Aniston Gets Down and Dirt-y with Cox
Courtney Cox's new FX series, Dirt, will reunite her with Friends costar Jennifer Aniston on the March 27 episode, because if there's anything TV loves more than stunt-casting, it's girl-on-girl action. Remember Calista Flockhart locking lips with Lucy Liu on Ally McBeal, and Roseanne's infamous smooch with Mariel Hemingway? Or, for that matter, Winona Ryder kissing Aniston on Friends? So it's no surprise to find that Dirt - which stars Cox as a scruples-free tabloid editor - is bringing the Artist Formerly Known as Mrs. Pitt onboard to play a rival gossip goddess. Who happens to be a lesbian. So if you ever wondered what it would like if Rachel and Monica made out, Dirt will provide the answer later this spring.
Noah's Arc Lands on the Big Screen
Apart from the occasional Simpsons, X-Files, or From Justin to Kelly, Hollywood is more likely to turn to classic TV shows ( The Dukes of Hazzard, The Brady Bunch, Bewitched ) than to current ones when it comes to making feature-length movies. But breaking all the rules is par for the course for Noah's Arc, the gay African-American dramedy that just completed a second hit season on Logo. The network announced that a big-screen Noah's Arc movie has gone into production, with series creator Patrik-Ian Polk attached as co-executive producer. The film will pick up at the cliffhanger ending of the second season ( no word yet if there will be a third season ) , with what Logo calls a 'bolder and more provocative storyline.' Is that corporate-speak for 'more nudity and hotter sex scenes'? We'll have to wait until 2008 to find out.
Hal Sparks Gets His Juju Working on Nickelodeon
Hal Sparks winningly played a gay comic-book store owner for years on Queer as Folk, and in real life he walks the comics-geek walk in addition to just talking the talk. ( Even if he is, alas, heterosexual. ) Building on his cameo in Spider-Man 2, Sparks will further beef up his fanboy credentials by lending his voice to Tak and the Power of Juju, a new Nickelodeon animated series based on a series of Sony Playstation games. Sparks stars as Tak, a mischievous 14-year-old who has gained access to the magical and mythical jungle realm of the Jujus. Also featuring the talents of Maurice LaMarche ( who voiced Pinky's mentor, 'The Brain,' among many others ) and Seinfeld's Patrick Warburton, Tak is set to premiere later in 2007.
Here! TV Drawing Horror Fans into Its Lair
After spicing up its selection of movie offerings with the over-the-top and much-talked-about original series Dante's Cove, Here! TV dips another toe into the waters of original programming with its latest offering, The Lair. The six-episode series, set to premiere this spring, follows a young journalist ( David Moretti ) who investigates a spree of murders in a small coastal town involving handsome men with neck wounds. Ultimately, his search for the killer brings him face-to-fang with a coven of gay vampires, hiding out at an exclusive club called - you guessed it - The Lair. If the first six episodes score with viewers, don't be surprised if Here goes back to The Lair for seconds or thirds. Just remember to pack your garlic.
Romeo San Vicente has met more than his share of gay vampires. He can be reached at DeepInsideHollywood@qsyndicate.com .
