Manori Ravindran Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International A Canadian documentary maker whose film helped police crack one of the art world’s biggest fraud cases has been forced to surrender his source material to the Ontario Provincial Police as part of a production order. Jamie Kastner is the director of “There Are No Fakes,” a 2019 documentary that uncovered an art fraud ring that passed off fake paintings as originals by the celebrated Indigenous artist Norval Morrisseau, known for his vibrant paintings of the natural world and First Nations mythology. The eye-opening film, which premiered at Hot Docs in Toronto, revealed there were up to 10 times more Morrisseau forgeries on the market as there were real works, and that the artist’s own nephew may have been complicit in helping to produce the fakes.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Nearly a week after the Oscars, the hurt and disappointment of a missed opportunity still weighs heavily on the minds of some South Asian American dancers, who are setting out to ensure it never happens again. Many in the South Asian dance community were dismayed by the astonishing dearth of South Asian representation in the “Naatu Naatu” performance at Sunday’s Academy Awards. While singers Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava were on hand to perform their hit tune from Tollywood smash “RRR” — which made history for India that night by winning best original song — they were joined on stage by not a single dancer of South Asian heritage.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International ITV presenter Alison Hammond has been tapped as the new co-host on “The Great British Bake Off,” replacing Matt Lucas. Hammond confirmed the news — which was first reported on Thursday by the Daily Mirror — on Friday morning with a short clip featuring the full “Bake Off” hosting line-up in figurines made out of icing.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International “Luther” star Idris Elba and media mogul Mo Abudu are joining forces to empower talent from Africa and the diaspora through their respective production companies, Green Door Pictures and EbonyLife Media. The new partnership aims to provide opportunities through capacity building as well as large-scale global productions. New education and mentoring initiatives will launch through the partnership to foster both the lost generation and a new generation of creatives. Through their collaboration, Elba and Abudu aim to nurture a more inclusive and diverse media landscape for stories from Africa and its diaspora. They are calling on industry leaders, the wider public sector, governments and multilateral agencies to help them grow talent globally and build capacity around the continent of Africa.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Fremantle has struck an exclusive first-look deal with Oscar- and Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker Amy Berg. Under the agreement, Berg’s Disarming Films and Fremantle will jointly develop a slate of documentaries, with Berg working closely with Fremantle’s global head of documentaries Mandy Chang to produce premium projects. Berg’s company, Disarming Films, has been producing documentary features and docuseries for broadcast for over a decade. Berg produced “The Case Against Adnan Syed” for HBO and is currently working on a special follow-up episode set to premiere this fall. Other projects include “We Are: The Brooklyn Saints” (Netflix), “Dogs” (Netflix) and “Keep This Between Us” (Freeform). Her latest film, “Phoenix Rising,” premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2022 and on HBO and HBO Max.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International British film and TV producers can breathe a sigh of relief after months of uncertainty around the country’s tax relief scheme for production. As part of the U.K.’s spring budget, Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt revealed on Wednesday that he’s raising tax credits and keeping the qualifying threshold in place. This is a welcome move for the TV production community, in particular, which has for years taken advantage of a lucrative scheme in which scripted TV shows with a minimum spend of £1 million ($1.2 million) per broadcast hour are able to claim payable cash rebates of up to 25% on qualifying U.K. spend. The tax breaks have helped to elevate the U.K. into a major hub for international productions, yet the scheme has been under review since the fall, causing some anxiety in the production community.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Tull Stories has acquired the BIFA-winning feature film “Our River…Our Sky,” which will be released in U.K. cinemas in September. The film won Best Ensemble Performance at the 2022 British Independent Film Awards and was nominated for two other BIFA awards, including Best Casting (Leila Bertrand) and Best Supporting Performance (Zainab Joda). “Our River…Our Sky” features intersecting individual stories set in Baghdad, Iraq, at a time of intense sectarian violence and nightly curfews, unfolding over the last week of 2006 and culminating in the sudden execution of Saddam Hussein.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Football commentator Gary Lineker is set to return to hosting duties on the BBC this weekend after being pulled off air due to comments about the U.K.’s refugee policy that were deemed to have breached the broadcaster’s impartiality policy. In a statement on Monday morning, the BBC revealed that it will conduct a review of its social media guidance “with a particular focus on how it applies to freelancers outside news and current affairs,” which is the category for star talent such as Lineker. The “Match of the Day” host said in a comment: “I am glad that we have found a way forward. I support this review and look forward to getting back on air.”

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International After several years in the works, British comedy sensation “Motherland” is getting a U.S. adaptation on ABC. Variety understands ABC is close to signing a pilot order for an American remake of the hit BBC comedy. The show was previously set up at Hulu by Lionsgate, which has world distribution rights, but migrated to ABC — which is arguably a much broader platform — last year. “Motherland” has aired on the BBC for three seasons since 2016. Set in a west London neighbourhood, the show follows a wacky group of mothers (and a father) who couldn’t be more different, but are united by the daily school run and a shared abhorrence for those who take parenting a little too seriously.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International The Arctic Monkeys and Guns N’ Roses are set to headline this year’s Glastonbury music festival. The iconic British fest, which returns to Somerset’s Worthy Farm from June 21-25, revealed the top acts as part of its poster reveal (pictured below) on Friday morning. Organizers had previously announced their other headliner, Elton John, earlier this year. John’s rare festival act will be the final U.K. show of the singer’s worldwide farewell tour. Arctic Monkeys will hit the Pyramid Stage on Friday night, while Guns N’ Roses will play on Saturday evening.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International British media editor Juliana Koranteng, a well-respected freelancer in the U.K. journalism community and the founder of JayKay Media Consultancy, has died. She was 64. The Broadcasting Press Guild, of which Koranteng was a member, confirmed on Wednesday that Koranteng died in February following a short illness. “Juliana regularly attended our lunches and breakfasts – most recently, the Kevin Lygo lunch in December 2022 – and lit them up with her shining presence and well-informed questions,” said the BPG in a statement on Wednesday. BPG chair Grant Tucker added: “We had a lovely catch up at the Christmas lunch in December. She was always such a bright personality at every BPG event I attended. She will be much missed.”

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Sony Pictures Classics has acquired all rights in the U.S., Latin America, and select territories in Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe to “The Miracle Club.” Directed by Thaddeus O’Sullivan, the film stars Laura Linney, Maggie Smith, Kathy Bates and Agnes O’Casey. The Dublin-shot film centers on four Dublin women who come together on a pilgrimage to the holy city of Lourdes in France, where they discover the solidarity in their friendship and unveil their own personal miracles. Produced by Chris Curling, Joshua Maurer and Larry Bass, the film was shot throughout 2022 and is currently in post-production. “The Miracle Club” reunites its leading actresses and Sony Pictures Classics, with all three having starred in previous films released by the distributor, including Linney in “Jindabyne” (2006) and “Driving Lessons” (2006), Smith in the titular role of “The Lady in the Van” (2015), and Bates in “Love Liza” (2002) and “Midnight in Paris” (2011).

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Prime Video has delayed the trailer drop for its global spy series “Citadel” following a train crash in Greece. Specific details for the show are still limited, but a first look from last month featured stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Richard Madden poised for a fight in what looks like a luxury train. The trailer, which was expected to launch on Wednesday, is believed to feature a train accident. Understandably, Prime Video will be cautious in going out with the trailer given a devastating train crash on Tuesday in Greece, which has so far killed at least 36 people, according to the BBC.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Utopia and Sumerian have acquired worldwide rights to Eddie Alcazar’s Sundance-premiering “Divinity.” The film had a memorable premiere in Park City, where there was a medical incident (unrelated to the movie) during its world premiere at the Egyptian Theater. Guests in attendance — who received zines and VHS boxes upon arrival — were also treated to writer-director Alcazar showing up to the event in a terrifying mask. Executive produced by Steven Soderbergh and starring Stephen Dorff, the experimental film is set in an otherworldly human existence, where the creation of a groundbreaking immortality serum named “Divinity” is wreaking havoc.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Sideshow and Janus Films have acquired North American rights to the Berlin-premiering family drama “Tótem,” written and directed by “The Chambermaid” helmer Lila Avilés. Winner of the festival’s Ecumenical Jury Prize, the film follows seven-year-old Sol, who spends the day at her grandfather’s home, helping her aunts Nuri and Alejandra with the preparations for a surprise party they’re throwing for her father, Tonatiuh, who is terminally ill. However, as night descends, a strange and chaotic atmosphere takes over, shattering the bonds that hold the family together, and Sol will come to understand that her world will change dramatically.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Ramsay Street is gearing up to welcome a few more familiar faces. Seven long-time characters are joining Amazon Freevee’s continuation of Australian soap “Neighbours.” The new additions include Annie Jones (as Jane Harris), Rebekah Elmaloglou (as Terese Willis), Georgie Stone (as Mackenzie Hargreaves) and Tim Kano (as Leo Tanaka). All cast members will return as series regulars. Meanwhile, those returning in guest roles are Ian Smith (as Harold Bishop), April Rose Pengilly (as Chloe Brennan) and Melissa Bell (as Lucy Robinson). They will be joined by “Neighbours” stalwarts Stefan Dennis, Alan Fletcher, Ryan Moloney and Jackie Woodburne, who were previously announced.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International The BBC is staying 100% loyal to “The Traitors.” The public broadcaster officially greenlit a second season of the smash hit reality series, which is the biggest entertainment launch for the BBC in two years. Casting is now open for the next competition. “The Traitors,” which aired in December, has had 34 million views on BBC streaming service iPlayer. The Studio Lambert-produced show was the biggest new series for young audiences across all BBC titles last year, and the highest rating new entertainment series on the public broadcaster since at least 2017 for young audiences.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International BritBox International has reached three million subscribers across its eight international markets, Variety can reveal. The “best of British” streamer, which is backed internationally by BBC and ITV, has reached its latest milestone across the U.S., Canada, Australia, South Africa, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland. (The service launched in the U.K. in November 2019 but split off from the global operation in 2022 and is now integrated into ITV’s streaming offering, ITVX.) “Through what’s been a really challenging time for lots of SVODs, we’ve grown by 15% this year, which certainly exceeds that category growth for the U.S., and lots of our competitors in that set,” Reemah Sakaan, the London-based CEO of BritBox International, tells Variety.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International BAFTAs awards producer Nick Bullen believes Twitter criticism of Ariana DeBose’s opening number at Sunday’s awards show was “incredibly unfair.” Speaking to Variety the morning after the telecast, the producer — who was backstage during the London awards ceremony honoring the best movies of the year — shared that the “West Side Story” star “put the whole piece together” with her team, working closely with a musical director and choreographer, and didn’t deserve the vitriol. DeBose and her back-up dancers burst onto the stage following host Richard E. Grant’s opening monologue. Belting out “Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves” and “We Are Family,” the singer transitioned into an original rap saluting the awards’ female nominees.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International George MacKay is virtually unrecognizable in the erotic revenge thriller “Femme,” directed by Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping. With slicked-back hair and a heavy-handed neck tattoo, the dashing, soft-spoken British actor, well known for his period roles, is transformed into the kind of East London gangster you’d go out of your way to avoid. Part of what makes MacKay’s character, Preston, so menacing is the fact that he’s deeply closeted. When one night he’s teased in front of his friends by Nathan Stewart-Jarrett’s drag artist Jules — dressed up as Aphrodite Banks — he responds with violence so severe that it shatters Jules’ confidence to ever perform in drag again. The attack emboldens Jules to ensnare an unwitting Preston in an intense sexual relationship with the intention of outing him on the Internet.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Vanessa Redgrave and Freida Pinto have boarded the family feature “The Boy at the Back of the Class,” based on the acclaimed children’s book. Directed by Stephen Herek (“101 Dalmations”), the film centers on a mysterious new boy called Ahmet who joins nine-year-old Alexa’s school. As Alexa learns that he is a refugee, separated from his family, she will do anything she can to help. With the adults out of the way, Alexa and her school friends come up with a daring plan to reunite Ahmet with his family – the start of an adventure that will take them all the way to Buckingham Palace. The film is penned by “A Street Cat Named Bob” screenwriter Tim John. Adam Rolston and David Braithwaite at Studio Pictures are producing. Nicola Pearcey of Picnik Entertainment and Paul Grindey are executive producing. Casting director is BAFTA nominee Carolyn McLeod.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International One of the hottest packages at the EFM has been taken off the table for international. Sources tell Variety that Prime Video has snapped up all international rights, excluding the U.S., to Justin Kurzel’s “The Order,” which stars Jude Law and Nicholas Hoult in a story about the titular white supremacist organization that operated in the 1980s. The project is penned by Oscar- and BAFTA-nominated writer Zach Baylin (“King Richard”), who based the screenplay on Kevin Flynn and Gary Gerhardt’s book “The Silent Brotherhood.” Published in 1989, the book details the activities of the radical-right hate group The Order, which was one of the most sinister organizations to emerge in America since the Ku Klux Klan.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Adrien Brody is not interested in the culture wars. It’s fascinating, he admits, “but it’s really tragic.” “We see how fractured our world is. Look around: It’s not hard to see,” says the Oscar-winning actor from his home in New York. Brody had to dive into these dark corners when preparing for “Manodrome,” in which he plays a masculinity cult leader, and was quick to dive right out. “I tried to put this stuff down,” he admits. But his character, “Dad Dan,” isn’t the super-serious, nefarious figurehead one summons when envisioning a libertarian masculinity cult. Rather, his is a friendly, hoodie-wearing man of leisure who opens his house to all who need sanctuary. Sanctuary, that is, from the evil, entrapping ways of women and modern society.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Tennis legends Serena and Venus Williams and Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Westbrook Studios have boarded the feature documentary “COPA 71,” about the 1971 Women’s World Cup of soccer. The Williams sisters will serve as executive producers on the film, which is a Dogwoof and New Black Films co-production. The project is executive produced and backed by Westbrook. Currently in production and promising never-before-seen archival footage, “COPA 71” tells the story of the 1971 Women’s World Cup, which saw soccer teams from all over the world gather in Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium to compete in front of more than 100,000 spectators. It was the last women’s World Cup until the official FIFA event 20 years later. Dismissed by both FIFA and domestic football associations around the world, the event was written out of history — until now.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International The U.K.’s British Film Commission and Film in Austria, the national film commission for Austria, have struck a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) paving the way for more film and high-end TV production between the two territories. New film and TV production incentives were introduced in Austria last month, including Europe’s first “green” filming bonus. Meanwhile, in the U.K., statistics released in February revealed that investment into film and high-end television during 2022 reached a record height of £6.27 billion ($7.72 billion). Through the MoU, which will be signed in Berlin on Sunday, the BFC and Film in Austria say they seeks to “encourage greater cultural, commercial and creative exchange between the U.K. and Austria whilst actively working together to foster opportunities to support inward investment film and high-end TV production in both countries.”

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International After breaking into NASA to make his last movie, “Operation Avalanche,” one would think that “BlackBerry” — a film that, on paper, sounds like a standard book adaptation about a Canadian boom-and-bust story — would be a walk in the park for Matt Johnson. For anyone else, it might have been. But short-cuts don’t compute for the Toronto-based helmer. His outright rejection of Hollywood’s camera tricks in place of a wild do-it-yourself approach has made him one of the most radical new voices emerging from Canada. In “BlackBerry,” which world premieres on Friday, Johnson tackles the story of one of Canada’s greatest modern inventions, the BlackBerry mobile phone — tracing its spectacular ascent into a global phenomenon that brought email to users’ fingertips, to its tragic downfall in the wake of corporate mismanagement and the dawn of Apple’s iPhone.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Dogwoof has boarded MTV Documentary Films’ Sundance winner “The Eternal Memory” for international sales excluding the U.S. The latest feature from Oscar-nominated “Mole Agent” director Maite Alberdi had its world premiere as part of the World Cinema Documentary Competition at Sundance last month, where it won the World Cinema Documentary Grand Jury Prize before MTV Documentary Films acquired worldwide rights. Dogwoof will work in partnership with MTV Documentary Films to represent the film for international sales. The project marks the second collaboration between Dogwoof and Alberdi, having represented “The Mole Agent” for international sales before it was nominated for an Academy Award for best documentary feature in 2021.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Protagonist Pictures has sold out international on Rebecca Miller’s Berlinale opener “She Came to Me.” The Peter Dinklage-led film has sold into Sky for the U.K. and Ireland, Belga for Benelux, Originals Factory for France, Lusomundo for Portugal, Trip Pictures for Spain, M2 Eastern for Europe, Cinesky for Airlines, Aud for South Korea and Shochiku for Japan. In addition, Universal Pictures Content Group has made a multi-territory deal that spans Germany, Austria, Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Scandinavia, Iceland, Switzerland, Israel, Middle East, South Africa, Turkey, Australia and New Zealand, Latin America, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Asia pay-TV rights.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Peter Dinklage has spoken candidly about turning 50 and weighing up his future as an actor over the next three decades. The “Game of Thrones” star leads Rebecca Miller’s new film “She Came to Me,” which opens the Berlin Film Festival on Thursday. In the movie, Dinklage plays Steven, a moody classical composer struggling with an oppressive writer’s block that prevents him from delivering his next opera. At a press conference ahead of the premiere, the film’s cast was asked how they deal with creative blocks of their own. “I’m 53. I wonder if I want to be an actor for the next 30 years,” said Dinklage. “It’s a fork in the road. It’s a common story when you hit 50: there’s a fork in the road and you either wait for inspiration or you seek it out, and I intend to keep seeking it out.”

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International If you ask Rebecca Miller, it’s getting harder and harder to make movies about people in a room talking. That particular brand of intimate, personal storytelling, the kind the director of “Maggie’s Plan” and “The Private Lives of Pippa Lee” is known for, is a challenging prospect for financiers weighing up a Darwinian landscape for cinemagoing. It’s why Miller’s latest, “She Came to Me,” which opens the Berlin Film Festival on Thursday, feels like a triumph for the American director, who marks her return to narrative features after an eight-year hiatus. “Making a movie like this is actually meaningful for independent cinema — it’s meaningful that we got it made,” said Miller. “Every time that happens, it’s a real victory, because it is very difficult … it’s hard to get personal films made.”

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International New sales agent and financier Architect has come on board to represent international sales on writer-director Laurel Parmet’s Sundance-premiering “The Starling Girl.” The film was acquired for North America by Bleecker Street in a deal negotiated by UTA and WME, and will release in cinemas later this year. Architect will launch international sales at this week’s European Film Market, which runs alongside the Berlin Film Festival. “The Starling Girl” premiered at Sundance to strong reviews, and will screen in the Festival Favourites section at SXSW next month. It stars Eliza Scanlen (“Sharp Objects”), Lewis Pullman (“Top Gun: Maverick”), Jimmi Simpson (“Westworld”), Wrenn Schmidt (“Nope)” and Austin Abrams (“Paper Towns|). The film is produced by Kevin Rowe and Kara Durrett.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Saban Films has acquired the U.S., U.K. and other international rights to Jean-Claude Van Damme action-spy thriller “Darkness of Man.” Directed by James Cullen Bressack, the film sees Van Damme playing Interpol operative Russell Hatch, who witnesses the death of his last informant in a routine raid gone wrong. Years later, he takes on a father figure role to the son of the informant, and finds himself protecting the boy from a group of merciless gangs in an all-out turf war. Alongside the U.S. and U.K., Saban Films has picked up Australian/New Zealand, African, Spanish and Scandinavian territory rights to the film, which also stars Kristanna Loken (“Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines”), Peter Jae (“Blackhat”), Spencer Breslin (“The Kid”), Emerson Min (“Black-ish”) and rapper Sticky Fingaz.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Bleecker Street continues its acquisition spree with the pick-up of historical epic “The Return,” which reunites Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche. The project, which will be based on Homer’s ancient classic “The Odyssey,” is directed by Academy Award nominee Uberto Pasolini and written by Edward Bond, John Collee and Pasolini. The project, announced last year, reunited “The English Patient” co-stars Fiennes and Binoche after 25 years. The pic will also star Venice Film Festival Best Young Actor Award winner Charlie Plummer, with production beginning in Greece this spring in the regions of Corfu and the Peloponnese, before continuing in Italy. Bleecker Street will release the film in theaters in 2024.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International BAFTA’s new CEO Jane Millichip is preparing to welcome the largest group of nominees to ever turn up at this weekend’s film awards. It’s exciting, says the executive, both from a red carpet perspective, but also as a testament to the growing appeal of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. “It’s the real mandate of BAFTA that people are flying from all corners of the world to come to our ceremony. I’m really proud of that, to be honest,” says Millichip. Guests confirmed to attend as presenters include Brian Cox, Catherine-Zeta-Jones, Cynthia Erivo, Diego Luna, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Jamie Dornan, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jodie Turner-Smith, Julianne Moore, Lily James, Martin Freeman, Matthew Modine, Rami Malek, Regé Jean Page, Rita Wilson, Sir Patrick Stewart, Taron Egerton, Toheeb Jimoh and Troy Kotsur.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International SkyShowtime will complete its European roll-out this month with two remaining launches in Spain and Andorra, Variety can reveal. The two markets, which will launch on Feb. 28, take SkyShowtime’s footprint to over 20 markets and completes its European configuration, allowing the platform to now focus on building out a premium content offering that will help it compete with Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+ in Europe. The service is also establishing itself amid a turbulent time for one of its namesake brands. Paramount Global revealed earlier this month that legacy brand Showtime will be renamed as “Paramount+ With Showtime” in a bid to integrate streaming service Paramount+ across both linear and streaming platforms. Showtime co-presidents Gary Levine and Jana Winograde are also exiting their current posts amid the shake-up at the pay-TV channel.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Bruce Springsteen has penned an original song for Rebecca Miller’s new film “She Came to Me,” which will have its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival this week. The song, “Addicted to Romance,” was written and performed by Springsteen, and will be heard by audiences for the first time during the movie’s Feb. 16 screening, when it plays over the end credits. Romantic comedy “She Came to Me” stars Peter Dinklage as a moody classical composer struggling with writer’s block. When he meets a quirky tugboat captain (Marisa Tomei), he finds the muse for his next opus and is encouraged by his therapist wife (Anne Hathaway) to make his big comeback. But just as his career looks to take off, his personal life implodes.