One Liners: Fredo, Rag N Bone Man, 2 Chainz, more

Mariah Carey is set to receive the Special Innovator award for her outstanding music career.The African American Film Critics Association is celebrating her talent at the 12th annual awards ceremony, shining light on her iconic visuals and content creation.The special event will take place virtually on April 7, highlighting her work as a producer and director of her music videos and appearances.Among her iconic visuals, the AAFCA is recognizing her 1995 Daydream era, directing her videos Always

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAaron Eckhart has signed on to play President Gerald Ford in the upcoming Showtime anthology series “The First Lady.”Formerly known as “First Ladies,” the show is described as a reframing of American leadership, told through the lens of the women at the heart of the White House. Eckhart joins previously announced series stars Viola Davis and Michelle Pfeiffer, who will play Michelle Obama and Betty Ford respectively.

Angelique Jackson The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) has selected Mariah Carey, George C. Wolfe, Stacey Abrams’s “All In” and Netflix as its special achievement award honorees for the 12th annual AAFCA Awards.Carey will receive the Innovator Award, while Wolfe earns the Salute to Excellence.

Maher ended with New Rules’ jabs at pandemic inequality, the gig economy — and the nation’s obsession with families when the share of single Americans has doubled over the past 50 years. Mitt Romney’s possible near death experience at the Capitol last month didn’t excuse his paean just last week to a “renewed commitment to American families,” where he repeated the words America families a dozen times.

Tim Gray Senior Vice President“Minari,” from Plan B and A24, is writer-director Lee Isaac Chung’s semi-autobiographical tale of a Korean-American family starting a new life in 1980s Arkansas. The characters, played by Steven Yeun, Yeri Han and Yuh-jung Youn, among others, live in a small mobile home on isolated patch of land; one of the challenges was to convey both the sense of home and the vast, green area.

COVID-19 CANCELLATIONS & POSTPONEMENTSThe Pet Shop Boys have rescheduled a greatest hits tour originally scheduled for last summer, that was previously postponed to this summer. It will now take place next summer.

Mariah Carey's sister is suing the US singer over remarks in the star's recent memoir that have caused her "immense emotional distress" and "public humiliation". Alison Carey claims her famous sibling used the book to "embarrass" her and is asking for a minimum of $1.

APPOINTMENTSAmazon CEO Jeff Bezos is stepping down as Amazon CEO. He has an exciting new gig as, well, Executive Chair of Amazon.

UPDATED with latest: The Santa Barbara Film Festival on Tuesday unveiled the recipients of its Virtuosos Award, given annually to a group recognizing their noteworthy performances in film. The honors will be bestowed Saturday, April 3.

EXCLUSIVE: Mario Tabraue, one of the controversial characters in Netflix’s Tiger King and a drug trafficker widely hailed as the inspiration for Al Pacino’s Tony Montana in Scarface, is to be the subject of a limited drama series.

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, said Sunday on ABC’s This Week that there appears to be enough votes to pass a new round of Covid-19 relief using a process called reconciliation.

Steven Yeun (“Minari”) and Riz Ahmed (“Sound of Metal”) sat down for a virtual chat for Variety‘s Actors on Actors, presented by Amazon Studios. For more, click here.In Lee Isaac Chung’s life-affirming “Minari,” Steven Yeun plays Jacob Yi, a Korean American dad who pursues his goal of financial success by moving his unenthusiastic family to a farm in 1980s Arkansas.

APPOINTMENTSRCA Records in the US has announced new leadership for its promotions team, with Sam Selolwane and Keith Rothschild each being named Head Of Promotion. Selolwane will oversee hip hop, R&B and mixshow promotion, while Keith Rothschild will oversee the pop, rhythm and rock.

You have to hand it to Michelle Pfeiffer. First, because the woman seemingly hasn’t aged much at all over the past few decades, which mind-boggling and impressive.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterMichelle Pfeiffer has signed on to star as Betty Ford in the upcoming Showtime series “The First Lady,” Variety has learned. In addition, Susanne Bier has signed on to direct and executive produce the anthology series.Formerly known as “First Ladies,” the show is described as a reframing of American leadership, told through the lens of the women at the heart of the White House.