Good guy Taye Diggs will get his vampire on in Dead of Night and other casting news.

Movies

Good guy Taye Diggs will get his vampire on in Dead of Night, an adaptation of the Italian comic book Dylan Dog.  The Private Practice heartthrob will play the leader of a squad of vampires that’s infiltrated by an undercover private investigator, played by Superman himself, Brandon Routh.  Kevin Munroe, who previously helmed the animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, is directing the film, which is currently shooting in New Orleans.

If this is an April Fool’s Day gag, it’s coming a week early.  Apparently, Sean Penn has agreed to star in the Farrelly Brothers’ long-stalled Three Stooges feature as Larry.  Reports also claim that Jim Carrey is in negotiations to play Curly, while Benicio Del Toro of all people is circling the part of Moe.  Wow…I had not interest in seeing this movie before, but now I can’t wait for it to hit theaters.  With a cast like that, it’s either going to be a masterpiece or a train wreck of epic proportions.

After wisely dropping out of the upcoming Footloose remake, High School Musical star Zac Efron is contemplating a lead role in The Life and Death of Charlie St. Cloud, which involves a graveyard worker who has weekly meetings with the ghost of his deceased younger brother.  No word if Efron will be playing the ghost or the flesh and blood bro in this scenario.

Indian beauty Freida Pinto is finding herself in much demand.  After landing a small role in Woody Allen’s next film, the Slumdog Millionaire actress has inked a deal to appear in artist Julian Schnabel’s new movie Miral, based on the true story of Hind Husseini, a Palestinian woman who established an orphanage in Jerusalem in 1948 following the creation of the state of Israel.

Click here to read about Freida’s role in Woody’s film
Click here to see GIANT’s exclusive video interview with Freida

Anne Hathaway watched Kate Winslet win the Best Actress Oscar this year for The Reader, but chances are she’ll be accepting her own statue in another two years now that she’s been tapped to play iconic singer/actress Judy Garland in the planned biopic, Get Happy.  Not only is Garland a Hollywood legend, she also had a famously turbulent life, marked by alcohol and drug addictions.  Unless another actress decides to play a morally conflicted Nazi the same year, the 2010 Oscar is Hathaway’s for the taking.

Click here to read GIANT’s reaction to this year’s Oscar ceremony

Five young Native American actors have been added to the cast of New Moon, the second installment in the Twilight franchise.  Chaske Spencer, Bronson Pelletier, Alex Meraz, Kiowa Gordon and Tyson Houseman will appear opposite Taylor Lautner (who made his debut in the first film) as a wolf pack that protects vulnerable humans like Bella Swan (played again by Kristen Stewart) from big, bad vampires like Edward (Robert Pattinson).

Click here to read GIANT’s DVD review of Twilight

Perhaps still smarting over the mixed reception of Superman Returns (and Warner Brothers’ subsequent decision to take him off the next Superman movie), Bryan Singer may be planning a return to the world of comic books, acquiring the rights to the Radical Publishing title Freedom Formula: Ghost of the Wasteland, a futuristic series in which fighter pilots don special battle suits that let them do battle in the air.

After helping Dwayne Johnson score his fourth #1 box-office debut, Race to Witch Mountain, director Andy Fickman is eyeing an adaptation of a young adult novel called Gimme A Call, about a high school senior who drops her cell phone in a magical fountain and discovers that she’s now able to call her 14-year-old self.

Click here to read about Race to Witch Mountain‘s box-office success
Click here to see GIANT’s Dwayne Johnson photo gallery

TV

Better watch your back Jimmy Fallon!  Comedian George Lopez is joining the late night scene, hosting an 11pm weekly chat show on TBS beginning this November.  The still-untitled series will feature the standard mixture of comedy skits, musical acts and celebrity guests.  Lopez’s rolodex apparently came in handy for the pilot episode that sold TBS on his show; he scored appearances by Eva Longoria Parker, Samuel L. Jackson and Dane Cook.

He may not be a real person, but animated toddler Stewie Griffin has a devoted following thanks to his star turn week in, week out on Family Guy.  Those fans might follow him over to his just-announced cameo on FOX’s procedural Bones.  In the episode, set to air on May 7, Stewie appears to offer some advice to FBI agent Booth (David Boreanaz) who has been asked by his partner Brennan (Emily Deschanel) to father her child.

After playing a fictional president in the box-office bomb American Dreamz, Dennis Quaid will get the chance to be an actual Commander in Chief when he suits up as Bill Clinton for the HBO movie The Special Relationship, which finds Michael Sheen reprising the part of Tony Blair, a role he previously played in The Queen and The Deal.  Julianne Moore will also appear in the film as Hillary Clinton.

Two more actors rent out apartments on The CW’s revamped Melrose Place.  All My Children actor Colin Egglesfield and The Sarah Connor Chronicles‘ Stephanie Jacobson (above) join Jessica Lucas and Ashley Simpson-Wentz on the primetime soap.

Click here to read more about Jessica Lucas on Melrose Place

TODAY, March 9, 2009 marks the 12 yr anniversary of the Notorious BIG’s death.

We’ll always love Big Poppa…

***TONIGHT***

“You wanna rumble with the Bee?” Dancing With the Stars premieres it’s new season tonight featuring Ms Queen Bee, Lil’ Kim who claims it was the number one watched show while in prison.  Other contestants include comedian David Alan Grier and former football player, Lawrence Taylor.

Check out your girl at 8pm (EST) on ABC

(Some images from rehearsal)

SLUMDOG’s beauty and GIANT’s Young Hollywood star, Freido Pinto reportedly signed a deal with Estee Lauder (a deal worth hundreds of thousands of $$$$).  Although, the news hasn’t been confirmed, spokesman of the actress tells The Sun, “We are getting two or three offers every day from national as well as international firms.”

WOW (word of the week)

Pooh-bah (n): a person in high position or great influence

In the early nineties Biggie was the pooh-bah of the rap world.

Seems like two of the beauties from our March ’09 “Star Track” package have ignited a debate amongst readers as to who’s the hottest Hollywood starlet – Slumdog Millionaire‘s Freida Pinto or actress/model Lauren London. Let’s see how the two stack up against each other.

Freida Pinto, 24

Claim to fame: The Indian model and one time international travel host skyrocketed to fame after Slumdog Millionaire (in which Pinto played the damsel in distress) swept critics and fans off their feet and scooped up eight Academy Awards this year, including Best Picture. Along with the cast of Slumdog Millionaire, Pinto won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. She was also nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role at the 2009 BAFTA Awards.

Hits: Aside from Slumdog Millionaire and her work as model, Pinto hasn’t done much else. – yet. She has however landed a role in the next Woody Allen flick. Watch out Scarlett Johanson, PInto could become Allen’s new muse.

Misses: Though strikingly beautiful, her taste in wardrobe leaves much to be desired, as seen by her one-armed Oscar ensemble and the drab threads she rocked on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. She also recently dumped her fiance to whom she got engaged to in 2008. Questionable timing if you ask us.

Not that you’re asking or that we’re suggesting. Because we’re not.

Lauren London, 24

Claim to fame: The actress, model, video girl and occasional singer has been featured in music videos for Snoop Dogg, Pharrell, T.I. and Ne-Yo. She’s also acted in ATL and This Christmas (alongside Chris Brown) and will appear in the upcoming flicks Next Day Air and I Love You, Beth Cooper.

Hits: London’s everywhere. You? You’re never there. Whether she’s acting in movies, posing as eye candy for music videos or doing stints on TV shows like Everybody Hates Chris or Entourage, the Los Angeles-born beauty is always present.

Misses:  While it’s good that London’s on everyone’s mind, it’s not so good that some of her claims to fame include hosting BET’s Rip the Runway alongside Nelly, being a presenter on “Mixtape TV,” and posing as Quincy Brown’s date of MTV’s My Super Sweet 16. With this much awkward exposure, she could be one PR snafu away from being the next Kim Kardashian. Which, depending on your standards for success, could be a good thing.

Winner: Freida Pinto

Sure she has issues when it comes to dressing the part of a starlet and may or may have not left her man for fame, but the budding actress hasn’t been as overexposed as London. So unless she decides to pop up in T-Pain’s, Coldplay’s or Flo-Rida’s next videos or host the straight to DVD installment of Justo’s Mixtape Awards, we’re sure that Pinto’s star will stay on the rise.

For more Lauren and Freida, click here to see our exclusive behind-the-scenes video with them both!

And for more, click here to see the ladies in our exclusive photo gallery!

And for even more Freida Pinto, click here to see our one-on-one interview with the Slumdog Millionaire starlet here!

From the big screen to your computer screen, GIANT brings you Hollywood’s newest crop of fresh faces. From Lauren London and Freida Pinto to Jesse Williams and Tristan Wilds, these six actors are definitely on the rise. Check out their photo gallery below:

For more of Young Hollywood’s finest, click here to see our exclusive behind-the-scenes video of the photo shoots!

And for even more Freida Pinto, click here to see our one-on-one interview with the Slumdog Millionaire starlet here!

Freida Pinto scores her first post-Slumdog role.

Look at what starring in an Oscar-winning movie will do for your career.  Just two days after Slumdog Millionaire swept the Oscars, Variety reports that Indian stunner Freida Pinto has landed a part in Woody Allen’s next movie.  The still-untitled film also stars Naomi Watts, Josh Brolin and Anthony Hopkins and will shoot in Europe later this year.  Maybe Allen will introduce Pinto to fellow New York city filmmaker–and the director Pinto says she’d most like to work with–Martin Scorsese.

Read more of our coverage of Freida and Slumdog below:
On the Set with Young Hollywood’s Freida Pinto
On the Set with Young Hollywood Stars
Oscar Winners (and Losers)
Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?

GIANT knows how to pick them. We caught up with young up-and-coming Hollywood actors Freida Pinto, Lauren London, Tristan Wilds, Isabel Lucas, Jesse Williams and Luke Grimes for our 2009 Young Hollywood package, appropriately titled “Star Track.” Watch the exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes footage of these young stars below:

Want to see the finished product? Then click here to see our exclusive Young Hollywood photo gallery!

For more Freida Pinto, click here to check out her exclusive GIANT video!

Also watch our exclusive behind-the-scenes video of supermodel Chanel Iman here!

We here at GIANT may not be psychic, but we know a star when we see one. Check out our exclusive behind-the-scenes video with Slumdog Millionaire starlet Frieda Pinto below:

For more of our favorite stars of tomorrow, click here for our behind-the-scenes video featuring Lauren London, Tristan Wilds of The Wire fame and more…

Want to see the finished product? Then click here to see our exclusive Young Hollywood photo gallery!

The 2009 Academy Awards is right around the corner and GIANT magazine has got them covered. From the celebrities like nominees Taraji P. Henson and Viola Davis to Beyonce, John Legend and all the fashion, GIANT is your one-stop shop for all things Oscar. Check out the links below:

Oscar Fashion Awards

Red Carpet Hits and Misses

GALLERY: 2009 Oscars Red Carpet

Oscar Winners (and Losers)

VIDEO: On The Set with Young Hollywood’s Freida Pinto

Threads: Dressing Oscar’s Red Carpet

Oscar Predix

Bet On it: Oscar Predix

M.I.A.’s New Deal

Freida Pinto: Who Want’s To Be A Millionaire?

Double Date with Kate Winslet

Talking With… Diego Luna

Everybody wants to be a millionaire. And now everybody wants the actress Freida Pinto also.

The 25-year-old is a former model from Mumbai who is the new “it” girl in Hollywood starring in the critically-acclaimed movie Slumdog Millionaire. The Danny Boyle-directed movie follows three kids growing up in India’s underbelly who travel down parallel yet distinctly different paths. The through line of the film is one of the character’s appearance on the game show “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” and his love for Pinto’s character. Slumdog is nominated for 10 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Directing for Boyle, Soundtrack (including the songs “Paper Planes” and “Oh Saya” performed by M.I.A.) and Writing (Adapted Screen Play) it was based on a novel “Q&A: Slumdog Millionaire” by Vikas Swarup. (Pinto did not get nominated.) Like Boyle’s other films Trainspotting, A Life Less Ordinary and Millions, Slumdog mixes human condition, subculture and music. Aside from Slumdog’s beautiful cinematography and scenery, gritty and violent action and surreal modern Bollywood story telling, Pinto’s is absolutely radiant. Her acting is stunning, captivating and memorable. She did commercials, some Indian TV and traveling shows, but this is Pinto’s debut film. Her performance is challenging and captivating, and she is a natural. A glamorous star of India is born.