Gregory Peck's Widow, Veronique Passani, Dies at 80

The French-born patron of the arts was married to the legendary actor for 48 years.

Veronique Passani Peck, the widow of actor Gregory Peck and a longtime arts patron, has died. She was 80.

Family publicist Monroe Friedman says Veronique Peck died Friday of heart failure at her Los Angeles home.

Born in Paris, Veronique Peck met the actor when she interviewed him for the newspaper France Soir.

At age 23, she moved to the United States and married the movie star. Their marriage lasted 48 years until his death in 2003.

Veronique Peck helped create the Inner City Cultural Center in South Los Angeles, was a founder of the Los Angeles Music Center and a longtime fundraiser for the Los Angeles Public Library.

She is survived by two children, writer/producer Anthony Peck and documentary filmmaker Cecilia Peck Voll, a brother and three grandchildren.

James Gunn In Talks to Direct Marvel's 'Guardians of the Galaxy'

The "Slither" and "Super" helmer is the studio's choice to shepherd the superhero space fantasy.

James Gunn has emerged as Marvel Studios' choice to direct its upcoming space superhero saga Guardians of the Galaxy.

After a lengthy search, sources say that Marvel executives now are talking exclusively with Gunn, whose previous credits include the genre films Slitherand Super. The studio is said not to have ruled out others in the running —  Peyton Reed(Bring It On, Yes Man) and Half Nelson helming team Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden were in the mix, according to sources — in case talks with Gunn's reps do not lead to a deal.

Marvel is said to like Gunn's sensibility and his ability to mix comedy elements with action and horror, a quality he shares with The Avengers director Joss Whedon, who, with his exclusive contract with Marvel, is now a major architect of the company's expanding universe.  

Marvel declined to comment.

Galaxy is the first original title in Marvel’s “Phase 2"of movies, which also includes Iron Man 3, sequels toCaptain America and Thor, and Avengers 2.

Marvel officially announced the movie at Comic-Con. Earlier this month, THR reported that it hired Chris McCoy to rewrite the space adventure movie, which had a previous draft of a script by Nicole Perlman.

While there have been several incarnations of the Guardians team in the comics over the years, the movie’s lineup will include Drax the Destroyer, a human resurrected as a green warrior with the sole purpose of killing Thanos (the villain in the Avengers final-scene tease); Groot, a giant tree-man; Star-Lord, a gun-toting half-human/half-alien intergalactic vigilante; Rocket Raccoon, a genetically engineered animal with a knack for guns and explosives; and Gamora, the last survivor of her species who was saved by Thanos to be his assassin but now battles him.

Earlier this week a logline made the rounds describing the plot as concerning “a U.S. pilot who ends up in space in the middle of a universal conflict and goes on the run with futuristic ex-cons who have something everyone wants."

If a deal comes together, it would mark yet another unconventional director choice for a big Marvel movie. The studio raised eyebrows by handing over Iron Man to a then-untested Jon Favreau, Thor to Kenneth Branagh, who was known for arthouse pics, and The Avengers to TV showrunner Whedon. All the movies became international hits. 

Guardians would be a major break for Gunn, who is best known for directing the low-budget Super and Slither. Super, released in 2010, is an indie action comedy starringRainn Wilson and Liv Tyler about a schlub who decides to be a superhero despite lacking any skills. Slither is a horror comedy made by Gold Circle Films that starredNathan Fillion and Elizabeth Banks. Slither only made $7.7 million domestically, though a galactic sum compared to Super’s $322,000 domestic take.

But Gunn, who wrote Warner Bros’s live-action Scooby-Doo movie and its sequel, has a cult following and rose through the moviemaking machine of low-budget farm Troma Entertainment, run by genre king Lloyd Kaufman.

Gunn is repped by UTA.

Shia LaBeouf: Sex Scenes in Lars von Trier's 'Nymphomaniac' Will Be Real

The unfiltered actor admits he's "terrified" to film the Danish director's erotic drama.

Shia LaBeouf says the sex scenes in Lars von Trier's Nymphomaniac will be the real deal.

As TheHBDb  exclusively reported, the 26-year-old actor signed on to star in the controversial Danish director's latest project, an erotic two-part drama that begins production next month and will be released in two cuts, one more sexuality explicit than the other.

"(The movie] is what you think it is," LaBeouf tells MTV News. "It is Lars von Trier, making a movie about what he's making. For instance, there's a disclaimer at the top of the script that basically says we're doing it for real. Everything that is illegal, we'll shoot in blurred images. Other than that, everything is happening."

Von Trier's first film since 2011's Melancholia, an apocalyptic drama co-starring Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte Gainsbourg, Nymphomaniac, will chronicle the sexual adventures of a woman (Gainsbourg) from her youth through age 50. Stellan Skarsgard plays her husband, and Nicole Kidman has suggested she might have a small role.

As for LaBeouf, the ex-child star known for his roles in the Transformers movies and the latestIndiana Jones installment has traded standard studio fare for indie films.

"I'm done," he vents to THR in this week's issue. "There's no room for being a visionary in the studio system. It literally cannot exist. You give Terrence Malick a movie like Transformers, and he's f---ed. There's no way for him to exist in that world."

As to why LaBeouf took the Nymphomaniac job: "Because (von Trier's) dangerous. He scares me. And I'm only going to work now when I'm terrified." 

LaBeouf will soon be seen opposite Gary Oldman and Tom Hardy in John Hillcoat's Lawless, slated for release Aug. 29. He also stars in The Company You Keep, a thriller directed by and co-starring Robert Redford, which will premiere at the upcoming Venice Film Festival and also screen at the Toronto International Film Festival.

And speaking of erotic films, LaBeouf recently went full-frontal for an artsy Sigur Ros music video. 

Box Office Report: 'Expendables 2' Tops Friday With $10.5 Mil, But Trails 2010 Film

The sequel bumps 'Bourne Legacy' to No. 2; "Sparkle" and "ParaNorman" end the day in a dead heat for No. 3.

Action extravaganza The Expendables easily topped the Friday box office, but overall moviegoing remained on the softer side as the sequel found itself trailing the original 2010 film.

Expendables 2, from Lionsgate and Millennium Films, grossed $10.5 million for a projected weekend opening in the $27 million to $28 million range. On the same weekend two years ago,Expendables grossed $13.3 million on its first Friday for a $34.8 million opening.

The sequel - featuring a who's who of 1980s action stars, plusLiam Hemsworth -- received an A- CinemaScore, portending good word of mouth.

Expendables 2 has several noteworthy additions to its cast, including Chuck Norris and  Jean-Claude Van Damme. And while Arnold Schwarzeneggermade a cameo in the first film, he's featured far more in the sequel.

The rest of the cast includes Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Bruce Willis, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture and Terry Crews.

Financially, Lionsgate is on solid ground, having acquired North American and U.K. rights toExpendables 2 for $35 million.

Bourne Legacy came in No. 2 on Friday, earning $5.3 million for weekend gross in the $16.5 million to $17 million range, putting its 10-day domestic total close to $70 million.

Among the weekend's other new films, TriStar's muscial drama Sparkle and Focus Features' family entry ParaNorman ended Friday in a close race for No. 3.

ParaNorman, grossing $4.59 million on Friday, could edge past Sparkle for the weekend as families become more available. The 3D stop motion pic, earning a B+ CinemaScore, was produced by Laika, the creative force behind Coraline.

Box office observers are projecting a weekend opening in the $13 million to $14 million range forParaNorman. The movie is playing in 3,429 locations, the widest bow ever for Focus.

ParaNorman, about a boy who must stop the destruction of his hometown by a witch's spell, is voiced by Casey Affleck, Tempestt Bledsoe, Jeff Garlin, John Goodman, Anna Kendrick andLeslie Mann. Coraline, released in February 2009, opened to $16.8 million.

Sparkle -- Whitney Houston's final movie -- grossed $4.55 million on Friday and earned a glowing A CinemaScore. The film is expected to post a weekend gross in the $12.5 million to $14 milion range.

The remake of the 1976 film stars American Idol winner Jordin Sparks, Derek Luke, Mike Epps,Cee Lo Green, Cameron Ejogo and Tika Sumpter and is about three sisters who form a singing group in Detroit during the Motown era. Houston plays their mother.

Both Sparkle and ParaNorman are facing competition from holdover The Campaign, the raunchy political satire starring Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis. The Warner Bros. comedy cmae in No. 4 on Friday, grossing $4.2 million for a possible $13 million weekend.

Disney's whimsical drama The Odd Life of Timothy Green, opening Wednesday, grossed $3.5 million on Friday for a five-day debut in the $13 million to $14 million range. Starring Jennifer Garner andJoel Edgerton as a childless couple who dream up a !0-year-old boy, Timothy Green received an A- CinemaScore.

Saif to attend NYC's India Day Parade

On August 15, Indians all across the globe celebrated India's 66th Independence Day. And as an extension of this celebration, Saif Ali Khan will be the assuming the role of the Grand Marshal at the India Day Parade at New York City's Fifth Avenue.

 
The parade which is held every year by Indian businessmen in the US tends to feature known faces from the film and television industry in India. The India Day Parade in NYC will take place on Sunday.

Gulshan Grover to play M. F. Husain?

He was a painter par excellence, who managed to give India its global standing on the international stage in arts; he is none other than Late M. F. Husain. Though the artist was in the midst of controversies towards the end of his life, due to some of his works, Bollywood seems to have taken a liking in him. In fact we now learn that there will soon be a film inspired by Husain's life.

Apparently, the said film will not be a biopic; instead it will be about an artist who gives back to society through his work. Directed by ad-man Shashank Shekhar, we hear that Gulshan Grover has been signed on to play the lead character inspired by Husain.

Gulshan will be seen sporting long hair coupled with Husain's trademark stubble and move around barefoot in the film.

NBC says Al Roker quip wasn't about Ann Curry

The Today show says Al Roker and Matt Lauer have jokingly bantered about throwing someone “under the bus” at least 27 times over the past two years.

Why does that matter? Because the most recent time Roker said it, on Thursday, it was widely interpreted as a dig against his own show for the way it removed co-host Ann Curry less than two months ago.

Lauer was speaking with members of the U.S. women’s rowing team and its tradition of throwing the coxswain in the water after winning a race, and he joked that in New York it would mean a toss into the Hudson River. Roker said it was different than Today tradition, “which is to throw one of us under the bus.”

Roker’s colleagues appeared taken aback, but spokeswoman Megan Kopf said it was not a reference to Curry, pointing to the frequency of “under the bus” banter.

Box Office Report In Crore | In Million    Movie Title  INR  USD  GBP Jism 2 27.499 0.003 0.001 Kyaa Super Koo... 35.002 0.012 0.006 Cocktail 77.000 0.123 0.068 Bol Bachchan 99.009 0.122 0.042 Maximum 3.000 Gangs Of Wasse... 28.750 Teri Meri Kaha... 28.500 0.075 0.042 Ferrari Ki Saw... 29.800 0.042 0.014 Shanghai 23.000 0.011

What do Asin and Shraddha Kapoor have in common?

The two beautiful actresses of Bollywood Asin and Shraddha Kapoor come from a completely different set-up, different school of thought, with different standing in the industry. While Asin, who has dabbled in south & Hindi film industry, is quite established, Shraddha Kapoor, daughter of Shakti Kapoor, is yet to make her mark in the industry. The duo has not worked with each other and they don't even have any plans/intent or have anything in the offing which brings them together, yet there is one thing which binds the twosome. And that one thing which we are referring is their Make-up artist Shraddha Naik Alkunte! Yes, both Asin and Shraddha Kapoor have shared a common make-up artist at one point of time and interestingly the results were simply fabulous!

Asin's look, especially her bridal avatar, in blockbuster READY was highly appreciated and liked by one & all. Thanks to her subtle make-up done by Shraddha Naik Alkunte. The film was talk of the town not just for Salman & Asin's pairing but also for their elegant look in the film. While Shraddha Kapoor, who may have debuted with TEEN PATTI, got rave reviews for LUV KA THE END. It was this film which brought her in the limelight. Besides her strong portrayal in the chic flick, girls went gaga over her entire look & style! Sharddha's youthful, bubbly, chic look was an instant hit among females. Naik's greasepaint transformed the entire personality of Shraddha. It gelled well with her on-screen character.

While the two actresses never had the opportunity to interact with each other, Shraddha Naik Alkunte shares a great bond with two. Interestingly, Shraddha shares a common birth date with Asin and a same name with Kapoor daughter.

Says Shraddha Naik Alkunte, who has worked with both the actresses, "With Shraddha Kapoor I share a good personal rapport. She is my first celebrity client. I have known her from last two years right from TEEN PATTI days. She's a very interesting person to work with. She completely trusts the other person and brings out confidence in you. While with Asin, I really had good time working on the film READY. People may say that she is very difficult to work with, however I never faced such problems with her. Basically, Asin is quite particular about her work and once she's convinced than she will completely surrender herself."

Before coming on board for READY, Shraddha also worked with Asin for a Tamil film KAAVALAN, directed by BODYGUARD director Siddique.

Besides films, Shraddha Naik Alkunte has styled both Asin and Shraddha Kapoor for various events & parties, photoshoots.

Vikram comes clean on Bipasha and Esha

Is newbie Esha Gupta being sidelined to make way for senior actress Bipasha Basu? That's a rumour which has been making rounds for quite some time ever since the promos of RAAZ 3 went on air. ''Enough is enough' could well be director Vikram Bhatt's call as he comes clean on the so-called 'issue''.

Vikram reasons, ''When you have to bring the true might of Jai and Veeru before the audience, you can't do that without introducing Gabbar. Audience need to know who is the person creating havoc in the lives of the protagonist. This is the reason why it made sense to well establish Bipasha's character. Now as we talk, we would be seeing more of Emraan as well.''

Meanwhile how about Esha Gupta? Apparently she was miffed with Bhatts as she feels she is missing out on her fair share of promotion.

''See, I can understand from her point of view if she is feeling that way. After all, amongst all the people in the film, she has the least amount of work to her credit. In her life she has done just JANNAT 2 due to which she is way down in the ladder,' says Vikram in a stable tone, ''She has got a lot of names to deal with right from the cast to the crew. In this forest made of big trees, she is this new tree which is fighting for sun and rain. Having said that, she is a tremendous talent and has given a fantastic performance. She has done really well in the film and it is a matter of less than a month before she comes on her own.''

We would know when the film releases all over in 3D as well as 2D on 7th September. 

Sonakshi: I couldn't have done 'Govinda' with ghaghra-choli

While Sonakshi Sinha is gearing up for the release of JOKER, she is also being seen a lot on entertainment channels for her other films too, what with her celebration number 'Go Go Govinda' from OMG OH MY GOD! playing all over. 

''I love the song due to its youthful and festive flavour. It also allowed me to experiment with my look and attire as well. Of course a number like this couldn't have been done while wearing 'ghaghra choli', right,'' says Sonakshi. 

It was an altogether different feeling though once she hit the dance floor for practice. 

'''Go Go Govinda' is this huge 'tapori' number and when I saw the steps during rehearsal song, I looked at Prabhu sir and asked him if these were indeed meant for me or him. I couldn't believe when he smiled and said that they were indeed for me. He said it so nonchalantly that all I had to do was go and dance. For him that may have been easy but for me I had to practice for long hours to get it all right,'' remembers Sonakshi.

Well, now that the results are talking for themselves, one can well see Sonakshi smiling away. Also with JOKER too all set to release on 31st August, one can expect to see a lot of Sonakshi in weeks to come. 

AJAB GAZABB LOVE trailer: Jackky Bhagnani impresses as rich brat-turned-poor guy

After F.A.L.T.U looks like Vashu Bhagnani has another winner at hand in the form of his upcoming film AJAB GAZABB LOVE! The first trailer of AJAB GAZABB LOVE, starring Jackky Bhagnani, which was out recently, looks promising enough! 
Though the film's title quite reminds us of Ranbir-Katrina starrer AJAB PREM KI GHAZAB KAHANI, there's no similarity between the two besides name. 

Jackky plays a rich brat, who has a penchant for fast cars. He lives a luxurious lifestyle however he has to give away his rich status for the girl, played by newbie Nidhi Subbaiah, he loves. As the girl can't stand rich & swanky guys. Though she herself belongs to a high-class family, she loves hanging around with poor section. Actor Arjun Rampal plays strong-headed, angry bade bhaiya of the girl, who can't stand cheats & dishonest people. 

The promo is filled with funny gags and Jackky's parents, played by talented Kirron Kher & Darshan Jariwala, make the goings interesting. Kirron Kher & Darshan Jariwala, who are known for their perfect comic timing, indeed add to the fun. 

Director Sanjay Gadhvi, who has always made action flicks, makes his comeback with a romantic comedy. 

A must watch trailer!

"I am enjoying every bit" - Sonakshi Sinha

Sonakshi Sinha is on a roll. With two 100 crore films to her name and at least two more expected to be added before the end of year, the voluptuous girl is pretty much in charge of her Bollywood journey so far. Though she could well be the first to admit that she hasn't been pushed
 to the hilt as an actress in films likeDabangg and Rowdy Rathore, Sonakshi also knows that there is good time for performance based roles to come her way as well in future.

"I am enjoying every bit of the work that I have done so far", says Sonakshi, "All said and done, I am getting to play a variety of characters. To think of it, who gets to play someone from different parts of the country in her first few films itself? You see girls out there who are forever playing Western stereotypes. I have been fortunate though to have played a U.P. girl inDabangg, a Bihari in Rowdy Rahore and now an NRI in Joker. Moreover in OMG Oh My God I also have a song like 'Govinda' which is set in Maharashtra. Then in Lootera I am playing a Bengali." 

Perhaps the next logical step for her could be playing a South Indian but since Deepika Padukone and Asin are some authentic competition for such outings, Sonakshi may go a little slow in that endeavour. 

Closer home though she has Joker lined up for release. All eyes are on this film because if this Shirish Kunder directed film crosses 100 crores at the box office, she would be the only actress to have a hat trick of centuries to her name in her first three films itself. 

She smiles, "When that happens, we will see. Abhi se soch ke why get harrowed unnecessarily. Shirish has given me a film which is an altogether different experience. For audience it is going to be an entirely different visual narrative." 

Well Sonakshi, just a few words here - 'Go, enjoy the moment'. 

Arjun-Abhay inspired by Big B-Kaka for Chakravyuh?

Would Chakravyuh turn out to be one film that may pay an ultimate homage to Rajesh Khanna? If the core plotline of this Prakash Jha film is any indication, it seems to be inspired by Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Namak Haraam.
"Namak Haraam was about a rich industrialist (Amitabh Bachchan) who asked his friend (Rajesh Khanna) to infiltrate his factory's trade union and work for him by breaking the union. Similarly, Chakravyuh too is about a cop (Arjun Rampal) who takes help of his best friend (Abhay Deol) to enter a Maoist organization and pass on information to him", informs a source. 

In Namak Haraam, Rajesh Khanna's character was shown to go through a change in heart and he ended up being on union's side, hence taking on Amitabh Bachchan. Similarly, Chakravyuh too has Abhay ending up being influenced by Om Puri and Manoj Bajpayee (who lead the Maoist organization), hence resulting in a clash between him and Arjun. 

While the treatment is of course expected to be different due to a change in setting, one can be rest assured that with an intense actor like Abhay stepping into Kaka's shoes and Arjun Rampal going a la Big B, it would be an unlikely, though a well timed homage to the man who is no more. 

Ajay's Son Of Sardaar in legal trouble

The Ajay Devgn, Sonakshi Sinha and Sanjay Dutt starrer Son Of Sardaar which releases this Diwali has run into legal trouble. Apparently, a Chandigarh-based lawyer served a legal notice to the makers of the film citing that the film portrays Sikhs in poor light.

The reason behind the civil suit is that lawyer Navkiran Singh felt that certain comments like "If Sikhs were not there, then who would have invented abuses" and also "in case Sardar would not have been there, then on whom would the jokes be made", hurt the sentiments of the community at large. 
Singh has since given Devgn time of seven days, to respond to the suit and make the necessary changes in the dialogues, post which his office would take legal action, on the criminal as well as civil side, against Devgn and all other persons involved in execution of this film.

Salman Khan's EK THA TIGER earns 60 crores in three days!

After a hurricane like record breaking opening day (Independence Day) of around 31 crore, Yash Raj Films' EK THA TIGER saw an expected fall that is the norm after a national holiday, just like the Republic Day release, AGNEEPATH.




Coming to number crunching, Thursday saw EK THA TIGER take a big fall of over 50 percent netting around 15 crores. The third day (Friday) saw a further fall of about 20-22 percent.

However, what cannot be ignored is that the Salman Khan-Katrina Kaif starrer has netted a huge 59-60 crore (to be validated) in three days from India.

As things stand today, the coming Sunday, and more importantly the Eid festival will once again see a big surge in collections of EK THA TIGER and the film emerging as a big if not a huge hit!

And before we leave, as per early indications from the Overseas, the Kabir Khan directed ETT is also having a good run in UK, Australia and the US.

'The Mentalist' Actress Sues Warner Bros. TV Claiming Sex Harassment

Shanelle Howard says she complained about constant sexual conduct by a fellow employee and her job was diminished and then eliminated.

A former background actress on CBS' The Mentalist has sued producer Warner Bros. Television and its casting service claiming her role was reduced and eventually eliminated when she complained about a daily barrage of sexually charged comments directed at her by a fellow employee.

Shanelle Howard, who says she has performed as a stand-in and background actress on the hit Simon Baker procedural drama since it launched in 2008, filed suit Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court against WBTV; the fellow employee, Lonnie Moore; and GEP Cencast, the casting agency that handles background actors on the show. Howard says she had been a GEP employee since 2001.

The actress claims Moore subjected her to "a daily barrage of sexually based comments and unsuitable conduct" while working on the show, including statements such as "I'm married but that doesn't mean we can't have some fun," "Are you wearing thongs today or nothing at all?" and "It's just sex; stop being so uptight and give me some."

Howard also claims she was subjected to physical harassment. "There were many times when Moore caught plaintiff off guard, he was thus able to 'cop a feel' before plaintiff could push him away," the complaint alleges.

She claims she complained to superiors in October and was told she had done the right thing by coming forward. But she almost immediately began receiving a cold shoulder from other actors, she claims, and was subjected to retaliatory and confrontational conduct.

Her work declined from five days per week to an average of two days a week, according to the suit, and in late November, Howard says she had a meeting with Warner Bros. attorneyPatty Mayer during which she was told the harassment claim had been investigated and the matter was closed. By late April/early May, Howard claims she was no longer being called to work on The Mentalist and was not being offered any other work by GEP; "plaintiff's employment with GEP and Warner Bros. has thus effectively been terminated," she alleges.

Warner Bros. TV declined to comment on the suit.

The complaint, filed by attorney Stephen Ebner, alleges causes of action for sex discrimination, sexual harassment, failure to take remedial action and retaliation. 

CBS is not a defendant in the suit.

'Falling Skies': Will Patton Talks Weaver's Evolution and Season 2

"It's a great metaphor for what's happening in the world today," Patton tells TheHBDb of the show.

Falling Skies finishes season two this weekend, which promises to wrap up an action-packed season of the TNT drama.

"It is pretty vivid. It's a vivid show that way. The situations are extreme," Will Patton toldThe Hollywood and Bollywood Data base of season two. "It's not a lawyer show in that sense, so it's heightened. You carry it with you somewhat."

Patton noted that Tom's (Noah Wyle) departure at the end of last season from the 2nd Mass effectively changed the dynamic of the group, causing everyone -- including Tom's eldest sons Hal (Drew Roy) and Ben (Connor Jessup) -- to take on larger roles. An aspect, he said, was unique to the season, especially in regards to Tom and Weaver.

"We've all fallen into these [certain] positions in the show, which aren't positions we would have chosen in our normal lives. In a way, sometimes it requires you putting on a mask to do your job in this kind of a situation," Patton said. "What's interesting about it is where we see behind the masks. There's something really exciting to me about these very human people, with a lot of heart and soul, dealing with these extreme circumstances."

The veteran actor called Falling Skies' post-apocalyptic premise a symbol. "It's a great metaphor for what's happening in the world today," he said. "Everyone feels slightly in jeopardy, which is what interests me about the show."

In recalling Weaver's reunion with his daughter, Patton called it "a good moment" for his character.

"At its best, it puts the viewer in the position of thinking, 'Well, what if this was me in this situation? What would I actually do? How would I behave if things had gotten to this point?,' " he said.

For Patton, the moments where "it's revealed what a character is really thinking" goes levels beyond the physical aspects to the story.

"Weaver is huge when he really reveals what's going on with him," he said. "There are so many moments like that because he reveals very little. When he does, it's big."

Weaver, Patton revealed, was originally meant to "be a pure heavy" when the series began. As time went on, however, that changed. "I was interested in the character in a different way than that," he said of the gradual shift over time.

"Weaver started out saying, 'We don't have time for these civilians and we've got to take care of business here,' and Tom was the opposite. I think he and Weaver over the course of the two seasons have opened up to the other version. Weaver often has become more like Tom and Tom has become more like Weaver just having to balance things," Patton said. "We've had to bond a bit more than we realized."

Falling Skies season two finale airs 10 p.m. Sunday on TNT.

'Gossip Girl': First Trailer for Final Season Released, Welcomes Barry Watson (Video)

New footage of season six, premiering Oct. 8, makes its way to the web.

Are Chuck (Ed Westwick) and Blair (Leighton Meester) finally getting their happy ending?

That's the indication from the first Gossip Girl trailer of the sixth and final season that surfaced on the web on Friday. Mostly consisting of old footage -- and old haircuts (looking at you Dan Humphrey) -- the last seconds of the minute-long teaser will whet "Chair" fans until Monday, Oct. 8, when the CW drama kicks off its farewell episodes.

In a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment, the trailer also features a scene with Serena (Blake Lively) and new love interest, entrepreneur Steven Spence (Barry Watson), raising a toast at a wedding. Question becomes: Is the wedding theirs?

The biggest swoon-worthy moment comes at the tail-end, with Blair declaring to Chuck: "I'm all in." Chuck's response is just as memorable: "My bet's on us."

Watch the trailer below:

'The Office' Spinoff Casts Majandra Delfino as Dwight's Sister

The "Roswell" grad has joined the NBC project, along with a newcomer.

Dwight Schrute, meet your sister.

NBC's The Office spinoff, centered on Dwight (Rainn Wilson) as a beet farmer and running a bed and breakfast inn, has landed Majandra Delfinoas his younger sister Fannie and newcomer Blake Garrett as his nephew Cameron, The Hollywood and Bollywood Data base  has confirmed.

Delfino's character -- described as a "pseudo-intellectual lefty" and who left the farm for Boston -- will be introduced in an episode of The Office in the new season, as TVLine first reported. Should NBC give a series order to the spinoff, currently titled The Farm, Delfino would be a series regular.

Delfino, who starred in Roswell, recently appeared in ABC Family's State of Georgia.

Delfino is repped by APA and Ziffren Brittenham.

Photos From The Warner Bros. Lot

From the King Kong reel to the soundstage where Inception was filmed, Dan Winters shot behind-the-scenes photos from the studio's lot in Burbank, Calif. for Los Angeles Magazine.

Warner Bros. Is Letting Go of 'Imitation Game'

CAA is looking to find a new home now that Leonardo DiCaprio is out of the picture.

Warner Bros. is letting go of its splashy World War II title The Imitation Game.

The studio bought Graham Moore’s spec for seven figures last fall with the hope of attaching Leonardo DiCaprio. Warners also brought J Blakeson on board to direct in March. 

But DiCaprio no longer is eyeing the lead in Imitation Game, which centers on British cryptographer Alan Turing, who broke several German codes that helped the Allies win the war. Later in life, Turing was prosecuted for being homosexual, which led to his suicide.

The project had a progress-to-production clause, which was one factor in the decision to let it slide. DiCaprio never formalizing his attachment was another, according to insiders. Without DiCaprio, Imitation Game had become a less likely fit for the studio, which increasingly is focused on tentpoles.

Sources say CAA, which reps Moore and Blakeson, is now trying to repackage and find a new home forGame, with Blakeson staying at the helm.

Although the true-life story has been around since Andrew Hodges’ book Alan Turing: The Enigmawas published in 1983, screenwriter Moore was the first to crack an adaptation, with his screenplay landing at the top of 2011’s Black List. 

Moore still has another DiCaprio vehicle brewing at Warners, Erik Larson’s best-seller Devil in the White City.

Kristen Stewart's 'On the Road' Promotional Duties Conflict With MTV's Video Music Awards

The actress has not yet been confirmed to attend the Sept. 6 ceremony.

Contrary to reports, Kristen Stewarthasn't pulled out of attending this year's MTV Video Music Awards -- she was never confirmed to appear in the first place, TheHBDb has learned.

Instead, she'll be busy promoting her upcoming film, On the Road, at the Toronto Film Festival while the VMAs roll out the red carpet in Los Angeles Sept. 6.

Stewart, meanwhile, is keeping a low profile in the wake of her public confirmation that she had cheated onTwilight co-star and real-life boyfriendRobert Pattinson with married Snow White and the Huntsman director Rupert Sanders. While Sanders remains attached to the Snow White sequel, Stewart has been excluded as Universal refocuses a spinoff on Chris Hemsworth's character.

"We’re currently exploring all options to continue the franchise” and that “any reports that Kristen Stewart has been dropped are false," the studio told TheHBDb  in a statement Thursday.

As for Pattinson, who's been on a media tour to promote his new (big-screen) drama Cosmopolis, he's not currently booked to attend the VMAs either.

The MTV event, which brings together music and movie stars alike, will include performances by Alicia Keys and One Direction; Rihanna and Drake lead the pack of contenders, snagging five nominations a piece, with their duet “Take Care” up for Video of the Year, Best Art Direction and Best Cinematography.

Box Office Report: 'Expendables 2' Opening Strong, but How Strong?

UPDATED: Among the weekend's other new films, family entry "ParaNorman" and Whitney Houston's final film "Sparkle" off to nice start.

Testosterone-fueled The Expendables 2 -- featuring a who's who of action stars -- might not be able to match the $34.8 million debut of the first film, but it's still widely expected to win the weekend crown and bump The Bourne Legacy from the top spot.

By early Friday evening, Expendables 2 was trailing the firstExpendables, which opened on the same weekend in 2010 and quickly transformed into a sleeper hit after grossing $13.3 million on its first Friday.

Estimates show Expendables 2 grossing in the $11 million range on Friday for a weekend debut in the $28 million to $29 million range. The film could catch up as the night and weekend progress.

From Lionsgate and Millennium Films, Expendables 2 has several noteworthy additions to its cast, including Chuck Norris, Liam Hemsworth and Jean-Claude Van Damme. And whileArnold Schwarzenegger made a cameo in the first film, he's featured far more in the sequel.

The rest of the cast includes Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Bruce Willis, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture and Terry Crews.

Lionsgate acquired North American and U.K. rights toExpendables 2 for $35 million.

Among the weekend's other new films, Focus Features' 3D stop-motion pic ParaNorman was off to a pleasing start, eyeing a possible $15 million to $17 million weekend. The family film -- produced by Focus and Laika, the team behind Coraline -- is opening in 3,429 locations, the widest bow ever for Focus.

ParaNorman, about a boy who must stop the destruction of his hometown by a witch's spell, is voiced by Casey Affleck, Tempestt Bledsoe, Jeff Garlin, John Goodman, Anna Kendrick andLeslie Mann. Coraline, released in February 2009, opened to $16.8 million on its way to grossing north of $124 million worldwide.

New musical drama Sparkle -- Whitney Houston's final movie -- also was performing nicely and could gross between $13 and $15 million for the weekend.

From TriStar, the remake of the 1976 film stars American Idol winner Jordin Sparks, Derek Luke,Mike Epps, Cee Lo Green, Cameron Ejogo and Tika Sumpter and is about three sisters who form a singing group in Detroit during the Motown era. Houston plays their mother.

Disney's whimsical drama The Odd Life of Timothy Green, opening Wednesday, is on course to gross in the $8 million to $9 million range for the weekend for a five-day debut between $12 million and $13.8 million. Starring Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton, the film received an A- CinemaScore.

Biff Elliot, the First Mike Hammer of the Movies, Dies at 89

The character actor played the famed private eye in 1953’s "I, the Jury" and appeared in films directed by Billy Wilder, Sam Fuller, Nicholas Ray and Jack Lemmon.

Biff Elliot, a tough-guy actor who starred as hardboiled Mike Hammer in the enduring private investigator’s first appearance on the big screen, died Aug. 15 at his home in Studio City. He was 89.

An amateur boxer from Lynn, Mass., who served as an infantryman during World War II, Elliot worked in live television in New York before coming out to Hollywood to make his movie debut as Hammer in United Artists’ I, the Jury (1953).

Based on Mickey Spillane’s 1947 novel that originated the character, the picture was directed byHarry Essex (Creature From the Black Lagoon) and filmed in 3D.

Others to have played Hammer throughout the years include Ralph Meeker, Stacy Keach,Darren McGavin, Robert Bray, Armand Assante and, when he wasn’t doing Miller Lite commercials, Spillane himself.

Elliot, the younger brother of late CBS Radio sportscaster Win Elliot, later appeared in several war films through the early 1960s, including Between Heaven and Hell (1956), The Enemy Below (1957),Pork Chop Hill (1959) and PT 109 (1963). He also played the character Schmitter, a mining colony crewman, in the 1967 Star Trek episode "The Devil in the Dark."

He was pals with Jack Lemmon and appeared in several of his films, including 1971’s Kotch (which Lemmon directed), Billy Wilder’s take on The Front Page (1974) and Blake Edwards’ That’s Life!(1986). Elliot also co-starred with Jeffrey Hunter in Nicholas Ray’s The True Story of Jesse James (1957) and Brainstorm (1965), directed by William Conrad.

Elliot’s résumé also includes the films Good Morning Miss Dove (1955), Sam Fuller’s House of Bamboo (1955) and Blood Bath (1966) and the TV series Hawaiian Eye, Route 66, 77 Sunset Strip,Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Ripcord, The F.B.I., Bonanza, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Mission: Impossible, Cannon, CHiPs and Starman.

He was a member of AFTRA, SAG and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

Win Elliot served as the announcer for the beer-sponsored Schaefer Circle of Sports broadcasts of New York Rangers and Knicks games and other events related to Madison Square Garden in the 1960s before anchoring Sports Central USA for CBS Radio. He died in 1998. Biff worked as a CBS Radio stringer in Los Angeles starting in the mid-'80s.

Elliot is survived by his wife Connie and many nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be planned. Donations in his memory can be made to Actors and Others for Animals, the Actors Fund or the Motion Picture & Television Fund.

'Game of Thrones' Taps 'Rome' Alum for Prominent Season 3 Role

The HBO drama has finally settled on an actor to play Mance Rayder, the King Beyond the Wall.

After announcing more than a dozen new cast members earlier this summer, Game of Throneshas settled on the biggest addition to the third season.

An HBO rep confirms to The Hollywood and Bollywood Data base  that Romeactor Ciarán Hinds has joined the cast as Mance Rayder, as first reported by EW.

Rayder, "the King Beyond the Wall," was once a member of the Night's Watch before abandoning his post to lead the Wildlings. Though he was referenced several times throughout the series' second season, and Jon Snow (Kit Harington) was taken to meet him during the finale, he had yet to appear on the show.

Hinds is no stranger to HBO. He played Julius Caesar on Rome, from 2005 to 2007. Most recently he's played Bill Clinton-esque figure Bud Hammond on USA miniseries Political Animals.