‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Star Nina West to Release Children’s Book ‘The You Kind of Kind’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle Editor“Queer Eye” may have brought LGBTQ issues into the living rooms of millions, but that doesn’t mean the fight for equality can be won by Hollywood alone.“Part of the duality of queer existence is that sometimes you can experience joy, you can experience exciting things in the midst of really difficult things going on,” “Queer Eye” host Jonathan Van Ness told me at an Emmy FYC event for Netflix’s reality makeover show. “But I think duality also applies to visibility and representation and then the lived experience of people. I think that a lot of times we like we lock those things together and we think, ‘Oh, representation is getting better visibility is getting better.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle Editor“Bridgerton” star Charithra Chandran is sitting at Netflix’s FYC experience at Raleigh Studios in Los Angeles with her fellow Indian co-star Simone Ashley, where they talked about their instantly beloved roles as sisters in the second season of the hit Netflix series.“Bridgerton” has been praised for its diverse cast, but the applause amplified even more when Chandran and Ashley joined Season 2 because they have darker skin than the Indian actors who are traditionally cast in Hollywood for significant roles.“Coming to L.A., it was a profound moment because I spent my life avoiding the sun,” Chandran, who plays Edwina on “Bridgerton,” tells me during a joint interview with Ashley and co-star Nicola Coughlan. “I spent my whole life going outside with a hat on or being fully covered up so I didn’t tan. This is the first time in my life that I walked out and I was like, ‘I can feel it.

Dolly Parton will star in a Christmas film for NBC, titled Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas.The network announced the collaboration on Tuesday (May 17), describing the film as a “modern-day musical about the making of a network TV special”.A description reads: “Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas is the frenetic backstage story and delightful on-camera results of Dolly’s desire to uplift an exhausted world’s spirits by sharing the unique ‘mountain magic’ she has always found in and around Dollywood at Christmas.“Throughout the movie’s production numbers and rehearsal chaos, Dolly finds herself taking a private journey into her past, guided by the mysterious appearances of her personal Three Wise Men.“When it’s time for her big special to air live, a renewed and inspired Dolly goes rogue and shows the world that the real magic of Christmas lies in the hearts of the children we all once were, the realisation that Christmas is about the people we share it with, and how her faith remains the common thread between Christmases past, present, and future.”The project is written and executive produced by David Rambo, Parton and Sam Haskell. It will be Parton’s third film with NBC, following 2015’s Dolly Parton’s Coat Of Many Colors and sequel Christmas Of Many Colors: Circle of Love in 2016.In 2020, the singer and actress starred in the Netflix musical film Dolly Parton’s Christmas On The Square, which won an Emmy for Outstanding Television Movie.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle EditorWelcome to this week’s “Just for Variety.”Is “Bridgerton” star Nicola Coughlan going to be in the Margot Robbie-led “Barbie” movie? Sure sounds like it.It all begins with the speculation that Coughlan would be on the next season of “Doctor Who” after she was photographed at the BAFTA TV Awards with Ncuti Gatwa. Just minutes before, it was announced that the “Sex Education” actor would be the new Doctor.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle EditorEugenio Derbez has been working on getting “The Valet” made for quite some time.“When we started writing this, Barack Obama was the president. Then Trump came in and we decided to change everything, because it was a different country,” the actor told me at the film’s premiere on Wednesday night at The Montalbán in Hollywood. “So it took us like, seven years to get the final draft.

Naomi Judd's devasting cause of death has been revealed following her tragic suicide last month.MORE: Dolly Parton shares heartbreak after sad loss: 'I will always love you'The 76-year-old was found by her Hollywood actress daughter Ashley Judd, who revealed on Thursday in an interview with Good Morning America that her mom died from a self-inflicted firearm wound.WATCH: Naomi Judd's last performance before tragic death"She used a weapon. My mother used a firearm," Ashley heartbreakingly told GMA. "So that's the piece of information we are very uncomfortable sharing."Speaking of Naomi's struggles with her mental health, Ashley added: "Mom was a brilliant conversationalist.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle EditorJean Smart and her “Hacks” co-stars are under pressure. A lot of pressure.After an award-winning first season of the HBO Max series, they’re back for their sophomore outing.“Season 2 for any show means you have to prove yourself,” Smart told me at the second season premiere earlier this week at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles. “It’s like, ‘You gotta now show us that wasn’t just a fluke.’”It wasn’t long after “Hacks” became a critical darling that Smart learned the streamer was green lighting another season.“As soon as I started getting the scripts for Season 2, I was said, ‘Oh, my god.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle EditorTennis champion Naomi Osaka has launched a new management company for athletes.Co-founded with her longtime agent Stuart Duguid, Osaka’s Evolve focuses on brand partnerships, investing, creating athlete-owned business and philanthropy.“Evolve represents the evolution of not just my business career, but also the way athletes can control their destiny,” Osaka said in an exclusive statement to Variety. “I’ve always thrived on pushing the boundaries and challenging the status quo.

“Mexican Pizza: The Musical” is set for release on May 26, with Taco Bell sharing a Playbill cover to their official Instagram on Monday. But Parton fans needn’t book a ticket to Broadway, as the musical is set to be streamed on TikTok. Doja Cat, another famous fan of the fast-food establishment, is also set to appear in the show.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle EditorForget about Happy Meals — let’s talk about happy filmmakers.“Encanto” star Stephanie Beatriz has teamed up with McDonald’s for Spotlight Dorado, a short film contest for Latino talent.“McDonald’s has a long history of fostering community. Not only do they essentially feed the community, but they also are trying to sort of put a spotlight on and empower and amplify Latino voices,” Beatriz tells me. “Spotlight Dorado is going to be a multi-year platform that does that.

Eminem’s music to metal songs after the rapper was included on the list of inductees for 2022.Eminem is one of eight artists set to be inducted into the institution later this year, alongside Dolly Parton, Duran Duran, Lionel Richie, Eurythmics, Carly Simon, Judas Priest and Pat Benatar.During a recent interview with Audacy, CEO Greg Harris commented on the rapper’s inclusion in the class of 2022 and hip-hop’s place in the Rock Hall. “For a lot of years people asked about hip-hop,” he said.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle EditorIn the wake of reports that the Supreme Court may overturn Roe v. Wade, writer and producer Gloria Calderón Kellett is getting to work.While she said she is unable to incorporate women’s reproductive rights issues into storylines for Season 2 of her Amazon anthology series “With Love” because the scripts are locked, she says, “In my other stuff, will it be in there? Yeah! Especially women of color, especially poor women.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle EditorWelcome to this week’s “Just for Variety.”Searchlight Pictures’ “Fire Island” doesn’t come out until June, but Matt Rogers, who plays Luke in the queer rom- com, has high hopes that it launches a big gay franchise.Joel Kim Booster and Bowen Yang star as friends who head to the iconic LGBTQ vacation locale ready to have the best summer of their lives. “‘Provincetown’ should be the sequel,” Rogers told me at the premiere of his Showtime show “I Love That for You.” “Let’s do ‘Palm Springs.’ Let’s do ‘Puerto Vallarta.’ This is going to be the ‘Fast & Furious for queers!”Then Rogers, who co-hosts the “Las Culturistas” podcast with Yang, cracks, “I’m the Michelle Rodriguez of the bunch, baby.” As I was the first to report, “Fire Island” will world premiere on June 2 at NewFest Pride in NYC.

Eminem, Lionel Richie, Carly Simon, Eurythmics, Duran Duran and Pat Benatar have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, a list that also includes Dolly Parton, who initially resisted the honor.The honorees — voted on by more than 1,000 artists, historians and music industry professionals — “each had a profound impact on the sound of youth culture and helped change the course of rock ’n’ roll,” said John Sykes, the chairman of the Rock Hall, in a statement Wednesday.Parton had gone on social media to “respectfully bow out” of the process, saying she did not want to take votes away from the remaining nominees and had not “earned that right.” The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation responded by saying ballots had already been sent and it was up to the voters to decide if Parton was elected. Parton later said she would accept an induction.To be eligible, artists are required to have released their first record 25 years prior to induction.

Eminem, Duran Duran, Dolly Parton and Lionel Richie are all set to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 2022.Eurythmics, Carly Simon, Judas Priest and Pat Benatar will also be inducted into the Hall Of Fame this year.Kate Bush, Beck, DEVO, Fela Kuti, MC5, New York Dolls, Rage Against The Machine and Dionne Warwick made the initial shortlist for 2022, but didn’t make the final cut.The honourees — voted on by more than 1000 artists, historians and music industry professionals — each “had a profound impact on the sound of youth culture and helped change the course of rock ’n’ roll,” said John Sykes, the chairman of the Rock Hall, in a statement.The 2022 event, which will be the Hall’s 37th annual induction ceremony, will be held on November 5 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.The announcement comes after Parton initially refused the honour on the grounds that she didn’t feel that she had “earned the right”. But she reversed her stance last month to confirm she will accept the honour should she be voted in.Parton continued to explain that, at the time she made her statement bowing out, she hadn’t realised that the institution already included numerous artists from other genres outside the world of rock.

Dolly Parton, who said last week she would gracefully accept an induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame if it were offered, will have to do just that: The country music superstar was among the nominees selected for a spot in the hall today.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music CriticWell, Dolly Parton didn’t get her wish, although she’s likely to be happy anyway. The country superstar will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in November — a possibility she said last week she’d come to terms with and would “graciously” accept, after initially trying to get herself nixed  — along with Duran Duran, Pat Benatar, Eminem, Lionel Richie, Eurythmics and Carly Simon.Those are the seven performers that the Hall’s thousand-plus voters chose.