The Call Sheet sifts through the day's glut of Hollywood news to find the stories even non-industry types can care about. Today: The CW has found its newest leading lady, the Oscars were a mild success, and Jonah Hill stays serious.
RELATED: Jonah Hill Is Staying Serious
Rejoice, rejoice! This afternoon white smoke arose from the Meatpacking District's hottest brunch spot, meaning that a new Carrie Bradshaw has been chosen. Indeed, The CW has found the lead for their upcoming Sex and the City prequel The Carrie Diaries. The young shoe monster will be played by AnnaSophia Robb, the blonde girl from Race to Witch Mountain and the shark movie Soul Surfer. And thus we embark on a new adventure into the heart of pun-ness, all cutesy shrieks and getting to thinking later that day. We wish Ms. Robb well in her endeavors, and also, in related news, congratulate Lauren Bacall for landing the role of young Samantha. [Deadline]
RELATED: Child Abuse Suspect's Plan So Warped, It Could've Come from The Onion
Last night's lackluster Academy Awards ceremony was up slightly in the ratings from last year. But before anyone attempts to declare Billy Crystal the Oscars Host For Life, the audience was only up 4 percent from last year and actually a tenth of a point down in the Nielsen ratings. So, ABC should be happy for sure, but not that happy. They should still probably be thinking about finding a fun, exciting, new host and all that. Definitely should still be doing that. May we re-suggest Amy Poehler? Or what about Jon Hamm? Or, hey, what the hell, why not Sean Young? That'd be an exciting show! Sean Young In 2013! [Entertainment Weekly]
RELATED: New York Film Critics Tweet Out Some Surprising Awards
Perhaps encouraged by his Oscar nomination, Jonah Hill is taking another dramatic role. He'll star in True Story, which is based on the memoir by disgraced journalist Michael Finkel and his curious relationship with a killer hiding out in Mexico who'd been using Finkel's name. James Franco will play the weirdo killer. So Jonah Hill is playing a big fancy journalist now! How about that. Cutest thing of all, though? This movie is being produced by Brad Pitt. Aww. Guess those two really just hit it off while playing baseball together. "Yeah," Angie says, holding her cup of tea in both hands and turning to Jonah's mom as they stand looking through the kitchen window at the boys playing in the backyard. "Brad just took to him right away." It's a cute story. It's a nice thing. [Deadline]
RELATED: 'Pan Am' Is Huge in Europe
Ha. There's an item in this celebrity lawsuit round-up that talks about how Justin Bieber has sent a cease-and-desist letter to the makers of an Android app called "Joustin' Beaver." It's some sort of game or something. He's threatening a lawsuit because it's a violation of his publicity rights, apparently. They're using his name and they shouldn't be. And you know what? Bieber's not the only one who should sue these clown app makers. "Joustin' Beaver" is what Leonardo DiCaprio used to call his Saturday night activities back in his wild oats days. So you should sue too, Leo! That's your term! Joustin' Beaver. Ha. (And, Mr. Bieber, I hope for your sake that you do not get that joke, because you're only a boy and you should be studying your homework and eating your peas and going to bed — alone! — instead of knowing about that kind of filth and degeneracy. Good luck with your anti-app crusade.) [The Hollywood Reporter]
RELATED: Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lopez's Non-Date Sounds Like a Date
Oh hallelujah. Giancarlo Esposito has landed a new lead role on a J.J. Abrams pilot called Revolution, something of a post-apocalyptic drama. That is quite a relief. Partly because Esposito was just so darn good on Breaking Bad and now that he's... uh... not on it... anymore, we missed him. But it's a bigger relief because maybe this means he can stop being forced to show up on Once Upon a Time every now and then. Because good heavens no self-respecting actor should ever have to be on that grammar school play of a TV show. A TV show we watch every week and were vaguely disappointed this afternoon when we remembered there wasn't a new episode last night, but still. Mr. Esposito is better than that. He's probably also better than a sci-fi pilot for NBC, too, but let's just keep things in perspective here. [Deadline]