February Entertainment News

It's time to play the Brothers & Sisters: One, Two & Three Degrees of Separation game. John Glover, best known as Lionel Luther on the series Smallville, joins the show as Andrew, a love interest for Uncle Saul. Funny thing is, Glover played dual Gay characters in the 1997 film Love! Valour! Compassion! which was directed by Joe Montello, who had a twelve year relationship with Brothers & Sisters creator Jon Robin Baitz. Are you writing this down? There could be a test later. Though Glover is only committed to 3 episodes, I'm hoping that this turns into the television rarity, a stable and long lasting Gay relationship. And since this isn't Grey's Anatomy, there's a good chance. Especially in light of the fact That Brothers & Sisters was developed by a Gay man, is produced by Greg Berlanti one of the best known Gay producers in television and Gay actor/writer David Marshall Grant is one of the show's writers.
In other Brothers & Sisters news, Luke Grimes will play newly discovered half sibling, Ryan when the hit ABC series returns in February. Though relatively unknown this will certainly be the career boost the 25 year-old needs. Especially since Grimes only other credit for the New Year will be an independent film titled 'Shit Year!' But there could be yet, another new brother in the future. Balthazar Getty's publicists have been working overtime trying to dispel rumors that he is leaving the show due to cast friction he caused last summer, when he left his wife and mother of their four children to play 'Hide the salami' with actress Sienna Miller. Yet this is a perfect example of a tunnel vision publicist. Insist your client doesn't want to leave Brothers & Sisters, but the elephant in the room is whether or not the series producers will fire his salami, I mean - ass. Here's another connection for you. Getty also appeared in the series Alias with Ron Rifkin who plays Uncle Saul on Brothers & Sisters. And lest we forget that Patricia Wettig, who plays the conniving Holly is married to producer Ken Olin, who costarred with here in the old ABC TV series thirtysomething. Ok, have you finished your flow chart. ****
Though he's only been a voice on the Logo channel series Rick & Steve, the Happiest Gay Couple in all the World, it's great to see the gorgeous face of Wilson Cruz appear on camera. As is the case of this month's release 'He's Not That Into You,' a relationship comedy starring Jennifer Anniston, Drew Barrymore, and Ben Affleck opening Feb. 6th. Wilson recently complete a role in The Ode. The independent film is based on the novel by Ghalib Shiraz Dhalla about a gay Indian who flees his conservative mother in India only to fall into the dangerous self indulgent world of Hollywood nightlife. Wilson has also complete a film called 'The People I've Slept With,' (sorry, it's not autobiographical) and will next appear in Convincing Clooney with Roseanna Arquette and French Stewart (3rd Rock from the Sun.) ***
Watch out Tyra Banks, here comes competition for America's Next Top Model and it's coming from non other than - RuPaul. Leave it to the powers that be to come up with 'RuPaul's Drag Race, the first reality show drag queen competition. RuPaul will have dual roles appearing in his better known glamazon persona to judge the contestants and in male form as Mr. RuPaul giving advice while channeling Tim Gunn. Premiering February 2 on Logo, the winner will receive a $5000 gift certificate to Sephora and a trophy shaped like J. Edgar Hoover. Well, not really, but Logo isn't exactly known for having high production budgets. ***
Russell Tovey is an out British actor is also out of the running as the new Doctor Who, but British audiences will see him in this month's telly-film Being Human. Sounding like a lost episode from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the story has Tovey playing a werewolf who moves into a flat with a vampire roommate only to discovery the place is haunted by the last tenant. Can you get your deposit back for that sort of thing? The screenplay was written by Toby Whithouse who, ironically, has written for both Doctor Who and Torchwood. *** Tired of waiting for the new season of Project Runway you can get a dose of season one winner, Jay McCarroll with the February 20th premiere of "Eleven Minutes" a documentary about the fashion designer. The project will air on the here! TV subscription channel on the same day it opens a limited release at independent film houses. ***
The Universe of Keith Haring, an independent film on the late artist will air on Logo Feb. 28th as part of the new documentary series Real Momentum. The series debuted last month with Equality U, about a group of Gay supportive college students who organized protests at religous colleges across the country. If you don't have Logo on your cable system, episodes of Real Momentum will also be streamed in Afterelton.com. ***
As Valentine's Day looms around the corner, it's perfect timing for the return of Bravo's The Millionaire Matchmaker on Feb. 12th. Those who enjoy watching matchmaker Patti Stanger go through the motions and struggles to find the perfect match to the single and wealthy should enjoy the new season as one of Patty's clients is a Gay millionaire. What minute, a SINGLE Gay millionaire? How can he be a millionaire and not be able to "afford" a decent boyfriend? Has he never heard of Craigslist? ***
The Amazing Race returns to CBS on February 15th and brings with it, one contestant pair which features 68 year old Gay father, Mel White who came out to his family when his son Mike was only 11. His game partner is Mike who is best know as the screenwriter of the Jack Black films Nacho Libre and School of Rock. Wow, those movies had scripts???
*** Having successfully reshaped the fashion houses of Gucci and Yves St. Laurent, Tom Ford is heading into a new career, making his directorial debut with the motion picture A Single Man. Ford is working from his own screenplay, based on the Christopher Isherwood novel about an English professor coping with the sudden death of his partner. Colin Firth (Mama Mia) plays George and Matthew Goode (Brideshead Revisited) his late partner in flashbacks. Also in the cast are Ginnifer Goodwin (Big Love), Julianne Moore (Boogie Nights) and Nicholas Hoult who plays a sexually confused student. I guess that is a change from his role as a sexually promiscuous teen in the BBC series Skins. ***
Firth also stars in Easy Virtue which hits American shores in May. The film is based on the Noel Coward play but features a twisted adaptation by Stephan Elliott (The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert.) Elliot describes the work as 20% Coward and the rest is
new with much more comedy. The story follows John Whitaker (Ben Barnes) who brings home his new American bride (Jessica Biel) only to see her turn his family's British stuffiness inside out. Firth joins Kristin Scott Thomas (Four Weddings and a Funeral) as the snobby parents. Elliott is already onto his next production, Black Oasis. It stars Rodrigo Santoro (Lost) and Rose McGowan (Charmed) in the story of B-movie actress Susan Cabot, best known for roles in such classics as The Wasp Women, War of the Satellites and my personal favorite The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent. The piece that makes her story film worthy is the fact that she was murdered by her dwarf son in 1986. Can you believe that neither John Waters nor David Lynch jumped on this project first.