Fallon to interview Obama on 'Late Night'
NEW YORK, April 20 (UPI) -- U.S. President Barack Obama will make his first appearance on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" Tuesday, NBC said Friday.
Fallon is to interview the commander in chief Tuesday for a special broadcast to be taped from the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The program will air Tuesday night.
Dave Matthews will be the musical guest and Fallon's house band The Roots also is scheduled to perform, NBC said.
Depp pays tribute to 'Dark Shadows' icon
LOS ANGELES, April 20 (UPI) -- Hollywood film star Johnny Depp says he will remember late "Dark Shadows" star Jonathan Frid as "an inspiration" and "true original."
Frid, who created the role of vampire Barnabas Collins in the 1960s gothic soap opera, died last week, but his death wasn't announced to the media until Thursday.
Depp plays Collins in Tim Burton's soon-to-be-released movie version of "Dark Shadows," for which Frid filmed a cameo appearance.
"Jonathan Frid was the reason I used to run home from school to watch 'Dark Shadows,'" Depp said in a statement to People.com. "His elegance and grace was an inspiration then and will continue to remain one forever more. When I had the honor to finally meet him, as he so generously passed the torch of Barnabas to me, he was as elegant and magical as I had always imagined. My deepest condolences to his family and friends. The world has lost a true original."
Frid's nephew, Don, told CNN the 87-year-old actor died early April 14 in Hamilton, Ontario. He had been battling pneumonia, and was hospitalized for about two weeks before he died, CNN said.
'Catching Fire' close to getting director
LOS ANGELES, April 20 (UPI) -- Lionsgate plans to offer Francis Lawrence a deal to direct "Catching Fire," the sequel to the blockbuster, "The Hunger Games," The Hollywood Reporter said.
Gary Ross, who co-wrote and directed the first installment in the film franchise, declined to return for the sequel, saying he didn't think he had enough time to properly prepare before the studio wanted to start shooting.
Lawrence directed "I Am Legend" and "Water for Elephants."
The Hollywood Reporter said Thursday an offer was expected to go out to him soon.
'War Horse' tops DVD sales chart
LOS ANGELES, April 20 (UPI) -- Steven Spielberg's World War I-set equine epic "War Horse" is the top-selling DVD and Blu-ray in the United States, Rentrak said.
Coming in at No. 2 on the DVD and Blu-ray sales roster for the week ending April 15 is "The Darkest Hour," followed by "We Bought a Zoo" at No. 3, "The Iron Lady" at No. 4 and "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" at No. 5.
Rounding out the top tier are "Hop" at No. 6, "The Muppets" at No. 7, "Game of Thrones: The Complete First Season" at No. 8, "The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo" at No. 9 and "One Tree Hill: The Complete Ninth Season" at No. 10.
"We Bought a Zoo" is the No. 1 DVD and Blu-ray rental for the week ended April 14.
"War Horse" is No. 2, "The Darkest Hour" is No. 3, "The Sitter" is No. 4, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" is No. 5, "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" is No. 6, "The Iron Lady" is No. 7, "The Descendants" is No. 8, "Immortals" is No. 9 and "Hop" is No. 10.
