News

The Neighborhood is welcoming two new faces to the mix as Season 7 continues on CBS with Jackée Harry and Erinn Hayes set to step into some fun guest star roles. In an exclusive first announcement, TV Insider can reveal that Harry will play Tina’s (Tichina Arnold) stepmother, Loretta in the episode airing on December 9, “Welcome to the Wicked Stepmother.” In the episode, Tina’s father (Glynn Turman) visits, and she discovers he has age-related impairments, making it crucial to reunite him with his wife, but Tina doesn’t have a good relationship with Loretta. Monty Brinton / CBS The pair have an estranged relationship due to the fact that Tina has always blamed Loretta for swooping in way too soon after her mother died and marrying her vulnerable father. And so, it takes a while for Tina to admit and finally consider that maybe Loretta does really love her father.

Richard Moll, best known as the towering bailiff “Bull Shannon” on the long-running NBC sitcom Night Court, died Oct. 26 at his home in Big Bear Lake, Calif. He was 80 and no cause was given by his family.

Standing 6’8″, Moll was a character actor, but worked steadily during his career. Night Court ran from 1984 to 1992, and his commanding presence, deep voice, and endearing manner drew the frequent attention of casting directors.

After Night Court, Moll landed a recurring role on the sitcom Getting By, starring Cindy Williams, before appearing in an episode of the cult sci-fi hit Babylon 5. He also voiced the bodyguard to the title character of the animated Mighty Max.

His Night Court stint also enabled him to branch out into larger films and voiceover work on animated series, where he often relished the chance to play the bad guy. Moll was...

Sad news today as it’s been announced that Richard Moll, who played Aristotle Nostradamus “Bull” Shannon on all nine seasons of Night Court, has died at the age of 80. His publicist confirmed that he died at his home in Big Bear Lake on Thursday.

Although Richard Moll is best known for his work on Night Court, he had quite a sprawling filmography. He made appearances in movies such as Cavemen, Evilspeak, The Sword and the Sorcerer, The Dungeonmaster, Night Train to Terror, House, Wicked Stepmother, Sidekicks, Loaded Weapon 1, The Flintstones, Jingle All the Way, Scary Movie 2, and more. He was also featured in episodes of Happy Days, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Laverne & Shirley, Mork & Mindy, T.J. Hooker, Remington Steele, The Dukes of Hazzard, The A-Team, Highlander: The Series, Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman, Hercules: The Legendary Adventures, Babylon 5, Baywatch, Married… with Children, Smallville, and more.

Moll...

Celebrated director William Wyler directed 19 feature films in 1927 alone. To put that into perspective, Stanley Kubrick directed 13 in his whole career. 

Wyler is one of the more towering figures in American cinema, holding the record for the greatest number of Oscar nominations for Best Director at 12, and has won three times for "Mrs. Miniver," for "The Best Years of Our Lives," and for "Ben-Hur." Additionally, his films have attracted more Oscar attention than any other filmmaker in history; 13 of them have been nominated for Best Picture, and he directed 14 Oscar-winning performances. If you are playing Trivial Pursuit and the question is about records at the Academy Awards, William Wyler is likely your best guess. 

As one of the tentpoles of Hollywood's Golden Age, naturally, Wyler was afforded access to the best actors and actresses, and seemingly had his run of whatever projects he wanted. Throughout the 1920s, Wyler paid his...

Larry Cohen, the director of campy horror classics like It’s Alive, The Stuff, Q and God Told Me To, has died at the age of 77.

Bloody Disgusting first reported news of the prolific screenwriter and filmmaker’s death, which Cohen’s publicist confirmed to the Hollywood Reporter, adding that Cohen died Saturday night surrounded by friends and loved ones. No cause of death was revealed.

Cohen – who also penned the grisly Maniac Cop series, Best Seller, Phone Booth and Cellular alongside episodes of police procedurals like Columbo and NYPD Blue...

Larry Cohen, best known for his work as a B-movie producer and director in the ’70s and his later work in screenwriting, has died. He was 77.

Cohen’s friend, actor and publicist Shade Rupe, confirmed the news, which was announced in a post to Cohen’s official Facebook page. Rupe said Cohen died in Los Angeles Saturday night surrounded by loved ones.

“The entire #KingCohen team mourns the loss of its star, hero and King, #LarryCohen,” reads the post. “His unparalleled talents were surpassed only by his giant heart. The impact he made on television and cinema will be felt forever, and our deepest condolences go out to his family, friends and fans.”

Cohen began his career in the 1960s in television, writing scripts for episodes of well-known TV series including “The Defenders,” “Espionage,” and “The Invaders.”

In the ’70s, Cohen began to focus on filmmaking, penning and directing the...

Writer-director Larry Cohen, the man behind cult horror film classics like “It’s Alive,” “It Lives Again,” “Special Effects,” “The Stuff” and “A Return to Salem’s Lot,” has died. He was 77.

The announcement was made on his Facebook page: “The entire #KingCohen team mourns the loss of its star, hero and King, #LarryCohen. His unparalleled talents were surpassed only by his giant heart. The impact he made on television and cinema will be felt forever, and our deepest condolences go out to his family, friends and fans.”

Cohen’s career in television and film began as a writer on procedural crime shows of the ’60s and ’70s, like “The Fugitive,” “The Invaders,” “Columbo” and “The Defenders,” along with the latter’s spinoff, “Coronet Blue,” which he created.

Also Read: Hollywood's Notable Deaths of 2019 (Photos)

In 1974, he wrote and directed the horror film “It’s Alive,” about a mutant and murderous baby monster.

One of the loopier careers in and on the fringes of mainstream Hollywood is paid loving tribute in Steve Mitchell’s documentary “King Cohen.” There’s nothing particularly inspired about Mitchell’s treatment here — he’s directed a lot of DVD extras, and this first feature feels like a plus-sized version of one — but there’s considerable entertainment value in its subject. Particularly these days, when most commercial cinema seems given over to cookie-cutter sequels, spinoffs and remakes, a wellspring of original (not to mention frequently bizarre) ideas like those of producer-director-writer Larry Cohen seems akin to a fabled magical fountain.

Even back in his 1970s and ’80s heyday, when the ebbing drive-in theater market and growing presence of home-video got a lot of goofy genre exercises greenlit, Cohen’s films were notable for their eccentric individuality. Those who haven’t tasted the hybrid delights of “God Told Me To,...

by Nathaniel R

It's time for your morning dose of highly unneccessary Oscar-mad trivia.

Did you know that Bette Davis, Oscar's third favorite actress of all time (after Hepburn & Streep), had exactly 123 screen credits to her name?! Her debut film The Bad Sister (1931) was released a week before her 23rd birthday and her 123rd and final project, Wicked Stepmother (1989), was released eight months before her death of breast cancer at 81. That's 58 years of big-eyed, inimitably voiced, ferocious performances.  

Two Bette-inspired questions for the day...

They admit that in the past they've been a nasty...and the U.S. Postal Service has given them a stamp of approval. Disney villains Ursula the sea witch from The Little Mermaid, Evil Queen from Snow White, Cinderella's Wicked Stepmother, Pinocchio's Honest John, the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, Captain Hook, Maleficent, Cruella de Vil, Scar from The Lion King and Gaston from Beauty and the Beast live on in the form of Usps Forever Stamps. The new additions, which celebrate the "the rich legacy of the Walt Disney Studio's Ink & Paint Department," were revealed Friday and are now available to purchase. The news was announced as Disney's D23 Expo fan...

Marc Webb goes from The Amazing Spider-Man 2 to Gifted, starring Chris Evans. Here's our review...

When the moment comes for Chris Evans to put down Captain America's shield, we'll be sorry to see the back of one of the best big screen superhero portrayals ever. But Marvel's loss will be cinema's gain, going by the interesting projects he's chosen between his more red, white and blue escapades. In Gifted, he's put whatever blockbuster clout he may have behind a project that deserves it, and the result is one of the year's nicest surprises.

Evans plays Frank Adler, a boat mechanic who lives in Florida with his seven-year-old niece Mary (Mckenna Grace) and a one-eyed rescue cat called Fred. Mary is a child prodigy who immediately captures the attention of her first-grade teacher Bonnie (Jenny Slate) with her advanced grasp of maths.

When she asks if Frank has ever...

One of our favorite filmmakers round these parts is Larry Cohen. The director of such classic movies as It’s Alive, Q – The Winged Serpent, A Return to Salem’s Lot and Wicked Stepmother will be the main focus of the… Continue Reading →

The post Exclusive: Director Steve Mitchell Talks King Cohen: The Wild World of Filmmaker Larry Cohen appeared first on Dread Central.

I don’t know if you’re anything like me, but I can often spend hours upon hours trawling through iTunes looking for new movies to buy… Usually I’ll randomly come across a title I haven’t seen in years and use the “Cast & Crew” links to make my way down the rabbit hole to the more obscure side of Apple’s digital movie service.

Now whilst many will decry that iTunes is a terrible VOD service due to Apple’s desire to lock its audience to their platforms, if you have an Apple TV or iPad be aware – there are some truly obscure films hidden away in the depths of the vast collection of movies. Some of which have been made available in the UK for the first time since VHS and a Lot that have been added to the service in their original uncut form!

So, with...

Like a lot of folks, my movie watching is heading more towards a digital future rather than a physical one – and that’s despite my love of Blu-ray and all the cult movies the format has brought us thanks to the likes of Olive Films, Kino Lorber/Scorpion Releasing, Scream Factory, Vinegar Syndrome et al.

Whilst many will decry abandoning discs for digital files there are some bonuses, especially for genre fans here in the UK. The advent of iTunes has brought with it, in a lot of cases, a dropping of the borders. Movies are hitting Apple’s stores that haven’t seen the light of day since the VHS era – there’s even some films available digitally that have never previously been made available to rent or buy on these shores. Ever.

With that in mind, I’ve been trawling iTunes to find some hidden gems, the real...

The View took a spooky turn on Thursday when all of the hosts dressed up for Halloween! Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, Raven-Symoné, Paula Faris, and Michelle Collins all killed it as Disney villains, channeling the likes of Cruella de Vil, Ursula the Sea Witch, the Wicked Stepmother, and the Wicked Queen - in both of her forms! Halloween is already off to a great start this year, with tons of celebrities (and a few notable heartthrobs) stepping out in their most wicked costumes. Keep scrolling for a closer look at The View's addition to the mix, then check out all the pop culture costumes you'll be seeing everywhere this year.

It’s curtain call! Season 7 of the Real Housewives of Atlanta is drawing to a close, and so is the drama…for now. In the April 19 episode, NeNe Leakes begins her role as Cinderella's Wicked Stepmother on Broadway as Kenya Moore dives head-on into a new passion project — her pilot, Life Twirls On. The other girls may not be on stage or in front of the camera, but they still manage to deal with their very own plot twists. Re-Joyce! Todd Tucker and Kandi Burruss’ marriage is [...]...

Disney

Cate Blanchett breaths rarefied acting air as one of the most well-respected, most-decorated and just plain best performers of this or maybe any generation. Unlike a lot of her peers, too, she’s managed to build up that reputation by picking and choosing what jobs she takes on. There’s barely any total duffers in her back catalogue. She has discerning tastes.

Which means that, on the whole, when you watch a Cate Blanchett film you’re pretty much guaranteed both a brilliant, multi-layered and believable performance, but also a decent movie to match. A film that’s deserving of her mad acting skills. Plus she’s in How to Train Your Dragon 2, which was a nice surprise.

This weekend sees the release of Disney’s live action remake of Cinderella, from Shakespearean actor/Thor director Kenneth Branagh and starring Blanchett as Lady Tremaine – better known as Cindy’s Wicked Stepmother.

We have a Beauty (that would be Emma Watson). We have a Beast (that’d be Downton Abbey’s Dan Stevens). We also have Luke Evans as Gaston, Josh Gad as Le Fou, Kevin Kline as Belle’s father, Maurice, and Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts.

Can we all agree that whoever is casting Disney’s upcoming live adaptation of Beauty and the Beast is absolutely Nailing it? We don’t want to step on any toes, but we have a few suggestions for the rest of the cast:

Jean Dujardin as Lumiere

Getty Images

Dujardin was born to play the charming French candelabra. We literally cannot think of anyone who is more perfect for this part. And it’d be a good return to U.S. cinema, after mostly French films following his Oscar win for The Artist.

Gary Oldman as Cogsworth

Getty Images

A couple of actors immediately came to mind Cogsworth -- Nathan Lane has the...

No one provided Sandy Powell with a set of rules when she took on the job of designing the costumes for Walt Disney Studios' live action version of "Cinderella." No one told the three-time Oscar winner that Cinderella's dress had to be blue. No one said the film's showstopper needed to resemble the iconic ball gown depicted in Disney's animated classic. In fact, even after watching the 55-year-old film Powell specifically intended to make it another color. "I knew I didn't want to do pink. I just didn't want to do a big pink dress," Powell says. "I then went through every other color and then I thought well it could be white, but, no it can't be that because we have a wedding scene to do later and that really should really be the light colored dress. After that I kind of got a bit stuck on thinking green would be wrong,...

You know Lily James from Downton Abbey and Richard Madden from Game of Thrones, but the release of Disney's Cinderella on March 13 is bound to make them even more familiar. On Sunday, the stars gave us a picture-perfect preview of what we can expect as their careers soar to new heights, stunning on the red carpet together at the movie's premiere in La. No one was more excited than the leading lady herself, who chatted with Popsugar about the moment she felt like Cinderella. Lily simply could not stop smiling, laughing, dropping her jaw with joy, and spinning around to show off her princess-worthy gown. And then there was Richard, who looked like a modern-day Prince Charming with his sexy scruff and fitted suit. As he told us, though, his dancing in the movie didn't come as naturally. To top it all off, both stars scored face time with Cate Blanchett,...

Cinderella is one of the most beloved tales in Disney's long history, and now, with the live-action adaptation of the classic story hitting screens, a whole new generation will get to enjoy the enchantment and wonder of this timeless princess tale.

One of the most spectacular and fantastical elements in the film is Cinderella's wish-granting fairy godmother -- played by Helena Bonham Carter -- and when all the stars turned out for the film's world premiere at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, they knew exactly to wish for if they had their own fairy godmother.

Video: The Glass Slipper Is Broken in New Cinderella Trailer

"I would ask for my family to be well, and healthy and happy for the rest of their lives," said star Richard Madden, who plays Prince Charming. "And an Aston Martin as well, maybe."

Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer had a similar idea of how to really make good use of a wish...

It's taken decades for Into The Woods to get to the big screen. It might just have needed a few more years.

Musicals can be tough to adapt from the stage to film, but you'd think that Rob Marshall, who brought the genre into the 21st century with 2002's Oscar-winning Chicago, would be a safe pair of hands. Unfortunately, that's maybe too true of Into The Woods, a project that has flummoxed filmmakers for a good couple of decades.

The much anticipated film is based on Stephen Sondheim's play, mashing up a bunch of different fairytales to more subversive effect. In a magical kingdom by a great forest, a baker and his wife (James Corden and Emily Blunt) are desperate to have a child together. Alas, the baker is cursed with childlessness by the Witch who lives next door (Meryl Streep) over a quarrel with his deadbeat dad, (Simon Russell Beale.

Following the Countdown to Midnight TV spot released yesterday, Walt Disney Pictures has debuted a brand new featurette for their upcoming live-action adaptation of Cinderella. Director Kenneth Branagh reveals that he was intrigued about making a live-action version of the original Disney animated classic, and what fans might expect from the movie in the 21st Century. We also hear from cast members Cate Blanchett (Wicked Stepmother) and Lily James (Cinderella), who reveal that the animated classic "is such a big act to follow," while Richard Madden (The Prince) adds that he loves the relationship between the Prince and Cinderella, and Helena Bonham Carter (The Fairy Godmother) adds that fans will feel like they're watching this classic story for the first time.

The story of Cinderella follows the fortunes of young Ella (Lily James) whose merchant father remarries following the death of her mother. Eager to support her loving father, Ella...

Celebrating the new year and the clock striking midnight, Walt Disney Studios has released a new sneak peek at their upcoming, live-action re-imagining of "Cinderella". Kenneth Branagh helms the film which stars Helena Bonham Carter as the Fairy Godmother, Cate Blanchett as the Wicked Stepmother, Lily James as Cinderella and Richard Madden as The Prince. The film is slated to open in March.

The long awaited big screen adaptation of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's "Into the Woods" finally hits theaters on Christmas Day, and judging by the reviews so far, the consensus is it ain't half bad. Of course, the fact that the film made AFI's top 10 of 2014 list, earned a Golden Globe nod for Best Film - Musical or Comedy (granted, a given) and has also earned a slew of best supporting actress nominations for Meryl Streep (not a given) should have been a big hint. Still, it's slightly surprising considering director Rob Marshall's woeful track record since his feature debut, "Chicago," won the Best Picture Oscar almost 12 years ago. Whether it can crack this year's Best Picture race remains to be seen (it would need to be a pretty massive hit to get the Academy's attention), but it will receive a significant number of nominations on Jan. 15. Inspired...

After 39 days in San Juan del Sur, Natalie Anderson was finally crowned the sole "Survivor" of Season 29 Wednesday night. But she had to get her hands dirty in the process. In the two-hour finale, Natalie used her hidden Immunity idol to save Jaclyn Schultz, thereby ensuring that her Bff Baylor Wilson got the boot instead. Then, Natalie helped convince Jaclyn that Keith Nale was the biggest threat with the jury, so the Louisiana firefighter was sent packing. -Break- Psst: Here's how to predict reality TV shows and win bragging rights And prizes! Natalie, Jaclyn and Missy Payne were the Final 3, with Natalie earning five jury votes, Jaclyn receiving two and Missy nabbing only her daughter's vote. The final jury proceedings mostly went off without a hitch, except for one moment when Reed Kelly called Missy the "Wicked Stepmother" and attacked her gameplay. That outburst resulted in cheers from the live...

After 39 days in San Juan del Sur, Natalie Anderson was finally crowned the sole "Survivor" of Season 29 Wednesday night. But she had to get her hands dirty in the process. In the two-hour finale, Natalie used her hidden Immunity idol to save Jaclyn Schultz, thereby ensuring that her Bff Baylor Wilson got the boot instead. Then, Natalie helped convince Jaclyn that Keith Nale was the biggest threat with the jury, so the Louisiana firefighter was sent packing. -Break- Psst: Here's how to predict reality TV shows and win bragging rights And prizes! Natalie, Jaclyn and Missy Payne were the Final 3, with Natalie earning five jury votes, Jaclyn receiving two and Missy nabbing only her daughter's vote. The final jury proceedings mostly went off without a hitch, except for one moment when Reed Kelly called Missy the "Wicked Stepmother" and attacked her gameplay. That outburst resulted in cheers from the live...

Following the news earlier today that the Frozen short film Frozen Fever will debut with Cinderella in theaters, Walt Disney Pictures has released a new character poster featuring Lily James as Ella and Richard Madden as Kit, a.k.a Prince Charming. This one-sheet follows the previous character posters from earlier this week, which featured Cate Blanchett as The Wicked Stepmother and Helena Bonham Carter as Cinderella's Fairy Godmother. We'll have to wait and see which character will be showcased tomorrow from this live-action Disney adventure.

Directed by Kenneth Branagh, Cinderella centers on young Ella (Lily James) whose merchant father remarries following the death of her mother. Eager to support her loving father, Ella welcomes her new stepmother (Cate Blanchett) and her daughters Anastasia (Holliday Grainger) and Drisella (Sophie McShera) into the family home. But, when Ella's father unexpectedly passes away, she finds herself at the mercy of a jealous and cruel new family.

Disney started rolling out a series of character posters for Cinderella yesterday, with the first one-sheet featuring The Wicked Stepmother, played by Cate Blanchett, and stepsisters portrayed by Holliday Grainger and Sophie McShera. Today we get a new poster featuring Helena Bonham Carter as The Fairy Godmother, which was shot by acclaimed photographer Annie Leibovitz. This godmother, disguised as a kindly beggar woman, steps up to change Cinderella's life forever, after her stepmother refuses to let her attend the ball to meet the charming Kit (Richard Madden), a dashing prince who she met in the woods.

The story of Cinderella follows the fortunes of young Ella (Lily James) whose merchant father remarries following the death of her mother. Eager to support her loving father, Ella welcomes her new stepmother (Cate Blanchett) and her daughters Anastasia (Holliday Grainger) and Drisella (Sophie McShera) into the family home. But, when Ella's father unexpectedly passes away,...

Cate Blanchett is introduced as the Wicked Stepmother on the first character poster for Disney's live-action fairy tale adventure Cinderella. Flanking her on each side are Cinderella's evil stepsisters, played by Holliday Grainger and Sophie McShera. From the looks of it, Lily James is going to have one hard time dealing with her extended family members, who appear ready and willing to torment the young princess in waiting.

Directed by Kenneth Branagh, Cinderella follows the story of young Ella whose father remarries following the tragic death of her mother. Ella welcomes her new stepmother Lady Tremaine and her daughters Anastasia and Drisella into the family home. But, when Ella's father dies, she finds herself at the mercy of a jealous and cruel new family. Relegated to nothing more than a servant girl covered in ashes, and spitefully renamed Cinderella, Ella could easily begin to lose hope. Yet, despite the cruelty inflicted upon her,...

Director: Kenneth Branagh is a strong filmmaker, from "Dead Again" to Shakespeare to "Thor." "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit" was not his finest hour. So he may be ready to redeem himself with something really good. There's more leeway with fairy tale family fare.  Producers: Alison Shearmur (ex-studio executive), David Barron ("Harry Potter"production manager) and Simon Kinberg ("X-Men" writer-producer) have solid mainstream studio credits. Cast: Lily James ("Downton Abbey") and Richard Madden ("Game of Thrones") are strong as the two romantic leads, while we can't complain about Wicked Stepmother Cate Blanchett or Fairy Godmother Helena Bonham Carter, who can handle anything.  Writer: Aline Brosh McKenna is a veteran studio screenwriter, from "The Devil Wears Prada" to "We Bought a Zoo." But it's always tough to know who did what; Chris Weitz ("About a Boy," "Golden...

Are you aware of this thing called "Cinderella"? Here's what it is: a movie, basically, but a thing where Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter, and -- for some reason -- other actors are invited to dress up in costumes and be great together. I don't know why people named "Lily James" and "Richard Madden" get to be in this, but apparently they play Cinderella and the prince. Cate (pronounced Cate) plays the Wicked Stepmother (!) and Helena Bonham Carter plays the Fairy Godmother (!!). I wonder if they were supposed to play opposite roles originally but made a Betty White-Rue McClanahan-type switch in pre-production. Anyway, the trailer is decadent. Watch. There are seven important images in this. Here they are.   Here is Cate. Wicked as hell. Check out that damn bone structure, mortals. I wouldn't be surprised if Cate's parents were Glenn Close and a swan. Um, we're only...

It’s safe to say that we are absolutely thrilled with the release of Disney’s trailer for “Cinderella.”

On Wednesday (November 19), the beloved studio gave us its first full look at the film, which stars Lily James as the title role and Cate Blanchett as the Wicked Stepmother.

The live-action rendition of the animated classic also perfectly casts Helena Bonham Carter as the Fairy Godmother and Richard Madden as Prince Charming.

This full trailer gives us a much better look at the plot and what to expect with the enchanting film that is due in theaters on March 13, 2015.

During an interview with Yahoo Movies, director Kenneth Branagh said, “We built the film around the idea that even though Cinderella would be delighted to find love, her life would not and could not be defined by whether she finds a man. She likes herself, and she has no sense of...

Sherri Shepherd is going to Broadway!During "The View" on Tuesday, the talk show host announced that she nabbed the role of Madame, the Wicked Stepmother, in "Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella." The daytime diva will join Keke Palmer on the stage. Keke is making history by being the first black actress to play the role of Cinderella on Broadway."I’m sooooo excited to be doing broadway for the first time, as Cinderella!! Dreams Do Come True!!" Palmer tweeted on Monday. Many know Palmer from her title role in "Akeelah and the Bee." She later appeared in Nickelodeon’s "True Jackson, VP."The 20-year-old actress is currently starring as Coral, Libby Masters’s maid and baby nurse on the current season of "Masters of Sex."Of course, the brunette beauty isn't the first African-American Cinderella ever. Brandy famously played the role in the 1997 ABC TV movie with Whitney Houston as the Fairy Godmother.

Something wicked this way comes... And that something wicked is Angelina Jolie, essaying the title role in "Maleficent."

If your animation history is spotty (or if you don't have a very young child in your life), Maleficent was the iconic sorceress from Walt Disney's very amazing 1959 animated feature "Sleeping Beauty" (in the original, she was sinisterly voiced by Eleanor Audley). Following the success of Disney's "Alice in Wonderland" (and other fairy tale blockbusters from other studios), it was time to give "Sleeping Beauty" the "Wicked" treatment, with a story from the witch's point of view.

Of course, Sleeping Beauty is there, too. Elle Fanning plays Princess Aurora, in a performance that gets a little lost (if you don't know the story of Sleeping Beauty, we pity you) and there are supporting performances from Juno Temple, Imelda Staunton, Leslie Manville, Sam Riley, and Sharlto Copley. Quite frankly, when you're standing in Angelina's shadow,...

There are teasers and then there are teasers.

The first look at Disney's new live action "Cinderella" is definitely the latter. With no actual footage from the film (and without a title card, even), the bold, minute-long spot is heavy on magical atmosphere and light on specifics. Still, it does the job.

If you're not excited about this re-imagined fairy tale, opening next spring, then you probably haven't communed with your inner child in a very, very long time.

The spot features a nearly abstract image: swirling, glittery shapes (to borrow a phrase from another recent Disney classic, "swirling fractals all around") that actually takes a few seconds, even for the biggest Disney nerd, to figure out what you're looking at. Then it suddenly snaps into focus: it's a rotating angle on a glass slipper; the glass slipper. At the very end of the teaser, a gilded butterfly drifts down...

There are teasers and then there are teasers.

The first look at Disney's new live action "Cinderella" is definitely the latter. With no actual footage from the film (and without a title card, even), the bold, minute-long spot is heavy on magical atmosphere and light on specifics. Still, it does the job.

If you're not excited about this re-imagined fairy tale, opening next spring, then you probably haven't communed with your inner child in a very, very long time.

The spot features a nearly abstract image: swirling, glittery shapes (to borrow a phrase from another recent Disney classic, "swirling fractals all around") that actually takes a few seconds, even for the biggest Disney nerd, to figure out what you're looking at. Then it suddenly snaps into focus: it's a rotating angle on a glass slipper; the glass slipper. At the very end of the teaser, a gilded butterfly drifts down...

I seriously don't know why casting directors exist anymore because there are apparently only 3 actors for every type of role since famous actors are always cast in exactly the same ways. Need an eccentric older British actress to play someone magical? Get Helena Bonham Carter! 

You've probably already heard that everyone's favorite former Victorian china doll turned black arts ghoul turned Burton Queen will play the Fairy Godmother in the new live action Cinderella. (Thankfully this is Not a musical. I love Helena but I beg her to stop doing musicals!) Somewhere Johnny Depp is grinning like a cheshire cat as they made a blood pact in the early Aughts to never play anything but cartoon characters again! 

Regardless, she'll be great fun in the role and there is a mild twist to this casting actually. For many years now, The King's Speech aside, Helena has been automatically associated with Demented Wickedness.

It’s been rather interesting to watch the career of filmmaker Kenneth Branagh for the last few years. Mainly known for his exquisite Shakespeare adaptations, it was an incredible surprise to find him taking on the big-budget action film Thor, which he did a wonderful job with. He decided to follow that up with a reboot of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan character (playing double duty as director and the villain in the film). So, what has Branagh moved on to now? Another Shakespeare production? Another action flick? Nope, in keeping with his unpredictable nature of late, he’s attached himself to a live-action version of Cinderella for Disney.

Thus far, we’ve had a few little pieces of casting news for the project and today brings yet another. The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Academy Award nominated actress Helena Bonham Carter has signed on to play the role of the Fairy Godmother.

Helena Bonham Carter is getting her magic wand ready. The "Les Miserables" actress has signed on to play the Fairy Godmother in Disney's upcoming live-action adaptation of "Cinderella" opposite Lily James (Cinderella), Cate Blanchett (the Wicked Stepmother) and Richard Madden (the prince). The film is being directed by Kenneth Branagh ("Thor") from a script by Chris Weitz ("About a Boy"). Bonham Carter will next be seen in Disney's "The Lone Ranger" opposite Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer. The Gore Verbinski-directed film is slated to hit theaters on July 3. Do you think Bonham Carter will make a good Fairy Godmother? Sound...

Two more young British actresses have been cast alongside Lily James in Disney's upcoming live-action interpretation of Cinderella.

Directed by Kenneth Branagh, as previously announced Lily James takes the title role of Cinderella, with Cate Blanchett as the Wicked Stepmother and Game of Thrones star Richard Madden cast as The Prince.

Holliday Grainger and Sophie McShera are set to play the two mean stepsisters, Drisella and Anastasia, daughters of Lady Tremain (Cate Blanchett).

Holly (represented by Troika) can currently be seen playing Lucrezia Borgia in Neil Jordan’s TV series The Borgias, and she recently starred as Estella in the feature film adaptation of Great Expectations.

27 year old Sophie McShera from Leeds (represented by Curtis Brown) played Ros in Waterloo Road before going on to appear alongside Lily James in Downton Abbey, and can currently be seen on TV in ITV sitcom The Job Lot.

Cinderella is due to start...

Very few shows make it to their seventh season and even fewer manage to successfully spinoff into a new show sustaining their original premise and audience. But TNT’s hot series The Closer morphed into the new series Major Crimes, taking a majority of its core cast with it. One of the lucky cast members who made the transition along with it was star Phillip P. Keene who portrays the show’s Civilian Surveillance Coordinator Buzz Watson. In an exclusive interview Phillip shared his insights into his stalwart character, as well as a few thoughts as to the secret to success of the new series.

All the promos for the upcoming season of Major Crimes look great!

Phillip: I think you’re going to love it. The writing for this season – I don’t know how they do it, but every year they seem to top themselves. We don’t...

Emma Watson isn't interested in being a princess. The actress has passed on the lead role in Walt Disney Picture's live-action reboot Cinderella, which stars Cate Blanchett as the Wicked Stepmother.

No details were given in regards to Emma Watson's decision not to join this fairy tale adventure. Variety's Marc Graser tweeted the news this morning, promising details to come.

Emma Watson has decided Not to star in Disney's Cinderella.

— Marc Graser (@marcgraser) March 12, 2013

Kenneth Branagh is directing from a screenplay by Aline Brosh McKenna and The Twilight Saga: New Moon's Chris Weitz. Its not yet clear which direction this live action reboot is headed, though Disney's Alice in Wonderland reboot and the upcoming Maleficent (Sleeping Beauty told from the witch's point-of-view) should serve as some indication.

We'll let you know if Emma Watson's decision to pass is related to something noteworthy when that news breaks.

Cinderella...

This may leave many fans disappointed, as I don't think we've had a more spot-on piece of casting in some time - but as you can see from the below Tweet from Variety's Marc Graser, the lovely Emma Watson won't be playing Cinderella in Disney's live action adaptation, which has Thor helmer Kenneth Branagh lined up to direct. Emma Watson has decided Not to star in Disney's Cinderella.— Marc Graser (@marcgraser) March 12, 2013 We don't have any more details right now, but apparently scheduling conflicts were always a possibility so perhaps that's the reason Watson was forced to pass. The movie still has Cate Blanchett attached to play the Wicked Stepmother, and Gabriella Wilde (The Three Musketeers), Imogen Poots (Fright Night) and Alicia Vikander (Anna Karenina) were all up for the lead role at one point too so perhaps the glass slipper will pass to one of them now.

Tags: Afternoon DelightScarlett JohanssonJackie WarnerJulianne MooreTina FeyEmma WatsonZoe SaldanaRihannaFiona ShawEdie FalcoAnna FarisIMDbLena DunhamZero Dark Thirty

Good afternoon and happy March! Where does the time go?

Happy birthday to Ke$ha!

Julianne Moore (The Kids Are All Right) and Alexander Skarsgård (True Blood) star in the modern version of the 1897 book-turned-movie What Maise Knew. The story is about a child “shuffled back and forth between her two divorced parents every six months.” (Ugh, it sounds so depressing.) Moore plays Susanna, an aging rock star, and Skarsgård plays her second husband.

Check out the film’s poster below.

Rumor has it Emma Watson might be starring in Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation of Cinderella. If Watson signs on to be the title character she’ll have to go head to head with her Wicked Stepmother played by Cate Blanchett.

Zoe Saldana wants to play a "sexy something, like a princess from another planet...

Juno Temple cast in role of young princess after parts as lesbian werewolf and 1970s prostitute

The Queen's late sister, Princess Margaret, has gone down in history as a fun-loving woman with a penchant for parties. But the royal family probably never expected to see her portrayed on screen by a young English actress who has made her name playing an American serial killer beauty queen, a 1970s prostitute, a lesbian werewolf and an abused teenager from a Texas trailer park.

The actress, Juno Temple, 23, also happens to be the daughter of renegade movie-maker Julien Temple, director of the Sex Pistols film, The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle. Her aunt, Nina Temple, was the last secretary of the Communist Party of Great Britain, and she is the granddaughter of another notable British communist, Landon Temple.

Temple, who is cast in the role of the young princess in the British film Girls' Night Out,...

Birthday shoutouts go to Eddie Cahill (above), who is 35, Drew Brees is 33, Andrea Martin is 66, and Lisa Lisa is 47.

The Killing is returning to AMC for a third season, but producers promise they won't insult the intelligence of the audience by stretching the mystery more than one season.How in the hell did it take this long?In ratings news, The Carrie Diaries is off to a poor start. We may never know how the story ends.Former Aide: Michele Bachmann Had “Unnatural Relationship” With Debate Coach.Jack Antonoff, Fun. Guitarist, On Being A Gay Rights Ally And Straight 'With Lesbian Chemicals' Whoopi Goldberg will be honored with this year's "Ally For Equality" award from the Hrc.Why I'm so angry about Jodie Foster's coming out speech.Jodie Foster Speech: Celebrities React To Actress' Coming Out Speech At The Golden Globes. This was my favorite:

Woo-Hoo! Now they need to get back Viki,...

Ja from Mnpp here - having had their way with the Snow White story (to great financial success one time, and notsomuch the other), Hollywood is setting its sights upon her downtrodden floor-scrubbing slash mouse-touching sister-princess next - Cinderella is going to be turned into a live-action whirylgig by the director Mark Romanek, from a script by Chris Weitz.

I'm a big fan of Romanek's (I am not one of the poor unfortunate souls who found Never Let Me Go anything less than terribly impressive, but I've loved him way back to his videos for Nine Inch nails) and while I'd rather he not get sucked back into the big Hollywood machinery again (trying to make a movie out of Wolf Man wasted several years of possible output from him)... well, I can't say no to the cast that's circling this thing, now can I? Cate Blanchett is talks to play the Wicked Stepmother,...

Once upon a time, Julia Roberts was America’s sweetheart. (Hell, at one point, she even starred in a movie called America’s Sweethearts.) But because nobody can stay an ingenue forever, the 44-year-old actress has officially aged into the next phase of her career — one that’s filled almost exclusively with Oscar bait (see the upcoming adaptations of The Normal Heart and August: Osage County) and campy roles like her turn in this weekend’s Mirror Mirror. Let’s call this stage “the Meryl Streep juncture.”

And as Mirror Mirror’s evil queen, Roberts has some wicked shoes to fill.

Kardashian Conspiracy Theorists, unite! The Dancing With the Stars Season 13 performance finale gave us a glimpse of Cheryl Burke in a Len Goodman mask, holding up an “11″ paddle for her partner, who just so happens to be the younger brother of Kourtney, Kim, and Khloe (Aka The One With the Baby, The One With the Sex Tape Who Is Now Inexplicably on the Cover of Everything, and The One Who Is Occasionally Pretty Funny).

And sure enough, there was a brief moment at the end of the telecast where I wondered if Carrie Ann, Len, and Bruno had been kidnapped and hogtied backstage,...