Corbin Bleu

The judges appear to be in place. But who will be The X-Factor's version of Ryan Seacrest this fall?

Entertainment Weekly reports that two names are close to finalizing deals as the competition's co-hosts: former High School Musical star Corbin Bleu and former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherziner.

Bleu made his mark on the Disney Channel, but he's since gone on to anchor In the Heights on Broadway for a run. Scherzinger, meanwhile, is a favorite of producer Simon Cowell, who says he absolutely adores the beauty.

Contracts for both will need to be signed soon, as production is scheduled to begin on May 8.

[Photos: WENN.com]

Corbin Bleu has officially struck it big.

While Zac Efron is set to appear in Me and Orson Welles, his first major movie role since High School Musical, Bleu has become the first member of that beloved franchise to land a starring role on Broadway.

And it's a huge one.

The 20-year-old actor will step into the role of Usnavi in In The Heights, a Tony Award-winning play created by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Bleu will debut in the lead role on January 25.

In The Heights focuses on the story of Manhattan’s Washington Heights. It features catchy, memorable Salsa tunes and dancing.

Bleu has major shoes to fill, taking over for Miranda, but he - along with every cast member of the High School Musical franchise - has proven to be an intelligent, well-spoken, career-oriented actor. We wish him the best of luck!

As part of a campaign urging youth to take aim at poverty and disease, the ONE foundation has released a new ad which aired during last night's Gossip Girl.

Fittingly, that show's stars Leighton Meester, Jessica Szohr and Ed Westwick took part in it, along with Ashley Greene, Kellan Lutz and Nikki Reed of the Twilight saga.

Heroes' Hayden Panettiere, Tristan Wilds from 90210, FlashForward cast member John Cho, Tropic Thunder's Brandon Jackson and more rounded out the ad spot:

Coming Together as ONE

The CW promo machine, famous for its racy Gossip Girl promos, has one-upped itself with a new campaign for its freshman modeling series, The Beautiful Life.

If you've dreamed of seeing Corbin Bleu nude, High School Musical fans, your prayers have been answered. It's no Zac Efron nude, but take what you can get ...

If Corbin Bleu nude won't get you to watch The Beautiful Life, what will?

Aside from Bleu, Sara Paxton plays Raina Marinelli, a model with a secret past. Benjamin Hollingsworth plays Chris Andrews, an Iowa farm boy (not unlike producer Ashton Kutcher). Ashley Madekwe certainly holds her own (literally!) as well.

Notably absent? Fellow co-star Mischa Barton. Maybe because she was on psychiatric hold at an L.A. hospital and missed the photo shoot. Or because she would appear two-dimensional nude. Girl is like 60 pounds soaking wet.

Anyway, click to enlarge naked promos of these hot up-and-comers ...

In a manner of speaking, of course.

Anyone who's followed Mischa Barton news lately knows hers has been anything but beautiful. You know, trying to claim her own life, being on suicide watch and all.

But despite Barton's health concerns, she is back and filming The Beautiful Life, a CW pilot debuting this fall, as planned. We wish Mischa the best of food health.

Here she is with co-star Elle McPherson ...

Mischa Barton: Lucid, returning to TV soon.

The show, revolving around a group of models in New York City, also stars Corbin Bleu of High School Musical fame, former supermodel McPherson and two newcomers, Sara Paxton and Ashley Madekwe. It looks like a pretty entertaining series, actually.

Click to enlarge more still photos from The Beautiful Life pilot ...

For those that are still celebrating the death of Marissa on The OC, Mischa Barton is out for revenge.

The mediocre, incredibly thin actress is returning to the small screen this fall. She'll star on The Beautiful Life, a new CW series airing on Wednesday nights and produced by Ashton Kutcher.

The drama focuses on series of male and female models, all of whom share an apartment in New York City. It's like a reality show come to scripted life!

Click on the following photos of Barton from the pilot episode:

The Beautiful Life also marks the television show debut of Corbin Bleu. The High School Musical actor is featured in the full cast photo below:

** Update: We've been told the pics above are actually of actress Sara Paxton, NOT Mischa Barton. Our bad. Still, everything else is true: Barton and Bleu will be starring in this new series.

So Mischa Barton may not be palling around with Ashlee Simpson-Wentz on The CW's Melrose Place this upcoming pilot season, but rumor has it her new TV project will nevertheless boast a hot young co-star with a musical background.

The network confirms that High School Musical star Corbin Bleu has been cast in Ashton Kutcher's A Beautiful Life as a male model with a Lenny Kravitz-type vibe.

Bleu is not signed as a series regular, but will appear in the pilot. Hopefully his character encourages Mischa's to eat the occasional cheeseburger. Girl's quite thin.

YOUNG HOTTIES: These two will potentially co-star on A Beautiful Life.

Other peeps involved: Sara Paxton (The Last House on the Left), Benjamin Hollingsworth (The Cutting Edge 3), Ashley Madekwe (Secret Diary of a Call Girl) and Nico Tortorella. Throw in Mischa and Corbin Bleu and you've basically got an all-star cast.

Smart move on The CW's part to try to draw the High School Musical crowd by inking one of its stars. But can A Beautiful Life become a hit like 90210 or potentially Melrose - or is the network spread too thin with those, One Tree Hill and Gossip Girl?

As 2008 winds down, it's time to reflect upon those - from household names to relative unknowns, from A- to D-list - who made this year so memorable.

The Hollywood Gossip is unveiling 10 finalists for its 2nd Annual Celebrity of the Year award. They've given us their best, their worst, even their nude pictures in some cases. Now it is time for us to give something back with this moving tribute.

We previously profiled the expensive, Governor-seducing call girl, Ashley Dupre. Today, we present Celebrity of the Year finalist #5 … the High School Musical Cast!

It was a huge year for Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens and company... literally! While previous installments of this Disney franchise scored solid ratings, High School Musical 3: Senior Year was released on big screens across the country, breaking records and making names in Hollywood for all its stars.

Efron has received the biggest career boost from the film.

Previously compared with temporary teen icons such as Brody Jenner, Zac is now being discussed in the same breath as A-list actors such a Leonardo DiCaprio. In 2009, he'll star alongside Matthew Pretty and Leslie Mann in 17 Again.

Hudgens, meanwhile, gets to have sex with Efron. She also has overcome the biggest nude scandal of 2007 in order to resurrect her burgeoning resume. Like her delicious boyfriend, Vanessa has broken free from the teen mold: she'll be included among Maxim's Sexiest Stars of 2009.

As for Ashley Tisdale, Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman and others associated with this franchise, they may very be included in our Celebrity of the Year profiles for years to come. Go Wildcats!

Click on the following images for countless pics of your favorite High School Musical stars...

This Friday, folks.

High School Musical 3: Senior Year opens in theaters this Friday.

While we assume most fans have taken the week off to line up for tickets, we hope a few out there are still privy to an Internet connection.

If so, they can watch the video below. It's an edition of Moviefone's "Unscripted" that showcases Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Corbin Bleu and Ashley Tisdale sitting around and asking one another questions about the movie. Yes, it's as cool as it sounds...

Cast Interviews

Darn the French.

High School Musical fans in Paris not only got to meet and greet the members of this franchise's cast earlier in the week, but High School Musical 3: Senior Year will premiere two days earlier in Europe than in the United States.

Life isn't fair sometimes, but at least we can still enjoy images of Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale overseas:

Here are a few more photos of the High School Musicla 3 crew posing for pics in Paris. Click on each for an enlarged image...