Exclusive: Ava DuVernay had a lot to say in the Emmy-winning When They See Us about the harmed heaped on the so-called Central Park 5 and now she is speaking out about the settlement she and Netflix reached with the former prosecutor in that travesty of justice.
“After years of legal wrangling and millions of dollars spent, she walked away with no payment to her or her lawyers of any kind, rather than face cross examination before a New York jury as to her conduct and character,” the Array founder told Deadline today of the end of the four-year defamation suit that was set for trial to start on June 10. “I believe that Linda Fairstein was responsible for the investigation and prosecution of the Central Park Jogger case that resulted in the wrongful conviction of five innocent Black and Brown boys,” she bluntly said.
She added: “In the days leading up to her defamation trial,...
“After years of legal wrangling and millions of dollars spent, she walked away with no payment to her or her lawyers of any kind, rather than face cross examination before a New York jury as to her conduct and character,” the Array founder told Deadline today of the end of the four-year defamation suit that was set for trial to start on June 10. “I believe that Linda Fairstein was responsible for the investigation and prosecution of the Central Park Jogger case that resulted in the wrongful conviction of five innocent Black and Brown boys,” she bluntly said.
She added: “In the days leading up to her defamation trial,...
- 6/4/2024
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Linda Fairstein, the controversial former prosecutor involved in the Central Park Five case, has settled her defamation lawsuit against Netflix and Ava DuVernay over the 2019 docuseries “When They See Us.”
Fairstein sued in 2020, alleging that she was falsely portrayed as a racist villain who orchestrated the convictions of five innocent young men. The case was set to go to trial next week in federal court in Manhattan.
In the settlement, Netflix agreed to donate $1 million to the Innocence Project. Fairstein will not receive money.
Netflix also agreed to add this disclaimer to the front of the show: “While the motion picture is inspired by actual events and persons, certain characters, incidents, locations, dialogue, and names are fictionalized for the purposes of dramatization.”
Fairstein said in a statement that the litigation has revealed the truth about the case. She cited a judge’s ruling last fall denying Netflix’s motion for summary judgment,...
Fairstein sued in 2020, alleging that she was falsely portrayed as a racist villain who orchestrated the convictions of five innocent young men. The case was set to go to trial next week in federal court in Manhattan.
In the settlement, Netflix agreed to donate $1 million to the Innocence Project. Fairstein will not receive money.
Netflix also agreed to add this disclaimer to the front of the show: “While the motion picture is inspired by actual events and persons, certain characters, incidents, locations, dialogue, and names are fictionalized for the purposes of dramatization.”
Fairstein said in a statement that the litigation has revealed the truth about the case. She cited a judge’s ruling last fall denying Netflix’s motion for summary judgment,...
- 6/4/2024
- by Gene Maddaus
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix and Ava DuVernay have settled a lawsuit brought by a former New York City prosecutor who alleged she was defamed over her portrayal in When They See Us, a dramatized mini series about the Central Park Five case.
Under the deal, Netflix will move a disclaimer that certain events in the series was dramatized from the credits to the beginning of each episode.
The agreement, announced on Tuesday, arrives as the trial was scheduled to start next week.
In a statement, DuVernay said she wanted to take the case to trial. She stressed that the resolution Fairstein proposed involved a monetary payment and a disclaimer stating that everything about the ex-prosecutor in the series was fabricated.
“I believe that Linda Fairstein was responsible for the investigation and prosecution of the Central Park Jogger case that resulted in the wrongful conviction of five innocent Black and Brown boys,” the statement said.
Under the deal, Netflix will move a disclaimer that certain events in the series was dramatized from the credits to the beginning of each episode.
The agreement, announced on Tuesday, arrives as the trial was scheduled to start next week.
In a statement, DuVernay said she wanted to take the case to trial. She stressed that the resolution Fairstein proposed involved a monetary payment and a disclaimer stating that everything about the ex-prosecutor in the series was fabricated.
“I believe that Linda Fairstein was responsible for the investigation and prosecution of the Central Park Jogger case that resulted in the wrongful conviction of five innocent Black and Brown boys,” the statement said.
- 6/4/2024
- by Winston Cho
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
(Updated with Linda Fairstein statement) Just days before Netflix and the former prosecutor of the unjustly imprisoned Central Park 5 were set to go to trial in New York over Ava DuVernay’s Emmy-winning When They See Us, the whole four-year long legal battle is over.
“The parties announce that they have resolved this lawsuit,” said the streamer, DuVernay, writer Attica Locke and ex-Assistant District Attorney Linda Fairstein in a joint statement today. Documents are being filed right now in court to end the matter. “Netflix will donate $1 million to the Innocence Project. Ms. Fairstein will not receive any money as part of this settlement.”
The trial was scheduled to start on June 10
Along with no compensation, Fairstein leaves the matter without the usual confidentially agreement and without any admission of fault on the defendants’ part, I hear. In a move that borders on ironic were it not so consequential, Netflix...
“The parties announce that they have resolved this lawsuit,” said the streamer, DuVernay, writer Attica Locke and ex-Assistant District Attorney Linda Fairstein in a joint statement today. Documents are being filed right now in court to end the matter. “Netflix will donate $1 million to the Innocence Project. Ms. Fairstein will not receive any money as part of this settlement.”
The trial was scheduled to start on June 10
Along with no compensation, Fairstein leaves the matter without the usual confidentially agreement and without any admission of fault on the defendants’ part, I hear. In a move that borders on ironic were it not so consequential, Netflix...
- 6/4/2024
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
2024’s Venice Film Festival isn’t far away. Last year’s event was one that was slightly cut down due to the ongoing strikes that had befallen Hollywood and prevented a number of actors from attending for the promotion of their films. The films that screened last year included David Fincher’s The Killer, Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things, Ava DuVernay’s Origin, Michael Mann’s Ferrari and Bradley Cooper’s Maestro. The line-up for films out of competition featured such big names as Woody Allen, Wes Anderson, William Friedkin, Richard Linklater and Roman Polanski.
The 81st Annual Venice Film Festival is set for August 28 to September 7. Variety is reporting that among the films that are being rumored for screenings is the Todd Phillips follow-up to the Joaquin Phoenix reimagining of DC’s Clown Prince of Crime. Joker: Folie à Deux, which co-stars Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, is said to...
The 81st Annual Venice Film Festival is set for August 28 to September 7. Variety is reporting that among the films that are being rumored for screenings is the Todd Phillips follow-up to the Joaquin Phoenix reimagining of DC’s Clown Prince of Crime. Joker: Folie à Deux, which co-stars Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, is said to...
- 5/30/2024
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
Being away from home allows room for perspective, and for a group of U.S.-based documentary experts who made the trip to Cannes, the glass remains half full, despite the headwinds. The closure of Participant, Showtime Docs, CNN Films scaling back and belt-tightening across the board have led many to posit that a Golden Age of documentary films has ended. A discussion in the American Pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival begged the question: If the Golden Age is over, what comes next?
For the assembled speakers, there was an acceptance of the challenges, but also a desire to take a long view and to look to the future.
“With the market retracting and some distribution outlets not being replaced by others, we’re forced to be creative again about how we get these films out to market, how we find audiences,” said Cinetic Media’s Jason Ishikawa during the Deadline-hosted panel.
For the assembled speakers, there was an acceptance of the challenges, but also a desire to take a long view and to look to the future.
“With the market retracting and some distribution outlets not being replaced by others, we’re forced to be creative again about how we get these films out to market, how we find audiences,” said Cinetic Media’s Jason Ishikawa during the Deadline-hosted panel.
- 5/24/2024
- by Stewart Clarke
- Deadline Film + TV
It’s been 10 years since David Oyelowo made his U.S. breakthrough portraying Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in “Selma.” Playing the awe-inspiring civil rights leader was an opportunity for the British-Nigerian actor to live up to his surname, which translates to “a king deserves respect.”
Oyelowo has been reflecting on that time in his life a lot more lately, thanks in part to “Becoming King,” a documentary directed by his wife, Jessica Oyelowo, that captures the seven-year journey to bring “Selma” to the big screen.
“It was a big year,” he says of 2014. “There was no way you could know the sheer amount of things that would happen, because at the beginning of it, nothing was happening. ‘Selma’ felt dead. I was in the middle of shooting ‘A Most Violent Year,’ having a good time with that, but just feeling in a state of limbo and then—”
He stops mid-thought.
Oyelowo has been reflecting on that time in his life a lot more lately, thanks in part to “Becoming King,” a documentary directed by his wife, Jessica Oyelowo, that captures the seven-year journey to bring “Selma” to the big screen.
“It was a big year,” he says of 2014. “There was no way you could know the sheer amount of things that would happen, because at the beginning of it, nothing was happening. ‘Selma’ felt dead. I was in the middle of shooting ‘A Most Violent Year,’ having a good time with that, but just feeling in a state of limbo and then—”
He stops mid-thought.
- 5/23/2024
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Near the end of the miniseries Lawmen: Bass Reeves, David Oyelowo’s titular character is told something all too familiar to many unsung real-life heroes: “No one’s gonna ever know, but you made history today.”
“You can just imagine how many people from marginalized communities that is the truth for,” he says. “People who very much had a real hand in building this country, and whether it’s their history not being taught … or that their contribution to history hasn’t been valued in the same way, which is why getting this show made was an obsession.”
That obsession took the form of Yoruba Saxon, a talent-led production company Oyelowo created with his wife Jessica in 2014, though his desire to produce actually came from his “accidental experience” of helping to put together Ava DuVernay’s Selma years before. “I didn’t realize those moves that go on to lead...
“You can just imagine how many people from marginalized communities that is the truth for,” he says. “People who very much had a real hand in building this country, and whether it’s their history not being taught … or that their contribution to history hasn’t been valued in the same way, which is why getting this show made was an obsession.”
That obsession took the form of Yoruba Saxon, a talent-led production company Oyelowo created with his wife Jessica in 2014, though his desire to produce actually came from his “accidental experience” of helping to put together Ava DuVernay’s Selma years before. “I didn’t realize those moves that go on to lead...
- 5/15/2024
- by Ryan Fleming
- Deadline Film + TV
Pop Culture Collaborative, the philanthropic fund working to transform the narratives harming Black and Indigenous people, people of color, immigrants and refugees, Muslims, and religiously diverse people in America, announcef its 2024-2025 Becoming America Network grantees.
Through this grant program, 45 entertainment projects using storytelling to drive narrative change will receive funding totaling over $4 million. Each network member receives a grant ranging from $25,000 to $75,000, access to a range of in-person and virtual network gatherings, and the opportunity to apply for rapid response funding.
In 2020, the Pop Culture Collaborative launched Becoming America, a multimillion-dollar fund supporting artists, producers, movement organizations, and cultural organizers to ignite public yearning for a just and pluralist nation where everyone belongs. To date, more than 120 grantees across the U.S. have engaged over 100 million people with their funded projects.
“At the Pop Culture Collaborative, we’re firm believers that achieving a just and pluralist society in the U.
Through this grant program, 45 entertainment projects using storytelling to drive narrative change will receive funding totaling over $4 million. Each network member receives a grant ranging from $25,000 to $75,000, access to a range of in-person and virtual network gatherings, and the opportunity to apply for rapid response funding.
In 2020, the Pop Culture Collaborative launched Becoming America, a multimillion-dollar fund supporting artists, producers, movement organizations, and cultural organizers to ignite public yearning for a just and pluralist nation where everyone belongs. To date, more than 120 grantees across the U.S. have engaged over 100 million people with their funded projects.
“At the Pop Culture Collaborative, we’re firm believers that achieving a just and pluralist society in the U.
- 5/14/2024
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
The Gotham Film & Media Institute has announced its nominees in seven categories for the inaugural Gotham TV Awards.
Baby Reindeer, Ripley, The Curse, Shōgun, Bodkin, Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Black Twitter: A People’s History are among the nominees, with Emma Stone and Nathan Fielder (The Curse), Andrew Scott (Ripley), Kristen Wiig (Palm Royale), Richard Gadd (Baby Reindeer) and Lily Gladstone (Under the Bridge) receiving nods in the acting categories.
“In a historic moment for The Gotham, we’re thrilled to recognize an extraordinary collection of TV series and the brilliant creators responsible for bringing them to the screen,” said Jeffrey Sharp, the Gotham’s executive director. “As an organization dedicated to celebrating and nurturing independent media, we know the inaugural 2024 Gotham TV Awards will honor many truly deserving creatives while widening our reach and expanding our impact. We are enormously proud to celebrate the remarkable talent represented in today’s nominations.
Baby Reindeer, Ripley, The Curse, Shōgun, Bodkin, Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Black Twitter: A People’s History are among the nominees, with Emma Stone and Nathan Fielder (The Curse), Andrew Scott (Ripley), Kristen Wiig (Palm Royale), Richard Gadd (Baby Reindeer) and Lily Gladstone (Under the Bridge) receiving nods in the acting categories.
“In a historic moment for The Gotham, we’re thrilled to recognize an extraordinary collection of TV series and the brilliant creators responsible for bringing them to the screen,” said Jeffrey Sharp, the Gotham’s executive director. “As an organization dedicated to celebrating and nurturing independent media, we know the inaugural 2024 Gotham TV Awards will honor many truly deserving creatives while widening our reach and expanding our impact. We are enormously proud to celebrate the remarkable talent represented in today’s nominations.
- 5/14/2024
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
When April Reign became part of the loose community of Black users recognized as Black Twitter in 2010, her feed flooded with unfiltered opinions, jaw-dropping confessions, and countless jokes. Early on, she stumbled into #TwitterAfterDark, which littered her timeline with sexual innuendos. A few years later, she followed the “Meet Me In Temecula” saga, where two men hilariously feuded over Kobe Bryant, eventually challenging one another to a fight. As Reign spent late nights scrolling through mood-setting memes, innovative hashtags, and trenchant 140-character commentaries, hanging out on Black Twitter started to...
- 5/13/2024
- by Kalia Richardson
- Rollingstone.com
There are few actors as versatile and intensely arresting as Lakeith Stanfield. Since appearing in Destin Daniel Cretton's Short Term 12 upon graduating from high school, Stanfield has gone on to work with premier talents, including Ava DuVernay, Jordan Peele and Donald Glover. Most recently, he joined his contemporaries Jonathan Majors, Regina King and Idris Elba in Netflix’s thunderous Western The Harder They Fall.
Typically, Hollywood’s leading men have been charismatic but often hyper-masculine. That’s why moviegoers have historically gravitated toward everyone from Tom Cruise to Denzel Washington. Though Cruise is seen as a heartthrob, many of his top-grossing films like the Mission: Impossible franchise center on his ability to perform death-defying, heroic stunts. As a result, these roles tend to lack a true emotional pull. Washington’s career has been more diverse, but some of his biggest films, including Training Day and American Gangster,still center on...
Typically, Hollywood’s leading men have been charismatic but often hyper-masculine. That’s why moviegoers have historically gravitated toward everyone from Tom Cruise to Denzel Washington. Though Cruise is seen as a heartthrob, many of his top-grossing films like the Mission: Impossible franchise center on his ability to perform death-defying, heroic stunts. As a result, these roles tend to lack a true emotional pull. Washington’s career has been more diverse, but some of his biggest films, including Training Day and American Gangster,still center on...
- 5/13/2024
- by Aramide Tinubu
- Tudum - Netflix
Exclusive: Mansa, the ad-supported streaming platform highlighting Black content for a global audience, has partnered with Ava DuVernay’s Array Releasing on a licensing agreement to distribute a curated selection of Array’s independent feature films directly to audiences via the Mansa Streaming Service and on the Mansa Mix Fast channel.
The platform delivers a curated selection of films, TV shows, and Fast channels that showcase Black narratives from around the world. Since launching a year ago, Mansa has amassed a library of thousands of hours of content and is accessible on a growing list of distribution partners.
“Ava DuVernay is one of my closest friends and collaborators so I can’t overstate how meaningful this partnership between Array Releasing and Mansa is to me,” said David Oyelowo, award-winning filmmaker, actor, and co-founder of Mansa. “It’s not just about distributing films; it’s about amplifying the voices of those...
The platform delivers a curated selection of films, TV shows, and Fast channels that showcase Black narratives from around the world. Since launching a year ago, Mansa has amassed a library of thousands of hours of content and is accessible on a growing list of distribution partners.
“Ava DuVernay is one of my closest friends and collaborators so I can’t overstate how meaningful this partnership between Array Releasing and Mansa is to me,” said David Oyelowo, award-winning filmmaker, actor, and co-founder of Mansa. “It’s not just about distributing films; it’s about amplifying the voices of those...
- 5/13/2024
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
The 35th annual GLAAD Media Awards took place in New York City. Singer and talk show host Jennifer Hudson and country singer Orville Peck were honored.
Hudson received the Excellence in Media Award for championing allyship and promoting acceptance of LGBTQ people and issues. Peck received the Vito Russo Award for elevating LGBTQ awareness in country music.
Related: Bravo’s ‘The Real Housewives’: Every Single Cast Photo In Franchise History
The ceremony, hosted by Ross Matthews at the Hilton Midtown, also saw the 17 remaining GLAAD Media Awards handed out after a portion was announced during the Los Angeles ceremony in March, hosted by Wayne Brady.
GLAAD’s Excellence in Media Award is given to allies who have made a significant difference in promoting the acceptance of LGBTQ people. Hudson joins recent previous winners, including Maren Morris, Judith Light, Ava DuVernay, Patti Labelle, and Debra Messing.
Related: Step & Repeat Gallery:...
Hudson received the Excellence in Media Award for championing allyship and promoting acceptance of LGBTQ people and issues. Peck received the Vito Russo Award for elevating LGBTQ awareness in country music.
Related: Bravo’s ‘The Real Housewives’: Every Single Cast Photo In Franchise History
The ceremony, hosted by Ross Matthews at the Hilton Midtown, also saw the 17 remaining GLAAD Media Awards handed out after a portion was announced during the Los Angeles ceremony in March, hosted by Wayne Brady.
GLAAD’s Excellence in Media Award is given to allies who have made a significant difference in promoting the acceptance of LGBTQ people. Hudson joins recent previous winners, including Maren Morris, Judith Light, Ava DuVernay, Patti Labelle, and Debra Messing.
Related: Step & Repeat Gallery:...
- 5/12/2024
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
Quick Answer: You can watch the second 2024 GLAAD Media Awards ceremony online for free with a 30-day trial to Hulu.
get hulu free trial
Jennifer Hudson and Orville Peck are among some of the top honorees for the East Coast gala ceremony date of the 2024 GLAAD Media Awards, which honors the best of LGBTQ representation in media, the arts, and culture.
This year marks the 35th annual awards...
Quick Answer: You can watch the second 2024 GLAAD Media Awards ceremony online for free with a 30-day trial to Hulu.
get hulu free trial
Jennifer Hudson and Orville Peck are among some of the top honorees for the East Coast gala ceremony date of the 2024 GLAAD Media Awards, which honors the best of LGBTQ representation in media, the arts, and culture.
This year marks the 35th annual awards...
- 5/10/2024
- by Sage Anderson
- Rollingstone.com
Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including events for Doctor Who, Baby Reindeer and the Met Gala.
Baby Reindeer FYC event
Writer, creator and star Richard Gadd joined co-stars Jessica Gunning and Nava Mau, director Weronika Tofilska and editor Peter Oliver for a For Your Consideration panel in L.A. on Tuesday.
Jessica Gunning, Richard Gadd and Nava Mau
Doctor Who premiere
Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson walked the red carpet at the L.A. premiere of their Disney+ series, alongside showrunner Russell T. Davies, on Wednesday.
Russell T. Davies, Craig Erwich (president, Disney Television Group), Ncuti Gatwa, Millie Gibson, Ayo Davis (president, Disney Branded Television) and Charlie Andrews (executive vp, live action and unscripted series at Disney Branded Television)
Loot FYC event
Apple TV+ kicked off its “Think Apple TV+ Emmy House” on May 3 with an FYC event for Loot,...
Baby Reindeer FYC event
Writer, creator and star Richard Gadd joined co-stars Jessica Gunning and Nava Mau, director Weronika Tofilska and editor Peter Oliver for a For Your Consideration panel in L.A. on Tuesday.
Jessica Gunning, Richard Gadd and Nava Mau
Doctor Who premiere
Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson walked the red carpet at the L.A. premiere of their Disney+ series, alongside showrunner Russell T. Davies, on Wednesday.
Russell T. Davies, Craig Erwich (president, Disney Television Group), Ncuti Gatwa, Millie Gibson, Ayo Davis (president, Disney Branded Television) and Charlie Andrews (executive vp, live action and unscripted series at Disney Branded Television)
Loot FYC event
Apple TV+ kicked off its “Think Apple TV+ Emmy House” on May 3 with an FYC event for Loot,...
- 5/10/2024
- by Kirsten Chuba
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Magnolia Pictures and Participant have released the trailer for “The Grab,” a new documentary from “Blackfish” director Gabriela Cowperthwaite.
“The Grab,” described as a global thriller, follows journalists from The Center for Investigative Reporting as they try to uncover the money and influence being used by countries, corporations and members of the uber elite to control the planet’s most vital resources. The film takes you “around the globe from Arizona to Zambia, to reveal one of the world’s biggest and least known threats,” per the official logline.
“’The Grab’ is a thrilling look at urgent threats to our national security and our very way of life,” said Courtney Sexton, Participant’s executive vice president, Documentary Film and Television. “We are proud to help bring this incredible film to life and are excited that it is part of our legacy.”
Last month, Variety exclusively reported that Participant was shutting down after 20 years.
“The Grab,” described as a global thriller, follows journalists from The Center for Investigative Reporting as they try to uncover the money and influence being used by countries, corporations and members of the uber elite to control the planet’s most vital resources. The film takes you “around the globe from Arizona to Zambia, to reveal one of the world’s biggest and least known threats,” per the official logline.
“’The Grab’ is a thrilling look at urgent threats to our national security and our very way of life,” said Courtney Sexton, Participant’s executive vice president, Documentary Film and Television. “We are proud to help bring this incredible film to life and are excited that it is part of our legacy.”
Last month, Variety exclusively reported that Participant was shutting down after 20 years.
- 5/8/2024
- by Michaela Zee
- Variety Film + TV
"We laugh, we cry, we going to continue to fight." Array has revealed an official trailer for the documentary film called For Our Children, made by filmmaker Débora Souza Silva. This premiered a few years ago at the 2022 San Francisco Film Festival under the original title Black Mothers Love & Resist, and soon will be released streaming on Netflix worldwide starting in May this summer (with the new title For Our Children). Reverend Wanda Johnson & Angela Williams, two mothers of young Black men victimized by police brutality, come together and build a network of community-led support, mutual aid, and healing. Directed, produced, co-written by Débora Souza Silva, this emotional documentary feature chronicles the powerful convergence of two mothers whose lives were forever altered by the scourge of police brutality against young Black men. It's being released and promoted by Ava DuVernay's company Array in partnership with Netflix. // Continue Reading ›...
- 5/7/2024
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
As Neil Young once sang, the now shuttered Participant is gone, but not forgotten.
Some of Tinseltown’s leading talents like Regina King, George Clooney, Ava DuVernay, Daniel Dae Kim, Martin Sheen, Regina King, Alfonso Cuaron, Matt Damon, Diego Luna and more have joined up with the National Domestic Workers Alliance to express “gratitude and pride” in the work put out by the Jeff Skoll-created shingle over the last two decades. At the same time, the A-Listers are imploring the ever increasingly conglomerated industry to keep their eyes on the social impact prize.
“As we say goodbye to Participant, we must underscore that values-based storytelling is needed now more than ever; to expand the room for debate, to open our hearts to experiences vastly different from our own, to immerse us in the beauty of humanity’s complexities,” the star-studded letter says. “And in the face of unprecedented change and uncertainty,...
Some of Tinseltown’s leading talents like Regina King, George Clooney, Ava DuVernay, Daniel Dae Kim, Martin Sheen, Regina King, Alfonso Cuaron, Matt Damon, Diego Luna and more have joined up with the National Domestic Workers Alliance to express “gratitude and pride” in the work put out by the Jeff Skoll-created shingle over the last two decades. At the same time, the A-Listers are imploring the ever increasingly conglomerated industry to keep their eyes on the social impact prize.
“As we say goodbye to Participant, we must underscore that values-based storytelling is needed now more than ever; to expand the room for debate, to open our hearts to experiences vastly different from our own, to immerse us in the beauty of humanity’s complexities,” the star-studded letter says. “And in the face of unprecedented change and uncertainty,...
- 5/7/2024
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Dozens of top Hollywood creatives and activists have signed an open letter in response to the shuttering of production company Participant — imploring the industry to continue to effect change through film and television as the defunct company once did.
George Clooney, Aflonso Cuarón, Ava DuVernay, Jane Fonda, Regina King, Viola Davis, #MeToo founder Tarana Burke, civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson, Color of Change president Rashad Robinson and more are signators, in addition to groups like GLAAD and Human Rights Watch. The letter was coordinated by the National Domestic Workers Alliance (Ndwa), which collaborated with Participant and director Cuarón on a visibility campaign for his 2018 Oscar winner “Roma.”
“As we say goodbye to Participant, we must underscore that values-based storytelling is needed now more than ever,” the letter states. “There is a whole ecosystem of people, connected by the work of the last 20 years of Participant, ready to work with you.
George Clooney, Aflonso Cuarón, Ava DuVernay, Jane Fonda, Regina King, Viola Davis, #MeToo founder Tarana Burke, civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson, Color of Change president Rashad Robinson and more are signators, in addition to groups like GLAAD and Human Rights Watch. The letter was coordinated by the National Domestic Workers Alliance (Ndwa), which collaborated with Participant and director Cuarón on a visibility campaign for his 2018 Oscar winner “Roma.”
“As we say goodbye to Participant, we must underscore that values-based storytelling is needed now more than ever,” the letter states. “There is a whole ecosystem of people, connected by the work of the last 20 years of Participant, ready to work with you.
- 5/7/2024
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
Tension at the University of California, Los Angeles, continued over the weekend and into Monday when professors protested outside an A-list gala at the school on Saturday night and another several dozen students were detained on Monday, while investigations into the mob that attacked the pro-Palestine encampment on campus last week continued.
Despite the mass arrests and dismantling of an encampment by police in riot gear that took place on Thursday, pro-Palestine protests carried on Monday at the university. A group of demonstrators was seen zip-tied and being moved by authorities from a UCLA parking garage to an Lacpd bus. The number of protester arrests was 43, according to local news reports Ktla, with those taken into custody on suspicion of conspiracy to commit burglary and released after they were processed; all classes have now been moved to remote.
More protests and arrests emerged at UCLA on Monday, with police arresting...
Despite the mass arrests and dismantling of an encampment by police in riot gear that took place on Thursday, pro-Palestine protests carried on Monday at the university. A group of demonstrators was seen zip-tied and being moved by authorities from a UCLA parking garage to an Lacpd bus. The number of protester arrests was 43, according to local news reports Ktla, with those taken into custody on suspicion of conspiracy to commit burglary and released after they were processed; all classes have now been moved to remote.
More protests and arrests emerged at UCLA on Monday, with police arresting...
- 5/7/2024
- by Kevin Dolak
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: Peyton Jackson and Estella Kahiha have been added to the cast of Jaume Collet-Serra’s The Woman in the Yard from Blumhouse for Universal.
They join Danielle Deadwyler, Okwui Okpokwasili and Russell Hornsby. The film’s logline is being kept under wraps.
The pic is written by Sam Stefanak, with Jason Blum and Stephanie Allain producing. Collet-Serra, Deadwyler, Gabrielle Ebron and James Moran will exec produce. Haley Pigman and Jungyoon Kim are the executives covering the film for Blumhouse.
Jackson made his big-screen debut as Jr. in Tyler Perry’s Nobody’s Fool with Tiffany Haddish, Omari Hardwick and Tika Sumpter. He can be seen the Emmy-nominated Best Foot Forward. He was also seen in the feature film American Refugee for Blumhouse with Erika Alexander. Other credits include films Respect with Jennifer Hudson, The Harder They Fall with Regina King and Idris Elba, and First Christmas.
Kahiha’s first big...
They join Danielle Deadwyler, Okwui Okpokwasili and Russell Hornsby. The film’s logline is being kept under wraps.
The pic is written by Sam Stefanak, with Jason Blum and Stephanie Allain producing. Collet-Serra, Deadwyler, Gabrielle Ebron and James Moran will exec produce. Haley Pigman and Jungyoon Kim are the executives covering the film for Blumhouse.
Jackson made his big-screen debut as Jr. in Tyler Perry’s Nobody’s Fool with Tiffany Haddish, Omari Hardwick and Tika Sumpter. He can be seen the Emmy-nominated Best Foot Forward. He was also seen in the feature film American Refugee for Blumhouse with Erika Alexander. Other credits include films Respect with Jennifer Hudson, The Harder They Fall with Regina King and Idris Elba, and First Christmas.
Kahiha’s first big...
- 5/6/2024
- by Justin Kroll
- Deadline Film + TV
The Hollywood Reporter and Campari are pleased to invite attendees of the upcoming Cannes Film Festival to a very special event at the fest: a live in-depth interview with Kevin Costner, the legendary actor and Oscar-winning filmmaker, followed by a cocktail reception.
On Sunday, May 19, at 11:30am Cannes time, Costner will sit down with THR’s executive awards editor Scott Feinberg in the Campari Lounge of the Palais to record an episode of THR’s Awards Chatter podcast that will encompass his life, career and the film that brings him to the Croisette this year: Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1. He co-wrote, produced, directed and stars in the epic western. (The Warner Bros. film will premiere out of competition at the fest on May 19 en route to a June 28 theatrical release.)
Given the venue’s limited space, those wishing to attend are asked to RSVP via this link by Friday,...
On Sunday, May 19, at 11:30am Cannes time, Costner will sit down with THR’s executive awards editor Scott Feinberg in the Campari Lounge of the Palais to record an episode of THR’s Awards Chatter podcast that will encompass his life, career and the film that brings him to the Croisette this year: Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1. He co-wrote, produced, directed and stars in the epic western. (The Warner Bros. film will premiere out of competition at the fest on May 19 en route to a June 28 theatrical release.)
Given the venue’s limited space, those wishing to attend are asked to RSVP via this link by Friday,...
- 5/3/2024
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Jennifer Hudson and Orville Peck will be honored at the 35th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York on May 11.
GLAAD, the world’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, has announced that that two-time Grammy Award-winning recording artist, Academy Award-winning actress, and Tony and Emmy Award-winning producer, and host of the Emmy-Nominated “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” Jennifer Hudson will receive GLAAD’s Excellence in Media Award and groundbreaking country artist Orville Peck will receive the Vito Russo Award at the 35th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York, which will be hosted by Emmy-winning television host and producer, Ross Mathews.
GLAAD’s Excellence in Media Award is presented to allies who have made a significant difference in promoting acceptance of LGBTQ people. Previous Excellence in Media Award honorees include Marren Morris, Judith Light, Ava DuVernay, Patti Labelle, Debra Messing, Tyra Banks, Julianne Moore, Barbara Walters Diane Sawyer and more.
GLAAD, the world’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, has announced that that two-time Grammy Award-winning recording artist, Academy Award-winning actress, and Tony and Emmy Award-winning producer, and host of the Emmy-Nominated “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” Jennifer Hudson will receive GLAAD’s Excellence in Media Award and groundbreaking country artist Orville Peck will receive the Vito Russo Award at the 35th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York, which will be hosted by Emmy-winning television host and producer, Ross Mathews.
GLAAD’s Excellence in Media Award is presented to allies who have made a significant difference in promoting acceptance of LGBTQ people. Previous Excellence in Media Award honorees include Marren Morris, Judith Light, Ava DuVernay, Patti Labelle, Debra Messing, Tyra Banks, Julianne Moore, Barbara Walters Diane Sawyer and more.
- 4/30/2024
- Look to the Stars
Morgan Freeman was among the stars who paid tribute to Nicole Kidman when the actress received the AFI Life Achievement Award.
Freeman parodied Kidman’s viral AMC spot, which has been spoofed by many over the years.
Related: AFI Life Achievement Award Honors Nicole Kidman Red Carpet Photos: Keith Urban, Reese Witherspoon, Ava DuVernay & More
Kidman recently revealed that she would like to parody the advertisement as well, but with a drag queen, after many performers shared their takes on social media.
“My dream will be to be onstage doing it with a drag queen,” she said in an interview with Elle. “I’ve got to be able to do that at some point.”
Watch Freeman’s parody in the video below.
Morgan Freeman parodies Nicole Kidman’s AMC spot at #AFILife pic.twitter.com/LHnblEh33Y
— Deadline Hollywood (@Deadline) April 28, 2024
The advertisement starring Kidman played before the feature films...
Freeman parodied Kidman’s viral AMC spot, which has been spoofed by many over the years.
Related: AFI Life Achievement Award Honors Nicole Kidman Red Carpet Photos: Keith Urban, Reese Witherspoon, Ava DuVernay & More
Kidman recently revealed that she would like to parody the advertisement as well, but with a drag queen, after many performers shared their takes on social media.
“My dream will be to be onstage doing it with a drag queen,” she said in an interview with Elle. “I’ve got to be able to do that at some point.”
Watch Freeman’s parody in the video below.
Morgan Freeman parodies Nicole Kidman’s AMC spot at #AFILife pic.twitter.com/LHnblEh33Y
— Deadline Hollywood (@Deadline) April 28, 2024
The advertisement starring Kidman played before the feature films...
- 4/28/2024
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
So many stars stepped out to celebrate Nicole Kidman at the 49th AFI Lifetime Achievement Award Gala Tribute on Saturday night (April 27) in Hollywood, Calif.
The 56-year-old screen legend was the honoree of the evening at the Dolby Theatre.
She was joined at the event by the likes of her longtime love Keith Urban and costars such as Reese Witherspoon, Joey King and Miles Teller. We pulled together photos of everyone at the event. That way you can easily scroll to see who was there and what they wore!
Head inside to see all of the photos…
Keep scrolling to see what everyone wore to the 49th AFI Lifetime Achievement Award Gala Tribute…
Nicole Kidman with Keith Urban
Fyi: Nicole is wearing Balenciaga.
Jane Seymour
Nina Parker and Molly Burnett
Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater
Joey King
Fyi: Joey is wearing David Koma with Andrew Wazen shoes and jewels by Shaun Leane and Milko Boyarov.
The 56-year-old screen legend was the honoree of the evening at the Dolby Theatre.
She was joined at the event by the likes of her longtime love Keith Urban and costars such as Reese Witherspoon, Joey King and Miles Teller. We pulled together photos of everyone at the event. That way you can easily scroll to see who was there and what they wore!
Head inside to see all of the photos…
Keep scrolling to see what everyone wore to the 49th AFI Lifetime Achievement Award Gala Tribute…
Nicole Kidman with Keith Urban
Fyi: Nicole is wearing Balenciaga.
Jane Seymour
Nina Parker and Molly Burnett
Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater
Joey King
Fyi: Joey is wearing David Koma with Andrew Wazen shoes and jewels by Shaun Leane and Milko Boyarov.
- 4/28/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Nicole Kidman is the 2024 AFI Life Achievement Award honoree for her film career.
“Nicole Kidman embodies the glamour and romance of Hollywood past – a true screen icon – but she is also a risk taker – and so each performance is something new and something profound,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President & CEO. “And like all truly great artists – Nicole not only gives back – she drives culture forward with her commitment to amplifying the voices of female directors and producers.”
Meryl Streep, Morgan Freeman, Naomi Watts and Reese Witherspoon are some of the presenters who honored Kidman at the event at the Dolby Theatre on April 27.
Related: Nicole Kidman’s Career In Photos: From ‘Days of Thunder’ And ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ To ‘Moulin Rouge!’
The AFI Life Achievement Award, was established by the AFI Board of Trustees in 1973, and is presented to a single honoree each year based on the following...
“Nicole Kidman embodies the glamour and romance of Hollywood past – a true screen icon – but she is also a risk taker – and so each performance is something new and something profound,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President & CEO. “And like all truly great artists – Nicole not only gives back – she drives culture forward with her commitment to amplifying the voices of female directors and producers.”
Meryl Streep, Morgan Freeman, Naomi Watts and Reese Witherspoon are some of the presenters who honored Kidman at the event at the Dolby Theatre on April 27.
Related: Nicole Kidman’s Career In Photos: From ‘Days of Thunder’ And ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ To ‘Moulin Rouge!’
The AFI Life Achievement Award, was established by the AFI Board of Trustees in 1973, and is presented to a single honoree each year based on the following...
- 4/28/2024
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
The annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner will bring together celebrities, journalists covering the political beat, and the President of the United States on a night to celebrate the First Amendment.
Saturday Night Live’s Colin Jost will roast Joe Biden at the star-studded event.
Related: AFI Life Achievement Award Honors Nicole Kidman Red Carpet Photos: Keith Urban, Reese Witherspoon, Ava DuVernay & More
The White House Correspondents’ Association president, Kelly O’Donnell, said of choosing Jost as the featured entertainer, “His sharp insights perfectly meet this remarkable time of divided politics, and a presidential campaign careening toward a rematch. His smart brand of comedy and keen observation will turn up the heat on the national news media and across the political spectrum.”
Related: How To Watch The White House Correspondents’ Dinner With Potus & Colin Jost On TV & Livestream
She continued, “A night of laughs and reflections as our dinner honors freedom of...
Saturday Night Live’s Colin Jost will roast Joe Biden at the star-studded event.
Related: AFI Life Achievement Award Honors Nicole Kidman Red Carpet Photos: Keith Urban, Reese Witherspoon, Ava DuVernay & More
The White House Correspondents’ Association president, Kelly O’Donnell, said of choosing Jost as the featured entertainer, “His sharp insights perfectly meet this remarkable time of divided politics, and a presidential campaign careening toward a rematch. His smart brand of comedy and keen observation will turn up the heat on the national news media and across the political spectrum.”
Related: How To Watch The White House Correspondents’ Dinner With Potus & Colin Jost On TV & Livestream
She continued, “A night of laughs and reflections as our dinner honors freedom of...
- 4/27/2024
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
Array Releasing, the distribution arm of Ava DuVernay’s Peabody-winning narrative change collective, said Friday that it has acquired Débora Souza Silva’s documentary For Our Children. The deal is for U.S., Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand rights. It will make premiere on Netflix on May 10.
For Our Children unites the voices of resilience and solidarity in a poignant cinematic journey, chronicling the convergence of two mothers, Reverend Wanda Johnson and Angela Williams, whose lives have been forever altered by the scourge of police brutality against young Black men. The doc features appearances by other Black mothers who have lost their children to state-sanctioned violence, as well as civil rights leaders and activists Benjamin Crump and Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza.
To date the film has screened at various film festivals including the San Francisco International Film Festival, Toronto Black Film Festival, Freep Film Festival, Athena Film Festival,...
For Our Children unites the voices of resilience and solidarity in a poignant cinematic journey, chronicling the convergence of two mothers, Reverend Wanda Johnson and Angela Williams, whose lives have been forever altered by the scourge of police brutality against young Black men. The doc features appearances by other Black mothers who have lost their children to state-sanctioned violence, as well as civil rights leaders and activists Benjamin Crump and Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza.
To date the film has screened at various film festivals including the San Francisco International Film Festival, Toronto Black Film Festival, Freep Film Festival, Athena Film Festival,...
- 4/26/2024
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
Nicola Coughlan opened up about her support for Palestine and how she was told it could affect the acting gigs she’s offered.
In a Teen Vogue cover story, the Bridgerton star sat down to discuss the show’s upcoming and highly anticipated season three. In the conversation, she also got candid about her support for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Coughlan has been vocal on social media about her support for the people, especially the children, of Palestine, who are caught in the middle of the Israel-Hamas War. She acknowledged her support stems from a “moral responsibility to give back” because of her privilege as a white woman.
The actress noted her advocacy began before she landed her breakout role on Derry Girls. She was involved in different causes, like going door-to-door campaigning for marriage equality in her home country of Ireland and marching for abortion rights.
“I’ve always...
In a Teen Vogue cover story, the Bridgerton star sat down to discuss the show’s upcoming and highly anticipated season three. In the conversation, she also got candid about her support for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Coughlan has been vocal on social media about her support for the people, especially the children, of Palestine, who are caught in the middle of the Israel-Hamas War. She acknowledged her support stems from a “moral responsibility to give back” because of her privilege as a white woman.
The actress noted her advocacy began before she landed her breakout role on Derry Girls. She was involved in different causes, like going door-to-door campaigning for marriage equality in her home country of Ireland and marching for abortion rights.
“I’ve always...
- 4/24/2024
- by Christy Piña
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
GLAAD is putting the finishing touches on the program for its East Coast awards gala by confirming Jennifer Hudson and Orville Peck for top honors and media personality Ross Mathews to front the affair as host.
The GLAAD Media Awards — set for May 11 at the Hilton Midtown — will honor Hudson with an excellence in media award while country artist Peck will take home a Vito Russo award. Hudson will receive the trophy for being an ally who has “made a significant difference in promoting acceptance of LGBTQ people.” She’ll join a roster of honorees that includes Marren Morris, Judith Light, Ava DuVernay, Patti Labelle, Debra Messing, Tyra Banks, Julianne Moore, Barbra Walters, Diane Sawyer and more.
“A multihyphenate talent who uses her platform and influence across media to support and uplift LGBTQ people, Jennifer Hudson’s allyship is thoughtful, loud and powerful,” said GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis.
The GLAAD Media Awards — set for May 11 at the Hilton Midtown — will honor Hudson with an excellence in media award while country artist Peck will take home a Vito Russo award. Hudson will receive the trophy for being an ally who has “made a significant difference in promoting acceptance of LGBTQ people.” She’ll join a roster of honorees that includes Marren Morris, Judith Light, Ava DuVernay, Patti Labelle, Debra Messing, Tyra Banks, Julianne Moore, Barbra Walters, Diane Sawyer and more.
“A multihyphenate talent who uses her platform and influence across media to support and uplift LGBTQ people, Jennifer Hudson’s allyship is thoughtful, loud and powerful,” said GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis.
- 4/23/2024
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
GLAAD said Tuesday that Jennifer Hudson and country singer Orville Peck will be honored with special awards at the 35th annual GLAAD Media Awards ceremony May 11 in New York.
Hudson, the Grammy and Oscar winner whose The Jennifer Hudson Show is nominated for Outstanding Variety or Talk Show Episode at the New York ceremony, will receive GLAAD’s Excellence in Media Award for championing allyship and promoting acceptance of LGBTQ people and issues. Peck will receive the Vito Russo Award for elevating LGBTQ awareness in country music.
Both will be honored at the New York ceremony hosted by Ross Matthews at the Hilton Midtown. The evening will also see 17 remaining GLAAD Media Awards handed out after a portion were announced during the Los Angeles ceremony in March hosted by Wayne Brady.
GLAAD’s Excellence in Media Award is given to allies who have made a significant difference in promoting acceptance of LGBTQ people.
Hudson, the Grammy and Oscar winner whose The Jennifer Hudson Show is nominated for Outstanding Variety or Talk Show Episode at the New York ceremony, will receive GLAAD’s Excellence in Media Award for championing allyship and promoting acceptance of LGBTQ people and issues. Peck will receive the Vito Russo Award for elevating LGBTQ awareness in country music.
Both will be honored at the New York ceremony hosted by Ross Matthews at the Hilton Midtown. The evening will also see 17 remaining GLAAD Media Awards handed out after a portion were announced during the Los Angeles ceremony in March hosted by Wayne Brady.
GLAAD’s Excellence in Media Award is given to allies who have made a significant difference in promoting acceptance of LGBTQ people.
- 4/23/2024
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
The 2024 Tribeca Festival has announced its TV lineup, with the June festival featuring the world premiere of the Jake Gyllenhaal-starring Apple TV+ series Presumed Innocent.
The legal thriller, set to premiere on Apple TV+ on June 14, comes from David E. Kelley and executive producer J.J. Abrams and also stars Ruth Negga and Peter Sarsgaard. Gyllenhaal also executive produces.
Other world premieres include Hulu’s Mastermind: To Think Like A Killer, executive produced by Dakota and Elle Fanning, exploring Dr. Ann Burgess’ investigations; and the MGM+ docuseries, Hollywood Black, about the Black experience in the entertainment industry, executive produced by Justin Simien and featuring Issa Rae, Lena Waithe, Ryan Coogler and Ava DuVernay.
The festival will also screen the ESPN’s In the Arena: Serena Williams, Paramount+’s Melissa Etheridge: I’m Not Broken and the premiere of the fourth and final season of My Brilliant Friend, among other titles.
The legal thriller, set to premiere on Apple TV+ on June 14, comes from David E. Kelley and executive producer J.J. Abrams and also stars Ruth Negga and Peter Sarsgaard. Gyllenhaal also executive produces.
Other world premieres include Hulu’s Mastermind: To Think Like A Killer, executive produced by Dakota and Elle Fanning, exploring Dr. Ann Burgess’ investigations; and the MGM+ docuseries, Hollywood Black, about the Black experience in the entertainment industry, executive produced by Justin Simien and featuring Issa Rae, Lena Waithe, Ryan Coogler and Ava DuVernay.
The festival will also screen the ESPN’s In the Arena: Serena Williams, Paramount+’s Melissa Etheridge: I’m Not Broken and the premiere of the fourth and final season of My Brilliant Friend, among other titles.
- 4/18/2024
- by Hilary Lewis
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Tribeca Festival, which announced its feature film lineup Wednesday, has now also revealed its television lineup for the 2024 festival, which includes brand new docuseries featuring Issa Rae and Dave Eggers and projects from Dakota Fanning, Jake Gyllenhaal and J.J. Abrams.
This year’s program includes 11 premieres, including Hulu’s “Mastermind: To Think Like A Killer,” an in-depth exploration of Dr. Anne Burgess’ career and her journey to closing some of America’s most infamous criminal cases from executive producers Dakota and Elle Fanning; MGM+’s “Hollywood Black,” an examination of the Black experience in Hollywood featuring conversations with Issa Rae, Lena Waithe, Ryan Coogler and Ava DuVernay from executive producer Justin Simien; and Apple TV+’s “Presumed Innocent,” a legal thriller starring and executive produced by Jake Gyllenhaal from David E. Kelley and executive producer J.J. Abrams. The show also stars Ruth Negga and Peter Sarsgaard.
Returning series getting...
This year’s program includes 11 premieres, including Hulu’s “Mastermind: To Think Like A Killer,” an in-depth exploration of Dr. Anne Burgess’ career and her journey to closing some of America’s most infamous criminal cases from executive producers Dakota and Elle Fanning; MGM+’s “Hollywood Black,” an examination of the Black experience in Hollywood featuring conversations with Issa Rae, Lena Waithe, Ryan Coogler and Ava DuVernay from executive producer Justin Simien; and Apple TV+’s “Presumed Innocent,” a legal thriller starring and executive produced by Jake Gyllenhaal from David E. Kelley and executive producer J.J. Abrams. The show also stars Ruth Negga and Peter Sarsgaard.
Returning series getting...
- 4/18/2024
- by Jack Dunn
- Variety Film + TV
The 2024 Tribeca Festival, which unveiled its film slate Wednesday, is out with its television lineup of world premieres of new and returning programs from networks and streamers.
The 23rd edition, which unspool June 5-16, features 11 series premieres and two first looks at returning classics. World premieres include Hulu’s Mastermind: To Think Like A Killer, executive produced by Dakota Fanning and Elle Fanning, an in-depth exploration of Dr. Anne Burgess’ journey in closing some of America’s most infamous criminal cases; Hollywood Black, executive produced by Justin Simien, an examination of the Black experience in Hollywood featuring conversations with Issa Rae, Lena Waithe, Ryan Coogler, and Ava DuVernay; and Apple TV+’s Presumed Innocent, a legal thriller starring and executive produced by Jake Gyllenhaal, hailing from David E. Kelley and executive producer J.J. Abrams, also with Ruth Negga and Peter Sarsgaard.
The program spotlights ESPN docuseries In the Arena: Serena Williams,...
The 23rd edition, which unspool June 5-16, features 11 series premieres and two first looks at returning classics. World premieres include Hulu’s Mastermind: To Think Like A Killer, executive produced by Dakota Fanning and Elle Fanning, an in-depth exploration of Dr. Anne Burgess’ journey in closing some of America’s most infamous criminal cases; Hollywood Black, executive produced by Justin Simien, an examination of the Black experience in Hollywood featuring conversations with Issa Rae, Lena Waithe, Ryan Coogler, and Ava DuVernay; and Apple TV+’s Presumed Innocent, a legal thriller starring and executive produced by Jake Gyllenhaal, hailing from David E. Kelley and executive producer J.J. Abrams, also with Ruth Negga and Peter Sarsgaard.
The program spotlights ESPN docuseries In the Arena: Serena Williams,...
- 4/18/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Jeff Skoll, the billionaire philanthropist who launched Participant 20 years ago to champion socially conscious films, is closing down the impact producer-financier behind Spotlight, Roma, and Green Book.
In a memo to staff on Tuesday morning eBay co-founder Skoll said, ”I founded Participant with the mission of creating world-class content that inspires positive social change, prioritizing impact alongside commercial sustainability. Since then, the entertainment industry has seen revolutionary changes in how content is created, distributed and consumed.”
The statement hinted at what may have driven the Canadian’s “very difficult decision”. Studios and streamers are scrutinising their spend more than ever,...
In a memo to staff on Tuesday morning eBay co-founder Skoll said, ”I founded Participant with the mission of creating world-class content that inspires positive social change, prioritizing impact alongside commercial sustainability. Since then, the entertainment industry has seen revolutionary changes in how content is created, distributed and consumed.”
The statement hinted at what may have driven the Canadian’s “very difficult decision”. Studios and streamers are scrutinising their spend more than ever,...
- 4/16/2024
- ScreenDaily
Participant, the 20-year-old film and television production company whose mission was to inspire social justice and humanitarian action, is shutting down.
Founder Jeff Skoll broke the news to a staff of roughly 100 on Tuesday. Established in 2004, Participant co-produced or co-financed a number of notable movies including best picture Oscar winners “Spotlight” and “Green Book,” as well as Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” and the breakthrough documentary “An Inconvenient Truth.”
Almost all of Participant’s employees will be dismissed, multiple sources familiar with its plans said, and no new content development or production will be pursued. What’s left will be a skeletal holding company overseeing the Participant library, which represents interests in the 135 films it has made.
“I founded Participant with the mission of creating world-class content that inspires positive social change, prioritizing impact alongside commercial sustainability. Since then, the entertainment industry has seen revolutionary changes in how content is created,...
Founder Jeff Skoll broke the news to a staff of roughly 100 on Tuesday. Established in 2004, Participant co-produced or co-financed a number of notable movies including best picture Oscar winners “Spotlight” and “Green Book,” as well as Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” and the breakthrough documentary “An Inconvenient Truth.”
Almost all of Participant’s employees will be dismissed, multiple sources familiar with its plans said, and no new content development or production will be pursued. What’s left will be a skeletal holding company overseeing the Participant library, which represents interests in the 135 films it has made.
“I founded Participant with the mission of creating world-class content that inspires positive social change, prioritizing impact alongside commercial sustainability. Since then, the entertainment industry has seen revolutionary changes in how content is created,...
- 4/16/2024
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
Canadian actor-brothers Shamier Anderson (John Wick 4) and Stephan James (If Beale Street Could Talk) had their stars unveiled on Scarborough’s Walk of Fame. The men were raised in the marginalized Toronto community by a single mother who emigrated to Canada from Jamaica.
“It’s really humbling and flattering to receive something like this in my hometown, at a mall where I grew up, where I shopped, it’s pretty cool,” Anderson told The Hollywood Reporter.
The local Walk of Fame honor for the fast-rising Hollywood stars is more than an exercise in collective positive thinking for an inner-city neighborhood that earlier brought to the world celebrities like Mike Myers, Jim Carrey and The Weeknd.
The brothers are at work via their Bay Mills Studios production banner — named after the community housing project they grew up in Scarborough — on a landmark TV drama set in the inner-city community that is their home away from Hollywood.
“It’s really humbling and flattering to receive something like this in my hometown, at a mall where I grew up, where I shopped, it’s pretty cool,” Anderson told The Hollywood Reporter.
The local Walk of Fame honor for the fast-rising Hollywood stars is more than an exercise in collective positive thinking for an inner-city neighborhood that earlier brought to the world celebrities like Mike Myers, Jim Carrey and The Weeknd.
The brothers are at work via their Bay Mills Studios production banner — named after the community housing project they grew up in Scarborough — on a landmark TV drama set in the inner-city community that is their home away from Hollywood.
- 4/11/2024
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Gotham Film and Media Institute is getting an even bigger head start on awards season with today’s announcement of its inaugural Gotham TV Awards, which will be presented on Tuesday, June 4, 2024 in New York City. The ceremony will recognize outstanding television series and performances as well as celebrate icons of the industry.
While the new ceremony will be entirely dedicated to TV, it will not mark the first time the 33-year-old Gotham Awards, which happen annually in late November, have honored excellence in television. For a decade, the predominently film-focused awards included three TV categories: Breakthrough Series (Over 40 minutes), Breakthrough Series (Under 40 minutes), and Outstanding Performance in a New Series.
Its Gotham Tributes have also celebrated a diverse array of TV creators including Steve McQueen, Ava DuVernay, and Ryan Murphy. Additionally, the Gotham Film & Media Institute has supported numerous emerging TV creators through its year-round programming that includes Gotham Week,...
While the new ceremony will be entirely dedicated to TV, it will not mark the first time the 33-year-old Gotham Awards, which happen annually in late November, have honored excellence in television. For a decade, the predominently film-focused awards included three TV categories: Breakthrough Series (Over 40 minutes), Breakthrough Series (Under 40 minutes), and Outstanding Performance in a New Series.
Its Gotham Tributes have also celebrated a diverse array of TV creators including Steve McQueen, Ava DuVernay, and Ryan Murphy. Additionally, the Gotham Film & Media Institute has supported numerous emerging TV creators through its year-round programming that includes Gotham Week,...
- 4/11/2024
- by Marcus Jones
- Indiewire
Sade Adu and her eponymous band have announced they are reissuing all six of their studio albums individually. Half of the albums will be released on June 21st, with the other three arriving on September 20th.
Diamond Life (1984), Promise (1985), and Stronger Than Pride (1988) are each due out June 21st, while Love Deluxe (1992), Lovers Rock (2000), and Soldier of Love (2010) are slated for September 20th.
Just like Sade’s 2020 career-spanning box set This Far, each LP was pressed on 180-gram vinyl and remastered at half-speed at Abbey Road Studios using a method promising “exceptionally clean and detailed audio whilst remaining faithful to the band’s intended sound.” Pre-orders are ongoing.
Though Sade haven’t released an album since Soldier of Love, they did return in 2018 with “Flower of the Universe” and “The Big Unknown,” which appeared on the soundtracks to Ava DuVernay’s A Wrinkle in Time and Steve McQueen’s Widows,...
Diamond Life (1984), Promise (1985), and Stronger Than Pride (1988) are each due out June 21st, while Love Deluxe (1992), Lovers Rock (2000), and Soldier of Love (2010) are slated for September 20th.
Just like Sade’s 2020 career-spanning box set This Far, each LP was pressed on 180-gram vinyl and remastered at half-speed at Abbey Road Studios using a method promising “exceptionally clean and detailed audio whilst remaining faithful to the band’s intended sound.” Pre-orders are ongoing.
Though Sade haven’t released an album since Soldier of Love, they did return in 2018 with “Flower of the Universe” and “The Big Unknown,” which appeared on the soundtracks to Ava DuVernay’s A Wrinkle in Time and Steve McQueen’s Widows,...
- 4/11/2024
- by Eddie Fu
- Consequence - Music
Warner Bros. Lands ‘Black Samurai’ Movie From ‘The Color Purple’ Director Blitz Bazawule (Exclusive)
In a competitive situation, Warner Bros. has landed “The Color Purple” director Blitz Bazawule’s next project, which takes on the legendary Yasuke, an African warrior who became the first Black samurai.
Sources tell Variety that Warner Bros. beat out three other studios and streamers’ bids on the script, tentatively titled “Black Samurai,” which Bazawule wrote on spec and will direct and produce under his Inward Gaze banner.
After impressing the industry with his 2018 debut “The Burial of Kojo,” helming episodes of Ava DuVernay’s “Cherish the Day” and working with Beyoncé on her feature-length visual album “Black Is King,” Bazawule made his major studio debut with 2023’s “The Color Purple.”
The Ghanaian filmmaker, who brought his unique visual language to the Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg-produced musical movie, is said to have done the same with his take on Yasuke, an African warrior who served under Japanese daimyo...
Sources tell Variety that Warner Bros. beat out three other studios and streamers’ bids on the script, tentatively titled “Black Samurai,” which Bazawule wrote on spec and will direct and produce under his Inward Gaze banner.
After impressing the industry with his 2018 debut “The Burial of Kojo,” helming episodes of Ava DuVernay’s “Cherish the Day” and working with Beyoncé on her feature-length visual album “Black Is King,” Bazawule made his major studio debut with 2023’s “The Color Purple.”
The Ghanaian filmmaker, who brought his unique visual language to the Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg-produced musical movie, is said to have done the same with his take on Yasuke, an African warrior who served under Japanese daimyo...
- 4/10/2024
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix has taken worldwide rights on the horror-thriller “Don’t Move,” a new genre entry from producer Sam Raimi.
The project is led by Kelsey Asbille, breakout on the FX anthology series “Fargo” and “Yellowstone,” alongside frequent Ryan Murphy player and “The Big Short’ star Finn Wittrock.
It follows a seasoned serial killer who injects a grieving woman with a paralytic agent while the two of them are isolated deep in the forest. As the agent gradually takes over her body, she must run, hide, and fight for her life before her entire nervous system shuts down.
Filmmaking team Brian Netto and Adam Schindler directed the film, having previously delivered the Quibi serial “50 States of Fright.” T.J. Cimfel and David White of “Intruders” wrote the script.
CAA Media Finance and Capstone brokered the deal with Netflix, whose film vertical was just taken over by veteran producer Dan Lin. The streamer...
The project is led by Kelsey Asbille, breakout on the FX anthology series “Fargo” and “Yellowstone,” alongside frequent Ryan Murphy player and “The Big Short’ star Finn Wittrock.
It follows a seasoned serial killer who injects a grieving woman with a paralytic agent while the two of them are isolated deep in the forest. As the agent gradually takes over her body, she must run, hide, and fight for her life before her entire nervous system shuts down.
Filmmaking team Brian Netto and Adam Schindler directed the film, having previously delivered the Quibi serial “50 States of Fright.” T.J. Cimfel and David White of “Intruders” wrote the script.
CAA Media Finance and Capstone brokered the deal with Netflix, whose film vertical was just taken over by veteran producer Dan Lin. The streamer...
- 4/9/2024
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
Avatar actress Cch Pounder and Academy Award-nominated producer Paul Garnes will attend the inaugural Cross Continental International Co-production Forum (Ccf) in Barbados.
They’ll join media executives and high level producers from Canada, the UK, South Africa and several Caribbean countries at the event, which aims to encourage collaboration, business development, and co-productions.
Pounder and Garnes will add some heavyweight fire power to proceedings. Known for roles in the likes of ER, NCIS: New Orleans, The X Files and The Shield, she has picked up four Primetime Emmy nominations.
Garnes is best known for his work on 2014 feature Selma, which was nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. He was a producer on Ava DuVernay’s 2023 feature Origin, a drama on the life of Isabel Wilkerson that will be screened at the Ccf.
The CeventCF is being billed as a first-of-its-kind venture established by CaribbeanTales Media Group, Imagine Media International,...
They’ll join media executives and high level producers from Canada, the UK, South Africa and several Caribbean countries at the event, which aims to encourage collaboration, business development, and co-productions.
Pounder and Garnes will add some heavyweight fire power to proceedings. Known for roles in the likes of ER, NCIS: New Orleans, The X Files and The Shield, she has picked up four Primetime Emmy nominations.
Garnes is best known for his work on 2014 feature Selma, which was nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. He was a producer on Ava DuVernay’s 2023 feature Origin, a drama on the life of Isabel Wilkerson that will be screened at the Ccf.
The CeventCF is being billed as a first-of-its-kind venture established by CaribbeanTales Media Group, Imagine Media International,...
- 4/9/2024
- by Hannah Abraham
- Deadline Film + TV
Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…to tell you about this Prince jukebox musical headed our way. It has been announced that Ryan Coogler will be producing a new film for Universal that will rely heavily on the music of The Purple One.
No plot or cast details have been made public, but considering just how expansive Prince’s catalog is, no doubt there will be a wealth of tracks to choose from to help guide the film. Hopefully it can be a little more creative than having Darling Nikki driving a little red Corvette while wearing a raspberry beret as purple rain falls…
Considering how successful, controversial and eccentric Prince was, it’s a bit of a surprise that no proper biopic has been made. Then again, he has always been extremely protective of his image. But, really, who could capture the essence of Prince, let alone even...
No plot or cast details have been made public, but considering just how expansive Prince’s catalog is, no doubt there will be a wealth of tracks to choose from to help guide the film. Hopefully it can be a little more creative than having Darling Nikki driving a little red Corvette while wearing a raspberry beret as purple rain falls…
Considering how successful, controversial and eccentric Prince was, it’s a bit of a surprise that no proper biopic has been made. Then again, he has always been extremely protective of his image. But, really, who could capture the essence of Prince, let alone even...
- 3/23/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
There’s ambition, then there’s execution. Ava DuVernay’s 2023 film, Origin, grapples with a subject that has been relevant since forever: casteism. And what DuVernay has attempted to do here is something that you wouldn’t see every day: capture a global issue while telling the deeply personal story of an individual. The film follows the journey of Isabell Wilkerson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who wrote her award-winning book Caste: The Origin of Our Discontents. But it is not just some book. It also tells the story of the writer herself, who suffers as many as three tragedies, which, in a way, lays the foundation of her book as a kind of coping mechanism. Sadly, it doesn’t quite translate on the 70 mm, as Origin fails to evoke the kind of emotion it was looking for. It does have some strong moments, but most of it feels rather gimmicky...
- 3/20/2024
- by Rohitavra Majumdar
- Film Fugitives
Celebrities are speaking out about the Israel-Hamas war. Billie Eilish, Ava DuVernay, Mahershala Ali, and Phoebe Bridgers are among the celebrities who have worn pins at recent Hollywood awards ceremonies calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Many others, including America Ferrara, Jon Stewart, and Cate Blanchett, signed a letter calling on President Biden to demand an end to the hostilities in the ongoing war.
The latest conflict began on Oct. 7, when Palestinian militants launched an attack on Israel where at least 1,200 civilians were killed and hundreds more taken hostage. Israel responded by attacking Gaza, sparking a humanitarian crisis. More than 30,000 Palestinians have died in the war, according to the Gaza health ministry.
The war has divided people around the world, including in Hollywood. Some stars have been vocal in their support for Israel, including comedian Jerry Seinfeld and Will and Grace star Debra Messing, who have both visited the country...
The latest conflict began on Oct. 7, when Palestinian militants launched an attack on Israel where at least 1,200 civilians were killed and hundreds more taken hostage. Israel responded by attacking Gaza, sparking a humanitarian crisis. More than 30,000 Palestinians have died in the war, according to the Gaza health ministry.
The war has divided people around the world, including in Hollywood. Some stars have been vocal in their support for Israel, including comedian Jerry Seinfeld and Will and Grace star Debra Messing, who have both visited the country...
- 3/19/2024
- by Megan Elliott
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Neon, the studio that backed Oscar-winners “Anatomy of a Fall” and “Parasite,” has ironed out a deal with Waypoint Entertainment, the production company behind “The Favourite” and “The Nice Guys,” to bring more mid-budget movies to the big screen.
The deal follows the company’s collaboration on the Hunter Schafer-led horror movie “Cuckoo,” which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival and SXSW. Waypoint’s investment will allow Neon to expand its production and distribution efforts, something it’s been attempting to do since the New York-based distributor explored a sale in 2022 as a way to grow its business. Though a deal with investor Steven Rales, the wealthy businessman who founded the production company Indian Paintbrush, never came to fruition, Neon has managed to bolster its footprint. It recently launched an international sales division to handle the global distribution of its films.
“Our joint venture will focus on the underserved market of larger independent films,...
The deal follows the company’s collaboration on the Hunter Schafer-led horror movie “Cuckoo,” which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival and SXSW. Waypoint’s investment will allow Neon to expand its production and distribution efforts, something it’s been attempting to do since the New York-based distributor explored a sale in 2022 as a way to grow its business. Though a deal with investor Steven Rales, the wealthy businessman who founded the production company Indian Paintbrush, never came to fruition, Neon has managed to bolster its footprint. It recently launched an international sales division to handle the global distribution of its films.
“Our joint venture will focus on the underserved market of larger independent films,...
- 3/19/2024
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
The 55th NAACP Image Awards continued to honor Black excellence on Saturday night, with Queen Latifah hosting the live telecast from the Shrine Auditorium.
The Color Purple continued its winning streak on the final night of the NAACP Image Awards, taking the trophy for Outstanding Motion Picture. Fantasia Barrino also took the award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture, with co-stars Colman Domingo and Taraji P. Henson winning their respective categories.
Domingo also won an award for Rustin in the Outstanding Actor category.
Usher was named Entertainer of the Year the same night the artist received the President’s Award. Previous recipients of the President’s Award include Gabrielle Union-Wade, Dwyane Wade, Rihanna, LeBron James, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Muhammad Ali, Jesse Jackson, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, Lauryn Hill, and Soledad O’Brien, among others.
Related: NAACP Image Awards Photos: The Best Of The Red Carpet...
The Color Purple continued its winning streak on the final night of the NAACP Image Awards, taking the trophy for Outstanding Motion Picture. Fantasia Barrino also took the award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture, with co-stars Colman Domingo and Taraji P. Henson winning their respective categories.
Domingo also won an award for Rustin in the Outstanding Actor category.
Usher was named Entertainer of the Year the same night the artist received the President’s Award. Previous recipients of the President’s Award include Gabrielle Union-Wade, Dwyane Wade, Rihanna, LeBron James, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Muhammad Ali, Jesse Jackson, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, Lauryn Hill, and Soledad O’Brien, among others.
Related: NAACP Image Awards Photos: The Best Of The Red Carpet...
- 3/17/2024
- by Patrick Hipes and Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
The NAACP Image Awards celebrated its 55th annual ceremony on Saturday, celebrating winners and nominees in an event hosted by Queen Latifah, who was returning to host for the second time. “The Color Purple” took home the award for Outstanding Motion Picture. The film’s stars Fantasia Barrino, Colman Domingo, and Taraji P. Henson also took home Outstanding Actress, Outstanding Supporting Actor and Outstanding Supporting Actress for their roles.
Earlier rounds of winners in this year’s awards were announced earlier this week. Those included Ava DuVernay for Outstanding Director, “The Color Purple” for Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture, “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder” for Outstanding Animated Series and Michelle Buteau for Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Television).
This year’s awards ceremony was hosted at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Presenters included Jeffrey Wright, Kerry Washington, Donnie Wahlberg, Idris Elba, Sterling K. Brown, Leslie Jones, Taraji P.
Earlier rounds of winners in this year’s awards were announced earlier this week. Those included Ava DuVernay for Outstanding Director, “The Color Purple” for Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture, “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder” for Outstanding Animated Series and Michelle Buteau for Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Television).
This year’s awards ceremony was hosted at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Presenters included Jeffrey Wright, Kerry Washington, Donnie Wahlberg, Idris Elba, Sterling K. Brown, Leslie Jones, Taraji P.
- 3/17/2024
- by Stephanie Kaloi
- The Wrap
Black excellence will be celebrated tonight at the 55th NAACP Image Awards, with Queen Latifah returning as host.
The awards have been rolled out during this week, and tonight’s broadcast wraps up the show’s major categories. Winners so far include Ava DuVernay as the victor in Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture for Origin, Cord Jefferson in the Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture for American Fiction, and The Jennifer Hudson Show won for Outstanding Talk Series, among the 90 categories that will be honored with tonight’s finale.
The red carpet starts at 7 Pm Et tonight on Black-owned social media app Spill.
The broadcast starts tonight at 8 p.m. Est/Pst on BET and CBS from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
The show will be streaming live on CBS and will be available to Paramount+ subscribers.
The 55th NAACP Image Awards can also be watched on BET,...
The awards have been rolled out during this week, and tonight’s broadcast wraps up the show’s major categories. Winners so far include Ava DuVernay as the victor in Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture for Origin, Cord Jefferson in the Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture for American Fiction, and The Jennifer Hudson Show won for Outstanding Talk Series, among the 90 categories that will be honored with tonight’s finale.
The red carpet starts at 7 Pm Et tonight on Black-owned social media app Spill.
The broadcast starts tonight at 8 p.m. Est/Pst on BET and CBS from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
The show will be streaming live on CBS and will be available to Paramount+ subscribers.
The 55th NAACP Image Awards can also be watched on BET,...
- 3/16/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
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