Exclusive: Judy Greer (White House Plumbers) and Pete Holmes (Crashing) have entered production in Winnipeg on The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, an inspirational comedy that The Chosen‘s Dallas Jenkins is helming for Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company.
Co-starring in the pic, based on the international bestseller by Barbara Robinson, is Molly Belle Wright (Deep Water).
The film centers on the Herdman kids, who are the absolute worst. They lie, they steal, they bully… and they’ve hijacked the town Christmas pageant. As the rowdy and raucous siblings force themselves into all of the lead roles, they drive the pageant’s director, Grace (Judy Greer), and other members of her family, including husband Bob (Holmes), up the wall. But through their misfit mischief, these unlikely messengers might turn out to be the ones to deliver the town’s sensational and moving portrayal of the true meaning of Christmas.
Script was...
Co-starring in the pic, based on the international bestseller by Barbara Robinson, is Molly Belle Wright (Deep Water).
The film centers on the Herdman kids, who are the absolute worst. They lie, they steal, they bully… and they’ve hijacked the town Christmas pageant. As the rowdy and raucous siblings force themselves into all of the lead roles, they drive the pageant’s director, Grace (Judy Greer), and other members of her family, including husband Bob (Holmes), up the wall. But through their misfit mischief, these unlikely messengers might turn out to be the ones to deliver the town’s sensational and moving portrayal of the true meaning of Christmas.
Script was...
- 12/12/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Just two weeks ago, Gold Derby’s odds did not predict “Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas” would receive an Emmy nomination for Best TV Movie. But now, NBC and Peacock’s warm-hearted holiday telefilm has jumped up to the fourth-place position to win the category, behind likely challengers “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story,” “Prey” and “Fire Island” (see chart below). Just how much farther will producer/actress Dolly Parton climb in our racetrack odds before the Emmy nominations are announced on July 12?
See ‘Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas’: The music legend’s new NBC special and where to find her holiday classics
Never count out Dolly! In 2021, another one of her holiday specials, “Christmas On the Square,” surprised pundits when it took home the Emmy Award for Best TV Movie. At the time it was in fourth place in Gold Derby’s winner odds, behind “Sylvie’s Love,” “Uncle Frank...
See ‘Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas’: The music legend’s new NBC special and where to find her holiday classics
Never count out Dolly! In 2021, another one of her holiday specials, “Christmas On the Square,” surprised pundits when it took home the Emmy Award for Best TV Movie. At the time it was in fourth place in Gold Derby’s winner odds, behind “Sylvie’s Love,” “Uncle Frank...
- 5/10/2023
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
Bridgerton actress Phoebe Dynevor will star in the Kansas-set thriller Witchita Libra as a woman trying to solve a dark historic crime that tore apart her family and rural hometown.
The thriller is the second feature of writer and director Henry Dunham, and follows The Standoff at Sparrow Creek which premiered in Toronto in 2018.
The film is produced by Jay Van Hoy.
Currently in pre-production, Witchita Libra begins shooting this year. Mister Smith Entertainment will launch international sales at the EFM and UTA is handling North American rights.
The drama is set in the aftermath of a triple murder in the protagonist’s hometown in rural Kansas, which caused her to flee to Chicago and start a new life.
A decade on, she is drawn back home after her brother’s death to decode a cryptic letter he left behind, suggesting the wrong...
The thriller is the second feature of writer and director Henry Dunham, and follows The Standoff at Sparrow Creek which premiered in Toronto in 2018.
The film is produced by Jay Van Hoy.
Currently in pre-production, Witchita Libra begins shooting this year. Mister Smith Entertainment will launch international sales at the EFM and UTA is handling North American rights.
The drama is set in the aftermath of a triple murder in the protagonist’s hometown in rural Kansas, which caused her to flee to Chicago and start a new life.
A decade on, she is drawn back home after her brother’s death to decode a cryptic letter he left behind, suggesting the wrong...
- 2/9/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
It was exactly 20 years ago on January 26, 2003, when Jimmy Kimmel left Comedy Central and came to network television to host ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’
Kimmel expressed his gratitude to everyone who has helped make the show what it is today and walked down memory lane to show how long he’s been on the airwaves.
“Thank you. I appreciate that,” Kimmel said, as he was met with thunderous applause from his studio audience. “I’m not retiring. This is just an anniversary show.”
Kimmel joked that his late-night show was an instant hit after reading reviews after the show first debuted in 2003.
“And right out of the gate – we were an immediate hit,” Kimmel said. “The next day ‘The New Yorker’ said… ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live,’ a dead on-arrival talk show with a charisma-free host.'”
Kimmel continued, “The Seattle Post-Intelligencer raved… ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live,’ is a gloopy mess. Not an interesting,...
Kimmel expressed his gratitude to everyone who has helped make the show what it is today and walked down memory lane to show how long he’s been on the airwaves.
“Thank you. I appreciate that,” Kimmel said, as he was met with thunderous applause from his studio audience. “I’m not retiring. This is just an anniversary show.”
Kimmel joked that his late-night show was an instant hit after reading reviews after the show first debuted in 2003.
“And right out of the gate – we were an immediate hit,” Kimmel said. “The next day ‘The New Yorker’ said… ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live,’ a dead on-arrival talk show with a charisma-free host.'”
Kimmel continued, “The Seattle Post-Intelligencer raved… ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live,’ is a gloopy mess. Not an interesting,...
- 1/27/2023
- by Joshua Vinson
- The Wrap
Click here to read the full article.
As more and more media conglomerates shift their business models to subscription streaming platforms, the borderlines between “film” and “television” continue to dissolve. Methods of distribution are no longer concretely disparate as studio-made feature-length films now often debut exclusively on streaming sites and many TV creators describe their shows as “10-hour-long movies.” These newly permeable boundaries are rendering the taxonomies of awards season just plain weirder than ever.
Case in point: the utter grab bag that is the Emmy category for this year’s outstanding television movie, which has washed-up cartoon chipmunks competing against Auschwitz survivors. I suppose Emmy voters took the term “television” seriously, as most of the nominations center around cult-favorite TV wrap-ups and reboots. The lineup, quite frankly, is a bit bonkers.
First, there’s Disney+’s Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers, an omnisatirical family comedy mystery based on a...
As more and more media conglomerates shift their business models to subscription streaming platforms, the borderlines between “film” and “television” continue to dissolve. Methods of distribution are no longer concretely disparate as studio-made feature-length films now often debut exclusively on streaming sites and many TV creators describe their shows as “10-hour-long movies.” These newly permeable boundaries are rendering the taxonomies of awards season just plain weirder than ever.
Case in point: the utter grab bag that is the Emmy category for this year’s outstanding television movie, which has washed-up cartoon chipmunks competing against Auschwitz survivors. I suppose Emmy voters took the term “television” seriously, as most of the nominations center around cult-favorite TV wrap-ups and reboots. The lineup, quite frankly, is a bit bonkers.
First, there’s Disney+’s Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers, an omnisatirical family comedy mystery based on a...
- 8/16/2022
- by Robyn Bahr
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Gotham Film & Media Institute on Monday has selected the films and series for its Project Market, a slate which IndieWire can exclusively reveal. Taking place during September’s Gotham Week at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the annual sales and development forum connects creators to distributors, financiers, and other industry decision-makers. It offers a look ahead at what could become the next buzzy films; “Moonlight” and “American Factory” are recent Oscar winners that were launched at past Project Market events.
This year’s lineup includes 65 fiction features and series, 60 nonfiction features and series, and 17 audio projects in various stages of development or production, including new projects from the producers of “Dopesick,” “Pose,” and “Sorry to Bother You.” For the first time since the pandemic, the annual event will include both in-person and virtual participation. In-person meetings run September 17-23, while virtual meetings will be held September 22-23.
“Being able...
This year’s lineup includes 65 fiction features and series, 60 nonfiction features and series, and 17 audio projects in various stages of development or production, including new projects from the producers of “Dopesick,” “Pose,” and “Sorry to Bother You.” For the first time since the pandemic, the annual event will include both in-person and virtual participation. In-person meetings run September 17-23, while virtual meetings will be held September 22-23.
“Being able...
- 8/1/2022
- by Chris Lindahl
- Indiewire
As the race for limited series has become more competitive over the last decade, the art of the TV movie has seen an inversely proportional decline in popularity and visibility. The two formats have competed in separate categories at the Emmys since 2014 (the most recent separation), but Best TV Movie has been relegated to the Creative Arts ceremony the past two years, and it’s likely been even longer since it has been truly relevant. But the Disney+ film “Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers” has the power to change that.
A hybrid live-action/CG animated film based on the late 1980s cartoon about the adorable anthropomorphic chipmunks first created by The Walt Disney Company in the early 1940s, the movie features comedians John Mulaney and Andy Samberg as the voices of Chip and Dale, respectively. Best friends since childhood, the two go on to become co-stars on the late ‘80s...
A hybrid live-action/CG animated film based on the late 1980s cartoon about the adorable anthropomorphic chipmunks first created by The Walt Disney Company in the early 1940s, the movie features comedians John Mulaney and Andy Samberg as the voices of Chip and Dale, respectively. Best friends since childhood, the two go on to become co-stars on the late ‘80s...
- 6/14/2022
- by Kaitlin Thomas
- Gold Derby
Four top TV composers will reveal secrets behind their projects when they join Gold Derby’s special “Meet the Experts” Q&a event with 2022 Emmy Awards contenders. They will participate in two video discussions to premiere on Tuesday, May 24, at 4:00 p.m. Pt; 7:00 p.m. Et. We’ll have a one-on-one with our senior editor Christopher Rosen and a roundtable chat with all of the group together.
RSVP today to our entire ongoing Emmy contenders panel series by clicking here to book your free reservation. We’ll send you a reminder a few minutes before the start of the show.
This “Meet the Experts” panel welcomes the following 2022 contenders:
1883 (Paramount+)
Synopsis: Follows the Dutton family on a journey west through the Great Plains toward the last bastion of uncolonized America.
Bio: The career of Breton Vivian has included “Galavant,” “Agent Carter,” “Sausage Party,” “The Fate of the Furious,...
RSVP today to our entire ongoing Emmy contenders panel series by clicking here to book your free reservation. We’ll send you a reminder a few minutes before the start of the show.
This “Meet the Experts” panel welcomes the following 2022 contenders:
1883 (Paramount+)
Synopsis: Follows the Dutton family on a journey west through the Great Plains toward the last bastion of uncolonized America.
Bio: The career of Breton Vivian has included “Galavant,” “Agent Carter,” “Sausage Party,” “The Fate of the Furious,...
- 5/18/2022
- by Chris Beachum and Christopher Rosen
- Gold Derby
Exclusive: Stephen Root (Barry) and Tim Blake Nelson (Old Henry) have signed on to star alongside Oscar and Emmy winner Kathy Bates, two-time Oscar nominee and Emmy winner John Malkovich and Lewis Pullman in Thelma, an upcoming indie to be directed by two-time Emmy nominee Ken Kwapis. The Exchange will be introducing the title to international buyers at the 2022 Cannes Film Market, with ICM Partners and UTA Independent Film Group handling domestic.
Thelma recounts the true story of the mother of John Kennedy Toole (Pullman), the Pulitzer Prize winning author of A Confederacy of Dunces. Toole died by suicide before finding a home for his masterpiece, and his mother Thelma (Bates) made it her life’s mission, through outrageous gamesmanship, to see the book published. She eventually succeeded in getting the manuscript into the hands of writer Walker Percy (Malkovich), who became the novel’s champion. It...
Thelma recounts the true story of the mother of John Kennedy Toole (Pullman), the Pulitzer Prize winning author of A Confederacy of Dunces. Toole died by suicide before finding a home for his masterpiece, and his mother Thelma (Bates) made it her life’s mission, through outrageous gamesmanship, to see the book published. She eventually succeeded in getting the manuscript into the hands of writer Walker Percy (Malkovich), who became the novel’s champion. It...
- 5/11/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The GLAAD Media Awards ceremonies will return as in-person events next year.
The LGBTQ media watchdog organization announced on Thursday morning that the 33rd annual event will take place in Los Angeles on April 2 followed by a ceremony in New York on May 6.
Nominees will be announced on Jan. 18. The awards honor media for fair, accurate and inclusive representations of LGBTQ people and issues.
GLAAD’s head of talent will service as executive producer alongside the org’s president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis and chief communications officer Rich Ferraro. Stamp Event Management will produce. GLAAD’s communications manager Spencer Harvey returns as producer. Wendy Shanker will continue as head writer for the show, a position she’s held since 2010.
The 2020 and 2021 editions of the awards were presented virtually due to Covid and featured appearances and performances by Lil Nas X, Dolly Parton, Katy Perry, Niecy Nash, Sterling K. Brown,...
The LGBTQ media watchdog organization announced on Thursday morning that the 33rd annual event will take place in Los Angeles on April 2 followed by a ceremony in New York on May 6.
Nominees will be announced on Jan. 18. The awards honor media for fair, accurate and inclusive representations of LGBTQ people and issues.
GLAAD’s head of talent will service as executive producer alongside the org’s president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis and chief communications officer Rich Ferraro. Stamp Event Management will produce. GLAAD’s communications manager Spencer Harvey returns as producer. Wendy Shanker will continue as head writer for the show, a position she’s held since 2010.
The 2020 and 2021 editions of the awards were presented virtually due to Covid and featured appearances and performances by Lil Nas X, Dolly Parton, Katy Perry, Niecy Nash, Sterling K. Brown,...
- 12/16/2021
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
Hulu has unveiled the first images from its sci-fi thriller Mother/Android starring Chloë Grace Moretz (Suspiria), Algee Smith (Judas and the Black Messiah) and Raúl Castillo (Army of the Dead), announcing that it will premiere on the streamer on Friday, December 17.
Set in the near future, Mother/Android follows Georgia (Moretz) and her boyfriend Sam (Smith) through their treacherous journey of escape as their country is caught in an unexpected war with artificial intelligence. Days away from the arrival of their first child, they must face No Man’s Land—a stronghold of the android uprising—in hopes of reaching safety before giving birth.
The feature is the first directed by Project Power and The Batman scribe Mattson Tomlin.
The Batman and War for the Planet of the Apes director Matt Reeves produced through 6th & Idaho Productions with Adam Kassan and Rafi Crohn, along with Miramax’s Bill Block, and Charles Miller.
Check out the first photos from Tomlin’s film below.
Set in the near future, Mother/Android follows Georgia (Moretz) and her boyfriend Sam (Smith) through their treacherous journey of escape as their country is caught in an unexpected war with artificial intelligence. Days away from the arrival of their first child, they must face No Man’s Land—a stronghold of the android uprising—in hopes of reaching safety before giving birth.
The feature is the first directed by Project Power and The Batman scribe Mattson Tomlin.
The Batman and War for the Planet of the Apes director Matt Reeves produced through 6th & Idaho Productions with Adam Kassan and Rafi Crohn, along with Miramax’s Bill Block, and Charles Miller.
Check out the first photos from Tomlin’s film below.
- 10/20/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Paul Bettany is set to star in the Miramax dramedy Harvest Moon, from a script he co-wrote with Dana Brown. Mark Waters is on board to direct, with Miramax producing. Bettany will star alongside Carmen Ejogo, Candice Bergen, Cary Elwes, Riley Looc, Malia Baker, Staz Nair, Rodney Richardson and Connor Falk.
“I’m thrilled to be teaming up with Bill Block and Miramax again to make Harvest Moon,” Bettany said. “The fact that it has come together so quickly is enormously gratifying and also hilarious. Dana and I wrote it to keep ourselves sane during lockdown and now we’re off to shoot with an incredible creative team led by Mark Waters. It’s all a bit of a dream. I’m very excited.”
The film revolves around a young boy who sees an opportunity to reunite his separated parents while the pandemic shuts down the world. Bettany, Brown...
“I’m thrilled to be teaming up with Bill Block and Miramax again to make Harvest Moon,” Bettany said. “The fact that it has come together so quickly is enormously gratifying and also hilarious. Dana and I wrote it to keep ourselves sane during lockdown and now we’re off to shoot with an incredible creative team led by Mark Waters. It’s all a bit of a dream. I’m very excited.”
The film revolves around a young boy who sees an opportunity to reunite his separated parents while the pandemic shuts down the world. Bettany, Brown...
- 10/11/2021
- by Justin Kroll
- Deadline Film + TV
As predicted, Lois Smith won the Tony Award for Featured Actress in a Play for her moving turn in Matthew Lopez’s “The Inheritance.” Not only is this the veteran actress’ first career Tony win, but Smith has just become the oldest Tony winning actor in history. Talk about a victory being worth the wait!
Lois Smith is 90 years of age, having been born on November 3, 1930. This makes her two years older than the previous record holder for oldest Tony winning performer. That would be Cicely Tyson, who won a Tony for playing Carrie Watts in the 2018 revival of “The Trip To Bountiful” at age 88. That was Tyson’s only Tony nomination and win of her career, despite appearing in nine Broadway plays. Ironically, Smith also portrayed Carrie in a 2005 Off-Broadway revival of “Bountiful.” She won the Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, Obie, and Outer Critics Circle Awards for that performance.
Lois Smith is 90 years of age, having been born on November 3, 1930. This makes her two years older than the previous record holder for oldest Tony winning performer. That would be Cicely Tyson, who won a Tony for playing Carrie Watts in the 2018 revival of “The Trip To Bountiful” at age 88. That was Tyson’s only Tony nomination and win of her career, despite appearing in nine Broadway plays. Ironically, Smith also portrayed Carrie in a 2005 Off-Broadway revival of “Bountiful.” She won the Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, Obie, and Outer Critics Circle Awards for that performance.
- 9/26/2021
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
We at Gold Derby pride ourselves on being able to predict who will win awards races, or at least being able to narrow it down. But this year’s Emmy contest for Best Movie/Limited Actor is one of the few instances where literally any of the nominees could win. Of course, sometimes we think we have a race narrowed down and then “Genndy Tartakovsky’s “Primal” achieves an upset, but in this case I wouldn’t consider any of the five nominees an upset. Let me break down why.
SEEEvery Marvel Cinematic Universe actor who’s been nominated for an Emmy Paul Bettany, “WandaVision”
Why he might win: He stars in the most nominated movie or limited series of the year with a whopping 23 bids. That includes strong recognition from the actors branch, who also nominated Elizabeth Olsen and Kathryn Hahn. It doesn’t hurt that Bettany also stars...
SEEEvery Marvel Cinematic Universe actor who’s been nominated for an Emmy Paul Bettany, “WandaVision”
Why he might win: He stars in the most nominated movie or limited series of the year with a whopping 23 bids. That includes strong recognition from the actors branch, who also nominated Elizabeth Olsen and Kathryn Hahn. It doesn’t hurt that Bettany also stars...
- 9/17/2021
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
When it comes to acting nominations in this newly named category for performers you might as well just skip the part about Anthology or TV movies. All the acting nominations—this year at least—are from Limited Series (formerly called miniseries), or in the case of those seven nominations for Hamilton actors, come from a show otherwise only eligible for Variety Special (Pre-Recorded). Go figure. The Television Academy has been wrestling with eligibility in certain areas that just don’t seem to fit elsewhere, so they came up with this convoluted hodgepodge that makes little sense, shoehorning Hamilton’s cast in here because they couldn’t find any other place to put the stars of this video performance shot five years ago. Sadly, because of this, very worthy performances from the likes of Ethan Hawke, Jeff Daniels, Bryan Cranston, John Boyega, Joel Edgerton, Chris Rock and more have been shuffled off to the sidelines.
- 9/13/2021
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
This year’s Best TV Movie category was a tough one, especially as last year’s pandemic forced many studios to abandon theatrical releases and transition several of their features to the television realm. When the nominees for this year’s Emmys were announced, many looked askance at the choices, wondering where the more familiar films were — as well as whether the selections were truly made for TV.
In a fitting end, the feature that felt most like a movie built for television walked away with the award. Dolly Parton’s “Christmas on the Square” took home the Emmy for Best TV Movie Sunday night. The Netflix feature is a “Christmas Carol”-esque story of a bitter woman, played by Christine Baranski, who plans to sell a small town only to be changed by the residents of it. Dolly Parton plays, appropriately enough, a Christmas angel.
Dolly Parton has crafted...
In a fitting end, the feature that felt most like a movie built for television walked away with the award. Dolly Parton’s “Christmas on the Square” took home the Emmy for Best TV Movie Sunday night. The Netflix feature is a “Christmas Carol”-esque story of a bitter woman, played by Christine Baranski, who plans to sell a small town only to be changed by the residents of it. Dolly Parton plays, appropriately enough, a Christmas angel.
Dolly Parton has crafted...
- 9/13/2021
- by Kristen Lopez
- Indiewire
The Primetime Emmys ceremony will broadcast on Sunday night, September 19, but the vast majority of awards will already have been presented by then. The Creative Arts Emmys go out over the course of three ceremonies on September 11 and 12, honoring the best in nonfiction, variety, animation, guest acting, behind-the-scenes crafts and much more. More than a thousand Gold Derby users have been predicting the winners in 27 of those categories. Scroll down for their complete predictions by category listed in order of our racetrack odds. Our projected winners are highlighted in gold.
SEEEmmy revenge for Oscar-snubbed documentaries? ‘Welcome to Chechnya’ neck-and-neck with ‘Dick Johnson is Dead’ in our odds
First and foremost, our users are betting on a good weekend for “Saturday Night Live.” It’s already the most awarded series in Emmy history, and just among the categories we’re predicting it’s anticipated to win four times: Best Variety Sketch Series,...
SEEEmmy revenge for Oscar-snubbed documentaries? ‘Welcome to Chechnya’ neck-and-neck with ‘Dick Johnson is Dead’ in our odds
First and foremost, our users are betting on a good weekend for “Saturday Night Live.” It’s already the most awarded series in Emmy history, and just among the categories we’re predicting it’s anticipated to win four times: Best Variety Sketch Series,...
- 9/10/2021
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Exclusive: Jason Statham and Miramax are partnering for a third time with The Bee Keeper, a spec script by Kurt Wimmer which the studio has shelled out seven figures for.
A September 2022 production start is being eyed in London and Atlanta.
The Bee Keeper is a lightning-paced thriller deeply steeped in the mythology of Bee Keeping. Miramax is currently searching for a director. Statham, Wimmer and Miramax CEO Bill Block are set to produce.
“The Bee Keeper explores universal themes with an unconventional story that will have fans sitting on the edge of their seats. We’re excited to bring another iconic and irresistible film to audiences around the globe,” said Block.
Statham recently shot Miramax’s Untitled Guy Ritchie Project aka Five Eyes and starred in Ritchie and Miramax’s Wrath of Man which has grossed close to $104M at the global box office. Miramax’s previous Ritchie movie,...
A September 2022 production start is being eyed in London and Atlanta.
The Bee Keeper is a lightning-paced thriller deeply steeped in the mythology of Bee Keeping. Miramax is currently searching for a director. Statham, Wimmer and Miramax CEO Bill Block are set to produce.
“The Bee Keeper explores universal themes with an unconventional story that will have fans sitting on the edge of their seats. We’re excited to bring another iconic and irresistible film to audiences around the globe,” said Block.
Statham recently shot Miramax’s Untitled Guy Ritchie Project aka Five Eyes and starred in Ritchie and Miramax’s Wrath of Man which has grossed close to $104M at the global box office. Miramax’s previous Ritchie movie,...
- 8/27/2021
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Amazon’s Uncle Frank stars Paul Bettany as Frank Bledsoe, a gay professor of literature living in early ’70s New York City with his partner, Wally (Peter Macdissi). Having left behind a close-knit family in his native Creekville, South Carolina, Frank lives semi-openly as a gay man in New York while keeping the rest of the Bledsoe clan in the dark about his sexuality — that is, until his niece Beth (Sophia Lillis) arrives in the city for college and stumbles upon Frank’s secret life.
When Frank’s father dies suddenly, Beth and Wally persuade him to return to Creekville for ...
When Frank’s father dies suddenly, Beth and Wally persuade him to return to Creekville for ...
- 8/20/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Amazon’s Uncle Frank stars Paul Bettany as Frank Bledsoe, a gay professor of literature living in early ’70s New York City with his partner, Wally (Peter Macdissi). Having left behind a close-knit family in his native Creekville, South Carolina, Frank lives semi-openly as a gay man in New York while keeping the rest of the Bledsoe clan in the dark about his sexuality — that is, until his niece Beth (Sophia Lillis) arrives in the city for college and stumbles upon Frank’s secret life.
When Frank’s father dies suddenly, Beth and Wally persuade him to return to Creekville for ...
When Frank’s father dies suddenly, Beth and Wally persuade him to return to Creekville for ...
- 8/20/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
As of this writing Paul Bettany is the front-runner (with 71/20 odds according to the combined predictions of Gold Derby users) to win Best Movie/Limited Actor at this year’s Primetime Emmy Awards for his performance in the Disney+ limited series “WandaVision.” Let’s consider a couple of the important factors that could help him come out on top.
Bettany plays Vision, an android who’s trying to hide his superhero identity by living a happy suburban life in Westview, New Jersey, with Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen). As the couple’s surroundings cycle through different eras of television sitcom tropes, they begin to suspect that something strange is happening to them.
Of this year’s nominees for Best Movie/Limited Actor, Bettany happens to be the only one whose show is up for Best Limited Series. That could help him considerably. After all, the other men in his category each appear to have some disadvantages.
Bettany plays Vision, an android who’s trying to hide his superhero identity by living a happy suburban life in Westview, New Jersey, with Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen). As the couple’s surroundings cycle through different eras of television sitcom tropes, they begin to suspect that something strange is happening to them.
Of this year’s nominees for Best Movie/Limited Actor, Bettany happens to be the only one whose show is up for Best Limited Series. That could help him considerably. After all, the other men in his category each appear to have some disadvantages.
- 8/16/2021
- by Jeffrey Kare
- Gold Derby
When Paul Bettany was approached for the title role in Alan Ball’s Uncle Frank, he was perhaps as skeptical as he was excited. “I’m a big Alan Ball fan, but also sort of a ‘glass is half empty’ type of fellow, so I went, ‘I’m going to get the one sh*t Alan Ball script,’” the actor joked. “I read it and it wasn’t, of course. But then I had lots of questions about whether I could and should play the part.”
The film written, directed and produced by Ball centers on college professor Frank Bledsoe, who takes his niece Beth (Sophia Lillis) to the South Carolina funeral of family patriarch Daddy Mac (Stephen Root). While visiting family, Frank wrestles with the sexual identity he’s long tried to hide from them, also coming to grips with a traumatic incident from his past.
The film written, directed and produced by Ball centers on college professor Frank Bledsoe, who takes his niece Beth (Sophia Lillis) to the South Carolina funeral of family patriarch Daddy Mac (Stephen Root). While visiting family, Frank wrestles with the sexual identity he’s long tried to hide from them, also coming to grips with a traumatic incident from his past.
- 8/15/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Amazon Prime Video is hoping to caffeinate your Emmy vote via pop-up For Your Consideration a coffee truck activation around Los Angeles.
The mobile coffee truck, promoting Prime Video’s Emmy nominations, will be stationed around town from Aug. 13 to Aug. 17, leading up to Phase Two Emmy voting (which starts Aug. 19). The free menu will include espresso, cold brew, latte, vanilla latte, and cappuccino in to-go cups decorated with branding from Prime Video’s Emmy-nominated titles, including “The Underground Railroad,” “The Boys,” “Sylvie’s Love,” “Uncle Frank” and “Small Axe.”
The truck will travel to Hollywood, West Hollywood and Silver Lake from 11am to 12:30 p.m. on those days. Besides the to-go cups, Amazon will also pass out branded reusable coffee to-go tumblers.
Here are the specifics for where the truck will be found:
Friday, August 13: 8900 Beverly Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90048
Saturday, August 14: 4470 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Sunday,...
The mobile coffee truck, promoting Prime Video’s Emmy nominations, will be stationed around town from Aug. 13 to Aug. 17, leading up to Phase Two Emmy voting (which starts Aug. 19). The free menu will include espresso, cold brew, latte, vanilla latte, and cappuccino in to-go cups decorated with branding from Prime Video’s Emmy-nominated titles, including “The Underground Railroad,” “The Boys,” “Sylvie’s Love,” “Uncle Frank” and “Small Axe.”
The truck will travel to Hollywood, West Hollywood and Silver Lake from 11am to 12:30 p.m. on those days. Besides the to-go cups, Amazon will also pass out branded reusable coffee to-go tumblers.
Here are the specifics for where the truck will be found:
Friday, August 13: 8900 Beverly Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90048
Saturday, August 14: 4470 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Sunday,...
- 8/12/2021
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
In order to address the future, sometimes you need to delve into the past. Most of this year’s Emmy-nominated TV movies do exactly that, exploring themes of love, faith and friendship in order to heal harmful past narratives and home in on the humanity of their characters.
When Eugene Ashe was penning the script for “Sylvie’s Love,” the love story of a saxophonist and a young woman, starring Tessa Thompson and Nnamdi Asomugha, for Amazon Prime Video, he specifically wanted to focus on the late 1950s and early 1960s, at the height of the civil rights movement. His goal was to highlight the humanity of Black leads during that time instead of the trauma so many other films have already tackled.
“We’re not represented that well. I wanted to go back and correct that,” Ashe says. “If I look at my family photo albums, I see depictions of...
When Eugene Ashe was penning the script for “Sylvie’s Love,” the love story of a saxophonist and a young woman, starring Tessa Thompson and Nnamdi Asomugha, for Amazon Prime Video, he specifically wanted to focus on the late 1950s and early 1960s, at the height of the civil rights movement. His goal was to highlight the humanity of Black leads during that time instead of the trauma so many other films have already tackled.
“We’re not represented that well. I wanted to go back and correct that,” Ashe says. “If I look at my family photo albums, I see depictions of...
- 8/11/2021
- by Amber Dowling
- Variety Film + TV
Amazon saw second-quarter net sales of $113 billion, up 27% but below expectations, dinging the shares, which fell more than 7% in late trading.
Consumers still shopped a lot on Amazon but growth was tempered as the world reopened — compared with the year-ago quarter when the global pandemic was at its height.
Net profit came in at a strong $7.8 billion, or $15.12 a share — up from $5.2 billion or $10.30.
Subscriptions services, which includes annual and monthly fees associated with Amazon Prime memberships, as well as digital video, audiobook, digital music, e-book, and other non-aws subscription services, grew revenue by 32% to $7.9 billion. Prime, which offers members unlimited fast delivery and access to Amazon Prime streaming, is now available in 22 countries with the latest addition of Portugal. CFO Brian Olsavsky said on a call with analysts that video “is good for the Prime program” and Amazon is investing in rolling out the Prime-member benefit across international markets.
Consumers still shopped a lot on Amazon but growth was tempered as the world reopened — compared with the year-ago quarter when the global pandemic was at its height.
Net profit came in at a strong $7.8 billion, or $15.12 a share — up from $5.2 billion or $10.30.
Subscriptions services, which includes annual and monthly fees associated with Amazon Prime memberships, as well as digital video, audiobook, digital music, e-book, and other non-aws subscription services, grew revenue by 32% to $7.9 billion. Prime, which offers members unlimited fast delivery and access to Amazon Prime streaming, is now available in 22 countries with the latest addition of Portugal. CFO Brian Olsavsky said on a call with analysts that video “is good for the Prime program” and Amazon is investing in rolling out the Prime-member benefit across international markets.
- 7/29/2021
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
“Wandavision” star Paul Bettany ranked third in our Emmy predictions for Best Movie/Limited Actor before nominations were announced on July 13, but now that our users are starting to predict the winners, Bettany has jumped to the top spot. So what changed between then and now? Well, a couple of things.
See‘WandaVision’ Emmy interviews: Watch our 9 in-depth chats with Paul Bettany, Kathryn Hahn and more
First and foremost, the actor we were previously predicting would win, Ethan Hawke (“The Good Lord Bird”), wasn’t even nominated in one of the most surprising omissions of this year’s awards, leaving the category without an obvious front-runner. Conversely, “WandaVision” performed even better than many of us were expecting, earning 23 total bids and beating out “The Queen’s Gambit” and “Mare of Easttown” to be the year’s most nominated limited series.
That might be especially significant in the lead-actor race, where Bettany...
See‘WandaVision’ Emmy interviews: Watch our 9 in-depth chats with Paul Bettany, Kathryn Hahn and more
First and foremost, the actor we were previously predicting would win, Ethan Hawke (“The Good Lord Bird”), wasn’t even nominated in one of the most surprising omissions of this year’s awards, leaving the category without an obvious front-runner. Conversely, “WandaVision” performed even better than many of us were expecting, earning 23 total bids and beating out “The Queen’s Gambit” and “Mare of Easttown” to be the year’s most nominated limited series.
That might be especially significant in the lead-actor race, where Bettany...
- 7/28/2021
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
The annual Primetime Emmys always come with a dash of mystery and intrigue, but Hollywood’s Rise of the Streamers has given the Television Academy a whole new host of things to worry about.
Like, what’s a network these days, anyway? The org caught flack for allowing HBO and HBO Max to merge their tallies, giving the combo a slight edge — 130 vs. 129 noms — over rival Netflix. But it also tallied Disney’s total conglomerate haul at 146, beating them both.
“I would prefer the Academy just to step out of the platform, for lack of a better word, ‘wars’ altogether,” president/COO Maury McIntrye told me.
Also baffling some observers: The ongoing debate over what is film (and the domain of the Oscars) vs. what is TV and falls under the Emmys. That question may have impacted Amazon Prime Video’s “Small Axe,” which was named top picture of 2020 by the L.
Like, what’s a network these days, anyway? The org caught flack for allowing HBO and HBO Max to merge their tallies, giving the combo a slight edge — 130 vs. 129 noms — over rival Netflix. But it also tallied Disney’s total conglomerate haul at 146, beating them both.
“I would prefer the Academy just to step out of the platform, for lack of a better word, ‘wars’ altogether,” president/COO Maury McIntrye told me.
Also baffling some observers: The ongoing debate over what is film (and the domain of the Oscars) vs. what is TV and falls under the Emmys. That question may have impacted Amazon Prime Video’s “Small Axe,” which was named top picture of 2020 by the L.
- 7/14/2021
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
HBO/HBO Max scored the most nominations among platforms, taking 130 to narrowly beat Netflix with 129.
The Crown and The Mandalorian tied for the most honours when nominations for the 73rd Emmys were announced this morning (July 13).
Each series scored 24 nominations, and they were joined in the nominations for best drama series by The Boys, Bridgerton, The Handmaid’s Tale, Lovecraft Country, Pose and This Is Us.
HBO/HBO Max scored the most nominations among platforms, taking 130 to narrowly beat Netflix with 129. Disney+ took 71 and NBC 46.
Other drama series with multiple nominations included The Handmaid’s Tale with 21 and Lovecraft Country with 18. Limited...
The Crown and The Mandalorian tied for the most honours when nominations for the 73rd Emmys were announced this morning (July 13).
Each series scored 24 nominations, and they were joined in the nominations for best drama series by The Boys, Bridgerton, The Handmaid’s Tale, Lovecraft Country, Pose and This Is Us.
HBO/HBO Max scored the most nominations among platforms, taking 130 to narrowly beat Netflix with 129. Disney+ took 71 and NBC 46.
Other drama series with multiple nominations included The Handmaid’s Tale with 21 and Lovecraft Country with 18. Limited...
- 7/13/2021
- by John Hazelton
- ScreenDaily
It's time to look ahead to the 2021 Emmy Awards.
Nominations were announced Tuesday by father-daughter duo Ron Cephas Jones (This Is Us) and Jasmine Cephas Jones (Blindspotting) — both Emmy winners themselves.
Comedian and The Neighborhood star Cedric the Entertainer will host this year’s Emmys, set to air Sunday, Sept. 19 at 8/7c on CBS.
After last year's mostly virtual event, there will be a limited live audience of the nominess and their guests, bringing a bit of normalcy back to the awards show.
But, who landed nominations?
The full list is below.
Outstanding Drama
The Boys (Amazon Prime)
Bridgerton (Netflix)
The Crown (Netflix)
The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
Lovecraft Country (HBO)
The Mandalorian (Disney+)
Pose (FX)
This Is Us (NBC)
Lead Actor In A Drama
Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
Jonathan Majors, Lovecraft Country
Josh O’Connor, The Crown
Regé-Jean Page, Bridgerton
Billy Porter, Pose
Matthew Rhys, Perry Mason
Lead Actress In A Drama
Uzo Aduba,...
Nominations were announced Tuesday by father-daughter duo Ron Cephas Jones (This Is Us) and Jasmine Cephas Jones (Blindspotting) — both Emmy winners themselves.
Comedian and The Neighborhood star Cedric the Entertainer will host this year’s Emmys, set to air Sunday, Sept. 19 at 8/7c on CBS.
After last year's mostly virtual event, there will be a limited live audience of the nominess and their guests, bringing a bit of normalcy back to the awards show.
But, who landed nominations?
The full list is below.
Outstanding Drama
The Boys (Amazon Prime)
Bridgerton (Netflix)
The Crown (Netflix)
The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
Lovecraft Country (HBO)
The Mandalorian (Disney+)
Pose (FX)
This Is Us (NBC)
Lead Actor In A Drama
Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
Jonathan Majors, Lovecraft Country
Josh O’Connor, The Crown
Regé-Jean Page, Bridgerton
Billy Porter, Pose
Matthew Rhys, Perry Mason
Lead Actress In A Drama
Uzo Aduba,...
- 7/13/2021
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
Emmy-winning father-daughter duo Ron Cephas Jones (“This Is Us”) and Jasmine Cephas Jones (“Blindspotting”) announced the nominations for this year’s Emmy Awards on Tuesday morning.
HBO and HBO Max combined to take in a leading 130 total nominations, followed closely behind by Netflix with 129. Disney Plus had a significant jump from last year with 71 nominations in its second year of eligibility.
Netflix’s “The Crown” and Disney Plus’ “The Mandalorian” tied for a leading 24 nominations each, followed by Marvel and Disney Plus’ “WandaVision” with 23 and Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” with 21.
The 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards, hosted by Cedric the Entertainer, will take place Sept. 19 on CBS and Paramount Plus at 5 p.m. Pt/8 p.m. Et.
See the full list of nominees below:
Drama Series
“The Boys” (Amazon Prime Video)
“Bridgerton” (Netflix)
“The Crown” (Netflix)
“The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu)
“Lovecraft Country” (HBO)
“The Mandalorian” (Disney Plus)
“Pose” (FX)
“This Is Us...
HBO and HBO Max combined to take in a leading 130 total nominations, followed closely behind by Netflix with 129. Disney Plus had a significant jump from last year with 71 nominations in its second year of eligibility.
Netflix’s “The Crown” and Disney Plus’ “The Mandalorian” tied for a leading 24 nominations each, followed by Marvel and Disney Plus’ “WandaVision” with 23 and Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” with 21.
The 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards, hosted by Cedric the Entertainer, will take place Sept. 19 on CBS and Paramount Plus at 5 p.m. Pt/8 p.m. Et.
See the full list of nominees below:
Drama Series
“The Boys” (Amazon Prime Video)
“Bridgerton” (Netflix)
“The Crown” (Netflix)
“The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu)
“Lovecraft Country” (HBO)
“The Mandalorian” (Disney Plus)
“Pose” (FX)
“This Is Us...
- 7/13/2021
- by Haley Bosselman, Jordan Moreau and Ethan Shanfeld
- Variety Film + TV
Nominations for the 73nd Primetime Emmy Awards were announced on Tuesday by Emmy winners Ron Cephas Jones (This Is Us) and his daughter Jasmine Cephas Jones (#FreeRayshawn).
The Crown and The Mandalorian this year tied for the most nominations, with 24 each, followed by WandaVision (23), The Handmaid’s Tale (21), Saturday Night Live (21), Ted Lasso (20), Lovecraft Country (18), The Queen’s Gambit (18) and Mare of Easttown (16).
More from TVLineDon Cheadle Shrugs at His Emmy Nod for 95-Second Falcon and Winter Soldier Scene: 'I Don't Really Get It Either'Emmys 2021: The 25 Biggest SnubsEmmy Nominations 2021 Live Stream: Watch Announcements and Weigh In
By outlet, HBO/HBO Max...
The Crown and The Mandalorian this year tied for the most nominations, with 24 each, followed by WandaVision (23), The Handmaid’s Tale (21), Saturday Night Live (21), Ted Lasso (20), Lovecraft Country (18), The Queen’s Gambit (18) and Mare of Easttown (16).
More from TVLineDon Cheadle Shrugs at His Emmy Nod for 95-Second Falcon and Winter Soldier Scene: 'I Don't Really Get It Either'Emmys 2021: The 25 Biggest SnubsEmmy Nominations 2021 Live Stream: Watch Announcements and Weigh In
By outlet, HBO/HBO Max...
- 7/13/2021
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
The 2021 Emmy nominations were announced Tuesday, July 13 at 8:30 a.m. Pt / 11:30 a.m. Et at the TV academy’s Saban Media Center in North Hollywood. Nominations for the 73rd Emmy Awards were revealed father-daughter duo and past Emmy winners Ron Cephas Jones (“This Is Us”) and Jasmine Cephas Jones (“#FreeRayshawn”) Joining them to reveal the roster of nominees was academy CEO Frank Scherma. See the 2021 Emmy nominations list below. (For all Creative Arts categories visit the Emmys website.)
This year’s ceremony will take place Sunday, September 19 at the Microsoft Theater in Downtown Los Angeles and will air live coast-to-coast on CBS beginning at 5 p.m. Pt/8 p.m. Et. Cedric the Entertainer (“The Neighborhood”) is set to host television’s biggest night.
As a reminder, last year’s big Emmy winners were HBO’s “Succession” for Best Drama Series and Pop’s “Schitt’s Creek” for Best Comedy Series.
This year’s ceremony will take place Sunday, September 19 at the Microsoft Theater in Downtown Los Angeles and will air live coast-to-coast on CBS beginning at 5 p.m. Pt/8 p.m. Et. Cedric the Entertainer (“The Neighborhood”) is set to host television’s biggest night.
As a reminder, last year’s big Emmy winners were HBO’s “Succession” for Best Drama Series and Pop’s “Schitt’s Creek” for Best Comedy Series.
- 7/13/2021
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
Originally planned to shoot in early 2020, before Covid-19 lockdowns made that an impossibility, director Thomas Torrey’s “All the Names We Buried” is pitching in the Proof of Concept section of the Frontieres Platform at the Cannes Marché du Film, looking to reignite the project’s pre-covid buzz and recuperate lost financing. In a move likely to aid those goals, Torrey has shared with Variety that “First Cow” lead John Magaro, one of indie cinema’s hottest actors going today, will star in the film.
Set to join Marago in the film’s other lead roles are “Winter’s Bone” standout Dale Dickey and Caity Brewer, who most recently impressed with her work in Amazon’s “Uncle Frank.” Promising young “Promising Young Woman” actor Ray Nicholson (Prime Video’s “Panic”) is in talks to fill out the film’s other key role.
Like so many filmmakers raring to go last spring,...
Set to join Marago in the film’s other lead roles are “Winter’s Bone” standout Dale Dickey and Caity Brewer, who most recently impressed with her work in Amazon’s “Uncle Frank.” Promising young “Promising Young Woman” actor Ray Nicholson (Prime Video’s “Panic”) is in talks to fill out the film’s other key role.
Like so many filmmakers raring to go last spring,...
- 7/8/2021
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
The pandemic year may have been made for limited series. While continuing drama and comedy series fought to get back into production, many 0f them missing this year’s eligibility period, limited series brought the star power and provided the virtual water cooler moments.
Emmy-contending shows in this field include one of the biggest TV sensations of the past year, Netflix’s “The Queen’s Gambit”; one of the most impactful shows of 2021, Amazon Prime’s “The Underground Railroad”; a rare example of true appointment television, HBO’s “Mare of Easttown”; Marvel’s celebrated takeover of TV, “Wandavision”; and critical darlings like HBO’s “I May Destroy You” and Amazon’s “Small Axe,” the latter of which was somewhat inexplicably deemed the year’s best film by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.
These are the categories where film directors like Barry Jenkins and Steve McQueen go to stretch out, and where actors like Kate Winslet,...
Emmy-contending shows in this field include one of the biggest TV sensations of the past year, Netflix’s “The Queen’s Gambit”; one of the most impactful shows of 2021, Amazon Prime’s “The Underground Railroad”; a rare example of true appointment television, HBO’s “Mare of Easttown”; Marvel’s celebrated takeover of TV, “Wandavision”; and critical darlings like HBO’s “I May Destroy You” and Amazon’s “Small Axe,” the latter of which was somewhat inexplicably deemed the year’s best film by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.
These are the categories where film directors like Barry Jenkins and Steve McQueen go to stretch out, and where actors like Kate Winslet,...
- 7/6/2021
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Miramax and Amazon melodrama “Uncle Frank,” and Channel 4 and HBO Max’s AIDS-themed series “It’s a Sin” dominated awards at the 60th annual Monte-Carlo TV Festival.
Set in the early 1970s in North Carolina, “Uncle Frank” won best film, best creator and best actor for Paul Bettany who stars as a gay man forced to confront the Southern family to whom he’s stayed closeted.
“It’s a Sin,” a British series created by Russell T Davies (“Years After Years”), won best series and best actress for Lydia West. The series was produced by Red Production Company for Channel 4 and HBO Max, in association with All3media International.
Finland’s “Piece of My Heart,” a musical romantic series with Malin Akerman, took home the Jury Special Prize. The News awards were given to “ITV News: Inside the US Capitol” for best news coverage; “The Diagnosis: Covid-19” for best news documentary; “Citoyen Nobel” for best documentary.
Set in the early 1970s in North Carolina, “Uncle Frank” won best film, best creator and best actor for Paul Bettany who stars as a gay man forced to confront the Southern family to whom he’s stayed closeted.
“It’s a Sin,” a British series created by Russell T Davies (“Years After Years”), won best series and best actress for Lydia West. The series was produced by Red Production Company for Channel 4 and HBO Max, in association with All3media International.
Finland’s “Piece of My Heart,” a musical romantic series with Malin Akerman, took home the Jury Special Prize. The News awards were given to “ITV News: Inside the US Capitol” for best news coverage; “The Diagnosis: Covid-19” for best news documentary; “Citoyen Nobel” for best documentary.
- 6/28/2021
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Uncle Frank and It’s a Sin were the big winners tonight as the Monte-Carlo Television Festival revealed the Golden Nymph Awards for its 60th annual event during a ceremony at the Grimaldi Forum Monaco.
Paul Bettany took Best Actor for Miramax and Amazon’s Uncle Frank, which also scored trophies for Best Film and Best Creation, and Lydia West scooped Best Actress for the UK’s It’s a Sin, winner of the Best Series prize. The show comes from
Red Production Company for Channel 4 and HBO Max in association with All3media International.
The only other winner in the Fiction genre was Italy’s Piece of My Heart, which took home the Jury Special Prize. News awards went to ITV News: Inside the US Capitol, The Diagnosis: Covid-19, Citoyen Nobel and Dying to Divroce.
See the full list of winners, chosen from 27 nominated programs from 14 countries, below.
The 2021 Crystal Nymph Award,...
Paul Bettany took Best Actor for Miramax and Amazon’s Uncle Frank, which also scored trophies for Best Film and Best Creation, and Lydia West scooped Best Actress for the UK’s It’s a Sin, winner of the Best Series prize. The show comes from
Red Production Company for Channel 4 and HBO Max in association with All3media International.
The only other winner in the Fiction genre was Italy’s Piece of My Heart, which took home the Jury Special Prize. News awards went to ITV News: Inside the US Capitol, The Diagnosis: Covid-19, Citoyen Nobel and Dying to Divroce.
See the full list of winners, chosen from 27 nominated programs from 14 countries, below.
The 2021 Crystal Nymph Award,...
- 6/22/2021
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic have been felt far and wide, with the latest being on the nominations-round ballots for the 73rd annual Primetime Emmy Awards.
The total number of submissions are down significantly across most categories. The drama series race sees 133 contenders, while the comedy series race sees 68 titles on the ballot and the limited series/anthology category has 37 programs on the ballot. Last year, drama series came in at a whopping 197, while comedy had a strong showing at 111 and limited series came in at 41. A category where submissions are up for the first time in a long time is TV movie, which sees 41 nominees this year (compared to last year’s 28).
Interestingly, Spectrum Originals “The Bite,” from creators and showrunners Robert and Michelle King, ended up submitting in the drama series category, despite originally being developed as a limited series. The Kings did recently tell Variety that...
The total number of submissions are down significantly across most categories. The drama series race sees 133 contenders, while the comedy series race sees 68 titles on the ballot and the limited series/anthology category has 37 programs on the ballot. Last year, drama series came in at a whopping 197, while comedy had a strong showing at 111 and limited series came in at 41. A category where submissions are up for the first time in a long time is TV movie, which sees 41 nominees this year (compared to last year’s 28).
Interestingly, Spectrum Originals “The Bite,” from creators and showrunners Robert and Michelle King, ended up submitting in the drama series category, despite originally being developed as a limited series. The Kings did recently tell Variety that...
- 6/17/2021
- by Danielle Turchiano
- Variety Film + TV
The 1970s-set original movie “Uncle Frank” connected lead actor Paul Bettany more empathetically to his own father’s experience as a closeted gay man in that era.
“I had a curated version of his life,” Bettany explains. Immersing himself in the period gave Bettany “a clearer understanding of the pressure that he felt upon him, and a forgiveness for him, in that I never really got to know him in the way that I’m sure he also would have wanted me to, had he been less encumbered by the guilt and shame that he was feeling surrounding his sexuality.”
While the way this Amazon Prime Video project shifted Bettany’s perception of his patriarch is specific, he is far from the only actor whose Emmy-eligible roles became deep-dive history lessons that both powerfully connected them to and often re-framed their opinions of other places and times.
Bettany had this...
“I had a curated version of his life,” Bettany explains. Immersing himself in the period gave Bettany “a clearer understanding of the pressure that he felt upon him, and a forgiveness for him, in that I never really got to know him in the way that I’m sure he also would have wanted me to, had he been less encumbered by the guilt and shame that he was feeling surrounding his sexuality.”
While the way this Amazon Prime Video project shifted Bettany’s perception of his patriarch is specific, he is far from the only actor whose Emmy-eligible roles became deep-dive history lessons that both powerfully connected them to and often re-framed their opinions of other places and times.
Bettany had this...
- 5/27/2021
- by Scott Huver
- Variety Film + TV
“My approach to the superhero space is wanting the human story to be walking hand in hand with the superhero story,” explains “WandaVision” head writer Jac Schaeffer. The Disney+ limited series provided the perfect opportunity for the writer to delve into the humanity of powerful larger characters, as the story charts Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) working through immense grief on the path to becoming The Scarlet Witch. Watch the exclusive video interview above.
“One of my missions is to write complicated women,” states Schaeffer. The sadness and anger Wanda experiences over the loss of her husband Vision (Paul Bettany) leads to some rash decisions. Slip-ups only make the character more interesting to Schaeffer. “I love that she’s so flawed, she’s an incredibly reactive person,” reveals the writer.
See Paul Bettany interview: ‘WandaVision’ and ‘Uncle Frank’
Wanda’s biggest reaction to her grief is the catalyst for the events of...
“One of my missions is to write complicated women,” states Schaeffer. The sadness and anger Wanda experiences over the loss of her husband Vision (Paul Bettany) leads to some rash decisions. Slip-ups only make the character more interesting to Schaeffer. “I love that she’s so flawed, she’s an incredibly reactive person,” reveals the writer.
See Paul Bettany interview: ‘WandaVision’ and ‘Uncle Frank’
Wanda’s biggest reaction to her grief is the catalyst for the events of...
- 5/22/2021
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
“I was beyond excited,” exclaims Teyonah Parris on the super powered evolution of her character in “WandaVision.” Monica Rambeau may not be a title character in the Disney+ limited series, but the story provides the fan favorite agent with a thrilling hero’s journey all her own. Watch the exclusive video interview above.
Parris first discovered the trajectory of her character when taking a meeting at the Marvel offices. “They had pre-vis of Monica, but with my face,” recalls Parris of the storyboards that dotted the room. “I was so overwhelmed I broke into tears… I had to go take a lap around the office.”
“WandaVision” is ambitious in scope and demands plenty of its actors. Parris had to dive into the stylized sitcom world created by Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen), but also had to sort through Monica’s trauma in the real world after being absent for her mother’s...
Parris first discovered the trajectory of her character when taking a meeting at the Marvel offices. “They had pre-vis of Monica, but with my face,” recalls Parris of the storyboards that dotted the room. “I was so overwhelmed I broke into tears… I had to go take a lap around the office.”
“WandaVision” is ambitious in scope and demands plenty of its actors. Parris had to dive into the stylized sitcom world created by Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen), but also had to sort through Monica’s trauma in the real world after being absent for her mother’s...
- 5/19/2021
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
In today’s Global Bulletin, the Monte-Carlo television festival reveals award nominees; Fremantle takes distribution rights to race relations documentary “Dreamland”; Netflix sets June date for second part of “Lupin”; Bavaria Fiction promotes Nina Maag; Zdf factual documentary series “Africa From Above” commences production; Channel 4 commissions documentary series “The Academy”; Vice launches Fast channel on Roku; Canadian Creative Accelerator announces French-language projects ready for U.S. sales; and the U.K.’s Reel Cinema group reopens with new screens.
After a Covid-enforced pause in 2020, the Monte-Carlo Television Festival is back as an in-person event from June 18-22. Some 27 programs from 14 countries have been officially selected to compete for the Golden Nymph awards.
Fiction nominees include “Ana. all in” (Spain), “It’s A Sin” (U.K.), “Line in the Sand” (Israel), “Made For Love” (U.S.), “Piece of my Heart” (Finland), “Roald & Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouse” (U.
After a Covid-enforced pause in 2020, the Monte-Carlo Television Festival is back as an in-person event from June 18-22. Some 27 programs from 14 countries have been officially selected to compete for the Golden Nymph awards.
Fiction nominees include “Ana. all in” (Spain), “It’s A Sin” (U.K.), “Line in the Sand” (Israel), “Made For Love” (U.S.), “Piece of my Heart” (Finland), “Roald & Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouse” (U.
- 5/11/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
“I made this thing that I will, for the rest of my days, be very proud to have been a part of,” claims Paul Bettany. Indeed the actor has plenty to be proud of as of late, with two projects garnering him rave reviews. He first starred in the Amazon film “Uncle Frank,” before jumping back into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the limited series “WandaVision” on Disney+. Both roles connected with the actor in meaningful ways. Watch the exclusive video interview above.
While getting ready to film “Uncle Frank,” writer/director Alan Ball told Bettany that “this movie is for anybody who has ever struggled to live their life authentically.” The sentiment immediately grabbed the actor and he latched on to that “beautiful, simple message.”
See Peter Macdissi interview: ‘Uncle Frank’
His character Frank lives openly as a gay man in New York City during the 1970s, but fears...
While getting ready to film “Uncle Frank,” writer/director Alan Ball told Bettany that “this movie is for anybody who has ever struggled to live their life authentically.” The sentiment immediately grabbed the actor and he latched on to that “beautiful, simple message.”
See Peter Macdissi interview: ‘Uncle Frank’
His character Frank lives openly as a gay man in New York City during the 1970s, but fears...
- 5/7/2021
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
Colton Ryan has signed on to star opposite Elle Fanning in the upcoming Hulu drama series “The Girl From Plainville,” Variety has learned.
Fanning as Michelle Carter and is inspired by the true story of her controversial “texting-suicide” case. Based off the Esquire article of the same name by Jesse Barron, the limited series will explore Carter’s relationship with Conrad “Coco” Roy III (Ryan) and the events that led to his death and, later, her controversial conviction of involuntary manslaughter.
Coco is described in the series as a sweet, caring young man grappling with anxiety and loneliness in a world he doesn’t feel he fits into. When he serendipitously meets Carter, he sees in her someone who understands his struggles and seems to see the real him. But his relationship with Carter takes a dark turn as he sets his sights on ending his life and becomes dependent...
Fanning as Michelle Carter and is inspired by the true story of her controversial “texting-suicide” case. Based off the Esquire article of the same name by Jesse Barron, the limited series will explore Carter’s relationship with Conrad “Coco” Roy III (Ryan) and the events that led to his death and, later, her controversial conviction of involuntary manslaughter.
Coco is described in the series as a sweet, caring young man grappling with anxiety and loneliness in a world he doesn’t feel he fits into. When he serendipitously meets Carter, he sees in her someone who understands his struggles and seems to see the real him. But his relationship with Carter takes a dark turn as he sets his sights on ending his life and becomes dependent...
- 5/6/2021
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Colton Ryan (Little Voice) is set to star opposite Elle Fanning in Hulu drama The Girl From Plainville, from The Post writer Liz Hannah and Dr. Death exec producer Patrick Macmanus.
Written by Hannah and Macmanus and produced by UCP, The Girl From Plainville stars Fanning as Michelle Carter and is inspired by the true story of her controversial “texting-suicide” case. Based off the Esquire article of the same name by Jesse Barron, the limited series will explore Carter’s relationship with Conrad Roy III and the events that led to his death and, later, her controversial conviction of involuntary manslaughter.
Ryan will play Coco, a sweet, caring young man grappling with anxiety and loneliness in a world he doesn’t feel he fits into. When he serendipitously meets Michelle Carter, he sees in her someone who understands his struggles and seems to see the real him. But his relationship...
Written by Hannah and Macmanus and produced by UCP, The Girl From Plainville stars Fanning as Michelle Carter and is inspired by the true story of her controversial “texting-suicide” case. Based off the Esquire article of the same name by Jesse Barron, the limited series will explore Carter’s relationship with Conrad Roy III and the events that led to his death and, later, her controversial conviction of involuntary manslaughter.
Ryan will play Coco, a sweet, caring young man grappling with anxiety and loneliness in a world he doesn’t feel he fits into. When he serendipitously meets Michelle Carter, he sees in her someone who understands his struggles and seems to see the real him. But his relationship...
- 5/6/2021
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
“It was a joy, it was an instant fit for all of us,” gushes Margo Martindale on her experience filming “Uncle Frank.” The Emmy-winning actress plays Mammaw, the matriarch of the Bledsoe family in writer/director Alan Ball’s new film. Close friends from past projects filled out her on-screen family, such as Lois Smith and Judy Greer. While the experience of being part of that large ensemble was fun for the actress, Martindale’s most meaningful moments occurred with Paul Bettany as the titular Frank. Watch the exclusive video interview above.
Frank is gay, but stays closeted around his Southern family. He travels back to his hometown from New York City after his father (Stephen Root) passes away. The two had a contentious relationship which made Frank the black sheep of the family. Martindale believes that her character always sensed the tension between father and son. “She has always jumped in,...
Frank is gay, but stays closeted around his Southern family. He travels back to his hometown from New York City after his father (Stephen Root) passes away. The two had a contentious relationship which made Frank the black sheep of the family. Martindale believes that her character always sensed the tension between father and son. “She has always jumped in,...
- 5/6/2021
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
Amazon Prime just won a couple of Oscars for their film “Sound of Metal,” and now the streaming service is jumping right into Emmy season with “Beyond the Screen” virtual events and a “Prime Video Presents” podcast to promote their slate of programs from May 1 through June 10. Their events can be found on the Emmys FYC calendar.
Among the programs being promoted by Amazon this season include the sci-fi dramas “The Boys” and “The Expanse”; the Barry Jenkins limited series “The Underground Railroad”; the telefilms “Uncle Frank,” “Yearly Departed,” and “Sylvie’s Love”; the documentary “All In: The Fight for Democracy“; the anthologies “Solos” and “Them”; and the theatrical special “What the Constitution Means to Me.”
Seersvp now for May 10: TV documentary directors for ‘Framing Britney Spears,’ ‘Heaven’s Gate,’ ‘High on the Hog,’ ‘Seduced,’ ‘The Year Earth Changed’ join Gold Derby’s Meet the Experts series
“Beyond the Screen” kicked...
Among the programs being promoted by Amazon this season include the sci-fi dramas “The Boys” and “The Expanse”; the Barry Jenkins limited series “The Underground Railroad”; the telefilms “Uncle Frank,” “Yearly Departed,” and “Sylvie’s Love”; the documentary “All In: The Fight for Democracy“; the anthologies “Solos” and “Them”; and the theatrical special “What the Constitution Means to Me.”
Seersvp now for May 10: TV documentary directors for ‘Framing Britney Spears,’ ‘Heaven’s Gate,’ ‘High on the Hog,’ ‘Seduced,’ ‘The Year Earth Changed’ join Gold Derby’s Meet the Experts series
“Beyond the Screen” kicked...
- 5/3/2021
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Amazon Prime Video has once again put a pause on its annual in-person Emmy FYC pop-up events space due to the pandemic. But in its place, the streamer has curated a virtual experience, dubbed “Beyond the Screen,” that kicks off this weekend with an evening devoted to the stars, crafts and music of Steve McQueen’s anthology series “Small Axe.”
Variety has the exclusive roundup of the Emmy FYC panels, screenings, podcasts and performances that will kick off Amazon Studios and Prime Video’s campaign starting May 1, and continuing through June 10.
Talent populating the panels, set to be streamed for Television Academy members, include McQueen and John Boyega (“Small Axe”); Barry Jenkins and Joel Edgerton (“The Underground Railroad”), and Karl Urban, Antony Starr, Aya Cash and Jack Quaid (“The Boys”). Other contenders participating include “Solos,” “Sylvie’s Love,” “The Expanse,” “Them,” “Uncle Frank,” “What The Constitution Means To Me” and “Yearly Departed.
Variety has the exclusive roundup of the Emmy FYC panels, screenings, podcasts and performances that will kick off Amazon Studios and Prime Video’s campaign starting May 1, and continuing through June 10.
Talent populating the panels, set to be streamed for Television Academy members, include McQueen and John Boyega (“Small Axe”); Barry Jenkins and Joel Edgerton (“The Underground Railroad”), and Karl Urban, Antony Starr, Aya Cash and Jack Quaid (“The Boys”). Other contenders participating include “Solos,” “Sylvie’s Love,” “The Expanse,” “Them,” “Uncle Frank,” “What The Constitution Means To Me” and “Yearly Departed.
- 4/30/2021
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
“Everybody needs a Wally!” exclaims actor Peter Macdissi. He is referring to his loveable character in the Amazon film “Uncle Frank.” Wally is the longtime partner of the titular Frank (Paul Bettany). The pair end up journeying from New York City to Frank’s hometown in the south, to a conservative family that doesn’t know of the pair’s relationship. Nevertheless, Wally is a source of positivity and exuberance who lifts up the traumatized people around him. Macdissi believes that the Wallys of the world are necessary “to make life more palatable” and find the positives in every situation. “I’ve learned from Wally,” admits the actor, “to appreciate the little things.” Watch the exclusive video interview above.
“Uncle Frank” is written and directed by Oscar and Emmy winner Alan Ball, Macdissi’s real life partner. “I just cried my eyes out,” says Macdissi of the first time he read the script.
“Uncle Frank” is written and directed by Oscar and Emmy winner Alan Ball, Macdissi’s real life partner. “I just cried my eyes out,” says Macdissi of the first time he read the script.
- 4/29/2021
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
“I think the outsiders are the most interesting,” claims Sophia Lillis when talking about her favorite type of characters. The young actress has already embodied outsiders in the films “It” and “It: Chapter Two”, as well as the coming-of-age series “I Am Not Okay With This.” Now Lillis takes on her most complex outsider role to date in writer/director Alan Ball’s “Uncle Frank.” As the actress explains, the possibilities posed by this kind of role make them “the most fun to play.” Watch the exclusive video interview above.
In this film from Amazon, Lillis portrays Beth. It’s the 1970’s in the South, and Beth feels distant from her family. The one person who understands her is Uncle Frank (Paul Bettany), the black sheep of the clan who lives an exotic-seeming life in New York City. Beth joins her role model in the city when she enrolls in college,...
In this film from Amazon, Lillis portrays Beth. It’s the 1970’s in the South, and Beth feels distant from her family. The one person who understands her is Uncle Frank (Paul Bettany), the black sheep of the clan who lives an exotic-seeming life in New York City. Beth joins her role model in the city when she enrolls in college,...
- 4/27/2021
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
Exclusive: Owen Wilson, Michaela Watkins, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ciara Renée, Lusia Strus, and Stephen Root have signed on to star in Paint, an indie film from director Brit McAdams. Sam Maydew of Silver Lining Entertainment is producing the project, which is currently shooting in upstate New York.
McAdams also penned the screenplay, which landed on The Blacklist in 2010. The plot follows Carl Nargle, who has hosted Vermont’s #1 painting show for the past 27 years with his signature whisper keeping viewers from Pittsfield to St. Albans breathlessly hanging on his every stroke until the station hires a younger, better painter who steals everything and everyone Carl loves.
Peter Brant, who provided the financing, is also producing the pic, while Wilson will serve as an executive producer alongside Richard J. Bosner and Joel David Moore.
Wilson will soon make his appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, starring Tom Hiddleston in the Disney+ series Loki.
McAdams also penned the screenplay, which landed on The Blacklist in 2010. The plot follows Carl Nargle, who has hosted Vermont’s #1 painting show for the past 27 years with his signature whisper keeping viewers from Pittsfield to St. Albans breathlessly hanging on his every stroke until the station hires a younger, better painter who steals everything and everyone Carl loves.
Peter Brant, who provided the financing, is also producing the pic, while Wilson will serve as an executive producer alongside Richard J. Bosner and Joel David Moore.
Wilson will soon make his appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, starring Tom Hiddleston in the Disney+ series Loki.
- 4/16/2021
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
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