HOLLYWOOD

Billy Bob Thornton

HOLLYWOOD — Meryl Streep’s newest challenge is playing Emmeline Pankhurst. Who is Emmeline Pankhurst, you ask? Born in 1858, she was the leader of the British suffragette movement who helped women win the right to vote. In 1999, Time Magazine named her one of the 100 Most Important People of the 20th century because, “She shook society into a new pattern from which there could be no going back.”

“Suffragette,” which also stars Carey Mulligan and Helena Bonham Carter, is the first film ever granted the right to shoot in The Palace of Westminster at the Houses of Parliament in the United Kingdom. It will be released early next year.
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It looks like Brad Pitt is about to sign on as star for the second season of HBO’s “True Detective.” Matthew McConaughey completed filming the first season of the highly rated series prior to winning his Oscar and is headed for greener pastures, and it’s not likely that Woody Harrelson will return either. A female star is being sought to co-star with Pitt should he sign on. Producers are trying to switch up the storylines regularly, as they do every season on “American Horror Story.”

Oscar-winner Billy Bob Thornton (“Sling Blade”) is counting on the new FX series “Fargo” to be a hit. So far, ratings have been good for the continuation of the popular Coen Brothers movie, which won an Oscar for Frances McDormand. Billy Bob still is recovering from his last effort, “Jayne Mansfield’s Car,” which he wrote, directed and starred in with Robert Duvall, Kevin Bacon, John Hurt, Tippi Hedren and Robert Patrick. Despite that great cast, the film, released last September, only managed to take in $14,836 at the box office. Hopefully, the cast will attract fans to buy the DVD.

Hugh Jackman will hit the talk-show trail soon to promote the May 23 release of “X-Men: Days of Future Past.” But not before he completes work on his newest film, Neill Blomkamp’s “Chappie” with Sigourney Weaver, in which Jackman’s main co-star is a gifted prodigy … and a robot. Sounds more like daze of future present!
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Mark your calendar for Friday, May 16, as a must-watch day of “The View.” Barbara Walters is getting the biggest send-off in TV history. All 11 hosts of “The View” will return to pay tribute to her. You’ll see Meredith Viera (1997-2006), Star Jones (1997-2006), Joy Behar (1997-2013), Debbie Matenopoulos (1997-1998), Lisa Ling (1999-2002), Elisabeth Hasselbeck (2003-2013), Rosie O’Donnell (2006-2007), Whoopi Goldberg (2007-present), Sherri Shephard (2007-present) and Jenny McCarthy (2013-present). The last time Rosie O’Donnell and Elisabeth Hasselbeck were on the show together, there were fireworks. Get the fire extinguishers ready; it should be quite a show!