Fox Searchlight acquires 'Surrogate'

Fox Searchlight has closed an estimated $6 million deal to acquire worldwide rights to "The Surrogate," a drama starring John Hawkes, Helen Hunt and William H. Macy.Veteran helmer Ben Lewin wrote and directed the film, which Rhino Films CEO Stephen Nemeth produced with Judi Levine of Such Much Films.CAA negotiated the deal on behalf of the filmmakers.Hawkes, the Oscar-nominated star of "Winter's Bone" and "Martha Marcy May Marlene," stars as a disabled man with an iron lung who hires a sex surrogate (Hunt) to take his virginity.Fox Searchlight, which acquired last year's hot Sundance title "Martha Marcy," is expected to close a deal to acquire Benh Zeitlin's acclaimed "Beasts of the Southern Wild," as Variety first reported on Sunday night. Contact Jeff Sneider at jeff.sneider@variety.com

The The American Idol Show Show Episode 1: Singin' in Savannah and Seacrest's Evil Twin

You are prepared to cozy around the couch and use your ice-cold can of Coca-Cola... because Idol. Is. Back. (People were dramatic Ryan Seacrest-esque breaks.) With the season, you will notice levels (a la Kelly Clarkson's "Respect"), and usually, you will notice lows (William Hung's "She Bangs"), nevertheless the essential aspect to bear in mind here's that people are in this particular together. OK? Before we get through to the night's best artists, will we just have the worst part taken proper care of first? Along with his black v-neck and offensive faux spray-tan, let's all agree that Seacrest can be as deplorable of course. Possibly most likely probably the most frightening part of the evening was our chance winding up in Take advantage of Kraisman - Seacrest's doppleganger and subsequently my new worst nightmare. Round the cheesiness scale, this individual is kind of a hunk of bleu that has been rotting throughout my fridge for 3 several days. Since that's off my conscience, we shall stick to the positive! Listed here are the participants that have been layed out today - they are by no means fantastic - they're just the ones everyone knows coping to Hollywood. David Leathers, Junior. (a.k.a Mister "Steal Your GirlfriendInch) Before singing a fantastically completed ballad, S.Y.G. alleges that he's 17, but everyone watching knows this is often a blatant lie. He's really 9. Another fun fact: he's played against Idol champion Scotty McCreary in the singing competition - and needed to start with! Gabi Carrubba If Gabi Carruba were the type of girl to write inside the personal advertisements part of C-list, her ad would read "tap dancer-cum-singer and lover of Nigel Lythgoe." Which isn't saying much. She's a sweet-sounding voice, nevertheless it would be a little generic-sounding. I doubt she'll stand out enough making it for the final 24. Stephanie Renae She's the doe-eyed 15-year-old that nails a rendition of "In Your Paradise," despite the fact that she's undeniably gifted, In my opinion her youth and lack of skill will receive the best of her. She helps it be by way of Hollywood with sixty-six per cent "yes's." Randy's critique? "Not." Schyler Dixon We're reminded that Schlyer really auditioned a year ago along with her brother Colton. This year she's chosen to check sans her sister - she's 16 and looking to become person, damn it! Nevertheless the idol idol judges might have none from this. "Generate Colton!" "Coltonnn!!!" they yell within the poor girl, who's going to forever live in her brother's shadow. So Schyler does a very impressive version of "Break Even" with the Script, but Colton follows her, and steals the show. Throughout his performance, Schyler looks on, stabbing her brethren along with her piercing blue eyes. Each of them visit Hollywood, but sadly, Colton will not ever ensure it is there because Schyler has contracted popular guy. Lauren Mink As much as this time around, it's been by mentioning youngsters, when 25-year-old Lauren takes happens, she seems like she needs to be in geriatric care! She's got another voice together with a woman-next-door look - in addition to, she works inside a program for grownups with disabilities. Total package? In my opinion so. Shannon Magrane She's the six-footer getting a size 11 shoe who brings her girltourage and incredibly large father into her audition. Shannon gets the fresh-faced look, and guy does she have soul. In my opinion she's not going away soon. Amy Brumfield This Year's version of Very Bowersox lives in the tent because, as she mentioned, she can't afford $100/week accommodation. (Though I'd desire to make a $100/week accommodation couldn't substantially from the upgrade within the tent). The good thing for Amy is always that based on her first audition, it's a near certainty she'll be continuing to move forward from that tent very rapidly. She's amazing and various. Ashlee Altise I used to be really expecting the braided, bunny-hopping Ashlee to become complete train-wreck. Which she was - but she just also happened by having an incredible voice. The idol idol judges loved her (J. Lo referred to as her "crazy," within the perfect way, clearly), and sent her by way of Hollywood. She's talent together with an excellent shot which causes it to be towards the peak 12. She'll need to let go the meth first. (I kid!) W.T. Thompson All this-American boy quit his job inside a federal prison to audition for Idol, which probably isn't most likely probably the most proper move once your wife is six several days pregnant. But like Martin Luther King Junior. before him, the man stood a dream! Which is an optimistic factor more youthful crowd had encouraging idol idol judges. W.T. did have a very "sparkle" as Jennifer mentioned, but sadly, I don't think he'll last very extended. Brittany Kerr She's the Basketball dancer (together with a Blake Lively/Barbara Underwood hybrid) who single-handedly shown a mans idol idol judges are powerless with a beautiful lady. Brittany certainly has pipes, but let's face the music activity - she was nothing special. Yet she encounters to Hollywood. Phillip Phillips The guy so nice they named him two occasions! Save for his awkward fist-clenching, Double-Phil was awesome. Potentially the most popular in the evening. She's the dreamy blue eyes and raspy voice the The American Idol Show Show dreams are built with. Still dying over that acoustic version of "Thriller"? Because I am. I am not stretching its like to waste space in this particular recap by acknowledging the disaster that was Maweno Kodjo. The second-hands embarrassment I felt as you are watching looked like a kindergartner pissing his pants as you're watching whole class. That is I will say of this. Another component that traumatized me -- which one I'll discuss, as it is stated to become cathartic or something like that like this - might be the oversexed Steven Tyler fans talking about his "ten inch record." Even worst of these? The only real white-colored female from Zoysia, N.Y. who grabs his ass and claims he's her future ex-husband. Incidentally, he's who are old enough being her grandfather. Ok, it is now your turn! Who was simply your chosen? Your least favorite? Can you, too, lust after Steven Tyler's 10-inch-record? Go forth, and comment, Idol fans! show less

'Fashion Police' develops to hour

E! keeps growing its weekly "Fashion Police" series to have an hour.Move becomes effective by March 9. Show, that's been half-hour since its September 2010 beginning, can be a solid artist for your cabler, calculating nearly countless audiences every week.InchStyle Police" showed up whatsoever-time levels in many demos and total audiences inside the 2011 fourth quarter.Hosts are Joan Rivers, Kelly Osbourne, Giuliana Rancic and George Kotsiopoulos. Series is produced inhouse by Comcast Entertainment Art galleries which is professional produced by Jay James, Gary Snegaroff, Lisa Sausage and Melissa Rivers. Contact Stuart Levine at stuart.levine@variety.com

'How to Succeed's' Beau Bridges on Taking Chances

'How to Succeed's' Beau Bridges on Taking Chances By Simi Horwitz January 6, 2012 Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images Perhaps it seems unexpected for Beau Bridges to be tackling a Broadway musical at this stage of his career, but for him it's the logical next step. He recently replaced John Larroquette as corporate bigwig J.B. Biggley in "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" and will be on board through July 1. Though Bridges is best known for his extensive film and TV work, he points to his roster of theater credits on Broadway and in Los Angeles, including playing Sarah Brown's wise grandfather Arvide Abernathy in "Guys & Dolls" at the Hollywood Bowl in 2009, where he sang "More I Cannot Wish You." Like any other project Bridges is attracted to, "How to Succeed" is a great story, he says. Further, "it's already up and running, so all I have to do is jump in," he continues. "How could I turn it down? I've always loved music, my family has been jamming for years, and as I watched my brother Jeff getting into music after starring in 'Crazy Heart,' I was inspired." Bridges' career is on an upswing, not least thanks to his featured role as George Clooney's greedy hillbilly cousin in "The Descendants." But Bridges is especially excited about a play he has co-authored with his daughter, Emily, based on Richard Boleslavsky's 1933 book that Bridges' father, actor Lloyd Bridges, gave him when Beau was a youngster. It's titled, appropriately enough, "Acting: The First Six Lessons." "It's all about the Stanislavsky method and also the relationship between an acting teacher and his student, who he calls 'the creature.' " Bridges explains. The two-hander, which he and his daughter performed at Theatre West in 2010, has been published by Samuel French, and Bridges hopes to bring it to the East Coast. Bridges is every bit the family man, has four sons and one daughter, and is proud of his legendary Hollywood heritage.1. Water Everywhere. Bridges admits that his father opened doors for him. "I was lucky to have a dad in the industry who got me my first job in the film 'Zamba,' when I was 6," he recalls. "Later I appeared in 'Sea Hunt,' and so did my brother." "Sea Hunt" was a popular TV adventure series that starred Lloyd Bridges and ran from 1958 to 1961. Lloyd was an enthusiastic actor and loved his profession, Bridges recalls. But he was no stage parent, and neither brother was initially that serious about acting. Indeed, Bridges was interested in sports; his sights set on a basketball career, he played at UCLA and later at the University of Hawaii, where he phased out his college education and turned his attention to surfing.At the same time, he was landing spots on TV shows as he slowly moved back into the family business. But performing in the antiVietnam War play "Trial of the Catonsville Nine," by Daniel Berrigan, at the Mark Taper Forum, grabbed his attention and focused his efforts, partly because it spoke to his politics during those heady Vietnam years. "I recognized the entertainment aspect of stories, but every once in a while you get the chance to be in a play that talks about issues and that's exciting," he says.2. The Family That Plays Together. Looking back, he concedes, his family name may have magnified the scrutiny he received, but not much more than for anyone else who is doing relatively well. "It's a little unnerving to know people want to see you fail, but the positives far outweigh the negatives," Bridges says. "And the people who are scrutinizing me are giving me jobs. There are no jobs without an audience." Establishing his own artistic identity evolved naturally, he says, adding jealousy was never an issue in his close-knit clan. "I love working with my family," he says. "As Jeff and I got going, Dad would call and say, 'Anything for me?' There's never been a competitive aspect in our relationships. We enjoy watching each other's victories, and we're there for each other when one of us has a defeat." A personal and professional high point was appearing with his brother in "The Fabulous Baker Boys," and an ideal future project is its sequel, Bridges says. " 'The Fabulous Baker Boys Go to Kauai and Lie Around.' " He's only half-kidding.3. Constantly Evolving. Besides his father's tutelage, Bridges never studied acting formally. But then, Dad gave him the basics. "He told me, 'You want to tell the truth when you go out there. As long as it's your truth, it will seem like it's coming from a real place,' " Bridges remembers. "But every time I work, I'm learning." His ongoing relationship with Theatre West is a case in point. Whenever actors perform, their work is critiqued by colleagues. Bridges also cites the usefulness of David Ball's book, "Backwards & Forwards: A Technical Manual for Reading Plays." It has given him a new perspective on how to consider a play, its characters, and their relationships, he says.Bridges is a man of many interests and keeps his options open. Consider how he launched his singing career. As he tells it, he had been privately writing songs for quite a while but had not thought much of it until his wife asked him to record the songs for her birthday. His walking buddy, the great trumpet player Arturo Sandoval, expressed interest, and the two recorded five songs in Sandoval's studio. Friends and family were enthusiastic, and now the songs are available online. Recording them played a role in his willingness to try his hand at a Broadway musical, he says. "The big challenge for me in the show is the dancing."4. The Next Big Adventure. Bridges refuses to reflect on what he might have done differently in his career. "I appreciate my life, my opportunities, and I want to look beyond the past and be excited about what's coming down," he says. "I'd like to realize the play with my daughter. That's where my head is." Transience makes the business exciting. "Little births, little deaths, and melancholy when it's over," he says. "You think you'll never work again, and along comes another venture around the bend." "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" is playing at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, 302 W. 45th St., N.Y. (212) 239-6200. telecharge.com. howtosucceedbroadway.com. Outtakes Appeared on Broadway in William Inge's "Where's Daddy?" and Peter Ustinov's "Who's Who in Hell" and at the Geffen Playhouse in Jane Anderson's "Looking for Normal" Has been featured in dozens of films, including "Norma Rae," "The Other Side of the Mountain," and "Sordid Lives"Guest-starred on "Brothers & Sisters," "My Name Is Earl," "Desperate Housewives," and "The Closer"Received 11 Emmy nominations; won Emmys for "The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom," "The Second Civil War," and "Without Warning: The James Brady Story" also won Golden Globes for the latter two 'How to Succeed's' Beau Bridges on Taking Chances By Simi Horwitz January 6, 2012 PHOTO CREDIT Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images Perhaps it seems unexpected for Beau Bridges to be tackling a Broadway musical at this stage of his career, but for him it's the logical next step. He recently replaced John Larroquette as corporate bigwig J.B. Biggley in "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" and will be on board through July 1. Though Bridges is best known for his extensive film and TV work, he points to his roster of theater credits on Broadway and in Los Angeles, including playing Sarah Brown's wise grandfather Arvide Abernathy in "Guys & Dolls" at the Hollywood Bowl in 2009, where he sang "More I Cannot Wish You." Like any other project Bridges is attracted to, "How to Succeed" is a great story, he says. Further, "it's already up and running, so all I have to do is jump in," he continues. "How could I turn it down? I've always loved music, my family has been jamming for years, and as I watched my brother Jeff getting into music after starring in 'Crazy Heart,' I was inspired." Bridges' career is on an upswing, not least thanks to his featured role as George Clooney's greedy hillbilly cousin in "The Descendants." But Bridges is especially excited about a play he has co-authored with his daughter, Emily, based on Richard Boleslavsky's 1933 book that Bridges' father, actor Lloyd Bridges, gave him when Beau was a youngster. It's titled, appropriately enough, "Acting: The First Six Lessons." "It's all about the Stanislavsky method and also the relationship between an acting teacher and his student, who he calls 'the creature.' " Bridges explains. The two-hander, which he and his daughter performed at Theatre West in 2010, has been published by Samuel French, and Bridges hopes to bring it to the East Coast. Bridges is every bit the family man, has four sons and one daughter, and is proud of his legendary Hollywood heritage.1. Water Everywhere. Bridges admits that his father opened doors for him. "I was lucky to have a dad in the industry who got me my first job in the film 'Zamba,' when I was 6," he recalls. "Later I appeared in 'Sea Hunt,' and so did my brother." "Sea Hunt" was a popular TV adventure series that starred Lloyd Bridges and ran from 1958 to 1961. Lloyd was an enthusiastic actor and loved his profession, Bridges recalls. But he was no stage parent, and neither brother was initially that serious about acting. Indeed, Bridges was interested in sports; his sights set on a basketball career, he played at UCLA and later at the University of Hawaii, where he phased out his college education and turned his attention to surfing.At the same time, he was landing spots on TV shows as he slowly moved back into the family business. But performing in the antiVietnam War play "Trial of the Catonsville Nine," by Daniel Berrigan, at the Mark Taper Forum, grabbed his attention and focused his efforts, partly because it spoke to his politics during those heady Vietnam years. "I recognized the entertainment aspect of stories, but every once in a while you get the chance to be in a play that talks about issues and that's exciting," he says.2. The Family That Plays Together. Looking back, he concedes, his family name may have magnified the scrutiny he received, but not much more than for anyone else who is doing relatively well. "It's a little unnerving to know people want to see you fail, but the positives far outweigh the negatives," Bridges says. "And the people who are scrutinizing me are giving me jobs. There are no jobs without an audience." Establishing his own artistic identity evolved naturally, he says, adding jealousy was never an issue in his close-knit clan. "I love working with my family," he says. "As Jeff and I got going, Dad would call and say, 'Anything for me?' There's never been a competitive aspect in our relationships. We enjoy watching each other's victories, and we're there for each other when one of us has a defeat." A personal and professional high point was appearing with his brother in "The Fabulous Baker Boys," and an ideal future project is its sequel, Bridges says. " 'The Fabulous Baker Boys Go to Kauai and Lie Around.' " He's only half-kidding.3. Constantly Evolving. Besides his father's tutelage, Bridges never studied acting formally. But then, Dad gave him the basics. "He told me, 'You want to tell the truth when you go out there. As long as it's your truth, it will seem like it's coming from a real place,' " Bridges remembers. "But every time I work, I'm learning." His ongoing relationship with Theatre West is a case in point. Whenever actors perform, their work is critiqued by colleagues. Bridges also cites the usefulness of David Ball's book, "Backwards & Forwards: A Technical Manual for Reading Plays." It has given him a new perspective on how to consider a play, its characters, and their relationships, he says.Bridges is a man of many interests and keeps his options open. Consider how he launched his singing career. As he tells it, he had been privately writing songs for quite a while but had not thought much of it until his wife asked him to record the songs for her birthday. His walking buddy, the great trumpet player Arturo Sandoval, expressed interest, and the two recorded five songs in Sandoval's studio. Friends and family were enthusiastic, and now the songs are available online. Recording them played a role in his willingness to try his hand at a Broadway musical, he says. "The big challenge for me in the show is the dancing."4. The Next Big Adventure. Bridges refuses to reflect on what he might have done differently in his career. "I appreciate my life, my opportunities, and I want to look beyond the past and be excited about what's coming down," he says. "I'd like to realize the play with my daughter. That's where my head is." Transience makes the business exciting. "Little births, little deaths, and melancholy when it's over," he says. "You think you'll never work again, and along comes another venture around the bend." "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" is playing at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, 302 W. 45th St., N.Y. (212) 239-6200. telecharge.com. howtosucceedbroadway.com. Outtakes Appeared on Broadway in William Inge's "Where's Daddy?" and Peter Ustinov's "Who's Who in Hell" and at the Geffen Playhouse in Jane Anderson's "Looking for Normal" Has been featured in dozens of films, including "Norma Rae," "The Other Side of the Mountain," and "Sordid Lives"Guest-starred on "Brothers & Sisters," "My Name Is Earl," "Desperate Housewives," and "The Closer"Received 11 Emmy nominations; won Emmys for "The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom," "The Second Civil War," and "Without Warning: The James Brady Story" also won Golden Globes for the latter two