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Sometimes, actual people and the events surrounding them make for the best stories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents casting alternatives of now-iconic film roles and the stories behind their possibility. Topics include actor Al Pacino as Han Solo in the Star Wars films, actor Tom Selleck as Indiana Jones in the film "Raiders of the Lost Ark," and actress Sarah Michelle Gellar as Cher in the film "Clueless."

The article presents a conversation with actors Barry Bostwick, Patricia Quinn, Tim Curry, Meat Loaf, and Susan Sarandon regarding their roles in Richard O'Brien's 1975 motion picture "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Topics include the film's start as a stage production in London, England and later Los Angeles, California, the filming of the movie at Bray Studios and Oakley Court in Great Britain amid tight schedules and cold temperatures, and limitations of the film's budget.

The article presents an interview with actors James Caan and Kathy Bates regarding their roles in William Goldman's 1990 motion picture adaptation of Stephen King's novel "Misery," directed by Rob Reiner. Topics include the challenges of filming some of the film's scenes in which Bates' character physically hurts Caan's character, King's attendance of the film's screening, and their souvenirs from the film's set.

The article presents celebrity news briefs as of July 13, 2015. The daughter of politician Sarah Palin, Bristol Palin, has announced she is pregnant with her second child and that her engagement to former U.S. Marine Dakota Meyer has been called off. Actors Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill are filming "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice." Actress Cameron Diaz and musician Benji Madden are enjoying marriage.

The article focuses on the film "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," directed by Zack Snyder. The author discusses the films being created by entertainment company Warner Bros. featuring superheroes from comic book company DC Comics, including "Suicide Squad," "Wonder Woman," and "Justice League," Snyder's first Superman film "Man of Steel," and the popularity of comic book films. The portrayal of Batman by actor Ben Affleck, Superman by actor Henry Cavill, and Wonder Woman by actress Gal Gadot are also explored.

The article focuses on the film "Ted 2," directed by American comedian Seth MacFarlane and starring MacFarlane as the voice of the title character teddy bear. Topics include the financial success of the first "Ted" film, MacFarlane's creation of the animated television series "Family Guy," and the role of actor Mark Wahlberg in the sequel. An interview is also presented with MacFarlane, in character as Ted, in which he discusses his relationship with Wahlberg's character John Bennett, football quarterback for the New England Patriots Tom Brady, and his morning routine.

The article analyzes the film "Entourage," directed by Doug Ellin and based on the television series of the same name starring Adrian Grenier, Jeremy Piven, and Kevin Dillon. It discusses how the film and television series depict the theme of celebrity as well as the motion picture industry. Particular attention is given to Piven's portrayal of talent agent and film producer Ari Gold.

The article discusses the western motion picture "The Hateful Eight," directed by Quentin Tarantino. Topics include the lead roles of actors such as Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Samuel L. Jackson in the film, a leak of the first draft of Tarantino's script, of which only six individuals had access to, on the Internet in January 2014, and Tarantino's decision to type out the film's script on a 1987 Smith Corona word processor and film the movie with 70mm cameras last used on CinemaScope films such as "Ben-Hur."

An obituary for actor Leonard Nimoy is presented.

The article discusses the Academy Award nominees for Best Supporting Actress. Topics include details on actress Patricia Arquette's performance in the film "Boyhood," details on actress Emma Stone's performance in the film "Birdman," and details on actress Meryl Streep's performance in the movie "Into the Woods."

The article discusses the Academy Award nominations for the category of Best Actor. Topics include details on actor Michael Keaton's role in the film "Birdman," details on actor Eddie Redmayne's performance in the film "The Theory of Everything," and details on actor Bradley Cooper's performance in the movie "American Sniper."

The article presents information on the 2015 Oscar nominations for the categories of Best Picture and Best Director. Topics include details on the film "Boyhood" and the movie's director Richard Linklater, details on the film "Birdman" and the motion picture's director Alejandro G. Iñárritu, details on the film "The Theory Of Everything" about theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, details on the film "The Grand Budapest Hotel" and its director Wes Anderson, and details on the film "The Imitation Game" and the film's director Morten Tyldum.

The article presents an interview with actors Adam DeVine, Blake Anderson, and Anders Holm of the television (TV) show "Workaholics." Topics discussed include details on the comedians' role in creating videos on the video-sharing website YouTube before the creation of their show, details on their collaboration with actor Seth Rogen to create a film, and mention of the actors' other projects.

The article offers a list of the best fiction books of 2014, which includes "Station Eleven," by Emily St. John Mandel, "Redeployment," by Phil Klay, and "Fourth of July Creek," by Smith Henderson.

The article presents an obituary for motion picture director and comedian Mike Nichols, including details regarding his versatility in both theater and motion pictures and his ability to meld both drama and comedy in films such as "Working Girl," "Silkwood," and "The Graduate."

The article presents an excerpt from the book "Watch Me," by Anjelica Huston, which focuses on her seventeen-year relationship with Jack Nicholson.

The article presents the best characters on television, based on the magazine's selection and a poll on the magazine's website. Characters include Mindy Lahiri of "The Mindy Project" played by Mindy Kaling, Stephen Colbert's onscreen persona on "The Colbert Report," and Arya Stark of "Game of Thrones" played by Maisie Williams.

The article presents photographs of actors and actresses from television programs and motion pictures as of August 8, 2014 such as actor Robert Downey Jr. of the film "Avengers: Age of Ultron," actress Maisie Williams of the television show "Game of Thrones," and actress Kate Blanchett of the film "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies." Details of the actors' work on various projects are presented.

The article discusses the work of actor Andy Serkis as of July 2014. Topics include his expertise in performance-capture, his co-founding of the London, England-based digital studio The Imaginarium, and his hopes of directing film version of Rudyard Kipling's book "The Jungle Book." His roles in the motion pictures "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes," "Lord of the Rings," and "Star Wars: Episode VII" are discussed.

The article presents an interview with actors Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum as of June 2014, with a focus on their performances in the film "22 Jump Street," which is a sequel to the film "21 Jump Street." Topics include Tatum and Hill's friendship; the process of creating a film sequel; and the process of shooting the film's spring break scenes in Puerto Rico. Physical comedy, action films, and film stunts are also discussed. A brief discussion of Hill's apologies for homophobic comments he made at a paparazzi is also presented.

A calendar of upcoming motion pictures as of November 15, 2013 is presented including the November 15 release of "Charlie Countryman," the November 22 release of "Bettie Page Reveals All," and the November 27 release of "Black Nativity." A calendar of upcoming awards shows is included.

An interview with the cast and crew of the 1989 film "Do The Right Thing" is presented. Director Spike Lee shares how he wrote the film in 12 days based on an episode of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," which featured a study on how the murder rate rises after a certain temperature. Rosie Perez, who plays Tina in the film, says her earliest memory of filming was when Lee asked her to go see hair. Frankie Faison recalls how working on the film felt like they are part of a big neighborhood.

The article presents a history of the superhero Superman before the release of the Superman film "Man of Steel" in 2013. Topics include a discussion of the introduction of Superman's nemesis Lex Luthor in a comic strip in 1940, the history of the Superman television program "TV's Adventures of Superman" starring George Reeves, and Superman's death in a comic in 1992.

The article presents comments from the cast and crew of the 1993 film "Jurassic Park" about the development and production of the movie. Director Steven Spielberg discusses the innovative dinosaur computer-generated special effects made for the film. Sound designer Gary Rydstrom describes the challenges of creating organic sounds for the dinosaurs. Actress Laura Dern explains that she was convinced to appear in the film by actor Nicolas Cage.

A calendar highlighting U.S. television programs scheduled for the week of March 15, 2013 is presented, including "The Bachelor," "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," and "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon."

The article discusses the motion picture "Oz the Great and Powerful," starring James Franco, with information on director Sam Raimi and the film's production in Pontiac, Michigan. Topics include the casting of Franco in the main role, the cast and crew's attitudes regarding the film as a prequel to the book and film "The Wizard of Oz," and the use of computer-generated imagery (CGI) and special effects throughout the film.

The article discusses the motion picture director Michael Haneke and his film "Amour," for which he has been nominated for a 2013 Academy Award for "Best Director."

The article discusses the omission of the directors Ben Affleck, Kathryn Bigelow, and Tom Hooper from the list of nominees for the "Best Director" award of the Academy Awards for motion pictures that will be announced on February 24, 2013, as well as directors that were nominated including Steven Spielberg. Films mentioned include "Argo," "Zero Dark Thirty," and "Les Misérables."

The article focuses on the film "Django Unchained," directed by Quentin Tarantino and starring Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Kerry Washington. The author explains that while Tarantino has used Western influences in his other films this is his first Western movie, explores how he cast the role of Django, and discusses the filming location of Evergreen Plantation in Louisiana. INSETS: THE FILMS BEHIND THE FILM;WOULD DJANGO PASS A HISTORY TEST?.

The article looks at popular cult television (TV) programs that aired on TV between 1987 and 2012. Cult TV shows are defined as having qualities such as quirky but visionary creators, elaborate mythologies, and complex narratives. Several examples of cult TV shows are given including "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Arrested Development," and "The X-Files." For each show profiled, the article explains why it has cult status, describes a trademark line or element of the show, and directs readers where they can view episodes on DVD or streaming online.

The article profiles actors Paul Dano and Zoe Kazan on the release of their film "Ruby Sparks," which was written by Kazan, in 2012. Topics discussed include how the couple's real-life relationship influenced Kazan's script, a discussion of how Kazan's grandfather, director Elia Kazan, and her father Nicholas inspired her to go into cinema, and why the couple are hesitant to talk about their relationship in interviews.

The article discusses the success of the film "The Hunger Games," directed by Gary Ross and produced by Nina Jacobson, tracing the development of its popularity. Photographs from the movie are included along with descriptions of the main character Katniss, played by Jennifer Lawrence. Marriage proposals received by actor Josh Hutcherson are discussed as well as the decision by author Suzanne Collins and her publishers to put the word "final" on the third installment of the book series on which the movie is based.

The article profiles actor Woody Harrelson. Describing his recent roles in the movies "Rampart," "The Hunger Games" and "Game Change," the article also discusses Harrelson's support of marijuana legalization, his efforts to protect the environment and his home life. Harrelson says that he has never planned his film roles in advance and may want to take a break soon.

The article discusses the motion picture actors and actresses who won Academy Awards for acting in 1962 and how they responded to their victories. Actress Sophia Loren did not attend the awards ceremony when she won the Best Actress award for her work in the film "Two Women." Actress Rita Moreno was surprised when she won the Best Supporting Actress Award for "West Side Story." Actor George Chakiris was accompanying Moreno to the ceremony when he won the award for Best Supporting Actor for "West Side Story." Actor Maximilian Schell had trouble traveling to the ceremony, where he won the Best Actor award for "Judgment at Nuremberg."

The article looks at the 2012 Academy Award nominations. The silent film "The Artist" was noted as garnering a lot of nominations, including stars Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo for Best Actor and Actress respectively, and Director and Screenplay awards for Michel Hazanavicius. The 3-D animated film "Hugo" from director Martin Scorsese is noted as the biggest earner with 11 award nominations. The article suggests that the films "Drive" and "Young Adult" along with actors Tilda Swinton, Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael Fassbender, and Shailene Woodley were snubbed by not receiving nominations.