BOYS and GIRLS, Downton Abbey and Star Wars Castings

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GIRLS and BOYS

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This week casting news ...

(below is from the Sun newspaper and written by Gordon Smart, Showbiz Editor and published on 26th Feb 2013)

DOWNTON Abbey is introducing its first black character as part of a storyline about race relations in the 1920s.
The award-winning stately home drama is seeking an actor to play musician Jack Ross.
Casting notes were sent out to actors’ agents earlier this month. They describe Ross as “Male, 25-30. A musician (singer) at an exclusive club in the 20s.
“He’s black and very handsome. A real man (not a boy) with charm and charisma.”
Whoever lands the role should “ideally be able to sing brilliantly”. The notes add: “Overall he should be a very attractive man with a certain wow factor.” Jack Ross will play a key part in the fourth series of the hit TV saga alongside a string of other fresh faces.
Lady Mary Crawley gets a new love interest — dashing Lord Anthony Gillingham.
The character also helps the family with their money woes, so he could be a big hit with Mary’s father, the Earl of Grantham, played by Hugh Bonneville. In casting notes, the character is described as a “good looking, very charismatic” 35 to 45-year-old with a “perfect cut glass accent. He’s warm and charming, but also a strong man with morals.”
Another new character is a party-loving cad called Sir John Bullock who “must be able to act drunk”.
Filming on Downton is due to start on March 23.

You can read more at : http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/4812825/first-black-character-in-downton-abbey.html#ixzz2MQOauTco

MEANWHILE... (taken from the Daily Express)

Actor SIMON PEGG has brushed off Internet rumours suggesting director J.J. ABRAMS has cast him in the new STAR WARS film.

Reports suggested the funnyman, who portrays Scotty in Abrams' Star Trek movie franchise, was to reteam with the director as he took over the reigns of George Lucas' sci-fi empire for Star Wars: Episode VII - but Pegg insists industry gossips have it all wrong.
Taking to his Twitter.com blog to dismiss the casting claims, he writes, "No idea where this silly rumour about me attached to the new Star Wars film came from but I can confirm that it's absolute Bantha poodoo (not true)."
Official Star Wars casting news has yet to be released, but the original Luke Skywalker, Mark Hamill, confirmed last week (20Feb13) that he, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher were all in talks to reprise their sci-fi heroes for the new installment

http://www.express.co.uk/news/showbiz/380587/Simon-Pegg-dismisses-Star-Wars-casting-rumours