County Clayton Showbiz Latest News and Updates

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the newly elected Board of Governors for the 2023-2024 year. Elected to the board for the first time are acclaimed actor Lou Diamond Phillips, screenwriter Dana Stevens, executive Hannah Minghella, costume designer Daniel Orlandi and more. Among the newly elected is technology executive Wendy Aylsworth, who will represent the brand new Production and Technology Branch. Aylsworth, who also serves on the Board of Governors for the Television Academy, spent more than two decades at Warner Bros. and became the first woman president of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large The decision to realign “variety talk” and “variety sketch” this year into “talk” and “scripted variety” didn’t do much to change that. If anything, it further narrowed the field, as perennial variety talk winner “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” has now been kicked over to scripted variety. As a result, my colleague Clayton Davis counts only 14 series eligible for the outstanding talk nomination. And it’s not much better in scripted variety, where just 10 shows appear to be eligible.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor New voting methods will likely yield surprise Emmy nomination inclusions (and exclusions) this year. There could also be historic representation in several areas, with ethnicity, age and decades-old records shattered. HBO is no stranger to setting Emmy records. The fantasy epic “Game of Thrones” currently holds multiple records, including the most overall nominations for a drama series at 161 across its eight seasons. The network is celebrating its 50th anniversary and a new Max branding — so naturally, it wants more. If the early projections are accurate and it lands four drama series noms — “House of the Dragon,” “The Last of Us,” “The White Lotus” and last year’s winner, “Succession,” — HBO would tie the record for most series noms by a network in a single year, held by NBC since 1992.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor The Academy’s Board of Governors has approved new theatrical release requirements to be eligible for the best picture Oscar beginning at the 2025 ceremony. In addition to the one-week qualifying run in one of the six U.S. markets, beginning with movies released in 2024, a film must meet additional areas regarding its theatrical release to be nominated and win the highly coveted best picture statuette. They include: These standards resulted from numerous conversations with distributors of varying sizes, in addition to studying historical data. The Academy has been vocal about its belief that a healthy theatrical environment is vital to the success of Hollywood.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Pedro Pascal is charming, funny and incredibly talented. His resume thus far includes notable films and television series such as HBO’s “The Last of Us” and Lionsgate’s “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.” During his interview, I referenced his 2020 cover story. In that story, he said he couldn’t believe Patty Jenkins cast him in “Wonder Woman 1984” without auditioning. Then something happened that you don’t typically see. When asked what it feels like to be a role model to young Latinos, LGBTQ and Hollywood dreamers everywhere who yearn to sit in the same position he finds himself in, his usual charisma and confidence melted away.

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 Amazon’s “Road House,” a reimagined take on the classic movie which starred Patrick Swayze, is still undated, but “Shrinking” star Jessica Williams is excited about it. Not only does it stars Jake Gyllenhaal, but she has an unnamed role in the movie, which she already shot. Greenlit in August 2022, “Road House” tells the story of an ex-UFC middleweight fighter who ends up working at a rowdy bar in the Florida Keys where things are not as they seem. During an interview for Variety Awards Circuit Podcast to discuss her role in Apple TV’s “Shrinking,” the actor talks about working with Oscar nominee Gyllenhaal (“Brokeback Mountain”). “It was so cool working with him,” she says. “He’s an amazing actor. I was so excited to do ‘Road House’ with Jake Gyllenhaal. He’s an insane actor. Every time, you’re learning. My job as an actor, especially on ‘Shrinking,’ is to make everyone look good by knowing what the hell I’m doing on set. I love volleying, and I got to do that with Jake.”

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Ballots for the 2023 Primetime Emmy Awards nominations are out, and in outstanding drama, there are 163 titles in the mix, while comedy has 95 series that have been submitted and limited/anthology has fielded 51 entries. In the top two series categories – outstanding drama series and outstanding comedy series – there will be eight shows each that will make the cut. In drama, the submissions include freshman series such as HBO’s “The Last of Us,” Disney’s “Andor” and FX’s “The Old Man,” along with the final seasons of HBO’s “Succession” and AMC’s “Better Call Saul.” The 163 entries compared to last year’s 171, as well as 133 in 2021 and the record of 199 in 2020.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Season 48 of “Saturday Night Live” may have been cut short due to the writers’ strike, depriving us of the final three hosts, Pete Davidson, Kieran Culkin and Jennifer Coolidge (crossing our fingers for the first three slots of Season 49?), but there will lots for members of the Television Academy to choose from. Pedro Pascal, Quinta Brunson, Austin Butler and Jenna Ortega are among the hosts submitted for Emmy consideration in the guest acting categories. Not every person lucky enough to take the stage of Studio 8H in New York City submits for Primetime recognition. For example, Season 47 hosts Oscar Isaac, Kim Kardashian and Billie Eilish were not among the proposed names.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Bravo’s “Vanderpump Rules,” Hulu’s “The Kardashians” and TLC’s “90 Day Fiancé” are among the 45 reality programs hoping to nab their first Emmy nominations. This is down from the previous three years, which had 65, 48 and 44 submissions, respectively. Nomination voting opened on Thursday to members of the Television Academy, with the three juggernaut-rated shows vying for consideration in the outstanding unstructured reality series category. “Vanderpump” is coming off its biggest season yet after star Tom Sandoval was revealed to be cheating on his partner of nine years, Ariana Madix (with her best friend and fellow co-star Raquel Leviss). Dubbed on social media as “#Scandoval,” the talk surrounding the show’s 10th season has been electrifying, adding another massive hit for the Bravo network, which also steers franchise hits like “Real Housewives” and “Below Deck.” The latter has received two consecutive noms in 2021 and 2022.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor The wolf pack is hoping for Emmys love. “Teen Wolf: The Movie,” Paramount+’s adaptation of the MTV supernatural-thriller series, has been submitted for the Primetime Emmy Awards for outstanding television movie, Variety has learned exclusively. Moreover, the streamer also submitted the film in five other categories: lead actor in a limited or anthology series or movie (Tyler Posey), directing (Russell Mulcahy), writing (Jeff Davis, Will Wallace, Joseph P. Genier, Russell Mulcahy), prosthetic makeup (Chris Gallaher, Adrien Morot, Erik Porn, Hailey Trifiro, Kyle Yaklin) and original music and lyrics (“Lemon” by Tyler Posey). This provides Posey, who plays the True Alpha werewolf Scott and produces the film, three chances for recognition.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Actor Alex Newell made history at this year’s Tony Awards, becoming the first openly nonbinary performer to win an acting prize for their performance as Lulu in Jack O’Brien’s “Shucked.” “Thank you for seeing me Broadway,” Newell said. “I should not be up here as a queer, non-binary, fat, Black, little baby from Massachusetts. And to anyone that thinks that they can’t do it, I’m going to look you dead in your face that you can do anything you put your mind to.” Newell isn’t the only nonbinary actor nominated at the Tonys, with J. Harrison Ghee among the shortlisted performers for lead actor (musical) for their performance as Jerry/Daphne in Casey Nicholaw’s “Some Like It Hot.” Ghee and Newell already walked into the ceremony making history as the first nonbinary-identifying actors recognized.

Sophia Scorziello editor Paul Geoffrey, an English actor known for his roles in “Excalibur” and “Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes,” has died. He was 68. Geoffrey died on June 3 in Santa Fe, N.M. from a battle with cancer, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported. “A thespian to the core, Paul continued to act for the remainder of his life. He loved French wine and food, had a stunning grasp of history, was a life-long Arsenal fan, and excelled at being the sweetest guy in the world,” the Santa Fe New Mexican said of Geoffrey. Throughout his acting career, Geoffrey starred as Perceval in the 1981 film “Excalibur,” a medieval fantasy film that retells the legend of King Arthur and the knights of the round table. The film won best artistic contribution at Cannes in 1981 and received an Oscar nomination for best cinematography.

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.

outstanding leadership [Nikki] gave,” the letter began. “The goal has always been (and remains) to take HCA onwards and upward by elevating the members of this organization, and Nikki was a staunch advocate of this.”In her resignation letter to the critics association on Friday, Fowler described a “hostile, biased and dismissive executive work environment” that was “not in alignment with the original duties offered when elected president last year.”“As a woman in leadership, I attempted to assist the organization on many variables with many being dismissed which included calling for proper formation since last year, committees, spearheading sales, bias training and accountability on harassment,” she said.Other members of the HCA, including Variety’s senior awards editor Clayton Davis, resigned from the organization last year.

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 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 nominations for the Emmys are still weeks away. But there’s growing excitement in the Latino community as multiple lead actors continue to look well-positioned to receive deserved recognition. Two of the top contenders in the lead drama actor race — Pedro Pascal as the hardened survivor Joel from HBO’s apocalyptic video game adaptation “The Last of Us” and Diego Luna as the rebel hero Cassian in the “Star Wars” prequel series “Andor” from Disney+ — are Latino and star in buzzy sci-fi and fantasy series. Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Emmy predictions in all categories.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor On New Year’s Day, Peacock dropped the first three episodes of its true crime series “Paul T. Goldman,” a documentary loosely based on Paul Finkelman’s semi-autobiographical self-published book. The show, utilizing reenactments and behind-the-scenes shots, has the eccentric Finkelman telling the story of his relationship with his second wife, whom he believed was living a double life as a prostitute, dating her pimp and running an international sex trafficking ring. It was directed by “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” director Jason Woliner, who brought an ambitious use of satire to the streaming platform. Finkelman’s unique delivery and distorted facts and his attempt to set the record straight in the form of a movie that he directs and writes himself, starring himself, creates an unconventional type of nonfiction storytelling. Still, Peacock and Woliner saw it as a documentary and decided to submit it for Emmys consideration in outstanding documentary or nonfiction series. However, not everything works out the way you hope.

first obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, Fowler wrote to the HCA’s board stating that, “for my own well-being I am stepping away.”Read Fowler’s memo to the membership below:Dear All,Sorry for the late hour as I am on France time.Please accept my resignation as President and as a member of HCA due to what I deem at times, in my opinion, a hostile, biased and dismissive executive work environment not in alignment with the original duties offered when elected President last year. As a woman in leadership, I attempted to assist the organization on many variables with many being dismissed which included calling for proper formation since last year, committees, spearheading sales, bias training and accountability on harassment.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Don’t tell me “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” is merely a cartoon. It’s a visionary work that redefines what the animation medium can achieve, sitting alongside the handful of sequels such as “The Dark Knight” and “The Empire Strikes Back” that elevate their franchises by pushing them in surprising new directions. On a personal level, this animated second installment of the web-slinging superhero is the closest I’ve ever come to seeing an accurate depiction of my life and culture on a movie screen – well, with a few fantastic elements added into the mix. That’s invaluable. “Across the Spider-Verse” takes place a year after the events of the previous film with Miles Morales (a.k.a. Spider-Man) facing a new threat. Unfortunately, it’s one that causes him to interact with a new group of Spider-People from across the multiverse.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer Could 2023 be the year of genre? Thanks to a pandemic that created a deep desire for escapist TV, there are more shows that fit into that box now than ever, many of which are eligible for Emmys this season. They include Amazon Prime Video’s “The Boys” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” HBO’s “House of the Dragon” and “The Last of Us,” Showtime’s “Yellowjackets,” Disney+’s “Andor” and “The Mandalorian,” Paramount+’s “Star Trek: Picard,” Netflix’s “The Sandman” and AMC’s “Interview with the Vampire.” Of the eight series that Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis has predicted will get a nomination in the drama category, three would fall into the sci-fi or fantasy field: “Game of Thrones” offshoot “House of the Dragon,” video game adaptation “The Last of Us” and critical darling “Yellowjackets.”

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 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 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 SPOILER ALERT: This story contains spoilers from “Looking for Love,” the season finale of FX’s “Dave,” now streaming on Hulu. Brad Pitt was held hostage, rapped in autotune, shot with an arrow and revealed his “real name” is Luke — all during Wednesday night’s season finale of FX’s “Dave.” In fact, the Hollywood A-lister might bring the underrated dark comedy its first series nom after three seasons. Playing himself, Pitt will be among the guest acting submissions for the dark comedy, Variety has learned exclusively. Taking place on a night full of twists and turns, the 46-minute “Looking for Love” episode — directed by Kitao Sakurai and written by Dave Burd and Vanessa McGee — shows Dave being held hostage by a superfan who just wants to “hang out” with Pitt, an actor and aspiring rap star.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor “It’s not TV. It’s HBO.” That’s the premium cable network slogan that single-handedly changed the television landscape forever and ushered in the Peak TV era. The Home Box Office turned 50 in November 2022, and Variety celebrated its Golden Year by ranking the best performances in its history.

George Michael and Clayton Kershaw agree on one thing: “Ya gotta have faith.”

A grandma who choked to death while eating cheese on toast was ‘not adequately monitored’ by care home staff in line with the care plan, a coroner has ruled.

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 A24’s “The Zone of Interest” is spoken in German, but was filmed in Poland and is written and directed by a British auteur. So what does that mean for its prospects for best international feature at the Oscars? Written and directed by Jonathan Glazer, “The Zone of Interest” premiered last week at the Cannes Film Festival where it emerged as an early favorite for the coveted Palme d’Or after receiving widespread acclaim. The film tells the story of a commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel), and his wife Hedwig (Sandra Hüller) who strive to build a dream life for their family in a house and garden next to the camp that was one of the sites where six million Jews were murdered.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor The disturbing thriller “Club Zero” that played at Cannes will divide audiences and critics with a scene of a teen eating vomit, but director Jessica Hausner gets one crucial thing right: It starts with a trigger warning for attendees, stating that the film features scenes regarding eating disorders. Of course, there will be many opinions on the auteur’s execution and theme, but in the same way her villainous lead character promotes “conscious eating,” Hausner delivered a “conscious warning.” This practice should become the norm for content, whether movies or television. Not only should an advisory be shown at the beginning, but marketing departments should brainstorm ways to include it on posters, trailers and other campaigns. We, and studios, cannot rely solely on the MPAA rating system to inform viewers of brutal scenes that could be triggering. “Club Zero” involves scenes and topics of bulimia, while many other films and shows casually depict scenes featuring rape, school shootings and more.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor The Cannes Film Festival has had its fair share of impressive movie premieres this year, with audiences embracing new films from the likes of Jonathan Glazer, Todd Haynes and and Hirokazu Kore-eda. But even the most sustained standing ovation doesn’t guarantee that a movie will walk away with the Palme d’Or, Cannes’ highest honor. It all depends on the vagaries of the jury’s taste, and this one is headed up by Ruben Östlund, a two time Palme d’Or winner for “Triangle of Sadness” and “The Square.” And it’s not just Östlund’s decision to make. The ultimate victor will come down to the personal opinions of jury members Maryam Touzani, Denis Ménochet, Rungano Nyoni, Brie Larson, Paul Dano, Atiq Rahimi, Damián Szifrón and Julia Ducournau.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Considered one of the greatest actors of his generation, Academy Award winner Leonardo DiCaprio continues his stronghold on Hollywood and modern-day cinema. With nearly three decades in cinema, he’s delivered some of the most memorable characters and performances, bringing in more than $6.5 billion in box office receipts, placing him in the top 10 highest-grossing leading actors of all time. Variety ranks DiCaprio’s 18 best film performances of his career so far.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor “There’s no such thing as simple. Simple is hard.” – Martin Scorsese   Legend. Master.