Casting Couch: Neeson, Bloom In Fools; Remini Headed for Daytime?

Liam Neeson and Orlando Bloom are teaming up for a Bosnian War movie

By Josh Grossberg Aug 14, 2008 7:29 PMTags
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Look who's playing the fool?

After sharing only a few short scenes together in 2005's Kingdom of Heaven, Liam Neeson and Orlando Bloom are joining forces again for a feature film adapted from Bill Carter's memoir, Fools Rush In.

According to Variety, Oscar winner Javier Bardem is also negotiating to take on a supporting role in the movie.

Fools Rush In follows the true story of a grief-stricken American who, after his girlfriend dies in a car crash in 1991, takes to the road only to land in Sarajevo during the Bosnian War. While there, he gets a job at a humanitarian aid organization during the Serbian seige and ends up publicizing the Bosnian victims' plight to the world.

Carter, in fact, was able to heighten awareness about the fighting in Sarajevo after a chance interview with U2 singer Bono, who was so moved by his tale that he ended up inviting the author to supply video segments for the band's Zoo TV tour in the early 1990s. Carter eventually turned those pieces into a 1995 documentary called Miss Sarajevo, which Bono and Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti produced. The former also wrote a song with the same name.

No word whether the movie version will delve into that aspect of Carter's story or feature any of U2's music.

The still-untitled flick will be directed by Brazlian helmer Andrucha Waddington. Bloom will also coproduce with Elliot Lewitt and Julie Kirkham.

"I read the script, and the very human story and the very core of this film spoke to me very clearly," the Pirates of the Caribbean star told reporters during a stop in Sarajevo. "This is a departure from the very big Hollywood productions."

Production is slated to get under way in the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, on the tube side of things, former King of Queens star Leah Remini is in the midst of developing a daytime show with CBS Television that the actress is expected to headline.

CBS is keeping a tight lid on the project, but trades report it's different from the usual chatfest. If all goes well, the program could launch in syndication in fall 2009.

In other casting news:

  • Comedy Central has greenlighted Michael and Michael Have Issues, a half-hour sketch comedy pilot starring funnymen Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter, previously of The State. The show-within-a-show supposedly chronicles the comical trials and tribulations the duo have with each other and the world at large. Actor Josh Pais also joins the cast.
  • Legendary game-show host Chuck Woolery is back in two and two to emcee The Meow Mix Game Show, a bizarro competition pitting cats and humans against each another in a Jeopardy!-style quiz contest for the chance to win $1 million and earn $100,000 for a local feline-related charity. It premieres on GSN Nov. 15.