Len Amato Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Angelique Jackson Film Independent has made notable additions to its ranks with Dan Stern elected to the board of directors, while Chaz Ebert, Kasi Lemmons and Lulu Wang join the nonprofit arts organization’s advisory board. The new appointees are the first under Film Independent board chair Brenda Robinson’s tenure after her January 2022 election.

Anna Tingley If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. In addition to rapidly growing its star-studded roster of teachers, MasterClass has found another way to attract more customers: lowering its price. The online learning platform announced on Tuesday that it will lower the price of a subscription from $15 to $10 per month. In addition to the price change, the service also unveiled new programming for the coming year, including an improv course taught by Amy Poehler set to release in the fall. In the classes, the Emmy-winning comedian will workshop real life scenarios with a live audience, teaching viewers how to approach flexibility, openness and humor. “By continuing to innovate the approach to our portfolio of content and making the platform more accessible, we’re not only unlocking potential in our members, we’re enabling them to realize it,” David Rogier, the founder and CEO of MasterClass, said in a statement.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Documentary filmmaker and producer Ben Cotner has joined celebrity-driven online learning platform MasterClass as vice president of creative, leading the company’s creative and development teams. Cotner reports to chief content officer Len Amato, the former HBO exec who joined MasterClass a year ago. Cotner joined indie studio A24 in 2019 as head of documentaries where he oversaw the production of “Val” (for Amazon), “Home” Season 2 (Apple TV+) as well as several films currently in post-production including Morgan Neville’s untitled Steve Martin project for Apple TV+. He will continue to see many of these projects through as a producer or executive producer, according to MasterClass.

following Len Amato’s departure.Orsi has been with HBO since 2003, when she began as an executive assistant. She eventually rose through the ranks to co-run the drama series development and programming department in 2016 with David Levine, who ran point on “Westworld” and “True Detective.” The role was president of HBO programming Casey Bloys’ first appointment.

EXCLUSIVE: As she is getting ready to mark her 20th anniversary at HBO next year, Francesca Orsi has officially extended her contract at the premium network through 2026. Her new title is EVP, HBO Programming, Head of HBO Drama Series and Films.

Rafe Spall, who has starred in Apple TV+’s Trying and The Big Short, is to star in HBO Films’ The Days Of Abandonment alongside Natalie Portman and Mary-Louise Parker.

Mary-Louise Parker is set as a lead opposite Natalie Portman in HBO Films’ The Days of Abandonment, based on Elena Ferrante’s best-selling novel. The film, which is currently in pre-production, hails from writer-director Maggie Betts (Novitiate), Portman and her MountainA Films, Maven Screen Media, Len Amato’s Crash & Salvage and Fandango. Ferrante also serves as an executive producer.

Oscar winner Natalie Portman is set to star and executive produce HBO Films’ The Days of Abandonment, based on Elena Ferrante’s best-selling novel. The film, which is currently in pre-production, hails from writer-director Maggie Betts (Invitiate), Portman and her MountainA Films, Maven Screen Media, Len Amato’s Crash & Salvage and Fandango.  Ferrante also serves as an executive producer.

HBO is developing a new film based on the GameStop Reddit controversy that took over the headlines last week.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterA scripted GameStop film is in development at HBO.The project hails from executive producers Andrew Ross Sorkin of TBTF Productions, Len Amato of Crash&Salvage, and Jason Blum of Blumhouse Television.The film is described as exploring how a populist uprising of social media day traders beat Wall Street at their own game, turning the stock market upside down and shaking the financial world to its core.This is the latest onscreen project set up to detail the ongoing stock

Hollywood is continuing to go crazy for GameStop with HBO the latest to get involved in a project based on the stock saga.