“Tick, Tick … Boom!” star Alexandra Shipp has joined the live-action “Barbie” film from Oscar-nominated director Greta Gerwig, starring Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken. Though plot details are being kept under wraps, the film is written by Gerwig and Noah Baumbach and based on the popular Mattel toy. Shipp’s role is
In two weeks, actors Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher have exceeded their goal of raising $30 million to help Ukrainian refugees displaced by Russia’s savage war on the country. The crowdfunding effort has now raised nearly $35 million — and counting. The married couple had previously pledged to match up to $3 million in donations
Barcelona-born singer Rosalia seemed to progress ahead of her own albums: While her debut was essentially the straight traditional flamenco she spent years learning, and the second saw her fusing that style with more contemporary sounds, her guest appearances (with artists ranging from J Balvin, Ozuna and Bad Bunny to the Weeknd, Billie Eilish and
In celebration of Women’s History Month, “The Women of Def Jam ,” a 24-track compilation showcasing some of the top female artists in the history of the world’s premier hip-hop record label, has been released today. Available now as a triple-LP boxed set, the album’s tracklist ranges from Nikki D, Foxy Brown, Boss, and Ashanti
IVAN LATTUADA/Courtesy of the designer Miu Miu’s model army marching down the runway in cropped sweaters and low-slung miniskirts. Emily Ratajkowski showing off abdominal acreage at the most recent CFDA Fashion Awards. Julia Fox flaunting her midriff as openly as she does her love life. These are the moments that strike fear in the heart
Future Studios and women’s destination Marie Claire are teaming for digital true crime series “On the Record with Marie Claire.” The seven-part anthology series will feature female-focused stories of women seeking justice, told from the viewpoint of a central character directly linked to the case in question. Each episode, which is 7–12 minutes long, features
Kitano Takeshi, a contemporary icon of Japanese cinema, is to receive a lifetime achievement award next month at the Festival of Far East Film in Udine, Italy. “A legendary artist on Friday the 29th of April will receive the Golden Mulberry Award for lifetime achievement on the stage of FEFF 24,” the festival announced Friday
After delivering “Call My Agent!,” one of France’s most successful series of the last decade, Fanny Herrero returns with her new comedy series “Standing-Up” which is launching Friday (Mars 18) on Netflix and plays at the opening night gala of the Series Mania drama series festival in Lille. The anticipated series follows the coming-of age
The post-COVID U.K. theater scene is getting a boost with the revival of “Kinky Boots” and “John Gabriel Borkman.” The Tony and Olivier award-winning musical “Kinky Boots,” based on the 2005 Miramax film written by Geoff Deane and Tim Firth, is written by Harvey Fierstein and features Grammy award-winning music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper.
Almost 90% of workers in the audiovisual and performing arts industries in Latin America, including Mexico, Peru and Uruguay, have experienced harassment and violence in the workplace. The shocking figures were revealed in a new report published by the UNI Global Union’s media, entertainment and arts department together with the International Federation of Actors (IFA).
Even from the most casual of glances, this year’s Series Mania boasts a plethora of riches, including, just for starters, the latest series from “The Wire’s” David Simon, and “Vikings’” Michael Hirst and “The Responder,” starring Martin Freeman, which is already being talked up as the European series of the year. The selection below may
A documentary going behind the scenes on Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s six-year ordeal is coming to Channel 4 The U.K. broadcaster has commissioned a single documentary, entitled “Nazanin,” from filmmaker and journalist Darius Bazargan. The project claims to give “the definitive exclusive access into one of biggest international news stories of the last 6 years,” and follows
Domenico Procacci’s Fandango, the Rome shingle that originated the “Gomorrah” and “My Brilliant Friend” skeins, will be at Series Mania’s Co-Pro Pitching Forum with “The Impossible She,” about Neapolitan aristocrat Maria Teresa de Filippis who during the 1950s became the world’s first female Formula 1 driver. The only Italian project selected for these pitches, “The
U.K media regulator Ofcom on Friday revoked the Russian-backed RT channel’s licence to broadcast in the country with immediate effect. “We have done so on the basis that we do not consider RT’s licensee, ANO TV Novosti, fit and proper to hold a UK broadcast licence,” Ofcom said in a statement. The decision arrives during
A well-heeled young couple arrive for a weekend away at their Ojai country pad, only to find it already occupied by a criminal drifter out to take not just their money, but their happiness too, over the course of a tense, tetchy overnight hostage situation. But our sympathies aren’t directed exactly as you might expect
“The Batman” flew to a worryingly slow start on Friday at the mainland China box office, where Hollywood films have struggled of late and where the latest coronavirus surge is threatening films of all origins. By 3.30pm on its first full day, the Warner Bros. noir had earned a lowly RMB12.1 million, or $1.90 million
Thanks to fresh takes on established genres and highlighting local elements, Finnish drama is commanding attention from international buyers. A Series Mania Focus on Finland will teasing more series to come, from “Nordic blue” to horror for kids and a Christmas fairytale crime story. The biggest event dedicated to television series in Europe will take place March
Finland has responded to a spike in demand for its content with a slew of new series. As revealed by Laura Kuulasmaa, executive director at Audiovisual Producers Finland (APFI), over 30 will be released this year alone, a 20% uptick on 2018. “Compared to eight, ten years ago, when there were maybe only five scripted
Disney Television Studios has launched an investigation into “Grey’s Anatomy” writer Elisabeth Finch, following questions about personal stories and essays she has written and shared in the past, Variety has confirmed. As first reported by the Ankler, Finch has been put on administrative leave as the studio looks into whether she exaggerated certain aspects of
Looks like Pete Davidson won’t be heading to space after all. Just three days after revealing the “SNL” comedian would be joining their next flight, the Jeff Bezos-founded company announced on Thursday night that the date of the flight had moved and Davidson would no longer be part of the excursion. “Blue Origin’s 20th flight
Takarada Akira, best known as a star in the early “Godzilla” films and Toho’s other kaiju (monster) and sci-fi movies from the 1950s and 1960s, died on Monday. He was 87. The cause of death has not been announced. Born in 1934 in Japan-occupied Korea, Takarada came with his family to Japan in 1948 as
At the end of Fox’s “Joe Millionaire: For Richer or Poorer,” Steven McBee and Kurt Sowers walked away with love — or so it seemed. McBee chose Calah Jackson on the finale, and the pair are still going strong nearly four months later. Sowers, on the other hand, chose Amanda Pace, and while they tried
As Oscar voting opens, the guild awards could prove a guide — or bellwether — to who will take home trophies March 27. Last week’s Costume Designers Guild handed out prizes to “Cruella” (period film), “Dune” (fantasy/sci-fi) and “Coming 2 America” (contemporary). The CDG has matched Oscar 11 times since 1999 (when the guild first
When Frank Herbert wrote his science-fiction epic “Dune” in the 1960s, he instinctively made the crucial character of Liet Kynes a white man. But Denis Villeneuve sought a modern, diverse cast and he saw Kynes — who must convey integrity and authority while delicately juggling competing diplomatic interests — differently than Herbert. So in his
“CODA” is on the rise as Oscar voting gets underway — and writer and director Siân Heder admits she’s surprised by the love and adoration the film has received in recent months. That includes, most recently, her BAFTA win for adapted screenplay. On the latest episode of the award-winning “Variety Awards Circuit Podcast,” we talk
Trevor Noah‘s response to Kanye West hurling a racial slur at him is filled with compassion for what he sees the rapper becoming — a situation the ‘Daily Show’ host calls heartbreaking. Trevor went right to the source, posting a comment on Ye’s IG that seeks to deescalate their feud — initially pointing out how
Australian independent production house Photoplay has appointed Karen Radzyner as its head of development. The company is the only Australian firm to have a show selected for MipTV’s CanneSeries. Radzyner joins Photoplay from Dragonet Films. She previously produced two award-winning TV mini-series – Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s “Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo” (with Southern Star
The first newly built large live events venue in central London for 80 years is set to open this summer. Outnet Live is a state of the art 2,000-capacity venue. Part of Outernet London, an immersive media and culture district set to open later this year, it will host live music, dance, immersive theatre, awards
It’s an eternal middle-aged anxiety: “I feel like I’m turning into my mother.” And it’s given a most literal rendering in Iris K. Shim’s supernatural horror exercise “Umma,” in which Sandra Oh stars as a rural beekeeper inhabited by the vengeful spirit of her estranged mom. But while that premise might sound like the makings
As the pandemic raged and in-person screenings practically disappeared, the Academy’s Screening Room has found an appreciative audience. Many film distributors are able to send links to their films to various guilds, media members and voters; the Academy has stepped in with its screening room, offering voters those films plus other contenders who can’t afford