Watching KVille

So, there I was, sitting back and watching television, and a trailer came on for the new Sam Jackson movie, Lakeview Terrace. I thought I saw Cole Hauser in the film as the white neighbor that gets to put up with Jackson’s scary/obnoxious cop character in the film. I was really convinced that it was Hauser, so I checked out a Sam Jackson website. The film wasn’t listed, as the website seemed about nine months behind the times in Mr. Jackson’s filmography and general news.

Interestingly enough, Tyler Perry’s The Family that Preys was featured on the Samuel L. Jackson site. Ok, I thought, those two are in two new films together. Cool. But when I try to find out what character Jackson is in The Family that Preys, he is not listed as a member of the cast. Hmm.

And then I checked out the cast for Lakeview Terrace, and it is not Cole Hauser in the thriller. Instead it is an actor named Patrick Wilson. I have not heard of him, despite his rather solid indie film and theatre resume. All I can say is that in the trailer’s brief seconds of his face, he can look a lot like Hauser.

Hauser

Wilson

It seems that Jackson has no real connection to the Tyler Perry film, or at least, I cannot find one. Maybe his website, Samuelljackson.com, simply gives shout-outs to his friends, or maybe it is tied to some marketing group that plugs any film with a black actor in it. Who knows, but I do know that Samuel L. Jackson is not in a new film with Cole Hauser. That is too bad, as I think those two may play pretty well off of each other. Another project perhaps.

But, hey, Hauser’s new film is coming out September 12.

Lakeview Terrace, Sam Jackson, Samuel L. Jackson, Cole Hauser, Tyler Perry, The Family that Preys, Patrick Wilson

Even though Law & Order is not a nominee, the cast is in Europe for the 48th Annual Monte Carlo Television Festival. L&O’s exec producer and the father of the “duh-dun” scene change, Dick Wolf, is being recognized for his continued contribution to formulaic television crime dramas. I don’t know if that is indeed what the exact wording of the official award which is called the Golden Nymph. Those Monacoans sure know how to name pointless and self-agrandizing awards, huh? Or is it the Monaconese? Anyone?

Here is Anthony (with the most fake smile I have seen in a while — maybe because it looks like they just barely arrived at whatever hotel this picture was taken at (hi, let them get inside)) with co-stars Alana de la Garza and Linus Roache as well as Mr. Wolf. He’s the oldest one in shades because that flash on the camera is just so bright.

TV Week had this little blurb to say…

The Monte Carlo Television Festival will present its Honorary Gold Nymph Award to “Law & Order” creator and executive producer Dick Wolf for his work and leadership in the television industry.

Running June 8-12, the festival, in its 48th year, will feature appearances by some of the most recognized faces from the last year of U.S. TV, including Dana Delany (“Desperate Housewives”), Mark Harmon (“NCIS”) and Chad Michael Murray (“One Tree Hill”). Other shows scheduled to be represented by some of their stars include “Lost,” “Bones,” “Ugly Betty,” “Damages,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Pushing Daisies,” “Numb3rs” and both Las Vegas and Miami editions of “CSI.”

By the way, has anyone been tuning in for Law and Order since Anthony has joined the cast? I cannot watch L&O ever since I took a tv writing class with a former L&O writer. One, the teacher drove me crazy, and two, she definitely let us in on how formulaic the show really is, as if I never figured that one out. No, seriously, it is a good, consistent product, and I support the L&O dynasty. I just choose not to watch it.

Law & Order, L&O, Anthony Anderson, Dick Wolf, Alana de la Garza, Linus Roache, Monte Carlo Television Festival, Golden Nymph, TV Week

But this time it is on CBS. And it’s still a maybe…

Many thanks again to TCNA, a reader/commenter, who graciously tipped me off that Cole Hauser has joined the cast of a new CBS pilot called The Tower.

Upon researching said pilot, I have found out the following:

Marcia Gay Harden plays a millionaire newspaper owner in Chicago, and the pilot/potential series is being produced by Cold Case executive producer, Meredith Stiehm, as well as Davis Guggenheim, the director of the Oscar-winning An Inconvenient Truth. Stiehm is listed as the writer on IMDb in addition to her duties as the EP, and Guggenheim will be directing the pilot.

CCH Pounder and

Denis O’Hare

are also attached to The Tower. CCH Pounder, who comes from The Shield, was usually my favorite character. And Denis O’Hare, who has been in just about everything, is a Tony-winner for his role in Take Me Out, and almost won for the revival of Sondheim’s Assassins. He can dance, he can sing, he can act. He’s a triple-threat!

*Side note* about Assassins. It came out in the early 1990’s, but nobody got it. It was then shelved for a decade, and became a hit. It’s a great musical if you have never heard it.

Here’s a little trivia about Meredith Stiehm. She first started writing for TV on Northern Exposure, and even spent a couple of seasons writing for BH 90210. Neat. I have to wonder if she will be somehow involved in the rumored 90210 spin-off, arriving this fall, possibly.

A bit from Variety:

Harden is set to play Zoe, a millionaire who buys the newspaper at the center of the Eye pilot “The Tower.” Project revolves around journos who not only break stories but also solve mysteries.

And from the Hollywood Reporter:

“Tower,” from CBS Par, revolves around a group of Chicago reporters who treat breaking news as cases to be both investigated and solved. Hauser will play a crime reporter. “The Shield” alumna Pounder will play the paper’s managing editor.

The Hollywood Reporter offered a bit more info on Hauser.

Cole Hauser has been tapped for the lead role in “The Tower,” the CBS drama pilot from “Cold Case” exec producer Meredith Stiehm.

Davis Guggenheim is directing the project, which will have Hauser starring as Sean Castleman, a crime reporter at a paper where journos investigate and solve crimes. CBS Paramount Network TV is producing.

Hauser most recently co-starred in the Fox drama “K-Ville.” He’s filming Tyler Perry’s “The Family That Preys Together” and is set to appear in the features “Tortured” and “Like Dandelion Dust.”

Hmm. I like the idea of Chicago-based reporters, even though I am sure the series will be shot in LA, despite the setting. It’ll probably be like ER in that they show a couple of shots of the Sears Tower and then everything is very sound-stagey. I really hate that, and that is one of the reasons that I thought K-Ville stood out from the pack. Filmed in the actual location is a nice touch for authenticity in a very un-authentic world.

Still, glad that Hauser is returning to TV, and in a lead is even better.

Cole Hauser, Marcia Gay Harden, CCH Pounder, Denis O’Hare, CBS, Paramount, Chicago, The Tower, K-Ville, Meredith Stiehm, Davis Guggenheim, Cold Case, An Inconvenient Truth, Assassins, Take Me out, Northern Exposure, Beverly Hills 90210, ER, Hollywood Reporter, Variety

I ran across this little tidbit on IMDb, and thought I would pass it along.

John Carroll Lynch, Captain Embry on the now-defunct K-Ville, will be in the upcoming Jennifer Aniston-Aaron Eckhart film called Traveling.

The film has been in principal photography in both Vancouver (January) and Seattle (March). Here is a quick picture of both stars during shooting, I think.

That picture came from JustJared.com.

IMDb has the synopsis as pure romantic comedy drivel, if you ask me, and almost no one ever does. Eckhart’s character writes a book on dealing with loss after losing his wife. The book fills a niche, and he becomes famous as a self-help huckster, I mean, guru. Somewhere along the line he meets Aniston’s florist character, and of course, he is smitten, because everyone is, right? Somwhere along the way, Eckhart realizes that no, he is not over the pain of losing his wife, and what then? Does Jen get dumped for a dead woman? No, I am sure, they will remain friends (with benefits) and leave it open to pursue their blooming romance another time, after a couple years of therapy. Either way, I am sure I will not be watching this one.

It is too bad that Jennifer Aniston has gone the romantic comedy route, as my favourite role of hers is still Office Space (with another great role in the “Getting Gay with Kids” South Park episode). Which is a comedy, with a romance, but far from a rom-com.

Anyhoo, John Carroll Lynch is playing a character named Walter, and that is all I can find about that. Maybe he will play a lovable florist, perhaps with a slight gay persuasion with a touch of cross-dressing — oh, wait, he already did that on Drew Carey.

Jennifer Aniston, Aaron Eckhart, John Carrol Lynch, K-Ville, Traveling, Vancouver, Seattle, Office Space, South Park, IMDb