Sun, November 11, 2007 (6:49pm EST)
Masahito Soda's ballet manga "Subaru" is being turned into a movie, led by Hong Kong director Chi-Ngai Lee and producer Bill Kong. The main cast was announced at a press conference in Shanghai, revealing that actress Meisa Kuroki has been given the starring role.
The manga tells the story of Subaru Miyamoto (Kuroki), whose twin brother Kazuma suffers from a brain tumor at an early age. Through her visits to the hospital, she meets a small theater manager, Rei (Kaori Momoi), who trains her to become a ballerina.
Kuroki had been trained in dance before, but not ballet. Since June, she has been taking three-hour ballet lessons almost every day. Momoi, on the other hand, studied at the Royal Ballet School in England for three years when she was a child.
Supporting cast members include Miku Sano, Ara, and Yuta Hiraoka.
Filming started on September 11 in Tokyo and moved to Shanghai on October 28. A simultaneous theatrical release in Japan and other major Asian countries is scheduled for 2009.
The manga tells the story of Subaru Miyamoto (Kuroki), whose twin brother Kazuma suffers from a brain tumor at an early age. Through her visits to the hospital, she meets a small theater manager, Rei (Kaori Momoi), who trains her to become a ballerina.
Kuroki had been trained in dance before, but not ballet. Since June, she has been taking three-hour ballet lessons almost every day. Momoi, on the other hand, studied at the Royal Ballet School in England for three years when she was a child.
Supporting cast members include Miku Sano, Ara, and Yuta Hiraoka.
Filming started on September 11 in Tokyo and moved to Shanghai on October 28. A simultaneous theatrical release in Japan and other major Asian countries is scheduled for 2009.
Sun, November 11, 2007 (3:47pm EST)
Eiji Wentz and Becky have been cast in Fuji TV's upcoming "Nodame Cantabile" drama special, set to air for two nights at the start of 2008.
Tentatively titled "Nodame Cantabile Shinshun Special," the drama continues with the original story of the manga, following Nodame (Juri Ueno) and Chiaki (Hiroshi Tamaki) as they pursue their studies in Europe.
Wentz, whose father is German-American and mother is Japanese, will play the character of Frank, a French student who is also an anime otaku. Meanwhile, the British-Japanese Becky will be donning a blond wig to play the part of the Russian student Tanya.
Fuji TV has not yet announced specific broadcast dates for the drama.
Tentatively titled "Nodame Cantabile Shinshun Special," the drama continues with the original story of the manga, following Nodame (Juri Ueno) and Chiaki (Hiroshi Tamaki) as they pursue their studies in Europe.
Wentz, whose father is German-American and mother is Japanese, will play the character of Frank, a French student who is also an anime otaku. Meanwhile, the British-Japanese Becky will be donning a blond wig to play the part of the Russian student Tanya.
Fuji TV has not yet announced specific broadcast dates for the drama.
Sun, November 11, 2007 (3:31pm EST)
Actor Mirai Moriyama and actress Reina Asami are reportedly dating. According to sources close to the two, they first met in mid-March. From May to June, they appeared together in the play "Blood Wedding" ("Bodas de Sangre"), which starred Moriyama and Sonim.
Their relationship began professionally as Moriyama sought acting advice from the older Asami, but it gradually developed into romance.
Moriyama's agency has not yet commented on the matter, while Asami's management says that the two are good friends.
Their relationship began professionally as Moriyama sought acting advice from the older Asami, but it gradually developed into romance.
Moriyama's agency has not yet commented on the matter, while Asami's management says that the two are good friends.
