ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

FILM/ ACADEMY INVITES 178 NEW MEMBERS: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has issued its annual invitation to new members, and this year it sent out 178 invites to a list that includes the Tom Hooper, the Oscar winning director of "The King's Speech;" comedian Russell Brand, who most recently starred in "Arthur;" leading man Bradley Cooper of "Limitless" and "The Hangover;" singer Beyonce, whose film credits include "The Pink Panther" and "Dreamgirls;" Rooney Mara, who is starring in the upcoming "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo;" and "The Social Network" screenwriter Aaron Sorkin. Ant in what is said was an unprecedented gesture, the Academy also included the late documentary filmmaker Tim Hetherington, who was nominated at the last Academy Awards for the documentary "Restrepo," and who was killed on April 20 while covering the uprising in Libya. Those invited in the acting category included the recent nominees Jesse Eisenberg ("The Social Network"); John Hawkes ("Winter's Bone"); Jennifer Lawrence ("Winter's Bone"); and Jacki Weaver ("Animal Kingdom"). The acting contingent also included performers as associated with TV as they are with movies such as David Duchovny, John Corbett, Tea Leoni and Thomas Jane. And while the list included headliners like Gerard Butler and Jennifer Garner, it also embraced rising stars like Mia Wasikowska, Ellen Page and Mila Kunis as well as fan favorites like "The Lord of the Rings" Dominic Monaghan. Full details on all the winners can be found on the Academy website.

TV/ ARONOFSKY TO DIRECT HBO "HOBGOBLIN" PILOT: Oscar nominated director Darren Aronofsky will direct the pilot of the HBO drama series "Hobgoblin". The product of married authors Michael Chabon ("Wonder Boys") and Ayelet Waldman ("Love and the Impossible Pursuits"), "Hobgoblin" centers on a group of magicians and con men who use their skills to battle Hitler during World War II.  The project marks the Aronofsky's, the director of "Black Swan," among other films, 1st try at television. Chabon won the Pulitzer Prize in 2001 for his novel "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay" while Waldman is the author of 10 novels, including 2009's controversial nonfiction book "Bad Mother".