More info on Edie Falco’s new Showtime series
Remember back in February when we told you that Edie Falco was signed for a new dark situation comedy from Showtime about a harried nurse?
Well, they’ve started filming the show in New York and given it a tentative title, Nurse Jackie. What’s more, the cast surrounding Edie includes some familiar faces.
Nurse Jackie will have a boyfriend and he will be played by Paul Schulze. The name may not be familiar, but the face sure is. Paul was Father Phil on The Sopranos, the priest who spent a lot of time with Carmella and had her thinking they were going to replay The Thornebirds.
On this Showtime series, he’s Eddie and he works in the hospital in the pharmacy. That’s important because reportedly Edie’s character has a problem with drugs.
What’s this, she’s a female House? Could she be popping Vicodin as prodigiously as he does? Could anyone?
Other actors in the pilot are West Wing veteran Anna Deavere Smith as a hospital administrator, Mrs. Akalitus, Merritt Wever (NCIS) as Zoey, a young nurse working with Jackie, and Haaz Sleiman (Veronica Mars) a gay Muslim nurse.
The original scoop compared this comedy to Weeds, in particular, the way it’s going to be filmed and the satiric tone. The latest bit also includes more about Jackie’s character, saying that she “has an almost-clairvoyant ability to figure out what’s wrong with her patients even before doctors can — making her a much-sought-after commodity in the ER.”
Caryn Mandabach, an experienced, Emmy-award winning showrunner, is executive producing. Her credits include Grounded for Life, 3rd Rock from the Sun, That ’70s Show and The Cosby Show.
If Showtime likes what they produce, Nurse Jackie — or whatever it’s finally called — could be on the air in Spring 2009, maybe sooner. Considering the quality of the talent, I think we’ll see it sooner rather than later.
Jonathan Rhys Meyers: Goodwill Ambassador
Jonathan Rhys Meyers: Goodwill Ambassador
Adding another trophy to his collection, Jonathan Rhys Meyers was dubbed “Best Actor” in Dublin on Sunday night as part of the Irish Film and Television Awards.
The actor won the acclaim for his work on the Showtime series The Tudors, which is about the young King Henry VIII.
Meanwhile, the show and it’s contributors racked up a record seven IFTAs, more than any other in the award ceremony’s 5-year history, according to Variety reports.
Besides winning awards, the 31-year-old actor announced on Monday that “he will work as an international goodwill ambassador with the Hope Foundation. His role will be to highlight the plight of street children in India,” the Irish Independent reports.
“He is committed to visit Calcutta and to do a documentary in Calcutta with the children. He is terribly interested in children’s rights so he has spoken very positively about trying to highlight the problems with child trafficking and child labor. He is going to be in Ireland for the next four months so he has also said he wants to work with us as closely as possible,” an organizational rep told press.
Dead Like Me goes to the movies
Dead Like Me fans rejoice! The canceled-too-soon Showtime series about grim reapers may return from the dead in a made-for-DVD movie. SyFy Portal reports that a Dead Like Me film is in the works.
Dead Like Me aired for two seasons on Showtime in 2003 and 2004. The series starred Ellen Muth, Mandy Patinkin, Jasmin Guy and Callum Blue, just to name four of the stars who appeared in the series’ 29 episodes.
The Dead Like Me movie will be directed by Stephen Herek, the man behind The Mighty Ducks and Mr. Holland’s Opus. It is unknown at this point if the cast will be back for this made-for-DVD movie especially since some of them are part of TV series. No details about the movie plot have been released either.
Both seasons of Dead Like Me are available on DVD. The show also reruns on various networks.
David Duchovny says X-Files Sequel Moving Forward
An X-Files sequel might actually happen after-all. I know, I know, we’ve said this before. Show helmer Chris Carter has said this before, and the stars have SAID - THIS - BEFORE. But this time it might be for real. Series and film co-star David Duchovny made an appearance for his new Showtime series Californication during the Television Critics Association press tour, and revealed that a script and tentative production schedule is already in place.
“I’m actually supposed to a script next week! Before I would just say that [there was a movie] because they told me, but now, after talking to Chris [Carter] — he’s been giving me progress reports — and he actually called yesterday, and said ‘Next week, you should have something to read.’” Duchovny said at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. When asked if it would be a stand alone story, David replied: “It should be. It should be a one-off, yeah.”
Duchovny also revealed that the current plan is to start shooting in November 2007 for a Summer 2008 release. I’ll believe it when I see it. I didn’t follow the show but enjoyed the first film. This seems to be a reoccurring occurrence for me (and many of the people I know). Another example would be Star Trek (I’ve seen and enjoyed most of the movies, didn’t watch the series). But many people loved this show, and I can see why. I’m currently watching The 4400 which many people usually compare to X-Files. Although some people would probably say that it’s becoming more X-Men than X-Files as of the last season. Thanks to IGN and THR for contributing to this story.