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Tag: Hollywood

  • Marilyn Monroe biopic

    Marilyn Monroe biopic

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    On the eve of the Academy Awards ceremony in March, the winners (or losers) of the 43rd annual Razzie Awards will be revealed. Leading the pack with eight nominations is Netflix’s controversial biopic about Marilyn Monroe, titled “Blonde,” which received widespread criticism from both viewers and movie critics alike for exploitation of the late star.

    “Blonde” received nominations for worst picture, worst remake, worst director for Andrew Dominik and worst screenplay. The film also received two nominations each in the categories of worst supporting actor and worst screen couple. 

    Ironically, Ana de Armas, who depicted Marilyn Monroe in the film, received an Oscar nod for best actress when the Academy Award nominations were announced Tuesday morning.

    Ana de Armas arrives at the premiere of “Blonde” held at the TCL Chinese Theatre on Sept. 13, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.

    Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images


    Coming in second, with seven nominations, was stoner comedy “Good Mourning,” staring musicians Machine Gun Kelly and Mod Sun. The Razzie Awards called the film, “laugh-free,” adding that it achieved “the rare feat of scoring a perfect ZERO on Rotten Tomatoes.”

    World Premiere Of
    Mod Sun and Machine Gun Kelly attend the “Good Mourning” world premiere after party at The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills on May 12, 2022 in West Hollywood, California.

    Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images


    The infamous award show isn’t without controversy after one of this year’s nominations for worst actress was originally given to 12-year-old Ryan Kiera Armstrong for her role in “Firestarter.” The movie, which also stars Zac Efron, is based on a Stephen King novel of the same name.

    Many took to social media to call out the Razzie Awards for singling out the young actress, who also starred in “It Chapter 2” and “Black Widow.”

    “Why put a kid at risk of increased bullying or worse?” tweeted Julian Hilliard, a child actor who starred in “WandaVision” and “Haunting of Hill House.”

    Filmmaker Joe Russo — who co-directed “Avengers: Endgame” with his brother Anthony Russo — tweeted that the award show had “sunk to a new low.”

    “If you’re gonna continue denigrating people’s hard work — which you shouldn’t — at least target adults,” Russo wrote. 

    The Razzie Awards responded to the controversial nomination, telling CBS News, “The recent valid criticism of the choice of 11-year-old Armstrong as a nominee for one of our awards brought our attention to how insensitive we’ve been in this instance. As a result, we have removed Armstrong’s name from the final ballot that our members will cast next month. We also believe a public apology is owed Ms. Armstrong, and wish to say we regret any hurt she experienced as a result of our choices.”

    In addition, organizers said that actors and filmmakers under the age of 18 will no longer be considered for the awards.

    In early 2022, organizers rescinded a Razzie given to actor Bruce Willis following his diagnosis with the cognitive disorder aphasia. They had created a category for him called the worst performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 movie for his film “Cosmic Sin.”

    “If someone’s medical condition is a factor in their decision making and/or their performance, we acknowledge that it is not appropriate to give them a Razzie,” organizers said in a statement at the time.

    Along with “Blonde” and “Good Mourning,” the nominees for worst picture were Disney’s “Pinocchio,” “The King’s Daughter” and “Morbius.”

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  • Justin Roiland dropped from

    Justin Roiland dropped from

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    Adult Swim has cut ties with Justin Roiland, the co-creator of the popular animated series “Rick and Morty,” after he was charged with domestic violence earlier this month.

    Adult Swim has “ended its association” with Roiland, according to a statement shared on the show’s official Twitter account and retweeted by the network.

     “‘Rick and Morty’ will continue,” the statement added. “The talented and dedicated crew are hard at work on Season 7.”

    In addition to being the show’s co-creator, the 42-year-old Roiland also served as a writer and executive producer and voiced the show’s two title characters, along with several other minor characters throughout the show’s first six seasons.

    Roiland is awaiting trial on charges of felony domestic violence against a former girlfriend.

    Justin Roiland
    FILE — Justin Roiland attends The Game Awards at Microsoft Theater on Dec. 7, 2017, in Los Angeles, California.

    Greg Doherty/Getty Images


    A criminal complaint obtained by The Associated Press earlier this month from prosecutors in Orange County, California, charged Roiland with corporal injury and false imprisonment by menace, fraud, violence or deceit against the woman, who he was living with at the time. The woman was not identified in court documents.

    Roiland has pleaded not guilty.

    The incident occurred in January of 2020 and Roiland was charged in May of that year. A pre-trial hearing was held Jan. 12.

    Roiland is set to return to court in April. A trial date has not been set.

    Roiland created the animated sci-fi sitcom with Dan Harmon. It has aired since 2013. The series won the Emmy Award for outstanding animated program in 2018 and again in 2020. 


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  • Marilyn Monroe biopic

    Marilyn Monroe biopic

    [ad_1]

    On the eve of the Academy Awards ceremony in March, the winners (or losers) of the 43rd annual Razzie Awards will be revealed. Leading the pack with eight nominations is Netflix’s controversial biopic about Marilyn Monroe, titled “Blonde,” which received widespread criticism from both viewers and movie critics alike for exploitation of the late star.

    “Blonde” received nominations for worst picture, worst remake, worst director for Andrew Dominik and worst screenplay. The film also received two nominations each in the categories of worst supporting actor and worst screen couple. 

    Ironically, Ana de Armas, who depicted Marilyn Monroe in the film, received an Oscar nod for best actress when the Academy Award nominations were announced Tuesday morning.

    Ana de Aramas arrives at the premiere of “Blonde” held at the TCL Chinese Theatre on Sept. 13, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.

    Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images


    Coming in second, with seven nominations, was stoner comedy “Good Mourning,” staring musicians Machine Gun Kelly and Mod Sun. The Razzie Awards called the film, “laugh-free,” adding that it achieved “the rare feat of scoring a perfect ZERO on Rotten Tomatoes.”

    World Premiere Of
    Mod Sun and Machine Gun Kelly attend the “Good Mourning” world premiere after party at The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills on May 12, 2022 in West Hollywood, California.

    Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images


    The infamous award show isn’t without controversy after one of this year’s nominations for worst actress was given to 12-year-old Ryan Kiera Armstrong for her role in “Firestarter.” The movie, which also stars Zac Efron, is based on a Stephen King novel of the same name.

    Many took to social media to call out the Razzie Awards for singling out the young actress, who also starred in “It Chapter 2” and “Black Widow.”

    “Why put a kid at risk of increased bullying or worse?” tweeted Julian Hilliard, a child actor who starred in “WandaVision” and “Haunting of Hill House.”

    Filmmaker Joe Russo — who co-directed “Avengers: Endgame” with his brother Anthony Russo — tweeted that the award show had “sunk to a new low.”

    “If you’re gonna continue denigrating people’s hard work — which you shouldn’t — at least target adults,” Russo wrote.  

    In early 2022, organizers rescinded a Razzie given to actor Bruce Willis following his diagnosis with the cognitive disorder aphasia. They had created a category for him called the worst performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 movie for his film “Cosmic Sin.”

    “If someone’s medical condition is a factor in their decision making and/or their performance, we acknowledge that it is not appropriate to give them a Razzie,” organizers said in a statement at the time.

    Along with “Blonde” and “Good Mourning,” the nominees for worst picture were Disney’s “Pinocchio,” “The King’s Daughter” and “Morbius.”

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  • Nominations announced for the 95th annual Academy Awards

    Nominations announced for the 95th annual Academy Awards

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    Nominations announced for the 95th annual Academy Awards – CBS News


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    This year’s Academy Awards nominations have been revealed. Erik Davis, the managing editor for Fandango.com, joined CBS News to discuss which films and performances are up for an Oscar and who got snubbed.

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  • Sundance Film Festival returns in-person for first time since 2020

    Sundance Film Festival returns in-person for first time since 2020

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    Sundance Film Festival returns in-person for first time since 2020 – CBS News


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    For the first time since 2020, the Sundance Film Festival is being held in-person in Park City, Utah, beginning this weekend. John Nein, director of strategic initiatives for the festival, spoke to CBS News about what it’s like being back in-person.

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  • Screen Actors Guild defends Alec Baldwin after

    Screen Actors Guild defends Alec Baldwin after

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    Screen Actors Guild defends Alec Baldwin after “Rust” charges announced – CBS News


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    The Screen Actors Guild defended Alec Baldwin following the announcement that the actor will be charged with involuntary manslaughter in the 2021 fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film “Rust.” Kris Van Cleave has the latest from New Mexico.

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  • Alec Baldwin to be charged in fatal 2021

    Alec Baldwin to be charged in fatal 2021

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    Alec Baldwin to be charged in fatal 2021 “Rust” shooting – CBS News


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    Actor and producer Alec Baldwin is being charged with involuntary manslaughter in the deadly 2021 shooting on the set of the Western film “Rust,” prosecutors in New Mexico announced on Thursday. The film’s weapons specialist, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, is also facing involuntary manslaughter charges. Kris Van Cleave has the latest from New Mexico.

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  • Leslie Jordan died of sudden cardiac dysfunction, autopsy finds

    Leslie Jordan died of sudden cardiac dysfunction, autopsy finds

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    An autopsy has determined that actor and comedian Leslie Jordan’s death last October at the age of 67 was from sudden cardiac dysfunction, the Los Angeles County coroner’s office confirmed Thursday. 

    On Oct. 24, the “Will and Grace” and “American Horror Story” actor was found in his car in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles without a pulse after getting into a car accident. The L.A. Fire Department reported that his gray sedan collided with a curb and a tree.

    Firefighters and paramedics tried to perform CPR and other life saving techniques on Jordan, but he was eventually pronounced dead at the scene.

    The autopsy determined that Jordan’s death was from sudden cardiac dysfunction as a result of arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, the department said. 

    Leslie Jordan celebrates achievements of LGBTQ community at GLAAD Media Awards
    Leslie Jordan celebrates achievements in LGBTQ community at the 29th Annual GLAAD Media Awards Los Angeles at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on April 12, 2018.

    John Sciulli/Getty Images for Ketel One Family-Made Vodka


    Jordan’s death was ruled “natural,” and all toxicology tests for marijuana, alcohol and other drugs came back negative, the autopsy found.

    According to the Mayo Clinic, arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease occurs when the blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients from the heart to the rest of the body becomes thick and stiff, potentially limiting blood flow to the body’s organs and tissues.

    Jordan appeared in movies and television shows and was an accomplished stage actor and playwright. But he was best known for his recurring role as Beverly Leslie on the NBC sitcom “Will & Grace,” for which he won an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series in 2006. 


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  • Alec Baldwin to be charged with involuntary manslaughter in fatal

    Alec Baldwin to be charged with involuntary manslaughter in fatal

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    Alec Baldwin to be charged with involuntary manslaughter in fatal “Rust” shooting – CBS News


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    Actor Alec Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will be charged with involuntary manslaughter after a gun discharged on a New Mexico movie set in 2021, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. CBS News national correspondent Kris Van Cleave reports.

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  • Kevin Spacey pleads not guilty to 7 sexual assault charges in London

    Kevin Spacey pleads not guilty to 7 sexual assault charges in London

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    Sexual Misconduct Kevin Spacey
    Actor Kevin Spacey leaves court following the day’s proceedings in a civil trial, in an Oct. 6, 2022 file photo, in New York, accusing him of sexually abusing a 14-year-old actor in the 1980s when he was 26.

    Yuki Iwamura/AP


    Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey pleaded not guilty Friday to seven charges relating to alleged sexual assaults in the U.K. against one man between 2001 and 2004. Spacey, 63, appeared at Southwark Crown Court by remote video to face the charges, which included one count of causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, three counts of indecent assault and three counts of sexual assault.

    Spacey is facing a total of 11 charges of sexual assault in Britain in total. In July, the actor pleaded not guilty at London’s Old Bailey court to four charges of sexual assault against three men between 2005 and 2013 in London and Gloucestershire in western England.

    None of the alleged victims can be identified under English law. Reporting restrictions prevent further details being disclosed before trial.

    Spacey voluntarily appeared at a London court when the first charges were brought and vowed to defend himself against the charges.

    Those allegations referred to a period when he was artistic director of London’s Old Vic Theatre, between 2004 and 2015.


    Jury finds Kevin Spacey not liable in sex abuse trial

    04:21

    A New York court last month dismissed a $40 million sexual misconduct lawsuit brought against Spacey by actor Anthony Rapp, who claimed the Hollywood star targeted him when he was 14. A judge had ruled that Rapp had brought the case too late for a criminal charge.

    Spacey’s acting career ended five years ago when Rapp’s allegations emerged and he was dropped from the final season of “House of Cards” and other upcoming projects.

    Allegations against him emerged in the wake of the #MeToo movement that saw numerous claims of sexual assault and harassment in the movie industry.

    He has always denied allegations of sexual abuse.

    In 2019, charges against the actor of indecent assault and sexual assault were dropped in Massachusetts.


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  • James Cameron has now directed three of the top 10 highest-grossing films of all time

    James Cameron has now directed three of the top 10 highest-grossing films of all time

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    Director James Cameron’s newest film, “Avatar: The Way of Water,” is now the seventh highest-grossing film ever — raking in $1.7 billion at the global box office — and the third of Cameron’s films among the top 10 highest-grossing movies of all time, according to IMDb. All three films were released in different decades. 

    Avatar: The Way of Water, With $1.5 Billion In Global Sales
    A screen displays Avatar: The Way of Water poster in a cinema at Times Square on Jan. 5, 2023, in New York City. 

    Photo by Leonardo Munoz/VIEWpress via Getty Images


    The other two of Cameron’s films to break the top 10 are the No. 3 “Titanic,” for which he won the best director Oscar in 1998, and 2009’s original “Avatar,” which is the highest-grossing movie of all time at $2.9 billion. 

    “Avatar 2” had a robust opening weekend during its December release, bringing in $134 million in its domestic debut. It is the highest-grossing film of 2022, beating “Top Gun: Maverick,” which previously held the spot.

    Cameron has said there will be three more Avatar sequels set to arrive every two years, with release dates in 2024, 2026 and 2028.

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  • Must Read: ‘W’ Releases 2023 Best Performances Covers, Mugler Is Returning to the Runway

    Must Read: ‘W’ Releases 2023 Best Performances Covers, Mugler Is Returning to the Runway

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    These are the stories making headlines in fashion on Monday.

    W releases Best Performances issue
    W Magazine has released the annual Best Performances feature, curated by Lynn Hirschberg, featuring the likes of Taylor Russell, Margot Robbie, Austin Butler, Michelle Yeoh and more. A total of 14 actors nabbed covers (see above) and discuss their most notable and anticipated roles, sharing exclusive details on their processes and more. {W Magazine}

    Mugler will return to the runway this month
    After a three-year hiatus from live presentations, Mugler is returning to the runway. Designer Casey Cadwallader, who has turned to fashion films in recent years, will show a new collection in Paris on Jan. 26, the last day of couture week. The collection will be a “see now, buy now” concept, described by Mugler as an “immersive experience across all channels, and in front of a live audience.” {WWD}

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    Brooke Frischer

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  • 20 of the best films to watch in 2023

    20 of the best films to watch in 2023

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    12. Oppenheimer

    Tenet (2020) left many viewers scratching their heads, but Christopher Nolan’s latest seems more firmly grounded. As he did in Dunkirk, Nolan revisits the past, this time with a more controversial story. Cillian Murphy plays J Robert Oppenheimer, the US physicist who became known as “the father of the atomic bomb” and wrestled with the morality of his work for the rest of his life. Because everything Nolan does is big, this biopic is shot in Imax and features dramatic on-screen explosions set in the desert of New Mexico, where the bomb was tested. Emily Blunt plays Oppenheimer’s scientist wife, Kitty, with Florence Pugh as his former love, Matt Damon as the US Army General who led the Manhattan Project that developed the bomb, and Robert Downey Jr as Lewis Strauss, who orchestrated government hearings that questioned Oppenheimer’s loyalty. (CJ)

    Released on 21 July

    13. Challengers

    Fraught romances – Call Me by Your Name and the recent cannibal love story Bones and All – are one of Luca Guadagnino’s specialties. Here it’s a love triangle on a tennis court. Zendaya plays Tashi, a former professional player and now the wife and coach of a champion, Art (Mike Faist), who is in a serious slump. When she urges him to begin his comeback in a low-stakes, Challengers tournament, his opponent turns out to be Tashi’s former lover and Art’s childhood best friend, Patrick (Josh O’Connor). It sounds like kiss-marry-kill, but the actors put in months of training to look like tennis pros, so actual sport is probably involved as well. (CJ)

    Released on 11 August

    14. Next Goal Wins

    In 2001, Australia beat American Samoa at football, with a scoreline of 31-0. The American Samoan team was derided as the world’s worst footballers for years afterwards, but their fortunes changed when they hired Thomas Rongen, a determined Dutch-US coach. Their underdog story will be familiar to anyone who saw the 2014 documentary of the same name, an uplifting, Cool Runnings-style film that scored 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. But now it is being retold as a feelgood comedy drama, directed by Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok, Jojo Rabbit), and starring Michael Fassbender as Rongen. Football fans who were uneasy about last year’s controversial World Cup in Qatar might find that Waititi restores their faith in the beautiful game. (NB)

    Released on 22 September

    15. Dune: Part Two

    You know what to expect from Denis Villeneuve’s follow-up to his 2001 extravaganza: Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, Zendaya as his love interest, Chani, plus lots of sand and giant sandworms on the desert planet of Arrakis. The action-spectacle begins where Dune left off, with Atreides out for revenge against the enemies who attacked his family. Stellan Skarsgård returns as the evil Baron Harkonnen, with Austin Butler (Elvis) joining as his nephew. Whatever you thought of Dune – responses were split between impressed and disappointed – a new bit of casting could make the sequel hard to resist: Christopher Walken plays Emperor Shaddam IV and Florence Pugh is his daughter. (CJ)

    Released on 3 November

    16. Wonka

    When did Willy Wonka meet the Oompa Loompas? How did he invent the Everlasting Gobstopper? These are just a couple of the questions that you probably didn’t ask when you were reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But whether you asked them or not, a prequel to Roald Dahl’s story is on its way. Following in the footsteps of Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp, Timothée Chalamet plays the planet’s best and most eccentric chocolatier. But the most appetite-whetting part is that Wonka is directed by Paul King, and written by King and Simon Farnaby, the team behind the wondrous Paddington 2. With a supporting cast that includes Olivia Colman, Rowan Atkinson and Matt Lucas, and with songs by Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy, Wonka could be just the golden ticket this Christmas. (NB)

    Released on 23 December

    PIC: Killers of the Flower Moon (Credit: Apple Studios)

    17. Poor Things

    Yorgos Lanthimos, one of the most exciting directors working today, creates a bizarre Victorian tale, reuniting with Emma Stone and screenwriter Tony McNamara, both from The Favourite. Based on the 1992 novel by Alasdair Grey, the story is a take on Frankenstein, with Stone as a suicidal woman whose unborn child’s brain is implanted in her revived body by a mad (needless to say) scientist. Willem Dafoe plays Dr Godwin Baxter and Mark Ruffalo is a cad with the Dickensian name Duncan Wedderburn. As he did in films like The Lobster, Lanthimos has shown he can pull off horrifying premises with the darkest humour. (CJ)

    Released in 2023

    18. Beau is Afraid

    The surreal and supernatural have a tendency to intrude on family life in Ari Aster’s dazzling, idiosyncratic, psychologically fraught films (Hereditary, Midsommar). Joaquin Phoenix stars in his latest as Beau, who loses one parent and, while en route to see the other, encounters the kind of obstacles only Aster can probably dream up. Beyond that, the plot has been kept secret, but Nathan Lane and Patti LuPone also star, with Armen Nahapetian as teenaged Beau. The film had the working title Disappointment Blvd, but whatever you call it, Beau doesn’t seem like a happy guy. What Aster hero or heroine is?  (CJ)

    Released in 2023

    19. Killers of the Flower Moon

    Martin Scorsese’s true-crime Western was in BBC Culture’s round-up of films to watch in 2022, but its release was pushed back, so here we are again – and the release date still hasn’t been confirmed. What we do know is that Killers of the Flower Moon is adapted from David Grainn’s book about the 1920s “Reign of Terror” in which at least 60 Osage Native Americans were murdered in Oklahoma. Jesse Plemons plays the FBI agent investigating the massacre, Robert De Niro is the cattle rancher suspected of masterminding it, Leonardo DiCaprio plays his nephew, and Lily Gladstone is his nephew’s Osage wife. Brendan Fraser and John Lithgow also appear in what is said to be a three-hour epic. It’s rumoured to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, but, again, that hasn’t been confirmed. Let’s hope it’s not in our previews next year, too. (NB)

    Released in 2023

    20. Maestro

    Bradley Cooper is director, co-writer and star, playing Leonard Bernstein, the outsized conductor, composer (West Side Story) and celebrity who towered over the music world in the last half of the 20th Century. The film tells the story of Bernstein’s decades-long marriage to Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan) who knew all along that he was gay, well before the public. Maya Hawke plays one of their grown daughters. Egotistical musical geniuses seem to be a thing on screen now (see, Tár), but the most promising indicator here is that Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese are producers, a recommendation I’ll take any day. (CJ)

    Released in 2023

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  • ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Stars Sue Paramount for Being Coerced Into Underage, Nude Sex Scene | The Mary Sue

    ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Stars Sue Paramount for Being Coerced Into Underage, Nude Sex Scene | The Mary Sue

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    The entertainment industry has made plenty of perplexing decisions over the years. Harvey Weinstein was allowed to continue working in Hollywood when, by all accounts, many in the industry knew of his sexual abuse. And why do we keep letting Mel Gibson star in movies? And how are Bill Cosby and Louis C.K. still going on comedy tours?

    One thing that has bothered me since I was a freshman in high school is how the 1968 version of Romeo and Juliet was made. If you’re unfamiliar, the film features the full-frontal nudity of Romeo and Juliet, played by Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey. When they filmed Romeo and Juliet, Whiting was 16 and Hussey was only 15. Now, both in their 70s, the pair are suing Paramount Pictures for coercing them into filming the infamous sex scene many of us saw in high school.

    Questions of consent

    Hussey and Whiting filed a claim against the studio behind Romeo and Juliet for sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and fraud. Both actors allege that the film’s director, Franco Zeffirelli, assured them they would be wearing flesh-colored underwear during the intimate scene. However, when they filmed the scene, Zeffirelli allegedly told the child actors they would wear makeup only and the camera wouldn’t record any of their nudity. The actors claim Zeffirelli told them the movie and their careers would fail if they didn’t do the scene as he instructed. The final product fully showed Whiting’s naked butt and Hussey’s breasts. In the suit, Hussey and Whiting state they have suffered emotional and mental damages since the film’s release and have never benefited from its success.

    During a 2018 interview with Variety, Hussey seemed to defend the director and the underage nudity in the film. It’s interesting because Hussey talks about how innocent and young they were during the casting and filming process, while claiming to be mature enough to know that Zeffirelli was going to shoot the scene tastefully and that “it was needed for the film.”

    After its initial theatrical release, Romeo and Juliet found a home on VHS in freshman English classes as part of the curriculum on Shakespeare. Entire generations of ninth graders have watched this take on the classic play. Overall, I thought the movie was fine and the nudity wasn’t an issue for me, but the ages of the actors were—and are—concerning. My English teacher said the film was the most accurate version because the actors were about the same age as the characters they played. (And sorry, but Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes star in the most accurate version of Romeo and Juliet.) I remember having long conversations with my best friend about how people our age were able to give consent to being filmed nude. Maybe their parents gave consent? That also seems like a weird choice. Now I know it all boiled down to a choice made by the guy who directed the movie and was allowed to have agency over two teens.

    (featured image: Paramount Pictures)

    The Mary Sue has a strict comment policy that forbids, but is not limited to, personal insults toward anyone, hate speech, and trolling.—

    Have a tip we should know? [email protected]

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    D.R. Medlen

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  • Jeremy Renner hurt while helping family member

    Jeremy Renner hurt while helping family member

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    Jeremy Renner hurt while helping family member – CBS News


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    Actor Jeremy Renner posted a photo from his hospital bed as he recovers from being run over by his snow plow. The “Avengers” star was helping a family member who was stranded in deep snow near his home when his plow ran him over, the local sheriff said.

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  • Jennifer Lawrence Calls Out 1 Director As Example Of ‘Toxic Masculinity’ In Hollywood

    Jennifer Lawrence Calls Out 1 Director As Example Of ‘Toxic Masculinity’ In Hollywood

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    Jennifer Lawrence isn’t holding back when it comes to troubling experiences she’s had with “toxic masculinity” in Hollywood, namely in her time working with director Bryan Singer.

    Appearing at a roundtable event organized by The Hollywood Reporter last week, Lawrence spoke about her latest film, “Causeway,” an AppleTV+ drama about a soldier readjusting to her life in New Orleans after sustaining a severe brain injury in Afghanistan.

    The actor praised the working environment fostered by director Lila Neugebauer, calling her one of “the calmest, best decision-makers I’ve ever worked with,” and said any on-set disagreements between the cast and crew were settled amicably.

    “It was incredible to not be around toxic masculinity. To get a little break from it,” Lawrence said. “And it did always just make us laugh about how we ended up with, ‘Women shouldn’t be in roles like this because we’re so emotional.’ I mean, I’ve worked with Bryan Singer. I’ve seen emotional men. I’ve seen the biggest hissy fits thrown on set.”

    “I absolutely love working with female directors,” she added.

    Singer, who directed Lawrence in three “X-Men” films, has kept a low profile after being accused of sexual misconduct and assault by at least four underage boys. Many of the claims came to light as part of a lengthy 2019 investigation by The Atlantic that Singer later called a “homophobic smear piece.”

    Months after the article’s publication, Singer agreed to pay $150,000 to one of the accusers to resolve the assault claim. He maintained his innocence through an attorney, however, and called the decision “purely a business one” in a statement to Variety.

    Lawrence, an Oscar winner for 2012’s “Silver Linings Playbook,” isn’t the first Hollywood A-lister to look back on her time with Singer in a less-than-favorable way. “Bryan’s not the easiest dude to work with,” Halle Berry told Variety in 2020. “I would sometimes be very angry with him. I got into a few fights with him, said a few cuss words out of sheer frustration.”

    Rami Malek, who worked with Singer on the Queen biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody,” felt similarly. “In my situation with Bryan, it was not pleasant,” he told Vanity Fair in 2019. “Not at all.”

    If Lawrence has her way, more female-directed films will be in her future.

    “There were no huge fights,” she told The Hollywood Reporter of her time working on her new film. “We disagreed, and we listened to each other. Sometimes I was wrong and would learn that I was wrong, and sometimes I was right.”

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  • ‘Avatar 2’ makes waves with $134 million domestic debut

    ‘Avatar 2’ makes waves with $134 million domestic debut

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    “ Avatar: The Way of Water ” didn’t make quite as big of a splash as many assumed it would, but James Cameron’s big budget spectacle still helped breathe life into the box office this weekend. The sequel earned $134 million from North American theaters and $300.5 million internationally for a $434.5 million global debut, according to studio estimates on Sunday.

    It tied with “The Batman” as the fourth highest domestic debut of the year, behind “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” ( $187.4 million in May ), “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” ( $181 million in November ) and “Thor: Love and Thunder” ($144.2 million in July).

    Expectations were enormous for “Avatar 2,” which carried a reported price tag of over $350 million, the pressure of following up the highest grossing film of all time (thanks in part to various re-releases) over a decade later and the daunting task of propping up an exhibition business that’s still far from normal. Everything “Avatar” is oversized, though: the Na’vi characters, the runtime (a staggering three hours and 12 minutes), the technical advancements and the release strategy from 20th Century Studios and The Walt Disney Co.

    Going into the weekend many were expecting a domestic debut of at least $150 million. Some even said $175 or higher, but tracking has also not been as reliable a metric during the pandemic.

    Disney saw early that “The Way of Water” was going to be a different kind of beast when they looked at pre-sales. For a normal, spoiler-heavy movie like many Marvel offerings, post-opening weekend sales are usually around 5%. For “The Way of Water,” they were at 20%. In other words, the company knew that tracking was overinflated.

    “We’ve got a terrific movie that is playing across all demographics and (has) terrific word of mouth,” said Tony Chambers, the Walt Disney Co.’s executive vice president for theatrical distribution. “We’ve got the screens and we’ve got a clear run. This isn’t about the opening day or the opening weekend. This is about the entire run.”

    The film began its international rollout on Wednesday and debuted in North America on Thursday evening. Domestically, “Avatar: The Way of Water” was released in 4,202 theaters on over 12,000 screens, 400 of which were IMAX 3D. The studio and filmmakers bet big on the draw, and higher prices, of the 3D format and premium large screens.

    By the end of Friday, “Avatar: The Way of Water” had already earned $53 million in the U.S. and Canada and $180.1 million globally, aided by a China release — the first major Hollywood release in the country since “Minions: The Rise of Gru” in August. It blows “Avatar’s” $26.7 million first day in 2009 out of the water, though that didn’t include Thursday previews.

    An estimated 66% of the $435 million opening weekend revenue came from worldwide 3D ticket sales.

    Travis Reid, CEO at 3D company RealD, set a “new benchmark for the current 3D marketplace.”

    Over $48.8 million of the global total came from IMAX screens alone (1,543 in 80 markets), the company’s second biggest weekend.

    “As excited as we are about these early results, we anticipate a long and successful run for ‘Avatar: The Way of Water,’” said Rich Gelfond, CEO of IMAX, in a statement.

    As with many ambitious Cameron projects, from “Titanic” to the first “Avatar,” nerves were high for the costly sequel, one of the most expensive of all time, which began production five years ago. It faced repeated delays and weathered The Walt Disney Co’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox in 2019. It’s also one of four “Avatar” sequels Cameron had in mind. Filming on the third movie, which shot simultaneously with “The Way of Water,” is done, with an expected release in December 2024.

    In the 13 years since the first film, “Avatar” has also been the butt of jokes for the perception that the biggest movie of all time, one that has made nearly $3 billion, has left a relatively minor footprint in the culture. But even so, critics have largely been on board with “The Way of Water,” not just for the visuals but also for improving on the story of the first. It holds a 78% positive rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

    The question of whether “Avatar 2” will earn enough is a complicated one with varied answers. Is it enough for exhibitors, who’ve had several significant hits this year, including “Top Gun: Maverick,” “Black Panther 2” and “Doctor Strange 2,” but are still hurting? Is it enough to justify starting production on fourth and fifth movies? Is it enough for the business as a whole, which is looking at a domestic year-end total in the $8 billion range, as opposed to a pre-pandemic normal of $11 billion?

    But like the critics shouting “never doubt James Cameron,” the studio and analysts are singing a similar tune.

    “Avatar: The Way of Water” has the benefit of a holiday corridor that is, relatively speaking, lacking in major blockbuster-style movies. Next week sees the debut of Damien Chazelle’s “Babylon” and the family-friendly “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” but there are no comparable blockbusters until “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” in February. The hope is that audiences will continue seeking “Avatar 2” out for weeks and months to come, similar to the first movie.

    “Historically James Cameron’s movies are about the long haul, not the opening weekend,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. “’Avatar’ is going to develop its box office over time. It’s about where it will end up months from now.”

    Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore, with Wednesday through Sunday in parentheses. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

    1. “Avatar: The Way of Water,” $134 million.

    2. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” $5.4 million.

    3. “Violent Night,” $5 million.

    4. “Strange World,” $2.2 million.

    5. “The Menu,” $1.7 million.

    6. “Devotion,” $825,000.

    7. “The Fabelmans,” $750,000.

    8. “Black Adam,” $500,000.

    9. “I Heard the Bells,” $308,893.

    10. “Empire of Light,” $235,000.

    —-

    Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ldbahr.

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  • 25 Years Later, a Sundance Darling Starring a Young Ben Affleck Gets a Makeover

    25 Years Later, a Sundance Darling Starring a Young Ben Affleck Gets a Makeover

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    When Wakefield and Pellington met Affleck, they deemed the up-and-coming heartthrob “the real Gunner.” Affleck already had a handful of supporting credits to his name (School Ties, Dazed and Confused, Mallrats) but wasn’t yet the superstar that Good Will Hunting and Armageddon would make him. “He’s really playing an extension of himself,” Pellington says, citing what his friend and mentor Cameron Crowe calls a “persona piece.” Gunner’s carnal braggadocio complements Sonny’s jittery intellectualism. Each wants what the other has, hence their budding kinship. 

    “Jeremy loved the book and came with stuff underlined, and Ben was just so eager,” Pellington recalls. “From the first few rehearsals, they were both supercommitted, superserious, hungry, enthusiastic, prepared. Jeremy had been a lead in Spanking the Monkey, but Ben had never been the lead. He was really hard-working and took it seriously.” 

    For the women Gunner and Sonny romance as they settle into post-Army life in 1950s Indianapolis, Pellington enlisted Rachel Weisz, Amy Locane (who’d appeared alongside Affleck and his pal Matt Damon in School Ties), and Rose McGowan. But not everything stayed rosy once production wrapped. It was at Sundance in 1997, when McGowan was there to promote the movie, that Harvey Weinstein allegedly assaulted her in a hotel room, as The New York Times reported in 2017. What was supposed to be a business meeting became a traumatizing encounter with one of cinema’s kingmakers, one with ripples that would be felt for decades. McGowan was 24 at the time, having recently appeared in The Doom Generation and Scream. “My life changed,” she told the Times

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    Matthew Jacobs

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  • Charlize Theron honored at Women in Entertainment gala

    Charlize Theron honored at Women in Entertainment gala

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    LOS ANGELES (AP) — For once, Charlize Theron has begun to witness more women in power roles with the film industry.

    “Women are tearing down the whole … building,” Theron said after she received the prestigious Sherry Lansing Leadership Award at The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment breakfast gala Wednesday in Los Angeles. The Oscar winner was handed the award by her friend Seth Rogen for excelling as a trailblazer and her philanthropy work in Hollywood.

    Theron praised female leaders who have paved ways as heads of studio departments, directors, producers and those that have created their own production companies. She said women should lean on each other as resources to strengthen their voices.

    “I want us to keep each other accountable, use each other as resources and push each other to keep using our voices and platforms for something greater than ourselves,” Theron said. The actor said she’s been inspired by young people through her Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project, which is an organization dedicated to making a difference for people in South Africa.

    “In the face of what we would consider adversity or concrete ceilings, they see opportunity and room for change, growth and inclusion,” Theron said.

    Previous honorees include Oprah Winfrey, Meryl Streep, Viola Davis, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston and Barbra Streisand.

    In a heartfelt speech, Rogen called Theron the most impressive person he has been around. He then joked about how he’s physically intimidated to work with Theron on a project because “she murders people in every movie she does.”

    Rogen’s joke drew a collective laugh from the audience. The actor delivered more comic relief when he jokingly took a jab at an absent Kim Kardashian, who was a scheduled presenter at the event.

    “I have seen every episode of ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians.’ I know she’s not doing something more important than this,” Rogen said as the audience members laughed and applauded. He then added: “She’s never done nothing more important than this.”

    Theron praised the work of Issa Rae, who was earlier honored with the Equity in Entertainment Award, which recognized her for amplifying the voices of underrepresented communities in the entertainment industry.

    Yvonne Orji, who presented Rae with the award, called her a unique visionary and a “risk taker.” She credited Rae for creating opportunities for people of color and showing the beauty of south Los Angeles through five seasons of her HBO series “Insecure,” which ended in 2021.

    “What stands out most for me is her unfailing support of the marginalized, her extreme selflessness, her dogged belief that everyone can win,” said Orji, who starred on “Insecure.”

    Rae said some of her success can be credited to “operating from a scared place.”

    “It makes you impatient about what you wish to happen,” she said. “It makes you fearless about the things you normally might be afraid of.”

    Jamie Lee Curtis, Janelle Monae, Margot Robbie, Addison Rae and Gracie Abrams presented scholarships as part of THR’s Women in Entertainment mentorship program.

    Around $1 million in university scholarships were presented to female high school seniors from under-served communities in Los Angeles. The high schoolers will also be paired with top-level female entertainment executives, lawyers and agents.

    Members of the incoming mentee class of 2023 were also given new Apple Mac Book Air laptops, which were provided by the Edie Wasserman Women in Hollywood Fund.

    ___

    This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Jennifer Aniston’s last name.

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  • Man who shot Lady Gaga’s dog walker gets 21 years in prison

    Man who shot Lady Gaga’s dog walker gets 21 years in prison

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    LOS ANGELES — The man who shot and wounded Lady Gaga’s dog walker and stole her French bulldogs last year took a plea deal and was sentenced to 21 years in prison on Monday, officials said.

    The Lady Gaga connection was a coincidence, authorities have said. The motive was the value of the French bulldogs, a breed that can run into the thousands of dollars, and detectives do not believe the thieves knew the dogs belonged to the musician.

    James Howard Jackson, one of three men and two accomplices who participated in the violent robbery and its aftermath, pleaded no contest to one count of attempted murder, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. It was not immediately clear which attorney represented Howard on Monday.

    Jackson and two others drove around Hollywood, the city of West Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley on Feb. 24, 2021 “looking for French bulldogs,” prosecutors said previously. They found Lady Gaga’s dog walker, Ryan Fischer, with the pop star’s three pets.

    Jackson shot Fischer during the robbery near the famed Sunset Boulevard, during which two of the dogs were taken. A nearby doorbell camera recorded the dog walker screaming “Oh, my God! I’ve been shot!” and “Help me!” and “I’m bleeding out from my chest!”

    Fischer later called the violence a “very close call with death” in social media posts.

    The dogs, named Koji and Gustav, were returned several days later by Jennifer McBride, who was also charged in the crime.

    The pop star had offered a $500,000 reward — “no questions asked” — to be reunited with the dogs at the time.

    Jackson also admitted the allegation of inflicting great bodily injury and to a prior strike, the DA’s office said Monday. The prosecutor’s office did not immediately say what the prior strike was.

    “The plea agreement holds Mr. Jackson accountable for perpetrating a coldhearted violent act and provides justice for our victim,” the office said in a statement. Howard had been charged with attempted murder, conspiracy to commit a robbery and assault with a semiautomatic firearm.

    Jackson was mistakenly released from jail earlier this year due to a clerical error. He was recaptured nearly five months later.

    Another accomplice, Harold White, pleaded no contest Monday to a count of ex-convict in possession of a gun. White, who was in a relationship with McBride at the time, will be sentenced next year.

    The couple had allegedly tried to help White’s son, Jaylin White, avoid arrest in the aftermath of the shooting.

    Jaylin White and Lafayette Whaley earlier this year pleaded no contest to robbery.

    Whaley drove Jackson and the younger White around last year as they searched for the pricy dogs. Jackson and White jumped out and attacked Fischer, prosecutors said previously. They hit and choked the dog walker, and Jackson pulled out a semiautomatic gun and fired, striking Fischer once before the trio fled.

    Lady Gaga’s representatives and Fischer did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

    ———

    Associated Press writer Andrew Dalton contributed.

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