Hello, and welcome to the Scene 2 Seen Podcast!
I am Valerie Complex, an associate editor and film writer at Deadline. You may be wondering why this is publishing on a Tuesday, instead of Friday? Well, the good news is this is the first of a special two-part episode series taking place this month. Don’t worry, though! The show will be back for its third season officially on Fridays soon!
Today, I’m chatting with actress, singer and dancer Melissa Barrera, a dynamic, multifaceted talent who has captured the attention of audiences through her versatile and charismatic performances. Barrera can currently be seen starring in the Universal Studios horror film Abigail.
The film follows a group of criminals who have been hired to kidnap the 12-year-old ballerina daughter of a powerful underworld figure. All they have to do to collect a $50 million ransom is watch the girl overnight. In an isolated mansion,...
I am Valerie Complex, an associate editor and film writer at Deadline. You may be wondering why this is publishing on a Tuesday, instead of Friday? Well, the good news is this is the first of a special two-part episode series taking place this month. Don’t worry, though! The show will be back for its third season officially on Fridays soon!
Today, I’m chatting with actress, singer and dancer Melissa Barrera, a dynamic, multifaceted talent who has captured the attention of audiences through her versatile and charismatic performances. Barrera can currently be seen starring in the Universal Studios horror film Abigail.
The film follows a group of criminals who have been hired to kidnap the 12-year-old ballerina daughter of a powerful underworld figure. All they have to do to collect a $50 million ransom is watch the girl overnight. In an isolated mansion,...
- 4/30/2024
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
Paul Walter Hauser will play comedian Chris Farley in a so-far untitled biopic. Here’s what we know at present:
A biopic based on the biography The Chris Farley Show: A Biography In Three Acts by the late comedian’s brother Tom Farley Jr. and Tanner Colb is in the works.
With full endorsement from Farley’s family, Richard Jewell star Paul Walter Hauser will play him in the film. It will be the directorial debut of Frozen star Josh Gad, with Scott Neustadter and Michael H Weber writing the screenplay according to Deadline. They previously adapted the surreal true story of Tommy Wiseau’s experience making cult film The Room into 2017 film The Disaster Artist.
A feature film examining the origins of Saturday Night Live is also in production. Jason Reitman is directIng SNL 1975 from a script he wrote with Gil Keenan. It will star Gabriel Labelle as series creator Lorne Michaels,...
A biopic based on the biography The Chris Farley Show: A Biography In Three Acts by the late comedian’s brother Tom Farley Jr. and Tanner Colb is in the works.
With full endorsement from Farley’s family, Richard Jewell star Paul Walter Hauser will play him in the film. It will be the directorial debut of Frozen star Josh Gad, with Scott Neustadter and Michael H Weber writing the screenplay according to Deadline. They previously adapted the surreal true story of Tommy Wiseau’s experience making cult film The Room into 2017 film The Disaster Artist.
A feature film examining the origins of Saturday Night Live is also in production. Jason Reitman is directIng SNL 1975 from a script he wrote with Gil Keenan. It will star Gabriel Labelle as series creator Lorne Michaels,...
- 4/15/2024
- by Jake Godfrey
- Film Stories
The great streaming purge has come for children’s TV.
Paramount+ has removed 10 kid-friendly series from its library, including a pair of streaming originals: The CG-animated Rugrats reboot and Big Nate — neither of which has been formally cancelled as of press time.
More from TVLine<em>That Girl Lay Lay</em> Cancelled at Nickelodeon<em>The Thundermans</em>: Our Kid Reporter Grills Kira Kosarin and Jack Griffo About the Revival Movie, Evil Bunnies and More — WatchDeath and Other Details Cancelled After One Season at Hulu
The purge also includes Are You Afraid of the Dark? (2019-2022), Blue’s Clues & You! (2019-), It’s Pony...
Paramount+ has removed 10 kid-friendly series from its library, including a pair of streaming originals: The CG-animated Rugrats reboot and Big Nate — neither of which has been formally cancelled as of press time.
More from TVLine<em>That Girl Lay Lay</em> Cancelled at Nickelodeon<em>The Thundermans</em>: Our Kid Reporter Grills Kira Kosarin and Jack Griffo About the Revival Movie, Evil Bunnies and More — WatchDeath and Other Details Cancelled After One Season at Hulu
The purge also includes Are You Afraid of the Dark? (2019-2022), Blue’s Clues & You! (2019-), It’s Pony...
- 3/29/2024
- by Ryan Schwartz
- TVLine.com
J.K. Simmons has joined the cast of Jason Reitman’s SNL 1975, and not only will the Oscar winner be playing Hollywood legend Milton Berle, but he’ll have the notable distinction of becoming the first actual SNL host to join the cast of the Sony movie.
Simmons hosted the Jan. 31, 2015 episode of Saturday Night Live, which featured D’Angelo as the musical guest. At the time, Simmons was riding high off an Oscar nomination for Whiplash, and he would go on to win the Academy Award following his SNL hosting stint.
Meanwhile, Berle hosted SNL on April 14, 1979, and Ornette Coleman was his musical guest. It’s unclear where Berle fits into Reitman’s movie at this moment in time.
SNL 1975 is a behind-the-scenes account of the very first episode of Saturday Night Live. The film will reportedly unfold in real-time.
On the heels of playing Steven Spielberg in The Fabelmans,...
Simmons hosted the Jan. 31, 2015 episode of Saturday Night Live, which featured D’Angelo as the musical guest. At the time, Simmons was riding high off an Oscar nomination for Whiplash, and he would go on to win the Academy Award following his SNL hosting stint.
Meanwhile, Berle hosted SNL on April 14, 1979, and Ornette Coleman was his musical guest. It’s unclear where Berle fits into Reitman’s movie at this moment in time.
SNL 1975 is a behind-the-scenes account of the very first episode of Saturday Night Live. The film will reportedly unfold in real-time.
On the heels of playing Steven Spielberg in The Fabelmans,...
- 3/26/2024
- by Jeff Sneider
- LateNighter
The cast of the upcoming SNL 1975 movie has just added three young stars to it’s ensemble!
It was announced on Tuesday (March 12) that Finn Wolfhard, Kaia Gerber and Andrew Barth Feldman have been cast in Saturday Night Live origin film, Deadline reports.
Find out who they’re playing inside…
Finn is set to portray an NBC page, Kaia will portray actress Jacqueline Carlin and Andrew will portray production assistant Neil Levy.
For those that don’t know, Jacqueline was married to original cast member Chevy Chase from 1976-1980. Find out who will play Chevy here!
SNL 1975 (working title) tells “the true story of what happened behind the scenes that night in the moments leading up to the first broadcast of NBC’s Saturday Night Live. It depicts the chaos and magic of a revolution that almost wasn’t, counting down the minutes in real time to the infamous words,...
It was announced on Tuesday (March 12) that Finn Wolfhard, Kaia Gerber and Andrew Barth Feldman have been cast in Saturday Night Live origin film, Deadline reports.
Find out who they’re playing inside…
Finn is set to portray an NBC page, Kaia will portray actress Jacqueline Carlin and Andrew will portray production assistant Neil Levy.
For those that don’t know, Jacqueline was married to original cast member Chevy Chase from 1976-1980. Find out who will play Chevy here!
SNL 1975 (working title) tells “the true story of what happened behind the scenes that night in the moments leading up to the first broadcast of NBC’s Saturday Night Live. It depicts the chaos and magic of a revolution that almost wasn’t, counting down the minutes in real time to the infamous words,...
- 3/12/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
The 2007 John C. Reilly comedy Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story has become a cult hit in recent years, largely as a result of the skill with which it dissects and eviscerates the genre it satirizes.
The film so deftly laid bare the tropes and cliches of the rock star biopic that many predicted it would forever change the way filmmakers approached stories about dead celebs.
And for a while, it seemed like the trick had worked.
Leaving aside for a moment any discussion about the quality of these films, there's no denying that Elvis, Blonde, Maestro, Jackie, Priscilla, and Oppenheimer all offered new takes on a very familiar subgenre.
(That last one, admittedly, is a bit of an outlier, as we're not sure if a theoretical physicist -- even one who altered the course of world history -- can properly be called a celebrity.)
But in recent years, the...
The film so deftly laid bare the tropes and cliches of the rock star biopic that many predicted it would forever change the way filmmakers approached stories about dead celebs.
And for a while, it seemed like the trick had worked.
Leaving aside for a moment any discussion about the quality of these films, there's no denying that Elvis, Blonde, Maestro, Jackie, Priscilla, and Oppenheimer all offered new takes on a very familiar subgenre.
(That last one, admittedly, is a bit of an outlier, as we're not sure if a theoretical physicist -- even one who altered the course of world history -- can properly be called a celebrity.)
But in recent years, the...
- 3/7/2024
- by Tyler Johnson
- TVfanatic
Nicholas Braun has been cast as Jim Henson in SNL 1975, the Sony Pictures project set to tell the story of the earliest days of Saturday Night Live.
Henson’s Muppets were a regular part of SNL’s first season, appearing in a total of 13 episodes.
Braun joins a cast that includes Gabriel Labelle, who is portraying SNL creator Lorne Michaels, as well as Rachel Sennott (as Rosie Shuster), Dylan O’Brien (as Dan Aykroyd), Cooper Hoffman (as Dick Ebersol), Ella Hunt (as Gilda Radner), Kim Matula (as Jane Curtin), Cory Michael Smith (as Chevy Chase), and Matt Wood (as John Belushi).
Deadline has also confirmed that stage actor Nicholas Podany is set to portray Billy Crystal, while head writer Michael O’Donoghue will be played by Tommy Dewey.
SNL 1975 will be directed by Jason Reitman, who co-wrote the project with Gil Kenan and reportedly interviewed all living cast members and...
Henson’s Muppets were a regular part of SNL’s first season, appearing in a total of 13 episodes.
Braun joins a cast that includes Gabriel Labelle, who is portraying SNL creator Lorne Michaels, as well as Rachel Sennott (as Rosie Shuster), Dylan O’Brien (as Dan Aykroyd), Cooper Hoffman (as Dick Ebersol), Ella Hunt (as Gilda Radner), Kim Matula (as Jane Curtin), Cory Michael Smith (as Chevy Chase), and Matt Wood (as John Belushi).
Deadline has also confirmed that stage actor Nicholas Podany is set to portray Billy Crystal, while head writer Michael O’Donoghue will be played by Tommy Dewey.
SNL 1975 will be directed by Jason Reitman, who co-wrote the project with Gil Kenan and reportedly interviewed all living cast members and...
- 3/7/2024
- by Mary Siroky
- Consequence - Film News
Exclusive: Nicholas Braun, Tommy Dewey and Nicholas Podany have joined the cast of Sony Pictures’ SNL 1975, which will be directed by Jason Reitman and based on the real-life behind-the-scenes accounts of the opening episode of Saturday Night Live.
Braun will play Jim Henson, Dewey will play Michael O’Donoghue, and Podany will play Billy Crystal. The original screenplay is by Reitman and Gil Kenan.
On October 11, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television forever. SNL 1975 is the true story of what happened behind the scenes that night in the moments leading up to the first broadcast of NBC’s Saturday Night Live. It depicts the chaos and magic of a revolution that almost wasn’t, counting down the minutes in real time to the infamous words, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”
The screenplay is based on an extensive series of interviews conducted by...
Braun will play Jim Henson, Dewey will play Michael O’Donoghue, and Podany will play Billy Crystal. The original screenplay is by Reitman and Gil Kenan.
On October 11, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television forever. SNL 1975 is the true story of what happened behind the scenes that night in the moments leading up to the first broadcast of NBC’s Saturday Night Live. It depicts the chaos and magic of a revolution that almost wasn’t, counting down the minutes in real time to the infamous words, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”
The screenplay is based on an extensive series of interviews conducted by...
- 3/7/2024
- by Justin Kroll and Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Scream (2022) and Scream VI star Melissa Barrera – who was fired from Scream 7 when comments she made about the Israel-Hamas war didn’t go over well with executives at Spyglass Media – has the lead role in the film Your Monster, a project she had previously described as a “horror rom-com musical.” JoBlo’s own Chris Bumbray had the chance to see the movie at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year and wrote a 6/10 review you can read at This Link. We still don’t know when a wider audience is going to have the opportunity to watch the movie, but it has just taken a positive step forward: Deadline reports that Vertical has acquired the North American distribution rights.
The feature directorial debut of Caroline Lindy, who wrote the film based on her 2019 short of the same name, Your Monster centers on soft-spoken actor Laura Franco, who is...
The feature directorial debut of Caroline Lindy, who wrote the film based on her 2019 short of the same name, Your Monster centers on soft-spoken actor Laura Franco, who is...
- 3/5/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Fresh off the film’s premiere at Sundance earlier this year, Your Monster starring Melissa Barrera (Scream VI) has been acquired for U.S. release by Vertical, Deadline reports.
We don’t yet have a release date but we expect one soon. Stay tuned.
“We were captivated by Caroline Lindy’s film at Sundance and thrilled it has made a home here at Vertical,” Vertical’s Peter Jarowey said in a statement. “Marking her directorial feature debut, she has created a fantastic, fresh, genre-defying film that perfectly balances the mix of comedy, romance, and horror topped off with a dash of musical theater that will captivate and delight audiences later this year.”
Lindy added in her own statement, “I’m beyond thrilled to collaborate with Vertical on the release of Your Monster. Their strategies and commitment to innovative distribution aligns perfectly with our movie, and their passion for the film...
We don’t yet have a release date but we expect one soon. Stay tuned.
“We were captivated by Caroline Lindy’s film at Sundance and thrilled it has made a home here at Vertical,” Vertical’s Peter Jarowey said in a statement. “Marking her directorial feature debut, she has created a fantastic, fresh, genre-defying film that perfectly balances the mix of comedy, romance, and horror topped off with a dash of musical theater that will captivate and delight audiences later this year.”
Lindy added in her own statement, “I’m beyond thrilled to collaborate with Vertical on the release of Your Monster. Their strategies and commitment to innovative distribution aligns perfectly with our movie, and their passion for the film...
- 3/5/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Exclusive: Following its world premiere at Sundance, the horror rom-com Your Monster, starring Melissa Barrera (In the Heights) and Tommy Dewey (The Mindy Project), has landed at Vertical for North American distribution.
Marking the feature directorial debut of Caroline Lindy, who adapted the script from her own short film, Your Monster also stars Edmund Donovan (Gossip Girl), Kayla Foster (Call Jane) and Meghann Fahy (The White Lotus). No word yet on a release date.
The pic tells the story of the soft-spoken actor Laura Franco (Barrera), who is dumped by her longtime boyfriend (Donovan) while recovering from surgery and retreats to her childhood home to recover. With her future looking bleak, insult is added to injury when Laura discovers her ex is staging a musical that she helped him develop. But out of these gut-wrenching life changes emerges a monster (Dewey) with whom she finds a connection, encouraging Laura to follow her dreams,...
Marking the feature directorial debut of Caroline Lindy, who adapted the script from her own short film, Your Monster also stars Edmund Donovan (Gossip Girl), Kayla Foster (Call Jane) and Meghann Fahy (The White Lotus). No word yet on a release date.
The pic tells the story of the soft-spoken actor Laura Franco (Barrera), who is dumped by her longtime boyfriend (Donovan) while recovering from surgery and retreats to her childhood home to recover. With her future looking bleak, insult is added to injury when Laura discovers her ex is staging a musical that she helped him develop. But out of these gut-wrenching life changes emerges a monster (Dewey) with whom she finds a connection, encouraging Laura to follow her dreams,...
- 3/5/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Actor, producer and writer Tommy Dewey has signed with Anonymous Content in all areas.
Most recently, Dewey starred in and executive-produced Caroline Lindy’s romantic comedy-horror feature, Your Monster, which premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. Dewey stars in the film as ‘Monster’ opposite Melissa Barrera.
Additional film credits include Jason Reitman’s The Front Runner, opposite Hugh Jackman, Marc Carlini’s indie dramedy She’s In Portland, and Paramount hit Book Club.
Dewey is best known for his co-lead role on Hulu’s Golden Globe-nominated original series Casual opposite Michaela Watkins. His additional TV credits include the Fox comedy series Pivoting, HBO’s Perry Mason, and his recurring role on The Mindy Project.
He continues to be represented by The Kohner Agency and Myman Greenspan, et al.
Most recently, Dewey starred in and executive-produced Caroline Lindy’s romantic comedy-horror feature, Your Monster, which premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. Dewey stars in the film as ‘Monster’ opposite Melissa Barrera.
Additional film credits include Jason Reitman’s The Front Runner, opposite Hugh Jackman, Marc Carlini’s indie dramedy She’s In Portland, and Paramount hit Book Club.
Dewey is best known for his co-lead role on Hulu’s Golden Globe-nominated original series Casual opposite Michaela Watkins. His additional TV credits include the Fox comedy series Pivoting, HBO’s Perry Mason, and his recurring role on The Mindy Project.
He continues to be represented by The Kohner Agency and Myman Greenspan, et al.
- 2/26/2024
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Bankside Films has boarded international sales rights to Caroline Lindy’s Sundance Midnight movie Your Monster, starring Melissa Barrera (Scream).
In Your Monster, after her life falls apart, soft-spoken actress Laura Franco (Barrera) finds her voice again when she meets a terrifying, yet weirdly charming, monster living in her closet.
Barrera stars with Tommy Dewey (Perry Mason), Meghann Fahy (The White Lotus), Edmund Donovan (Hightown) and Kayla Foster (The Deuce).
The film is a feature debut for Lindy, who directs and also wrote the screenplay. Lindy’s previous short Aspirational Slut received the 2022 SXSW Narrative Shorts Audience Award.
Bankside Films will be screening the film to buyers at the European Film Market in Berlin following its Park City debut last month. WME Independent is handling domestic.
The Merman Films production was financed by Bombo Sports & Entertainment. Producers are Kayla Foster and Lindy, along with Shannon Reilly of Bombo,...
In Your Monster, after her life falls apart, soft-spoken actress Laura Franco (Barrera) finds her voice again when she meets a terrifying, yet weirdly charming, monster living in her closet.
Barrera stars with Tommy Dewey (Perry Mason), Meghann Fahy (The White Lotus), Edmund Donovan (Hightown) and Kayla Foster (The Deuce).
The film is a feature debut for Lindy, who directs and also wrote the screenplay. Lindy’s previous short Aspirational Slut received the 2022 SXSW Narrative Shorts Audience Award.
Bankside Films will be screening the film to buyers at the European Film Market in Berlin following its Park City debut last month. WME Independent is handling domestic.
The Merman Films production was financed by Bombo Sports & Entertainment. Producers are Kayla Foster and Lindy, along with Shannon Reilly of Bombo,...
- 2/9/2024
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Melissa Barrera seems remarkably composed for someone navigating one of the most trying periods of their personal and professional lives. You’ve probably seen the headlines: The rising star of Vida, In the Heights, and the Scream films was fired from the horror franchise and falsely branded antisemitic for a series of Instagram posts calling attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza that’s claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people.
She subsequently released a statement saying, in part, “I condemn anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. I condemn hate and...
She subsequently released a statement saying, in part, “I condemn anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. I condemn hate and...
- 1/24/2024
- by Marlow Stern
- Rollingstone.com
Scream (2022) and Scream VI star Melissa Barrera may have been fired from Scream 7, but she is in Universal Pictures’ upcoming “Dracula’s Daughter” film Abigail, which was directed by her Scream directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett and is set to reach theatres on April 19th. Even beyond that film, Barrera told The Hollywood Reporter that she has no intention of leaving the horror genre behind.
Barrera, who has also starred in a horror movie called Bed Rest, said, “I don’t think I’ll be able to get away from horror, and I also don’t want to. I love the genre so much. It’s so much fun to make. Also, I think a genre that people show up to the theaters for no matter what. No stars have to be in the movie for people to show up. I think that just goes to show how big it is,...
Barrera, who has also starred in a horror movie called Bed Rest, said, “I don’t think I’ll be able to get away from horror, and I also don’t want to. I love the genre so much. It’s so much fun to make. Also, I think a genre that people show up to the theaters for no matter what. No stars have to be in the movie for people to show up. I think that just goes to show how big it is,...
- 1/23/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Traditionally, the concept of "the monster under the bed" is seen as a universal childhood fear, the most prominent example of our collective primal fear of the dark. For boys and young men, this mythical creature is typically seen as something to conquer, to stand up to. As fantasy, horror, and genre fiction continue to mutate into phases of postmodernism, this trope has expanded, where the monster isn't necessarily a threat to be subdued but rather a secret, special friend.
But what does this creature signify for girls and young women? If the horrific version represents the encroaching world of the patriarchy, might a cuddlier version see such a creature take the form of a confidant, companion, and protector? Where would he (assuming they're male) fit amongst the horror movie trope of survivor women being "paired" with their supernatural counterpart — is there something between "La Belle et la Bête" and...
But what does this creature signify for girls and young women? If the horrific version represents the encroaching world of the patriarchy, might a cuddlier version see such a creature take the form of a confidant, companion, and protector? Where would he (assuming they're male) fit amongst the horror movie trope of survivor women being "paired" with their supernatural counterpart — is there something between "La Belle et la Bête" and...
- 1/22/2024
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
While fans used to play six degrees of Kevin Bacon at the Sundance Film Festival (or anywhere for that matter), in 2024, it’s all about connecting the dots of alumni from Mike White’s The White Lotus. The stars of the Emmy Award-winning vacation anthology series have returned to the mainland and clocked back in on a flurry of independent films. Below is a roundup of all the White Lotus stars making the Park City rounds this year and why they’re here.
Aubrey Plaza
The actress and producer returns to the festival on the heels of a critically acclaimed turn in Emily the Criminal to star in Megan Park’s comedy My Old Ass opposite Maisy Stella, Maddie Ziegler, Kerrice Brooks and Percy Hynes White. The plot follows bright-yet-irreverent Elliott (Stella) as she comes face-to-face with her older self (Plaza) during a mushroom trip. The encounter spurs a funny...
Aubrey Plaza
The actress and producer returns to the festival on the heels of a critically acclaimed turn in Emily the Criminal to star in Megan Park’s comedy My Old Ass opposite Maisy Stella, Maddie Ziegler, Kerrice Brooks and Percy Hynes White. The plot follows bright-yet-irreverent Elliott (Stella) as she comes face-to-face with her older self (Plaza) during a mushroom trip. The encounter spurs a funny...
- 1/20/2024
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Did Beauty kill the Beast? Or was it the other way around? Or maybe they lived happily ever after? Writer-director Caroline Lindy plays with classical expectations in her enjoyable debut feature Your Monster. Actress Laura Franco (Melissa Barrera) is just out of surgery when the film starts. We quickly learn she’s survived some unnamed cancer and, in the tough year of treatments, her theater-director boyfriend of five years Jacob (Edmund Donovan) broke up with her. To make matters worse, he also moved forward with producing a Broadway musical that they developed together, one with a lead role he’d promised to Laura.
Her only friend is fellow actress Mazie, played well by Kayla Foster, who lifts up a thinly written supporting character. Mazie’s unreliability leaves Laura alone in her transient mother’s New York City apartment, crying and eating pies. Until, that is, an upstairs neighbor reveals himself.
Her only friend is fellow actress Mazie, played well by Kayla Foster, who lifts up a thinly written supporting character. Mazie’s unreliability leaves Laura alone in her transient mother’s New York City apartment, crying and eating pies. Until, that is, an upstairs neighbor reveals himself.
- 1/20/2024
- by Dan Mecca
- The Film Stage
Plot: A young address (Melissa Barrera) ends up being dumped by her louse of a boyfriend while battling cancer. In her recovery, she also learns that he gave away a role he promised her in his upcoming Broadway debut. Heartbroken, she finds solace in an unlikely figure – the monster under her bed who tormented her as a child.
Review: Your Monster is a terrific showcase for Melissa Barrera. While audiences only know her for being a classic “Final Girl” in the new Scream movies, from which she was unceremoniously dumped, according to her bio, she’s a classic theatre kid. In this movie, Barrera displays a flair for light comedy and shows off her impressive singing voice, with the film being a quasi-musical/ rom-com hybrid with some (light) horror elements mixed in.
Indeed, Barrera is so immensely likeable that you can overlook some of the movie’s shortcomings, including a...
Review: Your Monster is a terrific showcase for Melissa Barrera. While audiences only know her for being a classic “Final Girl” in the new Scream movies, from which she was unceremoniously dumped, according to her bio, she’s a classic theatre kid. In this movie, Barrera displays a flair for light comedy and shows off her impressive singing voice, with the film being a quasi-musical/ rom-com hybrid with some (light) horror elements mixed in.
Indeed, Barrera is so immensely likeable that you can overlook some of the movie’s shortcomings, including a...
- 1/20/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Scream heroine Melissa Barrera shines in Caroline Lindy‘s feature debut, Your Monster, an expansion of her short film. A wholesome, whimsical romance befitting of a classic Hollywood musical but with dark underpinnings, Your Monster lets Barrera showcase her range and singing chops, even when it can’t quite decide on a cohesive approach to its monstrous metaphor.
Erstwhile Broadway actress Laura Franco (Barrera) finds her life in shambles when cancer derails her career ambitions and her longtime boyfriend Jacob (Edmund Donovan) unceremoniously dumps her. Abandoned by her mother and ignored by her self-involved best friend Mazie (Kayla Foster), Your Monster introduces its protagonist at her lowest point, all wails and self-pity. Enter Monster (Tommy Dewey), a beast that’s lived in her childhood closet for years and took a liking to having the house to himself. Love eventually blossoms between the pair, exposing Laura’s inner Monster in the process.
Erstwhile Broadway actress Laura Franco (Barrera) finds her life in shambles when cancer derails her career ambitions and her longtime boyfriend Jacob (Edmund Donovan) unceremoniously dumps her. Abandoned by her mother and ignored by her self-involved best friend Mazie (Kayla Foster), Your Monster introduces its protagonist at her lowest point, all wails and self-pity. Enter Monster (Tommy Dewey), a beast that’s lived in her childhood closet for years and took a liking to having the house to himself. Love eventually blossoms between the pair, exposing Laura’s inner Monster in the process.
- 1/20/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
IndieWire’s 2024 Sundance lineup of events is officially being revealed.
In addition to IndieWire’s annual Sundance Studio, the publication is partnering with Adobe for three panel discussions taking place at Adobe’s 558 Main Street location in Park City. Sign up to gain access to the space here.
The first, taking place January 20 at 3 p.m. Mt, is titled IndieWire: Creative Collaborations in Filmmaking, presented by Adobe.
Join the guest list here.
IndieWire’s Crafts editor Chris O’Falt will moderate a discussion with Duplass Brothers Productions president Mel Eslyn and producer/director/actor Mark Duplass. The conversation will focus on the longtime partnership behind the production company behind projects such as HBO’s “Room 104,” “Somebody Somewhere,” Hulu’s “Sasquatch,” and new release “Penelope,” which is premiering at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.
The second conversation, at 3:30 p.m. Mt, January 20, will have O’Falt moderate a discussion with the...
In addition to IndieWire’s annual Sundance Studio, the publication is partnering with Adobe for three panel discussions taking place at Adobe’s 558 Main Street location in Park City. Sign up to gain access to the space here.
The first, taking place January 20 at 3 p.m. Mt, is titled IndieWire: Creative Collaborations in Filmmaking, presented by Adobe.
Join the guest list here.
IndieWire’s Crafts editor Chris O’Falt will moderate a discussion with Duplass Brothers Productions president Mel Eslyn and producer/director/actor Mark Duplass. The conversation will focus on the longtime partnership behind the production company behind projects such as HBO’s “Room 104,” “Somebody Somewhere,” Hulu’s “Sasquatch,” and new release “Penelope,” which is premiering at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.
The second conversation, at 3:30 p.m. Mt, January 20, will have O’Falt moderate a discussion with the...
- 1/19/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
You’d have to forgive Laura Franco (Melissa Barrera) for being a little out of sorts these days. In short order, she’s been: diagnosed with cancer, dumped by her douchebag boyfriend, undergone radical treatment, moved back into her childhood home, realized said douchebag boyfriend has also absconded with the musical they wrote together (and given away the part literally made for her!), and discovered that the monster she thought she imagined in her youth is still very much alive and very much living in her closet (and played by the charming Tommy Dewey).
Filmmaker Caroline Lindy makes her feature directorial debut with “Your Monster,” but it’s a story she’s told before, both in life and on the screen.
Lindy’s passion for and connection to the material is obvious (how could it not be?), as is her desire to twist a sad story into something fresh and often funny.
Filmmaker Caroline Lindy makes her feature directorial debut with “Your Monster,” but it’s a story she’s told before, both in life and on the screen.
Lindy’s passion for and connection to the material is obvious (how could it not be?), as is her desire to twist a sad story into something fresh and often funny.
- 1/19/2024
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Melissa Barrera is sharing her thoughts on her exit from the Scream franchise and what her current relationship with the cast is like.
It was previously reported that the 33-year-old actress was fired from Scream 7 due to her social media posts on the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Melissa talked about her exit while attending the 2024 Sundance Film Festival premiere of her movie Your Monster on Thursday (January 18) in Park City, Utah.
Also joining Melissa at the premiere were her co-stars Tommy Dewey, Meghann Fahy, Edmund Donovan, and Kayla Foster.
Keep reading to find out more…
Melissa was asked about reuniting with nearly all of her co-stars at an Emmys weekend party, including on-screen sister Jenna Ortega.
“We’re family for life. If we’re ever in the vicinity of each other, we always find each other and that’s what happened at that event,” Melissa told Deadline. “When we find each other,...
It was previously reported that the 33-year-old actress was fired from Scream 7 due to her social media posts on the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Melissa talked about her exit while attending the 2024 Sundance Film Festival premiere of her movie Your Monster on Thursday (January 18) in Park City, Utah.
Also joining Melissa at the premiere were her co-stars Tommy Dewey, Meghann Fahy, Edmund Donovan, and Kayla Foster.
Keep reading to find out more…
Melissa was asked about reuniting with nearly all of her co-stars at an Emmys weekend party, including on-screen sister Jenna Ortega.
“We’re family for life. If we’re ever in the vicinity of each other, we always find each other and that’s what happened at that event,” Melissa told Deadline. “When we find each other,...
- 1/19/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
It’s probably safe to say that Your Monster is the only film ever to score a sex scene to Jimmy Durante’s raspy voice singing, “I could turn the gray skies to blue, if I only had you.” Caroline Lindy’s first feature (based on her short) is a singing, dancing, skewed comic take on rom-coms, heartbreak, rebounds and revenge. Full of affection for big Broadway-style tunes, with a heroine whose dream man is soft-hearted but also not human, it is a sharp, witty confection.
Laura Franco (Melissa Barrera), a would-be actress, is in the hospital recovering from cancer surgery when her boyfriend breaks up by text. As we see in the opening sequence, she howls and weeps, but even as she’s being wheeled out of the hospital, we hear Dick Van Dyke cheerfully singing “Put on a Happy Face” from the original Broadway cast album of Bye Bye Birdie.
Laura Franco (Melissa Barrera), a would-be actress, is in the hospital recovering from cancer surgery when her boyfriend breaks up by text. As we see in the opening sequence, she howls and weeps, but even as she’s being wheeled out of the hospital, we hear Dick Van Dyke cheerfully singing “Put on a Happy Face” from the original Broadway cast album of Bye Bye Birdie.
- 1/19/2024
- by Caryn James
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
If Ann Landers had it right, and hanging on to resentment amounts to letting someone you despise live rent-free in your head, then “Your Monster” is what happens when you kick open the door and let those feelings run amok. Drawing from personal experience, writer-director Caroline Lindy delivers a clumsy metaphor of a movie, in which a promising young actor named Laura Franco (“In the Heights” star Melissa Barrera) has her Broadway dreams derailed by a cancer diagnosis, only to discover a ferocious inner strength, courtesy of the beastly creature she finds hanging around her childhood home.
In what amounts to a heavy-handed empowerment tale, the monster in question is at first a surly roommate, later a potential love interest and ultimately a manifestation of Laura’s long-suppressed sense of rage. The symbolism isn’t exactly subtle as Laura learns to break free of her polite good-girl upbringing and embrace those roiling emotions.
In what amounts to a heavy-handed empowerment tale, the monster in question is at first a surly roommate, later a potential love interest and ultimately a manifestation of Laura’s long-suppressed sense of rage. The symbolism isn’t exactly subtle as Laura learns to break free of her polite good-girl upbringing and embrace those roiling emotions.
- 1/19/2024
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
One of the genre films announced this afternoon for next year’s Sundance Film Festival is Your Monster, which looks to be a unique horror-comedy starring Melissa Barrera (Scream VI).
From director, writer and producer Caroline Lindy, Sundance now provides us with a sneak peek at Your Monster courtesy of more new images, which you’ll find above and below.
The romantic monster movie looks to be a new spin on the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast, with Barrera at one point channeling the Bride of Frankenstein (seen above).
In the film, “After her life falls apart, soft-spoken actress Laura Franco finds her voice again when she meets a terrifying, yet weirdly charming, monster living in her closet.”
Tommy Dewey, Meghann Fahy, Edmund Donovan and Kayla Foster also star. Producers include Kayla Foster, Shannon Reilly, Melanie Donkers, and Kira Carstensen.
Your Monster is an official selection of the...
From director, writer and producer Caroline Lindy, Sundance now provides us with a sneak peek at Your Monster courtesy of more new images, which you’ll find above and below.
The romantic monster movie looks to be a new spin on the classic tale of Beauty and the Beast, with Barrera at one point channeling the Bride of Frankenstein (seen above).
In the film, “After her life falls apart, soft-spoken actress Laura Franco finds her voice again when she meets a terrifying, yet weirdly charming, monster living in her closet.”
Tommy Dewey, Meghann Fahy, Edmund Donovan and Kayla Foster also star. Producers include Kayla Foster, Shannon Reilly, Melanie Donkers, and Kira Carstensen.
Your Monster is an official selection of the...
- 12/6/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
The Sundance Film Festival is one of the most highly respected film festivals in the world, and while the horror genre generally doesn’t seem to receive as much respect as it deserves, horror has had a steady presence at Sundance over the years. In fact, just last year the Sundance horror line-up included the likes of Infinity Pool, Talk to Me, My Animal, and Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls. The Sundance 2024 line-up was revealed earlier today (you can see the list Here) – and there again a good number of horror movies included in the program.
Below you can take a closer look at some of the horror movies that will be showing at Sundance 2024, with images to go along with each one of them.
Of course, most of the horror can be found in the Midnight program:
I Saw the TV Glow / U.S.A. — Teenager...
Below you can take a closer look at some of the horror movies that will be showing at Sundance 2024, with images to go along with each one of them.
Of course, most of the horror can be found in the Midnight program:
I Saw the TV Glow / U.S.A. — Teenager...
- 12/6/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
While this HBO series has been moderately popular with viewers and critics, Perry Mason also draws relatively low ratings. On top of that, it's been three years between seasons, so the cast's contracts may have expired already. Will Perry Mason be cancelled or renewed for season three? Stay tuned. *Status Update Below.
A detective drama series, the Perry Mason TV show is a prequel that provides a reimagined origin story for the legendary criminal defense lawyer. The show stars Matthew Rhys, Juliet Rylance, Chris Chalk, Shea Whigham, Eric Lange, Justin Kirk, Diarra Kilpatrick, Katherine Waterston, Hope Davis, Fabrizio Guido, Peter Mendoza, Mark O'Brien, Paul Raci, Jen Tullock, Jon Chaffin, Onahoua Rodriguez, Jee Young Han, Sean Astin, Tommy Dewey, and Wallace Langham. Initially, Perry Mason (Rhys) is a low-rent private investigator who lives check-to-check in the 1930s. His wartime experiences...
A detective drama series, the Perry Mason TV show is a prequel that provides a reimagined origin story for the legendary criminal defense lawyer. The show stars Matthew Rhys, Juliet Rylance, Chris Chalk, Shea Whigham, Eric Lange, Justin Kirk, Diarra Kilpatrick, Katherine Waterston, Hope Davis, Fabrizio Guido, Peter Mendoza, Mark O'Brien, Paul Raci, Jen Tullock, Jon Chaffin, Onahoua Rodriguez, Jee Young Han, Sean Astin, Tommy Dewey, and Wallace Langham. Initially, Perry Mason (Rhys) is a low-rent private investigator who lives check-to-check in the 1930s. His wartime experiences...
- 6/7/2023
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
It's court dismissed for Perry, Della, and Paul. HBO has cancelled its version of Perry Mason so there won't be a third season. The second season of eight episodes finished airing in April.
A detective drama series from Robert Downey Jr.'s Team Downey, the Perry Mason TV show is a prequel that provides a reimagined origin story for the legendary criminal defense lawyer. The show stars Matthew Rhys, Juliet Rylance, Chris Chalk, Shea Whigham, Eric Lange, Justin Kirk, Diarra Kilpatrick, Katherine Waterston, Hope Davis, Fabrizio Guido, Peter Mendoza, Mark O'Brien, Paul Raci, Jen Tullock, Jon Chaffin, Onahoua Rodriguez, Jee Young Han, Sean Astin, Tommy Dewey, and Wallace Langham. Initially, Perry Mason (Rhys) is a low-rent private investigator who lives check-to-check in the 1930s. His wartime experiences in France haunt him, and he suffers the after-effects of a broken...
A detective drama series from Robert Downey Jr.'s Team Downey, the Perry Mason TV show is a prequel that provides a reimagined origin story for the legendary criminal defense lawyer. The show stars Matthew Rhys, Juliet Rylance, Chris Chalk, Shea Whigham, Eric Lange, Justin Kirk, Diarra Kilpatrick, Katherine Waterston, Hope Davis, Fabrizio Guido, Peter Mendoza, Mark O'Brien, Paul Raci, Jen Tullock, Jon Chaffin, Onahoua Rodriguez, Jee Young Han, Sean Astin, Tommy Dewey, and Wallace Langham. Initially, Perry Mason (Rhys) is a low-rent private investigator who lives check-to-check in the 1930s. His wartime experiences in France haunt him, and he suffers the after-effects of a broken...
- 6/7/2023
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Deadline reports that HBO has canceled Perry Mason after just two seasons, which is sure to upset fans as the recent season finale ended on something of a cliffhanger.
The drama series starred Matthew Rhys as Perry Mason, the iconic criminal defence lawyer. “We are tremendously grateful for the remarkable work of Matthew Rhys and the unrivaled cast and crew of Perry Mason for their reimagining of such a treasured and storied franchise,” HBO said in a statement. “While we won’t be moving forward with another season of the series, we are excited to continue working with the brilliant creatives at Team Downey on future projects.“
Perry Mason was executive produced by Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey through their Team Downey banner. Just prior to the second season finale, Downey Jr. had discussed bringing the series back for a third season. “I mean wouldn’t that be nice?...
The drama series starred Matthew Rhys as Perry Mason, the iconic criminal defence lawyer. “We are tremendously grateful for the remarkable work of Matthew Rhys and the unrivaled cast and crew of Perry Mason for their reimagining of such a treasured and storied franchise,” HBO said in a statement. “While we won’t be moving forward with another season of the series, we are excited to continue working with the brilliant creatives at Team Downey on future projects.“
Perry Mason was executive produced by Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey through their Team Downey banner. Just prior to the second season finale, Downey Jr. had discussed bringing the series back for a third season. “I mean wouldn’t that be nice?...
- 6/6/2023
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
“Perry Mason” has been canceled at HBO, Variety has confirmed. The series debuted its second and final season at the premium cabler in March.
“We are tremendously grateful for the remarkable work of Matthew Rhys and the unrivaled cast and crew of ‘Perry Mason’ for their reimagining of such a treasured and storied franchise,” HBO said in a statement. “While we won’t be moving forward with another season of the series, we are excited to continue working with the brilliant creatives at Team Downey on future projects.”
Based on the characters created by Erle Stanley Gardner, Matthew Rhys starred in the series in the title role. Unlike the 1950’s TV series in which Mason worked as a lawyer, the HBO series portrays the character earlier in his life when he is a private investigator in Los Angeles in the 1930s.
Along with Rhys, the Season 2 cast also included: Juliet Rylance,...
“We are tremendously grateful for the remarkable work of Matthew Rhys and the unrivaled cast and crew of ‘Perry Mason’ for their reimagining of such a treasured and storied franchise,” HBO said in a statement. “While we won’t be moving forward with another season of the series, we are excited to continue working with the brilliant creatives at Team Downey on future projects.”
Based on the characters created by Erle Stanley Gardner, Matthew Rhys starred in the series in the title role. Unlike the 1950’s TV series in which Mason worked as a lawyer, the HBO series portrays the character earlier in his life when he is a private investigator in Los Angeles in the 1930s.
Along with Rhys, the Season 2 cast also included: Juliet Rylance,...
- 6/6/2023
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Melissa Barrera is firmly establishing herself as a modern scream queen. Not only has she played Samantha Carpenter in both Scream (2022) and Scream VI, but she has also starred in the supernatural horror movie Bed Rest and the survival thriller Keep Breathing, and coming up she has the “erotic nightmare” The One and the Radio Silence project formerly known as Dracula’s Daughter. She also recently finished working on a project called Your Monster, which she describes as a “horror rom-com musical”.
The feature directorial debut of Caroline Lindy, who wrote the film based on her 2019 short of the same name, Your Monster centers on an aspiring actress Laura Franco, whose life falls apart after a cancer diagnosis and devastating breakup. The soft-spoken actress finds her voice again when she meets a terrifying, yet weirdly charming Monster living in her closet.
Barrera plays Laura Franco, with Tommy Dewey (Casual) as the monster.
The feature directorial debut of Caroline Lindy, who wrote the film based on her 2019 short of the same name, Your Monster centers on an aspiring actress Laura Franco, whose life falls apart after a cancer diagnosis and devastating breakup. The soft-spoken actress finds her voice again when she meets a terrifying, yet weirdly charming Monster living in her closet.
Barrera plays Laura Franco, with Tommy Dewey (Casual) as the monster.
- 6/5/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
This post contains spoilers for season 2 of "Perry Mason."
Season 2 of HBO's gritty reboot of "Perry Mason" wrapped up with the titular lawyer (Matthew Rhys) behind bars after one of his two clients is set free. It wasn't exactly the perfect ending, but then that's the whole point of this show — to peer beneath the glamorous veneer of 1930s Los Angeles to reveal its imperfect underbelly.
And in the show's view of depression-era Los Angeles, everyone's got something to hide, whether it's Juliet Rylance's closeted lesbian Della Street or Chris Chalk's Paul Drake, whose emotional season 2 arc saw him commit all sorts of morally questionable acts in pursuit of the truth. What's more, the whole reason Rhys' Mason ends up in jail is that he's literally hiding something — the gun used to kill Brooks McCutcheon (Tommy Dewey).
It's this murder that's at the heart of season 2's mystery.
Season 2 of HBO's gritty reboot of "Perry Mason" wrapped up with the titular lawyer (Matthew Rhys) behind bars after one of his two clients is set free. It wasn't exactly the perfect ending, but then that's the whole point of this show — to peer beneath the glamorous veneer of 1930s Los Angeles to reveal its imperfect underbelly.
And in the show's view of depression-era Los Angeles, everyone's got something to hide, whether it's Juliet Rylance's closeted lesbian Della Street or Chris Chalk's Paul Drake, whose emotional season 2 arc saw him commit all sorts of morally questionable acts in pursuit of the truth. What's more, the whole reason Rhys' Mason ends up in jail is that he's literally hiding something — the gun used to kill Brooks McCutcheon (Tommy Dewey).
It's this murder that's at the heart of season 2's mystery.
- 5/13/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
If you watched the entirety of "Perry Mason" season 2 and couldn't quite figure out where it was all going in the moment, well, you're not the only one.
The HBO noir series flipped the script on us in surprising fashion this time around. In the first season, Matthew Rhys' eponymous detective-turned-lawyer had no choice but to get to the bottom of the gruesome killing of Emily Dodson's (Gayle Rankin) infant son in an attempt to clear her name ... though, in the end, he only managed to secure a Pyrrhic victory of a hung jury. In season 2, we learn relatively quickly that the two unfortunate clients who Perry has to defend this time around, the Gallardo brothers accused of murdering Los Angeles civil servant Brooks McCutcheon (Tommy Dewey) and subjected to a virulently racist public trial, actually were responsible for pulling the trigger. But the overarching conflict of the story...
The HBO noir series flipped the script on us in surprising fashion this time around. In the first season, Matthew Rhys' eponymous detective-turned-lawyer had no choice but to get to the bottom of the gruesome killing of Emily Dodson's (Gayle Rankin) infant son in an attempt to clear her name ... though, in the end, he only managed to secure a Pyrrhic victory of a hung jury. In season 2, we learn relatively quickly that the two unfortunate clients who Perry has to defend this time around, the Gallardo brothers accused of murdering Los Angeles civil servant Brooks McCutcheon (Tommy Dewey) and subjected to a virulently racist public trial, actually were responsible for pulling the trigger. But the overarching conflict of the story...
- 5/13/2023
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
Perry Mason just wrapped its second season, and according to one of the HBO show's executive producers, the cast and crew would like to get a third season renewal.
Starring Matthew Rhys, Juliet Rylance, Chris Chalk, Shea Whigham, Eric Lange, Justin Kirk, Diarra Kilpatrick, Katherine Waterston, Hope Davis, Fabrizio Guido, Peter Mendoza, Mark O’Brien, Paul Raci, Jen Tullock, Jon Chaffin, Onahoua Rodriguez, Jee Young Han, Sean Astin, Tommy Dewey, and Wallace Langham, the legal drama series is a reimaging of the popular series that follows criminal defense attorney Perry Mason (Rhys).
Read More…...
Starring Matthew Rhys, Juliet Rylance, Chris Chalk, Shea Whigham, Eric Lange, Justin Kirk, Diarra Kilpatrick, Katherine Waterston, Hope Davis, Fabrizio Guido, Peter Mendoza, Mark O’Brien, Paul Raci, Jen Tullock, Jon Chaffin, Onahoua Rodriguez, Jee Young Han, Sean Astin, Tommy Dewey, and Wallace Langham, the legal drama series is a reimaging of the popular series that follows criminal defense attorney Perry Mason (Rhys).
Read More…...
- 4/25/2023
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
[Warning: The following contains Major spoilers for the Perry Mason Season 2 finale.] “The illusion of justice” is served in Perry Mason Season 2, and none knew that better than the titular character played by Matthew Rhys. Haunted by the tragic fate of Emily Dodson (Gayle Rankin), Perry and Della Street (Juliet Rylance) averted their efforts to civil disputes in Season 2. But Perry was drawn back to criminal law when Brooks McCutcheon (Tommy Dewey), son of L.A. tycoon Lydell McCutcheon (Paul Raci), was murdered and Rafael and Matteo Gallardo (Fabrizio Guido and Peter Mendoza) were seemingly framed for the killing. As the season pressed on, Perry and Della, with the help of Paul Drake (Chris Chalk), eventually discovered that the brothers were, in fact, guilty. But like all cases in the HBO detective noir, the truth was much more complicated than the prosecution wanted the jury to believe. Mateo and Rafael were hired to kill Brooks by Camilla Nygaard...
- 4/25/2023
- TV Insider
This post contains spoilers for the season 2 finale of "Perry Mason."
The second season of "Perry Mason" just ended with a definitive season finale, where the real person behind the murder of Brooks McCutcheon (Tommy Dewey) finds herself arrested by the F.B.I. The person in question, of course, is the oil magnate Camilla Nygaard (Hope Davis), who killed off her business partner's son because he threatened to expose her shady oil dealings with Japan.
We found this out at the end of the penultimate episode, and the finale opens on her getting her face stung by bees for beauty, and then resting on a bed covered in a horrific-looking facial mask. "Because we end on her in the last episode at the piano, we wanted to see the monster [at the beginning of the finale]," co-showrunner Michael Begler told me in an interview breaking down the last episode of the season. "We loved the juxtaposition that...
The second season of "Perry Mason" just ended with a definitive season finale, where the real person behind the murder of Brooks McCutcheon (Tommy Dewey) finds herself arrested by the F.B.I. The person in question, of course, is the oil magnate Camilla Nygaard (Hope Davis), who killed off her business partner's son because he threatened to expose her shady oil dealings with Japan.
We found this out at the end of the penultimate episode, and the finale opens on her getting her face stung by bees for beauty, and then resting on a bed covered in a horrific-looking facial mask. "Because we end on her in the last episode at the piano, we wanted to see the monster [at the beginning of the finale]," co-showrunner Michael Begler told me in an interview breaking down the last episode of the season. "We loved the juxtaposition that...
- 4/25/2023
- by Vanessa Armstrong
- Slash Film
Exclusive: “I’ve always boiled it down to there’s something very simplistic to Mason,” Perry Mason star Matthew Rhys admits about the iconic and haunted lawyer he portrays on the HBO prequel series. “It’s not necessarily his sense of justice but sense of right and wrong,” the Emmy winner adds. “What is right and wrong, and how he goes about righting that, righting that wrong, is, at times, very questionable. But fundamentally, his sense of pure form justice is so strong that everything else becomes very difficult, and the playing of that was just magic.”
With the Season 2 finale of the series now steered by Michael Begler and Jack Amiel as showrunners and Team Downey set to drop tonight on the premium cabler and HBO Max, the Americans alumni finds his character in some dramatic territory in and out of court in Depression-era Los Angeles.
Defending the Gallardo...
With the Season 2 finale of the series now steered by Michael Begler and Jack Amiel as showrunners and Team Downey set to drop tonight on the premium cabler and HBO Max, the Americans alumni finds his character in some dramatic territory in and out of court in Depression-era Los Angeles.
Defending the Gallardo...
- 4/24/2023
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
This post contains major spoilers for "Perry Mason" season 2.
As season 2 of HBO's "Perry Mason" comes to a close, the final pieces of the increasingly complex puzzle are coming together. With this second run of episodes, new showrunners Jack Amiel and Michael Begler have turned the series from an unrelentingly gloomy affair into a compelling glimpse beneath the surface of 1930s Los Angeles that, much like the court cases Matthew Rhys' Mason conducts so deftly, brings the truth of the era to light. While the production design and lighting beautifully convey the vibrant and often glamorous veneer of the setting, there is plenty of skullduggery and moral decay lurking below the surface.
Much of that is showcased in the stories of Mason's co-counsel Della Street and his lead investigator Paul Drake, who have been given a lot more to do this season. And as a result, they've come face...
As season 2 of HBO's "Perry Mason" comes to a close, the final pieces of the increasingly complex puzzle are coming together. With this second run of episodes, new showrunners Jack Amiel and Michael Begler have turned the series from an unrelentingly gloomy affair into a compelling glimpse beneath the surface of 1930s Los Angeles that, much like the court cases Matthew Rhys' Mason conducts so deftly, brings the truth of the era to light. While the production design and lighting beautifully convey the vibrant and often glamorous veneer of the setting, there is plenty of skullduggery and moral decay lurking below the surface.
Much of that is showcased in the stories of Mason's co-counsel Della Street and his lead investigator Paul Drake, who have been given a lot more to do this season. And as a result, they've come face...
- 4/20/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
This post contains spoilers for the latest episode of "Perry Mason."
It took seven bleak, thrilling, and rather tense episodes, but "Perry Mason" may have finally just unveiled the true murderer of Los Angeles' popular civil servant, Brooks McCutcheon (Tommy Dewey). Ever since poor Perry (Matthew Rhys) decided to hook his wagon to the seemingly hopeless case of Rafael (Fabrizio Guido) and Mateo Gallardo (Peter Mendoza), the two young Mexican brothers accused of committing the crime, he, the tireless Della Street (Juliet Rylance), and dogged investigator Paul Drake (Chris Chalk) have worked overtime to prove their innocence. Or, failing that, at least they tried to get to the corrupt heart of who actually ordered the hit on McCutcheon. The answer to that longstanding question certainly feels like it was answered definitively in the latest episode.
The penultimate hour of the season featured a bevy of long-awaited reveals. Spurred on by...
It took seven bleak, thrilling, and rather tense episodes, but "Perry Mason" may have finally just unveiled the true murderer of Los Angeles' popular civil servant, Brooks McCutcheon (Tommy Dewey). Ever since poor Perry (Matthew Rhys) decided to hook his wagon to the seemingly hopeless case of Rafael (Fabrizio Guido) and Mateo Gallardo (Peter Mendoza), the two young Mexican brothers accused of committing the crime, he, the tireless Della Street (Juliet Rylance), and dogged investigator Paul Drake (Chris Chalk) have worked overtime to prove their innocence. Or, failing that, at least they tried to get to the corrupt heart of who actually ordered the hit on McCutcheon. The answer to that longstanding question certainly feels like it was answered definitively in the latest episode.
The penultimate hour of the season featured a bevy of long-awaited reveals. Spurred on by...
- 4/18/2023
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
This post contains spoilers for the seventh episode of "Perry Mason" season 2.
The latest episode of "Perry Mason" has this season's mystery close to wrapping up, and in doing so has given us insight into one of the show's meanest characters -- the hardboiled, sometimes-violent businessman, Lydell McCutcheon, played by Paul Raci ("Sound of Metal").
I had the chance to talk with Raci about playing Lydell, including what he used for inspiration. "I had to look to my grandfather, who was a racist S.O.B.," he told me about one of the major influences on his performance. "I grew up in the '50s and he was trying very hard to teach me how to be a racist [...] He wore the same clothes, the same hat in the '50s, and was a racist because he was full of fear. Just like Lydell is."
Our conversation delved deeper into...
The latest episode of "Perry Mason" has this season's mystery close to wrapping up, and in doing so has given us insight into one of the show's meanest characters -- the hardboiled, sometimes-violent businessman, Lydell McCutcheon, played by Paul Raci ("Sound of Metal").
I had the chance to talk with Raci about playing Lydell, including what he used for inspiration. "I had to look to my grandfather, who was a racist S.O.B.," he told me about one of the major influences on his performance. "I grew up in the '50s and he was trying very hard to teach me how to be a racist [...] He wore the same clothes, the same hat in the '50s, and was a racist because he was full of fear. Just like Lydell is."
Our conversation delved deeper into...
- 4/18/2023
- by Vanessa Armstrong
- Slash Film
This article contains spoilers up to the latest episode of season 2 of "Perry Mason."
When the debut season of HBO's "Perry Mason" came to an end in 2020, the requisite origin story was finally out of the way and our trio of heroes -- Matthew Rhys' criminal defense lawyer Perry Mason, his secretary-turned-attorney Della Street (Juliet Rylance), and investigator Paul Drake (Chris Chalk) -- had formed a strong unit for their fledgling legal team. Season 2, however, started on a completely different note. (You can read /Film's review by Chris Evangelista here.) Instead of criminal law, Mason had shifted gears to the much less stressful (and less triggering) pastures of civil law. And without any real boots-on-the-ground work to keep him paying the bills, the ever-resourceful Drake had largely gone his own separate way.
As the season progressed, however, Mason and Street couldn't help but throw themselves at another un-winnable criminal case,...
When the debut season of HBO's "Perry Mason" came to an end in 2020, the requisite origin story was finally out of the way and our trio of heroes -- Matthew Rhys' criminal defense lawyer Perry Mason, his secretary-turned-attorney Della Street (Juliet Rylance), and investigator Paul Drake (Chris Chalk) -- had formed a strong unit for their fledgling legal team. Season 2, however, started on a completely different note. (You can read /Film's review by Chris Evangelista here.) Instead of criminal law, Mason had shifted gears to the much less stressful (and less triggering) pastures of civil law. And without any real boots-on-the-ground work to keep him paying the bills, the ever-resourceful Drake had largely gone his own separate way.
As the season progressed, however, Mason and Street couldn't help but throw themselves at another un-winnable criminal case,...
- 4/17/2023
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
It's become something of a cliché that, when in doubt, a studio or network simply needs to go the dark and gritty route in remaking an old IP and modernizing it for a new audience -- whether it fits the material or not. In decades past, old-school detective procedurals were all the rage on cable television. Oftentimes, these episodic and formula-driven shows kept the violence and gore entirely off-screen, instead focusing on the central private eye and his (it was always a "him") investigators as they sought to discover the truth and save the day for their innocent clients.
The original "Perry Mason" absolutely fell under that umbrella, airing on CBS back in the mid 1950s to the late 1960s and based on author Erle Stanley Gardner's detective novels (who was also a credited writer on the series many times). Led by actor Raymond Burr as the eponymous criminal defense lawyer,...
The original "Perry Mason" absolutely fell under that umbrella, airing on CBS back in the mid 1950s to the late 1960s and based on author Erle Stanley Gardner's detective novels (who was also a credited writer on the series many times). Led by actor Raymond Burr as the eponymous criminal defense lawyer,...
- 4/17/2023
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
Exclusive: Elizabeth Yu and Hilda Martin have been added to the cast of the upcoming NBC drama pilot from Jenna Bans and Bill Krebs formerly known as Murder by the Book.
Starring Retta, the story will follow a big city Instafamous book reviewer who takes a page from the murder mystery books she reviews and becomes an unlikely detective to uncover the shocking truths about an eccentric seaside town.
Martin will play Young Hazel, while Yu will portray Young Maggie. Young Maggie and Young Hazel are big murder mystery book nerds and best friends, spending time having fun, reading and sleeping over at each other’s houses. Eventually, Maggie’s murder will send Hazel on her own hunt for a killer.
They join a cast that includes Tituss Burgess, Tommy Dewey and Siobhan Williams.
Related: 2023 NBC Pilots & Series Orders
The untitled project, which landed a pilot order in January after...
Starring Retta, the story will follow a big city Instafamous book reviewer who takes a page from the murder mystery books she reviews and becomes an unlikely detective to uncover the shocking truths about an eccentric seaside town.
Martin will play Young Hazel, while Yu will portray Young Maggie. Young Maggie and Young Hazel are big murder mystery book nerds and best friends, spending time having fun, reading and sleeping over at each other’s houses. Eventually, Maggie’s murder will send Hazel on her own hunt for a killer.
They join a cast that includes Tituss Burgess, Tommy Dewey and Siobhan Williams.
Related: 2023 NBC Pilots & Series Orders
The untitled project, which landed a pilot order in January after...
- 3/22/2023
- by Katie Campione
- Deadline Film + TV
Frequent collaborators and co-directors Martin Scorsese and David Tedeschi’s upcoming documentary, “Personality Crisis: One Night Only,” will premiere April 14 at 8 p.m. on Showtime.
“Personality Crisis: One Night Only” has also released a trailer providing audiences a peek into the lives of Johansen, the one-time New York Dolls lead singer who later performed as Buster Poindexter. Focusing on Johansen, his legacy and his special January 2020 performance, the film documents the punk legend as he “regales the audience with stories and music illuminating the art and cultural evolution of New York City,” according to the film’s logline.
Scorsese explained what drew him to this project: “I’ve known David Johansen for decades, and his music has been a touchstone ever since I listened to the Dolls when I was making ‘Mean Streets’… Then and now, David’s music captures the energy and excitement of New York City. I often see him perform,...
“Personality Crisis: One Night Only” has also released a trailer providing audiences a peek into the lives of Johansen, the one-time New York Dolls lead singer who later performed as Buster Poindexter. Focusing on Johansen, his legacy and his special January 2020 performance, the film documents the punk legend as he “regales the audience with stories and music illuminating the art and cultural evolution of New York City,” according to the film’s logline.
Scorsese explained what drew him to this project: “I’ve known David Johansen for decades, and his music has been a touchstone ever since I listened to the Dolls when I was making ‘Mean Streets’… Then and now, David’s music captures the energy and excitement of New York City. I often see him perform,...
- 3/16/2023
- by Katie Reul and Charna Flam
- Variety Film + TV
The People’s Choice Awards are feeling a little bit a lot country.
The PCAs franchise is expanding by way of the first-ever People’s Choice Country Awards, to air in September across NBC and Peacock, live from the world-famous Grand Ole Opry stage in Nashville.
More from TVLineDid The Flash Botch Baby News? Can Poker Face Stop Spoiling Itself? Did Sheldon Misuse 'Kitty'? More TV Qs!Chicago Fire Vet Jesse Spencer to Return During Taylor Kinney's AbsenceThe Blacklist's James Spader Weighs In on Why the Show Should End Now -- Plus, Will We Learn Red's True Identity?...
The PCAs franchise is expanding by way of the first-ever People’s Choice Country Awards, to air in September across NBC and Peacock, live from the world-famous Grand Ole Opry stage in Nashville.
More from TVLineDid The Flash Botch Baby News? Can Poker Face Stop Spoiling Itself? Did Sheldon Misuse 'Kitty'? More TV Qs!Chicago Fire Vet Jesse Spencer to Return During Taylor Kinney's AbsenceThe Blacklist's James Spader Weighs In on Why the Show Should End Now -- Plus, Will We Learn Red's True Identity?...
- 3/9/2023
- by Erianne Lewis and Vlada Gelman
- TVLine.com
Exclusive: Tituss Burgess, Tommy Dewey and Siobhan Williams have been cast in NBC‘s upcoming drama pilot from Good Girls creator Jenna Bans and executive producer Bill Krebs.
The pilot, which was previously titled Murder By the Book, stars Retta as Hazel, a big city Instafamous book reviewer who takes a page from the murder mystery books she reviews and becomes an unlikely detective to uncover the shocking truths about an eccentric seaside town.
Burgess will play Andre, Hazel’s loveable, charming and directionless younger brother. For the time-being, he’s Hazel’s publicist/manager/hype-man because he’s been fired from every other job he’s ever had.
Dewey will play Pete, a cheerful homicide detective who somehow has a gorgeous second home overlooking the bay on a government salary. Williams joins as Lori, an employee at the bookstore who proves to be an invaluable, if sometimes off center,...
The pilot, which was previously titled Murder By the Book, stars Retta as Hazel, a big city Instafamous book reviewer who takes a page from the murder mystery books she reviews and becomes an unlikely detective to uncover the shocking truths about an eccentric seaside town.
Burgess will play Andre, Hazel’s loveable, charming and directionless younger brother. For the time-being, he’s Hazel’s publicist/manager/hype-man because he’s been fired from every other job he’s ever had.
Dewey will play Pete, a cheerful homicide detective who somehow has a gorgeous second home overlooking the bay on a government salary. Williams joins as Lori, an employee at the bookstore who proves to be an invaluable, if sometimes off center,...
- 3/9/2023
- by Katie Campione
- Deadline Film + TV
Perry Mason Season 2 Episode 1 Photos Chapter Nine – Season two of the HBO Original drama series Perry Mason debuts Monday, March 6 (9:00-10:00p.m. Et/Pt) on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max. s02e01 2×01 2.01 s2e01 Season 2 logline: Months after the Dodson case has come to an end, the scion of a powerful oil family is brutally murdered. When the Da goes to the city’s Hoovervilles to pinpoint the most obvious of suspects, Perry, Della, and Paul find themselves at the center of a case that will uncover far reaching conspiracies and force them to reckon with what it truly means to be guilty. Season 2 cast: Matthew Rhys, Juliet Rylance, Chris Chalk, Diarra Kilpatrick, Eric Lange, Justin Kirk, Katherine Waterston, Hope Davis, Fabrizio Guido, Peter Mendoza, Mark O’Brien, Paul Raci, Jen Tullock, Jon Chaffin, Onahoua Rodriguez, Jee Young Han, Sean Astin, Tommy Dewey,...
- 3/8/2023
- by Thomas Miller
- Seat42F
Perry Mason‘s titular lawyer is in pretty dire straits when Season 2 begins, but a high-profile murder case could be just the thing to turn his luck around. (Though not the luck of the guy who was murdered, unfortunately.)
Monday’s premiere opens with a bang (and a blaze) as a waiter at an L.A. supper club and underground casino sets fire to the place before walking out, with patrons screaming and running outside. (File that one away for later.) As for Perry, he’s living in a sparse apartment now and riding a motorcycle (!), reluctantly handling wills and...
Monday’s premiere opens with a bang (and a blaze) as a waiter at an L.A. supper club and underground casino sets fire to the place before walking out, with patrons screaming and running outside. (File that one away for later.) As for Perry, he’s living in a sparse apartment now and riding a motorcycle (!), reluctantly handling wills and...
- 3/7/2023
- by Dave Nemetz
- TVLine.com
Scream franchise star Melissa Barrera is leading in the horror romantic comedy Your Monster.
Caroline Lindy wrote and directed the feature, which is based on her 2019 short of the same name. Tommy Dewey (Casual), Edmund Donovan (Tell Me Lies) and Kayla Foster (The Deuce, Call Jane) round out the cast. Filming has wrapped.
According to the film’s synopsis, it follows “an aspiring actress Laura Franco (Barrera), whose life falls apart after a cancer diagnosis and devastating breakup. The soft-spoken actress finds her voice again when she meets a terrifying, yet weirdly charming Monster (Dewey) living in her closet.”
Lindy and Kayla Foster produced, alongside Kira Carstensen and Melanie Donkers from Mermade, a division of Sharon Horgan and Clelia Mountfor’s entertainment company Merman (Catastrohpe, Herself), which focuses on projects from emerging creators.
Shannon Reilly from Bombo Sports and Entertainment also produced, with Bombo’s Bob Potter and Dewey acting as executive producers.
Caroline Lindy wrote and directed the feature, which is based on her 2019 short of the same name. Tommy Dewey (Casual), Edmund Donovan (Tell Me Lies) and Kayla Foster (The Deuce, Call Jane) round out the cast. Filming has wrapped.
According to the film’s synopsis, it follows “an aspiring actress Laura Franco (Barrera), whose life falls apart after a cancer diagnosis and devastating breakup. The soft-spoken actress finds her voice again when she meets a terrifying, yet weirdly charming Monster (Dewey) living in her closet.”
Lindy and Kayla Foster produced, alongside Kira Carstensen and Melanie Donkers from Mermade, a division of Sharon Horgan and Clelia Mountfor’s entertainment company Merman (Catastrohpe, Herself), which focuses on projects from emerging creators.
Shannon Reilly from Bombo Sports and Entertainment also produced, with Bombo’s Bob Potter and Dewey acting as executive producers.
- 3/6/2023
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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