Variety hosted its inaugural Indigenous Storytelling in Entertainment Breakfast on June 5 in Los Angeles. The event included insightful conversations with Indigenous and Native creators, talent, and industry executives such as “Reservation Dogs” showrunner Sterlin Harjo, Bird Runningwater from “Fancy Dance,” Kali Reis from “True Detective” (who was joined by co-star Isabella Star Lablanc and showrunner Issa López) and many more. The program highlighted Indigenous storytelling and the achievements of Indigenous communities in film and TV and even included a surprise message from director James Cameron.
The event also explored how the industry is faring in creating opportunities for Indigenous talent on and off-screen. This year marks the 100th anniversary of Indigenous Native Americans becoming U.S. citizens, as President Calvin Coolidge signed the Indian Citizenship Act in 1924, inspired by the high rate of American Indian enlistment during World War I.
Indigenous Storytelling Breakthroughs
The first panel of the day highlighted...
The event also explored how the industry is faring in creating opportunities for Indigenous talent on and off-screen. This year marks the 100th anniversary of Indigenous Native Americans becoming U.S. citizens, as President Calvin Coolidge signed the Indian Citizenship Act in 1924, inspired by the high rate of American Indian enlistment during World War I.
Indigenous Storytelling Breakthroughs
The first panel of the day highlighted...
- 6/6/2024
- by Selena Kuznikov
- Variety Film + TV
When the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative released a report surveying film roles for Native Americans last October, of the 100 highest-grossing theatrical movies released between 2007 and 2022, only one had an Indigenous performer in a lead role. Yet when speaking to Native creatives and performers, there is an overwhelming sense of optimism for what’s to come for their representation in entertainment. “I feel very hopeful about where we are,” Jana Schmieding, who recently starred on “Reservation Dogs,” tells Variety. “I want to think that studios see the value in our storytelling.”
Variety’s inaugural Indigenous Storytelling in Entertainment Breakfast, which will take place June 5 in Los Angeles, will focus on both the value and future of such stories. The invite-only breakfast program will feature a series of keynote and panel conversations with creators, talent and executives that will center on Indigenous storytelling and spotlight the achievements of its communities in film and TV.
Variety’s inaugural Indigenous Storytelling in Entertainment Breakfast, which will take place June 5 in Los Angeles, will focus on both the value and future of such stories. The invite-only breakfast program will feature a series of keynote and panel conversations with creators, talent and executives that will center on Indigenous storytelling and spotlight the achievements of its communities in film and TV.
- 6/5/2024
- by Kristen Lopez
- Variety Film + TV
The Writers Guild of America called a strike one year ago today, declaring that the streaming boom had created an existential crisis for writers.
The WGA got most of what it wanted from the strike, though it took almost five months for the studios and streamers to come around. But as the boom has gone bust, writers now face a different kind of crisis.
For most, it’s harder to find work.
“There’s less things being made,'” said Justin Halpern, a WGA board member and co-showrunner of ABC’s “Abbott Elementary.” “If you have been able to secure employment as a writer during this time of contraction, you are making a living wage. But the problem is, there’s not a lot being made right now.”
The contraction was already underway before the WGA went on strike, followed by SAG-AFTRA two months later. Production has resumed but remains below pre-strike levels,...
The WGA got most of what it wanted from the strike, though it took almost five months for the studios and streamers to come around. But as the boom has gone bust, writers now face a different kind of crisis.
For most, it’s harder to find work.
“There’s less things being made,'” said Justin Halpern, a WGA board member and co-showrunner of ABC’s “Abbott Elementary.” “If you have been able to secure employment as a writer during this time of contraction, you are making a living wage. But the problem is, there’s not a lot being made right now.”
The contraction was already underway before the WGA went on strike, followed by SAG-AFTRA two months later. Production has resumed but remains below pre-strike levels,...
- 5/1/2024
- by Gene Maddaus
- Variety Film + TV
FX’s pilot The Sensitive Kind from creator Sterlin Harjo (Reservation Dogs) has added five to its cast: Killer Mike (Ozark), Kaniehtiio Horn (Reservation Dogs), Cody Lightning (Echo), Michael Hitchcock (Grand Death Lotto) and Ryan Kiera Armstrong (Star Wars: Skeleton Crew).
Details as to the roles these actors will play are under wraps.
Also written, directed and exec produced by Harjo, The Sensitive Kind is described as a Tulsa noir about a guy (Ethan Hawke) who knows too much. As previously announced, Keith David, Siena East, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Tim Blake Nelson, Scott Shepherd, Tracy Letts, Kyle Maclachlan and Macon Blair will also star.
The project is Harjo’s first for TV since Reservation Dogs, the acclaimed FX dramedy which won an AFI Award for each of its three seasons. Additional EPs include Garrett Basch and Hawke. FX Productions is the studio.
A Grammy-winning rapper of Run the Jewels fame, Killer...
Details as to the roles these actors will play are under wraps.
Also written, directed and exec produced by Harjo, The Sensitive Kind is described as a Tulsa noir about a guy (Ethan Hawke) who knows too much. As previously announced, Keith David, Siena East, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Tim Blake Nelson, Scott Shepherd, Tracy Letts, Kyle Maclachlan and Macon Blair will also star.
The project is Harjo’s first for TV since Reservation Dogs, the acclaimed FX dramedy which won an AFI Award for each of its three seasons. Additional EPs include Garrett Basch and Hawke. FX Productions is the studio.
A Grammy-winning rapper of Run the Jewels fame, Killer...
- 4/18/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Kurt Sutter’s upcoming western series “The Abandons” is rounding out its cast.
Variety has learned exclusively that Ryan Hurst, Michael Greyeyes, Michiel Huisman, and Toby Hemingway have all joined the Netflix series in recurring roles. Exact character details are being kept under wraps.
The series marks a reunion for Hurst and Sutter, who previously worked together on the hit FX series “Sons of Anarchy.” Sutter created the series, on which Hurst played the character Opie for the show’s first five seasons. Hurst is also known for his time on “The Walking Dead” and shows like “Bates Motel” and “Outsiders.” He has starred in films like “Remember the Titans” and “We Were Soldiers.”
He is repped by UTA and Piper Kaniecki Management.
Greyeyes has previously been in films such as “Blood Quantum” and “Wild Indian.” His recent credits include the Taylor Sheridan series “1923” at Paramount+ and the comedy “Rutherford Falls” at Peacock.
Variety has learned exclusively that Ryan Hurst, Michael Greyeyes, Michiel Huisman, and Toby Hemingway have all joined the Netflix series in recurring roles. Exact character details are being kept under wraps.
The series marks a reunion for Hurst and Sutter, who previously worked together on the hit FX series “Sons of Anarchy.” Sutter created the series, on which Hurst played the character Opie for the show’s first five seasons. Hurst is also known for his time on “The Walking Dead” and shows like “Bates Motel” and “Outsiders.” He has starred in films like “Remember the Titans” and “We Were Soldiers.”
He is repped by UTA and Piper Kaniecki Management.
Greyeyes has previously been in films such as “Blood Quantum” and “Wild Indian.” His recent credits include the Taylor Sheridan series “1923” at Paramount+ and the comedy “Rutherford Falls” at Peacock.
- 4/4/2024
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Comedian Tom Segura has identified the most promising vehicle yet to showcase his acting chops, as Deadline understands that he’s in talks for multiple roles in Dirty Rotten Bastard, a show biz-centric indie from Ed Helms & Mike Falbo’s Pacific Electric Picture Company.
Helmed by Ryan McNeely and Josh Martin, aka The Director Brothers, the film tells the insane true story of an aspiring filmmaker who is kidnapped by deranged lounge singer Tony Clifton. Initially drawn to document Clifton’s world, he is thrust into a chaotic journey of sex, celebrity, and comedy, blurring the lines between observer and participant, and testing his sanity.
Segura will play legendary avant-garde comedian Andy Kaufman’s larger-than-life comedic persona Clifton, as well as the performer’s friend and longtime collaborator Bob Zmuda.
Zmuda was known to switch off with Kaufman in portraying Clifton, a foul-mouthed lounge singer out of Las Vegas,...
Helmed by Ryan McNeely and Josh Martin, aka The Director Brothers, the film tells the insane true story of an aspiring filmmaker who is kidnapped by deranged lounge singer Tony Clifton. Initially drawn to document Clifton’s world, he is thrust into a chaotic journey of sex, celebrity, and comedy, blurring the lines between observer and participant, and testing his sanity.
Segura will play legendary avant-garde comedian Andy Kaufman’s larger-than-life comedic persona Clifton, as well as the performer’s friend and longtime collaborator Bob Zmuda.
Zmuda was known to switch off with Kaufman in portraying Clifton, a foul-mouthed lounge singer out of Las Vegas,...
- 4/2/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Dallas Goldtooth has joined the cast of the upcoming Apple TV+ drama series “The Last Frontier,” Variety has learned exclusively.
Goldtooth joins previously announced series lead Jason Clarke in the show as well as cast members Haley Bennett, Dominic Cooper, and Simone Kessell. Apple has given the show a 10-episode order.
Per the official description, the series “follows US Marshall Frank Remnick (Clarke), the lone Marshal in charge of the quiet, rugged barrens of Alaska, whose jurisdiction is turned upside-down when a prison transport plane crashes in the remote wilderness, setting free dozens of violent inmates. Tasked with protecting the town he’s vowed to keep safe, he begins to suspect the crash wasn’t an accident, but the first step of a well-crafted plan with international political implications.”
Goldtooth will star as Hutch, the second in command US Marshall in a small Alaskan outpost.
Goldtooth is perhaps best known...
Goldtooth joins previously announced series lead Jason Clarke in the show as well as cast members Haley Bennett, Dominic Cooper, and Simone Kessell. Apple has given the show a 10-episode order.
Per the official description, the series “follows US Marshall Frank Remnick (Clarke), the lone Marshal in charge of the quiet, rugged barrens of Alaska, whose jurisdiction is turned upside-down when a prison transport plane crashes in the remote wilderness, setting free dozens of violent inmates. Tasked with protecting the town he’s vowed to keep safe, he begins to suspect the crash wasn’t an accident, but the first step of a well-crafted plan with international political implications.”
Goldtooth will star as Hutch, the second in command US Marshall in a small Alaskan outpost.
Goldtooth is perhaps best known...
- 2/16/2024
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
After more than five years, Netflix's long-awaited reimagining of "Avatar: The Last Airbender" is finally coming to fruition in February. The live-action series will take the beloved Nickelodeon animated show and attempt to bring it to life in a new medium for a new generation. Or, presumably, the same generation of fans that loved the original and who are hoping to capture that same magic. While the final verdict has yet to be determined, Netflix used every tool at its disposal to bring the airbenders, earthbenders, waterbenders, and firebenders to life. That included borrowing a few tricks learned from another one of the streamer's big hit shows, "Stranger Things."
Entertainment Weekly recently published a comprehensive preview of the live-action "Avatar: The Last Airbender" series. In speaking about bringing the firebending abilities to life, it was explained that "Stranger Things" season 4 had a direct influence on that front. The same...
Entertainment Weekly recently published a comprehensive preview of the live-action "Avatar: The Last Airbender" series. In speaking about bringing the firebending abilities to life, it was explained that "Stranger Things" season 4 had a direct influence on that front. The same...
- 1/31/2024
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
The Sundance Institute has two new fellowship winners.
On Saturday, during the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, the institute revealed the recipients of the Merata Mita Fellowship and the inaugural Graton Fellowship for Artists from California-based tribes.
The Merata Mita Fellowship — an annual initiative named in honor of the late Māori filmmaker Merata Mita as a way to support Indigenous women-identified artists on the path towards making their first film — has been awarded to Libby Hakaraia. The Graton Fellowship, launched to support Indigenous artists from California-based tribes, will go to Tazbah Rose Chavez. Both were singled out during the Sundance Film Festival Native Forum Celebration presented by NBCUniversal Launch and Nia Tero at The Park venue on Saturday.
The event featured an opening blessing by Bart Powakee and the Red Spirit Singers from the Ute Tribal Nation and remarks from Sundance Institute CEO Joana Vicente, Sundance Institute board member Amy Redford,...
On Saturday, during the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, the institute revealed the recipients of the Merata Mita Fellowship and the inaugural Graton Fellowship for Artists from California-based tribes.
The Merata Mita Fellowship — an annual initiative named in honor of the late Māori filmmaker Merata Mita as a way to support Indigenous women-identified artists on the path towards making their first film — has been awarded to Libby Hakaraia. The Graton Fellowship, launched to support Indigenous artists from California-based tribes, will go to Tazbah Rose Chavez. Both were singled out during the Sundance Film Festival Native Forum Celebration presented by NBCUniversal Launch and Nia Tero at The Park venue on Saturday.
The event featured an opening blessing by Bart Powakee and the Red Spirit Singers from the Ute Tribal Nation and remarks from Sundance Institute CEO Joana Vicente, Sundance Institute board member Amy Redford,...
- 1/21/2024
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Rutherford Falls co-creator Sierra Teller Ornelas and star/writer Jana Schmieding are teaming up again, to develop a comedy for CBS.
As first reported by our sister site Deadline, Ornelas and Schmieding (who played Reagan on the two-season Peacock comedy) are collaborating on Bonnie, a multi-cam family comedy about a onetime backup singer who 15 years ago left the grind of touring to live on the rez, help raise her brother’s kids, and live her dream of being “Cool Auntie.”
More from TVLineYoung Sheldon Spinoff Centered on Georgie and Mandy in Development at CBSRatings: Golden Globes Nab Largest Audience in...
As first reported by our sister site Deadline, Ornelas and Schmieding (who played Reagan on the two-season Peacock comedy) are collaborating on Bonnie, a multi-cam family comedy about a onetime backup singer who 15 years ago left the grind of touring to live on the rez, help raise her brother’s kids, and live her dream of being “Cool Auntie.”
More from TVLineYoung Sheldon Spinoff Centered on Georgie and Mandy in Development at CBSRatings: Golden Globes Nab Largest Audience in...
- 1/12/2024
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
Exclusive: Sierra Teller Ornelas and Jana Schmieding are developing the new CBS half-hour, multi-cam comedy series Bonnie from Universal Television. The project falls under Ornelas’ overall deal at Utv.
Bonnie is a family comedy about a former backup singer who left the grind of touring fifteen years ago to live on the rez, help raise her brother’s kids and live her dream of being “Cool Auntie.”
Ornelas and Schmieding will write and executive produce the project with the latter also set to star. In addition to the pair, Morgan Sackett, Jonathan Berry and Katie Newman also exec produce.
Recently, Ornelas was showrunner of the Peacock comedy Rutherford Falls, which she co-created with Mike Schur and Ed Helms. It was there she met Schmieding, who served as both a star and writer on the show. Previously, Ornelas was a co-executive producer on Loot...
Bonnie is a family comedy about a former backup singer who left the grind of touring fifteen years ago to live on the rez, help raise her brother’s kids and live her dream of being “Cool Auntie.”
Ornelas and Schmieding will write and executive produce the project with the latter also set to star. In addition to the pair, Morgan Sackett, Jonathan Berry and Katie Newman also exec produce.
Recently, Ornelas was showrunner of the Peacock comedy Rutherford Falls, which she co-created with Mike Schur and Ed Helms. It was there she met Schmieding, who served as both a star and writer on the show. Previously, Ornelas was a co-executive producer on Loot...
- 1/11/2024
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
When the call went out for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” Cara Jade Myers first read for the part of Rita and then for her sister Mollie, the focus of the film. Finally, she auditioned for the third sister, Anna, who is the most independent and the most troubled, her mother’s favorite but also a hard-drinking partier.
“She was almost larger than life in that character, with a bravery and an unpredictable quality,” says Rene Haynes, who was the film’s Indigenous casting director. “She’s also smart and can think on her feet.”
(Haynes says Zoom bombing a meeting with Myers and her manager to tell her she’d landed the role was “one of the most moving moments of my career,” while Myers says she wishes she’d recorded it. “I just started smiling and sobbing — it was probably the most ugly cry.”)
While Myers was raised in Arizona,...
“She was almost larger than life in that character, with a bravery and an unpredictable quality,” says Rene Haynes, who was the film’s Indigenous casting director. “She’s also smart and can think on her feet.”
(Haynes says Zoom bombing a meeting with Myers and her manager to tell her she’d landed the role was “one of the most moving moments of my career,” while Myers says she wishes she’d recorded it. “I just started smiling and sobbing — it was probably the most ugly cry.”)
While Myers was raised in Arizona,...
- 1/9/2024
- by Stuart Miller
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix’s live-action adaptation of “Avatar: The Last Airbender” has an official premiere date: February 22, 2024. The news was revealed as part of the streamer’s Geeked Week.
“Time is a funny thing. The past, the future, it all gets mixed up,” Uncle Iroh (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) says in the first teaser. “There’s only one way to keep it straight: Always remember who you are.”
Earlier this week, Netflix revealed a new poster for the series, which showed Aang (Gordon Cormier), Katara (Kiawentiio) and Sokka (Ian Ousley) riding Aang’s flying bison, Appa. Now the streamer has dropped even more footage including new photos and a teaser.
Previously, Cormier starred as Joe in Paramount+’s “The Stand;” Kiawentiio starred in Netflix’s “Anne with an E” and Peacock’s “Rutherford Falls;” and Ousley starred in Apple TV+’s “Physical” as well as Netflix’s “13 Reasons Why.” Additionally, the series stars Dallas Liu (“Tekken,...
“Time is a funny thing. The past, the future, it all gets mixed up,” Uncle Iroh (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) says in the first teaser. “There’s only one way to keep it straight: Always remember who you are.”
Earlier this week, Netflix revealed a new poster for the series, which showed Aang (Gordon Cormier), Katara (Kiawentiio) and Sokka (Ian Ousley) riding Aang’s flying bison, Appa. Now the streamer has dropped even more footage including new photos and a teaser.
Previously, Cormier starred as Joe in Paramount+’s “The Stand;” Kiawentiio starred in Netflix’s “Anne with an E” and Peacock’s “Rutherford Falls;” and Ousley starred in Apple TV+’s “Physical” as well as Netflix’s “13 Reasons Why.” Additionally, the series stars Dallas Liu (“Tekken,...
- 11/9/2023
- by Kayla Cobb
- The Wrap
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
School is back in session, so whether you’re kicking back in your dorm or continuing your education at home, there are a number of great student streaming deals available online now.
Just by registering with an “.edu” email address, you can get subscriptions to Amazon Prime, Hulu, Paramount+ and more, for less. Most of these are part of back-to-school deals that will let you stream for free for the first few months,...
School is back in session, so whether you’re kicking back in your dorm or continuing your education at home, there are a number of great student streaming deals available online now.
Just by registering with an “.edu” email address, you can get subscriptions to Amazon Prime, Hulu, Paramount+ and more, for less. Most of these are part of back-to-school deals that will let you stream for free for the first few months,...
- 9/28/2023
- by Sage Anderson
- Rollingstone.com
Martin Scorsese’s newly anticipated film Killers of the Flower Moon is only weeks away from seeing its theatrical release and then making its way onto AppleTV+. The adaptation of David Grann’s book of the same name is already gaining praise for the performances of the lead actors. Many are saying that this film features a career-defining performance for frequent Scorsese collaborator Leonardo DiCaprio. However, the buzz around the film is that his co-star Lily Gladstone steals the show and shines through in a breakout performance.
Variety has the exclusive on Lily Gladstone being put on the path to make history as the first Native American indigenous actress to be nominated for Best Actress at the Academy Awards. With the accolades that the film is already collecting, Gladstone will be campaigning alongside her co-star DiCaprio for the top acting awards. When the film premiered at Cannes earlier this summer,...
Variety has the exclusive on Lily Gladstone being put on the path to make history as the first Native American indigenous actress to be nominated for Best Actress at the Academy Awards. With the accolades that the film is already collecting, Gladstone will be campaigning alongside her co-star DiCaprio for the top acting awards. When the film premiered at Cannes earlier this summer,...
- 9/20/2023
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
Variety has announced its 10 Actors to Watch for 2023. Honorees include two actors making their movie debuts in films from Oscar winners as well as thesps working with filmmakers like Martin Scorsese, Todd Haynes and Lulu Wang.
Since 1998, Variety has honored rising stars on its 10 Actors to Watch list, heralding artists who are experiencing a major breakthrough on screen. The alumni group includes more than 35 Oscar winners and nominees, including Mahershala Ali, Adam Driver, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer and Lupita Nyong’o.
This year’s honorees will be profiled later in the year in an issue of Variety.
Nicholas Galitzine
The actor can currently be seen in Amazon Prime Video’s “Red, White & Royal Blue” and the comedy “Bottoms.” Upcoming projects include “The Idea of You” with Anne Hathaway and the limited series “Mary & George” opposite Julianne Moore.
Myha’la Herrold
Known for her work on the HBO series “Industry,” Herrold...
Since 1998, Variety has honored rising stars on its 10 Actors to Watch list, heralding artists who are experiencing a major breakthrough on screen. The alumni group includes more than 35 Oscar winners and nominees, including Mahershala Ali, Adam Driver, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer and Lupita Nyong’o.
This year’s honorees will be profiled later in the year in an issue of Variety.
Nicholas Galitzine
The actor can currently be seen in Amazon Prime Video’s “Red, White & Royal Blue” and the comedy “Bottoms.” Upcoming projects include “The Idea of You” with Anne Hathaway and the limited series “Mary & George” opposite Julianne Moore.
Myha’la Herrold
Known for her work on the HBO series “Industry,” Herrold...
- 9/6/2023
- by Jenelle Riley
- Variety Film + TV
Part of what I love about filmmaking is how it is able to transform artifice into reality and truth. When two characters come together for a big climactic kiss in the rain, the reality of the situation is that these are two co-workers who barely know each other, standing on two different colored pieces of tape, as a giant mechanized sprinkler system looms over their heads. Yet when we see it on the big screen, we believe it. That's true movie magic.
One of my favorite parts of this process, when it comes to studio filmmaking, is the backlot. Movie studios have constructed city streets, town squares, and so much more on their land for productions to use and reuse for decades. Instead of going on location and dealing with permits, spacial limitations, crowd control, and more, they have these preset areas all to themselves. They appear in countless films,...
One of my favorite parts of this process, when it comes to studio filmmaking, is the backlot. Movie studios have constructed city streets, town squares, and so much more on their land for productions to use and reuse for decades. Instead of going on location and dealing with permits, spacial limitations, crowd control, and more, they have these preset areas all to themselves. They appear in countless films,...
- 8/20/2023
- by Mike Shutt
- Slash Film
Perhaps it’s coincidence, or serendipity, but two of the best-reviewed shows on television happened to both return at the same time with new seasons last week — and both put Native storytelling and Indigenous characters front and center. FX’s “Reservation Dogs” and AMC’s “Dark Winds” have a few things in common — starting, of course, with Zahn McClarnon, who stars as Navajo tribal police officer Joe Leaphorn in “Dark Winds” and recurs as Officer Big in “Reservation Dogs.”
And both also share acclaim from viewers and critics: “Reservation Dogs” sports a 99% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes’ reviews aggregator, while “Dark Winds” boasts a remarkable 100% ranking. But the two shows come from very different genres: “Reservation Dogs” is a modern-day coming of age dramatic comedy about a group of friends working through the death of one of their own, while “Dark Winds” is a western noir period piece set in the 1970s.
And both also share acclaim from viewers and critics: “Reservation Dogs” sports a 99% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes’ reviews aggregator, while “Dark Winds” boasts a remarkable 100% ranking. But the two shows come from very different genres: “Reservation Dogs” is a modern-day coming of age dramatic comedy about a group of friends working through the death of one of their own, while “Dark Winds” is a western noir period piece set in the 1970s.
- 8/11/2023
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
When Chris Eyre’s “Smoke Signals” won the audience prize in Sundance 25 years ago, the director thought the kudos would soon lead to a landslide of opportunities for Native talent. Amid a flourishing independent film scene, the road trip dramedy won acclaim and awards as the first feature written, directed and produced by Native filmmakers. But it took two decades, and a pivot to television, for Native voices to finally get a wider chance to be heard.
More than two decades later, Eyre is now an executive producer and director on AMC+’s Navajo noir series “Dark Winds,” based on the Tony Hillerman mystery novels. Longtime Hillerman fans Robert Redford and George R.R. Martin also serve as executive producers. “Dark Winds” premiered in 2022 as a wave of TV Westerns was proving massively popular, and yet, it’s very different from shows like “Yellowstone,” “Joe Pickett,” and “Justified” with its focus on a Native cast,...
More than two decades later, Eyre is now an executive producer and director on AMC+’s Navajo noir series “Dark Winds,” based on the Tony Hillerman mystery novels. Longtime Hillerman fans Robert Redford and George R.R. Martin also serve as executive producers. “Dark Winds” premiered in 2022 as a wave of TV Westerns was proving massively popular, and yet, it’s very different from shows like “Yellowstone,” “Joe Pickett,” and “Justified” with its focus on a Native cast,...
- 8/3/2023
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
In late June, it was announced that Reservation Dogs‘ third season would be its last.
“That’s a difficult line to write and a more difficult decision to make,” co-creator Sterlin Harjo said in an Instagram post announcing the show’s final season ahead of its Aug. 2 premiere. “Almost all television and film depictions about Native people are mostly inaccurate. And most of them have been untruthful.”
Co-created by Harjo and Taika Waititi and debuting in August 2021, the writer would go on to celebrate the “gift” of his series, which helped foment one of the first, major TV network pushes of modern Native and Indigenous storytelling. Reservation Dogs has offered a “different perspective of Indigenous people and our culture,” he wrote. “Most important of all, it has been a dream to collaborate and make a show that is entirely written by, directed by and stars Native people.”
The decision was...
“That’s a difficult line to write and a more difficult decision to make,” co-creator Sterlin Harjo said in an Instagram post announcing the show’s final season ahead of its Aug. 2 premiere. “Almost all television and film depictions about Native people are mostly inaccurate. And most of them have been untruthful.”
Co-created by Harjo and Taika Waititi and debuting in August 2021, the writer would go on to celebrate the “gift” of his series, which helped foment one of the first, major TV network pushes of modern Native and Indigenous storytelling. Reservation Dogs has offered a “different perspective of Indigenous people and our culture,” he wrote. “Most important of all, it has been a dream to collaborate and make a show that is entirely written by, directed by and stars Native people.”
The decision was...
- 8/2/2023
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“Grey’s Anatomy” star Ellen Pompeo hasn’t officially given a statement about the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, but she has shared something perhaps more powerful: a picture. On Tuesday, the Golden Globe-nominated actor posted a meme of herself from her hit show, criticizing Netflix for failing to pay actors residuals.
The meme Pompeo posted on her Instagram Stories references the Season 2 episode “As We Know It,” which sees Dr. Meredith Grey operating on a man with a bomb in his chest. A crossed-armed image of Meredith is captioned with the text “Me when there’s a [bomb emoji] in the chest cavity.” Above that, Pompeo wrote, “Also me when @netflix Doesn’t pay actors residuals holla let’s talk [sic].”
Ellen Pompeo in Grey’s Anatomy (Photo Credit: Instagram)
Though residuals for shows licensed to streamers such as Netflix come from the studios that produced them, one of the major points of the SAG-AFTRA strike...
The meme Pompeo posted on her Instagram Stories references the Season 2 episode “As We Know It,” which sees Dr. Meredith Grey operating on a man with a bomb in his chest. A crossed-armed image of Meredith is captioned with the text “Me when there’s a [bomb emoji] in the chest cavity.” Above that, Pompeo wrote, “Also me when @netflix Doesn’t pay actors residuals holla let’s talk [sic].”
Ellen Pompeo in Grey’s Anatomy (Photo Credit: Instagram)
Though residuals for shows licensed to streamers such as Netflix come from the studios that produced them, one of the major points of the SAG-AFTRA strike...
- 7/19/2023
- by Kayla Cobb
- The Wrap
“I deserve to get paid for as many fucking streams as that shit gets” is essentially the rallying cry, courtesy of Kimiko Glenn, of the 2023 Hollywood strikes.
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) are both currently on work stoppage orders after failed negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) over streaming compensation, AI, and more current issues.
“Orange Is the New Black” star Glenn posted a TikTok video alleging a pay discrepancy between actors on the hit Netflix series and a lack of residuals on future streams.
“People were bartenders still. People had their second jobs still,” Glenn said. “They were fucking famous as shit, like internationally famous, couldn’t go outside, but had to keep their second jobs because they couldn’t afford to not. We couldn’t afford cabs to set.”
She added of the lack of residuals, “My tits live on in perpetuity.
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) are both currently on work stoppage orders after failed negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) over streaming compensation, AI, and more current issues.
“Orange Is the New Black” star Glenn posted a TikTok video alleging a pay discrepancy between actors on the hit Netflix series and a lack of residuals on future streams.
“People were bartenders still. People had their second jobs still,” Glenn said. “They were fucking famous as shit, like internationally famous, couldn’t go outside, but had to keep their second jobs because they couldn’t afford to not. We couldn’t afford cabs to set.”
She added of the lack of residuals, “My tits live on in perpetuity.
- 7/17/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Last week, FX confirmed that the third season of its critically acclaimed series “Reservation Dogs” would be its last. It’s the second TV program about indigenous communities after Peacock‘s “Rutherford Falls” to get the ax recently. But hopefully Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi‘s series goes out on a high note in its final batch of episodes. After all, “Reservation Dogs” received high praise its first two seasons.
Continue reading ‘Reservation Dogs’ Season 3 Trailer: The Rez Dogs Say Goodbye To California Dreams On August 2 at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Reservation Dogs’ Season 3 Trailer: The Rez Dogs Say Goodbye To California Dreams On August 2 at The Playlist.
- 7/6/2023
- by Matthew Monagle
- The Playlist
Exclusive: Rotten Science has rounded out the cast for its first feature, Operation Taco Gary’s, enlisting Dustin Milligan (Schitt’s Creek), Brenda Song (Dollface), Tony Cavalero (The Righteous Gemstones), Jason Biggs (American Pie), Doug Jones (Star Trek: Discovery) and Arturo Castro (The Menu) for roles opposite the previously announced Simon Rex.
Written and directed by Michael Kvamme, the film tells the story of Danny (Rex), an off-the-grid conspiracy theorist takes his estranged brother, Luke (Milligan), on a road trip with a secret agenda. Details as to the characters to be played by our other new cast members haven’t been disclosed.
Matthew Vaughan, Rotten Science and Milligan will produce, with Jimmy Miller and Matt Riley exec producing for Mosaic, along with Brian David Cange. Range Select, a division of Range Media Partners, is repping the film on the sales side.
Said writer-director Kvamme, “We’re so lucky to have Dustin...
Written and directed by Michael Kvamme, the film tells the story of Danny (Rex), an off-the-grid conspiracy theorist takes his estranged brother, Luke (Milligan), on a road trip with a secret agenda. Details as to the characters to be played by our other new cast members haven’t been disclosed.
Matthew Vaughan, Rotten Science and Milligan will produce, with Jimmy Miller and Matt Riley exec producing for Mosaic, along with Brian David Cange. Range Select, a division of Range Media Partners, is repping the film on the sales side.
Said writer-director Kvamme, “We’re so lucky to have Dustin...
- 6/28/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Creative Artists Agency has announced the lineup of speakers and attendees for the 2023 CAA Amplify summit, an annual convening of artists, thought-leaders and executives of color from leading organizations in entertainment, sports, media, brands and technology.
Among the bold-faced names confirmed for the sixth annual summit are Chlöe and Halle Bailey — who this year expanded beyond their Grammy-nominated status as recording duo Chloe x Halle into major TV and film projects with leading roles in “Swarm” and “The Little Mermaid,” respectively.
Becky G, a fellow recording artist and actor, is also slated to appear at the summit, joining a list of speakers and attendees that features Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Ava DuVernay; Emmy-winning “Abbott Elementary” showrunner and executive producer Quinta Brunson; and Oscar nominee and “Beef” executive producer and star Steven Yeun.
The lineup also includes three-time NBA Champion, activist and entrepreneur Dwyane Wade and The Honest Company founder and actor Jessica Alba,...
Among the bold-faced names confirmed for the sixth annual summit are Chlöe and Halle Bailey — who this year expanded beyond their Grammy-nominated status as recording duo Chloe x Halle into major TV and film projects with leading roles in “Swarm” and “The Little Mermaid,” respectively.
Becky G, a fellow recording artist and actor, is also slated to appear at the summit, joining a list of speakers and attendees that features Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Ava DuVernay; Emmy-winning “Abbott Elementary” showrunner and executive producer Quinta Brunson; and Oscar nominee and “Beef” executive producer and star Steven Yeun.
The lineup also includes three-time NBA Champion, activist and entrepreneur Dwyane Wade and The Honest Company founder and actor Jessica Alba,...
- 6/23/2023
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
It was the “worst first,” showrunner Sierra Teller Ornelas told TheWrap. “Rutherford Falls,” her sitcom about two friends at a crossroads, was the first Native American television show run by a Native person. But after Peacock canceled it last year after two seasons, she became “the first Native American to have their show canceled,” she said.
Along with Hulu’s “Reservation Dogs,” “Rutherford Falls” spearheaded a wave of Native TV shows at least partly created and written by Native creatives following decades of Indigenous invisibility and crude stereotypes.
That wave also includes Netflix’s “Spirit Rangers,” an animated fantasy series for preschoolers about three Native American siblings who can turn into animal spirits, and A&e’s “Dark Winds,” an adaptation of Tony Hillerman’s bestselling series of thriller novels based on a Navajo reservation. Marvel’s forthcoming “Echo,” a “Hawkeye” spinoff on Disney+, is also a Native-themed show using Native writers.
Along with Hulu’s “Reservation Dogs,” “Rutherford Falls” spearheaded a wave of Native TV shows at least partly created and written by Native creatives following decades of Indigenous invisibility and crude stereotypes.
That wave also includes Netflix’s “Spirit Rangers,” an animated fantasy series for preschoolers about three Native American siblings who can turn into animal spirits, and A&e’s “Dark Winds,” an adaptation of Tony Hillerman’s bestselling series of thriller novels based on a Navajo reservation. Marvel’s forthcoming “Echo,” a “Hawkeye” spinoff on Disney+, is also a Native-themed show using Native writers.
- 6/20/2023
- by Brenda Gazzar
- The Wrap
With the recent popularity of shows like “Rutherford Falls” and “Reservation Dogs,” television has quickly become a home for Indigenous stories onscreen. Even now, though, those and other media remain the exception and not the rule. Consider Lily Gladstone, the actress of Blackfeet and Nimíipuu heritage who broke onto the scene in 2013 with a role in Kelly Reichardt’s “Certain Women.” A decade later, Gladstone was inches away from leaving the industry altogether before being cast in a leading role in Martin Scorsese’s “Killer of the Flower Moon.”
Read More: 2023 Cannes Film Festival: 21 Must-See Movies To Watch
In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Gladstone shared that she was registering for a data analytics course when the meeting with Scorsese came through.
Continue reading Lily Gladstone Almost Quit Acting Before ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ at The Playlist.
Read More: 2023 Cannes Film Festival: 21 Must-See Movies To Watch
In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Gladstone shared that she was registering for a data analytics course when the meeting with Scorsese came through.
Continue reading Lily Gladstone Almost Quit Acting Before ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ at The Playlist.
- 5/20/2023
- by Matthew Monagle
- The Playlist
Exclusive: Prime Video has expanded the cast for Season 2 of its neo-Western series Outer Range. Christian James (All American), Megan West (How To Get Away With Murder), Daniel Abeles (Women of the Movement), Kimberly Guerrero (The English) and Monette Moio (The Real Bros Of Simi Valley) have been tapped for recurring roles opposite Josh Brolin in the drama series. Character descriptions are being kept under wraps.
Created by Brian Watkins, Outer Range centers on Royal Abbott (Brolin), a rancher fighting for his land and family, who discovers an unfathomable mystery at the edge of Wyoming’s wilderness.
In addition to Brolin, cast also includes Imogen Poots, Lili Taylor, Tamara Podemski, Lewis Pullman, Tom Pelphrey, Noah Reid, Shaun Sipos, Isabel Arraiza, Olive Abercrombie and Will Patton.
The series comes from executive producers Charles Murray, who also serves as showrunner for Season 2, Heather Rae, Josh Brolin, Zev Borow, Watkins, Tony Krantz, and...
Created by Brian Watkins, Outer Range centers on Royal Abbott (Brolin), a rancher fighting for his land and family, who discovers an unfathomable mystery at the edge of Wyoming’s wilderness.
In addition to Brolin, cast also includes Imogen Poots, Lili Taylor, Tamara Podemski, Lewis Pullman, Tom Pelphrey, Noah Reid, Shaun Sipos, Isabel Arraiza, Olive Abercrombie and Will Patton.
The series comes from executive producers Charles Murray, who also serves as showrunner for Season 2, Heather Rae, Josh Brolin, Zev Borow, Watkins, Tony Krantz, and...
- 4/27/2023
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Netflix has unveiled the cast for its coming-of-age sports drama Rez Ball, set in the world of Native American basketball, which Sydney Freeland (Marvel Studios’ Echo) boarded as director in 2021. Among those set to star are Jessica Matten (Dark Winds), Julia Jones (The Mandalorian), Amber Midthunder (Prey), Kiowa Gordon (Dark Winds), Dallas Goldtooth (Reservation Dogs), Cody Lightning (Echo), Ernest Tsosie (Better Call Saul) and Kauchani Bratt.
The ensemble will also feature a big set of newcomers in Devin Sampson-Craig, River Rayne Thomas, Jojo Jackson, Avery Hale, Hunter Redhorse Arthur, Henry Wilson Jr, Jaren K. Robledo, Damian Henry Castellane, Kusem Goodwind and Zoey Reyes. Production in New Mexico is now underway, with filming taking place on the Navajo Nation, with the permission and support of the local sovereign tribal nations.
(L-r) Jaren K. Robledo, Hunter Redhorse Arthur, Jojo Jackson, Devin Sampson-Craig, Henry Wilson Jr., Kauchani Bratt, Kusem Goodwind, Avery Hale,...
The ensemble will also feature a big set of newcomers in Devin Sampson-Craig, River Rayne Thomas, Jojo Jackson, Avery Hale, Hunter Redhorse Arthur, Henry Wilson Jr, Jaren K. Robledo, Damian Henry Castellane, Kusem Goodwind and Zoey Reyes. Production in New Mexico is now underway, with filming taking place on the Navajo Nation, with the permission and support of the local sovereign tribal nations.
(L-r) Jaren K. Robledo, Hunter Redhorse Arthur, Jojo Jackson, Devin Sampson-Craig, Henry Wilson Jr., Kauchani Bratt, Kusem Goodwind, Avery Hale,...
- 4/17/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Long before Phil Lord and Christopher Miller became household names with "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" and Bill Lawrence took the sitcom world by storm with "Ted Lasso," the trio was responsible for a controversial animated comedy that lasted just one season. "Clone High" was a wild idea; a high-concept animated MTV sitcom about a high school full of clones of famous people that also served as a parody of teen shows at the time, it ultimately went off the air after its depiction of a clone of Gandhi inspired a hunger strike in India, according to Grantland.
Despite its short shelf life and bumpy history, "Clone High" achieved a bit of a cult status after it ended, and now, it's set to return with a stellar new cast and a few fan favorites. A first look at the upgraded version of the series debuted at WonderCon, where stars Nicole Sullivan...
Despite its short shelf life and bumpy history, "Clone High" achieved a bit of a cult status after it ended, and now, it's set to return with a stellar new cast and a few fan favorites. A first look at the upgraded version of the series debuted at WonderCon, where stars Nicole Sullivan...
- 3/25/2023
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Exclusive: Aditya Sood has been promoted to President of Lord Miller — the production company of Academy Award-winning filmmakers Phil Lord and Chris Miller (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) — with Dan Shear joining as EVP and head of Television.
These strategic moves are described as a natural evolution for Lord Miller, which has continued to expand in both film and television over the past several years — recently seeing Universal release their Elizabeth Banks-directed comedy Cocaine Bear, with four other projects coming up for release this year.
Regarded as having a strong eye for standout original material, Sood has been with Lord Miller as President of Film since 2019, and will now expand his oversight to include all aspects of the company including television, adding to his existing responsibilities for overseeing their film efforts.
Shear comes to Lord Miller from Peacock, where he served as EVP of Comedy Development, and will now be...
These strategic moves are described as a natural evolution for Lord Miller, which has continued to expand in both film and television over the past several years — recently seeing Universal release their Elizabeth Banks-directed comedy Cocaine Bear, with four other projects coming up for release this year.
Regarded as having a strong eye for standout original material, Sood has been with Lord Miller as President of Film since 2019, and will now expand his oversight to include all aspects of the company including television, adding to his existing responsibilities for overseeing their film efforts.
Shear comes to Lord Miller from Peacock, where he served as EVP of Comedy Development, and will now be...
- 3/22/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: “I’ve told stories about my community and stuff, but this is, this is my story,” declares Frybread Face and Me director Billy Luther of his Taika Waititi executive produced feature debut.
Premiering tonight at SXSW, the long gestating drama from the Miss Navajo helmer is a 1990-set coming-of-age tale of San Diego reared Benny and the summer he is sent to live with his grandmother and other family on a Navajo reservation in Arizona. The summer becomes all the more significant for the doll-playing and Fleetwood Mac obsessed Benny as the city kid gradually befriends his cousin Dawn a.k.a. Frybread, and learns of not only his own family history through her, but that of his Indigenous culture too.
Spawned out the Sundance Institute labs and financed in part by Charles D King’s Macro, along with River Road and Rei Co-op Studios, have teamed with Chad Burris’ Indion Entertainment,...
Premiering tonight at SXSW, the long gestating drama from the Miss Navajo helmer is a 1990-set coming-of-age tale of San Diego reared Benny and the summer he is sent to live with his grandmother and other family on a Navajo reservation in Arizona. The summer becomes all the more significant for the doll-playing and Fleetwood Mac obsessed Benny as the city kid gradually befriends his cousin Dawn a.k.a. Frybread, and learns of not only his own family history through her, but that of his Indigenous culture too.
Spawned out the Sundance Institute labs and financed in part by Charles D King’s Macro, along with River Road and Rei Co-op Studios, have teamed with Chad Burris’ Indion Entertainment,...
- 3/12/2023
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
It’s a Good Place reunion over at Netflix as creator Mike Schur and former star Ted Danson reteam for an all-new comedy that has been classified as Untitled Mike Schur/Ted Danson series. In the series, Danson plays Charles, a retired man who gets a new lease on life when he answers an ad from a Private Investigator and goes on to become a mole in a secret investigation. Netflix has already ordered the series for an eight-episode first-season run. The show is based on the 2021 documentary The Mole Agent. (Credit: Justin Lubin / ©NBC / courtesy Everett Collection) Danson and Schur previously collaborated on The Good Place which ran for four seasons between 2016 and 2020. Danson memorably played demon Michael alongside costars Kristen Bell, William Jackson Harper, Jameela Jamil, Manny Jacinto, and D’Arcy Carden. Schur also previously co-created NBC‘s other beloved series Parks and Recreation along with Rutherford Falls, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
- 3/7/2023
- TV Insider
Days after it was announced that the acclaimed documentary “Fire of Love” would get adapted into a narrative feature film, another Oscar-nominated doc, Maite Alberdi’s 2021 film “The Mole Agent,” is also being adapted, this time for the small screen. But this adaptation just happens to also be a reunion between the star and creator of NBC’s hit series “The Good Place.”
Ted Danson and Mike Schur are reuniting for a series adaptation of Alberdi’s “The Mole Agent,” which Netflix has ordered to series with an eight-episode order. And the film’s original director Alberdi is also involved as an executive producer.
The series, which is still untitled, will star Danson as Charles, a retired man who gets a new lease on life when he answers an ad from a private investigator and becomes a mole in a secret investigation.
That’s just the logline via Netflix, as...
Ted Danson and Mike Schur are reuniting for a series adaptation of Alberdi’s “The Mole Agent,” which Netflix has ordered to series with an eight-episode order. And the film’s original director Alberdi is also involved as an executive producer.
The series, which is still untitled, will star Danson as Charles, a retired man who gets a new lease on life when he answers an ad from a private investigator and becomes a mole in a secret investigation.
That’s just the logline via Netflix, as...
- 3/7/2023
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Ted Danson and Mike Schur are officially reuniting for a series adaptation of the documentary “The Mole Agent” at Netflix, Variety has learned.
The streaming giant has ordered eight episodes of the untitled project after it was originally reported that it was being taken out to market in early February. Per the official logline, Danson will star as Charles, “a retired man who gets a new lease on life when he answers an ad from a Pi and becomes a mole in a secret investigation.”
“The Mole Agent” was directed by Chilean filmmaker Maite Alberdi. It originally debuted at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and went on to receive an Oscar nomination for best documentary feature.
Schur is the writer of the Netflix series and also serves as executive producer along with Morgan Sackett via Fremulon. David Miner of 3 Arts Entertainment, Alberdi and Marcela Santibañez of Micromundo Producciones, and Julie Goldman...
The streaming giant has ordered eight episodes of the untitled project after it was originally reported that it was being taken out to market in early February. Per the official logline, Danson will star as Charles, “a retired man who gets a new lease on life when he answers an ad from a Pi and becomes a mole in a secret investigation.”
“The Mole Agent” was directed by Chilean filmmaker Maite Alberdi. It originally debuted at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and went on to receive an Oscar nomination for best documentary feature.
Schur is the writer of the Netflix series and also serves as executive producer along with Morgan Sackett via Fremulon. David Miner of 3 Arts Entertainment, Alberdi and Marcela Santibañez of Micromundo Producciones, and Julie Goldman...
- 3/7/2023
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
The new comedy series reuniting The Good Place creator Mike Schur and star Ted Danson has landed at Netflix with an eight-episode straight-to-series order. As Deadline reported exclusively last month, the project, based on the 2020 Chilean feature documentary The Mole Agent, sparked heated bidding when it hit the premium/streaming marketplace, with Netflix one of the four lead contenders. The untitled comedy, written/executive produced by Schur and starring/executive produced by Denson, hails from Schur’s longtime studio home Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.
In it, Charles (Danson), a retired man, gets a new lease on life when he answers an ad from a Pi and becomes a mole in a secret investigation.
Schur and Morgan Sackett executive produce through Schur’s Fremulon, and David Miner via 3 Arts Entertainment. Maite Alberdi and Marcela Santibañez are executive producers for Micromundo Producciones along with Julie Goldman and Christopher Clements for Motto Pictures.
In it, Charles (Danson), a retired man, gets a new lease on life when he answers an ad from a Pi and becomes a mole in a secret investigation.
Schur and Morgan Sackett executive produce through Schur’s Fremulon, and David Miner via 3 Arts Entertainment. Maite Alberdi and Marcela Santibañez are executive producers for Micromundo Producciones along with Julie Goldman and Christopher Clements for Motto Pictures.
- 3/7/2023
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
"Puss in Boots: The Last Wish" is one of the most inexplicable movies in recent memory. It's a sequel to a much-maligned movie that came out over a decade ago. It's subtitled "The Last Wish" and billed as the end of an era despite only being the second movie to star Antonio Banderas' swashbuckling kitty. Its star-studded cast includes the likes of not only Banderas, but also Florence Pugh, Olivia Colman, John Mulaney, Harvey Guillén, and Salma Hayek Pinault.
The movie has also gained a tremendous amount of acclaim since its release in theaters in December, picking up an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature Film and earning glowing reviews, including one for IGN in which /Film writer Rafael Motamayor compared it favorably to The X-Men franchise high point "Logan," a comparison that caught on in a big way throughout the movie's theatrical run. /Film's own review, from Josh Spiegel,...
The movie has also gained a tremendous amount of acclaim since its release in theaters in December, picking up an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature Film and earning glowing reviews, including one for IGN in which /Film writer Rafael Motamayor compared it favorably to The X-Men franchise high point "Logan," a comparison that caught on in a big way throughout the movie's theatrical run. /Film's own review, from Josh Spiegel,...
- 3/4/2023
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Hollywood has never had a reluctance to show Native characters onscreen. They’ve served as the go-to foils for the hero in the most American of movie genres — the Western — and occasionally have been romanticized for their exotic mysticism, their cultural practices and presentation adopted (or appropriated, as some might say) in order to imbue a sense of depth or artistry to a white practitioner. In more recent years, the historical and ongoing experience of many Indigenous communities’ battles to preserve their lands and defend their sovereignty has been allegorized into big-budget fantasy blockbusters.
But in between the two Avatar movies, the landscape for Native Americans in media has shifted. In 2009, when James Cameron’s first trip to Pandora premiered in theaters on the way to earning nine Oscar nominations (three wins) and becoming the top-grossing film of all time ($2.9 billion worldwide), some critics and audience members noted the plot’s evocations of Native narratives,...
But in between the two Avatar movies, the landscape for Native Americans in media has shifted. In 2009, when James Cameron’s first trip to Pandora premiered in theaters on the way to earning nine Oscar nominations (three wins) and becoming the top-grossing film of all time ($2.9 billion worldwide), some critics and audience members noted the plot’s evocations of Native narratives,...
- 3/1/2023
- by Rebecca Sun and Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Jhane Myers (Comanche/Blackfeet) has a track record of making history — literally and figuratively. As the producer of summer hit “Prey,” a prequel to the “Predator” series directed by Dan Trachtenberg that centers on Comanche Nation culture circa the 1700s, Myers delved deeply into Indigenous life way before TikTok and even #nativetwitter.
And with her nomination for a Producers Guild Award for her work on “Prey,” Hollywood has taken notice of another Native creative in an awards season where Indigenous representation is arguably stronger than in past years. “I tell everyone that ‘Prey’ gets an ‘A’ for authenticity because a lot of times you don’t have that much creative control,” Myers says over Zoom from her home in Santa Fe, N.M.
She credits a “strong creative bond” with Trachtenberg that helped open the door to a portrayal of Native life that U.S. and global audiences rarely, if ever,...
And with her nomination for a Producers Guild Award for her work on “Prey,” Hollywood has taken notice of another Native creative in an awards season where Indigenous representation is arguably stronger than in past years. “I tell everyone that ‘Prey’ gets an ‘A’ for authenticity because a lot of times you don’t have that much creative control,” Myers says over Zoom from her home in Santa Fe, N.M.
She credits a “strong creative bond” with Trachtenberg that helped open the door to a portrayal of Native life that U.S. and global audiences rarely, if ever,...
- 2/24/2023
- by Laura Clark
- Variety Film + TV
NBC has placed a pilot order for “St. Denis Medical,” the latest workplace comedy series to come from “Superstore” alums Justin Spitzer and Eric Ledgin, as well as Simon Heuer.
According to the show’s logline, the forthcoming comedy will be “a mockumentary about an underfunded, understaffed Oregon hospital where the dedicated doctors and nurses try their best to treat patients while maintaining their own sanity.”
The pilot first received a production commitment from NBC in August.
Spitzer will serve as a writer and executive producer with Ledgin and Heuer under his Spitzer Holding Company’s banner. Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, will produce the series for NBC. Spitzer and Ledgin both remain under overall deals with Universal.
Heuer joined Spitzer Holding Company as head of TV development last year. He continues to serve as a co-executive producer on Spitzer’s workplace comedy “American Auto,” for which...
According to the show’s logline, the forthcoming comedy will be “a mockumentary about an underfunded, understaffed Oregon hospital where the dedicated doctors and nurses try their best to treat patients while maintaining their own sanity.”
The pilot first received a production commitment from NBC in August.
Spitzer will serve as a writer and executive producer with Ledgin and Heuer under his Spitzer Holding Company’s banner. Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, will produce the series for NBC. Spitzer and Ledgin both remain under overall deals with Universal.
Heuer joined Spitzer Holding Company as head of TV development last year. He continues to serve as a co-executive producer on Spitzer’s workplace comedy “American Auto,” for which...
- 2/8/2023
- by BreAnna Bell
- Variety Film + TV
NBC has given a pilot order to St. Denis Medical, a half-hour mockumentary-style workplace comedy from the Superstore and American Auto duo of Justin Spitzer and Eric Ledgin. The pilot is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, where both Spitzer and Ledgin have overall deals.
Written by Spitzer and Ledgin, St. Denis Medical is a mockumentary about an underfunded, understaffed Oregon hospital where the dedicated doctors and nurses try their best to treat patients while maintaining their own sanity.
Ledgin will also executive produce, as will Spitzer under his Universal TV-based production banner Spitzer Holding Company. Simon Heuer, Head of TV Development at Spitzer Holding Company, will also executive produce.
Related: 2023 NBC Pilots & Series Orders
St. Denis Medical previously received a pilot production commitment from NBC last year. It marks the latest NBC project for Spitzer, whose very first writing credit was on an episode...
Written by Spitzer and Ledgin, St. Denis Medical is a mockumentary about an underfunded, understaffed Oregon hospital where the dedicated doctors and nurses try their best to treat patients while maintaining their own sanity.
Ledgin will also executive produce, as will Spitzer under his Universal TV-based production banner Spitzer Holding Company. Simon Heuer, Head of TV Development at Spitzer Holding Company, will also executive produce.
Related: 2023 NBC Pilots & Series Orders
St. Denis Medical previously received a pilot production commitment from NBC last year. It marks the latest NBC project for Spitzer, whose very first writing credit was on an episode...
- 2/8/2023
- by Katie Campione
- Deadline Film + TV
Will Forte Says 'Chances Are Slim' For MacGruber Season 2, But Will 'Never Count It Out' [Exclusive]
MacGruber has survived a lot since the character first debuted on "Saturday Night Live" in 2007. The "MacGyver"-like antihero has been blown to bits by exploding bombs countless times, distracted by everything from his grandma-turned-fiance (Betty White) to wild Covid-era conspiracy theories. He lost his wife (Maya Rudolph) seconds after they got married, got out of some tricky situations with the help of a creatively-placed stalk of celery, and faced down villains played by Val Kilmer and Billy Zane, among others.
But it's unclear at this point if MacGruber will survive his greatest foe yet: the increasingly crowded streaming era. /Film's Ethan Anderton interviewed "MacGruber" co-creator and star Will Forte ahead of his role in the Sundance film "Aliens Abducted My Parents and Now I Feel Kinda Left Out." During the conversation, the comedian revealed that the show's fate doesn't look super-promising, but also notes that MacGruber has beat the odds before.
But it's unclear at this point if MacGruber will survive his greatest foe yet: the increasingly crowded streaming era. /Film's Ethan Anderton interviewed "MacGruber" co-creator and star Will Forte ahead of his role in the Sundance film "Aliens Abducted My Parents and Now I Feel Kinda Left Out." During the conversation, the comedian revealed that the show's fate doesn't look super-promising, but also notes that MacGruber has beat the odds before.
- 1/14/2023
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Ed Helms was a familiar face from “The Daily Show” and “The Office” when he landed a role in “The Hangover” alongside Bradley Cooper and Zach Galifianakis. The 2009 comedy blockbuster launched a trilogy and, as Helms said on a recent episode of the “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” podcast, created a “tornado of fame” that left him riddled with anxiety about his career.
“It was a tornado of fame and a lot of buffeting,” Helms said of his career after “The Hangover” became the highest-grossing R rated comedy in history. “It was very overwhelming.”
Helms described “The Hangover” fame as “a whole new level” compared to being on “The Daily Show” and “The Office,” adding, “I really was reeling a lot of the time, like in the aftermath of ‘The Hangover’… I was getting scripts for all these different kinds of projects. ‘Like what do I do? I dunno.
“It was a tornado of fame and a lot of buffeting,” Helms said of his career after “The Hangover” became the highest-grossing R rated comedy in history. “It was very overwhelming.”
Helms described “The Hangover” fame as “a whole new level” compared to being on “The Daily Show” and “The Office,” adding, “I really was reeling a lot of the time, like in the aftermath of ‘The Hangover’… I was getting scripts for all these different kinds of projects. ‘Like what do I do? I dunno.
- 12/28/2022
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
When it comes to changes in the television landscape, 2022 has been rough. Almost every streaming service or major cable network seemed to have some kind of major loss or merger. The result was a whole lot of cost-cutting, which unfortunately meant that some beloved shows got the axe, many before their time. The CW ended many of its superhero shows as the network goes through a total re-brand, Warner Bros. Discovery's merger led them to cut hundreds of millions of dollars worth of content, and Netflix lost 50 billion in value overnight back in January, leading to a year of heavy cancellations. It seemed like every time we turned around, something else was getting cut, and it's been devastating for fans.
Some of the shows we lost only had a single, audacious season before getting cut short, while others have been around for years. Some, like the divisive and ridiculously expensive "Westworld,...
Some of the shows we lost only had a single, audacious season before getting cut short, while others have been around for years. Some, like the divisive and ridiculously expensive "Westworld,...
- 12/26/2022
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
Helen Slayton-Hughes, best known for playing Ethel Beavers on “Parks and Recreation,” has died. She was 92.
Her family confirmed the news on Facebook, writing, “Helen passed away last night. Her pain has ended but her fierce spirit lives on. Thank you for the love and support of her and her work.”
A video montage posted to the actor’s account reads, “To our beloved Helen… you always made us laugh. Thank you for the love and laughter. You inspired us all by living your dream until the end. Rest now, our sweet Helen. We know the laughter will continue wherever you are.”
The video also features photos of Slayton-Hughes alongside some of the actor’s quotes, including, “The universe is getting ready for a big project: preparing for my departure.”
Born in 1930, Slayton-Hughes earned her first Hollywood credit at age 50, in the 1980 film “Mafia on the Bounty.” She would go...
Her family confirmed the news on Facebook, writing, “Helen passed away last night. Her pain has ended but her fierce spirit lives on. Thank you for the love and support of her and her work.”
A video montage posted to the actor’s account reads, “To our beloved Helen… you always made us laugh. Thank you for the love and laughter. You inspired us all by living your dream until the end. Rest now, our sweet Helen. We know the laughter will continue wherever you are.”
The video also features photos of Slayton-Hughes alongside some of the actor’s quotes, including, “The universe is getting ready for a big project: preparing for my departure.”
Born in 1930, Slayton-Hughes earned her first Hollywood credit at age 50, in the 1980 film “Mafia on the Bounty.” She would go...
- 12/9/2022
- by Ethan Shanfeld
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Sierra Teller Ornelas (Rutherford Falls) and Marcos Luevanos (Lopez Vs. Lopez) are developing the half-hour multicam comedy Amigos for NBC. The duo will draw inspiration from their own lifelong friendship for the Universal Television-produced project.
Amigos is about a group of six Latine friends living in Los Angeles who lean and rag on each other as they find love, grow up and figure out what success means in 2022.
Ornelas and Luevanos will write and executive produce alongside Morgan Sackett.
Most recently, Ornelas was showrunner of the Peacock comedy series Rutherford Falls, which she co-created with Mike Schur and Ed Helms. Previously, she was a co-executive producer on Loot for Apple TV+ and NBC’s Superstore where she worked for three seasons. She has previously written for Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Splitting Up Together, and Happy Endings. Ornelas is repped by UTA, 3 Arts and Johnson, Shapiro,...
Amigos is about a group of six Latine friends living in Los Angeles who lean and rag on each other as they find love, grow up and figure out what success means in 2022.
Ornelas and Luevanos will write and executive produce alongside Morgan Sackett.
Most recently, Ornelas was showrunner of the Peacock comedy series Rutherford Falls, which she co-created with Mike Schur and Ed Helms. Previously, she was a co-executive producer on Loot for Apple TV+ and NBC’s Superstore where she worked for three seasons. She has previously written for Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Splitting Up Together, and Happy Endings. Ornelas is repped by UTA, 3 Arts and Johnson, Shapiro,...
- 12/8/2022
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
Just months after the International Olympic Committee finally restored accomplished Indigenous athlete Jim Thorpe's hard-won medals, Thorpe is set to be the subject of a new movie. Thorpe — a member of the Sac & Fox Nation where he was called Wa-Tho-Huk — is most remembered for his impressive multi-sport career. His remarkable story, however, actually began in Oklahoma Indian country in 1887, the year of his birth.
His life is chronicled in Robert Wheeler's book, "Jim Thorpe: World's Greatest Athlete," which is now set to be adapted for the big screen with a director, script, and producing team already attached. Here's everything we know about "Thorpe" so far.
When And Where To Watch Thorpe
It's still too early to tell when audiences should expect to see "Thorpe," but Deadline reports that the film is "on a fast track." The production team behind the movie already has a strong record of making...
His life is chronicled in Robert Wheeler's book, "Jim Thorpe: World's Greatest Athlete," which is now set to be adapted for the big screen with a director, script, and producing team already attached. Here's everything we know about "Thorpe" so far.
When And Where To Watch Thorpe
It's still too early to tell when audiences should expect to see "Thorpe," but Deadline reports that the film is "on a fast track." The production team behind the movie already has a strong record of making...
- 12/2/2022
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
“The Office” star Ed Helms will join Jennifer Garner in “Family Leave,” a body-swap comedy set at Netflix.
Joseph McGinty Nichol, known professionally as McG, is directing the film, which is written by Adam Sztykiel and adapted from author Amy Krouse Rosenthal’s heartwarming book “Bedtime For Mommy.”
In the film, Garner and Helms will play Jess and Bill Walker, two parents who are doing their best to keep their family connected as their children grow older, more independent and more distant. When a chance encounter with an astrological reader causes the family to wake up to a full body switch, on the morning of the most important day of each of their lives, the Walkers will attempt to unite to land a promotion, college interview, record deal and soccer tryout. Additional cast members, who will play the rest of the Walker clan, have yet to be announced.
David Hyman...
Joseph McGinty Nichol, known professionally as McG, is directing the film, which is written by Adam Sztykiel and adapted from author Amy Krouse Rosenthal’s heartwarming book “Bedtime For Mommy.”
In the film, Garner and Helms will play Jess and Bill Walker, two parents who are doing their best to keep their family connected as their children grow older, more independent and more distant. When a chance encounter with an astrological reader causes the family to wake up to a full body switch, on the morning of the most important day of each of their lives, the Walkers will attempt to unite to land a promotion, college interview, record deal and soccer tryout. Additional cast members, who will play the rest of the Walker clan, have yet to be announced.
David Hyman...
- 11/29/2022
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Ed Helms has signed on to co-star with Jennifer Garner in the Netflix comedy “Family Leave,” with McG joining as director and producer.
Garner, who also serves as a producer, has been attached to the film since Feb. 2021. Adam Sztykiel is handling the rewrite of Victoria Strouse’s script, which is based on “Bedtime for Mommy” by Amy Krouse Rosenthal.
The film follows Jess and Bill Walker, a couple determined to keep their family close as their kids are growing older and less connected to one another. One day, after a chance meeting with an astrological reader, they wake up to find that they’ve switched bodies with a family living on the other side of the world. Unfortunately, the body swap happens to take place on the most important day in their individual lives, with a promotion, college interview, record deal and soccer tryout on the table.
Also Read:...
Garner, who also serves as a producer, has been attached to the film since Feb. 2021. Adam Sztykiel is handling the rewrite of Victoria Strouse’s script, which is based on “Bedtime for Mommy” by Amy Krouse Rosenthal.
The film follows Jess and Bill Walker, a couple determined to keep their family close as their kids are growing older and less connected to one another. One day, after a chance meeting with an astrological reader, they wake up to find that they’ve switched bodies with a family living on the other side of the world. Unfortunately, the body swap happens to take place on the most important day in their individual lives, with a promotion, college interview, record deal and soccer tryout on the table.
Also Read:...
- 11/29/2022
- by Harper Lambert
- The Wrap
Ed Helms (Together Together) and McG (The Babysitter) have boarded the Netflix body swap comedy Family Leave, inspired by New York Times bestselling author Amy Krouse Rosenthal’s book, Bedtime for Mommy. Helms will star alongside the previously announced Jennifer Garner, with McG serving as the project’s director and producer.
The film first announced back in February of 2021 follows Jess and Bill Walker, who are doing their best to keep their family connected as their children grow older, more independent, and more distant. When a chance encounter with an astrological reader causes the family to wake up to a full body switch, on the morning of the most important day of each of their lives, can the Walkers unite to land a promotion, college interview, record deal and soccer tryout?
Family Leave is a continuation of McG’s recent work with Netflix on titles like The Babysitter, Holidate, the...
The film first announced back in February of 2021 follows Jess and Bill Walker, who are doing their best to keep their family connected as their children grow older, more independent, and more distant. When a chance encounter with an astrological reader causes the family to wake up to a full body switch, on the morning of the most important day of each of their lives, can the Walkers unite to land a promotion, college interview, record deal and soccer tryout?
Family Leave is a continuation of McG’s recent work with Netflix on titles like The Babysitter, Holidate, the...
- 11/29/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
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