Nine Gets Fergalicious

Pop chanteuse Fergie (nee Stacy Ann Ferguson) has joined the cast of Rob Marshall's film version of the Tony Award winning musical Nine.

Fergie, who has also appeared in the movies Poseidon and Grindhouse, will play Saraghina, the lusty woman who introduces a young Guido to the world of sexuality through the showstopper "Be Italian".

Nine + Three

Maury Yeston has written three new songs for the upcoming film adaptation of his musical Nine (itself an adaptation of Federico Fellini's 8½). The titles are "Take It All" (to be sung by Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz and Nicole Kidman), "Simple" (Cruz and Kidman) and "Cinema Italiano" (reportedly Kate Hudson).

These three new tunes will be eligible for the Best Original Song Academy Award; if Yeston wins the Oscar, he can place it on his mantel next to the Tony Award he won for Nine.

The film version, directed by Rob Marshall and also starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Judi Dench and Sophia Loren, will start rehearsals next month, with a planned release in December 2009.

There Will Be Nine

It's official: Daniel Day-Lewis will star as Guido Contini in the upcoming Rob Marshall helmed film version of the Tony Award winning musical Nine. Day-Lewis steps in to the role recently vacated by fellow Oscar Class of 2008 alum Javier Bardem.

In fact, the cast is practically all Academy Award winners. Among the women who will surround Day-Lewis' Fellini-esque film director are Marion Cotillard (yet another Oscar Class of 2008 alum), Sophia Loren, Nicole Kidman and Judi Dench, plus nominee Penélope Cruz.

Filming will begin this fall.

Bardem Says "Nein" to "Nine"

Citing a need to rest from his recent busy schedule of making movies and winning awards, Javier Bardem has bowed out of the upcoming Rob Marshall helmed film version of the Tony Award winning Broadway musical Nine.

How much you want to bet Antonio Banderas is speed-dialing Harvey Weinstein right now? Or maybe they could, you know, cast an actual Italian ...