Wilson Hospitalized, Extras Hurt on Cruise Set
September 2007 News
Wedding Crashers star attempts suicide: Owen Wilson was hospitalized August 26 after apparently trying to kill himself. The 38-year-old actor reportedly slashed his wrists and took an overdose of pills at his home in Santa Monica. "I respectfully ask that the media allow me to receive care and heal in private during this difficult time," Wilson said in a statement, his only public comment so far about the incident. Wilson subsequently dropped out of the cast of Tropic Thunder, an ensemble comedy directed by his friend and frequent collaborator Ben Stiller.
Extras hurt in Valkyrie accident: Eleven extras were injured August 20 on the set of Valkyrie, a World War II drama starring Tom Cruise (right). According to United Artists, the extras were in a truck and fell when some of the truck's slats gave way while scenes were being shot near the Finance Ministry in Berlin, Germany. Ten of those hurt were treated for minor injuries, and one was sent to a hospital overnight but did not, according to the studio, have any serious injuries.
Stewart honored with stamp: On August 16, the U.S. Postal Service released a new 41-cent stamp dedicated to Jimmy Stewart. The actor was honored for his offscreen exploits (he flew 20 bombing missions over Germany during World War II) as well as for his performances in The Philadelphia Story, Rear Window, and other movie classics.
My Big Fat Greek Lawsuit: Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, and My Big Fat Greek Wedding star Nia Vardalos have sued Gold Circle Films, one of the film's producers. According to the suit, Gold Circle has miscalculated the film's aggregate profits by $83 million, and thus has not fully paid Hanks, Wilson and Vardalos their percentage. Scott Niemeyer, one of Gold Circle's principals, called the suit frivolous, and said the plaintiffs have already been paid over $44 million.
Casting/development roundup: Smoke House productions, George Clooney's production company, is developing a script for Escape from Tehran, based on a Wired article about a CIA agent who rescued six Americans from Iran during the hostage crisis. If approved for production, the film may get Clooney to direct and star.
Vince Lombardi, the celebrated coach of the Green Bay Packers, will be the subject of the National Football League's first feature film venture. Although the league has been involved in marketing, licensing and other areas for telepics and features, Charles Coplin, the VP of programming, said this was the first time the NFL had been involved in such a project from the start. The NFL will produce the biopic along with Andrew Hauptman's Andell Entertainment and Chris Olsen.
Renee Zellweger, Ed Harris, and Viggo Mortensen will star in Apaloosa, a western drama adapted by Harris and Robert Knott from a novel by Robert B. Parker; Chris Noth will reprise his role as Mr. Big in the feature-film adaptation of HBO's Sex and the City; and Ben Affleck is in talks to join Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Connelly, and Scarlett Johansson for the ensemble comedy He's Just Not That Into You.
In memoriam: Writer-director Mel Shaverson died August 8 at his home in Studio City. Shaverson, who got his start writing radio gags for Bob Hope, wrote or co-wrote over thirty films, and directed a dozen films; he received Academy Award nominations for The Seven Little Foys, starring Hope, and Houseboat, with Cary Grant and Sophia Loren. Shaverson was 90.
