John Lennon biopic to close film festival

John Lennon biopic to close film festival

LONDON — London Film Festival organizers say this year’s event will close with the world premiere of a new film about John Lennon’s formative years in Liverpool.

“Nowhere Boy” depicts Lennon at age 15 and follows his relationship with his estranged mother, Julia, and with his Aunt Mimi, who raised him.

It is the first feature from visual artist Sam Taylor-Wood and stars newcomer Aaron Johnson as Lennon, Kristin Scott Thomas as Mimi and Anne-Marie Duff as Julia.

The 53rd London Film Festival opens Oct. 14 with Wes Anderson’s animated feature “Fantastic Mr. Fox” and runs to Oct. 29.

Morgan joins cast of Broadway musical

NEW YORK — Country music star Lorrie Morgan has been added to the cast of “Pure Country,” which is expected to open on Broadway early next year. Producer Randall Wreghitt says Morgan will join Joe Nichols, another well-known country singer, in the musical based on the hit 1992 movie starring George Strait and Lesley Ann Warren.

Today’s birthdays

Comedian-director David Steinberg is 67. Actor Sam Elliott is 65. Singer Barbara Mason is 62. Actress Melanie Griffith is 52. Actress Amanda Bearse (“Married...With Children”) is 51. Rapper Kurtis Blow is 50. Singer Whitney Houston is 46. “Today” co-host Hoda Kotb is 45. Actress Gillian Anderson (“The X-Files”) is 41. Actor Eric Bana (“Star Trek,” “The Hulk”) is 41. “Good Morning America” co-anchor Chris Cuomo is 39. Bassist Arion Salazar (Third Eye Blind) is 39. Rapper Mack 10 is 38. Latin singer Juanes is 37. Actress Anna Kendrick (“Twilight”) is 24.