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Following a rousing opening to the Oscars in March, where Cynthia Erivo was joined by Wicked co-star Ariana Grande for a medley of the classic musical’s hits “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” (from The Wizard of Oz) and “Defying Gravity,” the Jesus Christ Superstar actress brought the same powerhouse vocals to the first moments of Tony Awards, the 78th edition of which she is hosting live from Radio City Music Hall today.

Broadcasting live on CBS and streamer Paramount+, the inaugural moments of the fete began with Erivo backstage getting prodded by various backstage helpers into zhuzhing up her opening act with stunts and gimmicks in order to grab audiences and excite them: There were suggestions to push an assistant down the stairs à la Death Becomes Her, while Abbott Elementary‘s Larry Owens advocated for her to just do her famous run in “Defying Gravity.

“31 Candles,” a romantic comedy from “Exmas” director Jonah Feingold, has been acquired by Level 33 Entertainment.

The film will hit theaters in North America later this year. Level 33 will also represent “31 Candles” for international sales at the upcoming Cannes Film Market.

“31 Candles” follows a 30-year-old New Yorker named Leo Kadner (Feingold), who spontaneously plans his long-overdue Bar Mitzvah after running into his former summer camp crush, Eva Shapiro (newcomer Sarah Coffey). Jackie Sandler, Dale Moss (“The Bachelorette”), comedian Jared Freid, Catherine Cohen (“Only Murders In The Building”), Lori Tan Chinn (“A Man on the Inside”), Caroline Aaron (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), Larry Owens (“Abbott Elementary”) round out the cast.

“This is all a Bar Mitzvah boy could ever want — a chance to share a personal, funny, Jewish love story with the world,” Feingold said. “I hope audiences support our completely independent film.”

Feingold also wrote and directed “31 Candles,” which is his fifth feature film.

Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra hit the carpet at the opening night of The Last Five Years at Hudson Theatre on Sunday night (April 6) in New York City.

The 32-year-old star of the show got the support of his wife on his big night, as well as from all three of his brothers – Joe, Kevin and Franklin, with girlfriend Anna Olson – and his grandmother, Frances Madonia.

Nick‘s co-star Adrienne Warren also hit the carpet, as well as their standbys, Noah Kieserman and Nasia Thomas, writer Jason Robert Brown and director Whitney White.

This marks the Broadway returns for both Nick and Adrienne, but more importantly, this is the official Broadway debut for the 25-year-old musical!

Also in attendance at opening night were fellow Broadway stars Sherie Rene Scott, Darren Criss, Will Chase and Ingrid Michaelson, Betsy Wolfe, Shaina Taub, Gracie Lawrence, Adam Kantor, Betsy Wolfe, Norbert Leo Butz, Michael Park and Joshua Henry,...

The teachers at Willard R. Abbott Elementary in Philadelphia will continue to enrich the lives of their students for another year. Variety reports that ABC’s Abbott Elementary has been renewed for Season 5 after it hit a viewership milestone of 8.05 million people tuning in to its winter premiere, which was a crossover with It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

The fourth season of the ABC hit sitcom is currently airing on ABC with episodes streaming the next day on Hulu. Cbr named Abbott Elementary one of the best sitcoms since 2020, saying that the show “feels like a breath of fresh air.” The series follows a group of teachers at Abbott Elementary School who are the subject of a documentary. The teachers are followed as they attempt to guide their students on a path of success. The series has a stellar 99% on Rotten Tomatoes.

The Emmy-winning series was created by Quinta Brunson,...

Warning: This article contains Spoilers for Harley Quinn season 5, episode 1Harley Quinn season 5 might not have been talked about much before its release due to the focus on James Gunn's DC Universe, but I have to say it will likely turn heads. I'm a fan of the show and the expanded universe it has created, which now includes a Kite Man spinoff series. That kind of worldbuilding, presenting a lived-in world from the start full of established heroes and villains, is exactly what Gunn is going for with the Dcu, and Harley Quinn could teach the franchise some lessons.

Harley Quinn is a 2019 film focusing on the titular character's evolution after severing ties with the Joker. As she seeks to establish herself as an independent force in Gotham City's criminal underworld, the film explores her journey toward becoming Gotham's criminal Queenpin.

Release Date  November 29, 2019Rating  TV-MAGenres  Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Animation,...

The highly anticipated collision of two hit sitcoms, Abbott Elementary and It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, finally has a release date. The crossover television event, which Sunny star Rob McElhenney teased on social media back in October, is bringing the two Philadelphia-based shows together on January 8, 2025.

Speaking with Bleeding Cool, Abbott EPs Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker said the crossover is a full synthesis of the two shows' characters and storylines, not merely a series of cameos:

"We got the whole gang, the 'A' story, 'B' story, 'C,' 'D,' it's all them. "Charlie Day's character [Charlie Kelly] has a pretty significant storyline in our episode."

Related Producers Reveal Which Its Always Sunny Character is Pivotal to Abbott Elementary Crossover

Abbott Elementary executive producers shared an exciting update about the show's buzzed-about crossover with Always Sunny.

The news of the two TV comedies coming together created a lot...

While Los Angeles suffers from a late summer heat wave, New York is also turning up the temperature thanks to the current star-packed parade happening at fashion shows across the city.

New York Fashion Week — happening now through Sept. 11 — is hosting shows from some of the industry’s top designers, and actors, artists, influencers, sports stars and even a First Lady (Dr. Jill Biden) have been on the scene to catch the debut of designs from the front row.

Below, The Hollywood Reporter takes a look at the stars sitting front row during New York Fashion Week.

Derek Blasberg, Alessandra Ambrosio, Joan Smalls, Ayra Starr, Tinashe and Coco Jones at the Off-White show on Sept. 8, 2024. Sunisa Lee, Eva Chen, Issa Rae, Lena Waithe, Zayn Malik, Camila Cabello, Paris Jackson and Ddg attend at Off-White. Fresh from winning the U.S. Open, tennis star Aryna Sabalenka poses with Zayn Malik at Off-White.

Amy Schumer’s Life & Beth is no longer.

Hulu has canceled the dramedy after two seasons. The move is not a huge surprise as the second season finished in February, and while Hulu obviously didn’t release any viewing data, it failed to crack Nielsen’s streaming list.

Written, directed, executive produced and starring Schumer, Life & Beth follows Beth (Schumer), whose life looks pretty great on paper. Impressive to everyone she grew up with, she makes a good living as a wine distributor. She’s in a long-term relationship with an attractive, successful guy and lives in Manhattan. But when a sudden incident forces her to engage with her past, her life changes forever.

Related: 2024 Premiere Dates For New & Returning Series On Broadcast, Cable & Streaming

Through flashbacks to her teen self (portrayed by Violet Young), Beth started to learn how she became who she is and who she wants to become.

Abbott Elementary always spreads its wealth among the seven principal castmembers, but this has been a particularly robust year for Chris Perfetti, who portrays the lovably awkward, overeager history teacher Jacob Hill. In season three, Jacob broke up with his long-term boyfriend, Zach (Larry Owens), watched his best friend, Janine (Quinta Brunson), leave Abbott for a new job, became accidental roommates with his fiery co-worker Melissa (Lisa Ann Walter), hosted an Ira Glassian podcast called This Abbott Life, and got to witness an unexpected concert by Questlove (who also DJ’d the cast’s wrap party in West Hollywood) at the school’s second annual Ava Fest.

The recent Hollywood strikes lowered Abbott‘s episode count from 22 to 14, but the four-time Emmy-winning ABC mockumentary remained network TV’s sharpest comedy. Like his colleagues, Perfetti speaks with awe of the enterprise that executive producer Brunson has created. The scripts, he says,...

It’s almost time to head back to Westeros as the second season of “House of the Dragon” premieres on Max and HBO on Sunday, June 16. The epic prequel series to “Game of Thrones” will air new episodes in HBO’s premier window on Sunday night through Aug. 4. Also hitting the service in June will be the comedy special from “Hacks” star “Hannah Einbinder: Everything Must Go” and the motel-renovation series “Trixie Motel: Drag Me Home.”

Also coming to Max via the Bleacher Report Sports Add-On will be United States Men’s and Women’s soccer games, the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race, Major League Baseball games, and potentially the conclusions of the NBA and NHL conference championship slates. Don’t miss any of the sports action and streaming premieres of the best prestige and unscripted titles on Max. The streamer offers three monthly subscription plans ranging from ad-supported...

In 2024, could there be sure a thing as a “hip film studio” that would attract both filmmakers and adventurous filmgoers despite the subject matter or “creatives”? From the intense internet “buzz” the answer is a big yes. A century ago it was those Warner Brothers with their urban crime thrillers (before expanding into swashbucklers and tearjerkers). And there are those studios that specialize in a genre as Blumhouse does with horror and the Marvel Studios with their comics properties. Perhaps the last time a studio inspired nearly blind loyalty may have been in the early 90s with Miramax, which introduced us to, among many, Kevin Smith and Quentin Tarantino before one of the founders started the spark that became “Me Too”. Today it is A24, which grabbed the top six Oscars a year ago. Last week saw the release of Love Lies Bleeding. From that quirky crime noir/love story...

Perhaps the only sane way to tell a story about the U.S. Immigration system is to make it as absurd and fantastical as possible, and Julio Torres’ “Problemista,” like his HBO series “Los Espookys,” is packed with visually elaborate set pieces that feel handmade and human. But the most complex build of the film — one that also features a child’s impossible dream castle and a maze of immigration offices laid out like the world’s worst ant farm — was located in Torres’ vision of the digital world.

Larry Owens personifies the website Craigslist, to which Torres’ character Alejandro turns to raise the cash to process his work sponsorship forms for his visa, assuming that the mercurial Elizabeth (Tilda Swinton) will, in fact, sign them. Over the course of “Problemista,” Alejandro and Craiglist commune several times, first and most spectacularly with Ale falling through, one assumes, the wormhole tubes...

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Abbott Elementary

Jacob and Zach's breakup in Abbott Elementary season 3 was emotional and unexpected. Chris Perfetti is excited about the new opportunities for his character, Jacob, post-breakup. The future of Jacob and Zach's relationship in the show is uncertain, but Larry Owens may return.

The Zach breakup in Abbott Elementary season 3 is explained by star Chris Perfetti. ABC’s workplace comedy premiered in 2021, following teachers and other staff members at the eponymous school in Philadelphia. Along with Perfetti, the cast includes Quinta Brunson, Janelle James, Tyler James Williams, Lisa Ann Walter, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and William Stanford Davis. Perfetti portrays Jacob, a history teacher whose relationship with boyfriend Zach (Larry Owens) has been explored on occasion, but during a recent Abbott Elementary season 3 episode, it was revealed that Jacob and Zach broke up.

In an interview with Screen Rant, Perfetti discussed the break-up between his character and Zach.

Problemista.As a former Saturday Night Live writer, co-creator of the bilingual HBO cult favorite Los Espookys, and government-certified “alien of extraordinary ability,” Julio Torres has been preoccupied with the secret life of objects: the existential dilemmas that plague baubles and trinkets divorced from their original purpose. In Problemista (2024), Torres’s debut feature, the efficacy of form and function, as it applies to the predominant social order and the flimsy structures that reinforce it, is up for constant reconsideration. Through fabulist vignettes and an iridescent array of signs and symbols, the film offers a buoyant critique of institutional frameworks, especially the Kafkaesque bureaucracy of the American immigration system, but also the avarice of corporate banks and the innumerable hypocrisies of the art world. Contributing a singular perspective to the discourse surrounding “the queer art of failure,” Torres views conventional notions of utility with puckish skepticism and advocates for a deliberate...

It’s immediately evident that Problemista, the new feature from A24, certainly comes from the mind of Julio Torres, the writer and comedian who brought his surreal ideas to Saturday Night Live and the HBO series about horror lovers, Los Espookys. But unlike most of his other work, Problemista gets personal.

Problemista — which Torres wrote, directed and stars in — follows Alejandro, who, like Torres did at one point, needs a visa sponsorship to stay in the United States rather than returning home to El Salvador. Alejandro is desperate to work at Hasbro, but they never respond to his applications containing beautifully bizarre ideas for toys that are more philosophical than practical. (Think: Torres’ beloved SNL sketch “Wells for Boys.”) Instead, he works at a cryonics center where humans are frozen, with the idea that they will be brought back to life in the future. He watches over the icy tomb...

Julio Torres and Tilda Swinton Photo: Jon Pack Problemista, the debut film from stand-up comedian, SNL Melania whisperer, and Los Espookys co-creator Julio Torres, lands closer to Uhf than Being John Malkovich, creating a slick and consistently hilarious comedic satire that aims to please more than challenge. Abandoning the confidence...

Julio Torres

Photo: Jon Pack

Problemista, the debut film from stand-up comedian, SNL Melania whisperer, and Los Espookys co-creator Julio Torres, lands closer to Uhf than Being John Malkovich, creating a slick and consistently hilarious comedic satire that aims to please more than challenge. Abandoning the confidence of his “Space Prince” stage persona,...

[Warning: The below contains Major spoilers for Abbott Elementary, Season 3, Episode 5, “Breakup.”] Abbott Elementary may be a setting for educating young minds, but behind the scenes in the Season 3 episode, “Breakup,” it was the backdrop for Jacob’s (Chris Perfetti) exit strategy when it came to his relationship with boyfriend Zach (Larry Owens). In the installment, Jacob leans into nights out with colleague and pal Gregory (Tyler James Williams) in a clear avoidance of returning home. When Gregory notices his friend’s odd behavior, he confronts Jacob and asks him to be honest about what’s going on. It turns out that Jacob is trying to get Zach to break up with him so he doesn’t have to be the dumper in this scenario. But Gregory’s guidance helps Jacob realize that he should probably be upfront about how he’s feeling. When he and Zach finally talk it out, Jacob accidentally lets it slip that...

Emma Stone and husband Dave McCary are stepping out for the premiere of Problemista, which they co-produced!

The couple joined star, director, and writer Julio Torres along with fellow cast members Tilda Swinton, Isabella Rossellini, James Scully, Spike Einbinder, Larry Owens, Kelly McCormack, and Laith Nakli at the movie’s premiere on Tuesday evening (February 27) held at the Village East Cinema in New York City.

Fellow producer Ali Herting also joined Emma and Dave on the red carpet.

Keep reading to find out more…Here’s the synopsis: “Alejandro is an aspiring toy designer from El Salvador, struggling to bring his unusual ideas to life in New York City. As time on his work visa runs out, a job assisting an erratic art-world outcast becomes his only hope to stay in the country and realize his dream.”

It was recently announced that Emma will be reuniting with Poor Things and...

A24 has set March 1 for the limited release of the Julio Torres-directed feature Problemista, with the title going wide on March 22. A special video release announcement featuring Torres and his co-star Tilda Swinton can be found above.

The feature was originally set to premiere in August but was delayed due to the dual WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.

Julio Torres and Tilda Swinton in ‘Problemista’

The surreal adventure Problemista follows Alejandro (Torres), an aspiring toy designer from El Salvador struggling to bring his unusual ideas to life in New York City. As time on his work visa runs out, a job assisting an erratic art-world outcast Elizabeth (Swinton) becomes his only hope to stay in the country and realize his dream. Problemista is described as a surreal adventure through the equally treacherous worlds of New York City and the U.S. Immigration system.

A four-time Emmy nominee, Torres directed from his own script,...

“Exmas” filmmaker Jonah Feingold is directing a new romantic comedy, “31 Candles.”

The independent film will feature the ensemble cast of Jackie Sandler, Dale Moss of “The Bachelorette” fame, comedian Jared Freid, Catherine Cohen (“The Twist…? She’s Gorgeous”), “Abbot Elementary” actor Larry Owens and newcomer Sarah Coffey.

The call sheet also includes Caroline Aaron (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), Djouliet Amara (“The Big Door Prize” on Apple TV+), Seth Barrish (“Billion”) and Lori Tan Chinn (“Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens”). It recently wrapped in production in New York City.

“31 Candles” is inspired by Feingold’s life and follows a 30-year-old New Yorker named Leo Kadner (Feingold), who has a Bar Mitzvah after running into his former summer camp crush, Eva Shapiro (Coffey). He must navigate situationships, exes, and relatives to complete his Mitzvah project… and maybe even grow up. The coming-of-age film explores tradition, identity, and how far someone will go for a former love.

At once a rowdy comedy and a weirdly affecting tale of working class solidarity, “Dumb Money” is perhaps the best period piece ever made about a period that just happened. The movie, directed by Craig Gillespie in full-on comedy mode, takes us all the way back to the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, when a cast of individual investors took on Wall Street with nothing but a few dollars and an unwavering sense of team spirit.

It feels almost silly to recount the broad strokes of the narrative, given how recently we all lived through it. The time was 2020. The stock was GameStop. The hero was a cat person live-streaming out of his basement. It’s difficult to imagine a viewer going into this story entirely blind. But unlike many ripped-from-the-headlines movies, “Dumb Money,” which plays like “The Big Short” for underdogs, has no trouble justifying its existence, even...

In his exclusive uInterview, actor Larry Owens spoke about working with Tilda Swinton, calling her “the warmest person,” on their new film Problemista.

When asked about his most memorable moment from the shoot Owens immediately replied with “reading the script” because he feels it was where the creativity starts.

“Reading the script was the biggest moment because that’s where your imagination goes wild and that’s where the story begins.”

He continued to explain that this movie is for people who have active imaginations and that they will be able to relate to the story personally.

“It’s about like people who use their imagination and that’s going to be a lot of the audience members, who like need to hear this story but they’re hearing it from the best place,” he said.

Owens recalled meeting fellow castmate Swinton at the South by Southwest film festival in Austin,...

A24's Problemista is the latest film to feel the effects of the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. The indie film, which premiered this March at the SXSW Film Festival to critical praise, was set to hit theaters August 4th. According to Deadline, who first reported the news, A24's postponement is an effort to help filmmaker Julio Torres, as independent films typically do best when their stars are available for press events.

Problemista marks Torres' directorial debut, and he stars in the film as Alejandro, a young immigrant artist desperate to find a co-signer for his visa so that he can remain in New York. Desperate, he turns to his frightening boss Elizabeth (Tilda Swinton), who agrees to help Alejandro in exchange for his help putting together an art exhibit. As Elizabeth, Swinton portrays a nightmarish art curator who makes Alejandro's journey to the American Dream a nightmarish experience.

To create...

“Problemista” has hit a problem with its theatrical release.

Distributor A24 has officially delayed the August 4 premiere of Julio Torres’ film, which debuted at 2023 SXSW. A new release date will be determined later; the news comes after Amazon pushed back Luca Guadagnino’s “Challengers” and Lionsgate delayed the release of “White Bird.” Deadline first reported on the “Problemista” delay, which IndieWire confirmed.

Deadline first reported that A24 opted to release “Problemista” once the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike is resolved so writer/director/actor Torres and co-star Tilda Swinton could be available to do press promoting the indie film. The rollout was slated to begin with a limited release while Torres was doing a press tour with screenings and Q&As. The film will still play at a sold-out Outfest showcase on Saturday in Los Angeles.

“Problemista” follows Alejandro (Torres), an aspiring toy designer from El Salvador who is struggling to bring...

Exclusive: In light of the current strikes, A24 is pausing the release of Julio Torres’ Problemista which was set to launch limited on Aug. 4. The new release date will be determined down the road. The studio is doing this to support filmmaker Torres, furthermore these awards-type indie movies need their stars, Tilda Swinton here, available to do press and raise such fare’s profile.

Problemista is the second August release after Lionsgate’s White Bird to move off its opening date; that pic originally scheduled for a limited release on Aug. 18. It’s obvious the SAG-AFTRA strike is having a more immediate upending impact than anticipated. Studios are able to pivot with these movies at the last minute as they do not have long-lead tentpole campaigns with big TV spends.

The movie made its world premiere out of SXSW where it notched 91% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

Pic follows Alejandro (Torres...

Julio Torres, who has earned writing credits on over 60 episodes of Saturday Night Live and co-created the horror comedy series Los Espookys with Ana Fabrega and Fred Armisen, has made his directorial debut with the oddball comedy Problemista, which is set to receive a limited theatrical release from A24 on August 4th. A wide release will follow on August 25th. With those dates swiftly approaching, a new trailer for Problemista has arrived online, and you can check it out in the embed above.

Promising to take viewers on a “surreal adventure through the equally treacherous worlds of New York City and the U.S. Immigration system”, Problemista has the following synopsis: Alejandro is an aspiring toy designer from El Salvador, struggling to bring his unusual ideas to life in New York City. As time on his work visa runs out, a job assisting an erratic art-world outcast becomes his only...

The official trailer for Sony’s “Dumb Money” has dropped, shedding light on how a group of amateur investors artificially increased the stock value of GameStop, the popular video game retailer.

The short squeeze occurred in January 2021 after Reddit users on a page called “Wall Street Bets” united to catalyze a market explosion. As a result, significant hedge funds and independent short sellers incurred devastating financial loss.

Based on author Ben Mezrich’s “The Antisocial Network,” “Dumb Money” similarly centers around the Reddit users behind the phenomenon with actors Seth Rogen, Paul Dano, Sebastian Stan and Pete Davidson in lead roles.

The star-studded cast also includes Nick Offerman, Shailene Woodley, America Ferrera, Dane DeHaan, Vincent D’Onofrio, Clancy Brown, Anthony Ramos, Kate Burton, Christina Brucato, Deniz Akdeniz, Talia Ryder, Myha’la Herrold, Larry Owens and Rushi Kota.

Emmy-nominated director Craig Gillespie, best known for his work on projects like “I, Tonya,” “Cruella...

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.

Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:

Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys

2023 Emmy Predictions:

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series Luke Kirby in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”

Weekly Commentary: Commentary to be added.

Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Primetime Emmy predictions in the major categories.

The rankings for the category are below.

The final Emmy voting rounds open on Aug.

One of the highlights from SXSW earlier this year was SNL writer and Los Espookys co-creator Julio Torres’ feature-length writing and directing debut Problemista. Backed by A24 and also starring Tilda Swinton, RZA, Isabella Rossellini, Larry Owens, Catalina Saavedra, and Greta Lee, the film follows an aspiring toy designer from El Salvador who is struggling to bring his unusual ideas to life in New York City. As time on his work visa runs out, a job assisting an erratic art-world outcast becomes his only hope to stay in the country and realize his dream. Ahead of an August release, the first trailer has now arrived for the Emma Stone-produced film.

Jake Kring-Schreifels said in his SXSW review, “In Problemista, Torres’ feature-length writing and directing debut––loosely based on his own struggles as an immigrant––everything is just slightly off-kilter, too. Consider the single clump of hair that sticks out from his character’s head,...

Tilda Swinton transforms once more for a role — this time into a deranged yet endearing art critic for Julio Torres’ satire “Problemista.”

The film debuted at 2023 SXSW, with Torres marking his feature directorial debut coming off “Los Espookys.” Torres plays Alejandro, an aspiring toy designer from El Salvador who is struggling to bring his unusual ideas to life in New York City. As time on his work visa runs out, a job assisting an erratic art-world outcast (Swinton) becomes his only hope to stay in the country and realize his dream. Torres writes and directs the surreal adventure film that shows the pitfalls of the equally treacherous worlds of New York City and the U.S. Immigration system.

RZA, Isabella Rossellini, Larry Owens, Catalina Saavedra, and Greta Lee round out the A24 film. Torres also produces, along with Emma Stone, Dave McCary, and Ali Herting. “Problemista” is among IndieWire’s...

The Gold Derby predictions center event for the 2023 Emmy Awards has now added the Comedy Guest Actor category. We have compiled lists of nearly 40 eligible performers in each of the four guest acting races that reflect our educated guesses on who will be submitted for consideration. More names will be added in the next few months and when the Television Academy releases this year’s ballots in June. Make your very first selections now!

From last year’s six nominees, only Nathan Lane (“Only Murders in the Building”) is eligible to return. After six previous nominations in the guest acting categories on series from “Frasier” and “Mad About You” to “Modern Family” and drama “The Good Wife,” Lane finally took home his first Primetime Emmy last year for the first season of “Only Murders” as the criminal Teddy Dimas. Two of the shows that earned spots last year — “Curb Your Enthusiasm...

In the film Problemista, Tilda Swinton played the eccentric art critic who drags the immigrant toy designer Alejandro, played by writer and director Julio Torres, around to archive and catalog her late husband’s artwork, played by RZA.

In an exclusive interview with uInterview at the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas, Larry Owens recalled his favorite moment from shooting the movie.

>Watch Julio Torres’ uINTERVIEW Now!

“Reading the script was the biggest moment because that’s where your imagination goes wild and that’s where the story begins,” he said. “It’s about, like, people who use their imagination and there’s going to be a lot of the audience members who, like, need to hear this story, but they’re hearing it from the best place.”

Owens also revealed what it was like working with Swinton.

“Oh my gosh, I mean so our roles didn’t...

A24’s latest film Problemista just had its premiere at SXSW last week. It stars Julio Torres, who is best known for writing 6 seasons of Saturday Night Live and co-creating HBO Max's much-loved but short-lived series Los Espookys, and also serves as his feature film directorial debut. He also wrote the script, which follows a Salvadorian toy designer who dreams of making it big in New York.

Problemista has an eclectic cast full of top-tier talent that includes Tilda Swinton, who plays art critic Elizabeth, Wu-Tang Clan's RZA as her painter husband Bobby, and Isabella Rossellini as the narrator. The film also stars several acclaimed up-and-coming actors and previous Torres collaborators, from Titans star James Scully and Abbott Elementary fan-favorite Larry Owens to Catalina Saavedra and Greta Titelman from Los Espookys.

Related: Tales From Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves SXSW Premiere

Screen Rant spoke to the stars of...

The term “unique voice” gets thrown around a lot. But how else do you describe Julio Torres? Over several years as a writer for Saturday Night Live and actor on HBO’s Los Espookys he’s quietly cultivated his own fresh, distinguished comedic sensibility, highlighting the surreality and humanity in the perfunctory. That’s most evident in the variety of digital shorts written during his time at 30 Rock, where he captured, for example, the nightmares and paranoia of a graphic designer tortured by Avatar’s papyrus font, or the inner life of an oddly shaped glass sink in an otherwise bland linoleum bathroom. You picture him looking at the world with his head slightly bent.

In Problemista, Torres’ feature-length writing and directing debut––loosely based on his own struggles as an immigrant––everything is just slightly off-kilter, too. Consider the single clump of hair that sticks out from his character’s head,...

Some folks have it easy, and others make life difficult for themselves. Guess which type “Problemista” is about.

The perpetually unsatisfied title character, a demanding New York art critic played by Tilda Swinton as a hag with hair the color of hibiscus tea, is obsessed with archiving the life’s work of her late husband (RZA), who left behind a series of egg paintings no one seems to understand. Swinton feels like a future Halloween costume in search of a movie in writer-director Julio Torres’ overly kooky and all-too-quixotic debut — another attention-deficit comedy from the studio that made “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” except that Torres lacks the technical experience to pull off even a fraction of the ideas to which he aspires.

That’s a waste of such an up-for-anything talent as Swinton, who’s presented here as the human equivalent of a fire-breathing dragon. What isn’t remotely clear is why,...

When I saw the poster for Problemista, a film that tackles issues of immigration, I wondered why Tilda Swinton — who stars — was on the poster. After seeing it, I now understand. Written and directed by Julio Torres, the movie takes on the U.S. immigration system and isolation, all packaged in a sweet surrealist bow. Alongside Torres, the film stars Swinton, Rza, Isabella Rossellini, Catalina Saaverdra and James Scully.

The movie begins with Alejandro (Torres) as a boy in El Salvador. He’s sitting in a field with his artist mother Delores (Saaverdra) drawing pictures. She shields him from the world by encouraging him to create safe spaces for himself, so the young boy retreats inward where he explores the boundaries of his wild imagination. As an adult, he lives in New York City with the goal to become a toy maker with Hasbro. The young man has tried many...

Half of the jokes in “Problemista” fell on deaf ears at the film’s SXSW world premiere, but not because the audience didn’t want to hear them. Rather, the Austin crowd covered up several lines of dialogue with howling laughter seemingly every other time writer-director-star Julio Torres opened his mouth as Alejandro, an aspiring toy designer in New York City doing his best not to get deported back to El Salvador.

Catalina Saavedra, who played Alejandro’s mother, Dolores, pointed out the uproar during the post-screening Q&a. When asked if it felt good to hear the reactions to the film, she joked that she didn’t get anything from it. Speaking in Spanish, she said that American audiences react that way to everything they see.

The movie did manage to slow down for its sweeter beats. During a particularly heartfelt sequence near the end of the film, Torres’ co-star Tilda Swinton,...

Madonna is set to embark on her first-ever tour celebrating 40 years of her hits. “Madonna: The Celebration Tour” will kick off in Vancouver at the Rogers Arena on Saturday, July 15, 2023 and will wrap up on December 1 at Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome.

A five-minute video featuring Diplo, Judd Apatow, Jack Black, Lil Wayne, Bob The Drag Queen, Kate Berlant, Larry Owens, Meg Stalter, Eric Andre, and Amy Schumer was released along with the tour announcement. The video pays homage to Madonna’s Truth or Dare and ends with Schumer daring the bestselling female solo touring artist to perform hits from her four-decade-long catalog.

“I am excited to explore as many songs as possible in hopes to give my fans the show they have been waiting for,” stated Madonna.

Tickets for the 35-city tour go on sale on Friday, January 20, 2023. For more info, visit madonna.com/tour.

Madonna: The Celebration Tour North American Dates

Sat Jul 15 – Vancouver,...

Madonna announced dates for her Celebration Tour on Tuesday with the help of some Hollywood friends.

In a nearly five-minute video shared to her social accounts — including her Instagram, which was wiped on Monday in anticipation of the announcement — the artist can be seen paying tribute to her 1991 Blond Ambition World Tour documentary Truth or Dare. The announcement comes at the end of the video, which features Amy Schumer, Judd Apatow, Jack Black, Lil Wayne, Diplo, Kate Berlant, Eric Andre, Bob the Drag Queen, Larry Owens and Meg Stalter around a table playing the game Truth or Dare.

The tour will kick off this July in Vancouver and end in December in Amsterdam, spanning 35 cities in total across North America and Europe. Other major stops during the first leg include Detroit, Chicago, New York, Miami and Los Angeles, with 11 additional dates outside North America — in London, Barcelona, Paris and Stockholm,...

Madonna is confirming the rumours, announcing on Tuesday that she’ll be embarking on an expansive new world tour that will feature her biggest hits from throughout her 40-year career.

The singer made the announcement in a cheeky video paying homage to her iconic documentary “Truth and Dare”, in which she’s gathered around a large table with an array of celebrities for a game of Truth or Dare, including Amy Schumer, Diplo, Judd Apatow, Jack Black, Lil Wayne, Bob the Drag Queen, Kate Berlant, Larry Owens, Meg Stalter, Eric Andre and more.

After various dares are attempted — including one in which Black, Lil Wayne and Madonna recreate the cover of her Sex book — Madonna is presented with a dare by Schumer.

Read More: Report: Madonna To Announce Career-Spanning 40th Anniversary Tour, Said To Be ‘The Biggest Tour She’s Ever Done’

“Madonna: I dare you to do a world...

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Truth or dare? ? Madonna has rarely ever been one to shy away from the latter. In an announcement video that nods to her documentary of the same title, a slate of special guests prompts her with a challenge: “I dare you to do a world tour and play your greatest motherfucking hits.”

Madonna: the Celebration tour will span 40 years of the singer’s career, bringing her greatest hits...

Indeed, actor Lena Waithe and her company Hillman Grad, and 271 Films have named the filmmakers chosen to participate in the third season of their program, Rising Voices.

Those set for Rising Voices Season 3 are Ana Verde, Candace Ho, Hannah Bang, Jackie! Zhou, James Rogers III, Joey Xuetong Zhao, Justin Kim WooSŏk, Larry Owens, Maria Alvarez and Miguel Angel Caballero.

Through the program, created to uncover, invest in and share stories created by Bipoc filmmakers across the U.S., each will be given a production budget of up to 100,000 to create a short film that will go on to premiere at the Tribeca Festival in June. The theme for this year’s films, The Future of Work, comes at a time of immense change within workplaces across the globe, in the wake of the Covid pandemic.

Participants will be compensated 5,000 for writing their original script and 5,000 for directing. They’ll be...

We're cruising through Season 2 of Quinta Brunson's "Abbott Elementary" -- one of the funniest and most moving workplace sitcoms. My goodness! The Emmy-award-winning series has continued to be on a hot streak throughout this latest season with excellently calculated comedic chaos. In season 2, the underpaid and overworked teachers are back, and their plight to educate the children of this Philadelphia school district makes for some of the best television in 2022.

As an avid fan of "Abbott Elementary," I can't help but find unbridled joy in every quirky character interaction. However, I do have my favorites. There have been many tribulations at Philidelphia's Abbott Elementary school -- ranging from the "desking" incident to the destruction of every toilet on the premises. Through it all, I have gotten to familiarize myself with the eclectic cast of characters, and I'm just itching to see how they stack up against each other. Take a seat,...

Abbott Elementary is subverting expectations. When the Emmy-winning ABC sitcom, which premiered its second season Sept. 21, first brought in Jacob's (Chris Perfetti) boyfriend Zach (Larry Owens) in season one, Zach seamlessly integrated himself into a plotline about "desking," the new trend at school. And for Perfetti, it was the perfect way to introduce his character's sexuality. "The real story there is that we didn't make a big story out of it," Perfetti explained. "I think it's a generational thing." According to Perfetti, creator Quinta Brunson just wanted to make Jacob's sexuality a component of his character—not his entire...

Exclusive: Ziwe is returning to Showtime for the second half of her second season and has set her guest list.

The late-night series returns to the premium cable network in November with six new episodes. The first six episodes of season two premiered in May.

Drew Barrymore and Julia Fox are among the guests, who also include Michael Che, Amber Riley, Blake Griffin, Joel Kim Booster, Bob The Drag Queen, DeRay Mckesson and Wayne Brady.

Ziwe will return to streaming and on-demand on Friday November 18 before making its on-air return on Sunday November 20 at 11pm. The season will continue to drop new episodes every Friday via streaming and on-demand platforms before appearing on air Sunday night.

It will also feature special guest appearances by Marie Faustin, Benito Skinner, Chloe Cherry, Aparna Nancherla, River L. Ramirez, AnnaSophia Robb, John Reynolds, Larry Owens, Amy Sedaris, Laura Benanti, Scott Adsit, Jackie Hoffman and...

Amy Schumer and Michael Cera are entering the next chapter of their love story. “Life & Beth” has been renewed for a second season on Hulu, Schumer announced on Wednesday.

Schumer made the announcement during an interview on “The Howard Stern Show.” In addition to starring as the title character, Schumer created and executive produces the show, and directed and wrote several episodes of the first season.

The first season of the show followed Beth, a successful wine distributer living in Manhattan, who moves back to her childhood home on Long Island following the unexpected death of her mother (Laura Benanti). While there, she reunites with old friends, reconsiders her childhood and sparks an unexpected connection with a local farmer, John (Cera). The first season ended with Beth entering a relationship with John, quitting her job and taking the first steps to rebuilding her relationship with her sister Ann (Susannah Flood...

There’s more “Life & Beth” on the way.

Hulu has renewed the Amy Schumer-starring series for a 10-episode Season 2.

The show debuted less than a month ago, on March 18.

Season 1 starred Amy as a character named Beth. Her “life would look pretty great on paper. Impressive to everyone she grew up with. She makes a good living as a wine distributor. She’s in a long term relationship with a successful guy and lives in Manhattan. When a sudden incident forces Beth to engage with her past, her life changes forever,” reads a logline from the streamer. “Through flashbacks to her teen self, Beth starts to learn how she became who she is and who she wants to become. We’ll go on her journey towards building a bigger, bolder and more authentic life. Learning to express herself and living in an intentional way. A trip down memory lane...

Amy Schumer’s Life & Beth will be back for a second go-round. Schumer revealed today on The Howard Stern Show that Hulu has renewed the dramedy series for a 10-episode second season.

Written, directed, executive produced and starring Schumer, Life & Beth follows Beth (Schumer), whose life looks pretty great on paper. Impressive to everyone she grew up with, she makes a good living as a wine distributor. She’s in a long-term relationship with an attractive, successful guy and lives in Manhattan. But when a sudden incident forces her to engage with her past, her life changes forever.

Cancellations/Renewals Scorecard: TV Shows Ended Or Continuing In 2021-22 Season

Through flashbacks to her teen self (portrayed by Violet Young), Beth starts to learn how she became who she is and who she wants to become. The series follows her journey toward building a more authentic life, learning to...

Amy Schumer’s semi-autobiographical Life & Beth will return for a second season on Hulu. The actress/comedienne broke the renewal news Wednesday morning during an appearance on The Howard Stern Show.

The series’ inaugural 10-episode season dropped on March 18.

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Life & Beth stars Schumer as Beth, a New York City wine distributor unpacking her...