This year’s Tonys will be held on June 16, so the American Theatre Wing will likely be announcing its Lifetime Achievement Award recipient in the near future. Who do you think should take home this prestigious trophy, which honors an individual’s body of work? It has gone to veteran stage performers, directors, choreographers, playwrights, songwriters, producers and designers. In some years we get multiple recipients.
Last year these honors went to actor Joel Grey and composer John Kander. The following living male Broadway vets have also received this award in the past and thus won’t be chosen again: Paul Gemignani, Alan Ayckbourn, Athol Fugard, Marshall W. Mason, Tommy Tune, James Earl Jones, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Harold Wheeler.
Here are 10 possibilities featured in our poll below, all accomplished men over the age of 65. Vote to let us know who you’d like to see honored. And take a...
Last year these honors went to actor Joel Grey and composer John Kander. The following living male Broadway vets have also received this award in the past and thus won’t be chosen again: Paul Gemignani, Alan Ayckbourn, Athol Fugard, Marshall W. Mason, Tommy Tune, James Earl Jones, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Harold Wheeler.
Here are 10 possibilities featured in our poll below, all accomplished men over the age of 65. Vote to let us know who you’d like to see honored. And take a...
- 3/26/2024
- by Jeffrey Kare
- Gold Derby
Festival, Market
The first edition of India’s Cinevesture International Film Festival and market will feature a range of masterclasses and panels headlined by a range of luminaries including filmmakers Shekhar Kapur (“What’s Love Got to Do with It?”) and Karan Johar (“Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani”).
The lineup also includes actors Jaideep Ahlawat (“Paatal Lok”), Roshan Mathew (“Paradise”), Suvinder Vicky (“Kohrra”), Rajshri Deshpande (“Trial by Fire”), Boman Irani (“Dunki”), Rasika Dugal (“Mirzapur”), Abhay Deol (“Trial by Fire”), actor-producers Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal (“Girls Will be Girls”), filmmakers Tahira Kashyap (“Sharmajee Ki Beti”), Sudhir Mishra (“Tanaav”), Ajitpal Singh (“Tabbar”), Anurag Singh (“Kesri”) and Saugata Mukherjee, head of content at streamer SonyLiv.
As previously announced, the India premieres of France’s “The Taste of Things” and Korea’s “Exhuma” will open and close the festival. Former Cannes film market director Jerome Paillard, Indian actor and producer Rana Daggubati and...
The first edition of India’s Cinevesture International Film Festival and market will feature a range of masterclasses and panels headlined by a range of luminaries including filmmakers Shekhar Kapur (“What’s Love Got to Do with It?”) and Karan Johar (“Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani”).
The lineup also includes actors Jaideep Ahlawat (“Paatal Lok”), Roshan Mathew (“Paradise”), Suvinder Vicky (“Kohrra”), Rajshri Deshpande (“Trial by Fire”), Boman Irani (“Dunki”), Rasika Dugal (“Mirzapur”), Abhay Deol (“Trial by Fire”), actor-producers Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal (“Girls Will be Girls”), filmmakers Tahira Kashyap (“Sharmajee Ki Beti”), Sudhir Mishra (“Tanaav”), Ajitpal Singh (“Tabbar”), Anurag Singh (“Kesri”) and Saugata Mukherjee, head of content at streamer SonyLiv.
As previously announced, the India premieres of France’s “The Taste of Things” and Korea’s “Exhuma” will open and close the festival. Former Cannes film market director Jerome Paillard, Indian actor and producer Rana Daggubati and...
- 3/26/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
“The Devil Wears Prada” cast members Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt reunited at the 2024 Screen Actors Guild Awards to present best actor in a comedy series. Blunt was also a nominee at the award ceremony for supporting actress thanks to her role in Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.”
Streep took to the stage first alone and told the crowd that she had forgotten her glasses and the envelope with this year’s winner listed. Hathaway and Blunt then appeared to hand Streep her missing items, a nod to their roles as assistants to Miranda Priestly (Streep) in “The Devil Wears Prada.”
“Meryl and Miranda Priestly are sort of like twins,” Blunt said, to which Streep fiercely disagreed.
“No no. That wasn’t a question,” Hathaway told Streep in a nod to one of Miranda’s most icy lines of dialogue in the film.
Blunt also quoted Miranda by telling...
Streep took to the stage first alone and told the crowd that she had forgotten her glasses and the envelope with this year’s winner listed. Hathaway and Blunt then appeared to hand Streep her missing items, a nod to their roles as assistants to Miranda Priestly (Streep) in “The Devil Wears Prada.”
“Meryl and Miranda Priestly are sort of like twins,” Blunt said, to which Streep fiercely disagreed.
“No no. That wasn’t a question,” Hathaway told Streep in a nod to one of Miranda’s most icy lines of dialogue in the film.
Blunt also quoted Miranda by telling...
- 2/25/2024
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
Korean entertainment conglomerate Cj Enm has appointed Jung Jhong-hwan, as president of content, global business. He is expected to spearhead growth of global content production and distribution and continue the group’s multi-studio approach to business.
Jung previously served as the head of global integration, within Cj Group. He oversaw the establishment and growth of Cj Group’s global businesses, was a key player in creating synergy in core global businesses during his previous role, managed the acquisition deal of Schwan’s and was responsible for enhancing the structural efficiency of Cj.
He was also part of the team involved in Cj Enm’s acquisition of Fifth Season (previously Endeavor Content’s scripted business) and has been involved in its post-merger integration He is also currently a board member of Fifth Season.
Stepping into the new position, with immediate effect, Jung will be expected to bolster the production capacity for...
Jung previously served as the head of global integration, within Cj Group. He oversaw the establishment and growth of Cj Group’s global businesses, was a key player in creating synergy in core global businesses during his previous role, managed the acquisition deal of Schwan’s and was responsible for enhancing the structural efficiency of Cj.
He was also part of the team involved in Cj Enm’s acquisition of Fifth Season (previously Endeavor Content’s scripted business) and has been involved in its post-merger integration He is also currently a board member of Fifth Season.
Stepping into the new position, with immediate effect, Jung will be expected to bolster the production capacity for...
- 2/19/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
On Wednesday, a shooting incident in New York’s Harlem area led to the arrest of renowned musician Cyndi Lauper‘s son, Declyn “Dex” Lauper. Police responded to a report of a shooting on West 112th Street at approximately 7:15 p.m. The victim, a 24-year-old male, sustained a gunshot wound to the leg.
Through the evidence collection process, law enforcement officers discovered Dex in possession of a loaded firearm close to the crime scene. As a result, Lauper was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a controlled substance.
He has not been charged in connection with the shooting, and the investigation remains ongoing, however.
The victim of the shooting is currently in stable condition and receiving medical care at Mount Sinai Morningside. He also faces charges of criminal possession of a weapon.
Dex has previously faced legal issues. In 2022, he admitted to disorderly conduct...
Through the evidence collection process, law enforcement officers discovered Dex in possession of a loaded firearm close to the crime scene. As a result, Lauper was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a controlled substance.
He has not been charged in connection with the shooting, and the investigation remains ongoing, however.
The victim of the shooting is currently in stable condition and receiving medical care at Mount Sinai Morningside. He also faces charges of criminal possession of a weapon.
Dex has previously faced legal issues. In 2022, he admitted to disorderly conduct...
- 2/9/2024
- by Baila Eve Zisman
- Uinterview
Rank Film (distributor) Three-day gross (Feb 2-4) Total gross to date Week 1. Migration (Universal) £3.6m £3.6m 1 2. Argylle (Universal) £1.8m £2m 1 3. Mean Girls (Paramount) £842,000 £6.8m 3 4. All Of Us Strangers (Disney) £797,004 £2.8m 2 5. The Zone Of Interest (A24) £596,565 £595,565 1
Gbp to Usd conversion rate: 1.26
Migration trumped Universal stablemate Argylle to top the UK-Ireland box office this weekend; as Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone Of Interest made an excellent start in just 106 cinemas.
It was lovely weather for ducks as animation Migration opened to £3.6m. Playing in 597 sites, it took a £5,951 site average. Its takings were down on those from Illumination’s Minions series; but...
Gbp to Usd conversion rate: 1.26
Migration trumped Universal stablemate Argylle to top the UK-Ireland box office this weekend; as Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone Of Interest made an excellent start in just 106 cinemas.
It was lovely weather for ducks as animation Migration opened to £3.6m. Playing in 597 sites, it took a £5,951 site average. Its takings were down on those from Illumination’s Minions series; but...
- 2/5/2024
- ScreenDaily
The bets music is honest. Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors” is one of the best pop ballads ever written. Lauper didn’t write the song, but she said it came from an earnest place in her life. The tune was also covered by one of the biggest alternative artists of the past 10 years.
Cyndi Lauper’s ‘True Colors’ was a tribute to her abused friend
“True Colors” was written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, the same team behind Madonna’s “Like a Virgin.” During a 2014 interview with The Denver Post, Lauper discussed what she was thinking when she sang her most famous ballad. “When I recorded that song, a very good friend of mine was dying from AIDS,” she said. “He had a horrific childhood. He had been abused.
“The main reason he was abused was because he was gay,” she added. “He became homeless really young. When he was dying,...
Cyndi Lauper’s ‘True Colors’ was a tribute to her abused friend
“True Colors” was written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, the same team behind Madonna’s “Like a Virgin.” During a 2014 interview with The Denver Post, Lauper discussed what she was thinking when she sang her most famous ballad. “When I recorded that song, a very good friend of mine was dying from AIDS,” she said. “He had a horrific childhood. He had been abused.
“The main reason he was abused was because he was gay,” she added. “He became homeless really young. When he was dying,...
- 12/24/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
According to the current combined predictions of Gold Derby users, reigning Tony champ “Kimberly Akimbo” is the frontrunner to win this year’s Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album with 10/3 odds. So far within this century 10 shows that won Tonys for both Best Musical and Best Score also came out on top at the Grammys. Among them are “The Producers,” “Hairspray,” “Spring Awakening,” “In the Heights,” “The Book of Mormon,” “Kinky Boots,” “Hamilton,” “Dear Evan Hansen,” “The Band’s Visit” and “Hadestown.” Will that trend continue this year?
SEEGrammys flashback: Revisiting The Weeknd’s notorious, confounding 2021 snub
“Kimberly Akimbo” features a score by Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire. Tesori has been nominated five times before but still has yet to win. Those previous bids were for “Thoroughly Modern Millie” in 2003 (lost to “Hairspray”), “Shrek the Musical” in 2010 (lost to “West Side Story”), “Fun Home” in 2016 (lost to “Hamilton”), “Soft Power” in...
SEEGrammys flashback: Revisiting The Weeknd’s notorious, confounding 2021 snub
“Kimberly Akimbo” features a score by Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire. Tesori has been nominated five times before but still has yet to win. Those previous bids were for “Thoroughly Modern Millie” in 2003 (lost to “Hairspray”), “Shrek the Musical” in 2010 (lost to “West Side Story”), “Fun Home” in 2016 (lost to “Hamilton”), “Soft Power” in...
- 12/15/2023
- by Jeffrey Kare
- Gold Derby
Billy Porter wrote the song “Always Be My Man” before he even knew about the film “Our Son,” let alone knew he would star in it, too. The multi-talented performer had wanted to pen a piece with collaborators Joe Killington and Conor Reeves about “the complexity of a relationship,” especially because he was living through a moment in which he was “fighting” with his now ex-husband. When the script for Bill Oliver’s film came his way soon after, the actor felt “the song was the law of attraction for me to receive this moment.” Watch our exclusive video interview above.
The desire to write a song for a film in which he also stars is one Porter has felt for a very long time. “I’ve been doing movies since 1999. I’ve been trying to get a song in a movie that I’m in since then. I have been completely dismissed for decades,...
The desire to write a song for a film in which he also stars is one Porter has felt for a very long time. “I’ve been doing movies since 1999. I’ve been trying to get a song in a movie that I’m in since then. I have been completely dismissed for decades,...
- 12/8/2023
- by David Buchanan
- Gold Derby
Exactly 20 years after he made history as the first Black performer to win a Golden Globe for a multi-part limited series, Jeffrey Wright is widely expected to triumph on his second general notice from the same organization. According to Gold Derby’s odds, he is the frontrunner in the 2024 Best Film Comedy/Musical Actor race based on his work in “American Fiction,” which is also set to compete for Best Comedy/Musical Film and Best Screenplay. If Wright at least prevails and thereby maintains his perfect Golden Globes record, he will become the third Black winner in his category’s seven-decade existence.
Adapted from the no-holds-barred 2001 novel “Erasure,” “American Fiction” was written and directed by first-time feature filmmaker Cord Jefferson, who has collected numerous accolades (including a Primetime Emmy) for his script work on such TV programs as “Watchmen” and “Succession.” Wright leads a primarily Black cast as fictional author Thelonious “Monk” Ellison,...
Adapted from the no-holds-barred 2001 novel “Erasure,” “American Fiction” was written and directed by first-time feature filmmaker Cord Jefferson, who has collected numerous accolades (including a Primetime Emmy) for his script work on such TV programs as “Watchmen” and “Succession.” Wright leads a primarily Black cast as fictional author Thelonious “Monk” Ellison,...
- 12/8/2023
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Kicking October to the curb and bringing in some November goodness is a fresh slate of new content headed to Paramount Global’s streamer Paramount+, including the sequel to the hit 1997 film “Good Burger.”
Paramount+ started off November by adding more than 30 titles to its library, some of which include “Above the Rim,” Season 15 of “Ink Master,” “Gladiator” and “The Color Purple.”
And if you’re looking for some holiday movies to watch with the family, you can deck the halls with “Happy Christmas,” “Mistletoe Ranch” or “Christmas Eve.” When the kids go to sleep, adult-friendly treats like “Bad Santa” and “Bad Santa 2” are also available.
The highly-anticipated “Good Burger 2,” which stars Kel Mitchell, Keenan Thompson, Shar Jackson, Carmen Electra, Josh Server, Alex R. Hibbert, Lori Beth Denberg and Lil Rel Howery, hits the platform on Nov. 22
Here’s everything coming to Paramount+ this November, from “The Truman Show” to “Paw Patrol.
Paramount+ started off November by adding more than 30 titles to its library, some of which include “Above the Rim,” Season 15 of “Ink Master,” “Gladiator” and “The Color Purple.”
And if you’re looking for some holiday movies to watch with the family, you can deck the halls with “Happy Christmas,” “Mistletoe Ranch” or “Christmas Eve.” When the kids go to sleep, adult-friendly treats like “Bad Santa” and “Bad Santa 2” are also available.
The highly-anticipated “Good Burger 2,” which stars Kel Mitchell, Keenan Thompson, Shar Jackson, Carmen Electra, Josh Server, Alex R. Hibbert, Lori Beth Denberg and Lil Rel Howery, hits the platform on Nov. 22
Here’s everything coming to Paramount+ this November, from “The Truman Show” to “Paw Patrol.
- 11/3/2023
- by Raquel 'Rocky' Harris
- The Wrap
Jasmine Amy Rogers, who recently finished a run as the scene-stealing “Gretchen Wieners” in the national tour of Mean Girls, has been cast in the title role of the pre-Broadway world premiere of Boop! The Betty Boop Musical.
Rogers will play the iconic big-headed Jazz Age flapper for a limited engagement at Chicago’s Cibc Theatre from November 19-December 24. The production is part of the Broadway in Chicago line-up.
Directed and choreographed by Tony winning Jerry Mitchell, Boop! features music by composer David Foster, lyrics by Susan Birkenhead and a book by The Prom‘s Bob Martin.
Although the Chicago staging is described by producers as a “pre-Broadway premiere,” neither a Broadway production timeline nor Broadway casting has been disclosed yet.
“From the moment Jasmine walks into a room and shares that magnificent smile and her contagious laugh, you know you are in the presence of Betty Boop,...
Rogers will play the iconic big-headed Jazz Age flapper for a limited engagement at Chicago’s Cibc Theatre from November 19-December 24. The production is part of the Broadway in Chicago line-up.
Directed and choreographed by Tony winning Jerry Mitchell, Boop! features music by composer David Foster, lyrics by Susan Birkenhead and a book by The Prom‘s Bob Martin.
Although the Chicago staging is described by producers as a “pre-Broadway premiere,” neither a Broadway production timeline nor Broadway casting has been disclosed yet.
“From the moment Jasmine walks into a room and shares that magnificent smile and her contagious laugh, you know you are in the presence of Betty Boop,...
- 9/27/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Release marks second collaboration after Golda.
Bleecker Street has acquired US rights to Waitress: The Musical following its Tribeca world premiere and will partner with Fathom Events on a December 7 nationwide release.
The content was captured live on stage in 2021 during the musical’s reprise on Broadway and stars composer-lyricist Sara Bareilles in the lead role.
Based on the 2007 film directed by Adrienne Shelly and starring Keri Russell, the musical follows an expert pie baker stuck in a small town and loveless marriage who enters a life-changing baking contest.
Brett Sullivan directed the film and Jessie Nelson is creative advisor.
Bleecker Street has acquired US rights to Waitress: The Musical following its Tribeca world premiere and will partner with Fathom Events on a December 7 nationwide release.
The content was captured live on stage in 2021 during the musical’s reprise on Broadway and stars composer-lyricist Sara Bareilles in the lead role.
Based on the 2007 film directed by Adrienne Shelly and starring Keri Russell, the musical follows an expert pie baker stuck in a small town and loveless marriage who enters a life-changing baking contest.
Brett Sullivan directed the film and Jessie Nelson is creative advisor.
- 9/6/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
With “Dancing with the Stars” returning for a 32nd season this fall on ABC after switching last year to Disney+, there’s a long list of celebrities who deserve a chance on the dance floor. Two of my past suggestions came true: Frankie Muniz (who came in third on season 25) and Kel Mitchell (who came in second on season 28). Below are six male stars I think the show should consider inviting to compete for the next Mirror Ball Trophy. Do you agree with these picks? Vote in our poll at the bottom of this post to let us know who you’d most like to see on “DWTS.” And feel free to sound off in the comments about what other stars you’d like to see when the show comes back in September.
See‘Dancing with the Stars’ season 32 wish list: 6 women we’d love to see [Poll]
Dana Carvey
He...
See‘Dancing with the Stars’ season 32 wish list: 6 women we’d love to see [Poll]
Dana Carvey
He...
- 9/2/2023
- by Jeffrey Kare
- Gold Derby
The SAG-AFTRA strike is already putting a squeeze on actors’ finances — even for an Emmy winner.
Billy Porter, who shot to fame and won an Emmy on the FX drama Pose, now says he has to sell his house due to the financial strain of the strike. “I have to sell my house,” he tells the UK’s Evening Standard, “because we’re on strike.” For an artist like Porter, “until you make f–k-you money — which I haven’t made yet,” life is still paycheck-to-paycheck, he says. “I was supposed to be in a new movie, and on...
Billy Porter, who shot to fame and won an Emmy on the FX drama Pose, now says he has to sell his house due to the financial strain of the strike. “I have to sell my house,” he tells the UK’s Evening Standard, “because we’re on strike.” For an artist like Porter, “until you make f–k-you money — which I haven’t made yet,” life is still paycheck-to-paycheck, he says. “I was supposed to be in a new movie, and on...
- 8/8/2023
- by Dave Nemetz
- TVLine.com
Stage actor James Beeks has been acquitted of all charges stemming from his participation in the Jan. 6th Capitol riots, with U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta concluding today at a Washington, D.C. courthouse that there was no evidence suggesting Beeks knew of plans to obstruct Congress.
Beeks, who was arrested in November 2021 while on tour portraying Judas in a road company of Jesus Christ Superstar, had traveled to Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6 after reading online messages posted by the right-wing group Oath Keepers. The 49-year-old actor’s attorney Greg Hunter said Beeks was not aware of the group’s intentions. “If he didn’t know what others intended, he couldn’t intend to do it,” Hunter said, according to reports.
In his ruling today, Judge Mehta cited a lack of evidence that Beeks knowingly took part in planning the attack. The actor is no longer a...
Beeks, who was arrested in November 2021 while on tour portraying Judas in a road company of Jesus Christ Superstar, had traveled to Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6 after reading online messages posted by the right-wing group Oath Keepers. The 49-year-old actor’s attorney Greg Hunter said Beeks was not aware of the group’s intentions. “If he didn’t know what others intended, he couldn’t intend to do it,” Hunter said, according to reports.
In his ruling today, Judge Mehta cited a lack of evidence that Beeks knowingly took part in planning the attack. The actor is no longer a...
- 7/12/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Billy Porter and his husband of six years, Adam Smith, have decided to end their marriage.
Porter’s representative confirmed their divorce and said that the men have asked for “privacy” while dealing with the logistics.
Their split was “amicable” and there is no bad blood between the two. He additionally added that neither will comment on the divorce publicly.
The couple first met back in 2009 while at a dinner party and dated for a year before breaking up. Five years later, they decided to get back together and tied the knot on January 14, 2017, just 16 days after Porter proposed in London.
The couple said at the time that they chose to get married so quickly because they wanted to get married while Barack Obama was still president. They had a small and intimate wedding in Manhattan with about 45 guests.
Their marriage was especially important to both of them as Porter...
Porter’s representative confirmed their divorce and said that the men have asked for “privacy” while dealing with the logistics.
Their split was “amicable” and there is no bad blood between the two. He additionally added that neither will comment on the divorce publicly.
The couple first met back in 2009 while at a dinner party and dated for a year before breaking up. Five years later, they decided to get back together and tied the knot on January 14, 2017, just 16 days after Porter proposed in London.
The couple said at the time that they chose to get married so quickly because they wanted to get married while Barack Obama was still president. They had a small and intimate wedding in Manhattan with about 45 guests.
Their marriage was especially important to both of them as Porter...
- 7/7/2023
- by Nina Hauswirth
- Uinterview
Start your engines and mark your calendars for July 28. “RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under” is back for a third season with 10 fierce and fabulous queens.
RuPaul will be hosting the series with returning judges Michelle Visage and Rhys Nicholson.
“Australasian drag is filled with heart and humor, and I’m thrilled to share my Season 3 queens to the world, for all to see their charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent,” RuPaul says.
The 10 queens hail from across New Zealand and Australia. This season promises to be filled with thrills and maxi-challenges galore as the queens go head-to-head to snatch the crown.
“RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under” will air day and date on Wow Presents Plus in the U.S. and select territories worldwide, with its local airing on Tvnz+ in New Zealand and Stan in Australia. Meet the queens below.
Amyl
Age: 27
Amyl hails from Sydney. She has been on the...
RuPaul will be hosting the series with returning judges Michelle Visage and Rhys Nicholson.
“Australasian drag is filled with heart and humor, and I’m thrilled to share my Season 3 queens to the world, for all to see their charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent,” RuPaul says.
The 10 queens hail from across New Zealand and Australia. This season promises to be filled with thrills and maxi-challenges galore as the queens go head-to-head to snatch the crown.
“RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under” will air day and date on Wow Presents Plus in the U.S. and select territories worldwide, with its local airing on Tvnz+ in New Zealand and Stan in Australia. Meet the queens below.
Amyl
Age: 27
Amyl hails from Sydney. She has been on the...
- 6/28/2023
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
In the buzzing atmosphere of Tribeca’s Storytellers Panel, there was a great conversation between two longstanding peers, Billy Porter and Idina Menzel. Born out of shared experiences in musical theater, their friendship spans several decades, revealing a mutual respect between them.
Billy Porter, a pioneering actor, singer, and director, has made an indelible mark on both Broadway and Hollywood. From his remarkable performances on Broadway, most notably in Kinky Boots which earned him a Tony award for Best Actor in a Musical, to making history in Hollywood as the first openly gay Black man to win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his role in Pose, Porter has consistently challenged norms and transformed the entertainment landscape. His influence extends beyond his roles, with Porter continually using his platform to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and visibility.
Equally influential, Idina Menzel, a renowned actress and singer,...
Billy Porter, a pioneering actor, singer, and director, has made an indelible mark on both Broadway and Hollywood. From his remarkable performances on Broadway, most notably in Kinky Boots which earned him a Tony award for Best Actor in a Musical, to making history in Hollywood as the first openly gay Black man to win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his role in Pose, Porter has consistently challenged norms and transformed the entertainment landscape. His influence extends beyond his roles, with Porter continually using his platform to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and visibility.
Equally influential, Idina Menzel, a renowned actress and singer,...
- 6/16/2023
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
Two performers broke new ground when it comes to gender diversity at the Tony Awards. J. Harrison Ghee and Alex Newell are the first ever openly nonbinary acting winners at the Tony Awards.
Ghee and Newell already broke barriers with their nominations, as the first openly nonbinary acting nominees. But the Tonys have now gone from zero to two winning nonbinary performers in one season. Ghee won Lead Actor in a Musical for the role of Daphne in “Some Like it Hot,” a character that begins to explore their true gender identity over the course of the musical. Newell won Featured Actor in a Musical for the role of Lulu in “Shucked,” who receives nightly standing ovations for their signature number “Independently Owned.”
This was the first Tony nomination for both performers. Ghee had previously appeared on Broadway in “Kinky Boots” and “Mrs. Doubtfire.” Newell previously appeared in “Once on This Island.
Ghee and Newell already broke barriers with their nominations, as the first openly nonbinary acting nominees. But the Tonys have now gone from zero to two winning nonbinary performers in one season. Ghee won Lead Actor in a Musical for the role of Daphne in “Some Like it Hot,” a character that begins to explore their true gender identity over the course of the musical. Newell won Featured Actor in a Musical for the role of Lulu in “Shucked,” who receives nightly standing ovations for their signature number “Independently Owned.”
This was the first Tony nomination for both performers. Ghee had previously appeared on Broadway in “Kinky Boots” and “Mrs. Doubtfire.” Newell previously appeared in “Once on This Island.
- 6/12/2023
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
Image Source: Getty / Theo Wargo
Alex Newell and J. Harrison Ghee made history at the 2023 Tonys when they both took home the awards they were nominated for at the June 11 ceremony. The pair are the first-ever nonbinary people to win an acting award at the Tonys ceremony.
Newell's category was announced first, and they won for best featured actor in a musical for their role in "Shucked." In their emotional speech, Newell said in part, "I have wanted this my entire life," and thanked their mom, who was in attendance, for her support and love.
"I should not be up here as a queer, nonbinary, fat, Black little baby from Massachusetts," Newell said. "And to anyone who thinks they can't do it, I'm going to look you dead in your face that you can do anything you put your mind to."
The "Shucked" Twitter account congratulated Newell, writing, "Liberated, calculated,...
Alex Newell and J. Harrison Ghee made history at the 2023 Tonys when they both took home the awards they were nominated for at the June 11 ceremony. The pair are the first-ever nonbinary people to win an acting award at the Tonys ceremony.
Newell's category was announced first, and they won for best featured actor in a musical for their role in "Shucked." In their emotional speech, Newell said in part, "I have wanted this my entire life," and thanked their mom, who was in attendance, for her support and love.
"I should not be up here as a queer, nonbinary, fat, Black little baby from Massachusetts," Newell said. "And to anyone who thinks they can't do it, I'm going to look you dead in your face that you can do anything you put your mind to."
The "Shucked" Twitter account congratulated Newell, writing, "Liberated, calculated,...
- 6/12/2023
- by Victoria Edel
- Popsugar.com
Here’s to some real-life New Directions! In one of the earliest awards handed out in the 76th Tony Awards telecast on CBS and Paramount+, history was made as Alex Newell became the first-ever openly non-binary actor to win a Tony award, in the Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical category, for their showstopping role as cornpone character Lulu in the musical comedy “Shucked.”
Then, in the show’s final hour, that record was upheld by nonbinary actor J. Harrison Ghee, who won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical in the Marc Shaiman/Scott Wittman tuner “Some Like it Hot”, based on Billy Wilder’s classic 1950s comedy. Ghee, late of musicals such as “Kinky Boots” and “Mrs. Doubtfire”, was a favorite for their bold reimagining of the Jerry/Daphne role made famous by Jack Lemmon in the original film.
Then, in the show’s final hour, that record was upheld by nonbinary actor J. Harrison Ghee, who won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical in the Marc Shaiman/Scott Wittman tuner “Some Like it Hot”, based on Billy Wilder’s classic 1950s comedy. Ghee, late of musicals such as “Kinky Boots” and “Mrs. Doubtfire”, was a favorite for their bold reimagining of the Jerry/Daphne role made famous by Jack Lemmon in the original film.
- 6/12/2023
- by Jason Clark
- The Wrap
Wayne Brady will lead the Broadway revival of The Wiz, producers Kristin Caskey, Mike Isaacson, Brian Anthony Moreland and Ambassador Theatre Group said Wednesday.
The Who’s Line Is It Anyway star has previously appeared on Broadway as Billy Flynn in Chicago, as Lola in Kinky Boots and as Aaron Burr in the Chicago run of Hamilton. He will take on the role of the Wiz in spring 2024, during the production’s planned Broadway run, following stops at the Golden Gate Theatre in San Francisco and at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre.
Before coming to Broadway, the production will launch a tour this fall in Baltimore and travel to cities including DC, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Chicago and San Diego. During those tour stops, Alan Mingo Jr., who has also appeared as Lola in Kinky Boots on Broadway, as well as Sebastian in The Little Mermaid, will play the role of the Wiz.
The Who’s Line Is It Anyway star has previously appeared on Broadway as Billy Flynn in Chicago, as Lola in Kinky Boots and as Aaron Burr in the Chicago run of Hamilton. He will take on the role of the Wiz in spring 2024, during the production’s planned Broadway run, following stops at the Golden Gate Theatre in San Francisco and at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre.
Before coming to Broadway, the production will launch a tour this fall in Baltimore and travel to cities including DC, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Chicago and San Diego. During those tour stops, Alan Mingo Jr., who has also appeared as Lola in Kinky Boots on Broadway, as well as Sebastian in The Little Mermaid, will play the role of the Wiz.
- 6/7/2023
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
This month, free streaming service Pluto TV will premiere the new kids’ animated series “Shaq’s Garage.” The show focuses on the secret adventures of basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal’s extraordinary collection of cars, trucks, and other unique vehicles, known as the Shaq Pack. The show will debut on June 5.
The 1994 Australian road comedy “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” was eye-opening at its debut. The movie centers on two drag queens and a transgender woman crossing the Outback en route to a nightclub performance. Hugo Weaving, Guy Pearce, and Terence Stamp star in the comedy that helped introduce LGBTQ themes to a mainstream audience. The film arrives on the service on June 1.
Interestingly, it’s just one of three movies coming to Pluto in June that led to a stage musical adaptation. In addition to “Priscilla” is the British comedy “Kinky Boots.” That film’s musical version won...
The 1994 Australian road comedy “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” was eye-opening at its debut. The movie centers on two drag queens and a transgender woman crossing the Outback en route to a nightclub performance. Hugo Weaving, Guy Pearce, and Terence Stamp star in the comedy that helped introduce LGBTQ themes to a mainstream audience. The film arrives on the service on June 1.
Interestingly, it’s just one of three movies coming to Pluto in June that led to a stage musical adaptation. In addition to “Priscilla” is the British comedy “Kinky Boots.” That film’s musical version won...
- 6/1/2023
- by Fern Siegel
- The Streamable
Tony winner Lena Hall is set to star in a new Broadway-aimed musical from the & Juliet writing and directing team and featuring the hit songs of rock & roll pioneer Roy Orbison.
In Dreams, written by David West Read and directed by Luke Sheppard will have out-of-town tryouts at Leeds Playhouse in the UK and the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre in Toronto before an expected transfer to Broadway.
The story revolves around the former lead singer (Hall) of a country rock band who, at a critical moment in her life, throws a party in a family-run Mexican restaurant to reconnect with old friends, while keeping her deeper motivations a secret.
Casting for the Leeds production (July 3-August 5) will include Oliver Tompsett, who appeared in the West End production of & Juliet. He’ll play a drummer from the Hall character’s past.
Hall is...
In Dreams, written by David West Read and directed by Luke Sheppard will have out-of-town tryouts at Leeds Playhouse in the UK and the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre in Toronto before an expected transfer to Broadway.
The story revolves around the former lead singer (Hall) of a country rock band who, at a critical moment in her life, throws a party in a family-run Mexican restaurant to reconnect with old friends, while keeping her deeper motivations a secret.
Casting for the Leeds production (July 3-August 5) will include Oliver Tompsett, who appeared in the West End production of & Juliet. He’ll play a drummer from the Hall character’s past.
Hall is...
- 5/18/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
The Outer Critics Circle (Occ), the official organization of writers on New York theatre for out-of-town newspapers and national publications, today announced the nominees for the 72nd Annual Outer Critics Circle Awards, honoring the 2022-2023 Broadway and Off-Broadway season.
“New York, New York” received a major backing from this announcement, which coincides with the production’s opening night. The new musical with songs from John Kander, the late Fred Ebb and Lin-Manuel Miranda earned a whopping 12 nominations, the most of any production. “Some Like it Hot” trails just behind it with 10 nominations. The most nominated plays of the season are the Off-Broadway sensation “Downstate” and Broadway epic “Leopoldstadt,” both with six nominations apiece.
This is the first season with newly reconstructed acting categories, which have removed gender specifications, and have been expanded to separately include off-Broadway performers. In the previous configuration, actors in Broadway and off-Broadway productions competed in the same category.
“New York, New York” received a major backing from this announcement, which coincides with the production’s opening night. The new musical with songs from John Kander, the late Fred Ebb and Lin-Manuel Miranda earned a whopping 12 nominations, the most of any production. “Some Like it Hot” trails just behind it with 10 nominations. The most nominated plays of the season are the Off-Broadway sensation “Downstate” and Broadway epic “Leopoldstadt,” both with six nominations apiece.
This is the first season with newly reconstructed acting categories, which have removed gender specifications, and have been expanded to separately include off-Broadway performers. In the previous configuration, actors in Broadway and off-Broadway productions competed in the same category.
- 4/26/2023
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
It took till season 9 of “The Masked Singer” but we’ve finally got a costume that features five performers: the California Roll. They took to the stage on March 1 to deliver a soaring cover of the hit “Paparazzi” by Lady Gaga. After Polar Bear lost the audience vote and was revealed to be rapper Grandmaster Flash, California Roll was pitted in a Battle Royale with Medusa.
Each put their own spin on the classic tune “Uptown Girl” by Billie Joel. Medusa delivered a traditional take on the tune while California Roll turned it into a haunting ballad. After Medusa won the vote, we thought this was the last we’d see of California Roll but Nicole Scherzinger sounded the Ding Dong bell and saved them.
We’ve been rewatching both of these performances and have all your “The Masked Singer” spoilers, including the answer to the question, “Who is California...
Each put their own spin on the classic tune “Uptown Girl” by Billie Joel. Medusa delivered a traditional take on the tune while California Roll turned it into a haunting ballad. After Medusa won the vote, we thought this was the last we’d see of California Roll but Nicole Scherzinger sounded the Ding Dong bell and saved them.
We’ve been rewatching both of these performances and have all your “The Masked Singer” spoilers, including the answer to the question, “Who is California...
- 4/19/2023
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
Billy Porter will star in a biopic based on the life of writer and civil rights activist James Baldwin, co-written by Porter and Dan McCabe.
The film will be produced by Byron Allen’s Media Group Motion Pictures and will use David Leeming’s acclaimed 1994 biography as source material. Porter and D.J. Gugenheim’s Incognegro Productions will co-produce alongside Allen, Carolyn Folks, Jennifer Lucas, Matthew Singer and Chris Charalambous’ Amgmp.
Baldwin was a Black, gay writer and civil rights activist who penned “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” “Notes of a Native Son,” “Native Country,” “The Fire Next Time,” “Giovanni’s Room” and “If Beale Street Could Talk,” the last of which recently received an Oscar-winning film adaptation from “Moonlight” filmmaker Barry Jenkins. His unfinished manuscript “Remember This House” was also the subject of the Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-winning documentary “I am Not Your Negro.”
Also Read:
Frank Grillo to Play...
The film will be produced by Byron Allen’s Media Group Motion Pictures and will use David Leeming’s acclaimed 1994 biography as source material. Porter and D.J. Gugenheim’s Incognegro Productions will co-produce alongside Allen, Carolyn Folks, Jennifer Lucas, Matthew Singer and Chris Charalambous’ Amgmp.
Baldwin was a Black, gay writer and civil rights activist who penned “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” “Notes of a Native Son,” “Native Country,” “The Fire Next Time,” “Giovanni’s Room” and “If Beale Street Could Talk,” the last of which recently received an Oscar-winning film adaptation from “Moonlight” filmmaker Barry Jenkins. His unfinished manuscript “Remember This House” was also the subject of the Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-winning documentary “I am Not Your Negro.”
Also Read:
Frank Grillo to Play...
- 4/12/2023
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
Billy Porter (Pose) and frequent collaborator Dan McCabe (Fruits of Thy Labor) have been tapped to script a James Baldwin biopic for Byron Allen‘s Allen Media Group Motion Pictures, with the former also to realize his longtime dream of portraying the cultural icon.
The film will be based on the 1994 book James Baldwin: A Biography by David Leeming, an emeritus professor of English at the University of Connecticut who was a friend of Baldwin’s for 25 years, as well as his assistant.
A gay, African American writer and civil rights activist born in Harlem who wrote critically acclaimed and influential essays, novels, plays and poems, Baldwin’s best-known works include Go Tell It on the Mountain, Notes of a Native Son, Another Country, The Fire Next Time, Giovanni’s Room and If Beale Street Could Talk. Lemming’s biography of Baldwin creates an intimate portrait of a complex, troubled,...
The film will be based on the 1994 book James Baldwin: A Biography by David Leeming, an emeritus professor of English at the University of Connecticut who was a friend of Baldwin’s for 25 years, as well as his assistant.
A gay, African American writer and civil rights activist born in Harlem who wrote critically acclaimed and influential essays, novels, plays and poems, Baldwin’s best-known works include Go Tell It on the Mountain, Notes of a Native Son, Another Country, The Fire Next Time, Giovanni’s Room and If Beale Street Could Talk. Lemming’s biography of Baldwin creates an intimate portrait of a complex, troubled,...
- 4/12/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The corn is as high as an elephant’s eye in Broadway’s latest musical comedy “Shucked.” The new original show is an intentionally corny riff on classic Golden Age musicals: it sets a country girl from Cob County off to the big city of Tampa to find help when her community’s corn faces a blight, where she promptly meets and brings home a huckster. “Shucked” opened at the Nederlander Theatre on April 4.
Directed by three-time Tony Award winner Jack O’Brien and featuring a book by Tony-winner Robert Horn and score by first-time Broadway composers Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, “Shucked” boasts an ensemble comprised of Tony nominee Grey Henson and Broadway standouts John Behlmann, Kevin Cahoon, Alex Newell, and others surrounding its lead, newcomer Caroline Innerbichler.
Watch 2023 Tony Awards slugfest: 15 productions vie for places in Musical races
“Shucked” received positive reviews from most critics. Adam Feldman (Time Out...
Directed by three-time Tony Award winner Jack O’Brien and featuring a book by Tony-winner Robert Horn and score by first-time Broadway composers Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, “Shucked” boasts an ensemble comprised of Tony nominee Grey Henson and Broadway standouts John Behlmann, Kevin Cahoon, Alex Newell, and others surrounding its lead, newcomer Caroline Innerbichler.
Watch 2023 Tony Awards slugfest: 15 productions vie for places in Musical races
“Shucked” received positive reviews from most critics. Adam Feldman (Time Out...
- 4/5/2023
- by David Buchanan
- Gold Derby
Each week on “Whatcha Packin’,” Michelle Visage interviews the recently eliminated queen and shows us some of the runway looks they didn’t get the chance to use on the show. Following her episode 11 elimination, Marcia Marcia Marcia explains how much learning she achieved in her time on the show, including makeup tips. Watch the full episode above via the official RuPaul’s Drag Race channel on YouTube.
In her interview, Marcia breaks the news to Michelle that since the show she’s been doing really well like her role in “Kinky Boots” on Broadway. She also says that she got into drag only shortly before lockdowns for the pandemic and that she had been on a national tour of “Hello, Dolly!” around that time. For that reason, she had very little time gaining experience in the traditional spaces like nightclubs to really hone her craft before getting cast on the show.
In her interview, Marcia breaks the news to Michelle that since the show she’s been doing really well like her role in “Kinky Boots” on Broadway. She also says that she got into drag only shortly before lockdowns for the pandemic and that she had been on a national tour of “Hello, Dolly!” around that time. For that reason, she had very little time gaining experience in the traditional spaces like nightclubs to really hone her craft before getting cast on the show.
- 3/12/2023
- by John Benutty
- Gold Derby
Accused returns with another new story on Fox tonight, Feb. 21. Episode 5, “Robyn’s Story,” follows a “shy and mild-mannered” man named Kevin who moonlights as a fierce drag queen named Robyn at night. When Kevin falls for a closeted man living a double life, their affair leads to “devastating consequences.” So, who is in the cast of Accused Episode 5? Here’s a breakdown of the stars and where you’ve seen them before. Plus, learn more about Billy Porter directing the episode.
‘Accused’ Episode 5 cast member J. Harrison Ghee as Robyn | Elly Dassas/Fox J. Harrison Ghee as Kevin/Robyn
J. Harrison Ghee stars in Accused Episode 5 as Kevin/Robyn. By day, Kevin is a shy Esl teacher, but at night, they transform into the confident and charismatic Robyn. Kevin’s whirlwind romance will lead to their arrest, but will they be found innocent or guilty?
Ghee previously appeared in...
‘Accused’ Episode 5 cast member J. Harrison Ghee as Robyn | Elly Dassas/Fox J. Harrison Ghee as Kevin/Robyn
J. Harrison Ghee stars in Accused Episode 5 as Kevin/Robyn. By day, Kevin is a shy Esl teacher, but at night, they transform into the confident and charismatic Robyn. Kevin’s whirlwind romance will lead to their arrest, but will they be found innocent or guilty?
Ghee previously appeared in...
- 2/22/2023
- by Elise Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild held its 10th annual awards ceremony Saturday night at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis” dominated the night with two wins for best period and/or character make-up and period and/or character hair styling. Best special make-up effects went to Adrien Morot, Kathy Tse and Chris Gallaher for “The Whale. Michelle Chung (Variety’s 10 artisans to watch recipient for hair and makeup) and the “Everything Everywhere All At Once” team took home the award for best contemporary make up, while the “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” team won for best contemporary hair.
On the TV front, Hulu’s “Pam and Tommy,” “American Horror Story: Dollhouse” and “Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special” all took home awards.
Make-up artist D’Andre Michael and Muah winner Camille Friend presented the Distinguished Artisan Award to Angela Bassett.
Bassett told the room full of local 706 artisans,...
Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis” dominated the night with two wins for best period and/or character make-up and period and/or character hair styling. Best special make-up effects went to Adrien Morot, Kathy Tse and Chris Gallaher for “The Whale. Michelle Chung (Variety’s 10 artisans to watch recipient for hair and makeup) and the “Everything Everywhere All At Once” team took home the award for best contemporary make up, while the “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” team won for best contemporary hair.
On the TV front, Hulu’s “Pam and Tommy,” “American Horror Story: Dollhouse” and “Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special” all took home awards.
Make-up artist D’Andre Michael and Muah winner Camille Friend presented the Distinguished Artisan Award to Angela Bassett.
Bassett told the room full of local 706 artisans,...
- 2/12/2023
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Leading boutique firm, the Daniel Hoff Agency, is celebrating an impressive 30-year track record in entertainment via an expansion into Atlanta with a new office to be led by senior agents Renee Banks and Marta Parrillo.
Banks and Parrillo are both longtime veterans of the Daniel Hoff Agency who had previously been based in Los Angeles. The agency, with an established presence in both L.A. and New York, now looks to capitalize on the burgeoning hotbed of production in the South, with local agents to bring the personal touch that has been key to the firm’s growth over the decades.
Daniel Hoff Agency founder, Daniel Hoff, told Deadline: “Ten years ago, we seized the opportunity to open a Manhattan office with Dave Secor leading the charge, and in 2020, we expanded that New York presence as we brought on power Broadway and musical theater agents Dustin Flores and Marc Anthony Ferre.
Banks and Parrillo are both longtime veterans of the Daniel Hoff Agency who had previously been based in Los Angeles. The agency, with an established presence in both L.A. and New York, now looks to capitalize on the burgeoning hotbed of production in the South, with local agents to bring the personal touch that has been key to the firm’s growth over the decades.
Daniel Hoff Agency founder, Daniel Hoff, told Deadline: “Ten years ago, we seized the opportunity to open a Manhattan office with Dave Secor leading the charge, and in 2020, we expanded that New York presence as we brought on power Broadway and musical theater agents Dustin Flores and Marc Anthony Ferre.
- 2/3/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Network television has no shortage of crime shows. From “CSI” to “NCIS” and “Law & Order,” procedurals have dominated the TV landscape for quite some time, with a focus on the prosecutors and cops at the center of every show.
Fox’s new series “Accused,” from “Homeland” producer Howard Gordon, is hoping to change that. The anthology series, which premiered on Jan. 22, features the story of a different defendant every episode, with a new director at the helm every time. Each episode begins with a defendant on trial, and spends the rest of its time telling that person’s story, with little focus on the prosecution.
At the Abbey Food & Bar in West Hollywood on Monday night, guests celebrated an upcoming episode that marks Billy Porter’s television directing debut.T he episode stars J. Harrison Ghee (currently starring in “Some Like it Hot” on Broadway) as a drag queen...
Fox’s new series “Accused,” from “Homeland” producer Howard Gordon, is hoping to change that. The anthology series, which premiered on Jan. 22, features the story of a different defendant every episode, with a new director at the helm every time. Each episode begins with a defendant on trial, and spends the rest of its time telling that person’s story, with little focus on the prosecution.
At the Abbey Food & Bar in West Hollywood on Monday night, guests celebrated an upcoming episode that marks Billy Porter’s television directing debut.T he episode stars J. Harrison Ghee (currently starring in “Some Like it Hot” on Broadway) as a drag queen...
- 1/31/2023
- by Sasha Urban
- Variety Film + TV
Firsts! Firsts! Firsts across the board!
“RuPaul’s Drag Race” is returning for Season 15 with a bevy of firsts for the venerated, and Emmy-celebrated, reality competition series. The cast will comprise of 16 contestants, the largest ever collection of drag queens on the Emmy-winning reality competition series. The show will debut for the first time on MTV, in a two-part season premiere on Jan. 6 at 8:00 p.m. Et/Pt. The queens will be competing for a cash prize of 200,000 — the largest winnings ever for the mothership franchise, which will also reach its 200th episode this season. And for the first time in “Drag Race” herstory, the competition will include twins, although they will vie for the crown separately.
The aftershow “RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked” will follow each episode of the competition.
On Tuesday, Season 14 winner Willow Pill introduced the Season 15 cast in a “Meet the Queens” special on YouTube. They include…...
“RuPaul’s Drag Race” is returning for Season 15 with a bevy of firsts for the venerated, and Emmy-celebrated, reality competition series. The cast will comprise of 16 contestants, the largest ever collection of drag queens on the Emmy-winning reality competition series. The show will debut for the first time on MTV, in a two-part season premiere on Jan. 6 at 8:00 p.m. Et/Pt. The queens will be competing for a cash prize of 200,000 — the largest winnings ever for the mothership franchise, which will also reach its 200th episode this season. And for the first time in “Drag Race” herstory, the competition will include twins, although they will vie for the crown separately.
The aftershow “RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked” will follow each episode of the competition.
On Tuesday, Season 14 winner Willow Pill introduced the Season 15 cast in a “Meet the Queens” special on YouTube. They include…...
- 12/13/2022
- by Adam B. Vary
- Variety Film + TV
“Dancing with the Stars” season 31 premieres on Monday night, September 19, on its new home, Disney+, but which of the 16 celebrities will win the Mirror Ball Trophy? The celebs haven’t stepped foot in the ballroom yet, but fans have been making their predictions here in our predictions center since the cast was officially announced. So who are they betting on?
Right now it looks like a two-horse race. Jordin Sparks leads our predictions with 4/1 odds based on fans’ combined predictions. So what makes her such a strong early contender to win? Well, she’s an “American Idol” alum, just like season 16 winner Kellie Pickler. And beyond that, singers and recording artists in general have had a strong track record on “DWTS.” Consider other winners like Drew Lachey (season two), Nicole Scherzinger (season 10), and Amber Riley (season 17), and finalists like Nick Carter (season 21), Normani (season 24), Lindsey Stirling (season 25), and Ally Brooke...
Right now it looks like a two-horse race. Jordin Sparks leads our predictions with 4/1 odds based on fans’ combined predictions. So what makes her such a strong early contender to win? Well, she’s an “American Idol” alum, just like season 16 winner Kellie Pickler. And beyond that, singers and recording artists in general have had a strong track record on “DWTS.” Consider other winners like Drew Lachey (season two), Nicole Scherzinger (season 10), and Amber Riley (season 17), and finalists like Nick Carter (season 21), Normani (season 24), Lindsey Stirling (season 25), and Ally Brooke...
- 9/13/2022
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Rachel Bilson, Margo Martindale, Molly Parker and Jack Davenport have joined Fox’s upcoming crime anthology series from “Homeland” and “24” executive producer Howard Gordon.
Described as “a collection of 15 intense, topical and exquisitely human stories of crime and punishment,” “Accused” will be comprised of individual episodes that are each their own “fast-paced provocative thriller, exploring a different crime, in a different city, with an entirely original cast.”
Martindale (“The Americans”) and Parker (“House of Cards”) have been cast in an episode centered on conspiracy theories, while Bilson (“The O.C.”) and Davenport (“The Morning Show”) are starring in an installment about “a family caught in a troubling situation,” with Reid Miller and August Maturo also joining that cast.
Additionally, Fox has tapped Tazbah Rose Chavez (“Reservation Dogs”) as writer and director of an episode about Native American activists protesting a uranium mine that’s been polluting tribal lands for decades.
Previously...
Described as “a collection of 15 intense, topical and exquisitely human stories of crime and punishment,” “Accused” will be comprised of individual episodes that are each their own “fast-paced provocative thriller, exploring a different crime, in a different city, with an entirely original cast.”
Martindale (“The Americans”) and Parker (“House of Cards”) have been cast in an episode centered on conspiracy theories, while Bilson (“The O.C.”) and Davenport (“The Morning Show”) are starring in an installment about “a family caught in a troubling situation,” with Reid Miller and August Maturo also joining that cast.
Additionally, Fox has tapped Tazbah Rose Chavez (“Reservation Dogs”) as writer and director of an episode about Native American activists protesting a uranium mine that’s been polluting tribal lands for decades.
Previously...
- 9/7/2022
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
Margo Martindale (“The Americans”), Molly Parker (“House of Cards”), Rachel Bilson (“The O.C.”) and Jack Davenport (“The Morning Show”) are among the new cast members that have been added to Fox’s upcoming anthology drama series “Accused” from “24” and “Homeland” co-creator Howard Gordon.
“Accused” is a collection of 15 stories about crime and punishment. The series is described by the network as a “fast-paced provocative thriller, exploring a different crime, in a different city, with an entirely original cast” in each episode.
Martindale and Parker will star in an episode tackling conspiracy theories while Bilson and Davenport will appear in an episode about a family caught in a troubling situation. Reid Miller and August Maturo also star alongside Bilson and Davenport.
Also Read:
‘Fox & Friends’ Co-Hosts Pounce on Steve Doocy for Saying Biden Didn’t Attack All Republicans in Anti-maga Speech
Broadway star J. Harrison Ghee (“Kinky Boots”) will appear in...
“Accused” is a collection of 15 stories about crime and punishment. The series is described by the network as a “fast-paced provocative thriller, exploring a different crime, in a different city, with an entirely original cast” in each episode.
Martindale and Parker will star in an episode tackling conspiracy theories while Bilson and Davenport will appear in an episode about a family caught in a troubling situation. Reid Miller and August Maturo also star alongside Bilson and Davenport.
Also Read:
‘Fox & Friends’ Co-Hosts Pounce on Steve Doocy for Saying Biden Didn’t Attack All Republicans in Anti-maga Speech
Broadway star J. Harrison Ghee (“Kinky Boots”) will appear in...
- 9/7/2022
- by Brandon Katz
- The Wrap
Preparing for an upcoming flight isn’t just limited to packing your clothes and toiletries — have you thought about how you’re going to keep yourself entertained? The idealist in all of us might say we’re gonna read that book we’ve been putting off, but depending on the length of your flight, that may be easier said than done. If it’s on the longer side, it can be easy to get distracted and start to really feel the minutes crawling by.
The good news is that in recent years,...
The good news is that in recent years,...
- 8/19/2022
- by Jon Adams
- Rollingstone.com
Sean Bean’s “Snowpiercer” co-star Lena Hall has responded to his remarks that intimacy coordinators “spoil the spontaneity” of a sex scene.
Bean made the comments to the U.K.’s Times Magazine in an interview to promote his latest BBC series, “Marriage.” “I think the natural way lovers behave would be ruined by someone bringing it right down to a technical exercise,” he told the magazine, adding that Hall, with whom he’d had a number of intimate and nude scenes in “Snowpiercer,” “was up for anything” because of her “musical cabaret background.”
Bean is best known for his turns as Ned Stark in “Game of Thrones” and Boromir in The Lord of the Rings trilogy while Hall has starred in numerous Broadway productions, including shows such as “Kinky Boots” and “Cats” as well as making on-screen appearances in shows including “Girls” and “All My Children.”
In response to Variety...
Bean made the comments to the U.K.’s Times Magazine in an interview to promote his latest BBC series, “Marriage.” “I think the natural way lovers behave would be ruined by someone bringing it right down to a technical exercise,” he told the magazine, adding that Hall, with whom he’d had a number of intimate and nude scenes in “Snowpiercer,” “was up for anything” because of her “musical cabaret background.”
Bean is best known for his turns as Ned Stark in “Game of Thrones” and Boromir in The Lord of the Rings trilogy while Hall has starred in numerous Broadway productions, including shows such as “Kinky Boots” and “Cats” as well as making on-screen appearances in shows including “Girls” and “All My Children.”
In response to Variety...
- 8/9/2022
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
“Game of Thrones” actor Sean Bean says intimacy coordinators “spoil the spontaneity” of shooting a sex scene.
“It would inhibit me more because it’s drawing attention to things,” Bean, who played Ned Stark in the hit fantasy show, said of having an intimacy coordinator in the room. “Somebody saying, ‘Do this, put your hands there, while you touch his thing…”
“I think the natural way lovers behave would be ruined by someone bringing it right down to a technical exercise,” he added, comparing his experience to the raunchy 1993 adaptation of “Lady Chatterly’s Lover,” in which he starred opposite Joely Richardson.
“‘Lady Chatterly’ was spontaneous,” Bean said in his interview with the U.K.’s Times Magazine. “It was a joy. We had a good chemistry between us, and we knew what we were doing was unusual. Because she was married, I was married. But we were following the story.
“It would inhibit me more because it’s drawing attention to things,” Bean, who played Ned Stark in the hit fantasy show, said of having an intimacy coordinator in the room. “Somebody saying, ‘Do this, put your hands there, while you touch his thing…”
“I think the natural way lovers behave would be ruined by someone bringing it right down to a technical exercise,” he added, comparing his experience to the raunchy 1993 adaptation of “Lady Chatterly’s Lover,” in which he starred opposite Joely Richardson.
“‘Lady Chatterly’ was spontaneous,” Bean said in his interview with the U.K.’s Times Magazine. “It was a joy. We had a good chemistry between us, and we knew what we were doing was unusual. Because she was married, I was married. But we were following the story.
- 8/8/2022
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Amy Winehouse biopic “Back to Black” is close to securing its lead.
Multiple sources tell Variety that Marisa Abela, one of the stars of HBO and BBC drama “Industry,” is a frontrunner to play Winehouse. It’s believed Abela is in discussions, though the role isn’t yet locked in and a small group of other actors are also believed to be in the mix.
As previously reported, the role was always intended to go to a newcomer, and producers have been keen to hire a fresh face rather than go down the pop-star casting route.
The scene-stealing Abela plays the privileged but troubled Yasmin Kara-Hanani in the sexy, London-set financial thriller “Industry,” which returns next month for Season 2. The 25-year-old British actor also starred in Sky TV series “Cobra” and appears alongside James Norton in the crime thriller “Rogue Agent” (previously titled “Freegard”). She also appears in the forthcoming drama “She Is Love,...
Multiple sources tell Variety that Marisa Abela, one of the stars of HBO and BBC drama “Industry,” is a frontrunner to play Winehouse. It’s believed Abela is in discussions, though the role isn’t yet locked in and a small group of other actors are also believed to be in the mix.
As previously reported, the role was always intended to go to a newcomer, and producers have been keen to hire a fresh face rather than go down the pop-star casting route.
The scene-stealing Abela plays the privileged but troubled Yasmin Kara-Hanani in the sexy, London-set financial thriller “Industry,” which returns next month for Season 2. The 25-year-old British actor also starred in Sky TV series “Cobra” and appears alongside James Norton in the crime thriller “Rogue Agent” (previously titled “Freegard”). She also appears in the forthcoming drama “She Is Love,...
- 7/28/2022
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
Known worldwide as a dynamic powerhouse performer, first for his Tony-winning role as Lola in “Kinky Boots” and then for his Emmy-winning role as PrayTell in “Pose,” Billy Porter isn’t afraid to take on new challenges. The actor makes his feature directorial debut this month with “Anything’s Possible,” a teen romance about a trans girl experiencing first love. As a longtime member of and advocate for the LGBTQ community, the “Pose” star was a natural fit to helm this story that treats its trans protagonist as any other teenager. Love and joy are central themes in the movie, which never makes an obstacle of the character’s trans-ness.
Shot and set in Porter’s hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the movie stars many of Porter’s friends from his early days in the theater. “Anything’s Possible” was also produced by Killer Films’ Christine Vachon and David Hinojosa, prolific...
Shot and set in Porter’s hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the movie stars many of Porter’s friends from his early days in the theater. “Anything’s Possible” was also produced by Killer Films’ Christine Vachon and David Hinojosa, prolific...
- 7/24/2022
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Miky Lee, Vice Chairwoman of South Korea’s Cj Group, will receive the International 2022 Directorate Emmy Award.
The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences award will be presented to Lee at the 50th International Emmy Awards Gala, on November 21 in New York City.
“Miky Lee is in a class of her own, a visionary leader who has harnessed her exceptional business acumen and love of her country’s culture by tirelessly spearheading the global phenomenon of the Korean wave for over twenty five years”, said Bruce L. Paisner, President and CEO of the International Academy. “The whole world witnessed her commitment to our industry and Korea when she, along with the creators of Parasite, enthusiastically accepted the Oscar for her company’s award-winning film Parasite, a historic milestone for Korean content.”
Lee is known for her work in strengthening Cj’s presence, starting with the investment with DreamWorks Skg in...
The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences award will be presented to Lee at the 50th International Emmy Awards Gala, on November 21 in New York City.
“Miky Lee is in a class of her own, a visionary leader who has harnessed her exceptional business acumen and love of her country’s culture by tirelessly spearheading the global phenomenon of the Korean wave for over twenty five years”, said Bruce L. Paisner, President and CEO of the International Academy. “The whole world witnessed her commitment to our industry and Korea when she, along with the creators of Parasite, enthusiastically accepted the Oscar for her company’s award-winning film Parasite, a historic milestone for Korean content.”
Lee is known for her work in strengthening Cj’s presence, starting with the investment with DreamWorks Skg in...
- 7/19/2022
- by Sofia Behzadi
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Two-time Tony nominee Stark Sands, currently starring in the Toronto production of the Broadway-bound musical & Juliet, has signed with Bill Butler & Michelle Kittrell at Industry Entertainment for management.
Sands, who was was Tony-nominated in 2007 in the Best Featured Actor/Play category for Journey’s End and in 2013 as Best Actor/Musical for Kinky Boots. Other Broadway credits include To Kill A Mockingbird and American Idiot.
TV credits include Six Feet Under and Generation Kill (both HBO), Fox’s Minority Report and CBS’ NYC 22, among others. Films include Pretty Persuasion, Flags of Our Fathers, Inside Llewyn Davis and Steven Spielberg’s The Post.
His current project, & Juliet, is an Olivier Award-winning musical with a book by Schitt’s Creek writer David West Read and music from five-time Grammy-winning “Roar” songwriter and producer Max Martin. Producers recently announced that the musical, currently playing in Toronto, will begin Broadway previews October 28 at the...
Sands, who was was Tony-nominated in 2007 in the Best Featured Actor/Play category for Journey’s End and in 2013 as Best Actor/Musical for Kinky Boots. Other Broadway credits include To Kill A Mockingbird and American Idiot.
TV credits include Six Feet Under and Generation Kill (both HBO), Fox’s Minority Report and CBS’ NYC 22, among others. Films include Pretty Persuasion, Flags of Our Fathers, Inside Llewyn Davis and Steven Spielberg’s The Post.
His current project, & Juliet, is an Olivier Award-winning musical with a book by Schitt’s Creek writer David West Read and music from five-time Grammy-winning “Roar” songwriter and producer Max Martin. Producers recently announced that the musical, currently playing in Toronto, will begin Broadway previews October 28 at the...
- 7/19/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Miky Lee, vice chair of Korean media giant Cj Group, will be honored by the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences with its 2022 International Emmy Directorate Award, in celebration of her life’s work.
In her position at Cj, Lee championed a new generation of Korean directors, including Park Chan-wook and Bong Joon Ho, helping launch the global Korean wave. Her executive producer credits include Lady Vengeance, The Host, Snowpiercer, The Handmaiden and Parasite, which made history in 2020 when it became the first Korean-language film (or non-English-language film of any kind) to win the Oscar for best picture.
Lee spearheaded Cj’s investment in DreamWorks Skg in 1995, starting the Korean company’s global rise.
On the TV side, Lee oversaw the English-language series adaptation of Snowpiercer, which wrapped its third season on TNT earlier this year and picked up a 2022 Emmy nomination for outstanding special visual effects.
Miky Lee, vice chair of Korean media giant Cj Group, will be honored by the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences with its 2022 International Emmy Directorate Award, in celebration of her life’s work.
In her position at Cj, Lee championed a new generation of Korean directors, including Park Chan-wook and Bong Joon Ho, helping launch the global Korean wave. Her executive producer credits include Lady Vengeance, The Host, Snowpiercer, The Handmaiden and Parasite, which made history in 2020 when it became the first Korean-language film (or non-English-language film of any kind) to win the Oscar for best picture.
Lee spearheaded Cj’s investment in DreamWorks Skg in 1995, starting the Korean company’s global rise.
On the TV side, Lee oversaw the English-language series adaptation of Snowpiercer, which wrapped its third season on TNT earlier this year and picked up a 2022 Emmy nomination for outstanding special visual effects.
- 7/19/2022
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Cj Group vice chairwoman Miky Lee is this year’s recipient of the International Emmy Directorate Award.
The International Academy’s Special Emmy will be presented to Lee at the 50th International Emmy Awards gala on Nov. 21 in New York.
“Miky Lee is in a class of her own, a visionary leader who has harnessed her exceptional business acumen and love of her country’s culture by tirelessly spearheading the global phenomenon of the Korean wave for over 25 years,” said Bruce L. Paisner, president and CEO of the International Academy.
“The whole world witnessed her commitment to our industry and Korea when she, along with the creators of ‘Parasite,’ enthusiastically accepted the Oscar for her company’s award-winning film ‘Parasite,’ a historic milestone for Korean content.”
Lee, who was recognized as Variety’s International Media Woman of the Year earlier this year, is known for strengthening Cj’s global profile...
The International Academy’s Special Emmy will be presented to Lee at the 50th International Emmy Awards gala on Nov. 21 in New York.
“Miky Lee is in a class of her own, a visionary leader who has harnessed her exceptional business acumen and love of her country’s culture by tirelessly spearheading the global phenomenon of the Korean wave for over 25 years,” said Bruce L. Paisner, president and CEO of the International Academy.
“The whole world witnessed her commitment to our industry and Korea when she, along with the creators of ‘Parasite,’ enthusiastically accepted the Oscar for her company’s award-winning film ‘Parasite,’ a historic milestone for Korean content.”
Lee, who was recognized as Variety’s International Media Woman of the Year earlier this year, is known for strengthening Cj’s global profile...
- 7/19/2022
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
Former EastEnders actress Mona Hammond has passed away aged 91.
The trailblazing star played Blossom on the BBC’s long-running soap between 1994 and 1997 and then again in 2010 but is best know for her pioneering work co-founding the Talawa Theatre Company.
In that capacity, she was able to nurture hundreds of Black actors and directors, with the company’s focus being to reinterpret classic plays with actors from the Black British, Caribbean and African diaspora in the UK.
Its first production was a reworking of Clr James’ The Black Jacobins with an all-Black cast.
“We are devastated to hear of the passing of Mona Hammond OBE,” the company tweeted yesterday. “As one of the founders of Talawa, a trailblazer and champion of Black British theatre, Mona’s passion and vision will remain fundamental to all we do, and her legacy will forever burn bright.”
Hammond’s TV acting roles included parts on Coronation Street,...
The trailblazing star played Blossom on the BBC’s long-running soap between 1994 and 1997 and then again in 2010 but is best know for her pioneering work co-founding the Talawa Theatre Company.
In that capacity, she was able to nurture hundreds of Black actors and directors, with the company’s focus being to reinterpret classic plays with actors from the Black British, Caribbean and African diaspora in the UK.
Its first production was a reworking of Clr James’ The Black Jacobins with an all-Black cast.
“We are devastated to hear of the passing of Mona Hammond OBE,” the company tweeted yesterday. “As one of the founders of Talawa, a trailblazer and champion of Black British theatre, Mona’s passion and vision will remain fundamental to all we do, and her legacy will forever burn bright.”
Hammond’s TV acting roles included parts on Coronation Street,...
- 7/6/2022
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Mona Hammond, a former “EastEnders” star and West End trailblazer, has died. She was 91.
No cause of death has been given.
Hammond was best known for playing “EastEnders” matriarch Blossom on the long-running British soap opera as well as co-founding the Black British theater company Talawa alongside Yvonne Brewster, Carmen Munroe and Inigo Espejel in 1986.
The actor was of Chinese and Jamaican heritage, according to the Guardian, changing her name from Mavis Chin to Mona Hammond to avoid typecasting. Hammond was born in Jamaica and moved to Britain in 1959, working in an office while attending evening acting classes. Before long, she had won a scholarship to leading British acting college Rada. She graduated in 1964 and was soon gracing the boards in theaters across the country.
She also appeared in 70 roles on screen, including in comedies “The Crouches” and “Us Girls,” as well as playing Aunty Susu in sitcom “Desmond’s,” which...
No cause of death has been given.
Hammond was best known for playing “EastEnders” matriarch Blossom on the long-running British soap opera as well as co-founding the Black British theater company Talawa alongside Yvonne Brewster, Carmen Munroe and Inigo Espejel in 1986.
The actor was of Chinese and Jamaican heritage, according to the Guardian, changing her name from Mavis Chin to Mona Hammond to avoid typecasting. Hammond was born in Jamaica and moved to Britain in 1959, working in an office while attending evening acting classes. Before long, she had won a scholarship to leading British acting college Rada. She graduated in 1964 and was soon gracing the boards in theaters across the country.
She also appeared in 70 roles on screen, including in comedies “The Crouches” and “Us Girls,” as well as playing Aunty Susu in sitcom “Desmond’s,” which...
- 7/6/2022
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
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