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Before she married into one of America’s most famous families, Cheryl Hines endured a difficult divorce. Could she be headed that way again?

Cheryl, of course, is a longtime veteran of Hollywood who’s best known for her work on Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Since 2014, she has been the wife of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the controversial politician who was recently chosen by President Trump to head the Department of Health and Human Services.

That marital status may soon change, as Rfk Jr. himself has suggested that a separation might be in the best interest of Cheryl’s public image.

And now that he’s been caught having an alleged relationship with another woman, the tide could very much be changing on their relationship. In fact, word is, Cheryl wants Out of her marriage desperately.

Cheryl Hines introduces her husband Presidential Candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at...

Marlee Matlin said it was “imperative” that the person directing her documentary, “Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore,” was also deaf. So when producers of American Masters suggested her longtime friend Shoshannah Stern, who created Sundance Now’s “This Close” — the first TV series created, written by, and starring deaf artists — Matlin knew she was in good hands.

“Having her on board, I knew that I could trust her 100%,” Matlin told TheWrap via an Asl interpreter at TheWrap’s Sundance Studio presented by World of Hyatt. “She followed her instincts all those years of us knowing each other, I knew she was the perfect fit.”

The 59-year-old actress, who was the first deaf performer to win an Oscar in 1987 for her role in “Children of a Lesser God,” said, “It was imperative that I had a director who was deaf, and I knew that someone deaf like myself had the same lived experiences with ‘deafness,...

In her documentary “Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore,” the star continues to explore the at times lonesome space she has occupied since bursting on the scene in 1986: that of being a representative for deaf people, and being herself. For more than three decades, Matlin was the only deaf performer to have won an Oscar, and among the few to have what could be considered a mainstream acting career. That changed when Troy Kotsur, her co-star in the 2021 Oscar-winning drama “Coda,” took home the prize for best supporting actor.

At 19, Matlin was cast opposite William Hurt in the adaptation of the play “Children of a Lesser God.” She portrayed Sarah Norman, a janitor in a school for the deaf. Hurt’s character is a speech teacher. She resists speaking. He says he won’t push her to speak but then does. After production, Hurt became Matlin’s romantic partner. So,...

It’s shocking, now, to look back and realize that actress Marlee Matlin was just 21 when she won an Academy Award in 1986. She was, as she recalls in “Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore,” practically a child. As we learn in this deeply affectionate biographical history, the actress, who is deaf, has already been through a lifetime of challenges. And yet, there were plenty more to come.

As a PBS American Masters portrait designed to celebrate Matlin’s accomplishments, “Not Alone Anymore” can’t really be called a traditional documentary. Matlin chose first-time director Shoshannah Stern herself (they worked together on the Sundance Now series “This Close”), and the connection between them is evident. Though this obviously precludes a lack of neutral distance, it also opens up space for Matlin to share her story with unguarded intimacy.

And what a story it turns out to be. Matlin lost her hearing as...

T’is the season — for male strippers? Yes, actually. Yes indeed.

Netflix’s new Christmas movie “The Merry Gentlemen” is now streaming, telling story of a young dancer who comes home to find that her parents’ business — and thus, her whole childhood, essentially — may be going under. So, to help save it, she organizes a Christmas-themed male revue to pull in ticket sales.

The movie features a lot of familiar faces, but perhaps some new ones for you too. So, we’ve got you covered.

Here are all the major players in “The Merry Gentlemen.”

Netflix Ashley (Britt Robertson)

Ashley is a professional dancer, who is unceremoniously fired for being too old (in her 30s). She’s played by “Tomorrowland” and “The Longest Ride” star Britt Robertson. She also starred in “The Space Between Us” and more recently, “The Rookie: Feds,” as well as a few episodes of “The Rookie.

Exclusive: Black Bear’s management arm has signed writer, director, actor, and producer Jordan Firstman, whose credits include Sundance 2023 black comedy Rotting in the Sun.

Firstman first rose to prominence by sharing short skits, impressions, and impersonations on Instagram Live during the Covid-19 pandemic.

He is also known for writing for Alia Shawkat’s Search Party and he was a consulting producer on Netflix’s animated series Big Mouth. As a filmmaker, Firstman directed the narrative short Men Don’t Whisper, which was shortlisted for the Grand Jury Prize at both Sundance and SXSW in 2018. He has also written for Comedy Central’s The Other Two and directed multiple episodes of the Peabody-nominated Sundance TV series This Close.

On the acting side, Firstman joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2022 via Ms. Marvel on Disney+. He also recently appeared in FX’s Dave and the Netflix comedy You People with Jonah Hill and Eddie Murphy.

PBS’ “American Masters” documentary series will tackle the life of actor, activist and author Marlee Matlin with the feature documentary “Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore.”

The film will use Asl as its primary language. Along with stylized captioning and dynamic editing, it aims to push the boundaries of conventional documentaries and will bring together Deaf and hearing team members across production and post-production roles.

“The film will explore Matlin’s life as a groundbreaking performer, whose meteoric and tumultuous rise to fame started in 1987 when she became the first Deaf actor to win an Academy Award for her role in ‘Children of a Lesser God.’ At the age of 21, Matlin was thrust into the national spotlight, becoming for many Americans the first Deaf person they saw on TV and overnight becoming the de-facto representative of the Deaf community,” reads its log line.

It continues: “The film boasts never-before-seen home video...

This post contains spoilers for "The Last of Us" episode 5.

HBO's "The Last of Us" is at times almost a shot-for-shot remake of the 2013 game from Naughty Dog, and at other times makes profound changes to characters and how their stories play out. Sadly, Sam (Keivonn Woodard) and his older brother Henry (Lamar Johnson) do not get a reprieve in the same way that Bill and Frank did. The fifth episode of the series, "Endure and Survive," brings their story to the same tragic conclusion as the game: Sam turns after being infected with the cordyceps virus; Henry shoots his little brother and, unable to live with the guilt and horror of what he's done, kills himself immediately afterwards.

But in a post-apocalyptic world with a generally high body count, the journey counts more than the destination. In that regard, "Endure and Survive" is effective in the parallels it draws...

When I was offered the opportunity to direct the “Only Murders in the Building” episode “The Boy From 6B,” which focuses on the story of a deaf character, I knew instantly that I had to do it. It was precisely the kind of story that excites me, a story told from a point of view we rarely get to see, portraying a character from a community that’s underrepresented and misrepresented. I’ve built my career upon telling stories about marginalized communities, and by doing so, I’ve attempted to push us all out of the margins and into the center. Why? Because I know all too well the pain of misrepresentation.

During the first Gulf War, my Palestinian Jordanian immigrant family was so egregiously discriminated against in small-town Ohio that not only did we receive death threats on a daily basis, but the Secret Service came to my high...

Peacock is ready introduce a new generation of folks, and they’re queerer than ever.

That’s right, the streamer has finally released the highly anticipated first trailer for its upcoming Queer as Folk reboot, premiering Thursday, June 9.

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The new Queer as Folk stars Devin Way (Grey’s Anatomy) as Brodie, a chaotic commitment-phobe; Fin Argus (The Gifted) as Mingus, an over-confident high...

Nyle Dimarco is booking a trip to the Big Easy. The actor will appear in Peacock’s upcoming Queer as Folk reimagining as a charming grad student, TVLine has learned exclusively.

Dimarco made history (twice!) as the first deaf contestant to win America’s Next Top Model (2015) and Dancing With the Stars (2016). His acting credits include roles on Switched at Birth, Difficult People, This Close and Station 19.

More from TVLineDead Day, From Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec, Ordered to Series at PeacockDan Brown's The Lost Symbol Cancelled at Peacock After One SeasonJoe vs. Carole: Peacock's Tiger King Drama Gets Premiere Date,...

The Magnificent Meyersons follows an ordinary but complicated New York City family as they discover on one extraordinary day that although life—and family—can sometimes shock you … it can also lead to miraculous new places. Here’s the trailer:

Premiering in New York City August 20 at the Marlene Meyerson Jcc Manhattan; and Los Angeles August 27 at the Laemmle Town Center 5, Encino. The film is also available virtually on the websites of all locations. Select screenings in theaters will offer open captioned showings (check theater websites for times).

Written and directed by Evan Oppenheimer (A Little Game; Alchemy; Justice; The Auteur Theory), The Magnificent Meyers features a stellar ensemble cast that includes Kate Mulgrew (the upcoming Star Trek: Prodigy; Orange is the New Black; Star Trek: Voyager; Star Trek: Nemesis), Richard Kind (The Goldbergs; Inside Out; Argo; A Serious Man; A Bug’s Life), Shoshannah Stern (Supernatural; This Close; Weeds), Neal Huff...

Exclusive: Actress Millicent Simmonds has signed with WME for representation in all areas.

The 18-year old actress broke out in Todd Haynes’s feature Wonderstruck opposite Julianne Moore, which made its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in 2017. She continued on to star in Paramount and John Krasinski’s genre blockbuster A Quiet Place and A Quiet Place II as Regan Abbott. Combined, both movies have grossed $479.3M to date worldwide. The sequel over Memorial Day weekend rallied moviegoing back after theaters were largely closed down during the year-plus pandemic, debuting to $57M over four days. Deadline was told that out of all the markets that overindexed for the film for the box office, it was Simmonds’ home state of Utah, where moviegoers flocked out to watch her.

As a deaf actress, Simmonds is a champion for those performers with disabilities. During the pandemic, Simmonds and a speech-language pathology...

What’s the prognosis for New Amsterdam‘s Helen? Which #OneChicago fella just might cop a love interest? Is Stargirl‘s future bright, or complicated? Read on for answers to those questions plus teases from other shows!

I’m suffering from some serious New Amsterdam withdrawal. Any scoop on Helen Sharpe? –Luana

And how! When(ever) Season 3 of the NBC hit arrives, “You’re going to learn everything you ever wanted to know about Helen Sharpe,” says EP David Schulner. “Follow Sharpe home? Check! A family bombshell? Check! Someone sharing Sharpe’s bed? Check! All these revelations will not only surprise the audience,...

Austin Nichols has signed with A3 artists Agency.

The actor, known for his roles in One Tree Hill and The Day After Tomorrow, has an extensive and diverse resume of films, TV series and shorts. Nichols’ most recent projects include the Liev Schreiber-led Ray Donovan, the Sundance TV series This Close and NBC’s The Village. The actor’s latest film titles include The Iron Orchard and Lawless Range.

In One Tree Hill, Nichols starred as Julian Baker, a film producer who finds himself entrenched in the lives of the residents of fictional town of Tree Hill, North Carolina. He starred on The CW series from 2008 to 2012.

In 2004, Nichols appeared in Roland Emmerich’s climate change disaster flick The Day After Tomorrow. He played J.D., acting alongside Dennis Quaid, Jake Gyllenhaal and Emmy Rossum.

He continues to be represented by Silver Lining Entertainment.

BBC America is set to premiere “CripTales,” a collection of short films from creatives with disabilities, on Oct. 1 at 10 p.m., Variety has learned exclusively.

For National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the six-part series will be available to stream across the digital platforms of BBC America, AMC, IFC, Sundance TV and AMC Plus.

“’CripTales’ brings to our screens a beautiful collection of short films, curated by the incredibly talented Mat Fraser, shining a light on stories that don’t often make it to primetime,” said Courtney Thomasma, executive director of BBC America. “At times hilarious and at others heart-breaking, these monologues exemplify both the diversity of experience among people living with disabilities and the thoroughly relatable dilemmas we all face in life.”

Curated by Fraser, the 15-minute monologues follow life-changing moments for people with disabilities. Based on research on communities with disabilities in British history, the collection features a range...

Idris Elba has stoked the fires of the Luther fandom once more by teasing the imminent announcement of a feature film for his obsessive BBC Dci.

“There isn’t a real formal plan for Luther at the moment,” Elba said during a Q&a Zoom event for his Sky series In The Long Run (via Sky News) but added “I’ve made it very clear that I’d like to see Luther come back as a film. And I can tell you this, that we are this close to making a film of Luther.”

The Thor and Star Trek Beyond actor has been chatting about the possibilities of expanding the world of Luther into a movie for some time. In December 2018, he told Metro that the wheels were definitely turning on a film project, thanks to series creator Neil Cross.

“We are really advancing on getting a movie version [of the show] up on the screen,...

In a Gold Derby exclusive, we have learned the category placements of the key Emmy Awards contenders for AMC, BBC America, IFC and Sundance. For this season, the network group has returning hits “Better Call Saul” (Bob Odenkirk), “Brockmire” (Hank Azaria), “Doctor Who” (Jodie Whittaker), “Killing Eve” and “Luther” (Idris Elba), plus limited series “Dispatches from Elsewhere” (Jason Segel) as part of their 2020 campaign.

Below, their list of lead, supporting and guest submissions for their comedy, drama and limited series. More names might be added by the networks on the final Emmy ballot. Also note that performers not included on this list may well be submitted by their personal reps.

SEETony Dalton Interview: ‘Better Call Saul’

“Better Call Saul” (AMC)

Drama Series

Drama Actor – Bob Odenkirk

Drama Supporting Actor – Jonathan Banks, Tony Dalton, Giancarlo Esposito, Patrick Fabian, Michael Mando

Drama Supporting Actress – Rhea Seehorn

Drama Guest Actor – Dean Norris

“Brockmire...

A hard worker who's unapologetic about herself, Millicent "Millie" Simmonds first captivated us in her emotional performance in Wonderstruck as a deaf girl who leaves home looking for her mother. The actress, who is herself deaf and works with an American Sign Language translator, became a star after portraying John Krasinski's daughter in the 2018 horror film A Quiet Place. Since then, she's been in projects such as Andi Mack, This Close, and, of course, A Quiet Place Part II.

While her onscreen presence continues impressing us, her offscreen one is graceful and uplifting as well. Drawing from her own experience, Millie openly advocates for nuanced representation of different disabilities. She also speaks candidly about learning confidence and pursuing her passion. Millie's most inspiring quotes will encourage you to be more empathetic and work hard towards your dreams - we compiled our favorite ones ahead!

In a new study commissioned by the Ruderman Family Foundation, it was revealed that 22% of all characters with disabilities on network television and 20% of such characters on streaming services are portrayed authentically by an actor with the same disability. This is good news as it shows a significant boost from the Ruderman Family Foundation’s study from 2016 where 5% of characters on TV were cast authentically. Even though the needle has moved, the topic of disability remains largely absent from Hollywood’s diversity conversation.

The Foundation’s new white paper “Authentic Representation in Television 2018” picks up from the organization’s 2016 paper on employment of actors with disabilities on TV. The 2016 study was very eye-opening in that it revealed that despite people with disabilities representing nearly 20% of the U.S. population, 95% of characters with disabilities on television were played by able-bodied actors.

The 2018 study put a larger sample size under the microscope than the 206 study.

This television season has been a big one for Shoshannah Stern. The writer-producer-performer released the second season of the Sundance comedy she co-created with Josh Feldman, “This Close,” and she also returned to the CW’s “Supernatural” to literally resurrect the character of Eileen Leahy.

After being killed by a hellhound in the 12th season of “Supernatural,” Eileen returned to the 15th and final season first as a ghost who was able to escape hell when Chuck/God (Rob Benedict) opened the rupture. Rather than a one-and-done guest star appearance before the series signed off for good, though, Sam (Jared Padalecki) does a spell to bring her back to life and she bonds with the Winchester brothers anew.

Returning to the show after two successful seasons of running and starring in her own show, Stern says, has given her “a better understanding of all of the pieces that have to...

Grey’s Anatomy is paging Shoshannah Stern: The Supernatural veteran will guest-star in an upcoming episode of the long-running ABC drama.

Stern will play Dr. Lauren Riley, a diagnostics expert who helps DeLuca with a supposedly “incurable” patient. The episode, directed by Grey’s star Jesse Williams, will air Thursday, Feb. 13 at 9/8c.

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Known for playing hunter Eileen Leahy on Supernatural, Stern has also appeared on Weeds, Jericho and the Sundance dramedy This Close,...

BBC America has ordered a series of short films that aim to change the perception of disability. The cable network has ordered Disability Monologues (w/t), curated by Mat Fraser, who has starred in His Dark Materials and American Horror Story.

Fraser, who has thalidomide-induced phocomelia, will star in the films alongside poet and playwright Jackie Hagan, Ruth Madeley (The Watch), Robert Softley Gale (My Left/Right Foot) and Liz Carr (Silent Witness). The films will premiere in 2020.

Through fictional monologues, Disability Monologues will portray the very real experiences of people with disabilities over the last 50 years in Britain. From the ignominy of discrimination and incarceration to the liberation of the electric wheelchair, there have been both great steps forward and terrible setbacks. These short films seek to challenge the world view that somehow, having a disability is a problem, or “not normal.”

Disability Monologues is produced in association with...

On Thursday, November 14, the Media Access Awards, in partnership with nonprofit disability services EasterSeals, hosted the 40th annual Media Access Awards.

Daryl "Chill" Mitchell, Actor in "NCIS:New Orleans," and Kurt Yaeger, Actor and Writer of "NCIS:NewOrleans," present the WGA West Evan Somers Memorial Award to Katherine Beattie, Writer of "NCIS:New Orleans".

The awards celebrate those who have redefined on-screen representation for people with disabilities and created more opportunities for the disability community in the entertainment industry.

Host Joe Mantegna, Actor in "Criminal Minds," welcomes everyone to the 40th annual Media Access Awards in partnership with Easterseals to celebrate the advancement and portrayal of people with disabilities in Hollywood.

The awards opened with a pre-taped skit by founder Norman Lear, joined by Jimmy Kimmel. Joe Mantegna, longtime disability advocate for EasterSeals and star of “Criminal Minds” joined actor, writer and producer of “This Close,” and former Media Access Awards winner,...

The Sundance Institute the finalists for the second edition of its Momentum Fellowship, a full-year program of customized creative and professional support for writers, directors, and producers from underrepresented communities who work in the fields of documentary, narrative features, and episodic content. The Institute also announced the recipients of its Launch Grant Fund, a new opportunity for emerging filmmakers from underrepresented communities launching their first feature film.

The 2020 Momentum Fellows are Andrew Ahn, Linda Yvette Chávez, Christina Choe, Deborah Esquenazi, Rodney Evans, Penny Lane, Avril Z. Speaks, and Malika Zouhali-Worrall. The 2020 Launch Grant Fund Recipients are Marion Hill, Meryam Joobeur, Anais Blondet Medina and Kase Peña.

The program evolved from the Women at Sundance Fellowship, and takes a more intersectional approach, applying to artists identifying as women, non-binary and/or transgender, artists of color, and artists with disabilities.

As part of the Momentum Fellowship, Sundance Institute has once again partnered...

Former Hulu content chief Joel Stillerman is partnering with Endeavor Content on a new television production company.

Variety has learned that Stillerman is launching the Endeavor-backed Content Superba, which will be based in Los Angeles. In addition, Shudder and Sundance Now executive Owen Shiflett has joined the company as senior vice president of development and production.

“We believe the changes in how we access our content are just the tip of the iceberg,” Stillerman said. “The real change that’s upon us is a reimagining of storytelling itself as these new platforms emerge and evolve. It’s always going to be about creating emotional connections, having something to say about our world, and offering a means to escape our reality; but what that means conceptually is the next great frontier, and that’s where Content Superba will live. There has never been a better time to be the new kids,...

Former AMC Networks and Hulu top programming executive Joel Stillerman has launched Content Superba, a Los Angeles-based TV production company backed by Endeavor Content.

Stillerman, who has more than 20 years of experience developing, producing and writing for film and television, has brought in AMC Networks executive Owen Shiflett, most recently VP Development for Shudder & Sundance Now, as Svp Development and Production of the new company.

“We believe the changes in how we access our content are just the tip of the iceberg. The real change that’s upon us is a reimagining of storytelling itself as these new platforms emerge and evolve,” Stillerman said. “There has never been a better time to be the new kids, and along with our partners at Endeavor Content, we’re formally inviting the dreamers, rule breakers, innovators, and inventors to come and play with us.”

The move, which marks Stillerman’s return to and producing and entrepreneurship,...

Netflix’s BoJack Horseman has been one of the best shows on television since it debuted in 2014. It is a hilarious satire of celebrity and show business, while also being a profoundly sad portrait of depression, loneliness and substance abuse. Virtually the only complaint I’ve ever heard from anyone who’s watched more than the first few episodes is that its visual style is intentionally primitive, bordering on ugly. (And even that allows for elaborate background gags and bizarrely compelling designs of the show’s many animal/human hybrid characters.

Lisa Rinna's got some advice for any future housewives or househusbands: learn to play golf.  The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star and former star of Days of Our Lives is guest starring on tonight's episode of Sundance TV's This Close, and she's ready to take her son-in-law under her wing...with a few nods to Rinna's real-life past, and we've got your exclusive sneak peek above! Rinna plays Priscilla, described as "a former soap-opera-actress-turned-trophy-wife" who's "great to have at parties, and she's never met anyone whom she couldn't have a conversation with."  That includes Michael (Josh Feldman), who's deaf, and who just married her...

As artists in the film and television industry who also happen to be deaf, Shoshannah Stern and Joshua Feldman know first-hand how hard it can be to see themselves reflected on-screen. So they created their own series, “This Close,” which returns for its second season on Sept. 12. But in taking the reins of a Hollywood production, they knew it wasn’t enough to merely tell stories about the deaf experience but also to empower other such individuals in the business behind the scenes, as well.

“We had 18 deaf people working with us behind and in front of the camera and this season we’re challenging ourselves to beat that,” Stern tells Variety.

Among the deaf production staffers are a casting assistant, an editor, an artist, two directors of artistic sign language and a production assistant.

The latter hire was Chase Chambers, who flew to himself to the 38th Annual College...

This weekly feature is in addition to TVLine’s daily What to Watch listings.

With nearly 500 scripted shows now airing across broadcast, cable, streaming and whatever “Popcornflix” is, it’s easy to forget that a favorite comedy is returning, or that the new “prestige drama” you anticipated is about to debut. So consider this our reminder to set your DVR, order a Season Pass, pop a fresh Memorex into the Vcr… however it is you roll.

More from TVLineFall TV: Your Handy Calendar of 100+ Season and Series Premiere DatesFall TV Poll: Which New Shows Are You Most Looking Forward To?...

"Let the games begin." SundanceTV just released a new teaser and key art for season two of This Close.

From Shoshannah Stern and Josh Feldman, the dramedy “explores the relationship between best friends Kate (Stern), who is newly engaged, and Michael (Feldman), who is attempting to move on from his ex-fiancé.” The cast also includes Zach Gilford, Marlee Matlin, and Cheryl Hines.

Read More…...

In today’s film news roundup, “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” comes back, Aubrey Plaza gets cast in a thriller and the Ruderman Family Foundation honors two series and two movies.

Re-release

Fathom Events and Paramount Pictures have scheduled 40th anniversary showings of “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” on Sept. 15 and 18.

It’s the first nationwide cinema release since the film premiered in December, 1979. The presentation will also feature the behind-the-scenes documentary short “The Longest Trek: Writing the Motion Picture.”

Robert Wise directed “Star Trek: The Motion Picture.” which became the fourth highest grossing film of the year and earned Academy Award nominations for Best Visual Effects, Best Art Direction, and Best Music, Original Score. It starred William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, George Takei, Nichelle Nichols, Walter Koenig, and James Doohan.

“’Star Trek: The Motion Picture’ is a visual marvel and a film that even many ardent ‘Star Trek...

The Ruderman Family Foundation has honored TV series Ramy and This Close, as well as films, Give Me Liberty and The Peanut Butter Falcon with its Seal of Authentic Representation for accurate depictions of people with disabilities. This is the second time the foundation has awarded its Seal and the first time it has awarded feature films.

On the TV side, Hulu’s Ramy is based on the life of comedian Ramy Youssef and has been ordered for a second season. The series features Steve Way, who has Muscular Dystrophy, as his best friend — he’s also Youssef’s best friend in real life. Sundance TV’s romantic drama This Close follows a deaf couple and was created by and stars deaf actors Shoshannah Stern and Josh Feldman. The second season of this Sundance TV series September premieres Sept. 12.

On the feature side, Give Me Liberty tells the story of...

In today’s TV news roundup, Netflix sets a premiere date for the fourth season of “Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj,” and Revry releases a trailer for a new series starring Laura Linney.

First Looks

Revry has dropped the first trailer, obtained exclusively by Variety, for Laura Linney’s new series “Sink Sank Sunk.” The series follows Cooper (Will Seefried), a young gay recluse whose journey to complete his late-mother’s (Linney) passion project takes him into the unfamiliar waters of community, empathy, and romantic love.

Dates

“Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj” will return to Netflix Aug. 4. The upcoming fourth season of the variety show, in which Minhaj takes on the modern cultural and political landscape, will continue to feature comedic monologues and interviews with celebrity guests.

Season six of “Finding Your Roots,” will premiere Oct. 8 and air through Fall 2020 on PBS. The forthcoming season will feature 27 new guests including actor Jeffrey Wright,...

Entering its second season, Sundance TV’s groundbreaking dramedy “This Close” is closing ranks, focusing more intently than ever on pressing issues within the Deaf community.

“I think it’s really important to talk about these issues, particularly in our community. We have so little representation on the screen,” co-creator and co-star Josh Feldman said Thursday at a panel for the series the Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour.

He went on to say that his character has always had unresolved issues surrounding his family and childhood that he isn’t managing, and that, ultimately, his past is haunting his future, a manifestation of alcoholism and also depression.

Co-creator and co-star Shoshannah Stern added that though mental illness is an issue that effects everyone, that it manifests in special ways within the Deaf community. “There’s no such thing as deaf anxiety,” Stern said. “There’s no deaf-triggered anxiety. There’s just people with anxiety.

In today’s roundup, Netflix has released the first official trailer for “Nailed It!” Season 3, and Own’s new family saga “Ambitions” is set to debut in June.

First Looks

Netflix has released the first official trailer for Season 3 of “Nailed It!”, which returns May 17. Nicole Byer and Jacques Torres are back as hosts of the unscripted series as they judge amateur home bakers compete in the kitchen for a $10,000 prize. Competitions throughout the upcoming season include a Marvel-inspired cupcake challenge and a gingerbread self-portrait competition.

Just in time for the May 28 premiere of “America’s Got Talent,” Howie Mandel attempts to define “stan” terminology in a video posted to the show’s YouTube channel. Season 14 of the NBC series will feature new judges Gabrielle Union and Julianne Hough and fresh host Terry Crews. Mandel and Simon Cowell will return to the judging table as they seek out the...

"When people see me, they say, 'Man, you're the only black actor on TV in a wheelchair. But I'm not proud of that. That's unreal, to be the only," NCIS: New Orleans star Daryl "Chill" Mitchell said Wednesday night on the Television Academy Foundation and Easterseals Southern California's "Representing Disability in Storytelling" panel in North Hollywood.

Presented as part of the Foundation's "Power of TV" series, the discussion also featuring Rj Mitte (Breaking Bad, Now Apocalypse), Shoshannah Stern (creator, writer and star of This Close), Krista Vernoff (Grey's Anatomy showrunner),...

“This Close” co-creators and stars Shoshannah Stern and Josh Feldman are the only two writers in the WGA who are deaf but, thanks to a new partnership with Easterseals, hopefully that won’t be the case for much longer.

Stern announced that they would be working with the nonprofit to provide support to deaf writers, getting them in front of industry decision-makers to get feedback on their work and, hopefully, jobs as well.

“We have to make the pipeline. Sometimes you have to chop down the trees yourself to make the road clear,” Stern said on a Power of TV: Representing Disability in Storytelling panel presented by the Television Academy and Easterseals in Los Angeles Wednesday. “Others will follow once the path is cleared for them.”

After originally pitching “This Close” as a series about a character who is deaf and a character who is hearing, Stern recalled she and...

The Peabody Awards Board of Jurors have shared the 60 nominees for the group’s 78th annual awards. They represent 2018’s most compelling stories and are chosen from more than 1,200 entries available on television, radio, podcasts, and the web.

This year’s crop of TV shows include several newcomers, including HBO’s “Barry,” FX’s “Pose,” and Cartoon Network’s “Steven Universe,” as well as veteran series “The Americans” (winner for the 2014 Peabodys) and “The Good Place” (nominated for the 2017 Peabodys).

“It is our great honor to recognize the most powerful and compelling, but also most brilliant and creative programming of 2018,” said Jeffrey P. Jones, executive director of Peabody. “Across genres and platforms, these are stories that help us make sense of our world, and locate our humanity in the joys and tragedies and struggles of people worldwide.”

From the 60 nominees, which encompass entertainment, news, documentary, children’s and public service programming,...

An emotional Melissa McBride, who plays the strong and resourceful Carol on The Walking Dead, seemed to sum up the resonance of a pair of panels at an AMC Network event devoted to Hollywood’s new diversity. With the company’s second-annual summit working through an agenda covering the theme that “Story Matters,” discussions on “Who Gets To Tell Stories in Hollywood” and “How Stories are Told: Voices of Genre” offered a current snapshot of life in front of and behind the television cameras through the lens of #MeToo.

But a question about the evolution of McBride’s well-loved character from domestically abused wife to symbol of strength in a dystopian world brought a halting response from the star. McBride fought back tears, talking about knowing women who’d also faced abuse.

“I would love to see a day where this doesn’t happen,” she said. Then, citing the character...

One year ago, the Sundance Film Festival opened its doors to independent television. In the same way Robert Redford’s Park City playground built bridges between Hollywood’s longstanding studio world and the open-air, burgeoning indie film space, so too did the festival want to connect a booming television industry with the creative minds operating outside of it.

“Last year was such an experiment,” Sundance programmer Charlie Sextro told Indiewire. “It was [set up] to see what worked and what made sense.”

Like any first trial, the inaugural Indie Episodic Section had its successes and slip-ups. Sundance operated as it should: connecting fresh talent with eager buyers, but the atmosphere around television was far different from the one for film. Multiple TV projects sold to vaunted distribution platforms (like Starz and FX), while attendance issues created a conflicting in-the-room perception of the screenings’ overall impact.

This year, there are fewer indie TV pilots than before — 12 entries,...

The GLAAD Media Awards nominations have recognized “Blockers,” “Crazy Rich Asians,” “Deadpool 2,” “The Girl in the Spider’s Web” and “Love, Simon” as the outstanding film in the wide release category.

GLAAD announced their 30th annual nominations at the Sundance Film Festival on Friday. The Media Awards recognize and honor media for “their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community and the issues that affect their lives.”

Not reflected was Oscars Best Picture nominee “Bohemian Rhapsody.” TheWrap reported on Thursday that GLAAD made the decision to remove “Bohemian Rhapsody” and the story of the queer icon Freddie Mercury from awards contention in the wake of new sexual misconduct accusations against the film’s former director, Bryan Singer.

Also Read: GLAAD Removes 'Bohemian Rhapsody' From Awards Contention After Bryan Singer Sexual Misconduct Accusations

Oscar contenders like “The Favourite” and “Can You...

Films like “Crazy Rich Asians” and “The Favourite,” as well as artists such as Troye Sivan are among the nominees for the 30th annual GLAAD Media Awards.

The awards, handed out by the world’s largest Lgbtq media advocacy organization, recognizes media for fair, accurate, and inclusive representations of Lgbtq people and issues. Mj Rodriguez of “Pose” and Nico Santos from “Crazy Rich Asians” announced the nominees on Friday via a live-stream hosted from Park City, Utah, during the Sundance Film Festival.

Other nominees include FX’s “Pose,” Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale,” and artists Janelle Monae and Hayley Kiyoko, as well as media personalities Don Lemon, Stephen Colbert, and Samantha Bee. Variety is up for an nomination as well for overall magazine coverage, alongside Billboard, Ebony, Entertainment Weekly, and GQ.

Variety learned on Thursday that “Bohemian Rhapsody” has had its best original film nomination removed, following new accusations...

In only its second year of bringing independent television to Park City as part of its Indie Episodics section, Sundance has picked a dozen series that could include the next big TV hit. Among the announced independent shows include works by Nick Hornby, Richie Mehta, and Kyra Sedgwick, which range from comedies about start-ups to dating comedies about trans relationships to dramas about race. Sundance is also bringing in some other TV projects under its Special Events banner, including the newest season of IFC’s ongoing doc parody series “Documentary Now!” and Gregg Araki’s upcoming Starz series “Now Apocalypse,” executive produced by Steven Soderbergh.

The Special Events section will also play home to a brand new (and as yet untitled) documentary from Sundance regular Amy Berg, which tracks the creation of the Women’s March and what followed.

In an announcement, Sundance director of programming Kim Yutani said that...

After the critically acclaimed Spa Night, (2016 Sundance Film Fest selection) Andrew Ahn moved into the television sphere with a half dozen episodes of This Close, but without fanfare, he switched coasts, teamed with producer heavyweight James Schamus, shot in NYC this past July for his sophomore film Driveways. The filmmaker’s rapport with the fest is great — Spa Night participated in the Sundance Screenwriters Lab, the Film Independent Screenwriting Lab, and the Film Independent Directing Lab and he received a Sundance Institute Cinereach Feature Film Fellow grant. His short Dol (First Birthday) was a 2012 selection.

Gist: Tbd.…...

Super Deluxe had big plans for “The Passage.” The 21-minute comedy from Philip Burgers and Kitao Sakurai premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, and won honors at the La Film Festival, Aspen Shortsfest, and the New York Television Festival, among others — accolades that qualified the film to compete in the Academy Awards’ live-action short film category. To promote the short’s Nov. 2 premiere on its site, Super Deluxe sent sandwiches to the press (a nod to a memorable scene).

And then, on Oct. 19 Turner Media parent WarnerMedia decided to shut down the edgy digital studio in a move to streamline its digital offerings. A week later, “The Passage” also lost its long-term home: It was to be available indefinitely on FilmStruck, which WarnerMedia will shutter at the end of November.

However, there’s still Turner sibling TBS and TBS Digital, where “Passage” is now available for screening. It will also...

The latest fallout in the aftermath of the At&T-Time Warner merger is the shuttering of Super Deluxe, the multi-platform digital venture that had been a part of the Turner Entertainment family since 2015.

Citing the company’s achievements over those three years, a WarnerMedia statement outlined reasons for ending its production. “There are now massive changes in the social and mobile-first ecosystem and duplication with other business units in our new WarnerMedia portfolio. Super Deluxe found inspiring ways of connecting with a new generation and many of their best practices will be adopted by other Turner properties as we redirect this investment back into our portfolio,” the statement read.

Super Deluxe had made headway in various corners of the entertainment world, offering up digital series like Dean Fleischer-Camp’s “David” (starring Nathan Fielder) and Sarah Ramos’ “City Girl,” which made IndieWire’s list of the Best Web Series of 2017. Earlier this year,...

Each year Variety’s New Leaders feature profiles the most prominent up-and-comers in the entertainment business. To determine this year’s worthies, Variety looked across disciplines, from television, digital, music and film, to law and finance, as well as content creators. They were proposed by their bosses and peers who have worked with them and seen their rise. All are age 40 or under, and Variety has measured them by the progress of their career trajectories: do they take calculated risks? How fast have they risen in their companies? Are they innovative and employ solutions to problems that are creative? As part of the salute to the qualities that keep the town humming, filmmaker/producer Travis Knight, who founded Laika Studios and is finishing up the anticipated “Bumblebee” for Paramount, as well as Variety‘s 10 Assistants to Watch along with the New Leaders will be recognized Oct. 17, at the Jeremy Hotel rooftop in West Hollywood.

In Today’s TV News Roundup, BBC One released new images for its adaptation of “Les Misérables,” and HBO teased an image for its upcoming superhero series “Watchmen.”

Dates

Starz has announced the season two premiere of its espionage thriller “Counterpart” on Dec. 9 at 9 p.m. Et/Pt. This season will feature newcomers Betty Gabriel as series regular Naya Temple and James Cromwell in a recurring role as Yanek. Joining Gabriel and Cromwell is J.K. Simmons who will reprise his role as Howard alongside Olivia Williams, Harry Lloyd, Nicholas Pinnock, Nazanin Boniadi and Sara Serraiocco. “Counterpart” was created by Justin Marks who will also make his directorial debut on the series this season with executive producers Gary Gilbert, Jordan Horowitz, Morten Tyldum, Keith Redmon and Bard Dorros. Watch the trailer for season two below.

First Look

BBC One has released new images for its upcoming adaptation of “Les Misérables.” The...