BACKSTREET BOY BECOMES A VAMPIRE: Backstreet Boys member, Kevin Richardson has gone over to the dark side — and is portraying a vampire in Bloody Indulgent. The movie musical will have Richardson sucking blood and snorting cocaine.
JENNIFER HUDSON JOINING SMASH: Jennifer Hudson is reportedly joining the NBC show, Smash. According to GossipCop, Jennifer will play Veronica Moore, a Tony-winning actress. A source said, “We’re thrilled to have Jennifer Hudson coming to Smash. This series is a showcase for some of the best musical talent in the business and that’s a fitting description for Jennifer Hudson. Her character will represent someone who reached their Broadway dream but also paid a price for it. I have no doubt Jennifer will continue to deliver even more inspiration to the audience responsible for giving us a second season on NBC.”
WILL.I.AM GIVES HIS VOICE MONEY TO CHARITY: will.i.am is the judge on the U.K. version of The Voice and he has decided to give his entire fee to charity. According to PerezHilton.com, 500,000 Euros will go to disadvantaged young people in London through The Prince’s Trusts. He said, “I don’t need any more luxury items. And equipping our young people with education and inspiration is real homeland security. I grew up seeing kids selling drugs at 11 and getting pistols and things they shouldn’t be doing. My life could have turned out very differently. But I was encouraged to dance, sing by my mum and teachers that changed my life.”
PENELOPE ANN MILLER IS BACK WITH HUSBAND: Penelope Ann Miller wants to stay married after all. The Artist actress filed for legal separation from her husband James Huggins back in March — but officially dismissed the request on June 15th. The couple married in 2000 and have two children.
JESSICA ALBA INJURED ON SET: Jessica Alba went to the hospital last week after dropping a plate on her ankle while filming the sequel to Machete. The actress tweeted on Friday, “Swollen ankle — a plate fell on my ankle last night. . . Hurts.” She later posted pictures of her bruises and of her ankle being X-rayed. There was no word on the results, but Alba discussed being out and about with her children over the weekend, so the injury doesn’t seem too serious.
ELISABETTA AND STEVE-O BACK TOGETHER? Elisabetta Canalis and Steve-O are reportedly back together. The two were spotted out together over the weekend in California, even though they split several months ago. After the breakup was reported, Canalis said of the relationship, “You hope love will solve everything. Instead, it is not enough.”
HODA IN LINE FOR ‘TODAY’ GIG? Hoda Kotb is reportedly the frontrunner to take over as co-host on the Today show. It’s been widely reported that NBC is looking to replace Ann Curry before the Olympics begin next month. A source told the New York Daily News, “Hoda scores off the charts in focus groups, and the audience can relate to her.” The insider also noted that Hoda gets along well with Matt Lauer — whereas Curry reportedly does not. Hoda currently co-hosts the fourth hour of theToday show alongside Kathie Lee Gifford.
CASEY AFFLECK PENNING JOSH HAMILTON BIOPIC: Casey Affleck will write and direct a new biopic about baseball star Josh Hamilton, the Texas Rangers star who has battled drug and alcohol addiction. Producer Basil Iwanyk, who will work on the project with Affleck, said of the story, “I truly think this guy’s story is one of the most inspiring stories I’ve ever read. It’s also tailor-made for a movie: it has the mythic quality of The Natural, the faith-based angle of The Blind Side — and faith is a major part of our story — and the romance of Walk the Line.”
JENNIFER HUDSON JOINING ‘SMASH’: Jennifer Hudson is joining NBC’s Smash. EW.com reported that the Oscar-winner will play “Veronica Moore,” who’s described as a Tony Award-winning Broadway star who impacts the lives of the show’s existing stars. Robert Greenblatt, chairman of NBC Entertainment said of the casting, “This series is a showcase for some of the best musical talent in the business and that’s a fitting description for Jennifer Hudson. Her character will represent someone who reached their Broadway dream but also paid a price for it.”
‘BOURNE’ RELEASE PUSHED BACK: The new Bourne installment will hit theaters a little later than expected. The Bourne Legacy’s release date has been pushed back from August 3rd to August 10th to separate it from the release of The Dark Knight Rises, which is sure to be a box office smash. The Bourne Legacy — which stars Jeremy Renner — is the first film in the franchise that will not feature Matt Damon.