Stephen Merchant has revealed he has no plans for further episodes of The Outlaws after the incoming series three: more details here.
Stephen Merchant took the British comedy scene by storm in 2001 when he wrote and directed The Office with Ricky Gervais. Since then, they have collaborated on Extras, Life’s Too Short, An Idiot Abroad and feature film Cemetery Junction. He went on to forge a successful solo career, from stand up tour Hello Ladies and the American sitcom of the same name to his successful pivot into hour long crime comedy with The Outlaws, which returns for its third series next week.
Created by Merchant and Elgin James, the show follows a disparate group of people assigned to community service for various reasons which gradually reveal themselves.
Merchant himself plays the socially awkward lawyer Greg, Baby Reindeer star Jessica Gunning plays hardnosed supervisor Diane, Rhianne Barreto plays Oxford hopeful Rani,...
Stephen Merchant took the British comedy scene by storm in 2001 when he wrote and directed The Office with Ricky Gervais. Since then, they have collaborated on Extras, Life’s Too Short, An Idiot Abroad and feature film Cemetery Junction. He went on to forge a successful solo career, from stand up tour Hello Ladies and the American sitcom of the same name to his successful pivot into hour long crime comedy with The Outlaws, which returns for its third series next week.
Created by Merchant and Elgin James, the show follows a disparate group of people assigned to community service for various reasons which gradually reveal themselves.
Merchant himself plays the socially awkward lawyer Greg, Baby Reindeer star Jessica Gunning plays hardnosed supervisor Diane, Rhianne Barreto plays Oxford hopeful Rani,...
- 5/21/2024
- by Jake Godfrey
- Film Stories
Pageantry. Screw ups. Touching tributes. Private beefs made public. There are plenty of reasons to watch the Oscars. But they all amount to partaking in, witnessing, movie history in its many forms — the high art, the gossip, the record-breaking moments when an arthouse director becomes a household name.
However, there are a lot of ways to set a record. There are big moments like Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King tying the record with 11 trophies or Bong Joon-Ho’s Parasite becoming the first film not in English (or silent) to win Best Picture. And then, beyond those sit the oddities and records that are nearly impossible to break. Give me records like Walter Brennan winning three Best Supporting Actor awards because, as a former extra, he was popular with the Union of Film Extras, who were allowed to vote. At least, the story goes, they were allowed...
However, there are a lot of ways to set a record. There are big moments like Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King tying the record with 11 trophies or Bong Joon-Ho’s Parasite becoming the first film not in English (or silent) to win Best Picture. And then, beyond those sit the oddities and records that are nearly impossible to break. Give me records like Walter Brennan winning three Best Supporting Actor awards because, as a former extra, he was popular with the Union of Film Extras, who were allowed to vote. At least, the story goes, they were allowed...
- 3/10/2024
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
Kate Winslet revealed that fans often recognize her more in public from her role in The Holiday rather than Titanic.
The actress stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday, where she talked about some of her biggest projects throughout her career with the host.
“People come up to me in the streets more about The Holiday and the episode of Extras that I did than Titanic,” she shared on the show.
“Especially at Christmas, and what’s so lovely is that mothers and daughters come up to me in the grocery store and they say, ‘Ok, we just love The Holiday. It’s our little ritual at Christmas.’ And they have things that they eat every year. They sit down, it’s a tradition, and I just love that,” Winslet added. “That’s something I never would have expected, this sort of mother-daughter connection around a film like that.
The actress stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday, where she talked about some of her biggest projects throughout her career with the host.
“People come up to me in the streets more about The Holiday and the episode of Extras that I did than Titanic,” she shared on the show.
“Especially at Christmas, and what’s so lovely is that mothers and daughters come up to me in the grocery store and they say, ‘Ok, we just love The Holiday. It’s our little ritual at Christmas.’ And they have things that they eat every year. They sit down, it’s a tradition, and I just love that,” Winslet added. “That’s something I never would have expected, this sort of mother-daughter connection around a film like that.
- 2/29/2024
- by Carly Thomas
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Academy’s tendency to award trophies to Holocaust movies has long been whispered about — and even occasionally joked about by cheeky comedians.
In 2009, shortly after Kate Winslet won a Golden Globe for her performance as a former Auschwitz guard in “The Reader,” presenter Ricky Gervais pointed to her in the audience and deadpanned, “I told ya, do a Holocaust movie; the awards come.”
Winslet, who would go on to receive an Academy Award for her part in Stephen Daldry’s film, had several years earlier appeared on Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s HBO comedy “Extras” as an actor who stars in a film about the Holocaust in the hopes that it will earn her an Oscar.
The night of the Globes, Winslet laughed at Gervais’ ribbing, as did many in the crowd. It was a much a jab at the industry as much as it was at her.
“The spoof wasn’t entirely wrong,...
In 2009, shortly after Kate Winslet won a Golden Globe for her performance as a former Auschwitz guard in “The Reader,” presenter Ricky Gervais pointed to her in the audience and deadpanned, “I told ya, do a Holocaust movie; the awards come.”
Winslet, who would go on to receive an Academy Award for her part in Stephen Daldry’s film, had several years earlier appeared on Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s HBO comedy “Extras” as an actor who stars in a film about the Holocaust in the hopes that it will earn her an Oscar.
The night of the Globes, Winslet laughed at Gervais’ ribbing, as did many in the crowd. It was a much a jab at the industry as much as it was at her.
“The spoof wasn’t entirely wrong,...
- 2/16/2024
- by Whitney Friedlander
- Variety Film + TV
Heading into Sunday’s Golden Globe ceremony, Ricky Gervais was not confident he would win the first-ever award for Best TV Stand-Up Comedy Performance. “I’m nominated for another Golden Globe tonight,” he wrote early Sunday about his “Armageddon” Netflix special. “Won’t win, but it’s nice to still be up there in the mix, flying the flag.” Well, he did end up winning, but he wasn’t in attendance to accept his prize.
Hours after the ceremony wrapped up, Gervais posted a three-word acceptance speech on social media as only he could: “I f***ing won!” The comedian accompanied the remark with a photo of him holding a Golden Globe from when he hosted the ceremony years earlier — see below.
I fucking won! pic.twitter.com/qi7np1J6KQ
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) January 8, 2024
Gervais later followed that up with some more, shall we say, heartfelt words of wisdom.
Hours after the ceremony wrapped up, Gervais posted a three-word acceptance speech on social media as only he could: “I f***ing won!” The comedian accompanied the remark with a photo of him holding a Golden Globe from when he hosted the ceremony years earlier — see below.
I fucking won! pic.twitter.com/qi7np1J6KQ
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) January 8, 2024
Gervais later followed that up with some more, shall we say, heartfelt words of wisdom.
- 1/8/2024
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
One of The Onion’s classic headlines reads: “Marilyn Manson Now Going Door-To-Door Trying To Shock People.” The satirical article, published in 2001, was a devastating blow to a musician whose career consisted of dressing like a lunatic and screaming profane lyrics. Once you shine a light on it, the shtick becomes embarrassing quickly.
That headline came to mind when reading a tweet Ricky Gervais posted in the days before the release of his new Netflix special, “Armageddon”: “In this show, I talk about sex, death, pedophilia, race, religion, disability, free speech, global warming, the holocaust and Elton John. If you don’t approve of jokes about any of these things, then please don’t watch. You won’t enjoy it and you’ll get upset.”
Hoping to stir up online discourse and make his “woke” enemies — real or imagined — tremble in their boots, “Armageddon,” which dropped on Christmas Day,...
That headline came to mind when reading a tweet Ricky Gervais posted in the days before the release of his new Netflix special, “Armageddon”: “In this show, I talk about sex, death, pedophilia, race, religion, disability, free speech, global warming, the holocaust and Elton John. If you don’t approve of jokes about any of these things, then please don’t watch. You won’t enjoy it and you’ll get upset.”
Hoping to stir up online discourse and make his “woke” enemies — real or imagined — tremble in their boots, “Armageddon,” which dropped on Christmas Day,...
- 12/27/2023
- by William Earl
- Variety Film + TV
After Di Jimmy Perez deliberately sacrificed his career in the name of justice (if not the law) and went off to pastures new with nurse Meg at the end of series seven, Shetland now has a new sheriff in town. Sort of.
While DS Tosh performs the duties of acting Di at Lerwick Police Station, detective Ruth Calder has come up from London in search of a missing witness in a serious crime case. It just so happens that Calder is an old Shetlander who left the islands as a teenager and was glad to be rid of the place, where she’s confronted by some old ghosts.
Ugly Betty and Agatha Raisin’s Ashley Jensen plays Calder, along with a new guest cast of Scottish stars as well as Shetland’s returning favourites. The latter includes Alison O’Donnell as DS Alison ‘Tosh’ McIntosh, Steven Robertson as DC Sandy Wilson,...
While DS Tosh performs the duties of acting Di at Lerwick Police Station, detective Ruth Calder has come up from London in search of a missing witness in a serious crime case. It just so happens that Calder is an old Shetlander who left the islands as a teenager and was glad to be rid of the place, where she’s confronted by some old ghosts.
Ugly Betty and Agatha Raisin’s Ashley Jensen plays Calder, along with a new guest cast of Scottish stars as well as Shetland’s returning favourites. The latter includes Alison O’Donnell as DS Alison ‘Tosh’ McIntosh, Steven Robertson as DC Sandy Wilson,...
- 11/1/2023
- by Louisa Mellor
- Den of Geek
This article contains spoilers for "Our Flag Means Death" season 2.
It's tough out there for pirates these days, especially if you're Taika Waititi's Ed Teach, aka Blackbeard, who's been on a bit of a downward spiral ever since Stede (Rhys Darby) stood him up towards the end of season 1. None of us love rejection, but Blackbeard takes things harder than most; he exiles most of Stede's crew and steals his ship, then spends the first few episodes of season 2 on a reckless streak of violence that ends in his crew doing a mutiny. They nearly kill him in the process, and as we see Blackbeard metaphorically being tied to a giant rock and getting dragged to the bottom of the ocean, it seems like this might be the end for him.
Luckily, back in Blackbeard's real life, Stede walks in and starts begging his unconscious body not to die,...
It's tough out there for pirates these days, especially if you're Taika Waititi's Ed Teach, aka Blackbeard, who's been on a bit of a downward spiral ever since Stede (Rhys Darby) stood him up towards the end of season 1. None of us love rejection, but Blackbeard takes things harder than most; he exiles most of Stede's crew and steals his ship, then spends the first few episodes of season 2 on a reckless streak of violence that ends in his crew doing a mutiny. They nearly kill him in the process, and as we see Blackbeard metaphorically being tied to a giant rock and getting dragged to the bottom of the ocean, it seems like this might be the end for him.
Luckily, back in Blackbeard's real life, Stede walks in and starts begging his unconscious body not to die,...
- 10/7/2023
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
Live TV streaming service Sling TV has spent a significant amount of time and effort during the first half of the year launching and promoting its new free streaming platform, aptly called Sling Freestream. On Wednesday, the streaming provider announced that even more people would be able to check out the services free content as it would not be available on Android mobile devices.
Watch Now $0 / month sling.com
Freestream delivers over 400 channels of 24/7 content as well as more than 41,000 on-demand shows and movies completely free with no signup or registration required. Sling is constantly adding new channels to the service, including this week, as it added the Maximum Effort Channel from Ryan Reynolds featuring the star’s new “Bedtime Stories with Ryan” series. Along with the show designed to help viewers sleep, the channel features episodes of “Absolutely Fabulous,” “Alf,” “The Carol Burnett Show,” the British version of “Extras,...
Watch Now $0 / month sling.com
Freestream delivers over 400 channels of 24/7 content as well as more than 41,000 on-demand shows and movies completely free with no signup or registration required. Sling is constantly adding new channels to the service, including this week, as it added the Maximum Effort Channel from Ryan Reynolds featuring the star’s new “Bedtime Stories with Ryan” series. Along with the show designed to help viewers sleep, the channel features episodes of “Absolutely Fabulous,” “Alf,” “The Carol Burnett Show,” the British version of “Extras,...
- 6/21/2023
- by Matt Tamanini
- The Streamable
What really happens at a Tom Sandoval and the Most Extras show? Do Vanderpump Rules fans come to heckle Sandoval and is he playing an empty room?
Podcast host David Yontef recently went to a show in New York City and shared what he witnessed. He had purchased the tickets long before the scandal broke that Sandoval cheated on longtime girlfriend Ariana Madix with their close friend Raquel Leviss. And Yontef felt like “why not” still go since he bought the tickets.
He “dragged” a few close friends who almost wore disguises, they were so ashamed to be seen at the show. But what Yontef witnessed was far from earlier reports of Sandoval being heckled and an empty auditorium. In fact, he and his friends left as fans of the band.
David Yontef met Tom Sandoval prior to the ‘Most Extras’ show
Hoping to report on the show for his Behind the Velvet Rope podcast,...
Podcast host David Yontef recently went to a show in New York City and shared what he witnessed. He had purchased the tickets long before the scandal broke that Sandoval cheated on longtime girlfriend Ariana Madix with their close friend Raquel Leviss. And Yontef felt like “why not” still go since he bought the tickets.
He “dragged” a few close friends who almost wore disguises, they were so ashamed to be seen at the show. But what Yontef witnessed was far from earlier reports of Sandoval being heckled and an empty auditorium. In fact, he and his friends left as fans of the band.
David Yontef met Tom Sandoval prior to the ‘Most Extras’ show
Hoping to report on the show for his Behind the Velvet Rope podcast,...
- 6/5/2023
- by Gina Ragusa
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Stephen Merchant could be set for an Emmys return after amassing a whopping 19 Emmy nominations across an illustrious career as a writer, director, producer, and actor. This year, he’ll be in the mix for further nominations for his work on his hit Amazon Prime Video series “The Outlaws,” which he co-created with Elgin James.
The crime-comedy, which some over here in the UK have described as Britain’s answer to “Ozark,” follows the misadventures of several strangers who are thrown together to undertake a community payback sentence. Led by Merchant’s hapless, hopeless divorcee lawyer, Gregory Dillard, the group stumbles across a huge sum of money that belongs to someone very dangerous (Claes Bang‘s gangster).
The cast is full of stand-out performances, including from the legendary Christopher Walken, but Merchant leads the pack with his expert comedic skills. Merchant is a master of the awkward, self-deprecating humor he...
The crime-comedy, which some over here in the UK have described as Britain’s answer to “Ozark,” follows the misadventures of several strangers who are thrown together to undertake a community payback sentence. Led by Merchant’s hapless, hopeless divorcee lawyer, Gregory Dillard, the group stumbles across a huge sum of money that belongs to someone very dangerous (Claes Bang‘s gangster).
The cast is full of stand-out performances, including from the legendary Christopher Walken, but Merchant leads the pack with his expert comedic skills. Merchant is a master of the awkward, self-deprecating humor he...
- 5/30/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
London, May 20 (Ians) English comedian Ricky Gervais earned a staggering 1.41 million pounds ($1.75 million) or over Rs 10 crore from a single stand-up performance, making history as the world’s highest-grossing single gig by a British stand-up comedian.
After taking to the stage in Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl on May 6 as part of his Armageddon tour, the British comedian joked that he would “retire” after how much money he made at the packed-out show, reports mirror.co.uk.
Needless to say, Ricky could actually retire if he wanted to, as he has seen a hugely successful career in the world of comedy, acting, writing and directing that has raked him in a whopping net worth of $160 million.
Ricky’s primary source of money has come from ‘The Office’ which he wrote, created and starred in from 2001 to 2003. The beloved series saw massive success and was adapted into the hugely popular American version...
After taking to the stage in Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl on May 6 as part of his Armageddon tour, the British comedian joked that he would “retire” after how much money he made at the packed-out show, reports mirror.co.uk.
Needless to say, Ricky could actually retire if he wanted to, as he has seen a hugely successful career in the world of comedy, acting, writing and directing that has raked him in a whopping net worth of $160 million.
Ricky’s primary source of money has come from ‘The Office’ which he wrote, created and starred in from 2001 to 2003. The beloved series saw massive success and was adapted into the hugely popular American version...
- 5/20/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
If there is one big takeaway from Vanderpump Rules, other than that you should never allow your fella to go on a guys’ trip to Vegas or give Katie Maloney tequila, it’s this: LA men are the worst. They are by and large an unruly mob of deceitful, lecherous, ignorant, hard-partying narcissists who only care about the next shiny thing. They’re like the Jan. 6 insurrectionists if they were all hypebeast dorks armed with vape pens and the Capitol was an Ig influencer’s panties. And among these Angeleno d-bags,...
- 5/18/2023
- by Marlow Stern
- Rollingstone.com
Tonight’s episode of Vanderpump Rules, the fourteenth of its revivifying tenth season, was supposed to be the season finale. Season Ten was supposed to end with Ariana and Katie celebrating the menu of their feminist WeHo sandwich shop Something About Her, followed by Lisa Vanderpump blowing out the candles of her birthday cake at Sur before delivering a heartwarming, made-for-tv speech about how much she loves everyone. But that didn’t happen, because Tom Sandoval (and by extension Raquel) can never not suck all the oxygen out of the room.
- 5/11/2023
- by Marlow Stern
- Rollingstone.com
From Elvis Presley to Lady Gaga, many musicians have tried their hand at acting. David Bowie was no exception. Known for his iconic music career, Bowie was also a talented actor who left his mark on both the big and small screens. As it turns out, the “Ashes to Ashes” singer’s love forThe Office U.K. opened the door for him to take on a guest role on a different TV show.
David Bowie appeared on an episode of Ricky Gervais’ Hollywood satire ‘Extras’ David Bowie | Theo Wargo/WireImage
Extras was a comedy television series created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. The show follows the life of Andy Millman, played by Gervais, a struggling actor who works as an extra in various film and television productions. In 2006, Bowie appeared as himself on an episode of Extras, delivering one of his most memorable television appearances.
In the scene, Gervais’ character,...
David Bowie appeared on an episode of Ricky Gervais’ Hollywood satire ‘Extras’ David Bowie | Theo Wargo/WireImage
Extras was a comedy television series created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. The show follows the life of Andy Millman, played by Gervais, a struggling actor who works as an extra in various film and television productions. In 2006, Bowie appeared as himself on an episode of Extras, delivering one of his most memorable television appearances.
In the scene, Gervais’ character,...
- 4/30/2023
- by Deisy Ventura
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Sir Patrick Stewart will recount his life story, including plenty of Star Trek and X-Men anecdotes, in the memoir, Making It So, out Oct. 3. Stewart, who has a dulcet, Shakespearean speaking voice, also narrated the audiobook edition of the memoir himself.
“Revisiting my life from my earliest memories and into the present has been an illuminating journey for me,” Stewart, age 82, said in an Instagram post. “It’s a life lived far beyond my expectations, and I hope you enjoy reading the book this fall.”
Stewart told Entertainment Weekly that...
“Revisiting my life from my earliest memories and into the present has been an illuminating journey for me,” Stewart, age 82, said in an Instagram post. “It’s a life lived far beyond my expectations, and I hope you enjoy reading the book this fall.”
Stewart told Entertainment Weekly that...
- 4/27/2023
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
Fifty-four years. That’s how long it has been since an actor in a “Star Trek” franchise series has been nominated for an Emmy. Back in 1969, the late Leonard Nimoy received his third and final Emmy nomination for his iconic role as First Officer Spock in the original series, the only actor from the sci-fi classic to be nominated from the show, which ran for three seasons on NBC in the late 1960s. Since then, it’s been crickets from the TV academy when it comes to “Star Trek” actors.
Not even Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard? Nope. He did score a rare Screen Actors Guild Award nomination back in 1994 for the final season of “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” but Emmy voters subsequently overlooked him, despite nominating the show for Best Drama Series for its seventh and final season that same year.
See ‘Star Trek: Picard’ series ends...
Not even Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard? Nope. He did score a rare Screen Actors Guild Award nomination back in 1994 for the final season of “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” but Emmy voters subsequently overlooked him, despite nominating the show for Best Drama Series for its seventh and final season that same year.
See ‘Star Trek: Picard’ series ends...
- 4/9/2023
- by Rob Licuria
- Gold Derby
Among the Emmy categories that “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story” is looking to get nominated in, Best Movie/Limited Actor for its star Daniel Radcliffe is right at the top along with Best TV Movie. The Roku Channel’s hit telefilm may seem like an unconventional nominee, but there are several promising factors that are working in his favor.
The fact that the movie is a flat-out comedy could be viewed as something of an obstacle for it to overcome. But, performances from comedic-dramas have scored noms here, including Jeff Bridges for “A Dog Year” (2010) and Hugh Grant for “A Very English Scandal” (2019). We have also seen three comedy performances contend in this category: two for Ricky Gervais for “Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale” (2008) and “Derek: The Special” (2015) and one for Jesse Plemons for “Black Mirror: USS Callister” (2018).
See Daniel Radcliffe movies: 10 greatest films ranked worst to best...
The fact that the movie is a flat-out comedy could be viewed as something of an obstacle for it to overcome. But, performances from comedic-dramas have scored noms here, including Jeff Bridges for “A Dog Year” (2010) and Hugh Grant for “A Very English Scandal” (2019). We have also seen three comedy performances contend in this category: two for Ricky Gervais for “Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale” (2008) and “Derek: The Special” (2015) and one for Jesse Plemons for “Black Mirror: USS Callister” (2018).
See Daniel Radcliffe movies: 10 greatest films ranked worst to best...
- 4/6/2023
- by Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
You might think that Steve Carell must have won an Emmy by now, but remarkably he hasn’t. “The Office” notoriously never won a single acting award from the TV academy, despite winning Best Comedy Series in 2006. Will FX on Hulu’s “The Patient” finally get him the trophy he’s had to wait almost two decades for?
SEEEmmy Experts Typing: Will ‘Ted Lasso’ be unstoppable once again?
Carell earned six straight Emmy nominations for Best Comedy Actor (2006-2011). But he didn’t win any of those. He lost once to Tony Shalhoub (“Monk”), then once to Ricky Gervais (“Extras”), twice to Alec Baldwin (“30 Rock”), and twice to Jim Parsons (“The Big Bang Theory”). His last loss in 2011 was especially surprising because he was being considered for his farewell season on the show and entered as his episode submission the emotional “Goodbye Michael.”
After he departed “The Office,” it...
SEEEmmy Experts Typing: Will ‘Ted Lasso’ be unstoppable once again?
Carell earned six straight Emmy nominations for Best Comedy Actor (2006-2011). But he didn’t win any of those. He lost once to Tony Shalhoub (“Monk”), then once to Ricky Gervais (“Extras”), twice to Alec Baldwin (“30 Rock”), and twice to Jim Parsons (“The Big Bang Theory”). His last loss in 2011 was especially surprising because he was being considered for his farewell season on the show and entered as his episode submission the emotional “Goodbye Michael.”
After he departed “The Office,” it...
- 3/21/2023
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Daniel Radcliffe once teamed up with Golden Globe Ricky Gervais on a satire that was different than anything he’d done at the time.
Being hired for the television series in the first place, however, was a unique process on its own.
Daniel Radcliffe once guest-starred on the Ricky Gervais comedy series ‘Extras’ Daniel Radcliffe | Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images
The Office wasn’t the only comedy series Gervais had a hand in. The comedian is responsible for several successful comedic projects including his short-lived Extras. Extras was a series created, written and directed by Gervais and Stephen Merchant. As its name implies, the show was about the experiences of the extras often seen in the background throughout movies. It would feature many real-life celebrities in the series, including Kate Winslet, Samuel L. Jackson, and Daniel Radcliffe.
Gervais had very little difficulty procuring the celebrity faces that he wanted from the show.
Being hired for the television series in the first place, however, was a unique process on its own.
Daniel Radcliffe once guest-starred on the Ricky Gervais comedy series ‘Extras’ Daniel Radcliffe | Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images
The Office wasn’t the only comedy series Gervais had a hand in. The comedian is responsible for several successful comedic projects including his short-lived Extras. Extras was a series created, written and directed by Gervais and Stephen Merchant. As its name implies, the show was about the experiences of the extras often seen in the background throughout movies. It would feature many real-life celebrities in the series, including Kate Winslet, Samuel L. Jackson, and Daniel Radcliffe.
Gervais had very little difficulty procuring the celebrity faces that he wanted from the show.
- 2/13/2023
- by Antonio Stallings
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
When I saw that both the Golden Globes (coming to a TV set or streaming monitor near you next Tuesday) and the Critics Choice Awards had nominated “The Bear” and its lead actor Jeremy Allen White — and in the case of the Critics Choice, supporting actress Ayo Edebiri, too — in Comedy categories, I thought maybe there was something wrong with my laugh detector. So I sat my wife down to watch a couple of episodes of the FX on Hulu freshman series about the drama inside a Chicago sandwich shop so we could find the hilarity together. We emerged pleasantly exhausted from the experience of taking in the show’s excitement, intensity and superb performances — but we didn’t laugh once. In point of fact, we didn’t even crack a smile.
“What’s wrong with us?” I asked Jill.
“Nothing,” she replied. “This show is a lot of things,...
“What’s wrong with us?” I asked Jill.
“Nothing,” she replied. “This show is a lot of things,...
- 1/5/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
Robert De Niro is set to star in the first regular TV role of his career. According to Variety, Robert De Niro will star in Zero Day, a limited series in development for Netflix.
Not much is known about Zero Day at the moment, only that the series will be a political thriller which will find Robert De Niro playing a former U.S. President. Eric Newman and Noah Oppenheim (Jackie) are writing and executive producing the series, with a story by Newman, Oppenheim, and Michael Schmidt. Although this would be Robert De Niro’s first regular TV role, he has appeared as himself on Sesame Street, Saturday Night Live, Extras, and 30 Rock. He also played Bernie Madoff in HBO’s TV movie, Wizard of Lies.
Related Cool Action Films We’re Looking Forward To
Robert De Niro was recently seen starring alongside Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washington,...
Not much is known about Zero Day at the moment, only that the series will be a political thriller which will find Robert De Niro playing a former U.S. President. Eric Newman and Noah Oppenheim (Jackie) are writing and executive producing the series, with a story by Newman, Oppenheim, and Michael Schmidt. Although this would be Robert De Niro’s first regular TV role, he has appeared as himself on Sesame Street, Saturday Night Live, Extras, and 30 Rock. He also played Bernie Madoff in HBO’s TV movie, Wizard of Lies.
Related Cool Action Films We’re Looking Forward To
Robert De Niro was recently seen starring alongside Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washington,...
- 11/30/2022
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
Check out our series, Popped Culture, in partnership with the free streaming service Crackle!
“Crackle is bringing some of the best in British television straight to your TV for binging pleasure! Are you a big fan of British television or looking to dip your toes into the shows of the nation? Well, then you’re in luck because Crackle is giving your the opportunity to stream three legendary shows, such as Red Dwarf X, Extras, and the beloved Sherlock.”
Read more at Crackle
The Whale and Batgirl star Brendan Fraser opens up about the cancellation of the latter film.
“Many, myself included, are still bitter about the cancellation of the HBO Max Batgirl film. Among the many things we were robbed of getting to see was Brendan Fraser as the villain Firefly. During the press tour for his upcoming film The Whale, the Canadian-American actor talked about the sudden cancellation.
“Crackle is bringing some of the best in British television straight to your TV for binging pleasure! Are you a big fan of British television or looking to dip your toes into the shows of the nation? Well, then you’re in luck because Crackle is giving your the opportunity to stream three legendary shows, such as Red Dwarf X, Extras, and the beloved Sherlock.”
Read more at Crackle
The Whale and Batgirl star Brendan Fraser opens up about the cancellation of the latter film.
“Many, myself included, are still bitter about the cancellation of the HBO Max Batgirl film. Among the many things we were robbed of getting to see was Brendan Fraser as the villain Firefly. During the press tour for his upcoming film The Whale, the Canadian-American actor talked about the sudden cancellation.
- 9/23/2022
- by Lee Parham
- Den of Geek
Ariana Madix comments on Tom Sandoval’s recent social media post amid rumors the two have split. Pic credit: ©ImageCollect.com/Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency
Vanderpump Rules star Ariana Madix attempted to set the record straight after rumors recently claimed she has split from longtime boyfriend and Pump Rules co-star Tom Sandoval.
The couple went official with their relationship during the reunion for Season 2 after a dramatic and tumultuous split from his former girlfriend Kristen Doute. Since going public with their romance, Tom and Ariana have remained one of the franchise’s most stable couples.
However, in recent weeks, rumors have started to surface that there may be trouble brewing in paradise for the longtime lovers.
Tom has invested plenty of his spare time to his newest cover band, Tom Sandoval and the Most Extras. And although he may be far from his Rockstar dreams, Tom and his band...
Vanderpump Rules star Ariana Madix attempted to set the record straight after rumors recently claimed she has split from longtime boyfriend and Pump Rules co-star Tom Sandoval.
The couple went official with their relationship during the reunion for Season 2 after a dramatic and tumultuous split from his former girlfriend Kristen Doute. Since going public with their romance, Tom and Ariana have remained one of the franchise’s most stable couples.
However, in recent weeks, rumors have started to surface that there may be trouble brewing in paradise for the longtime lovers.
Tom has invested plenty of his spare time to his newest cover band, Tom Sandoval and the Most Extras. And although he may be far from his Rockstar dreams, Tom and his band...
- 9/11/2022
- by Anita DeCecco
- Monsters and Critics
If you can believe it, this summer marks the 10th anniversary of BAFTA-winning British comedy series Toast of London’s genius pilot episode, co-created by and starring the ever memorable Matt Berry. He plays the obliviously unsuccessful actor and wannabe lothario Steven Toast; a man with zero brains and even less grace.
With four seasons down, including this year’s Toast of Tinseltown set across the pond, Toast of London is responsible for some legendary moments in comedy. The mere mention of the show among fans will elicit responses such as “Yes I can hear you, Clem Fandango!”, “Fire the nucular weapons!” and “Well, he can f**k that sky high”.
Toast is joined on the show by a clueless agent, a genteel landlord who’s also a retired actor, an arrogant acting rival and a casual lover who happens to be that rival’s wife. That’s not to...
With four seasons down, including this year’s Toast of Tinseltown set across the pond, Toast of London is responsible for some legendary moments in comedy. The mere mention of the show among fans will elicit responses such as “Yes I can hear you, Clem Fandango!”, “Fire the nucular weapons!” and “Well, he can f**k that sky high”.
Toast is joined on the show by a clueless agent, a genteel landlord who’s also a retired actor, an arrogant acting rival and a casual lover who happens to be that rival’s wife. That’s not to...
- 8/20/2022
- by Rosie Fletcher
- Den of Geek
Netflix has set May 24 for the premiere of Supernature, Emmy winner Ricky Gervais’ second stand-up special for the streamer.
In Supernature, Gervais gives his take on the rules of comedy, spoiling his cat and debunks the supernatural, concluding that actual nature is super enough.
Gervais had performed half of his Supernature tour before being shut down by the pandemic in 2020, resuming 18 months later. In an interview earlier this year with Deadline, speaking about the tour, Gervais said, “I’m actually putting more in to the show to keep it fresh and this spate of gigs are the best gigs I’ve ever done. I don’t know whether that’s because I’ve been doing the same stand-up for longer than I ever have before and I keep rewriting it and keep folding the samurai sword. If you do the same gig 50 times, it’s better than if you did...
In Supernature, Gervais gives his take on the rules of comedy, spoiling his cat and debunks the supernatural, concluding that actual nature is super enough.
Gervais had performed half of his Supernature tour before being shut down by the pandemic in 2020, resuming 18 months later. In an interview earlier this year with Deadline, speaking about the tour, Gervais said, “I’m actually putting more in to the show to keep it fresh and this spate of gigs are the best gigs I’ve ever done. I don’t know whether that’s because I’ve been doing the same stand-up for longer than I ever have before and I keep rewriting it and keep folding the samurai sword. If you do the same gig 50 times, it’s better than if you did...
- 5/2/2022
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
He co-created two iconic British comedies, The Office and Extras; starred in Hollywood movies including Logan and The Girl in the Spider’s Web; and directed Florence Pugh and The Rock in Fighting with my Family. For his next trick, Stephen Merchant along with Elgin James has created The Outlaws, an ensemble comedy about a group of low-level offenders brought together via community service.
Merchant himself stars in the show alongside Rhianne Barreto, Darren Boyd, Gamba Cole, Clare Perkins, Eleanor Tomlinson and Christopher Walken as the misfit convicts.
We sat down with him to chat about British humor, comic book movies, and Christopher Walken’s cooking.
Where did the idea for The Outlaws come from?
My parents used to work for Bristol Community Service, and they would supervise offenders who were doing some time. I was always intrigued because it was such an unlikely bunch. There was an old guy who...
Merchant himself stars in the show alongside Rhianne Barreto, Darren Boyd, Gamba Cole, Clare Perkins, Eleanor Tomlinson and Christopher Walken as the misfit convicts.
We sat down with him to chat about British humor, comic book movies, and Christopher Walken’s cooking.
Where did the idea for The Outlaws come from?
My parents used to work for Bristol Community Service, and they would supervise offenders who were doing some time. I was always intrigued because it was such an unlikely bunch. There was an old guy who...
- 4/1/2022
- by Rosie Fletcher
- Den of Geek
Monday’s Up Next: Germany session at this year’s European Film Market (EFM) in Berlin put the spotlight on a slew of upcoming series, spanning Hamburg’s Red Light district, Germany’s first female undercover cop and the Munich Olympic massacre.
Invited to the Berlinale studio, with some participants taking part online, several of Germany’s top creatives made the play date to talk with Julia Fidel, head of the Berlinale Series. Hanno Hackfort (“4 Blocks”), Jella Haase (“Lollipop Minster”), Lisa Kreimeyer (Netflix), Viviane Andereggen (“Tatort”), Christian Beetz (“Make Love”), Georg Tschurtschenthaler (“Viral Dreams”), and actor Detlev Buck were amongst those that took part.
The idea of the panel was to present new material straight from the editing room with many of the series still six months away from being seen. The session provided a first look at a number of projects nearing completion, including the comedy “Greenlight – German Genius,...
Invited to the Berlinale studio, with some participants taking part online, several of Germany’s top creatives made the play date to talk with Julia Fidel, head of the Berlinale Series. Hanno Hackfort (“4 Blocks”), Jella Haase (“Lollipop Minster”), Lisa Kreimeyer (Netflix), Viviane Andereggen (“Tatort”), Christian Beetz (“Make Love”), Georg Tschurtschenthaler (“Viral Dreams”), and actor Detlev Buck were amongst those that took part.
The idea of the panel was to present new material straight from the editing room with many of the series still six months away from being seen. The session provided a first look at a number of projects nearing completion, including the comedy “Greenlight – German Genius,...
- 2/16/2022
- by Liza Foreman
- Variety Film + TV
Ricky Gervais has boarded “Greenlight – German Genius” a new series from WarnerMedia Germany inspired by one of his tweets from 2019.
The 8-episode series, which has started shooting in Berlin, satirises the German television industry.
Two years ago the “After Life” writer and actor sent a public message via Twitter to German actor Kida Ramadan praising his portrayal of character Toni Hamady in series “4 Blocks.”
“Congratulations,” wrote Gervais. “Another masterpiece.”
In a case of art imitating life, Ramadan and Gervais will now appear as fictional versions of themselves in “Greenlight – German Genius,” in which Ramadan convincing Gervais to let him make a German adaptation of his hit series “Extras” after the comedian sends Ramadan a tweet praising his performance in “4 Blocks.”
However, Ramadan hits a stumbling block when he realizes there aren’t any international celebrities in Germany to cameo in the adaptation all while trying to navigate the...
The 8-episode series, which has started shooting in Berlin, satirises the German television industry.
Two years ago the “After Life” writer and actor sent a public message via Twitter to German actor Kida Ramadan praising his portrayal of character Toni Hamady in series “4 Blocks.”
“Congratulations,” wrote Gervais. “Another masterpiece.”
In a case of art imitating life, Ramadan and Gervais will now appear as fictional versions of themselves in “Greenlight – German Genius,” in which Ramadan convincing Gervais to let him make a German adaptation of his hit series “Extras” after the comedian sends Ramadan a tweet praising his performance in “4 Blocks.”
However, Ramadan hits a stumbling block when he realizes there aren’t any international celebrities in Germany to cameo in the adaptation all while trying to navigate the...
- 11/25/2021
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Lionel Blair, the UK TV star whose career spanned eight decades, has died aged 92, his agent has said.
Blair died peacefully early yesterday morning. No cause of death has been revealed.
Tributes have poured in from the likes of UK stars Stephen Graham and Eddie Marsan for the entertainer, who made his name as team captain on ITV gameshow Give Us A Clue and in later years appeared in Ricky Gervais’ Extras.
“Rip you absolute showbiz god,” said Christmas Carol star Graham on Twitter.
Born in Canada in 1928, Henry Lionel Ogus moved to the UK as a young boy and started acting when he was just 14, immediately becoming a standout dancer.
He took part in a comedic dance-off against Sammy Davis Jr at the Royal Variety Performance in 1961 and played the role of a choreographer in Beatles film A Hard Day’s Night.
Blair became a household UK name in the...
Blair died peacefully early yesterday morning. No cause of death has been revealed.
Tributes have poured in from the likes of UK stars Stephen Graham and Eddie Marsan for the entertainer, who made his name as team captain on ITV gameshow Give Us A Clue and in later years appeared in Ricky Gervais’ Extras.
“Rip you absolute showbiz god,” said Christmas Carol star Graham on Twitter.
Born in Canada in 1928, Henry Lionel Ogus moved to the UK as a young boy and started acting when he was just 14, immediately becoming a standout dancer.
He took part in a comedic dance-off against Sammy Davis Jr at the Royal Variety Performance in 1961 and played the role of a choreographer in Beatles film A Hard Day’s Night.
Blair became a household UK name in the...
- 11/5/2021
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Amazon Prime’s hit series “Invincible” could well become the first freshman series in a decade to crack the Best Animated Program line-up at the Emmys. Sure, the category has been dominated by long-running shows including “The Simpsons,” “South Park,” “Bob’s Burgers,” “Futurama,” “Family Guy” and even “Spongebob SquarePants.” And edgier programs such as “Archer,” “Rick and Morty,” “Bojack Horseman” and “Big Mouth” have broken through but none did this in their first season.
The highly acclaimed “Invincible” could buck this trend. The first season scored a whopping 98% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 8.8/10 average rating on IMDb. It boasts an A-list voice cast that includes Oscar winner J.K. Simmons, Golden Globe champ Sandra Oh, Oscar nominee Steven Yeun and “Star Wars” legend Mark Hamill. The co-creator is Robert Kirkman of “The Walking Dead” fame.
“Invincible” tells the compelling story of seventeen-year-old Mark Grayson, a high school student who...
The highly acclaimed “Invincible” could buck this trend. The first season scored a whopping 98% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 8.8/10 average rating on IMDb. It boasts an A-list voice cast that includes Oscar winner J.K. Simmons, Golden Globe champ Sandra Oh, Oscar nominee Steven Yeun and “Star Wars” legend Mark Hamill. The co-creator is Robert Kirkman of “The Walking Dead” fame.
“Invincible” tells the compelling story of seventeen-year-old Mark Grayson, a high school student who...
- 7/12/2021
- by Nick Bisa
- Gold Derby
Ricky Gervais has responded to misconduct allegations against “After Life” producer Charlie Hanson, a long-time collaborator on numerous projects by the British comedian.
“I am shocked and appalled to learn of the historical allegations made by a number of women against Charlie Hanson. The decision was made to immediately remove him from production and I am confident the matter is being handled thoroughly,” said Gervais in a statement on Saturday.
Hanson produced two seasons of Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s BBC and HBO comedy “Extras” as well as the pair’s film “Cemetery Junction.” He was also behind Gervais and Merchant’s series “Life’s Too Short” and “Derek,” which starred Gervais.
Hanson was revealed as the male producer removed from a Netflix production after the streaming giant received an anonymous email detailing historical allegations about the executive. News of the producer’s removal was first reported by industry outlet Broadcast,...
“I am shocked and appalled to learn of the historical allegations made by a number of women against Charlie Hanson. The decision was made to immediately remove him from production and I am confident the matter is being handled thoroughly,” said Gervais in a statement on Saturday.
Hanson produced two seasons of Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s BBC and HBO comedy “Extras” as well as the pair’s film “Cemetery Junction.” He was also behind Gervais and Merchant’s series “Life’s Too Short” and “Derek,” which starred Gervais.
Hanson was revealed as the male producer removed from a Netflix production after the streaming giant received an anonymous email detailing historical allegations about the executive. News of the producer’s removal was first reported by industry outlet Broadcast,...
- 5/29/2021
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
Bafta suspends Hanson, who denies all allegations.
UK producer Charlie Hanson has been removed from production of season three of After Life by Netflix, in the wake of allegations against him by 11 women including of serious sexual assault.
The allegations were detailed in a report by UK newspaper The Times today (May 29); Hanson has denied all wrongdoing, according to the paper.
They follow a report by Screen’s sister publication Broadcast yesterday (May 28) that Netflix had removed the producer following anonymous emails the company received on Monday (May 24) containing allegations of historical sexual harassment; the story didn’t identify Hanson by name.
UK producer Charlie Hanson has been removed from production of season three of After Life by Netflix, in the wake of allegations against him by 11 women including of serious sexual assault.
The allegations were detailed in a report by UK newspaper The Times today (May 29); Hanson has denied all wrongdoing, according to the paper.
They follow a report by Screen’s sister publication Broadcast yesterday (May 28) that Netflix had removed the producer following anonymous emails the company received on Monday (May 24) containing allegations of historical sexual harassment; the story didn’t identify Hanson by name.
- 5/29/2021
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
British television producer and director Charlie Hanson has been removed from Netflix’s Ricky Gervais comedy After Life and he has been suspended by BAFTA amid allegations of sexual misconduct.
Both Netflix and BAFTA were sent an anonymous email this week containing allegations about Hanson. The Times of London reported on Saturday that he is the subject of complaints from 11 women, who have detailed accusations dating from 2008 to 2015. Hanson strenuously denies wrongdoing.
Netflix confirmed Hanson is no longer a producer on After Life. A spokeswoman said: “On Monday, we received an anonymous email containing historical allegations about a producer on one of our titles. Whilst the allegations are unrelated to his time on the show, we immediately removed him from the production and referred the matter to the police.”
In a statement, Gervais added: “I am shocked and appalled to learn of the historical allegations made by a number of women against Charlie Hanson.
Both Netflix and BAFTA were sent an anonymous email this week containing allegations about Hanson. The Times of London reported on Saturday that he is the subject of complaints from 11 women, who have detailed accusations dating from 2008 to 2015. Hanson strenuously denies wrongdoing.
Netflix confirmed Hanson is no longer a producer on After Life. A spokeswoman said: “On Monday, we received an anonymous email containing historical allegations about a producer on one of our titles. Whilst the allegations are unrelated to his time on the show, we immediately removed him from the production and referred the matter to the police.”
In a statement, Gervais added: “I am shocked and appalled to learn of the historical allegations made by a number of women against Charlie Hanson.
- 5/29/2021
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
The last time the Primetime Emmy ceremony aired on CBS in 2017, Stephen Colbert was picked as its master of ceremonies. That choice followed a long tradition of networks going with the star of its flagship talk show, in their case “The Late Show.” With CBS broadcasting the 2021 Emmys in September, we polled potential viewers to find out whether they’d want Colbert to host again or if producers should go with another option. Well, the results are in and it’s a landslide … for Ricky Gervais.
See Reminder: ‘Schitt’s Creek’ is donezo at the Emmys after last year’s historic wins
Gervais hosted the [now-canceled] Golden Globes five times over the past decade: 2010, ’11, ’12, ’16 and ’20. His monologues went viral for his various cutthroat attacks against Hollywood, including going after people who were there in the ballroom. But might his jokes be too offensive for the Emmy Awards, which are seen less as...
See Reminder: ‘Schitt’s Creek’ is donezo at the Emmys after last year’s historic wins
Gervais hosted the [now-canceled] Golden Globes five times over the past decade: 2010, ’11, ’12, ’16 and ’20. His monologues went viral for his various cutthroat attacks against Hollywood, including going after people who were there in the ballroom. But might his jokes be too offensive for the Emmy Awards, which are seen less as...
- 5/15/2021
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
Last week Gold Derby offered up our list of dream Oscar hosts for the upcoming 2021 ceremony, and one person roared back at us on Twitter for including him. “That’s not a dream, it’s a nightmare,” said that rascal Ricky Gervais when he discovered he was one of our contenders. Others on Tariq Khan‘s list include Billy Crystal, Laverne Cox, Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig.
SEE2021 Oscar nominations shortlists: 9 Academy Awards with special rules – Original Song, Score, Documentary Feature, International Feature …
That’s not a dream, it’s a nightmare
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) February 8, 2021
The British funnyman is no stranger to emceeing awards shows, as he’s hosted the Golden Globes five times now. At last year’s ceremony, Gervais’ monologue had the audience of the Beverly Hilton rolling on the floor with his jokes about “pedophile movies” like “Surviving R. Kelley” and … “The Two Popes,” Joe Pesci looking like Baby Yoda,...
SEE2021 Oscar nominations shortlists: 9 Academy Awards with special rules – Original Song, Score, Documentary Feature, International Feature …
That’s not a dream, it’s a nightmare
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) February 8, 2021
The British funnyman is no stranger to emceeing awards shows, as he’s hosted the Golden Globes five times now. At last year’s ceremony, Gervais’ monologue had the audience of the Beverly Hilton rolling on the floor with his jokes about “pedophile movies” like “Surviving R. Kelley” and … “The Two Popes,” Joe Pesci looking like Baby Yoda,...
- 2/12/2021
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
I just switched my Golden Globe winner prediction for Best Drama Series to “The Boys.” This Amazon Prime superhero series is currently sixth place in Gold Derby’s overall odds, behind “The Crown,” “Lovecraft Country,” “Ozark,” “The Mandalorian” and “Perry Mason,” but I think you’re all vastly underestimating its chances. I know, I know — “The Boys” was skunked last year for its first season, which now makes it harder to rebound with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, a quirky organization of less than 100 journalists that infamously tends to award only the newest shows and stars. So why do I predict it will prevail now?
Simply put, “The Boys” skyrocketed into the cultural zeitgeist this year after being only a small cult hit for its first season. This was the year the rest of the world truly discovered the gritty series about a ragtag group of vigilantes who are trying...
Simply put, “The Boys” skyrocketed into the cultural zeitgeist this year after being only a small cult hit for its first season. This was the year the rest of the world truly discovered the gritty series about a ragtag group of vigilantes who are trying...
- 1/14/2021
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
The overwhelming consensus of Gold Derby users is that “Schitt’s Creek” will follow its unprecedented Emmy sweep with a victory as Best TV Comedy Series at the Golden Globes. But might its buzz have peaked with its momentous awards haul in September? The fickle Globes often like to jump on a bandwagon, but other times they swerve in their own direction, as they’ve done with the British “Office” (2004), “Extras” (2008) and “Mozart in the Jungle” (2016), to name a few. Our top users say we should beware of an upset this year too.
Our Top 24 Users got the highest scores predicting last year’s Globe nominations, while our All-Star Top 24 got the highest scores when you combine the results of the last couple of years’ predictions. The majority of both groups favor “Schitt’s Creek” to prevail, but there are notable dissenters.
See‘Schitt’s Creek’ must solve an age-old problem to...
Our Top 24 Users got the highest scores predicting last year’s Globe nominations, while our All-Star Top 24 got the highest scores when you combine the results of the last couple of years’ predictions. The majority of both groups favor “Schitt’s Creek” to prevail, but there are notable dissenters.
See‘Schitt’s Creek’ must solve an age-old problem to...
- 1/10/2021
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Diana Rigg, star of The Avengers, Extras, Doctor Who and Victoria, died yesterday at the age of 82. The actress had a long and glittering career on stage and in TV and film, but most contemporary fans will remember her as Lady Olenna Tyrell in Game of Thrones, for which she received multiple Emmy nominations. Even amongst the show’s motley collection of schemers and backstabbers, she was one of the best.
Her most memorable achievement was the Purple Wedding, which came during the celebrations after the hated Joffrey Baratheon married Margaery Tyrell. While the room was distracted by some pigeons flying out of a pie, she slipped poison into Joffrey’s wine, killing him in an excruciatingly painful manner. Her role in this remained a secret right up until the moment of her death when she revealed to a dumbfounded Jaime Lannister that she was the culprit. She died like a boss,...
Her most memorable achievement was the Purple Wedding, which came during the celebrations after the hated Joffrey Baratheon married Margaery Tyrell. While the room was distracted by some pigeons flying out of a pie, she slipped poison into Joffrey’s wine, killing him in an excruciatingly painful manner. Her role in this remained a secret right up until the moment of her death when she revealed to a dumbfounded Jaime Lannister that she was the culprit. She died like a boss,...
- 9/11/2020
- by David James
- We Got This Covered
Diana Rigg, who was best known for her roles as Lady Olenna Tyrell on “Game of Thrones” and Emma Peel in the 1960s TV series “The Avengers,” died Thursday at her home in the U.K. following a battle with cancer. She was 82.
“It is with tremendous sadness that we announce that Dame Diana Rigg died peacefully early this morning,” Rigg’s agent Simon Beresford said in a statement to TheWrap Thursday. “She was at home with her family who have asked for privacy at this difficult time. Dame Diana was an icon of theatre, film, and television. She was the recipient of BAFTA, Emmy, Tony and Evening Standard Awards for her work on stage and screen. Dame Diana was a much loved and admired member of her profession, a force of nature who loved her work and her fellow actors. She will be greatly missed.”
“My Beloved Ma died...
“It is with tremendous sadness that we announce that Dame Diana Rigg died peacefully early this morning,” Rigg’s agent Simon Beresford said in a statement to TheWrap Thursday. “She was at home with her family who have asked for privacy at this difficult time. Dame Diana was an icon of theatre, film, and television. She was the recipient of BAFTA, Emmy, Tony and Evening Standard Awards for her work on stage and screen. Dame Diana was a much loved and admired member of her profession, a force of nature who loved her work and her fellow actors. She will be greatly missed.”
“My Beloved Ma died...
- 9/10/2020
- by Jennifer Maas
- The Wrap
Diana Rigg, the Tony and Emmy winner who splashed into the world of television with her commanding turn as intelligence agent Emma Peel on “The Avengers” in the 1960s and played Lady Olenna Tyrell on “Game of Thrones” decades later, died Thursday at her home in England. She was 82.
Rigg was a venerable figure in Britain’s entertainment industry who worked incessantly on stage, TV and film. She famously thumbed her nose at convention in her private life and in later years seemed to enjoy her status as a grande dame.
“She was a beautiful kind and generous human being that enhanced the lives of all that knew her as well as a great actress. She leaves a great void in my heart,” said Lionel Larner, Rigg’s longtime friend and talent agent.
Having a key role in the biggest TV series of the past decade was a fitting career capper for Rigg.
Rigg was a venerable figure in Britain’s entertainment industry who worked incessantly on stage, TV and film. She famously thumbed her nose at convention in her private life and in later years seemed to enjoy her status as a grande dame.
“She was a beautiful kind and generous human being that enhanced the lives of all that knew her as well as a great actress. She leaves a great void in my heart,” said Lionel Larner, Rigg’s longtime friend and talent agent.
Having a key role in the biggest TV series of the past decade was a fitting career capper for Rigg.
- 9/10/2020
- by Carmel Dagan
- Variety Film + TV
Ricky Gervais writes, directs and stars in the Netflix comedy “After Life,” which returned for a second season earlier this year. He is a two-time Emmy winner, taking home hardware for “The Office” and “Extras.”
Gervais recently spoke with Gold Derby senior editor Rob Licuria on blending comedy and tragedy on “After Life,” how the show resonates with audiences and the reaction to his latest Golden Globes stint. Watch the exclusive interview above and read the complete transcript below.
See‘After Life’ cast: 2020 Emmy submissions include Ricky Gervais, Ashley Jensen, Kerry Godliman …
Gold Derby: Ricky, this is a raw, unvarnished and brutally honest portrayal of grief. It’s also incredibly funny as he scowls and berates people with the abandon of a guy that has nothing left to lose. But how challenging is it to balance the sadness and the laughter?
Ricky Gervais: Yeah, that was the one big worry...
Gervais recently spoke with Gold Derby senior editor Rob Licuria on blending comedy and tragedy on “After Life,” how the show resonates with audiences and the reaction to his latest Golden Globes stint. Watch the exclusive interview above and read the complete transcript below.
See‘After Life’ cast: 2020 Emmy submissions include Ricky Gervais, Ashley Jensen, Kerry Godliman …
Gold Derby: Ricky, this is a raw, unvarnished and brutally honest portrayal of grief. It’s also incredibly funny as he scowls and berates people with the abandon of a guy that has nothing left to lose. But how challenging is it to balance the sadness and the laughter?
Ricky Gervais: Yeah, that was the one big worry...
- 7/14/2020
- by Kevin Jacobsen
- Gold Derby
The 2020 Emmy ballots have been released by the Television Academy, so we now know which shows, actors, etc. are in contention for this year’s golden statues. Netflix’s comedy series “After Life” accounts for 10 entries on the performer ballot, including creator/writer/director/producer Ricky Gervais, supporting player Ashley Jensen and lead actress Kerry Godliman. Gervais, a two-time Emmy winner for producing “The Office” and starring on “Extras,” plays Tony, a journalist who essentially becomes a grief addict after his wife dies of breast cancer.
“It’s the most overtly grown-up and vulnerable I’ve been as a performer,” Gervais told Gold Derby after the critically acclaimed second season began streaming on Netflix. He added about his character, “He’s sort of addicted to grief, because hope has let him down too much. There’s a staple in comedy, particularly sitcoms, and that is an ordinary person trying to...
“It’s the most overtly grown-up and vulnerable I’ve been as a performer,” Gervais told Gold Derby after the critically acclaimed second season began streaming on Netflix. He added about his character, “He’s sort of addicted to grief, because hope has let him down too much. There’s a staple in comedy, particularly sitcoms, and that is an ordinary person trying to...
- 7/7/2020
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
“It’s the most overtly grown-up and vulnerable I’ve been as a performer,” admits Ricky Gervais. His latest series “After Life,” recently premiered its second season on Netflix to rave reviews for its unvarnished exploration of grief, hilarious one-liners and characters ranging from relatable to ridiculous. Watch our exclusive video interview with Gervais above.
See Emmy spotlight: Ricky Gervais (‘After Life’) gives performance of a lifetime as grieving widower speaking his mind
In “After Life,” Gervais writes, directs and stars as Tony, a hapless journalist at the local free newspaper grieving over the death of his wife from breast cancer. After contemplating suicide, he decides to soldier on, taking his anger out on the world by saying and doing whatever he wants, without a care in the world. It is a raw and honest portrayal of paralyzing grief that is also incredibly funny as Tony scowls at his colleagues...
See Emmy spotlight: Ricky Gervais (‘After Life’) gives performance of a lifetime as grieving widower speaking his mind
In “After Life,” Gervais writes, directs and stars as Tony, a hapless journalist at the local free newspaper grieving over the death of his wife from breast cancer. After contemplating suicide, he decides to soldier on, taking his anger out on the world by saying and doing whatever he wants, without a care in the world. It is a raw and honest portrayal of paralyzing grief that is also incredibly funny as Tony scowls at his colleagues...
- 6/12/2020
- by Rob Licuria
- Gold Derby
After Life will be back for Season 3 at Netflix. Star Ricky Gervais has signed a new deal with the streaming service that will see a third run of episodes materialize on the platform in the future. The comedian will also produce a string of other projects as part of that deal, including new stand-up comedy specials.
“I was planning to retire soon and just wander around the house drunk until I die, but I’ve grown a bit tired of doing that during the lockdown, and also Netflix made me an offer I couldn’t refuse,” Gervais said in a statement to THR.
Gervais had previously indicated that he wasn’t done with After Life even as Season 2 debuted on Netflix on April 24. The series follows the life of journalist Tony, who is grieving the loss of his wife after she dies from breast cancer. The character decides to start...
“I was planning to retire soon and just wander around the house drunk until I die, but I’ve grown a bit tired of doing that during the lockdown, and also Netflix made me an offer I couldn’t refuse,” Gervais said in a statement to THR.
Gervais had previously indicated that he wasn’t done with After Life even as Season 2 debuted on Netflix on April 24. The series follows the life of journalist Tony, who is grieving the loss of his wife after she dies from breast cancer. The character decides to start...
- 5/7/2020
- by Kirsten Howard
- Den of Geek
The co-creator of The Office and Extras on how Ford’s 90s thrillers are helping him through lockdown and why he rarely watches comedy
Read the rest of our Lockdown watch seriesThe best arts and entertainment during self-isolation
I’m locked down in London with my girlfriend and we do a movie a night. I tend to curate – not because I’m dictatorial, but because she’s not that interested in doing deep-dives to see what’s just popped up on Amazon Prime.
My go-to are thrillers. We recently had an impromptu season of 90s Harrison Ford movies including The Fugitive, Patriot Games and Presumed Innocent. I miss those classy, well-made, intelligent thrillers with good leading actors. I could watch one of those every night. Feels like something Netflix should be making.
Read the rest of our Lockdown watch seriesThe best arts and entertainment during self-isolation
I’m locked down in London with my girlfriend and we do a movie a night. I tend to curate – not because I’m dictatorial, but because she’s not that interested in doing deep-dives to see what’s just popped up on Amazon Prime.
My go-to are thrillers. We recently had an impromptu season of 90s Harrison Ford movies including The Fugitive, Patriot Games and Presumed Innocent. I miss those classy, well-made, intelligent thrillers with good leading actors. I could watch one of those every night. Feels like something Netflix should be making.
- 5/6/2020
- by Stephen Merchant
- The Guardian - Film News
While the rest of the entertainment industry languishes, Netflix thrives – as usual. Even so, the coronavirus pandemic, and its economic ramifications, are also felt over at the streaming giant’s HQ. While the platform has a large library of older films to choose from, new productions have been ground to an indefinite standstill.
Still, we are getting a few new originals from Netflix this month and the ones that are on the way will surely keep you entertained. Take, for instance, the second season of After Life, the morbidly funny miniseries written and starring British showman Ricky Gervais. The first season, which aired on the platform last year, tells the story of a middle aged man debating whether or not he should kill himself after his wife dies of cancer.
It’s not the stuff of comedy, which is probably the reason why it works so well. Gervais, who made...
Still, we are getting a few new originals from Netflix this month and the ones that are on the way will surely keep you entertained. Take, for instance, the second season of After Life, the morbidly funny miniseries written and starring British showman Ricky Gervais. The first season, which aired on the platform last year, tells the story of a middle aged man debating whether or not he should kill himself after his wife dies of cancer.
It’s not the stuff of comedy, which is probably the reason why it works so well. Gervais, who made...
- 4/19/2020
- by Tim Brinkhof
- We Got This Covered
You’re not sick of Ricky Gervais hosting awards shows, not by a long shot.
The British entertainer topped our recent poll asking who should host ABC’s 2020 Emmys telecast on September 20, 2020. Gervais, who has hosted the Golden Globes five times now, topped our poll results with a whopping 74% of the vote. The next people in line weren’t even close — Jimmy Kimmel nabbed 7%, John Mulaney received 6%, and everybody else earned less that 5%.
SEE2020 Emmy Best Drama Series Predictions
Of course, Emmy producers could also decide not to have a host at all — that’s what they did last year for the first time since 2003. The Television Academy was following the lead of the Oscars, which went host-less in 2019 and 2020 to mixed results. There’s no word yet on whether ABC will hire a ringleader for the upcoming ceremony, but 73% of our readers said they “missed” having a host last year.
The British entertainer topped our recent poll asking who should host ABC’s 2020 Emmys telecast on September 20, 2020. Gervais, who has hosted the Golden Globes five times now, topped our poll results with a whopping 74% of the vote. The next people in line weren’t even close — Jimmy Kimmel nabbed 7%, John Mulaney received 6%, and everybody else earned less that 5%.
SEE2020 Emmy Best Drama Series Predictions
Of course, Emmy producers could also decide not to have a host at all — that’s what they did last year for the first time since 2003. The Television Academy was following the lead of the Oscars, which went host-less in 2019 and 2020 to mixed results. There’s no word yet on whether ABC will hire a ringleader for the upcoming ceremony, but 73% of our readers said they “missed” having a host last year.
- 3/19/2020
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
We opened our official Emmy predictions center on February 26, and one of the first things that came to my mind was how much I hope Patrick Stewart earns a Best Drama Actor nomination for “Star Trek: Picard.” It would be the first recognition for the CBS All Access streaming service in a primetime telecast category (“The Good Fight” and “The Twilight Zone” have been nominated in Creative Arts races), but more importantly it would be the first Emmy recognition for Stewart for the most iconic role of his career: Jean-Luc Picard.
SEEGuinan back on ‘Star Trek: Picard’? Patrick Stewart asks Whoopi Goldberg to make it so [Watch]
Stewart played the Starfleet captain in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” from 1987 to 1994 and then in four feature films from 1994 to 2002. Picard was last seen in the 2002 film, “Star Trek: Nemesis,” so the new series marks his return to the franchise after 18 years away.
SEEGuinan back on ‘Star Trek: Picard’? Patrick Stewart asks Whoopi Goldberg to make it so [Watch]
Stewart played the Starfleet captain in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” from 1987 to 1994 and then in four feature films from 1994 to 2002. Picard was last seen in the 2002 film, “Star Trek: Nemesis,” so the new series marks his return to the franchise after 18 years away.
- 3/6/2020
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
One of the consequences of the BBC’s decision to start up their own streaming service (how dare they) is that a lot of their shows will soon be departing from their competitors.
Britbox, in partnership with ITV, launched in the UK last November, and now the content available elsewhere has started to catch up. Today we’re going to run through the wealth of titles that’ll exit Netflix UK at the end of March. There’s a lot to run down, too. And yes, this is redundant for American readers. You’re more than welcome to stay for tea, though (which is more than just a cultural stereotype).
First up – and probably of most interest – are the BBC comedies leaving on March 30th:
A Bit of Fry and Laurie (4 Seasons) Absolutely Fabulous (6 Seasons) Almost Royal (2 Seasons) Daniel Deronda (1 Season) Extras (2 Seasons) Fawlty Towers (2 Seasons) French and Saunders (6 Seasons...
Britbox, in partnership with ITV, launched in the UK last November, and now the content available elsewhere has started to catch up. Today we’re going to run through the wealth of titles that’ll exit Netflix UK at the end of March. There’s a lot to run down, too. And yes, this is redundant for American readers. You’re more than welcome to stay for tea, though (which is more than just a cultural stereotype).
First up – and probably of most interest – are the BBC comedies leaving on March 30th:
A Bit of Fry and Laurie (4 Seasons) Absolutely Fabulous (6 Seasons) Almost Royal (2 Seasons) Daniel Deronda (1 Season) Extras (2 Seasons) Fawlty Towers (2 Seasons) French and Saunders (6 Seasons...
- 3/3/2020
- by Alex Crisp
- We Got This Covered
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