The Best Star Wars Quotes
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The Best Star Wars Quotes
‘The Black Door’ chapter closes with a new spin-off series taking over
‘The Black Door’ chapter closes with a
Marvel Studios just gave fans a look at the first official merchandise featuring Zawe Ashton’s villain from The Marvels.
While Captain Marvel 2 will rightly focus on its exciting trio of actors in Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, and Iman Vellani, Zawe Ashton looks to plant her own flag in the MCU as the terrifying new villain Dar-Benn.
Ashton will play a gender-swapped version of this powerful Kree, who served as a General in the comics and will likely hold the same rank in the MCU. She even brandishes a weapon similar to that of Captain Marvel’s Ronan the Accuser.
And as she looks to follow in the footsteps of Kang the Conqueror and the High Evolutionary on the big screen, she’ll be an important part of Captain Marvel 2 for Marvel Studios to use in the sequel’s upcoming marketing campaign.
As shared by Instagram user ironman.tw, Marvel Studios revealed the first official merchandise featuring Zawe Ashton’s villainous Dar-Benn from The Marvels.
Ashton struts forward holding her hammer-like Kree weapon in her hand, donning green robes and a green tint in her hair.
This comes only a few weeks after Ashton made her first appearance in the trailer for Captain Marvel 2 which arrived online in April, complete with a bangle on her wrist that resembles the one which gives Kamala Khan her powers.
Also shown in this new merchandise is a promotional image featuring this movie’s main trio of heroes with Maria Rambeau, Carol Danvers, and Kamala Khan being shown off alongside each other.
The heroic trio gets the spotlight in another image showing the characters from the waist up, standing tall in superhero poses and all donning their new super suits that will be seen in the sequel.
With the potential that Captain Marvel 2 could take Carol Danvers’ powers away for some of the story, fans will be curious to see how formidable Zawe Ashton’s new villain is against the leading trio.
This merch only reinforces how powerful and intimidating Ashton’s antagonist will be, which comes after exclusive footage shown at the D23 Fan Expo gave fans the first taste of what she’d do on the big screen.
Ashton will be just one of nearly a dozen major stars in this sequel to take the spotlight as Carol Danvers works with a team of heroes for the first time in one of her solo movies.
On top of the cast, Ashton’s Kree villain will be an important piece of plot and story detail to pay attention to while Carol and crew look to complete their next mission.
The Marvels will debut in theaters on November 11.
James Gunn has spent the last year with one foot in the MCU and another in the DCU, and that is fine by him. However, the writer/director’s recent press tour for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 led to some fans claiming that Gunn was “cheating” on his new role as DC Studios CEO by crossing over to promote his final MCU movie. To Gunn, that idea is ridiculous, and while speaking to Yahoo! Gunn addressed how he doesn’t feel it is strange at all to be working on both sides of the comic book coin, and moreover, says the whole idea of “hate” between the two franchises is weird. He said:
“It’s not odd. It isn’t odd at all, not to me. I understand how it appears, but I’m just busy cause I’m working two jobs at one time. But it’s not odd. People have this weird belief that Marvel and DC hate each other or somehow are polar opposites. But it’s just not the truth.I mean, listen, man, our job is the same. We want to get people into the theaters to see movies. That’s what matters. And I think that we work together to do that. And the more good Marvel movies are, the better it is for DC movies. The more good DC movies, the better it is for Marvel movies. There’s not only one winner. There can be two winners because it matters who goes to see your movies and who enjoys ’em.”
James Gunn is well known for surrounding himself with actors that he knows he can work with, and who will deliver exactly the performance he wants. This has already seen him bring Chukwudi Iwuji from his DC projects to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and enlist his brother, Sean, and wife, Jennifer Holland, along for the ride on a number of projects. Is that likely to stop anytime soon? Not at all.
Even before many of James Gunn’s DCU projects get underway with casting, there have been plenty of his Guardians cast that would be willing to follow him across to the his new role if he asked them. Karen Gillan has expressed an interest in playing Poison Ivy, while Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista and Pom Klementieff have all shared their desire to work with Gunn again in his new venture at some point. Gunn himself has been equally happy to say he would work with any of those actors in a heartbeat.
So far, the only DCU project to have had its cast announced is the animated Creature Commandos series, which has already pulled in a number of stars who have appeared in Marvel projects such as David Harbour, Frank Grillo and, as expected, Sean Gunn. Who will be next to turn up in the DCU? It surely won’t be long before Gunn finally reveals some big casting news for projects like Superman: Legacy and The Bold and the Brave.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is out in cinemas on May 5.
James Gunn has spent the last year
Gamepad maker 8Bitdo unveiled a cheaper version of its beloved Ultimate Controller today. The new Ultimate C 2.4G Wireless Controller is a $30 wireless accessory in purple or green color options. It’s compatible with Windows, Android, Steam Deck and Raspberry Pi.
As its name suggests, the new gamepad connects wirelessly using an included 2.4GHz USB dongle. 8Bitdo describes it as a “simplified” version of the popular Ultimate series of controllers while “offering the same ultimate quality.” As for what “simplified” means, the company appears to have helped scale back production costs by skipping the charging dock (using cable charging instead) and the profile-toggling switch from the more expensive variants. It also doesn’t support the company’s Ultimate Software for customizations.
8BitDo says the gamepad can last up to 25 hours of playtime and recharge fully in two hours. In addition, it supports asymmetrical rumble, although vibration feedback only works on Windows. The controller also works in wired mode and is plug-and-play on PC.
The company expanded into modern console-style controllers last year after making its bones on nostalgic gamepads mimicking classic NES and SNES inputs. The Ultimate line’s design is much closer to today’s Xbox controllers, including asymmetric stick layouts. The more expensive 2.5GHz version is still available for $50, while the Bluetooth variant costs $70. You can pre-order the new model from Amazon ahead of its scheduled May 31st release date.
Gamepad maker 8Bitdo unveiled a cheaper version
Frameline Film Festival will open with a screening of the Sofia Coppola-produced movie “Fairyland.” The 11-day, LGBTQ-focused festival will return to San Francisco and Oakland from June 14-24.
“Fairyland” will be followed by the festival’s Oakland Centerpiece event, which will screen “Cora Bora” on June 15. Its Pride Kickoff screening will be of “God Save the Queens” on June 22.
Produced by Sofia Coppola and directed by Andrew Durham, “Fairyland” is an adaptation of Alysia Abbott’s memoir of the same name. Throughout Durham’s directorial debut, audiences learn about the early days of gay liberation in San Francisco. Scoot McNairy portrays Alysia’s father, Steve, as he tries to balance fatherhood with exploring his sexuality. “Fairyland” will open the festival at the Castro Theater on June 14.
“’Fairyland’ is the perfect film to open Frameline47 as it’s a film anchored in the rich, gay history of San Francisco, and connected to the heart and soul of The Castro,” says Allegra Madsen, director of programming at Frameline. “Adapted beautifully from Alysa Abbott’s memoir, ‘Fairyland’ is a quintessentially San Francisco story of a queer father-daughter relationship during the ‘70s and ‘80s.”
“Cora Bora” will premiere at the New Parkway Theater the following day. Director Hannah Pearl Utt’s queer comedy stars “Hacks” breakout Megan Stalter as Cora, a struggling musician. The somewhat-successful Millennial moves to Los Angeles and promptly falls in love, but her misfortunes and messy reunions eventually lead her to Portland as she tries to win her girlfriend back.
Directed by Jordan Danger, “God Save the Queens” stars “RuPaul’s Drag Race” alumni including Alaska, Laganja Estranja, Kelly Mantle, Manilla Luzon and Michelle Visage. The film follows the queens when they end up in a therapy retreat and each try to salvage their careers after their separate PR nightmares.
Tickets to all three screenings are now on sale.
Frameline Film Festival will open with a
Oppenheimer star Cillian Murphy was desperate to play a leading role in a Christopher Nolan movie after years of supporting roles.
Cillian Murphy first met Christopher Nolan when he tested for the role of Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins, and although he didn’t land the role, Nolan did cast Murphy as Dr. Crane/Scarecrow. The actor reprised the role in The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises and appeared in Inception and Dunkirk. Still, he told the Associated Press he desperately wanted a leading role in a Christopher Nolan movie. That day finally arrived when Christopher Nolan called Cillian Murphy to say he wanted him to star in Oppenheimer.
“He’s so understated and self-deprecating and, in his very English manner, just said, ‘Listen, I’ve written this script, it’s about Oppenheimer. I’d like you to be my Oppenheimer,’” Cillian Murphy said. “It was a great day.” The actor added, “I have always said publicly and privately, to Chris, that if I’m available and you want me to be in a movie, I’m there. I don’t really care about the size of the part. But deep down, secretly, I was desperate to play a lead for him.“
Cillian Murphy continued, “We have this long-standing understanding and trust and shorthand and respect. It felt like the right time to take on a bigger responsibility. And it just so happened that it was a (expletive) huge one.” Murphy added that the script for Oppenheimer was the best he’d ever read.
The cast of Oppenheimer is perhaps Christopher Nolan’s most star-studded yet. In addition to Cillian Murphy, the film features Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Gary Oldman, Rami Malek, Florence Pugh, Kenneth Branagh, and many more. “Any actor would want to be on a Chris Nolan set,” Murphy said, “just to see how it works and to witness his command of the language of film and the mechanics of film and how he’s able to use that broad canvas within the mainstream studio system to make these very challenging human stories.” A new trailer for Oppenheimer screened at CinemaCon and is expected to screen in theaters with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
“I’m really proud of the movie and I’m really proud of what Chris has achieved,” Murphy said. “This was, for sure, a special one, certainly because of the history with me and Chris. We were not walking around the set high fiving, but it did feel special. It’s an event every time he releases a film, and rightly so. Whether I’m in them or not, I always go to see his movies.” Oppenheimer will hit theaters on July 21st.
Oppenheimer star Cillian Murphy was desperate to
Two members of the Writers’ Guild of America participating in the ongoing strike said Thursday night that they were intentionally struck by a car while picketing Universal Studios earlier in the day.
In accounts posted to their Twitter accounts, writers Shawn DePasquale and Nick Parker described a harrowing scene in Universal City, an unincorporated portion of Los Angeles County that is home to Universal Studios. They say a driver saw them walking on a crosswalk carrying picket signs, then accelerated in their direction, hitting both of them before driving off and giving striking writers the finger as he fled the scene.
They say they managed to avoid serious injury, and have consulted with a WGA lawyer.
“At Universal today on the picket line, @nick_parkour and I were hit by an aggressive man driving a blue car exiting Uni onto Lankershim. Luckily, we saw him accelerate at us and were able to avoid severe injury, but he definitely hit us & then flipped us off & drove away,” DePasquale wrote.
“Thankfully, we had immediate support from the captain on that shift and then from @TheJudalina And then from a WGA lawyer. I think that’s all I can say about it for now… But yeah, it was an interesting day,” he continued.
Parker corroborated DePasquale’s account, writing, “Yep, this madness happened. In front of dozens of witnesses while we were exercising our rights of free speech and assembly–in a crosswalk. And he meant to do it. Just proof that what we’re doing… it’s working. They’re feeling it. I’ll see you out there tomorrow.”
“For those asking how we’re doing, thank you. Really. No serious injuries. Just scary to see someone look you in the eye and then choose to hit you with their car,” Parker added.
Representatives for WGA didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from TheWrap.
WGA members have been on strike since Tuesday, when their contract with the studios expired and the two sides were unable to reach agreement on a new deal. Guild members are attempting to reverse what they say is a trend toward exploiting writers to the point that “a gig economy” now exists in Hollywood. They also cite vast paychecks earned by studio bosses at the same time compensation for creatives has declined considerably.
In a statement Thursday, The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers pushed back, saying in part that the WGA’s demands are “incompatible with the creative nature of our industry.”
Two members of the Writers’ Guild of
ORIGINAL
05/10/2023 (10:00PM – 11:00PM) (Wednesday) : Upton is unwittingly drawn into a deadly betrayal and finds herself in a fight for her life. With minimal leads, Voight and the team scramble to find her before it’s too late.
Promotional Photos
Some Like It Hot, & Juliet, Kimberly Akimbo and Sweeney Todd were among the big winners in today’s Tony Award nominations, while stars such as Sara Bareilles, Josh Groban, Ben Platt, Corey Hawkins, Sean Hayes, and Jessica Hecht each are now in the Tony running.
See below for the complete list of nominees.
With 13 nominations, the musical Some Like It Hot was at the top of today’s Tony Award nomination announcements, with & Juliet, New York, New York, Shucked tying for 2nd with nine nominations. Kimberly Akimbo and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street had 8, and with six each were Ain’t No Mo’, A Doll’s House, Into the Woods, Leopoldstadt, and Parade.
With five nominations each were Cost of Living, Fat Ham and Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot .
The 76th Annual Tony Awards were announced on CBS Mornings today by Funny Girl star Lea Michele and MJ‘s Tony Award winner Myles Frost.
Here is the complete list:
Best Musical
& Juliet
Producers: Max Martin & Tim Headington, Theresa Steele Page, Jenny Petersson, Martin Dodd, Eva Price, Lukasz Gottwald, 42nd.club, Independent Presenters Network, Jack Lane, Library Company, Shellback, Shivhans Pictures, Sing Out, Louise!, Kim Szarzynski, Taylor/Riegler, Tenenbaum/Keyes, Barry Weiss, John Gore Organization
Kimberly Akimbo
Producers: David Stone, Atlantic Theater Company, James L. Nederlander, LaChanze, John Gore, Patrick Catullo, Aaron Glick
New York, New York
Producers: Sonia Friedman Productions, Tom Kirdahy, Wendy Federman & Heni Koenigsberg, Crossroads Live, Playing Field, Stephanie P. McClelland, Ambassador Theatre Group, Waiting in the Wings Productions, Colin Callender, Gilbert and DeeDee Garcia/Sue Vaccaro, Peter May, Rileyfan, Silverhopkins+/Hunter Johnson, Jay Alix & Una Jackman, Eric Passmore, Thomas Swayne, Elliott Cornelious/SunnySpot Productions, Santino DeAngelo/Cynthia Tong, Craig Balsam, Richard Batchelder, Concord Theatricals, Creative Partners Productions, Marguerite Hoffman, Jessica R. Jenen, John Gore Organization, MGM on Stage, James L. Nederlander, Linda B. Rubin, Seriff Productions, Shivhans Pictures, 42nd.club/Beards on Broadway, AGL Productions/Brad Blume, Hunter Arnold/Red Mountain Theatre, Cue to Cue Productions/Roy Putrino, Jamie deRoy/Janet and Marvin Rosen, Edgewood/Silva Theatrical Group, Dale Franzen/Henry R. Muñoz, III, Deborah Green/Chris Mattsson, Branden Grimmett/DMQR Productions, Christen James/Gregory Carroll, NETworks Presentations/Lamar Richardson, Ron Simons/Adam Zell, Chartoff-Winkler
Shucked
Producers: Mike Bosner, Jason Owen, AEG Presents/Jay Marciano/Gary Gersh, Jeffrey A. Sine, Richard Smith, Silvia Schmid, Bob Boyett, Jeremiah J. Harris, James L. Nederlander, EST/Emily Tisch, Sony Music Entertaiment, DudaAllen, David W. Busch, Karen Fairchild, HoriPro Inc., Gordon-Helfner, John Gore Organization, Madison Wells Live, S&Co., Terry Schnuck, Jimi Westbrook, ZKM Media
Some Like It Hot
Producers: The Shubert Organization, Neil Meron, MGM on Stage, Roy Furman, Robert Greenblatt, James L. Nederlander, Kenny Leon, Hunter Arnold, John Gore Organization, The Dalgleish Library Company Group, Sheboygan Conservatory Partners, Ambassador Theatre Group Productions, Bob Boyett, Cue to Cue Productions, Janet and Marvin Rosen, The Araca Group, Concord Theatricals, Marc Howard, Independent Presenters Network, Juanita Jordan, Jujamcyn Theaters, Henry R. Muñoz, III, Ostar, Mariah Carey, D.S. Moynihan
Best Play
Ain’t No Mo’
Author: Jordan E. Cooper
Producers: Lee Daniels, BET: Black Entertainment Television, Len Blavatnik, Ron Burkle, Aryeh B. Bourkoff, 59th & Prairie Entertainment, RuPaul Charles, I’ll Have Another Productions, Jeremy O. Harris, Lena Waithe, Tucker Tooley Entertainment, CJ Uzomah, Ann Cox, Gina Purlia, Bob Yari, Marvin Peart, Colleen Camp, Marvet Britto, Jeremy Green, Sue Wagner, John Johnson, Jillian Robbins, The Public Theater, Oskar Eustis, Patrick Willingham, Mandy Hackett
Between Riverside and Crazy
Author: Stephen Adly Guirgis
Producers: Second Stage Theater, Carole Rothman, Khady Kamara, Atlantic Theater Company
Cost of Living
Author: Martyna Majok
Producers: Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Barry Grove, Williamstown Theatre Festival
Fat Ham
Author: James Ijames
Producers: No Guarantees, Public Theater Productions, Rashad V. Chambers, National Black Theatre, Tim Levy, Bards on Broadway, Bob Boyett, Ghostbuster Productions, James Ijames, Cynthia Stroum, Audible, Adam Cohen, Blake Devillier, Firemused Productions/JamRock Productions, The Forstalls, Iconic Vizion/Corey Brunish, John Gore Organization, Midnight Theatricals, David Miner, Robin Gorman Newman/PickleStar Theatricals, Marc Platt, Play on Shakespeare, The Wilma Theater, Colman Domingo, Cynthia Erivo, Andy Jones, Dylan Pager, Roundabout Theatre Company, Oskar Eustis, Patrick Willingham, Mandy Hackett, Sade Lythcott, Jonathan McCrory
Leopoldstadt
Author: Tom Stoppard
Producers: Sonia Friedman Productions, Roy Furman, Lorne Michaels, Stephanie P. McClelland, Gavin Kalin, Delman Sloan, Eilene Davidson, Brad Edgerton, Patrick Gracey, Hunter Arnold, Burnt Umber Productions, Cue to Cue Productions, The Factor Gavin Partnership, Harris Rubin Productions, Robert Nederlander, Jr., No Guarantees, Sandy Robertson, Iris Smith, Jamie deRoy/Catherine Adler, Dodge Hall
Productions/Waverly Productions, Richardo Hornos/Robert Tichio, Heni Koenigsberg/Wendy Federman, Thomas S. Perakos/Stephanie Kramer, Brian Spector/Judith Seinfeld, Richard Winkler/Alan Shorr
Best Revival of a Play
August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson
Producers: Brian Anthony Moreland, Sonia Friedman, Tom Kirdahy, Kandi Burruss & Todd Tucker, Hunter Arnold, Playing Field, The Factor Gavin Partnership, FBK Productions/42nd.club, Jay Alix & Una Jackman, Creative Partners Productions, Harris Rubin Productions, Marguerite Steed Hoffman, Alia Jones-Harvey, Mark Gordon Pictures, Stephanie McClelland, Moore Delman, James L. Nederlander, Seriff Productions, The Shubert Organization, Salman Al-Rashid/Jamie deRoy, Brad Blume/Cliff Hopkins, Jean Doumanian /Fakston Productions, Edgewood/DMQR Productions, Jay & Cindy Gutterman/Caiola Productions, Van Kaplan/Lu-Shawn Thompson, Erik A. King/Finewomen Productions, Marc David Levine/William Frisbie, Syrinda Paige/Kevin Ryan & Diane Scott Carter, Silva Theatrical Group/Tilted, Thomas Swayne/Cynthia J. Tong, Constanza Romero-Wilson
A Doll’s House
New Version by: Amy Herzog
Producers: Ambassador Theatre Group Productions, Gavin Kalin Productions, Wessex Grove, Julie Boardman, Kate Cannova, Bob Boyett, Hunter Arnold, Creative Partners Productions, Eilene Davidson Productions, GGRS, Kater Gordon, Louise L. Gund, Los Angeles Media Fund, Stephanie P. McClelland, Tilted, Jessica Chastain, Caitlin Clements/Francesca Moody Productions, Caiola Productions/Amanda Lee, Ted & Richard Liebowitz/Joeyen-Waldorf Squeri, Richard & Cecilia Attias/Thomas S. Barnes, OHenry Theatre Nerd Productions/Runyonland MMP, The Jamie Lloyd Company
The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window
Producers: Seaview, Sue Wagner, John Johnson, Phil Kenny, Audible, Sony Music Masterworks, Jillian Robbins, Jeremy O. Harris, Larry Hirschhorn and Ricardo Hornos, Shields Smedes Stern Ltd., Kevin Ryan, The Shubert Organization, Willette and Manny Klausner, Marco Santarelli, Be Forward Productions, Concord Theatricals, Creative Partners Productions, Invisible Wall Productions, Salman and Moudhy Al- Rashid, TodayTix Group, Ido Gal, HarrisDonnelly, Sally Cade Holmes, Stella LaRue, LAMF Protozoa, Kati Meister and John Sorkin, Meredith Lynsey Schade, Catherine Schreiber, Dennis Trunfio, MCM Studios, 42nd.club, BAMM Productions, CarterMackTaylorWilliam, HB2M Productions, HK-Undivided Productions, MAJIKK Theatricals, Tanker Kollev Productions, Douglas Denoff, OHenry Productions, Plate Spinner Productions, Runyonland Productions, Mad Gene Media, Scrap Paper Pictures, Joi Gresham, BAM, Gina Duncan, David Binder, Elizabeth Moreau
Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog
Producers: David Stone, LaChanze, Rashad V. Chambers, Marc Platt, Debra Martin Chase, The Shubert Organization
Best Revival of a Musical
Into the Woods
Producers: Jujamcyn Theaters, Jordan Roth, New York City Center, Daryl Roth, Hunter Arnold, Concord Theatricals, Nicole Eisenberg, Jessica R. Jenen, Michael Cassel Group, Kevin Ryan, ShowTown Productions, Armstrong, Gold & Ross, Nicole Kastrinos
Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot
Producers: Lincoln Center Theater, André Bishop, Adam Siegel, Naomi Grabel
Parade
Producers: Seaview, Ambassador Theatre Group Productions, Alex Levy, Kevin Ryan, Eric & Marsi Gardiner, Interscope & Immersive Records, Erica Lynn Schwartz, Creative Partners Productions, Marcia Goldberg, John Gore Organization, Cynthia Stroum, Tom Tuft, Benjamin Simpson, Nathan Vernon, Brian & Nick Ginsberg, Ruth & Stephen Hendel, Roth-Manella Productions, Chutzpah Productions, 42nd.club, Ahava 72 Productions, The Andryc Brothers, The Array, At Rise Creative, Caiola Jenen Productions, Coles Achilles, deRoy Brunish Productions, Fakston Productions, Federman Batchelder, Level Forward, Pencil Factory Productions, Renard Lynch, Robin Merrie, Rubin Stuckelman, Runyonland Sussman, Kristin Caskey, Mike Isaacson, Bee Carrozzini, New York City Center
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Producers: Jeffrey Seller, Bob Boyett, Diana DiMenna & Plate Spinner Productions/Aaron Glick, Eastern Standard Time, Roy Furman, Thomas Kail, Jim Kierstead/Benjamin Leon IV, TourDForce Theatrical, Maggie Brohn, Andy Jones
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Annaleigh Ashford, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Sara Bareilles, Into the Woods
Victoria Clark, Kimberly Akimbo
Lorna Courtney, & Juliet
Micaela Diamond, Parade
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Christian Borle, Some Like It Hot
J. Harrison Ghee, Some Like It Hot
Josh Groban, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Brian d’Arcy James, Into the Woods
Ben Platt, Parade
Colton Ryan, New York, New York
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog
Corey Hawkins, Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog
Sean Hayes, Good Night, Oscar
Stephen McKinley Henderson, Between Riverside and Crazy
Wendell Pierce, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Jessica Chastain, A Doll’s House
Jodie Comer, Prima Facie
Jessica Hecht, Summer, 1976
Audra McDonald, Ohio State Murders
Best Book of a Musical
& Juliet
David West Read
Kimberly Akimbo
David Lindsay-Abaire
New York, New York
David Thompson & Sharon Washington
Shucked
Robert Horn
Some Like It Hot
Matthew López & Amber Ruffin
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Almost Famous
Music: Tom Kitt
Lyrics: Cameron Crowe & Tom Kitt
Kimberly Akimbo
Music: Jeanine Tesori Lyrics: David Lindsay-Abaire
KPOP
Music & Lyrics: Helen Park & Max Vernon
Shucked
Music and Lyrics: Brandy Clark & Shane McAnally
Some Like It Hot
Music: Marc Shaiman
Lyrics: Scott Wittman & Marc Shaiman
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Nikki Crawford, Fat Ham
Crystal Lucas-Perry, Ain’t No Mo’
Miriam Silverman, The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window
Katy Sullivan, Cost of Living
Kara Young, Cost of Living
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Jordan E. Cooper, Ain’t No Mo’
Samuel L. Jackson, August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson
Arian Moayed, A Doll’s House
Brandon Uranowitz, Leopoldstadt
David Zayas, Cost of Living
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Kevin Cahoon, Shucked
Justin Cooley, Kimberly Akimbo
Kevin Del Aguila, Some Like It Hot
Jordan Donica, Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot
Alex Newell, Shucked
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Julia Lester, Into the Woods
Ruthie Ann Miles, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Bonnie Milligan, Kimberly Akimbo
NaTasha Yvette Williams, Some Like It Hot
Betsy Wolfe, & Juliet
Best Direction of a Play
Saheem Ali, Fat Ham
Jo Bonney, Cost of Living
Jamie Lloyd, A Doll’s House
Patrick Marber, Leopoldstadt
Stevie Walker-Webb, Ain’t No Mo’
Max Webster, Life of Pi
Best Direction of a Musical
Michael Arden, Parade
Lear deBessonet, Into the Woods
Casey Nicholaw, Some Like It Hot
Jack O’Brien, Shucked
Jessica Stone, Kimberly Akimbo
Best Choreography
Steven Hoggett, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Casey Nicholaw, Some Like It Hot
Susan Stroman, New York, New York
Jennifer Weber, & Juliet
Jennifer Weber, KPOP
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Miriam Buether, Prima Facie
Tim Hatley & Andrzej Goulding, Life of Pi
Rachel Hauck, Good Night, Oscar
Richard Hudson, Leopoldstadt
Dane Laffrey & Lucy Mackinnon, A Christmas Carol
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Beowulf Boritt, New York, New York
Mimi Lien, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Michael Yeargan & 59 Productions, Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot
Scott Pask, Shucked
Scott Pask, Some Like It Hot
Best Costume Design of a Play
Tim Hatley, Nick Barnes & Finn Caldwell, Life of Pi Dominique
Fawn Hill, Fat Ham
Brigitte Reiffenstuel, Leopoldstadt
Emilio Sosa, Ain’t No Mo’
Emilio Sosa, Good Night, Oscar
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Beowulf Boritt, New York, New York
Mimi Lien, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Michael Yeargan & 59 Productions, Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot
Scott Pask, Shucked
Scott Pask, Some Like It Hot
Best Costume Design of a Play
Tim Hatley, Nick Barnes & Finn Caldwell, Life of Pi
Dominique Fawn Hill, Fat Ham
Brigitte Reiffenstuel, Leopoldstadt
Emilio Sosa, Ain’t No Mo’
Emilio Sosa, Good Night, Oscar
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Gregg Barnes, Some Like It Hot
Susan Hilferty, Parade
Jennifer Moeller, Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot
Clint Ramos & Sophia Choi, KPOP
Paloma Young, & Juliet
Donna Zakowska, New York, New York
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Neil Austin, Leopoldstadt
Natasha Chivers, Prima Facie
Jon Clark, A Doll’s House
Bradley King, Fat Ham
Tim Lutkin, Life of Pi
Jen Schriever, Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Ben Stanton, A Christmas Carol
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Ken Billington, New York, New York
Lap Chi Chu, Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot
Heather Gilbert, Parade
Howard Hudson, & Juliet
Natasha Katz, Some Like It Hot
Natasha Katz, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Best Sound Design of a Play
Jonathan Deans & Taylor Williams, Ain’t No Mo’
Carolyn Downing, Life of Pi
Joshua D. Reid, A Christmas Carol
Ben & Max Ringham, A Doll’s House
Ben & Max Ringham, Prima Facie
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Kai Harada, New York, New York
John Shivers, Shucked
Scott Lehrer & Alex Neumann, Into the Woods
Gareth Owen, & Juliet
Nevin Steinberg, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Best Orchestrations
Bill Sherman and Dominic Fallacaro, & Juliet
John Clancy, Kimberly Akimbo
Jason Howland, Shucked
Charlie Rosen & Bryan Carter, Some Like It Hot
Daryl Waters & Sam Davis, New York, New York
The nominations are for productions staged on Broadway during the 2022-2023 season.
The 76th Annual Tony Awards will air live from the United Palace in New York City’s Washington Heights on Sunday, June 11, at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST on CBS, and will stream live and on-demand on Paramount+. The ceremony will be hosted by Academy Award winner Ariana DeBose.
The total roster of productions staged during the season and eligible for nominations are:
BROADWAY PRODUCTIONS STAGED DURING 2022-23 SEASON:
New Musicals
Almost Famous
Bad Cinderella
A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical
& Juliet
Kimberly Akimbo
KPOP
New York, New York
Shucked
Some Like It Hot
New Plays
Ain’t No Mo’
Between Riverside and Crazy
A Christmas Carol
The Collaboration
Cost of Living
Fat Ham
Good Night, Oscar
The Kite Runner
Leopoldstadt
Life of Pi
Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man & The Pool
Peter Pan Goes Wrong
Pictures From Home
Prima Facie
Summer, 1976
The Thanksgiving Play
Walking with Ghosts
Musical Revivals
1776
Bob Fosse’s Dancin’
Camelot
Into the Woods
Parade
Sweeney Todd
Play Revivals
Death of a Salesman
A Doll’s House
Ohio State Murders
The Piano Lesson
The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window
Topdog/Underdog
Some Like It Hot, & Juliet, Kimberly
In some respects, I liked what co-writer/director/co-star Henderson Brathwaite was trying with Cake Soap. The ensemble cast is all of West Indian or Caribbean-American descent. But, unfortunately, low production values bring down the overall film.
Bouchon (Brathwaite) and his friend, Lougarau (Genie), are two hustlers with dead-end jobs. However, they both wish to do something more as not to waste their opportunity in the United States. While grocery shopping, they meet D’Leau (Blair Tate), who has a small business selling bars of soap known as Cake Soap. Bouchon and Lougarau want to take part in the company as salesmen. D’Leau is skeptical but ultimately decides to give them a chance as she and her team need to raise one hundred thousand dollars by the end of the week.
The two friends are unconventional but effective salesmen, quickly bringing a profit for D’Leau’s team, known as The Maroons. However, as the sales rise, so do the stakes. Customers reportedly are experiencing discolored skin from the soap. Furthermore, The Maroons are under international investigation for embezzlement. They sell their products for high-end prices, which leads to the belief that this is a scheme. As the investigation ensues, things worsen for the group, especially for Bouchon and Lougaru.
“…The Maroons are under international investigation for embezzlement.”
Cake Soap has a good premise, and its message carries a lot of heart. What Brathwaite and his co-writer, Troy Nichols, try to do comes across well. The main issue is that the investigation happens much too late. The film is roughly an hour and twenty minutes, and the plot comes into play at around forty minutes. Prior, we see the leads living in their daily lives and learning to be effective salespeople. This causes the story to meander a bit.
Several performances also suffer, but it’s not necessarily the actors’ fault. At various points in the film, some moments show actors correcting their wording. But, of course, that’s only a sample of the aforementioned low production value. The story is, unfortunately, hard to follow due to the often hollow and tinny audio. Lines of dialogue are either hard to understand, abruptly edited, surrounded by background noise, or cut into a shot with an actor’s lips not moving. It’s a shame because it takes away from what is overall a solid plot.
Worse still is the shaky handheld cinematography. Often shots will follow every action within a scene in a single take. This is a good concept in theory, but the result is dizzying in practice. There was an attempt to correct this with post-production stabilization. Although, that worsens the shakiness. You can argue that the handheld camera work as a stylistic choice. That is a fair argument, but it becomes problematic when it affects the viewing experience.
In the credits, Brathwaite thanks his professors, the Virginia Production Alliance, and his school for helping him make his first feature. It’s hard to fault the film for its production value, knowing it was a first feature on a low budget. Cake Soap shows that Brathwaite has a voice but perhaps needs more trial, error, and experience to become the filmmaker he desires to be.
In some respects, I liked what co-writer/director/co-star
Roses for one! Carly Waddell got real about her dating life — and how hard she’s working to meet a new man — after her split from Evan Bass.
“I have this fantasy that one day I’m just gonna be out walking around and I’m gonna meet this, like, wonderful man and he is just going to wow me,” Waddell, 37, exclusively told Us Weekly on the “Here for the Right Reasons” podcast. “That’s in my brain. I’m manifesting that for myself.”
The “Your Friends Like Me More” singer, who announced her divorce from Bass, 40, in December 2020, confessed that she hasn’t really started to see other people.
When it comes to dating apps, the Texas native told Us, “I don’t know if it’s that I’m not ready or that I just don’t have the time or energy. I’m not quite sure what my reasoning is.”
The Bachelor alum, who started releasing new music in May, explained she’s been “so focused on putting all this stuff together” the past two years — including juggling her and Bass’ two children — that she hasn’t had time to go out on the town. (The estranged couple share daughter Bella, 5, and son Charlie, 3. Bass also has three sons from a past relationship.)
“I could get a babysitter, but I don’t care right now,” Waddell told Us, revealing that she has the little ones 80 percent of the time. “Maybe when someone walks into my life, then I’ll start caring. But right now, I don’t know. Whatever. I’m good alone. I’m like actually doing pretty good.”
The TV personality, who met her estranged husband on season 3 of Bachelor in Paradise in 2016, further explained that she is “nervous” about shaking up her life again with the addition of a new man.
“We have such a good thing going on now that someone stepping in and, like, changing the way that we do life makes me really a little bit nervous now,” she said. “I don’t know how comfortable I am with that idea.”
While Waddell isn’t jumping into a new romance just yet, she is happy with her and Bass’ relationship these days. The pair, who were married three years before calling it quits, are at ease with their coparenting schedule.
“They go over there every other weekend. And I remember at first I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, like, what are they doing over there?’ But now I’m just like, ‘He’s got it,’” the “Dream Train” singer told Us. “If there’s ever a problem, like, a sickness or something, we talk about it and we work it out. But it’s not a problem. It’s very easy.”
The Bachelor Nation star’s newfound balance with the Tennessee native has also allowed her more time to work on her music. Waddell released “Your Friends Like Me More” on Monday, May 1, and will continue to drop five more tracks in the new few months. (The second song, “Two Little Angels,” comes out on Friday, May 12.)
“This has been, like, [a] third baby for [me] the past two and a half years,” she said of the EP. “I’m super stoked. It’s [a] super fun one. I have a bunch of really fun — I call them, like, women empowerment, fun songs.”
The artist called her first new song a “banger” noting that “it’s so fun” and “super relatable.” Waddell, however, insisted that the tune is not about Bass despite their recent breakup.
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“I’m not Taylor Swift,” the former reality told Us with a laugh. “It’s not about Evan! People can interpret however they want to — they’re gonna do it anyway.”
Roses for one! Carly Waddell got real
After teeing up Wall Street for a difficult fiscal second quarter, the tech giant Apple beat analyst expectations for the quarter, delivering revenue of $94.8 billion (expectations were for $92.9 billion), down 3 percent year over year, and earnings per share of $1.52, flat compared to last year (expectations were for an EPS of $1.43).
Apple’s services segment, which includes Apple TV+, Apple Music, Apple Arcade and other offerings, continues to grow at a rapid clip, reporting revenue of $20.9 billion, a new record.
The company reported net income of $24.16 billion, down from $25 billion a year ago.
“We are pleased to report an all-time record in Services and a March quarter record for iPhone despite the challenging macroeconomic environment, and to have our installed base of active devices reach an all-time high,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We continue to invest for the long term and lead with our values, including making major progress toward building carbon neutral products and supply chains by 2030.”
Apple also increased its dividend, and announced an additional $90 billion in share repurchases.
After teeing up Wall Street for a
With the current Hollywood writers’ strike making headlines, discussion has often turned to the last time this happened, the 2007-08 writers’ strike. Earlier this week, a clip from “Late Night With Conan O’Brien” filmed near the beginning of the strike sheds useful light on how things went 16 years ago.
It’s a moment of TV history, and a moment of “TV history” in which O’Brien gave a master glass in how to continue to entertain television audiences without scabbing — meaning, without violating the strike — with just his wedding ring, and a willingness to look foolish.
When the 2007-08 strike began, many talk shows didn’t close down, at least at first. However, aside from exceptions like “Ellen,” the talk shows that continued airing new episodes avoided crossing picket lines by not using scripts of any kind. So long as there was no content created by a writer, the show could honor the strike and still make new episodes.
This resulted in a lot of improvisation — riffing, really — by these shows’ hosts and performers. But the need to fill airtime with something is a huge challenge, especially when a show lasts for an hour. Enter O’Brien, who became known for particularly creative means of entertaining his audience.
And in the clip above, resurfaced on Tuesday by NBC reporter Ben Collins, you can see an inspired example of that. O’Brien manages to fill airtime by attempting to spin his wedding ring around for 47 seconds. “If we do it this will be television history,” O’Brien quips.
Alas, O’Brien was only able to get it to spin for 36 seconds despite a heroic effort. When his failure was confirmed, a member of his band played a shrill noise on a muted trumpet, prompting this memorable comment on the situation:
“It’s hard enough without writers to lose a ring spin, but then to have a horse laugh at me… ultimate indignity,” O’Brien joked.
Watch the clip above now.
With the current Hollywood writers’ strike making
PLEASE NOTE: This forecast, assembled by The Hollywood Reporter’s awards columnist Scott Feinberg, reflects his best attempt to predict the behavior of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, not his personal preferences. He arrives at these standings by drawing upon consultations with voters and strategists, analysis of marketing and campaigns, results of awards that precede the Emmys and the history of the Emmys itself. There will be regular updates to reflect new developments.
*BEST DRAMA SERIES*
Frontrunners
Succession (HBO/Max)
The White Lotus: Sicily (HBO/Max)
The Last of Us (HBO/Max)
Better Call Saul (AMC)
House of the Dragon (HBO/Max)
Yellowjackets (Showtime)
The Crown (Netflix)
The Mandalorian (Disney+)
Major Threats
Andor (Disney+)
1923 (Paramount+)
The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
The Diplomat (Netflix)
Yellowstone (Paramount)
The Old Man (FX)
The Boys (Amazon)
Slow Horses (Apple TV+)
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Amazon)
Bad Sisters (Apple TV+)
Your Honor (Showtime)
Mrs. Davis (Peacock)
The Night Agent (Netflix)
Perry Mason (HBO/Max)
Possibilities
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story (Netflix) — podcast [Shonda Rhimes]
Waco: The Aftermath (Showtime)
Rabbit Hole (Paramount+)
Citadel (Amazon)
The Good Fight (Paramount+)
Westworld (HBO/Max)
Star Trek: Picard (Paramount+)
Fatal Attraction (Paramount+)
P-Valley (Starz)
The Serpent Queen (Starz)
Interview with the Vampire (AMC)
Willow (Disney+)
The Peripheral (Amazon)
*BEST COMEDY SERIES*
Frontrunners
The Bear (FX)
Barry (HBO/Max)
Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)
Wednesday (Netflix)
Shrinking (Apple TV+)
Major Threats
What We Do in the Shadows (FX)
The Great (Hulu)
Atlanta (FX)
Poker Face (Peacock)
Reservation Dogs (FX)
Dead to Me (Netflix)
Mo (Netflix)
Emily in Paris (Netflix)
The Rehearsal (HBO/Max)
Somebody Somewhere (HBO/Max)
Cobra Kai (Netflix)
Ramy (Hulu)
Loot (Apple TV+)
Ghosts (CBS)
Dave (FXX)
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law (Disney+)
Lucky Hank (AMC)
Tulsa King (Paramount+)
The Ms. Pat Show (BET+)
Possibilities
Bupkis (Peacock)
The Other Two (HBO/Max)
Mythic Quest (Apple TV+)
Party Down (Starz)
Night Court (NBC)
Physical (Apple TV+)
A League of Their Own (Amazon)
The Big Door Prize (Apple TV+)
UnPrisoned (Hulu)
Harlem (Amazon)
Reboot (Hulu)
The Consultant (Amazon)
The Sex Lives of College Girls (HBO/Max)
Rap Sh!t (HBO/Max)
American Auto (Peacock)
Slip (Roku Channel)
Resident Alien (SYFY)
*BEST LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES*
Frontrunners
Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (Netflix)
Black Bird (Apple TV+)
Love and Death (HBO/Max)
Beef (Netflix)
George and Tammy (Showtime)
Major Threats
Fleishman Is in Trouble (FX)
Tiny Beautiful Things (Hulu)
Daisy Jones & the Six (Amazon)
Dead Ringers (Amazon)
Obi-Wan Kenobi (Disney+)
Swarm (Amazon)
White House Plumbers (HBO/Max)
This Is Going to Hurt (AMC+)
The English (Amazon)
A Small Light (NatGeo)
The Patient (FX)
Possibilities
Five Days at Memorial (Apple TV+)
Welcome to Chippendales (Hulu)
Irma Vep (HBO/Max)
Transatlantic (Netflix)
From Scratch (Netflix)
Cabinet of Curiosities (Netflix)
Ms. Marvel (Disney+)
A Spy Among Friends (MGM+)
A Friend of the Family (Peacock)
*BEST TV MOVIE*
Frontrunners
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (Roku Channel)
Fire Island (Hulu)
Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas (NBC) — podcast [Dolly Parton]
Prey (Hulu)
Reality (HBO/Max)
Major Threats
Reno 911!: It’s a Wonderful Heist (Comedy Central)
Jerry & Marge Go Large (Paramount+)
Boston Strangler (Hulu)
Honor Society (Paramount+)
Disenchanted (Disney+)
Possibilities
Somebody I Used to Know (Amazon)
Hocus Pocus 2 (Disney+)
Father of the Bride (HBO/Max)
A Waltons Thanksgiving (The CW)
Meet Cute (Peacock)
*BEST VARIETY TALK SERIES*
Frontrunners
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (CBS) — podcast [Stephen Colbert]
The Daily Show With Trevor Noah (Comedy Central) — podcast [Trevor Noah]
Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC) — podcast [Jimmy Kimmel]
Late Night With Seth Meyers (NBC) — podcast [Seth Meyers]
Major Threats
The Late Late Show With James Corden (CBS) — podcast [James Corden]
The Problem With Jon Stewart (Apple TV+)
Real Time With Bill Maher (HBO/Max) — podcast [Bill Maher]
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (NBC) — podcast [Jimmy Fallon]
Possibilities
Watch What Happens Live (Bravo) — podcast [Andy Cohen]
Hart to Hart (Peacock)
Hell of a Week With Charlamagne Tha God (Comedy Central)
*BEST SCRIPTED VARIETY SERIES*
Frontrunners
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (HBO/Max)
Saturday Night Live (NBC) — podcast [Lorne Michaels]
A Black Lady Sketch Show (HBO/Max) — podcast [Robin Thede]
Inside Amy Schumer (Paramount+) — podcast [Amy Schumer]
Major Threats
Schmigadoon! (Apple TV+)
History of the World: Part II (Hulu)
Documentary Now (IFC) — podcast [Bill Hader]
Ziwe (Showtime)
Possibilities
Pause With Sam Jay (HBO/Max)
The Amber Ruffin Show (Peacock)
Sherman’s Showcase (IFC)
*BEST DOCUMENTARY OR NONFICTION SERIES*
Frontrunners
Harry & Meghan (Netflix)
100 Foot Wave (HBO/Max)
The U.S. and the Holocaust (PBS) — podcast [Ken Burns]
The 1619 Project (Hulu)
The Last Movie Stars (HBO/Max) — podcast [Ethan Hawke]
Major Threats
Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal (Netflix)
Mind Over Murder (HBO/Max)
Secrets of the Elephants (NatGeo)
Prehistoric Planet (Apple TV+)
Boys in Blue (Showtime)
The Vow Part II (HBO/Max)
Untold Volume 2 (Netflix)
Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence (Hulu)
Murf the Surf (MGM+)
Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey (Netflix)
Possibilities
Limitless with Chris Hemsworth (Disney+)
Menudo: Forever Young (HBO/Max)
Pepsi, Where’s My Jet? (Netflix)
MH370: The Plane That Disappeared (Netflix)
Conversations With a Killer: Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes (Netflix)
Chef’s Table: Pizza (Netflix)
Branson (HBO/Max)
The Anarchists (HBO/Max)
Ed Sheeran: The Sum of It All (Disney+)
Chimp Empire (Netflix)
Paul T. Goldman (Peacock)
*BEST DOCUMENTARY OR NONFICTION SPECIAL*
Frontrunners
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (Apple TV+) — podcast [Davis Guggenheim]
Sidney (Apple TV+)
Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields (Hulu)
Pamela: A Love Story (Netflix)
Being Mary Tyler Moore (HBO/Max)
Major Threats
Judy Blume Forever (Amazon)
Selena Gomez: My Mind and Me (Apple TV+) — podcast [Selena Gomez]
If These Walls Could Sing (Disney+)
Love to Love You, Donna Summer (HBO/Max)
“Sr.” (Netflix)
Last Flight Home (Paramount+)
Sin Eater: The Crimes of Anthony Pellicano (FX)
Moonage Daydream (HBO/Max)
Possibilities
Music Box: Jason Isbell: Running With Our Eyes Closed (HBO/Max) — podcast [Bill Simmons]
The Volcano: Rescue from Whakaari (Netflix)
Pelosi in the House (HBO/Max)
Love, Lizzo (HBO/Max)
The Princess (HBO/Max)
Katrina Babies (HBO/Max)
The Sound of 007 (Amazon)
Call Me Miss Cleo (HBO/Max)
*BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES*
Frontrunners
Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us)
Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul) — podcast
Jeremy Strong (Succession) — podcast
Kieran Culkin (Succession)
Jeff Bridges (The Old Man) — podcast
Diego Luna (Andor)
Major Threats
Paddy Considine (House of the Dragon)
Harrison Ford (1923)
Dominic West (The Crown)
Kevin Costner (Yellowstone)
Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian)
Bryan Cranston (Your Honor) — podcast
Matthew Rhys (Perry Mason)
Patrick Stewart (Star Trek: Picard)
Gary Oldman (Slow Horses) — podcast
Nicco Annan (P-Valley)
Antony Starr (The Boys)
Karl Urban (The Boys)
Jack Quaid (The Boys)
Possibilities
Richard Madden (Citadel) — podcast
Gabriel Basso (The Night Agent)
Michael Shannon (Waco: The Aftermath) — podcast
Kiefer Sutherland (Rabbit Hole)
Joshua Jackson (Fatal Attraction)
Forest Whitaker (Godfather of Harlem)
Aaron Paul (Westworld)
Jacob Anderson (Interview with the Vampire)
Warwick Davis (Willow)
Ramon Rodriguez (Will Trent)
Damson Idris (Snowfall)
Billy Crudup (Hello Tomorrow!)
Chris Pratt (The Terminal List)
*BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES*
Frontrunners
Sarah Snook (Succession) — podcast
Melanie Lynskey (Yellowjackets)
Imelda Staunton (The Crown)
Helen Mirren (1923) — podcast
Bella Ramsey (The Last of Us)
Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale) — podcast
Major Threats
Emma D’Arcy (House of the Dragon)
Keri Russell (The Diplomat) — podcast
Juliette Lewis (Yellowjackets)
Tawny Cypress (Yellowjackets)
Sharon Horgan (Bad Sisters)
Betty Gilpin (Mrs. Davis)
Kelly Reilly (Yellowstone)
Christine Baranski (The Good Fight)
Hilary Swank (Alaska Daily)
Brandee Evans (P-Valley)
Possibilities
Evan Rachel Wood (Westworld)
Priyanka Chopra Jonas (Citadel) — podcast
Toni Collette (The Power)
Samantha Morton (The Serpent Queen)
Amanda Peet (Fatal Attraction)
Lizzy Caplan (Fatal Attraction)
Karen Fukuhara (The Boys)
Erin Moriarty (The Boys)
Angela Bassett (9-1-1) — podcast
Katja Herbers (Evil)
Chloe Grace Moretz (The Peripheral)
*BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES*
Frontrunners
Brian Cox (Succession) — podcast
Matthew Macfadyen (Succession)
Giancarlo Esposito (Better Call Saul) — podcast
Matt Smith (House of the Dragon)
Jonathan Banks (Better Call Saul)
Nicholas Braun (Succession)
F. Murray Abraham (The White Lotus: Sicily) — podcast
Alan Ruck (Succession)
Major Threats
Alexander Skarsgård (Succession)
John Lithgow (The Old Man)
Tom Hollander (The White Lotus: Sicily)
Theo James (The White Lotus: Sicily)
Will Sharpe (The White Lotus: Sicily)
Michael Imperioli (The White Lotus: Sicily)
Rufus Sewell (The Diplomat)
Jonathan Pryce (The Crown) — podcast
Jonny Lee Miller (The Crown)
Rhys Ifans (House of the Dragon)
Fabien Frankel (House of the Dragon)
Steve Toussaint (House of the Dragon)
Bradley Whitford (The Handmaid’s Tale)
O-T Fagbenle (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Max Minghella (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Stellan Skarsgard (Andor)
Brandon Sklenar (1923)
Timothy Dalton (1923)
Elijah Wood (Yellowjackets)
Possibilities
Stanley Tucci (Citadel)
Ed Harris (Westworld)
Jeffrey Wright (Westworld)
James Marsden (Westworld)
Jack Lowden (Slow Horses)
Leo Woodall (The White Lotus: Sicily)
Kyle Soller (Andor)
Cole Hauser (Yellowstone)
Wes Bentley (Yellowstone)
Luke Grimes (Yellowstone)
Gil Birmingham (Yellowstone)
Robert Aramayo (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power)
Ismael Cruz Cordova (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power)
Owain Arthur (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power)
Charlie Vickers (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power)
Jensen Ackles (The Boys)
Laz Alonso (The Boys)
Tomer Capone (The Boys)
Chace Crawford (The Boys)
Jessie T. Usher (The Boys)
Sam Reid (Interview with the Vampire)
Andre Braugher (The Good Fight)
John Slattery (The Good Fight)
Flaes Bang (Bad Sisters)
Brian Gleeson (Bad Sisters)
Daryl McCormack (Bad Sisters)
Carl Weathers (The Mandalorian)
Warren Kole (Yellowjackets)
*BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES*
Frontrunners
Jennifer Coolidge (The White Lotus: Sicily)
Rhea Seehorn (Better Call Saul) — podcast
J. Smith-Cameron (Succession)
Aubrey Plaza (The White Lotus: Sicily)
Meghann Fahy (The White Lotus: Sicily)
Elizabeth Debicki (The Crown)
Carol Burnett (Better Call Saul) — podcast
Christina Ricci (Yellowjackets)
Major Threats
Milly Alcock (House of the Dragon)
Lesley Manville (The Crown)
Olivia Cooke (House of the Dragon)
Olivia Williams (The Crown)
Haley Lu Richardson (The White Lotus: Sicily)
Emily Carey (House of the Dragon)
Eve Best (House of the Dragon)
Lauren Ambrose (Yellowjackets)
Ann Dowd (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Yvonne Strahovski (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Samira Wiley (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Madeline Brewer (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Hong Chau (The Night Agent)
Thandiwe Newton (Westworld)
Julia Schlaepfer (1923)
Aminah Nieves (1923)
Denise Gough (Andor)
Genevieve O’Reilly (Andor)
Possibilities
Sabrina Impacciatore (The White Lotus: Sicily)
Simona Tabasco (The White Lotus: Sicily)
Beatrice Grannò (The White Lotus: Sicily)
Kristin Scott Thomas (Slow Horses)
Lesley Manville (Citadel)
Tessa Thompson (Westworld)
Simone Kessell (Yellowjackets)
Alia Shawkat (The Old Man)
Amy Brenneman (The Old Man)
Hope Davis (Your Honor)
Morfydd Clark (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power)
Sophia Nomvete (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power)
Sarah Greene (Bad Sisters)
Anne-Marie Duff (Bad Sisters)
Eve Hewson (Bad Sisters)
Eve Birthistle (Bad Sisters)
Audra McDonald (The Good Fight)
Claudia Doumit (The Boys)
Dominique McElligott (The Boys)
Colby Minifie (The Boys)
*BEST GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES*
Frontrunners
Nick Offerman (The Last of Us)
Murray Bartlett (The Last of Us)
Jon Gries (The White Lotus: Sicily)
Andy Serkis (Andor)
Lamar Johnson (The Last of Us)
Bryan Cranston (Better Call Saul) — podcast
Major Threats
Aaron Paul (Better Call Saul)
Arian Moayed (Succession)
James Cromwell (Succession)
Christopher Lloyd (The Mandalorian)
Giancarlo Esposito (The Mandalorian) — podcast
Michael McKean (Better Call Saul)
Tony Dalton (Better Call Saul)
Mark Margolis (Better Call Saul)
Timothy Dalton (The Crown)
Salim Daw (The Crown)
Khalid Abdalla (The Crown)
Prasanna Puwanarajah (The Crown)
Forest Whitaker (Andor)
Tom Glynn-Carney (House of the Dragon)
Ty Tennant (House of the Dragon)
Possibilities
Gabriel Luna (The Last of Us)
James Badge Dale (1923)
Peter Stormare (1923)
Alan Cumming (The Good Fight)
Gary Cole (The Good Fight)
Benjamin Walker (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power)
Peter Mullan (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power)
Alex Lawther (Andor)
Paul Reiser (The Boys)
Joel Grey (The Old Man) — podcast
Jonathan Pryce (Slow Horses) — podcast
Bradley Whitford (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)
Jack Black (The Mandalorian)
Charles Dance (The Serpent Queen)
*BEST GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES*
Frontrunners
Anna Torv (The Last of Us)
Melanie Lynskey (The Last of Us)
Storm Reid (The Last of Us)
Fiona Shaw (Andor)
Hiam Abbass (Succession)
Cherry Jones (Succession)
Major Threats
Hope Davis (Succession)
Harriet Walter (Succession)
Claire Foy (The Crown) — podcast
Vanessa Kirby (The Crown)
Natasha McElhone (The Crown)
Nico Parker (The Last of Us)
Christine Hakim (The Last of Us)
Betsy Brandt (Better Call Saul)
Mckenna Grace (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Clea Duvall (The Handmaid’s Tale)
Margo Martindale (Your Honor)
Possibilities
Lizzo (The Mandalorian) — podcast
Amy Sedaris (The Mandalorian)
Carrie Preston (The Good Fight)
Phylicia Rashad (The Good Fight)
Michelle Forbes (Star Trek: Picard)
Jacki Weaver (Yellowstone)
Jeannie Berlin (Succession)
Bethany Antonia (House of the Dragon)
Aya Cash (The Boys)
Regina Taylor (CSI: Vegas)
*BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES*
Frontrunners
Jeremy Allen White (The Bear)
Bill Hader (Barry) — podcast
Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso)
Steve Martin (Only Murders in the Building)
Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building)
Donald Glover (Atlanta)
Major Threats
Jason Segel (Shrinking) — podcast
Nicholas Hoult (The Great)
Bob Odenkirk (Lucky Hank) — podcast
Sylvester Stallone (Tulsa King)
Mohammed Amer (Mo)
Ramy Youssef (Ramy) — podcast
Dave Burd (Dave)
Matt Berry (What We Do in the Shadows)
Kayvan Novak (What We Do in the Shadows)
Nathan Fielder (The Rehearsal)
Delroy Lindo (UnPrisoned) — podcast
John Larroquette (Night Court)
Possibilities
Pete Davidson (Bupkis)
Keegan-Michael Key (Schmigadoon!)
Adam Scott (Party Down)
Christoph Waltz (The Consultant)
Utkarsh Ambudkar (Ghosts)
D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai (Reservation Dogs)
Ralph Macchio (Coba Kai)
William Zabka (Cobra Kai)
Drew Tarver (The Other Two)
Chris O’Dowd (The Big Door Prize)
Rob McElhenney (Mythic Quest)
Alan Tudyk (Resident Alien)
Rob Lowe (Unstable)
*BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES*
Frontrunners
Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary) — podcast
Jenna Ortega (Wednesday)
Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) — podcast
Selena Gomez (Only Murders in the Building) — podcast
Natasha Lyonne (Poker Face) — podcast
Elle Fanning (The Great) — podcast
Major Threats
Christina Applegate (Dead to Me)
Linda Cardellini (Dead to Me)
Bridget Everett (Somebody Somewhere)
Natasia Demetriou (What We Do in the Shadows)
Cecily Strong (Schmigadoon!)
Lily Collins (Emily in Paris) — podcast
Maya Rudolph (Loot)
Amy Schumer (Inside Amy Schumer) — podcast
Robin Thede (A Black Lady Sketch Show) — podcast
Rose Byrne (Physical)
Abbi Jacobson (A League of Their Own)
Chante Adams (A League of Their Own)
Possibilities
Ms. Pat (The Ms. Pat Show)
Rose McIver (Ghosts)
Devery Jacobs (Reservation Dogs)
Melissa Rauch (Night Court)
Heléne Yorke (The Other Two)
Kerry Washington (UnPrisoned) — podcast
Martha Plimpton (Sprung)
Tatiana Maslany (She-Hulk: Attorney at Law)
Meagan Good (Harlem)
Judy Greer (Reboot)
Sarah Jessica Parker (And Just Like That) — podcast
Mayim Bialik (Call Me Kat)
Ana Gasteyer (American Auto)
Zoe Lister-Jones (Slip)
*BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES*
Frontrunners
Henry Winkler (Barry) — podcast
Tyler James Williams (Abbott Elementary)
Brett Goldstein (Ted Lasso)
Anthony Carrigan (Barry)
Stephen Root (Barry)
Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear)
Tony Shalhoub (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) — podcast
Harrison Ford (Shrinking)
Major Threats
Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live)
Brian Tyree Henry (Atlanta)
Nick Mohammed (Ted Lasso)
Toheeb Jimoh (Ted Lasso)
Jeremy Swift (Ted Lasso)
Brendan Hunt (Ted Lasso)
James Lance (Ted Lasso)
Phil Dunster (Ted Lasso)
Anthony Head (Ted Lasso)
Billy Harris (Ted Lasso)
Michael Zegen (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
Kenan Thompson (Saturday Night Live) — podcast
Chris Perfetti (Abbott Elementary)
William Stanford Davis (Abbott Elementary)
Harvey Guillen (What We Do in the Shadows)
Mark Proksch (What We Do in the Shadows)
James Marsden (Jury Duty)
Leslie Jordan (Call Me Kat)
GaTa (Dave)
Benjamin Bratt (Poker Face)
Possibilities
LaKeith Stanfield (Atlanta)
Joe Pesci (Bupkis)
Jamie McShane (Wednesday)
Josh Segarra (The Other Two)
Case Walker (The Other Two)
Tituss Burgess (Schmigadoon!)
Alan Cumming (Schmigadoon!)
Martin Short (Schmigadoon!)
Aaron Tveit (Schmigadoon!)
Jaime Camil (Schmigadoon!)
Paul Reiser (Reboot)
Brandon Scott Jones (Ghosts)
Zahn McClarnon (Reservation Dogs)
Michael Urie (Shrinking)
Luke Tennie (Shrinking)
Martin Kove (Cobra Kai)
John Owen Lowe (Unstable)
*BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES*
Frontrunners
Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary) — podcast
Janelle James (Abbott Elementary)
Sarah Goldberg (Barry)
Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) — podcast
Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso)
Ayo Edebiri (The Bear)
Juno Temple (Ted Lasso)
Jessica Williams (Shrinking)
Major Threats
Cecily Strong (Saturday Night Live)
Lisa Ann Walter (Abbott Elementary)
Gwendoline Christie (Wednesday)
Christina Ricci (Wednesday)
Riki Lindhome (Wednesday)
Zazie Beetz (Atlanta)
Molly Shannon (The Other Two)
Jane Krakowski (Schmigadoon!)
Christa Miller (Shrinking)
Lukita Maxwell (Shrinking)
Teresa Ruiz (Mo)
Mirelle Enos (Lucky Hank)
Abby Elliott (The Bear)
D’Arcy Carden (A League of Their Own)
Marin Hinkle (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
Caroline Aaron (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
Nina Arianda (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
Cara Delavingne (Only Murders in the Building)
Possibilities
Edie Falco (Bupkis)
Chloe Fineman (Saturday Night Live)
Ego Nwodim (Saturday Night Live)
Ashley Park (Emily in Paris)
Michaela Jaé Rodriguez (Loot)
Kristin Chenoweth (Schmigadoon!)
Ariana DeBose (Schmigadoon!)
Dove Cameron (Schmigadoon!)
Charlotte Nicdao (Mythic Quest)
Jane Lynch (Party Down)
Jennifer Garner (Party Down)
Megan Mullally (Party Down)
Sian Clifford (Unstable)
Rachel Bloom (Reboot)
Danielle Pinnock (Ghosts)
Rebecca Wisocky (Ghosts)
Jerrie Johnson (Harlem)
Shoniqua Shandai (Harlem)
Grace Byers (Harlem)
*BEST GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES*
Frontrunners
Luke Kirby (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
Nathan Lane (Only Murders in the Building)
Dave Chappelle (Saturday Night Live)
Steve Martin & Martin Short (Saturday Night Live)
Pedro Pascal (Saturday Night Live)
Oliver Platt (The Bear)
Major Threats
Leslie Odom, Jr. (Abbott Elementary) — podcast
Michael B. Jordan (Saturday Night Live) — podcast
Adrien Brody (Poker Face)
Luis Guzmán (Wednesday)
Fred Armisen (Wednesday)
Hank Azaria (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) — podcast
Milo Ventimiglia (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) — podcast
Darren Criss (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) — podcast
James Caverly (Only Murders in the Building)
Mark Ruffalo (She-Hulk: Attorney at Law)
Kyle MacLachlan (Lucky Hank)
Possibilities
Bobby Cannavale (Bupkis)
Brad Garrett (Bupkis)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Poker Face)
Lil Rel Howery (Poker Face)
Nick Nolte (Poker Face)
Ron Perlman (Poker Face)
Jon Bernthal (The Bear)
Joel McHale (The Bear)
Zack Fox (Abbott Elementary)
Larry Owens (Abbott Elementary)
Nick Kroll (What We Do in the Shadows)
Austin Butler (Saturday Night Live) — podcast
Katt Williams (Atlanta)
Nick Offerman (A League of Their Own)
*BEST GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES*
Frontrunners
Taraji P. Henson (Abbott Elementary) — podcast
Ayo Edebiri (Abbott Elementary)
Jane Lynch (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
Sarah Niles (Ted Lasso)
Catherine Zeta-Jones (Wednesday)
Quinta Brunson (Saturday Night Live) — podcast
Major Threats
Jenna Ortega (Saturday Night Live)
Aubrey Plaza (Saturday Night Live)
Keke Palmer (Saturday Night Live)
Molly Shannon (Saturday Night Live)
Amy Schumer (Saturday Night Live) — podcast
Shirley MacLaine (Only Murders in the Building) — podcast
Amy Ryan (Only Murders in the Building)
Jane Lynch (Only Murders in the Building)
Harriet Walter (Ted Lasso)
Becky Ann Baker (Ted Lasso)
Marla Gibbs (UnPrisoned)
Judith Light (Poker Face) — podcast
S. Epatha Merkerson (Poker Face)
Ellen Barkin (Poker Face)
Cherry Jones (Poker Face)
Stephanie Hsu (Poker Face) — podcast
Possibilities
Tina Fey (Only Murders in the Building) — podcast
Megan Mullally (Reservation Dogs)
Sutton Foster (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
Lauren Weedman (Abbott Elementary)
June Diane Raphael (Abbott Elementary)
Kelly Bishop (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
Faith Ford (Night Court)
Elizabeth Perkins (Barry)
Annabella Sciorra (Tulsa King)
Wendie Malick (Shrinking)
Wendie Malick (Night Court)
*BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR TV MOVIE*
Frontrunners
Evan Peters (Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story)
Taron Egerton (Black Bird) — podcast
Michael Shannon (George & Tammy) — podcast
Daniel Radcliffe (Weird: The Al Yankovic Story)
Steven Yeun (Beef) — podcast
Steve Carell (The Patient) — podcast
Major Threats
Jesse Eisenberg (Fleishman Is in Trouble)
Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi)
Ben Whishaw (This Is Going to Hurt)
Sam Claflin (Daisy Jones & the Six)
Woody Harrelson (White House Plumbers)
Justin Theroux (White House Plumbers)
Jake Lacy (A Friend of the Family)
Liev Schreiber (A Small Light)
Bryan Cranston (Jerry and Marge Go Large) — podcast
Possibilities
Kumail Nanjiani (Welcome to Chippendales) — podcast
Chaske Spencer (The English)
Joel Kim Booster (Fire Island)
Damian Lewis (A Spy Among Friends)
Guy Pearce (A Spy Among Friends)
Eugenio Mastrandrea (From Scratch)
Jay Ellis (Somebody I Used to Know)
Andy Garcia (Father of the Bride)
Solly McLeod (Tom Jones (Masterpiece))
*BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR TV MOVIE*
Frontrunners
Rachel Weisz (Dead Ringers)
Jessica Chastain (George & Tammy) — podcast
Kathryn Hahn (Tiny Beautiful Things) — podcast
Ali Wong (Beef)
Emily Blunt (The English)
Lizzy Caplan (Fleishman Is in Trouble)
Major Threats
Riley Keough (Daisy Jones & the Six)
Elizabeth Olsen (Love and Death) — podcast
Sydney Sweeney (Reality)
Dominique Fishback (Swarm)
Bel Powley (A Small Light)
Vera Farmiga (Five Days at Memorial)
Alicia Vikander (Irma Vep) — podcast
Annette Bening (Jerry and Marge Go Large)
Jennifer Garner (The Last Thing He Told Me)
Possibilities
Keira Knightley (Boston Strangler) — podcast
Iman Vellani (Ms. Marvel)
Amber Midthunder (Prey)
Gillian Jacobs (Transatlantic)
Alison Brie (Somebody I Used to Know)
Dolly Parton (Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas) — podcast
Amy Adams (Disenchanted) — podcast
Gloria Estefan (Father of the Bride)
Sophie Wilde (Tom Jones (Masterpiece))
*BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR TV MOVIE*
Frontrunners
Paul Walter Hauser (Black Bird) — podcast
Richard Jenkins (Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story)
Domhnall Gleeson (The Patient)
Greg Kinnear (Black Bird)
Bowen Yang (Fire Island)
Murray Bartlett (Welcome to Chippendales)
Ray Liotta (Black Bird) — podcast
Major Threats
Ciarán Hinds (The English)
Jesse Plemons (Love and Death) — podcast
Damson Idris (Swarm)
Quentin Plair (Tiny Beautiful Things)
Christian Slater (Fleishman Is in Trouble)
Hayden Christensen (Obi-Wan Kenobi)
Kumail Nanjiani (Obi-Wan Kenobi) — podcast
Rupert Friend (Obi-Wan Kenobi)
Joe Cole (A Small Light)
Young Mazino (Beef)
Possibilities
Timothy Olyphant (Daisy Jones & the Six)
Walton Goggins (George & Tammy)
Steve Zahn (George & Tammy)
Domhnall Gleeson (White House Plumbers)
Robert Pine (Five Days at Memorial)
Quentin Plair (Welcome to Chippendales)
David Alan Grier (The Patient)
Chris Cooper (Boston Strangler)
David Dastmalchian (Boston Strangler)
Alessandro Nivola (Boston Strangler)
*BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR TV MOVIE*
Frontrunners
Niecy Nash-Betts (Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story)
Claire Danes (Fleishman Is in Trouble) — podcast
Cherry Jones (Five Days at Memorial)
Merritt Wever (Tiny Beautiful Things)
Lily Rabe (Love and Death)
Molly Ringwald (Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story)
Maria Bello (Beef)
Major Threats
Suki Waterhouse (Daisy Jones & the Six)
Camila Morrone (Daisy Jones & the Six)
Anna Paquin (A Friend of the Family)
Mckenna Grace (A Friend of the Family)
Lena Headey (White House Plumbers)
Judy Greer (White House Plumbers)
Kathleen Turner (White House Plumbers)
Harriet Walter (This Is Going to Hurt)
Michael Learned (Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story)
Possibilities
Julianne Nicholson (Weird: The Al Yankovic Story)
Evan Rachel Wood (Weird: The Al Yankovic Story)
Olivia Colman (Great Expectations) — podcast
Margaret Cho (Fire Island)
Carrie Coon (Boston Strangler)
Juliette Lewis (Welcome to Chippendales)
Annaleigh Ashford (Welcome to Chippendales)
Moses Ingram (Obi-Wan Kenobi)
Maya Erskine (Obi-Wan Kenobi)
Julie Ann Emery (Five Days at Memorial)
Hannah Waddingham (Tom Jones (Masterpiece))
PLEASE NOTE: This forecast, assembled by The
Last Updated: May 05, 2023, 10:49 IST
Nushrratt Bharuccha and Sreenivas Bellamkonda promote Chatrapathi in Indore
Nushrratt Bharuccha and Sreenivas Bellamkonda will be soon seen in Chatrapathi. The trailer has finally been released. However, ahead of the film’s release, the makers are leaving no stone unturned in promoting the action thriller on all platforms. Today, the lead actors were seen promoting the film in Indore.
Nushrratt opted for a black colour crop top which she paired with the same colour flared trousers. She is looking very pretty in minimalistic makeup. To complete the look, the actress wore oxidized jewellery. While Sreenivas is wearing a simple shirt which he has paired with a Denim jacket. Both are seen taking selfies with fans and doing some dance step too. To note, the film is an official Hindi remake of SS Rajamouli’s Telugu blockbuster and is set for pan-India release on May 12.
Take a look at the pictures here:
Produced by Dr. Jayantilal Gada of Pen Studios, the trailer of ‘Chatrapathi’ gives audiences a sneak-peak into the high-octane action and heavy dose of entertainment in store. Telugu superstar Sreenivas Bellamkonda is making his Bollywood debut in the film. Sreenivas Bellamkonda said, “Chatrapathi is a special film to me in so many ways. VV Vinayak directed me in my Telugu debut and he is also the director of my Bollywood debut, which makes this collaboration even more significant. Chatrapathi ticks all the boxes of a commercial potboiler and we can’t wait to bring it to audiences. I am so humbled to be here in the city of Indore and promote the film. The audience and fan love has been overwhelming”
Nushrratt Bharuccha also said, “It was an incredible experience working with Sreenivas Bellamkonda who is just a natural on screen – I’m happy to be part of this massive Pan-India offering and team Chatrapathi is excited to give the masses more reason to whistle and hoot. Indore is definitely a special city that we are promoting the film in. I am so excited to be here and share this moment with the people of Indore.”
Read all the Latest Movies News and Entertainment News here
Last Updated: May 05, 2023, 10:49 ISTNushrratt
Actress Carrie Fisher was honored posthumously by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on May 4th, a May the Fourth tribute to one of the “Star Wars” franchise’s most beloved figures.
Courtesy of Hollywood Chamber of Commerce
Fisher who died in 2016 joined “Star Wars” co-stars Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill on the Hollywood tourist attraction that recognizes luminaries from film, television, music and other entertainment industries. The trio’s stars are all located on the 6,800 block of Hollywood Boulevard, near where the original film debuted in 1977.
Fisher played General Leia Organa, who over six films morphed from a princess to a general leading the forces of good in its fight against oppressive regimes aiming to control a galaxy far, far away. Since then, she graced the film screen in such hits as “When Harry Met Sally,” “Hannah and Her Sisters” and “The Blues Brothers,” to name a few. Her television credits include “Laverne & Shirley,” “Sex and the City” and “30 Rock,” for which she received an Emmy® nomination.
Fans have long campaigned for her to receive a Walk of Fame star. The honor came on May the Fourth, essentially an official holiday for Star Wars fans that’s a play on a line that Fisher said often in the films, “May the Force be with you.” Devotees worldwide celebrated with a variety of tributes.
The induction ceremony was held at 11:30 a.m. Pacific and livestreamed by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. Fisher was given the 2,754th star on the Walk of Fame. Ford received his star in 2003 and Hamill was honored in 2018.
Billie Lourd accepted the star on behalf of her mother, with Mark Hamill, C-3PO and R2-D2 by her side. “My mom isn’t just princess leia. she’s carrie fisher.” Said Lourd at the ceremony, she went on to say “Momma, you’ve made it.”
Courtesy of Getty Images
In an emotional speech at the ceremony, Mark Hamill read a note he wrote shortly after Carrie Fisher died. “She was our princess, dammit! The actress who played her blurred into one gorgeous, fearlessly independent, ferociously funny, take charge woman who took our collective breath away.” He also talked about the first time he met her, calling her charming, funny, adorable and wise.
“Carrie will join her “Star Wars” co-stars and fellow Walk of Famers Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford on this historic sidewalk” stated Ana Martinez, Producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. “I am happy to add, that her star is just a few feet away from the star of Mark Hamill and across the street from the star of her legendary mother Debbie Reynolds!” added Martinez.
What better way to celebrate Star Wars Day than to celebrate our princess, Carrie Fisher.
Actress Carrie Fisher was honored posthumously by
Although the “Star Wars” franchise is set “in a galaxy far, far away,” one need travel only to Lankershim Boulevard in Universal City on a rainy Thursday morning to see Darth Vader march the writers’ strike picket lines alongside Baby Yoda.
It’s where screenwriter Rob Forman — who wore a blown-up image of Darth Vader on his torso and held a sign with “May the force be with the WGA” written on it — joined dozens of others Thursday to march in front of the NBCUniversal offices. And some, like Forman, showed up in “Star Wars” apparel to celebrate May the Fourth or Star Wars Day.
Forman said one of his earliest and most formative memories was watching a scene from the space opera’s third film, where Princess Leia, clad in a golden bikini, chokes Jabba the Hutt to death with the same chain that enslaved her.
“It explains everything who I am as a writer,” Forman said, recalling the moment as a child when the scene flashed on the TV screen via a VHS tape. For picketers who are fans of the franchise, parallels between the “Star Wars” narrative and their fight for a new contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers are apparent.
“What is ‘Star Wars’ about but a scrappy, rebellious group who is not going to take fascism and having their rights and their way of life undermined and endangered from an evil galactic empire?” said writer-producer Andrea Thornton Bolden, pointing at the NBCUniversal offices, the same studio where she booked her first television job and where she worked on a Peacock show just months ago.
She walked the picket lines with a portable speaker slung around her shoulder, blasting the “Star Wars” score. As the main theme exploded from her speakers, the group of picketers erupted into yells and cheers.
“Without writers, ‘Star Wars’ wouldn’t exist,” Bolden said. “And that has become this incredible world — from ‘Star Wars’ the movie come the toys, the theme park — and all we want is to be recognized for that creation and compensated for our labor.”
The entertainment business was in turmoil before the strike started, with firms such as Netflix, Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney laying off hundreds of employees as they face pressure from shareholders to cut costs.
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which is negotiating on behalf of the studios, said that it offered a $97-million annual increase in minimum wages before talks broke down over requirements for minimum staffing and a minimum length of employment for writers. A proposed 4% increase in the first year of the contract was the highest in 25 years, according to a document the alliance released Thursday.
“Writing jobs come with substantial fringe benefits that are far superior to what many full-time employees receive for working an entire year, including employer-paid health care, employer-paid contributions into a pension plan and eligibility for a paid parental leave program,” the AMPTP said in the document.
But Forman recently worked in one of Netflix’s “mini rooms,” an outgrowth of the streaming boom. In such rooms, studios employ staffs that are about half the size of the typical staff of 10 or more. Forman and other WGA members said the same output is expected, for less pay. In Forman’s case, lasting compensation was minimal as his 20-week project hit a wall at the end and didn’t get a green light for production.
Writer Mark Rozeman brought a Baby Yoda doll with him to the picket line Thursday outside NBCUniversal.
(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
“While I wouldn’t say the CEOs of AMPTP are Emperor Palpatine,” Forman said, referring to one of the chief “Star Wars” villains, “we are in the fight for our lives and our careers. Technological changes and shifts have destroyed a former way of life — we have to recognize that in our contracts.”
Among those major changes, along with the streaming boom, has been the growing prevalence of artificial intelligence.
At the bargaining table, the WGA had sought assurances from studios that AI-generated text would not be used as source material and that AI cannot write or rewrite scripts, proposals that were rejected, said Ellen Stutzman, a chief negotiator for WGA who picketed Thursday.
“Those are pretty reasonable demands for the true human authors of the work — to not have some system take all of our content and plagiarize it,” Stutzman said.
A person familiar with the negotiations said Wednesday that the studios assured the WGA that current contract language already protected writers. The AMPTP countered by offering to meet annually to discuss advances in AI and to approach things on a gradual, case-by-case basis.
AI continues to be a main point of conversation and concern at picket lines — and such shared struggle over the last several days is something TV writer Mark Rozeman has found invigorating.
“We work in isolation a lot of the time — oftentimes we can be in our own head,” Rozeman said. A plush Baby Yoda rested against his chest, nestled inside a pouch that hung from his neck. If not for his glasses, his first choice would have been to wear his Boba Fett helmet.
Rozeman recently worked on the show “The Good Doctor,” where he was allowed to be present on set as a writer and remain on staff until post-production, an experience he knows is increasingly rare for his colleagues.
“I know a couple of people who have worked on a couple shows and have never set foot on set,” he said. “And that has to change.”
Rozeman said he draws inspiration from the “Mandalorian” series — a spinoff of the “Star Wars” films, which birthed the ubiquitous Baby Yoda (Grogu) character. The show’s titular character, played by Pedro Pascal, is a reluctant hero, traveling from planet to planet and aiding those who need his help with their own fights.
“And that’s what I feel like we all need to feel as a collective — we’re not just fighting for us, we’re fighting for future generations,” he said.
Those future generations may include screenwriters Chelsea Perrotty Talbot and Brian Barnes, who hope to become WGA members as they look to join more projects. The two currently work in podcasting, but they have their eyes on careers as full-time film and TV writers.
“I’m a dad of two,” said Barnes, wearing a “Star Wars” T-shirt. “So I want to make sure once I get into the WGA and enter the industry as a writer that I’m able to support my family as well.”
Talbot, who had fashioned her hair into Princess Leia buns, agreed, drawing additional parallels with “Star Wars.”
“The spirit of ‘Star Wars’ is rebels, and how much more rebellious can you get than striking to get what you want,” she said.
As rain poured down on the picket lines, water bounced off writer Montserrat Luna-Ballantyne’s Darth Vader helmet. A new WGA member, she carried a sign, “Even Darth Vader thinks the AMPTP is too evil.” She said the helmet, which she borrowed for the occasion, belonged to her fiancé — she’s “more of a Trekkie.” Another picketer carried a sign reflecting some artificial-intelligence anxiety: “Scripts written by AI: R2-FU!” it read, with a drawn picture of a deceased R2-D2.
Beyond the puns and gimmicks, Forman said the “Star Wars”-themed march was an effort to embrace the fun of the moment.
“This is only Day 3, and I know that we are very far apart from what the studios want to give us versus what we might accept,” Forman said, “So anything we can do to put a smile on a face, to encourage members to keep coming out, to walk for four hours, to hold a picket sign, it’s gonna be very necessary, ‘cause they want to grind us down, and we have to lift ourselves up.”
Times staff writer Anousha Sakoui contributed to this report.
Although the “Star Wars” franchise is
Striking writers took aim at a Marvel Studios production during their picketing efforts.
For those unaware, the Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) is on strike right now due to negotiations falling through for payment agreements for writers in the film industry. What this means is that not a single unionized writer (which is the majority of them) can put pen to paper for any project.
Their goal is simple: get studios to agree to pay writers a liveable wage and provide those talented artists fair compensation.
Now those picketing for the cause have set their sights on an upcoming Disney+ series which is rolling cameras.
Writer Alex Blagg shared on Twitter that he was alongside various other WGA members picketing the filming location of a Marvel Studios Disney+ series.
That show is Wonder Man starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Ben Kingsley. The project doesn’t have an official release date, but it‘s been rolling cameras for a couple of months now.
Among the crowd fighting for an increase in wages and fair compensation were journalist Hasan Piker and comedian Adam Conover.
Conover noted that if they were successful in “[shutting] this shoot down,” Disney could “lose a couple hundred thousand bucks:”
”If we shut this shoot down, Disney is going to lose a couple hundred thousand bucks. The more of these we shut down the sooner the strike ends.”
As Conover also mentioned, there are innocent workers simply doing their job on set, and that sucks for them—they’re likely going to get yelled at by their higher-ups. However, the cause is an important one, so the duo clearly feels these inconveniences are a necessity.
While it might be less than desirable for fans to have to wait a little longer for some projects, the cause being fought for here is an important one.
Sets like Wonder Man are already facing plenty of pressure as is. The common practice of providing rewrites and adjustments on set is impossible right now—and it’s no doubt causing its own set of problems.
Hopefully, the more troublesome these issues get, the quicker the two sides will come to an agreement.
Picketing or no picketing, Wonder Man won’t be the only project from Marvel Studios that get affected. It wouldn’t be surprising if the likes of Captain America: New World Order or Agatha: Coven of Chaos need to temporarily stop rolling cameras due to no writers.
Other big names like Thunderbolts or Blade could even see their start dates pushed, seeing as no further adjustments to the shooting scripts can be made until the strike is over.
Hopefully, the WGA wins the battle sooner rather than later.
The Flash‘s final season isn’t holding back in delivering a perfect send-off for Grant Gustin’s Barry Allen and the Arrowverse as it finally resolves one major cliffhanger.
The CW has been hyping up The Flash‘s swan song in the past few weeks, with the network confirming that the final four episodes will act as one giant-sized finale for the series.
After a highly-praised final Arrowverse crossover with Stephen Amell’s Green Arrow, Season 9 once again delivered a worthwhile episode to the longstanding DC series by featuring major callbacks to its debut season.
The Flash Season 1 revealed a good chunk of the story of how Barry Allen’s mom died. While the basic gist is the fact that Eobard Thawne aka Reverse Flash killed Nora Allen after an epic battle with the Flash, there is more to the narrative.
During the night when Barry’s mom died, there were initially four versions of Flash present in the scene. Season 1 Flash is the one hiding in the closet who tries to stop the Reverse Flash while Season 2 Flash aka the creator of the Flashpoint timeline is the one who successfully stopped the murder.
After realizing the negative after-effects of Flashpoint, a new version of the speedster from Season 3 prevented his past self (Season 2 Flash) from stopping Thawne, thus erasing both of them from the equation.
This leaves only Season 1 Flash and a future version of the Scarlet Speedster as the remaining variants left during the night when Barry’s mom met her tragic fate. But who is this future version?
The Flash Season 9 Episode 10 – the first part in a four-part finale – brought Barry Allen back in time to March 18, 2000, the day when his mother, Nora, died at the hands of the Reverse Flash.
The episode was full of emotional moments, with Barry spending time with his parents one last time and him finally being at peace with the death of his mom.
The main reveal, though, was that the show finally confirmed that the Scarlet Speedster from the future who fought Reverse Flash during this night is, in fact, Season 9 Flash. This version of Barry is also the one who saved his younger self from Thawne.
The reason why Season 9 stopped his past self from saving his mom is due to the fact that Nora’s death is a fixed point in the timeline, meaning that it is supposed to happen in order for Barry to become the Flash in the future.
For Thawne, though, it was too late for him to realize this, leading to him being trapped in the past which ultimately led to the events of Season 1.
This is a full-circle moment for the show as it managed to fully resolve what really happened that night.
The Flash Season 9 Episode 11, “A New World Part Two,” premieres on The CW next Wednesday, May 10.
Respawn has claimed that a single line of code caused numerous bugs for months in Apex Legends.
The bugs, which players started reporting when the game’s 16th season kicked off in February, included visual issues such as damage being dealt via grenades that seemed to fail to explode, and weapons firing loud bursts when only being shot once.
The discovery of the bug was detailed on Reddit by Respawn, which was described as finding “a needle in a haystack.”
The team described it as a “complex issue that we knew was impacting our community but was hard to reproduce despite detailed reports” and “had minimal leads internally.”
The cause of the issue was reportedly the new Nemesis rifle, which was introduced at the start of Season 16. The gun has a particle effect which “ramps up when heating up”, but Respawn decided that when the gun is uncharged there’s no point showing the effect, since the effect would be using up resources despite being hidden.
Every player in the game with an uncharged Nemesis was sending a “stop particle” command to the server on every frame, which was leading to issues if too many players had the weapon equipped (even when it was holstered).
“14 clients with a Nemesis running at 180fps would be enough to cause FX to begin being dropped”, Respawn explained. A fix has since been deployed.
Apex Legends Season 17 will kick off this month. Titled Arsenal and due to release on May 9, the latest season of content will introduce a new hero, Ballistic.
Originally a competitor in the Thunderdome Games, the disgraced Legend is coming out of retirement in a bid to stop his son from participating in the Apex Games.
Respawn has claimed that a single line
Alteon.io has joined the camera-to-cloud revolution with a new app that adds iOS integration to its cloud-based ecosystem of apps and tools which support online connectivity for mobile filmmakers. The new app will enable iPhone creators to securely upload media directly to Alteon Cloud servers and make that content available to collaborators in real time.
“Over the last two decades, I’ve attended NAB every year, and I’ve seen firsthand the shifts that revolutionized our industry,” says Alteon co-founder & CEO Matt Cimaglia. “With Alteon, my goal was to build the tool I always wanted to find at the show. It never existed—until now.”
What does this new tech mean for filmmakers like you? Let’s get into it.
Alteon Cloud offers an expansive ecosystem of tools designed for content management and collaboration. Users will be able to create tiers with permission for extensive tagging and commenting on projects, scene changes, and other collaborative situations through the Alteon CMS interface.
Apps including Alteon Accelerator for upload of original camera files, and Alteon Transcoder for generating proxies of high-resolution Raw camera files, including Blackmagic Raw, give users the means to have a useful, cloud-based portal for getting files into a post-production workflow faster than ever.
Moreover, Alteon has launched a new iOS app that will enable mobile filmmakers and content creators to have camera-to-cloud support and securely upload media from the iPhone’s camera roll directly to Alteon Cloud for immediate collaboration. Users can also interact with Final Cut Pro with the Alteon workflow extension.
Through the app, mobile content creators will be able to:
The app is available for download now at the Apple App Store.
We visited the Alteon booth at NAB 2023 to chat with the team about their new updates. Here’s what we discovered:
The booth also hosted presentations on topics including the Evolution of News Media, Connecting Final Cut Pro to the Cloud, Hybrid Storage Solutions, and the Past, Present, and Future of Creative Technology. If you’ve ever planned on going to NAB, this is your sign to attend next year, especially if you’re a gearhead.
Is it enough to rival Frame.io? We’ll have to find out.
Let us know what you think of Alteon’s camera-to-cloud ecosystem.
A single mobile app now provides
Finding the best earrings for sensitive ears can make a world of difference when it comes to final touches. But when your accessories game hits a painful snag, some avoid the hassle of earrings altogether. Makes sense: Ever shopped a cute affordable jewelry brand—and found—the perfect pair of earrings only to watch them turn your lobes into an itching, red, swollen mess? Zero fun. And the jewelry is often the culprit.
So what is it that makes ears so sensitive (for some more than others)? We tapped experts to help us work through our sensitive-ear situation in hopes of flaunting piercings once again. Read on for their expert advice, along with some of our top picks to snap up.
For starters, it’s a delicate area. The skin of the earlobes tends to be thinner, like the skin of the eyelids and lips—making them more prone to irritation or allergic reactions, says Shari Marchbein, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. Plus, “the ears are particularly at risk for allergic reactions to jewelry because earrings are set directly against the skin and remain in place for extended periods,” adds New York–based board-certified dermatologist Joshua Zeichner, MD
What you’re experiencing is likely allergic contact dermatitis, or ACD, which is “a form of eczema characterized by dry, itchy pink or red patches on the skin caused by exposure to certain chemicals—in this case various metals found in jewelry,” explains Marchbein.
She cautions that anyone can develop an allergy or sensitivity to a skin-care product or its ingredients at any time, even if they’ve used it in the past without issue. “That said, there tends to be a greater risk for those who suffer from dry sensitive skin, asthma, and allergies,” she says. “The results are reproducible and occur anytime a predisposed or sensitive person comes into contact with the chemical or metal they are allergic to.”
Put on your Sherlock hat here, because you first need to figure out what’s bothering you. Experts point out that various metals (including gold and cobalt) can cause a reaction. The proper way to assess a metal allergy is through a patch test, but there are certain materials that tend to pop up as being particularly problematic.
Finding the best earrings for sensitive ears
Link had quite the challenge, and thankfully, everything turned out okay.
The biggest case of Grey’s Anatomy Season 19 Episode 17 was Owen forcing Link’s hand to perform a massive and inadvisable surgery on hot airman Sam while Link battled his shaky confidence and everyone else’s little faith in him.
The hour also touched on and attempted to resolve the disparity the interns faced financially, deepened the wedge between Blue and Jules, and provided a compelling turn for Lucas with Nick’s guidance.
For the most part, for an hour that teased what should’ve amounted to this impossible, unthinkable ortho case, the excitement around it was muted. Much of it was overshadowed by the irritating notion that Link should still face backlash over Tank dying on his table, however long ago.
At some point, midway through the hour, I was replaying everything that happened during the Grey’s Anatomy Season 19 Episode 8 because it did not make a lick of sense that EVERYONE, including other doctors, was treating Link as if he hopped on the table, stabbed a scalpel through Tank’s heart and twisted.
People die on the table all the time through no fault of the actual surgeon. Link didn’t do anything wrong during that entire surgery. Blood clots are terrifying, but they’re very real things that happen.
And sometimes, there is simply nothing that anyone can do about that.
It makes zero sense that the entire world seemingly has been harping on this and questioning Link’s abilities because he happens to be the person who performed surgery on a high-profile individual.
Every time someone else brought it up, it was hard not to gnash teeth because we have to be at least a couple of months removed from this now, and it’s been this prevalent thing they can’t seem to let go of at all.
It’s one thing to showcase Link as he navigates some adversity, but we’re at beating the dead horse level with an issue that shouldn’t be one in the first place as it is.
It was also frustrating that they were potentially trying to imply that Link, still tortured and haunted by the loss, is playing it safe these days, and he needed a kick in the pants.
But nothing about his reservations or, I don’t know, professional opinion as one of the top ortho surgeons in his field was out of line or coming across as unreasonably risk-averse.
Sam and Owen wanted Link to perform a freaking miracle, and Link succeeded only by the grace of whatever entity.
Owen was so far out of line it wasn’t even visible to the naked eye anymore when he flat out told Sam in front of everyone that Link could do the surgery amid Link giving his professional opinion on the issue.
And he quickly claimed that it was what the patient wanted, so Link was supposed to go along with that because of Sam’s say-so.
Owen: Congratulations, Link, you pulled it off.
Link: You ever put me in that position again in front of a patient, we’ll have a problem. And Hunt, thank you for your service.
And Owen made the whole thing about himself and how he feels as a fellow veteran. He used that to justify his actions, which were in poor taste.
It was some solace in seeing Link challenge Owen and call him out multiple times during the hour, whether kicking him out of the room or telling him never to pull a stunt like that again.
Owen was so freaking annoying and disrespectful during all of this. And the worse part about it is that he never acknowledged his wrongdoing and probably walked away from all of this smug because the ends justified the means in his eyes.
He probably patted himself on the back and felt he gave Link some “tough love” to get him back into the right headspace and on his game after the Tank issue.
Sam seems cool, and his friendship with Kwame is endearing. In addition to Link going outside his comfort zone to restore this man’s 90-something bones and keep his limbs intact, he’ll also have to compete with Sam for Jo’s affection.
Sam wasted no time flirting with Jo; he was so bold that you had to respect him. Link will not be thrilled when he sees the two of them in the same room together because Sam has no shame.
Owen was annoying with Link, acting as if he was somehow doing Link a favor by giving him the confidence boost that he needed, but Jo was the one who provided everything Link needed.
She knew the best way to support him through it all, reassured him that he wasn’t to blame for Tank, and she’s been a consummate source of support and comfort for him.
They’ve been putting in the work to build up this Jolink ‘ship, and it’s working.
While Owen didn’t take accountability for anything, Amelia finally did. I’m glad she apologized to Winston, and I don’t blame him one bit for walking away without acknowledging it. He’ll need some time and doesn’t owe her forgiveness on her terms.
She also apologized to Mika, which was great. They spent much of the hour reviewing the issues with the interns and how they don’t have a salary they can live on, among other things.
Teddy poured over surveys that she distributed, and they were illuminating for her. And Chief Teddy has been the best so far because she knows how to handle business and earnestly wants to do good things.
Initially, everyone was so dismissive of what the interns endured, too quick to recall their own issues and experiences, feeling as if it was all part of some rite of passage or something.
But they weren’t considering all the changes since they were interns. It’s easy for people to resort to “In my day…” without considering that things have evolved and changed in the decades since then.
They also are quick to think that just because they had to go through something horrible, other people need to as well. Once they started digging deeper into their own experiences and sharing their stories, more was coming to light about necessary changes.
They got back in touch with their experiences and showed empathy. And while there wasn’t so much that Teddy could do, I love the realistic approach to establishing a grant for those in extreme need.
They can’t fix everything overnight, but that’s a small thing they could do to make a huge difference, and Mika was a great benefactor for it. And how can you not love this girl for preparing to stand by her convictions and quit if necessary?
Thankfully, this whole situation also prompted Webber to seek out Helm again and have an honest conversation about what it’ll take to get her back, and he’s actually listening to her this time.
We could have Helm back at GSM in no time at all. And maybe now, they’ll know what to do with her.
The boys were taking all kinds of Ls during this installment.
Blue had a tough go of it, trying to respect Max’s wishes, listen to her, and face Jules’ wrath in the interim. He made a huge error by leaving her alone when he was assigned to stick by her.
But he was only listening to what she told him. And Max is just such a fantastic character and sweet woman that you want to do anything she says.
It’s adorable that Jules shared her relationship with Blue with Maxine, and Max is witty and wise enough to recognize that there’s more there for those two.
Jules is jealous of Blue and his new lady friend, but the ball is in her court. Most of her anger at him right now is definitely rooted in that.
Levi: Mrs. Andereson, your test results say you’re positive for a UTI.
Max: But I always pee after sex.
It was so good to have Max back during this installment. But she can’t keep putting us through health scares. It’s too much for the heart to take. When she started showing signs of delirium, I held my breath, but UTIs can definitely have that effect on seniors.
Jules and Blue are a definite pairing that needs to find their way back to each other. But it was nice to see her bond more with Simone.
The friendships among the interns have slowly fallen into place organically and endearingly, but we were due to get more focus on the female friendships a bit more.
After Lucas gave up the gig, Jules proved she’d be a great Maid of Honor for Simone.
And Lucas, like Blue, was taking a few L’s during this installment. He was all over the place, and you knew it got bad when Nick voiced his frustrations multiple times.
Lucas takes a serious beating to his ego and confidence throughout the installment, and it must’ve stung more when it came from Nick, who he views as a mentor.
He already felt bad after Mika called him out on being a Nepo baby again. But Nick has always been in Lucas’ corner and been this calming, reassuring voice to keep him on track.
He wasn’t used to the tough love that Nick was showcasing. And nothing prepared him for when Nick commented about Lucas recalibrating his ADHD meds.
Simone: I just wanted to go through this with a friend who knows me.
Jules: I know you. Unless you mean someone who has had their tongue in your mouth, in which case, I can be convinced.
It was a bold thing to say to someone when you’re just assuming things without knowing, and poor Lucas had to come to grips with the fact that everyone around him has clocked his ADHD but him.
He’s gone his entire life in a family full of doctors, mind you, without anyone realizing that he has ADHD and getting him properly diagnosed, and that’s heartbreaking.
It’s not uncommon for adults to have this epiphany, but it is a bit surprising that with so many professionals around, Lucas fell through the cracks but took the brunt of getting labeled as the Black Sheep of his family.
And real recognizes real because Nick saw him for who he was out of the gate because he, too, has ADHD and knows what it’s like to navigate a job like this as a neurodivergent.
The dynamic between Nick and Lucas has been underrated for precisely this reason. They’ve been building this up all season whenever Nick has appeared, and it’s one of the more refreshing angles for this series.
While they’ve had Autistic characters and a handful of “neurodivergent coded” characters that they’ve touched on here and there, most of the time, they played up the angle of those who are gifted and viewed favorably despite their neurodivergence.
Lexie, Maggie, Yang, Bailey, and so forth have mostly benefited from the hints of things. And we rarely got an outright storyline that focused heavily on that aspect of them.
But Lucas’ plight is different, and it’s the more relatable version of what many experience. It’s such a refreshing change of pace and a worthwhile storyline to explore his struggles and what it takes for him to navigate the field with undiagnosed ADHD.
It’s been a subtle but significant arc that they’ve explored here, and I appreciate the direction it has taken. Grey’s Anatomy has always been a series that prides itself in its representation.
And this is one of the best depictions of them exploring that without beating us over the head with it or forcing it. It flowed and unraveled very organically.
I loved watching Lucas sit with this news, slowly processing it as everything about his life finally clicked into place. Because sometimes just knowing what it is at all makes a world of difference.
Lucas and Nick’s heart-to-heart on that bench was easily one of the best scenes of the hour.
Don’t worry. It feels worse than it looks.
Patient
Some may have misgivings about Nick and his place in this series without Meredith, but he really shines as a mentor and someone who comes from a different standing place than the average attending.
He’s understood this merry band of misfit interns better than anyone there, and it just feels more real.
Over to you, Grey’s Fanatics.
What do you think of Lucas’ epiphany? Did Owen overstep with this case, or did Link need a boost? Sound off below!
You can watch Grey’s Anatomy online here via TV Fanatic.
Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is an insomniac who spends late nights and early mornings binge-watching way too many shows and binge-drinking way too much tea. Her eclectic taste makes her an unpredictable viewer with an appreciation for complex characters, diverse representation, dynamic duos, compelling stories, and guilty pleasures. You’ll definitely find her obsessively live-tweeting, waxing poetic, and chatting up fellow Fanatics and readers. Follow her on Twitter.
Link had quite the challenge, and thankfully,
TV Academy… please don’t let Beverly Goldberg leave this world without an Emmy nomination.
If one asked Wendi McLendon-Covey how she created the lovable and zany mom from “The Goldbergs,” I’d imagine she’d use one of the overbearing matriarch’s famous lines delivered to a random stranger regarding the origins of her three children: “I made these people. Me. I made them with my body.”
With an undeniable “schmoop” factor and countless “huggies,” McLendon-Covey made the unapologetic “smotherer” with her body, heart and soul. Her phenomenal work in the ABC comedy series will surely be one of the finest in sitcom history, and we’re all the better for it.
Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Emmy predictions in all categories.
On Wednesday night, ABC aired the sitcom’s final episode after 10 seasons, where viewers bid farewell to the 1980s Philadelphia family that centers on its youngest child Adam F. Goldberg (played by Sean Giambrone and narrated as the older version by Patton Oswalt). Along for the ride is his hilarious family, made up of short-tempered brother Barry (Troy Gentile), rebellious sister Erica (Haley Orrantia) and fiercely loving matriarch Beverly (McLendon-Covey). Previous seasons they have included the laid-back grandfather Albert (better known as “Pops” and played by the late George Segal, who passed during Season 8) and the sour father Murray (Jeff Garlin, who was fired from the show following an HR investigation by the network in 2022).
Nonetheless, Beverly Goldberg endured the pitfalls, showing the complexities of trying to hold onto your children’s youth for as long as humanely possible. With the fearless, no-bullshit attitude of Cookie Lyon from “Empire” blended with the wholesome wisdom of June Cleaver from “Leave It to Beaver,” Beverly guided her children through school, relationships, breakups and life’s most painful curveballs like the death of a parent and grandparent.
GOLDBERGS – “Island Time”
ABC
“Bevy” may be an unashamed “smotherer” — but nowadays, with an ongoing sense of dread due to a toxic political climate, growing income equality and mass shootings daily, who couldn’t use a warm hug from television’s most underappreciated mom of the modern era? Unfortunately, “The Goldberg’s” gem-filled comedic moments have been shut out entirely by the TV Academy, notably McLendon-Covey, who has always been worthy of recognition for lead comedy actress. She picked up her first career nom in 2022 as a producer for the television movie “Reno 911!: The Hunt for QAnon.”
The list of underrated TV moms is vast and long — America Ferrera’s Amy Sosa from “Superstore” and Mutsuko Erskine from “Pen15” are among those that aren’t mentioned enough. What’s more, McLendon-Covey’s choices would often hearken back to the familiar matriarchs from classic TV sitcoms — when Bev would have an excellent reason to reprimand one of her kids, I would think back to Phylicia Rashad’s Clair Huxtable yelling at Vanessa in “The Cosby Show” when she sneaks off to a Maryland concert.
And then there were the countless tender moments, with McLendon-Covey channeling the spirit of Florence Henderson’s Carol Brady, who would take on the role of the keeper of the house, but not without respect and appreciation.
Now that it’s over, was “The Goldbergs” groundbreaking TV? No.
But did Wendi McLendon-Covey shepherd one of the finest wives and mothers to grace the TV screen since Estelle Getty’s Sophia Petrillo in “The Golden Girls?” I mean, how can you not love a mom who famously said, “I’ll put cheese on anything.”
TV Academy… please don’t let Beverly Goldberg
Ed Sheeran fue enjuiciado, acusado de “tomar prestado” de temas de Marvin Gaye. Escucha las canciones de George Harrison, 2 Live Crew, Led Zeppelin y Katy Perry que pueden influir en su caso.
Hay un adagio, que no se sabe bien de dónde salió, que a los ejecutivos de la música les gusta citar cada vez que llega otra demanda por infracción de derechos de autor: “Donde hay un éxito, hay una demanda”.
El juicio por la canción de Ed Sheeran “Thinking Out Loud” (2014), ganadora de un Grammy, que comenzó la semana pasada en el Tribunal Federal de Distrito de Manhattan, es el último de una larga lista de demandas por derechos de autor musicales. En Estados Unidos, se remonta al menos a 1844, cuando a un juez de Nueva York le llegó un caso sobre la reproducción no autorizada de una canción llamada “The Cot Beneath the Hill”. El demandante recibió 625 dólares por daños y perjuicios, según una base de datos histórica mantenida por el especialista en derecho Charles Cronin.
Para Sheeran, lo que está en juego es mucho más importante. Se le acusa de copiar pasajes de “Let’s Get It On” (1973), de Marvin Gaye; la familia de Ed Townsend, coautor de Gaye, presentó la demanda en 2017. Si Sheeran es declarado responsable, un jurado fijará los daños y perjuicios, que probablemente serían millonarios.
He aquí una guía de algunos de los casos de derechos de autor musicales más trascendentales de las últimas décadas, junto con extractos de sus grabaciones.
Pero recuerda: puede ser complicado, e incluso engañoso, comparar únicamente grabaciones. En casos como estos, el único material en cuestión son las composiciones subyacentes de las canciones: las melodías, los acordes y las letras que pueden anotarse en papel. Los elementos específicos de la interpretación recogida en una grabación concreta, como el tempo o el timbre de un instrumento, son irrelevantes.
Los jurados deben decidir no solo si una canción copia a otra, sino si la anterior era lo bastante original y distintiva como para estar protegida por derechos de autor.
“El problema de este tipo de casos es que la gente se hace la pregunta equivocada”, afirmó Joe Bennett, profesor del Berklee College of Music que trabaja como musicólogo forense en casos judiciales. “Se preguntan: ‘¿En qué se parece la canción B a la canción A?’, cuando lo que deberían preguntarse es en qué medida es original la canción A”.
¿Entendido? En ese caso, ponte los auriculares y juzga por ti mismo.
Bright Tunes Music contra Harrisongs Music (1976)
“My Sweet Lord”, de George Harrison, alcanzó el n.º 1 a finales de 1970, y poco después Harrison fue demandado por el editor musical de “He’s So Fine”, grabada por The Chiffons en 1962.
Harrison perdió el caso de una manera que ha tenido un impacto duradero en la música: el juez determinó que el ex-Beatle había copiado la melodía de los Chiffons “inconscientemente”. Eso permitió a los demandantes en otros casos —incluida la familia Townsend, cuyos abogados citaron la decisión sobre Harrison en un escrito previo al juicio— acusar a los demandados de copiar, aunque no tuvieran intención de hacerlo.
Para Harrison, la insinuación de plagio inconsciente era muy preocupante y le produjo una sensación de “paranoia sobre la composición de canciones”, como escribió más tarde en sus memorias.
Campbell contra Acuff-Rose (1994)
En 1989, el atrevido grupo de hip-hop 2 Live Crew creó una parodia (sorprendentemente decente) del éxito de 1964 de Roy Orbison “Oh, Pretty Woman”, y pidió permiso a los editores de Orbison. La petición fue denegada, pero 2 Live Crew lanzó su versión de todos modos.
El caso llegó a la Corte Suprema, y la victoria de 2 Live Crew estableció importantes directrices sobre el “uso justo”, al dictaminar que, al tratarse de una parodia, sus creadores podían tomar prestado de otra obra protegida por derechos de autor sin permiso.
La Corte Suprema está examinando de nuevo la cuestión del uso legítimo en un caso relacionado con la apropiación por parte de Andy Warhol de una fotografía de Prince.
Three Boys Music contra Bolton (2000)
Este caso se refería a dos canciones tituladas “Love Is a Wonderful Thing”: una de los Isley Brothers, de 1966, y la otra del cantante pop Michael Bolton, de 1991.
Bolton negó conocer la canción de los Isleys, aunque estaba claramente familiarizado con el género, ya que había construido su carrera “reviviendo el sonido soul de los años 60”, como dijo un juez del tribunal de apelaciones.
El jurado dictaminó que Bolton y un coautor habían vulnerado la canción antigua y fijó una indemnización por daños y perjuicios de 5,4 millones de dólares, que fue confirmada en apelación. Muchos expertos musicales dudaban de que existiera una similitud musical significativa entre las dos canciones, y siguen señalando la demanda de Three Boys como un caso clave en el que un jurado se equivocó.
Williams contra Bridgeport Music (2018)
Este fue el caso de derechos de autor musicales más polémico desde “My Sweet Lord”.
Robin Thicke y Pharrell Williams fueron demandados en 2013 por su canción “Blurred Lines” por miembros de la familia de Gaye, que argumentaron que copiaba su éxito de la era disco “Got to Give It Up”. Los dos músicos fueron condenados a pagar unos cinco millones de dólares, más la mitad de las regalías futuras de la canción.
Thicke y Williams argumentaron que cualquier parentesco entre las dos canciones era resultado de componentes genéricos y que no existían similitudes concretas. El experto de los Gaye señaló una “constelación” de diversos elementos musicales, que a muchos comentaristas les pareció vaga, pero fue suficiente para persuadir al jurado. El veredicto fue confirmado en apelación, pero un juez discrepante dijo que permitía a los herederos de Gaye “lograr lo que nadie había logrado antes: registrar los derechos de autor de un estilo musical”.
Adam Neely, un músico de jazz que ha publicado detallados videos en YouTube en los que analiza casos actuales de derechos de autor, dijo que en el caso de “Thinking Out Loud” de Sheeran está en juego prácticamente lo mismo.
“El temor es que se pueda ser dueño de un ritmo”, dijo Neely. “Y al ser dueño de un ritmo, puedes ser dueño de un género”.
Skidmore contra Led Zeppelin (2020)
El historial de Led Zeppelin de tomar prestado de otros creadores está bien documentado; en muchos casos, la banda acabó por reconocer la deuda y añadió los nombres de artistas de blues como Willie Dixon a los créditos de las canciones. Pero en esta disputa, sobre el ultra clásico de la banda, “Stairway to Heaven”, el grupo se defendió con firmeza, y ganó.
El caso fue presentado por un administrador de las canciones de Randy Wolfe, cuya banda, Spirit, tocaba ocasionalmente junto a Led Zeppelin en sus inicios. La canción “Taurus” de Spirit, de 1968, incluye un pasaje acústico con una progresión de acordes arpegiados y una línea de bajo cromática descendente que recuerda a la bucólica introducción de “Stairway”. Pero aunque los pasajes sean similares, ¿son esos elementos lo bastante distintivos como para calificarlos de “protegibles”, como dicen los abogados?
Led Zeppelin ganó el caso en el juicio, y en 2020 un tribunal de apelación confirmó el veredicto. El fallo de los jueces ofrecía orientación a los tribunales sobre cómo se aplica la ley de derechos de autor a las obras que incluyen “elementos comunes” que pueden ser de dominio público.
Gray contra Perry (2020)
El impacto del caso Led Zeppelin fue inmediato. Meses antes, un jurado había decidido que “Dark Horse”, de Katy Perry, copiaba una secuencia de ocho notas de una canción de rap cristiano poco conocida (“Joyful Noise”, de Flame), y concedió a los demandantes 2,8 millones de dólares por daños y perjuicios.
Pero una semana después de la sentencia en la apelación de Led Zeppelin, el juez del caso de Perry anuló el veredicto del jurado, citando la decisión al determinar que el pasaje de ocho notas no era “una combinación particularmente única o rara” y, por tanto, no estaba protegida por derechos de autor. El abogado de Perry lo describió como una eliminación de “la maldición de ‘Blurred Lines’”.
Griffin contra Sheeran (2023)
En un prolongado caso que se retrasó en parte por la pandemia de coronavirus, los herederos de Townsend, coautor de Gaye en “Let’s Get It On”, acusan a Sheeran de copiar el “corazón” de esa canción para su éxito “Thinking Out Loud”.
Los peritos de ambas partes coinciden en que las canciones presentan una progresión de acordes casi idéntica. Y reconocen que esos acordes también han aparecido en muchas otras canciones. Pero el caso se centra en si esos elementos musicales de “Let’s Get It On” —los acordes, así como el patrón rítmico sincopado en el que se tocaban— eran lo bastante originales y distintivos como para que su reaparición en “Thinking Out Loud” constituya una infracción, o simplemente el reciclaje de características musicales comunes.
Ed Sheeran fue enjuiciado, acusado de “tomar
I know I am not alone in thinking that adolescence was the toughest period of my life. What a mess those years can be! Strange emotions hit you from every angle, and the pressure to succeed is at its peak. Throw in social anxiety and bad acne, and you get an experience everyone is eager to finish with. But, even as miserable as I was, I can’t imagine living through the difficulties this generation of adolescents has to deal with. It’s no wonder that rates of anxiety and depression have skyrocketed within the past few years. But, most depressing of all is that our healthcare system is ill-equipped to handle it. Laura Morton and Vanessa Roth’s Anxious Nation is a sobering exposé on an underreported national health crisis.
The documentary consists of various interviews with mental health professionals about what this means going forward and how we got here. But the most valuable interviews are from a sample of teenagers (and their families) currently undergoing crises of varying degrees. For example, one boy enters an almost manic state when faced with the prospect of doing his homework, while another young woman suffers a breakdown upon hearing a police helicopter. Their triggers might seem relatively innocuous to many of us, but seeing their misery works well as a call to action for viewers.
“…rates of anxiety and depression have skyrocketed…”
The causes of crippling anxiety in adolescents aren’t exactly a secret. Unprecedented pressure to succeed academically in a cutthroat college application process, uncontrollable addictions to social media, and a deluge of negative news stories are just some of the triggers many professionals cite as leading causes. The filmmakers spend a great deal of time on these issues, but I wish more time were centered on how we will get out of this mess. What’s so frustrating about this crisis is that we all know the solution: a complete restructuring of how the United States treats mental health.
Is Anxious Nation an essential documentary? I think it depends. Morton and Roth accomplish their goal in terms of bringing awareness of a new health crisis, but most viewers seeking this out should already be well-versed on the topic. I don’t find anything inherently wrong with documentaries that adopt the “talking heads” style, but it’s hard not to wish there wasn’t a little more variety in terms of aesthetics. A personal approach to the project would have been in line. It would have been more compelling to narrow the focus on one or two teenagers to examine their specific issues even closer.
The rise of anxiety is a serious problem with no real end in sight. Films like Anxious Nation are important for spreading the message. However, the only realistic way to change attitudes on mental health is to normalize seeking care and to make more people aware of the solutions. We can only hope that influential policymakers around the United States take note, as the consequences of huge percentages of an entire generation being hampered by acute anxiety are hard to imagine.
I know I am not alone in
A teenager from Ukraine yesterday refused to share a stage with a Russian contestant ahead of her performance at a UNICEF singing contest in Italy.
Sofia Samoliuk, 13, stood down from the Sanremo Junior festival yesterday after she learned Kirill Yezhov would participate.
The organisers had announced the participation of the Russian hours before the contest – but Sofia waited and gave a speech.
She said: ‘I cannot sing on the same stage with a representative of the terrorist state.
‘I do believe that next year that the terrorist country will not be here. Please, stay with Ukraine.’
The singer walks down the stairs holding a piece of paper and prepares to speak
Thirteen-year-old Sofia was already known for winning in her category of vocalists aged 11-13 at the Black Sea Games in 2021
In the video, a host introduces the performers to the stage to sing.
Sofia takes her mark and launches into a pre-prepared speech in English.
She addresses the audience: ‘I decided I cannot sing today. I found out there is a participant from Russia – the state that killed already more than 500 Ukrainian children.’
On April 3, charity Save the Children confirmed the number of children who had been killed in Ukraine had passed 500 since the start of the Russian invasion.
They added that since February 2022, at least one child has been killed every day in Ukraine, based on their analysis of UN data.
At least 991 had been injured in the violence – mainly the result of explosive weapons affecting large areas.
As fighting raged in the south and east of the country, children in Ukraine last year spent on average 38.3 days in bunkers underground.
In her speech yesterday, Sofia went on to thank the audience for their understanding and says she believes that next year the ‘terrorist country’ will not be [appearing].
Members of the audience are heard to applaud as she bows.
The singing competition in Italy is organised by UNICEF, a charity which exists to protect the rights of children.
It is an international competition welcoming solo singers aged six to 15 years old.
Separately, also this week the Ukrainian Judo Federation said Ukrainian judokas will not take part in the World Judo Championships in Qatar between May 7 and 14 due to the International Judo Federation’s decision to readmit Russians and Belarusians.
The IJF said its decision to readmit Russians and Belarusians as neutrals would allow them to participate in qualifying for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
The body said it will perform background checks to flag any athletes who back the invasion of Ukraine or who are contracted to the military in any way.
Sofia addresses the audience, saying she will not perform alongside a Russian ‘representative’
Award-winner Sofia was due to perform as a vocalist at the Sanremo Junior festival yesterday
Sofia (pictured) went on to win the ‘Grand Prix’ at the United Kids Children’s Festival in Bulgaria – the jury-chosen first prize place
Thirteen-year-old Sofia was already known for winning in her category of vocalists aged 11-13 at the Black Sea Games in 2021.
She went on to win the ‘Grand Prix’ at the United Kids Children’s Festival in Bulgaria – the jury-chosen first prize place.
MailOnline contacted Sanremo Junior for comment.
Apple on Thursday provided more evidence for optimists who believe that the worst of the tech industry’s slump may be over while reminding investors that there are still plenty of reasons for concern.
Although the company said that its revenue shrank 3 percent in its most recent quarter compared to the same period a year ago, the $94.8 billion total well outpaced investor expectations of $92.9 billion.
It was something of a rebound from the previous quarter, when Apple revenue and profit fell more substantially because of economic challenges and a Covid-19 outbreak in China that forced the company’s largest iPhone factory to close temporarily.
Apple reported a profit of $24.1 billion, down 3 percent from the same period a year earlier but above the $22.6 billion expected by Wall Street. The company’s sales in its second fiscal quarter were driven by record revenue for its services division and strong demand for iPhones, its flagship product.
“Apple’s results suggest to us that the company is navigating a challenging macroeconomic environment well,” said Tom Forte, an analyst with D.A. Davidson. Still, he said, Big Tech’s collective financial results served as a reminder that the economy is not yet out of the woods.
Apple made $51.3 billion from iPhone sales, up 1.5 percent from a year ago. Demand for iPhones and other products in China was down slightly from a year earlier, but revenue of $17.8 billion outpaced investor expectations as China continued its rebound from long pandemic lockdowns. Emerging markets like South Asia, India, Latin America and the Middle East powered iPhone demand, Luca Maestri, Apple’s chief financial officer, said on a call with investors.
Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, said on the call that the company’s supply of iPhones had recovered after various issues, many related to the pandemic.
“If you step back and look at how we performed over the last three years on supply chain, despite this parade of horribles, if you will, between the pandemic and the chip shortages and macroeconomic factors, the supply chain has been incredibly resilient,” he said.
Customers’ interest in Apple products other than the iPhone slumped in the quarter. Revenue from iPads fell nearly 13 percent and Mac revenue dropped 31 percent. Mr. Cook said the slowdowns came from economic challenges and difficult comparisons with a high-demand quarter last year.
Still, Apple’s services division, which includes subscriptions to Apple Fitness+ and Apple Music, as well as sales from its App Store, had nearly $21 billion in sales, a slight increase from a year ago that buoyed the company overall. Revenue from the App Store, Apple Music, iCloud and Apple’s payment services surged, in particular, while digital advertising and mobile gaming struggled, the company said on the call.
Apple also said it had authorized a $90 billion stock buyback, helping to drive the price of the company’s shares up more than 1 percent in after-hours trading on Thursday.
The company has not conducted mass layoffs like other technology companies, because it didn’t hire as aggressively in the early days of the pandemic. Apple has taken a hard line in its return-to-office policies, requiring most employees to work in the office three days a week.
Apple on Thursday provided more evidence for
Sam Jones established himself as one of the finest music documentarians we have with 2002’s “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart: A Film About Wilco,” and he continued in that vein with “Lost Songs: The Basement Tapes Continued” in 2014 and, now, HBO Max’s highly lauded “Jason Isbell: Running With Our Eyes Closed.” Yet he doesn’t want to make music films his sole bread and butter — in part because of just how much he values the best ones. The director explained why on this episode of Variety’s “Doc Dreams” presented by National Geographic.
“I am so subject-drawn and driven, rather than genre-driven, so it’s possible I’ll never make another music documentary, or maybe I’ll make five more,” Jones says. “But my next documentary is a motorcycle documentary. I’ve had a lot of opportunities or done a lot of flirting with different music documentary ideas through the years, but they’re the hardest, because it’s the thing I love most, number one — not the films, but music. I love it so much that it’s very daunting to try to get them right, and they’re hard to do.”
The sheer proliferation of music docs in contemporary times would seem to negate Jones’ notion about just how difficult they are, but he’s working in a different realm than the vast majority of music films that are highly sanitized and controlled looks at artists whose managers keep a tight lock on just which “wart” their client is going to emphasize on screen. Jones and this movie’s subjects, Jason Isbell and his singer-songwriter wife, Amanda Shires, agreed that the director would have free reign about what he wanted to create out of what started as the documentation of Isbell’s “Reunions” album in 2019-20. But Jones had reason to wonder whether they would want to live up to that after he filmed what appeared to be cracks developing in their relationship during and immediately after the recording sessions. Fortunately, the boldness that both artists evidence in their respective songwriting and interviews translated to a sometimes uneasy forthrightness about what they were OK with putting on screen.
“Jason says it best. He says, ‘There’s two kinds of documentaries — the ones that the subject is comfortable with, and the good ones’,” Jones relays, approvingly.
“You know, because of all the stuff between him and his wife and their daughter, and me also being in a marriage” and understanding the issues involved, “I just expected when I showed them the film that there may have been a negotiation about some of that stuff.” Jones points to a scene near the end of the film where Shires, alone at home during the pandemic, turns on the camera and reads from her smartphone a bracingly honest letter that she wrote to her husband when their marriage hit a rough spot. “She read all that to me before telling Jason she was gonna do it. So when I sent them the film and they didn’t have anything they wanted to take out, that’s when my respect for them as artists really was at its highest.”
Because of Isbell’s and Shires’ candor, as much as his own endeavorings, he thinks “Running With Our Eyes Closed” is able to hark back to an earlier, less tightly controlled era.
“I get a little nostalgic for some of these earlier music documentaries that I grew up on, whether it’s ‘Don’t Look Back’ or ‘Gimme Shelter,’ where I think people were less aware and it was more of a novelty to have a camera around. Now, it’s funny — you make a documentary and you realize people are making documentaries all day long on their phones, and they’re so aware of how they are on camera. It was so refreshing with Amanda that she has this ability to just sort of be in the moment without really thinking about, ‘How will this affect me? How will this make me come off? Will people like me?’ I think she just is herself in any situation. And I think that that bravery sort of gave Jason permission to also be that way in those joint interviews. I do think this documentary is unique in our age of people being very aware of their presence on camera; these two are being very real in a way that is refreshing and authentic.”
It’s Isbell’s name in the title; when the film goes from the vérité of the present to exploring backstories, those narrative discursions are about his past, as a child of divorce, a member of the band Drive-by Truckers in his youthful days and eventually a recovering alcoholic. But in the movie, the marriage is ultimately the window to his soul… or vice versa. “It became clear early on that, even though we were telling Jason’s story, the most interesting thing to do was to do it through the lens of their relationship and their marriage. It became really clear when I started cutting the film that their story was the stepping off point for all of the forays into Jason’s past.
“They’re both open in very different ways,” Jones continues. “Jason obviously agreed to the parameters of this, which was, ‘Hey, I’m gonna pull you aside before you get to go play guitar,’ or, ‘On day three in the studio, I need you for an hour before you start,’ those kinds of things. And he was willing to honor his obligations on all that stuff. But I think Jason considers and is careful and measured in his responses about everything in life. Whereas I feel like Amanda was just naturally open to the spirit of making a documentary and really giving up control, whereas with Jason, it was a day-to-day, ‘OK, I’ve said I’ll do this and I’ll do it.’ Amandayou’d have to ask her, obviously. But I think she liked the artistic experiment of it all, and so she was very open, and had fun with it as well. You know, we left that part in the film where she says, ‘Oh, he’s just lying to you’” — as Isbell is sitting next to her. “And I think that that’s one of the things that makes this film special is that we’re making a film about Jason as an artist, but we’re also making a film about a marriage. And to have two different point of views, it makes it really complex and humorous and intimate.”
Fortunately, the recording sessions for “Reunions” were well wrapped up by the time the pandemic hit in early 2020, but Jones wasn’t nearly done with filming. After he shot an intimate performance with the two at L.A.’s Walt Disney Concert Hall at the beginning of that year, the world shut down. And Jones ended up sending high-def cameras for the two to set up themselves as they cloistered themselves at their home outside of Nashville. He admits to pandemic “panic” as he had to give up some control over how things got shot, directing remotely. But the silver lining of it was that the couple shot themselves individually and together during a period of personal rapprochement as they quarantined. And he’s not sure Shires ever would have read that letter if she’d had a director there asking her to, or that the couple would have sat down outside on a swinging chair to discuss where their relationship was at if they’d been cajoled into it.
Still, Jones remembers the day she read that letter on-camera, hoping it wasn’t a whim she’d want to take back. “I was here in Los Angeles, and I did send our Nashville PA to their house almost immediately after I hung up the phone to pick up the card from the camera. I thought, ‘I’m not gonna wait around until they have a discussion about whether they wanna send that particular card’,” he laughs. “But, as it turns out, they were, they were much more brave than even I gave them credit for, even though I knew they were brave. And for Amanda to share that, I think, was probably in the end inspiring to Jason, because it’s like, ‘Oh, OK, well, if if it scares us, then it’s the right thing to do.’”
Jones says that only in the editing room did he fully realize the tension that existed in the recording studio. He was running one of the cameras, and making sure there was full coverage of everything often took priority over paying attention to small, telling bits of dialogue that later seemed important — like a moment when Isbell quietly mentions to producer Dave Cobb that he spent the night at a hotel instead of at home, which no one asks any more about at the time. “When Jason said ‘I had a rough night’ in the studio, no one remembered that until it showed up in the edit room. It’s kind of like a little forensic science to go back through your footage and go, ‘Oh, wait, now that we know what happened, let’s go find those moments.’ Even like the little thing about the violin” — Isbell remarks that Shires’ fiddle sounds too loud, which has reverberations to come — “you could feel tension, enough that we took a camera shot and went down to the violin and the fact that Amanda wasn’t playing it the second time — but you don’t know the significance of it” at the time.
“That’s one reason it’s so great to have an editor that wasn’t there every day, because they’re judging just what’s on screen, and they’re not able to weigh that against the Amanda and Jason they know,” Jones says. “So in the case of the subtlety of Jason and Amanda’s fighting, I questioned often whether the audience was gonna pick up on it. And it was our editor, Erin Nordstrom, who assured me that she was picking up on it. And so she was sort of the first, best audience, because she didn’t have any more context other than what we had already shot.” But ultimately he had to trust the audience to catch these things without it being underlined. “This film is honest. It doesn’t cheat any of that stuff. What I really am proud of is that we didn’t have to manufacture any drama and we trusted the audience would pick up on the subtle stuff.”
There’s one moment in the film that’s really subtle: when Isbell and Shires are sharing the stage at an early 2020 acoustic performance at Walt Disney Hall, and mid-song, unseen by most or all of the live audience, she… winks at him. Some of the film’s viewers won’t think much about it, but for others, it will speak heartwarming volumes.
“That’s my favorite moment in the film,” Jones says, grateful that someone else noticed it. “When we found it, it immediately encapsulated everything. It’s like they know they’re destined to be together, and even when they’re at their worst and you know — like Jason says, thinking the whole thing is gonna fall apart — that wink by Amanda, I think, says, ‘I’m still here and it’s still you and I.’ And I happen to know that during the Disney concert they were not in a good place. And yet I think that (represents) what Jason is talking about: ‘We’re not connecting right now. But I’m on the other side of the bridge, and I don’t know how to get across to you, but I’ll just wave at you from this side.’ I think that wink is sort of the personification of that idea. I love that moment. And I love, in general, concert films that can do that — even though this isn’t a concert film, and this is our one concert moment of the whole thing. I love when you can expand on the experience with cameras and you realize there’s a whole different world going on, on stage, than what’s happening for the audience.”
Making the picks about what music to include was a challenge for Jones, as an Isbell super-fan. The most obvious choices were to pick songs that had an analog connection to real-life incidents in the singer’s life, like using the song “Dreamsicle,” which describes the tension leading up to his parents’ divorce, as a lead-in to that biographical flashback. But he also wanted to sell an audience that might be learning about Isbell for the first time on his music.
“Obviously there’s a lot of ‘Reunions’ in there because that’s the album we were filming,” says Jones, “but I did want to highlight some of his other music that was very autobiographical, like ‘Children of Children’ and ‘Cover Me Up’ and ‘Traveling Alone.’ Also, when you love an artist and you feel like they should have a wider audience, it’s on me to make those decisions. It’s like when you make a playlist for somebody and you’re like, ‘Well, you’ve never heard of the Replacements? OK, I’ll make you a playlist.’ Now you have this little responsibility to take something that you love and you want to pass it on, and you want to steer people in the right direction.”
One small side effect of the acclaim for “Running With Our Eyes Closed” is that audiences will want to go back and rediscover, or see for the first time, his Wilco film from 2002, “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart”— which Isbell has said he and the members of Drive-by Truckers used to watch on their tour bus all the time in the 2000s.
“With all of the great films that have been made about music, I just kind of can’t believe that that one still gets talked about,” Jones says. “And funny enough, I just bought it back from the distributor, so I now own it, 100% percent, and want to find a permanent home for it. Because one thing I think we did get right in that movie is the band dynamics, and how hard and weird and specific that is to that genre. What I like about what we are able to accidentally do is, because of the circumstances between Jeff (Tweedy) and Jay (Bennett), we were able to document what it really feels like to be in the studio, feeling very strongly about your creative decisions and having to learn how to make compromises. You know, those guys were fairly young back then. And so watching Wilco try to learn how to navigate all that, I think, connected with people.”
Watch the full conversation above.
Sam Jones established himself as one of
Culinary super tastemaker Padma Lakshmi is once again in the running for Emmys, both for Bravo’s Top Chef and her Hulu series Taste the Nation. Over her years of hosting and executive producing Top Chef, she has earned 14 Emmy nominations herself, but victory has remained, tantalizingly, just beyond her reach.
“We’re in the golden age of television, and it’s really competitive. I’m sort of the Susan Lucci of reality television,” she tells Deadline. “It would be lovely to win, especially because this is our 20th season of Top Chef.”
Lakshmi made her debut as host in season 2 of the two-time Emmy-winning reality competition show, and has been a main ingredient in Top Chef’s success for 17 years now.
Gail Simmons, Padma Lakshmi, and Tom Colicchio of ‘Top Chef’
Photo by Stephanie Diani/Bravo
“We’re doing the show for the fans, and I’m really lucky we have such loyal, interested fans,” she says. “Twenty seasons is a long time. I hope we do win, I’m not going to lie, but I don’t know what our chances are.”
Over the years, Lakshmi has witnessed significant changes at Top Chef.
“The caliber of the contestants has just gotten better and better and we’ve gotten more diverse in our casting,” she notes. “We still have a-ways to go, but we’re doing great compared to our earlier seasons.”
Along with gustatory triumphs, Lakshmi has witnessed some near-disasters in the Top Chef kitchen. One particular incident stands out for her.
“I remember we were in Rochester, New York doing a Thanksgiving special with the Foo Fighters. They were playing to this huge stadium of 12,000 people. And our grills went out. Something happened with the gas lines or the electricity,” she recalls. “It was a nightmare because we had all these chefs who needed to cook. But we worked it into the challenge because they all had the same problem. Dale Talde [chef and cookbook author] figured out how to jerry-rig a grill outside and made it happen. That’s what Top Chef brings out in you – the worst and the best.”
‘Taste the Nation’ host and EP Padma Lakshmi.
Photo by Sabrina Walker/Hulu
Taste the Nation, her unscripted Hulu series, returns on Friday for season 2. The show, on which she is both host and EP, debuted in 2020. She took on Taste the Nation seasoned (if you’ll pardon the culinary metaphor) by her previous TV experience. “I’ve grown a lot, and I wouldn’t have Taste the Nation if I didn’t have so many seasons of Top Chef under my belt.”
A Critics Choice Award-winning series, Taste The Nation has Lakshmi taking audiences on a journey across America, “exploring the rich and diverse food culture of various immigrant groups,” as the show puts it, “and seeking out the people who have heavily shaped what American food is today.”
“I wanted to use the platform that I had earned from Top Chef and give it to people [immigrants] so that they could speak on their own behalf and could tell their story as they saw fit,” emphasizes Lakshmi, who won a 2022 James Beard Foundation Award for her work on Taste the Nation.
Padma Lakshmi attends the 2023 Milken Institute Global Conference May 2, 2023 in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images
Despite having the might of Top Chef behind her, Lakshmi’s journey to ultimately finding a home for Taste the Nation with Hulu faced many impediments.
“It was very hard to get Taste the Nation greenlit. I am the host of a show [Top Chef] in 174 territories, yet I had a really hard time getting Taste the Nation made,” she says. “Six or seven networks turned it down before Hulu said yes. In retrospect, I’m so glad that [other networks] turned it down. Hulu is so supportive of me as a filmmaker and as an auteur. And when you are working on a show that’s an idea you thought of in your head – and it comes out almost exactly how you envisioned it – that’s a miracle in television.”
That idea in Lakshmi’s head churned and took shape during the 2016 elections, inspiring her to create Taste the Nation. “After the 2016 election, I saw how rudely people out of Washington and on the campaign trail were speaking about immigrants, spewing this vitriol, which was completely untrue,” she says. “I’m an immigrant from India and grew up in an immigrant neighborhood in La Puente, California, which was very Filipino, very Mexican, and very Korean. And so I had a good insight into what different immigrants went through and how they lived their lives.”
The show doesn’t shy away from addressing social issues in a vocal manner. “I had just started working with the ACLU [in 2016] and wanted to find an artistic and creative way to take my advocacy into my professional life so that I could combine the two. I was developing another show on immigration and was writing a book on immigrant food. I showed my producing partner all the research I had done for this book proposal. He said we should combine these two. And that’s how Taste the Nation was born.”
Padma Lakshmi at the Time 100 Gala in New York City on April 26, 2023.
Photo by Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images
Lakshmi’s relationship with food began as a young girl, and she recalls it all started in the kitchen. “When I was a toddler, I loved to taste different things and was always hanging out in the kitchen – with the women in my family – because that’s where all the action was,” she says. “I would climb up the pantry shelves like a monkey to get the pickle jars – the really spicy chilies. So I think I naturally always had a physical, visceral connection to food and flavors.”
Lakshmi shares some of season 2’s voyages to eclectic cuisines and exploration of lesser-known immigrant stories. “In this season of Taste the Nation, [we did] an episode on Nigerian Americans, and we really tackle Blackness in America,” she says. “As somebody who’s not Black, it was something that I wanted to do very carefully. My producer Nosa Garrick [who’s Nigerian American], did such a great job. I’m very proud, and it’s so close to my heart.”
Padma Lakshmi in an episode of ‘Taste the Nation’ shot in Lowell, Mass.
Photo by Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu
Additional episodes focus on Filipino and Cambodian immigrants in America. “We do an episode on Filipinos from Daly City, [Calif.]. They talk about the colonial mentality and internalizing the notion that you don’t deserve the same and should be thankful. In Lowell, Massachusetts, a Cambodian community has totally revitalized that town – a drug-infested factory town that went bust. [The] Cambodians came there as refugees – illiterate, without knowing the language. And without having any technical skill, they revitalized this very New England, tawny town.”
For Lakshmi, it is a personal journey of studying and understanding the diverse immigrant population and their cultures on the show.
“On Taste the Nation, it’s a much more cerebral enterprise and a lot of research,” she observes. “I’m telling other people’s stories and letting them tell as much as I can of it. But I’m still shaping it for them and with them. And I take that super seriously.”
Culinary super tastemaker Padma Lakshmi is once
The romantic comedy may be on the endangered genres list in Hollywood, but thankfully our friends in England have continued to concoct and export enjoyable confections at a steady clip. Earlier this year, we were treated to the delightful “Rye Lane,” a vibrant and fresh take on the meet cute that’s currently streaming on Hulu. And now we have “ What’s Love Got to Do With It? ” starring Lily James as a documentary filmmaker, Zoe, who turns her lens to the arranged marriage of her childhood friend, Kaz (Shazad Latif).
Within a conventional rom-com package, the ending of which isn’t the slightest of mysteries, tropes are subverted, big questions are asked about marriage and love, and a warm spotlight is shined on Pakistani culture. Also Emma Thompson gets to drink and dance and say mildly offensive things to her daughter (James’ Zoe) and her best friends next door.
The film, directed by Shekhar Kapur (“Elizabeth”), was written by Jemima Khan, a noted documentarian and an editor at publications like The New Statesman and Vanity Fair. She is also a generally glamorous woman about town who counted Princess Diana among her friends and had a high-profile marriage to Pakistani politician Imran Khan, with whom she shares two children. If not ripped from her own experiences, the film is a thoughtful distillation of her observations about arranged marriages and the common misconception that they are akin to “a medieval chattel swap” or a forced marriage, as Zoe pitches to some bro-executives in an attempt to get the greenlight for her next project.
Zoe is straight from the rom-com playbook: Good at what she does professionally, bad at choosing boyfriends and partners. The filmmakers do give her the dignity of making her own choices and not requiring her to be adorably clumsy as a character trait.
But her mom is getting anxious about the ticking clock and, meanwhile Kaz, who was born in England to Pakistani immigrants, has thrown her for a loop when he decides to go the traditional route and have his parents involved in choosing a life partner who he doesn’t meet in person until the wedding. While making the film, she starts to see some benefits in not starting with love but ending with it, especially as she sees some of the “love marriages” around her crumbling under affairs and disappointment. Latif and James have a subtle, but not insignificant, will-they-won’t-they chemistry that is fun to follow.
Importantly, the script is self-aware about its “white lens.“ Also ample time is given to Kaz’s mother (Shabana Azmi), who gets her own journey and arc with her children, one of whom is estranged for choosing a love marriage to a Caucasian.
The biggest liability is the film’s name, which is a straightforward question about marriage but also a very famous Tina Turner song (which is not used) and name of a 1993 biopic starring Angela Bassett. At the very least, it’s a little confusing.
And the conclusion is a kind of shrug, at least when it comes to arranged versus “love marriages.” I guess it amounts to something along the lines of “follow your heart” and “don’t push people away” but that’s the sort of frustratingly vague advice that most have been trying to adhere to all along. The real takeaway, probably, is that no one should be turning to romantic comedies for life advice, just comfort and amusement, which this one has plenty of.
“What’s Love Got to Do With It?,” a Shout! Studios release in theaters Friday, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association for “some suggestive material, brief drug material, a sexual reference, strong language.” Running time: 108 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four. — MPA Definition of PG-13: Parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. — Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ldbahr.
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The romantic comedy may be on the
The TV Academy has denied the petition for Apple’s “Schmigadoon!” to move from submitting for outstanding comedy series to the scripted variety category, Variety has learned exclusively.
It had been reported that the streamer had filed an official petition to move the show into the newly titled scripted variety category where it would face off against “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” “Saturday Night Live” and “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.” However, the news seemed to be premature, with the Television Academy confirming the petition has been denied and Apple has been notified.
Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Emmy predictions in all categories.
The scripted variety category is open to series with at least six episodes. It is defined as shows that are “primarily scripted, or loosely-scripted improv” and “discrete scenes, satire, musical numbers, monologues, comedy stand-ups, sketches, etc.” Last year, Netflix’s “Murderville” was denied entry into the category, then titled variety sketch series.
This seems to be the right call by the Emmys, as “Schmigadoon!” has ongoing story elements and recurring characters. The second season focuses on Melissa and Josh, now married, and parodies the musical “Chicago.”
While the sophomore season received positive reviews from critics, it will still have to fight for one of the eight spots in outstanding comedy series where two tentpole Apple series are already competing — the two-time winner “Ted Lasso” and the freshman dramedy “Shrinking.”
The musical comedy series, created by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, just aired its season finale on May 3, coming off its first season where it netted four Emmy noms — original music and lyrics (which it won), production design for a narrative program (half-hour), music composition for a series (original dramatic score) and choreography for scripted programming.
At least one song is in contention this time around — “Bells and Whistles,” which is sung by Jane Krakowski.
Performers are also eligible to submit such as lead comedy actors Keegan-Michael Key and Cecily Strong, the latter is also contending for supporting comedy actress for “Saturday Night Live.”
Emmy submissions are due on May 9.
The TV Academy has denied the petition
Marvel Studios is reportedly making some major changes to its script strategy after Phase 4 and Phase 5’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania received criticism.
Within roughly the last month, the studio brought on board three new writers to rewrite upcoming 2024/2025 movies that have not yet begun production, indicating major shifts taking place at the MCU studio.
True Detective creator Nic Pizzolatto took over Blade from Michael Starrbury, Avatar: The Way of Water scribe Josh Friedman was brought onto Fantastic Four in place of Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer, and Netflix’s Beef originator Lee Sung Jin replaced Eric Pearson on Thunderbolts, marking his feature film debut.
During the latest edition of The Hot Mic podcast, Above the Line’s Jeff Sneider discussed the major changes Marvel Studios is making behind the scenes when it comes to the development & script process for MCU movies.
The majority of Marvel’s newly-hired writers are all coming off acclaimed projects, which Sneider pointed out by saying they are “spending a lot more money on writers:
“If you have been paying attention in the last few weeks or months you would notice that Marvel has been spending a lot more money on writers. Just today, we saw the news that Nic Pizzolatto, they brought in as the new writer on ‘Blade.’ Just like Josh Friedman, the expensive ‘Sarah Connor Chronicles’ writer, he’s a big name writer in this town. They got him for ‘Fantastic Four.’ Lee Sung Jin, the ‘Beef’ creator, they just hired [for ‘Thunderbolts’].”
Analyzing the decision, Sneider suggested they are “not going out to the newbie writers anymore” and are instead targeting “some heavy hitters:”
“So pay attention guys, they are not going out to the newbie writers anymore. They are going out to some heavy hitters for writers, that’s the Marvel secret that no one has talked about yet. They are now paying for writers.”
The news comes after Sneider previously suggested a similar shift on the directorial front, with Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige now eager to “hire more established talent behind the camera.”
Marvel Studios appears to be taking major steps to course-correct from recent failures after the backlash to much of Phase 4 and the abysmal reactions to Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. At least, fortunately, the old reliable James Gunn appears to have delivered a hit with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
While Guardians 3 came from the highly-experienced Gunn and accrued massive acclaim, Ant-Man 3 came from Jeff Loveness, whose only major prior credit was on Rick & Morty, and was panned. The difference in reactions to the MCU’s two latest movies may signal Marvel Studios’ exact problem on the writing front.
The Multiverse Saga has been all about risks – expanding to television, introducing new characters, starting new franchises, and bringing in fresh talent. But perhaps Marvel Studios has taken a few too many risks on that final front, and the quality of its output has undeniably suffered for it.
Three writer replacements in 30 days clearly point toward a shift in overall script strategy at Marvel Studios, and all of these change-ups undeniably represent an uptick in experience and acclaim. One can only hope these will work out well in the long run and ultimately result in better-received movies to come.
Although fans shouldn’t be surprised if these kinds of drastic overhauls could spark delays in production, and therefore release, for some upcoming movies. This is especially true given Marvel Studios is making this strategy shift right ahead of Hollywood’s upcoming writer strike over a desire for increased pay.
Perhaps what’s most important to see here is Marvel Studios’ awareness of what is and isn’t working about its current development strategy. A major question coming from this is whether Jeff Loveness and Michael Waldron could see themselves replaced as the writers of The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars, respectively.
The backlash to Quantumania could find Marvel Studios searching for someone else to pen Avengers 5, especially if Loveness’ first draft isn’t up to scratch. Although Waldron ought to be safer on Secret Wars given the success of Loki and how Doctor Strange 2 wasn’t anywhere near Ant-Man 3 levels of hated.
But if either were to be replaced, whose door could Kevin Feige find himself knocking on to take over writing duties for his Avengers blockbusters?
Well, if only Loveness OR Waldron were to be replaced, the obvious solution would be to have the other tag in. Or, if both somehow got the boot, Infinity War and Endgame writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely would be a safe and reliable choice to deliver another batch of Avengers hits.
Avengers: The Kang Dynasty is currently placed to hit theaters on May 2, 2025, with Avengers: Secret Wars set to follow on May 1, 2026.
Nicolas Cage is a tremendous actor who was almost destined to be a Hollywood star. He was born in Long Beach, California to the famous Coppola family. His uncle is director Frances Ford Coppola, but Cage changed his name when he got into the movie business because he didn’t want the Coppola surname to precede him. Once Cage changed his name, he had a string of movie hits in the ’80s and ’90s that made him a household name.
Cage has appeared in over 100 movies, dating back to the early ’80s when he was a young, eager teenager trying to break through. He’s admittedly done movies just for the paycheck, as he fell into debt in the 2000s and had to work to get back on track financially. Still, Cage’s early work shines through and audiences around the world look forward to seeing his movies. These films got Nicolas Cage to where he is today and have become classics in many people’s eyes.
Fast Times at Ridgemont High is a classic coming-of-age comedy that came out in 1982. It follows several teenagers as they navigate high school and try to figure out what they want to do once school is over. The movie is widely known for the character Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn), a stoner who likes to surf and goof off during history class.
In the movie, Nicolas Cage plays a friend of Brad’s (Judge Reinhold), and the two work together at a fast-food restaurant called All-American Burger. Fast Times at Ridgemont High is one of Cage’s earliest film credits – only he wasn’t credited with his stage name. He’s credited as Nicolas Coppola as the movie was made before he took on the Cage surname.
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In Raising Arizona, Nicolas Cage stars as H.I. “Hi” McDunnough, a convict who meets an attractive police offer named Edwina, or “Ed”, (Holly Hunter) during his arrest. Later, when Hi and Ed get together, they discover they are unable to have children, so they decided to steal one. The movie is directed by the Coen brothers and follows their exciting crime caper style.
Raising Arizona was one of the first movies that showed Nic Cage was capable of playing a lead role in a big Hollywood movie. The film was a critical and commercial success, raking in over $29 million at the box office on a modest $5.5 million budget. It’s also often cited as one of the best Coen brothers films.
Moonstruck is regarded as the movie that brought Nicolas Cage into the mainstream. Directed by Norman Jewison, the movie follows Cher as Linda Castorini, a superstitious widow in New York who believes her first husband died because they didn’t follow tradition. When Linda’s boyfriend proposes, she is hesitant and her true feelings come to light. Instead, she falls for her fiancé’s younger brother Ronny (Cage) and the two end up together in the end.
Moonstruck was a smash hit, earning six Academy Award nominations. Cher won the award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Linda. It’s an original and funny movie that changed Cage’s career path forever. After that, he had a strong run of memorable ’90s movies in many different genres.
Leaving Las Vegas is probably Nicolas Cage’s best movie. It’s based on the 1990 novel of the same name by John O’Brien. In the movie, Cage plays Ben Sanderson, an alcoholic who moves to Las Vegas to drink himself to death after he loses his job and family in Los Angeles. Ben soon meets a prostitute named Sera (Elizabeth Shue) and the two end up talking instead of having sex. Sera accepts Ben for who he is and is by his side when he inevitably dies.
With a limited budget, Leaving Las Vegas didn’t have money to shut down the Vegas strip, so it was filmed during real-life scenes. Director Mike Figgis encouraged the actors to do first-hand research for their roles. Figgis also says Cage didn’t get paid for his role in the movie, even though it was one of the movies that made him very famous.
When you think of classic ’90s action movies, The Rock immediately comes to mind. Directed by action aficionado Michael Bay, the film is about a group of ex-military mercenaries who take control of Alcatraz Island. The rebels take guests hostage and demand $100 million that they will distribute to military families whose loved ones died in covert missions. It’s up to FBI agent Stanley Godspeed (Cage) and a team of other FBI specialists to rescue the hostages.
The Rock is a fantastic action movie with a stellar cast that includes Ed Harris, Sean Connery, and John C. McGinley, among others. The movie crushed it at the box office, raking in $355 million on a $75 million budget. Cage was already a household name when the film was released in 1996, but The Rock cemented his legacy as a bona fide action star.
With the success of The Rock, it seemed impossible for Nicolas Cage to make another memorable action movie. Then, in 1997, he starred in Con Air. Cage plays Cameron Poe, a parolee who is on a flight to freedom to meet his wife and daughter. On the way, the plane is hijacked by a group of prisoners trying to escape. Led by criminal mastermind Cyrus “The Virus” Grissom, the cons try to evade capture and make a break for a different country.
Con Air helped to make Nic Cage a star by giving him a likable character that the audience can’t help but root for. Poe is an ex-army man and with family values and an undying love for his daughter that makes you want to cry. With a great storyline, excellent acting, and explosive action sequences, it’s not surprising that Con Air is one of the greatest prison escape movies in history.
Face/Off is a John Woo action movie with an interesting premise. It’s a science fiction film about an FBI agent named Sean Archer (Cage) who gets an experimental face transplant done to go undercover. He takes on the persona of psychopath Castor Troy (John Travolta) to get information on the location of a bomb from Troy’s brother.
Despite its far-fetched and somewhat silly premise, Face/Off was yet another huge hit for Cage. The film made $245 million in theaters and was even nominated for an Academy Award for Best Sound Editing. Cage was at the height of his stardom in the late ’90s, and Face/Off is one of his most memorable movies.
In 1998, Nicolas Cage decide to roll the dice with Snake Eyes. Cage stars as Detective Ric Santoro, an Atlantic City PD officer who checks out a late-night boxing match. After one of the competitors is supposedly knocked out, gunfire rings out in the arena, alerting Detective Santoro that something is off. He discovers the fight is rigged and works to find out who’s at the head of the scheme.
Snake Eyes is one of Brian De Palma’s best movies. It’s full of the Nicolas Cage quirks and idioms that many fans know today. The movie debuted at no. 2 at the box office when it was released, and it went on to become a cult classic.
In 2000, Nicolas Cageput the pedal to the metal in Gone in 60 Seconds. Cage plays Memphis Raines, a reformed car thief who is sucked back into the lifestyle when his little brother Kip (Giovanni Ribisi) needs help. In order to spare Kip’s life, Raines and his shady friends must steal 50 cars within 72 hours. One car eludes Memphis, though. It’s a 1967 Ford Shelby GT 500 that he’s never been able to successfully steal.
As its name implies, Gone is 60 Seconds is an awesome car chase movie. It pushed Cage’s trajectory into the new millennium and introduced him to a new audience that didn’t grow up with his popular ’80s and ’90s films. It was also one of the movies that broke out Angelina Jolie, who plays Memphis’ old flame Sara in the film.
For Nic Cage fans, National Treasure is an absolute gem. It’s an action-adventure movie with Cage in the role of Benjamin Franklin Gates, a treasure hunter who everyone thinks is crazy for believing an old family legend. With the help of his love interest Dr. Abigail Chase (Diane Kruger) and trusty sidekick Riley (Justin Bartha), Gates follows a series of leads until he determines that he must steal the Declaration of Independence before it falls into the wrong hands.
If this all sounds silly, it’s because it is. National Treasure isn’t known for its deep plot of smart dialogue but for its tense action sequences and sense of humor. The movie rolls with ridiculous punches and rewards the viewer with a fun movie that can’t help but make you smile.
Nicolas Cage is a tremendous actor
Before donning Peter Quill’s (aka Star-Lord) red-eyed helmet in the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, Chris Pratt almost quit auditioning for Marvel movies because he “had a rough run” with the studio.
“I auditioned for Thor, but not even to be Thor – but to be one of the sidekick guys, and I didn’t get a callback,” Pratt said on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. “Usually they give you a little bit of feedback, and I remember the casting director goes, ‘Wow. You really made a big choice there.’ Which is code for like, ‘Hey, dial back the acting there, guy.’”
“It got to the point where I was never gonna audition for Marvel again,” he continued. “I was like, ‘This is stupid, I’m never gonna be in a Marvel movie.’”
Chris Pratt as Star-Lord. Source: Marvel Studios.
When asked which Marvel movies he auditioned for, Pratt said, “I mean, all of them. Anything that came out that needed a guy that even remotely looked like me, I auditioned for in some way or another. And I would either submit a tape and they would say ‘No, we don’t need to see him,’ or I would get there and see them, they’d go, ‘No, that’s the last time we need to see you.’”
During the casting process for the 2014 original, casting director Sarah Halley Finn urged director James Gunn to see Pratt, who was then known for his role as the beloved goofball Andy Dwyer on NBC’s Park and Recreation.
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Although uninterested at first, Gunn realized Pratt was the ideal Star-Lord seconds into his audition.
Gunn fought for Pratt’s casting in Guardians of the Galaxy, which was particularly challenging when the actor choked during his screen test.
In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Pratt recalled Gunn telling him at his screen test, “I don’t know what you’re doing, but you’re blowing it.”
Then Gunn added, “This is the moment right now. You just need to stop doing whatever you’re doing and just be real. Just be you.”
Since landing the role of Star-Lord, Pratt has headlined three movies in both the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise and Universal’s Jurassic World franchise.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 opens in theaters May 5; read IGN’S 8/10 review here.
Michaela Zee is a freelance news writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @michaelakzee.
Before donning Peter Quill’s (aka Star-Lord) red-eyed
EXCLUSIVE: Taylor Miller has been appointed as Festival Director for the Slamdance Film Festival, Deadline has learned.
Miller’s first festival as director will be its 30th anniversary edition taking place in January 2024. She joins Slamdance’s festival producer Michael Morin in preparation of the Park City showcase and will also lead the festival’s year-round programs, including the Screenplay Competition and exhibition events, reporting to President and Co-Founder Peter Baxter.
Miller has served Slamdance’s community as a festival programmer for over 13 years, coming to her new role following her 2020 co-founding of Slamdance’s Unstoppable, a filmmaking showcase created for and by filmmakers with visible and non-visible disabilities. She the following year produced the inaugural Slamdance Miami, which focused on emerging filmmakers from Latin America and Florida, in collaboration with Slamdance alumni and Miami’s arts leaders. During this time, Miller and Baxter created the “Slamdance Index,” an equitable entry fee system for filmmakers based on the per capita income of the country the filmmaker comes from, making Slamdance the first festival in the world to do so.
Prior to Slamdance, Miller received a PhD from the European Graduate School in media studies, involving memory, the moving image and empathy, working closely with Agnes Varda, Jean Baudrillard, Claire Denis and Atom Egoyan.
“Supporting Slamdance filmmakers has been at the forefront of Taylor’s work. Her dedication to the discovery and championing of new artists has already shaped our organization and I know she will lead our festival into the future with the greatest of commitment,” said Baxter in a statement to Deadline. “I’m thrilled Taylor Miller is Slamdance’s new Festival Director.”
Added Miller, “True talent knows no boundaries, and it is the duty of an artist-led organization like Slamdance to discover and nurture it, creating a platform where unconventional voices can thrive and shape the future of cinema. I’m deeply honored to become Slamdance’s Festival Director.”
An annual film festival founded in 1995 that is geared toward emerging artists, Slamdance takes place in Park City, UT each January over the course of a week. The 2024 edition will take place in person from January 19-25 and online on the Slamdance Channel from January 22-28, with submissions opening on May 5th.
EXCLUSIVE: Taylor Miller has been appointed as
Season 3, Ep. 1
It’s back….Series 3 of The My Favourite Film Podcast.
This Episode Gav talks about the 1968 musical Oliver! with Cliff Barnes of The Devil x 5 Podcast.
Oliver! is the Carol Reed directed adaptation of the Stage Show by Lionel Bart, based on the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist.
It’s a musical journey with some banging songs. This is a spolier filled podcast as always, so if you don’t know Oliver! maybe give it a watch 1st.
The new theme tune is by The Craig Whale Collaboration – Their New Album “Long Way Home” can be found on Spotify Here: https://open.spotify.com/album/1Ndb06iUOkO9PI9VWMugVK?si=fCmvYUK6TdOp6ZfgjcXmXg
Or Amazon Music Here:
Contact:
The Podcast:
Email: myfavouritefilmpodcast@gmail.com
Twitter: @myfavefilm
Instagram: @myfavouritefilmpodcast
Facebook: Search for the 2 pages by looking up “My Favourite Film”
Website: www.myfavouritefilm.com
Cliff can be found on The Devil x 5 Podcast
or SoundCloud Here:
Or on Twitter: @DevilXFive or @smogo
Wednesday, May 3, 2023Oliver! with Cliff BarnesSeason
Vanderpump Rules star Lala Kent will no longer attend the 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards in solidarity with striking writers.
“I am so honored to be nominated this year and thankful to all my fans who have been voting but I have decided to stay home in support of the many hard working writers who deserve to be compensated fairly,” Kent said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
“Although Vanderpump Rules falls under the unscripted sector of TV, that is not an excuse for me to remain silent and carry on as if there isn’t so much at stake for every writer and their families. We have to protect our creators and I hope you’ll stand with me and many others as we do so until we reach a resolution (hopefully very soon),” Kent added.
Kent marks the first talent to announce that they are pulling out of the show. In addition to Vanderpump Rules being nominated for two awards — best docu-reality series and best reality onscreen team — Kent was also previously announced as a presenter.
The reality star’s announcement follows Drew Barrymore dropping out as host of the ceremony amid the strike. Barrymore has, however, agreed to host the 2024 awards.
“I have listened to the writers, and in order to truly respect them, I will pivot from hosting the MTV Movie & TV Awards live in solidarity with the strike. Everything we celebrate and honor about movies and television is born out of their creation,” Barrymore said in a statement. “And until a solution is reached, I am choosing to wait but I’ll be watching from home and hope you will join me.”
The MTV Movie & TV Awards will still air Sunday live from the Barker Hangar in Los Angeles without a host and any Writers Guild of America scribes. MTV has also called off the red carpet for the event. As of now, there is no physical picket of the awards ceremony planned.
Vanderpump Rules star Lala Kent will no
If you’re looking to celebrate Star Wars Day in the wildest way possible, you’re gonna need to stream Star Wars: Visions Season 2. This animated anthology series hands the keys to George Lucas’s kingdom over to animation studios from across the globe and lets them run wild. The result is nine shorts, roughly 15 minutes each, that present tales unlike any you’ve seen in a galaxy far, far away. But what’s truly remarkable about Star Wars: Visions is how, even if an animation studio takes the biggest swing possible — every single story still feels like a Star Wars story. You’ll never look at Star Wars the same way again.
Photo: Disney+
By Brett White If you’re looking to celebrate Star
The Academy Board of Governors met Friday and voted to approve a long list of rule changes for the 96th Oscars to be held on March 10, 2024. These revamped rules cover new demands on countries submitting films for the Best International Feature Oscar, increased promo campaign restrictions, and General Entry eligible release dates. And finally, inclusion standards for Best Picture eligibility, announced back in 2020, will now be enforced. (You can see the full list of updated regulations here.)
As for changing the number of theaters and cities that movies must book to be eligible for Oscars, that conversation has been tabled, sources say, for the next set of rules changes for the 97th Oscars, which will take place in 2025. That makes sense, as there are complicated issues regarding big studio wide releases versus less-financed indie distribution.
In a surprise move, the Academy has also changed the International Feature Film category rules. They now stipulate that selection committees around the world, in every country that submits a movie for Oscar consideration, must comprise at least 50 percent filmmakers (artists and/or craftspeople).
That means that the Academy, in a move designed to improve the quality of the foreign-language films submitted each year, is telling each country, from Brazil and Iran to France and Timbuktu — including government-run selection committees — how to pick their Oscar films. This could decrease the political bias in some of these selections, but if Iran doesn’t want to submit a banned filmmaker, this new rule is unlikely to make a difference.
Winning the International Oscar means a great deal to countries around the world. So many will likely comply. But who makes the final call on what to submit? That is the question.
Finally, after an initial announcement in 2020, the Academy’s Inclusion Standards requirements are kicking in. In order to be eligible for the Best Picture category, these requirements will take effect for the 96th Oscars. There’s a new form to fill out when submitting a film for Best Picture consideration: the Representation and Inclusion Entry Form (RAISE). Each movie has to meet the requirements of two of the four Inclusion Standards. (More information on the Inclusion Standards is here.)
In the wake of the controversy surrounding the “To Leslie” grassroots Oscar campaign for eventual Best Actress nominee Andrea Riseborough — which included multiple private screenings and parties and social media postings — the Board of Governors has tightened up the rules for Oscar campaigning.
The Academy is trying to clarify the campaign regulations for private gatherings. The Board of Governors is permitting private events that include Academy members, but they are not classified as “For Your Consideration” (FYC) events. This means that movie distributors and producers are prohibited to pay for, set up, or endorse them.
As far as Academy members’ use of direct email and public social media to promote their favorites, the Academy considers over the line any discussion of Oscar voting strategy, decisions, or preferences, as well as eligibility requirements such as inclusion standards. (They may be anticipating some blowback.) Also not allowed — it was always not allowed — participating in the increasingly popular anonymous ballot stories.
The Academy is establishing ways to enforce these new rules by setting up a process for reporting campaign violations or concerns (promotionalregulations@oscars.org) as well as a review process for any distributors or individuals associated with any violations. The Academy will apply penalties.
The Academy is drastically cutting back on what had been an unlimited number of hosted screenings a movie could have. In recent years, Oscar campaigners have leaned on stars and A-list filmmakers to host screenings. Now these will be limited during the pre-Oscar nomination period to a maximum of four. There will be no “hosted” screenings after the nominations are announced.
On the other hand, Q & As and panels, which presumably offer useful information, are fair game and campaigners can set as many as they want, before and after the nominations. (Q&As used to be kept back to four during the post-nominations season.)
The Academy Governors also made clear that they themselves are not allowed to participate in any Oscar campaigns, either by hosting screenings, Q&As, or panels, unless they happen to be directly associated with a given film or are asked to participate in an official Academy event.
When Academy president Janet Yang was criticized for posting an endorsement of Oscar contender Michelle Yeoh during Oscar season, she deleted her tweets. The Academy is making it clear that no such public promos are allowed, from the day the shortlists are announced until final voting ends. The Academy is also loosening up the rules around using “shortlisted” in FYC mailings. It’s now permitted.
Like Animated Feature, in the Live Action Short Film category, the Academy is allowing all Academy members who opt in to participate in voting.
The Academy is banning the sending of any physical marketing materials, from postcards to screening schedules, in the interest of sustainability. Campaigners can still use digital means of communication to reach Academy members, but only via an Academy-approved mailing house. And in the interest of fairness, the Academy’s digital portal, the Academy Screening Room, will be more accessible to indies that cost less than $10 million via a discounted rate.
The Academy Governors also approved the establishment of two submission deadlines for General Entry categories. A feature film must have a qualifying theatrical release date between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023. Submission deadlines are September 15, 2023 (for films released January 1 to June 30) and November 15, 2023 (for films released July 1 to December 31). Several other film categories will also have two submission deadlines based on the date of qualification.
Submission deadlines and additional key dates are listed below.
Tuesday, August 15, 2023: First submission deadline for Animated Short Film, Documentary Feature Film, Documentary Short Film and Live Action Short Film categories
Friday, September 15, 2023: First submission deadline for Animated Feature Film and General Entry categories
Monday, October 2, 2023: Final submission deadline for Documentary Feature Film and International Feature Film categories
Monday, October 16, 2023: Final submission deadline for Animated Short Film, Documentary Short Film and Live Action Short Film categories
Wednesday, November 1, 2023: Final submission deadline for Music (Original Score) and Music (Original Song) categories
Wednesday, November 15, 2023: Final submission deadline for Animated Feature Film and General Entry categories
Saturday, January 13, 2024: Visual Effects nominating screening (bake-off)
Sunday, January 14, 2024: Makeup and Hairstyling nominating screening and Sound nominating screening (bake-offs)
The Academy Board of Governors met Friday
Remember the feeling of stepping into a souvenir shop and seeing your name on little trinkets? The best personalized gifts offer that same nostalgic feeling, but better. (The impact is even greater if you’re the person who has never found their name on a keychain—we see you, X Æ A-12.) There’s nothing quite like receiving a great gift and then realizing the person who got it for you went the extra mile by ordering it early (!!) to have your initials monogrammed or a custom message inscribed.
Your first thought when it comes to personalized gift ideas may be the honorary coffee mug, but there are plenty of other thoughtful gifts that can be given a special touch. Instead of picking up something ready-made, why not consider a custom puzzle of a shared family memory? Perhaps your best friend would love some monogrammed stationery, or a birth-month-themed candle to (literally) light up their space.
Whether you’re shopping for gifts for women, presents for husbands, a Mother’s Day gift, or something special for astrology-obsessed tweens, these customized picks are guaranteed to please. From stocking stuffers to zodiac-inspired jewelry, these are the best personalized gifts for everyone (and we mean everyone) in your life.
All products featured on Glamour are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Remember the feeling of stepping into a
A student’s experiment into neuropsychology and memories goes horribly wrong in Tim Morrill’s sci-fi thriller, Look into the Fire. Adam (Artie Shase) is a graduate student partnered with Samantha (Jackie Dallas), Seth (Myles Brown), and Jerry (David Silva), who struggle to get their group thesis off the ground. The team’s groundbreaking yet very experimental has found a way of accessing and introducing memories into a patient’s brain. The problem is they are running out of time to complete their project, and their test subjects are no-shows.
Against the team’s better judgment, Adam volunteers to be the subject of their experiment. The procedure is simple, Adam will enter the machine, and the team will transfer an image of a cabin in the woods into his mind. But, of course, something goes wrong, and Adam has lost the majority of his short-term memory.
After passing out at home, Samantha takes Adam to the ER and contacts his estranged step-sister Janet (Nina E. Jordan). Janet takes Adam to the family cabin in the woods to recuperate. Concerned that Adam’s repressed family memories might surface, she keeps her brother drugged and sedated. As Adam’s memories return, he reaches out to his friends to rescue him.
Look into the Fire is an indie psychological thriller that makes the most of its low budget. Adam, played by Artie Shase, is our lead protagonist. He falls into the typical tale of an unknowing hero with a deep dark secret and an uncontrolled experiment that unleashes the “demons” of his past. The film’s basic structure involves slowly revealing bits and pieces of Adam’s past. As Adam attempts to escape the prison, Janet sets up for him. Then, he has to piece together the clues of that past with his friends.
“Against the team’s better judgment, Adam volunteers to be the subject of their experiment.”
As it stands, Look into the Fire makes the most of its indie thriller status. However, considering the budget was not high by Hollywood standards and, yes, it would have been significantly better with about ten million added to the film’s coffers. So now the film is about overcoming its budgetary shortcomings.
First, writer/director Tim Morrill with strong lead actors in Artie Shase as Adam, Jackie Dallas as Samantha, and Nina E. Jordan as Janet. The three pretty much carry the film with engaging performances from start to finish.
Morrill’s story is solid as a thriller, and he effectively used what resources he had available to get that story across. Most of my issues with the story falls in spoiler territory. Let’s say a story of this nature needs to address the main character’s point of view if he or she is used as an unreliable narrator.
My one big wish for Look into the Fire was that it pushed the suspense and thrills up a few notches. There are dozens of tricks guerilla filmmakers use to make this happen, involving sound, lighting, camera movement, and editing. Hitchcock was a master of this. You always want to be looking for ways to push cinematic boundaries.
Tim Morrill’s Look into the Fire is an exciting and engaging psychological thriller with a cast of emerging actors to elevate the material and the budget.
For more information, visit the Look into the Fire Facebook page.
A student’s experiment into neuropsychology and memories
The CRTC has launched a public consultation on whether to ban Fox News from Canadian airwaves after a complaint over incendiary comments made about LGBTQ2 people on the right-wing American network.
The broadcast regulator posted the notice on its website Wednesday, saying it is accepting comments from interested parties and the public until June 2.
Egale Canada, a Toronto-based LGBTQ2 advocacy group, urged the CRTC to hold the consultation in an April 4 open letter that cited “false and horrifying claims” about transgender people made by then-host Tucker Carlson during a March 28 broadcast.
“This programming is in clear violation of Canadian broadcasting standards and has no place on Canadian broadcasting networks,” Egale’s executive director Helen Kennedy wrote.
Carlson was fired from Fox News last week, but a spokesperson for Egale told Global News it remains “committed to the call” to remove the channel from Canadian airwaves, citing anti-LGBTQ2 rhetoric made by other hosts at the network.
“The issue of Fox News inciting hate, violence, and discrimination in its programming extends beyond one individual,” a spokesperson for the group said in a statement.
The segment of Tucker Carlson Tonight in question, which remains online after Carlson’s firing, came a day after the mass shooting at a Nashville Christian school that killed three nine-year-old children and three adults. The shooter, identified initially by police as a woman and then as a transgender man who was a former student at The Covenant School, was killed by police.
“During the segment, Carlson made the inflammatory and false claim that trans people are ‘targeting’ Christians. To position trans people in existential opposition to Christianity is an incitement of violence against trans people that is plain to any viewer,” Egale said in the open letter to the CRTC.
“Lies and hateful propaganda are not news programming.”
Carlson — who has a long history of anti-trans rhetoric — spoke about what he described as the dangers of transgender “ideology” while downplaying the dangers trans people face and arguing they enjoy social, economic and educational advantages in the U.S.
During the broadcast in question, Carlson cited an open letter released by Egale the same day which was unrelated to the previous day’s shooting. That open letter noted “an unprecedented and exponential rise in anti-2SLGBTQI, hate-fueled, and gender-critical movements” around the world.
“This is a lie,” Carlson told his viewers.
Several advocacy groups including the Human Rights Campaign have noted a steep rise in anti-trans violence over the past few years, with many incidents turning deadly. Transgender health organization GenderGP points to research saying trans people are four times more likely to experience violence — either physical or sexual — compared to cisgender people.
Cisgender is when a person’s gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth.
The CRTC consultation will consider whether to remove Fox News from the broadcast regulator’s list of non-Canadian programming services authorized for distribution in Canada.
Stations and services on that list do not require a CRTC licence to operate in Canada the way Canadian broadcast services do, and therefore are not strictly bound to the rules Canadian services must follow. Those rules forbid the broadcasting of abusive comments or pictures that could expose individuals or groups to “hatred or contempt” on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, and other factors.
However, Egale notes the CRTC has already demonstrated it holds non-Canadian services to that same standard.
Last year, when the CRTC banned the distribution of Russian state broadcaster Russia Today following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the regulator said non-Canadian services can be removed from the list if “the content … is at odds with the standard to which the Commission would hold a Canadian programming service” and would thereby violate the CRTC’s rules if it were licensed.
Fox News did not respond to a request for comment on the CRTC’s consultation or Egale’s allegations.
Since the consultation was launched on Wednesday, two interventions have already been received from Canadians who oppose removing Fox News.
Both comments noted Carlson is no longer employed at the network, with one adding the comments were Carlson’s own and “were not presented as news.”
That intervener said removing the channel would violate freedom of speech protections in Canada, where viewers have the right to determine what they want to watch and agree with.
“If we don’t agree with certain opinions, there are several actions that we as individuals can take,” it said. “We can change the channel or station or turn the tv or radio off or unsubscribe from the tv channel.
“A dangerous precedent will be set by allowing a special interest group to dictate what we can and cannot watch or listen to.”
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
The CRTC has launched a public consultation
The late Carrie Fisher’s daughter Billie Lourd and “Star Wars” co-star Mark Hamill were on hand to celebrate Carrie’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The late Carrie Fisher's daughter Billie Lourd
A new leak for Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 5 is making the rounds revealing some detailed specs for the external screen alongside images of the display in action.
This information comes from notable industry insider Ice Universe on Twitter, who claims the outer display will measure 3.4 inches diagonally and sport a resolution of 720p (720×748 pixels) and 305 ppi (pixels per inch). So, you’re looking at a pretty decent screen although it isn’t anything mind-blowing. It is, at the very least, better than the Galaxy Z Flip 4’s tiny 1.9-inch cover display. What’s more, Samsung may be preparing to take advantage of all that free real estate with a new series of widgets.
Exclusive Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5 external screen 720x748p 3.4”，305ppi pic.twitter.com/Gh8juw4BmiMay 4, 2023
Looking at the image Ice Universe provided, the Z Flip 5’s external screen may be outfitted with a calendar widget complete with a clock and another one for the weather forecast. The battery indicator is pretty interesting because the leak shows the battery status of four devices connected devices. You have one for the Flip 5 itself plus a battery gauge for what appears to be a smartwatch judging by the icon. As for the other indicators, it’s difficult to make out what they are. One could be for a smart speaker, but the rest of the icons are pretty vague.
You will notice in the corner of the outer display is a series of four contextual apps for calling, texting, checking the weather, and adjusting the device’s settings. On the surface, this opens up interesting possibilities as users may be able to send texts without having to unfold the Flip 5. It could all be done on the cover screen. We do, however, worry if the icons are too small. Imagine trying to send a text only to inadvertently launch the weather or the phone app. That can get annoying pretty fast.
It’s worth mentioning these specs are coming a few days after another leak showing off renders of the Z Flip 5. This latest round does add some credibility to the older information which also claimed the outer display would be 3.4 inches with a notch for the camera lens.
As with every leak, take this all with a grain of salt. Things can always change. The outer screen could actually be a flat square without the notch. But assuming it is all true, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 will face some stiff competition. Another spec leak reveals Motorola’s Razr 40 Ultra will have its own flat square cover display outputting a resolution of 1056 x 1066 pixels.
Either way, we’ll just have to wait until later this summer for more info as that’s when we expect the Galaxy Z Flip 5 to officially release.
If you can’t wait three months or so for the launch, check out TechRadar’s list of the best foldable phones for 2023.
A new leak for Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy
Jason Blum is at a crossroads — and has a lot on his mind.
The Blumhouse founder made his name as Hollywood’s preeminent horror producer, with an uncanny ability to churn out reliable hits at modest budgets, from breakouts “Paranormal Activity” and “Get Out” to this year’s killer-robot crowdpleaser “M3GAN,” which grossed $176.1 million on a $12 million budget following its January release. After producing the recent “Halloween” trilogy, Blum closed a reported $400-million deal with Universal’s Peacock service for a new trilogy based on “The Exorcist” directed by David Gordon Green. Spending money always makes Blum nervous, but sequels, reboots, and studio partners can help cushion the risk.
He wants to grow his empire, but there’s a ceiling to how much Blumhouse can produce in a year. That’s why he’s exploring an ambitious new phase as he plans to merge with horror director James Wan’s Atomic Monster under a still-developing deal with Universal.
“I’m interested in growing the company,” Blum told IndieWire’s Eric Kohn and Anne Thompson in a wide-ranging conversation for this week’s episode of Screen Talk. “By just throwing around more money and hiring more people, we could make more movies — but they wouldn’t be theatrical hits. I’ve thought a lot about how I can get from four to five to six to seven studio theatrical hits. The only way to do that is to take on a partner, an equal, who basically does what I do, and put the companies together.”
Blum and Wan’s longstanding relationship began with 2010’s surprise commercial success “The Conjuring,” which Blum produced and Wan directed. On “M3GAN,” Wan co-wrote the screenplay while Blum produced. “There are reasons why his particular company is a great fit,” Blum said. “By joining the two companies, the goal will be to increase the number of movies we can do per year that are great.”
The producer shared a lot of hot takes on the business, from his frustrations over the TV model and problems with the exorbitant cost of streaming to the looming writers strike and the recent Oscar ceremony, which yielded a gold statue for “Halloween” star Jamie Lee Curtis.
Listen to the full episode here, or watch it above. Check out some of his key takeaways in our listening guide below.
Why he’s planning to join forces with James Wan’s Atomic Monster (11:25)
“I’m interested in growing the company. This year, we’ll have five wide releases, that’s about it. By just throwing around more money and hiring more people, we could make more movies — but they wouldn’t be theatrical hits. I’ve thought a lot about how I can get from four to five to six to seven studio theatrical hits. The only way to do that is to take on a partner, an equal, who basically does what I do and put the companies together. There are reasons why his particular company is a great fit with ours. By joining the two companies, the goal will be to increase the number of movies we can do per year that are great.
“James in particular is a terrific fit in my mind because he and I have different skill sets. We over the years have proven incredibly good at recognizing and executing movies: finding filmmakers out there and then making those movies. We have never had an idea at Blumhouse and developed it; James is the opposite. James has more ideas for scary movies than up until now they’ve made. So we have a great idea machine and an apparatus to make them. Where are we in the process? We’re very close. I have every reason to believe that it will conclude, but it has not concluded yet.”
Why he supports the potential WGA strike (17:05):
“I’m squarely on the side of the writers. The writers want transparency in terms of how the things they write perform and they want residuals that reflect a more accurate picture of the performance of the things they do. I’m hopeful that a lot of forces, not just the writers strike, are pressing down on the streaming model embraced by everyone — Disney, Netflix, Apple, Amazon, which is to pay everyone up front. The pressure that all these companies all these companies suddenly feel to be profitable, they haven’t felt for the last eight years. Now everyone talks about profit. No one ever talked about profit in streaming. I am hopeful the pressure will make them do something [that] is much better for the entertainment ecosystem, which is to let the people who are really responsible for making the TV shows and movies participate.”
Why the TV model applied to film would make him quit the business (20:20):
“When asked, ‘What’s the budget of your TV show?’ everybody says, “It’s as much as we can get.” It’s irresponsible, it’s crazy, it makes no sense, it’s insane to pay a percentage of the budget to the people making the thing. So if that existed also in movies, I would quit, because it’s not interesting to me. Our theatrical movie business is entirely based on taking nothing upfront and only participating in what the movies do. Our fee on ‘M3GAN’ was zero. Our fee on ‘Black Phone’ was zero.”
Blum followed up with IndieWire after the podcast recording and added the following:
“The other reason that the model just makes no sense is when we’re looking to acquire things that could be turned into a television series, we’re looking for things that would inherently be expensive. In our movie business, we look for things that can be told inexpensively. In our television business, we’re actively looking for stories that are expensive, which is another reason why it makes no sense.”
He changed his mind about Tom Cruise (27:00):
“When he said at the time, ‘I’m never doing a theatrical movie unless it has a theatrical window,’ I didn’t understand what he was doing and I didn’t say ‘Good for him.’ The reason I deeply commend the guy is when he was saying those things, many people — and I’ll put myself at the top of the list — were not really sold on that idea. Every movie was not theatrical then. He made Paramount wait to release the movie. I was definitely like, ‘man, if I ran Paramount, I would’ve put that movie out.’ And Tom Cruise was right.”
On Jamie Lee Curtis thanking genre filmmakers in her Oscar speech (25:40):
“I took that as a personal thanks to us and I was thrilled. She’s an incredible force. I think that Oscar is not only for the work she did in that movie, which was terrific, but in her body of work, and also her spirit. She’s a wonderful, generous, great person.”
Making movies for streamers isn’t satisfying… (21:05):
“We’ve made about three or four streaming movies. It’s less interesting to me, and it’s way less lucrative for us, because streamers value and pay out actors, writers, and directors. This is across the board, not just Netflix. All the streamers totally don’t value producers in the way that they value writers, directors, and actors. [They] can go on in a streaming environment now and do better than before even today. Producers, not at all, which is a whole other podcast.”
…except when you close a $400 million deal with Peacock (21:54):
“The big exception to this is when we took advantage of the market with ‘The Exorcist.’ We did a reverse buyout deal. We got paid an enormous amount of money. There are a few exceptions — ‘Knives Out,’ ‘The Exorcist’ — where the producers get paid, too. But they are few and far between. I’m committed to making the movie profitable for both of us. So far, it has only been profitable for us but there are three movies and I’m very, very focused on making it profitable for them as well. But also I said, ‘Look: I’m doing this because of the way the business is going, but I don’t like it.’”
Why the next year of horror could have a lot of duds (32:06):
“The demand for horror over my career has been very consistent. The audience can take about eight or 10 horror titles a year. When you have a crazy hit like ‘Smile,’ everyone jumps in, so next year I’m guessing we’ll see 25 wide-release horror movies. Fifteen of those will not work. In ’25, it’ll go down to 10-14 releases. I’ve seen that happen multiple times. The audience is fairly consistent. The industry is what’s inconsistent.”
“Babylon” cost too much (34:00):
“I wouldn’t have made ‘Babylon’ because of the budget. [Damien Chazelle] would’ve gone next door to his friends at Paramount and gotten the bigger budget, anyway. But I wouldn’t have produced the movie. Money, budgets, it’s a sad thing in Hollywood. It isn’t just the streamers. Lawyers, agents — it’s stuck in their brains forever. I’ll ask a manager if they’ll read a script. ‘What’s the budget?’ ‘$10 million.’ ‘Well, we’re looking for a $30 or $40 million for this director.’ I’m like, ‘I can’t believe you’re saying that to me!’ That’s so ingrained in the culture of Hollywood that a more expensive production is better. It’s hard to undo that.”
“The Exorcist” is the riskiest movie of his career — for the studio, not him (39:00):
‘The riskiest movie I have ever made for sure is not out yet. It’s ‘The Exorcist.’ Just because it’s so expensive. Usually the bar to success on everything we do because it’s inexpensive is incredibly low. For ‘The Exorcist,’ it’s high.”
Blum followed up on this assessment after the podcast recording. “It’s not high risk for Blumhouse,” he said. “We’ve obviously already been paid, but it’s high risk for our partners. So when you ask me what the riskiest thing we’ve ever worked on is, I take that as for us or our financial partners. In the case of ‘The Exorcist,’ that would be the biggest one, because it’s a high risk for Universal.”
Jason Blum is at a crossroads —
Ken Marino credits his pal Adam Scott for making the unlikely and unexpected “Party Down” revival a reality. “Adam helped guide this and make this happen in a real way,” he tells Variety’s Awards Circuit podcast. “I think everybody in that cast recognized how special it was, and to just kind of go back and to get to do some more, to be with these people again, creatively, it’s a real gift.”
The first two seasons of “Party Down” aired on Starz in 2009 and 2010; the revival takes place a decade after the show’s last episode and features the returns of Marino as Ron, the slightly clueless catering manager who now owns the business — well, running it out of his van — and Scott as Henry, the sardonic failed actor who’s now a teacher and working on the side with Party Down to help pay for his alimony.
Also back is showrunner John Enbom, who’s executive producing along with fellow “Party Down” alyms Rob Thomas (“Veronica Mars”), Paul Rudd (“Ant-Man”), Dan Etheridge (“iZombie”) and Scott.
Variety’s Awards Circuit Podcast recently sat down with Scott and Marino to talk about the revival, including whether we’ll get more episodes beyond this bonus six. But we also went in several directions with the conversation – including Marino’s side musical project, the story behind how these two pals met, scoop on the new season of Scott’s current series, “Severance” (spoiler alert: there’s no scoop) and so much more.
Also on this episode: the Awards Circuit Roundtable looks at what has happened so far with the writers strike, and how it has already impacted Emmy season. Listen below!
“It was hard to believe it was actually happening,” Scott says of the return of “Party Down.” “And we had a bunch of COVID close calls where it almost didn’t., we had like a case and then another case. And if we had one more positive case come in, the whole thing was going to be canceled, because we were going to run out of time with the cast. We had a six-week window with this particular group of people. When we were finally on set, me and Ken started doing a Ron/Henry scene, where he’s showing me his van. That was the first thing we shot and I was like, ‘I can’t believe we’re doing this.’ It was great. And the same vibe. That’s something that I love about the revival is it looks and feels the same.”
Scott said “Party Down” was the first show he starred in that he felt was something special — and it led to his string of success after that, including “Parks and Recreation,” “Big Little Lies” and “Severance.” “I think that when you have an experience like that, you’re sort of chasing that for the rest of time,” he says. “I hadn’t had an experience like that before. It’s rare. But it also sets a new standard for yourself. Not only ‘this is what I should be doing,’ but that ‘this is what I deserve. I can contribute to something that’s really good.’ It’s so easy to sell yourself short after being kind of swatted down for 15 or so years in showbiz. To sort of start believing that you don’t deserve quality things, that you should take whatever you can get. For me, [‘Party Down’] certainly showed me that I should be seeking out things that make me feel good.”
Marino and Scott also reminisced about how they first met:
MARINO: This might be the one of the first times we met. We met through Paul [Rudd]. I think we went to some costume parties back in the day. Rob Thomas’s Halloween parties.
SCOTT: That was like, 2001, 2002.
MARINO: And I had I just bought my first home. I had no furniture in the place. And you and Paul and Joe Lo Truglio came over and watched the Super Bowl. And I remember that.
SCOTT: That was 2003. Super Bowl January 2003. My wife Naomi was working at ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live.’ So [you and I] drove down to the Kimmel show for his first show. That’s the first time we really hung out. That Super Bowl Sunday.
MARINO: My personal headline is I met my wife at Kimmel, at that premiere show. We started dating, I met her and we hung out that night and we watched Coldplay together. We sat on the front little steps there because they played on Hollywood Boulevard.
And the duo recall the origins story of “Party Down,” which happened after “Veronica Mars” was canceled, and Thomas decided to pursue the “Party Down” script that he had been developing with Enbom and the others.
”Veronica Mars’ got canceled, so Rob was like, ‘I want to just make the pilot,’” Scott recalls. “He got Ken, me, Jane Lynch, Ryan Hansen and there were some people in other roles, like Andrea Savage was playing Lizzy [Caplan’s] role. And we just made a homemade pilot in Rob’s backyard. And then it was a year and a half, two years later, that Starz picked it up. But that first homemade pilot, which I have not seen since, we just made this homemade thing. And then Starz was interested and picked it up.”
Variety’s “Awards Circuit” podcast, produced by Michael Schneider, is your one-stop listen for lively conversations about the best in film and television. Each week “Awards Circuit” features interviews with top film and TV talent and creatives; discussions and debates about awards races and industry headlines; and much more. Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or anywhere you download podcasts. New episodes post weekly.
Ken Marino credits his pal Adam Scott
