Another display of 'Wit'

Lynne Area and Margaret Edson Cynthia Nixon and Kim Cattrall The story about "Wit" is the play was put together by an elementary school teacher. That's under true, scribe Margaret Edson revealed at Thursday's Broadway opening-evening shindig at B.B. King's. Yes, she's been an elementary school teacher for 19 years, but she written the play 2 decades ago -- when she labored in the bike shop. Leading lady Cynthia Nixon turned up within the party along with her shaved mind on proud display. But as past stars of cancer drama "Wit" know, you're going to get cold with no hair -- which explains why Judith Light, who carried out the part through the show's original Off Broadway run, gave Nixon a cashmere cap becoming an opening-evening gift.Nixon appreciated the evening before opening, similar to the play ended, one theatergoer screamed out, "You're my girl!" It startled Nixon."Nevertheless it felt very validating," mentioned the actress. "Sadly, I never arrived at meet that lady whose girl I am.Inch Contact Gordon Cox at gordon.cox@variety.com

Paul Giamatti Joins Romeo & Juliet

As Friar Lawrence Since shooting is placed to start shortly in Italia, director Carlo Carlei is completing the relaxation from the cast for his new adaptation of Romeo And Juliet. And also the latest actor to step aboard? Paul Giamatti. The Barney's Version actor can look as Friar Lawrence, a vital consultant to both Romeo and Juliet within the play, who likely regrets helping them meet up given their tragic finish. Kids in individuals days, right?Douglas Booth, most lately observed in the Beeb's Great Anticipation, is on as Romeo, while True Grit's Hailee Steinfeld is going to be Juliet. Erectile dysfunction Westwick and Kodi Smit-McPhee have signed onto play Tybalt and Benvolio.Having a script by Downton Abbey supremo Julian Fellowes (adapting work initially produced by some bloke known as Will, or even by Rhys Ifans if Roland Emmerich was right all along - kidding!), Carlei is placed to film in Mantua, which so is actually the town Romeo is banned to within the play. There will be also some set work done at Rome's famous Cinecitta Galleries.Giamatti, meanwhile, was last observed in The Ides Of March. He's Rock Of Age range and Cosmopolis set to reach this season and has been around Sundance marketing Don Coscarelli's new horror comedy John Dies In The Finish.

IFC on buy spree at fest

'The Pact'IFC Films roared into action as Sundance wound lower, closing in on the quartet of purchases on Wednesday and Thursday. The distrib acquired comedy "Liberal Arts," horror pic "The Pact" because of its Night time division and Helps docu "How you can Survive a Plague" because of its Sundance Chooses label and was closing in on mental drama "Simon Killer." IFC acquired United States privileges to author-director-producer Josh Radnor's "Liberal Arts," that was created by financier BCDF Pictures partners Brice Dal Farra, Claude Dal Farra and Lauren Munsch, in addition to Jesse Hara of Tom Sawyer Entertainment, the management and production company he runs with Rachel Burns. "The Way I Met Your Mother" star Radnor, whose "happythankyoumoreplease" performed Sundance this year, stars like a recently single guy who returns to his alma mater for his favorite professor's retirement dinner. Elizabeth Olsen co-stars alongside Richard Jenkins, Allison Janney, John Magaro and "Twilight" thesp Elizabeth Reaser. Deal for that film was discussed by Arianna Bocco, senior Vice president of purchases and productions for Sundance Chooses/IFC Films, using the Gersh Agency settling with respect to the filmmakers. The distrib can also be in final discussions to get author-director Antonio Campos' "Simon Killer" for mid-six figures. Matt Palmieri funded the pic through his FilmHaven Entertainment and created with Campos' Borderline Films partners Josh Mond and Sean Durkin. Tune Roscher co-created. While sources caution that no deal has closed, IFC Films distributed Campos' first film, "Afterschool." "Simon Killer" stars Brady Corbet like a recent college graduate who would go to Paris and falls deeply in love with a mysterious youthful prostitute. CAA and UTA are settling the offer with respect to the filmmakers, as UTA reps the Borderline trio. Contact Shaun Sneider at shaun.sneider@variety.com

Millennium Entertainment activates 'Red Lights'

'Red Lights'PARK CITY, Utah -- Millennium Entertainment has "Red-colored Lights" in the sights, as Boss Bill Lee's distribution company has closed an offer to get U.S. privileges to Rodrigo Cortes' paranormal thriller. The twisting mental thriller in the director of "Hidden" opened Friday evening in the jam-packed Eccles Theatre at Sundance. Cortes created with Adrian Guerra, while Cindy Cowan professional created through her Cindy Cowan Entertainment banner. UTA handled the purchase with respect to the filmmakers. Pic stars Robert P Niro, Cillian Murphy, Sigourney Weaver and last year's Sundance It-girl Elizabeth Olsen within the story of the college-backed team of paranormal doubters who set to debunk a global-famous telekinetic (P Niro). The deal weren't immediately revealed. "We're thrilled with 'Red Lights' and excited to distribute the film," stated Lee. "This certainly has theatrical potential and that we plan allow it a typical theatrical platform release, with ancillaries coming 90-100 days later. We found Sundance using the aim of purchasing 'Red Lights' whether it was good, and that we thought Rodrigo did a wonderful job using the film. UTA was teriffic to cope with, and we are both thrilled and proud to distribute the film." Millennium Entertainment adds "Red-colored Lights" to some slate which includes recent acquisition "Some Paradise," starring Kate Hudson. Created this year, clients are bolstered with a seasoned staff which includes marketing and distribution veterans Brooke Ford and Andy Gruenberg. Past releases include David Schwimmer's "Trust," the Chris Evans-starrer "Puncture" and Joel Schumacher's "Trespass," starring Nicolas Cage and Nicole Kidman. Company's next release is Oren Moverman's cop drama "Rampart" on Feb 10. Woodsy Harrelson stars alongside "Red-colored Lights" thesp Sigourney Weaver and Ben Promote. Later this season, Millennium Entertainment will distribute Juan Carlos Fresnadillo's thriller "Burglars," Richard Linklater's dark comedy "Bernie," and Elgin James' "Little Wild birds," which performed Sundance this past year. Contact Shaun Sneider at shaun.sneider@variety.com

Former Full House Sweetheart Jodie Sweetin Turns 30!

First Released: The month of january 18, 2012 5:11 PM EST Credit: FilmMagic La, Calif. -- Caption Jodie Sweetin involves offer the Lgbt Centers gala A Night Time With Females in the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hillsides on April 16, 2011 It has been 25 whirlwind years since Jodie Sweetin got her begin Full House because the precocious Stephanie Tanner. Now a proud mother of two, the actress who turns 30 on Thursday is satisfied, healthy and back in line around the eve of her three-decade mark after facing a couple of derailments recently. The problem began in early stages following Jodies eight-year operate on Full House. While attending Southern Californias Chapman College, the actress married LAPD officer Rob Holguin in 2002. 2 yrs later, throughout a rest from acting, Jodie played around with with very meth and quickly created a crippling habit which she freely talked about in her own 2009 tell-all memoir, UnSweetined. I needed to prove which i wasnt the lady from Full House, which i might get more trashed than everybody else, she creates in her own book of the items drove her to abuse alcohol and drugs. Jodie effectively stored the addiction from her husband until 2005, when she was put in the hospital carrying out a evening of hanging out. Following a stint in rehab, she and Rob divorced in 2006. Jodie met her next love, Cody Herpin, while she is at sober coping with people from her rehab center and also the two started dating. They married in This summer 2007 (after just two several weeks of dating), and Jodie delivered her first child, daughter Zoie, via C-Section in April 2008. Sadly, the brand new parents happiness was short-resided, as Jodie declared separation from her then-husband in November 2008 just seven short several weeks after their kids arrival. The divorce documents revealed a rocky union between your pair. Our home is within foreclosures, our water continues to be turn off two times Presently, our other utilities are past due, Jodie alleged in the courtroom papers acquired by Access Hollywood at that time. Jodie stated that Cody, who she mentioned would be a driver and transportation coordinator once they met, eliminate once they were married aside from the month of October 2007, and stored finding one excuse to another for his failure to even look for employment. The contentious situation required a turn for that worse in December 2008, whenever a judge ruled that Jodie could only see her then 8-month-old daughter when she what food was in her parents home or perhaps in their presence, after Cody elevated questions regarding Jodies sobriety throughout an urgent situation court, alleging his estranged wife had fallen from the wagon. Nearly twelve months later, Jodie spoken with Access Hollywood about her battles with alcohol and drugs, and multiple stints in rehab, evaluating her struggles with individuals of Lindsay Lohan. Ive done that, Jodie told Access throughout a November 2009 interview when requested about Lindsays highly-promoted struggles. Ive been through [rehab] a few occasions and Ive become sober and never sober and sober and never sober and also the saddest factor is understanding that theres nothing anyone can do until that persons ready. You cannot save anybody. They need to get it done themselves Thats precisely the person who I was. After finalizing her divorce with Cody in April 2010, the actress found love with Morty Coyle, a DJ, and grew to become pregnant for that second time, announcing the happy news in May 2010. Morty and Jodie welcomed daughter Beatrix Carlin Sweetin Coyle on August 31, 2010. Jodie was amazing and it is doing great, Morty stated at that time. Were already crazily deeply in love with Beatrix and therefore are so grateful for that support from your family and buddies. And that we cant watch for her large sister Zoie to satisfy her. Jodies 29th birthday brought in another blessing an engagement. Morty suggested to his now-girlfriend at her birthday celebration this past year having a 2.5-carat azure ring, encircled by 18 diamonds. The happy couple is happily taking pleasure in their engagement, and it has no intends to hurry towards the altar. Were large supporters of marriage equality, Jodie told Access in Feb 2011. So until everyone has the authority to do that, were gonna postpone on [marriage]. Copyright 2012 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Are You There, Chelsea?'s Chelsea Handler: I Like Myself Much Better As Laura Prepon

Are You There, Chelsea? Chelsea Handler thinks that Laura Prepon plays a much better Chelsea Handler than she ever did. On NBC's new comedy Are You There, Chelsea?, which is based on Handler's saucier titled book Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea, Prepon (That '70s Show) plays a twentysomething version of Handler who, in the premiere episode, is arrested for drunk driving. (In a nice twist, Handler herself plays Chelsea's put-upon sister Sloane.) "I was a lot angrier than she is," Handler told reporters at NBC's winter TV previews Friday. "We all wanted to give Laura the license to make the character as great as she could and she has. I like myself much better as her." It's a good thing too, because Handler says she doesn't have time to play the role herself. "I have a job every single day and I have another job and then another job," she says. "I don't have time to star in my own TV show. If I did, I would. I like my E! show; I like being under the radar." Are You There, Chelsea? Exclusive: Seinfeld star, Chelsea Lately alum join cast As Sloane, Handler will appear in more than half of the series' freshman season, but she insists that she isn't the star. "It's Laura's show really... so I wanted her to have as much time without me as possible," she says. "We want people to know that, yes, I'm part of the show, but [Prepon] is the star of the show." "It's a dream come true to have someone else portray me because I've been living this life for a long time and I'm over myself," she joked. Are You There, Chelsea? debuts Wednesday, Jan. 11 at 8:30/7:30c on NBC.