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P.3 4 A ‘Bigger’ Impact John Legend, Variety’s Music Mogul of the Year, takes on 2020 with his trademark passion. By A.D. AMOROSI

P.5 2 Taking ER: RON STEPHENS II; MAKEUP: PAM FARMER; (COVER) JACKET & TURTLENECK: BERLUTI; (THIS PAGE) COAT & SHIRT: PAUL SMITH PAUL & SHIRT: COAT (THIS PAGE) BERLUTI; & TURTLENECK: JACKET (COVER) FARMER; PAM II; MAKEUP: STEPHENS RON ER: a Stand Black artists are fighting for equality and equity in the music biz. By SHIRLEY HALPERIN and JEREMY HELLIGAR

P.6 5 Contenders: The Nominees Brand recognition might help nominated adaptations. Plus: A look at crafts hopefuls and the guest actor and actress categories.

P.7 9 Walk of Fame Honoree Anthony Anderson reflects on his wide-ranging career as he gets a star on Hollywood Boulevard. By SCOTT HUVER (COVER & THIS PAGE) PHOTOGRAPHS BY RAMONA ROSALES; STYLING: DAVID THOMAS/THE WALL GROUP; ASSISTANT STYLIST: MATTEO PIERI; BARB MATTEO STYLIST: ASSISTANT GROUP; WALL THOMAS/THE DAVID STYLING: RAMONA ROSALES; BY PHOTOGRAPHS & THIS PAGE) (COVER

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15 VOTE OF CONFIDENCE Anthony Anderson’s Networks feel they can win Walk of Fame honor big this election season, but will be the event’s first coverage will look different socially distanced ceremony 17 VIEWERS ARE HOOKED Discovery sinks its teeth into auds with its long-running Shark Week franchise

23 IN THE RUNNING Don’t expect the quieter Emmy campaigns to continue after the pandemic eases

26 THE BIG TICKET “Nailed It!” host Nicole Byer talks about the Netflix hit and making Emmy nom history

EXPOSURE Variety, VOL. 349, NO. 2 (USPS 146- 820, ISSN 0011-5509) is published weekly, except the fourth week of June, the first week in July, and the 27 DEVOUR fourth and fifth weeks in December, with 40 special issues: Jan (8), Feb (8), We Are Rewind’s retro-style June (7), Aug (6), Nov (5) and Dec (6) cassette deck helps music by Variety Media LLC, 11175 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025, lovers indulge in mixtapes a division of Penske Business Media. Periodicals postage paid at Los Angeles, CA and at other mailing 28 DIRT offices. Postmaster send address changes to: Variety, P.O. Box 15759, Kat Von D puts her Hollywood North Hollywood, CA 91615-5759. Hills home on the market Canada Post International Publications Mail Product (Canadian Distribution) Publications Mail Agreement No. 40043404. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: RCS International Box 697 STN A, Windsor, Ontario N9A 6N4. Sales agreement No. FOCUS 0607525. Variety ©2020 by Variety Media, LLC. Variety and the Flying V logo are trademarks of Penske Business Media. Printed in the U.S.A. 85 TCA AWARDS TV critics org has long cham- P.2 9 pioned acting categories that

combined the genders ELIZABETH MORRIS/HBO Scribe Eric Warren Singer lists house in Hancock Park ARTISANS

87 VIEW FROM THE TOP Team of DPs advised hemo- philiac climber on shooting a doc about his Everest ascent

88 SPACE INVADER VFX pros were tasked with creating a believable and scary alien for “Sputnik”

89 TOON REPRESENTATION Black-owned animation studio LOVECRAFT: JILL FURMANOVSKY; MERCURIADIS: LA; GROUP CHMONT/CORE Lion Forge aims to add more diversity to the medium

REVIEWS “It’s rooted in the idea that the P.9 1 songwriter is not getting their fair share of the income.” 91 TV Merck Mercuriadis on the idea behind Hipgnosis “Lovecraft Country” “Lovecraft Songs, the music IP company he started with Country” songwriter-producer Nile Rodgers P.94 92 FILM review “Unhinged” ANDERSON: CRAIG SJODIN/ABC; WARREN’S HOUSE: KELLER WILLIAMS LAR WARREN’S CRAIG SJODIN/ABC; ANDERSON:

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News Stars of Upcoming Big Shake-ups TV Premieresremieres for Big Media 544 THE REORGANIZATIONS that rocked NBC- Universal and WarnerMedia last week Jonathan Majors demonstrated just how much media’s old Lovecraft Country He should be able to scare guard is having to rethink troop placement up some buzz with the for the streaming wars. debut of this HBO series. On Aug. 6, NBCU pulled the trigger on a restructuring that chief executive Jeff Shell teased in not one but two quarterly earnings calls. When it finally came, NBC 533 Entertainment chairman Paul Telegdy, Paula Pell the subject of recent misconduct allega- tions, was out, with programming decisions Mapleworth Murders She can expect some plum across broadcast, cable and the new Pea- lines — since she writes and cock streaming service consolidated. exec produces here too. The next day, a move came that few saw on the horizon, with WarnerMedia execs Robert Greenblatt and Kevin Reilly exiting. New WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar moved 488 decisively; he restructured the company just Method Man four months after he was named to his post, handing the content reins to Warner Bros.’ Teenage Bounty Hunters All he needs is a few Ann Sarnoff, promoting HBO’s Casey Bloys more points with the bow of and broadening the role of digital chief Andy this Netflix dramedy. Forssell. Such consolidation has become all the rage as the major media companies look to find their place in Netflix’s world. Vscore, powered by Variety Business Intelligence, identifies the social footprint, familiarity and availability of over 25,000 • For the full story, head to Variety.com. actors. For more info please visit Vscore.com P; SNOOK: STHANLEE B. MIRADOR/SIPA USA/AP B. MIRADOR/SIPA STHANLEE SNOOK: P; Variety Poll Say What? Pay TV Losses “I think [show creator] Jesse [Armstrong] wants to be delicate Continue to Grow about it and just classy. I think it’s a thing that everybody’s aware of, and audiences are really intuitive these days. Even The six publicly traded TV providers show just seeing a mask in the background of something or hand 7 million fewer subscribers for Q2 2020 sanitizer, those things that have become part of our daily lives, than for the same period a year ago and 13.6 but nothing that is so overt that is going to really tackle it million less than in 2016. The numbers include head on, because that’s not the show. We want to see the Roys cable, fiber optic, online and satellite options doing the thing that they’ve been doing that we love.” from the companies, and highlight just how Sarah Snook on how “Succession” Season 3 will incorporate the coronavirus steep subscriber losses are becoming.

“There’s a new pop machine. There’s a new icon, and your 2016 (Q2) 85.5m teenage daughter likes Maluma. For Miley Cyrus to play stadiums, Miley Cyrus needed Disney, and Miley Cyrus needed songs. The 2017 (Q2) 84.8m Latin community is such a freaking amazing community that their superstars know their songs. Pop is not that loyal.” 2018 (Q2) 83.7m Will.i.am

2019 (Q2) 78.9m “It’s hard to describe how hard I nerded out over designing a new Starfleet ship. I worked with an artist, and we came up with like 2020 (Q2) 71.9m 300 designs, and then kept whittling it down and whittling it down. It felt like I was getting paid to get away with a crime.” Companies included in the Variety Intelligence Platform analysis: “Star Trek: Lower Decks” creator Mike McMahan ALTICE USA, AT&T TV, AT&T TV NOW, AT&T U-VERSE, CHARTER SPECTRUM, COMCAST XFINITY, DISH NETWORK, DIRECTV, SLING TV,

VERIZON FIOS. For more analysis, please visit variety.com/vip/ STRAUSS/INVISION/A MAN: JORDAN JEWELL/INVISION/AP; PELL: TAYLOR SMITH/INVISION/AP; CHRISTOPHER MAJORS: WARNERMEDIA; GREENBLATT:

10 VARIETY Untitled-12 1 8/6/20 11:42 PM Untitled-3 1 8/6/20 11:31 PM Untitled-3 2 8/6/20 11:31 PM WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12 4 PM PDT / 7 PM EDT

An exclusive screening and Q&A with series star Shira Haas, executive producer/ showrunner/writer Anna Winger, director Maria Schrader, casting director Esther Kling and costume designer Justine Seymour

MODERATED BY JENELLE RILEY Deputy Awards & Features Editor, Variety

REGISTER NOW VARIETY.COM/NETFLIXUNORTHODOX TOM WILLIAMS/AP Will Leave Pomp Behind Political Coverage similar events that of impor great will be for preparing networks arenot-so-quietly In theeraof thecoronavirus pandemic, TV candidate’sor cheeraftereach utterances. studios withoutalive audience togasp, boo John F. Kennedy off invarious squared TV likemight look somethingfrom1960. newsexecutivesa lotof TV it arebetting for theirﬁrst in 2020, presidentialdebate accorded them. andcircumstanceof thepomp normally tance totheAmericanpublic but lackmuch DELIVER BIGYIELDS FOR NETWORKS CONVENTIONS, DEBATES ANDELECTION NIGHTWILLLOOK DIFFERENT, BUTSTILL WHEN JOEBIDEN That was theyear RichardM.Nixon and meetand DonaldTrump TOP BILLING TOP -

yBin Steinberg By Brian conditions. There will be no on-the-ground pings can’t underpandemic produced be audiences expect. elements modern that won’t come withtheflashier packaged tions, and2020electionnight— debates of bignewstelecasts —convenfrom abevy ing onstrategies tominesimilargravitas much of theirtimeuntilElectionDay work arelikelyanchors andproducers tospend News. Now, news heandmany otherTV Bret Baier, anchorat Fox thechiefpolitical inthat election,” aturningpoint being says Many of theusual“Road to2020”trap “We at that back still momentas look - - - says. Not thisyear. would like be theOlympicsfor them,” she money flowing intotheconvention cities. “It onthewould normallyexpect todoastory Nikole aCBSNews correspondent, Killion, tosuss outthepolls. election nighttrying closelyaroundasmalltable onhuddled network’s four orfive best-known anchors small-town diners. Viewers willnotseea after debates, andfewer visitstovoters in no“spin be probably room” encounters ventions Therewill were held. slated tobe Republican national andDemocratic con post-shows fromthecitieswhere VARIETY TOP BILLING 15 - knowing whowon therace. “Ithinkbusi may walk away fromelectioncoverage not he says. “You We losethat. have toget back of Congressmembers andstate legislators,” catch upwithmayors andgovernors and “It’sbuild sourcing. to opportunity agreat O’Keefe typicallyusestheconventions to At CBSNews, correspondent Ed political make newsgatheringditions morecomplex. of majorstories inalifetime. Currentcon what they believe isthebiggest confluence high for coverage, tofocus on andthey need NBC News next totheOlympics.” amongthebiggest atreally productions workers, carpenters, freighthaulers. It’s have tremendousfees topay for allthecraft cial events coverage at NBCNews. “They Communication andaformer of spe head University’s of Lawrence School Herbert says MarkLukasiewicz, of Hofstra dean before. It’s amassive build,” infrastructure that would well inearnest start over ayear conventions alone:“It’s aplanningprocess nificantly. Consider thesavings fromthe nal events, however, arelikely to dropsig- well.”monetizing themvery on arecent callwithinvestors. “We are ical,” saidFox Corp. CEOLachlanMurdoch tofall 3%to$601million. enue isprojected MSNBC’s $608million. CNN toabout adrev at anda5%increase to about $1.16billion, jecting an8.2%hike for Fox News Channel S&P Market Global Intelligence, isnow pro 2020, market-research of firmKagan, part year at allthreeU.S. cable newsoutletsfor this adrevenue earlier predicting shortfalls Fox News Channeland10%at MSNBC. After awhopping86%at CNN,nue soared 55%at butadreve atrackerIndex, ofadspending, 9% inJune, according toStandardMedia tinue todeliver. advertising fell National TV in recent months, thenewsnetworks con —fromtakingpart. teams maypandemic keep athletes —even whole whetherthe about tives remainnervous have butexecu gotten onthefield, back ules remainsanyone’s guess. leagues Sports howtion, sched- muchof itshows uponTV have recently areturntoproduc touted executives andwhilemedia programming, hasscuttled most scripted The pandemic can deliver onaregularbasis. andproduce thing U.S. aresurethey companies media coronavirus. theonly In2020,newsisabout sectorweakened bymedia theeffects of the significanceefforts areof increasing toa will ever at produce atimewhentheir coveragesome of themost important they for thoseoutlets. who oversees coverage events of special vice presidentof NBCNews andMSNBC of theyear,” says Rashida Jones, thesenior ness asusualisoutthewindow for therest 16 TOP BILLING Indeed, due toseveral factors,Indeed, viewers Journalists say thestakes arealready Costs of newscoverage for thesesemi “Fox News ratings have astronom been Despite asevere downturn inadvertising The newsnetworks upfor aregearing VREY VARIETY - - -

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“It’s notaseasy asitmight beif It’s ifyou asitmightbe were notaseasy andget themtogivepeople usinformation. to thebasics, pickupthephoneandﬁnd some oftheexcitement hardtorepli will be - covering conventions for years, andsuspects erage. Andplansmay continue toshift. in charge of that outlet’s events special cov ABC News seniorexecutive whois producer the year,” says MarcBurstein, theveteran what was of setinstone for thebetter part the public. todointwo “We weeks aretrying interest of to broader tion momentswillbe toﬁgureoutwhichconvenlogistics andtry Nowthe event. thenetworks must reset speeches, andBidensaidhewon’t attend just last in-person weekthe party scrapped tion inMilwaukee Aug. 17—but beginning nominationthe Democratic at theconven former Vice President Biden’s acceptance of uncertainty. Planswere inplace tocover be.”as they mightotherwise to thecandidates andthedecision-makers mation —andthey arenotasclose certainly tivate andeven get themtogive you infor- who work for thecandidates. You could cul day withpeople every out onthecampaign Ed O’Keefe, give you information.” cultivate and even getthemto for thecandidates. You could every day withpeople whowork you were outonthecampaign NBC News’ Andrea MitchellhasbeenNBC News’ Andrea byThose efforts may undermined be CBS Newscorrespondent

- - - - coronavirus. concerns overthe Milwaukee dueto convention in attend nextweek’s said hewillnot presidential nominee party’s presumptive in Philadelphia.The National Convention 2016 Democratic introduced atthe Joe Bidenis Vice President THAT WAS THEN ... among the reporters takingupthebeat. among thereporters Abby are PhillipandCBS’MajorGarrett CNN’s viamail. conducted more ofitmay be coverage of given voting, that thelikelihood scrambling going on.” but it’s alotof work andthere’s alotof Burstein. “We willadapttothisjust ﬁne, anything that I’m of,” scared says ABC’s and there’s little senseof letup. isnot “This on overdrive since the2016election, will still have roletoplay.” theirimportant Washington candidates Bureau chief. “The age was still thesame,” says SamFeist, CNN D.C. was noaudience, “There butourcover studio inWashington, toaTV back pulled toteleviseat asiteinArizonaintended was BernieSandersthat CNNhad Biden andSen. usual fanfare. between adebate InMarch, eventbig political takingplace withoutthe very, toeveryday life.” important very just talkingpoints, shesays. “Ithasbecome anddecisionsarenolongerdates’ policies the Washington Bureau at Fox News. Candi rie Grzech, vice and presidentof politics the events day,” changingeach says Che inthesenseof thedynamicsin ically seen, thanIhavemore interest inpolitics histor no matter what happens. “Ithinkthereis sure what they willmake of efforts in2020. television,”slickly produced andshe’s not she says. audiences aresoattuned to “The “fromAlaska toFlorida,” rush respondents als in cate. Thenetworks typicallyhold rehears- among thoseplacingnewemphasison NBCNews,as well. CNNandCBSNews are TV newsoutletshave TV seeminglybeen The networks willmake othershifts of a atest run therehasbeen Already Viewers, however, arelikely totunein the convention arenasandhave cor-

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Daniels quickly began looking for available content in the marketplace and overseas, Shark Week Is Set which is how shows including “Growing Belushi” and “Expedition to the Edge” came to Discovery. “Dodgeball Thunderdome” to Take a Bigger Bite was still in production last week, as one of the first shows to be shot with strict COVID guidelines (and outdoors, Discovery notes). DISCOVERY’S KEY EVENT AIMS TO BOOST NEW SHOWS AND “We’ve all been scouring for what fresh ATTRACT THE NEXT GENERATION OF VIEWERS By Michael Schneider new content is out there that we can fill our pipeline with,” Daniels says. Meanwhile, most of this year’s Shark Week programming had already been filmed before the pandemic shut things down. “I would say 90% of it was in the can NOT EVEN THE COVID-19 pandemic could Discovery and all of our programming, or almost in the can,” Daniels says. “There stop Shark Week. The annual Discovery through all of our promos and everything were a few other things that weren’t, but Channel franchise, now in its 32nd year, we’re doing that week while we have frankly, of everything we shoot, it was easy remains a juggernaut for the company — people there,” Daniels says. to get a small number of people who have which this year is using the week to launch Discovery will also use Shark Week to been quarantined and tested negative for five new series while giving the network further highlight “Expedition Unknown” COVID out on a boat out in the middle of (and cable in general) a needed boost. host Josh Gates, who has spent the past four the ocean. It was probably one of our safest “I’ve worked at Discovery as a broad months during quarantine hosting a weekly ways of doing production.” company for a long time, and Shark Week virtual talk show, “Josh Gates Tonight,” for Other specials this time out feature was always the biggest week of the year the channel. Instead of the network’s normal stars such as Mike Tyson, Shaquille O’Neal across the entire company,” says Nancy “Shark After Dark” late-night series that tra- (collaborating with YouTube personalities Daniels, the chief brand officer of Discovery ditionally airs during the event, “Josh Gates Mark Rober and Dude Perfect), Will Smith, & Factual. “Everybody loves Shark Week. Tonight” will go nightly during Shark Week. Snoop Dogg, Adam Devine and a daily Everybody loves talking about Shark Week.” “Josh Gates Tonight” isn’t the only morning “Baby Shark” singalong. Digital Shark Week has been called “Discovery’s curveball to come out of COVID-19 for extensions include an online series with Super Bowl,” and that’s not just hyperbole. Discovery. Shark Week was originally slated YouTube phenom MrBeast and a partner- “Shark Week brings in a different audi- for earlier this summer, in order to avoid ship with Amazon Alexa. ence, a more expansive audience, than we competing with NBC’s coverage of the Sum- “What that’s doing is making Shark get most other weeks of the year,” Daniels mer Olympics. But with the Olympics post- Week relevant for a whole younger genera- says. “We get a lot more A/B county people poned, Discovery was able to push Shark tion,” Daniels says. “We have a very strong watching. We get just a lot more eyeballs Week later, giving the network more time BIG FISH brand — and we have an amazing tentpole than we’re used to getting.” to figure out its programming plans. Shark Week brought event like Shark Week — that is ours to keep in $22.3 million And that pays off in advertising. With stay-at-home orders and limited in U.S. ad revenue strong and relevant across all platforms to According to Standard Media Index, the travel grinding production to a halt, in 2019. all ages and all audiences.” event raked in $22.3 million in U.S. ad revenue last year, up from $18.2 million in 2018. “As with the Super Bowl, you see a lot of demand,” says Scott Kohn, Discov- ery’s executive vice president of national ad sales. “The biggest difference with this is the Super Bowl is a four-hour event. This is a weeklong event. It is one of the high- est-rated weeks of television for Discovery Channel and for the industry.” Daniels is scheduling the upcoming event, airing Aug. 9-16, as such. Last year, she used Shark Week to launch the network’s big-budget nature docu-series “Serengeti” and reality show “Undercover Billionaire,” after much internal debate. Daniels and her team had legitimate concerns about whether the marketing noise surrounding Shark Week would overshadow “Serengeti” and ultimately drown out its debut. But it worked — both “Serengeti” and “Undercover Billionaire” became hits and are in production on second seasons. In 2020, new shows that will be pro - moted out of Shark Week include “Growing Belushi,” “Dodgeball Thunderdome,” “100 Days Wild,” “I Quit” and “Expedition to the Edge,” in addition to new seasons of “Alas- kan Bush People” and “Homestead Rescue.”

DISCOVERY CHANNEL DISCOVERY “It’s an opportunity to reintroduce

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Untitled-5 2 8/7/20 2:41 PM TOP BILLING Hollywood Misses Out on American Latinx Stories

THE EXPERIENCES OF U.S.-BORN TALENT AREN’T at Universal, and Roxann Dawson directed the Christian drama “Breakthrough” for Fox. COMPARABLE TO THOSE OF THEIR LATIN AMERICAN “We’re all thrown into these umbrella COUNTERPARTS By Carlos Aguilar labels that fail to capture our complex his- tories of colonialism and racial oppression and how that’s impacted who has access to this industry and who doesn’t,” says Aurora Guerrero, a queer-identifying Chicana director whose debut feature, “Mosquita y Mari,” premiered at Sundance in 2012. “It’s time we have conversations about these differences, and it’s time they are taken seriously.” Recent shows like “One Day at a Time,” “Gentefied,” “Vida” and “The Casagrandes” have laid the groundwork for a wave of U.S. Latinx content on the small screen, but wide and diverse representation remains distant. Asked how the recent success of Mex- ican filmmakers at the Oscars affects opportunities afforded American Latinos, Peralta says that while it gives mainstream visibility to the community as a whole, U.S. Latinx directors haven’t significantly benefited from that awareness. Guerrero says Latin American filmmakers have a different perspective from U.S. Latinx creatives. “Their stories and their rise to success don’t address the historical exclusion of U.S.-raised Latina filmmakers,” she says. She hopes those who have attained a measure of mainstream recognition use their platform to call attention to the exclusion of Black and Brown U.S. Latinas. Guerrero is in charge of outreach at the newly launched initiative Latinx Direc- FEW CAN ARGUE THAT Latinos haven’t and struggles as Americans with Latino NEXT WAVE tors, a free website founded by filmmakers been greatly underrepresented in Holly- heritage — such as limited access to higher America Ferrera Joel Novoa, Alberto Belli and Diego Velasco. directs Annie wood, particularly at the creative level. A education and a lack of government Gonzalez on the set Weary of studios and executives claiming to key reason, many say, is an insufficient funding for cinema. of “Gentefied.” have difficulty finding Latinx creators, the comprehension of what the terms “Latino” “The industry doesn’t understand where group has built a site including more than and the gender-neutral “Latinx” mean. U.S. Latinx filmmakers and talent fit in,” 135 Latinx directors (both American Latinos When Hollywood thinks about Latino says Diana Peralta, an Afro-Latina, Domin- and Latin Americans working in the U.S.). or Latinx talent, its instinct is to turn to the ican American writer-director, whose film “By grouping everyone from diverse Oscar-winning Mexican directors Alfonso “De Lo Mio” was recently acquired by HBO. Latinx backgrounds in the site, and also Cuarón, Alejandro G. Iñárritu and Guillermo “We’re not ‘Latin’ enough, but we’re not enabling users to filter by heritage, self- del Toro or to acclaimed Spaniards such ‘American’ enough for them either. It’s the identification and level of experience, we as Pedro Almodóvar as mistaken examples common ‘ni de aquí, ni de allá’ [neither will become stronger and more specific while of inclusion. Most would have a difficult from here nor from there] problem. at the same time tearing down stereotypes,” time naming an American Latino filmmaker A report last year by the USC Annenberg says Novoa. “We wanted to show that there besides Robert Rodriguez or creatives other School for Communication and Journalism, is a huge community of talented Latinx than Jennifer Lopez and Eva Longoria. titled “Latinos in Film: Erasure on Screen directors from diverse worlds and experi- Such a superficial grasp of the distinct & Behind the Camera Across 1,200 Popular ences out there.” groups of people included in the ethnic Movies,” noted that among the 4% of films In allowing those in positions of power terms “Latino” and “Latinx” has led to with a Latin American or U.S. Latino director to search the growing and highly detailed the perpetual omission of U.S.-born-and- between 2007 and 2018, only one was database of Latinx storytellers, the hope raised Latinos in front of and behind the helmed by a woman: Mexican-born Patricia is not only to see more get hired for a variety camera. Their experiences are either Riggen. Since the study was released, two of projects, but for the ongoing conversa- entirely ignored or lumped together with American-born Latinas have led major pro- tions on representation to address all of the those of their Latin American counter- ductions. Melina Matsoukas, who identifies nuances of the culture — because when it

parts, disregarding their unique stories as Afro-Latina, directed “Queen & Slim” comes to Latinos, one size doesn’t ﬁt all. KEVIN ESTRADA/NETFLIX

20 VARIETY CHETEAU: CHRIS PIZZELLO/INVISION/AP; BALAZS: ANDRE BALAZS PROPERTIES ‘Chateau Marmont Closed to the Public’ Is Not Going to Be A DOCUMENTARY INTHEWORKS HOTEL INTO APRIVATE CLUB, HEREVEALS THERE’S AS ANDRÉBALAZS TRANSFORMS THESTORIED portfolio alsoincludes London’sportfolio Chiltern sion notto‘fuckit up,’” says Balazs, whose But Imadeitmythe tunaﬁshmelt. mis- thingonthemenuwasand theonlyedible “At they had no liquorlicense that point, Balazscharm, knewthingshadtochange. of theChateau’s andoldHollywood history out.”pops saying that ripsandaspring thesofa seam It’sfuck upthehotel. perfect.’ Andashe’s whatever you do, don’t fuckitup. Don’t ‘André, I’m tomeetyou, but sodelighted in upstate New York. tellingme, “Hestarts with sive interview in thesofa,” Balazs recallsinanexclu- and we sat back down andHelmutleaned hotel for three years. about The couple livingpart-time at hadbeen the Newton andhiswife, June, inthelobby. photographerHelmut ran intolegendary hotelin1990—he61-year-old 63-room alittle over paid edly $12millionfor the theChateau Marmont— hereport-bought JUST AFEWWEEKS While Newton may have enamored been myself“I introduced asthenewowner, afterAndréBalazs Variety fromhisfarm the pastfiveyears. the landmarkhotelfor shooting footageabout André Balazshasbeen HOLLYWOOD HIDEAWAY

By MarcMalkin and travel business, thehoteliercame atstore belongings thehotel year-round. extended-stay andtheoption to bookings butlerservice, willincludepersonal perks ship prices haven’t but announced, been shares.in theform of Member- property ship, thehotelwillnow member-owned be club by theendof 2020. transformed intoaprivatethe hotelwillbe announcinglatecoming, last monththat inwaysChateau saw nooneinHollywood has changed.” place has never changed.’ But everything andredone.touched People still say, ‘This hadbeen“Meanwhile, singlesurface every glad you didn’t doanything,’” Balazs says. larly praiseBalazs. “He’d say, ‘André, I’m so levard just outsidethehotel)would regu- he was drivinghitawall onSunsetBou- inanaccidentdied in2004whenthecar N.Y. onShelterIsland, Sunset Beach Firehouse, TheMercer inNew York City As the pandemic decimated thehotel decimated As thepandemic While Balazs willretainmajorityowner- Now Balazs hasplanstoreenvision the For thenext two decades, Newton (who

and let mein.” still love they’ll Ijust hope theChateau. I made himlaughthat Icannotrepeat. chatted Isaidsomethingthat alittle bit. ety “It was Dave Chapelle,” Waithe tells someone wanted tomeetherpoolside. mys whenEvan party Ross toldher She was attending anAmazon post-Em- her favorite experiences at theChateau. lane.tably turnstoawalk down memory series. I’m notsurewhat todowithit.” “J.J. Abramswanted tomake itaNetflix it’s amovie orifit’s aseries,” hesays. No directorisattached. “Idon’t know if toliveused here. I’ve got filmfootage.” let megive you allthefootage Ihave. I Fonda toldme, ‘Oh, André, my God, likepeople GoreVidal,” hesays. “Jane of hours of hundreds footagefilmed with about fiveshooting years ago. “We’ve whichBalazs began toric landmark, aboutthehis- inadocumentary tured inner sanctumthat’s even moreprivate.” has always private been now just hasan ing of anotherera,wheresomethingthat era. What we’re witnessing istheopen- like we’re witnessing theclosingof an tothepublic,”closed Balazs says. “It’s not eventscarpet andparties. to rent—whenit’s safe todoso—for red and gardenwilllikely available still be available tononmembers, andthelobby premises. At onerestaurant least willbe fromthe barred willbe people ular” discretion andhealth.” toprovideused was Now discretion. it’s doing anyway, except thesafety that we that’shappens what we’ve basically been this industry,” Balazs explains. “Itjust so Ithinkit’sthat, theonlyway for forward extremely way disciplined tosupport behavior andthentrainingstaff inan place physically that social that supports behavior, social ing proper setting upa precautions. andsafetywithout considering health is madetoday, nomatter theindustry, on economics. No business decision former employees.) amongthe distributed $100,000 tobe to lay off staff. (Heeventually donated except for oneof thefirst being hoteliers counters that hedidnothingwrong and-a-half years,” says Balazs, who is unlikely tocomefor back maybe two- nonunion status. insuranceextended health duetotheir toreceivetracted severance packages or of staff, theChateau whowere notcon- onwhenheletgo mostunder fireearly . “Hewas smokingacigarette, andwe Lena Waithe recently oneof recalled For now, talkof theprivatization inevi- That transformation cap- issettobe “Chateau Marmontisnotgoing tobe However, that doesn’t that “reg- mean “Knowing are, whopeople encourag- Reducing thestaff wasn’t just based asit’s hotelindustry known“The been VARIETY TOP BILLING Vari- 21 TOP BILLING

“I think Tim and Swizz were blown away Isolation Sensation by what we were able to offer — 1080p high-definition video and high-fidel- ity audio, coupled with something we’ve VERZUZ, THE (FRIENDLY) COMPETITION IN WHICH ARTISTS BATTLE never done at Apple, which is the social-engagement interface,” Jackson tells Vari- EACH OTHER, LEVELS UP TO APPLE By Jem Aswad ety. “These kinds of broadcasts are usually a linear video stream with no social-chat engagement, and it was really important to figure out that element. So Jack [Dorsey, Twitter co-founder and CEO] opened up the coding, engineering and design teams at Twitter to help us integrate it into the live broadcast. You’re seeing the manifestation of that work now; with Snoop and DMX we had GIFs and emojis as part of the inline social element.” Twitter was eager to work with Verzuz because it’s “bringing two incredible artists together in conversation, through the music and around the music,” says Dorsey. “Twitter is the conversation layer on top of that, enabling fans to mix it up on their own and extend the discussion past the bound- aries of the event time. It’s been amazing to see the conversation flow on Twitter leading up to a Verzuz battle and what goes down during and for days after.” While the series has been a boon for all involved, arguably the biggest winners are the competitors, who have seen the streaming numbers on their catalogs soar an average of 200% — more than 300% for some — with the boosts sustaining for several weeks, a source tells Variety. A prereq- uisite for competing is “at least 20 hits,” which makes the participants veterans, VERZUZ, the popular DJ battle where artists combination of sports-like competition, if not legends, but many have not had a like Snoop Dogg and DMX playfully lock classic hits, nostalgia and social media major chart success in recent years. horns to showcase their stuff, has teamed conversation. “This is the best idea for catalog [pro- up with Apple Music and Twitter in an It all started when Timbaland called out motion] since I got involved in music effort to elevate the production quality and Swizz on Instagram. In response, Swizz streaming eight years ago,” Jackson says. engagement for the quarantine hit. told Variety earlier this year, “I loaded up “The only other thing I’ve seen that’s as One of the quantifiable entertainment my beat machine and called him out too. effective is something like the Grammys successes of the lockdown, the series — We went live and the audience went wild — or the Super Bowl. Snoop’s [1993 debut which pits one veteran hip-hop or R&B talking to us, responding to the tracks.” album] ‘Doggystyle’ went into the Top 15 artist or producer against another — has But the subsequent competitions often on iTunes after his Verzuz, from being drawn nearly half a million viewers per suffered from technical difficulties and completely off the charts.” installment and many thousands of com- subpar sound as well as the limitations of While the Apple partnership has cer- ments. The appeal for fans? Dissecting the Instagram platform — to say nothing tainly strengthened Verzuz’s delivery, tunes they know intimately, recalling their of the potential licensing complication of Jackson says he’s glad the company didn’t time of discovery or simply rooting for the broadcasting to half a million people music get involved earlier. “It took flight in a DIY hotter track in real time. that has your name on it but you might not kind of way, and we don’t need to push it Launched in March by veteran pro- own. Partnering with Apple, which is fully to another level. It’s trending on its own ducers Swizz Beatz (who has worked with licensed, solves this problem. without us marketing it, and I think if we artists including Jay-Z, DMX and his own Competing streaming services saw protect the rough, understated nature of wife, Alicia Keys) and Timbaland (Jus- opportunity, which led to a bidding war the battles, we can continue on with this tin Timberlake, Missy Elliott, Jay-Z, Aali- won by Apple Music, largely due to a strate- for some time.” yah), the series has rapidly grown into a gic partnership with Twitter, where much franchise matching the likes of Kenneth of the social conversation around the bat- “Babyface” Edmonds against Teddy Riley tles was taking place. After a pair of test and Erykah Badu versus Jill Scott. While runs, the partnership launched officially the concept had been percolating for a in late July with the Snoop-DMX matchup. couple years and Swizz and Timbaland Apple Music’s Larry Jackson was the con- had squared off at festivals in the past, the nector, bringing Twitter to the mix with “This is the best idea for pair — inspired by the popularity and good Swizz and Timbaland — both of whom he’s catalog [promotion] since vibes of D-Nice’s DJ sets from home early known since his days as a label executive I got involved in music in the pandemic — saw that Verzuz could in the early 2000s. Exact terms of the deal streaming eight years ago.” ease the loneliness of isolation with its were not disclosed. Larry Jackson, Apple Music

22 VARIETY TOP BILLING

IN THE RUNNING Michael Schneider

hungry for those experiences,” one exec tells me. “I don’t think that we’re going to be able to take our foot off the gas of these more fantastical elements of the campaign. Now, do we have to do them for as long as we’ve been doing? Probably not. Can we take what we’ve done during stay-at- home and have some sort of amalgamation or marrying of the two? Probably. We’ve learned a lot from the changes that we were forced into doing. But I don’t think that’s going to stop us from entertaining voters. I think voters want to be entertained.” Next year, with a later Oscar season encroaching on Emmy campaign terri- tory, expect perhaps even bigger events (presuming the world inches back to normalcy) as networks and studios take advantage of simultaneously targeting talent guild and TV Academy voters. “I do not envision significant cutbacks,” another exec says. “Awards are the new 365/24/7 effort. Here’s the worst-kept secret — tal- Are Leaner, Meaner ent really want awards. And as long as they do, there will be awards campaigns.” Now that new streamers like Disney Plus, Emmy Campaigns Here Apple TV Plus, HBO Max and Quibi have gotten a taste of Emmy love — along with the just-launched Peacock and a revamped CBS to Stay? Nah! All Access presumably getting more aggres- sive in the awards space — next year will be as competitive as ever. GLUT OF PLATFORMS, TALENT WILL SPARK A BIG RETURN One exec says the surprise nominations OF EVENTS WHEN THE MASKS COME OFF of shows like “The Mandalorian,” “What We Do in the Shadows” and “Unortho- dox,” along with stars like Zendaya from “Euphoria,” are signs that the makeup of IT SEEMS LIKE it was a lifetime ago, but it which often can play a large role in deter- the Emmy voting body may already be was only last year that the busiest Emmy mining front-runners. evolving to become younger and more campaign season ever kept us out vir- But I’m not sure it made any difference. diverse. That opens the door to campaign- tually every night of the week. That Even without its pricey pop-up, Netflix ing for more shows that once would have included seeing Bruce Springsteen and landed 160 Emmy nominations, the most been seen as long shots. David Letterman onstage at the Netflix of any network in history. And newcomer “I’m excited for the changes, because it “FYSee” space, interacting with “The Disney Plus scored 19 nods, including 15 changes how you think about what you’re Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” exhibit during for “The Mandalorian,” with virtually no going to campaign,” the exec says. “For Amazon Prime Video’s takeover of the campaigning at all. so long, the Academy has been sort of the Hollywood Athletic Club and watching a Now, with people still stuck at home for staid old guard. We started to see that live orchestra perform at the Greek The- the foreseeable future — even if we finally change a little bit last year with ‘Fleabag’ atre, set to scenes from various National start getting this coronavirus under con- and ‘Schitt’s Creek’ getting in. Now we saw Geographic productions. trol — and corporate bean counters look- it completely change this year.” There had never quite been an Emmy ing at ways to slash costs, it’s worth The success of genre shows like “Man- For Your Consideration season like 2019, asking: Does this mean perhaps a pull- dalorian” and “Shadows” also has some but this year promised to be even louder, back from last year’s particularly aggres- campaigners wondering if there’s a Com- even bigger — until the COVID-19 pan- sive brand of campaigning? ic-Con/fan festival effect at play. If so, that

demic hit. Without the razzle-dazzle of GLORY DAYS When I posed this question to several also supports the argument that campaign A-list talent, catered spreads of gourmet Bruce Springsteen awards executives at some of the indus- events are valuable and likely to come back food and Instagram-worthy photo ops, last chats with Martin try’s biggest outlets, the answer was pretty in a major way. month’s Emmy nominations relied more Scorsese at the much the same — and to paraphrase: “Bite “Campaigns are here to stay, because Netflix FYSee than usual on the way things used to be event last year your tongue, Mike!” Once people can go out awards appeal to everyone,” an exec says. done: based solely on the merits of what for “Springsteen of the house again, the events will return. “Just in the same way every show goes to voters had seen. The lack of events also on Broadway.” The And they may be bigger than ever. Comic-Con, PaleyFest and any fest any- evening included a disrupted the usual habit of voters com- special perfor- “I think that when we are able to get where. It’s about the talent, and it’s about

CHARLEY GALLAY/GETTY IMAGES FOR NETFLIX FOR IMAGES CHARLEY GALLAY/GETTY paring notes and building buzz in person, mance by the Boss. back to normal, people are going to be the fans.”

VARIETY 23 Untitled-3 1 8/6/20 11:32 PM Untitled-3 2 8/6/20 11:32 PM TOP BILLING Nicole Byer Has a Sweet Idea for Beyoncé

THE ‘NAILED IT’ HOST TALKS ABOUT HER HISTORY-MAKING EMMY NOM AND WHY QUEEN BEY SHOULD BE A GUEST JUDGE ON THE SHOW

NICOLE BYER has made history by becom- audition for so much. I just put myself on get mad at me over that, but it hasn’t been ing the first Black woman to be nominated tape for something the other day. But I had announced yet. for an Emmy for outstanding host for a a meeting with the production company reality or competition program for her Magical Elves — and truly what a mag- I noticed your Zoom ID says “Whoopi work on the fourth season of Netflix’s ama- ical way to get a job is, by meeting with Goldberg.” THE BIG TICKET teur bake-off series “Nailed It!” “People someone, and then they actually hire you. It is a joke, and I refuse to change it. It Marc sometimes go, ‘It’s very humbling,’ but I’m I’ve had so many meetings where I see the made you laugh, so it’s doing its job. Malkin like humbling means you’re smaller than movie later and I’m like, “Oh, so they went you are. … This is affirming,” the 33-year- in a different direction.” But I met with the Do you miss touring your standup during old comedian tells Variety during a Zoom production company, and I don’t know who, all of this craziness? Hear this interview in its entirety on Variety and interview from her home in Los Angeles. “I but somebody had seen me perform, and I miss performing so much. In 2019, my iHeart’s “The Big Ticket” feel delightful, and I love screaming around they said that they liked my style of comedy goal was to get an hour of material togeth- podcast, available on Aug. 13. my house, ‘I am an Emmy nominee!’” and that they were looking for a comedian er that I love, that is cohesive, that is just Even so, she’s not preparing an accep- because they did want the show to be funny, a graduation of my half hour that’s on tance speech anytime soon. “I will lose to but they didn’t want it to be mean funny. I Netflix. I was literally on tour almost every RuPaul, and I’m fine with that,” says Byer, was like, “Well, I’m not an insult comic. I week. I think I was gone maybe 40 weeks who co-hosts multiple podcasts, includ- don’t have that in me. But I do think I can out of the year, 30 weeks out of the year. ing “Drag Her!,” a podcast about “RuPaul’s call out the reality of the situation.” It was something crazy. And then when I Drag Race.” (In June, she also released wasn’t touring, I was working and it was her first book, “#VERYFAT #VERYBRAVE: Who is your dream guest judge? just this really hectic lifestyle that I grew The Fat Girl’s Guide to Being #Brave and I would love Beyoncé. Somebody has to go to love. And this year I was like, “I need a Not a Dejected, Melancholy, Down-in-the- to school with Blue Ivy, in the production little bit of a break.” And the world said, “I Dumps Weeping Fat Girl in a Bikini.”) or at Netflix, that can be like, “Blue, do you hear you loud and clear, you dumb bitch. Although there will be no red carpet to watch ‘Nailed It!’?” And she’s like, “Yes, I Here’s a big break.” walk at the Emmys on Sept. 20 — the cer- do.” And then we bring Beyoncé, we bring emony will be held virtually — Byer is still Jay, we bring Blue, and we have the whole Having modeled your collection of bikinis looking for something to wear. “I think I beautiful family. Rumi and Sir, they can in your book, when are you starting your might do multiple costume changes. I might come too. Maybe Kelly comes, and then own line? get on my roller skates for a little bit,” she maybe Miss Tina comes. Miss Tina’s very Honestly, hopefully soon. I’m in the midst says. “Just because we’re inside and it’s funny. I want the whole clan. I love them. of trying to figure out how to do that. I not the most appealing thing to go to the would love that very much because I love Zoom Emmys, I’m going to make the Zoom When do you start shooting Season 5? bikinis. I have so many. I have over 100, Emmys the most fun thing I’ve ever been to.” I don’t know if it’s been announced, so I and I understand what my body type don’t know how to answer that question. Is would like. And I hope that that translates What did they tell you when you first went there a Season 5? Who knows? I think it’s for other body types. I want women to just in to audition for “Nailed It!”? safe to say that the show will come back. It embrace the body that they have. I didn’t audition. She’s offer only! I’m was nominated for an Emmy. I think it’s

kidding. I am absolutely not offer only. I very safe to say. I don’t think anyone will This interview has been edited and condensed. KIM NEWMONEY

26 VARIETY YUSUF HAWKINS: HBO; FEIG: REDBIRD; COUNTRY LINE FLORALS: @STEPHANIESCHUSTER to stock up onextra ofto stock batteries. packs Preorder for at wearerewind.fr $105(notincludingshipping). about there’s for means tape afriendwas andarechargeable theultimate lithium battery thoughtfulgift, noneed connection. Therecording it’sBluetooth functionmeans toreturn to thosedays easy whenmakingamix- and“Stranger by the nostalgiaInspired Things,” of “Guardians of theGalaxy” thestereo player alsooffers a play fromthegrooviest that —orfromyour offer tapes indiebands releases vintage cassette-only collection. cassettedle school player. French designerWe AreRewind’s minimalist aluminumcassette to deckisready EDITED BYPATSAPERSTEIN|[email protected] Take Your Tunes on aRetro Trip Buy IT COMES IN BRIGHT ORANGE, IT COMESINBRIGHTORANGE, mellow Delftblueorunderstated gray, andit’s fromyour mid- afarcry Line Florals is taking rootLine Floralsistaking withhelp from mobile bouquetdelivery County service flowers hasbeenblooming. Spencer’s during thepandemic. Butherinterest in had toputheractingcareer onhold “True Detective,” hasfor themostpart shows including “Reprisal”on TV and Abigail Spencer Abigail Spencerhasfound afertile creative outlet County LineFlorals Grows CustomBouquetService , whohasappeared DEVOUR it ishaving [them] inthehomeall ficult itistogetflowers andhow lovely few,” Spencersays. “Realizing how dif- seemed toresonate withmore thana would want inmy home,andthathas around everything to designing whatI nicknamed Betty. “Irealized Iwas drawn her Instagram-worthy VWvan, vintage PAT SAPERSTEIN mixed witheucalyptusandthistle. pinkice proteagea, andkingprotea favorite bloomsincludepegeehydran- Playa Vista’s Alchemy Works. Spencer’s and soon,asemi-permanentspaceat to coffee shops,Joshua Tree weddings time” ledhertotake Bettyon theroad ‘They Wish ‘Yusuf Hawkins’ TheyWere Us’ Already seriesstarring setupasaTV old teengalvanizedactivistsoftheday, Watch story ofevil,upscaleLong Islandteens. school murder mystery isanengrossing Sydney Sweeney of“Euphoria,” theprep Read movement, the mentary “Yusuf Hawkins: StormOver including theRev. AlSharpton.Docu- Long before theBlackLives Matter Brooklyn,” onHBO, tellsHawkins’ story. show “Quarantine CocktailTime.” and mixology tipsonhisInstagramLive with 11botanicals.Feig provides banter would bea“gentle gateway gin” blended director PaulFeig decidedhisspirit Instead ofthetypicaltequilaorvodka, Artingstall’s Gin Drink VARIETY

1989 murder ofa16-year- 27 DIRT DIRT

$3.4M

HOLLYWOOD HILLS

4,100 SQ. FT. 4 BEDROOMS 5 BATHS

of the cholo Goth electronic rock duo Kat Von D Stamps Prayers, the Mexico-born entrepreneur purchased the 1920s Spanish residence in 2011 for almost $2.2 million. Price on Spanish Gem Set behind a vine-encrusted wall with secured entry gates, and highlighted by a turreted entry with restored inlaid vintage floor tiles, the historic home retains much TATTOO ARTIST and reality TV personality-turned-cosmetics tycoon and budding of its original and elaborate architectural vegan shoe purveyor Katherine Von Drachenberg, better known to pop culture afi- detailing. In the grand formal living room, cionados as Kat Von D, hopes to ink a $3.4 million deal for her former house in the carved-wood friezes and an antique fire- celeb-favored Outpost Estates area of the Hollywood Hills. Listings, jointly held by place belie a state-of-the-art media system Jamie Sher of The Sher Group and Marissa Faith of Deasy Penner Podley, show the that includes a film-projection screen that just-over-4,100-square-foot house has four bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms plus a drops out of the arched ceiling. There are built-in china cabinets in both the dining guesthouse that sits atop a detached two-car garage. Married in 2018 to Rafael Reyes room and an informal lounge or breakfast room that spills out to the backyard through French doors. Upstairs, an arched colon- nade wraps around the wrought iron-railed MARK DAVID staircase and leads to a couple of guest THE REAL ESTALKER bedrooms and a spacious owner’s suite. KAT VON D: FAYE SADOU/MEDIAPUNCH/IPX FAYE D: VON KAT

28 VARIETY

Untitled-3 1 8/6/20 11:33 PM Untitled-3 2 8/6/20 11:33 PM COLUMBIA RECORDS CONGRATULATES John Legend Variety’s 2020 Music Mogul Of The Year

Untitled-4 1 8/7/20 2:40 PM ► 33

Music Mogul of the Year

> The Big Payback John Legend How the ultimate Music’s deep-rooted multi-hyphenate language problem p.52 built an empire > Hustle and Flow The ins and outs p.34 with a purpose of carve-outs p.60 ► 34 Music Mogul by A.D. Amorosi Photographs by Ramona Rosales

When Social That’s Justice and Legendary

Business Savvy Collide:

> John Legend, Variety’s Music Mogul of 2020, on his film and TV projects, Black consciousness in the age of Trump, and finding “the sound of love in a pretty scary time” GUTTER CREDIT ► 36 Music Mogul

Notwithstanding his visible and The two consider his enmity a badge talked-about role as a social justice of honor. gadﬂy and policy wonk, Legend, 41, “President Trump is obviously remains a deeply passionate musi- a bigot,” says Legend coolly. “He’s cian who in 2020 has made color- been a bigot his entire life. I believe ful R&B that’s optimistic and bright, he is a eugenicist. … He’s not capa- even in the face of a global pan- ble of leading the country when we demic and radical social upheaval. have moments of racial unrest and Talk to the singer-songwriter about responses to racism. We’re always the Juneteenth-released “Bigger going to be a weaker nation with him Love,” and he explains that the joy, in charge, and it is an urgent priority grief and romance that inform its that he is not in charge.” 16 songs make sense in these most Legend’s sense of self and self- divisive of times. worth, his understanding of com- “Part of the album is about resil- merce and his willingness to branch ience — that love can help us pow- out are some of the things that have er through hard times,” he says. “Of made him a mogul. Since 2005, he course, I didn’t know I was releasing has held the note on his touring ‘Bigger Love’ during a pandemic or company (which includes private that, two weeks before its release, concerts) as well as owning his pub- there’d be a nine-minute snuff lishing, administered by BMG. There

video of an ofﬁcer killing George is the LVE Collection of wines (in col- BERLUTI AND TURTLENECK: JACKET FARMER;: Floyd. I didn’t know what land- laboration with Napa Valley’s Ray- scape I’d be releasing this album mond Vineyards) and a wealth of into. I do believe that there is more product endorsements, from Hint to the Black experience in America Water and Stella Artois beer to Pam- than mourning, anger and outrage. pers and Google Assistant. The last There’s more to our humanity. I was deal led to Legend becoming the looking for the sound of love in what voice of the AI app until recently. is a pretty scary time.” Both the Pampers and Google Legend is a provocative politi- Assistant ad runs were created in cal thinker, activist and advocate for unison with Teigen, a model, cook- social and racial justice who puts his book author and social media force time and money where his mouth is. with her own unique voice. “When He worked on the “Yes We Can” vid- it comes to Chrissy, I’m there as a John Legend is a lover man, a fami- eo with Will.i.am in 2008 that was friend, adviser and support system ly man, a soul man, an EGOT, a ﬁlm built from then-presidential can- — to talk her up — but she’s running and television producer, and — in a didate Barack Obama’s concession her own show,” he says. role that certainly has not escaped speech in New Hampshire — a vid- His collaborative nature has also the attention of the president of the eo that some say helped turn around served him well. He and his production United States, or most anyone else — his Democratic primary campaign venture, Get Lifted Film Co., executive a political animal. That he does it all against Hillary Clinton. He readily produced NBC’s 2018 Emmy-winning with conscience and consciousness takes on systemic issues — especial- “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Con- is what makes Legend a potent force, ly when it comes to subjects such as cert,” alongside Andrew Lloyd Web- whether he’s discussing public poli- COVID-19, Black Lives Matter and the ber, Tim Rice, Marc Platt, Craig Zadan cy, dissing Donald Trump or croon- president who has followed Obama. and Neil Meron, with Legend in the ing the songs of hope, heritage and Donald Trump once tweeted that title role. Get Lifted was behind the devotion recently found on his sev- Legend was “boring” and his wife, 2017 Broadway production of August

enth studio album, “Bigger Love.” Chrissy Teigen, “filthy mouthed.” Wilson’s “Jitney,” which won a Tony for PAM II; MAKEUP: STEPHENS RON PIERI; BARBER: MATTEO STYLIST: ASSISTANT GROUP; WALL THOMAS/THE DAVID STYLING: (PREVIOUS SPREAD) Untitled-7 1 8/6/20 11:34 PM ► 38 Music Mogul Photographs by Ramona Rosales

best play revival. And the second stop on his EGOT tour, an Oscar for original song for “Glory” in Ava DuVernay’s 2014 ﬁlm “Selma,” was shared with co-writer and co-performer Common. “John is one of the greatest collaborators I’ve worked with,” says Com- mon, who has also hooked up with Legend on some of his own albums. “When we created ‘Glory,’ it was a phone call about being the heart and soul of the movie. He asked me for three titles, and we went with that one. From that title, he wrote the chorus. That chorus exempliﬁes and embodies everything I imagined and more.”

Ask John Legend what makes him adept at so many things and he laughs. “I like to think I do everything with passion,” he says, “but certainly music comes first.” The artistic enterprise nearest his heart after music is Get Lifted, launched in 2012 and named for his breakthrough 2004 debut album. He uses three words to measure the company’s success: “Impact, influence and integrity.” And profit? “We care about making money,” he allows, “but I’m fine with that. The reason we have success in ancillary businesses beyond music is because we hire really good people and partner with really good people. We hold ourselves and those we work with to high standards. We come together to create some-

thing wonderful and beautiful, be it RICHFRESH SHIRT: CUSTOM DIOR; COAT: MUSICAL MOGUL OF THE YEAR CONGRATULATIONS JOHN!

FROM ALL OF US AT

JOHN LEGEND IS WEARING THE SPERRY MEN’S BAHAMA II SNEAKER IN SALT WASHED WHITE. AVAILABLE AT SPERRY.COM/JOHNLEGEND

Untitled-15 1 8/6/20 11:45 PM ► 40 Music Mogul “I do believe that there is more to the Black experience in America than mourning, anger and outrage.” — John Legend

a song, a film or television produc- he was evolved, so what was the best Railroad — even before the pres- Black stories with range, outside the tion, or something geared toward way to prove that? By utilizing the ent-day BLM movement. This puts typical box that Black art was most social and racial justice.” scope of that platform and the things Get Lifted ahead of the conscious- often put in for too long.” The “we” that Legend refers to are we wanted to put out into the world.” ness-raising curve, a point of pride In October, Netflix debuted Get longtime friends and associates Mike That meant creating content out- for its principals. Lifted’s “Rhythm + Flow,” the stream- Jackson and Ty Stiklorius. Stiklorius side of music, in a universe where “A lot of this interest started after ing service’s first musical competi- also acts as his lead manager. Leg- Legend could promote a story he #OscarsSoWhite, the power of Black tion series. The show features Cardi end’s trust in friendship goes deep: wanted to share, or identify peo- Twitter, and seeing that [there] was B, Chance the Rapper and Tip “T.I.” Before him, Stiklorius never man- ple with tales to tell and generat- a viable market to see Black tal- Harris judging unsigned rappers. aged an artist. ing opportunities for them. “He’s ent on the screen, more so than in In addition to “Jitney” and “Jesus Legend and Stiklorius attended the reason I got involved in televi- the past,” recalls Legend, who also Christ Superstar” Get Lifted also had the University of Pennsylvania in sion and film,” Legend says of Jack- points to the game-changing block- a production credit on “La La Land,” the ’90s. She sang with him in Coun- son, “after explaining to me how buster “Black Panther.” “A film such which won six Oscars and grossed terparts, a university vocal group of the business worked and that my as that showed if you do it right and more than $150 million in the U.S. which he was musical director. She name did actually mean something in have financial success, you can tell and nearly $450 million worldwide. learned early on that they both had Hollywood.” activist souls. “Back when I start- Success for Legend as a multi- × Legend and wife Chrissy Teigen work in ed working with him, he had just hyphenate came quickly; Get Lift- unison on a number of product endorsements. put out ‘Get Lifted,’” says Stiklor- ed won an overall deal from Univer- ius of Legend’s double-platinum sal just nine months after the trio debut that won Grammys for R&B launched the company. Still, Legend album and male R&B performance. says the process was not an easy “He was so smart and so thought- one. “The first thing that studios ful. John, at that point, was the guy wanted to know was if I was serious giving me books to read about poli- about all this,” he recalls. Adds Jack- tics and poverty. That was his thing: son: “I think people thought that always raising the consciousness of this was just another musician and anyone around him.” another vanity project.” Jackson, who went to Penn State, Get Lifted has championed proj- had dated Stiklorius in high school in ects that are close to Legend’s heart. Philadelphia. She introduced him to The 2015-16 Pop TV reality series Legend. Fresh out of college in 1999, “Sing It On” involved competitive Legend tapped Jackson to be his collegiate a cappella teams, like the manager. Jackson says he knew Leg- one he led at Penn. end’s ambitions went far beyond that The company was creating mul- of the average singer-songwriter. ticultural, socially just and racially “John had visions of what he could driven content with a twist — such do to make the world a better place,” as WGN America’s drama “Under- Jackson says. “We all believed that ground” (1.4 million viewers for its 2016 premiere), about slaves escap-

ing the South via the Underground AGOSTINI/INVISION/AP EVAN John, your presence in the world of entertainment and social justice is exemplary, congratulations on this well-deserved honor. We are proud and grateful to have been by your side for the past 16 years. Your words of activism for rightful causes along with your lyrics to soothe our souls have inspired all of us and will for lifetimes to come.

With love and respect, DAVID & EVERYONE AT DL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT/ADEPTUS PARTNERS

0811 WV DL Business Manager BW.v2.indd 1 7/27/20 1:40 PM TRULY. A LEGEND.

CONGRATULATIONS FROM ALL YOUR FRIENDS AT BMG.

Untitled-5 1 8/6/20 11:33 PM Photographs Music Mogul ► 43 by Ramona Rosales

In April 2019, after a bidding war, the end of the year. discuss specific dollar amounts, the in 2015. “When he turned his Oscar the company signed a three-year Get Lifted entered the project company is believed to be valued in speech into something about crim- overall deal with ABC Studios to at the script level (Legend will also the mid- to upper-eight figures. inal justice reform — and nobody develop scripted TV shows, moving contribute a song, “Make It Work”), “We can invest in a young direc- was talking about that back then — on from an earlier pact with Sony and Talbert says that the company’s tor and will do that because we have he turned my head around quickly. I Pictures TV. involvement in his tale of a toymak- that leverage,” says Stiklorius. “We never realized so many people were Along with a documentary deal er, his adventurous granddaughter look for high-quality, unapologetical- incarcerated in comparison with at HBO, Get Lifted is working with and a magical invention that might ly Black projects. We look for multi- those who had been enslaved. Plus, IFC (a second season of the “Sher- change their lives has cast its own cultural projects. We’re feminists. We he’s been to the prisons. He hires staff man’s Showcase” sketch comedy spell. “John’s belief in me as an art- look for stories that reflect marginal- for his team who have been incar- with writer-hosts Bashir Salahuddin ist, my wife Lyn as a producer and ized populations that don’t always get cerated. He’s on the front lines with and Diallo Riddle has been greenlit), his love for the project made ‘Jingle their stories told with integrity. We his words, effort, money and ener- NBC (Legend is, of course, a judge on Jangle’ bulletproof,” he says. “And stand for leveling the playing field of gy. Like Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, “The Voice”) and Netflix. it’s damn sure gonna have some opportunity. You can crack open peo- Marvin Gaye, Public Enemy and KRS- The streamer is not only prepar- great music.” ple’s hearts and get a lot done with One, John is an artist who sings and ing for “Rhythm + Flow” Season 2 The mogul life has been good to music. Same with great film and tele- speaks about the change, and helps as soon as social distancing filming John Legend. He earns between $50 vision content. We’re constantly try- make the change.” opens; it also reportedly paid out its million and $100 million per year ing to wake people up.” Legend says cities should be largest budget for a Black-directed from his various projects — music Stiklorius started working with examining how much they spend on film for “Jingle Jangle: A Christmas publishing, royalties, endorsements, Legend on John Legend Ventures in policing, “and whether or not that is Journey,” a holiday-themed musical film and TV productions, even his 2005, and calls it “a structural back- healthy for our community. from “First Sunday” helmer David E. wine enterprise. His personal net end” for their current collaborations. “We are fucking up so much stuff Talbert and starring Forest Whitak- worth is estimated to be between $50 She is also his partner in FreeAmerica, on the front end that the only way er, Anika Noni Rose and Keegan-Mi- million and $75 million. And though a culture-change campaign focused to clean up our mess is to use the chael Key, due to be released toward the Get Lifted principals won’t on ending mass incarceration. police to contain it, and use the jails Common recalls Legend’s words

COAT, SHIRT, PANTS: PAUL SMITH PAUL PANTS: SHIRT, COAT, on the subject at the Academy Awards ► 44 Music Mogul Photographs by Ramona Rosales

to punish and control it. What would be more moral would be to spend money on the front end to make sure that people have the input in their lives that could make them healthier and safer. … That’s the right conversation that community organizers and activists are asking us to have. The wrong conversation is to retrain the same guys to keep breaking the rules and the laws. We’ve tried for decades. It hasn’t worked.”

A good mogul makes promises. A great mogul keeps them. “I plan to use my social skills and my musical talents to be a positive role model for my fellow African Americans. I envision a successful musical career that will allow me to obtain high visibility in the community. This, in turn, will put me in a position of great inﬂu- ence, which I will utilize in order to be an advocate for the advancement of Blacks in America.” Those were the words John Legend wrote at age 14, when he still went by the name John Roger Stephens, in a Martin Luther King Jr. birthday essay for his hometown newspaper, the Dayton Daily News in Ohio, on how he planned to make an impact on Black history during his lifetime. But Legend was always precocious. He was born into a working-class family in which his mother sang and directed the church choir. His father played drums. He got his ﬁrst pia- no lessons at age 4 and initially was

schooled at home by his mother. He RICHFRESH SUIT AND SHIRT: CUSTOM

ERIC RAY DAVIDSON DAVIDSON RAY RAY ERIC ERIC

A Legend in Name. A Legend in Action. WE SALUTE YOU, JOHN, ON THIS GREAT HONOR.

with love and respect, your family at

0811 WV Myman Greenspan.V4.indd 1 8/7/20 1:33 PM You’re an inspiration to all of us. We’re so proud of all you’ve accomplished and the style and grace in which you’ve navigated your journey. Congratulations on being acknowledged for the thing we’ve always known you were. FRIEND. LEADER. MOGUL. WeWe love you and look forward to creatcreatinging mmanyany moremore wonwonderfulderful memormemoriesies withwith you.you.

MIKE,MIKE, TYTY,, MICHAELMMICHAEL,IC , AUSAUSTYN,TYN, TOTTOMMY,OMMYMMY, MACMAC,, NICNICKNICK,K, NNIKOIKIKOO AANANDND AARARII

0811 WV GET LIFTED.v3.indd 1 8/7/20 11:14 AM WHAT DREW ME TO YOU 15 YEARS AGO WAS YOUR TALENT AS AN ARTIST — A GREAT PIANIST, A SINGULAR VOCAL QUALITY, AND YOUR OBVIOUS TALENT AS A WRITER

What I didn’t know then, but do know now, is that whatever musical chops you have are only equal to — or maybe even superseded by — your commitment to making the world a better place and as I’ve said to so many people (about you) “putting your mouth where your money is” — that is, never backing off something you believe in. I hope that none of those qualities ever leave you, and in fact, grow stronger just as those beautiful little ones grow up. It’s a joy to work wi¨ you! KEN

0811 WV KEN EHRLICH - JOHN LEGEND.indd 1 8/6/20 11:24 PM ► 48 Music Mogul “John is an artist who sings and speaks about the change, and helps make the change.” — Common

started high school at an early age They already did an interview with world: “an initiative that will be Stiklorius, whose Friends at Work and was an excellent student. He my family on Zoom to get some good placed in cities across the country management team also reps Char- turned down Harvard, among oth- dirt.” Though the show is sure to be — not just to get back to normal, but lie Puth, Lindsey Stirling and Rapha- ers, to attend Penn. fictionalized, he says, “They want it to to institute an improved version of el Saadiq, the producer of “Big- But why read it here when you be authentic and capture what it was what normal means,” he says. ger Love.” “We know the business might soon be able to see it? One like to be a 12-year-old starting high And then there’s the new music. models and the ways to do it. As a project in the Get Lifted pipeline is an school — someone who was home- While “Bigger Love” can’t be sup- full-service management team with “Everybody Hates Chris”-like series schooled and grew up in the church ported with a tour (not until 2021 at a 40-person infrastructure, there’s based on Legend’s adolescence. “The before that, and was musical.” the earliest, anyway), Legend, Stik- almost nothing that we can’t do that ideal place for this would be ABC,” As for his political work, there lorius and their teams are working a label can do if John decided to go says Legend, “where we have a deal are the discussions he’s having with on everything from newly filmed that route.” and where we’re working with the the philanthropic and policymaking music videos and social media cam- Legend continues the thread, not- team from ‘The Goldbergs’ to help communities to fund a form of equi- paigns to additional television spots ing that he doesn’t focus as much us find a writer to develop my story. table recovery in a post-COVID-19 for the singer beyond ABC’s recent on money earned from record- “John Legend and Family: Bigger ings because “the way you mone- × Get Lifted Film Co. principals Mike Jackson and Ty Stiklorius are Love Father’s Day,” which featured tize your work is through so many longtime friends of Legend’s; Stiklorius is also his lead manager. Stevie Wonder, Anthony Anderson, other things, beyond streams and Shaquille O’Neal and Patton Oswalt. physical sales. For me, recording is When asked if his new album is about building my legacy and my aimed at a streaming audience, Leg- brand, and using it as a calling card end is frank. “It’s less so than oth- to do other things, like perform live. er artists’, younger artists’,” he says. We can do it on our own; the ques- “We weren’t able to do a vinyl and a tion is, do we want to? Columbia has CD version of this album in time for been cool. I’ve been there since the the release date, because of COVID beginning of my career, and we’ve — we’re going to release those lat- had a lot of success together. Obvi- er — so the fact that hard copy sales ously, personnel changes matter — [weren’t] included in that [first] week’s [chairman/CEO] Ron Perry is fairly release means we haven’t reached the new there, and we’re getting to know people we normally get to.” each other — but we’ve had a great With one album left on Legend’s run there. Ask me in a year.” Ulti- Columbia contract, an interesting mately, the determination may come question arises for the music-mak- down to whatever lets him best carry er: Will he stay at the major label out that mission statement he wrote that gave him his first big shot back at age 14. As those words of self-de- in 2004, or is it time to deepen the termination and community uplift ties of friendship? are read back to him, he considers “What an artist needs today is how things have played out. not the same as it was when we “I certainly have been trying to do

signed … or even ﬁve years ago,” says that my entire career,” Legend says. IMAGES E. RODRIGUEZ/GETTY ALBERTO CONGRATULATIONS JOHN LEGEND 2020 MUSIC MOGUL OF THE YEAR

Untitled-6 1 8/6/20 11:34 PM

CONGRATS JOHN LEGEND VARIETY’SON BEING NAMED MUSIC MOGUL OF THE YEAR

WE HAVE THE DISTINCT HONOR OF BEING ABLE TO WORK ALONGSIDE SOMEONE WHO IS NOT ONLY INCREDIBLY TALENTED BUT ALSO A PASSIONATE CHANGE MAKER.

YOU ARE SO DESERVING OF THIS HONOR AND WE COULDN’T THINK OF A BETTER PERSON TO REPRESENT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A MUSIC MOGUL TODAY.

LOVE, THE FRIENDS AT WORK TEAM

Untitled-11 1 8/6/20 11:41 PM ► 52 The Big Payback Breaking the

Black artists fight for and the elimination of and slave’ terminology that right — from music by Shirley Halperin Illustrations and Jeremy Helligar by Olivia Fields Chains

equality, equity stakes triggering ‘master — yes, you read industry contracts ► 54 History Lesson Williams was bothered. that at February StaplesCenter, backstage duringtherehearsals But amajorGrammybe moment. tointernational smashandsoon year’s topsellerintheU.S., an was theprevioussong “Happy” Hisinfectious hit smiling. to be intheworldhad allthereasons ducer PharrellWilliams andartist BACK IN2015, The BigPayback 1890s National Registry in2013). ofCongress’in theLibrary ofitstime(included the “Happy” records “TheLaughingSong,” Former slave George W. Johnson songwriter, pro- company Sony Musicin2017. would ascend toCEOofparent by Robed Stringer. Theexecutive Columbia Recordsdeal, was head- liams’ hits, hefelt lucky. derive. To quoteanotherofWil- — andeven pop, country hip-hop ’n’ genres —rock all modern roll, ofBlacktalentfromwhombacks ofexploitation: namely,ry onthe builtonashamefulhisto- industry makeup ofan thevery questioned thatan acknowledgment of equity of hisintellectualproperty. Itwas and publishingarmsfor control ly negotiated withSony’s recorded two past decades, hadpainstaking- collaborators ofin-demand the has madehimoneof themost master recordings. tract gave himownership ofhis- guage. thecon- Most important, Rubik’s of contractual lan- Cube” as“athrough what hedescribes termsfor better eraged himself negotiating inwhichhelev- adeal Records just over ayear prior, withColumbiaHe hadsigned 1919 “I shouldn’t theonlyone be At thetimeWilliams sethis Williams, whosetrackrecord four years later. Black-owned label,itcloses Phonograph Records. Thefirst Broome Special establishes George Wellington Broome Pharrell Williams Pharrell July 1955 releases hisdebut single, “Maybellene.” Rock ’n’ roll founding father Chuck Berry label groupshavelabel responded Whilethemajorby whitemen. at theseniorexecutiveed level remains significantlydominat- the diversity inabusiness that executivestry arescrutinizing eration ofconsumers andindus- masters. Meanwhile, anewgen- not outrightownership, oftheir proﬁt if termsandmorecontrol, try. aredemandingbetter Artists activismacross theindus-ened tracts comes at atimeof height- wordscharged inmusiccon- and othersfor eliminating such forthem anddistributed retailsale. cal copies that were from pressed source recordings andthephysi- a way of distinguishing between to theduplication process; itwas music, referred theterminology tal era,inthecontext ofrecorded recording studio. Inthepre-digi- trical engineeringandinmany a relationship inelec- subservient ly linked toindicate adominant/ that have common- longbeen slave allthecopies being made.” themainrecording andthe being and‘slave.’— like ‘master’ Master withtheterminology Start thing. “get ofthisanddotheright ahead liams suggested that thecompany they have theownership.” but youseeds; dotheharvesting, where you have andGod laidthe weird: Theyreally own theﬁelds just working for someoneelse. It’s you’re —otherwise tual property shouldownartists theirintellec- liams recallstellingStringer. “All with thispreferred deal,” Wil- k f b debu ounding Ber e The advocacy byWilliams and“slave”“Master” areterms Following Wil- that thread, ll ene.” Fields Olivia by Illustrations ry t

BERRY: AP GORDY: JOHN BARRETT/PHOTOLINK.NET/MEDIAPUNCH/IPX; KING: ANTHONY CAMERANO/AP; CORNELIUS: AP ship of theirsongsfollowed them. the ’70sand’80s. Lackofowner- Capitol Records in asperformers toWarnerswitched Bros. andlater Motown Records inthe’60s;they with deal writing andproduction toasong- Simpson —was signed ford —thetwo went by Ashford & NickAsh- with herlate husband, says Valerie who, Simpson, along else,’” asmuchsomebody paid and wait aminute, I’m notgetting realize, own my ‘They masters, mon amongveteran artists. father’s viewof what transpired. screwed me,’” Hayes IIIsays ofhis Atlantic Records. “‘Y’all really and itsmasters towindupat Memphis company togo under, that would eventually causethe a slewof less successful records money that torelease was used made up70%ofStax’s profits, the business. Hisfather’s music thefamily’ssoured of perception his dad’s HotButtered Soullabel of StaxandThe bankruptcies managing hisfather’s estate. to navigate suchtrickyterrain From“Theme ‘Shaft’”). original songOscar(for 1971’s the first towinthe Blackartist of thelate soul star, whowas ple,” says IsaacHayes III,son Blackpeo- needs music industry the themusicindustry; need relationships. nature ofartist-label contractual of transitionfor great theperiod inawhether that islipservice resources, insidersquestion tice ofmoney withpledges and to themovement for racialjus- “It takes awhilefor you toeven That experience isnotuncom- The younger Hayes hashad donot“In 2020,Blackpeople Jan. 12,1959 Black-owned record label. to bethemostsuccessful Motown, whichwillgo on Berry Gordy Jr. founds the inauguralceremony. mance for “Tequila” —at perfor-rhythm &blues first R&B Grammy — The Champswinthe May 4,1959 Epic, RCA andColumbia. presidents, of includingtheheads liams spoke before some20 label 2018 inNew York City, whereWil- meetingheldinMarch leadership at aSonythe reaction executive ing toanattendee. Itwas notunlike accord- intheroom, gasp was heard When hesaidtheword “slave,” a Dorsey andactorCharlize Theron. Twitter chiefJack fy CEODanielEk, Lucas, BrianGrazer, producer Spoti- Lucian Grainge, ﬁlmmaker George Universal MusicGroupchairman crowd an invite-only that included Campat Google inSicilyfrontof ina“conversation”he participated thetopic.about Sixmonths later, confronted record company brass Stringer wouldn’t thelast timehe be and Gwen Stefani. with suchstars asBritney Spears onhisownof hitsinglesboth and despiteastring under-compensated unfavorable termsfound Williams of hispre-Sony agreements—whose meant,”or what itreally herecalls didn’t Iwas even in thedeal realize wasn’ttual property mine, andI woven intomany of hiscontracts. off, Williamstook theterms spotted in Virginia Va. Beach, Ashiscareer business fromR&B star Teddy Riley ofthemusic theropes learning whenin suchamannerasteen, and“slave”words “master” paired Williams theloaded recallshearing Williams’ conversation with ownership of my“The intellec- The BigPayback superstar, follows himatthe summitwith“MyGuy.” “Hello, Wells, Dolly!”Mary Motown’s firstsolo knocked from theperch by Louis Armstrong’s Loves You,” “Can’t Buy MeLove”), are theBeatles three songs(“IWant toHoldYour Hand,” “She 14After weeks with chart atopthepopsingles a ,16 Oct.2,1971 May 9,1964 cheek inthe’90s during word “SLAVE” onhis famously wrote the efforts ofPrince,who as shackles.” maybe bedescribed selves from whatcan who liberatedthem- sle, Prince,Kanye West, like Jay-Z, NipseyHus- idols —“heroic figures more contemporary thy. At 30, Timothy has DuvalTimo- artist jazz labels,” says modern ly white-owned record exploited by large- being ofBlackartists ry “There’s adeephisto- Inspired by the Jr. LutherMartin King April 4,1968 isassassinated. that doesn’t this mean white guysinsuits.But and doesn’t spare the to othercharacters, and Hussle,inaddition sions ofthelatePrince tion-animation ver- “Slave” stop-mo- stars purchasing hismasters. his firstrelease since of thesamename.It’s recently dropped asong don andSierraLeone, between SouthLon- histimewho divides recordings, Timothy, Bros., over hismaster with hislabel,Warner a protracted battle o of View on‘Slave’ A Millennial’sPoint b breaks ofindustryshackles free artistDuval Timothy U.K. U The musicvideofor ► “Soul Train,” theBlack answer to“American Bandstand,” debuts, with Don Cornelius 55 —Jeremy Helligar itive future outlook.” looking atitfrom apos- large critique,butI’m more like reform. It’s a system altogether. It’s like, let’s abolishthe a manbelow. “It’s not they extend ahandto to PrinceandHussleas nexton amountaintop who isshown standing ship,” says Timothy, is more ofapartner- ant, toseeavisionthat tive was quiteimport- hand totheA&Rexecu- scene where we offer a compromise. “Thatlast millennial isunwilling to ashost. ► 56 the “ThemeFrom ‘Shaft.’” original songOscarfor Isaac Hayes April 10, 1972 Sweat Equity their masters — orfought for —ownership of Some artistsfamouslyretained winsthe figurations andbox sets. never-ending ofrecon- series itol’s onhisPearl label,viaa thatusedtobeCap- catalog self-rereleased themassive for hismastersearly, andhas savvy enoughtonegotiate was superstar The country catalog inunloanedplaces Garth Brooks keeps his Motown in1971. them whenhere-signed with master recordings, obtaining ing ownership ofhisprevious curve negotiat- insuccessfully Wonder was way ofthe ahead a masters blaster Stevie Wonder: box setsitcontrols.) bonus materialonlyontothe which iswhy thegroup packs backward isanothermatter— (Everything from “Let ItBleed” Virgin to, finally, Universal. fromhas shifted Atlantic to whosedistribution catalog “Sticky Fingers” on—a50-year 1971, owning from everything The bandformed alabelin gathers nomoss Rolling Stonescatalog “Innervisions.” album oftheyear Grammy, for first Blackperformer towinthe Stevie Wonder the becomes March 2,1974 The BigPayback we never say never? Many superstars Machine was ultimatelyinvain.Orshould control therecordings shemadefor Big a householdphrase,even to ifherquest one, for making“owning your masters” Taylor Swift isresponsible, more thanany- Bros. andbacktoColumbia. albums from ColumbiatoWarner Simon brought hispost-Garfunkel tol toConcord backtoCapitol; oeuvrepost-Beatles from Capi- his shifted McCartney homes. returning themtotheiroriginal label tobefore outright andmoved themfrom writers own theirsolocatalogs ontherun!Bothsong- Catalog McCartney andSimon The two Pauls: years earlier. Warner MusicGroup agood18 madewithmination ofadeal new negotiationbutasthecul- ofatheir masters…notaspart 2012 thatthey’d justgottenall kingsannouncedinThe metal deal gratification Metallica’s very delayed- of DefJamin2004. when hebecamepresident recordings ofthedeal part made owning hisprior The hip-hopentrepreneur included ownership Jay-Z’s blueprint “Rapper’s Delight,” by theSugarhill chart, peaking atNo. peaking chart, 36. Gang, becomes thefirstrapsingle Gang, becomes to goTop 40onthepopsingles January 1980 by ChrisWillman by the Eagles. “Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975)” overall,best-selling behindonly andthesecond- a Blackartist albumby all-time best-selling “Thriller,” whichwillbecomethe Michael Jackson Nov. 30,1982 control theirown recorded destinies: grail. Afew examples ofmusicianswho how hard thatholy itcanbetoobtain Prince’s showed quest decades-long just ting ownership although oftheircatalogs, before herhave timeget- hadaneasier releases releases m o m d 1 n by by 97 onl e t d - 5)” better endofthatdeal. getting theirmastersinthe well over $100millionfrom manager saidthegroup made ownership.plus catalog Crüe’s settled for $2millionofthat— owed $12millionby Elektra,it In the’90s, whenthebandwas feel-good payday Mötley Crüe’s with Roc Nation. was settingupherimprint her oldmasterswhenshe R&B-pop acquired superstar decade intohercareer, the In 2016, justalittleover a under herumbrella keepsRihanna everything he died. fortory acoupleyears before he onlygottoenjoy thatvic- deluxe reissue campaign.But proviso thatheagree toa years later, itwas withthe almost20of hisWBcatalog When hefinallygotcontrol write “SLAVE” on hischeek. with Warner Bros. ledhimto 1990sA legendary standoff almost totheend staysen-“slave”-edPrince h e y

JAGGER, WONDER, HAYES, JACKSON: AP (4); MCCARTNEY: SCOTT WEINER/MEDIAPUNCH/IPX; SIMON: MALCOLM CLARKE/AP; PRINCE: RICHARD DREW/AP; JAY-Z: GREG ALLEN/INVISION/AP; RIHANNA: KGC-03/STAR MAX/IPX; BROOKS: BOB GALBRAITH/AP; HAMMETT: STEFFEN SCHMIDT/KEYSTONE/AP; CRUE:ROSS MARINO ARCHIVE/MEDIAPUNCH/IPX The Big Payback Illustrations ► 57 “In 2020, by Black people Olivia do not Fields need the music they have been treated like slaves really dating you back a couple Black executives and signing inte- industry; by the masters who they signed hundred years.” grated bands. The bait and switch contracts with. That’s been true While the verbiage of machines surprised the label’s white staff. the music since the early 1900s, and it is cer- “slaving” for a “master” is com- “The term ‘carpetbagger’? I industry tainly true now.” mon in tech and electronics, Wil- heard that used once or twice needs Sony so far is the only one of liams connects the normalization around the studio,” says Terry Man- the three majors to alter its con- of such language to the very found- ning, a Stax engineer from 1963 Black people.” tracts. Such wording presumably ing of America: “Men who felt supe- until it shut its Memphis doors — Isaac Hayes III remains at UMG (Kendrick Lamar, rior and that they were the civilizers in 1975. “It was devastating what Kanye West, Lady Gaga, Billie Eil- of the planet, by way of colonizing, Atlantic did to Stax. I’m sure there’s ish) and Warner Music Group (Bru- they set up every business and another side to it out of New York, no Mars, Ed Sheeran, Cardi B). (Vari- organization in this way. They built but it felt very sneaky, like they ety reached out to both label groups this country like a corporation.” tricked [owner] Jimmy Stewart — for comment.) Black artists are also cognizant who at the time was probably naive As recently as the ninth edition of the reprehensible exploitation to a point in the business world of Donald Passman’s industry bible of their predecessors in the not- — and ended up with the master “All You Need to Know About the too-distant past. Consider Mem- rights to everything. The lifeblood “I understood once Pharrell Music Business,” released in 2015, phis’ Stax Records, for instance. of a record company is its catalog.” mentioned the sensitivity of it, as the veteran attorney wrote that a Home to Otis Redding, Booker T. & did the rest of the group, and the master is the “controlling entity the M.G.’s, and Isaac Hayes, its cat- changes were made immediate- from which all copies are made — alog was essentially snatched up ly,” says Sylvia Rhone, chairwom- the machines making the copies by Atlantic Records from under an and CEO of Epic, home to Tra- are slaves. master/slave; get it?” The its owners’ noses. The messenger: vis Scott and Camila Cabello. Sony passage was removed from the cur- label president Jerry Wexler, a for- general counsel and exec VP Julie rent edition, released in 2019. “In mer journalist who coined the term Swidler affirms that action was tak- updating my book, I realized this “rhythm and blues” in 1949 as a en promptly. “We never realized long-used industry term was inap- less offensive alternative to “race H [the words] could be offensive, but propriate in the 21st century,” Pass- records.” Stax was unusually inclu- if it bothers even one person, we’re man tells Variety. “I felt bad that I sive for the 1960s in employing How are companies like Universal taking it out,” she says of the direc- had previously been tone deaf to the Music Group, Sony Music and War- tive from above concerning con- issue and wish I had thought more ner Music Group, with revenues of tracts going forward. And they’re seriously about it earlier.” $8 billion, $4 billion and $4.5 bil- also looking at past deals: “We have He’s not alone. Many Black art- lion, respectively, supposed to reas- hundreds of thousands of contracts, ists don’t make the connection. sess the very nature of their busi- some going back 100 years.” Passman’s longtime client Ray ness: the commodification of master Therein lies the crux of the lan- Parker Jr. hadn’t until interviewed recordings that typically direct some guage problem: its roots. “The his- for this story. “It was said so much 80% of the profits to the label? tory of enslavement has always that I didn’t notice,” marvels Park- Ask seasoned executives why haunted the music industry and er, who wrote and performed the the business is structured this way, always structured it,” says Josh 1984 No. 1 hit “Ghostbusters.” and they’ll defend their place in the Kun, chair in cross-cultural com- “It’s an underlying thing. It’s not industry food chain as being key munication at USC Annenberg only the racism above the ground. investors in developing talent and School for Communication and I never really thought about the bringing art to the world, for which Journalism. “The long-standing master-and-the-slave thing, but it costs hundreds of thousands, if belief and conviction of so many that’s exactly what it’s called. It’s Isaac Hayes III not millions, of dollars to market and Black artists, throughout the 20th promote. Record companies are an

JEFF/SMITH: LENNOX MCLENDON/AP; DMC: MARK LENNIHAN/AP; BIRDMAN: JOHN NACION/STAR MAX/IPX BIRDMAN: JOHN NACION/STAR DMC: MARK LENNIHAN/AP; MCLENDON/AP; LENNOX JEFF/SMITH: century and into this one, is that equity partner companies because

Michael Jackson’s At the 31st annual Grammy Brothers Bryan “Billie Jean” is the Awards, DJ Jazzy Jeff & the “Birdman” Williams first video by a Black Fresh Prince win the first rap and Ronald “Slim” artist to receive heavy performance award, for “Par- Williams found Cash rotation on MTV. ents Just Don’t Understand.” Money Records.

1983 July 15, 1986 Feb. 22, 1989 1990 1991

“Raising Hell,” by Run-Run- Sylvia Rhone makes history as the D.M.C., becomes thethe first Black woman to head a major first hip-hop albumm record label when she assumes to go platinum. the position of CEO-president of Atlantic’s East/West Records. years ago, it’s nightandday.”” than10years agobetter —and20 were five years ago, times ahundred fornificantly better thanthey artists the 2000s. “Contracts now aresig- inthe1990sandinto stars earned uptick fromthe15%to18%that top and aggregate streams, asignificant salecentage oneach earn artists in the20s,” says theexec oftheper- tonever anything about used hear royalty rates have gone up. “We inmaster rights, ny participate both tures, andcompa- whereanartist ofjointven-tion tothefrequency thisup,backs notingthat inaddi- before.been It’s thefairthingtodo.” ever thanthey’ve pro-ownership “All thecontracts aremuchmore last two orthreeyears,” says Rhone. royalty rates andterms. arereceivingartists morefavorable have evolved significantlyandthat veterans alsocontend that deals gold orplatinumreach status. Such few ablevery to tocrackthecode it’s ahigh-riskinvestment, with ► A high-rankingA&R executive have“Things over changed the 58 1993 symbol. Prince changes Prince changes his nametoa Valerie Simpson Feb. 4,2004 at theGrammys. win albumoftheyear the firstrapalbumto The Love becomes Below” OutKast’s “Speakerboxxx/ in asense, still according operating was,1964, butthemusicindustry and void bytheCivilRightsAct of Crow null laws declared hadbeen Jim andintheboardroom. charts music,ther segregated onthe both head. one label race butsuggested alifestyle,” says a radioformat that didn’t suggest a with buyingtime. was really “Urban and station advertisers moreat ease more comfortable withBlackmusic, white executives (andaudiences) ironically asaneutralway tomake in New York, in1974— coined that Frankie Crocker, aDJ at WBLS dant term“Urban.” Itwas aterm underthedescen- lumped being cade, was musicbyBlackartists and “R&B” inthe’70s, by mid-de- records,” “soul” thenrechristened Black artists.” including employees andmusicby many sectorsofthemusicindustry, a generalization in ofBlackpeople into “have andit developed shifted, term”quated whoseconnotations Republic theword cited asan“anti- forcalled endingtheuse of“Urban.” Drake, NickiMinajandLilWayne — withCash Moneytion deal Records, on itsroster —andviaadistribu- Ariana GrandeandPost Malone Records, whichcounts Taylor Swift, lor. That’s whenUMG’s Republic andBreonnaTay-Ahmaud Arbery quick succession, of George Floyd, country, bythedeaths, prompted in to systemic racismthroughoutthe this year withthepublicawakening itshead ranks. Theproblemreared ever, isindiversity intheexecutive Instead, somesuggestInstead, itfur- First categorized as“race lags, how-Where theindustry The BigPayback March 27, 2006 March 27, for thefinaltime. 35-year era,“Soul Train” airs Marking theendofanearly “It’s the the “It’s discussion isthat there arethose Spotify, actscan’t pop get arrested.” twice asmany stations, pop andon for radio, for example, thereare counters, “That’s unfairtosay since, Although vet alabel artist. a pop 30%smallerthanthosefor can be today,true budgets whereUrban money.”and thebroader That’s still don’t have togive you thebigbucks thatin your way because area they happy tokeep isvery you industry and“I’m Woman.” Every By” “The Enough,” “You’re All toGet INeed classics “Ain’t No MountainHigh the includeproducing credits get around,” says whose Simpson, sider givingthemaspin.. programmerswouldpop even con- themselves at “urban” radiobefore tions, hadtoprove butBlackartists radiosta- pop at theall-important ist could automatically get added Awhiteart-to that oldtradition. — PharrellWilliams wiring.” and faulty asbestos There’s buildings. are old These rebuilt. to be that needs system Illustrating thecomplexity ofthe hardto isreally category “That e.2,20 March 12,2007 Feb. 25,2007 actress for “Dreamgirls.” Oscar, supporting taking Black woman towinan onlythefourthbecomes Jennifer Hudson “American Idol”alumnus 07 hat

there

are

those

opportunity for theircommunities opportunity theirown tocreate ing people butempower-language iscool, empowered andpaid.”are hired, inthewayreflected Blackpeople radio stations and isacknowledged by Blackartists,ﬁed executives and and ampli-of themusiccreated themassive“I hope culturalimpact ture andthesymbolism,” shesays. we have thenomencla- updated ing like ourwork isdonebecause ranging thedeckchairsandfeel- racial reckoning, we aren’t just rear- momentof in thisunprecedented performative gestures. that “Ihope — expresses skepticism such about You”/”You’re All toGetBy” INeed Manduet“I’llBeThereforod J.ing the2003Mary Blige-Meth- another,” asshedidwhileoversee- cab fromonemastering session to job was to“take theslave by tapes “On theRecord”umentary —her who’s inthe HBOMaxdoc- featured and Arista Records A&R executive, I don’t want ittoget erased.” that it’s themost litgenre inmusic, Now Icomethe word. fromUrban. cussion onthesubject:“Iembrace dis- inapanel Holiday articulated Shawn of Urban Columbia co-head justiceto social organizations). As alsocommittedlabel $25million moveand forward-thinking (the for whatback itthought was abold Republiction. even received blow- blight —asissooftentheassocia- note thedensityof citylife —or and notnecessarily tocon- meant “urbane,” “sophisticated,” meaning thetermwas derived from After all, ofpride. asapoint who viewUrban Offers Hayes: “Changing the Drew Dixon, theformer DefJam Fields Olivia by Illustrations and Roll HallofFame. inducted intotheRock hip-hop acttobe become thefirst and theFurious Five Grandmaster Flash

OUTKAST: JOHN BAZEMORE/AP; HUDSON: DANNY MOLOSHOK/AP RUCKER: PETER KRAMER/AP; BLIGE: CHRIS PIZZELLO/INVISION/AP; NAS X: ANDREW WENDOWSKI/IMAGESPACE/MEDIAPUNCH/IPX ment to addressing and promoting ment toaddressing andpromoting “Reviewing thecompany’s commit- ItsmissionHarleston. statement: utive) andgeneral counsel Jeffrey ny byaBlackexec- always run be — later UMG—that thecompa- tion of its1988 sale toMCA Records (whose founders madeitacondi- presidentofHabtemariam, Motown byEthiopiaingful Change led ofaTaskcreation Force for Mean- fundsandthelion inearmarked nebulous intheirdescription. sometimes as vows albeit ofaction, $200million—aswell pledging nik, Russian-born billionaireLenBlavat- and Warner MusicGroup, owned by UMG committing $100millioneach financial pledges, withSony and Many were messagesed ofsupport. stratum post- ofcompanies every has aBlackMusicdivision). Ray CharlesandDinahWashington, catalog includesArethaFranklin, (worth noting:Atlantic, whosedeep na Agyemang andJamila Thomas by Atlantic Records execs Brian- day. Theinitiative was launched withJune 2’stry Blackout Tues- forculminated themusicindus- it momentuminthespring, gained As theBlackLives Matter movement what it’s about.” —that’s departments tives andart A&Rs, Blackengineersandexecu- nies tohave Blackstaff, Black — allowing Blackrecord compa- At UMG, $25mil- thisincluded take oftheyear. newartist Assn. Award andthefirstto Music Pride, towinaCountry legendCharley country second Blacksinger, after Darius Rucker Nov. 11, 2009 becomes the becomes Tidal,T for $56.2 million. Asp Aspiro, owner ofthestreaming service Jay-Z purchases Norwegian company January 2015 idal, for iro , o versation, itfelt like thecompany Whenwea standard. hadthat con- humility. They allholdthemselves to andyou withrespect aregreeted “Sony company, aJapanese being tive of vet color: Urban Holiday. er hisassistant) andasingleexecu- women (oneBandier’s wife, theoth- two 20whitemen, which counted dinneratgoodbye 21inManhattan, photo fromBandier’s March2019 thanamuch-circulated no further Look icant changingoftheguard. company asignif- andrepresented Black executive music ofaglobal made Platt thehighest-ranking veteran Bandier. Martin Themove ATV last year tosucceed publishing and bringingJon Platt intoSony/ woman andCEOofEpicin2019 it didinpromotingRhonetochair- to show progress,important which active one,” ineach says Rhone. various town halls. “Rob was very company, withStringer sitting inon division Sony/ATV andacross the held at individuallabels, publishing lawsuit discussion was —andopen and Taylor inafederal civilrights senting thefamiliesofArbery, Floyd attorney BenCrump, whoisrepre- by cation —includinganappearance advocates. At Sony, afullday ofedu- protest alongsideBlackLives Matter over theworld were encouraged to public appearances, employees all wrote“SLAVE”artist onhischeekin of hiscatalog in the 1990sthat the tentiously withPrince over control munity andtheworld at large.” of bias, withinUMG, themusiccom- tolerance, equality, andelimination- wner $ 56.2 million. “They listened,”“They says Williams. At Sony inparticular, itwas At Warner, which fought socon- The BigPayback

the

stream ing g se rvice

2 2017 “ a y a p M “Mighty River” from thesamefilm. actress in“Mudbound” andsong,for year, scoringnodsfor supporting and originalsongOscarsinthesame person tobenominatedfor acting J.Mary Blige counterparts have,counterparts that Blackfolks tion andautonomy that theirwhite haveare withinlabels thediscre- sure that theBlackexecutives who Brown explains. “We want tomake promotionandhiring,”ment, executives at thelabels, advance- between Blackexecutives andwhite advisers andadvocates. as Azoff Quincy Jones andIrving legends likesecured Clarence Avant, asofficial allies,Gaga, artist and ing Williams, BillieEilishandLady ofperformers, includ- on hundreds biz’s whitestatus quo. Ithassigned mission istoshake upthe primary seven othermanagers andexecs, its see Chance theRapper’s career, and vet andmusicianwhohelps over- alawyer,by BintaBrown, startup inJune that Co-founded standard. to is holdingtherest oftheindustry do better. we will.’” Infact, at itlike look up andreally ‘We can they were cognizant andﬁrst towake but ‘i’ dotted, andevery crossed been that’s has ‘t’ nottosay that every ofothers.it was disrespectful And just they got knew inlinebecause becomes thefirst becomes “We want toaddress parity pay The BlackMusicAction Coalition album “DAMN.” Prize,forPulitzer his2017 the firstrappertowin Kendrick Lamarbecomes pi 6 08June2,2020 April 16,2018 Sylvia Rhone 2019 1 singleinhistory. No.longest-running Road” the becomes Lil Nas X’s “Old Town ► are relinquishingpower.” longer you agiven that todoadeal, value they bringtothetable. It’s no Williams. have “They toshow the for theartist,”essary says Pharrell over thelast few nec- years asbeing nies have hadtoprove themselves “Record footing. on equal compa- entity that putimprintandparent stakes onequity business isbased withUMG, aligned as —both whose “Coach Thom- K” LeeandPierre“P” Ronald “Slim” Williams andKevin “Birdman” duos Bryan Williams and respectively, by entrepreneurial ity Control —owned andoperated, ans’ Cash Money andAtlanta’s Qual- like houselabels today New Orle- andfaultywiring.”asbestos These areoldbuildings. There’s the system rebuilt. tobe that needs in thesecompanies,” hesays. “It’s ers, advocates andalliesthat work 2020’s racialreckoning. great to the progress madeintherunup fering fromPTSD, buthealsohails interests. Hejokes that he’s still suf- ful reorganization ofhisbusiness then-lawyer Peter Paterno’s success- or tohismanager Ron Lafitte and agreementshehadinplace pri- ed thelopsid- ful language todescribe exploitative job.” for —themost artist-unfriendly, know what up they“They signed do they care,” says atopmanager. tite for theseconversations, nor don’tmajor labels] have theappe- sheets andP&L statements.” ture alsohave control over balance who have acommand of thecul- Indeed, the “smart buildings” of the“smart buildings”of Indeed, aresomeamazinglead- “There Williams useshisown color- “[The doubtersabound. Still, 59 business forbusiness aday. byand AhmaudArbery ceasing of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor remembersindustry thekillings On Blackout Tuesday, themusic w o e J . n une 2 , 2020 ► 60 Hustle and Flow by Chris Willman Illustration by Mark Weaver

The Music Industry’s

Side Ways

> The biz is full of execs holding down label gigs while still maintaining outside jobs as managers or producers GUTTER CREDIT VARIETY 61 ► 62 Hustle and Flow

Steven Victor has managed Pusha as a way to pay less, or be able to radio show interviewing songwrit- T and The-Dream while being Def afford hiring someone.” One of the ers. But he says that having a firm Jam’s exec VP of A&R, then mov- drawbacks, the lawyer says, is that grasp on which gig is your day job ing into an A&R senior VP role for “when someone has a side gig, you is key: “That’s the only way it works, the wider Universal Music Group. don’t know where someone’s loyal- man, is that I wake up every morn- DJ Mormile, now Def Jam’s exec VP ty is, and the employers don’t always ing and go to Peer Music [a compa- West Coast, is also the manager of love split attention.” ny that recently became a top 10 Mike Will Made It and Soulja Boy. Danny Bennett, who has man- publisher in Nashville]. I’ve got to It’s hardly a one-company phe- aged his father, Tony, for 41 years have that in my system every day in In the music industry, it can some- nomenon, though. Don Was is the and recently spent three as presi- order to make all these other things times feel like old hat to be wearing president of esteemed jazz label dent-CEO of the Verve Label Group, operate properly. But them allowing only one hat. The business contin- Blue Note while intermittently hav- disputes the idea that fulfilling more me to be a little bit of a Renaissance ues to show its openness to exec- ing his out-of-office flag up to pro- than one gig at a time is too demand- man — or loose cannon — benefits utives having multiple roles, even duce rocker clients like the Rolling ing. “People who didn’t know me Peer because it helps with my rela- if it’s not always clear which gig is Stones. While Aaron Bay-Schuck, would say, ‘You’re going to get over- tionships with songwriters. You’ve their “A” job and which is their side now of Warner Records, was still the whelmed,’ but frankly, I’ve never got to find a way to make it all be hustle, if you will. Want to take a head of A&R at Interscope, he was been overwhelmed by anything,” part of the same finish line.” high-level label position and still managing the Futuristics. When Bennett says. “I restructured the While many execs and compa- find outside fulfillment as a manag- Gabz Landman was recently hired company, launched a number of nies see unofficial synergy in let- er or producer? Not every company as VP of A&R at Warner, she was labels, increased jazz and classi- ting corporate talent go free range, has a cavalier attitude about letting able to keep managing new artist cal market share, and my revenue others perceive conflicts of interest. top employees potentially divide Amy Allen, whom she discovered streams were 60% year over year … Martin Kierszenbaum decided, of their attention. But for a multitude while working in publishing. Chaka while I was also producing Tony’s his own accord, not to try to do it all. of reasons, a “carve-out” in a con- Zulu, Ludacris’ manager, took on an NBC special for his 90th birthday.” He was involved in Lady Gaga’s ear- tract that allows a key hire to keep added gig last year when he joined That juggling does require an innate ly career as president of A&R Pop/ pursuing an outside position is a Spotify as a consultant dedicated to multitasking mindset, he allows: “I Rock at Interscope and then went common allowance. interacting with the artist communi- have this weird thing where I can on to found the Cherrytree Music “Any great manager has entre- ty. And the beat goes on.… read a book and have a conversation Co., which he eventually took out preneurship in their DNA, so having But the reasons for allowing, or at the same time, but that’s just me.” from under Universal Music Group’s multiple interests, investments and even encouraging, a carve-out can In Nashville, Michael Knox is a umbrella after signing Sting as a projects isn’t unusual,” notes one differ: from an abundance of power prime example of someone with management client. “Sting is signed high-level industry source. “If you and creativity on the part of the exec multiple plates in the air. He’s pro- to Interscope,” Kierszenbaum told earned that much clout and power, who has one, to a company’s inabili- duced 22 No. 1 singles for country the U.K.’s Music Week, “so I was you obviously did something right.” ty to provide top-level salaries with- superstar Jason Aldean, and when much more comfortable being out- This friendly setup occurs at out letting recruits have some action he decided to return to the publish- side of Universal managing such some of the biggest companies in on the side. “A lot of times they allow ing world several years into that an incredible artist that’s signed to the business as well as boutique the carve-out because they want ongoing run, Peer Music gave him a Universal. It removed any potential labels. Def Jam is an example of a to capitalize on a relationship, or deal as senior VP that allowed him conflict. A lot of people don’t have a label where fluidity has recently they’re looking for extra access to to keep producing chart toppers. He problem with that, but I don’t like it.” ruled. In February, Paul Rosenberg a repertoire — like when they want also recently started his own label But Kierszenbaum’s perspective stepped down as Def Jam’s CEO, but to hire a manager with three acts affiliated with BBR (Aldean’s com- is clearly the exception among exec- in the two years he held the role, he they’re interested in,” says one of pany) and has a syndicated weekly utives in many fields of entertain- was doing that and continuing to the top attorneys in the business. ment, says a top lawyer. “Execs in manage longtime client Eminem. “But the major labels also use this film have production deals,” says the AMY SUSSMAN/AP IMAGES FOR TIME WARNER CABLE “Allowing “Allowing songwriters.” with relationships with my it helps because company benefits cannon — loose man —or Renaissance bit ofa be alittle me to on top of his duties as a label head at at head on topofhisduties asalabel tacit admission that doingthat work onlyonmanagementto focus as a Media. Hallwood spun that divisionoff intohis own groupanding —heleftthelabel biggest so—withitsbless passion, andthatagement was afterall, his man wanted tofocus onproducer scope Geffen A&M wasn’t sureit andsuperstars.”ing artists ducers andwriters while[still] sign- company that actuallymanages pro was: No, no, no. We a are going tobe role. But my wholevisionfor Geffen they have whilehaving anexecutive continue tomanage that theartists allowed wherethey’re their labels to whohaveleagues agreementswith ofGeffen.“I have asapart ated col- these clientsandmore…butitoper agement company that represented He was allowed todevelop aman presidentofGeffen Records.became my Iovine’s right-hand then man, Haynie —went asJim toInterscope ers like BrendanO’Brien andEmile er, alongwithwritersandproduc- college buddy, hitmaker Jeff Bhask ly days his inthebizhadmanaged Neil Jacobson —whosince hisear when kind ofrelationship occurred they callthosesituations incubators.” money fromthebigtechcompany; they leave,on, sometimeswithseed ny, catches andwhenthestartup employedbeing by abigcompa have at astartup thesametimeas attorney. someonemight “Intech, — MichaelKnox But don’t take Jacobson’s decision Ultimately, Jacobson says, Inter An instance that that parallels [ the the ]

------their carve-out.” who earn these arethepeople mud, who builttheirbusiness fromthe guys But the carve-outs. ver spoon than thesemillionaireswiththeirsil more thecarve-out business deserve these newkidsjust coming into the of cases, yes. Salariesareso low that ties inalotofcases. Is Inalot itbad? the source areinequi adds. “There financially,”a fucked-up position puts you in theindustry is because ate multiplesources ofincome. lower ontheladder, tocre theneed veterans —or, industry ed for those the rewards that areduetorespect thinkingoutsidethebox andtion, for having reasons todowithambi nomenon that won’t going away, be self open.” headds, But, it’s aphe- your- formance is. You leave takepeople shotsat how your per you’re“When wearing multiple hats, targeted. they canwindupbeing multitaskerstalented inthebizsays make itallﬂow together.” to make thingslike that work and alittlegot crazyandADD, tobe man, er, “You’ve andpodcaster: head label produc jobs ofpublishingchieftain, hecantakesis asareason onthe and really turnitintoastrength.”and really able totakebe what was aweakness and IthinkI’ve found alotofways to like that people energy myself have … has todowithanextra amountof feeling ADHDisthat about itoften “It’d outmost people. freak But my you freak probably out,” helaughs. sit inmy for cockpit aday, itwould “IfyouGeffen much. was were too to “The reason for most carve-outs for most reason carve-outs “The A source with whooften deals Knox usesthesameself-diagno ------x 2012 eventfordoc“TheZenofBennett”attheTribecaFilmFest. Tony BennettgetsanassistfromsonDanny,hismanager,duringa Hustle andFlow ► 63 THURSDAY, AUGUST 13 4 PM PDT / 7 PM EDT

An exclusive screening and Q&A with series stars Jason Bateman, Laura Linney, Julia Garner, executive producer/showrunner/writer Chris Mundy, director Alik Sakharov, cinematographer Armando Salas, ASC and production designer David Bomba.

MODERATED BY MARC MALKIN Senior Events & Lifestyle Editor, Variety

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As a reliance on established Emmy intellectual property has engulfed the industry as a whole, the 72nd annual Primetime Nominations Emmy Awards have also put a spot- light on adaptations, reboots and Embrace brand extensions. Examples abound, from HBO’s graphic novel adaptation “Watchmen” to Netﬂix’s interac- Existing IP tive “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” movie “Kimmy vs. the Reverend” BRAND RECOGNITION GIVES and “Breaking Bad” stand-alone fol- ADAPTATIONS A BUILT-IN AUDIENCE, low-up ﬁlm “El Camino,” to Hulu’s AND NOW A NUMBER OF BALLOT SPOTS adaptations of “The Handmaid’s WITH THE TELEVISION ACADEMY Tale” and “Little Fires Everywhere,” By Rob Owen FX’s “What We Do in the Shadows” and Disney Plus’ “Star Wars” universe-set “The Mandalorian.”

IT’S GOOD TO BE IN THE ‘BAD’ UNIVERSE AMC’s “Breaking Bad” won two drama series Emmys in the last decade and now the Netflix followup film is nominated in the television movie category. GUTTER CREDIT

66 VARIETY EMMY NOMINEES CONTENDERS

“They all were or are on bestseller lists so they have a massive fan base, they have recognition and they’re high-quality,” says Beatrice Springborn, Hulu’s vice president of content development, of the streamer’s properties. “The thing with books that is so special [is they] are so interior in a great way. They lie in your imagination and we’re able to bring that alive for people.” “Little Fires Everywhere” showrunner Liz Tigelaar says book adaptations including hers may be more readily accepted than sequels and reboots based on filmed entertainment. “Just by the nature of it being a different medium, you’re going to have to find a different way to tell a story in the same spirit of the book,” she says. But just because existing IP comes with its story, setting and characters all laid out SAME STORY, — not to mention a built-in audience and NEW MEDIUM name recognition — doesn’t mean it’s all FX’s “What We Do in the smooth sailing for those creating new tele- Shadows” (above) is vision programs out of the material. The based on the 2014 film of the same name, while shows still need to stand on their own and Hulu’s “Little Fires be as original as possible. Everywhere” is adapted “It’s finding the capacity to surprise peo- from Celeste Ng’s 2017 novel of the same name. ple,” “Watchmen” showrunner Damon Lin- delof says. “You think you know what this is, but we’re gonna change it up a little bit.” Additionally, there has to be a reason to transfer an existing story to a new format. For Melissa Bernstein, executive producer of “El Camino: A Breaking Bad Story,” that meant considering what unfinished business characters from the original AMC drama series had. “We really had to look at where did we leave Jesse [at the end of ‘Breaking Bad’] and where are we taking him and what are we going to learn along the way,” Bernstein says. Taking something from the past and film of the same name from 2014. When it comes to the Emmy races spe- adding a fresh spin may also account “It [had] a cult following,” says Eric cifically, some of these existing IP-based for Emmy’s embrace of the “Queer Eye” Schrier, president, FX Entertainment. “It nominations, including a drama series reboot. It reinvented the 2003-07 Bravo didn’t have a broad-based following like nod for “The Mandalorian,” may have been series and went on to win the structured a ‘Watchmen’ or ‘Game of Thrones,’ so it aided by rule changes that expanded the program statue for the past two years and was niche, but what [executive produc- number of nominees in some categories, is seeing its third nomination now. ers] Taika Waititi, Jemaine Clement, Paul per Gold Derby’s Joyce Eng. “It can’t be just this known IP grab,” says Simms and Stefani Robinson do in the “There’s room for more things to get Rob Eric, executive producer on “Queer adaptation is take the concept and set it in in,” she says. But, “viewers still have to Eye” through Scout Prods. “We look at IP Staten Island and [that] brings in different respond to it and like it.” and ask, ‘Is this a story we can tell authen- elements to it.” Adds Schrier: “Awards are more focused tically [and] properly, and satisfy an audi- Bernstein says the current cultural on execution but the IP does help you, ence that’s already built in?’ If you go into moment is holding programming to a especially if it’s based on a topic that has a something with an inauthentic approach, higher standard in general. “If you’re going level of import to it from the social side.” you’re going to get dinged.” to use this IP, rather than giving the most Still, the success of these projects in Not all source material is created straight-forward, traditional understanding the awards space now could affect what is equally, either. For every best-seller such of it, we really try to think about how do we developed and therefore considered for as “Little Fires Everywhere” or cultural explore it in a way it hasn’t been explored near-future awards races. phenomenon like “Queer Eye,” there are before and touch on themes and issues peo- “It brings audience attention to shows also smaller projects that have the poten- ple care about now, like inclusivity,” she the audience may have written off,” says tial to actually expand their brand through says. “And by the way, it makes for a better Bernstein. “When you see a body like the a new medium. Such is the case for FX’s story because it’s a story we haven’t seen or Academy shining a light on it, someone “What We Do in the Shadows,” which is a point of view we haven’t understood that’s may think, ‘Maybe it is worth me checking based on the well-regarded independent inherently more interesting.” it out.’” EL CAMINO: BEN ROTHSTEIN/NETFLIX; WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS: RUSS MARTIN/FX; LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE: ERIN SIMKIN/HULU LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE: MARTIN/FX; RUSS WE DO IN THE SHADOWS: WHAT BEN ROTHSTEIN/NETFLIX; EL CAMINO:

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CONTENDERS EMMY NOMINEES

FRESH FACE Nicole Byer’s reality host nod is her first after her Netflix series “Nailed It” entered the Emmy race last year.

Licata & Co. “And from a historical perspective, until recently you’ll discover that the people from these groups that won Emmys were few and far between.” While it is a time worth celebrating in some respects, there is still a long way to go in others, specifically in the representation for Latinx, Asian and LGBTQIA+ communities, as well as across the board representation behind the scenes. For example, there are no Black directors nominated in the drama or comedy categories. Furthermore, Stefani Robin- son (FX’s “What We Do in the Shadows”) is the only person of color nominated in either the comedy or drama writing categories this year; Sandra Oh, nominated for the third year in a row in the lead drama actress race “Killing Eve,” remains the only woman of Asian descent to be nominated in the category. No person of color has ever won an Emmy for drama writing. Increased Inclusivity If Zendaya wins the lead drama actress statue for “Euphoria,” she would be just the second Black actress to win the award after Could Help TV Academy the 2015 win by “How to Get Away With Murder’s” Viola Davis, who was shut out of a nom this year. Isabel Sanford of “The Jef- Make History fersons” won lead comedy actress in 1981, and was the only person of color to win that award until America Ferrera in 2007 FINAL-ROUND BALLOTS SEE A NUMBER OF RECORDS for “Ugly Betty.” This year, both Issa Rae of AND FIRSTS FOR NOMINEES, BUT THERE’S STILL A LONG “Insecure” and Tracee Ellis Ross of “Black- ish” are vying for that prize. WAY TO GO FOR THE WINS By Joe Otterson Five out of the eight supporting comedy nominees are Black (Sterling K. Brown, William Jackson Harper, Kenan Thomp- son, Mahershala Ali and Andre Braugher). EVEN BEFORE THE final-round voting ballots be nominated in the variety series direct- If one of them wins, it will be the first time have been sent out, the 72nd Annual Prime- ing category for her work on HBO’s “A that a Black actor took the prize since Rob- time Emmy Awards have made history. Black Lady Sketch Show.” ert Guillaume won for “Soap” in 1979. The nominees include the most Black And while history may be made again “These victories are met with a combina- performers ever nominated in a single come ceremony night on Sept. 20 — for tion of awe and wonder and headlines like year (with more than 30% of all male and example, if Davis wins, she will be the first something unusual had occurred,” Licata female performers across drama, comedy Black woman to win not only in her directing says. “And it shouldn’t be like that. Now, and limited series/TV movie being Black). category but across all of them at the Prime- the good news is that there is more of an Not only is the sheer number a record, but time Emmys — nothing is a sure bet just yet. emphasis on diverse casting and inclusion, 2020’s nominee class includes some nota- Many categories, such as support- and it’s changed the landscape of parts for ble firsts: Nicole Byers is the first Black ing comedy actor and supporting limited actors and ultimately the nominations.” woman to be nominated in the reality host series/TV movie actor, feature a significant And it’s not just in the area of inclu- category for Netflix’s “Nailed It”; Maya number of performers of color to be nom- sion that the Television Academy has the Rudolph became the first Black performer inated overall against each other on the chance to make history this September: If — man or woman — to be nominated same ballot: While one of them may win, the voting members award either “Godfa- against herself, scoring two noms in the only one of them can win. ther of Harlem” or “Laurel Canyon: A Place guest comedy actress race for NBC’s “The “The fact of the matter is that you can’t in Time” even one trophy, it will mark the Good Place” and “Saturday Night Live.” win an acting Emmy unless you’re cast,” first time in Epix’s decade-long run that And Dime Davis is the first Black woman to says awards consultant Richard Licata of the cabler emerged victorious. NETFLIX

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VARIETY LOOKS AT THE ODDS TO WIN IN SOME

Analyzing KEY CREATIVE ARTS CATEGORIES

the Artisans By Danielle Turchiano

MAIN TITLE DESIGN NARRATIVE PROGRAM PERIOD COSTUMES PRODUCTION DESIGN This is one category in which the nominees get This race is a mix of beloved favorites and true to be wholly creative when it comes to visual With the exception of NBC’s “Will & Grace” every newcomers this year: Netflix’s “The Crown” is styles. They use of live-action elements, anima- nominee in this category is up for its premiere a two-time winner (2017, 2018), while Amazon tion, photography or some combination thereof episode, which introduces the world of the show Prime Video’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” to quickly encapsulate the themes of the show for the new season or series. (“Will & Grace,” which is a two-time nominee and the incumbent, and that will follow. It is no easy feat, and neither is is now a three-time consecutive nominee here for FX’s “Pose” was also nominated last year. On comparing such unique pieces in order to its revival, is in the running for recreating classic the flip side, there is Netflix’s limited series reward one over the others. Those who like mini- iconography in its “I Love Lucy” homage.) Netflix’s “Hollywood” and FX on Hulu’s limited series malism will likely gravitate toward the moving, “GLOW,” which won the category in 2018, created “Mrs. America” in the running. “Pose’s” sec- colored dots of Apple TV Plus’ “The Morning a fictional hotel and casino, and a brand-new wres- ond-season premiere and “The Crown’s” third- Show,” while voters looking for metaphors tling ring, in 1980s Las Vegas for its third season, season finale pushed their respective shows about compartmentalization and the pieces while Netflix’s “Space Force” brought to life an into new years, embracing other fashion styles, that make a man will select Netflix’s “The Politi- Army base and command center for the political while the fifth episode of the third season of cian” and those who prefer symbolic images administration’s newest mission, and Disney Plus’ “Maisel” took the titular standup comedian will finally award two-time prior nominee HBO’s “The Mandalorian” expanded the “Star Wars” uni- south to Miami to embrace corals, which “Westworld.” But sequences that take things a verse for a new medium. Notably, FX’s “What We meant that all three of the returning nominees little bit more literally are on the ballot too, from Do in the Shadows” is on the ballot for a trio of raised their own bar. And “Mrs. America’s” the fairies of Amazon Prime Video’s “Carnival episodes across its second season, including the third episode, centered on Shirley Chisholm, Row” to the archival footage of Epix’s “Godfa- premiere and penultimate segments. For those, the did not disappoint with its balance of conser- ther of Harlem” and the careful construction of team dove into the dwellings of vampires (and in a vative versus liberal fashions in the 1970s, the actual title of HBO’s “Watchmen.” And then special episode, a coven) in modern-day New York. either. But it was “Hollywood” that really set there is “Abstract: The Art of Design” from Net- It’s hard to bet against the world-building power itself apart by recreating the 1948 Oscars red flix, which switches things up to reflect its epi- of Lucasfilm and Disney with “The Mandalorian,” carpet and ceremony in its finale episode. sodic profilee. This is one race that simply but the great range and detail depicted over three seems impossible to call. episodes of “What We Do in the Shadows” could see it playing spoiler. THE POLITICIAN: NETFLIX; WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS: RUSS MARTIN/FX; HOLLYWOOD: SAEED ADYANI/NETFLIX SAEED HOLLYWOOD: MARTIN/FX; RUSS WE DO IN THE SHADOWS: WHAT THE POLITICIAN: NETFLIX;

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The previous two winners in the category are both nominated once again: M. David Mullen, who took the trophy last year for “The Marvel- ous Mrs. Maisel” is back for the fifth episode of the third season of the standup period piece, which moved part time to Miami. Meanwhile 2018 winner Adriano Goldman (“The Crown”) is nominated for the Aberfan-disaster aftermath in the third episode of the third season of that royal family drama. They are joined by “Ozark’s” Ben Kutchins (previously nominated for the dark family drama in 2018, now in the running for the second episode of the third season); “Westworld’s” Paul Cameron (a 2017 nominee for the futuristic epic up for the third-season premiere); and rookie nominees Jeff Cronenweth (“Tales From the Loop’s” premiere episode), Erik Messerschmidt (“Mind- hunter’s” sixth episode of the second season) and Armando Salas (“Ozark’s” fourth episode of the second season). The majority of the nominees were tasked with shooting a distinct and new location for longer-running shows, while Cronenweth had to create the visual template that would set the tone for the series going forward. While that may have a few extra voters taking notice, the scope of what Cameron shot, introducing multiple futuristic international cities, gives him an edge.

WESTWORLD: JOHN P. JOHNSON/HBO; THE MANDALORIAN: DISNEY+/LUCASFILM LTD. FOR YOUR CRAFTS CONSIDERATION CONTENDERS

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS STRUCTURED REALITY OR COMPETITION PROGRAM EDITING All the nominees are coming into this race refreshed for the new year, and it could be anyone’s to win. HBO’s “Game of Thrones” is the reigning champ in the category, not only having won for the past two years, but also consecutively between 2012 and 2016, every year for which it was eligible except its first. HBO’s other epic genre series “Westworld” picked up the mantle in 2017 when “GOT” sat out, and it was also nominated in 2018 but was ineligible last year. Sim- This race comes down to whether voters are looking for ilarly, Netflix’s “Lost in Space” and stories that are cut together for satisfying emotional arcs “Stranger Things” saw freshman or formats. For the past two years, that has meant Netflix’s noms in 2018, but were ineligible last “Queer Eye” has taken the trophy. Nominated for a third time year. All but “The Mandalorian” are now, it is still the one to beat. On the ballot is the second up for their season finales, which episode of the fourth season that followed a journey of featured various degrees of destruc- redemption and forgiveness as the episode’s “hero” sought tion, showdowns and world-altering to have a conversation with the man who paralyzed him by work. “The Mandalorian’s” second shooting him. But not to be completely counted out is the 12th episode, subtitled “The Child,” stands season premiere of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” on VH1, also a for- out as a front-runner for its introduc- mer winner in the category (2017) and nominated last year. It tion to just how powerful and import- introduced the world to the next batch of drag queen super- ant the biggest sensation of 2019 stars; Bravo’s “Top Chef,” previously nominated in 2012 after would be when the titular Child used a run of five consecutive noms (including a 2008 win), broke the Force to save the Mando from a in in a big way with its Jonathan Gold tribute episode. Ballot creature known as the Mudhorn. staple “Survivor” from CBS (with 20 noms since 2001) is a long shot, as is the only newcomer, Fox’s “Lego Masters.”

QUEER EYE: CHRISTOPHER SMITH/NETFLIX CONTENDERS GUEST ACTOR/ACTRESS

DOUBLE PLAY Maya Rudolph is nominated twice in the guest comedy actress category: for NBC’s “The Good Place” (pictured) and “Saturday Night Live.”

What’s with the disconnect? Blame The Great the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, says one awards expert. “For the [shelter-at-home] TV audience, comedy became medicine for the heart Guest Divide and soul that you could [use to] temporar- ily transport yourself from the headline horrors that we’re all experiencing amid the THE MAJORITY OF NOMINEES COME FROM TRUE ONE-OFF pandemic, and the political purgatory we’re APPEARANCES, WHILE THE DRAMA RACE SEES FAMILIAR FACES in, to a safe place where you could get in

SEASON OVER SEASON By Elaine Low touch with your lighter self,” says Richard Licata of Licata & Co. Licata says viewers’ sprawling search for lightness on screen was borne out in more than just the guest categories, and the proof may be in the comedy series race, which saw It’s not hard to spot familiar names on the drama side of this year’s four freshman nominees this year (Netflix’s guest actor and actress Emmy ballot, whether that’s Ron Cephas Jones “Dead to Me” and “The Kominsky Method,” FX’s “What We Do in the Shadows” and in NBC’s “This Is Us” or Cicely Tyson in ABC’s “How to Get Away With HBO’s “Insecure”). That dynamic may have Murder,” who have each recurred heavily over the course of several seasons. But also drawn viewers and voters alike to NBC’s on the comedy end, it’s a different story, with five of this year’s 12 guest actor sketch comedy staple, “SNL,” which settles into the politics of the day while extracting and actress comedy nominations going to “Saturday Night Live” hosts or visiting its absurdity, and spotlighting its high-pro- stars alone — essentially, players who mostly pop in for one-off roles. file guests. COLLEEN HAYES/NBC

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Licata says his friends who are Televi- — the fourth nomination for the same role the writing is so good, I can’t explain sion Academy voters were “so tired of the on the same series, for which he won in exactly why, but you know exactly who you darkness that we’re living in” that they 2018. It is a rarity, he says, to be able to are just from the way the character speaks. gravitated toward “fun” programming. hold onto a television character for this And the other actors are so open that you This allowed performers such as long, comparing it to acting on stage. instantly get an instinct for what the rela- Angela Bassett, Dev Patel and Wanda “To be able to have four seasons, tionship might be.” Sykes to break onto the ballot for their going into five, and have that consistency, And of course, there are some special singular performances in “A Black Lady it really is very close to what I’ve been cases in which a beloved actor, often Sketch Show,” “Modern Love” and “The doing in the theater,” says Cephas Jones. “It on the ballot in another category, appears Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” respectively. gave me an opportunity to find more rich- in one of the buzziest new series of the Meanwhile, “SNL” hosts from last season, ness, more levels, and do the kind of work television season. including Adam Driver, Eddie Murphy that I’m used to doing, which is creating Giancarlo Esposito, who is also up and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, also made the deeper, more complex characters.” for a statue in the supporting drama actor ballot. So did movie star Brad Pitt for his Not all the guest-acting nominees in category for his long-running character impression of Dr. Anthony Fauci, direc- drama are as heavily recurring. But being Gus Fring in “Better Call Saul,” made a tor of the National Institute of Allergy woven in and out of those rich, compli- splash as the villainous Moff Gideon on and Infectious Diseases, as well as Maya cated storylines allows dramatic actors Disney Plus’ “The Mandalorian.” Contrary Rudolph, for her take on presidential the opportunities to create entire worlds to the depth with which he has explored candidate Sen. Kamala Harris. around their characters, even if they, as Fring across dozens of episodes since his Rudolph racked up three nominations in the case of Harriet Walter’s Lady Caro- time on “Breaking Bad,” Esposito’s Gideon this year alone, with two noms in the line Collingwood on HBO’s “Succession,” is a man of mystery. guest actress in a comedy category: one only appear in one episode during the “How does he know everything about for her impression of the senator and the entire season. everyone? He is the mastermind and he is other for her recurring role as the Judge First-time nominee Walter, as Logan’s the warden of this particular section of the in NBC’s “The Good Place.” (The third second wife and mother to three of the four universe, but is he the guy?” he says. “We is in recognition of her voiceover work Roy children, threaded together in just a really don’t know, but we know he’s pull- in Netflix’s “Big Mouth.”) few scenes the emotionally distant rela- ing the strings and orchestrating the cap- The former “SNL” cast member says tionship that she has forged with her kids, STEADY BET ture of this Baby Yoda. But there are other her respect and admiration for Sen. Harris pulling away from Kendall (Jeremy Strong) Ron Cephas Jones has things at play: Where does he come from? allowed her to “poke fun at the entire as he seeks her out for comfort. flipped between the What is his past? How does he have this supporting and guest thing as a whole.” Her Harris is a cocktail- “Normally you go, ‘Wait a minute, drama actor races lightsaber? Did it belong to him? nursing, meme-creating “fun aunt,” or I can’t just jump in here. I haven’t built in his four seasons “I love the secret and the secret of “funt,” as she says on the show. a relationship with these actors,’” says on “This Is Us,” but him,” Esposito continues. “We don’t know regardless of the “My aim and my interest has never Walter, who appeared in the last two epi- category, he has been how he knows everything, and that’s an been to go after people,” she says. “I like to sodes of the first season. “But because nominated every year. interesting piece of this.” look for the joy and the fun and the game in something they say or do or manner- isms that make it that make you want to join in on the joke.” Meanwhile, the omniscient Judge is a character that Rudolph has played for a dozen episodes over the course of three seasons. It was not a difficult role to step into even from her very first appearance, since it was tailor-made for her. “The joy of the Judge is that my old friend [“The Good Place” creator] Mike Schur, who I watched grow up at ‘SNL,’ created the Judge for me,” she says. “So when someone knows you well and has your voice in mind, it’s like seeing an old friend. You just jump in where you left off. And it was so much fun that it con- nected me to the show instantly.” Rudolph had never before had a role crafted specifically for her, “where it took into account my voice, my strengths and also the amount of time I’ve put into the work I’ve done. I felt like the Judge had been around for a while and seen it all, and it’s nice to lean into that.” On the drama side, Cephas Jones has once again been recognized for his work as William Hill on the broadcast family series RON BATZDORFF/NBC RON

VARIETY 73 CONTENDERS GUEST ACTOR/ACTRESS VARIETY’SGUEST CATEGORY DRAMA BREAKDOWN ACTOR

Jason Bateman James Cromwell Giancarlo Esposito “The Outsider” “Succession” “The Mandalorian”

Bateman is a four-time prior acting nominee and The last time Cromwell was nominated at the Esposito’s inaugural nomination in this category is this year, this is just one of two places he’s on the Emmys he won (as supporting limited series/TV also his first for a role outside the “Breaking Bad” ballot (the other is lead drama actor for “Ozark”). movie actor for “American Horror Story” in 2013; universe. He is at his best when he embodies Bateman’s work is brief but entirely chilling in he also has three prior nominations under his parts that are calculating and collected but have this adaptation of a Stephen King novel as his belt). Now he is on the ballot for one of the most a deep-rooted ruthlessness, and that certainly character is accused of a horrific child murder, talked-about shows of the year. In the second made a little bit of his Moff Gideon go a long way maintains his innocence and meets a violent end. season of the HBO family dynasty drama, his in the freshman season of the Disney Plus drama. This is his first time in this category and clearly Ewan Roy meddled in his brother’s business with That his character might be as obsessed with the the Television Academy voters have an affinity an important message about environmentalism. Child as the real world has become helps propel for him, but more prominent shows may help The combination of his cachet and the buzzy title him to the front of this pack as well. another actor prevail. may have him grasping gold again. ORT: APPLETV+ ORT:

Ron Cephas Jones Andrew Scott Martin Short “This Is Us” “Black Mirror” “The Morning Show”

This is Jones’ fourth consecutive nom for his Scott was overlooked by the Academy in 2019 Comedy legend Short has a history with the role of William Hill, Randall’s biological father in for his comedic turn on “Fleabag,” so this is his Television Academy dating back to the 1980s the NBC tearjerker. (He won in 2018.) Although first accolade from the organization. A desire to when he was originally lauded for his work on his character died early on in the show’s run, his retroactively celebrate him for a role that went “SCTV.” But the two-time overall Emmy winner has impact on other characters and Jones’ steady viral may have been on some minds, but his star never played a role such as this before: Short and always emotional performance has proven turn as a grieving man who takes a tech company portrayed formerly acclaimed and now accused too good to let go. This season he delivered a employee hostage in the Netflix series should director Dick Lundry in the Apple TV Plus morning heartbreaking take on another way William’s life earn him the trophy all on its own. Scott made an news/#MeToo series. He expertly slipped between could have gone. The new shades should have episode mostly set inside a car something from charming and entitled, drawing discomfort but voters taking renewed notice. which one could not look away. also creating important conversations. BATEMAN: BOB MAHONEY/HBO; CROMWELL; GRAEME HUNTER PICTURES/HBO; ESPOSITO: DISNEY+; JONES: RON BATZDORFF/NBC; SCOTT; NETFLIX; SH NETFLIX; SCOTT; BATZDORFF/NBC; JONES: RON DISNEY+; ESPOSITO: GRAEME HUNTER PICTURES/HBO; CROMWELL; BOB MAHONEY/HBO; BATEMAN:

74 VARIETY GUEST ACTOR/ACTRESS CONTENDERS VARIETY’SGUEST CATEGORY DRAMA BREAKDOWN ACTRESS

Alexis Bledel Laverne Cox Cherry Jones “The Handmaid’s Tale” “Orange Is the New Black” “Succession”

Bledel won this category in 2017 for her role of Cox has been nominated four times for her Jones sees her third consecutive nom in this Ofglen/Emily in Hulu’s dystopian drama and was role as former inmate Sophia in Netflix’s prison category (her fourth nom overall), but for a nominated again in 2018 (but in the supporting series, but she has yet to win. This is her final new role: business leader Nan Pierce on HBO’s category). After not being eligible last year, she’s chance at Emmy gold for the performance, media family tale. Portraying an outsider dealing back in the running for her strongest arc yet: since the show signed off last year. Getting with the Roy family is no easy feat, but Jones Emily escaped Gilead and reunited with her family insight into Sophia’s life back in the regular still managed to steal scenes while also offering in Canada. The power of Bledel’s performance world offered Piper and the audience by a unique (and refreshing) perspective, always is behind her eyes as her character experiences extension some hope in what could be a very delivered with an in-control demeanor. A stal- PTSD and culture shock, but that the show isn’t dark show, as Cox always lights up the screen. If wart in this category, as well as the incumbent, the phenom it once was (and that it streamed a the Academy regrets not rewarding her before, this could be Jones’ to lose. year ago) may hurt her chances at another statue. they could rectify that now. BC; WALTER: GRAEME HUNTER PICTURES/HBO BC; WALTER:

Phylicia Rashad Cicely Tyson Harriet Walter “This Is Us” “How to Get Away With Murder” “Succession”

In the fourth season of the NBC family drama, Three-time Emmy winner Tyson has received Walter received her first Emmy nom this year Rashad returned as Beth’s mother to jeopardize five noms in this category for her role of Ophelia for the role of Roy matriarch, Caroline Colling- her daughter’s relationship with Randall. It was Harkness on the ABC twisty legal drama since wood, who is still a shareholder in the family’s a bold move but, although she raised some 2015 but has never won. Given that this is the media company. She was brought into the legitimate concerns, did not win support from final chance the Academy has to celebrate this business fold in a bigger way in the second most of the audience. It did score her a career legend of stage and screen for her work por- season and Walter never faltered in displaying fifth Emmy nom (second consecutive in this traying Annalise Keating’s ailing mother and that Caroline’s wit or cunning, even with her chil- category, for this role), though. Those who she went head-to-head with Viola Davis, they dren. She opens up the world of the show in an do appreciate the restraint it takes to embody may be remiss to pass it up. important way, but may be overshadowed by tough love will celebrate her here. those with longer history with voters. BLEDEL: ELLY DASSAS/HULU; COX: JOJO WHILDEN/NETFLIX; JONES: PETER KRAMER/HBO; RASHAD: RON BATZDORFF/NBC; TYSON: KELSEY MCNEAL/A KELSEY TYSON: BATZDORFF/NBC; RON RASHAD: JONES: PETER KRAMER/HBO; WHILDEN/NETFLIX; JOJO COX: DASSAS/HULU; BLEDEL: ELLY

VARIETY 75 CONTENDERS GUEST ACTOR/ACTRESS VARIETY’SGUEST CATEGORY COMEDY BREAKDOWN ACTOR

Adam Driver Luke Kirby Eddie Murphy “Saturday Night Live” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” “Saturday Night Live”

The Oscar-nominated Driver sees his fourth Emmy The incumbent winner in the category has Murphy’s run as a cast member on “SNL” earned nom (but first in this category) for his third stint scored his second consecutive nomination for his him three Emmy noms in the 1980s (he picked hosting the NBC late-night sketch show. Between take on the legendary real-life comic Lenny Bruce up another nom for “The PJs” a decade later), delivering an intentionally dry monologue to poke in Amazon Prime Video’s standup period piece. but his return to Studio 8H 3½ decades after fun at his public image and stepping back into Kirby plays him with a deep yearning that he leaving will likely see him snatch his first statue. Kylo Ren’s shoes for an “Undercover Boss” parody, allowed to subtly shift when he was around the The comedian brought back beloved characters he had social media abuzz during the episode. titular Midge in the third season. He brought a such as Mr. Robinson, Buckwheat and Gumby, But the short-term nature of this appearance, sense of gravitas that grounded her and the show each with a timely message for today’s audience, coupled with the episode airing in January (which in general. If the “SNL” players split the vote, he marking one of the most memorable overall feels like a year ago amid coronavirus), could hurt will come out on top yet again. episodes of the landmark 45th season. his chances at a win. ARTWRIGHT/ABC

Dev Patel Brad Pitt Fred Willard

“Modern Love” “Saturday Night Live” “Modern Family” RICHARD C NBC; WILLARD: PITT; STUDIOS; RUFINO/AMAZON GIOVANNI

Patel is a freshman Emmy nominee for his stint in The Oscar-winner has been nominated in this Willard received his fifth nomination in this Amazon’s relationship anthology. His performance category before (in 2002 for “Friends”) but to category posthumously; it is his second for the was perhaps the most unapologetically earnest date his only Emmy win is as a producer (in 2014 role of Frank Dunphy, Phil’s father, on the ABC of the characters exploring love in the show. His for “The Normal Heart”). His stint on the late- family sitcom. The desire to celebrate Willard’s journey to determine whether he was ever in love night sketch series as Dr. Anthony Fauci was always affable attitude in characters and sly raised a lot of essential questions about the way short-lived but memorable enough that he might delivery is likely stronger now that this is the people connect, which feels more relevant now, play spoiler in this category. Taking part in one of last chance to honor him. Admittedly, though, in a pandemic. But the show being forced into the remotely produced “SNL at Home” episodes the show’s downward trajectory with voters the comedy category hurts his chances, as he during the pandemic, Pitt delivered important and lack of discussion around the final season is surrounded by noisier, and more traditionally information about health safety while still having minimizes his odds for the win. humorous, performances. fun with the material. DRIVER, MURPHY: WILL HEATH/NBC (2); KIRBY: AMAZON STUDIOS; PATEL: PATEL: STUDIOS; AMAZON (2); KIRBY: WILL HEATH/NBC MURPHY: DRIVER,

76 VARIETY GUEST ACTOR/ACTRESS CONTENDERS VARIETY’SGUEST CATEGORY COMEDY BREAKDOWN ACTRESS

Angela Bassett Bette Midler Maya Rudolph “A Black Lady Sketch Show” “The Politician” “The Good Place”

Bassett’s sixth career Emmy nom is her second in The Oscar-nominee has three Emmy wins under Rudolph has three prior Emmy noms, all in this the category, but she has yet to win. She stood her belt already and blows back into this race category, and now she is on this ballot twice. She out in the freshman sketch series as the leader as a force just as formidable as her character, has been nominated for her role as the Judge on of a “bad bitch” support group, with an unflappa- campaign manager Hadassah Gold. Only appear- NBC’s moral philosophy comedy for the past two ble attitude that inspired even more respect than ing in the final episode of the first season of the years. Given that the show signed off earlier this it did laughs. In other years, her history with the Netflix politics series, her fast-talking nature year, she may see a bump in votes for the win, Academy and such a specific and notable perfor- and sharp looks left the audience wanting more. but it likely won’t be enough, given her turn as mance would have skyrocketed her to immediate They get that in the second season, which is Sen. Kamala Harris on “SNL” drew more attention front-runner status, but she faces some stiff much more centered on her story, so voters may and could see votes being split. competition now. pass her by her now, knowing there’s a chance to celebrate her in a bigger way next year. /NBC (2); SYKES: PHILIPPE ANTONELLO/AMAZON STUDIOS PHILIPPE ANTONELLO/AMAZON /NBC (2); SYKES:

Maya Rudolph Wanda Sykes Phoebe Waller-Bridge COLLEEN HAYES/NBC; RUDOLPH (SNL), WALLER-BRIDGE: WILL HEATH RUDOLPH (SNL), WALLER-BRIDGE: COLLEEN HAYES/NBC; “Saturday Night Live” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” “Saturday Night Live”

This is Rudolph’s second nomination for Sykes has two prior Emmy nominations in this The Television Academy has had a love affair appearing on “SNL” (her previous one was in category alone (for her work on “Black-ish” in with Waller-Bridge for the past few years from this category in 2012), but she has three prior 2017 and 2018) and an Emmy statue for variety nominating her drama “Killing Eve” to awarding noms over all. (She has yet to win.) Although writing for “The Chris Rock Show” in 1999. In her top honors with comedy series and lead there is a great likelihood of votes being split Amazon’s awards magnet, Sykes stepped into comedy actress for “Fleabag” just last year. between her two nominations on the ballot, the shoes of real-life Moms Mabley, challenging When voters mark someone as a favorite, they this role has an edge because her turn as the comedian to perform standup as another rarely change course, so Waller-Bridge is once Sen. Kamala Harris in the 45th season of the person. She rose to that challenge beautifully again a front-runner, just in a new category, late-night sketch series was the perfect meme but barely got to scratch the surface of Mabley’s after parodying a “Love Island” contestant and material, still being widely shared online all influence. The limited screen time means voters a daytime news anchor, as well as delivering a these months later. may need to see more before awarding her for voiceover monologue for the ages in the late- the role. night sketch show. BASSETT: HBO; MIDLER: NICOLE RIVELLI/NETFLIX; RUDOLPH (GOOD PLACE): RUDOLPH (GOOD NICOLE RIVELLI/NETFLIX; MIDLER: HBO; BASSETT:

VARIETY 77 TM

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is Pleased to Recognize Anthony Anderson.

WALKOFFAME.COM

www.hollywoodchamber.net FOCUS

ANTHONY ANDERSON WILL BE HONORED AT THE FIRST SOCIALLY DISTANT WALK OF FAME CEREMONY PHOTOGRAPH BY WILLIAMS + HIRAKAWA BY PHOTOGRAPH

VARIETY 79 FOCUS WALK OF FAME +

ANTHONY ANDERSON MAKES HISTORY AGAIN

CORONAVIRUS WON’T STOP THE ACTOR, DIRECTOR AND PRODUCER FROM CEMENTING HIS PLACE IN SHOWBIZ

By Scott Huver

“I remember looking up from the back of the theater and just seeing my mom on stage with the actors, and I said, ‘This is what I’m going to do with the rest of my life,’” Anderson says. “Since I had that epiphany, that’s all I ever wanted, all I ever thought that I was going to do with my life and believed that that’s what my energy was created for and put on this earth to do: to have an effect on people’s lives with the work that I do. I believe that I am doing that, and I can honestly say that it started at that moment at [age] 9, 40 years ago.” Anderson held tight to that vision, spending his senior year at the Hollywood Performing Arts Magnet School, literally steps away from where those inspiring stars lined the streets. At Howard Univer- sity, training under groundbreakers including Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis, he honed his dramatic chops, but a flair for comedy was always apparent. And though early for- ays into standup fizzled, soon enough he established himself as a larger-than-life presence who brought an electric charge to every role he tackled in comedic films (“Life,” “Big Momma’s House,” “Me, Myself & Irene,” “Malibu’s Most Wanted”) to edg- ier fare (“Romeo Must Die,” “Exit Wounds,” “Cradle 2 the Grave”). Anderson remembers the buzz building around him: “‘Who’s this new kid on the block? He’s not a comic, but he’s funny. We ANTHONY ANDERSON’S HOLLYWOOD career Rest assured, though, eventually he’ll don’t know him from standup, but yet he’s has been consistently characterized by bask directly in the glow of his personal holding his own next to Eddie Murphy and successful pivots, from scene-stealing landmark on Hollywood Boulevard. “When Martin Lawrence and Bernie Mac and Jim comedic roles to searing dramatic turns the world does open up and when my star is Carrey. Who is this guy?’” to effervescent hosting duties and many on that Walk of Fame, we will have a party on Sensing opportunity, Anderson made a disparate points in between. But even he that star!” he laughs. “I will go get a permit to convention-defying move. “I’m not going couldn’t have predicted his latest foray shut down that part of the street, just so we to say people thought I was crazy, but they into the unforeseen, as the first person to can have our pomp and circumstance, so thought it odd and strange that when I had receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of the fans and the public can enjoy it just as all of this momentum in the movie world Fame in the midst of a global pandemic. much as me and my family will enjoy it the that I wanted to do television,” he recalls. “I was looking forward to the pomp and day that it happens.” “But television is something that I always circumstance that surrounds anyone get- Indeed, the honor carries considerable wanted to do, and it just happened in ting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, meaning for Anderson, who grew up in Comp- reverse for me.” because not just anyone can or will get ton fantasizing about finding his place in the His heat allowed him to co-create his first that,” Anderson says. showbiz firmament. “The Wiz” was the first TV sitcom, the short-lived “All About the The multi-hypenate hoped to celebrate movie he remembers seeing as a child at Andersons,” tackle a breakthrough dramatic with his family and closest friends in the Cinerama Dome, and a seminal moment role on FX’s boundary-busting crime drama the typical high-profile public ceremony occurred when 9-year-old Anderson watched “The Shield,” and spend three seasons on that usually accompanies the honor. But his mother, Doris Day Bowman, who nur- the crime procedural “Law & Order.” Back “unfortunately that type of event can’t hap- tured her own dreams of success as an actress, on the big screen he delivered a formidable pen because of what’s happening in the rehearse for a role in a production of “A Raisin one-two punch, first in “Hustle & Flow” and

world right now.” in the Sun” at Compton Community College. then in Martin Scorsese’s “The Departed.” MCNEAL/ABC KELSEY

80 VARIETY Disney Television Studios and ABC Entertainment proudly congratulate ANTHONY ANDERSON

on receiving his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Untitled-8 1 8/6/20 11:35 PM FOCUS WALK OF FAME +

“Before I was typecast, I wanted them ACCOLADES APLENTY to see there was more to me as an actor Anthony Anderson (left, with Tracee Ellis Ross) picked up his sixth consecutive Emmy than just comedy,” he says. “People took nomination for “Black-ish” just ahead of notice — like, ‘Oh wow, he’s not just the fat his Walk of Fame ceremony. funny guy! Wait a minute, there’s some depth to him!’” What he wanted was to headline “Black- high-profile opportunities. (“The Golden ish,” the ABC sitcom that’s proven not only Globes and the Emmys,” he says.) His wildly popular and freshly funny but also facility as a witty, winning game-show a significant voice reflecting the current guest earned him a stint hosting “To Tell Black cultural experience in America. the Truth” — with mom Bowman as score- He and creator Kenya Barris “sat keeper and comic foil. (“She had me at down and talked about what was miss- 17 years old and had to put her dreams ing from the landscape of television for of being an actor on hold,” he says. “I just us as viewers,” he says of the early days want to be able to elevate her and take of “Black-ish.” “We talked about shows her as far as she wants to go.”) Late-night like ‘The Cosby Show,’ ‘All in the Family,’ television is in his sights, having recently ‘Good Times,’ ‘The Jeffersons’ — shows guest-hosted “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (“I’ve that had a point of view, but more impor- former in the same role in the lead com- always wanted my own talk show,” he tantly, had a character that had a point of edy actor category. “I think the success says, admitting to campaigning for Kim- view and was opinionated.” is due in part to the authenticity and the mel’s rerun-driven Friday night slot.) From those brainstorming sessions honesty in which we tell these stories and But Anderson’s inner 9-year-old is defi- emerged Anderson’s culturally panicked, create these characters. These characters nitely savoring the moment, he assures. hypersensitive patriarch Dre Johnson. are who we are. These stories that we tell “It’s surreal in a way to see where I’ve come “It’s exceeded our wildest expectations,” are from our lives.” from, the work that I put into this and that says Anderson of the devoted audience Anderson has also added executive I still put into this, and then it all culmi- and critical raves that ensued — includ- producer and director to his resume and nating in and having that work paid off ing six consecutive Emmy nominations emceed large-scale TV events includ- with a star on that same Hollywood Walk for his performance. Now he holds the ing the BET Awards and the NAACP of Fame,” he says. “You couldn’t write a

record as the most nominated Black per- Image Awards, and is eyeing even more story better than that.” HAASETH/ABC MITCH

FRQJUDWXODWLRQVANTHONY, ALVINA AND THE ENTIRE ANDERSON FAMILY

As a tremendous comedian, actor, philanthropist, and activist, your legacy is rightfully cemented in the entertainment industry. Thank you for making us laugh, provoking us to think, and motivating us to move. We are truly excited for you to receive your star on the Walk of Fame. .

EARVIN AND COOKIE GUTTER CREDIT JOHNSON MONDAY, AUGUST 17 5 PM PDT / 8 PM EDT

An exclusive screening & Q&A with series star Jeff Goldblum

MODERATED BY MICHAEL SCHNEIDER Senior Editor, TV Awards, Variety

An exclusive screening and Q&A with creator/EP/writer/star Robin Thede, stars Quinta Brunson, Gabrielle Dennis, writer/star Ashley Nicole Black, guest actress Angela Bassett & director Dime Davis

MODERATED BY JENELLE RILEY Deputy Awards & Features Editor, Variety

LEADING THE AWARDS SHOWS have long been a platform to celebrate art while CHARGE AGAINST recognizing the current social climate. This year though, with the call to end systemic racism, GENDER-SPECIFIC get to 50-50 gender parity and generally “do better,” are orga- AWARDS CATEGORIES nizations that continue to separate acting categories by gender THE TELEVISION CRITICS ASSN. COMBINED MALE ensuring equal representation, AND FEMALE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS MORE THAN TWO or are they perpetuating prob-

DECADES AGO By Amber Dowling lematic industry-wide behaviors that also marginalize the non-binary and trans communities? There’s a growing contingent that COMEDY QUEEN “Schitt’s Creek” star believes it may be the latter. Catherine O’Hara is one of five women When the 36th Television Critics Assn. nominated in the (TCA) Awards, whose ceremony date is individual achievement in comedy category. TBA, were announced this month, many noted that the association combines male and female actors into one performance category per genre: individual achievement in drama and individual achievement in comedy. This was established in 1997, and that summer Andre Braugher (“Homicide: Life on the Street”) and David Hyde Pierce (“Fra- sier”) took home the respective inaugural trophies. Of the 11 contenders, Gil- lian Anderson (“The X-Files”) was the sole female nominee at the time. “There was never talk about making gender-speciﬁc awards because the real objective at the time was not to clutter up the awards with too many categories and make the ceremony overly long,” says former TCA president Eric Kohanik, who then served on the executive board as secretary. “And at that point, because it was just a small ceremony, the thought was to keep it as individual achievement and not judge it by gender.” It is worth noting, though, that while the individual achievement categories predominantly feature performers (lead and/or supporting) in a regular TV program, TV movie or limited series, the categories are also open to producers, creators, directors or other craftspeo- ple who have made signiﬁcant contribu- tions to the medium. The TCA Awards are not alone in allowing both men and women to com- pete in the same category: In more recent years they have become an example for such awards shows as the MTV Video Music Awards and the MTV Movie and TV Awards, which merged gender

POP TV categories in 2017, as well as the Gram-

VARIETY 85 FOCUS TCA AWARDS

mys, which did the same in 2011. The- ater companies in Canada have also eliminated gender-specific awards and the Brit Awards are reviewing their categories for 2021. In all other entertainment awards shows, acting categories are the only ones split by gender, which can be seen as a systemic way to relegate women to acting rather than expand into other crafts including directing or cinematography. It also continues to uncon- sciously endorse pay inequity. “In a perfect world, we would all be treated equally in everything, including showbiz,” says Catherine O’Hara, a 2020 TCA Award nominee for individual achievement in comedy. “And I think everybody would be able to tell each other’s stories. It’s not that way now. We’ve been in the wrong direction for so long, and that’s not going to happen. But eventually, when there is a peace- ful world where everybody feels appreciated and respected, then we can all tell each other’s stories.” Asia Kate Dillon, the non-binary star FAITHFUL FUNNY MAN of Showtime’s “Billions” (on which they “Ramy” headliner Ramy Youssef is the lone male actor nominated in the individual achievement in comedy category at the 36th Annual TCA Awards. play TV’s first non-binary character) has challenged the idea of gendered awards since their open letter to the Emmys in 2017 questioning the male and female distinction. At the time they accepted the Television Academy’s response that in order to guarantee recognition of a helps to continue the conversation they could submit to the male or female much broader swath of work created by about inclusion, which is always import- category, but since then they have come non-binary and trans folks, especially ant and needs to be pushed forward,” to recognize the context of these catego- Black, Indigenous and people of color.” says MRC’s Michele Robertson. “When ries enforces a problematic history. Putting disparity front and center you’re talking about the Emmys and “The fact is that the actor and actress into one category potentially forces vot- other things, they have more room in categories have never held space for ers to address the issues. In its 23-year their shows to be able to include a best non-binary performers,” Dillon says. “I history of awarding acting trophies, male and female category. Both offer an recognize now that being submitted or the TCA Awards have only honored a opportunity to be inclusive on many lev- nominated within those categories rein- female winner roughly 37% of the time. els. Each show has to look at what makes forces the gender binary, and frankly Stats for BIPOC actors are worse. Yet in sense for them. What we don’t want is should have been met with my outright the past five years, women have won in a homogenization of the awards shows. rejection of those nominations along- each category four times out of five. The The more diverse your voting body is, side calling for change. The TCAs have change could be credited to the quality the more that these kinds of stories are never had gendered acting categories, of roles now being written for women, also recognized and being made.” so it’s possible.” which wasn’t necessarily the case when “Some things are actually going in the Dillon says they are having conversa- these awards, or the Emmys, were right direction and the kind of aware- tions with SAG about potential changes established decades earlier. ness of people who have felt oppressed (the guild already favors the term Back then, separating males and and not respected and not loved and not “female actor” over “actress”), and they female performers was a way of ensur- appreciated, they’re speaking up now,” have had meaningful conversations with ing equal inclusion, while also put- adds O’Hara. “That’s always going to be NATAS regarding the Daytime Emmys, ting more-famous faces in front of an a good thing. Eventually we won’t have as well. However those conversations audience — an important distinction to separate each other, because we will are only a start. between a televised and non-televised all accept our differences together.” “I applaud the TCA for their gen- show such as the TCA Awards. der-neutral acting categories,” they add. “The fact that TCA is doing this only Ellise Shafer contributed to this report. “But it’s important to note that those categories have only ever included non- trans nominees. So yes, they’re gender neutral, which is great. Who selects the “In a perfect world, we would all be treated nominees and who votes at any award equally in everything, including showbiz.” show must be heavily scrutinized and

[it should be] a transparent process Catherine O’Hara CRAIG BLANKENHORN/HULU

86 VARIETY BELIEVE LTD Maps Climb Up Everest Bible Cinematography FOR DOCUMENTARY ‘BOMBARDIER BLOOD’ HOW TEAMOFDPSHELPEDMOUNTAINEER GETTHERIGHTSHOTS they would need to entrust Bombardier,they would toentrust need a Patrick James Lynch’s documentary, knew theDPsSterling Bragg, for writer-director to thetop, soRob Bradford andJoshua tomake anentireteam theclimbbankroll couldn’t theproduction $200,000 meant awareness disorder. of theblood continenttain oneach —whileraising the Seven Summits—thehighest moun- attempts tocomplete of hisgoal climbing tures theremarkable journey inwhichhe Blood,” bowing ondemandAug. 17,cap- to scaleMountEverest. “Bombardier withhemophilia theﬁrst person became IN 2017, The ﬁlm’s budget shoestring of mountaineerChrisBombardier TOP BILLING TOP ARTISANS ascent. how toshoothis Rob Bradfordfor Sterling Braggand from DPsJoshua got instructions above basecamp, glacier just Khumbu Icefall here onthe Chris Bombardier, BY THEBOOK

yJz Tangcay By Jazz discussed possible alternative possible discussed shotswith event incidents, of unplanned theDPs Inthe sharethesamebandwidth. people internet connection; morethan1,000 camp at Everest doesn’t have areliable to sensationalize things,” Bragg explains. “Sherpa” for “We inspiration. didn’t want eering films“Valley Uprising,” “Meru” and andDPonmountain- aclimber Ozturk, tothematter-of-factturned style of Renan He of themountain. to useonwhichpart bible” that considered what kindof shots offor theshoot. thetoughest part novice withalens, tohandle the camera The manualwas since essential, base Bragg compiled a“cinematography successively higherlevels before returning twice to Heclimbed 29,000-foot summit. level, still morethan11,000 feet below the elevation isroughly17,600feet above sea oxygen levels camp at high altitude—base tain toacclimate himselftothereduced of“rotations” upthemoun- made anumber exerted by strenuous physical activity. that naturally occur microtears inmuscles anynormally —essential tohelpheal thatmedication toclot allows hisblood injectinghimselfwiththe Bombardier was steady achallenge,”a tripod hesays. tohold piece of ice30-degree whiletrying time; setting upashotontheside of a ward issomethingcameramendoallthe “Walkingthe BlueRidge summit. back- est was almost threetimeshigherthan tains of Virginia, campat Ever- butbase up hikingtrailsintheBlueRidge Moun- well ascinematographer there. Hegrew as asaproducer camp, far asbase serving going upthere,” tohappen says Bragg. rolling “since you never know what’s todecideifhewanted tokeepclimber Bombardier. itwould uptothe Still, be Like allEverest climbers, Bombardier Bradford alsogot shotslike theoneof Bradford as accompanied Bombardier VARIETY ARTISANS 87 88 totheworld.”comparison ber,” Bragg says, “how smallhewas in toplantontheEverestdier hoped summit. the community theflag Bombar- signed Ultimately,nity inNepal. of member each of thehemophiliac commu-with members later, and, shots of himwithhisparents lowed hikes. himonlocal wide Heused around hishometown of Denver andfol- droneshotsof Bombardier Hetook ment. and scaleof Bombardier’s accomplish- capture footage that would show thescope the question. Sendingvideowasthem toBragg. outof andupload stills fromBombardier load hewouldan internetconnection, down- whenBradfordrare occasions didestablish process. theediting ner toexpedite Onthe age man- possible was inthebest captured Bradford, whoworked toensurethefoot- camp,” upat base to reviewandback says downtions andbringthemback for me the GoPros upwithhimduringhisrota- shots of hisclimb. “Chris would carry that hecould handoff tohisguidesgrab attached theother tohishelmetorchest, camera’s built-in microphone. sively. For solelyonthe they relied sound, dexterity tofiddlewith anything exten- too the freezing cold wouldn’t allow himthe handysinceof usewould particularly be than onthesubtletiesof Ease camerawork. for Bombardier’s onhisclimb focus tobe explains Bradford. Itwas moreimportant camp.)base “Wesimple,” ittobe needed ford shotwithaCanon XMarkIIat EOS-1D the GoPro5 for Bombardier’s (Brad- ascent. take abeating,” says Bradford. They chose night andwe’d somethingthat need could camera was going tofreeze over every extensive “Iknewthe required research. silent comedy. up, sped looked like a everything playback, mode, thatin time-lapse in whichmeant heaccidentally footagerotation, captured experience.ing much-needed Onthefirst ous weeklong journey. to camprest for anardu- thefinalpush, South America Aconcagua North America Denali Africa Kilimanjaro Asia Everest Chris Bombardier hadyet toattain. tinent, MountEverest was thefinalpeak con- oneach mountains Among thetallest THE SEVENSUMMITS ARTISANS “We wanted theaudience toremem- Bragg set outtoBefore theclimbbegan, hadtwoBombardier cameras—one touse Deciding ontherightequipment climb, each filmed gain- Bombardier

VREY VARIETY Oceania Puncak Jaya Antarctica Vinson Europe Elbrus

Sci-Fi Horror Film ‘Sputnik’ Birth ofaNew Alien for the lifeformatcenterof“Sputnik.” Sketches showthestagesofdevelopment CREATURE FEATURES ORIGINAL CREATURE THAT LOOKED TERRIFYINGLY REAL VFX TEAMWAS GIVENJUST ONETASK: ANIMATE AN He’s an“interesting case,” thecolonel in brought intoassess himand thecreature. (Oksana Akinshina, “Lilya is 4-Ever”) facilitywhenTatianamedical Yurievna and ondemandAug. 14. debuts viaIFC Midnightinselecttheaters a record-breaking VOD hitinRussia, in theTribeca Film Festival, themovie, can reenterhisbody. First set torun inside himthat emerges at nightand whoreturnswithacreatureaccident, of amysteriousthe lonesurvivor space yevich (PyotrFyodorov, “Stalingrad”), brings home. that oneof thecosmonauts unwittingly row one:tobuildoutthealien hitchhiker atVFX team MainRoad Post was anar- space, for thegoal ArmanYahin andhis sci-fi movie that inthevastness begins of THOUGH THEESTONIAN

Konstantin heldat isbeing amilitary The filmcenters onKonstantin Serge- By JazzTangcay isafilm “Sputnik” budgets,” Yahin explains. want the “They easy. “Russian audiences don’t care about on themovie’s budget shoestring wasn’t living insidethebody,” says thedirector. Pavel of thesnake —abouttheidea Burya der Andryushenko, Fedor Bondarchuk and —Alexan- talkingwithproducers started thenotionofasnakelike “Wesented being. theMainRoad Postmeeting, pre- team “Alien” movies. likelook thefamous xenomorph fromthe memorable, freshandoriginalthat didn’t lenge was tocome upwithsomething came todesigningthecreature, thechal- Passenger.” “The called cept short Whenit ko’s fromaproof-of-con- stemmed idea orwillitpreycontrol onthem? it, —butwilltheyuse thealienasaweapon charge tellsher. intendsto Themilitary Delivering monster abelievable-looking Abramenko says that duringoneearly Abramen- Three years in themaking,

MAIN ROAD POST REED/STEWARD: MIKHAIL MOKRUSHIN/IFC MIDNIGHT; SPUTNIK: MIKHAIL MOKRUSHIN/IFC MIDNIGHT a hitchhikerinthe Estonianmovie. Pyotr Fyodorovstars asacosmonautwhobringshome HAZY OUTCOME comes outat night. not througheffects,” Abramenko explains. onasetand everything wanted tocreate for theatmosphere.elements needed “I built inthe’70s, tothecreepy whichadded alien toimprove realism. that surroundsthedigitally inthearea toreplicateaimed thesameillumination pher MaximZhukov’s shots, theVFXpros ing withthelightingincinematogra- terms as“slobber simulation.” Work- lightingandwhat Maximovshading, andPostmodernanimation, handling with MainRoad providing simulation and buildoutthecreature, tofurther modern closely withUkrainiancompany Post- the character. ofwater addingalook andslimeto cocoon, digitallyenhanced theemergingteam Considering theVFXmouth. that action, coming to—acreature outofreact his muscle, fat andskin. askeleton,to create thenaddingtissue, “rig” usingamodel from theinsideout, Yahin, says was thecreature digitized Main Road Post whoworked alongside effects, pullingthemoutof the movie. ant toavoid makingviewers gawk at the tension,” hesays. Yet itwas alsoimport- thisfeelingand tocreate and of suspense toterrifytheaudience[the alien]asatool for toinstill thecreature: fear. “We used ‘That’ssaying, VFX.’” Weand perfect. didn’t want theaudience wanted somethingthat amazing looked standards. setby Hollywood Sowebar Everything exceptEverything for thethingthat institute The filmshotat achemistry atThe team MainRoad Post worked Fyodorov was to toldwhat heneeded Andrey Maximov, at aseniorartist Director Abramenko hadasimplegoal Genre ThroughDiversity Disrupting the Animation Our motto was Comics for Everyone. To do that were representativebooks ofeveryone. Black publisher, andwe wanted toproduce tive level,” Steward says. “We were theonly a lotof diversity, at especially theexecu- Lion Forge fillthevoid. Comics helped industry.of inclusioninthecomic book a decade earlier,nearly thelack bemoaned meatier. whofirst BothheandReed, met Doug McKenzie,” for was something looking Adventures Animated ofBoband with “The whohadgotten Reed, to media. hisstart andwantedconsumer toreturn products Steward was working inprivate and equity Imagine Kids+Family for atrioof projects. andafirst-lookStarlight Media with deal ajointventurehas alsosigned withChina’s animation vet Carl Jones. Thecompany executive and alongsideCherry produce thew Cherry, whichReed andSteward will spinoff of “HairLove,” fromdirectorMat- series“Young TV up the12-part Love,” a Forge HBOMaxjust Animation. picked two menfounded in2011. owner› of LionForge Comics, whichthe keting andfinance, isCEOof Polarity, the ity. isinmar- Steward,whosebackground firmPolar- media parent Louis-based St. the company andchiefcreative officer of “HairLove.” short animated forFebruary thestudio’s involvement in in thegenre, homethehardware in took year toaddress alackof representation only Black-owned animation studio last David Steward II,whoformed theU.S.’s But LionForge Animation’s Carl Reed and an Academy Award withtheirfirst film. NOT MANYCOMPANIES — ANDTHESTUDIO ISBUILDING ONTHAT BLACK-OWNED LIONFORGE WON ANOSCAR FOR ‘HAIRLOVE’ “When you at comics, look “When there’s not upin2011, When they back hooked The Oscarwas for onlythestart Lion Reed, aformerReed, animator, ispresidentof tion moreinclusive. ing tomakeanima- Steward IIarelook- Carl ReedandDavid FORGING AHEAD cansay they won a ChineseAmericanqueerlove story. battling disorders, eating and“Mooncakes,” Than MyShadow,” ayoung about woman that, we needed wideanddiverse wethat, voices.” needed other production team inanimation.” team other production Weevolving it. want thistofeel like no unique,line isvery andwe’re constantly duction environment,” hesays. “Our pipe- pro- onbuildingaworld-class focused outtooverlooked “Wereaching talent. are company first-rate istocreate fareby that’s coming fromadifferent place.” America,” hesays. “We’re buildingcontent inSouth Korea,teams IndiaandinLatin “We have strong connection areally with that focus onawiderange of perspectives. Forge of theworld aswell hasinotherparts Reed tocollaborations points Lion ily pact. Strong,” of theImage aspart Kids+Fam- Rico series“Puerto anthology Maria-themed donestateside;mation willbe andHurricane inwhichallani- ture withStarlightMedia, classic of Chinesenovel, thejointven- part ney totheWest,” onthe afeature filmbased Forge Animationinclude“Jour- pipeline Black animators anddesigners.” Weto doit. want toshake thingsupwith isof color thebest wayteam mightnotbe that’s ofcolor whennoneoftheproduction it,” Steward says. “Having amain character diversity, butthereisn’t oneway of doing cerning thoseworking thecamera. behind con- was thecurve, still particularly behind siveness totheanimation industry, which saw achancepair tobringthat kindofinclu- the character—still fresh, Black comic book ona —amovie based film “BlackPanther” Steward says themandate for thenew Besides “Young Love,” projectsintheLion “Companies arecoming aroundto In 2019,withthesuccess of live-action Among theLionForge titles:“Lighter

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SURREAL WORLD Courtney B. Vance, Jonathan Majors and Jurnee Smollett star in “Lovecraft Country.

TV REVIEW tentacled creature flying overhead. citizens, America is not a problem to be BY DANIEL D’ADDARIO Another fantastical monster is destroyed solved but a monster to be outrun. It’s by Jackie Robinson, then reconstitutes a point well taken, and a case stylishly Lovecraft itself to devour the pathbreaking baseball and often cleverly made. But over the player when Atticus wakes up from this course of this series’ first five episodes, it dream in the back seat of a segregated remains unclear how “Lovecraft Country” Country bus. One sort of horror is over; now Atti- will advance itself beyond the shock of cus is just a Black man traveling through monstrosities, both new and familiar. the American South in the 1950s. Atticus, a military veteran, returns

DRAMA: HBO (10 episodes; five reviewed); Aug. 16 That this represents less a return to home to Chicago’s South Side. He must CAST: Jonathan Majors, Jurnee Smollett, Courtney safety and more a toggle between dif- find his father, Montrose (Michael Ken- B. Vance, Michael Kenneth Williams ferent sorts of surreal inhumanity is the neth Williams), who he believes has gone case “Lovecraft Country” makes at some to Massachusetts. Searching for Mon- length. Created by Misha Green (with Jor- trose, Atticus — with his uncle (Courtney dan Peele and J.J. Abrams credited as B. Vance) and friend (Jurnee Smollett) in “LOVECRAFT COUNTRY,” a new drama on executive producers) and based on the tow — seems to face the whole country HBO, begins with a scene of degradation; novel by Matt Ruff, “Lovecraft Country” rising up to stop him, from the violence of soldier Atticus Freeman (Jonathan Majors) is rooted in traditions of horror, and uses sundown towns that prohibit Black peo- emerges from a foxhole to see a winged, that genre’s tools to argue that, for Black ple at night to a daughter-father team ELI JOSHUA ADE/HBO ELI JOSHUA

VARIETY 91 “‘Lovecraft Country’ 92 REVIEWS Michael Kenneth Williams MIN. Peele, BillCarraro, Yann Demange,DanielSackheim,David Knoller. 60 CREDITS: fifth episode —alongwait. fifth episode getting toknow themuntilaroundthe astodefyourtruly a horrorstory’s beats characters aresorigorously putthrough the perfo Lovecraft than ofourcountry. Andthough ismoreof ““Lovecraftweight. Country” counterhumanity seemaninadequate ish, that even themost evilimpulsesof so extreme, sooutland andthethreats The violence of Lovecraftian horroris borrowed tendstowork against theplot: and iconography. Here, what’s though, to tellatalethat’s biginthematic sweep strengths.limited Thisshow, too, wants similar tothoseof “Watchmen,” withmore todeny. impossible became ideas andtheclarityof itscentralpotency theseries’ going, itself aloft initsearly skeptical of that show’s ability tokeep of BlackAmericans. Whilethiscriticwas aboutrace aslived by generationsa story in itscase, comic thesuperhero —totell elements drawn fromgenre fiction— Detective.” Last year, “Watchmen” used wafted of throughthefirst “True season and deeplyAmerican, otherworldly both depiction of boundless, cosmic evilseems writerwhose the early-20th-century into recently. Thework of H.P. Lovecraft, world thecharactersoccupy. reflectionsontheall-too-real sparking enterthenarrative,ing andstrange books Chicago, houses, haunted shape-shift danger. landsin As“Lovecraft Country” fondness for bizarreceremony presents LeeandTony(Abbey whose Goldwyn) characters to bring us through. characters tobringusthrough. crisplydrawn perhaps, butitrequires ing, ity isaway toarrive at mean- adeeper the kindof show itwants tobe. Surreal figuresout as andif“Lovecraft Country” offer here, clearer butwillbecome aswell, That’sabout thetotalityof itspresent. on the staging groundfor aconversation ing theworst of ournation’s into history ground,” Greenhasshown agiftfor mak- ofthe creator WGN America’s “Under as fromGreen’s imagination. Previously power,bolic drawn fromLovecraft aswell

to beoutrun.” citizens, America is argues that,for Black not aproblemtobe solved butamonster What works istheimmensesym best faces challenges “Lovecraft Country” HBOhasventured This isterritory Cast:

Executive producers: Jonathan Majors, Jurnee Smollett, Courtney B.Vance,Jonathan Majors,JurneeSmollett,Courtney rmances are very strong, the strong, rmances arevery VREY VARIETY Misha Green, J.J. Abrams, Jordan

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that first scene. Ifyou your begin filmabout grislypullofcan never topthegripping, thatgenre ensue, pleasures “Unhinged” more, thoughfor allthecheap-and-dirty plenty hedoes Sureenough, next. does killerthis nameless, introduced rudely ifonlyto seewhat inatlocked thispoint, cinema, andmost viewers fully willbe butit’sremains aquestion mark, certainly ise: Russell Crowe sureisunhinged. itsprom fulfilled but thefilmhasalready hasn’tcredit onscreenyet, even appeared anddrivesfor measure off. Thetitle good couplerified inside, setsthehouseonfire of house, thenearest theter hacksopen thefrontdoor hacksopen anax, carrying Crowerainstorm, marchesoutof thecar Parked street inacrashing onasuburban a bloody, of doozy aprologue: punch-drunk waiting for. DerrickBorte’s with filmbegins hinged,” you kindof seewhat they were film event for VOD. it doesn’t exactly momentousa seemtoo know, theRussell Crowe rage road movie,” less widelyknown by itstitlethanas“you An honestly trashy B-thrillerthat isbynow doesn’tat least, allthat prepossessing. look pressure onpaper onafilmthat, imposed experience. That’s nosmallamountof self- stuck toitsguns delayed dates, release “Unhinged” has OVER ASTAGGERED STARRING: DIRECTOR: Unhinged BY GUYLODGE FILM REVIEW Whether or not the film will be anyWhether ornotthefilmwillbe good And yet, five pulpy minutesinto“Un - in “Unhinged.” Russell Crowestars GRUDGE MATCH

Russell Crowe, Caren Pistorius Derrick Borte Derrick Borte as asummerbig-screen

series of pandemic- - - ner O’Brien. P. McKenzie, JulieneJoyner, MichaelPapajohn,AnneLeighton Russell Crowe, Caren Pistorius,GabrielBateman,JimmiSimpson,Austin London, July30, 2020. Mirkovich. era: Peter Touche, AndersErdén. C. Mary Bourbeau, Crystal Russell, ChristopherMilburn,Gareth West, Lisa Ellzey, Mark Gill,Andrew Gunn. CREDITS: (“Disturbia”) shiftsitsatten subsequently to 11,there’s nowhere to go butsideways. a maniacwiththepsycho up meterdialed man does not do road rage notdoroad byman does halves. pretty inhercontacts. mucheveryone The phone andseekstorather creatively murder case, that escalating her hesteals tothepoint hard—isallittakestoo tosettheguyonher — hedoesn’t shehonksalittle go ongreen, altercation atAn innocuous atrafﬁclight latest sequence days. of inanapparent bad ter, freelance hairstylist ishaving Rachel, the Caren Pistorius.tion toco-lead Hercharac- big screen. big screen. watch theworld preferably burn, onavery Somemovies furioushead: just wanting, to andCroweBorte bringittoasuitably froth here, and it, notany behind of thereasoning ter divorce woes. The carnage isthepoint madness isthat it’s vaguely inbit rooted automotive exercise.cheaper tothisfar whiplash-inducing zip-and-snap v Ferrari,” evidentlybringssomeof that McCusker, freshoff hisOscarwinfor “Ford pileups. Andwhat pileups: Editor Michael get inthewaytal health of itsmulti-car considerations toletearnest about of men “Unhinged” istheanti-“Joker,” andit’s not ﬁnd toplay inthisludicrousenterprise. there areonlysomany notesCrowe can stabbyment androaring, hysteria. Still, the next between quietlyseethingderange mance, ashealternates fromonescene to hell-for-leather-and-then-some perfor largely revolves aroundCrowe’s enormous, cat-and-mouseforward gamethat ensues Brendan Galvin. The scriptby genre proCarl Ellsworth What suspense thereisinthestraightWhat suspense All we know of thecentral character’s

A SolsticeStudios,IngeniousMediapresentation. Music: Director: David Buckley. Reviewed atSohoScreening Rooms, Editors: Derrick Borte. Derrick Borte. MPAA Rating: Co-producers: Michael McCusker, Steven Mirkovich, Tim Executive producers: Screenplay: R. R. Running time: James Portolese, BethBruck-James Carl Ellsworth. Carl 90 MIN. Guy Botham, Producers: Cam- Cast: ------

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How did you first have the idea for Hipgnosis? Merck Mercuriadis: It’s rooted Hipgnosis Songs in the idea that the songwriter is not getting their fair share of the income. The three biggest publishing companies [Sony, ‘My Relationship Universal and Warner] don’t advocate for songwriters because they’re owned by the biggest recorded-music companies in the With Merck Is Almost world: The recorded side gets four-fifths of the income and gross margin, and the songwriting side gets one-fifth. I could see a Like My Relationship decade ago that with streaming, a lot of the passive consumers who were not paying for music at all would pay $120 a year for a With David Bowie’ subscription. I realized that if I could create By Jem Aswad something that would give us billions of dollars of leverage to help change the system, and do it publicly on the stock market, HIPGNOSIS SONGS, which launched on the London Stock Exchange in 2018 and I could then demonstrate that not only are has raised (and spent) more than $1 billion, is a different kind of music company. songs predictable and reliable income; they It buys up the rights to song catalogs containing some of the biggest hits of the past are an asset class that could rival gold or oil. And that’s exactly what we’ve done. 50 years — from “Uptown Funk” to “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” — that are Nile Rodgers: My relationship with Merck often written by people the average consumer wouldn’t recognize. is almost like my relationship with David It’s all part of a plan by former Guns N’ Roses, Elton John and Beyoncé manager Bowie — before we recorded a note of music, Merck Mercuriadis, who launched the company with hit songwriter-producer and we listened and talked about music. Merck is very grounded in numbers and [value], Chic co-founder Nile Rodgers (co-writer of such classics as “Good Times,” “Le and I’m more “The hit songs are worth this, Freak” and “We Are Family”) to revolutionize the music business by replacing but there are components in other songs music publishing with what he calls “song management,” whereby proven hit that could be just as valuable,” because of songs receive greater focus and promotion, and writers get more money. They sampling. Chic’s song “Soup for One” was Variety a complete flop but was sampled on [the caught up with shortly after announcing another $80 million in funding. 2000 hit] “Lady” by Modjo, which was a No. 1 record and is one of my biggest copyrights. And the same thing happened with [Sugar- hill Gang’s 1979 hit] “Rapper’s Delight.”

Nile, “Rapper’s Delight” was a precedent- setting case for sampling — did you take legal action right away? Rodgers: Right away, and it went all the way up to [power-broker and financer of Sugarhill Gang’s label] Morris Levy. The copyright infringe- ment was so strong that it was pretty clear they couldn’t win that case. What was great is there was no hostility from a situation that could have been incredibly hostile — although there were a few intimidation tactics [Laughs] — and it turned out the right way because it established a precedent, and now the music business has some sort of governance when it comes to what I call collage art.

How are analysts feeling about the music business these days? Mercuriadis: They’re strong on songs as an asset class: Warner Music’s IPO has been a very big success, Spotify’s stock is up something like 75% year over year, Apple Music is booming, and it’s all being driven by the incredible growth of streaming. Markets like China, India and Africa that were largely illicit markets are now legitimate thanks to streaming, so the upside is massive. When Apple Music

THINGS YOU DIDN’T opened in African nations I didn’t expect FORMED: 2018 HEADQUARTERS: London CAPITAL RAISED TO DATE: More than $1.1 billion CATALOG: More than 13,000 KNOW ABOUT songs RECENT HIPGNOSIS SONG CATALOG ACQUISITIONS: Barry Manilow, Rodney Jerkins, Timbaland people in Congo to be spinning Journey’s HIPGNOSIS SONGS ARTISTS PRODUCED OR CO-PRODUCED BY RODGERS: David Bowie, Madonna, Diana Ross, Duran Duran, the B-52’s, Avicii “Don’t Stop Believin’” — he laughs — “but

that’s exactly what’s happening. JILL FURMANOVSKY

94 VARIETY Untitled-13 1 8/6/20 11:43 PM