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Two funnymen at career crossroads, Jon Heder and Dax Shepard, are joining Kristen Bell in the new Disney comedy "When in Rome."
According to Variety, the picture finds Bell playing Beth, a single New York
real estate agent who can ring up the sales but can't snag a boyfriend (and
considering the housing market these days, that's pretty amazing). When her
younger sister decides to get hitched in Rome, Beth crosses the Atlantic for the
wedding. While in the Italian capital she visits a reputed "fountain of love,"
where she picks up a few coins that, unbeknownst to her, change her luck.
Surprisingly, she returns home to find a plethora of men pledging their love to
her. Heder and Shepard will play two of her new suitors. The former plays a
street magician and the latter is on board as a self-absorbed prospect that
falls under her "magical" spell.
Intriguingly, the flick is an opportunity for all three actors to kick-start
their careers. Bell was a media darling because of her edgy but low-rated TV
show "Veronica Mars," and has segued
that fame into a role on "Heroes." However, her first major
movie role was in the lame thriller "Pulse" and was quickly forgotten. Luckily, she
demonstrates some big-screen charisma as the ex in question in next month's "Forgetting Sarah Marshall." So, in Hollywood's eyes, her
starring role in "Rome" may show whether she's the next Katherine Heigl (good) or Jessica Alba (not so good).
Heder's first toplining effort since the cultural phenomenon "Napoleon Dynamite," "School for Scoundrels," was a bomb, but he was lucky
enough to have Will Ferrell on hand for the big hit "Blades of Glory." So, obviously, questions remain about
whether he can open a movie by himself as well.
Shepard is in the same boat. The 33-year-old made a name for himself on Ashton Kutcher's MTV series "Punk'd," and was rewarded with
supporting roles in movies such as "Without a Paddle," "Zathura" and "Employee of the Month." But it's clear Hollywood isn't
considering him leading-man material ... yet. He'll be seen next in Tina Fey's "Baby Mama," and alongside John Travolta, Robin Williams and Matt Dillon in "Old Dogs."
Then again, the trio's fate may be sealed in "Rome," which is expected to
begin production shortly in New York.
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