MOVES

• E1 Entertainment has hired reality specialist Tara Long, putting her in charge of a push to turn out more programming for the U.S. domestic market. Long will head the company's reality division as VP of U.S. alternative programming, a file that puts her in charge of expanding a slate of programs that includes Kenny vs. Spenny, Outlaw Bikers and Mega Builders. She will work in L.A., reporting to CEO of television John Morayniss.

SIGNINGS

• Larysa Kondracki's The Whistleblower has attracted a clutch of international headliners. The Canada/Germany coproduction, starring Rachel Weisz, has added Vanessa Redgrave, Monica Bellucci, David Strathairn and Danish star Nikolaj Lie Kaas to its cast. The screenplay is written by Kondracki and Eilis Kirwan.

The film, which is shooting in Bucharest, Romania, tells the true story of a tenacious policewoman (Weisz) who risks her job and safety to uncover a scandal involving both American contractors and the United Nations in post-war Bosnia. It is produced by Toronto-based First Generation Films (Amreeka), Germany's Barry Films and two New York City-based companies, Primary Productions and Plum Pictures. It marks Kondracki's directorial feature debut, following the 2009 short Viko.

• Martha Plimpton has joined the cast of writer/director Ed Gass-Donnelly's latest, appearing in the drama Small Town Murder Scenes for 3 Legged Dog Films and Resolute Films and Entertainment. The noted indie actress (I Shot Andie Warhol, Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle) joins Peter Stormare (Prison Break), Aaron Poole (Z.O.S.), Stephen McIntyre (Falcon Beach), Ari Cohen (The Tracey Fragments) and Jill Hennessy, formerly of Law & Order.

Plimpton plays the girlfriend to Stormare's character.

• It turns out Brent Butt will be in front of the camera for his new sitcom Hiccups. The former Corner Gas frontman - already on board as creator, writer and executive producer of the new 13 x 30 - will also co-star as an under-qualified life coach, tasked with shepherding a high-strung children's author, played by wife and Gas cohort Nancy Robertson. When the project was first announced, Butt was expected to stay behind the scenes, working through his Vancouver shop Sparrow Media.

The Hiccups cast is filled out by Laura Soltis (The Guard), David Ingram (Smallville), Emily Perkins (Ginger Snaps) and Paula Rivera (Flashpoint).

• British talent Michael Nardone (Rome) has joined the cast of Durham County, now shooting its third six-hour season in Montreal. He plays the bad guy to Hugh Dillon's angst-y cop and family man Mike Sweeney.

• Hockey Night in Canada regular Jeff Marek has joined the CBC News: Morning team, doing hourly sports highlights and breaking news.