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You may have seen “Psycho Beach Party,” director Robert Lee King and writer Charles Busch’s wickedly funny send-up of classic Hollywood, while surfing on late-night cable channels in the early aughts. Based on Busch’s own play from 1987, which was itself inspired by Frederick Kohner’s late-’50s Gidget character and her initiation into surf culture, “Psycho Beach Party” is exactly as the title sounds: part slasher, part beach movie, and all pastiche and split-personality.

That’s apropos, as a then little-known, pre-“Six Feet Under” Lauren Ambrose plays Florence, aka Chicklet, a schizoid who becomes the prime suspect in a series of comically mounting beachside murders. She plays the role as a careening cross between Tallulah Bankhead and Sandra Dee — who of course originated Gidget, the original wannabe surf girl, onscreen in 1959. Screenwriter Busch, who, gay and in his 30s, played the 16-year-old teenage girl Gidget — sorry, Chicklet...

BroadwayWorld is saddened to report that stage and screen actress Loretta Swit has died at age 87. She passed away on May 30th, 2025, at her home in New York City. Swit is best known for her role as Major Margaret Houlihan on the television series, M*A*S*H. However, she is no stranger to the stage, making her Broadway debut in Same Time, Next Year opposite Ted Bessell. She also toured with two illustrious “Mames,” Susan Hayward and Celeste Holm, playing the title role of Mame herself years later in New York and Pennsylvania. She has appeared in over 1,200 performances of Shirley Valentine - a role for which she won Chicago's most prestigious...

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Nothing about Dick Powell's 1956 historical epic "The Conqueror" went right. Firstly, and most obviously, the casting was horrid. John Wayne, America's racist uncle, was cast as Temujin, a.k.a. Genghis Khan, ruler of the Mongol Empire in the 12th century. His wife, Börte, was played by Susan Hayward. Other white actors playing Asian characters included Agnes Moorehead, William Conrad, and Lee Van Cleef.

Additionally, the production was immensely troubled. "The Conqueror" was filmed partly in the desert outside of St. George, Utah, and production was slowed by an unexpected flash flood. According to the book "The Fifty Worst Films of All Time" by Michael Medved, Harry Medved, and Randy Dreyfuss, Wayne was frequently drunk on set, inspiring his co-stars to match his drunken energy with silly, untethered performances of their own. The film's writer, Oscar Millard, however, said...

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For an author, getting their book adapted into a film can be seen as a great honor. It's a way for their work to be accessible to a wider audience and hopefully spark or renew interest in the original work. While the common adage is that the book is always superior to the movie, it could be argued that many movie adaptations surpass the source material.

Still, there will always be novelists who wish they never got mixed up with Hollywood in the first place. It's understandable for an author to hate an adaptation if it completely misses the point of the book or is just plain bad. But some authors hate stone-cold cinematic classics for one different reason or another. It might be unavoidable to an extent, with authors feeling absolutely precious over their works than anything else. Even...

At the 97th Academy Awards this past Sunday, Mikey Madison won Best Actress in a Leading Role for her eponymous role in Sean Baker's Anora. Anoratook home five other Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. It follows the titular character as she embarks on a whirlwind romance and eventual "fraud marriage" with the son of a Russian Oligarch (Mark Eydelshteyn). In her victory speech, the 25-year-old Madison(who also made history by becoming the first Gen Z actor to win an Oscar) proudly thanked and honored the sex worker community.

While Anora and Mikey Madison's win is one of the most overt examples of the Oscars recognizing sex work in recent memory, it has happened more times than many people may realize. 14 different women have taken home Academy Awards for portraying sex workers. In fact, Emma Stone also won in 2024 for portraying Bella Baxter in Yorgos Lantimos' Poor Things.

Did Mikey Madison win an Oscar for portraying a prostitute in Anora? (Photo Credit – AnoraFilm Instagram)

The 2025 Academy Awards came and went in a whirlwind, forging legacies for a slew of talents, though it’s the newcomers who galvanize the most intrigue with their ties to the golden statuette. Amid the night’s fervor, one victory stood out — a triumph that spotlights both a fresh face and a storied trope.

Mikey Madison, the 25-year-old dynamo from Anora, seized her first Oscar for Best Actress, outpacing The Substance’s Demi Moore in a twist few had prognosticated. The win, flanked by Anora’s haul of Best Picture, Director, and more, incentivized a floodlight on her nascent Hollywood path.

Maddison’s raw and unapologetic portrayal of the titular sex worker elucidated a character far from cliché, cementing her ascent with a cataclysmic bang. That win didn’t transpire without etching new stats...

Meryl Streep is the best of the best.

Her performance in Sophie’s Choice (1982) has been voted the greatest Oscar Best Actress winner ever, according to a Gold Derby ballot cast by 21 of our film experts, critics, and editors, who ranked all 97 movie champs.

Diane Keaton ranked second for Annie Hall (1977), with Jodie Foster following in third for The Silence of the Lambs (1991). Liza Minnelli for Cabaret (1972) and Vivien Leigh for A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) rounded out the top five.

At the bottom of the list of the Best Actress winners is Mary Pickford for Coquette (1929). Just above that film in the rankings are Luise Rainer for The Great Ziegfeld (1936), Helen Hayes for The Sin of Madelon Claudet (1932), Loretta Young for The Farmer’s Daughter (1947), and Marie Dressler for Min and Bill (1931).

Another recent Gold Derby poll of cinema experts declared The Godfather (1972) as the greatest Best Picture Oscar winner of all...

The performance by Meryl Streep in Sophie’s Choice (1982) has been voted the greatest Oscar Best Actress winner ever. The results are from a recent Gold Derby ballot cast by 21 of our film experts and editors, who ranked all 97 movie champs.

Ranking in second place is Diane Keaton for Annie Hall (1977). Following in third place is Jodie Foster for The Silence of the Lambs (1991). Rounding out the top five are Liza Minnelli for Cabaret (1972), and Vivien Leigh for A Streetcar Named Desire (1951).

At the bottom of the list of the Best Actress winners is Mary Pickford for Coquette (1929). Just above that film in the rankings are Luise Rainer for The Great Ziegfeld (1936), Helen Hayes for The Sin of Madelon Claudet (1932), Loretta Young for The Farmer’s Daughter (1947), and Marie Dressler for Min and Bill (1931).

Another recent poll had The Godfather (1972) declared as the greatest Best Picture Oscar winner of all time (view...

Did Meryl Streep Want To Play Patsy Cline in Sweet Dreams? ( Photo Credit – Wikimedia )

Imagine this: Meryl Streep as Patsy Cline. A country queen twist on Meryl the Goat—sounds like a perfect fit, right? But nope. Even Meryl Streep, with her 21 Oscar nominations and legendary status, didn’t land this one. She once told Vanity Fair, “Karel was a friend of mine who I adored, and he was making a film about Patsy Cline, who is a singer I adored.” Two legends, one film, and yet… no Meryl.

Instead, the role went to Jessica Lange, the blonde powerhouse who made Patsy Cline her own in Sweet Dreams. Karel Reisz, the director, decided Jessica would look better in the role. Sure, casting decisions happen. But Meryl wasn’t bitter. She made peace with the loss, swapping potential fame for a cozy stay at Reisz’s house while filming Plenty in England.

Can you picture Jenna Ortega in a James Bond tux, chasing villains through scenic locales? Sorry, that’s not in the cards anytime soon. The Beetlejuice Beetlejuice star made it abundantly clear in a recent MTV interview—she’s not interested in stepping into female versions of male characters.

Jenna Ortega in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice | Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

When questioned about the possibility of collaborating with her Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Wednesday director Tim Burton on a gender-swapped revival of Edward Scissorhands, Ortega made her position clear. In her statement, the young actress is all fired up about the surge of female leads in movies.

However, she’s not exactly rolling out the welcome mat for gender-flipped versions of classic male characters, like James Bond. Instead, she’s calling for fresh, original female heroes who can stand tall on their own two feet, rather than just donning the old suits of their male counterparts.

Jenna Ortega, known for her roles in “Wednesday” and the upcoming movie “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”, wants to see more original action franchises focused on female leads. In a recent interview, the actress expressed her views on representation of women in Hollywood blockbusters. Ortega said she appreciates the growth in female-led movies but thinks the industry should create fresh stories, not just repurpose existing male characters.

She explained that turning classic franchises into spinoffs with women in the iconic roles, like “Jamie Bond,” is not the answer. Ortega would rather see new portrayals of strong, independent female characters headline their own adventure series. Her comments come as the film industry grapples with improving diversity and offering compelling roles for women and people of color.

One franchise often part of this discussion is James Bond. Producer Barbara Broccoli has said the iconic spy will remain male but supports diversifying the actors considered. Actress Ana de Armas,...

Don’t expect to see Jenna Ortega in Her Majesty’s Secret Service any time soon.

The Beetlejuice Beetlejuice actress says that she wants to see women get their own purpose-built action roles, rather than taking over parts previously meant for men. Case in point: James Bond.

“I love that there’s a lot more female leads nowadays,” Ortega told MTV. “I think that’s so special, but we should have our own,” she said. “I don’t like it when it’s like a spinoff — I don’t want to see like ‘Jamie Bond.’ You know? I want to see another badass.”

Gregory Ratoff, who originally purchased and developed the rights to Bond in 1955, once considered a woman for the role, according to Nicholas Shakespeare’s new biography of Bond author Ian Fleming. Ratoff flirted with the idea of casting soon to be Oscar-winner Susan Hayward as Bond. That is,...

Sean Connery was the first James Bond, but a woman, Susan Hayward, was considered for the role in the 1950s. Despite the modern stance on Bond being male, the original plan shows the character was never defined by gender. Negative backlash and fear of boycotts may still prevent the Bond franchise from casting a female 007, despite calls for diversity.

The James Bond franchise has cycled through a variety of actors as the title character, with Sean Connery recognized as the first, but there were other names considered prior, including a woman. Connery's debut as Bond in the Terrence Young directed Dr. No in 1962, based on the novel version by James Bond creator Ian Fleming, marked the beginning of a global series, spanning over 25 films. Now, following Daniel Craig's epic five-film run as Bond that ended with 2021's No Time to Die, Bond 26 is inching closer to production,...

When Robert Downey Jr. was cast as the title character in Iron Man, it was considered to be one of the best bits of casting ever, and it still is. But now Downey Jr. is returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as another character, Doctor Doom, and many people don't think he's the right actor for the part.

One reason Downey Jr.'s casting as Doctor Doom is controversial is the fact the character is Romani in the comics, and the actor is not. Unfortunately, casting an actor who is the wrong race or wrong gender identity happens quite a lot in Hollywood. It's usually done for capitalistic reasons, with the assumption that certain actors "sell" better than others. It happens less now, but as the Robert Downey Jr. example shows, it still happens.

John Wayne Was Egregiously Miscast as Genghis Khan

Related This John Wayne Western Has the Same...

When veteran documentary filmmaker Irene Taylor met Celine Dion via Zoom in winter 2021 about the prospect of doing a documentary chronicling Dion’s life and career, she had no idea where this would ultimately take both the subject and the director. In fact, Taylor confessed she wasn’t really a fan, not familiar with Dion’s personal story, her celebrated career selling over 250 million albums, or anything else about her. She only knew a few of the hit songs. But they bonded anyway. Taylor had done many Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated movies about everything from Boy Scouts to trees to deafness to polio, but nothing in this realm, and it certainly has turned into a film it did not start out to be, and that neither expected, but now will be shared with the world.

Hollywood is full of the movies, many made in the 1940s and ’50s, of major musical...

The Boys is one of the most popular superhero series in the world at this moment. The twisted take on the superhero genre, adapted from the comic book of the same name, became a major hit for Amazon Prime and a series that has pushed the boundaries of what can be shown on TV in more ways than one. After three successful seasons and a spin-off series, the fourth season of The Boys is coming back later this year, with the premiere scheduled for June 13, 2024 but today, a month before the upcoming season’s premiere, we have received confirmation that The Boys have been renewed for Season 5, which is absolutely amazing!

Not much has been revealed at this point, but Amazon has released a short teaser video featuring Kimiko, which confirms the renewal. As you might have guessed, we are going to show this teaser to you in the upcoming paragraphs.

John Wayne's stint as Genghis Khan in "The Conqueror" was a tragic mistake that led to a tarnished reputation. The film's production near an active nuclear test site resulted in high cancer rates among the cast and crew. Despite being a box office failure, "The Conqueror" remains notorious for its costly budget and legacy of tragedy.

Often considered one of the worst movies ever made for several reasons, The Conqueror is undoubtedly the biggest blemish in John Wayne's career. Produced by Howard Hughes and directed by Dick Powell, the 1956 historical epic stars Wayne as Mongol chieftain Temujin, who climbs the ranks of his army to become emperor Genghis Khan. In addition to woefully miscasting Wayne in an overtly racist role, The Conqueror was eviscerated by critics at the time for its subpar filmmaking. To no one's surprise, the film cannot be streamed anywhere in 2024.

In the years since its release,...

“I felt ashamed of myself for watching. No one should have a chance to see so much desire, so much need for a prize. And so much pain when [it] was not given … I felt disgusted with myself. As though I were attending a public hanging.”

Those were the words of the late Glenda Jackson, as she described to The New York Times her recent experience watching the Academy Awards on television in 1979.

Ironically, it was well after she had already been gifted with two Best Actress Oscars herself. She was not present to accept those honors — for 1970’s “Women in Love” and 1973’s “A Touch of Class.” She was also absent when she was Best Actress-nominated for 1971’s “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and 1975’s “Hedda.”

See Watch our lively chats with dozens of 2024 Emmy contenders

I have to wonder if Miss Jackson ever watched the now-infamous clip of her winning her...

The Boys is one of the most popular superhero series in the world at this moment. The twisted take on the superhero genre, adapted from the comic book of the same name, became a major hit for Amazon Prime and a series that has pushed the boundaries of what can be shown on TV in more ways than one. After three successful seasons and a spin-off series, the fourth season of The Boys is coming back later this year, with the premiere scheduled for June 13, 2024. We have received a preview trailer and several posters, and today, a new proper trailer was released in preparation for the premiere.

The trailer highlights some new scenes and moments from the upcoming season, which is why we can share the excitement of all the fans as well. It is also a fairly long trailer, and based on what we saw, the season promises to be quite exciting!

The Boys is one of the most popular superhero series in the world at this moment. The twisted take on the superhero genre, adapted from the comic book of the same name, became a major hit for Amazon Prime and a series that has pushed the boundaries of what can be shown on TV in more ways than one. After three successful seasons, a spin-off titled Gen V was released, and this year will see the premiere of the fourth season of the main series. The fourth season will premiere later this year, and Amazon is slowly heating up for the upcoming premiere, which is what we are going to do with this report as well.

In this report, as you might have guessed, we are going to bring you all that we know about the upcoming fourth season of The Boys in one place. You are going to find...

James Bond casting news is always a big deal, but many fans don’t know that a female James Bond was almost casted a decade ago, with this near casting choice almost breaking two James Bond traditions. James Bond is one of the most iconic movie characters of all time, with discussions around who the next actor to portray 007 will be always occurring. However, every James Bond has been a man so far, but that almost wasn’t the case.

The James Bond movie series is one of the most popular franchises of all time, with the 27 movies being consistent hits through the six decades since Dr. No’s 1962 release. The existence of the franchise is all thanks to James Bond creator Ian Fleming, with many fans of the franchise wanting to know more about the author. Luckily, Nicholas Shakespeare’s new biography Ian Fleming: The Complete Man gives some...

The speculation on casting a female James Bond has been going around for quite some time now, and as expected, it has raised many eyebrows. It seems like a bizarre idea for the general public to have a female spy taking on the role of the famed British agent, but it’s not really that far-fetched, as history goes.

Daniel Craig as James Bond

In fact, the franchise almost had a female Bond about six decades ago when one of the producers suggested an actress take on the lead role. Of course, it did not get off the ground, but it was quite a fantastic idea given the era it happened.

James Bond Almost Had Susan Hayward As 007 Susan Hayward in I Want to Live!

Author Ian Fleming’s agent, Robert Fenn, revealed in the book written by Nicholas Shakespeare, Ian Fleming: The Complete Man, the difficulty of finding an...

Hayward could've been a big star as Bond, adding her name to Hollywood's elite alongside Connery. More female-led action films could've thrived with a woman Bond challenging industry norms. Allowing both male and female Bonds to exist in parallel franchises might've reshaped cinematic universes.

James Bond is best known for the many men who have portrayed the character over the years, but if a woman had been cast as Bond in the 1950s, the movie franchise would be unrecognizable today. While some people feel it would be better to give a female character an original story outside the Bond canon, there's no doubt that it would shift audience perspectives to see a woman as Bond. Recently, Daniel Craig's final Bond movie, No Time To Die, passed the 007 moniker to Lashana Lynch but was never officially considered a Bond.

Though the timing for a female Bond has never been quite right,...

The name’s Fleming, Ian Fleming. And boy did he have some problems with how his James Bond character was being adapted for the big screen. As we all know, Sean Connery was cinema’s first 007, but Fleming himself hated the idea, concerned that he didn’t have the right voice.

As revealed in Nicholas Shakespeare’s new book, Ian Fleming: The Complete Man (via IndieWire), the process to find the perfect James Bond was an arduous one. Per Fleming’s agent Robert Fenn, “We tried twenty or thirty [potential prospects]. No major actor would play the part for more than one picture, and we couldn’t set up a deal with a distributor without commitment from a main actor.” Of course, Bond would go to Connery, who Fleming didn’t care for because “he couldn’t speak the Queen’s English…He’s not my idea of Bond at all,...

With Daniel Craig bowing out after his James Bond was blasted into the afterlife at the end of 2023's "No Time to Die," the question of who will take on the iconic role next has been following the franchise for quite some time. In 2024, as our cultural norms shift and evolve, there's no reason why the super spy couldn't be played by anybody — maybe even, dare I suggest, a woman?

Prior to the release of "No Time to Die," the internet was abuzz with rumors that British actress Lashana Lynch would be the next 007. When the film arrived, it was revealed that Lynch's character, Nomi, did indeed inherit the codename from her predecessor. Later in the film, however, she requests that the title be given back to Bond, after which she takes on the codename 005. So, we didn't get a female Bond, but we sort of did for...

When it comes to the James Bond franchise, progressive is not the first word that comes to mind. Despite this, the 2021 film No Time To Die revolutionized the film series after it introduced the first female 007 in the form of Lashana Lynch. There have been conversations around the same topic for quite some time, with Angelina Jolie famously stating that she did not want to play a Bond girl but the spy herself.

Sean Connery as James Bond

It would seem, however, that the Maleficent actress was not the first to voice these wishes, as over 60 years before the Lynch film, there were conversations about a Bond film being led by a female James Bond.

SUGGESTEDYears After Losing 007 Role to Daniel Craig, Henry Cavill Plays a Character That Inspired James Bond

Although this clearly did not pan out, the story around it was quite interesting.

A Female James Bond...

Previous proposals for a female James Bond show it's not as radical a plan as fans think, despite a polarizing reaction. Cultural status and franchise reputation make the likelihood of a female Bond in the near future unlikely. While a female Bond is still possible, current rumors suggest the next Bond will maintain tradition, delaying a female casting.

While the prospect of casting a woman as James Bond is seen by some as a radical modern step, the proposal was more likely to happen before the Sean Connery era than post-Daniel Craig. After Lashana Lynch pushed boundaries like never before with her portrayal of the first female 007, the possibility of seeing a female James Bond officially assume the spy mantle seemed closer than ever. However, even though it has now emerged that there were long-standing proposals for such an approach, the franchise's reputation makes it unlikely.

For a long time,...

A female James Bond was considered decades ago, with Susan Hayward pitched as the lead. Hayward, an Academy Award winner, was prominent in Hollywood during the 1940s and 1950s for her powerful roles. While the idea of a female Bond was proposed, author Ian Fleming preferred Richard Burton for the role.

It seems that the idea of casting a woman in the role of James Bond is not a new one, with Nicholas Shakespeare’s upcoming biography of Bond author Ian Fleming, “Ian Fleming: The Complete Man,” revealing that the somewhat controversial idea was first pitched more than 60 years ago. The biography reveals (via Indiewire) that 007 producer Gregory Ratoff wanted Academy Award winner Susan Hayward to lead the franchise adaptation of the first novel Casino Royale.

“Since the mid-1950s, many well-known actors had been approached [to play Bond]. Gregory Ratoff had the arresting idea of having Bond played by a woman,...

Lashana Lynch became the first woman to own the 007 title in the 2021 James Bond tentpole “No Time to Die,” but it turns out a plan to make James Bond a woman was actually pitched over 60 years prior. In Nicholas Shakespeare’s upcoming biography of Bond author Ian Fleming, titled “Ian Fleming: The Complete Man,” it’s confirmed that producer Gregory Ratoff floated the idea of casting Susan Hayward in a film adaptation of Fleming’s first Bond novel “Casino Royale.”

Shakespeare writes in the biography (via IndieWire): “Since the mid-1950s, many well-known actors had been approached [to play Bond]. Gregory Ratoff had the arresting idea of having Bond played by a woman, Susan Hayward. Ian had entertained several possibilities, from Richard Burton (‘I think that Richard Burton would be by far the best James Bond’), to James Stewart (‘I wouldn’t at all mind him as Bond if he can slightly...

Yes, a female James Bond has been over a half-century in the making.

Before Lashana Lynch briefly donned the 007 title in “No Time to Die,” the film adaptation of “Dr. No,” a woman was in talks to lead the franchise 50 years prior.

In Nicholas Shakespeare’s upcoming biography of Bond author Ian Fleming, titled “Ian Fleming: The Complete Man,” it’s revealed that original “Casino Royale” producer Gregory Ratoff had imagined a woman in the titular lead role. In fact, Oscar-winning actress Susan Hayward was in Ratoff’s mind to take the part.

Prior to “Casino Royale,” the two Bond films had floundered with “Thunderball” and “Casino Royale” receiving poor reviews, hence the proposed gender-swap.

Shakespeare writes in the biography, “Since the mid-1950s, many well-known actors had been approached. Gregory Ratoff had the arresting idea of having Bond played by a woman, Susan Hayward. Ian had entertained several possibilities,...

At the inaugural Academy Awards in 1929, native Pennsylvanian Janet Gaynor made history as the first American-born performer to win an Oscar by taking the Best Actress prize for her body of work in “7th Heaven,” “Street Angel,” and “Sunrise.” Over the subsequent 95 years, 215 more thespians originating from the United States won the academy’s favor, meaning the country has now produced 68.1% of all individual acting Oscar recipients. Considering the last decade alone, the rate of such winners is even higher, at 70.3%.

At this point, 96.8% of American-born acting Oscar victors have hailed from one of 34 actual states. Of those constituting the remainder, three originated from the federal District of Columbia, while four were born in the territory of Puerto Rico. New York (home to 49 winners) is the most common birth state among the entire group, followed by California (34), Illinois (13), Massachusetts (11), and Pennsylvania (11).

Bearing in mind our specific birthplace focus, the 16 states...

Oscar-nominated producer Lawrence Turman died Saturday at the Motion Picture and Television Country Home and Hospital. He was 96. He had a stellar career not only as a producer of such seminal films as The Graduate (1967), The Great White Hope (1970), American History X (1998) and many more in a producing career that lasted six decades, but he also took a significant turn when he left his partnership with producer David Foster to head the prestigious Peter Stark Producing Program at USC in 1991, an association that continued until his retirement just two years ago.

His son, John Turman, confirmed the death to Deadline. “Our father Lawrence Turman passed away late yesterday,” he said. “It’s sad, but he had a long and storied life, and it’s the passing of an era.” He added that the MPTF is planning a memorial service as well as USC at a later date.

Related: Hollywood & Media...

Tad Devine, who appeared alongside his father, the popular raspy-voiced character actor Andy Devine, and younger brother in the Dana Andrews-starring 1946 film Canyon Passage, has died. He was 88.

Devine died March 22 in Newport Beach, his family announced.

In Universal Pictures’ Canyon Passage, directed by Jacques Tourneur and also starring Susan Hayward and Brian Donlevy, Andy Devine portrayed an Oregon homesteader with sons played by his real-life boys, Tad and Denny. (The kids even got billing on the movie poster.)

Andy Devine, who appeared with John Wayne in John Ford’s Stagecoach (1939) and was Roy Rogers’ sidekick, Cookie, in 10 movies and the deputy marshal Jingles on the 1950s CBS show Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok, died in 1977 at age 71. He had a rather distinctive voice.

Tad was born Timothy Andrew Devine in Los Angeles on Nov. 26, 1934. “His childhood on the family ranch was filled with characters and adventures, from horseback...

After spending a couple awards cycles on the sidelines, A24 reemerged this year with more Oscar nominations than any other studio–18 between six films: “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “The Whale,” “Aftersun,” “Causeway,” “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On,” and “Close.” The arthouse label is positioned to set an even more staggering record, though. If Oscar night, as it did in 2022, repeats both the SAG and DGA Awards–in other words, if “Eeaao” takes Best Actress (Michelle Yeoh), Best Supporting Actor (Ke Huy Quan), Best Supporting Actress (Jamie Lee Curtis), Best Director (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), and Best Picture, while Best Actor goes to “The Whale” (Brendan Fraser)–A24 will become the first studio in history to make a clean sweep of the top categories.

See Ke Huy Quan (‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’) on a comeback 30 years in the making: ‘I don’t take for granted for a second,...

As we approach O-Day and the 95th Academy Awards on March 12, it’s always fun to go back and look at the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress categories and revel in some of the trivia and shockers that have gone down on the awards season’s biggest stage. This is the rare year when Meryl Streep isn’t in the running, as her 21 overall nominations in the acting categories are nearly double the number of her closest female pursuer, Katherine Hepburn, who has 12. However, Hepburn still holds the all-time Oscar record with four acting wins. Streep has a mere three.

Here are some other actress category factoids to chew on:

Should Cate Blanchett win Best Actress this year for her role in “Tar,” she would tie Streep, Ingrid Bergman and Frances McDormand for second place behind Hepburn among actresses with three triumphs apiece. All four of Hepburn’s wins...

“The Boys” are getting two new Supes in Season 4 with Valorie Curry and Susan Hayward joining the cast. Cameron Crovetti, who plays Homelander’s son Ryan, has also been promoted to a series regular for the upcoming season.

Curry (“The Lost Symbol”) will be portraying the superhero Firecracker, and Heyward (“Delilah”) will portray Sister Sage. Neither of the characters are from “The Boys” comics, so nothing is known about the characters thus far. However, knowing “The Boys” and showrunner/head writer Eric Kripke, the duo is sure to be at the heart of some diabolical and violent schemes.

Crovetti’s character of Ryan has been becoming increasingly important in “The Boys,” with Antony Starr’s terrifying sociopathic Homelander becoming ever-attached to the boy. With the new promotion, it seems that Ryan will be instrumental in the next season. Viewers will be on the edge of their seats anxiously awaiting to...

I had the pleasure of joining Kevin Jacobsen on his great podcast series "And the Runner Up Is..." for a fourth time. Kevin opted to assign me 1947 when I asked for this decade. So listen in to hear us talk about the following lineup which has two great performances, one coaster nomination, a bullet dodged, and one of my mother's favourites from her childhood.

Joan Crawford, Possessed Susan Hayward, Smash-Up: The Story of a Woman Dorothy McGuire, Gentleman's Agreement Rosalind Russell, Mourning Becomes Electra ★ Loretta Young, The Farmer's Daughter

Which of those performances do you love?...

Let’s shout our approval of this foursome of vintage noirs, all of which have been scarce since Eddie Muller was old enough to rob candy stores. Three Paramounts and one Universal give us four notable directors and a gallery of attractive stars, including a swoon-worthy array of actresses: Marta Toren, Loretta Young, Susan Hayward, Gail Russell, Frances Farmer and Marina Berti. The selection includes one of the key ‘just prior to the official style’ titles, a thriller with supernatural overtones, a ‘woman in jeopardy’ story and a gangster tale reportedly inspired by Lucky Luciano.

Kino Noir Times Four

Blu-ray

Among the Living, Night Has a Thousand Eyes, The Accused, Deported

Kl Studio Classics

1941-1950 / B&W / 1:37 Academy / Street Date November 16, 2021 / available through Kino Lorber / Separate Purchases / 24.95 each

Starring: Albert Dekker, Susan Hayward; Edward G. Robinson, Gail Russell; Loretta Young, Robert Cummings, Wendell Corey; Jeff Chandler, Marta Toren.

Directed by Stuart Heisler,...

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“Double Trouble”

By Raymond Benson

Crime stories about twins are usually compelling, despite the sameness (no pun intended) about them. Among the Living, a 1941 potboiler from Paramount, is a short (only 69 minutes!) thriller that, with a few cuts, might have been an episode of an Alfred Hitchcock Presents or similar anthology television program. It moves quickly, holds interest, and contains a reasonably dynamic performance from Albert Dekker as twins—one of them “normal,” and the other insane.

Dekker had an admirable career in Hollywood for three decades, usually working in supporting roles. He is perhaps best known as the titular character in Dr. Cyclops (1940). Landing a dual starring part in Among the Living was likely a result of his appearance in Cyclops.

The old Raden home is supposedly haunted, barely looked after by the elderly Black caretaker, Pompey (Ernest Whitman). Old man Raden,...

As the director and producer of both “House of Gucci” and “The Last Duel,” Ridley Scott is poised to score big when the 2022 Oscar nominations are announced three months from now. Reaping double Best Picture or Best Director bids would make the 83-year-old the first to pull off either feat since Steven Soderbergh did so in 2001. Even if he ends up being left out of both lineups, he could still make history if academy voters decide to recognize the work of his two leading ladies. If Jodie Comer (“The Last Duel”) and Lady Gaga (“House of Gucci”) are both chosen to compete for Best Actress, Scott will become the fifth person to direct female leads from different films to nominations in a single year.

The first of these rare occurrences dates back to the third Oscars ceremony in 1930 when Nancy Carroll (“The Devil’s Holiday”) and Gloria Swanson (“The Trespasser...

Gavin MacLeod, the veteran television actor known for his roles on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and “The Love Boat” has died, his nephew Mark See confirms. The five-time Golden Globe nominee was 90 years old.

MacLeod passed away early Saturday morning at his home in Palm Desert, California. According to TMZ, the actor had been in and out of the hospital with various illnesses for the last few months, although Covid was not one of them.

MacLeod found his breakout role on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” where he played Murray Slaughter, the head writer at Mary’s fictional television station. He appeared in all 168 episodes of the sitcom’s seven-year run. Betty White and Ed Asner are now the only surviving cast members of the classic series. The latter star has already posted a sweet tribute to the actor in which he describes him as “my brother, my partner...

Gavin MacLeod, who was the Love Boat captain and played Murray on the Mary Tyler Moore Show, two of the top television shows of the 1970s and 1980s, died today at his home in Palm Desert, Calif. MacLeod was 90 and his death was confirmed by his nephew, Mark See.

No cause of death was revealed, but MacLeod had been in ill health over the last few months.

The affable actor played head writer Murray Slaughter on the Mary Tyler Moore Show and appeared in all 168 episodes over seven years, ending in 1977. He then pulled off a rarity, moving from one long-running hit show to another.

As Captain Stubing on The Love Boat, he appeared in 249 episodes, and later returned in the role for the TV movie The Love Boat: A Valentine Voyage in 1990 and for the “Reunion” episode of the rebooted series Love Boat: The Next Wave in 1998.

MacLeod was...

Gavin MacLeod, a sitcom veteran who played seaman “Happy” Haines on “McHale’s Navy,” Murray on “Mary Tyler Moore” and the very different, vaguely patrician Captain Stubing on “The Love Boat,” has died. He was 90.

MacLeod’s nephew, Mark See, confirmed his death to Variety. MacLeod died in the early morning on May 29. No cause of death was given, but MacLeod’s health had declined in recent months.

MacLeod played a relatively minor character on ABC hit “McHale’s Navy,” starring Ernest Borgnine, but as newswriter Murray Slaughter, he was certainly one of the stars of “Mary Tyler Moore,” appearing in every one of the classic comedy’s 168 episodes during its 1970-77 run on CBS. Murray was married to Marie (Joyce Bulifant) but was in love with Moore’s Mary Richards. His desk was right next to Mary’s in the Wjm newsroom, so MacLeod was frequently in the shot during the sitcom,...

Vintage high-end Film Noir from the classic year 1947! Low Mileage too — this long cut hasn’t been seen since the early laserdisc days. I didn’t know it needed restoring until George Feltenstein talked about it a couple of years ago. It’s a domestic noir crossed with Double Indemnity with a little An American Tragedy thrown in for good measure. Normally squeaky-clean Robert Young throws his hat into the ring with the lowest of noir hero-villains: in this one he double-crosses three terrific noir leading ladies. We can now spell ‘Unspeakable Cad’ with the initial Ry. The most amazing thing about The Warner Film Archive’s new disc is that it restores a full fifteen minutes — Eddie Muller screened They Won’t on his Noir City show not long ago, with no mention that it was the short, edited version.

They Won’t Believe Me

Blu-ray

Warner Archive Collection

1947 / B&w / 1:37 Academy / 95 min.

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“A Likable Cad”

By Raymond Benson

Robert Young had a career of playing mostly trustworthy nice guys—after all, one could say he was born to play Marcus Welby, M.D. on television. But in 1947, he took the chance of portraying an all-around heel, a no-good philanderer who married for money and looks for every opportunity to score with someone new. And yet, Young’s admirable qualities are still there, making his character of Larry Ballentine in the film noir drama, They Won’t Believe Me, a likable cad. He pulls it off, too.

Audiences didn’t take to the change, though, and the picture was a box office dud. However, the lack of profits when a movie is released is never a true indication of its quality. They Won’t Believe Me is an artfully crafted, well-acted, twisty tale about lies, fate, and luck.

Michelle Pfeiffer has been dazzling audiences as one of Hollywood’s most recognizable leading ladies for decades. Throughout her illustrious career, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association has expressed its adoration for the actress by nominating her eight times at the Golden Globes, including her winning performance in 1990 for “The Fabulous Baker Boys.” Her latest bid is for “French Exit,” a surreal comedy from Sony Pictures Classics that could land Pfeiffer her second Globe and first win in more than three decades.

Pfeiffer faces off against Maria Bakalova (“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”), Kate Hudson (“Music”), Rosamund Pike (“I Care a Lot”) and Anya Taylor-Joy (“Emma”) for Best Film Comedy/Musical Actress. None of Pfeiffer’s competitors come close to matching the veteran’s eight nominations to date. Pike had two prior bids for “Gone Girl” (2014) and “A Private War” (2018). Hudson was nominated once before (and won) 20 years ago for “Almost Famous.” Bakalova...

Lynn Stalmaster, the legendary casting director who worked on nearly 200 movies ranging from “West Side Story” to “Harold and Maude” to “Tootsie,” has died. He was 93.

Stalmaster died Friday morning in Los Angeles, Casting Society of America executive Laura Adler confirmed.

Stalmaster was a pioneer as an independent casting director who worked on a freelance basis. He was renowned for his skill in spotting new talent and matching actors to the perfect roles. He was also a champion for elevating the status of casting directors in the industry. In 2016, he became the first casting professional to be honored with an Oscar when he received a Governors Award tribute from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.

“A pioneer of our craft, Lynn was a trailblazer with over half a century of world-class film and television casting credits. He was a friend and mentor to many of us,” Casting Society of...

While longer Best Actress-nominated performances are rarer than ones contending for Best Actor, there has been a significant amount of them over 92 years. Indeed, 44 have surpassed 90 minutes of screen time, and the overall longest nominated performance of all time comes from this category. Here is a look at the 10 longest ever nominated for the award:

10. Rosalind Russell (“Auntie Mame”)

1 hour, 48 minutes, 23 seconds (75.59% of the film)

Over the course of 16 years, Russell competed for the Best Actress Oscar four times, and her final bid was for playing an eccentric socialite who is tasked with raising her nephew. All four of her nominations were for relatively long performances, averaging one hour, 30 minutes, and 42 seconds and over 71%. She never won, and lost in 1959 to Susan Hayward, who was on her fifth and final nomination for her one-hour, 15-minute, and 26-second performance in “I Want to Live!”.

9. Isabelle Huppert (“Elle”)

1 hour, 49 minutes, 55 seconds (83.87% of...

Last year we watched as Renee Zellweger followed the yellow brick road all the way to the Wizard of Oscar as Judy Garland in “Judy.” Can lightning (or a tornado) strike two years in a row? That’s surely the hope of Andra Day, looking like a strong Best Actress Oscar contender for her title role in “The United States vs. Billie Holiday.” Like Garland, Holiday rose to stardom in the late 1930s. She also had multiple marriages, faced financial woes and struggled with drugs and alcohol. The question is: can the role in this Hulu release deliver the Oscar to Day?

Before making a decision, keep in mind that the academy has a long history of recognizing actresses for portraying other actresses or entertainers. And the more drama, trauma and tragedy the better. Even raging and hysterical divas are welcome. Let’s look back at some prime and primadonna examples from Oscar’s history.

by Baby Clyde

I recently watched Susan Hayward all but demanding voters hand her the Best Actress Oscar in-movie during 1958's I Want To Live. It got me to thinking about her fellow Academy favourites, whose eventual triumphs were also their Oscar swan song.

If an actor who achieves multiple acting nominations is going to win it’s usually early on. It’s common to bag the statue and then spend the rest of your career chasing another. Bette Davis won on her first 2 attempts and then suffered 8 consecutive losses. Spencer Tracy won on attempts 2 and 3 and then spent the next 30 years and 6 nominations waiting for his name to be called again. Sometimes a veteran actor with multiple nods will finally get the prize and continue on in Oscar good books, like Paul Newman who won on nomination 7 and scored two more in following decades. But a surprisingly high amount...