Daily News
News for 04 November 2009
Martin and Baldwin confirmed as Oscars co-hosts!

When the news broke last week that Hugh Jackman would not be reprising his stint as the Oscars‘ host, The Academy rolled up their socks in a bid to find a suitable replacement. Enter stage left a pair of comedy titans; Messrs Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin.

The producers of the annual shindig commented thus; "We think the team of Steve and Alec are the perfect pair of hosts for the Oscars…Steve will bring the experience of having hosted the show in the past and Alec will be a completely fresh personality for this event."

Martin is an old hat at this sort thing having hosted the 73rd and 75th editions of the glitzy bash to Emmy–winning effect.

"I am happy to co–host the Oscars with my enemy Alec Baldwin," said Martin. The pair were recently seen sparring with each other in an episode of "30 Rock". Martin is currently touring the UK with his Grammy Award–winning bluegrass band, the Steep Canyon Rangers.

"I don‘t play the banjo but I‘m thrilled to be hosting the Oscars – it‘s the opportunity of a lifetime," fired back Baldwin.
LaBeouf and Gosling venture to "The Wettest County in the World"

With "The Road" finally making its long–awaited bow in the States, after suitably impressing at last week‘s London Film Festival, director John Hillcoat can turn his attention to future projects. The in–demand helmer looks on course to adapt "The Wettest County in the World" for the big screen and has even managed to bag himself a pair of young, hot stars.

AtomicPopcorn spoke briefly with Hillcoat during his publicity tour for "The Road" and the director confirmed that Shia LaBeouf and Ryan Gosling are interested in relocating to his "Wettest County".

He describes the film as "West Virginia, moonshine, backwoods, and Prohibition. Nick Cave has written the script and we‘ve got a phenomenal cast." Speaking about the attached cast, he says "Ryan Gosling and Shia LaBeouf. But yeah, I shouldn‘t really talk about it cause it‘s in the middle of all sorts of stuff."

This would mark the third time that Hillcoat has collaborated with Cave after "The Proposition" and "The Road" and there are still hints that the pair may resurrect their TV project, "The Death of Bunny Munro" – a trippy road movie based on Cave‘s recent novel.