The nominations for the 15th annual Moët British Independent Film Awards were announced today. Nominations for Best Actress go to Alice Lowe for Sightseers, Andrea Riseborough for Shadow Dancer, Elle Fanning for Ginger & Rosa, Judi Dench for The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady. Abi Morgan has also received a nomination for Best Screenplay. The winners will be announced at the 15th awards ceremony on Sunday 9 December at the impressive Old Billingsgate in London.

In an early announcement to retailers, Sony will be releasing ‘Hope Springs’ on Blu-ray on December 4. So far, no information on its special features has been released. Kay (Meryl Streep), and Arnold (Tommy Lee Jones), are a middle-aged couple whose marriage has declined until they are now sleeping in separate rooms and barely interact in any meaningful loving way. Finally, Kay has had enough and finds a book by Dr. Feld (Steve Carell), which inspires her to sign them up for the Doctor’s intense week long marriage counseling session. Although Arnold sees nothing wrong with their 30 year long marriage, he reluctantly agrees to go on the expensive excursion. What follows is an insightful experience as Dr. Feld manages to help the couple understand how they have emotionally drifted apart and what they can do to reignite their passion. Even with the Doctor’s advice, Kay and Arnold find that renewing their marriage’s fire is a daunting challenge for them both.

Here’s the very first look at Meryl Streep in character on the set of “August: Osage County”. Pictured with her is Margo Martindale, who’s playing her sister, Mattie Fay. The film has started shooting this week and includes an all-star cast, featuring Julia Roberts, Sam Shepard, Chris Cooper, Juliette Lewis, Benedict Cumberbatch, Abigail Breslin and Ewan McGregor. When the family patriarch vanishes, the Westons return to rural Oklahoma to care for their afflicted, manipulative mother (Streep), who’s armed with prescription drugs and paranoid mood swings. Many thanks to Joan for the picture.

According to this article by The Wrap, Meryl Streep is attached to Tommy Lee Jones’ next effort as a director. With the American Film Market just around the corner, a number of pre-sales projects have begun to circulate among buyers, including “The Homesman” with Streep and Swank part of the package, TheWrap has learned. In May it was announced that Jones would write, direct, produce and star in the period piece, which follows a pioneer, played by Jones, and a frontier woman as they escort three insane women across the American prairie. No additional cast was announced at that time. Now an individual familiar with the project has told TheWrap that buyers are being presented with a pre-AFM package that includes the two A -list actresses. Swank will play the frontier woman, but it was not clear which role Streep would play. Streep also starred with Jones this year in “Hope Springs.” The complete article can be read here. Thanks to Glenn for the heads-up.

According to the New York Daily News, the casting for “August: Osage County” has been finished with the latest addition of Julianne Nicholson as Ivy Weston, as the film is about to start shooting next week. Tracy Letts’ sprawling family saga “August: Osage County” starts filming on Monday. Asked how he whittled down his 3 1/2 hour play for the big-screen, he told me: “I was doing rewrites a couple nights ago.” Asked about his role in picking the cast in the film directed by “ER” alum John Wells, Letts admitted it was minimal. “I don’t know how much they listen to me,” he said, adding that he’s pleased with the cast headed by Meryl Streep as Violet, the mad matriarch. Julia Roberts plays her eldest daughter, Barbara. “The ironic thing is that the more successful a play is the more likely it is that actors will be shunted aside for movie stars. That’s the way it is.” Playing Roberts’ sisters are Juliette Lewis as Karen, and Julianne Nicholson as Ivy, Letts told me. Letts was in Oklahoma on Monday for the first table read. “It is the only day in the entire process I’m able to be there. They asked lots of smart questions.”

According to Deadline, Ewan McGregor has been cast alongside Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts in August: Osage County, the movie adaptation of Tracy Letts’ Pulitzer- and Tony-winning play that begins production September 24. The Weinstein Company made the announcement today. McGregor will play Bill Fordham, the estranged husband of Barbara (Roberts) and son-in-law of pill-popping matriarch Violet Weston (Streep). A college professor, he left his wife for one of his students but wants to be there for his family. His marriage is disintegrating and his patience is running thin. And according to Variety, Misty Upham has joined the cast as well. Upham will play a college student who comes to work for Streep’s character.

According to Variety, Academy Award-nominated actor, director and playwright Sam Shepard is currently in talks to star as Beverly Weston in the forthcoming film adaptation of Tracy Letts’ Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning play “August: Osage County”. Shepard will reportedly star alongside previously announced Academy Award winners Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts, as well as Tony nominee Margo Martindale, Abigail Breslin, Chris Cooper, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dermot Mulroney and Juliette Lewis. August: Osage County will be adapted by Letts, directed by John Wells and produced by George Clooney and Grant Heslov, along with Jean Doumanian, Steve Traxler and Clair Rudnick Polstein. Filming is set to begin in September.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Benedict Cumberbatch, the Emmy-nominated actor who stars on the BBC’s Sherlock, is in negotiations to join the cast of August: Osage County, the Weinstein Co.’s adaptation of the Pulitzer- and Tony-winning play. John Wells is directing the movie, which revolves around the women of a family whose lives have splintered in many directions until a crisis bring them back to their childhood home and to the dysfunctional woman (Streep) who raised them. Cumberbatch will act as the sensitive son of Streep’s sister, Mattie Fay Aiken (Margo Martindale). She castigates and belittles the man, who believes his father is Charlie Aiken (Chris Cooper), but the truth is he’s the product of an affair. The movie is eyeing a late-September start in Oklahoma. Thanks to Glenn for the heads-up.

Freihofer Casting is having another open call for extras for the film “August: Osage County” on Saturday and Sunday in Bartlesville. “We had a great turnout in Tulsa last Saturday, but we know many people were unable to attend,” casting director Chris Freihofer said in a news release from the Oklahoma Film and Music Office. “We want to open up the opportunity to as many people as possible,” he said. The film, starring Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts, is set to shoot in Oklahoma beginning in late September. The open call will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at Bartlesville High School, 1700 SE Hillcrest Drive. No appointments are necessary. Freihofer said the film will need various extras during the first few weeks of filming. “We do not need babies or toddlers, but we would like to add anyone else to our pool of possibilities,” Freihofer said. More information on the casting can be found here.

According to Deadline, Dermot Mulroney is set to star as sleazy businessman Steve in the forthcoming film adaptation of Tracy Letts’ Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning play “August: Osage County”. Mulroney joins previously announced Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts, as well as Margo Martindale, Abigail Breslin and Juliette Lewis. Adapted by Letts, directed by John Wells and produced by George Clooney and Grant Heslov, along with Jean Doumanian, Steve Traxler and Claire Rudnick Polstein, the film will go before the cameras in September. Meanwhile, a casting agency is looking for extras for the film that will be shot in northeastern Oklahoma starting in late September. Freihofer Casting is holding an open call for extras for “August: Osage County” on Saturday, August 18th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Tulsa. The complete article on the casting can be found here with thanks to everybody for the heads-up!