City Austin Showbiz Latest News and Updates

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic A couple of members of a fresh generation of country music — Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson — came away as the top victors at Sunday night’s CMT Music Awards, broadcast live from Austin for the first time. But the biggest winners may have been CMT and CBS, putting the three-hour telecast on the map as a show packed with enough performance firepower that it does merit having made the move from a cable platform to major broadcast premiere as of last year. However much the official winners may delight a core country crowd happy to see young radio and streaming favorites get rewarded, the big draw for the CBS audience was likely a series of collaborations between country stars and their pop or rock counterparts, as has been the custom for years on the rival CMA Awards. Most notable were the all-female collabs that had Carly Pearce dueting with Gwen Stefani on No Doubt’s “Just a Girl,” or Alanis Morissette trading lines with a slate of young female artists that included Lainey Wilson, Ingrid Andress, Morgan Wade and Madeline Edwards. The all-star teamings spread to those who presented, too, with Megan Thee Stallion providing the most enthusiastic introduction imaginable for “my new besty,” Shania Twain.

Date night at the CMT Music Awards! Several stars brought dates to the red carpet in Austin on Sunday, April 2, including both cohosts, Kane Brown and Kelsea Ballerini.

Body-ody-ody! Megan Thee Stallion had all eyes on her at the 2023 CMT Music Awards. 

Bigger in Texas! Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown return to host the 2023 CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2.

Chad Michael Murray is taking a trip down memory lane!

Zach Shallcross and Kaity Biggar got engaged on the season finale of The Bachelor, which aired last night, but don’t expect them to get married anytime soon.

Still going strong? After handing out his final rose, Zach Shallcross and Kaity Biggar gave an update on their relationship — revealing that they are moving in together in Austin this summer.

Tamar Herman South Korean alt-rocker Loren (stylized LØREN) has written songs for Blackpink and G-Dragon, appeared at South By Southwest and recently partnered with 88Rising, leading to a performance at the influential collective’s summertime Head in the Clouds festival — all before he released his first album. Out Friday (March 24), the EP “Put Up a Fight” is the result of a years-long effort while working at the Black Label, a prominent South Korean record company associated with Blackpink’s home YG Entertainment. According to the singer-songwriter, a full-length follow-up is almost finished.  Loren, born Lee Seung-joo, hopes to ingest a bit of punk and grunge to South Korea’s rock scene, and “Put Up a Fight” is his call to arms to like-minded music fans. Even amid waning popularity worldwide, and especially in South Korea where only the occasional indie or pop-rock band makes registers a blip, Loren is undeterred. 

Schiffer added. The forced reduction or ending of remote work is becoming a higher priority not only for Apple but for a range of entertainment and media companies – from Disney, where Bob Iger’s return heralded more demands to get bodies back at desks four days a week, to Amazon, which has told staffers they must show up three days a week starting May 1, to Warner Bros.

The FADER and Porsche's first-ever collaboration took place in Austin last week for SXSW, and the collision of our iconic brands was one for the books. The Porsche X venue was home to new, one-of-a-kind reinterpretations of classic Porsche cars as well as musical performances from Big Boi, Kelela, Madison McFerrin, MorMor, Sudan Archives, and sadie.

Rory Culkin leaves nothing to the imagination during a scene in “Swarm”, the new Prime Video series co-created by Janine Nabers and Donald Glover (“Atlanta”).

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor The first real SXSW in four years wrapped up this weekend, but it’s likely what went down this year will be looked at in the future as another transitional year. After a mid-pandemic return in 2022 that was intentionally less high-profile than past editions, this year’s South By was supposed to be a return to form of the citywide takeover that’s made SX a staple in the calendar for decades for musicians and execs alike. In practice, though, the music portion of SXSW still felt under-attended, and the current wave of music just on the fringe of popularity under-represented. Even the former Spring-break hub intersection of Sixth Street and Red River was a ghost town on Friday night, and lines to get into showcases across town were essentially nonexistent. On top of that, many of the highest-profile showcases were postponed or shut down following a massive lightning storm on Thursday night. Perhaps it’s post-Covid malaise, perhaps it’s the heightened cost of touring, maybe people were waiting to see how this year went — but something in the Topo Chico has changed, hopefully not for forever.

“Air,” the first film from Ben Affleck and Matt Damon‘s Artist Equity banner, closes SXSW in Austin this year to much anticipation.

The “Evil Dead” series continues with “Evil Dead Rise,” fresh off its world premiere at SXSW in Austin earlier this week. The Playlist’s critic didn’t like Lee Cronin‘s new installment (read our review here), but others elsewhere have, which bodes well for the film’s theatrical release next month.

Artists Equity, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon‘s new banner, closes this year’s edition of SXSW in Austin with its first film, “Air,” a biopic about Nike co-founder Phil Knight and the birth of the Air Jordan shoe. But AE is in talks with Amazon about their second film before their first even premieres.

For Brian Wallach, the symptoms began with a tremor in his left hand – an unexpected development for a man of only 36. By that age he already was a veteran of the Obama White House, a Georgetown Law graduate and a former track athlete at Yale, where he got his undergraduate degree.

Ben Kweller and his wife Liz have shared an obituary for their son, who passed away last month, and launched a GoFundMe page to help create a memorial fund.In February, Dorian Kweller was tragically killed following a car accident in Texas. He was aged 16.

Michael J. Fox is redefining what a diagnosis with Parkinson's disease looks like – not dwelling on the disorder that effects his nervous system. While in Austin at the SXSW festival where he is showcasing his documentary "Still: A Michael J.

Peter Debruge Chief Film Critic Two days after ”Everything Everywhere All at Once“ won seven Oscars, including best picture, the SXSW Film Festival, where Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s movie launched last year, has announced its own awards. To be clear, “EEAAO” was a studio-backed opening night premiere (not one of the smaller movies launched in competition at the indie-focused fest), but you can still feel the excitement in Austin around the landmark Oscar win. After all, SXSW was the first festival to take Daniels seriously, awarding them top prize for their Battles music video (“My Machines”) in 2012. Will any of the movies or directors screening here this year go on to change film history?

Saturday Night Live” monologue, Tilda Swinton became the latest actor to speak out against such measures, saying at an SXSW panel that she did not intend to wear a mask on the set of her next film. At the start of the panel ahead of the premiere of her new film “Problemista” in Austin, Swinton reflected on how much had changed in the world since her last SXSW appearance in 2014, noting that she didn’t see anyone in the audience wearing masks and how that didn’t seem possible during the more severe stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Robert Rodriguez didn’t want to screen his new movie for the first time on the same night as the Oscars. It just worked out that way. It all started when, in mid-February, the 54-year-old filmmaker realized he was rapidly approaching the 30th anniversary of the theatrical release of his first feature film, the neo-Western “El Mariachi.” “It fucking snuck up on me,” Rodriguez tells Variety on Sunday afternoon, sitting on a hotel rooftop bar overlooking the ever-changing Austin skyline. Rodriguez famously shot “El Mariachi” on a $7,000 budget, and its success helped to catalyze the independent film revolution of the 1990s and reinforce Rodriguez’s conviction to continue his DIY, homegrown approach to filmmaking. Almost all of Rodriguez’s films have been made at least in part out of his Austin-based Troublemaker Studios, from his R-rated action films like 1998’s “The Faculty,” 2005’s “Sin City” and 2010’s “Machete” to his family movies franchises “Spy Kids” and “Sharkboy and Lavagirl.” Even 2019’s “Alita: Battle Angel,” the James Cameron-produced action epic with visual effects work by Weta Digital, was shot at Troublemaker.

The Washington Post Opinions section will distribute the animated short How to Rig An Election: The Racist History of the 1876 Presidential Contest, which recently premiered at the SXSW Festival in Austin.

And the award for most attractive actor goes to … ! Hollywood’s finest men arrived at the 95th Academy Awards in looks that had Us swooning.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Jake Johnson describes his new film “Self Reliance,” which he wrote and directed, as “‘Jacob’s Ladder’ with some laughs.” The film is a comedy with real stakes: Johnson stars as a man who winds up in a game where he’s trying to win a million dollars while hunters try to kill him. The twist is he discovers that the hunters can only attack him when he’s alone. But when none of his friends or family believe the game is real, Johnson’s character must figure out how to survive on his own. There are scary moments, but more often it’s also really funny. And the audience screening it on Saturday night at the South by Southwest festival in Austin rocked the Paramount Theatre with big laughs throughout the film’s tight 85 minutes.

SXSW 2023 kicks off in Austin today with the world premiere of “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.” But now Lionsgate looks to steal the thunder from Paramount‘s fantasy-action film. Deadline reports that Lionsgate brings “John Wick: Chapter 4” to SXSW early next week for a special secret screening of the actioner.

wcinkala pmc-editorial-manager Variety and IllumiNative are partnering with SXSW to host a panel on the importance of Native American representation in Hollywood. The event, held at Moonshine Grill from 1:00-3:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 11, will include a one-on-one conversation with Crystal Echo Hawk, founder and executive director of IllumiNative, followed by a conversation with Lashay Wesley, director of communications and storytelling at IllumiNative, and Patrick Smith, executive producer at DIGA, about IllumiNative’s new podcast, “American Genocide: The Crimes of Native American Boarding Schools.” The podcast examines the atrocities and human rights violations committed against Native children at Native American Boarding Schools and follows Crystal and Lashay as they investigate and search for answers and justice at Red Cloud Indian School, a former boarding school in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. Both conversations will be moderated by Cynthia Littleton, co-editor-in-chief, Variety.

Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa have announced a massive joint tour titled ‘High School Reunion’ across North America.Snoop announced the 33-date run via a poster on Instagram on March 7. The tour will kick off on July 7 in Vancouver before wrapping up the run in Irvine, California on August 27.

SXSW, the annual celebration of all things entertainment being showcased in Austin from March 10 to 19. From Hollywood blockbusters like “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” to iconoclastic fare like “I’m a Virgo” — the first foray into television for indie maverick Boots Riley — there’s a wild variety in this year’s lineup. Historically, the festival was better known for its musical offerings, but that’s changed in recent years as Hollywood has embraced the Texas gathering. And while Sundance and Cannes may be higher profile, SXSW has established itself as an important stop for movies and shows looking to generate notoriety — “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” for instance, premiered at last year’s festival before racking up more than $100 million in ticket sales and dominating the Oscar nominations. Here’s a look at some of the projects that could be destined to follow in its footsteps.

Adam B. Vary Senior Entertainment Writer One of Austin’s hometown filmmakers is bringing his next movie to SXSW. Director Robert Rodriguez will screen a work-in-progress cut of his crime thriller “Hypnotic,” starring Ben Affleck, for fans at the SXSW Film Festival in the Texas capital on March 12. In the film, written by Rodriguez and Max Borenstein (“Godzilla vs. Kong,” HBO’s “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty”), Affleck plays a detective who is investigating a series of inexplicable crimes while searching for his missing daughter, whose disappearance is somehow involved with a secret government program.

Julia MacCary editor “Better Call Saul” actor Bob Odenkirk, “Pitch Perfect” star Anna Kendrick and acclaimed comedians Chelsea Handler and Eric André are among the lineup South by Southwest (SXSW) announced for its upcoming comedy festival. The comedy festival will include improv, stand-up showcases, live podcast recordings and conversations. In addition to Odenkirk, Kenrick, André and Handler, the comedy lineup features Abbi Jacobson, Adrienne Iapalucci, Andre Hyland, Anthony Atamanuik, Anthony DeVito, Aristotle Athari, Beth Stelling, Brian Moses, Caitlin Peluffo, Caleb Hearon, Christina Catherine Martinez, Doug Benson, Eddie Pepitone, Emma Willmann, Felipe Esparza, Godfrey, Greg Proops, Ismael Loutfi, Jackie Fabulous, Jake Johnson, James Adomian, Jessica McKenna, Joe DeRosa, John Gemberling, Josh Johnson, Joyelle Johnson, Katherine Blanford, Leonard Maltin, Matt Besser, Mike Lawrence, Natalie Palamides, Nick Thune, Patton Oswalt, Pete Lee, Phoebe Robinson, Rachel Sennott, Reggie Watts, Sabrina Jalees, Sam Jay, Sam Tallent, Sandy Honig, Steve Agee, Steph Tolev, Stuart Goldsmith, Tim Robinson, Todd Barry, Tone Bell and Yamaneika Saunders.

Standard General’s proposed acquisition of Tegna faces new doubts as the FCC sent the merger to an administrative law judge, as the agency took issue with the transaction’s potential to raise consumer prices and result in job losses.

Depeche Mode were the musical guests on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert this week – watch their majestic performances of ‘Ghosts Again’ and ‘Personal Jesus’ below.The performances come soon after the synth-pop duo – comprising Dave Gahan and Martin Gore – announced their huge 2023 ‘Memento Mori’ world tour, which begins next month following the release of their 15th album, ‘Memento Mori’, which is out on March 17 via Columbia/Mute.Earlier this month, the duo performed new single ‘Ghosts Again’ live for the first time at the SanRemo Song Festival in Italy, marking the first time the band had performed live since the death of bandmate Andy Fletcher last year.On The Late Show, they gave the track another outing alongside classic hit ‘Personal Jesus’ – check out both performances below.Last week, Depeche Mode added more North American shows to their 2023 world tour, which begins in the US and Canada next month.Ahead of the run, the band announced a second North American leg that takes in 29 new dates between late September and mid-December, 2023.Extra gigs will take place in locations such as Mexico City, Austin, Houston, Dallas, New Orleans, Orlando, Brooklyn, Nashville, Philadelphia and Toronto. The run is set to conclude with a pair of LA gigs at the city’s Kia Forum and Crypto.com Arena.Kelly Lee Owens and Gahan’s daughter Stella Rose will appear as the support acts on the first North American leg.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large As Showtime prepares to launch Season 2 of its hit thriller “Yellowjackets,” the network is bringing the show to Austin’s South by Southwest festival next month via a three-day interactive popup. “Camp Yellowjackets” will open the first weekend of SXSW, from Friday, March 10 to Sunday, March 12, at the Fair Market in Austin. The installation kicks off with a private opening event on Friday, and then will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT on Saturday and Sunday. The “Camp Yellowjackets” experience will create the look of a 1990s-era summer camp that has been abandoned. Visitors will be able to spot hidden Easter eggs from the show while exploring the campsite. Among the activities on site will be ax throwing, BBQ and specialty cocktails. Fans can sign up to attend at CampYellowjackets.com.

The Last Of Us premieres today (February 19) and reintroduces viewers to a familiar face.Created by Craig Mazin (Chernobyl) and the original game’s co-creator Neil Druckmann, The Last Of Us follows Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) 20 years after modern civilisation has been ravaged by a deadly infection.Last seen in episode one of HBO’s post-apocalyptic drama, Tommy is Joel’s younger brother. While we haven’t seen Tommy since the start of the outbreak, Joel has told Ellie that his little brother got involved with revolutionary group the Fireflies, which ultimately led to their split.Gabriel Luna plays the role of Tommy.

Apple Original Films has a bunch of highly anticipated movies on its 2023 release calendar, like Matthew Vaughn‘s “Argylle,” Martin Scorsese‘s “Killers Of The Flower Moon,” and Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon.” But before those comes “Tetris,” set for its world premiere at SXSW 2023 in Austin next month. READ MORE: SXSW Film & TV Adds Donald Glover’s ‘Swarm’ & Emma Seligman’s ‘Bottoms’ Among Second Wave Programming Taron Egerton, Toby Jones, and Nikita Efremov star in the upcoming film, which tells the thrilling true story behind one of the world’s most popular video games.

Depeche Mode have added more North American shows to their 2023 ‘Memento Mori’ world tour – tickets will be available here.The synth-pop duo – comprising Dave Gahan and Martin Gore – are due to hit the road in the US and Canada next month following the release of their 15th album, ‘Memento Mori’, which is out on March 17 via Columbia/Mute.Today (February 16), Depeche Mode announced a second North American leg that takes in 29 new dates between late September and mid-December, 2023.Extra gigs will take place in locations such as Mexico City, Austin, Houston, Dallas, New Orleans, Orlando, Brooklyn, Nashville, Philadelphia and Toronto. The run is set to conclude with a pair of LA gigs at the city’s Kia Forum and Crypto.com Arena.Tickets for the newly-confirmed concerts go on general sale at 10am local time next Friday (February 24) – you’ll be able to purchase yours here.