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The beloved annual Provincetown International Film Festival (Piff) is having a big moment with its buzzy 2025 lineup. IndieWire can announce that leading horror auteur Ari Aster will be honored with the Filmmaker on the Edge title at the festival, which will take place from June 11 to 15 in Provincetown, Ma.

Aster will be in Provincetown to receive the award and participate in conversation with resident artist John Waters on Saturday, June 14, ahead of the nationwide release of his new film “Eddington” on July 18. The secretive 2020-set dark comedy “Eddington” will debut at Cannes; the feature reunites Aster with his “Beau Is Afraid” star Joaquin Phoenix, as well as Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone, Austin Butler, Luke Grimes, Clifton Collins Jr., and more.

“Ari Aster’s films weave grief, beauty and dread into unforgettable cinematic experiences,” Anne Hubbell, Piff’s Executive Director, said in a press statement. “We’re excited to welcome Ari...

Exclusive: Francesca Gregorini’s long-gestating Anna Nicole Smith biopic Hurricanna will be on sale at the upcoming Cannes Market with Millennium Media and UTA.

Millennium has boarded the project to handle international, while the UTA Independent Film Group represents North American distribution rights.

Produced by Cassian Elwes (The Butler), Alix Madigan and Rory Koslow, Hurricanna is executive produced by Matthew Helderman and Luke Taylor of BondIt Media Capital (Terrifier 3).

The film stars Holly Hunter, Mark Duplass and Sylvia Hoeks. The plot follows the chaotic final 24 hours in the life of Anna Nicole Smith. Told from the fragmented and colliding perspectives of Smith, her psychiatrist, and her former lover, the film explores themes of fame, codependency and self-destruction in a fractured American psyche.

Gregorini (Killing Eve) directs from a script by Rachel and Matt Sarnoff. The film was previously on sale in international territories with Sierra/Affinity.

“Francesca brings an intense...

Bill Nighy (“Living”) is among the stars recruited to join Prime Video’s upcoming action-adventure series starring Octavia Spencer and Hannah Waddingham. That show also now has a title — “Ride or Die” — while Matt Miller (“Lethal Weapon”) has joined as showrunner and Peyton Reed (“Ant-Man”) has been tapped to direct the first two episodes.

Based on an idea by creator Tessa Coates (“Feel Good”), the eight-episode “Ride or Die” stars Waddingham (“Ted Lasso”) as Judith, who has secretly been working as a highly trained assassin. That’s a double life that Judith’s best friend Debbie (played by Spencer) knows nothing about — until a hit goes wrong. Now Judith and Debbie are on the run, aiming to stay one step ahead of a mysterious enemy.

Nighy will play “The Director” in “Ride or Die.” Also joining the cast: Ed Skrein as “Billy Donovan”; Sylvia Hoeks as “Ana”; Calam Lynch as...

M. Night Shyamalan and Apple didn’t rip off a 2013 independent movie in the making of psychological thriller series Servant, a jury has found in a verdict that highlights the difficulty creators face in substantiating claims of copyright infringement.

The California jury’s unanimous decision, delivered on Friday after a day of deliberation in the seven-day trial, ends a long-running legal battle initiated in 2020 by Francesca Gregorini. She alleged in a lawsuit seeking $81 million a conspiracy to copy almost every aspect of her film The Truth About Emanuel, which she wrote and directed, in the making of the first three episodes of Servant. Both works follow a mother who cares for a doll as if it were real to grieve the loss of a child and her relationship with a nanny she hires to take care of the doll.

The verdict reaffirms the high bar in convincing a jury that...

Update: Variety reports that a federal jury ruled unanimously in favor of M. Night Shyamalan and Apple in the copyright lawsuit filed against them by The Truth About Emanuel writer/director Francesca Gregorini. While testifying last Wednesday, Shyamalan said that neither he nor anyone else involved with Servant had seen or heard about The Truth About Emanuel before Gregorini filed the lawsuit. After saying this was all “clearly, 100%, a misunderstanding,” Shyamalan added, “This accusation is the exact opposite of everything I do and everything I try to represent. I would have never allowed it. None of the people that I work with would ever do anything like that.“

The original article, posted on January 17th, follows:

Way back in 2020, we heard that Francesca Gregorini, writer/director of the 2013 psychological thriller The Truth About Emanuel, was not happy about Servant, the Apple TV+ psychological thriller series that was created by Tony Basgallop...

M. Night Shyamalan, the movie director behind films like The Sixth Sense, Signs and Trap, has been cleared of all charges after his colleague Francesca Gregorini sued him and Apple TV+'s crew of stealing the concept of her film The Truth About Emanuel and copying it to make Servant.

Days ago, Shyamalan testified in the trial where he was accused of stealing Gregorini's idea and said the entire situation was "100% a misunderstanding." Gregorini also spoke in the trial, and she said that Shyamalan and the writers not only copied the plot elements, but also a few shots from her movie as well. Per Variety's report of the trial and its outcome, this is what Shyamalan said to the jury:

"This accusation is the exact opposite of everything I do and everything I try to represent. I would have never allowed it. None of the people that I work with...

M. Night Shyamalan was cleared of copyright infringement in the $81 million lawsuit over the Apple TV+ series Servant, with a jury unanimously ruling in favor of the director Friday.

In 2020, Italian director Francesca Gregorini sued Shyamalan and the streaming service for copyright infringement, alleging that Servant, which ran for four seasons on Apple TV+, stole elements from her 2013 movie The Truth About Emanuel.

The lawsuit went to trial last Tuesday, during which Shyamalan took the stand in his own defense. During testimony, the director said he and his co-creators had...

M. Night Shyamalan produced the Apple TV+ series ‘Servant,’ which ran for four seasons from 2019 to 2023. Created by Tony Basgallop, the psychological horror show followed Dorothy and Sean Turner, a couple who hire a nanny, Leanne, to care for a lifelike doll that Dorothy believes is her dead son, Jericho.

The series explored dark secrets about the family and Leanne, with plenty of twists to keep viewers guessing. Praised for its eerie atmosphere and strong performances, ‘Servant’ was a successful addition to Shyamalan’s body of work.

‘Servant’ also got M. Night Shyamalan in legal trouble in two instances. In 2020, Francesca Gregorini accused M. Night Shyamalan’s show ‘Servant’ of copying her 2013 film ‘The Truth About Emanuel,’ as both stories involve a mother who believes a doll is her real baby and hires a nanny.

While her copyright lawsuit was dismissed in 2020, it was revived in 2022 by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals,...

A federal jury ruled unanimously in favor of M. Night Shyamalan and Apple on Friday, ending a copyright trial that saw the defendants accused of stealing elements from an independent feature in the writing of the streaming series “Servant.”

The seven-day trial in Riverside, Calif., which began Jan. 14., saw Italian-born director Francesca Gregorini seeking as much as $81 million in damages, alleging that Shyamalan and collaborators had lifted narrative elements of her 2013 film, “The Truth About Emanuel,” without credit.

Gregorini’s feature followed a delusional mother who treats a baby doll as if it were a real infant, along with a nanny who corroborates that false reality. Gregorini saw significant plot similarities between her own film and “Servant.”

Shyamalan testified Wednesday that he and the other creators of the show had never seen or heard of Gregorini’s film before the litigation, saying that the situation was “clearly, 100%, a misunderstanding.”

“This...

Acclaimed filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan responds to Servant plagiarism accusations.

Per Variety, Shyamalan testified on Wednesday, January 22, that he and his collaborators on Servant did not steal any ideas, characters, or concepts from a 2013 independent film, Francesca Gregorini's The Truth About Emanuel, that also features a delusional woman and a baby doll. Shyamalan addressed jurors saying that the dispute is "Clearly, 100% a misunderstanding. This accusation is the exact opposite of everything I do and everything I try to represent." When asked if he copied anything from the film, Shyamalan responded, "Absolute not."

Related Martin Scorsese & Leonardo DiCaprio in Talks to Make Their Next Movie Together

Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio are reportedly in talks to produce a long awaited thriller series as their next feature film instead.

Gregorini filed her suit against Apple, Shyamalan, and others working behind-the-scenes of Servant not long after the series premiered in 2019. Gregorini has...

M. Night Shyamalan testified Wednesday that he and his collaborators on the Apple TV+ show “Servant” did not steal from a 2013 independent film about a delusional mother and her baby doll.

The director told jurors that the copyright dispute with “The Truth About Emanuel” director Francesca Gregorini is “clearly, 100%, a misunderstanding.”

“This accusation is the exact opposite of everything I do and everything I try to represent,” Shyamalan said.

Asked repeatedly if he had copied anything from the film, he said, “Absolutely not.”

Gregorini sued Apple, Shyamalan and others involved in “Servant” shortly after the show debuted in 2019. She alleged that the show clearly borrowed key elements of her film, which depicts a nanny who colludes with the mother in her delusion that the doll is real.

The federal trial got underway last week in Riverside, Calif. In testimony last Thursday, Gregorini said she was “shocked” when she first saw the trailer for the show.

Hailed as one of the modern horror maestros, M. Night Shyamalan is facing a million-dollar lawsuit for copyright infringement. Although the suit was initially filed in 2020, after Shyamalan’s series Servant started airing on Apple TV+, it was thrown out of court within months by a federal judge.

Hollywood filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan (image credit: Gage Skidmore/Cc By-sa 2.0/Wikimedia Commons)

However, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals revived the same in 2022, and the legal battle ensued. The first trial took place on January 14th, where Shyamalan was presented which brought the case back to the limelight.

The plaintiff, Francesca Gregorini, an Italian-born independent movie director filed the case accusing Shyamalan of adapting his series from her 2013 movie The Truth About Emanuel. However, the defense attorney claimed that Gregorini’s claims are unfounded and she is seeking credit for something she had no involvement in.

M. Night Shyamalan accused of...

In 2020, Italian director Francesca Gregorini sued M. Night Shyamalan and Apple TV+ for copyright infringement. The lawsuit alleges that the Shyamalan-directed series Servant, which ran for four seasons on the streaming platform, infringes on elements from her 2013 movie The Truth About Emanuel. On Tuesday, the case seeking $81 million went to trial in Riverside, California and a set of jurors received a binge-watching assignment as part of their duties.

The jury will watch the first three episodes of Servant, which premiered in 2019. The series follows a couple reeling from the death of their son.

M. Night Shyamalan, the director of films like Trap, The Sixth Sense and The Village, has now appeared in court to participate in a trial in which the director will have to defend himself in an $81 million lawsuit. In a courtroom located in Riverside, California, Shyamalan and his team will have to convince everyone that they did not copy the concept of Servant, the hugely successful Apple TV+ series, from a completely obscure independent film called The Truth About Emanuel.

The Truth About Emanuel was directed by Francesca Gregorini, a filmmaker who immediately recognized that the plot from her 2013 movie resembled that of the TV show which represented Shyamalan's arrival in the realm of TV. She sued Apple TV+ in 2020, and at first the case was thrown out. Gregorini was ordered to pay the defense team's fees, which went up to almost $163,000. But after an appeal, a different judge ruled...

If you’re an avid follower of Shyamalan’s work you are likely aware that the famous director had a show on AppleTV+ titled ‘Servant’ which ran for 4 seasons from 2019 to 2023. ‘Servant’ was a psychological horror TV show created by Tony Basgallop and produced by M. Night Shyamalan.

The series focused on Dorothy and Sean Turner, a couple who hire a nanny, Leanne, to care for their baby, Jericho. However, their child is dead, and Dorothy believes the doll is her real son, leading to a multitude of strange events that reveal dark secrets both about the family and Leanne.

The show was well-received for its atmosphere and the strong performances of its cast. It’s really on par with Shyamalan’s work in general and makes you wonder what the hell is going on most of the time. The show was successful overall.

For the majority of the show,...

Five years after initial allegations, the $81 million copyright battle over the Apple TV+ series Servant finally had its day in court on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. The packed Riverside courtroom bearing witness to the exhibit included Apple TV+ programming chief Matt Cherniss, series creator Tony Basgallop, and director/producer M. Night Shyamalan.

Per Variety, Gregorini's filing alleges Shyamalan and Apple TV+ appropriated her 2013 Sundance film The Truth About Emanuel in the 2019 series Servant. Action on the suit, filed by Servant director Francesca Gregorini's suit against M. Night Shyamalan and company, has moved at a glacial pace after multiple legal hurdles, making today a crucial moment in the half-decade dispute over creative ownership, kickstarting what will be a highly scrutinized Hollywood legal battle. The case, initially dismissed in 2022, hinges on proving both access and substantial similarity.

Related Ishana Night Shyamalan's Polarizing Directorial Debut Horror Film Arrives on Netflix

One of 2024's...

Director M. Night Shyamalan went on trial on Tuesday over allegations that he copied from an independent film to make the Apple TV+ show “Servant.”

Francesca Gregorini, an Italian-born director, is suing Shyamalan and Apple for $81 million, alleging that the show stole key elements from her 2013 movie, “The Truth About Emanuel.”

Her attorney, Patrick Arenz, showed jurors clips of both projects during his opening statement on Tuesday in federal court in Riverside, Calif. He argued that both depict a delusional mother who cares for a doll as though it is a real baby, and a nanny who is complicit in the delusion.

“This is a simple case,” Arenz told the jury. “There would be no ‘Servant’ without ‘Emanuel.'”

Shyamalan sat behind the defense attorneys, alongside producer Taylor Latham and Matt Cherniss, the head of programming at Apple TV+. Tony Basgallop, the British writer who created the series, sat at the defense counsel table,...

Exclusive: Actor Iqbal Theba (Glee) has signed with Buchwald for representation. The actor was previously signed to A3 Artists Agency, which recently shut its doors permanently.

Stated Theba, “I am beyond excited to sign with Buchwald, an agency with decades of experience and history, and a group of dedicated agents who truly care about their clients.”

Best known for his role of Principle Figgins on Fox’s hit series Glee, which ran for six seasons and brought him a SAG Award as part of the ensemble, Theba has appeared in more than 100 film and TV projects over the course of his decades-long career, including the Best Picture Oscar winner Green Book from filmmaker Peter Farrelly.

Other notable credits include The Illegal, Playing for Keeps and Transformers: Dark of the Moon, along with such series as Mira, Royal Detective, Messiah, Community and The Blacklist. Most recently, Theba signed on to star in Days with Dandekar,...

Your browser does not support the video tag. Clipped episode 5 delves into Shelly Sterling's attempt to handle the Sterling scandal, which highlighted her husband's racist remarks. The series strikes a balance between drama and comedy, allowing for exploration of real issues while keeping viewers engaged and entertained. The actors, encouraged to ad-lib and inhabit their characters fully, contribute to the lighthearted yet authentic portrayal of a serious subject matter.

Clipped episode 5 moves things inexorably toward the end of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterlings time in the NBA, and Screen Rant has a clip from the episode. The series details a real 2014 scandal in which private recordings of Sterling were made public, revealing racist comments made by the owner. The scandal, which saw the owner forced to sell the team and banned for life from the NBA, was dramatized by Gina Welch, who created the hit FX on Hulu mini-series.

This week’s 20 Questions on Deadline guest is Mark Duplass.

Fans of The Morning Show will be delighted to hear Duplass confirm his return “in some shape or form” for the upcoming Season 4, as put-upon producer Chip Black. Duplass also reveals that Season 4 will begin shooting a month from now.

With Season 3 showrunner Charlotte Stoudt in place once again for Season 4, how the upcoming election will be worked into the show remains to be seen. Previous seasons included rewrites to incorporate the pandemic and the #MeToo movement. Shooting this summer, Season 4 is slated to air sometime next year.

“My assumption is that we’re going to airing the show well after that election has happened,” Duplass said. “So my instinct is that while The Morning Show does chase current events, and we have historically, in the past, with the #MeToo movement and Covid, and everything that happened with women’s...

A new biopic of Anna Nicole Smith has been announced with a title and a main star. The film is based on Sandeep Kapoor's book of the same name and focuses on events leading up to Smith's death. Another Smith biopic called Hurricanna with a different perspective is also in production.

An upcoming Anna Nicole Smith biopic sets its official title and first cast member. Anna Nicole Smith was an American model who became famous in 1993 when she became Playboy’s Playmate of the Year. Smith later died in 2007 at the age of 39 from an accidental drug overdose.

As per Variety, a Smith biopic has now been revealed with a title and lead cast member. The film will be called Trust Me, I’m a Doctor and it will star Kal Penn. Penn will play Smith’s doctor, Sandeep Kapoor, in the film.

What To Expect from Trust Me, I...

Exclusive: Gravitas Ventures has acquired North American rights to writer-director Heidi Weitzer’s comedy My Divorce Party, starring Rumer Willis, slating it for release on digital and cable VOD on April 30.

Pic watches as divorcee Xan (Desiree Staples) gathers her close friends to celebrate her impending split, only to reveal she intends to burn her divorce settlement money to start fresh. Chaos ensues as each friend has a wildly different opinion on what Xan should do.

Kimia Behpoornia, Michelle Meredith, Sarah Hollis, Desiree Staples, Dionne Gipson, Laith Ashley, and Cap Peterson also star. The film is produced by Adrienne Childress and Geenah Krisht. Gravitas Ventures’ VP of Acquisitions and International Sales, Danielle Gasher negotiated the deal with Film Mode Entertainment.

***

Iqbal Theba

Exclusive: Iqbal Theba (Green Book) will star alongside Sylvia Hoeks, Holly Hunter, Mark Duplass and Nicholas Hamilton in the Anna Nicole Smith biopic Hurricanna.

Pic promises to chart...

“You never know if they like you for who you are or what you are,” Anna Nicole Smith once said before she passed away from an accidental drug overdose in 2007. The endearing model, actress, and television personality often found herself a subject of misinterpretation and ridicule when she wanted to taste life, be loved, and make people smile. Thankfully, a new biopic, Hurricanna, is now filming and aims to show the sweeter side of the beloved blonde bombshell. A first look at Sylvia Hoeks as Smith is here, prompting fans to double-take before venturing into the Uncanny Valley.

Hoeks stars as Anna Nicole Smith in the upcoming biopic, with Holly Hunter, Mark Duplass, and Nicholas Hamilton. Francesca Gregorini directs from a script by Rachel Sarnoff and Matt Sarnoff, with the story focusing on Smith’s final days before her untimely death at 39. Smith was a model, Playboy magazine centerfold star,...

Exclusive: Here’s your first look at Anna Nicole Smith biopic Hurricanna, which is now filming.

Sylvia Hoeks (See) stars in the movie alongside Oscar winner Holly Hunter (The Piano), and newly joined cast Mark Duplass (The Morning Show) and Nicholas Hamilton (Captain Fantastic).

Filming is underway on the project, which will chart the final days of pop culture icon Smith, known for her career as a model, Playboy magazine centerfold, actress and TV personality, as well as her highly publicized second marriage to 89-year-old billionaire J. Howard Marshall, and her untimely death aged only 39. Hunter plays Smith’s therapist, who tries to guide her through turbulent times.

Francesca Gregorini (Killing Eve) is directing from a script by Rachel and Matt Sarnoff. Producers are Cassian Elwes, Rory Koslow, Francesca Gregorini, Alix Madigan, Paul Robarts and Tatiana Von Furstenberg.

Executive producers are Tracy Ricketts, Matthew Helderman, Thomas Mann, Luke Taylor, Jeff Sackman,...

Plot: Follows a realtor, a former tennis star and a plumber who seize a unique opportunity to capitalize on America’s obsession with true crime

Review: The only thing that is getting more tiresome than true-crime series are the projects that try to develop a twist on the already twist-heavy genre. While adaptations of actual criminal cases and murderers have not slowed down in recent years, there has been a new crop of fictional tales focused on average people obsessed with true crime and involved in the investigation themselves. At the same time, few have come close to the brilliance of Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building, which has not stopped podcast-oriented copycats from popping up on other streamers. The latest addition is Peacock’s Based on a True Story. The series from producers Michael Costigan and Jason Bateman boasts the star power of Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina...

Anna Nicole Smith’s life is center stage in the trailer for Netflix’s upcoming documentary about the late star.

The streamer released its first spot Monday for Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me, set to debut May 16. Featuring never-before-seen footage, home videos and interviews, the film will document Smith’s life, from her Houston upbringing to her rise to fame that included the cover of Playboy, modeling for Guess and appearing in such Hollywood projects as the 1994 film Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult and E! series The Anna Nicole Show. Smith died of an accidental drug overdose in February 2007 at age 39.

“I would just advise people just to follow their dreams,” Smith says in the footage. “They can come true. I’m living proof.”

Among the topics covered in the new project is her legal battle over the estate of husband J. Howard Marshall, an...

Sierra/Affinity handles international sales.

Hurricanna, the buzzy upcoming feature about the tragic final days of Anna Nicole Smith which Sierra/Affinity continues to pre-sell at the EFM, has found its new lead heading into an anticipated May production start.

Sylvia Hoeks will step into the role recently vacated by Betty Gilpin due to scheduling issues. The Dutch-born actor broke out in Blade Runner 2049 and has also starred in The Girl In The Spider’s Web and TV series See.

Screen understands UK star Jamie Bell, who stars in the upcoming musical biopic Fred & Ginger and is renowned for...

The 75th annual Directors Guild of America Awards will announce nominations for the television categories Tuesday, January 10. Voting opened December 9 and runs through Friday, January 6. Awards will be given out Saturday, February 18 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, CA. For more on the film ceremony, head to IndieWire’s Awards Calendar.

The Directors Guild Awards tend to have some interesting quirks, especially when it comes to the TV and Documentary categories. Just last year, the organization filled its Drama Series category full of “Succession” episodes, proving when directors love a show, they really love it. Though the list of Documentary nominees often has crossover with the Oscars, last year was also an example of how TV-specific projects like Raoul Peck’s HBO docuseries “Exterminate All the Brutes” can break in too.

Add in rules about how shows need to be a DGA signatory, or the director Hwang Dong-hyuk a DGA member,...

There’s no bad blood between Jennifer Lawrence and Adam McKay. Surely she still likes the guy—she’s appeared in last year’s political satire “Don’t Look Up,” which was nominated for four Academy Awards including Best Picture—but now there’s literally no “Bad Blood,” a film she was set to star in and also co-produce with McKay concerning Elizabeth Holmes and the Theranos fraud.

Speaking with The New York Times while promoting “Causeway,” Apple Original Films’ Ptsd drama directed by Lila Neugebauer co-starring Bryan Tyree Henry, the four-time Oscar nominee saluted the work of Amanda Seyfried in the limited series “The Dropout” on Hulu, another project on the same topic.

“I thought she was terrific,” Lawrence said, concerning Seyfried’s performance as the eerily deep-voiced medical industry huckster. “I was like, ‘Yeah, we don’t need to redo that.’ She did it.”

“The Dropout” was nominated for four Primetime Emmys,...

The best of the 2021-2022 TV season has been revealed, first during the 74th Creative Arts Emmy Awards, which were handed on Sept. 3 and 4, before being followed by the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards hosted by Kenan Thompson on Sept. 12.

Among the 2022 nominees were “Succession”, which leads the way with the most nominations this year, at 25, while “Ted Lasso” closely followed with 20 nods. The HBO limited series, “The White Lotus”, also scored 20 nominations, while “Hacks” and “Only Murders in the Building” earned 17 apiece. (Check out all the biggest snubs and surprises.)

Check below for updates to the complete list of nominations, with winners in bold:

The 74th Primetime Emmy Awards (Sept. 12)

Outstanding Comedy Series

Abbott Elementary

Barry

Curb Your Enthusiasm

Hacks”

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Only Murders in the Building

Ted Lasso — *Winner!

What We Do in the Shadows

Outstanding Competition Program

The Amazing Race

Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Girrrls — *Winner!

The Emmy Awards are always full of fun fashion and surprises.

Did the right people win? Were there any surprises?

Squid Game already made history this year: will they win any of the top prizes?

So many talented people get nominated, and this year is no different.

Check out the winners of the Primetime Emmys below!

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Dopesick: Michael Keaton as Dr. Samuel Finnix -- Winner

The Staircase: Colin Firth as Michael Peterson

Under The Banner Of Heaven: Andrew Garfield as Detective Jeb Pyre

Scenes From A Marriage: Oscar Isaac as Jonathan

Station Eleven: Himesh Patel as Jeevan Chaudhary

Pam & Tommy: Sebastian Stan as Tommy Lee

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

The White Lotus: Murray Bartlett as Armond -- Winner

The White Lotus: Jake Lacy as Shane Patton

Dopesick: Will Poulter...

The 74th Primetime Emmy Awards were presented on Monday (12) evening at the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles. 

Winners (in bold) and nominees in key categories:

Drama Series  Better Call Saul (AMC) Euphoria (HBO/HBO Max) Ozark (Netflix) Severance (Apple TV+) Squid Game (Netflix) Stranger Things (Netflix) Succession (HBO/HBO Max) Yellowjackets (Showtime)    Comedy Series  Abbott Elementary (ABC) Barry (HBO/HBO Max) Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO/HBO Max) Hacks (HBO/HBO Max) The Marvelous Mrs Maisel (Amazon Prime Video) Only Murders In The Building (Hulu) Ted Lasso (Apple TV+) What We Do In The Shadows (FX)    Limited Or Anthology Series...

HBO’s The White Lotus swept the writing and directing categories for Limited Series at the Emmys tonight, handing two trophies to creator Mike White in a matter of minutes.

On stage, White referenced his appearance years earlier as a contestant on Survivor (he finished second in season 37 of that show), suggesting that his two wins tonight made him “vulnerable” to a Hollywood backlash.

“I just wanted to say, I was on Survivor, and on Survivor the way to stay in the game is you lower your threat level,” he noted. “Now, I feel like I’ve raised my threat level and it’s like I just want to stay in the game. Awards are great. I love writing. I love doing what I do. Like, don’t come for me. Don’t vote me off the island, please!”

Those remarks came after he won Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.

Liz Meriwether never got around to asking Amanda Seyfried if she was a “New Girl” fan. Meriwether, who created the long-running comedy, is also behind “The Dropout,” starring Seyfried. But Meriwether says she stopped talking about the show when too many people told her they didn’t even have a TV.

“I always took it to mean, ‘I have a television, but I’ve chosen not to watch your show,'” Meriwether says. “But I also got a lot of, ‘my girlfriend loves your show!'”

Turns out Seyfried did watch “New Girl,” and was a fan.

“I remember meeting Zooey [Deschanel] back when she started the show… And I remember being a big fan of hers because she got that balance between awkwardness and total deadpan truth. And you are the man of course behind the curtain,” Seyfried told Meriwether on the latest edition of the Variety Awards Circuit Podcast.

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official awards predictions for the upcoming Oscars and Emmys ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis; Awards Circuit Column, a weekly analysis dissecting the trends and contenders by television editor Michael Schneider (for Emmys) and Davis (for Oscars); Awards Circuit Podcast, a weekly interview series with talent and an expert roundtable discussion; and Awards Circuit Video analyzes various categories and contenders by Variety's leading awards pundits. Variety's unmatched coverage gives its readership unbeatable exposure in print and online, as well as provides inside reports on all the contenders in this year's awards season races.

To see all the latest predictions, of all the categories, in one place, visit The Emmys Collective

Visit each category, per the individual awards show from The Emmys Hub

To see old predictions and commentary,...

“I’m so excited, it meant so much to me,” admits Elizabeth Meriwether about receiving her first career Emmy nominations for producing and writing Hulu’s acclaimed limited series “The Dropout.” For our recent webchat she adds, “It also meant so much to me working on this. I think everybody has the same story, but during Covid, it fell apart a couple times and then came back and it took so long. I worked on it, it turned out to be three years, which for me was just the longest I’d ever done something.” We talked with Meriwether as part of Gold Derby’s special “Meet the Experts” Q&a event with 2022 Emmy Awards showrunners nominees. Watch our exclusive video interview above.

See over 200 interviews with 2022 Emmy contenders

Hulu’s “The Dropout” stars Oscar and Emmy nominee Amanda Seyfried as entrepreneur Elizabeth Holmes, who was recently convicted of criminal...

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official awards predictions for the upcoming Oscars and Emmys ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis; Awards Circuit Column, a weekly analysis dissecting the trends and contenders by television editor Michael Schneider (for Emmys) and Davis (for Oscars); Awards Circuit Podcast, a weekly interview series with talent and an expert roundtable discussion; and Awards Circuit Video analyzes various categories and contenders by Variety's leading awards pundits. Variety's unmatched coverage gives its readership unbeatable exposure in print and online, as well as provide inside reports on all the contenders in this year's awards season races.

To see all the latest predictions, of all the categories, in one place, visit The Emmys Collective

Visit each category, per the individual awards show from The Emmys Hub

To see old predictions and commentary,...

A version of this story about female directors first appeared in the Down to the Wire: Comedy issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine.

This year was far from a landmark for female directors at the Emmys, with only 13 women nominated against 32 men across the seven directing categories. Sure, that’s better than last year, when 47 men and only 11 women were nominated, and it’s much better than 2018, when the lamentable total was 44 men and only four (!) women.

But this year’s total is a step down from 2020, when the record 16 female directors that were nominated made up a full 33 of the total; this year, that has slipped down to just below 29.

Still, there’s one bright spot to make up for women being shut out of the Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special category or only managing one nomination each in the limited series, documentary/nonfiction and reality categories. The...

The Dropout directors Michael Showalter and Francesca Gregorini zeroed in on a number of small details to help Amanda Seyfried prepare for her role as disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes in the Hulu miniseries.

Before the cameras rolled, the two sat down with Seyfried to discuss blocking and how they planned to tell a “cohesive” story on Holmes’ life — from childhood to her criminal trial for defrauding investors.

Contenders TV: The Nominees — Deadline’s Complete Coverage

During a Contenders Television: The Nominees award-season panel, Showalter and Gregorini recalled meeting with Seyfried to share their vision for the series.

“We just talked for like three hours, maybe even more, in general terms about the character and the story, and in a very sort of like, ‘Who is she? What do we think as individuals? What are our individual feelings about it,'” said Showalter, who is also an executive producer on the Emmy-nominated series.

“It’s a dream come true,” admits director Francesca Gregorini about receiving her first career Emmy nomination for directing on the acclaimed limited series “The Dropout.” “It’s an incredible show and Liz Meriwether, my hat is off to her; she’s just brilliant,” she remarks about her excitement for the show being so enthusiastically embraced by the TV academy, humbly adding “this is a team sport, film-making is very much a team sport so it’s a group effort. There was so much talent in front and behind the camera and the writing, that it was just destined for greatness.” Watch our exclusive video interview above.

See over 150 interviews with 2022 Emmy nominees

Hulu’s “The Dropout” stars Oscar nominee Amanda Seyfried as entrepreneur Elizabeth Holmes, who was convicted of criminal fraud for swindling investors on the accuracy of her groundbreaking blood test technology. The eight-part series follows the compelling...

At this year’s Emmys, the programs nominated for Best Limited/Movie Directing are similar to the corresponding writing category with “Impeachment: American Crime Story” being replaced by a second episode of “The Dropout.” Just like writing, this race is once again looking like a fight to see whether Mike White for “The White Lotus” can sustain the momentum after the season airing a year ago, or if Emmy favorite Danny Strong for “Dopesick” can steal his thunder.

Here are Gold Derby’s current Best Limited/Movie Directing Emmy 2022 racetrack odds:

“The White Lotus” (Mike White) – 7/2 odds

“Dopesick” (“The People vs. Purdue Pharma” by Danny Strong) — 4/1 odds

“Station Eleven” (“Wheel of Fire” by Hiro Murai) — 9/2 odds

“Maid” (“Snaps” by John Wells) — 6/1 odds

“The Dropout” (“Iron Sisters” by Michael Showalter) — 13/2 odds

“The Dropout” (“Green Juice” by Francesca Gregorini) — 7/1 odds

See 2022 Emmy nominations: Complete list of contenders for 74th Primetime Emmys

There...

A number of stars doing double- and triple-duty on series have been rewarded for their off-camera work with writing or directing Emmy nominations this year, notably “Ozark’s” Jason Bateman, “Abbott Elementary’s” Quinta Brunson, “Barry’s” Bill Hader and “Only Murders in the Building’s” Steve Martin.

Meanwhile, indie film helmers are finding a warm welcome, with drama series directing noms going to Karyn Kusama for the pilot of Showtime’s “Yellowjackets,” Lorene Scafaria for the “Succession” episode “Too Much Birthday” and Cathy Yan for “The Disruption” installment of “Succession.”

Oscar winner Peter Jackson may add another trophy to his case. He earned a directing nomination for documentary/nonfiction program for his work on Disney+’s Beatles docuseries “Get Back.” Ben Stiller is up for Apple TV+ drama “Severance” and Bo Burnham is back with a nom for directing Jerrod Carmichael’s HBO standup special “Rothaniel.” Amy Poehler’s...

Hulu made the history books today with a record 58 Emmy nominations, including 17 for the comedy Only Murders in the Building and 14 for the limited series Dopesick.

The streamer’s last record was hit in 2018 with 27 nominations. Hulu earned 26 nominations last year.

2022 Emmy Nominations: Deadline’s Complete Coverage

“We’ve always had a strategy of curation and diversification. Excellence across the board has always been really important,” said Craig Erwich, President, ABC Entertainment & Hulu Originals. “But I think this year is a culmination of the strategy and the entire organization working incredibly well together. Dana Walden has set a tone in terms of supporting talent and creative excellence and collaboration across both the studio and the network. So when you see shows like Only Murders in the Building and The Dropout and Dopesick, it’s not just a function of the Hulu team, but Karey Burke and her entire team making the same show.

In a category often lacking in diversity, this year’s Emmy nominations for Outstanding Directing saw near gender parity, with almost half of those recognized being women. Some of the notable nods include female-helmed episodes of “Only Murders in the Building,” “Hacks” and “Succession.”

Palestinian American actress-director Cherien Dabis directed the critically lauded episode “The Boy From 6B” for “Only Murders,” which was depicted entirely from the perspective of Theo (James Caverly), a deaf character.

“I’m speechless!” Dabis said in a statement. “Which I guess is appropriate because I’ve been nominated for a silent episode! Seriously though, I’m beyond thrilled. This is particularly special because this episode is so unique, inventive and ambitious. I’m incredibly grateful to the writers and show-runner / co-creator John Hoffman and Hulu for boldly taking a risk on a dialogue-free episode of a half hour comedy and for inviting me on to do such meaningful work.

There are 136 submissions on the 2022 Emmys ballot for Best Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Directing, which will yield six nominations. As a reminder, last year’s winner was “The Queen’s Gambit” (Scott Frank), while the other nominees were “Hamilton” (Thomas Kail), “Mare of Easttown” (Craig Zobel), “Wandavision” (Matt Shakman), “The Underground Railroad” (Barry Jenkins) and two episodes of “I May Destroy You” (Sam Miller for “Eyes Eyes Eyes Eyes” and Miller and Michaela Coel for “Ego Death”).

For six of the last eight years, the Best Limited/Movie Directing category has rewarded directors who helmed the entirety of their limited series. That could work in favor of Mike White, who directed all six episodes of “The White Lotus,” which should have enough overall support to be competitive in the series category. Miniseries that also only submitted their sole director for the whole series, per the Emmy ruling, include “Gaslit” for Matt Ross,...

A biopic on the final days in the life of actress, model and Playboy Playmate Anna Nicole Smith called “Hurricanna” is in the works and being presented to buyers at the European Film Market.

Francesca Gregorini, a director on “Killing Eve,” is set to direct the feature based on a script by Rachel and Matt Sarnoff. The film will focus on Smith’s final days as she embarks on a 36-hour odyssey with her therapist, leading up to the model’s death.

Earlier on Monday, TheWrap reported that “Glow” actress Betty Gilpin was in talks to star as Smith in the film, but an individual close to the actress says she’s now no longer in discussions, citing scheduling issues. Holly Hunter remains in discussions to portray Smith’s therapist Khristine.

Sierra/Affinity is handling international sales and will make the movie available to buyers for the first time at...

A biopic of model, actress and TV personality Anna Nicole Smith is in the works, we can reveal.

Oscar winner Holly Hunter (Succession) is in talks to co-star in the project called Hurricanna, which Sierra/Affinity is launching for the virtual EFM.

Glow star Betty Gilpin was until very recently in discussions to play the model, actress and TV personality but the actress has just had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts.

The movie will chart how in an attempt to save Smith’s life, her devoted therapist, Khristine (Hunter), embarks on a 36-hour odyssey in which she unknowingly delivers the fatal blow. Producers describe the project as exploring the “immense hurricane-like force that was Anna Nicole Smith, and the fateful string of events that led Anna to destroy everything in her path, including herself and those closest to her.”

Smith first gained popularity in Playboy magazine and went on to model for Guess,...

With twists that you might expect from a M. Night Shyamalan project, the legal scare facing AppleTV+, the director and Servant creator Tony Basgallop may still keep haunting them.

Despite an order today from a federal judge tossing out a copyright suit over the Lauren Ambrose and Toby Kebbell starring series from the Tim Cook-run company’s streamer, the court docket could have a new master sooner rather than later.

“Today’s ruling is disappointing, but not surprising,” said The Truth About Emanuel director Francesca Gregorini on Thursday over the dismissal with prejudice of her January filed lawsuit over the inspiration for the already renewed Servant series.

“The balance of power in the entertainment industry has always favored powerful men and institutions,” Gregorini asserts in what is the third time Shyamalan has been tainted with creative sticky fingers over the years. “Their ultimate goal is to silence anyone whose...

Exclusive: The Truth About Emanuel, Tanner Hall helmer Francesca Gregorini has signed on to direct The Match, the first feature project under Four Daughters, a development and production company dedicated to telling stories that celebrate inclusion.

The pic is based on Bruce Schoenfeld’s book of the same name. It’s inspired by the true story of two remarkable women, Althea Gibson and Angela Buxton. The pair formed a friendship that crossed many perceived divides and would lead to triumph at Wimbledon while enduring unspeakable bigotry. Althea and Angela were trailblazers who defied racism, gender inequality and anti-semitism in one of the greatest sporting upsets in history and in so doing began a complex and moving friendship that changed their lives.

Julie Snyder will produce.

Founded by longtime friends Richard Stern and Navid McIlhargey, the company designed its mission with their respective daughters in mind. Stern...

The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (Awmf) has unveiled the 100 winners of the 45th annual Gracie Awards. Honorees include Michelle Williams, Amy Poehler, Niecy Nash, Natasha Lyonne, Tamron Hall, Naomi Watts, Angela Yee, Norah O’Donnell, Stephanie Beatriz, and Soledad O’Brien, and many other talented women in television, radio and digital media.

The Gracies recognize exemplary programming created by, for and about women in radio, television, and interactive media. Honorees are selected in national, local and student markets, including both commercial and non-commercial outlets.

A complete list and video featuring the honorees can be seen below.

TV National Honorees

60 Minutes: The Chibok Girls (60 Minutes)

CBS News

News Magazine

Abby McEnany (Work in Progress)

Showtime

Actress in a Breakthrough Role

Alex Duda (The Kelly Clarkson Show)

NBCUniversal

Showrunner – Talk Show

Am I Next? Trans and Targeted

ABC News Nightline

Hard News Feature

Angela Kang (The Walking Dead)

AMC

Showrunner- Scripted

Better...