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Cole Hauser
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The L Word’s Mia Kirshner
Vancouver’s unseasonably overcast June may have dampened the spirits of many locals, but it hasn’t kept the stars from shining over our city —the celebrity variety, that is. CinCin Ristorante & Bar recently hosted another parade of performers, including Cole Hauser (here shooting the feature Tortured, opposite Laurence Fishburne); local actor Tahmoh Penikett (Battlestar Galactica’s Lt. Helo), who we hear is an accomplished chef in his own right; and six of the actresses from the Showcase series, The L Word, including Mia Kirshner and Leisha Hailey.
‘Strain’ hits interior
If you live in Kamloops, Savona or Ashcroft, don’t panic if you see dead livestock or official-looking types trolling around your community this summer sporting Hazmat suits. It’s all part of the action for A&E’s remake of the Michael Crichton bestseller, The Andromeda Strain — which first appeared on celluloid back in 1971 under the stewardship of celebrated Hollywood director Robert Wise. In this updated version, a mysterious virus brought to earth by a returning satellite kills an entire town, and only two survivors — a baby and an old man — hold the key to a cure that might save the world. The production will spend three weeks shooting in the interior.
‘Earth’ production halts
And speaking of Wise and remakes, it looks as though the re-imagination of The Day The Earth Stood Still — set to begin filming here in Vancouver in late August — has gone down, for the time being at least. Word is script issues and reservations about the film’s director, Scott Derrickson (who was last in Vancouver to direct The Exorcism Of Emily Rose), have pushed the production into a period of unspecified hiatus. It’s bad news for B.C.’s beleaguered feature film industry, which is down markedly so far this year, though television production remains strong.
