NBC Wants Katherine Heigl
Today in show business news: Katherine Heigl lands a TV deal, Demi Lovato is going to become an author, and Boardwalk Empire falls.
.Today in show business news: Katherine Heigl lands a TV deal, Demi Lovato is going to become an author, and Boardwalk Empire falls.
Last month we heard that Katherine Heigl, Grey's Anatomy star turned ascendant movie star turned actor looking for TV work again, was developing some kind of show about a CIA agent that isn't Homeland. She was just shopping it around, there was no deal or anything. But now it looks like NBC has taken the bait, committing to a pilot. The show is about, according to Deadline, "a key CIA analyst whose job it is to debrief and strategize with the president on the most pressing global and national matters. She balances this incredibly high-stakes job and trusted relationship with her complicated personal life." That sounds pretty Shonda Rhimes-y, doesn't it? Like Scandal except in the CIA. Thus it could be a good project for Heigl, exciting and political but also about personal stuff like romance. "Heart and smarts," a critic might say if it all works out. Will it work out? It's hard to say. What is the Katherine Heigl audience like these days? A while ago it was pretty big, people seemed pretty eager for more Katherine Heigl in their lives, but now? It's unclear. It's not that NBC is taking a gamble exactly, she's a tested TV star, but y'know. It's been a while. Knocked Up was six years ago. Should be interesting to watch Heigl 3.0 unfold. (Well, actually, 4.0 maybe, if you can't My Father the Hero/Roswell days.) [Deadline]
While on the topic of career change, kiddie TV star turned singer turned X-Factor judge Demi Lovato will now have to fit "author" somewhere into her Twitter bio. She has signed a multi-book deal with Feiwel and Friends, Macmillan's children and young adult imprint. Entertainment Weekly describes the deal: "The first book features tweets she had written about her life." Um. Oh. I. Dear. No. A book of tweets. The Book of Tweets. A new Bible. The book is called Staying Strong: 365 Days a Year. And it contains tweets. Tweets that Demi Lovato "had written about her life." Well that's terrific. "What a great book of tweets." "I've seen better books of tweets." "Have you?" "I have." After that Lovato plans to write a memoir, which, I dunno, will be transcripts of Vine videos she had made. Or whatever. Books. Sorry, #books. [Entertainment Weekly]
Well, rats. The under-appreciated Boardwalk Empire premiered its fourth season last night and ratings were down. A solid-enough 2.4 million people tuned in last night, but that's lower than season 3's 2.9 million. Significantly lower, you could say. And it's down from the season finale, too. So people were just less interested in this season. No two ways about it. That Gyp Rosetti ruins everything. He really does. [Deadline]
Actor Danny Huston will be playing Jessica Lange's boyfriend (well, "BF" according to Ryan Murphy) on the upcoming season of American Horror Story, subtitled Coven. It's unclear if Huston will be magic or evil or anything, but he'll be there, with J. Lange, doing something. Not a lot of guys on this season. It's Danny Huston, Evan Peters, and... I don't know. Denis O'Hare is on it, I think. Leslie Jordan? Is that right? The point is, there aren't many guys. So good luck, Huston. And whatever you do, don't let Taissa Farmiga's sister near your dressing room. Trust me. [Vulture]