Morning Grind: Madonna Rumored to Make Trims on ‘W.E.’ and More

With backing from Harvey Weinstein, Madonna‘s latest directorial effort ‘W.E.‘ was initially considered a possible awards contender for this fall. Then it premiered at the Venice Film Festival to hoots, hollers, and wildly negative reviews. Is the Material Girl’s new film dead in the water? Not according to Page Six: the New York Post gossip column claims that Madonna is cutting 10 minutes out of ‘W.E.’ before its release in December. Said Madonna to the Daily Mail: “Maybe it needs a bit of this and a bit of that, and maybe it’s still a work in progress … For God’s sake, I hope it’s over with soon!” That’s the spirit! [NYP]

Good news on the Judd Apatow front. His new film — which isn’t actually officially titled ‘This Is Forty,’ but might as well be — will finish filming on Tuesday. “It has suddenly gotten very sad around here,” Apatow wrote on Twitter. “I am proud of our team. We gave our all.” [@JuddApatow]

“My real question is, are you telling me that you’re smart, funny, and ugly? Because clearly you can’t be pretty, right? I’m guessing that whoever’s criticizing me, you’re saying that you’re smart and funny but you can’t be all of them. And then they’re like, ‘Well, you’re using that.’ No, I’m just being who I am and I’m actually comfortable with my sexuality, and if you put on a push-up bra or put on lip gloss, do not criticize me at all. Because who are you wearing those things for? Unless you’re at home by yourself with your significant other. Who are you out in the world doing that for, who are you trying to impress? So people can not like me, that’s fine. People can not think I’m funny, that’s fine. But when you’re trying to make a statement for women in general — I’m like, you know what? You don’t speak for a lot of women I know, and you don’t speak for me. It’s just you and your narrow minded friends that can all have this opinion. At least preface it with that. Like, ‘Hi — me and my friends are really narrow-minded and we don’t like Olivia.’ Great. But don’t speak on behalf of all women.” Real talk from ‘I Don’t Know How She Does It’ co-star Olivia Munn. [Movieline]

‘Book of Mormon’ star Josh Gad has — wait for it — booked a new role. (GROAN!) He’ll co-star in Stuart Blumberg’s ‘Thanks for Sharing,’ which already stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Mark Ruffalo and Tim Robbins. The film is about sex addiction. [Variety]

“Is Ryan Gosling the new George Clooney?” Hopefully? [LAT]

With ‘Bridesmaids‘ out on DVD, interest in Melissa McCarthy‘s scene-stealing performance has renewed to the point that some people are discussing her as a possible stealth Best Supporting Actress nominee at the Academy Awards. Not likely, but let’s cross our fingers together. [NextMovie]

Photo: Darren Calabrese/AP