Report: Actor cast to play Stevie Van Zandt in Bruce Springsteen movie
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The Bruce Springsteen movie Deliver Me From Nowhere has reportedly found its Little Steven.
Deadline reports that actor Johnny Cannizzaro, who starred in Clint Eastwood’s adaptation of the musical Jersey Boys, has been cast to play Springsteen’s longtime friend and E Street Band guitarist Stevie Van Zandt in the film, about the making of The Boss’ 1982 album Nebraska.
Crazy Heart writer/director Scott Cooper is directing the film, which will star The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White as Springsteen. The cast also includes Odessa Young, Paul Walter Hauser and Harrison Sloan Gilbertson.
The project is an adaptation of Warren Zane’s 2023 book, Deliver Me from Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska.
Ella Purnell stars as Rhiannon Lewis in the new six-part Starz drama Sweetpea, about a young woman who transforms from meek wallflower to emboldened serial killer. Think Dexter meets female rage.
Purnell, who can also be seen in hit shows Yellowjackets and Fallout, says taking on this role in particular scared her because of its moral ambiguity.
“That was our goal with this series, was to conflict the audience, you know, make them relate to Rhiannon’s emotions and her motivations, but obviously not her actions,” she tells ABC Audio. “And that was just really interesting to me. I didn’t know if I could do it, and it really scared me.”
She was able to tap into Rhiannon’s rage — which manifests into some pretty intense kill scenes — by shaking off any inhibitions she may have had while filming.
“[I had to] not think about the cameras, not think about all my mates who are standing around on the set and just like let it out,” she says. “And it actually became quite therapeutic. And I think with all of those scenes, I didn’t practice them, I didn’t plan them, I didn’t really know what was going to come out and that was quite exciting.”
So what’s one pet peeve that would land someone on Purnell’s metaphorical “kill list”?
“One big one for me is … when people like constantly interrupt you,” she says. “We all have that one person who every time we speak, they decide to pipe up. And it’s only when we speak and they cut you off.”
Sweetpea debuted Thursday on Starz and will air new episodes every Friday.
Richard Gadd’s follow-up project to Baby Reindeer is taking shape.
Gadd is confirmed to star in the HBO/BBC series Half Man alongside actor Jamie Bell. The series follows estranged “brothers” Niall, played by Bell, and Ruben, played by Gadd.
It will cover the ups and downs of Niall and Ruben’s relationship over the course of 40 years. The show kicks off with Ruben making a surprise appearance at Niall’s wedding, which leads to a violent altercation that sends the viewer back throughout their lives.
“I am delighted to confirm I will be playing Ruben in the newly crowned Half Man for the BBC / HBO alongside the incomparable Jamie Bell,” Gadd, who created and will executive produce the show, says in a statement. “When I wrote the show, I did it with him in mind, never thinking for a second we would manage to land him. So I could not be happier for everything that has come to pass in getting him on board.”
Bell adds, “I’m so excited to join this incredible creative team. Richard has once again crafted something poignant and singular. I’m honored to have been asked to bring this to life with him.”
Joan Vassos‘ journey as the Golden Bachelorette concluded in a happily ever after on Wednesday night during the show’s finale.
The 61-year-old school administrator from Maryland, whose journey as the Golden Bachelorette began in September, chose Chock, in the end, who proposed to her in Bora Bora.
Throughout the entire season, the 60-year-old insurance executive from Wichita, Kansas, appeared to be Vassos’ strongest connection. He received the first rose on one date, which they spent at Disneyland, and he showed his commitment to Vassos mid-season when he returned to the mansion after he went home for his mother’s funeral.
During his proposal, he promised her that he will honor John, her late husband, by loving her every day.
“Joan, I love you and I want you to be in my life,” he said.
She replied and told him that their first date at Disneyland helped her see a future with him. His brief departure from the show also made her realize that she “couldn’t do this journey” without him.
“I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” she told him before he got down on one knee. Vassos also gave Chock the final rose.
Before proposing to Vassos, Chock met her kids and told them how much he cares for Vassos. He also assured them that his intention isn’t to replace their dad, but to love her and have adventures with her. He also had a final date with her where he gave her a set of keys, which he said was a symbol of his commitment to her.
While Vassos found her happily ever after with Chock, it also meant she had to say goodbye to Guy. After Chock and Joan’s final date together, Vassos realized where her heart belonged and broke up with Guy the same day that he was supposed to meet her family. She told Guy that she wanted to “spare him” the trouble of meeting them and going through with their final date when she ultimately knew what her heart was telling her all along.
