Gervais collaborator gets his own TV pilot, Pegg's Comic-Con costume fetish causes offence, and Russell Brand wants to be a vicar ... so it seems
Best of the week's news
Stephen Merchant is working on his own TV project – his first outside of his partnership with Ricky Gervais. The lanky star is to write and appear in a pilot entitled Hello Ladies, based on his 2011 standup tour of the same name. The pilot – like the standup show – will focus on Merchant's supposed cackhandedness with the opposite sex, and will shoot later this year, according to Deadline. Merchant (who will also executive produce) has written the episode with Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky, both former writers on the Us version of The Office. Eisenberg and Stupnitsky also worked on the comedy films Year One and Bad Teacher.
Lovers of comedy, look away now: Russell Crowe is to direct a biopic of Bill Hicks.
Best of the week's news
Stephen Merchant is working on his own TV project – his first outside of his partnership with Ricky Gervais. The lanky star is to write and appear in a pilot entitled Hello Ladies, based on his 2011 standup tour of the same name. The pilot – like the standup show – will focus on Merchant's supposed cackhandedness with the opposite sex, and will shoot later this year, according to Deadline. Merchant (who will also executive produce) has written the episode with Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky, both former writers on the Us version of The Office. Eisenberg and Stupnitsky also worked on the comedy films Year One and Bad Teacher.
Lovers of comedy, look away now: Russell Crowe is to direct a biopic of Bill Hicks.
- 7/24/2012
- by Brian Logan
- The Guardian - Film News
Sacha Baron Cohen's documentaries deliberately blur the line between fact and fiction. Sometimes that can be taken too far, according to a $110M lawsuit brought in the Us by Palestinian grocer Ayman Abu Aita. Now the film's producers have agreed a settlement with him for an unknown amount.
The settlement relates to the film Brüno, in which Baron Cohen plays the eponymous fashion journalist on a mission to bring peace to the Middle East. He interviews Abu Aita, who apparently thought he had been invited to speak about his own work as a peace campaigner. During the course of the interview, Abu Aita clearly becomes confused and angry about the questions he is being asked. What he didn't know when filming took place was that he would later be captioned as a member of the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade.
According to his lawsuit, this depiction resulted in significant damage to Abu Aita's.
The settlement relates to the film Brüno, in which Baron Cohen plays the eponymous fashion journalist on a mission to bring peace to the Middle East. He interviews Abu Aita, who apparently thought he had been invited to speak about his own work as a peace campaigner. During the course of the interview, Abu Aita clearly becomes confused and angry about the questions he is being asked. What he didn't know when filming took place was that he would later be captioned as a member of the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade.
According to his lawsuit, this depiction resulted in significant damage to Abu Aita's.
- 7/20/2012
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
A defamation lawsuit filed against Sacha Baron Cohen over the film Bruno has been settled. Palestinian grocer Ayman Abu Aita sued Cohen for $$110m in 2010 for damages over being billed as a "terrorist" in Bruno. Abu Aita is interviewed by Cohen's Bruno character in the controversial movie while the phrase "terrorist group leader, Al-Aqsa Martyrs brigade" is shown on screen under the man's image. Lawyers for Abu Aita insisted in their filing that the grocer's reputation had been hurt because he is in fact a "a peace-loving person", reports Page Six. Abu Aita also claimed that (more)...
- 7/20/2012
- by By Justin Harp
- Digital Spy
Palestinian Portrayed as 'Terrorist' Settles 'Bruno' Suit Against Sacha Baron Cohen, David Letterman
A Palestinian grocer portrayed as a terrorist in the movie Bruno has settled his slander suit against film star Sacha Baron Cohen and David Letterman, his lawyer said Thursday. Ayman Abu Aita’s “case is settled to the mutual satisfaction” of everyone involved, attorney Joseph Peter Drennan said. Court records show the case was designated settled and closed Wednesday. Photos: Crazy Cases! 18 of Hollywood's Outrageous Entertainment Lawsuits Drennan wouldn’t discuss the terms. Lawyers for Baron Cohen, Letterman and other defendants involved with the movie and Letterman’s Late Show didn’t immediately return calls. In the 2009 comedy, Baron Cohen plays an
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- 7/20/2012
- by The Associated Press
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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