Trade Roundup: Actress Plucked From Obscurity, Granted Bond Girl Immortality

· Unknown actress Gemma Arterton has been anointed as the newest Bond girl, with her agent confirming her “nice-sized role” in Bond 22, though it’s still unclear whether her part will fall into the “superspy sexual conquest” or “extremely attractive, but sexually unavailable, Mi7 functionary” categories of 007-supporting females [THR]
· Members of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts are (preliminarily, at least) head-over-heels in blighty* love for Atonement, listing the Joe Wright adaptation 17 times in their awards longlist (a mere 15 options per category!) for the BAFTAS, an announcement that mostly serves to let the public know which movies have been pre-snubbed for their eventual nominations. [*We only put that in for the benefit of our readers who are driven insane by Varspeak.] [Variety]

· The studios and the DGA are taking their time “slow dancing” a “protracted tango” on their way to the upcoming commencement of contract talks, a courtship ritual the jilted WGA hopes doesn’t quickly lead to quick, sloppy “fucking in the coatcheck room” negotiations that could set a bad precedent for writers. [THR]
· Lovable Access Hollywood mannequin Billy Bush will host this year’s Flackies, the 45th annual conferring of the always-hotly-anticipated Publicist Awards. [Variety]