INFphoto.comIt's official. MTV today confirmed what we told you about weeks ago: Whitney Port is decamping from The Hills to The City.
The Big Apple-based spinoff from a spinoff finds our heroine trying to launch a career as a fashionista (and scenester) far from home.
"I am thrilled and honored to be in New York City," says Port, "to be able to mature as a young woman both professionally and personally."
But don't expect the 23-year-old maturity seeker to be scrounging for rent money. She's already wrangled a job with famed designer Diane von Furstenberg and been spotted—with camera crew in tow, natch—cavorting about town, such as attending a recent celeb-filled bash hosted by Jermaine Dupri.
"Just as The Hills organically evolved out of Laguna Beach, following the story of Lauren Conrad...we are now following another compelling character," trumpets MTV programming honcho Tony DiSanto.
"Now it's Whitney's turn...She is someone the viewers have grown to love; she's confident, smart and truly someone to root for as she strives to take Manhattan!"
And, presumably, the 18-34 demo.
Meanwhile, some better pedigreed actors are also getting new gigs worth noting:
- Jamie Foxx is in final talks to costar opposite Gerard Butler in Law Abiding Citizen, a psychological thriller from director Frank Darabont (Shawshank Redemption), per the Hollywood Reporter. The Oscar winner will play a man who hatches a plot against a D.A. (Butler) after learning his wife and daughter's killers were set free in a plea bargain.
- Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Oliver Platt is coming up aces, headlining the upcoming Broadway revival of Guys and Dolls as wisecracking wiseguy Nathan Detroit in the new production of the classic Frank Loesser musical at the Nederlander Theatre. Previews begin Feb. 3 and the curtain officially rises March 1.
- Desperate Housewives' Jason Gedrick will top the Sci Fi Channel movie Sand Serpents, playing an American soldier whose combat unit in the Afghan desert battles the Taliban...and giant carnivorous serpents.