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
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‘This Is Going To Hurt’ Stars Win Big At Broadcasting Press Guild Awards
Ben Whishaw and Ambika Mod , the stars of This is Going to Hurt , have scooped the top acting prizes at this year’s Broadcasting Press Guild Awards , while Derry Girls picked up a double. This is Going to Hurt failed to even land a nomination in Best Drama Series, with that gong going to fellow BBC drama Sherwood, but Whishaw and Mod staved off competition from the likes of Anna Maxwell Martin, Leslie Manville and Gary Oldman to take the major prizes. Mod’s win will lead to more raised eyebrows at the BAFTA TV jury’s decision to eschew her from this week’s Best Actress nomination list in favor of the likes of Kate Winslet, Sarah Lancashire and Imelda Staunton. Whishaw picked up a BAFTA nod for Best Actor. Mod’s portrayal of struggling junior doctor Shruti won critics’ hearts, while Whishaw’s lead turn playing Adam has also won out for the Adam Kay-penned adaptation of Kay’s book. Meanwhile at the awards voted on by the UK’s media press, Lisa McGee’s … [Read more...] about ‘This Is Going To Hurt’ Stars Win Big At Broadcasting Press Guild Awards
‘Daisy Jones & The Six’ Going On Tour? Cast & Creators Weigh In
With all this talk about the cast of Daisy Jones & The Six basically becoming a real-life rock band , it’s natural that there would be whispers about a possible tour. The good news? The cast and creators of the Prime Video series seem to be on board with the band hitting the road. “We’d love to,” Josh Whitehouse, who plays bassist Eddie Roundtree, told Deadline at SXSW. Sam Claflin and Sebastian Chacon agreed. “We’re all actors and we all have different schedules. We’re all on different sides of the planet. I don’t know how plausible it is, but the hope is there [and] the desire is there,” Claflin explained. “And there seems to be enough people that are asking for it to happen.” Creator Scott Neustadter told Deadline that those conversations have been happening, though nothing has been confirmed just yet. Echoing Claflin, he said that “scheduling is going to be our biggest hiccup.” Many of the actors have already dove head first into other projects, … [Read more...] about ‘Daisy Jones & The Six’ Going On Tour? Cast & Creators Weigh In
‘When Calls The Heart’ Producer Motion Picture Corporation Of America Hires Two Senior Execs, Re-Ups A Third
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
Searchlight Sets December Release For Jonathan Majors Sundance Title ‘Magazine Dreams’
After snapping up the critically acclaimed Jonathan Majors movie Magazine Dreams out of Sundance, Searchlight has set a Dec. 8 theatrical release for the Elijah Bynum directed title; a date that’s right in line with the classics’ label previous awards season launches. Searchlight beat out Neon, Sony Pictures Classics and HBO for this fierce drama in which Majors portrays a disturbed amateur bodybuilder. The pic, which Bynum also scripted, follows Killian Maddox (Majors), who struggles to find human connection in this exploration of celebrity and violence. Nothing deters him from his fiercely protected dream of superstardom in the bodybuilding world, not even the doctors who warn him of the permanent damage he causes to himself with his quest. Taylour Paige and Haley Bennett also star in the movie along with Mike O’Hearn, Harrison Page and Harriet Sansom Harris. Jennifer Fox, Dan Gilroy, Jeffrey Soros and Simon Horsman produced. EPs are Majors, under his production banner … [Read more...] about Searchlight Sets December Release For Jonathan Majors Sundance Title ‘Magazine Dreams’
Philippa Langley On Digging Up ‘The Lost King’ Richard III After 500 Years – Specialty Preview
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 Acquires Domestic Rights To Anne Hathaway Sundance Movie ‘Eileen’
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’
‘Descendants: The Rise of Red’ At Disney+ Casts Alex Boniello As Jack Of Diamonds
EXCLUSIVE: Alex Boniello ( Jessica Jones ) has been cast as Jack of Diamonds in the Disney+ original movie Descendants: The Rise of Red (formerly known as The Pocketwatch ) , the latest installment in Disney Branded Television’s Descendants franchise. The Jack of Diamonds is a captain in the Queen of Hearts’ Red Army, whose soldiers wear military uniforms in the style of playing cards. Boniello, who is also a Tony-winning producer for Hadestown , joins previously announced cast members Kylie Cantrall (Disney’s Gabby Duran and the Unsittables ) as Red; Malia Baker ( The Babysitters Club ) as Chloe; Brandy ( Queens ) as Cinderella, Rita Ora ( Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight ) as The Queen of Hearts; China Anne McClain ( Descendants 2 and Descendants 3 ) as Uma; Dara Reneé ( High School Musical: The Musical: the Series ) as Uliana; Ruby Rose Turner ( Coop and Cami Ask the World ) as Bridget/Young Queen of Hearts; Morgan Dudley ( Jagged Little Pill on … [Read more...] about ‘Descendants: The Rise of Red’ At Disney+ Casts Alex Boniello As Jack Of Diamonds
Merritt Wever-Led ‘Midday Black Midnight Blue’ Acquired By Good Deed; Coral Peña, Nicole Byer Board ‘Thelma’; More – Film Briefs
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
Eugene Levy Set For ‘Summer Camp’ Comedy With Diane Keaton, Kathy Bates & Alfre Woodard
EXCLUSIVE : Schitt’s Creek alum Eugene Levy is heading to Summer Camp . The four-time Emmy winner will play Diane Keaton’s love interest in the comedy also set to star Kathy Bates and Alfre Woodard . Castille Landon ( After franchise) is directing the film, which is heading into production next month in North Carolina, from her own script. It tells the story of Nora, Ginny and Mary, who have been best friends since childhood, spending their summers together inseparably at sleepaway camp. As the years have passed, they’ve seen each other less and less, so when the chance for a summer camp reunion arises, they all take it, some begrudgingly and others excitedly. Each of their lives might not be where they’d imagined, but one thing is for sure — Nora, Ginny, and Mary need each other, and summer camp reminds them why. Summer Camp is a Saks Picture Company production, in association with and financed by Taylor & Dodge and Grant S. Johnson’s Project … [Read more...] about Eugene Levy Set For ‘Summer Camp’ Comedy With Diane Keaton, Kathy Bates & Alfre Woodard