Sauron poster for ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ season 2 (Photo Credit: Prime Video)
Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season two welcomes eight just-announced recurring cast members. Oliver Alvin-Wilson (The Bay), Stuart Bowman (The Pact), Gavi Singh Chera (The Undeclared War), William Chubb (Vampire Academy), Kevin Eldon (Game of Thrones), Will Keen (His Dark Materials), Selina Lo (Boss Level), and Calam Lynch (Bridgerton) have entered the world of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth.
The casting announcement comes just a week after the epic fantasy series added recurring season two cast members Ben Daniels, Nia Towle, Gabriel Akuwudike, Yasen “Zates” Atour, Amelia Kenworthy, and Nicholas Woodeson. Sam Hazeldine was also announced as taking over the role of Orc leader Adar in the upcoming season after Joseph Mawle (Benjen Stark in Game of Thrones) played the character in the first season.
Prime Video did not confirm what characters the new recurring cast members will be playing.
Season two is currently in production in the UK with J.D Payne and Patrick McKay returning as showrunners and executive producers. Lindsey Weber, Callum Greene, Justin Doble, Jason Cahill, and Gennifer Hutchison also serve as executive producers, and Kate Hazell and Helen Shang produce.
Morfydd Clark (Galadriel) and Charlie Vickers (Halbrand) in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ (Photo Credit: Ben Rothstein / Amazon Studios)
The Plot, Courtesy of Prime Video:
The Rings of Power brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth’s history. This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings books, and will take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness.
Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared reemergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the farthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone.
HBO’s critically acclaimed drama Perry Mason returns for a second season on Monday, March 6, 2023 at 9pm ET/PT. The premiere date announcement was accompanied by a compelling teaser trailer in which Della Street declares there’s power in the truth and that everyone deserves a defense. Della also warns Perry he’s not ready for another murder trial. Mason disagrees.
“Maybe I like stacked odds,” says Perry.
Matthew Rhys (The Americans) returns as the titular character. The season two cast also includes Juliet Rylance as Della Street, Chris Chalk as Paul Drake, Shea Whigham as Pete Strickland, Eric Lange as Detective Holcomb, and Justin Kirk as Hamilton Burger. Diarra Kilpatrick, Katherine Waterston, Hope Davis, Fabrizio Guido, Peter Mendoza, Mark O’Brien, Paul Raci, Jen Tullock, Jon Chaffin, Onahoua Rodriguez, Jee Young Han, Sean Astin, Tommy Dewey, and Wallace Langham also star in the upcoming season.
Matthew Rhys in ‘Perry Mason’ (Photograph by Merrick Morton/HBO)
Season one premiered in June 2020 and earned four Emmy nominations, including one for Matthew Rhys in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series character. The first season was set in Los Angeles in 1931 and involved a child kidnapping. HBO offered this description of season two:
“Months after the Dodson case has come to an end, the scion of a powerful oil family is brutally murdered. When the DA goes to the city’s Hoovervilles to pinpoint the most obvious of suspects, Perry, Della, and Paul find themselves at the center of a case that will uncover far-reaching conspiracies and force them to reckon with what it truly means to be guilty.”
Perry Mason is based on characters created by Erle Stanley Gardner. Matthew Rhys, Jack Amiel, Michael Begler, Amanda Burrell, Robert Downey Jr., Susan Downey, Joe Horacek, and Tim Van Patten serve as executive producers.
Rita Moreno, Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Sally Field star in ’80 For Brady’ from Paramount Pictures.
The world premiere of 80 for Brady starring Jane Fonda, Sally Field, Rita Moreno, and Lily Tomlin will open the 34th Annual Palm Springs International Festival on Friday, January 6, 2023, and The Lost King from director Stephen Frears will close the festival on Sunday, January 15th. In between, the Palm Springs Film Festival will screen 132 films including the world premiere of the documentary Shot in the Arm.
“We are beyond excited to welcome back our beloved audience and filmmakers in Palm Springs. We’re especially thrilled to be joined by all four leads of 80 For Brady. The film is brimming with joy and heart, and it’s a perfect film to kick off our 34th edition,” said Artistic Director Lili Rodriguez. “Our programmers have dedicated almost a year to scouting the world for the films that make up this edition. It is our most thematically diverse year yet and I don’t believe you’ll find two movies that are alike. From light entertainment for casual nights out to urgent commentaries that beg for post-screening conversation and beyond, the cinema is there to capture it all.”
PALM SPRINGS FILM FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM LINEUP:
Ajoomma (Singapore) Director He Shuming
Alcarràs (Spain) Director Carla Simón
All Quiet on the Western Front (Germany) Director Edward Berger
Argentina, 1985 (Argentina) Director Santiago Mitre
Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths (Mexico) Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu
Beautiful Beings (Iceland) Director Guðmundur Arnar Guðmundsson
Blanquita (Chile) Director Fernando Guzzoni
The Blue Caftan (Morocco) Director Maryam Touzani
Cairo Conspiracy (Sweden) Director Tarik Saleh
Cinema Sabaya (Israel) Director Orit Fouks Rotem
Close (Belgium) Director Lukas Dhont
Corsage (Austria) Director Marie Kreutzer
Darkling (Serbia) Director Dušan Milić (U.S. Premiere)
Decision to Leave (South Korea) Director Park Chan-wook
EO (Poland) Director Jerzy Skolimowski
Eternal Spring (Canada) Director Jason Loftus
The Happiest Man in the World (North Macedonia) Director Teona Strugar Mitevska (U.S. Premiere)
Holy Spider (Denmark) Director Ali Abbasi
Il Boemo (Czech Republic) Director Petr Václav (U.S. Premiere)
Joyland (Pakistan) Director Saim Sadiq
Kalev (Estonia) Director Ove Musting
Klondike (Ukraine) Director Maryna Er Gorbach
Last Film Show (India) Director Pan Nalin
Mars One (Brazil) Director Gabriel Martins
Mediterranean Fever (Palestine) Director Maha Haj
Nostalgia (Italy) Director Mario Martone
The Quiet Girl (Ireland) Director Colm Bairéad
Return to Seoul (Cambodia) Director Davy Chou
Saint Omer (France) Director Alice Diop
Under the Fig Trees (Tunisia) Director Erige Sehiri
Utama (Bolivia) Director Alejandro Loayza Grisi
Victim (Slovakia) Director Michal Blaško
War Sailor (Norway) Director Gunnar Vikene (U.S. Premiere)
World War III (Iran) Director Houman Seyyedi
You Won’t Be Alone (Australia) Director Goran Stolevski
PALM SPRINGS FILM FESTIVAL TALKING PICTURES – In-depth discussions with directors, writers and actors:
Alice, Darling (Canada/USA) with actress Anna Kendrick
Chevalier (USA) with director Stephen Williams The Banshees of Inisherin (Ireland/UK/USA) with actor Colin Farrell
Moving On (USA) with director Paul Weitz and producer Andrew Miano
PALM SPRINGS FILM FESTIVAL MODERN MASTERS – New films, classic auteurs
All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (USA) Director Laura Poitras
Broker (South Korea) Director Hirokazu Koreeda
A Compassionate Spy (USA/UK) Director Steve James
Hilma (Sweden) Director Lasse Hallström (North American Premiere)
No Bears (Iran) Director Jafar Panahi
One Fine Morning (France/UK/Germany) Director Mia Hansen-Løve
R.M.N (Romania/France/Belgium/Sweden) Director Cristian Mungiu
Salvatore: Shoemaker of Dreams (Italy) Director Luca Guadagnino
Tori and Lokita (Belgium/France) Director Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne
PALM SPRINGS FILM FESTIVAL NEW VOICES NEW VISIONS – first and second-time directors
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (USA) Director Aitch Alberto (U.S. Premiere)
Butterfly Vision (Ukraine/Czech Republic/Croatia/Sweden) Director Maksim Nakonechnyi (U.S. Premiere)
The Damned Don’t Cry (France/Belgium/Morocco) Director Fyzal Boulifa (North American Premiere)
How to Blow Up a Pipeline (USA) Director Daniel Goldhaber
Love According to Dalva (Belgium/France) Director Emmanuelle Nicot
Our Father, the Devil (USA) Director Ellie Foumbi
Riceboy Sleeps (Canada) Director Anthony Shim
Snow and the Bear (Turkey/Germany/Serbia) Director Selcen Ergun (U.S. Premiere)
Susie Searches (USA/UK) Director Sophie Kargman (U.S. Premiere)
PALM SPRINGS FILM FESTIVAL TRUE STORIES
1341 Frames of Love and War (Israel) Director Ran Tal
All That Breathes (India/UK) Director Shaunak Sen
Anxious Nation (USA) Director Vanessa Roth, Laura Morton
The Art of Eating: The Life of M.F.K. Fisher (USA) Director Gregory M. Bezat
Bella (USA) Director Bridget Murnane
Body Parts (USA) Filmmakers Kristy Guevara-Flanagan and Helen Hood Scheer
Born in Chicago (USA) Director Bob Sarles, John Anderson
Butterfly in the Sky (USA) Director Bradford Thomason, Brett Whitcomb
The Caviar Connection (France) Director Benoît Bringer
Crows Are White (Japan/Ireland/USA) Director Ahsen Nadeem
Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy (USA) Director Nancy Buirski
The Grab (USA) Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite
I Like It Here (USA) Director Ralph Arlyck
Lakota Nation vs. United States (USA) Director Jesse Short Bull, Laura Tomaselli
Lift (USA) Director David Petersen
Liquor Store Dreams (USA) Director So Yun Um
Of Medicine and Miracles (USA) Director Ross Kauffman
Roberta (USA) Director Antonino D’Ambrosio
Shot in the Arm (USA) Director Scott Hamilton Kennedy (World Premiere)
Split at the Root (USA) Director Linda Goldstein Knowlton
Subject (USA) Director Camilla Hall, Jennifer Tiexiera
The Thief Collector (USA) Director Allison Otto
To Kill a Tiger (Canada) Director Nisha Pahuja (International Premiere)
Turn Every Page: The Adventures of Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb (USA) Director Lizzie Gottlieb
CINE LATINO – Latin American/Latinx stories
Chile ’76 (Chile/USA) Director Manuela Martelli
Huesera (Mexico/Peru) Director Michelle Garza Cervera
I Have Electric Dreams (Belgium/France/Costa Rica) Director Valentina Maurel (North American Premiere)
Sublime (Argentina) Director Mariano Biasin
The Substitute (Argentina/Italy/France/Spain/Mexico) Director Diego Lerman
QUEER CINEMA TODAY & THE GAYLA
1946: The Mistranslation that Shifted Culture (USA/Canada) Director Sharon “Rocky” Roggio
Casa Susanna (USA) Director Sebastien Lifshitz
Eismayer (Austria) Director David Wagner (North American Premiere)
Esther Newton Made Me Gay (USA) Director Jean Carlomusto
Gayla! Screening – God Save the Queens (USA) Director Jordan Danger
Gayla! Screening – Mama Bears (USA) Director Daresha Kyi
My Emptiness and I (Spain) Director Adrián Silvestre
Nelly & Nadine (Sweden/Belgium/Norway) Director Magnus Gertten
Punch (New Zealand/USA) Director Welby Ings (North American Premiere)
Winter Boy (France) Director Christophe Honoré
You Can Live Forever (Canada) Director Mark Slutsky, Sarah Watts
WORLD CINEMA NOW
Back Then (Poland) Director Kinga Dębska
The Beasts (Spain/France) Director Rodrigo Sorogoyen
Before, Now & Then (Indonesia) Director Kamila Andini
Burning Days (Turkey/France/Germany/Netherlands/Greece/Croatia) Director Emin Alper
Concerned Citizen (Israel/USA) Director Idan Haguel
Dirty, Difficult, Dangerous (France/Italy/Lebanon/Saudi Arabia/Qatar) Director Wissam Charaf (North American Premiere)
Driving Madeleine (France) Director Christian Carion (U.S. Premiere)
Emily (UK) Director Frances O’Connor (U.S. Premiere)
Freaks Out (Italy/Belgium) Director Gabriele Mainetti
Golden Years (Switzerland) Director Barbara Kulcsar (North American Premiere)
Greener Pastures (Israel) Director Matan Guggenheim, Assaf Abiri (North American Premiere)
Gyeong-ah’s Daughter (South Korea) Director Kim Jung-eun
Haute Couture (France) Director Sylvia Ohayon
The Judgement (Netherlands/Germany) Director Sander Burger
Juniper (New Zealand) Director Matthew J. Saville
Linoleum (USA) Director Colin West
Lullaby (Spain) Director Alauda Ruiz de Azúa
Max, Min & Meowzaki (India) Director N Padmakumar (U.S. Premiere)
Melchior the Apothecary (Estonia/Latvia/Lithuania/Germany) Director Elmo Nüganen
My Neighbor Adolf (Israel/Colombia/Poland) Director Leonid Prudovsky (North American Premiere)
My Sailor, My Love (Finland/Ireland) Director Klaus Härö
Next Sohee (South Korea) Director July Jung
The Origin of Evil (France/Canada) Director Sébastien Marnier
Revoir Paris (France) Director Alice Winocour
Simone: Woman of the Century (France) Director Olivier Dahan (U.S. Premiere)
Somewhere in Queens (USA) Director Ray Romano
Stonewalling (Japan/China) Director Huang Ji, Ryuji Otsuka
The Storyteller (India) Director Anant Narayan Mahadevan (North American Premiere)
Talia’s Journey (Belgium/Senegal/Luxembourg) Director Christophe Rolin
Viking (Canada) Director Stéphane Lafleur
Where Life Begins (Italy) Director Stéphane Freiss
Without Her (Iran/Germany) Director Arian Vazirdaftari (North American Premiere)
The Word (Czech Republic/Slovakia/Poland) Director Beata Parkanová (U.S. Premiere)
LOCAL SPOTLIGHT – films from the Coachella Valley
Don’t Worry Darling (USA) Director Olivia Wilde
Racist Trees (USA) Director Sara Newens, Mina T. Son (North American Premiere)
Taylor Kitsch (The Terminal List), Eric Newman, and Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights) are reuniting for the limited series American Primeval. Netflix just announced details on the six-episode drama, which is moving forward as part of Peter Berg’s first-look deal with the streaming service.
Kitsch, Berg, and Newman just worked together on Painkiller, a limited series set to arrive on Netflix in 2023.
Peter Berg is confirmed to direct and executive American Primeval, with Mark L. Smith (The Revenant) writing and executive producing and Eric Newman serving as an executive producer.
“We are very appreciative that Netflix is trusting us to take a big swing with American Primeval,” said Berg. “I’m looking forward to taking viewers into the most dynamic, intense, and heart-pounding survival tale humanly possible. We are going into the belly of the beast. Cheers to Ted, Bela, Peter, and the entire Netflix team for the support!”
Commenting on the series, Peter Friedlander, Vice President of Scripted Series, US and Canada, Netflix said, “American Primeval is a portrait of the American West unlike any other – raw, thrilling, action-driven and brought to life by a tapestry of emotionally compelling characters led by the talented Taylor Kitsch. We’re excited to explore new depths of this genre as we grow our creative partnership with the extraordinary Peter Berg at the helm backed by the deft storytelling vision from Eric Newman and Mark L. Smith.”
Netflix offered the following description of the limited series:
“American Primeval is a raw, adventurous exploration of the birth of the American West. The violent collisions of cultures, religions, and communities as men and women fight and die for control of this new world – for a land they truly believe is their destiny. The ensemble tells a story of the sacrifice all must pay when they choose to enter a lawless and untamed wilderness.
Taylor Kitsch will play Isaac – a traumatized man struggling to overcome his demons and find a reason to live in this brutal and punishing world.”
ABC’s The Good Doctor finishes up 2022 with an episode that promises a shocking twist. Season six episode nine, directed by Mike Listo from a script by Jim Adler and Jeff Qiu, will air on Monday, December 12, 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.
“Broken or Not” Plot: Dr. Shaun Murphy unknowingly creates a competition between Drs. Danica Powell and Daniel Perez when he introduces a new performance rating system. Meanwhile, Dr. Morgan Reznick may have crossed a line with Dr. Alex Park.
Paige Spara and Freddie Highmore in ‘The Good Doctor’ season 6 episode 9 (ABC/Jeff Weddell)Paige Spara in season 6 episode 9 (ABC/Jeff Weddell)Freddie Highmore in season 6 episode 9 (ABC/Jeff Weddell)A scene from ‘The Good Doctor’ season 6 episode 9 (ABC/Jeff Weddell)Freddie Highmore and Paige Spara in season 6 episode 9 (ABC/Jeff Weddell)Paige Spara in the “Broken or Not” episode (ABC/Jeff Weddell)Freddie Highmore in season 6 episode 9 (ABC/Jeff Weddell)Lauren Bradley in season 6 episode 9 (ABC/Jeff Weddell)
Barry, House of the Dragon, Pam & Tommy, The Bear, and The Offer scored three nominations each. Nominees in the film categories will be announced on Wednesday, December 14, 2022.
“As we embark on holding the 28th Annual Critics Choice Awards, we are amazed by the wealth of remarkable television programs that were considered to become this year’s nominees,” stated Critics Choice Association TV Branch co-president Ed Martin. “Clearly, the industry has rebounded in a big way. We look forward to honoring the year’s finest shows and performances at the upcoming awards ceremony.”
The Critics Choice Awards recognize the best in films and television. Chelsea Handler will be hosting the 2023 awards show airing live from Los Angeles on The CW on Sunday, January 15th.
28TH ANNUAL CRITICS CHOICE AWARDS TELEVISION NOMINATIONS
BEST DRAMA SERIES
Andor (Disney+)
Bad Sisters (Apple TV+)
Better Call Saul (AMC)
The Crown (Netflix)
Euphoria (HBO)
The Good Fight (Paramount+)
House of the Dragon (HBO)
Severance (Apple TV+)
Yellowstone (Paramount Network)
BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jeff Bridges – The Old Man (FX)
Sterling K. Brown – This Is Us (NBC)
Diego Luna – Andor (Disney+)
Bob Odenkirk – Better Call Saul (AMC)
Adam Scott – Severance (Apple TV+)
Antony Starr – The Boys (Prime Video)
BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Christine Baranski – The Good Fight (Paramount+)
Sharon Horgan – Bad Sisters (Apple TV+)
Laura Linney – Ozark (Netflix)
Mandy Moore – This Is Us (NBC)
Kelly Reilly – Yellowstone (Paramount Network)
Zendaya – Euphoria (HBO)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Andre Braugher – The Good Fight (Paramount+)
Ismael Cruz Córdova – The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Prime Video)
Michael Emerson – Evil (Paramount+)
Giancarlo Esposito – Better Call Saul (AMC)
John Lithgow – The Old Man (FX)
Matt Smith – House of the Dragon (HBO)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Milly Alcock – House of the Dragon (HBO)
Carol Burnett – Better Call Saul (AMC)
Jennifer Coolidge – The White Lotus (HBO)
Julia Garner – Ozark (Netflix)
Audra McDonald – The Good Fight (Paramount+)
Rhea Seehorn – Better Call Saul (AMC)
BEST COMEDY SERIES
Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Barry (HBO)
The Bear (FX)
Better Things (FX)
Ghosts (CBS)
Hacks (HBO Max)
Reboot (Hulu)
Reservation Dogs (FX)
BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Matt Berry – What We Do in the Shadows (FX)
Bill Hader – Barry (HBO)
Keegan-Michael Key – Reboot (Hulu)
Steve Martin – Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
Jeremy Allen White – The Bear (FX)
D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai – Reservation Dogs (FX)
BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Christina Applegate – Dead to Me (Netflix)
Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Kaley Cuoco – The Flight Attendant (HBO Max)
Renée Elise Goldsberry – Girls5eva (Peacock)
Devery Jacobs – Reservation Dogs (FX)
Jean Smart – Hacks (HBO Max)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Brandon Scott Jones – Ghosts (CBS)
Leslie Jordan – Call Me Kat (Fox)
James Marsden – Dead to Me (Netflix)
Chris Perfetti – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Tyler James Williams – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Henry Winkler – Barry (HBO)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Paulina Alexis – Reservation Dogs (FX)
Ayo Edebiri – The Bear (FX)
Marcia Gay Harden – Uncoupled (Netflix)
Janelle James – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Annie Potts – Young Sheldon (CBS)
Sheryl Lee Ralph – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
BEST LIMITED SERIES
The Dropout (Hulu)
Gaslit (Starz)
The Girl from Plainville (Hulu)
The Offer (Paramount+)
Pam & Tommy (Hulu)
Station Eleven (HBO Max)
This Is Going to Hurt (AMC+)
Under the Banner of Heaven (FX)
BEST MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Fresh (Hulu)
Prey (Hulu)
Ray Donovan: The Movie (Showtime)
The Survivor (HBO)
Three Months (Paramount+)
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (The Roku Channel)
BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Ben Foster – The Survivor (HBO)
Andrew Garfield – Under the Banner of Heaven (FX)
Samuel L. Jackson – The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (Apple TV+)
Daniel Radcliffe – Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (The Roku Channel)
Sebastian Stan – Pam & Tommy (Hulu)
Ben Whishaw – This is Going to Hurt (AMC+)
BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Julia Garner – Inventing Anna (Netflix)
Lily James – Pam & Tommy (Hulu)
Amber Midthunder – Prey (Hulu)
Julia Roberts – Gaslit (Starz)
Michelle Pfeiffer – The First Lady (Showtime)
Amanda Seyfried – The Dropout (Hulu)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Murray Bartlett – Welcome to Chippendales (Hulu)
Domhnall Gleeson – The Patient (FX)
Matthew Goode – The Offer (Paramount+)
Paul Walter Hauser – Black Bird (Apple TV+)
Ray Liotta – Black Bird (Apple TV+)
Shea Whigham – Gaslit (Starz)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Claire Danes – Fleishman Is in Trouble (FX)
Dominique Fishback – The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (Apple TV+)
Betty Gilpin – Gaslit (Starz)
Melanie Lynskey – Candy (Hulu)
Niecy Nash-Betts – Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (Netflix)
Juno Temple – The Offer (Paramount+)
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE SERIES
1899 (Netflix)
Borgen (Netflix)
Extraordinary Attorney Woo (Netflix)
Garcia! (HBO Max)
The Kingdom Exodus (MUBI)
Kleo (Netflix)
My Brilliant Friend (HBO)
Pachinko (Apple TV+)
Tehran (Apple TV+)
BEST ANIMATED SERIES
Bluey (Disney+)
Bob’s Burgers (Fox)
Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal (Adult Swim)
Harley Quinn (HBO Max)
Star Trek: Lower Decks (Paramount+)
Undone (Prime Video)
BEST TALK SHOW
The Amber Ruffin Show (Peacock)
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (TBS)
The Kelly Clarkson Show (NBC)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC)
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (Bravo)
BEST COMEDY SPECIAL
Fortune Feimster: Good Fortune (Netflix)
Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel (HBO)
Joel Kim Booster: Psychosexual (Netflix)
Nikki Glaser: Good Clean Filth (HBO)
Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special (Netflix)
Would It Kill You to Laugh? Starring Kate Berlant & John Early (Peacock)
Fox’s The Cleaning Lady season two concludes with back-to-back episodes airing on Monday, December 12, 2022. Season two episode 11, “Sanctuary,” airs at 8pm ET/PT followed by episode 12, “At Long Last,” at 9pm ET/PT.
Élodie Yung returns to lead the cast as Thony. Oliver Hudson stars as FBI Agent Garrett Miller, Adan Canto is Arman Morales, and Martha Millan is Fiona. Sean Lew plays Chris, Eva De Dominici is Nadia, Faith Bryant is Jaz, Naveen Andrews is Robert Kamdar, and Sebastien and Valentino LaSalle share time playing Luca.
“Sanctuary” Plot: Thony is confronted by Garrett regarding the truth behind Maya’s death as Nadia tries to stay on Kamdar’s good side. Meanwhile, Fiona helps Luca celebrate his birthday. Then, after Thony, Arman and Garrett work together to come up with a plan to take down Kamdar once and for all, Thony decides to take things into her own hands to ensure the safety of Fiona and Luca.
Season two of The Cleaning Lady picks up with THONY (Yung) desperately trying to find her son, LUCA, after he was kidnapped by his father, MARCO (Ivan Shaw). With nowhere else to turn, she enlists the help of FBI Agent GARRETT MILLER (Hudson) to track him down before they leave the country. Meanwhile, an incident involving CHRIS (Lew) forces FIONA (Millan) to shield her son by any means necessary, furthering the theme of how far a mother will go to protect her child.
This season introduces ROBERT KAMDAR (Andrews), NADIA’s (De Dominici) gregarious and charming ex-lover, who is intent on driving a wedge between ARMAN (Canto) and Nadia. Standing to lose everything, Arman must fight to keep his world — and his dignity — intact, while rebuilding his life under the worst of circumstances.
The Cleaning Lady continues to examine the plight of undocumented immigrants and their difficulties accessing necessary healthcare and resources. Galvanized by the many roadblocks she faced while searching for a treatment to save her son, Thony will utilize her expertise as a doctor to find ways to help her underserved community. However, as Thony continues to entwine her business undertakings with Arman, she is dragged further across the moral line and into the dark underbelly of Las Vegas.
Selena Gomez in ‘Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me,’ streaming on Apple TV+
Selena Gomez offers an incredibly raw, incredibly honest examination of her life in the powerful documentary Selena Gomez: My Mind and Me. Gomez’s appreciation of her fans is evident throughout the 90-minute film, and yet it isn’t necessary to approach My Mind and Me with any knowledge of her life and career to be impressed with what the pop star and philanthropist has overcome.
Brave and authentic: two words that describe both the documentary and Gomez. It takes guts for anyone to open up and expose mental and physical struggles to complete strangers. Add fame and worldwide recognition to the mix, and the idea of going public with health issues would be overwhelming. The documentary addresses how Gomez’s struggles were often horribly misunderstood in the media, and how her suffering was fodder for the tabloids. Yet despite everything, Gomez was determined to help others by sharing her struggles with mental health.
The film spans a six-year period and addresses how body issues, self-doubt, depression, and a myriad of other issues left the talented artist questioning when who she was would be good enough.
The pressure to be perfect and a very public breakup with Justin Bieber affected her health, and battling lupus while dealing with incredibly stressful situations took a toll. 55 days into her “Revival” concert tour, Gomez had a mental breakdown and canceled the remaining dates. And, of course, that very private issue played out publicly.
Gomez told her assistant she didn’t want to live, and it was only after getting professional help and being diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2019 that she was able to understand why she felt so out of control. In the documentary, Gomez admits she didn’t want to enter a mental health hospital, but she also didn’t want to be trapped inside her mind anymore.
Initially, Gomez didn’t understand how to cope with the diagnosis. Part of the process that allowed her to handle life post-diagnosis was learning everything she could about bipolar disorder. Understanding there was a legitimate medical reason for how she felt helped quiet the voices in her head.
Gomez confirmed her diagnosis in interviews in 2020 and uses her celebrity status to help others, becoming an advocate for people dealing with mental health issues.
Selena Gomez: My Mind and Me does show Gomez in happier moments – returning home, visiting her old school, and hanging with her BFF/cousin – but the documentary from director Alex Keshishian (Madonna: Truth or Dare) is at its best when Gomez uses her platform to address the importance of self-care and to fight the stigma of mental illness.
Gomez has a valuable story to share, and My Mind and Me allows audiences an opportunity to peek behind the curtain at a young woman who was fortunate enough to make it through the darkness thanks to a strong support system and mental health professionals. If the documentary prompts even one person to reach out for help, then it’s accomplished what it needs to do.
GRADE: B
Selena Gomez: My Mind and Me is currently streaming on Apple TV+.
Austin Butler as Elvis in Warner Bros. Pictures’ drama ‘Elvis,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. (Photo by Hugh Stewart)
Elvis star Austin Butler will be honored with the Palm Springs International Film Awards’ Breakthrough Performance Award. The Palm Springs International Film Festival previously announced Cate Blanchett has earned the Desert Palm Achievement Award (Actress), Colin Farrell will receive the Desert Palm Achievement Award (Actor), Sarah Polley was chosen to receive the Director of the Year Award, Michelle Yeoh will receive the International Star Award, and The Fabelmans has been selected to receive the 2023 Vanguard Award.
“Austin Butler commands the screen with a larger-than-life performance as Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s spectacular film Elvis. The heart and soul of the movie, Butler’s dedication to this role shows in the nuances he brought to the character, seen through multiple decades of the often-tumultuous life Elvis lived, as well as the sprawling live performances where Austin embodies the iconic artist in a way previously unseen on the big screen,” stated Festival Chairman Harold Matzner. “We are honored to present the Breakthrough Performance Award to Austin Butler.”
Austin Butler joins a list of Breakthrough Performance Award winners that includes Mahershala Ali, Mary J. Blige, Marion Cotillard, Andra Day, Cynthia Erivo, Jennifer Hudson, Felicity Huffman, Brie Larson, Rami Malek, Lupita Nyong’o, David Oyelowo, Rosamund Pike, and Jeremy Renner.
The 2023 Palm Springs International Film Festival will take place January 5th through January 16th. The Film Awards will be held at the Palm Springs Convention Center on January 5th.
Austin Butler will next be seen playing Major Gale Cleven in Masters of the Air. Masters of the Air, described as a continuation of the Band of Brothers and The Pacific franchise, is a limited drama series from Apple Studios, Playtone, and Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Television. The series is based on the book by Donald L. Miller.
Butler’s credits also include Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, The Dead Don’t Die, and Dune: Part Two (opening November 3, 2023). He’s currently filming The Bikeriders, directed by Jeff Nichols and starring Tom Hardy, Jodie Comer, Michael Shannon, and Boyd Holbrook.
Netflix’s documentary series Harry & Meghan provides a peek behind the scenes at the lives of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The six-episode docuseries from two-time Oscar-nominated filmmaker Liz Garbus provides an in-depth look at what they endured that led to their decision to leave their Royal duties behind.
The first three episodes premiere on December 8, 2022. The second batch of three episodes debuts on December 15.
Erica Sashin, Mark Monroe, Dan Cogan, Liz Garbus, Ben Browning, Chanel Pysnik, Jon Bardin, Mala Chapple, and Angus Wall executive produced.
Poster for Netflix’s ‘Harry & Meghan’
The Plot, Courtesy of Netflix:
In an unprecedented and in-depth documentary series, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex share the other side of their high-profile love story. Across six episodes, the series explores the clandestine days of their early courtship and the challenges that led to them feeling forced to step back from their full-time roles in the institution.
With commentary from friends and family, most of whom have never spoken publicly before about what they witnessed, and historians who discuss the state of the British Commonwealth today and the royal family’s relationship with the press, the series does more than illuminate one couple’s love story, it paints a picture of our world and how we treat each other.
From the critically acclaimed, two-time Academy Award-nominated and Emmy-winning director Liz Garbus, Harry & Meghan is a never-before-seen look at one of the most-discussed couples in history.
Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. (Courtesy of Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex.)Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. (Courtesy of Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex)
