News

Jennie Garth, star of Beverly Hills, 90210, actually didn’t love returning for The CW’s reboot years later.

The actress, who reprised her role as Kelly Taylor in 90210, which ran from 2008 to 2013, shared that she regretted participating in the remake during a recent panel at ’90s Con in Florida. “I wish I hadn’t done it. No offense to them,” she said, via People.

“The producer was a friend of a friend, and I remember he came over in my living room, sat me down, [billed it as] this chance of a lifetime. He asked me to do it and I didn’t know how to say no then,” Garth added. “But the people were very nice and all the best to them.”

Garth, Shannen Doherty and Tori Spelling were the only original actors to return for 90210, which starred Shenae Grimes-Beech and AnnaLynne McCord and followed wealthy kids at West Beverly Hills High School.

The cast of the 90s hit teen drama Beverly Hills, 90210 have paid tribute to their recently deceased co-star Shannen Doherty. The actor passed away on July 13 at the age of 53.

In a statement to TV Line, Gabrielle Carteris, who played the socially awkward school newspaper editor Andrea Zuckerman in Beverly Hills, 90210 said, "Shannen was so young and so courageous. By sharing her journey, she has helped so many. My heart goes out to her family and I know that Luke [Perry] is welcoming her with open arms."

Related Riverdale Showrunner Teases Importance of Shannen Doherty's Role

Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, showrunner for The CW's Riverdale, has teased Shannen Doherty's role could be bigger than expected.

"I am still processing my tremendous grief over the loss of my long-time friend Shannen, the woman I have often described as one of the strongest people I have ever known," Jennie Garth wrote on Instagram.

Luke Perry left Beverly Hills, 90210 to seek more mature roles after playing Dylan McKay for five full seasons. Perry returned to the show in season 9 after those roles failed to come to fruition. If he hadn't returned to the show and made peace with Dylan, he might not have had the career that he did.

There are very specific reasons for Luke Perry's Beverly Hills, 90210 exit and his subsequent return just three years later. Perry starred in the long-running teen drama, which lasted for ten seasons between 1990 and 2000, as Dylan McKay, the brooding bad boy with a heart of gold. Of the eleven members of the main cast that debuted in season 1, Luke Perry was the sixth to leave the show when he exited midway through season 6 in 1995.

This came after the departure of Beverly Hills, 90210 cast members Douglas Emerson (Scott) in season 2 and Shannen Doherty (Brenda...

The season seven episode one teaser video for 9-1-1, now on its new home on ABC, reveals much, much more about Athena and Bobby’s horrifying honeymoon. Episode one, “Abandon ‘Ships,” kicks off season seven on Thursday, March 14, 2024 at 8pm Et/Pt.

Season seven stars Angela Bassett as Athena Grant, Peter Krause as Bobby Nash, Jennifer Love Hewitt as Maddie Buckley, and Oliver Stark as Evan “Buck” Buckley. Kenneth Choi plays Howie “Chimney” Han, Aisha Hinds is Henrietta “Hen” Wilson, Ryan Guzman is Eddie Diaz, and Gavin McHugh is Christopher Diaz.

“Abandon ‘Ships” Plot: Athena and Bobby set off on their honeymoon cruise, but when duty calls, their vacation is put on hold. Meanwhile, a fighter jet traps a civilian, and an unusual incident leaves a couple stuck together.

Angela Bassett and Peter Krause in ‘9-1-1’ season 7 episode 1 (Disney/Chris Willard)

Series Description, Courtesy of ABC:

The series explores...

During a recent episode of the rewatch podcast 90210Mg, hosts Jennie Garth and Tori Spelling opened up about Shannen Doherty's exit from Beverly Hills, 90210. When the hit series premiered in 1990, Doherty portrayed Brenda Walsh, a teenager relocating with her twin brother Brandon (portrayed by Brandon Walsh) and parents (James Eckhouse and Carol Potter), from Minnesota to the affluent zip code; Garth and Spelling starred as best friends Kelly Taylor and Donna Martin. Following poor ratings during its first season, the series gained momentum after Fox aired a summer season. Beverly Hills, 90210 went on to become a huge success for the network, and catapulted much of its cast, including Doherty, Spelling, Garth, Luke Perry and Jason Priestley, into super stardom.

Despite the show's success, all was not well behind the scenes, and rumors of issues between Doherty and other cast members (mostly Garth), circulated. Despite Doherty's reputation off-screen,...

Exclusive: Tom Hanks has endorsed Fran Drescher for president of SAG-AFTRA. He’s also backing her running mate, Anthony Rapp, and “their entire team” of candidates running on the ruling parties’ Unite for Strength and Usan slates.

“The future of SAG-AFTRA is streaming,” Hanks is quoted as saying on the front of a Usan voter guide sent to the union’s members. “Members deserve stronger contracts, more residuals, better protections and ending unfair exclusivity. I’m supporting Usan Leadership, Fran, Anthony and their entire team. Your vote matters.”

Dresher, who is seeking to succeed Gabrielle Carteris as president of the 160,000-member union, is running against Matthew Modine. He and his running mate, Joely Fisher, head up the opposition party’s MembershipFirst slate.

Other A-list endorsers featured on the voter guide include Alec Baldwin, Debra Messing, J.K. Simmons, Rosario Dawson and Tichina Arnold.

“In this new world where streaming is transforming our work and our compensation,...

"Don't you want to get married before I die?" Blue Fox Entertainment has unveiled an official trailer for an indie romantic comedy titled A Simple Wedding, which premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival in 2018 and also played at the San Diego & Austin Film Festivals. A Simple Wedding is the feature directorial debut of Iranian-American filmmaker Sara Zandieh, telling a personal story about an Iranian-American woman who meets a bisexual man and falls in love with him. When she tries to plan the wedding, things get chaotic when her parents discover they're already living together before marriage. Starring Tara Grammy, Christopher O'Shea, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Rita Wilson, Maz Jobrani, Peter Mackenzie, James Eckhouse, Houshang Touzie, and Jaleh Modjallel. This looks extra cheesy, but still charming and fun. Here's the official Us trailer (+ poster) for Sara Zandieh's A Simple Wedding, direct from YouTube: Iranian-American Nousha has a habit of sabotaging her relationships,...

In today’s film news roundup, William Moseley and Johanna Braddy get starring roles, Gravitas buys Malcolm Gladwell’s driverless car documentary, “The Fiddling Horse” gets a prize and “No Safe Spaces” gets a release.

Castings

William Moseley (“The Royals”) and Johanna Braddy (“Unreal”) are starring in the inspirational drama “Pencil Town,” which has just wrapped shooting around Los Angeles.

The feature film is based on a true story about a ruthless corporate raider on the verge of making partner at his private equity firm, when he is forced to return to his small town roots after he suddenly inherits his father’s nearly bankrupt pencil factory — the heart and soul of the depressed community. He must decide to either join the fight to save the factory, or let it close and relocate to China.

The cast includes Mimi Kennedy, Mary Pat Gleason, Shashawnee Hall, Paul Dooley, Bill Cobbs and James Eckhouse.

William Moseley and Johanna Braddy will star in Pencil Town, an inspirational drama directed and executive produced by Jay Silverman that just wrapped production in Los Angeles. Written by Van Billet, the plot is based on a true story about a corporate raider (Moseley) on the verge of making partner at his private equity firm who is forced to return to his small town where he suddenly inherits his father’s nearly bankrupt pencil factory, which is the heart and soul of the depressed community. With foreclosure looming, he must decide whether to join the workers’ fight to save the factory or let it close and relocate to China. Mimi Kennedy, Mary Pat Gleason, Shashawnee Hall, Paul Dooley, Bill Cobbs and James Eckhouse also star. William Newman, Bethany Cerrona and Joe Gamache are producers. Moseley is repped by Apa,...

Spoiler alert: James Eckhouse did not burn down The Peach Pit on BH90210. In fact, the iconic diner is one of the few set pieces that wasn’t destroyed in last week’s fiery cliffhanger. As for the arsonist, it turned out to be Johnson Deitz, the dude we met in Episode 2 who owned Donna’s red dress.

Was it a disappointing reveal? Absolutely. But at least the show made up for it by having Tori initially suspect Jamie Walters, the actor who played Donna’s abusive boyfriend Ray Pruitt in Season 6. Not only did it work on a meta...

Despite getting off to a rocky start, the 90210 reboot finally caught fire (in more ways than one!) on Wednesday’s BH90210.

Sure, the show’s new head writer was able to fix the pilot script — thanks to a sneaky assist from Ian Ziering — but how is the cast supposed to shoot the episode now that the Peach Pit set has burned down? And which unknown arsonist sprayed “Stop Acting Like I’M Not Even Here” on the stage door before torching the place? A lot happened this week, but first, let’s tackle that red-hot mystery.

More from TVLineHere's How...

2008: All My Children's Greg and Jenny married.

1986: Another World's Felicia and Zane tied the knot.

1991: Guiding Light's Beth and Phillip were finally married.

2002: Atwt's Nancy felt her late husband's presence in a special Valentine's Day episode."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into d ifferent and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1967: On Peyton Place, Chris began a new journey, gunfire brought police to the Webber house, and Constance made plans with Edward.

1975: On Another World, Mackenzie Cory (Douglass Watson) married Rachel Davis Matthews Clark Frame (Victoria Wyndham) at Mac's New York City townhouse.

Exclusive: The worldwide rights to Simple Wedding, executive produced by and starring Rita Wilson, with Shohreh Aghdashloo and Tara Grammy, has been reached in an agreement with Blue Fox Entertainment for domestic distribution.

Blue Fox is introducing the film to buyers this week at the European Film Market in Berlin, while the domestic distribution arm is planning a late-Summer 2019 Us theatrical release.

Simple Wedding was produced by Mainstay Entertainment and made it’s world premiere at the La Film Festival. It marks the feature directorial debut of award-winning Iranian-American filmmaker Sara Zandieh, whose first short film The Pool Party earned her a jury award at the Tribeca Film Festival.

Zandieh also co-wrote the script and served as producer with Mainstay Entertainment partners Ray Moheet and Norm Aladjem.

Maz Jobrani, Peter Mackenzie , James Eckhouse, Houshang Touzie, Jaleh Modjallel, Rebecca Henderson and Aleque Reid round out the cast.

Blue Fox Entertainment’s...

Exclusive: Everyone’s had those awkward family dinners where the discussion turns uncomfortable, if not downright unpleasant. That’s certainly what happens in this clip from Simple Wedding, a comedy starring and executive produced by Rita Wilson, Shohreh Aghdashloo and Tara Grammy that premieres Friday at the Los Angeles Film Festival. Take a look above.

The logline describes Mainstay Entertainment’s Simple Wedding as a romantic comedy about a young Iranian-American woman and the lengths she goes to in order to appease her parents and their need to see her settled down. But there’s plenty of subplot discussed in the clip — and how.

The film also stars Christopher O’Shea, Maz Jobrani, Houshang Touzie, Peter Mackenzie, James Eckhouse, Rebecca Henderson, Aleque Reid, Jaleh Modjallal, Angelica Gibbs & Ryan-James Hatanaka. Sara Zandieh directed it from a script she wrote with Stephanie Wu and also serves as producer alongside Ray Moheet and Norman Aladjem.

Beverly Hills 90210 opened our eyes to issues facing teens in the 90s. We fell so in love with the characters, we felt like they were our friends.

When the series ended in 2000, we had invested 10 years with these kids.

It's now 18 years later. What have they been up to and where are they now?

Read on to find out.

1. Jason Priestly - Brandon Walsh Jason Priestly was teen heartthrob, Brandon Walsh, and was plastered all over teen girl's bedrooms in the 90s. We were heartbroken when left before the series ended! Since Beverly Hills 90210, he's been busy playing in various movies and television over the years. Most recently, he plays Matt Shade, a hockey player turned private investigator in Private Eyes. Jason also played lead roles in TV's Call Me Fitz and Raising Expectations. 2. Shannen Doherty - Brenda Walsh Shannen Doherty played Brandon's twin sister Brenda until 1994 when she was written off the show.

1986: Aw's Felicia married Zane. 1991: Gl's Beth and Phillip

were finally married. 2002: Atwt's Nancy felt her late

husband's presence in a special Valentine's Day episode.

2008: Singer Pat Benatar visited Y&R."Whoever wishes to foresee the future must consult the past; for human events ever resemble those of preceding times. This arises from the fact that they are produced by men who ever have been, and ever shall be, animated by the same passions, and thus they necessarily have the same results."

― Machiavelli

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1967: On Peyton Place, Chris began a new journey, gunfire brought police to the Webber house, and Constance made plans with Edward.

At the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, TV is invading the schedule in a whole new way. The Park City film fest has previously dabbled in what’s possible on the small screen, but this year marks the launch of the Indie Episodics section — which will spotlight TV pilots that mostly lack mainstream distribution.

The selections include “America to Me,” a new docu-series by “Hoop Dreams” director Steve James; as well as “The Mortified Guide,” a screen adaptation of the popular stage show “Mortified,” spotlighting the most embarrassing true stories of adolescence. There’s also “This Close,” showcasing star/creators Josh Feldman and Shoshannah Stern (both of whom are deaf), and “Franchesca,” featuring digital star and “The Nightly Show” writer/contributor Franchesca Ramsey.

This marks a major change for Sundance, and a renewed commitment to independent television. While Sundance has featured TV programming since the premiere of “Top of the Lake” in...

Rendering its victims motionless, sleep paralysis is a seriously scary occurrence all on its own, but throw in a sinister supernatural entity such as the one in the new movie Dead Awake, and you really have a reason to add some more coffee grounds to your daily brew. Ahead of its May 12th release, Dead Awake is teased in an unsettling new clip featuring a staircase crawl that might remind you of The Exorcist or The Grudge.

"From the creator of the iconic Final Destination franchise comes the paralyzing thriller Dead Awake. Kate Bowman (Jocelin Donahue) is a straight-laced social worker who finds herself plunged into a world of supernatural terror while investigating a series of mysterious deaths. Each victim suffered from a chilling condition known as sleep paralysis, a nightmarish assault on the senses that immobilizes its victims as they dream. As a terrifying entity begins to haunt Kate’s friends and loved ones,...

Sleep paralysis can be scary on its own, but when you get it in the bathtub, it can also be lethal, as evidenced in a new clip from Dead Awake.

"From the creator of the iconic Final Destination franchise comes the paralyzing thriller Dead Awake. Kate Bowman (Jocelin Donahue) is a straight-laced social worker who finds herself plunged into a world of supernatural terror while investigating a series of mysterious deaths. Each victim suffered from a chilling condition known as sleep paralysis, a nightmarish assault on the senses that immobilizes its victims as they dream. As a terrifying entity begins to haunt Kate’s friends and loved ones, she must fight to stay awake to stop the nightmare she’s unleashed!"

Directed by Phillip Guzman from a screenplay by Jeffrey Reddick, Dead Awake stars Jocelin Donahue (The House Of The Devil), Lori Petty (Tank Girl, Point Break, Oitnb), Jesse Bradford (Bring It On,...

Taking a page from the playbook of Springwood teens haunted by Freddy Krueger, a patient in a new clip from Dead Awake is avoiding sleep, but he's managed to avoid slumber for over a year, and the psychological toll it's taken is unsettling to say the least.

"From the creator of the iconic Final Destination franchise comes the paralyzing thriller Dead Awake. Kate Bowman (Jocelin Donahue) is a straight-laced social worker who finds herself plunged into a world of supernatural terror while investigating a series of mysterious deaths. Each victim suffered from a chilling condition known as sleep paralysis, a nightmarish assault on the senses that immobilizes its victims as they dream. As a terrifying entity begins to haunt Kate’s friends and loved ones, she must fight to stay awake to stop the nightmare she’s unleashed!"

Directed by Phillip Guzman from a screenplay by Jeffrey Reddick, Dead Awake...

Attention fellow Beverly Hills, 90210 geeks!

In what might be the most epic TV reunion ever, 90210 stars Jennie Garth (Kelly), Luke Perry (Dylan) Jason Priestley (Brandon) and Tori Spelling (Donna) got together for REWindCon in Bloomingdale, Illinois over the weekend.

Exclusive: Shannon Doherty Honored With Courage Award

Sixteen years after the Fox show's final episode, the '80s and '90s-focused fan convention saw the actors unite for photos, panels and meet-and-greets. And, while one of their most memorable co-stars, Shannen Doherty, could not attend due to breast cancer treatments, the group made her presence felt with heartfelt tributes.

“None of us are up here today without Shannen,” said Perry, who played Doherty’s on-screen boyfriend, Dylan, for years. “She’s been through a lot. She’s not doing well right now, but sometimes her contributions are minimized.”

“She’s been thrown under the bus,” the Riverdale star continued. “I’ve been accused of driving it. But she’s a...

Continuing the celebration of Beverly Hills, 90210‘s thirtieth anniversary this month, here are the final 13 iconic moments, covering the show’s later years, in which its most notable events involve the departures of major characters as the show transforms into a more traditional primetime soap opera.

13. Valerie arrives in Beverly Hills: Season 5, Episode 1, “What I Did On My Summer Vacation and Other Stories”

With the onset of the fifth season of Beverly Hills, 90210, the producers of the show found themselves needing to fill the void left behind by Shannon Doherty’s departure. To do so, they tapped Tiffani Amber-Thiessen, fresh off her iconic role as Kelly Kapowski on Saved by the Bell (the kind of squeaky-clean, brightly-colored, no-consequences teen show that 90210, in its early existence, was actively working in contrast against) to play Valerie Malone, an old friend of the Walshes transplanted from Buffalo, NY to Beverly Hills. And...

This week marks the 25th anniversary of Beverly Hills, 90210, which debuted on October 4th, 1990 on the then-fledgling Fox network. A primetime soap opera aimed specifically at teens, it ostensibly chronicled twins Brandon (Jason Priestly) and Brenda (Shannon Doherty) Walsh and their family as they adjusted to life in posh Beverly Hills after relocating from suburban Minneapolis. But even from the beginning (and well after Brenda and Brandon both became well-entrenched amongst their peers), it was also as focused on addressing topical issues as it was the tumultuous and ever-changing relationships of its main characters (to varying degrees of success and subtlety). Over the course of the show’s 10 year run (it went off the air in May 2000), characters got together and broke up and made up and got back together again, and the show tackled everything from divorce to alcoholism, AIDS, adoption, eating disorders, rape, domestic abuse, infidelity, drug usage on multiple levels,...

Recently, ABC released the new, official synopsis/spoilers for their upcoming "Castle" episode 22 of season 7. The episode is entitled, "Saturday Night Tonight," and it turns out that we're going to see some pretty interesting stuff go down when shocking secrets get exposed in Castle and Beckett's newest murder investigation, and more. In the new, 12th episode press release: Castle And Beckett Investigate A Mysterious Murder On A Popular Late-night Sketch Comedy Show. Press release number 2: When Sid Ross, the powerful creator of a long-running sketch comedy show is killed, Castle and Beckett are going to get called to investigate. But as they delve into the victim's life and the colorful world of "Saturday Night Tonight," they will uncover a shocking secret that may explain Sid's murder. Carly Rae Jepson is featured as a musical guest. Guest stars feature: Carly Rae Jepsen as herself, Jaleel White as Mickey Franks, Gregory Harrison as Danny Valentine,...

Producers Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel and Louise Gund have announced that James Eckhouse, most recently seen in the world premiere of Jane Anderson's 'The Escort' at The Geffen Playhouse and best known for playing Jim Walsh on the original 'Beverly Hills 90210', will play the role of Robert McNamara in the Broadway bound production of All The Way by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Robert Schenkkan The Kentucky Cycle.

The debut of Lisa Edelstein. The re-appearance of Alicia's brother. And a lot of hullabaloo over cheese.

All of this and more went down on The Good Wife this week, as Round Table panelists Matt Richenthal, Carissa Pavlica and Christine Orlando gather below to analyze "Get a Room." Won't you join them?

-------------------------------------------

What was your favorite scene from the episode?

Matt: Alicia's fake jealousy. I first enjoyed her mature reaction to Will and Celeste having been an item, and then I smiled along with Alicia when they used it to their professional advantage.

Carissa: I loved Will and Alicia plotting their tactics for the case and sealing it with a sexy kiss. I really am a sucker for them together. The way it plays out at work is brilliant, and the end of the story, that everyone knew Alicia was playing them, was very well done.

Christine: I loved...

Thanks to the ladies at Jezebel, there’s a petition to save ABC Family’s fat-camp teen drama Huge, which was canceled Monday. I’ve signed it — here’s why you should, too:

1. While larger folks have been showing up more on television lately — see Drop Dead Diva, Mike & Molly — they’re still far outnumbered by model-thin types. We can’t afford to lose any of them when they’re on even a decent show — and this was more than decent. Which brings us to …

2. With Greek on its way out and Ten Things I Hate About You gone, Huge...

Turns out that being the son of a 90210 star doesn't necessarily mean you believe acting is your calling -- just ask Zander Eckhouse (the son of Walsh paterfamilias James Eckhouse), who only recently discovered he loved the work. Ahead of his ABC Family series Huge's first season finale, Eckhouse talked to Movieline about his studly "fat camp" counselor George, working with Jeremy Piven on a new movie, and the incredible statue he helped David Hasselhoff put in his study.

David Hasselhoff's teenage daughter Hayley Hasselhoff is following in her famous father's TV footsteps - the 17-year-old has landed a role in new show "Huge". The upcoming program, starring "Hairspray" actress Nikki Blonsky, is based on the book of the same name by Sasha Paley, about a group of teens and staff at weight-loss camp Wellness Canyon.

Hayley, who has previously only appeared in 2002 family movie "More Than Puppy Love", will play Amber, a curvy teen who is the slimmest and hottest girl at the camp but considers herself too big. James Eckhouse's son Zander Eckhouse and Andrew Caldwell are also set to star in the series, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Production is due to begin in April and the pilot will air in the U.S. in June. David Hasselhoff made his name on TV shows "Knight Rider" in the 1980s and "Baywatch" in the '90s.

David Hasselhoff's teenage daughter Hayley is following in her famous father's TV footsteps - the 17 year old has landed a role in new show Huge.

The upcoming programme, starring Hairspray actress Nikki Blonsky, is based on the book of the same name by Sasha Paley, about a group of teens and staff at weight-loss camp Wellness Canyon.

Hayley Hasselhoff - who has previously only appeared in 2002 family movie More Than Puppy Love - will play Amber, a curvy teen who is the slimmest and hottest girl at the camp but considers herself too big.

James Eckhouse's son Zander and Andrew Caldwell are also set to star in the series, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Production is due to begin in April and the pilot will air in the U.S. in June.

David Hasselhoff made his name on TV shows Knight Rider in the 1980s and Baywatch in the '90s.

Nikki Blonsky is going to be huge. Blonsky, the energetic plus-size dynamo who rose to fame in the big-screen version of the musical Hairspray (2007), is set to star in Huge (TV), an upcoming series for ABC Family. According to the film and television trade paper the Hollywood Reporter, Huge will blend elements of Ugly Betty (TV) and Glee (TV), with the story centering on a half-dozen teens and the staff at a weight-loss camp called Wellness Canyon. Blonsky plays Will, a bright, funny young woman whose parents -- owners of a health club chain -- ship her off to the camp. Other characters include Amber (Hayley Hasselhoff), who, despite being the sexiest girl at camp, feels she's too overweight. Then there's a boy (Andrew Caldwell) who's thinner and more popular than most of the male campers around him, and a college kid (Zander Eckhouse), who works at the camp as...

Nikki Blonsky is going to be huge. Blonsky, the energetic plus-size dynamo who rose to fame in the big-screen version of the musical Hairspray (2007), is set to star in Huge (TV), an upcoming series for ABC Family. According to the film and television trade paper the Hollywood Reporter, Huge will blend elements of Ugly Betty (TV) and Glee (TV), with the story centering on a half-dozen teens and the staff at a weight-loss camp called Wellness Canyon. Blonsky plays Will, a bright, funny young woman whose parents -- owners of a health club chain -- ship her off to the camp. Other characters include Amber (Hayley Hasselhoff), who, despite being the sexiest girl at camp, feels she's too overweight. Then there's a boy (Andrew Caldwell) who's thinner and more popular than most of the male campers around him, and a college kid (Zander Eckhouse), who works at the camp as...

"Hairspray" star Nikki Blonsky is joining David Hasselhoff's daughter Hayley, James Eckhouse's son Zander and Andrew Caldwell in forthcoming ABC Family series "Huge." The series, a mix of "Ugly Betty" and "Glee," is focused in six teens and staffers at a "fat camp," Wellness Canyon, says Hollywood Reporter. The 10-episode, direct-to-series show is penned by "My So-Called Life" creator Winnie Holzman and her daughter Savannah Dooley, continuing the offspring theme. It's based on a book by Sasha Paley. Blonsky plays the daughter of rich parents who own a chain of fitness centers; naturally, she's the opinionated comic lead. Hayley plays Amber, one...

"Hairspray" star Nikki Blonsky will play the lead in ABC Family's upcoming series "Huge."

Two TV stars' offspring, David Hasselhoff's daughter Hayley and James Eckhouse's son Zander, also have been tapped to star on the series, along with Andrew Caldwell.

"Huge," based on a book by Sasha Paley, was written by "My So-Called Life" creator Winnie Holzman and her daughter, Savannah Dooley.

Described as "Glee" meets "Ugly Betty," the series revolves around six teens and the staff at Wellness Canyon, a weight-loss camp. It centers on Will (Blonsky), a funny, opinionated overweight girl sent to the camp by her wealthy parents who own a chain of fitness centers, and Amber (Hasselhoff), a curvy teen who is the skinniest and hottest girl at the camp but who considers herself too heavy.

Eckhouse, repped by Main Title and attorney Arik Betesh, will play a college student working as an...

Returning home to live with one's parents is a potential nightmare for most ambitious adults, but the protagonist in Carl Franklin's new film is obligated because her mother has cancer and her busy, important dad needs help. In fact, he needs a lot more, starting with forgiveness -- or at least tolerance -- for his philandering ways and cold, detached persona, even in the face of tragedy.

Universal's prestigious release starring Oscar winners Meryl Streep and William Hurt, with Renee Zellweger playing the lead, needs a lot of help too. But critical reception for Franklin's subdued adaptation of Anna Quindlen's novel is not likely to be true-blue, and audiences are unlikely to support "One True Thing" beyond an initial flurry of interest in major markets. Women in the mood for a good weeper may boost boxoffice and ancillary-market returns over time.

A full-out, nose-blowing, hanky-soaking experience it will be for some, while others will remain unmoved -- though the sight of Zellweger scrunching her face in sadness is nearly impossible to watch without a sympathetic whimper or two. A fairly routine family drama elevated to Hollywood event by the presence of Streep and Hurt, "One True Thing" seems bucking to become the all-time "Mom's dying" movie.

Unfortunately, there's a distracting, ultimately pointless framing device, with the duplicitous Ellen Gulden (Zellweger) snookering a district attorney (James Eckhouse) about her family dynamics. Franklin and screenwriter Karen Croner keep secret why Ellen's under the law's gaze but have no trouble letting us know that her mother's expiration is a bit of a mystery.

Several times, the film returns to the gentle grilling of Ellen to fill narrative holes, but one is never engaged by the gambit. Taking place in the late 1980s, the story flashes back to a surprise party for professor and intellectual George (Hurt), engineered by full-of-cheer, slightly daffy Kate (Streep).

Streep's mom is strong in the ways of a woman who has raised kids and sent them into the world, joined social clubs and kept a happy face during the long, winding road of marriage to a driven, demanding mate who cheats on her with his younger, no-doubt-boneheaded students. Who wouldn't be sympathetic to her plight, despite her occasional blowups and denial?

Ellen's brother Brian Tom Everett Scott) is not integrated much into the scenario and basically serves to show again what a rotten dad George is. Brian is flunking out of Harvard and has no professorial ambitions -- what a jerk George is to expect his species to multiply. But hot-shot New York magazine journalist Ellen's tenuous hold on a career is even more a generic distraction, starting with hard-to-please George giving her the same cliched advice he has given all those adoring pupils for decades.

Filling out the overlong movie are sundry subplots and atmospheric disturbances. But when cancer treatments start and Kate goes downhill fast, the movie goes for all the fleeting mom-and-daughter moments with a vengeance.

Nothing special visually and a bit too cloying for the usually more rugged Franklin, "True" is admirably earnest but hardly an important addition to his resume.

ONE TRUE THING

Universal Pictures

A Monarch Pictures/Upland production

A Carl Franklin film

Credits: Director: Carl Franklin; Screenwriter: Karen Croner; Producers: Jesse Beaton, Harry Ufland; Executive producers: William W. Wilson III, Leslie Morgan; Director of photography: Declan Quinn; Production designer: Paul Peters; Editor: Carole Kravetz; Costume designer: Donna Zakowska; Music: Cliff Eidelman; Casting: Rick Pagano. Cast: Kate Gulden: Meryl Streep; Ellen Gulden: Renee Zellweger; George Gulden: William Hurt; Brian Gulden: Tom Everett Scott; Jules: Lauren Graham; Jordan Belzer: Nicky Katt; District Attorney: James Eckhouse; Mr. Tweedy: Patrick Breen. MPAA rating: R. Color/stereo. Running time -- 127 minutes...