Now, the other bit of casting news from the ,I>HR report brought about a clappy little Oh YAY! moment here at Movies Without Pity Headquarters. Anna Chlumsky, currently most famous for playing the part of Vada in 1991's My Girl, has been cast in the film as well, nabbing the part of a State Department assistant. The Hollywood Reporter article goes on at length about how the part is a "prestigious comeback" for Chlumsky, who took time off from acting to study international relations at the University of Chicago and eventually had a nail salon run-in with Roberta Flack who advised her to stay in the business. Thank goodness she has. In the time since, she's done some off-Broadway plays, had a few minor screen roles, and hung out with me.

Yes, you read that right. Being that I live in Los Angeles, it's probably not all that surprising that the movie world I write about and my own real life have occasionally collided (like that time Will Ferrell's filming of Land of the Lost totally screwed up my jogging route through the La Brea Tar Bits). A series of events last March involving a lovely and talented TV writer friend of mine, a late Friday audition and crappy weather, led to a weekend of my hanging out with Anna Chlumsky.

And let me tell you, on top of being a down-to-earth and talented actress, Anna Chlumsky has beachfront property in Awesometown. As political satires are generally pretty good, I hope that In the Loop leads to other and better roles, and at least one of them brings her back to LA. (Call me, Anna!)