‘The Rings Of Power’ showrunner addresses “patently evil” racist backlash

Is Tom Brady going to re-retire?

The late cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was remembered today on the one-year anniversary of her death on the set of the film Rust.

Warner Bros. Discovery has become the first major studio to sell a movie’s NFT bundle,with The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring dropping tomorrow.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Opening statements began on Wednesday in a civil trial against Oscar-winning filmmaker Paul Haggis, who has been accused of raping a publicist nearly a decade ago.  Haleigh Breest, who filed a lawsuit against Haggis in 2017, alleges that the screenwriter and director forced her to perform oral sex and then raped her after she reluctantly agreed to have a drink at his Soho apartment following a movie premiere. Her attorneys asserted to jurors that the director used his fame and position in Hollywood to pressure Breest, who was 26 at the time. “The defendant, Paul Haggis, is a famous movie director and screenwriter. He’s won two Oscars. He’s talented. He’s powerful. He’s also manipulative,” the plaintiff’s lawyer Zoe Salzman told the jurors in a Lower Manhattan courtroom. “The evidence in this case will show Mr. Haggis used his storytelling skills and fame to prey on, manipulate and attack vulnerable young women in the film industry.”

Over the past couple of years, we’ve seen quite a few attempts at a “pandemic” movie. Not necessarily films that feature plagues, but just features produced during lockdown when people weren’t able to come together in large groups.

When we created this list six years ago, we were determined to recognize the new faces of storytellers, executives and entrepreneurs who were reinventing New York. A lot has changed since then, but the city’s can-do spirit is as potent as ever.

Lizzo regularly faces criticism targeting her body, sense of style and everything else under the sun, but the perception that disturbs her «the most» is that she makes music for a white audience. In a new cover story for, the «About Damn Time» singer addressed the oft-repeated judgment that her music is somehow geared toward white listeners, noting that it's «such a critical conversation when it comes to Black artists.»«When Black people see a lot of white people in the audience, they think, 'Well this isn't for me, this is for them.' The thing is, when a Black artist reaches a certain level of popularity, it's going to be a predominantly white crowd,» she explains. «I was so startled when I watched [YouTube clips of gospel great] Sister Rosetta Tharpe, who was an innovator of rock and roll.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” concludes its inaugural season, Amazon Prime Video debuted a fiery new trailer for the season finale that promises “all will be revealed.”  The trailer — which first screened at New York Comic-Con on Friday, as part of Prime Video’s panel for “The Rings of Power” — was light on new footage from the finale, save for a telling glimpse at what appears to be Celebrimbor’s forge, where the titular Rings of Power will eventually be created. Otherwise, the trailer recaps many of the biggest developments through the first season, while promising that while Mordor is rising, at lease some heroes “will fall” — and Sauron’s true identity will finally be revealed.

Season 19 of Grey’s Anatomy premieres tonight (October 6) on ABC with Ellen Pompeo only appearing in eight episodes.

Jennifer Salke entered the Second Age in London. The head of Amazon Studios spent the 72 hours leading up to the launch of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” in a whirlwind, traveling from the series’ global premiere event in London’s Leicester Square to her Manhattan apartment to watch the early returns arrive via reports from Amazon’s formidable consumer research department. The “Rings” team was exhausted, having had no chance to recover from the grueling worldwide promotional campaign for the Amazon Prime Video series that is an enormous bet for the tech giant, being the most expensive television series ever produced. For most of launch day, Sept. 1, Salke and key members of her executive team, many members of the large ensemble cast and executive producers J.D. Payne, Patrick McKay and Lindsey Weber gathered together for hours in virtual “war rooms,” bone tired but energized, to wait for the world’s reaction.

Editors note: The death of Mahsa Amini earlier this month after being detained by Iran’s morality police for allegedly not wearing her hijab according to official dictates has sparked outrage and protests within the Islamic Republic and around the world, with Global Day of Action for Iran set for Saturday with rallies around the globe (more information below). Currently seen as one of the stars of Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Iran-born actress and Amnesty International UK ambassador Nazanin Boniadi reflects on Amini’s tragic death and the potentially pivotal time for her homeland.

Kelly Osbourne is putting her mental health first! And that’s what’s best for baby, too! 

In the aftermath of rapper Coolio's unexpected death, stars and fellow musicians are sharing their sadness and offering their condolences to the "Gangsta's Paradise" artist's family. Coolio, who was 59, passed away at a friend's house, his manager Jarez Posey told The Associated Press.  Several celebrities, many of who worked with Coolio, took to social media to share their shock and grief on the situation. Snoop Dogg shared his condolences and a photo of him and Coolio on Instagram.

Variety‘s Power of Women dinner on Wednesday, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton spoke, and the former secretary of state took the Iranian government to task. “I could not stand up here tonight without also recognizing the brave women in Iran who are standing up for their rights, their freedom against a horrific regime who stays in power in large measure because they oppress women,” Clinton said. “And I could not stand here without thinking about the women in Afghanistan who are being deprived of education, or the women on the front lines in Ukraine who are trying to defend their country against the barbarity of Putin’s invasion.” “So we have a lot of work to do,” she continued. “It’s work in our own country to keep our progress going and not let the clock be turned back, and it’s also caring about the rest of the world.”

Kate Aurthur editor The coalition of showrunners, TV creators and directors formed in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in June to overturn Roe v. Wade are continuing to put pressure on Hollywood studios to put safety protocols into place in abortion-hostile states. But on Sept. 28, in a full-page ad in the Power of Women issue of Variety, the still-unnamed coalition thanked those studios “for fully engaging and being thought leaders with us,” as the message reads in part. (The page was donated to the coalition by Variety‘s sales team without charge. The full letter is included below.) The coalition’s efforts became public on July 28, when Variety reported that 411 showrunners had sent nine major studios a letter demanding that new safety protocols be established for productions in states where abortion has been outlawed. Four days later, 594 male showrunners and creators backed up that demand — and the group was soon joined by nearly 400 directors.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Lima-based Apus Animation Studio has pacted with Spanish and Brazilian shingles to co-produce its projects, among them TV series “Chek & Chan” with Valencia-based Hampa Animation Studio and Apus’ first animation feature, “Nimuendajú: El Hombre que Encontró su Camino,” with Brazil’s Anaya Films. Apus presents “La Orquestita,” co-produced with Barcelona-based Mago Prods., at the inaugural Co-Production and Financing Forum hosted by the Iberseries & Platino Industria TV event in Madrid (Sept.27-30). Directed by Uruguayan Juan Carve, founder of chucho.tv, the kids animated series teaches kids about the mystery behind music, how it’s composed, why it move us. The 26-part, 11-minute episode series has already been sold to Argentina’s Pakapaka, TV3 Catalonia, Señal Colombia and pubcaster TVE, said Bonilla.

Tom Cruise‘s complex relationship with the Church of Scientology is getting exposed!