sunday, Aug. 27.
*Alicia Keys has been cast opposite Scarlett Johansson in the big screen adaptation of the bestseller, “The Nanny Diaries.” The film stars Johansson as a working-class woman from New Jersey who becomes a nanny to a wealthy Manhattan family. Keys will play her best friend. The movie, which begins shooting this month in New York, is based on Nicola Kraus and Emma McLaughlin's popular satirical book. Meanwhile, Keys just completed work on Universal’s “Smokin’ Aces,” opposite Don Cheadle, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman and Peter Berg.
*Guy Torry, Marco Sanchez and Marcelle Larice have joined the cast of CW's comedy pilot "Flirt." The trio joins new additions Tamala Jones and Bree Turner on the Touchstone TV project, which stars Wayne Brady as the only man working at a women's magazine.
*As tipped here last week, VHI is currently casting for a new season of “Flavor of Love,” which features a gaggle of woman vying for the chance to be the rapper’s main squeeze. "The show was such a huge hit within the hip-hop community," executive producer Cris Abrego tells Variety. "There are a lot of big names who called us up who wanted and will be a part of the show next season." Co-executive producer Mark Cronin added: "Most of it will stay the same in that this is Flav's take on romance and class. His personal life is a little more hectic because of the show's success; he's a little bit more of a celebrity now. But he's still set on finding love." VH1, itself, should be a contestant, as “Flavor of Love 2” is its fourth reality show to feature the Public Enemy member. He previously starred in "The Surreal Life" and spin-off "Strange Love," which centered on his exploits with former “Surreal” housemate Brigitte Nielsen.
*Comedian Mike Epps premieres his first HBO stand-up special, titled “Mike Epps: Inappropriate Behavior,” on May 6 at 10 p.m. The one-hour event was recorded before a live audience at the San Jose Improv and is for “adults only,” a release states. The Indiana native was last seen opposite Sanaa Lathan in “Something New,” and is currently working on a new series for HBO titled, “The Unsuccessful Thug,” a comedy about his inability to hustle back in his old neighborhood.
.jpg)
