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Comedian Hank Chen invited me to an Emilia Pérez for your consideration screening in Hollywood, on a rainy night, and having already seen Emilia on Netflix at home, I put on my all-weather cycle gear and rode two and a half miles in a downpour to be Chen’s plus-one.

This screening came a few days after the lead actress, Karla Sofía Gascón, made headlines for all of the wrong reasons and already, it seemed, L.A. industry people were wondering, “Is it still Ok to be seen watching this movie in public?”

As a trans and intersex creative in Hollywood, my feelings about this are complex: a mix of disgust and shock that she would say these awful things and great disappointment that this beautiful, strong heroine — one we trans people so need right now — is dragging on feet of clay.

Looking around the (not capacity) audience I’m...

Sundance Asia has officially kicked off in Taipei, Taiwan.

Over the next five days, 15 feature films and six shorts will screen at the Sundance Film Festival Asian edition, with Taiwanese American filmmaker Sean Wang’s “Didi” as the opening night selection.

Before Wang’s film (which won the audience award and a special jury prize for its ensemble at the Park City festival) made its Taiwan premiere, the Legacy Taipei played host to the opening ceremony gala. Hollywood creatives mingled with local filmmakers and actors: “Fancy Dance” producer Nina Yang Bongiovi, “Joker 2” cinematographer Lawrence Sher, “Porcelain War” director Brendan Bellomo, “Your Monster” director Caroline Lindy and producer Kayla Foster, Wang and Esther Liu, Chen Yi-Wen, Hank Chen and Aviis Zhong were just some of those in attendance.

With many having flown in from Toronto or Los Angeles, attendees swapped tips on jetlag survival. Wang and “Little Death” director Jack Begert...

The cast of Blue Bloods, where Leonard Goldberg was an executive producer for one of television’s top-rated shows, has begun sharing their grief online after hearing of his death today at age 85.

Tom Selleck, who plays Frank Reagan, the New York Police Commissioner, and patriarch of the Reagan clan, a multigenerational family of cops, sent out a statement on Goldberg.

“Leonard Goldberg was quite simply irreplaceable. As a creative force, as a boss, as a friend, as a husband, and a father,” Selleck told Deadline. “His unwavering commitment to our show inspired all of us to take to heart his frequently asked question, ‘what can we do to make it better?’ Rest in peace my friend.”

Donnie Wahlberg, who plays Danny Reagan, Frank’s oldest son, called Goldberg “a friend and a mentor.”

“Thank you for believing in me, Mr. Goldberg,” Wahlberg tweeted.

On Instagram, Wahlberg posted a longer...

It’s pilot season — when broadcast networks decide which of dozens of prospective shows should become full-fledged series.

TheWrap’s complete network pilot guide will keep you up to speed on the status of every project under consideration by ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC. In cases where they’ve already ordered a show to series, we’ll say so.

Check back often for regular updates.

ABC: Comedy / Drama

CBS: Comedy / Drama

The CW: Drama

Fox: Comedy / Drama

NBC: Comedy / Drama

ABC Comedy

Happy Accident

Writer(s): Jon Pollack, Abraham Higginbotham

Director: Kat Coiro

Studio: 20th Century Fox Television/ABC Studios

Logline: Two Pittsburgh families — a father with three adult daughters, and a hotel lounge singer with her med student son — are forced together after a decades-old secret is revealed. (Single camera)

Cast: Matt Walsh, Joanna Garcia Swisher, Vanessa Williams, Elliot Knight, Kether Donohue, Jessie Pinnick, Robert Smith...

Hannah Simone’s comedy pilot at ABC has cast one of its lead roles.

Variety has learned exclusively that Art Malik has signed on to star opposite Simone in the single-camera comedy. In the project, Hannah (Simone) and her Indian-American immigrant father Sid (Malik) have always been close, but after she admits to herself that she’s in a dead-end job and he reveals his marriage is over, they’re starting over together and each finding a new path. This new chapter will either make them crazy close or just crazy.

Sid is further described as newly retired and a once-adventurous man who has fallen into a routine. But he is still enthusiastic and gung-ho for all things American and fond of Western wear. Sid had moved to the United States so that his family could have a better life, and he is bursting with pride at Hannah’s many accomplishments.

Tyra Banks knows she can’t “shine bright” without Lindsay Lohan!

On Friday, Banks stopped over at The Talk to discuss her upcoming Freeform movie Life-Size 2. While there, the America’s Next Top Model host, 44, delivered a sweet message to her former co-star, who will not be reprising her role as Casey Stuart in the sequel.

“Lindsay, there is no Life-Size without you,” she said, staring directly into the cameras. “We did this movie together 18 years ago and made it the cult classic that it is today.”

“And when you sit down with your family, and Cody and Michael...

Nearly two decades after helping Lindsay Lohan(‘s character) get her life back together in the movie Life-Size, everyone’s favorite bright-shining toy is back for round two. Tyra Banks reprises the role of fashion doll Eve in Life-Size 2 — premiering Sunday, Dec. 2 on Freeform — for which we finally have an extended trailer.

Just like the original movie, Life-Size 2 stars Banks as Eve, a Barbie-esque doll that magically comes to life in order to help someone — in this case, a toy company CEO named Grace (played by grown-ish‘s Francia Raisa) — but as you’ll see in the trailer, Eve’s...

It’s her! Eve! And she wants to be your special friend, in the new trailer for Freeform’s “Life-Size 2.”

The 1-minute clip released Wednesday shows the return of Tyra Banks as everyone’s favorite real-life doll, Eve, who is no longer tormenting Casey Stuart with her relentless cheerfulness. No, Eve’s new reluctant bestest pal is Grace Manning (played by Francia Raisa), who straight up thinks this woman believes she’s a doll is nuts.

And then Eve drinks liquid butter and tries to pay a $12,485 shopping spree bill with a toy credit card, and we can’t really fight against the crazy argument.

Also Read: Freeform Cancels Lonely Island-Produced Comedy 'Alone Together' After 2 Seasons

Here’s the official description for the sequel, which will air on Freeform in December as part of the network’s “25 Days of Christmas” promotion:

In “Life-Size 2,” Grace Manning (Francia Raisa...

Freeform has released is ready to deck the halls with original films and specials for their annual 25 Days of Christmas.

Tyra Banks is returning as a living doll for Life-Size 2, while comedies No Sleep ‘Til Christmas and The Truth About Christmas will provide festive entertainment for the season.

Shadowhunters star Isaiah Mustafa will bring a little bit of holiday spice as Freeform Santa with on-air spots and his very own social media handle (@FreeformSanta) from now until December 25.

Read full details and watch trailers of the forthcoming slate of films and specials for 25 Days of Christmas:

In Life-Size 2, Tyra Banks stars alongside Francia Raisa who plays Grace Manning, a 20-something CEO of Marathon Toys, a huge toy company started by her mother that is most famous for manufacturing the iconic Eve doll. Grace is also in the middle of her quarter-life crisis, realizing she is in over her head as CEO.

Get ready, Life-Size fans because Casey and Eve are officially reuniting (in some capacity!)

On Tuesday, Tyra Banks revealed that while Lindsay Lohan won’t be reprising her role as Casey Stuart due to scheduling conflicts, Lohan will be making an appearance in the sequel.

“She has this new TV show on MTV about this club so she couldn’t make it, which was sad,” Banks, 44, told The Hollywood Reporter. “[Lindsay] will be in the movie in some kind of way. We’ll see where that ends up.”

“I actually think we are going to surpass expectations because [for] me as a producer and actor in it,...

In today’s roundup, HBO announced the premiere date for Season 2 of “The Deuce,” and CBS News hired Weija Jiang as a White House correspondent.

Casting

Vera Farmiga, Michael K. Williams and John Leguizamo have been cast in Ava DuVernay‘s “Central Park Five.” The Netflix limited series tells the true story of five teenagers of color who were falsely convicted of rape in the late 1980s. Farmiga will play Elizabeth Lederer, the Manhattan Assistant District Attorney and lead prosecutor on the case; Williams will play Bobby McCray, devoted father of accused teen Antron McCray; and Leguizamo will play Raymond Santana Sr., the father of accused teen Raymond Santana Jr. “Central Park Five” will premiere in 2019.

Six actors have joined Facebook Watch‘s Catherine Zeta-Jones-starrer “Queen America” as series regulars. Belle Shouse, Teagle F. Bougere, Rana Roy, Isabella Amara, Molly Price and Megan West will star in the series,...

Grown-ish‘s Francia Raisa is set to co-star opposite Tyra Banks in Life Size 2, Freeform’s holiday movie sequel.

Raisa will play Grace Manning, the confident and funny CEO of Marathon Toys, a huge toy company started by her mother that is most famous for manufacturing the iconic Eve doll. Grace is also a hot mess in the middle of her quarter-life crisis and realizing that she is in over her head as CEO. To make matters worse, her wild-child ways are causing the company’s stock to plummet. Joining Raisa and Banks are Gavin Stenhouse as Grace’s potential love interest Calum; Shanica Knowles as Tahlia and Hank Chen as Brendan, who are Grace’s best friends; along with Alison Fernandez as Lex, Grace’s young next-door neighbor.

Banks starred in the original film, which premiered 18 years ago as part of ABC’s The Wonderful World of Disney, as Eve,...

If you were hoping that Tyra Banks and Lindsay Lohan would reunite for the sequel to their 2000 made-for-tv movie Life-Size, prepare to be disappointed.

Banks on Monday used social media to reveal that Francia Raisa — currently a regular on grown-ish — will star alongside her in Life-Size 2, which is set to premiere this winter as part of Freeform’s annual “25 Days of Christmas” event.

Now filming: Life Size 2.

It’s time y’all! You’ve waited long enough.

Could not find one single woman more perfect to co-star with Eve than the magnificently fierce @franciaraisa.

See you on @FreeformTV this holiday season!

Recently,CBS delivered the new,official synopsis/spoilers for their upcoming "Criminal Minds" episode 9 of season 10. The episode is entitled, "Fate," and it turns out that we're going to see a killer that actually feels remorse for his victims, be the newest UnSub on the Bau squad's hit list, and more. In the new, 9th episode press release: The Bau is going to search for a remorseful murderer with an uncontrollable urge to kill. Press release number 2: The Bau will investigate random murders in northern Virginia and searches for a conflicted UnSub who has an uncontrollable urge to kill but is also filled with remorse. In the meantime, Rossi is going to receive a visit from a woman who could hold a secret from his past. Guest stars feature: Tina Holmes (Ellen Connell), Jeff Denton (Ssa Norwood), Amber Stevens (Joy Struthers), Andrew Burlinson (Michael Connell), Alexis Raich (Sky Connell...

In September we brought you 30 Days of Willam

In October there was 31 Days of Davey Wavy

That was followed by Logo’s Mr. November Pageant

Last month it was my particular favorite, 31 Days of Jinkx Monsoon.

Now that we’re starting January, Logo kicks off the new year (and a new month) with a brand new daily video feature….

31 Days of Confessions

We’ve invited some of our favorite comedians and internet celebrities to share with us their juiciest innermost secrets —Girl Code‘s Jamie Lee, comedian Hank Chen, SheHasHadIt blogger Jarvis Derrell, and My Gay Roommate‘s Noam Ash and Austin Bening.

As Jarvis Derrell says in the preview clip below, “I’m an open book—open heart, open legs!”

Note: Derrell will kick things off tomorrow January 2 with a childhood confession.

The post 31 Days of Confessions appeared first on thebacklot.com.

The Ford Fiesta Movement is here, and it's trying to change the way brands think about engaging fans through social media. Instead of using creators as mouthpieces for canned blocks of corporate text, Ford is letting creators give the pitches most meaningful to them. The result has been some of the most fun brand videos we've seen recently on YouTube. At Social Media Week Los Angeles, Ford's Global Digital & Multimedia Communications Manager, Scott Monty, will discuss his company's online media strategy alongside a handful of the creators Ford has empowered. Panelists include Joe Nation (known in part for his work on BlackBoxTV), Bridget O'Neill, and Hank Chen; we can expect to her them offer the reasons why Ford's strategy is a positive for individual endorsers, not just the big brand. What does Ford hope to accomplish? Essentially, it's all about engagement. Large scale campaigns can roll up the 'likes' counter,...