TREVOR MENEAR

I had the fortunate experience of seeing this guy perform at the Gibson Show Room a couple of weeks ago. Wow, what a talent. I'm glad I got to see him live because his demo cd just doesn't do him justice; his passion just doesn't come through as strong. He's a real old-school blues rock guy--seemed a bit like a cross between Marc Broussard (vocals) and Stevie Ray Vaughn (mad guitar skills). Man could this kid PLAY THE GUITAR! You just don't see that kind of talent anymore--everyone just creates sounds in a studio. It was great and exciting to see! I'm sure I would have enjoyed it even more if I wasn't daydreaming about how to hold him down and give him a haircut. I get that it goes with his "All About the Music" look, but seriously, shampoo is your friend. I'm excited to see what his indie label SHANGRI-LA MUSIC does with him and his album. It could be really great. They've certainly had some great success and helped produce some beautiful music with one of my favorite bands of the moment, The Duke Spirit.

Miley does Madonna...

Say what you will about Miley Cyrus (aka "Hannah Montana"), but this is freaking fantastic...
I wish I had those kinds of resources when I was her age. You have to hand it to her, at least the girl knows how to make her own fun. I'd love to know the story behind how they got this made...it had to be sponsored by Step Up 2 the Streets and "Hannah Montana" corporate spearhead DISNEY. Either way, she's one connected teenager. I love how she got her own grandmother to do a cameo, along with Step Up 2 the Streets stars Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan, among others. Just lovely.

Camp Rock--It Launches!

Disney Channel released the official trailer for its soon-to-be breakout hit original movie "Camp Rock," starring teen sensations The Jonas Brothers and newcomer Demi Lovato. Now, I have been singing the praises of these boys since I met them two years ago while working at Disney Channel. They were just doing a theme song for one of our animated series then. I would like to think that my enthusiastic support for them there helped to bring about their current successes. These boys really are amazingly talented and sweet as can be. They already have a fan following like you wouldn't believe and I know this movie will help to skyrocket them to true super-stardom. Think Disney Channel's "High School Musical" on steroids...get ready for the phenomenon that is sure to be "Camp Rock."

Disney Channel will also be debuting a new original series "J.O.N.A.S." starring the boys, in a Hannah Montana-esque comedy about three average High School boys who moonlight as secret spies as night. The pilot is simply adorable and sure to be a huge hit also.

ArtieTSMITW Drinks Your Milkshake

Brandon Hardesty is an internet comedian and performer noted most for his skillful re-enactments of scenes from various famous films on YOUTUBE. In each scene that he re-creates, he plays every role himself (even female roles) and makes use of common household items for props and costuming. He is a favorite of Jimmy Kimmel, who had Hardesty re-create scenes from some of this year's Oscar-nominated films for his tv show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" Thanks in part to Hardesty's uncanny re-enactment of There Will Be Blood, "I drink your milkshake" has become a popular social catchphrase. One of Hardesty's videos has also appeared on a Geico commercial. Because of his internet successes, Hardesty was cast in a small role in the upcoming comedic feature film Bart Got a Room with William H. Macy, Cheryl Hines, and Alia Shawkat. You can find his re-enactments of some of your favorite movies on YOUTUBE, under the pseudonym ArtieTSMITW. My favorite, a scene from Jurassic Park, is below:

Next Gen Femmes

These stunning young offspring/siblings of Hollywood's greatest celebrities will likely not be able to deny the call to the spotlight that runs in their blood. Whether they find their way onto the Silver Screen or maybe just into LA's party scene (ala Paris Hilton), these girls are certainly ones to look out for in the next few years:

Riley Keough
daughter of Lisa Marie Presley
grand-daughter of Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley
successful runway model (D&G, Dior, Victoria's Secret)






Lily Collins
daughter of singer Phil Collins
model and teenage host/correspondant









Alanna Masterson
half-sister to "That 70's Show" star Danny Masterson and "Malcolm in the Middle" star Christopher Masterson








Greer Grammer
daughter of Kelsey Grammer, younger sister to "GREEK" star Spencer Grammer, current Miss Teen Malibu 2007








Annie Starke
daughter of Glenn Close and producer John Starke









Zoe Kravitz
daughter of singer Lenny Kravitz and actress Lisa Bonet
appeared in No Reservations, The Brave One, and Assasination of a High School President






Lorraine Nicholson
daughter of Jack Nicholson and actress Rebecca Broussard
appeared in Click and Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement







Marine and Chloe Azria
daughters of BCBG Designer Max Azria







Daisy Lowe
daughter of singers Gavin Rossdale of Bush and Pearl Lowe of Powder
successful British Model








Katie Cassidy
daughter of 70's icon David Cassidy and fashion model Sherry Williams
recurred on "7th Heaven" and "Supernatural"
appeared in When A Stranger Calls, Click and Black Christmas
starring in the upcoming Dallas remake alongside John Travolta



Francesca Fisher-Eastwood
daughter of Clint Eastwood and actress Francis Fisher









Lily Costner
daughter of Kevin Costner

Androgyny at Its Best

Okay, this post is absolutely premature as I haven't even seen the movie yet, but holy wow, the BOB DYLAN biopic I'M NOT THERE looks great. And its most interesting element? The fact that my uber-favorite thespian CATE BLANCHETT will be playing the rocker during perhaps his most infamous years. Just from viewing the preview clips, you get a sense that Blanchett's performance is simply SPOT ON. I can't wait. Other actors that will be depicting Dylan in this highly impressionistic and unconventional docudrama are Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Richard Gere, Ben Whishaw, and young African American newcomer Marcus Carl Franklin. A truly innovative look at casting a biopic indeed, I only hope that this fantastical look at the life and works of Bob Dylan still carries with it the same heart and introspection as some of the famed documentaries of the singer, including my personal favorite No Direction Home, directed by Martin Scorsese.

See a sneak peek of Cate Blanchett's soon to be infamous performance as Bob Dylan below:

The Next LEONARDO DICAPRIO...

EMILE HIRSCH

I was utterly floored by Emile Hirsch's performance in Sean Penn's critically acclaimed film Into the Wild. His depiction of real-life determined American adventurer Christopher McCandless is nothing short of amazing. Considering that nearly 80% of the film has little to no dialogue, all eyes are literally on Hirsch throughout the bulk of the film. He manages to switch easily between a sensibility of humor and enlightened reverence, giving the film both a heart-warming and heart-wrenching feel. Certainly inspired by the work of fellow thespian Leonardo DiCaprio, it seemed to me that there were clear glimpses of DiCaprio in Danny Boyle's (Trainspotting) THE BEACH throughout Hirsch's introspective performance. Who knew the cute kid from The Girl Next Door would grow into such a skilled and complex thespian? I should have gotten the hint with his spot on performance in the dark comedy The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys. Anyhow, I have been thoroughly impressed and look forward to his future work, even if his next big movie is based on a cartoon (Speed Racer). Could there be an Oscar nom in Hirsch's future? I definitely don't think its beyond the realm of possibility.

Songs of Praise

SONGS OF PRAISE
These two young performers are just on the cusp of what I imagine to be a lucrative entertainment career. They both got their start in the biz early, and quickly became notable for their ability not just to act, but to carry quite a tune also.

ANNA KENDRICK was the 2nd youngest person ever to be nominated for a Tony Award, which she garnered for her performance in the original "High Society" on Broadway. She continued her work with musical theatre until 2000, when she landed the lead in the feature film Camp. Most recently she was seen in the indie fave Rocket Science as fast-talking Ginny Ryerson. While she was also on the short-lived CBS series "Viva Laughlin," you can catch her in an upcoming film The Marc Pease Experience opposite Ben Stiller and Jason Schwartzman.

JIM STURGESS is a British actor whose career spanned many London television shows and movies. Recently, he starred as the troubled artist of Julie Taymor's Across the Universe that was out this year, helping to launch the film's soundtrack to the top of the charts thanks to his Ewan McGreggor-esque voice. Look for him in a series of much-anticipated films due out next year like The Other Boleyn Girl, Crossing Over, and 21 (the story of the MIT students that card-counted their way through Vegas).

I'M BACK!!

Hey guys-- So I'm putting this blog back online. However, updates will focus specifically on actors that inspire me to post, so posting will likely be less consistent. If you wish to keep up with updates and have anything new that I've added sent straight to your inbox, please feel free to subscribe to my blog. Thanks!!

-CastingKat

TEMPORARY HIATUS

Hey Ya'll!! So you've probably noticed that the blogspot here has been slacking a bit lately. Well, I'm officially announcing a temporary hiatus while I launch a new website targetted at a slightly different subject. Please check it out and let me know your thoughts on both. Thanks!!

TALKING 'BOUT MY GENERATION

Love, CastingKat

The Girls of Comedy

Superbad was certainly a summer comedy targeted at a mostly male audience with its leading actors the kinds of goofy oddballs most guys were in their awkwards teen years. And what better way to tell a tale of boys becoming, well, older boys, than with some lovely young women as the objects of their affections. In any case, we have some extremely talented young actresses who are just coming up in the acting world and who are taking on roles in these kinds of comedies. Check them out below.

Emma Stone
Emma (or should I say Emily) got her start on a little known Partridge Family reality show from Sony, where she gained a small following. From there she became bit by the acting bug, and before long she landed a starring role in the FOX series "DRIVE." While the series itself was short-lived, Emma's talents shined through and before long she was starring in Superbad. Be sure to catch her in two movies due out next year: I Know What Boys Like (Anna Faris/Colin Hanks) and The Rocker (Rainn Wilson/Christina Applegate). I told you guys she was someone to know here...

Kat Dennings
While Kat wasn't actually in Superbad, she is no stranger to Judd Apatow comedy, starring as the rebellious teenage daughter in cult fave The 40-Year-Old Virgin. You might also recognize her as 13-going-on-30-year-old Jenny Brier from a memorable episode of "Sex and the City." This girl has certainly got a great comedic flair that has a real sense of heart. She'll appear alongside Emma Stone in the forthcoming I Know What Boys Like.

Martha MacIsaac also stole some hearts as off-beat and sweet Becca in Superbad. She was joined by Aviva, playing the hot and shallow Nicola who Christopher Mintz-Plasse's Fogell wins over in the end, and newcomer Carla Gallo, who makes the movie's most memorable scene as "Period Blood Girl."

What's great about all of these girls is that they're young, fun, quirky, and most importantly, they really look like high school students. Sure, they're no Megan Fox, but they certainly bring their own style and beauty to the screen and its really refreshing to see.

Seacrest Drowns the Emmys

HAHAHA...I told ya so, FOX.

As to be expected, the Seacrest-hosted Emmys tanked in the ratings this year. It was the 2nd least-watched Emmy telecast EVER. Ryan Seacrest just does not appeal to the adult public, so instead of drawing viewers in, it pushed them away with a vengeance. Ratings in the 18-49 demo were down by 17% from last year. Ouch. I hope Seacrest's ego isn't bruised too much...

For some really fun reading, check out the "Ryan Seacrest Awkwardness Meter" here, brought to you by PATRICK HUGUENIN of the New York Daily News.

my muse

Special Shout-Out to SUNNY "like the weather" LEE for inspiring so many of my posts this week!! She keeps me thinking :)

Celebrities: Untouched

It never ceases to amaze me the wonders that photoshop can unfold. In today's image obsessed society, I find it more and more important for people to see the face BEHIND the magazine cover or fashion photo shoot. Dove has done a great job of this with their Dove Real Beauty campaign as seen in the video below. For a closer look at the retouching of some of our favorite celebrities, please visit this site and click on "Portfolio." Scroll through the almost two dozen celebrities and see the real photos and the final printed product. With images like these, its no wonder young girls are starving themselves as young as 8-yrs-old to be beautiful. Beauty of this caliber is a truly unreachable goal. It really does not even exist in the natural world and yet people are still struggling to achieve it. It makes me sad.

MySpace TV Goes Online

While internet series have been taking off in a big way for awhile (with "Lonelygirl15" and "Sam Has 7 Friends"), MySpace's new series "Quarterlife" is the social networking site's first series to launch. While the previous internet series have been kinda fly by night endeavors, "Quarterlife" will mark the first series to be backed by a well-established set of Hollywood Producer/Creators: Ed Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz ("My So-Called Life," The Last Samurai, and Blood Diamond). The series, which began as a pilot for ABC called "1/4 Life," was presumed dead after the network passed on it almost 3 years ago. MySpace has fully revived the series, hoping to bring it to life on Nov. 11th. It will consist of short 8-minute episodes to be aired weekly during a 24-hour window for a total of 36 episodes overall. The show will be available on the series' signature site www.Quarterlife.com as well. Due to the popularity of MYSPACE and its current status as a well-oiled marketing machine, the series is expected to do well. I guess we'll have to wait and see how it pans out come November. I have to admit, it looks pretty good. It feels a lot like My So-Called Life, which I just adored.
Quarterlife Trailer

Add to My Profile | More Videos
Oh, and did I mention that my little favey "frat boy" from GREEK Scott Michael Foster is starring in the series alongside the title character played by Bitsie Tulloch. Yay, Scottie!

**UPDATE 11/19/2007** NBC has just completed negotiations to air the "QUARTERLIFE" internet series on NETWORK TV starting sometime in early 2008 (once the series has aired on the internet in its entirety). It will be put together in the form of 6 one-hour episodes, a form its producers had originally intended for it to be aired in the first place.

Quirk, Kitsch, and You

There has been a bit of a backlash against American popular culture lately that I find to be highly entertaining. Last week famed designer Marc Jacobs sent fashions down the runway that produced an astonished and almost disturbed response from the fashion community. His fashions, always forward-thinking if not a bit odd, were particularly unique this season as they were inspired by the most popular characteristic of American culture at this time: Quirk. So quirky were his designs that some clothing appeared backwards, patterns mismatched, shoes slightly too small for its models, and the whole show done in reverse. This may have shocked the fashion community and even brought forth some unfavorable snickers from the audience, but I get what Jacobs is selling and I appreciate his momentum. He's able to embrace the kitschiness of our present culture while still working to perpetuate something new and interesting into the fashion world. This, you have to respect.

So what is Quirk and why has it rubbed so many people the wrong way? The Atlantic Monthly produced a fascinating article this month (found here) on the merits (or lack there of) of this American phenomenon. The contributing editor for this publication, Michael Hirschorn defined "quirk" as: “an embrace of the odd against the blandly mainstream. It features mannered ingenuousness, an embrace of small moments, narrative randomness, situationally amusing but not hilarious character juxtapositions...and unexplainable but nonetheless charming character traits. Quirk takes not mattering very seriously. Quirk is odd, but not too odd. That would take us all the way to weird, and there someone might get hurt." I have to say I love this definition b/c it captures that kind of American sensibility and tendency towards the strange yet sincere. There is certainly a sweetness to quirk that makes it resonate most with American audiences. Quirk is "Little Miss Sunshine" and "Flight of the Conchords." Its the newest YouTube sensation "Leave Britney Alone" and "Arrested Development" and "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zizzou." Its comedy, its oddity, its fun, its heart-warming while still maintaining a little roughness around the edges. Its not American reality, but rather a play on American sensibilities and culture.

The problem I think people are having lately with "Quirk" is not that they themselves lack an understanding of its charm. Rather, it is the fact that this previously counter-culture-esque movement has now found its way into the mainstream. Nearly everyone has "Napoleon Dynamite" listed as one of the favorite movies on facebook these days, proudly dawning their "Vote for Pedro" tees. Nearly every college-aged minion can drop "Anchorman" quotes like its their job. This transition should come as no surprise as nearly every counter-culture movement finds it way into the mainstream eventually. Even the goths and punks of the world find most of the wardrobe that defines them at the billion-dollar franchise that is "Hot Topic." "Urban Outfitters" is another perfect example of this. Its always this notion of "selling out" that gets people all riled up over any elements of our culture, but that's just the way it goes I guess.

I have to say I embrace the heart-warming qualities of Quirk and am not so quick to write it off as the latest pop cult phase of our generation. Sure, it'll continue to gain momentum until it so saturates our culture that even I will be ready for something new. But for now, let's just enjoy it, shall we? Its better than the infamous mindless reality tv phase of only a few years before, don't you think?

Marie Digby...Traitor.

Marie Digby is a fake! A liar! A cheater!

She's the farthest thing from an inspiration or a testament to the magical qualities YouTube posesses in enhancing the American Dream.

Ugh, I feel so betrayed. Am I really surprised? Not at all. But it really sucks when someone successfully pulls the wool over your eyes. So I was shouting praises about this young lady here, and come to find out it was all an elaborate ruse perpetuated by her record label Hollywood Records. I'm too disappointed to elaborate, so please check out this Wall Street Journal cover article here and legendary music business afficionado Bob Lefsetz's response here. Both are very imformative, and overall very disturbing. This is what happens when I jump out of my area of "expertise" and into the fast-changing and ever complicated world of music.

SATC Movie

So as I'm sure you've heard by now, the new "Sex and the City" movie begins filming this week in NY. While my anticipation for this has been a long time coming, I have to say recent reveals have made me a little uneasy about the whole thing. If they're gonna do, they sure as hell better do it right. This show holds such a place in women's hearts having had such a lasting impact on how female television is made. This movie better live up to the same standards and innovations that its precursor did and that's all I've got to say about that. So what sparked this rant? Everyone's favorite shoe-obsessed waif Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) has a personal assistant...and she will be played by the lovely and talented Jennifer Hudson. This has commercialization written all over it...

A Virtual Documentary

A few things: I adore documentaries. In general, I am completely freaked out by the whole phenomenon that is "Virtual Worlds." Now, some brilliant film-maker named Douglas Gayeton has actually combined the two! And I'm not talking about your usual documentary about people who are engaged in virtual worlds looking from the outside...oh no, Gayeton takes us INTO the virtual world of Second Life, working to create an entire documentary in the world itself through his virtual avatar. Absolutely amazing. The documentary, entitled "Molotov's Dispatches in Search of the Creator: A Second Life Odyssey" follows Gayeton's avatar Molotov Alva as he traverses through the Second Life world. This will be like watching an animated film, but will show "real" human interactions happening through online avatars. So much more than just chatting goes into these virtual worlds. Second Life, started in 2003, is already home to over 9 million users, many of whom make a real life business off of their virtual retail stores and real estate. The whole process is genuinely fascinating, slightly terrifying, and should really be a joy to watch. HBO has picked up the 35-minute documentary to air sometime next year. I'm definitely intrigued.

The Fall's Hottest New TV Stars

So after viewing nearly all of this Fall's hottest new network shows, I've decided to assess which aspiring stars seem to have the most breakout potential. The following actors are those that I feel really captured my attention throughout this whole pilot season. It was hard this year b/c you have so many "name" actors in the starring roles. Still, these relative unknowns really pulled out an awesome performance and really brought something new, fresh, and exciting to the screen. Could there be the next Hayden Panettiere or Adam Brody among them? I think so. These young hopefuls could easily become a household name by the end of the Fall Season if they play their cards right, so take note now:

The Girls
Anna Friel (Pushing Daisies)--Anna is just lovely, she has a real every girl quality about her and a true sweetness that makes her likeable all around.
Yvonne Strzechowski (Chuck)--Definitely the bombshell of the bunch, I was pleasantly surprised by Yvonne's acting talents as well. With such a sexy secret agent type role, she's sure to make waves.
Taylor Momsen (Gossip Girl)--I just adore this girl, and watching the pilot she certainly pops right off the screen. While much younger than the other girls, I certainly think she captures your attention the most, much like Hayden Panettiere on "HEROES."
Michelle Ryan (The Bionic Woman)--While Michelle is already a bit of an established name, I really think this role could help to push her career to that next level. There's definitely an exposed vulnerability and yet strength to her character that works much like Evangeline Lilly on "LOST."

The Boys
Seth Gabel (Dirty Sexy Money)--So sexy with flowing charisma, this young man was by far my favorite this pilot season. I mean it caught me off guard how immediately taken by him I was. He has the weight and sense of danger that Josh Holloway had when he burst on the scene with "LOST."
Thomas Dekker (Sarah Connor Chronicles)--So young, innocent, and just plain adorable, Dekker's sweet romance with Hayden on "HEROES" definitely made waves. I hope he can grab as much attention on his own as well.
Tyler Labine (Reaper)--Everyone's all "ooh...Bret Harrison" (who I do love and respect), but I have to say, Tyler Labine really steals the scenes. I mean the guy is just so darn funny, and with a higher profile show the the previous "Invasion" I really think he can make a name for himself here.
Penn Badgley (Gossip Girl)--The next Adam Brody if he plays his cards right, Penn really caught my attention with his striking good looks and goofy charm. Hopefully he can maintain it throughout the series.

There's also the obvious picks: Bret Harrison on "REAPER," Lee Pace on "Pushing Daisies," Zachary Levi on "Chuck," Blake Lively and Leighton Meester on "Gossip Girl," the cast of "Private Practice," etc. Instead, I purposely picked a few people whose characters are a bit more under the radar, but who definitely popped right off the screen.