Rachel Brosnahan and Elle Fanning don strapless gowns while arriving for the 2024 Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday (January 7) in Beverly Hills, Calif.
19.12.2023 - 17:33 / variety.com
Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Hannah Waddingham and Octavia Spencer are teaming up to kick some butt together on TV. The two actors have signed on to star in an action-adventure series based on an original idea by exec producer Tessa Coates (“Feel Good,” “Ladhood”) for Amazon’s Prime Video. Skydance Television is behind the show, along with Andy and Barbara Muschietti’s Double Dream shingle and Spencer’s Orit Entertainment (which has a first-look deal with Skydance; this is the first project to come out of that pact).
The untitled series will produce eight episodes for Prime Video across the world. Given the star power attached, the project was the subject of a major bidding war — it’s believed that at least six streamers made offers, with four buying the show in the room, until it landed at Amazon. In the show, Waddingham plays Judith, who has secretly been working as a highly trained assassin.
That’s a double life that Judith’s best friend Debbie (played by Spencer) knows nothing about — until a hit goes wrong. Now Judith and Debbie are on the run, aiming to stay one step ahead of a mysterious enemy. And while they try to figure out what’s going on, they also have to fix their now-ruptured friendship.
“I was in as soon as I heard Tessa’s stunning pitch. To be able to dive into a role like Debbie is rare, and working with Hannah to bring this unique friendship to life is a dream,” Spencer said in a statement. ““We knew we had something special with Skydance and Double Dream, and now that we have a home at Amazon, our vision has become a reality.” Added Waddingham: ““I’m not gonna lie, a few expletives fell out of my face at the prospect of working with the magnificent Ms.
Rachel Brosnahan and Elle Fanning don strapless gowns while arriving for the 2024 Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday (January 7) in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham may remain tight-lipped about the actual plot of the upcoming Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning – Part Two, but she is happy to reiterate her previous kind words about co-star Tom Cruise.
Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Jeremy Allen White has won his second consecutive Golden Globe for the hit FX series “The Bear,” once again landing the honor for best actor in a television series — musical or comedy. White won the Globe last year as well for playing Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, the five-star chef who returns home to Chicago and this season aims to turn his family’s Italian beef restaurant into a high-class dining establishment.
Zack Sharf Digital News Director Hannah Waddingham revealed during the official Golden Globes pre-show presented by Variety and Entertainment Tonight that she was accompanied by 4,500 active members of the military when she first flew onto the set of the upcoming “Mission: Impossible 8.” It was announced last March that the “Ted Lasso” Emmy winner was joining Cruise and the “Mission: Impossible” gang in the highly-anticipated eighth installment of the action series. Waddingham’s role in the film is not yet known. “He’s lovely and fabulous to work for and that’s it,” Waddingham said about working with Tom Cruise.
Sam Richardson won the Creative Arts Emmy for Guest Actor In A Comedy Series for his portrayal of Edwin Akufo in the hit Apple series Ted Lasso.
EXCLUSIVE: Trey Cannon, the CAA talent agent that has repped stars including Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Laurence Fishburne, has joined rival WME.
Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large After Writers Guild of America waged a protest regarding the Television Academy‘s decision to move the outstanding writing for a variety series or special categories out of the upcoming Emmy telecast, the TV Academy has reversed course. In a joint release sent out today, the Television Academy, Fox and the WGA said they were “happy to announce they have reached an agreement to include the Writing for a Variety Series category in the 75th Emmy Awards telecast airing live on Fox on January 15, 2024, at 8pm EST / 5pm PST.” Because this year’s Primetime Emmys has moved the variety special (live) category into the telecast (it was on the Creative Arts show last year), the TV Academy was likely looking to keep the telecast capped at 25 awards, so something had to fall out.
Tom Cruise.Waddingham has been filming scenes alongside the actor for the concluding instalment of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, which will arrive in cinemas in 2025.The actress and TV presenter had plenty of praise for Cruise when he was brought up in her appearance on ITV series James Martin’s Saturday Morning on Christmas Day.Having spent “five intense days” with Cruise on the USS George HW Bush fighter carrier, Waddingham told TV chef Martin: “I have to say, I have a real problem with anybody that goes at him now.”She continued: “He is without doubt one of the loveliest and encouraging, positive and inspiring human beings I have ever met. Isn’t he gorgeous? I have no time for anyone saying anything about him.”Despite Cruise being held in high esteem in Hollywood, he has faced controversy over his off-screen behaviour throughout the years.In 2005, he made headlines after jumping on the sofa during an appearance on Oprah Winfrey’s chat show to declare his love for then girlfriend Katie Holmes and, that same year, labelled the practice of psychiatry “pseudo-science” in a quarrel with Matt Lauer.He has also faced particular backlash over his longtime association with the Church of Scientology.
Saturday Morning,” she said, “I have to say… I’ve got a real problem with anyone that goes at him now.“Having spent five days with him intensely on the [ship USS George H.W. Bush], no fineries, all this mucking in… he is without doubt one of the most lovely, encouraging, positive, inspiring human beings I have ever met.
Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham has “no time” for those who would denigrate Tom Cruise.
Hannah Waddingham is set to share the screen with Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible 8, and filming with him left her with a new perspective of the movie star.
Zack Sharf Digital News Director Hannah Waddingham appeared on the Christmas episode of ITV’s “James Martin’s Saturday Morning” (via The Independent) and revealed she’s ready to defend Tom Cruise against his critics after working with the Oscar nominee on the upcoming “Mission: Impossible 8.” It was announced in March that the “Ted Lasso” Emmy winner was joining Cruise and the “Mission: Impossible” gang in the eighth installment, which was originally designed as the second part to “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One.” Waddingham’s “Mission: Impossible 8” character has not yet been revealed, but she said she spent five intense days with Cruise filming the action tentpole on the USS George H.W. Bush fighter carrier.
Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large When the 30th annual SAG Awards take place on Feb. 24, we’ll already know how “Succession” and “Ted Lasso” did at the Golden Globes, Critics Choice Awards, Primetime Emmys and DGA Awards. It’s quite possible those series stars’ tuxedos and dresses are going to be pretty wrinkly by the time we get to the SAG Awards.
ITV Lorraine viewers were left fuming after the latest instalment of the show and said “What is the point?” after a pre-recorded episode of the chat show aired.The latest episode of the show saw Lorraine look back at some of her guests throughout the year, including her interviews with Graham Norton Brian Cox, Hannah Waddingham, and Matt Willis. It didn’t take long for fans to express their disappointment and disapproval for the episode online, as one took to X, formally known as Twitter, and said: “Lorraine is presenting her own show today, this can only mean one thing:…… it’s pre-recorded. #Lorraine”.
Kate Middleton and Prince William enjoyed a series of outstanding acts at the Royal Variety Performance which aired on Sunday evening.
Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large And then there were four. Season 10 of Fox’s “The Masked Singer” airs this Wednesday with finalists Donut (Group C champion), Sea Queen (Group B winner), Cow (Group A victor) and Group A “Ding Dong Keep It On” recipient Gazelle.
Hannah Waddingham and Octavia Spencer are going to be in a new TV series together!
Oscar winner Octavia Spencer (Truth Be Told) and Emmy winner Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso) are set to star in and executive produce a new comedy series from creator Tessa Coates (Feel Good). In a highly competitive situation with multiple bidders, the as-yet-untitled series from Skydance Television has landed at Prime Video with a straight-to-series order.
ITV viewers were left divided during The Royal Variety Performance over one comedian's routine.
Bradley Walsh received strict instructions before his Royal Variety Performance hosting gig that he chose to ignore.