1. A failed actor tried to extort millions of dollars from a group of people that included Harvey Weinstein, sending him a letter that threatened to kill members of the film mogul’s family unless “a large sum of money was wired to an offshore bank account.” And get this: for some reason, he used Helen Mirren’s return address. [via Daily Intel]
2. In case you’re ever tempted, this is why you don’t want to break into LL Cool J’s house.
3. Exciting news for fans of period dramas: BBC2 has announced plans to adapt Hilary Mantel’s Booker Prize-winning novel Wolf Hall into a six-part miniseries. [via Telegraph]
4. Madonna has altered the concert video that previously outraged France’s National Front political party, replacing the image of its president, Marine Le Pen, with a swastika projected on her face with a question mark instead. [via ArtsBeat]
5. The first photos from the set of the Carrie reboot make it look like director Kimberly Peirce plans on being quite faithful to the Brian De Palma original — but maybe that’s not such a good thing. [via TotalFilm]
Bonus Buzz: Pinot Greej N Coke