Gail Berman Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Cannes Film Festival was trembling for Austin Butler as the King in Baz Luhrmann’s world premiere of “Elvis.”The film received an uproarious 12-minute standing ovation, the longest of this year’s festival so far.As the the cheers went on and on, a teary-eyed Butler hugged an equally-emotional Priscilla Presley, who flew to the South of France to give her blessing for the movie about her late husband.The Warner Bros. musical drama had Cannes spontaneously erupting into applause as Butler recreated some of Presley’s greatest hits including “Jailhouse Rock,” “Blue Suede Shoes” and “Suspicious Minds.”“Elvis” is one of the biggest titles to screen at Cannes, with a star-studded carpet that included Sharon Stone, Shakira, Kylie Minogue, Diplo and Jeremy O. Harris.

Elvis Presley biopic, showcasing lead star Austin Butler.Set to be released in cinemas on June 24, Elvis charts the iconic musician’s career through his complicated relationship with manager Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks).A synopsis reads: “The story delves into the complex dynamic between Presley and Parker spanning 20 years, from Presley’s rise to fame to his unprecedented stardom, against the backdrop of the evolving cultural landscape and loss of innocence in America.”The clip shows Butler’s Elvis performing at the Louisiana Hayride at the start of his career in 1954, as his shaking hips cause pandemonium among the audience. You can check out the clip below.“Now I don’t know nothing about music,” Parker, played by Hanks, says in the clip.

Country icon Naomi Judd, who died suddenly at age 76, and her daughter Wynonna are the subjects of the first installment of Icon, an anthology series in the works at Fox that sets out to profile some of the world’s biggest music legends.

Addie Morfoot ContributorThe Producers Guild of America has invited 11 documentary producing teams to take part in the inaugural cohort of the PGA Create lab for emerging and mid-career documentary producers from diverse backgrounds. The program, which will take place from April 25-28, is designed for producers in active development, financing and packaging of nonfiction features or series, and the producing teams are making films about topics including climate change activists, women’s roles in the Catholic Church and queer activist Sarah Hegazi.The first cycle of PGA Create, which took place in October, spotlighted scripted feature films or series.

Variety has previously reported, “Elvis” Baz Luhrmann’s drama about the rock-and-roll legend Elvis Presley, starring Austin Butler (“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”) and Tom Hanks, will have its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May.Cannes confirmed the premiere on Tuesday, adding that Luhrmann, Hanks and Butler will attend the premiere screening alongside Olivia DeJonge (“The Visit”), who plays Priscilla Presley in the biopic. They also released a new image of Butler as Elvis.The film is set for North American release on June 24 through Warner Bros.

Paul Plunkett When this year’s Producers Guild of America Awards are handed out, along with those being recognized for their achievements in projects over the last year will be a handful of the industry’s top names, receiving the guild’s Honorary Awards.These Honorary Awards were not handed out during last year’s virtual ceremony, adding more excitement to this year’s in-person event.The 2022 Visionary Award, which recognizes a television, film or new media producer for unique or uplifting contributions to our culture through inspiring storytelling or performance, will be awarded to Issa Rae. The producer-actor-writer, whose HBO series “Insecure” wrapped up this year after five seasons, also served as executive producer on “A Black Lady Sketch Show” and “Sweet Life: Los Angeles,” to name a few of her credits.

EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros has firmed a splashy Cannes premiere for Elvis, the Baz Luhrmann-directed epic story about the relationship between Elvis Presley and his manager Colonel Tom Parker that shook up the world of rock and roll forever. No specific date yet, but the film is locked in for a Palais bow, sources said. Once Upon A Time…in Hollywood‘s Austin Butler plays Presley and Tom Hanks plays Parker, the man who discovered the singer and turned him into a world famous star, taking half his earnings for his trouble.

Elvis Presley biopic has been released – you can watch it below.The film will delve into the King of Rock and Roll’s relationship with his manager Colonel Tom Parker (played by Tom Hanks) spanning over 20 years, from the rock and roll icon’s rise to fame to his unprecedented stardom, against the backdrop of the evolving cultural landscape and loss of innocence in America.In addition to Hanks, Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood‘s Austin Butler will star as Elvis, Olivia DeJonge will star as the late musician’s wife Priscilla Presley, while Kelvin Harrison Jr. will take on the role of B.B.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer“Insecure” creator and star Issa Rae has been named the recipient of the Producers Guild Awards’ 2022 Visionary Award.The Visionary Award honors producers across television, film or new media who share inspiring, uplifting stories that add unique value to society and culture. Past recipients include: Octavia Spencer, Kenya Barris, Ava DuVernay, Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner’s Plan B Entertainment, Illumination Entertainment’s Chis Meledandri, Laura Ziskin and Participant Media’s Jeff Skoll.Rae first garnered attention for her web series and subsequent best-selling book, “The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl.” She created and stars in HBO’s “Insecure,” which just concluded its fifth and final season in December.

Issa Rae, the award-winning actress, producer, writer and director, will be this year’s recipient of the Producers Guild’s Visionary Award, which honors those “who share inspiring, uplifting stories that add unique value to society and culture.” It will be presented to her in person at the 33rd Annual Producers Guild Awards on March 19 at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeThe Producers Guild of America has named producer, writer, director Greg Berlanti as this year’s honoree for the Norman Lear Achievement Award. Berlanti will receive the award at the 33rd Annual Producers Guild Awards on Saturday, March 19, 2022 at the Fairmont Century Plaza.“I’m incredibly honored to receive this award from everyone at the PGA, especially given it’s named after Norman Lear: the kindest, warmest and wisest legend I’ve ever had the good fortune of calling a friend.

EXCLUSIVE: The Producers Guild of America and Google announces the two projects that will each receive $50,000 grants for the production of new short films as part of “The Short Film Project” presented by the Producers Guild of America and Google.

Sasha Urban editor“The Masked Singer” will premiere its seventh season on March 9, Fox announced Wednesday.Host Nick Cannon and panelists Nicole Scherzinger, Ken Jeong, Robin Thicke and Jenny McCarthy will return to the show, which will include a new cast of celebrity competitors who perform in elaborate costumes that conceal their identities. Last season featured Todrick Hall, Honey Boo Boo and Toni Braxton and was ultimately won by singer Jewel, who performed as the “Queen of Hearts.” The first episode of the new season will air at 8 p.m. ET.

Rita Moreno will be presented with the Producers Guild’s Stanley Kramer award at the 2022 PGA Awards, the group announced Wednesday.The Award honors “a production, producer or other individuals whose achievement or contribution illuminates and raises public awareness of important social issues.” It’s named for producer and director Stanley Kramer whose film credits include “Inherit the Wind,” On the Beach,” “The Defiant Ones,” and “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.”Previous honorees include: Jane Fonda, “Get Out,” “Loving,” “Fruitvale Station,” “The Normal Heart,” “Bombshell,” “The Hunting Ground,” “An Inconvenient Truth,” and “Hotel Rwanda.”“With grace, intelligence, charisma, and kindness, Rita Moreno made her mark in history as a brilliant entertainer and leveraged that star power to shepherd stories that tap into the human experience and represent people and communities we rarely see celebrated in film and TV,” PGA Presidents Gail Berman and Lucy Fisher said in a statement. “Beyond her onscreen contributions, she has used her unmistakable voice to hold a mirror to the prejudices and inequities that she so often experienced throughout her career,” the statement read.

Mary Parent, Vice Chairman of Worldwide Production at Legendary Entertainment and the Oscar-nominated producer of The Revenant whose credits also include Dune, will receive the Producers Guild’s 2022 David O. Selznick Achievement Award in March.

Mary Parent, the producer of “Dune” with Legendary Entertainment, will receive this year’s David. O Selznick Achievement Award from the Producers Guild of America.

Former Galavant star Josh Sasse has been tapped as a lead in another music-driven series, Fox’s county music dynasty drama Monarch, which is slated for a midseason launch.

One year ago, PGA co-president Gail Berman had two of her projects — a TV pilot and Baz Luhrmann's upcoming Elvis Presley biopic — shut down on the same day. The latter made the coronavirus feel real for many in America when Tom Hanks , who plays Colonel Tom Parker, confirmed March 11, 2020, that he had been diagnosed with COVID-19 during production.

Clayton Davis The Producers Guild of America has announced the key dates and timeline for their 2021 Producers Guild of America Awards.

Denise Petski Senior Managing EditorEXCLUSIVE: Fox has put in development Icon, an anthology drama series profiling some of the world’s biggest music legends, from producer Gail Berman and leading country music manager Jason Owen. The first installment will focus on Grammy-winning mother and daughter country music duo Naomi and Wynonna Judd, who will executive produce.

Nellie Andreeva Co-Editor-in-Chief, TVEXCLUSIVE: Fox Entertainment is opening a writers room for its Untitled Country Music Dynasty drama from writer/exec producer Melissa London Hilfers with an eye toward potential straight-to-series order for the 2021-22 season. The decision on the project, exec produced by Gail Berman, Hend Baghdady and leading country music manager Jason Owen, is part of a recalibration of the network’s approach to development.

J. Kim Murphy editorThe Producers Guild of America has re-elected presidents Gail Berman and Lucy Fisher.Berman and Fisher will serve a two-year term, continuing their run as the first time two women have served as president in PGA’s history.

Producers Guild co-presidents Gail Berman and Lucy Fisher are headed to the org’s annual awards celebration Jan. 18 with a big accomplishment under their respective belts: its anti-harassment program kicked into high gear in 2019, providing free training to 350 people in six months. The Independent Production Safety Initiative (IPSI), established in late 2018, is a high priority for Berman and Fisher, along with gender parity and health care for members.