Daniel Day Lewis Photo as Abraham Lincoln subsequently subsequently Hits the internet

The trial to discover who controls the tv rights for the Golden Globe Honours is becoming scheduled to start The month of the month of january 24, a little more when compared to a week following a honours are held.our editor recommendsGolden Globes Trial Won't Begin Before March 2012Golden Globes Trial: Inside Among TV's Messiest, Nastiest BattlesGolden Globes Trial: Witness List Includes CBS' Ces Moonves, NBC's Marc Graboff, and Dick ClarkRelated Subjects•Golden Globes 2012 The final outcome around the trial date was determined in the status conference Wednesday with federal Judge Howard A. Matz and lawyers for your Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which puts round the honours, and Dick Clark Productions, its longtime producer in the popular honours show. PHOTOS: 8 Possible Hollywood Targets for Ough Gervais within the Golden Globes The HFPA has mentioned it wants an early on trial date while not the one that falls between February which summer time, when its lead attorney Daniel Petrocelli might be unavailable. DCP has contended for just about any March trial date, proclaiming that an early on date might hinder the show and diminish the honours. The Golden Globes occur Sunday Jan. 15, and so the judge has handled to choose to begin dating ? that's early but does not hinder the telecast. PHOTOS: Golden Globe Honours' Most Memorable Moments The trial happen to be scheduled to start the 2009 September nevertheless the judge inside the situation increased being ill and required to withdraw. She was transformed by Matz, who recently asked for both sides to provide him getting a standing group of the problem, including all of the witnesses they wish to call. With this particular in hands, the judge made his request the date. The problem involves claims by DCP it holds the legal right to result in the Globes as extended since the show stays round the NBC network inside the U.S. The HFPA states this is a misinterpretation of earlier contracts, so it desires to put the rights for the telecast up for auction for the finest bidder. DCP developed a deal with NBC to continue the telecast through 2018 without any permission in the HFPA. The telecast is scheduled to air on NBC this The month of the month of january with various one-year deal designed and also hardwearing . franchise going as everything is legally contested. PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery Golden Globes: Most Memorable Moments Related Subjects Golden Globes Golden Globes 2012

Keck's Exclusives: Chord Overstreet on His Return to Glee

Chord Overstreet When Chord Overstreet failed to come to contractual terms with the producers of Glee over the summer, his character, Sam Evans, was abruptly written off. (In the season premiere, it was explained that his out-of-work father had landed a job in Kentucky.) On December 6, viewers finally get some resolution when Chord returns to McKinley High just when New Directions needs him most. "Finn and Rachel come find me and ask my parents if I can come back to help them win Sectionals," previews Chord. "Rachel says I can stay at one of their houses, and then everything picks up where it left off." Unsure exactly how long Sam will be sticking around, the actor says, "It's undetermined at the moment. I'm just having fun, and Mark [Salling], Cory [Monteith], Harry [Shum, Jr.] and Kevin [McHale] were especially glad to welcome me back." Extra fun was meeting his equally blonde TV parents, Mary and Dwight, played by soap actress Tanya Clarke and former The Dukes of Hazzard heartthrob, John Schneider. "John and I were doing impressions off set the whole time," says Chord. "He does a great Christopher Walken and Sean Connery and I do Matthew McConaughey." The only downside to rejoining the series: "My body was not used to the dancing. The first day back in the dance studio, we had three songs to do for Sectionals, and the next day my hamstrings couldn't move. And I had to go right back to dancing again." Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!

ZACH and Other Theaters Make Austin a Magnet for Talent

Austin, the capital city of the Lone Star State, has plenty going for it. Kiplinger magazine ranked it number one on its "Best Cities 2010" list, and the city is third on CNNMoney.com's roster of "America's Most Recession-Proof Cities."Clearly, Austin is doing something right. It has long been defined by its music scene, which is how it became home to the popular and growing South by Southwest festival. But Austin has emerged as more than just a base for music. In fact, it has become a mecca for theatrical and visual arts as well. So what makes the city such a bastion of creative energy?"Historically, you can blame the University of Texas," says Robert Faires, senior arts editor of The Austin Chronicle. "Since the 1880s, it's been drawing creative types from all over the statemost of whom felt like lonely outsiders in their small hometownsto this spot in the heart of Texas. They all discover one another here and begin to interact, and then the creativity just begins breeding. Because it's so fulfilling for them creatively here, they decide not to leave.""We're a blue oasis in a red state," echoes Dave Steakley, the producing artistic director of Austin theater ZACH for more than 20 years. "People, even politicians, come from the conservative parts of the state to be their true selves. It's an unbelievably desirable place to live."If there is anyone who has his finger on Austin's artistic pulse, it's Steakley, who has shepherded ZACH to its position as the linchpin of the Austin arts scene. Founded in 1933 as the Austin Civic Theatre, ZACH (renamed in 1968 for Zachary Scott, the Austin-born actor best known for the Hollywood classic "Mildred Pierce") is the longest-running theater in Texas and one of 10 original resident theater companies in the United States. Steakley credits Austin's music scene for the dialogue ZACH creates between performer and audience. "We're a highly participatory people," he explained. "We're a visceral people. We talk back to the performers onstage; we're used to that give-and-take in nightclubs. And that bleeds over into the other areas of the performing arts."Building on this, Steakley opts to create visceral works that break down barriers. Shows have included a bilingual production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's "Jesus Christ Superstar" titled "Jesucristo Superestrella," a jazz-R&B adaptation of Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess" set in Katrina-ravaged New Orleans, and "Keepin' It Weird," a Steakley-penned paean to Austin itself.He also views ZACH as an incubator for artists. The theater nurtured the Anna Deavere Smith solo piece "Let Me Down Easy" and provided the space for Suzan-Lori Parks to extensively rewrite her drama "The Book of Grace." The published version of "Grace" comes from the work done at ZACH."ZACH catches the vibe of Austin in a lot of waysthrough music, humor, politics, storytelling," says award-winning playwright Steven Dietz, who teaches in the graduate playwriting division at the University of Texas and has directed such productions as "Doubt" and his own play "Becky's New Car" at ZACH. Dietz has penned an adaptation of "La Ronde" titled "360 (round dance)" to be performed at the venue. "I don't think it's the job of a theater to strive to be different than other theaters but to strive to be true to itself. And ZACHwith Dave's leadershipmanages to do that."Elisbeth Challener, managing director of ZACH, also credits the friendliness of Austinites for establishing an emotional connection with the theater. "People really care here," Challener says. "There's no veneer of Southern hospitalityit's real. People ask if they can help, they'll give recommendations of things to see, and then they'll follow up." Challener views ZACH as a meeting tent for audiences and prides herself on the intimacy that occurs throughout the performance space. She also points out the importance of staging both musicals and plays, since the two forms of entertainment are equally relevant to audiences. A Part of the Community Challener and Steakley wax as enthusiastically about the entire Austin artistic scene as they do about their own venue. They feel that ZACH has a responsibility to the city and view themselves as part of the greater community.Such thought has governed the Topfer Theatre Campaign, a landmark redesign in which ZACH will reopen in 2012 with a new home on the banks of Lady Bird Lake that will include a 420-seat theater. Designed by Andersson-Wise Architects (which also designed Austin's W Hotel and the Austin City Limits Live at the Moody Theater), the theater's Karen Kuykendall Stage will be three and a half times larger than ZACH's current Kleberg Stage. Challener views ZACH as a community gathering space, and every aspect of the expansion supports the mindset. The new lobby will overlook the Austin skyline, and audience members will be encouraged to stay for drinks at the bar after the show, when the actors will join them."I don't know that there's a theater in Austin that has a deeper commitment to community," Faires says, "and so much of that is driven by Steakley. He makes work for Austin, and his productions have the spirit of the city pulsing through them. He also has a company of some of the sharpest and funniest comedic actors in town." Many of the actors who work with ZACH match Faires' passion. "ZACH has created such a tremendous sense of family both inside and outside of the organization," says actor Martin Burke, who has appeared in many ZACH productions and can be seen this season in a revival of "The Laramie Project," David Sedaris' "The Santaland Diaries," and "Fully Committed." "We are so intimately related to each other, to our audiences, that the performances transcend mere presentation and entertainment," continues Burke. "We all go on a journey, and our lives expand because of it." Other upcoming ZACH productions this season include Tony winners "Spring Awakening," "God of Carnage," and "Next to Normal." The company conducts open casting calls in central Texas for all shows and also holds calls in NY City to cast specific parts, with a mix of Equity and non-Equity performers in most productions. Both "Awakening" and "Carnage" include actors found through NY casting calls."ZACH could not exist in any other city," says Barbara Chisholm, voted best actress in The Austin Chronicle's "Best of Austin 2011" poll. Chisholm, who is married to Faires, seconds Burke's contention that the theater's success depends a great deal on audience engagement. "ZACH audiences lean forward; they don't sit back with arms folded. Because the spaces are intimate, audiences feel keenly their participation with the art on the stage. Visiting artists comment on this communal aspect all the time.""The creative energy never stops flowing in Austin, and artists are always trying something new, which I love," Faires explains. "It isn't that people here don't love the classics, but they're much more interested in making something original. I'm always knocked out by the amount of new theater being generated hereone out of every four plays produced in Austin was either written locally or commissioned by a local company. And there's a hugely collaborative spirit among the artists, a friendliness and sense of support that makes Austin feel very much like a creative community [rather] than just a competitive little scene."Mechanicals and Cranks ZACH is one of many performing arts outlets in Austin. The Rude Mechanicals re-create historic productions from the last half-century; the current offering is a restaging of Mabou Mines' 1974 work "The B. Beaver Animation." Faires describes the company as being "as brave and committed and funny a troupe of theater makers as you could hope to meet." Its original production "The Method Gun" was a hit at the Humana Festival of New American Plays at the Actors Theatre of Louisville, in Louisville, Ky., and played Off-Broadway, and there are plans for a tour of Australia. Crank Collective offers satirical musical comedies with a live band, typically with an unconventional theme. This winter saw "Drone," a musical about two pilots finding romance while they control surveillance aircraft near the Texas border; the production received a 2011 Austin Critics Table Award nomination for best musical. The upcoming show, "Antarctica," centers on a descendant of polar explorer Ernest Shackleton who mounts a musical on a cruise ship. John Cecil, part of Crank Collective, appreciates the fusion of music and theater in Austin. "The 'music' part of musical theater is pretty exciting, since there are lots of musicians available here and interested in new projects," he says. Faires also cites the experimental group Rubber Repertory as not just a company to watch but also another one that fosters a rapport between stage and audience. "Rubber Repertory is like the theatrical equivalent of a craft microbrewery, making these amazingly original shows that create an individual experience for each audience member without sacrificing the communal nature of the theatrical experience," he says. "They're so far outside the box that you can't quite remember what the box looked like.""Artistic cachet in Austin seems to be based not on fame or success but on a kind of dogged fearlessness, a boundary-busting, authority-questioning aesthetic that values newness and shrewdness over familiarity and comfort," Dietz says. The city's artistically nurturing spirit shows no sign of stopping any time soon. Perhaps Chisholm says it best: "There's possibility in the air we breathe and the tacos we eat."

Mila Kunis: Actress, Television Star, Amateur Doctor

A journalist's worst nightmare: completely losing your voice before interviewing a movie star. You can't always reschedule -- the actor may be shooting a movie or promoting a cause or vacationing in Tahiti -- but, if it happens, all hope is not lost. Just call Dr. Mila Kunis. In a story for GQ, writer Michael Idov had the unfortunate timing of getting sick 12 hours before he was supposed to speak with Kunis. As he says, "the only sound my throat [was] capable of delivering [was] a deeply creepy rasp best suited to the phrase, get in my van." Thankfully, Mila came to the rescue. After grabbing hot miso soup at a Japanese restaurant, the two pick up some Buckley's cough syrup at a local drug store and headed back to Kunis's apartment. There, she cooked up a medicinal, vitamin-laced, booze-filled concoction to help cure Idov's throat. Kunis starts making us hot tea when she gets a better idea. 'Let's get some Cabernet going,' she says. 'It'll make you feel better and it will make you drunk.' She hands me a Grgich Hills Cabernet Franc... Into the saucepan it goes, followed by an avalanche of green-tea powder ('It's vitamins!'), two gelcaps of fish oil...apple-cider vinegar...and Ayurvedic chai... The melted gelcaps have coated the saucepan's bottom, while the released fish oil blots the surface. 'If I'm drinking this,' I say, 'you're drinking this.' Kunis nods. 'Yeah, I'll get wasted with you on this wine. F-ck it. It's good for you!' Suddenly she remembers something and dashes to the freezer. -I have vodka and I have tequila. What do you think kills germs better?'... 'Aw, s-it,' is all I manage in response as Kunis upends half a bottle of Ketel One into the mix. 'There. Healthy! This will kill everything.' So did Kunis's recipe help cure the cough? Idov says he felt better (no kidding). If only all of our interviews with movie stars went like this. Other than Idov's throat, the two discuss Kunis' acting career as well as her upcoming role in 'Oz: The Great and Powerful.' The entire piece is definitely worth a read. Check it out over on GQ.com [via GQ] [Photo: JJ/bauergriffinonline.com] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

Thesps ready to 'Snitch'

Melina Kanakaredes, Rafi Gavron and Nadine Velazquez have signed on to round out the cast of Ric Roman Waugh's action thriller "Snitch," which is a co-production between Exclusive Media Group, Participant Media and Imagenation Abu Dhabi that will be released in the U.S. by Summit Entertainment. Inspired by true events, "Snitch" stars Dwayne Johnson as a suburban father who's forced to risk his life and become an informant for the DEA in order to reduce his wrongly-accused son's 10-year jail sentence. Susan Sarandon, Barry Pepper, Jon Bernthal and Michael K. Williams co-star. Gavron will play Johnson's son, while Velazquez and Kanakaredes will play his wife and ex-wife, respectively. Johnson will produce the film with Dany Garcia and David Fanning, as well as Exclusive, Participant and Imagenation Abu Dhabi. Justin Haythe ("Revolutionary Road") wrote the script and will exec produce the pic, which starts shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana next month. Waugh performed a rewrite and is also expected to receive a writing credit. Kanakaredes rose to prominence on NBC's "Providence" and went on to star alongside Gary Sinise on "CSI: NY." She recently played Athena in "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief." Gavron, who next stars alongside Henry Cavill and Bruce Willis in Summit's thriller "The Cold Light of Day," got his start playing a teenage burglar in Anthony Minghella's "Breaking and Entering." Thesp recently appeared in "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" and will soon be seen in the indie "Celeste and Jesse Forever" as well as on NBC's "Parenthood." Velazquez starred on NBC's "My Name Is Earl" and can currently be seen on FX's "The League." Gavron is repped by ICM, Affirmative Entertainment and Emptage Hallett, while WME reps Kanakaredes. Velazquez is repped by Gersh and Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment. Contact Jeff Sneider at jeff.sneider@variety.com

NBC shuts lower production on 'Suspect'

NBC is shutting lower production on "Prime Suspect." Show continued to be inside the lurch following Monday's announcement the Maria Bello starrer wouldn't have a very devote the midseason schedule. Procedural, from Universal Television, presently airs at 10 p.m. Thursday and may be transformed by "The Firm," which begins its regular run Jan. 12. "Prime Suspect" has extended been a well known in the network and topper Bob Greenblatt, but audiences haven't recognized the skein. "Suspect" is calculating single.6 rating/4 participate the 18-49 demo and 5.8 million total audiences. In trying to create some viewer retention, Greenblatt double-pumped the show -- running it two occasions in one week -- nevertheless the amounts haven't enhanced. Because the skein isn't formally canceled, the halt in production likely means the show will probably be permanently in the air after its 13-episode order. With only "Up With The Evening" and "Grimm" really the only new shows working well round the NBC sked, internet is searching toward midseason. Not merely will "The Firm" debut, but Greenblatt has high anticipation for your Katharine McPhee-Debra Playing starrer "Smash." And there's also the return on reality hit "The Voice," which starts its second season Feb. 6. Contact Stuart Levine at stuart.levine@variety.com

'Hunger Games' Trailer: What the Movie Buffs Are Saying

Lionsgate The first full-length trailer for The Hunger Games premiered on Monday, and, according to the reactions of film experts, the odds seem to be ever in the Lionsgate film's favor.our editor recommendsThe Hunger Games Official Character Posters 'Hunger Games' Trailer Premieres, Reveals the Dark World of Panem (Video)'The Hunger Games' Director Gary Ross Promises 'Hugely Epic' Things to Come10 Biggest Book-to-Big Screen Adaptations of the Last 25 Years Set for a March 2012 release, the film based on the novel by Suzanne Collins features Jennifer Lawrence as 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives in the futuristic world of Panem. PHOTOS: The Hunger Games Official Character Posters The trailer shows Katniss illegally hunting in the outskirts of her District 12 with Gale (Liam Hemsworth), and then volunteering for the Games when her sister is chosen in the reaping. Viewers get to see glimpses of Katniss and fellow tribute Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) training for the games, and the final scene is of the 24 tributes being dropped into the deathly competition. Overall, initial opinions of the trailer were favorable, although some experts are curious how the rest of the Gary Ross-helmed film will play out. "It's a tonally interesting bit of world building based on the footage we've seen here, and I'm really liking the sense of reality that the trailer establishes," writes HitFix's Drew McWeeny. PHOTOS: 'Hunger Games' First Look: Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson "Jennifer Lawrence looks like she's going to be a strong presence as Katniss Everdeen," he added. "What we're not quite sold on is Ross' take on the futuristic dystopia; somewhere between Gattaca and Speed Racer, it's sort of distinctive, but the Lady Gaga-by-way-of-Aeon Flux look of Banks and Tucci, and Wes Bentley's indescribable facial hair, could risk coming off as silly at great length," wrote Oliver Lyttelton of Indiewire. "And, while we're sure that the goods are being kept under wraps for now (and it's refreshing to see a trailer that doesn't give everything away), we do hope that the games themselves involve more than people running through a field," added Lyttelton. VIDEO: 'Hunger Games' Trailer Premieres, Reveals the Dark World of Panem "Director Gary Ross seems to have gone all out in capturing the Capitol's opulence with the garish Effie Trinket, played by Elizabeth Banks, cheerfully determining the fates of these impoverished kids," wrote The Los Angeles Times' Nicole Sperling. "I can't think of a more brilliant way to end the trailer to director Gary Ross' movie than watching a terrified Katniss and Peeta, played by Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson, racing for their backpacks and the protection of the woods," wrote Entertainment Weekly's Karen Valby. "The smartest move made with the two-and-a-half minute trailer was showing everything leading up to the games. The only glimpse we get inside the arena comes at the very end, as the Tributes rush the cornicopia and pick up their weapons," wrote Jarett Wieselman of The Insider. "From Jennifer Lawrence's steely gaze to the look of the Capitol to the perfect hair of Elizabeth Banks and Stanley Tucci, as Effie Trinket and Caesar Flickerman respectively, the first trailer for 'The Hunger Games' looks exactly like fans of the book would want it to look," wrote Moviefone's Christopher Rosen. View the full Hunger Games trailer here. Josh Hutcherson Liam Hemsworth Jennifer Lawrence Hunger Games

Henry Cavill Talks 'Man Of Steel' And 'Immortals' On Tonight Show

Henry Cavill won't burst towards the scene as Superman for some time yet, but you will obtain a first good think about the guy to use it-hero mode a couple of days ago while using relieve "Immortals." The actor came out round the Tonight Show now to go over his new movie, which he offered up a good deal on his "Guy of Steel" routine too. We've got the whole rundown on his appearance right the following. Have a look at more comic movie news beyond the break! Interested In "Question Lady" Why has it taken this type of very long time for Question Lady making it for the silver screen? Current "Question Lady" author John Azzarello and artist High high cliff Chiang considered in round the subject in the new interview, with Chiang fighting that it is perfect time for just about any "Question Lady" movie to happen. Going "Beneath The Dome" "Y: The Ultimate Guy" and "Ex Machina" creator John K. Vaughan might be the man to evolve Stephen King's "Beneath the Dome" for Showtime. Vaughan's most broadly noted for his be employed in comics, but more youthful crowd held an worker author position on "Lost" for 3 seasons in the hit ABC series. As Damon Lindelof remarked, the Vaughan-King collaboration is essentially "the chocolate meets peanut butter of writing." Mickey Rourke Jams "Iron Guy 2" Team Count Rourke one of the a few who didn't take proper care of "Iron Guy 2." The actor had strong items to say of his collaborators at Marvel in addition to their decision to go away the most effective regions of Whiplash on the floor, within the words. Have a look inside the video below. Reveal everything you consider current day Splash Page roundup inside the comments and also on Twitter!

Rufus Sewell On For Paradise Lost

He's playing SamaelAlex Proyas is digging into his phone contacts list for the latest piece of Paradise Lost casting, as he's now added Dark City star Rufus Sewell to the ensemble. Sewell will play Samael, an ardent supporter of Lucifer (Bradley Cooper) and the one partly responsible for the huge scrap in Heaven when he convinces the troubled archangel to kick up a rebellion.Paradise Lost follows the fallout of that fateful decision, which is also sparked by Lucifer's disgust at God's love for his latest creations, Adam (Diego Boneta) and Eve (Camilla Belle).Also in the cast are Ben Walker, Casey Affleck, Sam Reid, Callan McAuliffe, Dominic Purcell and Djimon Hounsou.Sewell last showed up in The Tourist, and he'll next be seen as a villain in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, which also features Walker as the title character.Proyas is gearing up to start shooting the predominately performance-captured film this coming January in Australia.

'Harold & Kumar' cast ready for more

Sue Kroll and Todd Strauss-Schulson pose together as New Line Cinema presents the Los Angeles Premiere of "A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas" at The Chinese Theater in Hollywood, CA on Wednesday, November 2, 2011. (Alex J. Berliner/ABImages) Neil Patrick Harris and Tom Lennon; left, Warner's Sue Kroll with Todd Strauss-Schulson Kal Penn, Danny Trejo and John Cho gather at the Chinese Theater to offer up their take on the holidays. John Cho found it downright surreal to return as Harold Lee in New Line's "A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas," which preemed Nov. 2 at the Chinese. "First off, we shot it in Detroit during the hottest summer ever," Cho recalled during the yuletide-themed afterparty at the Supper Club. "If you'd asked me seven years ago whether we'd be getting a third film out of these characters, I would have said no." Cho's ready for a fourth go-around, noting, "It will work getting them to age, maybe as 50-year-olds." Neil Patrick Harris is good to go too, adding, "I love doing these -- it's five days work and then a great party nine months later. I think there should be a 'Harold & Kumar' marathon on TBS." First-time helmer Todd Strauss-Schulson admits that he's still a bit stunned to be directing a Christmas movie. "I'm a Jew, so what do I know from Christmas?" he mused. "I've always loved the old Christmas movies like 'Miracle on 34th Street' and 'Home Alone.'? " Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

John Cho on A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas, Meeting the World's Leaders, and Talking Basketball with the President

The sweetest feel-good flick of the holiday season may well be the one about two ex-BFFs, who’d once gone in search of White Castle sliders and tangled with Homeland Security, who reunite on Christmas Eve to hunt down the perfect fir, crossing paths with drug-sniffing babies, Ukrainian gangsters, and a sweater-clad Danny Trejo along the way. Stoner heroes Harold and Kumar have come a long way since 2004 — and so has co-star John Cho, who sat down with Movieline recently to talk H&K, career moves, and his encounters with the likes of U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and President Obama. And why shouldn’t the leaders of the world mingle with Cho and sometimes-White House staffer Kal Penn? In three films, their Harold and Kumar characters have grown into American cinematic heroes of a sort, post-racial emblems of a generation balancing budding responsibility with the occasional marijuana puff. There’s a surprising amount of well-intentioned life lessons to be found in the franchise’s latest holiday-themed installment, which Cho succinctly describes as “both a perversion of and an homage to” seasonal classics like A Christmas Story and the entire Rankin/Bass oeuvre. Read on as Cho shares his thoughts on the Harold & Kumar franchise, the shenanigans he was afraid of his mother seeing, and what he talked about upon meeting President Obama and various other political and cultural luminaries. How long had a Christmas movie specifically been in the works for Harold and Kumar, and why did it make sense? Well, the first question — I feel like it was in the works as soon as the project was in the works. It was 3-D and Christmas, all kind of a bundle idea. How does it fit? For me, there are a lot of things. We wanted to age the characters. I couldn’t imagine doing a movie set a minute after the second one, it just didn’t feel like we could keep them at 23 or however old they were. And I was interested in playing something else, having them in different circumstances. The first movie was sort of this race polemic in a lot of ways, and the second one was this goof on political satire; I didn’t think we could keep that going with a third one. How far can we go with this particular direction? So they pitched this idea of a Christmas movie and I thought it seemed radical to then go very traditional, ironically. So it’s perfect. It’s a Christmas movie that hits all the beats of a holiday film, but at the same time it is completely and totally a Harold and Kumar story. Right — it’s both a perversion of and an homage to, you know? It’s also self-aware, in that the film acknowledges perceived criticisms out of the gate. You have a line about the necessity of 3-D, there’s a conversation about jumping the shark… Well, that’s become the language of our movies at this point, to goof on ourselves and to goof on whatever we’re doing. Somehow they get away with it — we’ve always had our cake and eaten it, too. We bring up stereotypes and then make fun of them, so we’re kind of guilty of bringing them up in the first place but we make fun of them, too. [A plate of sliders is brought in for Cho.] You want a burger? No, thanks. No waffles at this junket? No waffles. [Pause] So that’s kind of been our thing now at this point. We just do both things. Going back to the first question, by the way, the most important thing that happened, I think, between the second and the third one in our real lives, is that Neil [Patrick Harris] came out! So there was this whole thing, he was this cooze-hound. [Laughs] This was the opportunity for a fun joke here. That was a brilliant move. Hayden [Schlossberg] and Jon [Hurwitz] have written all three Harold & Kumar movies. I’m curious as to how collaborative they are with you and Kal… They do their thing and we sit in awe of them, really. That’s kind of more the process. They run it by us and I figure if we had a real problem we could definitely say something. We’re so close at this point. Really, we’re friends; we go to each other’s weddings and all that stuff. I was concerned about some things in this script but I kept my mouth shut because I do feel like if I start tampering with it, because of my vanity or my own values, they wouldn’t be Harold & Kumar movies anymore. I don’t want to mess with a winning formula. What sort of things do you mean? [SPOILERS] I was concerned about the baby — the drug baby. [Laughs] I was concerned about the penis on the pole… [END SPOILERS] Were you worried that audiences would reject those gags? Well, just that my mother would see it at some point. I just felt like maybe it was… embarrassing to family? How does your family feel about this character? I mean, certainly your other work, even Sulu in Star Trek, should make up for any embarrassing scenes from Harold & Kumar. Maybe. I mean I’ve done stuff that’s more… I mean, Sulu is an important character that marked an advance for Asians in pop culture. Yes — I would argue that Harold and Kumar are, too! They totally are. But you know, from my mother’s point of view — which is the relevant point of view, the most important point of view — she has other things to talk about as well. She liked Flash Forward, she liked Star Trek. But honestly, they love these movies too in the sense that I think what we get away with is they’re kind of well-meaning dudes, and the movies are well-intentioned. We get away with stuff, it’s kind of surprising. Most of all to me. That underlying heart and sweetness makes Harold & Kumar stand out within the category of so-called stoner movies, but this installment in particular seems to be advocating on behalf of responsible drug use — at the end, marijuana brings friends together. You’re right, maybe it could be read that way. Also, I feel like what was nice about aging the characters was that the audience aged and it was a nod to them. Harold and Kumar, though older, are still the same guys at their core. So it was a nod to our audiences as well. I see it as a valentine to them, too. Do you feel something similar with the American Pie franchise, which has another sequel coming out that sees familiar characters come back years later? Yes. We did a reunion movie now, so I think it’ll be interesting as the people who were in high school when the first movie came out have now gone to their ten-year reunion, which is crazy. It’ll be another way to relate to that movie. Kal mentioned that he doesn’t think of the Harold & Kumar franchise as a stoner series. You know, it never really sunk in that we were in a stoner movie because we don’t spend much of the movie being high. There’s basically about two scenes per movie where we’re smoking weed, and then the rest of the movie we’re stone cold sober and pissed. And the third one doesn’t really have a fantasy — Weed sequence! Well, there was a Russian belladonna scene, the Claymation sequence. But we didn’t have a romance-weed sequence, either. That was my one regret. I love watching that stuff. The suspension of disbelief runs strongly within me. You share scenes with Danny Trejo, who plays your disapproving — but Christmas-obsessed — father-in-law. Is he scary in real life… when he’s wearing a silly Christmas sweater? Slightly less scary, I’d say. But as soon as they yell “Cut,” he takes it off. Really? Oh, yeah. If you had all those tattoos you’d be wanting to show them off, too. Very scary man. How did all those cameos come together? Personal favors from funny friends? A little bit, but there was more of that with the first one — the personal phone calls. They’re very choosy with who they use, because sometimes the studio is pitching someone who’s on a show, very popular, and that’s not necessarily who the team wants. They’re looking for somebody who fits, has the right sensibility. So I can really say we’re happy about each and every cameo because they’re very particular. And to get the RZA, or Bobby Lee, or Elias Koteas — it’s just a weird, wide variety. It somehow works, I don’t know why. RZA’s cameo is as one of two African-American Christmas tree salesmen who the audience sees playing deliberately with stereotypes, which brings me back to Hayden and Jon — how do two white guys get it right when it comes to this franchise starring Asian-American heroes, in which the characters aren’t necessarily built around their own ethnicities but many of the jokes are? I think they’re just honest. There’s a guy named Harold Lee that they wrote this series about, who I’m very close to know. I think they just grew up hearing him talk and they just know him, and they just stole from his life. You know, the first script had a lot more culturally-specific references because it was a defensive thing. They were afraid that the studio would change the title to David and Jason Go to McDonald’s. So they wrote more culturally-specific talk that didn’t make it in the movie. And there’s plenty in the movie, but there was even more in the first draft in order to dissuade someone from changing it. So they use a lot of Harold. I think it’s great; that stuff adds to the specificity and makes him more real. You’ve got Total Recall coming up; how do you feel that fits into your career as a whole, the kinds of roles you take? I don’t know that I think about my career in the bigger sense. I appreciate the way it’s turned out, looking back, but there wasn’t a lot of planning. It’s more emotional, like somebody presents an idea and you react to it. It’s more like somebody comes to you with an idea and you say, that sounds great. It feels good. And I also have this rule now, because I’ve made this mistake before, of doing something because your agents say you should. It’s always a bad idea because you don’t bring much to the project when you’re not excited about it on a very personal level. …Which project are you talking about? [Smiling] I’m not gonna say… [jokingly] Star Trek. Clearly I’m talking about Star Trek. Obviously! So, we all know Kal went to the White House for a few years. You also visited the White House recently. What was that experience like? That was, strangely enough, my second visit. I went earlier this summer and met [Obama] in the Oval Office, and this time I went for a State dinner and it was great. I brought my father, so that was a mind-blower for him. It was a very, very special evening. And I also got a chance to meet a lot of Korean heroes of mine, [like] Chang-rae Lee. It’s funny how we were all keeping tabs on one another as Koreans. I was like, “You!” and he was like, “You!” Even, like, Secretary-General of the U.N. Ban Ki-moon. It was just really crazy. Wait - Secretary General Ban Ki-moon knew you… from your movies? He watches your career? Yeah. That blew my mind. It was pretty wild. When you met the President, was Harold & Kumar a touchstone for him? Did you talk about your movies? We talked about the basketball lockout. [Laughs] When I first met him, he was just curious about what I’ve been up to, and what I was working on. Have you ever been inspired to do something like Kal did, taking time off for public service? I wouldn’t want to do what he did, personally, but from my perspective I don’t know that I have the stamina to do a job that hard. A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas 3-D is in theaters today. Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.

Watch Diablo Cody Interview Amanda Seyfried and Revisit Mean Girls and Jennifer's Body

Diablo Cody’s Red Band Trailer interview series has quizzed Joel McHale, Jack Black, Zooey Deschanel and John Krasinski in recent weeks, but Cody’s newest guest, Amanda Seyfried, is the first this season to have starred in one of the screenwriter’s films. Watch as Cody and Seyfried chat in an Airstream trailer, revisit some key moments from the dark and deadpan Jennifer’s Body, and give a couple shout-outs to Gretchen Weiners. Hey, Gretchen: You made “fetch” happen for me. ‘Red Band Trailer’ with Amanda Seyfried [lStudio]

Kim Kardashian Flees Australia Among Divorce Debate

Kim Kardashian has made a decision to lower her business obligations nationwide due to a deluge of media doubts about her divorce filing on Monday.our editor recommendsE! Network's Kim Kardashian Wedding Encore Adds Special Divorce AnnouncementKim Kardashian Talks Out About Divorce: 'It's Tough to undergo Everything Right Now' (Video)Kris Jenner Tears Up While Speaking about Kim Kardashian's Divorce on 'The View'Kim Kardashian's Marriage 'Wasn't a Sham,' Mother States on 'Today' (Video) PHOTOS: 19 of Hollywood's All-Time Least Close ties The reality star and fashion entrepreneur who just launched her new Kardashian Kollection handbag line Here on Wednesday is becoming running the country one of the debate of her divorce filing from husband of 72 days, basketball playerKris Humphries. "She's abandoned her obligations to sponsors, which will have observed her come in the races incorporated within the Melbourne Cup Circus on Saturday," an Australian journalist who asked for to remain anonymous and was scheduled to interview Kardashian on Saturday, notifies The Hollywood Reporter. PHOTOS: Inside Kardashian Corporation. "Vitamin company, Swisse, had already paid out her $250,000 with an hour's appearance," the journalist continues. "She appeared to become made to greet 50,000 fans inside a retail complex to market the burden loss system, Quick Trim. Clearly, sponsors are livid." Kardashian did attend the launch party for your handbag line and at least one radio interview while she was abroad, but she stands to eliminate plenty of fans within the u . s . states using this sudden alteration of her itinerary. PHOTOS: Hollywood's Top Earners "Australia is disgusted along with her behavior," the reporter notifies THR. She's scheduled disappear Sydney on the airplane to La on Friday morning. SisterKhloe Kardashian and her husband, Lamar Odom, who supported her round the trip, are regarded as departing along with her, too. COVER STORY: How a Kardashians Made $60 5 million A Year Ago The star declared divorce on Monday and left for Australia your evening. On Tuesday, she released a disagreement combating reviews that her marriage will be a hoax and saying she married for love. Inside the same statement, she confesses she should have ended the bond, but she was taken up inside the "hoopla" in the wedding, the tv show, and didn't desire to dissatisfy everyone involved. Email: Jethro.Nededog@thr.com Twitter: @TheRealJethro Related Subjects Khloe Kardashian Kim Kardashian Lamar Odom Kris Humphries

The 5 Most Cringe-Inducing Quotes From Leonardo DiCaprio's New York Times Profile

How does one of the biggest movie stars in the world manage to keep a low profile amid a culture of 24/7 celebrity news coverage? They kinda can't, which is why it's almost unfathomable -- and even admirable -- that Leonardo DiCaprio somehow manages to be uber-famous all while keeping his rockstar-esque mystique. With that in mind, how does an entertainment reporter approach an interview with Leo? Well, if you're NY Times writer Brooks Barnes, you ask him about his supermodel girlfriends, attempt to charm the hell out of him, then completely spoil the end of one of his movies. Therefore, Moviefone presents to you the five most cringe-inducing quotes from today's NY Times profile of Leonardo DiCaprio. On dating supermodels "And personal questions are not appreciated. Just why is it that he dates all of those supermodels? He threw a look -- um, duh, wouldn't you if you could? -- and then frosted over. 'I've never really talked about that kind of stuff, and, very respectfully, I'm going to keep it that way,' he said." On how his 'J. Edgar' makeup could lead to some sexually-charged fanfic "[DiCaprio] estimates that he spent about two weeks of the 39-day shoot as 'old [J. Edgar] Hoover,' which required sitting up to five hours a day in [the] makeup chair... 'It's like you've been slathered in honey and wrapped in a giant duvet.' (Told by a reporter that he had just created a new fantasy for his crazier female fans, he laughed.)" On his role in 'Shutter Island,' which gets unceremoniously spoiled "[DiCaprio's] characters are mostly tortured, unsympathetic, larger-than-life guys created with the help of a tiny club of A-list directors, most notably Martin Scorsese ... [DiCaprio plays] a mental patient in 'Shutter Island.'" [Editor's note: Hope you weren't waiting for that one to come from Netflix!] On his 'J. Edgar' weight gain "Mr. Black also remembers Mr. DiCaprio's fondness for German chocolate cupcakes. 'Some of those pounds on later [J. Edgar] Hoover were not prosthetic,' he said. 'I'll say it. Leo got a little fat.'" On his 'playful' eyes "In person Mr. DiCaprio comes across exactly as you suspect he would. He was tired, arriving at a morning interview the day after flying back to Los Angeles from Australia, where he had been filming 'The Great Gatsby.' But he was also playful -- those blue eyes may have been jet lagged but they still managed to twinkle -- and exceedingly polite." [via NYT] [Photo: Warner Bros] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook