I'll Link You Last
Tuesday, August 10, 2021 at 2:20AM • AV Club Sue Mengers superagent biopic in the works with Jennifer Lawrence to star and Paolo Sorrentino behind the camera. You may recall that Sue Mengers got this treatment on Broadway already with the play "I'll Eat You Last" starring Bette Midler
• Collider in unexpected casting news Luiz Guzmán is the new Gomez Addams in a future live-action Netflix series spun off from The Addams Family
• MNPP the first poster for Parallel Mothers is never going to make it to the US
• Celebitchy Looks like Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander had a baby during those couple of years when neither of them were in the press or on the screen
Gemma Chan, Beanie Feldstein, West Side Story's non-reopening on Broadway, South Park forever more, Clue memories, Zola tweets and more after the jump...
• Theater Mania we'll believe this when it comes to pass since Funny Girl has never had a Broadway revival despite numerous attempts (Streisand's shoes being way too daunting to fill) but Beanie Feldstein is rumored to have been cast in a Spring 2022 revival
• Vogue UK Gemma Chan talks about her role in Eternals
• Deadline in rather strange Broadway news, the revival of West Side Story that had the misfortune of opening just before COVID hit is NOT reopening (despite getting a $10 million grant to do just that). Seems odd since the Steven Spielberg remake opens in a few months and WSS will be all the media rage. Contrary to showbiz mythology that says movies dilute the box office earnings for Broadway (see the long long wait for Wicked: The Movie) there's just no proof of this whatsoever since several shows that won't ever close have had film versions come and go and sometimes (as in the case of Chicago) they revive the show's slightly flagging earnings
• The Guardian in something of a surprise, long out of favor Johnny Depp is getting a lifetime achievement award at the San Sebastian Film Festival
• Cartoon Brew six early contenders for Best Animated Short with the Oscar qualifying deadline just two months away
• Cartoon Brew The creators of South Park sign mega deal with Paramount+. Who knew that South Park was still popular enough to inspire a nearly billion dollar buy of 6 more seasons and 14 (!!!) more movies.
RIP
• / Film early Hollywood child star Jane Withers has died at 95
• Vanity Fair 80s TV star Markie Post (Night Court, Fall Guy) has died at age 70
• The Wrap stuntman Brad Allan (Wonder Woman, The Kingsman, and many more) has died at just 48
older links that we meant to share but didn't get around to...
• Vulture Marvel villains ranked by hotness. Funny!
• People Dave Bautista hypes up Knives Out 2 which is currently filming in an interview
• THR Framing Britney Spears back in the news with Britney Spears addressing it
• Vulture Lesley Ann Warren talks Clue (1985)
• NY Times Excellent profile on Riley Keough's enigmatic class-crossing appeal
• Medium Kyle Turner on the nostaglic tweet sounds in Zola
• The Ringer the '90 songs that explain the 90s' series hits "Vogue". The article is not remotely about Vogue, though, but rather about Madonna's mystique and early days and it's wonderful.
Reader Comments (18)
I was so saddened to hear about Jane Withers! I'm sure I probably saw Bright Eyes first but when I was younger I became familiar with her as the breezy Josephine the Plumber and after that in Giant. So, it was a bit of a surprise and a little funny when I realized she was also that rotten kid who tormented sweet Shirley!
I can see her being a Shirley alternate and once she scored that first success as the little bitch the studio wisely realized that wasn't a persona that they could get a lot of mileage out of and took advantage of her natural bubbliness and native intelligence. Her series of movies were definitely not the A pictures that Shirley Temple received but neither were they junk. More efficient programmers that she drove with her magnetic personality. Having seen several there isn't a lot of variation to them "Plucky kid finds herself in some sort of trouble but manages to get herself and the people around her out of it, often with a song and dance number or two included!"
She was apparently quite canny for one so young and had a lot of input into her films. Her parents were careful with her money so that when she reached a difficult age and her career slowed, she was able to retire comfortably and return to work when it suited her rather than out of desperation. Then she was fortunate to become the Comet spokeswoman for over a decade and that took care of her financial future from then on.
Though there was some significant tragedy along the way-her second husband died in a plane crash and she lost one of her children to cancer at a relatively young age-all in all she seemed to have had a happy life and it was certainly a long one, but she was one of the last of the performers who was active and could remember the film world of the 30's forward. Maybe we’ll get a post looking at the totality of her career? Hope so.
The real shocker was Markie Post!! I hadn't known she was ill and the few times I'd seen her she always looked so good-aging gracefully and as effervescent and charming as ever. I loved her on Night Court and Hearts Afire, but she did so many game shows (and was always a very intelligent and proficient player) that she was one of those celebrities that you feel you know a bit better because you've seen them in a more natural setting. Her passing is a very sad event.
This has been an awful week as we fans of professional wrestling are dealing with the death of "Beautiful" Bobby Eaton. Now he may not have been a massive name but the man wasn't just one of the best performers in the ring but one of the rarest nice guys outside of the ring and behind the scenes. His work as part of the Midnight Express with Dennis Condrey & Stan Lane w/ Jim Cornette as his manager plus being part of one of the most underrated factions in the Dangerous Alliance with Rick Rude, Arn Anderson, Larry Zbyzsko, and "Stunning" Steve Austin (before he became Stone Cold Steve Austin) with Paul E. Dangerously (known more as Paul Heyman) and Madusa. I recommend watching the War Games match at Wrestle War '92 from WCW as that is a classic match.
" Looks like Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander had a baby"
Congratulations to the new Parents.
You won't let that "The" go, will you? ;-)
#eternals
I always thought/wished that HBO would record Bette's monologue as Sue Mengers.
I knew Fassy had a baby!
Tom Hiddleston = Hot, Loki not that hot.
Depp - more backlash out of Spain than in Spain
Just sayin'
Excited about Jennifer Lawrence getting some new, meaty roles. However, I'm not sure I love the idea of Sorrentino taking this on. Although, I'm dying to know who they cast as Barbra Streisand!
I like Beanie Feldstein, but I have real trouble seeing her pull of 3 hours of Funny Girl. She's a great actress, but I'm not sure she has the star power/magnetism to pull that off.
Beanie Feldstein building the connections and resume to win the Best Actress Oscar for playing Cass Elliott in the biopic Don't Call Me Mama Anymore. A passion project that she hasn't quite managed to get off the ground yet, but us in the know eagerly await.
Guzman and now CZJ as Morticia!
Clue happens to be my favorite comedy of all time and Leslie Ann Warren is my favorite part about it so getting to read that interview was such a joy. Clue is a movie I always recommend when people ask about comedies.
Jennifer Lawrence is a terrible choice.
Jennifer Lawrence is a terrible choice.
It's such a Melissa McCarthy part.
@John: Jennifer Lawrence is a terrible choice.
@/3rtful: It's such a Melissa McCarthy part.
Just looked at images of Sue Mengers. Why isn't Jennifer Coolidge playing her?
Raising a child is cute and all but Michael and Alicia are just too talented (and too gorgeous) to be off screen. Back to work, you two! Hire a nanny!
@John, /3rtful & Brevity:
Jennifer Lawrence, once again too young (for the most part) for a role. McCarthy would work, but I think Coolidge would skew too old for the role.
Charlize would kill it.
Do we think (controversial) The Inevitables member John Lithgow can finally break through in the new Scorsece or will focus on stage and television have his membership revoked?
I just rewatched the glorious Lesley Ann Warren in The Limey. She does so much with so little. What a fascinating presence on screen. I wish she had a wider filmography.