variety.com - 80 959 Showbiz News and Updates

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “Takano Tofu” claimed double honors on the closing night of the Far East Film Festival in Udine, Italy. It won the Golden Mulberry audience award and the MyMovies Purple Mulberry award. Directed by Mihara Mitsuhiro, “Takano Tofu” is a melodrama about an elderly tofu-making craftsman, who is stuck in his ways but is also experimental and who is kindly, but whose stubbornness brings suffering on those around him.

Steven J. Horowitz Senior Music Writer In the promotional blitz running up to her third album “Radical Optimism,” Dua Lipa continuously waxed intellectual about self-realization and the freedom that comes from growth, spurred by situations both good and bad. “I think it’s important that we just learn to walk through the fire and not hide away from it,” she told Variety in March.

Max Gao SPOILER ALERT: This interview contains spoilers from “With So Little to Be Sure Of,” the sixth episode of the final season of ABC’s “Station 19.” Boris Kodjoe is ready to start his next chapter. Since wrapping production last month on the final season of ABC’s venerable firefighter drama “Station 19,” the 51-year-old actor — who rose to fame in the early aughts in the Showtime drama “Soul Food” — has set his sights on broadening his horizons.

William Earl “Tarot” has the makings of a classic sleepover horror movie, fine-tuned for an astrology-obsessed Gen Z. When a group of friends accidentally read their horoscopes with the help of a cursed set of Tarot cards, scary symbols like “The Magician” and “The High Priestess” come to life and start haunting the group. Blending elements of classic supernatural slashers and the “Final Destination” movies, the film stars a game group of twentysomethings, including Harriet Slater, Jacob Batalon and Larsen Thompson. Here, Thompson, who has also appeared in spooky projects such as the 2018 film “Bloodline” and the 2022 series “The Midnight Club,” reveals the tricks of the trade for surviving as an actor on the set of a horror film. 1) How to play dead A lot of that, of course, is holding your breath.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor Hulu’s “We Were the Lucky Ones,” based on the book by Georgia Hunter, tells the true story of the Kurcs, a Jewish family who lived in Poland at the onset of World War II. The series follows the Kurcs as the events of the war and the Holocaust separate parents and children, tearing families apart. As casting director Fiona Weir read the script for the first episode, showrunner Erica Lipez stressed that despite the grim setting, it ultimately was a celebratory story — and it was important she get the family dynamics right.

Brent Lang Executive Editor “Lempicka,” a musical about Art Deco painter Tamara de Lempicka, will play its final Broadway performance on Sunday, May 19. The show has struggled to draw crowds since opening on April 14. Last week, for instance, “Lempicka” had its weakest showing yet, earning $288,102 and playing at 71% capacity.

Jenelle Riley Deputy Awards and Features Editor Hannah Marks started acting when she was 6 years old, after seeing her mother’s acting reel. And she’s pretty much worked nonstop, from roles in the films “Accepted” and “The Runaways” to the cast of “Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency.” In fact, just last year she took her first vacation — though she confesses to recording several self-tapes during it.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large When “Curb Your Enthusiasm” began its run on HBO all the way back in 2000, creator/star Larry David had a very specific rule: He wouldn’t let the show’s cast read the episodic outlines. “The first three seasons I did not even see an outline,” “Curb” star Cheryl Hines tells Variety‘s Awards Circuit Podcast. “I wasn’t allowed.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer The producer of “Safehaven,” an unreleased TV show, has been accused in a lawsuit of siphoning funds from the show’s budget to pay his personal expenses, including payments to keep his house out of foreclosure. David Ozer, the president of Strong Studios, is alleged in the complaint to have fabricated invoices and created fake vendors in order to hide the theft. The plaintiff, Kevin V.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor “The Fall Guy” costume designer Sarah Evelyn received the script long before Oscar nominee Emily Blunt was on board to play Jody, an aspiring film director. As Evelyn thumbed through the pages, she was attracted to the idea of how it felt like a classic movie with a prototypical underdog. In putting Jody’s looks together, Evelyn began looking at ‘80s icons like Lauren Hutton and Brooke Shields.

Todd Gilchrist editor Set in a world where every door creaks and there isn’t a single well-lit location, “Tarot” is little more than a clearinghouse of horror clichés. Co-written, directed and executive produced by Spenser Cohen and Anna Halberg (the podcast series “Classified”), the supernatural thriller repeatedly leverages the genre’s laziest mood-setting and suspense-building devices to keep its audience on the edge of their seats.

Selena Kuznikov Golden Globe and Emmy winner Rosamund Pike will join the cast of Lionsgate’s “Now You See Me 3,” the third chapter of the magician series. Details of her part are being kept under wraps, but she will have a “pivotal role” in the film according to the press release. Original cast members Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco and Morgan Freeman are expected to reprise their roles.

Emily Longeretta It was a day of support and encouragement among women — peppered with some hope for change — at Variety‘s Power of Women, presented by Lifetime, on Thursday. The event, which took place at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City, honored Shonda Rhimes, Anitta, Mariska Hargitay and Amy Schumer, and was hosted by comedian Amber Ruffin. Before the honorees took the stage, Denise, Dominique and Tanya Brown, the sisters of the late Nicole Brown Simpson, paid tribute to their sister following the debut of the trailer for Lifetime’s upcoming docuseries, “The Life and Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson.” The four-part special won’t linger on the crime or the “trial of the century,” in which Brown’s ex-husband, O.J.

Angelique Jackson “Black-ish” and “Grown-ish” star Yara Shahidi has signed on to executive produce the documentary “Paint Me a Road Out of Here,” which will make its world premiere at the DC/DOX Film Festival next month. Directed by Catherine Gund, “Paint Me a Road Out of Here” features artists Faith Ringgold and Mary Enoch Elizabeth Baxter and “uncovers the whitewashed history of Ringgold’s masterpiece ‘For the Women’s House,’ following the painting’s 50-year journey from the Rikers Jail to the Brooklyn Museum in a heartbreaking, funny and true parable for a world without mass incarceration.” Of the painting Ringgold has said: “The women wanted to be free, they wanted to be out of there of course but it was obvious to me that the reason many of them were there was because they had a lack of freedom in the first place.

Steven J. Horowitz Senior Music Writer After debuting their joint single at Stagecoach festival on Sunday (April 28), Post Malone and Morgan Wallen have announced that their duet “I Had Some Help” will officially be released on May 10. The two performed the song during Wallen’s headlining set at the event, previewing the drinking-buddies anthem for the evening crowd.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor Taking over a family business can be overwhelming, but for Karan Johar, it’s been anything but. It’s been more than 25 years since Johar took over Dharma Prods. founded by his father, Yash.

Matt Donnelly Senior Film Writer As the 2024 presidential election inches closer, two nonprofit groups favored by pop icons and Hollywood stars are merging to get out the vote. I Am a Voter has been absorbed by HeadCount.

Lexi Carson Nick Jonas and Paul Rudd are set to star in “Power Ballad” a musical comedy from John Carney, who directed “Once” and “Sing Street.” They are currently filming in Dublin. “Power Ballad” was written by Carney and Peter McDonald. The official logline for the film reads, “An uplifting music-driven story about a wedding singer, a rock star and the song that comes between them.” Jonas and Rudd are both known for their work on-screen with Jonas’ credits including “Camp Rock,” Scream Queens” and “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” and a TV performance of “Jersey Boys Live!” Rudd is known for “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” “Only Murders In The Building,” “Knocked Up” and Marvel’s Ant-Man films.

Lexi Carson Disney’s “Launchpad,” the anthology series of American independent short films will return for its third season. Submissions for the new season are now open through June 2.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul are one step away from achieving EGOT status, needing only an Emmy to complete the prestigious quartet of entertainment honors. The duo has submitted “Which of the Pickwick Triplets Did It?” from Hulu‘s “Only Murders in the Building” for outstanding music and lyrics at this year’s Emmys.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor In the latest twist in Paramount Global‘s M&A saga, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Apollo Global Management reportedly have made a bid to take Paramount private with an all-cash buyout offer of $26 billion. Sony and private-equity giant Apollo submitted an offer letter Wednesday to Paramount Global, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. The report comes as Paramount Global board’s special committee established to consider M&A proposals is evaluating the best and final offer from Skydance Media to merge Paramount and Skydance, while keeping Paramount Global public.

Alex Ritman Kevin Spacey has gone on the attack against an upcoming docuseries about him that is due to air next week. The two-part “Spacey Unmasked,” which Variety revealed would broadcast in the U.K.

Jack Dunn Shonda Rhimes was honored at Variety’s Power of Women, presented by Lifetime, in New York on Thursday for her work with the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, a non-profit dance school that offers classes to disenfranchised communities. Rhimes was aware of Debbie Allen’s work from a young age, having been a fan of her 1980s TV show “Fame.” Years later, Rhimes’ eldest daughter took classes at the academy, and Rhimes and Allen became fast friends. Allen eventually became an executive producer, director and actor on “Grey’s Anatomy,” and in 2022, Rhimes opened a permanent location for DADA in Mid-City.

Anitta reflected on growing up in the Brazilian favelas and breaking the “rules” to achieve her dreams at Variety’s Power of Women Presented by Lifetime event on Thursday, held at New York’s Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. The Brazilian superstar accepted her award from Bruna Marquezine, who celebrated Anitta’s “authenticity and fiery passion for music.” “You are an agent of change — a true ambassador of our culture around the world,” Marquezine said.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large NewsNation anchor Ashleigh Banfield is set to host this year’s Clue Awards, which will take place on June 1 in Nashville, Tenn., during the annual CrimeCon event. The ceremony, which announced this year’s nominees on Thursday, will also air live on the Law&Crime Network and stream on that channel’s social platforms.

Denise Brown Thirty years after Nicole Brown Simpson’s murder, her sister Denise Brown gathered friends and family to reflect on her legacy for the upcoming “The Life and Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson.” The four-part Lifetime docuseries doesn’t sensationalize the crime or the “trial of the century,” in which Brown’s ex-husband, O.J. Simpson, was accused and eventually acquitted of the murder charges. Instead, it is a portrait of Brown Simpson by those who knew and loved her. Its June 1-2 release also serves as a riposte to the media attention around Simpson’s death on April 10. In the three decades since her sister’s passing, Denise Brown has advocated for victims of domestic violence and helped pass the Violence Against Women Act. I’ll never forget the time.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Amazon Prime Video has ordered a series adaptation of the Michelle Frances novel “The Girlfriend” with Robin Wright set to star and direct, Variety has learned. In addition, Olivia Cooke (“House of the Dragon,” “Sound of Metal”), Laurie Davidson (“Mary and George”), and Waleed Zuaiter (“Gangs of London”) will star alongside Wright. The official description of the series states: “Laura (Wright) wants for nothing.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor From “Ally McBeal” to “Elementary” “Kill Bill Vol. 1,” “Charlie’s Angels” and Steven Soderbergh’s “Presence,” Lucy Liu has created memorable characters, and the actor is also an accomplished artist. But, as Gold House readies to bestow her with the Legend award May 11 at the Gold Gala, she says, “It’s so moving.

Katcy Stephan Ben Schnetzer has joined the cast of the upcoming Lily James-led film inspired by the story of Bumble founder and former CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd, from 20th Century Studios and Ethea Entertainment. Schnetzer recently completed the film “The Yellow Tie,” a biopic on the famed Romanian conductor Sergiu Celibidache. He plays the young version of the legendary classical music conductor, with John Malkovich co-starring as the older version.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou this week made his first-ever trip to the Far East Film Festival in Italy’s Udine, and appeared to fall in love with the theatrical and festival experience all over again. At a masterclass on Thursday morning, Zhang spoke of his filmmaking techniques and priorities, his enduring quest for the human touch and why not all films need to be masterpieces.