An actor who screen tested for the film adaptation for The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay says the movie is stalled, Coming Soon.net reported.

In an interview, Ben Whishaw, star of Perfume, says although director Stephen Daldry had him audition for the film, “I think it’s not happening now.”

“I think it’s been sort of put to one-side for a little while,” he said. “It all fell apart, which is such a shame. I have not read the book even, but it’s a wonderful project. I hope at some point it’s revived.”

No word on what part Whishaw tried out for, but the interview does show that casting was well underway before any red lights went up. Adrien Brody read for the part of Kavalier, and Michael Chabon several months ago called Natalie Portman a “strong likelihood” for the part of Rosa.

Pre-production began in March, and New York City’s mayor’s office said scouting occured through May. But as of August, the film still had not been given the greenlight. The article says Daldry and the producers set up a presentation in New York for the movie.

Sienna Miller apologized Friday for making disparaging comments about Pittsburgh in a Rolling Stone interview.

“Can you believe this is my life?” Miller says in the interview. “Will you pity me when you’re back in your funky New York apartment and I’m still in Pittsburgh? I need to get more glamorous films.”

In a statement issued by her publicist, Miller said her comments were taken out of context and that she was referring to how she had not had a chance fully explore the city due to the mostly night shooting schedule.

“What I have seen of it is beautiful. I came once before to visit The Andy Warhol Museum whilst researching a film and found both the city and its inhabitants warm and gracious,” she said.

Miller’s father, who lives about 85 miles north of Pittsburgh in Meadville, planned to show her around this weekend, she said.

Sienna Miller might find starring in The Mysteries of Pittsburgh difficult after insulting the book adaptation’s city namesake.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Miller referred to Pittsburgh as something that starts with “sh” and rhymes with “Pittsburgh” in an interview with Rolling Stone.

“Can you believe this is my life?” Miller says in the interview. “Will you pity me when you’re back in your funky New York apartment and I’m still in Pittsburgh? I need to get more glamorous films.”

The mayor of Pittsburgh isn’t happy.

“I think obviously we have a great town, and I disagree with her comments,” said Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, having been briefed on the Rolling Stone story. “She was probably in the more elite facilities in and around the city. I think if she would have interacted with regular Pittsburghers, she would have found differently. She needs to get out with us regular folks.”

Miller apparently rarely leaves her hotel, the newspaper reports.

Michael Chabon will author a 16-part serialized novel in The New York Times Magazine, temporarily called “Jews with swords,” the Pulitzer Prize-winning author announced Friday.

Chabon provided no plot details about the Times stories other than the working title, which he swears is “the working title only!” The stories are scheduled to begin hitting print sometime in early January after Michael Connelly’s serial completes, Chabon wrote on his Web site.

Chabon also announced Friday that he had been replaced as the screenwriter for Disney’s martial arts picture Snow and the Seven.

A brief recounting by Chabon of the end of his job on the film went like this: “They love you, but they want to go in another direction.” “What kind of dir–” “More of a fun direction.” “Oh.”

No word on who has replaced Chabon.

Chabon said his next novel, The Yiddish Policemen’s Union, is “completed and headed for copy-editing.” It should hit bookstores in May 2007, much sooner than anticipated (Chabon said in December it wouldn’t hit stores until winter 2007).

Chabon noted that the film adaptation of Mysteries of Pittsburgh is “about to enter the magical estate known as ‘principal photography,’ in the great city of Pittsburgh.” News reports circulated earlier this week that Nick Nolte has joined the cast. (Nextbook, by the way, is carrying an account of that crazy 80’s extra casting call).

But don’t expect any new news on the film adaptation Kavalier & Clay, at least not from Chabon. He posted this missive on his site regarding the film: “Status: Complying With Polite Request To Stop Posting About It On This Website, Already.”

Chabon’s previous posting regarding the film had been to say the Natalie Portman might get cast as Rosa Saks. Unlike usual with Chabon’s Web site updates, links to the posting began widely popping up throughout the blogosphere, and several Hollywood news Web sites quoted it at length.

Cinematical quotes Chabon’s wife, Ayelet Waldman, as saying Kavalier & Clay has “not yet been greenlit.”

Waldman also updated her Web site, with an update on the family:

“We’re in Maine, on something of an extended vacation. Vacation for us means we don’t do anything but work and play with the kids. It’s been pretty grand, but frankly I’m surprised I haven’t done as much reading as I expected. Maybe it’s because the kids are obsessed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer and we watch it every night. I’ve also spent time getting my butt kicked at Scrabble, as usual. Playing Scrabble with my husband is exactly no fun at all.”

An open casting call for The Mysteries of Pittsburgh drew dozens of people dressed as punk rockers and with Mohawks and fishnet tights, The Pittsbugh Post-Gazette reported Saturday.

“We probably will use almost everybody,” said Nancy Mosser, the casting director. “We need 700 [extras].”

Head over to the paper’s site to read the fantastic feature and see all the photos.