Michael Douglas and Noah Jupe in ‘Franklin’ (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)
Two-time Oscar winner Michael Douglas takes on the titular role in Apple TV+’s Franklin, a limited series based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America by Stacy Schiff. (So glad they shortened the series’ title!) The streaming service just released the first two photos of Douglas in character as Founding Father Benjamin Franklin and announced the series will premiere on April 12, 2024.
The first three episodes will be released simultaneously, followed by a new episode of the eight-episode season every Friday. The finale is set for May 17th.
Joining Michael Douglas for the historical biopic are Noah Jupe (A Quiet Place Part II) as Temple Franklin, Thibault de Montalembert (Call My Agent!) as Comte de Vergennes, and Daniel Mays (Line of Duty) as Edward Bancroft. Ludivine Sagnier (Lupin) plays Madame Brillon, Eddie Marsan (Ray Donovan) is John Adams, Assaad Bouab (Call My Agent!) is Beaumarchais, Jeanne Balibar (Irma Vep) is Madame Helvetius, and Theodore Pellerin (There’s Someone Inside Your House) plays Marquis de Lafayette.
Douglas is serving as an executive producer along with Emmy and WGA Award-winning writer and executive producer Kirk Ellis (John Adams) and Emmy, WGA, and Pulitzer Prize Award-nominated writer and executive producer Howard Korder (Boardwalk Empire). Emmy and DGA Award-winning director Tim Van Patten (The Sopranos) directs and executive produces.
Additional executive producers include Tony Krantz, Philippe Maigret, and Mark Mostyn, with Richard Plepler producing through his EDEN Productions. The limited series is a co-production between ITV Studios America and Apple Studios.
Michael Douglas as Benjamin Franklin (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)
“Franklin explores the thrilling story of the greatest gamble of Benjamin Franklin’s career. In December 1776, Franklin is world famous for his electrical experiments, but his passion and power are put to the test when – as the fate of American independence hangs in the balance – he embarks on a secret mission to France,” reads Apple TV+’s synopsis. “At age 70, without any diplomatic training, Franklin convinced an absolute monarchy to underwrite America’s experiment in democracy. By virtue of his fame, charisma, and ingenuity, Franklin outmaneuvered British spies, French informers, and hostile colleagues to engineer the Franco-American alliance of 1778 and the peace treaty with England in 1783.
The eight-year French mission stands as Franklin’s most vital service to his country, without which America could not have won the Revolution. Diplomats and historians still regard it as the greatest single tour of duty by an ambassador in our nation’s history.”
Women absolutely dominated the 2024 Grammys, from winning the top awards to delivering the most memorial performances of the February 4th broadcast. Miley Cyrus took home her first-ever Grammy wins, while Taylor Swift made Grammy Awards history for the most Album of the Year wins ever.
Swift also made Swifties worldwide happy by announcing she’ll release her 11th album, The Tortured Poets Department, on April 19, 2024.
Tracy Chapman brought down the house with a stunning performance of “Fast Cars” alongside Luke Combs. Joni Mitchell earned a rousing ovation for her first performance on the Grammy stage, singing “Both Sides Now” while backed by Brandi Carlile, Allison Russell, Sistastrings, Lucius, Jacob Collier, and Blake Mills. And Celine Dion, who is suffering from stiff person syndrome, put in a surprise appearance as presenter of the Album of the Year award.
66th Grammy Awards Nominees and Winners
Album Of The Year
World Music Radio, Jon Batiste
the record, boygenius
Endless Summer Vacation, Miley Cyrus
Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, Lana Del Rey
The Age Of Pleasure, Janelle Monáe
GUTS, Olivia Rodrigo WINNER: Midnights, Taylor Swift
SOS, SZA
Record Of The Year
“Worship,” Jon Batiste
“Not Strong Enough,” boygenius WINNER: “Flowers,” Miley Cyrus
“What Was I Made For?” [From The Motion Picture Barbie], Billie Eilish
“On My Mama,” Victoria Monét
“Vampire,” Olivia Rodrigo
“Anti-Hero,” Taylor Swift
“Kill Bill,” SZA
Song Of The Year
“A&W,” Jack Antonoff, Lana Del Rey & Sam Dew, songwriters (Lana Del Rey)
“Anti-Hero,” Jack Antonoff & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift)
“Butterfly,” Jon Batiste & Dan Wilson, songwriters (Jon Batiste)
“Dance The Night” (From Barbie The Album), Caroline Ailin, Dua Lipa, Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Dua Lipa)
“Flowers,” Miley Cyrus, Gregory Aldae Hein & Michael Pollack, songwriters (Miley Cyrus)
“Kill Bill,” Rob Bisel, Carter Lang & Solána Rowe, songwriters (SZA)
“Vampire,” Daniel Nigro & Olivia Rodrigo, songwriters (Olivia Rodrigo) WINNER: “What Was I Made For?” [From The Motion Picture Barbie], Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)
Best New Artist
Gracie Abrams
Fred again..
Ice Spice Jelly Roll
Coco Jones
Noah Kahan WINNER: Victoria Monét
The War And Treaty
Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical WINNER: Jack Antonoff
Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II
Hit-Boy
Metro Boomin
Daniel Nigro
Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical
Edgar Barrera
Jessie Jo Dillon
Shane McAnally WINNER: Theron Thomas
Justin Tranter
Best Pop Solo Performance WINNER: “Flowers,” Miley Cyrus
“Paint The Town Red,” Doja Cat
“What Was I Made For?” [From The Motion Picture Barbie], Billie Eilish
“Vampire,” Olivia Rodrigo
“Anti-Hero,” Taylor Swift
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
“Thousand Miles,” Miley Cyrus Featuring Brandi Carlile
“Candy Necklace,” Lana Del Rey Featuring Jon Batiste
“Never Felt So Alone,” Labrinth Featuring Billie Eilish
“Karma,” Taylor Swift Featuring Ice Spice WINNER: “Ghost In The Machine,” SZA Featuring Phoebe Bridgers
Best Pop Vocal Album
Chemistry, Kelly Clarkson
Endless Summer Vacation, Miley Cyrus
GUTS, Olivia Rodrigo
– (Subtract), Ed Sheeran WINNER: Midnights, Taylor Swift
Best Dance/Electronic Recording
“Blackbox Life Recorder 21F,” Aphex Twin
“Loading,” James Blake
“Higher Than Ever Before,” Disclosure
“Strong,” Romy & Fred again.. WINNER: “Rumble,” Skrillex, Fred again.. & Flowdan
Best Pop Dance Recording
“Baby Don’t Hurt Me,” David Guetta, Anne-Marie & Coi Leray
“Miracle,” Calvin Harris, Ellie Goulding WINNER: “Padam Padam,” Kylie Minogue
“One In A Million,” Bebe Rexha & David Guetta
“Rush,” Troye Sivan
Best Dance/Electronic Music Album
Playing Robots Into Heaven, James Blake
For That Beautiful Feeling, The Chemical Brothers WINNER: Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2022), Fred again.. Kx5, Kx5
Quest For Fire, Skrillex
Best Rock Performance
“Sculptures Of Anything Goes,” Arctic Monkeys
“More Than A Love Song,” Black Pumas WINNER: “Not Strong Enough,” boygenius
“Rescued,” Foo Fighters
“Lux Æterna,” Metallica
Best Metal Performance
“Bad Man,” Disturbed
“Phantom Of The Opera,” Ghost WINNER: “72 Seasons,” Metallica
“Hive Mind,” Slipknot
“Jaded,” Spiritbox
Best Rock Song
“Angry,” Mick Jagger, Keith Richards & Andrew Watt, songwriters (The Rolling Stones)
“Ballad Of A Homeschooled Girl,” Daniel Nigro & Olivia Rodrigo, songwriters (Olivia Rodrigo)
“Emotion Sickness,” Dean Fertita, Joshua Homme, Michael Shuman, Jon Theodore & Troy Van Leeuwen, songwriters (Queens Of The Stone Age) WINNER: “Not Strong Enough,” Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers & Lucy Dacus, songwriters (boygenius)
“Rescued,” Dave Grohl, Rami Jaffee, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett & Pat Smear, songwriters (Foo Fighters)
Best Rock Album
But Here We Are, Foo Fighters
Starcatcher, Greta Van Fleet
72 Seasons, Metallica WINNER: This Is Why, Paramore
In Times New Roman…, Queens Of The Stone Age
Best Alternative Music Performance
“Belinda Says,” Alvvays
“Body Paint,” Arctic Monkeys
“Cool About It,” boygenius
“A&W,” Lana Del Rey WINNER: “This Is Why,” Paramore
Best Alternative Music Album
The Car, Arctic Monkeys WINNER: The Record, boygenius
Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, Lana Del Rey
Cracker Island, Gorillaz
I Inside The Old Year Dying, PJ Harvey
Best R&B Performance
“Summer Too Hot,” Chris Brown
“Back To Love,” Robert Glasper Featuring SiR & Alex Isley WINNER: “ICU,” Coco Jones
“How Does It Make You Feel,” Victoria Monét
“Kill Bill,” SZA
Best Traditional R&B Performance
“Simple,” Babyface Featuring Coco Jones
“Lucky.” Kenyon Dixon
“Hollywood,” Victoria Monét Featuring Earth, Wind & Fire & Hazel Monét WINNER: “Good Morning,” PJ Morton Featuring Susan Carol
“Love Language,” SZA
Best R&B Song
“Angel,” Halle Bailey, Theron Feemster & Coleridge Tillman, songwriters (Halle)
“Back To Love,” Darryl Andrew Farris, Riley Glasper, Robert Glasper & Alexandra Isley, songwriters (Robert Glasper Featuring SiR & Alex Isley)
“ICU,” Darhyl Camper Jr., Courtney Jones, Raymond Komba & Roy Keisha Rockette, songwriters (Coco Jones)
“On My Mama,” Dernst Emile II, Jeff Gitelman, Victoria Monét, Kyla Moscovich, Jamil Pierre & Charles Williams, songwriters (Victoria Monét) WINNER: “Snooze,” Kenny B. Edmonds, Blair Ferguson, Khris Riddick-Tynes, Solána Rowe & Leon Thomas, songwriters (SZA)
Best Progressive R&B Album
Since I Have A Lover, 6LACK
The Love Album: Off The Grid, Diddy
Nova, Terrace Martin And James Fauntleroy
The Age Of Pleasure, Janelle Monáe WINNER: SOS, SZA
Best R&B Album
Girls Night Out, Babyface
What I Didn’t Tell You (Deluxe), Coco Jones
Special Occasion, Emily King WINNER: JAGUAR II, Victoria Monét
CLEAR 2: SOFT LIFE EP, Summer Walker
Best Rap Performance
“The Hillbillies,” Baby Keem Featuring Kendrick Lamar
“Love Letter,” Black Thought
“Rich Flex,” Drake & 21 Savage WINNER: “SCIENTISTS & ENGINEERS,” Killer Mike Featuring André 3000, Future And Eryn Allen Kane
“Players,” Coi Leray
Best Melodic Rap Performance
“Sittin’ On Top Of The World,” Burna Boy Featuring 21 Savage
“Attention,” Doja Cat
“Spin Bout U,” Drake & 21 Savage WINNER: “All My Life,” Lil Durk Featuring J. Cole
“Low,” SZA
Best Rap Song
“Attention,” Rogét Chahayed, Amala Zandile Dlamini & Ari Starace, songwriters (Doja Cat)
“Barbie World” [From Barbie The Album], Isis Naija Gaston, Ephrem Louis Lopez Jr. & Onika Maraj, songwriters (Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice Featuring Aqua)
“Just Wanna Rock,” Mohamad Camara, Symere Woods & Javier Mercado, songwriters (Lil Uzi Vert)
“Rich Flex,” Brytavious Chambers, Isaac “Zac” De Boni, Aubrey Graham, J. Gwin, Anderson Hernandez, Michael “Finatik” Mule & Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, songwriters (Drake & 21 Savage) WINNER: “SCIENTISTS & ENGINEERS,” Andre Benjamin, Paul Beauregard, James Blake, Michael Render, Tim Moore & Dion Wilson, songwriters (Killer Mike Featuring André 3000, Future And Eryn Allen Kane)
Best Rap Album
Her Loss, Drake & 21 Savage WINNER: MICHAEL, Killer Mike
HEROES & VILLIANS, Metro Boomin
King’s Disease III, Nas
UTOPIA, Travis Scott
Best Spoken Word Poetry Album
A-You’re Not Wrong B-They’re Not Either: The Fukc-It Pill Revisited, Queen Sheba
For Your Consideration’24 -The Album, Prentice Powell and Shawn William
Grocery Shopping With My Mother, Kevin Powell WINNER: The Light Inside, J. Ivy
When The Poems Do What They Do, Aja Monet
Best Jazz Performance
“Movement 18′ (Heroes),” Jon Batiste
“Basquiat,” Lakecia Benjamin
“Vulnerable (Live),” Adam Blackstone Featuring The Baylor Project & Russell Ferranté
“But Not For Me,” Fred Hersch & Esperanza Spalding WINNER: “Tight,” Samara Joy
Best Jazz Vocal Album
For Ella 2, Patti Austin Featuring Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band
Alive At The Village Vanguard, Fred Hersch & Esperanza Spalding
Lean In, Gretchen Parlato & Lionel Loueke
Mélusine, Cécile McLorin Salvant WINNER: How Love Begins, Nicole Zuraitis
Best Jazz Instrumental Album
The Source, Kenny Barron
Phoenix, Lakecia Benjamin
Legacy: The Instrumental Jawn, Adam Blackstone WINNER: The Winds Of Change, Billy Childs
Dream Box, Pat Metheny
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
The Chick Corea Symphony Tribute – Ritmo, ADDA Simfònica, Josep Vicent, Emilio Solla
Dynamic Maximum Tension, Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society WINNER: Basie Swings The Blues, The Count Basie Orchestra Directed By Scotty Barnhart
Olympians, Vince Mendoza & Metropole Orkest
The Charles Mingus Centennial Sessions, Mingus Big Band
Best Latin Jazz Album
Quietude, Eliane Elias
My Heart Speaks, Ivan Lins With The Tblisi Symphony Orchestra
Vox Humana, Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band
Cometa, Luciana Souza & Trio Corrente WINNER: El Arte Del Bolero Vol. 2, Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo
Best Alternative Jazz Album
Love In Exile, Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, Shahzad Ismaily
Quality Over Opinion, Louis Cole
SuperBlue: The Iridescent Spree, Kurt Elling, Charlie Hunter, SuperBlue
Live At The Piano, Cory Henry WINNER: The Omnichord Real Book, Meshell Ndegeocello
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
To Steve With Love: Liz Callaway Celebrates Sondheim, Liz Callaway
Pieces Of Treasure, Rickie Lee Jones WINNER: Bewitched, Laufey
Holidays Around The World, Pentatonix
Only The Strong Survive, Bruce Springsteen
Sondheim Unplugged (The NYC Sessions), Vol. 3, (Various Artists)
Best Contemporary Instrumental Album WINNER: As We Speak, Béla Fleck, Zakir Hussain, Edgar Meyer, Featuring Rakesh Chaurasia
On Becoming, House Of Waters
Jazz Hands, Bob James
The Layers, Julian Lage
All One, Ben Wendel
Best Musical Theater Album
Kimberly Akimbo
Parade
Shucked WINNER: Some Like It Hot
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street
Best Country Solo Performance
“In Your Love,” Tyler Childers
“Buried,” Brandy Clark
“Fast Car,” Luke Combs
“The Last Thing On My Mind,” Dolly Parton WINNER: “White Horse,” Chris Stapleton
Best Country Duo/Group Performance
“High Note,” Dierks Bentley Featuring Billy Strings
“Nobody’s Nobody,” Brothers Osborne WINNER: “I Remember Everything,” Zach Bryan Featuring Kacey Musgraves
“Kissing Your Picture (Is So Cold),” Vince Gill & Paul Franklin
“Save Me,” Jelly Roll With Lainey Wilson
“We Don’t Fight Anymore,” Carly Pearce Featuring Chris Stapleton
Best Country Song
“Buried,” Brandy Clark & Jessie Jo Dillon, songwriters (Brandy Clark)
“I Remember Everything,” Zach Bryan & Kacey Musgraves, songwriters (Zach Bryan Featuring Kacey Musgraves)
“In Your Love,” Tyler Childers & Geno Seale, songwriters (Tyler Childers)
“Last Night,” John Byron, Ashley Gorley, Jacob Kasher Hindlin & Ryan Vojtesak, songwriters (Morgan Wallen) WINNER: “White Horse,” Chris Stapleton & Dan Wilson, songwriters (Chris Stapleton)
Best Country Album
Rolling Up The Welcome Mat, Kelsea Ballerini
Brothers Osborne, Brothers Osborne}
Zach Bryan, Zach Bryan
Rustin’ In The Rain, Tyler Childers WINNER: Bell Bottom Country, Lainey Wilson
Best American Roots Performance
“Butterfly,” Jon Batiste
“Heaven Help Us All,” The Blind Boys Of Alabama
“Inventing The Wheel,” Madison Cunningham
“You Louisiana Man,” Rhiannon Giddens WINNER: “Eve Was Black,” Allison Russell
Best Americana Performance
“Friendship,” The Blind Boys Of Alabama
“Help Me Make It Through The Night,” Tyler Childers WINNER: “Dear Insecurity,” Brandy Clark Featuring Brandi Carlile
“King Of Oklahoma,” Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit
“The Returner,” Allison Russell
Best American Roots Song
“Blank Page,” Michael Trotter Jr. & Tanya Trotter, songwriters (The War And Treaty)
“California Sober,” Aaron Allen, William Apostol & Jon Weisberger, songwriters (Billy Strings Featuring Willie Nelson) WINNER: “Cast Iron Skillet,” Jason Isbell, songwriter (Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit)
“Dear Insecurity,” Brandy Clark & Michael Pollack, songwriters (Brandy Clark Featuring Brandi Carlile)
“The Returner,” Drew Lindsay, JT Nero & Allison Russell, songwriters (Allison Russell)
Best Americana Album
Brandy Clark, Brandy Clark
The Chicago Sessions, Rodney Crowell
You’re The One, Rhiannon Giddens WINNER: Weathervanes, Jason Isbell And The 400 Unit
The Returner, Allison Russell
Best Bluegrass Album
Radio John: Songs of John Hartford, Sam Bush
Lovin’ Of The Game, Michael Cleveland
Mighty Poplar, Mighty Poplar
Bluegrass, Willie Nelson
Me/And/Dad, Billy Strings WINNER: City Of Gold, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
Best Traditional Blues Album
Ridin’, Eric Bibb
The Soul Side Of Sipp, Mr. Sipp
Life Don’t Miss Nobody, Tracy Nelson
Teardrops For Magic Slim Live At Rosa’s Lounge, John Primer WINNER: All My Love For You, Bobby Rush
Best Contemporary Blues Album
Death Wish Blues, Samantha Fish And Jesse Dayton
Healing Time, Ruthie Foster}
Live In London, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram WINNER: Blood Harmony, Larkin Poe
LaVette!, Bettye LaVette
Best Folk Album
Traveling Wildfire, Dom Flemon
I Only See The Moon, The Milk Carton Kids WINNER: Joni Mitchell At Newport [Live], Joni Mitchell
Celebrants, Nickel Creek
Jubilee, Old Crow Medicine Show
Seven Psalms, Paul Simon
Folkocracy, Rufus Wainwright
Best Regional Roots Music Album WINNER: New Beginnings, Buckwheat Zydeco Jr. & The Legendary Ils Sont Partis Band
Live At The 2023 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Dwayne Dopsie & The Zydeco Hellraisers WINNER: Live: Orpheum Theater Nola, Lost Bayou Ramblers & Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra
Made In New Orleans, New Breed Brass Band
Too Much To Hold, New Orleans Nightcrawlers
Live At The Maple Leaf, The Rumble Featuring Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr.
Best Gospel Performance/Song
“God Is Good,” Stanley Brown Featuring Hezekiah Walker, Kierra Sheard & Karen Clark Sheard; Stanley Brown, Karen V Clark Sheard, Kaylah Jiavanni Harvey, Rodney Jerkins, Elyse Victoria Johnson, J Drew Sheard II, Kierra Valencia Sheard & Hezekiah Walker, songwriters
“Feel Alright (Blessed),” Erica Campbell; Erica Campbell, Warryn Campbell, Juan Winans & Marvin L. Winans, songwriters
“Lord Do It For Me (Live),” Zacardi Cortez; Marcus Calyen, Zacardi Cortez & Kerry Douglas, songwriters
“God Is,” Melvin Crispell III WINNER: “All Things,” Kirk Franklin; Kirk Franklin, songwriter
Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song
“Believe,” Blessing Offor; Hank Bentley & Blessing Offor, songwriters
“Firm Foundation (He Won’t) [Live],” Cody Carnes
“Thank God I Do,” Lauren Daigle; Lauren Daigle & Jason Ingram, songwriters
“Love Me Like I Am,” for KING & COUNTRY Featuring Jordin Sparks WINNER: “Your Power,” Lecrae & Tasha Cobbs Leonard; Alexandria Dollar, Jordan Dollar, Antonio Gardener, Micheal Girgenti, Lasanna “Ace” Harris, David Hein, Deandre Hunter, Dylan Hyde, Christian Louisana, Patrick Darius Mix Jr., Lecrae Moore, Justin Pelham, Jeffrey Lawrence Shannon, Allen Swoope, songwriters
“God Problems,” Maverick City Music, Chandler Moore & Naomi Raine; Daniel Bashta, Chris Davenport, Ryan Ellis & Naomi Raine, songwriters
Best Gospel Album
I Love You, Erica Campbell
Hymns (Live), Tasha Cobbs Leonard
The Maverick Way, Maverick City Music
My Truth, Jonathan McReynolds WINNER: All Things New: Live In Orlando, Tye Tribbett
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album
My Tribe, Blessing Offor
Emanuel, Da’ T.R.U.T.H.
Lauren Daigle, Lauren Daigle WINNER: Church Clothes 4, Lecrae
I Believe, Phil Wickham
Best Roots Gospel Album
Tribute To The King, The Blackwood Brothers Quartet WINNER: Echoes Of The South, Blind Boys Of Alabama
Songs That Pulled Me Through The Tough Times, Becky Isaacs Bowman
Meet Me At The Cross, Brian Free & Assurance
Shine: The Darker The Night The Brighter The Light, Gaither Vocal Band
Best Latin Pop Album
La Cuarta Hoja, Pablo Alborán
Beautiful Humans, Vol. 1, AleMor
A Ciegas, Paula Arenas}
La Neta, Pedro Capó
Don Juan, Maluma WINNER: X Mí (Vol. 1), Gaby Moreno
Best Música Urbana Album
SATURNO, Rauw Alejandro WINNER: MAÑANA SERÁ BONITO, Karol G
DATA, Tainy
Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album
MARTÍNEZ, Cabra
Leche De Tigre, Diamante Eléctrico WINNER: Vida Cotidiana, Juanes WINNER: De Todas Las Flores, Natalia Lafourcade
EADDA9223, Fito Paez
Best Música Mexicana Album (Including Tejano)
Bordado A Mano, Ana Bárbara
La Sánchez, Lila Downs
Motherflower, Flor De Toloache
Amor Como En Las Películas De Antes, Lupita Infante WINNER: GÉNESIS, Peso Pluma
Best Tropical Latin Album WINNER: Siembra: 45º Aniversario (En Vivo en el Coliseo de Puerto Rico, 14 de Mayo 2022), Rubén Blades Con Roberto Delgado & Orquesta
Voy A Ti, Luis Figueroa
Niche Sinfónico, Grupo Niche Y Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional de Colombia
VIDA, Omara Portuondo
MIMY & TONY, Tony Succar, Mimy Succar
Escalona Nunca Se Había Grabado Así, Carlos Vives
Best Global Music Performance
Shadow Forces, Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer & Shahzad Ismaily
Alone, Burna Boy
FEEL, Davido
Milagro Y Desastre, Silvana Estrada
Abundance In Millets, Falu & Gaurav Shah (Featuring PM Narendra Modi) WINNER: Pashto, Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer & Zakir Hussain Featuring Rakesh Chaurasia
Todo Colores, Ibrahim Maalouf Featuring Cimafunk & Tank And The Bangas
Best African Music Performance
“Amapiano,” ASAKE & Olamide
“City Boys,” Burna Boy
“UNAVAILABLE,” Davido Featuring Musa Keys
“Rush,” Ayra Starr WINNER: “Water,” Tyla
Best Global Music Album
Epifanías, Susana Baca
History, Bokanté
I Told Them…, Burna Boy
Timeless, Davido} WINNER: This Moment, Shakti
Best Reggae Album
Born For Greatness, Buju Banton
Simma, Beenie Man
Cali Roots Riddim 2023, Collie Buddz
No Destroyer, Burning Spear WINNER: Colors Of Royal, Julian Marley & Antaeus
Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album
Aquamarine, Kirsten Agresta-Copely
Moments Of Beauty, Omar Akram
Some Kind Of Peace (Piano Reworks), Ólafur Arnalds
Ocean Dreaming Ocean, David Darling & Hans Christian WINNER: So She Howls, Carla Patullo Featuring Tonality And The Scorchio Quartet
Best Children’s Music Album
Ahhhhh!, Andrew & Polly
Ancestars, Pierce Freelon & Nnenna Freelon
Hip Hope For Kids!, DJ Willy Wow!
Taste The Sky, Uncle Jumbo WINNER: We Grow Together Preschool Songs, 123 Andrés
Best Comedy Album
I Wish You Would, Trevor Noah
I’m An Entertainer, Wanda Sykes
Selective Outrage, Chris Rock
Someone You Love, Sarah Silverman WINNER: What’s In A Name?, Dave Chappelle
Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording
Big Tree, Meryl Streep
Boldly Go: Reflections On A Life Of Awe And Wonder, William Shatner
The Creative Act: A Way Of Being, Rick Rubin
It’s Ok To Be Angry About Capitalism, Senator Bernie Sanders WINNER: The Light We Carry: Overcoming In Uncertain Times, Michelle Obama
Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media
AURORA (Daisy Jones & The Six) WINNER: Barbie The Album (Various Artists)
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Music From And Inspired By (Various Artists)
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3: Awesome Mix, Vol. 3 (Various Artists)
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (Weird Al Yankovic)
Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media (Includes Film And Television)
Barbie, Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Ludwig Göransso
The Fabelmans, John Williams
Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny, John William WINNER: Oppenheimer, Ludwig Göransson
Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare II, Sarah Schachner
God Of War Ragnarök, Bear McCreary
Hogwarts Legacy, Peter Murray, J Scott Rakozy & Chuck E. Myers “Sea” WINNER: Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Stephen Barton & Gordy Haab, composers
Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical, Montaigne, Tripod & Austin Wintory
Best Song Written For Visual Media
“Barbie World” [From Barbie The Album], Naija Gaston, Ephrem Louis Lopez Jr. & Onika Maraj, songwriters (Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice Featuring Aqua)
“Dance The Night” [From Barbie The Album], Caroline Ailin, Dua Lipa, Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Dua Lipa)
“I’m Just Ken” [From Barbie The Album], Mark Ronson & Andrew Wyatt, songwriters (Ryan Gosling)
“Lift Me Up” [From “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Music From And Inspired By”], Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson, Robyn Fenty & Temilade Openiyi, songwriters (Rihanna) WINNER: “What Was I Made For?” [From Barbie The Album], Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)
Best Music Video WINNER: “I’m Only Sleeping” (The Beatles), Em Cooper, video director; Jonathan Clyde, Sophie Hilton, Sue Loughlin & Laura Thomas, video producers
“In Your Love” (Tyler Childers), Bryan Schlam, video director; Kacie Barton, Silas House, Nicholas
Robespierre, Ian Thornton & Whitney Wolanin, video producers
“What Was I Made For?” (Billie Eilish) Billie Eilish, video director; Michelle An, Chelsea Dodson & David Moore, video producers}
“Count Me Out” (Kendrick Lamar), Dave Free & Kendrick Lamar, video directors; Jason Baum & Jamie Rabineau, video producers
“Rush” (Troye Sivan), Gordon Von Steiner, video director; Kelly McGee, video producer
Best Music Film WINNER: Moonage Daydream (David Bowie), Brett Morgen, video director; Brett Morgen, video producer
How I’m Feeling Now (Lewis Capaldi), Joe Pearlman, video director; Sam Bridger, Isabel Davis & Alice Rhodes, video producers
Live From Paris, The Big Steppers Tour (Kendrick Lamar), Mike Carson, Dave Free & Mark Ritchie, video directors; Cornell Brown, Debra Davis, Jared Heinke, Hank Neuberger & Jamie Rabineau, video producers
I Am Everything (Little Richard), Lisa Cortés, video director; Caryn Capotosto, Lisa Cortés, Robert Friedman & Liz Yale Marsh, video producers
Dear Mama (Tupac Shakur), Allen Hughes, video director; Steve Berman, Jody Gerson, Allen Hughes, John Janick, Lasse Jarvi & Charles King, video producers
Best Recording Package
The Art Of Forgetting, Caroline Rose, art director (Caroline Rose)
Cadenza 21′, Hsing-Hui Cheng, art director (Ensemble Cadenza 21′)
Electrophonic Chronic, Perry Shall, art director (The Arcs)
Gravity Falls, Iam8bit, art director (Brad Breeck)
Migration, Chang Yu Chung, Li Jheng Han & Yu Wei, art director (Leaf Yeh) WINNER: Stumpwork, Rottingdean Bazaar & Annie Collinge, art directors (Dry Cleaning)
Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package
The Collected Works Of Neutral Milk Hotel, Jeff Mangum, Daniel Murphy & Mark Ohe, art directors (Neutral Milk Hotel) WINNER: For The Birds: The Birdsong Project, Jeri Heiden & John Heiden, art directors (Various Artists)
Gieo, Duy Dao, art director (Ngot)
Inside: Deluxe Box Set, Bo Burnham & Daniel Calderwood, art directors (Bo Burnham)
Words & Music, May 1965 – Deluxe Edition, Masaki Koike, art director (Lou Reed)
Best Album Notes
Evenings At The Village Gate: John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy (Live) (John Coltrane & Eric Dolphy)
I Can Almost See Houston: The Complete Howdy Glenn (Howdy Glenn)
Mogadishu’s Finest: The Al Uruba Sessions (Iftin Band)
Playing For The Man At The Door: Field Recordings From The Collection Of Mack McCormick, 1958–1971 (Various Artists) WINNER: Written In Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos (Various Artists)
Best Historical Album
Fragments – Time Out Of Mind Sessions (1996-1997): The Bootleg Series, Vol. 17 (Bob Dylan)
The Moaninest Moan Of Them All: The Jazz Saxophone of Loren McMurray, 1920-1922 Colin Hancock (Various Artists)
Playing For The Man At The Door: Field Recordings From The Collection Of Mack McCormick, 1958–1971 (Various Artists)
Words & Music, May 1965 – Deluxe Edition (Lou Reed) WINNER: Written In Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter Demos (Various Artists)
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
Desire, I Want To Turn Into You (Caroline Polachek)
History (Bokanté) WINNER: JAGUAR II (Victoria Monét)
Multitudes (Feist)
The Record (boygenius)
Best Engineered Album, Classical
The Blue Hour (Shara Nova & A Far Cry) WINNER: Contemporary American Composers (Riccardo Muti & Chicago Symphony Orchestra)
Fandango (Gustavo Dudamel, Anne Akiko Meyers, Gustavo Castillo & Los Angeles Philharmonic)
Sanlikol: A Gentleman Of Istanbul – Symphony For Strings, Percussion, Piano, Oud, Ney & Tenor (Mehmet Ali Sanlikol, George Lernis & A Far Cry)
Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 & Schulhoff: Five Pieces (Manfred Honeck & Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)
Producer Of The Year, Classical
David Frost
Morten Lindberg
Dmitriy Lipay WINNER: Elaine Martone
Brian Pidgeon
Best Remixed Recording
“Alien Love Call” (Turnstile & BADBADNOTGOOD Featuring Blood Orange)
“New Gold (Dom Dolla Remix)” (Gorillaz Featuring Tame Impala & Bootie Brown)
“Reviver (Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs Remix)” (Lane 8) WINNER: “Wagging Tongue (Wet Leg Remix)” (Depeche Mode)
“Workin’ Hard (Terry Hunter Remix)” (Mariah Carey)
Best Immersive Audio Album
Act 3 (Immersive Edition) (Ryan Ulyate)
Blue Clear Sky (George Strait) WINNER: The Diary Of Alicia Keys (Alicia Keys)
God Of War Ragnarök (Original Soundtrack) (Bear McCreary)
Silence Between Songs (Madison Beer)
Best Instrumental Composition
“Amerikkan Skin,: Lakecia Benjamin (Lakecia Benjamin Featuring Angela Davis)
“Can You Hear The Music,” Ludwig Göransson (Ludwig Göransson)
“Cutey And The Dragon,” Gordon Goodwin & Raymond Scott (Quartet San Francisco Featuring Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band) WINNER: “Helena’s Theme,” John Williams (John Williams)
“Motion,” Edgar Meyer (Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer & Zakir Hussain Featuring Rakesh Chaurasia)
Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella
“Angels We Have Heard On High” (Just 6)
“Can You Hear The Music” (Ludwig Göransson) WINNER: “Folsom Prison Blues” (The String Revolution Featuring Tommy Emmanuel)
“I Remember Mingus” (Hilario Duran And His Latin Jazz Big Band Featuring Paquito D’Rivera)
“Paint It Black” (Wednesday Addams)
Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals
“April In Paris” (Patti Austin Featuring Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band)
“Com Que Voz (Live)” (Maria Mendes Featuring John Beasley & Metropole Orkest)
“Fenestra” (Cécile McLorin Salvant) WINNER: “In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning” (säje Featuring Jacob Collier)
“Lush Life” (Samara Joy)
Best Orchestral Performance WINNER: “Adès: Dante” (Los Angeles Philharmonic)
“Bartók: Concerto For Orchestra; Four Pieces” (Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra)
“Price: Symphony No. 4; Dawson: Negro Folk Symphony” (The Philadelphia Orchestra)
“Scriabin: Symphony No. 2; The Poem Of Ecstasy” (Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra)
“Stravinsky: The Rite Of Spring” (San Francisco Symphony)
Best Opera Recording WINNER: “Blanchard: Champion” (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus)
“Corigliano: The Lord Of Cries” (Boston Modern Orchestra Project & Odyssey Opera Chorus)
“Little: Black Lodge” (The Dime Museum; Isaura String Quartet)
Best Choral Performance
“Carols After A Plague” (The Crossing)
“The House Of Belonging” (Miró Quartet; Conspirare)
“Ligeti: Lux Aeterna” (San Francisco Symphony Chorus)
“Rachmaninoff: All-Night Vigil” (The Clarion Choir) WINNER: “Saariaho: Reconnaissance” (Uusinta Ensemble; Helsinki Chamber Choir)
Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance
“American Stories,” Anthony McGill & Pacifica Quartet
“Beethoven For Three: Symphony No. 6, ‘Pastorale’ And Op. 1, No. 3,” Yo-Yo Ma, Emanuel Ax & Leonidas Kavakos
“Between Breaths,” Third Coast Percussion WINNER: “Rough Magic,” Roomful Of Teeth
“Uncovered, Vol. 3: Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, William Grant Still & George Walker,” Catalyst Quartet
Best Classical Instrumental Solo
“Adams, John Luther: Darkness And Scattered Light,” Robert Black
“Akiho: Cylinders,” Andy Akiho WINNER: “The American Project,” Yuja Wang; Teddy Abrams, conductor (Louisville Orchestra)
“Difficult Grace,” Seth Parker Woods
“Of Love,” Curtis Stewart
Best Classical Solo Vocal Album
Because, Reginald Mobley, soloist; Baptiste Trotignon, pianist
Broken Branches, Karim Sulayman, soloist; Sean Shibe, accompanist
40@40, Laura Strickling, soloist; Daniel Schlosberg, pianist
Rising, Lawrence Brownlee, soloist; Kevin J. Miller, pianist WINNER: Walking In The Dark, Julia Bullock, soloist; Christian Reif, conductor (Philharmonia Orchestra)
Best Classical Compendium
Fandango
Julius Eastman, Vol. 3: If You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Rich?
Mazzoli: Dark With Excessive Bright WINNER: Passion For Bach And Coltrane
Sardinia
Sculptures
Zodiac Suite
Best Contemporary Classical Composition
“Adès: Dante”
“Akiho: In That Space, At That Time”
“Brittelle: Psychedelics”
“Mazzoli: Dark With Excessive Bright” WINNER: “Montgomery: Rounds”
18 Survivor fans will attempt to outwit, outplay, and outlast the competition on season 46 of the popular reality competition. The first-time Survivor castaways competing for the $1 million grand prize include an actor, an artist, a musician, a real estate agent, and a special education teacher.
Emmy winner Jeff Probst returns to guide the castaways through immunity challenges and tribal councils as host.
Season 46 will premiere on Wednesday, February 28, 2024 with a two-hour episode airing at 8-10pm ET/PT. The March 6th episode will also run two hours, followed by new 90-minute episodes each week.
“Building upon its legacy, this groundbreaking series continues to be the ultimate test of physical and mental endurance as this new set of castaways embarks on the adventure of a lifetime when they are left stranded on the breathtaking islands of Fiji. These determined players must form a new society and adapt to their physical and social surroundings while facing difficult obstacles and navigating a complex social game,” reads CBS’s synopsis. “The participants will be divided into three tribes of six and endure a faster, more intense season from the moment they step foot on the beach. The moral dilemmas, extreme situations and new twists in the game will test even the strongest competitor, and the mental and physical challenges require players to masterfully evolve their strategies to survive another day.”
Survivor Season 46 Castaways
Name: Q Burdette
Age: 29
Hometown: Senatobia, Miss.
Current Residence: Memphis, Tenn.
Occupation: Real estate agent
Name: Jessica “Jess” Chong
Age: 37
Hometown: Hong Kong, China/Toronto, Ontario
Current Residence: San Francisco, Calif.
Occupation: Software engineer
Name: Charlie Davis
Age: 26
Hometown: Manchester-by-the-Sea, Mass.
Current Residence: Boston, Mass.
Occupation: Law student
Name: Tevin Davis
Age: 24
Hometown: Goochland, Va.
Current Residence: Richmond, Va.
Occupation: Actor
Name: Tiffany Nicole Ervin
Age: 33
Hometown: Franklin Township, N.J.
Current Residence: Elizabeth, N.J.
Occupation: Artist
Name: Moriah Gaynor
Age: 28
Hometown: Boca Raton, Fla.
Current Residence: San Diego, Calif.
Occupation: Program coordinator
Name: Maria Shrime Gonzalez
Age: 48
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Current Residence: Dallas, Texas
Occupation: Parent coach
Name: Bhanu Gopal
Age: 41
Hometown: Visakhapatnam, India
Current Residence: Acton, Mass.
Occupation: IT quality analyst
Name: Jemila “Jem” Hussain-Adams
Age: 32
Hometown: Berbice, Guyana
Current Residence: Chicago, Ill.
Occupation: International brand mentor
Name: David “Jelinsky” Jelinsky
Age: 22
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nev.
Current Residence: Las Vegas, Nev.
Occupation: Slot machine salesman
Name: Ben Katzman
Age: 31
Hometown: Miami, Fla.
Current Residence: Miami, Fla.
Occupation: Musician
Name: Hunter McKnight
Age: 28
Hometown: French Camp, Miss.
Current Residence: French Camp, Miss.
Occupation: Science teacher
Production is currently underway on Netflix’s Cobra Kai season six, with the cast announcing the start of production in a minute-long video. Although they were restricted from revealing any real details, Cobra Kai‘s returning stars promised fans haven’t seen anything yet and should prepare for a bigger, badder final season.
Ralph Macchio and William Zabka return to lead the cast as Daniel LaRussa and Johnny Lawrence. Season six also stars Courtney Henggeler as Amanda LaRusso, Xolo Maridueña as Miguel Diaz, Tanner Buchanan as Robby Keene, Mary Mouser as Samantha LaRusso, and Jacob Bertrand as Hawk.
Gianni Decenzo plays Demetri, Vanessa Rubio is Carmen, Peyton List is Tory, Martin Kove is John Kreese, Dallas Dupree Young is Kenny, Oona O’Brien is Devon, Griffin Santopietro is Anthony, Yuji Okumoto is Chozen Toguchi, and Alicia Hannah-Kim is Kim Da-Eun.
“Cobra Kai takes place over 30 years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament with the continuation of the inescapable conflict between Daniel LaRusso (Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (Zabka),” reads Netflix’s generic synopsis. The streaming service didn’t drop any hints about the final season’s description, other than the start of production video that shows John Kreese will be involved in sending the series out with a bang.
Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg write and executive produce. Additional executive producers include Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, and Westbrook Entertainment’s Will Smith, James Lassiter, and Caleeb Pinkett, along with Susan Ekins in association with Sony Pictures Television.
‘Outlander: Blood of My Blood’ starts production (Photo Credit: Starz)
Filming has begun on Starz’s Outlander prequel Outlander: Blood of My Blood which dives into the lives of Jamie’s parents, Ellen and Brian, and Claire’s parents, Julia and Henry. The network’s start of production announcement confirmed Harriet Slater (Pennyworth) will star as Ellen and Jamie Roy (Condor’s Nest) is playing Brian. Hermione Corfield (The Road Dance) is on board as Julia and Jeremy Irvine (War Horse) stars as Henry.
“We’re thrilled to be telling the stories of these two couples. The origins of their relationships explore universal themes that transcend time periods, and we’re so excited for fans to discover and fall in love with these characters and their love stories the way they have with Claire and Jamie,” said Matthew B. Roberts, showrunner, executive producer, and writer on both series.
Season one will consist of 10 episodes and will be shot in Scotland.
“Outlander: Blood of My Blood will explore the lives and relationship of Jamie’s parents, Ellen MacKenzie (Slater) and Brian Fraser (Roy). STARZ confirmed today that the series will also explore the origin story of Claire’s parents, Julia Moriston (Corfield) and Henry Beauchamp (Irvine),” reads Starz’s announcement. “The series will center on these two parallel love stories set in two different time periods, with Jamie’s parents in the early 18th century Scottish Highlands and Claire’s parents in WWI England.”
Executive producers include Roberts, Ronald D. Moore, Maril Davis, and Story Mining & Supply Company. Author Diana Gabaldon is a consulting producer.
The original Outlander will return with the second half of season seven later this year. Filming is expected to begin on the eighth – and final – 10-episode season soon in Scotland.
Starz provided the following brief biographies on its newly announced Outlander: Blood of My Blood stars.
Harriet Slater (Photo Credit: Gerry McCabe, Courtesy of Starz)
Harriet Slater was born in Leicester, England and caught the acting bug early, at 6 years of age, through involvement with the ‘Little Theatre,’ home of the hundred-year-old Leicester Drama Society, which counts Lord Richard Attenborough as one of its most famous members. Having performed in dozens of musicals and plays during her youth, the Society gave Slater the foundations and confidence to pursue acting as her career.
At the age of 19, she relocated to Guildford to attend drama school. Slater studied dramatic arts at Guildford School of Acting, before moving to London and signing with a prestigious talent agency. Slater’s first professional job was a three-person play at Theatre Royal in Plymouth. The play, about cycling, required the cast to peddle on static bikes for the full duration of the play! Off the back of her run at the Theatre Royal, she completed six months with the Royal Shakespeare Company in a play called Vice Versa.
She quickly followed that by landing her first TV role as Sandra Onslow, club singer and Alfred Pennyworth’s love interest in three seasons of the high-profile Pennyworth, a highly stylized deep dive into the life of the Wayne family butler of Batman fame.
On completing Pennyworth, Slater jumped straight into production on three feature films: a small role in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, the most recent installment of the Indiana Jones franchise and a bucket-list job alongside Harrison Ford; as one of three leads in The Haunting in Wicker Park alongside Jamie Campbell-Bower and Erin Moriarty telling the story of the first-ever televised exorcism, broadcast on NBC News in 1971 with terrifying after effects for everyone involved; and another horror feature film called Horrorscope, which is set for a release in spring/summer 2024.
Most recently, Slater can be seen as the lead character of Clara Dunn in Julian Fellowes’ Belgravia: The Next Chapter.
Jamie Roy (Photo Credit: Kristia Knowles, Courtesy of Starz)
Jamie Roy was born in Greenock and grew up in Glasgow, Scotland. He has lived in America for a number of years where he has developed his career. Roy’s credits include Condor’s Nest, Your Boyfriend is Mine, Squeaky Clean Mysteries: Hazardous Duty, Flowers and Honey, Burning Little Lies, and Picture Perfect Lies.
Roy is a keen and talented golfer and rugby player.
Hermione Corfield (Photo Courtesy of Starz)
Hermione Corfield has had an extensive career on screen. Her film, The Road Dance, won the 2021 Audience Award at the Edinburgh Film Festival. Other film credits include Sea Fever, directed by Neasa Hardiman and premiered at the Toronto Film Festival; The Misfits, a heist crime drama alongside Pierce Brosnan, Jamie Chung and Tim Roth; Born a King, the extraordinary real life story of a 14-year old teenage Arab prince, also starring Kenneth Cranham and Ed Skrein; Rust Creek, directed by Jen McGowan; Slaughterhouse Rulez, alongside Michael Sheen, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost; King Arthur: Legend of the Sword with Charlie Hunnam, Annabelle Wallis, Jude Law and Aiden Gillen; xXx: Return of Xander Cage, alongside Vin Diesel, Samuel L. Jackson, Ruby Rose and Nina Dobrev; Lucasfilms’ Star Wars: The Last Jedi as Tallie Lintra; Fallen, based on the popular young adult novel series by Lauren Kate; Seth Grahame-Smith’s horror parody Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, which starred Lily James, Sam Riley and Charles Dance; Mr. Holmes alongside Ian McKellen, Frances de la Tour and Hattie Morahan, and Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, the fifth instalment in the Mission Impossible franchise, with Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg and Jeremy Renner.
For television, she starred as Freddy in We Hunt Together, currently in its second season. She also previously starred in the period drama series The Halcyon, co-starring Olivia Williams, Jamie Blackley, and Kara Tointon.
Corfield has just wrapped production on the thriller Family Secrets.
Jeremy Irvine (Photo Courtesy of Starz)
Jeremy Irvine is an English stage and screen actor. He attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art before catching Hollywood’s eye starring in Steven Spielberg’s 2011 epic war film War Horse which went on to receive a Best Picture nomination for the 2012 Academy Awards and Golden Globes.
Irvine earned widespread critical acclaim for his role opposite Dakota Fanning in the independent film Now Is Good, leading critics to list him among Hollywood’s fastest-rising stars. In 2013, he dropped more than 25 pounds and performed his own torture scene stunts in the film adaptation of The Railway Man.
In 2018, Jeremy played the younger version of Pierce Brosnan’s character Sam in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again opposite Lily James and directed by Ol Parker.
His recent credits include Leopardi & Co, Return to Silent Hill, Baghead, This Is Christmas, Dalgliesh, Treadstone, and The Last Full Measure with Christopher Plummer and Samuel L. Jackson.
Other notable credits include Paradise Hills, Billionaire Boys Club, The Professor And The Madman, Fallen, The World Made Straight, Stonewall, The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death, and Beyond the Reach, in which he stars alongside Michael Douglas.
Jodie Foster, Kali Reis, and Aka Niviâna in ‘True Detective Night Country’ episode 4 (Photograph by Michele K. Short/HBO)
With just a few episodes left in True Detective: Night Country, we seem to be no closer to finding out what happened to the researchers at the Tsalal Research Facility. One thing is for certain: Night Country is unlike any of the previous three seasons of the Emmy Award-winning series.
Episode three ended with two jaw-dropping scenes. In one, Dr. Anders Lund sat up in his hospital bed and, in a demonic voice, said, “Hello, Evangeline. Your mother says hello. She’s waiting for you.” In the other, a cell phone video shows Annie saying, “My name is Annie Kowtok. If anything happens to me…” before the phone is ripped away and she screams.
As episode four opens, Chief Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) can’t sleep, so she watches the video of Annie Kowtok again. She focuses on the last part of the video and sees bones in the ice.
December 24th – the seventh day of night
Officer Peter Prior (Finn Bennett) is the bearer of bad news when he tells Liz the Anchorage Police Department is early and packing up the bodies of the deceased research team at the ice rink. Liz spots Julia (Aka Niviana), Evangeline Navarro’s sister, outside stripping off her clothes, visibly distraught. After telling Peter to call Evangeline and tell her to meet at the station, Liz tries to help and comfort Julia.
Evangeline (Kali Reis) thanks Liz for helping with her sister, but when Liz tries to ask if Julia will be okay Evangeline changes the subject back to the case. She isn’t pleased to hear Captain Connelly is there and warns that he better not take this case away from them. Before leaving, Evangeline tells Liz they need to talk about Annie’s video.
Liz is shocked when she gets to the station and sees Captain Ted Connelly (Christopher Eccleston) is there. Ted informs her he’s going to stick around for a while but assures her he’s not taking the case away. However, she needs to get everything under control.
Liz reveals they’ve learned the researchers died before they froze, and Ted’s not sure he wants to know how she knows that. Liz also confirms that they’re treating this like a murder case. As for the Annie K video, Ted suggests she keep it on a need-to-know basis.
Evangeline checks her sister into The Lighthouse, a care facility for people dealing with addictions. She assures Julia it won’t be like the other places she’s been to. The sisters have an emotional goodbye, even though Evangeline insists she’ll come visit her on Christmas.
Jodie Foster in ‘True Detective Night Country’ episode 4 (Photograph by Michele K. Short/HBO)
Liz asks Peter to find anyone in the past who’s had similar injuries to the dead researchers, and Peter comes up with a name: Otis Heiss. In April of 1998, Heiss had burns on both corneas, ruptured eardrums, and self-inflicted bites. Heiss is a German national with almost no records – not even an active bank account. There’s been no registered address for him for the past eight years, but he does have a long criminal history and was in and out of rehab. Also, there’s no known cause of his accident.
Liz wants everyone to look for this guy, but Peter reminds her all available units are out looking for missing researcher Raymond Clark.
Navarro and Liz have determined Annie was killed in an ice cave, but there aren’t any caves near where her body was found. Liz believes Annie was killed in one place and dumped in town to send a message.
Liz and Navarro visit Adam (the geology teacher), and Liz wants Navarro to step in front of her when his wife answers the door. Navarro realizes why and wonders if there’s anyone in that town Liz hasn’t slept with. Adam confirms the bones in the video are whale bones and that there is an ice cave system nearby, but the caves are death traps and people don’t go near them.
Adam suggests they need a guide to take them. Or they can track down the person who mapped the cave system. Coincidentally, that person is none other than Otis Heiss.
Meanwhile, Julia’s sitting in her room at The Lighthouse when an orange rolls out from under her bed. She hears whispering, checks under the bed, and sees her dead mother.
Navarro joins Rose (Fiona Shaw) at her house for dinner. She asks about Rose’s life before she moved to Alaska, and Rose says she used to be a professor. Rose tells her it is quieter here, except for all the dead.
When Evangeline calls to check on her sister on Christmas Eve, Julia lies and says everything’s good. In reality, Julia’s out in the cold during the call. After telling Evangeline she loves her, Julia strips off her clothes, neatly folds them, and then walks off onto the ice.
Liz is called to the mining company offices after the doors were spray painted with the word “murderers.” Kate wants to press charges against Liz’s stepdaughter, Leah, and Liz asks her not to do that.
Leah (Isabella LaBlanc) reacts to Liz’s anger over the mining office’s graffiti by packing her bag and leaving with Peter’s wife, Kayla (Anna Lambe), who’s waiting for her outside. Liz isn’t happy but jumps back into watching the Annie video. She then watches the video taken at Tsalal. She calls Evangeline to tell her someone cut the power to the facility. The same thing happened in the cave where they shouldn’t have been in power in the first place. Liz thinks the cave must have had a power generator.
Liz is in no condition to handle the job after having a few drinks and orders Peter to go with Navarro to see Oliver Tagaq again since he has access to generators. Peter’s not happy about it since it’s Christmas Eve and he has a family, but he can’t say no to his mentor.
Liz visits Connolly, and he admits she was a better cop than him, but he sent her away because she was terrible with people. And after Jake and Holden, it got worse. He doesn’t sugarcoat his words and says no one wants to work with her.
Liz shouldn’t be driving but she heads home anyway and gets into an accident. The one-eyed polar bear is outside her car.
There’s no sign of Oliver, but Navarro and Peter find a rock with the same spiral symbol as Annie’s tattoo. They learn Oliver left the day after Navarro and Liz saw him. None of Oliver’s friends acknowledge knowing anything about the mysterious symbol.
Kali Reis, and Joel Montgrand in ‘True Detective Night Country’ episode 4 (Photograph by Michele K. Short/HBO)
On their way back, Navarro receives devastating news from the Coast Guard that Julia is dead. She orders Peter to go be with his family and heads to The Lighthouse, furious that they just let her sister leave. She screams and takes out her anger by destroying a few items in the waiting room.
Outside, she sees the guy she arrested for domestic abuse in episode one and picks a fight. She winds up on the losing end as his friends join in on the beating.
Peter tries to apologize to Kayla, but she knows he’s not sorry. He’ll always be at Liz’s beck and call.
A beat-up Navarro shows up at Eddie Qavvik’s (Joel Montgrand) place and as he tries to help her clean up, the rock she found at Oliver’s falls out of her pocket. She wonders why Eddie’s alone in life. He reacts by pretending he’s going to propose to her but pops her finger back into place instead. She begins to cry, but more so for her sister than from the pain.
Liz is having flashbacks of playing with her son when she’s awakened by Navarro. Navarro fills her in on Oliver and that she lost his rock with the spiral symbol. When Liz tries to move a box, the bottom breaks out and Navarro sees the stuffed polar bear with one eye. She asks if it belonged to Liz’s son, Holden, and Liz becomes angry and says there’s no dead out there waiting for us. “The dead are dead,” says a hungover Liz.
After Liz tosses the bear outside, Navarro tells Liz that her sister killed herself last night. Julia walked out into the sea until she drowned. Navarro believes it’s a curse and that it’s coming for her next. Liz gets angry and says she’s doing the same thing she did with Wheeler (from episode three). Liz is certain that Navarro saw something in that room – a ghost or a spirit or something. A quick flashback shows a woman who resembles a zombie, but Navarro claims she saw nothing.
Peter calls to say they spotted something and sends Liz a photo. It’s of a man (believed to be Clark) walking and wearing Annie’s pink parka. Liz and Navarro immediately head to the dredges.
They spot the symbol painted inside the huge ship when suddenly a man takes off running. Liz gives chase, but Navarro hears her name whispered, and when she looks into the water, she sees her sister’s body floating face down. Navarro sees wet footprints and decides to follow them.
Liz believes she found Raymond Clark, but it is Otis Heiss. Clark gave him that coat.
Navarro finds a decorated Christmas tree, and when she turns around to help Liz, Julia – dead and blue – is there in front of her, making noises.
Otis is asked where Clark is and he says ominously, “He’s gone. He went back down to hide. He’s hiding in the night country. We’re all in the night country now.”
Episode four ends with Liz discovering Navarro sitting in front of the tree. Blood is running out of one of her ears.
CBS’s new primetime action-drama, Tracker, is set to premiere in the coveted timeslot immediately following Super Bowl LVIII. The Big Game is always a big draw, but even more viewers are expected to tune in because of the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce romance. CBS has high hopes those viewers will stick around to check out Justin Hartley taking on the lead role in Tracker after six seasons on This Is Us.
Tracker is based on Jeffrey Deaver’s bestselling novel The Never Game and stars Hartley as Colter Shaw, a survivalist who travels via RV all over the country to find missing people (or items) and collect the rewards. Colter, who prefers to be known as a “rewardist” rather than bounty hunter, has support from a close-knit team played by Robin Weigert, Abby McEnany, Eric Graise, and Fiona Rene.
CBS recently hosted a press conference with the Tracker cast and executive producer/director Ken Olin (This Is Us) to promote the first season. Here are the highlights of the Q&A with series star Justin Hartley who also serves as an executive producer.
On the appeal of Tracker and reuniting with Ken Olin:
Justin Hartley: “Ken and I worked together, as you know, on This Is Us, and we had this really great culture and great experience together and developed such a tight friendship – sort of like a family – that we sort of looked at each other, and we said, ‘We gotta keep doing this. We want to do another show.’ And so, we were on the lookout for something really great to do together, and we found this book.
We were able to, luckily, get our hands on it and develop it. And from there, find this extraordinary cast to fill out our show. We’re so lucky. And we have, I think, continued that culture that we found on This Is Us in this really wonderful environment.”
On Colter Shaw’s backstory and his relationship with his fractured family:
Justin Hartley: “It’s sort of a driver for all of the stuff that you see this character do in his adult life. There’s an element, I think, to most if not all of the jobs that he takes – and his ability to solve, to find these people, and to get these positive outcomes – that comes from the way that he was raised. And the way that he was raised is not necessarily always easy on the palate.
I mean, his father was very, very difficult. He had a rough childhood, really unique, strange kind of childhood. But all of those things that he went through when he was younger are things that he was taught and that he uses in his current life. And you know, I think a lot of the stories that we tell […] open up Colter a little bit in a sense that he then kind of can reflect on his childhood.
And oftentimes, I think the way that you remember things might not be actually the way they actually happened, right? And I think Colter’s kind of figuring that out as well. But that’s a major part of our show is the backstory in the family, and he’s got a lot of questions about his childhood and what he ends up, I guess, realizing are assumptions that might not be true.”
On the workload on Tracker compared to This Is Us:
Justin Hartley: “The workload is great. Look, here’s the thing. I love it. I’ve always wanted this, and it’s not work. It’s a labor of love. I mean, you have a call time, and you show up. And gosh! People have written stuff for you, and people are lighting you. And I’ve got this amazing support group around me. These guys, I mean, it’s a team effort for sure. And whether you’re on stage or out in the middle of the forest in the middle of the night, on a Saturday morning, yeah, in 4 degrees by yourself, or whether it’s you or whether it’s you guys on stage or wherever you are. It’s the story that matters. And when you watch the finished product it all becomes worth it. So, I don’t really feel the workload.
That’s…I mean…that’s bullsh*t. (Laughing) I do. It’s hard – it’s really hard. No, it’s not! Look, I mean, I’m not […] complaining. It’s been great when you get an opportunity to do something that you love and spend a lot of time doing it with people that you love. It’s a joy.”
On how much Jeffrey Deaver’s description of Colter influenced how he plays the character:
Justin Hartley: “I would say quite a bit. Ken and I talk about it all the time. We worked on this character together, you know. Obviously, Jeffrey wrote it and then you have to figure out a way in. What is it that’s so interesting about this character? First of all, what drew you to it? And then, from there, how do you adapt it to the screen? Because it doesn’t [adapt easily].
There are certain things in the book where this character…he does a lot of calculations and sort of talking to himself in his head. You just can’t do that on screen. It would be very hard to watch. You’d be reading a lot, and it would be very hard to watch. So, you have to figure out a way to show this guy and what’s going on in his head without just him talking to himself all the time, which sort of is not the character. He’s not a weirdo. He’s not constantly talking to himself like Ken, and he’s not haunted.
But yeah, we talked a lot about that. Actually, how do you get all of that stuff that we love about the character in the book translated to the screen without losing it, but also without kind of making it look like something it’s not?”
On playing a strong, silent type after six seasons of This Is Us:
Justin Hartley: “Well, in some sense, it’s a relief. And in some sense, it’s a daunting task. You know, when you’re still and you’re on camera, and you’re still and you’re not talking, you’re telling the story through your look and what’s going on with your body. It’s interesting. It’s a bit scary, in a way, because you’re sitting there going, ‘Okay, I’ve been still and silent for a good solid 40 seconds. Is that boring? Is that going to be interesting? I mean, is that going to make people think that I’m asleep or something?’
I mean, the writing is good, and the storytelling is great, and if Colter’s listening to something… I firmly believe that if you actually, as far as acting goes, do what you say you’re doing – actually firing a gun or actually stabbing someone or actually punching someone – if you’re emotionally doing what you say that you’re doing. I think that’s very hard to deny or to say that that’s not true or honest.
So, I love it. I think it’s really cool too. I love those characters, too. I love watching a character not necessarily talk all the time but think as an audience member just sitting here watching what Bruce Willis might be thinking, and then you sit at the edge of your seat wondering what he’s going to say next. So, I’ve always been a fan of those kinds of characters. So, for me, it’s sort of a dream come true.”
On whether he likes having a book available as source material or prefers to create his own backstory:
Justin Hartley: “I like both. I think there are fun aspects of both. It’s great to have that source material, though, because week-to-week, as we get these new episodes, new [stories], new guest stars, new sets of circumstances, new jobs, whatever it might be, you do have that source material. […] The fact that it’s there gives you comfort, right? As the stories change week-to-week and, like I said, new characters come on in new…I don’t want to call them cases, but new jobs, new sets of circumstances, you have that source material.
You always have that sort of in the back of your head. What would Colter do? And you use that source material. At least, I do to decide for yourself. What would Colter do? Well, how would he react in this situation, given the source material? So, I use it. And I find it’s good to have.”
On Colter’s personality and his dedication to being a rewardist:
Justin Hartley: “You know what I love about him is I think he’s a good man. He’s a good man and he wants to do good things for people in need. And I think we talk a lot about how he’s a restless guy. He can go in, you know, sort of help a situation, there’s an outcome, and then he leaves. He has a hard time not running away. I don’t think he intentionally runs away. I just think it’s how he is.
He’s afraid of a lot of stuff, oddly enough, and I think that’s why he finds he’s trying to fill this void that is probably unfillable. He’s trying to fill it with these rewards and helping strangers. And he’s sort of created this family around him to try to fill all these voids that, like I said, I don’t think he can fill. I also think, at a surface level, I think he enjoys the action and the fun and the excitement, and not being tied down, and the freedom.
But yeah, I think it’s definitely when you look at his past – his childhood, the way he was brought up, what happened to his father, the questions that he has about his family, the paranoia that he was surrounded by when he was younger – and then you look at what he does as an adult, it all makes sense. You go, ‘Well, he’s a product of his environment.’ You know, what happened to him as a youth.
(Laughing) I hope I got that right ’cause we’ve already shot like six episodes!”
* * * * * * * *
Tracker will premiere on Sunday, February 11, 2024 after the Super Bowl before settling into its regular Sundays at 9pm ET/PT timeslot on February 18th.
Three-time Emmy winner Brad Garrett (Everybody Loves Raymond) guest stars as the owner of the newspaper where Nell works on ABC’s Not Dead Yet season two episode one. “Not Owning It Yet” will premiere on February 7, 2024, with new season two episodes airing on Wednesdays at 8:30pm ET/PT.
Gina Rodriguez leads the cast as Nell Serrano, Hannah Simone plays Sam, and Lauren Ash is Lexi. Rick Glassman stars as Edward, Joshua Banday is Dennis, and Angela Gibbs is Cricket.
“Not Owning It Yet” Plot: Lexi’s father and owner of the SoCal Independent, Duncan Rhodes, comes into the office and forms a bond with Nell, much to his daughter’s dismay.
Gina Rodriguez and Brad Garrett in ‘Not Dead Yet’ season 2 episode 1 (Disney/Temma Hankin)
Series Description, Courtesy of ABC:
From creators David Windsor and Casey Johnson and starring Gina Rodriguez, Not Dead Yet follows Nell Serrano, self-described disaster, who writes obituaries at her local newspaper while navigating relationships in her personal and professional life. The twist – she can see the dead people she’s tasked with writing about, and they don’t hesitate to give her life advice.
The series is adapted from the book Confessions of a 40-something F**k Up by Alexandra Potter.
Lauren Ash and Jimmy Bellinger in season 2 episode 1 (Disney/Temma Hankin)Lauren Ash and Rick Glassman in season 2 episode 1 (Disney/Temma Hankin)Hannah Simone, Josh Banday, Lauren Ash, and Brad Garrett in season 2 episode 1 (Disney/Temma Hankin)Hannah Simone and Gina Rodriguez in season 2 episode 1 (Disney/Temma Hankin)Brad Garrett and Lauren Ash in season 2 episode 1 (Disney/Temma Hankin)Gina Rodriguez and Nico Santos in season 2 episode 1 (Disney/Temma Hankin)
A still from In ‘The Summers’ by Alessandra Lacorazza (Courtesy of Sundance Institute)
Grammy winner René Pérez Joglar (aka Residente) delivers a compelling, layered performance as Vicente, a divorced dad who comes to terms with his mistakes and tries to make amends in In the Summers. Vicente’s tortuous journey begins with an optimistic hopefulness about his relationship with his two daughters and takes a dark turn as he slips into the clutches of addiction, eventually evolving into a redemption tale as he confronts his failures and seeks to become a better man.
First-time feature filmmaker Alessandra Lacorazza Samudio teases the trouble to come in part one of the four-part story. Vicente’s all smiles as he picks up his young daughters at the airport, ready to show them a good time over their summer vacation. He lives in the tidy home his mother left him in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and treats the girls to fun days in the sun by the pristine backyard pool. Days pass by with water balloon fights, visits to an amusement park, and cooking lessons.
During a visit to his favorite neighborhood bar, Vicente shows the first sign of having a real problem with alcohol. Despite the fact his young daughters depend on him, he can’t resist drinking while teaching them how to play pool. Later, they spend the night stargazing, and Vicente has a constant supply of beer at his side. His driving is noticeably impaired on the way home, but he treats it like a game. His oldest daughter, Violeta, is shocked and freaks out, while his youngest daughter, Eva, still believes that her dad can do no wrong.
Vicente’s inability to place his daughters above his addictions is on full display in part two. Violeta and Eva arrive from California, older and more disillusioned with their father. Vicente can’t hide his discomfort at the responsibility of caring for his kids and, for the most part, shirks his duties as a caregiver.
By part three, Vicente has descended into the depths of addiction, and his already tenuous relationship with his daughters is on the verge of being severed for good. Part four marks Vicente’s emergence from the throes of addiction as his daughters, now independent young women, arrive for their annual visit. The traumas all three have endured (Vicente’s being self-inflicted) cannot be forgotten or minimized. However, the question is whether they can move forward in a way that allows healing to begin in earnest.
Sasha Calle and Lio Mehiel in ‘In The Summers’ (Courtesy of Sundance Institute)
Watching this father ruin his relationship with his daughters is alternately heartbreaking and infuriating. But writer/director Alessandra Lacorazza Samudio doesn’t ask audiences to judge Vicente and instead seeks to show that his quest for redemption, though a long time coming, is possible as long as it’s genuine.
Lacorazza Samudio does a terrific job of setting up the relationship between Vicente and his girls in part one, followed by the destruction of that relationship as Vicente plunges deeper into his addiction in parts two and three. By the time part four arrives, 20 years have passed since the family began their summertime visits. During those years, Vicente loses himself to substance abuse, and his self-loathing for his own cowardice and weakness is clear in the way he interacts with his daughters. It’s also clear in the appearance of his backyard pool.
In the Summers might be the only film in history that uses the condition of a backyard swimming pool to reflect not just the passage of time but the lead character’s mental state. Vicente’s arc is reflected in the pool’s upkeep, going from sparkling, clean, and inviting to filthy and neglected. When Vicente finally faces up to his demons, the pool is emptied of trash and becomes a safe harbor for Eva and Violeta’s new stepsister.
René Pérez Joglar anchors the film as Vicente, but the entire ensemble masterfully handle the complex characters filmmaker Lacorazza has created. Eva and Violeta are played by Luciana Elisa Quinonez and Dreya Castillo as children, by Allison Salinas and Kimaya Thais as adolescents, and by Sasha Calle and Lio Mehiel as adults. The foundation established by Quinonez and Castillo is built upon and expanded with the actors who follow, with Calle and Mehiel completing Vicente’s daughters’ growth into mature, intelligent adults who have not only survived but thrived.
In the Summers took home the Grand Jury Prize for U.S. Dramatic Competition and the Directing Award at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. Both awards were well-deserved, and Alessandra Lacorazza Samudio – who was inspired by her experiences with her father and sister – establishes herself as a filmmaker to watch with this auspicious debut.
Oxygen True Crime’sSelena & Yolanda: The Secrets Between Them revisits the murder of Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla-Pérez by her fan club president and boutiques manager Yolanda Saldivar. The two-part limited series features new interviews with the convicted murderer who’ll be up for parole next year, as well as interviews with investigators and law enforcement personnel involved in the case.
Saldivar was found guilty of shooting the popular singer during a confrontation over financial discrepancies. (Selena believed Saldívar embezzled money from her businesses.) The jury convicted Saldivar of first-degree murder on October 23, 1995 and she was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after serving 30 years.
Part one of the two-part series will premiere on February 17, 2024 at 8pm ET/PT. Part two follows on February 18th at 7pm ET/PT.
Poster for Oxygen True Crime’s ‘Selena & Yolanda’
Oxygen True Crime released this description of the limited series:
“Selena & Yolanda: The Secrets Between Them marks the first time in over two decades that Saldivar has been interviewed extensively in English and on camera. In a series of wide-ranging interviews from prison, Saldivar details her working relationship and friendship with Selena, and she’s not alone. For the first time, members of Yolanda’s family discuss the two women and share never-before-revealed documents and recordings in an effort to show there was more to the tragedy than the public knows.
The investigation that followed Selena’s killing revealed that Saldivar was a close friend of Selena’s, ran her fan club, and was accused of stealing from the singer’s businesses. Some of those who were on the scene in Corpus Christi, Texas and who investigated Saldivar, challenge the new information presented and remain steadfast in their determination that she was rightfully convicted. The hostage negotiator who spent nine hours on the phone with Saldivar after she shot Selena, the Corpus Christi Police Department detectives who were on the scene, the prosecutors who put Saldivar on trial, and journalists who cover Selena and Latinx culture are among those who provide their unique insight on the tragedy and Selena’s legacy.”
