David Tennant to narrate "Twenty Twelve"

David Tennant has provided the voice over for a new six part comedy mock documentary series shortly to start on BBC Four. Twenty Twelve stars Hugh Bonneville, Jessica Hynes, Amelia Bullmore, Olivia Colman, Vincent Franklin and Karl Theobald and is about the people paddling hard beneath the water to make the Olympics happen in London in 2012.

Twenty Twelve is written and directed by John Morton, produced by Paul Schlesinger and the executive producer is Jon Plowman, the same team responsible for People Like Us in which David Tennant starred in the episode entitled 'The Actor'.

Read more at David Tennant on Twitter

Aberdeen actress to make London stage debut

An actress, who grew up in Aberdeen, is set to make her stage debut in London.
Sophie Kennedy Clark – the daughter of singer Fiona Kennedy and granddaughter of Calum Kennedy – has already starred on TV with former Doctor Who David Tennant in the drama Single Father.

Sophie, who will be seen on the London stage in the play 8 Women, said: "I begin the rehearsals for the show today and it will start in March."

Source: Evening Express

Sean Biggerstaff in radio play "Good With People"

Radio choices, February 26-March 4
Afternoon Play: Good with People. Radio 4, Friday 4 March, 2.15pm
Maureen Beattie, Paul Chequer and Sean Biggerstaff star in David Harrower’s tale of a small Scottish town, which has turned from being a thriving seaside resort to the host of a nuclear submarine base.

Source: The Stage

Robert Carlyle tells the story of Johnnie Walker

Robert Carlyle tells the story of Johnnie Walker. Apparently a single shot, a single take. And shot with one of the RedOne cameras.
Source, and more info: Silva Rerum

Ewan McGregor Joining "Jack the Giant Killer"?

Ewan McGregor has joined the cast of Legendary Pictures and New Line’s Jack the Giant Killer, an adult retelling of the fairy tale classic Jack and the Beanstalk.

Bryan Singer (Superman Returns) will direct the film, which tells the story of Jack, a young peasant who leads a quest to free a kidnapped princess from the clutches of a giant. His actions threaten the unstable truce between humans and giants. Jack will be played by Nicholas Hoult (A Single Man), with McGregor playing the captain of the king’s guard and a fellow fighter against the giants.

Other cast members include Stanley Tucci (Easy A) as Roderick, an evil, ambitious advisor to the king and Bill Nighy (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1) and John Kassir (Castle) as the two-headed leader of the giants. Roles yet to be cast are those of the princess and the human king. Current frontrunners to play the princess are Australian actress Adelaide Kane (Neighbours) and Eleanor Tomlinson (Alice in Wonderland).

The script was written by frequent Singer collaborator Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects). Filming will begin this March in London. Jack the Giant Killer is expected to be released in 2012.

Source: BSC Review

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The Film Stage"'s most-anticipated films of 2011 include "Haywire", starring Ewan McGregor

David Tennant visits Innocent Drinks

David Tennant did a whirlwind tour of Innocent Drinks at lunch time on Tuesday (22 Feb). Apart from a tour of their product kitchen, it's not clear why he was there but rumour has it that he may be involved in one of their future advertising campaigns.

Source, and more info: Innocent Drinks

Billy Connolly "The Man" tour live at Newcastle, New South Wales

Between 3rd and 4th of March 2011, one of the world’s best loved comedians will be performing at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.

Billy Connolly has had a longstanding career due to his charisma and inventiveness that has made his shows rapid sell-outs all over Australia. The two performances at Newcastle Entertainment Centre are likely to sell out in an instant as the comedian has not been on Australian shores for six years.

Read more at Click Press

Alan Cumming on Edinburgh festival

The actor, writer, director, producer and author, Alan Cumming talks about Edinburgh festival.

Source: Visit Britain

Alan Cumming lends his support to UK childrens charity

Alan Cumming is one of many celebrities featured on the "My Action for Children Celebrity Support" page on Facebook.

My Action for Children is an innovative new way of allowing people to choose how and where to give their support in helping to transform life for the most vulnerable and neglected children anywhere in the UK.

"My Action for Children is the most efficient, informative, and easy way to find out how to help kids in need. It's a one-stop shop for giving."

Find out more at Facebook and on the official Action for Children website.

Weekly schedule for Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

Mo 2/28: Isaac Mizrahi, Patton Oswalt
Tu 3/1: Carla Gugino, Tom Lennon
We 3/2: TBA
Th 3/3: Neil Patrick Harris, Tomorrows Bad Seeds
Fr 3/4: Tim Meadows, Wendy Booker

Mo 3/7: Aaron Eckhart, Paula Poundstone
Tu 3/8: Topher Grace
We 3/9: Trace Adkins, Windell Middlebrooks
Th 3/10: Wanda Sykes, Kevin McKidd
Fr 3/11: Amanda Peet, Gary Oldman

Robert Carlyle rumoured to star in new film

Robert Carlyle is rumoured to star in a film version of Tony Black’s novel “Paying For It”

Read more

Blockbuster film Highlander set for a remake

A remake of the classic cult movie Highlander starring Scots star Kevin McKidd is rumoured to be heading to - believe it or not - the Highlands.
Read more

John Barrowman researching for a new documentary

Torchwood and Doctor Who star John Barrowman recently popped into Renishaw's New Mills HQ to help him in his research for a potential new documentary.

The actor visited the Wotton-under-Edge works with his brother-in-law Prof Steven Gill, who is a world-leading neurosurgeon based at Frenchay Hospital near Bristol.
That is where the first of Renishaw's new enhanced surgical robots has been installed.

Barrowman, who played dashing sci-fi hero Captain Jack Harkness, runs Barrowman Barker Productions. It is looking at making a TV documentary about new medical procedures to treat degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's.

Source: This is Gloucestershire

Ewan McGregor filming The Impossible with Naomi Watts in Thailand

Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts were one nasty, bloody mess last Sunday. The pair were filming in Khao Lak, Thailand on their latest project, The Impossible.

Read more

Dougray Scott to star with Paloma Faith

Dougray Scott is to star with Paloma Faith in a forthcoming short film, A Nice Touch
Read more: Daily Mail

More about the movie at the official site here

South Riding premieres on UK TV

South Riding, starring Douglas Henshall, premiered this evening on BBC1 (UK)
Read more

It will be shown later this season on Masterpiece Classic in the US, and very soon thereafter on DVD
Source: BBC America

David Tennant - audio book / stamps

Annabel Pitcher’s striking debut novel, My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece, is currently being recorded as an audiobook by actor David Tennant.

Read more at Orion Books

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Royal Mail to issue Shakespeare stamps
On 12 April 2011 The Royal Mail will issue a collection of stamps featuring six images from Royal Shakespeare Company productions to celebrate 50 years of the company’s charter.
The six stamps will feature Antony Sher, Paul Schofield, Chuk Iwuji, Sara Kestelman, Francesca Annis and Ian McKellen in scenes from Henry VI, King Lear, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet and The Tempest - the 1st Class stamp will feature David Tennant playing Hamlet.

Source: British Universities Film & Video Council

Delayed 'Carmel' pic wraps production

Experience Media Studios has completed production on stalled indie drama "Carmel-by-the-Sea," starring Lauren Bacall, Josh Hutcherson, Alfred Molina, Hayden Panettiere, Dina Eastwood, Billy Boyd and Alexandra Carl.

The indie pic had been set to begin shooting in Carmel, Calif., in early 2009 soon after casting Hutcherson in the lead role but funds ran out before the film could be completed.

Experience Media said Tuesday that it raised an additional round of funding, eliminating outstanding debt and obtaining the film and worldwide rights from its former owners.

Script, penned by Carlos de los Rios, focuses on a troubled 16-year-old boy, who wanders into Carmel, falls into the wrong crowd and becomes involved in art forgery. He's befriended by a retired local artist who traces her career back to the early days of Carmel artists, writers and other creative types, all with skeletons in their closets.

Film's direted by Lawrence Roeck and produced by Craig Comstock and Experience Media Studios CEO Michael-Ryan Fletchall. Experience said it completed the project by filming additional scenes, adding aerial photography, music and completing post-production in 12 weeks.

Source: Variety



BasicallyBillyBoyd reports that Director Lawrence Roeck has announced that Carmel by the Sea will premiere on March 9th and then be released in limited theaters.
Read more

Weekly schedule for Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

Mo 2/21: Sara Rue, Wolf Blitzer
Tu 2/22: John Waters, Malin Akerman
We 2/23: Joel McHale, Greg Warren
Th 2/24: Forest Whitaker
Fr 2/25: Melissa Leo, Phil Keoghan

Mo 2/28: Isaac Mizrahi, Patton Oswalt
Tu 3/1: Carla Gugino, Tom Lennon
We 3/2: TBA
Th 3/3: Neil Patrick Harris, Tomorrows Bad Seeds
Fr 3/4: Tim Meadows, Wendy Booker

PJ Barnard - Contact

PJ Barnard is currently filming Contact, a Small Production film, in Glasgow.

View the official teaser trailer on YouTube. It will also be showing in the CCA Cinema in Glasgow next month

Peter Capaldi - Best Comedic Actor

Peter Capaldi won Best Comedic Actor at the Comedy Awards
Source: SexyCraigFerg on Twitter

More information

Kevin McKidd - Giving Hearts / Macbeth

For more information, please visit Kevin McKidd Online

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Kevin McKidd has revealed he plans to film a new version of the Shakespeare classic Macbeth.
Read more

John Hannah Talks About the Past and Future of His 'Spartacus' Character

If you think 'Spartacus' is all about muscle-bound guys hacking each other's limbs off in the gladiator arena, think again.

One of the most compelling things about the Starz drama, which returned Jan. 21 with a 6-episode prequel season, is John Hannah's fierce portrayal of Quintus Lentulus Batiatus, the owner of a ludus, or gladiator academy.

He is an ambitious, cunning, self-serving man, but thanks to Hannah's subtle performance, you end up rooting for Batiatus, who loves his wife dearly and just wants to succeed in a brutal, bloody world.

Read more

The Conspirator to premiere on 15 April

According to @JamesMcAvoyMB on Twitter, the theatrical release date has been set for James McAvoy's The Conspirator on 15 April 2011
Details

Henry Ian Cusick in new TV show

Henry Ian Cusick, who played handsome Scotsman Desmond Hume on Lost, will play the lead in ABC's new Shonda Rhimes pilot about professional crisis management consultant Olivia Price.
Cusick's character is a lawyer who works for Kerry Washington's Price, TV Line reports.
Read more

Gerard Butler - Machine Gun Preacher / Mavericks

Gerard Butler and ‘Machine Gun Preacher’ are receiving rave advance reviews.
Gerard Butler’s new movie ‘Machine Gun Preacher’ is already off to a flying start. The movie was screened in January and viewers are saying that they were very impressed with his acting and the movie as a whole.
Read more (with pics) at Like It I Do

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Gerard Butler is heading to the beach as a surfer in Curtis Hanson's upcoming biopic "Mavericks," Walden Media announced Friday.
Butler will play Rick "Frosty" Hesson, who mentored Santa Cruz surfer Jay Moriarty.
Moriarty was a surfer who mastered the fearsome big wave breaks, Maverick's in Half Moon Bay. He died in 2001 -- one day short of his 23rd birthday.
Read more

Dougray Scott - United / Marilyn / A Thousand Kisses

Dougray Scott on Playing Arthur Miller and Sir Matt Busby
Dougray Scott admits he jumped at the chance to star as one of his real-life idols.
The Glenrothes-born actor was thrilled to land the role of legendary Scots football manager Sir Matt Busby in BBC Film, United, which dramatises the events surrounding the Munich air disaster on February 6, 1958.
Read more

Marilyn explores relationship between Marilyn Monroe and Simone Signoret
Fifty years after her death, Marilyn Monroe remains an object of endless fascination. Later this year Michelle Williams will portray her in the film My Week With Marilyn co-starring Dougray Scott as playwright Arthur Miller.
Read more

Todd Solondz, the maverick US indie director of Happiness and Welcome To The Dollhouse, is continuing to cast his spell over buyers.
Solondz’s latest feature Dark Horse (handled by Goldcrest at the EFM) has been sold to Svensk for Scandinavia and and to Village Roadshow for Australia.
Jordan Gelber and Selma Blair star in the film, which is about a thirtysomething toy collector who becomes engaged to a failed academic with disastrous consequences. Mia Farrow, Christopher Walken, Justin Bartha and Donna Murphy are also in the cast. Goldcrest is showing a promo here in the market.
Also on Goldcrest’s Berlin slate is Dana Lustig’s romantic time travel drama A Thousand Kisses, starring Emilia Fox, David Warner, Jodie Whittaker and Dougray Scott.
Whittaker plays Mia, a woman who, returning home from work, witnesses someone leap from a window. Scattered around the woman’s broken, lifeless body Mia discovers shredded pieces from a beloved photograph of herself and her former lover Ludwig (Dougray Scott). Highly unnerved, Mia begs Max (David Warner), the buildings’ all knowing custodian, to let her into the deceased woman’s flat. While inside this strangely familiar place, Mia recognizes the contents as her own.
The film is in post-production. Goldcrest is showing footage at the Euro Film Market in Berlin.
Read more

More about A Thousand Kisses

A Thousand Kisses is considered a hot title at the Euro Film Market, according to Deadline.com

South Riding to air on Sunday 20 February

South Riding charts the story of Sarah Burton's homecoming to Yorkshire in 1934 after twenty years teaching in London and the Empire. After a fiery interview with a conservative interview panel, outspoken Sarah takes up her first headmistress-ship at Kiplington High School for Girls, determined to demonstrate to her new pupils that the future is theirs for the taking.

Change is on her agenda straight away - of the curriculum, of teaching methods, of the rundown buildings. Her hurry to transform the South Riding brings her into immediate conflict with landowner Robert Carne, a man tragically trapped in his past, and wins her the friendship of Joe Astell (played by Douglas Henshall), a reforming socialist councillor bent on improving the lives of the Yorkshire poor by means of a spanking new housing estate to replace the rural slum known as The Shacks. As term begins, Shacks girl Lydia Holly arrives at the High School, with talent to burn and domestic circumstances that make it almost impossible for her to realise her dreams. Meanwhile, Sarah is brought closer to Carne through his highly-strung and delicate daughter, Midge.

Episode One will be broadcast on Sunday 20 February 2011 at 9 p.m. on BBC One (UK)

Source: BBC

UK Film release schedule for Fright Night

David Tennant's 'Fright Night' is mentioned in Movies to Look Out For in 2011

In "Fright Night" a remake of an 80s comedy hit, Craig Gillespie ("Lars and the Real Girl") directs a team of witty, talented actors including Colin Farrell, Anton Yelchin and David Tennant. The story takes place in your average 80s suburb where one high school student suspects that his mysterious neighbor is a vampire
Source: Notre Dame Observer

Launching Films report that Fright Night will premiere in the UK on Friday 2 September 2011

Photo source: SFX

New Billy Boyd photos from the Ecstasy set

Director Rob Heydon has posted some new photos of Billy Boyd from the set of Ecstasy.

Details and pictures can be found at Basically Billy Boyd

Weekly schedule for Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

Mo 2/7: Dominic Monaghan, Gabrielle Union, Kurt Metzger

Tu 2/8: Emily Blunt, Dr. Kara Cooney

We 2/9: Carl Reiner, Cat Cora

Th 2/10: Jennifer Beals, Jean-Michel Cousteau

Fr 2/11: Jason Biggs, Jennifer Ouellette

Mo 2/14: Bob Barker, Melissa Rauch

Tu 2/15: William Shatner, Gillian Jacobs

We 2/16: TBA

Th 2/17: Sarah Chalke, Louie Anderson

Fr 2/18: D.J. Qualls, Lily Tomlin

Mo 2/21: Forest Whitaker, Wolf Blitzer

Tu 2/22: John Waters, Malin Akerman

We 2/23: Joel McHale, Greg Warren

Scottish actors tipped to star in new BBC Scotland blockbuster

BBC Scotland is to launch a multi-million-pound blockbuster that will chart the human story behind the great days of the Clyde shipyards.

With the working title The Clyde, the costume drama will be given the Upstairs Downstairs treatment by basing the story of Glasgow’s great shipbuilding heritage around two 19th-century families.

One will be the ‘aristocratic’ yard owners and the other the working-class family whose father and sons work in the yard.

The scale of the project is unprecedented in television drama production, and will require European or US co-production funding to cover the massive costs.
A source said: “This will attract a stellar cast of actors. There are roles for some of our finest performers, including Robbie Coltrane, Robert Carlyle and Dougray Scott.”

The project is the brainchild of Sigma Films, a production company based in the old Govan Town Hall, now known as Film City. They are best known for art house pictures such as Young Adam, starring Ewan McGregor and Tilda Swinton, and Red Road, which won the Jury Prize at the 2006 Cannes festival.

The company’s executives have recently returned from the Sundance Film Festival, where their latest film, Perfect Sense, starring Ewan McGregor and Eva Green, had its world premiere.

While the shipbuilding saga has just entered the script stage, BBC Scotland is seeking production partners for the network venture.

Production isn’t expected to begin until 2012, but there is a clear appetite for period costume drama after ITV’s recent success with Downton Abbey and the BBC’s revival of Upstairs Downstairs, which was first a hit for ITV in 1971.

Read more: Express

Sean Biggerstaff doodles for charity

Sean Biggerstaff is one of many celebrities who have donated hand-drawn art for National Doodle Day 2011, the proceeds from which will go to fund the Epilepsy Action charity, which focuses on epilepsy research and advocacy. All the donated art work will be auctioned on Friday, February 11, 2011.

See Sean's art, and learn more about the project, at National Doodle Day

First UK Trailer for Medieval 'Ironclad'

In addition to James Purefoy, Ironclad also stars Paul Giamatti, Brian Cox, Robert Carlyle, William Moseley, Jason Flemyng, Bob Hoskins, Pete Postlethwaite and Kate Mara. Apparently in the film Giamatti is "in pure Shoot 'Em Up snarling-villain mode, facing off against the noble and true James Purefoy." And although this has a low budget, Empire promises that it's "a gritty and compelling British action flick." This was directed by Jonathan English, of Minotaur and Nailing Vienna, from a script by English and Erick Kastel.

Ironclad hits theaters in the UK this March, but as far as we know still doesn't have a US distributor or release date yet.


To watch more, visit www.t5m.com

Source: First Showing

Dougray Scott film to debut at Kingussie Food on Film

A new film starring Scots actor Dougray Scott and chef Gordon Ramsay will debut at Kingussie's Food on Film Festival.

No Ordinary Trifle's director and writer James Hacking will also be among the guests at the annual celebration of movies and cuisine.

He will be joined by actor Lee Boardman, who also stars in the film which will not be released at UK cinemas until later this year.

The Food on Film Festival will opened yesterday (Thursday 3 Feb) and runs until Sunday 6 February.

Source: BBC

French Film – DVD release

French Film, a hilarious new British romantic-comedy from Revolver Entertainment, is the feel-good tale of how to find love... and more importantly, how to keep it!

Starring Downton Abbey’s Hugh Bonneville, Anne-Marie Duff, Douglas Henshall, Victoria Hamilton and charismatic Eric Cantona, the story holds as much charm as humour.

Following the entangled lives of four British people, the narrative is punctuated by the fictitious French films of Thierry Grimandi, which inspired both writer and director from the outset.

In French Film, journalist Jed Winter (Hugh Bonneville) is preparing to interview the celebrated French auteur film-maker Thierry Grimandi (Eric Cantona), a self-appointed expert on the nature of love.

Jed quickly dismisses Grimandi's theories of love and romance as pretentious nonsense, but when long-term girlfriend Cheryl (Victoria Hamilton) refuses to marry him, forcing him into couple counselling instead, Jed begins to realise that his own emotions aren't as straightforward as he once believed.

Meanwhile, even Jed’s best friend Marcus (Douglas Henshall) is talking less about football, and more about love, as the truth about his relationship with perfect girlfriend Sophie (Anne-Marie Duff) gradually emerges...

As one by one his loved ones reveal their dedication to l'amour, Jed begins to think that Grimandi might have the answers after all.

But he's damned if he's going to admit it.


French Film is released 7th February

Source: Female First

David Tennant helps to launch Red Nose Day 2011

David Tennant will once again be contributing to this year's Comic Relief campaign
Source

David Tennant appears in a video for an ap for iPhone which raises money for Comic Relief.
In the press the Daily Mail mentions David Tennant as one of the celebrities involved with Comic Relief this year which launched yesterday.
The Mirror printed yesterday that David Tennant would be hosting part of Red Nose Day on Friday 18th March although a hosting slot hasn't been confirmed.
Meanwhile the Daily Star wrote that David Tennant visited Sierra Leone for Comic Relief. However David has said that it was Uganda.
And today David Walliams said that he hopes David Tennant and Catherine Tate will join in tribute Take That act.
More details of this, and further news about David Tennant and Red Nose Day this year is posted in the Comic Relief section of DavidTennantOnTwitter.com.

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Rumours:

According to David Tennant News, a New York Times overview for "Love On The Murder Mile" lists David Tennant and Billie Piper in the cast

According to Patti Tib, David Tennant is listed as starring in "The Hobbit"
IMDB still shows him as only 'rumoured'

Billy Connolly brings comic relief to Brisbane

He could have written a cheque. He could have organised a We Are The World-style celebrity-laden recording simply by consulting his phone's speed dial.
But that's not how the heart of Billy Connolly beats.
To show his support and to share how the stories of devastation and tragedy of the Queensland floods have touched him, the roguish Scottish comedian currently touring Australia announced this morning he will donate his time to perform a fundraiser in Brisbane on February 13.

Full article at Courier Mail

Alan Cumming to Star in Staged Reading of The Notebook of Trigorin at CSC

Tony Award winner Alan Cumming will star in a staged reading of Tennessee Williams' The Notebook of Trigorin, to be presented by Classic Stage Company on Sunday, February 13, at 7pm.

A free adaptation of Chekhov's The Seagull, the play keeps the basic story the same, but Williams' characters are redefined in vivid colors, their actions rerouted from offstage conflict to onstage events and the character of Trigorin is brought more into focus making his notebook the play's central symbol.

The cast will also include Keli Garner, Ryan Homchick, John Christopher Jones, Mackenzie Meehan, Ryan O'Nan, David Rasche and Stephanie Roth.

Cumming won the Tony Award for Cabaret and also starred on Broadway in The Threepenny Opera and Design for Living. He will soon be seen on the big screen in Julie Taymor's adaptation of The Tempest and received a 2010 Emmy Award nomination for his role as Eli Gold on CBS' The Good Wife.

For tickets and more information, click here.

Source: Theater Mania

Weekly schedule for Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

Mo 2/7: Dominic Monaghan, Gabrielle Union, Kurt Metzger
Tu 2/8: Emily Blunt, Dr. Kara Cooney
We 2/9: Carl Reiner, Cat Cora
Th 2/10: Jennifer Beals
Fr 2/11: Jason Biggs, Jennifer Ouellette

Mo 2/14: Bob Barker, Melissa Rauch
Tu 2/15: William Shatner, Gillian Jacobs
We 2/16: TBA
Th 2/17: Sarah Chalke