News

Blue Finch Films has closed a raft of international sales for a pair of SXSW-selected titles out of Cannes, with sci-fi action pic “Redux Redux” and female-driven horror “The Surrender” both finding homes across multiple territories.

The genre titles, which opened to critical acclaim at the Austin festival, are currently enjoying strong festival runs as Blue Finch continues to capitalize on their momentum in the international marketplace.

“Redux Redux” has been picked up by A Contracorriente Films for Spain, VOD Factory for France, Vendetta Filmes for Portugal, Capelight Pictures for Germany, Blue Swan Entertainment for Italy, and Premiere TV Distribution for Benelux. Additional deals include Umbrella Entertainment for Australia and New Zealand, Particular Crowd for Latin America, BookMyShow for India, and Falcon Films for the Middle East and North Africa region. Blue Finch will handle the U.K. and Ireland release later this year.

Directed by Kevin McManus and Matthew McManus,...

Watch the Trailer for The Surrender: "A fraught mother-daughter relationship is put to a terrifying test when the family patriarch dies, and the grieving mother hires a mysterious stranger to bring her husband back from the dead. As the bizarre and brutal resurrection spirals out of control, both women must confront their differences as they fight for their lives – and for each other."

Director: Julia Max Screenwriter: Julia Max Cast: Colby Minifie, Kate Burton, Neil Sandilands, Vaughn Armstrong, Mia Ellis, Pete Ploszek, Chelsea Alden, Alaina Pollack, Riley Rose Critchlow, Lola Prince Kelly Producers: Mia Chang, Lovell Holder, Robert J. Ulrich, Julia Max, Ian McDonald Executive Producers: Susan Gelb, Adam Maffei, Rob Massar Director of Photography: Cailin Yatsko Editor: Sushila Love Genre: Thriller, Horror Composer: Alex Winkler Language: English Runtime: 99 mins

Streaming on Shudder Friday, May 23rd



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Blumhouse Horrorverse in Meta Horizon - An Immersive Horror Experience Launching on May...

Shudder said Wednesday that it has acquired rights to The Surrender, writer-director Julia Max’s supernatural horror that just had its world premiere in the Midnighter section at SXSW. The streamer will release it in North America, UK/Ireland and Australia/New Zealand on May 23.

Colby Minifie (The Boys) and Kate Burton (Grey’s Anatomy) topline the movie, about a mother-daughter relationship put to a terrifying test when the family patriarch dies and the grieving mother hires a mysterious stranger to bring her husband back from the dead. As the bizarre and bloody resurrection spirals out of control, the women must confront their differences as they fight for their lives and for each other. Neil Sandilands (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes) also stars.

Max said during the movie team’s visit to the Deadline Studio that the story is loosely based on what Max and Max’s mother went...

Shudder has picked up North America, UK and Ireland and Australia and New Zealand rights to Blue Finch Film’s supernatural horror The Surrender following its recent world premiere at SXSW.

Julia Max directs Colby Minifie and Kate Burton in the Midnighter selection about a fraught mother-daughter relationship that is put to the test when the family patriarch dies and the grieving mother hires a mysterious stranger to bring her husband back from the dead.

As the resurrection spirals out of control, both women must confront their differences as they fight for their lives and for each other. Shudder will...

U.K. sales and distribution outfit Blue Finch Films has acquired worldwide sales rights to “The Surrender,” a supernatural horror feature marking the directorial debut of Julia Max. The chiller is set to make its world premiere at SXSW as part of the fest’s Midnighter section.

Colby Minifie (“The Boys”) and Emmy nominee Kate Burton (“Grey’s Anatomy”) topline the cast alongside Neil Sandilands (“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes”) in this supernatural tale that explores grief through horror.

The film follows a fraught mother-daughter relationship put to a terrifying test when the family patriarch dies. The grieving mother hires a mysterious stranger to resurrect her husband, but as the brutal resurrection spirals out of control, both women must confront their differences while fighting for their lives — and each other.

Max not only helmed the project but also penned the script and produced alongside Mia Chang (“It Follows”), Lovell Holder...

Dianna Agron, who played cheerleader Quinn Fabray in Glee, really jumpstarted her career with the role.

Dianna Agron shines as cheerleader Quinn Fabray in the iconic musical comedy-drama series Glee (Credit: Fox)

Dianna Agron’s Early Life and Background

Dianna Elise Agron, born on April 30, 1986, in Savannah, Georgia, grew up in a Jewish household and spent her childhood in San Antonio, Texas, and Burlingame, California.

Her father was a general manager for Hyatt Hotels, while her mother was a seamstress. She grew up in hotels due to the nature of her father’s career and is said to have gained her love for storytelling by observing the many fascinating people who passed through.

Even as a young girl, Dianna dreamed of emulating two of her idols, saying, “Growing up, I wanted to be a mixture of Audrey Hepburn and Lucille Ball.” This aspiration reveals the early seeds of her fascination...

An upcoming indie horror movie, The Surrender, adds stars from the hit satirical superhero series, The Boys, and the long-running medical drama, Grey's Anatomy, to its cast. Colby Minifie and Kate Burton will lead the new project by first-time filmmaker Julia Max.

Per Deadline, Minifie and Burton headline The Surrender, which is currently in production in Los Angeles. The duo is joined by Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes star Neil Sandilands, Star Trek: Enterprise's Vaughn Armstrong, You's Pete Ploszek and 13 Reasons Why actor Chelsea Aiden. Mia Ellis, Riley Rose Critchlow, Alaina Pollock and Lola Prince Kelly round out The Surrender cast.

Related M3GAN Spinoff SOULM8TE Adds The Boys Actor

After a multi-season run on Prime Video's The Boys, actor Claudia Doumit is heading to the M3GAN universe for the spinoff movie, SOULM8TE.

Minifie is best known for portraying Vought International's oft-stressed CEO, Ashley Barrett, in The Boys,...

Exclusive: Kate Burton (Grey’s Anatomy) and Colby Minifie (The Boys) will lead the cast of The Surrender, an indie horror film from first-time feature filmmaker Julia Max.

Others to appear in the film, currently shooting in Los Angeles, include Neil Sandilands (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes), Vaughn Armstrong (Star Trek: Enterprise), Mia Ellis (Lavender Men), Pete Ploszek (You), Chelsea Alden (13 Reasons Why), Riley Rose Critchlow, Lola Prince Kelly and Alaina Pollack.

A sales title with all rights available, The Surrender centers on a fraught mother-daughter relationship that is put to a terrifying test when the family patriarch dies and the grieving mother hires a mysterious stranger to bring her husband back from the dead. As the bizarre and brutal resurrection ritual spirals out of control, both women must reconcile their differences as they fight for their lives, and for each other.

“The Surrender is an incredibly personal...

After a seven-year break, FX’s anthology series “Feud” is back with another installment of rivalry and gossip titled “Feud: Capote vs. The Swans,” telling the story of Truman Capote (Tom Hollander) and a high society New York City socialite group known as The Swans, which includes Babe Paley (Naomi Watts), Slim Keith (Diane Lane), C.Z. Guest (Chloë Sevigny), Lee Radziwill (Calista Flockhart), Ann Woodward (Demi Moore) and Joanne Carson (Molly Ringwald). The previous season of the Ryan Murphy docudrama that starred Jessica Lange as Joan Crawford and Susan Sarandon as Bette Davis nabbed 18 Emmy Award nominations and two wins. Let’s look back at their haul to see how it may impact this current season at the 2024 Emmys.

Here are the 2017 Emmy wins and nominations for “Feud: Bette and Joan”:

Best Limited/Movie Non-Prosthetic Makeup (Won)

Eryn Krueger Mekash, Makeup Designer

Robin Beauchesne, Assistant Makeup Department Head

Shutchai Tym Buacharern,...

Acting jobs seem to be coming back slowly but surely since the strikes last year, but not everyone is thrilled with the pace at which jobs are returning. 

Several actors and actresses feel as if things are too slow, they can't get work, and panic is setting in. 

Amid the panic, several shows have been announcing their new cast members this week. 

Are roles in Hollywood really that slim? Will things pick back up? Who has been cast in new roles this week? Let's take a look at all of this information and see what the deal is with Hollywood. 

Actors Fear for Work as Hollywood Picks Back Up Following Strikes

Last year was a tough year for actors and writers as we went through the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, bringing a lot of television production to a screeching halt. 

New deals and contracts were made, and things are picking back up,...

Casting Society (CSA) on Tuesday announced its nominations in the television, theatre, commercials, short film and short form series for its 2023 Artios Awards.

Netflix led the nominations in the TV categories with eight nods, while HBO/Max, Apple TV+ and Prime Video each received five nominations.

The winners will be announced at a gala on March 7, 2024. Submissions for feature film nominees will open on Nov. 10 and nominees for that category will be announced in February. Honorees for The Hoyt Bowers Award For Excellence In Casting, Lynn Stalmaster Award For Career Achievement, Marion Dougherty New York Apple Award and the Associate Casting Director/ Casting Producer Spotlight Award will be announced at a later date.

“Each year, the Artios Awards celebrates the work of the casting community to represent a diverse range of fascinating stories authentically, and this collection of nominees underscores that commitment,” said Destiny Lilly, CSA president. “We look forward...

The Casting Society of America has announced the television, theater, commercials, short film and short form series nominees for the 39th Artios Awards. The gala will take place on March 7, 2024, where the winners will be announced.

“Each year, the Artios Awards celebrates the work of the casting community to represent a diverse range of fascinating stories authentically, and this collection of nominees underscores that commitment. We look forward to gathering our community together to celebrate these achievements at our 39th Annual event next year,” CSA President Destiny Lilly said in a statement.

Netflix leads the television categories with eight nominations, down from 11 in 2022, when it tied with HBO/Max, which this year received five nominations — the same number as Apple TV+ and Prime Video. Netflix nominations included “Beef,” “Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” and “The Diplomat.”

As for feature film nominees, submissions will open Nov. 10, followed by an...

The Casting Society on Tuesday revealed the television, theater, commercials, short film and short-form series nominees for the 39th Artios Awards, which honor the contribution of casting professionals in these categories. Winners will be announced at a gala ceremony on March 7, 2024.

Submissions for feature film nominees will open November 10 and nominees in that category will be announced in February. Honorees for The Hoyt Bowers Award For Excellence In Casting, Lynn Stalmaster Award For Career Achievement, Marion Dougherty New York Apple Award, and the Associate Casting Director/ Casting Producer Spotlight Award will be presented that evening.

The honorees will be announced at a later date.

“Each year, the Artios Awards celebrates the work of the casting community to represent a diverse range of fascinating stories authentically, and this collection of nominees underscores that commitment. We look forward to gathering our community together to celebrate these achievements at our 39th Annual event next year,...

Produced by and starring Margot Robbie, Barbie (read our review Here) isn’t only the biggest movie to come out in 2023, having earned having earned more than $1.3 billion at the box office, but it also happens to be Warner Bros’ all time highest-grossing global release. While that Robbie project rakes in the dough, American Horror Story casting director Eric Dawson, who casts the long-running FX anthology series with his partners Robert J. Ulrich and Carol Kritzer at Ulrich/Dawson/Kritzer Casting, has revealed that Robbie audition for the second season of the series more than a decade ago.

Running for thirteen episodes from October 2012 to January 2013, the second season of American Horror Story was called Asylum. Starring Zachary Quinto, Joseph Fiennes, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Lily Rabe, Lizzie Brocheré, James Cromwell, and Jessica Lange, it took place in 1964 and followed the stories of the staff and inmates who occupy the fictional mental institution Briarcliff Manor,...

Ryan Murphy made headlines back in 2018 when the prolific producer of TV hits ranging from "Glee" to "American Horror Story" signed a massive content deal with Netflix, estimated at a record-breaking $300 million. Since then, Murphy and his collaborators have delivered a head-spinning array of projects for viewers of the streaming service, in addition to various shows for network television and the FX basic cable brand.

Known for audacious and outrageous plot twists, compelling characters, and assembling a repertory company comprised of some of Hollywood's finest actors, Murphy has managed to leave his imprint on everything he touches. Realistically speaking, Murphy has increasingly spread himself thin as he continues to pump out more and more television content within multiple genres. Though everything remains thoroughly on brand, not all of those projects achieve the same level of quality. Occasional stumbles are inevitable. With that in mind, read on for a roundup of...

The Casting Society of America has made the first callbacks for the 37th annual Artios Awards. The group today revealed its nominees for television, theater, short films and shortform series.

Netflix leads with 11 noms, nearly double the haul for runners-up HBO and Hulu, which grabbed six apiece. Disney+ is next with four, followed Amazon Prime Video and Nickelodeon, which scooped three apiece. The winners will be feted during the CSA’s in-person trophy show on March 17 at the Beverly Hilton.

Vying in the Television Series – Drama category are The Boys, The Handmaid’s Tale, The Mandalorian, Pose and This Is Us. Up for the Comedy Series prize are A Black Lady Sketch Show, Call My Agent, Pen15 and three series that wrapped their runs this year: The Kominsky Method, Shrill and Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.

The nominees for Television Pilot or First Season – Drama are Bridgerton, Ginny & Georgia, Lovecraft Country, Perry Mason,...

Netflix and HBO have emerged with the most nominations for television, theater and short form series at the 36th Annual Artios Awards, which were announced by the Casting Society of America (Csa) on Friday.

Streaming giant Netflix led with 12 nominations overall, and HBO followed with eight, while Hulu received six and Amazon Prime Video received four. Several casting directors such as Alexa L. Fogel, David Rubin, Victoria Thomas and Robert J. Ulrich landed multiple nominations for their work across shows.

The Csa previously announced the three honorees for the 2021 event, with the Actors Fund receiving the Rosalie Joseph Humanitarian Award and the Hoyt Bowers Award going to Robi Reed and Tara Rubin, the first time two casting directors will be honored for this award. The feature films submission opened January 6 and nominations will be announced in March.

The Artios Awards honor the contribution of casting directors in more than 20 categories across film,...

The Casting Society of America on Friday unveiled nominations for its 36th annual Artios Awards in the categories of television, theater, short film and short-form series. The noms for the casting honors come ahead of a planned virtual winners ceremony April 15.

The Csa opened its feature film submission period Thursday; noms in those categories will be announced in March.

On the TV side, Netflix leads all networks today with 12 nominations, followed by rival HBO with eight and Hulu with four. Among the nominees include Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences president David Rubin, who scored mentions for HBO’s Big Little Lies and Hulu’s Little Fires Everywhere. Victoria Thomas earned four noms, for Apple’s The Morning Show and HBO’s Insecure, Watchmen and A Black Lady Sketch Show.

In theater, Jim Carnahan, Karyn Casl and Tara Rubin were among the casting director with multiple noms. Rubin, along with Robi Reed,...

The Casting Society of America (Csa) announced the television and theatre nominations for the 36th Artios Awards, honoring the contributions of casting directors to the arts. The winners will be announced on Thursday, April 15, 2021 in a virtual ceremony, the first-ever for the organization.

Netflix again outstripped its competitors, with 12 Artios Award nominations, followed by HBO with eight, Hulu with six, four for Amazon Prime Video, and three for the now-defunct Quibi.

The Csa previously shared three honorees for this year’s Artios Awards. The Hoyt Bowers Award will recognize Robi Reed and Tara Rubin, the first time two recipients will be honored with the award and the Actors Fund will receive the Rosalie Joseph Humanitarian Award.

The feature films submission opened January 7 and nominations will be announced in March.

The television nominations are listed below:

Television Pilot and First Season – Comedy

“The Great” (Hulu) — Rose Wicksteed

“Modern Love” (Amazon Prime Video) — Laura Rosenthal,...

The Casting Society of America has announced the TV, theater, short film and short-form nominees for the 36th Artios Awards.

TV casting directors receiving multiple nominations include Alexa L. Fogel (The Politician, The Outsider, Ozark, Pose); David Rubin (Big Little Lies, Little Fires Everywhere); Victoria Thomas (The Morning Show, Insecure, Watchmen, A Black Lady Sketch Show) and Robert J. Ulrich (Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, The Boys).

Netflix received the most nominations in the TV categories with 12 nods, followed by HBO with eight, Hulu with six, Amazon Prime Video with four and Quibi with three. Networks and streaming services that each ...

The Casting Society of America has announced the TV, theater, short film and short-form nominees for the 36th Artios Awards.

TV casting directors receiving multiple nominations include Alexa L. Fogel (The Politician, The Outsider, Ozark, Pose); David Rubin (Big Little Lies, Little Fires Everywhere); Victoria Thomas (The Morning Show, Insecure, Watchmen, A Black Lady Sketch Show) and Robert J. Ulrich (Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, The Boys).

Netflix received the most nominations in the TV categories with 12 nods, followed by HBO with eight, Hulu with six, Amazon Prime Video with four and Quibi with three. Networks and streaming services that each ...

“Vice,” “Green Book,” “Crazy Rich Asians” and “BlackKklansman” all emerged as winners at the 34th annual Artios Awards on Thursday, chosen by members of the Casting Society of America.

“Black Panther” also picked up a special Zeitgeist Award, while “Isle of Dogs” won for casting of an animated film. “The Kindergarten Teacher” and “Madeline’s Madeline” were honored in the low-budget and micro-budget film categories.

TV winners included the first season of “Ozark” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” as well as the ongoing series “Atlanta” and “The Crown.”

Also Read: Artios Awards Give Top Casting Honors to 'La La Land,' 'Hidden Figures'

The Los Angeles event was hosted by actress and comedian June Diane Raphael and SAG Award-winning actor Paul Scheer, and the New York event was hosted by comic performer Bridget Everett.

This year’s honorees included Laura Dern, who received the Lynn Stalmaster Award for Career Achievement.

The casting branch of the academy is only five years old and doesn’t have an Oscar category of its own. However, the Casting Society of America has been handing out the Artios Awards for 34 years (“Artios” is from the ancient Greek meaning “perfectly fitted.”). This year’s awards took place on Thursday (Jan. 31) on both coasts. At the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, winners included three of the Oscar frontrunners for Best Picture: “BlacKkKlansman,” “Green Book” and “Vice.” (see full list of winners below).

In addition to the seven film categories listed below, the Atrios Awards honored Laura Dern with the Lynn Stalmaster Award for Career Achievement while Tina Fey and Jeff Raymond received the Marion Dougherty New York Apple Award and casting directors Robert J. Ulrich, Eric Dawson and Carol Kritzer were feted with the Hoyt Bowers Award.

Last year’s big budget winners were the war movie...

The Casting Society of America held its annual Artios Awards tonight and gave its top film prizes to awards-season regulars Green Book (Big Budget – Comedy), Vice (Big Budget – Drama), Crazy Rich Asians (Studio or Independent Comedy) and BlackKklansman (Studio or Indie Drama).

Other film winners included Black Panther (the Zeitgeist Award) and Isle of Dogs (Feature Animation). Trophies were handed out in 30 categories spanning film, TV and theater during dual ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York. Check out the full list of winners below.

Top winners on the TV side included The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Ozark, Atlanta, The Crown, Godless and Rick and Morty.

This year’s honorees were Laura Dern, who received the Lynn Stalmaster Award for Career Achievement; Tina Fey and Jeff Richmond, the Marion Dougherty New York Apple Award for outstanding commitment to the New York entertainment industry through their collaboration with casting directors; and Robert J. Ulrich,...

Former Glee stars Darren Criss and Amber Riley are taking the stage at the Casting Society of America's 34th annual Artios Awards.

As part of a tribute to the night's Hoyt Bowers honorees — Glee casting directors Robert J. Ulrich, Eric Dawson and Carol Kritzer of Ulrich/Dawson/Kritzer Casting — Criss and Riley will give a musical performance.

Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy and Carol Mendelsohn, executive producer and co-creator of CSI and its spinoffs, will present the award, which is given for excellence in casting and honors the recipient's body of work and their outstanding contribution to the profession.

Other presenters at ...

Former Glee stars Darren Criss and Amber Riley are taking the stage at the Casting Society of America's 34th annual Artios Awards.

As part of a tribute to the night's Hoyt Bowers honorees — Glee casting directors Robert J. Ulrich, Eric Dawson and Carol Kritzer of Ulrich/Dawson/Kritzer Casting — Criss and Riley will give a musical performance.

Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy and Carol Mendelsohn, executive producer and co-creator of CSI and its spinoffs, will present the award, which is given for excellence in casting and honors the recipient's body of work and their outstanding contribution to the profession.

Other presenters at ...

“A Star Is Born,” “Mary Poppins Returns,” “Vice,” “The Hate U Give,” and “Deadpool 2” are among the films nominated for the 34th annual Artios Awards from the Casting Society of America.

Simultaneous ceremonies will take place on both coasts on Thursday, Jan. 31, with the Los Angeles awards being held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Actress June Diane Raphael of Netflix’s “Grace and Frankie” and Paul Scheer of “Veep” and “Black Monday” will play host on the West Coast.

Industry veteran Laura Dern will receive the Lynn Stalmaster Award, and in New York, Tina Fey and Jeff Richmond will receive Marion Dougherty New York Apple Award. The Ulrich Dawson and Kritzer casting team will be honored with the Hoyt Bowers Award for outstanding casting, presented by Ryan Murphy of “Pose.” Casting directors Mike Fenton of “E.T.,” Joe Reich of “Knight Rider,” and Al Onorato of “Eye of the Tiger” will also be honored.

The casting branch of the academy is only five years old and doesn’t have an Oscar category of its own. However, the Casting Society of America has been handing out the Artios Awards for 33 years (“Artios” is from the ancient Greek meaning “perfectly fitted.”). Nominees for feature films were announced on Thursday and many of the leading Oscar contenders reaped bids. Winners will be revealed at joint ceremonies in New York and Los Angeles on Thursday, Jan. 31.

In addition to the seven film categories listed below, the Atrios Awards will honor Laura Dern with the Lynn Stalmaster Award for Career Achievement while Tina Fey and Jeff Raymond will receive the Marion Dougherty New York Apple Award and casting directors Robert J. Ulrich, Eric Dawson and Carol Kritzer will be feted with the Hoyt Bowers Award.

Last year’s big budget winners were the war movie “Dunkirk and the musical...

Laura Dern, Tina Fey and Jeff Richmond will all be honored at the Casting Society of America’s 34th annual Artios Awards, which will be held with simultaneous ceremonies at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles and Stage 48 in New York City on Jan. 31.

Glee and American Horror Story creator Ryan Murphy and CSI co-creator Carol Mendelsohn will present the Hoyt Bowers Award to Robert J. Ulrich, Eric Dawson and Carol Kritzer of Ulrich/Dawson/Kritzer Casting. The Hoyt Bowers Award, given for excellence in casting, honors the recipients’ body of work and their outstanding contribution to the casting ...

Laura Dern, Tina Fey and Jeff Richmond will all be honored at the Casting Society of America’s 34th annual Artios Awards, which will be held with simultaneous ceremonies at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles and Stage 48 in New York City on Jan. 31.

Glee and American Horror Story creator Ryan Murphy and CSI co-creator Carol Mendelsohn will present the Hoyt Bowers Award to Robert J. Ulrich, Eric Dawson and Carol Kritzer of Ulrich/Dawson/Kritzer Casting. The Hoyt Bowers Award, given for excellence in casting, honors the recipients’ body of work and their outstanding contribution to the casting ...

The Casting Society of America has set the honorees and special award recipients for its 34th annual Artios Awards. Laura Dern, Tiny Fey and Jeff Richmond will be feted along with Robert J. Ulrich, Eric Dawson and Carol Kritzer of Ulrich/Dawson/Kritzer Casting on January 31 in dual ceremonies at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles and Stage 48 in New York City.

Csa also has set a first-time special tribute to the founders of Casting Society of America: casting directors Mike Fenton, Joe Reich and Al Onorato.

Emmy winner and two-time Oscar nominee Dern will receive the Lynn Stalmaster Award for Career Achievement. Tony-nominated Mean Girls producers Fey and Richmond are set for the Marion Dougherty New York Apple Award, which recognition individuals who have made a...

Netflix’s “Queer Eye,” HBO’s “Barry,” Amazon’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and CBS’ “Young Sheldon” are among the TV nominees for the 34th annual Artios Awards from the Casting Society of America.

On the legit side, “The Boys in the Band,” “Lobby Hero” and “Angels in America” were among the productions recognized.

The Artios kudos will be handed out on Jan. 31 in simultaneous ceremonies held in Beverly Hills and New York.

The casting team behind shows such as “American Horror Story,” “Glee,” and “Supernatural” will be honored. Robert J. Ulrich, Eric Dawson and Carol Kritzer of Ulrich/Dawson/Kritzer Casting will receive the Hoyt Bowers Award for their outstanding contribution to the casting profession.

“It has been an exceptional year on stage and screen,” said Russell Boast, Csa president in announcing the first wave of Artios nominations. Nominees for feature film will be unveiled early next year.

Csa members submitted...

The Deuce, Atlanta, Game of Thrones, The Boys in the Band and Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert are among the Artios Awards nominees in television, theater and short film announced today by the Casting Society of America.

Recognizing outstanding achievement in casting, the 34th Annual Artios Awards will take place January 31, 2019, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles & Stage 48 in New York City.

“It has been an exceptional year on stage and screen,” said Russell Boast, Csa President. “As the profession of casting gains more and more industry recognition we are pleased to announce our first slate of nominees – many of whom have also recently been recognized by our peers at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and the American Theatre Wing among many others this awards season.”

All nominees, submitted by Csa members, represent projects that were aired, released or performed between June 1, 2017 and May 31, 2018. Nominees for...

Actor Blake Jenner makes his writing debut with the thriller “Billy Boy.”

The film follows a young boy named Billy Forsetti, played by Jenner, who spends his evenings committing crimes and stealing cars with his friends. But after one of his friends is found dead, Billy attempts to leave his dangerous life behind him. Melissa Benoist (“Supergirl”) stars as Billy’s girlfriend Jennifer who tries to help him change the course of his life.

“Billy Boy” will be released on June 15 in 10 markets and via video-on-demand.

The film also stars Grant Harvey, Nick Eversman, Nathaniel Stroud, Melissa Bolona, Greg Germann, Jim Beaver and Andre Royo.

Jenner and Benoist crowdfunded help pay for the movie. Jenner produced the film with Robert J. Ulrich, Mike Jenner and Cooper Ulrich. “Billy Boy” is directed by Bradley Buecker who is also a producer.

The pic reunites former “Glee” cast and crew members Jenner, Benoist,...

Gravitas Ventures plans limited Us release later this year.

La-based Premiere Entertainment Group is in Berlin preparing to launch sales on the crime thriller Juvenile starring Blake Jenner and Melissa Benoist.

Jenner plays an angry young man whose best friend dies in a robbery. When he tries to put his old life behind him and start afresh with his girlfriend, the youngster’s past catches up with him.

Gravitas Ventures plans to release Juvenile in the Us in limited release later this year. Jenner wrote and produces with director Bradley Buecker, whose credits include Glee and American Horror Story, as well as Mike Jenner and Robert J. Ulrich of Stay Relevant Productions, and Cooper Ulrich.

“We are excited to be teaming up with Premiere Entertainment and are confident in their ability to secure the best international distribution deals for our film,” Ulrich said.

“This has been Blake’s passion project for years and we are just as passionate...

Gravitas Ventures plans limited Us release later this year.

La-based Premiere Entertainment Group is in Berlin preparing to launch sales on the crime thriller Juvenile starring Blake Jenner and Melissa Benoist.

Jenner plays an angry young man whose best friend dies in a robbery. When he tries to put his old life behind him and start afresh with his girlfriend, the youngster’s past catches up with him.

Gravitas Ventures plans to release Juvenile in the Us in limited release later this year. Jenner wrote and produces with director Bradley Buecker, whose credits include Glee and American Horror Story, as well as Mike Jenner and Robert J. Ulrich of Stay Relevant Productions, and Cooper Ulrich.

“We are excited to be teaming up with Premiere Entertainment and are confident in their ability to secure the best international distribution deals for our film,” Ulrich said.

“This has been Blake’s passion project for years and we are just as passionate...

The entertainment industry is constantly changing, and it's important to stay aware of what’s going on. Want to find out who’s casting? What projects are happening? What’s coming up? Call Sheet highlights will help you stay in-the-know: The ABC pilot "Chev & Bev," starring Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo, has nabbed Greenstein/Daniel Casting for the comedy about grandparents forced out of retirement. Patrick Rush Casting is heading the ABC pilot "Broad Squad," which follows the first batch of patrol officers as they navigate the streets of Boston. ABC's drama "Runner" has added Susan Edelman to cast the project, which is set to start shooting March 12. Robert Ulrich of Ulrich/Dawson/Kritzer is attached to cast the ABC drama pilot "Quantico," which is scheduled to shoot this spring in Atlanta. The "Untitled Jenna Bans Project" has elected Nancy Nayor to cast the ABC drama about the resurrection of a politician’s missing son.

With one week before the Academy Awards, "Birdman" continues its triumphant march towards Oscar glory. Just this past weekend, the Alejandro González Iñárritu contender won the top awards at the American Society of Cinematographers (Asc) awards, the 62nd Sound Editors' Golden Reel, and the 51st Cinema Audio Society. The film also took home the Best Contemporary Hair Styling award from the Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild.

Will this transfer to Oscar glory?

Here's the complete list of winners from the Asc, Golden Reel, Cinema Audio Society, and Make-Up Artist and Hair Stylists Guild awards.

29th American Society of Cinematographers Winners

Feature Film: "Birdman"

Emmanuel Lubezki, Asc, AMC

Television Episodic: "Boardwalk Empire: Golden Days for Boys and Girls"

Jonathan Freeman, Asc

Television Movie/Miniseries/Pilot: "Manhattan" pilot

John Lindley, Asc

Spotlight Award: "Concrete Night" ("Betoniyo")

Peter Flinckenberg, Fsc

62nd Sound Editors' Golden Reel Winners

Feature Animation: .Big...

Hollywood’s sound pros nominated Birdman and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes for three awards apiece as the Motion Picture Sound Editors unveiled nods for its 62nd Mpse Golden Reel Awards, honoring the best feature film, television, animation and computer entertainment work of the year.

“2014 was a fantastic year for sound,” said Mpse president Frank Morrone. “The advent of new distribution channels, streaming services and gaming platforms is creating additional opportunities for sound artists to practice their craft beyond the traditional venues of film and television. This year’s nominations reflect that change, spanning an amazing diversity of mediums and genres, all executed at the highest level of creativity. We are truly inspired and impressed by the work of our colleagues.”

This year’s Golden Reels will additionally honor Noah director Darren Aronofsky with the Mpse’s annual Filmmaker Award. Oscar winner Skip Lievsay, known for his work...

While the Oscars have yet to make room for casting directors — a pivotal part of the Best Picture equation — the oversight isn't stopping the Casting Society of America from readying its third decade of picking up the Academy's slack. Csa announced Monday morning that the 30th Annual Artios Awards will honor Academy Award-nominated and Emmy Award-winning director Rob Marshall and Emmy Award-winning casting director Ellen Lewis for their individual work in the world of casting. The news arrives with nominations in categories of television, theater, new media and short film, and on the heels of the ceremony's move from November to Jan. 22, the thick of the awards season. Feature film nominations will be announced closer to the show date. Marshall, whose adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's "Into the Woods" bows Dec. 25, will receive the New York Apple Award, "recognizing individuals who have made special contributions to the New York entertainment...

While we try to figure out why the Emmys exist when incredible actors like "Hannibal's" Mads Mikkelsen and "Orphan Black's" Tatiana Maslany are snubbed, we do want to congratulate this year's few horror nominees, especially "American Horror Story: Coven" with 17 nods.

Below are the horror highlights. For the full rundown of all the talented nominees, visit the official Emmys website, and be sure to watch the live broadcast of the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards on NBC on Monday, August 25th, at 8:00 Pm Et/5:00 Pm Pt.

Also notable, if not quite horror, are "Game of Thrones" with 19 nominations (including Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Directing for Neil Marshall, Outstanding Supporting Actor for Peter Dinklage, and Outstanding Supporting Actress for Lena Headey) and "True Detective" with 12 (including Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Lead Actor for both Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey).

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or A...

Alex Newell photographed by Clinton Gaughran for AfterElton

The fourth season of Glee is off and running, and one of the newer faces at McKinley High is male-to-female transgender character Wade “Unique” Adams, played by Alex Newell.

Newell made a strong impression when he competed on the first season of The Glee Project and while other contestants from the reality series have guested on the Fox series, Newell’s part on Glee, currently at recurring status, will hopefully become full-time soon.

AfterElton sat down with Newell in West Hollywood last week for a lively chat (and photo shoot) to find out how he approaches the role, where things are going with this week’s Grease episode and about his role in the highly anticipated Geography Club [based on the book by former AfterElton associate editor Brent Hartinger].

AfterElton: When you’re playing Wade and Unique, do you see it as two different people?

Alex Newell: I do. It’s really strange.

Do you ever feel like you just want to watch a bad movie? The problem, it seems, is that bad movies are almost always certain to be boring as well.  Thankfully, there is a solution to this dilemma; it's called The Ice Pirates. It's in the same sci-fi vein as Star Wars  but reeks from the influence of 80's pop culture. A more accurate label would be train crash. You just can't look away. 

What else can I say about this movie besides the fact that it is, to be perfectly honest, pretty horrible. The production values are equivalent to a late-night infomercial, the plot seems like it's trying to outrace itself, and any hint of acting is mere coincidence. Some of the jokes are meant for children, others are crude and directed at adults. "Major" characters appear and disappear at a whim, and nothing is ever explained. Therefore, confusion is the norm.

Late programming note: Captain Jack himself, John Barrowman is guest-hosting G4's Attack of the Show tonight at 7pm eastern. A little birdie told us he might just be discussing AfterElton!

Birthday shoutouts go to Dave Salmoni (above), who is 37, Wes Bentley is 34, and Whitney Cummings is 30. And a happy belated birthday to Ae reader thommthomm!Hank Williams, Jr. continued his anti-Obama tirade over the weekend, but also used a new target: “We’ve got a Muslim for a President who hates cowboys, hates cowgirls, hates fishing, hates farming, loves gays, and we hate him!” Nothing like tarnishing your family legacy. The Twitterverse wants to know: Is Nicki Minaj supporting Mitt Romney? Wilson Cruz has joined the GLAAD staff as the Strategic Giving Officer.Robert Ulrich talks about judging The Glee Project, and what role winner Blake Jenner originally auditioned for on the mother ship. Why do men have nipples?...

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be in charge of casting for a major network TV show, The Glee Project will give you a pretty accurate idea, says head mentor/judge Robert Ulrich. “The mechanics of casting are exactly the same, just extended over an entire season,” says the man who also serves as casting director for the Glee mothership.

The one main difference, though, is that the Glee Project kids are enrolled in “a wonderful master class combined with the most excruciating torture chamber,” and the inevitable lack of privacy and 24/7 pressure means not everyone...

Just because The Glee Project‘s Ali Stroker is paralyzed from the chest down doesn’t mean she always has to play the saint.

“I’m in a wheelchair, but there’s so much more to me,” says the 24-year-old actress, who got to show off her bitchy side, her sexy side, and more on her way to a co-runner-up finish on Oxygen’s competitive casting call for a role on the Glee mothership. “It’s always been my goal to make people see beyond just the storyline of having a disability. What if the audience had a chance to...

How excited is Blake Jenner about winning Season 2 of Oxygen’s The Glee Project and scoring a seven-episode arc on the Glee mothership? “I feel like doing a million of the Superman jumps that I did right after I found out that I won,” says the 19-year-old Miami native, who moved to Hollywood two years ago this September to live the life of a struggling actor. “A really, really struggling actor,” he adds with a laugh.

But don’t cry for Jenner about his lean years of going to fruitless audition after fruitless audition.”I feel like a lot of people,...

If there was an underdog going into last night’s Glee Project finale, it was 19-year-old Blake Jenner. And he knew it, too. “I saw one of winning,” he told EW this morning. But viewers couldn’t count out the Miami native, who impressed Ryan Murphy with his consistent performances and the fact that he was, as casting director Robert Ulrich said, “the best actor” in the group.

After a last-chance performance of “I’ll Be” — not to mention a surprise poem reading — a jubilant Jenner walked away with the seven-episode arc on the fourth season of the show. Jenner...

It was an emotional night on The Glee Project yesterday, with a talented final three — Ali, Aylin and Blake. After one final group number and a last-chance performance from all three, with tunes of their own choosing, Ryan Murphy was left with one very difficult decision. (Spoiler Alert!) Blake Jenner came away as the winner. After the show, there was a live webchat on Oxygen.com moderated by casting director Robert Ulrich and Glee guest star/Atlanta Housewife NeNe Leakes. Joining them in the studio were Blake, Ali, and Aylin, as well as Lily and Michael. The rest of the...

"The Glee Project" wraps up Season 2 on Tuesday, Aug. 14 when finalists Ali Stoker, Blake Jenner and Aylin Bayramoglu battle it out for a role on "Glee". But which of the three triple-threats deserves a seven-episode arc on "Glee"? And which one has the best shot at being chosen by executive producer Ryan Murphy? Let's handicap the final three:

Ali

The 24-year-old has a great personality and is always willing to do another take and improve her performance. She is extremely determined and has an interesting storyline, perhaps similar to Artie's (Kevin McHale). Ali has won two homework assignments and has been praised by both Robert Ulrich and Zach Woodlee for her determination. That being said, her voice is more geared toward musical theater. Aside from Rachel (Lea Michele) and Kurt (Chris Colfer), most of the singers lean more towards pop music. Show writer Ian Brennan saw Ali's character as a "promiscuous bitch,...