Wendy Williams‘ rep is slamming the Lifetime docu-series Where Is Wendy Williams? amid the talk show host’s diagnosis of primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia.
13.02.2024 - 03:19 / variety.com
Todd Gilchrist editor From a filmmaker’s perspective, it’s always fortuitous when the name of an artist’s signature work encapsulates the journey that they made in their life and career. What else to call a film about Johnny Cash? “Walk the Line,” of course.
A Tina Turner biopic? “What’s Love Got to Do With It.” Aretha Franklin? “Respect,” of course. There’s a reason the forthcoming Bon Jovi docuseries is called “Thank You, Goodnight,” and not “You Give Love a Bad Name.” A portrait of the disco luminary but not a biopic, “Gloria Gaynor: I Will Survive” follows in this estimable tradition.
But Betsy Schechter’s documentary — which will get a one-night theatrical release in roughly 800 theaters on Feb. 13 following a healthy festival run — also showcases why that serendipity can come at a greater price to the artist than their film’s marketing prospects: Examining the looming shadow of the singer’s 1970s heyday as she embarks upon a new career as a gospel artist, Schechter chronicles the adversity — professional, romantic, even physical — that transformed Gaynor’s chart-topping dance tune into an anthem for female empowerment, the gay community and most of all Gaynor herself.
The film opens as Gaynor, now 40 years into her career, decides to record her first gospel album. Between 1975 and 2013, she won a Grammy for “I Will Survive,” released 19 secular albums and embarked on a grueling, decades-long tour schedule, mostly across Europe.
She did the latter at the behest of her ex-husband Linwood Simon, whose will she bent to as a result of adolescent sexual abuse and abandonment issues that were baked into her, some even before she was born. Though Gaynor divorced Simon years before the beginning of the film and is now
.Wendy Williams‘ rep is slamming the Lifetime docu-series Where Is Wendy Williams? amid the talk show host’s diagnosis of primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia.
Janee Bolden Hulu has unveiled the first official trailer and release date for “Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told,” its original documentary on Atlanta’s legendary annual HBCU Spring Break phenomenon of the ‘80’s and ‘90’s. Set to make its world premiere at SXSW’s film festival before arriving on Hulu March 21, the doc features interviews with politicians, event founders, former partygoers and prominent hip-hop artists, including Lil Jon, Killer Mike, 21 Savage, Jermaine Dupri and Luther “Uncle Luke” Campbell — the latter three who are among the film’s producers.
Thania Garcia Universal Music Group Nashville is stepping into the TV and film landscape with the launch of Sing Me Back Home Productions. Sing Me Back Home Productions will “tap into the deep catalog of artists from throughout UMG Nashville’s history as well as celebrating both newly discovered talent and stories,” according to the company’s official announcement.
Sting still owns the famous codpiece that he wore in David Lynch’s 1984 film version of Dune.The musician played the role of Feyd-Rautha in the film – the nephew of and heir to Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Kenneth McMillan). In one memorable scene in the film, Sting is naked, apart from a bright blue winged codpiece.Now, Austin Butler, who plays the same character in the second part of Denis Villeneuve’s new film adaptation of Dune, has revealed that Sting told him personally that he still owns the legendary item of clothing.“Sting obviously played the part in David Lynch’s [version],” Butler said during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon this week.
Ryan Gosling will seemingly perform at the Oscars next month.After months of haziness regarding Gosling’s performance of ‘I’m Just Ken’ at the awards show, Variety has reportedly confirmed that the actor will join Mark Ronson onstage at the Academy Awards. Per Variety, the Academy has declined to comment on Gosling’s performance.Gosling’s performance has been in question since the nominees for this year’s awards were announced earlier this January.
A producer who worked on Lifetime‘s Where is Wendy Williams? documentary is speaking out.
Marc Malkin Senior Editor, Culture and Events After months of speculation, Ryan Gosling will officially perform “I’m Just Ken” live at the Oscars. Sources tell Variety that the actor will sing the Academy Award-nominated song from “Barbie” during the 96th annual ceremony on March 10. The Academy declined to comment.
Todd Gilchrist editor With her ninth album “This Is Me…Now,” Jennifer Lopez promised to be more honest and vulnerable than ever before — a bookend to 2002’s “This Is Me…Then” in which she would “tell her side” of the romances that for decades have been one-dimensionally splashed across the pages of tabloids worldwide. Even as a lifelong fan, I was skeptical just how far back she’d draw the curtain given the meticulous control she’s exerted over her career.
After 23 years of friendship and 13 years of marriage, Prince William and Kate Middleton’s relationship has gone from strength-to-strength and the pair have spent the past year settling into life as the new Prince and Princess of Wales. Ever since the early days of their marriage, the pair have put on a unified front and Prince William, 41, has always been there to support Kate, 42, while completing royal engagements. According to one royal expert, it’s this support that shows how the Prince has been keen to avoid repeating the same mistakes that his father King Charles III made while married to Princess Diana.
TV star Susannah Constantine has recalled a terrifying experience, which saw her rushed into hospital for emergency surgery.The former Strictly Come Dancing star, 61, had been suffering from pins and needles, tinnitus, and a swollen left eye. Speaking about this scary ordeal, the former What Not to Wear star told OK!: "They said" 'It's Hobson's Choice, if you don't have the operation, you've got a one in three chance of having a brain haemorrhage, being paralysed or having a stroke.
The stars of Marvel’s upcoming Fantastic Four movie are already connecting!
Saturday Night Live set its sights on The Floor, Fox’s new game show hosted by Rob Lowe that has contestants facing off in a series of quiz duels.
Addie Morfoot Contributor Audiences will get a chance to see MTV Documentary Films‘ Oscar nominated short documentary “The ABCs of Book Banning” for free on YouTube beginning on Feb. 23 until the end of the month. The 27-minute film, about the rising tide of book banning efforts around the United States, marks docu titan Sheila Nevins‘ directorial debut.
Todd Gilchrist editor The creative process can sometimes be highly organized, and others completely ephemeral: for every story that’s been mapped out beat by beat there’s another that arrived completely intact from a writer’s fingers in a feverish outpouring of inspiration. Somewhere in between these extremes is the unglamorous, frequently tedious work of chipping away at an idea, a sequence, or line of dialogue that gets to the heart of what a scribe wants to say — or more precisely, hopes to communicate.
The family of Wendy Williams has had “limited contact” with the former talk show host since she was placed in a financial and secretive guardianship last year, niece Alex Finnie said on The View today.
Prince William admitted to being a little behind on some of 2023′s biggest movies while attending the 2024 BAFTAs on Sunday (February 18).
Forget the dingy darkrooms, clunky cameras and static imagery of times gone by, for many of today’s royals have marked themselves out as champions of cutting-edge social media. Leading the way are the Prince and Princess of Wales, who put their official Instagram account to powerful use with photos and videos that provide illuminating close-ups of their work and family life, attracting millions of likes in the process.
EXCLUSIVE: Martin Scorsese is returning to the Berlin Film Festival tomorrow for the first time in a decade. The cinema legend, currently on the awards circuit with latest epic Killers Of The Flower Moon, will be feted with the Berlinale‘s highest honor, its lifetime achievement Golden Bear.
Todd Gilchrist editor Jennifer Lopez has spent the better part of her career navigating the two halves of her public persona: Bronx-born girl next door “Jenny from the block” and Hollywood power player “J.Lo.” Though much of the tension between the two has been amplified by media coverage that spans calculated marketing campaigns and inescapable paparazzi scrutiny, Lopez has frequently seemed to capitulate to whichever of the two serves her best at the time. “This is Me…Now: A Love Story” is, on its face, the visual component of her self-funded ninth studio album, and at a reported $20 million price tag it’s easy to see it first and foremost as an advertisement.
Seann William Scott and his wife Olivia Korenberg are getting a divorce.