Jerry Herman’s musical “Hello, Dolly!” dominated the 18th Tony Awards which took place at the New York Hilton on May 24, 1964. “Hello, Dolly!” entered the ceremony with 11 nominations and walked out with ten awards including best musical, best actress for Carol Channing, original score for Herman and for Gower Champion’s choreography and direction.
Other musicals in contention for multiple awards that year were “High Spirits,” based on Noel Coward’s classic comedy “Blithe Spirit,” “Funny Girl,” which transformed Barbra Streisand into a Broadway superstar, and “110 in the Shade,” based on the straight play “The Rainmaker.”
Bert Lahr, best known as the Cowardly Lion in the 1939 classic “The Wizard of Oz,” won lead actor in a musical for “Foxy,” based on Ben Jonson’s “Volpone.” The musical was not a hit closed after 72 performances. Also nominated in the category was Bob Fosse for a short-lived revival of Rodgers and Hart’s “Pal Joey.
Other musicals in contention for multiple awards that year were “High Spirits,” based on Noel Coward’s classic comedy “Blithe Spirit,” “Funny Girl,” which transformed Barbra Streisand into a Broadway superstar, and “110 in the Shade,” based on the straight play “The Rainmaker.”
Bert Lahr, best known as the Cowardly Lion in the 1939 classic “The Wizard of Oz,” won lead actor in a musical for “Foxy,” based on Ben Jonson’s “Volpone.” The musical was not a hit closed after 72 performances. Also nominated in the category was Bob Fosse for a short-lived revival of Rodgers and Hart’s “Pal Joey.
- 5/15/2024
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Alfred Louis Onorato, a former talent manager who co-founded the Casting Society of America, died April 21. He was 88.
“Casting Society mourns the passing of Al Onorato, whose passion and dedication and love for casting was pivotal in co-founding our organization in 1982,” the org said in a statement. “Al helped build what CSA is today – a global organization with over 1200 members and a resource for the entertainment industry worldwide. We will miss Al’s talent, spirit and most of all, his friendship. We send our deepest condolences to his family and friends.”
Onorato was born in Jersey City, NJ. After graduating from Fairleigh Dickinson University, his first job was as a page at NBC Studios in New York City. A few years later, he followed his beloved Dodgers to L.A. where became involved in the industry. He worked for the major studios in casting for movies and TV, before he...
“Casting Society mourns the passing of Al Onorato, whose passion and dedication and love for casting was pivotal in co-founding our organization in 1982,” the org said in a statement. “Al helped build what CSA is today – a global organization with over 1200 members and a resource for the entertainment industry worldwide. We will miss Al’s talent, spirit and most of all, his friendship. We send our deepest condolences to his family and friends.”
Onorato was born in Jersey City, NJ. After graduating from Fairleigh Dickinson University, his first job was as a page at NBC Studios in New York City. A few years later, he followed his beloved Dodgers to L.A. where became involved in the industry. He worked for the major studios in casting for movies and TV, before he...
- 5/15/2024
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
Al Onorato, co-founder of the Casting Society of America and a casting director on such series as “Bewitched,” “Police Story,” “Fame” and “The Patridge Family,” has died. He was 88.
Onorato died April 21 in Los Angeles, his nephew Chris Onorato announced.
Onorato founded the Casting Society of America (then known as the American Society of Casting Directors) with Mike Fenton and Joe Reich in 1982. He and Jerold Franks — his Onorato/Franks Independent Casting partner — won the CSA’s Artios Award for best casting for a comedy film for 1989’s “Bagdad Café.” At the 34th annual Artios Awards in 2019, Onorato received a lifetime achievement award from the organization.
“Casting Society mourns the passing of Al Onorato, whose passion and dedication and love for casting was pivotal in co-founding our organization in 1982 Al helped build what CSA is today — a global organization with over 1200 members and a resource for the entertainment industry worldwide,...
Onorato died April 21 in Los Angeles, his nephew Chris Onorato announced.
Onorato founded the Casting Society of America (then known as the American Society of Casting Directors) with Mike Fenton and Joe Reich in 1982. He and Jerold Franks — his Onorato/Franks Independent Casting partner — won the CSA’s Artios Award for best casting for a comedy film for 1989’s “Bagdad Café.” At the 34th annual Artios Awards in 2019, Onorato received a lifetime achievement award from the organization.
“Casting Society mourns the passing of Al Onorato, whose passion and dedication and love for casting was pivotal in co-founding our organization in 1982 Al helped build what CSA is today — a global organization with over 1200 members and a resource for the entertainment industry worldwide,...
- 5/12/2024
- by Lexi Carson
- Variety Film + TV
Al Onorato, who handled casting for such TV shows as Bewitched, The Partridge Family, Police Story and Fantasy Island and represented Mark Harmon, Kristin Chenoweth and others as a talent manager, has died. He was 88.
Onorato died April 21 in Los Angeles, his nephew Chris Onorato announced.
Onorato founded the Casting Society of America (then known as the American Society of Casting Directors) with Mike Fenton and Joe Reich in 1982, and he received a lifetime achievement award from the organization in 2019.
Onorato won the CSA’s Artios Award for best casting for a comedy film for Bagdad Café (1987), sharing it with Jerold Franks, his partner in Onorato/Franks Independent Casting.
Alfred Louis Onorato was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, on Nov. 10, 1935. He graduated from Hackensack High School and Fairleigh Dickinson University, then worked as a page at NBC Studios in New York City.
He was a vice president in charge...
Onorato died April 21 in Los Angeles, his nephew Chris Onorato announced.
Onorato founded the Casting Society of America (then known as the American Society of Casting Directors) with Mike Fenton and Joe Reich in 1982, and he received a lifetime achievement award from the organization in 2019.
Onorato won the CSA’s Artios Award for best casting for a comedy film for Bagdad Café (1987), sharing it with Jerold Franks, his partner in Onorato/Franks Independent Casting.
Alfred Louis Onorato was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, on Nov. 10, 1935. He graduated from Hackensack High School and Fairleigh Dickinson University, then worked as a page at NBC Studios in New York City.
He was a vice president in charge...
- 5/12/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The actors from the current revival of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s “Merrily We Roll Along” have skyrocketed in Gold Derby’s combined odds for the 2024 Tony Awards nominations. The prediction center displays commanding leads for Jonathan Groff, Lindsay Mendez and Daniel Radcliffe to win their respective categories. This is an understandable result considering this revival is the hottest ticket in town and this trio of performers has been ever-present in the media. But how often does a trio of actors from the same production pull off three separate acting victories at the Tony Awards?
It’s quite common for a musical to grab two acting trophies, but three awards is much rarer. To date, only 15 musical productions have earned three acting wins. The first time this feat occurred was at the 1956 ceremony, which was ironically the first time the Tony Awards ever announced a slate of nominees (previously...
It’s quite common for a musical to grab two acting trophies, but three awards is much rarer. To date, only 15 musical productions have earned three acting wins. The first time this feat occurred was at the 1956 ceremony, which was ironically the first time the Tony Awards ever announced a slate of nominees (previously...
- 3/14/2024
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
Before he started filling up the nation's drug store book racks with tawdry tales of romance and suspense, Sidney Sheldon was one of Hollywood and Broadway's most prolific writers. He could write comedies, musicals, musical-comedies, mysteries, dramas, thrillers ... just about everything short of slasher flicks (though he probably would've knocked out one of those had they been a thing during his 1940s - '60s heyday). Clearly, he had an ear for what worked, and he wasn't just knocking out quickie programmers. He won a Best Original Screenplay Oscar for the Cary Grant-Myrna Loy-Shirley Temple screwball hit "The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer," and earned a Best Musical Tony for the Gwen Verdon-led Broadway smash "Redhead."
And when television came calling, rather than turn up his nose as many of his established film and theater colleagues did during the medium's early days, he enthusiastically picked up the phone.
Sheldon...
And when television came calling, rather than turn up his nose as many of his established film and theater colleagues did during the medium's early days, he enthusiastically picked up the phone.
Sheldon...
- 2/16/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
When Charlotte Stoudt was approached to take over as showrunner of Apple TV+’s hit “The Morning Show” in Season 3, she couldn’t resist the challenge. “I wasn’t sure I could do it, so I had to try,” she tells Variety, which will honor Stoudt with its showrunner award at the Scad TVfest in Atlanta on Feb. 9.
The latest season of “The Morning Show,” which aired last fall, continued to dial up the drama as Bradley (Reese Witherspoon) discovered that her brother was involved in the Jan. 6 insurrection — and covered it up, putting her life and career in jeopardy. Alex (Jennifer Aniston) started a relationship with billionaire Paul Marks (Jon Hamm), who was in line to acquire the Uba network in a deal orchestrated by CEO Cory Ellison (Billy Crudup).
As is “The Morning Show” formula, all of this was going on while real-life matters — including the overturning of Roe v.
The latest season of “The Morning Show,” which aired last fall, continued to dial up the drama as Bradley (Reese Witherspoon) discovered that her brother was involved in the Jan. 6 insurrection — and covered it up, putting her life and career in jeopardy. Alex (Jennifer Aniston) started a relationship with billionaire Paul Marks (Jon Hamm), who was in line to acquire the Uba network in a deal orchestrated by CEO Cory Ellison (Billy Crudup).
As is “The Morning Show” formula, all of this was going on while real-life matters — including the overturning of Roe v.
- 2/1/2024
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
Chita Rivera, the triple-threat Broadway legend who originated roles in classic musicals like West Side Story and Chicago, died on Jan. 30 of an unspecified illness, according to a statement by her daughter, Lisa Mordente. She was 91 years old.
Born Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero to a Puerto Rican father and an Irish Catholic mother, Rivera started dancing when she was 11 years old, eventually enrolling in George Balanchine’s School of American Ballet when she was just 15. In the 1950s, she was cast in various roles in Broadway musicals like Guys and Dolls...
Born Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero to a Puerto Rican father and an Irish Catholic mother, Rivera started dancing when she was 11 years old, eventually enrolling in George Balanchine’s School of American Ballet when she was just 15. In the 1950s, she was cast in various roles in Broadway musicals like Guys and Dolls...
- 1/30/2024
- by Ej Dickson
- Rollingstone.com
Chita Rivera, one of Broadway’s show-stopping legends and one of the most Tony Award-nominated performers in history, has died at the age of 91. Rivera’s death was announced by her daughter, Lisa Mordente, who says she died peacefully after a brief illness. Rivera is known for starring in some of the most beloved Broadway musicals since the 1950s. She became a star when she originated the role of Anita in first production of West Side Story in 1957. Rivera also originated the role of Velma Kelly in Chicago, which opened in 1975 with Gwen Verdon as Roxie Hart. Rivera is a 10-time Tony nominee with two competitive Tony Award wins (for The Rink and Kiss of the Spider Woman). She also received a Tony lifetime achievement award in 2018 and was awarded The Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2009. In 2002, she became the first Latina to be given a Kennedy Center Honor.
- 1/30/2024
- TV Insider
When she was growing up, Margaret Qualley — the actress known best for Maid and, most recently, Poor Things — was the type of kid who would break into little dances to entertain her family during TV commercial breaks. Now that she’s grown up, she still does it — just with a more selective audience. “I wouldn’t do it in front of everybody, but with [my husband]? Sure,” she tells Rolling Stone, laughing. “I’m like, ‘What do you think of this?’ — like a precocious child.”
That feeling of comfort and the need...
That feeling of comfort and the need...
- 1/17/2024
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
Exclusive: Michelle Williams is set to star in and produce Dying for Sex, a limited series for FX from writers Liz Meriwether (The Dropout) and Kim Rosenstock (Only Murders in the Building), director Leslye Headland (Acolyte) and 20th Television, where Meriwether, Rosenstock and Headland are under overall deals.
Based on the hit Wondery podcast, Dying for Sex is the story of a woman (Williams) diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer who leaves her husband of 15 years and begins to explore her sexuality. She gets the courage and support to go on this adventure from her best friend, who stays by her side all the way to the very end.
Meriwether and Rosenstock serve as showrunners and executive produce with Headland, Meriwether’s longtime collaborator Katherine Pope, Nikki Boyer, host and co-creator of the Dying for Sex podcast, and Wondery’s Jen Sargent, Marshall Lewy, Aaron Hart and Hernan Lopez.
The project...
Based on the hit Wondery podcast, Dying for Sex is the story of a woman (Williams) diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer who leaves her husband of 15 years and begins to explore her sexuality. She gets the courage and support to go on this adventure from her best friend, who stays by her side all the way to the very end.
Meriwether and Rosenstock serve as showrunners and executive produce with Headland, Meriwether’s longtime collaborator Katherine Pope, Nikki Boyer, host and co-creator of the Dying for Sex podcast, and Wondery’s Jen Sargent, Marshall Lewy, Aaron Hart and Hernan Lopez.
The project...
- 11/30/2023
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Could Michelle Williams win a Grammy before an Oscar?
Fans who have listened to the audiobook of Britney Spears memoir “The Woman in Me” think it’s possible. Her all-in narration, which includes a segment where she quotes Spears’ ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake trying to sound like hip-hop royalty, just might speed Williams along in her path to an Egot — the acronym given the accomplishment of winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award.
Williams’ name was trending on X on Tuesday as the tell-all memoir from the pop star was released in book and audiobook formats.
“Give Michelle Williams her Oscar for narrating #TheWomanInMe” by entertainment editor Dana Abercrombie and “Five time academy award nominee michelle williams saying ‘fo-shiz fo-shiz what’s up homie!’ is art” by Australia-based journalist @joshcharles_21 were just a few of the more than 3,700 posts on X about the audiobook.
It won’t earn the five-time...
Fans who have listened to the audiobook of Britney Spears memoir “The Woman in Me” think it’s possible. Her all-in narration, which includes a segment where she quotes Spears’ ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake trying to sound like hip-hop royalty, just might speed Williams along in her path to an Egot — the acronym given the accomplishment of winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award.
Williams’ name was trending on X on Tuesday as the tell-all memoir from the pop star was released in book and audiobook formats.
“Give Michelle Williams her Oscar for narrating #TheWomanInMe” by entertainment editor Dana Abercrombie and “Five time academy award nominee michelle williams saying ‘fo-shiz fo-shiz what’s up homie!’ is art” by Australia-based journalist @joshcharles_21 were just a few of the more than 3,700 posts on X about the audiobook.
It won’t earn the five-time...
- 10/25/2023
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
Britney Spears has tapped five-time Oscar nominee Michelle Williams to narrate her upcoming memoir The Woman in Me.
Spears will read the introduction and Williams will read the remainder of the audiobook.
“This book has been a labor of love and all the emotions that come with it,” Spears said in a statement to People. “Reliving everything has been exciting, heart-wrenching, and emotional, to say the least. For those reasons, I will only be reading a small part of my audiobook.”
Spears adds, “I am so grateful to the amazing Michelle for reading the rest of it.”
In a statement, Williams expressed her support of Spears, saying “I stand with Britney.”
Simon & Schuster imprint Gallery Books will publish the memoir on October 24. In a press release, Gallery Books called it “a brave and astonishingly moving story about freedom, fame, motherhood, survival, faith, and hope,” adding the book “illuminates the...
Spears will read the introduction and Williams will read the remainder of the audiobook.
“This book has been a labor of love and all the emotions that come with it,” Spears said in a statement to People. “Reliving everything has been exciting, heart-wrenching, and emotional, to say the least. For those reasons, I will only be reading a small part of my audiobook.”
Spears adds, “I am so grateful to the amazing Michelle for reading the rest of it.”
In a statement, Williams expressed her support of Spears, saying “I stand with Britney.”
Simon & Schuster imprint Gallery Books will publish the memoir on October 24. In a press release, Gallery Books called it “a brave and astonishingly moving story about freedom, fame, motherhood, survival, faith, and hope,” adding the book “illuminates the...
- 10/13/2023
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Hulu’s acclaimed “Only Murders in the Building,” currently vying for 11 Emmys, has gone all razzle dazzle in its third season. Make that rattle dazzle! Beleaguered Broadway director Oliver (Martin Short) was hoping for a comeback on the Great White Way with the mystery thriller “Death Rattle.” But when his leading man (Paul Rudd) is murdered, he decides to turn the straight play into a musical, “Death Rattle Dazzle!” And in the third episode, Meryl Streep’s nervous journeyman actress and Ashley Park’s leading lady performed the show-stopping ballad “Look for the Light” co-written by Sara Bareilles. One almost forgot the prime suspects in “Death Rattle Dazzle!” are the infant Pickwick triplets.
The 1959 multiple Tony winner “Redhead” also has a rather strange plot for a musical: a serial killer is stalking women in London in the 1880s during the time Jack the Ripper was terrorizing the city. Sounds like a real toe-tapper.
The 1959 multiple Tony winner “Redhead” also has a rather strange plot for a musical: a serial killer is stalking women in London in the 1880s during the time Jack the Ripper was terrorizing the city. Sounds like a real toe-tapper.
- 8/29/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Jane Krakowski had one musical number in Season 1 of Apple TV+’s “Schmigadoon!” and she performed it from behind the wheel of a cramped convertible. It wasn’t much of a stage, but the Emmy nominee and musical theater veteran used every inch of the leather interior to sell her wistful yet seductive song, eventually wedging her high heel into the steering wheel to steady herself for the climatic high note.
The performance is proof that no number is too small for Krakowski. But series creator and Emmy-winning songwriter Cinco Paul wanted to give her more to do in Season 2, which puts the series’ central couple Melissa (Cecily Strong) and Josh (Keegan-Michael Key) on the seedy streets of Schmicago, inspired by 1960s and ’70s musicals like ”Chicago” and “Cabaret.”
It is Krakowski’s favorite musical era, but she was in the dark as to who she’d play in Paul...
The performance is proof that no number is too small for Krakowski. But series creator and Emmy-winning songwriter Cinco Paul wanted to give her more to do in Season 2, which puts the series’ central couple Melissa (Cecily Strong) and Josh (Keegan-Michael Key) on the seedy streets of Schmicago, inspired by 1960s and ’70s musicals like ”Chicago” and “Cabaret.”
It is Krakowski’s favorite musical era, but she was in the dark as to who she’d play in Paul...
- 6/10/2023
- by Hunter Ingram
- Variety Film + TV
Margaret Qualley is ready for her Broadway debut.
The “Sanctuary” actress told IndieWire during a recent interview that she would “love to” star in a play or musical after bringing playwright Micah Bloomberg’s script to the screen. Qualley also earned an Emmy nomination for her turn as dancer and choreographer Ann Reinking in limited series “Fosse/Verdon” about Broadway legend Bob Fosse and actress Gwen Verdon.
“I love doing it, I just have never done it [on Broadway],” Qualley said. “I actually would really love to.”
Qualley is set to star in the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers biopic, “Fred & Ginger,” alongside Jamie Bell. The film is written by Arash Amel and to be directed by Jonathan Entwistle, set to track Astaire and Rogers’ career spanning 10 movies together from 1933 to 1949. “La La Land” music producer Marius de Vries will work alongside Tony-winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon (“Mj the Musical”) and Grammy-winning songwriters...
The “Sanctuary” actress told IndieWire during a recent interview that she would “love to” star in a play or musical after bringing playwright Micah Bloomberg’s script to the screen. Qualley also earned an Emmy nomination for her turn as dancer and choreographer Ann Reinking in limited series “Fosse/Verdon” about Broadway legend Bob Fosse and actress Gwen Verdon.
“I love doing it, I just have never done it [on Broadway],” Qualley said. “I actually would really love to.”
Qualley is set to star in the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers biopic, “Fred & Ginger,” alongside Jamie Bell. The film is written by Arash Amel and to be directed by Jonathan Entwistle, set to track Astaire and Rogers’ career spanning 10 movies together from 1933 to 1949. “La La Land” music producer Marius de Vries will work alongside Tony-winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon (“Mj the Musical”) and Grammy-winning songwriters...
- 5/12/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
“George and Tammy” is just outside Gold Derby’s Best Limited Series top five, but considering Emmy voters find shows about turbulent real-life celebrity marriages nearly as irresistible as “The White Lotus,” we might be underestimating this six-part dramatization of country singers George Jones (Michael Shannon) and Tammy Wynette’s (Jessica Chastain) thirty-year romantic and artistic relationship.
In 2019, FX’s “Fosse/Verdon” scored nominations for Limited Series, Actress (eventual winner Michelle Williams), Actor (Sam Rockwell), Supporting Actress (Margaret Qualley) and its writing and directing. Positive reviews and high placement in the odds that year made the inclusion of Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon’s connubial saga all but obvious. Qualley’s nomination, however, came as something of a shock. The actress was down in 18th place but outgunned Emma Thompson (“King Lear”), Sally Field (“Maniac”) and Eliza Scanlen (“Sharp Objects”).
See Jessica Chastain predicted to follow her ‘George and Tammy’ SAG...
In 2019, FX’s “Fosse/Verdon” scored nominations for Limited Series, Actress (eventual winner Michelle Williams), Actor (Sam Rockwell), Supporting Actress (Margaret Qualley) and its writing and directing. Positive reviews and high placement in the odds that year made the inclusion of Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon’s connubial saga all but obvious. Qualley’s nomination, however, came as something of a shock. The actress was down in 18th place but outgunned Emma Thompson (“King Lear”), Sally Field (“Maniac”) and Eliza Scanlen (“Sharp Objects”).
See Jessica Chastain predicted to follow her ‘George and Tammy’ SAG...
- 5/1/2023
- by Ronald Meyer
- Gold Derby
Cherry Jones could score three Emmy nominations this year for her supporting turn on the Apple TV+ limited series “Five Days at Memorial” and her guest appearances on “Poker Face” and “Succession.” It’s those double guest bids, though, that would put her in rarefied air as the three-time Emmy winner would become the 11th person to earn drama and comedy guest acting nominations in the same year.
Since the guest categories as we know them were standardized in 1989, 10 people have pulled off this feat. Jack Gilford was the first, getting shortlisted that very year for “The Golden Girls” and “thirtysomething.” In 1991, Colleen Dewhurst won comedy guest actress for “Murphy Brown” and was nominated in drama for “Road to Avonlea.” Gwen Verdon snagged noms in 1993 for her guest spots on “Dream On” and “Homicide: Life on the Street,” while Marlee Matlin followed in 1994 with bids for “Seinfeld” and “Picket Fences.
Since the guest categories as we know them were standardized in 1989, 10 people have pulled off this feat. Jack Gilford was the first, getting shortlisted that very year for “The Golden Girls” and “thirtysomething.” In 1991, Colleen Dewhurst won comedy guest actress for “Murphy Brown” and was nominated in drama for “Road to Avonlea.” Gwen Verdon snagged noms in 1993 for her guest spots on “Dream On” and “Homicide: Life on the Street,” while Marlee Matlin followed in 1994 with bids for “Seinfeld” and “Picket Fences.
- 4/19/2023
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
Jane Krakowski made her Broadway debut at 18 as Dinah in Andrew Lloyd Webber's mega-musical Starlight Express. Since then, she has appeared in numerous Broadway and West End musicals. She has won both a Tony and an Olivier award.
Krakowski got her start on television playing Elaine on Ally McBeal, but she is probably best known for her portrayal of Jenna Maroney on 30 Rock, which makes up four of her five Emmy nominations (the fifth being for her role as Jacqueline in The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt).
Krakowski returns to the small screen as Bobby Flanagan, the fast-talking, hot-shot lawyer of Schmicago in Schmigadoon! Season 2.
We caught up with her at a recent press day to find out how she tackled her show-stopping number "Bells and Whistles," as well as her dream roles and hopes for the future.
This interview contains mild spoilers for Schmigadoon! Season 2 Episode 3. Go watch it!
Krakowski got her start on television playing Elaine on Ally McBeal, but she is probably best known for her portrayal of Jenna Maroney on 30 Rock, which makes up four of her five Emmy nominations (the fifth being for her role as Jacqueline in The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt).
Krakowski returns to the small screen as Bobby Flanagan, the fast-talking, hot-shot lawyer of Schmicago in Schmigadoon! Season 2.
We caught up with her at a recent press day to find out how she tackled her show-stopping number "Bells and Whistles," as well as her dream roles and hopes for the future.
This interview contains mild spoilers for Schmigadoon! Season 2 Episode 3. Go watch it!
- 4/12/2023
- by Mary Littlejohn
- TVfanatic
At the conclusion of Apple TV +’s delightful 2021 musical comedy “Schmigadoon!,” Melissa (Cecily Strong) and Josh (Keegan-Michael Key) realized they loved each other and returned to the real world. The second season finds them blissfully married, but boredom soon sets in. And to add insult to injury, they can’t get pregnant. The two decide they need a boost, so they decide to return to the cotton-candy colored tuneful world of Schmigadoon.
But what they find this time around is Schmicago, a much darker town they can’t leave until they find their happy ending. Happy endings, though, are few and far between in the city that never sleeps. And it certainly looks like the two won’t find one anytime soon after Josh is soon arrested for murdering a showgirl.
Schmicago is Fosse-fied with more than a few jazz hands reflecting the adult musicals of the 1960s and 1970s including “Chicago,...
But what they find this time around is Schmicago, a much darker town they can’t leave until they find their happy ending. Happy endings, though, are few and far between in the city that never sleeps. And it certainly looks like the two won’t find one anytime soon after Josh is soon arrested for murdering a showgirl.
Schmicago is Fosse-fied with more than a few jazz hands reflecting the adult musicals of the 1960s and 1970s including “Chicago,...
- 4/11/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
It was the battle of the Stephens at the 27th annual Tony Awards telecast March 25, 1973 on ABC from the Imperial Theatre. In one corner was Stephen Sondheim’s glorious and exquisite romantic musical “A Little Night Music” based on Ingmar Bergman’s 1955 comedy “Smiles of a Summer Night.” And in the other corner, 25-year-old Stephen Schwartz’s hip, cool, Fosse Fosse Fosse musical “Pippin.”
“A Little Night Music,” which featured song memorable tunes as “Send in the Clowns” and “A Weekend in the Country,” waltzed into the ceremony hosted by Rex Harrison and Celeste Holm and co-hosted by Sandy Duncan and Jerry Orbach with 12 nominations including best musical, best original score, best book for Hugh Wheeler, best direction of a musical for Harold Prince, best performance by a leading actress in a musical for Glynis Johns, leading actor in a musical for Len Cariou, featured actress in a musical for...
“A Little Night Music,” which featured song memorable tunes as “Send in the Clowns” and “A Weekend in the Country,” waltzed into the ceremony hosted by Rex Harrison and Celeste Holm and co-hosted by Sandy Duncan and Jerry Orbach with 12 nominations including best musical, best original score, best book for Hugh Wheeler, best direction of a musical for Harold Prince, best performance by a leading actress in a musical for Glynis Johns, leading actor in a musical for Len Cariou, featured actress in a musical for...
- 4/5/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
By this fall Jessica Chastain could be three-quarters of the way to Egot. She won an Oscar last year for “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.” She’s a Tony contender for her Broadway role in “A Doll’s House.” And she has a good chance of winning the Emmy for Best Movie/Limited Actress for playing country legend Tammy Wynette in “George and Tammy.”
“George and Tammy” is a Showtime limited series that explores the lives and careers of country music supercouple Tammy Wynette and George Jones (played by Michael Shannon). The performance earned Chastain a Golden Globe nomination for Best TV Movie/Limited Actress, which she lost to reigning Emmy champ Amanda Seyfried (“The Dropout”). But then Chastain pulled off an upset by beating Seyfried at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. The SAG Awards are presented by industry peers just like the Emmys are, so that was a significant result.
“George and Tammy” is a Showtime limited series that explores the lives and careers of country music supercouple Tammy Wynette and George Jones (played by Michael Shannon). The performance earned Chastain a Golden Globe nomination for Best TV Movie/Limited Actress, which she lost to reigning Emmy champ Amanda Seyfried (“The Dropout”). But then Chastain pulled off an upset by beating Seyfried at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. The SAG Awards are presented by industry peers just like the Emmys are, so that was a significant result.
- 3/30/2023
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Hot off her 2022 Best Film Actress SAG Award victory for “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” Jessica Chastain is now in the running for the organization’s Best TV Movie/Miniseries Actress prize as the star of Showtime’s “George and Tammy.” This would be her third SAG Award win in as many categories, as she achieved her first one as an ensemble member of the 2011 film “The Help.” It would also make her only the fourth person to ever pull off back-to-back solo SAG Award wins for two different performances.
The special consecutive champions club Chastain is looking to join was formed in 2000 by Angelina Jolie, who was honored that year for her supporting turn in the film “Girl, Interrupted” immediately after her TV movie performance in “Gia” was lauded by the acting guild. She has since been followed by Renée Zellweger and Viola Davis.
Chastain would, of course, be...
The special consecutive champions club Chastain is looking to join was formed in 2000 by Angelina Jolie, who was honored that year for her supporting turn in the film “Girl, Interrupted” immediately after her TV movie performance in “Gia” was lauded by the acting guild. She has since been followed by Renée Zellweger and Viola Davis.
Chastain would, of course, be...
- 2/21/2023
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Steven Spielberg was inspired by his own life for The Fabelmans and the casting of the film was personal.
Michelle Williams plays Mitzi Fabelman, a character inspired by Spielberg’s mother. The director said that Williams earned the role after he watched her on the FX series Fosse/Verdon.
“She has a secret energy that poured from her when she played Gwen Verdon,” the filmmaker told The New York Times. “That went a long way into making her my first choice to play Mitzi.”
Williams was captivated by the script saying, “I couldn’t believe it when I started turning pages in this script. My husband was in the room with me, and I kept saying, ‘It’s just getting better.’ Very often when you have a script, you have a great scene and you think, ‘Oh, that’s going to be splashy.’ And this was just page after page of that,...
Michelle Williams plays Mitzi Fabelman, a character inspired by Spielberg’s mother. The director said that Williams earned the role after he watched her on the FX series Fosse/Verdon.
“She has a secret energy that poured from her when she played Gwen Verdon,” the filmmaker told The New York Times. “That went a long way into making her my first choice to play Mitzi.”
Williams was captivated by the script saying, “I couldn’t believe it when I started turning pages in this script. My husband was in the room with me, and I kept saying, ‘It’s just getting better.’ Very often when you have a script, you have a great scene and you think, ‘Oh, that’s going to be splashy.’ And this was just page after page of that,...
- 1/8/2023
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
A lead role in a new Steven Spielberg movie is always going to be a coveted job in Hollywood. But the casting process for his latest work, “The Fabelmans,” was a particularly high stakes affair, given that the legendary director was looking for actors to embody his own family in the most personal film of his career.
A new story in the New York Times sheds light on the events that led Spielberg to cast Michelle Williams as Mitzi Fabelman, a thinly-veiled version of his mother. The three-time Oscar winner, who previously praised Williams’ work in “Blue Valentine,” said that he was initially inspired to give her the part after watching her in the FX miniseries “Fosse/Verdon.”
“She has a secret energy that poured from her when she played Gwen Verdon,” Spielberg said. “That went a long way into making her my first choice to play Mitzi.”
Williams says that...
A new story in the New York Times sheds light on the events that led Spielberg to cast Michelle Williams as Mitzi Fabelman, a thinly-veiled version of his mother. The three-time Oscar winner, who previously praised Williams’ work in “Blue Valentine,” said that he was initially inspired to give her the part after watching her in the FX miniseries “Fosse/Verdon.”
“She has a secret energy that poured from her when she played Gwen Verdon,” Spielberg said. “That went a long way into making her my first choice to play Mitzi.”
Williams says that...
- 1/8/2023
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Sam Fabelman (Gabriel Labelle) may be the protagonist of "The Fabelmans," but his parents Mitzi (Michelle Williams) and Burt (Paul Dano) are just as important. The movie is a roman à clef of director Steven Spielberg's childhood, with Sam representing Steven himself while Williams and Dano's characters are his own late parents, Leah Adler and Arnold Spielberg.
What's most surprising about "The Fabelmans" is that it's one of Spielberg's less sentimental films. The script (written by Spielberg and Tony Kushner) is free of self-aggrandizement and even with the names changed, it's emotionally honest. Critic Roger Ebert called movies "machines that generate empathy" and watching "The Fabelmans," you feel Spielberg is telling this story so he can better understand his parents and what drove them apart.
Casting your own parents probably isn't an easy task; you know them intimately but they're also larger than life. Still, Michelle Williams rose to...
What's most surprising about "The Fabelmans" is that it's one of Spielberg's less sentimental films. The script (written by Spielberg and Tony Kushner) is free of self-aggrandizement and even with the names changed, it's emotionally honest. Critic Roger Ebert called movies "machines that generate empathy" and watching "The Fabelmans," you feel Spielberg is telling this story so he can better understand his parents and what drove them apart.
Casting your own parents probably isn't an easy task; you know them intimately but they're also larger than life. Still, Michelle Williams rose to...
- 1/7/2023
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Amid a stacked fall season on Broadway, “Kimberly Akimbo” has emerged as an early Best Musical frontrunner for next spring’s Tony Awards. The new show from Jeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire oozes heart and charm, and earned unanimous critical praise when it opened on November 10. If star Victoria Clark can leverage the musical’s success into a Tony win in June, she will join an elite group of Tony-winning women.
Clark portrays the titular Kimberly, a young girl from New Jersey about to celebrate her 16th birthday. Only Kimberly isn’t quite so young on the outside. She has an incredibly rare disorder, similar to progeria, which causes her body to age at four times the normal rate. The average lifespan for folks with her disease is 16, giving Kimberly an acute awareness of her own mortality and a desire to experience all the joys and wonders of life in whatever time she has left.
Clark portrays the titular Kimberly, a young girl from New Jersey about to celebrate her 16th birthday. Only Kimberly isn’t quite so young on the outside. She has an incredibly rare disorder, similar to progeria, which causes her body to age at four times the normal rate. The average lifespan for folks with her disease is 16, giving Kimberly an acute awareness of her own mortality and a desire to experience all the joys and wonders of life in whatever time she has left.
- 11/21/2022
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
After close to 30 years in the industry, Michelle Williams is still perfecting her craft.
The Emmy winner and four-time Oscar nominee revealed during the MoMA Contenders series panel that she takes acting classes to stay fresh between roles and retain the “technical” side of acting.
“I take acting classes. It’s not like slating my name. It’s all technical,” the “Fabelmans” Academy Award contender said. “It’s about your body and intentions and super objections. Sometimes I think it’s really just a way to calm yourself and feel like when you do show up, you deserve to be there in some way.”
Williams continued, “I think there is a technical aspect that you build, and then it stops because the second you start filming and committing things, you can’t keep building. Then you have to be in a different kind of state of mind. You build as...
The Emmy winner and four-time Oscar nominee revealed during the MoMA Contenders series panel that she takes acting classes to stay fresh between roles and retain the “technical” side of acting.
“I take acting classes. It’s not like slating my name. It’s all technical,” the “Fabelmans” Academy Award contender said. “It’s about your body and intentions and super objections. Sometimes I think it’s really just a way to calm yourself and feel like when you do show up, you deserve to be there in some way.”
Williams continued, “I think there is a technical aspect that you build, and then it stops because the second you start filming and committing things, you can’t keep building. Then you have to be in a different kind of state of mind. You build as...
- 11/11/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Four-time Academy Award nominee Michelle Williams will be honored at the 2022 Gotham Awards with the ceremony’s Performer Tribute.
“The Fabelmans” actress will be feted during the 32nd annual Gotham Awards Ceremony on November 28. Williams, a four-time Oscar nominee, began her career as a teen star with “Dawson’s Creek” before going on to lead “My Week With Marilyn,” “Brokeback Mountain,” “Blue Valentine,” “Shutter Island,” and “Manchester By the Sea.”
Williams earned Emmy, Golden Globe, Critics Choice, and Screen Actors Guild awards for her portrayal of Gwen Verdon in the critically acclaimed FX limited series “Foss/Verdon,” and later made her MCU debut with “Venom” in 2018. Other roles include “The Greatest Showman,” “All the Money in the World,” “I’m Not There,” “The Station Agent,” “Synecdoche, New York,” and this year’s “Showing Up,” directed by her “Wendy and Lucy” and “Certain Women” collaborator Kelly Reichardt.
“We are exceptionally proud to honor Michelle Williams,...
“The Fabelmans” actress will be feted during the 32nd annual Gotham Awards Ceremony on November 28. Williams, a four-time Oscar nominee, began her career as a teen star with “Dawson’s Creek” before going on to lead “My Week With Marilyn,” “Brokeback Mountain,” “Blue Valentine,” “Shutter Island,” and “Manchester By the Sea.”
Williams earned Emmy, Golden Globe, Critics Choice, and Screen Actors Guild awards for her portrayal of Gwen Verdon in the critically acclaimed FX limited series “Foss/Verdon,” and later made her MCU debut with “Venom” in 2018. Other roles include “The Greatest Showman,” “All the Money in the World,” “I’m Not There,” “The Station Agent,” “Synecdoche, New York,” and this year’s “Showing Up,” directed by her “Wendy and Lucy” and “Certain Women” collaborator Kelly Reichardt.
“We are exceptionally proud to honor Michelle Williams,...
- 10/20/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Michelle Williams will receive a performer tribute at the 32nd Gotham Awards ceremony, taking place in person on Nov. 28 in New York City.
The Gotham Awards are the first ceremony of the fall season recognizing the achievements of independent productions and performers in film and television. With Williams in the Oscar conversation for her turn in Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans,” this marks her first major piece of recognition this awards season as she seeks best actress attention.
“We are exceptionally proud to honor Michelle Williams, whose iconic performances in collaboration with our most renowned directors have defined her as a leading talent of her generation,” says Jeffrey Sharp, executive director of The Gotham Film & Media Institute. “Michelle is a true New Yorker and we are thrilled to claim her as one of our own by recognizing her with a Performer Tribute at this year’s Gotham Awards.”
Michelle...
The Gotham Awards are the first ceremony of the fall season recognizing the achievements of independent productions and performers in film and television. With Williams in the Oscar conversation for her turn in Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans,” this marks her first major piece of recognition this awards season as she seeks best actress attention.
“We are exceptionally proud to honor Michelle Williams, whose iconic performances in collaboration with our most renowned directors have defined her as a leading talent of her generation,” says Jeffrey Sharp, executive director of The Gotham Film & Media Institute. “Michelle is a true New Yorker and we are thrilled to claim her as one of our own by recognizing her with a Performer Tribute at this year’s Gotham Awards.”
Michelle...
- 10/20/2022
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Angelica Ross is making her Broadway debut! On Thursday, "Chicago"'s official Instagram account announced that the "Pose" actor will be starring as the one and only Roxie Hart in the musical beginning Sept. 12. "The name on everybody's lips is gonna be... A N G E L I C A!," the account captioned a photo of Ross as Roxie.
Ross also reacted to the news on Twitter, writing, "This day is full of mixed feelings for me! I want to celebrate being on Broadway, but I don't feel like celebrating with #BrittneyGriner sentenced to 9 years in prison. This world is messed up. She doesn't deserve this." Brittney Griner, an American basketball player for the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury, was sentenced to nine years in prison by a Russian court after she was found guilty of drug smuggling with criminal intent, Reuters reported on Aug. 4.
Ross's turn as Roxie marks the first...
Ross also reacted to the news on Twitter, writing, "This day is full of mixed feelings for me! I want to celebrate being on Broadway, but I don't feel like celebrating with #BrittneyGriner sentenced to 9 years in prison. This world is messed up. She doesn't deserve this." Brittney Griner, an American basketball player for the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury, was sentenced to nine years in prison by a Russian court after she was found guilty of drug smuggling with criminal intent, Reuters reported on Aug. 4.
Ross's turn as Roxie marks the first...
- 8/5/2022
- by Monica Sisavat
- Popsugar.com
Is Michelle Williams (“The Fabelmans”) about to receive her fifth Oscar nomination and first win? Yes, according to our extra super ultra early odds for Best Supporting Actress, which are based on the combined predictions of thousands of Gold Derby users who have already placed their bets here in our predictions center. Do you agree that Williams will be the woman to beat?
SEE2023 Oscars: Best Picture Predictions
“The Fabelmans” hasn’t screened anywhere yet, so the size, scope, and impact of Williams’s role remain to be seen, but we know she plays the mother of a boy based on director and co-writer Steven Spielberg himself. Playing a maternal figure is often a good way to win an Oscar, whether the mother is a positive influence or a negative one.
Williams also has an overdue narrative: she has been nominated four times over the past 16 years without a win,...
SEE2023 Oscars: Best Picture Predictions
“The Fabelmans” hasn’t screened anywhere yet, so the size, scope, and impact of Williams’s role remain to be seen, but we know she plays the mother of a boy based on director and co-writer Steven Spielberg himself. Playing a maternal figure is often a good way to win an Oscar, whether the mother is a positive influence or a negative one.
Williams also has an overdue narrative: she has been nominated four times over the past 16 years without a win,...
- 8/4/2022
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
The only thing better than receiving one Emmy nomination is receiving two Emmy nominations. But earning multiple bids in the same year as a performer is not as uncommon as one might think, especially with television moving toward shorter seasons and limited series still rising in popularity. This has allowed actors to appear in more projects throughout the year, giving them additional chances to be recognized. But there’s another reason it happens too: guest appearances.
So far, 10 performers have been nominated in both the drama and comedy guest categories in the same year. The first to do it was Jack Gilford, who in 1989 was nominated for his work on the comedy “The Golden Girls” and the drama “thirtysomething.” He was followed in 1991 by Colleen Dewhurst, who was nominated for her appearances on “Murphy Brown” and “Road to Avonlea,” winning for the former. In 1993, Gwen Verdon was nominated for her...
So far, 10 performers have been nominated in both the drama and comedy guest categories in the same year. The first to do it was Jack Gilford, who in 1989 was nominated for his work on the comedy “The Golden Girls” and the drama “thirtysomething.” He was followed in 1991 by Colleen Dewhurst, who was nominated for her appearances on “Murphy Brown” and “Road to Avonlea,” winning for the former. In 1993, Gwen Verdon was nominated for her...
- 7/28/2022
- by Kaitlin Thomas
- Gold Derby
Known worldwide as a dynamic powerhouse performer, first for his Tony-winning role as Lola in “Kinky Boots” and then for his Emmy-winning role as PrayTell in “Pose,” Billy Porter isn’t afraid to take on new challenges. The actor makes his feature directorial debut this month with “Anything’s Possible,” a teen romance about a trans girl experiencing first love. As a longtime member of and advocate for the LGBTQ community, the “Pose” star was a natural fit to helm this story that treats its trans protagonist as any other teenager. Love and joy are central themes in the movie, which never makes an obstacle of the character’s trans-ness.
Shot and set in Porter’s hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the movie stars many of Porter’s friends from his early days in the theater. “Anything’s Possible” was also produced by Killer Films’ Christine Vachon and David Hinojosa, prolific...
Shot and set in Porter’s hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the movie stars many of Porter’s friends from his early days in the theater. “Anything’s Possible” was also produced by Killer Films’ Christine Vachon and David Hinojosa, prolific...
- 7/24/2022
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
“To say that this is a dream come true is an understatement,” marveled Sutton Foster in 2002 when Jerry Orbach and Doris Roberts called her name as the winner of the Tony Award for her performance in “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” Now exactly 20 years later, Foster could win her third trophy for her work in the revival of the classic Broadway musical “The Music Man,” starring opposite fellow Tony winner Hugh Jackman. Below, see a list of all seven of Sutton Foster’s Tony nominations and her two wins.
See Can Sutton Foster (‘The Music Man’) parlay her Drama League upset into Tony Award #3?
Foster contends this year for her turn as Marian Paroo, the librarian in River City who Jackman’s Harold Hill tries to woo. She earned the seventh nomination of her career for the role in the Actress in a Musical category, even though Barbara Cook, who originated the part,...
See Can Sutton Foster (‘The Music Man’) parlay her Drama League upset into Tony Award #3?
Foster contends this year for her turn as Marian Paroo, the librarian in River City who Jackman’s Harold Hill tries to woo. She earned the seventh nomination of her career for the role in the Actress in a Musical category, even though Barbara Cook, who originated the part,...
- 6/8/2022
- by David Buchanan
- Gold Derby
What do the 25th and 75th Tony Awards have in common? The landmark Stephen Sondheim/George Furth musical “Company,” Angela Lansbury and the beloved tuner “The Music Man.”
The gender-bender revival of “Company” is considered the front-runner for the Tony for Best Musical Revival as well as featured actress for Broadway legend Patti LuPone who brings down the house with “Ladies Who Lunch.” Elaine Stritch originated the LuPone’s character of Joanne; her rendition of “Ladies Who Lunch” is considered one of the indelible show-stopping numbers in Broadway history. Stritch was considered a shoo-in for lead actress but lost to Helen Gallagher for the revival of -the 1920s musical “No, No Nanette.” Go figure. Gallagher was good, but she wasn’t as great as Stritch.
The original “Company” waltzed into the Tony Awards — which took place at the Palace Theatre on March 28, 1971 — with a whopping 14 nominations and won six including Best Musical,...
The gender-bender revival of “Company” is considered the front-runner for the Tony for Best Musical Revival as well as featured actress for Broadway legend Patti LuPone who brings down the house with “Ladies Who Lunch.” Elaine Stritch originated the LuPone’s character of Joanne; her rendition of “Ladies Who Lunch” is considered one of the indelible show-stopping numbers in Broadway history. Stritch was considered a shoo-in for lead actress but lost to Helen Gallagher for the revival of -the 1920s musical “No, No Nanette.” Go figure. Gallagher was good, but she wasn’t as great as Stritch.
The original “Company” waltzed into the Tony Awards — which took place at the Palace Theatre on March 28, 1971 — with a whopping 14 nominations and won six including Best Musical,...
- 6/1/2022
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
The Drama League Awards set themselves apart from other theater industry kudos thanks to their Distinguished Performance Award. The category generally features forty to fifty performers from both Off-Broadway and Broadway productions. Nominees encompass both lead and supporting roles from plays and musicals, and can be of any gender. When one performer rises to the top of this deep roster, they tend to be the frontrunner for one of the acting races at the Tony Awards. This year, Sutton Foster claimed the Distinguished Performance award for “The Music Man.” In the process, the Tony race for Lead Actress in a Musical was just upended.
Most Tony pundits have assumed that Lead Actress in a Musical is a two horse race up until this point. Sharon D Clarke has held a strong lead in our combined odds thanks to her formidable performance in the revival of “Caroline, or Change.” The British...
Most Tony pundits have assumed that Lead Actress in a Musical is a two horse race up until this point. Sharon D Clarke has held a strong lead in our combined odds thanks to her formidable performance in the revival of “Caroline, or Change.” The British...
- 5/23/2022
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
Michelle Williams was Academy Award-nominated for playing screen icon Marilyn Monroe and won an Emmy for transforming into Broadway star Gwen Verdon, but it seems that Williams will not take the mic to be singer Peggy Lee for an upcoming biopic anymore.
The “Showing Up” actress confirmed that the slated Peggy Lee biopic “Fever” with writer-director Todd Haynes is officially dead.
“It’s gone the way of the buffalo, I’m afraid,” Williams told Variety in a cover story. “But if anyone reading this story would like to resurrect it, Todd and I are on board for that.”
“The Many Saints of Newark” breakout Alessandro Nivola was set to play Dave Barbour, with Doug Wright penning the screenplay. Director Haynes, meanwhile, helmed the experimental Bob Dylan biopic “I’m Not There” and the documentary “The Velvet Underground.” The “Carol” director is currently readying for the drama “May December” with Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman.
The “Showing Up” actress confirmed that the slated Peggy Lee biopic “Fever” with writer-director Todd Haynes is officially dead.
“It’s gone the way of the buffalo, I’m afraid,” Williams told Variety in a cover story. “But if anyone reading this story would like to resurrect it, Todd and I are on board for that.”
“The Many Saints of Newark” breakout Alessandro Nivola was set to play Dave Barbour, with Doug Wright penning the screenplay. Director Haynes, meanwhile, helmed the experimental Bob Dylan biopic “I’m Not There” and the documentary “The Velvet Underground.” The “Carol” director is currently readying for the drama “May December” with Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman.
- 5/10/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Pamela Anderson will make her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in the long-running musical ‘Chicago’ this spring, producers announced today.
The former Baywatch and Home Improvement star will take the stage at Broadway’s Ambassador Theatre on Tuesday, April 12, and end her eight-week limited run on Sunday, June 5.
“I have always been a huge fan of Bob Fosse’s & Gwen Verdon’s work,” Anderson said in a statement. “Ann Reinking, too. Playing Roxie Hart is a dream fulfilled.”
‘Pam & Tommy’ Trailer : Lily James & Sebastian Stan Bring To Life Pamela Anderson And Tommy Lee Sex Tape Scandal
She continued, “Performing Fosse, you don’t have time to get in your head. You can’t dance, sing and think at the same time. There is a freedom, a unique joy in knowing it’s all about the work. Playing Roxie Hart is a sweet escape for me.”
The revival of...
The former Baywatch and Home Improvement star will take the stage at Broadway’s Ambassador Theatre on Tuesday, April 12, and end her eight-week limited run on Sunday, June 5.
“I have always been a huge fan of Bob Fosse’s & Gwen Verdon’s work,” Anderson said in a statement. “Ann Reinking, too. Playing Roxie Hart is a dream fulfilled.”
‘Pam & Tommy’ Trailer : Lily James & Sebastian Stan Bring To Life Pamela Anderson And Tommy Lee Sex Tape Scandal
She continued, “Performing Fosse, you don’t have time to get in your head. You can’t dance, sing and think at the same time. There is a freedom, a unique joy in knowing it’s all about the work. Playing Roxie Hart is a sweet escape for me.”
The revival of...
- 3/7/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Jean Smart is within striking distance of entering an elusive club. All the “Hacks” star has to do is win at the upcoming SAG Awards and Critics Choice Awards (which Gold Derby is easily predicting she will do) and she will become the fifth person to sweep all five television prizes in the same season. For those keeping track at home, this funnylady has already claimed the Emmy, Golden Globe and Television Critics Association prizes for her role as veteran Las Vegas stand-up comedian Deborah Vance on the HBO Max comedy.
Who are the four actors who brought a broom to awards season? Scroll through our photos above to see more info on the record-breaking TV awards actors sweeps of the Emmys, Globes, SAG Awards, Critics Choice and TCAs.
See SAG Awards TV nominations: ‘Succession’ and ‘Ted Lasso’ lead with 5 followed by ‘The Morning Show,’ ‘Squid Game’ …
Sarah Paulson in...
Who are the four actors who brought a broom to awards season? Scroll through our photos above to see more info on the record-breaking TV awards actors sweeps of the Emmys, Globes, SAG Awards, Critics Choice and TCAs.
See SAG Awards TV nominations: ‘Succession’ and ‘Ted Lasso’ lead with 5 followed by ‘The Morning Show,’ ‘Squid Game’ …
Sarah Paulson in...
- 1/31/2022
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
From West Side Story through Bye Bye Birdie, from Chicago to Kiss of the Spider Woman, one actor has been a constant – Chita Rivera.
Now, the two-time Tony winners is recapping her Broadway career for HarperOne, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, which announced her memoir today. The book, publication release date set for early 2023 and title to be determined, will also be published simultaneously by Harper Español. Rivera will be writing with Emmy-winning TV commentator and arts journalist Patrick Pacheco.
Lisa Sharkey, SVP director of creative development, HarperCollins Publishers, acquired North American rights for English and World for Spanish, first serial, and audio from Mel Berger at WME. The book will have Rakesh Satyal as executive editor, HarperOne Publishing Group, and will be edited with HarperEspañol editor Ariana Rosado-Fernández.
Rivera is one of the most nominated actors in Tony Awards history, garnering 10 bids during her long career. She plans to...
Now, the two-time Tony winners is recapping her Broadway career for HarperOne, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, which announced her memoir today. The book, publication release date set for early 2023 and title to be determined, will also be published simultaneously by Harper Español. Rivera will be writing with Emmy-winning TV commentator and arts journalist Patrick Pacheco.
Lisa Sharkey, SVP director of creative development, HarperCollins Publishers, acquired North American rights for English and World for Spanish, first serial, and audio from Mel Berger at WME. The book will have Rakesh Satyal as executive editor, HarperOne Publishing Group, and will be edited with HarperEspañol editor Ariana Rosado-Fernández.
Rivera is one of the most nominated actors in Tony Awards history, garnering 10 bids during her long career. She plans to...
- 1/28/2022
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Multi-hyphenate, Broadway treasure and seemingly all-around creative savant Lin-Manuel Miranda admitted that, in making his film directorial debut, even he had to face a slight learning curve. “There were definitely times I yelled ‘Cut!’ when I meant ‘Action!’” he chuckled at AFI Fest’s opening night at the Tcl Chinese Theater, where the spotlight was centered on his Netflix film “Tick, Tick…Boom!”
But the “Hamilton” impresario told Variety he had an inherent comfort level with the adaption of the boundary-breaking autobiographical stage musical from the late “Rent” creator Jonathan Larson, one of Miranda’s early theater heroes. “For me, I really understood the world, and I really understood what Jonathan’s guts felt like because I’ve been there — to quote Leo McGarry in ‘The West Wing,’ ‘I’ve been there, and I know the way out.’”
“I had great role models, too,” Miranda said. “Every job I’ve...
But the “Hamilton” impresario told Variety he had an inherent comfort level with the adaption of the boundary-breaking autobiographical stage musical from the late “Rent” creator Jonathan Larson, one of Miranda’s early theater heroes. “For me, I really understood the world, and I really understood what Jonathan’s guts felt like because I’ve been there — to quote Leo McGarry in ‘The West Wing,’ ‘I’ve been there, and I know the way out.’”
“I had great role models, too,” Miranda said. “Every job I’ve...
- 11/11/2021
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: CAA has signed four-time Oscar nominee Michelle Williams.
Williams currently stars opposite Tom Hardy in the Marvel film Venom: Let There Be Carnage, which set a pandemic-era record during its opening weekend and has since earned more than $185 million at the global box office . She reprises her role from 2018’s Venom, which grossed more than $855 million worldwide.
She recently completed shooting on Steven Spielberg’s upcoming film The Fablemans, based loosely on his childhood, as well as Kelly Reichardt’s Showing Up, which marks her fourth collaboration with the filmmaker.
In 2019, Williams earned a Emmy Award and a SAG Award in the category of Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series for her portrayal of Gwen Verdon in the critically acclaimed FX limited series Fosse/Verdon.
She continues to be represented by John Laviolette at Bloom, Hergott, Diemer, Rosenthal, Laviolette, & Feldman. She was previously represented by WME.
Williams currently stars opposite Tom Hardy in the Marvel film Venom: Let There Be Carnage, which set a pandemic-era record during its opening weekend and has since earned more than $185 million at the global box office . She reprises her role from 2018’s Venom, which grossed more than $855 million worldwide.
She recently completed shooting on Steven Spielberg’s upcoming film The Fablemans, based loosely on his childhood, as well as Kelly Reichardt’s Showing Up, which marks her fourth collaboration with the filmmaker.
In 2019, Williams earned a Emmy Award and a SAG Award in the category of Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series for her portrayal of Gwen Verdon in the critically acclaimed FX limited series Fosse/Verdon.
She continues to be represented by John Laviolette at Bloom, Hergott, Diemer, Rosenthal, Laviolette, & Feldman. She was previously represented by WME.
- 10/12/2021
- by Justin Kroll
- Deadline Film + TV
With the long-delayed 74th Tony Awards set for Sept. 26 at the Winter Garden and streaming on Paramount + and a CBS special, let’s take a deep dive into Tony Awards history and look back at the first decade. Broadway was bristling with excitement post World War II. Young playwrights such as Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller and William Inge breathed new life into the Great White Way. And new talents electrifying audiences included Marlon Brando, Julie Harris and Gwen Verdon. It was the perfect time for the creation of the Tony Awards in 1947. The Antoinette Perry Awards or Theatre Excellence were named after the legendary theater actress who was co-founder of the American Theatre Wing; she had died in 1946.
The first annual Tony Awards took place on April 6, 1947 at the Waldorf Astoria and was broadcast on radio on Wor and Mutual Network radio. There was no categories for best play or musical,...
The first annual Tony Awards took place on April 6, 1947 at the Waldorf Astoria and was broadcast on radio on Wor and Mutual Network radio. There was no categories for best play or musical,...
- 9/23/2021
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Debbie Allen was honored with the 2021 Governors Award on Sunday at the 73rd annual Emmy Awards for her contributions to television as an actress, writer, producer, director, dancer and choreographer. She’s also being lauded by the Television Academy for inspiring and mentoring youth from marginalized communities in the arts.
“Let this moment resonate with women across the world and across this country, from Texas to Afghanistan,” said Allen during her acceptance speech. “For young people, who have no vote, who can’t even get a vaccine—they’re inheriting the world that we live in and where we lead them. It’s time for you to claim your power. Play your voice, sing your song, tell your stories. It will make us a better place. Your turn.”
The multihyphenate has a total of 20 Emmy nominations under her belt, including five wins and tonight’s special honor. Last weekend she...
“Let this moment resonate with women across the world and across this country, from Texas to Afghanistan,” said Allen during her acceptance speech. “For young people, who have no vote, who can’t even get a vaccine—they’re inheriting the world that we live in and where we lead them. It’s time for you to claim your power. Play your voice, sing your song, tell your stories. It will make us a better place. Your turn.”
The multihyphenate has a total of 20 Emmy nominations under her belt, including five wins and tonight’s special honor. Last weekend she...
- 9/20/2021
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
The Television Academy said Thursday that Debbie Allen will receive the 2021 Governors Award, bestowed on the dancer-choreographer-actress-writer-producer-director “for her unprecedented achievements in television and her commitment to inspire and engage marginalized youth through dance, theater arts and mentorship.”
Allen will be recognized during the Primetime Emmy Awards telecast September 19 on CBS and Paramount+.
The award honors an individual or organization whose achievement is so exceptional and universal in nature that it goes beyond the scope of annual Emmy Awards recognition, the academy said.
“Debbie Allen has been a creative voice for a generation of performers and storytellers and has left an indelible mark on the television industry,” Governors Award selection committee co-chair Eva Basler said. Added co-chair Debra Curtis: “Debbie’s commitment to mentoring underserved communities has been nothing short of extraordinary. She has shared her gift and love of dance and choreography with countless aspiring performers across the globe.
Allen will be recognized during the Primetime Emmy Awards telecast September 19 on CBS and Paramount+.
The award honors an individual or organization whose achievement is so exceptional and universal in nature that it goes beyond the scope of annual Emmy Awards recognition, the academy said.
“Debbie Allen has been a creative voice for a generation of performers and storytellers and has left an indelible mark on the television industry,” Governors Award selection committee co-chair Eva Basler said. Added co-chair Debra Curtis: “Debbie’s commitment to mentoring underserved communities has been nothing short of extraordinary. She has shared her gift and love of dance and choreography with countless aspiring performers across the globe.
- 8/12/2021
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Iconic director, performer and choreographer Debbie Allen has been selected to receive the Television Academy’s 2021 Governors Award, “in recognition of her numerous contributions to the television medium through multiple creative forms and her philanthropic endeavors around the world.”
Allen, a staple in TV and film for decades, was chosen by the Television Academy’s Board of Governors “for her unprecedented achievements in television and her commitment to inspire and engage marginalized youth through dance, theater arts and mentorship,” the org said. She’ll receive the award during CBS’ telecast of the 73rd annual Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 19.
Last year, Tyler Perry and The Perry Foundation were honored with the award. Other recent recipients include “Star Trek,” Itvs, “American Idol,” A+E Networks, Marian Dougherty, June Foray, John Walsh and the It Gets Better Project, co-founded by Dan Savage and Terry Miller.
The Governors Award is handed out to...
Allen, a staple in TV and film for decades, was chosen by the Television Academy’s Board of Governors “for her unprecedented achievements in television and her commitment to inspire and engage marginalized youth through dance, theater arts and mentorship,” the org said. She’ll receive the award during CBS’ telecast of the 73rd annual Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 19.
Last year, Tyler Perry and The Perry Foundation were honored with the award. Other recent recipients include “Star Trek,” Itvs, “American Idol,” A+E Networks, Marian Dougherty, June Foray, John Walsh and the It Gets Better Project, co-founded by Dan Savage and Terry Miller.
The Governors Award is handed out to...
- 8/12/2021
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
Bob Fosse’s Dancin’, the hit musical revue originally directed and choreographed by the legendary Fosse that ran on Broadway from 1978 to 1982, is planning a return: Producer Joey Parnes announced today that he’ll bring a revival, directed by Wayne Cilento, to Broadway in the 2022-23 season.
“Bob Fosse created the original production as a tribute to dance, but we are approaching this production as a celebration of Bob himself – both the person and the artist,” said Cilento, who was featured in the original company. “We plan on delivering a Dancin’ that is every bit as eclectic and uplifting as the original, full of all its inherent edginess, but is also relevant to our current era.
“Every creative decision will be made through that lens to meet this moment,” Cilento continued, “from our casting of a new generation of principal dancers that reflects the vibrancy of our city to our...
“Bob Fosse created the original production as a tribute to dance, but we are approaching this production as a celebration of Bob himself – both the person and the artist,” said Cilento, who was featured in the original company. “We plan on delivering a Dancin’ that is every bit as eclectic and uplifting as the original, full of all its inherent edginess, but is also relevant to our current era.
“Every creative decision will be made through that lens to meet this moment,” Cilento continued, “from our casting of a new generation of principal dancers that reflects the vibrancy of our city to our...
- 6/3/2021
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Anya Taylor-Joy is very much the frontrunner to take home the Best Limited Series/TV Movie Actress Emmy for “The Queen’s Gambit,” but she may have to pull out her best chess moves to navigate around a new (but old) contender: Kate Winslet.
The Oscar champ, who won this Emmy category 10 years ago for HBO’s “Mildred Pierce,” has jumped up in our odds since “Mare of Easttown” premiered on HBO on April 18. Prior to its debut, Winslet was in seventh place. Now? She’s in the fifth and final slot, bumping out another Oscar winner who has also won this category for an HBO series and is currently in the running for another popular HBO murder mystery, “The Undoing’s” Nicole Kidman.
“Mare” has enjoyed solid reviews, with particular praise for Winslet’s performance as the title character, a detective investigating a murder in her hometown while battling her own demons.
The Oscar champ, who won this Emmy category 10 years ago for HBO’s “Mildred Pierce,” has jumped up in our odds since “Mare of Easttown” premiered on HBO on April 18. Prior to its debut, Winslet was in seventh place. Now? She’s in the fifth and final slot, bumping out another Oscar winner who has also won this category for an HBO series and is currently in the running for another popular HBO murder mystery, “The Undoing’s” Nicole Kidman.
“Mare” has enjoyed solid reviews, with particular praise for Winslet’s performance as the title character, a detective investigating a murder in her hometown while battling her own demons.
- 4/30/2021
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
A musical that charms even audiences that don’t like musicals, this adaptation of a big 1955 Broadway hit is noted for capturing much of the original’s power and brilliance — more legendary stage performances should be filmed like this, immortalizing theater history that otherwise disappears into the ether. Gwen Verdon, Ray Walston, Russ Brown and star replacement Tab Hunter shine, yet ‘unknown’ Broadway talent Shannon Bolin and Robert Shafer earn just as much applause. The Verdon-Bob Fosse creative hookup is at its strongest here, complete with a show-stopper of a dance duo. Come to think of it, almost every song in this thing stops the show, like one of Joe Hardy’s home runs: Wow!
Damn Yankees
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1958 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 111 min. / Street Date March 16, 2021 / available through the WBshop / 21.99
Starring: Tab Hunter, Gwen Verdon, Ray Walston, Russ Brown, Shannon Bolin, Nathaniel Frey, James Komack, Rae Allen,...
Damn Yankees
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1958 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 111 min. / Street Date March 16, 2021 / available through the WBshop / 21.99
Starring: Tab Hunter, Gwen Verdon, Ray Walston, Russ Brown, Shannon Bolin, Nathaniel Frey, James Komack, Rae Allen,...
- 3/9/2021
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
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