Acad, SAG share same voter pool

SAG voters felt strongly about Demian Bichirs performance in 'A Better Existence,' concerning the difficulty of the illegal immigrant employed in the U . s . StatesWith the 1,183 people from the Academy of movement Picture Arts and Sciences' acting branch voting, you will find that most thesps nominated to have an Oscar also match the performances earlier feted through the Screen Stars Guild.This season wasn't any different. Within the lead actor and actress groups, four from the SAG noms matched up exactly what the Acad felt: Demian Bichir ("A Much Better Existence") George Clooney ("The Descendants"), Jean Dujardin ("The Artist") and Kaira Pitt ("Moneyball") made both lists, with Gary Oldman ("Mess Tailor Solder Spy") making the Oscar candidate rather than Leonardo DiCaprio ("J. Edgar").Around the distaff side, Glenn Close ("Albert Nobbs"), Viola Davis ("The AssistanceInch), Meryl Streep ("The Iron Lady") and Michelle Williams ("My Week With Marilyn") made both lists. SAG nominee Tilda Swinton ("We have to Discuss Kevin") was changed by Rooney Mara ("The Lady Using the Dragon Tattoo").Around the supporting side, the 2 sides thought much the same way -- Berenice Bejo ("The Artist"), Jessica Chastain ("The AssistanceInch), Melissa McCarthy ("Bridesmaids"), Jesse McTeer ("Albert Nobbs") and Octavia Spencer ("The AssistanceInch) for that ladies. Only Max von Sydow ("Very Noisy ") made the Oscar noms cut as he did not fare too with SAG. On the other hand, Armie Hammer ("J. Edgar") was based on his guild although not through the Acad.The 4 who made both lists: Kenneth Branagh ("My Week With Marilyn"), Jonah Hill ("Moneyball"), Nick Nolte ("Warrior") and Christopher Plummer ("Beginners").Within the 17-year good reputation for the SAG Honours, 86% of their lead actress nominees and 82% of their lead actor nominees go onto win Oscar nods too. And that is not considering the times when SAG has placed a performance in lead -- Jennifer Connelly in "An Attractive Mind" and Benicio Del Toro for "Traffic" -- that Academy voters later deem a supporting turn.Once the two physiques differ, experts say, it is a result mostly of timing. This season, SAG people needed to submit their ballots by 12 ,. 12. Having a Jan. 13 deadline, Academy voters had an additional month to look at movies and dig through their stack of screeners."You will find always late game-changers that are not around once the SAG nominating committee votes," states Sasha Stone, founder and editor from the Honours Daily website.SAG's earlier voting deadline likewise helps stars when their movies are the initial to reach in members' mail boxes. This season, Mexican-born thesp Bichir received a SAG nomination for his significantly recognized operate in "A Much Better Existence," a movie which was among the first DVD screeners from the gate.Hitfix.com's Kristopher Tapley, professional editor from the In Contention blog, states the guild has a tendency to reward stars at both finishes from the age spectrum -- youthful thesps for example Evan Rachel Wood for "13" and "Billy Elliot's" Jamie Bell, in addition to entertainers like Gena Rowlands ("Disconnect the heavensInch)."Since they snubbed Lauren Bacall for Juliette Binoche, I believe that sentiment alone (for older stars) is no more enough to sway a election using the Academy," states USA Today film author Susan Wloszczyna, speaking of 1996 when Binoche won the supporting actress Oscar for "The British Patient," beating Bacall in "The Mirror has Two Faces."SAG Honours 2012Idol of capri to acting icon Howard talks up AFTRA merger Acad, SAG share same voter pool Partygoers relax, revel following the show Stunts given due Brisk pace gives those who win last word Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

'Awakening' should top B.O.'s wide quartet

Overall domestic box office should continue its 6% lead over this time last year, as Sony-Screen Gems' fourth "Underworld" installment, "Awakening," is expected to score with a bow in the mid-$20 million range this weekend. An additional troupe of wide players -- Warner Bros.' "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close," 20th Century Fox's "Red Tails" and Relativity Media's "Haywire" -- should help January's solid totals. According to some B.O. observers, "Extremely Loud," expanding to 2,630 locations in its fifth frame, and "Red Tails" could be close at just north of $10 million each through Sunday. Fox, however, expects a more modest bow for "Red Tails" in the high single-digits -- similar to the total expected for "Haywire." Warners has held "Extremely Loud" at six locations since bowing the film on Christmas Day. Pic's domestic cume stands at $681,000 for a per-screen average of $113,500. Also competing for the weekend's top-five placement: repeat players "Contraband" and "Beauty and the Beast" in 3D. Both films received favorable exit poll ratings last weekend, which point to potentially strong soph-sesh perfs. "Contraband" has cumed $32.3 million Stateside through Wednesday while "Beauty" has raked in $24 million domestically. Other titles expanding include the Weinstein Co.'s Golden Globe-winning pair "The Iron Lady" and "The Artist." The former, with $8.4 million after three weeks, adds almost 275 U.S. locations for a total 1,076, while "The Artist," with nearly $10 million domestically, broadens in its ninth frame to 662 engagements. Overseas, Warner Bros.' two-week champ "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" could fall to "Awakening," which bows day-and-date in 35 territories. (Sony has all international rights, except in the U.K. and France.) "Underworld: Awakening," which marks the return of star Kate Beckinsale to the vampire franchise, is also the series' first 3D installment. "Awakening" bows at 3,078 total playdates, of which 2,545 are 3D, including 254 Imax locations. The series' fourth installment cost a reported $70 million, but Sony said it hopes "Awakening," with Beckinsale back and an added boost from 3D, can grow stronger legs than its three predecessors. The three prior installments all cumed domestically only about two and a half times their opening -- a typical multiple for similar genre pics. The second "Underworld" film, "Evolution," scored the franchise's best debut at $26.9 million in 2006, the 2003 original posted an opening of $21.8 million, and "Rise of the Lycans" bagged $20.8 million. "Awakening" is expected to play best to young men. Fox's "Red Tails," meanwhile, will open to a largely African-American male audience, according to the studio, though that could expand. Fully financed by Lucasfilm for around $58 million, "Red Tails" tells the story of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African-American pilots to fly combat missions during WWII. Ensembler features Cuba Gooding Jr., Kevin Phillips and Terrence Howard. Fox said the film's PG-13 rating should allow for some interest by family audiences. According to online ticketing site Fandango, "Red Tails" was leading Thursday's ticket sales, with 27%, outpacing both "Underworld" (24%) and "Haywire" (3%). "Haywire," a Relativity project from helmer Steven Soderbergh, cost the studio a reported $23 million. But thanks to tax rebates from Ireland and foreign pre-sales, Relativity was able to reduce its risk to just $1.5 million, not including marketing costs. The film launches day-and-date this weekend via Lionsgate Intl. in seven offshore markets, including the U.K., Russia, Taiwan and India. International cast is led by Ewan McGregor, Antonio Banderas and Michael Fassbender. Bowing this weekend at the Stateside specialty B.O., the Weinsteins' "Coriolanus" opens at nine locations. Fox's Mexican pic "Miss Bala" bows at four. Contact Andrew Stewart at andrew.stewart@variety.com

Abigail Spencer Joins Joss Whedon's 'In Your Eyes'

A "Mad Males" star might be the very first actress aboard for your approaching Joss Whedon-written film "Within Your Eyes." Meanwhile, a trio of huge-title stars are lending their voices to "Madagascar 3," Chris Evans thinks about the problem about joining Bong Joon-Ho's domestic debut and Idris Elba certifies his return to the "Thor" franchise in "Thor 2." It Is The month of the month of january 17, and you're simply tuning into current day casting call. New Joss Whedon Film Lines Up "Mad Men's" Abigail Spencer Joss Whedon is definitely an very busy guy. Among doing publish-production on "The Avengers" and editing his low-budget "Much Ado About Nothing" film, the "Firefly" creator has furthermore found time to write a completely new supernatural romance referred to as "Within Your Eyes." "Mad Males" star Abigail Spencer seeping the beans to Vulture that she'll be starring inside the movie, which is beginning concentrate on it the next month. "I'm so excited to make it happen,In . she mentioned. "It's the most romantic film inside the good status for time." The film continues to be directed by Brin Hill. Large Stars Lineup For "Madagascar 3" A completely new trio of stars is joining Dreamworks' "Madagascar" franchise. Entertainment Weekly is verifying that Bryan Cranston, Jessica Chastain and Martin Short is going to be voicing three new figures inside the approaching movie, "Madagascar 3: Europe's Popular.Inch They'll be playing Vitaly the Siberian tiger, Gia the jaguar and Stefano the sea lion, correspondingly. The film also stars Ben Stiller, Jada Pinkett Cruz, Chris Rock and David Schwimmer. It's due in theaters on June 21. Chris Evans In Talks For "Snow Piercer" Chris Evans is at predicts star inside the domestic debut from "The Host's" Bong Joon-Ho. Referred to as "Snow Piercer," the indie was put together by Joon-ho and "Oldboy" director Park Chan-wook. Variety gets the news, and reviews that "Snow Piercer" notifies the story from the train of travelers fighting to co-come in a worldwide covered in snow and ice. Production appears like it's prone to come from March. Jeffrey Dean Morgan Hits "The Rut" Variety is verifying that Jeffrey Dean Morgan is joining Karyn Kusama's approaching indie "The Rut." He'll be grew to become part of by his "Texas Killing Fields" co-star Chloe Moretz inside the movie, that's being known to love a combination between "Winter's Bone" and "To the Wild." According to Variety, the story "follows a teenage girl who aims to win her fathers approval by surrounding herself with danger and adventure as she journeys to the backwoods alone to look deer." Marvel Fans Rejoice: Idris Elba Has Came back For "Thor 2" Hot off his Golden Globes win, Idris Elba is planning to acquire in armor for "Thor 2." He told MTV News round the Globes red-colored-colored carpet that he'll "certainlyInch maintain "Thor 2." "We're carrying it out again," he mentioned. Elba mentioned he isn't met with director Alan Taylor yet to go over the project. "Thor 2" is scheduled for theaters on November 15, 2013. See his comments inside the video below. Reveal your opinions on current day Casting Make contact with should be genuine section below or on Twitter.

Keck's Exclusives: Scoop on Desperate Housewives, The Vampire Diaries and House

Ian Somerhalder Ian Somerhalder told me at the People's Choice Awards that he'd just shot a Vampire Diaries scene where Damon "wakes up naked with another woman who is a hot vampire." Might this be Katherine? Nina Dobrev (Elena/Katherine) hints, "I can't say whether or not I'm in that scene, but it is a character fans are familiar with and Elena will definitely have an opinion on it."Years ago, Marc Cherry vowed never to kill Desperate Housewives' Mrs. McCluskey (Kathryn Joosten), but current executive producer Bob Daily now tells me he's "not 100 percent sure we're killing her off, but her cancer is returning. And it's serious." Uh-oh.Veteran actress Diane Baker returns to House in March as Dr. House's mom, Blythe, for the first time since 2008. She surprises her disapproving son with news of her relationship with guest star Billy Connolly.Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!

Michael Caine: Other Films 'More Interesting' Than Batman

Michael Caine is a vital a part of Christopher Nolan's Batman films as fatherly butler Alfred, nevertheless the Oscar-winning actor states -- gasp! -- that people movies aren't really everything interesting to produce. Around the set visit to his new film, 'Mr. Morgan's Last Love,' Caine told THR, "Batman has excellent stars within it, but it's all about the results. A film similar to this is among the people. It's more interesting becoming an actor." This can be a substantially different attitude than, say, Gary Oldman, who happily spoken within the series to Moviefone, although marketing the higher actor-driven 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.' A benefit Caine's new film has over coping with Nolan, apparently, is a visit to Paris, where the film has been manufactured. (People Paris-set moments in 'Inception?' Really shot in the studio.) "Choosing films is similar to property. It's all about location, location, location. I've shot in Paris, but I have not done a movie that happened in Paris entirely," the actor mentioned. His new film will depend on french novel 'La Douceur Assassine,' by Françoise Dorner's novel but was modified with Caine in your thoughts. "I written the second script entirely for him," mentioned author/director Sandra Nettelback. "I mentioned If he turns me lower, I'm really screwed. I possibly could not stop seeing him in my opinion once i was writing the script... It's a match created in paradise to find out Michael Caine playing Matt." The film, of a widower dwelling in Paris, co-stars Clemence Poesy in the 'Harry Potter' films, Gillian Anderson and Jane Alexander, as Caine's late wife. [via THR] [Photo: Getty] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook