USC School Of Cinematic Arts’ First Jobs Program Reaches 1,000 Alums Hired In 5 Years & Pandemic

Cynthia Littleton Business EditorLongtime CBS communications executive Lauri Metrose has been named head of global PR and social media for travel giant Expedia.Metrose will serve as senior VP for Expedia Brands, overseeing public relations and social media for the well-trafficked digital travel service that is owned by Barry Diller’s IAC.“Lauri is one of the most respected PR and social media executives in the media industry, well known as a world-class storyteller,” said Jon Gieselman, president of Expedia Brands.Metrose had been with CBS and Paramount Television since 1998. Most recently she served as executive VP of communications for CBS Studios.

School’s out! Former American Idol frontrunner Kenedi Anderson graduated from high school two months after she abruptly quit season 20 of the singing competition.

Pupils and staff are celebrating a good rating from Ofsted after it was inspected for the first time since becoming an academy.

Queen’s Greatest Hits has reached the landmark milestone of 1,000 weeks on the Official Album Chart.   

Filmmaker Prentice Penny (Insecure) and his A Penny For Your Thoughts Entertainment banner today announced the launch of The First Up, a new program for writers of color at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

EXCLUSIVE: Village Roadshow is teaming with the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts to develop a film based on New York Times bestselling-author Don Yaeger’s Turning of the Tide: How One Game Changed the South as a USC Original Film, a new initiative designed to support emerging and diverse filmmakers. This partnership supports Village Roadshow’s aim to consistently source fresh voices, and to support the next generation of innovators.

Mark Sutherland One guaranteed blockbuster concert series this summer is the American Express Presents British Summer Time in Hyde Park festival. It will stage the most shows in its history between June 24 and July 10, with two concerts apiece by Adele, the Rolling Stones, and Pearl Jam, and additional gigs by Elton John, the Eagles and Duran Duran.AEG Presents CEO of European festivals Jim King tells Variety that this summer the event will set new records for its most tickets sold, highest gross, largest number of sponsors and highest sponsorship gross.“We’ve got the biggest line-up we’ve ever had, both in terms of quantity and the stature of the artists,” says King.

EXCLUSIVE: Shameless star Kate Miner and The Rookie regular Jason Canela are leading Stay Safe, a horror-thriller about a Pandemic Hotzone.

The husband of a teacher who was shot dead in the horrific Texas school attack on Tuesday has suffered a fatal heart attack, according to reports.

ruthlessly killed 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school on Tuesday.After learning of the horror on his home soil, McConaughey issued a call to action to combat gun violence.“As you all are aware there was another mass shooting today, this time in my hometown of Uvalde, Texas,” the actor wrote on social media. “Once again, we have tragically proven that we are failing to be responsible for the rights our freedoms grant us.”The Oscar winner called for Americans to take a “longer and deeper look in the mirror,” adding, “What is it that we truly value? How do we repair the problem? What small sacrifices can we individually take today, to preserve a healthier and safer nation, state, and neighborhood tomorrow?” McConaughey called for an end to making “excuses and accepting these tragic realities as the status quo.”Uvalde, Texas, USA.

“Forrest Gump” made a surprise appearance on Tuesday at Paddington Station in London.A mystery man who looked eerily similar to the character was seen gazing at Queen Elizabeth during her visit to the new Elizabeth train line named in her honor for the Platinum Jubilee. Valentine Low, the royal correspondent for The Times of London, posted a pic of the day, showing the 96-year-old monarch sporting a bright lemon-colored coat and matching hat.

Wilson Chapman editorSixth months after Peter Samuelson and Jonathan Prince launched PhilmCo Media, the production banner is gearing up its first project “1660 Vine,” a musical film that producers hope to adapt as a Broadway show.“1660 Vine,” follows a group of influencers who move into a Hollywood apartment complex to help each other pursue social media stardom. The film will feature influencers and social media celebrities, with Prince Khemuni Norodom of the Cambodian Royal Family leading the cast that also includes TikTok stars Cheryl Porter and Chris Olsen and “American Idol” alum Pia Toscano.The movie is set to begin filming in Los Angeles June 2022, and release on specialty musical platforms StreamingMusicals.com and BroadwayOnDemand.com.

Jake Daniels is bravely coming out.

The American Cinematheque has announced David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, is the newest addition to the group’s board of directors.Zaslav spearheaded the recent transaction between AT&T and Discovery, Inc.

above.Per a statement, the filmmakers were “committed to creating a film that provides an accurate portrayal of the Comanche and brings a level of authenticity that rings true to its Indigenous peoples.” Myers, an acclaimed filmmaker, Sundance Fellow and member of the Comanche nation herself, is known for her attention and dedication to films surrounding the Comanche and Blackfeet nations and her passion for honoring the legacies of the Native communities.In 1987 the “Predator” franchise launched with the original film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as the leader of a special ops force in the South American jungle that come face-to-face with a bloodthirsty alien warrior.