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‘Dupree’ office
opens here

Universal Pictures' romantic comedy "You, Me, and Dupree" opened its production office on Monday at the Waikiki Beach Marriott for about three weeks of pre-production work plus a week of filming. The pic, starring Kate Hudson, Owen Wilson and Matt Dillon, will shoot four major scenes here, including the opening wedding scene. Locations include Waimea Valley Audubon Center and Kualoa Ranch. This is Hawaii's first major film shooting this year ...

Wow factor! Just after "Lost" won the Best Drama Emmy, co-creators/exec producers J.J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof and producer Carlton Cuse told Reel News that one reason for the show's success is that Hawaii is "the perfect locale for this baby" and that the local crew "work faster than any crew we've ever worked with." "They do an amazing job," Abrams says.

(Lindelof and Cuse say discussions between the state and ABC/Touchstone about financial incentives are ongoing.)

"Lost" is filming this week at the Royal Garden hotel in Waikiki and using the Ala Moana Promenade as a New York "location."

Guest stars on this season's episodes include Jolene Blalock (T'Pol from "Star Trek: Enterprise") as a character in Sawyer's past, to be seen in next Wednesday's episode. Katey Sagal also guest-stars early this season as "Helen."

In other side projects, Lindelof says he'll be writing a story arc for Marvel Comics' upcoming "Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk" in December, marking his debut as a comic book writer.

And Daniel Dae Kim will guest host the "Raise Your Voice" Broadway revue at the Ronald E. Bright Theatre at Castle High School at 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday. Call 371-3489 ...

The Emmy-nominated "Soap Talk," hosted by Lisa Rinna and Ty Treadway, will tape special Hawaii shows on the Hilton Hawaiian Village beach today and tomorrow. (The show can be regularly seen on SOAPnet, Oceanic Time Warner channel 67.) ...

Fiji has nominated "The Land Has Eyes," written and directed by University of Hawaii professor Vilsoni Hereniko, for Oscar consideration in the Best Foreign Language Film category ...