Exclusive Video: Bertha Drinks Nail Polish on My Strange Addiction

Jacob Hopkins True Blood's Vampire Authority is taking shape. Jacob Hopkins has been cast as Alexander Drew, an Authority chancellor who turned into a vampire when he was just 9 years old, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Also guest-starring in Season 5: Christopher Meloni, Carolyn Hennesy and Peter Mensah. True Blood Trailer: Nothing stays buried forever True Blood is slated to return this summer on HBO. Check out a teaser for the new season: Season 5 - Buried Tease

Kress & McDuffie: Animation Authors Caucus Animation Award honorees

KressMcDuffie The Animation Authors Caucus honorees both died this year. AWC chair Craig Burns states: "Both were people I had been glad to call friend and friend, and whose efforts, it may truthfully be stated, made many of us the greater on their behalf. They left us way too soon and too youthful."Earl Kress who died in September at 60, labored in excess of 3 decades to assist bring WGA good things about animation authors. But he was a lot more than an organizer Spike Brandt, a WB producer who labored with Kress, takes note of him being an "animation historian," whose niche was visual gags.Brandt states Kress wasn't concerned about being "stylish" if this found writing animation for Warner Bros. "He checked out who the figures were, and did that which was satisfactory.InchBurns calls honoree Dwayne McDuffie, who died just below last year at 49, "a gifted author and creator of comics and animation who labored a hardship on others, particularly for minority authors."AWC member Stan Berkowitz takes note of when McDuffie found L.A. to operate around the animated adaptation of their own African-American comicbook, "Static Shock." "It had not been lengthy before he was one of the main lights of super hero animation."WGA Honours 2012Truth elbows out gags Good timing for WGA prexyHonoreesKress & McDuffie Eric Roth Tate Taylor Patric Verrone Zwick & Herskovitz Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Grant Wilson Saying Goodbye to Ghost Predators in May

The autumn TV months are materializing. Systems have purchased a large number of new aircraft pilots starring familiar faces including Zachary Levi, Mindy Kaling, Mandy Moore and Sarah Silverman, and from proven producers like Josh Schwartz, J.J. Abrams, Greg Berlanti and Kevin Williamson. Also creating a comeback this season: Legendary figures including Eco-friendly Arrow, Barbara Bradshaw, A Virtual Detective and sweetness and also the Animal. To keep an eye on who's doing what, read our complete list of all of the series projects in contention and appearance back for updates on their own status. Listed here are the CW aircraft pilots: (Get more information at ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC.) Find Out More > Other Links From TVGuide.com FelicityDavid RamseyMandy MooreSarah SilvermanSusanna ThompsonKevin WilliamsonGreg BerlantiZachary LeviJ.J. AbramsJosh SchwartzMarc GuggenheimBrothers & SistersThe Vampire DiariesSmallvilleKristin KreukWilla HollandAndrew KreisbergKatie CassidyMindy KalingStephen AmellHung

Exclusive Video: Sons of Anarchy's Tommy Flanagan Wrestles with Fin on SVU

Tommy Flanagan As Sons of Anarchy's Sargeant-at-Arms Filip "Chibs" Telford, Tommy Flanagan can be used to locating themself around the wrong side from the law while watching camera. But his latest role, Flanagan will have to response to NYPD Fin (Ice-T) and Amaro (Danny Pino). On Wednesday's episode of Law & Order: Special Sufferers Unit (10/9c, NBC), Flanagan plays Murphy, a sadistic Irish loan shark. "He ain't probably the most enjoyable fellow," Flanagan states, "and apparently he loves to hurt people when they do not pay his money-back.Inch Take a look at photos of Law & Order: Special Sufferers Unit Go behind the curtain of Flanagan's appearance and look for the very first crook within the captain's office:

Social TV: Cougar Town Creator Offers Ponies, Drunken Raves to Loyal Fans

Courteney Cox, Cougar Town Cougar Town creator Bill Lawrence is going to do nearly almost anything to get individuals to watch his show, which returns to ABC on February. 14 after an eight-month hiatus. He's provided to buy fans ponies and throw drunken raves at Disneyland when they promise to look at a ten-minute spoiler reel for that approaching season. OK, so he was clearly kidding (we believe), but all joking aside, Lawrence themself released a significant social-media push to spread the term concerning the low-ranked Cougar Town when traditional marketing techniques - like advertisements and talk-show looks - were not doing enough to determine any significant alternation in rankings. During the last couple of several weeks, he's used both Facebook to reward fans with swag, exclusive content, and viewing parties, with the hope it might really possess some effect on the fate from the show. "The exciting part is to ascertain if we are able to slowly move the dial just a couple of little ticks," he states. "The main difference for me personally from a 2.4 along with a 2.6 rating may be the distinction between being restored immediately, and needing to hold back until May to determine what goes on.Inch Same goes with his over-the-top social networking campaign result in better rankings? We requested Lawrence to weigh in on his anticipation for his social-media gamble.What exactly is it about social networking you like?Expenses Lawrence: The best factor about social networking is you can immediately see first-hands that individuals are really setting it up. Someone sent us a picture of the vehicle they saw around the freeway which had "Cougar Town returns February. 14 at 8:30 on ABC" colored on its home windows, as we requested people to achieve that on Twitter. It is so much better to achieve the visual representation.Apart from telling individuals to stay tuned, what message would you hope depict?Lawrence: The show is not canceled! Every day I recieve individuals who say, "I am so annoyed out Cougar Town is canceled," and I must respond and say, "It isn't really. It is simply been horribly handled by ABC." Also: It is the worst entitled show within the good reputation for television. It isn't a good old woman chasing after a more youthful guy for 3 years.Social TV: Will Whitened Collar use Twitter to allow fans decide the show's ending?But how can you even start to explain that to those who have never viewed?Lawrence: We come up with a large clip reel from the show, which is stuffed with spoilers. I am not really a large spoiler guy, but it is something that somebody can display their buddies and say, "Hey, it isn't about cougars. Watch this clip and when you laugh whatsoever, you may really search it." Like a group, the cast is delivering the catch an e-mail to any or all our acquaintances. We are asking these to do us a good, and similar to a series email, send it to 10 others.As well as for those who are already Cougar Town fans - what's happening to ensure that they're hooked?Lawrence: Because the times of Scrubs, I have always felt that you ought to reward loyalty with extra content and accessibility cast and crew. So we are delivering do-it-yourself party kits to anybody who posts an image of on their own Twitter or Facebook with 25 others holding an indication saying, "We Would Like a Cougar Town Party." We are shipping them swag and episodes out of this season that haven't broadcast. I am confident that people published them online I'd be arrested. In the finish from the evening, a cast member will get on Skype together for fifteen minutes to reply to questions.Social TV: Understand why Nathan Fillion will get a remove of TwitterIs there any kind individuals that worries all this is a big total waste of time?Lawrence: You can easily result in the argument, "I might have convinced a couple of hundred 1000 individuals to take a look show out, but when not one of them have been in Nielsen, then who cares? I have never met a Nielsen family during my existence." But when fans of Cougar Town are buzzing about this a lot to ensure that a couple of Nielsen families watches it when it is on television, then... Do It works? I'm not sure. However I could be annoyed out when the show did not survive and that i did not seem like we'd attempted everything. The main difference between remaining on and becoming canceled is really slight nowadays, and there is an opportunity that you could really use social networking to maneuver a dial. I am not nervous though. I have been carrying this out forever.All this crazy campaigning that you are doing - did the network provide you with a difficult time about this?Lawrence: Whenever we began, ABC was cautious about what we should used to do, but they have since become very encouraging, and i believe that like a network, they'd like it if their showrunners counseled me out marketing their very own shows.Social TV: How Survivor's Shaun Probst bridged the space between CBS and it is audienceDo you're thinking that eventually all showrunners will be utilizing social networking such as this?Lawrence: It'll either slowly move the dial a little, and it'll be awesome, and individuals will attempt it later on... or free can change, we'll disappear, with no you will ever need to do it again.Browse the 10-minute spoiler reel for Season 3 of Cougar Town. Bill Lawrence on WhoSay Cougar Town premieres Tuesday, Feb 14 at 8:30/7:30c on ABC.

Niceflx opens 'Window'

Sweden's NiceflxPictures is making a feature version of Jonas Jonasson's "The Centenarian Who Climbed Out the Window and Vanished," which has already pre-sold to Concorde for Germany and Austria. The deal was negotiated by Joni Sighvatsson for Niceflx and by Thomas Augsberger of Eden Rock Media for Concorde's parent Tele Muenchen Group. The comedy, exec produced by Sighvatsson, will be helmed and adapted by Felix Herngren, whose previous credits include "Every Other Week" and TV series "Solsidan." The 12 million ($15.8 million) pic is financed by Swedish equity money, Swedish broadcasters and tax credits. It starts shooting in Sweden and eastern Europe in December. Swedish novel follows a man who celebrates his 100th birthday by climbing out the window of his retirement home to embark on a month-long trip through Sweden. His escape is complicated by trouble with the police and a local gang that wants its suitcase back, which he stole. The book has sold more than 1 million copies in Sweden and is No. 1 in the German book charts, having sold more than 500,000 copies in less than four months. It has been picked up in 32 territories and is skedded to be published in Blighty and the U.S. in June. Competition for film rights to the book was high before Niceflx secured them last year, with sources indicating that Working Title was vying for English-language rights. Niceflx and and Sighvatsson have been shopping the project to select foreign buyers at the Berlinale and plan to attach a sales agent to shop the pic. A major U.S. studio is said to be circling the project. Contact Diana Lodderhose at diana.lodderhose@variety.com

Familiar women in TV pilot casts

Only at that initial phase within the pilot casting process, it's mainly female stars obtaining the hop on competing for spots within the 2012-13 TV season. Kirstie Alley, Roseanne Barr, Jami Gertz, Judy Greer, Marcia Gay Harden, Anne Heche, Reba McEntire, Rhea Perlman and Sarah Silverman are some of the significant stars with smallscreen pasts who're already mounted on greenlit comedy aircraft pilots. Getting probably the most nostalgia may be the pairing of Alley and Perlman, 19 years following the pair ended their run together on NBC's "Cheers," in ABC's "The Manzanis." Alley and Perlman will co-star with Robert Costanzo and Michael Rispoli within the comedy in regards to a boisterous Italian family, compiled by Dork Flebotte and Marco Pennette. Barr, star of some other classic sitcom from those years, is reteaming with "Roseanne" professional producer Eric Gilliand on "Downwardly Mobile" for NBC, a multicam comedy in regards to a surrogate mother inside a rv park. Barr made an appearance on television in last year's Lifetime unscripted series, "Roseanne's Nuts." McEntire, whose "Reba" went for 125 episodes around the WB and CW, is starring in ABC's "Malibu Country," a multicam series from Kevin Abbott in regards to a divorcee who moves together with her kids and mother from Nashville to Malibu. Greer, who starred in midseason comedy records "Miss/Led" for ABC in 2008 and "Mad Love" for CBS this year, can offer another use "American Judy" for ABC. Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan authored the pilot dedicated to a recently-married stepmother within the and surrounding suburbs, a premise which makes the show a possible companion with ABC newcomer success "Suburgatory." Relocating the alternative direction is Silverman like a recently single lady within the NBC untitled comedy she's co-writing for NBC, that also purchased pilot "Isabel" with Harden (whose dabblings in TV incorporate a 13-episode arc on "Damages" 3 years ago). "Weeds" veteran Kevin Nealon will have Harden's husband inside a comedy, compiled by Howard Busgang and Tom Nursall, about middle-class parents of the daughter with magical forces. Contributing to NBC's early run within the casting department is Heche, a normal on HBO's "Hung" for 3 seasons that has charge in NBC single-cam comedy "Save Me." The John Scott Shepherd-written pilot involves a housewife who involves believe she's a prophet. Two decades after her TV breakthrough within the cast of CBS' "Square Pegs," Gertz has had an online insurance lead role within the untitled ABC comedy from Serta Fogelman ("Crazy, Stupid, Love") in regards to a regular family whose Nj gated community has citizens from another planet. Tim Jo, Toks Olagundoye and Simon Templeman happen to be cast in roles intriguingly named Joe Montana, Jackie Joyner Kersee and Wilt Chamberlain. Meanwhile, Digital rebel Wilson ("Bridesmaids") will star and write in CBS comedy pilot "Super Fun Evening," in regards to a trio of buddies who attempt to make every Friday evening an unforgettable one. As well as cable gets in to the act, with Lizzy Caplan ("Party Lower") joining Michael Sheen within the cast for Showtime drama pilot "Masters of Sex," about sixties scientists William Masters and Virginia Manley. Paul Bettany have been initially cast within the Masters role before tugging out. Casting progress is further behind on network dramas, but hardly non-existent, with Kevin Sausage creating a rare foray in to the series world with an untitled Kevin Williamson work for Fox centered on an steered clear of murderer. Jason Ritter fronts "County," Jason Katims' hospital-centered work for NBC, while Frances Conroy and Toyah Feldshuh have became a member of the ensemble cast for that Peacock's near-future fantasy drama "Beautiful People," compiled by "MadTV" grad Michael McDonald. Contact Jon Weisman at jon.weisman@variety.com