Publicists Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

In lieu of its traditional awards luncheon this year, which was canceled because of the pandemic, the Publicists of the International Cinematographers Guild, IATSE Local 600, have raised more than $60,000 to support the guild’s Hardship Fund, in donations from publicists, studios and awards sponsors.

Publicists from more than 100 firms that represent nearly all of the talent in Hollywood have sent a letter to the HFPA to demand “transformational change” within the organization.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle EditorThe Hollywood Foreign Press Association has been given notice by Hollywood publicists.A group of 102 PR firms has signed a letter to the HFPA advising them that they are instructing their clients not work with the HFPA until the organization not only releases a plan to drastically transform the non-profit organization.

In a letter addressed to HFPA COO Greg Goecker and Board Chair Meher Tatna, a collective of Hollywood publicists today warned the group about making meaningful changes, or risk telling their star clients to stay away from the Golden Globes. The PR firm has sent the letter to press. Here it is.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle Editor Less than a week after the Hollywood Foreign Press Association circulated a letter to Hollywood publicists insisting it was committed to diversifying and addressing longstanding criticisms of the organization, Variety has learned that a group of top publicity firms plan to formally warn the HFPA that they expect to see tangible changes.The letter, which is still being drafted, will inform the organization behind the Golden Globe Awards

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle Editor The Hollywood Foreign Press Association continued its apology tour on Wednesday by sending a letter to Hollywood executives that reiterated its promise that change was coming to the embattled organization.“We have been partners with many of you for a long time and recognize and appreciate the significant role you play in the entertainment community.

Harry Potter actor Katie Leung who played Cho Chang in the film franchise has revealed she experienced racism from fans online during filming - and was told to keep quiet about it. And Motherwell born Katie, now 33, who is of Chinese descent, claims publicists told her to deny what was happening when she told them about it.

Harry Potter actress Katie Leung has offered fresh perspective on the racism she experienced as part of the landmark franchise, emphasizing the way in which she was silenced while doing press for the films.

Publicists with the International Cinematographers Guild have canceled their annual awards luncheon to instead support their Local 600 Hardship Fund amid the pandemic. The ICG Publicists Awards traditionally recognizes the best film and TV campaigns of the year and includes high-profile cameos by Hollywood A-list stars.

Being a publicist is normally pretty mundane. Yes, you work with famous people and get to interact in situations that most of your friends would be jealous of.

Despite having more than 25 years of publicity and marketing experience, BazanPR founder Jackie Bazan still finds it challenging to encounter people in the entertainment industry who "understand that the color of my skin does not define my capability in this space." Bazan’s firm has worked on Black Panther, Spike Lee’s Chi-Raq, Adam Shankman’s Hairspray and the upcoming Concrete Cowboy starring Idris Elba.

Mike Fleming Jr Co-Editor-in-Chief, FilmNarrative has brought aboard Maria Herrera and Rachael Reiss, publicists who most recently were Vice-Presidents at Rogers & Cowan PMK.Herrera most recently served as VP of Entertainment Strategies and has a decade working with talent, filmmakers and showrunners in releases and awards season campaigns.

On May 21, Burson Cohn & Wolfe confirmed that it would be combining the BWR Public Relations brand into BCW Entertainment and, as a result, letting go of the majority of the staff, many of whom were well-known Hollywood publicists who had been with the company for years. Now, seven of those reps have teamed to launch the bicoastal entertainment, corporate, lifestyle and public relations firm called The Initiative Group.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle EditorThere’s a new publicity firm in town.A group of former BWR senior publicists has launched The Initiative Group, with offices in Los Angeles and New York.

Also Read: BWR Publicity Firm Dissolves After 33 Years in BusinessIn addition, The Initiative Group’s corporate lifestyle clients will include Beaches and Sandals Resorts, Gelson’s Markets, USA Cycling, Pair of Thieves, and NALIP, among others.“The new firm will honor the legacy of BWR while returning back to its roots as an innovative independent public relations company,” The Initiative Group said in a statement.

Anthony D'Alessandro Editorial Director/Box Office EditorFormer BWR publicists Cindy Guagenti, Paulette Kam, Gary Mantoosh, Christina Papadopoulos, Lisa Perkins, Jamie Skinner and Alex Spieller are opening the doors to The Initiative Group, a new bi-coastal entertainment and corporate lifestyle public relations collective.The group, who departed the BCW owned-BWR last month, will be equal partners in the new venture.The partners are bringing with them their entire client roster of over 150

a former Disney princess upset that she had to skip Coachella because of coronavirus or a Netflix heartthrob's offensive old posts being unearthed by eagle-eyed fans on Twitter, celebrities have consistently been apologizing for their actions, oftentimes only after people on social media call for their 'cancellations.' In the past, celebrity scandals could be easily forgotten - superstars like Hugh Grant or Rob Lowe could simply issue a quick apology in the pages of People magazine if there was

By Marc Malkin

By Anthony D'Alessandro

By Antonia Blyth

Hollywood union publicists have selected Warner Bros.’ “Joker” and  Disney’s “The Mandalorian” as winners of the Maxwell Weinberg Awards for top publicity campaigns last year.

By Amanda N'Duka, Patrick Hipes

The Publicists Guild Awards will have a new speaker after ICG president Lewis Rothenberg defeated incumbent Steven Poster last May for a three-year term. Poster had been elected head of the ICG since 2006, but Rothenberg was able to win the position via a campaign that promised more organizing and better communications with the membership.

By Erik Pedersen

By Erik Pedersen

Pat Kingsley is a legend in the world of personal publicity, but to Jennifer Allen and Melissa Kates, their PMK boss was a mentor, trusted confidante and, as she remains to this day, a friend. So, in December 2009 when Kingsley left as PMK/HBH merged with rival BNC, Allen and Kates did something that was years away from becoming trendy: They struck out on their own, left PMK and launched their own talent PR firm.

The International Cinematographers Guild (ICG, IATSE Local 600) Publicists have announced the nominees for the Maxwell Weinberg Award for Motion Picture Publicity Campaign.

By Patrick Hipes