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David Hemingson’s The Holdovers at Focus Features won original screenplay and Cord Jefferson’s Oscar-winning American Fiction from Amazon MGM Studios took adapted honours at the strike-delayed Writers Guild Awards on Sunday.

This was a second major adapted screenplay award in relatively short order for Jefferson after last month’s Oscar win.

The Holdovers prevailed in an original screenplay category that included Barbie and May December, but not the Oscar winner Anatomy Of A Fall, rendered ineligible here because it was not produced under a Writers Guild of America (WGA) contract.

The best documentary screenplay award went to Errol Morris for The Pigeon Tunnel.

David Hemingson’s The Holdovers at Focus Features won original screenplay and Cord Jefferson’s Oscar-winning American Fiction from Amazon MGM Studios took adapted honours at the strike-delayed Writers Guild Awards on Sunday.

This was a second major adapted screenplay award in relatively short order for Jefferson after last month’s Oscar win.

The Holdovers prevailed in an original screenplay category that included Barbie and May December, but not the Oscar winner Anatomy Of A Fall, rendered ineligible here because it was not produced under a Writers Guild of America (WGA) contract.

The best documentary screenplay award went to Errol Morris for The Pigeon Tunnel.

Writer/director Cord Jefferson on the set of ‘American Fiction’ (Photo credit: Claire Folger © 2023 Orion Releasing LLC)

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) stretched out the awards season, handing out their annual awards during ceremonies held in Los Angeles and New York on April 14, 2024. Niecy Nash-Betts (Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story) had the honor of hosting the Writers Guild of America West’s ceremony while Josh Gondelman (Desus & Mero) handled hosting duties for the Writers Guild of America East.

The final season of Succession was recognized with Drama Series and Episodic Drama awards, and the first season of The Last of Us snagged the New Series trophy. The Bear and Beef continued their winning streaks, scoring Comedy Series and Limited Series wins.

David Hemingson’s The Holdovers and Cord Jefferson’s American Fiction were recognized as the best original and adapted screenplays of 2023. And Errol Morris’ The Pigeon Tunnel took...

With the 2024 Oscars and the 2023 Emmys firmly in the rearview mirror, the film and TV awards calendar is all but ready to return to normalcy after last years Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes disrupted the first half of award season. The last major event to be impacted by the altered schedule is today’s WGA Awards, which took place in an unusual post-Oscars slot after the strikes forced the guild to delay its voting process. As most of Hollywood looks ahead to the 2024 film and TV slate, today’s concurrent ceremonies in Los Angeles’ Hollywood Palladium and New York City’s Edison Ballroom gave award watchers one last chance to celebrate the best screenwriting of 2023.

David Hemingson’s “The Holdovers” won the night’s marquee award for Original Screenplay, beating out heavyweights including Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach’s “Barbie” and Celine Song’s “Past Lives.” In the Adapted Screenplay category,...

The David Hemingson-scripted Alexander Payne dramedy The Holdovers and Cord Jefferson’s American Fiction were the big film winners at the strike-delayed 2024 Writers Guild Awards, which were handed out Sunday in Los Angeles and New York.

Jefferson — who also was honored with the WGA West’s Paul Selvin Award — followed his Oscar win for Adapted Screenplay as the WGA’s weird, wild and elongated Awards season wrapped with simultaneous ceremonies on both coasts. Hemingson scored a modicum of revenge for losing the Original Screenplay Academy Award to Justine Triet and Arthur Harari for Anatomy of a Fall.

The latter script, however, wasn’t eligible for a Writers Guild Award. That’s because, unlike other guilds, the WGA deems ineligible any scripts for movies not produced under its Minimum Basic Agreement or a bona fide collective bargaining agreement with various affiliated countries.

Later, the Documentary prize went to Errol Morris...

Nominees have been announced for the 76th annual Writers Guild Awards, and Star Trek: Picard squeaked in just under the wire.

The concluded Paramount+ quasi-revival saw its series finale nominated in the Episodic Drama category. Other first-time nominees include freshman shows Shrinking, The Last of Us, The Curse and The Diplomat.

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Of course, usual suspects like Succession,...

The strike-delayed nominations for the 2024 Writers Guild Awards are out. Check out the list below.

In a flipping of the script this season, the WGA Awards will be held on April 14 – more than a month after the Academy Awards.

As always, the Writers Guild of America has different eligibility requirements than the Movie Academy, so some awards-season favorite scripts are missing from today’s nominations.

Related: Oscar Nominations: Diversified Voting Throws The Love Around As ‘Oppenheimer’ Tops With 13, With ‘Poor Things’, ‘Killers Of The Flower Moon’ And ‘Barbie’ Close Behind – Full List

The guild and the Oscars mostly are on the same page for Original Screenplay, with both nominating The Holdovers, May December and Past Lives. The WGA also cited Air, while the Academy went with Anatomy of a Fall and Maestro. But the Writers Guild also has Barbie on its Original List, whereas the script for 2023’s No. 1 movie...

The nominees for the 2024 Writers Guild of America Awards are finally here.

The Writers Guild of America West (Wgaw) and Writers Guild of America East (Wgae) have announced nominations for outstanding achievement in screenwriting, television, new media, news, radio/audio, and promotional writing for 2023.

Oscar-nominated screenplays for “Barbie,” “The Holdovers,” “May December,” “Past Lives,” “American Fiction,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” and “Oppenheimer” were expected WGA nominations. However, surprise nods for “Air,” “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret,” and “Nyad” prove the WGA Awards still have a few tricks up their sleeve. If you’re wondering, “Poor Things” was not eligible because it wasn’t produced under a WGA contract, per a source close to the project.

Despite now taking place one month after the Academy Awards, the WGA nominations still carry weight this season — and could be a deciding factor for final Oscar voting. As IndieWire’s Anne Thompson predicted,...

The Writers Guild of America’s west and east arms have announced nominations for this year’s honors in screenwriting, television, new media, news, radio/audio, and promotional writing during 2023. Delayed due to the Hollywood strikes, this year’s ceremony will take place on Sunday, April 14, 2024. Here are the nominees:

Screenplay Nominees

Original Screenplay

“Air,” Written by Alex Convery; Amazon MGM Studios

“Barbie,” Written by Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach; Warner Bros. Pictures

“The Holdovers,” Written by David Hemingson; Focus Features

“May December,” Screenplay by Samy Burch, Story by Samy Burch & Alex Mechanik; Netflix

“Past Lives,” Written by Celine Song; A24

Adapted Screenplay

“American Fiction,” Screenplay by Cord Jefferson, Based upon the novel “Erasure” by Percival Everett; Amazon MGM Studios

“Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.,” Screenplay by Kelly Fremon Craig, Based on the book by Judy Blume; Lionsgate

“Killers of the Flower Moon,” Screenplay by Eric Roth and Martin Scorsese,...

The 2024 Writers Guild Awards nominations have been revealed.

The nominees in the category of original screenplay are Air, Barbie, The Holdovers, May December and Past Lives.

In the adapted screenplay category the nominees are American Fiction, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, Killers of the Flower Moon, Nyad and Oppenheimer.

In an unusual move this year, the WGA Awards will take place after the Oscars, with the winners awarded on April 14.

A complete list of this year’s nominees follows.

Screenplay Nominees

Original Screenplay

Air, Written by Alex Convery; Amazon MGM Studios

Barbie, Written by Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach; Warner Bros. Pictures

The Holdovers, Written by David Hemingson; Focus Features

May December, Screenplay by Samy Burch, Story by Samy Burch & Alex Mechanik; Netflix

Past Lives, Written by Celine Song; A24

Adapted Screenplay

American Fiction, Screenplay by Cord Jefferson, Based upon the novel Erasure by Percival Everett; Amazon MGM Studios

Are You There God?...

Writers Guild Of America has announced its feature nominees and the roster includes The Holdovers, May December and Barbie for original screenplay and American Fiction, Oppenheimer and Killers Of The Flower Moon in the adapted category.

Air is the surprise among the original contenders and takes its place alongside Past Lives. Barbie earned an Oscar nod in the adapted screenplay category.

Anatomy Of A Fall was ineligible as it was not produced under a WGA contract. Justine Triet’s film, like Maestro, which was not in Wednesday’s announcement, earned an Oscar nod.

Competing for the adapted screenplay prize are...

The Bear was one of the highly acclaimed comedy dramas of last year because, for the first time, this show broke the rules of how a comedy should be presented. There is comedy in chaos, impatience, and anger, and all of this is well executed thanks to some excellent writing done by Christopher Storer, Sofya Levitsky-Weitz, Karen Joseph Adcock, Joanna Calo, Catherine Schetina, Rene Gube and Stacy Osei-Kuffour. It looks like the writer’s room must have been as chaotic as the theme of the show, but thankfully, this is not a case of too many cooks spoiling the broth. Do you see the irony of that idiom?

Sydney Adamu is a young graduate of the Culinary Institute of America who joins Carmy’s restaurant. She is someone who not just looks up to Carmy but also to the establishment because this restaurant happens to be her father’s favorite place to eat.

Brett Morgen’s Moonage Daydream wins for documentary screenplay.

Everything Everywhere All At Once added another senior honour to its awards circuit haul en route to next weekend’s Oscars, taking the prize for best original screenplay at the 2023 Writers Guild Awards on Sunday night (March 5).

The win for Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert caps another momentous week for A24’s metaverse adventure following triumphs at Saturday’s Spirit Awards and last weekend’s historical SAG Awards.

Original screenplay is one of 11 nominations the Everything team will be looking to convert at the 95th Academy Awards on March 12. Final voting...

Writers had to share the spotlight with independent filmmakers and sound designers last night, but they’ll have it all to themselves tonight when the 75th annual Writers Guild of America awards are officially unveiled.

The WGA Awards took place in concurrent ceremonies tonight at New York’s Edison Ballroom and Los Angeles’ Fairmont Century Plaza. The Writers Guild of America West (Wgaw) and the Writers Guild of America, East (Wgae) labor unions represent writers in motion pictures, television, cable, digital media, and broadcast news.

Michelle Buteau was hosting from New York and said she felt “luckier than Pete Davidson’s dick” to be presiding over the ceremony. Her raucous monologue included lines such as, “Tom Cruise is more of a ‘Bottom Gun’ than a ‘Top Gun.'”

Feature films eligible for a Writers Guild Award were exhibited theatrically for at least one week in Los Angeles during the eligibility...

Sunday’s 75th Writers Guild of America Awards will conclude the guild season (and a four-guild kudos weekend). Will they portend good things to come at the Oscars for the winners?

“Everything Everywhere All at Once,” written by Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert, and “Women Talking,” written by Sarah Polley, are projected to win the Best Original Screenplay and Best Adapted Screenplay prizes, respectively. The caveat, of course, is that neither is facing its top Oscar competition at WGA due to the guild’s eligibility requirements. Martin McDonagh‘s “The Banshees of Inisherin” script, which won the Golden Globe and BAFTA, is Awol in original, as is Oscar nominee “Triangle of Sadness.” And BAFTA’s adapted screenplay champ “All Quiet on the Western Front,” written by Edward Berger, Lesley Paterson and Ian Stokell, is ineligible, along with Oscar nominee “Living.”

Over on the small screen side of things, “Better Call Saul...

The freshman series “Abbott Elementary,” “Andor,” “The Bear” and “Severance” and returnees “Better Call Saul,” “Hacks” and “Barry” are among the nominees for the 2023 Writers Guild Awards for television, new media, news, radio/audio, and promotional writing announced today by WGA West and WGA East. “The Bear,” “Severance” and “Saul” all landed three nominations apiece, as did “The Simpsons” in animation. “Yellowjackets” and “The Crown” will join “Saul,” “Andor” and “Severance” in the drama series lineup, while comedy series features “Only Murders in the Building” taking on “The Bear,” “Hacks,” “Barry” and “Abbott.” In the new series category, “Bad Sisters” fills out the list alongside “Andor,” “Abbott,” “The Bear” and “Severance.” Vying in the limited series lineup are “The Dropout,” “Fleishman Is In Trouble,” “Pam & Tommy,” “The Staircase” and Emmy/Golden Globes champ “The White Lotus.” See‘Abbott Elementary,’ ‘The White Lotus,’ ‘House of the Dragon’ among big TV...

AMC’s veteran drama series “Better Call Saul” is sharing the spotlight with newcomers FX’s “The Bear” and Apple TV+’s “Severance,” as all three shows scored three nominations for this year’s WGA Awards. Other new series nabbing multiple nominations include Apple TV+’s “Bad Sisters,” ABC’s “Abbott Elementary,” and Disney+’s “Andor,” with HBO Max’s “Hacks” also garnering two mentions.

The Writers Guild of America West (Wgaw) and Writers Guild of America, East (Wgae) announced nominees for TV and news categories on Wednesday morning. Winners will be awarded at the guilds’ annual ceremony on March 5.

In animation, Fox’s “The Simpsons” was thrice nominated, with network stablemate “Bob’s Burgers,” Prime Video’s “Undone,” and Adult Swim’s “Tuca and Bertie” rounding out the category.

For limited series, Hulu and HBO/HBO Max split the category, with Hulu’s “The Dropout,” “Fleishman Is In Trouble,” and...

Newcomers “The Bear” and “Severance” and departing drama “Better Call Saul” were among the frontrunners, with three nominations each, as Writers Guild of America West and Writers Guild of America, East announced nominations for outstanding achievement in television, new media, news, radio/audio, and promotional writing during 2022. Winners will be honored at the Writers Guild Awards ceremony taking place Sunday, March 5, 2023. Here are this year’s noms:

Drama Series

“Andor” — Written by Dan Gilroy, Tony Gilroy, Stephen Schiff, Beau Willimon; Disney+

“Better Call Saul” — Written by Ann Cherkis, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Ariel Levine, Thomas Schnauz, Gordon Smith, Alison Tatlock; AMC

“The Crown” — Written by Peter Morgan; Netflix

Severance, Written by Chris Black, Andrew Colville, Kari Drake, Dan Erickson, Mark Friedman, Helen Leigh, Anna Moench, Amanda Overton; Apple TV+

“Yellowjackets” — Written by Cameron Brent Johnson, Katherine Kearns, Jonathan Lisco, Ashley Lyle, Bart Nickerson, Liz Phang, Ameni Rozsa, Sarah L. Thompson,...

The Writers Guild of America has revealed the nominations for its 75th anniversary WGA Awards in the television, new media, news, radio/audio and promotional categories. The full list is below.

Nominees in the marquee TV categories include reigning Comedy Series champ Hacks, but 2022’s Drama Series winner Succession isn’t in play this year. In fact, only Yellowjackets makes a return trip to the nominees circle in that category. It will go up against the category’s newcomers: Andor, Better Call Saul, The Crown and Severance.

Related: 2022-23 Awards Season Calendar – Dates For The Oscars, Grammys, Guilds & More

Meanwhile, Hacks will vie for the Comedy Series prize against triple Golden Globe winner Abbott Elementary, The Bear and Only Murders in the Building — all of which also are up for New Series trophy — and Barry. Andor and The Bear round out the New Series combatants.

The Limited Series race will be among The Dropout,...

The Writers Guild has revealed its nominees in the categories of TV, new media, news, radio/audio and promotional writing.

Abbott Elementary, Andor, Bad Sisters, The Bear and Severance were all nominated in the new series category; Abbott and The Bear also earned nominations for comedy series, while Andor and Severance earned nods for drama.

Better Call Saul, The Crown and Yellowjackets also earned drama nods, while Barry, Hacks and Only Murders in the Building picked up comedy nominations.

The limited series nominees include The Dropout, Fleishman Is in Trouble, Pam & Tommy, The Staircase and The White Lotus.

Better Call Saul earned two additional nominations in the episodic drama category, which also includes nods for Bad Sisters, The Good Fight, Ozark and Severance. In the episodic comedy category, The Bear faces off against Grace and Frankie, Hacks, Julia, Reservation Dogs and What We Do in the Shadows. A notable...

The Writers Guild of America West (Wgaw) and Writers Guild of America, East (Wgae) have announced nominations for outstanding achievement in television, new media, news, radio/audio, and promotional writing for 2022. Winners will be honored at the 2023 Writers Guild Awards ceremony on Sunday, March 5, 2023.

Given that TV is a writer’s medium, the WGA Awards nominations give great insight into what new shows are likely to enter the Emmys race this summer. Scoring multiple nods across the categories were expected newcomers like “Abbott Elementary” and “Severance,” which already had Emmy-winning runs for their first seasons, as well as more recent critical hits “The Bear” and “Andor.” All were nominated in their respective comedy and drama categories as well as for New Series.

In the Limited Series category, the guild finally gets its turn to recognize “The Dropout,” “The Staircase,” and “Pam and Tommy,” but more importantly, for the purpose of looking at 2023 TV awards races,...

Sofya Levitsky-Weitz has signed with CAA for representation. She continues to be represented by Kelly Miller at Luminosity Management.

Levitsky-Weitz is a renowned playwright and film and television writer whose credits from the last year include the critically-acclaimed Watergate series “Gaslit” for Starz, FX’s hit drama “The Bear,” as well as the Emmy-winning Elizabeth Holmes’ series “The Dropout” for Hulu starring Amanda Seyfried.

In addition to her recent return to the writers’ room for season two of “The Bear,” Levitsky-Weitz is currently developing a television show with Sarah Blush and Lionsgate Television. She splits her time between Brooklyn and Los Angeles.

On the film side, she worked with Michael Showalter on his feature “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” for Fox Searchlight.

Some of her plays include “Cannabis Passover,” “Be Mean To Me,” “Gehinnom,” and “Intuitive Men.” A MacDowell Fellow, Levitsky-Weitz’s play “This Party Sucks” was optioned by Mark Gordon Pictures for stage,...

[Editor’s note: The following interview contains spoilers for “The Dropout” Episode 8, “Lizzy.”]

Even for those unfamiliar with the overall arc of the Theranos saga, “The Dropout” made no secret about where its eight-episode version of the story was heading. From the outset, like the ABC News podcast the series is adapted from, there’s Elizabeth Holmes speaking with federal investigators about her role in the growth of the company that promised a medical revolution that never came.

But even with that heavy and frequent foreshadowing, by the time that “The Dropout” gets to Episode 8, “Lizzy,” and you get to see Elizabeth’s deposition without a consumer camcorder filter, this show offers a surprise. Even as Amanda Seyfried’s version of Elizabeth is answering questions about meetings with investors and the viability of certain tech products, “The Dropout” cuts away to Elizabeth and her new beau sharing a tender moment with barely a care in the world.

As directed by Erica Watson,...

Spoiler Alert: This piece contains spoilers for “Lizzy,” the finale of “The Dropout,” which premiered April 7 Hulu.

When Elizabeth Meriwether was first planning “The Dropout” — her Hulu adaptation of the popular ABC News podcast of the same name, which chronicled the spectacular rise and precipitous fall of Theranos founder, Elizabeth Holmes — she had an idea about where she wanted the story to end: Burning Man. “It seemed like an interesting place for a kind of quote-unquote rebirth, you know?” Meriwether said.

She could picture Elizabeth, played by Amanda Seyfried, along with her mysterious new boyfriend Billy Evans, as Burners frolicking in the desert without a care in the world. After all, in August 2018, images of the couple at the annual late-summer festival had emerged on social media: In a viral photograph, Holmes can be seen in a T-shirt and fur-collared jacket, wearing hot pink sunglasses and a blissed-out grin. Gone...

The truth will set you free — if you’re willing to be undermined and called crazy for speaking out.

The first trailer for Starz drama series “Gaslit” shows Julia Roberts transformed into Arkansas socialite Martha Mitchell, who publicly accused President Richard Nixon of being behind the Watergate break-in. Martha’s determination to uncover the Watergate conspiracy jeopardizes the career of her husband, Attorney General John Mitchell, played by an unrecognizable Sean Penn. Accused of being “paranoid” as a “woman of a certain age,” the gaslighting only works to light a fire underneath her even more…

Premiering April 24 on Starz, “Gaslit” is based on the “insane but shockingly true story” that was featured in a first season episode of Slate’s award-winning podcast “Slow Burn.” Watch the trailer below.

“In ‘Gaslit,’ we not only have the opportunity to tell an incredible untold story in bringing Martha Mitchell’s historic role in Watergate to the forefront,...

Sean Penn has set an ultimatum on the set of the upcoming Starz Watergate series “Gaslit”: either the entire cast and crew receive Covid-19 vaccines, or he’s not returning to work. Although NBCUniversal, “Gaslit’s” studio, imposed mandatory vaccines for “Zone A” cast and crew members (those in close proximity during production), and provided an on-site vaccination clinic for those involved with the production, Penn is putting his foot down. The actor’s representatives confirmed his decision to Variety.

Penn has offered to facilitate the mandatory-for-all vaccination effort, free of charge, through his nonprofit organization Community Organized Relief Effort.

“Gaslit” focuses on the untold stories and forgotten characters of Watergate, from Nixon’s opportunistic subordinates, to the deranged zealots aiding and abetting their crimes, to the tragic whistleblowers who would eventually bring down the whole enterprise. Penn will play Attorney General John Mitchell, Nixon’s most trusted adviser...

Starz has added five actors in recurring roles to its upcoming Watergate series “Gaslit.”

Allison Tolman, Chris Bauer, J.C. MacKenzie, Hamish Linklater, and Chris Messina have all joined the series. They join a cast that will be led by Julia Roberts, Sean Penn, and Dan Stevens.

The story will center on Martha Mitchell (Roberts). A big personality with an even bigger mouth, Martha is a celebrity Arkansan socialite and wife to President Nixon’s loyal Attorney General, John Mitchell (Penn). Despite her party affiliation, she’s the first person to publicly sound the alarm on Nixon’s involvement in Watergate, causing both the Presidency and her personal life to unravel.

Tolman will play Winnie McLendon, the DC journalist who would ultimately become Martha Mitchell’s biographer. An intrepid young journalist trapped in the “pink ghetto” of society stories, Winnie first sees Martha Mitchell as just another puff piece in Ladies...

Betty Gilpin, Shea Whigham, and Darby Camp have all been cast in the upcoming Starz Watergate drama series “Gaslit,” Variety has learned. The trio joins previously announced cast members Julia Roberts, Sean Penn, and Dan Stevens.

The story will center on Martha Mitchell (Roberts). A big personality with an even bigger mouth, Martha is a celebrity Arkansan socialite and wife to President Nixon’s loyal Attorney General, John Mitchell (Penn). Despite her party affiliation, she’s the first person to publicly sound the alarm on Nixon’s involvement in Watergate, causing both the Presidency and her personal life to unravel.

Gilpin will star as Mo Dean, a former stewardess who meets John Dean (Stevens) on a blind date and falls in love with him just as he becomes embroiled in Watergate. Sharp and quick-thinking, Mo learns her new husband is a principal figure in the scandal as they’re both thrust onto a national stage.

Dan Stevens has been cast in the Starz series “Gaslit,” which will tell the story of the Watergate scandal, Variety has learned from sources.

Stevens joins previously announced cast members Julia Roberts and Sean Penn. Roberts will star as Martha Mitchell, the protagonist and the celebrity Arkansan socialite who was one of the first to publicly sound the alarm on Nixon’s involvement in Watergate in spite of her affiliation to the president via her husband, Attorney General John Mitchell, who will be played by Penn.

Stevens will star as John Dean. Described as a hotshot upstart, Dean is the young White House Counsel torn between his ambition and his struggle with whether he can lie to protect the President. Armie Hammer had previously been cast as Dean, but it was announced he was no longer involved with the project when it was picked up to series in February.

Starz declined to comment.

Starz has picked up the Watergate drama “Gaslit,” starring Julia Roberts and Sean Penn, the premium cable channel said Monday.

Penn is set to star as Richard Nixon’s loyal attorney general, John Mitchell, with Roberts playing Mitchell’s Arkansan socialite wife, Martha.

Based on Slate’s “Slow Burn” podcast, the anthology series project previously had Joel Edgerton attached to direct and star alongside Roberts and Penn. But Edgerton and his brother, Nash Edgerton, exited the series ahead of its pickup at Starz, as did Armie Hammer. An individual with knowledge tells TheWrap the three departed several months ago due to scheduling conflicts. Hammer and Joel Edgerton’s roles are being recast.

“Gaslit,” which is scheduled to begin production this spring, is described by the studio as a “modern take on Watergate that focuses on the untold stories and forgotten characters of the scandal — from Nixon’s bumbling, opportunistic subordinates,...

Starz is officially picking up “Gaslit,” an anthology series from creator and showrunner Robbie Pickering based on the award-winning Slate podcast “Slow Burn.”

The series focuses on the untold stories and forgotten characters of Watergate, from Nixon’s opportunistic subordinates to the deranged zealots aiding and abetting their crimes to the tragic whistleblowers who would eventually bring the whole rotten enterprise crashing down.

Previously announced talent still attached to the show include Academy Award-winning actors Julia Roberts (“Homecoming”) and Sean Penn (“Milk”). According to an individual with knowledge of the project, Armie Hammer and Joel Edgerton (who were both slated to star in the Watergate anthology series) and brother Nash Edgerton (who was set to direct and executive produce along with his brother), will no longer be a part of “Gaslit.” They departed the projects several months ago due to scheduling conflicts, the source revealed to Variety. Hammer and Edgerton’s roles are being recast,...

Watergate drama Gaslit, which is based on Slate’s Slow Burn podcast, has landed at Starz, though it has lost a couple of names along the way.

The network has greenlighted the UCP-produced series starring Julia Roberts and Sean Penn. Joel Edgerton, who was set to star and direct, no longer is attached, and neither is his brother Nash Edgerton.

The pair join Armie Hammer, who was originally attached to the project, but also exited. The project was first unveiled in February 2020. These two roles, Hammer was set to play White House Counsel John Dean and Edgerton was set to play G. Gordon Liddy chief operative of Richard Nixon’s “Plumbers” unit, will now be recast.

Matt Ross, who has directed feature films including Captain Fantastic and 28 Hotel Rooms, now will direct and exec produce. Robbie Pickering, who has worked on series including Mr. Robot and Search Party,...

A new set of 24 “Viral Monologues” from The 24 Hour Plays will be available on Instagram tonight, with actors Daveed Diggs, Michael Shannon, Clark Gregg, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Dylan Baker, Danny Pudi and Josh Hamilton, among others, performing monologues written by playwrights including Jonathan Marc Sherman, Eric Bogosian and Stephen Adly Guirgis.

See the complete list of performers and writers below. The new round of monologues will begin at 6 pm/Et, with a new one posted every 15 minutes until midnight on Instagram and The 24 Hour Plays website (see links below).

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The first round of monologues hit Instagram last week, with actors including Patrick Wilson, Rachel Dratch and Hugh Dancy,...