NovelPro Junkie - Celebrity Chapter

Regina Hall joins the joins the cast of Nine Perfect Strangers

8/6/2020

Regina Hall, actress of book-based films such as Think like a Man and The Hate U Give, is joining the cast of Nine Perfect Stranger. The cast has grown as Michael Shannon and Bobby Cannavale are now cast members. The role that Regine Hall will play one of the nine perfect strangers and her character's name is Carmel.

Similar Topic: Tiffany Boone joins the cast of Nine Perfect Strangers

Here is the goodreads' synopsis of Nine Perfect Strangers:

Could ten days at a health resort really change you forever?

These nine perfect strangers are about to find out...

Nine people gather at a remote health resort. Some are here to lose weight, some are here to get a reboot on life, some are here for reasons they can’t even admit to themselves. Amidst all of the luxury and pampering, the mindfulness and meditation, they know these ten days might involve some real work. But none of them could imagine just how challenging the next ten days are going to be.

Frances Welty, the formerly best-selling romantic novelist, arrives at Tranquillum House nursing a bad back, a broken heart, and an exquisitely painful paper cut. She’s immediately intrigued by her fellow guests. Most of them don’t look to be in need of a health resort at all. But the person that intrigues her most is the strange and charismatic owner/director of Tranquillum House. Could this person really have the answers Frances didn’t even know she was seeking? Should Frances put aside her doubts and immerse herself in everything Tranquillum House has to offer—or should she run while she still can?

It’s not long before every guest at Tranquillum House is asking exactly the same question.

Combining all of the hallmarks that have made Liane Moriarty's writing a go-to for anyone looking for wickedly smart, page-turning fiction that will make you laugh and gasp, Nine Perfect Strangers once again shows why she is a master of her craft.

Source material: Deadline.com

Darren Aronofsky will adapt a New York Magazine article titled 'Boss of The Beach.'

8/6/2020

Darren Aronofsky has gotten the TV rights to make the New York Magazine article titled “Boss of The Beach” into a series. The article was written by David Gauvey Herbert and it chronicles the New York City lifeguard corps but mainly focuses on Peter Stein, who has served in the NYC lifeguard corps for forty years.

Similar topic: Antoine Fuqua will direct the film adaptation of 'A Season in Bethlehem.'

Gina Kwon will oversee the project for Searchlight Television. Herbert will executive produce the project. They are currently looking for a screenwriter.

Source material: Deadline.com

Actress Courteney Cox will reprise her role in Scream 5

7/31/2020

Courteney Cox, who has acted in such book-based movie as Zoom (book title is Amazing Adventures from Zoom's Academy) is back to play Gale Weathers, the news reporter. She is the second cast member from the scream franchise to officially announced her return.

Similar topic: Actor David Arquette will reprise his role in Scream 5

Directing Scream 5 is Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (Radio Silence). The duo that directed Ready or Not and V/H/S. James Vanderbilt is writing the screenplay along with Guy Busick. Kevin Williamson will executive produce the project along with Chad Villella. William Sherak and Paul Neinsten are producers of Scream 5.

Here is the director’s duo statement about Courteney Cox returning to the franchise:
“We can’t imagine Scream without the iconic Gale Weathers and are so incredibly thrilled and humbled to have the opportunity to work with Courteney. We’re absolute mega fans of her work and we’re so excited to join her in the next chapter of the Scream saga!”

Source material: Deadline.com

Al Roker releases a book titled 'You Look So Much Better in Person: True Stories of Absurdity and Success'

7/28/2020

The anchor of Today show, Mr. Al Roker, has written a book titled You Look So Much Better in Person: True Stories of Absurdity and Success. You can currently purchase it anywhere books are sold. He offers his advice called "Altruisms" on his career.

Here is the introduction he mentioned in his book: "I have been forecasting the weather for forty years and I can't necessarily predict tomorrow's weather with 100% accuracy. How the hell will I know what I'll be doing in five years?"

He stated that the idea for this book came after he spoke at a National Association of Black Journalist conference. His publisher suggested that he should write a book about his career and lessons that he learned. Al Roker eventually agree to do it,. He said in a USA TODAY interview, "If nothing else, it’d be nice to have a collection of stories about my career before I really hit old age, because I'm forgetting more and more,"

Similar Topic: Mariah Carey will release a memoir in September 2020

He never had a desire to become a weatherman and he did not seek to be on television. "I literally had no interest in being on television," he says. “When I looked in the mirror when I was a sophomore in college, and staring back at me was a chunky, balding, glasses-wearing Black kid, I didn't look back and be like and go, 'Hey, you should be on TV, you're that good looking."

However, he gave it a try and it all worked out. Other triumph worked out as well including being in the Broadway debut of "Waitress."

He also enforce the power of team. No one makes it in life alone. No one becomes a success alone. Al Roker mentioned how his loved ones, colleagues, and mentors supported him in his journey.

"I think you’ve got to find a team," Roker says. "You’ve got to find a group of people that will help you, whether [they are] friends, family, coworkers — those are the people who are going to help you achieve your greatest achievements."

Source material: USAtoday.com

Tiffany Boone joins the cast of Nine Perfect Strangers

7/22/2020

Actress Tiffany Boone has join the cast that includes Melissa McCarthy, Samara Weaving, Nicole Kidman, Luke Evans, Melvin Gregg, and Grace Van Patten. The miniseries will be on Hulu and it is based on a book written by Liane Moriarty. Samantha Strauss, Kelley, and John Henry Butterworh are all writing the script to the miniseries. Tiffany will play Deliah, an employee of the wellness resort.

Similar Topic: Samara Weaving joins cast in Hulu’s miniseries based on a novel

Nine Perfect Strangers is executive produced by Bruna Papandrea, Steve Hutensky and Jodi Matterson for Made Up Stories, Kidman and Per Saari for Blossom Films, Liane Moriarty, Kelley, John Henry Butterworth and McCarthay.

The series will debut in 2021.

Source Material: Deadline.com

Casting director Moonyeenn Lee dies at the age of 76

7/20/2020

Moonyeen Lee, a South African casting director and agent, has died at the age of 76. She died Saturday, July 18, 2020 of complications due to COVID-19 in Joanneburg. She is survived by her daughter Cindy Lee and her son David Lee.

She has been in the film industry for 47 years and was the first South African member of AMPAS and the Television Academy. She also received Lionel Ngakane Award from the South African Film & Television Awards in 2017. Her production company's name is Moonyeenn Lee & Assoiciates (MLA). It specialize in South African films and produced the book-based film "Promised Land."

Here is the statement that her company released to the public:

“Work was central to her life. Her actors were her family. The directors and producers she worked with were all her friends. She was brutally honest, a bit too much for some, but she believed in saying things as they were. Her quick wit, her wicked sense of humour and deep understanding of her craft made her interesting company. Her family and friends will remember her for her generosity and kindness to those in need, for her fighting spirit as well as for her unwavering commitment to the local industry.”

Moonyeen Lee has been the casting director of such book-based films as The Bang Bang Club,” “Disgrace,” “Tsotsi, and “Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom.” She also worked in TV on book-based shows such as “No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency," ”“The Looming Tower,” and “Roots” (2016).

Source material: The Wrap

Samara Weaving joins cast in Hulu’s miniseries based on a novel

7/15/2020

Samara Weaving has join the cast of Hulu's limited miniseries titled Nine Perfect Strangers. Other cast members are Nicole Kidman, Melissa McCarthy, Luke Evans and Melvin Gregg. Samara Weaving is playing Jessica, one of the nine strangers.

Bruna Papandrea, Jodi Matterson, Per Sarri, Steven Hutensky, Liane Moriarty, Kelley, John Henry, Butterworth, and McCarhay are all executive producing the project. The miniseries should make its debut in 2021.

The book was written by Liane Moriarty. She is the author that wrote the book version of Big Little Lies which became a huge hit on HBO.

Here is the goodreads synopsis of Nine Perfect Strangers:

Could ten days at a health resort really change you forever?

These nine perfect strangers are about to find out...

Nine people gather at a remote health resort. Some are here to lose weight, some are here to get a reboot on life, some are here for reasons they can’t even admit to themselves. Amidst all of the luxury and pampering, the mindfulness and meditation, they know these ten days might involve some real work. But none of them could imagine just how challenging the next ten days are going to be.

Frances Welty, the formerly best-selling romantic novelist, arrives at Tranquillum House nursing a bad back, a broken heart, and an exquisitely painful paper cut. She’s immediately intrigued by her fellow guests. Most of them don’t look to be in need of a health resort at all. But the person that intrigues her most is the strange and charismatic owner/director of Tranquillum House. Could this person really have the answers Frances didn’t even know she was seeking? Should Frances put aside her doubts and immerse herself in everything Tranquillum House has to offer—or should she run while she still can?

It’s not long before every guest at Tranquillum House is asking exactly the same question.

Combining all of the hallmarks that have made Liane Moriarty's writing a go-to for anyone looking for wickedly smart, page-turning fiction that will make you laugh and gasp, Nine Perfect Strangers once again shows why she is a master of her craft.

Source material: Deadline.com

Kelly Marie Tran cast in Hulu’s horror anthology series

7/15/2020

Get your copy here

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Kelly Marie Tran is joining the cast of Hulu's anthology drama series titled Monsterland. The series is based on a collection of stories written by Nathan Ballingrud. Other castmembers are Kailtlyn Dever, Taylor Schilling and Mike Colter.

Mary Laws created the series and will written and executive produce the project. Other executive producers are Sue Naegle, Babak Anvari, Lucan Toh, and Megan Ellison.

Here is the goodreads synopsis of North American Lake Monsters:

Nathan Ballingrud's Shirley Jackson Award winning debut collection is a shattering and luminous experience not to be missed by those who love to explore the darker parts of the human psyche. Monsters, real and imagined, external and internal, are the subject. They are us and we are them and Ballingrud's intense focus makes these stories incredibly intense and irresistible.

These are love stories. And also monster stories. Sometimes these are monsters in their traditional guises, sometimes they wear the faces of parents, lovers, or ourselves. The often working-class people in these stories are driven to extremes by love. Sometimes, they are ruined; sometimes redeemed. All are faced with the loneliest corners of themselves and strive to find an escape.

Nathan Ballingrud was born in Massachusetts but has spent most of his life in the South. He worked as a bartender in New Orleans and New York City and a cook on offshore oil rigs. His story "The Monsters of Heaven" won the inaugural Shirley Jackson Award. He lives in Asheville, North Carolina, with his daughter.

Andrew McCarthy will publish "Brat: An 80s Story" memoir in 2021

7/14/2020

Andrew McCarthy is going to publish a memoir titled Brat: An 80s Story in Spring 2021. The title is referring to the famous Brat Pack of the 1980s, a group of actors/actresses that included Andrew McCarthy himself, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Demi Moore, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy and Judd Nelson. They were known to have been in teen movies such as The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day off, Sixteen Candles, St. Elmo's Fire and Pretty in Pink

Grand Central Publishing will be the company to produce the book to the masses. The publishing company is a division of Hachette Book Group.

Similar Topic: Excerpt of Jim Carrey's satirical fictional memoir titled 'Memoirs and Misinformation'

Here is Andrew McCarthy's statement about the publication:

“For years people have asked me, on a near daily basis, ‘What was it like back in the day? Routinely, I’d offer up any number of stock responses. Finally I thought, ‘Let’s take a hard look under that rock.’ What I found surprised me, at times scared me, and finally made sense of a lot of seemingly disparate parts of my life.”

Here is a statement from the publishing company on the memoir:

“a revealing look at coming of age in a maelstrom, reckoning with conflicted ambition, innocence, addiction and masculinity. New York City of the 1980’s is brought to vivid life in these pages; scoring loose joints in Washington Square Park and skipping school in favor of the dark revival houses of the Village where he fell in love with the movies that would change his life. Including personal revelations of innocence to heady days in Hollywood with John Hughes and an iconic cast of characters, Brat is a surprising and intimate story of an outsider caught up in a most unwitting success.”

This is not the first time Andrew McCarthy has written a project. He has also written for National Geographic Traveler, The Atlantic, The New York Times and other publications. He has also written a young adult novel titled Just Fly Away.

Source Material: Deadline.com

Colson Whitehead wins Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction.

7/13/2020

Colson Whitehead is being rewarded by the Library of Congress. He won the Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. By doing so, he became the youngest winner of the lifetime achievement prize. He had already broken the record in becoming the first author to win Pulitzer awards for two consecutive years.

Similar Topic: Interview with Karen Arrington, author of Your Next Level Life

Here is Mr. Whitehead's statement about this news:

“As a kid, I’d walk into great New York City libraries like the Schomburg and the Mid-Manhattan, on a field trip or for a school assignment, and feel this deep sense of awe, as if I’d stumbled into a sacred pocket in the city. I hope that right now there’s a young kid who looks like me, who sees the Library of Congress recognize Black artists and feels encouraged to pursue their own vision and find their own sacred spaces of inspiration.”

On Thursday, July 16th, airing 7 p.m., Library of Congress will discuss race in America, which would be part of the video series "Hear You, Hear Me." It will be available on Library of Congress's YouTube channel and Facebook.

A huge congrats to Mr. Colson Whitehead for of his achievement!!!!

Source material: Washington Post