'80s Child Stars: They Grow Up So Fast!

Tina Yothers Though they'll forever be preserved in the amber of syndication and on DVD, child stars grow up too. Take a trip down memory lane right through the present day at Snakkle, which has assembled the gallery "Hold On to Your Scrunchies! See Where Your Fave '80s Sitcom Siblings Are Today." Catch up with (the first) Becky from Roseanne (Alicia Goranson), Growing Pains' Ben Seaver (Jeremy Miller), Family Ties' Jennifer (Tina Yothers) and more. Catch up on today's news

Association of Black Women Historians Objects to The Help in Open Letter

Looks like not everyone gave The Help a pleased-as-punch A+ CinemaScore rating; in an open letter released this week, The Association of Black Women Historians decried the film and Kathryn Stockett’s source novel of the same name, citing what they describe as “widespread stereotyping” in the film’s depiction of the black experience in the Jim Crow South. “Despite efforts to market the book and the film as a progressive story of triumph over racial injustice, The Help distorts, ignores, and trivializes the experiences of black domestic workers,” reads the statement. Among their complaints, the Association of Black Women Historians (ABWH) name the exaggerated “black” dialogue, the narrow depiction of African-American men, the lack of recognition of sexual harassment in the workplace, and the reduction of the region’s most terrible racists to a bunch of society women instead of, for example, members of the Ku Klux Klan. [Read Stephanie Zacharek’s review here.] With The Help now in theaters, audiences have had a chance to weigh the criticisms long lobbied at both the book and film. The ABWH’s complaints aren’t without merit, but consider the film’s focus: It’s a film about women — rich, poor, white, black, older, younger, working women and housewives and women who want careers — whose lives intersect in 1960s Mississippi. Should/could the world of The Help have been enriched by the inclusion of more male characters, or by a KKK-related subplot? (For the record, there are male figures on the periphery who remain, refreshingly IMO, out of the spotlight and also represent a spectrum, from vile to admirable to realistically indifferent.) And whether or not you have a problem with, say, the dialects in the film as written by Stockett, even star Viola Davis acknowledged that it gave her pause before the strength of her character as written won her over. Is that a fair trade-off in justifying that at least a movie about this subject matter was even made? Granted, I’ve been outraged myself in similar cases; “Memoirs” and “Geisha” are like killing words to me. I’d argue that The Help isn’t quite as offensive or misguided as that film, but it’s unquestionably questionable on at least a few levels. Read the full ABWH statement here and weigh in below. An Open Statement to Fans of ‘The Help’ [Association of Black Women Historians via EW]

Star Wars app previews Blu-ray features

Fox Mobile Entertainment has released an app that shows off some of the bonus features from the upcoming Blu-ray release of Star Wars: The Complete Saga.The Star Wars Blu-ray: Early Access App is available for free download at the iTunes store for Apple iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch owners.A spokesman said it offers "a sneak peak at the 40-plus hours of bonus footage on the Blu-ray collection"."The App, available for all iDevices including the iPad and iPhone will highlight a sampling of bonus materials featured in the Blu-ray collection, including never-before-seen content sourced from the Lucasfilm Archives such as matte paintings and concept art; prop, maquette and costume turnarounds; supplementary interviews with cast and crew; and more," an official statement said. Star Wars: The Complete Saga is released on Blu-ray on 12 September 2011.

Sarah Michelle Gellar Verifies My Children Return

By Jolie LashBEVERLY Hillsides, Calif. -- Sarah Michelle Gellar is returning to Pine Valley. The star from the approaching CW drama Ringer, confirmed she'll go back to My Children, the cleaning soap she got her begin, before it systems up its operate on ABC this September. I'm able to today formally make sure I'll be carrying out a guest just right My Children, Sarah Michelle stated about the Ringer panel in the CW part of the tv Experts Association Summer time Session 2011 in Beverly Hillsides on Thursday. The actress, who got her start playing Erica Kanes (Susan Lucci) daughter Kendall, in the the nineteen nineties, stated coming back to Pine Valley was her idea. After I heard the show was canceled, I didnt understand, Sarah Michelle stated. It does not seem sensible in my experience. I known as Judy Blye Wilson, whos the casting director, and it has been since i have was there and that i stated, I wanna make a move. Sarah Michelle was very obvious, however, that they had no intends to jump back to her old role. I had been very specific. I shouldn't be Kendall, thats Alicias [Minshew] role. Among the finest to participate it, she added. Actually, Sarah Michelle joked shes still considering how she will return. I've no clue what Im likely to be doing. We are able to take suggestions, but Im doing eventually [on set], she chuckled. Yeah, Im excited. Sarah Michelle joins Josh Duhamel (Leo), Alexa Havins (Babe) and Justin Bruening (Jamie), who're also making looks about the cleaning soap before it shuts its television doorways permanently this fall. Coincidentally, Justin is really likely to show up on Sarah Michelles show Ringer. Justin plays someone in Siobhans existence in Paris, producer Pam Veasey told reporters, mentioning to among the twins Sarah Michelle plays on the program. Ringer premieres this fall about the CW. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All privileges reserved.These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Hulu attempts first original series

Hulu is attempting its first long-form original series, teaming with Morgan Spurlock on unscripted project "A Day in a Life."Six half-hour episodes were ordered of the skein, which chronicles a day in the life of prominent figures including will.i.am, Russell Peters and Girl Talk. The "Super Size Me" filmmaker will executive produce with Jeremy Chilnick through his Warrior Poets shingle. Debut episode on Aug. 17 follows Richard Branson."Life" represents a slight departure for Hulu, which has subsisted mainly on primetime series from its owners, including News Corp., Walt Disney Co. and NBCUniversal. The venture, which is currently being shopped to prospective buyers, has dabbled in licensing exclusive windows for programs as well.But "Life" represents Hulu's maiden voyage into developing and financing a series, though the company has commissioned one short-form original production previously: "The Morning After," a highlight reel of TV's top moments that launched in January.But the ad-supported service may be looking to diversify its content offerings as its grip on next-day programming begins to loosen. Later this month, Fox will impose an eight-day delay on its primetime offerings on Hulu as it looks to reserve the next-day window for multichannel subscribers. Dish Network is the first distributor Fox has signed on to give its subs authenticated access, and more are expected to join. Other broadcasters could follow suit.Hulu has been doing more exclusive licensing as of late, bringing in a trio of British series including BBC's "Misfits." The company first dabbled in that territory back in February 2010 with "If I Can Dream" from 19 Entertainment.A growing number of emerging platforms are attempting original fare to distinguish themselves in an increasingly crowded field. Netflix raised eyebrows earlier this year with the order of over 22 hours of an adaptation of BBC drama "House of Cards" to feature Kevin Spacey. Sony portal Crackle and Google-owned YouTube alre also exploring original efforts. Contact Andrew Wallenstein at andrew.wallenstein@variety.com

West End hears 'Backbeat'

The Beatles are returning to London, this time in "Backbeat," a tuner based on Iain Softley's 1994 movie of the same name. First seen at Glasgow's Citizens Theater in February 2010, the tuner, produced by Karl Sydow, is directed by Brit helmer David Leveaux ("Nine," "Arcadia") with a script by Softley and Stephen Jeffreys. The production will open at the Duke of York's Theater on Oct. 10, though casting is still to be determined. Unlike "Rain," the Broadway incarnation of which shuttered Sunday, "Backbeat" is not a tribute concert. The story of the birth of the legendary '60s band, production focuses on the story of Stuart Sutcliffe, the Beatles' original bass player who left the band for love in Hamburg and died at age 22. "Backbeat" isn't the first Brit play about the Beatles. Willy Russell's hit "John, Paul, George, Ringo... and Bert" opened in the West End in 1974 and ran for a year. David Harrower's play "Presence," which preemed at the Royal Court in 2001, also drew on their early story and was set in Hamburg before the band was famous. Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com