'Big Bang' Temple alum goes from Owls to 'Trolls'
Also in Tattle: Mariah Carey, James Packer, Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, Marc Platt, Snow White
KUNAL NAYYAR, best known for playing Raj on The Big Bang Theory, is excited about his new film Trolls - and fond of the City of Brotherly Love.
"I studied acting at Temple University, and it was a wonderful community of people. A lot of love," Nayyar told Tattle Hollywood correspondent Jerome Maida. "Philly is a group of people who love each other and love their city. That's why my wife (Neha Kapur, who was Miss India 2006) and I have set up a foundation at Temple University. We give scholarships for both undergraduate and graduate students in the acting program. That's how much we love the university."
Nayyar has been in five previous films, but his TV gig keeps him busy.
"My schedule with The Big Bang Theory usually dictates what I'm doing," he said. "But in my time off, I've written a book and have done an off-Broadway play with Jesse Eisenberg (The Spoils)."
For Nayyar, there's nothing to compare working in TV, big films or small films.
"To me, there really isn't a difference because I'm an actor. Any job I get, I'm going to give a thousand percent," he said. "Of course, its nice to be part of a production that a lot of people are going to see, all over the world, that is going to fill so many people with happiness. Regardless of the size of the movie, that's what I'm excited about more - how many people this movie is going to touch and how much happiness is going to be spread in the world."
Nayyar says it was fun playing a character, Guy Diamond, who is always naked.
"Well, while I was doing the voice-acting, I was naked myself," he joked.
Although Trolls has a star-studded cast (Anna Kendrick, Gwen Stefani), the only voice-actor Nayyar got to work with was Justin Timberlake.
"I had known Justin before that because we golf together. So, for me, it was just like hanging out with an old friend . . . I respect him a lot."
When told a lot of young ladies may be jealous he got to hang out with Timberlake, Nayyar joked, "I think it's the other way around."
Read more: 'Trolls': Great Timberlake tunes, not enough DreamWorks magic
Cash and Carey?
The New York Post's "Page Six" reports that the Mariah Carey-James Packer break-up has gotten more bizarre.
She's blaming Scientology.
Unnamed sources close to Carey say she believes a Packer exec, Tommy Davis, a former Church of Scientology spokesperson, has poisoned their relationship. Packer had been a Scientologist between 2002 and 2006.
The insiders say Davis has Packer on a "Purification Rundown" and part of that purification involves no Mariah.
Packer sources deny this. They say the split was caused by Carey's spendaholic ways and her new E! reality show. Packer reportedly booted Carey off his yacht in Greece and out of his house in California.
A Carey source told Page Six, "Mariah and James were looking at homes in Beverly Hills to buy together in August . . . then suddenly he changed. In September, James suddenly seemed not like himself at all."
The source said Mariah suspects Tommy "is controlling him."
"James isn't a man who could be controlled; he is a very successful businessman who is in control of a number of businesses, and he has a lot of excellent people working for him," said a Packer source. " . . . His relationship with Mariah ended because she is a diva, she has an entourage around her, and she's filming a TV show, which is a crazy world that James doesn't want to be involved with."
Sources say Carey is seeking a financial settlement with Packer for the "emotional distress" the breakup caused.
She's reportedly asking for $50 million. That's a lot of distress.
Let it 'Snow'
According to variety.com, Disney is going to the reboot well again.
The Mouse House, which is raiding its vaults on a daily basis to find properties to remake or reinvent, is now developing a live-action movie musical of Snow White.
Tattle Tag line: The Musical that Dwarfs All Others!
Disney is in negotiations with Erin Cressida Wilson (The Girl on the Train) to script because, you know, the two stories are so similar. Philadelphia native Benj Pasek and his songwriting partner Justin Paul (La La Land) are attached to pen new songs.
Penn alum Marc Platt (Wicked) will produce.
Disney is also working on a spinoff following Snow White's sister, Rose Red.
After that may come another spin-off about the American electorate, called "Dopey."
- Daily News wire services
contributed to this report.
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