‘Baghdad Central’ Star Waleed Zuaiter Launches Production Company With Diversity Focus

Manori Ravindran International EditorMiles Ketley, the CEO of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s production company Stolen Picture, has died unexpectedly. He was 52.Pegg announced the executive’s death via Twitter on Monday.

The Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein following the sacking of the band’s drummer Pete Best is going up for sale at auction.Best was originally signed with the three long-standing members of The Fab Four — John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison — but he was let go by Epstein and replaced by Ringo Starr in August 1962.A letter written by Epstein to the “secret Beatle” Joe Flannery, who served as The Beatles’ booking manager between 1962 and 1963, has been put up for sale by the latter’s

Fan favourite Lee Carseldine was forced to quit the show after learning his mother Elizabeth had unexpectedly suffered a stroke.

On May 29, as the nation rioted and marched and demanded justice for George Floyd after his death at police hands, Donald Trump tweeted a callback to the segregationist and Alabama governor George Wallace: “When the looting starts, the shooting starts.” Two days later the president sought to clear peaceful protesters from the path between the White House and St. John’s Church for a photo opportunity.

Christopher Vourlias “Game of Thrones” co-executive producer Vince Gerardis is setting up a production company in Italy, Variety has learned.The new venture, dubbed CIAO, or Creatività Italiana Americana Organizzata, is the latest move from the Miami-based executive, who specializes in packaging and selling large-scale, world-building film and television projects based on literary properties.Gerardis is in talks with an Italian publisher for a deal that would give CIAO access to a range of

Joe Otterson TV ReporterBobby Smith Jr. and his Ashore Entertainment and author Brenda Jackson have partnered to launch a film and television company to develop and produce titles from Jackson’s collection of romance novels.Smith Jr.

Dino-Ray Ramos Associate Editor/ReporterATN Entertainment, the management company that represents LGBTQ talent including Carter Ray, Daniielle Alexis and Emmy-nominated actress Rain Valdez, has launched a new production and development division, ATN Productions. The production banner will develop a TV adaptation of the YouTube comedy series Panic as their debut project.Panic follows Sam (Christopher Cox), a teenager who struggles with anxiety.

It’s arguable that no one saw “The Report.” That is to say, the critically-acclaimed, very-excellent ‘Report’ by writer Scott Z. Burns, known for writing “The Bourne Ultimatum” (2007), “The Informant!” (2009), and “Contagion” (2011), seemed to get buried upon its fall 2019 release on Amazon Studios.

Peter White Television EditorSupernatural star Jensen Ackles is staying in the Warner Bros television family after striking an overall deal with the production company that he has formed with his wife Danneel.The pair have launched Chaos Machine Productions and have hired former DC creative executive Renee Reiff as head of development.The overall deal will see the trio create, develop and produce new shows for streaming services, cable, and the broadcast networks.

Scotland today as customers flocked to get cut-price deals. The mega-store, on Edinburgh's Granton Road, has undergone an enormous extension after originally opening in 1995 in a bid to meet growing shopper demand.

Kelly Ripa is looking forward to lining up new projects with husband Mark Consuelos and their production company, Milojo Productions, a source exclusively reveals in the new issue of Us Weekly.The Live With Kelly and Ryan cohost celebrated her 50th birthday on Friday, October 2, and has been newly energized by her creative outlets.

Big and medium-sized Hollywood movies lacking a diversity of voices in front and behind the camera risk box office blues, according to UCLA's latest Hollywood report on racial and cultural inclusivity. Authentic diversity in storytelling goes well beyond ticking boxes to significantly bolstering a studio's prospects for box office success, researchers with the UCLA-based Center for Scholars and Storytellers concluded in a study unveiled on Tuesday.

Elaine Low Senior TV WriterRob and Michele Reiner have inked a multi-year overall producing and directing deal with Warner Bros.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentLos Angeles-based U.S.

Dave McNary Film ReporterIssa Rae has consolidated her entertainment production ventures for feature film, television and digital under the recently launched Hoorae label, Variety has learned exclusively.Formerly Issa Rae Productions, Hoorae includes HBO’s “Insecure” and “A Black Lady Sketch Show.” Rae received Emmy nominations for comedy series and best actress in a comedy series for “Insecure” and best variety sketch series for “A Black Lady Sketch Show.” Hoorae’s slate includes “Tre Cnt” and

After becoming a heartthrob across numerous reality TV shows Josh Ritchie is now venturing into serious business.The Love Island star has become a businessman and owns a jewellery store called Ritch Jewels. Speaking exclusively to OK! online about his venture Josh, 26, said that he chose the jewel trade because it’s an extension of himself.

Naman Ramachandran Studiocanal has hired Sarah Doole to lead its Manchester-based Red Production Company as CEO.Doole takes over from Nicola Shindler. She will oversee Red’s development and production slate in the U.K.

Jake Kanter International TV EditorStudiocanal has moved swiftly to replace Nicola Shindler at the helm of Red Production Company, tapping former Fremantle executive Sarah Doole as the new CEO of the producer behind Netflix’s The Stranger.Doole stepped down as Fremantle’s global drama chief last month and will replace Shindler, who is leaving Red Production Company to establish a drama label at ITV Studios.