Encore, part of the Starz network of premium cable movie channels is airing a four part drama called “The Take”. Originally shown on Britain’s Sky TV, it stars Tom Hardy, Brian Cox (next up in Ralph Fiennes’ Coriolanus) and Shaun Evans and will begin Friday December 2 at 9pm EST.

The official synopsis: An exciting and uncompromising four-part adaptation of the best-selling crime thriller by Martina Cole, “The Take” stars Tom Hardy as Freddie Jackson, and Brian Cox as Ozzy. Freddie is a free man after spending a considerable stretch in prison, and now he plans to take the underworld by storm. As events unfold, his wife Jackie (Kierston Wareing – the clueless mother in Fish Tank, Caroline in season 2 of “Luther”) becomes increasingly unstable, not helped by the actions of her younger sister, Maggie (Charlotte Riley –Hardy’s fiancé. They met when she played Cathy to his Heathcliffe also in ‘09), who is in love with Freddie's cousin, Jimmy (Evans – Boy A). If you are a Jackson then you trust no one, because everyone in this criminal world is on “The Take.” 

The action takes place over a 10 year period, beginning in 1984. At the center, the dynamic between Jimmy and Freddie is similar to De Niro and Pesci in Goodfellas or Casino. Jimmy tries to get down to serious business while Freddie jeopardizes the whole operation by flying into random and blind violent rages, doing drugs, and womanizing, but Jimmy is loyal to Freddie to a fault. Eventually, Freddie grows so out of control that big boss Ozzy grows tired of him, setting up a showdown between the two friends. “The Take” is filled with gangsters, violence, double-crosses, (‘scuse me, I need a moment…), betrayals, and drug abuse. There’s really nothing original in this set-up, but as I always maintain, there’s nothing new under the sun and it’s all about the delivery.  And it’s got Tom Hardy… early Christmas present, yeah?

Check out the pics then check out the show or I’ll sic Freddie on yer arse.

Boston Rob was in Toronto yesterday promoting his new show Around The World in 80 Ways when he visited talk show host Marilyn Denis.

His show airs on The History Channel and it sees him and a co-host travel to different places never using the same method of transportation! That sounds challenging and right up Rob's Alley. You will recall that Rob had appeared on Survivor and won the Redemption Island show back in May (finally!) He is totally hot and I have to say totally entertaining on the Survivor shows.

Around the World in 80 Ways can be seen Sundays at 11/10c on the History channel. 

Stay connected with us! Follow us on Twitter, fan us on Facebook or subscribe to our RSS feed. We would love to hear from you.

Photos: Dominic Chan/WENN

As usual, when it rains it pours. After nothing from Andrew Stanton's John Carter for months, a few days ago we showed you the Great White Ape (which looks like no ape I’ve ever seen), and today we have more pics, including a first look at Woola, a Martian dog, also known as a calot. In the book, it becomes John Carter’s pet and is described as a “big, ugly beast with ten short legs and a frog-like head”. It once served as the guard-dog of Tharks at Korad,  (Whatever that means. Hopefully the film will tell us) and essentially protects Carter from the White Apes.

Based largely on Edgar Rice Burroughs' classic Barsoom (Barsoom = Mars) novels, the film follows a former Confederate officer (John Carter played by Taylor Kitsch) who is miraculously transported to Mars, where he is immediately thrust into a conflict between various nations.  Directed by Andrew Stanton, John Carter also stars Willem Dafoe, Samantha Morton, Lynn Collins, Mark Strong, Thomas Haden Church, James Purefoy, Dominic West, Polly Walker, Bryan Cranston, and Ciaran Hinds. (Apparently there’s a cameo by Jon Favreau, who, at one point, was slated to direct before it moved to Disney/Pixar.)

John Carter opens in 3D and IMAX on March 9th. Enjoy the pics!

While it makes perfectly good sense to hear of Tony Bennett and Lady GaGa doing a duet together, him sketching her nude is something even my perverted mind would never dream of but it happened kittens.

It seems that the sketches are part of a layout for Vanity Fair and was the brain child of famed photographer Annie Leibovitz. 

And if that isn't shocking enough, Lady GaGa was actually NERVOUS about it. Her Thanksgiving Special aired Thursday night and in which she revealed:

"True to form, as me giving my all to my work (sic), I walked in and I said, 'Well, Tony, here we are…' and he started laughing and I dropped my robe and I got into my position. It was very, very nerve-wracking.

"I felt shy; it's Tony Bennett. Why am I naked…? The first thing that Tony said to me when I saw him (afterwards) was, 'Wait 'til you see this sketch I did. It's amazing. You look beautiful.'"

That position appears to be on all fours bitches. I can think of a few men I would pose for in that position and Tony Bennett isn't one of them nyuk nyuk.

Lady GaGa is a huge fan of Tony Bennett (the two recorded The Lady is a Tramp for his Duets II album) and the feeling is totally mutual:

"She is the most beautiful person I ever met but there is something very special about her."

We'll get to see all of the nude sketches in the January 2012 issue of Vanity Fair. 

Stay connected with us! Follow us on Twitter, fan us on Facebook or subscribe to our RSS feed. We would love to hear from you.

The fourth installment in the Underworld series, Underworld: Awakening, one once again stars Kate Beckinsale. Directed by Måns Mårlind and Björn Stein, Kate's husband, Len Wiseman, who directed Underworld and Underworld Evolution, returns as a producer. This one is in 3D because it would be tragic to let this fad pass this franchise by. Screen Gems has released four new photos (after having yanked the posters that hit the web a week or so ago. This must be a peace offering.)

The story: When human forces discover the existence of the Vampire and Lycan clans, a war to eradicate both species commences. The vampire warrioress Selene (Beckinsale) leads the battle against humankind. This time out, Michael Ealy has jumped aboard as a detective who will eventually join forces with Selene and the vamps.

While Underworld Awakening will have Stephen Rea,Theo James, India Eisley and Charles Dance, it will not have Michael Sheen, althought don’t hold me to that. Some sources are reporting that both Sheen and Bill Nighy will return.  There’s also a rumor that Selene’s Lycan lover Michael, played by Scott Speedman, may show up.  Underworld Awakening opens January 20 in both the US and the UK.

Last May Chaz Bono proposed to girlfriend Jennifer Elia on his upcoming reality show Being Chaz. She's the one that you saw most weeks in the Dancing With The Stars audience cheering him on. People has a sneak peek of the 'proposal'.

On the clip the couple are in Seattle when he presents the HUGE rock for her birthday. She responds with:

"It's gorgeous. Thank you so much,"  "It's stunning. It's huge."

He doesn't get on bended knee, nor does he ask her to marry him but he does put it on the 'ring' finger and given how huge one has to assume it's an engagement ring, no?

The one-hour show airs on OWN Sunday at 8 p.m. EST and is a follow up to the Emmy-nominated show Becoming Chaz that chronicles his transition from female to male.

Stay connected with us! Follow us on Twitter, fan us on Facebook or subscribe to our RSS feed. We would love to hear from you.