Since the character’s inception on the big screen, Bond girls were a staple in most James Bond adaptations, until Casino Royale, as Daniel Craig refrained from using this term. But before Craig took the 007 gig and became the definitive modern James Bond, we had Pierce Brosnan as the charming British spy.
But unlike most Bond girls during the ’60s and ’70s, who were limited to being eye candy with ridiculous names, in Brosnan’s films, they defied those stereotypes. This was apparent in the character of Jinx Johnson, played by Halle Berry, who was even considered for her own spin-off film.
Halle Berry Was Closest to a Female James Bond in Die Another Day
A still from Halle Berry in Die Another Day | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Unlike Bond girls in the past, Halle Berry had no problem going toe to toe with Pierce Brosnan‘s British Spy in Die Another Day,...
But unlike most Bond girls during the ’60s and ’70s, who were limited to being eye candy with ridiculous names, in Brosnan’s films, they defied those stereotypes. This was apparent in the character of Jinx Johnson, played by Halle Berry, who was even considered for her own spin-off film.
Halle Berry Was Closest to a Female James Bond in Die Another Day
A still from Halle Berry in Die Another Day | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Unlike Bond girls in the past, Halle Berry had no problem going toe to toe with Pierce Brosnan‘s British Spy in Die Another Day,...
- 5/20/2024
- by Santanu Roy
- FandomWire
Lionsgate has debuted the first official trailer for their upcoming psychological thriller Never Let Go, which stars Academy Award-winner Halle Berry (X-Men: Days of Future Past; John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum) in the lead role as a mother doing her best to protect her twin sons from an unspeakable Evil that has taken over the world.
As per the synopsis, "as an Evil takes over the world beyond their front doorstep, the only protection for a mother (Halle Berry), and her twin sons is their house and their family’s protective bond. Needing to stay connected at all times – even tethering themselves with ropes – they cling to one another, urging each other to never let go. But when one of the boys questions if the evil is real, the ties that bind them together are severed, triggering a terrifying fight for survival."
Alexandre Aja (The Hills Have Eyes; Crawl) helmed the feature,...
As per the synopsis, "as an Evil takes over the world beyond their front doorstep, the only protection for a mother (Halle Berry), and her twin sons is their house and their family’s protective bond. Needing to stay connected at all times – even tethering themselves with ropes – they cling to one another, urging each other to never let go. But when one of the boys questions if the evil is real, the ties that bind them together are severed, triggering a terrifying fight for survival."
Alexandre Aja (The Hills Have Eyes; Crawl) helmed the feature,...
- 5/16/2024
- ComicBookMovie.com
Never Let Go: "From visionary director Alexandre Aja and the creative minds behind Stranger Things and Arrival comes Never Let Go. In this new psychological thriller/horror, as an Evil takes over the world beyond their front doorstep, the only protection for a mother, played by Academy Award® winner Halle Berry, and her twin sons is their house and their family’s protective bond. Needing to stay connected at all times – even tethering themselves with ropes – they cling to one another, urging each other to never let go. But when one of the boys questions if the evil is real, the ties that bind them together are severed, triggering a terrifying fight for survival."
Directed by: Alexandre Aja Written by: Kc Coughlin & Ryan Grassby Produced by: Shawn Levy, Dan Cohen, Dan Levine, Alexandre Aja Executive Producers: Halle Berry, Holly Jeter, Daniel Clarke, Emily Morris, Christopher Woodrow, Connor Digregorio Cast: Halle Berry,...
Directed by: Alexandre Aja Written by: Kc Coughlin & Ryan Grassby Produced by: Shawn Levy, Dan Cohen, Dan Levine, Alexandre Aja Executive Producers: Halle Berry, Holly Jeter, Daniel Clarke, Emily Morris, Christopher Woodrow, Connor Digregorio Cast: Halle Berry,...
- 5/16/2024
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
“I know this life’s been hard on you boys since the world ended.” Or has it?
From director Alexandre Aja and executive producers of Stranger Things and Arrival comes Never Let Go.
In this new psychological thriller/horror, as an Evil takes over the world beyond their front doorstep, the only protection for a mother, played by Academy Award winner Halle Berry, and her twin sons is their house and their family’s protective bond. Needing to stay connected at all times – even tethering themselves with ropes – they cling to one another, urging each other to never let go. But when one of the boys questions if the evil is real, the ties that bind them together are severed, triggering a terrifying fight for survival.
https://www.neverletgo.movie
The film opens in theaters on September 27th.
Halle Berry as Momma in Never Let Go. Photo Credit: Liane Hentscher...
From director Alexandre Aja and executive producers of Stranger Things and Arrival comes Never Let Go.
In this new psychological thriller/horror, as an Evil takes over the world beyond their front doorstep, the only protection for a mother, played by Academy Award winner Halle Berry, and her twin sons is their house and their family’s protective bond. Needing to stay connected at all times – even tethering themselves with ropes – they cling to one another, urging each other to never let go. But when one of the boys questions if the evil is real, the ties that bind them together are severed, triggering a terrifying fight for survival.
https://www.neverletgo.movie
The film opens in theaters on September 27th.
Halle Berry as Momma in Never Let Go. Photo Credit: Liane Hentscher...
- 5/16/2024
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Halle Berry stars a desperate mother in Alexandre Aja’s latest horror film. Watch the first Never Let Go trailer below.
Switchblade Romance, Alexandre Aja’s gnarly slasher, made the French director into a talent to watch in 2003. After that, Aja has created a successful career in Hollywood, earning him a reputation of being able to turn out solid genre fare on time and with a relatively small budget.
Never Let Go, Lionsgate’s latest horror film, might just be his scariest film to date. Starring Halle Berry as a desperate mother, trying to keep her sons safe from an unseen evil, it all looks absolutely terrifying.
See for yourself. Watch the first Never Let Go trailer below.
Written by Kc Coughlin and Ryan Grassby, the film looks economically made with a small cast, few locations but maximum scares. Aja directed 2021’s Oxygen for Netflix, another film that kept things...
Switchblade Romance, Alexandre Aja’s gnarly slasher, made the French director into a talent to watch in 2003. After that, Aja has created a successful career in Hollywood, earning him a reputation of being able to turn out solid genre fare on time and with a relatively small budget.
Never Let Go, Lionsgate’s latest horror film, might just be his scariest film to date. Starring Halle Berry as a desperate mother, trying to keep her sons safe from an unseen evil, it all looks absolutely terrifying.
See for yourself. Watch the first Never Let Go trailer below.
Written by Kc Coughlin and Ryan Grassby, the film looks economically made with a small cast, few locations but maximum scares. Aja directed 2021’s Oxygen for Netflix, another film that kept things...
- 5/16/2024
- by Maria Lattila
- Film Stories
Lionsgate has shared the official trailer for Never Let Go, the upcoming psychological thriller directed by Alexandre Aja.
Written by Kc Coughlin and Ryan Grassby, the horror film will open in theaters on September 27, 2024.
From the executive producers of Stranger Things and Arrival comes Never Let Go. In this new psychological thriller/horror, as an Evil takes over the world beyond their front doorstep, the only protection for a mother, played by Academy Award winner Halle Berry (Monster’s Ball), and her twin sons is their house and their family’s protective bond.
Needing to stay connected at all times—even tethering themselves with ropes—they cling to one another, urging each other never to let go. But when one of the boys questions if the evil is real, the ties that bind them together are severed, triggering a terrifying fight for survival.
In addition to Halle Berry, the film stars...
Written by Kc Coughlin and Ryan Grassby, the horror film will open in theaters on September 27, 2024.
From the executive producers of Stranger Things and Arrival comes Never Let Go. In this new psychological thriller/horror, as an Evil takes over the world beyond their front doorstep, the only protection for a mother, played by Academy Award winner Halle Berry (Monster’s Ball), and her twin sons is their house and their family’s protective bond.
Needing to stay connected at all times—even tethering themselves with ropes—they cling to one another, urging each other never to let go. But when one of the boys questions if the evil is real, the ties that bind them together are severed, triggering a terrifying fight for survival.
In addition to Halle Berry, the film stars...
- 5/16/2024
- by Mirko Parlevliet
- Vital Thrills
Exclusive: Neon has hired marketing and publicity veteran Joey Monteiro as EVP, International Marketing and Ashley Hirsch as Manager of International Sales and Marketing. The move further expands the company’s global footprint as it grows its international sales arm headed up by seasoned sales executive Kristen Figeroid.
With a career spanning more than two and a half decades, Monteiro joins Neon from Sierra-Affinity/eOne, where he served as EVP of Marketing and Publicity and was responsible for creative marketing across film markets and festivals as well as international distribution. He handled campaigns on Academy Award-winning titles including: Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive, starring Ryan Gosling; Miles Teller starrer Whiplash; Margot Robbie starrer I, Tonya; Manchester By The Sea with Casey Affleck; and Nightcrawler with Jake Gyllenhaal, among others.
Prior to that, Monteiro worked at Warner Brothers Pictures as Director of Digital Marketing and Lionsgate as SVP of International Marketing,...
With a career spanning more than two and a half decades, Monteiro joins Neon from Sierra-Affinity/eOne, where he served as EVP of Marketing and Publicity and was responsible for creative marketing across film markets and festivals as well as international distribution. He handled campaigns on Academy Award-winning titles including: Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive, starring Ryan Gosling; Miles Teller starrer Whiplash; Margot Robbie starrer I, Tonya; Manchester By The Sea with Casey Affleck; and Nightcrawler with Jake Gyllenhaal, among others.
Prior to that, Monteiro worked at Warner Brothers Pictures as Director of Digital Marketing and Lionsgate as SVP of International Marketing,...
- 5/1/2024
- by Diana Lodderhose
- Deadline Film + TV
Halle Berry got very strict with her Extant partner Jeffrey Dean Morgan that she did not want him to be paired up with other actresses. They both co-starred for the first time ever in the short-lived science fiction series, and Berry admitted she got attracted to the role for several reasons.
Halle Berry in Extant
It was mostly the aspect of relatability to the character that made her agree to the project, but she was all the more excited about it when she learned that the veteran director Steven Spielberg joined on board.
Halle Berry Reveals Her Reasons For Working On Extant
Speaking with Collider, actress Halle Berry recalled what made her Extant character very appealing to her. The actress admitted that being a mother had something to do with why she signed up for the job.
“There were so many elements that drew me to it, but probably the...
Halle Berry in Extant
It was mostly the aspect of relatability to the character that made her agree to the project, but she was all the more excited about it when she learned that the veteran director Steven Spielberg joined on board.
Halle Berry Reveals Her Reasons For Working On Extant
Speaking with Collider, actress Halle Berry recalled what made her Extant character very appealing to her. The actress admitted that being a mother had something to do with why she signed up for the job.
“There were so many elements that drew me to it, but probably the...
- 4/25/2024
- by Ariane Cruz
- FandomWire
“A Knight’s Tale” director Brian Helgeland revealed in a career retrospective interview with Inverse that his efforts to make a sequel to his 2001 medieval action-comedy classic were apparently thwarted by the Netflix algorithm.
“When we finished ‘A Knight’s Tale,’ we were already thinking about making the sequel as a pirate film,” Helgeland said. “The plot revolved around Count Adhemar (Rufus Sewell) kidnapping Jocelyn (Shannyn Sossamon) and taking her to Constantinople. They end up as galley slaves after their boat is captured by pirates. There’s a prisoner on the boat who has a treasure map tattooed on his back, but he keeps getting flogged for indiscipline. The guys volunteer to take turns getting flogged in this prisoner’s place, so the map isn’t erased. Sony didn’t want to do it.”
Sony released “A Knight’s Tale” to $117 million at the worldwide box office in summer 2001. Heath Ledger led the ensemble cast,...
“When we finished ‘A Knight’s Tale,’ we were already thinking about making the sequel as a pirate film,” Helgeland said. “The plot revolved around Count Adhemar (Rufus Sewell) kidnapping Jocelyn (Shannyn Sossamon) and taking her to Constantinople. They end up as galley slaves after their boat is captured by pirates. There’s a prisoner on the boat who has a treasure map tattooed on his back, but he keeps getting flogged for indiscipline. The guys volunteer to take turns getting flogged in this prisoner’s place, so the map isn’t erased. Sony didn’t want to do it.”
Sony released “A Knight’s Tale” to $117 million at the worldwide box office in summer 2001. Heath Ledger led the ensemble cast,...
- 4/23/2024
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
Hollywood stars Halle Berry and Bruce Willis have joined forces in various movies like Perfect Stranger and The Last Boy Scout. However, the actress has shared that she did not have a very pleasant experience working with the action star in their first film together, Tony Scott’s The Last Boy Scout.
The Last Boy Scout
The film follows Willis as a washed-up private investigator who teams up with a disgraced football star to uncover a potential conspiracy. Berry, who was still carving her path in the industry, portrayed the role of a stripper, Cory. And she later expressed feeling overlooked and unnoticed by her co-star.
Halle Berry Opened Up About Her First Time Working with Bruce Willis
Halle Berry reflected on her experience working with the 69-year-old actor Bruce Willis in the 1991 film The Last Boy Scout. The Oscar winner, who was in her initial years in Hollywood, was...
The Last Boy Scout
The film follows Willis as a washed-up private investigator who teams up with a disgraced football star to uncover a potential conspiracy. Berry, who was still carving her path in the industry, portrayed the role of a stripper, Cory. And she later expressed feeling overlooked and unnoticed by her co-star.
Halle Berry Opened Up About Her First Time Working with Bruce Willis
Halle Berry reflected on her experience working with the 69-year-old actor Bruce Willis in the 1991 film The Last Boy Scout. The Oscar winner, who was in her initial years in Hollywood, was...
- 4/18/2024
- by Laxmi Rajput
- FandomWire
Welcome to this week’s review of Tna Wrestling, as the “Road To Rebellion” continues. Let’s get into the review and see what went down…
Match #1: Digital Media Championship – Crazzy Steve def. Laredo Kid (Dq) The following is courtesy of tnawrestling.com:
After being unable to challenge Crazzy Steve at Sacrifice due to travel issues, Laredo Kid gets his Digital Media Title shot right here tonight! Steve gains the early advantage as he hits Kid in the back of the head with a clothesline. Both competitors kick out of multiple quick pin attempts. Kid hits a Michinoku Driver in the corner, followed by two springboard Moonsaults. Kid goes for a third but Steve knocks him off the top. Steve hits a running cannonball in the corner but Kid kicks out. Steve tries to rip off Laredo Kid’s mask and that sends him into a rage. Kid pummels...
Match #1: Digital Media Championship – Crazzy Steve def. Laredo Kid (Dq) The following is courtesy of tnawrestling.com:
After being unable to challenge Crazzy Steve at Sacrifice due to travel issues, Laredo Kid gets his Digital Media Title shot right here tonight! Steve gains the early advantage as he hits Kid in the back of the head with a clothesline. Both competitors kick out of multiple quick pin attempts. Kid hits a Michinoku Driver in the corner, followed by two springboard Moonsaults. Kid goes for a third but Steve knocks him off the top. Steve hits a running cannonball in the corner but Kid kicks out. Steve tries to rip off Laredo Kid’s mask and that sends him into a rage. Kid pummels...
- 4/12/2024
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Halle Berry can’t let go of psychological thrillers.
The Oscar winner turned up in Las Vegas on Wednesday during Lionsgate’s studio presentation to promote its new film, Alexandre Aja’s Never Let Go, which brings Berry back into a genre she explored more than 20 years ago, in earlier work like Gothika. But this one pushed her to new limits.
Set for release on Sept. 27, Never Let Go centers on a mother and her twin sons as they try to protect themselves from evil lurking in and around their home. Needing to stay connected at all times — always by a connection of ropes — they hold tight to one another and never let go. However, one of the boys questions if the evil is real, triggering a terrifying fight for survival. Anthony B. Jenkins, Percy Daggs, Matthew Kevin Anderson, Christin Park and Stephanie Lavigne also star.
Aja directed from a...
The Oscar winner turned up in Las Vegas on Wednesday during Lionsgate’s studio presentation to promote its new film, Alexandre Aja’s Never Let Go, which brings Berry back into a genre she explored more than 20 years ago, in earlier work like Gothika. But this one pushed her to new limits.
Set for release on Sept. 27, Never Let Go centers on a mother and her twin sons as they try to protect themselves from evil lurking in and around their home. Needing to stay connected at all times — always by a connection of ropes — they hold tight to one another and never let go. However, one of the boys questions if the evil is real, triggering a terrifying fight for survival. Anthony B. Jenkins, Percy Daggs, Matthew Kevin Anderson, Christin Park and Stephanie Lavigne also star.
Aja directed from a...
- 4/10/2024
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
At CinemaCon on Wednesday, Lionsgate showed off its recently added 2024 fall release, Alexandre Aja’s Never Let Go, a freaky tale about a mother and her fraternal twins who have never gone beyond their forested environs: Whenever they leave the cabin, they are bounded by rope as they venture into the scary woods.
“It was a creepy environment that I had never seen before,” said star Halle Berry, who reteams with the studio that notched her a Best Actress Oscar win for Monster’s Ball.
“I’m a bona fide adrenaline junkie — the bigger the zipline, the bigger the jump — I’m your girl.”
“I had to learn how to skin a squirrel” said Berry about her prep for the role. Not to mention, the characters eat raw frogs in the film.
Related: ‘Barbie’ Producer LuckyChap Rolls Dice On ‘Monopoly’ With Lionsgate & Hasbro – CinemaCon
Lionsgate Motion Picture Chair Adam Fogelson asked...
“It was a creepy environment that I had never seen before,” said star Halle Berry, who reteams with the studio that notched her a Best Actress Oscar win for Monster’s Ball.
“I’m a bona fide adrenaline junkie — the bigger the zipline, the bigger the jump — I’m your girl.”
“I had to learn how to skin a squirrel” said Berry about her prep for the role. Not to mention, the characters eat raw frogs in the film.
Related: ‘Barbie’ Producer LuckyChap Rolls Dice On ‘Monopoly’ With Lionsgate & Hasbro – CinemaCon
Lionsgate Motion Picture Chair Adam Fogelson asked...
- 4/10/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro and Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: In advance of its big slate presentation tomorrow here at CinemaCon, we’ve caught word from exhibition sources that Lionsgate is making a few release-date changes.
First of all, its anticipated reboot of The Crow from director Rupert Sanders and starring Bill Skarsgård is moving from June 7 to August 23.
On its new date, The Crow will go up against Amazon MGM’s Zoë Kravitz’s feature directorial debut, the suspense thriller Blink Twice, as well as Sony’s Kendrick Brothers’ faith-based title The Forge.
The Crow, based on the original graphic novel by James O’Barr, follows soulmates Eric Draven (Skarsgård) and Shelly Webster (FKA Twigs), who are brutally murdered when the demons of her dark past catch up with them. Given the chance to save his true love by sacrificing himself, Eric sets out to seek merciless revenge on their killers, traversing the worlds of the living and the...
First of all, its anticipated reboot of The Crow from director Rupert Sanders and starring Bill Skarsgård is moving from June 7 to August 23.
On its new date, The Crow will go up against Amazon MGM’s Zoë Kravitz’s feature directorial debut, the suspense thriller Blink Twice, as well as Sony’s Kendrick Brothers’ faith-based title The Forge.
The Crow, based on the original graphic novel by James O’Barr, follows soulmates Eric Draven (Skarsgård) and Shelly Webster (FKA Twigs), who are brutally murdered when the demons of her dark past catch up with them. Given the chance to save his true love by sacrificing himself, Eric sets out to seek merciless revenge on their killers, traversing the worlds of the living and the...
- 4/9/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
The 10 Things I Hate About You cast probably didn’t know it then, but the actors in the 1999 teen rom-com would get their breakout role. In the 25 years since its release, 10 Things I Hate About You has become a cult classic and a career highlight for its actors.
On the surface, 10 Things I Hate About You doesn’t sound like a recipe for success. A William Shakespeare play reworked into a teen comedy featuring a cast of mostly unknown actors? Critics didn’t fall head over heels for it in 1999, but the movie’s appeal has grown over time and attracted new generations of fans (even if sequel plans failed). And if the 10 Things I Hate About You cast was unknown then, now there is no mistaking the talent of stars like Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
Julia Stiles Julia Stiles | Buena Vista/Getty Images...
On the surface, 10 Things I Hate About You doesn’t sound like a recipe for success. A William Shakespeare play reworked into a teen comedy featuring a cast of mostly unknown actors? Critics didn’t fall head over heels for it in 1999, but the movie’s appeal has grown over time and attracted new generations of fans (even if sequel plans failed). And if the 10 Things I Hate About You cast was unknown then, now there is no mistaking the talent of stars like Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
Julia Stiles Julia Stiles | Buena Vista/Getty Images...
- 3/31/2024
- by Matt Moore
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Actor Heath Ledger died tragically young in 2008 at the age of 28. The loss of the actor at such a young age not only was a huge blow to his family, friends and fans, but also left a huge hole in film history since we will never know what the actor would have accomplished in his later years.
It makes his death even more tragic in a strange way in that Ledger just seemed to be hitting his stride as an actor. His performance as The Joker in “The Dark Knight,” released shortly after his death, brought him critical raves and a posthumous Oscar as Best Supporting Actor.
Ledger began acting as a teenager on television in his native Australia. A series of successful roles there and in a few Australian films led to him being cast in the American teenage comedy “10 Things I Hate About You.” With his teen idol good looks,...
It makes his death even more tragic in a strange way in that Ledger just seemed to be hitting his stride as an actor. His performance as The Joker in “The Dark Knight,” released shortly after his death, brought him critical raves and a posthumous Oscar as Best Supporting Actor.
Ledger began acting as a teenager on television in his native Australia. A series of successful roles there and in a few Australian films led to him being cast in the American teenage comedy “10 Things I Hate About You.” With his teen idol good looks,...
- 3/30/2024
- by Robert Pius, Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Oscar winner Halle Berry has been a part of many activistic campaigns in her career. The Catwoman star had been a vocal supporter of Barrack Obama during his presidential campaign in 2008 and successfully campaigned against the building of a natural gas facility off the coast of Malibu.
The actress has also been actively involved in a campaign to change the narrative on women going through menopause. Berry revealed last year that she was in the middle of a transitional period and mentioned how she wanted to change the image of women going through the phase. She recently mentioned how she got the diagnosis as she was first given a herpes scare before she came to know about her menopause.
Halle Berry Was Wrongly Tested Positive For Herpes After Meeting Van Hunt Halle Berry in Monster’s Ball
Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry recently attended the A Day of Unreasonable Conversation summit along with Kerry Washington,...
The actress has also been actively involved in a campaign to change the narrative on women going through menopause. Berry revealed last year that she was in the middle of a transitional period and mentioned how she wanted to change the image of women going through the phase. She recently mentioned how she got the diagnosis as she was first given a herpes scare before she came to know about her menopause.
Halle Berry Was Wrongly Tested Positive For Herpes After Meeting Van Hunt Halle Berry in Monster’s Ball
Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry recently attended the A Day of Unreasonable Conversation summit along with Kerry Washington,...
- 3/26/2024
- by Nishanth A
- FandomWire
After the conclusion of each Academy Awards ceremony, I always go back and rewatch the telecast from start to finish. I want to pick up on all of the things that I might have missed during my initial viewing. I especially like to study the nominees’ reactions each time an envelope is opened — particularly for the major categories when the famous five-camera shot is strategically displayed on the TV screen. I always rewind the moment that each winner is announced, so that I can carefully study the look on each individual’s face both before and after the big reveal.
As we all know, this year’s Best Actress race was the only above-the-line race with any real suspense. That it made it all the more fascinating when reigning Best Actress Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) announced that the torch would be passed on to Emma Stone in “Poor Things.
As we all know, this year’s Best Actress race was the only above-the-line race with any real suspense. That it made it all the more fascinating when reigning Best Actress Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) announced that the torch would be passed on to Emma Stone in “Poor Things.
- 3/18/2024
- by Tariq Khan
- Gold Derby
Since the Academy Awards were first handed out in 1929, only 23 Oscars have been awarded to performances given by Black actresses and actors. Hattie McDaniel made history for Black performers by winning for “Gone With the Wind” (supporting in 1939), while Sidney Poitier was the first male actor to prevail for “Lilies of the Field” (lead in 1963). Denzel Washington became the first two-time Black acting champion when he claimed victory for “Glory” (supporting in 1989) and “Training Day” (lead in 2001), with Mahershala Ali joining him years later for “Moonlight” (supporting in 2016) and “Green Book” (supporting in 2018). Halle Berry was the first, and so far only, Black Best Actress thanks to “Monster’s Ball” (2001). The acting category with the most Black winners is Best Supporting Actress, with 10 including recent champ Da’Vine Joy Randolph for “The Holdovers” (2023). Tour our photo gallery above of every Black actress and actor who won Academy Awards.
Let’s take a...
Let’s take a...
- 3/11/2024
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
Since the Academy Awards were first handed out in 1929, only 23 Oscars have been awarded to performances given by Black actresses and actors. Hattie McDaniel made history for Black performers by winning for “Gone With the Wind” (supporting in 1939), while Sidney Poitier was the first such male actor to prevail for “Lilies of the Field” (lead in 1963). Denzel Washington became the first two-time African-American acting champion when he claimed victory for “Glory” (supporting in 1989) and “Training Day” (lead in 2001), with Mahershala Ali joining him years later for “Moonlight” (supporting in 2016) and “Green Book” (supporting in 2018). Halle Berry was the first, and so far only, Black Best Actress thanks to “Monster’s Ball” (2001). The acting category with the most Black winners is Best Supporting Actress, with 10 including recent champ Da’Vine Joy Randolph for “The Holdovers” (2023). Tour our photos below to see every Black actress and actor who won Academy Awards. Gallery originally published...
- 3/11/2024
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
Da’Vine Joy Randolph (‘The Holdovers’) becomes 10th Black woman to win Best Supporting Actress Oscar
Just as Gold Derby predicted, Da’Vine Joy Randolph (“The Holdovers”) has prevailed at the 2024 Oscars in the category of Best Supporting Actress. Earlier this awards season, the 37-year-old performer claimed victory at the Golden Globes, Critics Choice, BAFTA and SAG Awards for her role as bereaved cafeteria worker Mary Lamb in Alexander Payne‘s comedy-drama film. This marks Randolph’s first career Oscars win on her first-ever nomination.
Randolph was the overwhelming favorite to triumph on Sunday, March 10 by all 29 of Gold Derby’s Oscar Experts from major media outlets: Andrea Mandell (People Magazine), Anne Thompson (Indiewire), Brian Truitt (USA Today), Christopher Rosen (Gold Derby), Claudia Puig (Kpcc), Clayton Davis (Variety), Eric Deggans (NPR), Erik Davis (Fandango), Grae Drake (Moviefone), Jazz Tangcay (Variety), Joyce Eng (Gold Derby), Keith Simanton (IMDb), Kevin Polowy (Cbr), Matt Neglia (Next Best Picture), Michael Musto (Queerty), Nikki Novak (Fandango), Perri Nemiroff (Collider), Pete Hammond (Deadline Hollywood...
Randolph was the overwhelming favorite to triumph on Sunday, March 10 by all 29 of Gold Derby’s Oscar Experts from major media outlets: Andrea Mandell (People Magazine), Anne Thompson (Indiewire), Brian Truitt (USA Today), Christopher Rosen (Gold Derby), Claudia Puig (Kpcc), Clayton Davis (Variety), Eric Deggans (NPR), Erik Davis (Fandango), Grae Drake (Moviefone), Jazz Tangcay (Variety), Joyce Eng (Gold Derby), Keith Simanton (IMDb), Kevin Polowy (Cbr), Matt Neglia (Next Best Picture), Michael Musto (Queerty), Nikki Novak (Fandango), Perri Nemiroff (Collider), Pete Hammond (Deadline Hollywood...
- 3/10/2024
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
The 96th Academy Award Ceremony is approaching, and the buzz around the Oscars has evolved to an astounding height. Looking back at history, the Oscars have created several significant moments elevating actor’s career. However, all stars don’t have the same blessing.
Matthew McConaughey in Dallas Buyers Club
Who wouldn’t want to win an Oscar? The award has been one of the most prestigious accolades for achievement in almost every category related to movies. However, in another turn of events, winning an Oscar may not be as good as you might think. An idea called the Oscars Curse has altered the fate of several celebrities, including Matthew McConaughey and Halle Berry.
Oscars Curse Victims, Matthew McConaughey, and Halle Berry Are Among Prominent
Halle Berry in Monster’s Ball
Several actors have witnessed the downfall of their careers after winning an Oscar. Of course, any filmmaker and actor or anyone...
Matthew McConaughey in Dallas Buyers Club
Who wouldn’t want to win an Oscar? The award has been one of the most prestigious accolades for achievement in almost every category related to movies. However, in another turn of events, winning an Oscar may not be as good as you might think. An idea called the Oscars Curse has altered the fate of several celebrities, including Matthew McConaughey and Halle Berry.
Oscars Curse Victims, Matthew McConaughey, and Halle Berry Are Among Prominent
Halle Berry in Monster’s Ball
Several actors have witnessed the downfall of their careers after winning an Oscar. Of course, any filmmaker and actor or anyone...
- 3/9/2024
- by Lachit Roy
- FandomWire
Halle Berry has been one of the high-profile actresses who got her breakthrough in the 90s. The actress starred alongside Eddie Murphy in the 1992 romantic comedy Boomerang. Berry started winning accolades early in her career as she won an Emmy for portraying Dorothy Dandridge in the TV film Introducing Dorothy Dandridge.
Halle Berry as Dorothy Dandridge in Introducing Dorothy Dandridge
She went on to star in big commercial films in the early 2000s, including the first two X-Men films and Die Another Day. For her incredible performance in 2001’s Monster’s Ball, Berry was widely appreciated and created history as the first Black actress to win an Oscar. The heartfelt acceptance speech she gave was one for the ages.
Halle Berry’s Speech For Her Historic Oscar Win Was Iconic Halle Berry won an Oscar for Best Actress for 2001’s Monster’s Ball
When Harry Berry starred in the 2001 romantic drama Monster’s Ball,...
Halle Berry as Dorothy Dandridge in Introducing Dorothy Dandridge
She went on to star in big commercial films in the early 2000s, including the first two X-Men films and Die Another Day. For her incredible performance in 2001’s Monster’s Ball, Berry was widely appreciated and created history as the first Black actress to win an Oscar. The heartfelt acceptance speech she gave was one for the ages.
Halle Berry’s Speech For Her Historic Oscar Win Was Iconic Halle Berry won an Oscar for Best Actress for 2001’s Monster’s Ball
When Harry Berry starred in the 2001 romantic drama Monster’s Ball,...
- 3/2/2024
- by Rahul Thokchom
- FandomWire
The hype leading up to The Dark Knight in 2008 was the closest we’ve come to reliving Bat-Mania that took over pop culture in 1989 leading up to the first Batman. Much of the hype came from the revelation of Heath Ledger’s take on the Joker. Christopher Nolan’s star was on the rise as people resonated with his 2005 reboot Batman Begins, and his interpretation of the clown prince of crime was a fresh burst of energy. A number of photos and a teaser from the film was released when the world was dealt the devastating news about the passing of Heath Ledger. Ledger’s career had gained immense steam after performances in Monster’s Ball and Brokeback Mountain.
A new detail was revealed about the day Heath Ledger was found unresponsive as Stephen Gaghan, the Oscar-winning writer of Traffic, appeared on a new limited series podcast called Development Hell. According to The Hollywood Reporter,...
A new detail was revealed about the day Heath Ledger was found unresponsive as Stephen Gaghan, the Oscar-winning writer of Traffic, appeared on a new limited series podcast called Development Hell. According to The Hollywood Reporter,...
- 2/29/2024
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
In the 95 years that they’ve been handing out Academy Awards, just 10 African-American actresses have won dating back to Hattie McDaniel’s famed supporting actress triumph for “Gone with the Wind” in 1940. Nine of those wins have come in Best Supporting Actress, with Halle Berry being the lone victor in Best Lead Actress for “Monster’s Ball” in 2002. Berry has expressed disappointment that no other Black winner has followed in her footsteps over the past two decades. But the truth is that while it was 51 years between McDaniel’s win and the second for Whoopi Goldberg in “Ghost” in 1991, things have improved significantly over the past few decades for African American actresses and actors in terms of winning at the Oscars in the supporting categories in particular.
This year, there are five opportunities for Black performers to take home an acting trophy spread across three categories: Colman Domingo (“Rustin”) and Jeffrey Wright...
This year, there are five opportunities for Black performers to take home an acting trophy spread across three categories: Colman Domingo (“Rustin”) and Jeffrey Wright...
- 2/28/2024
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
For the fourth consecutive year, we’ve got a firecracker of a Best Actress Oscar race. Lily Gladstone took home the Screen Actors Guild Award on Saturday for “Killers of the Flower Moon” over Emma Stone, who had been on a roll since the two won their respective Golden Globes, having pocketed the Critics Choice and BAFTA Awards for “Poor Things.” Now they each have an industry prize and Best Actress feels like a coin-flip. Gladstone has closed the gap on Stone in the Oscar odds since Saturday. Don’t be surprised if she overtakes the top spot soon. But when the SAG Awards and BAFTAs don’t align in Best Actress, which one has the edge at the Oscars?
Since BAFTA became an Oscar precursor 23 years ago, the Brits and the actors guilds have disagreed 13 times in the category prior to the Battle of the Stones. But not all splits are created equally.
Since BAFTA became an Oscar precursor 23 years ago, the Brits and the actors guilds have disagreed 13 times in the category prior to the Battle of the Stones. But not all splits are created equally.
- 2/26/2024
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
With his talent drawing comparisons to the great late actor, Heath Ledger, ahead of the Dune: Part Two release, Austin Butler, 32, is making a name for himself in Hollywood rather quickly. While being compared to such an iconic actor is undoubtedly flattering, it can also be a double-edged sword, especially when those comparisons are made before a film even hits theaters.
Early reviews of Dune 2 have begun to circulate, with some critics boldly claiming that the film is as good as The Dark Knight, which is widely regarded as one of the greatest superhero films of all time. Not only that, but the director of the Christian Bale-starring film, to which the upcoming Denis Villeneuve-helmed epic is being compared, has lavished even greater praise on it.
Austin Butler and Timothée Chalamet in Dune: Part Two
These praises have unavoidably resulted in even more comparisons between Butler and Ledger,...
Early reviews of Dune 2 have begun to circulate, with some critics boldly claiming that the film is as good as The Dark Knight, which is widely regarded as one of the greatest superhero films of all time. Not only that, but the director of the Christian Bale-starring film, to which the upcoming Denis Villeneuve-helmed epic is being compared, has lavished even greater praise on it.
Austin Butler and Timothée Chalamet in Dune: Part Two
These praises have unavoidably resulted in even more comparisons between Butler and Ledger,...
- 2/26/2024
- by Siddhika Prajapati
- FandomWire
In the history of Black leading actresses at prestigious award shows, Halle Berry’s triumph for “Monster’s Ball” at the Oscars stands prominently, while the BAFTAs lack a similar honoree, and the upcoming Sunday ceremony seems unlikely to change that.
This year’s roster of lead actress nominees boasts a diverse array of talents. Vivian Oparah garnered attention for her breakthrough role in the romantic drama “Rye Lane,” alongside Fantasia Barrino’s captivating performance in the musical adaptation of “The Color Purple.” Also vying for the coveted title are Oscar nominated actresses Sandra Hüller (“Anatomy of a Fall”), Carey Mulligan (“Maestro”) and Emma Stone (“Poor Things”), with Margot Robbie (“Barbie”), who’s recognized in the best picture category as a producer. Speculation abounds among pundits and prognosticators, all anticipating a win for one of the three Oscar-nominated women, setting the stage for another year where Black actresses may find themselves overlooked.
This year’s roster of lead actress nominees boasts a diverse array of talents. Vivian Oparah garnered attention for her breakthrough role in the romantic drama “Rye Lane,” alongside Fantasia Barrino’s captivating performance in the musical adaptation of “The Color Purple.” Also vying for the coveted title are Oscar nominated actresses Sandra Hüller (“Anatomy of a Fall”), Carey Mulligan (“Maestro”) and Emma Stone (“Poor Things”), with Margot Robbie (“Barbie”), who’s recognized in the best picture category as a producer. Speculation abounds among pundits and prognosticators, all anticipating a win for one of the three Oscar-nominated women, setting the stage for another year where Black actresses may find themselves overlooked.
- 2/17/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Halle Berry got into the shape of a world-class fighter for her directorial debut feature Bruised. But initially, the feature was meant for an actor who couldn’t have been anymore different from her.
How Halle Berry ended up in ‘Bruised’ Halle Berry | Monica Schipper/Getty Images
Berry wasn’t initially attached to Bruised as the film’s lead character. She wasn’t even supposed to direct the project. The script for the movie floated her way, and the main character immediately resonated with her. In an interview with Variety, it was noted that Berry pitched her version of the script to producers.
“It’s an old genre; there’s so many great fight films that have been made. I made the point why it would be worth retelling an age-old story with this new twist,” she said.
Blake Lively was looked at to star in the film. But Berry...
How Halle Berry ended up in ‘Bruised’ Halle Berry | Monica Schipper/Getty Images
Berry wasn’t initially attached to Bruised as the film’s lead character. She wasn’t even supposed to direct the project. The script for the movie floated her way, and the main character immediately resonated with her. In an interview with Variety, it was noted that Berry pitched her version of the script to producers.
“It’s an old genre; there’s so many great fight films that have been made. I made the point why it would be worth retelling an age-old story with this new twist,” she said.
Blake Lively was looked at to star in the film. But Berry...
- 2/9/2024
- by Antonio Stallings
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Halle Berry is used to the hard work that comes with doing features like Bruised and Monster’s Ball. But she once felt nothing she did on the big screen compared to the grueling conditions she experienced on her television show Extant.
Halle Berry starred in the television series ‘Extant’ Halle Berry | Sonja Flemming/Getty Images
Berry decided to experiment with television for a while when she was cast in the sci-fi series Extant. The program was about a woman who returns home to her family after spending a year in space. Her character has to readjust to the changes her space-adventure caused, which was an intriguing premise for the Oscar-winner.
“The minute I started to read it, I couldn’t put it down,” Berry said in a 2014 interview with Entertainment Weekly. “Every step of the way, as I read that script, I thought, wow. This is different, it’s innovative,...
Halle Berry starred in the television series ‘Extant’ Halle Berry | Sonja Flemming/Getty Images
Berry decided to experiment with television for a while when she was cast in the sci-fi series Extant. The program was about a woman who returns home to her family after spending a year in space. Her character has to readjust to the changes her space-adventure caused, which was an intriguing premise for the Oscar-winner.
“The minute I started to read it, I couldn’t put it down,” Berry said in a 2014 interview with Entertainment Weekly. “Every step of the way, as I read that script, I thought, wow. This is different, it’s innovative,...
- 12/27/2023
- by Antonio Stallings
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Mattel headquarters, in El Segundo, is some three freeways removed from the heart of Hollywood. It shares a parking lot with a DoubleTree, and the Stamps.com headquarters is across the road, but given the hold that Barbie has on the entertainment industry, it might as well be the center of the universe. Inside, Hot Wheels decorate the walls, a giant Magic 8 Ball sits by the elevator, Barbie-centric Warhols and Basquiats are housed on the upper floors, and Robbie Brenner is navigating future projects after producing the movie that became the cultural touchstone of 2023.
It’s a world away from her former indie film realm, one that saw her triumph with Dallas Buyers Club, the Oscar-winning AIDS drama, but also struggle to get funding for stories fewer and fewer in Hollywood want to tell. A New York City native who made student films at NYU with Marc Forster (Monster’s Ball), Brenner...
It’s a world away from her former indie film realm, one that saw her triumph with Dallas Buyers Club, the Oscar-winning AIDS drama, but also struggle to get funding for stories fewer and fewer in Hollywood want to tell. A New York City native who made student films at NYU with Marc Forster (Monster’s Ball), Brenner...
- 12/18/2023
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Oscar winning actress was Saudi Arabia to deliver Red Sea masterclass.
Oscar winner Halle Berry told a Red Sea International Film Festival audience that she might return to Saudi Arabia to shoot upcoming action thriller Maude v Maude with fellow co-star and co-producer Oscar winner Angelina Jolie.
Speaking in a masterclass at the festival, Berry revealed that she had scouted some locations in Jeddah’s historic old town and had some ideas that might be useful. “Warner Bros bought our screenplay, so we have the chance to go around the world and we want to go into places that have...
Oscar winner Halle Berry told a Red Sea International Film Festival audience that she might return to Saudi Arabia to shoot upcoming action thriller Maude v Maude with fellow co-star and co-producer Oscar winner Angelina Jolie.
Speaking in a masterclass at the festival, Berry revealed that she had scouted some locations in Jeddah’s historic old town and had some ideas that might be useful. “Warner Bros bought our screenplay, so we have the chance to go around the world and we want to go into places that have...
- 12/7/2023
- by Mona Sheded
- ScreenDaily
Speaking in her masterclass at Red Sea International Film Festival, Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry said that launching her own production company is finally empowering her to make the stories she has always wanted to produce and direct – including a project that she identified on the plane on the way to Jeddah.
“Finally on the plane coming here I saw a story, I saw what’s in my heart, and realised what I wanted to share,” said Berry, who recently launched production company HalleHolly with former WME partner Holly Jeter.
When pressed further she said: “It’s a love story at its core, but it deals with the supernatural and time travel and the future. It’s taken me the last few years to figure this out.”
Berry said having her own banner – which she has previously said will make content with strong, multicultural, female protagonists – is finally giving her the...
“Finally on the plane coming here I saw a story, I saw what’s in my heart, and realised what I wanted to share,” said Berry, who recently launched production company HalleHolly with former WME partner Holly Jeter.
When pressed further she said: “It’s a love story at its core, but it deals with the supernatural and time travel and the future. It’s taken me the last few years to figure this out.”
Berry said having her own banner – which she has previously said will make content with strong, multicultural, female protagonists – is finally giving her the...
- 12/6/2023
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
Oscar-winning actor Halle Berry had a strike of inspiration on the flight to Saudi Arabia, where she gave a career-spanning conversation at the third edition of the Red Sea Film Festival. The flight, she said, led her to figure out what she wants to direct next: “It’s a love story at its core but it deals with the supernatural, time travel and the future.”
This will mark Berry’s sophomore feature after 2020’s Mma drama “Bruised.” When asked about her first directing experience, the actor was frank, labelling the entire process “hell.” “Because I was a woman, and a Black woman, the treatment I received and the things I had to put up with were unconscionable,” she said. “If I were a white man or even a Black man, it would have been easier. It’s amazing I even made it and a miracle Netflix bought it.”
Alongside taking...
This will mark Berry’s sophomore feature after 2020’s Mma drama “Bruised.” When asked about her first directing experience, the actor was frank, labelling the entire process “hell.” “Because I was a woman, and a Black woman, the treatment I received and the things I had to put up with were unconscionable,” she said. “If I were a white man or even a Black man, it would have been easier. It’s amazing I even made it and a miracle Netflix bought it.”
Alongside taking...
- 12/6/2023
- by Rafa Sales Ross
- Variety Film + TV
Halle Berry filmed several iconic moments with her Oscar-winning role in Monster’s Ball. But some of those moments were a bit rough to watch for her husband at the time Eric Benet.
The surprising ‘Monster’s Ball’ scene that made Halle Berry’s ex-husband feel uncomfortable Halle Berry | Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images
Monster’s Ball required Berry to do a lot of scenes that might’ve been out of the actor’s comfort zone. For instance, she needed to remove her clothes for her much talked about love scene with Billy Bob Thornton . It was only the second time in her career where she went nude for the camera. The experience was far from pleasant.
“We’re not doing what it looks like we’re doing, and I think sometimes it’s hard for people to wrap their brain [around that],” she once told Chicago Tribune. “There’s a roomful of people, and it...
The surprising ‘Monster’s Ball’ scene that made Halle Berry’s ex-husband feel uncomfortable Halle Berry | Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images
Monster’s Ball required Berry to do a lot of scenes that might’ve been out of the actor’s comfort zone. For instance, she needed to remove her clothes for her much talked about love scene with Billy Bob Thornton . It was only the second time in her career where she went nude for the camera. The experience was far from pleasant.
“We’re not doing what it looks like we’re doing, and I think sometimes it’s hard for people to wrap their brain [around that],” she once told Chicago Tribune. “There’s a roomful of people, and it...
- 11/25/2023
- by Antonio Stallings
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 2007, Jennifer Hudson dominated awards season for her undeniable portrait of Effie White in the movie musical adaptation of “Dreamgirls.” Her show-stopping performance of “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” had theaters around America erupting in cheers, and she deservedly took home the best supporting Oscar — becoming the first “American Idol” contestant to do so.
Now Fantasia Barrino, the electric singer who beat Hudson as the winner of the third season of “Idol,” is about to headline a movie musical that could be collecting gold statuettes of its own. Barrino stars in Warner Bros.’ “The Color Purple,” releasing in theaters on Christmas, and Oscar voters are sure to take notice.
Barrino is no stranger to playing Celie — she reprises the role she inhabited on Broadway in a 2007 musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s beloved 1982 book. For the movie based on the musical, director Blitz Bazawule brings Barrino back to the role,...
Now Fantasia Barrino, the electric singer who beat Hudson as the winner of the third season of “Idol,” is about to headline a movie musical that could be collecting gold statuettes of its own. Barrino stars in Warner Bros.’ “The Color Purple,” releasing in theaters on Christmas, and Oscar voters are sure to take notice.
Barrino is no stranger to playing Celie — she reprises the role she inhabited on Broadway in a 2007 musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s beloved 1982 book. For the movie based on the musical, director Blitz Bazawule brings Barrino back to the role,...
- 11/17/2023
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Sean “Diddy” Combs has been accused of rape and intense physical and psychological abuse by his long-time former girlfriend, Cassandra Ventura.
Cassandra Ventura’s lawyers allege that Sean Combs tried to pay her off with an eight-figure settlement in order to keep things quiet. “Mr. Combs offered Ms. Ventura eight figures to silence her and prevent the filing of this lawsuit,” Doug Wigdor told Deadline. “She rejected his efforts and decided to give a voice to all woman who suffer in silence. Ms. Ventura should be applauded for her bravery.” In response, Combs’ attorney Ben Brafman said that his client “vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations.“
Not only that, but Brafman added that Ventura had allegedly been threatening Combs for the last several months, all while demanding money. “For the past 6 months, Mr. Combs, has been subjected to Ms. Ventura’s persistent demand of $30 million, under the threat of...
Cassandra Ventura’s lawyers allege that Sean Combs tried to pay her off with an eight-figure settlement in order to keep things quiet. “Mr. Combs offered Ms. Ventura eight figures to silence her and prevent the filing of this lawsuit,” Doug Wigdor told Deadline. “She rejected his efforts and decided to give a voice to all woman who suffer in silence. Ms. Ventura should be applauded for her bravery.” In response, Combs’ attorney Ben Brafman said that his client “vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations.“
Not only that, but Brafman added that Ventura had allegedly been threatening Combs for the last several months, all while demanding money. “For the past 6 months, Mr. Combs, has been subjected to Ms. Ventura’s persistent demand of $30 million, under the threat of...
- 11/17/2023
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
Free TV Networks, a new programming entity with a presence in both over-the-air broadcast and streaming, has enlisted Warner Bros. Discovery, Lionsgate and Gray Television as partners and suppliers.
The new company is founded and led by Jonathan Katz, who gained attention a decade ago by creating multicast networks, or “diginets” using spectrum made available via the TV industry’s conversion to high-definition signals during the 2000s. That portfolio of networks, including Bounce, Escape and Grit was acquired in 2017 by E.W. Scripps for $292 million.
The first channels from Free TV will be networks centered on African-American programming and Westerns. Launching New Year’s Day as a diginet, the flagship brand will be The365. It will cater to African-American viewers with a lineup of movies and series like
Warner Bros.’ I Am Legend, Purple Rain and Queen Sugar along with Lionsgate titles like Crash, Monster’s Ball,...
The new company is founded and led by Jonathan Katz, who gained attention a decade ago by creating multicast networks, or “diginets” using spectrum made available via the TV industry’s conversion to high-definition signals during the 2000s. That portfolio of networks, including Bounce, Escape and Grit was acquired in 2017 by E.W. Scripps for $292 million.
The first channels from Free TV will be networks centered on African-American programming and Westerns. Launching New Year’s Day as a diginet, the flagship brand will be The365. It will cater to African-American viewers with a lineup of movies and series like
Warner Bros.’ I Am Legend, Purple Rain and Queen Sugar along with Lionsgate titles like Crash, Monster’s Ball,...
- 11/7/2023
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
“Past Lives” writer and director Celine Song handles the delicate themes of love and destiny surrounding the Korean Buddhist concept of In-Yun — the connection, fate and destiny of two people. However, the South Korean/Canadian playwright says she had her own “revelation” while making her directorial debut.
“It’s a movie about these revelations about this one woman who over the course of her life,” she tells Variety’s Awards Circuit Podcast. “It felt really special to me, because I was also having a revelation of my own: I’m a filmmaker, which I didn’t know until I started making this movie.”
On this episode of the Variety Awards Circuit Podcast, we talk to the writer and director and discuss her experience making the love story “Past Lives.” In addition, we speak with her star, Greta Lee, about how she initially lost the role of Nora and what the...
“It’s a movie about these revelations about this one woman who over the course of her life,” she tells Variety’s Awards Circuit Podcast. “It felt really special to me, because I was also having a revelation of my own: I’m a filmmaker, which I didn’t know until I started making this movie.”
On this episode of the Variety Awards Circuit Podcast, we talk to the writer and director and discuss her experience making the love story “Past Lives.” In addition, we speak with her star, Greta Lee, about how she initially lost the role of Nora and what the...
- 10/30/2023
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
The road to the Oscars is looking bleaker than before.
With the WGA securing its deal with the studios earlier this month, the industry was caught off guard when the AMPTP announced it was suspending negotiations with SAG-AFTRA, which has been on strike since July.
There’s no end in sight, but one thing is apparent: Independent features may have a competitive advantage in the Oscar race. That’s because indie film writers and actors can promote their projects via interim agreements.
Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Oscars predictions in all categories.
To obtain an interim agreement from SAG-AFTRA, a producer must operate independently from companies belonging to the AMPTP and agree to terms proposed by the guild in its negotiations. Thus far, more than 100 interim agreements have been approved. Studios not part of the AMPTP, including A24, Lionsgate and Neon, are eligible, as are independently financed films.
With the WGA securing its deal with the studios earlier this month, the industry was caught off guard when the AMPTP announced it was suspending negotiations with SAG-AFTRA, which has been on strike since July.
There’s no end in sight, but one thing is apparent: Independent features may have a competitive advantage in the Oscar race. That’s because indie film writers and actors can promote their projects via interim agreements.
Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Oscars predictions in all categories.
To obtain an interim agreement from SAG-AFTRA, a producer must operate independently from companies belonging to the AMPTP and agree to terms proposed by the guild in its negotiations. Thus far, more than 100 interim agreements have been approved. Studios not part of the AMPTP, including A24, Lionsgate and Neon, are eligible, as are independently financed films.
- 10/19/2023
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
The horror genre and its directors may have endured the most clashes with the Motion Picture Association and the world's other regulatory boards, but Wes Craven, Tobe Hooper, Ruggero Deodato, and a dozen other horror filmmakers are not the only ones. Numerous directors across action, drama, and even comedy have adjusted their content for release, and often at the perilous threshold between R and Nc-17.
This distinction is particularly important because some theater chains refuse to show Nc-17-certified films and several media outlets even refuse to run ads (via NPR). It's an odd streak of puritanism not found in other markets, such as the United Kingdom, where the equivalent "18" rating carries no such stigma.
R ratings can be very lucrative, but only one example — the disturbing, incendiary "Joker" — has ever made over $1 billion, which places it toward the bottom of the top 50 highest-grossing films — a space dominated by...
This distinction is particularly important because some theater chains refuse to show Nc-17-certified films and several media outlets even refuse to run ads (via NPR). It's an odd streak of puritanism not found in other markets, such as the United Kingdom, where the equivalent "18" rating carries no such stigma.
R ratings can be very lucrative, but only one example — the disturbing, incendiary "Joker" — has ever made over $1 billion, which places it toward the bottom of the top 50 highest-grossing films — a space dominated by...
- 10/16/2023
- by Jack Hawkins
- Slash Film
“This was not planned. I think the way you know is I walked in here covered with my child’s seaweed snack all over my sweatshirt.”
Greta Lee is infectious and is so damn grateful this breakout moment is happening to her when she’s 40.
When she comes in for her sit-down interview with Variety, she’s laidback and so charismatic, like your old buddy at college you had one too many martinis with on a Thursday night party but still laughed about it til’ this day.
You wouldn’t think she’s enjoying the clout of having played in two major features in 2023. One is her leading role as Nora, a New York City playwright who reconnects with her childhood love in A24’s “Past Lives” from debut director and writer Celine Song. The other is the voice of Lyla, the Spider-Society’s AI assistant in the animated blockbuster sequel,...
Greta Lee is infectious and is so damn grateful this breakout moment is happening to her when she’s 40.
When she comes in for her sit-down interview with Variety, she’s laidback and so charismatic, like your old buddy at college you had one too many martinis with on a Thursday night party but still laughed about it til’ this day.
You wouldn’t think she’s enjoying the clout of having played in two major features in 2023. One is her leading role as Nora, a New York City playwright who reconnects with her childhood love in A24’s “Past Lives” from debut director and writer Celine Song. The other is the voice of Lyla, the Spider-Society’s AI assistant in the animated blockbuster sequel,...
- 9/30/2023
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures are replacing “Gone with the Wind” actress Hattie McDaniel’s lost Oscar 80 years after her historic win for Best Supporting Actress.
In 1940, McDaniel took home a plaque in lieu of an Oscar statue, as was customary for supporting actors at the time. Statuettes became the standard for all winners’ categories for the ceremony in early 1944. While the whereabouts of McDaniel’s original award is currently unknown, the Academy is bestowing a new Oscar statuette in the late actress’ honor to the Howard University Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts.
McDaniel originally bequeathed her Academy Award to Howard University upon her death in 1952. The award was displayed at the university’s drama department until the late 1960s when it disappeared.
McDaniel was the first Black person to be nominated for and win an Academy Award.
In 1940, McDaniel took home a plaque in lieu of an Oscar statue, as was customary for supporting actors at the time. Statuettes became the standard for all winners’ categories for the ceremony in early 1944. While the whereabouts of McDaniel’s original award is currently unknown, the Academy is bestowing a new Oscar statuette in the late actress’ honor to the Howard University Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts.
McDaniel originally bequeathed her Academy Award to Howard University upon her death in 1952. The award was displayed at the university’s drama department until the late 1960s when it disappeared.
McDaniel was the first Black person to be nominated for and win an Academy Award.
- 9/26/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Halle Berry is one of Hollywood’s most established performers. A star who rose to fame for playing real-life icon Dorothy Dandridge, Berry quickly proved she was capable of playing any role, from horror to romance. Known for her beauty and talent, Berry has remained a mainstay in the entertainment industry for nearly 30 years.
Even as Berry’s professional life thrives, her personal life has gone through serious ups and downs. Berry has been married three times, most recently to French actor Olivier Martinez. Her third divorce has been contentious, contributing to Berry’s hefty child support payment drama.
Halle Berry third divorce
Berry and Martinez started dating in 2010 after meeting on the set of the film Dark Tide. The two embarked on an epic love affair that ultimately resulted in an engagement announcement in 2012. Berry and Martinez got married in July 2013 in a rustic French home.
The couple welcomed...
Even as Berry’s professional life thrives, her personal life has gone through serious ups and downs. Berry has been married three times, most recently to French actor Olivier Martinez. Her third divorce has been contentious, contributing to Berry’s hefty child support payment drama.
Halle Berry third divorce
Berry and Martinez started dating in 2010 after meeting on the set of the film Dark Tide. The two embarked on an epic love affair that ultimately resulted in an engagement announcement in 2012. Berry and Martinez got married in July 2013 in a rustic French home.
The couple welcomed...
- 9/17/2023
- by Suse Forrest
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Every awards season, pundits leave themselves open to late-year breakers. This is where a film not necessarily on anyone’s radar comes in and walks away with the industry’s most coveted prize for best picture. Past examples include Clint Eastwood’s 2004 winner “Million Dollar Baby.” Now, and coming only days after I declared “American Fiction” from Cord Jefferson my favorite film of TIFF so far, DuVernay cinematically states, “Hold my beer” with her emotional drama “Origin.”
Within the awards punditry world, it’s increasingly been agreed upon that director Christopher Nolan is in the pole position to win his first statuette for directing “Oppenheimer.” However, DuVernay emerges after bowing at Venice, and now at TIFF, as a viable challenger for the crown. In addition, her leading lady Anjanue Ellis-Taylor is a sure-fire contender for best actress.
While I wiped tears and snot away during the film’s end credits,...
Within the awards punditry world, it’s increasingly been agreed upon that director Christopher Nolan is in the pole position to win his first statuette for directing “Oppenheimer.” However, DuVernay emerges after bowing at Venice, and now at TIFF, as a viable challenger for the crown. In addition, her leading lady Anjanue Ellis-Taylor is a sure-fire contender for best actress.
While I wiped tears and snot away during the film’s end credits,...
- 9/11/2023
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Halle Berry had a bit of help when she had to do her iconic love scene in Monster’s Ball. The Oscar-winner took some unexpected inspiration from her fellow movie star Nicole Kidman.
How Nicole Kidman played a part in Halle Berry’s love scene in ‘Monster’s Ball’ Halle Berry | Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
Berry’s love scene in Monster’s Ball generated a lot of conversation at the time of the film’s release. It was intentionally visceral, and so graphic that the film’s director worried Berry would’ve protested the shot. But although Berry didn’t veto the scene, she explained to the filmmaker she had a few conditions for the role.
”I would only do it if Billy Bob agreed to be as naked as I was,” Berry once told The New York Times.
But she might not have done Monster’s Ball at all if it wasn’t for Swordfish.
How Nicole Kidman played a part in Halle Berry’s love scene in ‘Monster’s Ball’ Halle Berry | Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
Berry’s love scene in Monster’s Ball generated a lot of conversation at the time of the film’s release. It was intentionally visceral, and so graphic that the film’s director worried Berry would’ve protested the shot. But although Berry didn’t veto the scene, she explained to the filmmaker she had a few conditions for the role.
”I would only do it if Billy Bob agreed to be as naked as I was,” Berry once told The New York Times.
But she might not have done Monster’s Ball at all if it wasn’t for Swordfish.
- 9/6/2023
- by Antonio Stallings
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Halle Berry paired up with X-Men castmate Hugh Jackman and John Travolta in the 2001 thriller Swordfish. Although everyone seemed to get along well, Travolta had a hilarious reaction when he saw his co-star sporting lingerie.
How Halle Berry reacted when John Travolta went off script in ‘Swordfish’ Halle Berry | Lionel Hahn/Getty Images
Berry considered Swordfish one of the film roles that helped her explore her sexuality on the big screen. The 2001 heist film saw Berry undressing herself in front of Jackman and Travolta’s characters. This generated a lot of press from the media. There were rumors floating around that she was offered extra money to go nude for the film. However, she insisted that wasn’t the case.
“I did the scene because it showed you that the character was in control of her sexuality and very comfortable with herself,” Berry once said in an interview with Cinema.
How Halle Berry reacted when John Travolta went off script in ‘Swordfish’ Halle Berry | Lionel Hahn/Getty Images
Berry considered Swordfish one of the film roles that helped her explore her sexuality on the big screen. The 2001 heist film saw Berry undressing herself in front of Jackman and Travolta’s characters. This generated a lot of press from the media. There were rumors floating around that she was offered extra money to go nude for the film. However, she insisted that wasn’t the case.
“I did the scene because it showed you that the character was in control of her sexuality and very comfortable with herself,” Berry once said in an interview with Cinema.
- 8/26/2023
- by Antonio Stallings
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
James Bond is dead. Daniel Craig's version, that is. Buried beneath a hail of ballistics at the end of 2021's "No Time To Die," Craig's 007 was the first in the franchise's more than 60-year run to ever die on-screen (and not the fakeout "You Only Live Twice" kind). If you'd merely heard about, rather than witnessed, such an unprecedented and momentous moment in Bond history, you might think Craig's tenure in the tux was the finest the saga had ever seen, fully justifying longtime Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson in their decision to have England's greatest spy Kia. But you'd be wrong.
The prevailing view of the Craig era goes like this: 2006's "Casino Royale" is one of, if not the best Bond movie ever made, but its follow-up, 2008's "Quantum of Solace" was a historic blunder that nearly derailed the whole enterprise just as it was getting started.
The prevailing view of the Craig era goes like this: 2006's "Casino Royale" is one of, if not the best Bond movie ever made, but its follow-up, 2008's "Quantum of Solace" was a historic blunder that nearly derailed the whole enterprise just as it was getting started.
- 8/17/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Tom Hanks and X-Men star Halle Berry collaborated for the this 2012 sci-fi epic. But Berry thought her opportunity to work alongside Hanks was short-lived thanks to an unexpected onset mishap.
Halle Berry thought she’d end up being fired from this Tom Hanks movie Tom Hanks and Halle Berry | Johannes Eisele/Getty Images
Berry and Hanks played multiple roles in the 2012 movie Cloud Atlas. The film was directed by the Wackhowski sisters, and followed the stars’ characters throughout multiple time periods. As fond as Berry was of the project, she was worried that an onset accident cost her the film role. The Oscar-winner expected the Wachkowskis to fire her after she broke her foot.
“The day after it happened, I heard, ‘Lana and Andy want to come see you,’ and I thought, oh God, they are surely going to give me my papers, send me packing and bring in somebody else,...
Halle Berry thought she’d end up being fired from this Tom Hanks movie Tom Hanks and Halle Berry | Johannes Eisele/Getty Images
Berry and Hanks played multiple roles in the 2012 movie Cloud Atlas. The film was directed by the Wackhowski sisters, and followed the stars’ characters throughout multiple time periods. As fond as Berry was of the project, she was worried that an onset accident cost her the film role. The Oscar-winner expected the Wachkowskis to fire her after she broke her foot.
“The day after it happened, I heard, ‘Lana and Andy want to come see you,’ and I thought, oh God, they are surely going to give me my papers, send me packing and bring in somebody else,...
- 8/8/2023
- by Antonio Stallings
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Charlize Theron returned to the Oscar race in 2020 with a Best Actress nomination for “Bombshell.” The Academy Award winner earned raves for her eerie embodiment of former Fox News host Megyn Kelly, but where does the role fall into the rest of her filmography? Tour through our photo gallery of Theron’s 15 greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Success came pretty quickly for the South African born actress. After one uncredited role in a horror film, Theron burst onto movie screens in the film “2 Days in the Valley.” That film launched her into a series of roles usually as the wife or girlfriend and ones that capitalized on her stunning beauty. That all changed in 2003 when she took on the role of Aileen Wuornos, a Florida prostitute who became a serial killer and was put to death for her crimes. The film won Theron the Oscar as Best Actress...
Success came pretty quickly for the South African born actress. After one uncredited role in a horror film, Theron burst onto movie screens in the film “2 Days in the Valley.” That film launched her into a series of roles usually as the wife or girlfriend and ones that capitalized on her stunning beauty. That all changed in 2003 when she took on the role of Aileen Wuornos, a Florida prostitute who became a serial killer and was put to death for her crimes. The film won Theron the Oscar as Best Actress...
- 8/5/2023
- by Robert Pius, Misty Holland and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
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