Christopher gillis

Oscar-winning screenwriter, playwright and film director Christopher Hampton was on feisty form in a masterclass in Qatar earlier this week as part of the Doha Film Institute ’s Qumra talent incubator event (March 10-16). Hampton, who won Academy Awards for the screenplays of Dangerous Liaisons and The Father and was Oscar-nominated for Atonement , urged aspiring screenwriters in the auditorium to try to retain some sort of control of their work and creative vision. “I would advise anybody to try to get at least some sort of associate producer credit to maintain a grip on the material and you have to fight… fight with a lot of people,” he said. “They don’t want to give it to you. They don’t want to give you those powers, but I’ve always argued that since the writer is the origin of the piece, they deserve to be respected.” “Don’t be unreasonable because there is a very strong possibility that other people’s ideas will be as good as yours but there comes a … [Read more...] about Christopher Hampton Talks Screenwriter Control; ‘Dangerous Liaisons’ Sprint Against Miloš Forman – Qumra Masterclass

Neo-nazis tend to be a noisy bunch, and it takes an extraordinary and confident work of art to drown out their loud, ugly racket. Parade , opening tonight on Broadway at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, is that work of art. With a serendipitous advertising slogan – “This Is Not Over Yet” – borrowed from one of the most powerful songs from a lovely score, the revival of 1998’s Parade arrives just when it’s needed most, providing an eloquent smackdown response to the rise in antisemitism made all too clear by the hate group protesting outside the show’s first preview (they haven’t been back). With a cast as fine as it is large, led by Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond – two of the best singers currently on Broadway – Parade , set in 1913 Georgia, scores its topical points with all the artistry and theatrical know-how to meet and exceed its noble intensions. Parade is as commanding as any musical revival to hit Broadway in years. Directed by Michael Arden, … [Read more...] about ‘Parade’ Broadway Review: Ben Platt & Micaela Diamond Lead Exceptional March Through History

Tony Dow , the actor who personified the role of America’s big brother as the elder sibling Wally Cleaver on the TV classic sitcom Leave It to Beaver , died today. He was 77, and had been battling cancer. His death comes a day after his passing was mistakenly reported by his management team and his wife. Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2022: Photo Gallery A statement on his Facebook page now reads: We have received confirmation from Christopher, Tony’s son, that Tony passed away earlier this morning, with his loving family at his side to see him through this journey. We know that the world is collectively saddened by the loss of this incredible man. He gave so much to us all and was loved by so many. One fan said it best—”It is rare when there is a person who is so universally loved like Tony.” Our heart goes out to Tony’s wife, Lauren, who will miss her soulmate of 42 years…To his son, Christopher, who will dearly miss his father, who was also his best friend…to … [Read more...] about Tony Dow Dies: ‘Leave It To Beaver’ Actor’s Passing Confirmed Following Earlier Confusion

Julia Fox says she's embarrassed by her brother's troubling arrest, but she's looking at the silver lining of it all ... hoping it'll force him to get some help. Julia shared a TikTok video Thursday addressing the police raid -- which turned up ghost guns and drug-making materials -- on her dad Thomas and brother Christopher earlier this month. Julia says Thomas was released the same night and had no criminal involvement whatsoever. Gallery Launch Gallery Getty Speaking to her brother's character, she said, “I know my brother and I’ve always known him to be like... the sweetest, most gentle, kind, soft-spoken, loves animals, loves to plant flowers..." Fox acknowledges both she and Thomas have a lot of trauma -- something she says he has internalized, while she has been able to find an outlet. Julia admitted she was embarrassed by the whole thing ... but she says the silver lining is he'll finally be able to get the help she's been trying to … [Read more...] about Julia Fox Defends Brother and Dad’s Arrest Despite Being ‘Embarrassed’

Zachary Levi isn’t giving up on the movie followup to his NBC series Chuck , and he says creators Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak are on board. Levi starred in the spy dramedy from 2007 to 2012 as Chuck Bartowski, an average guy who was dragged into the world of the the CIA and NSA to take on dangerous criminals and other threats. He’s been campaigning for an expansion of the Chuck universe since the show ended, but he recently said on SiriusXM’s The Jess Cagle Show that it might actually be coming to fruition. “I’ve been trying to make a Chuck movie since before we even finished the show. I saw the writing on the wall, I saw a lot of the streaming stuff starting to pop up. I saw a lot of like, well, people are doing, you know, like, you know, Zach Braff, I think was crowdfunding. Oh, oh, no, no. Even before that, who was, uh, Veronica Mars , it crowdfunded. So I was like, clearly there’s an appetite for people wanting to see additions to the series that they, you … [Read more...] about Zachary Levi Says He’s Still Holding Out Hope On A ‘Chuck’ Movie

Lance Reddick , a prolific actor who played Charon in all four John Wick films and was a series regular on The Wire , Fringe and Bosch among dozens of other roles spanning a quarter-century, died today. He was 60. His rep at Portrait PR confirmed the news, saying he died of natural causes but not providing other details. The actor had been doing interviews for the upcoming John Wick: Chapter Four starring Keanu Reeves just this week. He also was set to appear in the franchise-spinoff pic Ballerina. Reddick began his screen career in the mid-1990s, guesting on such series as The Nanny and New York Undercover. Later in the decade, he appeared on the big screen in pics including Great Expectations and The Siege before recurring on HBO’s Emmy-winning 2000 miniseries The Corner , which was based on David Simon’s book. RELATED: ‘The Wire’ Actor Wendell Pierce Pays Tribute To Costar Lance Reddick: “Godspeed My Friend. You Made Your Mark Here” … [Read more...] about Lance Reddick Dies: ‘John Wick’, ‘The Wire’, ‘Fringe’ & ‘Bosch’ Actor Was 60

Michael Winterbottom has devoted much of his filmmaking career to revisiting real-life events through works blurring the boundaries between documentary and drama to various degrees. The filmmaker shed light on his approach in a recent Doha Film Institute (DFI) masterclass, going behind the scenes of Welcome To Sarajevo , 24 Hour Party People , In This World , The Road To Guantanamo , A Might Heart and Eleven Days In May . “It’s a continuum, even if you’re filming a fantasy film in a studio on a green screen there is an element of document to that. You’re recording that moment of the act of performance,” he said when quizzed on his attitude towards documentary versus fiction. “Equally, even in a documentary like Eleven Days … you’re trying to shape that story, so it a continuum,” he added, referring to the 2022 documentary commemorating 68 children killed in Israeli bombing raids over Gaza in May 2021. Winterbottom elaborated on this idea through his … [Read more...] about Michael Winterbottom Talks Blurring Of Lines Between Documentary & Fiction; Appeals For UK Film Funding Rethink – Qumra Masterclass

EXCLUSIVE: Oppenheimer, A Quiet Place Part II and Peaky Blinders star Cillian Murphy is embarking on his next project with the feature adaptation of Claire Keegan’s acclaimed novel Small Things Like These . Murphy will star in and produce the film that’s been greenlighted by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon ’s Artists Equity , which will finance the project. Principal photography is underway in Ireland. Ciarán Hinds and Emily Watson are also starring in the drama whose source material has been likened to a Dickens tale. The story takes place over Christmas in 1985, when devoted father Bill Furlong (Murphy) discovers the startling secrets being kept by the convent in his town, and some shocking truths about his own life as well. The project reunites director Tim Mielants and Murphy, who previously worked together on the BAFTA-winning Peaky Blinders . Enda Walsh, a longtime collaborator of Murphy’s, wrote the script. Murphy and producer Alan Moloney … [Read more...] about Cillian Murphy To Star In & Produce ‘Small Things Like These’ Backed By Ben Affleck & Matt Damon’s Artists Equity

The Eva Longoria-directed Flamin’ Hot , Imran J. Khan’s Mustache and the upcoming ESPN bio-doc about NBA icon Bill Walton were among the audience award winners revealed Monday for the 31st SXSW Film & TV Festival. Flamin’ Hot , which stars Jesse Garcia in the sometimes true tale of the man behind the “flamin’ hot”-branded chip revolution, was named the Audience Award winner in the festival’s Headliners section. The pic, from Searchlight Pictures, will debut June 9 on both Hulu and Disney+ . Mustache , written and directed by Khan, won the Narrative Feature Competition honor, and Julio Quintana’s The Long Game won for Narrative Spotlight. The Documentary Feature Competition winner was Dan Covert’s Geoff McFetridge: Drawing a Life , while Documentary Spotlight honors went to Olivia Kuan’s The Herricanes . RELATED: ‘Flamin’ Hot’ Review: Eva Longoria’s Directorial Debut Is An Inspiring Latino Rags-To-Riches Story – SXSW The fest’s Midnighters … [Read more...] about ‘Flamin’ Hot’, ‘Mustache’, ‘The Luckiest Guy In The World’ Among SXSW Audience Award Winners

Eddie Redmayne , fresh from The Good Nurse , is set to play another killer. The Oscar-winning actor will star in The Day of the Jackal series for Peacock and Sky. He will play The Jackal, a professional assassin hired by a French paramilitary dissident to kill French President Charles de Gaulle in 1962. The series is based on the Frederick Forsyth novel and 1973 film adaptation from Universal Pictures. However, it has been reimagined as a contemporary story set amidst the current turbulent geo-political landscape and will delve deeper into the chameleon like ‘anti-hero’. Top Boy creator and writer Ronan Bennett writes and serves as showrunner. Brian Kirk, who has directed episodes of Game of Thrones and Luther, will direct. It is produced by Universal International Studios’ Carnival Films, which is best known for producing Downton Abbey. Redmayne will also exec produce alongside Carnival Films’ Gareth Neame and Nigel Marchant, Sky Studios’ Sam Hoyle. … [Read more...] about Eddie Redmayne To Lead ‘The Day Of The Jackal’ Series For Peacock & Sky