Katie Reul Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Katie Reul editor “Company,” “MJ” and “The Wiz” are among seven shows coming to the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles for the 2023-2024 season, Broadway in Hollywood revealed Wednesday morning. The newly announced lineup consists of five L.A. premieres, one pre-Broadway L.A. premiere and the revival of a retired production. “MJ” will commence the season Dec. 20, marking the Tony Award-winning musical’s Los Angeles debut. Directed and choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon and Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, the show centers its narrative around the creative legacy and unique sound of Michael Jackson.

Katie Reul editor Sam Elliott, the mustachioed actor best known for roles in “1883,” “A Star Is Born” and “The Big Lebowski,” sat on Variety‘s Talks, presented by Paramount+, for a meditation on endings and beginnings throughout his long career. Born and raised in Sacramento, Elliott explained his love for filmmaking developed as a result of frequent visits to The Sequoia, his local theater. At the age of 9, he saw “Creature from the Black Lagoon” (1954), which he credits as a major source of inspiration in committing to acting: “I wanted to make an audience feel what that magic was doing up there,” Elliott said. A deep dive through the Variety archives yielded insight on the first time Elliott’s name ever appeared in print. Elliott shared a laugh with Cynthia Littleton, Variety Co-Editor in Chief, when she surprised him with a copy of his first-ever reference in Variety, a two-line item from the April 16, 1968, edition noting that he signed to be a contract player for 20th Century Fox, in the waning days of Old Hollywood.

Katie Reul editor Chris Chesser, the producer known for his work on the sports comedy “Major League,” has died. He was 74. Chesser died suddenly Feb. 2 while at his Los Angeles home, brothers Alan and Steve Chesser announced Tuesday. The cause of death has yet to be confirmed. In 1974, the producer took his first steps into the entertainment industry as an executive in international sales at Columbia Pictures. Two years later, Chesser became general manager of the American Film Institute in Los Angeles. Between 1980 and 1983, Chesser helmed two production companies: he served as vice president of production at Marble Arch Productions and functioned as head of production for Filmways, until the company was acquired by Orion Pictures.

Katie Reul editor Feb. 19 marks a celebratory milestone for multi-hyphenate Victoria Justice, and not just because the former “Victorious” actor is turning 30. After a year of promising fans new music, Justice will debut her long-awaited single, “Last Man Standing,” today. “I’m stepping into my 30s in this place of feeling empowered,” Justice tells Variety of timing the release to her birthday. “I feel like this song really captures a lot of that energy, and it’s fun, and it’s kind of sexy, and it’s got these very strong themes of female empowerment, so it just felt like a really good fit.” “Last Man Standing” features intoxicatingly upbeat vocals from Justice set to a breezy, four-chord riff on the acoustic guitar. The performer’s talent is on full display in the song’s chorus, for which she sings in an ethereal high register. Cementing her place in pop iconography, the track is a welcomed follow-up Justice’s previous tracks, like 2021’s “Too F*ckin’ Nice” and 2020’s “Treat Myself.”

Katie Reul editor Disney has unveiled a new teaser for its live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid,” beckoning viewers to become part of Ariel’s world. The upcoming musical, directed by Rob Marshall, reimagines the original 1989 animated film with live actors. The new adaptation will once again see the mermaid Ariel fall for a human prince who lives above the water, spurring a devilish plot from the nefarious Ursula. Halle Bailey stars as Ariel, alongside Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Javier Bardem as King Triton, Jacob Tremblay as the voice of Flounder and Daveed Diggs as the voice of Sebastian. The trailer gives a first look at Ursula and Prince Eric.

Katie Reul editor Emily Blunt, Andrew Garfield and Caleb McLaughlin are among the presenters for the 29th Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards. Nominees who will double as presenters include Blunt, who is up for female actor in a TV movie or limited series for her role in “The English,” and Jessica Chastain, who received a nod in the same category for her performance in the series “George & Tammy.” Actors Don Cheadle (“White Noise”), Caleb McLaughlin (“Stranger Things”), Paul Mescal (“Aftersun”), Ashley Park (“Emily in Paris) and Andrew Garfield (“Tick, Tick… Boom!”) will also take the stage.

Katie Reul editor First-look images of “Dead Ringers,” an upcoming limited series from Prime Video, were revealed on Tuesday along with an official April 21 premiere date. All six episodes will be released at once on Prime Video and available for streaming in over 240 countries and territories. The psychological thriller is a fresh take on director David Cronenberg’s 1988 film of the same name. “Dead Ringers” follows the complicated lives of twin gynecologists Elliot and Beverly Mantle, who perform ethically questionable procedures on infertile women. Rachel Weisz, best known for her roles in 2018’s “The Favourite” and 2017’s “Disobedience,” will star as both Mantle siblings. The cast also includes Britne Oldford, Poppy Liu, Michael Chernus, Jennifer Ehle and Emily Meade.

Katie Reul editor Tamara Gould has been named chief content officer for Public Media Group of Southern California, the parent company of public broadcasting outlets PBS SoCal, KCET and Link TV. In her new position, Gould will report to PMGSC president and CEO Andrew Russell. She oversees a slate of responsibilities ranging from development to delivery. Working under Gould’s purview is a team of content producers focused on magnifying stories from native SoCal communities. Gould replaces previous chief creative officer Juan Devis, who exited the stations last year. “Tamara Gould is an extraordinary talent and she brings a wealth of production experience and deep ties to public media,” Russell said, adding that Gould’s hire aligned with the company’s goal of increasing content production. “She has great skill in building strategic collaborations with both local and national partners to support independent filmmakers and is an industry-recognized leader in the world of documentary storytelling.”

Katie Reul editor Tamara Gould has been named chief content officer for Public Media Group of Southern California, the parent company of public broadcasting outlets PBS SoCal, KCET and Link TV. In her new position, Gould will report to PMGSC president and CEO Andrew Russell. She oversees a slate of responsibilities ranging from development to delivery. Working under Gould’s purview is a team of content producers focused on magnifying stories from native SoCal communities. “Tamara Gould is an extraordinary talent and she brings a wealth of production experience and deep ties to public media,” Russell said, reflecting on how Gould’s hire aligns with the company’s goal of increasing content production. “She has great skill in building strategic collaborations with both local and national partners to support independent filmmakers and is an industry-recognized leader in the world of documentary storytelling.”

Katie Reul editor Apple TV+ revealed the official trailer today for Season 2 of “Slow Horses,” the Gary Oldman thriller series that follows a team of British intelligence agents. The second season premieres globally on the streaming service Dec. 2 with the first two episodes, followed by one new episode each week after that for the duration of the six-episode season. And if there’s any confirmation of what fans can anticipate from Season 2, it’s that “more people are going to die,” according to a voice-over in the trailer from returning star Jack Lowden. In the new season of “Slow Horses” (which is adapted from Mick Herron’s sequel novel “Dead Lion”), when exposure of previously-concealed Cold War secrets creates tension between Russia and Britain, the spies are again tasked with protecting society from inevitable catastrophe. Stars from Season 1 have returned for the production of the upcoming release, including Academy-Award winner Oldman as Jackson Lamb, Lowden as River Cartwright, Kristin Scott Thomas as Diana Taverner, Saskia Reeves as Catherine Standish and many more.

Katie Reul editor Three-time Tony winner Patti LuPone isn’t leaving Broadway. Despite her recent move to give up her Actor’s Equity card, which fans took as a sign of her impending retirement, she says she’s just taking a break. “I just gave up my equity card, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t perform on-stage,” LuPone told Variety at Netflix’s “The School for Good and Evil” premiere Tuesday. “It’s 50 years that I’ve been a member of Actors Equity, and I think I need a break from the stage.” LuPone clarified that provisions in her former membership allow her to still make guest appearances on stage in the meantime, but without being a part of the labor union, she won’t be taking any major roles on Broadway any time soon.

Katie Reul editor Nearly a decade has passed since the disbandment of My Chemical Romance (MCR), the post-hardcore, pop-punk group led by frontman Gerard Way. And as a generation of Vans Warped Tour devotees grew up, so, too, did Gerard’s 13-year-old daughter, Bandit, who is now of age to appreciate her father’s music in all its angsty glory. At the Oct. 15 show of the band’s reunion tour, which had been postponed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gerard’s daughter was front and center at the Kia Forum with a squad of her friends. The vocalist dedicated his 2006 hit song “Teenagers” to her, which was a surreal moment for adult concert-goers whose punk awakening similarly began in early adolescence.

Katie Reul editor When executive producer and Academy Award-winning actress Reese Witherspoon was tasked with casting a performer to play Amy Wheeler in “From Scratch,” Netflix’s limited series adaptation of Tembi Locke’s memoir, she looked no further than her dinner table. Witherspoon was dining across from Zoe Saldaña, who was accompanied by her Italian husband and exchanging bits of dialogue in his native tongue, when she realized the “Avatar” star would be the perfect actor to play Amy. The show is an epic love story about Amy’s whirlwind romance with a hunky Sicilian chef named Lino (Eugenio Mastrandrea), who she meets while studying abroad in Italy. When Lino is diagnosed with cancer, the couple must reconcile with family and navigate their love in the face of imminent loss.

Katie Reul editor The 66th annual British Film Institute (BFI) London Film Festival announced winners Saturday evening for a competition group representing a diverse selection of stories ranging from period pieces to eerie thrillers. Writer-director Marie Kreutzer’s “Corsage,” was recognized with the festival’s highest honor — the best film award — continuing the historical drama’s festival praise after lead actress Vicky Krieps was awarded the Un Certain Regard best performance prize at Cannes. Set during Christmas in 1877, “Corsage” follows Empress Elizabeth as she attempts to find liberation from the stifling conformity of her stuffy, image-focused lifestyle as a Vienna royal. Though the film is in part based on the historical figure, who reigned for 44 years, artistic deviations are made in the former ruler’s story.

Katie Reul editor Two generations of children — and their parents — are familiar with the colossal purple dinosaur that frolicked across their television screens each week. The PBS series “Barney & Friends” amassed 14 seasons between 1992 and 2010 in the course of its lengthy run before coming to a flaming halt. The reasons for the show’s initial success and accursed demise are outlined in a two-part docuseries from director Tommy Avallone, titled “I Love You, You Hate Me,” which is available for streaming on Peacock on Oct. 12. With parallels to Sundance award-winner “Feels Good Man,” the 2020 indie documentary about Pepe the Frog that explores how a meme can be transformed from a comedic icon into a hate symbol, “I Love You, You Hate Me” delves into the lesser-known evils of the Barney bashing movement, when teenagers and adults alike began to bastardize the once-beloved character with acts of violence both physically and online.

Katie Reul editor Director Gregg Araki’s 1995 comedy-thriller “The Doom Generation” first debuted at that year’s Sundance Film Festival, setting in motion the film’s successful trajectory toward the distinction of being a cult classic. Almost three decades later, the film — now remastered in 4K and presented as an uncensored director’s cut — will be enjoyed by audiences again at the 2023 iteration of the Utah-based festival. Also being screened for audiences is a digital restoration of “SLAM,” the 1998 urban crime drama from director Marc Levin that took home the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival that same year. “SLAM” and “The Doom Generation” were announced by the nonprofit Sundance Institute as the first two films in this year’s From the Collection screening line-up.

Katie Reul editor Despite its 19th century publication, Charles Dickens’ classic “A Christmas Carol” pervades as a popular holiday tale adapted dozens of times for cinema. So what makes the next iteration of this story unique from the rest? The answer is comedians Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds, who are co-starring in the musical “Spirited” — the latest adaptation of the canonical piece of literature. Reynolds will be playing Clint Briggs, a younger, funnier version of the old, crotchety Ebenezer Scrooge, while Ferrell will be portraying the ghost of Christmas Present. However, Clint turns the tables and reexamines the ghost’s past, present and future. For the first time, “A Christmas Carol” is told from the perspective of the ghosts in this hilarious musical twist on the classic Dickens tale.

Katie Reul editor Anna Sorokin, the ex-con-artist who inspired the Netflix series “Inventing Anna,” discussed her oncoming legal battle against potential deportation in her first interview since her release from prison on Oct. 8. Speaking with the New York Times, Sorokin asserted that she is regretful of her criminal actions, which involved swindling the upper echelons of Manhattan by posing as an heiress under the name “Anna Delvey.” “I learned so much being in jail,” Sorokin said. “There’s a very well-documented arc about how I’ve felt about everything. It wouldn’t be right if I were just to switch in one day. That would be very disingenuous. It’s a process. I am regretful about the way things played out. The way I’ve tried to see my experience is to learn from it: Who I am today is because of the decisions I made in the past.”

Katie Reul editor The annual Reykjavík International Film Festival (RIFF) came to a close Saturday evening, concluding an 11-day event by screening the year’s top honorees at Háskólabíó alongside the award-winning Austrian drama “Vera.” Victors in the New Visions category, which exclusively features debut and sophomore films from filmmakers, are among the works which earned an on-screen reprisal. Winners include Golden Puffin recipient “Rodeo,” continuing the film’s early success in the awards circuit at festivals like Cannes and Champs-Élysées. “I spent five years writing what became ‘Rodeo,'” director Lola Quivoron previously told Varietyin regard to her feature debut. “I wanted to create a true fiction tale and weave in elements of genre, gangsterism and a bit of western. The idea was to make a film that had an aesthetic and a cinematic dimension.”

Katie Reul editor The action-packed final season of “His Dark Materials” will debut its first two episodes in a back-to-back broadcast on HBO Dec. 5, according to a teaser that premiered at New York Comic-Con. Season 3 will also be available for streaming on HBO Max. James McAvoy is making a significant resurgence in the series as Lord Asriel, who was absent from the screen for the majority of Season 2. The upcoming season largely focuses on Asriel rallying military forces to launch a holy crusade against the “Authority” — an antagonistic spiritual force that dictates his universe. “I’m gathering the greatest from every world to help me wage war,” Asriel reveals in the trailer.

Katie Reul editor Russian-born con-artist Anna Sorokin, better known by her alias “Anna Delvey,” is being released from federal jail on a $10,000 bail bond after being arrested by immigration authorities for overstaying her visa in March 2021. Sorokin is required to remain in a 24-hour home confinement with electronic monitoring and no access to social media, per Bloomberg. “We are extremely gratified by the court’s decision today to release Anna Sorokin,” said Duncan Levin, Sorokin’s lawyer. “The judge rightfully recognized that Anna is not a danger to the community.” One month prior to her arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, Sorokin was released on parole for good behavior after serving just three years of her four-to-12 year sentence. She was first convicted in May 2019 on eight counts, including theft of services and grand larceny.

Katie Reul editor David Harbour is boosting his resume as a badass in the first trailer for “Violent Night,” a holiday thriller featuring the “Stranger Things” star as Santa Claus. Under the direction of Norwegian filmmaker Tommy Wirkola, Harbour plays a grizzlier, more rueful version of Kris Kringle, who is anything but jolly in the trailer. On Christmas Eve, (Not-So) Saint Nick encounters a family being held hostage by a team of mercenaries and is forced to take matters into his own hands. Harbour is joined by an ensemble that includes Cam Gigandet, Beverly D’Angelo and John Leguizamo. The script was penned by Pat Casey and Josh Miller, who previously wrote the first and second live-action “Sonic the Hedgehog” movies.

Katie Reul editor “‘Til death do us part” is the haunting overtone of director Jason Moore’s upcoming feature “Shotgun Wedding,” which combines the thriller, romance and comedy genres into 100 minutes of action-packed content. Prime Video dropped the trailer online (TK) to promote the film ahead of its anticipated international premiere on Jan. 27, 2023. Co-starring Grammy-nominated singer Jennifer Lopez and actor Josh Duhamel as an engaged couple, the two are about to get married when the entire wedding party is taken hostage by criminals. The couple must then overcome the bumps in their relationship to save their friends and family.

Katie Reul editor Fan-favorite “Blue’s Clues” host Steve Burns will reunite with his furry sidekick in Nickelodeon’s upcoming feature “Blue’s Big City Adventure.” Nickelodeon Jr. dropped the official trailer for the upcoming film Oct. 3, which confirmed the reprisal of Burns’ role about half-way through in a surprise reveal. “You? Is that you?” Burns seems to inquire of the viewer, while looking directly into the camera. The casting decision comes just over a year after Burns posted a video to Twitter for the series’ 25th year anniversary, explaining his rationale for departing from the show in 2002. The viral tweet launched Burns back into the media spotlight and garnered the former actor over 1.5 million followers on TikTok, where the video was further spread.

Katie Reul editor “Encanto” swept the 37th annual Imagen Awards, which was held Sunday at Downtown Los Angeles’ La Plaza de Cultura y Artes, but the Disney musical movie was closely matched by several wins from Hulu’s “Love, Victor.” Overall, “Encanto” creators took home the most awards of any nominated project and were recognized for Best Feature Film, Best Music Composition for Film or Television, Best Music Supervision for Film or Television and Best Director – Feature Film, which co-director Charise Castro Smith was not expecting. “I’m pretty sure my mom is never going to live down the fact that I won a best director award when nominated against Stephen Spielberg,” Castro Smith, who is also known for producing “The Haunting of Hill House,” joked with the audience during her acceptance speech. “That’s serious bragging rights for her Zumba class.”

Katie Reul editor Individuals seeking advice from self-help guide Cathy Heller are usually met with a daunting waitlist, but after signing her first Simon & Schuster book deal, nuggets of wisdom from the L.A.-based life coach will become far more accessible. Titled “Abundant Ever After: Building the Future You Can’t Stop Dreaming About,” Heller’s new book outlines the steps to align with one’s truest, most personal self — from filtering intrusive thoughts to matching the vibrational energy of your surroundings. The novel will be released in hard cover on Aug. 22, 2023. As explored in her novel, Heller theorizes that all humans have the capacity to change their lives for the better and rewrite the narrative they’ve been given — a journey she’s experienced first-hand.

Katie Reul editor As the countdown to the 2022 midterm elections reaches the six-week mark, Planned Parenthood Votes and Planned Parenthood Action Fund are rallying voters to cast their ballots in favor of abortion rights with the debut of a 60-second commercial spot called “Your Voice.” Directed by Karyn Kusama, known for her work in the horror genre on features like “Jennifer’s Body” and “The Invitation,” the video capitalizes on the fears of modern reality — like absence of bodily autonomy and political brainwashing — in a post-Roe v. Wade society. The spot is Kusama’s first-ever commercial gig. “I never really believed in the mission of, honestly, selling products,” Kusama tells Variety. “But this was more about a fundamental idea. This was about bringing an idea, a state of mind, a snapshot of reality to average viewers — regular viewers — across a very broad spectrum of people and across a broad spectrum of beliefs.”

Katie Reul editor “Don’t Worry Darling” cast member KiKi Layne has shared a post celebrating her time working on the film, while also alleging that a large fraction of her scenes didn’t make the final cut of the film. In an Instagram post shared on Sunday, Layne wrote that her and her co’star Ari’el Stachel were largely omitted from the film’s released version. “The best thing about #DontWorryDarling is that I was lucky enough to meet Ari’el Stachel,” Layne captioned the post. “They cut us from most of the movie, but we thriving in real life.”A post shared by KiKi Layne (@kikilayne) Layne concludes the message by expressing her love for Stachel, followed by the hashtags “#GotMyCheck,”“#GotMyMan,” and “#EverythingHappensforaReason.”

Katie Reul editor Dale McRaven, an Emmy-nominated television writer and a creator behind shows like “Perfect Strangers” and “Mork & Mindy,” died Sept. 5 at his home in Porter Ranch, Calif. due to lung cancer complications. He was 83. McRaven’s death was confirmed to Variety by his son, David McRaven. McRaven received nominations from both the Writers Guild of America Awards and the Primetime Emmys for his work writing on ABC’s “Mork & Mindy,” which he served as a co-creator of alongside Joe Glauberg and the late film director Garry Marshall, who he worked closely with throughout his career.

Katie Reul editor As the pioneer of premium cable, HBO became popular for a programming lineup that offered plenty of adult-oriented choices alongside shows for children. But the cabler’s streaming service HBO Max continues to make tweaks in the wake of the Warner Bros. Discovery merger, film enthusiasts are fearful the service is over-compensating in trying to protect viewers from the dangers of smoking — through removing images of cigarettes and cigars. “No Smoking! Twitter users report HBO Max removed Warren Beatty’s and Paul Newman’s cigars from movie poster art used on its home page: ‘McCabe & Mrs. Miller.’ ‘The Life and Times of [Judge] Roy Bean,'” Twitter user Pete Salisbury wrote.

Katie Reul editor As the East Coast’s largest pop culture convention, the annual New York Comic Con (NYCC) is a space for comic, film and TV enthusiasts alike to find community in fandoms — all while in the city that never sleeps. This year, the convention returns to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center from Oct. 6-9 with a stacked lineup of panels, exhibitions and exclusive VIP experiences.  Similar to last year’s hybrid format, attendees have the choice of purchasing tickets at $22.75 a piece for digital access to the event’s in-person programming. Panels in major convention halls will be streamed over live video, while audio streams will be available for smaller rooms.