Watch out world, there's a new diva in town. Or should I say divo. His name is Alex Pettyfer and he wants what he wants when he wants it. Also today: lots of news about TV pilots, including the casting of a lead on a Shonda Rhimes show, plus Charlie Sheen agrees to cough up some cash.

  • Young actor Alex Pettyfer is, at this very moment, poised to blow up. He's starring in the new action jam I Am Number Four, which could be big. He's also got Beastly coming out, a sort of dramatic teen version of Beauty and the Beast. (The fairy tale, not the Linda Hamilton/Ron Perlman TV series. Ohhh what I wouldn't give for a dramatic teen version of that.) Plus there's this whole business going on. He's maybe gonna be somebody, is what I'm saying. And apparently he knows it. It seems he's been quite difficult on film sets and in dealings with studio people — complaining about salary, showing up two hours late to meetings — and has, in a relatively short amount of time, earned something of a reputation for himself. A producer says of Pettyfer: "Pick your words: ambitious, hungry, cocky, very ahead of himself." Uh oh! Watch out, kiddo. Behave, respect your elders, all that rot. Just be careful. Supposedly things with the Number Four studio, DreamWorks, have been patched up as he's gone around doing promotion for the film, but still. He ought to tread a bit more lightly. Anyway. Isn't it fun to talk about Alex Pettyfer and have the word "hungry" right next to the word "cocky"? I think it's fun. [THR]
  • Coke-filled actor Charlie Sheen has offered to partially compensate the crew of Two and a Half Men for the loss of pay during his rehab, which has shut down production on the show. Partially?? Sheeny, my good boy. I hope that's a big partially. [Deadline]
  • The lovable Stanley Tucci will be playing hateable as the villain in the upcoming Jack the Giant Killer. He'll be playing one of those vizier-whispering-in-the-king's-ear-while-vying-for-power roles. "The Cheney," I believe they call it in screenwriting classes these days. Nicholas Hoult, from Skins and A Single Man, is still the front-runner for the title role (Jack, not the giants). Hm. I wonder if he's hungry and cocky too. [THR]
  • Pilot season is in full swing and casting is happening left and right. Nestor Carbonell, who played Richard the creepy eyeliner spokesman on Lost, will star alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar on her CBS pilot Ringer. He'll play the FBI guy tasked with keeping Gellar safe so she can testify against the mob. A fellow named Anthony Carrigan who used to do Shakespeare camp with my best friend from high school (I may or may not have hit on him once at a party. He's straight. Sorry!) and who used to be on The Forgotten, is the first person to join the USA pilot Over/Under, about two guys starting a bookie business. And Broadway actress Megan Hilty has been cast in the Debra Messing theater comedy (yes!) Smash, as an actress who does all the readings for the lead role in a Marilyn Monroe musical as it's being written, but is then told she's too old to actually play the part, so has to join the chorus. Same thing happened to Vanessa Redgrave with Rent. So sad. [Deadline]
  • Forgotten comedian Norm MacDonald will be forgotten no more. The former SNL Weekend Update anchor has had his Comedy Central pilot ordered to series. It's called Sports Show with Norm MacDonald and is a Weekend Update-y show about sports. Pretty self-explanatory. It's with Norm MacDonald, as the title suggests. Good for him. Though, I wonder... doesn't this sound basically like the same show as Comedy Central's new Onion Sports Dome thing? Too many sports cooks in the sports kitchen! [Variety]
  • Let's talk Shonda Rhimes show news. First up is the terrific news that Audra MacDonald, musical theater genius of the absolute highest order (proof), has decided to leave Private Practice, the unfortunate ladyfart doctor series she's been making money on for the past four years. Welcome back to New York, Audra. No judgment on going to make a buck, but I'm glad you're back. [TV Line] Next up in Shondaland is the news that Kerry Washington, Spence graduate and amateur political pundit, has been cast in the lead role in Rhimes' new pilot, In Crisis. Washington will play a crisis management expert on the show, which is based on the real-life crisis person Judy Smith. If there's anyone who knows a crisis, it's a Spence girl! [Deadline]

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