Talent manager Nikola Barisic is parting ways with Untitled Entertainment to form a new venture. Barisic’s Bond Artist Management will be based in New York, covering creative and talent management. “The partners at Untitled Entertainment wish Barisic much success and look forward to collaborating and supporting him with his new endeavor,” Untitled leadership said in
Month: February 2021
Two weeks from now marks the third anniversary of the mass shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, during which 17 teenagers were tragically killed. On Sunday night (Jan. 31), Academy Award-winning actress, singer and activist Cher and activist Emma Gonzalez — a Parkland survivor — continued the conversation with a
Internet platforms like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube are not systematically biased against conservatives or right-wing viewpoints in their content moderation practices, according to an analysis from NYU researchers. According to the report released Monday, “False Accusation: The Unfounded Claim that Social Media Companies Censor Conservatives,” the allegation that social media companies engage in anti-conservative bias
It’s hard to believe now, but it took until 1996 for the broadcast networks to finally hire their first-ever female entertainment president, when ABC recruited Jamie Tarses away from NBC to take the job. There had been a handful of other women in powerful slots, including Lucie Salhany, who was briefly chair of the Fox
TV producer and writer Cy Chermak, who produced notable series including “CHiPs,” “Kolchak: The Night Stalker” and “Ironside,” died Friday of natural causes in Oahu, Hawaii. He was 91. Chermak was born in 1929 in Bayonne, New Jersey as Seymour Albert Chermak. He began his career in Hollywood at the age of 17, going on
In the wake of Evan Rachel Wood’s announcement that Marilyn Manson “horrifically abused” her for years when they were in a relationship, Loma Vista Recordings, which released Manson’s three most recent albums, has parted ways with the singer. “In light of today’s disturbing allegations by Evan Rachel Wood and other women naming Marilyn Manson as their
Warner Music Group posted its best-ever quarterly revenue in its 17-year history as a stand-alone company, it announced on Monday, powered by streaming, which led to double-digit growth in digital revenue. Notably, its recorded music streaming growth was up 16% in constant currency, and publishing digital was up 36%, although overall its Warner Chappell division’s
Not just one of the best animated films of the year, Pixar’s “Onward” sits as one of the best animated films, period. Beautifully inventive and narratively rich, “Onward” stands as one of the awards season’s most underrated gems, especially with its story. One of the last films to be seen in theaters before the COVID-19
Former Disney Channels Worldwide executive Nancy Kanter has signed an overall deal with Netflix. Under the deal, Kanter and her Available Light Productions banner will develop and produce animated and live action projects, both feature films and series, for kids and families audiences on Netflix. “Throughout my career I’ve challenged myself to think differently, imagine
A series set in Wakanda is in development at Disney Plus. The series is part of a new multi-year overall television deal Ryan Coogler and his Proximity Media have signed with The Walt Disney Company and will include other television projects in the future. Coogler previously directed and co-wrote the hit Marvel film “Black Panther,”
Dustin Diamond, best known for his role as Screech in the hit sitcom “Saved by the Bell,” died on Monday morning following a hospitalization in January. The actor, who had Stage 4 lung cancer, was 44. Following news of the actor’s death, co-stars and other prominent entertainment figures flooded social media with tributes, reflecting on
Mario Lopez and Dustin Diamond first met on the set of Saturday morning sitcom “Saved by the Bell” in the late 1980s and worked together for four years on that show, plus another on the “College Years” spinoff. Lopez was a cool jock named A.C. Slater, while Diamond played the school geek, Samuel “Screech” Powers,”
Endemol Shine North America has named Sharon Levy its chief content officer, elevating the exec from her prior role as president of unscripted and scripted television for the Banijay-owned studio. Levy first joined Endemol Shine North America in 2017, reshaping its programming team to work more closely with Banijay’s global production companies and created a
Jason Flom’s Lava for Good Podcasts — whose “Wrongful Conviction” series brings to light the wrongful incarceration of innocent people — has joined forces with the content network and podcast listening service Stitcher for a series of new criminal justice-focused podcasts. They will be available through Stitcher on all major podcast platforms. “We’re excited to
Hispanic media giant Univision Communications acquired VIX, an independent ad-supported streaming service with 20,000-plus hours of free Spanish-language film and TV programming. Univision said it plans to combine VIX with PrendeTV, its AVOD service set to launch sometime in the first quarter, in the U.S. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. VIX, based
The CW is developing a spinoff of “All American” starring Geffri Maya. The potential new series is titled “All American: Homecoming” and will see Maya reprise her role as Simone Hicks from the mothership series. “All American: Homecoming” is described as a young adult sports drama set against the backdrop of the HBCU experience. The
Netflix has just confirmed the cast members for its upcoming new horror series “The Midnight Club,” based on the Christopher Pike novel of the same name as well as other creative works by the author. The team behind “The Haunting of Bly Manor” was tapped to adapt the book, Variety reported in May 2020. The 10-episode
Nicole Scherzinger, the singer, dancer and television personality, who can currently be seen on the Fox hit “The Masked Singer,” has signed with Range Media Partners for representation in unscripted film and television, theater, and global brand partnerships. The newest player in the competitive entertainment-industry representation landscape, Range was founded in Sept. 2020 by Peter
Village Roadshow Entertainment Group, the production company involved with films including “Joker” and Sandra Bullock’s “Ocean’s 8,” has promoted its longtime general counsel Kevin Berg. Berg’s expanded title will now include director, creative diversity and inclusion — with an eye toward content that appeals to LGBTQ+ individuals and other underrepresented groups worldwide. He will continue
The stock market drama surrounding GameStop is getting the Hollywood treatment. A film version of the still-unfolding social-media driven financial scenario is in the works, with a script by Oscar-winner Mark Boal (“The Hurt Locker,” “Zero Dark Thirty”). Noah Centineo is attached to appear in a major role in the untitled film. Known for his
Clifton Collins Jr. doesn’t believe in half measures. For “Jockey,” an intimate drama about an aging rider, the actor shut himself off from friends and family to get in the mindset of his loner character. He needed to access the pain and emotional baggage of a man who is grappling with failing health, as well
Looking at the top of the album chart, you could almost believe you accidentally clicked on a landing page for the Republic Records roster. The label is enjoying an almost ridiculous level of dominance at the moment, with its lineup claiming all four of the top spots and six out of the top 10. All
Along with the news that legendary singer Tony Bennett is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, the singer’s team revealed that he and Lady Gaga recorded a follow-up to their chart-topping 2014 album, “Cheek to Cheek,” even as Bennett battled the disease. The news, confirmed by a rep for Bennett, was revealed in the AARP magazine article
Carey Mulligan’s performance in Emerald Fennell’s “Promising Young Woman” has been beloved by critics and audiences alike since it debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2020. She has been considered one of the top contenders in the best actress race, which is among the most competitive of all-time, with no shortage of talent
MONDAY, FEB. 1 Palm Springs International Film to Honor Leslie Odom, Jr. Leslie Odom, Jr. will receive the Palm Springs International Film’s spotlight award, actor for his performance in “One Night in Miami.” “Leslie Odom, Jr. is a truly talented performer. In his latest project, ‘One Night in Miami,’ Odom, Jr. brilliantly portrays singer Sam
“Soul” is in, but “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” is out: That’s the message the Academy’s music branch is sending to members who began voting today for the shortlists for both song and score. Disney-Pixar’s “Soul” has been declared eligible for the original-score Oscar, but the song from Netflix’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” was missing from
In celebration of Black History Month, AMC Networks has launched its 8th annual Black History Month PSA campaign, once again partnering with the NAACP and members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), Variety has learned exclusively. The 2021 PSA series features four thematic spots that feature AMC Networks talent Colman Domingo (“Fear the Walking Dead”)
Over 170 Black and Jewish leaders from all over the entertainment industry have banded together to launch the Black-Jewish Entertainment Alliance (BJEA), a joint initiative devoted to countering racism and antisemitism, and release a unity statement. Among them are several high-ranking music executives including Aaron Bay-Schuck, co-chairman and CEO of Warner Records (pictured at left);
YouTube tapped veteran executive Craig Hunter, most recently with Sony Pictures Television, as global head of preschool content for the internet platform’s originals team. In the newly created role, Hunter is in charge of all preschool content that falls under the kids and families vertical for YouTube Kids & Family Originals. Currently based in London,
Director Ronny Trocker, whose second feature “Human Factors” world-premiered at Sundance on Jan. 29 in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition, was born in Bolzano, Italy, capital city of the autonomous province of South Tyrol where German is the first language of most of the population. Early in his career, Trocker moved to Berlin where he worked as