Fox just announced Season 2 renewals for two freshman drama series, anthology Accused and missing person drama Alert: Missing Persons Unit , both from Sony Pictures TV and Fox Entertainment. They join previously renewed sophomore drama The Cleaning Lady as well as animated stalwarts The Simpsons, Family Guy and Bob’s Burgers . That leaves dramas 9-1-1 , 9-1-1: Lone Star , The Resident and Fantasy Island and comedies Animal Control , Call Me Kat and Welcome Flatch on the live-action side. Last year, the renewals for 9-1-1, 9-1-1: Lone Star and The Resident — all from Disney’s 20th Television — went down to the wire, only closing an hour or so before the network’s upfront presentation. I hear conversations have started on the 9-1-1 franchise. The flagship is Fox’s top-rated scripted series and most watched series overall. It is also the most expensive six seasons in, with a big-name stars, Oscar nominee Angela Bassett and Peter Krause, and … [Read more...] about Fox Renewal Status Report: ‘9-1-1’, ‘Lone Star’, ‘The Resident’, ‘Animal Control’, ‘Call Me Kat,’ ‘Flatch’ & More
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Lauren Ridloff, Marlee Matlin & Ramy Youssef Join Inevitable Foundation’s Call To Prioritize Hiring Of Disabled Writers
“Hey Hollywood: Hire Disabled Writers, Not Just A Disability Consultant,” is the title of the Inevitable Foundation ’s latest initiative announced in an open letter to the entertainment industry on Thursday signed by notable writers, actors, and showrunners like Lauren Ridloff, Marlee Matlin, and Ramy Youssef, among many others. The initiative offers disabled creatives and the industry at large equitable and innovative solutions to work together toward building creative power for disabled artists. This includes free access to its Concierge service, a resource for creative executives, showrunners, and producers, which connects them with wonderful mid- and upper-level disabled writers for development and staffing. “The growing number of disability-inclusive film and television projects in the past few years might lead one to think that the largest minority group in America is finally seeing itself represented on-screen. But these on-screen gains have unfortunately not … [Read more...] about Lauren Ridloff, Marlee Matlin & Ramy Youssef Join Inevitable Foundation’s Call To Prioritize Hiring Of Disabled Writers
Gunter Nezhoda Dies: ‘Storage Wars’ Favorite Was 67
Gunter Nezhoda , a recurring and popular competitive bidder in A&E’s long-running show Storage Wars , died Tuesday in Utah six months after being diagnosed with lung cancer. He was 67. His death was announced in an Instagram video posted by his son Rene Nezhoda. In the video, Rene Nezhoda says that his father was a smoker for 30 years and while the family remained hopeful throughout the last six months his condition had recently deteriorated to the point where doctors could do no more. He said his father passed away peaceful in his sleep, adding, “no more pain.” “He was one of the guys on Storage Wars that never really got any hate,” Rene Nezhoda said. “People just loved being around him.” Storage Wars chronicles professional buyers of abandoned storage units as they bid against one another on units sight-unseen (or mostly unseen). Gunter Nezhoda recurred on the series as a buyer from 2015-2019. A native of Austria and a Las Vegas resident, Nezhoda was … [Read more...] about Gunter Nezhoda Dies: ‘Storage Wars’ Favorite Was 67
‘Vanderpump Rules’ Stars Arrive at Reunion Show Taping Amid Scandoval
Gallery Launch Gallery Backgrid/Splash UPDATE 12:45 PM PT -- A source close to production tells us Raquel Leviss is expected to be on set to film her parts of the reunion later in the afternoon. The drama is unfolding on the set of the "Vanderpump Rules" reunion show ... the cast members arrived around 9:45 AM ahead of the highly-anticipated taping. Tom Sandoval showed up to the San Fernando Valley set looking like he's going to a funeral -- dressed in all black -- which may be fitting, because he's likely to be buried for cheating on Ariana Madix with fellow cast member Raquel Leviss. Ariana, fresh off her recent brand partnership with a sex toy company, is glowing ... she's rocking a yellow hoodie and matching sweats, and she just got her nails and hair done. She definitely is sending Tom a signal ... her head-to-toe ensemble by Boys Lie includes graphics that read, "WE'RE SORRY THE NUMBER YOU ARE TRYING TO REACH HAS MOVED ON." … [Read more...] about ‘Vanderpump Rules’ Stars Arrive at Reunion Show Taping Amid Scandoval
Sam Neill Remembers The Late Robin Williams: “The Saddest Person I Ever Met”
Sam Neill has special memories of Robin Williams , who worked with him in 1999’s Bicentennial Man . Neill, 75, looked back on their time together in his new March 21-released memoir, Did I Ever Tell You This? Neill recalled their “great chats” throughout their visits to each other’s trailers. “We would talk about this and that, sometimes even about the work we were about to do,” he said, calling Williams “irresistibly, outrageously, irrepressibly, gigantically funny.” But even during those good times, Neill could sense something was wrong, calling Williams, “The saddest person I ever met.” Williams died by suicide at the age of 63 on Aug. 11, 2014. “He had fame, he was rich, people loved him, great kids—the world was his oyster. And yet I felt more sorry for him than I can express. He was the loneliest man on a lonely planet,” Neill wrote.Williams seemed “inconsolably solitary and deeply depressed.” Williams used humor as a form of self-medication, Neill … [Read more...] about Sam Neill Remembers The Late Robin Williams: “The Saddest Person I Ever Met”
BBC Three Witch Drama ‘Domino Day’ Sets Cast
EXCLUSIVE: Adult Material star Siena Kelly has boarded BBC Three witch drama Domino Day , as the show’s EP Laurence Bowen spotlights his indie Dancing Ledge ’s work with new writers. Domino Day, which comes from first-time writer and Dancing Ledge Writer in Residence (WIR) Lauren Sequeira, is an irreverent drama about modern dating in which the protagonist uses dating apps to hunt, rather than find love. Kelly, who was BAFTA nominated for her role in Channel 4’s Adult Material, will play Domino, a powerful young witch who is haunted by her need to feed on the energy of others, a hunger that only grows, despite her attempt to start her life over in Manchester. She is desperately seeking a community who can help her understand her feelings but, unbeknownst to her, she is being tracked by a coven of witches. Kelly is joined by up-and-comers Babirye Bukilwa ( We Hunt Together ), Poppy Lee Friar ( In My Skin ), Alisha Bailey ( Call the Midwife ), Molly … [Read more...] about BBC Three Witch Drama ‘Domino Day’ Sets Cast
‘Son Of A Critch’ Renewed For Season 3 By CBC
EXCLUSIVE: Canadian comedy Son of a Critch is establishing itself as a mainstay of CBC ’s schedule as it is greenlit for a third season before the second has finished airing. CBC said Season 2, which finishes next week, is the pubcaster’s most-watched English Canadian comedy series and most-watched show with 18-49 year olds. The series is produced by Schitt’s Creek’ s Andrew Barnsley and created by Mark Critch, who plays a fictionalized version of himself based on his award-winning memoir, with The Office scribe Tim McAuliffe. The show tells the story of 11-year-old Mark coming of age in St. John’s, Newfoundland in the ’80s, a boy much older inside than his 11 years – using comedy and self-deprecation to win friends and connect with the small collection of people in his limited world. Filming begins on Season 3 in Newfoundland this summer. “I’m honoured to have such talented people bringing my life story to the screen,” said Critch. “It’s a joy to start work … [Read more...] about ‘Son Of A Critch’ Renewed For Season 3 By CBC
Buster Murdaugh Named by Stephen Smith’s Mom as Murder Suspect in FBI Letter
Stephen Smith 's mom fired off a letter to the FBI about the mishandling of her son's death investigation, saying he was murdered for being gay and naming Buster Murdaugh as a possible suspect. Sandy Smith sent the 4-page letter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2016, hoping the agency would take over the case from local South Carolina authorities, whom she believed had covered up critical evidence in the case. As you know, Stephen was found dead in the middle of a country road in Hampton County near the Murdaugh family estate on July 8, 2015. Investigators initially thought Stephen's death was a "homicide" because there were no signs he'd been struck by a vehicle. Cops then inexplicably changed their minds and determined that it was a hit-and-run accident. Document Launch Doc In the letter , obtained by FITSNews, Sandy wrote Stephen's older brother, Christopher , was told by a classmate that Buster Murdaugh allegedly killed Stephen with … [Read more...] about Buster Murdaugh Named by Stephen Smith’s Mom as Murder Suspect in FBI Letter
Oscar Winner Roger Ross Williams: Spending On Oscar Doc Campaigns Has “Gotten Insane” — CPH:DOX
Oscar winner and Academy member Roger Ross Williams is saying publicly what many in the documentary community have stewed over privately – that the sums of money being spent on Oscar documentary campaigns has “gotten insane.” And Williams, a former Academy Governor representing the Doc Branch, says something may be done about it. “We in the Academy, in the Doc Branch, have a campaign finance reform committee… to sort of try to work through that and figure out solutions to that. It’s gotten insane. It’s gazillions of dollars to get seen and heard,” he said, “and that’s so troubling because it should be on the merit of the films.” His remarks, less than two weeks after the Academy Awards, came in a discussion with documentary programmer and Pure Nonfiction podcaster Thom Powers at CPH:DOX in Copenhagen. Powers asked the filmmaker about “the escalating attention that awards season sucks up in our industry,” and Williams didn’t hold back. “We know it’s awards, it’s the … [Read more...] about Oscar Winner Roger Ross Williams: Spending On Oscar Doc Campaigns Has “Gotten Insane” — CPH:DOX
Anderson Cooper To Host New CNN Sunday Primetime Series ‘The Whole Story’
Anderson Cooper will host a new Sunday primetime series for CNN , The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper , as the network works to revitalize its nighttime lineup. The new series, which will be a recurring weekly series, will feature single subject episodes from the network’s longform storytelling team. That will include special interviews, profiles and investigations. The debut is set for April 16 at 8 PM ET. Among the planned episodes will be Sara Sidner’s look at San Francisco and the social issues plaguing the city; Pamala Brown’s examination of claims that Johnson & Johnson’s now discontinued baby powder caused cancer; David Culver’s Magic Mushrooms , looking at the medicine and the money surrounding the psychedelic plant; Erica Hill’s look at the upcoming coronation of King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla; and Nick Paton Walsh’s embed with a group of migrants from Central American on their way to seek asylum in the United States. Susan Chun is the … [Read more...] about Anderson Cooper To Host New CNN Sunday Primetime Series ‘The Whole Story’