Katee Sackhoff, Carey Mulligan, Kathryn Bigelow, Rachael Leigh Cook and Kristen Stewart lead this installment of the Hollywood Trade Roundup, a collection of hotties making headlines in The Hollywood Reporter and Daily Variety.
The weekend boxoffice was anything but a thriller as Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island vanquished the competition to the bottom of the heap with a $40.2 million opening frame. Last weekend’s topper, the romantic comedy ensemble Valentine’s Day, slipped to second and added another $17.2 million to its take. James Cameron’s Avatar continued to add to its record-breaking bank account as the film continues to march to its date with Oscar next weekend.
Awards season continued in full force with the Brits awarding their version of the Oscars: The Orange British Academy Film Awards, with Kathryn Bigelow’s Iraq War drama The Hurt Locker taking home awards for best picture, director, original screenplay, cinematography, sound and editing. Will Bigelow make history come Oscar time as the first female director to take home the Academy Award? One can only hope! Meanwhile, An Education’s Carey Mulligan was named best actress and — shocker! — Mo’Nique took home yet another prize for her villainous mother in Precious. And because no awards show is complete without a dose of Kristen Stewart, the Twilight and star of next month’s The Runaways was named Orange Rising Star.
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The Writers Guild of America, meanwhile, also recognized The Hurt Locker, naming screenwriter Mark Boal the winner for best original screenplay. Mad Men was awarded best drama series and Tina Fey’s 30 Rock took home the comedy prize. The writing staff for the freshman hit Modern Family collected the writing prize for best new series.
Natalie Portman will star in the road-trip comedy Best Buds, where she’ll play a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown who goes on a pot-infused road trip to San Diego with two pals on the eve of her wedding.
Pilot casting season continues with everyone’s favorite cylon, Katee Sackhoff, landing the lea in ABC’s untitled drama pilot. Sackhoff, who’s appearing opposite Kiefer Sutherland on Fox’s 24 this season, will play a detective who teams with a disgraced former cop to solve crimes and untangle the conspiracy that sent him underground.
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Nicollette Sheridan is going from Wisteria Lane to star opposite Paul Kaye’s British lowlife who moves to L.A. to reconnect with his precocious teen superstar. Sheridan will play the girl’s outrageous stage mother and the deadbeat dad’s long-lost love.
Smallville’s Kristin Kreuk will star in Hitched, Josh Schwartz’s (The O.C.) comedy pilot for CBS. She’ll play half of a newlywed couple dealing with their family and friends, including the groom’s lothario dad (Best in Show’s Eugene Levy).
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Rachael Leigh Cook will play the girlfriend of one of two Indian-American brothers who clash with their controlling immigrant parents on Fox’s comedy pilot Nirvana.
Joy Behar has been tapped to receive GLAAD’s Excellence in Media Award during its New York media awards. She’s being recognized for using her TV platform to support gay and lesbian visibility.
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Over on the album charts, Sade’s Soldier of Love holds on to the top spot on the Billboard 200, followed by Lady Antebellum repeating at No. 2. Lady Gaga continues to sell records as The Fame jumped up three slots to No. 4 this week and Alicia Keys’ The Element of Freedom jumped from No. 12 to No. 7. Taylor Swift’s Fearless continues to hang out in the top 10, marking her 67th on the charts at No. 10. And for those wondering, Ke$ha’s Animal jumped five slots to No. 14 this week as she begins the road to Dinah Shore.
Looking to the weekend at the boxoffice, moviegoers have their choice of horror — The Crazies, starring Radha Mitchell and Danielle Panabaker — or comedy with Kevin Smith’s Bruce Willis-Tracy Morgan starrer Cop Out opening in wide release. Or if you’re lucky enough to have an indie theater in your neighborhood, Kristen Stewart’s follow-up to Into the Wild and pre-Twilight film, the poorly titled The Yellow Handkerchief, co-starring Maria Bello, opens in limited release. Your best bet may be saving a few bucks and waiting for K-Stew’s Joan Jett biopic The Runaways to hit on March 19.
Check back soon for more news from Hollywood!
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