If a movie already has Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts attached, you wouldn’t think it would need any more star power, but it’s getting some behind-the-scenes, as George Clooney has just signed on to produce August: Osage County.
Based on the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play by Tracy Letts, August: Osage County tells the story of the strong-willed women of the Weston family, whose lives have diverged until a family crisis brings them back to the Midwest house they grew up in, and to the dysfunctional woman who raised them. Streep has been cast as pill-popping matriarch Violet Weston, and Roberts will play her complicated adult daughter Barbara. John Wells will direct from Letts’ screen adaptation.
Clooney commented, “Grant and I are thrilled to work on this project. It’s already a great cast and great material and I can’t think of anyone better than Harvey [Weinstein] to put this all together. And we’re particularly excited to work with our dear friend John Wells [who gave Clooney his big break on ER]. It’s such a terrific group and we feel honored to help bring it to the screen.”
The filmmakers are still casting, with shooting set to begin this autumn. (Source: Variety)
A few days ago is was revealed that Disney was busy tying up the rights to the script Saving Mr. Banks, with Tom Hanks rumored to play Walt Disney and Meryl Streep as P.L. Travers. Now 
As expected, The Artist was the big winner at the Oscars, picking up Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor among its five awards. As it’s a love letter to Hollywood, it’s not surprising the Academy loved the movie.
Disney making a film about Walt Disney is either a perfect fit or too close to home. It may be happening though as 
GALECA, the Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, has announced the winners of its Dorian Awards, giving Best Film Of The Year to the more than deserving Weekend. As everyone loves the movies but it’s getting shut out by bigger movies at other award ceremonies (it’s still shocking it didn’t make it onto the BAFTA longlist in any category), it’s great GALECA has recognised it.
If anyone was hoping that the Golden Globes would reveal a frontrunner for the Oscar, they’ll be disappointed, as that awards went pretty much across the board when they were handed out last night. The big winners were The Descendants for Best Picture (Drama) and The Artist for Best Picture (Musical or Comedy).
Meryl Streep is an icon to a lot of people, but it appears she hadn’t realised that she was a gay icon as well. The actress, who’s won massive plaudits for playing Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady (out Jan 6th), says “I just recently found out I’m a gay icon from a show where they do little arias from all my movies.”