Steven Soderbergh is bringing his fear-of-disease thriller Contagion to shoot in Hong Kong in a move that is likely to stir up painful memories of the deadly SARS epidemic in 2003 that spread around the world from China, shaking its one-party government.

Josie Ho, the singer-actress who last appeared in the slasher film Dream Home, told The Hollywood Reporter that Soderbergh has hired her to join the Hollywood ensemble cast in her native Hong Kong at the end of Sept.

In Soderbergh’s first visit to Greater China as a director, Ho, a daughter of Macau’s wealthiest gaming tycoon, is set to play the sister of “Patient Zero”, a casino worker who spreads a deadly virus to passengers on an airplane leaving for the United States.

Ho, who met Soderbergh in Hong Kong in July, said she would draw on her own memories of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome outbreak to play her role in Contagion.

“It was a very sad time when we were all scared and nobody knew where to turn for help,” Ho said. “I really respect all the doctors and nurses who saved us. They are heroes.”

Ho said she is “really excited and looking forward” to working in a cast that already includes Marion Cotillard as a World Health Organization doctor, in addition to Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law and Kate Winslet. Ho did not know which Asian actor would play Patient Zero.

Sources said October Pictures of Hong Kong will line produce for Soderbergh in the former British colony. An official at the company reached by phone referred queries to producer Gregory Jacobs in Los Angeles.

Jacobs and the film’s publicist did not respond to repeated phone and e-mail requests for comment. Crew reached by phone at the Los Angeles and Chicago production offices confirmed the film’s imminent move to Hong Kong but declined to elaborate.

Detailed script notes published on a film blog suggest Contagion also would shoot in Minneapolis, Dubai, Japan, Switzerland, The United Kingdom, Brazil, Russia, and Malaysia.

Sources at distributor Warner Bros., which plans to release Contagion in Oct. 2011, discounted word that Soderbergh might also shoot in China, saying he would stay in Hong Kong, where film production is less constrained than in China.

Contagion is likely to be barred from China’s booming movie marketplace — up 86% at the boxoffice from Jan.-June — if Soderbergh’s final cut bares any resemblance to the series of events around the explosion of SARS.

The near pandemic episode moved China’s president Hu Jintao to sack the mayor of Beijing and the minister of health for covering up the true extent of the virus’s spread.

According to the World Health Organization, within a matter of weeks in early 2003, SARS spread from Guangdong Province just north of Hong Kong to rapidly infect more than 8,000 individuals in 37 countries, eventually killing 774 victims.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Kate Winslet’s new boyfriend Louis Dowler has spoken about his romance with the actress, saying he is very ”happy” with her.

Model Louis Dowler — who began dating the Oscar-winning actress in June following her split from estranged husband Sam Mendes earlier this year — has spoken for the first time about their romance and couldn’t contain his excitement.

Speaking at the Virgin Media V Festival, in Chelmsford, Essex, earlier this month, Louis told Grazia magazine: “I feel really happy at the moment, although Kate’s not coming today, unfortunately. So I’m here with friends having a relaxing day out. Kate’s in Reading visiting family this weekend but I’m going to meet up with her on Sunday or Monday, which will be great.”

The Reader star is thought to have invited Louis to meet her parents in her hometown but the hunk had already made plans with friends to go to the festival.

Sources close to Kate — who has nine-year-old daughter Mia with first husband Jim Threapleton and seven-year-old Joe with Sam — say the pair are smitten with each other.

A friend said: “We all thought it was just going to be a fling, but it’s been going on a couple of months now and they seem to be getting closer and closer. Louis is making Kate really happy, he is just the kind of guy you want around if you’ve been going through a tough time, as he really looks out for the people he cares for.”

Source: Contactmusic News

GALLERY LINKS:
• Candids: Leaving Mahiki nightclub and arriving at their hotel – August 20

Kate Winslet enjoys a romantic clinch with new man Louis Dowler, after checking out his flat… and doing the cleaning.

The Titanic star has been spending lots of time at the Burberry model’s pad in ­Kensington, West London, this week.

A source said: “Kate had to find out where her man lived and what his digs were like so she got her limo over there.

“She did a bit of cleaning and thought it was a cute flat — he passed all the tests. She was even ­joking around answering the door to strangers. They got quite a shock when an Oscar-winner answered. It’s like she’s got a new lease of life with Louis.”

The pair, both 34, met after Kate split from husband Sam Mendes, 45, in March.

Source: mirror.co.uk

Looking absolutely smitten, the Oscar winning actress and her new suitor headed to Mahiki nightclub in Mayfair to continue their night on the town.

Kate seeing walking around London with her mom the next day:

GALLERY LINKS:
• Candids: Leaving Mahiki nightclub and arriving at their hotel – August 20
• Candids: Walking around London – August 21