Roger Deakins Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Peter Caranicas Deputy Editor EnergaCamerimage, the international cinematography-focused film festival, will honor Oscar winner Sam Mendes with the Special Krzysztof Kieslowski Award for Director during its 30th anniversary edition, which will run in Toruń Poland Nov. 12-19. The helmer’s “Empire of Light,” starring Academy Award winner Olivia Colman (‘The Favourite,” “The Lost Daughter”) and BAFTA-winner Michael Ward (“Blue Story,” “Top Boy”), will open the Camerimage fest in addition to being one of the Main Competition nominees. Aside from “Empire of Light,” Mendes’ notable films include “American Beauty” (for which he won his best director Oscar), “Road to Perdition,” “Revolutionary Road,” “Skyfall,” “Spectre” and “1917.”

In a new GQ “Breaks Down His Most Iconic Characters” video piece, actor Josh Brolin reveals that when director Denis Villeneuve wanted him for a part in “Dune” and offered to send the script, Brolin immediately said, “No need.” As in, having worked with him already, he was taking the part without having to read a word. “I had a feeling first of all, and it was Denis, second,” Brolin explained about why he gave an immediate yes.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events.

TeamDeakins, the podcast run by acclaimed cinematographer Roger Deakins and James Deakins, his collaborator, a script supervisor, and his wife, is consistently entertaining and listenable. On a recent episode, the Deakins duo had actor Benicio del Toro on the podcast to discuss their work together on “Sicario”—Roger was the DP, del Toro co-starred— and much of the Latin American actor’s impressive career.

Oscar winning filmmakers Pedro Almodóvar and Spike Lee are getting feted at this year’s TIFF Tribute Awards.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Legendary filmmakers Pedro Almodóvar and Spike Lee are the first honorees announced for this year’s TIFF Tribute Awards. Almodóvar, who won the Oscar for original screenplay for “Talk to Her” (2002), will receive the Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media presented by Participant, which recognizes leadership in creating a union between social impact and cinema.

Just as the global pandemic seemed to profoundly accelerate the demise of movies and theatergoing—something we all cynically assumed would happen, but hell, not that fast! Not so soon! culturally, our internal clocks all have an impending sense of doom that seems to be ticking faster than ever. Climate change is something we presume will destroy our lives eventually, but globally, it’s been unnerving to watch raging forest fires in Australia that appear apocalyptic, or more recently, if you’re a New Yorker, experience firsthand alarming smoke and air quality pollution that looks like it’s been shot by Roger Deakins on the set of “Blade Runner 2049.” Intentional timed or not, this is where Steven Soderbergh and writer Kurt Anderson are coming from with their surprise new sci-fi-ish satirical series, “Command Z” (the Apple key command for “undo,” and specifically the computer power to negate a mistake; the serious was not officially announced until three days prior to release, and not for nothing, we were the only ones that reported about it months ago in advance).

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor SPOILER ALERT: This contains spoilers from “Swagger” Season 2, now streaming on AppleTV+. As Reggie Rock Bythewood was gearing up for AppleTV+’s second season of “Swagger,” the filmmaker was thinking about how to elevate the series and take it to another level. One film that came to mind was Sam Mendes’ “1917” and how cinematographer Roger Deakins had shot the film and presented it as if it were one continuous long shot. The series follows a team of basketball players inspired by NBA star Kevin Durant and in the latest “maze,” as Bythewood calls it, the team down to six players, Jace (Isaiah R. Hill), Phil (Solomon Irama), Musa (Caleel Harris), Drew, Royale (Ozie Nzeribe), and Nick (Jason Rivera) head to Maryland’s Youth Facility, a detention center for young offenders for a game. “I thought about ‘1917’ and the entire film is shot as if it were one shot. So, Cliff Charles, the D.P., and I talked about doing one that way,” says Bythewood.

Peter Debruge Chief Film Critic A slow-burn Rocky Mountain noir set along the corridor between Billings, Mont., and the Canadian border — a cold, lonely stretch of highway shared by salesmen and smugglers alike — “Blood for Dust” establishes a ruthless sense of sangfroid from its opening shot. On a desk in a bland business office sits a family portrait, depicting a proud Marine and his family. Without warning, a shotgun goes off, splattering the photo and the wall behind it in blood and brain matter. The camera pulls back to reveal the same man, his face half-missing, a briefcase full of cash propped open on his desk. It’s a jarring — and jarringly artificial — scene. Fortunately, it’s the only one that rings false in director Rod Blackhurst’s otherwise tense, no-nonsense thriller, a standout of the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival that merits comparison to “Breaking Bad” or “Hell or High Water,” but with snow instead of sand. Moments after that opening gun blast, “Game of Thrones” star Kit Harrington (sporting a sleazy handlebar mustache) and Scoot McNairy (as his hangdog accomplice) show up, too late to save the friend who offed himself. In taking his own life, the dead man saved theirs. The question that lingers is how long their luck may last.

For many people, if they are asked who the greatest living cinematographer is in all of film, the name that immediately comes to mind would likely be Roger Deakins. He’s been nominated for 15 Oscars (winning two) and is responsible for the camera work in a number of iconic films.

James Friend won the Oscar tonight in the Best Cinematography category for his work on Edward Berger’s All Quiet on the Western Front, beating out fellow cinematographers Darius Khondji, Mandy Walker, Roger Deakins and Florian Hoffmeister.

Roger Deakins, legendary cinematographer and knight of the British realm, cut to the chase: In his view several of the best examples of cinematography are missing from this year’s Oscars list.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor The American Society of Cinematographers handed out its best visual storytelling in feature film award to “Elvis” on Sunday night, and in doing so, Mandy Walker has become the first woman to win the top prize in the society’s history. Walker triumphed over Greig Fraser (“The Batman”), Darius Khondji (“Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths”), Claudio Miranda (“Top Gun: Maverick” and Roger Deakins (“Empire of Light”) in a very competitive race.  Walker‘s win comes as Oscar voting ends on March 7, where she is also nominated. She became only the third woman ever nominated for cinematography for her work on “Elvis.” Rachel Morrison (“Mudbound”) made history as the first female DP to land a nom in 2018, while Ari Wegner was nominated last year for “The Power of the Dog.”

The American Society of Cinematographers is handing out its 37th annual ASC Awards tonight at the Beverly Hilton, and Deadline is posting the winners as they’re announced. See the list below.

British screenwriter Ray Jenkins, who wrote on some of the UK’s biggest TV hits across several decades, has died aged 87. Jenkins died last month and leaves behind his two children, Pascale and Ceri.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor Is the Oscar cinematography category making progress when it comes to recognizing female DPs? This year, Mandy Walker became only the third woman ever nominated for cinematography for her work on “Elvis.” Rachel Morrison (“Mudbound”) made history as the first female DP to land a nom and that was in 2018, while Ari Wegner was nominated last year for “The Power of the Dog.” Walker’s up against James Friend (“All Quiet on the Western Front”), Darius Khondji (“Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths”), Roger Deakins (“Empire of Light”) and Florian Hoffmeister (“Tár”), in a very competitive race. 

The room reached critical mass quickly on Monday, with the crush of people moving depending on what luminary was where. Jamie Lee Curtis talked to Cruise, and photographers surrounded them immediately.

EXCLUSIVE: Toby Jones says he initially had concerns of being “bored out my mind” working on summer blockbuster Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, but the actor tells Deadline that he’s “so relieved that I had done it” because “actually, I absolutely loved working on that film.”

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Monday hosted its annual Oscar Nominees Luncheon to celebrate this year’s crop of hopefuls.

On the latest episode of the “Team Deakins” podcast, hosted by legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins, Casey Affleck let it slip that he’s currently prepping for a new directorial project. And while Affleck didn’t divulge any ideas on the upcoming third film, it’s clear from his conversation with Deakins that it’ll be similar to 2010’s “I’m Not There” and 2019’s “Light Of My Life.” That is, it’ll be a more Affleck makes for his artistic fulfillment more than commercial success.

The ADG had its say and now the American Society of Cinematographers is the latest artisan organization to announce its year-end honors. The 37th ASC Awards will find Roger Deakins (“Empire of Light”), Greig Fraser (“The Batman”), Darius Khondji (“Bardo”), Claudio Miranda (“Top Gun: Maverick”), and Mandy Walker (“Elvis”) vying for the theatrical feature film honor.

The American Society of Cinematographers has unveiled the nominations for its 37th annual ASC Awards, honoring the year’s best in feature film, documentary and television cinematography.

THEATRICAL FEATURE FILM NOMINEES (Category sponsored by Keslow Camera)Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC for Empire of Light (Searchlight Pictures)Greig Fraser, ASC, ACS for The Batman (Warner Bros.)Darius Khondji, ASC, AFC for Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths (Netflix)Claudio Miranda, ASC for Top Gun: Maverick (Paramount Pictures)Mandy Walker, ASC, ACS for Elvis (Warner Bros.)SPOTLIGHT AWARD (Category sponsored by Panavision)Sturla Brandth Grøvlen, DFF for War Sailor (DCM Film)Kate McCullough, ISC for The Quiet Girl (Super)Andrew Wheeler for God’s Country (IFC Films)EPISODE OF A ONE-HOUR NON-COMMERCIAL TELEVISION SERIES (Category sponsored by Panavision)John Conroy, ASC, ISC for Westworld – “Années Folles” (HBO/HBO MAX)Catherine Goldschmidt for House of the Dragon – “The Lord of the Tides” (HBO/HBO MAX)Alejandro Martinez for House of the Dragon – “The Green Council” (HBO/HBO MAX)M. David Mullen, ASC for The Marvelous Mrs.

Sam Mendes was the guest of honor at the opening of the 30th EnergaCamerimage Film Festival Saturday evening, where he picked up the Krzysztof Kieslowski career award and introduced a special screening of his latest film, Empire of Light.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor With Oscar season fully underway following the Venice, Telluride and Toronto film festivals, buzz is building for the latest offerings from marquee filmmakers such as Steven Spielberg, Darren Aronofsky,Sarah Polley and Alejandro G. Iñárritu. But behind the scenes, look for leading artisans to also be recognized for their work on high-profile contenders; within the film community, these names have become as renowned as the directors and A-listers with whom they work. Here are some titans of the crafts who could add a nomination and even an Oscar win to their résumés when the Academy Awards are dispensed in March. Catherine MartinProduction designer“Elvis”

Olivia Colman sandwiches herself in between Michael Ward and Tanya Moodie at the premiere of their new film, Empire of Light, during the 2022 Toronto Film Festival at Princess of Wales on Monday (September 12) in Toronto, Ontario.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter On the stage at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, Harry Styles is a bonafide rock star, brimming with swagger and self confidence. But Styles, the actor, was more soft spoken while accepting an acting award at the Toronto International Film Festival. Styles was a man of few words as he, along with the cast of “My Policeman,” received the ensemble award at the festival’s Tribute Awards on Sunday.  “Thank you so much to everyone here on behalf of all of us for this wonderful, wonderful award,” said Styles, who stars in the romance drama as a closeted police officer. “We all loved working on this film so much. And we hope you enjoy it.”

magic of movies genuinely registers as a vibe in Sam Mendes’ “Empire of Light,” a frustratingly uneven and often meandering period drama written by Mendes, loosely drawing remembrances from his own formative years. And he pulls from “a lockdown mindset,” too, as the director put it before his ’80s-set film’s world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival, a melancholic state of being marked by feelings of loneliness and even fear that things we love (like movie theaters) would be lost forever in a post-pandemic world.Perhaps because his inspirations seem to be so extensive here, it often feels like Mendes is searching for a story within a bottomless well of moods and ideas throughout “Empire of Light.” Ironically enough, this undisciplined disposition is the exact opposite of the kind of taut restraint that was at the core of “1917,” his previous, tightly orchestrated and end-to-end choreographed film.“Empire of Light” starts with an admiration towards the enchanted majesty of cinemas, as Hilary (an affecting Olivia Colman, with an impressively wide-ranging emotional scale) preps the beautiful movie palace she works at for its daily opening, her gentle touches aided by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ soothingly nostalgic score.

Causeway” (A24/Apple Original Films) Though Jennifer Lawrence had a juicy supporting role in Adam McKay’s disaster comedy “Don’t Look Up” last year, we have not seen the former Katniss Everdeen in the driver’s seat of a film since the one-two punch of “Mother!” and “Red Sparrow” (released in 2017 and 2018, respectively). She returns in earnest at TIFF with “Causeway,” about a soldier with a traumatic brain injury trying to readjust to normal life. 

The Toronto Film Festival has named Oscar-winning Icelandic composer Hildur Guðnadóttir (Women Talking) and award-winning Welsh Egyptian filmmaker Sally El Hosaini (The Swimmers) as honorees of the 2022 TIFF Tribute Awards, which return to an in-person gala fundraiser for its fourth edition at Fairmont Royal York Hotel on September 11th. The former will receive the TIFF Artisan Award, with the latter claiming the TIFF Emerging Talent Award.

Naman Ramachandran Sam Mendes’ “Empire of Light,” starring Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward and Colin Firth, will be this year’s American Express Gala at the 66th BFI London Film Festival.Written, produced and directed by Oscar and BAFTA winning filmmaker Mendes, the film also stars Toby Jones, Tanya Moodie, Tom Brooke and Crystal Clarke. Set in an English seaside town in the early 1980s, the film is about human connection and the magic of cinema. It marks Mendes’ first solo credit as screenwriter and reunites him with Oscar winning cinematographer Roger Deakins (“1917,” “Skyfall”).The film is produced by Mendes and Pippa Harris’ Neal Street Productions, in partnership with Searchlight Pictures.

The 66th BFI London Film Festival has set Empire Of Light, the latest film from Sam Mendes, as its American Express Gala screening.

also features Tom Brooke, Hannah Onslow, Toby Jones, Crystal Clarke and Tanya Moodie in supporting roles.Set in the South Coast of England in the 1980s, “Empire of Light” is a love story that revolves around an old cinema. According to Searchlight Pictures’ official description, it is “a powerful and poignant story about human connection and the magic of cinema.”Mendes produced the film with Pippa Harris for his Neal Street Productions.

There’s good news and bad news for fans of “The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford,” the 2007 Western from filmmaker Andrew Dominik starring Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck and featuring a gorgeous score by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis. While the film was a flop at the time at the box office— it made $15 million worldwide on a budget said to have been $30 million and made all of $3 million domestically— the film has since gone on to become a huge cult classic, routinely listed on many Best Films Of The Decade lists (including ours).

EXCLUSIVE: Sam Mendes has begun principal photography on the south coast of England for his upcoming feature, Empire Of Light. From Searchlight Pictures, the drama is written by Mendes — his first solo screenplay — and stars Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward, Colin Firth, Toby Jones, Crystal Clark and Tanya Moodie.

Oscar-winning cinematographer Sir Roger Deakins has said his knighthood is for everyone he has ever worked with as he received the royal honour at Windsor Castle. The Devon-born cameraman, 72, was knighted for services to film by the Prince of Wales at an investiture on Tuesday. Speaking to PA afterwards, he said: “These things make me very nervous but I feel a bit more relaxed now.