Prince at grammys 2013

Bel-Air star Jimmy Akingbola ’s heartwrenching Handle with Care doc has been picked up by Peacock in the U.S. Handle with Care , which debuted on ITV in the UK and is produced by TriForce Productions , sees Akingbola tell the story of his upbringing after he was adopted by parents of a different ethnicity to his own. He also meets others who have experienced the British care system, including the likes of Save Me star Lennie James and athlete Kriss Akabusi, in order to build up a picture. The doc tells a “positive story” of growing up in care, Akingbola recently told Deadline . He will be familiar to Peacock subscribers, having played Geoffrey the butler in the first two seasons of the NBCUniversal streamer’s The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reboot, which was recently renewed for a third series. Akingbola said Peacock is the “natural home” due to the “parallels between my own personal story and that of Bel-Air.” “When art imitates life, the result … [Read more...] about Jimmy Akingbola Doc ‘Handle With Care’ Picked Up By Peacock

Motion Picture Corporation of America , the Brad Krevoy -led producer of shows like Hallmark Channel’s When Calls The Heart , has hired two senior executives and re-upped a third. Jennifer Provencher , a former Netflix exec, has been named SVP of Business Affairs. She will focus on business and legal affairs for MPCA films and series. In addition to her post as Director of Business & Legal Affairs at Netflix, Provencher was previously VP, Business and Legal Affairs for Shine America, now known Endemol Shine North America. Courtney Colman has been appointed Chief Financial Officer. She has been CFO at multiple companies, among them XPRIZE Foundation, Mob Scene and Gold Circle Films and before that was SVP Finance & Business Development at CBS Films and VP Participations at Sony Pictures Entertainment. As CFO of MPCA, she will oversee strategic planning, accounting, finance, budgeting and forecasting, Veteran producer Amy Krell has also re-upped at MPCA … [Read more...] about ‘When Calls The Heart’ Producer Motion Picture Corporation Of America Hires Two Senior Execs, Re-Ups A Third

The much-maligned Richard III finally gets the royal treatment in Stephen Frears’ The Lost King as amateur historian Philippa Langley unearths the monarch’s five-century-old remains in a parking lot in Leicester, England, in 2012. Two books and a documentary later, IFC Films presents the feature film version in 750+ theaters. “It took eight years from starting the search to cutting the tarmac. To see it telescoped into a hundred or so minutes made it really powerful for me,” Langley, who’s played in the film by Sally Hawkins, told Deadline. Richard III (1461-1483) is one of Shakespeare’s most malevolent villains, a deformed hunchback usurper and murderer. But historians have contested the portrayal of the last king of the House of York and Plantagenet dynasty, noting history is often (re)written by the victors, in this case the Tudors. A society of “Ricardians” at work for years to rehabilitate the monarch’s image, and other well-wishers, chipped in to fund a costly … [Read more...] about Philippa Langley On Digging Up ‘The Lost King’ Richard III After 500 Years – Specialty Preview

Neon has taken the North American rights to the Anne Hathaway -starring Sundance Film Festival premiere Eileen , from director William Oldroyd ( Lady Macbeth ). The distributor is eyeing a fall theatrical release. Oldroyd’s connection to Sundance began in 2013 when his short film Best won the Short Film Competition. Eilee has already notched 87% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with critics since its Park City debut in January. The pic, based on the 2015 debut novel by Otessa Moshfegh, is set during a bitter 1964 Massachusetts winter, when young secretary Eileen (Thomasin McKenzie) becomes enchanted by the glamorous new counselor Rebecca (Hathaway) at the prison where she works. Their budding friendship takes a twisted turn when Rebecca reveals a dark secret — throwing Eileen onto a sinister path. Shea Whigham, Marin Ireland and Owen Teague also star in the pic, which was adapted for the screen by Moshfegh with Luke Goebel. The pic was produced by Fifth Season, … [Read more...] about Neon Acquires Domestic Rights To Anne Hathaway Sundance Movie ‘Eileen’

EXCLUSIVE : Good Deed Entertainment has acquired North American and UK rights to the indie drama Midday Black Midnight Blue , starring 2x Emmy winner Merritt Wever ( Godless ), slating it for a day-and-date release in June. The first feature from writer-directors Samantha Soule and Daniel Talbott, also starring Chris Stack (AMC’s Interview with the Vampire ) and Soule ( Godless ), follows Ian (Stack) as he grapples with his shifting memories of Liv (Soule), a woman he once loved. For Ian, it’s a chance run-in with Liv’s sister (Wever) that sparks a journey in which he has a chance to reconnect to the light and fight his way back to life. The film, which world premiered at last year’s Seattle Film Festival, is produced by Soule, Talbott and Stack, as well as Lovell Holder and Addie Johnson Talbott. Exec producers are Timothy Farrell, Conner Marx and Will Pullen. GDE’s EVP of Acquisitions Erik Donley negotiated Midday Black ‘s deal for the company, with … [Read more...] about Merritt Wever-Led ‘Midday Black Midnight Blue’ Acquired By Good Deed; Coral Peña, Nicole Byer Board ‘Thelma’; More – Film Briefs

The announcement last week that the 2023 Billboard Music Awards will be held on Sunday, November 19, raised a few eyebrows because that had been the date earmarked for the 2023 American Music Awards . Both music award shows are produced by dick clark productions. A date for the 2023 AMAs has not been announced and it turns out, so hasn’t been a network. The AMAs have been an ABC staple; the show was created by Dick Clark in 1973 for the network when ABC’s contract to air the Grammy Awards expired. I hear ABC’s most recent deal for the AMAs ended with the November telecast, and no decision has been made about a contract renewal. “We have offers from both networks and streamers,” a spokesperson for DCP said in a statement. Aside from the marque Grammy Awards, the AMAs has been a reliable top ratings performer though networks have been rethinking their commitment to awards show amid declining linear viewing. NBC opted not to continue with the Billboard Music Awards … [Read more...] about American Music Awards’ Future At ABC Uncertain As Deal Comes To An End

Warning, this isn't for the faint of heart! Olympian Lolo Jones showed off a nasty injury after an incident on the track ... which left her shin bone peaking out of her skin! The 40-year-old hurdler and bobsledder shared videos and a photo with her IG followers on Thursday ... with the caption, "my bone sticking thru my shin." "Trainers taking me to get X-ray see if I need surgery." Jones didn't provide much more detail on what caused the gruesome injury except to say she was on the track when it happened, and it's GROSS! "This hurt more than a bobsled crash," Jones said. "I would take a Bobsled crash at 90 mph over seeing my shin bone again." There's good news, though, Jones later said she doesn't need surgery. Doctors wrapped the area and gave her a little scooter to ride around during recovery. Getty Of course, bone-through-skin incidents are not new to sports ... and are some of the most traumatic injuries. … [Read more...] about Lolo Jones Shows Gnarly Injury After Track Incident, See Bone Through Skin!

Getty Beyoncé and Balmain have just unveiled a new couture collaboration ... and the timing works out perfectly considering she just split with Adidas. French fashion designer Olivier Rousteing spearheaded the new 'Renaissance' collection, directly inspired by listening furiously to Bey's Grammy Award-winning album . Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. Beyoncé expressed her gratitude to Olivier on IG ... "thank you for allowing me to celebrate the human form, to take artistic risks, to push boundaries and to freely express myself." Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. Olivier returned the thank-yous while also bigging up fashion icon Marni Senofonte for her extending vision ... dubbing her his "Alien Superstar" ... a fitting title, seeing that all the collabs pieces are named after all the tracks on the album!!! Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media. The "Renaissance" … [Read more...] about Beyoncé Drops Balmain ‘Renaissance’ Collab Immediately After Adidas Split

Twitter / @MrErnestOwens UPDATE 10:37 AM PT -- The man who everyone assumed shouted during Harry Styles ' acceptance speech is denying he was the heckler -- saying he simply caught an impassioned Beyoncé fan on camera. UPDATE ALSO: Cultural context matters. When Black folks say "I'm hollering," "I'm yelling" -- it's a reaction to something internally. — Ernest Owens (@MrErnestOwens) February 6, 2023 @MrErnestOwens UPDATE Ernest Owens says he was NOT the person heard screaming Bey's name -- despite posting a video with the caption, "Yes, I yelled" -- while Harry was on stage receiving his Grammy for Album of the Year. Here's how EO explains it on Twitter ... "ALSO: Cultural context matters. When Black folks say "I'm hollering," "I'm yelling" -- it's a reaction to something internally." UPDATE He adds, "Like when someone tells their friend who is cutting up, "Gurl, you got me yelling and screaming,' "I'm hollering" -- it's not literal. … [Read more...] about Beyoncé Fan Denies Screaming During Harry Styles’ AOTY Win

Getty Composite Jay-Z is still very much a business, mannnn ... according to Forbes, the Roc Nation rapper is now worth a jaw-dropping $2.5 billion following the sale of his alcohol brand. The updated ranking from Friday makes Hov the 1,203rd richest person in the world. Back in February, Jay sold his 50% stake of his D’USSÉ cognac back to its parent company Bacardi for a reported $750 million after a tense court battle ... and still retains sizeable ownership in the brand. Getty/forbes.com Bernard Arnault , CEO of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, is still the richest person in the world with a net worth of $216.1 billion ... but bragging rights for the most-paid rapper currently sit with Jigga. Not only that, Billboard recently named him "The Best Rapper Of All-Time," and he holds the most Grammys for a rapper with 24. Apple Music / The Zane Lowe Show Lil Wayne recently disputed Jay's title with open regard -- … [Read more...] about Jay-Z’s Net Worth Soars to $2.5 Billion, According to Forbes