'Modern Family' Back on Track
A troubled set gets working again, Mariah Carey books a big movie, and American Horror Story casts strangely.
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The cast of top TV comedy Modern Family had their first fourth-season read-through today, rescheduled from Tuesday because of a money dispute involving five of the adult cast members, and everyone showed up. Yup! Sofia, and Jesse, and Eric, and Ty, and Julie, they were all there. Apparently it went well and the co-creator of the show, Christopher Lloyd, made a little joke about the awkwardness and that was that. So, isn't that nice. All five actors, who are still in contract negotiations, received special stars for the day and were given their choice of juice box and then during naptime Lloyd came around and sneaked a few extra million dollars into their backpacks to bring home with them. A happy ending. [Deadline]
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Oh dear. American Horror Story has hired Step Up actress and Mrs. Channing Tatum Jenna Dewan to play opposite Adam Levine on the next season. Yeah, the two are playing The Lovers, characters integral to the arc of the season. Which... Woohoo! Finally some real acting talent to balance out jokers like Jessica Lange and Sarah Paulson. Phew. The trusty old team of Levine and Dewan. Maroon 5 singer and NFL cheerleader, actin' up a storm on FX. Can't wait. [Entertainment Weekly]
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Mariah Carey is booking gigs left and right these days. First was American Idol and now is another American story, The Butler. That's Lee Daniels' next movie, about a real-life White House butler who served under like eight administrations or some crazy thing like that. No word yet on who Carey will be playing, but let's just consider the other casting: "Robin Williams and Melissa Leo will play the Eisenhowers, James Marsden and Minka Kelly the Kennedys, Liev Schreiber is LBJ, John Cusack is Nixon, and Alan Rickman and Jane Fonda will play the Reagans." o_O That is... I mean, I knew Lee Daniels was crazy, but I didn't know he was crazy crazy. Like, this is a movie that stars Forrest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey. And then there will be Mariah Carey somewhere. And John Cusack playing Richard Nixon. And James Marsden doing a JFK accent. And Alan freaking Rickman as Ronald Reagan. I mean, the degree to which that is the craziest cast I have ever seen cannot be overstated. Wooftie. Can't wait. [Vulture]
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Matthew Weiner has confirmed that Peggy Olson, played by Elisabeth Moss, has not been written off Mad Men. Nope, she's staying. Though she no longer works with Don and company, she "has not left the show," Weiner says. He doesn't know how much she'll be on next season, but he probs doesn't know that for anybody but Don. (Don will be on a lot, I'm guessing.) So that's a relief! Peggy can sometimes be the glue that holds that show together — she's our road into the world — so it would be a shame to see her leave. So. When does next season start? Soon, right?? [TV Line]
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Bravo has renewed Kathy Griffin's talk show Kathy for a second season. Everyone was happy about the news and sent Griffin well wishes. Well, except for Andy Cohen, who crossed his arms and said, "Whatever, it's only on once a week, not five nights a week like mine so who cares whatever." He pouted some more and then said, "Let's go, Tyler," and dragged his new 22-year-old "assistant" off toward home. [Deadline]
Julian Morris, who should have been cast as Finnick in Catching Fire, has instead booked a guest-starring role as a prince on Once Upon a Time. So... that's... well, that's not quite the same scale as Hunger Games, is it? Ah well. He wasn't in the running for that role or anything, I just think he should have gotten it because he looks like the role, meaning he looks good, meaning hi Julian hope you're reading, haha, want to be my assistant? [Entertainment Weekly]
Dustin Hoffman's son will be playing shoe designer Steve Madden in Martin Scorsese's next movie. So. That's... Is Lee Daniels casting every movie these days?? [Deadline]
