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The Results Are In: Recast Working Girl

BuzzSugar — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:40:59 -0700

Every other Wednesday on BuzzSugar, I post a Recast challenge, where I ask you to choose new actors for a classic TV show or movie. The reader who submits the best cast wins a BuzzSugar t-shirt!

I'm glad you were all as enthusiastic about recasting Working Girl as I was - it's such a great, classic film that I could watch over and over again. There were so many creative ideas it's hard to know where to start, but the first one that I got a huge kick out of was lilprisci's idea for Jeremy Piven to play Tess's boyfriend Mick.

I also think Baluk is right on with suggesting Vince Vaughn for the skeevy Mick as well; I can already see him in one of those dirty white tank tops yelling to Tess, "Babe! Wait! Don't run out on me. She doesn't mean anything to me!"

As for Tess, I think Reese Witherspoon, despite her all-American girl-next door charm, could pull off that role, as redsilkshoes suggested. When you think about it, Legally Blonde is a fairly similar plot: good-looking girl no one takes seriously who has the last laugh. I also loved Rancher'sGirl's suggestion for Penelope Cruz in that role because I think Cruz exudes a similar sex appeal as Melanie Griffith. And both Rancher'sGirl and paperdoll had the same excellent idea for Katharine: Halle Berry.

But as you know, I could only choose one winner and I went with the one whose idea for Jack Trainer I could not resist: congratulations, littlesnipsnap!

To see who littlesnipsnap chose, along with a new cast photo, read more.

littlesnipsnap's cast list:
Tess McGill - Isla Fisher
Jack Trainer - Clive Owen
Katharine Parker - Mary Louise Parker
Mick Dugan - Will Arnett
Cynthia - Olivia Thirlby

Recast Working Girl and Win a Prize!

BuzzSugar — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 16:30:06 -0700

Every other Wednesday on BuzzSugar, I post a Recast challenge, where I ask you to choose new actors for a classic TV show or movie. The reader who submits the best cast wins a BuzzSugar t-shirt!

This week I thought of one of my favorite '80s movies: Working Girl. This is one of those inspiring movies that I occasionally turn on to feel a little more kickass on the job. Plus, Harrison Ford in his hey day is a dreamy sight to behold.

Who would you pick to play Staten Island secretary Tess McGill (Melanie Griffith), who gives herself a makeover - on the inside and on the outside - to be taken more seriously in a high stakes business world?

And of course we have the deliciously undermining executive, Katharine Parker (which is a hard recast for me to imagine due to Sigourney Weaver's flawless performance). And what about the handsome deal-maker Jack Trainer (Ford)?

Also, let's recast Tess's crappy cheating boyfriend Mick Dugan, originally played by a wonderfully sleazy Alec Baldwin. Finally, we have to find Tess her Cynthia (Joan Cusack) - the no-nonsense best friend and fellow secretary who cautions Tess about reaching too far beyond her lot in life.

Leave your entry in the comment section below, and I'll pick one winner to feature Tuesday, August 19, complete with a "new" cast photo.

To see a list of characters to recast and a photo of the BuzzSugar t-shirt, read more.

Characters to recast
Tess McGill (Melanie Griffit)
Jack Trainer (Harrison Ford)
Katharine Parker (Sigourney Weaver)
Mick Dugan (Alec Baldwin)
Cynthia (Joan Cusack)

The BuzzSugar t-shirt

Source

Rewind: This Week's Buzz

BuzzSugar — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 08:00:00 -0700

Check out this very funny clip of Mandy Moore guest starring on "How I Met Your Mother"!
Happy Labor Day weekend! This weekend check in with some dedicated onscreen working ladies with my movie night, featuring 9 to 5, Clockwatchers and Working Girl.
Take a listen to Jordin Sparks' new single "Tattoo" and tell me what you think.
In case you've forgotton, "Gossip Girl" is one of the CW's most anticipated new fall shows. You can find out all about the central characters here. Also, I'm convinced the music on this show is going to be awesome.
Check out my Fall Movie Preview that features the bad boys hitting the screens this fall (yup, this includes Clive Owen in Shoot 'Em Up). And speaking of boys, this trailer for Run, Fat Boy, Run (starring Simon Pegg and Hank Azaria) is hilarious.
If you could recast the sensational "Melrose Place" with new actors, who would you pick?
It's time to weigh in: What do you think of M. Night Shyamalan's movies? Who's to blame for the "Kid Nation" controversies: CBS or the kids' parents? Who should win the Emmys for Best Actress in a Comedy and Best Actor in a Comedy?
Want to see Common looking gorgeous and Lily Allen in an astronaut suit? Check out the very cool video for "Drivin' Me Wild."

Photo courtesy of CBS

Movie Night: She Works Hard for the Money

BuzzSugar — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 13:26:52 -0700

In honor of the upcoming Labor Day weekend, let's take a moment and honor those cinematic ladies who, as Donna Summer would say, "work hard for the money." I know there are plenty of movies to choose from for this category, but I'm narrowing my list for this Movie Night to just three. So this holiday weekend, curl up in solidarity with some of your onscreen working sisters.

Nine to Five
This tale of office revenge is perhaps the most satisfying ever - especially because it features three fed up ladies getting back at "the Man." Dolly Parton has big hair and bigger boobs, and pairing up her Southern charm with Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda makes for some hilarious hijinks as the three disgruntled ladies exact revenge on their clueless, rude, sexist boss (Dabney Coleman). This movie makes me cheer.

Two more films, so read more

Clockwatchers
This 1998 movie depicts the soul-crushing monotony of corporate life so accurately it both makes me cringe and comforts me to know that others experience the same thing. Toni Collette plays the shy, quiet Iris who keeps a journal and narrates the film with her inner monologue. The plot description is this: "She begins her first day as a temp for the nondescript Global Credit Association by waiting in a chair for two hours. This sets the scene for her (mis)adventures with the other 'corporate orphans', Margaret, Paula and Jane. Led by Margaret, they find subtle ways to lessen the ennui of corporate oppression. The tension escalates when the new permanent hire, Cleo, enters the picture." The superb cast (especially Collette and Posey) and the careful direction make for a true-to-life and funny look at the friendships and culture in office environments.

Working Girl
If you haven't seen this movie which features whispy-voiced Melanie Griffith and some of the largest glasses this side of 1988, you can often catch it on weekends on networks like TNT. The story follows Tess McGill (Griffith), an executive assistant in a company riddled with piggish men - and a conceited, ruthless female executive named Katharine Parker (Sigorney Weaver). When Katharine breaks her leg and is bedridden, Tess pretends to be her wheeling-dealing boss - and turns out to be a better Katharine than Katharine is. Between Working Girl, 9 to 5 and countless others, it seems revenge is a common fantasy among office workers, no?

9 to 5 poster source
Clockwatchers image source
Working Girl image source

Buzz-Worthy Video: New Jersey Real Housewives on Mercy!

BuzzSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:30:10 -0800

Medical drama Mercy isn't on the top of my TiVo lineup, but the show did well enough to score a full season, and it landed squarely on my radar when it was announced that the ladies of The Real Housewives of New Jersey (a highly guilty pleasure of mine) were going to guest on an episode.

So without further ado, here's a clip from tonight's episode, "Not That Kind of Girl." Theresa and Jacqueline play the meddling BFFs to a woman who's confronting Chloe about sleeping with her husband. The Jersey stereotypes that made the reality show a hit are here in full force - there's plenty of name-calling, spray tan references, and a little fun made of the housewives' non-working lives. It's pretty entertaining, even if you've seen neither show.

Check it out when you read more.

Photo and videos courtesy of NBC

Will Arnett and Justin Theroux Coming to Parks and Recreation

BuzzSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:30:48 -0800

In its sophomore season, Parks and Recreation has really hit its stride and finally become the hilarious half hour it always had the potential to be. Now it's about to get even funnier: Amy Poehler's husband, Will Arnett, is going to guest star on the show in January. He'll only be on one episode and will play an MRI tech, ostensibly at the hospital where Ann works.

The hotness doesn't end there: Justin Theroux is also joining the cast, but unlike Arnett, his will role will be as a major recurring character. He'll play an old friend of Ann's and love interest for Leslie, first appearing sometime early next year. So basically Amy Poehler is the luckiest girl onscreen and off.

Talking New Moon With Kellan Lutz and Ashley Greene

BuzzSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:15:50 -0800

Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, and Taylor Lautner may be dominating the promotional circuit right now, but they're not the only cast members with something to say about New Moon. I had the opportunity to chat with costars Kellan Lutz and Ashley Greene, aka Emmett and Alice Cullen, during their recent stopover in SF. They chatted about their characters, the vampire craze, and what it's like to be a "Twilight celebrity." Here are highlights:

On why so many people are crazy for the Twilight Saga:
Ashley: I think this film in particular is highly relatable. There are a lot of situations that people can relate to. The love story - everyone can relate to being in love or being in lust. You add the vampire, and it adds that next level fantasy. Vampires are mysterious and sensual and dangerous and unattainable. And everyone wants what they can't have. I think on another level that this came together at the perfect time. All the elements just fit, the casting was spot on, and we're in a difficult time right now with our economy. That's why you never have a drop in ticket sales because everyone wants an escape, and this movie is very much an escape from reality.
Kellan: It's a good escape but also it deals with so many situations, on so many positive notes. Just looking at it from the vampire coven to the wolf pack. It just deals with everyday issues just on bigger levels, in a way. And you have Bella as the keystone in many situations. You can just all relate from different countries to issues within the United States. It's easily relatable.

To read a lot more about working with three different directors and why they feel so lucky, just read more.

On how their portrayals of the Cullens are similar or different from the books:
Kellan: We got the jobs because we brought something new to it. You can interpret the characters each their own, but I think it's what we did alongside. Just like Kristen said - she's playing Bella but she's putting her Kristen spin on it, just like all of us are. And I think that's what's making it unique. We're still following the cheat sheets that Stephenie created by making the books, and there's Wikipedia. We have a lot of information to go off of. But I hope it's what I did in my audition that set it apart from the other guys trying out.

Ashley: I think it's mannerisms too. People do fall in love with this book, but I think part of it is that they always want more. You can't write out every human mannerism. You can imagine it, but seeing the emotion in someone's eyes and seeing them be affected it - it was kind of easy to give something to it, because we were just being people. We kinda just got lucky.
On how much more of the Cullens we can expect in the remaining movies:
Kellan: Realistically, we stick pretty close to the books. Obviously us Cullens would love to be in the books a lot more, which would mean we'd be in the movies a lot more. Talking New Moon, the scenes that the Cullens - except for Ashley, playing Alice who gets to go to Italy and be a main lead in the movie - us Cullens, we have to stick really close to the books, and the scenes that we're in are really crucial to the story, as you know - the birthday scene, the voting scene. I don't know, it was kind of a tease. Chris Weitz is such an amazing director, and for us, for myself - I only worked about a week on that movie. And it didn't even seem like I really got a taste for what it was.

Ashley: In the third film, you'll see a lot more of the Cullens because it's all of us collaborating and then getting ready to fight this war that's coming up. In the second one, my character got a much larger role because Alice is the Cullen, other than Edward, that really embraces Bella and they end up becoming best friends. In the beginning, you see her throw this huge party for Bella, and then Alice is the one who does, in fact, come back for Bella when everyone else decides to skip town. Alice is responsible for dragging Bella over to Italy, and she and I the whole time are fighting to save my brother's life. And then of course we get held up by the Volturi and stuff like that. My character got to grow a lot, which is really cool. You get to actually see the relationship develop between Bella and Alice, where in the first one you didn't. The first one was very much about the romance and showing the audience why these two people are willing to die for each other.
On working with a different director on each film:
Ashley: Each director is going to be very different. They're artists as well, and I don't think any of them are quite the same. The books, when you read them, all have very, very, different tones. So I think it's highly appropriate that we switch directors each go. The first one is very much a romance and is a very scenic, beautiful film. And Catherine's really, really great at capturing that. She's very high energy and works well in chaos and stuff like that. And it was fantastic because we didn't quite know what we were getting ourselves into, and so it was nice to have her to guide us when we were freaking out a little bit. She was just so high energy, and it was really contagious. We were sad to lose her and move on to the second film, but then we got Chris Weitz and he's the complete opposite! But great as well. He's so giving and caring and collaborative and created this atmosphere that was kind of a safe haven for us. And it was really nice because we didn't know, switching directors, if they were gonna embrace us or if they had a completely different vision than what we created in the first one. It was nice that he was right there on the same page with us. And the second one is a warmer film, even from the color scheme. The first one is very blue tones, and the second one is much richer and warmer and I think he did a great job at capturing that. And we just finished shooting with David Slade, and I think he's highly appropriate as well. He just finished shooting 30 Days of Night and Hard Candy, and they're both very dark, edgy films. And Eclipse is very much that. It's all centered around the anticipation and us getting ready to fight this huge war. We just finished filming, we haven't gotten to see much of it, but I think it's gonna be fantastic. He is, technically, the most advanced director. The angles that he shot and how he knows that tweaking something can affect a whole scene and the lenses. He was really nice to work with.
On coping with the fan effect and being a "Twilight celebrity"
Kellan: That's what blows my mind, 'cause I feel like it's really unearned in a way. The fans are making our careers. Without them, we wouldn't be working and doing the saga. There's so many times that trilogy books become a movie and the first one bombs, and then that's it. And you're always hopeful that you get to do them all. Especially since we're all in love with our characters. I love Emmett Cullen to death, he's my favorite character I've ever played. It's just so cool to have made it this far, and I think we all hope that we get to finish this series and do Breaking Dawn. This is such a blessing, it's every actor's dream to be part of something like this. It's not terribly hard either. We don't shoot halfway around the world; we don't shoot for a year of our lives. I know a lot of us have homes, we have pets, we have family. And it's really nice to shoot on the West Coast, either Portland or Vancouver, and have the chance to fly down if we need to. But it's definitely amazing to be part of something like this. And I don't think any of us knew how crazy it would be and how exhilarating it would turn out to be. Going to the premiere, really just, wow. I don't even remember it because I was really just starstruck by how many fans and signs and cameras. It felt like I was just walking through a strobe light room. It's amazing.

Ashley: I still think we can't really wrap our heads around what's going on and what's happening. We're still in the midst of filming and kept very busy from one film until the next. It's only these brief moments where you sit back and are actually able to take a breath where you go "Whoa. Wow. This is crazy." I mean, the amount of tickets they've already sold for New Moon - I'm pretty sure I can't even get a ticket if I tried to see my film in Jacksonville and it's mind boggling. We're just very lucky. I went into this film thinking "Oh my gosh, I got a job" and the it turned into the biggest break of my life. I think we all feel very blessed to be a part of this.
On how it feels to be part of Twilight fan fiction:
Kellan: It's an escape, in a way. We do live in a trivial time period right now. There's so much depression that it's kinda cool to be a part of something where people use it to be an escape. In a way that's kinda what Stephenie did -she had a dream and just elaborated on it. It became a huge success and it's really encouraging that people are doing the same and just making up this journey.

Ashley: That's why people love it so much I think. You can take it and make what you want of it. Before the demographic was teenage girls, but now it's women of every age and guys are starting to get into it, too. It's because there is that element of fantasy. If you're 8 years old you look at it one way; if you're 80 years old you look at it another. I think it's fantastic that we can draw such a huge crowd. The other thing is - it blows my mind but people are making connections over this film and over this book. there are mothers and daughters and grandmas who can all sit and talk about the same story and all fantasize about it and I think that's a really cool thing. I think it's rare.

To see all of our Twilight and New Moon coverage, check out TwilightSugar!

Desperate Housewives Rundown, "The Coffee Cup"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:30:00 -0800

Some shows bring out big guest stars for November sweeps, but Desperate Housewives is getting back in touch with its sexy side instead. Susan tries to set a new record with Mike while Bree narrowly escapes an Orson interruption when she's with Karl. Meanwhile, Lynette's pregnancy secret is finally out and Nick Bolen continues to be creeptastic all over town.

Now that Mad Men's long gone, I'm hoping the housewives will kick things into higher gear for my Sunday nights. Ready to get into it? Just read more.

Susan: Susan manages to avoid jail time for shooting Katherine, but the cheeky judge sentences her to garbage pick up for all of her "trash talking" (get it?!). Katherine and Susan's little courtroom drama re-enactment is ridiculous (as is Susan's cleavage baring dress for the hearing) but unfortunately the catty antics don't stop there. Katherine taunts Susan and her orange jumpsuit, prompting Susan to turn the tables on her rival. Katherine has a hissy fit and reveals that she and Mike once had sex five times in one day, which of course gets Susan all worked up. When her endless array of lingerie and come-ons still can't land Mike in the sack more than three times in 24 hours, Susan has one of her typical annoying tantrums. Mike comforts her in what's meant to be an "aww" inducing moment, but I was too busy rolling my eyes. Usually Susan doesn't bug me this much, but I couldn't be more over the love triangle.

Angie and Bree: Gaby usually has the best lines of the show, but it looks like Angie is right on her tail - "Have you seen Avenue Q? With the puppets? Now that's theater." Anyway, Angie's now got herself a balancing act between giving Nick grief about his affair with Julie and being too involved with Bree's life. After Orson admits to Angie that he suspects Bree is having an affair, Angie immediately tells Bree. Though she refuses to spy on Bree, Angie still gets all tangled up in the web when she plays Rear Window - looking on as Orson enters the house while Bree and Karl are upstairs getting it on. Angie intervenes and saves the day, but how long before she asks Bree to return the favor. Also, when Orson is discussing the plot of Madame Butterfly, is he insinuating that he might kill himself when he inevitably finds out about Bree's affair? Personally, both Karl and Orson kind of bug me so I'm just as torn as Bree is about which man to choose.

Lynette and Gaby: The latest update in Lynette's secret pregnancy? Menswear. But that's just the tip of the iceberg, when she and Gaby start squaring off over one of Lynette's colleagues. Gaby convinces Carlos to transfer Terrence, the colleague in question, to Florida so that Juanita can take Terrence's daughter's spot at a Catholic school. Realizing that she won't be able to take maternity leave without Terrence, Lynette turns the tables and convinces Terrence to reject the transfer. The tables turn on Lynette when Gaby discovers that she's pregnant - and Carlos is pissed. He gives Lynette an ultimatum - take the spot in Florida, or quit. Though Carlos's anger is understandable, I think I'm on Lynette's side here. Carlos had been complaining about another co-worker's pregnancy, so Lynette had every right to be scared to tell him. I also think it's a bit rich for Gaby to admit how selfish she is but then point fingers at Lynette for keeping her secret.

How'd you feel about the scandals this week? Are you on Team Orson or Team Karl? Do you think it was Nick who kills the coffee shop girl at the end? Sound off!

on NBC; Ted Danson, Khloe Kardashian, and Lamar Odom on Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC; LL Cool J and Mindy Kaling on The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson on CBS; and Tim McGraw and Anna Torv on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon on NBC

Rewind: This Week's Buzz

BuzzSugar — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0800

Vampires, vampires, everywhere! The stars of New Moon got candid for EW, and there's even a romantic comedy about female bloodsuckers in the works.
Need help keeping all your vampires straight? Check out my slideshow where I break down the classic myths in Twilight, True Blood, and The Vampire Diaries.
New Moon's not the only movie to get excited about - check out these new trailers for Kick-Ass and Date Night.
James Franco's appearance on General Hospital is just a few days away - check out this sneak peek of his guest spot.
We said goodbye to another amazing season of Mad Men. What'd you think of the finale?
Out with the old in with the new: meet the next class of med students on Scrubs.
The holiday season is inching steadily closer. Check out my gift guides for kids, teenage boys and teen girls if you need some help with your shopping list.
Have you checked out the Buzz Community yet? Your content could be featured on BuzzSugar so get the creative juices flowin'!
The votes are in! Check out who snagged nominations for the 2010 People's Choice Awards.
Heading to the theaters to see 2012 this weekend? First, test your John Cusack movie knowledge!