CEO Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

LIVE – Updated at 22:40Actor Gwyneth Paltrow’s ongoing civil trial over a 2016 ski collision continued on Wednesday. The Hollywood star and Goop CEO has been accused of crashing into retired optometrist Terry Sanderson, 76, on a ski slope at the Deer Valley resort in Park City, Utah in February 2016. Mr Sanderson claims Paltrow slammed into him in a “full body hit” leaving him with “permanent traumatic brain injury, four broken ribs, pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, emotional distress and disfigurement”.

The death of MGM distribution chief Erik Lomis on Wednesday has shocked many around Hollywood. More than just being a sage to filmmakers and executives about the motion picture business, Lomis was known for his generosity fundraising with the Will Rogers Institute, cultivating others’ careers, and even being a mentor to many in their personal lives.

One of the world’s most popular international comedies is being remade in Spanish, courtesy of Eva Longoria.

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor The newly launched independent music publishing, rights management, and catalog marketing company AMR Songs has acquired by catalogs of former Lovin’ Spoonful frontmany John Sebastian — including such songs as “Daydream,” “Summer in the City,” “Do You Believe in Magic” and “Wecome Back” — as well as Grammy-winning reggae group Soja. Founded by industry veteran/ CEO Tamara Conniff and private equity professional/ CFO Steve Reinstadlter, the Los Angeles and New York-based company has acquired an undisclosed interest in Sebastian’s entire catalog, including his publishing and artist royalties from the Lovin’ Spoonful, which also include “Younger Girl,” “You Didn’t Have to Be So Nice,” and “Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?,” among others.

Paris-based Mediawan, Elefantec Global and Eva Longoria’s UnbeliEVAble Entertainment are teaming up to co-produce a Spanish-speaking Americas version of the hit series Call My Agent!.

EXCLUSIVE: Howard Swartz, who has overseen hundreds of hours of Shark Week programming, is exiting Warner Bros Discovery to take up a new role at Banijay Americas-owned Stephen David Entertainment.

As concerns for AI’s rapid growth circulate among almost every industry, Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin, contributors on the 2020 Netflix documentary-drama film “The Social Dilemma,” warn there is no “pull[ing] the plug” on the technology in an upcoming interview with NBC News’ Lester Holt. In an exclusive clip of the interview shared with TheWrap, which airs Wednesday on “NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt” as part of NBC News’ ongoing “A.I.

United Talent Agency cut the ribbon to its Atlanta offices Wednesday, marking the first of the major talent agencies to offer a full-service office expansion in the growing market of the Peach State’s capitol.“Atlanta is a vibrant city for music, sports and arts, and there is a ripe opportunity to create another center of gravity for film and television,” UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer said in a statement. “We are excited to bring our full range of services to the community of talented artists, athletes, musicians and creators who call the Southeast their home.” UTA Atlanta co-heads Steve Cohen and Rob Gibbs jointly added that the city “planting our flag here gives us the ability to support clients with investments and opportunities across the city’s growing creative ecosystem.”UTA’s Atlanta offices will offer representation across entertainment and talent divisions, including film and television, music, sports, digital talent, marketing, gaming and fine arts.

Peter Chenin’s North Road Company has struck its first international co-production deal – backing Euphoria creator Ron Leshem’s latest drama Bad Boy, which Leshem described as “the next Euphoria.”

DirecTV has reached a carriage deal with conservative news outlet Newsmax, ending two months of media industry acrimony that spilled into Washington.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Digital World Acquisition Corp., the blank-check company that has proposed merging with Donald Trump’s media company, said it fired chairman and CEO Patrick Orlando. On March 19, the company’s board of directors terminated Orlando from his positions as chairman and CEO, DWAC disclosed in an SEC filing Wednesday. Orlando remains a director of the company. “Due to the unprecedented headwinds faced by the company, the board agreed it was in the best interest of its shareholders to select a new management team to execute an orderly succession plan and set strategic operating procedures for the company in this new phase,” DWAC said in a statement. “Mr. Orlando’s departure enables the board to appoint new leadership, which it believes will restore confidence to the shareholders.”

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Say goodbye to Rooster Teeth’s longstanding rebus-style logo of the rooster and the windup chattering teeth. The fandom and comedy entertainment company, a division of Warner Bros. Discovery, is turning 20 years old on April 1. To mark the two-decade milestone, Rooster Teeth is introducing new logos (pictured above) along with a new tagline: “Just Playing.” The new branding will be rolling out over the next several weeks. Last year, Rooster Teeth approached Austin-based creative agency Guerilla Suit to create a new visual brand identity that was “as dynamic, playful and unconventional” as the organization itself, said head of marketing Adam Bersin (who joined RT a year ago from Amazon Studios). “At the core of the strategy, it’s making people realize Rooster Teeth is a digital media company that brings together all of these different interests of our creators… with comedy being the backbone of it,” Bersin said.

EXCLUSIVE: Former Universal Pictures Distribution and Marketing EVP John C. Hall has joined the team at American-European media fund APX Group, as it continues to restructure and expand ahead of a planned listing on the New York Stock Exchange later this year.

Actress and Goop CEO Gwyneth Paltrow appeared in court Tuesday for the first day of a civil trial over claims she seriously injured a man in a skiing accident in Park City, Utah, in 2016.

Naman Ramachandran The BBC’s “This is Going to Hurt” and “The Responder” led the way at the BAFTA Television Awards and the BAFTA Television Craft Awards 2023 with six nominations each. Apple TV+’s “Bad Sisters” and “Slow Horses,” Netflix’s “The Crown” and the BBC’s “The English” receive five nominations each, while the BBC’s “Am I Being Unreasonable?” and “Somewhere Boy,” Channel 4’s “Big Boys” and Netflix’s “Top Boy” receive four nominations each. P&O Cruises is the headline sponsor of BAFTA Television Awards, which will be hosted by comedians Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan on May 14.

Elon Musk has made it very clear that he is not too fond of journalists’ questions about Twitter, following multiple controversial news articles since he became CEO of the company.The communications teams behind Twitter decided to avoid any type of questions from reporters when the controversy started, however the press email address is now active for media questions and inquiries, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that Elon has changed his mind.The new automatic reply to journalists from the official email address is simply a poop emoji, which seems to be a joke from Twitter’s CEO, as he tweeted about it to his 132.1 million fans and followers on the popular platform.confirmed

EXCLUSIVE: With Disney’s April 3 shareholder meeting — a virtual affair this year — less than two weeks away, some clarity is emerging about the company’s plans to reduce staff and cut costs.

Tributes have been paid to a much-loved school worker and dad-of-eight who died after being struck by a car on the motorway. Ste Rowley, 51, from Warrington died in the tragedy on the M62 in Cheshire on Sunday night (March 18)

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Fremantle’s Documentaries division has launched Undeniable, a label dedicated to producing premium feature documentaries and series, in partnership with high-profile talent and international commissioners, Mandy Chang, Fremantle’s global head of documentaries, revealed Tuesday at CPH:DOX in Copenhagen. The label is already developing several international projects and partnerships with high-profile filmmakers, including Amy Berg (“Deliver Us From Evil,” “Phoenix Rising”), Chris Smith (“Tiger King,” “Bad Vegan”), and Penny Lane and Gabriel Sedgwick (“Hail Satan?,” “Listening to Kenny G”). Chang said: “The launch of Undeniable further underlines our commitment and ambition to build Fremantle’s documentary output on the premium side. Working with the very best filmmakers and emerging talent, the label will provide editorial and production expertise and support in multiple genres. Importantly, it will provide a platform and freedom for creative talent to unlock and explore important issues and stories to be told.”

Top International execs from ZDF Studios, Fremantle, All3Media and Banijay have said the potential U.S. writers strike and changing market economics can create opportunities to strike new business.

in a video posted on the platform Tuesday ahead of his scheduled appearance before Congress.Standing on what appears to be a rooftop in Washington, D.C. with the U.S. Capitol dome behind him, Chew noted that the figure represents “almost half of the U.S.

Selome Hailu Eddie Redmayne has been cast in “The Day of the Jackal,” Peacock and Sky’s upcoming reimagining of Frederick Forsyth’s novel and Universal’s film of the same name. He will also executive produce the thriller series. Redmayne will play the Jackal, who is hired by the OAS, a French dissident organization, to kill then-president of France Charles de Gaulle. Redmayne recently starred opposite Jessica Chastain in Netflix’s “The Good Nurse.” He is also known for playing Stephen Hawking in James Marsh’s 2014 biopic “The Theory of Everything,” which earned him the Oscar for best actor. Redmayne’s other prominent credits include “The Trial of The Chicago Seven,” “The Danish Girl,” “Les Miserables” and the “Fantastic Beasts” films.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter SlamBall is officially bouncing back. The alternative sport — which combined elements of basketball, American football, ice hockey, and trampolines — has closed an $11 million Series A round led by Roger Ehrenberg’s IA Sports Ventures and Eberg Capital as well as strategic investors across sports, gaming, entertainment, and media. “It’s an incredible feeling to be back, and especially by popular demand,” said Mason Gordon, CEO and co-founder of SlamBall. “I want to thank SlamBall’s persistent and passionate fans for making this comeback possible and our investors for helping make the dream real. This is a true Cinderella story–only with helmets, pads and trampolines.”

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Global recorded-music revenue growth slowed down dramatically in 2022 but still was up 9% according to the year-end report from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry’s released Tuesday. While 2021 saw an 18.5% growth, largely due to an increase in streaming numbers as the world waited at home for the pandemic to lift, a growth in global streaming numbers powered the past year’s lift, which showed total trade revenues for year at $26.2 billion. Subscription audio streaming revenues increased by 10.3% to $12.7 billion, and there were 589 million users of paid subscription accounts at the end of 2022, according to the report.  Total streaming (including both paid subscription and advertising-supported) grew by 11.5% to reach $17.5 billion, or 67% of total global recorded music revenues, according to the IFPI, which represents more than 8,000 record company members worldwide.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor As it tries to reverse a tide of red ink, FuboTV is rebranding its internet pay-TV service Fubo — and the company unveiled a new brand campaign co-produced with Maximum Effort, the advertising and production company headed by Ryan Reynolds, who’s an investor in Fubo. Fubo’s new nationwide ad campaign features NBA champion and Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett (pictured above) and former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez, with the tagline, “If Sports Fans Built a Streaming Service.” The multiplatform campaign comprises a series of 15- and 30-second TV spots and digital display ads. Maximum Effort, co-founded by Reynolds and George Dewey, owns $10 million worth of shares in Fubo under a multiyear, first-look deal for unscripted content the production company inked with Fubo.

Brent Lang Executive Editor Bleecker Street, the Oscar-nominated studio behind “Captain Fantastic” and “Trumbo,” has partnered with New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) to award three scholarships to women attending film schools in the New York City area. The grants are part of NYWIFT’s scholarship fund and will assist with educational costs associated with film production, living expenses, books, travel and tuition needs. Bleecker Street’s contribution will be officially acknowledged at NYWIFT’s upcoming Muse Awards on March 28, which recently announced a mix of film executives, actors and filmmakers — including Arianna Bocco, Danielle Brooks, Deborah Chow, Maria Hinojosa, Sandra Lee, Freida Pinto, Lauren Ridloff, Sharon Stone, and Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences president Janet Yang — as this year’s honorees.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor TikTok, trying to fend off potential U.S. government ban over security fears related to the app’s Chinese ownership, is touting new figures reflecting how pervasive and popular it is in America. TikTok announced that as of February 2023, the short-form video app has more than 150 million monthly active users in the U.S. In addition, it said, it has almost 7,000 employees in the United States. And it also claims that TikTok “has evolved into the preferred platform” for nearly 5 million American businesses, most of which are small and midsize companies. “We’re honored to be a home for our immensely diverse community in the United States, made up of nearly half the country’s population, including book lovers, foodies, families, emerging artists and so much more,” the company said in the announcement.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Spotter, a digital media company that pays YouTube creators cash for the rights to monetize their video libraries and helps them grow their fanbases, hired Paul Bakaus as executive VP, product and creator tools. At Spotter, Bakaus will focus on developing products and tools to serve creators and deliver on Spotter’s mission to provide value and resources to YouTubers in addition to capital. Bakaus will dual-report to Spotter CEO and founder Aaron DeBevoise and chief strategy officer Rob Gabel. Bakaus most recently served as head of creators at Koji, ecommerce platform designed for for social media sellers. Prior to joining Koji in April 2022, he spent more than eight years at Google, most recently as head of creator relations where he launched and led the “Google for Creators” program. Before Google, Bakaus worked at games company Zynga. He also is the creator of jQuery UI, a widget and interaction library that has been used by millions of websites to build interactive web applications.

Naman Ramachandran Construction has begun on Birmingham’s Digbeth Loc. Studios, the brainchild of British screenwriter, director and producer, Steven Knight (“Peaky Blinders”). Knight’s vision, alongside business partner, TIME+SPACE CEO Piers Read, is to create a long-term cultural legacy for his home city by welcoming blue-chip brands to the studio. Work on the site is expected to complete by mid-July with the first filming due to take place in October. First shows to be filmed at the new facility include BBC drama “This Town” from Banijay U.K.’s Kudos and food format, “MasterChef,” produced by Banijay U.K.’s Shine TV. An area of the new studios is also expected to be occupied by legendary Birmingham reggae band UB40.

Congratulations are in order for Alexander Skarsgard!

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Roland Emmerich’s large-scale gladiator series “Those About to Die,” starring Anthony Hopkins as Emperor Vespasian, has started shooting at Rome’s Cinecittà Studios. Several new cast members have been announced, including “Game of Thrones” alumn Iwan Rheon. Rheon, who in “Thrones” played the villainous Ramsay Bolton – and can currently be seen in Emmerich-produced film “The Magic Flute” – will replace Lorenzo Richelmy who has exited the Peacock show due to scheduling conflicts. Also joining the “Those About to Die” cast are Liraz Charhi (“Tehran”) who will play Berenice, Queen of the conquered Judeans; and Rupert Penry-Jones (“The Batman”) as retired general Marsus who aspires to succeed Vespasian on the imperial throne (they are pictured above).

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Fox News Media, known best for shows led by Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham, is placing new emphasis on programming that relies more heavily on Kevin Costner, weather emergencies and Greg Gutfeld. In a meeting with advertisers slated to be held Tuesday, executives at the Fox Corp.-backed operation, will spotlight a growing array of lifestyle content, while continuing to nod to the political programming that draws some of its networks’ biggest audiences. Among the Fox News Media executives scheduled to be on hand were Suzanne Scott, the CEO, and Jay Wallace, president and executive editor. “If you take a look at our overall audience across all of Fox News Media, 40% comes from lifestyle – sports, weather, entertainment offerings,” says Jeff Collins, executive vice president of advertsing sales for Fox News Media. “We just want to reiterate to our clients the depth and breadth of this type of content that we have outside of just hard news.”

APPOINTMENTSAEG Presents has appointed Crissie Rushton as General Manager of The Halls Wolverhampton. She worked for the venue in its previous incarnation as Wolverhampton Civic Halls for over two decades. “I have loved being a part of this extraordinary venue for more than 23 years and am delighted to be continuing my journey with The Halls Wolverhampton as part of the team at AEG Presents”, she says.

Lille’s Series Mania Forum is kicking off today with a packed schedule of talks, screenings and competitions.

An incredible scrap metal sculpture commemorating the dead of the Great War is coming on loan to The Black Watch Castle and Museum this summer, sparking hopes it will make Perth even more of a visitor destination.

The sporting life! Kim Kardashian treated 7-year-old son Saint and his friends to a soccer match in Paris — and they got to interact with some very famous athletes.