Billy Dee Williams Defends Actors Wearing Blackface: ‘If You’re an Actor, You Should Do Anything You Want to Do’

Sometimes a movie is so well cast that you honestly cannot picture someone else playing a role. However, some perfect casting decisions very nearly don’t work out.

Selome Hailu When Justin Kuritzkes began writing what later became the hottest love triangle of the year, there was no star power involved. Though he was already an accomplished playwright and novelist (and the husband of Celine Song, the writer-director who provided last year’s buzziest love triangle with “Past Lives”), “Challengers” was Kuritzkes’ first screenplay and began as a document on his computer that no one was paying him to finish. But in 2021, “Challengers” appeared on the Black List, an annual roundup of the most popular unproduced scripts in Hollywood, which helped him sell it to producers Amy Pascal and Rachel O’Connor.

Poor Things actress, whose real name is Emily Jean Stone, recently explained that, despite taking the name “Emma” when she first joined the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), she would once again like to be called Emily.“That would be so nice,” she told The Hollywood Reporter in a new interview. “I would like to be Emily.”Stone explained that she had to take the name “Emma Stone” when joining the SAG because there was already another actress called “Emily Stone” registered with the union.She went on to say, however, that some people in Hollywood have actually started using her real name.“When I get to know them, people that I work with do,” she explained.

Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham has hit out at people in Hollywood who are comfortable “ignoring” the ongoing war in Gaza.The Irish actor, who played Davos Seaworth on the HBO show, and is also in the new Netflix sci-fi drama 3 Body Problem, was speaking ahead of a pro-Palestinian rally in Dublin on Wednesday (April 24).Speaking about the conversations he has had with other people in the filmmaking industry, he said: “What concerns me is that the people who do care and are not doing anything are, in my opinion, worse than the people who don’t care.”“That it sits well with them, they can ignore it.”He also issued a warning to those who are not speaking out: “The internet doesn’t forget,” he said. “When this comes around, when the ICJ [International Court of Justice] and ICC [International Criminal Court] hopefully do their work honourably, it is going to come out.”“And the people who didn’t talk – it is not going to be forgotten.

Meghan Markle has found a staunch ally in Hollywood heavyweight Melissa McCarthy, who's come out swinging against the Duchess's detractors.The Bridesmaids actress hailed Meghan as "wonderful" amidst the latest wave of criticism.The Duchess of Sussex has been under fire from Royal enthusiasts following the launch of her new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard. Her debut offering, a boutique run of 50 jars of strawberry jam, has stirred up quite the conversation as a "soft launch" for her online platform.

Ncuti Gatwa is sharing his experience as a Black man in Hollywood.

It takes an incredible amount of talent to make it in the music industry, but it takes so much more to find crossover success in the acting world.

The 2024 Tribeca Festival, which unveiled its film slate Wednesday, is out with its television lineup of world premieres of new and returning programs from networks and streamers.

Jack Dunn Tribeca Festival, which announced its feature film lineup Wednesday, has now also revealed its television lineup for the 2024 festival, which includes brand new docuseries featuring Issa Rae and Dave Eggers and projects from Dakota Fanning, Jake Gyllenhaal and J.J. Abrams.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Bill Maher welcomed Katie Couric onto his “Club Random” podcast and passionately defended Woody Allen while the two discussed canceled artists in Hollywood. Maher said “I don’t think he committed that crime” in reference to Dylan Farrow’s molestation allegation against Allen, adding: “There was two police investigations that exonerated him.” “There’s these actors who won’t work with him anymore and some of them made movies with him are saying, ‘I regret doing that.’ What a bunch of pussies!” Maher said.

Emily Osment and Montana Jordan meet up on the red carpet for the second time in a week while attending PaleyFest LA on Sunday afternoon (April 14) at Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

made disparaging remarks towards her, ultimately prompting her to tell them to “F off.”Although she did not name the individual, her comments went viral, with Internet sleuths quickly trying to ascertain the actor’s identity. “I was not expecting that, by the way,” the “Dune: Part 2” star recently said on SiriusXM’s “The Jess Cagle Show” of her commentary gaining traction, confessing that a litany of former co-stars had since contacted her in a frenzy.“Yes, I kind of enjoyed the grab,” Ferguson admitted of the attention. “But I realized, even at the age that I am now…it doesn’t matter.

Liam Hemsworth is a talented actor with a legacy of success in Hollywood.

Bill Maher, 68, on an episode of his “Club Random” podcast.Williams touched upon the idea when he mentioned legendary screen star Laurence Olivier covering his face with dark makeup for the 1965 film adaption of “Othello.”The William Shakespeare play centers around a Moor — a person of Muslim descent who lived in parts of Europe during the Middle Ages — military lieutenant who is fighting against the Ottoman Turks.“When he did ‘Othello,’ I fell out laughing,” Williams said.“He stuck his ass out and walked around because Black people are supposed to have big asses,” he continued. Maher then chimed in: “And Bradley Cooper thinks he’s got a problem with the nose.”The “A Star Is Born” director, 49, caught flack last year when he wore a fake prosthetic nose to portray composer Leonard Bernstein in his biopic “Maestro.”The costume sparked outrage among the Jewish community, who saw the nose as a stereotypical characterization of themselves.Williams went on: “I thought it was hysterical.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Italian collecting company Artisti 7607, which represents thousands of local acting and dubbing talents, has announced it is suing Netflix in a Rome court “to obtain adequate and proportionate compensation due by law to its mandated artists.” Artisti 7607, which was founded as a co-op more than a decade ago by a group of Italian A-list actors including Elio Germano — who in 2015 won top acting honors in Cannes with Daniele Luchetti’s “Our Life” — has long been doing battle with Netflix over residual rights. “After more than eight years of sterile negotiations to obtain the data necessary to determine the compensation for artists in observance of European and national legislation, Artisti 7607 is forced to appeal to an ordinary court to request compliance with the law,” the indie collecting company said in a statement.

Star Wars actor Billy Dee Williams has said that actors should be able to perform in blackface in a new interview.Speaking on Bill Maher’s “Club Random” podcast, Williams recalled watching Laurence Olivier in 1965’s Othello, in which Olivier wore blackface to portray the title role.He told the podcast: “When he did Othello, I fell out laughing. He stuck his ass out and walked around with his ass, you know, because Black people are supposed to have big asses.”“I thought it was hysterical.

Mel Gibson is crediting friend Robert Downey Jr. for being “generous and kind” after he was shunned from Hollywood.

Mel Gibson expresses his gratitude to Robert Downey Jr. for having his back after his 2006 arrest and antisemitic remarks.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer When the Writers Guild of America went on strike last May, union leaders argued that artificial intelligence posed an existential threat to writers, painting a picture of a dystopian future in which TV shows might be crafted by one writer and a machine. Ten months later, the tone in Hollywood labor circles has shifted significantly. At a March 3 rally in Los Angeles, Matthew Loeb, international president of IATSE, argued that AI has the potential to make union members’ jobs easier.

Colin Farrell loves his fellow Irish actors!