Rhys Meyers Goes from Velvet to Elvis
He was a bisexual David Bowie-esque creature in Todd Haynes' Velvet Goldmine, and now Jonathan Rhys Meyers will get his chance to be an Elvis impersonator. The Irish actor, who's also co-starred in crowd-pleasers such as Bend It Like Beckham and flops like Alexander, has started shooting the TV miniseries Elvis in New Orleans with a cast that includes Camryn Manheim as Presley's beloved mother Gladys, Randy Quaid as Col. Tom Parker, and Rose McGowan as Ann-Margret. Gay production duo Robert Greenblatt and David Janollari ( Six Feet Under ) are on board to run the project, one that saw nearly 500 would-be Kings audition before the pouty-lipped U.K. import was chosen. And given Rhys Meyers' lithe frame, Romeo assumes the series will cover more of Presley's hip-swiveling years and less of his pantsuit-and-giant-gold-belt era. But then again, they can do a lot with prosthetic makeup these days.
Hannigan's Back In the Game
Devoted lesbian Buffy-heads—among whom Romeo counts himself an honorary member—have been waiting for Alyson Hannigan's return to TV for some time now. And for a while reports were surfacing that the former Willow would have her own sitcom, a la Mary Tyler Moore. Now she does. Sort of. The actor has joined the cast of ABC's midseason sitcom In the Game, which stars Jennifer Love Hewitt as the CEO of an ESPN-like cable sports network. Hannigan will play Hewitt's childhood best friend, who quits law school to become her pal's assistant. Married with Children star Ed O'Neill takes on the role of Hewitt's father, a Monday Night Football producer who goes to work with his daughter. Meanwhile, Hannigan won't merely be playing Rhoda to Hewitt's Mary—producers are stressing the fact that she'll have storylines of her own. Now Romeo's game.
Cunningham Sells His Specimen
Ghosts? Terrorists? Aliens? Has The Hours novelist Michael Cunningham been taking lessons from Stephen King? Readers will find out in May when the Pulitzer Prize winner's new book, Specimen Days, hits bookstore shelves. A trilogy of stories, Specimen will feature an Industrial Revolution-era ghost story, a modern thriller about a suicide bomber, and a futuristic tale of extraterrestrial refugees flooding into Manhattan. And the connecting presence in these three tales? Walt Whitman, of course—call him this novel's Virginia Woolf. Meanwhile, nonreaders will have a slightly longer wait for the film version, the rights to which have just been purchased, prepublication, by gay producer Scott Rudin. This collaboration is Rudin and Cunningham's second, following The Hours; and if the movie ends up half as strange and intriguing as the book, Romeo will be first in line.
Tyra Banking on Talk Show
She created and hosts the gayest show on television—what else but UPN's America's Next Top Model? But that was only the beginning for Victoria's Secret model-turned-media-mogul Tyra Banks. Now she wants to be inside your home every weekday. Warner Bros. Domestic TV is excited about this prospect, too, and has just started selling Banks' new five-a-week syndicated talk show, the eponymous Tyra Banks Show, to regional outlets. So far Denver, San Diego, Spokane, and Portland, Ore., are committed, and deals are being negotiated with Disney, Viacom, and Tribune Broadcasting. If all goes as planned, Banks will soon go head-to-head with Oprah and Ellen. Hope she has better luck with ratings than Tony Danza. Or Jane Pauley. Or Tempest Bledsoe. Or Dr. Laura. Or [ fill in the blank ] .
DeepInsideHollywood@qsyndicate.com .
Ellen's Ex Sues Portia
Ah, celebrity. Breaking up is hard enough to do without the whole world watching. Photographer Alexandra Hedison is not taking Ellen DeGeneres's dumping lying down—she's reportedly suing Ellen's new galpal Portia de Rossi for 'alienation of affection' according to The Sunday Times. Of course, most states don't recognize this law anymore, so she'll have to prove when and where the straying took place.
Golden Awards
Hilary Swank, Academy Award winner for the trans drama Boys Don't Cry, won a Golden Globe Sunday night for her turn as a boxer in Million Dollar Baby. Other Best Actor awards went to Annette Bening, Jamie Foxx and Leonardo DiCaprio ( and his The Aviator also won Best Drama, with Sideways winning Best Music or Comedy ) .
Clint Eastwood won for Best Director for Million Dollar Baby, and the script for Sideways won for Best Screenplay.
Best TV Drama series went to Nip/Tuck, and Best Musical or Comedy on TV went to Desperate Housewives. Hottie Mariska Hargitay won for Lead Actress in a TV Drama for Law & Order: SVU, while Teri Hatcher won for Music or Comedy for Housewives. Glenn Close won for Mini-Series or TV Movie.
L&O Fade Into ... Lesbian?
A weird end-scene for Law & Order's attorney Serena. In an episode last week that had nothing to do with gay stuff, as far as anyone could tell, the blond attorney ends her L&O career by claiming to be fired for being a lesbian. Even fansites were confused, since that plotline was never developed. The show had hyped Elizabeth Rohm's last appearance, but the reason for her departure seems tacked on for sensationalism. One fan wrote online: 'I realized that this is a common thing in the workplace. Fire someone in the closet and they play the orientation card. I think it was great they exposed this problem.' Another: 'It was quite a shock it was like, 'oh and by the way I'm lesbian. Bye now!' It was weird.'
O.C. Lesbians ...?
The New York Post and other media report on the developing potential romance between Alex ( Olivia Wilde ) and Marissa ( Mischa Barton ) on The O.C. But since we don't watch the teen drama, our readers will have to keep us updated. Too many teen queens for us. Barton ( who played the roomie of a lesbian in the film Lost & Delirious ) is reportedly going to have a lesbian love scene—probably in time for sweeps month, but we're sure they will likely make it a phase. The lesbian ploy helped Buffy—when Alyson Hannigan's Willow began a relationship with Tara, another witch ( Amber Benson ) .
