Is an Immersive and Intense Journey That Digs Deep Into Each of Its Main Characters’ Souls

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IS AN IMMERSIVE AND INTENSE JOURNEY THAT DIGS DEEP INTO EACH OF ITS MAIN CHARACTERS’ SOULS.

JANUARY 2, 2020 US $9.99 JAPAN ¥1280 CANADA $11.99 CHINA ¥80 UK £ 8 HONG KONG $95 EUROPE €9 RUSSIA 400 AUSTRALIA $14 INDIA 800 3 GOLDEN GLOBE® NOMINATIONS INCLUDING DRAMA BEST DIRECTOR BEST PICTURE SAM MENDES

CRITICS’ CHOICE AWARDS NOMINATIONS INCLUDING 8 BEST DIRECTOR BEST PICTURE SAM MENDES THE BEST OF THE LIKE NO FILM YOU A MASTERWORK OF PICTURE YEAR IS HAVE SEEN. THE FIRST ORDER. YOU COULDN’T LOOK AWAY IF YOU WANTED TO. GOLDEN GLOBES

YEARS

HER MOMENT

FOLLOWING ACCLAIMED ROLES IN ‘BOMBSHELL’ AND ‘ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD,’ ACTOR-PRODUCER MARGOT ROBBIE STORMS THE NEW YEAR WITH A

FLURRY OF CREATIVE ENDEAVORS BY KATE AURTHUR P.5 0

P.50 Hollywood on Her Terms Margot Robbie is charging ahead as both an actor and a producer, carving a path for other women along the way. By KATE AURTHUR P.58 Creative Champion AMC Networks programming chief Sarah Barnett competes with streamers by nurturing creators of new cultural hits. By DANIEL HOLLOWAY P.62 Variety Digital Innovators 2020 Twelve leading minds in tech and entertainment are honored for pushing content boundaries. By TODD SPANGLER and JANKO ROETTGERS HANEL; HAIR: BRYCE SCARLETT/THE WALL GROUP/MOROCCAN OIL; MANICURE: TOM BACHIK; DRESS: CHANEL BACHIK; OIL; MANICURE: TOM GROUP/MOROCCAN WALL SCARLETT/THE HANEL; HAIR: BRYCE VARIETY.COM JANUARY 2, 2020 JANUARY (COVER AND THIS PAGE) PHOTOGRAPHS BY ART STREIBER; WARDROBE: KATE YOUNG/THE WALL GROUP; MAKEUP: PATI DUBROFF/FORWARD ARTISTS/C DUBROFF/FORWARD GROUP; MAKEUP: PATI WALL YOUNG/THE KATE WARDROBE: STREIBER; ART BY PHOTOGRAPHS AND THIS PAGE) (COVER 3 P.101 Todd Phillips is one of Variety’s Creative Impact CONTENTS Award recipients

TOP BILLING 17 His Day in Court What to expect as Harvey Weinstein’s trial gets underway 22 ‘Splash’ Down Deepika Padukone takes on acid attacks on women in India as producer and star 26 Playing by the Rules Variety breaks down the new regulations for YouTube’s kid-friendly content 28 In the Running Marc Malkin offers some predictions on who will win ALSO big at the Golden Globes INSIDE 10 EXPOSURE Field Notes Musings 35 Parties on hot topics “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” “1917” premieres; 12 “Rock of Ages” preview Plugged In What’s 42 Devour trending at Trntbl helps music lovers Variety.com indulge their need for vinyl 138 Final Cut FOCUS Sam Moore hit the charts 75 Golden Globes 2020 in 1966 with Variety profiles honorees Tom Dave Prater Hanks and Ellen DeGeneres. Plus: Film and TV analysis 107 10 Directors to Watch P.44 “Judy” helmer Rupert Goold Dirt reviews the is among the newest class most expensive 123 Music for Screens properties of 2019 Scores for period movies don’t have to be time-specific

ARTISANS 129 Moving Parts Movies are blending digital effects with animatronics for cutting-edge looks 130 Crew Representation “Harriet” filmmakers aimed for diversity below the line as well as on screen P.135 “The Gentlemen” REVIEWS review VARIETY.COM 135 Film “The Gentlemen” “There were times when they called 136 TV “The Outsider” cut, and I couldn’t stop crying because whatever the scene was entailing, I just couldn’t get out of JANUARY 2, 2020 JANUARY that. I’ve never had that before.” Dean-Charles Chapman, at the “1917” premiere in

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ATELIERSWAROVSKI.COM New Year’s Tales:

VARIETY IS OWNED & PUBLISHED BY PENSKE MEDIA CORPORATION FIELD NOTES Bring ’Em On! Jay Penske CHAIRMAN & CEO t’s 2020 and I’m in a good mood! From this journalist’s perspective, there’s nothing like GEORGE GROBAR CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER having a ton of pent-up anticipation about what a new GERRY BYRNE year in the oft-unpredictable world of entertainment and VICE CHAIRMAN media can deliver in terms of compelling stories to ﬁll our SARLINA SEE I CHIEF ACCOUNTING OFFICER magazine pages, website and video and podcast productions. CRAIG PERREAULT The fun all begins this week with the unknown results from two EVP BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TODD GREENE very different, high-proﬁle industry happenings: the Golden Globes EVP, BUSINESS AFFAIRS & GENERAL COUNSEL on Jan. 5 and the start of the Harvey Weinstein trial a day later. DEBASHISH GHOSH MANAGING DIRECTOR There are then a number of other burning questions that loom in JENNY CONNELLY the days, weeks and months ahead, which will surely make for some SVP, PRODUCT great headlines. KEN DELALCAZAR SVP, FINANCE Will the WGA-agency war get resolved, and if so, when? If not, TOM FINN then what? And speaking of the WGA, nearly everyone you ask SVP, OPERATIONS in Hollywood is certain the writers will strike come May if the NELSON ANDERSON VP, CREATIVE studios fail to give them legitimate pay raises in the ever-expanding JONI ANTONACCI VP, PRODUCTION OPERATIONS

THE VOICES BEHIND THE ISSUE THE VOICES streaming universe. REBECCA BIENSTOCK Let’s just acknowledge right here and now that it will also be a VP, TALENT RELATIONS very big deal if Netflix becomes the first streamer to pick up the STEPHEN BLACKWELL best picture Oscar for front-runner “The Irishman,” given the movie’s HEAD OF PORTFOLIO SALES GERARD BRANCATO limited theatrical release. A win would definitely drive independent VP, PMC DIGITAL ACQUISTION theatrical distributors and members of the National Assn. of Theatre ANNE DOYLE VP, HR Owners and its leader, John Fithian, nuts as it will surely fuel the MARA GINSBERG march toward shorter windows by the major studios. VP, HR Even though every recent year has brought predictions that YOUNG KO VP, FINANCE independent studios MGM and Lionsgate will either unite or be sold, GABRIEL KOEN it does seem more likely something could happen now since each VP, TECHNOLOGY KEVIN LABONGE has become dwarfed by megamerger giants like Disney-Fox. VP, GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS & LICENSING In any case, we’re all still waiting to hear what Apple and Amazon NOEMI LAZO VP, CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE are planning to do to compete effectively in the movie space — or not. AND MARKETING OPERATIONS Lastly, everyone is waiting to see what happens next in the BRIAN LEVINE VP, REVENUE OPERATIONS streaming wars — a term that WarnerMedia chief Robert Greenblatt “There’s nothing JUDITH R. MARGOLIN apparently loathes. But let’s get real: We’re talking legitimate warfare VP, DEPUTY GENERAL COUNSEL like having a ton of among all the services that will be competing for those consumer JULIE TRINH anticipation about VP, GLOBAL TAX dollars, including his company’s HBO Max. LAUREN UTECHT what a new year in Happy New Year, Hollywood! VP, HR & CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS the unpredictable CHRISTINA YEOH VP, TECHNICAL OPERATIONS world of entertain- JULIE ZHU ment and media VP, AUDIENCE MARKETING & SUBSCRIPTIONS NICI CATTON can deliver in ASSOCIATE VP, PRODUCT DELIVERY terms of compel- GURJEET CHIMA Claudia Eller SENIOR DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL MARKETS Editor-in-Chief ling stories.” EDDIE KO SENIOR DIRECTOR, ADVERTISING OPERATIONS ANDY LIMPUS SENIOR DIRECTOR, TALENT ACQUISITION AMIT SANNAD SENIOR DIRECTOR, DEVELOPMENT KARL WALTER Uncovered SENIOR DIRECTOR, PMC CONTENT Photographed Dec. 10, 2019, at Four Seasons Hotel MIKE YE SENIOR DIRECTOR, STRATEGIC

VARIETY.COM Los Angeles at Beverly Hills PLANNING & ACQUISITIONS CONSTANCE EJUMA “Margot Robbie is incredibly patient, fearless and self-confident DIRECTOR, SEO in front of the camera,” says photographer Art Streiber. “And LAURA ONGARO EDITORIAL & BRAND DIRECTOR, her off-camera demeanor is fantastic: She jokes around with INTERNATIONAL the crew and takes the entire ‘cover girl’ thing with a huge KATIE PASSANTINO

JANUARY 2, 2020 JANUARY grain of salt.” Streiber is a Los Angeles-based photographer DIRECTOR, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT and director specializing in reportage, portraiture, corporate, DEREK RAMSAY

10 entertainment and advertising projects. SENIOR PRODUCT MANAGER SPIELBERG STEVEN STREIBER: We Proudly Congratulate MATI DIOP Atlantics NICOLE RIEGEL Holler

10 Directors to Watch

Untitled-24 1 12/27/19 2:32 PM Variety Poll A Look at 13% Fast & Furious 2020’s Tentpoles % 39% 16 Wonder No Time Woman PLUGGED IN With 2019 behind us, we’re already preparing to Die 1984 2020 Vision for the major blockbusters of the first year of % Other potential top grossers the new decade. We asked Variety.com readers 32 our readers threw into the Black Widow mix are “Tenet,” “Mulan,” for their predictions on what will be the high- “Dune,” “Top Gun: Maverick” est-grossing movie of 2020. and “In the Heights.”

Say What?

“It was really fun being on set because they had sort of an animal behavior class called ‘cat school.’ We would literally do hours on end of barefoot crawling

WHAT’S ON VARIETY.COM WHAT’S on the floor, hissing at each other. We learned about cat instincts and the way they carry themselves and the way that they process information, the way they see the world, the way they move.” News Taylor Swift on “Cats” ‘Cats’ Faces $100m Box Office Loss

UNIVERSAL’S “CATS” HAS CLAWED its way to its 2017 sleeper hit “The Greatest Showman.” But since ON/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK; GILPIN: VINCE BUCCI/INVISION/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK; SHAYE: BROADIMAGE/SHUTTERSTOCK SHAYE: GILPIN: VINCE BUCCI/INVISION/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK; ON/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK; $38 million at the global box office after two weeks “Cats” failed to gain any traction during the busiest in theaters, which could result in $100 million in time of year for moviegoing, there’s little optimism that theatrical losses, according to rival studio executives. the film will be able to hold screens in the new year, Tom Hooper’s adaptation of the long-running stage when potential ticket buyers return from vacation. show cost $100 million to produce and also set “Cats” was skewered by audiences and critics, who Universal back $95 million to $100 million in global lambasted the film for the creepy CGI used to turn marketing and distribution fees. actors Jennifer Hudson, Taylor Swift and Idris Elba into The studio had hoped that “Cats” would find an felines. It ranks as one of the biggest commercial mis- audience over the holidays, much like Fox fielded with fires of the year.

• For the full story, head to Variety.com. “What I want people to know is that I love this franchise. It doesn’t mean I’m going to do Stars of ‘The Grudge’ everything that fans “I’ll always want me to do, or do it the way they think it

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19.UTA.229B.GoldenGlobeNominees.Variety.indd 1 12/19/19 3:25 PM Untitled-42 1 12/27/19 3:14 PM Lovingly , hand-made by the studio that created AND

Untitled-27 1 12/27/19 2:34 PM — TORONTOTORONTO FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION, ASSOCIATION LAS VEGASVEGAS FILM CRITICS SOCIETY

For more on this extraordinary film and a schedule of where you can see it go to missinglinkguilds.com. Also available to stream now onn

Untitled-27 2 12/27/19 2:35 PM Untitled-1 1 12/30/19 11:56 AM OPEN TO INTERPRETATION STORY OF COURAGE YouTube’s new FTC-mandated rules for kids’ content Indian actor produces ﬁlm raise questions from creators and legal experts p.24 about acid attack victim p.22

The Heat Is On Harvey Weinstein’s trial begins Jan. 6 and is expected to last two months.

doubt. Even a hung jury would be a victory, and many defense lawyers who are Weinstein’s Last Stand: following the case believe that outcome is within reach. “I think this is going to be a very, very difficult case for the prosecution to win,” Rape Trial Decides Future says Jeffery Greco, a criminal defense attorney who practices in New York and Los Angeles. “A lot of jurors are going to look at him and say, ‘I don’t doubt that what he did Defense lawyers will try to portray sex as consensual; was morally wrong and reprehensible, but prosecution will rely on parade of accusers, including I don’t know that it was against their will.’ Annabella Sciorra By Gene Maddaus If that’s not believed beyond a reasonable doubt, they’re going to walk him.” The jury will hear from six accusers, but the case will rest largely on the credibility HARVEY WEINSTEIN WILL get out of a Weinstein defense lawyers to dismiss counts of just two of them. Mimi Haleyi, a former

black SUV in lower Manhattan next week or exclude witnesses. Many of the more than production assistant on a Weinstein Co. VARIETY.COM and walk into a media gauntlet. More than 80 women who have accused Weinstein of show, alleges that the producer forcibly per- 150 journalists have obtained credentials to sexual assault will be seated in the audience formed oral sex on her at his Soho home cover his rape trial, making for one of the behind him. A few will be instantly recogniz- in 2006. The second woman, who remains biggest spectacles in memory. able — many more will not. Some will have unidentiﬁed, alleges that he raped her in a On the 15th ﬂoor, Weinstein will take been waiting decades for this moment. hotel room in 2013.

a seat in the courtroom of Justice James Once the trial gets underway, his defense In addition to the two primary accusers, 2, 2020 JANUARY Burke, a former prosecutor who has denied hopes to ﬁnd jurors who will keep an open Weinstein will face four other witnesses,

WEINSTEIN: JUSTIN LANE/EPA-EFE/SHUTTERSTOCK JUSTIN WEINSTEIN: motion after motion from a rotating cast of mind and can see their way to reasonable including “Sopranos” actor Annabella Sciorra, 17 TOP BILLING | NEWS

Rotating Lineup Donna Rotunno, here appearing with Weinstein for an arraignment in New York on Aug. 26, 2019, is the latest in a series of lawyers to represent the onetime producer.

who have their own allegations against him. specializes in sex crimes cases, and has The defense has indicated that it may Sciorra alleges that Weinstein raped her in built a reputation in Chicago for meticu- try to go after the NYPD for alleged miscon- 1993 or 1994. lous cross-examination of accusers. In inter- duct. The lead investigator, Det. Nicholas In pretrial motions, Weinstein’s then- views, she has pushed back on aspects of the DiGaudio, was removed from the case after attorney argued that Haleyi and the uniden- #MeToo movement. allegedly withholding exculpatory evidence tified accuser maintained friendly rela- “My biggest issue is this notion that from prosecutors. tions with Weinstein long after the alleged because women make a claim it must be The prosecution is not likely to call assaults. The attorney, Benjamin Brafman, true,” she tells Variety. “This notion that DiGaudio to the stand, and is instead expect- disclosed emails in which both women cross-examination is victim shaming … is ed to rely on the D.A.’s own investigators. sought Weinstein’s help in landing jobs. obscene. Any claim has a right under our The defense could call DiGaudio as its own “I appreciate all you do for me, it shows,” system of justice to be questioned and cross- witness, though it is unclear how far Burke the unidentified accuser wrote to Weinstein examined. That doesn’t mean we’re horrible would allow the defense to go. In November, less than a month after the alleged rape, people. But I have a right to do my job.” the judge denied a defense request to obtain according to one of Brafman’s filings. Such In addition to Sciorra, three other cor- DiGaudio’s personnel file. exchanges went on for years, he alleged. roborating accusers — who have not yet Rotunno and co-counsel Arthur Aidala In 2017, the accuser allegedly wrote, “I love been identified — will testify about inci- could also call Weinstein to testify, though you, always do. But I hate feeling like a dents in 2004, 2005 and 2013. Their testimo- that would be a high-risk strategy. The defense booty call.” ny will be used to buttress the main witness- is not expected to make a final decision on Brafman said his investigators had also es’ accounts, in much the way that Bill Cosby that until the trial is underway. talked to a close friend of the accuser who was tried and convicted in 2018. The other key strategic moment will would testify that the accuser and Weinstein Little is known about the supporting wit- be jury selection. The court is expected to were in a consensual relationship. He said nesses’ accounts, but their presence will call hundreds of prospective jurors, in hopes the friend recalled going with the accuser make the defense’s job substantially harder. of finding people with lots of free time to a Weinstein Co. test screening just hours “Each woman who accuses the defendant who know relatively little about the case. after the alleged rape, where both met with of sexual assault increases exponentially the Jurors will be given a lengthy questionnaire Weinstein. According to Brafman, the accus- difficulty of defending the allegations in the in an effort to flag potential issues. For each er didn’t mention the rape to her friend indictment,” says Daniel Hochheiser, a New panel of about 20 jurors, the prosecution until years later, when she allegedly tried York defense attorney. “A good defense law- and the defense will have about 15 minutes to enlist the friend in pursuing charges. yer can challenge the credibility of one com- for questioning. The defense will aim to use If jurors decide not to believe either of plainant, two complainants. Once you get to that time to weed out people who seem the two women, Weinstein will be acquitted. three, four, five, it gets to the point you need ill disposed toward its client. It will be an

VARIETY.COM The challenge is getting jurors to tune every- a magician instead of a lawyer.” uphill battle. thing else out. “He’ll come into the courtroom with a “No matter what you know about him, black mark on him. He’s already been vili- he’s only charged with crimes related to these ﬁed,” says Bennett Gershman, a law profes- two women,” says Julie Rendelman, a defense “Each woman who accuses the defendant sor at Pace University and a former Manhat- attorney and former Brooklyn prosecutor. “If of sexual assault increases exponentially tan prosecutor. “It’s an incredibly difficult

JANUARY 2, 2020 JANUARY the jury focuses only on that, the prosecutor the difficulty of defending the allegations challenge for the defense to overcome the does have problems with their case.” in the indictment.” public feeling — the venom that people feel Daniel Hochheiser, New York defense attorney 18 Weinstein’s lead lawyer, Donna Rotunno, about his conduct.” CRAIG RUTTLE/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK No End in Sight for Agency Fight

WGA, talent reps gird for long legal war as industry adjusts to ‘new normal’

By CYNTHIA LITTLETON and GENE MADDAUS @variety_cynthia @genemaddaus WILL HOLLYWOOD WRITERS wait another 14 months for a resolution to the ugly standoff between the largest talent agencies and the Writers Guild of America? The timeline for the legal fight playing out in federal court calls for the trial in the lawsuit filed by WME, CAA and UTA against the WGA to begin in March 2021. That news, which surfaced in a legal filing on Dec. 27, is sure to spur renewed efforts to find a compromise — or at least reach detente — well before 2020 ends. “This has gone on long enough,” says a showrunner who has been vocal in support of the WGA but is growing frustrated at the lack of movement. Any hope that the litigation might come to a speedy conclusion seemed to vanish on Dec. 6, when U.S. District Judge André Birotte Jr. indicated that he would deny the WGA’s motion to dismiss, and allow the agencies to pursue their antitrust claims. A final ruling is pending. The next key moment in the case will come on Jan. 17, when the agencies will urge the judge to dismiss the WGA’s coun- tersuit. The agencies argue the guild has not been harmed by packaging and has no legal standing to sue. Should the agencies pre- vail on that motion, they hope that might One source close to the situation sees a fear of sanctions from the union or blow- undermine morale at the guild and force “new normal” settling in. Writers who object back from the many guild members who the union to deal. If not, both sides will rack to packaging and production can sign with a staunchly support the WGA’s position. up huge legal bills in 2020 for discovery and handful of smaller agencies that have signed As the battle with the agents drags on, pretrial motions. the WGA’s Agency Code of Conduct. The the WGA is also readying to fight a two-front The war began in April after the guild WGA imposed the code after a fitful series of war. The master contract with the AMPTP imposed new rules governing the conduct negotiations with the Assn. of Talent Agents expires on May 1. Negotiations for a succes- of agents who represent WGA members. The to replace the agency franchise agreement sor agreement are expected to be difficult guild is pursuing what leaders believe are that was set in 1976 — on the heels of an and could result in a strike. overdue reforms to protect members from earlier battle over packaging fees. The WGA may try to address the pack- conflicts of interest in the long-standing In recent weeks, there have been aging issue in the AMPTP negotiations. Last industry practice of agents collecting pack- increased anecdotal reports about some spring, the WGA asked the studios to refuse aging fees from producers of TV shows that prominent writers and showrunners resum- to do business with agencies that had not agents help clients to assemble. The guild ing work with agents who were formally ter- signed on to the new Code of Conduct. The also aims to curb the growth of agency-affil- minated in April. Industry insiders report AMPTP rebuffed that effort, saying it would iated production entities, another source of that in some cases, agents have gone so far run afoul of state and federal labor laws, and conflict with clients. as to accompany former clients to network would likely expose the studios, the guild Both sides are accusing the other of vio- and studio meetings on new business. One and individual writers to an antitrust suit. lating federal antitrust laws. The agencies senior executive at a Big Four broadcast net- The guild could seek to raise the matter contend that the WGA has abused its pow- work observed last month that he’s had so again, looking for a “no-packaging fee” pro- er, inflicting damage on actors, directors and much contact with agents for writers during vision from the studios. However, the anti-

consumers in a misguided attempt to abolish the past few months that he “forgot” about trust laws bar unions from enlisting non-la- VARIETY.COM packaging. The WGA, meanwhile, argues that the standoff. But WGA members are trying bor parties in an effort to restrain trade. The the agencies are colluding with one another to keep this activity under the radar out of agencies have already accused the WGA of in refusing to accept the guild’s new rules. doing just that by coercing showrunners to Many writers are less interested in the ﬁre their agents. Any effort to use the mas- legal nitty-gritty, and simply want to know “Many writers are less interested ter contract negotiations to gain leverage in

when they can expect to formally reunite in the legal nitty-gritty, and simply the packaging ﬁght would likely face similar 2, 2020 JANUARY with their reps at WME, CAA, UTA, ICM Part- want to know when they can expect howls of protest from the agents, and quite

ILLUSTRATION: ELLIOT STOKES ELLIOT ILLUSTRATION: ners, Paradigm, et al. to formally reunite with their reps.” possibly another lawsuit. 19

COURTESY OF EVERETT COLLECTION

ON OVER 125 TOP TEN LISTS

Untitled-36 2 12/27/19 3:06 PM 22 JANUARY 2, 2020 VARIETY.COM tells to enablesomeofthefilmsthatIdo,” she loath tobringgenderintotheequation. Lulla (“NH10”).Padukone,however, is Ashi Dua(“GhostStories”)andKrishika (“Dolly KittyandThoseTwinklingStars”), ka ChopraJonas(“Ventilator”),Ekta Kapoor Among thebetterknownareactorPriyan- lywood, hasveryfewwomenproducers. depending onyourpointofview—asBol- try, knownpopularly—orpejoratively, that deals withtheissue. Star Studios’ “Splash” (“Chhapaak”), afilm and headlining thecast ofDisney-owned Fox PadukoneDeepika isdebuting asaproducer are endemicinSouth Asia. Top Indianactor ences, theyspoke about ‘Splash’beinga a woman.Atoneof thesepressconfer- By NAMAN RAMACHANDRAN TOP BILLING ACID ATTACKS real-life storyof anacidattacksurvivor onthe Hindi-language filmbased Deepika Padukone alsostarsinthe as Producer MakesIcon ‘Splash’ Indian Acting @namanrs “I’ve turnedproducerbecauseIwant India’s Hindi-languagefilmindus- also produced. (left), afilmshe survivor in“Splash” an acidattack Padukone portrays Actor Deepika Higher Calling Variety . “I’mnotdoingit because I’m |NEWS on

women by spurnedmen

“XXX: ReturnofXander Cage,”alongside struggles withdepression. Festival andhasspokencandidlyabout her She isthechairpersonofMumbai Film such asL’Oréalandsportswearlabel Nike. al fashionweeks,endorsingluxurybrands on theCannesredcarpetandatinternation- “Om ShantiOm.”Padukoneisafamiliar face ences withhernextfilm,the2007smash and becamepopularwithBollywoodaudi- 2006 Kannada-languagefilm“Aishwarya” people likeherface.” challenges andthestrugglesthatshe how she’susedhervoice.Andallofthe that experience,whatshe’sbecometoday, What she’smadeherlife.Howused says Padukone.“Andwhatshe’smadeof. dent itselfasmuchaboutherlifeafter,” Mriga Films. ar, whoisalsoproducerwithhercompany from then-U.S.FirstLadyMichelleObama. International WomenofCourageAward dits aroundtheworld,includinga2014 Stop SaleAcidcampaign,whichwonplau- a rejectedsuitor.Agarwallaunchedthe an acidattackin2005,attheageof15,from on thelifeofLaxmiAgarwal,whosurvived view todisfiguringthem.“Splash”isbased acid onthefacesoftheirvictims,witha game; youwanttobemoreinvolved.” times youwanttohavemoreskininthe tric. Itreallymakesthefilmsmall.Some- not doingthisfilmbecauseitisfemale-cen- female-centric film,forexample.No,I’m As anactor,Padukone’s creditsinclude Padukone madeheractingdebutwiththe “The storyisnotsomuchabouttheinci- “Splash” isdirectedbyMeghnaGulz- Acid attackperpetratorsusuallysplash would want to revisit over andover again.” — leavebehinda body ofworkthatpeople actor orasaproducer orasactor-producer to dowiththefilmsthatIdo,either as an after you’vegone.That’swhatI’maiming tual partofyourbeingthatgetsleft behind cally asoul,”saysPadukone.“Itisthe spiri- her KaProds.outfit.“‘Ka’inEgyptian isbasi- sumption awarenessandjudicialdeterrents. including education,parenting,mediacon- tive multiprongedapproachtocounteringit, highlighting theissue.Sheadvocatesacollec- models likeherselfshouldberesponsiblein a globalproblem,Padukonesaysthatrole tries, includingtheU.S.,onJan.10. ing “Splash”across2,000screensin41coun- an acidattacksurvivor.Foxwillbereleas- performance fromParvathyThiruvothuas (“Uyare”), whichfeaturedabravuralead Malayalam-language drama“UpAbove” inent. 2019sawthereleaseofacclaimed on thesubject,itmaybemostprom- reaching asmanypeoplepossible.” see alotofmeritintellingthisstory,it I wasjusthonest.canempathize,and bold andbrave.Idon’tfinditbraveatall. out withdepression:Peoplethoughtitwas kone. “Forme,it’sthesameaswhenIcame me viewitasaveryboldmove,”saysPadu- departure fromthoseroles.“Peoplearound tim’s disfigurementin“Splash”isamarked paragons ofbeauty. her playingwarriorqueenswhoarealso rao Mastani”and“Padmaavat”bothsaw Vin Diesel.Themassivelysuccessful“Baji- Padukone isco-producing“Splash”via Identifying violenceagainstwomenas Although “Splash”isn’tthefirstfilm Making thechoicetoportrayvic-

PADUKONE: THE HOUSE OF PIXEL; SPLASH: SINGH TEJINDER/FOX STAR STUDIOS

WE PROUDLY CONGRATULATE OUR FRIENDS AND CLIENTS ON THEIR 2020 GOLDEN GLOBE AWARD® NOMINATIONS AND SALUTE OUR GOTHAM AWARD AND NATIONAL BOARD OF REVIEW WINNERS

GOLDEN GLOBES: KNIVES OUT TOY STORY 4 BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA ASHLEY CONNOR TIM ALLEN THE IRISHMAN NATHAN JOHNSON CAROL BURNETT 5 BOBBY CANNAVALE KATHERINE LANGFORD JOAN CUSACK JAKE HOFFMAN RIKI LINDHOME BONNIE HUNT ANNA PAQUIN LAURIE METCALF CHRISTOPHER PETERSON ROCKETMAN RANDY NEWMAN MARTIN SCORSESE BRYCE DALLAS HOWARD 2 KEANU REEVES RICHARD MADDEN 5 MARRIAGE STORY MATTHEW VAUGHN DON RICKLES MARK BRIDGES WALLACE SHAWN 5 JADE HEALY DOLEMITE IS MY NAME MELISSA VILLASEÑOR JEN LAME CRAIG BREWER RANDY NEWMAN RUTH E. CARTER THE LION KING EDDIE MURPHY DONALD GLOVER 1917 ROBERT LEGATO 2 DEAN-CHARLES CHAPMAN BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION JOHN OLIVER PICTURE – DRAMA JACQUELINE DURRAN HANS ZIMMER 2 CHARLIZE THERON RICHARD MADDEN BOMBSHELL SONA PAK BEST MOTION PICTURE – FOREIGN LANGUAGE 8 BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE THE FAREWELL MARK STRONG – DRAMA ANITA GOU CHRISTIAN BALE JOKER FORD V FERRARI MARK BRIDGES PAIN AND GLORY ROSALÍA AARON GILBERT JOAQUIN PHOENIX JOKER JEFF GROTH PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE EMMA TILLINGER KOSKOFF JONATHAN PRYCE 7 CÉLINE SCIAMMA BRICE PARKER THE TWO POPES PARASITE JOAQUIN PHOENIX BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION KYUNG-PYO HONG LAWRENCE SHER PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY BEANIE FELDSTEIN BONG JOON-HO BOOKSMART THE TWO POPES SONA PAK BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE 7 BONG JOON-HO JONATHAN PRYCE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY EDDIE MURPHY PARASITE DOLEMITE IS MY NAME BEST MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY MARTIN SCORSESE ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD THE IRISHMAN AUSTIN BUTLER BEST MOTION PICTURE – ANIMATED FROZEN 2 QUENTIN TARANTINO DAKOTA FANNING KRISTEN ANDERSON-LOPEZ ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD GEORGIA KACANDES SANTINO FONTANA MIKEY MADISON JOSH GAD BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE MIKE MOH ROBERT LOPEZ BONG JOON-HO SCOOT MCNAIRY ALFRED MOLINA PARASITE ARIANNE PHILLIPS QUENTIN TARANTINO HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE MARY RAMOS ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD HIDDEN WORLD QUENTIN TARANTINO DEAN DEBLOIS BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE CRAIG FERGUSON JOJO RABBIT RANDY NEWMAN STEPHEN MERCHANT 3 JONAH HILL MARRIAGE STORY REBEL WILSON MISSING LINK BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE HUGH JACKMAN 4 INTO THE UNKNOWN (FROZEN 2) MATT LUCAS KRISTEN ANDERSON-LOPEZ ROBERT LOPEZ

Untitled-44 1 12/27/19 3:20 PM SPIRIT (THE LION KING) THE POLITICIAN BREAKTHROUGH SERIES – SHORT FORMAT TIMOTHY MCKENZIE AMANDA KRIEG THOMAS PEN15 LEO BIRENBERG

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ADAM SCOTT BEST LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE BOBBY CANNAVALE FOR TELEVISION CATCH-22 JAKE HOFFMAN THE CROWN OLE BIRKELAND MATT KASMIR ANNA PAQUIN 6 CHRISTOPHER PETERSON HELENA BONHAM CARTER HUGH LAURIE MARTIN SCORSESE SARAH BRIDGE CHERNOBYL BENJAMIN CARON LUKE HULL BEST DIRECTOR ANDY HARRIES CAROLYN STRAUSS QUENTIN TARANTINO SANNE WOHLENBERG SUZANNE MACKIE ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD

PHILIP MARTIN FOSSE/VERDON YAN MILES BEST ACTOR ANDY BLANKENBUEHLER ADAM SANDLER TIM IVES UNCUT GEMS KILLING EVE 1 THOMAS KAIL JODIE COMER BEST ANIMATED FEATURE ADRIAN KELLY ERICA KAY HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD DAMON THOMAS STEVEN LEVENSON LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA DEAN DEBLOIS CRAIG FERGUSON THE MORNING SHOW MELISSA TOTH JONAH HILL STEVE CARELL MICHELLE WILLIAMS MICHAEL ELLENBERG DANI GORIN THE LOUDEST VOICE BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM RUSSELL CROWE PARASITE SUCCESSION SIENNA MILLER 3 KYUNG-PYO HONG CATHERINE GEORGE KERRY ORENT BONG JOON-HO JOE GIGANTI KARI SKOGLAND ANNE MCCABE BEST ENSEMBLE KNIVES OUT ADAM MCKAY UNBELIEVABLE WILL BATES KATHERINE LANGFORD KEVIN MESSICK KATIE COURIC RIKI LINDHOME MARK MYLOD KEITH HENDERSON JEREMY STRONG NBR ICON AWARD AYELET WALDMAN MARTIN SCORSESE JEFF WERNER BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA NBR FREEDROM OF EXPRESSION AWARD 1 JUST MERCY JODIE COMER BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION KILLING EVE PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION O’SHEA JACKSON JR. MICHELLE WILLIAMS MICHAEL B. JORDAN BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION FOSSE/VERDON SERIES – DRAMA BRIE LARSON RAMI MALEK GIL NETTER BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MR. ROBOT MADE FOR TELEVISION JOEL P. WEST RUSSELL CROWE

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TODD KING 1 SHARED REPRSENTATION WITH INDEPENDENT TALENT GROUP 2 SHARED REPRESENTATION WITH TROIKA THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL GOTHAM AWARD WINNERS: 3 SHARED REPRESENTATION WITH UNITED AGENTS BREAKTHROUGH SERIES – LONG FORMAT 4 SHARED REPRESENTATION WITH LOU COULSON ASSOCIATES ALEX BORSTEIN WHEN THEY SEE US 5 SHARED REPRESENTATION KATE SANFORD KRIS BOWERS 6 SHARED REPRESENTATION WITH CONWAY VAN GELDER GRANT OPRAH WINFREY 7 SHARED REPRESENTATION WITH JULIAN BELFRAGE ASSOCIATES 8 SHARED REPRESENTATION WITH MARKHAM, FROGGATT AND IRWIN

Untitled-44 2 12/27/19 3:20 PM TOP BILLING | NEWS

plausible scenario is you’re going to see tens Still in the Game of thousands of YouTube creators just go New YouTube restrictions on children’s videos have away,” says Jim Dunstan, general counsel at many creators panicked, technology policy think tank TechFreedom. while other channels, like Ryan’s World (here featuring Ryan Kaji), What about big media companies that expect minimal fallout. produce kids’ content? The likes of Disney and ViacomCBS have armies of lawyers to navigate YouTube’s new requirements. But even for them, Dunstan says, there are gray areas in terms of whether content is or isn’t child-directed under the FTC’s deﬁnition: “It’s all going to be in hindsight what some bureaucrat decides.” Some producers are avoiding projects that could be seen as attracting an under-13 crowd. New York-based digital media ﬁrm Believe Entertainment recently inked a deal with ex-Nickelodeon exec Keith Daw- kins to develop children’s programming. Dan Goodman, one of Believe’s co-founders, says that because of the YouTube rules, the studio for now is focusing on “stuff that’s more tween-oriented and older” because “you don’t want it to be misinterpreted.”

What’s the reason for the uncertainty? Why is YouTube doing this? The FTC provides only general rules of The changes stem from Google’s deal with thumb about whether content is “directed YouTube’s Kids’ the Federal Trade Commission and the New to children” and thus subject to COPPA. The York attorney general to settle allegations criteria can include the use of animated that YouTube violated the U.S. Children’s characters or “child-oriented activities and Content Sandbox Online Privacy Protection Act. The law bars incentives” or the ages of people in the video. internet companies from collecting data Many, including Google, feel the guidance from kids under 13 — something to which is inadequate. In a Dec. 9 filing, the com- Triggers Fears YouTube turned a blind eye for years, critics pany said that “the current ambiguity of the charged. Google also paid a $170 million fine COPPA Rule makes it difficult for compa- under the settlement. nies to feel confident that they have imple- Creators and legal experts are unsure how mented COPPA correctly.” Google specifically new FTC-mandated rules will be enforced What does this mean for creators? called on the FTC to spell out lines of demar- YouTube is forcing all creators, regardless of cation for content aimed at general audienc- location and whether or not they actually es, mixed audiences and children, as well By TODD SPANGLER produce content intended for children, to des- as codifying exceptions for educational con- @xpangler ignate whether their videos (or their entire tent providers. STARTING JAN. 1, YouTube will treat con- channels) are made for kids. YouTube says it tent aimed at children differently from is using artificial-intelligence algorithms to How should creators proceed at this point? everything else uploaded to the world’s big- check whether creators have correctly labeled YouTube has advised creators to consult with gest video site. their content and that it might override those a lawyer if they have questions about COP- The changes are supposed to make You- settings “in cases of error or abuse.” PA compliance. However, even attorneys who Tube a safer place for kids. The big problem have worked in the area for years say it’s is, nobody is sure what “child-directed con- What are the potential penalties? not a clear-cut process. “I’m relatively expe- tent” means exactly, and producers and cre- YouTube is putting the burden of comply- rienced, but it’s still a judgment call — it’s ators are worried they could be socked with ing with COPPA on creators. If the FTC deter- highly subjective and could go either way,” thousands of dollars of fines or other pen- mines a channel has violated the law (by says Michelle Cohen, a partner at Ifrah Law alties depending on how the rules are inter- mislabeling its YouTube content), civil pen- who chairs the firm’s data privacy and cyber- preted. Other observers warn that the rules alties of up to $42,530 per violation are security practice. In terms of designating will have a chilling effect on YouTube con- allowed, although the agency says it “consid- whether videos are for under-13 kids or not, tent for tykes — and even videos aimed at ers a number of factors in determining the she says, “I would definitely keep records, to older audiences, if they’re popular with kids. appropriate amount.” In addition, YouTube make a paper trail to say things like ‘My vid- Here’s an explainer of the situation. says it may take “action” against violators, eos use vocabulary at a higher level’ or ‘They including account termination. don’t use music for young kids.’” What are the changes? Amid gloom-and-doom predictions, not Beginning in January 2020, YouTube will What will be the impact on content everyone in the kids’ content space foresees dramatically curtail the data it collects for producers? YouTube’s new rules derailing their business-

VARIETY.COM videos marked as “made for kids.” That will YouTube’s new COPPA-compliance rules es. Pocket.watch, a digital studio that focus- disable numerous features — including have led some creators – fearful of potential es on children 2-11 and works with YouTube the ability to serve targeted advertising on ﬁnes and projecting massive advertising-rev- creators including top kids’ channel Ryan’s those videos. Other features that depend on enue losses — to shut down. Socratica Kids, World, will not see big drops in revenue user data will be disabled, including com- a small channel that produces education- because the company is not solely dependent ments, channel notiﬁcations and “save to al science videos, in November announced on ad sales and can sell context-based spots,

JANUARY 2, 2020 JANUARY playlist” and “watch later” tools. YouTube that it was ceasing operations because it says founder-CEO Chris M. Williams. “We will also will exclude videos tagged as made for would lose upwards of 95% of its ad income not have a crisis of audience,” he adds. “It’s 26 kids from search results. under the new YouTube rules. “The most not like kids will up and leave YouTube.” GOLDENG GLOBE® NOMINEE BESTB SUPPORTING ACTRESS ANNETTE BENING “POWERFUL” •• • •

“Writer-director Scott Z. Burns, following in the steps of the best in investigative cinema (All the President’s Men, Spotlight), makes this search for a truth a THRILLING DETECTIVE STORY WITH REAL-WORLD REPERCUSSIONS. GUIDED BY THE FIERCE, FULLY COMMITTED PERFORMANCES OF ADAM DRIVER AND ANNETTE BENING, The Report is a bristling reminder that truth still matters. Naïve? Maybe. But DAMN, DO WE NEED IT NOW”

Untitled-9 1 12/27/19 2:09 PM TOP BILLING | IN THE RUNNING

Best Motion Picture — Drama WINNER Best Actor in a Motion Picture “The Irishman” (Netflix) Adam Driver — Musical or Comedy “Marriage Story” (Netflix) The actor is working overtime Daniel Craig (“Knives Out”) this season, so the award is Marc Malkin “1917” (Universal) Roman Griffin Davis his to lose. (“Jojo Rabbit”) In the Running “Joker” (Warner Bros.) Leonardo DiCaprio “The Two Popes” (Netflix) Best Motion Picture — (“Once Upon a Time in WINNER Musical or Comedy Hollywood”) “The Irishman” “Dolemite Is My Name” (Netflix) Taron Egerton (“Rocketman”) Who Will Win The HFPA can’t get enough “Jojo Rabbit” (Fox Searchlight) Eddie Murphy of Martin Scorsese, particu- “Knives Out” (Lionsgate) (“Dolemite Is My Name”) larly the access the group has “Once Upon a Time in WINNER been given to the director and Hollywood” (Sony) at This Year’s his stars Robert De Niro and Eddie Murphy Al Pacino. “Rocketman” (Paramount) He’s the only true comedic WINNER actor nominated in the category. The love and nostalgia Best Actress in a “Once Upon a Time for Eddie Murphy can’t Golden Globes? Motion Picture — Drama in Hollywood” be underestimated, and his Cynthia Erivo (“Harriet”) Quentin Tarantino’s ode to return to “Saturday Night Live” Scarlett Johansson Tinseltown has had a long solidified his standing just nine (“Marriage Story”) stretch since premiering at days before Globes voting Predictions for the big night include Cannes in May, but it hasn’t Saoirse Ronan (“Little Women”) closed on Dec. 30. A-Listers Jennifer Lopez and Brad Pitt lost a bit of steam heading Charlize Theron (“Bombshell”) into awards season. Renée Zellweger (“Judy”) Best Actress in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture ITH THE GOLDEN GLOBES WINNER Best Actress in a Motion Kathy Bates (“Richard Jewell”) just around the corner, Renée Zellweger Picture — Musical or Comedy Annette Bening (“The Report”) there’s only one thing The three-time Globe winner Ana de Armas (“Knives Out”) Laura Dern (“Marriage Story”) that seems inevitable: has been the favorite to sweep Awkwafina (“The Farewell”) W awards season ever since Jennifer Lopez (“Hustlers”) Renée Zellweger will win Cate Blanchett “Judy” premiered at Telluride. Margot Robbie (“Bombshell”) for best actress in the drama category when (“Where’d You Go, Bernadette”) WINNER the awards are handed out on Jan. 5. Beanie Feldstein (“Booksmart”) Best Actor in a Emma Thompson (“Late Night”) Jennifer Lopez Besides that, the Hollywood Foreign Motion Picture — Drama Press Assn. can go in so many different WINNER J.Lo hasn’t been nominated Christian Bale (“Ford v Ferrari”) since her star-making turn Awkwafina directions, as the Globes are arguably the Antonio Banderas in “Selena” in 1998. Even so, most unpredictable of all the awards shows. (“Pain and Glory”) It’s a contest between Awkwa- she’s been a frequent pre- fina and Beanie Feldstein, but in But that’s not going to stop us from try- Adam Driver (“Marriage Story”) senter at the HFPA shindig ing to read the HFPA tea leaves. Here, we the end the Globe goes to the ever since, and has been one Joaquin Phoenix (“Joker”) one-time YouTube star. She’s give you our predictions for the big night. of this season’s most vigor- Jonathan Pryce served well by having more ous campaigners. For a complete list, go to variety.com. (“The Two Popes”) name recognition. Best Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture Tom Hanks (“A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”) Anthony Hopkins (“The Two Popes”) Al Pacino (“The Irishman”) Joe Pesci (“The Irishman”) Brad Pitt (“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”) WINNER Brad Pitt The HFPA’s affinity for the world’s most famous stars will shine on Brad Pitt. He’ll snatch his second Globe for acting, 24 years after winning in 1996 for “12 Monkeys.”

Best Director — Motion Picture Bong Joon Ho (“Parasite”) Sam Mendes (“1917”) Todd Phillips (“Joker”) Martin Scorsese (“The Irishman”)

VARIETY.COM Quentin Tarantino (“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”) WINNER Bong Joon Ho The Rainbow Connection Bong Joon Ho is likely to Renée Zellweger’s go home with a Globe for transformation into Judy best foreign language film JANUARY 2, 2020 JANUARY Garland is expected to land and best director — just like her kudos from the HFPA. Alfonso Cuarón did last year

28 with “Roma.” ATTRACTIONS HINDLEY/ROADSIDE DAVID GOLDEN GLOBE® AWARD NOMINEE BEST ANIMATED FEATURE ANNIE AWARD WINNER CRITICS’ CHOICE NOMINATIONS INCLUDING BEST ANIMATED FEATURE AWARD NOMINEE 6 NATIONAL BOARD OF REVIEW BEST ANIMATED FEATURE INDIANA FILM JOURNALISTS ASSN. BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

“ONE OF THE GREATEST CHARACTER ARCS ANIMATION HAS EVER SEEN.”

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM Produced By BRADFORD LEWIS p.g.a. | BONNIE ARNOLD p.g.a. Written And Directed By DEAN DEBLOIS BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Written By DEAN DEBLOIS Based Upon The “How To Train Your Dragon” y universalpicturesawards.com © 2018 DREAMWORKS ANIMATION LLC. Book Series B CRESSIDA COWELL

Untitled-33 1 12/27/19 3:02 PM TOP BILLING | FACETIME

Savior or Con Man? Mehdi Dehbi plays the title role in Netflix series “Messiah.”

How did you tackle the What historical or other stay contained throughout the uncertainty around whether works did you rely on to help whole shoot. It was challenging, Mehdi Dehbi or not your character, Al- strip away stereotypes but and it was isolating, but the Masih, was a true messiah still have the character root- part required that. or a manipulator? ed in reality? The show doesn’t want to To me, religion is the structure, What did you learn about ‘I Was Already … impose anything on anyone and beyond the structure is yourself as a performer from ideologically or politically, the essence of things. And taking on this role, and what so whatever people want to what was more important did you learn about religion, project onto the character or than anything else was the or people’s responses to Looking for That onto the story, it’s totally essence of teachings of what religion? valid. When it comes to my he was saying. I read a lot of For me, acting is a spiritual work and how I approached books on figures from every thing, and it has been the character, there was a religion and stories of yogis throughout my whole life, so Stillness in My Life’ pact I made with the creator, and more recent figures like the more I learn about my craft, Belgian actor Mehdi Dehbi is best known for Michael Petroni, for me to Osho and Jiddu Krishnamurti. the more I learn about human appearing in “Mary Queen of Scots” and “A Most keep all of the intentions, all And then I saw a lot of movies beings. Humanstry, I call it: of the inside work, to myself. about Jesus and the Buddha, the artistry of being human. Wanted Man” on the big screen, as well as stage And to this day I’ve kept it to and I had to understand what It requires you to do the work work in plays including “Romeo and Juliet” and myself, so I think I’ll keep on I wanted to avoid doing. To be yourself. But I think that [kind “The Just Assassins.” But his very ﬁrst role, at doing that. genuine and authentic, it had of] spirituality has not much to to come from within me. do with religion. age 3, was playing Jesus when his parochial But even without getting school staged scenes from the Bible. Now, he has into the details of what you Al-Masih is a very still, calm brought his career full circle, in a sense, by tak- believed about Al-Masih, character who often spends What You Didn’t Know About Mehdi Dehbi ing on the titular role in Netﬂix series “Messiah,” you had to have a clear idea, scenes in perfect posture, so how were you able to not moving at all. What AGE: 35 BIRTHPLACE: Liège, in which his character is believed by some to be formulate that? does it take to get into that Belgium OTHER ARTISTIC TAL- ENTS: Making music, writing VARIETY.COM a savior, while others think he’s a con artist. I had the whole story and headspace and perform that poetry, directing theater could decide from what was physicality? MOST RECENT BINGE-WATCH: written. With this part, you I was already, on a personal “Messiah” LAST BOOK HE READ: can read the script and have level, looking for that stillness “Thirst” by Amélie Nothomb stereotypes in your mind, so in my life. With working on him, HOW HE RELAXES ON SET: I had to get rid of all of the I pushed that even further. I felt Listening to classical music

JANUARY 2, 2020 JANUARY stereotypes and clichés and like working on him required the skins that I didn’t need to me to stay silent and to be Interview by

30 play the role. within myself and to basically DANIELLE TURCHIANO GIESBRECHT/NETFLIX DAVID BEST TELEVISION LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION MICHELLE SAM WILLIAMS ROCKWELL BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE IN A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION MADE FOR TELEVISION

FX PROUDLY CONGRATULATES OUR GOLDEN GLOBE® NOMINEES

AND THANKS THE HOLLYWOOD FOREIGN PRESS ASSOCIATION

BILLY PORTER BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

Untitled-22 1 12/27/19 2:30 PM CONGRATULATES OUR CLIENTS ON THEIR 2020 GOLDEN GLOBE® AWARD-NOMINATED PROJECTS AND CELEBRATES THE INDELIBLE AND ESSENTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF ALL WRITERS

JOJO RABBIT BEST MOTION PICTURE (DRAMA) TAIKA WAITITI BEST MOTION PICTURE (ANIMATED) 1917 SCARLETT JOHANSSON FROZEN 2 JENNIFER LEE SAM MENDES KNIVES OUT KRISTEN BELL BRIAN OLIVER RIAN JOHNSON JONATHAN GROFF ANDREW SCOTT * RAM BERGMAN EVAN RACHEL WOOD ** ** COLIN FIRTH DANIEL CRAIG CIARÁN HINDS¥¥¥ CHRIS EVANS THE IRISHMAN ANA DE ARMAS HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: ROBERT DE NIRO JAMIE LEE CURTIS THE HIDDEN WORLD JANE ROSENTHAL MICHAEL SHANNON JAY BARUCHEL IRWIN WINKLER DON JOHNSON AMERICA FERRERA AL PACINO TONI COLLETTE ¥ CATE BLANCHETT GERARD BUTLER JOKER LAKEITH STANFIELD CHRISTOPHER MINTZ-PLASSE TODD PHILLIPS JAEDEN MARTELL KIT HARINGTON* BRADLEY COOPER EDI PATTERSON JOSEPH GARNER FRANK OZ THE LION KING ROBERT DE NIRO RAÚL CASTILLO JON FAVREAU ZAZIE BEETZ ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD CHIWETEL EJIOFOR†ΔΔΔ SHEA WHIGHAM BRAD PITT BEYONCÉ†† BRIAN TYREE HENRY MARGOT ROBBIE ¥¥ BRYAN CALLEN MISSING LINK AL PACINO TRAVIS KNIGHT MARRIAGE STORY LENA DUNHAM ZOE SALDANA CRAIG SHILOWICH MAYA HAWKE EMMA THOMPSON SCARLETT JOHANSSON KURT RUSSELL TOY STORY 4 LAURA DERN ROCKETMAN JOSH COOLEY ROBERT SMIGEL DEXTER FLETCHER TOM HANKS GIDEON GLICK BRIAN OLIVER JORDAN PEELE TARON EGERTON * JEFF GARLIN MICHAEL GRACEY BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS MEL BROOKS IN A MOTION PICTURE (DRAMA) CHARLIE ROWE CARL REINER SCARLETT JOHANSSON MARRIAGE STORY BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE BEST MOTION PICTURE (FOREIGN LANGUAGE) SAOIRSE RONAN *** (MUSICAL OR COMEDY) LITTLE WOMEN ANA DE ARMAS LES MISÉRABLES KNIVES OUT LADJ LY RENÉE ZELLWEGER JUDY EMMA THOMPSON PAIN AND GLORY LATE NIGHT PEDRO ALMODÓVAR PENÉLOPE CRUZ BEST MOTION PICTURE (MUSICAL OR COMEDY) CATE BLANCHETT WHERE'D YOU GO, BERNADETTE DOLEMITE IS MY NAME BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING MIKE EPPS ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE TITUSS BURGESS BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE ANNETTE BENING SNOOP DOGG (MUSICAL OR COMEDY) THE REPORT WESLEY SNIPES DANIEL CRAIG ** LAURA DERN KNIVES OUT MARRIAGE STORY

* TARON EGERTON JENNIFER LOPEZ ROCKETMAN HUSTLERS

MARGOT ROBBIE ¥¥ BOMBSHELL

Untitled-12 1 12/27/19 2:17 PM CHERNOBYL BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR ΔΔΔ ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING IN A TELEVISION SERIES (DRAMA) JOHAN RENCK ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE JESSIE BUCKLEY* * TOM HANKS KIT HARINGTON STELLAN SKARSGÅRD Δ GAME OF THRONES A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOSSE/VERDON BILLY PORTER AL PACINO JOEL FIELDS POSE THE IRISHMAN SAM WASSON NORBERT LEO BUTZ BRAD PITT BEST TELEVISION SERIES ONCE UPON A TIME...IN HOLLYWOOD (MUSICAL OR COMEDY) THE LOUDEST VOICE JASON BLUM BARRY SETH MACFARLANE BEST DIRECTOR (MOTION PICTURE) HENRY WINKLER NAOMI WATTS SAM MENDES KIRBY HOWELL-BAPTISTE ΔΔ UNBELIEVABLE 1917 FLEABAG CARL BEVERLY TODD PHILLIPS ANDREW SCOTT * SARAH TIMBERMAN TONI COLLETTE ¥ JOKER THE KOMINSKY METHOD DANIELLE MACDONALD BETH MCCARTHY MILLER BEST ORIGINAL SONG (MOTION PICTURE) THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS “SPIRIT” FROM THE LION KING AMY SHERMAN-PALLADINO IN A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION BEYONCÉ†† DAN PALLADINO RACHEL BROSNAHAN HELEN MIRREN CATHERINE THE GREAT BEST TELEVISION SERIES THE POLITICIAN (DRAMA) RYAN MURPHY BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR BIG LITTLE LIES BEN PLATT IN A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION REESE WITHERSPOON GWYNETH PALTROW NICOLE KIDMAN††† ALEXIS MARTIN WOODALL CHRISTOPHER ABBOTT DAVID E. KELLEY ZOEY DEUTCH CATCH-22 LAURA DERN LUCY BOYNTON * SACHA BARON COHEN ALEXANDER SKARSGÅRD JESSICA LANGE THE SPY MERYL STREEP BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS THE CROWN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, STEPHEN DALDRY (MUSICAL OR COMEDY) LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION CHRISTINA APPLEGATE THE MORNING SHOW TONI COLLETTE ¥ JENNIFER ANISTON DEAD TO ME UNBELIEVABLE REESE WITHERSPOON RACHEL BROSNAHAN MERYL STREEP MIMI LEDER THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL BIG LITTLE LIES BILLY CRUDUP GUGU MBATHA-RAW Δ Δ BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN AUGUSTUS PREW ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR (MUSICAL OR COMEDY) IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE SUCCESSION MADE FOR TELEVISION JONATHAN GLATZER BEN PLATT KIERAN CULKIN KIERAN CULKIN THE POLITICIAN SUCCESSION

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS BEST TELEVISION LIMITED SERIES ANDREW SCOTT* IN A TELEVISION SERIES (DRAMA) OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR FLEABAG TELEVISION JENNIFER ANISTON CATCH-22 STELLAN SKARSGÅRD Δ THE MORNING SHOW GEORGE CLOONEY CHERNOBYL NICOLE KIDMAN††† GRANT HESLOV HENRY WINKLER BIG LITTLE LIES CHRISTOPHER ABBOTT AUSTIN STOWELL BARRY REESE WITHERSPOON JON RUDNITSKY THE MORNING SHOW AND SALUTES TOM HANKS

* SHARED REPRESENTATION UNITED AGENTS † SHARED REPRESENTATION WITH MARKHAM, FROGGATT & IRWIN CECIL B. DEMILLE AWARD RECIPIENT ** SHARED REPRESENTATION WITH INDEPENDENT TALENT GROUP †† SHARED REPRESENTATION *** SHARED REPRESENTATION WITH MACFARLANE CHARD ASSOCIATES ††† SHARED REPRESENTATION WITH SHANAHAN MANAGEMENT ¥ SHARED REPRESENTATION WITH UNITED MANAGEMENT Δ SHARED REPRESENTATION WITH CURTIS BROWN ¥¥ SHARED REPRESENTATION WITH ARAN MICHAEL MANAGEMENT ΔΔ SHARED REPRESENTATION WITH TROIKA ¥¥¥ SHARED REPRESENTATION WITH DALZELL & BERESFORD ΔΔΔ SHARED REPRESENTATION WITH CASAROTTO RAMSAY & ASSOCIATES LTD

Untitled-12 1 12/27/19 2:17 PM ANNIE AWARD WINNER CRITICS’ CHOICE 4 NOMINATIONS INCLUDING BEST ANIMATED FILM AWARD NOMINEE BEST CHARACTER DESIGN AFRICAN-AMERICAN FILM CRITICS ASSN. BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

EXCELLENCE IN PRODUCTION DESIGN OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN ANIMATED FILM – NOMINEE WINNER SOUND MIXING – NOMINEE MAX BOAS ORIGINAL SONG – “BEAUTIFUL LIFE” MOTION PICTURE – ANIMATED HOLLYWOOD MUSIC IN MEDIA AWARDS ART DIRECTORS GUILD AWARDS CINEMA AUDIO SOCIETY AWARDS

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM Produced By Suzanne Buirgy p.g.a. Producer Peilin Chou Written & Directed By Jill Culton

“The animation and production design are stunning. BREATHTAKINGLY BEAUTIFUL SEQUENCES.” LOS ANGELES TIMES

Untitled-33 1 12/27/19 3:02 PM THE FAREWELL PROPERTY PLENTY John Boyega says goodbye to ‘Star Wars’ at the Three deals broke the $100 million price ‘Rise of Skywalker’ premiere in Hollywood p.36 barrier in a record year for real estate p.44

FAMILY AFFAIR Nick Cannon and his son Golden bring holiday cheer to the Los Angeles Mission Christmas Celebration on Dec. 23. VARIETY.COM JANUARY 2, 2020 JANUARY BOYEGA: AFF-USA/SHUTTERSTOCK; CANNONS: MEDIAPUNCH/SHUTTERSTOCK CANNONS: AFF-USA/SHUTTERSTOCK; BOYEGA: Edited by MARC MALKIN 35 EXPOSURE | PARTIES

Richard E. Pedro Pascal ‘Star Wars: The Rise Grant of Skywalker’ DOLBY THEATRE, HOLLYWOOD, DEC. 16

After directing “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” J.J. Abrams returned to the franchise for the final episode of the Skywalker saga. “I have to be more present in the moment because the truth is, this will be over in a flash,” he told Variety on the blue carpet. “This crew and cast have been the most amazing I have ever known. I feel very lucky to have gotten to come back and sad that I won’t be working with them again.” Star John Boyega said, “This is the first time we’re showing it to the public, and I can’t wait for them to see it, more than anything.” SALANGSANG/SHUTTERSTOCK; SALANGSANG/SHUTTERSTOCK;

John Boyega and Adam Driver and Kelly Marie Tran Joanne Tucker ISAAC: MICHAEL BUCKNER/VARIETY/SHUTTERSTOCK (2); YORK/HAMILL: JOHN (2); YORK/HAMILL: MICHAEL BUCKNER/VARIETY/SHUTTERSTOCK ISAAC:

OscarOscar IsaacIsaac VER/TUCKER: JORDAN STRAUSS/INVISION/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK; RIDLEY, RIDLEY, STRAUSS/INVISION/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK; VER/TUCKER: JORDAN

MarilouMarilou York and KatieKatie McGrath MarkMark HamillHamill and J.J.J Abrams

BiBillylly Dee WiWilliamslliams RHYS/RUSSELL : CHRIS PIZZELLO/INVISION/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK (3); DRI : CHRIS PIZZELLO/INVISION/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK RHYS/RUSSELL VARIETY.COM

Daisy Ridley JANUARY 2, 2020 JANUARY MatthewMatt Rhys andand Keri Russell ABRAMS/MCGRATH: CHRISTIAN MONTERROSA/EPA-EFE/SHUTTERSTOCK CHRISTIAN ABRAMS/MCGRATH: 36 BOYEGA/TRAN, (2); PASCAL, WILLIAMS: AFF-USA/SHUTTERSTOCK GRANT, BEST ACTRESS LUPITA NYONG’O BEST ORIGINAL SCORE MICHAEL ABELS “CHARMING BEAUTIFUL TERRIFIED HIDEOUS MENACING TERRIFYING” NOMINEE BEST ACTRESS Screen Actors Guild Awards® Critics’ Choice Awards WINNER BEST ACTRESS African-American Film Critics Association Black Film Critics Circle Boston Online Film Critics Association Chicago Film Critics Association Indiana Film Journalists Association Kansas City Film Critics Circle New York Film Critics Circle New York Film Critics Online Oklahoma Film Critics Circle Philadelphia Film Critics Circle Phoenix Critics Circle San Diego Film Critics Society San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle Seattle Film Critics Society Toronto Film Critics Association Washington, DC Area

Untitled-33 1 12/27/19 3:03 PM EXPOSURE | PARTIES

‘1917’ Premiere Andrew Scott and TCL CHINESE THEATRE, HOLLYWOOD, DEC. 18 Sam Mendes

Director Sam Mendes says he was inspired to make the film by his grandfather, a World War I veteran. “There’s a feeling about this war, that it is in danger of being forgotten,” Mendes, who also co-wrote the screenplay, told Variety. “It was a vast war. Sixteen million people died in it, and the winds that blew before that war are blowing again in Europe. I think there is a feeling that these men were fighting for a free and unified Europe, and we would do well to remember that in our country.”

Claire Duburcq (5) S HOLLYWOOD

George MacKay FOR ROCK OF AGE IMAGES VIVIEN KILLILEA/GETTY CK; ROCK OF AGES: and Dean-Charles Chapman

Roger and James Universal’s Donna Ellis Deakins Langley and Ron Meyer APUNCH/SHUTTERSTOCK; LANGLEY/MEYER: ROB LATOUR/VARIETY/SHUTTERSTO LANGLEY/MEYER: APUNCH/SHUTTERSTOCK; SM /ELLI AKINS ‘Rock of Ages’ KDE RSTOC

Preview HUTTE THE BOURBON ROOM, /AP/S HOLLYWOOD, DEC. 18 ISION N/INV The new immersive show stars Nick ANJUA Cordero and Frankie Grande, alums of LLY S the Broadway version of the musical. NWI “The creators are from L.A.; the story

is L.A. The vibe is L.A. and Hollywood,” Darren Criss HAPMA and Mia Swier Marissa Jaret Winokurnokur Cordero, who plays Dennis, told Vari- KAY/C

ety. “That’s the aspect of the project MAC

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the producer, called me in New York and RSTOC said, ‘Will you come and do this?’ It’s Frankie Grande,

Ian Ward and HUTTE VARIETY.COM an immersive production in his home- Sharon Sperber town, which struck me as an interesting RON/S

idea.” Grande is excited for audiences to TT BA

see his talents beyond his zany antics QMA on reality TV and social media. “I love sharing my personality with the world UBURC ES D

JANUARY 2, 2020 JANUARY — don’t get me wrong,” he said. “When

I get to share my art with the world, it’s Matt Wolpe and /MEND Jonathan Quesenberry Callandra Olivia

38 why I’m here, it’s why I’m on this planet.” DEAKINS/ELLIS: MEDI SANJUAN/INVISION/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK; WILLY (2); MACKAY/CHAPMAN: BARON/SHUTTERSTOCK DUBURCQ: MATT SCOTT/MENDES, SCOTT Untitled-34 1 12/27/19 3:04 PM NEVER TOO SO

Untitled-2 1 12/30/19 11:57 AM OON TO TEACH. “THE BEST FILM OF THE YEAR. ‘JOJO RABBIT’ DELIVERS A LIFE-ALTERING LESSON IN LOVE AND EMPATHY THAT WE COULD ALL USE.”

BRIAN TRUITT,

Untitled-2 2 12/30/19 11:57 AM EXPOSURE | DEVOUR

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Edited by PAT SAPERSTEIN | [email protected]@variety.com

Must Attend 1.2 PALM SPRINGS 1.4 BEVERLY HILLS 1.4 WEST HOLLYWOOD A pop-up of Hollywood nightclub Nicole Kidman and Nadia Olivia Wilde and Lulu Wang Giorgio’s lands at Mr. Lyons after Comaneci co-host the Gold celebrate their nominations at the opening night awards gala of Meets Golden celebration at the the Independent Spirit Awards

VARIETY.COM 1.7 NEW YORK the Palm Springs Film Festival. Virginia Robinson Gardens. brunch at Boa Steakhouse. Tiffany Haddish, Rose Byrne,Salma a mrlyonsps.com goldmeetsgolden.com filmindependent.org Hayek and Billy Porter walk the pink carpet at the premiere of their Paramount Pictures comedy “Like 1.3 PALM SPRINGS 1.4 LOS ANGELES 1.7 NEW YORK a Boss” at the SVA Theatre. The film, about two friends whose offer Robert De Niro accepts Variety’s Taron Egerton, Cynthia Erivo and Composer Randy Newman from a corporate buyer for their Creative Impact in Acting Award Dean-Charles Chapman toast accepts a special honor at the

JANUARY 2, 2020 JANUARY business tests their relationship, at the 10 Directors to Watch awards season at the BAFTA Tea New York Film Critics Circle’s opens nationwide Jan. 10. brunch at Parker Palm Springs. Party at the Four Seasons. awards gala at Tao Downtown.

42 paramountpictures.com variety.com bafta.org nyfcc.com AGOSTINI/INVISION/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK EVAN RED HERRING: JENNIFER CHONG; HAYEK: 63 UP: RICHARD JOHNSON/ITV; UUntitled-16ntitled-4 1 1 112/27/191/22/19 1 2:261:56 PMAM

Dirt

Titanic Sales Sales in Los Angeles Drive Soaring Ultra-luxe Market While nine-ﬁgure sales were breaking out all over, L.A.’s ultra-luxury segment had Sink Records; its best year yet, with three transactions breaking the $100 million price barrier and a fourth close behind, at $94 million. It was Lachlan Murdoch who captured New Year Looks the lion’s share of global headlines. The billionaire chairman and CEO of Fox Corp. paid an unprecedented $150 million for the venerated Chartwell estate, indisputably one of L.A.’s largest and most to Break Ice extravagant private properties. Located in the heart of East Gate Bel Air and anchored by the 25,000-square-foot 1930s chateau- style main mansion that was featured Political uncertainty and fears of recession have not broken the real estate market’s on 1960s TV show “The Beverly Hillbillies,” the 11.6-acre property was long owned stride. Against all odds, 2019 was a banner year for nine-ﬁgure deals, particularly in by Jerry Perenchio, the now-deceased Los Angeles, where the historic-price record was set twice within a four-month peri- former owner of Univision, and includes od. New York and Palm Beach, Fla., also set new milestones. the vacant site of the former Ronald VARIETY.COM In many of the other ultra-affluent locales where the profoundly wealthy famous- Reagan estate. Chartwell’s December sale soundly ly pony up astronomical sums for unimaginably lavish homes, prices remained eclipsed the previous record, set this July, Mark David extraordinarily high if not nearly as record setting as in when a buyer widely speculated to be a New York or L.A., and for those spendthrift high rollers member of Abu Dhabi’s ruling family paid The Real Estalker $119.7 million for the so-called Manor (1), with money to burn and an unrequited penchant for

JANUARY 2, 2020 JANUARY the 56,500-square-foot Holmby Hills mega- James McClain insanely expensive, high-maintenance estates, there were mansion originally built in the 1980s by 44 a variety of rareﬁed options across the country. television titan Aaron Spelling and sold by Re-Imagining The Sunset Strip

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This does not constitute an off er to sell or a solicitation of an off er to buy a unit. Nor is it an off ering or solicitation of sale of condominium units in any jurisdiction where registration is required to off er real estate unless we have met such requirements. We will not knowingly disseminate any information regarding the condominium where such off ering or solicitation would otherwise be prohibited by law. Obtain all disclosure documents required by applicable laws and read them before signing anything. No governmental agency has judged the merits or value, if any, of the development. Further, ownership of a condominium unit in the development will be subject to the terms of various documents relating to the development which include membership in a condominium association and the obligation to pay various assessments. The project described herein (the “Project”) and the residential units located within the Project (the “Residential Units”) are not owned, developed, or sold by KT Intellectual Property Holding Company, LLC (“KT IP”) or Montage Hotels & Resorts, LLC (“Montage”) (collectively, “Licensors”) and Licensors do not make any representations, warranties or guaranties whatsoever with respect to the Residential Units, the Project or any part thereof. Sunset Subsidiary LLC uses the PENDRY, MONTAGE and MONTAGE RESIDENCES REAL ESTATE brand names and certain other KT IP and Montage trademarks (collectively, the “Trademarks”) in connection with the sales and marketing of the Residential Units in the Project under limited, non-exclusive and non-sublicense-able licenses from Licensors. Montage Residences Real Estate. NY Residents: THE COMPLETE OFFERING TERMS ARE IN A CPS-12 APPLICATION AVAILABLE FROM THE OFFEROR. FILE NO. CP19-0068. This Condominium has been registered with the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons F-1269-01-01. This Condominium is exempt from the registration requirements in Colorado, New Jersey and Utah. WARNING, THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF REAL ESTATE HAS NOT INSPECTED, EXAMINED, OR QUALIFIED THIS OFFERING. CalDRE# 0121140.

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British Formula 1 heiress Petra Ecclestone. nearly 700-acre country estate in the pretty, No less noteworthy was tech billionaire These Sky-High Prices Fell pastoral outskirts of Nashville, is slightly Jan Koum’s $100 million all-cash splurge below the 2010 record set when coun- (2) for the sprawling Malibu compound of Short of Top Numbers try music star Alan Jackson sold his 135- media executive Ron Meyer. Designed by Perched high on a prestigious corner in San acre Sweetbriar spread for $28 million to the late architect Charles Gwathmey, the Francisco’s patrician Pacific Heights neigh- tech entrepreneur Willis Johnson (4). And eye-popping deal for the blufftop modern borhood and once owned by oil heir Wil- in New York State’s tony Hamptons, where mansion was inked mere months after the liam Getty, a freshly rehabbed 107-year-old in 2014 hedge fund fat cat Barry Rosenstein seaside city was scorched by the devastating mansion of more than 9,700 square feet shelled out a psyche-shattering $147 mil- Woolsey Fire. fetched $27 million , a gargantuan number lion for an oceanfront estate in East Hamp- Major transactions abounded. After by any standard but well below the city’s ton, the highest-recorded sale this year nearly three years, Bel Air’s so-called Bil- $39 million record set by a mysterious was the comparatively paltry $39.25 mil- lionaire estate — developed by luxury spe- buyer in the fall of 2018 with the off-mar- lion an unidentified buyer plunked down cialist Bruce Makowsky and once stamped ket purchase of an elegant 1930s mansion for a seven-bedroom contemporary on 1.4 with a wholly unrealistic price tag of $250 around the corner (3). Down the peninsula oceanfront acres in Bridgehampton (5). million — sold for a relatively bargain-base- a bit, in Atherton, consistently ranked as Back in California’s Orange County, ment $94 million; a Chinese billionaire one of the most expensive residential com- notoriously high-priced Newport Beach heir paid $75 million for a glassy Bel Air munities in the country, basketball super- saw several homes change moneyed mega-mansion once toured by Amazon star Stephen Curry’s $31 million, off-market hands above $35 million — still signifi- CEO Jeff Bezos; and Uber co-founder Gar- acquisition of a brand-new contemporary cantly under the county’s landmark sale, rett Camp laid out $72.5 million for a newly mansion on 1.2 gated and landscaped acres which came in 2017 with the $55 mil- built Beverly Hills compound, an unprec- looks like pecuniary child’s play compared lion transfer of a Corona del Mar com- edented number in the city. In all, at least with the town’s reigning record, set in 2011 pound. Last year’s top-priced property 20 L.A. homes sold for $30 million or more when a still-unknown buyer coughed up in the county: a 16,000-square-foot lime- during 2019, the largest annual volume ever $53 million for the so-called Pine Brook stone-clad neoclassical villa with six bed- recorded in that lofty segment. Estate and subsequently spent another $23 rooms, 12 bathrooms and more than 300 Though somewhat overshadowed by million on several surrounding properties. feet of frontage on Newport Harbor that the sheer height of L.A.’s price points, And though undeniably mammoth, the Chinese tech billionaire Eric Tan scooped long-standing records were likewise oblit- $26.7 million sale of Eagles Rest Farm, a up in October for $37 million (6). erated on the East Coast. In Palm Beach, where the sale of Donald Trump’s $95 mil- 6 lion mansion to Russian fertilizer billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev had stood unchal- lenged since 2008, two custom oceanfront compounds easily surpassed the nine-figure transfer mark, with both deals ringing in at $105 million: The first went to an anony- mous buyer, the second to hedge fund manager Steven Schonfeld. According to a public statement released by Schonfeld, his family will remain based in its longtime home in New York, with the new property used for vacations. For its part, the Big Apple also racked up a handful of banner sales, including the all-time-priciest deal for a U.S. private 5 residence when hedge fund tycoon Ken Griffin forked over $238 million for a 3 four-floor penthouse in a newly completed midtown Manhattan skyscraper. Eleven months later, fellow billionaire Dan Och rained $92.7 million on a full-floor apart- ment in the same building. It’s certainly worth noting that both of those transactions, though they closed in 2019, actually went into contract in the 2015-16 time frame — long before the much-publicized local high-end market slump. Area brokers are quick to note that while the buyers could have canceled the contracts prior to closing, they instead chose to press ahead, bucking fears of a market oversupply of new luxury condos. Even Seattle got in on the voracious trophy-property market. In April, an estate in

VARIETY.COM the tony Hunts Point enclave transferred for $37.5 million, besting the previous record-setter by as much as $10.8 million. Unlike the headline grabbers in L.A. and Palm Beach, this prize was no mega-mansion — the relatively unassuming cus-

JANUARY 2, 2020 JANUARY tom home measured in at less than 10,000 square feet — though it was marketed as an 46 art collector’s residential paradise. 4 Untitled-25 1 12/27/19 2:33 PM Crescent Drive Productions is proud to have represented Jeff Bhasker, Brendan O’Brien, and Emile Haynie in their recent Catalogue transactions.

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7 Digs

HGTV’s ‘Home Town’ to Hit the Road 11 Ben and Erin Napier, the by bringing their own down-home, design- hometown of Laurel, crazy married couple Miss., into the 21st cen- of the hit HGTV show tury while keeping its “Home Town,” are hit- original Southern charm ting the road with their intact. The two pride new series “Home themselves on their Town Rescue.” The duo unique home renovation will be taking its tal- style, which often uses ents to a yet-to-be-re- found materials, textiles vealed American small and original woodwork- town with the inten- ing during revitalization. tion of revitalizing “Home Town Rescue” is 9 8 stores, homes and pub- set to be released some lic spaces in various time in 2021. A new sea- states of disrepair. The son of “Home Town” Napiers have made a premieres Jan. 20. name for themselves MAE HAMILTON

The ‘O.C.’ Mansion Is Up for Grabs four acres of land with a backyard that sports a spa and waterfall. Yet, contrary to what the show’s title may imply, the Cohen house is After being briefly taken not actually in Orange off the market, the County but up the coast McMansion featured in Malibu. And the inte- as the Cohen home on rior of the home might the wildly popular ear- also throw some “O.C.” ly-aughts series “The fans for a loop. Scenes O.C.” has been relisted filmed inside of the with an asking price Cohens’ fictitious house Why Not Snag a Trophy Grant. And, after it first came for sale at of just over $6 million. were shot in a second an in-hindsight absurdly stratospheric Located inside a posh Malibu hacienda. Any Estate While You Can? $180 million price, the showbiz-pedi- gated community, the way you look at it, this Insanely expensive real estate was flying greed Owlwood Estate in L.A.’s hoity-toity roughly 6,300-square- cozy home would have off the rack, but there’s still plenty left. The Holmby Hills, once home to Cher, Tony foot home features been the perfect place Mack Daddy of mega-priced properties is Curtis and Marilyn Monroe, is now avail- breathtaking views of to celebrate Chrismak- unquestionably financier Gary Winnick’s able through Sally Forster Jones and the coast and sits on kuh. MAE HAMILTON Casa Encantada in L.A.’s always fearsomely Tomer Fridman, both at Compass, along pricey Bel Air neighborhood. The 60-room, with Hilton & Hyland’s Drew Fenton, at 1930s Georgian mansion (7), which Winnick the enormously discounted price of $115 Fast Track to snatched up in 2000 for a then bar-raising million (9). Demolition $94 million and has listed with Rick Hilton For those unwilling or unable to cross “Real Housewives” and Jeff Hyland of Hilton & Hyland as well the $100 million mark, an epic, five-floor star Mohamed as Shawn Elliott of Nest Seekers, sits on sky mansion of almost 20,000 square feet in Hadid recently filed for eight gorgeously groomed acres bordering Manhattan’s trendy NoMad neighborhood bankruptcy claiming the fastidiously manicured greens and fair- is exclusively listed with Raphael Sitruk at he was “too broke” to ways of the Bel-Air Country Club. Keller Williams NYC at $98 million (10). And execute a judge’s order There are several estates in the Hamp- cleaved to a steep, forested hillside with a to demolish his colos- tons with sweat-inducing price tags, includ- glass funicular that connects the cliffside sal six-story Bel Air ing a 14-acre oceanfront compound in main house to a waterside beach house on hillside home for fail- Southampton priced at $150 million (8), the scenic north shore of Lake Tahoe, the ing structural safety replete with indoor and outdoor swim- gravity-defying Crystal Pointe estate is a standards. Hadid’s filming pools and private golf greens, and comparative bargain at $75 million through ing was swiftly dis- (11) HADID: MATT BARON/SHUTTERSTOCK HADID: MATT listed with Sotheby’s Intl. Realty’s Harald Chase Intl.’s Shari Chase . missed. MAE HAMILTON 4949 WITH HER COMPANY LUCKYCHAP ENTERTAINMENT, PROLIFIC ACTOR AND PRODUCER ROBBIE IS CALLING HER OWN SHOTS AND FORGING A PATH FOR WOMEN IN HOLLYWOOD

By Kate Aurthur

PHOTOGRAPHS BY ART STREIBER

MARGOT GLOBES GOLDEN RISING VARIETY 51 WARDROBE: KATE YOUNG/THE WALL GROUP; MAKEUP: PATI DUBROFF/FORWARD ARTISTS/CHANEL; HAIR: BRYCE SCARLETT/THE WALL GROUP/MOROCCAN OIL; MANICURE: TOM BACHIK; DRESS AND TOP: CHANEL GOLDEN GLOBES

MARGOT ROBBIE HAS EXCELLED In 2019, she played Sharon Tate in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” and the year before, she took on Queen Elizabeth I in “Mary Queen of Scots.” In a career-making AT PLAYING performance — for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild Award and an Oscar — Robbie portrayed disgraced figure skater Tonya Harding in 2017’s “I, Tonya.” REAL Tackling the role of Kayla Pospisil — an ambitious young Fox News producer who falls prey to Roger Ailes (John Lithgow) — in “Bombshell” presented a much different challenge. Unlike Charlize Theron’s Megyn Kelly and Nicole Kidman’s Gretchen PEOPLE ON Carlson, Robbie’s character is fictional, a composite created by screenwriter Charles Randolph to illustrate Ailes’ late-stage sexual harassment and abuse — just before his Shakespearean downfall in the summer of 2016. SCREEN. “I didn’t understand her to begin with,” Robbie says. “But my process is to do a ton of research, consider every single option, know every single situation, scenario, thought and motivation inside and out, so I can step onto set and then let it all go.” She set about figuring Kayla out, using a methodology “Bombshell” director Jay Roach calls “a nerdy desire to get it all down.” She watched the Fox News shows Kayla would have liked, and created a fake Twitter account so she could observe the performative opinionating of “young millennial conservative girls.” (Robbie wouldn’t specify whom she followed, but picture the Tomi Lahrens of the world.) And she perfected Kayla’s speaking voice, twisting her Australian drawl into a perky Floridian lilt. Roach urged Robbie to watch footage of Katherine Harris, Florida’s former secretary of state, who became famous during the aftermath of the Bush v. Gore presidential election of 2000 and was played by Laura Dern in Roach’s 2008 HBO movie “Recount.” Harris grew up privileged and evangelical in Florida, as did Kayla. “I just love the sounds of her vowels — they’re incredible,” Robbie says. But Harris wasn’t her sole touchpoint: “Every day, I’d do the monologue from ‘Legally Blonde,’” she says, citing Reese Witherspoon’s Elle Woods as the type of character who is “incredibly smart” but “underestimated because of their looks.” Robbie’s hard work in “Bombshell,” which was released by Lionsgate, has paid off. She will compete in the supporting actress category this week at the Golden Globes, as well as for outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role at the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Jan. 19. She is a front- runner for an Oscar nomination. The awards recognition capped off a year in which Robbie created a stir with her affectionate portrayal of Tate in “Once Upon a Time” and filmed “Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn,” a spinoff from the 2016 film “Suicide Squad” that she conceived more than four years ago. The movie, which Robbie stars in and produced, hits theaters on Feb. 7. She is currently shooting James Gunn’s “The

VARIETY 53 54 “MARGOT JUSTIMPRESSESTHEBLOODYWEASELSOUTOFME.ATTHISAGE TAKING CONTROLOFHERCAREER,ANDJUSTBEINGSOPROACTIVEINWHATSHE their friendsJosey McNamara andSophiaKerr, outof anairy, she founded in2014withnow-husband Tom Ackerley and aroundherfinger.wrapped Street,” inwhichshehadLeonardoDiCaprio’s Jordan Belfort getting roleof Scorsese’s Naomi inMartin Wolf “The of Wall steadily, butbroke outdefinitively in2013theattention- ABC’s stylish butshort-lived “Pan Am.” From there, sheworked and was againcast rightaway: thistimeplaying astewardess on recalls. Whenhercontract was up, shemoved toLosAngeles, Minogue. “Ididn’t thinktherewas higherthanthat for me,” she thecareersofthat LiamHemsworth alsolaunched andKylie one, shewas quicklycast in “Neighbours,” opera theiconic soap acting professionally. Despitehaving nomoney andknowing no of inhopes bytheirmother—toMelbourne four childrenraised Australiain Queensland, —whereshe’d grown upasthethirdof is that Robbie was just 24whenshefounded hers. theirown toproduce companies — start movies. What’s unusual slated for Aug. 6,2021. release Suicide Squad,” inAtlanta. totheoriginalfilm, It’s asequel WANTS TOMAKE—I’MALITTLEINTIMIDATEDBYHER.” VREY VARIETY Now 29, Robbie runs LuckyChap Entertainment, whichNow Entertainment, LuckyChap 29,Robbie runs Only seven shehadmoved years earlier fromtheGoldCoast ViolaPlenty of female Witherspoon, actors—Theron, Davis there —I’m alittle intimidated by her.” proactive inwhat shewants tomake, what shewants toputout “At thisage takingcontrol of hercareer, so andjust being weasels outof me.”the bloody Shelaughsat theturnof phrase. Ackerley says. “Ultimately, much.” fartoo probably shedoes script—we singledaily,” tellhernottowatch every every reads was getting herself.” otherfemale creativessupport andgive themtheplatform she where shehadtheability tosetupacompany, andwanted to McNamara says. “But also, shewas at aplace inhercareer to play that character, butit’s aguy—how doIself-generate?” scriptsandsay, Shewould herownto create read work. “Iwant company was at born theirkitchentable outof Robbie’s desire Robbie’s was friend, afourthroommate.) The childhood (Kerr, of London. share ahouseintheClaphamneighborhood Wolfpremiere of “The of Wall Street,” to they alldecided year before, together andaftergetting aftertheLondon drunk assistant directorsontheromanticdrama“SuiteFrançaise”the officefarmhouse-style inLosAngeles. —CHARLIZE THERON Notes producer and co-star Theron, “MargotNotes just Theron, andco-star producer impresses Robbie isintenselyinvolved, involved. sometimestoo “She She hadmetAckerley andMcNamara whenthey were “It wasperfect.” “It says ofhiringYan. action,” Robbie wanted toshoot palette, howshe aesthetic color “She spoketothe “Birds ofPrey”; Yan onthesetof director Cathy left) andwith “Bombshell” (far Pospisil in Robbie asKayla LEADING LIGHT

BOMBSHELL: HILARY B. GAYLE/LIONSGATE; BIRDS OF PREY: CLAUDETTE BARIUS/DC COMICS/WARNR BROS. GOLDEN GLOBES

LuckyChap’s Projects, Now and Soon

MARGOT ROBBIE FOUNDED LUCKYCHAP Entertainment in 2014 with her now- husband, Tom Ackerley, and friends Josey McNamara and Sophia Kerr. Its mandate: Tell women’s stories on screen and support women creators behind the scenes. “I, Tonya,” with Robbie as Tonya Harding, was LuckyChap’s first release, ensuring the company came to the marketplace with an THE EVENTS OF “BOMBSHELL” TAKE PLACE BEFORE THE post- assertive howl — and three Academy Award Harvey Weinstein #MeToo movement, but its lessons infuse nominations, including one for best actress for Robbie and a supporting actress win for every frame. #MeToo, which resulted in seismic changes in how Allison Janney. women’s stories are told on screen, and who gets to tell them — With a first-look film and television specifically, the battle cry for more women writers and directors deal with Warner Bros., LuckyChap — caused Robbie and LuckyChap to look inward. The company has 20 projects in various stages of had done its first three films with male directors. “At the start of development. The following are imminent. 2018, we made a conscious decision to shift to try to find more “Dollface” Hulu women behind the camera,” Ackerley says. PREMIERED ON NOV. 15 “We were looking at our own work in a different way,” Robbie After her boyfriend dumps her, Jules says. “Some of our projects felt extremely relevant and more (Kat Dennings) reconnects with friends urgent to tell. And other ones felt irrelevant.” she’d lost (Shay Mitchell, Brenda Song) and restarts her life. Jordan Weiss, a “Birds of Prey” felt urgent. It features Mary Elizabeth woman, created it. Winstead as Huntress, Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Black Canary and Rosie Perez as Renee Montoya. It’s written by a woman “Dreamland” seeking distribution (Christina Hodson), directed by a woman (Cathy Yan) and has PREMIERED AT TRIBECA women producers (Robbie and Sue Kroll). The movie is an In Depression-era Dust Bowl Texas, a restless young man (Finn Cole) becomes ambitious leap forward for LuckyChap — a $75 million, R-rated, enraptured by a bank robber on the run Warner Bros./DC Entertainment production. (Robbie). The film is directed by Miles During “Suicide Squad,” Robbie says she “fell in love with” Joris-Peyrafitte. Harley Quinn, though she didn’t understand why the wildly brilliant, unstable character would stay in a relationship with “Birds of Prey” Warner Bros. the Joker (played by Jared Leto), who “wants to kill her most of RELEASE DATE: FEB. 7 Birthed from Robbie’s idea for a girl- the time.” gang comic book movie, this $75 million, She dove into research: She read the Sam Shepard play R-rated romp is directed by Cathy Yan, “Fool for Love,” about a destructive relationship, and listened written by Christina Hodson and produced to TED Talks by women with schizophrenia who were also by Robbie, Sue Kroll and Bryan Unkeless (“I, Tonya,” “The Hunger Games”). accomplished professionals. She immersed herself in the world of DC Comics, which she adores. “Harley has this unpredictable “Promising Young Woman” Focus Features nature that means she could react in any way to any situation, RELEASE DATE: APRIL 17 which as an actor is just a gift,” Robbie says. In writer-director Emerald Fennell’s A year before “Suicide Squad” came out, with the go-ahead feature debut, Carey Mulligan plays a woman who, after dropping out of med from Warner Bros. and DC to explore a Harley spinoff, Robbie school because of a “tragic event,” sets met with British screenwriter Hodson, with whom she shares her sights on entrapping date rapists. The an agent. Over brunch, which turned into pizza and mimosas, film will premiere at Sundance. they bonded. “An hour and a half later, we were drunk on a Wednesday “Maid” Netflix Developed in partnership with John morning, and we’ve been friends ever since,” Robbie says. Wells Prods., Molly Smith Metzler “The ideas started flowing.” In person at the Four Seasons (“Shameless”) will adapt Stephanie Land’s Hotel in Beverly Hills, Robbie exudes enthusiasm, speaking 2019 memoir “Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, effusively about subjects such as the “Harry Potter” novels (“I and a Mother’s Will to Survive,” a New read them on repeat”), Kayla’s Sapphic chemistry with Kate York Times best-seller, into a series. The writers’ room assembles in January. McKinnon’s “Bombshell” character, Jess Carr (“I secretly want a spinoff movie where Kayla and Jess go on a road trip with “Barbie” Warner Bros. their opposing political views and blossoming romance”) and LuckyChap rescued “Barbie” from its long LuckyChap’s office (“It just feels like a nice house!”) — it’s easy to gestation in development hell and got picture that drunken, brainstorming meal. Warner Bros. to back it — with Robbie attached to star as the iconic doll. Noah Upon its August 2016 release, “Suicide Squad” was greeted Baumbach and Greta Gerwig will write the by some of the worst reviews for a comic book movie ever, script, and Gerwig is attached to direct. though critics and fans agreed that Robbie was the best thing in

VARIETY 55 GOLDEN GLOBES

“MY PROCESS IS TO DO A TON OF RESEARCH, KNOW EVERY SINGLE SITUATION, SCENARIO, THOUGHT AND MOTIVATION INSIDE AND OUT, SO I CAN STEP ONTO

SET AND THEN LET IT ALL GO.” —MARGOT ROBBIE

it. The film made $746 million worldwide, a sequel was greenlit phenomenal job.” But “Birds of Prey,” she says, isn’t at all like — critics be damned — and LuckyChap signed a first-look deal the Todd Phillips film: “I feel like the ‘Joker’ film was much more with Warner Bros. grounded. Ours is different. It’s heightened.” As for Robbie’s vision for “Birds of Prey,” Hodson says: “She “Birds of Prey” will be the first of five tentpole movies really wanted to see Harley with girlfriends, Harley in a girl released in 2020 directed by women: Niki Caro’s “Mulan,” gang. Harley is such a naturally sociable character. And I think Cate Shortland’s “Black Widow,” Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder there was just a general longing to see girls together on screen — Woman 1984” and Chloé Zhao’s “The Eternals” are the others. women being friends.” It’s reflective of Hollywood’s glacial move toward progress, Ackerley agrees about Robbie’s motivations. “She has a Kroll says, in which “women are part of every conversation group of friends in the U.K.; she has a group of friends in now.” Kroll loves how “Birds of Prey” turned out, calling its Australia; she has a group of girlfriends here,” he says. “They characters “nuanced” and saying the film has “a beautiful live fun and vivacious lives. And she was like, ‘I don’t see that on sense of place.” screen.’” She also wanted the film to be rated R, for which, since “But at the end of the day,” she adds, “it’s a really fun, badass “Deadpool” hadn’t yet come out, there was no precedent — and group of women getting together. It’s a ride. It’s a crazy ride.” “it took a bit of convincing,” Robbie says. On the experience of working with Robbie as a producer, Robbie and Hodson would meet to watch movies, and to Kroll says: “If she were not such a gifted actor, and if she discuss “comics that we love, different movies we love,” Robbie decided she didn’t want to do that anymore, she could be a full- says. They would look at something like “Trainspotting”: “How time producer. She’s really good at it.” did they achieve this feeling of beautiful chaos, but within it, Kroll is one of many colleagues who speak admiringly everything feels satisfying?” she wonders. One of their sessions about Robbie. Roach raves about her “Bombshell” performance. lasted 13 hours, Hodson recalls. “I was at the keyboard; she “She’s very precise, and she’s worked out the craft of it all. But was doing story cards. She is remarkable in that sense. I then once that’s worked out, an amazing sort of heart and spirit certainly don’t know of any other actors like her who would and soulfulness all kick in on top of the craft,” he says. “It’s do that.” really a wonder to experience it. I felt very, very fortunate to The two got along so well that when Hodson had an idea for be on set.” improving the dismal numbers for women screenwriters, they Toward the end of “Bombshell,” Theron’s Megyn Kelly, decided to create the Lucky Exports Pitch Program, a four- seeking out other possible Ailes victims, approaches Kayla. week writers’ room for six writers; four of the selected were “You should report Roger,” she says. “You’ll be protected.” The women of color. (Hodson herself is half-Taiwanese.) Each came scene takes a turn when Kayla, whom Megyn thinks will express in with kernels of ideas, and now, with the program having just gratitude, instead accuses her of complicity. “Did you think what wrapped, all have solid pitches — and Hodson and LuckyChap your silence would mean for us? The rest of us?” Kayla asks, attached as producers. “We are going to go out and pitch to all choking on her anger and sorrow. the studios and hopefully get them sold, and get them made,” Robbie gave a lot of thought to how Kayla would feel in that Robbie says. moment, balancing how much she “idolizes” Megyn against her When it came to finding a director for “Birds of Prey,” Robbie sense of betrayal. “I wanted it to have heat behind it. I wanted to and the other producers — who by that point included Kroll, have real accusation behind it,” she says. Roach was surprised the longtime Warner Bros. marketing chief executive who now by how the scene played out. “She had a very emotional reaction runs Kroll & Co. Entertainment, and “I, Tonya” producer Bryan to it, and apologized after: ‘I just got caught up in it.’ And I said, Unkeless — were committed to trying to hire a woman. But ‘That was amazing.’ We tried some less emotional takes, but it as with “I, Tonya,” directed by Craig Gillespie, they wanted to just was never as powerful.” choose the best person for the job. In the end, Yan, a Chinese “I think that was just her emotions coming out in an American director whose sole movie credit was the 2018 indie unexpected way. And it was really fun to play that with Charlize,” feature “Dead Pigs,” sold them. “She spoke to the aesthetic Robbie says. color palette, how she wanted to shoot action, how she wanted Kayla — who says things like “Fox is how we do church!” — costume design to be reflective of the characters’ personalities,” could have been cartoonish. But not in Robbie’s hands. Robbie says. “It was perfect.” “I think her performance in this movie is a very rare The movie, as its subtitle implies, starts after Harley’s performance,” Theron says. “I’ve seen this movie 50 times breakup with the Joker. Robbie confirms that Leto’s incarnation now, if not more, and every single time she gets me. It’s of the character doesn’t appear, not even as a cameo. As far as just ridiculous — and I’m dead inside! And she gets me every that other “Joker” goes, Robbie thinks Joaquin Phoenix “did a fucking time.”

56 VARIETY VARIETY A 58 VREY VARIETY

GUTTER CREDIT CURATING A

CONTENDER

AMC NETWORKS PROGRAMMING CHIEF SARAH BARNETT LEANS INTO HER STRENGTH — NURTURING IDEAS — TO COMPETE AGAINST THE STREAMING GIANTS

Story by DANIEL HOLLOWAY Photograph by ALEX GITMAN JASON SEGEL’S NEW AMC “One of the vague advantages of going through life is you do start to realize what you are good at,” Barnett says. “I think that this intuitive synthesis, if you like, of brand, content and business is the ANTHOLOGY “DISPATCHES FROM puzzle that I am endlessly engaged in and absolutely fascinated by.” A U.K. native and 12-year veteran of the BBC in London, Bar- nett is gently sardonic and has a talent for speaking directly, both ELSEWHERE” IS HAVING ITS uncommon traits in a TV exec. She arrived at AMC Networks in 2008 when it acquired Sundance TV, where she was in charge of marketing. She became head of Sundance TV a year later — her FIRST AUDIENCE SCREENING first day as boss coming as she and her Sundance colleagues moved into the midtown Manhattan offices of AMC’s then-parent, Cable- AT NEUEHOUSE HOLLYWOOD, vision-owned Rainbow Media. Barnett and Sundance’s initial scripted original was a Euro- pean acquisition — Olivier Assayas’ miniseries “Carlos.” Sundance THE NEWEST OF THE EXCLUSIVE- faced internal competition from corporate sibling IFC Films for the U.S. distribution rights, but Barnett and her colleagues argued fiercely for the bio, which starred Edgar Ramírez as terrorist Car- ISH MEMBERS-ONLY WORKSPACE los the Jackal. Eventually, AMC Networks CEO Josh Sapan came to a compromise: The project would premiere on Sundance as a miniseries, with a feature version released shortly thereafter by CLUBS WITH WHICH LOS ANGELES IFC. “Carlos” went on to win a Golden Globe for best miniseries or movie made for television. “The Honourable Woman” with Maggie Gyllenhaal and “Top of IS BEING OVERRUN. THE MID- the Lake” with Elisabeth Moss followed. But the crowning achievement was writer-director Ray McKinnon’s drama series “Rectify.” Never a ratings stalwart or an Emmy nominee, “Rectify” reached DECEMBER CROWD IS INTIMATE, rarefied air among TV critics, who gave it almost universal acclaim. It’s still drawing love today, as 2019 prompts a deluge of best-of- MOSTLY FRIENDS OF SEGEL. the-decade listicles. AMC Networks chief operating officer Ed Carroll credits Bar- nett’s hand in the development process for helping to shape “Rec- Since the end of “How I Met Your Mother,” on which he starred for tify,” which tells the story of a man released from death row after 19 nine years, the actor has received consistently good reviews for a years. “Sarah worked closely with Ray on making it gel and making handful of serious-minded movies such as “The End of the Tour,” the tone right, so that even though the story was dark, there were in which he played the late author David Foster Wallace. None of unexpected moments of redemption and even humor,” Carroll says. those performances, however, has eclipsed his sitcom persona. But it was at BBC America, which Barnett took over in 2014 after For many, Segel remains the guy from “How I Met Your Mother.” its acquisition by AMC Networks, that her signature show as a pro- But when introducing the first episode of “Dispatches,” AMC Net- grammer came to fruition. works programming chief Sarah Barnett makes clear exactly “It was not an accident that Sarah’s management and supervi- how she sees her new drama’s creator and star. “In this show, you sion brought us ‘Rectify,’” says Sapan. “And it was not an accident really get to see the auteur-ness of Jason,” she says before offer- that Sarah’s management and supervision brought us ‘Killing Eve.’” ing praise for a cast that includes Sally Field, Richard E. Grant In addition to being able to “read, tell and smell what’s good,” as and André Benjamin. Sapan puts it, Barnett is an enthusiastic fan of research. When she In tone and scope, “Dispatches From Elsewhere” — about a moved to BBC America, the channel had just launched its first hit, group of strangers whose lives intersect around a bizarre mys- Canadian co-production “Orphan Black,” and was drawing viewers tery — is the sort of ambitious, character-driven tale that rarely with U.S. telecasts of “Doctor Who” and reruns of “Star Trek.” Not finds mass audiences in the feature world anymore, but once in a moving the ratings were the dramatic miniseries that the channel while still goes gangbusters on TV. was importing from the BBC mothership across the Atlantic. From And thus, it feels like a show Barnett should champion in her this, a programmer could discern that what viewers wanted from ever-expanding AMC Networks role. In August, the exec gained BBC America was more science fiction. oversight of AMC Studios, just nine months after taking over as But the research Barnett commissioned showed something programming head for all of the company’s entertainment cable less obvious. channels — including the flagship, AMC. Her career has been built The real reason people were watching “Doctor Who” and “Orphan cultivating small, writerly shows on sometimes overlooked plat- Black” on BBC America wasn’t that they were sci-fi shows, Barnett forms and helping them become cultural hits. Now, with the bulk says, “but because they had a lot of story, they were surprising, they of AMC Networks’ creative business in her hands, the question fac- were wildly entertaining, often in quite kind of florid, crazy ways. ing Barnett is whether she can do that again — this time in a cli- And they had characters you really cared about.” In the case of mate grown harsher than ever toward original programs launched “Orphan Black,” she notes, the show was “talking about things in on basic cable. our culture, like sexuality, reproductive rights of women, science and “My impression from Sarah is that her and AMC’s goal is to women’s bodies — a lot of really rich themes alongside these kinds find people who have something to say artistically, and then to of slightly demented plots and dollops of great humor.” provide a platform to nurture that,” says Segel. “It’s about finding people as opposed to specific material. I think she’s very interested in making art.” “I FEEL LIKE BRAND IS BEING If TV is art, Barnett’s a curator at MoMA. Her programming FORGOTTEN IN THE CONGLOMERATE résumé is filled with shows that have caused critics to swoon but RACE TO ENORMOUS VOLUME.” have also built brands — “Top of the Lake,” “The Honourable Woman” and “Rectify” at Sundance TV; “Killing Eve” at BBC America. Sarah Barnett

60 VARIETY DISPATCHES FROM ELSEWHERE: ZACH DILGARD/AMC; KILLING EVE: GARETH GATRELL/BBCAMERICA and Urban Movie growthand Urban Channel—highlighting projected for the collection of —Acorn niche streamers TV, Shudder, Sundance Now that indicated thecompanySapan moreheavily would intoits lean selective digitalcourse. callinOctober, earnings Duringaquarterly toward massive plays, streaming amore AMC Networks hascharted have tothewinnowingnerMedia ofcable by responded reorienting stars in“KillingEve.” Elsewhere”; SandraOh eye in“DispatchesFrom see moreorlesseyeto Segel andEveLindley to AMC’sstrategy:Jason Smart showsarethekey FOCUS ONBRANDING as they have elsewhereinthecable business. for AMCNetworks,headwinds subshave where linear just fallen, away andtoward subscriptionvideohave TV frompay stiff created revenue generatoringly important inAMCStudios. Viewer shifts she didfor Sundance and BBCAmerica—andguideanincreas- news for inherproximity.” metobe She’swithout hesitation. oneof thoserarepeople. Andit’s good tion study tobrilliantcreative todiscerning execution idea agreat Sarah isambidextrous. Shecanmove fromanaudience segmenta- athlete well,” whocanplay threedifferent sports “And says Sapan. ambidextrous, just once like inawhileyou every come across an Nielsenlive-plus-sevengrow per 78%fromthefirst, data. sawBBC America.Thesecond theshow’s season totalaudience decisions was 2of tosimulcast “KillingEve” Season onAMCand through tothefinale. tothenext ratingsgrowing fromoneepisode alltheway its linear Emmys. unicorn theshow status, achieved TV Initsfirst season, series; Comer eightmonthslater won at inthesamecategory the era. Ohwon last year drama theGoldenGlobe for actress inaTV another —isbecoming oneof themost decorated dramasof its tasked withfindingher(SandraOh)andtheirobsession withone anassassingame about (played by Comer), Jodie theinvestigator anditneversci-fi, worked.” choice,sponsible we totellstories that because hadtried weren’t audience, we would have thoughtthat ‘KillingEve’ was anirre- While larger suchasDisney, companies NBCUniversal andWar- todofor allthoseskillsasshelooks AMCwhatBarnett willneed once inawhileyou“Every come across anexecutive who’s After Barnett oversight assumed of AMCin2018,oneof herfirst “KillingEve” intoitsthirdseason, —acat-and-mouseHeading Barnett adds, “Ithinkifwe hadn’t onthe donethat research “SARAH ISAMBIDEXTROUS. SHE survive. Iwould say, whothehellknows who’s going tosurvive?” wisdom would have itthat you have huge; it’s tobe theonlyway to For AMC, we believe oursize ouradvantage. canbe Conventional that dilutethepurityofwhat thosebrandsare. services of broader all oftheothercuratorial televisionbrands inevitably part become as talked-about television, aroundpremium, curatorial approach works andAMCastheflagshipbrandtoremaincommitted toa connection,”bank istherefor shesays. AMCNet- opportunity “The whohasagold for enormous volume everybody andeverything slates. But Barnett isbullish. Disney Plus,services HBOMaxandPeacock rolloutfull-content pump Silicon Valley money intoHolly like ascompanies seen, Amazon Netflix, andApple continue to the collective dinofmoreprogrammingthantelevisionhasever “Seven doc Worlds,natural history onBBCAmerica. OnePlanet” “Yearon AMC;comedy onsister channelIFC; oftheRabbit” and Elsewhere,” “World Beyond” “For anthology andnewepisodic Life” ofThe first 2020willseethedebutsof From “Dispatches quarter ing that development anddecidingwhat gets putintoproduction. Collier, now of Fox head But it’s Entertainment. Barnett whoisshap- AMC was putintodevelopment byherpredecessor there, Charlie tofindhitswithoutzombies.need Muchof what’s intheworks at to grow,” Kang says. well of thefansandalsostill onbehalf challengingustocontinue of what supportive of balance we’vewonderful being doing been “She’s halfofits10thseason. intotheback as itheads a struck Barnett’sin 2018,credits for theseries’continuedhealth support elseontelevision remainsvast. everything of cable. programandnearly Thegulfbetween theblockbuster —butthey alsomaptosimilardeclinesfor therestdocumented — whichisthat creatively ithastobe exceptional.” say that about what I’d say any about ofthedevelopment at AMC from thisuniverse,” Barnett says of thefranchise. “And Iwould greatest creative “Ithinktherearelotsof told stories asset. tobe dramathat’sond spinoff of thezombie-apocalypse by farAMC’s Walking “The will be World Dead: Beyond,” theforthcoming sec- forms.’ But at thesametime, we’re notsellingeverything.” damentalists withadogmaof ‘We onlykeep ourshows onourplat- Netflix andothersdomestically andinternationally. We’re notfun- dio. We own We’ve ourcontent. well toHulu, sellingitvery been scription services. SVOD market andfunnelthemtoward AMCNetworks’ own sub- of newshows fromthe number plan now back istoholdagood windows for that content The suchasNetflix. tooutsidestreamers of itsown content throughAMCStudios, ittypicallysoldpost-TV Josh Sapan,AMCNetworksCEO EXECUTION WITHOUTHESITATION.” A GREAT TO IDEA BRILLIANTCREATIVE SEGMENTATION STUDY TO DISCERNING CAN MOVE FROM ANAUDIENCE four services to a combined 3.4 million-4 million subscribers by 2022. toacombined 3.4million-4millionsubscribers four services In the past decade,In thepast asAMCNetworks thebulk toproduce began “I feel like forgotten brandisbeing in theconglomerate race to itwillhaveIf any out, ofthose shows todosoover istobreak But for Barnett toachieve success onthisnewest stage, she’ll Executive over Angela producer Kang, whotook asshowrunner WalkingDeclines inratings for “The Dead” have well been Among theshows that won’t tooutsideplatforms shopped be “We arenotjust acable company,” Barnett says. “We areastu- wood, VARIETY and new streaming 61 EDGE THE 62

AIT IIA NOAOS 2020 VARIETY DIGITALINNOVATORS 12 ExecsPoisedtoMovetheNeedleinDigitalEntertainmentThis Year VREY VARIETY MEDIA platforms andstrategies totapintocontent-hungry audiences —in2020andbeyond. Theseexecs andentertainment. areharnessingtechnology thepower of newformats, Innovators list recognizes 12 at theintersection of pushingtheboundaries leaders next lightbulbstoilluminate Hollywood’s marquee?Thesecond annual topic of innovation like this:“There’s away —findit.” todoitbetter Sowhat arethe By ToddSpanglerandJankoRoettgers

NEW of

Thomas Edison upthe once summed A Variety

Digital

GUTTER CREDIT DOBBS: JOEL ARON entertainment industry growth catalyst industry entertainment AwardLeadership for asignificant being recognized herwithaDistinguished In 2019,theAdvanced Imaging Society that key hasbeen toLucasfilm’s success. companythe VFXstudio intoaglobal decades at Industrial Light&Magic, turning ILMxLab,starting two DobbsBeckspent AStarWarsImmortal: VRSeries.” Before as well asOculusQuest launchtitle“Vader Empire” and“Avengers: Damage Control,” experiences like “Star Wars: Secretsof the reality,of virtual includinglocation-based ILMxLab apioneeringproducer hasbecome ofto proofs concept. Underherleadership, the workBeck hasensured isn’t conﬁned BECK DOBBS VICKI devices in2020andbeyond.” next generation of VRandARhardware watching theevolution of 5Gas well asthe therefore,immersive Iam, media. carefully through tostory-living from storytelling ofpassionate transitioning aboutthe idea Trend toWatch: Lucasfilm Executive inCharge,ILMxLab

media sincemedia 2015—andDobbs exploringhas been the futureof studio ILMxLabentertainment Lucasfilm’s immersive

“ I amincredibly . of storytelling andtechnologywillunveilof storytelling thehumanityallaround us.” us far-out galaxiesandthemicroscope revealed tiny hiddenworlds, Ibelieve thisnew age show thefullnessofhumancondition.Inway theadvent ofthetelescopeshowed upsidedown,storytelling takingthepaintbrushandcanvas ofnew technologieslike VRto AMY EMMERICH DUCARD MALIK children’s book. is theauthorof“Henry’s BigWin,” winnerofthe2015 Jessie Redmon Fauset Award for best development division.TheBronx native, inspired by hisexperiences asadadofthree, also home entertainmentacquisitionsandMGMHome Entertainment’s acquisitionsandbusiness Paramount Pictures’ digitaldistributionintheAmericasandpriortothatledLionsgate’s Refinery29 Global PresidentandChiefContentOfficer YouTube Social Impact,Family,Film&TV Global HeadofLearning, of family, content.Before filmandTV joiningYouTube in2011, heoversaw revamped originalsstrategy —aswell aspartneringwithproducers andcreators YouTube new educationalandlearningcontent—core pillarsofthecompany’s At theworld’s biggestvideoplatform, Ducard leadstheteambringingto

Trend toWatch:

“In thenext decade, creators willcontinuetoturn always sitat thecenter of these moments.” mobilize thisaudience, which should onhowdepend brands merchandize and willthe world. Thefutureof digitalmedia we make ourbrandsholdin and thepurpose one another, accountable for thedecisions generation holdingbusinesses, willbe and forms they live theirlives Thisyounger on. other,each andplat- thebrandsthey trust toconnect with more real-life opportunities ences and aredemandingmorerealistic Trend toWatch: filmmakers, now initsthirdseason. Shatterbox short-film series for women Refinery29’sincluding spearheading champion for voices, underrepresented more than20-year career, she’s a been purview.Emmerich hasaglobal Over her ing R29’s acquisition by Vice Group, Media company for women, in2015.Now, follow- andentertainment a pioneeringmedia Travel Channelbefore joiningRefinery29, with networks includingMTV, HBOand The Emmy-winning producer worked VARIETY

“We know that audi- know “We

63 VARIETY DIGITAL INNOVATORS 2020 GLENN LAURA GAINOR EVANS

Sony Innovation Studios President Senior VP of Data Sony Pictures Entertainment Disney Streaming Services

Big Data is useful only if it generates Big Eureka moments. Disney, in equipping itself for battle in the streaming wars, tapped Evans, a premier data scientist responsible for overseeing analytics and insight capabilities for the media conglom’s direct-to-consumer services, including Disney Plus and ESPN Plus. Previously, she was senior VP of data and insights at The New York Times Co. and also held leadership positions at Scripps Network Interactive, The Washington Post and Dow Jones/Wall Street Journal. Evans holds a Ph.D. in political science, with a concentration in quantitative methods, from George Washington University. Trend to Watch: “I’ll be closely watching the streaming adoption rates given how many new services are coming to market in the next year. The other area I’m keenly interested in watching is how people are utilizing machine learning beyond personalization to solve business challenges. From topic modeling to understanding story arcs and emotional reactions to creating counterfactuals for better experimentation insights — these all allow us to better the experience for customers in a faster and more nuanced way.” ROB HOLMES Sony Pictures opened its Innovation Studios facility VP of Programming on its Culver City, Calif., lot Roku in 2018. Since then, Gainor and his team have been working to bring Roku’s content ambitions came into focus digital sets and other virtual production with the launch of the Roku Channel in tools to Sony productions and those of 2017, and Holmes has been instrumental in industry partners while looking to pioneer developing and growing the ad-supported technologies for other Sony businesses video service. Over the past two years, the including music and gaming. Gainor also Roku Channel has become an anchor for is head of physical production for Sony selling video subscription services directly Pictures’ Screen Gems, where he has to consumers. Holmes’ challenge will be to championed the use of consumer-grade land content deals that allow the company digital cameras as well as sustainable to compete with ad-supported streaming set-building practices. He’s served as an services from giants like ViacomCBS and executive producer and unit production Amazon and to further expand the channel’s manager on Screen Gems ﬁlms including reach beyond Roku’s own hardware. Before hit comedy “The Wedding Ringer.” joining the device maker, Holmes was a Trend to Watch: “I believe that this senior VP at Comcast leading its advanced coming year, we will see story-tellers advertising efforts; earlier, he held positions embrace more digital sets that will utilize at NBCUniversal, Walmart’s Vudu, MGM and real-time visual effects. This will offer story- Goldman Sachs. Trend to Watch: “We’ll tellers the ability to feel as if they’re on start to see consumers cycling across video location. By collapsing geography, we’ll subscription services to be able to watch empower storytellers like never before.” the latest big shows without breaking the bank. Ad-supported streaming hours will continue to rise as consumers continue to seek out free content to supplement their subscription-video viewing.”

64 VARIETY JULIE Mc NAMARA

Executive VP and Head of Programming CBS All Access

McNamara has spearheaded content strategy for the Eye’s good ﬁght in subscription VOD. As head of CBS All Access programming since 2016, she’s targeted must-see projects to lure paying customers. Those include “The Good Wife” spinoff “The Good Fight,” “Star Trek: Discovery” and Jordan Peele and Simon Kinberg’s “Twilight Zone” revival. Upcoming series include “Star Trek: Picard” and an adaptation of Stephen King’s “The Stand.” McNamara Trend to Watch: “After several years of PETER previously spent 10 years at CBS Television ‘more,’ ‘bigger’ and ‘faster’ content cre- Studios, where she shepherded shows like ation, we may have reached an inﬂection “The Good Wife,” “Elementary,” “Jane the point where companies will take a more Virgin” and “Hawaii Five-0.” Prior to that, strategic and curated approach to what they she led drama development at ABC Network make and how they make it, to both maxi- with projects including “Alias,” “Desperate mize resources and ensure their consumer Housewives” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” a consistent, high-quality experience.” NAYLOR

Senior VP and Head of Advertising Sales Hulu

A key member of Hulu’s senior team since 2014, HERNAN Naylor has worked to flex the muscles of over-the-top video advertising where the medium has unique advantages over legacy TV. He has expanded Hulu’s offerings for brands by introducing interactive ad units and LOPEZ alternate ad solutions, including industry firsts like “pause” and “binge” advertising units. He’s also been a leading force Founder and CEO in delivering measurement solutions Wondery in the OTT space, achieving complete measurement of viewership in OTT and launching the industry’s first closed-loop attribution tool. Prior to Hulu, Naylor was executive VP of digital media sales for NBCUniversal and has held sales management positions at iVillage, Lycos and Wired Digital. Trend to Watch: “When people talk about bundling up in 2020, it’s not a comment on the weather. Four years ago, Lopez left his longtime post as head of Fox Intl. Channels and Every streaming company has partnered launched an entrepreneurial podcasting venture. His vision: Scripted audio with a telco; [direct-to-consumer] brands entertainment would become a new center of gravity in the entertainment biz. are partnering with brick-and-mortar Today, Wondery is among the burgeoning industry’s biggest independent podcast stores; airlines are partnering with publishers, with hits like “Dr. Death,” “Dirty John,” “American History Tellers,” “Business Wars,” movie studios — new bundles will be “The Shrink Next Door” and “Gladiator,” several of which have been adapted for TV. A native the innovation lever everyone pulls.” of Argentina, Lopez moved to Miami in 1997, where he obtained an MBA from the University of Miami; he now lives in Los Angeles. Trend to Watch: “Storytelling-based podcasts will join premium TV shows in the cultural zeitgeist, while podcasting as a whole evolves from ‘nice-to-have’ to ‘must-have’ for advertisers.”

VARIETY 65 digital musicretailerCductive at EMIMusic;and co-founder of early company; seniorVPof digitalstrategy a crowdsourced designande-commerce his career, Ryan was CEOof Threadless, international rolloutin2020.Earlier He’sprogramming. eyeing abigger ofbrand-safe,smorgasbord premium-TV accesswith thelureof zero-cost toa out aswath of frontier thestreaming video, cancarve Ryan PlutoTV isbetting premium bucks intosubscription-based rivalsWhile media aresinkingmassive million uniqueviewers month. each titles—attractingof 20 on-demand networks andthousands TV plus linear now Theproduct offersmillion. 200- toViacomPluto TV last year for $340 to Watch: TOM content anddistributors.” creators and accordingly sowilladvertisers, televisioninrecordstreaming numbers, tofree,they willﬂock ad-supported to expand their bundlescost-effectively, viewers have budgets andseek limited this trendwillaccelerate. But since come tomarketsubscription services provider, andasmorehigh-proﬁle of theirtelevisioncontent fromasingle appsratherstreaming thangetting all bundlesviaahandful oftheir own TV RYAN Pluto TV Founder andCEO 66 AIT IIA NOAOS 2020 VARIETY DIGITALINNOVATORS video. Hesoldstartup internet onfree-to-watch bet ViacomCBS’ biggest single Ryan issteering thenew

“Viewers today arecreating VREY VARIETY .

Trend TODD YELLIN changing consumerbehaviors are monetized across AVOD, SVOD andTVOD models.” proliferation continuestoaccelerate, thetrend we willbewatching mostcloselyishow those WEST JOHN advisory firmacquired by outsourcing company CGIin2005. Whistle, West was founder andchairmanofSilver Oak Solutions,afinancialsoftware and Elisabeth Murdoch’s Snapchat-focused contentstudiothatwas backed by Snap. Before whose owners includedDiscovery, ITV, Ron Howard andBrianGrazer; andVertical Networks, Whistle’s playbook withtwo acquisitionsin2019: New Form, thedigitalentertainmentstudio Whistle Founder andCEO Netflix VP ofProduct Sky Sports,LibertyGlobalandJeffrey Katzenberg’s WndrCo. beefedWest up fans —andraised more than$100millionfrom investors includingNBCSports, digital contentcreators andpartnersto Since West startedWhistlein2009, thecompany hasbuiltaroster ofsports-centric nology and storytelling come together.” andstorytelling nology continues toriffonhow tech- our industry titles, closelyat for how looking 2020,I’llbe had with‘Bandersnatch’ andotherinteractive F telling. creativity, for newpossibilities story- opening about advances that of pushtheboundaries Trend to Watch:Trend to increasingly crowded landscape. streaming increasingly anditsappscompetitive inthe the service features, key andhiswork willbe tokeeping over Netflix’s curation andpersonalization snatch.” Yellin alsoisknown for obsessing active originalslike “BlackMirror:Bander- Netflix’sre-architecting inter- appstostream ators pushtheenvelope, whichhasincluded Yellin onhelpingothercre- ismorefocused it fareswithaudiences. Inhiscurrentrole, some time, allowing himtotrackexactly how onNetflixThe movie streaming for hasbeen indiedrama“Brother’sdirected Shadow.” ating Netflix 14years ago, hewroteand anotable exception:has been Before start- viewing metricswithcontent creators. Yellin Netflix isfamousfor notsharingdetailed reach millionsofyoung sports-culture ollowing successes theearly we’ve Trend to Watch:Trend to

“I’m always excited

“As OTT

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Untitled-41 1 12/27/19 3:13 PM CES 2020 PREVIEW FULL STREAM AHEAD

New technologies at CES 2020 ensure a seamless consumer experience

By Thomas K. Arnold Entertainment has always been a key component of the annual Consumer Electronics Show, but the explosive growth of subscription streaming is arguably making the tech nology showcased there more integral to Hollywood’s future than ever. ¶ The new breed of 8K TVs, expected to be on ample display at the Jan. 7-10 event in Las Vegas, not only offers an even better picture than 4K UHD, but also enhanced connect ivity to make sure tuning in to Netflix or Disney Plus is as seamless as watching broadcast TV. Voice assistants will help find favorite movies, artificial intelligence will help discover new favorites, and 5G will enhance wireless transmission into the home and into the car, where the promise of autonomous driving brings with it a whole new captive audience for filmed entertainment. ¶ “The streaming wars are having an impact on everyone,” says Michael Kassan, CEO of consulting firm MediaLink. ¶ Although the initials CES still stand for Consumer Electronics Show, the show’s focus in recent years has shifted away from hard ware and gadgets to technological innovation. And technological innovation is what made streaming possible in the first place. ¶ Here is a preview of this year’s CES, where more than 700,000 products will be showcased and more than 170,000 attendees from around the world are expected to attend.

courtesy of YouTube and Vimeo. October and December, and But no major movies have been the Microsoft Xbox Project Scar- released in 8K, and there’s been lett, also arriving in the fourth MUST-SEE TELEVISIONS no word from Hollywood — quarter of the year. which is still trying to push 4K Mark Wagman, managing Ultra HD into a mass-market item director and lead of the data The 8K era has arrived, — about when, and even if, 8K technology and solutions but where’s the content? content will be made available practice at MediaLink, says he on Blu-ray Disc or through digital expects 8K to be a “big deal” at delivery. Streamers, too, have the show, just as it was last year. been mum. “There are things on the Televisions have always been Dozens of models are now on And yet the lack of content floor that are fun to look at from center stage at CES, particularly the market, including a critically won’t be an issue for long. an aspirational aspect, and then with the advent of flat-screen hailed 65-inch model 8K QLED The 2020 Olympics in Tokyo there are things you can point TVs, high-definition TVs, 4K UHD TV from Samsung that early will be broadcast in 8K, giving to that will impact your world TVs and, now, 8K TVs, the lat- last month was on sale for less the new format a badly needed today,” he says. “I think 8K will be est advance in the drive to rep- than $4,000, nearly half the list publicity boost. And during one of those things where peo- licate the theatrical experience price. So the 8K era is upon us, the 2020 holiday season, the ple congregate with oohs and in homes — with an added touch although there’s still one crucial, next wave of video-game con- aahs about how cool it is, but of “smartness” through Inter- missing ingredient: content. soles will come to market with we’re not going to see it become net connectivity to enable easy Sure, there are bits and 8K capability — including the a significant consumer item for access to streaming services. pieces of 8K floating around, PlayStation 5, shipping between another 24 to 36 months.”

68 VARIETY Untitled-19 1 Evolution_of_MnE_ad_Variety_fullpage_FINAL.indd 1 ey.com/media-entertainment their enterprise to drive future growth. Discover how industry leaders are adapting of transformation? reinventing inanage entertainment businesses How are media and e u rs are a are rs re re g row d th. ap t ing

© 20 *( EYGMLimited. AllRightsReserved.EYG no.005949-19Gbl.1909-3277891. EDNone 12/26/2019 10:13:28 AM 12/27/19 2:28 PM ©©2 2018220018188E EYGMEYGMYGYGMGM Limited.LimiLimLiLimiimimim ted. AllA RightsRigigightsht Reserved.ReseResR rvedrved. EDEDE None.NonNo ee. CES 2020 PREVIEW VIRTUAL AND VOICE ASSISTANTS/ AUGMENTED REALITY SMART SPEAKERS

Less splash, more substance as companies Alexa, play the restored and remastered integrate tech into products ‘Gone With the Wind’

Hollywood’s infatuation with areas as display quality, body Alexa, Siri and “Hey, Google” reports last year that malicious virtual reality and augmented real- tracking, and ergonomics.” are once again expected to apps can eavesdrop through ity may be over, but that doesn’t VR lets professionals learn new be star attractions at CES Echo speakers and that Amazon mean the VR and AR business is skills in a safe environment. And 2020, along with a host of other stores audio recordings for dead. Indeed, according to the much of the excitement around companies that are integrating review by employees. CTA, this year’s CES will boast a AR, meanwhile, is centered around voice technology and artificial Wagman says while he 30% increase in VR and AR exhibi- location-based, or geo-based, AR, intelligence into their prod- remembers being wowed a tors compared to 2019. which uses GPS data to determine ucts. They’ve progressed from few years back by a Whirlpool “We’re no longer seeing the a device’s location and then adds turning on lights to managing “smart kitchen” display, “the splashy hardware platform an- virtual objects based on the acq- our fleet of household appli- pendulum appears to be swing- nouncements,” says Clifton Daw- uired data. Yelp’s Monocle app, for ances — and from an entertaining the other way in terms of son, CEO and principal analyst example, lets users ﬁnd nearby bars ment perspective, Alexa may what you and I would deem with Greenlight Insights. “But CES or restaurants by simply pointing soon turn into your personal creepy and not creepy.” He has become an important show their phone. And then there’s the movie concierge, finding and notes that Sonos last Septem- for immersive technology start- Star Walk app, which lets users even recommending movies or ber unveiled a speaker with no ups and other key technology point their devices toward the sky TV shows. voice assistant “for people who providers to demonstrate novel, and get the names of stars, con- And yet privacy concerns don’t want a microphone in compelling solutions in such stellations and visible planets. remain, particularly after their bedroom.” 5G WIRELESS ARRIVES CONNECTED CARS

Look, ma, no buffering Your personal mobile movie theaters

One of the most talked-about nology seems tailor-made for With the advent of connected their technology — not just what topics at the show will be 5G, streaming. And yet 5G won’t be an cars, computers help us park, they have, and also what they the next-generation wireless overnight sensation; it is estimated change lanes and brake; we can can do.” technology that began its global that by 2022, 5G phones will only also check text messages and IHS Markit forecasts that rollout last year. account for 50% of all phone units sync our phones. And with the by 2023 nearly 70% of passenger “Last year’s big story was shipped in the United States. promise of self-driving cars fast vehicles sold will be connected. 5G, and this year’s big story will Beyond streaming, 5G will becoming reality, it’s no wonder Self-driving cars are taking a be 5G,” says MediaLink’s Kassan. enable a wide range of new that CES has become a magnet little longer than initially anticip- Delivering data 20 times faster applications associated with the for carmakers as well as technol- ated, Carlson says, but when they than 4G, the technology also Internet of Things, from auton- ogy ﬁrms hoping to do business do roll around, watch out. boasts lower latency and massive omous cars to connected prod- with them. “If all of a sudden autono- capacity that will allow it to han- ucts in the home. “CES is now one of the big- mous driving becomes the thing, dle not only current devices, but In addition, “5G will be a major ger automotive shows in North you’re going to get a lot of driv- also emerging technologies such tailwind for the VR/AR indus- America and, to some extent, ers who commute who will now as autonomous cars and con- try in 2020,” says Dawson. “The the world,” says Jeremy Carl- be sitting in their cars, watch- nected home products. hype around 5G is a bit frothy, son, an automotive analyst with ing content,” Kassan says. “So I From an entertainment content but smart VR/AR companies are IHS Markit. “CES has really given think content creation and con- perspective, 5G couldn’t have starting to articulate how 5G will automakers, and automotive tent consumption will go up come at a better time. The tech- improve their current product.” suppliers, a place to showcase markedly.”

Tipsheet WHAT: CES 2020 WHEN: Jan. 7-10 WHERE: Las Vegas Convention Center WEB: ces.tech

70 VARIETY Untitled-9 1 12/27/19 2:12 PM CES ENTERTAINMENT SUMMIT

sexuality within a conservative community and features a diverse cast of people of color and sexual orientation.” “At a time when it feels like a new streaming service is always becoming available, it’s important to prioritize your audience and understand why they are watching your content,” says fellow panelist Rebecca Glashow, co-chief of AwesomenessTV. “I’m excited to share our learn- ings about Gen Z and share how this digitally native audience helps us create and identify compelling storytelling.” Andrew Wallenstein, Variety co-editor-in-chief. will interview Cuban in the day’s first head- liner conversation. Best known as one of the “sharks” on ABC’s long-running business reality competition series “Shark Tank,” Cuban is co-owner of 2929 Entertainment, whose holdings include Magnolia Pictures. John Harrison, global sector TECH CROWD PLUGS leader and partner of EY, and John Curbishley, Viacom exec VP of distribution strategy, will INTO INNOVATION examine the evolution of media and entertainment, while another panel will tackle the Variety summit explores storytelling opportunities By Thomas J. McLean challenge of finding the most- wanted young audiences. The tech breakthroughs that will drive the next level of Top creators and platform “We’re in an exciting period The summit kicks off with engagement, including arti- execs will discuss the ways that of evolution for the media busi- “Peak 2.0 — The Future of the ficial intelligence, voice acti- technology and innovation are ness, and making a direct con- Content Industry,” a panel vation, AR/VR and more, will transforming Hollywood during nection with your customer has directly examining the future of be scrutinized, while Heather Variety’s annual Entertain ment never been more important,” the seemingly limitless content Dumford, senior VP of Media- Summit at CES, set for Jan. 8 says Sean Kisker, exec VP and landscape; Colligan and Berman Link, leads a look into creating during the massive Consumer chief strategy officer of Otter will appear on the panel. personal brand engagement Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Media and WarnerMedia Direct- Another session will exam- across platforms in another of Billionaire entrepreneur to-Consumer, who will speak at ine zeitgeist storytelling and the summit’s panels. Mark Cuban, CBS Interactive the summit panel on building who’s using it best in the digital Additional conversations CEO Marc Debevoise, Imax pres- fandom around projects and age, with Suzanna Makkos, exec are set with Debevoise, chief ident Megan Colligan, Fox Enter- products. “We expect to share VP of comedy and animation at digital officer of CBSViacom tainment’s SideCar Content our perspectives on how vari- HBO Max among those weighing in addition to CEO of CBS Accelerator chair Gail Berman ous businesses understand this in on the topic. Interactive; NBCU’s Yaccarino; and Linda Yaccarino, chairman challenge, and how each thinks “Clearly, we need to aspire to Matt Derella, Twitter global of advertising and partnerships about the concept of fandom as the same standard of excellence VP of revenue and content at NBCUniversal, are among the a driver to their model.” as HBO, but are branching out partnerships; Guru Gowrappan, speakers scheduled for the Jan. 8 Oren Katzeff, Conde Nast beyond their core demo to reach exec VP and group CEO of event at the Aria Resort & Casino. president; Shay Mitchell, all audiences,” Makkos says. “For Verizon Media; Dawn Ostroff, Many of the sessions will attempt “Dollface” star and founder of example, we’re working with Spotify chief content officer; to make sense of the exploding Beis Travel; George Barrios, 18-year-old Zelda Barnes on a creator Lele Pons; and Farhad number of content platforms as co-president of WWE; and Jes- dramedy series called ‘Gener- Massoudi, Tubi CEO. He plans more and more companies enter sica Burns, head of brand and ation,’ which follows a group on talking about the growth in the streaming fray, pitching con- marketing at Grubhub will join of high school students in ad-supported video on demand tent directly to consumers. Kisker on the panel. their exploration of modern during his session.

Tipsheet WHAT: Variety’s Entertainment Summit at CES WHEN: Jan. 8 WHERE: Aria Resort & Casino, Las Vegas WEB: events.variety.com

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GOLDEN

GLOBES

2020

MAKING WAVES Tom Hanks became a leading man in 1984’s “Splash,” which also starred Daryl Hannah. MOVIESTORE/SHUTTERSTOCK

VARIETY CONTENDERS 75 CONTENDERS | GOLDEN GLOBES 2020 | CECIL B. DEMILLE AWARD

TWO-HANDER Tom Hanks co-starred with a volleyball in “Cast Away.”

Foreign Press Says Thanks for Hanks

THE CECIL B. DEMILLE HONOREE HAS TAKEN A LONG JOURNEY TO ICON STATUS

By Jenelle Riley

WHEN TOM HANKS jogged onto screen in It’s been a long journey from that which his timing and nice guy demeanor fit his feature film debut in the 1980 slasher low-budget horror movie to two-time Acad- perfectly into a variety of shenanigans. There pic “He Knows You’re Alone,” one proba- emy Award-winning actor, Emmy-award win- was of course his TV breakthrough, playing bly couldn’t have predicted he would go on ning producer and Hollywood’s Nicest Guy™. a man pretending to be a woman for cheap to become one of the most successful and On Jan. 5, the eight-time Golden Globe win- rent in the series “Bosom Buddies” (1980- beloved actors of all time. Playing a psy- ner will receive the Hollywood Foreign Press 1982). That was followed by his film break- chology student who postulates about the Assn.’s special honor, the Cecil B. deMille through as a man who falls in love with a appeal of fear, Hanks makes manages to the Award. Ever the overachiever, he also finds mermaid in 1984’s “Splash.” The Ron Howard most of his few minutes of screen time. And himself nominated that night for support- comedy made Hanks a box-office draw and even though it’s brief, you can catch some of ing actor in a film for his turn as Fred Rog- likely helped make his next film, the bawdy the hallmarks of what would later become ers in “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.” “Bachelor Party,” also released in 1984, a hit. a Tom Hanks performance — charismatic Hanks’ career arc is a fascinating one that But even in those early years, Hanks was but a little goofy, handsome but non-threat- can be broken down into several phases. Per- also dabbing in drama, be it the cult TV ening, and able to make any line sound like haps the first could best be described as his movie “Mazes and Monsters” or a multi-ep- it has a handful of meanings. charming goofball phase — comedies in isode arc on “Family Ties” that proved 20TH CENTURY FOX/DREAMWORKS/KOBAL/SHUTTERSTOCK 20TH CENTURY

76 VARIETY CONTENDERS THE 77TH ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS

WE PROUDLY CONGRATULATE OUR NOMINATED CLIENTS

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA

ANTONIO BANDERAS PAIN AND GLORY

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES - DRAMA

BRIAN COX* SUCCESSION

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES - DRAMA

TOBIAS MENZIES* THE CROWN

* SHARED REPRESENTATION WITH CONWAY VAN GELDER GRANT

Untitled-37 1 12/27/19 3:07 PM CONTENDERS | GOLDEN GLOBES 2020 | CECIL B. DEMILLE AWARD

surprisingly dark. On that TV hit, Hanks the Moon” and “The Pacific.” His production embracing the weird and wonderful David played the adored Uncle Ned to Michael J. company had theatrical hits including “My S. Pumpkins character he created on a Hal- Fox’s Alex P. Keaton and over three episodes Big Fat Greek Wedding” and “Mamma Mia!” loween episode of “Saturday Night Live” in audiences saw him steal money from his But Hanks wasn’t coasting; this was his an animated special. It was on that same epi- employers, grapple with a drinking prob- freestyle phase, in which he did what he sode in which he introduced his persona of lem and, in his final appearance, physically wanted, critics and box office seeming not “America’s Dad,” slipping into a sweater for assault Alex. Seeing the beloved Hanks rough a concern. For most of the 2000s, he made a a kind talk with the audience. up the beloved Fox was a jarring sight in wide range of choices, from the Coen broth- The role and the sweater fit so well, it 1984, but even more so now that Hanks has ers’ flop “The Ladykillers” to his first live-ac- seems inevitable he would go on to play Mr. become, as he himself said in a recent “Satur- tion franchise in “The Da Vinci Code” to the Rogers in “A Beautiful Day in the Neighbor- day Night Live” monologue, “America’s Dad.” strange and unclassifiable “Cloud Atlas.” hood.” Hanks now appears to be in his Icon Over the next few years, Hanks’ likabil- This led to a strange occurrence, where phase; in additional to Mr. Rogers, he embod- ity would be used to good effect in movies Hanks — who everyone knew was one of the ied the hero pilot in “Sully” for director didn’t make use of the actor’s full potential. best — seemed to move into an Underrated Clint Eastwood and is set to play Col. Tom “The Man With One Red Shoe” and “Volun- phase. Going into 2013, the question wasn’t Parker in an untitled Elvis Presley biopic for teers” were forgettable (although he met his if he’d be Oscar-nominated that year; rather Baz Luhrmann. His production company wife, Rita Wilson, on the latter). “The Money it was how many times. Yet both his turn obtained the rights to remake the Swedish Pit” and “The ’Burbs” aren’t remarkable, but as Walt Disney in “Saving Mr. Banks” and his film “A Man Called Ove” with Hanks set to have proven to be cult favorites. He leaned stellar work in “Captain Phillips” came up play the cranky but loveable lead. more into drama in two 1986 films: “Noth- short on nominations day — the latter most It’s been a journey from that charming ing in Common” opposite Jackie Gleason, surprising as he’d earned all the precursor goofball of the 1980s to playing stately older and the little-seen war drama “Every Time noms from Globes, SAG and BAFTA awards. men, and Hanks has maintained his profile We Say Goodbye.” But it was clear audiences He collaborated twice more with Steven along with a highly regarded persona. He’ll wanted comedic Hanks, and he quickly Spielberg — in 2015’s “Bridge of Spies” and in deliver at least one speech, perhaps two, on returned to such fare as 1987’s “Dragnet.” 2017’s “The Post” — and while the films and Golden Globes night, but with him as the It was a high-concept comedy, Penny his co-stars were nominated, Hanks was not. honoree, everyone knows it will be funny, Marshall’s 1988 film “Big,” that would kick- Not that he was complaining. The actor charming and heartfelt — much like the start the next phase of Hanks’ career: The seemed to be having the time of his life, man himself. respected Oscar nominee. No one could have predicted that Hanks, playing a 13-year-old ICON PHASE boy who wakes up in the body of an adult “Toy Story 4” man, would be an Academy Award con- (top) and tender, but he brought a humanity and real- “A Beautiful Day in the ism to the comedy that landed him his first Neighborhood” Oscar nomination. Now a serious actor in the brought skills eyes of Hollywood, he was cast in the star- of Hanks to the fore. ring role in the highly anticipated adaptation of Tom Wolfe’s “The Bonfire of the Vanities,” but that film went on to become one of the most talked-about disasters of the decade. It was another comedy with Marshall that put him back on track and landed him his second Oscar nomination, 1992’s “A League of Their Own.” From that hit, he entered his bona-fide Leading Man phase, winning over critics and audiences alike with films such as 1993’s “Sleepless in Seat- tle” and gaining his first Academy Award for 1993’s drama “Philadelphia.” He followed that with another win the following year for “Forrest Gump.” At this point, Hanks was in his full- fledged superstar phase; he could make smart movies for adults that were also box-office bonanzas, from “Apollo 13” to “Sav- ing Private Ryan” to “Cast Away.” He endeared himself to a younger audience by voicing Woody in 1995’s “Toy Story”; this year, he voiced the last film in that beloved franchise, “Toy Story 4.” He began to work more behind the camera, writing and directing his feature debut “That Thing You Do!” and producing such miniseries as “From the Earth to TOY SOTRY 4: PIXAR/DISNEY; BEAUTIFUAL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD: LACEY TERRELL/TRISTAR PICTURES TERRELL/TRISTAR IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD: LACEY DAY BEAUTIFUAL 4: PIXAR/DISNEY; SOTRY TOY

78 VARIETY CONTENDERS We proudly congratulate our clients on their Golden Globe® Nominations AND THEIR NOMINATED PROJECTS FILM Best Performance by an Actor Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Best Television Series - in a Motion Picture – Drama JOHN DYKSTRA Musical or Comedy ADAM DRIVER VFX SUPERVISOR JESSY HODGES Marriage Story REBECCA GAYHEART STEPHEN ROOT VICTORIA PEDRETTI Barry Best Motion Picture – Drama JAMES REMAR LOUIS CANCELMI REBECCA RITTENHOUSE GARY DOLLNER SAMANTHA ROBINSON EDITOR DOMENICK LOMBARDOZZI TONY MILLER ALEKSA PALLADINO DREAMA WALKER DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY DASCHA POLANCO Once Upon A Time In Hollywood Fleabag The Irishman ALAN BAUMGARTEN EDITOR LISA EDELSTEIN McKINLEY BELCHER TOM EAGLES PAUL REISER KYLE BORNHEIMER EDITOR MELISSA TANG ADAM DRIVER SAM ROCKWELL The Kominsky Method MOTELL FOSTER Jojo Rabbit BILL GROOM MARY HOLLIS INBODEN TATE DONOVAN PRODUCTION DESIGNER CARLOS JACOTT Rocketman LUKE KIRBY RAY LIOTTA Best Motion Picture – Foreign Language KEVIN POLLAK AYDEN MAYERI VANESSA PORTER The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel LUCAS NEFF COSTUME DESIGNER ROSLYN RUFF The Farewell JUDITH LIGHT ROBBIE RYAN JULIA SCHLAEPFER DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY TELEVISION The Politician MARY WISEMAN Best Performance by an Actor in Marriage Story a Limited Series or Motion Picture Best Television Limited Series or DENNIS GASSNER Made for Television Motion Picture Made for Television PRODUCTION DESIGNER SAM ROCKWELL KYLE CHANDLER GERRAN HOWELL FOSSE/VERDON GERRAN HOWELL LEE SMITH Catch-22 EDITOR Best Performance by an Actress in a JAYNE-ANN TENGGREN Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series NATE CORDDRY PRODUCER or Motion Picture Made for Television PAUL REISER 1917 PATRICIA ARQUETTE SAM ROCKWELL The Act GLENN FLESHLER FOSSE/VERDON Joker Best Television Series - Drama ANDREA ARNOLD TOM McCARTHY Best Motion Picture – Animated DIRECTOR/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER WRITER/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER JOHN HARRINGTON BLAND JEREMY SISTO KELEN COLEMAN MERRIN DUNGEY WRITER/PRODUCER ALAN TUDYK Big Little Lies PATCH DARRAGH Frozen II JOSH HELMAN BEN DANIELS PATRICIA ARQUETTE ALEKSA PALLADINO The Crown WILLIAM REXER KIEL MURRAY CINEMATOGRAPHY WRITER JACK DAVENPORT Toy Story 4 The Morning Show COLLEEN SHARP EDITOR CALEB DESCHANEL J. SMITH-CAMERON The Loudest Voice DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY ANNABELLE DEXTER-JONES JOHN OLIVER JUSTINE LUPE AUSTIN HEBERT TOM. C. PEITZMAN ARIAN MOAYED OMAR MASKATI EXEC-PRODUCER SUSAN SOON HE STANTON Unbelievable Lion King WRITER ASHLEY ZUKERMAN Succession

0102 WV GERSH - golden globe noms.v8.indd 1 12/26/19 10:06 PM CONTENDERS | GOLDEN GLOBES 2020 | CAROL BURNETT AWARD

Connelly says if DeGeneres was only known for that moment in television history, “that would be plenty,” but of course things did not stop there. DeGeneres became beloved by a whole new generation when she voiced Dory in “Finding Nemo” in 2003, the same year she launched her self-titled talk show. “The first year, I really wanted to do well, because I wanted to keep it going,” DAYTIME DeGeneres said on the Sept. 16 episode of DARLING “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” “After a while Barack Obama and I was like, ‘I know what I’m putting out Ellen there, I’m doing my best.’” DeGeneres That conﬁdence was key to establishing on set the talk show’s early tone. “She had a very clear vision for what she wanted the show to be: She wanted to be funny. She wanted it to be caring. She wanted it to be news-making,” Connelly recalls. A pivotal shift for the series came when Hurricane Katrina struck DeGeneres’ hometown of New Orleans in 2005. After learning of a woman who was displaced twice, the series gave her a new vehicle — something that would become a staple for the show. Rutgers student Tyler Clemen- ti’s death by suicide in 2010 also touched DeGeneres and inspired her now-daily mantra, “Be kind to one another.” Making It Cool DeGeneres is also a vocal supporter of wildlife conservation efforts; Portia de Rossi, DeGeneres’ wife, announced the creation of the Ellen DeGeneres Wildlife Fund to Be Kind on the talk show in 2018. “Ellen has a way of helping people,” Con- nelly says. “There are plenty of other shows CAROL BURNETT HONOREE ELLEN DEGENERES IS who try, but getting the combination of GENEROUS WITH LAUGHS AND ASSISTANCE helping people and [making them] laugh while you’re doing it is the magic of Ellen.” By Marisa Roffman With the show’s success have come career highlights for DeGeneres and an expansion of her own brand. In addition to hosting Emmy, Grammy and Oscar telecasts, her production company, A Very Good Pro- duction, has been behind scripted (“Green SHE ALREADY HAS MORE than 30 Emmy worked with Burnett on the sitcom “Mad Eggs and Ham,” “Splitting Up Together”) Awards, a star on the Walk of Fame, a Pea- About You,” says that DeGeneres is a natu- and unscripted (“Little Big Shots”) fare. body, the Mark Twain Prize for Ameri- ral successor. “These two women are both “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” has also can Humor and the Presidential Medal of incredibly smart, incredibly professional,” expanded beyond the traditional daily epi- Freedom. Now Ellen DeGeneres is adding she says. “Both know the importance of sode. “Ellen’s Game of Games,” a primetime another trophy to her list of accomplish- the audience in comedy and are well-pre- game show based on popular segments from ments: the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn.’s pared. And if something goes wrong, that the daytime series, is entering its third sea- Carol Burnett Award. was gold [too]. [They] have the ability to son on NBC. “Ellen’s Greatest Night of Give- The honor, which was created in 2019, laugh at that. ” aways,” a three-night special in December, is intended to pay homage to impactful DeGeneres has been a near-consistent was a supersized version of the annual holi- achievement in television and will be given presence on television since 1989, when she day-centered “12 Days of Giveaways” segment. during the 77th Annual Golden Globes co-starred on the Fox comedy “Open House.” “What Ellen is doing is making it cool to on Jan. 5. DeGeneres, who was previously But it was the 1994-98 ABC comedy “Ellen” be kind,” Connelly says. “It’s important to nominated for three Golden Globes for — known as “These Friends of Mine” for its have a place where you can turn on the TV her eponymous sitcom, will be the second ﬁrst season — that changed things for the for an hour and it’s just going to be fun. You recipient of the award after Burnett herself. comedian, when her character famously can watch it with your kids, your parents or “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” executive came out weeks after DeGeneres acknowl- your grandparents. Everybody gets to have producer Mary Connelly, who previously edged she was gay, too. the same experience.” WARNER BROS. WARNER

80 VARIETY CONTENDERS Untitled-24 1 12/27/19 2:32 PM ARTISTS FIRST WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE OUR CLIENT AWKWAFINA ON HER GOLDEN GLOBE® NOMINATION

0102 WV Artists First- golden globe noms.indd 1 12/17/19 11:04 AM GOLDEN GLOBES | CONTENDERS Globes Get Even Glitzier

THIS YEAR’S BATTALION OF NOMINATED STARS WILL BRING THEIR TOP GAME TO THE RED CARPET

By Jasmin Rosemberg

WORK IT “We can be as big and beautiful and bold as Harriet Cynthia Erivo was,” he says. commanded the Erivo arrived at the Los Angeles premiere in an Governors Awards explosive feathered Marc Jacobs gown, and at the Gov- red carpet in her ernors Awards, she “owned” a green Valentino Couture green Valentino Couture gown look with a dramatic train. with train. Erivo accessorizes with multiple earrings and dis- tinctive jewelry, 70% of which is her own. “She has a lot of tiny piercings and we build off that,” says Bolden, who stars on Netflix series “Styling Hollywood” with his husband, interior designer Adair Curtis. “It’s not what you typically see on a carpet, so I think that’s why everybody is very intrigued.” She’s also spontaneously worn spikes on her head, or dyed her hair lilac or green. “That’s part of her personality: She goes to the beat of her own drum and she’s not trying to conform. She’s haute couture and avant-garde — she loves all of it.” This awards season, Bolden is “taking the happy back.” “Coming off the Emmys, we saw a lot of color,” he says. “So I hope there’s color, volume, really cool tex- ture. I want to take it back to a time where people were having fun.” One star having fun with fashion is “The Marvel- ous Mrs. Maisel’s” Rachel Brosnahan, who’s been don- ning outfits worthy of her clotheshorse character. “She likes color and structure,” say her stylists Jill Lincoln and Jordan Johnson, who answered together, and who also outfit Constance Wu, Kathryn Hahn and Marga- ret Qualley. Brosnahan sparkled at the Emmys in a blue sequin Elie Saab dress with matching eye makeup, a beauty trend. For “Maisel’s” Season 3 premiere, she rocked a metallic pink suit — something Lincoln and Johnson consider a safe Globes bet. “Usually there will be some statement takes on suiting and major jewelry pieces as the focal point of outfits,” they say. Don’t discount a surprise: “For the Emmys, three actresses showed up in combo pink-red dresses, a random design choice that turned into a major trend story.” Stylist Michael Fisher, whose clients include Adam WITH STREAMERS SUCH AS Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and Driver, Sam Rockwell and “Succession’s” Kieran Culkin newcomer Apple TV Plus bringing top talent into the Globes race, this and Nicholas Braun, says men’s fashion will be less year’s red carpet is looking starrier than ever — and more vibrant. erratic. Two years after the Globes fashion “blackout,” contenders are wearing “There are so many heavy-hitter actors, and very clothes as bold and groundbreaking as the characters they portray. seasoned, well-respected guys on the carpet this year,” “If Harriet [Tubman] had a moment to present herself, this is how he says. “Because of the seriousness of the movies, I I would want to see Harriet,” says Cynthia Erivo’s stylist Jason Bolden. think it’s going to be a bit more classic and traditional. “With the great integrity, the color, the fierceness and the strength that … People like DiCaprio and De Niro and Pacino will come in all of the looks Cynthia has worn.” stay pretty true to what they’ve always looked like. Last Bolden, who also dresses Ava DuVernay, Janet Mock and Taraji P. year, because it was the first year out of the #MeToo Henson, wanted Erivo’s “Harriet” attire to have “this really fantastic, movement, a lot of guys were still walking this line of SHUTTERSTOCK / colorful, happy vibration.” ‘I’m going to be appropriate and tasteful.’ There was a OB LATOUR ROB LATOUR/SHUTTERSTOCK R

VARIETYV ARIETY CONTENDERSCONTENDERS 83 CONTENDERS | GOLDEN GLOBES

lot of black and white; I think you’ll see that. There will definitely be Rahm. “That day put us on the map in a way we never embellishments, more colors.” could have imagined,” Ratelle says. With Driver, he keeps things “clean and formulaic.” “He’s like a Then came the Oscars. “We knew it was going to be Pacino or Anthony Hopkins; he’s such a classic, strong actor, that we’re something, but I don’t think we understood the impact going to stay really classic and stick to black silhouettes, white shirt- it would have on humanity,” he says of Porter’s tux- ing, classic bow ties.” edo gown. “To sit in a room with Christian [Siriano, the The more daring dresser, Rockwell, nominated for his portrayal of designer] and just tell somebody, ‘Hey, I want to wear a legendary choreographer-director Bob Fosse in “Fosse/Verdon,” likes ball gown at the Oscars,’ and have that person not look to move around, so Fisher wants clothes to be “fluid.” at you like you’re crazy was such a wonderful feeling. “We don’t do a lot of straight ties, because he’s not that … We created this magical moment that was founda- buttoned-up as a person,” he says. “We do embellished things — he tionally about authenticity: That is exactly who he is, loves his crazy socks. We’re going to do something really special for he has always wanted to wear a ball gown at the Oscars the Globes and I’m also taking into consideration Fosse, that kind of and that’s exactly what he did.” stage presence and showmanship.” Ratelle considers the tuxedo a quintessential ward- Fisher hopes Emmy trends including velvet and brown tuxedos robe staple — “whether it’s a female or male energy.” fizzle, and credits Timothée Chalamet and Cody Fern, among others, “Victoria Beckham did an incredible collection for for reinterpreting black-tie formalwear. spring 2020 where she featured the tuxedo and what “The majority of actors are going to go more classic, and then there it means,” he says. “I’m excited to see what men do with will be that younger Hollywood, that Billy Porter, these more over-the- IT’S REIGNING MEN their tuxes, and also what women do in regards to mix- top fashion guys, that are definitely going to do it.” Adam Driver (from left) ing up the gender conversation.” Stylist Sam Ratelle says his client Porter, who plays fashion icon likes a clean, classic On the gender-bending front, Porter’s been an inspi- Pray Tell on FX’s “Pose,” carries himself “like royalty.” look, while Sam Rock- ration to all — Ratelle included. “He really wants to walk tall and represent where he comes from,” well likes to play with “Even looking at my own sense of fashion, I guess fashion. Billy Porter he says. “To me, he’s this royal human being.” I never put heels on because nobody ever allowed me has raised the bar for That was the impetus for Porter’s 2019 Globes look, a floral- how to bring it on the to feel safe doing that,” he says. “I think he allows us to embroidered jacket and pink-lined “emperor-like” cape by Randi red carpet. be a little bit less afraid.” RSTOCK /PICTUREGROUP/SHUTTERSTOCK; PORTER: MATT BARON/BEI/SHUTTE MATT PORTER: /PICTUREGROUP/SHUTTERSTOCK; DRIVER: ALBERTO TERENGHI/IPA/SHUTTERSTOCK; ROCKWELL: SCOTT KIRKLAND/FX ROCKWELL: SCOTT TERENGHI/IPA/SHUTTERSTOCK; DRIVER: ALBERTO

84 VARIETY CONTENDERS CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR FRIENDS AND CLIENTS ON THEIR NOMINATIONS FOR THE 77TH GOLDEN GLOBE® AWARDS

SCARLETT JOHANSSON BEST ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE (DRAMA) MARRIAGE STORY ANDREW MIANO CHRIS WEITZ DAN BALGOYEN DEPTH OF FIELD BEST MOTION PICTURE (FOREIGN LANGUAGE) THE FAREWELL TAIKA WAITITI BEST MOTION PICTURE (MUSICAL OR COMEDY) JOJO RABBIT LULU WANG BEST MOTION PICTURE (FOREIGN LANGUAGE) THE FAREWELL RAMY YOUSSEF BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES (MUSICAL OR COMEDY) MO RRIS RAMY Y OR N BARN ES AND TO L EV I NE K R I NTZM AN ELLEN DEGENERES RUBENST EIN KOHN E R FOR RECEIVING EN D LICH THE CAROL BURNETT AWARD GELLMAN LAVV FIR M

0102 WV Morris Yorn - golden globes.v3.indd 1 12/17/19 4:07 PM CONTENDERS | VARIETY VAULT | GOLDEN GLOBES

A SOLDIER’S STORY George MacKay stars in the World War I drama “1917” from Sam Mendes.

nominated for best picture, ranging from “The Great World War I: The Dictator” (1940) to “Darkest Hour” and “Dunkirk” (both 2017). And Hollywood has cranked out hundreds of lesser films centering on various aspects of the war. Though there have been significantly fewer World War I movies, they tend to be top quality. Underserved War Best-picture winners include “Wings,” “All Quiet on the Western Front” and “Lawrence of Arabia,” while other Oscar nominees include “Sergeant York,” “A Fare- THE GREAT WAR AND A HISTORY OF RARE BUT GREAT FILMS well to Arms” and the French-language “Grand Illu- By Tim Gray sion” (1938). Some brilliant films didn’t earn Academy recognition, including Stanley Kubrick’s “Paths of Glory,” Peter Weir’s “Gallipoli” and two greats that were ineligible, King Vidor’s 1925 “The Big Parade” and Peter Jackson’s 2018 documentary, “They Shall Not Grow Old.” WORLD WAR II has been a favorite subject of Hol- obscure. It was partly for profiteering, partly because WWI was the first war featuring airplane fighting, lywood since 1940, before the U.S. even entered the empires were starting to lose their stakes abroad.” machine guns and nerve gas. An estimated 16 million fighting. But the industry has been less interested in There are other reasons why the second war is cov- died; genocides and the Spanish influenza killed an World War I, aka The Great War or The War to End All ered more. It’s easier to research, via conversations additional 50 million-100 million. And the cease-fire of Wars (as it was sadly/optimistically dubbed). with survivors, as well as books, newsreels and many 1918 left many things unresolved that erupted again In the past 25 years, there have been 16 best- other sources. in the World War II. picture Oscar nominees set during WWII. In those In contrast, there are no living survivors of World For research, Wilson-Cairns went to the area in same years, there was only one set in World War I: War I. Wilson-Cairns adds, “I couldn’t research online; France depicted in the film. “When I was there, I real- Steven Spielberg’s “War Horse.” I had to go to the Imperial War Museum and to ized something I had read but never understood: This is just one of many reasons why Universal- France, and find books out of print for decades.” that men died so their country could gain inches, just DreamWorks’ “1917” seems so remarkable. Over the years, Oscar voters awarded best picture inches of land.” Krysty Wilson-Cairns, who co-wrote “1917” with to eight films about World War II: “Mrs. Miniver,” “Casa- It’s difficult to tell stories about this war in a way director Sam Mendes, says she’s not surprised film- blanca,” “The Best Years of Our Lives,” “From Here to that’s engaging or inspiring, but Mendes found the makers have gravitated to the later war. “The Second Eternity,” “The Bridge on the River Kwai,” “Patton,” key in tales of his grandfather Alfred Mendes. World War was about countries uniting to fight the “Schindler’s List” and “The English Patient.” (WWII also Though much attention has been paid to the amaz- tyranny of the Nazis; it seemed like the only option figured in such winners as “The Sound of Music” and ing technical achievements of the film and its immer- to save humanity. “The King’s Speech.”) sive experience, “1917” really works because of the

“But with the First World War, the motivations are In addition, there have been a slew of WWII ﬁlms immersive emotions. It’s one from the heart. PICTURES UNIVERSAL

86 VARIETY CONTENDERS ELLENCONGRATULATIONS

ON RECEIVING THE CAROL BURNETT AWARD

with love from Harley and all your friends at

0102 WV Neuman + Associates - congrats ellen.v3.indd 1 12/18/19 5:32 PM CONGRATULATIONS TO NICOLE KIDMAN

ON HER GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATION

FOR HER PERFORMANCE IN “BIG LITTLE LIES”

Untitled-26 1 12/27/19 2:34 PM CONTENDERS | GOLDEN GLOBES

COMEDY CHOPS Ricky Gervais will be hosting the Getting 77th Annual Golden Globes, his fifth time emceeing the the Party celebration. Started

GOLDEN GLOBES READY FOR UNPREDICTABLE RICKY GERVAIS TO HOST FOR THE FIFTH TIME

By Michael Schneider

WHILE THE ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURE Arts and Sciences once again ponders an Oscars telecast without a host, the Golden Globes is returning to one who completely changed the awards-hosting game. The Globes had gone without a host for most of its history when it chose Ricky Gervais to emcee the 2010 show. He was unpredictable, he poked fun at the celebrities in attendance and he even saved some sav- age shots for the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. It was a hit, and he was brought back in 2011, 2012, 2016, and now, in 2020. “I believe that decision at that time certainly helped change the landscape of award show hosts,” says Barry Adelman, an executive producer on the Golden Globes telecast and executive vice president of television at Dick Clark Prods. “After that, everybody wanted hosts that were more irreverent and more ‘anything can happen.’ And of course, we kept inviting Ricky back when we could. Sometimes he was available, sometimes he wasn’t. This year, we thought, maybe it’s a great time to have Ricky back, and it “When Ricky hosts, you fasten your seat belt back- Understanding this vibe is key for both the host turned out that he was interested too.” stage,” he says. “You don’t know where he’s going and the audience. And Gervais certainly seems to be It was Gervais’ hosting turn that boxed the Oscars to go, but I think he can read the room. I think he impervious to the critiques and bashing on social into its current hosting conundrum, as the Academy knows what’s going on in society. And he’s a profes- media that scare away other celebrities from hosting. searches for a unicorn: a well-known star who can sional. Wherever he may go, it’s always an adventure “He’s got a pretty tough hide,” Adelman says. “And balance the show’s pomp and circumstance with for me. But once I give him the keys to the car, I’m I think that by now, the audience at home and in the some edge. Sometimes it’s worked (Jimmy Kimmel) willing to let him drive.” room get the joke. Ricky can take a joke, and he can and sometimes it’s been a disaster (James Franco and Adelman feels that every awards show has to take a critique, too. I think one of the great moments Anne Hathaway). Last year, Kevin Hart was tapped for decide what is right for them regarding a host. For the from the last time Ricky hosted is when Mel Gibson, the gig but didn’t end up taking the stage after some Golden Globes, the goal is still to create a “party” vibe. after getting pretty roughed up by Ricky said, ‘You of his old homophobic tweets resurfaced. “I think the people who come to it enjoy coming know, I always look forward to Ricky Gervais hosting Gervais, of course, has also had his fair share there,” he says. “There’s always nervous tension in an the show — like a colonoscopy.’” of controversies, particularly after he made jokes award show because everybody in the audience is In the years since Gervais, the Globes managed to about transgender people in his 2018 Netﬂix special nominated. It’s hard to sit and relax, but if there is continue its string of solid hosts with Amy Poehler “Humanity.” (A series of tweets on Dec. 20, comment- an event like this where you can relax, it’s certainly and Tina Fey; Jimmy Fallon; Seth Meyers; and last ing on author J.K. Rowling, who has also been accused the Golden Globes. The people that we have asked year, the combo of Sandra Oh and Andy Samberg. But of transphobia, prompted more backlash.) Adelman to host the Globes feel that way, and that’s why they Adelman says Gervais “is always at the top of our list isn’t worried about Gervais crossing the line on the take the assignment — I think they think it’s going to for potential hosts. And so, when he’s available, we telecast, however. be a fun night.” jump on it.” PAUL DRINKWATER/NBC PAUL

VARIETYV ARIETY CONTENDERSCONTENDERS 89 CONTENDERS | GOLDEN GLOBES Going for Globes TV Gold AN ANALYSIS OF SMALL-SCREEN CONTENDERS’ CHANCES AHEAD OF THE 77TH ANNUAL CEREMONY

By Michael Schneider

AWARDS ROYALTY THE GOLDEN GLOBES AIM TO SURPRISE, so predict- HFPA favorite Olivia Colman is ing winners should always be taken with a grain of salt. nominated for “The That’s especially true with a voting body as small as Crown” this year. the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn., which boasts fewer than 100 members. Nonetheless, there are certain quirks to be found among HFPA voters that might give a hint to which way they’re leaning, especially given past picks. Starting in the drama series category, the easy choice is Netflix’s “The Crown.” It’s a show about British royalty, and stars modern acting royalty: Olivia Colman. The show won the drama series Globe in 2017 (for the 2016 calendar year), when it also awarded then-star Claire Foy in the drama actress category. But should the Globes voters want to mix things up, this is an opportunity to award HBO’s buzzy “Succes- sion” before the Emmys have a chance. And although it’s also the first opportunity for Apple TV Plus’ “The Morning Show” to pick up a trophy, its mixed-to- negative reviews likely mean that the big win was just being nominated. Among drama actress nominees, the aforementioned Colman has a leg up: She just won a Globe last year, as musical or comedy film actress for “The Favou- rite,” and also a TV supporting actress Globe in 2017 for “The Night Manager.” “The Morning Show” stars Jenni- fer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon will likely split the vote, while Jodie Comer (“Killing Eve”) isn’t expected to repeat her Emmy win, and Nicole Kidman is also canceled out by her “Big Little Lies” co-star Witherspoon. Drama actor is a harder one to predict: “Pose’s” Billy Porter has all the momentum, but if HFPA voters truly adore “The Crown,” Tobias Menzies could surprise. “Suc- cession” star Brian Cox is a scene-stealer, while “Game of Thrones” star Kit Harrington and previous winner Rami Malek (“Mr. Robot”) are less likely. In comedy, last year’s series winner, “The Kominsky Method,” isn’t expected to repeat, as the draw of Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s “Fleabag” and its dominant Emmys showing, may be too hard to ignore. The spoiler here could be Ryan Murphy’s “The Politician,” the kind of comedy/drama/musical/camp combo that HFPA voters have rewarded in the past — having given Murphy’s “Glee” back-to-back wins a decade ago. “The Marvel- ous Mrs. Maisel,” which won in 2018 (for the 2017 year) could also pop back up, but it and “Barry” will likely be rewarded on the acting side instead. Indeed, the titular “Mrs. Maisel,” Rachel Brosnahan, could be in line for her third consecutive Globe vic-

tory as comedy actress — making it the ﬁrst three-peat CLASSICS PICTURES PAVÓN/SONY MANOLO

90 VARIETY CONTENDERS Untitled-43 1 12/27/19 3:15 PM CONTENDERS | WRITERSGOLDEN GLOBES

since Sarah Jessica Parker did it with “Sex and the City.” But the aforementioned Waller-Bridge might also break her streak, setting up another battle of the Amazon Prime Video stars. Natasha Lyonne (“Russian Doll”), Kirsten Dunst (“On Becoming a God in Central Flor- ida”) and Christina Applegate (“Dead to Me”) likely can’t touch the showdown between Brosnahan and Waller-Bridge. On the comedy actor side, it feels like “Barry” star Bill Hader’s turn, although incumbent winner Michael Douglas could also repeat. If the Globes really do CONTINUED SUCCESS embrace “The Politician,” then Ben Platt is the kind of The Emmy winning “Chernobyl” is a uber-talented star the HFPA loves. It was exciting to frontrunner in the see “Ramy” star Ramy Youssef and “Living With Your- limited series/TV self’s” Paul Rudd get nominated, but they will have to movie race. make do with that. As for limited series or TV movie, the disappoint- ment of Netﬂix’s “When They See Us” not getting nominated still stings. It would have been a chance for for Globes fave Sacha Baron Cohen (“The Spy”) or “The Kaitlyn Dever will likely cancel each other out and the Globes to give the Ava DuVernay program its due. Loudest Voice’s” Russell Crowe, whose transformation “The Act’s” Joey King is bubbling under. Instead, HBO’s Emmy dominator “Chernobyl” seems into Fox News boss Roger Ailes was extraordinary. Then there are the supporting categories. Can “Hot like the front-runner here over FX’s “Fosse/Verdon,” “Fosse/Verdon” Emmy winner Michelle Williams Priest” Andrew Scott (“Fleabag”) top better-known Showtime’s “The Loudest Voice,” Netﬂix’s “Unbeliev- will likely repeat in the limited series/TV movie nominees Henry Winkler, Alan Arkin, Kieran Culkin able” and Hulu’s “Catch-22.” actress category, although Helen Mirren (“Catherine and Stellan Skarsgard? And how will the battle of And with Emmy winner Jharrel Jerome not nomi- the Great”) has been nominated 16 times — winning titans Meryl Streep, Patricia Arquette, Helena Bonham nated, “Chernoby’s” Jared Harris is likely in line for the three — at the Globes, so clearly she has some fans Carter, Toni Collette and Emily Watson play out? We’ll limited series/TV movie actor award, but watch out in the HFPA. “Unbelievable” stars Merritt Wever and see on Jan. 5. HBO / LIAM DANIEL ) THIS PAGE ( NETFLIX / DES WILLIE ) PREVIOUS PAGE (PREVIOUS PAGE) DES WILLIE/NETFLIX (THIS PAGE) LIAM DANIEL/HBO DES WILLIE/NETFLIX (THIS PAGE) (PREVIOUS PAGE) (

92 VARIETY COCONTENDERSNTENDERS CONGRATULATIONS TO CHUCK LORRE

ON HIS GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATION

FOR THE NETFLIX SERIES “THE KOMINSKY METHOD”

Untitled-25 1 12/27/19 2:33 PM THE HOLLYWOOD FOREIGN PRESS ASSOCIATION® CONGRATULATES RICKY GERVAIS ON HOSTING THE

SUNDAY, JANUARY 5TH 2019 8PM ET/5PM PT ON NBC

0102 WV Stacked Ads_LA STAGE & HWF PRESS.indd 6 12/27/19 4:10 PM Matt Damon and Christian Bale star in Ford v Ferrari, based on the true story of visionary American car designer Carroll Shelby (Damon) DRIVEN and fearless British-born driver Ken Miles (Bale). Together, Shelby and Miles battled corporate interference, the laws of physics, and their own demons to build a revolutionary race car and take on the world’s to DREAM premier racing team, Ferrari. In this video series, we shine a light on James Mangold’s inspired direction and his master craftspeople. Under Mangold’s leadership, they came together to create a thrilling and original theatrical experience.

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Untitled-18 1 12/27/19 2:28 PM CONTENDERS | VARIETY VOTERS’ GUIDE: ACADEMY AWARDS PHASE I A Condensed Year for Contenders

EARLIER OSCARS MEANS REDUCED TIME FOR CAMPAIGNING

By Jenelle Riley ENCH/FOX SEARCHLIGHT; JOKER: WARNER BROS.; BROS.; JOKER: WARNER SEARCHLIGHT; ENCH/FOX

IT MAY SEEM INSIGNIFICANT, but moving up the Academy Awards two weeks has caused a ripple effect in the industry that makes this year’s nominees more difficult than ever to predict. With the exception of the PGA and SAG awards, usually held in late January, most of the major precursors — WGA, DGA and BAFTA — have all moved up at least a week. What this means is earlier deadlines and that translates to less time to see ﬁlms — and sometimes an uphill battle for pics released later in the year. Even when a movie screens for voters long before its release, there’s something to be said for easy access and a head start. December releases including “1917,” “Little Women” and “Richard Jewell” were shut out of SAG nominations, while “Just Mercy” landed only a nom for supporting actor Jamie Foxx. So while anything can happen, we’ll try to narrow it down somewhat and predict the unpredictable.

Best Picture Possibles

No ﬁlm has ever won best picture without a PGA nomination, which

are being announced Jan. 7. Here “A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN are some of the ﬁlms likely to be “1917” THE NEIGHBORHOOD” “BOMBSHELL” in contention. TIME: ANDREW COOPER/SONY PICTURES; PARASITE: NEON; THE TWO POPES: PETER MOUNTAIN/NETFLIX PARASITE: TIME:PICTURES; ANDREW COOPER/SONY FORD V FERRARI: 20TH CENTURY FOX; HUSTLERS: STX ENTERTAINMENT; THE IRISHMAN: NIKO TAVERNISE/NETFLIX; JOJO RABBIT: KIMBERLEY FR RABBIT: JOJO TAVERNISE/NETFLIX; THE IRISHMAN: NIKO ENTERTAINMENT; STX HUSTLERS: FOX; FORD V FERRARI: 20TH CENTURY

“THE FAREWELL” “FORD V FERRARI” “HUSTLERS” “THE IRISHMAN”

“JOJO RABBIT”

“JOKER” “JUST MERCY” “LITTLE WOMEN”

“ONCE UPON “PARASITE” A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD”

“MARRIAGE STORY” “THE TWO POPES” 1917: UNIVERSAL PICTURES; A BEAUTIFUL DAY: LACEY TERRELL/SONY PICTURES; BOMBSHELL: HILARY B GAYLE/LIONSGATE; THE FAREWELL: A24; THE FAREWELL: BOMBSHELL: B GAYLE/LIONSGATE; PICTURES; HILARY TERRELL/SONY LACEY DAY: A BEAUTIFUL PICTURES; UNIVERSAL 1917: JUST MERCY: JAKE NETTER/WARNER BROS.; LITTLE WOMEN: WILSON WEBB/SONY PICTURES; MARRIAGE STORY: WILSON WEBB/NETFLIX; ONCE UPON A STORY: MARRIAGE PICTURES; BROS.; LITTLE WOMEN: WILSON WEBB/SONY NETTER/WARNER JAKE MERCY: JUST

96 VARIETY CONTENDERS Untitled-28 1 12/27/19 2:58 PM

WE PROUDLY JOIN

VARIETY

IN HONORING

LENA Waithe RECIPIENT OF THE 2020 CREATIVE IMPACT IN PRODUCING AWARD & Radha blank 2020 class of directors to watch

Untitled-17 1 12/27/19 2:27 PM CONTENDERS | VARIETY VOTERS’ GUIDE: ACADEMY AWARDS PHASE I

NARROWING DOWN LEAD ACTOR

Unless you’re Adam Driver or Joaquin Phoenix, you should be a little nervous considering the incredible list of potential lead actor nominees. Driver and Phoenix landed Golden Globe and SAG Awards nominations in the drama category, for “Marriage Story” and “Joker,” respectively. As did Christian Bale for “Ford v Ferrari,” which caught some off- guard, but he’s always great and the ﬁlm is an undeniable crowd-pleaser.

The other two SAG nominees, Leon- PERIOD PIECE “Jojo Rabbit” could push Taika Waititi into the director race. ardo DiCaprio (“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”) and Taron Egerton (“Rock- etman”) were recognized in the less A Director’s Medium competitive comedy/musical category at the Globes, but are very much in this While DGA won’t announce its five with other names in the mix such as vote (see Pawel Pawlikowski and his nominees until Jan. 7, it’s looking Noah Baumbach (“Marriage Story”), drama “Cold War” from last year). race. Still, it’s hard to count out Golden like Martin Scorsese (“The Irish- Todd Phillips (“Joker”), Sam Mendes In 2020, that could be Pedro Alm- Globe nominees Jonathan Pryce (“The man”), Bong Joon Ho (“Parasite”) (“1917”) and Taika Waititi (“Jojo odóvar (“Pain and Glory”) or Fer- Two Popes”) and especially Antonio and Quentin Tarantino (“Once Upon Rabbit.”) Because the directors’ nando Meirelles (“The Two Popes”), Banderas (who also won the actor prize a Time in Hollywood”) are safe bets branch votes for the helming nomi- both of whom have previously been at Cannes for “Pain and Glory”). And for Oscar. But despite many deserv- nees — then the entire voting body nominated for director for foreign ing female nominees, it’s shap- votes on the winner — they tend to films that were not nominated for while Robert De Niro was snubbed by ing up to be another all-male race include one auteur outside-the-box best picture. both voting bodies for his work in “The Irishman,” he’s still De Niro and “The Irishman” is going to do well across the board. All this is to say: it’s still anyone’s game. ACTRESSES AS REEL PEOPLE

Renée Zellweger was all but character is based on the proclaimed lead actress win- film’s writer-director Lulu ner when “Judy” premiered on Wang, whose family chose the festival circuit last fall. But not to tell her beloved grand- then Charlize Theron came mother she had a fatal disease. along as Megyn Kelly in “Bomb- On the fictional side, Scarlett shell,” a movie that is still pick- Johansson (“Marriage Story”) ing up steam. Also playing a earned both Globe and SAG real-life person is Cynthia Erivo noms, while Lupita Nyong’o as Harriet Tubman in “Harriet.” (“Us”) snagged a SAG nom. All three earned Golden Globe But two Christmas releases and SAG Awards nominations. could shake things up: Saoirse A Gotham Award winner and Ronan’s Globe-nominated turn VETERAN’S DAY Antonio Banderas won the actor prize Golden Globe nominee, Awk- in “Little Women” and Spirit DEEP DIVE at Cannes for “Pain and Glory.” Alfre Woodard could shake up the wafina sort of plays a real per- Award nominee Alfre Woodard actress race for her “Clemency” role. son in “The Farewell” — her in “Clemency.”

Showing Support

In the supporting categories, look to previous nomi- ous Oscar winner, Jamie Foxx, for “Just Mercy.” There but was erroneously submitted as lead. Then there’s nees and winners. The likely nominated actors are pre- could be surprises in the form of previous nominees never-nominated Jennifer Lopez for “Hustlers,” who vious Oscar-winners Tom Hanks (“A Beautiful Day in Willem Dafoe (“The Lighthouse”) or Alan Alda (“Mar- has scored Spirit, Globe and SAG noms, and 76-year- the Neighborhood”), Al Pacino (“The Irishman”), Joe riage Story”). The only real “newcomer”? Korean star old breakout star Zhao Shuzhan of “The Farewell,” Pesci (“The Irishman”) and Brad Pitt (“Once Upon a Song Kang Ho of “Parasite.” also a Spirit Award nominee. Annette Bening landed a Time in Hollywood”), who is an Oscar winner for pro- On the actress side, previous winner Kathy Bates Globe nom and could earn her fifth Oscar nomination ducing “12 Years a Slave.” All landed SAG and Golden (“Richard Jewell”) and previous nominees Laura Dern for “The Report.” And though she’s never been nomi- Globe nominations. Anthony Hopkins, also a previous (“Marriage Story”) and Margot Robbie (“Bombshell”) nated before, Scarlett Johansson could be looking at winner, snagged a Globe nom for “The Two Popes,” look likely. All earned Globe nominations and Dern dual nods for her lead work in “Marriage Story” and but was shut out of SAG in favor of another previ- and Robbie landed SAG. Bates probably would have, supporting turn in “Jojo Rabbit.” JOJO: FOX SEARCHLIGHT; PAIN AND GLORY: MANOLO PAVÓN/SONY PICTURES CLASSICS; CLEMENCY: NEON CLASSICS; CLEMENCY: PICTURES PAVÓN/SONY MANOLO AND GLORY: PAIN SEARCHLIGHT; FOX JOJO:

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WARNER BROS. PICTURES WARMLY CONGRATULATES OUR HONOREES

AND ALL OTHER AWARD RECIPIENTS JOAQUIN PHOENIX TODD PHILLIPS ROBERT DE NIRO PSIFF CHAIRMAN’S AWARD CREATIVE IMPACT IN DIRECTING AWARD CREATIVE IMPACT IN ACTING AWARD

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LENA WAITHE, ROBERT DE NIRO AND TODD PHILLIPS TAPPED FOR VARIETY’S CREATIVE IMPACT AWARDS IN PALM SPRINGS SHAYAN ASGHARNIA SHAYAN

JANUARY 2, 2020 | VARIETY.COM | 101 FOCUS CREATIVE IMPACT AWARDS THE MOSTLY COMEDIC ROAD TRIP OF TODD PHILLIPS Filmmaker takes detour from ribald humor to tortured Joker

BY TODD GILCHRIST

FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS, Todd Phillips “Joker” became a phenomenon before its worldwide grosses crossed the $1 has been one of Hollywood’s most suc- billion mark, indeed, even before the film opened in theaters. A Golden Lion cessful enfants terribles. From “Road Trip” win after its premiere at the 2019 Venice Film festival buoyed Warner Bros.’ to “Old School” through all three “Hang- hopes not just for a box-office success, but a potential critical darling. Mean- over” movies, few directors have more com- while, early reviews examined connections between its protagonist, mentally prehensively catalogued sophomoric self ill comedian-turned-criminal Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix), and a growing destruction than the Brooklyn-born NYU legion of young men who, feeling victimized by the real world, seek empower- dropout-turned-hitmaker. But when the ment by identifying with sometimes “problematic” pop-culture figures such as time came to take a closer look at what the grease-painted Batman villain. might be underneath that destructive mis- Phillips denies the notion that his film validates the character’s violent chief in “Joker,” his transgressive, ’80s set impulses. “Movies are mirrors, not molders,” he says. Rather, the director says he origin story for Batman’s most iconic adver- and his co-writer Scott Silver were specifically interested in interrogating what sary, the recipient of Variety’s 2019 Creative lies beneath, and perhaps leads an individual to them. Impact in Directing Award insists he wasn’t “While our movie is set in 1981, we wrote the movie in 2016 and 2017. So if motivated by an impulse to defy percep- you want to talk about what’s going on around the world now, the loss of com- tions of himself or his well-earned come- passion and the discourse of how we treat people, that could be a really unique dic pedigree. way of addressing our modern times. “I’ve never been a fan of other people “I always have movies that nobody wants to make,” he adds. “But I think it’s determining who I am or what my tastes up to writers and directors to have a sense for where things are headed, or bet- are,” says Phillips. “Making ‘Joker’ wasn’t a ter yet a sense ahead of where things might go.” reaction to having made raucous comedies. His literal billions of dollars in box-office revenues (including “Joker” and It was just something that seemed interest- the “Hangover” trilogy) indicate he’s joking about studios fighting his ideas, but ing to me and thought we could do some- Phillips’ experiences on several of his biggest hits suggest he knows something thing really cool.” that studio executives are slow to learn. Variety will honor Phillips during the Warner Bros. had such low expectations for “The Hangover” that the studio Palm Springs Intl. Film Festival. didn’t bother to sign its stars for multiple films, forcing much higher payouts At the same ceremony, Lena Waithe, who for parts two and three after the original earned almost $500 million during its won an Emmy for writing “Master of “None” theatrical run. And on “Joker,” Warner lowballed the production with a reported and wrote and produced the drama “Queen $60 million budget, perhaps hoping Phillips abandon what they perceived as a & Slim,” will receive Variety’s Creative FILM ‘SCHOOL’ risk to the integrity of some of the studio’s most-valuable intellectual property. Impact in Producing Award and Robert De Todd Phillips directs All of which is why it came as a surprise for a filmmaker whose early hits Luke Wilson on the set Niro, who is winning accolades for his star of “Old School” (above carried forward the mantle of raucous 1970s and ’80s comedies including “Ani- turn in “The Irishman,” directed by Martin left); Phillips and Joaquin mal House” and “Caddyshack” to make such an unexpectedly thoughtful first Phoenix discuss a scene Scorsese, will receive the Creative Impact in during the filming of the foray into comic-book movies, a genre even he’d primarily characterized in the Acting Award. origin story drama “Joker.” past as “loud.” OLD SCHOOL: SNAP STILLS/SHUTTERSTOCK; JOKER: NIKO TAVERNISE/WARNER BROS. TAVERNISE/WARNER JOKER: NIKO OLD SCHOOL: SNAP STILLS/SHUTTERSTOCK;

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DISH IT UP Robert De Niro, in a scene from “The Irishman,” will receive Variety’s Creative Impact in Acting Award.

In fact, “Joker” feels like a natural next step in Phillips’ evolution as a storyteller, particularly after he deliberately broke the winning formula created on “The Hang- over” to tap into some deeper issues for “Part III” in 2013. “As I would get more and more quote- unquote power, and I use that term loosely, my inclination is to just go darker,” he says. “It’s just who I am. The first movie I made was a documentary about punk rock singer G.G. Allin, called ‘Hated,’ which is a very dark film. So my tastes are there a little bit.” At the same time, Phillips clarifies that he’s not trying to needle audiences or antagonize his fans, but to create work that stands out — and endures — in a crowded marketplace. “It’s not an internal impulse to go darker,” he says. “A lot of it is a reaction to where the way that movie business is now. You can either do something [like] the last three things that worked, which will probably work because the last three worked, or you can do something entirely different. But you gotta be bold, because there’s so much more great stuff available than ever, and you’re competing with so many things. So it’s really about cutting through the fog.” He recalls that “One of the mandates we had on this movie was when in doubt, let’s just be bold. Let’s make a bold choice here, let’s do the more-outside-the-box thing. And it just felt like people were ready for something different.” Clearly, his gambit paid off with “Joker.” That is why Warner Bros. is already knock- ing at his door for a follow-up. “Obviously when a movie cost $60 million and makes $1 billion, the studio has talked to us about a sequel,” he acknowl- edges. “But the job of doing another one “A lot of things that we watch, consume, sometimes can be classified as of these is bigger than being similar to the empty calories,” he says. “[The writers] wanted something that stayed with first. It’s about if we could come up with a you long after, that was one of the goals. If we’re going to take on some- theme where that resonated in the same thing as big as an origin of this character that’s been around for 80 years, we way, where it was about something going wanted it to feel like it had meaning.” on underneath it.” But even if his previous films have chronicled, catered to and seemingly Being confronted by a challenge to meet celebrated the anarchic excess of his characters, Phillips says such comedies or surpass the success of one runaway as “Old School” and “The Hangover” have more of a thread of social and per- blockbuster with another is a position Phil- sonal commentary than they receive credit for. lips has been in before. That could be why “That was an exploration of when my mother always said, ‘whatever you he meets the future with both pragmatism do, don’t belong to a group,’ ” he says. “It was all under that ‘why fit in when and confidence. you were born to stand out?’ “Comic-book movies are humongous “I was amazed by friends of mine who went off to normal colleges and around the world, and quite frankly most of joined fraternities, and [the fraternities] beat you up. Like why would you do them are bigger than ‘Joker,’ so our biggest that just to be part of a group? If they come off as celebrations, it is because I Tipsheet fear was coming off as boring to that crowd think it’s funny, but they were explorations. They weren’t endorsements. that is used to some pretty spectacular WHAT: Variety honors Creative I mean, in ‘Old School,’ there’s nobody I would want to be!” Impact Award honorees and 10 action. But it felt like they’ve become such a If there’s a theme that runs through most or all of his films, connecting Directors to Watch. big thing that we could use that space and “Road Trip” to “Joker” and everything in between, Phillips says it isn’t “bad WHEN: Jan. 3 do something a little bit different in it. male behavior,” but the anarchy that seems to go hand in hand with it. WHERE: Palm Springs “We wanted to create something mean- “What ‘Joker’ has in common with my other movies is the idea of chaos, WEB: variety.com ingful, that really stayed with you after you which always came through in the comedies and definitely comes through in left the theater,” he says. “There’s so much this,” he says. “If ‘Joker’ is an agent of chaos, how do we get there? Is he made work involved. No movie is easy. So you that way? Society made him? Is it a combination of events?” want something that really lasts.” NIKO TAVERNISE/NETFLIX NIKO

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NEXT WAVE OF AUTEURS Variety will fete these helmers with promise at a brunch in Palm Springs

ESTEBAN ARANGO NICOLAS BEDOS “BLAST BEAT” “LA BELLE ÉPOQUE”

Born in Bogotá, Colombia, Arango to encapsulate the whole community In French, the name Bedos car- Bedos’ first two features as moved to South Florida with his in one box, you’re alienating people,” ries a certain reputation. The son of writer-director — the rowdy, mother and brother when he was he says. “But if you’re hyper-specific beloved local comedian Guy Bedos, decades-spanning romance “Mr. & 14, a cultural shift that directly with your characters’ speech and Nicolas always knew he wanted to Mrs. Adelman” and high-concept, informed his debut feature, the Sun- actions, it becomes more truthful and make movies, but just because he Charlie Kaufman-esque “La Belle Épo- dance-bound “Blast Beat.” (The film gives a level of credibility.” had a famous father didn’t mean the que” — synthesize an incredibly pol- is inspired by his 2015 short of the Arango, who wrote the original path was necessarily easy. Despite ished American filmmaking style (in same name.) With that project, which short’s script with the Arias brothers collaborating with dad early on, terms of lighting, camerawork and features Colombian-American broth- in mind after hearing Moisés’ “perfect and writing several original plays in technique), a slightly more English ers (and former Disney Channel stars) Colombian Spanish” in “The Kings of his mid-20s, it wasn’t until Bedos sense of plotting and unmistakably Mateo and Moisés Arias as siblings, Summer,” originally planned to incor- achieved his own celebrity that he French dialogue. Arango wanted to correct a prob- porate it directly into the feature. found the opportunity to direct. Bedos’ time on TV and radio lem he found in Hollywood-produced “But through the editing process “The French first came to know pushed him to embrace humor in his Latino narratives. and discovering what the movie had me as a satirist,” says the now-40- writing. By extension, his onscreen “There were stereotypes in those to offer, the short got pushed away year-old Bedos, who made his rep- persona made him a fitting choice stories that I didn’t associate myself from the main narrative. The same utation as an ultra-sarcastic (and to direct the next “OSS 117” movie, a with: the violence, the drug traffick- themes are still there — brotherhood, occasionally controversial) cultural 007-esque spy parody starring Jean ing,” Arango says. “You would see identity — but we have matured a lot. commentator on a popular weekly Dujardin as a cocky, outdatedly chau- movies that reference Colombia, and The personalities for both characters talk show. “I think it was truly a gift vinistic secret agent. it would look like the jungle. It’s far have become deeper and the magni- from heaven that I wasn’t able to “He’s the only character in France from the truth. I wanted to tell stories tude of the situations these charac- make movies that early.” who’s still politically incorrect,” says that felt cinematic, sophisticated and ters face have evolved.” At 20, his taste wasn’t fully formed, Bedos, who’s having fun with the fun, where it’s not about underprivi- For the future, Arango hopes for but influenced more by what oth- assignment, but sees it as a paren- leged characters from Latin America, bigger projects. He’s developing a ers looked up to — the French New thesis between more personal proj- but the opposite: [people] with com- horror series about cursed treasure Wave, snobbish auteur cinema — ects, including the upcoming “Mas- plex personalities and cool taste.” and plundering in Colombia with which, with a bit of life experience, he carade.” “Cinema moves too slowly! In the film, the brothers skate- co-writer Erick Castrillon. outgrew, gravitating instead to pop- I wish they’d invent a machine that board and listen to heavy-metal — LaTesha Harris corn movies and Hollywood films would allow you to make a film in music, but they’re also good at by directors such as Sydney Pollack, three weeks.” school, and one aspires to become a Reps: Agency: Paradigm; Paul Thomas Anderson and the Coen — Peter Debruge rocket scientist at NASA. Manager: Valor Entertainment; brothers. “I try to make the kind of “When you cast a wide net and try Legal: Hirsch Wallerstein movies that I want to watch,” he says. Rep: Agency: Grégory Weill, Adéquat

JANUARY 2, 2020 | VARIETY.COM | 107 FOCUS 10 DIRECTORS TO WATCH

RADHA BLANK “THE 40-YEAR-OLD VERSION”

In 2013, writer-director-star Blank say his name anymore — to Hal something was wrong, he was had been creating a web series Ashby and Kathleen Collins.” She laughing so loud,” she says. The when her mother, Carol, an art- shot her film in black and white on script earned her a stint as a Sun- ist and teacher, died. The series 35mm partly in homage to them. dance Fellow in 2017. stalled. She’d written a lot of “I wanted the film to feel like a “It’s crazy. Earlier this year at music for the show and didn’t love letter to mom for sure, but a Sundance, I was sitting with Lena quite know what to do with it. At love letter to New York and also to Waithe and Rishi Rajani [presi- the urging of friends, the Brook- the two arts institutions that raised dent of Hillman Grad Prods.] in the lyn playwright and performer me: hip-hop and theater.” Eccles, and she said, ‘What’s up dreamed up the persona Radha- Blank had written for Fox’s with your film? Are you going to MUSprime. A hip-hop cabaret was “Empire,” Netflix’s “The Get Down” f-ing let me help you or what?’ All born, evolving into her feature and “She’s Gotta Have It,” on which I had to say was, ‘Yes.’ And now a debut “The 40-Year-Old Version.” she also served as a producer. But year later, we’ll be at Eccles show- “I was raised by a cinephile,” it was a call from Black List founder ing my film.” says Blank, who grew up watch- Franklin Leonard that made her — Lisa Kennedy ing “everyone from Sidney Lumet trust she had a movie. “[Franklin] to John Cassavetes to Schmoody told me he was on the plane when Reps: Agency: WME; Schmallen — because we can’t he read it and people thought Legal: Nina Shaw BLANK: SUNDANCE INSTITUTE; BRAVO, ZOLA: ANNA KOORIS/SUNDANCE INSTITUTE (2) INSTITUTE ANNA KOORIS/SUNDANCE ZOLA: BRAVO, INSTITUTE; BLANK: SUNDANCE

“HOW ONE WOMAN ... FINDS A WAY TO PROCESS HER TRAUMA.” — JANICZA BRAVO

JANICZA BRAVO “ZOLA”

Along with a good portion of the ing film, alternately funny and fierce, social-media savvy world, Bravo enters this year’s Sundance Film Fes- devoured Detroit waitress and strip- tival on a wave of good buzz and con- per Aziah “Zola” Wells’ 148-tweet story firms Bravo as one of the rising stars of sex trafficking, kidnapping and of the indie scene. It builds on her attempted suicide when it went viral impressive feature debut, the 2016 in 2015. There was, she thought, the character study “Lemon,” and her work makings of a compelling film here, one helming episodes of “Atlanta” and that pulled back the curtain on a part “Love.” of society that such movies as “Show- The film follows Zola as she is girls” and “Striptease” often glamorize. unwittingly ensnared in a vicious “It sat at the intersection of ‘Blue pimp’s prostitution business and reas- Velvet’ and ‘Bodak Yellow,’” Bravo serts control over an insane and dan- says. “Right in that sweet spot where gerous situation. David Lynch and Cardi B meet. It was “It’s a piece about agency,” says its own genre.” Bravo. “It’s about how one woman, But there was a problem. Other through the power of storytelling, directors, many with bigger résumés, finds a way to process her trauma. I got there first. Initially, the movie may not have been the first choice to adaptation of Wells’ Twitter saga was tell this story or even the third choice, to be directed by James Franco. How- but I am the choice. And I got it, ever, the job opened up after Franco because I earned it.” became embroiled in a sexual-harass- — Brent Lang ment scandal in 2018 and decided to VIRAL STORYTELLING step away from the project. The result- Rep: Agency: United Talent Agency “Zola” was born from a 148-word tweet about sex trafficking and a suicide attempt.

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MATI DIOP RUPERT GOOLD “ATLANTICS” “JUDY”

Diop, winner of the Grand Prix at Shots of Rum,” helmed by Claire At 47, Goold is hardly a greenhorn. times, but I want [them] to recognize last year’s Cannes Film Festival, Denis, who is now a mentor. The British theater director’s pro- all I’m after is what we want to do grew up in a creative and inspir- “I don’t know how I would duction of “Ink,” about Rupert Mur- with the character.” ing family. She was born in Paris to approach directing if I wasn’t also doch’s print-stained start, transferred Renée Zellweger’s glimmer-and- a French mother and a Senegalese an actress,” Diop says. “It seems to Broadway last spring. His staging shards performance in “Judy” hints father. Her mother was a photog- almost inseparable to me. I think of “The Hunt,” based on the Thomas at profound trust between movie star rapher, her father a musician and I’m able to better understand [the Vinterberg film, opened in June at and director. her uncle the legendary Senega- actors’] needs and measure their the Almeida Theatre, where he’s “My theater work is kind of con- lese director Djibril Diop Mambéty. vulnerability.” Now that she feels been artistic director since 2013. His sciously kinetic, kind of razzle dazzle. Although she dreamed of becom- more accomplished as a director, résumé also features a slew of well-re- The two films have been more cham- ing a musician and singer, Diop she hopes to give more time ceived television adaptations. ber-like,” he says. “I’d like to do some- soon realized that cinema would to performing. Yet, the success of “Judy,” Goold’s thing that may have a slightly more allow her to be at the crossroads of Although Diop is unwilling to second feature, following Jonah Hill- visual sensibility.” image, sound, acting and writing. divulge too much about upcom- James Franco two-hander “True Razzle dazzle? It’s hard not to A sophisticated step up from ing projects, she says: “I’m open to Story,” finds him sounding positively enjoy the echo — not least because her acclaimed short-film work, all territories and opportunities. For giddy at the prospect of directing Zellweger’s Oscar nomination for Diop’s acclaimed long-form debut, me, the most important [thing] is more movies. “Chicago.” “Atlantics,” allowed her to explore to make choices that are the most “I still feel very new to screen “I’m interested in doing a musical her Senegalese heritage. She coherent and faithful to who I am, work. I still feel very much in the project, which could be really excit- says, “It is important for me to to my vision and to what I think is infancy of my journey,” Goold says by ing. Two of the things I’m developing put my cinema at the service of the most essential and urgent to phone from London, where he lives are period dramas, although in differ- underrepresented territories, tell today, without compromise. I’m with his wife, actress Kate Fleetwood, ent worlds.” And here a note of sweet stories we have not yet heard.” not going to make another movie and their two children. agitation rises in his voice. “I feel like Acquired by Netflix at Cannes, the just to make a movie and pursue a “Years and years ago, I used to a young man when it comes to the much-awarded, Academy-short- career. I take cinema very seriously. act a tiny bit in college,” Goold says screen. I have energy.” listed “Atlantics” is also Senegal’s It’s a powerful tool! I want to make with a deprecating laugh. “I think it’s — Lisa Kennedy candidate for the international sure I use it to its full potential.” important to say to the performer, feature Oscar. — Alissa Simon I’m going to try to bring no ego to Reps: Agency: William Morris Diop has a parallel career as a the process. Not that I won’t be Endeavor; Natasha Galloway at Rep: ATLANTICS: NETFLIX ATLANTICS: film actor, starting in 2008 with “35 Agency: ICM Partners manipulative at times, be strict at United Agents

BREAKTHROUGH Mati Diop’s “Atlantics” won the Grand Prix at Cannes and has been short-listed by the Academy in the international film Oscar race representing Senegal.

“I TAKE CINEMA VERY SERIOUSLY. IT’S A POWERFUL TOOL.” — MATI DIOP

JANUARY 2, 2020 | VARIETY.COM | 111 CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION AT OUR 2020 EVENTS

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“FILM REFLECTS SO MUCH OF YOUR PERSONALITY, TASTE AND VIEW OF THE WORLD.” — SHANNON MURPHY

MAKE A WISH “Babyteeth” is adapted from a stageplay and LADJ LY opened at Venice last fall. “LES MISÉRABLES”

Oscar-shortlisted French director Ly, commentary on how little things who emigrated from Mali to the out- have progressed since Hugo wrote skirts of Paris as a child, found his his famous novel. In his film, the vision of cinema shaped by American social problems are the same, but films. “I watched a lot of films with the underdogs are immigrants. African-American actors,” he says. The feature was a big change for “I watched ‘Menace II Society,’ ‘New someone used to doing things alone. Jack City’ and ‘Boyz n the Hood.’ I “I wrote, I edited, I was shooting. watched Spike Lee and Martin Scors- Suddenly, I’ve got a team of 15 peo- ese films. Those films really inspired ple around me,” he says of his crew. me growing up.” “When it came to casting the film, I When he was 17 years old, Ly knew the actors who played the cops, bought his first camera. With no but I also recruited locals. The kids formal training, he taught himself actually lived in the neighborhood.” on the job, shooting short films Around the same time he was about life in Montfermeil, the Paris making “Les Miserables,” Ly also suburb where Victor Hugo’s “Les launched a free film school. Misérables” took place — and the “The goal was to make it accessi- setting of Ly’s film of the same name. ble to everyone because film schools It premiered in competition at the are expensive. We want to see film- Cannes Film Festival. makers all the way through to pro- For more than 20 years, Ly has ducing their projects. been making documentaries high- “I’m trying to shift boundaries lighting the problems of life in with the movie, with the school and his neighborhood. Ly has filmed with production.” the tensions between law enforce- — Jazz Tangcay ment and civilians. With “Les Misérables,” he wanted to make a Rep: Agency: CAA

SHANNON MURPHY “BABYTEETH”

Versatile Australian director Murphy from a stageplay, her melodrama-de- ries “On the Ropes.” recently helmed episodes five and six fying feature debut, “Babyteeth” — Murphy’s already attached to direct of “Killing Eve’s” third season and is about a terminally ill teen determined the Australian-U.K. TV adaptation of about to finish the editing. That series not to waste her remaining time — “The Strays,” but while that show is marks a good fit for her energy, sensi- screened in competition at Venice. being written, she remains open to bility and strong visual style. While in Berlin to stage a produc- other work. Ideally, she would like to Murphy characterizes her work tion for the acclaimed Schaubühne make another feature before 2021, as “deeply emotional and truth- theater, Murphy was inspired by the although she’s holding out for the right ful,” noting, “that can come in many “brave and radical” short films screen- script, one that generates a strong forms.” She enjoys dark humor and ing in the Berlinale’s Generation sec- emotional response. The way she sees the opportunity to get audiences to tion and decided she wanted to it, “Film reflects so much of your per- laugh at things they didn’t expect to make a short. That decision led her sonality, taste and view of the world, find comedic. to the Australian Film Television and it really needs to be the right thing.” Her directing career started in the Radio School, from which she gradu- — Alissa Simon theater. She approaches directing ated in 2013. Her CV includes several from the perspective of performance prize-winning shorts, as well as epi- Reps: Agency: Cameron’s Manage- and finds it “insanely helpful” to have sodes of various Aussie series and sole ment (Australia); Management: 42 acted at one time herself. Adapted director credit for the four-part minise- Management (U.K.) LES MISERABLES; AMAZON STUDIOS; BABYTEETH: LISA TOMASETTI/ ENTERTAINMENT ONE; MURPHY: RUPERT REID RUPERT ONE; MURPHY: ENTERTAINMENT TOMASETTI/ LISA BABYTEETH: STUDIOS; LES MISERABLES; AMAZON

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Untitled-39 1 12/27/19 3:10 PM FOCUS 10 DIRECTORS TO WATCH

“BEING IN THE MILITARY GAVE ME A GREAT DEAL OF DISCIPLINE AND DRIVE.” — NICOLE RIEGEL

MIDWEST MAVEN “Holler,” directed by Nicole Riegel, cast non-pros in the coming-ofage story set in the Rust Belt and expanded from Riegel’s short.

CHASE PALMER NICOLE RIEGEL “NAKED SINGULARITY” “HOLLER”

“Big hard books are my jam,” jokes He also spent four years developing Featured on the Black List in 2013 short of the same name, “Holler” Palmer, whose first produced credit environmental horror movie “Black for her screenplay “Dogfight” and was heavily influenced by Barbara came from adapting Stephen King’s Lung,” but the greenlight never came. invited to participate in the Sun- Loden’s early feminist indie “Wanda.” “It” for Cary Fukunaga, and whose Then Mutrux suggested “Naked dance Screenwriters Lab the fol- Following Loden’s lead, Riegel chose debut feature, “Naked Singularity,” Singularity,” to which her husband, lowing year to develop a script she to shoot on 16mm in her Ohio home- represents a stunning best-parts ver- Tony Ganz, had the rights. It’s a mas- wrote about American POW Jessica town, casting non-pros in supporting sion of public defender Sergio de la sive book, but Palmer loved the Lynch, Riegel has been channeling roles and that, in turn, lent credibil- Pava’s nearly 900-page novel. author’s outraged, absurdist tone. her personal experience — former ity to her portrayals of factory work- “I love trying to adapt them, in “He realizes the system is so stacked U.S. military and Midwest small-town ers from communities she knew well. part because there’s so much good against him and the people he rep- escapee — to tell authentic stories After high school, Riegel joined material in there. You just have to put resents that you have to have a sense missing from the U.S. film scene. the military, which gave her license your mining cap on and find it,” says of humor. I wanted to get that voice.” That’s especially true of her fea- to travel. She completed her training Palmer, who didn’t go to film school Looking back, Palmer believes ture debut, the upcoming “Holler,” at Fort Jackson, S.C., then decided to — he was an environmental science he benefited from taking the long a genuine depiction of a resourceful become a writer once she finished major — but began writing scripts in way. “After working as a screenwriter working-class teen trapped in a Rust her service with the army. his early 20s. for 10 years, I was able to wrangle Belt town that positions the UCLA “I really think being in the military When it came time to direct “Neo- all my supporters and cash in all my graduate as the Debra Granik of gave me a great deal of discipline Noir,” a super-stylized genre short, “I chips.” That meant enlisting Parekh as her generation. and drive,” she says. “I trained with recruited one of the best DPs coming DP; reaching out to old friend Kevin “I didn’t really see my coming- women and men, but the vast major- out of NYU at the time, Andrij Parekh, Walsh at Ridley Scott’s company; and of-age story onscreen, and I really ity of my fellow soldiers were men, so and it went to Sundance,” he says. landing his first-choice leading man, wanted to put a film out into the it wasn’t that shocking for me to find Palmer connected with other John Boyega, as the hard-boiled anti- world for girls from towns that you myself in a profession where that’s encouraging filmmakers on the fes- hero. Patience should come in handy can’t escape, but you want to,” Rie- the case.” Riegel’s responsibility, she tival circuit, including Fukunaga. as he waits for the nearly completed gel says. “It’s hard to leave those says, is to fight for the stories that are Impressed with his writing, producer film’s 2020 debut. places because they’re home. They important to her. Gail Mutrux became an early believer, — Peter Debruge shaped you and they made you. I — BreAnna Bell backing him on “Number 13,” based felt that kind of story should come on the project once intended as Reps: Agency: WME; Management: from a director who actually grew Reps: Agency: ICM Partners; Legal: Hitchcock’s first film. Ironically, it Gotham Group; Legal: Alan Grodin, up there.” Patti Felker at Felker Toczek Suddle- wasn’t meant to be Palmer’s either. Weintraub Tobin Expanded from Riegel’s 2016 son Abramson HOLLER: FEIGCO ENTERTAINMENT; PALMER: ROB LATOUR/SHUTTERSTOCK PALMER: HOLLER: FEIGCO ENTERTAINMENT;

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DESERT FESTIVAL’S GALA BOASTS

ANTONIO BANDERAS LAURA DERN RECORD OF GOLD INT’L STAR AWARD, ACTOR CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

One of the hardest working In a career marked with dis- Multitude of Palm Springs honorees have actors in the business, tinct accomplishments and Banderas, who is being performances across a broad gone on to score Oscar noms and wins honored with the Intl. Star spectrum of genres, Dern Award, Actor, has garnered will add the Career Achieve- BY NICK CLEMENT acclaim for his role in “Pain ment Award, with an empha- and Glory.” It is his latest sis being placed on her recent cinematic collaboration with big-screen appearances in auteur Pedro Almodóvar, “Marriage Story” and “Lit- with whom he’s made eight tle Women,” putting her in the films over the decades. conversation for supporting It’s yet another passionate actress awards, and television performance that cuts deep work in HBO’s “Big Little Lies.” into the human psyche, A multifaceted performer, Dern further reminding that he’s always cuts a singular impres- one of the most versatile of sion on screen, with past roles screen talents, able to bounce in diverse films such as “Foxes,” back and forth between “Mask,” “Smooth Talk,” “Blue playing the hero and villain, Velvet,” “Jurassic Park,” “A Per- and between leading man and fect World,” “Citizen Ruth” and colorful background support. “Twin Peaks.”

ADAM DRIVER CYNTHIA ERIVO DESERT PALM ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE ACTOR AWARD

Driver had a banner year in Erivo’s gripping and star-making 2019, anchoring three major performance as the titular Har- films and delivering three very riet Tubman in Kasi Lemmons’ different and exceptional perfor- biopic has put her firmly on the mances in “The Report,” “Mar- map as one of the top screen riage Story,” and “Star Wars: talents to emerge from this past The Rise of Skywalker.” One of year. After strong supporting the most in-demand actors of work in last year’s “Widows” and his generation, he’s been work- “Bad Times at the El Royale,” she ing with some of the most dis- got the chance to portray one tinctive filmmakers over the of the most important people in past few years, including Mar- world history, dedicating herself tin Scorsese (“Silence”), Spike to the role in ways that abso- Lee (“BlacKkKlansman”), Steven lutely resonate on screen; it’s Soderbergh (“Logan Lucky”), a passionate performance that Jeff Nichols (“Midnight Special”) hits all of the proper emotional and Jim Jarmusch (“Patterson”). notes. Upcoming films include He is easily one of the most Doug Liman’s sci-fi thriller exciting screen talents to look “Chaos Walking” and John Rid- out for in recent memory. ley’s “Needle in a Timestack.”

Tipsheet

WHAT: Palm Springs Intl. Film Festival gala WHEN: Jan. 2 WHERE: Palm Springs Convention Center WEB: psfilmfest.org

DERN GOOD Laura Dern portrays the matriarch in “Little Women.”

JANUARY 2, 2020 | VARIETY.COM | 119 FOCUS PALM SPRINGS HONORS

JAMIE FOXX ZACK GOTTSAGEN JENNIFER LOPEZ SPOTLIGHT AWARD RISING STAR AWARD SPOTLIGHT AWARD

Foxx is no stranger to the Hitting that sweet spot between Lopez successfully transitioned awards circle, having won earned sentimentality and hon- from mega-music-sensation to B LATOUR/SHUTTERSTOCK an Oscar, among other est humanity was something leading-lady status in the late GOTTSAGEN, STOCK; trophies, for “Ray,” his that made scrappy indie “The ’90s in Steven Soderbergh’s portrayal of singer Ray Peanut Butter Falcon” one of “Out of Sight,” and since then, Charles. Able to deftly move the big sleeper-hits of last sum- she hasn’t looked back, taking between comedy and drama, on edgy roles in films like “The mer. Gottsagen, who is receiv- the actor is drawing attention Cell” and “Enough” while con- ing the Rising Star Award, was for his role of a wrongly quering the rom-com genre discovered by the filmmakers accused man who spends with “Maid in Manhattan” and at a camp for actors with spe- years in prison before he is “Monster-in-Law.” Her most cial needs, and immediately released through the Equal recent effort, the true-story made an impression on every- Justice Initiative in Warner drama “Hustlers,” has earned Bros.’ “Just Mercy,” directed by one. The road-trip movie in dis- her the Spotlight Award. Get- Destin Daniel Cretton. He is guise was anchored by the ting a chance to play a char-

receiving the Spotlight Award MJ PHOTOS/SHUTTER FOXX: (THIS PAGE) SHUTTERSTOCK intensity of Shia LaBeouf and acter such as the one in “Hus- at the Palm Springs gala. the sensitivity of Dakota John- tlers” was a dream come true son. “My biggest surprise was for the actress. “Ramona is a

that I became good friends with complicated, damaged, and RO ZELLWEGER: THERON: BROADIMAGE/SHUTTERSTOCK; SHUTTERSTOCK; Shia and Dakota,” Gottsagen yet endearing character whose says. “I love them both and will ambition and love of money be friends with them forever. clouds her sense of moral- I’m also very happy that peo- ity,” Lopez says. “It’s a complex ple love the movie. I have three story about right, wrong, and new projects coming up and how far you’ll go to hustle for POLE POSITION possibly more.” your dreams.” Jennifer Lopez says starring in “Hustlers” was a dream come true. A PICTURES; DRIVER: GREGORY PACE/SHUTTERSTOCK; ERIVO: MICHAEL BUCKNER/DEADLINE/ ERIVO: PACE/SHUTTERSTOCK; DRIVER: GREGORY A PICTURES; CAMILLA MORANDI/SHUTTERSTOCK; SCORSESE: MARIA LAURA ANTONELLI/AGF/ SCORSESE: MARIA LAURA MORANDI/SHUTTERSTOCK; CAMILLA

JOAQUIN PHOENIX MARTIN SCORSESE QUENTIN CHARLIZE THERON RENÉE ZELLWEGER CHAIRMAN’S AWARD SONNY BONO VISIONARY AWARD TARANTINO INT’L STAR AWARD, ACTRESS DESERT PALM ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, ACTRESS DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR There’s something about An unwavering vision is what Theron has become a chame- Zellweger’s warm-hearted por- the process of taking on it took to make a film like the Tarantino’s alternative takes on leonic performer, able to get trayal of screen-icon Judy the iconic comic-book role 3½-hour “The Irishman.” This history have fueled his films completely lost in any given Garland in Rupert Goold’s of the Joker for the big- Netflix mega-production takes a for some time, and none has role, frequently changing her sprawling, yet intimate, look at biopic “Judy” has made her screen that drives actors attracted more attention than appearance, and always going the mid-20th century American the front-runner in the Oscar to the brink of cinematic “Once Upon a Time in Holly- full-speed into whatever proj- insanity, and that’s exactly politics and the socioeconomic ect she’s taking on. Recent race for lead actress. It’s the wood,” his reimagining of the what occurred to Phoe- framework that drove a country films including “Prometheus,” type of performance that Hol- fateful summer of 1969. With nix when he accepted into new chapters of expansion “Mad Max: Fury Road,” and lywood has long loved to his stars Brad Pitt and Leon- the challenge of helping and urbanization, with the “Atomic Blonde,” have show- embrace, and her work in the ardo DiCaprio also in the kudos co-writer/director Todd director’s cabal of long-time cased her desire for relentless film demonstrates the plucky conversation, this Academy Phillips craft an origin story actors including Robert De Niro, action, but she’s then able to spirit that has embodied so for the titular character in Joe Pesci and Harvey Keitel Award winner and Golden switch gears into more con- much of Zellweger’s past their blockbuster “Joker.” mixing it up with Al Pacino with Globe nominee adds another templative, thought provok- efforts, from her breakout roles Phoenix has scored SAG, results that are nothing less feather to his cap as Palm ing territory in pictures includ- in “Jerry Maguire,” “Me, Myself, Critics’ Choice, and Golden than superb. Springs’ director of the Year. ing “Young Adult,” “Tully,” and and Irene” and “Bridge Jones’s Globe nominations for lead this year’s “Bombshell.” For Diary,” to later performances in actor, as well as numerous director Jay Roach’s Fox News “Down With Love,” “Cold Moun- top slots from various crit- sexual-harassment expose, tain,” “Appaloosa,” “Cinderella ics’ organizations. He’s no she immersed herself physi- Man” and “Chicago.” Always stranger to awards season, cally and emotionally into the able to channel sweet and vul- having scored supporting persona of TV commentator nerable emotional chords actor Oscar nominations “I’M VERY HAPPY PEOPLE LOVE THE Megyn Kelly, and has received while possessing that inner for “Gladiator” and lead MOVIE.” — ZACK GOTTSAGEN sterling reviews and found movie-star-wattage, Zellweger actor noms for “Walk the herself yet again in the thick of now finds herself at the start of Line” and “The Master.” end-of-the-year conversation. a new chapter in her career. TARANTINO: MICHAEL BUCKNER/DEADLINE/SHUTTERSTOCK (2); LOPEZ: OVIDIU HRUBARU/SHUTTERSTOCK; HUSTLERS: STX ENTERTAINMENT; PHOENIX: ENTERTAINMENT; STX HUSTLERS: HRUBARU/SHUTTERSTOCK; OVIDIU (2); LOPEZ: MICHAEL BUCKNER/DEADLINE/SHUTTERSTOCK TARANTINO: (PREVIOUS PAGE) BANDERAS: RON ADAR/SOPA IMAGES/SHUTTERSTOCK; DERN: GREGORY PACE/SHUTTERSTOCK; LITTLE WOMEN: WILSON WEBB/COLUMBI PACE/SHUTTERSTOCK; DERN: GREGORY IMAGES/SHUTTERSTOCK; RON ADAR/SOPA BANDERAS: (PREVIOUS PAGE)

120 | VARIETY.COM | JANUARY 2, 2020 “IT IS JAMIE FOXX’S BEST WORK IN YEARS, RAW, SOULFUL AND HONEST.” – MARK KENNEDY / ASSOCIATED PRESS

WARNER BROS. PICTURES THANKS THE PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL AND PROUDLY CONGRATULATES JAMIE FOXX ON RECEIVING THE 2020 SPOTLIGHT AWARD

BASED ON A TRUE STORY

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IN ONE ERA AND OUT THE OTHER

Score and song choices for films set in bygone days don’t always put a period on it BY JON BURLINGAME AND CHRIS WILLMAN

1917 Thomas Newman’s score for Sam Mendes’ FOR MOVIES THAT TAKE PLACE IN YE GRAND OLDE 20TH CENTURY, war film (their seventh film together, including “American Beauty” and “Skyfall”) ignores directors often go for period-specificity for everything that appears the period entirely. “It’s a very visceral expe- on screen. When it comes to the music coming through the speakers, rience, and a very modern movie,” he says, referring to Mendes’ much-discussed conceit though, that can be another matter, as filmmakers tend to be fine of making a two-hour movie appear to be with anachronisms in scoring and sometimes even songs. Here’s one long shot. how six recent period films handled that soundtrack question. Newman’s 95-minute score ranges from ambient, involving electronically created and processed sounds, to symphonic, with an 87-piece orchestra recorded at London’s Abbey Road. Mendes wanted the score to remain “in present tense,” accompanying the film's two British soldiers without commenting on their desperate mission. The music often conveys “thrust and drive, location and landscape, [but] it all needed to live in a kind of neutrality,” he adds. There are two moments — one at the halfway point, another at the end — where Newman was allowed “a moment of reflection” involving a solo cello, which “draws a bit of an emotional conclusion.” It was a unique challenge. Says the 14-time Oscar nominee: “You have to make [the music] pregnant in its sense of possibility, but you can’t answer questions because if you do, it’s slightly less interesting and worse, conde- scending to the experience.” — JB

FORD V FERRARI For the racecar movie that spans the late 1950s through the mid-’60s, director James Mangold sent composers Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders a playlist of songs that inspired him — “going back to the ’50s, some jazz, and rock ’n’ roll from the ’60s,” Beltrami says. They in turn assembled a 15-piece band — including three guitars, rhythm section, key- boards and brass and woodwind players — and scheduled a series of jam sessions over five months at the legendary Capitol Studios in Hollywood, where so many classic records were made during the same era, including albums by the Beach Boys and Frank Sinatra. “Jim doesn't like scores that are very pol- ished and homogenized,” Beltrami adds. “He FRONTLINE FEEL likes things that are a bit rough around the George MacKay stars in edges.” Mangold visited, listened and made World War I drama “1917,” in which music marches suggestions that helped the composers final- alongside the soldiers. ize their approach, reflecting the director’s original musical intentions.

JANUARY 2, 2020 | VARIETY.COM | 123 FOCUS MUSIC FOR SCREENS

“The whole score is centered around the band,” says Sanders. “When they get to Le Mans, there are extra tracks of guitars tightly edited to represent the ﬁne tun-n- ing of the motors.” The result is a score thatat often sounds like a modernized extension of the garage-y ’60s rock songs that also pepper the soundtrack. — JB

THE IRISHMAN What the Rolling Stones were to “Goodfel- las,” the Five Satins are to “The Irishman.” AAtt least, “In the Still of the Night” is the song you’re mostly likely to walk away hum- ming as the Martin Scorsese picture largely eschews classic rock songs in favor of doo- wop or crooner choices. Says composer Rob- bie Robertson: “[Scorsese] chose songs that connect to certain periods, things that I would have never thought of — like he’s using some of Jackie Gleason’s orchestral music in it. This movie takes place over many decades, and at first you think, oh, if we use songs from those different decades, it kind of signals the time period you’re in.” They didn’t completely abandon that approach, but, “I had to find a sound, a rhythm, a timeless flavor that worked over all of these years and didn’t feel stuck in any decade,” says Robertson. The movie closes with his collaboration with Van Morrison on a new song, “I Hear You Paint Houses,” that couldn’t be less tied to the movie’s time periods. — CW

JOJO RABBIT Director Taika Waititi presented a fascinat- THE PAST MIEN RINGS TWICE ing exercise in having it both ways —going Christian Bale and Matt Damon in “Ford v Ferrari” (clockwise from top left); Joe Pesci and Robert De Niro in “The Irishman”; Margot Robbie in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”; Saoirse Ronan and Louis Garrel in “Little Women”; Roman one direction with the score and another Griffin Davis and Taika Waititi in “Jojo Rabbit.” with the song choices. The Nazi Germany dramedy begins with the German-language version of the Beatles’ “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and ends with David Bowie’s odd request, especially for a movie set pri- epic, the 60-plus needle drops stay almost “Heroes” — and even has the young 1945 marily in 19th century America. But “when entirely within the time frame, except for characters enacting some of Bowie’s video I saw the film, I understood what she a few instrumental scoring cues on loan moves in the closing shots of the film. meant,” Desplat says. “There is something from the 1970s that you’d be hard-pressed When it came to orchestral elements, pop in the way she has directed the actors, to pick out. “We didn’t have many anach- composer Michael Giacchino says he and the art direction has a modernity to it. ronistic pieces like he has done in the “wanted a very European score, something It doesn’t play perfectly period — classical past,” says music supervisor Mary Ramos. that felt like if you were wandering down or tedious or restrained.” “He wanted to really stay true to the the street in 1939 Germany, you might hear His solution: a Mozart-style orchestra period, and that even expanded into the that music playing out someone’s win- of strings, with flute, harp, clarinet and — score choices, like the Bernard Herrmann dow.” Chopin, Liszt and Satie were among most importantly — two pianos, the four pieces we use,” including a bit from Herr- his influences. “Having a more traditional hands subtly hinting at the four March sis- mann’s discarded score for “Torn Curtain.” score with the Beatles and Bowie moments ters of the story. Rather than indulge in The song parameters were easy: Los makes it even stranger and stronger,” Giac- “period Americana” clichés, it provides a Angeles top 40 station KHJ radio is prac- chino offers. “Somehow it all works together, supportive, lyrical musical backdrop for tically a character unto itself, and Taran- and I don’t entirely know how.” Far from the various life crises and relationships tino plucked some actual recordings of disapproving of how the rock song picks of Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy. “It was a way airtime in the ’60s. The director acknowl- conflicted with his old-school score, Giac- to keep the intimacy of the story,” adds edges that some diehards contend, “He’s chino used his Paul McCartney connection the two-time Oscar winner. “Most of the not playing enough of the more psy- to secure permission for the Beatlemania time they are in the house, by themselves. chedelic stuff. ... He’s obviously playing oldie comically associated with a portrayal There’s an intimate bond with the girls. It's [what] a 6- or 7-year-old would listen to’” of Hitlermania. It wasn’t an easy sell. — CW very choreographed, like a ballet, and the (Tarantino’s age at the time). But one music plays that.” — JB of the things about tying it implicitly LITTLE WOMEN to KHJ was that it was able to give the Director Greta Gerwig’s idea of a musi- ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD entire soundtrack a personality — and cal score initially puzzled French com- Quentin Tarantino is king when it comes you can’t break the personality. It’s AM poser Alexandre Desplat: “Mozart meets to going wildly out of period with song radio. It’s not about this deep cut from David Bowie,” she told him. It seemed an choices. But for his late ’60s SoCal character Jimi Hendrix.” — CW (PREVIOUS PAGE) FRANÇOIS DUHAMEL/UNIVERSAL PICTURES (THIS PAGE) FORD V FERRARI: MERRICK MORTON/20TH CENTURY FOX; FOX; CENTURY FORD V FERRARI: MERRICK MORTON/20TH (THIS PAGE) PICTURES FRANÇOIS DUHAMEL/UNIVERSAL (PREVIOUS PAGE) PICTURES; LITTLE WOMEN: WILSON WEBB/SONY SEARCHLIGHT; FOX JOJO: TAVERNISE/NETFLIX; THE IRISHMAN: NIKON PICTURES ONCE UPON A TIME: ANDREW COOPER/SONY

124 | VARIETY.COM | JANUARY 2, 2020 FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION KWAKU ALSTON FOR foureleven.agency KWAKU

BEST ORIGINAL SONG “I’M STANDING WITH YOU” Music and Lyrics by DIANE WARREN Performed by CHRISSY METZ

THE SOCIETY OF COMPOSERS CRITICS’ CHOICE & LYRICISTS (SCL) AWARDS AWARDS NOMINEE NOMINEE OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SONG BEST SONG “I’M STANDING WITH YOU” “I’M STANDING WITH YOU”

Untitled-39 1 12/27/19 3:09 PM FOCUS MUSIC FOR SCREENS

CORD POWER Gary Catona has GOLDEN GLOBES’ helped strengthen physically damaged vocal cords for the SONG ODDS late Muhammad Ali, who suffered from Parkinson’s, and Jack A FEW OF THE BIGGEST NAMES IN Klugman, who died MUSIC ARE VYING FOR THE HFPA PRIZE of throat cancer. BY JON BURLINGAME

Could Taylor Swift win a Golden Globe for her song from “Cats?” It’s a toss-up. Predicting Globes winners in music is always a tricky affair, if for no other reason than the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn.’s unpredictable voters — eccentric to some, notorious pushovers when it comes to celebrity court- ship to others. Over the past 20 years, only nine Globes winners for song correctly predicted the eventual Oscar winner. And seven of those 20 weren’t even among Oscar’s final five original song nominees. “Beautiful Ghosts,” which Swift sings and co-wrote with original “Cats” composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, is a SINGING STRONG Globes nominee but will not be an Oscar nominee because the Academy’s music branch did not list it among its 15 preliminary choices in the category. Globes voters were shown an incomplete version of “Cats” in FOR ‘JUDY’ mid-November, a month before reviews savaged the film. This is Swift’s third Globes nomination. Previously she Gary Catona’s vocal work with Renée Zellweger may was cited for “Safe and Sound,” from 2012’s “The Hunger Games,” and “Sweeter Than Fiction,” from 2013’s “One help lead to another Oscar for the versatile actress Chance.” So far, an Oscar nomination has eluded the BY ROY TRAKIN music superstar. But Jan. 5 may be the HFPA’s chance to reward the 10-time Grammy winner, if the critical drub- bing “Cats” has taken doesn’t kill its chances. nomenon. My exercises offer the same resis- The competition this year is exceptionally fierce, what tance training, like doing curls with weights.” with Elton John (with lyricist Bernie Taupin) nominated for GARY CATONA ISN’T YOUR GARDEN- Marvels Zellweger: “I never realized that “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” from the popular “Rocket- variety vocal coach. The man who helped vocal muscles could be manipulated through man.” This is his fifth Globes nomination; he won for “Can Renée Zellweger channel Judy Garland’s a particular set of strengthening exercises You Feel the Love Tonight” from “The Lion King” in 1994. singing style calls himself a “voice builder,” and was surprised to learn that subcon- Beyoncé (along with co-writers Ilya and Labrinth) is also adopting tenor Enrico Caruso’s model of sciously stored emotional components can in the category for “Spirit” from the 2019 remake of “The strengthening the muscles that surround release as vocal muscles are forced to open.” Lion King.” This is her third time at the Globes, so far with- the vocal cords. The Philadelphia native’s The focus for Zellweger was on develop- out a win. She was nominated in 2006 for “Listen” from clients have included Whitney Houston, ing “those broad, round vowel sounds that “Dreamgirls” and as co-writer of “Once in a Lifetime” from Andrea Bocelli, Brian Wilson, Steven Tyler, increased her range,” says Catona. “She really 2008’s “Cadillac Records.” Lenny Kravitz, Liza Minnelli and Shirley picked up on Garland’s vocal phrasing her- Globes voters’ other choices are “Into the Unknown,” MacLaine. Even Milli Vanilli’s Fab Morvan, self. But she’s a naturally gifted singer. … I the big Idina Menzel number from “Frozen 2,” and “Stand famously ostracized by the music indus- just kept her voice in optimum shape, giving Up” from the period drama “Harriet.” try for lip-synching on the group’s debut her little tips to help. Her performance was Here we return to the maverick stance of Globes voters, album, came to Catona to learn how to sing. all about the individual emotional interpre- because “Into the Unknown” writers Kristen Anderson-Lo- For Zellweger, starring in “Judy” went tation and authenticity.” pez and Robert Lopez have been twice nominated for beyond the complexities of portraying Gar- Catona was introduced to Zellweger by Globes (for “Let It Go” from “Frozen” and “Remember Me” land in the last six months of her melodra- her boyfriend, guitarist Doyle Bramhall II, from “Coco”), lost both times, then went on to win the matic life, a performance that has affirmed who sought out his vocal training on the rec- Oscar in both instances. Could this be the year the the actress’ place on the Oscar front-runner ommendation of fellow client Boz Scaggs. Lopezes finally nab the elusive Globe? We’ll know soon

list. She also did her own singing in the film. Bramhall served as a back-up vocalist for enough if the Disney song swayed the HFPA. 2: FROZEN DISNEY SHADRACH; STEPHEN CATONA: ATTRACTIONS; HINDLEY/ROADSIDE DAVID JUDY: “Her voice was good before, but now it’s dra- Eric Clapton and Roger Waters. And their matically improved,” says the 67-year-old relationship went beyond the screen to Catona of working with the Academy Award recording sessions for the film’s soundtrack, COLD CUT Will “Frozen 2” take winner. “Her trick was not impersonating released in September 2019 by Universal home the Golden Judy Garland, but bringing something of Music Group’s Decca Records. The collec- Globe for Kristen her own alchemy to it, which I feel she suc- tion includes duets with Sam Smith (“Get Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez? ceeded in doing, while remaining true to the Happy”) and Rufus Wainwright (“Have Your- character and making it come alive.” self a Merry Little Christmas”) on which Zell- Catona’s technique is a sort of vocal weger’s singing is more supple and brighter. boot-camp. “Voice teachers tell you to sing “It was joyful to experience the unex- through your throat, diaphragm and nose, pected transformations that manifested which is ridiculous,” he says of his “iso-kinet- in the process of finding and reclaiming ics” method that prevents wear and tear on my voice,” says Zellweger. “I am really grate- the vocal cords. “The voice is a muscular phe- ful to Gary.”

126 | VARIETY.COM | JANUARY 2, 2020 Untitled-10 1 12/27/19 2:16 PM Untitled-21 1 12/27/19 2:29 PM LEMMONS: CHELSEA LAUREN/SHUTTERSTOCK; STAR WARS: DAVID JAMES/DISNEY/LUCASFILM LTD. director who’d grown upintheeffects hey- ever more realistic results. But J.J. Abrams, a anddelivered cheaper 1990s asCGIbecame cinema history, thenshunted aside inthe of themost iconic characters andscenes in making acomeback. petry, makeup effects andminiatures —is — alongwithsimilartechniques like pup- CALL ITTHEJ.J. EFFECT even more asdigitalbecome effects cutting-edge Why Hollywood isinthemidst ofananimatronic resurgence Most ofMonster Mash PicsMake the Recent The work was long responsible for some Force Awakens.” “Star Wars: The steelpecker from works onpartofa designer AlanMurphy Senior animatronics Feather onTop ‘Harriet’ director adiverse andproducer assembled crew to tell the story ofan American hero BELOW-THE-LINE RAILROAD . Animatronics of Resistance.” ies like Netflix’s “Dark Crystal” reboot, “Age sion ofthe “Star Wars” universe orinmov- gears and cables, whether viatheexpan- its love ofpuppets controlled by motors, Awakens.” Now, Hollywood isrediscovering range ofanimatronics in2015’s “The Force of “Star Wars” when awide heincluded of thosearts andthecinematiclanguage day ofthe ’70s and ’80s, followed hislove By DREWTURNEY p.130 ‘Frozen 2’ meets tech problems with artistic aplomb Creative (“BlackPanther,” “Guardians of phen Lawes, aVFXsupervisor atCantina wouldsequence $180k, about be says Ste- devours Quint, theprice for aCGI-driven attack scene in “Jaws” inwhich theshark scales. For instance, to re-create theiconic different creative problems atdifferent a fair comparison thetwo because solve three or four months.” you can defer the[creative] for decision will [put] upmore cash to get itfinished; go get agreat reel offootage, andsomeone moneyspend upfront onanimatronics or them monthsbefore,” heexplains. “You can animatronics onfilm, you hadto condition reason was to defer costs. “If you wanted Millennium FXCEO Neill Gorton says one did CGIsoeffectively kill offanimatronics? practicallove effects. withso-called So why many oftoday’s directors) never fell out of WATER SOLUBLE Yet, animatronics versus CGoften isn’t Film fans ofacertain age (which include p.132 129 JANUARY 2, 2020 VARIETY.COM 130 JANUARY 2, 2020 VARIETY.COM ARTISANS cult surfaces orwater like fur inrapid visual more effects handled soon diffi- CGI could doneon avast be scale, and the Rings” movies would go onto show wasthe writing onthewall. The “Lord of Cox (“Babe,” “Pitch Black,” “The Host”), Award-winning creature creator John effects ever seen. animatronictained someofthe best movement in1993, itironically con- ground zero for theburgeoning CGI and ’80s. When “Jurassic Park” became animatronics came ofage inthe ’70s Enchanted TikiRoom, moviemaking tions like theHallofPresidents andthe me for 25years ifmy isdying.” industry busier, adding, “People have asking been parks. Gorton says thathe’s never been ing infieldslike exhibitions andtheme the finaltrilogy. on “The Force Awakens,” thefirst filmof The RiseofSkywalker,” referring to work effects creative onsupervisor “Star Wars: Scanlan, creature makeup andspecial practically where we can,” says Neal feel different is we always dothings lowed. “One thingthatmakes ‘Star Wars’ when there’s acreative legacy to fol- be much apart ofthe tool set—especially charges for each sequence. while VFXwould necessitate stand-alone shot rate to roughly 40%ofthattotal, entire production would reduce theper- using theanimatronic for model the for puppeteer. anon-set But headdsthat around $2.5millionandanother$500K the cost to actually build thecreature at Aquatic With Steve Zissou”) estimates designer Walt Conti(“Flipper,” “The Life the Galaxy”). Meanwhile, effects special But to many, includingAcademy Invented inthe ’50s for Disney attrac- Animatronics isalsoalive andkick- To many, animatronics isstill very you don’t throw away theoldtools.” changes andbringsnew possibilities, but tool,” Gorton says of digital effects. “It dom later intheprocess. “It’s like any even ifVFXaffords them greater free- sance offers filmmakers more options control effects. ofthe on-screen thatprovidedioning alook even greater of theoperators inpost-production, fash- digital technology cleaned upalltraces three films inthefinal “Star Wars” trilogy, the droids, creatures andaliensonall Though puppeteers animated many of that they can complement each other. for artforms both infilmmaking, but also proving notonly thatthere’s room withit.”spontaneous isn’t setinstone, hesays, “you can be much ofmoviemaking. When theeffect kind ofhappy accidents that make upso ing against agreen screen allows for the ster oralienpresent rather thanwork- addsthathavingLee thereal mon- know thatcomes across onscreen.” son, director of2017’s ‘The Jedi’] Last whole setabuzz, andJ.J. andRian[John- droids andweird contraptions gives the FX designerJosh Lee. “Having thesecrazy walker” senioranimatronic andcreature the actors too, according to “Rise ofSky- gizmos can havefun apositive effect on in more thanjust avisual sense. The that in-camera effects impact ascene cate. suggest Andsomeintheindustry visceral thatdigital wizardry can’t dupli- tain thatphysical effects offer something pals Leslie Evans andBrianOrrmain- Cox says. us to dodinosaurs orreptiles anymore,’” thought, ‘Well, they’re notgoing to ask succession. “When Isaw ‘Jurassic Park,’ I Ultimately, theanimatronics renais- Scanlan, Abrams andmany others are Yet top Disney princi- Imagineering Force Awakens” “Star Wars: The action below, from with thebeastin creature onJakku, A sketch for a Animatronics A Nosefor “Harriet.” on thesetof Bell Calloway and Vanessa Cynthia Erivo Momoh, Zackary directs actors Kasi Lemmons of History Conductor wasn’t hard to assemblethecrew. “There’s the five key creatives, above-the-line says it tion designerWarren AlanYoung. casting director KimColemanto productions, includingeightbelow theline, from film counts ofcolor intop 13people posi- team withwomen ofcolor. andpeople The film thatmadestrides to consciously hire a thescenes,and behind and “Harriet” isone oncamera Americansamong African both work to done. needs be the top 1,200filmsfrom 2007-18, more ethnic status ofleading characters across underrepresentation ofgender, racial and tiative, which hasexamined theextent of As shown by InclusionIni- theAnnenberg championingdiversityabout ittoo. behind fight for equality infront ofthecamera; it’s mons, Tubman’s story isn’t just the about at $17million. office,box not bad fora movie budgeted approaching $50millionatthedomestic on thelevel ofthoseotherfilms, but it’s their freedom —may ablockbuster notbe ground Railroad andhelpothers gain slavery to aleader oftheUnder- become story ofHarrietTubman, who escaped successes. Focus Features’ “Harriet” —the “Crazy RichAsians” office box allbecome “Wonder Woman,” “Black Panther,” “Us” and Diversity business. isgood role in “Harriet,” onethingremains clear: inal songfor herperformance inthetitle Oscar contender for actress best andorig- By JAZZ TANGCAY crew totellthestoryofanAmericanhero Debra adiverse MartinChaseassembled KasiDirector Lemmonsandproducer AS CYNTHIA ERIVO Filmmakers Target Diversity Below-the-Line for ‘Harriet’ @jazzt Producer Debra MartinChase, oneof Still, there anincrease hasbeen oflate Directed andco-written by Kasi Lem- In recent years, Hollywood hasseen becomes aformidable becomes

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Untitled-47 1 12/27/19 5:14 PM 132 JANUARY 2, 2020 VARIETY.COM ARTISANS Zone 414 Asomugha movie ispart ofthestorytelling process.” Chase says. “Everyone involved inmakinga available for themost part ofcolor,” to people term careers thathave historically notbeen therebecause are jobsandgreat good long- up. “Diversity thecamera behind isimportant man’s achievement inhelpingothers to rise plishments fall inlinewiththespiritofTub- black women.” women, much lesshistorical about pieces hasn’twood black makingfilmsabout been ple wanted to work withme,” she says. “Holly- movie. People wanted to work withKasi. Peo- ple wanted to work onaHarrietTubman became alegend.became to herlife spend onaplantation andwho an illiterate woman ofcolor who was meant American crew but alsointelling thestory of plishment,” notonly for recruiting anAfrican ence Blanchard. duction designerYoung Ter- andcomposer says Chaseofhow thecasting came together. tie Love’] andwe went to herimmediately,” just finished casting my ABCpilot[‘Get Chris- Channel movie “The Cheetah Girls.” “She had through theyears, on2003Disney meeting approach itwiththerightintent.” example ofwhat donewhen can be you found amazingpeople,” Chase adds. “It’s this costumes for “Hamilton” onBroadway. “We said to get Paul” Tazewell, who haddesigned had done ‘Sparkle’ withme,” says Chase. “She “Dolemite IsMyName.” Ruth,“I called who on thecostumes, but Carter was working on wantedLemmons to work withRuth Carter to put forward theeffort” to hire. Originally, thescenes,”behind she observes. “People have definitely noshortage ofcolor ofpeople Above theLine In Production DATA PROVIDED BY VARIETY INSIGHT. FORACOMPLETELIST OFFILMSINPRODUCTION, VISITVARIETYINSIGHT.COM Top creatives andcrew collaborated on“Harriet.” Gregory Allen Chase co-writer Executive Producer, Producer Director Study inDiversity producer Nnamdi Howard Debra Martin Kasi Lemmons IL/ITIUO ER RDCINDRCO/HWUNRCS HO TR LOCATION SHOOT START CAST DIRECTOR/SHOWRUNNER PRODUCTION GENRE TITLE/DISTRIBUTOR TNT Animal Kingdom Comedy Central Corporate The Duke Ultimately, thefilm’s below-the-line accom- Chase says thecrew knew thescore. “Peo- calls Lemmons “Harriet” a “huge accom- Similarly, hadworked Lemmons withpro- Chase andColemanhadcollaborated (Season 3) (Season5) Alan Young Terence Composer Costume designer designer Production Warren Blanchard Paul Tazewell Below theLine Charles King Executive producer

fantasy Sci-fi/ Drama oeyComedyCentral Comedy Comedy

Angie Wells Anderson Cynthia Casting director Co-writers, Co-writers, designer original song Makeup Hair department head Kim Coleman Brian Campbell Erivo, Joshuah Belinda Production Source23ten, | Management + Television, JohnWells Prods. Warner HorizonScripted Media, Screen Yorkshire Pathé, NeonFilms,Ingenious

nrwBid(ietr rvsFme /3NorthernIreland 1/13 Travis Fimmel Andrew Baird (director) Jonathan Lisco(showrunner) Jake Weisman (showrunners) Pat Bishop, MattIngebretson, Roger Michell(director) To Acad Noms Panel, ‘Frozen 2’ tril flares andmovements ofits ears and horse can do, which ismainly doingnos- demands thatare limited by what areal are very subtle andnatural actorly real-world concerns hadto met. be “There shape was alotmore fluid, says West, but ice throughout thefilm. Inearly tests, its horse thatoscillates between water and effects thatare inthescene.” sure thatwe’re telling thestory withthe shot inthefilm, we’re to trying make enough for Elsa?’ Every moment, every ing, ‘Is thismomentfeeling treacherous of force into thesimulation?’ We’re say- comments aren’t‘Did you put Xamount as much asatechnical one. “The first lem-solving from acreative perspective Ramos, whose credits include “Moana.” ing to create,” says effects Erin supervisor that matches theworld thatwe’re try- and have avisual rhythm, avisual style, really to need follow ashape language apart from its live-action counterpart. “You tovery the specific ‘Frozen’ universe.” Six’ water,” explains West. “This isactually doesn’t like look ‘Moana’ water or ‘Big Hero from what hascome before. “[This water] ates water, isinherently thelook different mated feature isthatevery timeitcre- whole story. Part ofthetest for anani- the team simply it, filmed that’s notthe think themovie’s water isso realistic that says while it’s flattering for audiences to effects animationalongside Dale Mayeda, uid environment. way ofits liq- thelook thefilmhandled technical challenges, most notably inthe the crew certainly solved its share of to make theOscar short list for VFX, but Artistry Outshines Technology By ZOEHEWITT thefilmstillholdswaterfeels in Oscar’s VFXcategory, butcrew Disney’s overlooked sequel animated DISNEY’S “FROZEN 2” DISNEY’S “FROZEN @realzoehewitt For instance, theNokk isamagical Mayeda says theteam considers prob- Stylization iswhat sets animated water Marlon West, ofthefilm’s co-head Helen Mirren Shawn Hatosy Finn Cole, Jake Weisman Matt Ingebretson, Jim Broadbent, may have failed o n, nate theproblem. technique” for lightrefraction to elimi- gy-wise, we our hadto rendering modify and itdoesn’t ascool. look Sotechnolo- Elsa’s ridingit, you herotherleg, can see you through can see hisbody, thenwhen these weird reflections,” she says. “And if Ramos notes. “All ofasudden you get ent inawatery, icy, translucent horse, acertainkeep shape. thattheheadfilm demanded oftheNokk narrowing ofits eyes.” ofthe Sotheneeds think ofourselves asartists.” considered atall. … [But] we tend to —Idon’tor otherwise mindbeing other studios are doing, live action we feel itstands upalongsideofwhat accomplishment here atDisney —if “If we have somethingwe feel isagreat alongside oflive-action films,” hesays. ing more animationthaneffects. about asafilmthatleavesseen viewers think- Yet West ishappy for “Frozen 2” to be mated movie to have cracked thecode.) and theTwo Strings” istheonly fully ani- (Laika’s 2016claymation classic “Kubo animated filmhasever madethecut. illusions are achieved.” No traditionally skill andfidelity withwhich thevisual to theoverall production andtheartistry, the contribution thevisual effects make Academy’s website asa “consideration of visual effects category are listed onthe by lightrefraction. a problem they solved effects animatorswith with Elsa,presented horse, here frolicking Nokk, amagicalwater of WaterShape But there were otherissues inher- “I would love to considered be The Oscars’ requirements for the / Yorkshire, London 1/8 /4Los Angeles 1/14 / Los Angeles 1/6

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PREMIER OFFICIAL SUPPORTING PARTNERS PARTNERS PARTNERS PULP WITHOUT PANACHE FINAL CUT Despite top-shelf talent, HBO’s ‘The Outsider’ is bogged Sam Moore recalls the bad down by slow pacing and an overserious approach p.136 old days of the record biz p.138

a tired gangster retread that still marked Standard- involvement of revived production com- FILM REVIEW Issue BY GUY LODGE a step up from the Madonna folly “Swept Scenario pany Miramax. The former house of Wein- Away” and the incomprehensible, Kabbal- Colin Farrell stein even gets an on-screen shoutout ah-inflected “Revolver.” and Charlie — courtesy of the script’s silliest fillip, a The A reset was called for; slick studio tent- Hunnam movie-within-a-movie plot with little great star in “The pole projects beckoned, ranging from a Gentlemen.” payoff — that does little to dispel the Gentlemen snazzy “Man From U.N.C.L.E.” revival to impression of a film made primarily for an impersonal but profitable turn in the the amusement of those behind it. A less Disney stable with “Aladdin.” It’s a sec- forgivable blast from the past, however, ond phase that has bought enough good- is a discomfiting strain of racially based will for Ritchie to don his tweed auteur humor running throughout Ritchie’s orig- flat cap once more. Enter “The Gentle- inal script, making flat punchlines of mul- Director: Guy Ritchie Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, men,” a knockabout all-star return to the tiple Asian characters. At such points, Hugh Grant, Colin Farrell, Michelle Dockery, underworld that feigns to remind us who “The Gentlemen” leaves cheerfully shop- Henry Golding its director really is, but feels, in most worn territory behind, settling instead for respects, like a hedging of bets. A blander actively retrograde. stylistic exercise than whiplash-inducing It begins, as Ritchie films are wont to early efforts like “Lock, Stock” and “Snatch,” do, with a literal bang: a flash-forward t took Guy Ritchie a little over a less ambitious but more cohesive in its to smooth American criminal Mickey decade to make the transition structural trickery than “Revolver,” it would Pearson (Matthew McConaughey, acces-

from self-styled auteur to journey- feel like boilerplate Ritchie if he hadn’t sorized with sparkly ear stud and mile- VARIETY.COM man, and his output was hardly just spent 11 years away from the genre wide smirk) as he saunters into a London worse off for the change. At the principally associated with his name. pub, orders a pint and a pickled egg, and Iturn of the century, he announced himself For Ritchie fans not burned out on promptly gets his brains blown out by an as the swaggering enfant terrible of Brit- the sundry guns-and-geezers imitations unseen shooter. Or does he? Cue the ﬁrst ish genre cinema with the sharp cockney spawned by his early successes, then, “The of several rewinds and alternative nar-

crime pic “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Gentlemen” is in its own way as much an 2, 2020 JANUARY Barrels,” though the law of diminishing exercise in cautious nostalgia as any Dis-

THE OUTSIDER: BOB MAHONEY/HBO; THE GENTLEMEN: CHRISTOPHER RAPHAEL/STX ENTERTAINMENT RAPHAEL/STX THE GENTLEMEN: CHRISTOPHER BOB MAHONEY/HBO; THE OUTSIDER: returns set in fast: 2008’s “RocknRolla” was ney remake, right down to the prominent 135 rative splinters, intended to boggle any leers) add little but self-satisfaction to TV REVIEW brains not still lingering on the peculiarity the proceedings, as do stray, strained cin- BY DANIEL D’ADDARIO of someone ordering a pickled egg in 2019. ematic references to the old-school value “If you wish to be the king of the jun- of 35mm lensing and the narrative twist- gle, it’s not enough to act like the king iness of Coppola’s “The Conversation.” (“A The — you must be the king,” McConaughey bit boring, to be honest,” Fletcher declares, purrs, though his introductory voiceover though in his defense, he hasn’t actually Outsider is another bit of misdirection: The bulk seen “The Gentlemen.”) It’s an approach of the film is narrated by Fletcher (Hugh that often leaves Hunnam’s impassive Grant, cast against type as a working-class lackey figure to carry much of the action rascal), a deviously impartial observer to — which he does, with slightly mournful various East End gangster wars, who has charm — while his more flavorful superi- Drama: HBO (10 episodes; six reviewed); Jan. 12 worked them into his own Ritchie-esque ors recede into the background. Starring: Ben Mendelsohn, Cynthia Erivo, screenplay titled “Bush.” An elusive figure Other stars dart in and out of the Bill Camp, Mare Winningham in “The Gentlemen,” Pearson is the pro- action at random, inessential intervals. tagonist of “Bush,” titled after his roar- Colin Farrell is amusing as a plaid-tracking trade: a marijuana empire scattered suited Irish mentor to a coterie of young among underground bunkers in stately thugs (mostly men of color, none with he Outsider” is a new homes around the English countryside. any independent character agency) but is HBO drama with top- A white-trash expat who climbed the all but dispensable to whatever intrigue “ shelf talent in front of British social ladder by dealing to Oxford there is. British-Malaysian star Henry T and behind the cam- scholars, Pearson is after his own posh Golding has the thankless task of heading era. It’s a crime story country pile, targeting an early, well-heeled up a crew of East Asian heroin dealers — that uses a single horrifying case from retirement with his wife, street-smart the other characters’ uncertainty over his which to extrapolate a story about a soci- Essex girl Rosalind (Michelle Dockery, a exact identity is played for a hackneyed ety haunted by soul-sickness and, per- good sport in a role with more outfits laugh — whose interference with Pear- haps, a boundless and supernatural evil. than character traits). The word “gentrifica- son’s business seemingly leads the film to And it pairs unlikely collaborators to CREDITS: An tion” gets bandied about a lot in “The Gen- the conclusion that American drug lords STX Films release crack the case. of a Miramax pre- tlemen,” not necessarily with a negative are somehow more appealingly roguish sentation of a In other words, it’s “True Detective” Sea- Toff Guy pro- slant: New money is as honorable as old than Chinese ones. duction. Produc- son 4. Sort of. ers: Guy Ritchie, money in Ritchie’s Britain, just as long as The actors, splendidly kitted out in Ivan Atkinson, A year after that HBO anthology aired Bill Block. Exec- there’s a lot of it. But when Pearson looks autumnal suiting and knitwear by cos- utive producers: its comeback season, the cabler returns to Bob Osher, Mat- to cash out his business to fellow Yank tume designer Michael Wilkinson, have thew Anderson, the world of lurid murder and hard-boiled Andrew Golov, Berger (Jeremy Strong, amping up the Ken- what fun they can with such thin, dated Alan Wands, Rob- cops. Using as its source material the Ste- ert Simonds, dall Roy skeeziness), his comfy plans are material, but everyone here deserves bet- Adam Fogel- phen King novel of the same title, “The son. Co-produc- imperiled by a tangled series of bad trades ter: Despite scattered references to grime ers: Max Keene, Outsider” moves methodically through a Matthew McCo- and betrayals — to which Fletcher fancies music and Brexit, “The Gentlemen” car- naughey. Direc- story that seems at first both straightfor- tor: Guy Ritchie. himself an invaluable witness, turning up ries precious little flavor — either in its Screenplay: ward and un-King-like. A cop (Ben Men- Ritchie, from a at the door of Pearson’s dapper right-hand quick, choppy craft or its familiarly exple- story by Ritchie, delsohn) who’s grieving his own late son Ivan Atkinson, man Raymond (Charlie Hunnam) with a tive-laden dialogue — of British life, pol- Marn Davies. works to solve the case of a murdered boy; Camera (color, £20 million blackmail demand. itics, vernacular or even filmmaking in widescreen): the evidence that the culprit is the town’s Alan Stewart. It’s an oddly circuitous way of unspool- 2019: Where “Lock, Stock and Two Smok- Editor: James youth baseball coach (Jason Bateman) Herbert. Music: VARIETY.COM ing an otherwise standard-issue dishon- ing Barrels,” for all its obnoxious, now Christopher Ben- seems overwhelming, and only episodes stead. Reviewed or-among-thieves plot, much of it relayed over-imitated tics, burst onto the U.K. at Fox screen- later does Mendelsohn’s sleuth begin ing room, Lon- by Fletcher to Raymond on the latter’s indie scene with genuinely reckless, rebel- don, Dec. 17, 2019. doubting his own certitude. That’s when MPAA Rating: backyard patio — a distinctly undynamic lious energy, this feels as much a mouthy R. Running time: Cynthia Erivo, playing an intuitive private 113 MIN. Cast: setting, and one of several suggestions of tourist in its modern London as McCo- Matthew McCo- investigator with a rapid-fire brain, steps naughey, Char- a pinched budget here. Occasional digres- naughey’s enterprising scumbag. Him- lie Hunnam, Hugh in to assist in finding the malign elements Grant, Colin Far-

JANUARY 2, 2020 JANUARY sions into Fletcher’s fictional screenwrit- self gentrified by a decade in Hollywood’s rell, Michelle at the story’s margins. Dockery, Henry ing notions (“I’m a storyteller: As they big leagues, Ritchie doesn’t much seem to Golding, Jeremy It sounds like pulp, and it seems to Strong, Eddie 136 say in the film game, I’m laying pipe,” he know his own scuzzy world anymore. Marsan want to be; it shares all of the elements

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or mail this form with copy of your current union, guild or association Variety Awards Office membership card. Please respond by February 28, 2020. 11175 Santa Monica Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90025 323.617.9306 utive producer and by directing the ﬁrst Common Pursuit two episodes. Bateman is the reigning Ben Mendelsohn and Cynthia Erivo play characters out to solve a Emmy best director champ for his work murder in “The Outsider.” on “Ozark,” but this show indicates why his approach there is difficult to replicate. The less-than-exhilarating visual scheme and bummer tone of “Ozark” are brought to life by actors delivering wild and unhinged performances as people behaving against their best interests. Laura Linney and others enliven a show that’s otherwise tur- gid. Mendelsohn, Mare Winningham and Bill Camp, all tremendously gifted but not “big” by nature, are not the types to go full “Ozark,” and Erivo — a stage star who’s become a somewhat recessive and difficult-to-know presence on screen — doesn’t break out, either, despite her character’s unique role in the story. In all, “The Outsider” doesn’t rival of “True Detective” except a guiding will- to the point where the real story is on “True Detective” for jolts or for insights CREDITS: Exec- utive producers: ingness to be fun. Replacing that giddy the margins — is a major impediment about the human condition or the Jason Bateman, Richard Price, indulgence in strangeness with dirge- to spending time with it. If “The Out- impulses that bring about crime. And Andrew Ber- VARIETY.COM nstein, Marty like seriousness means the plot is slow- sider” doesn’t really care about the ways its slow pace emphasizes the absence of Bowen, Jack Bender, Michael walked; we don’t even meet Erivo until in which its narrative is new until fairly what crime dramas can do so well. The Costigan, Den- nis Lehane. Pro- the third episode. She doesn’t get much deep into the season, why should we? stakes here seem to be massive; gradu- ducer: Ben Men- delsohn. Cast: to do until still later. That the show The series may have suffered from too ally it becomes clear that an epidemic of Ben Mendelsohn, Cynthia Erivo, Bill refuses to be about what it’s about — it’s many inﬂuences. Richard Price (of “The darkness is overtaking many. But getting Camp, Mare Win- ningham, Paddy

a show about a sleuth with medium-like Night Of” and “The Wire”) adapts the work there, with so little in the way of charac- Considine, Juli- 2, 2020 JANUARY anne Nicholson, powers chasing down the forces of evil of King, guided by Bateman, supplement- ter or freshness of tone, simply exhausts Yul Vázquez, Jer- emy Bobb, Marc that insists on hard-boiled police noir ing his on-screen work by acting as exec- even an interested viewer. Menchaca 137 BOB MAHONEY/HBO By STEVEN GAYDOS

You and Dave Prater put from me?” “You’re losing out records before you money with us, and broke through on Stax. we can’t find a way to FINALNAL CUT But none of those records do anything.” Then I ever clicked? started to sit down, and We were signed, and we he said, “Did I ask you had a producer who’d to sit down?” worked with Joe Wil- liams, Count Basie and You know that other Dinah Washington. We acts had very bad things came up with some happen to them after that pretty good stuff. But it kind of conversation with became clear that noth- Morris Levy. ing was working, and I He took out a box and finally said, “We’re not found some papers, and going any further with he signed things and you guys. Could you let us crossed things out. He out of our contract?” said, “Let me know if you get any offers. How are Roulette was owned by you getting back?” We told Morris Levy, who was very him we had our car and famously, shall we say, thanked him and left. difficult, or impossible, to When we got back and negotiate with. told our manager, he said, What did I know? I was “Morris Levy let you out just a kid from the block. of your contract? OK, let’s They told us to talk to see how far this goes.” Morris, so we found out where he lived. He had Essentially, from many a beach house in Miami. different directions, you We knocked on the door, were being robbed. and a maid answered And the more confused I and asked us what we got, the more I shot dope wanted. We said, “We’re and I got more confused. here to see Mr. Levy.” Eventually, I learned that Right, two black guys in being angry, resentful that neighborhood, and and hurting wasn’t help- remember, this is back in ing anything. I found a the early ’60s, and we’re way to move on. not that close to inte- gration. She says, “Go Such a horrible business around the back, and experience but we still Mr. Levy will see you.” So have all those amazing we go around, and we’re records. Is there anything greeted by three guys you might have done wearing overcoats in the differently? middle of the summer, To tell you the truth, MY FIRST TIME IN VARIETY and you can see these I love those records, bulges in their coats right and when I made them, where you’d be carrying a I knew they were songs gun. Levy comes out and I could sink my teeth Sam Moore says, “What do you want?” into. But my background ‘I started to sit down, and [Morris Levy] said, We said, “We’re Sam and is gospel. The truth is, “Did I ask you to sit down?”’ Dave. We’re on your label. I wanted to stay in the We’ve cut some tracks.” gospel field. But it wasn’t “What do you want paying the bills.

During that bright burst of Memphis music magic that lit up radios, record players and concert stages in the mid-’60s, no act outshined the dynamic rhythm and blues duo known as Sam and Dave. Alongside legendary performers such as Otis Redding, Carla Thomas, and Booker T. & the M.G.’s, Sam Moore and Dave Prater ran up a string of chart hits for the Stax label that included such soul anthems as “Hold On, I’m Comin’,” “Soul Man” and “I Thank You.” The duo ﬁrst parted ways in 1970 and by the early ’80s, had broken up for good. Prater died in an auto accident

VARIETY.COM in 1988, and Moore’s career overcame numerous setbacks. But Moore endured, going on to enjoy the duo’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction in 1992 and a 2006 Grammy nom for his version of the song “You Are So Beautiful,” among many career highlights. Variety ﬁrst noted Moore on June 22, 1966, when he and Prater hit the singles charts with “Hold On, I’m Comin’.” JANUARY 2, 2020 JANUARY

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