Republic Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

With than less than three weeks left for countries to submit their candidates for the Best International Feature Film category of the 2024 Academy Awards, announcements are falling thick and fast.

Mariana Downing, previously in a relationship with Marc Anthony, has recently been crowned Miss Dominican Republic. She is preparing to participate in the upcoming Miss Universe competition on November 18th in El Salvador.

Republic Pictures President Dan Cohen and producer Annabelle Dunne were among the main representatives of William Friedkin’s last film The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial at its posthumous world premiere at Venice Film Festival over the weekend.

Quavo has shared a new video for his song ‘Galaxy’, which sees him taking a sightseeing tour of the Dominican Republic.The track, which features on the rapper’s recent album ‘Rocket Power’, follows the song ‘Hold Me’ which saw him attend a memorial service for late Migos bandmate Takeoff in the video.The clip for ‘Galaxy’ sees him going on a date on the island, cutting into a coconut with a machete, and playing football with the local kids. You can view it below.Announcing ‘Rocket Power’ earlier this year, Quavo described the album as “my therapy” following the death of Takeoff.“This album is a true reflection of how I feel right now,” he wrote in an Instagram post at the time.

Mariana Downing, representing the province of Sánchez Ramírez, was officially crowned the Miss Dominican Republic Universe 2023. The 27-year-old half-Dominican and half-British beauty pageant will now travel to El Salvador and try to win a second Miss Universe title for the Caribbean island.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Aya Films has snatched all U.K. and Ireland rights to the Dominican Republic’s “Ramona” from Paris-based film company Alief SAS ahead of its BFI London Film Fest premiere. The docu-fiction hybrid, which had its world premiere at the 2023 Berlinale’s Generation 14Plus sidebar, will have its U.S.

Ricky Martin and Jwan Yosef surprised everyone by announcing their divorce after six years of marriage. Following this news, the Puerto Rican singer has remained active on social media, while the painter has been more reserved. However, both were clear from the outset in stating that the well-being of their children will always be their priority.

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music Republic Records’ Kids & Family division and the Rock and Roll Playhouse have announced an exclusive partnership with a multi-album record deal. Founded by Brooklyn Bowl owner and live music entrepreneur Peter Shapiro, the Rock and Roll Playhouse is set to release their premiere album, “Friends Rock!,” on Friday, September 22.

EXCLUSIVE: Paramount’s Republic Pictures has acquired worldwide rights to the inspirational documentary Lift, from Academy Award-nominated filmmaker David Petersen, slating it for release via Paramount Global Content Distribution. In the U.S., the film will hit select theaters on September 15th and bow on digital on the 22nd. Pic will also soon hit the UK, debuting on digital on the 25th.

Will Tizard Contributor Major international productions have been bypassing the Czech Republic for the past year — but local producers and lawmakers have a plan to win such players back, they announced at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival this week. The Czech incentives system essentially shut down in 2022 after major productions used up the $62.7 million annual cash-back rebate funds available — or so said the officials overseeing the program. The Czech Republic has offered competitive 20% rebates — with a $6.8 million cap per project — as incentives for major productions for a decade now. The system has been heralded as the key to staying competitive in a part of Europe that’s highly in demand for big-budget shoots by the likes of Amazon, Netflix and the Hollywood majors.

EXCLUSIVE: Prison Break and Legends Of Tomorrow star Dominic Purcell is replacing the late Ray Stevenson in Paramount and Republic Pictures’ movie Cassino In Ischia, which is now back underway in Italy.

K.J. Yossman “One Day” producers Drama Republic have restructured their C-suite, Variety can reveal, upping chief creative officer Jude Liknaitzky to co-CEO alongside Roanna Benn. Benn’s former co-CEO, Greg Brenman, will take on a co-founder role. Brenman will continue to stay involved in the growth and development of the company with a focus on his own slate of projects. Brenman, Benn and Liknaitzky founded London-based Drama Republic, which specializes in high-end drama, in 2013 after the trio left Tiger Aspect. Drama Republic is part of the Mediawan group, with the French conglomerate taking a majority stake in 2021.

EXCLUSIVE: Paramount’s Republic Pictures label has acquired North American rights to dystopian drama-thriller The End We Start From, starring BAFTA and Emmy winner Jodie Comer (Killing Eve).

Iranian director Ali Abbasi has responded to Russia’s unexplained ban of his serial killer thriller Holy Spider just days after its theatrical release.

EXCLUSIVE: RRR and Thor franchise star Ray Stevenson is headlining Frank Ciota’s Cassino in Ischia, a feature which is being produced by Goodfellas and Casino‘s Barbara DeFina.

EXCLUSIVE: Republic Pictures has acquired the action thriller Air Force One Down from SP Media Group, slating it for worldwide release by Paramount Global Content Distribution next year. Katherine McNamara (Walker: Independence), Ian Bohen (Yellowstone), Anthony Michael Hall (Halloween Kills), Dascha Polanco (Orange Is the New Black) and Rade Serbedzija (Mission: Impossible II) star in the pic which wrapped production in March.

Thania Garcia Anitta anticipates her next album will encourage its listeners to get “very cultured” about her native Brazil. The Latin music star teased the project on the Met Gala carpet saying the collection will be a bilingual mix of English and Spanish that pays homage to the early beginnings of Brazillian music. The follow-up to her 2022 smash, “Versions of Me,” will arrive via Republic Records as her debut on the label. Variety broke the news of Anitta’s deal with Republic less than a month after she announced her split from longtime label Warner Music. “I think Brazillian funk is opening its room right now and I want to show more about where this was born and it’s my culture, my community, my place so I feel happy to have this in hands with Republic,” she said. Anitta also mentioned the record will include a “couple” of special guests that she says fans will definitely be happy with.

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Less than a month after parting ways with Warner Music, Brazilian superstar singer Anitta has signed with Republic Records in partnership with Universal Music Latin Entertainment, the companies officially announced today. Variety broke the news of the deal last week. (Photo IDs below.) About the signing, Anitta shared, “After being in this business for many years, I wanted to find partners that work like a family. After meeting with Monte, Wendy, their team at Republic, and Jesus Lopez I was blown away. Their passion, innovation, creativity and vision is incredible.  I not only felt so connected to them as an artist, but also on a human level. I knew immediately, I was home.”

Lise Pedersen American director Daniel McCabe and his team have opened up to Variety about the making of “Grasshopper Republic” at Swiss international documentary film fest Visions du Réel, where the pic is nominated in the main competition. Based on a book of photographs by Michele Sibiloni, a photographer and long-time friend of McCabe, who co-shot the film with him and his brother Michael, “Grasshopper Republic” takes viewers on an immersive vérité style journey alongside Uganda’s grasshopper trappers as they set out to make the catch they hope will make them rich: prices and demand for grasshoppers are high in Uganda, where they are considered a delicacy.

not-so-amicable parting from Warner Music was announced, Brazilian superstar singer Anitta has inked with Universal’s Republic Records, sources close to the deal tell Variety. Republic declined requests for comment. The singer left Warner after 11 years at the company and a big effort by the company’s Warner Records label to break the singer in the U.S. with her multi-genre latest album “Versions of Me,” released just over a year ago. Despite a blockbuster performance at last year’s Coachella festival, a massive international hit with the song “Envolver” (which has amassed more than 500 million streams on Spotify), and collaborations on the album with hitmakers like Max Martin, Ryan Tedder and Stargate — not to mention features from Saweetie, Missy Elliott, Khalid and Maluma — the album was not a hit in the U.S., although she remains a superstar in Latin America and other territories.

While many fans are still waiting to see Lucasfilm develop live-action projects set during The Old Republic that explores things like the Sith Empire (long before the Rule of Two) and origins of the Jedi Order, there was a bit of a compromise with the publishing side creating The High Republic setting. It takes place between the Skywalker Saga and The Old Republic.

Matt Donnelly Senior Film Writer Republic Pictures, an historic movie label founded in 1935 and shuttered in 1967, has been revived by parent company Paramount Global. The banner will function as an acquisitions play, releasing titles acquired by Paramount Global Content Distribution. “We’ve chosen to revitalize the Republic banner given its storied history of delivering popular movies to a global audience, ” said Dan Cohen, Paramount chief content licensing officer and newly-named president of Republic Pictures. “With our best-in-class global distribution teams working to identify the best homes around the world, we aim to continue that legacy by offering audiences great entertainment across all genres.”

Hugh Jackman has stated his belief that it is “inevitable” Australia will become a republic in the future. The actor shared his views while appearing on the BBC One politics programme Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg. “I think Australia will become Republican at some point.

Hugh Jackman predicts his home country Australia will break with the British Royal Family and become a Republic. 

Us Weekly has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services.

APPOINTMENTSUniversal Music’s Republic Records in the US has promoted Beau Benton to SVP Media & Operations. “It’s been such a pleasure working with Beau every day for the last ten years”, says EVP Media & Artist Relations, Joseph Carozza. “As a colleague and as a friend, I’ve had a front row seat to his media expertise, his love and commitment to artists and the team, and his infectious energy”.Artist management firm UROK has hired Tayla Dhyll as Head Of Audience and Sophie Lane as Senior Artist Manager.

An Afro-European woman connects with her roots in Bantú Mama, the Dominican Republic’s entry for the Best International Feature Film Oscar. Co-written and directed by Ivan Herrera, it’s was picked up by Ava DuVernay’s Array Releasing. It’s a compelling drama featuring a strong performance from Clarisse Albrecht, who also co-wrote the screenplay.

Mario Oliver, one of the kings of the Los Angeles nightlife scene when he ran the clubs Vertigo and The Gate and elegant restaurants like Tryst, Le Petit Four, and Linq, has died at age 71.

K.J. Yossman MetFilm is expanding into distribution with the acquisition of U.K. distribution company Republic Film Distribution (“Brittany Runs a Marathon”). Republic, which is run by former Icon Films exec Zak Brilliant, will be re-branded as MetFilm Distribution. Brilliant will take on the role of head of MetFilm distribution and MetFilm sales, working with the existing sales team, comprised of Mitch Clare, Jenny Bohnhoff and Ella Pham. The company is already planning to increase its headcount. MetFilm Distribution will aim to release six to eight titles annually. The films they take on will have a strong theatrical focus, starting with November’s “A Bunch of Amateurs” by Kim Hopkins, which won the Sheffield DocFest audience award.

MetFilm has acquired Republic Film Distribution, the UK distribution company run by former Icon Films executive Zak Brilliant.

Shania Twain has put out her new song, "Waking Up Dreaming;" the country sensations first new song in five years, and she has changed things up. She released her new song under a brand-new label, Republic Nashville, where she is the debut artist.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic After being with Mercury Nashville since the beginning of her recording career in the early 1990s, Shania Twain has a new label home, Republic Nashville, and a new song and video to go with the switch — “Waking Up Dreaming,” her first official single in five years. It’s not just a new label for her — it’s a new label to everyone, as Twain’s statement about the signing established that she is the debut artist for Republic Nashville, a division of Republic Records. “I couldn’t think of a better partner than Republic Nashville,” Twain said. “I’m honored and excited to be the label’s first artist and lead the charge of this new and exciting chapter. In this respect, it feels like a new beginning all around, and I’m embracing it wholeheartedly.”

EXCLUSIVE: Oscar-winning Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar will not be making his first English-language feature directorial debut with A Manual for Cleaning Women, which has Cate Blanchett set to star and produce under her Dirty Films, Deadline has learned.

The news of her death has obviously thrown the UK into a flurry of activity, along with mourning their monarch the country has to crown it’s new King and organise a state funeral.

EXCLUSIVE: Streetcar Productions today announced that principal photography on La Cigüeña, the latest film from Dominican filmmaker Alejandro Andújar, has begun principal photography in the Dominican Republic.

The Only Way Is Essex's new series had an explosive launch after the cast's turbulent trip to the Dominican Republic.The reality stars headed to the five-star Hard Rock Hotel in Punta Cana to film scenes for the ITVBe show's newest series, with the hotel costing up to an eye-watering £2,000 a night. But there were plenty of controversial moments during their time abroad, from cast members pulling out and feuds, to the group being kicked off their flight home.