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//TV shows status included: 1883, 1932, 1944, 2024, 6666, 61st Street, A Classic Spy, A Gentleman in Moscow, Act Your Age, The Acolyte, Aftermath, The After Party, Agatha All Along, The Agency, Alex Rider, Alias Grace, Alien, All the Light We Cannot See, All the Queen's Men, All Rise, All's Fair, Almost Paradise, American Born Chinese, American Classic, American Crime, American Dad!, American Gigolo, American Horror Story, American Horror Stories, American Love Story, American Hostage, American Rust, American Sports Story, American Tragedies: Waco – The Trials, American Princess, Anansi Boys, And Just Like That …, Andor, The Angel of Darkness, Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire, Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches, Anne Rice’s The Talamasca, Apples Never Fall, Archer, The Archer Connection, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, The Ark, Armor Wars, A Small Light, The Artful Dodger, Art Detectives, The Assassin, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens, Backstage,...

Updated with film nominees, 10:48 Am: Jacques Audiard (Emilia Perez), Sean Baker (Anora), Edward Berger (Conclave), Golden Globe winner Brady Corbet (The Brutalist) and James Mangold (A Complete Unknown) are the nominees for the DGA Awards’ marquee Theatrical Film Award announced Wednesday by the Directors Guild of America.

Among the awards-season hopefuls who didn’t make the cut are Wicked helmer Jon M. Chu, Dune: Part Two’s Denis Villeneuve and The Substance‘s Coralie Fargeat.

The rookie directors up for the DGA’s First-Time Theatrical Feature Film prize are Payal Kapadia (All We Imagine as Light), Megan Park (My Old Ass), RaMell Ross (Nickel Boys), Halfdan Ullmann Tøndel (Armand) and Sean Wang (Dìdi).

Winners will be announced at the 77th annual DGA Awards on February 8 at The Beverly Hilton.

Previously, January 7: The Directors Guild of America today revealed the nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Television, Commercials and...

Broadway will honor the late actor Adrian Bailey, who died September 22 at the age of 67 following an at-home fall, by dimming the marquee lights of one theater from every theater owner on October 17.

“Over the years, Mr. Bailey has served as an inspiration not only due to his talented performances on Broadway and Touring Broadway stages, but also through his perseverance, positive attitude, and indomitable spirit,” said Jason Laks, Interim President of The Broadway League. “The outpouring of love from our community is a testament to that spirit. In losing Adrian Bailey, we have truly lost a bright light both on and off Broadway, and our thoughts are with his family, friends, former colleagues, and all who loved him best.”

Bailey appeared in 15 Broadway productions, including his heralded 1976 debut in Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, before a tragic onstage accident in 2008 ended his performing career. Appearing in...

Martin Short and Meryl Streep showcased their close friendship at the Season Four premiere of Hulu’s hit series Only Murders in the Building on Monday night.

The duo, who play love interests for the first time in their lengthy careers, were all smiles on the red carpet. Streep stunned in a navy and white patterned dress, while Short opted for a classic black suit complemented by a burgundy tie.

Photographers captured the pair holding hands and sharing laughs with their co-stars, highlighting the chemistry that has made them fan favorites both on and off screen.

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In a recent interview with Backstage magazine, Short expressed his admiration for Streep’s unprecedented 21 Oscar nominations. “Who’s even made 21 movies?” he quipped, emphasizing how significant her accomplishment is.

Short also shared stories from their time on set,...

Of all the star-studded actors who have donned the iconic role of the Caped Crusader, Michael Keaton is, unarguably, widely regarded as one of the best ones to date. For the two films in which he embodied the Dark Knight in his truest essence, the actor did a beyond-immaculate job that won him the hearts of millions of fans from across the globe.

Michael Keaton as the Dark Knight in the Dcu. | Credits: Warner Bros.

However, Keaton’s tenure couldn’t last longer than 1989’s Batman and 1992’s Batman Returns, and he was replaced by Val Kilmer in 1997’s Batman Forever. And, while there have been many rumors explaining his exit, the real reason seems to be that filmmaker Joel Schumacher more or less forced him to leave by changing the look, tone, and vision of his Caped Crusader movie.

Joel Schumacher Led to Michael Keaton Leaving Batman

Back in the late 1980s,...

The logo of cable news channel NewsNation. (Image via Nexstar Media Group/Graphic by The Desk)

(The following is a press release; its contents were not editorially vetted by The Desk.)

NewsNation will present special coverage of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois throughout the week, beginning Sunday, August 18th through Thursday, August 22nd. With its headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, NewsNation is the lone network to be based in the Midwest – home to both national conventions. Host Chris Cuomo and host and chief Washington anchor Leland Vittert will be in Chicago at the convention center.

Reporters will give viewers a Backstage Pass, take them behind-the-scenes, showing them what happens at the convention hall, but also in delegate rooms and across greater Chicago. As the only cable news network based in Chicago and the Midwest, NewsNation plans to spotlight America’s heartland to viewers across the nation

Programming highlights include:

Sunday,...

Following the end of the iconic run for the CBS spinoff Young Sheldon, we’re taken back to Zoe Perry’s journey in the show as young Mary Cooper. Unfortunately, helming the famous role originally portrayed by her mother Laurie Metcalf, in The Big Bang Theory, Perry faced accusations of favoritism and nepotism in the industry.

Zoe Perry as young Mary Cooper | CBS

Addressing her fair share of criticism during her interview with Backstage Magazine, Zoe Perry openly admitted to being no stranger to the privileges of Hollywood lineage. However, when it comes to the allegations about her success in Young Sheldon being solely based on nepotism, Perry clapped back with her commitment to her craft and a deep love for acting.

Zoe Perry’s Challenges of Playing a Role Originally Helmed by Her Mother

Known for her role as young Mary Cooper in the hit series Young Sheldon, Zoe...

Former WME Independent agent Nelson Mok is launching a new investment and sales company named Mokster Films, which will focus on projects from Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Partnering with media executive Ricky Ow, Mokster Films will specialize in international sales for Asia-produced content, alongside the development and financing of films from around the region. Mokster Films will be at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival, where it will unveil projects from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam and Thailand.

Through Mokster Films, Mok will continue to work with WME Independent as a partner on a slate of current titles.

“Nelson is a leading exec in the Southeast Asian region with a great eye for material,” said WME Independent co-head Alex Walton. “We have had real success working with Nelson over the past few years and we look forward to continue the work in this new capacity.”

Joining Endeavor Content in 2019, Mok...

Former Endeavor Content and WME Independent executive Nelson Mok has joined forces with Asian TV veteran Ricky Ow to launch Mokster Films. The company positions itself as an investment and sales company for Asia-produced content.

The company will be involved in rights sales, film development and film financing. Its “strategic emphasis is on the growth of the film industry across Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan,” the company said. Mokster and Mok will also continue to work as a partner to WME Independent on a slate of current titles.

Mokster Films will be at the Cannes Market next week, where it expects to unveil projects at development and casting stage from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam and Thailand.

“Nelson is a leading exec in the Southeast Asian region with a great eye for material,” said WME Independent co-head Alex Walton. “We have had real success working with Nelson over the past...

The Ultimatum: South Africa: How to Watch, Cast, Premise and Trailer. (Photo Credit – Youtube)

Netflix is all set to release a new spin-off of the hugely popular reality series, The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On. Titled The Ultimatum: South Africa, the dating show will test the relationships of six couples based in South Africa.

Similar to the original show, this international version also features much-in-love couples, where one partner is eager to take their relationship to the next level by tying the knot. At the same time, the other is just not ready for marriage. Ready for a high dose of drama, romance, and emotions? Here is how and when you can watch The Ultimatum: South Africa.

The Ultimatum: South Africa: How and When to Watch?

The Ultimatum: South Africa will premiere on Netflix on Friday, May 10th, 2024. The streaming platform generally releases new shows and films for the global audience at 12:00 a.

Exclusive: The race to replace Ralph Lee at the helm of BBC Studios Productions is underway, with the studio signaling its ambition by approaching some of the UK’s top unscripted executives.

Lee will step down as the CEO of BBC Studios Productions next month after a six-year stint to “pursue a new challenge” but Deadline is told that headhunter Russell Reynolds Associates is already scoping out successors.

The successful candidate will run a production unit that contributed heavily to BBC Studios’ £1.6B ($2B) content revenue last year, overseeing hits including Good Omens, Strictly Come Dancing, and David Attenborough’s natural history tentpoles.

Deadline understands that Russell Reynolds has held tentative early conversations with potential candidates including Stv Studios managing director David Mortimer, ITV Studios unscripted director Angela Jain and Karl Warner, Channel 4’s outgoing head of youth and digital.

Fatima Salaria, who previously ran The Apprentice producer Naked,...

Billie Eilish, age 22, and Finneas O’Connell, age 26, made history Sunday night at the Oscars as they became the youngest two-time winners ever, taking home the golden statue for the somber Barbie hit “What Was I Made For?” in the Original Song category.

During a heartfelt reflection backstage at the Oscars, Eilish recalled a moment of insecurity and doubt while watching Matilda on Broadway in her youth that almost hindered her current path to historic stardom. “I remember being 12, believe it or not, and seeing this musical and sobbing my eyes out. Cause I was like, ‘Damn, I’m a failure and I’m not going to have a career,’ I was bawling in the back of the nosebleeds, and I was like, ‘I’m never going to amount to anything because I’m not Matilda.’ ”

Related: Cillian Murphy Dedicates ‘Oppenheimer’ Best Actor Oscar To “Peacemakers Everywhere”

Despite Eilish’s own fears,...

Film Clinic is set to dominate the lineup of the highly anticipated third edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival — which is scheduled to run from Nov 30, 2023 – Sat, Dec 9, 2023 — with the prolific production and distribution shingle boasting four of its titles in the festival. Coming in first in Arab Spectacular section titles Hajjan and Four Daughters. In Competition — Backstage and showcasing in the Festival Favourites section — Animalia.

Hajjan

Abu Bakr Shawky's latest Hajjan, produced by the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) & Film Clinic. It had its World Premiere in the Toronto International Film Festival.– It is also produced by Mohamed Hefzy and Majed Zuhair Samman, co-produced by The

Imaginarium Films' Rula Nasser, and distributed by Film Clinic Indie Distribution in the Arab world while Film Constellation has the

worldwide rights. It revolves around brothers Matar and Ghanim, who live in the endless desert of Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival has announced the bulk of its lineup from the Middle East and North Africa (Mena), signaling that the event is forging ahead with its third edition despite the Israel-Hamas war that has caused cancellations of several movie celebrations across the Arab world.

The fest’s third edition, set to run Nov. 30-Dec. 9 in Jeddah, on the Red Sea’s eastern shore, will feature a slew of films from the Mena region and comprise 11 feature films from Saudi, underlining the local film industry’s growth. This year’s theme is “Your Story, Your Festival”.

There are two Saudi films in the 17-title competition dedicated to features from the Arab world as well as Africa and Asia. They are “Norah,” a drama by first-time helmer Tawfik Alzaidi set in 1990s Saudi Arabia, when conservatism was at its height, and Ali Alkalthami’s bold comedy “Mandoob...

Martin Scorsese says 'Goodfellas' was hated by cinema-goers for showing the "glamour of evil".The veteran director released his classic mobster movie - starring Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta and Joe Pesci - back in 1990 to widespread critical acclaim and it landed six Academy Awards nominations with Pesci winning for Best Supporting Actor but Scorsese is adamant many film fans didn't like it because it showed gangsters profiting from their crimes.Speaking at the Montclair Film Festival in New Jersey, Scorsese explained: "It was a nightmare. People were furious. They stormed out of the theatre. It turned out to be the mob humour and the extent of the violence. The glamour of evil. That’s what they got mad at. I said: 'But that’s what it looks like to young people growing up, and at the end, you see in the last half hour of [‘Goodfellas’] that they pay for it'.

Martin Scorsese hopes the younger generation is able to use "new technology" to "evolve" cinema into a "new form".The legendary filmmaker hopes that the likes of AI can have a positive impact on cinema, but he says it's up to the "younger people" to ensure it is used effectively. Speaking on Sky News' 'Backstage' podcast, he said: "Well my hopes are such that with the new technology and the new generations and younger people seeing the world in a different way, that cinema will evolve itself into a new form. And that's up to the younger people."Meanwhile, the 'Killers of the Flower Moon' director recently called for Christopher Nolan and other directors to "save cinema" from a comic book and franchise culture. The 80-year-old Hollywood icon - who has made the likes of 'Taxi Driver', 'Raging Bull', 'Goodfellas', and '...

Exclusive: Amazon Prime Video is eying a UK version of hit format Lol: Last One Laughing.

Deadline understands the streamer has been scoping out indies to produce the UK version over the past few weeks via an informal tender process, with that process now in its final stages. The show is yet to be greenlit and we understand no final decision will be made until the format launches next year in Ireland, a version that is being helmed by one of the UK’s top presenters, Graham Norton. Trevor Noah, meanwhile, is down to host the upcoming South African version following his Daily Show exit.

Lol: Last One Laughing sees comedians stay in a living room-style studio for several hours during which they must try to make the others laugh by any means possible, while not reacting to their opponents’ attempts to make them break. At the first laugh, the...

Margot Robbie, now a big star in Hollywood, could have been part of American Horror Story: Asylum. Robbie auditioned for the show in 2011, and casting director Eric Dawson was impressed, recognizing her star potential. It's not specified which part Robbie auditioned for.

According to American Horror Story casting director, actor Margot Robbie auditioned for the hit show. Robbie has been a big star in Hollywood for several years, but with her success as the lead of Greta Gerwig's Barbie, a movie that continues to break box office records, the actor's profile has risen even further. But back in the early 2010s and before her breakout role in Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street, Robbie could have joined the anthology American Horror Story during what was arguably the peak of the show's critical acclaim.

In an interview with Backstage's In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast, casting...

It’s a welcome sight for any longtime visitors returning to Sarajevo, the white-jacketed waiters circling the terrace of the majestic, Austro-Hungarian-built Hotel Europe as film and TV industry professionals parse scripts and close deals amid the espresso-fueled chatter. Around them a haze of cigarette smoke hovers like the mist that settles each morning over the green hills that ring this scenic Bosnian city.

Each summer hundreds of industry guests from around the globe descend on the historic, 140-year-old Hotel Europe, which survived two World Wars and the shelling that razed Sarajevo in the 1990s and serves as the de facto hub of industry events during the Sarajevo Film Festival. Twenty years after its launch in a city still emerging from the rubble of a brutal, four-year siege, CineLink Industry Days has grown into the leading film and TV industry event in the Balkan region — a success story as improbable...

Bob Iger is determined to find a quick resolution to the Hollywood writers' strike.The Disney chief executive has revealed that he's "personally committed" to finding a resolution to the ongoing strike action.Asked about the writers' strike during a Disney earnings call, he replied: "It is my fervent hope that we quickly find solutions to the issues that have kept us apart these past few months, and I am personally committed to working to achieve this result."Iger, 72, also insisted that he has "deep respect" for everyone who works in the film and TV industry.He explained: "Nothing is more important to this company than its relationships with the creative community … that includes actors, writers, animators, directors and producers."I have deep respect and appreciation for all those who are vital to the extraordinary creative engine that drives this company and our industry."Meanwhile, in July, Zoe Saldana claimed...

Jamie Lee Curtis thinks the movie industry finds itself at a "crossroads" amid ongoing strike action.The current strike centers on disputes over pay and fears over the potential impact of AI technology, and the 64-year-old actress admits that the industry is in the midst of a paradigm shift.She told Collider: "I have a movie out in a week, and I have a TV show on the air right now and I can't talk about them."Now, these are communities of people that I've worked with. Hundreds and thousands of people coming together to make art for you to enjoy on television, and in movies. And we're not talking about it because we are at a crossroads in our industry."The Hollywood star suggested that people within the industry are taking a long-term view of the future of the entertainment business.She said: "People take stands now for the future.

Exclusive: Principal photography has wrapped in Italy on Sony Pictures International Productions and Eagle Pictures’ local-language romantic comedy You’ve Got Hotspot (Hotspot – Amore Senza Rete). From director Giulio Manfredonia, this is the first of five Italian projects that will see the partners equally involved in production.

Francesco Arca (Allacciate le Cinture, Gli Idoli delle Donne, Resta con Me) and Denise Tantucci (Tre Piani, Io e Mio Fratello) star in the pic co-written by Roberto Proia (Come non Detto, Sul Più Bello trilogy, Backstage – Dietro le Quinte) and Mauro Graiani (Poli Opposti, Copperman).

The story follows Tina (Tantucci), a young dancer with big dreams. While waiting for her flight at a London airport, she realizes that the application for a very important audition for the San Carlo Theatre in Naples is about to expire and she has 20 minutes to send the email, but...

The connection you never saw coming. Believe it or not, Darren Aronofsky's drama "The Whale" and the horror hit "M3GAN" have something in common — and it's definitely not what you expected.

It all stems from Aronofsky's film, which was approached much like a play, according to Backstage magazine. The publication went on to explain that "[Star Brendan] Fraser embraced the raw authenticity" of the film's production, and to him, that extended to the "hundreds of pounds of prosthetics and harnesses he wore." The design was created and executed by makeup artist Adrien Morot, who, funnily enough, is the same person who designed the M3GAN doll a mere couple of months later.

Fraser joked with Backstage in an interview, "Charlie could have been a creation such as a murder robot, but he wasn't. He's a human being. So often, the makeup we've seen when creating a person who lives with a larger...

TikTok isn’t the only digital media platform taking a transparent approach with its community. Patreon has launched a new podcast, titled Backstage with Patreon, that will “open the curtain on how to build a thriving business on Patreon.”

That quote, spoken by Patreon Director of Success Brian Keller, comes from the Backstage trailer. The podcast will feature two types of guests: Creators and Patreon team members. The former group will deliver “insights, challenges, and tips for other creators, while the latter will provide an “inside scoop” on Patreon’s product launches and best practices.

The first episode of Backstage, released on February 6, falls into the second category. Keller’s guest is Jenn Pugh, Patreon’s Senior Product Manager for Creator Products. Across a 19-minute chat (Backstage episodes will typically run for a half-hour or less), Keller and Pugh discuss subscription billing. That’s the name of the Patreon option...

The eighth edition of the International Film Festival of Shimla will be held from August 26-28 at Gaiety Theatre in Himachal Pradesh capital with Bollywood actress Divya Dutta as the celebrity guest, it was announced on Thursday.

Festival Director Pushp Raj Thakur said the screening of Divya Dutta’s transgender-based film Sheer Korma at the film festival will be presided over by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur.

This time, 81 films will be screened at the International Film Festival of Shimla. Twenty-seven films in the international category, 34 Indian films, 4 Himachali films and 15 national award winning films will be screened in the three-day festival.

This time, films from 17 countries including Canada, the US, Spain, Iran, Brazil, Iceland, Mexico, Australia, Greece, Russia — will be screened. These include documentary, animation feature and short films.

Gujarati feature film ’21 M U Tiffin’ directed by Vijay Giri Baba, Hindi feature film ‘Alpha Beta Gama’ directed by Shankar Sri Kumar,...

Prime Video got off to a fast start this summer with the release of The Boys season 3 on June 3. Now, as we enter the dog days, Prime Video is set to keep the warm weather good times rolling with a new twist on an old classic. That’s right, Amazon’s list of new releases for August 2022 is highlighted by some good old-fashioned baseball.

A League of Their Own, the TV adaptation of Penny Marshall’s 1992 movie, is set to premiere on Aug. 12. Like the movie before it, the series will dramatize the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League which saw women playing America’s pastime while the major leagues were on pause for World War II. Abbi Jacobson (Broad City) co-created the show and will star as catcher Carson Shaw.

Other Prime Video Originals of note this month include season 2 of British comedy The Outlaws on and the Ron Howard-directed Thirteen Lives,...

Prime Video will continue rolling out its summer slate in the month of August, releasing new original series, as well as a mix of suspenseful films, action movies and more.

Amazon’s series version of “A League of Their Own” will debut its eight-episode first season on Aug. 12, introducing new characters and stories set in the historical opening of the All American Girls Professional Baseball League (Aagpbl).

Ron Howard’s “Thirteen Lives” tells the real-life story of how a young boys’ soccer team was rescued from the Thai mountain cave where they got stuck for 10 days along with their coach.

Other new film arrivals include hits from earlier this summer, “The Lost City” starring Sandra Bullock, Daniel Radcliffe, Channing Tatum and Brad Pitt, as well as “Sonic the Hedgehog 2.” Academy Award-nominated film “Licorice Pizza” also arrives on Prime Video this month.

Freevee will also have new arrivals this month.

Amazon Prime Video has unveiled a tennis drama from Line of Duty producer World Productions as part of its UK Showcase event, along with two fresh documentaries and casting news, as the streamer reveals £1Bn (1.2Bn) spend since 2018.

The news was delivered at a Showcase event this morning with talent and key creative execs for some of Amazon’s biggest shows, which also saw the announcement that Get Out star Daniel Kaluuya will narrate the next edition off football doc All or Nothing, following Arsenal.

The £1Bn spend has been made across the last four years on TV drama, entertainment, films and live sport, as Amazon deepens its presence in the nation.

Leading today’s slate is drama Fifteen-Love from Line of Duty producer World Productions.

The show is created by The Innocents writer Hania Elkington and is set in the elite world of tennis, portraying protagonist Justine Pearce as...

Hollywood star Tom Holland and filmmaker Mark Wahlberg joined forces to star in the new ‘Uncharted’ movie, and in spite of their age difference, the actor says they’re actually quite similar in a lot of ways. Holland, who plays Nathan Drake in the action-adventure film, told the ‘Backstage’ podcast: “We had a bunch of laughs […]...

More often than not, true stories are infinitely more interesting and continue to resonate now. In Johannesburg-based filmmaker Charlie Vundla’s “Frontier Mistress,” which he describes as a Western set in 18th century South Africa, the story of a Huguenot refugee and her struggle against an abusive husband and an oppressive, racist regime, continues to reverberate today.

“It’s a timely film that deals with issues of gender and racial equality at a moment where the struggle for both of these has taken on a greater urgency,” Vundla told Variety. “And, yes, while this film does address socio-political issues I don’t want them to overwhelm the film; This will be above all else an exciting narrative that is character-driven and puts the story first,” he asserted.

“Frontier Mistress” participates in the Frontières Co-production Market, organized by the Fantasia International Film Festival in collaboration with Cannes’ Marché du Film.

Vundla...

Michael B. Jordan let it slip in 2013 that he auditioned for a role in J.J. Abrams’ 2015 trilogy-starter “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” but only now he is revealing just how badly that audition went. In a new interview with Variety to promote his Amazon action movie “Without Remorse,” Jordan remembered his “Star Wars” audition for J.J. Abrams nearly eight years ago. Jordan referred to said audition by calling it “probably my worst audition to date.”

“I think it was I couldn’t wrap my brain around some of the sides because you know when you’re reading for these high-level projects, there’s never really any specificity in the sides,” Jordan said. “Everything’s like super vague; everything is in secret. Reading through, I just couldn’t connect it. I definitely bombed that one for sure.”

Jordan is far from the only actor to blow his “Star Wars” audition.

Exclusive: Amazon is in the early stages of creating a show with Katherine Ryan, the multi-hyphenated Canadian comedian behind Netflix’s scripted series The Duchess.

Deadline hears that the comedy entertainment project is currently titled Backstage With Katherine Ryan. The show is housed at Expectation, the UK production company through which Amazon’s The Grand Tour is made.

Amazon is not commenting on the series, but it would represent its first collaboration with Ryan, who has until now had closer ties with Netflix. Two of her stand-up specials, In Trouble and Glitter Room, have streamed on Netflix.

She also premiered her scripted series, The Duchess, on the streamer last September. Produced by Clerkenwell Films, the show spotlighted the powerful and problematic choices of a fashionably disruptive single mom living in London. Ryan has spoken about her desire to make a second season.

Ryan is a big name on the UK comedy circuit,...

Tom Holland is known around the world as Peter Parker/Spider-Man thanks to his ongoing role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but there was a different franchise Holland sought to be a part of before landing the web-slinger. In a recent interview with Backstage magazine, Holland relieved his disastrous audition for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” when asked to discuss some of his audition horror stories. Holland made it past several rounds in the casting search for ex-Stormtrooper Finn, a role that eventually went to John Boyega.

“I was like four or five auditions in, and I think I was auditioning for John Boyega’s role,” Holland said. “I remember doing this scene with this lady, bless her, and she was just a drone. So I was doing all of this, like, ‘We gotta get back to the ship!’ And she was going, ‘Bleep, bloop bloop, bleep bloop.’ I just couldn’t stop laughing.

WWE’s announcer shuffle continued on this week’s Raw, with Michael Cole once again filling in for Tom Phillips on last night’s episode; Cole only noted that Phillips “had the week off.” It’s the same thing Cole said last week.

Even more so this week, Samoa Joe was off the Raw commentary team as well; Byron Saxton and Dolph Ziggler filled in on the show.

This has been a recurring shift for WWE. Cole has been the one constant, but in the last year Raw belonged to Phillips, then it went to Vic Joseph when Paul Heyman had creative control over the red brand, and after Heyman was removed, WWE went back to Phillips.

At the same time, former WWE broadcaster Renee Young has spoken out on why she decided to leave the company and let her contract expire.

“I’ve been there for eight years and...

Upcoming titles include ‘The River’, directed by Ghassan Salhab.

Producer Tania El Khoury, who runs Beirut-based Khamsin Films, has revealed the ambitions for her new French production company, Les films de l’Altaï, during Sarajevo’s CineLink platform.

The company, founded earlier this year, has been established partly in response to the dire economic situation in Lebanon.

“All the producers and filmmakers in Lebanon are confronting the economic crisis,” said El Khoury. “The banks are not giving people money. I am lucky that I am based in France. For example [on Lebanese film] The River, I can pay for things from France to people working on the film.

Chris Evans portrayed Captain America as a man who never backed down from a challenge, no matter how much pressure he felt, from the Us government to the U.N., to alien despots. But Evans the actor is a different person from his character, and he recently revealed to Backstage magazine the time he failed an audition for a Seth Rogen movie called Observe and Report not once, but three times.

"I walked in the room, and there were [Seth Rogen] and the director and a producer, and for some reason, my brain just started shrieking, just screaming, "No, no, no." I began my audition, and about three lines in, I got this wave of sweats and my face went red. Mid-audition, I said, "I'm sorry, guys. I'm sorry. I've got to stop." It's even worse because they were incredibly nice about it, like, "No, it was great. You were doing great.

Actor and producer Chris Evans ended his run as the McU's Captain America in a manner that was as emotionally satisfying as it was visually spectacular. While Evan's career post-mcu has flourished, with him starring in and producing a number of hit films and shows, the actor recently admitted to Backstage magazine that he has started missing the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

"I absolutely loved my time with Marvel; I already miss it. But there's no denying that it is very exciting to just have complete freedom to pursue whatever my creative appetite wants."

It is likely that Captain America will remain the character that Evans is most closely associated with for the rest of his career, based on the popularity of the McU, and the decades worth of storytelling and fandom across comics, cartoons, and video games that had made Cap a global icon before the actor ever suited up in the star-spangled suit.

Image Source: Netflix

Sofia Carson is putting on her dancing shoes for Netflix's latest film Feel the Beat. The movie, which hit the streaming service on June 19, follows a talented dancer named April (Carson) with big dreams of starring on Broadway. However, after a disastrous audition, she winds up going back home to Wisconsin and teaching young kids at her former dance studio. As they compete in various competitions together, we get multiple glimpses of April's incredible dance skills. While Carson is no stranger to dancing - she is well-known for starring as Evie in the Disney Channel musical franchise Descendants - she did have a little help for some of the more intricate numbers in Feel the Beat.

Following the film's release, dancer Jessy Lipke confirmed that she was Carson's dancing double (she is also credited as a "featured dancer" in the credits). "I am beyond grateful to have...

by Murtada Elfadl

Over at Sundays With Cate, we continue recaping and reviewing Mrs. America starring Cate Blanchett. This week we tackle episodes 4 and 5 dealing with Betty Freidan (Tracey Ullman) and Brenda Feigen Fasteau (Ari Graynor) debating Phyllis Schlafly (Blanchett). My guest is staff writer at Backstage, Casey Mink.

What did you think of the latest episodes of Mrs. America?...

We are just six episodes into season 3 of “The Masked Singer” but two of the three groups of contestants have already been cut in half. On March 4, Fox aired “Friends in High Places: Group B Championships.” Only three of the four remaining contestants from Group B moved on in the competition. Of this quartet, one of the strongest singers is the celebrity hiding inside the Banana costume. He has won over the four judges with each of his performances.

In his first appearance on February 19, he wowed the crowd with his cover of the Elvis Presley signature song “A Little Less Conversation.” The following week, he changed genres and nailed his rendition of the country classic “Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus.

Forget those off-base guesses by the judges. We’ve been rewatching those performances by the Banana as well as his clues videos. Keep reading if you want...

“The Masked Singer” has become must-see-tv because of its intriguing concept: celebrities clad in elaborate costumes perform hit songs in the hope of winning over the judging panel and studio audience. Only by getting enough votes can they stay in the competition. We’ve already seen three contestants sent packing from the six that started out in Group A.

The fourth episode, which aired on February 19, saw the introduction of another half dozen who are competing as Group B. They are disguised as the Banana, Elephant, Frog, Kitty, Mouse and Taco. We’ve been doing some digging and have all of “The Masked Singer” spoilers for season 3, including the identity of the Banana. Keep reading if finding out the real name of the Banana appeals to you.

See Everything you need to know about season 3 of ‘The Masked Singer’

In advance of the first appearance of the Banana on “The Masked Singer,...

Daniel Lee Martin, a reality TV host on the Sportsman Channel and a popular country music singer, committed suicide after law enforcement deputies attempted to serve multiple warrants related to charges of sexual abuse of minors, according to officials.

Martin appeared on the Sportsman Channel as host of the shows Brotherhood Outdoors and Backstage and Backroads with Daniel Lee Martin. The latter was a mix of behind-the-scenes concert footage and Martin hunting, fishing and jamming with his celebrity friends.

He also starred in the reality show Till Death Do Us Part on CarbonTV with his wife Julie McQueen. McQueen filed for divorce after his arrests became public in 2018.

Pasco County Sheriff’s deputies arrived at a residence in New Port Richey, Florida on Friday to serve the warrants, which alleged.nine charges involving sex with children. They had no response from Martin, age 54. A Swat team was called in, as...

John Cena is making his return to WWE on Friday night. The announcement came during WWE Backstage on Tuesday night and then Cena announced it as well on Twitter. However, Cena’s tweet has a lot of people confused. Is John Cena in The Invisible Man? John Cena’s tweet that he was coming back to WWE even featured the movie poster […]...

Joseph Baxter Feb 6, 2020

Hulu series Utopia Falls takes a future-set sci-fi premise and injects with a pop culture explosion of music and dance.

Utopia Falls may, upon first glance, seem like an aesthetically clinical future-society-type story, but the Hulu sci-fi series is set to showcase its hybrid genre nature as a paean to the arts, specifically the entirety of a forbidden pop culture of the past. – Let’s just call it Logan’s Run meets Fame.

The 10-episode hourlong series is set in the far future on a colony, focusing on a group of song-and-dance-inclined teens whose worldviews become upended after being exposed to an archive containing a forgotten pop culture panorama of music, literature, etc., resulting in a clash between the newly-edified and those attempting to uphold the traditions of their idyllic existence. Indeed, it’s a time-worn tale of generational clashes told through a sci-fi lens.

The series, the...

After finally getting out of his contract with Impact Wrestling, Killer Kross headed to Major League Wrestling. However, his stay there was short as Ryan Satin reported on WWE Backstage that Kross has now signed with WWE. Who is Killer Kross? Anyone who follows Impact Wrestling knows who Killer Kross is. The man joined the company as a minor indie […]...

WWE star Paige has been out of action for almost two years due to her unfortunate injury situation back in 2017. It was considered career-ending for the popular star and forced her to take a different direction as a ringside manager and now an analyst on WWE Backstage. However, the former Divas champion has a never say never mentality as she and fans have seen Daniel Bryan make an epic comeback following his situation. Just recently, Paige discussed who she’d like to face if that return to the ring happens. Paige ranks one superstar at top of dream opponents The Nature Boy Ric Flair had […]...

We present an overview of Slovakian film production for 2018 by means of various facts and figures. Slovakian cinema managed to produce 33 feature-length films in 2018. While nine of them were sole domestic productions, ten were majority co-productions and 14 were minority co-productions. [img 115366]Source: Report on the Slovak Audiovisual Situation in 2018 – Creative Europe Media In the fiction-film department, the Czech Republic was the usual co-producing partner for productions such as the dance film Backstage (helmed by Czech director Andrea Sedláčková); Intimate Enemy, a riff on the home-invasion thriller featuring a “smart house” as the central oppressor; and Laco Halama’s historical drama Dubček. Cellar (read the news), starring Jean-Marc Barr, and The Interpreter were, in addition to the Czech co-production, boarded by a partner from Russia and Austria, respectively. The Czech Republic dominates minority co-productions as well, including the fairy tale The Magic Quill; Doc Martin: Greatest...

Matt Vogel had just moved from Kansas to New York and was looking for work as an actor when his girlfriend showed him an ad in Backstage magazine. "It had a picture of Kermit the Frog," he remembers, "and it said, 'Do you measure up to be a Muppet?' Then it gave all these details about what qualities they were looking for and it turned out I had all of them."

And then some. Today, 23 years later, Vogel, now 48, doesn't animate just any Muppet — he's the man inside the Muppet, taking over ...

Backstage helped actor Ana Capella book a lead role in the feature film “Menagerie,” in which she plays a character who inspired her from the very first read. She’s driven by the challenge. “I was very drawn to the opportunity to play a character like Maria, someone so far from the types I usually get cast as. I was lured into the project by the challenge of understanding someone like her.” The more specific, the better. “[For every application,] I sit down and try to put into words my excitement about working on their project. I make it a point that the cover letters are all individual to the project I am applying to and that [they] speak of the person that I am. It’s like acting itself—you don’t want to fall into being generic.” Backstage gives you control. “On Backstage, you can manage all your info and updates [on your own]. It’s a flat rate,...

Two years after “Moonlight” became the Oscar best picture winner heard ’round the world, writer-director Barry Jenkins returns to the big screen with another gorgeously intimate depiction of love and longing. “If Beale Street Could Talk,” a film adaptation of James Baldwin’s Harlem–set 1974 novel, premiered at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival and will hit theaters with distribution from Annapurna Pictures Nov. 30—just in time for film awards season. Starring KiKi Layne and Stephan James as torn-apart lovers, plus Colman Domingo, Teyonah Parris, Brian Tyree Henry, and recent Emmy winner Regina King, “If Beale Street Could Talk” promises heart-shattering performances, at least judging by its newly released trailer. Treat yourself to it below. Check out Backstage’s film audition listings!