Mike Fleming

EXCLUSIVE: Alec Baldwin has committed to star in Woody Allen’s next film. And where will the quintessential New York actor and Gotham’s arguably most famous director be filming? Try Rome. Allen has chosen that city as the site of his next comedy as he continues sampling countries around the globe after shooting most of his films exclusively in New York. Allen has said that shooting in NYC is just too expensive, but I’d argue that the change of scenery has creatively revived him in recent outings.

Baldwin will work with Allen for the first time since the 1990 comedy Alice. Allen has just begun putting this film together, and word is that The Social Network’s Jesse Eisenberg is also in line for a lead. Penelope Cruz was previously announced. Baldwin will first star in Rock Of Ages, the Adam Shankman-directed New Line musical that also stars Diego Gonzalez Boneta, Julianne Hough, Tom Cruise, Mary J. Blige and Russell Brand. Amy Adams is being courted to play a journalist who falls into a bedroom romp with the rock star Stacee Jaxx (Cruise). After he finishes the two projects, Baldwin returns for what could be his final season of the NBC sitcom 30 Rock. Could Jack Donaghy really be leaving after Baldwin’s contract ends and the show is still so good? Baldwin told me as much when we did the Playboy Interview awhile back. I argued that his sitcom momentum would create the richest screen opportunities Baldwin has had since early in his career when he was supposed to be one of those $20 million a picture guys. Baldwin said then that he planned to hang up acting and consider running for political office. Stay tuned on that one.