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The Academy Awards are returning to sense and sensibility. Variety’s Jazz Tangcay reports that the eight categories deleted from last year’s show will be restored in March 2023.
Last time, original score, makeup and hairstyling, documentary short, film editing, production design, animated short, live action short and sound were all shunted aside, pre-taped and inserted during the live show. Members of all the unions protested, and there was a lot of criticism. After all, who makes the movies? These exact people.
So the new Academy chiefs, Bill Kramer and Janet Yang, seem to have a firm grasp on getting things back on track. Jimmy Kimmel will host. All five songs will be performed during the show. No one will be seated outside. The show will run four hours and who cares? Get a drink, some snacks, a pillow. Did you have other plans that night?
As soon as the Andrew Lloyd Weber musical announced that it was closing in February 2023 after 400 years, tickets sales skyrocketed. Previously, they’d run out of steam, the show as playing at 65% capacity. Everyone in the world had seen the big chandelier a few times.
But now, producer Cameron McKintosh says the demand for tickets has been so high that the show will extend for two more months. The new closing date is April 16th, at which time the Majestic Theater is set to close for renovations.
Now, truly, “Phantom” has reached a new New York status, that of the electronics and rug stores that post Going Out of Business! Must Close! banners. Of course, they’re not going anywhere.
Will “Phantom” really close for good? Or will it reappear next fall in a new theater? I wouldn’t count anything out. You can see the headlines now: “Show Too Popular To Stay Closed.” So don’t put away your masks and gowns so fast.
Yes, some movies and actors won Gotham Awards last night. Some actors, like Michelle Williams, gave exceptionally moving speeches. But the big winner of the night was Adam Sandler, who read a letter supposedly written by his teenage daughters that was the funniest thing anyone’s heard in a long time.
Sandler, like Williams, was picking up a Lifetime Achievement Award. Reading in the comic persona he’s perfect of what he calls “a strange Southern accent,” Sandler tried to explain the difference between his commercial hits and the few arthouse movies he’s done like “Punch Drunk Love” and “The Meyerowitz Stories.”
The big winners of the 2022 Gothams were the film “Everybody Everywhere All at Once,” Danielle Deadwyler (the star of “Till”) and Ke Huy Quan, the child star of “Indiana Jones 3” who is featured in “EEAO.” Quan had not really acted in twenty years when he got this job. He told me he’d been working “mostly behind the camera.” He said, “I couldn’t believe it when they said I had the part.” He almost cried during his acceptance speech.
The Gothams this year were the best produced they’d been in years. The show was elegant, ran on time, and the only person who dropped dozens of F bombs was Sandler, but they were all meant in the best way. He explained his success because “people in prison need movies too, and TBS needs content to show between all those basketball games.”
But the Gothams are not a harbinger of the Oscars. They are what they are: tributes to indie filmmaking. Last year’s winner was “The Lost Daughter,” which wasn’t even nominated for Best Picture. The best acting prize was a tie between Olivia Colman and Frankie Faison. Again, no Oscars. In a way, the Gotham winners are exactly right for the size and scope of the winners. They are prestigious enough.
Among the star studded list of presenters: Julianne Moore, Jennifer Lawrence, Baz Luhrmann, Lupita Nyong’o and Danai Gurira. Paul Dano stepped in at the last minute to present his “Fabelmans” co-star, Michelle Williams, with her award because Steven Spielberg has COVID. (Williams dedicated her award to actress Mary Beth Peil, who played her “Gran” on “Dawson’s Creek.”) And Best Lead Performance winner, Deadwyler, was absent so her sensational “Till” director, Chinonye Chukwu, accepted on her behalf.
And PS I’m reminded that everyone was drinking Blue Moon beer, and enjoying it immensely!
You can watch Sandler’s speech here== It’s a gem– an uncut gem!
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE
Mark Rylance (“Bones and All”) Brian Tyree Henry (“Causeway”) Ke Huy Quan (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) – WINNER Raúl Castillo (“The Inspection”) Gabrielle Union (“The Inspection”) Nina Hoss (“Tár”) Noémie Merlant (“Tár”) Hong Chau (“The Whale”) Ben Whishaw (“Women Talking”) Jessie Buckley (“Women Talking”)
OUTSTANDING LEAD PERFORMANCE
Cate Blanchett (“Tár”) Danielle Deadwyler (“Till”) – WINNER Dale Dickey (“A Love Song”) Colin Farrell (“After Yang”) Brendan Fraser (“The Whale”) Paul Mescal (“Aftersun”) Thandiwe Newton (“God’s Country”) Aubrey Plaza (“Emily the Criminal”) Taylor Russell (“Bones and All”) Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All At Once”)
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE
“Athena” “The Banshees of Inisherin” “Corsage” “Decision to Leave” “Happening” – WINNER “Saint Omer”
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
“All That Breathes” – WINNER “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” “I Didn’t See You There” “The Territory” “What We Leave Behind”
BEST FEATURE
“Aftersun” “The Cathedral” “Dos Estaciones” “Everything Everywhere All at Once” – WINNER “Tár”
BREAKTHROUGH TELEVISION UNDER 40 MINUTES
“Abbott Elementary” (ABC) “As We See It” (Amazon Prime Video) “Mo” (Netflix) – WINNER “Rap Sh!t” (HBO Max) “Somebody, Somewhere” (HBO)
BREAKTHROUGH TELEVISION OVER 40 MINUTES
“Pachinko” (Apple+) – WINNER “Severance” (Apple+) “Station Eleven” (HBO Max) “This Is Going To Hurt” (AMC+) “Yellowjackets” (Showtime)
TELEVISION PERFORMERS
Bilal Baig (“Sort Of”) Ayo Edebiri (“The Bear”) Janelle James (“Abbott Elementary”) Matilda Lawler (“Station Eleven”) Britt Lower (“Severance”) Melanie Lynskey (“Yellowjackets”) Sue Ann Pien (“As We See It”) Minha Kim (“Pachinko”) Zahn McClarnon (“Dark Winds”) Ben Whishaw (“This Is Going To Hurt”) – WINNER
BREAKTHROUGH NONFICTION SERIES
“The Andy Warhol Diaries” “The Last Movie Stars” “Mind Over Murder” “The Rehearsal” “We Need to Talk About Cosby” – WINNER
BREAKTHROUGH DIRECTOR
Charlotte Wells (“Aftersun”) – WINNER Owen Kline (“Funny Pages”) Elegance Bratton (“The Inspection”) Antoneta Alamat Kusijanovic (“Murina”) Beth De Araújo (“Soft & Quiet”) Jane Schoenbrun (“We’re All Going to the World’s Fair”)
BEST SCREENPLAY
Kogonada (“After Yang”) James Gray (“Armageddon Time”) Lena Dunham (“Catherine Called Birdy”) Todd Field (“Tár”) – WINNER Sarah Polley (“Women Talking”)
BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMER
Frankie Corio (“Aftersun”) Kali Reis (“Catch the Fair One”) Gracija Flipovic (“Murina”) – WINNER Anna Diop (“Nanny”) Anna Cobb (“We’re All Going to the World’s Fair”)
Yes, even Steven Spielberg can get COVID. Sources says he has it, so does one of his “Fabelmans” producers. The timing could not be worse. Spielberg was set for a week of “Fabelmans” press this week in New York.
Indeed, we were hoping he’d turn up tonight at the Gotham Awards when Michelle Williams gets her big tribute. His actual set appearances included one at the DGA with Martin Scorsese, and another with Steve Martin hosting a Q&A and screening. But a DGA source tipped me off. No Spielberg this week. Rats!
First, of course, wishing the famed director a speedy get well. We need him in good shape for Oscar season. “The Fabelmans” is the best movie of the year and must be seen. Michelle Williams should be a Best Actress nominee and Judd Hirsch is a cinch as a Supporting Actor nominee.
Meantime, to all the Guild and press people who go to the screenings this week, you’ll love the movie even while Spielberg is home sleeping and drinking green tea.
MARIAH CAREY has added her name to the new musical version of “Some Like it Hot” as a producer. This may give the show a box office boost, and that’s the idea, you know, when this sort of thing happens. “Some Like it Hot” opens December 11th on Broadway, it’s based on the famous comedy with Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis.
It’s not the first time “Some Like it Hot” has been tried as a musical. But this one is all new and stars Christian Borle. The buzz is good, and a good new original musical is what we need all the time. The director is Casey Nicholaw, songs are from Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, the book is by Matthew Lopez and Amber Ruffin (from Seth Meyers’ show– I love her). How can it be bad?
What is Mariah’s connection? First of all, the great Neil Meron is the producer. Second of all, Mariah owns Marilyn Monroe’s white piano. So all she needed for Christmas was to join the show!
Everyone knows FIDDLER ON THE ROOF by heart. But when you see it at New World Stages in Yiddish, directed by Joel Grey, it’s a mesmerizing experience. You feel like you’re in it. The subtitles are projected on the sides of the stage but you almost don’t need them because the cast, led by Steven Skybell as Tevye, is exceptionally endearing.
But the whole point of “Fiddler on the Roof” is now more compelling than ever. “Fiddler” takes place in an imaginary village called Anatevka, in the Ukraine, south of Kyiv, in 1905. The Russian government conducts violent attacks against the Jews and then forces them from their homes. Sound familiar? One hundred and twenty two years later, nothing has changed. Russian violence against Ukraine continues apace.
You don’t have to be Jewish or know a word of Yiddish to enjoy this show. Three Asian ladies shared the elevator with me at New World Stages. They loved the show. “I want to send my children next,” one of them said. The audience is a mix of “Fiddler” fans from around the world. Don’t miss it!
THE WHITE BLACKS: GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER has a few performances left this week at Theater for the New City. Melanie Maria Goodreaux‘s comedy has been sold out for its entire run but you might be able to get in this week. The play tells the story of the playwright’s Southern “Creole” family – a culture proud of its Black heritage, though burdened with grief over those seen as “passing as white” to flee racism and seek opportunity. The themes of this story are familiar and told with humor and authenticity. Melanie, the playwright, has eighteen animated actors (a depiction of a traditional Creole family coming together) providing the audience with a theatrical experience to savor. And there’s gumbo!
Will Smith has managed to circulate a video he made with a video blogger in which he says “he’s ok” if people are upset with him after last spring’s slapping of Chris Rock during the Oscar show
Who cares if he’s ok with that? I don’t. Smith wants to be rewarded now for the movie, “Emancipation” which by the way has no posted reviews and opens Friday. He wants an Oscar nomination and to be back in the game despite being banned by the Academy for the next decade.
This pathetically hilarious. Apple is trying to recover its $120 million investment and I sympathize with them. After all they didn’t sign on for this mishegos. But Smith’s behavior on the Oscars is unacceptable. It’s not going to be validated now. That would put the Academy in the awkward position of having a nominated film or actor who they’ve banned. What are they going to do? Say “never mind.”
Smith got up out of his seat on national live TV, walked to the stage, and hit someone. From his seat he yelled at Rock. Sorry, nope, I don’t care if he’s made “The Godfather.” That dog won’t hunt, that ship won’t sail. So he says he’s ok with us disapproving of him? What nerve. And his team? They will suffer the consequences. They are Smith’s collateral damage.
Britney Spears is posing naked again on Instagram just to see if she can piss off and embarrass her kids.
She’s in a bathtub, back arched, hands covering her nipples, an animated flower over her nether parts.
Spears has two teenage boys who’ve asked her to stop and don’t speak to her because of it. I can’t repost the pictures because the Google Adsense robot ID’s them as sexual content. But I can give you the link to the post. (Trust me, even the word ‘naked’ will trigger Google.)
Britney, a rocket scientist by trade, writes in her caption: “I like to suck…sucking comes easy for me.”
In a more technical sense, she does suck. As a mother.
“Matilda” was a hit musical on Broadway and in London’s West End. It won a lot of awards. Did you know it was a movie coming out before the end of the year?
Didn’t think so. But “Matilda,” a Netflix release, made $5 million this weekend in England and Ireland in a theatrical release from Sony. It beat “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”
Is it coming out in theaters here? Is there an Oscar run? Beats me. It seems like Netflix might have a qualifying run planned for December 9th but no one’s heard a word about it. UK critics have given it a 93 on Rotten Tomatoes, but no one’s seen it here. There is nada advance press.
You’d think this would be the kind of film perfect for the holidays in theaters. Kids would love it. But who knows? In the real world, or yesteryear, there would have been drumbeats for Emma Thompson as Mrs. Trunchbull in Supporting Actress. Again, crickets.
If “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” had played in say 3500 theaters for a month, it might have set records at the box office.
But Netflix sent it into very limited release last week– just 700 theaters — and for a short time, just til this Thursday.
Then if you want to see “Glass Onion,” you’ll have to watch it on Netflix.
In its theatrical release, “Glass Onion” is a huge hit. It’s made $13 million and will finish with upwards of $15 million. With its all star cast including Daniel Craig and Kate Hudson, not to mention scene stealer Janelle Monae, “Glass Onion” could have been huge not only in box office but as a draw to get people into theaters.
Now that opportunity is lost. People with whom I’ve spoken in the business are disappointed, and some even angry. Movie theaters are fighting for customers. Very few movies this season are hits. “Glass Onion” could have been a salve to a lot of problems. Instead, it’s an irritant.
And what about the Oscars? The first “Knives Out” received only a screenplay nom for director Rian Johnson. The new one could get another screenplay citation, plus supporting actress for Monae — but not if Hollywood feels cheated about the release.
It is with great sadness that I report the death today at 92 of a legend, Freddie Ross Hancock. Freddie was a larger than life member of the international show business community. A Brit, she lived in America for 50 years, brought BAFTA — the British version of the Academy Awards — to New York, received an MBE (presented by then Prince Charles), and counted dozens of celebrities and high profile companies as clients and friends.
In the UK some will recall Freddie as the second and final wife of a very famous British comedian, Tony Hancock. (From the mid 50s for a decade Tony Hancock was the number 1 star on British TV.) They were together for 11 tempestuous years until Tony’s death age 44 in 1968. The marriage part of it was only about three years at the end, as Hancock — who was like the Sid Caesar of England — was a raging alcoholic who could not find solace. A year after his death, Freddie published a bestselling memoir in the UK called “Hancock” with respected theater journalist, David Nathan.
Nathan wrote of Freddie in his preface: “One of London’s top show business PR experts, she was a familiar figure in the film and theater circles in which I increasingly worked. She was more respected than most of she told the truth about her clients, and if that was not always possible, she at least did not invent stories to get publicity for them.”
Freda Ross was born in London in 1930. Before going out on her own and managing Tony Hancock in the 1960s, Freddie worked for two years at the Holland America Line, learning public relations. She went on to become Assistant Head of Publicity at Universal Pictures’ UK offices where she worked with stars of the time like Shelley Winters and Rock Hudson. When she started her own PR firm she became the primary promoter of foreign films in England. She also began helping to promote British films in the US. Her clients included every well known star of the time, from Julie Andrews to Sean Connery, Sophia Loren and husband Carlo Ponti, Jim Dale, Topol (star of the film version of “Fiddler on the Roof’), and Theodore Bikel.
After Hancock died, Freddie moved to the US and began consulting for US movie companies exporting their films to the UK, and vice versa. When Miramax became very involved with British films, it was Freddie who gave advice how to position them, from Merchant Ivory films to ones like “Mrs. Brown”starring Judi Dench. In 1995 she brought BAFTA to the States, giving it a higher international profile. In 2002, she was thanked for her work by Queen Elizabeth with an MBE (Member of the British Empire). She worked on countless projects with big names including Masterpiece Theater’s Alistair Cooke (pictured here with Freddie), whose 80th birthday party in New York she organized with James Galway and Leonard Bernstein performing. She got then-president Ronald Reagan to send a video greeting, and Reagan responded with a thank you to Freddie.
Freddie filed for divorce and the ink was almost dry when Tony Hancock committed suicide in 1968. Although she was technically his widow she received not a dime from his estate. (She was portrayed in two different UK television movies.) She told an interviewer in 1996: . “When Tony was alive, people used to say to me: “do you have children?” I used to say: “yes, just one.” “How old?” “Quite old – 44.””
She never remarried. Instead she was a pioneer, a trailblazer as a woman making it on her own in show business. This was not easy, but her biting wit and insistent loyalty to clients stood her in good stead around the world. Others whom she counted as close friends ranged by British race car superstar Stirling Moss to Tony and Oscar winning composer Marvin Hamlisch.
Tony Hancock and FreddieRoss Hancock, 1964
In the 1990s and 2000s she also worked as Senior Vice-President of Acquisitions for the movie distributor American Video Films, where she was a beloved presence at the Cannes Film Festival. Besides founding BAFTA, she was also Vice-Chairman of the US wing of the Royal Television Society.
Freddie really had a brilliant mind. Even into her 80s she never stopped screening films for BAFTA, giving shrewd advice about how to market them. She also had a devilish sense of humor and knew, as we like to say, where all the bodies were buried. Thanks partly to a longtime friendship with gossip columnist Cindy Adams (and with whom she shared an exact birthday month), Freddie was current on every subject til the end. There was nothing I could tell her that she didn’t know. It was very frustrating!
Firmly ensconced in the US with no immediate family nearby, Freddie Ross Hancock wisely handpicked a group of younger friends whom she chose her adopted family. It was a wise move. This group on this side of the Atlantic is counted as her survivors, most especially CNN correspondent Richard Quest, who acted as a devoted surrogate son, and many others. (She was still linked in the UK to her beloved sister-in–law, Shannie Ross, to whom she spoke every day for 50 years.) We could not have been luckier than to count her as our friend. She will be sorely missed and never forgotten.
