deep inside hollywood by Romeo San Vicente

EU

HARDY + DICAPRIO? WE CAN DREAM, RIGHT?

Alt-Hollywood's current "It Woman" producer Megan Ellison is known for taking creative risks for meaningful films in a time when big studios run screaming from that sort of thing.

As the head of Annapurna, the young lesbian mogul is negotiating to swoop in and rescue Leonardo DiCaprio's latest starring vehicle, The Revenant.

The project, from acclaimed director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Babel), has run into funding trouble, and it seems like Annapurna would be a good fit for the offbeat story.

Co-written by Inarritu with Mark L Smith and based on Michael Punke's 2002 novel, The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge, it's about a 19th century fur trapper's survival in the wilderness.

DiCaprio wants in, and so does shirtless Esquire cover star Tom Hardy, so why isn't a big studio helping out? Who knows, probably because there's no bikini-wearing robot riding a dinosaur into space.

But that's why Ellison is so valuable she supports filmmakers as artists in a business that treats them like obstacles to merchandising. Fingers crossed for this one.

BACK TO SCHOOL WITH HBO AND SUSAN SONTAG

We may be past the time when an intellectual culture critic like Susan Sontag could become a household name. But during her life, the lesbian thinker and writer was just that.

What's that, you say? She's not a household name to you? Well, then, HBO has the fix for that. Regarding Susan Sontag, a documentary from director Nancy Kates, follows the late feminist literary icon from her teenage days reading Proust to her long career as a novelist, professor, critic and all-around high/low-culture rock star.

The film also follows Sontag from her very young marriage to a man to her many notable female lovers, including her last long-term partner, photographer Annie Leibovitz.

Regarding Susan Sontag is a thoughtful, funny, warts-and-all primer for newcomers and a fitting eulogy for longtime admirers. HBO airs the film this fall, just in time to shift your beach-brain back into gear.

SEAN HAYES JOINS CBS SITCOM, 'THE MILLERS'

Let's talk about sitcoms you're probably not watching.

What would make you jump aboard? A new cast member? A new cast member in collaboration with an already talented sitting cast?

That's what's happening with The Millers, which is a big enough hit for CBS that it's been renewed for a new season even though it seems nobody in a position to make cultural noise about it is watching.

Think about it: Louie blows up Twitter, so does Archer, but when was the last CBS sitcom that did that for reasons other than Charlie Sheen? And The Millers has a cool cast, including Will Arnett and America's best character actress, Margo Martindale (August, Osage County). And still, crickets.

That means it's time for change in the form of Sean Hayes, who'll be joining the cast this year as a friend to Martindale's character and a thorn in Arnett's side.

Sounds promising, yes? So in the spirit of fairness and in memory of "Just Jack," we'll give this one another shot. Don't blow it (and more importantly don't bore us), The Millers. You're on notice.

ROSIE'S BACK...

LET THE FIGHTING BEGIN!

Speaking of bringing in a ringer to save a sinking ship, the news about Rosie O'Donnell coming back to The View has turned into the infotainment/power-lesbian/grumpy pundit story of the week.

And with it, speculation over who else will join the panel in the wake of the departures of Sherri Shepherd and Jenny McCarthy. It hasn't been sitting well with former co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck, of course. And her sniping has caused former co-host Joy Behar to publicly snap back at Hasselbeck.

Suddenly we're all remembering that The View is a show that's still on TV!

Now, which conservative woman wants to spar with O'Donnell every day? Step right up, Palin wannabes! Unless, of course, you come from reality TV. Word is that Rosie's contract bars former reality stars from consideration. Sorry, all future Hasselbecks.

Romeo San Vicente has never discriminated against reality stars; they're hungry for experience. He can be reached at DeepInsideHollywood@qsyndicate.com.

42 august 2014

Nice beard.

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