Universal Studios Hollywood to Reopen April 16

Avril Lavigne walks alongside boyfriend Mod Sun while out and about in Los Angeles on Friday afternoon (April 16).

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterUniversal Pictures has named Ashley Momtaheni and Kendel White as vice presidents of global communications.Momtaheni and White are based in Los Angeles and report to Evan Langweiler, head of global communications. The pair start their new roles this week.Their hiring comes as the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group restructures its communications department.

Film and television development executive Jessie Henderson is joining Apple Studios as a feature executive, reporting to Apple Original Films’ Matt Dentler, head of features. Henderson, who joins the company next week, will be part of the growing Apple Original Films team based in Los Angeles, which includes feature executive Lejo Pet, who recently joined Apple from Paramount Pictures.

Film and television development executive Jessie Henderson is joining Apple Studios as a feature executive, the company announced on Friday.Henderson will report to Apple Original Films’ Matt Dentler, head of features.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has eased up a little on its restrictions for film, TV and commercial productions and for live events in Greater Los Angeles as Covid-19 hospitalizations and deaths continue to fall in the region.

Manori Ravindran International EditorNicely Entertainment has hired NENT Studios U.K. executive Scott Kirkpatrick as executive VP of distribution and co-productions.Kirkpatrick joins the Los Angeles-based Nicely following his departure from the Scandinavian NENT Group-backed distributor and producer, which was previously known as DRG.

Also Read: 'Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free,' 'The Fallout' Win SXSW Audience Awards“Language Lessons,” which earned strong reviews out of Berlin, is described as bittersweet, honest and at times darkly funny in how it explores platonic love and the complications of a long-distance relationship. The film was shot in secret during the pandemic with skeleton crews in Los Angeles and Costa Rica.The film is a production of Duplass Brothers Productions and was produced by Mel Eslyn.

Zola Mashariki, a veteran of Fox Searchlight Pictures and BET Networks, has been named head of Amazon-owned Audible Studios. In her new role, Mashariki will oversee the creation of all original content and will manage the entire studio operation, including the development and implementation of content strategy.

LOS ANGELES -- Whoopi Goldberg, Andra Day and Zendaya will be among the honorees at this year's Essence Black Women in Hollywood event, which will be livestreamed during Oscars week for the first time this year.Essence on Tuesday announced the honorees for the 14th annual ceremony on April 22.In addition to the Emmy-, Grammy-, Oscar- and Tony-winner Goldberg and “Euphoria” star Zendaya, they include actor, singer and songwriter Cynthia Erivo and actor Michaela Coel.Day, who is up for an Oscar a

Pat Saperstein Deputy EditorTrailblazing director Penelope Spheeris has very few fucks left to give.Spheeris first came on the scene with her Los Angeles punk rock documentary “Decline of Western Civilization,” followed by the disturbing punk drama “Suburbia” starring Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea. But after directing several more independent films, huge success with “Wayne’s World,” and then some lightweight studio comedies, she basically lost faith in Hollywood.

no Zoom element to it. A letter from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released to the film industry website Deadline said: “Our plan is to stage an intimate, in-person event at Union station in Los Angeles, with additional show elements live from the Dolby theatre in Hollywood.

On March 23,Hollywood studio executives woke up to headlines that mega-U.K. exhibitor Cineworld, owner of Regal Cinemas in the U.S.

Ted Hope, the former co-head at Amazon Movies, is set to join Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management. The indie film guru will become a professor of practice in the new graduate entertainment and creative industries program.

EXCLUSIVE: Producing and financing company Bron Studios has hired Juliana Janes as Vice President of Development for Television.