Last fall we got our hands on a draft for Aaron Sorkin's latest television show, set inside the world of a 24-hour-news network, and got very excited. As fans of Sorkin's work (especially SportsNight and The West Wing) this new, still untitled show, seemed like the perfect outlet for the writer's voice in every way that Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip was not. So today when word finally broke that HBO had picked up the show, we breathed a deep sigh of relief. more ›

Ah, Jeff Daniels. The actor's been a breath of fresh air since at least 1981, when he first strolled onscreen in Ragtime—and then defiantly burst off it in Woody Allen's The Purple Rose of Cairo—and he's maintained a distinctive anti-Hollywood authenticity to this day. Despite appearing in over 60 films and TV shows over the years, Daniels makes his home in Michigan, where he grew up helping out in his father's lumber yard. There he runs a theater company—named The Purple Rose—in his hometown of Chelsea, producing his own plays and other works. more ›

The four stars in Yasmina Reza’s hit play God of Carnage have agreed to extend the production after taking a break for part of the summer. Performances will end after July 26th so James Gandolfini, Marcia Gay Harden, Hope Davis, and Jeff Daniels can fulfill other commitments, and resume on Sept. 8th, running through Nov. 15th. In an interview with the Times today, Daniels explained that "there were no ego trips, no outrageous demands. Just basic needs. We’re people that make plans, and we were making plans way back before we even started rehearsals." And in a nice little dig at Jeremy Piven's infamous withdrawal from Speed-the-Plow due to "mercury poisoning," Daniels added, "No one’s missed a show, and we’re eating fish." The brilliantly-performed one-act about two narcissistic Brooklyn couples fighting over their sons' playground tussle is up for a Tony against Dividing the Estate, reasons to be pretty, and 33 Variations, and both male and female cast members are competing against each other in the Best Actor and Best Actress categories. The award show will be broadcast on CBS Sunday night, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris. more ›

The cast of God of Carnage, a new play by Yasmina Reza opening next month on Broadway, sounds like they may be having a little too much fun. Jeff Daniels, Hope Davis, James Gandolfini and Marcia Gay Harden spoke to reporters this morning about the play, which concerns two couples who lock horns over a playground altercation between their two children. Daniels explained that the play is about "people behaving badly... under the civility and the manners and all of that... people are fully capable of tearing each other's heads off... It's really funny when we start going at each other." more ›

LECTURE SERIES: The Nation forges on with their series of Tuesday evening lectures tonight. Nation columnist and Columbia Law professor Patricia J. Williams will be on hand to discuss her montly "Diary of a Mad Law Professor" column. Expect to examine the law in whole new light. more ›

- Nicolette Sheridan does not look over-Botoxed with fish lips! more ›

You've already heard us wax poetic in our NYFF coverage about Noah Baumbach's latest cinematic foray, The Squid and the Whale, but how can we not? Based on events in Baumbach's life, the film looks at a family going through a messy, joint-custody divorce in Brooklyn in 1986. Each family member internalizes the bitter reality in their own way and Baumbach artfully brings the psychological unravelling to life in his bleeding dramedy. Jeff Daniels and Laura Linney give outstanding performances as the parents, Jesse Eisenberg (Roger Dodger) and Owen Kline play the kids. And if you're impressed by young Owen's performance and were wondering what rock he came out from under, well, he's the spawn of Phoebe Cates and Kevin Kline, so it seems he got that acting gene. more ›