Jan Haag, who a half-century ago founded the landmark Directing Workshop for Women at the American Film Institute, has died. She was 90.
The remarkable Haag, who also was an actress, painter, poet, novelist, playwright, writer of travel stories and creator of needlepoint canvases, some of which required hundreds of hours to complete, died Monday in Shoreline, Washington, according to the AFI and the Mb Abram agency.
Haag had directed dozens of educational films for the John Tracy Clinic and the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare when she became the first woman accepted into the Academy Intern Program at the AFI in 1970, three years after it was founded by George Stevens Jr.
She was assigned to Paramount’s Harold and Maude (1971), directed by Hal Ashby, then joined the AFI staff in 1971, and among her duties was to administer the nonprofit’s film grant program funded by the National Endowment for the Arts.
The remarkable Haag, who also was an actress, painter, poet, novelist, playwright, writer of travel stories and creator of needlepoint canvases, some of which required hundreds of hours to complete, died Monday in Shoreline, Washington, according to the AFI and the Mb Abram agency.
Haag had directed dozens of educational films for the John Tracy Clinic and the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare when she became the first woman accepted into the Academy Intern Program at the AFI in 1970, three years after it was founded by George Stevens Jr.
She was assigned to Paramount’s Harold and Maude (1971), directed by Hal Ashby, then joined the AFI staff in 1971, and among her duties was to administer the nonprofit’s film grant program funded by the National Endowment for the Arts.
- 5/2/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Mel Brooks will receive this year’s Career Achievement Award at the 84th Peabody Awards, and Quinta will be honored with the Peabody Trailblazer Award. Both received a unanimous vote of the Peabody Board of Jurors and will be recognized at the June 9 awards ceremony in Los Angeles.
“Mel Brooks is not only one of the most beloved comedians of all time, but he literally set the standard for television comedy from its earliest days. Across TV, film, theater, and recordings, Mr. Brooks is in a league of his own. And Quinta Brunson has emerged as a refreshingly creative force in network television comedy,” said Jeffrey Jones, executive director of Peabody. “Peabody is proud to honor Mel and Quinta not only for their extraordinary contributions as storytellers, but particularly for their use of comedy to tell stories that matter, enriching the lives of so many.”
The Career Achievement Award is...
“Mel Brooks is not only one of the most beloved comedians of all time, but he literally set the standard for television comedy from its earliest days. Across TV, film, theater, and recordings, Mr. Brooks is in a league of his own. And Quinta Brunson has emerged as a refreshingly creative force in network television comedy,” said Jeffrey Jones, executive director of Peabody. “Peabody is proud to honor Mel and Quinta not only for their extraordinary contributions as storytellers, but particularly for their use of comedy to tell stories that matter, enriching the lives of so many.”
The Career Achievement Award is...
- 5/2/2024
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
The Peabody Awards Board of Jurors today announced that Mel Brooks has won the Peabody Career Achievement Award, while Abbott Elementary creator and star Quinta Brunson has won the Peabody Trailblazer Award.
Both awards were selected by unanimous vote of the Peabody Board of Jurors and will be celebrated live at the 84th Annual Peabody Awards ceremony on June 9 in Los Angeles.
“Mel Brooks is not only one of the most beloved comedians of all time, but he literally set the standard for television comedy from its earliest days,” said Jeffrey Jones, executive director of Peabody, in a statement. “Across TV, film, theater, and recordings, Mr. Brooks is in a league of his own.”
Over the course of his career, Brooks has received two Academy Awards, four Emmys, three Tonys and three Grammys, as well as an honorary Oscar. Brooks joins Rita Moreno, Sam Pollard, Dan Rather, Lily Tomlin and...
Both awards were selected by unanimous vote of the Peabody Board of Jurors and will be celebrated live at the 84th Annual Peabody Awards ceremony on June 9 in Los Angeles.
“Mel Brooks is not only one of the most beloved comedians of all time, but he literally set the standard for television comedy from its earliest days,” said Jeffrey Jones, executive director of Peabody, in a statement. “Across TV, film, theater, and recordings, Mr. Brooks is in a league of his own.”
Over the course of his career, Brooks has received two Academy Awards, four Emmys, three Tonys and three Grammys, as well as an honorary Oscar. Brooks joins Rita Moreno, Sam Pollard, Dan Rather, Lily Tomlin and...
- 5/2/2024
- by Tyler Coates
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Peabody Awards will honor actor, comedian, writer, and director Mel Brooks with this year’s Career Achievement Award, while “Abbott Elementary” award-winning writer, producer, actor, and comedian Quinta Brunson will receive the org’s Trailblazer Award. Both Brooks and Brunson were chosen by the Peabody Board of Jurors in a unanimous vote and will be recognized at the 84th Annual Peabody Awards ceremony on June 9 in Los Angeles.
“Mel Brooks is not only one of the most beloved comedians of all time, but he literally set the standard for television comedy from its earliest days. Across TV, film, theater, and recordings, Mr. Brooks is in a league of his own. And Quinta Brunson has emerged as a refreshingly creative force in network television comedy,” said Jeffrey Jones, executive director of Peabody, in a statement. “Peabody is proud to honor Mel and Quinta not only for their extraordinary contributions as storytellers,...
“Mel Brooks is not only one of the most beloved comedians of all time, but he literally set the standard for television comedy from its earliest days. Across TV, film, theater, and recordings, Mr. Brooks is in a league of his own. And Quinta Brunson has emerged as a refreshingly creative force in network television comedy,” said Jeffrey Jones, executive director of Peabody, in a statement. “Peabody is proud to honor Mel and Quinta not only for their extraordinary contributions as storytellers,...
- 5/2/2024
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
Fresh off the rollout of the nominees for the 84th annual Peabody Awards, the organization’s Board of Jurors has announced that comedy stars Mel Brooks and Quinta Brunson will receive the Peabody Career Achievement Award and the Peabody Trailblazer Award, respectively. Both awards will be handed out live at the 2024 Peabody Awards ceremony on June 9 in Los Angeles. They were selected by unanimous vote of the Peabody Board of Jurors.
“Mel Brooks is not only one of the most beloved comedians of all time, but he literally set the standard for television comedy from its earliest days. Across TV, film, theater, and recordings, Mr. Brooks is in a league of his own. And Quinta Brunson has emerged as a refreshingly creative force in network television comedy,” said Jeffrey Jones, executive director of Peabody, via statement. “Peabody is proud to honor Mel and Quinta not only for their extraordinary contributions as storytellers,...
“Mel Brooks is not only one of the most beloved comedians of all time, but he literally set the standard for television comedy from its earliest days. Across TV, film, theater, and recordings, Mr. Brooks is in a league of his own. And Quinta Brunson has emerged as a refreshingly creative force in network television comedy,” said Jeffrey Jones, executive director of Peabody, via statement. “Peabody is proud to honor Mel and Quinta not only for their extraordinary contributions as storytellers,...
- 5/2/2024
- by Marcus Jones
- Indiewire
Returning for its 15th annual edition this weekend, the TCM Classic Film Festival will turn Hollywood Blvd. into the center of the movie universe again for four days, for that very obsessive and loving subset of film fans that has the network’s vintage fare as part of their weekly and daily lives. And just what time span “classics” falls into is exemplified by the big opening and closing night films.
The gala opening night picture is 1994’s “Pulp Fiction,” which festival director Genevieve McGillicuddy says “is one of the most contemporary films that we are showing this year, along with ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ and ‘Little Women,’ the 1994 version. ‘Seven,’ I think, is the most recent film we’re screening; that’s 1995. Just like with the network, we don’t have any official cutoff in terms of the years of films that we’re showing. But, interestingly — it’s the opposite of a cutoff,...
The gala opening night picture is 1994’s “Pulp Fiction,” which festival director Genevieve McGillicuddy says “is one of the most contemporary films that we are showing this year, along with ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ and ‘Little Women,’ the 1994 version. ‘Seven,’ I think, is the most recent film we’re screening; that’s 1995. Just like with the network, we don’t have any official cutoff in terms of the years of films that we’re showing. But, interestingly — it’s the opposite of a cutoff,...
- 4/18/2024
- by Chris Willman
- Variety Film + TV
Louis Gossett Jr., who won an Emmy for his role in the groundbreaking TV miniseries Roots and an Oscar for An Officer and a Gentleman, died Thursday night in Santa Monica. He was 87.
His death was first reported by his nephew to the Associated Press. No cause of death was given.
“It is with our heartfelt regret to confirm our beloved father passed away this morning,” his family said in a statement obtained by Deadline. “We would like to thank everyone for their condolences at this time. Please respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time.”
The first Black actor to win a Best Supporting Oscar, Gossett was born on May 27, 1936, in Brooklyn. He made his stage debut at 17 in a school production of You Can’t Take It with You and soon would successfully audition for the Broadway production Take a Giant Step, then perform in a star-making supporting...
His death was first reported by his nephew to the Associated Press. No cause of death was given.
“It is with our heartfelt regret to confirm our beloved father passed away this morning,” his family said in a statement obtained by Deadline. “We would like to thank everyone for their condolences at this time. Please respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time.”
The first Black actor to win a Best Supporting Oscar, Gossett was born on May 27, 1936, in Brooklyn. He made his stage debut at 17 in a school production of You Can’t Take It with You and soon would successfully audition for the Broadway production Take a Giant Step, then perform in a star-making supporting...
- 3/29/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
With the 96th Academy Awards in the history books, it’s time to become obsessed over the 77th Tony Awards. Nominations are April 30th with the awards set to air on CBS on June 16 from Lincoln Center. Among the contenders for Tony nominations are many musicals based on movies including “Back to the Future,’ “The Notebook,” “Water for Elephants” and “The Outsiders”: high profile revivals such as Ibsen’s “An Enemy of the People” with Jeremy Strong; “Cabaret” with Oscar-winner Eddie Redmayne and the Who’s “Tommy”; imports from London and transfers from off-Broadway.
Do you remember the Tony landscape 50 years ago? The 28th annual honors took place April 21, 1974, at the Shubert Theater and aired on ABC. And to say it was a star-studded affair is something of an understatement. Robert Preston, Peter Falk, Cicely Tyson, Florence Henderson hosted; presenters included Al Pacino –-let’s hope he had better...
Do you remember the Tony landscape 50 years ago? The 28th annual honors took place April 21, 1974, at the Shubert Theater and aired on ABC. And to say it was a star-studded affair is something of an understatement. Robert Preston, Peter Falk, Cicely Tyson, Florence Henderson hosted; presenters included Al Pacino –-let’s hope he had better...
- 3/14/2024
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Exclusive: SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher, Kyra Sedgewick, Frontline’s Raney Aronson-Rath and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s Alex Borstein will among those honored at the New York Women In Film & Television Muse Awards later this month.
Aronson-Rath, editor-in-chief and executive producer of PBS Frontline, whose doc 20 Days in Mariupol won an Oscar Sunday, will receive the Enid Roth Award for Excellence in Journalism. The Made in NY Award from Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment will be presented to actress, writer, and producer and star of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Alex Borstein.
Honorees also include actress Critics Choice Award and BAFTA Rising Star Award-nominated actress Millicent Simmonds (A Quiet Place), who will receive the Loreen Arbus Changemaker Award; Michèle Stephenson (Going To Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project), a filmmaker, artist and author, awarded the Nancy Malone Directing Award.
Cardinal, and Latasha Gillespie,...
Aronson-Rath, editor-in-chief and executive producer of PBS Frontline, whose doc 20 Days in Mariupol won an Oscar Sunday, will receive the Enid Roth Award for Excellence in Journalism. The Made in NY Award from Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment will be presented to actress, writer, and producer and star of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Alex Borstein.
Honorees also include actress Critics Choice Award and BAFTA Rising Star Award-nominated actress Millicent Simmonds (A Quiet Place), who will receive the Loreen Arbus Changemaker Award; Michèle Stephenson (Going To Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project), a filmmaker, artist and author, awarded the Nancy Malone Directing Award.
Cardinal, and Latasha Gillespie,...
- 3/13/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Impact Network is rebranding from a faith and gospel-focused multiplatform channel to a family-friendly lifestyle entertainment channel focused on Black audiences.
Founded in 2010 by Bishop Wayne T. Jackson and wife Beverly Jackson, the 100% Black-owned independent network began as a channel airing sermons and religious talk shows. In 2022, with the appointment of Wayne and Beverly’s son Royal Jackson to chief creative officer, Impact Network moved into entertainment programming, including both scripted and unscripted titles with a strategic focus on religious content.
Now, Impact is shifting its lineup once more to encompass “family-friendly lifestyle entertainment, premium scripted and engaging non-scripted series in addition to programming initiatives around health/wellness/financial/cultural areas affecting Black communities.”
Among Impact’s new offerings are unscripted syndicated series licensed from Fox First Run, including “You Bet Your Life” with Jay Leno and Kevin Eubanks, “25 Words or Less” with Meredith Louise Vieira and “Divorce Court,...
Founded in 2010 by Bishop Wayne T. Jackson and wife Beverly Jackson, the 100% Black-owned independent network began as a channel airing sermons and religious talk shows. In 2022, with the appointment of Wayne and Beverly’s son Royal Jackson to chief creative officer, Impact Network moved into entertainment programming, including both scripted and unscripted titles with a strategic focus on religious content.
Now, Impact is shifting its lineup once more to encompass “family-friendly lifestyle entertainment, premium scripted and engaging non-scripted series in addition to programming initiatives around health/wellness/financial/cultural areas affecting Black communities.”
Among Impact’s new offerings are unscripted syndicated series licensed from Fox First Run, including “You Bet Your Life” with Jay Leno and Kevin Eubanks, “25 Words or Less” with Meredith Louise Vieira and “Divorce Court,...
- 2/28/2024
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
Jodie Foster, the two-time Oscar-winning actress riding high off her performances in Nyad and True Detective: Night Country, will be honored with a hand and footprint ceremony during the TCM Classic Film Festival, it was announced Tuesday.
Foster, 61, will leave her mark in cement in the courtyard of the iconic Tcl Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard on Friday, April 19 during the 15th annual event.
“The truth is Jodie Foster deserves a hand and footprint ceremony solely for her work in 1976 alone — films she made when she was 13 years old — Taxi Driver, Bugsy Malone, Freaky Friday and The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane. You could see her range already,” said TCM host Ben Mankiewicz in a statement.
“Nearly 50 years later, we have an answer to this question: ‘What is a Jodie Foster character?’ The answer is: There is nothing she can’t play. If you want evidence of that,...
Foster, 61, will leave her mark in cement in the courtyard of the iconic Tcl Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard on Friday, April 19 during the 15th annual event.
“The truth is Jodie Foster deserves a hand and footprint ceremony solely for her work in 1976 alone — films she made when she was 13 years old — Taxi Driver, Bugsy Malone, Freaky Friday and The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane. You could see her range already,” said TCM host Ben Mankiewicz in a statement.
“Nearly 50 years later, we have an answer to this question: ‘What is a Jodie Foster character?’ The answer is: There is nothing she can’t play. If you want evidence of that,...
- 2/27/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Usher made it clear that he wanted to pay homage to iconic Black artists when he took the stage for the 2024 Super Bowl Halftime Show on Sunday (February 11), and we caught at least one reference to the late King of Pop – Michael Jackson.
The 45-year-old Confessions crooner took over the field in Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium for a 15-minute set that included many of his biggest hits and quite a few celebrity cameos.
There was also an apparent nod to Michael, who he recently shouted out on his new album.
Read more about the nod to Michael Jackson…
During his performance, fans likely noticed that Usher performed at one point with only one white glove on. This appears to be a nod to Michael, who did the same.
The glove became a signature component of Michael‘s wardrobe. One of his iconic gloves even sold at auction for $190,000 back in...
The 45-year-old Confessions crooner took over the field in Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium for a 15-minute set that included many of his biggest hits and quite a few celebrity cameos.
There was also an apparent nod to Michael, who he recently shouted out on his new album.
Read more about the nod to Michael Jackson…
During his performance, fans likely noticed that Usher performed at one point with only one white glove on. This appears to be a nod to Michael, who did the same.
The glove became a signature component of Michael‘s wardrobe. One of his iconic gloves even sold at auction for $190,000 back in...
- 2/12/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
When Cicely Tyson started crafting her 2021 memoir Just As I Am, her longtime friend and fashion designer, B Michael, began to conceptualize an idea for a book of his own, cataloging their working relationship together from the day the barrier-breaking actress first stepped foot in his atelier in 2005.
“She loved it and said that would be great and amazing, but [told the designer] ‘Help me finish my book first,’” B Michael recalls, laughing.
When Tyson passed away on Jan. 28, 2021, just two days after her memoir was published, B Michael put his book idea on the back burner.
Now three years later, Muse Cicely Tyson and Me: A Relationship Forged in Fashion, has come to fruition from publisher Harper Collins. In it, B Michael pairs the looks he created for Tyson over the last 16 years of her life with both the historical context and personal emotion tied to each event. Those moments include Tyson...
“She loved it and said that would be great and amazing, but [told the designer] ‘Help me finish my book first,’” B Michael recalls, laughing.
When Tyson passed away on Jan. 28, 2021, just two days after her memoir was published, B Michael put his book idea on the back burner.
Now three years later, Muse Cicely Tyson and Me: A Relationship Forged in Fashion, has come to fruition from publisher Harper Collins. In it, B Michael pairs the looks he created for Tyson over the last 16 years of her life with both the historical context and personal emotion tied to each event. Those moments include Tyson...
- 1/23/2024
- by Brande Victorian
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The American Film Institute (AFI) has officially announced the eight filmmakers for the upcoming AFI Dww+ Class of 2025 program, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the program. IndieWire announces it here.
The AFI Dww+ is a year-long directing program that supports women and traditionally underrepresented narrative filmmakers through the production cycle of a short film, providing hands-on instruction led by industry experts. The short films completed in the workshop will premiere at the annual Dww+ Showcase in Spring 2025.
AFI Dww alum Hanelle M. Culpepper, who made history helming the “Star Trek: Picard” pilot and recently directed a block of episodes for “Star Wars: The Acolyte,” is this year’s AFI Dww+ Guest Artistic Director. Culpepper will oversee and direct the artistic curriculum and serve as a mentor for the Dww+ participants through their production cycle and the industry showcase, and act as an ambassador on behalf of the program.
“I remember...
The AFI Dww+ is a year-long directing program that supports women and traditionally underrepresented narrative filmmakers through the production cycle of a short film, providing hands-on instruction led by industry experts. The short films completed in the workshop will premiere at the annual Dww+ Showcase in Spring 2025.
AFI Dww alum Hanelle M. Culpepper, who made history helming the “Star Trek: Picard” pilot and recently directed a block of episodes for “Star Wars: The Acolyte,” is this year’s AFI Dww+ Guest Artistic Director. Culpepper will oversee and direct the artistic curriculum and serve as a mentor for the Dww+ participants through their production cycle and the industry showcase, and act as an ambassador on behalf of the program.
“I remember...
- 1/22/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
This year’s Best Drama Guest Actress category at the Emmys is a tightly-knit affair with only two shows — “Succession” and “The Last of Us,” both HBO projects — reaping nominations. “Succession” landed three bids for Harriet Walter, Hiam Abbass, and Cherry Jones, while “The Last of Us” produced nominations for Melanie Lynskey, Storm Reid, and Anna Torv.
SEEPeter Hoar (‘The Last of Us’ director) on aligning ‘with a story that really talks to you and speaks from the heart’ [Exclusive Video Interview]
Torv, like her co-star Reid and “Succession” contender Abbass, is a first-time Emmy nominee after working in the industry for years. She features in three episodes of “The Last of Us” as Theresa “Tess” Servopoulos. Her nominated episode is “Infected,” which is the second episode of the series and features the character’s climactic death (Torv also appears in the third episode during flashbacks). As such, this is an emotional Emmy...
SEEPeter Hoar (‘The Last of Us’ director) on aligning ‘with a story that really talks to you and speaks from the heart’ [Exclusive Video Interview]
Torv, like her co-star Reid and “Succession” contender Abbass, is a first-time Emmy nominee after working in the industry for years. She features in three episodes of “The Last of Us” as Theresa “Tess” Servopoulos. Her nominated episode is “Infected,” which is the second episode of the series and features the character’s climactic death (Torv also appears in the third episode during flashbacks). As such, this is an emotional Emmy...
- 12/24/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Many actors have several key roles in their careers, but Erika Alexander is one of the rare ones who’s had the role of a lifetime. Thirty years ago, she stepped into the character of Maxine Shaw on Living Single — a now-iconic attorney character inspired by her role models Cicely Tyson, Phylicia Rashad, Whoopi Goldberg and Hillary Clinton. In the years since, she’s been part of significant projects like Get Out and Wu-Tang: An American Saga. But American Fiction, she says, is the crown jewel of her portfolio.
“It’s been very healing to be in this movie,” says Alexander, 54. She plays Coraline, a divorcée who begins a relationship with Jeffrey Wright’s Monk, a novelist so frustrated with the publishing industry’s penchant for stereotypically “Black” books, he submits an absurdist manuscript to prove a point. “We’ve been having conversations like those in the movie for a long time,...
“It’s been very healing to be in this movie,” says Alexander, 54. She plays Coraline, a divorcée who begins a relationship with Jeffrey Wright’s Monk, a novelist so frustrated with the publishing industry’s penchant for stereotypically “Black” books, he submits an absurdist manuscript to prove a point. “We’ve been having conversations like those in the movie for a long time,...
- 12/19/2023
- by Seija Rankin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Erika Alexander got her start as a teen on “The Cosby Show” before assuming the breakout role of attorney Maxine Shaw on “Living Single.” But it’s her latest performance in “American Fiction,” a satire that critiques our culture’s obsession with stereotypes, that’s put her in a conversation she’s never been in before — that of awards season contender.
Alexander plays Coraline, the love interest of Jeffrey Wright’s Thelonious “Monk” Ellison, a cantankerous author who challenges the industry’s perceptions of “Black entertainment.” On Dec. 5, just hours before sitting down with Variety, Alexander learned she’d been nominated in the supporting category at the Independent Spirit Awards; she attended last year’s ceremony as a guest.
“I got dropped off on the highway and walked, scooting around the Porta-Potties,” she says, laughing brightly to keep her emotions about the moment at bay. They seep in anyway.
Though...
Alexander plays Coraline, the love interest of Jeffrey Wright’s Thelonious “Monk” Ellison, a cantankerous author who challenges the industry’s perceptions of “Black entertainment.” On Dec. 5, just hours before sitting down with Variety, Alexander learned she’d been nominated in the supporting category at the Independent Spirit Awards; she attended last year’s ceremony as a guest.
“I got dropped off on the highway and walked, scooting around the Porta-Potties,” she says, laughing brightly to keep her emotions about the moment at bay. They seep in anyway.
Though...
- 12/17/2023
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Cicely Tyson is an Emmy Award-winning actress for “The Oldest Confederate Widow Tells All” in 1994 and 20 years earlier for “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman.”
Tyson has worked steadily in film and television since the 1960s. Her Emmy nominations have come in a variety of categories and for some highly acclaimed television shows such as “Roots” and “King”.
Tyson has also had an acclaimed career on the Broadway stage. She appeared in a number of productions both on and off-Broadway throughout her life. In 2013 and at age 88, Tyson won the Tony as Best Actress in a Play for a revival of the Horton Foote play “The Trip to Bountiful.” (That was the same role that won Geraldine Page the Best Actress Oscar in 1985.)
She received an honorary Oscar for life achievement, induction into the Television Academy Hall of Fame and the Kennedy Center Honors. But its her film career that...
Tyson has worked steadily in film and television since the 1960s. Her Emmy nominations have come in a variety of categories and for some highly acclaimed television shows such as “Roots” and “King”.
Tyson has also had an acclaimed career on the Broadway stage. She appeared in a number of productions both on and off-Broadway throughout her life. In 2013 and at age 88, Tyson won the Tony as Best Actress in a Play for a revival of the Horton Foote play “The Trip to Bountiful.” (That was the same role that won Geraldine Page the Best Actress Oscar in 1985.)
She received an honorary Oscar for life achievement, induction into the Television Academy Hall of Fame and the Kennedy Center Honors. But its her film career that...
- 12/15/2023
- by Misty Holland, Robert Pius and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Ellen Holly, the first Black actor to have a leading role on a daytime soap opera, died peacefully in her sleep on Wednesday at Calvary Hospital in the Bronx. She was 92.
Photo by Ashley E. Jones
Holly joined ABC’s One Life to Live in 1968, in the role of Carla Benari, an actress of seemingly Italian heritage who found romance with Jim Craig, a white doctor (played by Robert Milli and then Nat Polen). It eventually came out that Carla Benari was actually Carla Gray, an African-American passing as white –and the daughter of Llanview Hospital housekeeping boss Sadie Gray...
Photo by Ashley E. Jones
Holly joined ABC’s One Life to Live in 1968, in the role of Carla Benari, an actress of seemingly Italian heritage who found romance with Jim Craig, a white doctor (played by Robert Milli and then Nat Polen). It eventually came out that Carla Benari was actually Carla Gray, an African-American passing as white –and the daughter of Llanview Hospital housekeeping boss Sadie Gray...
- 12/8/2023
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
Ellen Holly, the first Black person to star in a soap opera with her lead role on One Life to Live, died Wednesday at Calvary Hospital in the Bronx, N.Y. She was 92 and died in her sleep.
Her first roles on television included appearances on The Big Story (1957), The Defenders (1963), Sam Benedict (1963), Dr. Kildare (1964) and The Doctors and the Nurses (1963 and 1964).
Holly played the groundbreaking character Carla Gray on the hit ABC show One Life to Live from 1968 to 1980 and 1983 to 1985. She was personally chosen for the role by television producer Agnes Nixon after she saw a New York Times opinion piece that Holly wrote, called “How Black Do You Have To Be?” about the difficulty of finding roles as a light-skinned Black woman.
Holly was born on January 16, 1931, in Manhattan to parents William Garnet Holly, a chemical engineer, and Grayce Holly, a housewife and writer.
A graduate of Hunter College,...
Her first roles on television included appearances on The Big Story (1957), The Defenders (1963), Sam Benedict (1963), Dr. Kildare (1964) and The Doctors and the Nurses (1963 and 1964).
Holly played the groundbreaking character Carla Gray on the hit ABC show One Life to Live from 1968 to 1980 and 1983 to 1985. She was personally chosen for the role by television producer Agnes Nixon after she saw a New York Times opinion piece that Holly wrote, called “How Black Do You Have To Be?” about the difficulty of finding roles as a light-skinned Black woman.
Holly was born on January 16, 1931, in Manhattan to parents William Garnet Holly, a chemical engineer, and Grayce Holly, a housewife and writer.
A graduate of Hunter College,...
- 12/7/2023
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP are still at the negotiating table as we reach day 117 of the actors’ strike, but Tyler Perry argues that the union needs to recognize when it has won “for now.”
Appearing on “CBS Mornings” Tuesday, the film and TV mogul, who recently signed a multi-year first-look deal with Netflix, made his first public comments on the strike after co-signing a proposal sent to SAG-AFTRA brass in October calling for a revised residuals structure and removing the cap on union dues. Perry reminded that SAG-AFTRA is only negotiating a three-year contract, noting that prolonging the strike may only present a challenge in future and inevitable dealings.
“Here I am, a studio head and an owner of a streamer, but also understanding how it is for the working actor,” Perry said (via Variety). “I get what we’re fighting for … I paid Cicely Tyson $1 million for one day...
Appearing on “CBS Mornings” Tuesday, the film and TV mogul, who recently signed a multi-year first-look deal with Netflix, made his first public comments on the strike after co-signing a proposal sent to SAG-AFTRA brass in October calling for a revised residuals structure and removing the cap on union dues. Perry reminded that SAG-AFTRA is only negotiating a three-year contract, noting that prolonging the strike may only present a challenge in future and inevitable dealings.
“Here I am, a studio head and an owner of a streamer, but also understanding how it is for the working actor,” Perry said (via Variety). “I get what we’re fighting for … I paid Cicely Tyson $1 million for one day...
- 11/7/2023
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Tyler Perry appeared on “CBS Mornings” Tuesday and was asked to speak publicly for the first time about the SAG-AFTRA strike, which remains ongoing after the union responded to the AMPTP’s “best and final” offer by saying the two groups still differ on “several essential items.” Although Perry praised SAG-AFTRA negotiators, he also said the union needs to realize when it’s won “for now.” The media mogul noted that SAG-AFTRA is only negotiating a three-year contract, inferring that it might not be the best strategy to continue prolonging the strike so the union can get everything it wants now when more negotiations are in store in the future.
“Here I am, a studio head and an owner of a streamer, but also understanding how it is for the working actor,” Perry said. “I get what we’re fighting for…I paid Cicely Tyson $1 million for one day...
“Here I am, a studio head and an owner of a streamer, but also understanding how it is for the working actor,” Perry said. “I get what we’re fighting for…I paid Cicely Tyson $1 million for one day...
- 11/7/2023
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
Shirley Jo Finney, a theater director and the star of Wilma (1977), has died. She was 74.
The Fountain Theatre announced Finney’s death on social media writing in an Instagram post, “With broken hearts, we share the sad news that director Shirley Jo Finney, a beloved member of our Fountain Family, passed away yesterday after a long illness.”
Some of the productions that Finney directed included Citizen: An American Lyric, Heart Song, In the Red and Brown Water, The Brothers Size, The Ballad of Emmett Till, Yellowman, Central Avenue and From the Mississippi Delta.
Finney had been battling with cancer for eight months, according to a report from the Los Angeles Times.
Finney starred in the television film Wilma, a biopic about track star Wilma Rudolph and the obstacles she faced to win three gold medals in the 1960 Olympics. In the television movie, Finney starred opposite Cicely Tyson, Jason Bernard, Denzel Washington and more.
The Fountain Theatre announced Finney’s death on social media writing in an Instagram post, “With broken hearts, we share the sad news that director Shirley Jo Finney, a beloved member of our Fountain Family, passed away yesterday after a long illness.”
Some of the productions that Finney directed included Citizen: An American Lyric, Heart Song, In the Red and Brown Water, The Brothers Size, The Ballad of Emmett Till, Yellowman, Central Avenue and From the Mississippi Delta.
Finney had been battling with cancer for eight months, according to a report from the Los Angeles Times.
Finney starred in the television film Wilma, a biopic about track star Wilma Rudolph and the obstacles she faced to win three gold medals in the 1960 Olympics. In the television movie, Finney starred opposite Cicely Tyson, Jason Bernard, Denzel Washington and more.
- 10/15/2023
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
Shirley Jo Finney, a theater director and actor known for the 1975 TV biopic “Wilma,” died on Oct. 10 following an eight-month battle with cancer. She was 74.
The Fountain Theatre announced the news of Finney’s death in a statement on Friday.
“It shatters my heart beyond expression to announce the passing of my artistic sister,” said Stephen Sachs, artistic director of the Fountain Theatre. “I am deeply, deeply devastated. She was my theatrical soulmate for 26 years.”
Finney directed eight productions over many years at the Fountain Theatre, including Endesha Ida Mae Holland’s “From the Mississippi Delta”; Stephen Sachs’ “Central Avenue”; Dael Orlandersmith’s “Yellowman”; Ifa Bayeza’s “The Ballad of Emmett Till”; Claudia Rankin and Stephen Sachs’ “Citizen: An American Lyric”; and Jeremy J. Kamps’ “Runaway Home,” among other titles. Finney and her productions received several accolades, including the Beverly Hills/Hollywood NAACP Theatre Award for best director for “Yellowman.
The Fountain Theatre announced the news of Finney’s death in a statement on Friday.
“It shatters my heart beyond expression to announce the passing of my artistic sister,” said Stephen Sachs, artistic director of the Fountain Theatre. “I am deeply, deeply devastated. She was my theatrical soulmate for 26 years.”
Finney directed eight productions over many years at the Fountain Theatre, including Endesha Ida Mae Holland’s “From the Mississippi Delta”; Stephen Sachs’ “Central Avenue”; Dael Orlandersmith’s “Yellowman”; Ifa Bayeza’s “The Ballad of Emmett Till”; Claudia Rankin and Stephen Sachs’ “Citizen: An American Lyric”; and Jeremy J. Kamps’ “Runaway Home,” among other titles. Finney and her productions received several accolades, including the Beverly Hills/Hollywood NAACP Theatre Award for best director for “Yellowman.
- 10/15/2023
- by Jaden Thompson
- Variety Film + TV
Cicely Tyson was a highly acclaimed American actress, who was the mother of Joan Tyson. Cicely Tyson was known and widely recognized for her portrayal of strong African-American women. She received various awards during her career which spanned over 70 years, including three Emmy Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Tony Award, an Honorary Academy Award, and a Peabody Award. She has also been described as an inspiration for several actresses including Viola Davis. Tyson married Kenneth Franklin on 27 December 1942, when she was 18. Two months later in February 1943, they had a daughter. Kenneth Franklin abandoned...
- 10/8/2023
- by Nkem
- TVovermind.com
Oscar-winning actress Jessica Chastain has expressed interest in a sequel to 2011 movie ‘The Help’, to further explore the relationship between her character Celia and Octavia Spencer’s Minny. The Oscar-nominated movie faced a backlash for its white savior narrative and oversimplification of harsh truths, with some of the actors expressing regret for their involvement.
As per Deadline, the ‘Dark Phoenix’ and ‘George & Tammy’ star told EW that of all the various characters she has played, one that she thinks about “all the time” and wishes she could play again is her character of Celia Foote from ‘The Help’.
She said: “You know who I think about all the time, and I just wish I could play her (again)? Celia Foote. I just want to do something, Celia and Minny, and see what happened. You know they ended up living together and raising the baby together, they were best friends.
As per Deadline, the ‘Dark Phoenix’ and ‘George & Tammy’ star told EW that of all the various characters she has played, one that she thinks about “all the time” and wishes she could play again is her character of Celia Foote from ‘The Help’.
She said: “You know who I think about all the time, and I just wish I could play her (again)? Celia Foote. I just want to do something, Celia and Minny, and see what happened. You know they ended up living together and raising the baby together, they were best friends.
- 8/15/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
How ‘The Perfect Find’ Director Numa Perrier Honored and Updated Tia Williams’ Book At the Same Time
Netflix’s “The Perfect Find” director Numa Perrier collected generational references in her film adaptation of Tia Williams’ novel.
The story follows Jenna Jones (Gabrielle Union) and Eric Combs (Keith Powers) who gravitate toward each other despite a substantial age gap and the fact that Eric is the son of Jenna’s boss Darcy (Gina Torres).
The two pair up for a creative project for Darzine, Darcy’s fashion magazine. The project, which eventually becomes “The Perfect Find” highlights fashions inspired by Black starlets of Hollywood’s past. Jenna and Eric also bond over their love for old Hollywood — like Nina Mae McKinney, who pops up throughout the film with clips from “Hallelujah!,” a Greta Garbo clip from “The Flesh and Devil” and Spike Lee’s “School Daze,” featured at a drive-in movie date.
Perrier explained the process behind making references to classic Black Hollywood, first during Jenna’s swap meet browsing,...
The story follows Jenna Jones (Gabrielle Union) and Eric Combs (Keith Powers) who gravitate toward each other despite a substantial age gap and the fact that Eric is the son of Jenna’s boss Darcy (Gina Torres).
The two pair up for a creative project for Darzine, Darcy’s fashion magazine. The project, which eventually becomes “The Perfect Find” highlights fashions inspired by Black starlets of Hollywood’s past. Jenna and Eric also bond over their love for old Hollywood — like Nina Mae McKinney, who pops up throughout the film with clips from “Hallelujah!,” a Greta Garbo clip from “The Flesh and Devil” and Spike Lee’s “School Daze,” featured at a drive-in movie date.
Perrier explained the process behind making references to classic Black Hollywood, first during Jenna’s swap meet browsing,...
- 7/20/2023
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
Claire Danes seems en route to her 10th Emmy nomination — and eighth for acting — for her turn on the FX limited series “Fleishman Is in Trouble.” Danes sits in second place in the Best Limited/TV Movie Supporting Actress odds, and a win would not only give her a fourth Emmy, but it would make her one of nine women to win both limited/TV movie acting categories.
A two-time Best Drama Actress champ for “Homeland,” Danes took home her first Emmy in Best Limited/TV Movie Actress for the HBO film “Temple Grandin” in 2010. She’s never been nominated in supporting for a limited series or TV movie, so “Fleishman” will represent the first chance she has to complete the set.
While the category names have undergone multiple changes over the years — including a period in the ’70s when the lead category was split into two before merging in...
A two-time Best Drama Actress champ for “Homeland,” Danes took home her first Emmy in Best Limited/TV Movie Actress for the HBO film “Temple Grandin” in 2010. She’s never been nominated in supporting for a limited series or TV movie, so “Fleishman” will represent the first chance she has to complete the set.
While the category names have undergone multiple changes over the years — including a period in the ’70s when the lead category was split into two before merging in...
- 6/30/2023
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
Welcome to Emmy Experts Typing, a weekly column in which Gold Derby editors and Experts Joyce Eng and Christopher Rosen discuss the Emmy race — via Slack, of course. This week, we wonder how many acting nominations “Succession” can score on a restricted ballot.
Christopher Rosen: Hello, Joyce! It’s the Friday before we make our final Emmy nominations predictions next week, so what better time than now to take one last look at the drama race before our actual last look? I’m not sure if people reading our weekly column realize this, but we both loved “Succession.” It’s true! I would say it’s not just my favorite show of the year but perhaps of forever. So I start here with that bit of throat-clearing to give some perspective on what I’m going to type here: I think people might be underestimating the total number of acting...
Christopher Rosen: Hello, Joyce! It’s the Friday before we make our final Emmy nominations predictions next week, so what better time than now to take one last look at the drama race before our actual last look? I’m not sure if people reading our weekly column realize this, but we both loved “Succession.” It’s true! I would say it’s not just my favorite show of the year but perhaps of forever. So I start here with that bit of throat-clearing to give some perspective on what I’m going to type here: I think people might be underestimating the total number of acting...
- 6/30/2023
- by Joyce Eng and Christopher Rosen
- Gold Derby
Tyler Perry‘s most famous character, Madea, has appeared in nearly half the director’s films: a gun-toting, “Hallelu-yer”-shouting force of nature, and an outrageous drag tribute to his mother and aunt. But some films in the Madea Cinematic Universe are gleefully manic, while others arrive in what appears to be a half-finished state of sad melodrama and mediocrity. Not counting her cameo appearance in the otherwise Madea-free “Meet the Browns,” or the animated kids offering “Madea’s Tough Love,” here’s where to find maximum Madea mayhem:
10. “Madea’s Witness Protection”
To look at box office receipts, this one would appear to have been a fan favorite, the second-highest-grossing Madea movie to date. But it came along at a time when Perry was making minor noise about retiring the character, and it really shows. The film looks cheap even by Perry’s budget-minded standards, the jokes are flat, and...
10. “Madea’s Witness Protection”
To look at box office receipts, this one would appear to have been a fan favorite, the second-highest-grossing Madea movie to date. But it came along at a time when Perry was making minor noise about retiring the character, and it really shows. The film looks cheap even by Perry’s budget-minded standards, the jokes are flat, and...
- 6/23/2023
- by Dave White
- The Wrap
According to our current combined predictions, Jodie Comer (“Prima Facie”) is the frontrunner to win Best Actress in a Play at this year’s Tony Awards with 12/5 odds. She already won an Olivier a couple of months ago for her work in the West End production. She would be the fifth Tony winner in this category for a one-woman performance.
In Suzie Miller‘s one-woman show, Comer plays Tessa, a barrister from working-class origins who must deal with an unexpected event that forces her to confront the patriarchal power and morality of the law.
When it comes to solo performances at the Tonys, four have prevailed in this category before. In 1977 Julie Harris won her fifth and final competitive accolade for her portrayal of Emily Dickinson in William Luce‘s “The Belle of Amherst.” In 1986 Lily Tomlin won for playing multiple characters in Jane Wagner‘s “The Search for Signs...
In Suzie Miller‘s one-woman show, Comer plays Tessa, a barrister from working-class origins who must deal with an unexpected event that forces her to confront the patriarchal power and morality of the law.
When it comes to solo performances at the Tonys, four have prevailed in this category before. In 1977 Julie Harris won her fifth and final competitive accolade for her portrayal of Emily Dickinson in William Luce‘s “The Belle of Amherst.” In 1986 Lily Tomlin won for playing multiple characters in Jane Wagner‘s “The Search for Signs...
- 5/29/2023
- by Jeffrey Kare
- Gold Derby
Over the years, dozens of actors have accomplished the feat of being Emmy-nominated in one guest category for multiple shows, but only one has been recognized in this manner for playing a single character. This special case involved Shelley Long, who received comedic notices for playing Diane Chambers on both “Cheers” (1993) and “Frasier” (1996). After more than a quarter century of standing alone in this distinction, she could soon be joined by Carrie Preston, who won the 2013 Best Drama Guest Actress award as eccentric lawyer Elsbeth Tascioni on “The Good Wife” and is now seeking a bookend trophy for its Paramount Plus spinoff, “The Good Fight.”
See‘The Good Fight’ finale: From WGA nominee to Emmy contender?
Preston won her first Emmy for her seventh of 14 “Good Wife” appearances, which were spread over six of the CBS show’s seven seasons. By the time “The Good Fight” ended its six-year run...
See‘The Good Fight’ finale: From WGA nominee to Emmy contender?
Preston won her first Emmy for her seventh of 14 “Good Wife” appearances, which were spread over six of the CBS show’s seven seasons. By the time “The Good Fight” ended its six-year run...
- 5/15/2023
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
“The moment I read the script, I started crying,” reveals Emmy-nominated actress Regina Taylor about “CSI: Vegas.” For our recent webchat she adds, “I was very deeply moved by the journey of these two women, their relationship. I think it is very much about the tenacity of a mother’s love.” Watch our exclusive video interview above.
See dozens of interviews with 2023 awards contenders
“CSI: Vegas” is the follow-up to the long-running Emmy-winning CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and the fifth series in the CSI franchise. The crime drama stars Paula Newsome, Matt Lauria and Mandeep Dhillon, with CSI alums William Petersen, Jorja Fox, Marg Helgenberger, Wallace Langham, Paul Guilfoyle and Eric Szmanda reprising their roles from the original series in various episodes throughout the show’s two-season run (to date). Originally branded as an epilogue limited series, CBS renewed the show for a second season, which concludes this month before...
See dozens of interviews with 2023 awards contenders
“CSI: Vegas” is the follow-up to the long-running Emmy-winning CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and the fifth series in the CSI franchise. The crime drama stars Paula Newsome, Matt Lauria and Mandeep Dhillon, with CSI alums William Petersen, Jorja Fox, Marg Helgenberger, Wallace Langham, Paul Guilfoyle and Eric Szmanda reprising their roles from the original series in various episodes throughout the show’s two-season run (to date). Originally branded as an epilogue limited series, CBS renewed the show for a second season, which concludes this month before...
- 5/14/2023
- by Rob Licuria
- Gold Derby
Although her acting on her eponymous 11-season variety show was consistently overlooked by the TV academy, Carol Burnett has still racked up two dozen Emmy nominations and six wins over the course of six decades. Having just reached the age of 90, she is now on the verge of earning her first Best Drama Supporting Actress notice for AMC’s “Better Call Saul,” which would also be her first for a supporting or lead role on a non-sketch series. If she succeeds on this possible bid, she will set a new precedent as the first nonagenarian to ever win an acting Emmy.
Burnett joined the cast of “Better Call Saul” for the second part of its sixth and final season, which aired from July to August 2022. Her character, Marion, is the elderly mother of a cab driver who becomes an accomplice of seasoned criminal Jimmy “Saul Goodman” McGill (Bob Odenkirk). Although...
Burnett joined the cast of “Better Call Saul” for the second part of its sixth and final season, which aired from July to August 2022. Her character, Marion, is the elderly mother of a cab driver who becomes an accomplice of seasoned criminal Jimmy “Saul Goodman” McGill (Bob Odenkirk). Although...
- 5/12/2023
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
“The Crown” cast’s 2021 sweep of the major drama acting Emmy categories will be hard for any show to ever replicate, but those who have inherited their regal roles are going to make a go of it this year. Judging by Gold Derby’s odds, the Netflix series’ best chance at a victory for its fifth season lies with Imelda Staunton, who is looking to continue the Emmy-winning trend in Best Drama Actress for her take on Queen Elizabeth II, just like Claire Foy (2018) and Olivia Colman (2021). Since voters responded well when the part first changed hands, it would make perfect sense for them to show the same love toward the show’s third and final headliner.
The penultimate season of “The Crown,” which originally streamed last November, covers a six-year period in the reign of the aforementioned queen and focuses on the challenges she faces as the third millennium approaches.
The penultimate season of “The Crown,” which originally streamed last November, covers a six-year period in the reign of the aforementioned queen and focuses on the challenges she faces as the third millennium approaches.
- 5/9/2023
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Issa Rae will be honored with the Peabody Trailblazer Award, while Lily Tomlin will receive the org’s Career Achievement Award, as the Peabody Awards celebrates this year’s kudos on June 11 in Los Angeles. Also announced on Thursday, “Shrinking” star and “The Daily Show” alum Jessica Williams has signed on to host this year’s ceremony.
“Beyond our annual awards recognizing the most compelling stories, Peabody is dedicated to recognizing individuals that inspire and delight us,” said Jeffrey Jones, executive director of Peabody. “Lily Tomlin has made so many people laugh over the decades with her remarkable talent, and Issa Rae has proven herself a profound entertainment storyteller, performer, and force for good. We’re thrilled to recognize Issa and Lily for not only their extraordinary contributions to storytelling, but also for their important role and place for women in comedy and entertainment.”
Both awards were selected by the Peabody Board of Jurors.
“Beyond our annual awards recognizing the most compelling stories, Peabody is dedicated to recognizing individuals that inspire and delight us,” said Jeffrey Jones, executive director of Peabody. “Lily Tomlin has made so many people laugh over the decades with her remarkable talent, and Issa Rae has proven herself a profound entertainment storyteller, performer, and force for good. We’re thrilled to recognize Issa and Lily for not only their extraordinary contributions to storytelling, but also for their important role and place for women in comedy and entertainment.”
Both awards were selected by the Peabody Board of Jurors.
- 4/20/2023
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
The Peabody Awards announced Thursday that Issa Rae and Lily Tomlin will receive honorary awards at the June 11 ceremony, which will be held in Los Angeles for the first time in Peabody’s 83-year history. Shrinking star Jessica Williams will host the event at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, the first in-person ceremony since 2019.
Rae will receive the Trailblazer Award, which “recognizes visionaries that are impacting our culture and affecting social change through their innovative storytelling.” The Black Lady Sketch Show and Rap Sh!t producer previously won a Peabody in 2017 for HBO’s Insecure, which Rae created with Larry Wilmore.
Tomlin will be honored with the Peabody’s Career Achievement Award, “reserved for individuals whose work and commitment to broadcasting and streaming media have left an indelible mark on the field and in American culture.” She won two Peabody Awards in 1996 for the documentary The Celluloid Closet, for which she provided narration,...
Rae will receive the Trailblazer Award, which “recognizes visionaries that are impacting our culture and affecting social change through their innovative storytelling.” The Black Lady Sketch Show and Rap Sh!t producer previously won a Peabody in 2017 for HBO’s Insecure, which Rae created with Larry Wilmore.
Tomlin will be honored with the Peabody’s Career Achievement Award, “reserved for individuals whose work and commitment to broadcasting and streaming media have left an indelible mark on the field and in American culture.” She won two Peabody Awards in 1996 for the documentary The Celluloid Closet, for which she provided narration,...
- 4/20/2023
- by Tyler Coates
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Peabody Awards said Thursday that Lily Tomlin has won the Peabody Career Achievement Award, and Issa Rae the Peabody Trailblazer Award. The honors will be bestowed during a ceremony for the 83rd annual Peabody Awards on June 11 in Los Angeles.
Jessica Williams, who currently stars in the Apple TV+ series Shrinking, has been set to host the ceremony, the first time the event will take place in L.A. A total of 69 nominees are up for awards honoring 2022’s most compelling and empowering stories in the fields of Entertainment, Documentary, News, Arts, Children’s/Youth, Podcast/Radio, Interactive & Immersive and Public Service. Those winners will be revealed May 9.
Other honorary Peabody winners this year include NBC’s Today, which won the organization’s Institutional Award, and Sundance Film Festival senior programmer Shari Frilot received the first-ever Visionary Award.
“Beyond our annual awards recognizing the most compelling stories, Peabody is...
Jessica Williams, who currently stars in the Apple TV+ series Shrinking, has been set to host the ceremony, the first time the event will take place in L.A. A total of 69 nominees are up for awards honoring 2022’s most compelling and empowering stories in the fields of Entertainment, Documentary, News, Arts, Children’s/Youth, Podcast/Radio, Interactive & Immersive and Public Service. Those winners will be revealed May 9.
Other honorary Peabody winners this year include NBC’s Today, which won the organization’s Institutional Award, and Sundance Film Festival senior programmer Shari Frilot received the first-ever Visionary Award.
“Beyond our annual awards recognizing the most compelling stories, Peabody is...
- 4/20/2023
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
With two-time Best Comedy Actress Emmy champ Jean Smart (“Hacks”) out of contention this year, “Abbott Elementary” star (and creator and writer) Quinta Brunson is in a solid position as the category’s frontrunner. After Rue McClanahan and Tina Fey, she would be the third actress to take this prize for her show’s second season after losing for its first. At age 33, she would also be the youngest Black woman to ever earn multiple nominations for this award and could close a four-decade gap between Black winners in the category.
To date, the only Black actress who has ever been honored by the TV academy for a lead comedic performance is Isabel Sanford, who triumphed in 1981 on her third of seven consecutive bids for “The Jeffersons.” She was preceded by just one other Black nominee – Diahann Carroll – and has since been followed by five more, including Brunson. Rounding out this group are Nell Carter,...
To date, the only Black actress who has ever been honored by the TV academy for a lead comedic performance is Isabel Sanford, who triumphed in 1981 on her third of seven consecutive bids for “The Jeffersons.” She was preceded by just one other Black nominee – Diahann Carroll – and has since been followed by five more, including Brunson. Rounding out this group are Nell Carter,...
- 4/19/2023
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Peter Werner, the Oscar-winning director known for his television work that spanned five decades and included helming episodes of such popular series as Moonlighting, A Different World, Justified and Law & Order: Svu, has died. He was 76.
Werner died Tuesday morning in Wilmington, North Carolina, his younger brother, Tom Werner (producer on The Cosby Show, Roseanne, That ’70s Show, The Conners), told The Hollywood Reporter. “He had a torn aorta that the doctors weren’t able to repair. So sudden,” he wrote in an email.
As a student project while attending the American Film Institute, Peter Werner directed the 1976 short film In the Region of Ice, which was based on Joyce Carol Oates’ short story and starred Fionnula Flanagan. The project won the Oscar for live-action short film.
His career kicked off from there, with Werner helming a 1977 episode of Family. The ABC drama counted Mike Nichols and Aaron Spelling as executive producers.
Werner died Tuesday morning in Wilmington, North Carolina, his younger brother, Tom Werner (producer on The Cosby Show, Roseanne, That ’70s Show, The Conners), told The Hollywood Reporter. “He had a torn aorta that the doctors weren’t able to repair. So sudden,” he wrote in an email.
As a student project while attending the American Film Institute, Peter Werner directed the 1976 short film In the Region of Ice, which was based on Joyce Carol Oates’ short story and starred Fionnula Flanagan. The project won the Oscar for live-action short film.
His career kicked off from there, with Werner helming a 1977 episode of Family. The ABC drama counted Mike Nichols and Aaron Spelling as executive producers.
- 3/22/2023
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Angela Bassett goes into the Oscars as a supporting actress nominee for her work in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” The first and last time she was nominated was 29 years ago for “What’s Love Got to Do With It.”
On Wednesday night, she recalled her early days in Hollywood. “When I came into this business, the path was not clear,” Bassett said while being honored at Time magazine’s Women of the Year gala at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills. “I grew up at a time when it was a special occasion when people who looked like me were featured on the television screen or movie screen or in the theaters. But it was women like Rosalind and Ruby Dee and Diahann Carroll and Cicely Tyson, whose perseverance and resilience led me to have courage — courage to stay the course no matter what the obstacles.”
Phoebe Bridgers and Quinta Brunson...
On Wednesday night, she recalled her early days in Hollywood. “When I came into this business, the path was not clear,” Bassett said while being honored at Time magazine’s Women of the Year gala at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills. “I grew up at a time when it was a special occasion when people who looked like me were featured on the television screen or movie screen or in the theaters. But it was women like Rosalind and Ruby Dee and Diahann Carroll and Cicely Tyson, whose perseverance and resilience led me to have courage — courage to stay the course no matter what the obstacles.”
Phoebe Bridgers and Quinta Brunson...
- 3/9/2023
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
Awards season gives the opportunity for many stars to see and be seen, but this year’s African American Critics Association Awards gave its honorees — many of whom were just out of reach of an Oscar nomination — to feel heard and acknowledged.
Taking the stage at the Four Seasons’ Beverly Wilshire hotel to accept the award for Best Supporting Actress, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” star Angela Bassett acknowledged her current Oscar nomination, saying “I’ve been asked often throughout this award season, what these nominations and awards mean to me. A lot of people don’t realize that although I’ve been blessed to work quite a lot, it’s been 29 years since I’ve been a nominee.”
Listening to awards season chatter, many attribute part of Bassett’s losses at the BAFTA Awards and the SAG Awards — after winning Best Supporting Actress at the Golden Globes and Critics Choice...
Taking the stage at the Four Seasons’ Beverly Wilshire hotel to accept the award for Best Supporting Actress, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” star Angela Bassett acknowledged her current Oscar nomination, saying “I’ve been asked often throughout this award season, what these nominations and awards mean to me. A lot of people don’t realize that although I’ve been blessed to work quite a lot, it’s been 29 years since I’ve been a nominee.”
Listening to awards season chatter, many attribute part of Bassett’s losses at the BAFTA Awards and the SAG Awards — after winning Best Supporting Actress at the Golden Globes and Critics Choice...
- 3/2/2023
- by Marcus Jones
- Indiewire
The African-American Film Critics Association (Aafca) Award ceremony honored the variety of Black experiences depicted on screen, along with Black excellence in front of and behind the camera. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Till, Emancipation and The Woman King were among the top winners at Wednesday’s event at the Beverly Wilshire hotel. The event, hosted by Roy Wood Jr., also marked Will Smith’s first return to an awards stage following the 2022 Academy Awards.
When accepting the Beacon Award for Emancipation, Smith (who arrived to a flurry of cameras and hugs) said: “Emancipation was the individual most difficult film of my entire career.… It’s really difficult to transport a modern mind to that time period. It’s difficult to imagine that level of inhumanity.” After recalling filming a tense scene in the summertime on set, Smith continued: “In this room are people who really suffer for the art, to...
When accepting the Beacon Award for Emancipation, Smith (who arrived to a flurry of cameras and hugs) said: “Emancipation was the individual most difficult film of my entire career.… It’s really difficult to transport a modern mind to that time period. It’s difficult to imagine that level of inhumanity.” After recalling filming a tense scene in the summertime on set, Smith continued: “In this room are people who really suffer for the art, to...
- 3/2/2023
- by Evan Nicole Brown
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After Cicely Tyson’s performance in the two-part CBS drama “Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All” earned her a spot in the very first Best TV Movie/Miniseries Actress SAG Award lineup, it took 26 years for another Black woman to be recognized by the organization for an actual miniseries. The subset started by Tyson in 1995 now includes five actresses, with the latest entrant being “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” cast member Niecy Nash-Betts. If she takes this year’s prize, Nash-Betts will be the fifth Black woman to ever prevail in this category and the first to be honored for a multi-part limited program.
Besides Tyson and Nash-Betts, the remaining three Black actresses who have been nominated by the Screen Actors Guild for their work on miniseries are Michaela Coel, Kerry Washington, and Cynthia Erivo. These five performances account for 24% of the 21 Black female ones ever recognized in this category,...
Besides Tyson and Nash-Betts, the remaining three Black actresses who have been nominated by the Screen Actors Guild for their work on miniseries are Michaela Coel, Kerry Washington, and Cynthia Erivo. These five performances account for 24% of the 21 Black female ones ever recognized in this category,...
- 2/21/2023
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Tyler Perry remains a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood. His achievements and contributions to film, television, theater, history, and philanthropy are highlighted with a specially curated exhibit. The exhitibit is featured at the Tubman African American Museum in Macon, Georgia, just miles from where his Tyler Perry Studios is located. It’s a historical feat for the billionaire.
Tyler Perry | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic Tyler Perry exhibits opens at Tubman Museum in Georgia
Perry’s exhibit, which highlights key moments from his life and career, opened on Feb. 18. The exhibit will run for two years, ending in Feb. 2025. Mark E. Swinton, Senior V.P of scripted programming at Tyler Perry Studios, says the exhibit is one of a kind.
“The exhibit will enlighten a lot of people about parts of Mr. Perry’s life that they, most likely, didn’t know,” he said in a statement. “You know, he...
Tyler Perry | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic Tyler Perry exhibits opens at Tubman Museum in Georgia
Perry’s exhibit, which highlights key moments from his life and career, opened on Feb. 18. The exhibit will run for two years, ending in Feb. 2025. Mark E. Swinton, Senior V.P of scripted programming at Tyler Perry Studios, says the exhibit is one of a kind.
“The exhibit will enlighten a lot of people about parts of Mr. Perry’s life that they, most likely, didn’t know,” he said in a statement. “You know, he...
- 2/19/2023
- by Brenda Alexander
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Child star Austin Majors died at just 27 years old.
TMZ has reported that the star, who made a name for himself on the massively successful “NYPD Blue”, died on Saturday night at a homeless housing facility in Los Angeles.
A source with direct knowledge of the tragedy has confided to TMZ that there was no foul play as the result of his death. However, the source believes he may have consumed a fatal amount of fentanyl.
Read More: Gilbert Gottfried Dies At Age 67 After Long Illness
Toxicology reports will be confirmed later this month after authorities plan to conduct an autopsy this Monday.
His family issued a statement to TMZ regarding his death.
“Austin was a loving, artistic, brilliant, and kind human being. Austin took great joy and pride in his acting career. He was an active Eagle Scout and graduated Salutatorian in High School. He went on to graduate...
TMZ has reported that the star, who made a name for himself on the massively successful “NYPD Blue”, died on Saturday night at a homeless housing facility in Los Angeles.
A source with direct knowledge of the tragedy has confided to TMZ that there was no foul play as the result of his death. However, the source believes he may have consumed a fatal amount of fentanyl.
Read More: Gilbert Gottfried Dies At Age 67 After Long Illness
Toxicology reports will be confirmed later this month after authorities plan to conduct an autopsy this Monday.
His family issued a statement to TMZ regarding his death.
“Austin was a loving, artistic, brilliant, and kind human being. Austin took great joy and pride in his acting career. He was an active Eagle Scout and graduated Salutatorian in High School. He went on to graduate...
- 2/13/2023
- by Emerson Pearson
- ET Canada
Hollywood star Viola Davis “loves” her age and finds it frustrating that Hollywood shames older women. The 57-year-old Hollywood actress has hit out at the “societal pressure” placed on women in the “image-conscious” movie business to maintain their youthful looks, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
She told the latest issue of Platinum magazine: “I’m probably not the best person to ask about my age, I love my age. Even when I was younger, I’d look in the face of Helen Mirren and Jane Fonda and Cicely Tyson, and all I’d see was beauty.
“But yes, the industry is very image-conscious, then you have the societal pressure on people, then you have a perfect storm of there being a lot of age discrimination. But this is where I actually think midlife crisis comes into play.
“It’s about liberating yourself from all that. I just find that a lot of times with Hollywood,...
She told the latest issue of Platinum magazine: “I’m probably not the best person to ask about my age, I love my age. Even when I was younger, I’d look in the face of Helen Mirren and Jane Fonda and Cicely Tyson, and all I’d see was beauty.
“But yes, the industry is very image-conscious, then you have the societal pressure on people, then you have a perfect storm of there being a lot of age discrimination. But this is where I actually think midlife crisis comes into play.
“It’s about liberating yourself from all that. I just find that a lot of times with Hollywood,...
- 1/28/2023
- by News Bureau
- GlamSham
The American Film Institute (AFI) has unveiled the participants list for the Dww+ Class of 2024.
IndieWire exclusively reveals that the latest cast comprises Vanessa Beletic, Chloë de Carvalho, Desdemona Chiang, Naomi Iwamoto, Huriyyah Muhammad, Joanne Mony Park, Kerry O’Neill and Roxy Toporowych. Learn more about the new class and read their bios here.
The AFI Dww+ is a year-long directing workshop that supports women and traditionally underrepresented narrative filmmakers through the production cycle of a short film, providing hands-on instruction led by industry experts. The short films completed in the workshop will premiere at the annual Dww+ Showcase in Spring 2024.
“AFI Dww+ is integral to creating a pipeline of highly trained, diverse voices who have the power to drive culture forward and shape the future of the entertainment industry. We are thrilled to welcome this new class of accomplished artists to the AFI Dww+ program and guide them on their journey as directors and storytellers,...
IndieWire exclusively reveals that the latest cast comprises Vanessa Beletic, Chloë de Carvalho, Desdemona Chiang, Naomi Iwamoto, Huriyyah Muhammad, Joanne Mony Park, Kerry O’Neill and Roxy Toporowych. Learn more about the new class and read their bios here.
The AFI Dww+ is a year-long directing workshop that supports women and traditionally underrepresented narrative filmmakers through the production cycle of a short film, providing hands-on instruction led by industry experts. The short films completed in the workshop will premiere at the annual Dww+ Showcase in Spring 2024.
“AFI Dww+ is integral to creating a pipeline of highly trained, diverse voices who have the power to drive culture forward and shape the future of the entertainment industry. We are thrilled to welcome this new class of accomplished artists to the AFI Dww+ program and guide them on their journey as directors and storytellers,...
- 1/19/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Angela Bassett, Kerry Washington, Effie T. Brown and Debra Martin Chase have been named special honorees at the 2023 Black Reel Awards.
The Black Reel Awards — also known as “The Bolts” — are an annual awards ceremony hosted by the Foundation for the Augmentation of African Americans in Film (Faaaf) recognizing the “excellence of African Americans and the cinematic achievements of the African diaspora in the global film industry.” The 23rd annual ceremony, presented in partnership with idobi Radio, will take place on Feb. 6, 2023.
“Since its inception, the Black Reel Awards have remained at the forefront of acknowledging the accomplishments of exceptional Black creatives. Each of these women has left an indelible mark on cinematic history and the culture,” said Black Reel Award founder and CEO Tim Gordon in a statement. “Idobi shares our passion for excellence, and together we take great delight in honoring this prolific group of icons.”
Bassett will...
The Black Reel Awards — also known as “The Bolts” — are an annual awards ceremony hosted by the Foundation for the Augmentation of African Americans in Film (Faaaf) recognizing the “excellence of African Americans and the cinematic achievements of the African diaspora in the global film industry.” The 23rd annual ceremony, presented in partnership with idobi Radio, will take place on Feb. 6, 2023.
“Since its inception, the Black Reel Awards have remained at the forefront of acknowledging the accomplishments of exceptional Black creatives. Each of these women has left an indelible mark on cinematic history and the culture,” said Black Reel Award founder and CEO Tim Gordon in a statement. “Idobi shares our passion for excellence, and together we take great delight in honoring this prolific group of icons.”
Bassett will...
- 1/16/2023
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
By amassing hundreds of film and TV credits over the past seven decades, James Hong has cemented himself as an indelible figure in the history of screen entertainment. Having just received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame last May, the 93-year-old is now reaping the benefits of taking on one of his most high-profile roles yet in “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” His inclusion in the movie’s ensemble is expected to lead to his first Screen Actors Guild Award nomination, which would make him the oldest film performer ever recognized by the organization.
Hong appears in “Everything Everywhere All at Once” as Gong Gong, the irascible father of Michelle Yeoh’s lead character, Evelyn Wang. He, Yeoh, and Stephanie Hsu share a connection in that they have all voiced characters in the “Kung Fu Panda” franchise. Also included among Hong’s potential fellow nominees for Best Film Ensemble are Ke Huy Quan,...
Hong appears in “Everything Everywhere All at Once” as Gong Gong, the irascible father of Michelle Yeoh’s lead character, Evelyn Wang. He, Yeoh, and Stephanie Hsu share a connection in that they have all voiced characters in the “Kung Fu Panda” franchise. Also included among Hong’s potential fellow nominees for Best Film Ensemble are Ke Huy Quan,...
- 1/10/2023
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
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