What is Casting Couch? It’s a voice of truth and honesty in a sea of April Fools’ pranks and lies. Only real casting news here, including what’s next for screen legend Peter Fonda.
Our first two bits of news are about actors becoming directors and then giving jobs to other actors. It’s the circle of life, and it moves us all. First up is some news regarding William H. Macy’s directorial debut, a drama with music at its core called Rudderless. THR is reporting that this story about a father who stumbles across some of his dead son’s musical compositions and decides to start a band has just hired the high-powered quartet of Billy Crudup, Anton Yelchin, Selena Gomez, and Laurence Fishburne. They’ll be joining the already-cast Felicity Huffman, as well as Macy himself, as he plans on pulling acting and directing double duty. Do you think that means we could get to hear him sing too?
James Spader
Our second actor-turned-director is Tommy Lee Jones, whose new film that he co-wrote and will direct, The Homesman, has already compiled an impressive cast including names like Hilary Swank, John Lithgow, Tim Blake Nelson, and Meryl F’n Streep. Not content to just bring us four respected actors, however, THR reports that Jones has just signed a fifth. Who’s the actor? James Spader, that’s who. The film’s story follows a frontierswoman, driven mad by her time spent exploring the great beyond, who’s making the trip back to the civilization and sanity of Iowa. Not much is known about Spader’s role, but the report of his casting does give us the little tidbit that his character is a known swindler. Which probably means that his smug face will play just perfectly.
Eddie Cibrian
Just when everyone waiting for a sequel to 1999’s relationship comedy, The Best Man, had all but lost hope, suddenly comes the news that an update is mercifully on its way. The Best Man Holiday is set to check in on the characters fifteen years after it’s over and reunite them for the Christmas holiday. In addition to names like Taye Diggs, Nia Long, Morris Chestnut, Harold Perrineau,Terrence Howard, Sanaa Lathan, Monica Calhoun, Melissa De Sousa, and Regina Hall all returning, THR also has the news that CSI: Miami star Eddie Cibrian is going to be joining in on the fun. At first glance, it would appear that Cibrian is a great choice to play the new guy, because seeing as he has a couple of Tyler Perry movies under his belt at this point, he’s no stranger to being the only white dude in the room. How did he manage to corner that niche?
Peter Fonda
It’s been forty-four years since Peter Fonda stole all of our hearts as the patriotic motorcycle rebel Wyatt in Easy Rider, and he’s still out there working regularly. His latest job, according to THR, is going to come from an adaptation of an Eckhart Tolle and Robert Friedman children’s story called Milton’s Secret. According to the trade, the film will see Fonda playing the grandfather of the film’s title character, a young boy who gets bullied at school. Probably that’s to be expected when you name a young kid Milton, but at least he’s got the best granddad ever, am I right?