News

Exclusive: Greenacre Films, the British drama production company behind Netflix’s Michaela Coel-fronted musical Been So Long, is bolstering its TV slate and has set a raft of new projects including the adaptation of Mumbai-set novels The Space Between Us and The Secrets Between Us.

The company, run by Amanda Jenks, exec producer of HBO and BBC’s Sienna Miller-fronted Tippi Hedren biopic The Girl, and Nadine Marsh-Edwards, who worked on John Hurt’s An Englishman In New York, spoke to Deadline for the first of a number of profiles of the leading UK-based drama firms that are working with one eye on the U.S. and the rest of the world.

They have just come off the back of Been So Long, which was the largest single acquisition of a British film by Netflix. The musical, which was written by Che Walker and directed by Tinge Krishnan,...

The Berlin film festival will present a special screening of An Englishman in New York by Richard Laxton to commemorate John Hurt, who recently died.

"Since the 1990s, he had attended the Berlinale with regularity and starred in 12 films presented at the festival," organizers said. "The British actor is considered one of the most brilliant performers of the stage and screen in the last 50 years."

German moviegoers can currently see Hurt in Jackie, starring Natalie Portman. Berlinale entries featuring Hurt have included the likes of The Commissioner, V for Vendetta and Resident Alien.

In 2009, Hurt received the Teddy Award n Berlin for...

England is viewed by the wider world as a nation of eccentrics. This is considered a genetic characteristic, and something to be celebrated. Like most assumptions, the truth lies somewhat wide of the remark. Quentin Crisp, one such "National Treasure," is now rightly revered as one, but his journey from pariah nuisance to that of sage-like venerability was a long and winding affair. He migrated to New York, remaining vital till the end, an amalgam of defiance and disappointment worn as wit.

Some considered him a latter-day Oscar Wilde, a comparison he didn't much value, remarking that he'd known many who'd been sent to prison for crimes of the flesh like Wilde's, without being broken or penning such bad verse.

Unkind maybe, but Wilde had it all and lost it largely because of his own arrogance. He could have fled to Paris, had the chance to but didn't take it.

Ealing Studios has acquired a significant stake in TV and film company GreenAcre Films and forged a new creative partnership with the company that will see Ealing Studios expand its TV division.

Having already announced earlier this year the ITV commission of Maigret for two stand-alone films starring Rowan Atkinson, Ealing Studios’ stake in GreenAcre will see them develop a TV slate for both UK and international broadcasters.

It marks the first partnership at the newly restructured Ealing Studios headed by Ben Latham-Jones.

Co-founded by Nadine Marsh-Edwards and Amanda Jenks in 2010, GreenAcre Films became a division of Wall to Wall in 2012. It will continue to co-produce its current drama slate, which includes projects for HBO, BBC and ITV.

As well as developing new TV projects, GreenAcre will also expand its feature film roster which already has a number of titles in development with the BFI.

In a joint statement, GreenAcre co-founders Nadine Marsh-Edwards and Amanda Jenks said:...

Portrait of a Lady: Laxton’s Mannered Version of Victoria Era Repression

There’s well-meaningness to Effie Gray that makes it worthy of discussion, at least for how it attempts to frankly portray the sexual oppression of women in Victorian era England, an aspect often subtly rendered or left altogether untouched. As directed by Richard Laxton, best known for his made-for-television films of varying quality (An Englishman in New York; Burton & Taylor), there’s a sense that the somewhat ambitious emotions existing beneath all those stuffy costumes have been a tad oversimplified. Considering the screenplay was penned by Emma Thompson, who appears in a warmly attenuated supporting role, perhaps expectations are poised a bit high for a tale that’s both representative and also conveniently uncommon (this seems the only possible way for this film to reach a believable yet upbeat solution), as it relates a famous art world scandal...

Finding love these days is just an app away, but the stricter social mores of the mid-1800s had a much more rigid context for passion, and it's against this backdrop that "Effie Gray" unfolds. Today we have an exclusive clip from the period drama. Directed by Richard Laxton ("Burton And Taylor," "An Englishman In New York"), the movie tells the story of the scandalous affair between Effie Gray (Dakota Fanning) and Pre-Raphaelite artist John Everett Millais (Tom Sturridge), one that develops when the young woman finds herself locked in a sexless marriage with an art critic (Greg Wise). And in this clip, the emotional toll that comes to bear on John is too much, while Effie has accepted what she must endure. Emma Thompson (who also wrote the script), David Suchet, Robbie Coltrane and Julie Walters co-star in the movie which opens on April 3rd. Watch below.

The release of "Effie Gray" was delayed for almost two years because of plagiarism lawsuits against the film's screenwriter (and co-star) Emma Thompson, who won an Academy Award for her adaptation of "Sense and Sensibility."  As The Playlist previously reported, "The period drama was completed 18 months ago, but the movie got bogged down in legal disputes, with two separate writers (Eve Pomerance and Gregory Murphy, who both wrote plays and existing screenplays on the subject) claiming the film leans too liberally on their existing works." These charges have since been dropped and the British biographical drama is her first adult-centric screenplay (having written both "Nanny McPhee" scripts) since the Oscar-winning "Sense and Sensibility." Directed by Richard Laxton ("An Englishman in New York"), the film stars Dakota Fanning as the titular character Euphemia "Effie" Gray, wife of great 19th century art...

Great news, gay cinephiles! LogoTV snapped up a compelling catalog of gay movies and has made them available for free online streaming! (Sorry international folks, we only have U.S. distribution rights, so like so much else these days, these are geo-blocked.)

Now these are small indie films, so while they all have gay storylines and most feature cute male casts, not all of them are cinematic gems. But hey, on the whole they don’t suck!

Some of them are actually pretty good. In fact, we count five that made our reader ranked list of the Top 100 Greatest Gay Movies: Eating Out 2 (#85), Adam & Steve (#79), Eating Out (#56), Boy Culture (#36) and Latter Days (#5).

In Latter Days a young and promiscuous gay man sets his sights on seducing his Mormon missionary neighbor. The resulting affair changes both their lives. The film stars Wes Ramsey and Steve Sandvoss and also has Joseph Gordon-Levitt in a supporting role.

After the campy and somewhat sad spectacle that was Lindsay Lohan's Lifetime movie "Liz and Dick" last fall, BBC America will be offering up its own take on the story of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. The network announced today that it will co-produce "Burton and Taylor," a 90-minute TV movie about the volatile relationship between the two Hollywood greats, with BBC Four. Dominic West (who recently starred in BBC America's period drama "The Hour") and Helena Bonham Carter will play Burton and Taylor in a film centered around the pair's ill-fated appearance in a 1983 stage revival of Noel Coward's "Private Lives." "Burton and Taylor" is written by William Ivory ("Made in Dagenham") and directed by Richard Laxton ("An Englishman in New York" and the upcoming "Effie"). Lachlan McKinnon ("Silent Witness") is the producer -- "Burton and Taylor" is distributed internationally by BBC Worldwide and, while no...

For a while there last year, it looked like Emma Thompson's script for the film "Effie" was never going to reach production. The film is based on the true love affair between Victorian artist, architect, poet and political thinker John Ruskin and his wife, Effie Gray, and the mysterious circumstances over why their marriage was never consummated, leaving Effie a virgin until she remarried Ruskin's protege, painter John Everett Millais. While Thompson assuredly has her own take as to why Ruskin suddenly became disgusted with his wife, playwright Gregory Murphy felt Thompson's script was too close to his 1999 play "The Countess," and sued for copyright infringement in February of last year. The end result was a delay in production, with Saoirse Ronan ultimately departing the project and being replaced by Dakota Fanning prior to a fall start.

First look photos of the film have finally arrived online, though they...

The complete first season of hit comedy Sirens is coming to DVD on March 12th – and to celebrate we’ve got three copies to give away!

Sirens stars British Comedy Award winner Kayvan Novak (Facejacker, Four Lions), Richard Madden (Birdsong, Game of Thrones), Rhys Thomas (Shooting Stars, Bellamy’s People), and Amy Beth Hayes (Secret Diary of a Call Girl) in the six-part comedy drama set in Leeds from Brian Fillis, (The Curse of Steptoe, An Englishman in New York) inspired by real life ambulance technician Tom Reynolds’ novel - Blood, Sweat and Tea’.

Swept along by an endless tide of bodily fluids (rarely their own), the trio of world-weary paramedics bicker, fight and shag their way through the darkly funny maelstrom of their lives. Behind the uniforms, the sirens and the fast driving, they are three ordinary blokes trying to make it through yet another shift. But once they...

The complete first season of hit comedy Sirens is coming to DVD on March 12th – and to celebrate we’ve got three copies to give away!

Sirens stars British Comedy Award winner Kayvan Novak (Facejacker, Four Lions), Richard Madden (Birdsong, Game of Thrones), Rhys Thomas (Shooting Stars, Bellamy’s People), and Amy Beth Hayes (Secret Diary of a Call Girl) in the six-part comedy drama set in Leeds from Brian Fillis, (The Curse of Steptoe, An Englishman in New York) inspired by real life ambulance technician Tom Reynolds’ novel – Blood, Sweat and Tea’.

Swept along by an endless tide of bodily fluids (rarely their own), the trio of world-weary paramedics bicker, fight and shag their way through the darkly funny maelstrom of their lives. Behind the uniforms, the sirens and the fast driving, they are three ordinary blokes trying to make it through yet another shift. But once they’ve...

Although excluded from the Oscars race and unsuccessful with its one nomination for best actress at the Golden Globes, director Lynne Ramsay's We Need To Talk About Kevin triumphed at the London Evening Standard British Film Awards.

The drama - about a woman's attempt to come to terms with her son's involvement in an American high school massacre - won the trophy for best film at last night's ceremony. However, it lost out in the best actress and best technical categories in which it had also been nominated.

Also up for best film were Archipelago, Shame, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Tyrannosaur.

Michael Fassbender (above) picked up the best actor award for his portrayal of a sex addict in Shame and his role in Jane Eyre, while Olivia Colman won the best actress award, beating three Oscar winners - Vanessa Redgrave, Rachel Weisz and Tilda Swinton - to the prize.

Take a look at this list of the top-grossing or most visible gay and bisexual movies of the last ten years: Brokeback Mountain, Milk, Capote, Taking Woodstock, A Home at the End of the World, Howl, Far From Heaven, The Hours, Little Ashes, Brideshead Revisited, I Love You Phillip Morris, Kinsey, and A Single Man.

Notice anything that they all have in common – other than the fact that most of them are quite good?

They're all set in the past – as is J. Edgar, an upcoming movie directed by Clint Eastwood and written by Dustin Lance Black that is getting considerable buzz, and the upcoming James Franco movie, The Broken Tower.

Meanwhile, over the same period, many of the TV movies that have made the biggest impression – Prayers for Bobby, Pedro, An Englishman in New York – have also been set in the past.

What's that about?

"Well, for one thing,...

17 year old Dakota Fanning has apparently been cast in the title role of Emma Thompson's period biopic Effie, replacing previously attached Saoirse Ronan, according to Deadline.

The film, set in 1850s London, tells the story of the doomed marriage between beautiful teenager Euphemia 'Effie' Gray and art critic John Ruskin and will be directed by An Englishman in New York's Richard Laxton.

Effie has been in the pipeline for five years, with Carey Mulligan also previously linked to the role, but production was delayed as Gregory Murphy took the producers to court claiming copyright infringement of his play The Countess.

Effie suffered a loveless marriage which was never consummated as for some reason Ruskin - to be played by Emma's husband Greg Wise - found her body disgusting. She eventually fell for his protege, painter John Everett Millais, to be played by 25 year old British actor Tom Sturridge.

I don't know what's more bizarre about this story, the fact that, according to Variety, Steven Soderbergh has cast Matthew McConaughey in his film, or that he's been cast as a former stripper. Even more bizarre, the film -- Magic Mike -- will also star Channing Tatum as a veteran stripper who mentors an up-and-coming stripper, who will be played Alex Pettyfer, who I'd thought had been given up for has-been after "the next big star" failed to materialize in two films earlier this year. Sometimes, I think Soderbergh just likes the challenge, and in this scenario, McConaughey is actually the most seasoned actor of the bunch, and suited to the role of a former stripper. If Soderbergh can extract decent performances out of Charming Potato and Spuds McDouche, he should get a lifetime achievement award from the state of Idaho.

Emma Thompson and her husband Greg Wise have been...

Dakota Fanning will walk down the aisle in "Effie". The actress, who turned 17 last February, is set to portray the titular character in the period biopic, written by Emma Thompson, about the unfortunate marriage between Euphemia Gray (Effie) and art critic John Ruskin in 1840's London.

Effie was 17 years old when tying the knot with Ruskin. Despite her beauty, Ruskin never consumated their marriage, which lasted for five years, because he was disgusted with her body. After suffering through a loveless marriage, Effie fell in love with Ruskin's protege, painter John Everett Milias, and married him.

Previously, Carey Mulligan and Saoirse Ronan were reported circling the coveted lead role. Orlando Bloom was also mentioned to play Milias, but he has apparently dropped the part which now belongs to Tom Sturridge. Greg Wise, who is Thompson's husband, will play Ruskin.

Beside penning the script, Thompson will portray Lady Eastlake, who takes devastated Effie under her wing.

Dakota Fanning and Emma Thompson are about to make some costume designers very happy.

The "Twilight" actress and former Hogwarts professor have teamed up for "Effie," a Victorian drama set in 1850s London, according to Deadline.

"Effie" chronicles the loveless marriage between Euphemia Gray (Fanning), a beautiful teenage socialite, and John Ruskin (Greg Wise), a famed critic who, despite his wife's extreme beauty, was disgusted by her physically and never consummated their five-year marriage. After much humiliation and browbeating by her in-laws, Effie fell in love with with Ruskin's protégé, painter John Everett Millais (Tom Sturridge).

Emma Thompson wrote the screenplay and will also appear as Lady Eastlake, who takes Effie under her wing when it was clear the union was destroying the young woman. Julie Walters and Derek Jacobi will play Ruskin’s parents, and Edward Fox is in talks to play Lady Eastlake's husband, Sir Charles Eastlake.

Sounds like quite the project!

Dakota Fanning is set to star in the Victorian period drama Effie. Deadline reports that Fanning will will star in the title role in the Emma Thompson-scripted period biopic "about the unfortunate marriage between Euphemia Gray and the famed critic John Ruskin in 1850s London. Though the teenager was gorgeous, Effie's husband never consummated the marriage over five years because Ruskin was for some reason disgusted by her body. After suffering through a loveless marriage and browbeating by her in-laws, Effie fell in love with Ruskin's protégé, painter John Everett Millais."

The film is being directed by Richard Laxton (An Englishman in New York). Greg Wise will play Ruskin, and Tom Sturridge is starring as Millais. Thompson is also set to star as Lady Eastlake, "who takes Effie under her wing when it was clear the union was destroying the young woman." Ruskin's parents will be played by Julie Walters and Derek Jacobi,...

Almost three years back, Emma Thompson and her husband Greg Wise starting to drop info about a script they'd written called Effie, which would follow Victorian art critic, social thinker and poet John Ruskin, who had a strange and ultimately disastrous marriage to a woman named Euphemia 'Effie' Gray. Ruskin couldn't consummate the marriage, and Effie finally fell for Ruskin's protege John Everett Millais. A few different actresses have been attached or rumored for the role of Effie Gray, most notably [1] Carey Mulligan and Saoirse Ronan. Now the film is finally coming together with Richard Laxton (An Englishman in New York) directing and Dakota Fanning playing Effie. Deadline [2] has the rundown on further casting as well. We basically knew that Greg Wise would play Ruskin, and that Emma Thompson would be Lady Eastlake, Effie's confidante and caretaker. We know now that Tom Sturridge will play the young...

It looks like Emma Thompson’s long-in-development biopic Effie is finally gearing up for production. Thompson wrote the original script, which is a biopic of Effie Gray and centers on her doomed marriage to art critic John Ruskin in 1840’s London. Despite her beauty, Ruskin didn't consummate the marriage and the devastated Gray eventually fell in love with Ruskin’s protégé, painter John Everett Milias. Deadline reports that Dakota Fanning will star in the title role, taking a part that was previously circled by Carey Mulligan and Saorsie Ronan. Greg Wise (who is Thompson’s husband) will play Ruskin, and it appears that Tom Sturridge (Pirate Radio) will be playing Milias instead of previously mentioned Orlando Bloom. Rounding out the cast is Julie Walters and Derek Jacobi as Ruskin’s parents, Thompson as Lady Eastlake, the woman who takes the suffering Effie under her wing, and Edward Fox is in...

Exclusive: Dakota Fanning will star in the title role of Effie, the Emma Thompson-scripted period biopic about the unfortunate marriage between Euphemia Gray and the famed critic John Ruskin in 1850s London. Richard Laxton (An Englishman in New York) is directing. Though the teenager was gorgeous, Effie's husband never consummated the marriage over five years because Ruskin was for some reason disgusted by her body. After suffering through a loveless marriage and browbeating by her in-laws, Effie fell in love with Ruskin's protégé, painter John Everett Millais. Greg Wise will play Ruskin, and Tom Sturridge will play Millais. Thompson plays Lady Eastlake, who takes Effie under her wing when it was clear the union was destroying the young woman. Julie Walters and Derek Jacobi play Ruskin’s parents, and Edward Fox is in talks to play Lady Eastlake's husband, Sir Charles Eastlake. He was the main patron of the Royal Academy,...

It is perhaps laughable that I feel giddy at the prospect of a new television show, but I'm still not ashamed to admit that I do. And while FX has suffered a couple of semi-undeserved bombs recently (having canceled "Lights Out" and "Terriers)," I feel extremely safe in saying that I think they'll soon have a hit on their hands. In the past couple of months, there have been rumblings about a new series being developed by "Nip/Tuck" and "Glee" creator, Ryan Murphy. Details are extremely scarce, and yet, even just the vague show description perked up my senses. The president of FX, John Landgraf, announced "American Horror Story" as a "wildly brilliant original series," and called Murphy and partner Brad Falchuk "evil geniuses." Of the show, Falchuk says he and Murphy intend to "bring the horror genre to television but with our own subversive sensibilities."

I can't think...

Hopefully there won't be a chorus of voices proclaiming that I've discovered a new room in the house of 'wrong'. The same personal history that attracts us to certain faces (or quirks - or even defects) applies to how we respond to any particular human voice, so a list of 'best voices' is going to be pretty far from any kind of actuarial table on the matter. That said, there seems to be a pretty broad consensus of 'voice appeal' in a lot of my choices.

I note that I only came up with five female voices out of twenty. I don't know if that's some kind of unconscious sexism, or if it in any way ratifies the (itself probably pretty sexist) opinion I once heard that female voices have less scope than male ones. In any case that bias, if such it is, is in pretty broad opposition to...

Meryl Streep turned up to watch Prime Minister's Questions at Britain's Houses of Parliament today (19.01.11) to research for a film role. The Oscar-winning actress was at the building searching for insight into British politics for her forthcoming performance as Margaret Thatcher in biopic 'The Iron Lady', Prime Minister David Cameron's office has confirmed. Meryl watched a joust between David Cameron and Labour leader Ed Miliband to see how such debates take place. While Thatcher was in power from 1979 to 1990 she took part in two 15 minute sessions a week. Although the film is currently in pre-production, Jim Broadbent is believed to be attached to the role of her husband Denis. The biopic, which is being produced by Pathe and the BBC, will focus on the 17 days before the 1982 Falklands War between the UK and Argentina. Damien Jones is set to be produce the project while 'An Englishman in New York...

It’s using some of the money released by cancelling the show for two new comedy drama series. Channel 4 paid £60-65 million in a three-year deal for the Big Brother rights. Big Brother was thought to be moving across to Five but I understand talks between producer Endemol and Five have now stalled. (Endemol declined comment.) Beaver Falls, a new 6-part show for digital channel E4, follows three British lads who con their way into an American summer camp for the ridiculously beautiful offspring of Manhattan’s rich and powerful. The camp thinks it’s getting three British blue-bloods. (Hang on, I can feel a Us remake coming on already...) The show is executive produced by Charlie Pattinson for Company Pictures (Skins, Shameless), produced by Liz Lewin and created by Iain Hollands. Naked Apes, which is being made for the main channel, is also a 6-parter about the lives,...

Channel 4 has announced that it has commissioned two new comedy drama programmes. The channel revealed that both of the six-part series will air next summer. Naked Apes, which will be broadcast on Channel 4, focuses on three paramedics working in Leeds. The show, which has been written by Excluded and An Englishman In New York scribe Brian Fillis, is said to explore "love, friendship and family from the jaded perspective" of the characters Stuart, Ashley and Rachid. Meanwhile, E4 will be the home of new comedy drama Beaver Falls, which focuses on three new graduates who lie about themselves to land jobs (more)...

Looks like we might be jammin' soon, mon. According to Deadline, another Bob Marley biopic is in the works. I've never been a huge fan of Marley but I am curious about his life. Although it sounds like a good idea there's one hiccup that could ground this plane before it ever takes off.Deadline has more:Ash’s feature will concentrate on the year Marley spent living in London in 1977. This was a crucial year for Marley. He’d fled Jamaica after an attempt was made on his life; the year ended with him sustaining a soccer injury which eventually triggered full-blown cancer. It was the year of punk rock; in London Marley hung out with the Sex Pistols. It was also the year of his legendary Rainbow Theatre gig. Crucially, he also started an affair with Jamaican beauty queen Cindy Breakspeare, who had just been crowned Miss World. Ash...

Exclusive: Jenny Ash, the UK director who has been nominated for an Emmy for America – The Story of Us, is developing a biopic of reggae legend Bob Marley. Ash’s feature will concentrate on the year Marley spent living in London in 1977. This was a crucial year for Marley. He’d fled Jamaica after an attempt was made on his life; the year ended with him sustaining a soccer injury which eventually triggered full-blown cancer. It was the year of punk rock; in London Marley hung out with the Sex Pistols. It was also the year of his legendary Rainbow Theatre gig. Crucially, he also started an affair with Jamaican beauty queen Cindy Breakspeare, who had just been crowned Miss World. Ash tells me she sees the biopic as a love triangle between Marley, his wife Rita and Breakspeare, whom Ash has spent time with in Jamaica. “There’s never...

From the owner of a fish'n'chip shop to actress Kate Winslet, New York City is bursting with English people, and these expats, famous and not so famous, are the subject of a Jason Bell's stunning new series of photographs

Long before he'd mastered a camera, let alone become one of Britain's most successful portrait photographers of stars on both sides of the Atlantic, the seed was sown that Jason Bell would one day move to the Big Apple: "There was a picture of New York on the wall in my childhood home in Camden Town which fascinated me. I remember thinking, 'Wow, that's the capital of the world.'"

So in 2003, with a photography portfolio full of A-listers and several works in the National Portrait Gallery collection, Bell decided to buy an apartment in New York and divide his time equally between there and London. "I had this slight...

This week! Why do so many fictional gay couples have a “man” and a “wife”? Are Glbt people too thin-skinned? What was up with Noah’s fashion on Noah’s Arc? Plus, why do so many gays hate Perez Hilton?

Have a question about gay male entertainment or life? Contact me here (and be sure and include your city and state and/or country!)

Q: Despite being 26, I think I have a good grasp on what makes a gay icon and a good political ally. But I have never heard of Rep. Aaron Schock (R-il), nor that he is a major gay-icon for politically astute people. And yet here’s The New York Times calling him a “gay icon” because of some photos that swept the blogosphere of him shirtless. Never mind that he voted against Enda and opposes civil marriage: he's young and hot, which is what makes him a gay-icon right?...

More eventual Oscar bait? THR is reporting that Meryl Streep is "in talks" to star as former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher in a new biopic called Thatcher, being developed by Pathe and BBC Films. Streep will be re-teaming with filmmaker Phyllida Lloyd, who directed Mamma Mia!, for this project, with the screenplay being written by Brian Fillis (An Englishman in New York). Jim Broadbent is also in talks to play Thatcher's husband, Denis. The film is set in 1982 and tracks Thatcher as she tries to save her career in the 17 days preceding the 1982 Falklands War. However, none of this casting is officially set in stone yet. Margaret Thatcher served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and also Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. She is the only woman to have held either post. The two month long Falklands ...

By Greg Hernandez

HollywoodNews.com: A really terrific interview has just been posted on Advocate.com with True Blood’s new vampire king, Denis O’Hare.

The Tony Award winning actor makes his debut in Sunday’s episode as Russell Edgington, vampire king of Mississippi. He shows up with his handsome afterlife partner of 700 years.

Brandon Voss has a terrific chat with Denis and here are a few appetizers:

The Advocate: It’s great to see you playing a gay character in True Blood. You’ve played gay before in Take Me Out and An Englishman in New York, but you rarely take on gay roles, especially for an out actor. Has that been a conscious decision on your part?

Denis O’Hare: No. Years ago I went in for As Good as It Gets, that movie with Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, and Greg Kinnear. I auditioned for the gay part,...

Amongst all the MTV Movie Awards hoopla on Sunday, June 6, did you know there was another awards show happening? The 63rd annual British Academy of Film and Television Awards.

"American Idol," "Britain's Got Talent" and "X Factor" judge Simon Cowell (pictured left being cheeky with fiance Mezhgan Hussainy) was honored with a special award recognizing his development of new talent. Check out his acceptance speech below. And apparently Simon Cowell is not finished with merely conquering the U.K. and U.S.

According to London paper the Sun, Cowell wants to start taking contestants from all the "Got Talent" franchises from around the world and pitting them against each other in a global competition. The Sun cites a source close to the mogul saying, "This has been Simon's dream. It will be the biggest reality show the world's seen."

This is a British paper, so take it with a grain of salt.

The full list of winners at the Phillips British Academy Television Awards 2010, held yesterday at the London Palladium, is as follows: Leading Actor

Kenneth Branagh - Wallander (BBC One) - Winner!

Brendan Gleeson - Into The Storm (BBC Two)

John Hurt - An Englishman in New York (ITV1)

David Oyelowo - Small Island (BBC One) Leading Actress

Helena Bonham Carter - Enid (BBC Four)

Sophie Okonedo - Mrs Mandela (BBC Four)

Julie Walters - A Short Stay in Switzerland (BBC One)

Julie Walters - Mo (Channel 4) - Winner! Supporting Actor

Benedict Cumberbatch - Small Island (BBC One)

Tom Hollander - Gracie! (BBC Four)

Gary Lewis - Mo (Channel 4)

Matthew Macfadyen - Criminal Justice (BBC One) - Winner! Supporting Actress

Rebecca Hall - Red Riding 1974 (Channel 4) - Winner!

Sophie Okonedo - Criminal Justice (BBC One)

Lauren Socha - The Unloved (more)...

Simon Cowell was delighted after taking home two prizes at the British Academy (BAFTA) Television Awards in London on Sunday.

The former American Idol judge received a standing ovation as he accepted the Special Award for his contributions to broadcasting at the star-studded ceremony.

He told the crowd, "This is a genuine honour; I wasn't expecting it. I've had a blast; I've been able to do things I never thought I'd be able to do but I've done it because I genuinely have the most talented group of people working with me on the shows. It's an army of people (and) this award genuinely is more deserving to them than it is to me so I'm going to share it around.

"To put this in perspective on a personal level, one of my happiest memories as a kid was when my dad came home with a colour TV set. (I was) about five years old and all my friends came back from school and we just watched the one programme that was in colour.

"It was one of the best moments of my life so for me to be standing here tonight getting an award for making TV shows, it's the happiest feeling in the world and I'm genuinely grateful."

Cowell graced the stage once again later in the evening as his hit reality TV contest Britain's Got Talent scooped the BAFTA for Best Entertainment Programme.

Kenneth Branagh won the Best Leading Actor trophy for his role in Wallander, beating fellow Harry Potter star John Hurt, who was nominated for his part in An Englishman in New York.

Harry Potter's Julie Walters was also triumphant as she picked up the Best Leading Actress statue for her turn as British Labour Party politician Mo Mowlam in Mo, while U.S. TV hit Mad Men was named the Best International programme.

It’s finally sunny here in London! The mercury is on its way to 28 (centigrade of course) and I’m sitting in my garden, listening to soon-to-be-defunct BBC Radio 6 music (which makes me sad). But fear not – there were enough cold hours for me to sit in front of the telly and bring you news of what the devil’s been going on in Britain.

Gareth Thomas

First up is a documentary made for ITV’s Tonight Show about homophobia in modern Britain. Afraid to be Gay was presented by newly out king of rugby Gareth Thomas, who does a better job of expressing a personality than most sports “personalities.”

The documentary featured Gareth’s coming out party attended by Dr. Christian Jessen of Channel 4’s Embarrassing Bodies, and singer Will Young, presenting partners Colin and Justin. Please note, I feel very resentful of that as I didn’t have a comin gout party.

The full list of winners at the British Academy Television Craft Awards, held yesterday at the London Hilton on Park Lane, is as follows: Breakthrough Talent

Ed Hime - writer (Skins)

Matt Rudge - director/producer (The Autistic Me)

Jessie Versluys - director (The Hospital/Katie: My Beautiful Face) - Winner!

Ed Wardle - producer (Alone In The Wild) Costume Design

Joey Attawia - An Englishman In New York

Jenny Beavan - Cranford

James Keast - Desperate Romantics

Natalie Ward - Red Riding 1974 - Winner! Director: Factual

Patrick Forbes - The Force - Winner!

Annabel Gillings - How Earth Made Us (Water)

Nick Read - The Slumdog Children of Mumbai

Dan Reed - Terror In Mumbai (Dispatches) Director: Fiction

Yann Demange - Criminal Justice

James (more)...

"Harry Potter" stars Helena Bonham Carter and Julie Walters will battle it out at this year's British Academy (BAFTA) Television Awards after they both received nominations in the Best Actress category. Bonham Carter's turn as beloved author Enid Blyton in "Enid" earned her the honor, while Walters received a double nod in the category - she has been nominated for her role in "Mo", which saw her play British Labor Party politician Mo Mowlam, and drama "A Short Stay in Switzerland".

The actresses, who both appear in the Harry Potter movie franchise, will compete with "Hotel Rwanda" star Sophie Okonedo for her portrayal of Winnie Mandela in "Mrs Mandela". The male acting category is also a battle of the "Harry Potter" stars - Kenneth Branagh ("Wallander"), John Hurt ("An Englishman in New York") and Brendan Gleeson ("Into the Storm") will go up against David Oyelowo ("Small Island") for the Best Actor trophy.

The official list of nominations for the Philips British Academy Television Awards have been announced and feature many nods to Irish talent including; Brendan Gleeson for his role in Churchill drama 'Into the Storm'; 'Five Minutes of Heaven' in the category of Single Drama; 'Occupation' in Drama Serial and 'The Graham Norton' show for Entertainment Programme. Following on from his Ifta win for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in Thaddeus O'Sullivan's 'Into the Storm' Brendan Gleeson has received a Television BAFTA nomination in the category of Leading Actor. The Dubliner will face competition from Ni born actor and Northern Ireland Screen's Honorary President, Kenneth Branagh for his role in 'Wallander'; John Hurt for 'An Englishman in New York' and David Oyelowo for the Irish filmed project 'Small Island'.

Harry Potter stars Helena Bonham Carter and Julie Walters will battle it out at this year's British Academy (BAFTA) Television Awards after they both received nominations in the Best Actress category.

Bonham Carter's turn as beloved author Enid Blyton in Enid earned her the honour, while Walters received a double nod in the category - she has been nominated for her role in Mo, which saw her play British Labour Party politician Mo Mowlam, and drama A Short Stay In Switzerland.

The actresses, who both appear in the Harry Potter movie franchise, will compete with Hotel Rwanda star Sophie Okonedo for her portrayal of Winnie Mandela in Mrs Mandela.

The male acting category is also a battle of the Harry Potter stars - Kenneth Branagh (Wallander), John Hurt (An Englishman in New York) and Brendan Gleeson (Into The Storm) will go up against David Oyelowo (Small Island) for the Best Actor trophy.

Okonedo also received a nomination in the Best Supporting Actress category for drama Criminal Justice - she's up against Rebecca Hall (Red Riding 1974), Lauren Socha (The Unloved) and Imelda Staunton (Cranford).

Featured in the Best Supporting Actor category are Benedict Cumberbatch (Small Island), Tom Hollander (Gracie!), Gary Lewis (Mo) and Matthew Macfadyen (Criminal Justice).

Simon Cowell's hit TV contest Britain's Got Talent will compete with The Graham Norton Show, Harry Hill's TV Burp and Newswipe with Charlie Brooker for Best Entertainment Programme, while True Blood, Family Guy, Mad Men and Nurse Jackie are nominated for Best International Show.

The winners will be announced at a star-studded ceremony in London on 6 June.

Digital Spy presents the full list of nominees for the 2010 Phillips British Academy Television Awards, to be held on June 6. Best Actor

Kenneth Branagh - Wallander (BBC One)

Brendon Gleeson - Into The Storm (BBC Two)

John Hurt - An Englishman in New York (ITV1)

David Oyelowo - Small Island (BBC One) Best Actress

Helena Bonham Carter - Enid (BBC One)

Sophie Okonedo - Mrs Mandela (BBC Four)

Julie Walters - A Short Stay In Switzerland (BBC One)

Julie Walters - Mo (Channel 4) Best Supporting Actor

Benedict Cumberbatch - Small Island (BBC One)

Tom Hollander - Gracie! (BBC Four)

Gary Lewis - Mo (Channel 4)

Matthew Macfadyen - Criminal Justice (BBC One) Best Supporting Actress

Rebecca Hall - Red Riding 1974 (Channel 4)

Sophie Okonedo - Criminal Justice (BBC One)

Lauren Socha - The Unloved (Channel 4)

Imelda Staunton - Cranford (more)...

London -- John Hurt and Kenneth Branagh will go head to head for the coveted best actor award at this year's BAFTA TV awards, alongside Brendan Gleeson and newcomer David Oyelowo, organizers announced Monday.

The awards, Britain's top television nods, will be handed out June 6 at a star-studded showbiz gala to be held at the Palladium theater in London's West End and broadcast near-live on BBC1.

Branagh is nominated for his performance in the bleak Scandinavian detective series "Wallander," while Hurt is in contention for reprising his portrayal of the flamboyant-yet-vulnerable Englishman Quentin Crisp in ITV's "An Englishman in New York," some 34 years after he won the BAFTA actor award for playing Crisp in "The Naked Civil Servant."

Gleeson portrayed Winston Churchill in an intimate political and domestic portrait of the British wartime Prime Minister "Into the Storm" while Oyelowo was named for his performance in the BBC1 Jamaican immigrant drama "Small Island.

This week! Will La Streisand be in Sex and the City 2? Have any celebrities "inned" themselves? Plus, the truth about the Tiffany/Debbie Gibson feud!

Have a question about gay male entertainment? Contact me here (and be sure and include your city and state and/or country!)

Q: So the trailer for Sex and the City 2 is out, and it reveals what Liza Minnelli had already confirmed: she sings at Anthony and Stanford’s gay wedding. But what about the other part of the rumor, that Barbra Streisand also sings? Is she in the movie or not? – Elliott, Carmel, CA

A: It’s been denied, but truthfully? I'd bet money that she is.

What’s my hunch based on?

First, there were the rumors before filming that the producers were in “secret talks” with her. Then there were the rumors, immediately shot down, that she and Liza Minnelli...

John Hurt and Isabel Lucas join the newly titled Immortals Relativity Media announced today that Immortals will be the official title of its Greek mythology tale previously called War of Gods. The highly anticipated Immortals follows the mythological tale of the young warrior Theseus, who leads his men into battle with the immortal Greek gods to defeat evil and the powerful elder gods of the Titans in order to save mankind. Tarsem Singh directs the film that began shooting in Montreal this week.

It was also announced that John Hurt and Isabel Lucas have joined Henry Cavill, Stephen Dorff, Luke Evans, Kellan Lutz, Joseph Morgan, Freida Pinto and Mickey Rourke in the cast. Hurt will portray the earthly manifestation of the god Zeus, who acts as a mentor and teacher to the young warrior Theseus (Cavill). Isabel Lucas was brought onto Immortals as Athena, the daughter of Zeus who finds...

John Hurt claims Quentin Crisp changed his life. The actor, who has played the English eccentric twice in different productions, suggested that the character has proved sometimes to be a personally enjoyable but a professional hindrance. He said: ''A part that changed my life was the one of the gay eccentric and entertainer Quentin Crisp, who I portrayed for the first time in 1975 in 'The Naked Civil Servant' and again in 2008 for 'An Englishman in New York'. ''It was a turning point as a character artist, but a bittersweet one too. The people called me 'gay', which I ..

The brilliant "A Single Man" won the film of the year at the first ever Dorian Awards from the Gay & Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association. The film's star, Colin Firth, was given the Film Performance of the Year award.

Here's the full list of the Dorian Awards 2009 Nominees and Winners:

Film Of The Year:

A Single Man (winner)

Bright Star

(500) Days of Summer

Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

Up

Film Performance Of The Year:

Colin Firth, A Single Man (winner)

Mo'Nique, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker

Catalina Saavedra, The Maid

Gabourey Sidibe, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

Lgbt - Themed Film Of The Year:

A Single Man (winner)

Outrage

Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

Campy . Intentional Or Not . Film Of The Year:

Obsessed (winner)

Drag Me to Hell

Julie & Julia

Orphan

Whip It

TV...

Digital Spy presents a complete list of the nominees for the 2010 GLAAD Awards. The three ceremonies will take place in New York on March 13, 2010 at the Marriott Marquis; in Los Angeles on April 17 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza; and in San Francisco on June 5 at The Westin St. Francis. Television Outstanding Drama Series

Brothers & Sisters

Grey's Anatomy

Mad Men

Skins

True Blood Outstanding Comedy Series

Beautiful People

Glee

Greek

Modern Family

United States Of Tara Outstanding Individual Episode

'Homeward Bound' (Private Practice)

'Lisa Says' (The Listener)

'Pawnee Zoo' (Parks and Recreation)

'The Real Ghostbusters' (Supernatural)

'Wait and See' (Private Practice) Outstanding TV Movie or Miniseries

An Englishman in New York

Pedro

Prayers for Bobby

Torchwood: (more)...

In its 21st year, Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation continues to award work in television that touch the issue of Glbt through its Media Awards. The nomination for the English-language category has revealed that "True Blood" and "Glee" are vying for the title as Best Drama Series and Best Comedy Series respectively.

"True Blood", which upcoming season will focus a lot on Lafayette's and his same-sex romance, will battle it out with "Brothers & Sisters", "Grey's Anatomy", "Mad Men", and "Skins". Meanwhile, "Glee", which hires openly gay Chris Colfer to portray Kurt, is facing off "Greek", "Beautiful People", "Modern Family" and "United States of Tara".

Other categories in TV which are given out include Outstanding Individual Episode in a series without a regular Lgbt character, Outstanding TV Movie or Mini-Series and Outstanding Reality Program. Others like outstanding news program can be seen on GLAAD.

The winners will be read out at...

The first half of The Day Of The Triffids was a ratings hit for BBC One last Monday (December 28), according to early figures. The remake, which starred Dougray Scott and Joely Richardson as survivors of an attack from carniverous plants, averaged 6.1m (26.9%) for the channel between 9pm and 10.30pm. It comfortably beat ITV1's John Hurt drama An Englishman In New York, which averaged a disappointing 2.21m (9.7%) over the same period. BBC Two even fared better than ITV1, taking 2.63m (11.6%) for retrospective programme Not Again: Not The Nine O'Clock News. Also between 9pm and 10.30pm, Channel 4's The Greatest Songs Of The Noughties averaged 1.09m (4.8%). Five aired four episodes of CSI from 9pm, seen by respective audiences of 1.17m (5.1%), 993k (5%), 783k (6.3%) and 603k (9%). Earlier, a rerun of the Top Gear Bolivia (more)...