Ava DuVernay Inks Spotify Deal to Produce Exclusive Podcasts

Pilot season at The CW is happening after all.

Time to watch and learn. In honor of Black History Month, Us Weekly shares our recommendations for what shows and films to watch this February — and all year round.

For the first time in the history of the Golden Globe awards, more than one woman has been nominated in the best director category in any one year. Chloe Zhao (Nomadland), Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman) and Regina King (One Night in Miami) were all nominated in the category.

Nomadland, Promising Young Woman, and One Night in Miami.This year's Golden Globe in general are a huge step forward. Past shows didn't even include two female directors in the Dest Director category.

EXCLUSIVE: Marissa Jo Cerar, creator, executive producer and showrunner of Women Of the Movement, has signed an overall deal with Kapital Entertainment, the studio behind the upcoming ABC limited series about Mamie Till Mobley, who devoted her life to seeking justice for her son Emmett Till following his brutal killing in the Jim Crow South.

The Black List founder Franklin Leonard kicked off the virtual Sundance panel “ARRAY 10: A Decade of Disruption” by chatting with ARRAY founder and Emmy-winning Ava DuVernay, President Tilane Jones and VP of Public Programming Mercedes Cooper about the origin of the narrative change collective which puts shine on creators and artists of color as well as women filmmakers.

A day after Nancy Kanter’s last day at Disney, Netflix announced an overall deal with the former EVP, Content and Creative Strategy for Disney Channels Worldwide, who launched and built Disney’s preschool TV channel Disney Junior.

Oprah Winfrey and Ava DuVernay are sharing their emotional tributes after the tragic death of the legendary Cicely Tyson.Fans and friends of the multi-Emmy star took to social media to honor the life of Cicely, with Oprah posting one of her most iconic interviews.The TV star also captioned the post by describing Tyson’s career, adding that her beauty “may have gotten her noticed at a young age, but it‘s her talent that made her the living legend she is.“.@IAmCicelyTyson's iconic beauty may have

Refresh for updates: The death of Cicely Tyson today saw a profuse outpouring of praise and reminiscence across the generations for the regal Roots and Sounder star.

Ava DuVernay has boarded Oscar contender A Concerto Is A Conversation as executive producer. Co-directed by  Emmy-winning composer Kris Bowers and Emmy-winning filmmaker Ben Proudfoot, the 13-minute short subject documentary follows Bowers as he tracks his family’s lineage through his 91-year-old grandfather Horace Bowers from Jim Crow Florida to the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Angelique Jackson Ava DuVernay is reuniting with “When They See Us” composer Kris Bowers for the documentary short “A Concerto Is a Conversation.”DuVernay will executive produce the film, which was co-directed and produced by Bowers and Ben Proudfoot. “A Concerto Is a Conversation” was selected to premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, which has shifted to a virtual model amid the ongoing pandemic.

Spotify has added another top filmmaker to its podcasting ranks. The music streaming giant has inked a deal with Ava DuVernay and her ARRAY arts and social impact collective.

Oscar-winning filmmaker and producer Ava DuVernay’s Array is expanding its imprint when it comes to inclusive storytelling. The Selma director and her social impact collective has partnered with Spotify for a multi-year partnership to produce exclusive scripted and unscripted original audio programming.

EXCLUSIVE: WGA Award-nominated writer Jaquén Castellanos (The Affair) has signed an overall deal with Amazon Studios. Under the pact, Castellanos will develop and create content to premiere on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

Comcast-owned European pay TV giant Sky has further expanded its array of studio content deals, signing a pact with StudioCanal. Under the arrangement, StudioCanal's upcoming releases —such as Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci drama Supernova, JoJo Moyes adaptation The Last Letter From Your Lover, female action thriller Gunpowder Milkshake, and Benedict Cumberbatch and Claire Foy starrer The Electrical Life of Louis Wain —will be added to Sky's platform following their theatrical release.

Hollyoaks actor David Tag has announced he and his girlfriend Abi Harrison are expecting their first child together.The 35 year old soap star, who plays Sylver McQueen on the Channel 4 soap, shared the happy news with fans on Instagram. David shared a stunning snap which showed the shadow of his girlfriend Abi.