Tom Hanks News

As first reported in the Hollywood Reporter, actress Julia Roberts is set to star and produce the upcoming comedy, SECOND ACT. The film project comes from New Regency and is currently in development. The actress will co-produce along with her former agent, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas.

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival has just announced that award-winning actress, Viola Davis with the Outstanding Performer of the Year Award will appear on Friday, January 27, 2012, sponsored by Chumash Casino Resort. She will be honored with a Tribute celebrating her compelling performance in Tate Taylor's The Help at the 27th edition of the Festival which runs January 26 - February 5, 2012, it was announced today by SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling.

ABC Family's '25 Days of Christmas,' cable's biggest programming event of the year, returns with 25 continuous days of holiday-themed entertainment for the whole family. From December 1 - 25, viewers can ring in the holidays with original movies, holiday specials and returning favorites

Catch A Rising Star Presents America's Funniest Comedy Hypnotist Don Barnhart In Reno Dec 6-11th, 2011.

The Carlyle Hotel has welcomed acclaimed vocalist Steve Tyrell back to the Cafe Carlyle for his seventh consecutive holiday engagement in the legendary New York venue. Playing through Saturday, December 31, 2011), backed by his swinging big band, Steve will once again offer an evening of standards from the Great American Songbook, holiday favorites, and selections from his many popular recordings in a program entitled This Time of the Year. "There is no place more romantic than New York City during the holidays," declares Mr. Tyrell. "Fortunately, I have a lot of wonderful songs to fit the occasion, and look forward to sharing them in the most romantic room in town." Managing Director Erich Steinbock says "Steve Tyrell at the Cafe Carlyle has become a holiday tradition in New York. He fits the room like a glove, and we look forward to welcoming him, as well all the guests who travel thousands of miles to catch one of his performances." Steve Tyrell: This Time of the Year will play Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8:45PM with additional shows Thursday - Saturday evenings at 10:45PM. The music charge is $105 ($80 bar) Tuesday - Thursday and $130 ($95 bar) Friday & Saturday. Dinner (required at all early performances) is served from 6:30PM. Celebrate New Year's Eve in style at the Cafe Carlyle! The following two options are available: NEW YEAR'S EVE AT CAFE CARLYLE Begin the festivities with a complimentary glass of champagne, hors d'oeurves and a performance from Steve Tyrell. Seating at 5:30 p.m. $175 per person excluding tax/gratuity, includes complimentary glass of champagne NEW YEAR'S EVE BLACK TIE GALA DINNER AT CAFE CARLYLE Enjoy a special performance from Mr. Tyrell while dining on a four-course prix fixe menu from Executive Chef Jacques Sorci and toast at midnight with a complimentary glass of champagne. Seating at 9:30 p.m. $600 per person excluding tax/gratuity includes autographed CD and champagne toast at midnight.

Having composed the musical scores for some of the biggest films of the century so far, Alexandre Desplat has displayed an uncanny ability to tap into the thoughts, emotions and even the very dramatic themes inherent in properties as diverse as - just to use his most recent projects as examples - TWILIGHT: NEW MOON, HARRY POTTER & THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, Roman Polanski's THE GHOST WRITER and CARNAGE, Stephen Daldry's upcoming EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE, George Clooney's THE IDES OF MARCH (another stage-to-screen adaptation like CARNAGE), Terrence Malick's THE TREE OF LIFE, as well as the main theme for MY WEEK WITH MARILYN - performed on the soundtrack by noted pianist Lang Lang. Discussing all aspects of his compositional process as well as outlining his interactions with the respective directors of each entity - his ongoing collaboration with Roman Polanski, first and foremost - Desplat and I delve into the delicate art of film composing and how he has achieved such great success and international acclaim for his incredibly impressive work on a heady list of projects in a relatively short period of time - last year's Best Picture Oscar-winner THE KING'S SPEECH included. Desplat and I also touch on some of his own favorite film composers and he shares his opinions on Broadway and Hollywood music icons such as Bernstein, Sondheim, Cole Porter, Michel Legrand, fellow Modern Music Master Mark Isham and also sheds some light on his plans for the future - and much, much more!

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles® (BAFTA Los Angeles) will honor Academy Award® winning writer/director John Lasseter with the Britannia Award for Worldwide Contribution to Filmed Entertainment, and BAFTA winning director David Yates with the John Schlesinger Britannia Award for Excellence in Directing at the 2011 BAFTA Los Angeles Britannia Awards on Wednesday, November 30 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE is coming to theaters on December 25th from Warner Brothers Pictures. The drama is directed by Stephen Daldry, written by Eric Roth and stars Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Thomas Horn, James Gandolfini, Zoe Caldwell, Viola Davis, Jeffrey Wright and Max von Sydow.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Universal Studios and actor Tom Hanks have optioned the film rights to IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS, the best selling non-fiction work by Erik Larson which was published in May.

Don Barnhart is truly one of the hardest working comics today. You may not know him by name but you'll recognize his face as you've seen him on TV and film and he is also a favorite at the top comedy clubs across the country and cruise ships around the world.

Comedian Don Barnhart returns home after an extended world tour to headline Las Vegas's Sin City Comedy Club at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas Nov 28th through Dec 4th. Showtimes are 9pm nightly.

Don Barnhart is truly one of the hardest working comics today. You may not know him by name but you'll recognize his face as you've seen him on TV and film and he is also a favorite at the top comedy clubs across the country and cruise ships around the world.

AMERICAN NIGHT: THE BALLAD OF JUAN JOSÉ, by Richard Montoya developed by Culture Clash and Jo Bonney, will close at the Denver Center Theatre Company's Ricketson Theatre November 20 Tickets are on sale now, by calling 303.893.4100 or www.denvercenter.org.

After a triumphant, six-year run on Broadway, AVENUE Q moved to New World Stages, opening there on October 21 and continuing to play to large houses filled with enthusiastic audiences eight times a week. On the occasion of its second anniversary, AVENUE Q played its 835th performance at New World Stages. In the photo below, Rod celebrates Thanksgiving!

The Pasadena Playhouse (Sheldon Epps, Artistic Director and Stephen Eich, Executive Director) announced that, by popular demand, Hershey Felder will return to The Pasadena Playhouse with a special presentation of the world premiere of LINCOLN - AN AMERICAN STORY for Actor and Symphony Orchestra which will be performed in front of a 45-piece orchestra, preceded by his tour-de-force works, MONSIEUR CHOPIN - the love story of Frederic Chopin and the authoress George Sand, featuring Chopin's most beautiful piano music, and MAESTRO: LEONARD BERNSTEIN - the hit production that has played nationwide.

Comedian Don Barnhart returns home after an extended world tour to headline Las Vegas's Sin City Comedy Club at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas Nov 28th through Dec 4th. Showtimes are 9pm nightly.

When the happy-go-lucky Larry Crowne, played by Tom Hanks (The Da Vinci Code, Forrest Gump), finds himself edged out in a company downsizing, he sets out on a heart-warming journey to find himself and soon finds the spark of romance too.

Award-winning actor and musician Hershey Felder (George Gershwin Alone, Monsieur Chopin, Beethoven As I Knew Him) returns to Chicago with Maestro: The Art of Leonard Bernstein. Combining first-person narrative with the music of composer Bernstein and the artists who inspired him, Maestro: The Art of Leonard Bernstein is the story of the legendary American composer and longtime music director of the New York Philharmonic. Helmed by award-winning director Joel Zwick, Hershey Felder will return to Chicago's Royal George Theatre, 1641 N. Halsted, where from September 2004 through January 2006, he held residence with George Gershwin Alone and the World Premiere of Monsieur Chopin, culminating in 70 weeks of live performances. Maestro will begin previews on November 1st with press opening November 9th, and will play through December 30.

Nominees for PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS 2012 were announced this morning at The Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills by Elisha Cuthbert ('Happy Endings'), Julianne Hough ('Footloose'), Joe Jonas (The Jonas Brothers), Jennifer Morrison ('Once Upon A Time'), Sharon Osbourne ('The Talk') and Busy Philipps ('Cougar Town'), along with PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS 2012 host Kaley Cuoco ('The Big Bang Theory') and Executive Producer Mark Burnett. Prior to this morning's announcement, fans cast more than 40 million votes to pick new categories and determine the nominees for the annual awards show that celebrates fan favorites in movies, music and television. See below for a complete list of nominees.

Nominees for PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS 2012 were announced this morning at The Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills by Elisha Cuthbert ('Happy Endings'), Julianne Hough ('Footloose'), Joe Jonas (The Jonas Brothers), Jennifer Morrison ('Once Upon A Time'), Sharon Osbourne ('The Talk') and Busy Philipps ('Cougar Town'), along with PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS 2012 host Kaley Cuoco ('The Big Bang Theory') and Executive Producer Mark Burnett.