Bill Maher On GOP’s Advantage: “Republicans Win For Two Reasons: Teamwork & Cheating”
The namesake host of HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher has some rules for the Democratic Party to memorize as they ramp up for a 2020 rematch with President Donald J. Trump. “I want all Democrats to memorize these two words: Message Discipline,” Maher said with the tones of a weary teacher addressing a remedial class. “Republicans win for two reasons: teamwork and cheating. And they’re really good at both.”
The 2020 presidential race, the Mueller Report, and the ongoing Trumpifcation of the national conversation were meaty topics for the night’s episode although the most memorable gag was directed at Roy Moore of Alabama and the legal limits that effect his viability as a elected public servant. “It looks like even if Roy Moore won, he would not be able to serve his term,” Maher said, “because the Senate is within one mile of a school.”
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Maher’s description of Mueller at one point had a Biblical cadence to it: “Mueller finally came down from his cloud and spoketh…what he said was, word for word, ‘The report is my testimony.’ I shall not want.”
Maher’s top-of-the-show guest was presidential candidate William Weld. Back in February, Weld became the first Republican to step forward to challenge the reelection of GOP incumbent President Donald J. Trump in 2020. Trump is the first sitting president in 27 years to face a notable same-party challenger; the last was George H. W. Bush who fended off Pat Buchanan in the primary elections before losing to Bill Clinton in 1992 general election.
Fiscally conservative but socially liberal, Weld defected from the GOP and pledged his ongoing loyalty to the Libertarian party in the lead up to the 2016 election. As a running mater to former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, Weld represented the bottom half of the party’s 2016 presidential ticket. The 73-year-old Weld returned to the GOP in January of this year, less than a month before announcing his intra-party bid to oust Trump.
On Friday night, Weld told Maher that the stature of the country has been hurt by Trump’s histrionics and he implied that the Oval Office might need to be outfitted with a diaper-changing table. “I think that the cracks are beginning to show in the government-by-tantrum style of the president in Washington.”
Weld has spoken out about strident new abortion laws in states like Georgia and Alabama and wrote in a recent USA Today op-ed piece that the new laws “actively promote a sinister culture of fear, persecution, stigmatization, secrecy and hiding.”
Weld joined Maher and other guests in the “Overtime” after-show, streaming-only segment as well and emphatically stated that he would never consider endorsing Trump: “I would not support Mr. Trump under any circumstances. I love the United States too much. Anyone but Trump.”
Sardonic filmmaker John Waters (Pink Flamingos, Hairspray) was the mid-show interview guest and had some acidic opinions on politics and a line that was acidic in a different way. “I’m not telling young people to take acid – you have your pussy micro doses. But old people? Take it! Nobody can say it’s dementia – you’re trippin’!”
The filmmaker sometimes called the Pope of Trash saved his best zinger for the show’s “Overtime” portion when a viewer asked if he thought Trump was the trashiest commander-in-chief in history. “He’s the worst,” Waters declared before adding: “And he looks like a white James Brown impersonator now.”
The roundtable portion of the show brought together a trio of guests: CNN political analyst and author Kirsten Powers; Australian journalist Jonathan Swan who covers U.S. politics for AXIOS Media; and defense analyst Lawrence Wilkerson, the chief of staff to U.S. Secretary of State Colin L. Powell during the Iraq War era.
Wilkinson suggested that Republicans may be made of sterner stuff than their rivals on the other side of the aisle. “I agree that the leadership of the Democratic Party is composed of gutless cowards. They’re not like Mitch McConnell, who will stick a knife in your back at any time and twist it.”
The Executive Producers of Real Time with Bill Maher are Bill Maher, Scott Carter, Sheila Griffiths, Dean Johnsen, and Billy Martin with Co-Executive Producer Chris Kelly; Producers Matt Wood and T.J. Baldino; Associate Producer Miles Leicher; and Director Paul Casey. This year marks the 30th anniversary of Maher’s first HBO comedy special (he’s had another 10 since then). This is the 17th season of Real Time With Bill Maher. The show has been renewed through 2020.
Jussie Smollett Prosecutor’s Office Releases 2,000 Pages Of Shifting Justifications
The Cook County prosecutor’s office released 2,000 pages of documents on Friday regarding the Jussie Smollett fake hate crime. The move comes shortly after Chicago police released their documents in the case, and offers a counterpoint to the allegations that the prosecutor’s office appeared to show favoritism toward Smollett.
Cook County State Attorney Kim Foxx had one interesting point in the documents. She claimed she recused herself from the investigation after false rumors surfaced that she was related to Smollett.
Foxx claimed in the document trove that she recused herself to avoid “even the perception of a conflict.”
But the new documents show that Foxx was immersed in the case even as she publicly vowed to stay out of it.
Smollett faced 16 felony counts related to making a false report. Foxx’s office dropped the charges on March 26 without any admission of guilt by Smollett, a move which caused a firestorm of criticism.
The new documents show that Foxx texted a deputy after her alleged recusal to say that the office had overcharged the actor. Foxx texted: “Sooo …… I’m recused, but when people accuse us of overcharging cases … 16 counts on a class 4 becomes exhibit A.”
Her colleague responded, saying: “Yes. I can see where that can be seen as excessive.”
‘Jeopardy!’ Earnings Record Now Less Than $60k Away For James Holzhauer
Another day, another win for Jeopardy! savant James Holzhauer, as the professional sports gambler is now just $58,484 away from the game show’s record for earnings.
Holzhauer won again on Friday, adding $79,663 to his winnings in a run that has captivated the nation. He now has won $2,462,216 and has victories in 32 straight games, leaving him just $58,484 shy of the overall record for earnings.
Given that he’s averaging in the high 70s for his winnings, he may top Ken Jennings record on Monday. Jennings earned $2,520,700 in 2004, winning 74 straight games.
Despite the threat of losing his record, Jennings has been all-in on Holzhauer.
“For 15 years, I have thought somebody was going to make a run at this record, because I always knew it could be done,” Jennings said on Good Morning America. “I was there. I saw it happen. What I did not expect was somebody could make a run at the cash record in, like, a third the time.”
Holzhauer has employed a unique game strategy on Jeopardy: he has gone for the highest-value questions first, and aggressively bets on the Daily Doubles.
‘Blindspot’ Ends Its Season Four With Huge Questions, But Promises A Season Five Resolution
First, the good news: Blindspot will be returning for a fifth and final season. Fans fretted that the show’s long hiatus in May meant trouble. But now that the final season has been green-lighted for 13 more episodes, all will be given a proper ending and explanation on the long mystery of Jane’s tattoos.
It’s a good thing, too, since season four ended with a classic cliffhanger in its two-hour season four finale.
We start with Dominic (Chaske Spencer), who took down the power grid. Jane, Weller, Reade, Zapata and Patterson head to Iceland to fix it, but are soon manipulated into being the fall guys for Madeline’s plot. Facing arrest, they start to turn on each other. But they manage to achieve their objective.
When they reunite in a safe house, they reconcile. Now the focus is on clearing their name.
But the cabin in which Weiler (Sullivan Stapleton) Patterson (Ashley Johnson), Reade (Rob Brown) and Zapata (Audrey Esparza) are in was blown up in a drone attack by arch-enemy Madeline Burke (Mary Elizabeth Mastranoio), who had them on the run thanks to a frame-job.
The only sure survivor is Jane (Jaimie Alexander), who decided to get some fresh air a beat before the disaster. She could only watch as the flames consumed the cabin with her friends and husband inside.
Was there a way out for at least some of the characters? Even if they are it, Madeline has the pimp hand, controlling oversight on the FBI and having her foes on the run. Adding to the dilemma is that Rich Dotcom is being held against his will in a black ops site.
Creator Martin Gero promises a two-month time jump to start season five, but will reveal in flashbacks just what happened at the fiery cabin. There’s no turning back now for the team, who must clear their names while facing the might of the US government. Not to mention, it’s possible some of them didn’t make it out of the cabin.
Frank Lucas Dies: Inspiration For Denzel Washington Character In ‘American Gangster’ Was 88
The inspiration for Denzel Washington’s drug-dealing mogul in the 2007 film American Gangster has died. Frank Lucas was 88 and died while being transported to a New Jersey hospital.
Lucas and his wife, Julianna Farrait-Rodriguez, were once referred to as the black Bonnie & Clyde for their close alliance. She was portrayed as “Eva” by Lymari Nadal in American Gangster and was also a drug dealer, being jailed for five years in 2010 for trying to sell cocaine to a government informant in Puerto Rico. At the time she was 65 and Lucas was 81.
During the 1960s and 1970s, Lucas was the chief purveyor in New York City of a type of heroin called Blue Magic, a concoction which was 10 percent pure compared to the standard 5 percent of the day. His clientele allegedly included celebrities, top business people and politicians.
Lucas typically began his dealing around 4 PM, a time when the police had a two-hour shift switch. He claimed he’d have a million dollars by 10 PM. He also once bragged that he shipped heroin in fake coffins along with actual servicemen shipped from Vietnam, knowing the coffins would not get the usual scrutiny. He later expanded from New York into Chicago, Miami, Detroit and Puerto Rico.
In 1975, a DEA raid on his New Jersey home found more than $584,000 cash. Lucas then turned on his heroin connections, informing on them and having his family enter witness protection. He spent five years in prison on a reduced sentence before release, but couldn’t stay away from the game. He was again convicted for drug chargers, and spent seven more years in prison, finally released in 1991.
In 2010, Lucas released a book on his life titled Original Gangster.
Glenda Jackson’s ‘King Lear’ Ending Broadway Run On June 9
Many a true word hath been spoken in jest, but this is legit: Glenda Jackson’s King Lear will end its Broadway run on June 9. It originally was pegged to run through July 7.
Producer Scott Rudin announced the pending final curtain today.
Two-time Oscar winner Jackson starred as Shakespeare’s famous king of England who divides his realm among his three daughters and their spouses. She won an Olivier Award for the role when it played London’s West End in 2016, but this was an entirely new production. The Broadway cast also includes Jayne Houdyshell, Elizabeth Marvel, Aisling O’Sullivan, Pedro Pascal, John Douglas Thompson and Ruth Wilson, who is up for a Featured Actress Tony Award next month for her role as Cordelia.
In his review of the show, Deadline’s Greg Evans enthused: “So ferocious, so sinewy is [Jackson’s] take on Shakespeare’s lion in winter that those famously spoiled daughters and their menfolk would seem wise to send their regrets and just not show up to any family reunions. Lucky for us, they give as good as they get.”
Directed by Tony winner Sam Gold, King Lear began previews on February 28 and the show opened April 4 at the Cort Theatre, running for 76 regular performances. Miriam Buether is the scenic design, costume design is by Ann Roth, lighting designer is Jane Cox, and Scott Lehrer is the sound designer.
Sarah Silverman Musical ‘The Bedwetter’ Sets Off Broadway Premiere Date
WGA Blasts “Bad Behaviors” Of Unfranchised Agents, Lawyers and Managers On Package Fees & Commissions
The WGA says that it’s received reports that unnamed non-franchised agencies are trying to commission or take package fees on deals negotiated after the guild’s franchise agreement with the Association of Talent agents expired on April 12.
That’s when all WGA members were ordered to fire their agents who refuse to sign the guild’s new Code of Conduct. “In addition, it appears some industry attorneys and managers are complicit in attempts to secure packages and unearned commissions for non-franchised agencies,” the guild said tonight in a message to its members.
“If these bad behaviors continue, the guild will advise the full membership which agencies, law firms, or managers are acting contrary to their fiduciary duties, and we will take the appropriate legal action to protect members’ interests,” the guild said.
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Member-reported examples of inappropriate conduct include:
• An agency claims it is due a commission even though the essential deal points were negotiated by other representatives after April 12th.
• An agency claims the Guild is giving waivers to allow agencies to complete deals on projects they set up prior to April 12th.
• An agency claims that “most writers” are putting 10% in escrow “until the agency situation resolves itself.” The implication is that the agency will get paid for deals made during the period when it was not authorized to represent writers. Attorneys have also made this false argument to writers, and tried to make acceptance of it a condition of representing new writers.
• An agency tries to take a package on a new project from a writer under an overall deal.
• An agency cancels a meeting for a client it no longer represents.
• An attorney claims he needs the former agency to participate in making a new deal or the attorney will not make the deal, this in violation of the attorney’s fiduciary duty to the writer client.
“It’s particularly egregious that certain agents, attorneys and managers are focusing these ploys on younger or less experienced writers,” the guild said, “though experienced writers have also been affected. Working Rule 23 prohibits Guild members from being represented by non-franchised agencies, and that includes paying commissions to those agencies where they are not due. Please contact us immediately at agency@wga.org if you encounter one of these practices or anything else of concern regarding representation.”
The guild noted that “There are many agents, attorneys, and managers who respect writers and are playing by the rules. The guild can provide a list of experienced attorneys and managers who are currently accepting new clients. Additionally, the list of franchised agencies is on the guild’s website.”
The WGA and the ATA, which haven’t met face to face since April 12, have agreed to return to the bargaining table on June 7.
Unused ‘Alien 3’ Script From Writer William Gibson Is Now An Audiobook Featuring Michael Biehn and Lance Henriksen
For many film fans, the “Alien” franchise pretty much only includes Ridley Scott’s 1979 original film and James Cameron’s sequel, “Aliens.” From there, sequels, prequels, and spin-offs were made, which were, for the most part, subpar. And really, the downhill decline of the “Alien” franchise began after Cameron’s sequel, when Fox just couldn’t figure out what to do with “Alien 3.”
But now, thanks to the 40th anniversary of the original “Alien,” fans of the franchise that are willing to explore the fringes, such as the post-Cameron sequels, are in for a treat, as an unused “Alien 3” script from legendary sci-fi writer William Gibson is being brought to life as a new audiobook, titled “Alien III.”
READ MORE: Ridley Scott Reportedly Developing Script For Third ‘Alien’ Prequel That He Will Eventually Direct
For those that don’t know, after Cameron’s 1986 sequel, Fox struggled to get a third “Alien” film off the ground. A variety of writers and directors came and went, with a script seemingly getting rewritten constantly. One of those writers is Gibson, who was asked in 1987 to write his version of the third film. Unfortunately, there was a writer’s strike on the horizon, so the author was only given roughly 3 months to finish his script. The results were not well-received by the studio.
After the writer’s strike, Gibson was asked to revise his script, but decided against it, claiming scheduling issues. Years went by, scripts were rewritten, and in 1992, David Fincher’s “Alien 3” was released to fairly terrible reviews. This led to a cult following for Gibson’s unused script, which now brings us to the audiobook version of the script.
READ MORE: Ridley Scott Doesn’t Think You Can Ever Make A Good ‘Alien’ Sequel & Talks Future Evolution Of The Franchise
The voice cast for the script read/audiobook includes “Aliens” stars Michael Biehn and Lance Henriksen, as well as the vocal talents of Tom Alexander, Barbara Barnes, Lorelei King, Laurel Lefkow, and Keith Wickham.
For those wanting to check it out, you can buy William Gibson’s “Alien III” now on Audible.
‘Rocketman’: Matthew Vaughn Talks Producing The Fabulous Tale Of Elton John [Interview]
Similar to Sir Elton John and songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, whenever the minds of Matthew Vaughn, Taron Egerton, and Dexter Fletcher combine, the result is incredible art. But how does one foster such a successful creative partnership?
“Trust and respect, I would say is the most important thing” stated “Rocketman” producer Vaughn (‘Kingsman,’ “X-Men: First Class,” ‘Kick-Ass‘), “and the unified ambition to make as good and entertaining movies as possible, and friendship. So, we all talk frankly to each other, and we all push each other’s boundaries, but at the same time, we’re there to help each other when we cross them. And not scared to make mistakes, but if they’re made, we clear up the mess together.”
‘Kingsman’: Matthew Vaughn Denies Liam Neeson’s Involvement; Next Film Won’t Be Called ‘The Great Game’ [Exclusive]
Following the ups and downs of Elton John, “Rocketman” is the fantastical musical biopic telling of John’s claim to fame, enduring musical partnership with Bernie Taupin, and his struggles with depression, substance abuse and sexual orientation.
Perhaps more so than previous collaborations, you could sense the personal connection Vaughn, Fletcher, and Egerton had to the story of Elton John and his music with Vaughn himself drawing some comparisons between the famed musician, Egerton, and Fletcher.
READ MORE: Matthew Vaughn Confirms ‘Kingsman 3’ Will Finish Eggsy/Harry Relationship & Will Likely Film This Year
“I’ve watched Taron- meeting him as a guy who’s never done a movie before, walking into an audition, knocking it out of the park,” stated Vaughn. “Then going on this sort of unbelievable career of fame and fortune thrust upon him at a young age. And continuing to do great work, having ups and downs, but deep down, has a heart of gold. There’s a lot of similarities between him and Elton. They’re very warm, open people, but also incredibly sensitive, don’t like being knocked over but get knocked over, and then they get up.”
He continued, “With Dexter, there are similarities. He was like a prodigy little actor, at age four doing ‘Bugsy Malone,’ or whatever he was when he played Babyface. He then became this big famous cool actor, doing ‘Caravaggio,’ and “Revolution,’ and then he did this thing called ‘Press Gang,’ and then everything went wrong, and he got onto drugs and fucked it all up basically. And then came back in ‘Lock, Stock,’ and won Guy [Ritchie] and I over in the audition process and all became friends…And I think ‘Rocketman,’ for Dexter and Taron, really connected to the material on an emotional level, and I think that’s why people like the film because it feels authentic.”
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During my interview with Vaughn, we not only discussed his working relationship with Taron Egerton and Dexter Fletcher but where his love of Elton John originated from, if he ever considered directing the project himself, the future of ‘Kingsman’ and much more.
READ MORE: ‘Rocketman’: Paramount Reportedly Okay With R-Rating & Will Keep Controversial Gay Love Scene In The Film
You can listen to the entirety of my interview with Matthew Vaughn below along with our review of the Elton John musical biopic. “Rocketman” is now playing in theaters.
Mary Elizabeth Winstead Calls ‘Birds Of Prey’ “Funny And Weird” & Says It Reminds Her Of A ’90s Film
Actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead has been steadily showing up in movies for almost 15 years. From early films like “Final Destination 3” to more recent stuff like the underrated “All About Nina,” Winstead is a familiar face amongst film fans. But perhaps her two biggest films, both in terms of budget and potential superstardom are still ahead of her with this year’s “Gemini Man” and next year’s “Birds of Prey.”
And as she explained in a new interview with the New York Times, the actress had to go through some pretty rigorous training to become the action film star that she is going to be in both films. However, when you compare the two films, “Gemini Man” and “Birds of Prey,” she thinks that the latter film, a DC comics superhero film co-starring Margot Robbie, required much more effort on Winstead’s part.
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Winstead said, “In ‘Gemini Man,’ I’m a D.I.A. [Defense Intelligence Agency] agent who’s been hired to keep an eye on Will Smith, but in ‘Birds of Prey,’ I play this assassin who’s been trained since childhood. It’s all women and genuinely funny and weird. It feels from the ’90s, in the best way.”
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Regardless of the amount of action prep that the actress had to endure for “Birds of Prey,” it’s nice to hear that the film looks to be as “funny and weird” as the first pictures and teaser seem to indicate. In the film, Winstead plays The Huntress, and she teams up with Robbie’s Harley Quinn and Jurnee Smollett-Bell’s Black Canary as a badass group of anti-heroes that have to take down the Black Mask, played by Ewan McGregor.
“Birds of Prey” is directed by Cathy Yan and is set to hit theaters on February 7, 2020.
‘John Wick: Chapter 3’: Director Chad Stahelski Talks Fight Choreography, ‘The Continental’ TV Series, ‘John Wick 4,’ & More [Interview]
Stuntman-turned-stunt coordinator-turned-stunt-choreographer-turned-director Chad Stahelski‘s latest installment of the “John Wick” series is another resounding critical and financial success. “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” has become so popular, that Lionsgate has already announced a May 21, 2021 release date for “John Wick: Chapter 4.” Stahelski and his ‘John Wick’ star, Keanu Reeves, are a dynamite creative duo, working together decades, beginning during Stahelski’s days as Reeves’ stunt double. Their vision of the expansive universe in the ‘Wick’ franchise, the fight choreography, and the eccentric characters harkens back to famous silent film stars, dance choreographers and artists, martial arts actors, their favorite directors, and characters from their favorite films and books.
“John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” follows John Wick (Reeves) after he is excommunicado after killing a member of the High Table, resulting in a $14 million bounty on his head. His quest for survival takes him to exciting new locations across the world, where he encounters new characters and forges new storylines for the franchise’s wide audience.
Recently, I spoke with Stahelski about his unique career trajectory, the franchise’s expansive universe, his creative inspirations for the invigorating fight choreography, Asia Kate Dillon‘s fantastic portrayal of the Adjudicator, “The Continental” TV series, “John Wick: Chapter 4,” and much more.
You were initially Keanu Reeves’s stunt double in the “The Replacements,” the “Matrix” trilogy, and “Constantine.” Is it surreal coming full-circle and directing him the ‘John Wick’ franchise? Not many people can say they’ve had that career trajectory. When you go through something like we all went through on the “Matrixes,” it’s a bit of a bonding thing. I went more into action directing and second-unit directing for about 10 years. And I had stayed in touch with [Keanu]. And he had stayed in touch with myself and my partner, Dave. So, it’s something we always wanted to do. Preface all that by saying Keanu got to direct first. He directed “Man of Tai Chi.” When it came time for him to do that, he reached out and asked if me and some of my team wanted to go work with him and choreograph some of the action alongside Yuen Woo-Ping over in Beijing. You cut to a year-and-a-half later, where he’s off on a project and puts me forward to direct.
It’s that tight little Hollywood community, and it’s working with people that you really love, and respect, and that you have a good creative process with. It’s very cool. It’s fulfilling. If you look at the crew names, you see a lot of people from the old “Matrix” days. And you’ll see a lot of us that have been together since the first “John Wick.” It’s a great opportunity to actually be able to choose the projects and choose who you work with, both cast and crew. And that’s probably the most amazing thing about it all.
What have been some of your main inspirations for the choreography of the fight scenes in the “John Wick” films? There’s two fronts to it. There’s the mise en scène of things, and then there’s the actual performance. If you’re talking about solely the action part of it or the performance part of it, it’s Asian cinema and Japanese anime. It’s Jackie Chan. It’s Jet Li. It’s Donnie Yen. It’s Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao. The people that really help put down the foundation of, at the time, Hong Kong cinema, now Asian cinema as well as Japanese animation. Those are the big ones.
On a secondary level, I’m a massive silent movie fan. You gotta watch early Harold Lloyd or Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin. You’ll see setups and stuff. Maybe they hadn’t figured out all the composition and the actual mechanics of filmmaking, at the time, because they didn’t have the same gear we have now, but they made massive leaps forward with the action genre. And no one really gives them credit for it. And Akira Kurosawa back in the ’50s. You watch “Yojimbo.” You watch “Ran.” You watch “Seven Samurai.” Cut to the ’70s, Sergio Leone, go to the “Man with No Name” series, which is a massive influence on the “John Wick” series. And then, if you go to the aesthetics, it’s about the action. They don’t have much time and money. So, a hallway, a warehouse, a room, an elevator, anything that we can do the choreography in is what you try to get.
Then you study dance choreography. Most of our techniques and our methodology comes from dance, professional ballet, and stage work. I studied a lot of Bob Fosse, Jerome Robbins, Fred Astaire, Danny Kaye, all these great dance musicals. And you realize what had to happen and how intense the training rehearsals were. You look at Fosse and you go back to “Cabaret” or “All That Jazz,” he had to put that together in his head. No one was showing him how to take live stage work and the excitement of seeing a live performance brought to screen. He was one of the first big guys that pulled that off and kept the emotion of what he was trying to do in his choreography.
Is there a think tank among the ‘Wick’ writing team set aside solely for the purpose of coming up with new ways to elevate Wicks’s badassery? No. As we speak now, I’m in a little office in Manhattan Beach studios down in Manhattan Beach, California. I got my computer on before you called, and I was just looking through the internet. I got my two notebooks here. I have a wall full of cool pictures and ideas of things I’d like to try. I fill up my notebook. I go see my stunt team every couple of days, and we talk about it. It’s that simple. I got kicked by a horse as a stunt guy. Great idea. We throw knives all the time. I have an archery target. We have gun ranges. We have knife throwing boards. You know how many times knives actually stick in when you throw them the first time? I’m really good. I’ve been practicing for 20 years, and I miss about 50%. In action movies, this hero always lands the first shot, and it’s a dead kill. We thought it’d be funny to show a little reality [laughter].
I have my three or four main choreographers, we’ve been working together for 20 years. And everybody’s got a very twisted sense of things and a very aesthetically-pleasing sense of things. So we get together, and we just start playing. It’s like everything else. You got to practice. You got to explore your ideas. It’s like painting. You got to mix your own paints. You got to come up with a vision. And you have to execute it.
Matthias Schoenaerts Joins Charlize Theron, Kiki Layne & More In Comic Book Adaptation ‘The Old Guard’
As film fans, especially those that enjoy international and indie fare, you begin to root for certain actors and filmmakers to hit it big in Hollywood. In my case, I really enjoy the work of Matthias Schoenaerts and have always hoped that he’d finally find that film that allows him to fully break out in a big way. Now, with the recent casting news with the upcoming film “The Old Guard,” that possibility is starting to look like a sure thing.
READ MORE: Gina Prince-Bythewood Signed On To Direct Comic Book Action Film ‘Old Guard’
THR is reporting that Schoenaerts has joined the cast of the action thriller “The Old Guard,” where he joins actors Charlize Theron, Kiki Layne, Marwan Kenzari, and Luca Marinelli. The film is based on a comic book series about a small group of mercenaries, led by a woman named Andy (Theron). The twist is that this group is filled with mercenaries that are immortal and have been conducting their business through the ages. The group gets thrown for a loop when they discover the existence of a new immortal.
“The Old Guard” is set to be directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, who is best known for her dramas “The Secret Life of Bees” and “Beyond the Lights.” She’s also attached to direct a ‘Spider-Man’ spin-off film for Sony, but that seems to be firmly on the backburner for now. Prince-Bythewood co-wrote the script with one of the comic book’s co-creators Greg Rucka.
READ MORE: Matthias Schoenaerts Is Ready To Work After ‘The Mustang’ [Interview]
Schoenaerts is probably best known for his incredible work over the course of dozens of foreign films, including “Rust and Bone” and “Bullhead.” He has dabbled in English-language films such as “The Danish Girl” and the recent Sundance film “The Mustang.” His most famous English-language role is in last year’s “Red Sparrow,” but obviously, that film didn’t do much for the star power of anyone involved.
There’s no release date for “The Old Guard,” but with the production deep into casting, it would appear that they’re close to beginning filming.
TV Talk Podcast: Clooney, Stiller, DuVernay Aiming For Limited Series Emmy – Who Is On Top?
A lot of big names are aiming their guns squarely at one of Emmy’s biggest prizes, Best Limited Series, as the race gets underway in earnest with the final contender, Ava DuVernay’s four-part Netflix series When They See Us, premiering tomorrow — just under the eligibility wire. She already has a lot of competition, including George Clooney’s Catch-22, Ben Stiller’s Escape at Dannemora, Hugh Grant in A Very English Scandal, Amy Adams in Sharp Objects, Mahershala Ali taking over the third season of True Detective, and FX’s dazzling Fosse/Verdon to name just a few.
Deadline TV Critic Dominic Patten and Awards Columnist Pete Hammond survey the field and make some predictions in this week’s edition of TV Talk podcast, which also will focus on the less competitive Best Television Movie race as we wonder just what constitutes a “TV Movie” these days anyway. We are also featuring Dominic’s hilarious interview with Ramy Youssef of the new series, Ramy, as well as my fun chat with James Corden at this year’s Deadline Emmy Contenders event. Check it all out below.
NBC Creates Network’s First Below-The-Line Diversity Initiatives
In NBC’s ongoing advocacy for representation in key production roles, they have launched the networks first below-the-line initiatives. The two newly created pipeline programs focus on diversifying representation among production coordinators and production assistants.
The new annual initiatives are spearheaded by NBC’s Scripted Programming Co-Presidents Lisa Katz and Tracey Pakosta, Alternative and Reality Group President Meredith Ahr, and Karen Horne, Senior Vice President, Programming Talent Development & Inclusion (TIPS).
The new Production Coordinator Program and Production Assistant Initiative provides on-the-job training for ethnically diverse talent who want to work on a television production. Both are early-career production roles that cover a range of key administrative tasks. Production coordinators typically have one to two years of on-set experience and oversee a team of production assistants.
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With the goal of growing a pool of experienced ethnically diverse production coordinators, the Production Coordinator Program gives participants an opportunity to shadow a production coordinator on an NBC series. Beginning in the 2019-20 season, finalists on a scripted series will be dedicated to one show over the course of the season while participants on alternative series will rotate through several shows during the same production period. The program begins in July and applications for the program’s inaugural season are available starting today through June 14 at NBCUniTIPS.com.
The Production Assistant Initiative creates an opportunity for ethnically diverse production assistants to work on an NBC show over the course of a season. All NBC scripted and unscripted series produced by Universal Television and the Universal Television Alternative Studio are participating in the new annual initiative that officially launches in the 2019-20 season. The network did an early kick-off of the initiative during this year’s pilot season, where all of its Universal Television-produced pilots participated in the program. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis. Interested candidantes can submit their resumes and cover letters direclty to the NBCUniTIPs office.
The new programs add to NBC’s list of diversity initiatives for writers, directors and onscreen talent, including Female Forward, the Alternative Directors Program, Writers on the Verge and StandUp NBC.
AMPAS Sets 2019 Film Scholars Awards For Two Book Projects
Allyson Nadia Field and Mindy Johnson have been named 2019 Academy Film Scholars by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Their respective book projects explore the impact of minstrelsy on early American film and the accomplishments of women in the formation of early animation.
The Academy’s Educational Grants Committee will award Field and Johnson $25,000 each on the basis of their proposals.
“Field and Johnson’s research will shed new light on the history of the film industry through two distinct lenses,” said Marcus Hu, chair of the Academy’s Grants Committee. “This committee is honored to support them, and we look forward to seeing how their work impacts our historical understanding and appreciation of motion pictures for generations to come.”
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Field is an associate professor of Cinema and Media Studies at the University of Chicago. Her book, Minstrelsy-Vaudeville-Cinema: American Popular Culture and Racialized Performance in Early Film, reassesses the emergence of American film by recognizing the impact of minstrelsy on popular culture. Her work will explore the translation of minstrelsy to the screen, but also showcase resistance to its portrayals of African Americans, raising questions of race and representation in contemporary Hollywood.
Johnson is an award-winning author, historian and filmmaker who, through her work, aims to change the current understanding of animated film and support a more gender-balanced approach to film history. Her book, Women Who Transformed Our Animated Past (working title), will also include a curriculum and database of resources. Focusing on the lives and accomplishments of women who defined, developed, expanded and advanced animation, it will also showcase the work of women from diverse backgrounds that has never been thoroughly researched or documented.
Field and Johnson join 14 Academy Film Scholars who are currently working on projects including Ellen Scott, Donna Kornhaber, Charles Musser, Emily Thompson, Stuart Liebman, John Belton, Cari Beauchamp, Dan Streible, Thomas Schatz, Laurence Kardish, James Tweedie, Ross Melnick, Glenn Frankel and Keri Walsh. A total of 19 other scholars have already been published.
Established in 1999, the Academy Film Scholars program is designed to support significant new works of film scholarship. The Academy’s cultural and educational wing – the Academy Foundation – annually awards grants to film scholars, cultural organizations and film festivals throughout the U.S. and abroad. Through the foundation, the Academy also presents screenings and other public programs each year.
Jon Cassar Inks Overall Deal With 20th Century Fox TV
EXCLUSIVE:The Orville executive producer Jon Cassar has signed an overall deal with 20th Century Fox Television, the studio behind Fox’s sci-fi dramedy. The multi-year pact keeps the Emmy-winning director/producer and his Cassar Filmworks in the 20th TV fold.
Under the deal, 24 veteran Cassar will continue on in his current role as executive producer and director of The Orville, the Seth MacFarlane-created Star Trek homage that was just renewed for a third season. He and his Cassar Filmworks development executive Patrick Munroe will also develop and potentially produce additional projects at the studio.
“We are big fans of Jon Cassar at this studio and our relationship goes all the way back to one of our prized assets 24 which earned him a well-deserved Emmy,” 20th Century Fox TV president of creative affairs Jonnie Davis said. “He’s been an amazing EP/director on The Orville, and a huge resource to Seth, and we all love working with him. Having him under this overall continues our collaboration and also paves the way for Jon to develop projects and series of his own.”
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Cassar emerged as one of the key creative auspices behind 20th TV’s critical and commercial hit Fox drama 24, on which he served as a producing director for most of its run, rising to executive producer. In 2006, he won two Emmys, one for his directing work on 24 and sharing a best drama one with the rest of the show’s senior producing team.
He went on to serve as director and executive producer on 24 offshoots 24: Live Another Day and 24: Legacy.
“I’m very happy to be developing series for the studio that I have worked closely with since 24,” Cassar said. “I have always felt at home on the Fox lot and I’m looking forward to getting to work on Season 3 of The Orville with Seth and his talented group of writers, cast and crew.”
This marks the latest overall pact for 20th TV since it became part of Disney Television Studios following the completion of the Disney-Fox merger in March.
Aside from The Orville, Cassar recently directed Medici: Masters of Florence for Netflix, and his TV credits include helming The Kennedys miniseries for History, ABC’s Lost, CBS’ Criminal Minds, Fox’s Fringe and NBC’s Revolution. His film-directing credits include 2016’s When the Bough Breaks and 2015’s Forsaken.
Cassar is repped by Paradigm and attorney Leigh Brecheen.
Ghetto Film School Hosts Annual Celebrity Table Read For Student Films
Nonprofit Ghetto Film School hosted its annual live table reading at NeueHouse Hollywood (where Ghetto Film School is based in Los Angeles) on May 29. The annual gathering provides in-person feedback to scripts going into production this summer, all written by its 14-17 year old students.
Participating talent gathered at NeueHouse’s rooftop restaurant in the heart of Hollywood to read two scripts that will be shot by a student-run production team in Rome, Italy and at The Frick Collection in New York.
Following the reading, they provided detailed table notes and suggested revisions for the students to consider before heading into production. The films will premiere at a special screening next spring.
In line with NeueHouse’s mission to connect cultural innovators and act as a platform to ignite new ideas, Ghetto Film School focuses on creating a platform for the next generation of filmmakers. She school has campuses in Los Angeles, New York, and London.
Participants at this year’s reading included David O. Russell, Max Greenfield, Alfre Woodard, Ben Schwartz, Emily Gordon, Ryan Michelle Bathe, Lance Reddick, Edi Gathegi, Taika Waititi, Paul Eckstein, Allen Maldonado, Ghetto Film School CEO Stosh Mintek and VP of Development for National Geographic Hugh Fitzpatrick.
BeIN Strikes FIFA Women’s World Cup Rights Deal Across Asia & MENA
The Women’s World Cup soccer tournament in France will air in more than 30 countries across Asia, the Middle East and North Africa after FIFA struck a rights deal with beIN Media Group.
The tournament, which is expected to be the biggest women’s soccer tournament to date, kicks off on June 7 with Team USA the favorites and defending champions. The games will be available on Fox, FS1, FS2, Telemundo and Universo in the U.S.
It is the latest tranche of female sports rights for beIN, which owns Miramax.
The company is also launching a new global project to encourage women and girls across the world to play more sport, under its new branding of “beINSPIRED”. It is also looking for more female on-screen talent and sports rights.
Yousef Al-Obaidly, CEO of beIN Media Group, said: “The FIFA Women’s World Cup is the most anticipated tournament in world sport this year and I’m delighted to announce that beIN subscribers in +30 countries across Asia and the Middle East & North Africa will get to watch some of the best athletes on the planet come together to compete for their country this summer.”
“On the eve of this outstanding tournament, we are also launching beINSPIRED, which is our stated ambition as a global broadcaster to inspire the next generation to participate in sport, by giving a global platform to events and talent that haven’t, historically, been given the exposure they deserve. This summer we will take our first big step in this project and broadcast more premium women’s sport than any other global broadcaster, and we hope that female fans in the MENA region, and all across the world, will find new heroes and take part in sport,” he added.
‘Kingsman’: Matthew Vaughn Denies Liam Neeson’s Involvement; Next Film Won’t Be Called ‘The Great Game’ [Exclusive]
It’s no surprise that director/producer Matthew Vaughn is a massive fan of espionage. Having grown up on the classic James Bond films, the director considers himself a certified “Bond-aholic.” Perhaps this is why Vaughn has such a strong desire to continue expanding his own personal riff on Bond, the zany and kinetic ‘Kingsman’ franchise. “I nearly directed a Bond [film]. And I didn’t get the chance, but you know, if you can’t beat em, join em, or if you can’t join em, beat em, whatever the expression is. So yeah, I love spy movies, I love ‘Austin Powers,’ ‘In Like Flint,’ ‘Bourne,’ ‘24,’ you name it. I’m an espionage freak, so this was my version” stated Vaughn during my interview for the upcoming Elton John biopic “Rocketman,” which he produced (our review).
For a brief moment, Vaughn was heavily considered to direct Daniel Craig’s inaugural Bond outing in 2006’s “Casino Royale,” but unfortunately lost out to Bond veteran Martin Campbell. While the idea of a Matthew Vaughn Bond film is intriguing, “Kingsman” afforded Vaughn a new sandbox to play in and concoct crazy and eccentric spy stories. And that sandbox continues to expand with not only “Kingsman: The Secret Service” and “Kingsman: The Golden Circle,” but a prequel film (once titled “The Great Game”) due out February of 2020 and a proper “Kingsman 3.” During our conversation, Vaughn offered insight into what we can expect from the franchise’s next two installments.
“Next year you’re getting ‘The Great Game.’ It’s wrapped. [But] it’s not actually called the ‘Great Game.’ I don’t know what it’s going to be called. That’s a working title. We wrapped last week, so we’re very excited about it. It’s incredibly different,” he explained. “Like I said, I love spy movies, and this is a very very different tone and style and as a spy film, that no one’s made in a long, long time. And then we hope to shoot ‘Kingsman 3’ either late this year or early next year, but it won’t be out until 2021, so, who knows? If everyone likes the next two movies—there’s two more to come, hopefully, people like them enough that we can count on making another one. MARV Films [Vaughn’s production company] loves spy films, so I’d love to always be making them, and, ‘Kingsman,’ I think, the whole point about ‘Kingsman’ is a celebration of espionage. And ‘Kingsman’ will always make the spy film that no one else is touching.”
READ MORE: Matthew Vaughn Confirms ‘Kingsman 3’ Will Finish Eggsy/Harry Relationship & Will Likely Film This Year
Vaughn also offered up some clarification regarding actor Liam Neeson’s rumored involvement in the prequel film.
“No, he’s not [in it]! I don’t know where that came from, it’s funny,” he explained of the false casting news. “No, I was like—everyone’s saying ‘Hey! Hey Liam’s’—I said look, I just wrapped the movie and unless he’s got some amazing prosthetics and he’s playing some character I didn’t know about, he ain’t in the film. Never had a discussion. I love Liam Neeson. And I’d love for him to be in it, but no, I have no idea where that came from. I don’t know where that was written—I think it was Deadline. And they got the names of –I don’t know, it was weird, don’t know where that came from. I mean, it was odd. I mean If I’m going to say someone’s in it who’s not in it I should be saying Leo (Leonardo) DiCaprio or someone, you know what I mean?”
It seems the secrets of the ‘Kingsman Prequel’ only gets more mysterious as little is indeed known about the project aside from an impressive cast (including Ralph Fiennes), a World War I backdrop, and the release date. As for “Kingsman 3,” well even less is known, and though I tried to attain just a sliver of information, the director was vague on details but is ultimately excited for everyone to see the result.
“You can expect the unexpected is all I’ll say. But they both go on a journey that—we’re literally finishing the script off as I speak—but they go on a journey that, if anyone sees it coming, then I’ll give up” stated, Vaughn. “People will either freak out in a good way, or freak out in a bad way, but they will freak out.”
As vague as his statements may be, hearing Vaughn’s excitement for the project and knowing his love for the spy genre only piques my interest further in what is sure to be a mad dash to the finish. Now two films in with two more on the horizon and rumblings of a “Statesman” spin-off and “Kingsman” TV series, there’s no stopping Vaughn’s ambitions of shaping “Kingsman” into the next great spy franchise.
You can hear the full interview with Matthew Vaughn about producing “Rocketman” and the “Kingsman” franchise tomorrow.
‘When They See Us’: Ava DuVernay’s Central Park Five Story Is A Harrowing Tale Of American Injustice, Racism, Sorrow & Pain [Review]
From the first clapping boom bap beats of Special Ed and then Public Enemy (“Fight The Power”), director Ava DuVernay‘s four-part Netflix mini-series “When They See Us” surges with a propulsive urgency and harrowing sense of rage, indignation, and heartache that rarely breaks. The series is centered on the infamous Central Park Five case, one of the most widely publicized crimes of the 1980s, in which five black and Latino teenage boys were wrongly convicted and sent to prison for the alleged gang rape of a white female jogger. DuVernay’s dramatization of the story is deeply empathetic, humanizing and enraging. “When They See Us” is also dense, expansive, procedural and perhaps at odds with itself, attempting to tell a very human and even personal story about the traumatic experience of five innocent kids scapegoated by the system while acting as a scorching indictment of the system itself.
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Electrically charged, something of an “unfinished business” spiritual cousin to her searing documentary “The 13th“ about the flawed American prison system and the intersection of race, injustice, and mass incarceration that it sharply examined, “When They See Us” takes on almost more than it can chew. Sprawling in shape and scope, it buckles slightly and falters, loses emotional poignancy from the shifting of stories, narratives and focus. But DuVernay’s latest is still a thoughtfully crafted, emotionally shattering work.
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“Wilding,” or “wilding out” the slang term used by black teens in 1980s New York for hanging out and goofing off—boys being boys—is referenced often and embodies the rancid cultural schism that divides New York. Wilding is just fucking around in the park, but to New York City police, detectives, prosecutors, and legislators, it’s a sinister term rooted in fear and bigotry toward black and brown men and god knows what they do at night and who they may prey on. It’s a small, but crucial element of the series wherein DuVernay quietly posits her central thesis: that different standards apply to different people and while white boys can be boys, can hang out, roughhouse and get into a little trouble, for the five unfortunate black and Latino boys of “When They See Us,” caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, it’s a veritable death sentence. What is essentially unlawful assembly and delinquency is soon warped and distorted into a vicious rape and assault thanks to the machination of the NYPD and the domino effect of crusading Manhattan assistant district attorney Linda Fairstein, head of the sex crimes unit (Felicity Huffman, never more poised and ready to play a privileged white villain thanks to her college admissions scandal).
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When these five random boys from Harlem—Antron McCray (Caleel Harris), Yusef Salaam (Ethan Herisse), Korey Wise (Jharrel Jerome), Raymond Santana (Marquis Rodriguez) and Kevin Richardson (Asante Blackk)—are detained for fooling around in Central Park, their lives are forever changed. Where one prosecutor (Famke Janssen) sees the discrepancies and the tenuous connections about the rape and group of boys, Fairstein sees an opportunity. With the media and city raging for justice, she convinces the District Attorney to let her proceed with an investigation that soon goes off the rails of any moral and ethical standards.
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Given their orders, NYPD detectives aggressively abuse their powers, steamrolling over these terrified kids with intimidation and abusive tactics, violently interrogating the boys for hours on end without food and without parental supervision (unlawful for the mostly underage boys) eventually and quickly coercing and manipulating them into confessions under the falsehood that they’ll get to go home to their families.
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During this relentless assault, even parents that are eventually present (Michael K. Williams, John Leguizamo, Marsha Stephanie Blake) roll over and are manipulated into believing the NYPD’s lies, believing if they “cooperate,” their children will be spared. With confessions locked in, the D.A.s office, including chief prosecutor Elizabeth Lederer (a morally conflicted Vera Farmiga), strike while the iron is hot and while the media mob is seething outside, while people like then-private citizen Donald Trump are taking out $85,000 ads in the New York Times calling for the return of the death penalty against these boys. Blood is in the water and the sharks are circling.
If this unscrupulous miscarriage of justice sounds enraging, it is. “When They See Us” swiftly moves from a blistering crime procedural to an appalling courthouse drama, to a distressing prison drama and sometimes back and forth as two separate trials occur for two groups of boys.
DuVernay’s rhythm may make you reach for the pause, even rewind button; it’s as if she’s waited her entire life to tell this story and it’s condensed, but distended—there’s so much story to tell!—bursting at the seams with exasperation, heartbreak and a determination that screams out to tell this tale. Conversely, DuVernay’s series may be inherently passionate, but it’s also poised, solemn and never sentimental nor capital A angry. The inherent rage at these injustices is quiet, simmering, but ultimately more heartbroken for what these boys suffered and the childhoods they were robbed of. Moreover, the eyes are constantly on the prize, and no sense of rage will derail her sharp vision.
Co-written by DuVernay and collaborators like Robin Swicord (“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button“) Attica Locke (“Empire“), Yusuf Hassan and Michael Starrbury, a sense of honoring these boys and doing justice to their story weighs heavy on the breadth of this immense series; not much appears to be invented, most characters aren’t playing composites for the sake of efficiency or clarity. Super detailed and fact-driven, the extensive cast includes the adult versions of the boys, Justin Cunningham, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk and Freddy Miyares and nearly feels overwhelming.
The central difficulty of “When They See Us,” if one can call it that, is finding the balance between the personal and the political. Instead of, say, chaptering the story into six chapters—an introduction and then a story for each of the boys—DuVernay and her writers tackle a specific criminal justice system element and theme and reverse engineer the teenagers’ story into it. So, after the dehumanizing interrogations and stripping of rights, chapter two focuses in on the court and pay-to-not-play bail system, and the following chapters center on the horrors of juvenile detention, the prison system, and then finally, the distressing anguish of post-incarceration and how the deck is firmly stacked against anyone who has spent time in prison.
Without getting too preachy or didactic, DuVernay weaves these institutional, systemic elements into the human story and it’s an intelligent mosaic. But it’s almost too smart for its own good. Sometimes you wish the narrative didn’t bounce around so much, the system wasn’t on trial and the story of five boys robbed of their youth was the focus. The reality is, the filmmaker clearly feels a responsibility to tell this story holistically, and she’s ultimately not wrong.
“When They See Us” is a bruising, profound and incisive epic, even when the burden of story and responsibility is too much to bear and when the series feels too hard to watch. Performances are outstanding across the board, (special mention for Niecy Nash and Aunjanue Ellis), the visual aesthetic perfectly unglamorous and grounded (DP Bradford Young‘s work is as crisp and breathtaking as ever) and the musical choices (including Kris Bowers‘ moving score) are first-rate.
Ultimately, DuVernay’s poignant and painful Netflix series is a towering, if overflowing, statement about race and America, and how those who are perceived as other are seen and what privileges and rights they are not afforded. The dark, sad causticness of “feeling so seen,” which DuVernay alludes to in her title, is the cruel, inherently bigoted and merciless opposite; when you are mistaken for a brutish violent criminal, perceived and judged by privileged oppressors who fear you and may never understand your worth. [B+/A-]
‘Amazing Spider-Man’ Director Marc Webb In Talks For Disney’s Upcoming ‘Snow White’ Live-Action Remake
Let’s be honest, Disney is running out of animated films to remake in live-action. This year alone, there’s “Dumbo,” “Aladdin,” and the upcoming “The Lion King.” This is on the heels of “The Jungle Book,” “Maleficent,” “Cinderella,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and “Alice in Wonderland.” This doesn’t even take into consideration the multitude of films in development. Well, the list is going to grow bigger even still, with the upcoming “Snow White” live-action remake.
According to Variety, Disney is in talks with director Marc Webb to direct a live-action remake of one of their most revered animated films. As you probably know, “Snow White” follows the adventures of the titular young lady, as she teams with a group of dwarves to help defeat the evil stepmother, the Queen.
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This new “Snow White” is said to expand on the story of the 1938 film, with the new adaptation reportedly penned by screenwriter Erin Cressida Wilson, and will have new songs courtesy of the “Dear Evan Hansen,” “The Greatest Showman,” and “La La Land” duo of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.
The relatively short feature directing career of Marc Webb is a perfect example of the proverbial rollercoaster ride. Webb burst onto the film scene with the 2009 rom-com “500 Days of Summer,” which quickly landed him the keys to the “Amazing Spider-Man” franchise at Sony. The first film did fairly well at the box office, but the 2014 sequel was ravaged by fans and critics alike. Then came a double-header in 2017 with the fairly well-received “Gifted” followed by the critical and financial failure of “TheOnly Living Boy in New York.” Needless to say, the odds of “Snow White” being good is about the same as a coin flip.
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No word on when we can expect “Snow White,” but with the frequency that Disney is pumping out these remakes, it’s likely going to show up in theaters within two years, easily.
Lilly Wachowski To Co-Write & Produce Showtime Comedy Series ‘Work In Progress’ Starring Abby McEnany
We have Wachowskis-related news, but sadly, there’s no mention of a new “Matrix” film. Instead, Showtime has decided to team with one half of the duo, Lilly Wachowski, for a new comedy series set to debut soon.
According to Variety, Lilly Wachowski is teaming with Abby McEnany and Tim Mason on a new series titled “Work in Progress.” Wachowski will co-write and executive produce the comedy series that stars McEnany as a queer woman in Chicago that is going through a rough time, but finds herself in a transformative relationship. The series is co-created by McEnany and Mason, and a pilot episode screened at this year’s Sundance, which caught the eye of Showtime.
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Gary Levine, president of entertainment at Showtime, said, “We adored the pilot of ‘Work In Progress’ at Sundance and were so thrilled that Abby and Tim and Lilly wanted to work with us to expand it into a Showtime comedy series. Abby is as distinctive as she is appealing. She will make you laugh, she might make you cry, but she will definitely make you fall in love with her.”
“Work in Progress” isn’t the first time that Lilly Wachowski has worked on a TV series. Famously, she and her sister co-created and produced the Netflix sci-fi series “Sense8,” which ran for two seasons. However, Lana Wachowski seemed to be the sister that was more involved in the day-to-day aspects of the series, co-writing and directing many episodes, including the finale.
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The fact that Lilly Wachowski has a new project is great news for fans of the filmmaker, as last year there were rumors that the filmmaking duo was calling it quits after selling off the building that housed their production company. However, it may just be that the Wachowskis are going their separate ways, each with their own projects.
No word on when we might see “Work in Progress” premiere on Showtime, but judging by the announcement, it’s likely not going to happen until late 2019 or the first part of 2020.
High School Seniors Shoot Their Shot In ‘Booksmart,’ ‘Superbad’ & ‘Can’t Hardly Wait’ [Be Reel Podcast]
High school is over, college might as well start tomorrow, and tonight is the last shot for the high school seniors of “Booksmart,” (2019) “Superbad” (2007), and “Can’t Hardly Wait” (1998) to ace their social lives. That’s the eternally appealing premise of this week’s Be Reel category.
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In all cases, two friends (Amy & Molly; Seth & Evan; Preston & Denise) stand on the precipice of adulthood, reconciling mistakes, taking stock of what they’ve achieved, deciding who needs to hear their feelings, and keeping in some friendship-threatening secrets. Add booze (all three movies), psychotropic strawberries (thank you, BillieLourd), or hyperbolic racial appropriation (what are you doing, SethGreen?), and you’ve got teen sex comedies that double as races against the ticking clock of youth.
Though they often strive for guttural laughter and “that’s-so-true!” recognition first and foremost, these picaresque films also deconstruct a certain type of American teenagerdom—primarily white, unanimously privileged—made all the more resonant by recent college admissions scandals. Where they succeed — and have certainly evolved on the long road from “Can’t Hardly Wait” to “Booksmart” — is by flipping high school stereotypes. In short, these movies get better when they give the valedictorians hearts, the jocks brains, and, of course, real humanity to their young women.
The teachers, though? Still just so damn strange. Listen to the new Be Reel below.
‘Mike Wallace Is Here’ Trailer: New Doc About The ’60 Minutes’ Anchor Shows TV Journalism Has Been Under Fire For Decades
As is readily apparent from reading a newspaper or watching a newscast, journalism is under attack in our society. Thanks to the President coining the phrase “fake news” and the further polarization of political opinions, the public’s overall perception of journalists has likely never been lower. But as seen in the new doc “Mike Wallace Is Here,” journalism has been under a critical microscope for decades.
The new trailer for “Mike Wallace Is Here” tackles the rise of modern TV journalism, as seen through the eyes of CBS’ own Mike Wallace. The journalist responsible for the landmark news show “60 Minutes” was on the front line, defending the job of news reporting from public and government scrutiny for over 50 years. Now, thanks to the new documentary, film fans can see that even though it feels like what’s happening in politics now is new and scary, the truth is that the same issues have been going on for decades, with archival footage that is from the ‘60s but could just as easily be from 2019.
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“Mike Wallace Is Here” is directed by documentary filmmaker Avi Belkin. He’s probably best known for his recent film “Winding,” and will next direct a true crime docuseries on SundanceTV called “No One Saw a Thing.”
“Mike Wallace Is Here” will arrive in theaters on July 26.
Here’s the synopsis:
Deemed the “enemy of the people” by our current president, journalism in America is on the chopping block. Lies, fake news, propaganda, and verbal subterfuge threaten to cripple our First Amendment. This fascinating exposé of 60 Minutes’ fearsome newsman Mike Wallace turns his hard-hitting, no-holds-barred journalistic style loose on Wallace himself, who is considered by many to be the inventor of the form. Mike Wallace unflinchingly interrogated the biggest figures of the 20th century. During 50 years on the air, his aggressive reporting style and showmanship redefined what America has come to expect from broadcasters.
‘Our Time’ Trailer: Acclaimed Filmmaker Carlos Reygadas Enlists His Wife’s Help In His Latest Family Drama
As far as Mexican filmmakers go, film fans often think of people like Guillermo del Toro, Alfonso Cuarón, and Alejandro González Iñárritu, commonly known as the Three Amigos. But as far as acclaimed directors from that country go, you should probably add Carlos Reygadas to that list. Though not as famous as the aforementioned Amigos, Reygadas has garnered worldwide acclaim, with his latest film “Our Time” touring the film festival circuit last year.
Now, as “Our Time” arrives in theaters in a couple of weeks, we have a look at the trailer for the family drama. The film follows a married couple, who own a farm in Mexico. Everything is seemingly going great until an American shows up and begins work at the farm. From there, fidelity is tested, as the married couple is driven apart by lies and deception.
READ MORE: ‘Our Time’: Carlos Reygadas Offers A Beautiful, But Deeply Distancing Meta-Experience [TIFF Review]
Even though many enjoyed his new film, we didn’t have the same feeling. Our review out of last year’s TIFF wasn’t very warm, saying the film “is gorgeously shot, naturally, and the intentions are well-meaning but far too self-serving.”
“Our Time” is a family drama in multiple ways, as the film stars Reygadas alongside his wife, Natalia López, adding a new layer to the story being portrayed on the screen.
“Our Time” arrives at The Quad in New York City on June 14 before expanding elsewhere.
Here’s the synopsis:
A family lives in the Mexican countryside raising fighting bulls. Esther is in charge of running the ranch, while her husband Juan, a world-renowned poet, raises and selects the beasts. When Esther becomes infatuated with a horse-breaker, Juan seems incapable to reach his own expectations about himself.
Robert Pattinson Still Not A Lock For ‘Batman’ As Both He & Nicholas Hoult Reportedly Will Screen Test For Role
The internet basically imploded on itself earlier this month, when it was revealed that Robert Pattinson was the leading contender for the role of Batman in Matt Reeves’ upcoming Warner Bros. superhero film. On the one hand, there were sane, rational folks that understand that Pattinson has come a long way since “Twilight” and deserves the role. On the other, there’s just a huge amount of people that can’t look past the sparkly vampire flick. Those in the latter camp are probably happy to hear the news that Pattinson isn’t the lock for the role, as we once thought.
According to comic book film scooper extraordinaire (if there’s such a thing) Umberto Gonzalez, it seems as if Pattinson is still the first choice, but actor Nicholas Hoult is hot on his tail, as both are reportedly being brought into the studio for “screen testing.”
READ MORE: Outraged Fans That Are Petitioning To Get Rid Of Robert Pattinson As Batman Are Just Grossly Uninformed
Gonzalez tweeted, “Robert Pattinson & Nicholas Hoult are screen testing for the role. I suspect they’re screen testing in the Batsuit because Wardrobe Department will need full wardrobe test. Additionally, the film will now start production in Q1 2020.”
Of course, it’s likely that a costume fitting in the Batsuit will be a requirement for anyone desiring the role of the superhero, so that’s not at all shocking. However, it is interesting that WB is still moving forward to these final stages of casting with Hoult. Not that it’s a bad thing to consider Hoult instead of Pattinson. Both are well-qualified and incredibly talented. Even though Pattinson might have Hoult bested in the chin department.
READ MORE: Batman Returns Returns? The Penguin & Catwoman Rumored To Face Robert Pattinson’s Batman
Hoult’s resume actually includes plenty of genre fare, and specifically, superhero features. He’s probably best known for his off-kilter, but exceptional, supporting role in “Mad Max: Fury Road.” However, he’s also a mainstay in the recent ‘X-Men’ films as the superhero known as Beast. In addition to those big-budget outings, Hoult has garnered acclaim for roles in films like “About a Boy” (as a child), “Warm Bodies,” “The Favourite,” and the recent “Tolkien.”
So, will the “Twilight”-hating fandom throw their vocal support behind Hoult? That remains to be seen. All we can say now is that it’s still between Pattinson and Hoult, so let’s not lose our minds over the casting, just yet.
BATMAN UPDATE: Robert Pattinson & Nicholas Hoult are screen testing for the role. I suspect they're screen testing in the Batsuit because Wardrobe Department will need full wardrobe test. Additionally, the film will now start production in Q1 2020.???? pic.twitter.com/eekafrqomL
Happy (early) Pride Month (in two days of course)! Though we’ll all already be plenty busy dodging our exes at parades and scrubbing glitter out of our clothes, this June offers LGBTQ people everywhere a chance to reflect on how far we’ve come. This year is an especially important one, as it marks the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, when an uprising at a gay club in New York City galvanized gay and transgender people across the country. What better time, then, for those introverts among us to take our Aperol spritzes indoors and consume ungodly portions of the ever-expanding gay cinematic canon?
LGBTQ people have been in cinema for decades, from the two dancing men in “The Dickson Experimental Sound Film” of 1894/1895 to Shirley MacLaine’s tortured Martha Dobie in landmark 1961 film “The Children’s Hour.” The most robust era of LGBTQ filmmaking came during the AIDS crisis of the ‘80s and ‘90s, when fear of gay and trans extinction compelled all manner of LGBTQ filmmakers to immortalize our history on celluloid. This movement, known as New Queer Cinema, produced such seminal works as “The Watermelon Woman,” “But I’m a Cheerleader,” “The Celluloid Closet,” “Boys Don’t Cry,” and “Paris Is Burning.”
But I thought I’d challenge myself to dig up the best gay and trans films of the 21st century, therefore nixing any of the above classics. LGBTQ cinema has changed drastically since the New Queer Cinema heyday. Still, as high-quality gay and trans stories become slightly more mainstream, the most robust LGBTQ filmmaking remains firmly on the festival circuit, with modern art films celebrating everything from lesbian telepathy to trans women swapping wigs. (The genre is not without its blind spots, though — I was hard-pressed to find a single film centering on trans men.)
These films are equal parts witty, dour, flamboyant, and subdued. Like their New Queer Cinema ancestors, some are controversial and messy, while others are more accessible. There’s camp, there’s suffering; there is, of course, peach-fucking.
Without further ado, here are the best LGBTQ films of the 21st century – so far.
“A Single Man” Director: Tom Ford
Cast: Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Matthew Goode, Nicholas Hoult Synopsis: Depressed college professor George wakes with the intent to kill himself that evening, in large part due to the untimely death of his life partner, Jim. What You Need to Know: Tom Ford’s “A Single Man” is the kind of movie you’ll never forget, even if you’ve seen it just once. From its warm, orange embrace of Los Angeles (thanks to Eduard Grau‘s stunning cinematography) to its iconic 1960’s style, “A Single Man” literally teaches viewers to, as protagonist George says, “feel, rather than think.” Though the film somehow only scored a single Academy Award nomination (not even a Best Actress nod for Julianne Moore’s wayward eyeliner?!), it’s made an indelible mark on cinematic and gay history alike, offering a rare portrayal of gay life pre-Stonewall. You’ll sigh, you’ll cry, you’ll fall madly in love with Matthew Goode. If you’ve still never seen “A Single Man,” get hip to it now. But beware – this 2009 stunner came up in the golden age of gay sadness. Side effects may include a newfound love of mod aesthetics and soul-crushing ennui.
“A Fantastic Woman” Director: Sebastián Lelio
Cast: Daniela Vega, Francisco Reyes Synopsis: Marina, a transgender woman living in Santiago, Chile, must deal with the fallout from her older boyfriend’s untimely death. What You Need to Know: Critics and fans alike breathed an enormous sigh of relief upon seeing this film, which finally tells a transgender woman’s narrative responsibly – not only is Marina’s story nuanced and moving, Marina is played by transgender actress Daniela Vega. After years of misrepresentation on screen, “A Fantastic Woman” represents something monumental to trans cinephiles, and it’s a gorgeous movie besides. As our own Jessica Kiang said in her review, “director Lelio returns in a different, semi-Hitchockian register, to give us another stunning, deeply involving portrait of a woman with the borderline superhuman capacity not to hate herself for who she is, no matter who else does.” The film calls into question viewers’ perceptions of transgender people and gives a transgender woman agency and narrative power in an extraordinary way. Marina’s story is sad, but she is not unduly traumatized or beaten down – she remains empathetic through and through. It’s no wonder this 2018 Best Foreign Language Film Oscar winner also took home prizes at the Berlin Film Festival and the Spirit Awards. Truly a landmark of modern LGBT cinema, “A Fantastic Woman” sets a precedent for all future transgender characters in cinema.
“Bad Education” Director: Pedro Almodóvar Cast: Gael García Bernal, Fele Martinez, Daniel Giménez Cacho Synopsis: Two childhood friends still reeling from an incident with a Catholic priest at their boarding school are reunited, but all is not as it seems. What You Need To Know: Already one of Almodóvar’s more underrated films, “Bad Education” features a plethora of melodramatic twists and turns that only the Spanish auteur could somehow keep emotionally grounded. Bernal is absolutely superb as a gay man masquerading as a transsexual drag queen (sort of) and Almodóvar’s choice to give the film a morally ambiguous ending is a masterstroke. It should be noted Almodóvar has said it took him a decade to fine-tune this intricate script to his liking. – Gregory Ellwood
“Beach Rats” Director: Eliza Hittman Cast: Harris Dickinson, Madeline Weinstein, Kate Hodge Synopsis: During a sweltering Coney Island summer, macho stoner Frankie postures for his friends despite his private gay identity. When Frankie’s online trysts with other men and his real life collide, he’s forced to confront the confining nature of masculinity. What You Need to Know: This assured sophomore feature from “It Felt Like Love” director Eliza Hittman is a tender and breathtaking account of young gay life. Though at times unfairly, unfavorably compared to “Moonlight,” “Beach Rats” uses a similarly deft hand to grapple with toxic masculinity and closeted existence. Sparkling visuals and multifaceted performances elevate this dour narrative from trite, woe-is-me homophobia to a work of open-hearted honesty. Though “Beach Rats” hardly swept the public away with its 2017 debut, taking home a very modest box office gross and a few festival awards (including Sundance’s Directing Award for Hittman), it makes an irreplaceable contribution to modern gay cinema. (That said, if someone wanted to throw Harris Dickinson a retroactive award for his jaw-dropping performance, I wouldn’t exactly be mad!) Both emulative and entirely unique, “Beach Rats” represents what empathetic, complex gay characters can be.
“Blue Is the Warmest Color” Director: Abdellatif Kechiche [though I wish I could just redact his name] Cast: Léa Seydoux, Adèle Exarchopoulos Synopsis: This coming-of-age love story based on the eponymous graphic novel by Julie Maroh follows Adèle as she falls in love with Emma, discovering her sexuality and nascent selfhood in the process. What You Need to Know: Perhaps the diciest addition to this list, “Blue Is the Warmest Color” is either the most beautiful or most bombastic lesbian film ever created, depending on who you ask. The 2013 Cannes jurors certainly belonged to the former camp, as they awarded ‘Blue’ with the festival’s coveted Palme d’Or, giving additional prizes to lead actresses Seydoux and Exarchopoulos in an unprecedented festival first. Though the film has drawn intense criticism because of its graphic, nigh unrealistic sex scenes and allegedly abusive production environment, it remains an important lesbian love story. In her Cannes review, our own Jessica Kiang wrote, “This is absolute cinema, absolute characterization, absolute storytelling, controlled and compassionate, and bursting with empathy and life.” She goes on: “Its theater-unfriendly length, along with the relative obscurity of the director, its language, explicit sex scenes and unavoidable ‘lesbian’ descriptor mean this is unlikely to get the exposure some of our other festival favorites are guaranteed.” For better or worse, she was wrong – the significance of ‘Blue’ reverberated throughout 2013 and 2014 and continues even today.
“BPM (Beats per Minute)” Director: Robin Campillo
Cast: Nahuel Pérez Biscayart, Arnaud Valois, Adèle Haenel, Antoine Reinartz Synopsis: Set in the early 1990s, “BPM” chronicles the lives of various ACT UP Paris members as they take political action against the government and pharmaceutical companies during the AIDS crisis. What You Need to Know: This epic 2017 drama frames a touching gay love story against the chaotic world of French AIDS activism, offering international viewers an invaluable window into the crisis. A competitor at Cannes and Toronto, “BPM” has heralded rave reviews, and even went on to become the highest-rated film of 2017 on French aggregator AlloCiné. It scored the Grand Prix at Cannes and a slew of César awards, including Best Original Screenplay and Best Film. “BPM” also scored high honors on many “Best of 2017” lists, including the coveted #21 spot here at The Playlist. In his review for The Playlist, Nikola Grozdanovic says, “The way [director Campillo] films the association of activists – whether inside furiously debating their strategy, at Gay Pride staging their defiance to stay silent, or dancing their hearts away in the club – a very strong and familial sense of togetherness transcends the screen.” Campillo’s own history with ACT UP Paris and gay identity are the true secret ingredients to this modern masterpiece, a film whose contribution to our current understanding of the AIDS crisis cannot be overstated.
“Brokeback Mountain” Director: Ang Lee
Cast: Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, Michelle Williams Synopsis: Cowboys Jack and Ennis fall in love on a shared job, leaving them to cope with their suppressed desires and uncertain futures afterward. What You Need to Know: If one gay movie from this list changed the entire course of 21st-century gay cinema, it is Ang Lee’s 2005 masterwork “Brokeback Mountain.” The unlikely 1963-1989 tale of two cowboys in love burst into American consciousness thanks to an unprecedented wide release from Focus Features and a public starving for thoughtful gay stories. The film’s eventual gross of $178.1 million dollars proves just how significant it was to viewers all over the world – but its American significance is particularly notable. A uniquely Western tale, ‘Brokeback’ created space for gay narratives in the first year of George W. Bush’s reelection, when gay marriage and “don’t ask, don’t tell” were particularly salient policy issues. With phenomenal and heartfelt performances from leads Gyllenhaal and Ledger, ‘Brokeback’ brought explicitly gay grief and romance to the forefront of American popular culture for the first time. If, like me, you were an unempathetic pea-brain-slash-adolescent during ‘Brokeback’s’ premiere, you might just know it by its memes (I wish I knew how to quit them!). Make no mistake, “Brokeback Mountain” is worth a serious watch – just don’t forget the tissues.
Marc Webb Eyed to Direct Disney’s ‘Snow White’ Remake (EXCLUSIVE)
Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, it’s off to Disney Marc Webb goes. The filmmaker is in talks to direct the studio’s upcoming live-action adaptation of “Snow White.”
While the deal isn’t finalized, sources tell Variety that Webb is the top choice to helm the movie.
“The Girl on the Train” screenwriter Erin Cressida Wilson is in negotiations to pen the script for “Snow White,” which will expand upon the story and music from the 1938 animated classic. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the duo behind “La La Land,” “The Greatest Showman,” and “Dear Evan Hansen,” will write new songs for the movie. Marc Platt is on board to produce.
The original “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” cartoon, based on the Brothers Grimm fairytale, was first released over 80 years ago. It was Disney’s inaugural animated feature film and became a massive success for the studio.
There have been several adaptations of the classic tale over the years. Recent iterations include 2012’s “Mirror Mirror” with Julia Roberts and Lily Collins and Universal’s darker take, “Snow White and the Huntsman” starring Charlize Theron and Kristen Stewart.
This year, Disney is rebooting a number of its classics, including “Dumbo,” “Aladdin,” and “The Lion King.”
Webb, best-known for directing “The Amazing Spider-Man” films featuring Andrew Garfield, has also helmed indies like Fox Searchlight’s “Gifted” and “The Only Living Boy in New York.” He is repped by CAA.
WarnerMedia Joins Disney And Netflix In Considering Georgia Retreat Over Abortion Law
A day after Disney CEO Bob Iger said it would be “difficult” for the media giant to produce TV shows and films in Georgia given its strict new abortion law, WarnerMedia has said it will also pull out of the law survives legal challenges.
“We operate and produce work in many states and within several countries at any given time and while that doesn’t mean we agree with every position taken by a state or a country and their leaders, we do respect due process,” the company said in a statement provided to Deadline. “We will watch the situation closely and if the new law holds we will reconsider Georgia as the home to any new productions. As is always the case, we will work closely with our production partners and talent to determine how and where to shoot any given project.”
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By offering rich tax incentives in recent years, Georgia has joined the front ranks of states for film and television production. Billions of dollars of economic activity is generated through production. That spending has been threatened by the Republican-controlled state legislature’s decision to craft a law designed to challenge the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision. As a result, a range of productions have pulled out or reconsidered the state and Netflix has vowed to steer clear.
Several states have passed restrictive abortion laws in recent weeks.
WarnerMedia has a sizable presence in Atlanta, with CNN and Turner Sports operating there for decades. Those long-term holdings are not eligible for the tax incentives, so the company’s outlook pertains to individual productions across its vast portfolio, including Warner Bros, HBO and the former Turner networks.
Reuters had the first reports on the stances of Disney and WarnerMedia.
‘American Ninja Warrior’ Opens Down But Dominant On Wednesday
NBC’s regular-slot season premiere of American Ninja Warrior (1.0 rating in the adults 18-49 demograpic, 4.80 million viewers) was Wednesday’s No. 1 program in primetime, taking 8-10 PM in both metrics, though it opened down two tenths in the demo and about 600,000 in total viewers from its last launch.
After Ninja Warrior, NBC’s premiere of The InBetween (0.6, 3.69M) won its slot among broadcast networks in demo and total viewers, matching the highest rating for a premiering Big 4 summer drama series since Midnight, Texas in July 2017.
Fox’s MasterChef Season 10 premiere (0.8, 3.10M) dropped two tenths in the demo compared to its year-ago launch in same slot on same night.
Facing premieres of Ninja Warrior and MasterChef, CBS’ 8 PM The Amazing Race (0.8, 4.77M) slowed by a tenth in the demo. After which, the network’s third-season premiere of renamed NCIS: The Cases They Can’t Forget, formerly 48 Hours: NCIS, (0.4, 3.73M), dipped a tenth in the demo at 9 PM.
With no Norman Lear competition this week, the CW’s 8 PM My Last Days (0.2, 668K) showed signs of life, doubling last week’s season-premiere rating and growing 44% in total viewers.
At 9 PM, CW’s Jane the Virgin (0.2, 555K) rounded to the same demo rating, week to week, but grew 74K in total viewers.
NBC (0.9, 4.43M) ranked No. 1 for the night in both metrics, leading all six primetime half-hours in the demo among the Big 4. Fox (0.8, 2.71M) followed most closely in the demo, but CBS (0.5, 3.94M) was No. 2 in total viewers. CBS tied ABC (0.5, 2.47M) for third place in the demo. CW (0.2, 612K) followed.
Leon Redbone Dies: Early ‘SNL’ Musical Favorite Was 69
UPDATE, with additional details Leon Redbone, the trombone-voiced singer-songwriter whose eccentric, nostalgic Americana style of music found at least a temporarily frequent home on early episodes of NBC’s Saturday Night Live, died today. He was 69.
His death was confirmed by his family in a whimsically worded announcement on Redbone’s website – an announcement that certainly bore a resemblance to Redbone’s own songwriting and conversational style.
“It is with heavy hearts we announce that early this morning, May 30th 2019, Leon Redbone crossed the delta for that beautiful shore at the age of 127. He departed our world with his guitar, his trusty companion Rover, and a simple tip of his hat. He’s interested to see what Blind Blake, Emmett, and Jelly Roll have been up to in his absence, and has plans for a rousing sing along number with Sári Barabás. An eternity of pouring through texts in the Library of Ashurbanipal will be a welcome repose, perhaps followed by a shot or two of whiskey with Lee Morse, and some long overdue discussions with his favorite Uncle, Suppiluliuma I of the Hittites. To his fans, friends, and loving family who have already been missing him so in this realm he says, ” Oh behave yourselves. Thank you…. and good evening everybody.”
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Born in Cyprus but raised mostly in Canada, Redbone’s unusual olde-time jazzy, Tin Pan Alley throwback style, sung in a growly voice with a guitar on his knee and Panama on his head, recalled the itinerant blues musicians he revered, a style that didn’t go unnoticed by Bob Dylan, who mentioned Redbone to Rolling Stone magazine in the early 1970s and brought the singer a first round of fame.
But it was Redbone’s appearances on two first-season episodes (a rarity, even then) of Saturday Night Live – particularly a performance of his signature tune “Walkin’ Stick” – that brought national recognition, placing him among that show’s early pantheon of quirky personalities like Andy Kaufman, Albert Brooks, Scred & King Ploobis. In turn, they gave the fledgling NBC late-night comedy an element of counterculture eccentricity. In all, Redbone appeared on SNL four times, including twice in the first season, once in Season 3 (1977) and again in Season 8 (1983).
Soon Redbone after his SNL debut, he would be appearing on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show, and while his fame didn’t maintain its initial burst level, he hardly faded away. He gave voice to a snowman in Will Ferrel’s Elf, performing the movie’s them song, a duet with star Zooey Deschanel on “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.”
TV music credits include the themes to Mr. Belvedere (“According To Our New Arrival”) and Harry and the Hendersons (Fats Waller’s “Your Feets Too Big”). He had an acting role on ABC’s series Life Goes On. His commercial work included singing and appearing in the the popular beer commercial “This Bud’s For You,” a tune that drew an angry anti-commercialism response song in 1988 from Neil Young called “This Note’s For You.”
Redbone continued to record music, 16 full-length albums in total from his debut in 1975 to 2016. He retired by 2015 due to poor health.
No cause of death was listed on his website.
Redbone is survived by his wife Beryl Handler, daughters Blake and Ashley and three grandchildren.
