Sarah Michelle Gellar, Gloria Calderón Kellett on Potential Overturning of Roe v. Wade: ‘All They Are Doing Is Banning Safe Abortions’

Matt Donnelly Senior Film WriterDavid Cronenberg attended the Cannes press conference for his film “Crimes of the Future” and called the United States “completely insane” for potentially overturning Roe v. Wade, which has kept basic abortion rights legal since its 1973 ruling. The director’s new film, which is a return to his body horror roots, addresses “who owns who’s body,” Cronenberg said.“I did write [the script] 20 years ago but you could feel, even then, that this was coming,” Cronenberg said.

EXCLUSIVE: Freevee, Amazon’s ad-supported video streaming service is developing Arranged, a half-hour single-camera romantic comedy series co-written and executive produced by With Love creator Gloria Calderón Kellett and Saturday Night Live alum Taran Killam. The project stems from Kellett’s GloNation Studios under the company’s overall deal with Amazon Studios.

Brother Sister duo and children of Ron and Natalie Daise, from popular 1990s Nickelodeon TV show Gullah Gullah Island–Simeon Daise (CW All American, FX Snowfall, ‘Cheaper by the Dozen’) and Sara Makeba Daise are teaming up to executive produce Saltwata Vibes.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle Editor“1883” may have a been a limited series, but Tim McGraw is open to the idea of doing some more.The Paramount+ show, a spinoff of Taylor Sheridan’s “Yellowstone,’ takes place after the Civil War and follows James Dutton (McCraw) and his wife Margaret (Faith Hill) and their two kids as they head west hoping for a better life.“It’s sort of a 50/50 toss up in my mind,” McGraw tells me on this week’s episode of the “Just for Variety” podcast. “Do I want to do it again or was it too much work to do it again? I was doing some shows in the middle of it.

Michelle Dockery and Laura Carmichael stick together on the red carpet at the premiere of Downton Abbey: A New Era held at the Metropolitan Opera House on Sunday (May 15) in New York City.

Scotland is set to be as roasting as Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday as the hottest day of the year nudges 22C (72F).

EXCLUSIVE: After relaunching its film division last October, Castle Rock Entertainment has set a first project out of the gate that will have a familiar ring. It’s Spinal Tap II, a sequel to the fabled rock mockumentary that set the film company on a run of hits, many of them directed by Rob Reiner. He made his directorial debut on the 1984 cult classic This Is Spinal Tap.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle EditorLaverne Cox will be honored as advocate of the year at the upcoming 2022 Webby Awards.The actor and producer will be recognized by the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences (IADAS) for her LGBTQ advocacy work.“Laverne Cox understands the true power of showing up by example,” Webby Awards president Claire Graves told Variety exclusively on Tuesday morning. “She is a clear, consistent and powerful voice advocating in defense of Black trans lives, and we are so proud to recognize her as the 2022 Webby Advocate of the Year, selected by a committee chaired by the NAACP and IADAS.”Hosted by comedian Roy Wood Jr., the Webby Awards will take place May 16 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.

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.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle Editor“Black Site” director Sophia Banks is hoping her new $10 million action thriller “Black Site” is the little movie that could.“We’re not trying to be an $80 million action movie but we want to make this genre accessible for people,” Banks tells me. “It OK to shoot an indie action movie. As long as you take people on a good ride, then that’s all we want.

EXCLUSIVE: Here’s a first look at Rebel, the latest feature from Belgian directing duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (Bad Boys For Life), which is screening in the Midnight Section at the 75th Cannes Film Festival this month.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle EditorCategory is…children’s books!“RuPaul’s Drag Race” star Nina West is set to release her first book for kids, “The You Kind of Kind.”“It is a dream come true to be able to release my very first children’s book and share a message that is so needed right now,” West tells me. “’The Kind You Kind of Kind’ celebrates loving yourself for who you are and giving the gift of kindness to the world! I am so excited for kids of all ages to be inspired by acts of kindness- to not only be better to themselves, but inspire the entire world to act in kindness.”West’s friend Dolly Parton even provided a statement to Variety about the book. “Well, to quote some lines in a song I wrote, I always say: whatever you are, be that.

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.

Kim Cattrall covers Variety for the magazine’s “Power of Women New York” issue. Inside, she addresses originally turning down the role of Samantha in “Sex And The City”,  her fate on “And Just Like That…”, her reaction to Sarah Jessica Parker dismissing Cattrall’s potential comeback, and more.

Ray J is not holding back any more.

Parminder Nagra made a welcome return to TV screens recently, with the actress taking centre stage in new ITV drama DI Ray. The 46 year old stars as DI Rachita Ray in the four-part series which focuses on Birmingham’s ­criminal underworld, with the first episode airing on Monday 2 May. Parminder shot to fame as Jess Bhamra in the 2002 hit film Bend It Like Beckham, starring alongside Keira Knightley.