‘Bad Actor: A Hollywood Ponzi Scheme’ Review: A Dull Documentary About a Fascinating Showbiz Grifter

Joe Leydon Film Critic In the interest of full disclosure, it should be stated at the outset that “Heart Strings,” a musical drama about a young couple competing against each other in a reality TV show, was co-written (with director Ate de Jong) by Steven Gaydos, a 30-year veteran of Variety. As he has indicated here and elsewhere, Gaydos is a man with an abiding passion for country and Americana music, which likely explains why, for all the offkey moments in this passably pleasant but utterly predictable indie, even some of the clichés resound with a faint but perceptible ring of truth.

Several stars have left Hollywood behind for normal jobs despite having successful movie or TV careers.

John Bleasdale Guest Contributor The world premiere of Mitzi Peirone’s horror film “Saint Clare” will open the Taormina Film Festival, this year celebrating its 70th anniversary edition. The adaptation of Don Roff’s novel stars Bella Thorne, Ryan Phillippe, Frank Whaley and Rebecca De Mornay. It’s the first of four world premieres to screen at the outdoor Teatro Antico in the Sicilian town, which looks out towards Mount Etna, an active volcano, to the West.

“Jeopardy!” fans were up in arms over a misleading question about the Emmy-winning actress on Tuesday’s episode. The Zendaya-related clue was worth $1,000 and read by host Ken Jennings to contestants Drew Basile, Staci Garner and Alan Elverum.“Before somehow making tennis steamy in 2024, this single named star guested on Disney Channel’s ‘Good Luck Charlie,’ ” the clue read.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director “The Sopranos” star Drea de Matteo was interviewed on Fox News’ “Jesse Watters Primetime” (via Mediaite) and said she’s got a target on her back in Hollywood because she’s an actor who does not endorse Joe Biden for president. The Emmy-winning actor went on to say there are “a lot” of “quiet” Donald Trump supporters in Hollywood, suggesting they won’t go public with their support out of fear of being similarly criticized for going against Biden. “Is there a quiet Trump voter out there in Hollywood?” host Jesse Watters asked.

Brent Lang Executive Editor Magnolia Pictures has acquired North American rights to “The World According to Allee Wilis,” a new documentary about the musical powerhouse best known for writing the “Friends” theme song and Earth Wind & Fire’s “September.” The film, which is directed by Alexis Spraic, had its world premiere at SXSW and has been hitting the festival circuit. It most recently screened at the Provincetown Film Festival, and will next be showcased at Frameline.

Justin Timberlake‘s ego took a massive hit after his DWI arrest earlier this week in Sag Harbor, New York.

Jordan Moreau Andrew Callaghan, the 27-year-old director and journalist known for his popular Channel 5 YouTube videos, is back with his most intimate project yet: “Dear Kelly.” The documentary is Callaghan’s first major project since his directorial debut “This Place Rules,” which premiered on HBO in 2022. It also marks his return to feature filmmaking since he paused his career in light of sexual misconduct allegations in early 2023. After apologizing for his past behavior, Callaghan went on hiatus, began attending therapy and completed a 12-step Alcoholics Anonymous program.

EXCLUSIVE: Members of the Hollywood guilds are throwing their weight behind IATSE and the Basic Crafts as the below-the-line unions continue to chip away at new three-year deals with the studios.

Siddhant Adlakha A tense documentary that winds its way through online right-wing politics, Simon Klose‘s “Hacking Hate” is a detailed (if occasionally disconnected) exposé of contemporary extremism. It follows Swedish journalist My Vingren as she embeds herself within white supremacist digital spaces.

Martin Scorsese is set to shoot a new film which will see him return to the small town from where his family originated.The filmmaker is reportedly working on a documentary about ancient shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea. The documentary will take Scorsese to Polizzi Generosa, a small town on the island of Sicily, where his paternal grandparents were born.Currently untitled, the film is reportedly based on research by archaeologist and professor at Cranfield University in England, Lisa Briggs.

Murtada Elfadl The melancholy, fable-like French drama “Eternal Playground” has a glowing warmth from its very first moments. That comes from the open beaming face of its lead actor, Andranic Manet. He plays Gaspard, a young music teacher in Paris who’s grieving the death of his twin sister.

The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show on June 13, former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond said that Harry, 39, and Meghan, 42, moved so fast in their romance unlike William, 41, and Kate Middleton.“Kate was given ten years to peer into the goldfish bowl of royal life,” said Bond. “I think it was brilliant she saw all the restrictions and glare of publicity it brings.

Annecy Animation Festival, the most important eight days of the year for the global animation industry, wraps up tonight, so we’re looking back at 10 themes that dominated the dialogue around this year’s event. In interviews held before this year’s festival, several representatives from Hollywood studios, speaking on background, told us that Annecy has now replaced Comic-Con as their most important promotional event of the year for animation.

Kylie Jenner got emotional while discussing the cruel comments that people have made about her appearance over the years.

Selena Kuznikov The first footage for “Maxine’s Baby: The Tyler Perry Story” was filmed over a decade ago by co-directors Gelila Bekele and Armani Ortiz, who have followed Perry throughout his career over the past 10 years. Ortiz said that had he known Bekele was planning on working on the project for that long, he might have been a bit more hesitant to join. “But in all honesty, if we didn’t have that time, would you have been able to be as vulnerable as you were if we just did it in two years?” Ortiz asked Perry.

Bryan Cranston nearly missed out on playing his iconic "Breaking Bad" character, Walter White. During an appearance on James Corden's SiriusXM show "This Life Of Mine," the 68-year-old actor revealed "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" actor Matthew Broderick was "considered" for the role before Cranston was officially offered the part. "We shot the pilot of ‘Breaking Bad’ in February and March of 2007," he said.

Murtada Elfadl From its very first moments, “Antidote” unspools like a propulsive thriller. An off-camera voice asks Bulgarian investigative journalist Christo Grozev, “Did you ever think you’d be investigating an assassination plot against yourself?” From that startling introduction, director James Jones’ galvanizing documentary moves at a fast speed to tell its high-stakes story about Vladimir Putin’s Russia, contemporary investigative journalism and the people who put their lives in jeopardy for what they believe in. In addition to Grozev, the film follows two other activists.

With legacy sequels being all the rage in Hollywood, it’s within reason to imagine that perhaps a world exists where George Miller asks Mel Gibson to return for a new ‘Mad Max’ film in the future. If “Ghostbusters” can do it, so can ‘Mad Max.’ Well, there’s one problem, though–George Miller hasn’t thought about what an elderly Max would be like.

Kristen Lopez When the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative released a report surveying film roles for Native Americans last October, of the 100 highest-grossing theatrical movies released between 2007 and 2022, only one had an Indigenous performer in a lead role. Yet when speaking to Native creatives and performers, there is an overwhelming sense of optimism for what’s to come for their representation in entertainment.