Z 10 years celebration

Shari Lynette Carpenter, Miko Lim and Oscar Rene Lozoya have been selected to participate in the 2023-2025 Paramount Directors Initiative, Paramount Global announced on Thursday. The two-year program, which is now in its 19th year, matches these directors with CBS Television Network, CBS Studios, Paramount Television Studios and Paramount Global drama and comedy series directors. The primary focus of the program is to provide access and opportunities to directors, with a focus on those from underrepresented groups. Throughout the program, the directors will receive invaluable  exposure to the Paramount Global network episodic directing process. In addition to getting a chance to observe the in-depth, technical aspects of the process, participants develop relationships with showrunners, producers, network executives and other significant decision makers. The program also now guarantees participants an episode of television to direct on the CBS Television Network. “At … [Read more...] about Paramount Global Announces 2023-25 Directors Initiative Participants

Apple is said to be interested in bidding for the rights to broadcast English soccer games, according to a new report published this morning. The report, found in Bloomberg, states that the rights currently under consideration at Apple would allow the company to broadcast games from the Premier League , the highest level of English soccer, alongside games from the lower-ranked English Football League. Deadline has reached out to Apple for comment on the matter. The move would expand the company’s global soccer coverage following its $2.5B, 10-year deal with Major League Soccer to stream games from the US-based league. The MLS deal was one of the biggest sports streaming deals in history. Apple also recently inked a deal with Major League Baseball and broadcasts live Baseball games on AppleTV+ every Friday alongside pre and postgame shows available across the world without local broadcast restrictions. The English Football League is offering the rights to seasons … [Read more...] about Apple Considering Bid For English Soccer Streaming Rights — Report

Getty Lil Nas X 's presence on social media has got him in some hot water once again ... with people saying his tweet about 'gays' in Africa is incredibly insensitive on the heels of serious anti-gay legislation in Uganda. The "Old Town Road" rapper was met with a ton of backlash Wednesday after he tweeted "where do the gays be in africa i wanna come there". The tweet came on the heels Uganda parliament passing one of the most sweeping anti-gay legislations in the world. The law punishes people with up to 10 years behind bars for simply identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer or anything other than male or female. More shockingly, citizens can be sentenced to life behind bars for committing gay sex acts and be sentenced to death for "aggravated homosexuality" -- a broad term to include sex acts committed by force as well as incest. After LNX's tweet, folks quickly hopped on social media to express their disdain, for what … [Read more...] about Lil Nas X Slammed For ‘Gays’ in Africa Tweet Following Anti-LGBTQ Ugandan Law

Imagine Entertainment co-founders, Oscar winners and USC School of Cinematic Arts alums Brian Grazer and Ron Howard will deliver the school’s commencement address in May, the university said Thursday. Grazer, who also serves on the School of Cinematic Arts Board of Councilors, received a BA in Psychology at USC in 1974. Howard attended courses at the School of Cinematic Arts. Both received honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degrees from USC in 2022. The pair, who have teamed on the likes of Oscar Best Picture winner A Beautiful Mind, Apollo 13 , 8 Mile and 24, Parenthood and Friday Night Lights among other hits join a list of previous commencement addressees that includes Matt Reeves last year along with Ryan Coogler, Jon M. Chu, Donna Langley, Ron Meyer, Paul Feig and more. The ceremony, to be held Friday, May 12 at the Shrine Auditorium, will also see producer-writer-director Tracy Oliver honored with the Mary Pickford Alumni Award, an award Grazer also has … [Read more...] about Imagine That: Ron Howard And Brian Grazer To Give This Year’s USC School Of Cinematic Arts’ Commencement Address

The rare tornado that hit the Los Angeles area Wednesday was the strongest to hit the region in 40 years, officials said today. The National Weather Service rated the Montebello twister as EF1, with winds of 110 mph. That made it the strongest tornado recorded in the area since an F2 caused major damage in March 1983. The last time an EF1 tornado occurred in the area was in January 1998 in Long Beach, NWS said. The tornado that touched down in Montebello, about 12 miles southeast of downtown L.A., tore the roofs off buildings, damaged vehicles and wiped out trees. County fire officials said one person was injured and that nearly a dozen of the 17 businesses examined by inspectors were red-tagged, meaning they are no longer suitable for occupation. You can scroll through a gallery of images from Montebello by clicking on the photo above. The F2 tornado on March 1, 1983, ripped through the area then known as South-Central Los Angeles as drivers were commuting to work. It … [Read more...] about Los Angeles-Area Tornado Was Region’s Strongest In 40 Years

Kobe Bryant made an extremely rare appearance on the Sunset Strip for New Year's Eve -- and he did it with his sometimes estranged wife Vanessa Bryant . Kobe and Vanessa -- both dressed to the nines -- sure looked like things are back on for 2013 as they walked out of BOA Steakhouse. We asked the Black Mamba what he's doing to stay on top of his game -- and he answered, "lot of hard work." Here's the thing -- was he talking about basketball ... or Vanessa? Her year-old divorce petition is still filed, but our sources say it looks like they're working things out ... again ... for now. Oh,and Lakers fans will love what Kobe told us about his New Year's resolution. … [Read more...] about Kobe Bryant — Comes Out of Hiding for New Year’s Eve With Vanessa

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

EXCLUSIVE: Mary J. Blige is back at Lifetime to executive produce two new original movies inspired by her biggest hits — Mary J. Blige’s Real Love and Mary J. Blige’s Strength of a Woman . The flicks will premiere on back-to-back Saturdays, beginning June 10 at 8 p.m. The movies are headlined by Ajiona Alexus ( Empire , 13 Reasons Why ) and Da’Vinchi ( BMF, All American ) with Princess Davis, Austin Anozie, Shiraine Haas and Garfield Wilson rounding out the casts. Blige serves as an executive producer on both original films through her own production banner, Blue Butterfly with Ashaunna K. Ayars and Q. Nicole Jackson as co-producers. Mary J. Blige’s Real Love follows 18-year-old Kendra (Alexus) as she sets off on her own for the first time at an HBCU in North Carolina. Attending on a scholarship, Kendra is determined to focus on school while balancing work study and keeping things professional with Ben (Da’Vinchi), her photo class partner. Despite … [Read more...] about Mary J. Blige Books Two More Lifetime Original Movies Inspired By Her Music

Neon has unveiled a raft of cast additions for Joshua Oppenheimer ’s musical The End as principal photography begins in Ireland. The freshly-unveiled cast includes Moses Ingram, Michael Shannon, Bronagh Gallagher, Tim McInnerny, and Lennie James. They join previously announced lead actors Tilda Swinton and George MacKay. Neon is co-financing the international co-production. The long-gestated project revolves around the story of the last human family. Principal photography has begun in Ireland and will continue through the spring in Italy and Germany. “I am thrilled to be making The End in collaboration with this miraculous ensemble of artists. I am in awe of each of them. It has been a journey of six years to reach this point, and I could not be more humbled,” said Oppenheimer. Final Cut for Real’s Signe Byrge Sørensen and Oppenheimer are producing with Wild Atlantic Pictures, The Match Factory, Dorje Film, Moonspun Films and Anagram co-producing. … [Read more...] about Moses Ingram, Michael Shannon, Bronagh Gallagher, Tim McInerney & Lennie James Join Joshua Oppenheimer’s Neon-Backed Musical ‘The End’

EXCLUSIVE : Actor-filmmaker Zach Braff has signed with Range Media Partners ahead of the MGM theatrical release of his newest directorial effort A Good Person , starring Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman. The film hitting screens this Friday, March 24th, which Braff also wrote and produced, tells the story of Allison (Pugh), whose life falls apart after her involvement in a fatal accident. In the following years, it is the unlikely relationship she forms with her would-be father-in-law (Freeman) that helps her inevitably live a life worth living. Braff landed Emmy and DGA Award nominations for his directing on Ted Lasso Season 1 and also recently reteamed with that series’ co-creator Bill Lawrence as a director on his Apple series Shrinking , with Jason Segel and Harrison Ford, which has been renewed for a second season . He kicked off his career behind the camera with 2004’s Garden State — a drama that had him starring opposite Natalie Portman which … [Read more...] about ‘A Good Person’ Filmmaker Zach Braff Inks With Range Media Partners