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Cher broke out one of her best musical bits last night at the annual Love Rocks NYC benefit concert, taking the stage dressed as Elvis Presley to perform Marc Cohn’s “Walking in Memphis.”

Donning a pristine Presley pompadour wig and a pink shirt with a massive collar, Cher delivered a pristine performance of the 1991 classic as part of her three-song set (which also included “(This Is) A Song for the Lonely” and “Believe”). Cher famously recorded a version of “Walking in Memphis” for her 1995 album, It’s a Man’s World,...

Former First Lady Michelle Obama will participate in an event at South by Southwest, appearing at a featured session with her brother Craig Robinson.

The SXSW event will be held at 1 p.m. Ct on March 13.

The festival, which runs March 7-15 in Austin, did not specify a topic for the session.

Hugh Forrest, SXSW president and chief programming officer, said in a statement, “Michelle Obama has long been an inspiration to us at SXSW and to millions of people around the world. Her belief that we lift each other up by sharing our stories with one another is a core part of the SXSW experience and a key catalyst in helping creative people achieve their goals. It is the ultimate honor and an incredible thrill to welcome Michelle and her brother, Craig Robinson, to the 2025 event.”

Since Barack Obama’s term ended in 2017, the former first lady has written...

Christopher Nolan’s next big epic at Universal, The Odyssey, has added Himesh Patel, Elliot Page, Bill Irwin and Samantha Morton.

For Patel, Page and Irwin, it’s a reteam with the 2x Oscar-winning filmmaker. Patel starred in Nolan’s 2020 Tenet, Page in 2010’s Inception, and Irwin in 2014’s Interstellar. For 2x Oscar nominee Morton, it’s her first time working with Nolan.

The foursome join a booming ensemble that counts Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Benny Safdie and Charlize Theron.

Nolan’s mythic action epic, shot with new Imax cameras, is based on the ancient Greek poem by Homer which follows Odysseus, King of Ithaca, and his perilous journey home after the Trojan War. The classic explores themes of heroism, loyalty, cunning and the struggle against divine will. The tale includes iconic stories like Odysseus’ encounters with the Cyclops Polyphemus, the Sirens and the witch-goddess Circe,...

Sundance Film Festival has announced the 16 jurors heading into the festival launch on January 23, with Critics’ Week artistic director Ava Cahen,Celine Song, and Daniel Kaluuya among those taking part.

Song, whose Oscar-nominated Past Lives premiered in Park City in 2023, joins Bob Marley: One Love director Reinaldo Marcus Green, and Iranian-born Succession actor Arian Moayed as U.S. Dramatic Competition jurors.

Serving on the corresponding documentary jury are Steven Bognar, director of Sundance 2019 selection American Factory, Higher Ground head of film and TV Vinnie Malhotra, and Marcia Smith, who is president of the non-profit Firelight Media that advocates for documentary filmmakers of colour.

Eagle-eyed fans of the new reality show Later Daters may have noticed a surprising name in the credits: executive producer Michelle Obama. The eight-episode relationship series, which hit Netflix’s Top 10 list after it premiered on the streamer Nov. 29, follows six Atlanta-area singles between the ages of 56 and 71 as they navigate the modern dating world. The sweet, funny and occasionally racy show from Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company, Higher Ground, reflects the Obamas’ interest in making programming that speaks to a wide audience, one interested in topics well outside the world of potentially starchy or partisan political fare.

“It’s no secret that people feel like if it’s coming from the Obamas, that it’s going to be a specific thing and that maybe it’s not for them because of who it’s from,” says Ethan Lewis, Higher Ground’s senior vp nonfiction. “But we’re telling everyone’s story.

“The Later Daters” brings together six baby boomers for a shot at finding love in the next chapter of their lives, though love isn’t the only thing the single seniors will take away from their time on the Netflix series.

With the cast members leaning on guidance from behavioral scientist Logan Ury as well as their grown children or companions, the Netflix series is just “as much a transformation show as it is a dating show,” according to Boardwalk’s Sarina Roma, who executive produces the series alongside Jonathan Hausfater and Ethan Lewis, who EPs for Higher Ground, where Michelle Obama also executive produces.

“If Mrs. Obama is going to produce a dating show, it can’t just be releasing older folks into the wild and [putting] them in a fish bowl and see what happens,” Lewis told TheWrap. “We need to give this some structure and some sort of...

Music videos, photo series, and LEGOs. Those are just some of the origin stories of our Meet the Experts: Film Editing panelists Peter Schiberras (“Blitz”), Marco Costa (“Challengers”), Juliette Welfling (“Emilia Pérez”), Nicholas Monsour (“Nickel Boys”), and Myron Kerstein (“Wicked”). Watch the full roundtable above. Click each name to watch that person’s individual video interview.

“I think the first thing I ever edited was actually a music video for a housemate,” Sciberras tells Gold Derby. “He was directing a music video. It was pretty lo-fi. It was very low-budget. It was all set in a friend of a friend’s basement. It was really fun. Literally how it all started. I literally looked up the most well-known music video editor in town and started working for free essentially and shadowing him.”

See Interviews with 2025 Oscar contenders

Similarly, Kerstein’s friends would constantly ask him to cut things — this after...

A highly competitive auction has been raging for weeks over adaptative rights to S.A. Cosby’s forthcoming novel “King of Ashes,” and we have a winner.

Netflix, Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment and Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground emerged victorious over as many as 11 competing bids, multiple sources familiar with the deal told Variety. Amblin and Higher Ground will develop the book – described as a family crime drama — as a TV series, with Netflix backing.

Spielberg personally got involved to help bring the author over the finish line in recent days, two sources added. Representatives for all three companies did not immediately return Variety’s requests for comment.

Veteran lit agent Lucy Stille represented Cosby in the sale process on behalf of Josh Getzler at Hg Literary. The author’s popularity has exploded in recent years, as has his brand of Southern noir crime fiction. His previous works include “My Darkest Prayer,...

Colman Domingo plays a media pundit who stumbles on a murder he fears he’s being framed for in the trailer for The Madness, the upcoming conspiracy thriller from Netflix, that dropped on Monday.

“I got a bull’s eye on my back,” a paranoid Domingo, in the role of Muncie Daniels, says at one point in the fast-paced teaser after he visits a murder scene deep in the woods of the Poconos and finds he’s the only witness to a crime.

As the walls close in and he fears a set-up to make him take the fall, Daniels strives to reconnect with his estranged family — and his lost ideals — in order to clear his name. The eight-episode thriller, with the Emmy winner in the starring role, is set to bow on Netflix Nov. 28.

The ensemble cast for The Madness includes Marsha Stephanie Blake, Gabrielle Graham, John Ortiz, Tamsin Topolski and Thaddeus J.

Stevie Wonder is encouraging young people to take action and vote in the upcoming presidential election.

The musician joined the #SpeakYourVote campaign with video clip that sees him saying, “Please be brave enough to speak your vote.” It features a short instrumental song where fans can record their own version using TikTok’s “Duet” feature or the “Remix” feature on Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts.

“A lot of young people today are turned off by divisiveness,” Dr. Arvizu, founder of Civic Wisdom Foundation, who launched #SpeakYourVote, said in a statement.

Stevie Wonder discussed his early friendship with presidential candidate Kamala Harris and endorsed her as the next president in a 90-second political ad posted Friday.

“I was excited about Kamala years before people knew who she was,” Wonders say in the black-and-white clip. “I’m very happy for the future. I’m very happy because I know and believe that she will be the next president of these United States.”

https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris/status/1844741674574008545

Harris shared the clip on X. The video is structured as a conversation between Wonder...

Before singing “Can We Fix Our Nation’s Broken Heart,” the first song during a powerhouse, two-and-a-half–hour concert at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Thursday night, Stevie Wonder had a few things he needed to get off his chest. “Tonight I want us to celebrate the spirit of love,” he said. “When I wrote this song five years ago … I could feel the hearts being broken by negativity, by hatred, by racism, by bullshit, by absurdities, by things that were not true.”

Then he refocused on the...

When Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum stepped foot on the sidewalk in front of Hollywood’s Egyptian Theatre for the world premiere of Netflix’s Starting 5, an announcer’s voice cut through the music to announce the arrival of a “world champion” over the loud speakers. Yes, there was an announcer and a deejay at the high-energy Sept. 23 premiere, which featured a hardcourt in place of a traditional red carpet and rows of basketballs to set the scene.

“It’s a hell of a feeling, man,” Tatum told The Hollywood Reporter minutes later of being introduced to the crowd in that way, thanks to his Boston Celtics winning the NBA championship last season, a victory followed by a gold medal at the Paris Olympics. “We accomplished something that’s almost impossible to do, something we worked very hard to do. I’m glad we made it happen.”

Netflix and...

Hayden Christensen's performance as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader in Star Wars might be the actor's most iconic, but here are 10 brilliant roles Christensen has played in other shows and movies. Anakin Skywalker is not only one of Star Wars' best characters but also one of the most influential figures throughout the entire Star Wars timeline. While Darth Vader already existed before Christensen stepped into the role in the prequel trilogy, he brought something truly unique to the character and humanized the man Anakin had been before he donned the mask.

Christensen has since returned to Star Wars movies and TV shows, first in Obi-Wan Kenobi and then in Ahsoka. These appearances were arguably some of Christensen's best acting to date, but his acting chops haven't only been shown in Star Wars. These 10 roles in various shows and movies represent Hayden Christensen's best performances outside of Star Wars.

Takers Hayden...

Stevie Wonder has announced a fall tour that he has dubbed “Sing Your Song! As We Fix Our Nation’s Broken Heart,” a 10-date, pre-Election Day trek that takes the music legend to battleground states in October.

The performances — which serve as a call for “joy over anger, kindness over recrimination, peace over war,” Wonder said — will begin October 8 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Wonder is also set to play a Philadelphia show on October 12 in the hotly contested, potentially election-deciding state.

From October 8 to the 30th, Wonder will travel to arenas in Maryland,...

Convicted felon Randall Miller is planning on returning to a film set, and this time, the state of California may be helping him.

After pleading guilty to criminal trespassing and involuntary manslaughter in the on-set death of camera assistant Sarah Jones while shooting the film “Midnight Rider” in Georgia, Miller served a year in prison and is still currently under probation. Despite this, as reported by Variety, California has granted Miller $1.5 million in tax incentives to shoot in the state for an upcoming independent feature for which he and his team are currently seeking financing. Per the terms of his probation, Miller is unable to direct this project but has written the script and will serve as a producer.

The tax credits granted were for a production called “Supercrip,” which, according to a description, tells the story of a quadriplegic Uber driver whose life changes after meeting “a self-centered movie star.

Stevie Wonder is back with his first new song in four years, “Can We Fix Our Nation’s Broken Heart.”

The track is a tender plea for unity built around dextrous acoustic guitars and a melange of light percussion, while Wonder also laces it with piano, bass, harmonica, and more. Despite the multitudes this arrangement contains, Wonder’s voice and message remain front-and-center as he sings, “We’ve come together with purpose far bigger than you and me/Don’t have no time for hatred and negativity/It’s you and me,...

Stevie Wonder has called for a path to move forward through collective healing with his new song, “Can We Fix Our Nation’s Broken Heart.” Stream it below.

Over acoustic guitar and steady percussion, Wonder makes a case for mutual understanding and empathy. Insisting that there’s “light in everyone,” he requests fellow Americans come together for the sake of future generations.

“There’s a growing ocean of lies that we’ve been told/ To tear us down,” Wonder sings. “But what I’ve found/ Is with our truth, compassion, and love/ We can fix our nation’s heart.”

“Can We Fix Our Nation’s Broken Heart” comes one week after Wonder urged the crowd at the 2024 Democratic National Convention to choose “joy over anger” while introducing his performance of “Higher Ground.”

The hopeful track marks Wonder’s first solo release since 2020, when he unveiled “Can’t Put It in...

Netflix has announced its newest sports series, Starting 5, which will premiere on October 9, 2024. The 10-part series provides an intense, behind-the-scenes look at the 2023-24 NBA season through the eyes of five of the league’s biggest players – Jimmy Butler (Miami Heat), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers), Domantas Sabonis (Sacramento Kings), and Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics).

The series captures their battles on and off the court as they chase greatness, push through injuries, and balance the demands of family and legacy. James pushes himself harder than ever to stay healthy – and dominant – in his 21st season, while Edwards electrifies with his rapid rise.

Photo Courtesy of Netflix

Butler’s relentless drive propels the Heat, Sabonis anchors the Kings with his versatile play, and Tatum leads the Celtics in their quest for a record 18th championship. Starting 5 delivers an unfiltered view of life at the pinnacle of professional basketball.

The Netflix basketball series following LeBron James, Jimmy Butler, Anthony Edwards, Domantas Sabonis and Jayson Tatum has been confirmed, with October 9 premiere.

The streamer’s Starting 5 comes from James’ Uninterrupted in association with the Obamas’ Higher Ground and Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions. It is Netflix’s latest high-end sport series and will launch in just a few weeks’ time. Reports emerged last year.

Modeled after Quarterback, Starting 5 provides an intense, behind-the-scenes look at the 2023-24 NBA season through the eyes of five of the league’s biggest players. It captures their battles on and off the court as they chase greatness, push through injuries, and balance the demands of family and legacy.

Related: NFL 2024 Schedule Has São Paulo, London, Munich Games, Thanksgiving Triple-Header, Netflix Christmas Games

Netflix has worked with James’ Uninterrupted before on sports shows including Hustle and Neymar: The Perfect Chaos. Meanwhile, the Obamas’ Higher Ground is...

Netflix’s big new NBA docuseries is official. The streaming giant says that the series, called Starting 5, will debut Oct. 9 and follow NBA superstars LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, Anthony Edwards, Jimmy Butler and Domantas Sabonis during the 2023-2024 season, giving viewers “an unfiltered view of life at the pinnacle of professional basketball.”

Uninterrupted, the production company co-founded by James, is producing the series, with Maverick Carter serving as an EP.

Former president Barack Obama and Michelle Obama are also among the executive producers, with their Higher Ground serving as one of the production companies, as is Peyton Manning through his Omaha Productions.

Starting 5 has been in the works for nearly a year, but the 10-episode series is finally set to make its debut just ahead of the new NBA season, coming off of a big championship season for Tatum and the Celtics.

The series is arguably one of the biggest...

A representative for Beyoncé says the singer will not attend the 2024 Democratic National Convention.

“Beyoncé was never scheduled to be there,” the Grammy-winning star’s rep tells The Hollywood Reporter. “The report of a performance is untrue.”

Rumors about the pop star attending and performing at this year’s DNC, celebrating Vice President Kamala Harris’ historic presidential nomination, have exploded online throughout the week.

On Wednesday, it was reported that Pink would be the headline act ahead of Harris’ speech. On Thursday, Pink — who performed “What About Us” with her daughter Willow — appeared to have moved up in the lineup, continuing to add fuel to the fire about a surprise guest coming later in the night.

Beyoncé’s presence was ultimately still felt in Chicago’s United Center arena, as her song “Freedom” ended up playing Harris both on and off the stage for her speech when she formally accepted...

Pink skipped the acrobatics of her typical show and instead delivered a heartfelt performance of her song “What About Us” Thursday night at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The singer was joined by her daughter Willow Sage, who dueted the track with the singer.

Together, Pink, Willow, and their backup singers sang the track’s poignant verse: “We are searchlights, we can see in the dark/We are rockets, pointed up at the stars/We are billions of beautiful hearts/And you sold us down the river too far.

The Chicks will perform at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday, Rolling Stone has confirmed. Natalie Maines, Martie Maguire, and Emily Strayer will take the stage to give their rendition of the National Anthem.

The final evening of the convention, held in Chicago, is reported to feature Vice President Kamala Harris, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, and former Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Giffords.

The Chicks are the latest country act to perform at the Convention this year, after Jason Isbell and Mickey Guyton...

Pink is set to perform at the 2024 Democratic National Convention, ahead of Kamala Harris’ acceptance speech, The Associated Press reported.

The singer rounds out the lineup of performers who took the stage at Chicago’s United Arena this week, including Lil Jon, Stevie Wonder, Maren Morris and John Legend.

The performance will mark Pink’s first major political performance. The “Just Give Me a Reason” artist has also been an outspoken activist of women’s rights. In 2022, she told her fans who supported the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, “Never fucking listen to my music again. And also fuck right off.”

On night three, Legend and Sheila E. paid tribute to vice presidential candidate Tim Walz’s home state of Minnesota by performing Prince’s song “Let’s Go Crazy.” The late icon was born in Minneapolis.

John Legend and Sheila E perform “Let...

Stevie Wonder graced the Democratic National Convention stage on Wednesday to deliver both a heartfelt speech and performance in support of Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota governor Tim Walz.

Speaking to the thousands gathered at the United Center in Chicago, Wonder declared: “I love you. Every song that I’ve sing, every song that I’ve written is because of my love for you right here.”

He continued, “But this year, I prayed very hard for peace to come to our world’s nations, but also...

Exclusive: Higher Ground, the production company of President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, has appointed Anikah McLaren to serve as Head of Film, Deadline can exclusively reveal.

McLaren joins from the recently shuttered Participant, where she spent a little over five years as Executive Vice President of Narrative Film, co-running the department as a key member of the leadership team. In her new role, she will lead Higher Ground’s scripted film division, reporting to President Vinnie Malhotra.

McLaren joins a team that also includes Jessie Dicovitsky, who is Head of Television, and Ethan Lewis, who oversees Higher Ground’s unscripted and non-fiction content. She’ll be based out of Los Angeles and will have VP of Film Mark Wright reporting to her.

“Throughout her wide-ranging career, Anikah has proven she can make bold, provocative, and cinematic visions a reality,” observed Malhotra in a statement to Deadline. “She brings invaluable experience,...

After leaving office, Barack Obama has focused on his production company with wife Michelle. The production company, called Higher Ground, was founded in 2018. The power couple have now created 17 projects in TV and movies.

Over the past few years, Barack and Michelle Obama transitioned from political powerhouses to influential figures in entertainment through their production company, Higher Ground, which has already released 17 projects. Founded in 2018, Higher Ground was created with the mission of entertaining, informing, and inspiring audiences of all ages. It also has a central focus on elevating new and diverse voices within the entertainment space, evident through each of its projects. Each movie and television show from the studio feels intentional with its characters and storylines, as they all demonstrate a profound dedication to fostering empathy, understanding, and social change.

What further sets Higher Ground apart is how its filmography spans numerous genres and themes, which is a...

In her 2022 Toronto curtain raiser “The Swimmers,” telling the true story of two Syrian sisters and their emotional and gruelling journey to Europe to escape the civil war, director Sally El-Hossaini went to great lengths to ensure authenticity, using real-life refugees both in-front of and behind the camera.

For Counterpoints Arts, the U.K. charity that focusses on culture and migration, “The Swimmers” offered a great example of how projects involving refugees and migrants could — and should — be developed. As the organization’s co-founder and director Almir Koldzic explains to Variety, El-Hossaini made sure that “people with lived experiences were represented on every level of production and were respected in that process.”

Since it launched in 2012, Counterpoints has worked alongside the U.K. arts scene as part of its efforts to “inspire social change and enhance inclusion and cultural integration,” putting on numerous film screenings concerning the subject, many during the annual Refugee Week,...

Exclusive: Higher Ground, the media company started by President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, has extended its creative partnership with Netflix. As part of the deal, Higher Ground will have a multiyear first-look deal with Netflix for all of its film and TV projects.

The relationship has been a fruitful one so far, as Higher Ground has become one of Netflix’s top suppliers of tastemaker film and TV projects. This comes on the heels of Netflix revealing that the Higher Ground film Leave the World Behind with Mahershala Ali and Julia Roberts topped all of Netflix viewing in the second half of 2023 and that Bodkin, the Will Forte crime drama series, debuted on Netflix’s Top 10 weekly global list.

Higher Ground’s recent projects with Netflix include Rustin, American Symphony, Leave the World Behind, Working: What We Do All Day and Bodkin. Rustin, a feature film that tells the...

Vera Farmiga and Taissa Farmiga are sisters and both stars in the Conjuring franchise, encouraging fan speculation about their relationship. There is a 21-year age difference between Vera and Taissa Farmiga, with Vera being the eldest of the seven siblings in their family. Although they haven't shared any scenes in the Conjuring franchise, their characters' connection has been canonized, and they have previously acted together in Higher Ground and At Middleton. There is hope for future collaborations.

With Vera Farmiga and Taissa Farmiga both starring in The Conjuring franchise, viewers are left wondering how the two scream queens are related, if at all. While Vera Farmiga's screen career began in the late '90s, her breakout role came with the 2004 Sundance darling Down to the Bone. Following her award-winning performance in that indie drama, she landed roles in other acclaimed films, including The Manchurian Candidate, The Departed, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas,...

Dystopian thriller “Leave the World Behind” was the most-watched film — and title overall — on Netflix globally in the second half of 2023, while anime-inspired live action series “One Piece” led on the TV side among individual series seasons.

The data comes from Netflix’s second edition of “What We Watched: A Netflix Engagement Report,” reflecting viewership on the streamer from July-December 2023 covering 99% of all viewing on Netflix. Subscribers across the world watched about 90 billion hours of Netflix in the second half of 2023, compared with 93 billion hours in the first half of the year.

Netflix released its first big data dump, covering the first half of 2023, last December. In the second report, released Thursday, the company has added runtime and views (total hours viewed divided by runtime) and separated films and TV series, syncing it up with its weekly Top 10 and Most Popular lists.

“Leave the World Behind,” Netflix’s No. 5 most popular movie of all time,...

Embark on an epic journey through time and history with “Lost Cities Revealed With Albert Lin” as Season 1 unfolds with “Higher Ground.” Tune in to National Geographic at 10:00 Pm on Thursday, May 9, 2024, for an exploration of ancient civilizations and the mysterious lost cities they left behind.

In this episode, intrepid explorer Albert Lin ventures to Peru, Oman, and Mexico, uncovering the secrets of ancient civilizations that have long been buried beneath the sands of time. From the majestic ruins of Machu Picchu to the enigmatic tombs of Oman, and the hidden temples of Mexico, viewers will be taken on a captivating journey to rediscover these lost cities and unlock the mysteries of their past.

“Lost Cities Revealed With Albert Lin” promises to be an exhilarating adventure filled with stunning landscapes, groundbreaking discoveries, and fascinating insights into the cultures and civilizations that once thrived in these ancient metropolises. Don’t...

Netflix is offering the first sneak peak of Bodkin, its dark comedic thriller about a motley crew of podcasters who set out to investigate the mysterious disappearance of three strangers in a quaint, coastal Irish town.

Dropping May 9, Bodkin is from Barack and Michelle Obama‘s Higher Ground productions — the company’s first scripted drama series at Netflix as part of its overall deal. David Wilmot (Station Eleven) and Chris Walley (The Last Voyage of the Demeter) also star in the seven-episode thriller that was shot in Ireland.

Forte plays Gilbert, a charming, open, and enthusiastic podcaster from the U.S. who’s on the hunt for his next big story. Originally from Chicago, Gilbert’s family emigrated from Cork, and is hoping to discover his Irish roots. Cullen portrays Dove, a hard-nosed investigative journalist from Dublin who has a fine-tuned bullshit detector and...

Welcome to our weekly rundown of the best new music — featuring big new singles, key tracks from our favorite albums, and more. This week, three highlights from Beyoncé’s game-changing Cowboy Carter (including a sweet Miley Cyrus duet), Camila Cabello returns with a super-charged hyperpop single, and St. Vincent previews her forthcoming album with a heavy, funky new track. Plus, new music from Sheryl Crow, Carin León, Leon Bridges, D4vd, and more.

Beyoncé, “Ya Ya” (YouTube)

Beyoncé feat. Miley, “II Most Wanted” (YouTube)

Beyoncé, “Bodyguard” (YouTube)

Camila Cabello feat.

Exclusive: Tonia Davis, who has been the Head of Motion Pictures for five years at Higher Ground, is transitioning out of the role. She will remain a producer on upcoming projects at the studio.

Higher Ground Productions President Vinnie Malhotra will continue to oversee the company’s film and television divisions.

Davis tells us, “I am immensely proud of the work we have done together at Higher Ground, including winning an Academy Award and bringing important and entertaining stories to audiences around the world. Now is the right time for me to start my next chapter and I am excited to continue to produce alongside the team at Higher Ground.”

Higher Ground’s Joe Paulsen adds, “Tonia has been an integral part of Higher Ground since the beginning. We are so grateful for her work and dedication over the past five years and excited to continue producing with her during...

Exclusive: Bernard Kira, the manager and producer behind the nine-year-old shingle Bmk-ent, has rebranded the company as Apparent Motion Media, also announcing his signing of International Emmy winner Fernando Rovzar (Hotel Cocaine).

Kira’s move to rebrand comes as he preps Higher Ground, his third film as a producer, and second for an in-house client. Heading into production in March, the film is based on a script discovered by Apparent Motion client Charlie Weber (How to Get Away with Murder), which was developed internally, before being packaged and sold with Weber headlining. Previously, Kira set up client Erlingur Thoroddsen’s film The Piper, a horror pic poised to hit theaters on March 8.

In a statement on the re-launch of his company, Kira made the observation that “artists are becoming more proactive in generating their own opportunities and controlling the trajectory of their careers.” He added that he “started Bmk-ent with...

Exclusive: Hot on the heels of an Academy Award nomination for his starring turn in Netflix’s civil rights drama Rustin, Colman Domingo has been appointed to the Board of Directors of The Gotham Film & Media Institute.

As the newest member, he will work with The Gotham on their mission to celebrate and nurture independent film and media creators by providing career-building resources, access to industry influencers, and pathways to wider recognition.

Domingo joins a board that includes Focus Features Vice Chairman Jason Cassidy and multi-hyphenate Riley Keough, whose additions were announced in November. Other members include Nancy Abraham, Anthony Bregman, Jeb Brody, Gerry Byrne, Alina Cho, Dan Crown, Mark D’Arcy (Director Emeritus), Amy Emmerich, Philipp Engelhorn, Kai Falkenberg, James Janowitz, Franklin Leonard, Stephanie March, Soledad O’Brien, Dee Poku, Hanna Rodriguez-Farrar, John Schmidt, Lisa Taback, Teddy Schwarzman, Drew Wilson, and Celia Winchester.

“As long-time admirers of Colman’s brilliant...

Obama's favorite films of 2023 include Rustin, Leave the World Behind, and American Symphony, all produced by his company Higher Ground. The former President also highlighted how the film industry underwent important changes in 2023 due to a strike, improving working conditions and protections. In addition to his company's films, Obama also enjoyed The Holdovers, BlackBerry, Oppenheimer, American Fiction, Anatomy of a Fall, Monster, Past Lives, Air, Polite Society, and A Thousand and One.

Former US President Barack Obama has revealed his favorite movies of 2023, including some from his own production company alongside hits like Oppenheimer. The famous politician founded Higher Ground Productions in 2018 alongside his wife, Michelle Obama, and has since produced multiple movies, shows, documentaries, and podcasts. Three films made by his company were released for Netflix in late 2023.

Now, Obama has posted a list of his favorite movies in 2023, highlighting the films that were produced by Higher Ground.

Deadline’s Read the Screenplay series spotlighting the year’s most talked-about scripts continues with Rustin, Netflix’s biopic of civil rights icon Bayard Rustin. Colman Domingo stars in the film, which is directed by Tony winner George C. Wolfe and hit theaters and the streamer in November after its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival.

The screenplay co-written by Julian Breece and Oscar winner Dustin Lance Black focuses on one of the main architects of the 1963 March on Washington, where more than 200,000 hear Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech on the National Mall. Rustin was a fulcrum in the civil rights movement, working alongside the likes of King, Adam Clayton Powell Jr and Ella Baker, though as an openly gay man in that era he often had to work behind the scenes. He challenged authority and never apologized for who he was or what he believed.

Bayard Rustin is getting a posthumous honor from the City of New York.

The civil rights leader is at the center of a new New York City holiday, with Mayor Eric Adams declaring November 3 officially Bayard Rustin Day. Netflix film “Rustin” premieres in select theaters today, November 3, followed by a streaming release November 17.

A special screening of the film at the Paris Theatre is organized by Netflix for 300 high school and city college students to mark Bayard Rustin Day, “honoring the legacy of one of the greatest activists and organizers the world has ever known, Bayard Rustin,” per the official release. The celebration at City Hall follows the screening, with a proclamation being handed to the late Rustin’s partner Walter Naegle designating November 3 as Bayard Rustin Day in NYC and celebrating the theatrical release of the film. Naegle also serves as the executive director of the Bayard Rustin Fund.

Like “Testament” — the 1983 movie that imagined the fallout, both nuclear and psychological, after an atomic bomb is dropped on American soil — “Leave the World Behind” depicts a plausible doomsday scenario from the perspective of a handful of ordinary characters. Not military experts, not scientists, but two families obliged to shelter under the same roof out in the Hamptons while something scary unfolds a few hours away, off-screen, in New York.

As the stress-prone matriarch of one of these families, Julia Roberts utters a line that earns a big laugh near the start, partly because America’s sweetheart isn’t supposed to say something so dismissive of everyone else on the planet, but also because many audiences can probably relate. Staring out the window of her Park Slope apartment, she pronounces, “I fucking hate people.” The name of Roberts’ character is Amanda Sandford, but it might as well be Karen, such is the rush-to-judgment,...

A shark attack period piece, how ’bout that? Screen Daily reports this morning that Blue Fox Entertainment is launching sales on Fear Below at the upcoming American Film Market.

Blue Fox has worldwide sales rights on the film, which comes from Bronte Pictures.

Screen Daily reports, “Matthew Holmes directs the story of a team of professional divers in 1940’s Australia hired to locate a sunken car in a river whose efforts are thwarted by a deadly bull shark hunting in the waters.

“When the divers discover they are working for ruthless criminals trying to recover their stolen gold bullion, the bank robbers prove to be as treacherous as what lurks beneath the surface.”

Hermione Corfield (Sea Fever), Will Fletcher (The Rings Of Power), Jake Ryan (Wyrmwood: Apocalypse), Clayton Watson (Matrix Revolutions), Josh McConville (Elvis), Kevin Dee (Road To Boston), Sam Parsonson (Transfusion), Jacob Nayingul (Higher Ground), and Arthur Angel (The King’s Daughter) star.

Company to show first footage in Santa Monica.

Blue Fox Entertainment has acquired worldwide sales rights on Bronte Pictures’ shark thriller Fear Below and is launching talks with buyers at the AFM next week.

Matthew Holmes directs the story of a team of professional divers in 1940’s Australia hired to locate a sunken car in a river whose efforts are thwarted by a deadly bull shark hunting in the waters.

When the divers discover they are working for ruthless criminals trying to recover their stolen gold bullion, the bank robbers prove to be as treacherous as what lurks beneath the surface.

Editor’s note: This review was originally published at the 2023 AFI Fest Film Festival. Netflix releases the film in select theaters on Wednesday, November 22; the film will start streaming on Netflix on Friday, December 8.

When Barack and Michelle Obama made the unusual post-presidential move of partnering with Netflix to launch Higher Ground Productions, it was often reported that they cited “Get Out” as the kind of film they were interested in making. Invoking Jordan Peele’s Oscar-winning debut, which uses horror tropes to make an unambiguously progressive point about race relations in America, sent a clear message to potential collaborators. The Obamas wanted it known that they had something to say, but weren’t interested in producing cinematic homework.

It was a lofty goal, but their first slate never quite achieved it. Since signing with Netflix in 2018, the Obamas have largely stuck to the kinds of projects you might expect...

Between “Beckham,” “Quarterback” and the nationally captivating “The Last Dance,” we are clearly living in our peak sports docuseries era. And now four-time, NBA champion LeBron James and hall of famers Peyton Manning have combined with the Obamas’ production company to contribute their own sports series centered around the NBA, Variety has confirmed.

James’ SpringHill Company (which he started with business partner Maverick Carter) will join Manning’s production company Omaha Productions and the Obamas’ Higher Ground. The series will divide up each episode following various NBA athletes as they live their lives, similar to the Netflix docuseries “Quarterback,” which followed three NFL quarterbacks during the 2022-2023 football season.

Higher Ground’s “American Factory” won the Academy Award for best documentary in 2019 and past films “Crip Camp” and “Becoming” were both nominated. The production company currently has a first look deal with Netflix, so assumptions are being made that this...

Another major sports docuseries is in the works, and this one has some major star power behind it.

Lakers star LeBron James and his SpringHill Company is in talks with Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions and Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground for a series that would follow professional basketball players, a source familiar with the discussions confirms to The Hollywood Reporter. The format would bring the same approach to the NBA that Omaha’s Quarterback brought to the NFL.

The NBA is also expected to be involved in the show, much as NFL Films is a partner on Quarterback. The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the news, says that the show will likely end on Netflix, where Higher Ground has a first-look deal, and where Quarterback emerged as a successful addition to the genre earlier this year.

It’s not immediately clear which players the series would follow,...

Colman Domingo is demanding the spotlight for his next film role. The "Candyman" and "Euphoria" actor portrays queer civil rights activist Bayard Rustin in Netflix's upcoming biopic, "Rustin." Per the streamer, the movie will chronicle Rustin's rise as the "architect of 1963's momentous March on Washington," where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his historic "I Have a Dream" speech. According to the movie's trailers, which arrived on Aug. 28 and Oct. 19, "Rustin" is also expected to spotlight some of the obstacles the titular figure faced during his lifetime, including police brutality and criticism over his sexuality.

Rustin, known as one of the greatest organizers in history, "challenged authority, never apologized for who he was, what he believed, or who he desired," per Netflix. And though he made history, the influential figure's accomplishments have seemingly been forgotten - until now.

In addition to Domingo, "Rustin," directed by George C. Wolfe,...

Netflix this morning dropped the full-length trailer for its civil rights-themed biopic “Rustin,” executive produced by Barack and Michelle Obama through their Higher Ground production company and starring Emmy winner Colman Domingo in the lead. It tells the story of the unheralded (until now) movement leader Bayard Rustin (Domingo), the architect of the historic 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and a close friend of Martin Luther King Jr. The trailer abundantly features Domingo of course but also snippets of most members of the all-star cast, which includes Chris Rock, Glynn Turman, Aml Ameen, Gus Halper, Cch Pounder, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Johnny Ramey, Michael Potts, Jeffrey Wright and Audra McDonald. Watch the trailer above.

Produced by Oscar winner Bruce Cohen (“American Beauty”), “High Ground’s” Tonia Davis and five-time Tony Winner George C. Wolfe (who also directs), “Rustin” has quite a pedigree. It’s also co-written by “Milk” Academy...

Taissa Farmiga, an American actress, was born on August 17, 1994. She hails from Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, and is the younger sister of actress Vera Farmiga. Known for her appearances in numerous horror films, she has gained recognition as a prominent scream queen.

Encouraged by her sister, Farmiga embarked on her acting career by making her debut in Vera Farmiga’s film, Higher Ground (2011). Subsequently, she gained prominence for her work on the anthology series American Horror Story, where she starred in the seasons Murder House (2011), Coven (2013–2014), Roanoke (2016), and Apocalypse (2018). In her early film roles, she appeared in the romantic comedy At Middleton (2013), the crime drama The Bling Ring (2013), and the psychological thriller Mindscape (2013), which marked her first leading role.

Farmiga received praise for her performances in the comedy slasher film The Final Girls (2015) and the drama films 6 Years (2015) and Share (2015), all of which premiered at South by Southwest. These...