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There was no one more surprised by Jeremy Strong‘s Golden Globe nomination for “The Apprentice” than Jeremy Strong.

“I am just indescribably moved by today’s news and surprised by it as well,” he tells Gold Derby after Monday’s nomination announcement. “I, to be honest with you, had been kind of just bracing myself to not be included in these things because of the way the film has sort of been received or not received, I should say. Not embraced.”

Strong is nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his turn as Roy Cohn, who mentors a young about a young Donald Trump (Sebastian Stan) in the Ali Abbasi drama. “The Apprentice” has been a lightning rod since it was first announced a year ago and struggled to find distribution after its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May. Trump and his legal team also attempted to block...

HBO is currently working on a TV adaptation of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter book series. According to The Hollywood Reporter, HBO has offered the role of Severus Snape to actor British actor Paapa Essiedu, although it's unclear if it's a done deal as of yet.

Snape is one of the biggest in the Harry Potter series. The embittered, intelligent Potions professor at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, Snape seems to loathe young Harry Potter from the moment he arrives, for reasons that are teased out over the course of the series. But Snape also helps Harry as he grows into his role as the Chosen One destined to stop the dark wizard Voldemort. It's complicated, you'll see.

As for Essiedu, he's an experience actor with parts in TV shows like I May Destroy You and Black Mirror, movies like Murder on the Orient Express, and in Royal Shakespeare Company...

Sectumsempra!

HBO is circling British actor Paapa Essiedu to play one of the hottest TV roles being cast this year.

The I May Destroy You actor is up for the role of Professor Severus Snape in HBO’s Harry Potter TV series, multiple sources tell The Hollywood Reporter. Sources say the actor has been offered the part although it is not clear if negotiations have begun in earnest.

Snape is the wickedly smart and casually cruel Hogwarts potions master who comes across as the story’s primary antagonist in the show’s first season, which will be based upon author J.K. Rowling’s 1997 debut novel, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. The role was famously played by the late Alan Rickman across eight Warner Bros. films.

So far, no actors have been officially cast in the Harry Potter series, which is aiming for a 2026 debut, although Bridge of Spies actor...

With Denzel Washington’s illustrious career reaching new heights, fans and industry insiders are already speculating about what could be the legendary actor’s next blockbuster success. Known for his powerful performances and careful selection of roles, Washington has consistently demonstrated his ability to elevate every project he touches.

Denzel Washington in a still from The Equalizer (2014) | Credits: Sony Pictures Releasing

After his latest triumph in one of 2024’s most anticipated films, attention is turning to what could be an even bigger project on the horizon – and it’s hiding in plain sight within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where Washington’s commanding presence could find its next home.

The Triumph of Gladiator 2 Denzel Washington in a still from Gladiator 2 (2024) | Credits: Paramount Pictures

Released on November 22nd, 2024, Gladiator 2 has not only exceeded expectations but has officially become Denzel Washington‘s highest-grossing film of all time. The Numbers has...

Better believe that fans are raging over the latest ‘Yellowstone’ episode which saw Kevin Costner’s John Dutton die by a gunshot wound. The patriarch’s death was initially taken to be suicide until viewers realized that Dawn Olivieri’s Sarah Atwood – the girlfriend of John’s estranged son Jamie (Wes Bentley) – had hired a hitman to kill him.

While it marked the most viewed episode of the Paramount series so far, it is also perhaps the most negatively critiqued by fans. Some chose to see John’s death as resulting from Costner’s exit, but lead star Luke Grimes is here to tell us that it’s not essentially the case.

Yellowstone Spoilers – Luke Grimes Reacts To Negative Fan Backlash Resulting From John Dutton’s Death

With John Dutton out of the way, the family is struggling to hold on to their iconic family ranch, Yellowstone.

But the struggle...

Physical media collectors, take note. The Criterion Collection has announced six new Blu-ray releases coming in February 2025, including titles from some of today’s most beloved auteurs and one famously elusive late-career work from a French New Wave legend.

The slate is headlined by Jean-Luc Godard’s “King Lear,” an essential work from the “Breathless” director’s experimental period that has long been unavailable to own or stream. The film uses William Shakespeare’s tragedy as a jumping off point for a postmodern riff on art in a world decimated by the Chernobyl nuclear meltdown. While it shares little DNA with the actual play that shares its name, “King Lear” contains some of the most striking imagery of Godard’s filmography, including the director himself donning a Rastafarian wig made entirely of electrical cables. The nonlinear film is a pastiche of influences, references, and ideas that stands out to many...

Denzel Washington once passed up a $520M opportunity to star in a James Cameron cult hit—and all because the character didn’t spark his interest. Ahan, even when Cameron’s cinematic magic was on the table, Washington wasn’t biting.

Denzel Washington in a still from Training Day | Credits: Warner Bros. Pictures

The missed role went on to become a massive part of pop culture history, leaving fans wondering, “What if?” But hey, when you’re Washington, you don’t just chase the money—you chase the story. Bold moves like this are what keep him at the top of Hollywood’s A-list.

Denzel Washington Dodged Terminator 2 for Bigger Ambitions Denzel Washington in Gladiator II | Credits: Scott Free Productions

Denzel Washington famously turned down a $520M chance to join James Cameron’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day. And his reason? The character was just too boring. Washington didn’t mince words,...

Denzel Washington kissed a guy, and he’d have liked it to stay in “Gladiator II.”

Washington told Gayety in the below video that a kiss between his character Macrinus and another man was cut from the film because “they weren’t ready for that yet.” While Washington did not clarify who “they” were, the feature is directed by Ridley Scott and is being distributed by Paramount, also the film’s studio. Washington’s character Macrinus does reference having relationships with other men onscreen during the film, though.

“I actually kissed a man in the film but they took it out, they cut it, I think they got chicken,” Washington said. “I kissed a guy full on the lips and I guess they weren’t ready for that yet. I killed him about five minutes later.”

He added, “It’s ‘Gladiator.’ It’s the kiss of death.”

“Gladiator II” is...

Jonathan Bailey revealed the star who has played a special role in his career and more in a new interview.

The 36-year-old actor has lined up a string of impressive projects in recent years, culminating in his starring role in Wicked and an upcoming one in the Jurassic Park franchise.

Of course, his elevated status makes him very recognizable to fans. He opened up about that experience, too.

Keep reading to find out more…

Speaking with Vanity Fair, Jonathan described Ian McKellen as a role model and supporter.

“Ian McKellen was wildly amazing, and I did King Lear with him. He was one of the first people to come to see me when I did Cock on the West End, and we went for a drink afterwards,” he recalled. “He was so clear about how it might play out, and should it play out that way, what to be excited...

Denzel Washington is currently receiving all the praise from critics for his role as Macrinus in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II. The film has yet to hit the theaters but critics have given a positive verdict to the sequel of Russell Crowe’s Oscar-winning film. During the promotion of this movie, Washington hinted at one thing that has made his fans sad and excited at the same time.

Denzel Washington in a still from Gladiator II | Credits: Paramount Pictures

It appears that the actor has only a handful of films under his belt, after which he plans to say goodbye to his acting career. He shared that he was excited to play some iconic characters in these upcoming films, which has given fans a lot to be excited about.

Denzel Washington Hints At Retirement After A Handful Of Great Films Denzel Washington in a still from The Equalizer | Credits: Columbia Pictures

Denzel Washington,...

Timothy West, the English star of stage and screen known for memorable turns in U.K. soaps “Coronation Street” and “EastEnders,” died on Tuesday. He was 90.

His children released a statement on Wednesday confirming the news. They said that West died “peacefully in his sleep” and was “with friends and family at the end.”

Born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England on Oct. 20, 1934, West went on to have a long career on stage and screen. He was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company for three seasons in the ’60s, and throughout his life frequently played the leading roles in “Macbeth,” “Uncle Vanya” and “King Lear.”

His first big screen role came in 1975 with the TV series “Edward the Seventh,” in which he portrayed the titular king from the age of 23 until his death. From 1983 to 1990, he starred as patriarch Bradley Hardacre in the comedy drama “Brass,” and also appeared in...

British theater and screen actor Timothy West died Tuesday. He was 90.

His children, Juliet, Samuel and Joseph, released a statement today that said he said died “peacefully yesterday evening” surrounded by friends and family.

West was one of the UK’s most beloved actors, known on-screen for roles in soaps EastEnders and Coronation Street, comedy-drama Brass and for Channel 4’s Great Canal Journeys, a touching series in which he traveled around the country on a boat with his wife, Fawlty Towers actress Prunella Scales. He also had many theater roles in productions such as Macbeth and King Lear.

“After a long and extraordinary life on and off the stage, our darling father Timothy West died peacefully I his sleep yesterday evening. He was 90 years old,” his children wrote in their note.

“Tim was with his friends and family at the end. He leaves his wife Prunella Scales, to whom he was married for 61 years,...

November 22 will be a massive day for Denzel Washington. His role in Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator II” has thrust him into the heart of the Oscar race for Best Supporting Actor, and the film opens in theaters on the same day his son Malcolm Washington’s “The Piano Lesson,” which he produced, streams on Netflix.

But even with his recent hot streak, Washington is eyeing an exit strategy from the film industry. In a recent appearance on Australian “Today” (via Variety), the two-time Oscar winner explained that he has become extremely selective about roles in the final chapter of his career.

“For me, it’s about the filmmakers. Especially at this point in my career, I am only interested in working with the best,” Washington said. “I don’t know how many more films I’m going to make. It’s probably not that many. I want to do things I haven’t done.

Denzel Washington will film his last movie one day. And he’s discussing some possibilities.

Though Denzel Washington can get a little ornery about internet memes, he is a legendary actor who has earned tremendous respect over his storied career.

He will also turn 70 years old in December. Some actors remain on screen until their 80s and beyond. Others choose retirement.

Gladiator II won’t be Denzel Washington’s last movie. But what will?

Denzel Washington attends the “Gladiator II” Paris Special Screening at Pathe Palace on November 10, 2024. (Photo Credit: Kristy Sparow/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures) Which film will be Denzel Washington’s last movie?

Back in August, Denzel Washington acknowledged that, at this stage in his monumental career, there aren’t many films left for him to do.

However, the Oscar winner has some candidates in mind for his last movie.

And, as if channeling the spirit of...

Denzel Washington is set to head to Wakanda as he reveals that Ryan Coogler is writing a part for him in Black Panther 3.

As we reach the release of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II – a long anticipated follow-up to his classic 2000 film – Denzel Washington, who plays Macrinus in the sequel, has been chatting about what he might be up to next. One of those upcoming gigs, he says, is a part in Marvel sequel Black Panther 3.

Despite reports that Washington is ready to wind down his career as an actor, he’s currently busier than ever. He will shortly be playing William Shakespeare’s Othello on the Broadway stage, a role he first played aged 22. According to Deadline, Washington has confirmed several of his upcoming film projects.

“At this point in my career, I’m only interested in working with the best,” he said. “I don’t know how many...

Denzel Washington may have just let slip that early development is underway on “Black Panther 3,” and honestly who could blame him? The actor said that Ryan Coogler, who wrote and directed 2018’s Oscar-winning “Black Panther” and the 2022 sequel “Wakanda Forever,” is writing a role for him in a third “Black Panther” movie — which has not yet been announced by Marvel.

The revelation came during a conversation with The Today Show Australia in which Washington, who is next seen stealing scenes in Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator II,” said he likely only has a few roles left in his career. The 69-year-old performer laid out his game plan for the next few projects.

“At this point in my career, I’m only interested in working with the best. I don’t know how many more films I’m going to make, probably not that many. I want to do things that I haven’t done,...

Denzel Washington could be gearing up to enter the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a new role in Black Panther 3 — though the storied actor is obviously doing it on his terms.

In a recent interview on Today (the Australian version, not the U.S. one), Washington said director Ryan Coogler was “writing a part for me in the next Black Panther.” He didn’t say anything more about the part, though, or the follow-up to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Rather, he dropped this nugget in a discussion of how he envisions his final act.

Denzel Washington is heading for Wakanda.

The two-time Oscar winner, currently on a press run for Ridley Scott’s Gladiator sequel, told The Today Show Australia that Ryan Coogler is writing an unspecified role for him in the next Black Panther movie.

Washington let the role slip during the interview when the show’s host asked him whether he still carried any anxieties around starring in flicks like Gladiator. Washington’s response was illuminating.

“At this point in my career, I’m only interested in working with the best. I don’t know how many more films I’m going to make, probably not that many. I want to do things that I haven’t done,” he said. “I played Othello at 22, I’m now going to play it at 70. After that, I’m playing Hannibal. After that, I’ve been talking with Steve McQueen about a film.”

Washington then added: “After that,...

Denzel Washington is booked and busy – dropping some details we didn’t know, including when he’s retiring, too.

First, in some significant Black Panther news, the 69-year-old actor shared that the franchise’s director, Ryan Coogler, will be writing a role for him in the third film in the series. Interestingly enough, this appears to be our first confirmation that a third film is happening, as Marvel has never confirmed it.

Denzel dropped this news on Australia’s Today show, saying, “at this point in my career, I’m only interested in working with the best, I don’t know how many more films I will make, probably not that many. I want to do things that I haven’t done.”

Denzel then listed every role he has lined up, before he plans to retire.

Keep reading to find out more…

He said, “I played Othello at 22, I’m...

Denzel Washington revealed in August that “there are very few films” left for him to make at this stage in his Oscar-winning career, but now he’s revealing that “Black Panther 3” is one of them. Speaking to Australia’s “Today” while on the press tour for “Gladiator II,” Washington said that director Ryan Coogler is writing him a role in the third “Black Panther” film. It will be one of Washington’s final movies along with a new Steve McQueen project and a film adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Othello.”

“For me it’s about the filmmakers. Especially at this point in my career, I am only interested in working with the best,” Washington said. “I don’t know how many more films I’m going to make. It’s probably not that many. I want to do things I haven’t done.”

“I played Othello at 22. I am about to play Othello at 70,” he continued,...

It sounds like all of the Hollywood elites (besides the talented newbies) are becoming a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, considering how the latest one to drop the bombshell news about his addition to the super-verse is none other than Denzel Washington. Per The Equalizer himself, the universe he seems to be on the verge of tackling next is Black Panther’s.

Denzel Washington. | Credits: Gladiator 2 / Paramount Pictures.

After all his never-ending action roles, which will see him playing Macrinus in the upcoming sequel to 2000’s Gladiator, the actor ostensibly made it evident during a recent interview that he is all set to make his splash in the MCU as well. And while he did not reveal what role he would be debuting in, he did confess that it’s all in the works with Black Panther 3 nonetheless.

Denzel Washington Hints He’ll Debut in the MCU Through Black Panther 3 Black Panther.

Denzel Washington is leaving Rome for Wakanda.

During an interview on Australia’s “Today” to promote “Gladiator II,” the two-time Oscar winner revealed that “Black Panther 3” is one of his forthcoming projects before he plans to retire.

“I’m about to play Othello at 70,” Washington said of his upcoming Broadway show. “After that, I’m playing Hannibal [in Antoine Fuqua‘s Netflix film]. After that, I’ve been talking with Steve McQueen about a film. After that, Ryan Coogler‘s writing a part for me in the next ‘Black Panther.’ After that, I’m going to do the film ‘Othello.’ After that, I’m doing ‘King Lear.’ After that, I’m going to retire.”

“Black Panther 3” has not yet been greenlit — it’s not in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase Five or Six plans — and Washington’s offhand announcement is the first piece of news about it since Leticia Wright...

To judge from the electric response of the youthful audience at the Sam Gold-helmed production of Romeo + Juliet, the casting of Rachel Zegler and Kit Connor as William Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers will be enough to persuade their fans that this story is dope Af. It’s not hard to imagine teens, having just watched Connor’s Romeo dangle in the air from Juliet’s suspended bed before doing a pull-up to hoist himself up to kiss her, begging their drama teachers to stage a Shakespeare tragedy this spring instead of, say, Clue.

In Gold’s previous Shakespeare outings on Broadway—2019’s Glenda Jackson-headlined King Lear and 2022’s Macbeth, starring Daniel Craig and Ruth Negga—you really had to know the plays well to have any idea of what was going on. While critics cited the incoherence of their abstractions, I found much to relish in the...

Exclusive: Emmy- and BAFTA-nominated actor Paapa Essiedu has inked with WME for representation in all areas, Deadline has learned.

Essiedu notched a Supporting Actor Emmy nom in Limited or Anthology Series as well as a Lead Actor BAFTA TV nom for his turn as Kwame in Michaela Coel’s HBO series I May Destroy You. He also received a BAFTA Lead Actor TV nom for The Lazarus Project.

Other recent projects include the National Theatre’s The Effect, written by Lucy Prebble and directed by Jamie Lloyd, which is transferring to The Shed in New York this year; Season 6 of the cult anthology series Black Mirror (“Demon 79”); and Working Title/Universal Christmas movie The Genie, directed by Sam Boyd and written by Love Actually‘s Richard Curtis.

Essiedu starred opposite Saoirse Ronan in The Outrun, directed by Nora Fingscheidt and based on Amy Liptrot’s bestselling memoir. The feature received...

Update, Oct. 21: The previously announced The Picture of Dorian Gray starring Succession actor Sarah Snook will open Thursday, March 27, 2025 on Broadway at the Music Box Theatre. Previews will begin Monday, March 10, 2025. The Picture of Dorian Gray will play a strictly limited engagement for 14 weeks.

Previous, Oct. 1: Following a sold out, critically acclaimed run in the West End, the new adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray starring Succession actor Sarah Snook in 26 roles will open on Broadway in March for a limited engagement.

The production is adapted and directed by Kip Williams. The adaptation began at the Sydney Theatre Company, where Williams is the Artistic Director.

The play will mark Snook’s Broadway debut. She won the Olivier Award for the role in the London premiere production. In it, Snook plays all 26 characters in the story.

The official synopsis: “Wilde’s timeless text is revolutionized...

Ralph Fiennes might have gone too far with his support for J.K. Rowling’s controversial comments, but the actor seemed on point during his remarks on trigger warnings for theater productions. Criticizing woke warnings, Fiennes claimed that audiences should expect to be surprised, instead of being warned beforehand about upcoming events.

Ralph Fiennes in a still from Spectre | image: Sony Pictures

After previously making headlines for going against Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson’s mutual opinions about J.K. Rowling, Ralph Fiennes seemed done with theaters posting trigger warnings for their productions. Claiming that people have gotten too soft, Fiennes noted that he would do away with trigger warnings if things were in his hands.

Ralph Fiennes Criticized the Woke Culture Trend of Trigger Warnings

With a career spanning critically acclaimed films and fantasy franchises like Harry Potter, Ralph Fiennes had become a household name in Hollywood. However, apart from his celebrated performance,...

What would the moviegoing experience be without Sir Ian McKellen? An actor with a towering, half-century-plus career, theater-trained performer McKellen has become synonymous not just with great plays and serious dramas, but with huge sci-fi and fantasy blockbusters. McKellen headlined two major franchises in the aughts, playing indelible parts in both Peter Jackson' "Lord of the Rings" trilogy (plus the less beloved prequel saga) and pre-mcu superhero standout the "X-Men" trilogy.

McKellen adds his signature gravitas to every role, and he's elevated plenty of so-so films, like "The Da Vinci Code," "The Golden Compass," and -- dare I say -- "Cats." With a career so sprawling and significant, it's difficult to say just which of McKellen's films is his best, but where human brains fail, the (sometimes super-wonky) metrics of the Rotten Tomatoes algorithm theoretically succeed. We may not be able to pick just one McKellen performance that stands above the rest,...

Al Pacino nearly died of Covid in 2020, the iconic actor says, recalling his harrowing experience in a recent episode of The New York Times’ “The Interview” podcast.

At the height of the pandemic, the Oscar, Emmy and Tony award-winning actor contracted a life-threatening Covid infection. Pacino said that he wasn’t feeling well, “unusually not good.” When the 84-year-old actor broke into a fever, a nurse was called in to cure his dehydration. That’s when the situation became dire.

“I was sitting there in my house, and I was gone. Like that. I didn’t have a pulse,” Pacino told the Times.

In “minutes” an ambulance arrived at his house. Pacino said there were about six paramedics and two doctors in his house dressed in outfits that “looked like they were from outer space or something.” When he opened his eyes, Pacino recalled the medical professionals saying, “He’s back.

Al Pacino revealed on The New York Times’ “The Interview” podcast that he lost his pulse during a near-death experience with Covid-19 during the 2020 pandemic. The Oscar winner said the infection led to dehydration and “my pulse was gone. It was so — you’re here, you’re not. I thought: Wow, you don’t even have your memories. You have nothing. Strange porridge.”

“What happened was, I felt not good — unusually not good,” Pacino explained. “Then I had a fever, and I was getting dehydrated and all that. So I got someone to get me a nurse to hydrate me. I was sitting there in my house, and I was gone. Like that. I didn’t have a pulse.”

“In a matter of minutes they were there — the ambulance in front of my house,” he continued. “I had about six paramedics in that living room, and there were two doctors,...

Barbara Leigh-Hunt, the Olivier Award-winning actress who portrayed one of the victims of Barry Foster’s Necktie Murderer in Alfred Hitchcock’s penultimate film, Frenzy, has died. She was 88.

Leigh-Hunt died peacefully Sept. 16 at her home in Warwickshire, England, her family announced.

The British star also was known for her performance as Lady Catherine de Bourgh in the acclaimed 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle.

During her seven-decade career, Leigh-Hunt appeared for the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre, in the West End and on Broadway. She received her Olivier in 1993 for her turn as Sybil Birling in an Nt revival of J.B. Priestley’s An Inspector Calls, directed by Stephen Daldry.

In Frenzy (1972), filmed in London, Leigh-Hunt portrayed Brenda Blaney, the ex-wife of a struggling former Raf squadron leader (Jon Finch), who police at first think is the serial killer on the loose.

Peter Dinklage and Stephen Dorff are completely unrecognizable in these new photos from the set of their upcoming movie Lear Rex!

The actors were spotted in costume while filming a scene for the King Lear adaptation alongside co-star Al Pacino on Wednesday (September 18) in Los Angeles.

In Lear Rex, an aging King (Pacino) divides his land between his three daughters to prevent future conflict. But he rejects the young daughter who loves him and places his trust in her malevolent sisters, who strip him of his power and condemn him to a wretched wasteland of horror and insanity.

Peter is playing The Fool while Stephen is playing Poor Tom. The star-studded cast was recently announced, including several Oscar winners.

Browse through the gallery for 50+ photos from the set of Lear Rex…...

In the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episode "Manhunt", Betazoid ambassador Lwaxana Troi (Majel Barrett) hitches a ride on the Enterprise-d, partly to visit her daughter Deanna (Marina Sirtis), but mostly to flirt with Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart). It seems that Lwaxana is going through the Betazoid equivalent of menopause, and her libido is skyrocketing. As such, she seems determined to arrive at her destination with a husband in tow, and she doesn't really care who it might be. 

Lwaxana Troi is a fun character for "Star Trek," as she is outspoken, charismatic, and tends to flout the buttoned-up formality that Starfleet officers abide by. Barrett played the role on six episodes of "Next Generation," and returned for three episodes of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine." Her flippant demeanor allowed her to solve mysteries without thinking about it, and her stories tended to be personally dramatic rather than highfalutin sci-fi.

“Remember who you are. Remember.” This is one of the most iconic lines coming from one of the most iconic voices in pop culture. For nearly 70 years, James Earl Jones made a mark on the screen, stage, and television. Many know him as the iconic voice behind Darth Vader of the Star Wars saga and Mufasa of The Lion King franchise.

But there is a lot more storied history from the world-famous gravel voice that brought the entire galaxy to its knees and that led a boy to be king.

Humble Beginnings

Born on the 17th of January 1931 in Mississippi, James Earl Jones found his passion in poetry and acting to overcome his stutter, making him embrace his deep voice. It is truly amazing how overcoming a disability led him to be one of the most recognizable voices in film.

He then ventured into theater, eventually debuting in 1957 on Broadway...

When people talk about the late, great James Earl Jones, it’s a guarantee that one of the first things they’ll mention about him is that voice. It’s an inevitability, really, when anybody who was born after 1977 was likely first introduced to him not as a physical presence but as a sound booming from their screen — either filtered, steely, and imposing as the snarling vocals of Darth Vader in the original “Star Wars” trilogy, or warm, stately, and regal as the dialogue from Mufasa in Disney’s animated classic “The Lion King.”

But even in his live-action roles, Jones possessed a voice that could stop you in your tracks. Born in 1931 Mississippi and raised in Michigan, Jones had a childhood stutter so difficult that he claimed to barely speak before his first year of high school, where reciting poetry helped him to overcome the impediment. And when he did,...

James Earl Jones is dead at the age of 93. Deadline first reported he died the morning of September 9, which IndieWire has confirmed. The distinguished Egot winner, esteemed star of stage and screen, and iconic basso profondo voice of Darth Vader enjoyed a remarkable, decade-spanning career that found him playing a slew of iconic characters in film, TV, and theater. Jones’ credits ranged from Othello to Malcolm X, Santa Claus, Ebenezer Scrooge, King Lear, and one of the famous villains of all time in “Star Wars.”

While he did not win a competitive Academy Award during his career, he received an Honorary Academy Award in 2011, granting him vaunted “Egot” status. He was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1985, was presented with the National Medal of the Arts by President George H. W. Bush in 1992, and received the Kennedy Center Honor in 2002.

In 2009, he received the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award.

Veteran actor James Earl Jones, whose distinct voice made him a staple of film and television, died Monday morning at his home in Dutchess County, N.Y. He was 93.

His reps at Independent Artist Group confirmed the news to our sister site Deadline. TVLine has reached out to Iag for confirmation.

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The actor is perhaps best known as the voice of Darth Vader throughout the Star Wars franchise.

James Earl Jones, the Egot-winning actor known for voicing Darth Vader in the Star Wars franchise for four decades, has died at age 93.

Jones passed away at his home in Dutchess County, New York, on Monday, September 9th, according to the actor’s representatives.

The son of actor and boxer Robert Earl Jones, James Earl Jones was born in Arkabutla, Mississippi on January 17th, 1931. His father left the family shortly after his birth, and Jones was raised by his maternal grandparents in Michigan from the age of five. Jones found the transition to living with his grandparents so traumatic that he developed a stutter and spent his time in school mute. He credited his high school English teacher, Donald Crouch, for helping him with his stutter; Crouch discovered Jones had a talent for poetry, and encouraged him to read his work aloud in class.

After graduating high school in 1949, Jones attended the University of Michigan,...

Matt Smith is worried that “everything’s being dialed and dumbed down” in the entertainment world because of the rise of trigger warnings.

Speaking to The Times of London, the “House of the Dragon” star lamented at how trigger warnings are keeping the audience from having a visceral, unexpected reaction like “being shocked, surprised, stirred” – which he thinks is the whole point of stories.

“It’s Ok to feel uncomfortable or provoked while looking at a painting or watching a play, but I worry everything’s being dialed and dumbed down,” Smith said. “We’re telling audiences they’re going to be scared before they’ve watched something.”

He continued, “sn’t being shocked, surprised, stirred the point? Too much policing of stories and being afraid to bring them out because a climate is a certain way is a shame. I’m not sure I’m on board with trigger warnings....

“Slow Horses” star Gary Oldman is the frontrunner to win Best Drama Actor at the upcoming Emmys. Oldman earned his first and only Oscar six years ago for his portrayal of World War II-era British prime minister Winston Churchill in “Darkest Hour.” That win was sandwiched between two other lead bids for “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” (2012) and “Mank” (2021). His sole Emmy nomination to date came in 2001 for his guest appearance in the two-part seventh season finale of “Friends”; he lost to Derek Jacobi (“Frasier”).

On Apple TV+’s “Slow Horses,” which is based on a series of novels by Mick Herron, Oldman plays Jackson Lamb, a particularly uncouth MI5 officer saddled with the responsibility of supervising a group of service rejects. This constitutes his very first regular role on a continuing series and his first live action TV performance at all in over two decades.

Oldman would be the 12th...

“The Lord of the Rings” is the most successful film series in the history of the Academy Awards, winning 17 Oscars including two Best Picture awards out of 30 total nominations.

Both “The Fellowship of the Ring” and “The Return of the King” won Best Picture while Peter Jackson won Best Director for the latter movie, which holds the joint record for most Oscar wins of all time with 11 victories (the same number as “Ben-Hur” and “Titanic”). However, the lauded trilogy only received one acting citation — that was for Ian McKellen for Best Supporting Actor for “The Fellowship of the Ring.”

But while the Oscars didn’t nominate nearly enough actors in this trilogy (shout out to Andy Serkis), “The Lord of the Rings” cast is full of incredible actors who have received multiple awards nominations for other projects. Considering it is Emmys season, we’re going to focus on Emmys.

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Oscar winner Kenneth Branagh’s latest film is getting even more star power.

IndieWire can confirm that Patricia Arquette and Michael Sheen are among the new cast members for Branagh’s upcoming psychological thriller “The Last Disturbance Of Madeline Hynde.” Jodie Comer was previously announced as the lead star.

“The Last Disturbance Of Madeline Hynde” is billed as a “contemporary psychological thriller” but the official logline is being kept under wraps. Branagh writes and directs the feature which is being independently financed through his “Belfast” producers’ banners.

In addition to Arquette, Sheen, and Comer, the cast also includes Tom Bateman, Vicky McClure, Michael Balogun, Kristina Tonteri-Young, Karla Crome, Aiysha Hart, and Gemma Whelan.

Filming has begun in the U.K. Tamar Thomas, Laura Berwick, and Becca Kovacik, along with Matthew Jenkins, and Maximum Effort’s Ashley Fox and Johnny Pariseau, are producing.

Comer recently starred in “The Bikeriders” and wrapped production on “28 Years Later.

"Candyman" was first concocted by horror maestro Clive Barker in the form of a short story called "The Forbidden." Released as part of the fifth volume of his "Books of Blood" series, the story was eventually transformed into what would become Bernard Rose's 1992 hit slasher and remains one of the best horror movies ever made. The figure of Candyman, played famously by Tony Todd, has transcended into the realm of iconic — and spawned a franchise featuring three direct sequels throughout the '90s and Nia DaCosta's criminally underrated "Candyman" from 2021. The importance and impact of the original "Candyman" cannot be overstated, and Bernard Rose's keen eye and unique grasp of presenting the horrors of an urban legend come to life has been sparking nightmares for over three decades.

Before Rose stepped into Cabrini-Green with the dulcet tones of Philip Glass' score, he directed films like "Smart Money," "Body Contact,...

Back in February, news broke that Al Pacino and Jessica Chastain would star in “Lear Rex,” based on the Bard’s “King Lear.” That’s exciting enough, but details on the upcoming film’s supporting cast and this ensemble is a doozy. And given the plethora of big names here, it’s safe to expect Bernard Rose‘s film to be one of 2025 or 2026’s most anticipated films.

Continue reading ‘Lear Rex’: Rachel Brosnahan, Lakeith Stanfield, Ariana DeBose & More Join Al Pacino & Jessica Chastain In Upcoming Shakespeare Adaptation at The Playlist.

Exclusive: Academy Award winner Ariana DeBose (West Side Story), Emmy Award winner Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Academy Award nominee Lakeith Stanfield (Judas and the Black Messiah), Emmy Award winner Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones), Chris Messina (Argo), Ted Levine (The Silence of the Lambs), Danny Huston (The Constant Gardener), Matthew Jacobs (Bar America), Rhys Coiro (Entourage) and Stephen Dorff (Blade) have joined Academy Award winners Al Pacino and Jessica Chastain in Bernard Rose’s Lear Rex, a film adaptation of Shakespeare’s King Lear.

Barry Navidi is the producer, marking his fifth collaboration with Pacino following The Merchant of Venice, Wilde Salomé, Salomé as well as this year’s Modi directed by Johnny Depp. Sharon Howard-Field, the film’s Casting Director, shares a long working history with Navidi. Navidi’s finance partners are Mattias Westman of Westman Films, Eco Entertainment, Dali Films and World Vision. CAA Media Finance...

Exclusive: Sigourney Weaver will make her West End stage debut as storm-creating sorcerer Prospero in The Tempest and Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell will play sparring lovers Benedick and Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing when director Jamie Lloyd returns Shakespeare early this winter to the historic Theatre Royal Drury Lane, a landmark venue in Covent Garden owned by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Weaver, star of Ridley Scott’s Alien movies and James Cameron’s Avatar epics, last starred in one of Will’s plays when she played Portia in a 1986 off-Broadway revival of The Merchant of Venice.

As a sophomore at Stanford, she played Goneril in a traveling production of King Lear.

The star once revealed that she pretended “I was doing Henry V the entire time” she was playing Ripley in Alien. “I thought, ‘Well, as a woman, I’ll never be cast as Henry V, so this is my Henry V,...

Set at the height of the Roman Empire, Those About To Die is historical drama series from director Roland Emmerich. Created by Robert Rodat, and inspired by the nonfiction book of the same name by Daniel P. Mannix, the series will immerse viewers into the spectacular, complex, and corrupt world of chariot racing and gladiatorial fights in ancient Rome.

The cast includes multi-award winning cinema legend Sir Anthony Hopkins as Emperor Vespasian, Iwan Rheon (Game of Thrones) as Tenax, Tom Hughes as Titus Flavianus, Sara Martins as Cala, and Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson (Game of Thrones) as Viggo, Jojo Macari (Sex Education) as Domitian, Gabriella Pession (Crossing Lines) as Antonia, Dimitri Leonidas as Scorpus, Emilio Sakraya as Xenon, Moe Hashim Kwame, Rupert Penry Jones (Whitechapel) as Marsus.

HeyUGuys chatted to the cast about their experience working on the hotly anticipated series on set in Italy and about how much they all knew about that particular era.

The runaway success of HBO’s Game of Thrones inspired a flood of big-budget epics from History’s Vikings to Amazon’s Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, but few of those shows have been able to match its combination of awe-inspiring action and Shakespearean drama. The latest to try is the Roman gladiator drama Those About to Die, premiering this Thursday on Peacock, which is clearly going for an ancient Rome-meets-Westeros vibe. (I’ve seen the first three episodes.) It seems to have learned all the wrong lessons from Thrones, though, leaning heavily on violence and nudity...

Just as he did for Yorgos Lanthimos‘ “Poor Things,” English composer Jerskin Fendrix has supplied an offbeat, musically provocative score for Lanthimos’ new film, “Kinds of Kindness” — except this time it’s all piano and choir instead of the strange, electronically processed sonorities of “Poor Things.”

“Kinds of Kindness” was even more challenging, Fendrix tells Variety. Instead of a science-fiction drama about a reanimated corpse with a child’s brain, this was a trio of weird, decidedly absurdist tales featuring the same cast with only the most tenuous of connections between them.

The assignment came at the end of 2022, while he was still doing final recordings and mixes for “Poor Things.” He was invited to visit the New Orleans set, do a cameo in one segment, then return to England armed with just a casual suggestion from the director: “Maybe just piano and choir.”

But finding a way into the story was difficult.

Following an accident at the Noël Coward Theater in London, Sir Ian McKellen has been hospitalized. According to a report by the BBC, the 85-year old thespian — known for his roles as Gandalf in the “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” film series and Magneto in the “X-Men” films, as well as his extensive theatrical experience — was performing as Falstaff in “Players King,” a production that combines Shakespeare’s “Henry IV – Part 1” and “Part 2,” when he lost his footing and fell from the front of the stage.

Though no official injuries have been reported, audience members told the BBC that the experience was “very shocking” and that following the fall and house lights being brought back up, McKellen was crying out for help.

“As far as I saw, he was conscious because he was asking for assistance,” said a theater-goer who was witness to the accident.

The production opened on...

Ian McKellen was hospitalized after falling off stage during a performance of “Player Kings” at the Noël Coward Theatre on the West End in London, according to the BBC.

McKellen was reportedly in a battle scene when he lost his footing and fell. The audience was evacuated from the theater and the evening show was canceled. A representative for the theater shared a statement that McKellen will “make a speedy and full recovery” and that the 85-year-old actor is “in good spirits.”

“Thank you to our audience and the general public for their well wishes following Ian’s fall during this evening’s performance of ‘Player Kings,'” reads the statement. “Following a scan, the brilliant NHS team have assured us that he will make a speedy and full recovery and Ian is in good spirits. The production has made the decision to cancel the performance on Tuesday 18 June so Ian can rest.