It's no surprise that the state of SAG's contract negotiations are lagging while tension continues to flare between the union and AFTRA. Now, however, Sandra Oh's heading into the battle for SAG, with a recorded phone message to dual card-holding members urging them not to ratify the AFTRA pact.The actress' message for SAG follows a similar one that AFTRA released with James Cromwell last week, in which he urged members to vote for the pact. Per Variety, SAG asserts that AFTRA's deal just isn't up to snuff on a number of issues, including salary minimums, online clip consent, DVD residuals, new media pay rates and jurisdiction, force majeure and product integration protections. With each side now in full lobbying mode and time running out, the heat's turned way up. Is the involvement of actors like Oh and Cromwell just what negotiations need, or a complicating factor? Is there a more productive means of using actors' gravitas to benefit all of them? — Anna DimondRelated:•...
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Was Catherine Bell busy? Natasha Henstridge (Eli Stone) will join JAG alum David James Elliott in Impact, a two-part TV disaster movie about a dwarf star (or, to be politcally correct, "little person star") that strikes the moon and thus wreaks havoc on Earth. James Cromwell is also onboard, leading me to suspect that a talking pig may factor into the world's salvation.The $14 million miniseries began shooting last week, says Variety, and also stars Benjamin Sadler and Florentine Lahme. — MWMRelated:• JAG's David James Elliott Makes an Impact
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James Cromwell will play President George Herbert Walker Bush and Ellen Burstyn will play Barbara Bush in W Oliver Stones biopic about the current President Bushs formative years according to Variety Cromwell and Burstyn join Josh Brolin in the title role and Elizabeth Banks as First Lady Laura BushProducers hope to fast-track the film into theaters before the November presidential elections Mickey OConnor
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Question: Are the producers of 24 completely clueless? In a season with no surprises and very little originality, why do they continue to blow any suspense by listing "unexpected" characters in the guest credits before the program begins? In the past two weeks, the appearances of William Devane and James Cromwell, respectively, might have caused us to sit up (or even wake up) if we had not known they were coming. Who didn't figure out Jack's father was the one calling the shots in that ludicrous invasion on CTU (the most porous place on earth) once Cromwell's name appeared in the credits? 24 can't afford to miss even one opportunity to surprise its audience, yet it continues to sabotage itself. Why?
Answer: At this point in the game, why ask why? Let's just tough it out like grown-ups and wait for the show to reinvent itself next season. The William Devane moment (a restraining order against Jack? Really?) was so absurd that I didn't care that they blew the reveal, but it's true that
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Question: Come on, admit it, Michael, didn't you half expect James Cromwell to say, "There, there, pig" when he was trying to convince Paul McCrane not to kill Jack on 24?
Answer: Send me your address. You just earned yourself an Ausiello Scoop. Nice work!
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