Katie's Broadway Deal Not Set Yet | Billy Joel Stays PC, Eats Well, Too | Picture This; 'Criminal Intent' Gone; 'Blueberry Night'
Katie's Broadway Deal Not Set Yet
The deal to put Katie Holmes on Broadway is not so signed, sealed or delivered. I’m told that Holmes’ appearance in Arthur Miller’s "All My Sons" is not a given quite yet.
If it does happen, Holmes will be anchored by two superstars of acting: John Lithgow and Dianne Wiest.
It’s not like a lot will be required of her. Holmes would play Ann Deever, a 28-year-old woman whom Miller described as the truth-sayer of the piece.
Oscar-nominee Joan Allen played Ann in the last major television production. Jayne Atkinson had the role on Broadway last.
Holmes seems like an odd choice, but sources say that director Simon McBurney "loves her." She’s certainly effective stunt-casting and at the very least will pull in curiosity-seekers who might not have bought a ticket to see a "straight play," as they’re called on Broadway.
While Holmes’ deal is being worked out, I’m told also being sought is the actor who would play her love interest in the show. Producers must be thinking that one through carefully: Tom Cruise’s last wife who appeared on Broadway, Nicole Kidman, did so with a naked man (Iain Glen) who turned cartwheels for her!
In the decade since then, he hasn’t worked in America once.
Billy Joel Stays PC, Eats Well, Too
Staying PC isn’t easy these days, especially if you’re a rocker. To wit: Billy Joel told me at his wife's book party on Tuesday night how excited he is about his 10-show run coming up at Mohegan Sun casino in Connecticut. Of course, it’s all sold out.
The promoters asked him what they should call the big final night as a way to commemorate such an occasion. Billy asked, "How about ‘Last of the Mohegans’?"
Alas, that won’t be happening. Hey, it’s funny!
Anyway, Billy was the first guest to show up Tuesday evening at the Hudson Hotel for Katie Lee Joel’s soiree to celebrate publication of "The Comfort Table." The food was yummy — the most delicious mini-pattie melts, champagne with Gucci chocolate drinks and sugar-dipped bacon. It’s nice to know Billy’s eating so well, but I hope he keeps a home angioplasty kit! Katie, keep cooking just the way you are.
Picture This; 'Criminal Intent' Gone; 'Blueberry Night'
The word around Burbank is that Picturehouse will prevail over Warner Independent Pictures as the art-house arm of Warner Bros. when the latter finally devours tasty New Line Cinema this spring.
This is the right decision. Picturehouse brought us Oscar-winner Marion Cotillard in "La Vie En Rose" and has exhibited excellent indie taste. WIP has only had a penchant for the tasteless, such as the sickening "Funny Games," the unrelease-able (yet released, nevertheless) "Snow Angels" or the upcoming grotesquerie "Towelhead." …
NBC has announced its 2008-09 lineup without "Law & Order: Criminal Intent." The Chris Noth-Vincent D’Onofrio edition of the Dick Wolf empire almost got axed last season, but was saved at the 11th hour by putting it to cable and satellite first.
The end of "CI" came with a whimper, that’s for sure. In the early stages of NBC’s announcements on Wednesday, the network just didn’t mention the show. Maybe they thought no one would notice if they didn’t say anything. ...
Norah Jones, with a cute new short hairdo, made the scene Wednesday night at the premiere of her film, "My Blueberry Nights." Susan Sarandon, Salman Rushdie, Irina Pantaeva with husband, Roland Levin and Ang Lee greeted director Wong Kar Wai and hit the after-party of the Weinstein Co. movie at the Soho Grand Hotel.
Co-star David Strathairn made the night, but Natalie Portman was busy shooting her short film for "New York, I Love You" with Kevin Bacon. "Blueberry" is released this week after opening last year’s Cannes Film Festival.
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