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The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) has revealed its nominees for the 2025 annual Daytime Emmy Awards, which will be held on Oct. 17 in Pasadena, California.

Among the nominees are General Hospital, The Young and the Restless, Days of our Lives, The Drew Barrymore Show, The View, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Fixer Upper: The Lakehouse and Be My Guest with Ina Garten, among many others.

The Hollywood Reporter also received a nomination for its Off Script With The Hollywood Reporter series in the arts and popular culture program category.

This year, several new categories will debut, including outstanding culinary cultural series, outstanding emerging talent in a daytime drama series and outstanding regional content in a daytime genre.

The nominees in eight categories were announced on Wednesday evening on Access Hollywood, E! News, Et and Extra. The categories are outstanding daytime drama series, outstanding instructional series, outstanding daytime talk series,...

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) today announced the nominees for the 52nd Annual Daytime Emmy® Awards. The ceremony is set to take place on Friday, October 17 in Pasadena, California.

52 Daytime Emmy Awards

“We’re excited to recognize the exceptional individuals and teams who make daytime television great every year and in some cases, every day,” said Adam Sharp, President and CEO of NATAS.

He added, “As the Daytime landscape continues to expand, we’re excited to introduce new

categories to recognize the boundary-pushing work being done, and we’re enthusiastic to

convene with and celebrate the whole Daytime community in one ceremony.”

The Daytime Emmy® Awards have recognized outstanding achievement in television

programming and crafts since 1974, honoring work in a variety of categories, including daytime dramas, talk shows, instructional programming, hosting, culinary, and legal/courtroom programs.

This year marks the debut of several new categories, including Outstanding Culinary Cultural Series,...

Protesters are gathering across the country as part of the grassroots 50501 movement’s “Day of Action” on Saturday in opposition to Donald Trump’s administration. More than 700 actions were expected to take place, focused on issues including the environment, deportations, and the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.

The organization originated from a Reddit meme. Its name stands for 50 states, 50 protests, 1 day. An estimated 5 million came out for the organization’s “Hands Off” rallies globally on April 5.

“We, the American people, have banded together in the interest of a common...

“Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty,” Kamala Harris told the NAACP Image Awards on Saturday night in her first major public appearance since leaving office last month.

Accepting this year’s Chairman’s Award on Saturday at the 56th NAACP Image Awards, the ex-vp came on stage to a standing ovation from the star studded attendees at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. Resurrecting her campaign mantra of “We the People,” California-born Harris sounded a lot like someone who wasn’t thinking of retiring from public life.

“This chapter will be written, not simply by whoever occupies the Oval Office, nor by the wealthiest among us,” the former Vice President and 2024 White House candidate added with a swipe at Donald Trump and Elon Musk without mentioning either of her political foes by name. “The American story will be written by you, written by us, by We the People.” — as you can...

Vancouver, Washington — Joe Kent is nervous, and he keeps checking the clock on his phone. A far-right candidate for the House, with connections to white nationalists, Kent is making his closing pitch to GOP voters at a town hall in Vancouver, Washington, a commuter city across the river from Portland, Oregon. And he’s expecting an important call from a virtual guest — one Donald J. Trump.

This district in southern Washington state is one of the most competitive swing seats in the country. Voters here backed Trump in 2016 and 2020. But...

Updated: California Gov. Gavin Newsom, one of the spin room surrogates for Kamala Harris, told reporters that the debate will be an opportunity to “take the best of the Biden record, but also make the case that she’s not Joe Biden, and she sure as hell ain’t Donald Trump.”

“She is a new generation, a leader, and that’s her opportunity,” he said.

Newsom was a surrogate for Biden as well, and appeared at the spin room in June, a disastrous night for the president.

Newsom also said that Harris has to communicate “a vision where people feel heard and included.”

People have to “feel that she’s talking about them, and Donald Trump, in contrast, we know will be talking about himself.”

The governor said that he was not nervous about the debate, but said that if Trump “feels he’s losing, this will be very interesting,...

Exclusive: Higher Ground is stepping up its TV series efforts. President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s media company, which just re-upped its Netflix deal with a multiyear first-look film and TV agreement, has brought in Showtime’s Jessie Dicovitsky as Head of Television. This marks the first time Higher Ground has had a dedicated senior TV executive.

Dicovitsky is joining Higher Ground having just left her post as SVP of Original Programming for Showtime & Paramount+ last week after her most recent contract with the network came to an end. She is reuniting with former Showtime Documentary chief Vinnie Malhotra who is now President of Higher Ground Productions. Reporting to Malhotra, Dicovitsky will lead the company’s TV division, working to build out a comprehensive television production arm.

“While shepherding some of the most beloved shows on TV, Jessie has earned a remarkable reputation as a tasteful, trustworthy, and forward-thinking media executive,...

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...

Netflix won’t be returning to space with My Dad the Bounty Hunter.

The streamer has quietly canceled the animated series after two seasons and 19 episodes. My Dad the Bounty Hunter’s second season debuted in August 2023, and the silence surrounding it in the intervening months prompted speculation on social media about whether it would return. What’s on Netflix first noted the cancellation.

Co-created by Everett Downing Jr., a Pixar veteran and director on Netflix’s We the People, and Patrick Harpin, My Dad the Bounty Hunter follows two kids who stow away on their father’s latest business trip, discovering that their dad is an intergalactic bounty hunter. Laz Alonso, Yvonne Orji, Priah Ferguson and JeCobi Swain play the show’s central family; Harpin, Downing, Yvette Nicole Brown, Jamie Chung, Rob Riggle and Maddie Taylor are also among the voice cast.

The series drew decent viewing numbers for Netflix,...

Despite Disney’s plan to reduce output, Marvel Studios continues to develop numerous projects. Among the most anticipated is a live-action reboot of the ‘X-Men’ franchise.

The idea of rebooting the ‘X-Men’ series has been in the works since Disney acquired Fox properties, including X-Men and Fantastic Four. While it’s not confirmed whether the rumor we’re about to share is directly linked to the X-Men reboot, it certainly aligns with that possibility.

Per information from MyTimeToShineHello, a reasonably dependable source for leaks and scoops, discussions are ongoing for Janelle Monàe to become part of the MCU family, potentially portraying Storm.

Marvel Studios Had Discussions With Janelle Monàe About A Huge Marvel Role.

-It’s Rumored That She’ll Portray Storm In The #MCU

Source:(@MyTimeToShineH) pic.twitter.com/qjgCNz4BrW

— MCU Scooper (@update_marvel) May 8, 2024

While many fans have hoped for Halle Berry’s return to her iconic role,...

Marvel Studios has plenty of projects in the making, even after it was announced by Iger that they plan on significantly reducing their output. One of the most anticipated projects it’s certainly an ‘X-Men’ live-action reboot.

The reboot has been in plans ever since Disney took control of Fox properties X-Men and Fantastic Four. Now we don’t know whether the rumor we have for you is tied specifically to the X-Men reboot but it certainly sounds like that.

According to MyTimeToShineHello, a somewhat reliable leaker and scooper, Janelle Monàe is in talks to join the MCU franchise, as none other than Storm.

Marvel Studios Had Discussions With Janelle Monàe About A Huge Marvel Role.

-It’s Rumored That She’ll Portray Storm In The #MCU

Source:(@MyTimeToShineH) pic.twitter.com/qjgCNz4BrW

— MCU Scooper (@update_marvel) May 8, 2024

Plenty of fans have been hoping that Halle Berry might return to reprise her role,...

Janelle Monáe is set to join the cast of Universal Pictures’ untitled Pharrell Williams and Michel Gondry musical project.

The singer and actor joins Kelvin Harrison Jr., Halle Bailey, Oscar winner Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Oscar nominee Brian Tyree Henry and Missy Elliott in the film.

The project is described as a coming-of-age musical set during the summer of 1977 in Virginia Beach, inspired by the Atlantis Apartments, Williams’ childhood neighborhood.

Gondry is set to direct the project based on a script by Martin Hynes and Steven Levenson.

Williams and Mimi Valdés will produce through i am Other and Gil Netter will produce through Gil Netter Productions.

Universal’s Senior VP of Production Development Ryan Jones and Director of Production Development Christine Sun will oversee the project for the studio.

Monáe’s film credits include “Moonlight,” “Lady and the Tramp,” “Harriet,” “The Glorias” and “Antebellum.”

For her role in 2017’s “Hidden Figures,...

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) announced Friday the nominees for the 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards, with two CBS soaps — The Bold and the Beautiful and The Young and the Restless — leading the field with 12 nominations apiece.

ABC’s General Hospital and Peacock’s Days of Our Lives join those series in the titles nominated for best daytime drama series, which also include Popstar! TV’s The Bay and Amazon Freevee’s Neighbors (the latter also earned a nod for Guy Pearce’s guest performance; it is the first nom for Amazon in the daytime drama categories).

The Kelly Clarkson Show led the nominees in the talk series categories with nine nods. The talk show is nominated alongside The Jennifer Hudson Show, Tamron Hall, Disney+’s Turning the Tables with Robin Roberts and ABC’s The View for best daytime talk series.

A notable acting nominee is...

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: Academy Award winner Peter Ramsey (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) and former Overbook head Caleeb Pinkett (Cobra Kai) are set to produce a live-action feature adaptation of The Storm Clan, the comic book created by Dallas Jackson and Joe Casey, which marks the first title from Jackson’s new company DJ Classicz Comix.

Jackson and Casey will pen the script, with former Lionsgate exec Jorge Alfaro to serve as an EP.

A sci-fi action adventure story, The Storm Clan watches as an ex-military weapons engineer trains his five adopted children to be undercover hi-tech/martial-arts thieves wearing an invincible bionic-body armor. Previously orphaned, the teenagers gifted with bionic technology see it provide them with the opportunity to protect themselves from the threats of the streets, also empowering them to take advantage of life instead of being taken advantage of, and most importantly, giving them comfort and sense of belonging within a family.

Seven top film producers will reveal secrets behind their projects when they join Gold Derby’s special “Meet the Experts” Q&a event with 2024 awards contenders. They will participate in two video discussions to premiere on Tuesday, November 28, at 6:00 p.m. Pt; 9:00 p.m. Et. We’ll have a one-on-one with our senior editor Daniel Montgomery and a roundtable chat with all of the group together.

RSVP today to our entire ongoing contenders panel series by clicking here to book your free reservation. We’ll send you a reminder a few minutes before the start of the show.

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (Lionsgate)

Synopsis: When her family moves from the city to the suburbs, 11-year-old Margaret navigates new friends, feelings, and the beginning of adolescence.

Bio: James L. Brooks was a three-time Oscar winner for “Terms of Endearment” and was also nominated for “Broadcast News,...

Former President Obama provided script notes for Netflix's movie Leave The World Behind, using his expertise in crisis management to ground the apocalyptic thriller in reality. Obama's involvement in movies extends beyond Leave The World Behind, as he launched a production company called Higher Ground Productions with his wife Michelle, producing award-winning documentaries like American Factory and Becoming. Obama's track record with movies has been stellar, and Leave The World Behind is highly anticipated, promising to deliver a compelling and well-crafted film.

Former United States President Barack Obama issued script notes for Netflix’s forthcoming movie Leave The World Behind. Based on Rumaan Alam’s 2020 novel of the same name, this upcoming psychological thriller follows Clay and Amanda Sandford, a couple who embark on a long island vacation just before a mysterious apocalypse rears its head in the city. The cast includes Academy Award winners Ethan Hawke and Julia Roberts...

Lin-Manuel Miranda reportedly has set his sights on his next musical for the stage. The multiple Tony and Grammy award winner is adapting a stage musical version of The Warriors, based on Sol Yurick’s 1965 novel that was later turned into the 1979 action thriller film directed by Walter Hill, according to the New York Post‘s Johnny Oleksinski.

The project would be Miranda’s first full stage musical since his global phenom Hamilton, winner of 11 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, in 2016..

The Warriors is a familiar setting for New York City native Miranda. The film centers on a fictitious New York City street gang who must travel 30 miles, from the north end of the Bronx to their home turf in Coney Island in southern Brooklyn, after they are framed for the murder of a respected gang leader.

A version of this story about H.E.R. and “Beauty and the Beast” first appeared in the Comedy Series issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine.

Few multi-hyphenates working these days can claim the take-over of industries quite like H.E.R. In just the last four years, the California native with the signature spectacles has racked up five R&b Grammys, an Oscar (for her stirring “Fight for You” from “Judas and the Black Messiah”) and a Children’s and Family Emmy for a tune from Netflix’s “We the People.” And after her spirited turn as the beloved Belle from Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” in ABC’s 30th anniversary special, the Primetime Emmy might be calling.. And here’s the kicker: She’s only 25.

Also Read:

‘Avatar’ Delay Pushes Disney Film Schedule – and Can Make or Break Bob Iger’s Legacy | Analysis

How did you become involved with...

In the fall of 2019, The New York Times ran a story titled, “Netflix Goes All Out to Wow Children as Streaming Wars Intensify.”

In the writer’s effort to showcase the significant foray being made by the streamer, he pointed to Chris Nee, the prolific kids TV creator responsible for the groundbreaking series Doc McStuffins, who’d decamped from Disney to Netflix with a sweeping deal the December before. A year or so in, Nee already had five new narrative series in the pipeline, including progressive entries like Ridley Jones (featuring a young female adventurer and a nonbinary bison) and Ada Twist, Scientist (about a young Black female scientist). In short order, she had become the poster child for what was possible when Netflix’s ambitions and resources coalesce.

Now, nearly four years later, Netflix has quietly scaled back its efforts in the kids space — letting pacts expire and high-profile...

Janelle Monae is back! Five years following her critically acclaimed and Album of the Year Grammy-nominated “Dirty Computer,” she’s releasing “The Age of Pleasure” on June 9. It’s her fourth studio album and was preceded by a pair of singles, “Float” and “Lipstick Lover.” But will it finally win her her long-awaited first Grammy? Watch her “Lipstick Lover” video above, and make or update your Grammy predictions here.

SEEBillboard Hot 100: Every #1 song of 2023

Perhaps surprisingly, Monae has yet to actually win a Grammy despite eight nominations spanning the last 15 years. Her debut studio album “The ArchAndroid” earned her a bid for Best Contemporary R&b Album, but she lost that prize to Usher‘s “Raymond v. Raymond.” She then collaborated with Fun on their breakthrough hit “We Are Young,” earning bids for Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, but the only award that song...

Janelle Monáe is teasing a new single, “Lipstick Lover,” which is set to arrive tomorrow, May 11.

The musician posted a short but scintillating clip on Twitter that features a snippet of the song’s slinky groove. In the video, Monáe leaves little to the imagination — appearing in a pool, wearing a white shirt emblazoned with the word “Pleasure,” while slowly stepping out of the water and towards the camera.

tomm. pic.twitter.com/lBlgYuEBvl

— Janelle Monáe (@JanelleMonae) May 10, 2023

“Lipstick Lover” will follow Monáe’s most recent track, “Float,” which dropped back in February.

H.E.R. is coming to Broadway … Well, a show she’s producing is. She’s joining the producing team of “Here Lies Love,” which tells the story of Imelda Marcos, the former First Lady of the Philippines and the mother of current president Bongbong Marcos. The show opens July 20 and will be eligible for Tony Awards in 2024. If it wins Best Musical, H.E.R. will achieve Egot. What’s more, she’d achieve it faster and younger than anyone else in history.

SEEPatina Miller (‘Into the Woods’) on how motherhood helped her understand what The Witch is ‘fighting for’ [Exclusive Video Interview]

The R&b singer-songwriter is still only 25-years-old, but she already has an impressive awards resume. She broke through at the 2019 Grammys where she was nominated for Album of the Year and Best New Artist and won Best R&b Performance and Best R&b Album. Altogether she has won five Grammys out of 25 nominations,...

If you saw a bunch of stars ducking into A.O.C. recently, there was a good reason.

President Barack Obama and his Higher Ground production company hosted back-to-back dinners the week of March 13 at the Brentwood hotspot, inviting a slew of Oscar winners, nominees and creative talent, according to multiple sources.

Joining Obama and Higher Ground execs Joe Paulsen and Tonia Davis were Oscar-winning Everything Everywhere All at Once duo Daniels (fresh from their best picture win), Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler (also riding high with the success of Creed III), Oscar winner Regina King, Janelle Monáe (featured in the Higher Ground-produced We the People), Colman Domingo (who stars in H.G.’s upcoming Rustin this fall), Better Things creator Pamela Adlon, Oscar-nominated writer and filmmaker Kemp Powers, Station Eleven creator Patrick Somerville, Maid creator and show runner Molly Smith Metzler, and Quinta Brunson, the powerhouse Emmy Award-wining Abbott Elementary creator,...

Celebrated singer-songwriter Meshell Ndegeocello is back with a new song, “Virgo.” The single will appear on her first album of all new material in nearly a decade, The Omnichord Real Book, out June 16 via Blue Note.

“Virgo” is a slinky, eight-minute jazz-soul epic that blends everything from disco guitar and plucky synths to atmospheric washes of sound and a bit of ethereal harp: “They’re calling me back to the stars,” Ndegeocello sings. “Deep outer space, they’re calling me.”

The Omnichord Real Book follows Ndegeocello’s 2018 covers album, Ventriloquism,...

Judge Greg Mathis won’t be retiring from the TV bench after all.

Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group will produce a new syndicated strip featuring Mathis, titled Mathis Court With Judge Mathis. The show will be available for syndication in the fall and also run on Allen Media’s Justice Central cable channel.

The announcement of Mathis Court comes just a few days after Warner Bros. TV said it will end Judge Mathis after 24 seasons in syndication (the latest iteration of The People’s Court, which has been on for 26 years, is also coming to a close). The show will join a roster of court series from Allen’s company that also includes Justice for All With Judge Cristina Perez, Justice With Judge Mablean, Supreme Justice With Judge Karen, The Verdict With Judge Hatchett and We the People With Judge Lauren Lake. Along with Mathis Court, Equal Justice With...

Days after it was revealed that Judge Mathis would end its long run in daytime syndication, Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group has announced that it will launch Mathis Court with Judge Mathis in the fall.

The new court series will be a daily one-hour strip and will be available to broadcast television stations, as well as global network, cable, and digital distribution platforms later this year.

For 24 consecutive seasons, Warner Bros./Telepictures produced and distributed Judge Mathis, which was the second longest-running court show in continued production with the same host behind Judge Judy (which ran for 25 seasons). Judge Mathis won the Daytime Emmy in 2018 for Outstanding Legal/Courtroom Program, as well as the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding News, Talk or Information Series in 2004.

Judge Greg Mathis is a former judge of Michigan’s 36th District Court.

“We at Allen Media Group are proud to add Mathis Court...

After Janelle Monáe teased her new single “Float” on social media last month, the singer finally capitulated to fan demand and released the song in its entirety on Thursday.

In a press release, “according to sources closest to Monáe,” the single is “inspired by Muhammed Ali talking shit in Zaire, 1974, Jane’s evolution, Mary Poppins’ umbrella, Aladdin’s magic carpet, Ja Morant’s flotation to the rim while dunking on his ops, Sara Elise’s ropes, excerpts from Paramahmsa Nithyananda’s talks on levitation, Raul’s toast on Dec 1, and...

Just ahead of her appearance in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, Janelle Monáe has released “Float,” a swaggering track that will serve as an anthem for the weekend’s festivities and beyond.

“Float” features Fela Kuti’s son Seun Kuti and his band Egypt 80. Co-produced by Monáe’s frequent collaborators Nate “Rocket” Wonder and Nana Kwabena with Sensei Bueno, the track features bombastic production as Monáe raps, “I’m light as a feather, I’m light as a feather, yeah, baby, I float/ It’s hard to look at my resume, hoo and not find a reason to toast.”

As an equally talented actor, musician, and activist, Monáe does have every reason to toast. Monáe earned critical acclaim for her latest starring role in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, and she’s set to play cabaret singer turned secret agent and civil rights activist Josephine Baker in A24’s...

Exclusive: Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group is set to launch another court series — Equal Justice with Judge Eboni K. Williams. The daily one-hour strip will bow fall 2023 and will be available to broadcast on television stations, as well as global cable, network, and digital distribution platforms.

A lawyer, author and television host, Williams is a former guest host on ABC’s The View and a correspondent for CBS News and Fox News. Williams is currently host of her own series on Allen Media Group’s The Grio Television Network – the daily one-hour news program The Grio with Eboni K. Williams. Williams also starred on season 13 of The Real Housewives of New York City.

As an attorney, Williams provided legal counsel in family law and civil litigation, and was also a public defender. She also worked in private practice. Williams authored the best-selling book Pretty Powerful, as well as a...

Janelle Monáe shared a teaser of her upcoming single “Float” on social media on Wednesday.

The clip features a montage video of the singer blissfully poolside with floaties, drinks and balloons, with the majority of the video appearing to be from her recent birthday celebration in December.

In the 30-second snippet, the award-winning artist and author sings, “No I’m not the same, I think I done changed/ See something not the same/ I used to walk into the room head down, I don’t walk, now I float/ Float all of my,...

Exclusive: Barack & Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground media company has signed with CAA for film and television deals.

CAA will not represent either of the Obamas as individuals, nor in any of their other endeavors. The move signals further growth for their company, whose projects in production include Rustin, directed by George C. Wolfe and starring Colman Domingo; the Will Forte-starrer Bodkin; and Leave the World Behind, written and directed by Mr. Robot‘s Sam Esmail and starring Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke and Myha’la Herrold.

In the can is Descendant, which launches on Netflix on October 21, and Waffles + Mochi’s Restaurant, which launches on Netflix on October 17.

The company got started with the Oscar-winning American Factory, Oscar-nominated Crip Camp, the Emmy-winning Our Great National Parks as well as Fatherhood, Becoming, Worth, We the People and the hit kids and family shows Waffles + Mochi and Ada Twist, Scientist.

Guillermo del Toro’s “Pinocchio” and Kid Cudi’s “Entergalactic” are among the titles that will be teased at Netflix’s inaugural Annecy International Animation Film Festival showcase next month.

The streamer is also bringing masterclasses and the world premiere of Chris Williams’ sea monster adventure “The Sea Beast,” starring Karl Urban and Dan Stevens, to the festival, which takes place in France.

Netflix’s showcase will offer an exclusive first look at del Toro’s upcoming stop-motion adaptation of “Pinocchio,” with the filmmaker attending in person to discuss the project, as well as the first look at “Entergalactic,” the adult animated project from Kid Cudi (Aka Scott Mescudi) and Kenya Barris, which is based on Cudi’s album of the same name.

The showcase will also include a behind-the-scenes look at David Fincher’s “Bad Travelling,” which will be included in vol. 3 of Tim Miller’s series “Love, Death + Robots...

President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s production company Higher Ground has come aboard Sam Esmail’s upcoming film Leave the World Behind for Netflix.

The film starring Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke and Myha’la Herrold adapts Rumaan Alam’s acclaimed third novel about a family vacation on Long Island that is interrupted by two strangers bearing news of a mysterious blackout. As the threat grows more imminent, both families must decide how best to survive the potential crisis, all while grappling with their own place in this collapsing world.

Upon its publication in October 2020, Leave the World Behind was listed as one of Barack Obama’s Summer Favorites, also being named a Read with Jenna Today Show Pick; a finalist for the 2020 National Book Awards; and Best Book of the Year by The Washington Post, NPR, Time, Esquire and Elle, among other outlets. Esmail handled the screenplay adaptation...

The 2022 NAACP Image Awards announced another batch of winners Wednesday night, led by Facebook Watch’s “Red Table Talk.” Hosts Jada Pinkett-Smith, Willow Smith, and Adrienne Banfield-Jones scooped up awards for Outstanding Host in a Talk or News/Information, as well as Oustanding Talk Series.

Spanning numerous categories – including reality TV, motion pictures, news, animated and children’s series – the third night of the non-televised awards also crowned “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” a double winner for Outstanding Variety or Game Show and Outstanding Host in the same category.

“SNL” alum Maya Rudolph was recognized for her guest-hosting gig on the sketch show, for which she’s also won two consecutive Emmys.

Netflix’s “The Harder They Fall” took prizes for Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture, along with Outstanding Breakthrough Creative (Motion Picture) for co-writer and director Jeymes Samuel.

The non-televised honors known as the NAACP Image Awards...

Exclusive: Sharon Stone has optioned the rights to Lisa Barr’s upcoming novel Woman on Fire, inking a deal to produce and star in a film adaptation.

In the novel set for release via HarperCollins on March 1, a savvy, young journalist gets embroiled in a major international art scandal centered around a Nazi-looted masterpiece, and must contemplate whether finding the painting and exposing its dark history is worth her life. The thriller laced with sex, art and history forces readers to question where the line should be drawn between the pursuit of justice and the hunt for revenge.

Stone is a Golden Globe and Emmy winner, and an Oscar nominee known for turns in films including The Laundromat, The Disaster Artist, Bobby, Basic Instinct and Basic Instinct 2, Alpha Dog, Broken Flowers, Catwoman, Cold Creek Manor, Casino, Last Action Hero and Total Recall, among others. Her TV credits include Murderville,...

The Guild of Music Supervisors released on Thursday the nominees for the group’s 12th annual awards ceremony, honoring music supervisors in film, television, advertising and video games.

Among the nominees for the film categories are “Being the Ricardos,” “Encanto,” “Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar,” “The Harder They Fall,” “The Tender Bar” and “Tick, Tick… Boom.” Meanwhile, some of the Television nominees include “The Crown,” “Cruel Summer,” and “Genius: Aretha.”

Nominees for music supervision in trailers include “The Matrix Resurrections” and “Spencer,” while video game nominees include “Grand Theft Auto: Online — The Contract” and “FIFA 22.”

As previously announced, Diane Warren will receive the Icon Award, while Mitchell Leib will receive the Legacy Award, which honors “music supervisors who have excelled within the craft of music supervision.”

Read the complete list of nominees below:

Film

Best Music Supervision for Film Budgeted Over $25 Million

Mary Ramos – Being The Ricardos...

The Guild of Music Supervisors today unveiled the nominees for its 12th annual award ceremony, celebrating outstanding achievement in the craft of Music Supervision in film, television, games, documentaries, advertising, and trailers, with such notable songwriters and performers as Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Kid Cudi, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Eddie Vedder, Anderson .Paak, Bruno Mars, H.E.R. and Demi Lovato making the cut.

Beyoncé was among those recognized for the Oscar-nominated King Richard song “Be Alive,” with Jay-Z, Kid Cudi, filmmaker Jeymes Samuel and music supervisor Michelle Silverman noted for the song “Guns Go Bang” from The Harder They Fall, and Miranda cited for his Oscar-nominated Encanto song “Dos Oruguitas.” Vedder was nominated alongside Glen Hansard, his performer daughter Olivia and music supervisor Tracy McKnight for the Flag Day tune “My Father’s Daughter,” with Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars among those sharing a nom for the Shang-Chi song “Fire In the Sky.” H.E.

Nominees for the 12th annual Guild of Music Supervisors (Gms) Awards have been revealed, recognizing the craft of music supervision in film, television, games, advertising and trailers.

Among the film nominees for the 2022 edition of the Gms Awards are “Encanto,” “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” and “Being the Ricardos,” each of which also scored Oscar nominations this week. Television shows that scored nods include “The White Lotus,” “Blindspotting” and “Lovecraft Country.”

Songwriters, artists and music supervisors will be recognized together for the category of best song written and/or recorded for film.

As previously announced, Diane Warren will receive the organization’s prestigious Icon Award, and Mitchell Leib will receive the Legacy Award honoring those music supervisors who have excelled within the craft of music supervision.

The 12th annual ceremony will take place virtually on Sunday, March 20.

Film

Best Music Supervision for Film Budgeted Over $25 Million

Mary Ramos – “Being the Ricardos...

Conservative members of the Congress are reportedly encouraging Kid Rock to run for a Tennessee House seat in the 2022 midterms.

Politico reported on Friday that “some Maga members of Congress” are recruiting Kid Rock to run in Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District. The rapper and country music star, however, has given no indication that he is even thinking about running, although he did reportedly joke to one member of Congress who is pushing him to entry the fray that he wouldn’t rule it out because his Michigan “campaign” was so lucrative,...

Kid Rock reassured fans he will absolutely cancel any show on his upcoming tour if a venue requires fans to show proof of vaccine or potentially has other Covid-19 safety protocols in place.

In a Facebook video, Rock noted some chatter among fans who said they wouldn’t go to gigs on his Bad Reputation tour because of vaccine mandates at venues. But the musician said his brain trust had done as much research as possible and was confident that they hadn’t booked a show at a venue with a hard vax mandate,...

Netflix’s investment in animation has paid off in a big way, as the streamer picked up a whopping 52 nominations at the 49th Annie Awards. Following behind is Disney, which received 29 bids between its film and TV projects.

Taking place on Feb. 26, 2022 at UCLA’s Royce Hall and presented by the Los Angeles branch of the International Animated Film Association, the Annie Awards recognize excellence in cinema and television.

Netflix picked up nine nominations for “Arcane,” its series based on Riot Games’ online multiplayer game “League of Legends.” The hit film from Sony Pictures Animation “The Mitchells vs. The Machines” earned eight nods, and Netflix’s own limited series “Maya and the Three,” directed by Jorge Gutierrez, has seven.

While Disney lagged behind Netflix for total nominations, the studio’s “Raya and the Last Dragon” led all content with 10 nominations, followed by its studio sibling “Encanto,” which picked up nine.

Disney films are the ones to beat at the 49th annual Annie Awards, whose nominations were announced Tuesday morning. Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Raya and the Last Dragon and Encanto scored a leading 10 and nine noms, respectively, followed by Pixar’s Luca with eight.

Sony & Netflix’s The Mitchells vs. the Machines also landed eight noms and will vie for the marquee Best Feature prize with those Disney titles and Illumination’s Sing 2, which scored just the one nom.

Gkids distributes three of the four pics up for Best Indie feature: Belle, Pompo the Cinephile and Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko. They will battle against Flee, which is Denmark’s official entry for the International Feature Oscar, and Netflix’s The Summit of the Gods.

For the list of the nominees in all 36 categories, click here.

“In spite of everything or maybe because of what we and the world around...

Michelle Obama is set to make her mark on ABC’s Black-ish as the former First Lady is set for a guest star spot when the comedy returns for its eighth and final season in 2022.

The series, created and executive produced by Kenya Barris, will continue to tell stories that shine a light on current events through the lens of the Johnson family, including the global pandemic, voting, systemic racism, and the movement for social justice and equality.

She is set to appear as herself, however details about when she will drop by the Johnson’s world have not been revealed.

Black-ish stars include Anthony Anderson as Andre “Dre” Johnson, Trace Ellis Ross as Rainbow Johnson, Yara Shahidi as Zoey Johnson, Marcus Scribner as Andre Johnson Jr., Miles Brown as Jack Johnson, Marsai Martin as Diane Johnson, Laurence Fishburne as Pops, Jenifer Lewis as Ruby, Peter Mackenzie as Mr. Stevens,...

Fox is developing the animated comedy “Dirt Girls,” Variety has learned.

The series hails from Victoria Vincent, who will serve as writer and executive producer. Fox’s Bento Box Entertainment will provide the animation. The project came through Vincent’s participation in Bento Box’s SkunkWorks program, which is designed to discover, cultivate and develop new creators and voices.

The series takes place in an alienated suburban neighborhood, where two unsupervised kid sisters, Lucy and Pia, find depraved ways to keep themselves entertained while dealing with the confusing, dark aspects of the encroaching adult world.

Vincent most recently worked as director on the Netflix animated series “We the People.” The short-form series aimed to teach people about American civics and citizenship, featuring episodes about the Bill of Rights, the three branches of government, and taxes. It also featured performances by Adam Lambert, Bebe Rexha, and Janelle Monáe among others. Barack...

Fox has taken in for development Dirt Girls, an animated comedy series from Victoria Vincent and Fox Entertainment’s Bento Box Entertainment.

The project came to Fox through Vincent’s participation in Bento Box’s SkunkWorks program, which is designed to discover, cultivate and develop new creators and voices.

Written and executive producd by Vincent, in Dirt Girls, in an alienated suburban neighborhood, two unsupervised kid sisters, Lucy and Pia, find depraved ways to keep themselves entertained while dealing with the confusing, dark aspects of the encroaching adult world.

Fox Entertainment’s Bento Box is the studio.

Vincent most recently served as a director on Netflix animatd series We The People from Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions and Kenya Barris’ Khalabo Ink Society banner.

Former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s production company Higher Ground Productions has expanded its executive team. Priya Swaminathan, the co-head of film and TV at the company, will step down from her role later this summer as part of the change.

Swaminathan was Higher Ground’s first hire, and she oversaw the company’s Oscar-winning “American Factory” and the Oscar-nominated “Crip Camp.” Tonia Davis will now serve as the sole head of film and TV.

Among the company’s new hires are Joe Paulson as head of business and strategy. He was formerly special assistant to the President at the White House and was deputy chief of staff to the former president, having worked with the Obamas since the earliest days of the campaign in 2007 and overseen the creation of Higher Ground.

The company also hired Dan Fierman as head of audio, creative director Anna Holmes and Mark R. Wright...

Priya Swaminathan is stepping down from her role as co-head of film and television at Higher Ground, the media company founded by President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama.

At the same time, the former president and First Lady announced several new additions to the company’s executive team, most notably hiring Joe Paulsen, an old Obama hand, as head of business and strategy.

Swaminathan, a former executive at Annapurna, was the first hire the Obamas made when they launched Higher Ground. She has helped grow the company since joining it in 2019, overseeing the rollout of the Oscar-winning documentary “American Factory” and the Oscar-nominated “Crip Camp.” The decision to leave the company was Swaminathan’s own and she remains a favorite of the Obamas, as evidenced by a glowing statement they released.

“We are so grateful to Priya for her tremendous impact at Higher Ground these past few years,” the Obamas said in a statement.

Continuing a tradition he started during his presidency, Barack Obama has shared his annual “Summer Playlist,” with Bob Dylan, Migos, the Rolling Stones, Sza and Brandi Carlile among the artists that Obama has on repeat.

“With so many folks getting together with family and friends, there’s a lot to celebrate this summer,” Obama tweeted Saturday. “Here’s a playlist of songs I’ve been listening to lately—it’s a mix of old and new, household names and emerging artists, and a whole lot in between.”

With so many...

Memory is a powerful, if inaccurate, curating tool.

It’s like how current seasons of Saturday Night Live are never as good as the seasons from your youth, because you mostly recall only standout sketches from historical episodes that, realistically, had a similar ratio of hits-to-misses as new episodes.

Or take Schoolhouse Rock!, the iconic cartoon songs that taught kids everything from grammar to basic mathematics to governance between 1973 and 1984. The Schoolhouse Rock! team — mostly Bob Dorough and Lynn Ahrens — wrote dozens of songs and, depending on your age, you might only remember a half-dozen, or possibly just “...