IDA Hires Two Senior Staffers, Consultant As It Attempts To Move Forward From Staff Revolt

Stuart Ford’s AGC Studios has named industry veteran Jill Jones as EVP of Marketing and Publicity.

EXCLUSIVE: Chernin Entertainment has hired former Red Arrow Studios Chairman and CEO Jan Frouman.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterJessica Williams has signed on to star opposite Jason Segel and Harrison Ford in the Apple comedy series “Shrinking,” Variety has learned.In addition, James Ponsoldt has boarded the show to direct multiple episodes and executive produce. That marks a reunion for Ponsoldt and Segel, who previously worked together on the film “The End of the Tour.”“Shrinking” follows Jimmy (Segel), a grieving therapist who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks.

Harrison Ford is headed to the small screen!

Apple TV+ recently landed a Best Picture Oscar for their film “CODA,” and now has some exciting casting news on the television side of things. Harrison Ford is coming aboard as co-star in “Shrinking,” a new 10-episode comedy series written and executive produced by comedic actor Jason Segel, “Ted Lasso” co-creator/executive producer/showrunner Bill Lawrence and star/writer/producer Brett Goldstein.

Harrison Ford is joining Jason Segel in the Apple Original comedy series “Shrinking.”Ford is playing Dr. Phil Rhodes in the show, described as a “down-to earth, sharp as a tack ‘blue collar shrink,’ blunt but with an ever present twinkle.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterHarrison Ford has signed on to star opposite Jason Segel in the Apple comedy series “Shrinking,” Variety has learned.The show was first announced in October 2021. Segel will write the series alongside “Ted Lasso” co-creator Bill Lawrence and “Ted Lasso” star, writer, and co-executive producer Brett Goldstein.“Shrinking” follows Jimmy (Segel), a grieving therapist who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks.

In first major TV series role, Harrison Ford has signed on to star opposite Jason Segel in Shrinking, Apple TV+’s 10-episode comedy series written and executive produced by Segel and Ted Lasso‘s co-creator/executive producer/showrunner Bill Lawrence and star/writer/producer Brett Goldstein.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorPophouse Entertainment has acquired the master recordings and publishing of electronic music titans Swedish House Mafia, the company has announced. The Stockholm-based entertainment company, which was cofounded by ABBA’s Bjorn Ulvaeus and is best known for endeavors such as the forthcoming “ABBA Voyage” show, virtual experiences and gaming, has acquired the masters and publishing (including their writer’s shares) of the trio’s back catalog, and will form a joint venture with its members to develop and amplify the Swedish House Mafia brand worldwide, according to the announcement.

Ethan Shanfeld The Arconia’s favorite podcasters Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez are back for Season 2 of “Only Murders in the Building,” premiering on Hulu on June 28.This season, the comedic murder mystery follows Charles, Oliver and Mabel as they rush to identify the killer of Bunny Folger, the Arconia board president. Of course, the trio is now publicly implicated in the murder, as well as the subjects of a competing podcast.

SPOILER WARNING: This story discusses specific events in Season 2, Episode 4 of “Star Trek: Picard,” currently streaming on Paramount Plus.As even casual fans of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” know, one of the beloved sci-fi show’s most meaningful relationships was between Capt. Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the proprietor of the main bar on the U.S.S.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorNo matter how many awards categories get screen time at this year’s Oscars telecast, one thing will be certain: There will be advertising around them.Disney has sold all the 60 commercial slots it has around its coming broadcast of the event late last week, according to Rita Ferro, president of Disney Advertising Sales, and the company hopes the 2022 version of the program will serve as a “rebuild year” for the spectacle after the coronavirus pandemic severely crimped moviegoing.“We are all coming back to getting social and going out,” says Ferro, in an interview, and Disney’s ABC and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have agreed to make changes to the show after it has run into strong viewership headwinds in recent years. Executives, she says, have worked to solve the question of “how do we make the show more compelling, more relevant to audiences?” Among the changes: a trio of female hosts — Amy Schumer, Wanda Sykes and Regina Hall — after three years of programs without a designated person to lead the crowd; a new producer, Will Packer; and a decision to award several categories during off-air moments, then edit those presentations in later n a bid to streamline the event, which is often criticized for being too long.

When it came to preparing for his role in Moon Knight, Oscar Isaac relied on his family for help.

Angelique Jackson When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in March 2020, Hollywood (and the world) slowed to a stop, leaving the team behind Endeavor’s pipeline initiatives at a loss.In an industry already rife with barriers to entry for people from underrepresented groups, how could these prospective talents get their foot in the door at agencies, studios and entertainment companies when the door literally no longer exists because everyone’s working from home.Those were the types of questions Romola Ratnam, Endeavor’s Head of Social Impact, and Hilary Kidwell, director of social impact at the company (both pictured above), began to ask themselves.“You have all these young people that may or may not think that they have a shot to be in this industry, and would’ve maybe gotten their first opportunity, whether it be an internship or entry level, and they may not have that anymore,” Ratnam recalled in an interview with Variety. “We already know the struggle to increase diversity within our industry is already tough, and when we take away all of these jobs, what does that do?” So, the team got creative — pivoting their postponed Fellowship Program, which aimed to provide jobs, mentoring and education programs within the company to 42 fellows each year, into a virtual model, renamed Summer Series, providing registrants the opportunity to learn more about working in the sports, entertainment and fashion industries.“We thought, ‘Let’s give them some free education that anybody can access from any device no matter where they are, and some hope that ‘Hey, I can make it,'” Ratnam explained.

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EXCLUSIVE: Storied Media Group continues to expand its executive ranks with four new key hires across its Content & Client Partnerships, StoryScout Editorial and Business Affairs divisions.

K.J. Yossman Framestore, the Oscar-winning VFX company behind upcoming features such as “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore” and “Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness,” has tapped Naomi Stopa and Jinnie Pak to join the company as it charts a global expansion.Both hires will join the company’s Canada team, with Stopa appointed managing director, Vancouver, and Pak joining as head of production, Vancouver.Stopa, who has credits on films including “Free Guy” and “Black Widow,” was previously head of production at Digital Domain, overseeing Vancouver, Montreal and L.A.