Kato Kaelin, the houseguest who became a key defence witness in the OJ Simpson trial, has landed his first film role since the trial began.
He's been cast as a "likeable street hustler" in the Royal Oaks Production, For Life Or Death to be directed by Steve Kamen.
Time will tell whether Kato's acting performance will be seen by as many people as those who saw his performance in the witness stand.
Art imitates life
George Sluizer, director of The Vanishing and The Vanishing, is in Cannes to close the deals on his new film Crimetime. With a script by Brendan Summers, the film will star Stephen Baldwin, Pete Postlethwaite, Brenda Fricker and Charlotte Coleman and will be produced by Focus Films.
It tells the story of an actor who becomes a huge celebrity playing the part of a serial killer on a crime re-enactment series and what happens when the killer threatens his livelihood by stopping killing.
Peak performance
Jaded male Festival attendees may wish to contact the Spanish production company which has had to postpone production of its current pornographic movie. Despite offering excellent rates of pay and the signing up of three very attractive female cast members, no male performers can be found. Lack of up to date medical records has been given as the reason for the delay. Barcelona is only four hours drive from Cannes.
Rosy cheeks
Festival goers will be all too familiar with the hawkers, street performers, pavement artists and assorted other vendors who throng the town's streets and restaurants during the Festival. Everyone's entitled to make a buck, of course, but the romantic aura of these folk is occasionally tinged by their dogged persistence. It can be somewhat irritating when you're repeatedly pressed to buy sunglasses, bracelets and other worthless trinkets when all you want is a quiet lunch. Dinner for two is frequently interrupted by people with single roses making the impertinent assumption that mixed dining is, of necessity, romantic.
Now, Miki Manojlovic, star of Underground, demonstrates what to do with the next rose vendor who invades your privacy. Alternatively, should the liaison in question actually be romantic and should this sort of thing appeal, you might just buy the rose anyway!
Frank, Leonard, Gorana, and even Pit
As not a single reader could tell us which seaside resort in the south of France plays host to the world's most famous film festival, the MPI CD-Rom competition has been discontinued.
The winners are Frank Dupoux, Leonard Garcia and Gorana Mirosevic. As Pit Hermans was the only other entrant, she might as well have a prize, too. The lucky four should swing by the office at some point after Thursday where presentation will take place.
Belgian beers
This afternoon at 17.00, Rita Goegebeur of Flanders Image invites le tout Cannes to her stand in the European Pavillion for a Belgian beer reception in honour of the Critics Week screening of Frank van Passel's Manneken Pis.
As well as appearances by the film's director and producer, Antje de Boeck and Frank Vercruyssen, who play the lead roles in the film will also be showing up.
And, finally...
Ian McEwan on working in Hollywood: "an opportunity to travel first class, be treated like a celebrity, sit around a pool and be betrayed." (From the recently published McEwan on Celluloid by Desmond C Tribbins.)
