Rebel Wilson Talks ‘Bachelorette’ and Her “Parades of Meetings” with Studios and Networks When She First Came to America

Moviegoers should expect to see a lot of Rebel Wilson in the coming months.

The raunchy Australian actress first caught our attention as Kristen Wiig’s bizarre roommate in last year’s Bridesmaids.  Now, Wilson is appearing in another wedding-related comedy, Bachelorette, alongside Kirsten Dunst and Lizzy Caplan.

Although Wilson will be appearing in upcoming movies like Pitch Perfect and Pain and Gain, the actress wasn’t automatically handed roles.  “Well, what happened is I first came to America and signed with William Morris Endeavor within, like, a couple of days of coming here,” Wilson told NBC New York.  “Then they send you out on these parades of meetings, because of course nobody knew me even though I was well known in Australia and had done 13 TV series there.  It’s not like Americans watch Australian TV, and so they had no idea.” Read more

Biography: Elizabeth Banks

Elizabeth Banks has become one of Hollywood’s most sought after and versatile actresses, moving effortlessly between comedy and drama, film and television, and now also taking on a role as a producer.  

She was most recently seen starring in “Our Idiot Brother” with Paul Rudd, Emily Mortimer and Zooey Deschanel; and opposite Russell Crowe in “The Next Three Days,” directed by Paul Haggis. She recently wrapped production on Universal Pictures’ “Pitch Perfect,” which she is producing with her husband, Max Handelman, through their company, Brownstone Productions. The cast includes Anna Kendrick, Brittany Snow and Rebel Wilson.

Banks can currently be seen in Summit Entertainment’s “Man on a Ledge” with Sam Worthington. The project focuses on a fugitive ex-cop (Worthington) perched on the ledge of a high-rise building while a hard-living NYPD hostage negotiator (Banks) tries to talk him down. The film was released January 27^th, 2012.

She will then appear in Lionsgate’s motherhood comedy “What to Expect When You’re Expecting.” Banks portrays an author of a children’s book about breast feeding and owner of The Breast Choice boutique, who is militant in her beliefs about what makes a good mother until she gets pregnant for the first time. The film, directed by Kirk Jones, is based on Heidi Murkoff’s bestseller, and the ensemble cast includes Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez and Dennis Quaid. The film is scheduled to be released May 18^th, 2012. Read more

Full Casting Announced for the New Broadway Production of ‘Harvey’

The casting details have been finalized for the Roundabout Theatre Company’s new Broadway production of Harvey.

As has been previously announced, Jim Parsons will star as Elwood P. Dowd alongside Jessica Hecht (Veta Louise Simmons) and Charles Kimbrough (William R. Chumley, M.D.).

New additions are Larry Bryggman (Judge Omar Gaffney), Carol Kane (Betty Chumley), Peter Benson (E.J. Lofgren), Tracee Chimo (Myrtle Mae Simmons), Holley Fain (Ruth Kelly, R.N.), Angela Paton (Mrs. Ethel Chauvenet), Rich Sommer (Duane Wilson) and Morgan Spector (Lyman Sanderson, M.D.).

I played Sommer’s part – Duane Wilson – in my Elementary School’s production of Harvey. I was brilliant! A 12 year old playing the part of a 35-year-old male orderly. Acting! Read more

Actors Take the Los Angeles Stage to Recall Their ‘Worst Audition Ever’

Actors aren’t typically shy when recounting stories of their worst auditions.  So it shouldn’t be a surprise — in fact, it’s likely a stroke of genius — that actress Christine Lakin (who is probably best know for her role on the long-running ABC family sitcom Step By Step) created the show Worst Audition Ever. 

After three trial performances, on Tuesday, December 6, Lakin and other actors, including Danielle Fishel, Carrie Seim, and Will Seymour, took the stage in Los Angeles to recount their worst auditions to a receptive audience. 

Not only are the stories humorous, Lakin explains how the show is helpful to the audience as well as the actors.  “There’s something that is mutually sort of painful about it, and I think people thrive on this sort of self-deprecation.  There’s something really cathartic about people standing on stage and saying, ‘I’m not perfect either, and let me tell you about the time when I was most imperfect.’”  Read more

Mad Men – Season 4 Actor Biographies and Character Descriptions

JON HAMM – “Don”

Jon Hamm’s nuanced portrayal of the high-powered, philandering advertising executive, Don Draper has firmly established him as one of Hollywood’s most talented and versatile actors, and earned him numerous accolades, including the 2008 Golden Globe^® Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama.  Additionally, Hamm has been nominated for an Emmy^® Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (2008, 2009) and a Screen Actors Guild^® Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series (2008, 2009, 2010).  In 2009 and 2010, he joined with the entire cast to win the Screen Actors Guild^® Award for Best Ensemble in a Drama Series.

On the big screen, Hamm will next star opposite Ben Affleck and Rebecca Hall in The Town, which Affleck also directed.  Additional upcoming films include roles in the indie feature Howl, about poet Allen Ginsberg, opposite James Franco, Mary-Louise Parker, Jeff Daniels, and David Strathairn, and in Zack Snyder’s fantasy-thriller Sucker Punch. His previous film credits include Shrek Forever After, in which he voiced the character ‘Brogan,’ The Day the Earth Stood Still, Stolen, Ira & Abby, Kissing Jessica Stein and We Were Soldiers.

Hamm first came to audience’s attention in the NBC series “Providence.”  Signed for a cameo role, he so impressed the producer’s that he ended up with an 18-episode run in the series.  Additional television credits include the popular Lifetime television series “The Division,” as well as “What About Brian,” “The Unit,” “Numb3rs” and “CSI Miami,” among others.  Hamm has also appeared on the Emmy-winning comedy, “30 Rock,” for which he received a 2009 Emmy^® nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, and has twice hosted “Saturday Night Live” to critical acclaim.

A native of St. Louis, MO, Hamm received his Bachelor of Arts in English at the University of Missouri-Columbia and currently resides in Los Angeles.

What’s happening with Don Draper this year?

Don Draper’s marriage dissolved after his worst fear came to fruition: Betty discovering his secret past, causing her to reject him and ultimately seek a divorce.  As he struggled with the dissolution of his marriage and family, Don also faced the disbandment of Sterling Cooper.  As everything in his life that defined him was stripped away, Don rallied Roger, Bert and Lane to launch a new firm.  With the birth of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, Don faces the process of redefining his relationships and his world.

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Mad Men Cast Biographies

JON HAMM
“Donald Draper”

Jon Hamm plays the lead character of ‘Donald Draper’ in the award-winning, critically-acclaimed AMC original series “Mad Men,” created by Matthew Weiner, about the professional lives, social mores and sexual exploits of advertising executives on Madison Avenue circa 1960. Among his many accolades for his performance on the show, Hamm won the 2008 Golden Globe® Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama, and has been nominated for an Emmy® Award for Lead Actor in a Drama Series and Screen Actors Guild® Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series (the cast received the award for Best Ensemble in a Drama Series at the 2009 Screen Actors Guild Awards).

Hamm will next be seen starring opposite James Franco, Mary-Louise Parker, Jeff Daniels, and David Strathairn in the indie feature Howl, about poet Allen Ginsberg, directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman.

Hamm recently starred opposite Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly and Kathy Bates in the sci-fi remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still directed by Scott Derrickson. He also completed work on the independent thriller The Boy in the Box, with Josh Lucas. Additional film credits include Kissing Jessica Stein, We Were Soldiers and Space Cowboys.

Hamm recently completed a three-episode arc on the Emmy-winning comedy, “30 Rock,” in which he played a love interest to Tina Fey, as well as a critically acclaimed hosting debut on “Saturday Night Live.” Other television credits include the popular Lifetime television series “The Division,” as well as “What About Brian,” “The Unit,” “Numb3rs” and “CSI Miami,” among others. He landed his first big role in the NBC series “Providence” where a cameo performance turned into an 18-episode run.

Hamm received BA in English from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

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