Ledger Pop Journal - Celebrity News & Sports

"The Big Bang Theory" costar Simon Helberg has been set to join the cast of Joel and Ethan Cohen's "A Serious Man" -- in a role that's mighty far from his "Big Bang" socially inept genius character, Howard Wolowitz. Helberg lets us know he'll play a junior rabbi that another character finds disconcertingly young when he comes to seek spiritual and marital guidance.

"Camp Rock 2" Starring the Jonas Bros. and Demi Lovato? (Image: Wenn)

"I'm shooting that next month during our show hiatus," reports the actor. He also says, "I auditioned for this part about a year ago. It took nine months for me to find out I got the part. They were working on other things -- they weren't just thinking about me," he adds with a laugh.

Meanwhile, Helberg's thrilled with "Big Bang's" burgeoning popularity at home and in some 20 countries around the world. He's heard it's doing well in lands from India to Israel to Italy. "It's strange to me. We're so insulated we don't feel it unless we travel. Living in Los Angeles especially, people here are numb to celebrity."

TEEN TO SCREEN: With "High School Musical 3" on the big screen, can we now expect more Disney Channel movies to spawn features -- like, say, "Camp Rock 2" starring the Jonas Bros. and Demi Lovato? Disney production chieftain Oren Aviv isn't ruling out anything. "We're always thinking about how we can use great creative ideas," he says.