'Schitt's Creek'

AGENCY HAVOC Virus Shapes Uncertain Future HARD LESSONS 1918’s Killer Flu ISOLATION NATION Comedians Stream Laughs

The Fab Four

‘ SCHITT’S CREEK’ STARS EUGENE LEVY, DANIEL LEVY, CATHERINE O’HARA AND ANNIE MURPHY COME TO THE END OF THEIR LONG AND WINDING ROAD

BY KATE AURTHUR P. 28

APRIL 1, 2020 US $9.99 JAPAN ¥1280 CANADA $11.99 CHINA ¥80 UK £ 8 HONG KONG $95 EUROPE €9 RUSSIA 400 AUSTRALIA $14 INDIA 800 ® To Our Community

Thank you.

Thank you to those who’ve continued to pay and support cast and crews while production has been halted.

Thank you to those who’ve donated equipment, time, and resources to the COVID-19 response.

Thank you to those who’ve inspired viewers to stay home and stay safe.

Thank you to those who’ve checked in on friends, colleagues, and neighbors.

Thank you for doing what our community does best: bringing the world into our homes.

Through information and entertainment, critical facts and necessary respite, you’ve helped to keep us connected as the pandemic forces us apart.

The time will come again for celebrations and statues. But today and every day, you are all excellent.

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COVID-19 Variety Ad.indd 1 3/26/20 5:36 PM Untitled-1 1 3/27/20 12:14 PM FAMILY JEWELS Daniel Levy, Annie Murphy, Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy star as a formerly rich family forced to move to a small town they bought as a joke in “Schitt’s Creek.” (COVER CLOTHING) LEVYS’ SHIRTS: COS; MURPHY & O’HARA’S SHIRTS: WOLFORD; (THIS PAGE CLOTHING) D. LEVY’S COAT: AMI; SHIRT: COS; COS; AMI; SHIRT: COAT: LEVY’S D. CLOTHING) (THIS PAGE WOLFORD; SHIRTS: MURPHY & O’HARA’S COS; SHIRTS: LEVYS’ CLOTHING) (COVER E’S PANTS & BLOUSE: STELLA MCCARTNEY; JACKET: THEORY; SHOES: MICHAEL KORS; E. LEVY’S TUX & SHIRT: CANALI; SHOES: JIMMY CHOO CANALI; & SHIRT: TUX E. LEVY’S SHOES: MICHAEL KORS; THEORY; JACKET: MCCARTNEY; STELLA & BLOUSE: PANTS E’S

P.2 8 P.3 4 P.4 2 Fording ‘Schitt’s Creek’ Pandemic Funny The creators and cast of the Pop TV comedy series History Lesson Business talk about how it became a surprise cable hit and why A lethal flu shut down the world in Comics are helping entertain their 1918 in ways parallel to COVID-19; quarantined fans by finding creative this is the right time for it to end its run. Variety was there to report on it. ways to perform from home. By KATE AURTHUR By DAVID S. COHEN By JENELLE RILEY JEANS: LEVIS; SHOES: PIERRE HARDY; MURPHY’S OVERALLS: FRAME; BLOUSE: CINQ A SEPT; SHOES: STUART WEITZMAN; PIN: CHANEL; CATHERIN WEITZMAN; SHOES: STUART CINQ A SEPT; FRAME; BLOUSE: OVERALLS: MURPHY’S JEANS: LEVIS; SHOES: PIERRE HARDY; (COVER & THIS PAGE): PHOTOGRAPHS BY PETER YANG; STYLING: ERICA CLOUD/THE ONLY AGENCY; HAIR: ANA SORYS; MAKEUP: LUCKY BROMHEAD; BROMHEAD; LUCKY MAKEUP: ANA SORYS; HAIR: AGENCY; ONLY CLOUD/THE ERICA STYLING: PETER YANG; BY PHOTOGRAPHS & THIS PAGE): (COVER

VARIETY 3 CONTENTS

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11 LAYOFFS HIT HOME Shutdowns, cancellations lead to big changes at the Hollywood agencies

14 BIZ ON THE FRONT LINES The private sector is leading the way in combating coronavirus in Latin America

15 SOUR NOTE Orchestra musicians are facing millions in lost revenue due to canceled performances

16 OFFICE HOURS Television doctors are increasingly becoming viewers’ key source of information

21 REMEMBERED A look at the life and career of playwright Terrence McNally

EXPOSURE ALSO INSIDE

23 DEVOUR Check out Kumail Nanjiani 8 and Emily V. Gordon’s new P.5 6 FIELD NOTES podcast “Staying In” Musings on hot topics Variety examines the career of Octavia 9 FOCUS Spencer in our inaugural PLUGGED IN The Essential feature What’s trending at Variety.com 47 SPRING TV PREVIEW Get the scoop on new and returning series coming in April and May OME BEFORE DARK: APPLE TV+ DARK: OME BEFORE

ARTISANS

59 SISTERLY BOND Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy discuss their P. 2 5 film “Blow the Man Down”

60 STEPPING IT UP Director Gavin Hood Choreographer Mandy Moore buys Malibu home breaks down dance moves for “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist”

61 THE RIGHT TYPE How designers fashion title sequences that are both functional and creative “You never really know what the right thing to do is at times like REVIEWS this. ... I hope it will brighten people’s day. We’re all staying at P.6 3 home, or the majority of us are, 63 TV and hopefully we can get the rest “Home Before Dark” of the people to stay home too.” “Home Before Dua Lipa on why she released her new album, Dark” review 64 FILM “Future Nostalgia,” during the coronavirus crisis “Uncorked” P.66 SPENCER: PHOTOGRAPH BY ART STREIBER; HOOD’ HOUSE: MICHAEL MCNAMARA/LISTING ZEN; DESINGER: CYNTHIA HART; DUA LIPA: HUGO COMTE; H LIPA: DUA HART; CYNTHIA ZEN; DESINGER: HOUSE: MICHAEL MCNAMARA/LISTING HOOD’ STREIBER; ART BY PHOTOGRAPH SPENCER:

4 VARIETY “MASTERFUL ...GORGEOUS AND GRIPPING” “SHOT AFTER SHOT OF ARRESTINGLY PURE SWOON ...BRINGS THE LARGELY EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE OF READING ELENA FERRANTE’S BOOKS INTO VIVID TECHNICOLOR”

“AN ILLUMINATING EXPERIENCE...LOVELY AND UNDERSTATED”

“GORGEOUSLY FILMED...BEAUTIFULLY DONE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM”

“IT’S HARD TO THINK OF A MORE “MARVELOUS” STRIKING SHOW ON TELEVISION” “RAPTUROUS”

MONDAYS AT 10PM STREAM IT ON

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Untitled-1 1 3/30/20 4:02 PM Michelle Sobrino-Stearns

GROUP PUBLISHER & CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER

SALES MARKETING Donna Pennestri Dea Lawrence ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER Claudia Eller MILLIE CHIAVELLI JOHN ROSS VP, FEATURES & EVENTS SVP SALES & GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF TIM BOYER DAWN ALLEN CREATIVE DIRECTOR Andrew Wallenstein VP OF FILM & TALENT SUSANNE AULT CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MICHELLE FINE-SMITH DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMING VP, GLOBAL CONSUMER PARTNERSHIPS EDITORIAL FEATURES DAYNA WOLPA JASON GREENBLATT DIRECTOR, EVENT MARKETING Lesley McKenzie Steven Gaydos VP DIGITAL SALES MANAGING EDITOR EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, GLOBAL CONTENT DAVID S. 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6 VARIETY TODAY

Dear Entertainment Community,

Today we face a mighty challenge. For the last 100 years, MPTF has worked to help individuals in our great industry weather the storms of life. We have been the entertainment industry’s safety net. But the impact of COVID-19 on our community is unlike anything we’ve previously encountered. With production shut down and layoffs mounting, we need urgent and bold action to support our work family. If you are someone in urgent need, we encourage you to reach out.

1. SERVE: Our intake line (323 634 3888) is open as we address wide and varied requests from both working and retired members of the entertainment community. If you or an industry friend need our help, please give us a chance to listen to your story and determine how and where we can make life better for you.

2. SAFEGUARD: Our safety protocols begin with a physical check of every single person entering campus daily. We are also assisting caregivers with transportation and childcare so that they can continue to look after our vulnerable residents on campus and keep them engaged.

3. CONNECT: Complying with CDC’s directives to shelter in place is imperative, but it will also amplify the already pervasive global phenomenon of social isolation. Daily Call Sheet is our social connection program providing a loving telephone call of support to those who need to hear a friendly voice. The proven emotional and physical EHQHĆWVRIWKLVSURJUDPDUHZHOOGRFXPHQWHG2XURQFDPSXV79VWDWLRQChannel 22, is also accepting video recordings with messages of positivity for our isolated industry members, both on and off campus.

7KHQHHGLVPRUHXUJHQWWKDQHYHU3OHDVHWDNHDPRPHQWWRMRLQRXUPDLOLQJOLVWRQOLQHIRUQRWLĆFDWLRQV:H will announce more singular efforts to help our community as the needs evolve. If donating is an option for you, now is the time! Our COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund is a secure way to help achieve 100% participation from our entertainment community, in whatever amount you are able.

Thank you for your loyal and generous support. Stay well. And never underestimate the power of caring.

Bob Beitcher President and CEO

Intake line: 323 634 3888. Sign up for communications and learn more at mptf.com.

Untitled-1 1 3/27/20 12:15 PM FIELD NOTES

Consider the Hope VARIETY IS OWNED & PUBLISHED BY PENSKE MEDIA CORPORATION Amid the Hardships Jay Penske CHAIRMAN & CEO

GEORGE GROBAR CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER GERRY BYRNE THERE’S NO QUESTION that these are WarnerMedia set up a $100 million VICE CHAIRMAN SARLINA SEE terrifying times we’re living in. We’re relief fund for workers impacted by CHIEF ACCOUNTING OFFICER doing our best to adapt our personal the wide production shutdown across CRAIG PERREAULT and professional lives in profound film and television. EVP BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TODD GREENE ways to stop the spread of the pan- Netflix created a $100 million EVP, BUSINESS AFFAIRS & GENERAL demic by protecting ourselves, our relief fund to help unemployed mem- COUNSEL families, our colleagues and strang- bers of the creative community, DEBASHISH GHOSH MANAGING DIRECTOR ers. It’s not easy staying hopeful and including crew members, to earn an JENNY CONNELLY optimistic as we witness the num- income during the shutdown. SVP, PRODUCT ber of coronavirus cases and deaths Facebook is investing $100 mil- KEN DELALCAZAR SVP, FINANCE accelerating hourly. lion to support local news organiza- TOM FINN We in the entertainment press tions during the health crisis on top of SVP, OPERATIONS are covering an industry that con- its commitment to spend $300 million NELSON ANDERSON tinues to struggle with the loss of over a three-year period. VP, CREATIVE JONI ANTONACCI Disney lives and countless job cuts amid says it will continue VP, PRODUCTION OPERATIONS mounting financial losses. paying its hourly theme-park employ- REBECCA BIENSTOCK I say it is time to pause for a ees through at least April 18 and that VP, TALENT RELATIONS STEPHEN BLACKWELL moment to consider the positive Bob Iger is forfeiting his entire salary HEAD OF PORTFOLIO SALES developments that easily get lost in and CEO Bob Chapek is taking a 50% GERARD BRANCATO the frenetic, depressing news cycle. pay cut. VP, PMC DIGITAL ACQUISTION Some of the big media and tech Here at Variety, our publisher ANNE DOYLE VP, HR companies have made efforts to Michelle Sobrino-Stearns announced MARA GINSBERG ease the business hardships. that she and her business team have set VP, HR With IATSE reporting that up to up a COVID-19 relief fund to support YOUNG KO VP, FINANCE 95% of its 150,000 members are entertainment industry organizations, GABRIEL KOEN out of work due to social distanc- donating a portion of revenue received VP, TECHNOLOGY ing directives, the union announced from TV awards sales toward that effort. KEVIN LABONGE an initiative that facilitates volun- We all must do our part to help those VP, GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS & LICENSING “We in the NOEMI LAZO teer deliveries for at-risk members in need. entertainment VP, CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE during the crisis. The recent $2 Meanwhile, please stay safe AND MARKETING OPERATIONS BRIAN LEVINE press are trillion economic stimulus bill that and healthy! covering an VP, REVENUE OPERATIONS passed includes entertainment free- JUDITH R. MARGOLIN industry that lance workers. IATSE and its allies VP, DEPUTY GENERAL COUNSEL continues to had sent more than 100,000 letters JULIE TRINH struggle with VP, GLOBAL TAX to Congress pleading for that LAUREN UTECHT the loss of lives to happen. VP, HR & CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS and countless Here’s just a sampling of other Claudia Eller MIKE YE VP, STRATEGIC job cuts.” noteworthy gestures underway: Editor-in-Chief PLANNING & ACQUISITIONS CHRISTINA YEOH VP, TECHNICAL OPERATIONS JULIE ZHU VP, AUDIENCE MARKETING & SUBSCRIPTIONS NICI CATTON ASSOCIATE VP, PRODUCT DELIVERY KARL WALTER ASSOCIATE VP, CONTENT GURJEET CHIMA Uncovered SENIOR DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL Photographed Jan. 10 in Los Angeles MARKETS EDDIE KO SENIOR DIRECTOR, ADVERTISING “It was a blast photographing the cast of ‘Schitt’s OPERATIONS Creek’ for the cover of Variety,” says photog ANDY LIMPUS Peter Yang. “Their chemistry together was unde- SENIOR DIRECTOR, TALENT ACQUISITION AMIT SANNAD niable and made the shoot a breeze. For the walk- SENIOR DIRECTOR, DEVELOPMENT ing shot, Eugene Levy took the helm and counted CONSTANCE EJUMA off the steps. Dad knows how to get it done!” Yang DIRECTOR, SEO LAURA ONGARO lives in Los Angeles, hails from Texas and photo- EDITORIAL & BRAND DIRECTOR, graphs subjects all over the world. He’s a regular INTERNATIONAL contributor to Rolling Stone, GQ and Variety and KATIE PASSANTINO DIRECTOR, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT has shot campaigns for Levi’s, Comedy Central and DEREK RAMSAY Def Jam, among others. SENIOR PRODUCT MANAGER

8 VARIETY PLUGGED IN WHAT’S ON VARIETY.COM

Jared Leto, has been pushed from July 31, Actors in 2020, to March 19, 2021; the long-delayed Upcoming Tom Holland-starring video game adaptation “Uncharted” goes from March 5, 2021, to Oct. Television 8, 2021; and “Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway” Premieres moves from Aug. 7, 2020, to Jan. 15, 2021. An untitled Sony/Marvel movie was delayed from an original Oct. 8, 2021, bow and is undated. Virtually every major Sony title was 544 moved out of 2020, with the exception of Joanne Froggatt Kevin Hart drama “Fatherhood,” which Liar moved up to Oct. 23, 2020, from Jan. 15, She’s hoping to make her case for big buzz in this 2021. Tom Hanks’ World War II drama “Grey- Brit crime thriller. hound” was taken off the schedule indefinitely from its June release. The schedule moves are the most sweeping by a major studio since the coronavirus pan- 52 demic forced most movie theaters in North America to close in recent weeks. Sean Bean Sony’s strategy also underscores that stu- World on Fire This World War II drama dios are not expecting theaters to be open may help him turn the again until midsummer, at the earliest. War- trajectory of his Vscore. ner Bros. is postponing “Wonder Woman 1984” to Aug. 14 instead of June 5. The studio also indeﬁnitely pulled “In the Heights” — an adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical 49

that was due out June 26 — as well as “Scoob,” Nathalie Kelley News SONY PICTURES has pushed back many of an animated ﬁlm based on “Scooby-Doo” Baker and the Beauty its major tentpoles — including “Morbius,” characters that had been set for May 15. She aims to get her score “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” “Uncharted” Other major titles that have been taken off cooking with this tasty Sony Delays musical dramedy. and “Peter Rabbit 2” — to next year, the the schedule in recent weeks include Disney’s studio announced on March 30. “Black Widow” and “Mulan,” Universal’s “Fast Tentpoles Jason Reitman’s “Ghostbusters: After- & Furious” entry “Fast 9,” MGM’s James Bond Vscore, powered by Variety Business life” has moved from July 10, 2020, to follow-up “No Time to Die” and Paramount’s Intelligence, identifies the social footprint, familiarity and availability of over 25,000 • For the full story, head to Variety.com. March 5, 2021; “Morbius,” toplining “A Quiet Place” sequel. actors. For more info please visit Vscore.com K; KELLEY: CHRIS PIZZELLO/INVISION/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK; CHRIS PIZZELLO/INVISION/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK; KELLEY: K; Variety Poll SayS What?

Solid Interest “The“ thing about ‘Reno’ is that I’ve been a little champion in calling every in Quibi couple of months, saying, ‘Guys, we should do this again. Guys, where is everybody? So I don’t care what anybody says — I feel like we are back as a Quibi launches April 6, and one in 10 team because of me. … People are trying to find some relief, a break from 16- to 34-year-olds is very interested this crazy world we live in. I would hope we could provide a little bit of that.” in subscribing. Overall, two-fifths are interested in a subscription, not far from Niecy Nash on the Quibi reboot of “Reno 911!” levels for Peacock and Apple TV Plus. “Because“ I’m a business owner, I’ve seen the toll that it’s taken on a lot of Somewhat Interested workers. So much of our economy is built on the back of workers who are Very Interested getting their paychecks and immediately going to the grocery store to feed themselves and families. It’s been hard talking to our contractors and Quibi 31 10 builders who want to work very much, but they can’t right now. I know other business owners and friends who are suffering. It’s a major economic disaster. So I’m hoping that something gets handled efficiently and safely, and soon.” Peacock 34 15 ActorA Dylan Sprouse, who co-founded Brooklyn brewery All-Wise Meadery, on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic Apple TV Plus 35 17

“Whenever“ you’re in comedy, you’re doing shows, usually there are going to HBO Max 41 21 be a few other comedians onstage, and at this stage in my career, more than likely I’m going last or close to last. So you already know that people Disney Plus 35 36 have beat Trump to death by this time. On any given night, there’s 50 million TTrump jokes. So I started to stay away from it.” Data provided to VIP by Hub Research. For more in-depth NASH: JORDAN STRAUSS/INVISION/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK JORDAN NASH: PETER RABBIT 2: MARK ROGERS/COLUMBIA PICTURES; FROGGATT: S MEDDLE/ITV/SHUTTERSTOCK; BEAN: EVAN AGOSTINI/INVISION/AP/SHUTTERSTOC BEAN: EVAN S MEDDLE/ITV/SHUTTERSTOCK; FROGGATT: PICTURES; MARK ROGERS/COLUMBIA PETER RABBIT 2: data and analysis, variety.com/vip-sample Cedric the Entertainer

VARIETY 9 BRANDED CONTENT DISTRIBUTED THROUGH PREMIUM PUBLISHERS SEES

higher brand lift. Marketers who distribute their branded content through a publisher’s network see 50% higher brand lift than those who publish more on their own.

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Agents of Chaos

THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC IS TRANSFORMING TALENT REPS — CAN THEY SURVIVE?

By Matt Donnelly, Joe Otterson and Justin Kroll Illustration by Brian Stauffer

TWO WORDS HAVE been bouncing around Cost-cutting measures have come down, agencies are hit until film and TV produc- the email inboxes and Slack channels such as significant layoffs in the case of Par- tion come back full steam; they’re selling that now comprise the virtual workplaces adigm and salary reductions at companies to radically transformed buyers. They’re of Hollywood’s talent agencies, and they including UTA, ICM and WME parent com- going to have to be smart about the business aren’t “social” and “distancing.” pany Endeavor. Many industry players are — and the future of the business — in a way The buzz terms that have sprung from looking ahead at what the virus has exposed they’ve never had to be.” more than a dozen conversations Variety has about the business models of these compa- There’s no question that the live-events held with top dealmakers and the companies, and how the disruption will transform category is the hardest hit as global shelter- nies they work with are “fragmentation” and them moving forward. in-place measures remain in effect. Lucra- “simplification” — the measures that Holly- “As the agencies have grown expan- tive agency divisions like comedy and music wood’s biggest reps must take in the coming sively in recent years, they’ve been rely- touring are at a standstill. That trickles months to survive, insiders say. ing less and less on the client business as down to production, where movie stars such The storied institutions have seen reve- a percentage of overall revenues,” says as Tom Cruise and Dwayne Johnson cannot nue paralyzed and office cultures disman- one well-placed industry player, speak- film daring stunts on crowded sets around tled in less than two weeks, and have been ing on condition of anonymity. “This virus the world, which means commission checks rocked as the coronavirus has touched every has been so evil, and has already metasta- aren’t coming through mailrooms. facet of life and the due course of business. sized in the business. It’s not just that the These restrictions have left Endeavor

VARIETY 11 TOP BILLING the most vulnerable, strapped with $4.6 COVID Code deals without the assistance of agents. billion in debt and unable to generate According to sources, agents at com- C-suite executives and top agents have ad- cash from holdings like IMG, which pro- opted the following terms as the coronavirus panies that have not signed the code are duces global fashion week presentations, spreads across the country, and into our vo- increasingly reaching out to literary man- and UFC, which stages mixed martial arts cabulary. —Matt Donnelly agement companies in an effort to con- events. Add to that financial tornado the tinue making deals in the interim. Another withdrawal of the company’s planned pub- Abundance of caution roadblock, says a TV agent, is that pack- The application of scorched-earth-level lic offering last fall, when many senior aged shows pay off only in production, protective measures in places of business, agents were expecting a stock windfall arenas, theme parks, movie theaters and which has no clear starting timeline. after delaying compensation for the health other locations where the coronavirus could One development executive at a be transmitted of the company. The mounting disasters major TV studio says their workload has have sparked rumors that top reps will Black swan increased substantially in the past several defect for rivals, in the wake of too many A phenomenon in line with the coronavirus. weeks, while nearly all of their colleagues broken promises from Endeavor heads Ari Defined by Wikipedia as “an event that comes are in limbo. Agents are concerned this as a surprise, has a major effect, and is Emanuel and Patrick Whitesell. flurry of activity is a stopgap measure. often inappropriately rationalized after “There is no animal out there right now the fact with the benefit of hindsight.” The sentiment is that the studios will like Endeavor, and they’re in trouble,” try to insulate themselves with this round Business as usual says an executive at a rival agency, who of new development projects before shut- Any transaction or business exchange that begrudgingly admits, “but their failure was performed before the pandemic and feels ting off the money spigot entirely to isn’t good for any of us.” all the more eerie because of it cut costs. This could especially impact When normal public life resumes, some nascent streamers like NBCUniversal’s Fluid situation agents are skeptical about how quickly Peacock and WarnerMedia’s HBO Max, as An elegant description of wildly changing consumers will return to old habits. protocols around everything from quaran- they are ramping up to launch this spring “After spending three months or what- tine times to theatrical film release dates and are in need of original content beyond ever, worrying about going outside and if their libraries. A drought of enticing pro- Unprecedented it will kill me or my parents, I’m not going gramming could be fatal for fledgling Qualifier for every instance of disruption straight to the fucking Hollywood Bowl,” that entertainment and media confronted in streamers looking for customers, partic- says one exasperated rep. the month of March ularly as the country faces a recession, Endeavor’s biggest competitor in size insiders note. Zoom is CAA, which as of press time had not In terms of payouts, only Netflix has From the Latin for “Keep your sweatpants, enacted any layoffs or cost-cutting mea- but put on a shirt and tie for the video come to the table to pay clients on shut- sures, though numerous insiders say that conference.” Can be used as a verb. down productions, in a force majeure leadership is looking across the board at motion that will see creatives owe them ways to trim fat. UTA, known for sticking unfinished work when production can to its knitting in the core creative busi- ongoing stalemate with the Writers Guild resume. For other companies, notably Dis- ness, has begun exploiting growth sectors of America over fees for packaging tele- ney, plans have yet to materialize. like its strong podcast division after cut- vision shows with their clients, as well as Looming in the background of the cash ting salaries agency-wide, sources say. their own interests in production compa- crisis and lost jobs is a fear for the very Studios, networks and streamers are nies that make film and TV. fabric of the agency world — one built on still hungry for development deals, say None of the major agencies except Para- handshakes and double kisses, on packed nearly a dozen agents who have spoken to digm has agreed to sign the WGA’s revised designer conference rooms and massive Variety — a sign that content makers will Code of Conduct. Literary departments are celebrations around awards shows and be ready to spring into action when pro- essentially the only ones that can generate film festivals. duction resumes and the workforce comes revenue in the present moment — through “So much of the agency business is back online. The problem for the agen- script deals and staffing clients in writ- personal face time with clients, and let’s cies in that scenario, many note, is their ers’ rooms — but writers continue to make not forget that this town is about presentation,” says another industry source. “Agents get on planes to woo clients on set. They cater a movie star’s favorite food and pop Champagne in conference rooms to win business. A lot of that love is hard to show on Zoom.” In his 2016 book “Powerhouse,” about the untold history of CAA, author James Andrew Miller quotes the company’s managing partner Kevin Huvane about his overnight transition from premier deal-

TOUGH CHOICES maker to corporate CEO. Ari Emanuel, at the “We were really good agents, and now Vanguard Awards we had to learn how to be really good in Los Angeles in businessmen,” Huvane said of the early September 2017, has been forced to make aughts, when the agency exploded into layoffs at Endeavor; a diversiﬁed client services engine out- CAA’s Kevin Huvane, side the norm of ﬁlm and TV. “I had never at the Artios Awards in Los Angeles in looked at a spreadsheet before, and I January 2018, hadn’t remember thinking, ‘Oh my God, we instituted any cost- spend that much on fruit?!’” cutting measures at his agency as of These days, organic produce is the least

March 30. of their worries. MILLER/SHUTTERSTOCK RYAN HUVANE; EMANUEL: F SADOU/ADMEDIA/SIPA/SHUTTERSTOCK;

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people were really suffering, so I was thinking to maybe put it out at a happier time. A Split Over Releasing But the fans are so excited, I thought I’d be doing them a disservice to delay it, especially during this time.” The Weeknd proved it was possible Albums Amid Pandemic to have a mammoth album launch amid national and global shutdowns. “After THANKS TO STREAMING, IMPENDING COLLECTIONS CAN Hours,” released March 20, surpassed 100

STILL DROP — BUT SHOULD THEY? By Chris Willman million worldwide streams on the album’s first day of release and a billion global Spo- tify streams in its first week — this after he was strongly urged to put the album on hold and “ignored any fear and pushed on anyway,” a source in his camp says. Is the world really that bullish on new music right now? Overall streaming took a 10%-20% hit in the weeks after daily com- muting came to a near halt, yet some debut- ing rap artists seem unaffected. “If I had a hip-hop artist, I wouldn’t think twice” about releasing music now, says manager Larry Ciancia. But his client, the ’60s-styled Brit- ish pop singer Rumer, just put her album “Nashville Tears” on hold. “Some older-de- mographic artists are still selling 70%-80% physical, believe it or not,” Ciancia says — or they did, before the pandemic closed stores. Amazon is sending mixed messages about nonessentials, and vinyl components await assemblage in empty factories. If an international launch is in the picture, it’s nearly impossible right now to coordinate a simultaneous promotional rollout, with every territory facing its own changing crises — a key element in postponing Gaga, an insider says. Sam Smith, Haim and Alicia Keys, who already announced album postponements, will LONG TIME COMING soon be joined by other stars said to be Sam Hunt’s “Southside,” waiting for the right moment to let eager his first album in six years, is on track for fans down gently. an April 3 release date. Yet Aaron Sawyer, a manager with Red Light, cautions that smaller and mid- level acts may have good reason to stick with Plan A, rather than postpone and AS RECORDING ARTISTS face tough calls about decision goes. In a Zoom web conference for get lost amid a glut that will be unleashed whether to stick with their imminent industry professionals, Ray Kurzeka, VP of when the world begins to open up again. album release dates or postpone them digital strategy at Troy Carter’s Q&A com- “There’s just going to be just so much indefinitely, the two top dance-pop divas pany, points out that superstar acts may out there,” he warns. “I’d rather have of the moment provided divergent exam- want to delay albums because if their tour the energy of a label and a partner right ples of which way to go. On March 23, Dua on-sales are pushed back too, they can no now, even if the band can’t tour, versus a Lipa tearfully took to Instagram Live to tell longer count on the controversial ticket/ maxed-out label when the band can tour.” fans how conflicted she felt about relea- album bundling practice to get to No. 1. For- UMG Nashville president Cindy Mabe sing new music during the coronavirus going bundling and losing “70,000 of your is sticking with an April 3 release date for crisis, but said she finally decided to bump first week [official album sales] is gonna Sam Hunt’s “Southside,” his first album her “Future Nostalgia” release ahead by make or break that,” Kurzeka says. in six years. “There was an initial dip in a week (dropping it March 27), not back Artists sticking to their launches say streaming consumption overall,” Mabe by months. The next day, Lady Gaga went they’re servicing distressed fans. Hot new- says, but “the belief is that it will rebound the other way, putting “Chromatica” on ice comer Jessie Reyez tells Variety she went over the next few weeks as a new norm with no new date scheduled because “it ahead with her March 27 date for “Before sets in and people go back to their hab- just doesn’t feel right to me to release this Love Came to Kill Us” “because, man, I’ve its. That seems to have been the pattern in album with all that is going on during this been for the people forever! In my bedroom both China and Italy — initial dips, then a global pandemic.” when I’m sad, I make music selfishly — but rebound. It makes sense for us to have the Music industry pros remain similarly I don’t put it out selfishly, so I wanted to put music in the fans’ hands as they are look- split on whether it’s better to go forward it in their hands now.” Lipa says she strug- ing to find something to move them during with albums that are already in the starting gled and nearly went in the opposite direc- this time. … People need music for healing, gate or pull them back. Emotions and busi- tion that she ultimately chose for “Future as well as for escape — both serve a vital

IMAGESPACE/SHUTTERSTOCK ness sense are tangled, whichever way the Nostalgia”: “I didn’t want to put it out when purpose right now.”

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Brazilian cities and states have applied their own containment measures given the federal government’s indifference. “We had to order all productions to stop immediately,” says Laís Bodanzky, president of São Paulo film and TV agency Spcine. Meanwhile, Brazilian broadcast giant Globo suspended all productions, including its beloved telenovelas. But trust the Brazilians to find spirited new ways to show their solidarity with the world. Inspired by news of homebound Italians singing from their balconies, the city of São Paulo launched Windows of São Paulo, an initiative that has set aside $2 million to pay qualifying artists in theater, music, dance and poetry to perform from their windows or balconies. Elsewhere, Colombian president and film buff Iván Duque, who is more sym- pathetic to the country’s entertainment industry, enacted a three-week quarantine, but only after local businesses began shutting down productions and cinemas. Exhi- Private Sector Steps bition giant Cine Colombia was the first to shutter its screens across the country, on March 14. Duque has pushed to exploit Colombia’s Up in Latin America creative industries, labeled the Orange Economy, to reduce the country’s depen- dence on oil, but questions were being EXHIBITORS CLOSE THEATERS DESPITE LACK OF INITIATIVE asked about the government’s initiative to BY GOVERNMENTS IN MEXICO, BRAZIL AND COLOMBIA IN help these industries in their hour of need.

BATTLE AGAINST PANDEMIC By Anna Marie de la Fuente Colombia’s Assn. of Independent Producers, known as Asocinde, has sent a set of relief proposals to the government, LATIN AMERICA’s response to the coro- albeit with limited seating capacity and says the organization’s head, Ana Piñeres, navirus pandemic has been as varied as strict hygiene procedures, until announc- creative producer and VP of CMO Prods., the cultural and political landscapes of its ing March 24 that it would close its entire which was a week into shooting cycling patchwork of countries. But whether or Mexican circuit of nearly 900 screens. drama “El Rey de la Montaña” when it was not theaters remain open or film and TV “Spain offers unemployment insurance, forced to pack up. production continues across the region — but Mexico and the rest of Latin America Asocinde’s proposals include creating which spans Mexico and the majority of likely does not,” Ramírez points out, add- a national emergency fund for inter- Central and South America — has come to ing he does not expect the Mexican gov- est-free loans, encouraging local TV net- depend on industry members themselves. ernment to provide any relief, given its works to acquire more Colombian cinema Since the COVID-19 outbreak, the private austerity mandate. Per a 2018 study by the at fair prices and introducing a fast track sector has stepped up in many countries International Labor Organization, more for tax refunds. “We hope to convene with where leaders have remained cavalier than half of Latin American workers aren’t the government shortly,” says Piñeres, about the spread of the pandemic. covered by a social security system that who plans to present to the government In Mexico, where 66-year-old president would protect them against risks related to new statistics on the crisis’s impact on the Andrés Manuel López Obrador continues illness, unemployment and old age. entertainment industry — compiled jointly to encourage people to “keep living life Ramírez hopes lessons learned from the with other trade associations. as usual,” the government’s hands-off 2009 swine flu crisis in Mexico, where all Signs of positive change in Colom- approach has seen businesses emerge cinemas shut down for nine days, will be bia finally came March 25, when the gov- to gain some control of the disease, with considered. “The studios delayed sending ernment reaffirmed its commitment to cinemas and production shuttering us new films, so even when we opened our safeguard the country’s economy, and of their own accord in the absence of doors, there was nothing new to entice our reassured the entertainment industry that government guidance. audience,” he says, recalling that once new its current tax incentives will continue, “We projected 365 million admissions films were screened, people flocked to the FLYING BLIND despite the crisis. worldwide for this year, but we don’t see cinemas. Local sources project an 11% dip Brazil President that happening; we’ll see a big hit,” says in Mexico’s total box office earnings this Jair Bolsonaro’s “Spain offers unem- image is projected Alejandro Ramírez, CEO of Mexican exhibi- year if all cinemas close through April. on the facade of ployment insurance, tion giant Cinépolis, which owns and oper- In Brazil, far-right president Jair Bol- a building in São ates 6,668 screens and employs more than sonaro continues to downplay the grav- Paulo. Bolsonaro, but Mexico and the who has called the 43,000 people worldwide, including ity of the coronavirus outbreak — even as coronavirus pandemic rest of Latin America in Spain, India, Latin America and the reports circulated that he has tested posi- a “fantasy,” is Middle East. tive for the illness — and his ultra-conser- reported to have likely does not.” tested positive In the absence of a federal mandate, vative policies erode the country’s once for the illness —

Cinépolis kept a handful of cinemas open, robust ﬁlm biz. a result he denies. Alejandro Ramírez, Cinépolis MOREIRA/EPA-EFE/SHUTTERSTOCK SEBASTIAO

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shows when the pandemic hit. Thinking ahead to her role as mentor in the USC How Coronavirus film-scoring program, she came up with a similar scheme for the students’ imminent recording session, which was about to be canceled. “What if we started a virtual Is Impacting L.A.’s orchestra?” she asked violinist Lisa Liu and engineer Brad Haehnel, who are part- nering with her in the project. Orchestra Business “The concertmaster plays the first take on the violin, and she passes it around to LOST WAGES DUE TO CANCELED PERFORMANCES AND the rest of the violins. The principal sec- RECORDING SESSIONS COULD TOP $4 MILLION IN MARCH ALONE ond violin records, and so forth,” Karp- man says. The plan is to record 22 strings, By Jon Burlingame four woodwinds, a horn and a harp this way — each musician recording his or her part at home and relying on composer THE SHUTDOWN OF production was devas- copyists, engineers and other people on and mixer to assemble them into a single tating to Los Angeles’ music community, our crews out of work with no relief com- score cue. just as it has been for every aspect of TV- ing in the foreseeable future. These are Still, Karpman concedes: “Is this a and movie-making. But creative thinking the people who have brought our scores substitute for people sitting together on is putting some studio musicians back to to life.” a scoring stage and making music? It is work. Eisler suggests that composers try to not. What it is, is a solution for right now, John Acosta, president of Local 47 of the keep musicians working by recording them and for next time when we hunker down.” American Federation of Musicians, proj- remotely — that is, in their homes or pri- Post-production has not ended every- ects that lost wages due to the cancella- vate studios — and combining all of these where, she adds: “Not only is TV moving tion of live performances (notably by the solo tracks into small-ensemble scores, as forward, but we’re pressured to try and Los Angeles Philharmonic, L.A. Opera, he is doing. meet delivery dates.” L.A. Master Chorale and others) and studio For the new NBC series “Council of Karpman plans to call her virtual recording dates could range from $2 mil- Dads,” Eisler composed for a quartet, ensemble Unison, because “it’s not about lion to $4 million, “just for the month of which can be recorded remotely. “We’re being remote: It’s about being together but March.” Scuttled scoring dates amounted sending the parts to the players; they in a separate space. That, to me, is what is to half of that total, with last-minute can- record it and send it back; my engineer most inspiring about it. It’s a way to play cellations of music for Fox’s “Family Guy,” and I edit it and make it sound right. I also together without being together.” Netflix’s “Umbrella Academy” and Pea- adjust the writing a bit so that it’s less Luckily, the musicians union approves. cock’s upcoming “Brave New World,” dependent on that sound of all of them “It’s a little silver lining,” says Local 47’s among others, prompting the Warner Bros., playing together at the same time.” Acosta. “We can use the AFM agreement. Sony and Fox scoring stages to close their It’s a technique that many compos- With a little flexibility, it’s doable. We’re doors within days of the city’s mandate that ers have used as the technology has now in a place where we need to be as flex- all nonessential businesses do so. improved in recent years. Indeed, mix- ible and as creative as possible while our “Everything ground to a total standing individual tracks with other players people are at home with no income. Any-

still,” says composer Fil Eisler, who was as part of the final score is a technique KEEPING SCORE thing that we can do to facilitate work, gearing up to score the four remaining used in pop music regularly, combining Fil Eisler, here that’s what we should be doing.” episodes of Fox’s “Empire” with a union beats or instrumentation with a vocal track in his studio in There is some question about whether orchestra of 30-plus players. As Eisler recorded separately. Los Angeles, is this will work for a full symphony orches- composing from noted recently on Facebook: “There are Composer Laura Karpman had booked work recorded by tra of 70 or more players — Marin Alsop, now hundreds of musicians, orchestrators, orchestra dates for two upcoming TV musicians remotely. music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, has been in touch with Karp- man about the technological and practical challenges of expanding into the sym- phonic realm — but musicians contractor Peter Rotter, who lost “three or four film sessions [involving] upwards of 70 people” in the last two weeks, applauds the new initiative. “People are rising to the occasion and finding ways to manufacture work,” he says. “We are people who play together and work together.” Adds Eisler: “We’re all very conscious of protecting our recording community. And we are paid to be a creative bunch, aren’t we? We should bloody well come up with something.” “This is kind of a musical Dunkirk,” offers Rotter, referring to the famous World War II retreat and the subject of Christo- pher Nolan’s 2017 film. “We’ve got to res- cue as many musicians as we can to keep

COURTESY OF FIL EISLER COURTESY them alive.”

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“It’s a little bit like internship in medi- cine, which was actually the busiest time in Crisis Puts Spotlight my life,” Dr. Mehmet Oz says of his schedule in light of the coronavirus. “Swine ﬂu was not close to this — even Katrina was not close to this,” he says of the devastating on TV Doctors - 2015 New Orleans hurricane that he cov HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS HAVE BECOME UBIQUITOUS ered on the ground when he was a regular contributor on Oprah Winfrey’s show. AS NETWORKS FOCUS ON PANDEMIC By Elizabeth Wagmeister As news organizations scramble to add more hours of COVID-19-related programming, viewership is surging, signaling the public’s desperate desire for continu- ous information on the deadly virus. The HOLLYWOOD’S NEW NORMAL means movie But for TV doctors, times have never three broadcast networks are seeing the theaters are closed across the country, been busier. highest ratings in more than 15 years for 120,000 crew members have lost their jobs What the Super Bowl is to sports broad- their nightly newscasts, with ABC’s David and production has shut down. With sport- casters, the coronavirus crisis is to medi- Muir, NBC’s Lester Holt and CBS’ Norah ing events halted and daytime talk shows EXPERT cal correspondents — except they’re not in it O’Donnell all breaking records. In March, on indeﬁnite hiatus, live programming is INFORMATION for ratings, advertising dollars or entertain- Fox News clocked its highest viewership essentially nonexistent. Most individuals Dr. Jennifer Ashton ment value: Television doctors are working of 2020, and its town hall about the virus, within the entertainment business are out talks with “Good overtime to educate their viewers and keep which aired in the middle of the day when Morning America” of work. If they’re lucky, they’re forced to co-anchor George audiences calmly informed during the big- viewers typically aren’t home, brought in work from home. Stephanopoulos. gest global pandemic in history. 4.4 million viewers, marking the largest PAULA LOBO/ABC PAULA

16 VARIETY town hall in cable news history. CNN’s there was actually a time that I thought this viewership is up more than 150% from crisis might cause me to go out of business last year, while MSNBC has seen a 45% and close my medical practice.” increase. Local news is also feeding view- With many medical professionals turn- ers’ interest, with major markets deliv- ing to virtual business, people are increas- ering special coverage dedicated to the ingly looking to TV doctors as trusted pandemic, such as Fox’s Los Angeles affil- experts. “Being informationally embedded iate, KTTV, which now has a nightly half- in this has become a necessity. Unlike any hour program with Dr. Drew Pinsky. other story, this has evolved and changed With widespread interest, news pro- literally by the hour,” Ashton says. “It’s grams have put the spotlight on their med- made it absolutely imperative that some- ical correspondents, who typically don’t one knows what’s going on — not just get much airtime. today, but what happened yesterday.” At ABC News, chief medical correspon- Ashton has “a very good way of being dent Dr. Jennifer Ashton, an OB-GYN with realistic and optimistic, and giving tough her own practice in New Jersey, has become information to people in a way that they the network’s most in-demand star and a can absorb,” says ABC News president household face. Most days, Ashton wakes up James Goldston. with viewers on “Good Morning America” That personality-driven “it” factor, com- and addresses them before they go to sleep bined with medical credentials, is what on “Nightline,” with back-to-back appear- draws the masses to TV doctors during this ances in between on “World News Tonight,” unprecedented time of uncertainty. Indi- the digital livestream “ABC News Now,” viduals are also turning to social media affiliate hits, podcast recordings, radio BUSY SCHEDULE to seek instant guidance from the doctors interviews and the network’s new daytime Dr. Jonathan LaPook appears on “CBS This Morning”; Dr. Mehmet they watch on television. series, “Pandemic: What You Need to Know,” Oz, on Fox News’ “Outnumbered Overtime,” delivers his verdict “The most important thing I do is serve anchored by Amy Robach. Promos of Ash- on the progress of the pandemic. as field guide — you don’t have to know ton are running across other Disney prop- everything, but my biggest job is to tell you erties, like Freeform, where she reminds what you need to know and what you don’t viewers of all demographics to self-isolate. need to know,” Oz says of the unparalleled “What has been dramatic with this story additional interviews. During the spread interaction with his 1 million social media is my coverage on other ABC shows. The of the coronavirus, he’s been averaging 20 followers, who ask him for his advice on requests from other television shows have interviews per day. everything from hand sanitizer recommen- been massive and unprecedented,” Ash- As America’s most plugged-in medical dations to how to safely eat take-out food. ton says of appearing on programs like experts during this time, TV doctors have “People are scared and panicked, and they “The View” and “Live With Kelly and Ryan,” turned to politics. In early March, Gupta was need their doctor to just sit with them and which recently Skyped her in for a chat one of four medical correspondents who met work out the issues,” the TV host and car- while the two morning hosts were broad- with Vice President Mike Pence to discuss diothoracic surgeon says. casting live from their homes in pajamas. the crisis, along with Dr. Michael Crupain, Ironically, the doctors who are telling With so much information to go around, the medical unit chief of staff at “The Dr. Oz viewers how to stay safe have also been hit networks are cross-pollinating in a way Show,” and Dr. Jonathan LaPook, the chief by the pandemic. Oz’s show was one of the they never would have before in the com- medical correspondent at CBS News. Last last to remain in production, in an effort to petitive fight for ratings. week, Oz — who is helping fund a clinical bring up-to-date information to the pub- “I’m touched deeply by how much coro- trial at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, con- lic, but “The Dr. Oz Show” closed its set on navirus has forced people to wake up to tributing $250,000 — questioned President March 19, after a staff member tested pos- the realities of life and break down the Trump about his patient discharge process itive for COVID-19. Oz was not in physi- barriers,” Oz says. “I was talking to a very during a Fox News town hall. cal contact with the staffer, but since then, senior leader at Fox about doing a show Ashton has temporarily closed her med- he has been working in a home studio that that would involve me participating in a ical offices and is operating via telemedi- allows him to join any show across the different network, that would involve me cine only, except in emergencies, a strategy globe, live. “You can’t tell that I’m not in a going on a different platform, that I nor- used by many doctors in New York who New York studio. It’s a professional setup,” mally wouldn’t do, and he said, ‘We are all specialize. That means she’s still in contact he says. “I can’t imagine there would be a in this together. You go do what you need with her patients — who always come first, scenario where I’d have to go out.” to do.’ Every other executive and producer even if a prescription needs to be called in On March 20, Ashton began to work I’ve spoken to has said the same thing,” — but prior to the crisis, she would spend from home after experiencing mild symp- Oz says, noting that both Ashton and his many of her days as a real doctor, not just toms. She quickly felt better, but has friend Dr. Sanjay Gupta, the chief medical as a TV doctor. After early segments on continued to work remotely during her vol- correspondent at CNN, recently appeared “Good Morning America,” Ashton would see untary self-quarantine. on his syndicated daytime show. patients from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. “I’m not sure whether my headache or Offering a glimpse into the world of While she’s juggling reporting and body aches were COVID-19 — no one can be 24/7 cable news, Gupta has appeared on numerous segments per day, Ashton, like without getting a test, and I’m definitely not almost every program’s hour, has partici- “The requests many other Americans, has to worry about an indication for a precious test over some- pated in town halls with Anderson Cooper from other her business and employees. “My prac- one else who’s much sicker,” Ashton says. and also hosts a podcast, “Coronavirus: television tice is a private practice, so I’m not paid “I literally just got off the air with a spe- Fact vs. Fiction.” shows have by a hospital,” she says, adding that she cial report with George Stephanopoulos. I “We’ve broken every rule we have,” a been massive will likely have to take a small business can broadcast on every single platform and spokesperson for Oz says in regard to the and unprece- loan to keep her office running, which she show from home, so to err on the side of host’s schedule. Typically, on days when dented.” has every intention of doing. “If I can’t see caution right now seems like a smart and Oz tapes his show, he does not agree to any Dr. Jennifer Ashton patients, I can’t pay my staff or my rent. So easy and responsible thing to do.”

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the smartphone-first crowd Quibi is Quibi’s Ready, but targeting, “quality is defined as ‘what moves me,’ not how much you spent on making the content.” Some say Quibi’s big-budget content Who Will Tune In? strategy, led by former movie mogul Katzenberg (who is 69) and Quibi CEO Meg Whitman (63), represents a generational JEFFREY KATZENBERG’S MOBILE STREAMING BET mismatch. Rivals like Toronto-based ALREADY FACED LONG ODDS. NOW IT FACES AN ECONOMY Snibble, an ad-supported short-form video startup, argue that Quibi misses the mark. IN MELTDOWN By Todd Spangler “Unlike Quibi, Snibble has been designed for the 16- to 24-year-olds who actually use mobile for entertainment — not for the QUIBI HAS SPENT more than $1 billion so productions have shut down due to the 45- to 65-year-olds who just want to make far gearing up for what founder Jeffrey virus outbreak, Katzenberg says Quibi’s money from it,” claims chief customer Katzenberg touts as a category-defining partners have shot enough original officer Neale Halliday. pay-TV service of the future, uniquely built material to give it fresh content through In response to such critics, Katzenberg for smartphones. It’s not clear when, or Halloween 2020. In fact, he claims, the counters that the average age of Quibi’s even whether, the startup will recoup that. company has upped its release schedule staff is 30, and members are steeped in Gen In the months leading up to Quibi’s still- to around 9,600 episodes (up from 8,500) Z and millennial culture. The company’s planned April 6 debut, industry insiders in the first year, after Quibi scrambled to internal research, he maintains, shows privately expressed skepticism about get shows into production in anticipation that if Quibi users watch just two to four the untested business model, typically of a possible writers’ strike. episodes per day (less than half an hour) followed by a caveat: But you can’t bet Katzenberg may be bullish about his multiple days per week, they’ll happily pay against Katzenberg. That was before the baby. But skeptics see Quibi as trying $5-$8 monthly for the service. “I am an coronavirus pandemic threw millions of to compete on two different fronts and enormous fan of social media content, but Americans out of work and left most of QUIBI BY coming up short on both. what we’ve tried to do is bring a different the country cooped up at home. “Quibi THE NUMBERS Versus premium streamers like kind of storytelling and technology into a always faced headwinds — but now they’re Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Disney Plus premium offering,” he says. blowing at gale force,” says industry and soon HBO Max and Peacock, Quibi Quibi is presenting exclusive, scripted Funding consultant Will Richmond, publisher of $1.75 billion is deliberately avoiding delivering dramas and comedies and reality-TV- VideoNuze. “It’s very challenging to see programming to the living room. The style content from a parade of A-listers how this is going to play out well for them.” Content Quibi “quick bites,” though high in like Reese Witherspoon, Steven Spielberg, Katzenberg believes Quibi has banked 50 shows at launch; production quality, are not designed to Jennifer Lopez, Sam Raimi and Antoine high-value content that will find a recep- 180 titles and be watched on TV, where most traditional Fuqua, with everything chunked into tive and ultimately paying audience. “My 9,600 episodes in subscription VOD is watched; at the same pieces of less than 10 minutes. However, confidence that people will find this en- the first year time, of course, Netflix and everyone else while the star talent is recognizable, gaging and appealing has never been high- also have mobile apps. With the mobile- virtually none of the content is (except er,” Katzenberg, working from his Beverly Monthly price only, bite-size-episode play, Quibi will be for reboots of “Punk’d” and “Reno 911!”). $4.99 (with ads); Hills mansion, tells Variety via phone. fighting to win attention against the steady The decision defies historical precedent. $7.99 (no ads) Quibi execs deliberated whether to gusher of free — and hugely popular “Every service going back to HBO in the postpone the April launch, according to — short-form content on Instagram, 1970s got started by licensing content that Employees Katzenberg. They decided to stick with 265 YouTube, Snapchat and TikTok. was known to consumers,” Richmond says. the date, but in hopes of establishing a “Young people don’t define ‘quality’ Meanwhile, Quibi is hoping to get a loyal user base, the service will be free Production costs in terms of high production values,” lift from its bundling deal with T-Mobile, for 90 days for anyone who cares to check Up to $100,000 says Mike Bloxham, senior VP of global which has a similar pact with Netflix to it out. And, as virtually all Hollywood per minute media and entertainment at Magid. For make it free to unlimited-plan customers with multiple lines. For revenue, the startup is counting on $150 million in one-year advertising commitments from brands including Google, P&G and PepsiCo. The coronavirus forced Quibi to cancel its red-carpet premiere event. But Katzenberg insists the company will make noise through promotion by 250 celebs and influencers attached to Quibi shows, including Chrissy Teigen, Joe Jonas and LeBron James. There’s no doubt people will check out Quibi, particularly with stay-at- home directives set to run through the end of April. “America right now is a captive audience starved for something to do,” HIGH PRICE OF SHORT FORM says Parks Associates analyst Steve Nason. Jennifer Lopez is The question is whether a year from now among the celebrity the company will be generating enough hosts on Quibi’s incoming-subscriber dollars to offset the unscripted money- giveaway series high-end-content cost model — and if not,

“Thanks a Million.” whether Quibi will be able to pivot. QUIBI

18 VARIETY TOP BILLING

last week when it raised $2.5 billion in Path Ahead Grows debt underwritten by Goldman Sachs and other top banks. Some of that cash will be used to refinance the debt that comes due in 2021. Steeper for ViacomCBS ViacomCBS stands taller in this group because of its size — large enough to still be a media giant but small compared with THE NEWLY COMBINED CONGLOMERATE’S CHALLENGES HAVE BEEN Disney and Comcast, let alone Amazon and

HEIGHTENED BY THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC By Cynthia Littleton Apple — and its legacy. CBS, Paramount Pictures, MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Cen- tral, Showtime, BET Networks: These have long been pillars of the TV ecosystem. CBS for so many years was the biggest of the Big Three networks. Before the scope of the pandemic crisis became clear, Bakish was on a charm offensive with Wall Street to explain his vision for revving up ViacomCBS using proverbial post-merger math: to make one plus one equal more than two. As a longtime Viacom business executive who was a management consultant before that, Bak- ish speaks fluent Wall Street. He knows what investors want to hear, and he knows the timetable by which his efforts will be judged. In recent weeks, Bakish has out- lined detailed operational plans for a range of the company’s commodities. “We have an incredible asset collection at ViacomCBS. That asset collection is allowing us to both generate free cash flow today principally through our linear businesses while simultaneously using that to build asset value including in streaming,” Bakish said March 4 at Morgan Stanley’s Technology, Media and Telecom investor conference in San Francisco. “We are a core solution in video in the U.S. We are a core solution in advertising in the U.S. We have a tremendous platform to build outside the U.S.,” he continued. VIACOMCBS HAS COME to a crossroads, AMC Networks are seen as vulnerable to “One of the powerful things about this deal again. obsolescence as the media marketplace was you took Viacom’s operating footprint The company that has endured more undergoes seismic shifts wrought by digi- outside the U.S.; CBS didn’t really have drama in the C-suite in recent years than tal distribution and the rise of streaming. one. And then you add more content to any of its larger rivals was already under Investors were already worried about how that and you can use that to grow share in pressure this year to prove it could muster traditional cable network players would both linear and drive streaming.” a comeback in a big way. navigate the transition to an on-demand The other asset that ViacomCBS has Now, with the black swan named arena. Now analysts that were plotting out that should prove invaluable at this coronavirus roiling the waters, leaders earnings declines from core sources like moment is one that has often been seen of the newly enlarged conglomerate have cable affiliate fees on a three- to five-year as a negative from an investment point of to manage that comeback in a wildly timetable are sounding the alarm about view: a controlling shareholder. Shari Red- different business environment. The that process speeding up significantly in stone, ViacomCBS chairman and president coming months will test the mettle of a recessionary business environment. For of parent company National Amusements, CEO Bob Bakish and his newly integrated ViacomCBS, the situation is complicated has ironclad voting control of the com- management team of Viacom and CBS by a high debt load, including obligations pany, as she has flexed more than once Corp. executives. The social and economic of $1.4 billion coming due in 2021. over the past few years. devastation caused by frantic coronavirus “Shareholders of stocks like [Via- Without the influence of a controlling response efforts started almost three comCBS, Discovery and AMC Networks] shareholder, ViacomCBS might well be months to the day after Viacom and CBS own underlying assets that rely almost vulnerable to vulture buyers looking to Corp. closed their long-awaited remerger entirely on an old business model with scoop up name-brand assets on the cheap. on Dec. 4. The newlyweds didn’t even get both severe adverse structural forces HIGH DEGREE A more than 50% plunge in stock value OF DIFFICULTY a one-quarter honeymoon before hard and cyclical risk, as well as the preexist- since 2016 can wear out the patience of ViacomCBS chief times hit. ing condition of overly extended balance Bob Bakish faces even the most long-term investors. The For sure, ViacomCBS isn’t the only sheets,” wrote Sanford Bernstein Co. ana- increased pressure most important lifeline that ViacomCBS media company looking at unpredict- lyst Todd Juenger in a March 26 report. to keep the newly receives in this crisis may be the gift of merged media company able headwinds for the rest of 2020, if not ViacomCBS did get an important vote on track through the time to get that comeback on track from a

MJ PHOTOS/VARIETY/SHUTTERSTOCK a far longer period. Discovery Inc. and of confidence amid the coronavirus crisis coronavirus crisis. benevolent boss.

VARIETY 19 30 Years inHollywood About ‘Surviving’ Joshua Jackson Jokes ney husband, Bill. ney husband, Jackson playswood). Witherspoon’s attor- her teenage daughter, Pearl (Lexi Under comer MiaWarren Washington) (Kerry and mysteriousthe 1990swhobefriends new afﬂuent momandsmall-town journalist in Reese an asElenaRichardson, Witherspoon tion of thenovel of thesamenamestarring tle Fires Everywhere,” theHuluadapta- while watching Jackson’s latest series, “Lit Turner-Smith tweeting hasbeen upastorm themselves.ple fromentertaining Infact, Jackson says. professionals,”interaction withmedical I’m healthy, butyou have toplanoutany “My wife’s healthy, my baby’s healthy and give totheirﬁrst childany birth day now. & Slim” star Jodie Turner-Smith, isdueto New York City, buttheactor’s wife, “Queen for Joshua Jackson inmoreways thanone. SCENE ANDMOMSWHOLOVE ‘DAWSON’S CREEK’ THE ACTOR TALKS ‘LITTLEFIRESEVERYWHERE,’ HISTIGHTY-WHITIES 20 CORONAVIRUS ISHITTING TOP BILLING

That, however,That, hasn’t thecou stopped inNot onlyishisbrotheranERdoctor VREY VARIETY closetohome - - - - well-polished kids.well-polished I’ll get thepicket fence andhave thecute, the world. SoI’lldoalltherightthings, and the publicdefender that’s going tochange themaverickbe that Ithoughtwould be, woman, andIdon’t have really itinmeto wife at Iwant withthis somepoint: tobe withhisBill madethisunspoken deal Bill doesn’t reallyuptoElenamuch. stand pletely fromthefemale perspective.” script andawholenarrative arcthat’s com ator LizTigelaar]: “It’s a amazingtoread thing that IsaidtoReese, andto[cre Kerry he’s notof central focus. That was theﬁrst doesn’t exist really He’s much. there, but Hesee wheretheBillcharacterwas init. Iwanted to because thebook Then Iread line,ted they wouldn’t give meeight. onthedot butuntilIsigned had alleight, They sentmetheﬁrst seven scripts. They Everywhere” novel? Were you familiar withthe“LittleFires

yMr Malkin By Marc - - - Everywhere.” “Little Fires adaptation of husband inHulu’s play wifeand and JoshuaJackson Reese Witherspoon HE’S AGREEABLE Creek.’ liked that My momreally show.” are like, of ‘Dawson’s “IthinkI’ve heard I’m inthisphaseofmy careerwhereallkids alongside Witherspoon inthe1999 film.) “Cruel Intentions” is? (Jackson appeared Did theyoung kidsonseteven know what ill-ﬁtting tighty-whities.” dadwho’sis amiddle-aged given up. Iwant want todosweats?” …Iwas like, “No, this designer, Lyn Paolo, saidtome, “Doyou have waiting been for. really Ourcostume underwear, that iswhat [because] people todowas getneeded intosomeuglydad Little didIknow, in30years allIreally tighty-whities. of attentioniswhenyou’re inyour The scenethat’s beengettingalot richer. incredibly the story intersection of race andclass. Itjust makes you bringinrace andclass, andthenthe ously byextension black, herchildbecomes character becomes blackandthenobvi thingsthere,meaty astheMia butassoon issues of class. There’s plentyof juicyand If she’s just white, you’re onlytackling in thebook. butshe’sMia isblackintheseries, not which willbeavailable onApril2. of itinits entiretyonthisweek’sHear episode hasThis interview beenedited andcondensed. can’t get thewholehandinthere.” like, grinder being the meat I “Dammit, know that ifyou were standing infrontof only know that ifyou tried.” You would only Exactly. It’s like, “Well, you madam, would how grinder? couldahandfitinthemeat grinder—whenshe’sOr themeat like, Heeheehee.”I puthimundertheseptictank. her,interviewing andshe’s like, think “They She’s pretty gleefulabout itwhenthey’re Do you thinkshedidit? [Carole] herhusband. killed is always withkindof hotyoung guys. Also, cowboy whoas agay methhead libertarian house pets. Two, that thereissuchathing animalsas ferocious, giant, man-eating that there’s whohave of people asubculture and that woman [Carole Baskin]exist and that show: One, that that man[Joe Exotic] I cannotwrapmy aroundanything head in been watching “Tiger King.” I seeonTwitter thatyou andJodiehave like,will be “Hey, Charlie.” whena6-or7-8-9-year-oldprised the “MightyDucks”movies. I’m always sur isalwaysis everything currentnow, like for aslongIhave surviving thing about I don’t thinkyou’ll seeCharlie. Theweird upcoming Disney Plusseries? from the“MightyDucks” franchise onits Will you bereprising your role ofCharlie Variety andiHeart’s BigTicket” “The podcast,

- -

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REMEMBERED is valor. Because to me that means courage in great adversity. Terrence was writing his truth as a gay man at a time when no one was doing that. And he was doing it without apology and without fear. Writing His Truth in When we were rehearsing “Love! Valour! Compassion!,” we knew it was good, but we never in a million years a Time of Adversity thought it was going to be a commercial, mainstream success. But on that ﬁrst preview, it played through the roof. I realized, 1938-2020: TERRENCE MCNALLY, THE ‘PLAYWRIGHT “Oh, my God, this is not just going to be LAUREATE OF CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN THEATER,’ treated as a gay play. It’s going to be seen DRAMATIZED THE LIVES OF ORDINARY PEOPLE AND as a piece of art about human beings and mortality and loyalty and friendship.” OUTSIDERS TOO By Brent Lang I feel so incredibly lucky to have lived in a time when he was at the height of his powers and to have played a small part in it all. He gave me my career. I didn’t know it at the time, but it was such a gift that the role he gave me allowed me to make sure that I didn’t closet myself. That I didn’t hide who I am. He gave me that courage, because all I wanted was to be like Ter- rence. I wanted to be as brilliant and funny and capable of loving and being loved as he was. He didn’t just show me what kind of actor I wanted to be. He showed me what kind of human being I wanted to be.

André De Shields “The Full Monty”

When I learned of Terrence’s death, I was not initially consumed with sadness. The emotion that did wash over me was immense gratitude, that I had witnessed his long service as playwright laureate of contemporary American theater. It seems perfectly coherent to me that the author of “Corpus Christi” — at the zenith of his calling — would eventually transcend the mundane world of temporal gravity and enter the spiritual world of infinite gravitas. TERRENCE McNALLY, a towering force in modern American theater who died on March Am I sounding esoteric and erudite? Well, 24 of complications from the coronavirus, had a career that spanned five decades. good! You see, I lovingly embrace Terrence He wrote farces, dramas and books for musicals. He also had a talent for dramatizing McNally’s literary legacy, his gift of restor- gay lives, middle-aged romances and fading opera divas in works like “Love! Valour! ing to the center of society those who had Compassion!,” “Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune” and “Master Class.” Three of traditionally been banished to its edges. McNally’s collaborators and friends share their thoughts on the Tony Award-winning The most profound of our collabora- playwright’s life and legacy. tions was “The Full Monty.” Most people would, understandably, refer to that Audra McDonald himself into characters. production as musical comedy. And that “Master Class,” “Frankie and Johnny in Terrence, in “Love! Valour! Compas- description would not be incorrect, but it the Clair de Lune,” “Ragtime” sion!” and his other plays, confronted the would be incomplete. You see, the book AIDS epidemic that wiped out so many of “The Full Monty” is a play, master- Terrence is one of the greatest modern people close to him. To have this pan- fully intertwined with an eclectic score by American playwrights. He wrote about demic come in and take Terrence, there’s David Yazbek, the combination of which LGBTQ people in such Technicolor. He something so tragic about it. The lights exposes six unemployed blue-collar work- put their lives center stage and gave them are out on Broadway, so we can’t even dim ing men as the very essence of vulnerable leading roles and fully fleshed-out char- them for him. and complicated humanity. acters. He was able to portray so many dif- Finally, it is said that a playwright ferent types of people — regular people, as John Benjamin Hickey GRAVITAS writes about what he knows best. If PERSONIFIED well as flamboyant personalities — and to “Love! Valour! Compassion!” there’s any truth to that adage, then Audra McDonald and find the heart in all of them. Terrence McNally Terrence McNally excels in the knowledge He was so versatile because he was just I never really understood the title of the make opening night of how love conquers hate. As evidenced incredibly curious about people and the play “Love! Valour! Compassion!,” but now of the Broadway re- by the long-standing marriage to his vival of “Frankie and human condition. He was empathetic, and I think that is Terrence’s legacy as an art- Johnny in the Clair husband, Tom Kirdahy, apparently love

GREGORY PACE/SHUTTERSTOCK GREGORY he used his empathy to put little bits of ist. And the most important part of that de Lune” on May 29. simply conquers.

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Watch Download ‘Invisible Life’ This Cannes prize winner, now on Amazon Prime, immerses the viewer in the color- Hanging Out While ‘Staying In’ saturated world of 1950s Brazil, where two sisters from a middle-class family set off on very different paths through life. THE FIRST EPISODE of Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon’s new coronavirus podcast is basically self- isolation 101. The engaging comedian and his therapist-turned-writer wife have plenty of experience with illness and staying at home, as detailed in “The Big Sick,” and they banter about everything from classic ﬁlm favorites to video games to how to act like you’re at least being somewhat productive all day. Ideally, successive episodes will either go deeper into messy couple drama or spend more time on speciﬁc recommendations — or both. Proceeds from the podcast go to charities including Center for Disaster Philanthropy, Feeding America and the Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation.

EDITED BY PAT SAPERSTEIN | [email protected]

How Can Patrons Help the Struggling Restaurant Business? Proprietors launch relief funds, merchandise sales and liquor-to-go options

By the time the coronavirus pandemic has abated, it’s margaritas or a selection of wines to a takeout meal. clear that many beloved eateries will be struggling to Some restaurant owners are stepping in to support reopen. How can diners best support the food industry workers, like Mozza’s Nancy Silverton, who provides during this time? meals and necessities with help from the Restaurant One way is to focus on the smaller neighborhood Workers’ Relief Fund. Help support her efforts at leeinitia- spots that might be more at risk of closure. Call your tive.kindful.com. favorite restaurant and ask if you can order takeout Los Angeles- and San Francisco-based meal delivery directly from it, since delivery services take a huge cut company Nybll is offering at-home meal plans with a vari- from a restaurant’s proceeds. Los Angeles County is now ety of healthy menus and donating a meal for each one

INVISIBLE LIFE: BRUNO MACHADO/AMAZON STUDIOS INVISIBLE LIFE: BRUNO MACHADO/AMAZON allowing to-go sales of liquor as well, so add a batch of purchased through the Patra Project. PAT SAPERSTEIN

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Just outside the front door, there’s a Director Gavin Hood huge, stone-lined koi pond. Inside, a center-hall foyer is flanked by a casually appointed formal living room and a den/ Buys Malibu Spread library, the former with several sets of French doors, the latter with built-in shelv- ing and both with rustic stone fireplaces. The generously proportioned dining room SOUTH AFRICAN filmmaker Gavin Hood, who directed the superhero blockbuster overlooks the swimming pool and is com- “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” several years after his 2005 film “Tsotsi” took home the pletely open to a thoroughly modern, farm- foreign language film Oscar, has plunked down almost $4.1 million for an ocean- house-style kitchen arranged around a view spread in a discreet gated enclave in Malibu’s popular Point Dume area. The double-wide breakfast bar island. Hamptons-inspired home sits at the end of a long driveway with three bedrooms The 1.25-acre estate’s park-like grounds and three bathrooms in about 3,000 square feet. A detached, two-story guesthouse include landscaped terraces and patios as well as an infinity-edge swimming pool includes a spacious, ocean-view lounge and another bedroom and bathroom. and spa and an alfresco dining area with built-in grilling area and bar. The property was listed with Susan Monus of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage; Hood was MARK DAVID repped by his wife, Nerissa Hood, also with THE REAL ESTALKER Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. HOOD’S HOUSE: MICHAEL MCNAMARA/LISTING ZEN; DESINGER: CYNTHIA HART; HOOD: ANTHONY HARVEY/SHUTTERSTOCK HOOD: HART; CYNTHIA ZEN; DESINGER: HOUSE: MICHAEL MCNAMARA/LISTING HOOD’S

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residence, a lofty combination living-din- about a mile north of the Capitol in the his- ing room spills out to a slim deck with toric neighborhood of Eckington. Built in over-the-treetops mountain and canyon the 1920s but extensively reimagined over views. The open-concept kitchen is fitted the past year by an investor owner, the with custom wood cabinetry and high- four-story Victorian bungalow contains two end cooking equipment; a state-of-the-art independent residences with a total of six screening room seats eight in deep-cush- bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms in just over ioned recliners. Shoji screens divide the 3,000 very contemporary square feet. bedroom from a yoga studio or dressing Most original architectural details were room in a master suite that offers a mod- stripped out and replaced with decid- ern bathroom and a decadently wood-pan- edly modern fittings that include a stain- $2.5M eled walk-in closet. less steel fireplace-surround inserted into The property was listed with Mimi a delicately veined white marble chimney BRENTWOOD 4 BEDROOMS McCormick and Maureen McCormick of breast in the parlor-floor living room. Medi- 4,000 SQ. FT. 3 BATHS Compass; the buyer was represented by um-brown hardwood floors extend into the Steven Rand at RE/MAX One. dining area and the open-plan kitchen. One of the three second-floor bedrooms is en Kristin Davis Sells suite and suitable as a master bedroom. Home in Brentwood A two-bedroom and one-bath base- Having substantially upsized her living Congressman Eric ment-level apartment, with both an inside situation a couple of years ago with the entrance and a separate outside one that purchase of a 6,500-square-foot Brent- Swalwell Buys in D.C. allows for easy rental potential, includes a wood villa, “Sex and the City” alum Kris- It looks like California’s 15th District Dem- small living room with a compact kitchen. tin Davis has sold her longtime home in ocratic Congressman Eric Swalwell plans The property was represented by Jessica L.A.’s low-key but high-cost Mandeville to stay awhile in Washington, D.C., where Perkins at Pearson Smith Realty; the Swal- Canyon area for not quite $2.5 million. tax records show he plunked down just over wells were repped by Jim Bell of Sotheby’s Davis, who more recently co-starred in $1.2 million for a freshly rehabbed home Intl. Realty. the exceedingly short-lived CBS ensemble sitcom “Bad Teacher,” didn’t get anywhere close to the $3.3 million she first asked for the nearly half-acre canyon-side compound when it popped up for sale almost a year ago, but she nonetheless multiplied several times over the nearly $700,000 she paid for the two-residence spread in the late 1990s. Sited at the end of a little-known cul-de-sac and separated by a sun-dappled and foli- age-surrounded stretch of lawn, the pair of two-story residences together contain four bedrooms and three full and two half bathrooms in a bit more than 4,000 casually luxurious square feet, according to marketing materials. In addition to a couple of bedrooms and several bathrooms, one of the residences offers an open-plan living and $1.2M dining room with wood-burning stove and an up-to-date kitchen. Glass slid- WASHINGTON, D.C. ers extend the living space out to a wrap- 3,000 SQ. FT. around deck with open views, and a cozy den with beamed and vaulted ceiling 6 BEDROOMS opens to a secluded garden. In the other 5 BATHS

OpenO Mics Fill Void topics in the industry while DIGS oof Open Houses showcasing their listings of the week. The show is meant to be a Put a Celeb-Pedigreedeed InIn the age of social distancing, fun, lighthearted way to digitally Home All in Your Familyamily aan old cornerstone of the real engage audiences and potential eestate industry is no longer buyers through uncertain times A house once owned by “All inn the Fam-Fam- ppossible — the open house. So a while showing off houses that ily” actor Carroll O’Connor andd recentlyrecently ffewe property agents have taken are on the market. Each episode rented by fashion designer Marcarc JJacobsacobs tthingsh into their own hands. will be initially broadcast on is on the market for a balmy $15.515.5 mil-mil- PProduced by The Society Group, has represented Dwyane Wade, Instagram Live and later uploaded lion. The Moroccan-style propertyperty is sit-sit- ““RealR Talk” is a weekly digital chat and Branden and Rayni Williams to YouTube and IGTV. “Real uated on a sandy beach in thee heart ofof sshowh featuring some of L.A.’s of Williams & Williams, who have Talk” streams every Tuesday on Malibu and boasts four bedroomsoms and totop real estate agents, such as repped Mark Ronson and Jason Instagram Live from 11 a.m. to 2 MAE HAMILTONTON four bathrooms. CCompass’ Tomer Fridman, who Statham, discussing the hottest p.m. PT. MAE HAMILTON BROADIMAGE/SHUTTERSTOCK JACOBS:

26 VARIETYY Neil Finn Goes His Own Way in Los Feliz Singer-songwriter Neil Finn, Crowded House frontman and Fleetwood Mac’s newest member, has purchased an impressive new house on L.A.’s East- side, in the perennially expensive and celeb-beloved community of Los Feliz. Records reveal Finn and longtime wife Sharon paid $4.3 million for the property, sold by Emmy-winning “Simpsons” writer Tim Long. From 2007-13, the house was owned by erstwhile “Grey’s Anatomy” star Katherine Heigl. Somewhat atypical for Los Feliz, which is primarily known for its collection of gorgeous, painstakingly preserved Spanish Revival villas and midcentury modern gems, Finn’s house is an elegant, roughly 4,300-square-foot Southern Colonial-style structure originally built in the early 1920s. The genteel four-bedroom and 4.5-bath property lies behind imposing gates and a wall overgrown by a $1.46M riotous, colorful splash of bougainvillea. Though the house has clearly been updated over the past century, its orig- SILVER LAKE inal charm remains. Behind a perfectly 1,100 SQ. FT. symmetrical facade and candy apple-red 2 BEDROOMS front door, there’s a classic center-hall 1 BATH layout flanked by sunny living and dining rooms. Polished hardwood floors, elegant crown moldings and eye-catching deco- amount over the $1.2 million the “Vinyl” rative flourishes continue throughout the James Jagger Sells and “JT LeRoy” star paid YouTube home. The upmarket kitchen has vintage personality Grace Helbig in late 2016. light fixtures, top-of-the-line appliances Silver Lake Bungalow Set high above the street under the leafy and pricey Calacatta marble countertops; Up and coming young actor and rock canopies of massive, mature trees, the a cozy adjoining family room offers direct ’n’ roll scion James Jagger — he’s the modestly proportioned and extensively access to the gardens. Upstairs a luxe son of model Jerry Hall, now married updated 1930s traditional bungalow has master suite features a marble fireplace, to Rupert Murdoch, and the fourth of just two bedrooms and one bathroom in walk-in closet and spa-style bath. knighted Rolling Stones frontman Mick a smidgen more than 1,100 square feet. A covered second-floor balcony over- Jagger’s eight children — has sold his A bonus room above the street-level two- looks the backyard, which is surrounded starter bungalow in L.A.’s boho-trendy car garage provides extra flexi-use space. by tall hedges and outfitted with a Silver Lake area for almost $1.46 mil- The property was listed with Cari Field dark-bottomed swimming pool, spa and lion after he shelled out $2.5 million, and Krista Crews of Acme Real Estate. grassy lawn. Tucked into the far rear of remarkably above its $2 million price The buyer was repped by Tori Horowitz the property is a wee guesthouse with a tag, for a larger home in a quiet area of of Compass. full bathroom. Michael Maguire of Com- nearby Los Feliz. Jagger decamped Silver Lake for a pass and Michael Maloney of Keller Wil- The Silver Lake sale price is about refurbished late-1930s Moderne residence liams held the listing; Carrie Eckert of $150,000 higher than the almost $1.3 in Los Feliz with four bedrooms and four Sotheby’s Intl. Realty repped Finn. million asking price and a healthy bathrooms in about 3,200 square feet. — James McClain

A Pedigreed Caribbean known as Minor Cay, is on the for entertaining. In the 1980s, Villa to Squeeze Into market for $5.5. million. Designed after the Heinz family decided to under the direction of Heinz, the spend more time in Europe, the A Bahamian getaway once favored five-bedroom, five-bathroom property was sold to American by paparazzi magnet Jacqueline modernist villa is surrounded sculptor John Safer, who owned Kennedy Onassis is now on the by a wraparound pool and was the home for 25 years. The estate market for $5.5 million. In the frequently used by the condiment was most recently renovated in 1970s, Jackie O and her sister mogul as a place to host and 2017 with some help from interior Lee Radziwill used to vacation at house his many A-list friends. decorator Amanda Lindroth. The the holiday home of their close Minor Cay boasts direct access to property overlooks the Lyford Cay friend, ketchup tycoon John the Bahamas’ famed white sand Golf Course and Club; a concrete Heinz, when they wanted to beaches, features panoramic bridge connects the home to a escape those chilly East Coast views of the ocean and has chic charming garden and the 18-hole

JAGGER’S HOUSE: ALEX ZAROUR/VIRTUALLY HERE STUDIOS/LEVERAGE HERE STUDIOS/LEVERAGE HOUSE: ALEX ZAROUR/VIRTUALLY JAGGER’S winter weekends. Now that home, canopy-covered verandas perfect course. MAE HAMILTON

VARIETY 27 Family

GUTTER CREDIT GUTTER CREDIT

TV HIT—ANDPOSSIBLYTV THELAST OFITS KIND BY MADE CULTURE ANDCHANGINGVIEWER HABITS AN ALCHEMY OFCREATIVE FREEDOM,INTERNET Affair KATE AURTHUR ‘SCHITT’S CREEK’

PHOTOGRAPHS BY

AN UNLIKELY CABLE

PETER YANG VARIETY 29 to be ashowto be love. about other. “Schitt’s Intheend, out hasturned Creek” come toSchitt’s Creek asstrangers toeach family, atrue formed Most of they’ve all, having friendsandfalleninlove.made real the community. found gratifying work, They’ve asajoke of bought elementalmembers tobeing exiles penniless inatownfrom being they’d and Alexis (AnnieMurphy) theirway —scrape Davidand theiradultchildren, (DanielLevy) andMoira(Catherine(Eugene Levy) O’Hara) have seentheonce wealthy Roses —Johnny over theshow’s onPop sixseasons TV, viewers 30 complete shock “When itfinally delightful thing to thesystem.

And avery happened, to hear.” it was a EUGENE LEVY VREY VARIETY N THE2015PREMIERE their past lifetheir past asprotective gear. But town wearing thedesignerclothesof Rose familyarrive inthetiny titular Creek,” comedy, ariches-to-rags the of classic comedies. Itsratings have According season: grown toPop, every cable’sbasic burdens. economic by willsurelyincrease thecoronavirus calamity caused pandemic followed shows. Marchtoaxthreeof itsscripted by adecisioninearly The February, Pop layoffs oftheconsolidation underwent ofViacomCBS, aspart pressure tojustifyare underincreasing theirexistence. at theend of Indeed, cable networks,gets. ad-supported In thisenvironment, Pop amongthem, viewership tallies andgargantuanbud- clear uge refusalto report of content, thebusiness withtheirdel- areupending services whenstreaming television, they have by theendof theseries.” lot ofthings. But they would never able tobuythekindofcloseness be that thevaluewill realize oflove,” says. a Levy bandage “Money cantemporarily over todoso. two was goal seasons at theendof thisshow, “The thisfamily risk totake itany further.” with says inaninterview Levy wanted tocompromise “Iatconclusion. nopoint onqualityorstorytelling,” plotting theseries’ began son renewal 4,DanielLevy at thecloseofSeason was theirchoice. ofitspopularity show at thepeak Aftergetting atwo-sea- with CBC, “Schitt’s willhave Creek” itsseriesfinaleonApril 7.To endthe asaco-production andDanielLevy Created byfather andsonEugene Levy Yet “Schitt’s Creek” “Schitt’s in retiresasastriking emblemof atransitionalperiod Creek” He always knew how toconclude hewanted thestory, andhad28episodes did break through — and will likely enter the pantheon through—andwilllikely break enterthepantheon Variety of “Schitt’s . “Itjust didn’t feel like itwas the worth man. Paulman. O’Hara’s Rudd called character Lawrence, Cameron Crowe andNicole Kid- followers arecelebrities suchasJennifer tumes (DebraHanson).Amongthe show’s cos- actress (O’Hara) andcontemporary dy series, lead actor(Eugene Levy), lead four nominationsearned —for come- year’s Emmys, inwhichthedarkhorse ble results, notonlyin ratings butat last to live theretoo!” wants tolive in,” says O’Hara. “And I’d like “It’sdesign. just aworld Ibelieve Daniel sive idyllfor LGBTQ people, andthat’s by Thetown ofSchitt’spath. Creek isaninclu- Creek’s” —butalsoactivist — heartfelt “Schitt’s andsolidified the thirdseason Reid). That during relationship began cially toDavid andhisfiancé, Patrick (Noah lovinginspired YouTube tributes, espe- ithasalso whichmeans is emotional, for understanding.”) andsafety,”health “Thanks tweeted. Levy ing rightnow totheresidents’ isathreat the show’s exteriors “Visit- were filmed. Ontario, wheresomeofof Goodwood, had toasktourists nottovisitthetown demic: Recently, CBCandDaniel Levy ardorhasadownside duringapan- (The ity andviralculturemaximizes exposure. in anage isacommod- whenfanpassion fect example ofword-of-mouth success entire time”).“Schitt’s istheper- Creek” David. TheFBIknewwhereIwasing, the adventures past (“Ididn’ttioned go miss- andlists of Alexis’vocabulary; oft-men- sions; explainers ofMoira’s extensive of David’s andAlexis’ ing of Moira’s many GIFs wigs;animated and David “Oh, saying, my God”; arank- eo compilations of:Alexis “David,” saying, ture. Fans (andjournalists) have madevid- withmemecul- sothoroughlyjibes Creek” Office.”“The most-watched only behind acquisition, “Schitt’sMarch, was thesecond- Creek” er’s series. acquired Inthefirst week of the show’s amongthestream- popularity by obtained ing report for thisstory, arecent Nielsenstream- were coming ‘Love upsaying, theshow!’” morepeople inarestaurant, at anairport, feel itwherever you went —onthestreet, immediate,” says. Eugene Levy “You could The Netflix effect was “enormous and whole newaudience to“Schitt’s Creek.” in2017that broughta service streaming itwasgest Pop’s threat, withthe deal afterNetflix canceled it. channel rescued March 24,“One Day at aTime,” whichthe showlaunch itsotherremainingscripted AndPop ”Schitt’sseason. used to Creek” nel’s digitalplatforms —up60%over last viewing ofmultipletelecasts, andthechan- whenyouepisodes count live anddelayed 3.7 millionviewers arewatching 6 Season This avid tangi- fandomhasyielded The audience’s attachment totheshow It helpsthat thehumorof “Schitt’s Though Netflix would notcomment cable’s basic Despite Netflix being big- extreme Variety facialexpres- revealed

STYLING: ERICA CLOUD/THE ONLY AGENCY; HAIR: ANA SORYS; MAKEUP: LUCKY BROMHEAD; (OPENING SPREAD CLOTHING) LEVYS’ SHIRTS: COS; MURPHY & O’HARA’S SHIRTS: WOLFORD; (THIS PAGE CLOTHING) D. LEVY’S COAT: AMI; SHIRT: COS; JEANS: LEVIS; SHOES: PIERRE HARDY; MURPHY’S OVERALLS: FRAME; BLOUSE: CINQ A SEPT; SHOES: STUART WEITZMAN; PIN: CHANEL; O’HARA’S PANTS & BLOUSE: STELLA MCCARTNEY; JACKET: THEORY; SHOES: MICHAEL KORS; E. LEVY’S TUX & SHIRT: CANALI; SHOES: JIMMY CHOO GUTTER CREDIT VARIETY Annie Murphy,Eugene ALL TOGETHERNOW Levy comprisethe O’Hara andDaniel Levy, Catherine Rose family. 31 32 all over again!” score atouchdown.” leteverybody “they repcompany,”tic, Burnett friend. yearning best callsthecast a“true inwhich the owner of themotelwhereRoses live, whohasbecome David’s sarcas- nifer hisstalwart asJocelyn, wife; Robertson andEmilyHampshire’s Stevie, es byChrisElliott asthetown’s nutty butsensitive mayor, Roland Schitt; Jen- days. “Ilaughoutloud,”“SCTV” shesays. Shecitesperformanc- “By myself!” she’s because the beginning known since O’Hara their andEugene Levy fected awards even —andperhaps winoneortwo. season receive multipleEmmy nominations thisyear, even inthiscoronavirus-af- Whole Lotta Texas.”) With suchaconstituency, “Schitt’s willsurely Creek” intheduetas“Aa millionviews. thelyricsfor (Clarksonadapted herpart showto Alexis’ reality —inaclipthat’s single-season received morethan “Aand AnnieMurphy performed Little BitAlexis” themesong —themade-up “quite thegreatest possibly since creation theMarsRover”; Kelly Clarkson WHEN DANIEL LEVY WAS DOINGTHEATER ITV Studios came on board asitsdistributor, Studioscame onboard ITV andsetup meetingsfor the straight toseries, U.K.-based more financialpartners. buttheshow needed Canadian broadcasters. “Schitt’s ordered CBCimmediately they try Creek” man,” andmore)that heco-wrote. “Best inShow” andintheChristopher Guest movies (“Waitinglaborator on“SCTV” for Guff- tation inwhichO’Hara played Moiraasafavor toEugene, herlongtimecol- have, since it’s pilot presen- ashort worthless. produced deemed TheLevys the town for David of itsname, because andit’s theonlyunseized asset they thefinalpiece forvided theshow’s setup:On“Schitt’s Creek,” Johnny bought that atown KimBasingerrecalled hadbought inGeorgia1989,that pro- stand theworld andwhat WhenDaniel ithadlost. thisfamilycamefrom, flashyabout like wealth “Keeping UpWith theKardashians” —would under- delightfulthingtohear.” tothesystem.complete Andavery shock it was a Sowhenitfinallyhappened, itwasassumed never gonnahappen. andthenjustthat, completely itfrommy obliterated Ijust mindbecause ‘Do you want towork Andhesaidyes.” onthiswithme?’ I went of awealthy tohimwiththisidea familylosingtheirmoney andsaid, and strength toholdmy own inthoseconversations that we would have. So going tomy Iknewthat Ihadtheambitionandpassion dadwiththisidea. as smallitwas, upinCanada,” hesays. “But that mademefeel OKwith —onethat wouldan idea involve hisfather. “Ihadmadeanamefor myself, he wouldn’t brainstorming findwork what butstarted andhehad todonext, to doitonhisown,” hesays. “Itwas cool.” wouldn’t letmarketing materials identifyhimasEugene’s “Hewanted son. Hills.”geist series “The phenomenonof reality According toSchwartz, Levy Hills:TheAfterShow,”“The atalkshow that followed of broadcasts thezeit- themost funny,ing, themost self-deprecating.” Levy’s andsays, presentation, “Itwas just themost themost amaz- charming, the presidentofPop Canada, butthenthe general witnessed manager ofMTV working inavideostore at BradSchwartz, thetime, now hisphonebill. paid andthenhadtoexplainer they what wanted, they’d Levy, bought. whowas Canadathe nascent was MTV holdingauditions for VJs. that Ineeded.” Aftersixmonths, hemoved toToronto back that andlearned ofwas my sort alevel biggest of created at fear confidence thetime—really making cold callstopeople, answering thetelephonefromstrangers, which theexperienceenough, ofassisting inanagency —getting onthephones, ent agency. Heknewrightaway hedidn’t want anagent. “But tobe funnily wouldwise Iprobably Iwanted tobe.” notbecome theperson adulthood,” hesays. “And other- Iknewthat it, Ihadtodosomethingabout inadequacy, andallofthosestrange angsty thingsthat come withimminent with“social 20s,his late anxietyandfeelings teensandearly of hestruggled I do, Ihave because your towork harderbeing son,” hewould In say tohim. hisfamous dad’srefused help. “Idon’t want you tohave any influence on what “I’m blue!”shesays. always “But there. it’ll be Imay andwatch go back it And how Burnett does feel “Schitt’s about coming toanend? Creek” Comedy legend Carol Burnett tells When noU.S. theshow, networks bought afriendof Eugene’s suggested thatThey worked ofshows audiences withtheidea —because onthepitch, According toEugene Levy, “Ihadalways somethinglike tohear wanted toleave decided MTV. Levy Hills”ended, HeworriedIn 2011,after“The was andfound hired successLevy at MTV, whilehosting particularly During theauditionprocess, applicantswere given howev- $100tospend He moved toLondonduringcollege andworked asanassistant at atal- VREY VARIETY Variety shehaswatched theshow from in high school inToronto, inhighschool he the finalseason. Sunset Boulevardpromoting appear inabillboard on Daniel LevyandNoahReid TURNING HEADS had something hammering it, because we “It was our No. 1show.

fantastic.” PRESIDENT OFPOP knew we just kept BRAD SCHWARTZ, And we was ahit onCBC, butitsratings onPop his buttons,” shesays. my olderbrother, andIknewhow topush Levy’s David, andthey clicked: “Hefelt like woman.” smart ing, with Sheauditioned but shewas interest- alsolike cool, areally Murphy says. “And maybe abitfrivolous, young GoldieHawn was bubblyandbright,” Alexis GoldieHawn asareference. cited “A thatnoticed thecharacter descriptionof eventually Murphy thanthat. go deeper show caricatures by reality — butshewould andyes, girl, was shewas aparty inspired for her.”) andsheknows whatbackground, works adds, “Catherine comes fromaSecond City words simplethings.”ed todescribe He strange, complicat-says, of“very abook of UnusualWords,” whichis, DanielLevy the aidof“Foyle’s ATreasury Philavery: extend at tohertakingpasses scriptswith mementos of herworld travels!” areoralgetting whenyou herspeak hear of thefamily’s you’re “What past: monied —asacomposite herelocution to describe cally.” O’Hara hassince come upwithaway I don’t want tosoundlike ahuman,’ basi- nothing!” shesays. “Iwas ‘Eugene, saying, ...over “Iwas givingyou email. it toLevy cadence. todescribe andfailed Shetried Katharine Hepburn’s classic Hollywood slightlymid-Atlantic,ish, withapinchof for Moira’s accent, whichisslightlyBrit- enough.” Andthentherewas O’Hara’s idea Daniel just couldn’t writestuff down fast Andyou thisvision. coulding tohear see ical half-hour-comedy wife.” It’sand strong andmodern. sonotyour typ- she wears, andtheheels. It’s just sogreat a lotof itislike armor, thenecklaces that avant-garde,” says O’Hara. “Really strong — ness. “She’s allblackandwhite;she’s very DaphneGuin- tures of theBritishsocialite mainlypic- withmaterial, she cameloaded sat down toenvision Moira’s character, and inthe shoot family.” tosay herback itwould Hecalled that Ilike at inthesummerwithmy tobe “BecauseIhaveview withhim. acottage O’Hara recallssaying over alunchinter- mer. “Eugene, doyou even know me?” hertosay inthesum- called itwould shoot afterEugene Levy especially some doing, 2015. in February “Schitt’s asitssignature program Creek” asPop rebranded be TV, would launch 2014,andTVGN, Itwasbudget. early to toputuproughlyathirdoftheagreed ‘We’re in—let’s doit,’” says Schwartz. He CBS andLionsgate. then ownedby GuideNetwork, rebrand TV to hired Schwartz, whoin2013hadbeen was withDaniel’s Canada boss oldMTV withU.S.Levys cable channels—one When “Schitt’s it premiered, Creek” to cast Alexis.They alsoneeded Yes, she (Later, O’Hara’s visionfor Moirawould itwell: remembers “Itwas soexcit-Levy Convincing O’Hara todotheshow took “And we were literallyintheroom, like, spring . The Levys andO’Hara. TheLevys

POPTV POPTV (2) DANIEL LEVY BECAME THESHOWRUNNER a way tocutyour teeth.” neveris probably again going tohappen for me,” says DanielLevy. “But what tojust figureitoutforhad somuchfreedom ourselves, andIknow that that from CBC, therewas mostly ofencouragement. nointerference. Soon “We we because knewwe hadsomethingfantastic.”ing it, Andthenwe diditagain!Itwasit. ourNo. 1show, andwe just kept hammer- “Webrand. Thatwere didn’t fractional. matter toSchwartz, whowas intentonbuildinga first-season inwhich David hisfluid sexuality episode describes toStevie. thing inhelping kidscoming outtotheirparents,” he says, referring toa that we get fromkids—Ithinkthe‘Wine, Not theLabel’ was abig episode “It’s hadanamazing, — somuchjoy andhappiness andstrength.” grow andthrive. letpeople aside andreally Andsomuchlove comes fromit says. “We just showed how life ifyou muchbetter canbe putthosebeliefs didn’t whose beliefs people necessarily alignwithwhat we were doing,” Levy way few othertelevisionprogramshave. “Idofeel like we’ve never ostracized ception of Schitt’s-Creek-as-LGBTQ-utopia toitsaudience ina doors opened relate to,” hesays. Theirrelationship transformed theshow, andLevy’s con- andthat could andthatexperienced, friendsof minehadexperienced, people carefully. story the coming-out “Ijust wanted towritesomethingthat Ihad eventual fiancé, approached andLevy identifiesas straight whenthey meet, for Patrick, David’s David, whoispansexual. aromanticpartner introduce of thefinalseason. Levy starinEpisode5 O’Hara, MurphyandEugene (top); DanielLevy, from theSeason6finale Hampshire shootascene Daniel LevyandEmily PARTING SHOTS In the beginning of Season 1, the writers occasionally received 1,thewritersoccasionally of Season scriptnotes In thebeginning Eugene Levy credits Daniel for this visionary aspect of “Schitt’s aspect Danielfor credits thisvisionary Eugene Levy Creek.” loved it,” hesays. “And we put80%of ourmarketing budget behind amazing impact onpeople’s impact lives. Theletters, theemails in Season 3,andhewanted to inSeason much freedom I know that that ourselves, and never goingto happen again is probably “We hadso to figure it outfor for me.” DANIEL LEVY involved inherlife anymore!” toAnniethat Iwasn’tnight that Iwas crying O’Hara says: “And that Ihadadream infact, saying shemisses everyone,responded she’d episode Creek” just Murphy watched. ina“Schitt’s herperformance and about AMC’s newshow ”Kevin Can F--- Himself,” gratulate herfor getting roleon thelead oftexting Murphy recentlythe story tocon O’Hara muchwant. tells they seemtovery andeventually Which willagain. wrapped, connected aftershootingcast members dates amidcoronavirus concerns, kept the to othercomedies tomusicals,” hesays. includes anything fromthrillerstodramas doingthisshowsix years whileI’ve been scratching downI’ve been over thepast fall withABCStudios. “Mylist that of ideas mises wouldn’t want todoanything that compro- proud ofthework that we’ve done, andI get toplay with thiscast Ifeel again. very revisit thesecharacters, andIwould love to at thispoint,” hesays. “But Iwould love to Idon’tit. know what itcould be possibly of ourcast’sdeserving time, thenlet’s do adds, thenpauses. seasons. But it’s qualityover quantity,” he wish that thisshow could have gone on100 outmore“Schitt’s herule does Creek.” “I it.” about good Ifeelthink we very did. Nor le. noise whenasked theseriesfina- about inDecember,Creek” andmakes anervous what hewants.” Steve Jobs-like,”very hesays. “Heknows “Very,a majornewtalentinentertainment. he’s watched Danielbecome recognized as ah plays ontheshow waitress —and Twyla with hiskidsfor sixyears —daughterSar- La CienegaBoulevard. “Itwas who plays hisfiancé, tovisittheonenear front of Hewent thebillboards. withReid, taking picturesof themselves kissing in seen itbefore.” says. DanielLevy never “I’ve would Inot?” thing like that sowhy outintotheworld, toputsome- platform andanopportunity bus stops inCanada. given “I’ve been a the kiss; later was theposter on featured onSunsetBoulevard featuringbillboards David andPatrick Therewere kissing. two show’s of posters included finalseason at theBeacon!” Schwartz says. I’ve seenRadiohead “Imean, theshow,” talkingabout them onstools “Like, Theatre, tosellouttheBeacon tosee ahit. tour—whichbecame cast speaking totheagency a“Schitt’she proposed Creek” 2018, withWMEinJanuary when hesigned dialogue withtheaudience, hesays, and it was quiteemotional,” hesays. The tour, itsMay whichhadtopostpone “If an idea crosses my“If anidea that path Ifeel is post-productionHe finished on”Schitt’s last athree-year deal signed Daniel Levy hashadthechance towork Eugene Levy Levy noticed that noticed queercouples wereLevy forThe promotionalcampaign the It’s been important for Levy tohaveIt’s for Levy a important been “Hope youstick thelanding!” that .” .” VARIETY gigantic hesays. “I . And 33 - BENEFITS OF OUTDOORS? Cots are set up for flu patients in Brookline, Mass., in October 1918. Fresh air was mistakenly believed to help those with the disease. The headline below appeared Dec.Dec. 20,20, 1918,1191918,8, inin Variety’Variety’s VaudevilleVaudeville section.sectionon.

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LESSONS AND WARNINGS FOR TODAY’S CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK ABOUND IN VARIETY’S COVERAGE OF THE LETHAL 1918-20 FLU

Q By David S.Cohen

VARIETY 35 IN RONALD D. MOORE’S REIMAGINED “Battlestar Galactica,” the ragged remnants of the human race often respond to adversity by invoking an article of their faith: “All this has happened before. All this will happen again.” As we face the real-life coronavirus pandemic, that mantra rings true. All this has happened before: a highly contagious, deadly virus hopscotching the planet before explod- ing into a pandemic; denial and uncertainty among political leaders; gatherings banned; entertainment production shut down, thousands unemployed; fear and grief as entertainment pros, including the famous, fall ill. That describes the 2019-20 global pandemic of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. It also describes the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918-20. That virus was as contagious as COVID-19 and deadlier (though if current figures are correct, not by much). Revisiting Variety’s coverage of the 1918 pandemic reveals eerie echoes of that time in ours — and important lessons about what to expect over the coming months, what we can do to avoid a repeat and what may come afterward. It’s uncertain even today how many died of the Spanish flu. Deaths are estimated at 675,000 in the U.S. and as many as 50 million worldwide. Some of the parallels between the Spanish flu and COVID-19 are likely to provoke déjà vu. In 1918, Variety reported the ocean liner Niagara was unable to dock in Australia with 300 people in quarantine. In the 21st century, the ships are bigger: 700 aboard the Dia- mond Princess when it was quarantined off Yokohama, Japan, for weeks; 3,500 people on the Grand Princess when it was refused a berth in the San Francisco Bay. Then, as now, conspiracy theories grew. “Fantastic stories regarding Spanish influenza have been circulated,” Variety reported. “Some have enemy origins as the base. Medical experts say the stories are bosh.” A century later, Jerry Falwell Jr., discussing campus closings March 13 on “Fox & Friends,” suggested the virus could be a North Korean bioweapon developed in concert with Chi- na, and part of a political dirty trick designed to hurt President Trump. The origins of the two diseases may have a parallel too. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website suggests Fort Riley, Kans., was the site of the first outbreak. That was in the late winter and spring of 1918, with World War I mobilization in full swing. Thou- sands of men were crowded into barracks, living close to a pig farm. It may have been BOARDING PASS a pig that passed the flu to men in the camp. A hundred years later, COVID-19 seems to A streetcar conductor have jumped to humans in a live-meat market in Wuhan, China. in Seattle checks to see if potential Both viruses were (and are) “novel” — meaning new, so people lack immunity. Both are passengers are wearing masks during highly transmissible, attack the lungs and spread through tiny droplets expelled when an the flu pandemic.

36 VARIETY DIFFERENT LAWS INFORMED A DIFFERENT TIME

To battle the Spanish flu, masks were required — though their effect was debatable Q By Klaritza Rico

s the world works its way out of the COVID-19 pandemic, A a run on specialized surgical masks capable of filtering out the virus has led to shortages in some areas. Cloth masks are probably as hard to find at your local drugstore as soap, hand sanitizer and toilet paper. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention do not recommend the use of masks by healthy people. Most aren’t fine enough to filter out airborne virus anyway, and the run on true antiviral masks has probably put health care workers at risk, forcing them to rely on less-effective ones while treating infected patients. It’s an indication of how much has changed since the Spanish flu pandemic a century ago that in those years, masks were mandatory. Variety reported on Nov. 22, 1918, that health officials in several cities ordered that they be worn in “every gathering place,” including stores, businesses, theaters and churches, before they initiated the general quarantine. Indianapolis issued an order providing for “the universal use of cloth masks in all public places” before the decision was made to close down businesses. Even then, it was clear in some quarters that masks were a half-measure that accomplished little. Even after quarantines were lifted, though, in some cities health authorities still insisted “all patrons wear masks.” Theater managers in Los Angeles debated whether to reopen their establishments when the quarantine was lifted due to the continued rules, “preferring to wait until the mask wearing order [was] dispensed with.” They were probably thinking that theatergoers concerned enough to wear masks might not be in the right frame of mind to enjoy a show anyway. Movie shoots were not immune to the orders. On Feb. 14, 1919, near the end of the horrific second wave of influenza, Variety reported that actor Shirley Mason and director Walter Edwards spent a night in jail in Pasadena “for failure to conform to the law, which demanded they wear masks during the influenza epidemic” on set. Mason and Edwards worked on two two- reel comedies together in 1919. It’s lost to history which pic they were making when they were locked up, but both titles suited the calamitous times: “The Rescuing Angel” and “The Final Close-up.” (PREVIOUS SPREAD) EVERETT/SHUTTERSTOCK; (THIS PAGE) NARA ARCHIVES/SHUTTERSTOCK (THIS PAGE) EVERETT/SHUTTERSTOCK; (PREVIOUS SPREAD)

VARIETY 37 infected person talks, sneezes or coughs. According to the Institute for JUST STARTING Americans read news of the growing out- The flu pandemic break, but there was no urgency about it. Disease Modeling, the viruses appear to be almost equally contagious and was the lead story in Variety’s Oct. Influenza epidemics had come before, but very close in severity. 11, 1918, edition. there was nothing to suggest it would be a Yet they behave differently in crucial ways. The 1918 flu was particularly catastrophe. On July 12, 1918, a Variety report dangerous for people 20-40; pregnant women were especially vulnera- from London said it had reached an almost epidemic level and had disrupted “many ble. Young performers were hit hard. Because it could trigger a “cytokine programs.” In August, though, a breezy cable storm” overreaction from the body’s immune system, the virus often killed reported, “The now famous Spanish grippe epidemic has made its appearance in Paris, with terrifying speed — sometimes within hours or even minutes of the but in a mild form, and the medical authori- onset of symptoms. The stronger immune systems of young adults may ties carefully watching this form of influenza have worked against them. state there is not the slightest need for anxi- ety.” That was probably a lie enforced by mil- By contrast, early data indicated COVID-19 is most dangerous for seniors itary censors, but the report didn’t go so far as and those with weakened immune systems, and it rarely kills quickly. to call the outbreak a hoax. Variety Those infected typically have days of mild to moderate flu-like symptoms. didn’t devote much coverage to the epidemic, as it was a story for the daily But in 20% of cases, the virus moves from the nasal passages to the lungs newspapers, not news of the show world. But and tips into severe illness, with a percentage of those dying. The time in the Sept. 20, 1918, issue, the vaudeville page reported that several military camps, from the onset of symptoms to death ranges from two to eight weeks. where many touring acts were booked, were The 1918 flu simmered through summer, especially among armies under quarantine. A week later, a front-page massed in Europe, but military censors limited coverage of illness among item said shows in Chicago were affected by “the serious epidemic of Spanish influenza.” the troops. In Spain, where there was no fighting, ample reporting cov- Boston was ordering theaters and schools ered the illness’s progress; hence the moniker Spanish flu. closed. Almost overnight, the epidemic had

38 VARIETY BETTMANN/GETTY IMAGES the weekly couldn’t keep up. uneven. Events were now moving so quickly, places thanothers, toitwas andtheresponse fromacuriositytocrisis.jumped open; neighboring Kentucky neighboring open; was either open it over, notably Ohio was most oftheSouth. Louisiana. But were someareas still thinking churches. were Similarmeasures taken in 600theaters, and Indiana closed plusschools contracts withtheiractors. themescape helped theofficialban because closures,ment orderrather thanvoluntary managers theater preferred agovernend, ple together even withoutcriticism.” Inthe ing elevators were allowed tocrowd peo- ment stores, market places andoffice build- hours,of suffocation anddepart duringrush railway isallowed tojamitscarsthepoint Elevated order toclosevenues, “The arguing, crowd together, withdisastrous results. able towork fromhome, continued to people with noconcept of“social andfew distancing” toavoid. strategy ismeant Butcurve” in1918, the seriousness of thegeneral situation.” selves arevictimsofthedisease, addingto care for thecases. physicians …Local them utilized to hospitalsisbeing inlocal of room under quarantine, but“every available inch severe army inthenearby camps, whichwere civilians ishigh.” was most Theoutbreak ratethe death amongsoldiers, nursesand forcednot be tocloseitstheaters, “although upstate New York, Syracusewas saidlikely to asoriginallyplanned. toreopen uled 3,000 people, were andtheaters notsched employing Bostongreater morethan area, mate and400picturehouses”inthe theaters was ineffectban already for the“100legiti Massachusetts.”influenza ineastern A10-day press asaresultoftheepidemicSpanish by the which theauthoritieswere stampeded into were panic downbookings dueto“the ings inNew that theatrical Englandgroused 4issue, onclos In theOct. anextended report closed tight,”closed said theaters. (“First timethiscity hasever been eliminating theepidemicwas cold weather.” that themost advised aidin powerful heads COVID-19 threat, tion that springwarmth theendof the willbe sion ofPresident Trump’s predic- hopeful of influenza.” Spanish inver- Inapeculiar astheepidemic aters insowideaterritory nor forced suchacomplete shut-down of the trously affected theentireamusementfield annals ofAmerica’s hassodisas theatricals ing that homeisn’t suchasadplace afterall.” ing thenewform aidsthemindecid- of grippe togo homeandthedangerdecided ofcatch cityisabsolutely dead.” “The of Boston, Abatement,” below itproclaimed andthestory “EpidemicShows said, No Signsof Immediate Variety insomeThe fluwas morewidespread A week later, men”The “theatre ofBoston the resisted That’s thescenario today’s “flatten the inWhile theepidemicwas “raging” Besides Boston, at least 50 cities shuttered atBesides Boston, 50citiesshuttered least Another story lamented, “Nothing inthe lamented, Another story thetheatres,“Without thegeneral public ’s skeptical. still seemed reporters Variety Variety Variety ’s front-page headline ’s Seattle dispatch.) reported, “Health reported, ------(left), Billy for Infantile grand marshalfor the firstMarchof shown herewith THE CALL ANSWERING Foundation Eddie Cantor, Dimes Parade. Paralysis founder Reidy andMaureen Basil O’Connor Hopkins, wasnamed W believe hehad Guillain-Barré syndrome, a although now somemedical analysts been diagnosedin1921 withpoliomyelitis, Roosevelt, U.S. president from 1933-45, had children were especiallyvulnerable. in thelate1940s contracted thedisease, and U.S.” Anestimated35,000 peopleeachyear once oneofthemost-feared diseasesinthe pandemic. According totheCDC, “Polio was Variety of Dimesbecameanongoingcrusade. stations unitedintheeffort, andtheMarch equipment andsupplies.Otherradio White Housetohelppurchase medical for listeners toeachsendinadimethe was nicknamedtheMarch ofDimes. Foundation for Infantile Paralysis,” which radio committeeofthenewly formed Eddie Cantor, whoheadedthescreen- “The campaignwas begunby singer-comic $18 milliontoday. According tothereport, million inoneweek, which translates to that radio stationshadunitedtoraise $1 disease. OnJan.24, 1938, days —spearheaded theefforts tobattlethe dominant forms ofpopculture inthose canceled —andshowbiz pitchedintohelp. quarantined, entertainmentevents were place, individualsandeven towns were Nobody was immune. Franklin D. From thelate1930s tothelate1950s, on hisradio showCantor madeapitch Radio shows andmovie theaters —the decades-long pandemic A lookbackathow theentertainmentindustryresponded tothe THERE WAS POLIO BEFORE THECORONAVIRUS, carriedhundreds ofreports aboutthe restrictions were putin were similartotoday. Travel 20th century, thereactions polio pandemicinthemid- hen theworld faced the Variety

reported Q

By TimGray people from immunization. anti-vax celebritiestryingtodiscourage and fewer than10inthe 1970s. there were fewer than100casesinthe1960s — thenumberofpoliocasesplummeted; injection in1955 andtheoral vaccine in1963 announced 80% to90%effective. after aUniversity ofMichigantestwas government licenseduseofthevaccine, Salk beganvaccine tests.In1955, theU.S. of poliointheU.S. Laterthatyear, Dr. Jonas website, 1952 saw 57,628 reported cases According totheHistoryofVaccines contracted thedisease. Hartman hadateenagedaughterwho target poliotreatment. GuildVPDan raise $5millionfor ahospitalthatwould (forerunner oftheWGA) were hopingto 75 members oftheScreen Writers Guild ignored by hersuperiors. bells aboutthedangers ofpolio, onlytobe of anAustralian nurse whohadrungalarm Rosalind Russell. Itwas thefact-based story directed by Dudley Nicholsandstarring topic was RKO’s 1946 “Sister Kenny,” gathering inthestate.” under 18are forbidden toattendapublic two weeks laterthanusualandallyouth “Colorado schoolsare notopeninguntil to new poliocases,” reported to lessenuntilcoolweather putsanend business by 50%. shutting down, afterthe epidemichadcut that five Denver movie theaters would be of crowds andtheaters.” Parents hadbeenadvisedtokeep kids“out has beenpostponedfor two weeks.” history andtheopeningofschoolalready one oftheworst polioepidemicsinits control. Thestorysaid,“Detroit ishaving paralysis, aka polio, hadcomeunder special weekend matineesuntilinfantile effects ofthedisease. Detroit endedall main filmandraised $4.5 million. collected money before the startofthe exhibitors (withan800-seat average house) in-theater donationstobattlepolio;11,000 actress Oscartheprevious year) askingfor starring Greer Garson (who’d won thelead neuropathy condition,rather thanpolio. Of course, in thosedays, there were no Thanks to vaccines —specifically, the Despite thebattles,virusspread. On Sept.26, 1949, Among thefilmsthataddressed the “The slashinbusinessisnotexpected A 1946 Also in’44, theaters were feeling the In 1944, theaterowners ran atrailer Variety front-page storyreported VARIETY Variety saidthatabout Variety . 39 been postponed. whose openingshave Broadway shows among thebuzzy Patti LuPoneare “Company” with Danny McCarthy,and Armie Hammerand K. ToddFreeman, “The Minutes”with and GabyFrench, with DanStevens from top:“Hangmen” Counterclockwise HOLD THATCURTAIN 40 VREY VARIETY E entertainment optionswere mostlylimited television was stillafantasy andhome Commercial radio was justbeingborn, in close—andoftenfragrant —quarters. required person-to-person contact,usually big business,butsuch“amusements” theaters, inmodernparlance) hadbecome “fairs.” By 1918, “picture houses” (movie were “vaudeville,” “burlesque,” “parks” and the banners adorningthepillars ofshowbiz similarities withtheshowbiz of that era. entertainment shares asurprisingnumberof then andnow, butatitscore, modern scene. There’s between difference aworld of international show-businessthe on effects On exhibition was acenturyago Modern entertainmenthasproved assusceptibletoanairbornevirus HUMAN-TO-HUMAN TOUCH SHOWBIZ STILL NEEDS THE Variety ’s first cover in1905, among Spanish flupandemicandits the finalyear ofthe1918-20 entertainment industryand the 21stcentury’s global xactly 100years separate

By StevenGaydos Tony consideration, includingtheofficial new shows were abouttobow for toqualify have arrived justasanarray ofimportant especially affected, asthelockdown edicts Paris andNew York. TheBroadway seasonis such entertainmentcapitalsasLondon, in 1918 —withtheclosure oftheaters in taken adevastating body blow —asitdid especially inNew York andLondon. Ithas “legit” —remains aboomingbusiness, theater —whatwe at to watch it.Thatbusiness isgone, butlive patrons, performers, musiciansandanimals to gointoacrowded theaterfilledwith Think ofitastelevision, except you had drew tensofmillionspatrons peryear. of anairbornevirus. Vaudeville ravages was, asitistoday, susceptibletothe phonograph machines. to sheetmusicandDIYmusicianshipor Movies were booming,butexhibition Variety like tocall recovery soon. we cansurvey thedamageand beginthe weather endthisnightmarishpandemicso hope sequesteringandthearrival ofwarm that peoplemustrefrain from gathering. Let’s is alsoalongerone. Itwill extend thetime suffering. Thetrade-off isthataflattercurve the curve,” thatwillreduce deathsand health. Iftoday’s countermeasures “flatten share isaclearandpresent dangertoworld much together. world ofentertainers andaudiences,very We are still,allofus,inthisshared showbiz with strangers, have novirtualcounterpart. experience ofoccupying timeandspace the fullforce ofmusic, andthe communal ofinteracting withacrowdbuzz absorbing for shared moments.Humancontact,the technology hasreplaced thehumanneed music toyour placeofsequestering.Butno streaming, AirPods andiPads, allcanbring technology, includingsocialmedia, exclusively ashared experience. Today’s estimate putsthatnumberat$20 billion. revenue losses.Onerecently published or avoid theoverall systemic shocks ofthe tours. There’s noway tocompensatefor Vegas andthepostponementofheadliners’ Stagecoach, aswell astheshutteringofLas from theclosures ofCoachella,SXSW and upheaval. Thebusinessisalready reeling vulnerable tototaldisruptionandfinancial for recoupment andprofit, andsois Now asthen,itrelies onlive entertainment today are, duetoCOVID-19, sadlyinsync. six monthsorayear. return whentheirsportsdothistime, beitin were stillfans; they stillare, andare likely to the 1920s, afterthepandemicsubsided.Fans football, baseballandboxing —allboomedin popular sportsofthatearlierera driver ratings andrevenue. ofTV Butthe has abruptlydriedup, andwithit,amajor the standsaddingexcitement. Thatstream events andtelecasts,withpassionatefans in the decadesbuiltonasteadystream oflive undreamed ofinthoseyears, sprang upover business model. suffering thesinglegreatest damagetoits dollar-a-year sectorofshow businessmay be from AsiatoAnaheim,thatmultibillion- the Disney properties andothers shuttered family-entertainment themeparks. With entertainment: magnificent,patron-packed 1918-20 hasmorphedintoanew pillarof has beenpostponedindefinitely. ceremony, andtheTony Awards ceremony plans tonameitswinners withoutanactual Minutes” and“Mrs. Doubtfire.” “Hangmen,” “TheLehman Trilogy,” “The openings were delayed include“Company,” for “FlyingOver Sunset.” Othershows whose opening ofthemusical“Six” andpreviews Unfortunately, thatneedtogather and Entertainment in1918 was almost The musicbusinessofthatera and A vast sportsentertainmentbusiness, The “parks” and“fairs” businessof The U.K.’s OlivierAwards hasannounced — college

COMPANY: BRINKHOFF/MOEGENBURG; MINUTES: MICHAEL BROSILOW; HANGMAN: JOAN MARCUS or closed, depending on which Variety article second, more lethal wave came in the fall. It forced the sort of extreme measures that have you believed. Conflicting reports ran on a been revived in 2020, including closures of public spaces and bans on large gatherings. That single page. wave had the rapid spread and high peak that experts and authorities are trying to forestall In New York, theaters remained open for in 2020. business, but showtimes were staggered to The Nov. 11 Armistice was cause for celebration. Troops were demobilized, but the celebra- reduce crowding on the subway and on other tions and homecomings spread the virus farther. public transportation around Times Square. Reopenings of public places continued as if all would soon be well, while reports still fil- New Jersey venues were closed, except for tered in of the pandemic continuing. As Variety reported from Indianapolis that the flu was some spots across the river from Gotham. “ancient history,” Cincinnati businesses successfully fought off closure edicts. Dec. 18 saw a A century later, two cities are often cited dispatch from Seattle saying there had been 11,000 influenza cases and 6,000 deaths. That as models of “Do” and “Don’t.” Philadelphia, 54% death rate seems unlikely in retrospect for an illness some say had an overall morbidity which permitted a parade and other public rate as low as 2% in the U.S. (though the rate globally is believed to be as high as 10%). gatherings, had a terrible outbreak. On Oct. Before Christmas, swaths of the country that had lifted restrictions were forced to reinstate 3, after more than 200,000 cases in the state, them. The Dec. 20 Variety reported, “A new regulation is in force in many middle western cit- came what Variety called “the most drastic ies, where theatres are permitted to operate but are now allowed to fill but 50 per cent of the health order ever issued in this Common- houses at any one time.” The percentage varied from city to city. Washington, D.C., reported, wealth,” closing all meeting places, including “Theatres here are doing great business,” though there were 400 new cases a day, albeit with schools. “Nightly since, there have been mil- a reduced death rate. lions in the state without public amusement Reports of this second wave continued into 1919. Deaths decreased, but new cases were of any kind” — and no one was protesting. plentiful. Australia was still in the throes of the pandemic at that time, with a full closure of Meanwhile, St. Louis shut down gather- theaters that lasted 13 weeks. ings quickly. On Oct. 8, a delegation of theater owners objected to the drastic action to COVER STORY Mayor Henry Kiel. But the city wound up with The article at a far less severe outbreak than Philadelphia right appeared in and other cities. The St. Louis response is the Nov. 22, 1918, edition of Variety. held up as a model. The Oct. 11 Variety debuted a large “Epi- demic Casualties” feature. That first week, it reported 17 deaths and a dozen serious ill- nesses among showbiz pros and their close families. On Oct. 18, coverage of the epidemic took up the front page: “Entire Country Near Closed; Few Hopeful Reports Received,” said the headline, with the subheads “Epidemic Spreading West … New York and San Fran- cisco Only Big Cities Still Open.” The Casual- ties column had more than 30 deaths. Most studios were shutting down production. Los Angeles had 1,000 new cases reported on Oct. 15 alone. But some cities were already planning to lift the ban, Boston and Syracuse included. New York City, which hadn’t shuttered theaters, saw 900 new cases on Oct. 15, so it had to do something. The city banned smoking Flu news tailed off as the weather warmed, and there proved to be pent-up demand for and standing-room admissions in theaters. entertainment. Ticket sales boomed. All seemed well. Improbably, though, yet another wave Venues could play to capacity but no more arrived in October, along with a cooling weather trend. than that. Neither Variety’s editors nor the experts they consulted recognized what was coming. On On Nov. 1, the Epidemic Casualties sec- Halloween, a story headlined “Low ‘Flu’ Death Rate” began with a warning that sounds all too tion was about as full as the previous week, familiar today: “An individual infected with the ‘flu’ germ standing in the midst of a crowd wait- but the headline read, “Epidemic Fast Break- ing for admittance into a motion picture theatre, or any other amusement place, may infect ing Up; Many Re-Openings Next Week.” Over practically every person in that crowd.” the next two weeks, about eight weeks after That better-late-than-never warning from Dr. Royal S. Copeland, New York health com- the epidemic exploded in the U.S., the worst missioner, was accompanied by reassurance that the death rate from the flu was the lowest seemed to have passed. The Armistice end- since at least 1866. He advised that theaters avoid congestion in general, especially crowding the Great War added to the celebratory ing in lobbies, to keep venues well ventilated, and to avoid dry-sweeping them so as to avoid mood. Many cities and states ended their kicking up dust. bans and reopened their theaters, schools Such advice seems laughably naive today, but it indicates how limited the knowledge of and churches. On Nov. 15, Variety pro- viruses was then. Virology was cutting-edge science in the early 20th century, and viruses had claimed, “Epidemic Wave Has Passed; Entire barely been identified, let alone understood. Over the next two months, the third wave built to Country Re-Opening.” become a front-page story again. Business slumped enough for Universal to halve salaries in That first part was wrong. its New York office. There was a rash of performers missing shows due to the flu. At the end of January 1920, Broadway takings were down, explicitly due to influenza. By IN THE CENTURY SINCE the 1918 pandem- then, some were even pointing fingers at Prohibition and the ban on medicinal alcohol, then ic, scientists have studied the Spanish flu as just two weeks old, for the resurgence of the disease. In February, as big a star as Al Jolson a medical mystery. Some parts of that mys- was sickened, and closings swept through the South and Canada. But despite these hot spots, tery remain unsolved. One major puzzle: How it was a faint echo of 1918’s catastrophic peak. Neither authorities nor audiences were much could the pandemic come in three waves? alarmed. As fall 1920 approached, producers were preparing for yet more flu, but there was The first, in spring 1918, quieted in no new wave. the summer though it didn’t die out. The The Spanish flu was gone.

VARIETY 41 MAKING

THEM LAUGH

COMICS ARE GETTING CREATIVE UNDER QUARANTINE AND FINDING NEW WAYS TO REACH THEIR AUDIENCE

By Jenelle Riley

ON MARCH 11, comedian Jim Gaffigan was in Bogotá, Colombia, “I had already taken it seriously, but I realized that people who thought this was overblown were in the midst of his worldwide Pale Tourist tour when he received starting to realize how serious it was. When those two schools of thought collided, I knew I couldn’t a call from his manager that Argentina was closing its borders do shows anymore.” in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, and his upcoming While the entertainment business has shut down across the board, many artists are show there was canceled. He had a choice: fly to São Paulo, ﬁnding new ways to reach their audiences. Musicians from John Legend to Neil Young have Brazil, for his next appearance or go straight back to the United hosted livestreamed concerts. Talk-show hosts States in case borders started closing. He opted to go home to such as Stephen Colbert and Trevor Noah are broadcasting shows from their homes. Comics New York City, mainly because leaving his wife alone with their are banding together to present Laugh-Aid, a five kids “would be cruel,” he jokes. He performed his show that four-hour streaming event April 4 that will feature names like Ray Romano and Bill Burr rais- night and flew out the next day; hours later borders around the ing money for Comedy Gives Back’s COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund. world began closing while edicts were issued for schools and For individual stand-ups, who often spend businesses to shut down. most of the year on the road performing for live audiences, it’s been a time to become adapt- The same day Gafﬁgan decided to cancel, Mike Birbiglia was driving from Brooklyn to Buffalo for a show, able. Some, like Jeff Dunham, have huge follow- already wary of traveling on an airplane. (A self-professed hypochondriac, Birbiglia has been working on a ings on social media and were early adopters of pandemic script for the past two years, and is well-versed in such scenarios.) He stopped off in Ithaca for a technology to interact with fans. Reggie Watts meal and sat at a communal table, where a stranger told him that he had believed coronavirus was a hoax even created his own application, WattsApp, to until he heard a scientist on Joe Rogan’s podcast talking about it. Birbiglia canceled his show. “I drove four bring his work directly to people. Others, like hours, had pizza, turned around and drove four hours home and haven’t left my house since,” he reveals. Cameron Esposito, who was set to begin a tour

42 VARIETY SCENES FROM A BUDDING RELATIONSHIP Sam Morril and Taylor Tomlinson share intimate moments on their streaming show “New Couple Gets Quarantined.” Episodes are shot on Tomlinson’s iPhone.

for her book “Save Yourself” when shutdowns Gaffigan took his iPhone and began filming episode has more than 95,000 viewers. began, have had to learn new skills. Esposito has “Dinner With the Gaffigans,” a livestream the On March 15, Gaffigan launched “Jim Eats the taken her book tour online, hosting a series of family has continued to do every night at 6 p.m. World,” also on YouTube, where he tries differ- panels called “Queer Memoir: In Conversation,” ET. Gaffigan says it serves many purposes. “Self- ent foods from around the globe. That show had on Zoom, the video conferencing platform that ishly, it’s providing a sense of normalcy for us been in the works pre-pandemic and is expertly has blown up during the time of quarantine. “I’d in an abnormal time. It’s something for my kids produced and edited. “Dinner With the Gaf- never used it before — I have no co-workers to to look forward to and something for my wife figans” is kept simple and silly, opening with a have meetings with,” she says with a laugh. “I and I to keep scheduled when days are getting homemade theme song, usually shot entirely by also did a TikTok. I literally had to talk to a teen so blurry,” he notes. “And other people seem Gaffigan as he holds the phone. Family mem- for help. I had no idea what to do!” to enjoy it. There are people feeling separated bers gather around the same dinner table Gaf- In addition to being a busy stand-up, Gaffigan from their family and friends, feeling isolated, figan had as a child, and topics range from their is an author and actor — he stars with Viola Davis so maybe it helps to eat dinner with us.” The first favorite songs to dream dinner guests. “We’re in the film “Troop Zero,” which just hit Amazon not changing the world or worrying about high Prime. He and his wife, Jeannie, are parents to quality,” he says. “This is comfort food.” Gaffigan five children between the ages of 7 and 15, and says that once they’re no longer isolated, the while they have appeared together in commer- “I’M LUCKY TO BE show will end. “We’ll stop when the quarantine cials, Gaffigan has turned down the chance to do is over or we kill each other.” a reality show with the family. On March 13, as QUARANTINED WITH Birbiglia also had to put a tour on hold; he was things were closing down all over the world, he SOMEONE WHO’S in the midst of a 15-city circuit to celebrate his came up with the idea of airing their family din- upcoming book “The New One: Painfully True ners live on YouTube. “It became apparent some FUNNY AND HAS A Stories From a Reluctant Dad,” which also fea- creative outlet was needed, and it had to be some- GOOD WORK ETHIC.” tures poems by J. Hope Stein. Best known for his thing that fit into our crazy lifestyle,” Gaffigan work as a filmmaker (he wrote and directed the says. “It’s like running a small school here; we TAYLOR TOMLINSON ON BOYFRIEND acclaimed indies “Sleepwalk With Me” and “Don’t have five different kids at five different stages of AND “NEW COUPLE GETS QUARANTINED” Think Twice”) and his solo shows (“The New One” their lives.” COLLABORATOR SAM MORRIL and “Thank God for Jokes” are both on Netflix),

VARIETY 43

FOOD FOR LAUGHS Mike Birbiglia (top left) and John Mulaney chat via Instagram Live to promote Tip Your Waitstaff; Jeff Dunham works on a puppet on YouTube show “LIVE! (and Self-Isolated).”

Birbiglia says he was never inclined toward things ‘Tip Your Waitstaff,’ it’s forcing comedians to put are changing every day; this is what a book like livestreams or podcasts. their pants on for at least one hour a day.” tour looks like now,” she says. “But what does But when shutdowns began, he was speak- Esposito’s book was published March 24, stand-up look like from here on out? I’ll have to ing to comics like John Mulaney and Roy Wood and having to cancel her tour forced her online figure that out. Because I like to work.” In the Jr. about how they could help their communi- too. As the host of the podcast “Queery,” she meantime, she says keeping connected is pre- ties, such as the staff at comedy clubs and the- has access to many queer authors. Her Zoom venting her from feeling helpless. “The amount aters who had no revenue. On March 19, Birbiglia panels “Queer Memoirs: In Conversation” fea- of powerlessness we feel right now is over- launched the website Tip Your Waitstaff, where ture guests like acclaimed writer Roxane Gay. whelming. But I have an enormous privilege people can contribute to Go Fund Me campaigns Each conversation can host up to 500 people, here in that there is something I get to do. I feel for club employees. Within three days, they and most events have sold out. Esposito plans like I have a task: Make them laugh.” raised more than $20,000. Birbiglia is talking to to continue the panels at least through April 1, Dunham says he had a similar reaction when media companies about matching donations. when her book tour finishes. he went into lockdown. The hugely popular Esposito also uses Instagram Live to connect stand-up and ventriloquist says he’s been con- with fans, but says being able to see others and stantly on the road for 30 years. “The only time take questions on Zoom feels more personal. in the last few years I’ve gone a month without In conjunction with the website, Birbiglia “That’s the point of a book tour, to connect with doing a show was my honeymoon seven years has begun doing “Tip Your Waitstaff” Insta- people,” she notes. “Zoom specifically feels like ago,” he notes. So when he first went into quar- gram Live chats with fellow comedians, in which it’s made for audience interaction.” antine, he felt he had nothing to do. he and his guest workshop and riff on ideas for That sense of community is vital to Esposito, “Then I realized that I’ve got some sort of jokes they’re still formulating. “Essentially what who has a large queer following. “We already responsibility. I have an audience; I have an we’re showing is the inside of an artist's sketch know the feeling of being forgotten and opportunity to find some light in this dark- pad,” Birbiglia says. It’s a peek into the process as shunned and being pushed out and at risk. And ness and show it to people even though we’re guests from Mulaney to Nikki Glaser riff on ideas these times make me want to be with my com- going through this,” he says. “So now I’m work- while the audience watches live (but silently). As munity as much as possible,” she says. “For any ing harder than I was a month ago. Now every recent guest Maria Bamford jokes, “I don’t mind marginalized community, this is a time where morning, I think I have to get some content out the one-on-one performing and — if you’ve fol- that marginalization is adding to the stress.” there. I think as entertainers, it’s something we lowed my career at all — I’m very comfortable She explains that she’s still figuring out next should be doing. I can imagine this is very iso- with no laughs.” steps and how long this will continue. “Things lating for people.” The fundraiser is such a great idea, one won- ders if it will continue after the pandemic is over. “I don’t know,” Birbiglia allows. “It’s definitely one of the highlights of my day right now, doing “IT’S SOMETHING FOR MY KIDS TO LOOK FORWARD something interactive. The other day, Mulaney TO AND SOMETHING FOR MY WIFE AND I TO KEEP and I had 10,000 people commenting in real time. That’s bigger than Radio City Music Hall.” SCHEDULED WHEN DAYS ARE GETTING SO BLURRY. He adds that knowing they’ll have to be on cam- AND OTHER PEOPLE SEEM TO ENJOY IT. era has been motivating for many people. “If there’s one thing that I’m contributing to the world with JIM GAFFIGAN ON HIS LIVESTREAMING YOUTUBE SHOW, “DINNER WITH THE GAFFIGANS”

44 VARIETY “IF THERE’S ONE THING has a good work ethic. So many people wouldn’t weight now. In comedy, you want to stay in shape, THAT I’M CONTRIBUTING have the drive to make it happen.” so to speak.” Tomlinson agrees: “Sam and I are Episodes for the series, “New Couple Gets pretty pure stand-ups, and this is not how our TO THE WORLD WITH ‘TIP Quarantined” are short, funny snippets the two brains normally work. But right now, that portion YOUR WAITSTAFF,’ IT’S shoot on Tomlinson’s iPhone that find the pair of our brains is kind of shut down, and we’re try- in some very relatable situations. In the first ing to light up other parts of our brains and say, FORCING COMEDIANS TO episode, Morril says the upside of the quar- ‘Let’s see if we can act!’” PUT THEIR PANTS ON FOR antine is they’ll be able to have lots of sex; six The two have been watching so many films AT LEAST ONE HOUR A DAY.” hours later, Tomlinson proclaims she has a uri- together that they’ve started recording a pod- nary tract infection and sex is off the menu. cast, called “This Is Important to Me,” where MIKE BIRBIGLIA “There are little things you fight about as they show each other movies that are personally a couple that are easier when you’re not in meaningful and that the other has never seen. a global crisis,” Morril notes, citing an epi- Still, neither can wait to get back to perform- sode where he gets upset because Tomlinson ing live. Asked if the sketches are helping them Though Dunham has done videos and live sneezed on him. “When you’re trapped with get some fraction of the audience response Q&As before on social media, he launched a You- someone, everything is heightened.” they’re used to in live shows, Tomlinson offers Tube series called “LIVE! (and Self-Isolated)” in In addition to keeping the pair busy, the show a joke that seems to speak for almost all stand- which he takes his 2.43 million YouTube sub- keeps his skills sharp, Morril says. “We started ups in isolation: “Absolutely, we need con- scribers behind the scenes and into his shop, fol- when we realized we have no gigs and no creative stant validation,” she says. “We of course prefer lowing the process as he creates a new dummy. outlet,” he admits. “It’s a way for us to keep work- cheering and applause, but we’ll take Internet Because the work takes hundreds of hours, from ing out. You read about basketball players gaining comments for now.” sculpting to painting to finishing touches, Dun- ham imagines he has plenty of content for the weeks to come. He’s uploading other videos, too, such as one where he teaches his 4-year-old twins to ENTERTAINING OPTIONS use a bidet, but the “LIVE!” series is a fascinat- Jim Gaffigan invites viewers to have “Dinner With the Gaffigans”; bottom: Reggie Watts speaks to audiences via his quasi multimedia channel WattsApp, which launched March 25 and offers games, audio and livestreaming. ing glimpse behind the scenes and done simply. “It’s just me walking around my garage with a stupid iPhone,” Dunham says. “I think you have to have some kind of creativity or you’re going to die on the vine.” Some even get creative by devising their own platform. Comic and musician Watts had been thinking of making an app for years, but about seven months ago he went to work on WattsApp, which launched March 25. “I was craving it because I didn’t want to be constrained by the terrible aesthetics of Instagram,” he explains. “I appreciate it’s where everybody is and I’m grateful for it, but it kind of bums me out that’s the only option we have. So I wanted to be able to control the aesthetics and experience.” He produces the content himself with a team of editors, and says the app “functions like a multimedia channel, with games, audio and livestreaming.” While under quarantine, he says he’s likely to stream some performances to fans. “I’m usually creative, but now learning in different ways to be creative,” he notes. “Being isolated, it definitely ups your game a little bit.” Sam Morril and Taylor Tomlinson are rising comics who both recently released specials: Morril’s “I Got This” is on Comedy Central; Tom- linson’s “Quarter-Life Crisis” is on Netflix. The pair have been dating for around six months and found themselves quarantined together at Tom- linson’s home in Los Angeles. They consider themselves stand-ups first and have generally shied away from making web content. But on the first day of the quarantine, Tom- linson jokingly suggested they do a web series about being stuck together as a fairly new couple. “Within 10 minutes, Sam said, ‘We’re going to do it — here’s how and here’s an idea for the first episode,’” Tomlinson recalls. “I’m lucky to be quarantined with someone who’s funny and

VARIETY 45 PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS INCLUDE

SHOW BUSINESS… BOB BAKISH VIACOMCBS

DAVID ZASLAV IS STRICTLY BUSINESS. DISCOVERY JEFFREY KATZENBERG & MEG WHITMAN Variety Co-Editor-in-Chief Andrew Wallenstein and QUIBI Business Editor Cynthia Littleton’s weekly conversation DANA WALDEN with industry titans and seasoned executives aimed DISNEY entirely at the business side of show business. CHUCK LORRE CHUCK LORRE PRODUCTIONS

JON FAVREAU FAIRVIEW ENTERTAINMENT

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RICHARD PLEPLER EDEN PRODUCTIONS

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JOHN LANDGRAF FX NETWORKS

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ERIKA NARDINI BARSTOOL SPORTS

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MIKE FARAH LISTEN NOW | variety.com/podcasts FUNNY OR DIE FOCUS

SMALL SCREEN ASSISTS WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING BY DELIVERING A NEW WAVE OF SCRIPTED SERIES PREMIERING IN APRIL AND MAY

NEXT GEN TECH In Greg Daniels’ new comedy, “Upload,” Robbie Amell (second from the left) plays an app developer in a world in which people can live forever in a digital afterlife. AMAZON STUDIOS AMAZON

VARIETY 47 FOCUS SPRING TV PREVIEW

SPRING’S ESSENTIAL SMALL-SCREEN VIEWING

VARIETY SELECTS A HANDFUL OF NEW AND NEWLY RETURNING TV SERIES

TO WATCH THIS APRIL AND MAY By Danielle Turchiano

CONCERNS OVER THE SPREAD of COVID-19 have halted distance or self-quarantine in place around the every television series that was still in production, world, there are millions of people looking for with many of those that were in post at the start of something new to take their minds off of the stress- this pandemic trying to finish remotely. But the churn inducing news. of small-screen content won’t truly begin to slow for To that end, Variety has put together a Spring TV a while, as there are many series that were already Preview to highlight a number of the brand-new and wrapped and are now ready to premiere. And the newly returning scripted series dropping this April timing couldn’t be better: With ordinances to socially and May.

‘#BLACKAF’ In Kenya Barris’ first project under his Netflix deal, he not only writes and executive produces, but also Netflix steps in front of the camera to star as a version of himself. “There is a whole new level of transparency Premieres April 17 and vulnerability that comes with being the literal face of those stories and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t absolutely terrified at times,” Barris says. “#BlackAF” is a look at showbiz through conversations about how important it is for black men and women in the industry to support each other, even if they think the content being made is not good, as well as a deeply meta look at Barris’ own life of juggling such an intense work schedule with raising four kids. “The most important thing for us was that the series never lost focus on the family, their dynamics and what their uniquely black experience looks like,” he says. Rashida Jones, who also executive produces, plays Barris’ on-screen wife, and Iman Benson portrays one of their daughters, who is making a documentary about her family, allowing the show to incorporate the talking-head format at times. The goal, Barris continues, is to “show this family and all of the issues they’re dealing with in a way that feels honest and unapologetically specific to them. And in doing so, we are hopefully also making space for other families to talk about these issues and engage with them in whatever way feels true to their own lives and experiences.” NETFLIX

48 VARIETY SPRING TV PREVIEW FOCUS

‘DEAD TO ME’ SEASON 2 Netflix Premieres in May

The first season of Liz Feldman’s dark comedy “Dead to Me” ended with Steve (James Marsden) dead in Jen’s (Christina Applegate) pool and Jen going to his ex and her on-again-off-again best friend Judy (Linda Cardellini) for help. In the second season, Feldman says, she “wanted to honor that they both would have been traumatized in very different ways. Judy is a walking, beating heart and has worn her guilt on her sleeve this whole time. We didn’t think Jen would be like that, but her fear of what could happen if things were to be found out has a lot to do with when and why she gets emotional.” As the season follows that emotional journey, the audience will get more answers as to what exactly happened between Steve and Jen and why. “It is a show that wants to keep you guessing and doesn’t want to spill all the beans at once because in real life they wouldn’t discuss with each other everything that just happened,” Feldman says. But what is more important than unraveling the mystery of the event is the way it affects the two central women in the story. “Over time and ‘DEFENDING JACOB’ Apple TV Plus certainly through circumstance, these women are brought closer together, Premieres April 24 and what you’ll see throughout the season are the dynamics of loving somebody, being driven slightly crazy by somebody, and the mutual guilt Although Mark Bomback has primarily that they now have that colors their relationship. Their relationship is focused on feature films, he turned definitely deeper, but it is also darker.” William Landay’s 2012 novel “Defending Jacob” into a tense eight-episode series that stars Chris Evans as Andy Barber, an assistant district attorney whose son is accused of murdering a classmate — and who staunchly defends his son’s innocence. The son, the titular Jacob, is played by Jaeden Martell, while Michelle Dockery rounds out the onscreen family as wife and mother Laurie. “The book is written in the first person, so you’re only privy to the things Andy Barber is privy to,” Bomback says. “The minute you step away from that, all bets are off.” With his adaptation, Bomback endeavors to give the audience the subjective experience of seeing Jacob through the eyes of Andy, but also his mother. “They are both the lens through which you’re going to try to figure out what’s true and what’s not true,” he says. They are also the characters who ‘THE GOOD FIGHT’ SEASON 4 dictate the emotional arc the audience CBS All Access will have while watching. “When we cast Premieres April 9 Jaeden, [director] Morten Tyldum very smartly told him, ‘I want you to decide After the central law firm in Robert and Michelle King’s legal drama lost its in your head whether or not [Jacob] did biggest client and saw its founding partner hit with #MeToo allegations in or didn’t do it, and I don’t want you to tell the third season, things will look a little bit different in Season 4. The firm of anyone on set,’” Bomback says. Reddick, Boseman & Lockhart has merged (or been bought out, depending on which character you ask), and with that comes new interoffice politics and some new players, most notably in guest stars John Larroquette and Hugh Dancy. In addition to commentary about corporate mergers, this year, “Trump and Bill Barr and the impact on the law is much more our interest,” says Robert King, “because of what we saw with the impeachment and with now pardoning and Bill Barr’s impact on the justice system. Our concern, because it is a law show, is the law.” With the political world changing around them, the dynamics within Reddick, Boseman & Lockhart are also further challenged by new relationships, such as Julius (Michael Boatman) presiding over a pivotal case of theirs, as well as Adrian (Delroy Lindo) coming under fire for repeating a quote that includes offensive language. And after her experience with the SWAT team that began at the end of Season 3, Diane (Christine Baranski) is newly propelled to “battle with the law,” says Robert King. DEAD TO ME: SAEED ADYANI/NETFLIX; THE GOOD FIGHT: PATRICK HARBRON/CBS; DEFENDING JACOB: APPLE TV+ DEFENDING JACOB: HARBRON/CBS; PATRICK THE GOOD FIGHT: ADYANI/NETFLIX; ME: SAEED DEAD TO

VARIETY 49 FOCUS SPRING TV PREVIEW

‘HOLLYWOOD’ Netflix Premieres May 1

What if the biased systems in Hollywood had been broken down in the 1940s, allowing for more inclusivity both on-camera and behind the scenes? That is the question Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s seven-part limited series “Hollywood” explores, through an ensemble cast of characters that range from aspiring actors, writers and directors to veteran “suits” in the business such as agents, ‘HOMECOMING’ SEASON 2 producers and studio executives. Amazon “We had an opportunity to tell Premieres in May a different kind of story — one that rewrites the Hollywood The first season of Micah far from the land of Season 1 season, but didn’t come out ending,” says Brennan. “It was Bloomberg and Eli Horowitz’s and for a character to be able of it completely unscathed. such a delightful fantasy to “Homecoming” was adapted to take us back to the story “In Season 1 we talked about write. The characters who had from two seasons of their we left the audience with at him almost as the damsel in been, and in the real world podcast of the same name, the end of Season 1. And that distress,” Bloomberg says. would continue to be, beaten but the second season sets led us to some interesting “But this season he is much down have great moments of out to expand the story in a questions of who she is and more determined to find the victory and of aspiration.” Archie whole new way. The season how she would be able to answers and if he was being (Jeremy Pope) and Jack (David begins with Jackie (Janelle accomplish that.” As Jackie lied to. His arc is a darker Corenswet), for example, are Monáe) waking up alone in tries to piece together her one, a more dangerous one. men who work as call boys while a rowboat with no memory identity and her past, so too The fact that he has a history dreaming of artistic careers: of who she is or how she got does Walter (Stephan James), to look into is a really great Archie, a gay, black man, wants there. “The way the story is who physically left the Geist motivator for him and the to be a screenwriter, and Jack, a structured is through her corporation’s experimental thing that will push him married veteran, is trying to get eyes,” Horowitz says. “We treatment for soldiers with closer to the edge as the his big break as an actor. Then wanted to find a way to start PTSD at the end of the first season goes on.” there is Raymond (Darren Criss), an up-and-coming director in an interracial relationship ‘I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE’ Derek Cianfrance has adapted Wally Lamb’s with Camille (Laura Harrier), HBO 1998 novel “I Know This Much Is True” into an actor sick of only playing Premieres in May a six-episode limited series starring Mark maids. “The central characters Ruffalo (who also executive produces) as central are composites or whole-cloth character Dominick Birdsey, a man entrusted inventions,” Brennan notes, but to be the caretaker of his identical twin brother, Henry Wilson (played by Jim Thomas (also Ruffalo), who is schizophrenic. The Parsons) and Rock Hudson (Jake sprawling 900-plus page novel follows Dominick Picking) are pivotal players in the as he struggles with relationships of the familial story, too. and romantic kind, looks into his family’s somewhat mysterious past and learns harsh truths about the abuses his brother has suffered. “It’s a sweeping saga of family and history, but everything is seen from his point of view and his

internal imagining of his grandfather coming to NISHIJIMA/HBO THIS MUCH IS TRUE: ATSUSHI I KNOW ADYANI/NETFLIX; America and his brother’s afﬂiction,” Cianfrance says. “We wanted to explore the identity of a caretaker. They work so hard to care for other people, they let themselves go. That was a real north star for Dominick for us.” Although the goal was to “be as true to the book as we could be,” Ruffalo says they further ﬂeshed out the theme of a family curse, in part because “both Derek and I feel, as Italians, that there are such things. Finding out who their father was became tied to the overall action, too.” HOMECOMING: ALI GOLDSTEIN/AMAZON STUDIOS; HOLLYWOOD: SAEED SAEED HOLLYWOOD: STUDIOS; ALI GOLDSTEIN/AMAZON HOMECOMING:

50 VARIETY SPRING TV PREVIEW FOCUS

‘MRS. AMERICA’ FX on Hulu Premieres April 15

The next FX on Hulu original is “Mrs. America,” a nine- part limited series about the movement to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s. Although the story starts with the conservative Phyllis Schlafly (played by Cate Blanchett, who also executive produces), showrunner Dahvi Waller weaves in quite a number of more liberal, second-wave feminist points of view as well, including Gloria Steinem (Rose Byrne), Betty Friedan (Tracey Ullman) and Shirley Chisholm (Uzo Aduba). “The reason I was interested in the ‘INSECURE’ SEASON 4 equal-rights campaign was HBO it felt so resonant. You could Premieres April 12 see where the fault lines had developed in the ’70s to where The fourth season of Issa Rae’s “Insecure” is going to look a little bit different. For one thing, we are today,” Waller says. In it is two episodes longer (10 total). For another, the story starts with a jump into the future to addition to looking at how the reveal the breakdown of a pivotal relationship, and then rewinds time to see what happened. culture war of 50 years ago “When dynamics shift, you kind of lose your sense of identity in those friendships, and we shifted the political landscape, wanted to explore that and how that forces you to acknowledge who you are and whether or Waller also wanted to get not the people in your life at that time are meant to grow with you,” Rae says. One thing that inside the minds, hearts and isn’t changing is using a fictional show-within-the-show to speak to the issues in Issa’s life at personalities of the women the moment, though. In Season 4, that show is a true crime piece about a missing black woman about whom she was writing. and that thematically “plays a pivotal part in the storytelling in examining what was the central “On the page, I really focused cause of the murder of [this] friendship,” Rae says. The biggest challenge this season, Rae says, on their essence, attitude and was “how to make sure that the actions that these characters make, they can come back from.” little character traits. Small details say so much of who they are in the script because I thought that really helps get the actor get to the character ‘NEVER HAVE I EVER’ Pulling emotions and thematic threads from their from the inside out — not how Netflix own childhoods, Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher the public sees the character, Premieres April 27 co-created a coming-of-age comedy about a first- but who they truly are in generation Indian-American girl named Devi private, when the cameras are (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan). “We wanted to have the off and they’re alone.” fun and the romance of the teen shows we grew up with like ‘Dawson’s Creek’ and ‘My So-Called Life’ to appeal to the aspirational nature of teens,” Fisher says. Devi is smart and ambitious, but also has a short fuse, in part because of how hard it can be to be a teenage girl dealing with concerns over her budding sexuality and schoolwork, but also due to grief over losing a parent. “She represents an aspect of teenage girldom that you just don’t see that often on the screen,” Fisher says. “I feel like you see a lot of wallflowers, girls that are outcasts or klutzes — but they’re quiet. I remember growing up and my friends in high school, everyone had these giant personalities, but teenage girls, a lot of times, are just filled with rage and are so dramatic. Your social life or whether or not a guy likes you is life or death and you react in a way that is so heightened, so that is something we were trying to gravitate towards. I wanted her to be smart, but not necessarily mature.” INSECURE: MERIE WEISMILLER WALLACE/HBO; NEVER HAVE I EVER: LARA SOLANKI/NETFLIX; MRS. AMERICA: SABRINA LANTOS/FX SABRINA AMERICA: MRS. LARA SOLANKI/NETFLIX; I EVER: NEVER HAVE MERIE WEISMILLER WALLACE/HBO; INSECURE:

VARIETY 51 FOCUS SPRING TV PREVIEW

‘PENNY DREADFUL: CITY OF ANGELS’ Showtime Premieres April 26

The latest installment of “Penny Dreadful” through a very complex world, and the is set in 1938 Los Angeles, but it features choices we make will lead us to grace themes that are still relevant today — or to damnation,” says Logan. Guiding from the vibrant Mexican-American many of the characters’ choices is the communities in the city, to police shape-shifting supernatural being Magda corruption, racism and anti-Semitism. (Natalie Dormer), who “represents all The show centers on detective Tiago of the things I’m frightened of in the Vega (Daniel Zovatto), who is “not fully world,” Logan says. “She can look deep accepted in his community,” creator into characters’ psychologies and that and showrunner John Logan says. Vega determines how she interacts with them.” doesn’t believe in folklore the way his But while Magda, and many of the issues mother does, but because of his race Vega faces, including the murder case he he’s not fully accepted in the community is working on, are dark forces, the show of the police force either. “He’s under also sets out to explore “what is the heart pressure from a lot of different voices of Los Angeles [and] how did it become and a lot of different motivations in his a paradigm for the modern world city,” life. We’re all on that journey right now, Logan says.

‘NORMAL PEOPLE’ Hulu Premieres in April

A mere month after Sally Rooney’s “Normal People” was published in 2019, the BBC and Hulu announced a production order on an adaptation. Now, right around the one-year anniversary of that novel’s publication, the adaptation will premiere. The show follows Marianne (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Connell (Paul Mescal) over a four-year period, starting when they begin a somewhat unlikely romantic relationship in high school. “That’s such a transformative phase in a person’s life and it took great work from lots of departments — hair, makeup, costume — but particularly from the actors themselves who were extraordinary in the way they changed their physicality and bearing,” says Lenny Abrahamson, who directed the ﬁrst six episodes. Rooney adapted her own novel for the scripts and kept a lot of the same dialogue from the book. “The way Marianne and Connell talk to each other — the pleasure they take in each other’s intelligence and honesty — is key to what gives the novel its personality, but there is also the unsaid, the misunderstood and all that unspoken longing and sadness and ﬁlm is very good at capturing that,” Abrahamson says. NORMAL PEOPLE: ENDA BOWE/HULU; PENNY DREADFUL: JUSTIN LUBIN/SHOWTIME PENNY DREADFUL: JUSTIN BOWE/HULU; ENDA NORMAL PEOPLE:

52 VARIETY SPRING TV PREVIEW FOCUS

‘UPLOAD’ Amazon Premieres May 1

Greg Daniels will be back on the small screen with two new shows this spring. The first follows a young app developer (played by Robbie Amell) into a digital afterlife. While there, he connects with a customer service rep (Andy Allo), but is technically dating his still-alive girlfriend (Allegra Edwards). The show blends a sci-fi concept and extremely detailed, technologically advanced world with the grounded, relatable nature of a relationship comedy. “Having really sweated the Jim and Pam relationship [on ‘The Office’], I loved writing it, but the key is obstacles,” Daniels says. “It seemed like the biggest obstacle I could ever think of is that one of them is dead. What I like about it is it brings up all these questions of, ‘What’s the most important connection for people — is it more of a personality, soulmate connection, or is it more physical?’” Given the high volume of content being produced now, Daniels says, “intensity” is important to “Upload,” which he “went about as if it was a Bollywood movie: They throw in everything. I really wanted it to be big and sort of an extravaganza.” Beyond Amell’s character adjusting to his new world, which includes trying to still feel relevant, there is a larger story about the corruption of corporations that deal in such technology, as well as a message of the importance of environmentalism, baked into the show.

‘RAMY’ SEASON 2 Hulu Premieres May 29

The ﬁrst season of “Ramy,” Ramy Youssef’s semi-autobiographical comedy, saw his titular character searching for answers about who he is — a search that eventually took him to Egypt, where he got a little too close to a family member. The second season, he says, is more focused on “Ramy saying, ‘This is who I actually am’ and the gaps between who he is and who he wants to be,” says Youssef. In trying to grow as a person, Ramy begins to study with a sheikh (Mahershala Ali) and that further tests his faith. It was an idea Youssef thought he might do in a third season, but one he pushed up when Ali reached out and expressed interest in being a part of the show. Although Ramy is trying to better himself, it does not come without awkward moments or consequences from some of his more questionable behavior. “He’s back from Egypt and that didn’t solve anything. He realizes he’s the problem no matter where he is,” Youssef says. “Really what I think this character has is an intimacy problem. He’s still seeking intimacy with God, and we’re watching him try and get closer to his higher self, and we’re watching him fumble, but we’re seeing him in this really private place.” RAMY: HULU; UPLOAD: AARON EPSTEIN/AMAZON STUDIOS EPSTEIN/AMAZON AARON UPLOAD: HULU; RAMY:

VARIETY 53 FOCUS IN PRINT

EVERY SEQUIN TELLS A STORY

TOM FITZGERALD AND LORENZO MARQUEZ DELIVER QUEER HISTORY THROUGH THE EVOLUTION OF ‘DRAG RACE’

By Carole Horst

COUNTRY ROCKS “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” Season 3 winner Trixie Mattel parlayed her victory into a successful country music career, following in the footsteps of other queens who broke into the WHEN VIEWERS TUNE INTO to “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” most don’t mainstream of showbiz. understand that they are getting a weekly lesson on queer history. With “Legendary Children: The First Decade of RuPaul’s Drag Race and the Last Century of Queer Life,” which was released March 3 from Penguin Books, authors Tom Fitzgerald and Lorenzo Marquez give fans of the show a fantastic primer on how it references, respects and outright pays homage to LGBTQ history — and

makes sure that the VH1 series is part of that history’s timeline. JEWELL/INVISION/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK TAYLOR

54 VARIETY IN PRINT FOCUS

“We wanted this tone of being two really chatty gay uncles.”

TOM FITZGERALD

“We wanted this tone of being two Fitzgerald notes that the book devel- ROYAL ICING Crew. We thought this would be really chatty gay uncles with a whole lot of oped from their recapping the show Dorian Corey a great way to address that and ‘teach stories about your queer forebears,” says during its first season on Logo, through (above) from the children.’” 1990’s seminal Fitzgerald, half of the Philadelphia-based to the Emmy-winning glossy production drag doc “Paris “We want young people to know that couple that’s behind the website Tomand- on VH1. Is Burning,” the reason HIV drugs are advertised on Lorenzo.com, which delivers a daily dose “We did a podcast in 2018 about the guided audiences TV is that queer people took to the streets through her of takes on fashion, celebrity, film, TV and 10th anniversary of ‘Drag Race,’ just sort world; Lypsinka and screamed their heads off,” adds pop culture; and podcast Tom & Loren- of reflecting on it and our agent called us (below) elevated Fitzgerald. “Elizabeth Taylor raised $100 zo’s Pop Style Opinionfest. They still recap later that day, Monika Verma, and said lip-synching, a million before she died just to make sure weekly challenge “Drag Race,” as well as “Project Runway,” that she heard the podcast and we should on “Drag Race,” AIDS research kept going. And that’s “Westworld” and other shows. pitch a ‘Drag Race’ book, which was a to a high art. important to get their stories told. As long “Ultimately, we want to showcase the great idea.” as it’s in a fun way.” talent of these legendary people, that yes, They put a fan guide proposal together they made history, yes, they were right and got no bites. But Elda Rotor, VP and there fighting for us. But they were also publisher at Penguin Classics, told them talented singers, performers, actors,” says she liked the tidbits of queer history they Marquez of the queer pioneers in the threw into the book and suggested they book, such as Dorian Corey, Crystal focus on that. LaBeija, Hector Xtravaganza, Charles Lud- “And that was it,” Fitzgerald says. “That lam, Charles Busch and Julian Eltinge, was the genesis. Sometimes you have to who first appeared on Broadway in the be pushed into these things by other peo- early 1900s. “And a lot of people don’t ple. We didn’t think anyone would give know who they are so that would be a way us the chance to write a comprehensive to introduce these very, very talented peo- look at queer history. It turned out to be ple to everyone.” such an amazing gift we never thought we Readers don’t have to be immersed in would get to this point as writers.” “Drag Race,” as one of the book’s big goals Marquez, who notes that he is is to make the history of drag and queer “obsessed with social media and Twitter,” performers relevant to everyone. says he often reads the online commen- And the authors want audiences to tary as he is watching a show,. “read the book with one hand” — and use “I noticed that the younger fans of the other to Google the people in the book. [‘Drag Race’] especially would laugh at There are tons of videos and pictures certain things that were directly con- available online, and the authors include nected to the history of the queer commu- a chapter with references to movies, TV nity, but they didn’t know about it. They appearances and other materials. thought it was funny, but didn’t know that The book seamlessly weaves LGBTQ that came from Stonewall, that it came history into the “Drag Race” present, from anything, and so we’re like, ‘All right, and gives readers a deep dive into the this is perfect, we’ll talk about the show’ background of the show’s challenges, — because the show is 100% pulling from and what they mean in the history of the queer community — every challenge,

COREY: OFF WHITE PROD/KOBAL/SHUTTERSTOCK; LYPSINKA: BEI/SHUTTERSTOCK LYPSINKA: OFF WHITE PROD/KOBAL/SHUTTERSTOCK; COREY: queer life. every segment, the way they judge, the Pit

VARIETY 55 FOCUSTHE ESSENTIAL SECTION OCTAVIA NAME SPENCER FOCUS

THE LIFE OF A ‘ S E L F M A D E ’ SCENE-STEALER

OSCAR WINNER OCTAVIA SPENCER DOMINATES SCREENS By Jenelle Riley

ACADEMY AWARD-winner Octavia Spencer is taking the lead on the small screen, producing and starring in “Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker.” In Netﬂix’s four-part limited series, Spencer plays the unlikely entrepreneur, a widow and single mother who became the world’s ﬁrst female self-made millionaire. Here’s a glimpse at the life and career of one of our most beloved stars.

SECRET ACTOR Growing up in Alabama, Spencer had dreams of performing, but her mother urged her to pursue a more practical path. That led to her working in the casting department of films being shot locally. It was for 1996’s “A Time to Kill” that she finally worked up the nerve to ask for an audition — she wanted to be an angry bystander who starts the riot, but director Joel Schumacher said she was too “sweet-looking” and had her audition for the role of Sandra Bullock’s nurse. Spencer landed the part.

STARTING SMALL Spencer moved to Hollywood in 1996, and began stealing scenes with little screen time in films includ- STAGE TO SCREEN ing “Coach Carter” and “Win a Date Spencer starred with Dale Dickey (left) and Beth With Tad Hamilton!” In “Bad Santa,” Grant in “Trials and Tribulations...” and its film she only had a few lines, but one was adaptation, “Blues for Willadean.” so memorable (and too filthy to print) that her character returned for ON THE STAGE the sequel. In 2003, I had the pleasure of catching a play in Los Angeles, I had the honor of being the first Del Shores’ “Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife,” person to interview Spencer for a four-person show about an abused woman living in a trailer Backstage West in 2005, something park. The theater held fewer than 75 seats and the stage she has kindly always remembered. couldn’t have taken up more than 30x30 feet, barely enough to At the time, she was getting used to contain all the brimming star power on stage: the cast included being recognized in public and see- future Spirit Award winner Dale Dickey and Beth Grant, who has ing her quips used in ads. “I realized gone on to become one of our most beloved character actors. I was always getting the good lines Spencer made her stage debut as the best friend of the title when I would see them in the trailer,” character, and even then, it was obvious she was a star. With her she said then. “My family would get wide, expressive eyes and ability to snap off one-liners like a excited, thinking I had a big part. I GOOD TO BE ‘BAD’ Gatling gun, she was a natural-born scene-stealer. She later had to tell them, ‘If you’ve seen the As a hooker in “Bad Santa,” Octavia Spencer reprised the role for the film adaptation. Shockingly, that was

trailer, you’ve seen my part.’” was so memorable she returned for the sequel. Spencer’s first and, to this date, only, play. GREEN PICTURES BROAD 2: SANTA BAD STREIBER; ART BY PHOTOGRAPH SPENCER:

56 VARIETY THE ESSENTIAL OCTAVIA SPENCER FOCUS

THE TURNING POINT THE SMALL Spencer reportedly beat out some Oscar-nominated names to land the cov- SCREEN eted role of Minny in the film adaptation of the bestselling book “The Help.” It Spencer has dab- probably didn’t hurt that author Kathryn Stockett based the role loosely on bled in television Spencer, after meeting her through mutual friend Tate Taylor — Spencer’s before; after winning former roommate and the film’s director. (In the novel, Minny even has a sis- the Oscar she per- ter named Octavia.) But Spencer was quick to dispense the notion that the formed an arc on character was based too much on her. “That would be a disservice to Kath- “Mom” as a recover- ryn, who built this amazing character,” she said at the time, while admitting ing alcoholic oppo- they have some things in common. “I say it jokingly, but it’s true: Minny is site her good friend short and round; I am short and round. Minny speaks her mind all the time; I Allison Janney. In don’t have a problem speaking my mind.” 2014, she starred in Spencer won an Oscar for the role, then found herself nominated for two the Fox series “The other big crowd-pleasers: playing scientist Dorothy Vaughan in 2016’s “Hid- Red Band Society,”

M/KOBAL/SHUTTERSTOCK den Figures” and a cleaning woman in a secret government laboratory in which counted Ste- 2017’s “The Shape of Water.” Interestingly, all three films are set in the 1960s. ven Spielberg And Spencer herself has joked about the trajectory: “I played a maid, then a among its produc- scientist, then a cleaning woman at a science lab.” But Spencer also brought ers. She also pro- intricate layers to all the characters, women who were all ahead of their time. duces and stars as an investigative reporter/podcaster in the Apple TV series “Truth Be Told,” which has just been renewed for a second season. She hosted “Sat- urday Night Live” in 2017; something she once said she was too terrified to do. She excelled on the show for the same reason she stood out CALL ‘HELP’ Spencer, with Viola Davis,won an Oscar for “The Help.” in so many movies — her total commitment to every moment, her natu- BEHIND THE SCENES rally engaging per-

/NETFLIX; FRUITVALE STATION: OG PROJECT/KOBAL/SHUTTERSTOCK; MA: ANNA KOORIS/UNIVERSAL PICTURES; LUCE: JON PACK/DREAM FACTORY/GE JON PACK/DREAM LUCE: PICTURES; ANNA KOORIS/UNIVERSAL MA: OG PROJECT/KOBAL/SHUTTERSTOCK; STATION: FRUITVALE /NETFLIX; One of the charitable organizations Spencer is involved with is City Year, a sonality and her will- member of the AmeriCorps network, designed to help students and schools. ingness to try Spencer is on its L.A. board and spoke about them in her 2017 Variety’s Power anything. Highlight: of Women speech, thanking them for “your commitment to education and as a trainee at a for helping to keep at-risk students in school and on track to graduate.” Sticky Buns shop, She added: “City Year’s work ... brings to mind Robert Kennedy’s inspiring she’s told to make words: ‘Each time a man’ — and I would offer, or woman — ‘stands up for conversation with an ideal or acts to improve the lot of others or strikes out against injustice, the customers, caus- IN YOUR LIVING ROOM he sends forth tiny ripple of hope.’ I’d like to thank City Year for your ripples ing her to blurt out From top: Spencer in “Mom” with Allison Janney, in society’s ocean. Because in my mind, a sound education can turn the to one: “Do you like “Truth Be Told” and “Self Made: Inspired by the tides of poverty.” being white?” Life of Madam C.J. Walker.”

FRUITVALE STATION (2013) MA (2019) “LUCE” (2019) In Ryan Coogler’s feature debut, Spencer is com- The brilliance of casting the lovable Spencer as a Spencer plays Harriet, the teacher who sees some- pletely believable, whether quietly washing dishes villain is that you might find the audience rooting thing darker in a model student. Harriet has her with her son or holding vigil at the hospital after for her. Spencer manages to make our hearts break own demons, and Spencer has a lot going on

THE HELP: DREAMWORKS PICTURES/KOBAL/SHUTTERSTOCK; MOM: MONTY BRINTON/CBS; TRUTH BE TOLD: APPLE TV+; SELF MADE: AMANDA MATLOVICH SELF MADE: AMANDA APPLE TV+; TRUTH BE TOLD: MOM: MONTY BRINTON/CBS; PICTURES/KOBAL/SHUTTERSTOCK; DREAMWORKS THE HELP: he’s been shot. for her — before terrifying us. under the surface.

VARIETY 57 Music forScreens Emmys 2020

Music for Screens, Variety’s quarterly feature exploring the intersection of music and visual media, reaches the eyes — and ears — of the industry at large. On deck for the June edition: a special Emmys editorial package looking at the categories and contenders in this year’s race.

ISSUE DATE June 9 | SPACE May 29 | MATERIALS DUE June 4

CONTACT JUDI PULVER (323) 654-5433 [email protected] ARTISANS TOPARTISANS BILLING

SEA OF INTRIGUE Morgan Saylor and Sophie Lowe play sisters who band together to cover up a crime in Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy’s debut feature.

we latched on to that, which helped us Camera Tells a Dark, find the tone of the film.” Krudy adds that New England-set movies such as “Mys- tic River,” “Mystic Pizza” and “Dolores Claiborne” also helped put them in the Salty Tale of Sisterhood mood. Visual references came from films that centered on characters covering up LONGTIME DP COLLEAGUES CAPTURE AN INTRICATE MOOD OF SUSPENSE a crime, like the Coen brothers’ “Blood Simple,” Lynne Ramsay’s “Morvern Cal- FOR THEIR DEBUT FEATURE, ‘BLOW THE MAN DOWN’ By Jazz Tangcay lar” and Pedro Almodóvar’s “Volver.” The last film in particular came in useful as a reference for how groups of women talk BRIDGET SAVAGE COLE and Danielle Krudy camera,” Krudy says. Cole adds, “It about what gives them joy. spent eight years working on the script for was so rare to meet another girl doing “Blow the Man Down” strikes a fine their feature ﬁlm debut, Amazon’s “Blow camera stuff.” balance among mystery, thriller and the Man Down,” about a pair of sisters who Not only do they have a love for cin- humor as the sisters, Priscilla (played go deep into the underbelly of their New ematography, but both also come from by Sophie Lowe) and Mary Beth (Morgan England hometown to cover up a crime. But Irish-Catholic families and have sisters. Saylor) must cover up a murder when the ﬁlmmakers’ relationship dates back And they share a love of seaside towns. Mary Beth kills a dangerous man after a further than that — to the days when they “I’m from Beverly, Massachusetts, and drunken night out on the town. Not only were shooting shorts and making music Krudy’s mother is from Maine,” Cole says. does the film consider the lengths to videos on Coney Island. They moved to Los Those commonalities helped early in which sisters will go for each other, but Angeles at the same time and worked on the writing process. “We were playing sea the town is also filled with women (June sketch comedy videos. “We met behind the shanties to get inspired,” Cole says, “and Squibb and Margo Martindale) who have JEONG JP PARK/AMAZON JEONG

VARIETY 59 ARTISANS

“We were playing sea shanties to get inspired and we latched on to that, which helped us find the tone of the film.”

Bridget Savage Cole, co-writer and director

their own dark secrets as questions of allegiance arise. When it came to choosing actors, Krudy and Cole didn’t have the luxury of having a casting director on board. “We read people in Silver Lake,” Krudy explains of auditioning thesps who came to their L.A. neighborhood, explaining that they took the time to talk to everyone who had read the script. The casting process lasted from August through December, when the production started shooting in Harpswell, Maine. Saylor, one of the first actors cast, had a natural power and a sense of who she was, Cole says. Her air of tomboy Building a TV Musical, energy was something that the co-writers responded to when they saw her walk into the room. And while Lowe was cast Number by Number late, “she embodied Priscilla,” Cole says. “She’s so stoic and had this wit to her.” To fashion ‘Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist,’ On the page, her character could have choreographer Mandy Moore dances up a storm been a stick in the mud, but “the same part of her who is quick to write a thank- By Jazz Tangcay you note is the same person who would cover up a murder for you.” When it came to capturing the grit FOR NBC MUSICAL “Zoey’s Extraordinary Mitch (Peter Gallagher) or assembling an and natural look of the film, Todd Ban- Playlist,” about a tech worker in San Fran- ensemble piece, her process is the same hazl (“Hustlers”) — who said he wanted cisco who can hear people’s thoughts — and almost journalistic. “It’s about the the film to feel as if it were a foggy and — but only as musical numbers — cho- who, what, where and when,” says Moore. salty experience — was the ideal director reographer Mandy Moore (“La La Land,” The key to the work is collaboration. of photography. Cole jokes that Banhazl “Dancing With the Stars”) also turned into She confabs with musicians, directors, said he wanted to make things feel “like a performer. writers and the actors to make the dance a movie found at the bottom of a pile of “I made a video of myself dancing in numbers pop. Part of her process is going fish guts.” our room and sent it off,” Moore says, as to a location to map things out with the Krudy notes that Banhazl’s camera part of the casting for the number “This show’s production designers, Charles M. was a key player. “He found the right Little Light of Mine” in the episode “Zoey’s Lagola, Rusty Smith and Peter Ochotta, to touch to help balance how the camera Extraordinary Neighbor.” She hired the understand the spatiality she has to work told the story,” Krudy says. From close- choir for the piece in Vancouver, where the with. “A lot of times I’ll want a person to ups of an oyster-shucking knife and a show was shot, but had to go a step further walk over something or stand on some- pancake box to the almost 180-degree to line up dancers, aiming for different thing, and [the designers] will build what pan at the top of the film showing the shapes, sizes and ages to establish authen- they need to,” explains Moore. “Other men leaving on their boats while the ticity. Anyone who auditioned would have times, they’ll say, ‘I can’t do that,’ and then women stay onshore — the shots cap- to learn the steps, shoot a video and send I have to shift my world.” tured the tone. the tape back to Moore. Typically, Moore begins work on a num- Banhazl also accented naturalness A chance meeting with showrunner ber as soon as she gets the script. “Austin when ﬁlming the women. “He wanted to Austin Winsberg put the series on Moore’s had me involved early on,” she says. That enjoy the wrinkles and the older faces,” radar. One reason she was attracted to the helps her begin to develop structure. “I have Cole says. He would embrace them, and show was that it uses different places and to sit with something for a while to under- establish a familiarity for the viewer. That people. For instance, she says the work on stand how I want it to feel,” she explains. went a long way toward giving those char- “This Little Light of Mine” was “interesting If she’s not doing a number in a church, acters a larger-than-life feel — a necessary because you couldn’t just hire a choir.” she’s in a coffee shop having actors up note, Cole explains, because these women Whether she’s choreographing a num- on tables being careful not to tip over the

are the power that runs the town. ber with Zoey (played by Jane Levy) and mugs. Moore choreographed “I Wanna BACHLAKOV/NBC SERGEI

60 VARIETY ARTISANS Credit Designers Mix Functionality, Creativity

The best title sequences feed organically into a project — with room for everyone involved

By Zoe Hewitt

CREDIT SEQUENCES may seem like a time of the world, as a map might appear at the THOUGHTS IN SONG for viewers to grab some popcorn before beginning of a novel. “You wouldn’t want to Left: Alex Newell (center) plays Zoey’s extraordinary neighbor in the show’s fourth the show, but enjoying the complex pack- get that narratively,” says Wall, “because it episode, for which choreographer Mandy ages — carefully fashioned to transition would be very expository and boring con- Moore cast the choir and a team of dancers. viewers into the world on-screen — will add sidering the show, but there is a need for it Above: Moore (center) offers some on-set direction to star Jane Levy. to the enjoyment of a movie or a TV show, because the world is so elaborate.” or even a video game. The sequence morphed each week to Richie Adams, founder of River Road Cre- reﬂect the locations visited in the episode. ative, whose most recent credit work was on The elaborate look involved modeling, sur- MOORE MOVEMENT the Brad Pitt starrer “Ad Astra,” says part of facing, design and animation, a process

Along with the Oscars and the Golden Globe Awards, good design is ensuring the credits reflect that took about a year initially, a time frame choreographer Mandy Moore has kept busy on a the production’s narrative, themes and style. that Wall, who also has two Oscars for film number of TV shows and films. While watching an early cut of the project, editing, calls “luxurious” and well beyond Adams picked up on the repeated use of the typical weeks or months credit teams Stargirl (2020) La La Land (2016) camera flares in the cinematography and usually have. Director: Julia Hart Director: Damien pitched the idea of setting the credits to an For video game “Gears 5,” the latest Chazelle Gloria Bell (2018) arrangement of those flares. “At times, that release in the “Gears of War” franchise, Director: Sebastián Joy (2015) offers an unsettling feel,” explains Adams, Noah Harris created a credit sequence that Lelio Director: “and at other times, they’re just beautiful.” supported the names and narrative in the David O. Russell Second Act (2018) Adams used a typeface that reflected form of a nightmare with a photorealistic Director: Peter Segal Sleeping With ancient Rome, since the movie draws its look. That made it more abstracted from the Other People title from Latin, and the unusual red hue game, going from dream to reality — from Dancing With the (2015) he added was meant to feel a bit unsettling one state to another, he explains. Stars (2015-17) Director: Creators: Fenia Leslye Headland while bringing viewers into the world of Harris notes that video games themselves Vardanis, Richard the film. The color was designed to appear are far more cinematic these days, with a Hopkins, Karen Smith American Hustle (2013) linked to the flare, “as if you’re seeing some- look that blurs the boundaries “between So You Think You Director: Russell thing in that world that it’s connected to,” what high culture is and isn’t.” He adds that Can Dance (2010-17) explains Adams. credit sequences in all these mediums are Creators: Simon Silver Linings Credit sequences can be tied to projects now recognized as an art form aside from Fuller, Nigel Lythgoe Playbook (2012) Director: Russell in various ways, such as the Emmy- the projects to which they’re attached. America’s Got winning titles from “Game of Thrones,” There was a “fine line to tread” between Talent (2008-17) American Idol which changed with each episode. Angus Creators: Simon (2008-09) creating something that was abstract Cowell, Jason Raff, Creator: Wall, founder of Elastic and a four-time enough to support the credits roll and Ken Warwick Simon Fuller Emmy winner for main title design, is something that was also able to tell a story, the creative director behind the show’s says Harris, who explains he had 90 sec- extraordinary look. onds of time to blend a narrative with imag- Dance With Somebody,” giving the song a The credits were conceived of as a way ery “passive enough to accept the titles and new meaning as barista Autumn (Steph- to provide information about the geography be beautiful as well.” anie Styles) expresses her loneliness to Zoey. “I had never thought of the song that way,” Moore says. “It was so much fun to do.” Adding to the challenge is the quick turnaround. Moore explains there isn’t much time to put together the final performance — “This Little Light of Mine” involved a three-hour rehearsal the night before and then a 90-minute run- through with music so the actors could learn the lip-sync. As for inspiration on future numbers, she says the possibilities are endless: OPENING HOOK “AC/DC, Def Leppard. Can you imagine River Road Creative founder ‘Pour Some Sugar on Me’?” She laughs, Richie Adams has worked on saying that the writers and Winsberg love the title credits for a host of films, including Ryan all types of music. So anything is possible Coogler’s “Creed,” starring

MOOR/LEVY: JAMES DITTIGER/NBC; ADAMS: JEANNIE FREY RHODES; CREED: WARNER BROS. WARNER JEANNIE FREY RHODES; CREED: DITTIGER/NBC; ADAMS: JAMES MOOR/LEVY: when the show resumes production. Michael B. Jordan.

VARIETY 61 ISSUE DATE JULY 14

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0718 WV CANNABIS GUIDE.FINAL.indd 115 7/17/18 12:23 AM APPLE TV+ Apple TV Plus’ earnest series“Home Plus’earnest Apple TV der casewhenshewas Hilde 9years old. compelling true story of HildeLysiak, story acompelling true (played by “The Florida Project” breakout(played Florida Project” by “The young reporter whobrokeyoung mur alocal reporter Brooklynn Prince)Brooklynn isn’t just investigating Before Dark” further mythologizes further theBefore Dark” Fox, by John M.Chu, inpart anddirected Before Dark Home BY CAROLINE FRAMKE REVIEW TV Abby Miller, Kylie Rogers April 3 STARRING: DRAMA: FROM CREATORS DARA RESNIK Apple TV Plus(10episodes;8reviewed);Apple TV Brooklynn Prince,JimSturgess,

and Dana TOP BILLING TOP - “Home BeforeDark.” Nantambu starin and Jibrail Brooklynn Prince Deric McCabe, TRUE DETECTIVES REVIEWS Tramble’s crime take scripted onthetrue down clues, fromsimilarlyambitious kids (Kylie Rogers). Shequicklyfindsacollec memorizing “All thePresident’s Men” is mant kidnappingcasethat’s her haunted and eternally embarrassed teensisterand eternallyembarrassed a constant source of prideandanxiety itis.ably because a murderbutdiggingintolong-dor at school tokindlyadultswhoadmireat school smart kid whose devotion to the truth and kidwhosedevotionsmart tothetruth the service’s of gung-houpdate Steven offers Plusalready terms ofwhat Apple TV sounds abitconfusing …well, that’s prob tion of plucky friendstohelphertrack just afew “Home monthsafterlaunch, jaded father,jaded Matt (JimSturgess), since Before Dark” is a feel-good mashup(quite isafeel-good Before Dark” investigative and phenomenon, podcast ing Stories.” Andif that combination for her dad, harried mother(Abby Miller)for harried herdad, Spielberg’s series“Amaz 1985whodunit by BeTold,” accident) of “Truth Nichelle he was achildwitnessing In itfirsthand. her spark, even whenherunrelentingher spark, The show’s Hildeisapreternaturally - - - - due tothetown’s sher crooked openly ever Hilde’s theshow on-screen, isagum- ended withoneof hisfriends(playedended with curiosity gets intheirway (which is, asis grip onthecataclysmic turnofevents that (Michael Weston). reluctantly faces down theunresolved remember a clue in her apparently pho aclueinherapparently remember a frequent occurrence).a frequent Meanwhile, Matt at thecore of thecase, thetoneof “Home solemn gravity inthepresentby Michael toget a of trying hisownspecters past, the fashion with sharp and meddling kids,the fashionwithsharpandmeddling shoe adventure,shoe sometimes even with tween adventure again.When andback that of afamilydramatoaneffervescent tale of faded dreams, childhood trauma dreams,tale of childhood faded isonMatt, itturnsintoagrittierspotlight andapplyingSherlock tographic memory Before Dark” deliberately swings deliberately fromBefore Dark” Holmes-style deduction. WheneverHolmes-style the deduction. Greyeyes) going tojailfor life, seemingly iff (Louis Hertham) andhiscowardlyiff (LouisHertham) son backstory, orHildeclosingher eyes to lovely interludes toexplain animated As Hildeuncovers more andmorerot VARIETY REVIEWS 63 - - - REVIEWS

and corruption. It’s “The Goonies” by way show’s credit, though, as Hilde gets closer FILM REVIEW of “Serial,” a no doubt attractive pitch that to unraveling the nest of mysteries she BY OWEN GLEIBERMAN nonetheless has trouble establishing a stumbled upon, so, too, does the show get steady voice of its own until deep into its closer to nailing down its own voice and Uncorked first 10-episode season. target audience. The people most likely to The Venn diagram of their plotlines fall for “Home Before Dark” are those like overlap as Hilde tries to solve the mystery Hilde and her mom and dad: precocious that Matt’s tried to forget his entire life, kids who would bristle at that description DIRECTOR: Prentice Penny which sometimes works and sometimes and their encouraging parents who buy STARRING:Mamoudou Athie, Courtney B. Vance, just emphasizes how much their respective them “The Future Is Female” pins (an Niecy Nash, Sasha Compère vibes otherwise clash. Still, “Home Before actual “Home Before Dark” plot point, Dark” has a strong duo in Prince and paired with Hilde questioning sources in Sturgess, who squeeze their every scene a pink knit pussyhat). together for all the emotional juice it’s It’s admirable and shrewd to make a “UNCORKED” kicks off on a delicious note worth, especially when Hilde and Matt get series with the intent of entertaining kids of culture clash. As hectoring hip-hop to bond over their shared love of investiga- who crave smarter entertainment as well pounds on top of the opening credits, tive journalism rather than Matt having to as their perpetually exhausted parents the movie cuts back and forth between chide Hilde, again and again, for overstep- who are sick to death of halfhearted car- the owner of a Southern barbecue joint ping her bounds. Prince, as will be unsur- toons. And Hilde — determined, savvy preparing the day’s fixins — grilling the prising for anyone who watched her anchor and completely unintimidated by the pork ribs, stirring the tangy red sauce “The Florida Project” when she was barely many adults who try to diminish her mis- — and California vintners working their 7, is especially good, giving Hilde a no-non- sion and drive — makes for a wonderfully chem-lab alchemy to convert luscious sense edge of flinty determination that compelling protagonist for those over- green grapes into wine. There’s a parallel keeps the character from becoming the lapping audiences to enjoy. The trouble meticulousness that tells us we’re seeing flat, saccharine re-creation she easily could with the way the show splits the differ- variations on the same palette-tickling have been. In Prince’s tiny, extremely capa- ence between trying to satisfy both demo- ideal. Yet the sequence, inevitably, also ble hands, Hilde is a hero worth rooting graphics, however, is that the manner conjures up a ripe culinary class war of for, even when she feels more like a sym- in which the twin mysteries of the pres- lowbrow versus highbrow. bol of hashtag feminism than a person. She ent-day murder and the past kidnapping All those dynamics are at play in might be highly intelligent beyond her — or intertwine and unfold are a little too dark “Uncorked,” an earnest, scrappy and most people’s — years, but a 9-year-old who for kids, yet far too simplistic for adults. finally touching drama about a young meets police resistance to her questions Hopefully, in its second season, as “Home man from Memphis who’s got a dream and smirks, “Nevertheless, I persisted,” is Before Dark” finds its equilibrium and — he’s a wine buff who wants to become not one to be fully believed. Hilde comes into her own as a true blue a sommelier — but if he follows it, it will The narrative whiplash of “Home Before reporter, the promising setup can find a tear him away from everything his father Dark,” paired with the fact that almost better strategy for playing to its disparate yearned for him to be. That, of course, is every episode is a solid hour long, makes viewership with a bit more confidence. part of why it’s a tasty dream. it hard at first to understand exactly what Elijah (Mamoudou Athie), tall and kind of audience the show is hoping to pensive, with a chiseled fade and a look

ﬁnd once the season drops all at once CREDITS: Executive producers: Dana Fox, Dara Resnik, John M. Chu, that’s kind and friendly but deeply seri- Russel Friend, Garrett Lerner, Joy Gorman Wettels, Rosemary Rodriguez, on April 3. (The series has already been Sharlene Martin. 60 MIN. Cast: Brooklynn Prince, Jim Sturgess, Abby ous, is a bit of a paradox — a fellow who’s Miller, Kylie Rogers, Adrian Hough, Jibrail Nantambu, Deric McCabe, renewed for a second season.) To the Joelle Carter, Michael Greyeyes, Louis Hertham, Michael Weston completely sincere, without an ironic bone in his body, yet he keeps most of what he’s thinking to himself. (That’s his irony.) The Mauritanian American actor Mamoudou Athie draws from a well of skill that allows him to play someone of charismatic passion who holds the best of himself in reserve. That’s what keeps us glued to him. We’re scanning for those moments when he shows his hand. Elijah, who is in his late 20s, grew up in Memphis and works at a fabled rundown barbecue shack owned and operated by his father, Louis (Courtney B. Vance) — the man in the opening credits — who took it over from his father, who launched it with money he won in a dice game in 1960. (At that point, no local bank would give a black man a loan.) Louis, a sternly witty and demanding taskmaster who built a comfortable life for his family, is planning for Elijah to take over the business the PARENTAL ADVISERS same way that he did. And why wouldn’t Abby Miller and he? Louis started teaching Elijah to cook Jim Sturgess play when he was 2. And Elijah knows the ins mom and dad to and outs of “the stand,” as they call the Brooklynn Prince’s Hilde in the Apple restaurant, with its lines of loyal custom-

TV Plus series. ers seated next to no-atmosphere paneled APPLE TV+

64 VARIETY REVIEWS

“‘Uncorked,’ in its way, is a Horatio Alger story of upward mobility — a tale of finding your bliss up a vertical cliff.”

about the glories of sensuality, but instead Elijah talks about how he never got to travel much, and says that when he’s tasting a great wine from Italy or Spain he feels like he’s literally transported there. For those of us who love a good glass of wine (but can’t begin to get into the whole rarefied metaphors-of-the-earth wine-tasting thing), that’s a very nifty definition of wine passion. You taste that ruby-red or yellow-gold elixir, and you’re somewhere else. When Elijah, at a family dinner, talks about the sommelier program, Louis zings him with the line, “Hey, if you want to tell people what to drink with their chitlins, I’m fine.” Elijah befriends a couple of fellow students who are offi- cious wine geeks (one of them is named Harvard), but the characters are thinly sketched, and there are moments when walls and ancient framed photographs of understands that in his oenophile obses- FLAVOR HEADS you see too much of the situational blue- soul-brother heroes. “This place is his- sion he’s a diamond in the rough. That’s Mamoudou Athie print beneath the screenwriting, as when and Courtney B. toric,” says Louis. “Frankie Beverly had a what gives his learning curve an unex- Vance star in Elijah’s mother, the saucy Sylvia (Niecy stroke here.” pected excitement. “Uncorked.” Nash), suffers a cancer relapse right in The rib-on-his-shoulder bluster with “Uncorked” is a follow-your-braini- the middle of his student-exchange trip which Louis declares his legacy is cranky ac-dream movie, like “The Paper Chase” to Paris. Yet the actors are good enough and irresistible, and Vance gives a super- or “Searching for Bobby Fischer,” and to keep it all grounded. lative performance; he makes Louis the it’s also a horn-locking father-and-son As Elijah grows more comfortable kind of tough-love pop you can’t run from heart-tugger and an ode to the joy of with the wine argot, Athie’s acting gains and can’t quite please either. But now taste buds, like “Big Night” or “Rata- a touch of swagger, so that when he’s that the time has come to learn the busi- touille.” At times it’s like a low-budget, talking about how “wines from the Rhone ness, Elijah keeps opting out. He’s got wide-eyed version of all those films. Yet Valley have crazy tannic undertones,” his head in a different place: the wine the writer-director, Prentice Penny, is you ride right along with him. And Penny store where he holds down a second job, alive to the details of what’s new about stages “Uncorked” with a real-world sense stocking shelves with bottles of Domaine his subject: a young man of color trying of how ambition, money, family pressure, Long-Depaquit Chablis, and where he to bust out of the box of what’s expected family tradition and a society built around also helps to run the local wine club, in of him — not just by his father, but by the cultivation of dreams can fuse, in which membership gets you bimonthly society at large. unexpectedly pungent ways, to form the tastings and a free subscription to Wine Elijah has gotten his flavor jones from soul of a person. “Uncorked,” in its way, is Enthusiast magazine. his family; it’s there in the choosy way that a Horatio Alger story of upward mobility Early on, when Tanya (Sasha Com- Louis parses the hickory, cherry and apple — a tale of finding your bliss up a vertical père) wanders into the store, and Elijah logs he uses to smoke his meats. The film cliff. Wine movies, outside of documen- shows off his connoisseurship by giv- suggests a link between the nuances of taries (like the 2013 “Somm,” about four ing her his here’s-how-wine-is-just-like- those aromatic woods and the insane fla- candidates out to pass this very exam), hip-hop spiel (he starts off by describing vor psychedelia (“I’m tasting grapefruit and have always been an odd genre, since the chardonnay as “the Jay-Z of wine,” and a hint of coriander, with a chocolate finish ...”) key dramatic activity on display — the by the time he gets to Drake and ries- that drives the higher wine love. savoring of all those subliminal flavors — ling you almost think he’s onto some- Yet Elijah, in applying to study for is something we more or less have to take thing), it’s fun to see this kid from the a diploma from the Court of Master on faith. But “Uncorked” convinces you sticks try to find a cool context for his Sommeliers (a rigorous year of that wine itself is worth having faith in. hobby-turned-fixation. But when he training that’s about memorizing an talks about wanting to go to school to encyclopedia’s worth of taste sensations

become a Master Sommelier, of which fused with micro-facts of distillery), is CREDITS: A Netflix release of a Mandalay Pictures, Miles Media, Datari Turner, Argent Pictures, Penny For Your Thoughts production. Producers: there are only 230 in the world, and we also blazing his own trail. He’s heading Datari Turner, Chris Pollack, Jason Michael Berman, Jill Ahrens, Ryan Ahrens, Ben Renzo, Prentice Penny. Executive producers: Patrick think, “Really? He seems totally out of into uncharted terroir. When Tanya, on Raymond, Veronica Nickel. Director, writer: Prentice Penny. Camera (color, widescreen): Elliot Davis. Editor: Sandra Montiel. Music: Hit Boy. Reviewed his depth,” the movie is way ahead of their ﬁrst date, asks him why he loves online, March 24, 2020. Running time: 104 MIN. Cast: Mamoudou Athie, Courtney B. Vance, Niecy Nash, Sasha Compère, Matt McGorry, Gil Ozeri,

NINA ROBINSON/NETFLIX us. It knows how little Elijah knows; it wine, we think we’re going to get a speech Kelly Jenrette, Bernard David Jones, Meera Rohit Kumbhani

VARIETY 65 FACETIME

The album is so upbeat, it has the promise Dua Lipa to make a lot of people at least momentar- ily very happy — but you’ve admitted you had some inner conflicts about putting ‘I Felt Like I Could Get out it out during the coronavirus crisis. You never really know what the right thing to do is at times like this. But I’m really excited to of My Comfort Zone’ put this album out now to give people time to live with it and listen to it when they’re at home. I hope it will brighten people’s day. By Chris Willman Photograph By Name Goes Here We’re all staying at home, or the majority of us are, and hopefully we can get the rest of the people to stay home too. IS THIS ANY time for a dance party? It is if you’re a fan of Dua Lipa, the English Is it true you started from the title back- singer who won the best new artist Grammy in 2019 and is back with a ward in making this album? Around the sophomore album that literally doesn’t skip a beat. “Future Nostalgia” time of the American Music Awards in 2018, is 100% ballad-free, with a style that might have seemed at home in the when I did [the single] “Electricity,” I had Studio 54 era, or at the height of Prince’s Minneapolis sound, as they will in the album title. I kind of went backwards clubs today (once they reopen). Lipa talked with Variety about speaking the in making “future nostalgia” what I was aiming for — making it my genre. I wanted to universal language of timeless dance pop on her new release. make sure that every song brought something fresh to the table but also something that’s reminiscent of a different time.

The album’s title track sounds like something right out of the Prince playbook of the 1980s. You weren’t alive then, or even for some of the later influences you’re carrying into this record. Artists like Jamiro- quai, Moloko, Blondie and Prince, they’re the artists my parents listened to, so that’s where all of that inspiration was really from. It was something that my parents brought into my life that then I so gladly borrowed and claimed as my own childhood inspirations.

The new album goes back to ’70s disco at times, because there’s so much emphatic bass guitar. Alongside the bass in multiple songs, I also have strings in multiple songs. My first record was so electronic, I wanted to make this really organic in having a lot of live instrumentation, so the record doesn’t sound much different from what you hear live.

In the past you’ve used the term “dance- crying” for your music. There’s no crying on this album though. It is a very happy album. On my first record, the easiest thing for me to tap into was my sadness. With this record, I felt like I could get out of my comfort zone, almost, and tell myself that it’s OK to write happy things about how I feel in the moment. If there is anything even remotely sad, it’s a celebration of vulnerability. But this album is purely about dancing, having fun, being free and being in love. It doesn’t stop in pace and give me a second to breathe, so I’ll be grateful for the songs from my previous album when I’m on tour.

You’ve said your new look is a manifes- tation of the album title. Your dark roots, under the blond, are the nostalgia part? THINGS YOU AGE: 24 BIRTHPLACE: London FIRST LANGUAGE: Albanian (she also speaks Dutch, Yeah, yeah … [laughs] and the future is the DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT though not as fluently) HITTING HOME: Andrew Watt, a writer-producer on her new “Break My Heart” single, has the coronavirus; she encourages fans to read about it hair on top. It’s nice to give things a meaning DUA LIPA “if you think you’re so young you won’t be affected.” and find the symbolism in something, just

for the fun of it. HUGO COMTE

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