•• Phase 4 Films has acquired U.S. and Canadian rights to Sarah Siegel-Magness’ “Long Time Gone,” a drama starring Virginia Madsen, Amanda Crew and Zach Gilford.

Virginia Madsen plays Augusta, a Connecticut resident who has a nervous breakdown after discovering her husband is having an affair. Her son tries to comfort her with the help of his older brother (Zach Gilford) and live-in girlfriend (Amanda Crew).

“We are thrilled to be working with Sarah on her directorial debut after her past success as a producer,” Phase 4 president and CEO Ben Meyerowitz said in a statement. “We cannot wait until audiences see the great performances by Virginia Madsen and the rest of the wonderful cast involved.” Phase 4 will release the film day-and-date in theaters and across all VOD and digital platforms Spring 2013.

•• AMC is giving a show of confidence to “Hell on Wheels”, its two-year-old western that kicked off with former Confederate soldier Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount) helping to build the transcontinental railroad. The cable network ordered 10 more episodes of the drama. It’s unclear when they will air. The series that also stars Colm Meaney and Common averaged 2.4 million in it’s second season.

•• Oscar-nominated actress has come a long way since she got to Hollywood. Today she is enjoying the sweet ride of success and the advantages it brings. Below, an edited version of MORE interview with Virginia Madsen.

More: You recently turned 51 years old. How are your fifties treating you?  
VM: The older I get, the smarter and stronger I get. My body is great, I feel youthful, and I see changes that I am really grateful for.

More: It’s great that you celebrate your age.
VM: Oh, yeah! I was raised by an incredible mom. My mom always had all the candles on her birthday cake, whereas all the other moms never talked about their age. My mom was open and honest about her journey in life. She was never ashamed of having a few lines or a few more candles. I wasn’t raised in an environment where age was the enemy. If anything, age made you stronger. Age made you smarter and even more sensual. Age also made you feel free.

More: Sounds as if you don’t miss your twenties.
VM: No. Look, I get that Hollywood is about being young and beautiful and age is the enemy. These young actors may get the abundance of work, but I get the quality of work. Hollywood may come across as a youth-oriented town, but there is plenty of room for actors of all ages. Continue Reading