Kleiman jumps to Frank PR

Kleinman Gotham praisery Frank PR has attracted on Lauren Kleinman since the firm's new director of national publicity.Kleiman involves Frank from FilmDistrict, where she labored inside the NY office as director of publicity and promotions, controlling campaigns for features including "Drive," "The Rum Diary" and "Inside the Land of Blood stream and Honey." She'd initially been hired at FilmDistrict as manager of area publicity and promotions, concentrating on photos including "Insidious" and "Soul Surfer."Right before that gig, Kleiman will be a publicist at Allied Integrated Marketing, where she done regional marketing pushes with art galleries including Disney, Universal and also the new the new sony. Headed by New Line vets Clare Anne Darragh and Lina Plath, Frank PR's client roster includes "Paradise Lost 3," "Goon" and "Cabin inside the Forest" additionally to AMPAS, the Cooking Funnel as well as the Hamptons Intl. Film Festival. Contact Gordon Cox at gordon.cox@variety.com

No 'Grey' areas for Carnahan

Director Joe Carnahan employed his "A-Team" star Quinton "Rampage" Jackson to transmit out a menacing wolf-like howl because the lights went lower Jan. 11 in the Regal Movie theaters for that world preem of Open Road's "The Gray." In the Palm restaurant afterparty, Carnahan recognized his headliner, Liam Neeson. "Whenever your star is not squawking or worrying, it sets a hell of the example for that others. I was on the 40-day schedule, therefore we did not possess the luxury of involving outbursts or asshole behavior or a few of the things connected having a quote-unquote title actor." Carnahan elaborated on Hollywood's growing thought of his career. "After my last movie, I began thinking to myself, is the fact that how I am being perceived? Because this type of schmuck who 'A-Team?' I believe what 'The Grey' has trained me, within the classic Woodsy Allen sense, is autonomy and control are actually everything. We did this for $25 million, which appears to become the sweet place. I have had my large studio experience and was very grateful for your." n Contact Shaun Sneider at shaun.sneider@variety.com

Sinead OConnor Splits From Husband, Again

First Released: The month of january 13, 2012 11:33 AM EST Credit: Getty Premium La, Calif. -- Caption Sinead OConnor steps out in the amfAR Inspiration Gala at Chateau Marmont in La on October 27, 2011Sinead OConnor has split from husband all over again! After announcing she was splitting from Berry Herridge after just 18 times of marriage earlier this year after which repairing following a beautiful evening of affection making, the Irish singer has cancelled her marriage for again. The behavior of 1 particular paper led to serious harm to my hubby and myself personally and therefore made the wedding untenable, the 45-year-old singer authored on her behalf website on Friday. To ensure that it's now over and that i hope the media will kindly leave poor people guy alone to begin his existence. The media attention seems to possess destroyed any future associations for that he Nothing Compares 2 U singer. I'll no more connect myself romantically with anybody when i couldn't bear to determine this stuff done again to a person I really like, she ongoing. Sinead then continues to express shes drawing inspiration in one of Renee Zellwegers most memorable figures. Im destined to be me. And when anybody does not like that they'll seek therapy. Because I'm wonderful. Exactly like me. As Bridget Johnson would say. And That I shall remain me, she added. As formerly reported on AccessHollywood.com, the pair tied the knot in Vegas recently at the back of a pink Cadillac in the same chapel where stars including Britney Warrior spears and Elvis once marry. It was the performers 4th marriage. She divorced longtime friend and collaborator Steve Cooney in April after being together just for eight several weeks. Sinead, that has four children from previous associations, get married music producer John Reynolds in 1989 and journalist Nicholas Sommerlad in 2001. Copyright 2012 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

MTV Movie Brawl 2012: Elite Eight Begins!

Following a initial play-in, wild card and Sweet 16 models, only eight movies remain in the MTV Movie Brawl 2012. Stunning upsets ("Lady in Black" over "Snow White-colored as well as the Huntsman"!) minimizing-to-the-wire finishes ("Cosmopolis" beat "Bel Ami" by three votes!) centered the Sweet 16, which we expect the final results in the Elite Eight being much like dramatic. Voting reopens today, with polls closing at 11:59 PM EST on Monday, The month of the month of january 16. Yes it's true, you've five full days to push your chosen movie to the next leg in the competition. However when you thought your choice-making was difficult before, you haven't seen anything yet. Only eight films remain in the brawl with this all... as well as the choice could be YOU.

Topper out at Maya

A shakeup is under way at L.A.-based Maya Entertainment, the multiplatform content distribution company aimed at the Spanish-language market Stateside.Chairman-CEO Moctesuma Esparza has been ousted while co-chairman Jeff Valdez has been appointed prexy and will take over day-to-day operations. Valdez, along with senior VP of operations Sergio Aguero, will focus on repositioning the cash-strapped company for the digital arena. Esparza remains a member of the board. Valdez is founder of English-language Latino network SiTV, now known as nuvoTV. Launched in February 2008 and touted as the only all-Latino vertically integrated company, Maya has fallen victim to the vagaries of a weak domestic theatrical and homevideo market. "We'll be refocusing our efforts on the digital marketplace and downsizing our home entertainment division," said Valdez. "We will continue to produce films and release some theatrically on a case-by-case basis."Exec also plans to bolster Maya's growing international sales efforts. A slate of underperforming titles has not helped Maya's bottom line. One of its latest theatrical releases, helmer Gabriela Tagliavini "Without Men," starring Eva Longoria and Christian Slater, fizzled at the box office after its June 29 release.Company's exhibition arm, Maya Cinemas, initially announced the construction of 100 screens but has only managed to erect 30 in its Salinas and Bakersfield megaplexes. Esparza will likely continue to oversee Maya Cinemas.It was hoped that Maya's vertical integration would help it avoid the fate of past Latino distribs -- including Televisa Cine, Latin Universe, Arenas Entertainment -- that faltered in their attempts to break into the elusive U.S. Latino market.All eyes are now on Lionsgate-Televisa joint venture Pantelion, which has a Will Ferrell Spanish-language comedy, "La Casa de mi padre," set to bow in March. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Joe Manuel Gallegos Jr. ...Got the Part

When Santa Fe, N.M., native Joe Manuel Gallegos Jr. moved to L.A. at the beginning of 2011 to work as an actor and a dancer, one of his priorities was to sign up for an electronic subscription to Back Stage. Shortly after, he saw a casting notice for a fitness DVD. "It was a dance gig and was right up my alley," he says. He attended the open call with approximately 150 other dancers and was one of the six dancers selected.The audition consisted of a dance portion in which he was taught a Latinhip-hop fusion-style dance and then was asked to perform demonstrations of some basic fitness moves. Gallegos has experience with most dance stylesincluding jazz, ballet, tap, hip-hop, modern, partner dancing, and Irish dancing, so he was well-prepared. He also had experience teaching dance, so the demonstration aspect of the audition came naturally, as well.Rachel Tonick, coordinating producer on the DVD, says Gallegos was the first pick for the males. He had a great presence as soon as he walked in, she says. "Joe is a very polished dancer and very polite. We could tell he would be professional and easy to work with." She says he was exactly what she and director Cal Pozo had in mind when they started casting.Pozo planned to shoot the whole DVD in one day, so it was important to have the routines perfected ahead of time. "We had three intense days, very long days of learning three major numbers that were taught in the instructional videos, and then some cool-down exercises," says Gallegos. They then shot the project in one day. Gallegos says he would love to work with Pozo again if the timing works out, and Tonick says they would love to work with Gallegos again.Gallegos arrived in L.A. with a solid base, since he had been working in the film industry in New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah and was a member of SAG. "I fell in very quickly and adjusted," he says. Since he started work on the DVD so quickly after moving to L.A., Gallegos thought it was great to hear stories and get insight from the dancers in the cast who had been working in L.A. for a while. Gallegos says his dance training helps with the stunt work he has been doing for a couple of years. Though he loves dancing, he is focusing on acting and has worked on a commercial and a pilot since the DVD. He notes that now that he's past portraying teenagers, he frequently gets cast as police officers, EMTs, or clean-cut professionals.For more information on "Billy Blanks Jr.'s Fat-Burning Hip Hop Mix," visit www.meettheblanks.com/billy-blanks-jr-fat-burning-hip-hop-mix-dvd/.Joe Manuel Gallegos Jr. is represented by Jamie Ferrar Agency and Jody Black at A&M Talent House.Has Back Stage helped you get cast in the past year? We'd love to tell your story. Be in the weekly column by emailing casting@backstage.com for NY or bswcasting@backstage.com for Los Angeles with "I Got the Part" in the subject line.

Taylor Swift, Amanda Seyfried Offered 'Les Miserables' Roles?

Sorry, Lea Michele, Scarlett Johansson and Evan Rachel Wood: it looks like Tom Hooper fell under Taylor Swift's spell. The Oscar-winning director has reportedly offered the role of Eponine in 'Les Miserables' to the pop songstress. Perhaps he was enchanted to meet her. It's only an offer -- reported by the film site Twitch -- so take this with a grain of salt, but: Swift would play the star-crossed French ingenue who falls in love with Marius (Eddie Redmayne) in the musical adaptation, should all presumed negotiations work out. It's a small-ish part, but Eponine does get to belt out the immortal song "On My Own." Imagine this below, Taytay-fied. But, wait: there's more 'Les Miserables' casting almost-news! Twitch also reports that Amanda Seyfried has been offered the role of Cosette, the daughter of Fantine (Anne Hathaway), who plays a large part in the musical's time-jumped second act. Based on previous rumor, it seems that Hooper wants his actors and actresses to sing onset, without vocal doubles, meaning a good voice is a plus for cast members. Swift is obviously a singer, but Seyfried has experience as well ('Mamma Mia,' y'all!), as do fellow cast members Hathaway, Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe. 'Les Miserables' -- perhaps with these two lithe actresses -- will hit theaters on Dec. 7. [via Twitch] [Photo: DAVID KRIEGER/bauergriffinonline] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook