County Clayton Showbiz Latest News and Updates

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Happy Emmy season, “you clock-watching fucks” — Logan Roy is still leading the way. Brian Cox has submitted his performance as Logan Roy, the recently departed Waystar Royco CEO on HBO’s “Succession,” into the lead actor (drama) category. Cox’s team exclusively confirmed to Variety that the actor’s iconic turn as the bold father and media mogul will be considered alongside his two co-stars, Jeremy Strong and Kieran Culkin, who opted to switch into the category for the show’s fourth and final season. Cox’s character died in the third episode of this season, “Connor’s Wedding,” which left many pundits speculating the Scottish actor, who received two previous noms in the lead drama actor field, would downgrade to either the supporting actor or guest categories. That won’t be the case, which puts the drama series uniquely positioned to make history in several ways.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Richard Dreyfuss doesn’t get it, but most grouchy, self-proclaimed keepers of the old Hollywood guard never do when it comes to creating an industry that gives a chance for everyone to thrive.  It was Sept. 8, 2020, and I was one week into my job as the awards editor for Variety when the Academy dropped its bombshell news that as part of its Aperture 2025 initiative, the organization was introducing new representation and inclusion requirements for submitting in the best picture category. There are four standards a film must meet in order to be eligible. So naturally, the news designed to promote and encourage diversity in the Hollywood system was met with divisive reactions. Some, such as Viggo Mortensen, said, “It’s about exclusion, which is discrimination.”

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Showtime has successfully petitioned the Television Academy to switch its Emmy submission for the acclaimed docuseries “Couples Therapy” to outstanding structured reality program, Variety has learned exclusively. During its two previous seasons, the series had been offered in the unstructured reality category, where it competed with shows such as National Geographic’s “Life Below Zero,” TLC’s “90 Day Fiancé” and Hulu’s “The Kardashians.” However, it failed to receive recognition during its respective years. Notably, the show did win a major prize from the Television Critics Association (TCA) Award in 2021 for outstanding achievement in reality programming.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor The jury is still out on whether Amazon Freevee’s mockumentary sitcom “Jury Duty” will be able to break into the Emmys race, but the excitement for the comedy has taken the TV world by storm, and Amazon sees an opening for it. Variety has learned exclusively Amazon plans to submit the eight-episode inaugural season for the Emmy comedy categories, seeking recognition in over a dozen key races including acting, writing and directing. Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Emmy predictions in all categories. Created by Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky, the series follows the inner workings of a jury trial through the eyes of Ronald Gladden, a solar contractor from San Diego, who is unaware that his jury duty summons was not official and everyone on the jury aside from him, is an actor.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor “I am Black woman; hear me roar!” The hilarity of Black women on television has been sorely missed and ignored by the Television Academy over multiple decades. However, this year’s slate of outstanding lead and supporting comedy actress seem to be the two spots preventing an #EmmysSoWhite moment from occurring. Quinta Brunson is the front-runner to win her first acting Emmy for her charming turn as Janine Teagues, the optimistic 2nd-grade teacher from ABC’s “Abbott Elementary.” With a beautiful sophomore season in the books and the added benefit of Jean Smart being out of the competition for “Hacks,” she seems perfectly aligned with the Emmy cosmos to land much-deserved recognition. The possible recognition would be long overdue for Black comedians on television.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor The TV Academy has denied the petition for Apple’s “Schmigadoon!” to move from submitting for outstanding comedy series to the scripted variety category, Variety has learned exclusively. It had been reported that the streamer had filed an official petition to move the show into the newly titled scripted variety category where it would face off against “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” “Saturday Night Live” and “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.” However, the news seemed to be premature, with the Television Academy confirming the petition has been denied and Apple has been notified. Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Emmy predictions in all categories.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor TV Academy… please don’t let Beverly Goldberg leave this world without an Emmy nomination. If one asked Wendi McLendon-Covey how she created the lovable and zany mom from “The Goldbergs,” I’d imagine she’d use one of the overbearing matriarch’s famous lines delivered to a random stranger regarding the origins of her three children: “I made these people. Me. I made them with my body.” With an undeniable “schmoop” factor and countless “huggies,” McLendon-Covey made the unapologetic “smotherer” with her body, heart and soul. Her phenomenal work in the ABC comedy series will surely be one of the finest in sitcom history, and we’re all the better for it.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday. Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor As the Writers Guild of America goes on strike, late-night television has been put on pause, including NBC’s “Saturday Night Live,” which is on an indefinite hiatus. Multiple sources confirm to Variety that, in the unlikely event the strike is resolved in the coming weeks, “Succession” star Kieran Culkin is scheduled to take the stage at Studio 8H on May 13, with musical guest Labrinth, while “The White Lotus” star Jennifer Coolidge is set to close out “SNL’s” 48th season with Foo Fighters. This would have been Culkin’s second time hosting following his season 47 appearance. After being brilliantly imitated by “SNL” cast member Chloe Fineman, Coolidge would have made her long-awaited debut on the show.

EXCLUSIVE: Actress and singer Victoria Justice (The Tutor), model and actress Devon Ross (Irma Vep), Taylor Smith (Where The Crawdads Sing), and Dermot Mulroney (Scream VI) are leading cast in feature sic, which is filming in Thailand.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Guy Fieri is rolling out “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” into a new Emmys category. Food Network has successfully petitioned the Television Academy to move the long-running food reality series back to the outstanding structured reality category, where it will compete against other popular series such as “Love is Blind,” “Queer Eye” and “Shark Tank.” It had previously been submitted for hosted nonfiction series or special since 2020. Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Emmy predictions in all categories. Hosted by Fieri since the show’s debut in 2007, the show had received six Emmy nominations — five for outstanding structured reality program from 2014-2019 and outstanding reality program in 2013, the last year before the category was separated into two for structured and unstructured programming.

Naman Ramachandran The Malta Film Commission is launching the first-ever Mediterrane Film Festival, a new annual event dedicated to celebrating film and creativity. Running from June 25-30, the festival will take place at Valletta, Malta’s capital, and other locations across the country The festival aims to serve as a platform for Malta to continue building its film brand image worldwide and attract more film business to the islands. Prominent films shot in recent years in Malta include Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon,” Terrence Malick’s “The Way of the Wind” and Colin Trevorrow’s “Jurassic World Dominion.” The program, which will be revealed during the Cannes Film Festival, will showcase films from each of the MED9 (an alliance of nine Mediterranean and Southern European Union member states: Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain) nations. Screenings will be accessible to the public, and the featured films will be in the running for various awards.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Writer and comedian Adam Conover blasted David Zaslav, the Warner Bros Discovery CEO, during an interview with CNN on Tuesday, a company Zaslav also oversees. “David Zaslav, the CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of the network I’m talking to you on right now, was paid $250 million last year, a quarter of a billion dollars,” Conover said during his interview with CNN correspondent Sara Sidner. “That’s about the same level as what 10,000 writers are asking him to pay all of us collectively, alright. So I would say if you’re being paid $250 million — these companies are making enormous amounts of money. Their profits are going up. It’s ridiculous for them to plead poverty.”

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Big names from across movies and television are coming together to voice their support for the Writers Guild of America strike, which officially started on Tuesday. Notable creators speaking out include “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” writers Phil Lord and Chris Miller, “Dopesick” writer and director Danny Strong and “Mrs. Davis” writers and producers Damon Lindelof and Tara Hernandez.

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday. Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday. Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday. Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday. Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Monday its “most significant overhaul” of the campaign promotional regulation and awards rules for the upcoming 96th Oscars. The updated rules and regulations clarify questions surrounding social media, communications in public forums including the expansion on violations and penalties, and the review process for individuals directly associated with a film or member conduct. The substantive updates and changes are noted below: Some of the most notable changes include allowing private events and gatherings that have members, which the Academy does “not consider” FYC events. However, motion picture studios and companies are prohibited from funding, organizing, or endorsing such events.

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday. Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday. Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday. Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Steve Martin casually dropped the release date for the third season of “Only Murders in the Building” during his “You Won’t Believe What They Look Like Today!” touring show alongside Martin Short. At Saturday’s 8 p.m. show at the Walt Disney Theater. Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando, Flor., which also included Jeff Babko and The Steep Canyon Rangers, the comedic duo unveiled the news while warming up the audience at the start of the show. According to two patrons who were in attendance, Martin and Short were delivering updates on what they were up to recently, showing a picture of them alongside their co-star Selena Gomez and two new cast members for Season 3, Oscar and Emmy winner Meryl Streep and Golden Globe nominee Paul Rudd. At one point, Martin stated, “Catch the new season August 8,” which was followed by Short responding, “Our show is like Steve trying to pee — it streams for 33 minutes.”

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday. Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday. Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events.

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday. Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday. Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday. Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Elizabeth Olsen calls herself an “unemployed” actor — even after playing Scarlet Witch in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and her latest role as Candy Montgomery in the HBO miniseries “Love & Death.” “I don’t want to work for work’s sake,” she tells Variety. “I don’t know how to half-ass stuff, so I have to love something a lot. And there are things I love, and it’s tough to raise money for them.” Olsen, 34, has multiple projects she wants to make with some unnamed first-time narrative directors but is finding it difficult to secure the financing that would allow them to have creative control. So, while she continues navigating Hollywood’s grounds during an unsteady economic time and a possible writer’s strike, she says she’s enjoying this break after working three years straight with Marvel (including two years of shooting and one year of promotion). “I don’t miss it,” she says.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Shiv’s the boss! On “Succession,” Sarah Snook plays the youngest Roy daughter Siobhan “Shiv” Roy, who isn’t sitting idly by while her newly minted co-CEO brothers run the media empire Waystar Royco — and neither is Snook with her Emmy chances. Variety has learned exclusively that Snook will be submitted into the lead drama actress category for this year’s Primetime Emmys, changing from her supporting bids for the three previous seasons. “Succession” is exhibiting its finest writing, directing and acting of the show’s short history. With each new weekly episode, Snook has shined dramatically, becoming the season’s clear standout of the large, sprawling ensemble. This campaign shift could now firmly cement her as the presumptive front-runner for the most coveted television prize for acting.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor SPOILER ALERT: This interview discusses gargantuan plot developments in “Kill List,” Season 4, Episode 5 of “Succession,” now streaming on HBO Max. Kieran Culkin hasn’t yet watched this week’s episode of “Succession” because he’s traveling — and doesn’t like watching things on his laptop. Having wrapped filming only six weeks ago, and with upcoming episodes still in post-production, Culkin isn’t even sure how the gripping story of this family dynasty will end. The April 23 episode “Kill List” was written by Jon Brown and Ted Cohen and directed by Emmy winner Andrij Parekh (for Season 2, Episode 3, “Hunting,” aka the “boar on the floor” episode), showcased one of Roman’s most emotionally driven scenes throughout the four seasons of “Succession.” In its tension-filled 60 minutes, Culkin demonstrated his abilities as a dramatic actor during a heated exchange with streaming media giant CEO Lukas Matsson (played exquisitely by Alexander Skarsgård). In the scene on the Norwegian mountaintops, Matsson insults Roman and Kendall (Jeremy Strong), the newly minted co-CEOs of Waystar Royco, as they try to “Scooby Doo” their way out of the GoJo deal the board desperately covets.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Roman Roy is now co-CEO of Waystar RoyCo on HBO’s “Succession,” so it’s only natural that actor Kieran Culkin followed suit with his Emmy campaign. Culkin, who plays the sarcastic and jokey Roman on HBO’s hit drama series, confirms to Variety exclusively he will be submitted for the lead drama actor category at this year’s Primetime Emmy Awards. This marks a category switch for the actor, who previously submitted in the supporting categories for the three previous seasons. Roman has come to the forefront during this fourth and final season of the show, leading the way on the Waystar-GoJo deal with his siblings Kendall (Jeremy Strong) and Shiv (Sarah Snook).

A boy has been arrested after a 15-year-old was found unconscious in a park in east Manchester.

Boxing legends and celebs are set to take part in a charity football match as part of the bid to build a statue commemorating a legendary Manchester fighter denied a title due to a 'colour ban.'

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday. Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below: