Gus Van Sant News

Commemorating both a memorable movie moment and an inspiring real-life triumph, one of the shirt/suit/tie ensembles worn by Sean Penn as Harvey Milk in Focus Features' Milk will be auctioned off to benefit both Variety - The Children's Charity of Southern California and the Hetrick-Martin Institute, home of the Harvey Milk High School, in New York City. The Clothes Off Our Back Foundation will host the online auction of costume designer Danny Glicker's specially created ensemble as seen in Gus Van Sant's Milk, which is nominated for 8 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Costume Design. Focus CEO James Schamus made the announcement today.

Commemorating both a memorable movie moment and an inspiring real-life triumph, one of the shirt/suit/tie ensembles worn by Sean Penn as Harvey Milk in Focus Features' Milk will be auctioned off to benefit both Variety - The Children's Charity of Southern California and the Hetrick-Martin Institute, home of the Harvey Milk High School, in New York City. The Clothes Off Our Back Foundation will host the online auction of costume designer Danny Glicker's specially created ensemble as seen in Gus Van Sant's Milk, which is nominated for 8 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Costume Design. Focus CEO James Schamus made the announcement today.

Fifteen of the 20 nominees in the acting categories will be among the almost 120 Academy Award nominees who will gather at noon on Monday (February 2) at the Beverly Hilton Hotel when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences honors this year's Oscar contenders at its annual Nominees Luncheon. Additional confirmations are expected to come in over the weekend.

Fifteen of the 20 nominees in the acting categories will be among the almost 120 Academy Award nominees who will gather at noon on Monday (February 2) at the Beverly Hilton Hotel when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences honors this year's Oscar contenders at its annual Nominees Luncheon. Additional confirmations are expected to come in over the weekend.

'Milk' and 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' were both nominated for eight Critics Choice Awards. Both were among the 10 films nominated for best picture. 'Milk,' was also nominated for lead actor Sean Penn, supporting co-stars James Franco and James Brolin and director Gus Van Sant. 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,' which opens Christmas Day, has Brad Pitt nominated for best actor, supporting nominations for Cate Blanchett and Taraji P. Henson.

ABC made several midseason programming announcements, including the decision to not pick up 'Pushing Daisies,' for another full season. ABC also announced the end of 'Dirty Sexy Money' and 'Eli Stone'.

Academy Award-nominated director Gus Van Sant's Milk, starring Academy Award winner Sean Penn as gay rights icon Harvey Milk, had its Hollywood premiere at the Academy Of Motion Pictures Arts And Sciences building in Beverly Hills, California.

Academy Award-nominated director Gus Van Sant's Milk, starring Academy Award winner Sean Penn as gay rights icon Harvey Milk, had its world premiere at San Francisco's historic Castro Theatre (at 429 Castro Street) tonight. The evening benefited multiple charities supporting LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) youth. Dinner and dancing followed at City Hall.

Production begins in Connecticut this week on an untitled contemporary comedy directed by Academy Award winner Sam Mendes (American Beauty) from an original screenplay by Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida. The film is being produced and co-financed by Big Beach, with Focus Features co-financing and distributing worldwide.

Tara Smith and B. Swibel, currently represented on Broadway as producers of Xanadu, announced they are bringing a new musical, To Die For, to the stage.

Joe Drymala and Eric Svejcar aren't a songwriting team, but they have a few things in common besides the fact that they both write musicals. The songs of both men will be sung by performers such as Euan Morton, Robert Cuccioli, Tyler Maynard, Kate Wetherhead and Amanda Watkins on April 26th for their Stuck in the Zipper concert at the Zipper Theatre, and it's safe to say that both like to take risks with their shows...

Variety reports that Julianne Moore is headed to Broadway in 'The Vertical Hour', a new play by David Hare.

ANDRE BENJAMIN AND ANTWAN PATTON STAR IN LEAD ROLES; ALSO STARRING VING RHAMES, TERRENCE DASHON HOWARD, FAIZON LOVE, MALINDA WILLIAMS, PAULA PARKER, JACKIE LONG, PAULA PATTON AND PATTI LABELLE; WITH MACY GRAY, BEN VEREEN AND CICELY TYSON AWARD-WINNING BRYAN BARBER MAKES THEATRICAL FEATURE FILM DIRECTING DEBUT TONY-WINNER HINTON BATTLE CHOREOGRAPHS DANCE SEQUENCES