Tony Gilroy Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Though Tony Gilroy has been a staple in Hollywood for decades already, you could make the argument the filmmaker is at his most powerful right now, especially after the success of his “Star Wars” series, “Andor.” In fact, during the ongoing WGA strike, Gilroy has been one of the most vocal supporters of the union and its fight against the studios. And in a recent picket line speech, Gilroy proved that he is one of the best advocates for the various writers in Hollywood.

Life in post-strike Hollywood was definitely a topic of conversation at Sunday’s Writers Guild Awards, with former WGA West president David Goodman saying “the strike is over, the fight goes on” while adding “as individuals we’re replaceable.”

Critically acclaimed and Emmy-nominated, while it may not have matched the ratings of similar “Star Wars” shows like “The Mandalorian”—perhaps more adult and mature than expected— the “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” prequel spinoff series “Andor” was very adored by its fans. Already highly anticipated, the second season will be something special, according to the show’s creator/showrunner Tony Gilroy, who added to the hype.

The third installment of the Sands: International Film Festival of St Andrews has set its slate, and that will include director Steven Soderbergh engaging in a conversation with directors Anthony and Joe Russo. I will moderate that discussion, which will touch on the preposterously unlikely way that Soderbergh discovered and godfathered the career of the duo that directed Hollywood’s all-time highest grossing film, Avengers: Endgame. The festival runs next month from April 19-21.

Despite our best predictions with our 2024 TV preview, perhaps a little on the early side, when Disney finally revealed its 2024 Disney+ slate, in spite of four Lucasfilm projects on the docket for this year, Tony Gilroy’s “Andor” starring Diego Luna wasn’t one of them. Instead, Disney promised Leslye Headland’s “The Acolyte,” seemingly scheduled for June of this year, Jon Watts’ “Skeleton Crew,” plus “The Bad Batch,” which just finished up season three, and “Tales Of The Jedi” season two.

As many dialed-in fans on social media know, season two of “Andor” has finished shooting. Both Diego Luna and Adria Arjona, stars of the Lucasfilm series, recently posted on Instagram, saying goodbye to their respective roles and confirming that production on the second season of the “Star Wars” spin-off prequel had finished.

Everyone loves a good what-if, right? Let’s go back down memory lane for a second. Once upon a time, Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass abandoned the ‘Jason Bourne,’ franchise after being unable to nail a 4th ‘Jason Bourne’ script (they tried).

While he’s not as well-known as some auteurs, writer/director Scott Frank is one of the most well-regarded and respected writers and filmmakers in Hollywood. There’s a terrific new profile in the New Yorker that puts a lot of his stature into context with tons of quotes from friends and admirers like filmmakers Steven Soderbergh and Tony Gilroy (“Michael Clayton,” “Andor”) who have solicited and offered to Frank over the years.

Risa Gertner, for decades a top rep of writers and directors at Creative Artists Agency, has turned in her retirement papers. She spent 27 years in the CAA motion picture department, and will depart the agency in January.

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor Longtime CAA film agent Risa Gertner is set to retire in January after nearly 30 years with the agency. Gertner’s list of clients over the years has included such writers, directors and producers as Tony Gilroy, Barry Jenkins, Kenya Barris, Ron Howard and Simon Kinberg.

Disney+ Star Wars series architect Dave Filoni has been named Chief Creative Officer of Lucasfilm.

If you like narrative storytelling of any kind, either in movies or TV, chances are you’re a fan of writer/director/creator Scott Frank (screenwriter of “Minority Report,” “Get Shorty”), whether you know it or not. Frank had success in movies—he’s a two-time Oscar nominee for writing “Out of Sight” (1998) and “Logan”— and earned the respect of peers like Steven Soderbergh and Tony Gilroy, among many others, but it’s arguably not until Netflix started expanding their movie ideas into series form—which is precisely what Frank did with 2017’s Western “Godless,” that he really started to stretch his wings and shine.

Michaela Zee “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” director Gareth Edwards is once again addressing the multiple reports about the 2016 film requiring extensive reshoots overseen by Tony Gilroy (the eventual “Andor” creator was hired by Lucasfilm to join the “Rogue One” team in June 2016). On a recent episode of KCRW’s “The Business” podcast, Edwards claimed “there is so much inaccuracy” surrounding the making of the “Star Wars” prequel.

Flashback looks back on fascinating stories or artifacts of the past, not necessarily tied to today’s news but still relevant and sometimes extra-significant in relation to today’s ever-evolving context. As we all know, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Movie” underwent major reshoots, apparently to salvage the film.

“No one is really creating original sci-fi blockbusters anymore, it’s an endangered species.”

So, filmmaker Gareth Edwards is doing the interview round for his latest sci-fi extravaganza, “The Creator,” starring John David Washington. It’s a movie heavily indebted to “Blade Runner,” “Apocalypse Now,” and even “Star Wars” (read our review here).

William Earl Veteran Hollywood attorney Craig Emanuel has retired from law firm Paul Hastings after more than 40 years an entertainment legal eagle. Emanuel will turn his focus to serving as an advisor to longtime client Ryan Murphy.

EXCLUSIVE: Top entertainment lawyer Craig Emanuel is leaving the Century City-based firm Paul Hastings where he has been a partner and global chair of the Entertainment and Media division. After practicing as an attorney for more than 42 years, Emanuel is retiring from legal practice to focus on working as an advisor to his longtime client, Ryan Murphy, and his Ryan Murphy Productions.

EXCLUSIVE: Samba TV reports that the Live+5 day viewership for the first episode of Disney+/Lucasfilm’s new series Ahsoka drew 1.2M households.

This is Day 115 of the WGA strike and Day 42 of the SAG-AFTRA strike. 

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor When Emmy nominations were announced on July 12, artisans in the craft categories made a splash in more ways than one — some landed multiple nominations in several categories, others inched closer to achieving EGOT status and many received first-time recognition. Here, Variety looks at some of the contenders in the Creative Art categories. Editor Stephanie Filo landed three nominations this year in two different categories.

EXCLUSIVE: Emmy-nominated actor Ebon Moss-Bachrach has signed with WME in all areas.  

EXCLUSIVE: Andor will be forced to temporarily pause its Season 2 shoot as it becomes the latest major victim of the SAG-AFTRA strike.

The Writer’s Guild strike has taken its toll on a lot of creative people in Hollywood. And we’re not just talking about the hot sidewalks writers and other guild members have been canvassing over the past few months.

Oscar-nominated writer-director Tony Gilroy landed his first Emmy nomination today for his Disney+ Star Wars series Andor, which received a total of 8 noms, including Outstanding Drama Series.

Star Wars won over the Television Academy once again, with major category Primetime Emmy noms for Tony Gilroy’s Andor in outstanding drama series, and Obi Wan Kenobi in the outstanding limited series.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Veteran Swedish star Stellan Skarsgård, who plays villain Baron Harkonnen in Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” – part two of which will be released in November – will be honoured by the Locarno Film Festival with its Leopard Club Award. Skarsgård, who started his Hollywood career working with top directors such as StevenSpielberg in “Amistad” (1997) and Gus Van Sant in “Good Will Hunting,” the same year, and segued to memorable roles in Gore Verbinsky’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise and in “Mamma Mia!,” among other films. He is being feted by the Swiss fest dedicated to indie cinema with its Leopard Club Award dedicated to a film industry artist who has made a “mark on the collective imagination.”

The Locarno Film Festival will fete Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård with its Honorary Career Leopard award at the upcoming edition, running August 2 to 12.

While the premiere “Andor” Season 2 remains just over a year away, it’s safe to say it’s easily the most hyped series in the “Star Wars” Disney+ upcoming lineup. Yup, more so than “Ahsoka” or “The Acolyte,” or more episodes of “The Mandalorian.” And fans already know a little about what they should expect in new episodes of “Andor.” For one, Season 2 runs twelve episodes, with a time jump in the narrative every three episodes.

Just as he redefined the legal drama with the Oscar-winning movie Michael Clayton, Tony Gilroy has made arguably the most serious Star Wars streaming series to date in Disney+/Lucasfilm’s Andor, which is steeped in the binary of a burgeoning morose utilitarian empire that’s dominating the denizens of the universe.

This story about Andy Serkis and “Andor” first ran in the drama issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine.A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… Andy Serkis was already a part of “Star Wars.”Thanks to the magic of performance capture, the actor starred as Snoke, the gnarled heir apparent to the evil Galactic Emperor, in J.J. Abrams’ “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and Rian Johnson’s “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” So it was a surprise when Serkis, in human form, popped up in “Andor,” Tony Gilroy’s live-action prequel series to 2016’s “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.”Serkis plays Kino Loy, an inmate in an Imperial prison that is also holding Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor. Loy is a gruff enforcer who is slowly radicalized by Andor and his escape plan.

When Andy Serkis tells you that a Science Fiction or Fantasy story is special, believe him. An integral part of the most recent “The Lord of the Rings” and “Planet of the Apes” cinematic franchises, the celebrated British actor and filmmaker knows how hard it is to balance real-world themes in fantastical worlds.

Star Wars series Andor was supposed to feature the franchise’s first ever F-bomb, but it ended up being refused by Disney.Created by Tony Gilroy, the series takes place five years before events in 2016’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, as Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) becomes involved in the mounting resistance against the Galactic Empire.It is the fourth live-action series set in the Star Wars universe, following The Mandalorian, The Book Of Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi.In a new interview with Variety, director Benjamin Caron revealed that the show was set to feature an F-bomb in a crucial scene, but the request ended up being turned down by Disney.In the scene, Cassian’s late adoptive mother Maarva Andor delivers a speech via hologram, which ends: “Fight the Empire!”As Caron revealed, the initial script instead had her saying: “Fuck the empire!”“Disney wouldn’t let us use it,” he revealed. “So we changed it to ‘Fight the empire.’ I remember having a call with Tony Gilroy saying, ‘Are we gonna get away with this?’”The director added how he “wrote a legal brief” to Disney encouraging them to let them use the word.

Star Wars‘ Andor series on Disney+ was meant to include the franchise’s first ever F-bomb.

Sometimes there is no greater thrill than taking a gigantic risk and being rewarded for it. In many ways, that’s what Tony Gilroy, Diego Luna and the cast and crew of “Andor” have experienced over the past year.

While “Star Wars” fans await the premieres of “Ahsoka,” “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew,” and “The Acolyate,” another anticipated series looms on the release horizon: “Andor” Season 2. And excitement for Tony Gilroy‘s show is well deserved.