John Cooper, the outgoing director of the Sundance Film Festival, has been on Robert Redford’s payroll for 30 years. Many in the small world of Hollywood, and the even smaller ecosystem of global film festivals, braced at the announcement last June that Cooper would step down, taking with him decades of institutional memory. Cooper spoke
Justin Bieber broke down in tears describing the challenges he’s faced in the last couple of years and the people who helped him get through it. At a playback of his forthcoming album “Changes,” held at Village Recorders in West Los Angeles during the heart of Grammy week, Bieber got emotional and started crying recalling
In today’s TV news roundup, VH1 revealed the contestants for the upcoming season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and the Oprah Winfrey Network renewed several of its unscripted series. CASTING VH1 revealed the 13 queens that will be competing on the 12th season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” are Aidenn Zhane, Bria, Crystal Methyd, Dahlia Sin, Gigi
With ratings in a slump so far this season, the NBA has needed someone to come off the bench and ball out. Cue the New Orleans Pelicans debut of Zion Williamson. The much-heralded number 1 pick from the 2019 draft had sat out the first 44 games of the Pelicans’ season with a knee injury,
January 23, 2020 4:44PM PT Pre-production on the Obi-Wan Kenobi-focused TV series in the works at Disney Plus has been put on hold as the streamer and Lucasfilm look to overhaul early scripts and find new writers, sources tell Variety. Ewan McGregor confirmed last August that he would be reprising the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi
Stylist Michael Fisher wanted Sam Rockwell’s looks to reflect his dynamic acting: “Sam and I gravitate towards color and pattern.” Sept. 8 “It’s a celebration with Sam every time we have a fitting,” says stylist Michael Fisher of longtime client Rockwell. “He’ssuch a vibrant, amazing actor and personality, and he really enjoys these moments, so
January 23, 2020 3:15PM PT Among the many allegations in ousted Recording Academy chief Deborah Dugan’s bombshell complaint Tuesday was a claim that the nominations are marred by what she has described as “rigging.” The example in the complaint points to the 2019 Best Song category, where an unidentified artist who was represented by a
It must be a pretty funny day at NBC. After ordering two comedy pilots this morning, the network has commissioned three more, all from a cluster of creatives who have previous experience on some of the Peacock’s biggest comedies. The first pilot is a single-camera comedy titled “Crazy For You,” which has “Saturday Night Live”
January 23, 2020 3:56PM PT The new Fox comedy has promise, but too many basic jokes. The latest variation on network sitcoms’ beloved “a family, but with [x complication],” Fox’s “Outmatched” flips the usual parent-child dynamic on its head by following an Atlantic City family, including three bonafide genius kids who are too smart for
Jill Dickerson has left OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network after more than a decade to join Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, as a senior member of the Snap Originals team. A seasoned reality TV exec, Dickerson will help lead the development of Snap’s docu-series and unscripted programming and is based at the company’s Santa
KTLA-TV is poised for a historic changing of the guard as Seattle station executive Janene Drafs takes the reins of the storied Los Angeles TV station as general manager following the retirement of local broadcast stalwart Don Corsini. Drafs, who is the first woman to lead KTLA, is set to begin her post as VP and
One of the most viral moments of fashion month—aside from J.Lo at Versace in a re-creation of the neckline-down-to-there Grammys dress that launched Google Images—was the model Leon Dame stomping down the runway at the Maison Margiela show in Paris. It was the walk that got everyone talking: chaotic, hunched, and slightly rushed. It went
John Legend is getting involved in another race for district attorney, this time endorsing George Gascón in the campaign for top prosecutor in Los Angeles. Legend is headlining a fundraiser for Gascón on Feb. 5, according to an invitation to the event. Legend is an outspoken supporter of criminal justice reform, and has endorsed a
Universal Music Group chairman Lucian Grainge brought the star power to his Hollywood Walk of Fame dedication ceremony. In attendance outside of Capitol Studios in Hollywood were Justin Bieber, Shawn Mendes, Sam Smith, Tori Kelly, Hailee Steinfeld and Beck, among others. Also seated for the ceremony was a who’s who of the music industry’s top
January 23, 2020 12:12PM PT Tyler Gwozdz, a former contestant on ABC’s “The Bachelorette,” has died of a suspected drug overdose. He was 29. According to the Boca Raton Police Department, Gwozdz was hospitalized on Jan. 13 following a “medical overdose.” He later died in Florida’s Palm Beach County after spending a week in the intensive
Emmy-winning actor John Karlen, best known for his work on the television series “Dark Shadows” and “Cagney & Lacey,” has died. He was 86. Karlen died Wednesday of congestive heart failure at a hospice in Burbank, Calif., his friend and spokesperson Jim Pierson told the Associated Press. The actor played conman and scoundrel Willie Loomis
January 23, 2020 12:30PM PT Okay Goodnight, the production company helmed by “Friends” co-creator Marta Kauffman alongside Robbie Rowe Tollin and Hannah KS Canter, has signed a multi-year first-look deal with Fox 21 Television Studios to create projects for linear and streaming platforms, starting with an adaptation of the novel, “The Dreamers.” “Marta Kauffman is
It’s good to be mean…the “Mean Girls” musical, that is. Producers of the hit Broadway show announced today that the Tony-nominated production is being adapted for the big screen for Paramount Pictures. The musical is based on the 2004 movie of the same name. “I’m very excited to bring ‘Mean Girls’ back to the big screen,’ Tina Fey,
Rosanna Arquette, Rose McGowan, Alyssa Milano and Idina Menzel are among dozens supporting those accusing Russell Simmons of rape and sexual misconduct in the documentary “On the Record.” The music mogul has denied the accusations. The film will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 25. The statement of support was organized by Equality
All five of this year’s Oscar-nominated original songs will be performed during the awards telecast on Feb. 9, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Thursday. The performances will be: “I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” from “Toy Story 4”: Performed by Randy Newman; music and lyrics by Newman. “(I’m Gonna)
A woman will be conducting at the Oscars for the first time on Sunday, Feb. 9, the Academy announced today. Irish-born composer-conductor Eímear Noone will conduct excerpts from the five nominated scores. She is the first female to lead the orchestra in the history of the televised awards, the Academy said. Details beyond that are
January 23, 2020 11:00AM PT IFC Films is turning 20, and to help celebrate that milestone, the indie studio is showcasing one free movie each month through its streaming service. The program will kick off with “Boyhood,” the Oscar-winning hit from Richard Linklater that premiered at Sundance in 2014. It will be available on IFC
“Sonic the Hedgehog” is racing toward an opening in the $40 million range over Presidents’ Day weekend, early tracking showed on Thursday. Paramount Pictures decided in May to push “Sonic the Hedgehog” back three months, from Nov. 8 to Valentine’s Day, following fan criticism over the appearance and design of the titular blue character —
Right before New Year’s Day, Jayme Lawson sat down to make a list. She wanted to outline all of the big changes that had transpired over the past twelve months. It was an impressive array of accomplishments. In May, Lawson graduated from Julliard. A month later, she was cast in her first indie movie, “Farewell
Just days ago, no one would have predicted that China’s most lucrative film-going season was about to be derailed by the escalating epidemic of a novel coronavirus that is now rapidly spreading through the country and beyond. Variety takes a look at how the box office in the world’s second largest film market has been
Justin Simien understands the value of a compelling story. Before he broke out with his award-winning indie satire “Dear White People” in 2014, the 36-year-old American filmmaker worked in publicity, doing gigs at studios like Paramount and Focus Features. It was this experience, working on massively successful hits such as “Brokeback Mountain” and “Paranormal Activity,”
The Sundance Film Festival will host the premiere this weekend of a documentary about one of the great original L.A. punk bands — we’re speaking, of course, of the Go-Go’s. Or maybe we should forego that “of course,” since probably not a huge percentage of rock fans remember the pioneering female band as seminal punks,
A British drug lord tries to sell off his highly profitable empire to a dynasty of Oklahoma billionaires. A young governess is hired by a man who has become responsible for his young nephew and niece after the deaths of their parents. will you see ‘The Gentlemen’ or ‘The Turning’ in theaters this weekend? ►
January 23, 2020 10:15AM PT Alison Small, CEO of The Production Guild of Great Britain, is in discussions to join Netflix as head of its training initiatives out of the U.K., Variety has learned. The Production Guild, whose members include line producers, production managers and location managers, among others, advertised for a new CEO last
Deadspin, the irreverant sports news and opinion digital-media brand that has been dormant since last November, is going to get re-spun under newly hired editor-in-chief Jim Rich. G/O Media named the veteran editor and journalist, who formerly served as editor-in-chief of the New York Daily News, executive editor at Huffpost, and night sports editor at