Independent Spirit Awards 2023 Nominees: ‘Everything Everywhere’ Snags 8 Nominations

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November 22, 2022

Everything Everywhere All At Once tops the list of 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards nominees, earning eight nominations including Best Feature, Best Director (Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert), Best Lead Performance (Michelle Yeo), Best Breakthrough Performance (Stephanie Hsu), and two in the Best Supporting Performance (Jamie Lee Curtis, Ke Huy Quan) category. Director Todd Field’s Tár, starring Cate Blanchett as a world-renowned composer whose life is falling apart, followed with seven nominations including ones for Field and Blanchett.

The 2023 awards will mark the first time Film Independent has switched the performance categories to gender-neutral. The 38th Film Independent Spirit Awards also introduces a new category: Best Breakthrough Performance.

“We couldn’t be more honored to celebrate this year’s exciting film nominees,” said Josh Welsh, President of Film Independent. “As the Film Independent Spirit Awards evolve with our changing industry, including embracing non-gendered categories, we look to these artists to lead us into the future. And as we celebrate the 30th anniversary of our Artist Development programs, we are incredibly proud to have Film Independent Fellows Siân Heder and Chloé Zhao return as our honorary co-chairs.”

The 2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards will be held on Saturday, March 4, 2023 in Santa Monica, CA.

2023 FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS FILM NOMINATIONS

BEST FEATURE
Bones and All
Everything Everywhere All At Once
Our Father, the Devil
Tár
Women Talking

BEST FIRST FEATURE
Aftersun – Director: Charlotte Wells
Emily the Criminal – Director: John Patton Ford
The Inspection – Director: Elegance Bratton
Murina – Director: Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović
Palm Trees and Power Lines – Director/Producer: Jamie Dack

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD – Given to the best feature made for under $1,000,000
The African Desperate
The Cathedral
Holy Emy
A Love Song
Something in the Dirt

BEST DIRECTOR
Todd Field – Tár
Kogonada – After Yang
Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert – Everything Everywhere All At Once
Sarah Polley – Women Talking
Halina Reijn – Bodies Bodies Bodies

BEST SCREENPLAY
Lena Dunham – Catherine Called Birdy
Todd Field – Tár
Kogonada – After Yang
Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert – Everything Everywhere All At Once
Sarah Polley – Women Talking

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Joel Kim Booster – Fire Island
Jamie Dack, Audrey Findlay; Story by Jamie Dack – Palm Trees and Power Lines
K.D. Dávila – Emergency
Sarah DeLappe, Story by Kristen Roupenian – Bodies Bodies Bodies
John Patton Ford – Emily the Criminal

BEST LEAD PERFORMANCE
Cate Blanchett – Tár
Dale Dickey – A Love Song
Mia Goth – Pearl
Regina Hall – Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.
Paul Mescal – Aftersun
Aubrey Plaza – Emily the Criminal
Jeremy Pope – The Inspection
Andrea Riseborough – To Leslie
Taylor Russell – Bones and All
Michelle Yeoh – Everything Everywhere All At Once

BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE
Jamie Lee Curtis – Everything Everywhere All At Once
Brian Tyree Henry – Causeway
Nina Hoss – Tár
Brian d’Arcy James – The Cathedral
Ke Huy Quan – Everything Everywhere All At Once
Trevante Rhodes – Bruiser
Theo Rossi – Emily the Criminal
Mark Rylance – Bones and All
Jonathan Tucker – Palm Trees and Power Lines
Gabrielle Union – The Inspection

BEST BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
Frankie Corio – Aftersun
Gracija Filipović – Murina
Stephanie Hsu – Everything Everywhere All At Once
Lily McInerny – Palm Trees and Power Lines
Daniel Zolghadri – Funny Pages

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Florian Hoffmeister – Tár
Hélène Louvart – Murina
Gregory Oke – Aftersun
Eliot Rockett – Pearl
Anisia Uzeyman – Neptune Frost

BEST EDITING
Ricky D’Ambrose – The Cathedral
Dean Fleischer Camp, Nick Paley – Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
Blair McClendon – Aftersun
Paul Rogers – Everything Everywhere All At Once
Monika Willi – Tár

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD – Given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast

Women Talking
Director: Sarah Polley
Casting Directors: John Buchan, Jason Knight
Ensemble Cast: Shayla Brown, Jessie Buckley, Claire Foy, Kira Guloien, Kate Hallett, Judith Ivey, Rooney Mara, Sheila McCarthy, Frances McDormand, Michelle McLeod, Liv McNeil, Ben Whishaw, August Winter

BEST DOCUMENTARY
All That Breathes
All the Beauty and the Bloodshed
A House Made of Splinters
Midwives
Riotsville, U.S.A.

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM
Corsage
Joyland
Leonor Will Never Die
Return to Seoul
Saint Omer

PRODUCERS AWARD presented by Bulleit Frontier Whiskey – The Producers Award, now in its 26th year, honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality independent films.

Liz Cardenas
Tory Lenosky
David Grove Churchill Viste

SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The Someone to Watch Award, now in its 29th year, recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition.

Adamma Ebo – Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.
Nikyatu Jusu – Nanny
Araceli Lemos – Holy Emy

TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The Truer Than Fiction Award, now in its 28th year, is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition.

Isabel Castro – Mija
Reid Davenport – I Didn’t See You There
Rebeca Huntt – Beba

‘Kaleidoscope’ Anthology Series Preview: Cast, Plot, and Air Date

By

Rebecca Murray

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November 22, 2022

Viewers are given the opportunity to choose which order they view the episodes in with Netflix’s Kaleidoscope, loosely inspired by true events that might have occurred during Hurricane Sandy. In the just-released behind-the-scenes video, series creator/showrunner Eric Garcia and his cast explain the setup and the beauty of audience members being able to determine which order they watch the crime drama unfold.

Series star Giancarlo Esposito believes audiences will want to rewatch the episodes to suss out all the clues they might have missed. “Every episode had multiple connections to every other episode,” says showrunner Garcia.

In addition to Esposito, the ensemble includes Rufus Sewell, Paz Vega, Tati Gabrielle, Peter Mark Kendall, Rosaline Elbay, Niousha Noor, and Jai Courtney. Showrunner Eric Garcia serves as writer and also executive produces along with Russell Fine, Fred Berger, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Justin Levy, Ridley Scott, David W. Zucker, Jordan Sheehan, Clayton Krueger, and Garrett Lerner.

Kaleidoscope (formerly titled Jigsaw) will premiere on Sunday, January 1, 2023.

Kaleidoscope Anthology Series — Giancarlo Esposito as Leo Pap and Paz Vega as Ava Mercer in ‘Kaleidoscope’ (Photo Courtesy of Netflix © 2022)

Netflix released the following description of the heist series:

Spanning 25 years, Kaleidoscope is an all-new anthology series following a crew of masterful thieves and their attempt to crack a seemingly unbreakable vault for the biggest payday in history. Guarded by the world’s most powerful corporate security team, and with law enforcement on the case, every episode reveals a piece of an elaborate puzzle of corruption, greed, vengeance, scheming, loyalties, and betrayals. How did the crew of thieves plan it? Who gets away with it? Who can be trusted?

Loosely inspired by the real-life story where seventy billion dollars in bonds went missing in downtown Manhattan during Hurricane Sandy, Kaleidoscope consists of eight episodes spanning from 24 years before the heist to 6 months after.

The compelling crime anthology series takes a non-linear approach to storytelling, building intrigue and suspense uniquely, with Netflix members each having a different immersive viewing experience. Some members may start with certain episodes (like episodes “Yellow” or “Green”), then move deeper into their own personal viewing order with varying episodes (“Blue” or “Violet” or “Orange,” followed by “Red” or “Pink”) until the epic “White: The Heist” story finale.

All viewers will eventually see all episodes, but the order in which they watch the episodes will affect their viewpoint on the story, the characters, and the questions and answers at the heart of the heist. How will you experience the colors of Kaleidoscope?

Episode titles include:
• “Yellow: 6 Weeks Before The Heist”
• “Green: 7 Years Before the Heist”
• “Blue: 5 Days Before the Heist”
• “Violet: 24 Years Before the Heist”
• “Orange: 3 Weeks Before the Heist”
• “Red: The Morning After the Heist”
• “Pink: 6 Months After”
• “White: The Heist” the epic story finale.

CAST AND CHARACTERS:

The Crew of Thieves

LEO PAP (Giancarlo Esposito) – THE MASTERMIND
The Leader. Leo is whip-smart, intense and driven, with an engineer’s mind and a meticulous eye for detail. He became a thief at a young age — and though he had a chance to get out, he couldn’t stay away from the criminal life and his relapse cost him his family and his freedom.
AVA MERCER (Paz Vega) – THE WEAPONS SPECIALIST
An attorney by day, she is equally at home on a gun range or gallery show as she is in the courtroom. Although she plays things fast and loose, deep down she’s a passionate soul who will do anything to protect the few people close to her.
JUDY GOODWIN (Rosaline Elbay) – THE EXPLOSIVES EXPERT
The crew’s demolitions specialist, Judy is headstrong and independent — an eccentric spitfire with a sarcastic edge who is clever and talented enough to stay a step ahead of her mistakes.
BOB GOODWIN (Jai Courtney) – THE SAFE CRACKER
A chest-puffing alpha male with a knack for safecracking and pushing people’s buttons, Bob is attractive enough to be a threat and smart enough to be dangerous to anyone who gets in his way when he’s on the hunt.
STAN LOOMIS (Peter Mark Kendall) – THE SMUGGLER
A small-time smuggler with a big-time passion for life’s epicurean pleasures, Stan’s got a mouth that never stops running and the heart of a hopeless romantic. Loyal to a fault, he’s willing to risk it all for the object of his desire — even if it means giving up the comfortable life he’s built for himself.
RJ ACOSTA, JR (Jordan Mendoza) – THE DRIVER
Shaggy and technical-minded, RJ is a self-taught engineer, a brilliant mechanic and car customizer, and a driver extraordinaire. What he excels in tech know-how, he lacks in common sense and people skills, but his loyalty to Leo knows no bounds. When he’s invited to join the crew, he jumps at the chance to prove his worth.

The Corporate Security Team with the Unbeatable Vault

ROGER SALAS (Rufus Sewell) – THE CORPORATE SECURITY TITAN
A former thief who has reinvented himself as a top-tier security expert, Roger is a salesman with an uncanny ability to manipulate people to his ends. Loyal, to a point, but his own ambitions and needs will win out every time.
HANNAH KIM (Tati Gabrielle) – THE PROTÉGÉ
Intelligent, ambitious, and adaptable, Hannah is a woman who wears many hats — and is driven by far more than money. As a chameleon who flows between the world of high-stakes finance and low-lying crime, she will have to use everything in her bag of tricks to find a way up and out.
LIZ KIM (Soojeong Son) – THE SISTER
Liz is Hannah’s younger sister, a free spirit and aspiring DJ/immersive dance captain. She’s a source of joy to Hannah, but her laissez-faire attitude conflicts with Hannah’s deep work ethic. Together, they’ll have to find a way to support each other and work hand-in-hand if they want to come out on top.
CARLOS SUJO (Hemky Madera) – THE HENCHMAN
Carlos is Roger Salas’s right-hand man and head of security — not just for the company, but for Roger himself. Loyal and intense, Carlos is the one who Roger turns to when he needs something handled off-book. Very few people really understand what Carlos does for Roger, but they all know it’s best to leave him a wide berth and not get in his way.

The Agents On The Case

NAZAN ABBASI (Niousha Noor) – THE DRIVEN AGENT
Driven, damaged and tenacious to a fault, FBI Agent Nazan Abassi is the raging fire that threatens to burn the crew of thieves down — as long as those flames don’t consume her first.
AGENT SAMUEL TOBY (Bubba Weiler) – THE PARTNER
Special Agent Samuel Toby is a boy scout in the FBI, the kind of guy who’d take a strawberry milkshake over a vodka on the rocks. He’s got a sharp mind and an immense admiration for fellow Agent Nazan Abbasi that seeps over from professional to personal. He’s attracted to her intelligence and skill in the field and devotedly aids her as she attempts to track down the crew. But when he realizes Nazan is way too deep into her obsession, he’ll have to choose whether his priorities lie in being on the right side of his career, or the right side of justice.

Kaleidoscope — Jai Courtney as Bob Goodwin and Rosaline Elbay as Judy Goodwin in episode “Blue” (Photo by Clifton Prescod / Netflix © 2022)

Kaleidoscope Giancarlo Esposito — Giancarlo Esposito as Leo Pap in episode “Red” (Photo by David Scott Holloway / Netflix © 2022)

Kaleidoscope Rufus Sewell — Rufus Sewell as Roger Salas and Tati Gabrielle as Hannah Kim in episode “Red” (Photo Courtesy of Netflix © 2022)

‘The Good Doctor’ Season 6 Episode 7 Preview: Cast, Photos, Plot and Date

By

Rebecca Murray

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November 22, 2022

It’s all hands on deck when a woman is ready to give birth to sextuplets on ABC’s The Good Doctor season six episode seven. Directed by Mike Listo from a script by Garrett Lerner and Adam Scott Weissman, episode seven – “Boys Don’t Cry” – will air on Monday, November 28, 2022 at 10pm ET/PT.

Season six stars Freddie Highmore as Dr. Shaun Murphy, Hill Harper plays Dr. Marcus Andrews, Richard Schiff is Dr. Aaron Glassman, and Will Yun Lee is Dr. Alex Park. Paige Spara stars as Lea Dilallo, Christina Chang is Dr. Audrey Lim, Fiona Gubelmann plays Dr. Morgan Reznick, Bria Henderson is Dr. Jordan Allen, and Noah Galvin is Dr. Asher Wolke.

“Boys Don’t Cry” Plot: When a woman pregnant with sextuplets arrives at the hospital, Dr. Marcus Andrews must split the doctors into teams to ensure their health and safety following their high-risk delivery. Meanwhile, Shaun and Lea must face their own hurdles as they discuss starting a family.

The Good Doctor Season 6 Episode 7 — Freddie Highmore, Brandon Larracuente, and Hill Harper in ‘The Good Doctor’ season 6 episode 7 (ABC/Jeff Weddell)

‘SWAT’ Season 6 Episode 7 Preview: Photos, Plot, Cast and Air Date

By

Rebecca Murray

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November 22, 2022

David DeSantos reprises his role as former 20 Squad Leader Sanchez on CBS’s S.W.A.T. season six episode seven, “Sequel.” Directed by Oz Scott from a script by Sarah Alderson, episode seven will air on Friday, December 2, 2022 at 8pm ET/PT.

Season six stars Shemar Moore as Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson, Alex Russell as Jim Street, Jay Harrington as David “Deacon” Kay, Kenny Johnson as Dominique Luca, David Lim as Victor Tan, Patrick St. Esprit as Commander Robert Hicks, and Rochelle Aytes as Nichelle.

“Sequel” Plot: When an intruder breaks into the home of a Hollywood actress, Hondo and the team are forced to partner with an old nemesis – former 20 Squad leader Sanchez (DeSantos) – to track down a dangerous criminal who’ll stop at nothing to get what he wants. Also, Tan struggles to find the perfect anniversary gift for his wife.

Angelica Scarlet Johnson, Anna Enger Ritch, Jonathan Avigdori, Taylor Cooper, John Michael Young, and Tyra Colar guest star.

SWAT Season 6 Episode 7 — Shemar Moore as Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson and David DeSantos as Sanchez in ‘SWAT’ season 6 episode 7 (Photo: Bill Inoshita / CBS / Sony Pictures Television.)

The Plot:

S.W.A.T. stars Shemar Moore as a former Marine and locally born and raised S.W.A.T. sergeant tasked to run a specialized tactical unit that is the last stop in law enforcement in Los Angeles. Torn between loyalty to where he was raised and allegiance to his brothers in blue, Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson strives to bridge the divide between his two worlds. Committed to the job and embracing personal change, Hondo prepares for fatherhood with his girlfriend, Nichelle, the operator of a South LA community center.

The other members of Hondo’s elite S.W.A.T. unit include David “Deacon” Kay, an experienced S.W.A.T. officer and dedicated family man who always puts the team first; Dominique Luca, an expert driver who gets them in and out of high-risk situations; Victor Tan, who started in the LAPD Hollywood Division and uses his confidential informants in the community to help the team; and Jim Street, the team’s cocky newest member.

Responsible for the management of all Metro Division S.W.A.T. units is Commander Robert Hicks, a senior LAPD official with the Special Operations Bureau. With Hondo leading the charge, these dedicated men bravely put themselves at risk to protect their community and save lives.

‘White Noise’ Trailer: Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig Flee a Toxic Cloud

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Rebecca Murray

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November 22, 2022

Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig attempt to protect their blended family from an airborne toxic event in the official trailer for White Noise. The new trailer, featuring LCD Soundsystem’s “new body rhumba,” arrived along a gorgeous new poster designed by Marija Tiurina.

White Noise reunites two-time Oscar nominee Adam Driver with his Marriage Story, The Meyerowitz Stories New and Selected, While We’re Young, and Frances Ha director Noah Baumbach. Three-time Oscar nominee Greta Gerwig (Baumbach’s real-life partner) previously worked with Baumbach on Mistress America, Frances Ha, and Greenberg.

The cast also includes Oscar nominee Don Cheadle, Raffey Cassidy, Sam Nivola, May Nivola, Lars Eidinger, Andre Benjamin, and Jodie Turner-Smith.

Baumbach’s behind-the-scenes team features director of photography Lol Crawley, production designer Jess Gonchor, editor Matthew Hannam, and costume designer Ann Roth, with music by Danny Elfman. Baumbach adapted Don DeLillo’s novel and serves as producer along with David Heyman and Uri Singer. Brian Bell and Leslie Converse executive produced.

White Noise opens in select theaters on November 25, 2022 followed by a release on Netflix on December 30th.

White Noise Poster — Poster for Netflix’s ‘White Noise’

The Plot, Courtesy of Netflix:

At once hilarious and horrifying, lyrical and absurd, ordinary and apocalyptic, White Noise dramatizes a contemporary American family’s attempts to deal with the mundane conflicts of everyday life while grappling with the universal mysteries of love, death, and the possibility of happiness in an uncertain world.

‘Blue Bloods’ Season 13 Episode 7 Photos, Photo, Cast and Air Date

By

Rebecca Murray

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November 22, 2022

Blue Bloods Season 13 Episode 7 — Bridget Moynahan as Erin Reagan and Donnie Wahlberg as Danny Reagan in ‘Blue Bloods’ season 13 episode 7 (Photo: John Paul Filo © 2022 CBS Broadcasting, Inc)

Anthony’s daughter witnesses a shooting on CBS’s Blue Bloods season 13 episode seven, “Heroes.” Directed by Doug Aarniokoski from a script by Siobhan Byrne O’Connor, episode seven will air on Friday, December 2, 2022 at 10pm ET/PT.

The cast is led by Tom Selleck as Frank Reagan, Donnie Wahlberg as Danny Reagan, and Bridget Moynahan as Erin Reagan. Will Estes stars as Jamie Reagan, Len Cariou is Henry Reagan, Marisa Ramirez plays Det. Maria Baez, and Vanessa Ray is Officer Eddie Janko.

Season 13’s recurring guest stars include Abigail Hawk, Gregory Jbara, Robert Clohessy, Steven Schirripa, Andrew Terraciano, and Ian Quinlan.

“Heroes” Plot: Erin and Anthony clash when Anthony’s daughter, Sophia (Isabel Harper Leight), is the sole eyewitness to a fatal shooting. Also, Frank wants to punish an off-duty copy for his inaction during an armed robbery; Danny and Baez investigate a violent mugging with some unwanted help from Jamie; and Eddie and her partner, Badillo (Quinlan), help an attack victim see the brighter side of New York City.

Blue Bloods Series Description:

Blue Bloods is a drama about a multi-generational family of cops dedicated to New York City law enforcement. Frank Reagan is the New York Police Commissioner, and heads both the police force and the Reagan brood. He runs his department as diplomatically as he runs his family, even when dealing with the politics that plagued his unapologetically bold father, Henry, during his stint as chief.

A source of pride and concern for Frank is his eldest son, Danny, a seasoned detective, family man and Iraq War vet who on occasion uses dubious tactics to solve cases with his partner and new mother, Detective Maria Baez. Erin, the middle daughter, is a New York assistant D.A. who serves as the legal compass for her siblings and father, while also pursuing a run for district attorney. Jamie is the youngest Reagan, a Harvard Law graduate and the family’s golden boy.

Unable to deny the family tradition, Jamie decided to give up a lucrative future in law and follow in the family footsteps as a cop. He’s found a friend and ally in his wife, Eddie, who keeps him on his toes, and has very different reasons than the Reagans for joining the police force.

‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ Final Trailer and Character Posters

By

Rebecca Murray

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November 21, 2022

20th Century Studios’ release of the final trailer for the first Avatar sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, was just one of the promotional items launched on what the studio declared as “Avatar Day.” In addition to the new two-minute trailer, “Avatar Day” events included Sydney’s Bondi Beach Icebergs Pool being transformed into a giant blue bird’s eye view billboard and billboards in Times Square serving up an anamorphic 3D experience of Pandora’s underwater world.

Additional new Avatar promos include a special augmented reality lens for Snapchat users. Per 20th Century Studios: “Every Snapchatter will get a personalized experience. The Lens uses machine learning to transform in real-time their mouth, eyes, head shape, hair and skin – complete with blue-striped texture – as if they came straight from Pandora.”

Avatar: The Way of Water stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang and Kate Winslet. Director James Cameron co-wrote the screenplay with Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver. Cameron and Jon Landau produced, and David Valdes and Richard Baneham executive produced.

‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ Jake Poster (Photo Credit: 20th Century Studios)

The Plot: With Avatar: The Way of Water, the cinematic experience reaches new heights as Cameron transports audiences back to the magnificent world of Pandora in a spectacular and stirring action-packed adventure.

Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, Avatar: The Way of Water begins to tell the story of the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri, and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive, and the tragedies they endure.

The original Avatar is now streaming on Disney+. The first of four planned sequels opens in theaters on December 16, 2022.

‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ Neytiri Poster (Photo Credit: 20th Century Studios)

‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ Ronal Poster (Photo Credit: 20th Century Studios)

‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ Quaritch Poster (Photo Credit: 20th Century Studios)

‘Babylon’ New Featurette with Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt

By

Rebecca Murray

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November 21, 2022

Two-time Oscar nominee Margot Robbie describes her character in Paramount Pictures’ Babylon as an aspiring actress who’s a real tornado in an insane time, not unlike the Wild West. The new two-minute video shows off clips from filmmaker Damien Chazelle’s epic tale and features interviews with the film’s A-list cast including Robbie and Brad Pitt.

“Babylon is about a group of people in early Hollywood at a time of extreme depravity and debauchery and excess. It’s the biggest thing I’ve ever tried to do,” says Oscar-winning writer/director Damien Chazelle (La La Land).

Robbie, Pitt, Diego Calva, Jean Smart, Jovan Adepo, Li Jun Li, P.J. Byrne, Lukas Haas, Olivia Hamilton, and Tobey Maguire star. The cast also includes Max Minghella, Rory Scovel, Katherine Waterston, Flea, Jeff Garlin, Eric Roberts, Ethan Suplee, Samara Weaving, and Olivia Wilde.

Marc Platt, Matthew Plouffe, and Olivia Hamilton produce, with Michael Beugg, Tobey Maguire, Wyck Godfrey, Helen Estabrook, and Adam Siegel executive producing.

Babylon opens in theaters on December 23, 2022.

Babylon Margot Robbie — Margot Robbie plays Nellie LaRoy in ‘Babylon’ from Paramount Pictures.

The Plot:

From Damien Chazelle, Babylon is an original epic set in 1920s Los Angeles led by Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie and Diego Calva, with an ensemble cast including Jovan Adepo, Li Jun Li and Jean Smart. A tale of outsized ambition and outrageous excess, it traces the rise and fall of multiple characters during an era of unbridled decadence and depravity in early Hollywood.

Rita Ora and Brandy to Star in a New ‘Descendants’ Movie

By

Rebecca Murray

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November 21, 2022

Rita Ora Descendants Movie — Rita Ora joins ‘The Pocketwatch,’ a new ‘Descendants’ movie (Photo Credit: Hayley Louisa Brown / Courtesy of Disney+)

Rita Ora and Brandy (Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella) have joined China Anne McClain, Kylie Cantrall, and Dara Reneé in The Pocketwatch, a new entry in Disney+’s Descendants franchise. Ora will be playing Alice in Wonderland‘s Queen of Hearts and Brandy’s on board to reprise her role as Cinderella in the new musical directed by Jennifer Phang (The Flight Attendant).

The cast also includes Malia Baker (The Babysitter’s Club), Ruby Rose Turner (Coop and Cami Ask the World), Morgan Dudley (Jagged Little Pill on Broadway), and Joshua Colley (Senior Year). Melanie Paxson will return as Fairy Godmother, a character she played in the previous Descendants films.

Disney+ released the following description of The Pocketwatch (the tentative title) as well as detailed character descriptions:

“The Descendants movies unfurled an imaginative mythology of two new lands, idyllic Auradon and the ragtag Isle of the Lost, home to the teenage progeny of Disney’s most iconic characters and notably, its most notorious villains. The bold new story of The Pocketwatch returns to these lands and also takes audiences through the rabbit hole to the hostile unincorporated territory of Wonderland, a magical, mysterious place made famous in Alice in Wonderland.

The expansive new story finds polar opposites Red and Chloe crossing paths at a momentous celebration in Auradon when unexpected chaos breaks out. In order to prevent an impending coup, they must join forces to travel back in time, via a magical pocket watch created by the Mad Hatter’s son, to stop an event that would lead to grave consequences.

Brandy as “Cinderella,” the classic Disney character, who is elegant, warm, good-hearted and diplomatic.
Rita Ora as the withholding, tyrannical “Queen of Hearts,” who rules over the kingdom of Wonderland with an iron fist.
Kylie Cantrall as “Red,” the rebellious 16 year-old daughter of the Queen of Hearts. Red knows she’ll never get the Queen’s approval, so she finds ways to provoke her mother and stir up trouble.
Malia Baker as “Chloe,” the cheerful 16 year-old daughter of Cinderella and Prince Charming, who is book smart and athletic, but her privilege makes her somewhat naive about the real world.
China Anne McClain returns as “Uma,” daughter of the infamous sea-witch Ursula, a role she previously played in Descendants 2 and Descendants 3. Strong and fierce, Uma always fights for what she thinks is right.
Dara Reneé as “Ulyana,” the younger sister of Ursula. She’s a teen sea-witch and mean-girl bully with eight wicked tentacles and a crew of lackeys.
Ruby Rose Turner as “Bridget/Young Queen of Hearts,” who is sweet-natured, bubbly, generous, and the complete opposite of her grown-up self.
Morgan Dudley as “Ella/Young Cinderella,” who is blunt, pragmatic and has a bit of a chip on her shoulder about being forced to work for her wicked stepmother.
Joshua Colley as “Hook,” one of Ulyana’s sycophants, a rich kid with a hoop earring and a shiny hook where his left hand should be. His arrogance is only surpassed by his vanity.
Melanie Paxson returns as “Fairy Godmother,” the wise and kind headmistress of Auradon Prep, who appeared in all three Descendants movies.

‘Vikings: Valhalla’ Season 2 Preview: Photos, Cast, Plot and Premiere Date

By

Rebecca Murray

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November 21, 2022

Vikings Valhalla Season 2 — Frida Gustavsson as Freydis Eriksdotter, Leo Suter as Harald Sigurdsson, and Sam Corlett as Leif Eriksson in ‘Vikings: Valhalla’ season 2 (Photo by Bernard Walsh / Netflix © 2022)

Season two of Netflix’s Vikings: Valhalla starring Sam Corlett as Leif Eriksson will premiere on January 12, 2023. The premiere date announcement for the second season of the Vikings sequel also included the first batch of photos from the new season.

“The whole concept of Season 2 is that we take these three heroes who are in Scandinavia and blow them out of their comfort zones,” said creator/showrunner Jeb Stuart in an interview with Netflix’s Tudum. “Season 2 for Harald and Leif is a road trip: It’s Thelma and Louise on the Dnieper River. The two of them will begin this incredible journey. Freydís has to go to Pomerania, which is a very difficult environment.”

In addition to Sam Corlett, returning cast members include Frida Gustavsson as Freydis Eriksdotter, Leo Suter as Harald Sigurdsson, Bradley Freegard as King Canute, and Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson as Olaf Haraldsson. Laura Berlin is back as Emma of Normandy, David Oakes returns as Earl of Godwin, Pollyanna McIntosh is Queen Ælfgifu, and Soren Pilmark reprises his role as Sweyn Forkbeard.

Vikings Valhalla Season 2 Bradley James — Bradley James as Harekr in ‘Vikings: Valhalla’ season 2 (Photo Cr. Bernard Walsh / Netflix © 2022)

Damien‘s Bradley James is joining the series as Harekr.

“Harekr is the ruler of Jómsborg, a sort of legendary Viking place where the uber-pagan Vikings lived,” explained Stuart. “He’s a great warrior, but since he’s pagan, he’s got a bull’s-eye on his back for any of our pagan hunters, like Olaf.

The Jomsvikings were very strict and rigid, so Harekr has very, very, very specific rules that he lives by. That’s how the Jomsvikings rolled, they were very loyal to their leader. They would fight to the death, even when they didn’t sometimes think that their leader was right.”

Additional new cast members include Hayat Kamille as Mariam, Marcin Dorocinski as King Yaroslav the Wise, and Sofya Lebedeva as Elena.

The eight-episode season two was executive produced by Stuart, Vikings creator Michael Hirst, Morgan O’Sullivan, Sheila Hockin, Steve Stark, James Flynn, John Weber, Sherry Marsh, Alan Gasmer, and Paul Buccieri.

Netflix released the following description of season two:

“Set over a thousand years ago in the early 11th century, Vikings: Valhalla chronicles the heroic adventures of some of the most famous Vikings who ever lived — the legendary explorer Leif Eriksson (Corlett), his fiery and headstrong sister Freydis Eriksdotter (Gustavsson), and the ambitious Nordic prince Harald Sigurdsson (Suter). Season Two finds our heroes shortly after the tragic fall of Kattegat; an event that has shattered their dreams and altered their destinies. Finding themselves suddenly fugitives in Scandinavia they are forced to test their ambitions and courage in worlds beyond the fjords of Kattegat.”