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OF MIA’S ANGER TOTAL COURAGE AND

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0616 WV HULU - KERRY+REESE_BARCODE_CVR1.indd 1 6/11/20 12:42 PM Untitled-4 1 6/10/20 8:24 PM PRODUCER, HOST, ENTREPRENEUR AND ACTIVIST NICK CANNON TAKES HIS BUSINESS EMPIRE TO THE NEXT LEVEL

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P.2 6 P.4 3 P.5 7 Vested Interests Emmys Preview Virtual Market Variety takes a look at potential nominees in Cannes enters new territory, taking its Marché Comedian, host, rapper, activist and entrepreneur top categories for an unusual awards season du Film online in the first major sales event for Nick Cannon keeps adding to his growing portfolio. hobbled by the coronavirus pandemic. indie films since the global shutdown. By CYNTHIA LITTLETON By DANIELLE TURCHIANO By ELSA KESLASSY (COVER & THIS PAGE) PHOTOGRAPHS BY RYAN PFLUGER; WARDROBE: KATJA CAHILL; GROOMING: LATASHIA LARAE; SUIT: DOLCE AND GABBANA; VES AND GABBANA; DOLCE LARAE; SUIT: LATASHIA GROOMING: CAHILL; KATJA WARDROBE: PFLUGER; RYAN BY PHOTOGRAPHS & THIS PAGE) (COVER

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Haim talks about growing in the San Fernando Valley and how it influences the band’s music TOP BILLING

13 BREAKING TIES Hollywood’s connections to law enforcement run deep. What happens now?

16 THE ENVELOPE, PLEASE Five key questions surround- ing the fate of this year’s uncertain Oscar season

20 IN THE RUNNING The TV Academy has taken steps to make sure its voting body is more inclusive

22 THE BIG TICKET Laverne Cox discusses the importance of cultivating trans talent in Hollywood

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ARTISANS N/HULU ; (ALANA) TOP: JOOS TRICOT; VINTAGE JEANS AND BELT: SCOUT LA; (DANIELLE) TOP: JOOS TRICOT; VINTAGE JEANS: SCOUT LA; JEANS: SCOUT LA; VINTAGE TRICOT; JOOS TOP: (DANIELLE) SCOUT LA; JEANS AND BELT: VINTAGE TRICOT; JOOS ; (ALANA) TOP:

71 CALLED INTO SERVICE Director Spike Lee enlisted DP Newton Thomas Sigel to collaborate on “Da 5 Bloods”

72 WELL-SUITED TEAM Costume designer Ann Roth P.2 4 talks about her many collabo- rations with Meryl Streep “MadTV’s” Michael McDonald puts Hollywood 73 CONFINED SPACE Hills pad on the market Filmmakers heightened ten- sion for hijack movie “7500” by shooting inside a cockpit P.7 5 74 CLOUD-BASED CREW Work on new Nick toon “Middlemost Post” is under- “Rough way — entirely remotely and Rowdy Ways” review

REVIEWS “You see how far he’s reaching to try to make sure everything is OK from the beginning. And you 75 MUSIC get how he can be inclined to be “Rough and Rowdy Ways” someone he’s not fully.” “Love, Victor” star Michael Cimino on his 76 FILM character’s journey to understanding his sexual “Da 5 Bloods” identity in the new Hulu series P.78 MCDONALD’S HOUSE: MARCO CAROCARI PHOTOGRAPHY/SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY; DYLAN: SHUTTERSTOCK; LOVE, VICTOR: GILLES MINGASSO VICTOR: LOVE, SHUTTERSTOCK; DYLAN: REALTY; INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY/SOTHEBY’S CAROCARI HOUSE: MARCO MCDONALD’S HAIM: PHOTOGRAPH BY LAUREN DUKOFF; STYLING: MARYAM MALAKPOUR/THE ONLY AGENCY; (ESTE) TOP: JOOS TRICOT; JEANS: STONED IMMACULATE JEANS: STONED TRICOT; JOOS TOP: (ESTE) AGENCY; MALAKPOUR/THE ONLY MARYAM STYLING: DUKOFF; LAUREN BY HAIM: PHOTOGRAPH

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News Stars of Upcoming ‘The Bachelor’: Inside TV Premieres Matt James’ Selection 53 AFTER MUCH PUSHBACK for never having a person of color in the title role on the franchise’s flagship show, “The Bachelor” will Ana Ortiz finally have its first Black lead in star Matt James. Love, Victor The former “Ugly Betty” James is known to Bachelor Nation for his friendship with fan actor is on a pretty good favorite Tyler Cameron, who competed on Hannah Brown’s season run, up 5 points since May 1. of “The Bachelorette.” James was initially cast to be a suitor on the upcoming season of “Bachelorette” with Clare Crawley, scheduled to begin airing in May. But when production was halted due to the pandemic, ABC began to think of a bigger role for James. 53 Former “Bachelorette” Rachel Lindsay — the first Black lead of the entire franchise in its nearly two decades on air — said Sherri Shepherd recently that she would cut ties with the ABC reality show if a Mr. Iglesias Her principal success has Black bachelor was not cast. been gaining two grades The network says it had its eye on James ever since he came since the start of May. in for casting this past winter, prior to the recently height- ened criticism — and independent of the mounting pressure on “The Bachelor” for its lack of diversity, especially in the wake of George Floyd’s death in police custody and amid Black Lives Mat- 43 ter protests. Rob Mills, who oversees “The Bachelor” franchise at the net- Jake Manley work, maintains that casting James was not a response to Lind- The Order No magic involved: His say’s recent criticism. score has been trending up “We could have made this announcement earlier or later,” he for the past two months. tells Variety. “We know this is a few grains of sand in a very big hourglass. It’s taken a while to get where we are, and we will con-

tinue to go further, and I acknowledge it may not be enough.” Vscore, powered by Variety Business Intelligence, identifies the social footprint, familiarity and availability of over 25,000 actors. For more info please • For the full story, head to Variety.com. visit Vscore.com /SHUTTERSTOCK; WARE: CHELSEA LAUREN/SHUTTERSTOCK CHELSEA WARE: /SHUTTERSTOCK; Variety Poll Say What? The Most-Missed “You can put color in the room, but if you don’t let them talk or Movies of Summer speak or share their side, we’re not getting anywhere. There are such imbalances of power and structures that have been VIP supplied a list of films to YouGov from which the fully embedded for years that just need to crumble at this point. polling firm asked 19,479 U.S. adults to select titles Everyone needs to feel heard and be validated.” they might have chosen to see in theaters this summer Actor Samantha Ware, who accused Lea Michele of mistreating her before the pandemic hit. Among those interested in at on the set of “Glee” least one title, two superhero pics came out on top.

“They put me in this really fucking corner seat, where I was like, 50% None of the above ‘This is like a loser’s seat.’ The seat I had was not only like a far 22% Black Widow table, but they had me at the point of the table where in order 19% Wonder Woman 1984 to get out, other people would have to get up. That’s where 17% Fast & Furious 9 my name card was. I was like, ‘This corner, they would not put 15% Top Gun: Maverick someone here who is supposed to walk up. It’s just not possible.’” 12% Ghostbusters: Afterlife Golden Globe winner Ramy Youssef on why he was convinced he wasn’t going to win the award 11% Minions: The Rise of Gru 11% No Time to Die 10% “I go on social media, and if people are talking about it, I’ll read Candyman until there’s a bad one. Then I just leave it alone, because if I don’t, 7% In the Heights the comedian in me wants to go after hecklers. If you actually get 6% Morbius so mad that you respond, you just made that person’s day.” 6% The Forever Purge “The King of Staten Island” co-star Bill Burr on whether he reads reviews

Data provided by YouGov for Variety Intelligence Platform Analysis.

For more analysis, please visit variety.com/vip/ LATOUR/VARIETY ROB MANLEY: MEDIAPUNCH/SHUTTERSTOCK; SHEPERD: CALLAHAN/ACE/SHUTTERSTOCK; KRISTIN ORTIZ: CRAIG SJODIN/ABC; JAMES:

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An exclusive Q&A with filmmaker Derek Cianfrance and Mark Ruffalo, along with Rosie O’Donnell, Archie Panjabi, John Procaccino, Philip Ettinger and Kathryn Hahn

MODERATED BY CYNTHIA LITTLETON Business Editor, Variety

REGISTER NOW VARIETY.COM/HBOIKTMIT JORDAN STRAUSS/INVISION/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK Ties to Law Enforcement Blue and Gold: Hollywood’s domestic violence andthe homeless. workersto social withissues like whodeal police resources reallocating specifically withjusticeracial inequality while dismantle police autonomy andreplace like #BlackLivesMatter arehopingwill fight —onethat organizers fromcoalitions is notimmunetopressure tojointhat lawseek toscrutinize enforcement. upfast asAmericanspolice” hassprung George Floyd, amovement to“defund the emerged fromtheoutrage over of thedeath SHOW BUSINESS ANDCOPS MIX AMID CALLS TO DEFUNDPOLICE DEPARTMENTS, INSIDERS REVEALHOW OF THEMANYCALLS An influential industry like Hollywood An influentialindustry to actionthat have TOP BILLING TOP Hills lastyear. Awards inBeverly the GoldenGlobe the redcarpetat security sweepof officers doa Law enforcement COP OUT

yMt Donnelly By Matt Variety LivesMatter Patrisse co-founder Cullorstells #Black duringawardstown season. parties onwhenthe andlook carpets glitzy red at asbackup homeandinpublic, for serve sets. They provide securityfor toptalent film and television shoots outsideof studiofilm andtelevisionshoots necessity.often, Police assist all innearly institutions, of practicalityand, oneborn Variety andthepolice? between Hollywood “A majorway thesebusinesses canhelp Numerous industry players to Numerous industry described But what exactly istherelationship that shesees leverage inthat. a symbiotic bond between thetwo asymbioticbond -

the West Office Sheriff’s andthe Hollywood eration andforces withthe LAPD including safeguardingbasic tostreet closures, coop onthecondition ofanonymity.speaking From coordinator says, onetopproduction set, onandoffpolice dutyarefixtureson both economy of punishment.” inan divert ordiscontinue participating ing? Ifyou are, how thinkabout you can private prisons?Areyou investing inpolic ment,” says Cullwors. “Are you invested in relationship to policing andimprison relationship topolicing is inhaving conversations aroundtheir From a production standpoint, uniformedFrom standpoint, aproduction VARIETY TOP BILLING - 13 - -

14 TOP BILLING to Cullors, would likely resultinbudget preferably security, unarmed according only,” Jordan said. security at allmy events —private security That’s why I’m committing tohiringprivate ing police. We have to cutoff theirsupport. atrelook ourbusiness. We have tostop hir any financialtiestothepolice, we have to the productions, tothestudios, ifyou have lywood’s most prominenttalentagencies. City,Century of onthedoorstep someof Hol spoke at aprotest for #BlackLivesMatter in MichaelB.June 7,actorandproducer Jordan thecalltodefundpolice.has endorsed On Ferrera, Jane Fonda andNatalie Portman, storytelling. police-centered ing amessage removing about aplatform for have send week, canceled inthepast been series“Cops” reality like thelong-running Shows tietocut. groups asanimmediate by #BlackLivesMatteridentified andother operas. Thisarrangement to soap hasbeen range of crimedramas projects, fromtrue asconsultantsoften used onacreative town. of livinginanindustry as aperk people budgets for theirtimeandaresaidby many cers arecompensated outof production stars Offi invadingmovie andTV theblock. to inform businesses andresidences about andcoordinate efforts mits for shooting, tory. Thoseagencies per- alsoissue basic Beverly HillsPolice ismanda- Department Deploying private securityfor sets, “To me, the brandsthat support toall Top includingactorsAmerica talent, Law enforcement professionals arealso Variety VREY VARIETY spoke withtoenjoy thework

- - - -

coasts arestaffed police, by retired hon the largest private securityagencies onboth presents anothercuriouscatch —many of forincreases larger productions, which speaking oncondition of anonymity,speaking who is going down,” says onetop events guru, ifhewantsbecause itshutdown? That shit town, thefiremarshalisyour friend— best similar live events, numeroussources say. in mountingawards shows, and after-parties on law enforcement and otheragencies itself, LosAngeles ismorethandependent down the101.speeding favor whenoneiscaughtis saidtocurry ifornia Highway Patrol employees that by the11-99Foundation, acharityfor Cal haveheads license-plate guardsstamped executive that morethanafew noted studio law enforcement chiefs, thoughonemovie circles donotseemoverly friendlywith by police.”from enteringEmmy parties ties, even andblocked performers, profiled trauma there. celebri I’ve alsoseencertain outof mypulled carat —there’s gunpoint —I’ve been experiencing police brutality “Comingles protest thismonth. tosetafter bulletsat aLosAngewas hitbyseven rubber says “Insecure” star Kendrick who Sampson, enclaves allaroundLosAngeles County. intheworld, residingin famous people tress-level protectiontosomeof themost These arethesameagencies that offer for oractive cops.orably military discharged “If you’re anevent plannerinthis town fond ofAs anindustry celebrating context, Hollywood’sIn asocial power “Get thepolice off oursetsandevents,”

-

- - - - “Coming to Kendrick Sampson there.” there’s trauma gunpoint — of my carat pulled out — I’ve been police brutality experiencing set after month. City earlierthis protest inCentury a BlackLivesMatter participates in Michael B. CALL FORCHANGE Jordan wood ending. ending. wood conversation withaHolly- morealigned the need forthe need police inthefirst place.” andhelpthemtoavoid andstruggling, pain and in we carefor whoarehurt thosepeople “When heposited. munity inournation?” argument.”“false political andsettingpropriating upa thecampaign also accused President of Trump misap atshould be thecenter of efforts. Booker right now,” andthat larger systemic racism waspolice “notaconversation that we need recent that PBSappearance defundingthe Rosarioand producer Dawson, saidina police make themfeel terror,” shewrote. feelfamily andneighbors theopposite: woman feel safe, whilemy blackfriends, privilege: thepolice make measawhite safe. But that’s exactly thecenter of my white “Mywholelife,first. have police mademefeel themovement heratthat supporting scared recent Portman Instagram admitted post, Ina inentertainment. mixed reactions for inclusion,” hesays. Thiswould astep areaffected. be people andhow Black for blind spot Hollywood out of thehandsof police. isanother “This sight shouldmove tocityandstate officials, Angeles alone. over Healsothinkspermit there areseveral Black-owned firmsinLos ing veterans ornon-police; henotesthat security for andevents, shoots andemploy you’rebecause inajam.” onOscarSunday themat 7a.m. reach It’s dial. iffs onspeed able tobe to good like we’re allbestfriends, butIhave sher sweepers,” says theevent planner. “It’s not andof courseand patrolling, thebomb off-duty police officers crowd-controlling workersportation directingtraffic, on-and ofsetting Trans perimeters, Department grounds of theBeverly HillsPost Office. ontheits annualviewingandafter-party aminiature citytohouseyears constructed Beverly Hills, Vanity Fair hasfor several throw fromthePacific DesignCenter. In a tentat West astone’s Park, Hollywood well asEltonJohn’s annualfete heldunder tions thrown by thetalentagencies, as in West handlesbigcelebra Hollywood isheld. broadcast at theDolby whentheannual Theatre proper are allonthegroundinHollywood some cases, theFBIandHomelandSecurity the LAPD, includingitsSWAT in and, team Oscars inLosAngeles withouttheLAPD.” dealmaker putsitplainly:“You can’t host the celebrations of theyear. Anotherprominent throws oneof themost hallowed awards Angelique Jackson contributed tothisreport. “How dowe amorebeloved create com The New Jersey a pictured politician Booker, Cory Sen. isactor whosepartner The calltodefundpolice hasdrawn Sampson suggests fullprivatization of “All people of thesejurisdictionsneed Moving west, Department theSheriff’s Using theAcademy Awards asanexample, -

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usually shell out for pricey consultants, Questions Loom Amid first-class accommodations, glossy ads and the other trappings of a spare- no-expense awards season. They also may be tighter with their wallets if the Oscar Uncertainty economy doesn’t start regaining its footing in the coming months.

THE MOTION PICTURE ACADEMY FACES A NUMBER OF PREVIOUSLY Will the show go virtual?

UNIMAGINABLE OPTIONS By Brent Lang and Marc Malkin It’s certainly possible. From college graduations to the Democratic National Convention, major events are being conducted online. There are lots of reasons why Hollywood A-listers are skittish about the prospect of sitting cheek by jowl with their fellow stars and power brokers in the Dolby Theatre for a three-hour show. It certainly has the potential to turn into one of those super- spreader events. That means that a Zoom version of the Oscars might be an attractive alternative. It’s already a route being explored for the Tony Awards, if and when Broadway’s big night happens. The Academy might want to start looking at backdrop options.

Will be the big winner? The streaming giant has made no secret of its burning desire to win a best picture statuette, spending lavishly on campaigns for “Roma” and “The Irishman” without managing to snag the top prize. But 2020 could be the year that changes. For one thing, a IT HASN’T BEEN the greatest year for moviegoing. Most theaters have been lack of theaters doesn’t put a dent in shuttered since March, and major festivals such as Tribeca and Cannes Netflix’s plans; unlike companies such as Warner Bros. or Sony, the streamer have been canceled, postponed or reimagined as virtual events. In the makes its money from subscriptions, not coronavirus era, it’s unclear if the Oscars can move forward as planned, box office. It only schedules theatrical at least without making some massive changes to the way the awards are releases to engender goodwill with its filmmakers. Also, Netflix has assembled campaigned for and handed out. Here are five burning questions facing a formidable list of contenders, the next edition of the . including David Fincher’s “Mank,” Ramin Bahrani’s “White Tiger,” Ron Howard’s “Hillbilly Elegy” and George C. What if the Oscars are delayed? How will campaigns change? Wolfe’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” It As Variety first reported, the Academy Oscar season has been compared to the just released Spike Lee’s “Da 5 Bloods,” is considering pushing back the Oscar Iowa caucuses for its manic series of earning strong reviews and Oscar buzz ceremony from its original airdate of Feb. glad-handing events. There’s a seemingly for Delroy Lindo’s performance as a 28. If that happens, it could scramble the endless parade of meet-and-greets, grip- battle-scarred vet. awards-season calendar. Should the Oscars and-grins, dinners and screenings, all with feel the need to move deeper into 2021 a goal of putting contenders in front of Will there even be an Oscars? in the hope of finding a post-pandemic — as many voters as possible. Obviously, all It’s worth asking. If movie theaters are or post-vaccine — perch, that could put those selfies are a little dangerous when slow to reopen or if there’s a second pressure on other awards shows, such as COVID-19 is swirling around, which likely wave of the coronavirus and things shut the Golden Globes and the Screen Actors will require a dramatic overhaul to the way down again, is it really worth having an Guild Awards, to find new dates. that many of these campaigns are designed Oscars for the handful of movies that are That also raises issues of eligibility. and managed. It’s unclear how potential truly awards-worthy? It’s possible that Given that four months of the year were nominees will be able to charm voters from the Academy will instead opt to combine essentially a wash because theaters were a social distance, or if they’ll even be game 2020’s contenders with those from 2021. closed — limiting contenders to Netflix THIS IS HOW to do the kind of relentless traveling that When cinemas began closing down, films and a smattering of on-demand titles YOU OSCAR? characterizes most Oscar pushes. people on Twitter joked that Jim Carrey — will the Oscars dispense with the idea “Sonic the It’s also possible that studios, having might win an Oscar for his work as Dr. Hedgehog,” of a calendar year qualification? Will the starring Jim just endured several months without Robotnik in “Sonic the Hedgehog,” one Academy allow films that open in January Carrey, is one selling a single ticket to their movies, will of the few films to get released so far this or even February to vie for awards? It’s of the few films be more conservative in their spending. year. If things don’t turn around soon, this year to have doubtful, but then again, we’re living been released in They may not have the resources available Carrey and Lindo might be fighting it out

through unprecedented times. theaters. to part with the millions of dollars they for all the marbles. PICTURES PARAMOUNT

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American Studies at UCLA, points out Cop Shows Under that “roughing up perps” has been part of the territory for many cop shows. Hunt carried out a study for civil rights advo- cacy organization Color of Change, which the Microscope looked at how series deal with three spe- cific themes, one of them being the legit- imacy of the criminal justice system. He A LONG-STANDING TV GENRE IS GETTING CLOSER SCRUTINY found that many shows still “promote the IN AN UNCERTAIN CULTURAL MOMENT By Will Thorne false idea that the police, the courts and the prison system in America operate without racial bias.” “Police are usually the protagonists THE COP SHOW is almost as old as tele- threatened to kill potential looters. in these shows; they’re the heroes,” Hunt vision itself. The earliest police dramas As “Monk” writer Tom Scharpling adds. “We’re asked to identify with them birthed the idea of a narrative in which tweeted this month, writers and actors who implicitly, if not explicitly, and accept their good (police) and bad (criminal) were have worked on cop shows have “contrib- view of the world, which is that the people clearly defined. uted to the larger acceptance that cops are they’re pursuing are criminals and they But fast-forward to the present and implicitly the good guys.” That puts those deserve what they get.” mass protests across the United States fol- industry professionals in an uneasy posi- A large part of the problem, says lowing the deaths of Black men and women tion amid nationwide pushes to defund or “Watchmen” writer Cord Jefferson, is that including George Floyd, Breonna Tay- dismantle local police departments. many cop shows fail to acknowledge or lor and Michael Brown Jr. at the hands of Neal Baer, who served as showrunner deal with the history of the police force police officers, and the role that cop shows of “Law & Order: SVU” for 11 seasons, says in America and the context in which it — both fictional and nonfictional — play in that while the series did break ground in exists to this day. The recent HBO series, forming ideology and normalizing police certain ways, he would change the man- which touched on the 1921 Greenwood brutality is under heightened scrutiny. ner in which some of the central charac- Massacre in Tulsa, Okla., aimed to put recently canceled ters were portrayed if he could turn back things in perspective. the long-running series “Cops” after more the clock. “We wanted to get at the fact that the than 30 years and 33 seasons. Then A&E “If I were back on ‘SVU,’ I would police force, historically, has had a lot of followed suit by axing “Live PD,” one of its address the aspirational elements on the white supremacists among its ranks,” highest-rated shows. The cast and show- show,” Baer says. “I think the show is very Jefferson says. “We didn’t want to shy runner of “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” made a important in depicting victims of what RATINGS GRABBER away from the fact that in many places very public donation of $100,000 to the were once thought unspeakable crimes; Mariska Hargitay in America, members of the police were National Bail Fund Network on June 2, in now they are crimes that are talked about. stars as Capt. Olivia also members of the Klan. There are abso- a move condemning Floyd’s killing. That It was a really important conduit for Benson in NBC’s “Law lutely many parts of America where that & Order: Special same day, Dick Wolf, king of the modern cop that. But on the other hand, [lead charac- Victims Unit,” among is still a problem today.” show, moved swiftly to fire a writer from an ter Elliot] Stabler was smacking people the top 20 highest- When carrying out the Color of Change upcoming “Law & Order” spinoff who had around, and I wouldn’t do that now.” rated scripted study, Hunt found that the genre of crime broadcast shows in posted a picture of himself on Facebook Darnell Hunt, dean of social sciences primetime for the procedurals included disproportionately holding a gun, with a caption in which he and professor of sociology and African 2019-20 season. few Black voices in the writers’ rooms. Of the nine crime procedurals he stud- ied, Hunt says not a single one had a Black showrunner, and only one had more than two Black writers in the room (that latter show is no longer on the air). Yet cop shows are among the most- watched series on television: Of the 10 highest-rated scripted broadcast shows in primetime for the 2019-20 season, exactly half were procedurals that focus on the criminal justice system. For that reason, the networks and stu- dios “aren’t about to stop making them,” says Jefferson. “In my mind, the goal of anybody who wants to write a cop show in the future shouldn’t be a binary thing that all cops are bad or all cops are good,” Jeffer- son says. “It should just be adding con- text to the world in which policing exists, and adding context to the world in which these people operate, and not neglecting the fact that police operate with biases and prejudice, in the way that everybody does. It’s not about abandoning the idea of the cop show as a whole; it’s just that we need different people writing different

cop shows.” SHERWOOD/NBC VIRGINIA

18 VARIETY ACADEMY AWARD® WINNERS

JOKER “(I’M GONNA) LOVE ME AGAIN” FROM ROCKETMAN Hildur Guðnadóttir Elton John (PRS)

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STAR WARS: THE RISE THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2 ZOMBIELAND: DOUBLE TAP OF SKYWALKER David Sardy LITTLE WOMEN ANGEL HAS FALLEN ALADDIN Alexandre Desplat David Buckley THE ADDAMS FAMILY SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK JOKER Jeff Danna (SOCAN) Hildur Guðnadóttir Anna Drubich SPIES IN DISGUISE FAST & FURIOUS PRESENTS: GOOD BOYS HOBBS & SHAW Lyle Workman Theodore Shapiro Tyler Bates A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN MEN IN BLACK: THE NEIGHBORHOOD JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 - INTERNATIONAL PARABELLUM Chris Bacon Nate Heller Tyler Bates Danny Elfman ONWARD Joel J. Richard DOLITTLE Jeff Danna (SOCAN) 1917 Danny Elfman Mychael Danna

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THE BOSS BABY: ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK NARCOS: MEXICO SHRILL BOSCH BACK IN BUSINESS Gwendolyn Sanford Kevin Kiner Craig Wedren David Arnold Jesse Nolan Ben Bromfield Regina Spektor PARADISE PD RUNAWAYS THE WIDOW Ryan Elder SNEAKY PETE Jared Faber DISENCHANTMENT Nicolas Barry Siddhartha Khosla Dominik Scherrer (PRS) Nathan Barr Mark Mothersbaugh Rene Garza Aldape Edward Braillif CATCH-22 THE MAN IN THE HIGH YOU Tomas Jacobi CASTLE Stephen Lukach Blake Neely FULLER HOUSE Harry Gregson-Williams Jeff Franklin THE PUNISHER Dominic Lewis FUTURE MAN BIG MOUTH Bennett Salvay Tyler Bates THE ROMANOFFS Mark Rivers Halli Cauthery SUGAR RUSH CASTLE ROCK Sonya Belousova TOM CLANCY’S JACK RYAN WHEN THEY SEE US Robert ToTeras Thomas Newman Fil Eisler Kris Bowers Chris Westlake Ramin Djawadi Anton Sanko

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NCIS CHICAGO MED BULL NCIS: NEW ORLEANS NCIS: LOS ANGELES THE FLASH Brian Kirk Atli Örvarsson Sean Callery Tree Adams Craig Dobbin Nathaniel Blume John Lee Hooker Blake Neely FBI CHICAGO P.D. NEW AMSTERDAM 9-1-1: LONE STAR Atli Örvarsson Atli Örvarsson Alex Shenkman GREY’S ANATOMY Mac Quayle Craig Wedren Carim Clasmann (PRS) BMI SPOTLIGHT AWARD BLUE BLOODS AMERICA’S GOT TALENT Galia Durant (PRS) MAGNUM P.I. Rob Simonsen Jos Jorgensen 9-1-1 Pete Carpenter LAW & ORDER: SVU Andy Love Mac Quayle HAWAII FIVE-0 Mike Post CHICAGO FIRE Mike Post Keith Power (SOCAN) Keith Power (SOCAN) YOUNG SHELDON FBI: MOST WANTED Atli Örvarsson Brian Tyler Brian Tyler Steve Burns Atli Örvarsson

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ANIMAL KINGDOM GAME OF THRONES HENRY DANGER AMERICAN HORROR STORY ALASKAN BUSH PEOPLE THE SON Samuel Jones Ramin Djawadi Michael Corcoran Charlie Clouser Jacob Shea Nathan Barr Alexis Marsh Niki Hexum César Dávila-Irizarry THE LAST O.G. RICK AND MORTY YELLOWSTONE Zack Hexum Mac Quayle Joseph Stephens Ryan Elder Brian Tyler Claudia Sarne RAVEN’S HOME Andy Love

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Untitled-2 1 6/10/20 8:22 PM TOP BILLING

IN THE RUNNING Michael Schneider

As we wrote last fall, as of January, when TV Academy members come up A Strategy for a More for renewal, they have to meet their peer group’s active membership requirements, which usually includes current or recent Inclusive work experience in their field, in order to qualify to vote for the Emmys. (In many cases, that means multiple credits on pro- TV ACADEMY’S NEW VETTING RULES AIM TO CREATE ductions within the past four years.) GREATER REPRESENTATION AMONG THE VOTING BODY Those who have worked for two decades in the entertainment business, and who would have qualified as active SNUBS ARE nothing new when it comes to whopping 16 nominations last year, includ- members for at least 16 years during their awards shows. As a matter of fact, they’re ing outstanding limited series, yet won only career, can also vote for the Emmys, even part of the game, and many of the most- one major Emmy — for star Jharrel Jerome, if they’re no longer employed in the biz. read stories about any kudocast have to do who earned the limited series actor honor Everyone else will now be classified as an with who or what didn’t win. But sometimes for playing the youngest of the Central Park “associate member” — with most of the the slight is so egregious — and a program Five, Korey Wise. benefits of a TV Academy membership, somehow doesn’t get the recognition we all Jerome’s win was huge and exuberant — except for filling out an Emmy ballot. expected — that it leaves our agape. and saved “When They See Us” from being With the TV Academy membership That was the case at last year Emmys completely shut out in the major catego- now at around 25,000 people, the org felt with “When They See Us,” the Netflix mini- ries. (The show also won an Emmy for lim- the timing was right to ensure the Emmy series that was created and directed by Ava ited series casting.) But the fact that “When voting body is truly representative of the DuVernay and centers on the five young They See Us” didn’t do better at the Emmys industry it’s recognizing. men who were wrongfully accused and con- was perhaps a reminder of how much work “It’s making sure that the strength of victed of the 1989 rape and assault of a still needs to be done in the entertainment the Emmy stays and continues to grow,” woman in New York’s Central Park. business in recognizing stories from, and Academy chairman/CEO Frank Scherma It’s a powerful, infuriating, emotional, about, people of color. told us in November. “It’s very import- gut-wrenching tale that stays with you long I’d argue that the Emmys have done a ant to us. By doing a periodic review of after you watch it. And of course, as the better job than the Academy Awards (of NARROW VERDICT the people voting on these awards, we just Jharrel Jerome and Black Lives Matter movement grows in the #OscarsSoWhite fame) in opening the door want to make sure they are both active Asante Blackk were weeks following the murder of George Floyd to more representation among its nomi- nominated for Emmys professionals and industry veterans who — and attention is finally given to the sys- nations and winners. But there’s plenty of for their roles are the best to judge these awards.” in “When They See temic oppression faced by Black people and room for improvement, and that’s why the The vetting process should help bal- Us.” Jerome won the other communities of color — it’s even more TV Academy has taken the measure of add- limited series’ ance the voting body a bit more — perhaps resonant now. “When They See Us” landed a ing a vetting process to Emmy voting. only major award. bringing the median age down a touch and adding more diverse voices to the mix, given the more representative makeup of today’s active Hollywood workers. The move comes a few years after the Motion Picture Academy made an effort to make the Oscars more diverse by chang- ing the makeup of its voting body (of around 8,000) to active members who have worked on at least one film in the past 10 years (along with legacy members who have been active for at least three 10-year terms). The vetting process isn’t expected to purge a large number of members, and so far, the Academy — which officially implemented the policy six months ago — deems it a success. “Yes, we began vet- ting members in a phased approach start- ing with January renewals,” a Television Academy spokesperson says. “We’re pleased that we can say with an even greater degree of confidence that those who vote for the Emmys are eminently qualified to do so.” Snubs will still happen, but perhaps next time a show like “When They See Us”

will get its due. NISHIJIMA/NETFLIX ATSUSHI

20 VARIETY

congratulates our client Photo: Harpo, Inc. Harpo, Photo: CICELY TYSON on her Peabody Career Achievement Award and celebrates all of our clients on their Peabody Award-winning projects

Untitled-1 1 6/12/20 10:54 AM

TOP BILLING Laverne Cox on Giving Trans People What They Need to Succeed

THE PIONEERING ACTOR AND PRODUCER CONTINUES TO USE HER POWER TO BRING DIVERSE TALENT INTO THE INDUSTRY

WHEN LAVERNE COX shot to fame for her to five weeks ago this has to be a spiritual Sunday and Issa Rae is running her own work as Sophia Burset on Netflix’s “Orange opportunity. This has to be a moment for show, when I tune in to “Queen Sugar” Is the New Black,” she also made his- me to go inside, to really deepen my med- or go to work — before this coronavirus tory in 2014 by becoming the first openly itative practice, deepen my self-care prac- hit I was working on Shonda Rhimes’ transgender person to be nominated for a tices. I’m slowing myself down. It’s really “Inventing Anna,” her first show for THE BIG TICKET Primetime Emmy Award. Since then, her important to say no, making sure I don’t Netflix, and I just did [“Bad Hair”] with Marc list of accomplishments has made her overwhelm myself, knowing what my Justin Simien — when I think about those Malkin one of the most recognizable trans people boundaries are. Even though there is a call people and I think about “Disclosure” in Hollywood. Now, Cox continues to use to action right now and I’m trying to take premiering on Netflix, I think that there that platform to amplify other trans voices action the way that I can, I am not going has been some progress culturally. What Hear this interview in its as an executive producer of “Disclosure,” to be able to be of service to anyone if I’m I do feel heartened by is that our commu- entirety on this week’s episode of Variety and director Sam Feder’s Netflix documentary emotionally depleted. You can’t pour from nity, the entertainment industry, is really, iHeart’s “The Big Ticket” about the history of trans representation an empty cup. I have to do everything I can really trying. I see tangible efforts to podcast, which will be available on June 16. in film and television (coming June 19). to fill up my cup. It’s teaching me bound- diversify media in front of and behind the Not only is the entire cast of the doc aries in an even newer way because it’s so camera. I see a desire to try and get better. transgender, but Feder even implemented delicate right now. I have to prioritize being I do see that. I see that from my position. a program stipulating that any non-trans OK because I could start crying. It’s just But I’m very privileged. I think it’s always crew member who was hired had to agree so much with George Floyd’s murder and important to qualify that, because other to train a trans person trying to make it Iyanna Dior, the black trans woman who people are going to say different things. I in the business. “The idea of that is about was beaten in Minneapolis, also on camera. have girlfriends who are also trans who cultivating talent, diverse talent, trans tal- feel like they’re still trying to get their ent that can work in the industry behind It seems like the killing and murder of foot in the door. the scenes,” Cox says. trans people, particularly trans women of It’s a model she hopes to bring to future color, is getting more attention than it has Are you hopeful? I am. Cornell West said projects. “I think we can begin as an in the past. If we can’t connect Iyanna Dior on CNN last week with Anderson Cooper industry to think about: How do we bring being beaten by 30-plus men and women that if people were not out in the streets in people from different backgrounds and — thank God, she survived — in the same rioting and uprising after seeing what experiences?” she says. “Give them the city where George Floyd was murdered we saw in Minneapolis, that would be training. Give them what they need not and it happens on camera, if we cannot the problem. At least people have been just to be actors, but directors and grips see the connection between the Black life like, ‘No more!’ How do we keep that and lighting designers and all the things of Iyanna Dior and the Black life of George energy? How do we continue it? How do that happen in the film industry. It makes Floyd, I don’t know what to say to us. I we keep that energy into November and a difference.” don’t know if it’s getting more attention, beyond? How do we hold the Democratic Variety caught up with Cox at home in but it still needs to get even more attention. Party accountable? How do we hold them Los Angeles just days after Black Lives accountable, because they’re just as cor- Matter protests spread across the U.S. in We’ve seen a lot of media companies porate and just as corrupt as Republicans. response to the killing of George Floyd. and studios in Hollywood issue state- Not as corrupt as Republicans … but the ments about wanting to do better, Democratic Party needs to get their shit How are you coping right now? I live alone. having to do better. Is it just lip service? together. We have to change. I’m single; I don’t have a housemate. I’ve I’d say yes and no. I think there’s been

been quarantined alone. I realized four progress. When I tune in to “Insecure” on This interview has been edited and condensed. JILL GREENBERG BY PHOTOGRAPH

22 VARIETY Untitled-5 1 6/10/20 8:25 PM DIRT DIRT

$3M

HOLLYWOOD HILLS

2,800 SQ. FT. 4 BEDROOMS 4 BATHS

square feet. Carved-wood doors open to a Mad Profit in Hills for small entry courtyard, where the light-filled foyer leads to an airy living room. There, a huge stone fireplace and two sets of French Michael McDonald? doors swing open to a slender terrace. Dark-stained hardwood floors extend into the adjoining dining room, which flows eas- ily through a wide, floor-to-ceiling arch to FUNNYMAN MICHAEL MCDONALD, best known for his hilarious lineup of kooky characters a traditionally appointed and expensively on the sketch comedy series “MadTV,” has hung an almost $3 million price tag on a accoutered kitchen configured around Tuscan-style villa nestled into the Nichols Canyon area of L.A.’s star-studded Holly- a marble-countered island. Two master wood Hills. McDonald, who recently worked on the animated series “The suites are privately located on the pent- Loud House,” purchased the home more than 15 years ago for a tad below $2 million. house level; the lower level accommodates Listings held by Frank Andriolo at Sotheby’s Intl. Realty show the vine-draped a family room with kitchenette/wet bar. A trellis supported by stone columns triple-story residence offers four bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms in close to 2,800 partially shades an elevated loggia that’s perched over a dark-bottom swimming pool and spa surrounded by a verdant wall of trees and shrubs. A striped awning creates MARK DAVID a poolside pavilion for lounging, and an THE REAL ESTALKER outdoor kitchen facilitates alfresco dining. MCDONALD’S HOUSE: MARCO CAROCARI PHOTOGRAPHY/SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY; MCDONALD: ROB LATOUR/SHUTTERSTOCK ROB MCDONALD: REALTY; INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY/SOTHEBY’S CAROCARI HOUSE: MARCO MCDONALD’S

24 VARIETY DIRT

Miley Cyrus Secretly Sells Malibu Property In a clandestine, off-market deal that went down earlier this year, Miley Cyrus sold her Malibu home for $1.7 million, a pock- etbook-punishing $825,000 less than the slightly more than $2.5 million she paid German-born radio and TV presenter (and longtime Haribo spokesperson) Thomas Gottschalk for the enviably secluded two- plus-acre spread in early 2016. Tax records show the new owners are -producer Matthew Wilder and his wife, Tamara Dunn. Curiously, it was Wilder and Dunn who, back in 2014, sold a neighboring estate for more than $6.8 million to Cyrus’ now ex-fiancé Liam Hemsworth. It was that home that burned $1.25M to the ground in the 2018 Woolsey Fire that swept through Malibu and L.A.’s far-west- MALIBU ern suburbs. 2,300 SQ. FT. Tucked up into a discreet and exclu- sive gated enclave, the Wilder-Dunns’ new 2 BEDROOMS split-level contemporary is further seques- 3 BATHS tered down a long, gated, tree-shaded drive that passes over a seasonal stream. Since the transaction was done on the down low, The pop-country superstar, who started Jointly listed with Catherine Bindley at it’s not known what improvements were buying and selling multimillion-dollar Sotheby’s Intl. Realty and Debbie Kester at made by Cyrus and Hemsworth, who were properties before she was of legal drinking Douglas Elliman, the almost 2,300-square- believed to have used the home as a cre- age, maintains a small portfolio of luxury foot multilevel town home, which includes ative studio space and guesthouse. How- homes. In L.A., she’s long owned a midcen- two bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms, is ever, at the time of her purchase, the tury sprawler in Studio City that she picked offered fully furnished. It’s alternatively modestly sized abode was painted a bold up in 2011 for $3.9 million. And she keeps a available as a rental at $7,000 per month. shade of turquoise, with four bedrooms large farmhouse on more than 30 acres that A spacious entrance gallery enhanced and 3.5 bathrooms. she acquired about three years ago for $5.8 by high ceilings and terra-cotta floor tiles million on the rural outskirts of Nashville. steps up to the main floor, where a spacious living room has honey-toned wood floors and a raised-hearth fireplace set at an angle Chad Hayes Lists to the otherwise boxy room. There’s a sep- arate dining area as well as an efficiently Malibu Writing Retreat scaled and upgraded U-shaped kitchen Screenwriter Chad Hayes, one-half of the with a serene view to a lushly planted Hayes Brothers writing duo who scripted courtyard garden and outdoor dining space. the horror films “House of Wax” and “The Just outside the living room, the terrace is Conjuring,” has put his writing retreat in privatized by high walls, one of them com- the prestigious Point Dume area of Malibu pletely encrusted by verdant vines. up for sale at not quite $1.25 million. Slated One of the bedrooms features a fire- $1.7M to pen “McClane,” the upcoming prequel place, while both provide a pampering (and final installment) to the “Die Hard” environment replete with spa tub, walk-in franchise, Hayes bought the neo-Mediterra- closet and glass sliders for balcony access. MALIBU 4 BEDROOMS nean townhouse condo just over five years Between the bedrooms, a small study 2+ ACRES 4 BATHS ago for a small amount over $1 million. served as Hayes’ cozy writing nook.

DIGS Eleanor Roosevelt listed historic house was built Family Estate for Sale in 1872 but was updated and doubled in size by its previous Live Like a Kardashian For those looking to own a owners in 2000. Much of its piece of U.S. history, a parcel charming French Second Empire The starter home that Kylie Jenner ppupur-r- of lush Hudson Valley land near detailing remains, including the chased when she was just 17 is on thehe Germantown, N.Y., and once stained-glass kitchen windows. market for $3.6 million. During the fiveiive a part of Eleanor Roosevelt’s Measuring in at 2,000 square feet, years Jenner owned it, she extensivelyely family estate, is up for grabs her high school years. Known as the home has three bedrooms and remodeled the five-bedroom, six-bath-tth- at $960,000. The former first Oaklawn Gatehouse — and just one-and-a-half bathrooms spread room Tuscan-style property, which lady spent a lot of time at the over 30 miles from Eleanor and over two stories. Other vintage now features black hardwood flooring,nng, property during her childhood husband Franklin’s New York home features include a widow’s walk, snowy white walls and floor-to-ceilingnng after the death of her parents, (featured in the 2012 film “Hyde antique lighting and a Victorian MAE HAMILTON HAYES’ HOUSE: JASON CHRISTOPHER/SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY (3); JENNER: ANTHONY HARVEY/SHUTTERSTOCK (3); JENNER: REALTY INTERNATIONAL CHRISTOPHER/SOTHEBY’S HOUSE: JASON HAYES’ picture windows. and vacationed there during Park on Hudson”), the recently clawfoot bathtub. MAE HAMILTON ALL THAT AND MORE

‘MASKED SINGER’ HOST NICK CANNON IS THRIVING AS AN ENTERTAINER AND BUDDING MOGUL. BUT DON’T CALL HIM FAMOUS.

BY CYNTHIA LITTLETON PHOTOGRAPHS BY RYAN PFLUGER

26 VARIETY

28 VARIETY STYLING: KATJA CAHILL; GROOMING LATASHIA LARAE; (PREVIOUS SPREAD) TUXEDO; DIOR HOMME: SHIRT: DSQUARED; SHOES: CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN; (THIS SPREAD) JACKET: ALEXANDER MCQUEEN; JEANS: BALMAIN: BOOTS: CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN LIONSGATE-OWNED DISTRIBUTOR. LAUNCH INSEPTEMBERWITHTHE TALK SHOW THAT CANNON WILL FOR THEDAYTIME SYNDICATED IN NEWYORK TO DISCUSSPLANS OF DEBMAR-MERCURY EXECUTIVES GATHERED WITHASMALLGROUP ENTREPRENEUR ANDACTIVIST HOST, RAPPER,PRODUCER, ANDRADIO COMEDIAN, TV ON FEB.19,THEMULTI-HYPHENATE WHERE HEWANTED TO BE. NICK CANNON KNEW EXACTLY el chair and stretched hislegs,el chairandstretched showing offgold lamé statement. Hespunaroundhisswiv- true undoubtedly offthe theedge smilethat took non saidwithabroad same level of tourist traffic as30Rock and environs. that doesn’t day tough inanarea might be every have the stopsof inmidtown.Even media fillingastudio audience thecircuit torun trying toHarlemwhilethey’re to head that achallenge itcoulded toget be somecelebrity guests and gamesthat Cannon envisions. Anotherexecutive not- show withtheambitiousmixof music, comedy, sketches talk adailyone-hour toproduce ens ofstaffers needed find enoughoffice at space that tohousethedoz- location hop variety show “106&Park.” the studio that was once hometoBET’s hip- long-running tives tocommit tohaving “NickCannon” originate from of alongrectangulartable. Cannon theexecu- pressed whosat MarcusandIraBernstein, ends atMort opposite executives co-presidents thatDebmar-Mercury included Harlem: 106thStreetandPark Avenue. at aniconic north intersectionin 60blocks tion about largely meetingcentered onaloca- two-hour the nearly es onFifth Avenue TimesSquare. near But thefocus of N The setting was aconference at Lionsgate’s room offic- “Put a big picture of me out there — they’ll come,”“Put abigpictureof meoutthere—they’ll Can- Marcus andothersexplained that hardto itwould be “Harlem feels soright,” of Cannon toldtheroomful ¶ smile. “Iwant inHarlem.” tobe the star hadamessage for themarketing executive sitting next tohim. ting abiglaughwithjoke for theprospects monetizinghisdailyshower, about uct-placement Afterget- promotion. plays deals, media sponsorship andsocial was withandenergized byCannon’s impressed team cury command ofprod- minuteof thetalkshow. every foridea monetizingvirtually TheDebmar-Mer- marketing after andbrand-integration Cannon offidea opportunities. reeled “Save BlackBoys,” signinplace withapeace of the“o.” emblazoned with sneakers that andblackhoodie offsethisblacksweatpants seasons and being a frequent presence afrequent asahost andbeing andguest star.seasons after having had hisown NickCannon comedyseries, Show,” “The for two By that time, Cannon was withtheNickelodeon closelyassociated universe Tochannel. outsiders, for like appointment PR value. itseemed afigurehead — leaving withastake itscreator inrevenue fromtouringandmerchandising. theproperty for bought massive hisown pilotpaid dividendsin2012whenMTV ahugely lucrative andhasspawned season live tour. Cannon’s decisiontopay sketch comedy-varietyMTV ’NOut.” franchise“Wild Theshow isnow inits15th andwrote checksfor he gambled morethan$100,000tofinance thepilotfor his ofanotherNickelodeona castsketch member series, comedy “All That.” At 21, his way uptoawritingjobontheshow. From there, as hewas quicklyrecruited aproducer.”than Iamintermsof being now.everywhere Igo tohimnow for advice. He’s down theroad alotfurther on theNickelodeon sketch “Kenan comedy &Kel.” “I’m that he’s notsurprised Cannon get inHollywood’s hisfoot Hehelped son. asawarmup comic door same that you seenow,” says “Saturday NightLive” Kenan trouper Thomp- instincts. level of anddrive focus “The that hehadthenwas pretty muchthe of here,’” Cannon says. er Idomy talkshow inHarlemorLosAngeles, he’d like, be ‘Get thefuckout father, aminister inCharlotte, andbusinessman, N.C. grandmotherinSanDiegoliving withhismotherandpaternal andwithhis hesplithistime Hegrewupinafamilyof means. modest Asakid, and talent. ty, Cannon isquicktonotehow farhehascome onthestrength of hardwork a degreeincriminology, withaminorinAfrican studies. the most famousundergraduate at Howard University: heearned Last month, imprint at Republic Records. time, Inhisspare he’s squeezed in four years as andtalentmanager, producer music asanartist, withanNCredible label ital projectsinthepipeline, for Fox He’s andotherpartners. alsoactive in I’ve always thesleeper-hit guy.” been ter. But that’s that Iam. confirmation andentertainer ofcreator ofthetype huge failure,” Cannon says of “Masked Singer.” “Luckily for me, itwas thelat- forming insecretunderelaborate costumes, caughthisfancy. format, untilthebizarreKoreaning resonated involving TV celebrities per- withCannonpossibly ashost. show, alate-night the network oftrying was withtheidea once againflirting sideofFox setupanoverall withtheTV tainment banner deal in2018,when age itsmost successful property. entertainment Cannon’s NCredible Enter- at 106thandPark. continue even after“NickCannon” studio premieres—fromitsrefurbished whichheplansto radioprogram, andadailyfive-hour syndicated Singer” at TheComedy StoreandtheImprov. hustling ridesfromhishomeinSanDiego toLosAngeles micnights for open Cannon, 39,hasbeeninshow business “Sounds like you gotta get towork,” flashinganotherthousand-watt hesaid, The conversation fromthehighcost turned of setting upshopinHarlemto To Viacom insiders, Cannon was quicklyseenasafellow executive who At 26,Cannon chairmanofNickelodeon’s was named TeenNick cable atThe gigmadeCannon, 16,hisfamily’s breadwinner. worked Andhesoon Friends andassociates say Cannon withanentrepreneur’s was born “If you’d toldthat kidintheprojectsthat oneday I’d wheth- get tochoose At amomentofreckoning for thenation over racialinjustice andequali- Cannon’s hasahost ofTV, banner NCredible Entertainment filmanddig- issocrazy,“I thoughtthat thisidea it’s ahuge eithergoing hitora tobe Fox Cannon concepts pitched several Noth- for TV hosting andproducing. What’s more, there’s spinoffs asFox talkof “Masked Singer” tolever- looks Today, he’s allover hosting Fox’s dial, themedia Masked “The top-rated since hewas ascrappy teenager, VARIETY 29 came well-prepared to staff meetings, with spreadsheets, analyses, budget proposals and a surfeit of ideas for content and marketing. “He did an incredible amount with the resources we gave them,” says Cyma Zarghami, who headed Nickelodeon from 2006-18. “He brought people togeth- er; he moved into a corner office and shot content for the channel in and around his office. He did incredible work to set up a brand identity for TeenNick.” Cannon says of his TeenNick job: “Everybody thought that was an on-cam- era thing. I went in with my PowerPoint and my statistics and everything, and I’d say, ‘This is how we grow this business.’ Luckily, some people there were kind enough to take a chance on me.”

Cannon considers the 10 years he spent as a Viacom executive akin to earn- RISK TAKER ing his MBA in media. The more he learned about the way things worked behind Cannon takes pride in the scenes, the better and bolder the ideas he pursued in his own career. hosting the Fox megahit. In 2009, he consolidated a number of disparate efforts under the broad umbrella of NCredible Entertainment. Today the company has about 25 employees and operations that span TV, film, digital, live events and merchan- dising. The experience at Viacom also made it clear to him that he never again wanted to be “just a piece of talent” on a project. His determination at times has met with roadblocks. As an African Ameri- Nick Cannon Inc. can and as a person known primarily as talent, he often faced a double bias in THE MULTIFACETED HOST, ACTOR, RAPPER, PRODUCER his efforts to be taken seriously as a businessman. AND ACTIVIST HAS BEEN BUILDING HIS BRAND AND A “It’s a hindrance being a man of color as much as it is being talent,” Cannon BUSINESS EMPIRE SINCE HE WAS A TEENAGER. HERE’S says. “There’s a perception of how talent should be treated [by employers] — A RUNDOWN OF HIS ACTIVE VENTURES. the secrets you have to keep from them and how you have to handle them with kid gloves. That’s not how I operate. You don’t have to put gloves on with me. TV One Media/Ball Up/NCredible Give it to me straight.” The Masked Singer Entertainment Despite San Diego’s proximity to Hollywood, Cannon’s first education in tele- Host, executive producer Cannon plays a devoted dad and community center leader in vision came when he was a preteen working with his father on religious broad- Fox Alternative Entertainment/ this women’s basketball dramedy. casts via public access cable in North Carolina. To have a show on the local cable Smart Dog Media/MBC Strong Enemies: system, participants had to go through a workshop on TV production. The nuts Fox’s top-rated entertainment and bolts of production lessons he learned at the age of 11 still serve him well. series, renewed for Season 4 The Untold Case of Dr. Sebi Executive producer “My reward from my dad was like, ‘Yo, if there’s any hours left over, do what- Nick Cannon’s Wild ’N Out ever you want to do,’” Cannon recalls. “So I would create and do rap shows and Host, executive producer, creator NCredible Entertainment comedy shows.” NCredible Entertainment Cannon stepped in to finish Cannon’s background as a by-the-bootstraps success story is a big part of the doc on the controversial Improv comedy franchise now his carefully tended image as a regular guy — a person who hangs out with Honduran herbalist that was in Season 15 for MTV initiated by late rapper-activist celebrities but looks at his adventures through the prism of the audience. Not Nick Cannon Nipsey Hussle. even his 2008-16 marriage to pop superstar Mariah Carey could change his Host, executive producer attitude about where he lands on the celebrity scale. Touring NCredible Entertainment/ “I’m not famous. I’ve been around real famous people. My wife was famous,” Debmar-Mercury Nick Cannon Presents: Cannon says. “People don’t think of me as famous. I want to be the guy that MTV Wild ’N Out Live Syndicated daytime talk show everybody wants to have a drink with and welcome to their house. I want to be premiering in September Comedy/music/improv that guy as opposed to the one that everybody’s in awe of. It’s an energy thing tour launched in 2018 with Celebrity Call Center Live Nation that I see as a superpower.” Executive producer Inspiration for building his NCredible business has come from role models (The 2020 edition will be rescheduled for later this year such as Will Smith and Oprah Winfrey, as well as Dick Clark, Merv Griffin and Ncredible Entertainment/Main Event Media/All3Media America after coronavirus cancellations.) Ryan Seacrest. As fast as he is on his feet on camera, his true love is the writing Celebs man the phones at a real process and birthing ideas. “I never really wanted to be a superstar entertainer. call center on the E! series. Music I get my joy out of being the executive producer or the creator,” Cannon says. NCredible Music In matters of spirituality, the son of a North Carolina preacher has a singu- Radio Label imprint pact with lar sense of faith that is deep but different from the traditional approach prac- Nick Cannon Mornings Republic Records ticed by his father’s nondenominational congregation. Power 106 Los Angeles Artist management for Trae Suave, NCK “I live my faith,” he says. “I like speaking things into existence. I mean, I Weekday radio show airing wanted to marry Mariah Carey since I was 12 years old.” 6 -10 a.m. (expanded to Podcasts 6 a.m.-noon during pandemic) NCredible Entertainment is Five-hour version syndicated by finalizing a pact with Spotify for Long before the death of George Floyd ignited the latest wave of outrage Power 106 owner Meruelo Media comedy content. and Skyview Networks at police brutality toward people of color, Cannon had been a vocal advocate for criminal justice reform. His interest in racial injustice led him to enroll in Nick Cannon Weekends Retail Three-hour program syndicated Howard University in 2016. He managed to spend about one day a week on the NCredible Audio by Skyview Networks/Meruelo school’s Washington, D.C., campus and — always ahead of the times — other- Media Nick Cannon-branded line of wise worked remotely. He plans to stay at Howard to pursue his master’s degree headphones and speakers in psychology and a doctorate in divinity and theology. Part of his curriculum Film Launched 2016 in partnership with RadioShack at Howard has included spending time teaching and working with inmates in She-Ball D.C.-area jails. Writer, director, star, executive Generated more than $80 million producer in retail sales to date In late May, Cannon traveled to Minneapolis to add his voice to the pro- tests calling for justice for Floyd, an unarmed Black man who died after he was SOURCE: NCREDIBLE ENTERTAINMENT, VARIETY RESEARCH

30 VARIETY MASKED SINGER: MICHAEL BECKER/FOX PROTEST: JASON SZENES/EPA-EFE/SHUTTERSTOCK was mind-blowing.” my eyes. To show that kindof self-confidence at that age I’mscript. watching thislike my life is flashingbefore says. andhandshim a into hisbackpack “Nick reaches in theworld andclosinghismouth,” opening Goldman student. school dy starring Cannon asamilitary Cannon,”“Loose a“Fresh ofBel-Air”-esque come- tohandtheA-listeropportunity pilotscriptfor hisspec time. Unbeknownst tohismanager, Cannon thefirst took at whowas theturnstiles red-hot ing withSmith, at the man says of Cannon. “You can’t acquire that skill.” at himandnotsaylook he’s astar,” going tobe Tochter- for Overbrook. TV veteran Davidby industry Tochterman, whowas running festival intheBay whensuddenlyhewas contacted Area 1998. Cannon hadwon thirdprize inastand-up comedy venture Entertainment in hisOverbrook Smith launched well asNickelodeon. warmup work for ABC, WBNetwork andotheroutletsas was doing andsoon Cannon tothejobimmediately took asawarmup comic forserve “Kenan &Kel” andothers. toto theNickelodeon onSunsetstudio inHollywood have ever since. business partners been was also“crazy ambitiousandcrazycharming.” Thetwo the venues. comedy clubsbefore hewas oldenoughtolegally noticing alankyteenager inHollywood performing resenting Kenan Goldmancouldn’t Thompson. help people thought about my thoughtabout people jobat Viacom.” thing,’” doctorate an honorary hesays. sameway “The ‘Oh, that’s thought, a lotof people agimmick; he’s getting was within2012,duringhisfreshmanyear. diagnosed oflupus, flare-up theautoimmunedisorderCannon bad hisundergraduate degreeinfourished years despitea butIneverto get mine.” completed aneducation, Hefin- would findmyself doingyouth advocacy andtellingkids withactorBrittany Golden, old son, Bell. withCareytwins, andMoroccan, anda3-year- Monroe also driven Hehas9-year-old byhisthreechildren. dustrial complex. It’s slavery.” aform of modern-day totheprison-in- pipeline general totheschool-to-prison tothecriminalization ofBlackmenin the war ondrugs up andsay thissystem wrongfor hasbeen years —from Ifyou racism. don’t thissystem, you support support step ‘Oh Peopleto racism. no, think, I’m notaracist.’ But ifyou systems was builton. that thiscountry our country,” hesays. “We have todismantleallofthose andoppress communitiesof inequality ofcolor allover racist systems that we don’t crimes that perpetuate need, andasascholar. asanartist non hastackled Floyd’s onissues that putthespotlight death Can- brutal 9minutes. for outragepipe by nearly sparked Theglobal byrestrained apolice officer withakneeonhiswind- In 1996, “I wasn’t onanything focused butthebiggest star Cannon showed hisspunkinfirst formal meet- young“He was raw, really andreally andyou couldn’t He cametotheattention of Will Smithnotlongafter Thompson andGoldmaneventually broughtCannon In Goldman’s eyes, Cannon was “still wet clay.” But he Cannon takes prideintheaccomplishment. “In2016, that example“I wanted tobe tomy kids,” hesays. “I Cannon’s was decision topursuehighereducation “That’s why somany get itwrongwhencomes people “I want onourhumanityanddismantling ustofocus

talent manager MichaelGoldmanwas rep- be in only ever do one thing, soI’monly ever doonething, like, ‘I’ma doitall.’” Cube. Ilove Iwant todowhat MichaelJackson. they do. No one toldmeIcould er Icould be. possibly Ilove Eddie Murphy, Fresh Ilove ‘The Prince,’ Ilove Ice effect onculture,” Cannon says. “Ihave always entertain- thebest tobe wanted were hosts— thosepeople notonlygreat andentertainers, hadan they really forboundaries the next phaseof hismultifaceted career. tostepopportunity for me,” isatransitionperiod degrees. “This hesays. feels like “This my first in prisonsandothermarginalized communities ashepursuesadvanced lion inretailsalestodate. nership withRadioShackin2016.Per hasgenerated thegear $80mil- Goldman, inpart- launched such astheCannon-branded lineof andheadphones speakers NCredible’s entityandscout newbusiness activityasaproduction ventures, activitiesinthecomedy,of hisotherentertainment musicanddigitalrealms. York asa“central toserve duetothecoronavirus —isdesigned hub” for all for despitelockdown now isontrackfor debut, conditions aSeptember inNew thecamera.The“NickCannon” infrontof andbehind both talkshow —which business MiMO. anddoithisway.” “But hewanted todoeverything one area,” andconsulting says oftheproduction whoisnow head Zarghami, stand-up ormusic—thating, hewould become oneof thebiggest stars inthat inhiscareer.him early But notanymore. such comedy stars asKevin Taran Hart, KillamandKatt Williams. for asalaunchingpad ofgenerated millionsof “hundreds dollars”andserved inmoviespening now.’ But that’s what hewas passionate about.” attention fromdirectorsinHolly community”). Anyway?’ for thehip-hop LineIsIt (which own Cannon as“‘Whose money ’NOut” describes in“Wild was taken for whenhisclientcametohimwiththeidea investing aback his buthedefinitelyhadtractioninfeatures.the titleswas abighit, SoGoldman line,” 2003’s “Love Don’t Cost and2005’s aThing” “Underclassmen.” None of non cackles. teenager, allmy andIspent money —don’t doit.’ But Ididitanyway,” Can- buy aRange Rover advance. afterhegot theseries-deal “Hetoldme, ‘Iwas a son’s Creek.” launchthenetwork andtowardhelped “Buffy theVampire and“Daw- Slayer” the network was moving away fromthelargely Black-cast that comedies had Butstar theshow underhiswing. never got apickupbythat time because fidebuzz.What’s Thepilothadbona WB Network. more, hispilot Smithtook end topolicebrutality. on June7,demandingan speaks inTimesSquare Howard University, in criminologyfrom Cannon, whohasadegree TAKING THELEAD “Everyone from Dick Clark to Oprah Winfrey to Merv Griffin to Bob Hope GriffintoBobHope fromDickClarktoOprahWinfrey“Everyone toMerv The kidwhofound hiscallingtellingjokes onpublicaccess seesno TV And Cannon usebyworking vows degreetogood toputhiscriminology On thebusiness side, Cannon to buildup andGoldmanaredetermined inOctober, approaches As his40thbirthday Cannon onbiggoals isfocused act- tostick tothinkthat toonething—whetheritbe ifNickdecided “I used The star’s desiretowork thosewhoknew inmultipledisciplinessurprised Cannon isn’t hassince shy aboutremindingGoldmanthat ’NOut” “Wild “I was notinfavor comedy show whenhewas of doinganMTV getting ofmovie 2000s, roles—2002’sIn theearly Cannon hadaflurry “Drum- Cannon was devastated. For he’d onething, Smith’s ignored advice notto asix-episode commitment landed Cannon” forOverbrook “Loose from into manhood.” wood,” Goldman says. “Iwas like, ‘We’re hap- VARIETY 31 OVER AND FAR THE AWAY HILLS E) Vintage Top: Scout LA; Jeans: Stoned Immaculate Scout LA; Top: E) Vintage The sisters of Haim are seeing their home through a different lens during quarantine By Chris Willman Photographs by Lauren Dukoff Styling: Maryam Malakpour/The Only Agency; (ALANA) Vintage Overalls: Scout LA; (DANIELLE) Vintage Top and Jeans: Scout LA; (EST and Jeans: Scout LA; Top Vintage (DANIELLE) Scout LA; Overalls: (ALANA) Vintage Only Agency; Styling: Maryam Malakpour/The

32 VARIETY GUTTER CREDIT VARIETY Danielle and Danielle and Este Haim 33 Alana, Alana,

The recent Epix docu-series “Laurel Canyon” made music fans nostalgic for the Los Angeles rock enclaves of the 1960s and early ’70s, but three sisters who “We grew up along Laurel Canyon on the Valley side, north of Ven- tura [Boulevard], in a city called Valley Village, which we affectionate- ly call Valley Vill-ahh-ge, to make it a little more chic,” says Este Haim, 34, the eldest of the trio. “And we were, what, three or four exits away were raised just over from Hollywood? But it still felt really far away. When I got my license, and got a car with a sunroof and a fucked-up CD player with my bat mitzvah and chore money, I would get Danielle and Alana and drive over Laurel Canyon to get to the Roxy and Troubadour. And in our new the hill from that song ‘Los Angeles,’ we talk about going over Laurel and speeding down Crescent Heights.” But, adds Alana, the youngest, at 28, “in a weird twist of events, that song is not even really about our love for L.A. It’s about us falling out glen stand poised to of love with it.” Out of love with the city, maybe, but not with the anti-elitist cachet that now comes with being from the SFV — even if all three sisters have emigrated southeast to Silver Lake or Los Feliz. “I’ll never let go inherit the mantle of of my 818 area code,” declares Alana. “It won’t happen, ever.” Jeans: Scout LA Vintage Joos Tricot; Haim is in fact one of the twin titans of modern Valley pride, the other being Paul Thomas Anderson — the mega-fan who, not coinci- dentally, has directed several of the band’s videos and shot the cover queens of L.A. rock. photo for its new album. To find some other devotees of the 8-year-old group, you need only look at the famous faces — like Childish Gambino, Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig, Charli XCX and Emma Stone — that show up amid anonymous fans in a crowdsourced video released last year for the sisterhood-celebrating “Hallelujah.” Celebrity credentials aside, that outside-looking-in feeling of growing up on the wrongish side of the Hollywood Hills (or “subur- ban angst,” as Danielle, 31, calls it) surely was part of what drove the Haim sisters to develop a we-try-harder ethos as well as serious play- ing, writing and production chops. Possibly adding to their underdog vigor: They constitute an all-female band in an era when, oddly, there seem to be fewer of them than ever — not just who aren’t men, but bands, period. Which brings us to the name of their third album (out June 26): “Women in Music Pt. III.” You wouldn’t be wrong to find a tongue-in- cheek aspect to the title, or to its cover art, which portrays the sisters behind the counter at their beloved Canter’s Deli on Fairfax, posing in front of a sea of sausages. But they’re also capable of some fierceness on the subject of the gender divide, as they demonstrate in an unusu-

ally raw song called “Man From the Magazine,” which ends on a bitter Top: (DANIELLE) Jeans and Belt: Scout LA; Vintage Joos Tricot; Jeans: Stoned Immaculate; (ALANA) Top: Joos Tricot; Top: (ESTE)

34 VARIETY VARIETY 35 see-you-next-Tuesday punchline that touch- VIDEO MAGIC es on the offensive questions male journalists The Haim sisters perform in their might ask (“Do you make the same faces in quarantine-shot bed?” — a question once proffered in an inter- video for “I Know view to Este, a demonstrative stage perform- Alone” (top) and on Ventura Boulevard er), or just dumb ones, such as “What it’s like in 2017’s “ Want You to be …?” Back” video. “We would get asked that every single interview,” says Danielle. “We haven’t gotten asked the question this record cycle, which is also another reason why we wanted to call the album ‘Women in Music.’ So it’s actual- ly great.” Danielle, who writes the majority of the lyr- ics, sings most of the lead vocals and co-pro- duces the albums, considers the title “mostly funny. But we also thought, ‘Why don’t we just put it into our music and tell our fans some of the experiences that we’ve had?’” — including a verse about the hassles and preconceptions women face going into guitar shops. “Listen, there are some great music shops — there’s a store here called Old Style Guitar Shop that’s great,” says Danielle (who toured as a guitarist and drummer with Jenny Lewis and Julian Casablancas before officially form- ing Haim with her sisters in 2012). “But grow- ing up, being young women musicians, going into the conglomerate shops, it was always just a really shitty experience. We were met with the obvious, ‘Oh, are you buying some- thing for your boyfriend?’ or, ‘Oh, here’s a great starter, like, Squire.’” Adds Este: “Honestly, even now, going into that store which shall not be named, we get the same thing, except we’re old enough to just give it an eye roll.” Also these days, odds are that the sisters Canter’s (site of their first backroom gig, where they were paid in matzo ball soup). might be recognized, thwarting any chauvin- “Honestly, I never thought that a thing that I do every day — walk — would make ist clerk’s assumptions they’re newbies. The such an impact on people, but I guess we’re super good at walking,” deadpans Alana. trio quickly rose to national renown upon “And we’re from Los Angeles, so that’s an oxymoron. No one does that here — songs releasing its 2013 debut, “.” have been written about such things,” she says (alluding to Missing Persons’ KROQ They parlayed a 2015 stint opening in are- classic “Walking in L.A.”). Thanks to Haim, there may be a whole flyover nation that nas and stadiums for Taylor Swift, along with has mistakenly come to think of Los Angeles as a pedestrian town. Drivers beware. the release of 2017’s “,” When it came time to make a video for the single “I Know Alone,” the COVID-19 into headlining tours where future stars like pandemic quarantine had begun, and thus … public streets weren’t an option. So Lizzo were the opening acts. In 2018, a tri- they put together a brilliant dance clip that was shot in one take in a backyard, with umphant Coachella mainstage performance the sisters remotely directed and choreographed. “Things were changing so rapid- was followed by a cathartic hometown head- ly, it was scary,” admits Alana. “It was really hard to be creative because of just the lining show at the Greek Theatre that sold stress of what was happening. And obviously we had other dreams for the music vid- out in a day — and counts as a career high eo for ‘I Know Alone.’ But it was actually kind of a weird gift, because we really need- point for the women from the other side of ed a task during this quarantine, to take us out of our computers and off our phones.” the observatory. (Although they did incorporate a mimed phone-scrolling motion as a dance move.) Fans who didn’t make it to the shows were More recently, they’ve held several Zoom dance classes for fans looking to learn transfixed by music videos from a group the choreography. Next stop: TikTok? “We always loved to dance,” says Este. “We that’s made the best use of them by anyone get it from our mom. She wasn’t a professional, but she knew how to cut a rug. since the golden age of OK Go. No Rube Gold- And we’ve been asked for years, ‘Can you do a tutorial of the “If I Could Change bergian contraptions or stop-motion gim- Your Mind” dance or “A Little of Your Love”?’ and we’d always been too embar- micks are necessary, though, to pique inter- rassed. We’re not dance teachers. But during this quarantine we thought we could est in the Haim sisters: Their best videos, do something that would just get us, and whoever wants to join us, off their couch. historically, have had them walking, wheth- We don’t know what the fuck we’re doing, and I’m really out of breath during the er it was the “Want You Back” clip in which warmup, but we have a really good time.” they stroll down a strangely deserted Ventu- The Haim sisters are clearly comfortable taking the piss out of themselves, be ra Boulevard at the magic hour, or the recent it with their wry dance moves or the bathrobe-clad selfies they put up on Insta- Anderson-directed “Summer Girl” that com- gram that come close to being warts-and-all, like the one where Este correlated ically depicts the liberating peeling off of the number of zit-cream spots on her chest (three) to the days remaining till their endless layers of clothing while they stroll next single. Recent social media posts reminiscing about attending the Met Gala in past L.A. landmarks like the New Beverly 2016 featured a photo with a caption that established just what a historic moment Cinema, Bookstar in Studio City or, of course, that was: “First time wearing gowns.”

36 VARIETY @haimtheband ‘‘ ‘‘ baking — especially when Danielle is playing an old-school drum kit—although whenDanielleisplaying drum —especially anold-school baking sophisticationsleek pop leaves onitsalbums, morerawness but“WIMIII” inthe where thereisnopersona.” whichisrare,song form, tohave that muchhonesty fromalyricalstandpoint From aMagazine,’ itwas just like, wow, that’s exactly her, andit’s coming outin She’sshit. nailingit,’” really hesays. “On songslike ‘I’ve BeenDown’ and‘Man knowing themaswell asIdoandknowing Danielleaswell asIdo, Iwas like, ‘Holy thelyricsonthisrecord, Ithoughtabout directness “What ofthenewmaterial. group’s Danielle’s first album(andwhobecame S.O. by muchlater), the isstruck pire Weekend asHaim’s before coming onboard midway co-producer throughthe had this lightness making the recorded music — I mean, it’shad thislightness makingtherecordedmusic—Imean, bizarre.” that confidence.can hear We wrotealotofthesesongsinthisdarkplace, butwe ever mademusic. Thisismy favorite albumwe’ve made, that people andIhope the most funwe’ve that andthemost we’ve spontaneously hadmakinganalbum, headspace. We aresoclose, butwe still felt at lonelyandisolated thesametime.” my experience, butwas alsoconscious that my sisters were notfeeling inthebest going tofeel that way Itwas able toshare abigpushandpull:Iwantedtobe too? wantI know todivulge doIreally that, how I’m feeling ifIknow that my familyis feeling glum orblue, theothertwo intheirloneliness. tendtojointhat person If other—sowhenoneofusis theemotionsofeach andthenwear er everything, municating,” says Este. “It’s thisweird dichotomy that oth- we tendtotelleach “I Know Alone” volumes isatitlethat allby itself,andbeyond speaks thesimilar the feelings ofisolation many able listeners toidentifywithinmid-2020. willbe will get fansoffthecouch —thoughthere’s someofthat —butfor how itmirrors outlier “3A.M.”). “Women R&B III”(with exception thenoted inMusic Pt. ofthebooty-call-themed contrast totheiroff-the-record image. That continues withmost ofthesongson —andthemusicitselfhasalways hasindicated instructions utterly sober, been in movetheir subsequent toward BlackLives posting Matter ofdance linksinstead I got nottofuckthisup, soletmeknow ifI’m notalone.” ofcircumstances Thesearethesorts tolineslike: that led “Ittakesstarted. allthat post-tour letdownpartum, that allowed themtheirfirst downtime since thegroup na lost oneofAndallwere withapost- friendsinacaraccident. herbest dealing 1diabetes.grapple withherlong-standing Type Most devastatingly, perhaps, Ala group’s co-producer, ArielRechtshaid, was fightingcancer. Este continuedto fromtheirlasten afterthey tourin2018.Danielle’s returned andthe boyfriend “The Steps”: “Doyou“The understand you don’t understand me?” outover hashed being FaceTime upinalinefrom summed —mightbe orZoom icant others—somethingthat may acutewhenrelationships are seempeculiarly / I’m toshake thisfeeling.” just trying Thedifficultyof communicating withsignif upat theceiling /Looking /It’swatching muchTV too makingmefeel been creepy titleof“I’ve BeenDown,”ly self-explanatory therearelyricslike “And I’ve been m th l but DANIELLE HAIM t of We wrotealot us i his dark plac his dark Haim hasalways onstage like band sounded whileoptingfor moreofarock a Rechtshaid, theGrammy-winning known best producer for hiswork withVam Yet inabigway. joy whenitcametorecording, returned Daniellesays, “Itwas “WIMIII,” asit’s isawelcome known quarantinealbumnotfor inshort, how it Yet there’s always seriousintentbeyond irreverence thesurface been —as “We’re self-aware enoughtoknow that sometimeswe’re at notthebest com Many of thesesongswere outof adarktimethat born befell allthreewom e recor g these songs in ic htness makin w e .”. ”

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VARIETY are 37 sex, sex, - - - - TO RAISETHEBARFORAPERIOD ‘PERRY MASON’ MATTHEW RHYSANDHBOAIM JUSTICE O ALL FOR ON MODERNTHEMES THAT TOUCHES BY

Daniel Holloway

GUTTER CREDIT MERRICK MORTON/HBO and ’60s, thenagaininthe’80sand’90s, Mason” “Perry was atele What thefuckfor? No oneisaskingfor that show.’” question that many situation. mightaskthemselves inthat particular writerRolin toveteranfirst Jones, TV floated heasked himselfthe origin story, tocome hebegan around. talking throughthenoirishvision for ahard-bitten Mason’s period of Tara.” together on“Weeds,” “Friday States United NightLights”and“The areality. Detective” 3became Season when “True asshowrunner.was settowriteandserve But Pizzolatto out dropped Detective” NicPizzolatto creator “True andat onepoint came aboard, Downeyert Jr. Mason” isPerry enjoyed considerably HBO moreheat. esting inthefirst andgreat place.” movies, miningitfor whatwe madeitinter didwiththe‘Sherlock’ in the’30s.’ We tothesource wanted togo muchlike material, back in doingapresent-day Iwould version love ofit. toexplore oneback says SusanDowney. ‘Idon’t “But said, Robert have really aninterest lywood’s second tier. (and bigpaydays) that hadfor Hol inamedium decadesrepresented ing itsgolden age, andfilmstars were tofindexciting beginning work toexcitefailed theDowneys. At thesametime, televisionwas enter chises. ofafeature, But theprospect onesetinthepresent, especially elon onthestrength ofthe“IronMan” Holmes”fran- and“Sherlock actor tostar in. onthelookout for tobe Downey newvehicles for happened the Downey Robert Jr.ent. Susan partner andhiswife andproducing audiences likely know assomethingthat itbest oldpeopleporary suchas“Lawthe moldfor &Order.” crimeprocedurals But contem Mason” theoriginal“Perry wrongfullyaccused, set outtobe turned onaLosAngelescentered defense attorney whoseclientsalways vision institution less interesting thanitstimes. Aformulaic drama interest in a contemporary feature adaptation setinthepres interest inacontemporary up todrum 10 years ago estate trying whentheGardner started Mason”— thenew“Perry Itbegan hadawindingdevelopment path. it’s isright, he does warranted.” Star.becomes hisNorth Soregardless of hismeans, ultimately, ifwhat suchahuge hewas blowpast dealt byabetrayal ofjustice. Itkindof onethingthat elevates “The himishissenseofMason. justice. Inhis what’s right,’” says Matthew Rhys, whoplays thisnewincarnation of show.a thoroughlymodern bythosesystems, itis areradical, opposed andwhosemethods with aheroat itscenter whosepursuitofjustice isrelentlessly insociety’s foundationalthey wanted toparticipate systems. And and women were forced selves tofightordisguise if theirtrue and HamiltonBerger, toshow how Blackpeople, queerpeople reinvention of classic characterssuchasPaul Drake, DellaStreet the setof“Perry WHEN THEPROSPECT show deliversa discuss asceneon period noirvibe. Director TimVan Patten andstar Matthew Rhys Mason.” Thenew MAKING THECASE Fair bythelate Raymond Burr Aspersonified inthe’50s enough. hasthesamereaction,”“Everybody says Jones. go ‘Why? “They Fitzgerald was thesource alsodubiousabout After material. toJonesHBO turned andRon Fitzgerald, writerswhohadworked Mason”“Perry may have hadlukewarm prospects. But “Rob reboot “We todosomething withit,” loved thetitleandopportunity ech upper intotheindustry’s catapulted hadbeen The performer Like many great TV series — particularly many HBOseries great Like series—particularly many TV great “He lives anddiesby hismantra,‘There’s what’s andthere’s legal, of Mason” working “Perry onareimagined was beginning ofWorldbeginning War IIjust over thehori with theendof Depression theGreat andthe Los Angeles was experiencing rapidgrowth, 1930s,even itselfintheearly when asitroots Mason”“Perry strives ofitsmoment— tobe novels of EarlStanley Gardner, thenew theunlikeliestbe of reboots. Mason” anHBO “Perry age oftelevision, might of. Inthedouble-platinum fall asleeptoreruns zon. Theshow takes care, great throughthe But takingitscuesfromtheoriginalpulp ------“IT BECAME, ‘WELL,SHIT, MAN—IF YOU WANT TO Ron Fitzgerald GET TOGETHER ANDTRY TO BEAT “CHINATOWN,” I’MIN.’” ‘Well, shit, man — if you want to get together and try to beat “China‘Well, man—ifyou tobeat want shit, toget together andtry make Fitzgerald itsuck?’” says “And withalaugh. thenitbecame, buckled beneath theweight baggage. beneath of hispersonal buckled tent attorney. He’s private investigator arun-down whohaslongsince Butbaby abduction. Masonat compe theoutsetisnotaconfident, instance onewithhistorical analogues, amongthemtheLindbergh asingle caseover inthis unspools thecourse oftheentireseason — town,” I’m in.’” through today.” is resonating withmerightnow, we’re given everything going star whoplays“Orphan Sister Alice. Black” “That’s of what sort in amongalotof violence andlies,” says Tatiana Maslany, the to abrick-and-mortar homeinEcho Park. brought hercharismatic, brandof Christianity faithhealing-friendly AimeeSempleMcPherson—atentrevivalthe real-life who preacher toMason’s parallel that runs storyline Sister about Alice, by inspired rather, of teeteringontheedge apocalypse. Not of theleast whichisa but the senseof acitynotpowering AmericanCentury intoaGreat likelooks today intothestory?” ticular story. But how arewe going toget someofwhat thecountry LosAngeles inthe1930s, you’rewhite-run going tohave totellapar retarial work. (Juliet Rylance), extend whoseaspirations beyond andexpertise sec black officers intheLosAngeles andDellaStreet Police Department, including Paul Drake (ChrisChalk),whowe meetasoneoftheonly that Rhys’ viewers expect, Masongathers acadreoffellow travelers, desk toHamiltonBerger, how didheget there?’” guy five years fromnow isgoing tosay somethinglike thisacross the ifthis “We aswegerald. ‘OK, tousethoseastentpoles asked, started — thingsthat were little linchpincluestothecharacter,” says Fitz little profound statements how about hefeels justice about orthelaw fragments. withuseful andemerged themselvesgerald immersed inthebooks acters) don’t offer Mason’s muchabout Jones andFitz- background, feel thesameway. that was interesting.” But And thenhesaidHBOwas remakingit. ‘Why?’ said, immediately going they’re toremake Mason,”’” “Perry ‘Look, theactorsays. “And I the callcameaskingifhe’d “My agent andsaid, called interested. be came together theway itdid.” that SoIjust hewasthrilled feel luckythat anoption. it incredibly of accolades for,” says HBOprogrammingchiefCasey Bloys. “Iwas a show Americans,’ like ‘The well andhegot whichdidreally alot regular since theendof FX’s Americans.” “The nite plansrightnow for 2—ishisfirst work aSeason asaU.S. series drama, according toHBO, thoughtherearenodefi mini, notaone-off role. For Rhys, Mason” “Perry anongoing tobe —whichisdesigned after Downey’s feature forced schedule himtostep asidefromthe gow, StephenRoot andLiliTaylor. At isRhys, itshead whocamein “Once we itwas got kindof like, intoit, ‘Yeah, butwhat ifwe don’t Though Gardner’s novels char (notknown for fullyfleshed-out JonesUnlike andFitzgerald’s original, theepisodic Mason” “Perry Maslany is part of a heavyweight cast that alsoincludesJohn Lith ofaheavyweight Maslany ispart “I thinkthat there’s ofhumanityinthisshow, deal agreat were layeredOther elementsfromtheperiod ontogive theshow “We’re towritefor adiverse audience,” trying says Jones. “Inlily- Along theway tobecoming somethingabitclosertothecharacter willgo onalittle bitof characterinthebook arantoroffer “The Jones, Fitzgerald viewers modern will nodoubthope andteam Rhys, alsohadtheimage ofBurr inhismindwhen for hispart, “I just loved that hewould theidea want todo this coming off ------ANNOUNCING

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#ACTORSONACTORS GUTTER CREDIT PREVIEW EMMYS EMMYS 2020 STAGE ALIVESHOW AMIDCOVID-19. AWARDS SHOW ITSELF ISINFLUX AS PRODUCERS PONDERIF THEYCAN TIME AROUND, THE BALLOTS AREWIDE OPEN. PLUS, THESTATE OFTHE WITH SOMANYOFLAST YEAR’S NOMINEES ANDWINNERS INELIGIBLE THIS CONTENDERS VARIETY 43 EMMYS PREVIEW

the role of Queen Elizabeth; HBO’s “West- world”; and Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Small Screen’s These, coupled with first-time Emmy hopeful Apple TV Plus’ “The Morning Show” and HBO’s “Big Little Lies,” which Awards Shakeup has been pushed into the drama cate- gory with its second season, make the lead drama actress category an exceptionally BREAKING DOWN THE NOMINATIONS-ROUND VOTING complicated one this year. Colman is gen- uine awards bait, as is “Big Little Lies’” FOR THE PRIMETIME EMMYS By Danielle Turchiano Nicole Kidman, while “The Handmaid’s Tale” star Elisabeth Moss won in 2017, and “Westworld’s” Evan Rachel Wood only gets better as seasons go on. “The Morning Show” turns in two strong performances from Jennifer Aniston (who just won the SAG Award) and Reese Witherspoon. But all eyes are certainly still on last year’s surprise winner: Jodie Comer from “Killing Eve.” She is eligible again, as is her co-star and two-time consecutive nomi- nee Sandra Oh. Viola Davis, who won this statue for “How to Get Away With Murder” in 2015 and then received three more nods, including last year, is eligible once more for the final season of that Shondaland series. And both “This Is Us’” Mandy Moore and “Ozark’s” Laura Linney turned in stellar new seasons of their respective shows. “The Handmaid’s Tale” being back in the drama mix may also shake up the support- ing drama actress category. It has noto- riously dominated nominations there in years past, but last year a quartet of “Game of Thrones” stars (Gwendoline Christie, Lena Headey, Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams) filled the ballot. Up against the “Game of Thrones” women were “Killing Eve’s” Fiona Shaw and “Ozark’s” Julia Gar- ner, who ended up taking the trophy. Both of those women are likely to see a repeat on the ballot this year, but it could also finally be the year “Better Call Saul’s” Rhea See- horn gets some recognition, and both Laura Dern and Meryl Streep from “Big Little Lies” should not be ignored. THE 72ND ANNUAL Primetime Emmy the coveted drama series category last year When it comes to the men, the lead DRAMA KING Awards are going to look a little different but two of them, including incumbent win- drama actor category looks a lot like Billy Porter than originally planned. won the lead ner “Game of Thrones,” are not returning the drama series race regarding poten- The awards ceremony is taking place on drama actor Emmy to the nominations-round ballot. (The other tial returns to the ballot: Both Sterling K. the heels of the coronavirus pandemic that last year, in is Netflix’s “Bodyguard,” which has yet to Brown and Milo Ventimiglia from “This Is what was his swept the globe during the first and second first-ever produce a second season.) This is quite the Us” were nominated last year (their third quarter of this year — months that would TV Academy reversal from 2019, which saw only two consecutive noms each) and could see have been crucial for certain contenders attention. Now returning shows (“Game of Thrones” and returns again, as could “Better Call Saul’s” he’s eligible to finish filming and post-production in again. “This Is Us”) on the ballot. Bob Odenkirk, “Ozark’s” Jason Bateman order to make the cutoff of the eligibility NBC’s “This Is Us” is eligible for its and especially “Pose’s” Billy Porter, who window. Even though the Television Acad- fourth season, as are 2019’s freshman won this statue in 2019. The only nominee emy extended this year’s awards calendar nominees — BBC America’s “Killing Eve,” ineligible to return is Kit Harington from to allow hanging episodes to air or stream Netflix’s “Ozark,” FX’s “Pose” and HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” since that series had its through June, a few presumed-to-be-top “Succession.” Rounding out returning final Emmy run in September. contenders sat out the race (FX’s “Fargo,” options is AMC’s “Better Call Saul” for its However, the supporting drama actor for example, as well as HBO’s “The Undo- penultimate chance at Emmy gold. race is a little more open: Out of last year’s ing” and National Geographic’s “Genius: All six of these series are not necessar- seven nominees, four (including win- Aretha”). Couple that with quite a number ily shoo-ins for the ballot, though — not ner Peter Dinklage) were from shows that of last year’s nominees also ineligible for a when considering some previous awards ended. Jonathan Banks and Giancarlo variety of reasons and all categories have heavy-hitters have made triumphant Esposito from “Better Call Saul” and Chris been thrown wide open. returns this year. Those include Netflix’s Sullivan from “This Is Us” are the trio that

There were eight shows nominated in “The Crown,” now with Olivia Colman in remain in contention for this year. MICHAEL PARMELEE/FX

44 VARIETY Untitled-4 1 6/10/20 8:25 PM EMMYS PREVIEW

Things look notably different for com- DOUBLE DUTY and last year’s winner Phoebe Waller- Only two of last year’s six support- edy, where only three of last year’s seven Steve Carell is a Bridge (“Fleabag”) won’t be. And when it ing comedy actor nominees are potential nominees are eligible again — two (NBC’s a potential drama comes to supporting, two-time repeats: Alan Arkin from “The Komin- nominee for “The “The Good Place” and Pop TV’s “Schitt’s Morning Show” and consecutive winner Alex Borstein and her sky Method” and Tony Shalhoub, who won Creek”) with their final seasons. comedy nominee “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” co-star Marin for “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” “Barry’s” Prime Video’s juggernaut “The Marvelous for “Space Force” Hinkle, as well as Betty Gilpin (“Glow”) and trio (Anthony Carrigan, Stephen Root and (pictured). Mrs. Maisel” is also in the running, with Kate McKinnon (“Saturday Night Live”) Henry Winkler) is ineligible as there was its third season. But Amazon’s “Fleabag,” are eligible, but Anna Chlumsky (“Veep”), no new season, and “Veep’s” end last year which nearly swept the comedy catego- Sarah Goldberg (“Barry”) and “Fleabag’s” knocked Tony Hale out of the running, too. ries last year, and HBO’s “Veep” launched Sian Clifford and Olivia Colman are not. Where things get truly interesting is in their final seasons last year. HBO’s “Barry” Meanwhile, for the men, only one out the limited series race, though. Without and Netflix’s “Russian Doll” opted to sit out of last year’s six leading comedy actor any anthologies sneaking in last year, there 2020. That might mean a newcomer such nominees is sitting out the race: Bill is no possibility of repeat nominees from as Netflix’s “Space Force” or “Dead to Me,” Hader, who won the as the titular “Barry.” a franchise. “Big Little Lies,” which swept a series that saw love for its lead (Christina Anthony Anderson (“Black-ish”), Don the limited series categories in 2017 with Applegate) last year, can crack on the bal- Cheadle (“Black Monday”), Ted Danson 16 nominations (eight wins), was pushed lot. Or, it might leave room for long-beloved (“The Good Place”), Michael Douglas in the drama races upon its return, and series such as HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusi- (“The Kominsky Method”) and Eugene are sitting out this year. But that doesn’t asm” to return. Levy (“Schitt’s Creek”) are all in the make things easy for the voting members The leading ladies of comedy are in a running again, with Danson and Levy of the Television Academy. There is a pleth- similar position, with only 50% of 2019’s seeming shoo-ins. ora of worthy candidates from which to nominees in both lead and supporting cat- After winning the Golden Globe in Jan- choose here, including HBO’s “Watchmen,” egories given the chance to be back on this uary, Ramy Youssef returned with the which went drama at the winter awards but year’s ballot. For lead: While Applegate, second season of his semi-autobiograph- shifted its strategy when creator Damon Rachel Brosnahan (“The Marvelous Mrs. ical comedy “Ramy” right under the wire Lindelof said he didn’t want to do another Maisel”) and Catherine O’Hara (“Schitt’s for eligibility, while Steve Carell could be season, to that same network’s “The Plot Creek”) are all eligible again — with O’Hara back on ballot for the first time since 2011 Against America”; Apple TV Plus’ “Defend- up for her final time as the endlessly quot- with “Space Force,” and “Curb Your Enthu- ing Jacob”; Hulu’s “Little Fires Every- able Moira Rose — Julia Louis-Dreyfus siasm’s” return might mean Larry David where”; FX on Hulu’s “Mrs. America,” and

(“Veep”), Natasha Lyonne (“Russian Doll”) nabs a seventh nom. Netflix’s “Hollywood” and “Unbelievable.” EPSTEIN/NETFLIX AARON

46 VARIETY “The Sopranos” won its first drama series Emmy in 2004 after Looking for New Drama four previous nominations and losses as “West Wing” dominated the category for four years, while and Comedy Winners “Ally McBeal” picked up its one comedy series win for its second season in 1999 after “Frasier’s” BOTH INCUMBENT WINNERS HAVE WRAPPED UP, AND HISTORY five-year win streak. And so on. “Speaking as a relatively SAYS PAST NOMINEES HAVE AN EDGE IN THE COMPETITION recent past winner, I’m fine if By Joe Otterson they just end the whole thing and we go out near the top,” Mandel jokes. DRAMA AND COMEDY series pre- because the landscape has HEAVENLY four times before it won its first What could offset this trend viously nominated but not yet become so vast, there is much “The Good Place” drama series trophy in 2015. It this year, though, is the current is eligible winners at the Emmys, this could more sampling. Because the inter- then went on to win again in 2016, coronavirus pandemic in which one final time be your year. net has become such an essential in the comedy 2018 and 2019. voters find themselves. Some who The incumbent victors, HBO’s force in entertainment, people are series race after On the comedy side, HBO’s are self-isolating at home may being previously “Game of Thrones” in drama and becoming much more aware of “Veep,” which also wrapped up its have time to watch Emmy-eligible nominated only ’s “Fleabag” what is out there.” once, for its run last year, won the comedy series they never got around to in comedy, wrapped up their runs Even “Game of Thrones,” penultimate series statue for the first time in before, whether they’re new pro- season last year. last year, making their wins the which was a cultural phenomenon 2015, after losing the three previ- grams for this year, such as Ama- sweet cherry on top of already and ended up taking home four ous years to ABC’s “Modern Fam- zon’s “Hunters” or Hulu’s “The successful series. So which show drama series statues across its ily,” which won the category five Great,” or returning to the nomi- is the heir apparent in these cov- runs, fits the trend of being nomi- times in a row since 2010. nation-round ballot, such as NBC’s eted categories? If history is any nated multiple times before see- “I couldn’t be prouder of “The Good Place” and FX’s “Pose.” indicator, a past nominee is more ing Emmy gold. The fantasy series ‘Veep’s’ multiple wins,” says “Pandemic plus quarantine likely to get the nod this year than was first eligible (and nominated) “Veep” showrunner David Mandel. plus choice equals increased a newcomer. at the Emmys in 2011, but lost “I also think back to when I was sampling,” as Licata puts it. “The proliferation of streaming then to “Mad Men,” which was on on ‘Seinfeld’ years ago and we But exactly how that translates services has diluted the possibility a hot streak. (The AMC drama would lose year in and year out to to votes still remains to be seen. of consecutive wins to an extent, won the drama series statue from ‘Frasier.’ The winning does get you Voters may have more time to unless there’s a bonafide cultural 2008-11 and then again in 2014.) feeling wonderful, but then you sample, but the proliferation of phenomenon like ‘Game of Showtime’s “Homeland” won in remember when you were on the content has never been greater. Thrones,’” says awards consultant 2012, followed by back-to-back other side.” Series that have been on voters’ Richard Licata of Licata & Co. wins for AMC’s “Breaking Bad.” In And the trend goes back much radar longer may still have an “What I think is happening is, total, “Thrones” was nominated further than these modern series. edge this year. COLLEEN HAYES/NBC

VARIETY 47 Community arts organizations led by people of color build platforms for hope, creative expression and social justice.

Now, in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, they need help to rebuild.

Please join us in our urgent For more information and work to help community to donate, contact Beth Marcus, arts groups recover and forge SVP Resource Development an equitable future. [email protected] lisc.org

LISC Variety Ad - ARTS_0608 FIN.indd 1 6/8/20 1:20 PM Untitled-9 1 6/10/20 8:29 PM EMMYS PREVIEW

“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” “American Idol” and two “Disney Family Sin- galong” specials, among other productions. But not only will the Emmy telecast’s producers have to fig- ure out how to mount this year’s awards show, they’ll also need to rethink timing. Perhaps the show doesn’t need to be three hours, given the (likely) lack of an audience. The Primetime Emmys hand out 26 awards during the telecast — more than any other show, including the Oscars — and that means a chunk of time is taken up watching winners get out of their seats, march toward the stage and climb up to the microphone. There’s also the question of a host. Last year, the Emmys went without one, to mostly negative reviews. This time, even if there is a host (Kimmel is often men- tioned as a choice), how to incor- porate one will also depend on elements such as presenters, and whether winners can somehow break in from home with accep- tance speeches. “I think we all know that this Will the Show Go On? year’s Emmys are not going to be the Emmys of the past, nor should they be,” says Adam Sher, THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC THREATENS TO CHANGE president of ITV America. “The question is, can we find a way to THE FORMAT FOR THIS YEAR’S EMMY AWARDS IN still honor the hard work and UNPRECEDENTED WAYS By Michael Schneider achievements of people who bring high-quality television to viewers — shows that provide THIS WILL TRULY BE THE YEAR their homes fluctuates — it’s LET THEM important thing in determining much needed entertainment ENTERTAIN of the “Semi-Emmys.” still a bit difficult to gauge what which to choose is ensuring the and comfort during dark Samantha Bee (top That term was thrown around might be acceptable for the health and safety of anyone times — while not diverting center) performed by Television Academy execu- Emmys to attempt three months with Adam Devine involved in the show. money and resources to unnec- tives back in 2001, when the from now. and members of “The More immediately, though, essary lavishness at such a Masked Singer” cast Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, fol- “The real thing is that the the TV Academy’s East Coast challenging moment?” live on-stage at the lowed by the U.S. invasion of world is so completely unknown 2019 Emmy Awards. counterparts at the National Indeed, a fundraising element Afghanistan, forced the Prime- right now,” says Jane Lipsitz, Academy of TV Arts & Sciences might be necessary to also time Emmys to be postponed partner, Alfred Street Industries. are planning a remotely pro- balance the celebration of an twice. The ceremony back then “What we would have imagined duced event for the Daytime awards show with the sober came with a little less pomp and even two weeks ago has Emmys, airing June 26 on CBS. reality of our times. circumstance but was ultimately changed. And so, it’s really MTV, on the other hand, is mull- “There’s a danger that the still a normal-looking awards hard to think [about] September. ing an ambitious attempt at pro- Emmys can feel a bit self import- show that took place in a theater, Whatever the best-laid plans ducing some sort of Video Music ant and self congratulatory as an with dressed-up attendees and are, what could be happening Awards telecast, with or without event,” says Dan Cutforth, part- the usual kudocast formula. But in September could mandate a an audience, at Brooklyn’s Bar- ner, Alfred Street Industries. But this year, due to the COVID-19 totally different creative vision clay Center in August. on the positive side I feel like pandemic, all bets are off — the or need.” One insider says the TV television has brought some only thing for certain is that the A source at ABC tells Variety Academy is also taking a look at kind of comfort and diversion to TV Academy and ABC (this year’s two versions of a potential the recent spate of virtual TV pre- lots of people who have been Emmy broadcaster) still plan to Emmys broadcast have been miere events — perhaps as a dealing with that sort of social hold some sort of Emmy cere- developed thus far: a fully virtual model for how to throw a virtual upheaval. There is something mony as scheduled on Sept. 20. version, as well as an in-person Governors Ball. very positive about creative As regulations evolve over event that could still incorporate ABC has had plenty of experi- expression in that kind of dark public gatherings — and the tol- some virtual or other “non-tradi- ence in recent months working time that can be appropriately

FRANK MICELOTTA/FOX/PICTUREGROUP/SHUTTERSTOCK erance level of people to leave tional” elements. The most on remote broadcasts such as celebrated as well.”

VARIETY 49 EMMYS PREVIEW

CENTRAL PARK Apple TV Plus “Episode One,” Season 1, Episode 1

After 11 seasons dropping in delightful An Emmy-Eligible musical interludes on “Bob’s Burgers,” the creative team fully committed to the for- mat for “Central Park,” their new series for Apple TV Plus. The songs are catchy as Year in Review hell, but its best is one of its first: a soar- FROM TV MOVIES TO NEW ANIMATION, VARIETY’S CHIEF TV CRITICS ing group number that lets cast members including Leslie Odom Jr., Stanley Tucci, PICKED STANDOUT SMALL-SCREEN MOMENTS FROM THIS SEASON’S Kathryn Hahn and Tituss Burgess show off

AWARDS CONTENDERS By Daniel D’Addario and Caroline Framke their comedic timing and vocal skills all at once. — Caroline Framke

IT’S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE to keep track of every show in contention for the Emmys this year, but Variety’s chief TV critics Daniel D’Addario and Caroline Framke nevertheless found themselves struck by many moments from the season that show off the best of what the medium can do. Here, they detail the 30 most memorable ones.

THE CROWN Netflix “Tywysog Cymru,” Season 3, Episode 6 Prince Charles (Josh O’Connor), bound to visit Wales by royal responsibility and to a supercilious attitude by family tradition, gets off to a rocky start. Coming to appreci- ate the Welsh people’s desire for indepen- dence, he delivers a speech, in Welsh, that slightly diverges from the family line. It’s a breach of propriety, and a step into adult- hood for a man whose public life is as com- plicated as his mother’s.— D.D.

CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM HBO BAD EDUCATION Allison Janney and Hugh Jackman, both extroverted per- “The Spite Store,” Season 10, Episode 10 HBO formers, excel here as two people drawn to secrecy. They The season-long arc about the “spite store” — play two school administrators working to embezzle from a café Larry (Larry David) opened to ruin the the district to fuel their appetites; in a rare moment away livelihood of an enemy — reaches its conclu- from students or other educators, their taste for secrecy sion in majestic fashion, as Larry persuaded finally expresses itself. Janney’s Pam Gluckin offers Jack- many others to try to destroy local busi- man’s Frank Tassone a bite of her pastrami sandwich, a nesses. has driven a jeweler out, stand-in for other indulgences the two share. What passes while Sean Penn is now the only exotic bird between them is not quite chemistry but an impressively dealer around. It’s a breathtaking gag, push- played shared longing. — Daniel D’Addario ing to new heights “Curb’s” self-aware ampli- fication of the narcissism of its subject and his social circle. — D.D.

EL CAMINO: A BREAKING BAD MOVIE Netflix BETWEEN TWO FERNS: THE MOVIE BLACK MIRROR Netflix Netflix “Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too,” Season 5, Episode 3 Ed Galbraith (Robert Forster), a vacu- Zach Galifianakis’s Netflix feature adaptation of Miley Cyrus’ episode of “Black Mirror” is ultimately um-cleaner repairman with a secret life his long-running fake public access show opens a throwaway — and so, too, seemed the song Cyrus’ helping folks disappear, is one of the quietly dazzlingly — with its set suddenly converted into character, a fictional pop star, sings. Borrowing the crucial characters on “Breaking Bad.” His a full-scale dunk tank. A leak in the studio douses melody of a Nine Inch Nails song and dipping it appearance in the spinoff film following the Galifianakis along with guest Matthew McCo- in powdered sugar, “On a Roll” is as mindless and liberation of Aaron Paul’s Jesse Pinkman naughey suddenly with sprinklers, then jets of jolly as the character who sings it is privately com- brings with it his typical tough ruefulness. water, then a deluge, as if to signify just how visu- plicated. The song, at least, achieved what “Black Ed’s neither brutally evil nor, necessarily, ally ambitious Galifianakis and director Scott Mirror” at its best has throughout its run: Draw- good at heart; he’s simply realistic about Aukerman could be when playing with Netflix ing you in with quirk and charm, then allowing the the nature of things in the business he’s

money. — D.D. darkness in. — D.D. chosen. — D.D. APPLE TV+ CENTRAL PARK: WHILDEN/HBO; JOJO EDUCATION: BAD

50 VARIETY THE GOOD PLACE NBC “Whenever You’re Ready,” Season 4, Episode 13

After four seasons of unfurling increasingly complex mythology, “The Good Place” had a near- impossible task in trying to conclude its arcs. The series finale, written and directed by creator Mike Schur, gave everyone a happy ending, but the most satisfying one belonged to Jason Mendoza (Manny Jacinto). He’d long been the show’s resident lovable dummy, but the scene in which Jason decides he’s ready to leave this plane showed him (and stealth MVP Jacinto) at his best. — C.F.

THE GREAT Hulu THE DARK CRYSTAL: Bringing back a beloved cult property is a tall order, “War and Vomit,” Episode 5 AGE OF RESISTANCE but “The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance” did so by Tony McNamara’s twisted version of Netflix doubling down on the ingenuity and darkness that made “Prophets Don’t Know Catherine the Great’s nascent political Everything,” Season 1, the original Jim Henson version so good. A perilous career is a bizarre delight in large part Episode 8 journey through the Breath of Thra to the Caves of Grot thanks to the performances of Elle Fan- not only braided some disparate storylines together, ning as Catherine and Nicholas Hoult but confirmed the magnificent technical prowess of the as her impulsive husband, Peter. Cath- show’s practical design. — C.F. erine learning the ropes of diplomacy while Peter spins off into rages make for some of the series’ best scenes, including their attempts to end a war GLOW by bargaining with their Swedish royal Netflix counterparts. Hoult’s rarely been fun- “Freaky Tuesday,” Season 3, Episode 5 nier, and Fanning portrays Catherine’s skills with impressive grace. — C.F. From the beginning, one of “GLOW’s” greatest attributes has HIGH FIDELITY Hulu been its sprawling cast of women, “You Ever See Someone Ruin Their Own Life?” Season 1, Episode 9 all of whom have their own stories and strengths. Watching these Throughout the first season of Hulu’s actors hone their performances has adaptation of “High Fidelity,” Zoe been a treat, so it was especially fun Kravitz got to show her impressive act- to watch their characters swap their ing range as never before. Too many personas for the wrestling show projects haven’t known quite how to within the show and show off their use her; it figures that it took ranges in a whole new way. — C.F. Kravitz producing one herself in order to get a role suited to her talents. As I KNOW THIS Rob, she’s disaffected and funny and MUCH IS TRUE a little mean, so the times when she HBO “Episode One,” Episode 1 cracks, as she does in this penultimate episode, are significant. — C.F. This limited series gets off to a horrific and visceral start as Thomas (one of a pair of twins played by Mark Ruffalo), a paranoid schizophrenic, purposefully severs his own hand in a public library, terrifying onlookers and seemingly even himself with his lack of control. It’s a scene whose chaos and terror overlays the rest of the series. — D.D.

EUPHORIA HBO The first season of “Euphoria” is a tough, risky run of television that “And Salt the Earth Behind You,” doesn’t always pay off. But when its acting, cinematography and Season 1, Episode 10 willingness to break its own format come together just right, it’s hard to beat. That’s certainly true of its season finale, which ends with Rue (Zendaya) relapsing and letting herself fall headfirst into a musical fantasy as stunning as it is heartbreaking — C.F. DARK CRYSTAL: AGE OF RESISTANCE: NETFLIX; EUPHORIA: EDDY CHEN/HBO; HIGH FIDELITY: PHILLIP CARUSO/HULU HIGH FIDELITY: CHEN/HBO; EDDY EUPHORIA: NETFLIX; OF RESISTANCE: AGE CRYSTAL: DARK

VARIETY 51 EMMYS PREVIEW

MR. ROBOT USA “404 Not Found,” Season 4, Episode 4

Tyrell Wellick (Martin Wallström), a benevolent weasel torn between impulses of social restructuring and bettering his own situation, provides a heavy dose of humanity to a show that exists in large part outside it. And, in his final moments on screen, Wellick gets to play hero, allowing Elliot to escape while he bleeds out into falling snow. It’s a moment of peace for a complicated character, as he leaves the show and its broken world knowing he did the right thing. — D.D.

LITTLE Angela Lin’s turn as Ai, a single Chinese mother struggling to AMERICA identify with her increasingly American children, is astonishing. Apple TV Plus “The Grand Prize At the peak of the episode, Ai performs a desperate karaoke Expo Winners,” version of Dusty Springfield’s “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Season 1, Me” as she remembers the hard road it took her to get there. It’s Episode 6 gorgeous and heart-wrenching all at once. — C.F. MRS. FLETCHER HBO “Welcome Back,” Episode 7

In the final moments of this limited LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE Hulu she loathes him. It’s a bit of bravura series, Eve (Kathryn Hahn) finally “Find a Way,” Episode 8 showmanship and witty direction that achieves the pleasure she’s for by try- Rarely is Reese Witherspoon given herself this sometimes misguided series could ing a threesome with a friend and with a over to such pure rage as when confront- have used more of. — D.D. much younger man; into the midst of it ing her children in the final episode of walks Eve’s son Brendan (Jackson White), this limited series. “Do you think I wanted wounded from his realization that he’s a daughter like you? I never wanted you allowed himself to devolve into a bur- in the first place!” she screams at Izzy geoning bad man. Mother and son con- (Megan Stott). It’s an intensity of emotion front each other silently as the show sits that Witherspoon’s Elena Richardson has in their discomfort, their mutual inabil- been painfully suppressing throughout ity to handle an increasingly unchartered the series, and it represents an impres- period in their lives. — D.D. sive collaboration of a performer hitting new heights and a director, the late Lynn MYTHIC QUEST: QUARANTINE Apple TV Plus Shelton, willing to push her there. — D.D. Once the COVID-19 pandemic shut down THE MANDALORIAN Disney Plus Hollywood, TV quickly tried to figure out “Chapter 1: The Mandalorian,” Season 1, how to keep producing in this bizarre Episode 1 new normal. One of the best efforts is this It was the TV season’s biggest reveal: the special from “Mythic Quest,” which not discovery of the quarry that the show’s only makes the most of Apple’s bounty central bounty hunter had been pledged of web-ready products, but has fun with to bring back alive. And from the moment the virtual format while staying true to “Baby Yoda” — an imaginative way to its characters. When Ian (co-creator Rob expand the mythology of a “” McElhenney) and Poppy (Charlotte Nic- species — first appeared, the internet dao) briefly break quarantine to connect lit up, generating fresh excitement and and keep their mental health intact, it’s energy around the franchise and creating rooted in the reality of their evolving an iconic character without a single line relationship. — C.F of dialogue. — D.D.

THE MORNING SHOW Apple TV Plus MRS AMERICA FX on Hulu While Cate Blanchett’s Phyllis Schlafly was ostensibly the center of this “No One’s Gonna Harm You, Not While I’m “Shirley” (Episode 3) limited series, the side characters ran away with “Mrs. America.” Deter- Around,” Season 1, Episode 5 mined Shirley Chisholm (Uzo Aduba) proved an especially sharp character As Alex Levy (Jennifer Aniston) strug- study. In her own spotlight episode, Aduba got to flex her skills and flesh gles to hang on to her career, she attends out a historical figure that has traditionally not gotten her due. The scene a fundraiser where she is roped into a in which Chisholm accepts defeat in her presidential campaign, but never- duet with her network-executive nemesis theless gets to stand at the center of the Democratic National Convention C.F. (Billy Crudup), one that starts so quickly stage, is a standout. —

she seems to forget, for a moment, that LANTOS/FX SABRINA AMERICA: MRS. HBO; FLETCHER: MRS. APLLE TV+; LITTLE AMERICA:

52 VARIETY NEVER HAVE I EVER: LARA SOLANKI/NETFLIX; UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT KIMMY VS THE REVEREND: ERIC LIEBOWITZ/NETFLIX “Manifest Destinee,”Season1,Episode4 “Episode 5,”Episode5 “Tern Haven,”Season2,Episode5

The all-powerful butvenalThe all-powerful Roys are The pushandpullof power defines“On define theirrelationship, thusmarkinga sycophantdominating simpering Cody cially onethisoutré. — of controversy —crosses andrecrosses cateur. Stoneslipsoff herveil andshoes combines humorwithacidity. loopy Meet New Pope”;of “The like theshow, she old money. TheRoys’ crassness bur exposed —totheirrivalsexposed andto them grin. His thrilled acquiescence Histhrilled grin. comes to (Théodore Pellerin) withaslapand (Théodore who have theonethingthey cannotbuy: widow (anelectricKirsten Krystal Dunst) usually manifests figuratively, “Manifest and — reclaiming her legacy from years and —reclaimingherlegacyfromyears ambassador andasself-consciousambassador provo subverts herown image, ascharity both selves —whenconfronted withpeople Instinct” stunt in an unlikely setting. Stone stunt inanunlikelyInstinct” Stone setting. Becoming aGod,” asfurious especially Destinee” makes itphysical, withKrystal THE NEWPOPE is at herbest wheninonthejoke, espe ing with the pontiff (Johning withthepontiff Malkovich), she Sharon Stonefitsrightintotheuniverse bles forth bles forth her legs, awitty restaging of her“Basic learns howlearns tonavigate Andwhileit it. huge shiftfor theshow itself. CENTRAL FLORIDA ON BECOMING A GOD IN SUCCESSION Season 1,Episode10 “...said I’msorry,” Netflix NEVER HAVE IEVER — never moresothanduring HBO HBO Showtime D.D. D.D. — C.F. development. development. of sharpcharacter through10episodes sively earned ily scatter herfather’s ashes. It’s andimpres- poignant, ceremonyseaside inwhichsheandherremainingfam and thedepthof hergrief,culminating inabeautiful son finale, Devifaces theconsequences of her actions inthewakefied ofherfather’s Inthe sea- suddendeath. intentions,despite herbest All of selfish. thisismagni teenager. She’s imaginative, stubborn, and smart Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan)isarecognizably flawed - - - - - — C.F. UNBREAKABLE Netflix KIMMY VS THE KIMMY SCHMIDT: REVEREND

get toseeoneof thespecial’s — funniest moments, period. It’sdecide whethersheshouldkillhim. intense, butifyou dosothreetimes, you’ll Kemper) stares down herformer captor (Jon Hamm)andmakes theaudience epitomizes inwhichKimmymoment better that (Ellie thanitsmost climacticbeat, itwas joke somuchmore.smart balancing, writingandimpressive No storyline experiment could Thanksto haveSchmidt” nothingmorethanagimmick. been asan“interactiveBilled special,” thechoose-your-own-adventure style “Kimmy - - “Queenslayer.” Stapley’s gamepetered — use their smarts andcompassion— usetheirsmarts “Echo Sphere,”Episode4 “Quick ontheDraw,” “Episode 3” After hislate grandfather (Jonathan The two brieflycome toterritorial differences. That thislogicis detectives —played withtypical cases tendtobe. TV’sclichéd depictions of rape off morethanitcould chew. But every out afterward, but to be fair, buttobe out afterward, itwas a object, youngobject, Cole (DuncanJoiner) tests With 20previouswinnersandumpteen grit byMerritt Wever andToni Collette gives contestant DeniseStapley an your life; now, mourninghisclosest your voice throughthelater years of you how longyou’ll live by reflecting memory. Itincludessomeencourag- relative, Cole tothelong flashesforward what’s madethisshow socompelling use ittoblindsideandeliminate a violent serial rapist, thislimiteda violentserialrapist, to catch adangerous criminal. series involves some of themost so often, its cast came through with itscastso often, camethroughwith twists, “Survivor’s” bit 40thseason jarring speaks volumes how about jarring speaks Amazon PrimeVideo In siftingthroughtheaftermath of Pryce) shows him the nature of a surreal showsPryce) himthenature ofasurreal TALES FROM THELOOP immunity idol, onlytohaveimmunity idol, Stapley ing scenes women inwhichcompetent it. We’veit. seentheEcho Sphere shows is conveyed throughamoving montage, fascinating gameplay us that reminded for 20years. Here, winner two-time family of hisown. — Sandra Diaz-Twine Queen”) (aka“the bruising TV momentsinrecent TV bruising blows before putting asidetheir bringing a boy inmourningtowardbringing aboy a high bar toclear.high bar her, thenickname thusearning life ahead of him. Thepassagelife of him. ahead of time Season 40,Episode6 UNBELIEVABLE SURVIVOR with anextra doseof bite. an excruciating dinnerduringwhich to a group of people she’dto agroupof people like badly to impress. It’s asnobs-versus-slobs story, Shiv (Sarah Snook) reveals heravariceShiv (SarahSnook) CBS C.F. VARIETY Netflix — C.F. — C.F. D.D. — D.D. D.D. —

53 ADVERTISEMENT MY SHOES: THE PARKING COORDINATOR & THE PARKING PA I came into the fi lm industry in 1991. I remember it like it was yesterday. It has been a fantastic experience to work and be a part of the projects I’ve been a part of in both the fi lm and television worlds, but did you know I’ve done this while working in silence? As a Black man in a predominantly white workplace, I’ve had to work and be silent at the same time. I have countless stories of how I wanted to scream but couldn’t in fear of being viewed a certain way by my colleagues or losing employment based on just WORKING IN speaking out — speaking my mind. Dare if I did scream. The room would view me as an angry black man, and no way did I want that perception placed upon me. The sad part is I would have been right in screaming or just speaking up, but I couldn’t. There has never been a platform where I would be comfortable enough to speak up until now. The NY Film and Television world lacks diversity, is entrenched in racism, shows overt classism, and requires minority growth. The saddest part is everyone in the industry knows it. Since I’ve been in the industry, this has been common practice. Now think about what the minority worker has to deal with knowing all of this. AN INSIDE LOOK As the Parking Coordinator, I have to manage a Parking PA crew of fi fty or BY JON JOHNSON SR. // PARKING COORDINATOR more workers. This workforce is 99% minority. Yes, 99% persons of color, while the other members of the fi lm crew in other departments are 85% or more white. I can recall countless times The World Has Changed. I have received phone calls about how The moment George Floyd took his last breath; one of my Parking PA’s was out of line with a resident or supposedly cursed I cannot imagine he knew he would change the world. out a white resident in an affl uent The world is truly changing right before my eyes. neighborhood. When I receive the phone call, the majority of the time, The discussion of race and racism is at the forefront my Parking PA is in the wrong. “Send of everyone’s mind today. It is so amazing to see this. the Parking PA home immediately!” Mind you this is all based on a mere While this is a hot topic, and it seems okay to have this phone call into the production offi ce discussion, I wanted to share some insight into what I or location manager. The UPM or location manager deems the phone and others have to deal with daily. They say you do not call legitimate, and swift action must happen. Keep in mind once again; know what anyone has to deal with until you walk in it’s a phone call from a white resident their shoes. Well, let us take a walk. about a black or Hispanic Parking PA

0616 WV Working In Silence.v4.indd 1 6/11/20 12:15 PM ADVERTISEMENT

yelling at them or threatening their parking the campers in the morning, I PA workforce around the industry was lives while working on that resident’s watched two white crew members exit predominantly white? I can’t help but block. There’s no video, so of course, a yellow taxicab and walk right up to think and believe the care would be the white resident is right. I must then the breakfast truck and order food. I 100% diff erent. Sadly, what we deal call my Parking PA and send them had been there working since 4 am. I with does not matter to most. home. The Parking PA can no longer walked up to the breakfast table, and work on this production. They can no while contemplating what I would CHANGE longer provide for their family based on grab to eat, I had another white crew a single phone call, or more honestly, member walk up to me to tell me the I have dedicated over 25 years to this based on the color of their skin. Now, I food is for the CREW ONLY. No one industry. I pray that change happens. want you to take a moment and think said anything to the two white crew I’ve invested so much of my life to it. about the white woman just last week members who exited the taxicab, I have always been on the frontline in Central Park with her dog and the why was I singled out? I know why. I fi ghting to change the perception, black gentleman bird watching. She ignored the gentleman because, at that the racism, the ills which plague attempted to use her privilege to get time, I had gotten tired of having to this industry. It has not been easy. this man arrested. Thankfully, there explain who I was and that I was a part I’ve taken the time to share with you was video, and we all had the chance of this crew, while no one else had to do in hopes it brings change. I have to see the truth. Unfortunately, in the the same. Most of the Parking PA’s go always had these feelings on my heart, cases I’ve dealt with, there was not through the same thing. Just recently, but I have never shared them until a video, and the resident’s privilege I looked it up, the NY Film Industry today. The workers at the bottom of won. I have seen white privilege used as of 2017 was 83% Unionized. Union production’s food chain must receive so many times, and every time the hire and Union wages have been a part better treatment. It is challenging Parking PA is viewed to be in the of the industry since the early 1980s. to arrive at work every day feeling wrong. In my 25 plus years in the Yet the Parking PA had to wait till 2018 separate and unequal. The path business, I have yet to receive a single to call themselves unionized. A sector for a set PA is very diff erent than call while holding parking in a Black which is 83% unionized did not see fi t the parking PA. The set PA has the community of a resident screaming to take the initiative to unionize the opportunity to climb the production they have been threatened or verbally largest departmental workforce, the ladder, which the Parking PA does not. disrespected. It always happens when Parking PA’s. The fact is the Parking The largest minority sector does not we are working in a neighborhood PA’s needed to fi nd an outside union have a path up the ladder. There are where the demographic is majority in the CWA local 1101 to get union no diversity initiatives in place. There white. It is very frustrating for me wages and union benefi ts. Think are no minority training programs because no matter what I say, my about it; the largest workforce with within the industry for growth for worker is deemed wrong and I must over 600 Black and Latino workers the Parking PA. We all know the now remove the worker from the had to go to an outside union for position of Parking PA is entry-level ability to feed his family and himself. livable wages, healthcare, and pension but it shouldn’t have to remain entry- coverage. It’s just another example of level, and it shouldn’t be a position TIMES OF SILENCE entrenched racism in this industry. locked in cement. I have seen set PA’s become production offi ce workers up I have had Parking PA’s come to me to For over 12 years, I went to several to UPM’s. Unless you work on a tell me that at the morning catering unions to discuss unionizing Parking production that is labeled a “Black truck for breakfast the head chef PA’s. The idea of unionizing the Production,” the likelihood of growth would say to them, “You have to wait Parking PA’s within the industry was is null and void. Diversity training and until the crew eats, and then I will not an option. 600 Parking PA’s were job growth opportunities are overdue. make you something.” It is so crazy not welcome to become a part of the Black employees should have more of to hear this because the Parking PA is unions around us, not even the unions the pie inside of the fi lm industry, and supposed to be a part of the crew, but in with which we work hand in hand it should start within. Change is long all actuality, they are not. You see, due every single day. Upward mobility for overdue. to the deeply embedded racism in this minority workers in the fi lm industry industry the Parking PA is not viewed is lacking. Currently, the Parking PA I sincerely hope this letter is shared as part of the crew; they are the help. is unionized, yet they still deal with among my colleagues around this All so often racist jokes or stories are inhumane conditions within their industry far and wide by any means told by white crew members with the daily job duties. The lack of bathroom necessary. I can no longer work in Parking PA standing in earshot, and provisions still plagues them. Even silence. Much needed discussions all you hear is laughter. The saddest when the minority is unionized, around race are required—with all part is the Parking PA can only walk they still lack the care and decency levels of management. away because the fear of speaking out from the production end of the job. Paid For By an Industry That Must is real. Where can the Parking PA turn Refusal to provide a decent restroom Do Better. for safety? The crew? They are the for employees to use overnight seems ones laughing at the off -handed joke so uncaring as it tells the Parking PA told. Let me share the time when after “you don’t matter.” What if the Parking BLACK LIVES MATTER

0616 WV Working In Silence.v4.indd 2 6/11/20 12:15 PM Untitled-11 1 6/11/20 1:16 PM FOCUS

VIRTUAL EVENT CANNES TAKES ITS AUDIENCES ONLINE WITH PICS SUCH AS ‘LOVERS ROCK,’ FROM AUTEUR STEVE MCQUEEN BBC

VARIETY 57 FOCUS CANNES VIRTUAL MARKET

MARCHÉ MARCHES ON ket is “going to be a ‘pilot episode’ for all of us … We’ll have a full range of our cli- ent base attending Cannes, but whether THE INDEPENDENT FILM WORLD GEARS UP FOR A CANNES it’s a real presence or instead they are just VIRTUAL MARKET AS PLAYERS FORGE A NEW PARADIGM IN signed up, only the market itself will tell us that.” THE HARD-HIT ENTERTAINMENT UNIVERSE Cannes has created an Official Selec- By Elsa Keslassy tion with 56 movies chosen by the festi- val’s artistic director Thierry Fremaux and his committee, but because those AS THE WORLD slowly recovers from the aren’t going to showcase premium proj- films won’t have world premieres in front coronavirus crisis, sales agents and dis- ects, and are waiting for Cannes of next of a large audience, many of those pics’ tributors, whose business traditionally year, but many will still be part of the vir- sales agents have elected to not screen drives the independent film sector, are tual market to show solidarity and sup- them in the virtual market. facing an uncertain future while trying to port,” says an industry insider who did In fact, only a quarter of Cannes-la- make the best of this year’s abbreviated not want to be identified. beled films have screenings booked so far, festival circuit. But what kinds of movies will actually according to Cannes’ Marché du Film’s The Cannes Marché du Film, along with be up for sale? Besides the fact that the boss Jerome Paillard. However, many a sales initiative led by Hollywood agen- pandemic has left many independent dis- labeled movies that won’t be screened cies, will be hosting the first major virtual tributors in dire straits, the absence of by sales agents will be teased for buyers market since the start of pandemic, start- the Cannes Film Festival running along- with some kind of promotional materi- ing June 22. Distributors and sales agents side the Marché du Film is creating an als. There will also be a plethora of market are looking forward to it: the turn-up for unprecedented situation. With its stars- screenings planned for the more commer- the online Cannes Market is significant packed gala premieres and non-stop min- cial movies that are not destined for the with more than 7,000 accredited partici- gling, the Cannes festival creates a sense festival circuit, Paillard says. pants as of June 9. of excitement around movies in its Offi- UniFrance, the French film promotion “It’s a valid and worthwhile effort ... cial Selection, as well as buzz for titles in organization, is working with Gallic sales people need something to initiate inter- the market, putting everyone in the mood agents to organize invite-only screenings actions. If this virtual market can help in for business. With none of that happening for local films that are not part of the Offi- some way to stimulate business that’s a this year, incentive is lacking. cial Selection, and stage events to cre- great thing,” says Dylan Leiner at Sony “Cannes is one of the largest media ate buzz around Cannes-labeled films that Pictures Classics, who adds that he is nev- events in the world, covered by more than aren’t screening. ertheless already talking to sales agents 4,000 journalists and over 2,000 media “There is a lot that can be done with- every day about upcoming projects. outlets from around 90 countries. You out showing a film, and a movie is sel- Leiner, like many others, will be attending can’t replicate this with an online event. dom sold out in a single market anyway, both the agencies’ event geared toward Theatrical movies need the big screen,” so we can at least help sales agents start English-language movies and the Cannes says Martin Moszkowicz, executive chair- the conversation with buyers, create some Market, which is focused more on interna- man of Germany’s Constantin Film, which anticipation for films with live virtual dis- tional and arthouse fare. will nevertheless have its acquisition cussions with talent and filmmakers, for That said, expectations as far as deal- team at both the Marché du Film and the instance,” says Daniela Elstner, manag- making are low for most. “Sales agents say agencies-led initiative. ing director of UniFrance. “It’s going to be they are looking at the market as a way to Italian veteran sales agent Catia Rossi, a lot of fine-tuning, finding the right strat- support the industry and Cannes, not as a who heads the newly launched outfit egy for each film.” way for business to be done. Most of them Vision Distribution, says this virtual mar- While some Cannes-labeled films will screen in the market because they have sold broadly around the world already (such as François Ozon’s “Eté 85” and Thomas Vinterberg’s “Another Round”) for some smaller movies, it’s a different story. Organizers at festivals such as San Sebastian and Toronto have advised sales agents with less-high-profile titles to keep their wares under wraps until the fall in order to have more impactful world pre- mieres with proper media attention, says Mathieu Delaunay, head of international sales at Memento Films Intl. The Par- is-based company just acquired Bulgar- ian helmer Kamen Kalev’s “February,” but won’t screen as it hopes to secure a San WEB SALES Sebastian bow. John Boyega stars The situation is similar with Eric Lag- in drama “Naked esse at Pyramide Intl., who is selling Singularity,” being sold in the Danielle Arbid’s “Passion Simple” and

market by Anton. Marie Castille Mention-Schaar’s “A Good 3311 PRODUCTIONS

58 VARIETY CANNES VIRTUAL MARKET FOCUS

Man,” which both have the Cannes 2020 we’re used to seeing,” he adds. VIRTUAL BUZZ label and have a chance of getting into The reopening of theaters, which will Toronto. Lagesse says he was waiting be key to jump-starting the business, will BUILDS FOR for an answer from Toronto to decide on happen around the Cannes market in whether to screen the film for buyers at countries across Europe and in some U.S. MARKET TITLES the virtual market. states. “Some theaters are reopening and The question is, how much is the the demand for fresh releases is creating “BUTTER” “LAST WORDS” Director: Cannes 2020 label worth on its own, with- a need for the market to pick up. Distrib- Director: Paul A. Jonathan out a physical festival attached, and ulti- utors are playing the catch me if you can Kaufman Nossiter mately how strong is the Cannes brand game, no one wants to go first and test the A drama about a Timely drama about outside France? waters, although ultimately they need to teen‘s mental health, the last filmmaker on “I think this is a ‘wait-and-see’ situa- release films to generate some revenues film also features a earth in 2085 when tion. Cannes is arguably the most import- and make more acquisitions,” says Eric strong real-life out- crops don’t grow and reach campaign. Pic ant international festival, and their label Marti at Comscore France. children are no lon- stars Mira Sorvino, should give a big stamp of approval for However, the pandemic might have a ger being born, star- McKaley Miller, Alex audiences,” says Clare Binns, joint man- bigger impact on moviegoing for arthouse ring Nick Nolte, Kersting. aging director of Picturehouse Cinemas, movies, says Emilie Georges, founder of Charlotte Rampling, Sales: Arclight Films the U.K.’s leading arthouse exhibition Memento Films Intl. “Luring back theat- Alba Rohrwacher and chain and also an independent distrib- rical audiences for arthouse films might “CORTEX” Stellan Skarsgard. utor. “After all, there are some amazing be more challenging because they tend to Director: Moritz Sales: The Party films featuring the Cannes 2020 label. attract an older demo, which could take Bleibtreu Film Sales “Given that so many festivals and other more time feeling comfortable enough Actor Bleibtreu large-scale events have been canceled to return to theaters in the post-COVID makes his directorial “NADIA, this year, the introduction of Cannes 2020 world.” Georges is handling Asghar Far- debut and stars in BUTTERFLY” this psychological label should be helpful for the business hadi’s project “A Hero.” Director: Pascal thriller. more widely.” The COVID-19 crisis will have other Plante Sales: ARRI Media Susan Wendt, the managing direc- long-term consequences for the way busi- Nadia, a professional Intl. tor of Scandinavian sales banner Trust- ness is done going forward. “In terms swimmer in her 20s, Nordisk, which is handling Vinterberg’s of buying and selling films, windowing “CROCK OF GOLD: faces the challenges “Another Round,” says she’s also confi- and holdback definitions will become an A FEW ROUNDS of her imminent dent that some deals will be made at the increasingly significant issue,” says Ali- WITH SHANE retirement; Cannes virtual Cannes market on either the big son Thompson at the London- and L.A.- MCGOWAN” label film. titles from high-profile auteurs or the plat- based film production and sales company Director: Julien Sales: Wazabi Films form-driven movies that don’t need to Cornerstone Films. Temple open in theaters. The whole industry has been hit hard Feature doc about “NAKED “We may not have meetings booked by the pandemic, but those who will take the Irish SINGULARITY” best-known as the every 15 minutes like in Cannes, but we longer to recover are intermediary play- Director: Chase frontman for the have one or two meetings per hour which ers such as sales agents and distribu- Palmer Pogues. is good,” says Wendt. “In this market, the tors. Companies that have a diversified The movie, which Sales: HanWay Films films that are neither big nor small with business and are involved in production stars John Boyega, no big names attached, in terms of cast and financing of films and TV series, and “ENFANT Olivia Cooke, Ed or director, will not be sold before they’re those that have a solid library are better TERRIBLE” Skrein, Bill Skarsgård, completed and playing at a festival.” positioned to ride out through the storm. Director: Oskar Linda Lavin and Tim While the biggest distributors will be “Producers are dealing with postponed Roehler Blake Nelson, is looking for both completed films and shoots and additional costs for shooting, Part of the Cannes based on Sergio De projects at script stage, many European and theaters and platforms need content, Official Selection La Pava’s award-win- lineup, “Enfant Terri- arthouse distributors already have a full but these issues will be solved in a short ning debut novel. ble” stars Oliver slate of postponed or upcoming releases to medium-term, for sales agents and dis- Sales: Anton (inter- Masucci as director to deal with. Distributors such as Tobias tributors, it’s going to take between 18 and national); Anton and Rainer Werner Fass- Lehmann from Alamode, a distributor in 24 months before we get a clear idea of the Endeavor Content binder in this biopic. Germany and Austria, will primarily be new landscape post-COVID,” says Marti. In Sales: Picture Tree (U.S.) looking to buy films at script stage, pre- France, for instance, there were already a Intl. dicting that there will be a gap at some lot of alliances between distributors and “SUPERDEEP” point next year. “we can expect that more companies will “FORGOTTEN Director: Arseny “We think the pre-sale market will be partner up or even consolidate,” he adds. WE’LL BE” Sukhin Director: strong because despite the uncertainty “No one wants to wait till the autumn Fernando Sci-fi-tinged thriller of when films are coming back to the- because there’s too much uncertainty, Trueba set in 1984 and A Cannes 2020 Offi- aters and what the macroeconomic land- right?,” says CAA’s Roeg Sutherland, who inspired by true cial Selection label scape could be, the reality is that distrib- is helping lead the agency virtual market events involving the player, pic is a true- utors need films for 2021 and beyond,” at Cannes with his colleagues Ben Kramer biggest secret lab in facts inspired mem- says veteran sales executive Stuart Ford and Christine Hus. the USSR. oir of human-rights Sales: at AGC Studios. “[For] the bigger, stron- activist Hector Abad Pulsar Con- ger films in the marketplace, there will be Leo Barraclough, John Hopewell, Manori Gómez. tent (international); plenty of buyers, but maybe there won’t Ravindran and Nick Vivarelli contributed to Sales: Film Factory XYZ Films (North be the same depth to the marketplace this report. Entertainment America)

VARIETY 59 he says. He’s duringthepandemic. upin L.A. holed been like itseemed ontheday great itwas because really for thefilm,” young actor. last year, andWallace theMarcello Award Mastrioanni earned for toravedebuted at reviewsincompetition theVenice Film Festival Mendelsohn andEssie Thefilm Davis cast. roundoutthedream in Milla,ateenager fightinga terminaldisease. Ben ElizaScanlen, Moses, whonevertheless findsasoulmate acharismatic druggie writer RitaKalnejais. Inthecoming-of-age drama,Wallace plays in IFC “Babyteeth,” release fromdirector ShannonMurphy and featured June 19 Hewillbe playing theevilteen Campbell Eliot. seen onNetflix’s Society,” hitsupernatural thrillerseries“The “Boys series“Romper intheTrees” Stomper.” andTV Hecanbe lia. He’s madeasplashinfilmssuchasthecriticallyacclaimed 60 ‘BABYTEETH’ ACTOR NOW TRAVELS INHIGH‘SOCIETY’ FOCUS ROLE WITH ‘TEETH’ WITH ROLE VENICE SPLASH IN TOBY WALLACE MADE ALTHOUGH BORNINTHEU.K.,

yCrl Horst By Carole “It was …But totallyandcompletely itfelt fuckingsurprising. INTERNATIONAL STAR YOU SHOULDKNOW: TOBY WALLACE VREY VARIETY Toby Wallace grewupinAustra- Yes (laughs). on“Neighbours”? has toappear Is italaw actorinAustralia that every ! Fukunaga.I love Cary brothers. TheCoen work with? Any directors you’d dream like to whenwe back. idea willbe Ihave 2got got suspended. Season no What’s 2? withSeason happening mess withpeople. care, inthereto theresomuchspace When you’re acharacterwhodoesn’t how you wouldn’t enjoy playing avillain. I love playing villains. Idon’t understand Society”? Is itfuntoplay avillainin“The it’s acomplete masterclass you For canfind.… measayoung actor, erans —kindofthetopwhat choices. Essie andBenarecomplete vet have any inhibitionsabout making Eliza isacomplete gem —shedoesn’t It felt pretty going great intothat film. What was itlike towork withthiscast? familiar tome. sense of humor, hisdemeanor, was very Thewayreading! Moseswas his written, senseinthefirst good all makes very sign asanactorwhenyou itand read andnaturalistic.— realistic It’s agreat of thescriptandway Rachelwroteit Itwasesting. theflow somethingabout prettyabout thescriptitsounded inter involved.everyone asIheard Assoon forfrom thebeginning me—andIthink It was truly, right ano-brainer truly What drew you to“Babyteeth”? It’s notthefirst timeI’ve donethat. You areayoung mansoyou candothat. intomy room bedroom. playing videogames. friends. Andwatching alotof tellyand saneaspossible. tokeeping, asbloody — my own scripts—butjust general writ ing alotof scripts, doingalotof writing fromthat read- I’ve But been tion. apart of pre-produc prep andwithsomesort withI’ve —aregoing gathered ahead Peoplethings willgo ahead. —fromwhat that future, on thehope the near based casting projectsandsetting thingsupfor with arepushingahead I thinkpeople doingquiteafewI’ve been auditions. What areyou doingduringthelockdown? my turned I’ve livingIn themeantime selectgroupofAnd seeingavery

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Retransmission royalties for 2017 are available What are retransmission royalties? When an The Canadian Retransmission Collective for the programs listed below. If you own or control off-air broadcast signal is picked up by a (a non-profit corporation established by the the copyright to any of these “orphans”, please cable or satellite company, and sold as part Canadian Media Producers Association) contact us. We’d like to put some money in your of a package to subscribers outside a broad- collects and distributes these royalties on pocket. But you must act now or forfeit. caster’s reach, royalties must be paid for each behalf of thousands of film and television “retransmitted” program. producers around the world.

Adeena Niazi: Couleurs de la liberté, Flower Shop Mystery: Independent Lens: Ne me quitte pas (RFO) A Woman of Freedom Les, (RFO) Snipped in the Bud Accidental Courtesy Pink Africa’s Great Civilizations Crescendo Food for Life Independent Lens: Containment; Presidential Inauguration 2017 Akaash Vani Date with Lu Yu, A Foreign Domestics/ Excerpt from Uranium Drive-In Promesse, La (RFO) Alberta Weekly Doc Zone: Flying Solo Foreign Domestics: Independent Lens: National Bird Regra do Jogo, A Ali Ki Ammi Dora: The Magic of the Medal The Right to Stay Innocent Man, The Roshni Amanpour on PBS Eagle’s Voice Forum TV Jimi Hendrix: American Masters Sangdil American Dream, L’ Enter the Healing School Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Jodha Akbar Sanremo 2017: 67 Festival American Epic with Pastor Chris Tailor Shop, The Long Road Back to Faith, The Della Canzone Italiana American Masters: Ethan Bortnick Live in Concert: Geronimo Stilton Love in the Moonlight Saraswatichandra Richard Linklater The Power of Music Great Performances: Lucky Luke Saving the Latvian Centre Barrymore Ethan Bortnick: Bel Canto the Opera Mara une femme unique (RFO) Secrets of Spanish Florida – Beyond a Year in Space Generations of Music Great Performances: Mohabbat Tumse Nafrat Hai A Secrets of the Dead Special Big Game Farthest – Voyager in Space, The Dudamel Conducts a Murder She Baked: Sgt. Pepper’s Musical Revolution Boogie Oogie Fashion Girls by Dan John Williams Celebration A Deadly Recipe Sissi face à son destin Calgary Vietnamese TV Festival Italiano with the LA Phil Murder, She Baked: Snowmobiler TV Dreamin’: di Johnny Lombardi Great Performances: A Chocolate Chip Thousand Miles to Freedom, A The Songs of the Mamas Fighter’s Dream, A Grammy Salute to Cookie Mystery Totalement Diva (RFO) and the Papas Five Enough Music Legends Murder, She Baked: Unclaimed Canadians Abroad Flor do Caribe Great Performances: A Peach Cobbler Mystery Urdu: A Beleaguered Language Chefs!, Les Flower Shop Mystery: In the Heights: Chasing Murder, She Baked: USS Indianapolis Live – Christmas with the Mormon Dearly Depotted Broadway Dreams A Plum Pudding Mystery From the Deep Tabernacle Choir featuring Flower Shop Mystery: Hamilton’s America Murder, She Baked: What Happens to My Family? Rolando Villazon Mum’s the Word Heart Matters Just Desserts Zahir Rana: Command Performance House of Bluebird Nature: Naledi: A Life in the Fast Lane Contes de Grimm, Les One Little Elephant

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0616 WV Stacked Ads_CRC & YEA BARTER.indd 6 6/11/20 1:22 PM BREAKING RECORDS Mary Tyler Moore, Timothy Hutton star in 1980’s “Ordinary People,” which won Oscars for lead Hutton, director Robert Redord and best picture among other awards.

JOHN LENNON ASSASSINATION On Dec. 8, Mark David Chapman, a crazed Beatles fan with an obsessive fixation on Holden Caulfield, the dysthymic teenage protagonist of J.D. Salinger’s seminal classic “The Catcher in the Rye,” shot dead in the archway of his residence at Manhattan’s Dakota apartment complex. An outpouring of grief erupted worldwide; that sadness lingers until today. Just weeks before his murder, Lennon and wife Yoko Ono released their fifth studio album collabora- tion, “Double Fantasy.” The album garnered critical acclaim and contained songs penned by both Lennon and Ono, including “(Just Like) Starting Over,” which became a posthumous No. 1 hit single. 1980: FROM REAGAN TO ‘RAGING BULL’

PIVOTAL YEAR WAS THE DAWN OF THE DECADE OF GREED By Malina Saval

IN 1980, RONALD REAGAN became president, the Iran-Iraq War broke out and John Lennon was assassinated. That March, Mount St. Helens erupted, killing 57 people and thousands of ani- mals, causing over $1 billion in cumulative damage. In film it was the year of “Raging Bull” and “Ordinary People” and “The CNN Empire Strikes Back,” movies that remain a crucial component On June 1, billionaire media mogul Ted Turner of the American cinematic canon. Alan Parker’s “Fame” came out launched the world’s first cable news network, in 1980 and became a star. “Evita” won best musical CNN, ushering in the 24-hour news cycle that con- at the Tonys. Also in 1980, Richard Pryor lit himself on fire while tinues to pulsate and thrive. Before CNN, it freebasing cocaine and downing 151-proof rum, racing franti- seemed unthinkable that news would be reported beyond the standard fixed times throughout the cally down the street of his Northridge neighborhood engulfed in day. The then-novel network kicked off its cover- flames. On the music front, ELO’s “All Over the World” and “All out age at 6 p.m. ET from its headquarters in Atlanta of Love” by Air Supply climbed to the top of the pop charts. The with a story on the May 29 attempted assassina- music variety show “Solid Gold” premiered and “Taxi” won best tion attempt of famed civil-rights activist Vernon Jordan outside a Marriott in Fort Wayne, Ind. While comedy series at the Emmys. Disco wasn’t exactly dead in 1980, CNN failed to make money and had limited avail- but it was on its way out. On its way in: shoulder pads, laissez-faire ability those first few years, reaching some 2 mil- capitalism and yuppies. The year was an historic turning point lion U.S. homes, Turner continued to expand and in American culture — the harbinger of what would become the invest. Today, CNN is watched in some 160 million households globally, and the idea that you used to decade of excess and greed, Rubik’s Cube, the continuing freeze of have to wait until, say, 11 o’clock at night to check

the Cold War and the MTV generation. in on world events seems so unbelievably far gone. CNN: JOE HOLLOWAY/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK LENNON: AP/SHUTTERSTOCK; PARAMOUNT/KOBAL/SHUTTERSTOCK; PEOPLE: ORDINARY

62 VARIETY ANNIVERSARY FOCUS

MIRACLE ON ICE WHO SHOT J.R.? “ANDY GIBB’S GREATEST HITS” The Feb. 13-24 Olympic Games held in Lake On March 21, in what is heralded as one of televi- The Australian heartthrob’s inaugural compilation Placid, N.Y., at the height of the Cold War will for- sion’s most famous cliffhangers, J.R. Ewing, the album — others were released after his tragic ever be remembered for one of the most emo- villain of the popular primetime drama “Dallas” death in 1988 at the age of 30 — “Andy Gibb’s tional and historical sports events of all time when — and the character fans of the show loved to Greatest Hits” was the ubiquitous soundtrack for Team USA, considered the underdogs, defeated hate — was shot. But by whom? Ewing, played by throngs of swooning American teens with side the mighty, four-time Olympic gold medalist Larry Hagman, was a ruthless businessman, a ponytails and glossy cherry-Chapsticked lips. Soviet Union team in men’s ice hockey. The U.S. cunning womanizer. It could have been anyone Gibb had also released his third studio album, team, led by head coach Herb Brooks, consisted in the Lone Star state. “Who shot J.R.?” became a “After Dark,” in 1980, but the reception was tepid; largely of amateur players from college hockey pop-cultural catchphrase that reverberated that album lacked the poppy, teen-idol flavor of ranks. The Soviet Union team, by contrast, was around the world. Eight months later, on Nov. 21, his previous singles, namely “I Just Want to Be made up of veterans that had traveled the world. 350 million television viewers from Boston to Your Everything,” “An Everlasting Love” and It was considered unfathomable that the Ameri- Barcelona gathered to find out who pulled the “Shadow Dancing,” which was written by Gibb cans would advance past the early rounds. And trigger. The culprit: Kristin Shepard, J.R.’s mis- and his three brothers Barry, Maurice and Robin even though it was the team’s win against Finland tress and the sister of his wife, Sue Ellen. (of Bee Gees trio fame) and soared to No. 1 in two days later that secured the U.S. its gold 1978. Gibb’s 1980 greatest hits album included medal, it was that dramatic win against the USSR these tracks and three original songs and could that would become known as “Miracle on Ice.” be heard spinning on turnstiles around the world.

“RAGING BULL” (binge-eating steaks, pasta and vanilla milkshakes Robert De Niro is hailed as one of the greatest while traveling through Europe) for the scenes of actors of the 20th century, but it’s his Oscar win- LaMotta as a washed-up nightclub owner trying his ning-turn as boxer Jake LaMotta in Martin Scors- hand on the stand-up comedy circuit — raising the ese’s “Raging Bull” that remains one of his most bar for Method actors everywhere. iconic and riveting performances. LaMotta’s vola- tile temper made him a star in the ring, but his pri- vate life was a disaster (think: Mafia, prison). To prep for the role, De Niro trained with LaMotta. The actor also famously packed on 60 pounds

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN’S “THE RIVER” River” was Springsteen’s first album to go to No. 1 Seven years after the release of his debut album on the Billboard 200 and spent four weeks at the “Greetings From Asbury Park,” New Jersey’s pride top of the chart. The album has had major lasting and joy, crowned “the Boss” by fans and the de power; on Jan. 16, 2016, Bruce Springsteen and the facto voice of blue-collar working-class America, E Street Band launched “The River Tour 2016,” a Bruce Springsteen dropped his first and only dou- nine-week trek across the U.S. The tour started in ble album, “The River.” Released on Oct. 17, Pittsburgh and ended at the Los Angeles Memorial Springsteen’s fifth studio album is a collection of Sports Arena. It was the last concert before the songs penned during the economic depression of city tore the joint down. the late 1970s. He wrote the album’s title song for his sister and brother-in-law, who lost his job in the construction industry. He tackled themes of fami- lies and marriage in songs such as “Fade Away”

MIRACLE ON ICE: AP/SHUTTERSTOCK; JR: LORIMAR/KOBAL/SHUTTERSTOCK; GIBB: MARTY LEDERHANDLER/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK; LEDERHANDLER/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK; GIBB: MARTY LORIMAR/KOBAL/SHUTTERSTOCK; JR: ON ICE: AP/SHUTTERSTOCK; MIRACLE COLUMBIA THE RIVER: BULL: MOVIESTORE/SHUTTERSTOCK; RAGING and “Hungry Heart” and “Drive All Night.” “The

VARIETY 63 MONDAY, JUNE 22 5 PM PDT / 8 PM EDT

An exclusive Q&A joining series stars Regina King, Jeremy Irons, Jean Smart, Tim Blake Nelson, Louis Gossett Jr., Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Hong Chau and Jovan Adepo, with creatives Damon Lindelof, Nicole Kassell & Stephen Williams

MODERATED BY ADAM B. VARY Senior Entertainment Editor, Variety

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VARIETY.COM/500 PLEASE ONLY SUBMIT YOURSELF OR AN INDIVIDUAL YOU REPRESENT Untitled-10 1 6/4/20 5:16 PM DAVID LEE/NETFLIX Another Tour ofDuty DP Joins Spike Lee for TO REUNITEASQUAD OFVIETNAMVETS IN‘DA 5 BLOODS’ NEWTON THOMAS SIGELAGAIN COLLABORATES WITHTHEDIRECTOR would able be todothis together,” hesays. going tosay no. “Spike was confident we have ampletime toprep, buthewasn’t commercials, was unsure whetherhe’d previously collaborated withLeeonlyon and“BohemianRhapsody,”pects” andhad Kings,”films as“Three Usual Sus “The who isknown for hiswork onsuchdiverse to askhimwork on“Da5Bloods.” Sigel, “Extraction” inAsiawhenSpike Leecalled Sigel was working onSamHargrave’s CINEMATOGRAPHER NEWTON THOMAS TOP BILLING TOP - ARTISANS “Da 5Bloods.” Lindo starin Peters andDelroy Norm Lewis,Clarke Isiah WhitlockJr., Jonathan Majors, IN COUNTRY City, hasanestablished Vietnam. “Thailand andHoChiMinh Thailand, Chiang Mai, (“Inside Man”) in hadsourced locations gold. and someburied Stormin’ Norman (ChadwickBoseman) — to recover of theirsquadleader, thebody as veterans whotravel tothecountry back Peters, Jr. IsiahWhitlock andNorm Lewis andstars Delroynam, Lindo, Clarke examines theBlackexperience inViet Production designerWynn Thomas Now thefilm onNetflix, streaming

yJz Tangcay By Jazz -

blue screen. “Weblue screen. couldn’t take theactors in Stormin’ Norman —Sigel didhave torelyon ofthefilm’ster —theintroduction hero, However, for onekey scene inahelicop time, noVFXwere tode-age used theactors. nieux Optimolensesfor a“pristine” look. scenes shotinthecity, onAnge herelied to helpestablish thegritof thejungle. For Distagon T1.3Primes, Canon 11-165mm) the time”) and“old funky lenses”(Zeiss ratio (“It’s at newscamerasused what TV diers inVietnam, a1.33:1aspect heused showing flashbacks thesol When shooting movie memory,” isabout explains Sigel. “So muchofbetween the andpresent. past achieve thefilm’s tonality, whichflits nels,” theDPexplains. We hadtogo chan throughalotof political sure ifwe were going there. toget toshoot isstill new.structure “We were never 100% to shoot inVietnam,to shoot wherethefilminfra authentictothestory, tobe that, hewanted there,” Sigel says. But Leewas adamant film infrastructure, to[work] soitwas easy While thefilmtravels andforth in back There was alsothematter of how to VARIETY ARTISANS 71 - - - - - ARTISANS

“We were never 100% sure if we were going to get to shoot in Vietnam. We had to go through a lot of political channels.”

Newton Thomas Sigel, DP

a helicopter in the air,” explains Sigel. The scene had to be shot on a gimbal for safety purposes. “We did a combination of aerial photography and ground-to-air photogra- phy, and the close-ups were on the gimbal.” Sigel and Lee decided to shoot the sequence digitally and reverse-engineer the shot to give it a 16mm look. “Shooting it on the gimbal also gave us greater con- WIDE RANGE OF LOOKS trol over the performances,” Sigel says. It’s a shot he is particularly proud of: “It was Meryl Streep’s characters such a great introduction to our hero.” in “Silkwood” An early reunion scene between the (clockwise “four bloods” — held at an actual bar/café in from top left), “Julie & Julia,” Ho Chi Minh City named Apocalypse Now “Doubt” and “The — uses lighting to create that Post” have been the men are traveling through two differ- informed by costumes designed ent worlds. Tracking through the bar, Sigel by Ann Roth. added moving lights to the club’s existing disco lighting. “That created some frenetic energy that reflected the guys’ reunion,” he says. As the camera makes its way into the restaurant, the DP used softer illumina- tion around the characters. “You have this darker environment and a variety of skin tones. I enjoyed finding ways to bring out all those different qualities in that scene.” The one Spike Lee setup that Sigel had not done in their collaborations was the director’s signature double dolly shot. First /KOBAL/SHUTTERSTOCK DOUBT: FOX/KOBAL/SHUTTERSTOCK; TURY seen in “Mo’ Better Blues” in 1990, the shot has the actors and camera both on dol- lys — hence its name — and the camera can swing, move or spin. The shot comes Outfitting the Actor toward the end of the film when Peters’ Otis pays a visit to an old friend and tries to make amends. to Live the Part Since they were using a practical loca- tion for the sequence, Sigel didn’t have COSTUME DESIGNER ANN ROTH HAS COLLABORATED WITH much time to reconfigure the set or light- MERYL STREEP ON MORE THAN A DOZEN FILMS ing. “It was this small space with this low ceiling in this apartment building,” he says. By Jazz Tangcay “I had to accept the locations as they were.” Nonetheless, he pulled it off. Ultimately, despite the location chal- COSTUME DESIGNER Ann Roth has collab- the other way around. “I’m just there to lenges, Lee’s highly developed film- orated with Oscar magnet Meryl Streep help her find the character,” she explains. making chops and the collaborators’ for four decades on films such as “Silk- Here, Roth reflects on some of those cos- familiarity with each other enabled them wood,” “Heartburn,” “The Post” and tumes and how they came to be designed. to complete the shoot on schedule. “Spike “Julie & Julia,” creating wardrobes that has a defined style, and far be it from me have helped the actor navigate a wide Silkwood or anyone else to have him be anything range of roles. This was the film that began the pair’s else,” Sigel says. But the DP adds that he While Streep has been nominated for partnership. The movie called for Streep, put “a bit of spice into the soup” too: “I’ve Academy Awards five times in their 13 who stars as whistleblower Karen got a sense of what makes a Spike Lee films together, Roth notes that the cos- Silkwood, the real-life nuclear factory

movie a Spike Lee movie.” tumes the actor wears do not wear her; it’s worker who witnesses unsafe practices CEN TAVERNISE/20TH NIKO THE POST: RUDIN PRODS/KOBAL/SHUTTERSTOCK; COLUMBIA/SCOTT FOX/KOBAL/SHUTTERSTOCK; 20TH CENTURY SILKWOOD:

72 VARIETY AMAZON Roth says. “You seethecharacter.” and brown hair. “You don’t see[Meryl],” adenimjacket andcowboy —skirt, boots little bitof ashag.” andshehadbrown hairandaSilkwood, Manhattan, andwe hadphotosof Karen andImetin theexotic Meryl be brunet. andblondCherto beautiful to be Roth recalls, “Hewanted Meryl adding, Snow tobe WhiteandRose Red,”Meryl Karen’s co-worker and androommate] Mike Nicholswanted Cher[whoplays inTulsaSilkwood inthe’70s. [Director] wasn’t inherhazmat suitat thefactory. cowboy withT-shirts boots —whenshe towear denimjacketsat theplant, and make it.” fabric. friendin New Ihadadear Jersey [outsource] We that. didn’t have enough as Kay’s confidence grows, we hadto Gucci printsshe wears later inthemovie Roth says fondly. you seethe’70s “When suitsthat oozeskirt Graham’s power. Post. Shewears pussy-bow blousesand publisherof TheWashingtonGraham, StreepplaysSteven Spielberg, Katharine In theirmost recent collaboration, for The Post Itwas hersfirst. soheavy.”she finished wear,” Roth says. knitted hers, and “Meryl to make shawls thoseheavy-knitted they the costume was handmade. glare, of But tomaximumeffect. onepart the archingof abrow toanintimidating glasses, sheusesslightexpressions, from in ablackhabit andwearing wire-rimmed Patrick With Shanley film. Streepcovered of aCatholic in1964,theJohn school Streep plays Sister Aloysius, theprincipal Doubt the essence of America’s “French Chef.” herexudeStreep wore inthefilmhelped gloves blanche, toastiff toque whatever Child’s From girdlesto look. iconic TV character’s tofaithfullyreplicate shirts allof the andcreated designing skirts of atowering Child. at alower heighttoaccentuate theillusion out that thecounters andstoves were built feet 6inches, taller.” look Roth alsopoints whois5 that madeMeryl, spectator shoes had theshoemaker make of methreepairs height.” Childwas 6feet so“I 2inchestall, legend Julia Child. Streep asculinary blogger Julie Powell onewith and aperiod onewithAmy Adams ascontemporary worlds for Nora Ephron’s 2009film—a Roth costumes designed for two Julie &Julia Streep came to set in a short denimStreep cametosetinashort at“I looked photographsof Karen “I love allthecostumes inthisfilm,” “All theactresses playing nunswanted Roth onwaistlines cheated when For Streep, Roth says, “itwas allabout crowded cockpit. of sightina had tostayout Sebastian Thaler Levitt, DP Joseph Gordon- In shooting INVISIBLE MAN Airline Hijacking Film for Space Conquers Cinematographer story differently. gers. Vollrathwantedtotacklehishijack cockpit andtheanxietyofpassen- action cutsbetweenthetensionin Force One”to“ConAir,”usingthrilling times, from“ExecutiveDecision”to“Air save hispassengers. andTobiasflight, isputtothetest to tohijackthe storm andtry thecockpit aftertakeoff, Shortly terroristsflight. aneveninglot operating Berlin-to-Paris itt asTobias, ayoung Americanco-pi- on June 19,stars Joseph Gordon-Lev- bows intheU.S. onAmazon Prime Video was that Vollrath acockpit. meant Thaler was curious. What he didn’t know todoafilmshotinoneroom, planned lrath Thalerthat toldDPSebastian he WHEN GERMANFILMMAKER ALMOST ENTIRELY INAREALCOCKPIT TO HEIGHTEN TENSION,AMAZON PRIME’S ‘7500’ WAS LENSED It’s astorythat’sbeendevelopedmany Vollrath’s “7500,” feature debut, which

Patrick Vol- to feel theattack fromtheperspective door,cockpit Vollrath wanted theviewer forchased theproduction. an actualAirbusA320,whichwas pur- the film—viewer of isinthecockpit enough—andforSoon theremainderof rity camerathat follows theprotagonists. whichaudiences viewthroughasecu- nal, inthat confined space.”shoot I hadtofigureouthow we were going to cockpits forof real reference. “Ultimately, Thaler says. Healsobuiltaphotolibrary lightingconditions“I noted andspace,” shotsinaflightsimulator.and designed cockpit.”in areal Thaler explains. “And hewanted toshoot style withlongtakes,”documentary As hijackers attempt the tobreach termi- inside anairport The filmopens To prep, ThalerandVollrath setup “He wanted todothisfly-on-the-wall,

By JazzTangcay VARIETY ARTISANS 73 “I was doingthis cabin —footage that Thalerhadtoshoot. black-and-white intothe monitorback also afforded Tobias theviewfromagrainy lighting onGordon-Levitt’s face. Thepanel toletThalerusesoftthe flightcontrol panel 74 Sebastian Thaler, DP the camera.” and asIwas panning [to stay outofsight] dance withtheactors ows whileshooting. Thaler says. Thekey was toavoid shad- ing thelightslive whileIwas shooting,” trician] BjörnSchäfer —whowere mix- and[elec-Klika, [grip]FlorianSchabel operator]Marcus —[lightboard team to get theshots. “Iwas working withmy brightness —whilestill leaving space practical lightstoaccurately replicate electricians, discussing wheretoplace soheworked withhisthing butdark, was thathis research were cockpits any- ity heneeded. Mini camerawould allow himthemobil- ible.” ArriAlex thecompact Hedecided invis-time sitting thereandIhadtobe says, hisentire thepilotspends “because inthecockpit,”lenge toshoot Thaler filming. dissect thefrontthirdof theaircraftfor of Tyk episodes wer’s “Babylon Berlin”) to kis andTom Tykwer’s “Cloud Atlas” and directorforsten theWachows- (art Sabel designerThor-closely withproduction Heworkedwhere hischallenge began. explainsof Thaler, thepilot, andthat’s Thaler says. from numerousdevices. they didn’t have about footage toworry to seeifthey anything. hadmissed Still, wouldat theendpair analyze footage Vollrath todoupfour takes aday, and the actors.” says theDP. “Iwas doingthisdance with just sohecould have optionsinediting,” camera, sometimesI’d change positions director coverage. “As the Iwas panning tomake sureheofferedalso needed the was scripted. just thetechnicaljargon inascene that says Thaler, whonotesthat often itwas takes —often 50minuteslong,”rupted improvise. “Heshotlengthy, uninter- rath wanted toallow for theactorsto ARTISANS One of the things the DP noted duringOne of thethingsDPnoted “Itwas thingswere achal- Still, tight. Sabel had rebuilt the instruments and Sabel hadrebuilttheinstruments “It was allshotwithasinglecamera,” It wasn’t uncommon for Thalerand The improvisational Thaler style meant Adding tothedegreeof difficulty:Voll- VREY VARIETY in aPandemic World Remote Animation TOGETHER DURINGTHEHEATH CRISIS HOW NICKELODEON SERIES‘MIDDLEMOST POST’ CAME workers. “We’ve over 60-pluspeople hired remotely. Not butNickisadding onlythat, and 25shows arecurrentlyinproduction couldteams stay incontact. internetproblemsandensuring shooting hadVPNconnections,everyone trouble- them,” whoneeded everyone makingsure weeks. We got computers to outthedoor ittogether withinacouple pulled ofreally lot of trialanderror, logistically, “butwe we’rebecause 100%working fromhome.” shows, really does for what everybody resilience, thepassion thedetermination, that therehave challenges, been butthe “There’sand development. noquestion sey Naito, Nick’s exec VPof production from homepretty effectively,” says Ram- towork they needed one thesupport quickly,and pivoted very givingevery- thebullby thehornsthe shows took really to keep working. they’dfitted thestaffs withthetools need shows,animated Nickbrass out- onhold, “Middlemost Post,” ormost of itsother studio’s home. andsendallitsartists doors forcing Nicktoclosethe hit, pandemic rus make happy, everyone whenthecoronavi- Post,” araincloudthat about just wants to his own series, animated “Middlemost gotten agreenlightfromNickelodeon for Always Sunny inPhiladelphia”) hadjust story John artist Trabbicboard III(“It’s FORMER “SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS” It seems to be working. Between working. 17It seemstobe Naito says outwitha thingsstarted at thestudio leadership andon “The But of instead on putting production

let ourimaginations go wild,” Trabbic says. walrus, Russell. “It’s achance for us tojust mailmanAngusandtheirpet rule-abiding Middlemost Post Office, theshow features rain cloudthat helpsdeliver mailfor the next year. ments, toairsometime whichithopes 20half-hour hasordered elodeon install- ontheshow’sstart first episodes. Nick- aregettingthe writersandartists agood and we’re two monthsin.” erally haven’t life, otherinreal meteach Johnson: “Ihave astaff of writersthat lit- show inquarantine.” was birthed Adds hiringpeople, we started and the “Then week before quarantine,” Trabbic recalls. date“I thinkouractualstart was a about executive producer Dave Johnson at first. “Middlemost Post.” says. Someof thosefolks areworking on the last nineweeks, allremotely,” Naito how Parker feels. he’scloud, pliable andcantransform.” tions onhissleeve, he’s andbecause a who’s life, learning buthe[wears his]emo- feels[And] itreally original.” with abackdrop that was funandexciting. comedic relationship,illustrated areally character driven. Ithadanensemble that “It hadallthequalitieswe for. look Itwas it tous, just was sounique,” Naito says. They may nothave but metinperson, It was just Trabbic andwriterco- The animators at Nick know exactly Adds Johnson: “Parker isjust akid show,“This when[Trabbic] first pitched Along withParker J. an exuberant Cloud,

By TerryFlores Angus, ParkerJ. the coronavirus Russell, sprang Cloud andtheir to lifeduring pet walrus, THE TOONS outbreak. THROUGH MUST GO

NICKELODEON REVIEWS TOPREVIEWS BILLING

FREESTYLIN’BOB DYLAN The bard performs in Sturgis, S.D., in 2010.

MUSIC REVIEW ahead of the collection, you know how work, it makes for songs that can be as BY CHRIS WILLMAN deceiving that appearance is. The already confounding as they are thrilling. What an legendary “Murder Most Foul” lasts 17 min- accomplishment it is to be 79 and achiev- utes, and even a more minimalist number ing new levels of elusiveness — riveting elu- Rough and like “False Prophet” squeezes 10 verses siveness — as his mystery train rolls closer into its 6 minutes. So any fans frustrated to the station. Rowdy Ways that Dylan hadn’t released an album of orig- Both the album and his 60-year career inal material since 2012’s “Tempest” can are effectively summarized in the title rest assured: Now that the most celebrated of the opening track, “I Contain Multi-

ARTIST: Bob Dylan songwriter in rock history is back, he’s tudes.” The line is taken from Walt Whit- LABEL: Columbia making up for lost rhyme. man, but even by that poet’s multiple That said, all those thousands of words personae-encouraging standards, Dylan’s are no guarantee of self-revelation or attitude toward life as a near octogenar- true confession when it comes to Dylan, ian is an almost hilariously slippery, con- IT’S NOT AS if the man who wrote “Subter- although those things are surely there, stantly self-contradictory thing. Is he lover ranean Homesick Blues” has ever been at hiding in plain sight. For the most part or fighter? Man of peace or angel of death? a loss for words. But you’d have to look at on “Rough and Rowdy Ways” (which bor- All of the above — within a single verse, one of the hip-hop deluxe editions that have rows its title from an ancient Jimmy Rodg- sometimes — but between the humbler been flooding the marketplace recently ers perennial), Dylan is in much the same moments, there’s a complicated bragga- to find anything approaching Bob Dylan’s freestyling lyrical mode he’s been in since docio that really does rival that of our fin- new “Rough and Rowdy Ways” for sheer 2001’s “Love and Theft,” the moment at est rappers. “I’m nothing like my ghostly volume of verbiage. The track list for his which he seemed to decide, probably pre- appearance would suggest,” he sings with 39th studio album may look economical, at sciently, that the 21st century would best comic awareness on “False Prophet,” “I’m a mere 10 songs, but if you’ve been paying be served by some kind of juke-joint dis- just here to bring vengeance on some- attention to the warmup tracks he released sociative disorder. Now, as on that pivotal body’s head.” SHUTTERSTOCK

VARIETY 75 REVIEWS

“Dylan’s attitude the closest analog to Dylan’s mid-’70s FILM REVIEW work. But it’s a stretch — literally — as the BY PETER DEBRUGE toward life as a only misfire on the album has him strug- near octogenarian gling to find something interesting to say Da 5 Bloods about the title locale before finally throw- is an almost ing in the towel at the nine-and-a-half- hilariously slippery, minute point. Better by far is “I’ve Made Up My Mind DIRECTOR:Spike Lee self-contradictory to Give Myself to You,” a lilting 6/8 ballad in CAST: Delroy Lindo, Chadwick Boseman, thing.” which the lyrics beckon: “I’m giving myself Jonathan Majors to you, I am, from Salt Lake City to Bir- mingham / From East L.A. to San Antone / I It gets more metaphorically violent. don’t think I can bear to live my life alone.” “Don’t hug me, don’t flatter me, don’t turn Is he singing to a love interest, as he does WITH “DA 5 BLOODS,” Spike Lee follows on the charm / I’ll take a sword and knock only occasionally on “Rough and Rowdy his long overdue Oscar win for “BlacKk- off your arm,” he warns the spectral title Ways”? Or perhaps the highway-routing Klansman” by revealing a side of the Viet- figure of “Black Rider,” who may or may TripTik is intended to address anyone who nam story that’s seldom told. Through the not be his alter ego. In “Crossing the attended the Never Ending Tour? Dylan Trojan horse of a treasure-hunt adventure Rubicon”: “I can feel the bones beneath would seemingly be the last person to ever movie, the director explores the mindset of my skin, and they’re trembling with tempt hokum with anything as blatant Black soldiers who fought for their coun- rage / I’ll make your wife a widow / You’ll as a love letter to fans, but this, however try at a time when African Americans were never see old age.” But later in that same cloaked, could be it. being oppressed at home. With one foot song, he’s mellowed out enough to “feel “Mother of Muses” hails the spirit of in the past and the other striding in sync the Holy Spirit inside, see the light that creativity without any feisty or cynical fil- with the Black Lives Matter movement, Lee freedom gives / I believe it’s in the reach ters. It’s the moment when you realize interweaves potent social critique with of every man who lives.” “Every Grain of those three albums of standards Dylan escapist B-movie thrills as four veterans Sand,” meet gangsta rap. released since 2012 weren’t just marking return to ’Nam to claim the loot they were The album has three hard-blues stomp- time while he waited for a muse to return: ordered to retrieve decades earlier, but ers in “False Prophet,” “Crossing the Rubi- They were teaching him to sing again, in stashed for themselves instead. The result con” and “Goodbye Jimmy Reed,” the more tender tones. There’s no reason to is overlong and erratic, though frequently ones you’ll probably return to the most for fear a reprise of the gravelly vocals that surprising for a contemporary riff on the sheer enjoyment, if you have any affinity characterized his work for much of the classic greed-doesn’t-pay parable “The at all for that brand of cocky, primal blues. 2000s. It shows up occasionally, but more Treasure of the Sierra Madre.” (Or of early rock ’n’ roll, since it has been for comic or emphatic effect than as his Entertainment journalists have taken noted among fans that “Prophet” cops its sole go-to. Aged as it is, Dylan’s voice to describing “Da 5 Bloods” as “timely” feel and some electric guitar riffing from hasn’t sounded this pleasing to the ear because its release coincides with the an obscure Sun Records B-side, albeit to since the 1980s. nationwide protests that spontaneously highly different effect.) Yet it’s hardly all You could write a whole separate arose following the murder of George about the rowdiness of the album title, or review of the final number (the first song Floyd. That’s true, but let’s be clear: Lee fit for the jukebox pictured in the vin- released in advance of the album), “Mur- has always been ahead-of-his-timely. He tage cover photo. A gentler and sometimes der Most Foul,” an epic ballad of Amer- reminded us of that a week ago with his enticingly melodic feel is more predomi- ican disenchantment that gets Side 4 of new “3 Brothers” video, which identi- nant through the remainder of the tracks — the LP version and Disc 2 of the CD edi- fies the horrifying pattern connecting the which doesn’t mean Dylan doesn’t usually tion all to itself. As a conspiracy-minded murder of Radio Raheem in 1989’s “Do still have trouble in mind. trip through every stray detail of the JFK the Right Thing” to the more recent chok- “My Own Version of You” has menace assassination, but also a lyrical pastiche ing deaths of Floyd and Eric Garner. “Will to it — it’s about grave-robbing (and what- of references to half the pop culture and History Stop Repeating Itself?” the short ever metaphors that confers) — but it hep culture of the past six decades, “Mur- film implores. And now, “Da 5 Bloods” — tones down the blues-rocking musical der Most Foul” is the reason a website like which the Cannes Film Festival report- rhetoric to create a sense of soft suspense. Genius was invented, to have clickable edly intended to screen out of competition There’s far more intrigue in the song than explications of every phrase and the mul- — marks another bold salvo from an art- in “Key West (Philosopher Poet),” which, tiple allusions that can be packed into one ist committed to delivering political state- with its accordion opening, might offer seemingly simple line. It’s a song that, all ments through popular entertainment. by itself, contains multitudes within mul- In this case, Lee is backed by Netflix, titudes within multitudes. which offers the widest possible expo- In one musical work, Dylan distills a sure for the straight-to-streaming release vast and lifelong sense of exploration, as at a time when movie theaters are just somebody who’s discovering not just the barely beginning to reopen. For better or links between Kennedy and his assassins worse, the project has a distinctive Net- but between King James and Etta James, flix feel to it as well: a shaggy structure, an Beethoven and Warren Zevon, and finally, unwieldy run time and small-screen-qual- in the last line, his two favorite sources, ity visual effects. The company is committed Shakespeare and the Gospel. By the end, to enabling auteurs to make their passion you can almost imagine Dylan coming projects, granting them greater freedom into focus after all, against all odds: as our and resources than the traditional stu- greatest dot-connector. dios do. Directors repeatedly prove to be their own worst enemies when given carte CREDITS: Band: Bob Britt, Charlie Sexton, guitar; Matt Chamberlain, blanche, and Lee occasionally self-sabotages drums; Tony Garnier, bass; Donnie Herron, pedal steel, lap steel, electric

mandolin, banjo, violin here: The 155-minute film opens strong, COLUMBIA

76 VARIETY REVIEWS

they turn their attention to locating Nor- man’s remains, which they succeed in doing only moments later. Having achieved these goals so early in the script, the film seems uncertain where to go, beyond the obvious strategy of letting greed divide them. There are other obstacles, too, in the form of a for- eign land-mine-removal organization called LAMB (similar to the HALO Trust), a shady fence (played by Jean Reno) and a group of contemporary Vietnamese soldiers (led by Nguyen Ngoc Lâm), all of whom want in on the haul. Apart from LAMB volunteers Simon (Paul Walter Hauser) and Seppo (Jasper Pääkkönen), the film’s white characters are French, which evokes an earlier chap- ter of colonial exploitation in the region that’s only tangentially addressed here. The film juggles a budding attraction between Paul’s son David and LAMB leader Hedy Bouvier (Mélanie Thierry) that it addressing the past and present trauma of didn’t know existed. Joined by Paul’s son handles awkwardly, while reducing the Black GIs, before devolving into a series of David (Jonathan Majors), the foursome sets locals who claim the gold to sadistic Asian formulaic standoffs in the back half. off for the jungle. caricatures. Once that happens, even a handful of Lee introduces ill-fated squad leader Audiences may be accustomed to such fully committed performances — most Stormin’ Norman (Boseman) via flashback stereotypes in brain-dead action mov- notably from de facto squad leader Del- scenes in which he appears alongside his ies, but “Da 5 Bloods” is so sophisticated roy Lindo and Chadwick Boseman as four comrades. (With the exception of one early on that it’s disheartening to see it fall the fallen hero they all look up to — can’t clearly manipulated snapshot at the outset, back on lazy clichés. Such missteps make keep the film from becoming the kind of “Da 5 Bloods” avoids de-aging the actors it tricky to accept some of Lee’s bolder generic pyrotechnic action fodder Holly- as Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman” did.) choices in the second half, as when Lin- wood churned out back in the ’90s, com- Norman unites the “Bloods,” who fight as a do’s MAGA hat-wearing character Paul plete with booby traps and stock double neatly coordinated unit — a band of broth- goes rogue, delivering two long mono- crosses. But “Da 5 Bloods” is smarter ers, rather than “Rambo”-like individuals logues directly to the camera. Lindo is than its Indiana Jones-style set-pieces. — and later challenges their anger when dynamite in the role, which, read a cer- Lee and “BlacKkKlansman” collaborator Hanoi Hannah delivers the news of Martin tain way, represents an intriguing varia- Kevin Willmott took “The Last Tour” — a Luther King Jr.’s assassination. tion on the usual PTSD tropes: someone spec script by “The Rocketeer” co-writers “We won’t let nobody use our rage whose trauma isn’t limited to Vietnam, but Danny Bilson and Paul DeMeo, in which a against us. We control our rage,” Norman extends to the racism he has faced on the handful of white vets head back to the jun- insists, as the soldiers agree that the gold domestic front as well. gle to retrieve a trunk full of gold — and — recovered from a CIA plane downed en Consider the soldiers’ original mission overhauled the concept to address larger route to paying Lahu allies for information — not the scheme that brings them back to concerns of inequality and discrimination. about the Viet Cong — is rightfully theirs. ’Nam now but the one that sent them into “Da 5 Bloods” kicks off with a wrench- In most treasure movies, avarice is rea- harm’s way in the first place. The U.S. gov- ingly effective montage — a socko 160-sec- son enough to drive men to risk their lives. ernment ordered these men to recover mil- ond distillation of the heated civil rights Here, their motives are more engaged, lions of dollars in gold bars, fully aware battle that raged on the home front while invoking “reparations” decades before the that it might cost them their lives. No won- the United States sent those it deemed concept entered the mainstream. der Norm concludes that war is money expendable to fight in a foreign war, featur- “We was the very first people who died and money is war. “Da 5 Bloods” confronts ing stinging soundbites from Muhammad for this red, white and blue,” Norman where Black soldiers fit into this equation Ali, Malcolm X and Angela Davis. Leave it to argues. “We been dying for this country — at roughly the same level they did in the Lee to begin a heist movie with Black Pan- from the very get, hoping one day they’d American economic system that was built ther talking points: a signal that this film give us our rightful place.” Here, editor upon their backs. That’s a tough lesson views race as central to its critique of both Adam Gough cuts to a portrait of Crispus echoed by the Black Lives Matter protest- the Vietnam War and American culture. Attucks, shot to death in the Boston Massa- ers demonstrating off-screen in the streets. Historical context thus established, the cre, in an approach determined not to let Lee anticipated their anger, while restor- squad’s four surviving soldiers — Eddie the film’s historical details — deliberately ing overlooked Americans’ place in history (Norm Lewis, who played the Phantom of overlooked in so many classrooms — get once again. Even though his critique feels the Opera on Broadway), Melvin (Lee reg- lost. The movie has a dynamic, self-con- grafted onto this uneven genre outing at ular Isiah Whitlock Jr.), Otis (Clarke Peters scious feel at times, as DP Newton Thomas times, it’s hard to imagine a more resonant of “The Wire”) and Paul (Lindo, outstand- Sigel alternates between film stocks and movie for this moment. ing as the gang’s most damaged member) aspect ratios, and characters sing along

— reunite in a posh Ho Chi Minh City hotel. with Marvin Gaye, several of whose songs BAND OF BROTHERS CREDITS: A Netflix presentation of a Lloyd Levin/Beatriz Levin, 40 Acres Rather than limiting its critique to the U.S., are interwoven with Terence Blanchard’s Isiah Whitlock Jr., and a Mule Filmworks, Rahway Road production. Producers: Brenda Gilbert, Luke Carroll. Executive producers: Jonathan Filley, Barry Levine, the movie also confronts racism in contem- emotion-rousing score. Norm Lewis, Clarke Mike Bundie. Director: Spike Lee. Screenplay: Danny Bilson, Paul DeMeo, Peters, Delroy Kevin Willmott, Lee. Camera: Newton Thomas Sigel. Editor: Adam Gough. porary Vietnam, as when Otis goes to visit It’s an engaging approach until, at nearly Music: Terence Blanchard. Reviewed online, June 6, 2020. MPAA Rating: Lindo and Jonathan R. Running time: 155 MIN. Cast: Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, Clarke his wartime flame Tiên (Lê Y Lan), discov- the midpoint, the men find their buried Majors star in “Da Peters, Norm Lewis, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Mélanie Thierry, Paul Walter Hauser, Jasper Pääkkönen, Johnny Trí Nguyen, Lê Y Lan, Nguyen Ngoc Lâm,

DAVID LEE/NETFLIX DAVID ering the daughter (Sandy Huong Pham) he treasure. Next, honoring a long-ago oath, 5 Bloods.” Sandy Huong Pham, Jean Reno, Chadwick Boseman, Van Veronica Ngo.

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How closely did you want to study “Love, Michael Cimino Simon” or Nick’s performance in it for the general vibe and tone of your show? I watched the movie [about] 16 times. I took his ‘These Conversations earnestness from that. Voiceover talent is so beyond; watching the movie helped me set Need to Be Had Now the tone for what to do. What did it mean for you that Victor and his family are Latinx? That was so More Than Ever’ important to me. I’ve grown up in a family that’s really affectionate, and everyone I really know is that way: When you see someone, By Danielle Turchiano you hug and kiss them to greet them. And that’s something you see throughout the whole show — how affectionate and passion- MICHAEL CIMINO is best known for a supporting turn in the Warner ate we are. Bros. horror film “Annabelle Comes Home.” With “Love, Victor” shot late last year and debuting June 17 on Hulu, Cimino (no relation to the late Still, there are moments where Victor is reserved with his family because he’s not director) takes the title role in the small-screen extension of the “Love, fully open with them about who he is. It’s Simon” universe. Compared with Nick Robinson’s Simon, who is gay, easy to tell when Victor is covering. You Victor is still trying to understand his sexual identity. He reaches out to see how far he’s reaching to try to make Simon when he moves to Simon’s hometown, and the two begin a social sure everything is OK from the very begin- ning. And you get how he can be inclined to media friendship. be someone he’s not fully. Honestly, I just think these conversations need to be had now more than ever. A lot of times people are scared to talk about this, especially with the way that the Latino community is very machismo.

How much of yourself did you see in Victor? Victor’s a fixer, and that’s something that I struggle with so much: I was always trying to fix every problem with my family or every problem with my friend group, and ultimate- ly what that is, is you don’t want to fix your own problems in the moment. Outwardly you’re fixing something else so you don’t have to face the truth. And seeing that — and how far he comes with [understanding] that — was honestly very relatable to me.

The show is premiering at a time when everyone is social distancing, so people’s usual support systems may have been disrupted. How do you think that affects the message of the show? The show’s scenes are heavily reliant on family and on friend- ship, and I think that’s exponentially more important now than ever, especially with your family because there are so many people who have lost their jobs and had to go back home, maybe to a family that isn’t necessarily SELF-DISCOVERY the most accepting of who they are. [It’s] an Michael Cimino stars in “Love, Victor,” interesting time to try to make amends and about a teen at a new try to show them who you are, and they have school adjusting to to accept you now more than ever, because new challenges and struggling with his they’re stuck with you. sexual orientation. Is there anything you personally or the show as a whole is planning to do to help those who may not be in supportive environments right now? For me personally, it’s trying to THINGS YOU AGE: 20 HOMETOWN: Las Vegas CAREER INSPIRATION: Jake Gyllenhaal MOOD MUSIC: “It depends on the connect with the fans and talk to them via DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT scene, but it can be either really sad rock music or alternative R&B.” Instagram. I think that’s ultimately the best MICHAEL CIMINO LAST SHOW HE BINGE-WATCHED: “Ozark” HIDDEN TALENT: Mechanical bull riding that we can do right now. I’m trying my best

to reach as many people as possible. GILLES MINGASSON/HULU

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