Natalie Portman wrote, directed and stars in ‘A Tale of Love and Darkness’
Natalie Portman’s feature film directorial debut, A Tale of Love and Darkness, has found a U.S. distributor in Focus World. A Tale of Love and Darkness was adapted by Portman for the screen from Amos Oz‘ memoir. Natalie Portman also stars in the dramatic movie alongside Gilad Kahana and Amir Tessler.
Ram Bergman and David Mandil produced the movie and Nicolas Chartier and Allison Shearmur executive produced. Focus World is planning a theatrical release later this year. Commenting on the acquisition, Focus World SVP Anjay Nagpal said, “A true labor of love for Natalie Portman, A Tale of Love and Darkness will resonate with audiences as a moving story about personal and world history intertwining.”
“A Tale of Love and Darkness has been my passion for almost a decade now since I read Amos Oz’s masterful book and knew I wanted to adapt it into a film,” said Portman. “I’m so proud, and feel so lucky, that the film we made will be distributed by Focus World. It is a great honor to have their brand of thoughtful distribution delivering the film into the world.”
The Plot:A Tale of Darkness is an intimate family drama set against the backdrop of war-torn Jerusalem just a few years after World War II. The story is told through the eyes of a young boy whose coming-of-age is shaped by a devastating family tragedy, and by a turbulent and changing world as the state of Israel is born.
Mischa Barton and Artem Chigvintsev will be partners on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ (Photo by Craig Sjodin / ABC)
The celebrities who will be showing off their dance moves on the 22nd season of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars have been announced, with the list featuring NFL stars, a UFC fighter, and a talk show host/investigative reporter. The new season of ABC’s popular dance competition series will premiere March 21, 2016 at 8pm ET/PT and will be hosted by Emmy winner Tom Bergeron and Dancing with the Stars season 10 finalist Erin Andrews. The panel of judges for season 22 includes Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli, and Carrie Ann Inaba. Alex Rudzinski is directing season 22 and Rob Wade and Ashley Edens-Shaffer are the executive producers.
The Dancing with the Stars season 22 celebrities and professional dancers pairings are:
Details on Dancing with the Stars Season 22 Celebrities, Courtesy of ABC:
MISCHA BARTON – Mischa Barton began her successful film, television and stage career in the NY theater scene under the tutelage of esteemed director/writers James Lapine (“Twelve Dreams” at Lincoln Center with Donna Murphy), Tony Kushner (“Slavs!” at New York Theater Workshop with Marisa Tomei), and Naomi Wallace (“One Flea Spare” at the Public Theatre with Dianne Wiest.) She has since gone on to star alongside screen icons Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant in “Notting Hill,” Bruce Willis and Toni Collette in “The Sixth Sense” and Sam Rockwell in the Sundance critically acclaimed film “Lawn Dogs.” She is currently in production on the independent film “Father” and will compete on this season of ABC’s hit television series, “Dancing with the Stars.”
On television, for three seasons, Barton portrayed Marisa Cooper, on FOX’s wildly popular drama “The O.C.” The show earned several awards, including a Television Critics Association Award nomination for Outstanding New Program of the Year. Barton also starred in The CW drama series “The Beautiful Life.”
In 2012, Barton returned to her theater roots, starring in “Steel Magnolias” at the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin. She also tapped into her entrepreneurial side and launched Mischa Barton Boutique London in fashionable Spitalfields, East London. Here, she sells her own line of handbags, clothes and accessories. That same year, she also co-starred in “A Resurrection,” with Michael Clark Duncan and Devon Sawa, and starred in the feature “I Will Follow You Into The Dark.” Additional film credits include “Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain” (alongside Martin Sheen), “Homecoming,” “Walled In,” “Assassination of a High School President,” “Virgin Territory” and “Closing the Ring,” starring opposite Shirley MacLaine and Christopher Plummer and directed by the late Richard Attenborough.Most recent film credits include “The Hoarder,” “Starcrossed,” “Operator” and “Deserted.”
ANTONIO BROWN – Antonio Brown is an NFL wide receiver and punt returner for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was drafted in 2010 after playing college football for three years at Central Michigan, where he was named a first-team All-American by The Sporting News in 2008 and 2009. The four-time Pro-Bowl selectee was named the Pittsburgh Steelers MVP in 2011, 2013 and 2015. Brown also received the honor of the AFC Offensive Player of the Year in 2014 and was named the Fantasy Player of the Year for the 2015-2016 season. Antonio grew up in Miami, Florida and resides in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Follow Antonio @AntonioBrown84
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NYLE DIMARCO – Nyle DiMarco is an actor, model and spokesman. He is a native New Yorker and was born into a large multigenerational Deaf family. He is an alumni of Gallaudet University, the only liberal arts university in the world for the deaf.
He was the stand out star and winner of “America’s Next Top Model”’s Cycle 22! He has gained a lot of attention for being the first deaf contestant. Next, Nyle will appear on “Difficult People,” opposite Billy Eichner and John Early. Previously, he recurs on “Switched at Birth” as Garrett.
Nyle is a signer and creative collaborator on The ASL App (by Ink & Salt), an App created by native deaf signers to teach conversational American Sign Language (ASL). As an honorary spokesman for Language Equality and Acquisition for Deaf Kids (LEAD-K), Nyle is passionate about literacy, anti-bullying campaigns and advocacy within the deaf community.
Nyle DiMarco is deaf and uses American Sign Language. American Sign Language requires the use of facial expressions and body movements; his deafness amplifies his natural talent. His deafness is an asset and not a limitation; he is amicable and able to communicate easily.
KIM FIELDS – A true Renaissance woman of the entertainment industry, Kim Fields is an accomplished actress, director, producer and writer. Her work spans decades, and transcends both genres and mediums to create quality entertainment.
As an actress, Fields is best known for her starring roles in two iconic shows: “Living Single” and “The Facts Of Life.” Fields has also appeared on many other film and television projects, including HBO’s “The Comeback;” TBS’s “Meet the Browns,” Lifetime’s “The Division” and “Strong Medicine,” and A&E’s “The Cleaner.” More recently, she joined the cast of Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.” Additional recent roles include the television movie “A Cross to Bear,” the film “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” and Hallmark Channel’s “For Better or for Worse.”
Fields starred in her third “Holiday Love” Christmas special, which she also produced, co-wrote and directed.
In addition to her onscreen work, Fields excels behind the camera. She has directed hundreds of episodes of television on programs, including TV One’s “The Rickey Smiley Show,” Nickelodeon’s “Kenan & Kel,” FOX’s “Living Single” and BET’s “Let’s Stay Together.” She also directed two of Tyler Perry’s TBS series: “Meet the Browns” and “House of Payne.”
Fields is an award-winning film director and was awarded the honor of “Director of the Year” for her work on the short film “Silent Bomb” by the Black American Cinema Society.
Fields is married to actor Christopher Morgan. The couple has two sons, Sebastian and Quincy.
This is a milestone year for Kim, celebrating her 40th year in the industry.
Follow Kim @KimVFields
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DOUG FLUTIE – Doug Flutie’s name has been synonymous with excellence in both college and professional football, as he has received many honors, including All American at Boston College, 1984 College Football Player of the Year, the 1984 Heisman Trophy Winner, 1991-1994/1996/1997 Grey Cup Most Valuable Player. Known for the famous “Hail Mary” pass against University of Miami to win the Orange Bowl in college, Doug went on to play in the USFL and then the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots through the late 80’s. He then played in the Canadian Football League for eight years, followed by the National Football League’s Buffalo Bills in 1998 where he was selected to the NFL Pro Bowl. At the age of 38, Doug signed a contract with the San Diego Chargers to become their starting quarterback. After four seasons, Doug was offered the opportunity to finish his career with his hometown team, the New England Patriots. Currently Doug Flutie serves as lead analyst for NBC Sports Group’s coverage of Notre Dame Football. He also serves as an analyst for NBC Sports Group’s NFL shoulder programming, which includes Pro Football Talk on NBCSN.
Doug has a charismatic personality whose approachable and personable style has translated his success on the football field into success off the field. Doug is the drummer of the Flutie Brothers Band. He has also written an autobiography, entitled “Flutie,” recounting his life both on and off the field. Married to his high school sweetheart, Laurie Flutie, and the father of two children, Doug and his wife established, the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism in 1998, in the name of their son Dougie, Jr., to help less-fortunate families who have children with autism. He also created a cereal, Flutie Flakes, with the benefits going towards this organization. The Flutie Foundation has raised over $12 million dollars for autism causes.
MARLA MAPLES – As a Broadway professional, having starred in “The Will Rogers Follies” and “Love, Loss and What I Wore,” Marla is no stranger to the stage. A veteran host of sensations such as “The Miss U.S.A.,” “The Miss Universe Pageant,” and co-host of “Fox After Breakfast” with Tom Bergeron, Marla is also a philanthropist on a mission, an actress and musical artist. Marla’s single “House of Love,” off her album “The Endless,” features Deepak Chopra and LogiQ Pryce, and won the Hollywood Music in Media Award (HMMA) for best song in the Ambient/New Age category. Marla has appeared in over 15 films and has guest starred in numerous television series. Most recently she starred in the racially thought provoking film “Switching Lanes.” Above all, Marla is a proud mom to daughter Tiffany Trump, who is graduating this spring from University of Pennsylvania and they each happily reside in New York City once again.
Follow Marla @itsmarlamaples
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VON MILLER – Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller was named MVP of Super Bowl 50—the 10th defensive player to earn the honor—after posting 2.5 sacks (27 yds.), two forced fumbles, one pass defense and six tackles (5 solo). A fifth-year linebacker and four-time Pro Bowl selection, Von’s 60 career sacks through his first five seasons represent the sixth most in NFL (since 1982) history. In 2015, Von was selected to his fourth Pro Bowl, joining Hall of Fame running back Floyd Little and Ring of Fame safety Steve Atwater as the only players in team history to make at least four Pro Bowls in their first five years with the team.
As impressive as all these accolades may be, the record-breaking athletic performances are only part of what makes Von Von. His quirky interests, which range from vintage eyeglasses and fashion to raising chickens at his DeSoto, Texas ranch, allow Von to connect with people from all walks of life. His charming personality and easy-going nature make him one of the most approachable players in the game. Von has put this quality to good use, traveling to Afghanistan to show his support for the troops and frequently visiting children’s hospitals to deliver presents and play with the kids. In 2012, he started Von’s Vision, a foundation dedicated to providing eye care and glasses to underprivileged youth. His foundation now has Von’s Vision Days, where these youth can receive eye exams and glasses onsite in the same day.
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Follow Witney @WitneyCarson
WANYA MORRIS – Wanya Morris first rose to fame as an original member of the R&B group Boyz II Men, which would go on to become the bestselling R&B group of all time with an astounding 64 million albums sold, when he was just a high school student at the Philadelphia School of Creative and Performing Arts.
As the group’s second tenor, Wanya has helped them achieve international renown over the past two-and-a-half decades—creating some of the most iconic albums in music history, including, “II” (1994), “Evolution” (2007), “A Journey Through Hitsville USA” (2007), “Love” (2009), “Twenty” (2011), and “Collide” (2014) —which continues to produce hits that withstand the test of time.
Wanya along with his group members, Nathan Morris and Shawn Stockman, have won a whopping four Grammy Awards, nine American Music Awards, nine Soul Train Awards, three Billboard Awards, and a 2011 MOBO Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, as well as a Casino Entertainment Award for their acclaimed residency at the Mirage Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, which has been extended through 2018.
Boyz II Men have won fans the world over with their soulful multi-octave sound and incredible vocals. Given the monumental success of their albums and the timeless quality of their vocals, it’s easy to see why Boyz II Men remains the most popular R&B group of all time as they continue to tour the globe. Ask any successful pop or R&B superstars which artists have inspired them, chances are Boyz II Men will be at the top. From Justin Timberlake and Usher to Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars and Beyoncé, the most successful stars in the industry look to Boyz II Men as their idols.
Most recently, Boyz II Men were featured on FOX’s “GreaseLive” as the teen angels who sing “Beauty School Dropout,” which became the most tweeted moment of the show with 9,350 tweets. They also appeared on “The Late Late Show with James Corden” for the 50th Super Bowl aftershow to parody one of their well-known songs, “End of The Road.”
GERALDO RIVERA – One of media’s most enduring broadcasters, Emmy and Peabody Award-winning journalist Geraldo Rivera is a Fox News senior correspondent and host of breaking news specials the “Geraldo Rivera Reports.” He is a rotating co-host on the FOX News Channel’s hit program “The Five” (weekdays 5-6 p.m. EST) and provides regular reports and commentary on FNC’s “Fox and Friends,” “Hannity” and “The O’Reilly Factor.” He joined the network in 2001 as a war correspondent following the 9/11 attacks.
Rivera began his 45-year career as a television reporter at WABC-TV in New York. Before becoming a member of the original cast of ABC’s “Good Morning America,” Rivera presented the first television broadcast of the infamous Abraham Zapruder film of the assassination of President John Kennedy as host of ABC’s “Good Night America.” He then began an eight-year association with ABC’s “20/20” as an investigative reporter. In 1987, Geraldo began producing and hosting “The Geraldo Rivera Show” for 11 years. In 1998, he hosted a series of investigative specials on NBC.
The winner of the 2000 Robert F. Kennedy journalism award (his third) for his NBC News documentary on “Women In Prison,” and the Scripps Howard Foundation national journalism award for “Back to Bedlam,” Rivera has received more than 170 awards for journalism, including the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award, three national and seven local Emmys, two Columbia-DuPont and two additional Scripps Howard Journalism Awards.
Prior to joining Fox News, Rivera served as host of CNBC’s number-one rated primetime show “Rivera Live,” where his critically acclaimed coverage of the O.J. Simpson civil trial verdict set an all-time CNBC ratings record.
An avid sailor who circumnavigated the globe, Rivera is a graduate of the University of Arizona and Brooklyn Law School and is the author of seven books, including two bestsellers, “Exposing Myself” and “His Panic: Why Americans Fear Hispanics in The U.S.” He is a philanthropist who donates and raises millions to aid various causes, including education and the care and treatment of the autistic. He is married to Erica Michelle Levy and has five children.
JODIE SWEETIN – Entrepreneur, actress and author, Jodie Sweetin garnered the love of millions in her role as Stephanie Tanner on ABC’s long-running, hugely popular sitcom “Full House,” which still airs in syndication. Currently, Jodie is working on the spinoff, “Fuller House,” which was recently picked up for season two on Netflix. With her innate sense of comedy and girl next-door charm, audiences will be re-introduced to the Stephanie they loved for over eight years, and will also see Stephanie in her new, grown up role on the show.
Originally from Orange County, Jodie always knew she wanted to be a “modeler.” Her mom saw that she loved performing and at three-and-a-half years old, she began doing a few print ads and commercials. She soon booked her breakout role in “Full House” and secured her spot in pop culture with her cute lisp and catchy tag line, “How rude!”
Jodie’s education was always very important to her. A true triple threat, she was in the musical theater program at the Orange County High School of the Arts (OCHSA). She then graduated from Chapman University with a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts with an emphasis in elementary teaching.
In 2009, she published her memoir, “UnSweetined,” documenting her life growing up in the spotlight and the years after. Jodie wrote the book as a means to show that she was human, had faults, but most importantly, she had strength and courage. In sharing her story, she hopes she has been able to help others confront their issues head-on and move forward.
This beauty has graced the big and small screen numerous times in various roles. She thoroughly enjoyed hosting “Pants-Off Dance-Off” for the Fuse Network in 2007, and she and “Full House” co-star Dave Coulier finished a short webseries called “Can’t Get Arrested.” Most recently, Jodie played lead roles in the feature films “Defending Santa” and “Walt Before Mickey,” as well as playing a lead in the pilot “Singled Out.” She has also done guest appearances on many other shows such as “Yes, Dear” and “Party of Five.”
In addition to juggling the role of actress and mother, Jodie has teamed with famed jewelry designer Erica Anenberg to create and design the Jodie Sweetin for Erica Anenberg line, a simple and elegant line of necklaces, charms and bracelets with inspiring and positive messages that one can live by and is important to oneself.
In her rare spare time, Jodie loves to dive into a good book. Jodie lives in Los Angeles and usually keeps busy going on adventures with her daughters, Zoie and Beatrix.
Follow Jodie @JodieSweetin
Follow Keo @keodancer
PAIGE VANZANT – Paige “12 Gauge” VanZant is the youngest and one of the most popular fighters in the UFC. With a record of 6-2-0, she is one of the most exciting fighters in the UFC, and is currently a top ranked contender in the women’s straw-weight division. Paige grew up dancing in Dayton, Oregon where her parents owned a dance studio. After some very difficult instances in which she was badly bullied in school, she came across MMA legend Ken Shamrock’s gym where she trained in both boxing and MMA. Paige turned pro on June 30th, 2012 and signed with UFC in December 2012 where she’s quickly become one of their rising stars. On 12/10/2015, Paige became the first female straw weight to headline a UFC event. Paige is also one of a select group of UFC stars to have an endorsement deal as a Reebok athlete alongside Rhonda Rousey, Holly Holm, Connor McGregor and Jon Jones.
Follow Paige @PaigeVanzantUFC
Follow Mark @MarkBallas
GINGER ZEE – Emmy Award-winner, Ginger Zee is “Good Morning America”’s chief meteorologist, reporting on the nation’s weather throughout the morning broadcast. Previously she was weather anchor for the weekend edition of “Good Morning America.” Additionally, Zee reports across all ABC News broadcasts and digital platforms and also serves as chief meteorologist for ABC News.
Since joining ABC News, Zee has covered almost every major weather event and dozens of historic storms. She broadcasted from the devastated Jersey Shore during Hurricane Sandy, the Colorado floods and wildfires, and covered the wreckage from tornados in Moore and El Reno, Oklahoma. In 2013, she covered extreme weather conditions, ranging from the Boston blizzard to the record-breaking heat in Death Valley.
Zee’s love of adventure does not stop at studying the atmosphere in the center of the storm. She has gone para-hawking in Nepal, para-glided from the Himalayas to the Andes, dove with sharks in the Bahamas, rappelled 27 stories down the exterior façade of the Wit Hotel in Chicago, plus has gone ice boat racing and surfing.
Prior to joining ABC News, she was a meteorologist at NBC station WMAQ-Channel 5 in Chicago from 2006-2011, also filling in for several NBC and MSNBC News programs. Before that assignment, Zee worked at WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids, Michigan where she part of the Storm Team 8, also covering the environment, science and the impact of weather throughout West Michigan. From 2003-2005, Zee worked at WEYI NBC 25 in Flint, Michigan. She began her career at WLAV FM/ WXMI in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Daisy Ridley and John Boyega star in ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’
MTV is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its MTV Movie Awards with this year’s show hosted by Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson. The 2016 MTV Movie Awards will air on April 10th at 8pm ET/PT on MTV and will take place at the backlot of Warner Bros. in Burbank, CA. MTV announced this year’s nominees via Snapchat, with Star Wars: The Force Awakens earning 11 nominations including Movie of the Year. Deadpool (released in 2016) also earned a Movie of the Year nomination as well as seven additional nominations in categories including Best Male Performance and Best Fight.
Other films that earned multiple nominations include Avengers: Age of Ultron, Mad Max: Fury Road, Pitch Perfect 2, The Revenant, Trainwreck, Jurassic World, Straight Outta Compton, and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2. Voting is now open online at www.MovieAwards.MTV.com through Sunday, March 20 at 11:59pm ET. Two new categories have been added to the awards show for 2016: True Story and Documentary.
“What has always been so cool about the ‘MTV Movie Awards’ is that it’s about blockbuster movies that audiences line up to see; comedies, superheroes, science fiction, fantasy, action,” said Casey Patterson, Executive Producer. “This show is about fandom and the stars come out to celebrate that. The nominees and the content are naturally diverse and eclectic because we’re a true reflection of real movie-going audience.”
2016 MTV MOVIE AWARDS NOMINEES:
MOVIE OF THE YEAR
• Avengers: Age of Ultron (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
• Creed (Warner Bros.)
• Deadpool (20th Century Fox)
• Jurassic World (Universal Pictures)
• Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
• Straight Outta Compton (Universal Pictures)
TRUE STORY
• Concussion (Columbia Pictures)
• Joy (20th Century Fox)
• Steve Jobs (Universal Pictures)
• Straight Outta Compton (Universal Pictures)
• The Big Short (Paramount Pictures)
• The Revenant (20th Century Fox)
DOCUMENTARY
• Amy (A24)
• Cartel Land (The Orchard)
• He Named Me Malala (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
• The Hunting Ground (RADiUS-TWC)
• The Wolfpack (Magnolia Pictures)
• What Happened, Miss Simone? (Netflix)
BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE
• Alicia Vikander – Ex Machina (A24)
• Anna Kendrick – Pitch Perfect 2 (Universal Pictures)
• Charlize Theron – Mad Max: Fury Road (Warner Bros.)
• Daisy Ridley – Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
• Jennifer Lawrence – Joy (20th Century Fox)
• Morena Baccarin – Deadpool (20th Century Fox)
BEST MALE PERFORMANCE
• Chris Pratt – Jurassic World (Universal Pictures)
• Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant (20th Century Fox)
• Matt Damon – The Martian (20th Century Fox)
• Michael B. Jordan – Creed (Warner Bros.)
• Ryan Reynolds – Deadpool (20th Century Fox)
• Will Smith – Concussion (Columbia Pictures)
BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
• Amy Schumer – Trainwreck (Universal Pictures)
• Brie Larson – Room (A24)
• Daisy Ridley – Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
• Dakota Johnson – Fifty Shades of Grey (Universal Pictures)
• John Boyega – Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
• O’Shea Jackson Jr. – Straight Outta Compton (Universal Pictures)
BEST COMEDIC PERFORMANCE
• Amy Schumer – Trainwreck (Universal Pictures)
• Kevin Hart – Ride Along 2 (Universal Pictures)
• Melissa McCarthy – Spy (20th Century Fox)
• Rebel Wilson – Pitch Perfect 2 (Universal Pictures)
• Ryan Reynolds – Deadpool (20th Century Fox)
• Will Ferrell – Get Hard (Warner Bros.)
BEST ACTION PERFORMANCE
• Chris Pratt – Jurassic World (Universal Pictures)
• Dwayne Johnson – San Andreas (Warner Bros.)
• Jennifer Lawrence – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (Lionsgate)
• John Boyega – Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
• Ryan Reynolds – Deadpool (20th Century Fox)
• Vin Diesel – Furious 7 (Universal Pictures)
BEST HERO
• Charlize Theron – Mad Max: Fury Road (Warner Bros.)
• Chris Evans – Avengers: Age of Ultron (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
• Daisy Ridley – Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
• Dwayne Johnson – San Andreas (Warner Bros.)
• Jennifer Lawrence – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (Lionsgate)
• Paul Rudd – Ant-Man (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
BEST VILLAIN
• Adam Driver – Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
• Ed Skrein – Deadpool (20th Century Fox)
• Hugh Keays-Byrne – Mad Max: Fury Road (Warner Bros.)
• James Spader – Avengers: Age of Ultron (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
• Samuel L. Jackson – Kingsman: The Secret Service (20th Century Fox)
• Tom Hardy – The Revenant (20th Century Fox)
BEST VIRTUAL PERFORMANCE
• Amy Poehler – Inside Out (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
• Andy Serkis – Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
• Jack Black – Kung Fu Panda 3 (20th Century Fox)
• James Spader – Avengers: Age of Ultron (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
• Lupita Nyong’o – Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
• Seth MacFarlane – Ted 2 (Universal Pictures)
ENSEMBLE CAST
• Avengers: Age of Ultron (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
• Furious 7 (Universal Pictures)
• Pitch Perfect 2 (Universal Pictures)
• Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
• The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (Lionsgate)
• Trainwreck (Universal Pictures)
BEST KISS
• Amy Schumer & Bill Hader – Trainwreck (Universal Pictures)
• Dakota Johnson & Jamie Dornan – Fifty Shades of Grey (Universal Pictures)
• Leslie Mann & Chris Hemsworth – Vacation (Warner Bros.)
• Margot Robbie & Will Smith – Focus (Warner Bros.)
• Morena Baccarin & Ryan Reynolds – Deadpool (20th Century Fox)
• Rebel Wilson & Adam DeVine – Pitch Perfect 2 (Universal Pictures)
BEST FIGHT
• Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) vs. Ajax (Ed Skrein) – Deadpool (20th Century Fox)
• Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) vs. The Bear – The Revenant (20th Century Fox)
• Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) vs. Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) – Mad Max: Fury Road (Warner Bros.)
• Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) vs. Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) – Avengers: Age of Ultron (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
• Rey (Daisy Ridley) vs. Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) – Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
• Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) vs. Lia (Nargis Fakhri) – Spy (20th Century Fox)
Christian Slater as Mr. Robot, Rami Malek as Elliot Alderson, Vaishnavi Sharma as Elliot’s Mother, and Carly Chaikin as Darlene in ‘Mr. Robot’ (Photo by: Michael Parmelee/USA Network)
Craig Robinson will be joining the cast of USA Network’s critically acclaimed, award-winning drama Mr. Robot for season two. Robinson has come on board the show as a recurring guest star, playing a character named Ray who, according to the network, is a “neighborhood local who reaches out to Elliot in his time of need.”
USA Network recently announced Joey Bada$$ and Chris Conroy will also appear in season two. Filming is now underway in New York City on the second season’s 10 new episodes.
The cast of Mr. Robot is led by SAG Award nominee Rami Malek and includes Golden Globe winner Christian Slater, Portia Doubleday, Carly Chaikin, Grace Gummer, Michael Cristofer, and Stephanie Corneliussen. The dramatic series is written by Sam Esmail who also serves as an executive producer along with Steve Golin (True Detective) and Chad Hamilton.
Robinson’s film and television credits include The Office, Mr. Robinson, Hot Tub Time Machine, Hot Tub Time Machine 2, This is the End, Knocked Up, and Eastbound and Down. He also spends his time traveling the country performing stand-up along with his band, The Nasty Delicious.
Emilia Clarke in ‘Game of Thrones’ season six (Photo: Macall B. Polay/HBO)
HBO’s latest video for the upcoming sixth season of Game of Thrones provides a glimpse behind the scenes with the cameramen who shoot the fantasy action adventure series. While the five minute video is interesting, it’s apparently not what fans wanted according to the comments left on YouTube immediately after HBO posted the video. Fans who signed up to receive notifications when HBO updates anything to do with Game of Thrones mistakenly believed the latest video alert was the season six official trailer, and many took their frustration out via the YouTube comment section.
HBO’s set to premiere season six of Game of Thrones on April 24, 2016. This season marks the first in which readers of the books are on equal ground with those who’ve never picked up one of George R.R. Martin’sA Song of Fire and Ice books. HBO hasn’t released an official cast list, however it’s fairly safe to assume season six will feature Peter Dinklage, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, Aidan Gillen, Natalie Dormer, Liam Cunningham, Carice van Houten, Conleth Hill, John Bradley, Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams, Isaac Hempstead Wright, David Bradley, Kristian Nairn, Art Parkinson, Natalia Tena, and Gemma Whelan, as well as new cast members Max von Sydow and Ian McShane. And Kit Harington will appear in some form or the other, maybe even just in flashbacks as a dead body in the snow.
Nate Parker in ‘The Birth of a Nation’ (Photo by Elliot Davis)
The 5,000+ motion picture professionals who’ll be attending this year’s CinemaCon will be honoring writer, director, actor, and producer Nate Parker with the 2016 Breakthrough Director of the Year Award. Parker is earning rave reviews for his directorial debut, The Birth of a Nation, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. The Birth of a Nation picked up two awards at the festival, with Vanity Fair’s Richard Lawson saying “Parker generously calls to all with his rallying cry of a film, a weighty invocation of past bravery that charges its audience with the essential, nation-defining mission of fighting for a better and more just future.”
CinemaCon is the National Association of Theatre Owners annual convention and this year’s gathering will take place April 11-14 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The awards ceremony will take place on the final night of the event at The Colosseum in Caesars Palace. “Following its Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at the 2016 Sundance film festival, Nate Parker’s The Birth of a Nation will surely bring movie-going audiences to their feet when it is released October 7th,” stated Mitch Neuhauser, Managing Director of CinemaCon. “A pure labor of love and a film that shows the true passion necessary to craft it, we are honored to present such an outstanding filmmaker with this year’s CinemaCon Breakthrough Director of the Year Award.”
Fox Searchlight is targeting an awards season release date of October 7, 2016.
The Birth of a Nation Plot: Set against the antebellum South, the film follows Nat Turner (Nate Parker), a literate slave and preacher, whose financially strained owner, Samuel Turner (Armie Hammer), accepts an offer to use Nat’s preaching to subdue unruly slaves. As he witnesses countless atrocities – against himself and his fellow slaves – Nat orchestrates an uprising in the hopes of leading his people to freedom.
Oscar winner Geena Davis has signed on to a starring role in the upcoming The Exorcist series. The horror/drama is inspired by William Peter Blatty’s bestselling novel which spawned one of the scariest horror film’s in Hollywood history. According to Fox, Davis will be playing a character named Angela Rance and the network provided this description of her character: “Naturally beautiful, regal and proud but weighed down by stress, Angela Rance does everything she can to stay positive and keep her faith even though her family is currently struggling. She can’t help but think, however, if perhaps her nightmares about a demon are a sign of what’s wrong.”
Jeremy Slater (2015’s Fantastic Four) wrote the pilot and Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) is directing. Slater and Wyatt are also executive producing along with Rolin Jones, James Robinson, David Robinson and Barbara Wall.
Davis won an Academy Award for her supporting performance in The Accidental Tourist and she was also nominated for an Oscar for playing Thelma in Thelma and Louise. Her television credits include Grey’s Anatomy, Coma, Commander in Chief, The Geena Davis Show, Family Ties, and Buffalo Bill.
The Exorcist Series Plot: A modern reinvention inspired by William Blatty’s original 1971 book, The Exorcist is a propulsive, serialized psychological thriller following two very different men tackling one family’s case of horrifying demonic possession, and confronting the face of true evil.
ABC confirmed Jimmy Kimmel will be returning to the Emmys as the host of the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards. Kimmel will once again take on the hosting duties after handling the gig back in 2012 at the 64th Primetime Emmy Awards. This year’s Emmys will be held on Sunday, September 18th and will air live on ABC from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles beginning at 5pm PT/8pm ET.
Announcing Kimmel as host, ABC Entertainment President Channing Dungey said, “Jimmy Kimmel is the consummate showman. With Kimmel at the helm, expect to be at the edge of your seat for a bigger, bolder, and better-than-ever Emmy event.”
And Kimmel added, “I am excited to be hosting the Emmys again. I have a feeling I’m going to be great.”
Nominees for the 2016 Emmy Awards will be announced on the morning of Thursday, July 14th, according to the Television Academy. The Academy also revealed the Creative Arts Emmy Awards have been set for Saturday and Sunday, September 10th and 11th. Bob Bain will executive produce the awards.
Kimmel’s been hosting and executive producing Jimmy Kimmel Live for 14 seasons, making it ABC’s longest running late night talk show. Kimmel’s show has picked up five Emmy nominations including nominations in the Outstanding Variety Series Talk category.
Alexander Ludwig in ‘Vikings’ season four episode 2. (Photo Courtesy of History)
History’s Vikings season four is underway with Ragnar (Travis Fimmel) still attempting to regain his health, Floki (Gustaf Skarsgard) on the outs, and Bjorn (Alexander Ludwig) striking out on a vision quest. Bjorn’s journey takes him away from the rest of the Vikings as he attempts to discover more about himself and what he’s capable of becoming. Season four’s third episode even found Ludwig as Bjorn doing battle with a bear, although as he explained in our conference call the bear in Vikings was real and not a CG creation like the bear in The Revenant.
Vikings season four is currently airing on Thursday nights at 10pm.
Alexander Ludwig Interview:
What does Bjorn have to learn before he can become a leader as strong as his father?
Alexander Ludwig: “I think the main part of this whole season for me is Bjorn basically learning to trust his instincts and that power corrupts. As much as he can trust everyone, the most important thing is that he trusts himself and this whole season is kind of about him learning to do that and learning to take more control.”
Do you think his father is hard on him to make him better because he wants to make him a better leader or because he fears that Bjorn might become too strong?
Alexander Ludwig: “I think it’s the first one. My father is like that as well. You’ve just got to be a bit hard on your children and that’s kind of what he’s done as he’s been trying to harden them up because he didn’t have to work as hard as his father did at the start. He was kind of thrown into this more lavish lifestyle than he was. Ragnar was a father whereas Bjorn grew up but his father had become a king when he was still a younger man, so it’s definitely about him growing up.”
Can you talk a bit about the crazy bear fight? How much of it was CGI and what was the most challenging part about the whole filming process?
Alexander Ludwig: “I think the most challenging part was definitely the conditions. The weather was pretty rough and pretty cold. But in terms of the bear, most of it is real. We don’t have a budget like The Revenant so we can’t make a CGI bear. So, in a really exciting way, we got to use a real one and it was a very, very incredible experience to work with such a beautiful and amazing animal.”
What’s the future for Bjorn and Porunn going forward this season? There’s a heartbreaking scene at the beginning with Bjorn kind of shunning his daughter. Is he going to change his attitude?
Alexander Ludwig: “Yes. The idea behind that was that it’s put on very subtly is that Vikings lost their children a lot and I think that Bjorn, when he sees his daughter for the first time since Porunn has left and abandoned him and his daughter, it’s just a constant reminder of how hurt he was. So, yes, I do actually. I think that you’re going to see a darker side to Bjorn as the season continues. He slowly starts to become hardened by life’s cruel circumstances and also becomes selfish by doing that.”
We’ve seen obviously the contentious relationship between Ragnar and Rollo. Is that something that Bjorn is also going to experience with his own brothers? Right now they seem to all be fairly close.
Alexander Ludwig: “That’s one thing that I try never to forget is that Bjorn actually has no allegiance to his brothers in terms of bloodline. I mean, everyone shared the same father but Lagertha is Bjorn’s mother and everyone else is born under Princess Aslaug so that’s definitely going to play. And, of course, when they’re young they’re not threatening so at the start I don’t think you’re going to see that but you’re definitely going to see that as the season continues. You’ll see certain brothers side with certain ones and others do not and it gets very, very intense.”
Porunn is gone but there seems to be a new woman in Bjorn’s life. How is Bjorn’s relationship with Torvi? Is there a romance brewing there?
Alexander Ludwig: “It’s kind of a power play at the start for Bjorn. It’s him kind of just taking what he wants and what’s his. That’s something you’ll see more in this season as well is that he becomes more ruthless as a character and he takes what he wants and doesn’t think twice about it. So at the beginning it’s a bit of a power play and I wouldn’t say it goes much further than purely a sexual attraction. These Vikings had so many partners and whatnot. I mean, it definitely goes into something. He ends up he possibly has a family but he’s gone for so long and he’s away for so long, you’re going to see quite a few different romances in this season and it’s going to get pretty ruthless of him.”
It seems to be a bold choice especially because Erlendur is not a friend of Bjorn already.
Alexander Ludwig: “That’s kind of what the thought behind it was, it’s kind of putting him in his place like, ‘I can take anything from you. I could take your life, I could take your wife,’ and he starts with his wife and maybe we’ll see something else after.”
What do you think has been the biggest challenge you’ve encountered since the show began?
Alexander Ludwig: “Well, I’d say on the show it’s got to be the weather here is just unbelievable. I’ve never seen anything like it when you’re coming on the boats and working in these brutal conditions, especially right now that we’ve never experienced having shows in the winter. It’s got immense repercussions to our show but the funny thing about the weather is just it looks so great that you kind of find solace in the fact that the show is going to look awesome. But it’s definitely been a brutal shoot towards the end, so that would be one of the toughest. I think the second one would be just as you grow and understand why I think the TV show has been so amazing for me in particular is the more camera time you have, the more experience you have in front of the cameras working with great actors and whatnot, you learn so much. It has its own challenges and it’s an immense reward so that’s been an amazing, amazing thing for me.”
Have you ever been seriously injured while on the set?
Alexander Ludwig: “Surprisingly, no. There definitely were a few times where I should’ve been but no, never anything to be hospitalized or anything like that.”
Alexander Ludwig faces a bear in ‘Vikings’ season four (Photo Credit: Steve Wilke)
How do you see Bjorn’s spiritual growth unfolding especially in reference to the bear fight, the struggles going on between Floki and traditional Vikings faith, and Ragnar and his turn toward modern Christianity?
Alexander Ludwig: “I think Ragnar, he’s always been the curious type whereas Floki has been more of the fundamental extremist. And Bjorn, as he struggles to find his place and has his own opinions and beliefs, his trek in the woods serves as a foil for that. I would say that he definitely believes in the gods, he appreciates the power that they have over their people and Floki’s belief, but at the same time, he shares his father’s curiosity.”
What do you think about the strong female characters that are in Vikings and interacting with them?
Alexander Ludwig: “In terms of the female leads, I mean, it’s about time we started to see more of that. I mean, it’s everywhere in our everyday life and what I think is so amazing is that historically the Vikings were so progressive in terms of respecting their women. They had their own saying. They were just as equal if not better than [men] in some senses. So, I think it’s an amazing thing and I think that the women we have on the show are doing an excellent job portraying it. I’m really happy to see what a great female following there’s been and I hope it continues because it’s not what I expected. I think it’s so sexy and cool when a girl comes up and says that she’s watching the show. I mean, I love that.”
Do you have a favorite scene from this season?
Alexander Ludwig: “Yes, I really did take a lot of pride in that Rollo scene that we did in the second episode where I address everybody for the first time as the leader while Ragnar’s kind of incapacitated. But a lot of the stuff that I’m really excited for everybody to see, and I mean like beyond excited than anything I’ve ever done in Vikings, comes from about episode 15 and onward. You’re going to see a pretty crazy event and Bjorn’s going to do some pretty amazing things.”
How isolated were you in preparing for your vision quest scenes? Were you pulled away from the cast or did the cast know what was going to go on?
Alexander Ludwig: “I’m telling you I was so excited it was ridiculous. The cast never saw anything that we had done so that’s why they were so excited to see the episodes. They were so jealous that I got to go do it. We’re basically in the middle of nowhere and we have to take snow mobiles to the set. And just for me personally, I thought it was one of the most beautiful and spiritually awakening experiences I’ve ever had. It’s something that I think the show needed to…you just can’t fake that stuff. You know when it’s real when you’re watching the show and it’s important to set up an environment. So, I’m really happy that the studio and everybody took the risk and did it because it was definitely worth it.”
Is the quest to prove something to himself or to prove something to Ragnar?
Alexander Ludwig: “He said to his father in the first episode that it’s because, ‘You don’t think I can survive.’ And of course if most sons – well, it’s my view that most sons go to make their father proud in a subconscious way or just any other way, but for Bjorn, I think it’s more for him. He needs to do this. He needs to get away and he needs everyone to see that he’s become his own [man]. He’s testing himself because he doesn’t even know if he can do it. He needs to prove to himself that he’s not in a position he’s in because of his father. He’s there because he deserves to be there. He deserves to be a leader.”
In the first episode this season we saw Bjorn studying a map taken from Paris and he got a glimpse of Italy and Rome on the map. Is that possibly foreshadowing Bjorn’s own future conquest?
Alexander Ludwig: “100%, yes and that’s something we’ve known about since the beginning, the beginning of the show. So, it’s a very, very cool little addition and I’m really excited for you guys to see where it goes.”
You’re filming in Ireland. Can you tell us a little bit about what it’s like to film there and what you’re able to do during your off-time?
Alexander Ludwig: “Yes, I always think it’s important to never let your work justify your life but the thing is I love what I do so much – and it’s hard not to. But when I’m not working, I’ve been taking music production classes in Dublin and I’ve also been getting my pilot’s license in Wicklow. So, it’s very exciting up until now though because the weather’s been so bad. I can’t go. I can’t continue [but] hopefully we end up coming back next year.”
Are we going to see a reunion Bjorn and Lagertha reunion this season? What does he think about her assuming this position of power?
Alexander Ludwig: “You will see a reunion and he’s all about Lagertha achieving her own dreams. They’ve always had such a strong bond that he’s just excited for her when she’s achieving her goals. I think that Bjorn’s learned so much from her as well. You’re also going to see actually a cool little change as well that they start becoming more companions than just – she’s become as much of a parental figure as a companion to him now, which is a really cool shift in the relationship.”
She wanted to rely on Ragnar to help her keep her position and he wasn’t really going to participate in that. Is Bjorn going to step up more and have her back?
Alexander Ludwig: “Yes, but at the end of the day it’s what’s best for the people and that was the point is that it wasn’t about defending her Earldom at that time because there are more important things to think about. And as the show continues that will be addressed in this season in a very, very big way. And, yes, he does protect her.”
Bjorn and Floki always shared a special bond and they even had similar concerns with Athelstan and Ragnar. What changed? What made him imprison Floki in front of the whole village?
Alexander Ludwig: “Well, it’s what had to be done. At the end of the day Bjorn had to do what’s right about his people and if somebody betrays the wishes of his father who is the king, they need to be dealt with no matter who it is. It’s not easy for Bjorn to do. He puts on a front. He does his best to show everyone that this is what has to be done, but it’s not an easy feat for him at all.”
Do you think Ragnar’s womanizing had any effect on Bjorn’s past relationships and how he treats women this season or does he continue to kind of hold the bar high for how he should treat women?
Alexander Ludwig: “I think it’s a mix of both, really, but I will say that you will see that Ragnar’s personality has definitely kind of made its way into Bjorn. It’s like father, like son, that somehow I worked a lot on with Travis just to show that. But also I think it’s so important to remember it’s something – and I always have to remind myself – that of course you’re caught womanizing or whatever but at the end of the day, back then in their culture it wasn’t seen as that. I mean, of course with Lagertha and Ragnar, they had their own rules that they lived by; that was just between them. There are other Vikings who have gone out, they could do that and that will be fine. That’s a very cool thing to remember. Another thing that I always try to remind myself on set is in battles. If you kill somebody, it’s easy. So you want to play how we’ve grown up in this [world of], ‘Oh my god, I killed someone. How is this going to affect me?’ but at the end of the day they wanted that. That’s why they were so terrifying is that they wanted a good death. They were excited to go to battle. That’s why they were so feared, so that’s something I would always try to remind myself is when you put yourself in that world… And that’s what is so exciting to play is because you kind of get to live by all the rules, you can’t not [obey].”
Michael Cudlitz, Ross Marquand, Steven Yeun, Lauren Cohan, Christian Serratos, Andrew Lincoln, Danai Gurira, Norman Reedus, and Seth Gilliam in ‘The Walking Dead’ (Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC)
“Rick, what is it?” asks Carol (Melissa McBride). “We’re going to have to fight,” replies Rick (Andrew Lincoln) who has just returned from Hilltop and has asked everyone to gather in the church in the beginning of episode 12 of season six of AMC’s horror/drama series The Walking Dead.
Rick hosts the town hall meeting in the church to bring everyone up to speed about what was negotiated and agreed to by Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Gregory (Xander Berkeley) back at Hilltop. Rick goes on to tell everyone that it’s only a matter of time before Negan and his ‘Saviors’ would have found Alexandria. He’s convinced that by showing up and doing a sneak attack, they will have the upper-hand and can win. Rick asks for everyone’s input and if they have any reservations or ideas, now is the time to voice them. Of course it’s Morgan (Lennie James) who has an objection to the plan and suggests instead to give Negan and his group a choice to leave and live. Rick, however, is adamant and says announcing their presence takes away the one crucial element they have in their favor: surprise. With no one else backing Morgan, Rick goes off to tell the plan to those on guard duty who couldn’t attend the meeting.
That night, Maggie tells Glenn (Steven Yeun) that since she negotiated the plan she has to go but she’ll guard the perimeter which is safer. Not looking happy about it but knowing his wife’s mind is made up, Glenn doesn’t argue. Meanwhile, Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) packs up and moves out of the house he was living in with Rosita (Christian Serratos). He tells her as he leaves that when he met her he thought she was the last woman on earth but she’s not, which leaves her in tears, devastated.
Carol can’t sleep so she goes for a walk and finds herself over at Tobin’s place. She sits next to him on the porch and as the two talk about the killer raid tomorrow, Tobin (Jason Douglas) admits to Carol how some of the things she does terrifies him. She asks him why he thinks she can do those things and he answers because she’s a mother and how she’s a mother to almost everyone in the town. She asks if that’s what she is to him and Tobin tells Carol that’s not how he views her. She’s something else to him and they both lean in and kiss.
There are more awkward and sweet goodbyes as Denise (Merritt Wever) walks in on Tara (Alanna Masterson) unexpectedly and Tara quickly tells her that she loves her. Tara tells Denise she doesn’t have to say it back to her but she wanted her to know. Denise tells her she’ll say it to her when she comes back from the raid.
Hilltopper Andy draws a rough map of Negan’s compound and says there’s no way to get in through the doors without waking everyone up. But Rick has a plan and reminds Andy that Negan wanted the head of Gregory so that’s exactly what they will do.
The next morning Rick takes his raider unit out looking for walker. He wants to find one who has a face that looks like Gregory’s so they can use the head to get the Saviors to open the doors. Rosita talks to Carol about Morgan’s behavior in the church, obviously still bothered by how he kept a Wolf alive a few months ago. Carol tells Rosita that Morgan just doesn’t want to kill people and to leave it alone. Carol then talks to Rick about Maggie being with them on the raid. She tells him she’s going to stay behind with Maggie to guard the perimeter, but it’s obvious she wants to look out for the expectant mother and keep her safe.
Glenn and Heath (Corey Hawkins) are the ones who find and kill a walker whose head they can use to look like Gregory’s. Heath tells Glenn he’s never actually killed a living person before and Glenn admits he’s been lucky and hasn’t had to either. Heath asks him if he’s nervous about the raid and Glenn admits that he is because no matter how horrible things have gotten and the nightmares he’s experienced, killing a living, breathing person has got to be much worse than that. The group decide on the best walker head and Rick breaks its nose so it looks a little more like Gregory. That freaks Andy out but Jesus (Tom Payne) has no problem with Rick’s ruthlessness.
After midnight, Andy drives up to the Saviors’ compound and delivers the fake head of Gregory to the two guards. They’re fooled and one goes inside the compound to retrieve the Hilltopper they’ve been holding prisoner. That’s when Daryl (Norman Reedus) slits the throat of the guard left outside. Rick and his group quickly take away the dead body and go back to hiding, leaving Andy in place. He waits for the guard to return with his fellow Hilltopper, and as soon as the guard appears Michonne (Danai Gurira) kills him. Andy takes his friend back to the car while Rick and his strike force go inside the compound.
Christian Serratos in ‘The Walking Dead’ Season 6, Episode 11 (Photo by Gene Page/AMC)
The gang split up once inside, going through the compound as quietly as possible. Their mission is to kill everyone inside and find the arsenal. Glenn and Heath struggle when they come across two sleeping Saviors. Struggling with never having murdered a human being before, Glenn rises to the occasion and not only kills one sleeping guard but let’s Heath off the hook and kills the second snoozing man so that Heath doesn’t have to go through what Glenn just did.
The silent, deadly, murder-filled night is going well for Rick and his group until one Savior sets off the fire alarm before dying. The whole compound is now awake and guns are blazing from both groups. Rick, Daryl, and Michonne are extremely successful in gunning down a whole group of charging guards while Aaron (Ross Marquand) takes on a very large Savior. Andy wins the fight, stabbing the man to death.
Back at the perimeter, Maggie and Carol are arguing. They hear the alarm and Maggie wants to go help the group but Carol insists they stay put. Carol yells at Maggie, telling her she shouldn’t be there in the first place. Jesus and the other two Hilltoppers are still safe outside, and Tara tells Jesus to take Andy and his friend back to Hilltop so their deal will be complete. But Jesus has other plans and tells Andy to take his friend back on his own and that he’s going to head into the compound (unseen) to help. Tara then shoots and kills two Saviors who are making a run for it.
The bloodshed continues with Glenn and Heath running for a door they believe to be the entrance to the armory while being chased by a small group of well-armed Saviors. They crash through the door, close it behind them, and luck is in fact on their side; they have discovered the armory. They pick up heavy-duty loaded machine guns and fire through the closed door, hoping to stop the Saviors from reaching them. Silence follows as they’ve emptied their weapons. Glenn carefully opens the door to find the dead and dying bodies of the Saviors who were chasing them lying in large pools of blood. One of the Saviors is not dead and points his gun at Glenn. Before he can fire, the Savior is shot dead by Jesus who’s standing back in the hall.
After a night of fighting, Rick and his group check the compound in the light of the morning. Just outside the doors, the Alexandria gang start to calm down and take a breath after such a chaotic and bloody night. Tara and Heath head out on a two-week supply run while Michonne asks out loud to Rick, “I wonder which one was Negan?” Just then a Savior appears on a motorcycle making a break for it and is shot by Rosita. Daryl runs over and tackles the rising Savior to the ground and yells at him, asking where he got the motorcycle. Rick points his big revolver at the man’s head when the Savior’s radio starts to crackle with sound. A female voice says for him and everyone else to lower their weapons. Rick tells her to come out and they can talk. She responds by saying she’s not coming out but he’ll want to talk all right because she is with a Maggie and a Carol.
The Walking Dead Season 6 Episode 12 Review:
With a slow and reflective start, episode 12 titled “Not Tomorrow Yet” kicks into a tense, suspenseful, and bloody firefight that matches the intensity of the gunfight between Rick’s group and the Governor’s people back in season four. It’s a brutal, emotional, and fierce battle that’s paced perfectly and shot and edited extremely well.
There are two stand-out performances in this episode, with the first once again delivered by Steven Yeun as Glenn. This episode marks the first time his character had to take another human life as up until now Glenn has only ever killed walkers. The scene where he and Heath discuss the upcoming death raid (which is what this episode should have really been titled) is a powerful one, with Yeun as Glenn subtly conveying his concern about how much more horrible it must be killing a person than anything he has experienced so far. (REALLY?! This reviewer and critic thinks Glenn witnessing Noah being torn apart and eaten alive right across from him when he was stuck in the revolving door should top the list.) The most emotional and dramatic scene in the entire episode is where Yeun as Glenn holds back and bottles his emotions as he silently kills a sleeping Savior and then seeing Heath struggling with trying to kill the other sleeping man Glenn steps up and kills that man as well. Even with everything he’s feeling at that moment, Glenn not only does his job but saves Heath from having to experience what he just went through. It’s another stellar performance by Yeun who has easily become a fan favorite and the moral compass for the group. (Uh-oh…you know what that usually means!)
The other stand-out performance is given by Alanna Masterson as Tara. This is also Tara’s first time killing a human being and the whole build-up to the raid brings back memories of when the Governor, her sister, and her group attacked Rick’s people at the prison. It’s clear she’s on board and trusts Rick to a certain degree but mostly trusts Glenn and Maggie and wants to do her part to help protect the group and Denise. The scene in which she confesses to Father Gabriel that when she told Denise she loved her she was really covering up that going on the killer raid was bothering her because she had done something like it before is touching and profound.
With Maggie and Carol as prisoners to some of Negan’s followers – one who, by the way, is being portrayed by actress Alicia Witt – here’s hoping Rick, Glenn, Daryl, and the others can figure out a way to save them both. But, knowing this show, it wouldn’t be that shocking if in next week’s episode the audience sees the death of a major cast member. Let’s hope not!
