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P.3 4 Conquering the World Netflix’s Bela Bajaria leads the streamer’s efforts to dominate programming all over the map. By ELAINE LOW

P.4 0 Global Gladiators Local broadcasters around the world are taking on media giants like Netflix and Amazon by betting on original content.

P.5 3 Emmy Nominations Variety looks at the newly

GOLDE; SHOES: SAINT LAURENT; (THIS PAGE) SUIT: BELLA FREUD; TANK: AGOLDE TANK: BELLA FREUD; SUIT: (THIS PAGE) LAURENT; GOLDE; SHOES: SAINT anointed crop of awards hopefuls in what may be the strangest season ever, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

LEADING THE CHARGE Bela Bajaria oversees content creation in Europe for streaming giant Netflix. (COVER & THIS PAGE) PHOTOGRAPHS BY PETER YANG; STYLING: MARYAM MALAKPOUR/THE ONLY AGENCY; MAKEUP: KRISTENE BERNARD; CLOTHING: A CLOTHING: BERNARD; KRISTENE MAKEUP: AGENCY; MALAKPOUR/THE ONLY MARYAM STYLING: PETER YANG; BY PHOTOGRAPHS & THIS PAGE) (COVER

VARIETY 3 CONTENTS

TOP BILLING

15 COOKING UP CONTENT Food Network has been quietly producing shows while other studios are in limbo

17 ROYAL FLUSH What does the “Black Is King” collaboration with Beyoncé mean for Disney Plus?

28 THE BIG TICKET Actor Boyd Holbrook talks about his role in Quibi’s remake of “The Fugitive”

EXPOSURE

Variety, VOL. 348, NO. 22 (USPS 146- 29 DEVOUR 820, ISSN 0011-5509) is published weekly, except the fourth week of June, Willie Nelson bets the farm the first week in July, and the fourth and fifth weeks in December, with 40 on a model of sustainability special issues: Jan (8), Feb (8), June (7), Aug (6), Nov (5) and Dec (6) by Variety Media LLC, 11175 Santa Monica 33 DIRT Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025, a division of Penske Business Media. Periodicals DJ Calvin Harris lists home P.5 3 postage paid at Los Angeles, CA and at in the Hollywood Hills other mailing offices. Postmaster send address changes to: Variety, P.O. Box 15759, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5759. Regina King’s nomination for Canada Post International Publications Mail Product (Canadian Distribution) lead actress in a limited series Publications Mail Agreement No. FOCUS was among the Emmy-leading 26 40043404. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: RCS noms HBO’s “Watchmen” received, International Box 697 STN A, Windsor, Ontario N9A 6N4. Sales agreement No. including outstanding limited series. 0607525. Variety ©2020 by Variety 63 LOCARNO FILM FEST Media, LLC. Variety and the Flying V logo are trademarks of Penske Business Swiss event moves forward Media. Printed in the U.S.A. with a virtual edition focusing on future of movies

ARTISANS

67 MUSIC MAN Director Sergio Navarretta turned to jazzman Hilario P.3 2 Durán to score “The Cuban”

68 COASTAL ENTRY Dennis Haysbert Seaside house plays a key role puts Malibu property in WWII film “Summerland” into good hands

69 DRIVING RHYTHM Composer David Buckley created a percussive score for road-rage film “Unhinged” P.7 1

“Muppets Now” REVIEWS review “She does have a new level of self- awareness and an ability to feel her 71 TV “Muppets Now” emotions and have more control over them. But there is a lot she still 72 FILM doesn’t know, and she is going to “Summerland” have to reckon with it at some point.” Ellen Page on the evolution of her character, Vanya, 73 MUSIC in Season 2 of Netflix’s “The Umbrella Academy” “Folklore” P.74 KING: PHOTOGRAPH BY SHAYAN ASGHARNIA; HAYSBERT’S HOUSE: SAM BEHRENS/HIGHLIFEAERIAL; MUPPETS NOW: DISNEY+; PAGE; NETFLIX PAGE; DISNEY+; NOW: MUPPETS BEHRENS/HIGHLIFEAERIAL; HOUSE: SAM HAYSBERT’S ASGHARNIA; SHAYAN BY KING: PHOTOGRAPH

4 VARIETY 18 EMMY® NOMINATIONS CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR NOMINEES

NOMINATED FOR 8 EMMYS

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Untitled-5 1 7/29/20 11:06 AM WATCHMEN OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES - MARK MYLOD OUTSTANDING LIMITED SERIES OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES - JESSE ARMSTRONG OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE - JEREMY IRONS OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE - REGINA KING OUTSTANDING MUSIC COMPOSITION FOR A SERIES (ORIGINAL DRAMATIC SCORE) OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE - OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR A NARRATIVE CONTEMPORARY PROGRAM (ONE HOUR OR MORE) YAHYA ABDUL-MATEEN II OUTSTANDING SINGLE-CAMERA PICTURE EDITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES (2) OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE - JOVAN ADEPO OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE - LOUIS GOSSETT JR. WESTWORLD OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE - JEAN SMART OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES - JEFFREY WRIGHT OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A LIMITED SERIES, MOVIE OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL - OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES - THANDIE NEWTON

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Untitled-14 1 7/29/20 12:54 PM EUPHORIA THE PLOT AGAINST AMERICA OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES - ZENDAYA OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE OUTSTANDING CONTEMPORARY COSTUMES

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OUTSTANDING MUSIC COMPOSITION FOR A DOCUMENTARY SERIES OR SPECIAL CATHERINE THE GREAT (ORIGINAL DRAMATIC SCORE) OUTSTANDING PICTURE EDITING FOR A NONFICTION PROGRAM OUTSTANDING SOUND EDITING FOR A LIMITED SERIES, MOVIE OR SPECIAL OUTSTANDING SOUND EDITING FOR A NONFICTION OR REALITY PROGRAM SILICON VALLEY (SINGLE OR MULTI-CAMERA) OUTSTANDING SOUND EDITING FOR A COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES (HALF-HOUR) CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM AND ANIMATION OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES BALLERS OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES OUTSTANDING STUNT COORDINATION FOR A COMEDY SERIES OR VARIETY PROGRAM OUTSTANDING SINGLE-CAMERA PICTURE EDITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL DIRECTION, CAMERAWORK, VIDEO CONTROL FOR A SERIES THANK YOU A BLACK LADY SKETCH SHOW TELEVISION ACADEMY MEMBERS OUTSTANDING VARIETY SKETCH SERIES FOR YOUR RECOGNITION OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES - ANGELA BASSETT OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A VARIETY SERIES - DIME DAVIS BAD EDUCATION OUTSTANDING TELEVISION MOVIE OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE - HUGH JACKMAN THE OUTSIDER

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES - JASON BATEMAN Watchmen ©2020 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. ©2020 Home Box Ofﬁ ce, Inc. All rights reserved. HBO® and related channels and service marks are the property of Home Box Ofﬁ ce, Inc.

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8 VARIETY CONGRATULATES

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News Stars of WHEN “THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY” drops its Upcoming ‘Umbrella Academy’ second season on Netflix on July 31, it won’t find the Hargreeves as a united front fight- TV Premieres ing to stop the apocalypse — at least not right Pops Open in the ’60s away. Instead, the siblings are separated after being thrown back six decades in time. 89 At a recent virtual junket, the cast and Don Cheadle TIME TRAVELERS co-creator Steve Blackman previewed the Don’t Look Deeper Aidan Gallagher as Number new episodes, loosely inspired by Gerard His inhuman Vscore is Five and Ellen Page as Way’s second comic book limited series, rising on the eve of this Vanya Hargreeves find “The Umbrella Academy: Dallas.” The Quibi sci-fi series. themselves in 1960s Dallas in the second season of action picks up after Number Five (Aidan “The Umbrella Academy.” Gallagher) sends the Hargreeves to the 1960s to escape the apocalypse Vanya (Ellen Page) loosed in 2019. But Five’s attempt 700 to save them has some hiccups, dropping Adam Devine them separately in Dallas between 1960 and Bad Ideas With 1963. Blackman says he wanted to make Adam Devine it “challenging” for everyone to find each He’s trending ahead prior to other again, with some characters build- making a Jackass of himself in this celebreality show. ing new lives for themselves in the past and forging relationships before others arrive. “Klaus [Robert Sheehan] starts a cult; Allison [Emmy Raver-Lampman] gets married; Luther [Tom Hopper] finds a surro- 70

gate father,” Blackman says. “It was really Ellen Page important to develop those stories. They The Umbrella Academy were tricky, because you know, each of those Up five points this month, new characters had to sort of still work her score might be headed to the moon, if only … within our world until the family ﬁnds themselves again and sort of regroups, probably even stronger than they did in Season 1.” Vscore, powered by Variety Business Intelligence, identifies the social footprint, familiarity and availability of over 25,000 • For the full story, head to Variety.com. actors. For more info please visit Vscore.com ZZ/DEMIS MARYANNAKIS/STAR MAX/IPX; MOORE: WILLY SANJUAN/INVISION/AP MOORE: WILLY MAX/IPX; ZZ/DEMIS MARYANNAKIS/STAR Variety Poll Say What? Take Me Out With the “’Striptease’ seemed to represent a betrayal to women, and ‘G.I. Jane’ Crowd? Not if It’s Fake was a … challenge to men. They let me know it too. In particular, my salary for ‘Striptease’ [a record-breaking $12.5 million at the time] When Hub Entertainment Research recently asked became something that I got punished for as opposed to celebrated. sports fans the impact that piping in recorded crowd But everything is serving the whole, and it comes back around to be noise would have on their interest in viewing games able to be seen now for what that is.” on TV, almost half said it would make no difference to them. But 28% said it would result in their watching Demi Moore either fewer games or none at all. “The film looks into the horrors of what it means to be an individual [in] America today and all of the crises we’re facing, quite frankly. Climate 44% crisis, drug-addicted populace, our treatment of Native Americans, 14% It wouldn’t abject poverty — all of those sort of things without hopefully feeling make a I wouldn’t be like a message film. But wrapped into a monster film.” interested in difference in watching at all my interest Guillermo del Toro at Comic-Con@Home on “Antlers,” the new film he’s producing

14% “I routinely play ‘Spot the Black person’ when I go on set. People I’d be less interested, 28% feeling that they are racist or not racist is secondary to the way and I would watch that we all contribute to [systemic] racism. The numbers of Black fewer games than I’d be less inter- I normally do ested, but I’d still writers, directors and people behind the camera is way below what watch as many as is commensurate with a demographic of America or England. And I normally do there’s no excuse for that.” English actor O-T Fagbenle Data provided by Hub Entertainment Research for Variety Intelligence

Platform Analysis. For more analysis, please visit variety.com/vip/ PAGE: STRAUSS/INVISION/AP; DEVINE: JORDAN CHEADLE: CHRIS PIZZELLO/INVISION/AP; KALOHORIDIS/NETFLIX; CHRISTOS UMBRELLA ACADEMY:

10 VARIETY OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS OUTSTANDING CASTING THE HANDMAID’S TALE IN A DRAMA SERIES THE VOICE Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More) THE HANDMAID’S TALE Reality Program OUTSTANDING CASTING Alexis Bledel OUTSTANDING CONTEMPORARY HAIRSTYLING THE HANDMAID’S TALE OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES THE VOICE Drama Series THE HANDMAID’S TALE àƏȸǣƺɎɵًzȒȇˡƬɎǣȒȇȒȸ«ƺƏǼǣɎɵ¨ȸȒǕȸƏȅ ÈÁ³Áz(XzJnXJRÁXzJ(0³XJzٜ ³ÁÈx0³ OUTSTANDING SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS IX!ٳÈÁ³Áz(XzJIzÁ³çٜ³!X THE HANDMAID’S TALE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE LIGHTING DIRECTION THE HANDMAID’S TALE THE VOICE OUTSTANDING CONTEMPORARY HAIRSTYLING Variety Series THE HANDMAID’S TALE OUTSTANDING HOST OUTSTANDING CONTEMPORARY MAKEUP OUTSTANDING CONTEMPORARY MAKEUP SHARK TANK Reality or Competition Program THE VOICE ȸȒɀɎǝƺɎǣƬ٣¨ٮàƏȸǣƺɎɵًzȒȇˡƬɎǣȒȇȒȸ«ƺƏǼǣɎɵ¨ȸȒǕȸƏȅ٢zȒȇ ٩!³ÁR0ÁX »¨ٳz ٨z THE HANDMAID’S TALE OUTSTANDING STRUCTURED REALITY PROGRAM OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL DIRECTION, SHARK TANK OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR CAMERAWORK, VIDEO CONTROL IN A DRAMA SERIES OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY THE VOICE THE HANDMAID’S TALE SURVIVOR Series Bradley Whitford Reality Program OUTSTANDING SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS OUTSTANDING PICTURE EDITING IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A DRAMA SERIES SURVIVOR VIKINGS THE HANDMAID’S TALE Structured Reality or Competition Program Samira Wiley OUTSTANDING UNSTRUCTURED REALITY PROGRAM OUTSTANDING COMPETITION PROGRAM AMY SCHUMER LEARNS TO COOK THE VOICE

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AS THE CORONAVIRUS HOLDS MOST OF THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY IN LIMBO, FOOD NETWORK

QUIETLY SCALES UP PRODUCTION By Kate Aurthur

IN JUNE, two perennial Food Network creating specific plans for each show. “It De Laurentiis for “Giada at Home 2.0” and shows, Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and isn’t one-size-fits-all,” White tells Variety. Ree Drummond for “The Pioneer Woman.” Dives” and Robert Irvine’s “Restaurant: “But we did start with: Where can we film The network’s executives were listening to Impossible,” went back into production. with the smallest footprint, the smallest their viewers, White says, who were asking It was the first time either show shot on crew — where everybody is very comfort- on social media, “What do I cook from my location since the coronavirus pandemic able, and everybody’s on board? Obviously pantry? I used to have my go-tos, but my brought all television and film production in this scenario, everybody feels different repertoire has run dry.”

to a dramatic halt in mid-March. They ON THE MENU about their own personal willingness to The channel also introduced a new self- were ﬁlmed under strict new COVID-19 Food Network is shoot- step out of their house.” shot show in the form of the buzzy “Amy protocols with reduced, mask-wearing ing newly produced Food Network has proved to be highly Schumer Learns to Cook,” featuring Schumer crews — all of whom, according to Food episodes of Robert adaptable during this challenging, impos- and her husband Chris Fischer, a James Irvine’s “Restaurant: Variety Network, tested negative for coronavirus Impossible,” Chris sible year for television. During the stay- Beard Award-winning chef. chief TV after ﬁlming was completed. Fischer and Amy Schum- at-home orders of the spring, the channel critic Daniel D’Addario praised the show as Courtney White, the president of Food er’s “Amy Schumer quickly pivoted to offering new, self-shot an “elegantly, unfussily made document Learns to Cook” and Network and Cooking Channel, says the Guy Fieri’s “Diners, programming by its talent roster — among about learning to live, at least for a time, in a network agreed to restart production after Drive-Insand Dives.” them, the chefs on “The Kitchen,” Giada new world.” According to White, a quarter of RESTAURANT IMPOSSIBLE, AMY SCHUMER LEARNS TO COOK: FOOD NETWORK (2); DINERS, DRIVE-INS, AND DIVES: JOHN LEE/FOOD NETWORK NETWORK AND DIVES: JOHN LEE/FOOD DRIVE-INS, (2); DINERS, NETWORK FOOD COOK: AMY SCHUMER LEARNS TO IMPOSSIBLE, RESTAURANT

VARIETY 15 TOP BILLING

“Obviously in this scenario, everybody feels different about their own personal willingness to step out of their house.”

Courtney White

Meanwhile, filming a popular studio show like “Chopped” is still in the planning stages, but White hopes to start production on it again in the fall. Luckily for both Food Network and the shows’ fans, “Chopped,” “Beat Bobby Flay” and “Guy’s Grocery Games” film “so far ahead and in such numbers,” White says, that all three shows the show’s audience were “new to Food Net- and distant. The hosts stand apart from have continued to air unabated. “Chopped” work.” The network has ordered more epi- the restaurant owners and chefs as well. and “Beat Bobby Flay” are stocked with sodes to premiere in August — and on July According to Food Network, the crews’ new episodes through the first half of 2021. 28, it received an Emmy nomination in the meals were regulated, they stayed in quar- One show on hold for now — for reasons unstructured reality program category. antine, their sanitation standards were rig- of taste — is the competition “Supermar- The cabler has been rewarded for its orous and fans of the hosts were kept at bay. ket Stakeout,” hosted by Food Network star deftness with a ratings spike. Food Net- These usually freewheeling shows Alex Guarnaschelli. On the series, chefs work has shot into the cable ranking’s Top — Fieri is boisterous; Irvine can be both approach grocery store shoppers after 10, and in the second-quarter ratings for warm and harsh — will be very different they’ve left a supermarket to buy ingredi- its target demographic of viewers 25-54, it in tone in the upcoming seasons, White ents from them for a dish Guarnaschelli had its best primetime since 2013, and best says, to reflect the atmosphere in which has dictated. “It’s a show we would like total day ratings since 2012. they were filmed. Restaurants, after all, more of,” White says. “But the notion of For White, watching the viewership have been hit especially hard during the ambushing somebody as they’re coming surge has been rewarding. “It has made pandemic, which has included sudden out of the grocery store no longer feels as our work feel important,” she says. “And regulatory swings over their openings and fun and carefree as it did when we were it has been really gratifying that in such a closings. Both Irvine and Fieri, White says, filming that last year.” challenging, turbulent time more viewers had to adjust to not being able to touch Docu-soaps are also not possible right have come to us. It has been an incredible the restaurateurs hosting them. now, but White and her team are devel- gift, and a huge boost to all of us.” “There’s a moment in the first episode oping some anyway, with the idea “that The new episodes of Irvine’s show, which of ‘Restaurant Impossible’ that’s very emo- production will at some point come back will be called “Restaurant Impossible: Back tional,” White says. “And Robert’s a hugger, in all its glory, and that we will be pre- in Business” will premiere on July 30. The and in normal times, he would have just pared,” she says. She teases a project new “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” season embraced that woman in his traditional that’s been following prominent restau- will likely premiere early next year. Both bearhug.” For Fieri, she adds, “he’s some- rant owners through the dramatic oscilla- shows will break the fourth wall to spell body who always has his arm draped over tions of the coronavirus, and will continue out for viewers how they were filmed safely. the chef’s shoulder — and for him to be at to through the end of the year. “I think this “Restaurant Impossible: Back in Business” a distance, it’s going to be different.” is a moment in time that will impact the will focus on helping to reopen establish- “We’ll see how they feel in the end,” restaurant industry for years and years ments in Florida, Mississippi, Ohio and Mis- White continues. “But it is definitely a to come,” White says. “And it’s definitely a souri that Irvine has worked with before. snapshot of this moment in time.” story that has to be told.” The show’s usual crew is 35 people, plus Food Network is also experimenting with Food Network’s challenge, White says, paid volunteers of up to 100 more. For this shooting some of its upcoming holiday food is to continue to meet the moment. That season, the program used 12 crew members, programming outdoors rather than on sets, includes listening to issues raised by the a COVID compliance officer and Irvine him- as has been done in the past. The shows Black Lives Matter protests, and continu- self, all of whom drove to the different loca- “Halloween Baking Championship,” “Holiday ing to expand the channel’s on-camera tal- tions in two 45-foot-long buses. (“Restaurant Baking Championship,” “Kids Baking Cham- ent to include more “chefs of all color and Impossible” shot six episodes in June, and pionship” and “Spring Baking Champion- region and expertise,” she says. White also recently began filming four more.) ship” have recently begun filming at a resort wants the channel’s new viewers — Amy READY TO SERVE “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” filmed in in California — one after the other, over the Schumer enthusiasts, for example — to While studio shows Fargo, N.D., and Sioux Falls, S.D. — the only course of the next few months. After the cast like “Beat Bobby become “lifelong Food Network fans.” states Fieri hadn’t yet visited on the show. and crew test negative, they quarantine at Flay” aren’t yet back “We want to stay fresh and timely,” in production, Food He flew in privately, and the six-person Tri- the resort. As with “Restaurant Impossible” White says, “and keep reinventing our- Network is stocked ple-D crew all drove separately throughout. and “Diners,” these shows will look different with fresh episodes selves for our core viewers who are watch-

For both shows, the crew was masked — reﬂecting the altered world in small ways. for many months. ing more and more.” NETWORK PHILLIPS/FOOD DAVIS STEPHEN

16 VARIETY TOP BILLING What Does the Beyoncé Boost Mean for Disney Plus?

INDUSTRY INSIDERS PREDICT A ‘BOLD BRAND STATEMENT’ FROM STREAMING COLLABORATION

By Matt Donnelly

WHAT HAPPENS when Hollywood’s intellec- “Beyoncé is a great get for anyone, but theme park rides (Splash Mountain at Disn- tual property king meets Queen Bey? this signals to me that they are going to get eyland, based on the problematic animated That’s the question worldwide fans and more elastic on what belongs on Disney Plus film “Song of the South”) and warn viewers Hollywood insiders are mulling with antic- versus what belongs on Hulu,” one top film of “outdated cultural depictions” in content ipation, as Beyoncé’s latest visual album, executive at a rival studio, speaking on the from its streaming library. “Black Is King,” prepares to debut July 31 condition of anonymity, tells Variety. “The importance of doing “Black Is on Disney Plus. The top-secret project from Disney acquired Hulu when it bought King” as a brand statement outweighs any the superstar entertainer was announced out fellow stakeholders Fox and Comcast risk to perceptions about their customers,” less than a month ago, and promises to in 2019, and the adult-skewed platform is says the executive. “Disney Plus is also reach- be a bold visual celebration of Black cul- largely considered a counterprogrammer ing a ceiling in terms of subscriptions with ture through the ages, as well as a splashy to Disney Plus, whose firehose of premium the content they have. They’ve got to be streaming event amid a drought of content content comes from Disney-owned labels asking how they can keep adults around, caused by coronavirus lockdowns. including Marvel, Pixar, Lucasfilm, Walt Dis- and how to show originality when we can’t “Black Is King” is a feature film com- ney Animation and National Geographic. shoot anything.” posed of music videos for songs from While all stylistically different and innova- Jacqueline Coley, an editor at meta- “The Gift,” an album Beyoncé executive tive, content from these engines falls in line critic site Rotten Tomatoes, says, “For Black produced as a companion to the 2019 with the safety the Disney brand is renowned women like myself, there’s nothing bigger live-action remake of “The Lion King,” for for — one in which heavy social themes are than Beyoncé, and what she does is partner which she voiced the lead female role. It’s delivered with healthy doses of sunshine. with power. For someone like her, there are an adaptive process she knows well, hav- “Black Is King” takes the story of “Lion very few brands that can reach the level of ing delivered the Peabody Award-winning King” protagonist Simba and layers him power she brings by walking into a room. 2017 album “Lemonade” as both a record on a young Black man who is cast out from Disney recognizes that.” and a stacked video compilation, strung his family and forced to find himself in an Coley points to the recent acquisition together by her own narration. With “Black unforgiving world. Themes of suppression and accelerated streaming of Lin-Manuel Is King,” however, Beyoncé is not only and the horrors of colonialism, as well as Miranda’s groundbreaking Broadway show drawing from her experience as an estab- the consistent message of Black pride, are “Hamilton,” a production that she says also lished artist and a woman of color. She’s front and center. As with any Beyoncé proj- took some navigation on Disney’s part. putting her own spin on the billion-dollar ect, portrayals of gender equity and celebra- “When you look at things like ‘Hamilton’ IP behind “The Lion King.” tion of the female form and sexual power and ‘Black Is King,’ they are bridges into con- That Disney Plus would be home to such are also evident. The film will be the most tent that has not been part of Disney’s long a broad interpretation of its wares isn’t sur- direct confrontation of a timely societal dis- history,” she says. “But as they look forward prising. Yet, if teaser trailers and promo- cussion around racism that Disney Plus has to being a moral global entertainment brand, tional images are any indication, Beyoncé is seen in its young life, especially for a corpo- it’s less about work that fits into a model pushing the boundaries of what many have rate owner that has only recently taken steps and more about how they can serve a brand come to eexpectxpect from the DisDisneyney machinemachine.. to rectifrectifyy transgressionstransgressions like insensitive that’sthat s 50 million subscribers strstrong.”ong.

QUEENQUEEN OF ‘KING’‘KING’ Beyoncé stars in a scene from DisneyDisney Plus’ “Black Is KKing.”ing.” TRAVIS MATTHEWS/DISNEY+ TRAVIS

VARIETYVVAA RIRRIEIIEE TTYY 1177 IS PROUD TO CONGRA EMMY® AW

2 EMMY NOMINATIONS OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS OUTSTANDING WRITING IN A DRAMA SERIES FOR A COMEDY SERIES Alexis Bledel To n y M c N a m a r a OUTSTANDING CONTEMPORARY OUTSTANDING DIRECTING HAIRSTYLING FOR A COMEDY SERIES Matt Shakman OUTSTANDING CONTEMPORARY MAKEUP (NON-PROSTHETIC)

OUTSTANDING SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS IN A 10 EMMY NOMINATIONS SUPPORTING ROLE OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES OUTSTANDING OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN SUPPORTING ACTOR FOR A NARRATIVE CONTEMPORARY IN A DRAMA SERIES PROGRAM (ONE HOUR OR MORE) Bradley Whitford OUTSTANDING FANTASY/ OUTSTANDING SCI-FI COSTUMES SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A Samira Wiley DRAMA SERIES

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EMMY NOMINATION OUTSTANDING MUSIC COMPOSITION 3 EMMY NOMINATIONS OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY/ FOR A LIMITED SERIES, MOVIE OR OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR NONFICTION SERIES SPECIAL (ORIGINAL DRAMATIC SCORE) IN A COMEDY SERIES Ramy Youssef

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES 4 EMMY NOMINATIONS Mahershala Ali 5 EMMY NOMINATIONS OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR OUTSTANDING LIMITED SERIES IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS Paul Mescal Ramy Youssef IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE OUTSTANDING DIRECTING Kerry Washington FOR A LIMITED SERIES, MOVIE OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A LIMITED SERIES, MOVIE OR Lenny Abrahamson DRAMATIC SPECIAL EMMY NOMINATION OUTSTANDING WRITING Lynn Shelton OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL FOR A LIMITED SERIES, MOVIE MAIN TITLE THEME MUSIC OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL MUSIC AND LYRICS Sally Rooney, Alice Birch OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A LIMITED SERIES, MOVIE OR SPECIAL

Untitled-12 2 7/29/20 12:52 PM TOP BILLING

STRICTLY BUSINESS the guild’s campaign — to bring a sunset to Cynthia Littleton the decades-old system of lucrative packaging-fee payments, on conflict-of-interest grounds — has been hard to understand. Ask any top literary agent, and they’ll tell you candidly that packages are slowly but surely going away. The business model for WGA, UTA Play the high-budget scripted shows that gener- ate hefty packaging fees and fuel the coffers of WGA members has changed dramatically ‘Let’s Make a Deal’ in just a few years’ time. The big backend score that once came with a show that made it to syndication is disappearing, as Netflix THE FIRST OF THE TOP AGENCIES TO RECONCILE WITH WRITERS et al. change the shape of the industry. The percenteries battled the guild as much to GOT A SWEET AGREEMENT Illustration by Brian Stauffer fight off the precedent of allowing the union to exert so much influence over their operations as they did for the profits generated by packaging, which remain significant but are dwindling fast when it comes to the new productions affected by the agency Code of Con- duct rules the WGA implemented last year. Resistance to the deal on both sides of the table was fueled in part by the bare-knuckle tactics the WGA brought to pursuing its reform agenda once the previous long-stand- ing agency franchise agreement expired in April 2019. The guild handled the outreach and organizing effort for the anti-packaging campaign as it would a tough contract negotiation with the studios. The top agents handling the talks on behalf of the Assn. of Talent Agents were incensed by the guild’s rhetoric likening packaging to a crime and a form of racketeering. The WGA negotia- tors were equally alienated by the ATA’s initial proposed deal and the fact that agents wouldn’t acknowledge that the packaging process had inherent conflicts of interest and had led to excesses in many instances that were not good for guild members. The UTA deal came together, by multi- THE WGA GOT the win it needed. But UTA As in the case with most if/come pacts, ple accounts, through the determination of got the “if/come” deal of the decade in the UTA agreed to a deal that was contingent on UTA co-president Jay Sures, who had the agreement the agency reached to end its the WGA securing another deal with an out- benefit of a previous working relationship 15-month standoff with the guild over rep- side entity. If that doesn’t happen, UTA isn’t with WGA West president David Goodman, resentation of writers. out anything and can walk away from its a respected showrunner known for “Family The drawn-out drama between the WGA obligations. Guy” and “The Orville,” among other shows. West and the town’s top tenpercenteries has UTA agreed to stop packaging TV and At a time of upheaval and uncertainty been nonsensical. The UTA pact reflects the film projects as of June 30, 2022, but only across the industry, both camps had incen- basic compromises that seemingly should if the WGA has reached a similar agree- tive to hammer out the compromise that have been reachable more than a year ment with one of the three remaining large should have been on the table all along. ago by the experienced group of dealmak- agency holdouts: WME, CAA or ICM Part- When the agency-WGA flap first erupted ers who came together to negotiate a new ners. UTA now gets a head start on re-sign- more than a year ago, I reached out to the agency franchise agreement in early 2019. ing some of the more than 7,000 writers industry veteran who was executive direc- Instead, the companies have blown through who fired their agents in April 2019, with tor of the WGA West in the early 1970s, the millions of dollars in legal fees to fight duel- no risk that its competitors may one day last time the guild took aim at the issue of ing lawsuits filed against the guild by WME, be able to resume packaging TV series and packaging. Mike Franklin was 95 at the time CAA and UTA (which has now dropped movies around writers. we spoke briefly on the phone. He didn’t out) and vice versa by the WGA, which also The WGA West’s disclosure last week that remember many of the details of the pack- included ICM Partners. it spent $1.9 million on legal fees (not all on aging battle back then, but he did make a Although UTA has conceded on the WGA’s its war with the agencies) in its most recent point of saluting Goodman and his contem- primary issue of banning the practice of fiscal year, ended March 31, explains why KEY CONTINGENCY porary counterpart, WGA West executive agencies receiving packaging fees from pro- UTA had the leverage to plant that safety net. UTA agreed to stop director David Young, for taking it on packaging TV and film ducers, UTA has a lot of protection from an The bill has now hit more than $1 million for projects, but only with such gusto. extraordinary favored nations clause that the guild on this battle, and that’s before the if the WGA reaches I thought of that conversation last week it wrangled. (The WGA West, to its credit, discovery process has even formally begun. a similar agreement when I learned of Franklin’s death on July with one of the three posted a redlined version of the 22-page From the start, the major agencies’ remaining large 20, at the age of 96. There’s no doubt he kept contract for all to see on its website.) staunch opposition to the primary focus of agency holdouts. a keen eye on the guild’s moves to the end.

20 VARIETY TOP BILLING Remembered

HOLLYWOOD LOSES AN INFLUENTIAL LEGEND, AND TV SAYS GOODBYE TO A BELOVED HOST

OLIVIA The part earned her the first of five Oscar DE HAVILLAND nominations, two resulting in statuettes. But more significant was the fact that de 1916-2020: OSCAR WINNER TOOK ON Havilland — best known at that point as the A STUDIO TO WIN HER FREEDOM lovely young lady who fell for Errol Flynn in film after film at Warners, from “Captain

By Peter Debruge Blood” to “The Adventures of Robin Hood” — shattered the mold into which she’d been cast at her home studio, the one where she IN 1965, JACK WARNER published his auto- was locked under contract for seven years. biography, “My First Hundred Years in Hol- As de Havilland later told interviewer lywood.” Ironically, the figure who really Paul Ryan, “I had been playing ingenues, deserved that title was Olivia de Havilland, and their experience is very limited as who died July 26 at age 104 — ironic not only characters in a film. They meet the hero because the star scored a legal victory over … eventually they fall in love … and then Warner Bros. in the 1940s that changed how finally they get together.” In “Gone With the studio system operated, but also because the Wind,” she saw an opportunity. “But the character for which she is best remem- Melanie went through a whole war, she bered — Melanie in “Gone With the Wind” — went through childbirth, she died. She went expires before the end title. through all kinds of experiences, and this When Warner refused to let de Havilland was a rich human life to interpret.” out of her studio contract, she sued and won. The 1943 court victory liberated her But that victory was hardly her only fight and several other stars, including Bette with Hollywood, the most recent being over Davis, who later invited her to take Joan Ryan Murphy’s depiction of her in “Feud,” a Crawford’s place on “Hush … Hush, Sweet subplot of which spotlights a spat between de Charlotte.” There was no feud between them. Havilland and younger sister Joan Fontaine. In the foreword Davis contributed to Tony In his memoirs, Warner wrote of de Havil- Thomas’ “The Films of Olivia de Havilland,” land that she “had a brain like a computer she wrote that her friend “overcame her concealed behind those fawnlike brown beauty to triumph as an actress.” eyes,” describing how de Havilland enlisted De Havilland overcame far more than Warner’s wife in convincing him to loan her that, taking on the system itself to carve out out to MGM for “Gone With the Wind.” a place in which she might play the roles It worked, and de Havilland landed the that interested her, rather than those that role that changed the course of her career Warner and the men who ran Hollywood entirely. There was the acclaim, of course. had in mind.

REGIS PHILBIN “[Regis was] latter’s first “Late Show” after the 9/11 the best terrorist attacks. 1931-2020: LONGTIME TALK SHOW guest we “Tough seat here,” Philbin told Letterman AND GAME SHOW HOST WAS ever had, as he sat down on that fateful Sept. 17, TV’S PERFECT GUEST charming, 2001, appearance, one of a record-setting 136 visits that Philbin would log during the By Cynthia Littleton lovable and 22-season run of “Late Show.” could take Letterman gave the ultimate tribute to a punch.” his longtime friend, declaring him to be on REGIS PHILBIN, the enduring TV personal- David par with late-night TV idol Johnny Carson. ity who died July 24 at the age of 88, made Letterman Philbin was consistently “the best guest a career of being a talk show host who we ever had, charming, lovable and could was always as entertaining as his guests — take a punch.” and was an engaging guest himself. Philbin’s natural warmth and generosity Philbin, known for his ubiquitous were noted by many who knew him. As a presence in a.m. TV and as host of “Who native New Yorker, he had deep affection for Wants to Be a Millionaire,” mastered make. In the same breath, he could be a his hometown borough of the Bronx. the art of the Bronx cheer on television, genial, avuncular figure who helped ease The family requests that donations be an Everyman voicing the exasperations America back into laughing by gamely made in Philbin’s memory to Food Bank for

HAVILLAND: AP PHOTO; PHILBIN: EVERETT COLLECTION AP PHOTO; HAVILLAND: and wisecracks that his viewers might bantering with David Letterman on the New York City (foodbanknyc.org).

VARIETY 21 ABC ENTERTAINMENT THANKS THE TELEVISION ACADEMY FOR OUR 36 EMMY® NOMINATIONS AND CONGRATULATES ALL OF OUR NOMINEES ON THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS

Untitled-16 1 7/29/20 1:40 PM THE OSCARS® 9 NOMINATIONS Outstanding Variety Special (Live) Outstanding Production Design for a Variety Special Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Variety Special Outstanding Contemporary Makeup for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program (Non-Prosthetic) Outstanding Music Direction Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Special BLACK-ISH 4 NOMINATIONS Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series – Anthony Anderson Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series – Tracee Ellis Ross Outstanding Contemporary Costumes Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling LIVE IN FRONT OF A STUDIO AUDIENCE: “ALL IN THE FAMILY” AND “GOOD TIMES” 4 NOMINATIONS Outstanding Variety Special (Live) Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special – Pamela Fryman, Andy Fisher Outstanding Production Design for a Variety Special Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Special

DANCING WITH THE STARS 3 NOMINATIONS Outstanding Costumes for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program Outstanding Contemporary Makeup for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program (Non-Prosthetic) JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE! 3 NOMINATIONS Outstanding Variety Talk Series Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Variety Series Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Series THE LITTLE MERMAID LIVE! 3 NOMINATIONS Outstanding Production Design for a Variety Special Outstanding Contemporary Makeup for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program (Non-Prosthetic) Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Special MODERN FAMILY 3 NOMINATIONS Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series – Gail Mancuso Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series – Fred Willard Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation

SHARK TANK 2 NOMINATIONS Outstanding Structured Reality Program Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program 2019 AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS 1 NOMINATION Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Special THE CONNERS 1 NOMINATION Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series

HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER 1 NOMINATION Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series – Cicely Tyson JIMMY KIMMEL’S QUARANTINE MINILOGUES 1 NOMINATION Outstanding Short Form Variety Series THE ROOKIE 1 NOMINATION Outstanding Stunt Coordination for a Drama Series, Limited Series or Movie

Untitled-16 2 7/29/20 1:40 PM TOP BILLING Erich Bergen Pivots to Second Career During the Pandemic

THANKS TO ROSIE O’DONNELL AND ZOOM, THE ‘MADAM SECRETARY’ ACTOR HAS BECOME

HOLLYWOOD’S GO-TO VIRTUAL EVENTS PRODUCER By Marc Malkin

BOXED IN Top: Erich Bergen, Barack Obama, John Legend, Rosie O’Donnell and Lin-Manuel Miranda; bottom: Kerry Washington, Nancy Pelosi and Barry Manilow ERICH BERGEN was staring at his computer then I thought of The Actors Fund, which screen on the desk in the bedroom of his when I was living in Los Angeles years ago Harlem apartment. In a couple minutes, helped me out when I didn’t have enough but everyone was so amazed at this thing the July 21 final installment of Nancy Pelosi’s money to pay the rent. I thought, ‘I have called Zoom,” Bergen says. “No one really virtual Hold the House fundraisers for to do something for The Actors Fund because knew what Zoom was yet.” Democratic congressional candidates was if this pandemic really does last for a month, In addition to O’Donnell and Pelosi, Ber- going live. they are going to be inundated with requests gan has now produced events for GLAAD, The Zoom grid on Bergen’s mon- for help.’” Bette Midler, Kerry Washington, UNICEF, the itor included a shot of former President At the time, Bergen didn’t know Rosie San Francisco and Los Angeles AIDS Walks, Barack Obama. O’Donnell, but they followed each other on New York’s LGBT Community Center and the Bergen had a quick decision to make. Twitter. Bergen sent her a message explain- Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative. The “Sat- “There was a moment when I was like, ‘Can ing that he had an idea to re-create her ’90s urday Night Seder” Passover celebration, I tell the president that he needs to be lit bet- talk show as a virtual one-night-only benefit produced with Oscar winner Benj Pasek, ter?’” he tells Variety, laughing. “But then I for The Actors Fund. “She wrote me back, raised $3 million for the CDC Foundation’s realized, ‘Yes, the president would probably ‘If you put it together, sure,’” Bergen says. Coronavirus Emergency Response Fund. like someone to tell if his lighting was bad.’” “And I was like, ‘Great.’ And then I was like, Pelosi’s Hold the House brought in $12 Bergen unmuted himself and asked ‘Oh, no. I have no clue what I’m doing.’” million with a Hollywood-heavy lineup that Obama if he would please shift in his chair But he proved to be a quick learner. On included Whoopi Goldberg, Julia Roberts, for a better shot. The former command- March 22, “The Rosie O’Donnell Show — Harry Belafonte, Barbra Streisand, Jennifer er-in-chief obliged and moved closer to A Live Benefit for The Actors Fund” raised Lawrence, Rita Moreno, the Chicks and Sia, his camera. $700,000, with Zoom appearances and as well as a reunion of the original Broadway These are the kinds of things Bergen has performances by Billy Porter, Patti LuPone, cast of “Rent.” to think about since becoming one of Holly- Lin-Manuel Miranda, Idina Menzel, Brian At one point, Bergen was on a Zoom call wood and New York’s most in-demand pro- Stokes Mitchell, Andrew Lloyd Webber and with Pelosi, Hold the House executive producers of virtual events. Barry Manilow. ducer John Legend and Hillary Clinton when Until COVID-19, the 34-year-old New O’Donnell was impressed. “He is remark- the former secretary of state asked him, York native was an actor and a singer, best ably good at producing Zoom TV shows,” she “I never “Where are you doing this all from?” “I said, known for his role as Blake Moran on the CBS tells Variety. “It was his idea to do the ‘Rosie’ ‘My bedroom,’ and I turned the computer drama “Madam Secretary.” That job ended show, and he planned the whole thing.” meant for around and showed her my bed,” he says. when the show went off the air in 2019 after Bergen had no aspirations to become a it to be Ask him what’s next, and Bergen holds up six seasons. full-time producer. “For Rosie, I had a laptop a piece of paper on which he’s written down When the coronavirus outbreak morphed and a phone, and that was it,” he says. “It was anything nine events. He’s also starting a produc- into a pandemic, Hollywood productions wild, and it was fun, but I never meant for it other than tion company for film, television and Broad- ground to a halt and Broadway, where Bergen to be anything other than that one moment.” way. “That’s obviously going to take a minute starred in “Waitress” during separate runs in Then the calls started coming in from that one before that turns into something, but I do 2018 and 2019, was closing down. “The first awards-show producers, showrunners and moment.” love doing this,” he says. “For now, it’s a lot of thing I thought of were all of my friends who event planners wanting to know how he phone calls saying, ‘I hear you’re the guy. Can

are going to be out of jobs,” Bergen says. “And pulled it off. “It’s crazy to think about now, Erich Bergen you do this?’” (3) OF ERICH BERGEN COURTESY

24 VARIETY TOP BILLING

IN THE RUNNING Michael Schneider Emmys Go Above and Beyond

ARTISANS ADD EXTRA SLOTS, VOICES GET INCLUSIVE — AND OTHER FUN FACTS ABOUT THE NOMS

nod for “Live in Front of a Studio Audience.” (Because the nominations were held earlier in 2019, he was 96 then — making him two years older than when last nominated.)

Record-ish: “Black-ish” star Anthony Anderson’s sixth consecutive nomination for comedy lead actor makes him the most nominated Black actor in the category playing the same role, a record previously held by “Benson” star Robert Guillaume.

Landgraf’s Quick Bite: FX Networks CEO John Landgraf was likely cheering when his company landed 33 nominations — a tick up from last year’s 32. But he also had reason to celebrate Quibi’s haul: As an executive producer on the short-form streamer’s “Reno 911” revival (a relic from his days as head of Jersey Television), he earned a nomination in the short form drama or comedy category. THE TELEVISION Academy’s decision to Aldrin and Collins were nominated in the change the formula for the number of cinematography for a nonfiction program Late Night, Part 2: The short form variety nominations in each category may have category, for CNN’s “Apollo 11.” category continues to serve as an exten- benefited the artisans and below-the-line sion of the variety talk race, as spinoffs talent on programs the most. For Better or for Worse: For the second “Beeing at Home With Samantha Bee,” While the number of comedy and drama year in a row, married “The Marvelous “Carpool Karaoke: The Series” (from “The nominees expanded to eight, all other cate- Mrs. Maisel” executive producers Amy Late Late Show With James Corden”) and gories had to rely on a submission count to Sherman-Palladino and Dan Palladino will “Jimmy Kimmel’s Quarantine Minilogues” determine how many slots they got. In a few face off in the comedy directing category, all landed noms, along with “Between Two cases, the new rule meant the loss of a nom- where they’re up for different episodes. Ferns With Zach Galifianakis: The Movie, inee: In variety talk, because there were Sorta Uncut Interviews” and “The Randy only 24 submissions, the race went from Voice Changes: After much hand-wringing Rainbow Show.” six to five slots — forcing the ouster of “The over the lack of representation among ani- Late Late Show With James Corden.” In mated TV voices, this year’s voiceover cate- COVID Contenders: The pandemic’s impact variety sketch and children’s program, the gory represented a major evolution: Four of can also be seen in the nominations. Besides number of nominees was reduced to just the six nominees are performers of color. “Full Frontal With Samantha Bee” spinoff three, due to a paltry number of entrants. Maya Rudolph (“Big Mouth”), Leslie Odom “Pandemic Video Diaries” and the aforemen- But many of the craft categories, which Jr. (“Central Park”), Wanda Sykes (“Crank tioned “Beeing at Home” and “Quarantine in the past were capped at five nominations, Yankers”) and Taika Waititi (“The Mandal- Minilogues,” there’s “Amy Schumer Learns landed a few more slots thanks to the sheer orian”) were short-listed with Nancy Cart- to Cook,” a show that came out of quarantine number of submissions. The single camera wright and Hank Azaria (“The Simpsons”). and now has a nod for unstructured reality, picture editing for a drama series category, and “When We Stayed Home,” an interactive for example, jumped to eight nods. Cate- Positive Direction: Four of the six nomi- program nominee chronicling empty cit- gories that expanded to seven nominees nees in the directing for a limited series/ ies during the quarantine. And then there’s included contemporary costumes, main movie/dramatic special race are women: TIME-TESTED Brad Pitt, a comedy guest actor nominee for title design and music supervision. the late Lynn Shelton (“Little Fires Every- “Live in Front of playing Dr. Anthony Fauci on “SNL.” a Studio Audience” Here are more oddities and trivia where”), Maria Schrader (“Unorthodox”), exec producer Norman behind this year’s Emmy races: Nicole Kassell (“Watchmen”) and Steph Lear, with stars The Overachievers: In addition to Rudolph Green (“Watchmen”). Anthony Anderson and — who earned two guest actress nods (“The John Amos; Lear broke From the Moon to the Emmys: When Buzz his own record for Good Place” and “SNL,” as well as her voice- Aldrin and Michael Collins filmed their Age Appropriate: Norman Lear has beat his oldest Emmy nominee. over nom), Daniel Levy of “Schitt’s Creek” Apollo 11 escapades in 1969, did they think own record as the oldest Emmy nominee in (Anderson earned his is this year’s cross-category triple threat, sixth straight comedy they would get a Primetime Emmy nom- TV Academy history. Lear, who just turned lead actor nomination landing noms for supporting comedy actor,

ERIC MCCANDLESS/ABC ination for it in 2020? Probably not. But 98 on July 27, earned a second-consecutive for “Black-ish.”) comedy directing and comedy writing.

VARIETY 25 THANK YOU, TELEVISION ACADEMY! 47 NOMINATIONS, 35 CATEGORIES Disney Television Studios Proudly Congratulates Our Emmy® Nominees On Their Outstanding Work.

Untitled-13 1 7/29/20 12:53 PM POSE JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE! 5 NOMINATIONS 3 NOMINATIONS Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series – Billy Porter Outstanding Variety Talk Series Outstanding Period And/Or Character Hairstyling Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Outstanding Period And/Or Character Makeup (Non-Prosthetic) Video Control For A Series Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup For A Series, Limited Series, Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction Movie Or Special For A Variety Series Outstanding Period Costumes JIMMY KIMMEL’S POSE: IDENTITY, FAMILY, COMMUNITY QUARANTINE MINILOGUES 1 NOMINATION 1 NOMINATION Outstanding Short Form Nonfiction Or Reality Series Outstanding Short Form Variety Series

LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE MODERN FAMILY 5 NOMINATIONS 3 NOMINATIONS Outstanding Limited Series Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series – Fred Willard Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Series Or Movie – Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series – Gail Mancuso Kerry Washington Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Outstanding Directing For A Limited Series, Movie Series (Half-Hour) And Animation Or Dramatic Special – Lynn Shelton Outstanding Original Music And Lyrics THE SIMPSONS Outstanding Music Composition For A Limited Series, 3 NOMINATIONS Movie Or Special (Original Dramatic Score) Outstanding Animated Program THE POLITICIAN Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – 5 NOMINATIONS Hank Azaria Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series – Nancy Cartwright Bette Midler Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling TALES FROM THE LOOP Outstanding Contemporary Makeup (Non-Prosthetic) 2 NOMINATIONS Outstanding Contemporary Costumes Outstanding Cinematography For A Single-Camera Series Outstanding Main Title Design (One Hour)

THIS IS US Outstanding Special Visual Effects In A Supporting Role 5 NOMINATIONS BOB’S BURGERS Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series – 1 NOMINATION Sterling K. Brown Outstanding Animated Program Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series – Ron Cephas Jones CENTRAL PARK Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series – Phylicia Rashad 1 NOMINATION Outstanding Original Music And Lyrics Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling Leslie Odom Jr.

AMERICAN HORROR STORY: 1984 GODFATHER OF HARLEM 4 NOMINATIONS 1 NOMINATION Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Limited Series Or Movie Outstanding Main Title Design Outstanding Sound Editing For A Limited Series, Movie Or Special HOMELAND Outstanding Period And/Or Character Makeup 1 NOMINATION (Non-Prosthetic) Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series – Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup For A Series, Lesli Linka Glatter Limited Series, Movie Or Special HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER BLACK-ISH 1 NOMINATION 4 NOMINATIONS Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series – Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series – Cicely Tyson Anthony Anderson Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series – THE ROOKIE Tracee Ellis Ross 1 NOMINATION Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling Outstanding Stunt Coordination For A Drama Series, Outstanding Contemporary Costumes Limited Series Or Movie

Untitled-13 2 7/29/20 12:53 PM TOP BILLING Boyd Holbrook Is Phoning It In

THE ‘FUGITIVE’ STAR EXPLAINS WHY QUIBI’S SHORT-FORM REMAKE OF THE CLASSIC DRAMA IS PERFECT FOR THESE TIMES

QUIBI’S NEW “The Fugitive” is not your How are you doing in quarantine? I think that’s always what’s pushing filmmak- father’s “Fugitive” — or your grandfather’s, I’m doing pretty good in quarantine. It’s been ing — whether it’s a new camera that’s being for that matter. the full wheelhouse of emotions. In a lot of designed or something that’s going to make In fact, the only thing the reboot, which ways, it’s been a really good time just to pause something a bit more efficient. It’s like when premieres on Aug. 3, has in common with and take a breath. It just slows you down, but I did “Narcos” with Netflix, they were just THE BIG TICKET the 1993 Harrison Ford-Tommy Lee Jones it also exposes a lot of things I think you have developing original content. I like to be, in Marc movie — itself based on the 1960s television to deal with, maybe stuff that you’re hiding or a way, the test pilot for these things. Malkin drama — is the man-on-the-run storyline. distracting yourself with before COVID. Psy- Series creator Nick Santora didn’t even bring chologically, it’s been a journey. Did you watch the movie or television back the lead characters iconic names, series before you started shooting? Hear the entire conversation on this week’s Kimble and Gerard. What did you learn about yourself in I went back and revisited all the stuff. I knew episode of Variety and “This is a modern reimagining of this clas- quarantine that you didn’t know? that we wouldn’t be trying to go at the scale iHeart’s “The Big Ticket” podcast, which will be sic film,” says Boyd Holbrook, who stars as I’m not very patient. I like to have things of [the film]. I think it was always designed available on July 30. Mike Ferro, an ex-con who goes on the lam to tinker on and to do, and if I don’t have that, to be an explosive little package that was when an overzealous reporter (Tiya Sircar) then I find myself very restless. moving around. It was just trying to keep it tweets that he is the prime suspect in the ter- more confined and more solely on the theme rorist bombing of a Los Angeles Metro station. So what new hobbies do you have? of what a fugitive is in this modern era. Kiefer Sutherland plays Clay Bryce, the detec- I am becoming the expert in creek design. tive in charge of the investigation. Do you think viewers may miss out on “I wouldn’t have signed on if it was just a Creek design? something by watching it on their phones? straight remake of something,” says Holbrook, I’ve got a little creek near my house [in New Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. best known for playing Donald Pierce in the York] that I’ve cut out and carved, and I like watching YouTube, so that was my “Wolverine” sequel “Logan” and DEA agent chopped down trees and bushes, and moved leverage of seeing where technology’s going, Steve Murphy in the first two seasons of Net- rocks and irrigated the stream so it will actu- and how it’s going to move forward. It’s the flix’s “Narcos.” “This is a totally different take ally pool up. On a hot day, you can get in it. same thing when you’re an actor. You’re on it, and I think that’s why anyone’s going to trained in the theater mentality. Then you be doing it. I think just doing a remake for a Let’s talk “The Fugitive.” Did you know have probably the expectation of cinema, remake’s sake, there’s got to be some sort of what Quibi was when the show was first being in films, and then now you’re on Netflix contemporary modern involvement.” brought to you? and it’s the computer screen, and here we As for the platform’s 10-minute episodes, A lot of people were talking about Quibi, are on the phone. I think that this gives you Holbrook says he thinks it will work. “Where that there’s this hot new company. They actu- what you need where you are at a particu- Quibi really has its strength and where this ally asked me for a meeting. They gave me a lar time. If you also want to play this in your platform’s going to be dynamic is between breakdown of how they’re running the com- media station or on your projector, I think the editing and the actual presentation of the pany, what they’re doing and their model. It it’s really adaptable to anything. cliffhanger aspect, and the short 10 minutes was really fresh, and it was really cool. I like

of bursts,” he says. to get in early on innovative things, because This interview has been edited and condensed. STERCHI RETO BY PHOTOGRAPH

28 VARIETY DEVOUR

High school counselor Vyasar Ganesan and veterinarian Rashi Gupta hit it off in Netflix’s “Indian Matchmaking.”

Watch Read Eat ‘The Answer Is …’ Madre West ‘Indian Each chapter title is naturally in the form of a question in the “Jeopardy” Hollywood host’s first book, in which he talks The Culver City and Torrance fave Matchmaking’ about marriage and success, along Oaxacan spot has expanded to with his thoughts on champion players Fairfax Avenue, with patio dining, TAKING A DIFFERENT APPROACH from shows like “The and why he sshavedhaveved hihissmus mumustache.stachhe. takeout and delivery of tacos, Bachelor,” Netﬂix’s new reality series features Mum- moles, tlayudas and more. bai-based matchmaker Sima Taparia and her quest to ﬁnd spouses for a variety of South Asian singles. Subjects in cities from Delhi to Houston to Chicago meet up with several potential partners, often with their entire families Download present on the date. Along the way, the series provides ‘California City’ an illuminating, if sometimes polarizing, look at cultural A new podcast from KPCC’s LAist expectations while giving viewers plenty of distinct per- Studios tells the gripping story of sonalities to analyze and root for — or against. the ambitious schemer who spent decades trying to sell his vision of a vast city in the California desert that EDITED BY PAT SAPERSTEIN | [email protected] never quite materialized.

Willie Nelson Is No Stranger to Sustainability Farm Aid co-founder turns his 500-acre ranch in Texas into an agricultural model

Mamas, let your babies grow up to be farmers. years now, and I think their ideas about land restoration Willie Nelson’s Luck Ranch in Spicewood, Texas, are great. We can grow our own vegetables and fruit; home to the country legend’s annual Luck Reunion music that’s good to have,” noted Nelson, who acquired Luck festival, has a new claim to fame: It’s a comprehensive Ranch after it served as a backdrop for the film version regenerative farm. Teaming up with Tina and Orion of his “Red Headed Stranger” album in 1985. Weldon of industrial regenerative agricultural model Drawing on techniques like replanting native grasses, TerraPurezza, Nelson — who also co-founded the yearly rotational grazing and water management, the goals at Farm Aid benefit — hopes his family’s 500-acre prop- Luck Ranch include the distribution of homegrown prod- erty will be an example of scalable, profitable food pro- ucts including poultry and pork, and turning the ranch

INDIAN MATCHMAKING: NETFLIX; MADRE WEST HOLLYWOOD: MADRE; WILLIE NELSON: ORION WELDON MADRE; WILLIE NELSON: HOLLYWOOD: MADRE WEST NETFLIX; INDIAN MATCHMAKING: duction. “We have been following TerraPurezza for a few into an agricultural training facility. LESLEY McKENZIE

VARIETY 29 CONGRATULATES OUR 2020 EMMY® AWARD NOMINEES

MRC TELEVISION 21 NOMINATIONS

dick clark productions 6 NOMINATIONS

mrcentertainment.com

MRC ENTERTAINMENT TM

Untitled-3 1 7/29/20 10:40 AM OUTSTANDING OUTSTANDING Drama Variety SERIES SPECIAL (LIVE)

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A VARIETY SPECIAL IN A DRAMA SERIES FOR A DRAMA SERIES Brian Stonestreet Jason Bateman Alexa L. Fogel, CSA Angel Herrera Tara Feldstein Bennett, CSA OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS , CSA IN A DRAMA SERIES Chase Paris

Laura Linney OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR A NARRATIVE CONTEMPORARY OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING PROGRAM (ONE HOUR OR MORE) ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES David Bomba Julia Garner Sean Ryan Jennings Kim Leoleis OUTSTANDING DIRECTING EP 301: WARTIME FOR A DRAMA SERIES

Alik Sakharov OUTSTANDING CONTEMPORARY EP 309: FIRE PINK MAKEUP (NON-PROSTHETIC) Ben Semanoff Tracy Ewell EP 306: SU CASA ES MI CASA Jillian Erickson

OUTSTANDING WRITING Jack Lazzaro EP 307: IN CASE OF EMERGENCY FOR A DRAMA SERIES OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL DIRECTION, Miki Johnson CAMERAWORK, VIDEO CONTROL FOR A SPECIAL EP 309: FIRE PINK OUTSTANDING MUSIC COMPOSITION FOR A SERIES Eric Becker / John Pritchett / Guy Jones Chris Mundy (ORIGINAL DRAMATIC SCORE) Wes Steinberg / Joe Bohman / Ralph Bolton EP 310: ALL IN Danny Bensi John Shiban Danny Bonilla / Suzanne Ebner / Garrett Hurt EP 304: BOSS FIGHT Saunder Jurriaans EP 310: ALL IN Brian Lataille / David Levisohn / Steve Martyniuk

OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR A Allen Merriweather / Rob Pittman / Dave Plakos SINGLE–CAMERA SERIES (ONE HOUR) OUTSTANDING SOUND MIXING FOR A COMEDY OR DRAMA Rob Vuona / John Pry / Dan Webb Armando Salas, ASC SERIES (ONE HOUR) EP 304: BOSS FIGHT Steve Thiel / Easter Xua Felipe ‘Flip’ Borrero, CAS Ben Kutchins , CAS EP 302: CIVIL UNION Larry Benjamin Kevin Valentine OUTSTANDING SINGLE–CAMERA PICTURE Phil McGowan, CAS EDITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES EP 310: ALL IN Cindy Mollo, ACE EP 301: WARTIME Vikash Patel EP 309: FIRE PINK

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY FOR VARIETY OR REALITY PROGRAMMING Al Blackstone I’LL BE SEEING YOU, MAMBO ITALIANO, THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA Travis Wall ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, SIGN OF THE TIMES

OUTSTANDING WRITING OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES FOR A COMEDY SERIES DESIGN/LIGHTING DIRECTION FOR A VARIETY SERIES Tony McNamara Matt Shakman EP 101: THE GREAT EP 301: THE GREAT Robert Barnhart Matt Firestone Madigan Stehly Patrick Boozer Pete Radice

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES Jason Bateman

Untitled-3 2 7/29/20 10:40 AM DIRT DIRT

$5.5M

MALIBU 3,900 SQ. FT. 3 BEDROOMS 3 BATHS

the updated 1960s single-story abode has Price Chop Ensures three bedrooms and three bathrooms in close to 3,900 square feet. Natural light bathes the home’s interior through 14 sky- Haysbert’s Malibu Sale lights and vast expanses of glass. List- ings held by Jane Kellard at Sotheby’s Intl. Realty show additional flexible living space in a spacious poolside pavilion with bath- AFTER NEARLY A YEAR on and off the market, the Malibu spread of veteran actor room and sauna, as well as a second-story Dennis Haysbert and longtime Allstate Insurance pitchman has landed a buyer. studio space that opens to a small balcony Though the $5.5 million sale price is nowhere near the far-too-optimistic initial with foliage-framed whitewater views. asking price of $10 million, Haysbert is on target to just about double his money A stacked-stone fireplace anchors one on the lushly planted property he picked up in 2005 for $2.8 million. end of the combination living and din- Sequestered behind wooden gates that swing open between fieldstone pillars on ing room, where floor-to-ceiling windows look out over the manicured backyard. The more than an acre of landscaped grounds in the rolling hills above Zuma Beach, crisply modern kitchen, which features boldly striated wood cabinets and gleam- ing white countertops, is open to a cozily proportioned family room. Outside, there MARK DAVID are expansive sun-splashed terraces and THE REAL ESTALKER rolling lawns, a saltwater swimming pool HAYSBERT'S HOUSE: SAM BEHRENS /HIGHLIFEAERIAL; HAYSBERT: WILLY SANJUAN/INVISION/AP WILLY BEHRENS /HIGHLIFEAERIAL; HAYSBERT: HOUSE: SAM HAYSBERT'S

32 VARIETY DIRT

and a meticulously groomed multi-hole putting green complete with sand trap. Other notable amenities include gated parking for eight cars, a dog run and plenty of space for a vegetable garden. Tax records indicate Haysbert, who often plays law enforcement characters and whose recent credits include the short-lived NBC virtual reality series “Reverie,” has additionally owned a loft- style two-bedroom condo in Old Town Pasadena since 2006, purchased for close to $750,000.

Dooley, Holzman Take Loss on Beach House Paul Dooley, who has appeared in $5.5M dozens of films and TV programs, including “Sixteen Candles” and TV series HOLLYWOOD HILLS “The Kids Are Alright,” and screenwriter 6,000 SQ. FT. Winnie Holzman, who created the 1990s 4 BEDROOMS series “My So-Called Life” and co-wrote 6 BATHS the Broadway megahit “Wicked,” have shed a home fronting Malibu’s sandy La Costa Beach for $5.75 million. Unfortu- The property was jointly listed with appointed manse last year through Hilton nately for the Holzman-Dooleys, the sale Joel Vendette and Christopher Cortazzo, & Hyland with an asking price of $5.75 price is not just $1.75 million less than both of Compass. Cortazzo also handled million. At the same time, he also made the original pie-in-the-sky price of almost the transaction for the buyer. it available as a rental, first at $25,000 $7.5 million, it’s more than $1.25 million Holzman and Dooley, now in his 90s, per month, then at just under $20,000 below the close to $7 million they paid for with several film and TV roles in the hopper month. Now listed with high-profile the just-over-1,800-square-foot, two-bed- per, have owned a charming Tudor cottage “Million Dollar Listing” stars Joshua Alt- room and 2.5-bath Mediterranean villa in L.A.’s affluent Toluca Lake area for the man and Matthew Altman at Douglas almost eight years ago. past 30 years, but last year upgraded to a Elliman, the multi-winged hillside home A walled, gated, tree-shaded and not-quite-$5.2 million 1930s Mediterra- offers more than 6,000 square feet with stone-paved courtyard with a roman- nean villa on the shore of the community’s four bedrooms and four full and two half tic water fountain leads to the front door, picturesque private lake. bathrooms. which opens directly into a high-end Set privately high above the street, gourmet kitchen with a vaulted ceiling the sprawling home offers a cavernous enhanced by chunky exposed wood beams. Calvin Harris Lists double-height living room that sports The kitchen flows easily into an ample Hollywood Hills Home towering walls of glass. The sleek eat- dining area under an arched ceiling; the in kitchen spills out to the swimming pool living room, which manages to be both Top-earning DJ and record producer Cal- through a wall of disappearing glass, relaxed and elegant, features a baronial vin Harris is looking to spin out of a large and a small den offers a thick-cushioned carved-stone fireplace between built- home in a discreet area of the Hollywood banquette next to a wall of windows. The in bookshelves. Glass doors fold open to Hills, hanging a nearly $5.5 million price two-story master suite’s sitting room a shaded deck with head-on ocean views tag on the snazzily done-up residence he opens to the pool. A duplex guesthouse and direct access to the sand. The en suite bought about 2.5 years ago from fellow DJ behind the kitchen incorporates a dou- guest bedroom opens to the entry court- and record producer Steve Angello for a ble-height bedroom, several private decks yard, while the principal bedroom, with mite more than $5 million. and a giant walk-in closet converted to luxury bathroom and fitted walk-in closet, The multiple Grammy nominee a music lounge with sound-baffling wall spills out to a beachside deck. first attempted to sell the glamorously treatments.

James Cagney’s Island plenty of room for new DIGS Estate Hits the Market construction, a renovation- minded buyer would find A Bar of Many Colors A 70-acre estate on Martha’s plenty to do with some of the Vineyard that once belonged existing structures. The land A Dolly Parton-themed rooftop bar to Hollywood film star James also comes with a pond and and restaurant has opened in Nash- Cagney is now asking $8.95 deeded beach access. Whoever ville with all of the fringe, tassels andd million. Cagney bought the buys the property might bump shades of pink one would expect property in 1936 and owned it turkeys on the island. The large elbows with folks like former from such an establishment. Atop thehhe until his death in 1986. Though estate has several buildings President Barack Obama and Graduate Hotel, the White Limozeenn he primarily worked and lived on its grounds, including a former First Lady Michele features an eclectic menu as well ass in Los Angeles, he spent his farmhouse-style main house, Obama, David Letterman and cocktails with fun names like Anotherer summers raising livestock a guesthouse, a studio and a Spike Lee, who also live on the

PARTON: STAR MAX/IPX/AP STAR PARTON: Day in Paradise. MAE HAMILTON like cows, chickens, pigs and vintage barn. Though there’s Vineyard. MAE HAMILTON

VARIETY 33 Bela Bajaria leads the charge as Netflix looks to establish world programming dominance By Elaine Low

Photographs by Peter Yang

shut down major cities and with- London-America route,” she says. “It ered U.S. television and film produc- really was driven by opportunity and tion, the company’s plans have not [wanting] a better life.” hit a wall, thanks in part to its inter- In the 1970s, when Bajaria was national focus. Broadcast networks 4, her parents moved from Lon- stateside are acquiring Canadian and don to the West Coast with Bajaria’s British shows to fill the gaps this fall, 4-month-old brother to explore the but much of Netflix’s 2020 slate is in idea of opening car washes. They the can. While North America, Brazil intended for their daughter to join and parts of India have production on them a few months later, but ended pause, Netflix projects outside those up overstaying their visa, making regions — namely, those in Europe, the them undocumented immigrants. Middle East, Africa, Japan and Korea That put them in the position of hav- — are up and running again after brief ing to choose between staying state- hiatuses. (Korea never fully stopped side without their daughter or leaving production.) In Europe, 22 produc- and being barred from returning. Her tions across 11 countries are back up, parents made the difficult decision says Bajaria. to remain and work toward obtain- Subtitled non-English fare, as this ing legal residency, a lengthy process year’s best picture Oscar win for “Par- that resulted in Bajaria spending the asite” indicates, is no longer an art- next four years separated from her house taste. As viewers in the U.S. and mother and father, placed under the Netflix’s Belal BajBajariaaria firstfirst came up elsewhere welcome into their homes care of her grandparents. in the entertainment industry in the shows such as Spain’s “La Casa de Bajaria recalls those years in Lon- mid-1990s as an assistant at CBS, Papel” (also known as “Money Heist”) don as a happy time, one spent being after mailing letters to “hundreds of and Germany’s “Dark,” Bajaria is bent spoiled by a large extended family even people” in the Hollywood Creative on helping local storytellers bloom — as she missed her parents, who were Directory. She relished the develop- and widening Netflix’s lead among able to obtain an investor visa and ment process and reading the lat- global streaming services. reunite with their daughter in 1978. est drafts of scripts, which she calls “Being the oldest child, I absolutely the most formative part of her early ith a childhood spent felt a need and responsibility to suc- Hollywood education. But often what in the U.K., Zambia and ceed, to make good on [my parents’] wound up on-screen didn’t align with Los Angeles, the Lon- sacrifice,” she says. “So that absolutely what she pictured on the page. don-born Bajaria has informed a lot of who I am.” “I would read a script sometimes always felt like a global citizen. Her Moving to Los Angeles at 8 was and imagine lots of different-looking grandparents emigrated from India “very jarring,” she says. Bereft of people in that script or in that family to Africa to pursue business there, London’s substantial Indian commu- setting, and then see [a cast of] primar- and her parents, who were born and nity, she looked to acculturate to her ily white actors,” says the executive raised in East Africa, moved to Lon- new surroundings. When Bajaria now responsible for bringing to fruition don for a time before settling on a life tells her own children — ages 19, 16 shows such as “The Mindy Project” in the U.S. and 12 — about her childhood, she has and the “Queer Eye” reboot. “When I “It really was following this oppor- to explain that it was “not cool to be read a script, I imagine a brown girl as tunistic road that a lot of Indian Indian back in the day.” the hero of the story. Everybody [has] immigrants did, the India-Africa- “I remember starting school in their own descriptive bias or their own frame of reference when they read something, so I think all of this comes into play taking on a job of doing local-language originals. I’m really being an advocate and really wanting people’s authentic stories told.” Netflix’s Biggest Growth Market: Not the U.S. Bajaria, who oversees the cre- The streamer is focusing on markets abroad to fuel growth. In those regions, Bajaria is looking to elevate local storytellers. ation of Netflix’s massive array of original content in Europe, the Mid- U.S. International dle East, Turkey, Africa, India, Asia and Latin America as VP of local-lan- 100 guage originals, is leading the charge in the streaming titan’s most interesting growth markets — which are 80 (hint) not America. The U.S. may get a lot of attention, but it accounts 60 for only about one-third of Netflix’s 193 million paying subscribers and 40 in recent years has been dogged by concerns of saturation. More than 20 50% of the streamer’s revenue in the first half of 2020 came from outside Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 North America. ‘15 ‘15 ‘15 ‘15 ‘16 ‘16 ‘16 ‘16 ‘17 ‘17 ‘17 ‘17 ‘18 ‘18 ‘18 ‘18 ‘19 ‘19 ‘19 ‘19 And amid a pandemic that has

SOURCE: VARIETY VIP+ (PREVIOUS SPREAD) STYLING: MARYAM MALAKPOUR/THE ONLY AGENCY; MAKEUP: KRISTENE BERNARD; CLOTHING: AGOLDE; (THIS PAGE) QUEEN SONO: CHRIS DUYS/NETFLIX; SACRED GAMES: ZISHAAN A. LATIFF/NETFLIX; LA CASA DE PAPEL: NETFLIX may for notbe you.” for adifferent audiencestory that different writerswhocould tella ... You visionsof want many toback love.’ Idon’t actually agreewiththat. say, ‘Well, you just make what you inthebusinessthing whenpeople she says. issometimesthis “There to make shows for otheraudiences,” would watch, buttounderstand how you’re notmakingshows that you toworklearning at acompany where instincts asatelevisionexec. ness her decisions, whichsharpened discipline aroundbudgets andbusi experience,learning” oneofshaping ness. Beingat CBSwas an“incredible busi hertotheentertainment led other culturesandherlove of travel Universe in1991.Hercuriosityabout washes. Shewas crowned Miss India her system. trace of theQueen’s Englishleftin and“LoveUSMC” Boat.” Thereisno of Jeannie,” “Bewitched,” “Gomer Pyle: months, on“IDream asBajariabinged erase heraccent over thenext two accent hadtogo.” brown’s SotheBritish not going. — something’s got togo, andthe brown and[have a]Britishaccent third gradeandjust feeling like, I’m about thestudioabout sideofthe business, dent of thestudio. presi in 2011andultimately became Television asexecutive vice president for thestudio. Universal Shejoined vice president ofcable programming miniseries at thenetwork andsenior as seniorvice presidentof movies and ure at indualroles CBSculminated Her decade-and-a-half-long ten “I thinkit’s interesting andgreat She worked car at herparents’ herAmerican televisionhelped Bajaria, whois“super passionate” - - - -

“When I read “When Iread Bela Bajaria stories told.” authentic wanting people’s cate andreally being anadvo- story... I’m really as thehero ofthe a brown girl a script,Iimagine

Netflix’s local-languageofferings. de Papel(aka“MoneyHeist”) are among Tripathi andShivangMonga;“LaCasa Games,” withKalkiKoechlin, Pankaj “Queen Sono,” Pearl starring Thusi; “Sacred International Style path to the streaming world, partic tothestreaming path president oforiginals CindyHolland ularly inworking withNetflix vice ronment,” Bajariasays. come envi- integrated inavertically it’spoint, just ahardthingtoover thoseconversationsabout —at some sion] —andwe transparent were very intentionsofavoidingbest [theten president of thestudio. ways just ayear aftershewas named parted and BajariaUniversal TV would landeventually cametoahead, network ontheissue of whereashow studio andbroadcast TV sal-owned the tensionbetween theNBCUniver than itssister company, NBC. But intent tomarket tonetworks other to Fox alsounderscored thestudio’s ator andexecutive producer. show fromaSouthAsianfemale cre MindyProject,”“The thefirst major towork with.” partner agood been andshe’sstraightforward, always just orthey don’tout, want tojust be ance. just drag Oftenpeople things at givingyougood answers andguid answer afteryes isaquickno. She’s that thesecond-bestin Hollywood Bajaria since herdays at CBS.“It’s said whohasworked withSilbermann, andmanagingdirectorChris partner sive andstraightforward,” says ICM executive respon towork with—very duringhertimethere.Nine-Nine” Fire,” “Bates Motel” and“Brooklyn seriessuchas“Chicagodeveloped “As hadthe muchaseverybody For Universal TV, theseries’sale isMindyKaling’sClose toherheart “She’s always afantastic just been Universal TV forged herUniversal TV world, andherwork at that experience for the till, she wouldn’t trade ------and intheirlanguage,” shesays. The in thecountry, in theirtimezone “make thedecisionsonground that scale. Bajaria’s directreports don; micromanaging doesn’t flyon hubs inMadridandoutsideLon 20 countries andowns production nal seriesandmovies inmorethan America andtheMiddleEast. Europe, Asia, India,Latin Southeast into connect withherdirectreports stance. Shehasregular10p.m. calls reflectitslessbetter Ameri-centric nals,” asthecompany now callsitto originals, language origi or“local ofinternational tohead unscripted and last year, Bajariawas moved from moreeffectively, structured could be whenitfeelsorganizational it chart exemplifies that.” adds Sarandos. “Sotome, Belareally ofa bottleneck decision-making,” withouthavingcuted togo through decisions canget greenlitandexe sothat someofthoseme also[does], works with thefolks whowork for power that andeveryone inthistown, greenlightme hasunprecedented that you would doifyou could. that youteams thinkwilldothethings replicating; you have tokeep building himself —iskey. “You have tokeep decision-making —basically, cloning that can“pattern-match”team his he says. Building outanexecutive do andacross thedisciplineswe do,” gramming across thegenres that we ducing thevolume oforiginalpro- pany willscale. “allabout thetime”ishow thecom quips. But oneofthethingshethinks “I sleeppretty well, soit’s OK,” he him what keeps himupat night. figure itout,’” shesays withalaugh. people, andyou’ll ‘Ihiresmart he said, never doneany ofthosethings.’ And either area. didn’t have in muchbackground and licensing divisions, thoughshe ative executive.” value andshe’s aninquisitive, cre just knewthat shewas anincredible havereally ajobfor herat thetime. I shot,” Sarandostells market, Ithoughtitwas awildlong Sarandos camecalling. afterBajariasplitwithUTV,Shortly “Master ofNone” totheservice. and KimmyUnbreakable Schmidt” dos onbringingUniversal TV’s “The and chiefcontent officer Ted Saran The streamer produces origi produces The streamer Netflix tendstoshufflearoundits whoworks“I thinkeveryone for “There’s mapfor pro that, noroad Sarandos says always people ask ‘Ted, Idon’t“I said, know. I’ve theunscripted He asked hertorun “When shecameavailable“When inthe Variety . “Ididn’t ------idea is to have executives in each languages and traverse cultural and the idea that a foreign-language film nation who “speak the language, geographical territory without much had 10 Oscar nominations and won who live in the time zone, who can of an explainer. three, and the crossover awards cat- make the decision — so the deci- “When you look at ‘Blood & Water’ egories for foreign-language film, I sions are quicker and on the ground, [or] you look at ‘Queen Sono’ from think really opened the door for ‘Par- and have culturally the expertise of South Africa — this isn’t the way that asite’ to be as successful as it was.” He that storytelling.” Hollywood has been telling African believes Bong’s film “Okja,” released Amsterdam-based Dorothy Ghet- stories about Africa,” says Bajaria. “It’s on Netflix three years earlier, also tuba, Netflix’s head of African orig- African storytellers telling their story. made audiences more receptive to inals, appreciates the latitude she’s It’s not the Hollywood lens. It’s the Korean content. been given from HQ. local lens actually telling that story.” In this year’s second quarter, the “Oh, my goodness. I cannot empha- To Africans, says Ghettuba, the share of non-English content view- size to you — it was so empowering to character of Queen Sono is “our ver- ing rose 33% in the U.S. from the be hired as a local leader and then to sion of a superhero.” previous year, per Netflix, a metric have Bela sit across from you and say, that controls for factors such as sub- ‘You’re excellent at what you do, so go palpable shift in the way scriber growth and higher viewing and do your best work,’” she says. Americans think about during the pandemic. The longtime Kenyan producer non-English program- “The way that Netflix embraced is “cognizant of the danger of a ming is in full swing, the international market, you’d never single story.” signaled bythe dominance of Bong seen it before,” says ICM’s Silbermann “My approach is finding these Joon Ho’s Neon-distributed “Para- of the streaming service’s non-En- diverse stories that shed light on the site” this past awards season. glish programming. “The broadcast diverse experiences that Africans “Once you overcome the 1-inch-tall networks would never do something have,” says Ghettuba. “We are more barrier of subtitles, you will be intro- like that. HBO was probably the clos- than war-torn countries and civil duced to so many more amazing films,” est to that, but it was their really good wars and child soldiers and malnutri- Bong said pointedly while accepting a English-speaking content” that drove tion and corrupt politicians. We are so Golden Globe for the Korean film about most of HBO’s international appeal. much more than that.” class warfare and capitalism. Netflix is still in the midst of figuring “Queen Sono,” a slick spy thriller A year earlier, Alfonso Cuarón’s out how much local-language TV and featuring a South African action her- “Roma” put Netflix on the Oscars film it needs to help grow its non-U.S. oine who has a complicated, messy map, earning the streamer its first- subscriber base, according to Cowen life, is Netflix’s first script-to-screen ever best picture nomination and analyst John Blackledge. “I think they African original series — and likely winning a trio of statuettes, including determined several years ago that they a departure for American viewers foreign language film. “I think ‘Roma’ need to have a healthy mix of local-lan- unused to watching TV characters had a lot to do with that for ‘Parasite’ guage content — more regional content, casually slip in and out of two or three this year,” says Sarandos. “I think for that matter,” he says.

Netflix Favorites Around the World EUROPE, THE MIDDLE ASIA PACIFIC LATIN AMERICA EAST & AFRICA A wide array of programs in non-local languages have taken hold among the streamer’s viewers 1. The King: Eternal 1. Dark Germany 1. Money Heist Spain Monarch South Korea 2. Money Heist Spain 2. Unorthodox 2. Hospital Playlist 3. El Dragón: Return Germany South Korea of a Warrior Mexico 3. Elite Spain 3. Crash Landing on 4. Control Z Mexico 4. Toy Boy Spain You South Korea 5. Locked Up Spain 5. Freud Austria 4. Money Heist Spain 6. Toy Boy Spain 6. Locked Up Spain 5. Mystic Pop-Up Bar 7. Elite Spain 7. Into the Night South Korea 8. The House of Belgium 6. Itaewon Class Flowers Mexico 8. Dark Germany South Korea 9. Valeria Spain 9. The Woods Poland 7. Hi Bye, Mama! 10. Summertime Italy 10. Valeria Spain South Korea 11. Unorthodox 11. El Dragón: Return 8. Into the Night Germany of a Warrior Mexico Belgium 12. Freud Austria 12. Curon Italy 9. The Victims’ Game 13. All f or Love 13. Summertime Italy Taiwan Colombia 14. The King: Eternal 10. It’s Okay to Not Be 14. The Search Mexico Monarch South Korea Okay South Korea 15. Reality Z Brazil 15. Control Z Mexico 11. Extracurricular 16. The Woods Poland 16. Love 101 Turkey South Korea 17. The Queen of Flow 17. Caliphate Sweden 12. Dark Germany Colombia 18. The Valhalla 13. Rugal South Korea 18. The Unremarkable Murders Iceland 14. Terrace House: Juanquini Colombia 19. Blood & Water Tokyo 2019-2020 19. Baki Japan South Africa Japan 20. Curon Italy 15. Baki Japan 16. Unorthodox Germany 17. Reality Z Brazil Creating local-language originals is key to Netflix’s assertion of itself as a dominant 18. Hyena South Korea global player. According to Flix Patrol’s analysis, Spain’s “La Casa de Papel,” otherwise 19. Prison Playbook South Korea known as “Money Heist,” is the most popular original Netflix television series in Eu- 20. Betaal India rope, the Middle East and Africa, and ranked in the top five in the Asia Pacific and Latin SOURCE: FLIX PATROL 21. Kingdom South TO VARIETY INTELLIGENCE America regions. Meanwhile, Germany’s “Dark” was a favorite in Latin America. Korea PLATFORM SUIT: BELLA FREUD; TANK: AGOLDE in India. who seesenormousgrowth potential attracting subscribers, says Bajaria, on hashadabigimpact the country 17 millionfor Amazon Prime Video. with18millionfor Hotstar andpared 5 million subscribers inIndia,ascom5 millionsubscribers that willendtheyear thestreamer with Partners Asiaprojectingwith Media and Amazon inIndianmarket share, penetration intheAsiaPacificregion and unscripted fare.and unscripted comedies, operas, familydramas soap that fansloved,” aswell asromantic like and‘Delhi Crime’ Games’ ‘Sacred shows edgier premium, slate of“big, she says, highlightingtheNetflix India strongmonths, executive avery team,” right content.” work todointermsofgettingthe the Asianmarketbutalso“alotof ing thereisa“hugeopportunity”in year, versus61%intheU.S.,mean- will reach12%-13%bytheendofthe far moreaggressive. farmore They’re other companies,” hesays. are “They process intogear.production writers. By June, they were getting the was setting upmeetingswithpotential Netflix execs andhe were inMumbai, vice inMarch2016.By thenext month, recalls pitchingtheseriestoser flix’s Games,” Indianthriller“Sacred ditya Motwane, ofNet- showrunner Offering a mobile-only planinOffering amobile-only “We have inthelast 18 hired, Netflix trailsDisney PlusHotstar Blackledge estimatestheservice’s The company moves Vikrama fast. “That’s what Netflix separates from - - - “It was so ‘You’re excellent Netflix’s ofAfricanoriginals head Dorothy Ghettuba, best work.’” so goanddoyour at what you do, you andsay, sit across from to have Bela leader andthen be hired asalocal empowering to

ley perch inLosGatos,ley perch Calif. —is from his Silicon Valhas longruled chief executive Reed Hastings —who in mid-July, andlongtime co-founder Inelevatingwood. Sarandos toco-CEO moves of Holly closertotheheart across theglobe,to reach itsthrone and for thebusiness,” shelaughs. for mepersonally which isa“win-win sizable markets, tobe — andhappen anddeeplysignificanttoher her roots ofand Africa.Bothregionsarepart expanding into, BajarianamesIndia kets that sheismost excited about gives itscreatives asempowering. laudtheautonomyboth thecompany projects at will;Motwane andGhettuba togreenlightto empower theirteams Sarandos emphasize that they want the streamer’s priorities. Bajariaand opment process, onethat highlights language concerning Netflix’s devel is aword built intothe that seemstobe at Amazon. It the corporate vocabulary same way that “delight” shows upin work for inmuchthe andwithNetflix, up oftenwhentalkingtothosewho siastic andknowledgeable. team”dent local that hefindsenthu- confi a“very Bajaria hasassembled in thecountry, hesays —addingthat company has“expanded massively” ence intheoffice.” the Since then, with“noIndianpres from Netflix, withthreepeople Games” “Sacred proactive doingthings.” about Motwane initiallyworked on Meanwhile, asNetflix continues themar When asked tochoose isa word that“Empower” comes ------of ourcontent.” change theway that we consume alot I believe that that’s going toreally what itislike towatch movies at home. ataste of isgivingpeople pandemic that,” Motwane says. “Ithinkthat the intheaters. for smallerfilmstosurvive two weeks, out every makingittougher hesays,rated, withabigmovie coming marketthe Indiantheatrical was satu AtNetflix. priortothepandemic, least “AK vsAK,” starring AnilKapoor, on unveiling hisnext majorfeature film, forgoing infavor release atheatrical of series,”“web butheisnevertheless asa refer Games” people to“Sacred traditional routes. over theservice more times choosing theirstories, some Netflix tocarry the world areputting theirfaithin dies by itsprogramming. shows.to itsfilmsandTV Itlives and contrast, reliessolelyonsubscribers sumers. Netflix’s by business model, oncontentspend toattract newcon lations how about to muchitneeds byinternalcalcu limited could be effortsthe depthsof itsHollywood believes Wlodarczak service, bership customers for itsoverall Prime mem programming istoenlist morepaying withitsPrime goal Videoprimary Pivotal analyst Jeff Wlodarczak. like Disneybody orAmazon,” says keep upwithNetflix except for some tive withviewers. footing “No onecan vider that hasestablished competi- world, atworld, thisscale, exciting.” is really thosestoriesable all over toexport the tome,”important shesays. “Being —isreally to seethosestories reflected indifferent languagesand speak —and told inthat way, wholook andpeople andhavingon-screen, thosestories of different kindsoflives reflected space for morerepresentation onTV. has throughouthercareer, iscreating electrifying for her,remains truly asit says Bajaria.And whatIndia team, guage projects inIndiathrough2020. more than$400millionintolocal-lan investingbeen putting intheregion, to itsranksinthecountry. Netflix has executivesexperienced unscripted severalthat hasadded thestreamer entertainment,” says Bajaria,noting withanaudience thating, “devours other streaming entertainment pro entertainment other streaming Video platform theonly isperhaps capital of theworld. reign directlyfromtheentertainment successor apotential positioning to India has a rich history of storytell India hasarichhistory aregoing streamers tochange “The Motwane may get annoyed when Filmmakers andcreatives around But whose inthecaseofAmazon, “This idea of really having ofreally lots idea “This It’s anexciting timefor theNetflix Outside theU.S., Amazon’s Prime

------40 like NetflixandAmazon content tobattlebehemoths platforms thatbankonlocal globe areturbocharging Broadcasters aroundthe

VREY VARIETY BRAVE NEW WORLD afford tolose. — andit’s agambletheycan’t bet flective oftheirsocieties.They’re original shows thatare more re- technology andcommissioning with studios,investing inplatform ey for expensive outputdeals their aud traditional modelstowinback and telcoshave disruptedtheir recent years, thosebroadcasters of NetflixandAmazonPrime.In universal appealfrom thelikes boundary-breaking dramaswith works andgravitate toward sexy, and acquisitionsfrom U.S. net- on mid-budgetlocalprograms erode asviewers turntheirbacks world have seentheirnumbers decade, broad For thebetter part viewers engaged. buy-in toturnaprofit and keep egies cangetthenecessary their for most,however, iswhether local ecosystems. Thequestion an inimitableunderstandingof history withtheircustomersand Amazon Primestilllack:arich ways, theyhave what Netflixand — andtheydon’t want to. Inmany budgets for originalprogramming withthegiantsonbillion-dollar recognize theycan’t gotoe-to-toe natives toglobalplayers. Most to provide complementaryalter- U.K. Hub)—allofwhichaim (ITV (OCS), Germany (Joyn) andthe Balaji), Australia (Stan),France East (ShahidVIP),India(ALT- and pay servicesintheMiddle TV local andregional ad-supported Analysis todelve intothetop U.K.-based consultancyAmpere MUTI/FOLIO ART ILLUSTRATION BY MANORI RAVINDRAN EDITED BY ting Variety local-content-focused strat- big onthepower oflocal iences, dishingoutmon- haspartnered with casters around the of thepast

GUTTER CREDIT VARIETYVARIETY 41 customers, MBCclaims. ary toacurrent 1.4 millionpaying from 100,000 subscribersinJanu- Shahid’s customerbase. a phenomenalleapinthe“all-new” originals have indeed prompted efforts toproduce high-endArabic audiences —andMBC’s ramped-up seasonforstances ispeakTV Arab which even undernormal circum- pandemic lockdowns, Ramadan — and a combinationofcoronavirus the bestinworld.” tal platform thatisonpar with what hecalled“an advanceddigi- Waleed Al-Ibrahimasheunveiled declared MBCGroup chairman “Here iswhere we willbegin,” was peppered withproclamations. heavyweights,and MiddleEastTV Saudi andUAE royals, Arabcelebs Khalifa, theworld’s tallesttower. Time” lituptheemirate’s iconicBurj Opera, where the slogan“It’s Our SVOD streaming serviceatthe launch ofitsrevamped Shahid to-air broadcaster, held alavish 42 Arab originals hand thankstopremium streamer hastheupper MBC Group’supstart Money a Run for Its Giving Netflix Shahid VIP: Middle East BY NICKVIVARELLI The rebranded Shahid VIP went Cut toseven monthslater, The pharaonicgala,attendedby

Middle East’s largest free- owned MBCGroup, the In mid-January, Saudi- VREY VARIETY Dubai breakdown ofitssubs. to provide aterritory-by-territory and 396,000 inEgypt.MBCdeclined Saudi Arabia;242,000 intheUAE; subscriber estimatesof157,000 in according to Bisson,citingNetflix likely see Shahidovertake Netflix, decent base.Therecent leapwill according toasource, that’s stilla currently becloserto1million, of Shahid VIP subscribersmay now toreach 5millionsubsby 2024. by thefigure andsays thegoalis ed MBCCEO inDecember, stands Antoine d’Halluin,whowas appoint- free trialperiod. However, Marc artificially boostedby theplatform’s cautions thatMBC’s numbersmay be research director GuyBisson,who growth,” says Ampere Analysis director for aboutayear, pointed er, whohadbeen Shahid managing ex-Hulu executive JohannesLarch- Shahid VIP isviamobiledevices. ics, 70% ofcontentwatched on Owing totheregion’s demograph- a very young-skewing population.” market for streaming becauseithas East “is andshouldbeastrong Bisson points out that the Middle Bisson pointsoutthattheMiddle Even though thereal number “That isaphenomenalrateof At theDubai presentation, 0 I Total Subscribers Percentage of localcontent Netflix Shahid VIP IIIII 42 Shahid VIP % : Netflix runs$8-$15 permonthin is $5inSaudiArabia andtheUAE; for 49% ofthetotaloffering. the UAE andSaudi Arabiaaccounts wood contentonNetflixinEgypt, addition to Shahid’s lineup. Holly- work channelthatmarks thelatest Net- back catalogand aCartoon 3,000 hoursof Disney’s andFox’s this programming ismore than 24% inSaudiArabia.Thebulkof offer inEgyptandthe and UAE, accounts for 29% of Shahid VIP’s to Ampere data.Hollywood content and 1%inSaudiArabia,according in theregion isamere 1%inEgypt age ofArabiccontentonNetflix tent islocal,whereas thepercent- versus Netflixisthat42%ofitscon- overseeing originalproductions. as Shahid’s chiefcontentofficer, Jakob MejlhedeAndersenwas hired mer Viaplay andNENTStudiosexec head ofHBOMaxIntl.InApril, for- left Shahid in earlyJulytobecome new offering. Larcher abruptly factors distinguishingtheservice’s Disney, Fox —askey andSpotify —aswell aspartnershipswith premium contentanditsdiversity to thequalityofplatform’s .5 The monthlyratefor ShahidVIP Shahid VIP’s key differentiator IIIIII IIII : 759K 1 I positioned torulein theregion. from Jordan — Shahid seems best flix originalsoutofEgypt,andone currently onlythree ArabicNet- with greater urgency — there are giant moves intoArabicoriginals to Ampere. Butuntiltheglobal content on Shahid VIP, according content versus 16,354 hoursof can choosefrom 21,813 hoursof Arabia, where Netflixsubscribers than Shahid — atleastinSaudi deep-pocketed MBCStudios. shows are beingbankrolled by by U.K. scribeTony Jordan. More crime series “BloodOath,” written Saudi ArabiaandIsrael;and Arabic debate on“normalization” between Arab Gulfregion andhas sparked ties ofJewishpeoplelivinginthe Haroun,” which explores historic hits includesocialdrama“Umm shows asakey driver. Recent points to Shahid’s premium Arab to leverage cross-promotions, he subscriptions. Besidesbeingable model” combiningadvertising and [its] transitiontoadual-revenue very positive earlyresults from type ofplan. those territories,dependingonthe Netflix hasalarger offering D’Halluin says MBCis“seeing I 1 Netflix % 1.4M 1.5

GUTTER CREDIT GUTTER CREDIT of more than60Hindi-language guage contentlibrary.” be ourplanin]expanding ourlan- from thebeginning, andthat[will content hasbeenALTBalaji’s goal tells breadth ofthecountry,” Kapoor es spread across thelengthand from reaching outtothemass- same philosophy tothestreamer. elite —andshehasextended the er thancateringtothenicheurban the widestpossibleaudiencerath- believer thetastesof insatisfying some 30years. Kapoorisastaunch ular entertainmenttelevisionfor leading Indianprovider ofpop- reported a$2millionloss. break even. Lastquarter, ALTBalaji ALTBalaji, hopesthestreamer can Balaji Telefilms, theparent firmof Kapoor, jointmanagingdirector of originals by 2021. Bythattime,Ekta The company’s aimistoreach 100 is hopingtodeliver themquickly. and awaiting post-production, and has adozen newshows already shot production suspended.ALTBalaji in muchofthecountry, leaving have forced anotherlockdown high, surging coronavirus cases While demandfor fresh contentis added 17,000 subscribersdaily. lockdown in India,thestreamer and Amazon. compared withjust8% for Netflix tent iscomposedoflocaloriginals, reveals that76% ofALTBalaji con- research firmAmpere Analysis where ALTBalaji excels. Datafrom 13% ofthebox office —andthisis ure tocarve outmore thanapaltry exemplified by Hollywood’s fail- local contentover imports—best Prime Video. behemoths NetflixandAmazon accent onBollywood;andglobal 12,000 librarytitles,withan Eros Now, boastingmore than library across Indianlanguages; local sportsrightsandavastmovie which relies onastrangleholdof streamers: DisneyPlusHotstar, viewers inIndia’s arena ofgiant significant providers jockeying for $2.5 billionby 2024. to grow 30%annuallytoreach study, India’s SVODs are projected according toarecent Deloitte market valuedat$600million, Indian SVOD space.Alucrative playershome-grown inthecrowded ALTBalaji has builtacollection “We realize thatgrowth comes Balaji Telefilms hasbeenthe During thefirstphaseof India isamarket thatprefers Among themore than20 Variety is oneoftheleading subscriptions, ALTBalaji With more than30million . “‘Massification’ of Can itsmomentumlast? subscribers adayduringlockdown. The streameradded17,000 Language Speaking India’s ALTBalaji: Pantvaidya tells ments,” ALTBalaji CEO Nachiket graphic andsociographicseg- audience’s interest across demo- created [by] keeping inmindthe form orinthepipelinehasbeen Masala.” “Each show ontheplat- rom-com “Coldd LassiAur Chicken “Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain” and ty-themed “Mentalhood,” romance drama “Class of2020,” materni- gangster thriller“Apharan,” teen launching in2017. Hitsinclude original seriesacross genres since its annual content budget to a its annualcontentbudget toa global streamers, ALTBalaji holds lavished oncommissionsby the BY NAMANRAMACHANDRAN Compared withtheamounts

Total Subscribers: Variety

. A LTBalaji 30.8M

Netflix 7.9 M I II III IIII I IIIII IIIII IIIII IIII I IIII I I happen whentheorganization is the curve. Thesecanprobably only what hashelpedusstay aheadof taking dueactionattheearliestis sumption trends andpatterns, early on,predicting content con- us,” shesays. “Reading themarket an existing player, doesnotbother for thatmatter, theemergence of uct. “Theentryofnewplayers, or a firmbeliever inherown prod- of streamers inthemarket andis or INR100aquarter. Balaji for justINR300($4) ayear, low. CustomerscanaccessALT- allows ittokeep subscriptioncosts tight $15millionperyear. This 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 Kapoor isunfazed by theglut Percentage of localcontent India quarterly or$12.99 yearly tionally, ALTBalaji ispricedat$4.99 tralia andtheMiddleEast.Interna- from NorthAmerica,the U.K., Aus- partner providers, some 18% are access theserviceviaahostof India. Ofitsglobalcustomers,who pany’s subscriberslive outside ments withinternationalproviders. claim any outputorcarriageagree- platforms. ButALTBalaji doesn’t ing programming available onboth tainment Enterprises,withresult- of mediaconglomerateZee Enter- deal withstreamer ZEE5, adivision small, sharpandquicktoreact.” A healthy portionofthecom- ALTBalaji hasaco-production 76 ALTBalaji 8 VARIETY VARIETY Netflix % % .

43 : among apopulation of26 million. says Netflix now has11millionusers after launch.Roy Morgan Research by theprevious May, just15months flix hadhit5.5 millionsubscriptions public broadcaster ABCsaidNet suggest closeto6million.In2017, precisely, conservative estimates tralian subscribersisnotknown its foreign competitors. foothold, even ifnotatthelevel of monthly subscribers—asignificant consortium, claiming1.8 million in thenow merged Fairfax andNine is certainlyoneofthecrown jewels tainment, isalocalsuccessstory. It free-to-air broadcaster NineEnter newspaper group Fairfax Mediaand in 2014 asajointventure between which debutedinDecember2016. of NetflixandAmazonPrimeVideo, pete withthelegalAustralian version outbyfizzled 2017, unable tocom brightly atthestart.Butbothhad er, Presto, beganin2014 andburned 2011, brieflylooked promising. Anoth moving from DVDs tostreaming in had asimilartrajectorytoNetflix, credit cards topay for it. American Netflix—andusingU.S. over to beusingVPNsandbrowsers to 44 Australia of localshows than boastinganarsenal Hollywood contentrather strategy ofrecent service banksona The Australianstreaming Right Mix to Get the Stan: Aiming BY PATRICK FRATER While Netflix’s numberofAus But Stan,astreamer thatbowed Local company Quickflix,which

comegeo-blockingfor North households were believed March 2015, several million launched inAustralia in Even before Netflixofficially VREY VARIETY - - - - - likely areflection of thenationas an other territories,buttheanomalyis tralia hasnotbeenthekey ithasin content amongstreamers inAus versus Stan costsslightlylessthanNetflix: of Stan.Apremium subscriptionto libraries roughly three timesthat Amazon bothhave acc son ofAmpere Analysis.Netflixand movies shows,” andTV says GuyBis against isNetflix’s stockoforiginal sci-fi by leagueandcricket, inparticular. by crime/thriller rest film.Thegenre mixisdominated Stan’s libraryiscomposedofTV, the According toAmpere data,75% of a mixthatseemsfairly traditional. sports own, largely duetoitslockonlive marketTV leaderFoxtel holdsits ABC have plungedintothered. Pay conventional networks TV andthe the linearincumbents.Australia’s AU$17 ($12.11) It may besurprisingthatlocal “What’s really hard tocompete Stan ismakingitsmarkwith That kind of penetration has hurt That kindofpenetrationhashurt ( 14% 0 I Total Subscribers — Percentage of localcontent AU$19.99 Netflix Stan Australian rulesfootball, rug- ) and children’s/family and (14% for thelo for Netflix. ( 19% ) , comedy 1 calservice 7 ess tocontent I Stan ( % 18%

- ) ) . ,

: 2 I been engagedinjust15Australian unusually small:For instance,ithas production activityDown Underis (4%) Netflixlocal andNetflix(2%). ahead ofthatbothAmazonPrime according toAmpere data),isstill programming, whilesmall(at7%, to dateonAmericanentertainment. audience largely comfortable andup English-language market, withan Japan and58inCanada. originals, compared with66 in funds withregional filmagencies production, andjointdevelopment 26 productions indevelopment or commissioning organization, ithas matures asadevelopment and “Relic,” whichbowed atSundance. bourne-set hauntedhousemovie (a HelenReddy biopic) andMel and originalfilms“IAmWoman,” Tourist,” co-produced withtheBBC; Gloaming”; six-part thriller“The dramas “TheCommons” and“The of AU$65 million.Titles include fiscal year have totalbudgets tions commissionedinthe2020 1.8M And Stan’s percentage oflocal Stan says itsfive localproduc Going forward, asthestreamer : 3 I

- 4

I breaks thebank. petitors —butnotsopriceythatit more localthanitsstreaming com recent anddecentcontent, a matterofgettingthelevels right: able tooverpower andoutspendit. like NetflixandDisneyPluswould be content, vertically integratedrivals cific revenue percentages intolocal services are obligedtodirect spe Stan believes thatifallstreaming it saidinagovernment submission. business modelsacross thesector,” ed consequences,anddamagingto terproductive, plaguedby unintend- Quota minimumswould be “coun rimental toitsforeign competitors. Australian contentwould belessdet- minimum levels ofspendingon gets andalightregulatory touch. arguing for voluntary spendingtar to taxation.Allthree companiesare everything from localproduction and entertainmentthat’s examining federal government probe intomedia side NetflixandAmazoninacurrent Film Victoria andScreen Queensland. 2 Netflix Ultimately, successfor Stanis Stan warns thatsetting Yet Stanfindsitselfliningupalong- % 5 I

5.5M

6 I - - - -

GUTTER CREDIT GUTTER CREDIT afloat thanks toawell-curated the 11-year-old OCShaskept itself the local’s momentum. of OCS’, butthathasn’t quashed that’s nearlyeighttimes thesize tent library offilmsandseries almost 8millionsubs,hasacon 2014 inFrance andnow counts local SVOD service. becoming thecountry’s biggest more than3millionsubscribers, Orange, hasbeenabletolure platform acompetitiveedge originals givesOrange’s investment inedgyhalf-hour Pacts withHBOandSony Youth Audiences Local Player Draws OCS: France’s BY ELSA KESLASSY Though it’s notyet profitable, Netflix, whichlaunchedin service ofFrench telco market, OCS, thepay TV In France’s competitive

Total Subscribers:

OCS 3.1M

- Netflix 7.9 M I I I I I I I I I I for roughly 30%of theOCSlibrary, sive first-window content accounts 11.99 euros ($13.87) permonth. Amazon. BothOCSandNetflixcost the locallaunchesofNetflixand it tosustainsubscriptionsdespite solid competitive edge,allowing deal withHBOhasgiven OCSa according toAmpere Analysis. affluent thanNetflix’s subscribers, users age34 orunder —andmore consumer, withmore thanhalf its younger thantheaverage French differs from Netflixtitles. OCS skews offering ofpremium contentthat 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 The dealwithHBO, whoseexclu The localstreamer’s exclusive Percentage of localcontent

- 26 with younger audiencesto its roster studio’s movies series. andTV first-window rightstotheU.S. struck in2015thatcovers exclusive series andfilms—amultiyear pact tures Television for blockbuster is anoutputdealwithSony Pic service inFrance anytime soon. isn’t likely tolaunchasastandalone in theU.K. Meanwhile, HBOMax the streamer, just asitdidwith Sky expected torenew itspactwith executive tells 2021. However, aseniorOrange could terminateattheendof 3 OCS partly owes itspopularity Also key to theOCSoffering Netflix OCS % % Variety thatHBOis France

: -

of channels. as astandaloneamongitsportfolio ellite platform hasoffered OCS PlusGroup’sSince 2012, Canal sat local content,respectively. were far behind,with 9% and3% had 17%.AmazonPrimeandNetflix Play had18% PlusSéries andCanal marily produced inFrance. SFR across movies shows andTV pri May figures, with26% ofitshours content, according toAmpere’s the greatest proportion oflocal starringPatrickDempsey. financial thrillerseries“Devils,” Rose” andmore recently debuting the Italianseries“TheNameof ma over five years, kickingoffwith investing 100millioneuros indra- 2017, thecompany committedto internationally driven series.In film division,toco-produce bigger, Orange Content,thetelcogroup’s science-fiction series“Missions.” and talent,notablytheaward-winning up-and-coming French producers driving force behindshows madeby for thepastseven years, beenthe acquisitions at OCS, thelabelhas, tor andheadofprogramming and Duchesnay, deputymanagingdirec- ture banner. Spearheaded by Boris service onBouygues, SFRandFree. strategy, whichhasalso placedthe Orange’s aggressive distribution Plus’ thematicchannels. merger between OCS and Canal continue toraisethespecterofa OCS, whileotherindustryinsiders Plus tobuyoutOrange’s stake in said itwould make sensefor Canal Godard atEndersAnalysis,have senior analysts,includingFrançois heading the OCSstrategy. Some play amore active role inspear pay group TV isnow expected to guidelines, butVincent Bolloré’s silent shareholder duetoantitrust Until Dec. 31, Pluswas a Canal accounting for theother33.3%. (66.6%), withVivendi’s Plus Canal local movies.” audiences have abigappetitefor in France, unlike inSpainorItaly, age toattractsubscribers,because bonus, whichgives ussomelever VOD,” says Duches rical releases ontransactional only four monthsaftertheirtheat- exchange, canaccessfresh movies to invest inlocalcontentand, tion VOD consumption,we have model mixinglinearandsubscrip- developed underitsOCS Signa of innovative localhalf-hour series “Since we have ahybrid Of itscompetitors, OCS had OCS has alsojoinedforces with OCS hasbenefitedfrom OCS is mainlyowned by Orange VARIETY VARIETY nay. “It’s areal

- - - 45 - -

co-productions high-end originalsand service complements A popularliveTV Functionality Big onLive Bet Parents Broadcast Joyn: BY LEO BARRACLOUGH costs 7.99 euros monthly. same priceasDisney Plus;Netflix 6.99 euros ($8.09) permonth, the Vassilev explains. Joyn Pluscosts that many peoplewere lookingfor,” and underoneroof was something entertainment offerings inoneapp consumer activityontheplatform. elodeon. Live represents TV 47% of international brandssuchasNick are mostlylocal,butthatalsoinclude that itoffers 60live channelsthat TV the servicefrom globalstreamers is user experience.” great contentandanexcellent for astrong localplayer [ifitoffers] business,” hesays. “There isroom “Streaming isnotawinner-takes-all market isbigenoughfor everyone. at Googlefor adecade,says the Alexandar Vassilev, whoworked joining thefray inMarch, Joyn CEO global players, andwithDisneyPlus platform Maxdome intotheservice. ProSiebenSat.1’s existing SVOD in November andrecently folding a year ago, introducing Joyn Plus The Joyn platform launchedjustover caster ProSiebenSat.1 andDiscovery. venture between Germanbroad- ad-supported streamer Joyn, ajoint Germany, Austria andSwitzerland. platform issofar available in as ameanstoclosethegap. The on upscaleoriginallocalcontent local rival,andit’s doublingdown the country, Joyn Plusistheleading built upsubstantialfollowings in While AmazonandNetflixhave ers, according toAmpere Analysis. 46 Germany “A consolidation ofdifferent A majorpointofdifference for Despite thestrength ofthe Joyn Plusisthepay tierof

almost 34 millionsubscrib leading SVOD market, with Germany isEurope’s VREY VARIETY

- streamer’s inauguralGermanseries. science-fiction show “Dark,” the that Netflixscored aglobalhitwith ly. It’s worth mentioning,however, 4% Germancontent,respective of AmazonandNetflixhave 9% and Joyn PlusisGerman.Local versions with nofixed connection. TV ly consumingtheircontentonline, he notes,andtheyare increasing linearly, suchassportsandnews, ers stillprefer toviewsomecontent ers,” hesays. InGermany, custom- likely tomigrateotherprovid content] tochoosefrom andisless mean “the userhasawiderange[of show “M.O.M.” Thelive-TV channels Constantin, producer ofhitdating who headstelevisionanddigitalat other platforms, says Oliver Berben, ming having p parents, withmuchofthatprogram via dealsstruckby itscorporate Two-thirds ofthecontenton Joyn alsobenefitsfrom content Percentage of localcontent roved itsworth on 66 4 Netflix Joyn - - - % - % belonging,” Vassilev says. “We are content that“creates asenseof co-production, aboutanotorious “Dignity,” Joyn’s firstinternational has itsown originals,suchas “M.O.M” asitsfirstreality show. In May, the platform launched ination thisyear —quicklyfollowed. up aGermanTelevision Award nom Jordan IsEqual”)—whichpicked dy “Frau Jordan StelltGleich” (“Ms. Crime series“23 Morde” andcome and“Singles’Läusemutter” Diaries.” included comedies“Jerks,” “Die and give newtalentaplatform.” unique, settopicsofconversation Vassilev explains. “We want tobe “We setourselves highgoals,” important partofJoyn’s strategy. acterized by localproductions.” a localprovider that’s mainlychar- There isagrowing demandfor Joyn Plus,meanwhile, At launch,Joyn’s originals Indeed, originalsare an :

Total Subscribers

- : - Television Award nominee broadcaster Mega;andGerman which itteamedwiththeChilean real-life GermancultinChile,on downloaded 10.4 milliontimes. users amonth.The apphasbeen users amonthand7.3 millionactive itself hasaround 4millionunique haven’t beenrevealed, but Joyn shows thatcreate loyal subscribers.” occasionally picks up“niche prestige have “a broad appeal,” althoughit Joyn Plusmainlyacquires shows that showrunner Álex Pina.Berben says er “ThePier,” from “MoneyHeist” Maffia” andSpanish romantic thrill such asDutchcrimedrama“Mocro features exclusives from Europe, broadcaster RBBco-produced. of hisgirlfriend.Berlinregional baby onhisown afterthedeath about asingledadbringingup “MaPa,” abittersweet comedy

Subscriber figures for Joyn Plus The SVOD offering also Joyn 3.92M

Netflix 10M I IIIII I III I I 0 5 10

GUTTER CREDIT GUTTER CREDIT BY MANORIRAVINDRAN lion). Oneup-and-coming player (10.7 million)andNow (1.7 TV mil homes, followed by AmazonPrime Netflix isinroughly 12.4 millionU.K. of theglobalchallengers. guard theiraudiencesfrom thelure exclusive offerings thatcansafe platforms withlibraryfare and on-demand servicesintovibrant around theworld —toevolve their — whoseprograms are exported tent ispropelling theBBCandITV SVODs. Thedrive for localcon the 221hoursavailable onglobal inal productions in2018dwarfed broadcasters’ 32,000 hoursoforig 2019 Ofcom report, publicservice weapon for survival.According toa the impetusfor change— andthe into domesticcontenthasbeen million households. homes inanationofaround 27 figure rose to53%, or15million Barb. Inthisyear’s firstquarter, the according tomeasurement agency streamer Nowsurpassed50%, TV Amazon PrimeVideo orSky-backed streaming serviceamongNetflix, subscriptions toatleastone the proportion ofhouseholdswith the U.K., where, for thefirsttime, 2019, itsreverberations reached Offensive Pronged Stages Multi- Broadcaster Island’ Plus: ’Love HubITV array ofVODofferings itself toevolvean The U.K.networkbetson Ampere Analysisreports that For U.K. broadcasters, leaning in thefourth quarterof intheU.S. togreat fanfare As Disney Plus launched As DisneyPluslaunched United Kingdom United - - - - allowed thebroadcaster to running entertainmenthitthat “Britain’s GotTalent” —along- of datingshow “Love Island”and “Liar,” aswell asthewinteredition the secondseasonofthriller AMC co-production “Quiz” and due tohitdramassuchasITV/ year onyear —arisethat’s likely viewing hourswere upby 82% virus pandemicintheU.K., Hub’s of theworst monthsofthecorona- has 32millionregistered users. the commercial broadcaster’s Hub quarter results inMay revealed that subscribers. Meanwhile, ITV’s first Hub Pluscurrently has596,000 According toAmpere Analysis, Forde, ITV’s director ofdigital. and watch abroad,” says Steve remove ads,download programs Hub,get onITV except you can offering andfunctionalityas you ($5) permonth. SVOD serviceispricedat£3.99 The “Love Island”broadcaster’s popular AVOD platform Hub. ITV Plus, anexpanded version ofits that’s notfarHub behindisITV In April,whichmarked one “It’s exactly thesamecontent 0 I Percentage of localcontent Netflix I I I I I III I I I I I ITV Hub Plus ITV 65 ITV HubPlus ITV

596K % I to pooltheircontentandbattle ipated asaway for broadcasters U.K. iterationhasbeenlongantic passed 1millionsubscribers.) A state-s edition oftheU.S. service BritBox, adomestic old BBC-andITV-backed SVOD ITV’s VOD strategyis9-month- away from Netflix.” stopping shortofadding,“and Hub andITV,” declared McCall, we have tokeep themwithinITV difficult audiencetoattract,and down. “They’re amuchmore to tated (16- to34-year-olds) whogravi on a20%surge inyoung viewers programs inabidtocapitalize ture more youth-oriented original recentlyMcCall saidHubwillfea CEO Carolynto continue.ITV our landmarkshows,” Forde says. piece ofcontentaround oneof as somethingthatisanexclusive tions from theshow. “Unseen,” featuring unaired audi experiment withHuboriginal Another crucialprong to That originalspushlooks set “It’s donegreat numbersfor us 5 ide ver the platform duringlock- : sion recently sur streamer. (The

- - - 7.4 however, somecouldn’t under encroaching globalstreamers; Forde diplomatically. delivering for ouraudience,” says viewer-oriented tomake sure we’re inspiration, butwe’re always very at NetflixandAmazonasakindof November 2019 launch.“We look tent offNetflix U.K. aheadofthe way for BritBox, pullingallitscon in revenue by 2021. pre-pandemic, tohit$127 million ($107 million),andwas ontrack, which received a4% boostin2019 ITV’s direct-to-consumer revenues, demic, isintendedtofurtherdrive increase adloadsduringthepan Hub Plus,whichhasn’t hadto show andwatching withoutads.” keeping up withthenarrative ofa Plus isaboutwatching aprogram, binge-watch,” hesays, while“Hub British providers, inoneplaceto all thebigbox setsinBritain,from es. “TheBritBox proposition features platforms serve different purpos mote HubPlusatthesametime. stand why would ITV looktopro- 10 Netflix ITV movedITV quicklytopave the It’s perhapsmore likely that Forde explains thatthetwo I VARIETY VARIETY %

12.4M

- 47

- 47 - -

HORROR CINEMAS BRACE FOR THE POSSIBILITY THAT MOVIEGOING MAY NOT COME BACK WITHOUT A COVID-19 VACCINE

BY BRENT LANG, REBECCA RUBIN AND GENE MADDAUS

ILLUSTRATION BY HOKYOUNG KIM SCENE GUTTER CREDIT VARIETY 49 S 2021 orbeyond. into picture afteranotherhasshifted grown morelikely asonetentpole most of 2020,ascenario that has remain essentially darkthrough could Theaters happening. to be Now,going. theunthinkable appears nationalof returntomovie- agrand, West seemstodiminishhopes Coast, infection fromtheDeepSouthto ing withitnewsoffreshcenters of country. Eachday that passes, bring- coronavirus casessurge aroundthe asin across theexhibition industry orOctober.”ber yet. Ithinkmaybe Septem- not ready public tofeel They’re OKtogo out. how longit’s going totake for the as what we did,” hesays. knows “Who with itclosed. thanmoney open withthetheater ues. Stielerfound hewas losingmore ven- to fillingthosesocial-distanced ticketcount, salesdidn’t come close capacity, yet even withasteep dis- the company. ey,” says MickStieler, presidentof law of supplyanddemand. shut thebusiness down —itwas the its marqueeagain. movie was theater forced toturnoff June 14.But just two weeks later, the for thefirst timeintwo monthson in Evansville, itsdoors opened Ind., SHOWPLACE CINEMAS Stieler isn’t alone. Panic issetting “I thoughtwe’d dotwice asmuch The state to50% theaters limited “We weren’t makingany mon- It wasn’t thegovernment that 50 | VARIETY would have each totake inroughly million range, “Tenet” and“Mulan” budgets inthe$175millionto$200 through apandemic.” We’renew business model. living year. toembrace They need awhole any revenues theatrical for at a least that therewon’ters. means “That be the National of Assn. Own- Theatre available,” says John Fithian, of head waitingbe untilavaccine iswidely kets for areopen business, they’ll ie wants towait until100%ofmar- anyway.forward vailing onstudio executives tomove owners Theater arepre- to reopen. and California won’t allow cinemas in majormarkets suchasNew York officialsfilms whenpublichealth thesehugely expensiveto release problem isthat studios areloath scare.during thehealth Part ofthe es’ willingness toleave theirhomes first totest blockbuster audienc- It’s the what filmwillbe unclear to provide anewdate for “Mulan.” todebutin2020.Disney hasyeted calendarbutisstill expect-release takenNolan filmhasbeen off the ings delayed several times. The filmshaveboth seentheiropen- tokickthingsoff,butintended todebutinAugust, werescheduled and Disney’s “Mulan,” previously But Fitihian’s planisrisky. With “If any distributor of amajormov- Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” GOING TO GETEVENSMALLER.“ PANDEMIC ISGOINGTO LOOK VERY DIFFERENT. ABUSINESS THAT COMESOUTOFTHE THAT WAS SHRINKINGIS “THE INDUSTRY HAL VOGEL lery.” smallerbudgets, so They carry Gal- Broken Hearts “The tic comedy Russell Crowe andSony’s roman- Solstice Studios’“Unhinged” with duringthepandemic, like on opening er movies that have settheirsights tosmall- looking shouldbe industry Place” and“Top Gun” sequels. tures, the“Quiet thestudio behind distribution chiefof Paramount Pic- out,” says domestic ChrisAronson, erick,” tochange theirplans. Quiet Place Part II”to“Top Gun:Mav- other majorstudio releases, from “A “Mulan” moves, that hasprompted when“Tenet” or pushbacks, because totheconstantrespond delays and studio executives arescramblingto itspopularity.that impacts Other have itsmysteries inaway revealed and pirated thatlikelihood itwillbe raises the release a staggered global on twists tokeep viewers engaged, insecrecyanddependsshrouded Forit. afilmlike “Tenet,” whichis tomake$700 millionglobally aprof- Some suggest theexhibition “We’re thefirst notgoing one tobe pushed theirrelease dates. Robert Pattinson andJohn “Mulan,” Yifei starring Liu, and “Tenet” (below), with David Washington, have RISKY BUSINESS

MULAN: JASIN BOLAND/DISNEY; TENET: MELINDA SUE GORDON/WARNER BROS. QUIET PLACE II: JONNY COURNOYER/PARAMOUNT; TOP GUN: MAVERICK: PARAMOUNT PICTURES ance, they can’t indefinitely operate andinsur-them topay theirleases en themmorerunway andallowed agreements. Even thoughthat’s giv- renegotiated thetermsoftheirdebt desperate. Insomecases, they’ve aregettingbillions ofdollarsindebt, such asAMCandRegal, whichhave allowing ustoreopen.” dles beyond thestate government Therearealotmorehur-enough. welcomingbe enoughorprofitable “I don’t thinktheenvironment will or2021,”until December hesays. says, could disastrous. be down he ant onlytoshutback again, and make thevenue COVID-compli- employees,back inventory restock theresources tohireSpending for cinemastoresumebusiness. Nevada officialsgave thego-ahead even when hislocation, not toopen don’t pay thebills.” aters inLasVegas. “Smallerfilms founder andowner of Eclipse The- forning model us,” says NicSteele, of thehousefor just any movie. audiencesvinced willventure out first timeinmonths. to have newcontent toshow for the plexes, itwould theopportunity be Forrecords toturnaprofit. multi- they don’t box office tobreak need In themeantime, majorchains “I don’t expect ustoreopen For Steeleopted that reason, “I’m notsosurethat’s awin- But owners theater aren’t con- an Kemp thestatewide lifted ban. afterGov. shortly mas reopened Bri- it’sweek, alotof tofill.” seats when you’re seven days running a there’s someinterest,” hesays. “But to screen. he doesn’t have newblockbusters The movie business won’t work if ognizes that’s of theissue. onlypart up,cinemas open butWienholt rec- Gov.ing Maryland Hogantolet Larry site there’s urg- alinktopetition says Wienholt. OnHorizon’s web- you’re toldyou have toclosedown,” something upfor alifetime and emas tocloseupshop. andthestate cin- ordered ter struck, to hisscreens. Ten days later, disas- was settosendfare that Hollywood moviesof superhero andfranchise was themixture about feeling good onMarch6,andWienholtlocation itsfifth opened Maryland, urban with hisfather andbrotherinsub- Cinemas, chainheruns thetheater spring withhighhopes. Horizon Thomas Wienholt kicked offthe intense for smalleroperators. smaller andmoreconsolidated.” shrinking isgoing toget even that abusiness that was already Thatunder allthat means debt. ablenot going toget tobe outfrom companies,indebted andthey’re areheavily analyst. “These media different,” says HalVogel, aveteran very isgoing tolook the pandemic of J.Crew Brothers. andBrooks withthebankruptciesretail space similar towhat’s inthe happened acascadeof Chapter11filings,be Theresultmaynues coming insoon. ofreve- withouttheprospect hock by in getting anddeeper deeper In Vidalia, Sweet OnionCine- Ga., “You canplay oldermovies, and “It’s toughwhenyou’ve built The pressure iseven more that comes outof industry “The 51 | VARIETY He says anyone going toatheater longer there. could survive the virus whichmeansexposure tosunlight, environments andcool withoutdry have togo tothemovies.” I’m store. going Idon’t tothegrocery to situations ourrisk. that increase ly andIarenotexposing ourselves at Texas A&M University. “Myfami- of of PublicHealth theSchool dean anytime soon,” says Shawn Gibbs, taking.worth —still seeitasarisknotexperts inthosestates.er theaters sions at thosetheaters, orat any oth- was unaware of any COVID transmis- ations, Steven Zuehlke, saidthat he the company’s executive VP for oper- last infederal court week, tion filed declara- as andFlorida.Inacourt five venuesica, hasreopened inTex- largest Amer- circuitinNorth theater stay inandshelterplace.” to encourage safe and otherstobe company. Theowner, hesays, “wants for aspokesperson theHampton, perspective,”public health says Jim “It just doesn’t make sensefroma in May, buthadtoshutdown again. Texas, alsoattempted areopening Stay safe bless you.” andGod 19 years andwe’ll miss seeingyou. the owners wrote. “It’s agreat been ourlast setofbe movie show times,” permanently.close thetheater prayer, theowners to haddecided its Facebook pagethat afteralotof the typicalnumber. shows weekend each —afractionof Only afew dozen cameto people Gibbs notesthat are theaters attending“I willnotbe amovie But many —andhealth patrons Cinemark Theatres, thethird- City BaseCinemainSanAntonio, andtonightwill afternoon “This onOn July posted 5,thetheater enough togo totheaters.” tomakenot inthetheater itsafe do what’s whenthey’re necessary she says. price isthat people “The theaters, we have topay theprice,” and otherbusinesses canreopen. lic spaces, moretheaters the sooner ple adoptmask-wearing inallpub- spacing.”tain someregimented foreasier themtosetupandmain- It’s areuniquelysituated. theaters in arestaurant,”be shesays. “Movie thanIwoulders were apart spaced movie wherethecustom- theater spaces, shesays. asriskyotherindoor might notbe thenit sitatgoers sixfeet least apart, that andmandated film- requirement, is theonlydefense against that. andwearing amask droplets around, have shown virus been tospread that airconditioningnoted units exceptions She for popcorn. eating the duration of afilm—that is, no would mandate masksfor wearing of Medicine,School says that she atsor of theUSCKeck microbiology are required. only go tovenues wheremasks andshould amask, should wear “If we want nice thingslike movie peo- She addsthat thesooner “I’d morecomfortable be ina But didmake ifatheater the Paula associate Cannon, profes- “A QuietPlacePart II,” withEmily change theirown openingplans. Gun: Maverick” (below), starring Blunt andNoahJupe,“Top Tom Cruise,have beenforced by tentpolerelease delays to LONG GAME

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THE TELEVISION ACADEMY HONORED A SURPRISING NUMBER OF

NEWCOMERS WITH NOMINATIONS THIS YEAR By Danielle Turchiano

IT MAY BE THE DAWN of a new era: Fresh- more sampling and more time to consider that people had on their hands, and sud- man series, especially in the unscripted stuff,” awards consultant Richard Licata denly they realized after all of these years categories, are having their moment with of Licata & Co says of the “stay at home” that there was a lot of choice. It was, ‘Let’s the Television Academy. orders and awards calendar shift that sample more — and if we’re going to sam- Of 15 nominees across competition, came out of the coronavirus pandemic. ple, we’re going to choose the ones that unstructured and structured programs, Not all of 2019’s nominees in these make us feel good because that’s what almost half (seven) were newcomers to 15 categories were eligible again, so some television should do, especially now.’” the Emmy race, with six of those see- newcomers were expected. But Acad- On the scripted front, Disney Plus’ “The nominations ing accolades their first time eligible. In for “The emy voters tend to reward their favorites Mandalorian” was the only newcomer to unstructured, this includes Food Net- Mandalorian,” year after year (see structured program the drama-series ballot, picking up its work’s remotely produced “Amy Schumer Disney Plus’ “Antiques Roadshow,” which has been first-ever nom for its first season, while Learns to Cook”; Netflix’s “Cheer” and first major nominated 18 times since 2002, including in the comedy race, the second seasons Emmy contender “Kevin Hart: Don’t F**k This Up”; and this year, as well as competition program of Netflix’s “Dead to Me” and FX’s “What HBO’s “We’re Here” while in structured “Top Chef,” which has been nommed We Do in the Shadows” scored those the new nominees are Netflix’s “Love Is 13 times consecutively since 2007, as shows’ first series noms. HBO’s “Insecure” Blind” and HGTV’s “A Very Brady Renova- examples). received a coveted series ballot spot for tion.” Fox’s “The Masked Singer” finally “The voters live very chaotic lives with the first-ever time, for its fourth season. broke into the competition-program cat- their businesses and families, and in “I thought we would see a greater egory its second year up at Emmy bat, the the past, they’ve been loyal to the shows bandwidth of new shows making it in, only newcomer to that race. they watched initially and loved,” Licata but I think this is a respectable showing,” “The voters have had more time home, notes. “This year, there was a lot of time Licata says. WE’RE HERE: JAKES GILES NETTER/HBO; SCHITT’S CREEK: POP TV; MORNING SHOW: APPLETV+ (2) APPLETV+ MORNING SHOW: POP TV; CREEK: SCHITT’S GILES NETTER/HBO; HERE: JAKES WE’RE

54 VARIETY EMMY NOMINATIONS CONTENDERS Swan Song Stats

FINAL SEASONS OF SOME BELOVED COMEDIES STILL

CAUGHT NOTABLE ACADEMY ATTENTION By Will Thorne

A WHOLE HOST OF SHOWs signed off with philosophy series’ final moments. Harper tearful goodbyes this year, but only a couple and Carden both scored their first-ever have been handed big shots at Emmys gold Emmy nominations this year, while Maya to reward their curtain calls. Rudolph rounded out the acting noms with The final season winner is undoubtedly her third consecutive nod in the guest com- Pop’s “Schitt’s Creek,” which scored a stag- edy actress category for playing the Judge. gering 15 nominations, placing it in a tie for Fellow NBC comedy “Will & Grace” was GETTING IN THE EMMY GAME fifth place in the overall program rankings. right behind with five nominations for the Jennifer Aniston (above) and Steve Carell Once a relatively little-known comedy final season of its revival, all in below-the- helped Apple TV Plus score with the that began on Canadian television, “Schitt’s line categories. Television Academy voters. Creek” rode a wave of critical and word-of- On the drama side, USA’s “Mr. Robot” mouth support, as well as a streaming only scored one nomination (in an interac- bump, to become one of the most-talked- tive category) for its fourth and final outing. about series of the year. Those 15 nomina- And similarly, the eighth and final season of tions, including comedy series and a quar- the Showtime terrorism series “Homeland” tet of acting noms for its leads Eugene Levy only picked up a nom for directing (for Lesli and Catherine O’Hara and supporting play- Linka Glatter). ers Dan Levy and Annie Murphy, are worthy Also on the list of final seasons that recognition for six seasons of consistent received one nomination are Netflix’s hilarity from the Rose family, as well as an “BoJack Horseman” and “Orange Is the New emotional, satisfying ending. Black,” HBO’s “Ballers” and “Silicon Valley” Following in those footsteps is NBC’s and ABC’s “How to Get Away With Murder” “The Good Place,” which has six noms, and “Modern Family.” including comedy series and a trio of acting nods (lead comedy actor for Ted Danson, supporting comedy actor for William Jack- son Harper and supporting comedy actress Strengthening for D’Arcy Carden), to show for its fourth SIX SEASONS and final season. AND SOME EMMYS? Streaming’s Danson’s nom marked his third consecu- “Schitt’s Creek” has 15 chances to bring home tive for the role of Michael, a demon who Emmy gold for Pop and Sony Reign got his chance to be human in the moral Pictures Television. NEW SERVICES HAVE SNATCHED COVETED BALLOT SPOTS FROM BROADCAST AND CABLE PLAYERS

By Elaine Low

THERE WAS MORE CHOICE THAN EVER before when it came to marking the 72nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards nomination ballots, but that choice proved to be a good thing. Nearly all the newly launched direct-to-consumer services — namely, Apple TV Plus, Disney Plus and Quibi — had a good showing, possibly signaling a further shift in awards seasons to come as broadcast networks and basic cable series get outshone by streaming fare. The popularity of Baby Yoda and Pedro Pascal’s “The Mandalorian” with Television Academy voters helped put the new Disney streaming service, which launched just last November, squarely on the awards map (19 noms overall),

VARIETY 55

CONTENDERS EMMY NOMINATIONS

“OVER TIME IF YOU ARE WINNING A LOT OF AWARDS, IT LIKELY Pandemic POINTS TO QUALITY Special Fatigue PROGRAMMING.”

Jeffrey Wlodarczak ONLY ONE REMOTELY PRODUCED PROGRAM PICKED UP AN EMMY NOM By Danielle Turchiano

FIVE MONTHS INTO the coronavirus multiple cameras and edited together pandemic, and Television Academy vot- professionally to more closely resemble ers already seem to be over the plethora of a quote-unquote regular production. remotely produced content created during, Other notable projects to come out of and in response to, the new social-dis- the pandemic followed the visual style tancing health and safety guidelines. of video meetings instead, and were Only one such program, Food Network’s predominantly submitted into the vari- “Amy Schumer Learns to Cook: Lunch ety special (pre-recorded) category. These Break and Pasta Night,” scored a nomina- included “A Parks and Recreation Spe- tion at the 72nd Annual Primetime Emmy cial,” “Graduate Together: America Hon- Awards. ors the High School Class of 2020,” “The and not just in below-the-line categories: “I think, ultimately, it was determined Greatest #StayAtHome Videos,” “Home- The Lucasﬁlm live-action series is also in by human psychology: people wanted to fest: James Corden’s Late Late Show Spe- contention for drama series. watch something that was opposite of the cial,” “iHeart Living Room Concert for November-born Apple TV Plus earned darkness we’re living in,” says awards America” and “Saturday Night Seder.” 18 noms, including eight for “The Morn- consultant Richard Licata of Licata & Co. With so many people staying glued ing Show,” while Quibi, which debuted “Amy Schumer Learns to Cook,” which to the news, notes Licata, voters may in April, can now boast 10 nominations, 47 features the titular comedian and her hus- not have wanted to hear more about the even as the rollout of its on-the-go mobile- nominations band, chef Chris Fischer, preparing meals pandemic from their entertainment. ﬁrst platform garnered ridicule. (HBO for NBC, the out of whatever they happen to have in This resulted in the variety special (pre- Max, which launched with shows such as most-nominated their kitchen (or for which they can forage recorded) category being dominated by “Legendary” and Anna Kendrick’s “Love broadcast from their neighbors’ gardens), broke into Netflix specials including standup com- network Life” just days before the Emmy eligibility the unstructured reality program race this edy shows from Dave Chappelle (“Sticks window closed at the end of May, did year. While not directly commenting on & Stones”), Hannah Gadsby (“Douglas”) not pick up any nominations, however. the progress (or lack thereof) of the Amer- and Jerry Seinfeld (“23 Hours to Kill”), NBCUniversal’s Peacock did not launch ican government to stop the spread of the as well as “John Mulaney & the Sack originals until mid-July, making them virus, it was a show born of the moment Lunch Bunch.” The final nominee in that eligible next year.) that responded to the needs of its view- category was another from Chappelle: Of the 13 programs with 10 or more ers. Although it leaned into its amateur “The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for nominations, only one — NBC mainstay setup and shooting style, it was shot with American Humor” from PBS. “Saturday Night Live” — airs on broadcast TV. It’s not hard to see how Apple TV Plus’ prestige-style programming and Disney Plus’ crowd pleasers might start to forge a solid path to regular recognition from the Television Academy. But it is less clear how awards visib- ility translates to the average consumer mulling over which streaming service is worth a spot in their monthly entertainment subscription budget. “I doubt Emmy nominations and awards have that much of an effect on consumer demand for these platforms immediately,” says Jeffrey Wlodarczak, equity analyst, Pivotal. “However, over time, if you are winning a lot of awards, it likely points to quality programming, which I assume drives subscriber growth over time.” TELEVISION AT HOME If this momentum can be kept up over “Amy Schumer Learns to Cook” filmed in the house in which Schumer and the next couple of years, that could mean her husband, chef Chris Fischer, laurels for the freshly minted streamers — have been sheltering in place. and revenue dollars to boot.

56 VARIETY EMMY NOMINATIONS CONTENDERS

PORTRAIT OF A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE Hulu’s “Hillary” explored Hillary Rodham Clinton’s collegiate political endeavors through her 2016 run for the White House.

However, despite the show’s magnetic power and viewership numbers, “Tiger King” caused significant backlash for its seemingly sympathetic portrayal of Joe Exotic, the mercurial zoo owner who tried to have his rival Carole Baskin murdered. The docuseries’ clickbait nature could divide Emmy voters come the awards show September, potentially opening the door for another quarantine mainstay in “The Last Dance.” While Michael Jordan is clearly a less divisive figure than Joe Exotic, a large part of the show’s popularity was driven by the perceived rift it caused between Jordan and his legendary Chicago Bulls team- mate Scottie Pippen. Pippen has since downplayed his reac- tion to negative comments Jordan made in the series; however, the controversy still lingers, and that, coupled with the THE EMMYS DOCUMENTARY categories show’s stellar ratings, make it one to aren’t often at the top of many people’s watch going forward. lists of highly anticipated categories, but Then there’s “Hillary,” which offered Dominating this year, things look a little different. a behind-the-scenes look at the former The 2020 documentary and nonfiction secretary of state and two-time presiden- series nominees are anchored by a trio tial candidate. The docuseries had people Docuseries of buzzy shows that center around three talking about a figure beloved by many in polarizing figures and have sparked more the Democratic Party, but intensely dis- A TRIO OF LARGER-THAN-LIFE controversy and conversation during the liked by others on both sides of the aisle. FIGURES CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF last few months of quarantine than argu- As the country creeps closer to another ably any scripted fare: ESPN’s “The Last election featuring Donald Trump, who SOCIAL MEDIA WELL BEFORE EMMY Dance,” Hulu’s “Hillary” and Netflix’s won over Hillary Clinton in 2016, “Hil- VOTERS Will Thorne “Tiger King.” lary” may stir even more conversation. Immediately after its premiere back The other two nominees in the cate- in March, “Tiger King” proved itself to gory are HBO’s “McMillion$” and PBS’ be unavoidable, trending on social media “American Masters,” both of which feature and ranking as the No. 1 show on the big personalities as well, but thus far in streaming service for weeks on end. In a way that has turned fewer heads. With the early days of the coronavirus pan- just under two months to go before the demic when those who were newly con- 72nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards fined to their homes were just looking take place on Sept. 20, though, the win for entertainment and distraction, “Tiger may come down to which subjects inspire King” was there for them. more current headlines. SNL: WILL HEATH/NBC; AMY SCHUMER LEARNS TO COOK: FOOD NETWORK; HILLARY: HULU HILLARY: NETWORK; FOOD COOK: AMY SCHUMER LEARNS TO SNL: WILL HEATH/NBC;

VARIETY 57 CONTENDERS: EMMY NOMINATIONS

DANIEL D’ADDARIO: I will Emmy Nominations say the narrative I’m struck by this year may be … a distinct lack of narrative. It’s very difficult to divine an overarching Yield Pleasant Surprises mood from this lineup. Perhaps the past always seems clearer by comparison, but last year’s A BROAD ARRAY OF PROGRAMS IS RECOGNIZED — BUT WILL THE final laurel for HBO’s “Game WINNERS LIST HEW TO THE PAST? Daniel D’Addario and Caroline Framke of Thrones” and insurgent run by Amazon’s “Fleabag” provided a throughline to Emmy season that’s less apparent in This year’s Emmy Awards nominations saw Netflix claim a decisive lead this collection of well-made, with 160 overall nominations, while HBO’s “Watchmen” was the most- well-liked shows. What got much of my atten- nominated series overall and several surprise newcomers entered the fray. Va- tion here was the unexpected: riety’s chief TV critics Daniel D’Addario and Caroline Framke discuss this year’s FX’s “What We Do in the Shad- especially promising nominees, and those they wish had made the shortlist. ows” for comedy series, Dis- ney Plus’ “The Mandalorian” for drama series. In both cases, these shows made it in over past category winners (there was to be no victory lap in

FRESH NEW TAKE ON A DRAMA SERIES CONTENDER Disney Plus’ “The Mandalorian” stormed onto the Emmy ballot with 15 nominations. GUTTER CREDIT

58 VARIETY comedy for ABC’s “Modern breathtakingly prescient. ALL EYES ON Family,” or in drama for Show- Limited series is an especially ‘WATCHMEN’ time’s “Homeland”); both seem stacked category this time; The HBO limited something other than built for any other year, “Mrs. America” series was the most- the affections of a traditional or “Unbelievable” might justifi- nominated series of all this year, with voting body. ably cakewalk to a win. But for 26, including lead And yet Emmy seems so many reasons, 2020 should limited series/ more oddball, and more genre- be “Watchmen’s” year. TV movie actress for Regina King friendly, than ever. (The fact Poring over the nomi- (pictured). that the shows in question are nees list, I was happy to see crossover hits tends to over- so many “Succession” actors shadow that the past five years (just about everyone but Alan have seen the drama series Ruck’s “first pancake” Connor trophy go to two different and J. Smith-Cameron’s Gerri shows set in fantasy or dysto- — justice for Gerri!), and most pian universes.) especially, so many deserv- The continued diminish- ing first nominations. The ment of broadcast TV at the supporting comedy actor and Emmys — with no representa- actress categories, for exam- tion at all in the drama cate- ple, welcomed a GOAT of wor- gory this year — is more than a thy talent, including Yvonne business reality: It also means Orji (“Insecure”), William that the Emmys is increasingly Jackson Harper and D’Arcy pulling its nominees from dis- Carden (both from “The Good tinct niches, or fandoms. That Place”). And while it’s not makes the show more repre- exactly a shock to see “Schitt’s Year- nominations — and, not for podium, or at least to the over-year sentative — with, for instance, a Creek” stars Dan Levy and nothing, a far less white list Zoom acceptance speech. nomination first-ever comedy-series nom- Annie Murphy snag noms in volume by than usual. My question, how- And I also think there’s a ination for HBO’s “Insecure,” a those categories given the platform ever, is if the actual winners chance they might stop there fitting and overdue reward. It upward trajectory of that show will reflect the broad swath of — but it’s worth noting that in also makes it, perhaps, all the these past couple years, they television talent and genre that terms of both nominees and, more fitting that the dominant absolutely deserve the recog- Netflix the nomination list does. Do eventually, winners, the Emmys show, with 26 nominations, is nition alongside their more you think there’s any chance of have in the past several years HBO’s “Watchmen”: A chewy, established TV parents Eugene 154% that, or do you think we’re look- been notably wider-ranging challenging series that plays Levy and Catherine O’Hara. ing at a more straightforward than other top awards-giving with tropes ripped from com- Of course, as with any “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” meets bodies. Even in a world where ic-book pages. year, there are plenty of dis- Warner Bros “Succession” sweep? “Succession” and “Schitt’s I was slow to warm to appointing snubs. As afore- Creek” or “Maisel” win the top “Watchmen,” but it’s hard to mentioned, limited series is 117% D’ADDARIO: “Succession” has prizes, it’s possible to see Zen- deny it was the event of the especially tough this year, but the heat — its nominated sea- daya (“Euphoria”) or Rae or past TV season — and one it’s wildly disappointing to see son aired last summer and Orji sneaking in. That may be that I’m glad the Academy the Emmys shut out “Unbeliev- SPTV still feels like the freshest in wishful thinking, as Zendaya embraced so warmly, in a list able” stars Merritt Wever and memory of its field. In com- and the “Insecure” stars are of nominees it’s hard to quib- Kaitlyn Dever. The variety talk 46% edy, though, it feels as though my favorite of the nominees ble with. What did you make of series list is the same as it ever the energy is behind “Schitt’s this year, but the fact of their the nominees list? was, and it doesn’t have to be! Creek,” which built in acclaim being in the mix is, already, a (I don’t know what else “Late in its second run on Netflix to huge step in the right direction, CAROLINE FRAMKE: It’s not Night With Seth Meyers” has to the degree that its wins almost and an awards show this will- surprising to see Netflix pull do to get a nom outside of writ- feel like wins for the streamer. ing to mix it up can perhaps so far ahead of HBO in overall ing, and while I didn’t exactly If there’s to be an awards be trusted not to stick with the nominations this year given expect Showtime’s “Desus show in the midst of Every- same old way of doing business. its ever-ballooning slate of and Mero” to make the short- thing Going On, it makes a cer- content, but I’m thrilled to see list, it would’ve been welcome.) tain intuitive sense that the FRAMKE: I hope so! We’ve “Watchmen” make it to the And FX’s “Pose” failed to get a most affirmingly cuddly entity been burned so many times top of the nominated shows drama series nomination even would pick up some hardware. before that I’m hesitant to list nonetheless. I’d love to as the category expanded to (My own preferred pandemic ever say that one round believe that such an ambi- eight nominees — and the only watch in the category was the of nominations has solved tious, intensely cerebral series actor the Academy recognized, more barbed “Insecure,” but I Hollywood’s systemic prob- would be recognized in this from a show that explicitly cen- acknowledge the surging flood lems, but I am hopeful, as way no matter when it was ters stories about Black trans of the “Creek.”) you are, that it’s indicative released. But its 2019 debut women, is cis actor Billy Porter. Which doesn’t really answer of even more promising made its examination of race, As you said, though: this the question! I think “Watch- nominations to come. And white liberalism and the his- unusually strange year has, men” provides a path for vot- if not, well, mazel tov to tory of policing in America overall, yielded a rich list of ers to allow talent of color to the “Mrs. Maisel”! MANDALORIAN: DISNEY+; WATCHMEN: MARK HILL/HBO MARK HILL/HBO WATCHMEN: DISNEY+; MANDALORIAN:

VARIETY 59 CONTENDERS: EMMY NOMINATIONS

72ND ANNUAL PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS BALLOT

DRAMA SERIES LIMITED SERIES SUPPORTING SUPPORTING Fred Willard, Antoni Porowski, “Last Week Tonight ACTOR, DRAMA ACTOR, LIMITED “Modern Family” Jonathan Van Ness, With John Oliver” “Better Call Saul” “Little Fires SERIES OR MOVIE Nicholas Braun, “Queer Eye” “The Crown” Everywhere” “Late Night With Seth “Succession” Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, “Mrs. America” GUEST ACTRESS, Nicole Byer, Meyers” “The Handmaid’s Tale” “Watchmen” Billy Crudup, COMEDY “Nailed It!” “The Late Show With “Killing Eve” “Unbelievable” “The Morning Show” Jovan Adepo, Angela Bassett, Barbara Corcoran, Stephen Colbert” “Unorthodox” “The Mandalorian” Kieran Culkin, “Watchmen” “A Black Lady Sketch Mark Cuban, Lori “Ozark” “Watchmen” “Succession” Tituss Burgess, Show” Greiner, Daymond LIMITED SERIES/ John, Robert Herjavec, Mark Duplass, “Unbreakable Kimmy Bette Midler, TV MOVIE “Stranger Things” Kevin O’Leary, TV MOVIE “The Morning Show” Schmidt: Kimmy vs. “The Politician” WRITING “Succession” The Reverend” “Shark Tank” Giancarlo Esposito, Maya Rudolph, Tanya Barfield, “American Son” Padma Lakshmi, “Better Call Saul” Louis Gossett Jr., “The Good Place” “Mrs. America” COMEDY SERIES “Bad Education” “Watchmen” Tom Colicchio, Matthew Macfadyen, Maya Rudolph, “Top Chef” Susannah Grant, “Curb Your “Dolly Parton’s Heart- “Succession” Dylan McDermott, “Saturday Night Live” Michael Chabon, Enthusiasm” strings: These Old “Hollywood” Amy Poehler, Ayelet Waldman, Bones” Bradley Whitford, Wanda Sykes, “Making It” “Unbelievable” “Dead to Me” “The Handmaid’s Tale” Jim Parsons, “The Marvelous “El Camino: A Breaking “Hollywood” RuPaul, Damon Lindelof, “Insecure” Mrs. Maisel” Bad Movie” Jeffrey Wright, “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Cord Jefferson, “The Good Place” “Westworld” Phoebe Waller-Bridge, “Watchmen” “Unbreakable Kimmy SUPPORTING “Saturday Night Live” “The Kominsky Schmidt: Kimmy vs. ACTRESS, DOCUMENTARY Sally Rooney, Method” The Reverend” SUPPORTING LIMITED SERIES OR NONFICTION Alice Birch, ACTRESS, DRAMA VARIETY SPECIAL SERIES “The Marvelous Mrs. OR MOVIE “Normal People” (LIVE) Maisel” LEAD ACTOR, Helena Bonham Carter, Uzo Aduba, “American Masters” Anna Winger, “The Crown” “73rd Annual Tony “Schitt’s Creek” LIMITED SERIES “Mrs. America” “Hillary” “Unorthodox” OR MOVIE Laura Dern, Awards” “What We Do in the Toni Collette, “The Last Dance” Shadows” Jeremy Irons, “Big Little Lies” “Unbelievable” “77th Annual Golden DRAMA “Watchmen” Globe Awards” “McMillion$” DIRECTING Julia Garner, “Ozark” Margo Martindale, “Tiger King: LEAD ACTOR, Hugh Jackman, Thandie Newton, “Mrs. America” “Live in Front of a Benjamin Caron, Studio Audience: ‘All Murder, Mayhem DRAMA “Bad Education” “Westworld” Jean Smart, “The Crown” in the Family’ and and Madness” “Watchmen” Jason Bateman, “Ozark” Paul Mescal, Fiona Shaw, ‘Good Times’” Jessica Hobbs, “Normal People” “Killing Eve” Holland Taylor, “The Crown” Sterling K. Brown, “This “The Oscars ” DOCUMENTARY Is Us” Jeremy Pope, Sarah Snook, “Hollywood” OR NONFICTION Lesli Linka Glatter, “Super Bowl LIV Half- “Hollywood” “Succession” Tracey Ullman, SPECIAL “Homeland” Steve Carell, time Show Starring “Mrs. America” “The Morning Show” Mark Ruffalo, Meryl Streep Jennifer Lopez and “The Apollo” Mimi Leder, “I Know This Much “Big Little Lies” Shakira” “The Morning Show” Brian Cox, Is True” “Beastie Boys Story” “Succession” Samira Wiley, GUEST ACTOR, Mark Mylod, “The Handmaid’s Tale” DRAMA “Becoming” “Succession” Billy Porter, “Pose” VARIETY SPECIAL LEAD ACTRESS, Jason Bateman, (PRE-RECORDED) “The Great Hack” Andrij Parekh, Jeremy Strong, LIMITED SERIES SUPPORTING “Laurel Canyon: A “Succession” “Succession” OR MOVIE “The Outsider” “Dave Chappelle: ACTOR, COMEDY Place in Time” James Cromwell, Sticks & Stones” Alik Sakharov, “Ozark” Cate Blanchett, LEAD ACTRESS, Mahershala Ali, “Succession” Ben Semanoff, “Ozark” “Mrs. America” “Dave Chappelle: DRAMA “Ramy” Giancarlo Esposito, The Kennedy Center DRAMA WRITING Shira Haas, Jennifer Aniston, Alan Arkin, “The Mandalorian” Mark Twain Prize for COMEDY “Unorthodox” Jesse Armstrong, “The Morning Show” “The Kominsky Method” Ron Cephas Jones, American Humor” “Succession” DIRECTING Regina King, Olivia Colman, Andre Braugher, “This Is Us” “Hannah Gadsby: “Watchmen” Miki Johnson, “Ozark” James Burrows, “The Crown” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” Andrew Scott, Douglas” “Will & Grace” Octavia Spencer, Peter Morgan, Jodie Comer, Sterling K. Brown, “Black Mirror” “Jerry Seinfeld: 23 “Self Made: Inspired “The Crown” Andrew Cividino, “Killing Eve” “The Marvelous Martin Short, Hours to Kill ” Daniel Levy by the Life of Madam Mrs. Maisel” Chris Mundy, “Ozark” Laura Linney, “Ozark” “The Morning Show” “John Mulaney & the “Schitt’s Creek” C.J. Walker” Thomas Schnauz, William Jackson Sack Lunch Bunch” Gail Mancuso, Sandra Oh, “Killing Eve” Kerry Washington, Harper, “Better Call Saul” GUEST ACTRESS, “Tiffany Haddish: “Modern Family” Zendaya, “Euphoria” “Little Fires Everywhere” “The Good Place” John Shiban, “Ozark” DRAMA Black Mitzvah” Daniel Palladino, Daniel Levy, Gordon Smith, Alexis Bledel, “The Marvelous LEAD ACTOR, COMPETITION “Schitt’s Creek” “Better Call Saul” Mrs. Maisel ” COMEDY PROGRAM “The Handmaid’s Tale” STRUCTURED Tony Shalhoub, REALITY Matt Shakman, Laverne Cox, Anthony Anderson, “The Masked Singer” “The Marvelous PROGRAM “The Great” “Orange Is the COMEDY WRITING “Black-ish” “Nailed It!” Mrs. Maisel” New Black ” “Antiques Roadshow” Sam Johnson, Amy Sherman- Don Cheadle, Kenan Thompson, Palladino, “The “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Cherry Jones, “Love Is Blind ” Chris Marcil, “What We “Black Monday” “Saturday Night Live” Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” “Top Chef” “Succession” Do in the Shadows” Ted Danson, “Queer Eye” Daniel Levy, Ramy Youssef, “Ramy” “The Good Place” “The Voice” SUPPORTING Phylicia Rashad, “Shark Tank ” ACTRESS, “This Is Us” “Schitt’s Creek” Michael Douglas, “A Very Brady LIMITED SERIES/ COMEDY Cicely Tyson, Tony McNamara, “The Kominsky Method” VARIETY Renovation” TV MOVIE TALK SERIES “How to Get Away “The Great” Eugene Levy, Alex Borstein, DIRECTING “The Marvelous With Murder” David West Read, “Schitt’s Creek” “The Daily Show With UNSTRUCTURED Lenny Abrahamson, Mrs. Maisel” Harriet Walter, “Schitt’s Creek” Trevor Noah” REALITY “Normal People” Ramy Youssef, “Ramy” “Succession” “Full Frontal With D’Arcy Carden, PROGRAM Stefani Robinson, “The Good Place “What We Do in Steph Green, Samantha Bee” “Amy Schumer Learns LEAD ACTRESS, the Shadows” “Watchmen” Betty Gilpin, GUEST ACTOR, to Cook: Lunch Break COMEDY “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” COMEDY Nicole Kassell, “GLOW” and Pasta Night” Michael Schur, “Last Week Tonight “Watchmen” Christina Applegate, Adam Driver, “The Good Place ” With John Oliver” Marin Hinkle, “Cheer” “Dead to Me” “The Marvelous “Saturday Night Live” Paul Simms, Maria Schrader, “The Late Show With “Kevin Hart: Don’t F**k “Unorthodox” Rachel Brosnahan, “The Mrs. Maisel” Luke Kirby, “What We Do in Stephen Colbert” This Up” Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” Kate McKinnon , “The Marvelous the Shadows” Lynn Shelton, Linda Cardellini, “Dead “Saturday Night Live” Mrs. Maisel” “RuPaul’s Drag Race: “Little Fires VARIETY SKETCH Untucked” Everywhere” to Me” Eddie Murphy, VARIETY SERIES SERIES Annie Murphy, Catherine O’Hara, “Schitt’s Creek” “Saturday Night Live” “We’re Here” WRITING Stephen Williams, “Watchmen”” “Schitt’s Creek” “A Black Lady Sketch Yvonne Orji, Dev Patel, “The Daily Show With Issa Rae, “Insecure” Show ” “Insecure” “Modern Love” REALITY HOST Trevor Noah” For the complete list, Tracee Ellis Ross, “Drunk History” Cecily Strong, Brad Pitt, Bobby Berk, Karamo “Full Frontal With visit Variety.com “Black-ish” “Saturday Night Live” “Saturday Night Live” “Saturday Night Live” Brown, Tan France, Samantha Bee”

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THE FUTURE OF FILMS STRAND SPOTLIGHTS FILMS

INTERRUPTED BY THE PANDEMIC By Nick Vivarelli

THE LOCARNO FILM FESTIVAL IS in its 8,000-seat Piazza Grande arena. the other main criteria included overall reinventing itself due to the coronavi- So they “thought about taking the money “geographic diversity” and the “urgency” rus crisis with Locarno 2020 — For the that would have gone to the prize win- of the projects. Future of Films, its core philosophy ners of the feature competitions that we For example, they chose French aimed at supporting global indie film were unable to hold, and give it to films director Axelle Ropert’s dramedy “Petite directors hard hit by the pandemic as that were struggling,” Hinstin says. Solange,” about a young woman caught they toiled to bring their projects to Thus Locarno’s the Films After in her parents’ breakup, partly because the big screen. Tomorrow alternative lineup strand its 14-year protagonist is at an age of “In April we were looking at a lot of was born. A 20-title selection of proj- rapid physical change, so they wanted to different scenarios of what the festival ects-in-progress halted by coronavirus help sustain the added cost for this could be,” says Lili Hinstin, artistic direc- lockdown — 10 international titles and production to get back on set soonest. tor of the Swiss event held in a lakeside 10 from Switzerland — make “a state- Lucrecia Martel (“Zama”) will town under the Alps in the Italian-speak- ment about where we should position compete for a Pardo 2020 prize worth ing portion of Switzerland. Fest, which ourselves as a festival,” she says. 70,000 Swiss francs ($72,000) — as runs Aug. 5-15, has long been a haven for Selected directors will also pick their well as other nods decided by a jury of global auteurs. But the Swiss government personal favorite titles from previous fellow filmmakers — with “Chocobar,” didn’t want to take any chances with a Locarno editions that will screen online. the Argentinian auteur’s first non-fic- physical edition. Picking just 10 international works- IN THE PAST tion film, described as a “hybrid, cre- Hinstin and her team felt that opt- in-progress out of more than 500 sub- The calling card ative documentary” about the murder of ing for the online festival route would go missions from more than 100 coun- of the Locarno Film indigenous activist Javier Chocobar by Festival is open against the spirit of Locarno, known for tries “was heartbreaking,” says Hinstin, air screenings a white landowner. packed nightly open-air screenings who notes that besides artistic merit in the Piazza Grande. Filipino auteur Lav Diaz is in the run-

64 VARIETY LOCARNO FILM FESTIVAL FOCUS

LOCARNO PRO DIGITAL TRIES TO BE PRACTICAL

VARIETY INITIATIVE, WEBINARS OFFER PRACTICAL GUIDANCE TO INDUSTRY By Nick Vivarelli

THE LOCARNO FILM FESTIVAL’S Locarno Locarno’s Open Doors Hub and Lab dedicated to Pro industry side is trying to rise to the challenge nurturing cinema in areas where filmmaking is faced by many festivals that have been forced to especially tough runs Aug. 6-11. It will continue cancel their physical editions. its focus on Southeast Asia with a selection of “The one thing I wanted to avoid was doing projects being unveiled from Laos, Cambodia, something just for the sake of doing something,” Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, says Valentina Merli, who became head of the Philippines and Mongolia, including several Locarno Pro in January. market previews. Production teams of projects Not long after her appointment, Merli found selected for the Open Doors co-production ning with “When the Waves Are Gone,” NEWISH herself navigating the coronavirus crisis and did hub will meet on dedicated online platforms VENUE which besides the pandemic has faced her best to figure out how to temporarily recon- with prospective partners for presentations. PalaCinema, several obstacles that halted his shoot, figure the formidable informal indie industry “The regional creative voices are way more than which opened including a volcanic eruption. in 2017, space built by her predecessor Nadia Dresti — can be highlighted by Open Doors,” says its China’s Wang Bing (“Dead Souls”) was among who remains on board as a consultant — for an chief Sophie Bourdon. She notes that especially official made the cut with “I Come From Iko- edition that’s been cancelled as a physical gath- younger generations trying to make movies venues in tun,” which looks at African migration to past years. ering, but is going forward as a digital event. across Southeast Asia need more training and Guangzhou and the problematic process Given the humanist philosophy behind Locar- networking opportunities, which is why she’s of integration faced by migrants who no Pro, which is almost like a Swiss summer hired former Match Factory buyer Zsuzsi Bankuti hope to provide a better future for their camp and the antithesis of the frenzied Cannes as a collaborator and expanded Open Doors relatives in Nigeria. Shooting of the doc Marché du Film, Merli and her team came to the services with new year-round activities and a new was under way on both continents before conclusion that “there is only so much that you permanent Open Doors ToolBox platform. being brought to a halt by lockdown. can do online.” So they decided to “keep the Lisandro Alonso — whose latest film essentials” and even came up with an initiative, SwissBiz Round Table on Aug. 10. Just as the is “Jauja” with Viggo Mortensen and all in a spirit of “trying to be useful.” fest’s the Films After Tomorrow initiative has a whose other works include “La Liber- Swiss works-in-progress strand, Locarno Pro tad,” “Los Muertos” and “Liverpool” all of LocarnoPro will kick off with its StepIN think- will have a day dedicated to local distribution which had premiered at Cannes — is in tank initiative held Aug. 5-7 in partnership of quality domestic movies, both in VOD and the running with the Western “Eureka.” with Variety. Featuring a trio of webinars on the in cinemas across the country as lockdown lifts. He was directing it, working for the first Variety Streaming Room platform, it will drill A 90-minute webinar will drill down on the time outside his native Argentina with down on the challenges faced by the global film steep challenges faced by Swiss distributors an ensemble of cast and crew from industry in the post-pandemic era, including and arthouse exhibitors as they try to get countries ranging from Finland to Spain, the future of theatrical releases, the (new) land- some post-pandemic traction. when COVID-19 stopped the shoot scape of film production and the future of film in Portugal. festivals and film markets. While all are well-known auteurs, Hinstin notes the fest also wanted to Aug. 7-9 will see the launch of Locarno’s new include relative newcomers such as Fil- Heritage Online portal. This will enter the ipino-American director Miko Rever- fest in the vintage cinema space just as eza and his experimental autobiographi- streamers are snapping up library titles in cal documentary “Nowhere Near,” about the wake of the pandemic. This first-of-its-kind returning to his native Philippines after platform will serve as a database of films that spending much of his life as an undocu- premiered prior to 2005. The idea is to become mented migrant in the U.S. a business facilitator between rights holders The Swiss projects include “L’Afrique and streaming platforms. There will be a ded- des Femmes,” a long-gestating doc by icated webinar, online pitching sessions and Mohamed Soudani about women fight- business meetings. Merli says she and project ing for a better future in seven African manager Markus Duffner thought that now nations, shooting of which was almost was a good time to launch this new Locarno KEY PLAYER finished when the pandemic hit. Support initiative intended as a way for auteur cinema Valentina Merli has taken over for this film also pays tribute to its “to find more space in platforms” and then Locarno Pro, its producer and ex-fest programmer Tiz- continue next year as a new physical Locarno industry wing.

MERLI: DIANE ARQUES iana Soudani, who died in January. Pro strand.

VARIETY 65 PRESENTED BY

AUGUST 5-7 8 AM PDT / 11 AM EDT / 5 PM CET

Three 50-minute sessions covering the future of theatrical experience, the state of independent ﬁlm production and the future of ﬁlm festivals & markets.

FEATURED SPEAKERS RODRIGO TEIXEIRA Producer, Call Me By Your Name, Port Authority

KASI LEMMONS Director/Writer, Harriet

TABITHA JACKSON Director, Sundance Film Festival

ELISSA FEDEROFF President, Distribution, NEON

LAURA HOULGATTE CEO, International Union of Cinemas

+ MORE

REGISTER NOW VARIETY.COM/LOCARNOPROSTEPIN BRAINSTORM MEDIA Lifeline ofMemories Composing aHealing BATTLING ALZHEIMER’S ININDIEFILM‘THECUBAN’ THE POWER OFMUSICAWAKENS THE his shell. to thesongs, tocome andbegins out of Luis inAfghanistan. sparks her childhood amusicianandhumstunesfrombeing of shetellshimof herdreams feeds him, intohimself.Assheand hasretreated Jr., withAlzheimer’s whoisstruggling ing for Luis, by portrayed LouisGossett Ana Golja(“Degrassi”), istasked withcar- movie, student Mina,played pre-med by July 31.Inthe release theatrical limited gio Navarretta’s Cuban,” “The setfor a MUSIC ISAT THEHEART of directorSer- TOP BILLING TOP ARTISANS “The Cuban.” Gossett Jr.starin Ana GoljaandLouis Giacomo Gianniotti, TUNED IN SPIRITOFANAGING BANDLEADER jazz artist HilarioDurán. jazz artist was Grammy Award-nominated Cuban Hischoice that tocreate soundfocal point. wanted tomake apicturewithmusicasits Havana for New York inthe’50s, that he movie, of brotherswhoﬂee about apair he was somoved by themusicinthat 1992 Kings” asaninspiration for saying hisﬁlm, age as part of amusicalfamily.age aspart Inthe’70, hismusicalcareerat anearlyand began to Canada in1998,grewupHavana The 67-year-old Durán, whoemigratedThe 67-year-old Durán, Navarretta Mambo to“The points

yJz Tangcay By Jazz gest challenge was infindingthestory’s Alma Records.) life. soundtrackisavailable (The from of Luis’together form history avirtual for of iconic anumber standards that well asfive newsongsandarrangements bandleader. Durándelivered thescore as he was musicianand once Cuban afamed Luis reminisces, hereveals toMinathat Over timeas to give thefilmitsheartbeat. songwriter, working alongsideNavarretta the music.” “I could that’s bringthepassion found in groove that was toLuis,” specific hesays. to helptellLuis’ tale. “Icould a create jazzscenefamiliarity withthe’50sCuban sandra Piccione’s anddrewonhis script, connected withwriter-producer Ales- cal director. Duránsays heimmediately aswell asthearranger andmusi- band, keyboard player Sandoval’s for Arturo Later,Moderna. hewas thepianist and cessor deMúsica intheOrquesta Cubana Chucho Valdés hissuc- himtobe tapped The composer says that his big- composer and asboth Durán served VARIETY ARTISANS 67 which meant that themusicdrovewhich meant thefilm the entiresoundtrackpriortoproduction, Duránlay down Erauwhelped and Dondrea tion, it sparked theentirecrew. itsparked tion, Ontario andHavana —andinpost-produc making process. —in Duringtheshoot film’s music intheirbones.” the composer. “Iwant tofeel people the awaken long-forgotten emotions,” says andhas thepower totrigger memory I want jumpingoutof theirseats.” people volume. By thetimewe the climax, reach get bigger and throughinstrumentation into Mina’s world. But to themusicstarts ditional Afghancues, andthat bringsus tle,” Navarretta says. “We withtra- start 68 was recording analbum.” recording asoundtrackandmorelike I says. process felt less “The like Iwas un Beso’ and‘ElMilagro’ together,” Durán “Weon thefilm. recorded [the songs]‘En as well asGolja,whowas alsoaproducer Alexis Alberto, Baróandsinger Alberto playermusicians, includingtrumpet werecerning essential. mood that Navarretta’s meticulousnotescon- tension were thehardest,” hesays, adding at scenes thenursinghome. with “The for Luis iscountermanded by authorities one inwhichMina’s tocaring approach incidental musicfor sequences like the Luis Daydream Havana Love Mambo inDominante Guantanamera (feat. AlbertoAlberto) Quizás, Quizás El Cañonero (Opening Theme) The Cuban from AlmaRecords. The soundtrackfor “TheCuban” isavailable as thefilmprogresses. out Luis’ teasing historyscore andsong, ship,” findthebalance between helped Colossal Failure Relation- of theModern with Navarretta onhis2015comedy “The end of thefilm. onstage inthejazzclubscenes the near sure of Durán’s since heappears work, Audiences get toexperience thefullmea- of Hilario’s music,” Navarretta says. THE MEMORY OFMUSIC ARTISANS It’s “Music asentimentDuránechoes: Durán worked withToronto-based Music supervisors MichaelPerlmutter Music supervisors “In the beginning, themusicissub- “In thebeginning, Editor Jane MacRae, whocollaborated “Everyone could experience thepower VREY VARIETY Descarga enChangüi The Red Dress (feat. AnaGolja) Quizás, Quizás En unBeso El Milagro The Great Escape Mambo Rico

- - Pastoral Mythology Pastoral Mythology ‘Summerland’ With Set DecoratorInfuses ASPECT OFITS SURROUNDINGS PHILIPPA HART DRESSES SEASIDE HOMETO TAKE ONTHE Overcoming herinitial misgivings, she uee fromLondon —isleftinhercare. —anevac- whenaboy of thearea, ogy Alice iswritingathesisabout themythol- ence of thehouse. It’s therethat Arterton’s theambi- tocreate Hart orator Philippa “Nell Gwynn,”penned setdec- enlisted the Olivier-winning who playwright those surroundings. toaction takes asaportal place serves ton —andthehouseinwhichmuchof the reclusive writerplayed by GemmaArter- into acharacterinthetaleof a tryside July 31,turnstheEnglishcoastal coun- merland,” debutingondemandviaIFC on JESSICA SWALE Making her feature ﬁlm debut, Swale,Making herfeature ﬁlmdebut, sourced life. a locally Alice sitsamid as anolder Penelope Wilton nature; below: Raw celebrate and GuguMbatha- Gemma Arterton ASPECT EXISTENTIAL ’s World War “Sum- II-era sex farmhouse itsoccupants, painters tor, referencing theEast Charleston, Sus- for “Summerland” withthesetdecora- “Sense &Sensibility,” herideas shared on1995’swho collaborated withHart Production designerChristina Moore, builtrightintoitsbones.the seaside man asVirginia Woolf, loved that ithad Hours,”ing “The starring Nicole Kid- whohasworked onmoviesHart, includ- in thefinalscenes of 2007’s “Atonement.” is film-friendly —itsexteriors were used ries of aformer love (GuguMbatha-Raw). allows hertoreconnect withthememo- that reawakens heremotionallyand establishes afriendshipwiththechild

By ValentinaValentini The housethat’s featured inthemovie

MICHAEL WHARLEY/IFC FILMS (2) ARTISANS

Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, had turned into a virtual canvas and which A Percussive was a meeting place of the Bloomsbury Group, a society of writers and artists that included Woolf. Soundtrack for Russell “When Christina ﬁrst rang me about the project, mentioning Charleston’s inte- riors and garden, I knew immediately Crowe in ‘Unhinged’ the spirit of the look that she wanted to achieve — that Bloomsbury English bohe- ANDORRA-BASED COMPOSER CREATES AN ANGRY SCORE mian aesthetic,” says Hart. TO ACCOMPANY THE ACTOR’S OUT-OF-CONTROL MOTORIST In preparation for ﬁlming, Hart and the crew carefully emptied the house By Jon Burlingame of its owners’ possessions and re-dressed it with an eye toward Alice’s hermit-like tendencies. For decor, she and the creative team sourced locally from the town WHEN RUSSELL CROWE menaces Caren of Lewes. “There are so many great arti- Pistorius for 90 minutes in “Unhinged,” sans in that area,” says Hart, who runs an the road-rage thriller set to open in U.S. interior design company in London. She theaters July 31, he will be accompanied also relied on local upholsterers and fur- by an angry, pounding soundtrack cre- niture makers. ated by an English composer in the Euro- To demonstrate Alice’s deep connection pean principality of Andorra. with the countryside, the decorator bor- It was inevitable when the coronavirus rowed freely from the environs; the home pandemic struck Europe earlier this year, looks directly onto the English Chan- sending everyone into lockdown mode, nel and the Seven Sisters — a spectacular that composer David Buckley was forced series of chalk cliffs on the South Downs. to collaborate with director Derrick Borte “Given the house’s location, we were long distance: 4,000 miles — between

able to dress it in objects directly from Borte’s home in Virginia and Buckley’s THE SOUND OF PSYCHO the surrounding landscape and sea- studio in Andorra, located in the Pyrenees Russell Crowe plays a driver who shore, such as driftwood, bird feathers, mountains between Spain and France. goes crazy after a confrontation shells, pebbles, wildflowers and grasses,” Buckley’s wife hails from Andorra, and on the highway in “Unhinged.” says Hart. “A meandering river valley lay he moved his family to the tiny nation last behind the house, and a beautiful open August, planning a break from Los Ange- chalk grassland lay all around it.” les. He wrote much of his music there for There were also tide pools nearby last season’s “The Good Fight” on CBS teeming with life. All Access and “Evil” on CBS. While, for “We set up a microscope in [Alice’s] “Unhinged,” he met Borte in L.A. and first study for her research,” Hart says. “We screened the film there in February, the also created a darkroom in her bathroom score was entirely conceived and exe- and more sound design in some ways.” that enabled us to dress the interior with cuted in Buckley’s European studio. Adds Buckley: “It was generally agreed photographs of the specimens that she “My place in Virginia was command that a synthetic, electronic soundtrack would have collected. In the film, Alice is central,” Borte tells Variety. “Dave was would supply the aggression. [Crowe’s writing an academic thesis on the analy- eight hours ahead of me, so I would get character] becomes a beast about three sis of folklore and the science behind the up in the morning and work with him. minutes into the film, and he is unrelent- myths, so every surface would be layered By the time we would wrap things up, it ing thereafter. My structure was to use with books, notes, photographs, maps would be time for me to call into editorial his vileness and bestial nature as a sort and drawings.” and sound and visual effects, all work- of contour for what the music needed to Ultimately, the house became a per- ing on the West Coast. Then late at night do. There’s not one moment where I play fect jumping-off point to establish a soli- I would do ADR with my actors, who were anything sympathetic over him.” tary life that eventually connects with the both in Australia.” Buckley’s dark, percussive, occasion- wider world. Reached in Andorra, Buckley charac- ally industrial-noise score dominates the terizes the movie as “one man on a brutal film, although a calmer, piano-based motif mission to hunt down one woman,” and for his terrified target sneaks through at adds of the score: “It needed energy and rare moments to relieve the tension. momentum. Even though the film is con- Notes Borte: “Dave’s work speaks for cise, it’s a relentless ride when it starts.” itself. He is great at composing music So a traditional orchestra, despite Buck- that enhances the material. The best “I knew immediately ley’s roots in classical music, particularly scores work so well that you’re paying the spirit of the that of the Renaissance era, was never attention to the whole film. He’s a master seriously considered for this production. at what he does.” look that she wanted Borte had more than music in mind. In Andorra for the foreseeable future, to achieve — that “I wanted to try and find unique sounds, Buckley has also finished a choral score for things clanging together, buzzing, ring- “Greenland,” a comet-threatening-Earth Bloomsbury English ing in the ears,” says the director. disaster movie due Aug. 14, and is begin- bohemian aesthetic.” “Rhythmically, we both agreed about not ning work on “The Wheel of Time,” Ama- wanting this percussion to have any kind zon Prime’s forthcoming fantasy series

SKIP BOLEN/SOLSTICE STUDIOS SKIP BOLEN/SOLSTICE Philippa Hart, set decorator of groove; it needed to feel less musical based on the Robert Jordan novels.

VARIETY 69 ec te Am o m e p o e perate without agents. erate erica have started laying the r the Media Business ric essionn: CouldWhat aMean Breaking News with

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TV REVIEW to perform songs, slapstick sketches and on a streaming service, where many of BY CAROLINE FRAMKE unabashedly cheesy puns. The “Muppets its kid viewers will probably watch it on Tonight” reboot, which ran from 1996 to a tablet while their parents try desper- Muppets 1998, swapped the theater for a television ately to get five minutes to themselves. studio, where the Muppets frantically At a brisk six episodes, the series doesn’t Now threw together a variety show. A sour waste time with its setup, keeping the 2015 follow-up (“The Muppets.”) tried meta “backstage” chatter (a Muppets for a “30 Rock”-meets-“The Office” vibe, staple) to a minimum. “Muppets Now” imagining a world in which Miss Piggy isn’t a variety show in the traditional DISNEY PLUS: (6 episodes; 4 reviewed); July 31 VOICES: Dave Goelz, Matt Vogel, Bill Barretta, had a late-night show and her cohorts Muppet sense. Instead, it’s a string of David Rudman, Peter Linz had midlife crises. Whether tap dancing sketches and unscripted demonstrations with rat puppets or trading quips with delivered in the style of the content on celebrities, every iteration of “The Mup- YouTube channels, the better to appeal pet Show” tries to mix timeliness with to the generation it’s now targeting via FUZZY THINKERS nostalgia for maximum effect. Disney Plus. Dr. Bunsen Honeydew UNTO MOST EVERY TV-watching genera- (voiced by Dave Which brings us to “Muppets Now,” Each of the series’ recurring seg- tion, a new Muppets show is born. The Goelz), Joe the Disney Plus’ newest entrant into the Mup- ments is anchored by both the most original “Muppet Show,” which ran from Legal Weasel (Peter pets TV canon. Whereas its predecessors familiar characters and some furry faces Linz) and Beaker 1976 to 1981, had Jim Henson’s felt (David Rudman) star were made for primetime, “Muppets Now” that only diehards would know. Miss puppets take over a vaudeville theater in “Muppets Now.” is built with an obvious eye toward airing Piggy’s show (“Lifesty With Miss Piggy”) DISNEY+

VARIETY 71 REVIEWS

focuses on beauty and wellness — more specifically, her own. Beaker and Dr. Honeydew have a science-experiment show featuring alarmingly sentient AI sidekicks, while Ker- mit attempts a “Mup Close and Per- sonal” interview series that inevitably falls apart as Muppets keep crashing the show. Pepe the King Prawn has an unhinged game show that quickly devolves into whatever he feels like doing, which is usually asking his enthusiastic contestants rapid-fire, nonsensical questions. The most versatile segment is the one that, fittingly, slots the most neatly into the YouTube genre from whence IDYLLIC PAST it came: cooking demos. “Okey Dokey” Gugu Mbatha-Raw and has Beverly Plume, a new turkey Mup- Gemma Arterton star pet, learning how to cook a dish from in “Summerland.” a guest while the Swedish Chef throws

“The series doesn’t FILM REVIEW Alice’s great love, Vera (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), BY JESSICA KIANG left many years earlier because she wanted waste time with a “respectable” (i.e., heterosexual) relation- its setup, keeping Summerland ship in order to have a family. But when soul- ful yet cheerful evacuated London schoolboy the meta ‘back- Frank (Lucas Bond) is billeted on her, Alice’s stage’ chatter DIRECTOR: Jessica Swale frostiness is no match for his Boys’ Own STARRING: Gemma Arterton, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, enthusiasms, all model airplanes, pet rats Lucas Bond, Penelope Wilton, Tom Courtenay (a Muppets staple) and scuffed knees. to a minimum.” The story has the well-meaning simplic- ity of a kids classic, as wholesome as “The Railway Children” given a very light dust- together his own pot of chaos. (It’s tech- IT’S 1975 and Alice Lamb, played by ing of progressive values. Though it is a nically billed as a competition, but as Penelope Wilton, is cussing at her typewriter love story, it’s between Alice and Frank, not anyone who’s encountered the Swed- and telling cute children to “bugger off.” Alice and Vera. And so Mbatha-Raw is badly ish Chef knows, there’s little controlling When we cut back to the same typewriter underused, her ﬂashback character reduced anything once his “cooking” gets going.) some 30 years earlier, Alice, now played by to a madcap 1920s-muse stereotype: a daz- With guests like actor Danny Trejo and Gemma Arterton, is again shouting at local zling smile in a sparkly skullcap and drop- chefs Carlina Will and Roy Choi, “Okey kids and pointedly buying for herself the waisted dress, lit in amber nostalgia so Dokey” introduces its audience to a rationed chocolate bar another saucer-eyed glowy you could warm your hands by it. wide range of cuisines while having a moppet so desires. “Summerland,” the ami- Race is never once mentioned or even perfectly ridiculous time along the way. able debut feature from U.K. theater director alluded to, and the depiction of same-sex “Muppets Now” is a smart enough and playwright Jessica Swale, works hard in passion tops out at a giggly afternoon swim update of the franchise that it should its opening 10 minutes to convey the irasci- and a chastely shot kiss in which the mouths have no trouble satisfying longtime ble Alice’s unlikability, and then even harder are artfully obscured. “Summerland” could fans while converting new ones — over the following 89 to unpick that impres- not possibly offend anyone, except those which makes the fact of Disney Plus sion. It’s all very good-natured, but it does expecting a more forthright evocation of having precious little Muppets content amount to a zero-sum game. the joys and challenges of being a woman in even more disappointing. If someone We’re on the outskirts of a coastal vil- love with another woman in early-20th- watches “Muppets Now” and wants to lage in Kent, in a picturesquely scuffed cot- century Britain. check out more, the only other shows tage in the dunes. Alice (Arterton) lives here So it falls to Arterton (alongside a per- available on Disney Plus are “The alone, writing “academic theses” on folklore fectly judged little turn from Tom Courtenay) Muppets.” (which isn’t appropriate and investigating a mirage-like phenomenon to inject some sense of reality, and it’s a mark for younger children) and the recent she calls “islands in the sky.” The villagers, of how good she is that she nearly succeeds. Uncanny Valley update of 1985’s “Mup- mostly disapproving matrons and make-do- But she alone can’t jolt the ﬁlm out of its pet Babies” cartoon. “The Muppet and-mend housewives, are politely mistrust- impulse toward an almost fantastical neat- Show,” “Muppets Tonight” and the orig- ful of Alice and her independent ways; the ness in which all good hearts will eventually inal “Muppet Babies” run are nowhere children call her a witch. There is a war on, be rewarded with good lives and no one is to to be found unless you do a deep dive but it seems very far away. blame for anything, at least not for long. into the archival wilds of YouTube As repeatedly established upfront, Alice and DailyMotion, which is a confusing does not like children. Could there be a rea- CREDITS: An IFC Films release of a Quickfire Films, BFI production, shame. For now, at least, the earnest son for that, or has she simply not met the in association with Embankment Films. Producers: Guy Heeley, Adrian Sturges Executive producers: James Atherton, Jan Pace, Natascha fun of “Muppets Now” will have to do. right one yet? Swale’s well-intentioned if Wharton, Gemma Arterton, Tim Haslam, Hugo Grumbar, Zygi Kamasa, Emma Berkofsky, Dixie Egerickx, Sian Philips, Amanda Root, Jessica timidly family-friendly screenplay is sensi- Gunning, Amanda Lawrence. Director, writer: Jessica Swale Camera: Laurie Rose Editor: Tania Reddin. Music: Volker Bertelmann. Reviewed CREDITS: Executive producers: Andrew Williams, Bill Barretta, Sabrina tive in its details but overstated in its broad online, Berlin, July 21, 2020. MPAA Rating: PG. Running time: 99 MIN. Wind. 30 MIN. Puppeteers: Dave Goelz, Matt Vogel, Bill Barretta, David Cast: Gemma Arterton, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Lucas Bond, Penelope

Rudman, Eric Jacobson, Peter Linz, Julianne Buescher, Mike Quinn outlines, and so opts for both explanations. Wilton, Tom Courtenay FILMS MICHAEL WHARLEY/IFC

72 VARIETY REVIEWS

MUSIC REVIEW that Swift draws from her own life will BY CHRIS WILLMAN be particularly pleased by the details about the time she and her beloved Folklore spent apart before destiny drew them together in the album’s one really swoony love song, “Invisible String.” Her bad-blood side comes out only once, in the presumably Scooter Braun- ARTIST: Taylor Swift BALLAD BOX targeted “Mad Woman.” But once is LABEL: Republic Taylor enough when she’s singing: “Does a Swift cuts scorpion sting when fighting back? / a solitary figure in They strike to kill / And you know art for her I will.” This is a madwoman who still WHILE MOST OF US spent the last four new album really wants her master recordings, “Folklore.” months putting on “the quarantine and still will in 2021, 2022 and 2023. 15,” Taylor Swift has been secretly As standouts go, “Illicit Affairs” is working on the “Folklore” 16. Her sur- the best cheating song since her own prise release is a fully rounded collec- “Getaway Car” two albums ago. The tion of 16 songs that sounds like it was most beautiful song, meanwhile, is years in the interactive making, not the “Peace,” the title of which is slightly product of a quarter-year’s worth of deceptive, as the singer promises her file-sharing from splendid isolation. beau, or life partner, that tranquility And the work is Swift’s most overtly is the only thing she can’t promise contemplative — as opposed to covertly him, albeit with lots of compensatory reflective — since the fan favorite vows of fidelity and courage to make “Red.” Actually, that’s an understate- up for it. Fresh as it feels, the nuanced ment. “Red” seems like a Chainsmok- candor that goes into a ballad like that ers album compared with the wholly is all but trademarked. Swift is cele- banger-free “Folklore,” which lives up brating the masked era by taking hers to the first half of its title by divest- off, again. ing itself of any traces of dance pop,

and presenting Swift, afresh, as your CREDITS: Producers: Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner, Jack Antonoff. Songwriters: Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner, Jack Antonoff, Justin Vernon, favorite new indie-electro-folk/cham- William Bowery ber-pop balladeer. The best comparison might be to take “Clean,” the chilled-out denouement of “1989,” and … imagine a whole album of that. It’s hard to remember any pop star in our lifetime who has indulged in a more serious, or successful, act of sonic pal- ette cleansing. A majority of the tracks were co-written with and produced by the National’s Aaron Dessner, who turns out to be an ideal partner, with as much virtuosic, multi-instrumental know-how as her most favored writer-producer on last year’s “Lover” album, Jack Antonoff — also present and accounted for here, in a slightly lesser capacity. Swift’s collabs with Dressner clearly Charles B. Moss set the tone for the project, with a lot of fingerpicking, real strings, mellow July 30, 1979 drum programming and Mellotron. You can sense Antonoff, for his part, working to meet the quiet mood and largely acoustic style of the Dress- ner-aided material. (As for duet partners, she’s traded in Brendon Urie for Bon Iver — now there’s a name you didn’t see coming on your Swift-collaborator bingo card.) Swift has made a point of saying some of the material is fictional here, and the album feels less like a com- pletely confessional song cycle than the ones that preceded it. But anyone look-

BETH GARRABRANT/REPUBLIC RECORDS (2) RECORDS BETH GARRABRANT/REPUBLIC ing for lyrical Easter eggs to confirm

VARIETY 73 FACETIME

How did learning what she was capable of affect the Vanya we see in Season 2? Ellen Page There’s a weight, to a degree, that has been taken off her shoulders, [and] she is able to exist more comfortably in her body. She ‘In Some Ways, It does have a new level of self-awareness and an ability to feel her emotions and have more control over them. But there is a lot Did Feel Like Playing she still doesn’t know, and she is going to have to reckon with it at some point.

a New Character’ It seemed like Vanya was always some- By Danielle Turchiano thing of an outsider, but getting dropped alone into 1960s Texas has to present its own set of challenges. It was about figuring out how she was going to evolve throughout the season in terms of her differences, JAWS DROPPED WHEN Ellen Page’s Vanya Hargreeves sent out a wave of energy the way she speaks, the way she moves her that destroyed the moon at the end of last year’s first season of Netflix’s “The body. In many ways it felt like, yes, you’re playing the same character with the same Umbrella Academy,” creating an end-of-the-world scenario and raising questions emotional core and issues, but in some ways, for future episodes not only about how the characters would survive but also how it did feel like playing a new character. they could help right the wrongs they’ve caused. Page herself shifted gears after Season 1 to co-star in Netflix’s “Tales of the City” and release her environmental How did not working with the larger ensemble cast from Season 1 affect what documentary “There’s Something in the Water,” co-directed with Ian Daniel. you were doing in Season 2? At first it was Now she’s back to provide some answers — and more apocalyptic action — in the just unusual, but so much of my storyline second season of “The Umbrella Academy,” premiering July 31. was with Marin Ireland [who plays Vanya’s lover, Sissy], who is incredible, and that enabled us to, in the beginning, feel like we were making our own little independent LIFE IN THE ’60S film. And I think that probably allowed that Big changes are in store for Ellen Page’s relationship to have a foundation and grow. Vanya in the second season of Netflix’s What did you and Marin need to do to “The Umbrella Academy.” find the footing of Sissy and Vanya’s relationship? It’s beautiful to shoot a love story like that. It’s a love story that allows a woman in the ’60s to not only go through an experience as a queer woman but also as a woman who was in a relationship that’s possessive, and she has barely any control over her body. And it weighs heavy on your heart, too, because you know a lot of people are still in that situation, even though things are better and [same-sex relationships are] not illegal here anymore. But in the beginning, it was just about creating this subtle, very, very palpable connection that you see start growing between them. You’re feeling that energy, [and] it was about finding time to allow that to grow and breathe.

Do you feel there is a follow-up to “There’s Something in the Water,” your documentary on the effects of industrial waste on minority communities? I did not go to Nova Scotia with my co-director Ian thinking we were going to make a documentary. I had connected with Ingrid Waldron, who wrote the book, and [the Indigenous activist group] the Grassroots Grand- mothers, and we thought I’d come up with a camera and put some things online. [The Northern Pulp paper mill’s treatment facility THINGS YOU AGE: 33 BIRTHPLACE: Halifax, Canada HOW SHE UNWINDS ON SET: Music, reading, hanging out with co-stars in] Boat Harbour has been closed, which DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT LAST BOOK SHE READ: “How We Fight for Our Lives,” by Saeed Jones PROJECT SHE MOST WANTS TO SEE REVIVED: was amazing, but I bet stories will continue. ELLEN PAGE “Hard Candy” HISTORICAL FIGURE SHE’D LIKE TO MEET: Writer and civil rights activist Audre Lorde So the short answer is yes, I think about it,

but I don’t have any plans for it. KALOHORIDIS/NETFLIX

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