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Exclusive: Like mother, like daughter? Abbott Elementary fans will soon find out if the old adage rings true for Melissa Schemmenti (Lisa Ann Walter) in an upcoming Season 4 episode.

Talia Shire, of The Godfather and Rocky fame, will appear as a guest star in Episode 8 as Teresa Schemmenti.

The episode is airing on December 4 as part of a one-hour holiday special featuring two back-to-back episodes.

It seems only fitting that the Italian-American actress, well known as Adrian Balboa from the Rocky franchise, would make an appearance in the Philly based comedy series. Shire, who has appeared in more than 40 film and television roles, is also famous for her role as Connie Corleone in The Godfather.

Both roles earned her an Academy Award nomination. She was also nominated for a Golden Globe and received the New York Critics Award for Rocky.

She also appeared in the television classic series Rich Man,...

Drea de Matteo is most famous for playing Adriana La Cerva on The Sopranos, where she was the troubled girlfriend of mobster Christopher Moltisanti, a role that won her an Emmy. She also played Wendy Case, the strong-willed ex-wife of Jax Teller, in the hit show Sons of Anarchy.

Recently, she revealed in an interview that she was offered a role in a Marvel project but decided to turn it down to focus on her family, especially because her son would get upset whenever she had to leave for long filming trips.

The actress shared that she no longer felt attracted to the Hollywood lifestyle or its focus on material things, so she decided to stay closer to home and embrace a simpler way of living.

I was offered some Marvel thing, and I turned that down because my son was crying every time I’d go to Canada to just guest star on something.

Drea de Matteo is best known for her role as Adriana La Cerva on ‘The Sopranos,’ where she portrayed the tragic, conflicted girlfriend of mobster Christopher Moltisanti—a performance that earned her an Emmy. She also starred as Wendy Case, the rebellious ex-wife of Jax Teller, in the popular series ‘Sons of Anarchy’, but as it turns out the actress was offered a Marvel role as well, which she declined for a good reason.

In her recent interview with ComicBookMovie de Matteo explained that she turned down the Marvel role beacuse she wanted to prioritize her family, especially her son who would get upset whenever she had to leave for long shoots.

The actress explained that she no longer felt drawn to the Hollywood lifestyle or the materialism that sometimes comes with it, choosing instead to stay closer to home and live a simpler life.

I was offered some Marvel thing,...

Exclusive: Makeready, the production company led by producer Brad Weston and Netflix alum Collin Creighton, has extended by three years its overall deal with Fifth Season. Joining the party is Topic Studios; the Makeready deal is the first in a new multiyear joint venture between Topic and Fifth Season in which they’ll back production companies with financing and development funds to create premium television content.

Makeready has hired former Temple Hill exec Sydney Title to run its television division.

Makeready made its original deal with Fifth Season, and it yielded such films as the Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Shailene Woodley starrer Killer Heat, which was Prime Video’s top film worldwide for two weeks. There also was A Thousand and One, the Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner and debut feature from A.V. Rockwell. Upcoming films include Opus for A24, starring John Malkovich and The Bear’s Emmy winner Ayo Edebiri...

As new information continues to come out about Sean “Diddy” Combs‘ alleged illegal activities and his “freak off” parties, more and more celebrities are distancing themselves from the Bad Boy Records founder.

Many of the stars who once proudly smiled in photos with Diddy and were quite friendly with him are acting like they don’t know him now while staying quiet and laying low. However, one well-known actor just revealed that she was at plenty of Diddy’s parties. So now the question is: What did she see and hear?

Here’s what Sopranos star Drea de Matteo said about partying with Diddy and why she thinks there’s more to the story than what we know now.

De Matteo admits she was at ‘a lot’ of Diddy’s parties Drea de Matteo on the set of “Nonnas” | Bobby Bank/Gc Images

On Oct. 10, de Matteo appeared on the...

Afternoon Insiders, here we are once again, another week and another busy one in the world of international film and TV. Sign up to the newsletter here. Or read on.

Splashy Last Week On The Lido

Uncharacteristically buzzy: The Venice Film Festival ends tomorrow after an uncharacteristically buzzy second week. The festival is usually front-loaded, with the splashiest titles playing early. This year, however, Alberto Barbera, who dished to Andreas, said the lengthy runtimes of some competition titles meant the spoils had to spread across both weeks. Enter Brady Corbet’s 215-minute post-wwii epic The Brutalist, starring Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn, Stacy Martin, Raffey Cassidy, Emma Laird, Isaach De Bankolé and Alessandro Nivola. The pic was well received, landing a 13-minute ovation from the Sala Grande audience. Pedro Almodóvar launched his English-language debut The Room Next Door with his leading ladies Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore.

Guess which well-known actor is about to make his Netflix debut soon? Well, it's none other than Vince Vaughn, an actor known for starring in many comedy flicks. And guess what? The new Netflix movie he's set to star in is a comedy movie as well. It's titled Nonnas, and we're about to tell you everything there is to know about it down below.

After a competitive bidding war, Netflix came out securing the worldwide rights to the comedy film. The streamer reportedly paid $20 million+ for the rights. The movie was initially going to be part of the Toronto International Film Festival, but with Netflix snagging the rights, it will be released on its platform instead in 2025.

Nonnas is based on a true story. It was written by Liz Maccie and directed by Stephen Chbosky. Gigi Pritzker and Rachel Shane produce for Madison Wells and Jack Turner for Matador Content.

Netflix has picked up director Stephen Chbosky’s feature comedy Nonnas, which stars Vince Vaughn, Susan Sarandon, Lorraine Bracco, Talia Shire and Brenda Vaccaro.

The feature portrays a man after the loss of his mother opening up an Italian restaurant with a group of local grandmothers as chefs.

Chbosky wrote the screenplay for Disney’s live action Beauty and the Beast and the film adaptation of R.J. Palacio’s Wonder, and directed the screen adaptation of Dear Evan Hansen and penned and directed the film adaptation of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, the acclaimed 2012 teen drama that starred Logan Lerman, Emma Watson and Ezra Miller.

Rounding out the ensemble cast for Nonnas are Linda Cardellini, Drea De Matteo, Joe Manganiello, Michael Rispoli and Campbell Scott. The film is written by Liz Maccie and produced by Gigi Pritzker and Rachel Shane for Madison Wells and Jack Turner for Boat Rocker’s Matador Content.

Exclusive: Netflix has won an auction for the Stephen Chbosky-directed comedy Nonnas in a deal Deadline hears is $20 million-plus for worldwide rights. Several bidders were in the mix on a film that had been invited to be part of the Toronto International Film Festival slate. That has changed and the film won’t make the trip. Netflix will release the film globally in 2025.

Scripted by Liz Maccie, and based on a true story, Nonnas stars Vince Vaughn, Susan Sarandon, Lorraine Bracco, Talia Shire, Brenda Vaccaro, Linda Cardellini, Drea De Matteo, Joe Manganiello, Michael Rispoli, and Campbell Scott.

Vaughn plays Joe, a single man in a dead-end job whose mother has spoiled him with her cooking. When she dies, he tries to pull himself out of grief mode by risking everything to open an Italian restaurants and honor his mother. He enlists a group of Italian grandmothers, who feed his love for home cooking, and they become surrogate moms. Chbosky has a knack for this kind of material, directing Wonder and The Perks of Being a Wallflower among others.

Nonnas is produced by Gigi Pritzker and Rachel Shane for Madison Wells, and Jack Turner for Matador Content. The exec producers are Alexis Garcia, Scott Budnick and Ameet Shukla for 1Community, Vince Vaughn, Jay Peterson and Todd Lubin for Matador Content, Amanda Morgan Palmer and Stacy Calabrese for Madison Wells.

Related: The 7 Best Vince Vaughn Movies To Stream From ‘The Break-Up’ To ‘Swingers’

Netflix confirmed the deal, and offered reaction from Nonnas‘ filmmaking team:

Gigi Pritzker, whose Madison Wells originated the film, said she was “delighted that Nonnas has found a great home at Netflix, where it will be widely seen and enjoyed. The film focuses on family, food and community, and in this turbulent time those are things we can all celebrate.”

Said Fifth Season Head of Film Christopher Slager: “Once again Stephen Chbosky has brought magic to the screen in this heartfelt and joyous film. We cannot wait for audiences everywhere to sit down at the table with us and share this fantastic film thanks to our partners at Netflix.”

Scott Budnick, 1Community Executive Producer added that “Nonnas is a celebration of family – the ones you’re born into and the ones you create. We are thrilled to bring this family to Netflix.”

Related: Jimmy Tatro Joins Vince Vaughn In 20th Century’s ‘Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice’

The deal was brokered by WME Independent and Fifth Season, latter of which was the studio on the film. It marks the third deal in the run-up to a Toronto Festival that is chock full of acquisition titles, including some titles that played Telluride. This after the Dito Montiel-directed Riff Raff was acquired for US by Roadside Attractions, and Sony Pictures Classics acquired Jane Austen Wrecked My Life before its TIFF premiere.

The available titles that buyers saw at Telluride include September 5, about how ABC Sports team broadcasting the 1972 Olympics in Munich, German rose to the moment and covered the kidnap and massacre of 11 members of the Israeli team in real time. The twists and turns and split-second decisions they made under Roone Arledge make for a harrowing thriller. Also in that mix is The Friend. In that film, Bill Murray plays an acclaimed writer whose companion is a Great Dane named Apollo. When he dies, the dog is adopted by one of the writer’s protegees (Naomi Watts) who tries to stash the oversized high-maintenance pooch in her Manhattan rent-controlled apartment, which has a firm no dogs allowed policy. Scott McGehee and David Siegel direct a film that was one of the buzz titles of Tellurides.

While recent TIFF deal making has been slow going each year since the pandemic, the abundance of plum titles with strong casts, and an expected buyer appetite could portend a strong atmosphere for deals. TIFF begins tomorrow night.

Related: ‘Dodgeball’ Sequel In Works At 20th With Vince Vaughn Returning; Jordan VanDina To Write The Script...

Scott Budnick was riding what could easily have been the height of any other producer’s career when he took a step back from Hollywood.

As EVP of Todd Phillips’ Green Hat Films over 14 years, Budnick produced comedy juggernauts like “Old School,” “Due Date” and the record-breaking “The Hangover” trilogy, which grossed more than $1.4 billion. But he bowed out to pursue activist aspirations in judicial system and social justice reform full-time, founding the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (Arc) in 2014 in an effort to provide assistance and stability to formerly incarcerated men and women.

Budnick returned to Hollywood in 2018 as founder and CEO of 1Community, a mission-oriented producing and cofinancing company for film and TV that embraces the power of storytelling to drive the same reform he’s advocated for for the better part of 20 years. The idea to marry the two passions and create “entertainment with impact,” he told TheWrap, came in part thanks to Tobey Maguire.

Madison Wells will produce a documentary focusing on the public and private life of Jacinda Ardern, the trailblazing Prime Minister of New Zealand who helped introduce strict gun laws following the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings. She also led her country through the Covid pandemic and grappled with issues such as child poverty and climate change.

The feature-length film is currently untitled. It follows Ardern from the moment she receives the Labour Party nomination to the birth of her child to her resignation in 2023, when she was at the height of her power and popularity. The filmmakers are promising a movie that provides a “very raw and personal point of view of politics in our time,” as well as a feature that comes with Arden’s support. It’s Madison Wells’ first feature documentary.

Commented Madison Wells CEO and the film’s producer Gigi Pritzker, “We are so proud that our first...

Exclusive: Susan Sarandon (Maybe I Do), William H. Macy (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes) and Marcia Cross (You) have signed on to star in Exit Right, a new indie that veteran documentary filmmaker Thomas A. Morgan will direct from his own script for the London-based Garrick Street Productions and Square Zero Films.

Marking Morgan’s narrative debut, the film centers on Jan Randall (Sarandon), whose brain — affected with inoperable cancer — makes her deeply afraid of being trapped inside. Refusing to take medications that would reduce her final days to a hospital bed, she moves into a tent in her backyard. Determined to give her one last gift, her husband John courageously takes her on a trip around the world — on foot, in their own hometown, for what is truly the trip of a lifetime.

Sarandon’s Jan Randall is adventurous, confident and strong-willed. She retired after a successful career as a journalist,...

With a mission wholly unique at the time, make money while inspiring social change through entertainment, Participant Media managed to rewrite the rules of Hollywood during its all too short 20-year run. The studio singlehandedly proved to the world that you can produce unbelievably great films that have an impact, and audiences will go see them. Most studios and filmmakers working today owe a debt of gratitude to Jeff Skoll and his team of visionaries. That’s why the announcement that the studio will be shutting its doors felt like a gut punch, especially at a time when Hollywood is feeling a bit limp and lifeless.

Amidst the backdrop of faltering democracies, news and information channels that appear polarized, a marathon pandemic, and the proliferation of streaming, entertainment media still stands king as a unifier, capable of bringing together broad swathes of audiences. So, while Participant’s award-winning documentary “He...

Exclusive: Former Fifth Season film head Alexis Garcia has launched CAT5, an action film label that will be backed by his former employers, who are among other investors and partners to be announced at later date. As one of its first projects, CAT5 has signed on to co-finance Black Bear’s Levon’s Trade. The film is in production, with David Ayer-directing the Jason Statham vehicle that was adapted from the Chuck Dixon novel by Sylvester Stallone, with revisions by Ayer. Garcia joins as an executive producer. The film is in production in London and slated for wide theatrical release in the U.S. by Amazon MGM Studios on January 17, 2025.

Garcia spent seven years with Fifth Season and Graham Taylor and Chris Rice, helping build it from its 2017 launch as Endeavor Content. Before that he spent a decade at Endeavor/WME under Ari Emanuel and Patrick Whitesell, where he...

Fifth Season has promoted Christopher Slager to head of film as it expands in-house production and development and announced that Alexis Garcia is leaving to set up his own venture with backing from the company.

Slager, who has been at Fifth Season for some time, previously served as a partner and SVP of film finance and sales at Endeavor Content, and before that worked at WME.

Prior to that he was at Focus Features. Credits include The Florida Project, Mudbound, The Banker, The Peanut Butter Falcon, Pig, and the Book Club franchise.

Slager will take charge of the film studio...

Fifth Season has upped Christopher Slager to Head of Film as the studio expands its in-house production and development of feature films.

Slager will oversee the studio’s anticipated productions including Netflix/Artists Equity’s Animals, starring Matt Damon and directed by Ben Affleck, as well as the Samuel L. Jackson and Joel Kinnaman movie The Beast directed by Emmy winner James Madigan.

Alexis Garcia, who previously managed features, will launch a new venture with backing from Fifth Season, details to be announced down the road. Garcia will remain a consultant to the studio during his transition.

Among those titles on the horizon for Fifth Season under Slager’s watch are Stephen Chbosky’s Nonnas, starring Vince Vaughn, Susan Sarandon, and Linda Cardellini; Jan Komasa’s Anniversary, starring Diane Lane, Kyle Chandler, Dylan O’Brien, Zoey Deutch, Phoebe Dynevor, Madeline Brewer, Mckenna Grace, and Daryl McCormack; Nick Rowland’s She Rides Shotgun,...

Exclusive: Jim Rash is set to direct his script Miss You, Love You, a drama that will star Allison Janney and Andrew Rannells. Madison Wells, The Walsh Company and Nat Faxon will produce a film that will begin production next month in New Mexico. Gigi Pritzker, Kevin Walsh are producing with Rash.

In the film, Janney will play a woman whose husband has passed away. With a funeral to plan and grieving to be done, she reaches out to her estranged son. He refuses to come home, choosing instead to send his personal assistant to help make the arrangements. The widow is forced to process her grief in the presence of a complete stranger.

Oscar-winner Janney reunites with Faxon and Rash, Pritzker and Walsh after they teamed on The Way Way Back, the 2013 comedy that set a record at Sundance in 2013 with domestic and international sales deals totaling nearly $12M...

Cj Enm remains majority stakeholder and endeavor a strategic shareholder.

Fifth Season, the producer and financier formerly known as Endeavor Content, has secured a $225m from strategic investment from Toho International.

The US subsidiary of Toho Co, which just released Godzilla Minus One which has grossed $25.6m after two weekends, owns a 25% equity stake in the company.

Cj Enm remains majority stakeholder and Endeavor Group Holdings continues as strategic shareholder.

Cj Enm and Fifth Season will work with Toho to produce global film and TV and participate in content produced in Japan, while Toho’s development and production executives will team with Fifth Season.

South Korea’s Cj Enm retains majority ownership of the US company.

Japanese studio Toho has secured a 25% stake in Fifth Season, the US production and distribution company behind Severance and Tokyo Vice.

The $225m investment was made through Toho International, the US subsidiary of the studio behind current box office hit Godzilla Minus One, and South Korea’s Cj Enm will retain a majority stake in Fifth Season. Cj Enm paid $875m for an 80% holding in Fifth Season, formerly known as Endeavor Content, in January 2022. Endeavor Group Holdings remains a strategic shareholder.

The investment will see Toho, Fifth Season...

South Korea’s Cj Enm retains majority ownership of the US company.

Japanese studio Toho has secured a 25% stake in Fifth Season, the US production and distribution company behind Severance and Tokyo Vice.

The $225m investment was made through Toho International, the US subsidiary of the studio behind current box office hit Godzilla Minus One, and South Korea’s Cj Enm will retain a majority stake in Fifth Season. Cj Enm paid $875m for an 80% holding in Fifth Season, formerly known as Endeavor Content, in January 2022. Endeavor Group Holdings remains a strategic shareholder.

The investment will see Toho, Fifth Season...

Japanese studio Toho has taken a $225 million stake in Fifth Season, the U.S.-based independent studio known for producing Apple TV+’s hit series Severance and Max’s Tokyo Vice. The new partners unveiled the deal Monday, saying it will allow Fifth Season to “continue expanding its broad slate of premium content.” Korean entertainment giant Cj Enm will retain majority ownership in Fifth Season, while Toho becomes a 25 percent owner and Endeavor Group Holdings continues as a strategic shareholder.

The deal was unveiled by Fifth Season Co-CEOs Graham Taylor and Chris Rice and Toho President Hiro Matsuoka, who said the agreement will create new opportunities for collaboration between Cj Enm, Fifth Season and Toho, while “bolster[ing] the growth of Fifth Season as a major global studio encompassing East and West cultures.” The new partners will further collaborate on both global content and new titles produced in Japan, while “creative...

Japanese studio Toho, producer of current box office hit Godzilla Minus One, is paying $225M to acquire a 25% stake in producer-distributor Fifth Season. The investment is being made through Toho’s U.S. subsidiary, Toho International.

Korea’s Cj Enm remains the majority shareholder in Fifth Season, following an acquisition of 80% of shares made last year, while Endeavor Group Holdings continues as a strategic shareholder. Following completion of the deal, Fifth Season will have a valuation of $900M.

Fifth Season declined to comment when asked about the new share of the company’s shareholdings following the transaction. However, it is understood the deal results in a dilution for the current shareholders.

Fifth Season Co-CEOs Graham Taylor and Chris Rice said the investment would empower the company to continue expanding its slate of premium content, as well as create opportunities for collaboration between Fifth Season, Toho and Cj Enm.

More specifically,...

Joe Manganiello is moving into unscripted.

The True Blood star is to host Deal or No Deal Island, the new spinoff of the classic entertainment format.

The NBC series will see 13 players transported to the elusive Banker’s private island to compete for cash.

Howie Mandel, who serves as an exec producer of the new series, previously hosted the show, which is based on Banijay’s Dutch format. It previously ran on NBC from 2005 and 2009. It returned with host Howie Mandel for a holiday special in 2018 and then ran original episodes on CNBC.

Related: 2023 Premiere Dates For New & Returning Series On Broadcast, Cable & Streaming

It is produced by Endemol Shine North America with exec producers Matt Kunitz, Matt Apps, Sarah Happel Jackson, Sharon Levy, DJ Nurre, Viki Cacciatore, Sean Loughlin and Mandel.

Manganiello’s next film role is in The Kill Room with Uma Thurman and Samuel L. Jackson, which...

Drea de Matteo has joined OnlyFans. The “Sopranos” star announced her debut on the platform earlier this week by sharing a photo of herself wearing only a pair of boots. Her bio includes a reference to the series, though she jokingly wrote/avoided copyright infringement by writing, “The Sopornos.” De Matteo starred in the first five seasons of the series.

The actress made a joke about joining OnlyFans in September 2022 when she shared a video to Instagram and captioned it, “BDB3 Only Fans page coming soon jk On my back cuz @uvways hid my cherry red walker .”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Drea De Matteo (@dreadematteo)

De Matteo hasn’t elaborated on her decision to join the website. In a 2021 interview with NME, she admitted that she should have “maximized” on her “Sopranos” role more.

To illustrate that point, de Matteo explained that she wasn’t...