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[Editor’s note: This article was originally published in December 2024, and has been updated to reflect the episode earning Edebiri an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series.]

When Ayo Edebiri found out she would be directing an episode of “The Bear,” she recalls showrunner Christopher Storer telling her: “You really get to play here, so feel free to do that.”

Her first stop was the Directors Guild of America, where she enrolled herself in a class for first-time television directors led by Paris Barclay, Keith Powell, and Dr. Valerie Weiss. In a group that included writers, actors, producers, and editors, the class was walked through each step of production and what might come up along the way. How do the actors respond to direction? How does the editor respond to notes? How will the showrunner handle all of it?

“That class is probably one of the coolest, greatest things I’ve ever done,” Edebiri said. “The thing that I walked away with the most was that the only wrong way to direct — well, there’s probably a lot of wrong ways,...

The 2025 New York Film Festival has added the premiere of Scott Cooper’s Bruce Springsteen biopic, Deliver Me From Nowhere, starring Jeremy Allen White as the iconic musician, as its Spotlight Gala selection.

The film, adapted from Warren Zanes’ 2023 best-selling book of the same name, is set in the early ’80s at a key time in Springsteen’s career as he was recording the personal, acoustic songs that would make up his Nebraska album while also working on demos for Born in the U.S.A. and navigating his growing fame. Cooper directs from his own script. In addition to White, Deliver Me From Nowhere stars Jeremy Strong as Springsteen’s longtime manager Jon Landau as well as Marc Maron, Stephen Graham, Gaby Hoffman, Paul Walter Hauser, David Krumholtz and Odessa Young. Cooper, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Eric Robinson and Scott Stuber produce, with Tracey London and Zanes executive producing. 20th Century Studios...

The Boss is taking Manhattan. Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, the anticipated biopic starring Jeremy Allen White as Bruce Springsteen, will premiere at this year’s New York Film Festival as the Spotlight Gala selection.

On Monday, the New York Film Festival announced the Scott Cooper-directed film that is earning early awards buzz, will have its premiere on Sept. 28.

The film is adapted from Warren Zanes’s 2023 best-selling book of the same name and focuses on a pivotal period in Springsteen’s career.

Set in the early 1980s, the film follows Springsteen as he deals with the pressures of fame while creating the raw and personal acoustic songs that would become the Nebraska album. It was crafted at the same time he was recording demos for Born in the U.S.A., the record that would launch him into global superstardom.

“The New York Film Festival has always felt...

Alan Ritchson is the star of the Prime Video TV series "Reacher," but he's also thought about taking on another role behind the camera. In a 2021 interview with Collider, he spoke about the possibility of directing an episode of the series himself. It's something that's more realistic than it sounds: not only does Ritchson already have some directing credits behind his name — "Dark Web: 3301" in 2021 and the short "Tree House Time Machine" in 2017 — but it's not uncommon for actors to direct an occasional episode of their own show. Ayo Edebiri, for instance, made her directorial debut in season 3 of "The Bear," while Bryan Cranston directed three episodes of "Breaking Bad."

"I would direct anything," Ritchson told Collider. "I feel very, very comfortable behind the lens."

Despite this, Ritchson hasn't directed any "Reacher" episode even three years later. He may get to direct one with the upcoming season 4, but nothing's been announced yet.

Audrey Hepburn's 1963 comedy thriller "Charade" was not only one of the actress' best movies, but it was one of the best movies to come out of that entire year. Famously described as "the best Hitchcock movie Hitchcock never made," the movie was a major critical and audience hit. It also won Hepburn a British Film Academy Award for best actress, and won writer Peter Stone an Edgar Allan Poe Award for best motion picture screenplay. 

The 2002 mystery film, "The Truth About Charlie," was a remake of "Charade" that sought to achieve the same level of success as the original. This one starred Thandiwe Newton in Hepburn's role, and Mark Wahlberg in Cary Grant's. Wahlberg's character may technically have a different name as Grant's character, but he's written to be as sneaky and charming as the role that marked the end of era for Grant. Despite both Walhberg and...

At the end of The Bear’s fourth season, Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) withdraws his stake in the restaurant and declares he’s leaving the culinary industry altogether. In what can be described as either an act of martyrdom or growth, he acknowledges that all of his work has been linked to his familial trauma and gives Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) his stake, making his cousin, sister Natalie (Abby Elliott) and restaurant partner Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) its three owners.

For a show that has spent all this time exploring the duality of abuse and resilience within the toxic kitchens of America’s restaurants, it’s a somewhat risky move. But through Carmy’s choice, The Bear captures not just how we can use work to process, escape or bury our trauma, but also potentially destroy ourselves, our work and our relationships doing the things we love.

That’s not a particularly new thread for the series,...

NBC has announced that the 51st season of “Saturday Night Live” will hit the airwaves October 4, a date that is still nearly two months into the future. Meanwhile, its been about three months since “SNL” has graced us with a new set of hilarious(-to-mid) sketches, and last season was one of the series’ most eventful, since it was the 50th lap for the pop culture staple. During its half-centennial run, there was even a movie — about but unaffiliated to the series — about the making of its first episode.

The whole 50th ballyhoo led up to an all-star three-plus hour anniversary show that premiered Sunday (naturally), February 16. The audience was like an Oscar or Emmy night roster: Cher, Robert De Niro, Alec Baldwin, Scarlett Johansson, Zach Galifianakis, Jack Nicholson, Ayo Edebiri, Steve Martin, and Emma Stone, among many more. Meryl Streep appeared in her very first “SNL” sketch, for heaven’s sake.

11 minutes.

That’s how long Jon Bernthal’s appearance is in season three of The Bear. But his presence is felt for so much longer. Even when he’s not onscreen, his character is referenced, talked about, remembered, teased — after all, Mikey’s suicide is the inciting incident that drives Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) back to The Bear in the first place.

And when he is on screen, Bernthal certainly makes the most of it. After throwing everything — including some cutlery — at the wall in the epic “Fishes” episode of season two (a performance that won him an Emmy Award), Bernthal’s season three turn is far quieter but no less impactful. In “Napkins,” directed by Ayo Edebiri, he plays counselor to the troubled Tina (Liza Colon-Zayas), in an emotional, revealing two-hander. And once again, the guest star turn earned him an Emmy nomination.

Here, Bernthal tells Gold Derby what...

Alexandra Shipp made her debut as Storm in X-Men: Apocalypse, before returning as the weather-manipulating mutant hero in what would turn out to be the final X-Men movie of the 20th Century Fox era before the Disney/Marvel takeover, Dark Phoenix.

Shipp did a pretty good job with what she had to work with, which, by the actress' own admission, wasn't very much.

“I would and I wouldn’t," Shipp replied when asked if she'd like to play Storm again in a 2019 interview. "Because Storm barely has anything to say as it is. I don’t know about [the other actors] but like we never talk. So it would be really nice if we weren’t piled into yet another jam-packed cast, in which you only see me in the back of the shot like f*cking sasquatch.”

The Barbie star was asked if her stance had changed at all last year.

"Not interested.

And the drumrolls, because the news that everyone was eyeing is finally confirmed! Following the merger of two esteemed platforms, Hulu and Disney+, there comes scrutiny and fear about what will happen next. As per the viewer’s perspective, it is understandable to calculate positives and negatives about the merger, and that’s exactly what we are going to do below.

But before that, sit back and sip, the moment of the ‘full integration’ will be concluded by the end of 2026.

PlatformSubscribersRevenueDisney+126 million subscribers globally

52 million subscribers in the USIncluded in Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer totalHulu54.7 million paid subscribers$3.2 billion

As per the CEO Bob Iger and CFO Hugh Johnston (via Variety), the brand-new ‘unified’ Disney+ and Hulu platform entails more than what you think.

“Today we are announcing a major step forward in strengthening our streaming offering by fully integrating Hulu into Disney+.”

They further quoted,

“This will create an impressive package of entertainment,...

The 2025 New York Film Festival has announced the selections for its Currents lineup.

The international showcase of daring work from adventurous new voices and inventive artists includes 16 feature films and 24 short films from 28 countries.

The Currents centerpiece selection is the U.S. premiere of Ben Rivers’ Mare’s Nest, described by Film at Lincoln Center, which presents the NYFF, as “an enigmatic road movie set in a post-apocalyptic world ruled by children.”

Other highlights in the Currents slate include the New York premieres of Radu Jude’s Dracula and Kamal Aljafari’s With Hasan in Gaza.

“In a film landscape that is so often homogeneous by design, this year’s Currents lineup is energizing for being a showcase of the boundless possibilities of cinematic language,” NYFF artistic director Dennis Lim said in a statement. “Resurrecting old technologies and subverting new ones, the filmmakers and artists here use an ingenious array...

Ayo Edebiri and Will Sharpe‘s highly anticipated rom-com series is taking shape at Apple TV+ as the streamer unveils new casting info for Prodigies. Announced in April 2025, the project is bringing together some exciting talent and promising some laughs ahead. Below, we’re breaking down everything you need to know about Prodigies so far, from the casting and a potential premiere date to the premise, episode count, and much more. Scroll down for a closer look at what’s ahead, and stay tuned for more on Prodigies in the months ahead. When will Prodigies premiere? Prodigies doesn’t currently have a premiere date at Apple TV+, but the streamer has unveiled that the season will feature seven episodes for viewers to enjoy. As of July 2025, Prodigies is currently in production. Who stars in Prodigies? Along with Edebiri and Sharpe, Prodigies stars Rina Sawayama, Andrene Ward-Hammond, Yumi Asō, Tobias Menzies,...

And just like that, Logan Marshall-Green has joined the cast of CBS’ upcoming Yellowstone spinoff Y: Marshals.

The spinoff follows Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes), who leaves ranching life behind to join an elite unit of U.S. Marshals, “combining his skills as a cowboy and Navy Seal to bring range justice to Montana, where he and his teammates must balance family, duty and the high psychological cost that comes with serving as the last line of defense in the region’s war on violence,” reads the show’s official logline.

More from TVLineCasting News: 9-1-1: Nashville Books Kane Brown,...

Apple TV+ has officially announced that Andrene Ward-Hammond (Your Honor), Yumi Asō (Perfect Days), Tobias Menzies (F1: The Movie), Reece Shearsmith (The League of Gentlemen), Nabhaaan Rizwan (Kaos), Meera Syal (The Wheel of Time), and Lolly Adefope (Ghosts) have joined the cast of Prodigies, the upcoming series in the works starring Ayo Edebiri and Will Sharpe. Rina Sawayama, who is best known for her role opposite Keanu Reeves in John Wick: Chapter 4, is also attached to star in the series. In addition to starring in the series, Sharpe also wrote and created Prodigies, and he’ll executive produce the show alongside Edebiri, Jane Featherson, Naomi de Pear, and Katie Carpenter. Apple TV+ has yet to announce an official release date for the show, but these new casting additions are a step in the right direction.

Prodigies is a new seven-episode comedy with Sharp, Edebiri, and Sawayama that’s billed...

The Crown star Tobias Menzies, Reece Shearsmith (Inside No 9) and Yumi Asō (Perfect Days) have joined the cast of Apple TV+’s Prodigies starring Ayo Edebiri and Will Sharpe.

Andrene Ward-Hammond (Your Honor), Sophia Di Martino (Loki), Nabhaan Rizwan (Kaos), Meera Syal (Roar) and Lolly Adefope (The Franchise) have also boarded the show, which is created by Sharpe and follows two ex-child prodigies.

The ensemble additions lend weight to one of Apple’s hottest upcoming shows. Starring the in-demand Sharpe and Edebiri, Prodigies follows Didi (Edebiri) and Ren (Sharpe), two ex-prodigies who have been together since they were children. Now in their early 30s, they are starting to question whether their very ordinary existence is living up to the extraordinary promise of their childhood. Inevitably, they find themselves asking the same questions of their relationship.

Asō could recently be seen in Oscar-nominated Wim Wenders movie Perfect Days. Menzies is...

Apple TV+ has added eight new cast members to “Prodigies,” the streamer’s upcoming romantic comedy series created by Will Sharpe and starring Sharpe opposite Ayo Edebiri.

Newly joining “Prodigies” are Tobias Menzies, Sophia Di Martino, Andrene Ward-Hammond, Yumi Asō, Reece Shearsmith, Nabhaan Rizwan, Meera Syal and Lolly Adefope.

“Prodigies” follows a couple named Didi (Edebiri) and Ren (Sharpe), who are described in the official logline as “two ex-child prodigies who have been together since they were children. Now in their early 30s, they are starting to question whether their very ordinary existence is living up to the extraordinary promise of their childhood. Inevitably, they find themselves asking the same questions of their relationship. As individual hopes and needs feed into and conflict with their shared lives, the series challenges the fallacy at the heart of romantic storytelling — that the tale is over when the heroes get together. In life,...

The New York Film Festival has unveiled its main slate of movies for its 2025 edition.

The 34 films selected include Jafar Panahi’s Cannes’ Palme d’Or winner It Was Just an Accident, Kathryn Bigelow’s A House of Dynamite, Noah Baumbach’s George Clooney and Adam Sandler starrer Jay Kelly, Kelly Reichardt’s The Mastermind, the Laura Poitras- and Mark Obenhaus-directed Seymour Hersh documentary Cover-Up and Mary Bronstein’s Rose Byrne and Conan O’Brien starrer If I Had Legs I’d Kick You. A House of Dynamite is set to get its North American premiere at the fall event in Manhattan, while the others will receive their New York premieres.

Other titles screening at the 2025 NY Film Festival include Cannes winners Sentimental Value, Sound of Falling, Resurrection and Two Prosecutors, as well as former NY Film Festival director Kent Jones’ Late Fame, starring Willem Dafoe and Greta Lee, which...

The awards circuit is making a key stop in the Big Apple this year.

On Tuesday, the New York Film Festival announced 34 films for their main slate lineup.

The Main Slate will showcase films from 26 countries, featuring two world premieres, eight North American premieres, and 13 U.S. premieres, including award‑winning titles from Cannes and Berlin. The lineup includes Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident (winner of the Palme d’Or at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival) and Rose Byrne, recipient of the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance at the 2025 Berlinale for Mary Bronstein’s If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.

Also featured is Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly, starring George Clooney and Adam Sandler, which is set to premiere in competition at the Venice Film Festival before releasing on Netflix

The NYFF will open with Luca Guadagnino’s After the Hunt, starring Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield,...

20th Century Studios has unveiled the first official trailer for ‘Ella McCay,’ the latest film from legendary filmmaker James L. Brooks — the Oscar® and Emmy Award®-winning writer-director behind ‘Broadcast News,’ ‘Terms of Endearment,’ and ‘As Good As It Gets.’

Led by rising star Emma Mackey, the movie centres on an idealistic young woman caught in the whirlwind of political ambition, family chaos, and personal growth. As she navigates her rising career and a complicated personal life, Ella must learn what it truly means to serve — not just the public, but the people closest to her.

The trailer offers a vibrant, witty, and emotionally grounded first look at the film, teasing a smart and soulful comedy about love, legacy, and learning how to keep it all together.

Brooks assembles a stellar ensemble to bring the world of ‘Ella McCay’ to life, including Jamie Lee Curtis, Jack Lowden, Kumail Nanjiani, Ayo Edebiri,...

El director de ‘Mejor… imposible’ firma su primer largometraje en quince años. © 20th Century Studios

Ya se ha desvelado el primer tráiler y póster de la película Ella McCay, escrita y dirigida por James L. Brooks, uno de los nombres más influyentes de la comedia dramática hollywoodense.

En Ella McCay, una joven política idealista hace malabarismos con sus problemas familiares y su difícil vida laboral mientras se prepara para ocupar el puesto de su mentor, el gobernador en funciones del estado desde hace años.

La película, una comedia sobre las personas que amas y cómo sobrevivir a ellas, reúne a un reparto de lujo que incluye a Emma Mackey (Barbie), Jamie Lee Curtis (La noche de Halloween), Jack Lowden (Slow Horses), Kumail Nanjiani (La gran enfermedad del amor), Ayo Edebiri (The Bear), Spike Fearn (Alien: Romulus), Rebecca Hall (The Studio), Julie Kavner (Los Simpson), Becky Ann Baker (Jackpot!), Joey Brooks...

Emma Mackey and Jamie Lee Curtis are both actors who know a thing or two about navigating toxic families in their work. Mackey deals with a trauma-stricken, alcoholic mother as Sex Education's Maeve Wiley; Jlc is a trauma-stricken, alcoholic mother in Disney+ 'comedy' The Bear. And if the first trailer for James L. Brooks' upcoming Ella McCay — a comedy about a lawyer (Mackey) struggling to balance her personal and professional life — is anything to go by, then it looks like the filmmaker's first movie since How Do You Know? some 15 years ago will see the duo dealing with another effed-up family — albeit with space for a good few laughs along the way. Check it out below;

Marge Simpson on narration? Woody Harrelson as the estranged father of Mackey's McCay? Jlc and Mackey having a straight-up scream off as on-screen auntie and niece? Okay, count us in — this certainly looks to...

The new movie Ella McCay is being released in theaters over the holiday season and the first trailer has arrived!

Emma Mackey stars as the title character, an idealistic young woman who juggles her family and work life in a comedy about the people you love and how to survive them.

Also starring in the movie are Jamie Lee Curtis, Jack Lowden, Kumail Nanjiani, Ayo Edebiri, Spike Fearn, Rebecca Hall, Julie Kavner, Becky Ann Baker, Joey Brooks, with Albert Brooks and Woody Harrelson.

Watch the trailer below!

Ella McCay was written and directed by three-time Oscar winner James L. Brooks, best known for classic movies like Terms of Endearment and As Good As It Gets, plus TV shows like The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Taxi, and The Simpsons.

The movie hits theaters on December 12.

20th Century Studios has released the first trailer a for Ella McCay, written and directed by Oscar and Emmy winner James L. Brooks.

The film opens exclusively in theaters December 12, 2025. Emma Mackey stars as the titular character, an idealistic young woman who juggles her family and work life as a politician in a comedy about the people you love and how to survive them.

The clip opens with Julie Kavner’s character prefacing the story as its narrator.

“I’m here to provide facts about Ella McCay,” Kavner, who voices Marge in The Simpsons, says. “I’ve worked for her ever since she finished law school, so I’m not exactly neutral. I’m nuts about her.”

Cut to Mackey’s Ella stepping out of an escort car to talk to her aunt Helen, played by Jamie Lee Curtis,...

It's been 15 years since three-time Academy Award winner James L. Brooks directed a feature film, and now for the first time since 2010's How Do You Know, there's a new movie from the director of Terms of Endearment on the way.

The first trailer for Ella McCay, starring Emma Mackey, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Woody Harrelson, has dropped, giving us our first look at the upcoming dramedy.

What's it about?

The film is centered around Ella (Mackey), who has just been elected governor but who is also still dealing with the family drama. In particular, there's her father (Harrelson), who has reentered her life with word of a new love in his life.

Who else is in it?

Backing Ella up is her aunt, played by Curtis. Also in the cast are Ayo Edebiri, Jack Lowden, Kumail Nanjiani, Rebecca Hall (in what appears to be a relatively small role) and Broadcast News alum Albert Brooks.

In the fifteen interminably long years since James L. Brooks’ last directorial feature, the kind of adult-focused, warm dramas with recognizably emphatic characters that have defined his career have sadly fallen out of fashion. After staying busy helping emerging filmmakers like Kelly Fremon Craig realize their visions with the stellar The Edge of Seventeen and Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, the 85-year-old filmmaker is now making his overdue return this year.

Ella McCay, a political comedy-drama set for a December 12 release, stars Emma Mackey, Woody Harrelson, Kumail Nanjiani, Spike Fearn, Ayo Edebiri, Jack Lowden, Rebecca Hall, Julie Kavner, Becky Ann Baker, Joey Brooks, Albert Brooks, and Jamie Lee Curtis. Ahead of the release, the first trailer has now arrived.

Watch below.

The post James L. Brooks Finally Returns with First Trailer for Ella McCay first appeared on The Film Stage.

Whoever coined the proverb, “You can pick your friends but not your family,” was onto something. There’s no end to the aggravation family can cause, and Emma Mackey‘s Ella McCay is about to discover how difficult it is to get ahead when people you left behind pop back into your life. James L. Brooks returns to the director’s chair after a 15-year hiatus, with today’s Ella McCay trailer highlighting his latest effort for the silver screen.

Ella McCay stars Sex Education and Barbie actress Emma Mackey as Ella, a woman who’s fought for everything she’s achieved throughout her emotionally turbulent life as a lawyer turned political figure. Jamie Lee Curtis plays Ella’s supportive aunt, while Woody Harrelson plays Ella’s estranged father, who pops back into her life at the most inopportune time. Rebecca Hall plays Ella’s late mother, with Jack Lowden,...

"Ella – your father, your brother, and your husband... are a ticking time bomb in your life." Ha ha. 20th Century has revealed the first official trailer for Ella McCay, a new comedy about family arriving to watch in theaters in December later this year. This is the first film directed by James L. Brooks since he made How Do You Know way back in 2010 (which we covered for its release!). In Ella McCay, Emma Mackey stars as an idealistic young woman who juggles her family and work life. In a comedy about the people you love and how to survive them. She's taking over the job of her mentor, the state's longtime incumbent governor, and starting a whole new life. The ensemble cast features Emma Mackey, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jack Lowden, Kumail Nanjiani, Ayo Edebiri, Spike Fearn, Rebecca Hall, Julie Kavner, Joey Brooks, Becky Ann Baker, with Albert Brooks and Woody Harrelson.

20th Century Studios has shared a first look at the new comedy Ella McCay, which is scheduled to open exclusively in theaters on December 12, 2025. The film has not yet been rated by the Motion Picture Association (MPA).

Ella McCay is written and directed by Oscar and Emmy Award winner James L. Brooks.

In the film, an idealistic young woman juggles her family and work life in a comedy about the people you love and how to survive them.

Ella McCay features an all-star cast including Emma Mackey, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jack Lowden, Kumail Nanjiani, Ayo Edebiri, Spike Fearn, Rebecca Hall, Julie Kavner, Becky Ann Baker, and Joey Brooks, with Albert Brooks and Woody Harrelson.

The film is produced by James L. Brooks, p.g.a., Richard Sakai, p.g.a., Julie Ansell, p.g.a., and Jennifer Brooks.

Principal photography for Ella McCay began in Rhode Island in February 2024, and...

James L. Brooks is finally back directing, exactly 15 years after his last film.

Brooks returns with “Ella McCay” after 2010’s “How Do You Know.” The Academy Award-winning writer/director helms the original film, which stars Emma Mackey as a lawyer spanning years of her life. Jamie Lee Curtis plays her supportive aunt, while Woody Harrelson is Ella’s (Mackey) wayward father, and Rebecca Hall is her late mother.

Jack Lowden, Kumail Nanjiani, Ayo Edebiri, Spike Fearn, Julie Kavner, Becky Ann Baker, Joey Brooks, and Albert Brooks also star.

The logline for “Ella McCay” reads: “An idealistic young woman juggles her family and work life in a comedy about the people you love and how to survive them.” The film is also set in 2008.

Brooks told The Hollywood Reporter that he wanted “Ella McCay” to capture the excitement of politics in the early 2000s. “The film is set in 2008, before we had this enormous division,...

HBO Max is serving up a thrilling mix of films that have viewers glued to their screens this week. From spine-chilling horror to quirky comedies and action-packed adventures, the platform’s latest lineup has something for everyone, pulling in crowds with fresh releases and nostalgic favorites.

We’ve got a diverse range of titles dominating the charts, with new additions like ‘Final Destination: Bloodlines’ hitting theaters and others like ‘Sinners’ and ‘A Minecraft Movie’ making a splash after their streaming debuts in July 2025. Let’s dive into the ten most-watched movies on HBO Max this week, counting down from number ten to the top spot.

10. Alien: Covenant (2017) 20th Century Fox

Ridley Scott’s sci-fi horror prequel follows the crew of the Covenant spaceship as they land on a seemingly perfect planet, only to uncover deadly xenomorphs. Michael Fassbender shines as the android David, delivering creepy intensity. The film’s dark...

Gold Derby can exclusively reveal all episodes entered as 2025 Emmy Award submissions for the comedy, drama, and limited categories. Each program submits six episodes from this past season. Each lead, supporting, and guest performer submits one episode. Television Academy voters are asked to watch each of the titles entered for that category before marking their ballots. Note that all episodes are entered for the limited series and limited actor/actress categories.

Comedian Nate Bargatze hosts the Primetime Emmys on Sept. 14 for CBS. The Creative Arts ceremonies are held the weekend of Sept. 6-7.

Comedy Series:

Abbott Elementary – “Girard Creek,” “Dad Fight,” “Karaoke,” “Ringworm,” “100th Day of School,” “Volunteers”

The Bear – “Tomorrow,” “Next,” “Doors,” “Napkins,” “Ice Chips,” “Forever”

Hacks – “Big, Brave Girl,” “Cover Girls,” “I Love L.A.,” “Mrs. Table,” “Witch of the Week,” “A Slippery Slope”

Nobody Wants This – “Pilot,” “A Shiksa Walks Into a Temple,” “The Ick,” “Wags,” “Rebecca’s...

Throughout Emmy history, only Helen Hunt, Candice Bergen, Mary Tyler Moore, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus have won Best Comedy Actress four or more times. This year, Jean Smart is predicted to join their elite ranks.

Smart is so far undefeated for her role as veteran Las Vegas comedian Deborah Vance on Hacks, winning in 2021, 2022, and 2024 (the show was on hiatus in 2023). A fourth victory would tie her with Hunt, who went on a four-year winning streak from 1996 to 1999 for playing dedicated wife Jamie Buchman on Mad About You.

Ironically, Smart and Hunt are currently working together on Hacks, where the latter plays network executive Winnie Landell, who oversees Late Night with Deborah Vance. You can't make this stuff up!

Jean Smart and Helen Hunt on HacksHBO Max

Bergen won Best Comedy Actress five times over seven years for playing the titular news anchor on Murphy Brown. She then selflessly withdrew from...

Two years after “Maestro” made its North American debut at the New York Film Festival, Bradley Cooper returns to Lincoln Center this fall with the world premiere of “Is This Thing On?” The dramedy will premiere Oct. 10 as the closing film of the the 63rd NYFF, which runs from Sept. 26 – Oct. 13.

Written by Cooper, Will Arnett and Mark Chappell, “Is This Thing On?” is the story of a couple’s moving through their crumbling marriage. Arnett stars as Alex Novak, a father of two who, after splitting from his wife Tess (Laura Dern), decides to pursue a career in stand-up comedy in Manhattan’s West Village, home of the Comedy Cellar and other renowned venues. The script is based on the true story of British comedian John Bishop.

The supporting cast includes New York stand-ups Chloe Radcliffe, Reggie Conquest and Jordan Jensen, as well as Andra Day, Christine Ebersole, Ciarán Hinds,...

“Is This Thing On?,” Bradley Cooper’s third directorial feature after “A Star Is Born” and “Maestro,” is set to close the New York Film Festival. The dramedy’s world premiere is set for Alice Tully Hall on Friday, October 10 — meaning it will skip festivals such as Toronto and Telluride and head straight for NYFF. IndieWire understands the film was not finished in time to submit for other festivals, including Venice. Cooper’s “Maestro” previously played the New York Film Festival in 2023.

Cooper also co-wrote the script, here with Mark Chappell (“See How They Run”) and the film’s star, Will Arnett. “Is This Thing On?” centers on a New York City comedian’s midlife crisis, and it’s inspired by the true story of British comedian John Bishop, who also executive-produces the Searchlight Pictures release. It co-stars Laura Dern, Ciaran Hinds, Sean Hayes, Peyton Manning(!), Amy Sedaris, and Cooper himself.

The 2025 New York Film Festival has selected Bradley Cooper’s Is This Thing On? as its closing night film.

The movie, which Cooper directed and co-wrote and stars Will Arnett and Laura Dern, will have its world premiere on Friday, Oct. 10 at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

The Searchlight film follows Arnett and Dern’s married couple as they divorce and embark upon midlife self-examinations, as Arnett’s character makes a dramatic career pivot to become a confessional stand-up comedian in New York City’s West Village, where he finds a new purpose and community. Inspired by the true story of British comedian John Bishop, Is This Thing On? features a screenplay co-written by Arnett and Mark Chappell with Cooper. The cast includes Andra Day, Christine Ebersole, Ciarán Hinds, Sean Hayes, Peyton Manning and Amy Sedaris.

Cooper previously directed the acclaimed A Star Is Born and Maestro,...

Gold Derby has confirmed the Emmy submission episodes from nominees such as Jean Smart and Kristen Bell in the Best Comedy Actress category. Below is the full list of submitted episodes, with recaps and each actor’s Emmy history.

Best Comedy Actress

Uzo Aduba as Cordelia Cupp in The Residence

Episode: “The Mystery of the Yellow Room”

Recap: Cordelia connects the final pieces of the investigation into Chief Usher A.B. Wynter’s death and prepares to expose the murderer within the residence.

Emmy History: Aduba has received six Emmy nominations and has won three times.

Kristen Bell as Joanne in Nobody Wants This

Episode: “Pilot”

Recap: Joanne, a sharp and outspoken podcast host covering love and sex, finds her romantic life unraveling. At a dinner party she meets Noah, a charming rabbi, and sparks fly. Joanne shows up at his temple, setting off a complex and compelling new relationship.

Saturday Night Live has set a return date, announcing the season 51 premiere date. And with it comes speculation on who will host and reports about potential cast changes under Lorne Michaels.

SNL returns to NBC on October 4. It's slightly later than season 50's late September start date, but falls in line with the premiere dates for past seasons. With just over two months until showtime, Lorne Michaels has a few decisions to make regarding the cast.

According to Deadline, Michaels has yet to make any decisions about new cast members. The outlet reports that the first round of applications for new performers came prior to July 4. Sources also tell Deadline that Michaels is focused on hiring "character-driven performers" rather than stand-up comedians.

While that could change based on who submits material or gets called in for an audition, it's a good sign for Saturday Night Live's future. More original...

Oscar nominee Monica Barbaro is officially set to star in Luca Guadagnino’s “Artificial” for Amazon MGM Studios.

Barbaro — whose casting had been rumored, but whose deal is now closed — joins previously reported stars Andrew Garfield, Yura Borisov, Jason Schwartzman, Cooper Hoffman and Cooper Koch. Ike Barinholtz remains in talks to join the cast.

Plot details for “Artificial,” described as a “comedic drama set in the world of artificial intelligence,” are being kept under wraps. However, early reports suggest that it will center around the company OpenAI and the tumultuous period in 2023 when its CEO Sam Altman was fired and rehired in just a few days. Garfield has been reported to portray Altman with “Anora” standout Borisov as Iya Stuskever, an OpenAI co-founder who led the movement to get rid of Altman.

Simon Rich wrote the script and will produce alongside Heyday Films’ David Heyman and Jeffrey Clifford, as well as Jennifer Fox.

Did Robert Downey Jr. give his blessings to Andrew Garfield and Monica Barbaro? In an interesting development, Downey Jr. appears to have liked a carousel post on Instagram that celebrated the romance between Garfield and Barbaro. The fan page, @marvelous.heroes, shared photos of the couple at Wimbledon on July 6, 2025.

The page noted how the couple made their relationship official by holding hands and sharing a sweet kiss during the event. The photos were also accompanied by a comment from a fan, sharing, “Bro finally got his Mj.” While Rdj’s like on the post has disappeared now, multiple commenters confirmed that the verified account of the actor liked the photo.

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A post shared by Sergi Kajaia (@marvelous.heroes)

It means that Downey Jr. too loves it that Spider-Man actor Garfield has finally found the one for him. He and Monica Barbaro were one of...

The Bear is easily one of the best TV shows of the last decade! The fourth season of the hit FX comedy starring Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach premiered on June 25, 2025. With four seasons available to stream right now, I ranked the first four seasons of Christopher Storer's The Bear from worst to best.

The good thing about a show like The Bear is that there are no bad seasons. It's all varying levels of great to very good. Will that continue in The Bear season 5 and beyond? I definitely think so!

Let's get the list started with The Bear season 3!

4. The Bear season 3 “The Bear” — “Apologies” — Season 3, Episode 9 — Pictured: Ayo Edebiri as Sydney Adamu. Cr: FX.

I hate to say it, but The Bear season 3 is the worst of the series by quite a bit. The first two seasons, which we'll talk about, are as good as anything on TV,...

Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis opened up about her considerations of retirement and Hollywood’s aging problem in relation to her parents, icons of the industry Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis.

In an extensive interview with The Guardian tied to the upcoming Aug. 8 release of Disney’s Freakier Friday, the Halloween actress slammed the entertainment world’s treatment of older actors, particularly women.

“I witnessed my parents lose the very thing that gave them their fame and their life and their livelihood, when the industry rejected them at a certain age,” she explained. “I watched them reach incredible success and then have it slowly erode to where it was gone. And that’s very painful.”

Because of this, Curtis added, “I have been self-retiring for 30 years. I have been prepping to get out, so that I don’t have to suffer the same as my family did. I want to...

Emmy-winning actress Ayo Edebiri, who is best known as the breakout star of The Bear, made headlines when she referred to Elon Musk as “[a] double S*eg H*il-ing fascist, he’s an idiot” in a Mar. 11, 2025, Instagram story (via The Wrap). He had shared a fake tweet that led to her facing a wave of online harassment.

The controversy happened due to a Feb. 2024 post on X (formerly Twitter), where the tech entrepreneur had shared a false report. It claimed that The Bear star was going to replace Johnny Depp in a new Pirates of the Caribbean film reboot. The rumor had no truth to it, but Elon Musk sharing it amplified the fake news, and this led to her receiving racial slurs and death threats on social media.

Edebiri later took to Instagram and revealed the emotional toll she had faced in her life due to a film...

As the sweltering heat of summer movie season rages on, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” (Disney/Marvel) is the latest addition to the multiplex pack. So far, we’ve seen “Superman,” “F1,” and “Jurassic World: Rebirth” make bank at the box office.

Meanwhile, Matt Shakman’s MCU needle-reset has grossed more than $24 million in previews. It’s looking at a potential $100-million-plus debut for the sci-fi comic book adaptation starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn. Soon, they will join the next “Avengers” movie from the Russo Brothers, set for 2026.

As we discuss on this week’s episode of IndieWire’s “Screen Talk” podcast, the movie isn’t horrible, but certainly doesn’t make a lasting impression in terms of its visuals and uninspiring narrative. Ryan has been depressed over the latest summer offerings that offer no psychological challenge, though he and Anne appreciate the smart casting that went into this movie,...

FX's comedy drama, The Bear, debuted its fourth season on June 25, and not long after, the series was renewed for a fifth season. According to Nielsen, The Bear was the seventh most-streamed title in the U.S. during the week of its fourth season premiere, as it hit an impressive 917 million minutes watched between June 23 to June 29. Despite such a notable tally, it falls short of the series' third installment. The Season 3 premiere of The Bear reached a collosal 1.2 billion minutes within a similar timeframe, with Season 4's numbers showing a drop-off of approximately 24%. The drop perhaps raises questions about the Emmy-winning series' long-term momentum despite critical acclaim.

It is, however, important to put these numbers into context. The Bear has enjoyed a four-season run so far, with a fifth confirmed in early July. Season 3's total of 1.2 billion minutes represents a series high, with Season 2 and Season 1 clocking...

How do you follow a phenomenon like “Barbie?” That was the task put in front of Robbie Brenner, President of Mattel Studios and Chief Content Officer in the wake of the $1.4 billion-grossing, Oscar-winning feminist blockbuster that served as the opening salvo for the Mattel Studios brand.

Brenner joined the company in 2018, and at first it seemed like a surprising fit. Brenner had cut her teeth working for Miramax in the 1990s, later serving executive roles at 20th Century Fox and Relativity and producing indies like “Dallas Buyers Club.” Perhaps it’s exactly that foundation that spurred Brenner to enthusiastically hire Greta Gerwig to co-write and direct “Barbie” – and, crucially, to give Gerwig the freedom to make something truly unique.

“For me, I feel like if we’re not trying to raise the bar on every single movie that we’re doing, if we’re not doing something that feels unexpected...

The 2025 New York Film Festival has selected Jim Jarmusch’s Father Mother Sister Brother as its centerpiece film.

The Mubi release will make its North American premiere at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall on Manhattan’s Upper West Side on Oct. 3.

The film follows three groups of adult children, each in a different country, as they reunite and address aging or lost parents. Adam Driver and Mayim Bialik play siblings who check up on their reclusive father, played by Tom Waits, in rural New Jersey. Vicky Krieps and Cate Blanchett play sisters who reunite with their closed-off novelist mother, played by Charlotte Rampling, in Dublin. And twins played by Indya Moore and Luka Sabbat confront a family tragedy in Paris.

Father Mother Sister Brother is just the latest Jarmusch title to screen as part of the New York Film Festival. Past selections from the writer-director include Stranger than Paradise,...

Indie auteur Jim Jarmusch is bringing his eighth movie to the 2025 New York Film Festival: “Father Mother Sister Brother” will play on Oct. 3, making its North American debut.

“I am so very proud of the long history of my work being presented at the NYFF,” Jarmusch said in a Thursday statement, “and am now super honored that my newest film ‘Father Mother Sister Brother’ has been selected for this year’s Centerpiece. The NYFF, the chosen church of my religion, has provided many of my greatest inspirations and revelations in its continuing celebration of the deep and diverse beauty of cinema.”

Structured in the form of a triptych, “Father Mother Sister Brother” explores relationships between adult children and their parents in different corners of the world. In one story, siblings (Adam Driver and Mayim Bialik) visit their reclusive father (Tom Waits) in New Jersey. In another, sisters (Vicky Krieps and...

The Film at Lincoln Center announced Thursday that Jim Jarmusch's Father Mother Sister Brother will be the Centerpiece selection of the 63rd New York Film Festival. The film will have its North American premiere on Oct. 3 at Alice Tully Hall, with Jarmusch and members of the cast in attendance.

The film centers on adult children reconnecting with their parents and the complex family dynamics that come with it. Adam Driver and Mayim Bialik star as siblings caring for their father (played by Tom Waits), while Vicky Krieps and Cate Blanchett portray sisters reuniting with their novelist mother (Charlotte Rampling) in Dublin. Indya Moore and Luka Sabbat play twins returning to Paris to confront a family tragedy.

"I am so very proud of the long history of my work being presented at the New York Film Festival," Jarmusch says in a statement, "and am now super honored that my newest film,...

The new movie “Artificial,” about the world of OpenAI, has found its Elon Musk. Last month, it was announced that Luca Guadagnino would direct a comedic drama set in the world of artificial intelligence.

The story is rumored to focus on OpenAI and the chaotic events in 2023 when CEO Sam Altman was fired and quickly rehired.

According to Variety, Ike Barinholtz, known for his role in “The Studio,” is currently in talks to play Elon Musk in the film. While the deal is not yet official, Barinholtz is the leading choice for the role.

By early 2025, Guadagnino was confirmed as the director of “Artificial.” The film is based on the brief dismissal of Sam Altman, an event driven by Ilya Sutskever, a co-founder of OpenAI.

The script was written by Simon Rich and the production is handled by Amazon MGM Studios, which also produced “Challengers” and “After the Hunt.” Filming...

Luca Guadagnino is gearing up for his next film, Artificial, a comedic drama set in the world of artificial intelligence.

The movie will focus on OpenAI and the dramatic events in 2023 when the company’s CEO, Sam Altman, was fired and then quickly rehired.

According to Variety, Ike Barinholtz, known for his role in The Studio on Amazon, is currently in talks to play Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur and former ally of Donald Trump.

The movie has not officially finalized Barinholtz’s casting, but the buzz is strong. Artificial will also star Andrew Garfield, expected to play Sam Altman, and Yura Borisov, rumored to portray Ilya Sutskever, one of OpenAI’s co-founders who pushed for Altman’s removal.

The script was written by Simon Rich, who will also produce the film alongside David Heyman, Jeffrey Clifford, and Jennifer Fox. Production is set to begin in early August in Italy,...