Many people may not know this, but before Steven Seagal’s action movie heyday, he worked as a martial arts instructor and choreographer. Most famously, he was super agent Michael Ovitz’s martial arts teacher. Ovitz, notoriously, thought he could make anyone a movie star, and proved it by securing Steven Seagal a movie deal at Warner Bros, where he made Above the Law… and the rest was history.
Another guy Steven Seagal trained was Sean Connery, who was one of Ovitz’s first major clients. The agent paired Connery up with Seagal to get him into shape for the unofficial James Bond movie, Never Say Never Again. Connery was fifty-two at the time and had a couple of fight sequences in the film, so Seagal was brought in to whip him into shape. One day, while sparring, Seagal broke Connery’s wrist. The urban legend is that Connery did something that made him angry,...
Another guy Steven Seagal trained was Sean Connery, who was one of Ovitz’s first major clients. The agent paired Connery up with Seagal to get him into shape for the unofficial James Bond movie, Never Say Never Again. Connery was fifty-two at the time and had a couple of fight sequences in the film, so Seagal was brought in to whip him into shape. One day, while sparring, Seagal broke Connery’s wrist. The urban legend is that Connery did something that made him angry,...
- 5/13/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Even as he collected his martini, the burly stranger who introduced himself as “Joe” exuded an aura of belligerence. We were standing on the fringe of a post-screening reception, so, hand extended, I blurted, “Did the movie work for you?”
“It was blah,” he replied. “Given what they spent for the script, they should have made a powerful f*ckin’ movie.”
At the time I didn‘t realize I was talking with Joe Eszterhas, who had made $4 million from sale of his script — more an auction than a sale and hardly “blah.” Joe and several estimable writing colleagues were participants in what came to be known in the mid-‘80s as the “Writers Rebellion,” a moment when top screenwriters decided to reinvent what they considered a broken system for propagating their creative product.
The rebellion was not as momentous as, say, the French Revolution, but its drama and rhetoric for...
“It was blah,” he replied. “Given what they spent for the script, they should have made a powerful f*ckin’ movie.”
At the time I didn‘t realize I was talking with Joe Eszterhas, who had made $4 million from sale of his script — more an auction than a sale and hardly “blah.” Joe and several estimable writing colleagues were participants in what came to be known in the mid-‘80s as the “Writers Rebellion,” a moment when top screenwriters decided to reinvent what they considered a broken system for propagating their creative product.
The rebellion was not as momentous as, say, the French Revolution, but its drama and rhetoric for...
- 4/11/2024
- by Peter Bart
- Deadline Film + TV
Rewatching Steven Spielberg’s 1993 tragic war documentary Schindler’s List, is often considered difficult, especially because of the historical atrocities and the gruesomeness that the film reminds of. But THR recently revisited Schindler’s List with Spielberg and actor Liam Neeson, 30 years following its release.
A still from Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List (1993)
While according to the filmmaker, the movie was never made as a cure for antisemitism, but merely as a reminder of its gruesome effects, Schindler’s List touched souls and bagged seven coveted Oscars. Looking back at the tear-jerker Liam Neeson spoke about his work experience and mentioned the preparation that went into his role after he was urged to model his performance on a real-life CEO over Oskar Schindler.
Revisiting the Miracle of Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List
Created 30 years back in 1993 by Steven Spielberg, the war documentary Schindler’s List became a phenomenally powerful and effective portrayal of historical atrocities.
A still from Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List (1993)
While according to the filmmaker, the movie was never made as a cure for antisemitism, but merely as a reminder of its gruesome effects, Schindler’s List touched souls and bagged seven coveted Oscars. Looking back at the tear-jerker Liam Neeson spoke about his work experience and mentioned the preparation that went into his role after he was urged to model his performance on a real-life CEO over Oskar Schindler.
Revisiting the Miracle of Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List
Created 30 years back in 1993 by Steven Spielberg, the war documentary Schindler’s List became a phenomenally powerful and effective portrayal of historical atrocities.
- 4/5/2024
- by Krittika Mukherjee
- FandomWire
The Holocaust’s horrors were immortalized on screen by Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List, one of the greatest films ever made about Oskar Schindler’s mission to save over a thousand mostly Polish-Jewish refugees. The film became a cultural icon thanks to the brilliant black-and-white cinematography of Janusz Kamiński and the screenplay by Steven Zaillian.
The film, which starred Liam Neeson as Oskar Schindler, has a ton of interesting behind-the-scenes material because making a 195-minute epic is not a small feat. Indeed, Neeson’s career was greatly impacted by the movie. The role that really set Neeson apart is his portrayal of Oskar Schindler. Even though Kevin Costner and Harrison Ford both have impressive acting resumes, Neeson’s performance even puts him above them.
Liam Neeson in ‘Schindler’s List’
From the moment he graces the screen, Neeson commands attention with his commanding presence and emotional depth. Last month, the actor...
The film, which starred Liam Neeson as Oskar Schindler, has a ton of interesting behind-the-scenes material because making a 195-minute epic is not a small feat. Indeed, Neeson’s career was greatly impacted by the movie. The role that really set Neeson apart is his portrayal of Oskar Schindler. Even though Kevin Costner and Harrison Ford both have impressive acting resumes, Neeson’s performance even puts him above them.
Liam Neeson in ‘Schindler’s List’
From the moment he graces the screen, Neeson commands attention with his commanding presence and emotional depth. Last month, the actor...
- 4/1/2024
- by Siddhika Prajapati
- FandomWire
Steven Spielberg was filled with doubts when he was approached to direct Schindler’s List. Spielberg didn’t consider himself mature enough to make a film on the Holocaust, however, he was unwilling to let the opportunity slide. Martin Scorsese was in the running to direct the film at one point. However, Spielberg decided to offer Scorsese a chance to direct the 1991 remake of Cape Fear and decided to helm the Liam Neeson-led film himself.
Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg in a Q&a session for Director’s Guild of America
It was one of Spielberg’s best decisions as the film went on to grab him the Best Director Award at the 66th Academy Awards. The film received critical acclaim for its performances and Spielberg’s direction. It grossed $322.2 million at the box office against a budget of $22 million (via Box Office Mojo).
Steven Spielberg And Martin Scorsese...
Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg in a Q&a session for Director’s Guild of America
It was one of Spielberg’s best decisions as the film went on to grab him the Best Director Award at the 66th Academy Awards. The film received critical acclaim for its performances and Spielberg’s direction. It grossed $322.2 million at the box office against a budget of $22 million (via Box Office Mojo).
Steven Spielberg And Martin Scorsese...
- 3/29/2024
- by Hashim Asraff
- FandomWire
The V.I.P. opening day of the Frieze Los Angeles art fair felt like a family affair as Hollywood power players and art world elites met and mingled to view the best works from galleries around the world. Held at the Santa Monica Airport for the second year running, the all-day event on Thursday, Feb. 29, felt breezier this year, as a new design and 20 percent fewer galleries gave A-listers the space to peruse and schmooze.
One couldn’t go two feet without shaking hands with an old friend or coming upon a clutch of Hollywood insiders. Old pals Will Ferrell, Owen Wilson and Luke Wilson — the first two movie star incognito in baseball caps — chatted with Lacma director and CEO Michael Govan in front of one booth, while bigwig agents-slash-collectors from Endeavor, CAA and UTA were out in force, some swarming together in packs. Ari Emanuel, CEO of Endeavor,...
One couldn’t go two feet without shaking hands with an old friend or coming upon a clutch of Hollywood insiders. Old pals Will Ferrell, Owen Wilson and Luke Wilson — the first two movie star incognito in baseball caps — chatted with Lacma director and CEO Michael Govan in front of one booth, while bigwig agents-slash-collectors from Endeavor, CAA and UTA were out in force, some swarming together in packs. Ari Emanuel, CEO of Endeavor,...
- 3/1/2024
- by Hadley Meares
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg became one of the greats when he helmed the holocaust drama Schindler’s List. The harrowing tale of oppression, pain, and hope was headlined by a then-unknown Liam Neeson and received universal acclaim for its depiction of WWII. Spielberg won his first Oscar for Best Director for the film.
While Lian Neeson’s performance as the titular Oskar Schindler earned him an Academy Award nomination and cannot be imagined starring anyone else, many stars were reportedly interested in the role. One of them was reportedly Braveheart star Mel Gibson, who was considered by Spielberg but he had to reject him as he did not want a star to be in the lead.
Mel Gibson Was Considered For The Lead Role In Schindler’s List Mel Gibson in Braveheart
Actor Mel Gibson has also received his share of Oscar glory when he starred and directed in the war drama Braveheart.
While Lian Neeson’s performance as the titular Oskar Schindler earned him an Academy Award nomination and cannot be imagined starring anyone else, many stars were reportedly interested in the role. One of them was reportedly Braveheart star Mel Gibson, who was considered by Spielberg but he had to reject him as he did not want a star to be in the lead.
Mel Gibson Was Considered For The Lead Role In Schindler’s List Mel Gibson in Braveheart
Actor Mel Gibson has also received his share of Oscar glory when he starred and directed in the war drama Braveheart.
- 2/23/2024
- by Nishanth A
- FandomWire
Steven Spielberg's "Schindler's List" was the rare animal that was a huge critical darling, a major awards contender, and a massive blockbuster. "Schindler's List" was nominated for 12 Academy Awards, winning seven, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Worldwide, the film grossed over $322 million, a huge amount for a prestige picture. The fact that Spielberg also made "Jurassic Park" that same year only makes the achievement that much more impressive.
"Schindler's List" tells the story of Oskar Schindler, a wealthy Czech industrialist who, during World War II, employed as many Jewish workers as he could in his factories with the explicit purpose of saving them from concentration camps. He had to remain friendly with the Nazi party to keep his factories running and became increasingly distraught at what was happening to Europe's Jewish population. By the end of the film, Schindler breaks down, realizing that his wealth...
"Schindler's List" tells the story of Oskar Schindler, a wealthy Czech industrialist who, during World War II, employed as many Jewish workers as he could in his factories with the explicit purpose of saving them from concentration camps. He had to remain friendly with the Nazi party to keep his factories running and became increasingly distraught at what was happening to Europe's Jewish population. By the end of the film, Schindler breaks down, realizing that his wealth...
- 2/22/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Steven Spielberg’s Oskar Schindler almost looked vastly different.
The auteur’s Oscar-winning 1994 film “Schindler’s List” was led by Liam Neeson, who portrayed the real-life German businessman who saved more than 1,200 Jews from the Nazis during World War II. However, according to CAA co-founder Michael Ovitz, Mel Gibson was briefly considered for the title role.
“Mel Gibson’s name came up. He was interested. His agent put him forward,” Ovitz told The Hollywood Reporter in a 30th anniversary retrospective cover story. “But it wasn’t going to happen. Steven wanted a non-movie star for the part.”
At the time, pre-“Braveheart,” Gibson was coming off of three “Lethal Weapon” movies.
There were others considered — Neeson recounted in the oral history hearing Harrison Ford and Kevin Costner as well — though Spielberg was personally not naming names.
“A lot of people were interested in playing Schindler, and a lot of them were movie stars,...
The auteur’s Oscar-winning 1994 film “Schindler’s List” was led by Liam Neeson, who portrayed the real-life German businessman who saved more than 1,200 Jews from the Nazis during World War II. However, according to CAA co-founder Michael Ovitz, Mel Gibson was briefly considered for the title role.
“Mel Gibson’s name came up. He was interested. His agent put him forward,” Ovitz told The Hollywood Reporter in a 30th anniversary retrospective cover story. “But it wasn’t going to happen. Steven wanted a non-movie star for the part.”
At the time, pre-“Braveheart,” Gibson was coming off of three “Lethal Weapon” movies.
There were others considered — Neeson recounted in the oral history hearing Harrison Ford and Kevin Costner as well — though Spielberg was personally not naming names.
“A lot of people were interested in playing Schindler, and a lot of them were movie stars,...
- 2/21/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
When you work in Hollywood, but can't write or direct or act or do anything that requires a practical skill ... well, you're either an executive or an agent. This means you probably make more money than most of your clients or the genuinely talented people you employ. This, you'd think, would be enough to get you through the night. But these are (mostly) awful people with awfully large egos. They don't just want money. They want credit for having played (they believe) a vital part in the creation of art. So they exaggerate their role to anyone who will listen (hopefully a credulous reporter). And when that's not enough, sometimes they just flat-out lie.
Erstwhile superagent Michael Ovitz played this mendacious game better than anyone.
As the chairman of Creative Artists Agency in the 1980s and '90s, Ovitz was the most feared/desired man in Hollywood. His client list...
Erstwhile superagent Michael Ovitz played this mendacious game better than anyone.
As the chairman of Creative Artists Agency in the 1980s and '90s, Ovitz was the most feared/desired man in Hollywood. His client list...
- 2/21/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
“Schindler’s List was never a cure for antisemitism,” emphasizes Steven Spielberg. “It was a reminder of the symptoms of it.”
These days, tragically, antisemitism is all over the headlines: Neo-Nazis chanting “Jews will not replace us” in Charlottesville. The Tree of Life Synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh. The Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel that claimed the lives of some 1,200 Jews, the largest slaughter since the Holocaust. Not to mention a former and possibly future American president using Hitler-like language at his Nuremberg-esque rallies, referring to immigrants as “vermin” who are “poisoning the blood” of America.
Liam Neeson and Steven Spielberg were photographed Jan. 5 at Quixote Studios West Hollywood.
All of which is why, 30 years after Spielberg won best picture and best director for his movie about Oskar Schindler, the German businessman who saved 1,200 Jews from the Nazis during World War II, THR is revisiting his film with an oral history...
These days, tragically, antisemitism is all over the headlines: Neo-Nazis chanting “Jews will not replace us” in Charlottesville. The Tree of Life Synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh. The Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel that claimed the lives of some 1,200 Jews, the largest slaughter since the Holocaust. Not to mention a former and possibly future American president using Hitler-like language at his Nuremberg-esque rallies, referring to immigrants as “vermin” who are “poisoning the blood” of America.
Liam Neeson and Steven Spielberg were photographed Jan. 5 at Quixote Studios West Hollywood.
All of which is why, 30 years after Spielberg won best picture and best director for his movie about Oskar Schindler, the German businessman who saved 1,200 Jews from the Nazis during World War II, THR is revisiting his film with an oral history...
- 2/21/2024
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“It was a dream job. Except it was the job from hell.”
That was the assessment of Michael Ovitz after he was anointed, then dis-anointed, as president of Disney in 1995. The “dream job” lasted barely over a year.
Some insiders reflect on the Ovitz embarrassment in the context of the present decision at Netflix. Scott Stuber’s dream job as chief of film is vacant. Interviews with successors are underway. Some guess it will be an internal promotion; a few outsiders like Disney’s Sean Bailey are rumored to be candidates.
“Will it be an opportunity or a trap?” asks one Hollywood CEO, who, like other power players, is weighing the post-Stuber challenges. The Stuber gig allegedly pays between $15 million-$20 million a year and empowers green lights for as many as 40 films – less than half of Netflix’ 2021 output but still more than that of prolific MGM in Irving Thalberg’s prime.
That was the assessment of Michael Ovitz after he was anointed, then dis-anointed, as president of Disney in 1995. The “dream job” lasted barely over a year.
Some insiders reflect on the Ovitz embarrassment in the context of the present decision at Netflix. Scott Stuber’s dream job as chief of film is vacant. Interviews with successors are underway. Some guess it will be an internal promotion; a few outsiders like Disney’s Sean Bailey are rumored to be candidates.
“Will it be an opportunity or a trap?” asks one Hollywood CEO, who, like other power players, is weighing the post-Stuber challenges. The Stuber gig allegedly pays between $15 million-$20 million a year and empowers green lights for as many as 40 films – less than half of Netflix’ 2021 output but still more than that of prolific MGM in Irving Thalberg’s prime.
- 2/16/2024
- by Peter Bart
- Deadline Film + TV
Feud: Capote vs. The Swans has honored the late Treat Williams with a touching tribute.
The card, which read “In Memory of Treat Williams 1951-2023”, appeared at the end of last night’s episode of Ryan Murphy’s FX anthology series. You can see it below.
Williams portrayed former CBS head and media tycoon Bill Paley in the series, an adaptation of Laurence Leamer’s bestselling book Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era. The series chronicles the literary scandal that sparked a fallout between writer Truman Capote and a high-society group of women, known as his “Swans.”
Feud was Williams’ final role. The veteran actor had wrapped production shortly before he died in a tragic motorcycle accident on June 12, 2023 in Dorset, Vt. He was 71.
Williams was best known for playing Dr. Andy Brown on Greg Berlanti’s Everwood during his nearly half-century career,...
The card, which read “In Memory of Treat Williams 1951-2023”, appeared at the end of last night’s episode of Ryan Murphy’s FX anthology series. You can see it below.
Williams portrayed former CBS head and media tycoon Bill Paley in the series, an adaptation of Laurence Leamer’s bestselling book Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era. The series chronicles the literary scandal that sparked a fallout between writer Truman Capote and a high-society group of women, known as his “Swans.”
Feud was Williams’ final role. The veteran actor had wrapped production shortly before he died in a tragic motorcycle accident on June 12, 2023 in Dorset, Vt. He was 71.
Williams was best known for playing Dr. Andy Brown on Greg Berlanti’s Everwood during his nearly half-century career,...
- 2/15/2024
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
A Delaware Chancery Court judge today has voided Elon Musk’s 2018 Tesla pay package, siding with shareholders who sued the board over the compensation agreement, calling it “the largest in human history.”
Chancellor Kathaleen Mccormick is same judge who shepherded months of contentious discovery in the billionaire’s legal battle with Twitter, now X.
The pay case went to trial in November.
“The process leading to the approval of Musk’s compensation plan was deeply flawed,” Chancellor McCormick said in her decision, and ordered the contract be voided.
“Never incorporate your company in the state of Delaware,” said Musk on X after the ruling.
Never incorporate your company in the state of Delaware
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 30, 2024
The Tesla stockholder who brought the suit, Richard Tornetta – “individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated,” sued board members James Murdoch, Robyn Denholm, Antonio Gracias, Linda Johnson Rice, Brad Buss, Ira...
Chancellor Kathaleen Mccormick is same judge who shepherded months of contentious discovery in the billionaire’s legal battle with Twitter, now X.
The pay case went to trial in November.
“The process leading to the approval of Musk’s compensation plan was deeply flawed,” Chancellor McCormick said in her decision, and ordered the contract be voided.
“Never incorporate your company in the state of Delaware,” said Musk on X after the ruling.
Never incorporate your company in the state of Delaware
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 30, 2024
The Tesla stockholder who brought the suit, Richard Tornetta – “individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated,” sued board members James Murdoch, Robyn Denholm, Antonio Gracias, Linda Johnson Rice, Brad Buss, Ira...
- 1/30/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
2024 can’t come fast enough.
When the clock strikes midnight on Jan. 1, Hollywood will close the book on arguably the most tumultuous 12 months in a generation, with the town roiled by devastating strikes, the implosion of the superhero movie and deep divisions on everything from AI to Israel. But as Tinseltown ushers in a new year, will it suffer from a monster hangover? Many of the most vexing issues remain unresolved.
“There’s a huge leadership vacuum, and that’s not about to change,” says Michael Nathanson, the former head of MGM Studios and Columbia Pictures.
Nathanson, who started in the film and TV business in the ’70s, notes that Lew Wasserman, Bob Daly and Mike Ovitz commanded respect and fear, and could galvanize the industry in chaotic times like writers and actors strikes.
“Bob Iger is not really that guy anymore. If he hadn’t left [in 2020] and returned, he would be that guy,...
When the clock strikes midnight on Jan. 1, Hollywood will close the book on arguably the most tumultuous 12 months in a generation, with the town roiled by devastating strikes, the implosion of the superhero movie and deep divisions on everything from AI to Israel. But as Tinseltown ushers in a new year, will it suffer from a monster hangover? Many of the most vexing issues remain unresolved.
“There’s a huge leadership vacuum, and that’s not about to change,” says Michael Nathanson, the former head of MGM Studios and Columbia Pictures.
Nathanson, who started in the film and TV business in the ’70s, notes that Lew Wasserman, Bob Daly and Mike Ovitz commanded respect and fear, and could galvanize the industry in chaotic times like writers and actors strikes.
“Bob Iger is not really that guy anymore. If he hadn’t left [in 2020] and returned, he would be that guy,...
- 12/20/2023
- by Tatiana Siegel
- Variety Film + TV
CAA and Disney are fighting back against Julia Ormond’s claim that they acted as enablers for Harvey Weinstein and failed to protect her from being sexually assaulted.
Ormond rose to fame in the mid-90s, appearing in “Legends of the Fall” and “Sabrina.” She has alleged that Weinstein lured her to a business meeting in December 1995, then sexually assaulted her at her apartment in New York.
She filed suit in October, accusing Disney, which then owned Weinstein’s company, and CAA, her agency at the time, of failing to warn her of Weinstein’s history of sexual assault because he was “too important, too powerful and made them too much money.”
The companies filed motions to dismiss Ormond’s lawsuit on Tuesday, arguing they did not know about Weinstein’s sexual misconduct before the meeting.
“CAA thus had no reason to believe there was any risk to Plaintiff in...
Ormond rose to fame in the mid-90s, appearing in “Legends of the Fall” and “Sabrina.” She has alleged that Weinstein lured her to a business meeting in December 1995, then sexually assaulted her at her apartment in New York.
She filed suit in October, accusing Disney, which then owned Weinstein’s company, and CAA, her agency at the time, of failing to warn her of Weinstein’s history of sexual assault because he was “too important, too powerful and made them too much money.”
The companies filed motions to dismiss Ormond’s lawsuit on Tuesday, arguing they did not know about Weinstein’s sexual misconduct before the meeting.
“CAA thus had no reason to believe there was any risk to Plaintiff in...
- 12/19/2023
- by Gene Maddaus
- Variety Film + TV
Wolfgang Puck’s now-iconic Chinois on Main, which pioneered what came to be known as Asian fusion or Pacific Rim cuisine, has turned 40 this year. An entertainment industry haven since the day it opened in Santa Monica at the address of a former New Wave punk club, it’s since gone from radical to old guard. The restaurant’s starry clientele has ranged from Tom Selleck and Mike Ovitz to Gwyneth Paltrow and Frank Gehry (who is now designing Puck’s planned replacement of the oceanfront Gladstone’s restaurant along Pch).
Wolfgang Puck
Back in 1983, Angelenos first got a streetside sneak peek of Chinois in the months before its arrival, when the chef was buying a dozen ducks at a time from Chinatown wholesalers and blowing them up with a compressor at a gas station a few blocks down from Spago, the Sunset Strip restaurant that had earned him renegade...
Wolfgang Puck
Back in 1983, Angelenos first got a streetside sneak peek of Chinois in the months before its arrival, when the chef was buying a dozen ducks at a time from Chinatown wholesalers and blowing them up with a compressor at a gas station a few blocks down from Spago, the Sunset Strip restaurant that had earned him renegade...
- 12/2/2023
- by Gary Baum
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Disney today named Hugh F. Johnston, PepsiCo’s CFO and vice chairman, as its new chief financial officer, effective Dec. 4. He replaces interim CFO Kevin Lansberry, who will return to his position as EVP and CFO of Disney’s Experiences segment.
Lansberry stepped in on an interim basis after former CFO Christine McCarthy left abruptly earlier this year for family reasons. The appointment is a rare example of Disney tapping an outsider for a key executive position and it fills a key leadership role as Disney faces a number of challenges, financial and strategic.
The company is set to report its latest quarterly earnings on Wednesday.
The shares, which have fallen sharply this year, ticked up slightly in early trading but are off a bit late morning, at about $85 (vs $118 at their 52-week high). That’s prompted activist investor and Disney shareholder Nelson Peltz of Trianon Partner to make another...
Lansberry stepped in on an interim basis after former CFO Christine McCarthy left abruptly earlier this year for family reasons. The appointment is a rare example of Disney tapping an outsider for a key executive position and it fills a key leadership role as Disney faces a number of challenges, financial and strategic.
The company is set to report its latest quarterly earnings on Wednesday.
The shares, which have fallen sharply this year, ticked up slightly in early trading but are off a bit late morning, at about $85 (vs $118 at their 52-week high). That’s prompted activist investor and Disney shareholder Nelson Peltz of Trianon Partner to make another...
- 11/6/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
The Palm Beverly Hills has closed. Long the shorthand for industry power dining, it was for years run by Bruce Bozzi, the fourth generation in the family steakhouse business. A complicated court battle led to a 2020 sale to the hospitality firm Landry’s, whose brands include Del Frisco’s, Mastro’s and Morton’s. Below, Bozzi — husband of CAA co-chair Bryan Lourd and buzzy podcaster — sums up the storied, singular, nearly half-century run of the restaurant, which opened in West Hollywood in 1975 (where it was known for the many celebrity caricatures on the walls) and moved to Beverly Hills in 2014.
***
You won’t be able to tell the story of Hollywood without The Palm. It’s where on the same day you’d find Richard Zanuck in one booth, Bernie Brillstein in another and Mike Ovitz in a third. My favorite screen memory is Karen Walker in Will & Grace...
***
You won’t be able to tell the story of Hollywood without The Palm. It’s where on the same day you’d find Richard Zanuck in one booth, Bernie Brillstein in another and Mike Ovitz in a third. My favorite screen memory is Karen Walker in Will & Grace...
- 10/17/2023
- by Bruce Bozzi and As told to Gary Baum
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Oops, he did it again.
At 62, Ari Emanuel is now lord and master (or more precisely, CEO) of not one but two publicly held companies. Still, he could not resist bashing his longtime rivals at CAA when presented with a mic at the Bloomberg Screentime conference. And those weren’t the only comments that made some of his associates cringe.
Emanuel is credited with leading his company into expansion, often with pricey acquisitions. The logic of some of these deals escaped observers — Professional Bull Riders? Ok, but overcoming the odds, he transformed Endeavor into a public company in 2021. And in September, Tko Holdings, the combined UFC and WWE, began trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
Other agents — Mike Ovitz comes to mind — yearned to transcend their client-servicing roles. Emanuel has achieved that dream, yet all these deals later, he is still apparently in the grip of his inner agent.
At 62, Ari Emanuel is now lord and master (or more precisely, CEO) of not one but two publicly held companies. Still, he could not resist bashing his longtime rivals at CAA when presented with a mic at the Bloomberg Screentime conference. And those weren’t the only comments that made some of his associates cringe.
Emanuel is credited with leading his company into expansion, often with pricey acquisitions. The logic of some of these deals escaped observers — Professional Bull Riders? Ok, but overcoming the odds, he transformed Endeavor into a public company in 2021. And in September, Tko Holdings, the combined UFC and WWE, began trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
Other agents — Mike Ovitz comes to mind — yearned to transcend their client-servicing roles. Emanuel has achieved that dream, yet all these deals later, he is still apparently in the grip of his inner agent.
- 10/16/2023
- by Kim Masters
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Updated with memorial service details: Jonathan Dolgen, a respected longtime entertainment industry executive known for his tough dealmaking and attention to budgets while chairman of Viacom and earlier as President of Columbia Pictures’ film unit and head of television at Twentieth Century Fox, died Monday of natural causes at UCLA Medical Center. He was 78.
Born the son of a trade union organizer on April 27, 1945, in Queens, Dolgen served in the Army Reserves before becoming a Wall Street lawyer. He was recruited to the Columbia Pictures legal team as Assistant General Counsel in 1976. He was upped to SVP Worldwide Business Affairs three years later and promoted again in 1980 to EVP, now responsible for making the major deals and negotiating contracts.
Columbia in 1981 formed a pay-tv and home video unit, before it had big revenue from either area, and numbers-cruncher Dolgen was elevated to president of the nascent division. While there, he...
Born the son of a trade union organizer on April 27, 1945, in Queens, Dolgen served in the Army Reserves before becoming a Wall Street lawyer. He was recruited to the Columbia Pictures legal team as Assistant General Counsel in 1976. He was upped to SVP Worldwide Business Affairs three years later and promoted again in 1980 to EVP, now responsible for making the major deals and negotiating contracts.
Columbia in 1981 formed a pay-tv and home video unit, before it had big revenue from either area, and numbers-cruncher Dolgen was elevated to president of the nascent division. While there, he...
- 10/10/2023
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Lunchtime, early 2003: Donald Trump was one year away from starring in The Apprentice and fourteen years away from being sworn in as the forty-fifth president of the United States. He owned a share of the Miss Universe beauty pageant, some Atlantic City casinos on the verge of bankruptcy, and a luxury beach resort in Palm Beach, Florida, called Mar-a-Lago. Trump had bought the Mar-a-Lago mansion in 1985 and converted it into a private club. Unlike the other upscale clubs in Palm Beach, Mar-a-Lago was willing to accept Black people, Jewish people,...
- 10/10/2023
- by Joanna Robinson, Dave Gonzales and Gavin Edwards
- Rollingstone.com
The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute has brought in veteran TV casting executive as Head of Talent, a newly created position focused on transitioning the Institute’s students to becoming professional actors in film and TV.
Theodoratos spent the last 20 years at the CW and its predecessor Upn, most recently as EVP of Talent & Casting, overseeing casting for the CW. She was part of the mass layoffs last fall following the CW’s acquisition by Nexstar and its pivot away from original scripted series developed in-house.
In her new role, Theodoratos will produce an annual talent showcase — a staple of college acting programs to present their talent to agents, managers, casting directors and executives — and will oversees the development of a casting database of the Institute’s top talent to put forth to the casting community. Theodoratos will also spearhead an industry-wide professional guest speaker series focused on actors and casting for the Institute,...
Theodoratos spent the last 20 years at the CW and its predecessor Upn, most recently as EVP of Talent & Casting, overseeing casting for the CW. She was part of the mass layoffs last fall following the CW’s acquisition by Nexstar and its pivot away from original scripted series developed in-house.
In her new role, Theodoratos will produce an annual talent showcase — a staple of college acting programs to present their talent to agents, managers, casting directors and executives — and will oversees the development of a casting database of the Institute’s top talent to put forth to the casting community. Theodoratos will also spearhead an industry-wide professional guest speaker series focused on actors and casting for the Institute,...
- 9/21/2023
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
For those of a certain age who like to think that they’re still young — and who doesn’t? — it is sobering to realize that when Michael Ovitz bowed out of the agency business in 1995, neither Tom Holland nor Zendaya had even been born.
People who weren’t around in those days can’t begin to appreciate the fear that Ovitz inspired in Hollywood. He wielded the kind of power that no agent has mustered since and no agent ever will again. How the times and the town have changed.
One thing has remained constant in all the years since Ovitz left the building: Three then-young men who had emerged as future leaders of CAA well before Ovitz departed are still at the helm. Perhaps in spite of himself, Ovitz nailed the succession question that has led to so much drama at Disney and Paramount. But those three men — now...
People who weren’t around in those days can’t begin to appreciate the fear that Ovitz inspired in Hollywood. He wielded the kind of power that no agent has mustered since and no agent ever will again. How the times and the town have changed.
One thing has remained constant in all the years since Ovitz left the building: Three then-young men who had emerged as future leaders of CAA well before Ovitz departed are still at the helm. Perhaps in spite of himself, Ovitz nailed the succession question that has led to so much drama at Disney and Paramount. But those three men — now...
- 9/20/2023
- by Kim Masters
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Movie lovers know Steven Seagal for his rise to fame through the ’80s and ’90s as a B-movie action star. With hits like Under Siege, Above the Law, and Marked for Death, fans know him well. Unfortunately, Seagal has a history of behavior issues on set. Here’s what one director said about Seagal being a “pain in the neck” to work with.
Director Andrew Davis said Steven Seagal was a ‘pain in the neck’
Director Andrew Davis worked with Steven Seagal for Seagal’s 1988 debut, Above the Law. The director and actor worked together four years later in 1992’s Under Siege. Before Seagal was cast in Above the Law, he worked as a martial arts instructor in Hollywood. Michael Ovitz, an agent who was also Seagal’s student then, thought Seagal would be ideally suited for the leading role.
“I had a meeting with Warner Bros., and they said:...
Director Andrew Davis said Steven Seagal was a ‘pain in the neck’
Director Andrew Davis worked with Steven Seagal for Seagal’s 1988 debut, Above the Law. The director and actor worked together four years later in 1992’s Under Siege. Before Seagal was cast in Above the Law, he worked as a martial arts instructor in Hollywood. Michael Ovitz, an agent who was also Seagal’s student then, thought Seagal would be ideally suited for the leading role.
“I had a meeting with Warner Bros., and they said:...
- 8/26/2023
- by Lauren Weiler
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Colleagues, friends and fans are remembering Treat Williams, the versatile and prolific actor who died in a motorcycle crash today at 71. Have a look at a sampling of reaction posted on social media below.
The actor from Rowayton, Ct, amassed more than 125 film and TV credits during a career that spanned nearly half a century. He was the widowed brain surgeon who moves his kids from Manhattan to small-town Colorado on the WB’s 2002-06 drama Everwood. He recurred as the ex-firefighter dad of Kelly and Katie Severeid on Chicago Fire, starred opposite Shelley Long in the 1993-94 CBS sitcom Good Advice and guested or did arcs on dozens of series including Law & Order: Svu, White Collar, Hawaii Five-o, Leverage and The Simpsons.
Related: Emily VanCamp Pays Tribute To ‘Everwood’ Co-Star Treat Williams
More recently he was a series regular for the full six-season run of Hallmark Channel’s Chesapeake Shores.
The actor from Rowayton, Ct, amassed more than 125 film and TV credits during a career that spanned nearly half a century. He was the widowed brain surgeon who moves his kids from Manhattan to small-town Colorado on the WB’s 2002-06 drama Everwood. He recurred as the ex-firefighter dad of Kelly and Katie Severeid on Chicago Fire, starred opposite Shelley Long in the 1993-94 CBS sitcom Good Advice and guested or did arcs on dozens of series including Law & Order: Svu, White Collar, Hawaii Five-o, Leverage and The Simpsons.
Related: Emily VanCamp Pays Tribute To ‘Everwood’ Co-Star Treat Williams
More recently he was a series regular for the full six-season run of Hallmark Channel’s Chesapeake Shores.
- 6/13/2023
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Treat Williams who died in a motorcycle crash Monday, had recently wrapped Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans, the second installment of FX’s anthology series from Ryan Murphy, Plan B and 20th Television. This was his final role for the veteran actor, who received an Emmy nomination for portraying uber agent Michael Ovitz in the 1996 TV movie The Late Shift.
Treat Williams and William S. Paley
Williams plays former CBS head and media tycoon Bill Paley in Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans, an adaptation of Laurence Leamer’s bestselling book Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era. The miniseries (fka Feud: Capote’s Women) chronicles the tale of the famous wunderkind author as he stabs several of his female friends — whom he called his “swans” — in the back by publishing a roman à clef short story called “La Côte Basque 1965” in...
Treat Williams and William S. Paley
Williams plays former CBS head and media tycoon Bill Paley in Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans, an adaptation of Laurence Leamer’s bestselling book Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era. The miniseries (fka Feud: Capote’s Women) chronicles the tale of the famous wunderkind author as he stabs several of his female friends — whom he called his “swans” — in the back by publishing a roman à clef short story called “La Côte Basque 1965” in...
- 6/13/2023
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Actor Treat Williams died in a motorcycle accident near his southern Vermont home on Monday. As per The New York Times, Williams – who was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident – suffered critical injuries and was pronounced dead at a medical center in Albany, New York, after being airlifted there. The driver of the other vehicle was not hospitalized, and a police investigation is underway. Williams was 71 years old.
The film, television, and theater performer first came to prominence in the original production of “Grease” in the role of Danny Zuko. In 1979, he starred in Milos Forman’s film version of the musical “Hair” and, in 1981, he played the lead role in Sidney Lumet’s epic NYPD film “Prince of the City,” based on an actual investigation into police corruption. (Both roles landed him Golden Globe nominations.) In 1996, he was nominated for an Emmy for the HBO film “The Late Shift,...
The film, television, and theater performer first came to prominence in the original production of “Grease” in the role of Danny Zuko. In 1979, he starred in Milos Forman’s film version of the musical “Hair” and, in 1981, he played the lead role in Sidney Lumet’s epic NYPD film “Prince of the City,” based on an actual investigation into police corruption. (Both roles landed him Golden Globe nominations.) In 1996, he was nominated for an Emmy for the HBO film “The Late Shift,...
- 6/13/2023
- by Jordan Hoffman
- Gold Derby
Treat Williams, the prolific and beloved actor who starred in Hair, Everwood, and Chesapeake Shores, has died.
According to his agent, Barry McPherson, who spoke with People on Monday, Williams died after a motorcycle accident.
McPherson told the outlet, "He was killed this afternoon. He was making a left or a right [and] a car cut him off. I'm just devastated. He was the nicest guy. He was so talented."
McPherson continued, "He was an actor's actor. Filmmakers loved him. He's been the heart of Hollywood since the late 1970s.
"He was really proud of his performance this year. He's been so happy with the work that I got him. He's had a balanced career."
According to Jacob Gribble, the Dorset, Vermont fire chief who spoke with People, the crash occurred on Monday around 5 p.m.
Investigators believe a driver was making a turn and didn't see Williams's motorcycle.
Williams was...
According to his agent, Barry McPherson, who spoke with People on Monday, Williams died after a motorcycle accident.
McPherson told the outlet, "He was killed this afternoon. He was making a left or a right [and] a car cut him off. I'm just devastated. He was the nicest guy. He was so talented."
McPherson continued, "He was an actor's actor. Filmmakers loved him. He's been the heart of Hollywood since the late 1970s.
"He was really proud of his performance this year. He's been so happy with the work that I got him. He's had a balanced career."
According to Jacob Gribble, the Dorset, Vermont fire chief who spoke with People, the crash occurred on Monday around 5 p.m.
Investigators believe a driver was making a turn and didn't see Williams's motorcycle.
Williams was...
- 6/13/2023
- by Carissa Pavlica
- TVfanatic
Treat Williams, the versatile actor who starred as a New York City neurosurgeon who moves his family to Colorado on the WB series Everwood and in such films as Sidney Lumet’s Prince of the City and Milos Forman‘s Hair, died Monday in a motorcycle accident in Vermont. He was 71.
His agent, Barry McPherson of APA, confirmed Williams’ death in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
Williams, of Manchester Center, Vermont, was aboard a motorcycle and wearing a helmet when he collided with a car on Route 30 near Dorset, the Vermont State Police said in a statement.
An initial investigation indicated that the driver of the car “stopped, signaled a left turn and then turned into the path of a northbound 1986 Honda VT700c motorcycle operated by Williams. Williams was unable to avoid a collision and was thrown from his motorcycle. He suffered critical injuries and was airlifted to Albany Medical Center in Albany,...
His agent, Barry McPherson of APA, confirmed Williams’ death in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
Williams, of Manchester Center, Vermont, was aboard a motorcycle and wearing a helmet when he collided with a car on Route 30 near Dorset, the Vermont State Police said in a statement.
An initial investigation indicated that the driver of the car “stopped, signaled a left turn and then turned into the path of a northbound 1986 Honda VT700c motorcycle operated by Williams. Williams was unable to avoid a collision and was thrown from his motorcycle. He suffered critical injuries and was airlifted to Albany Medical Center in Albany,...
- 6/13/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel went to town on CAA, said his company almost invested $1 billion in the new Liv Golf tour, and projected that COO Mark Shapiro will take over the company whenever Emanuel calls it quits.
The wide-ranging conversation with Freakonomics Radio host Stephen J. Dubner has just gone online as a podcast and will also air on public radio stations. (Listen Here.) Deadline was provided with a transcript in advance. In addition to covering a few newsy items, Dubner aimed to give listeners a sense of Emanuel’s day-to-day to arrive at his answer to a simple question: Is he enjoying himself?
“I’m having a meeting, getting on a plane to England, then going to Madrid, then coming back, then back to New York, then coming back, then going to Cannes. Then I’m going to Tokyo. Yeah. And I enjoy it,” Emanuel said. “So when I don’t enjoy it,...
The wide-ranging conversation with Freakonomics Radio host Stephen J. Dubner has just gone online as a podcast and will also air on public radio stations. (Listen Here.) Deadline was provided with a transcript in advance. In addition to covering a few newsy items, Dubner aimed to give listeners a sense of Emanuel’s day-to-day to arrive at his answer to a simple question: Is he enjoying himself?
“I’m having a meeting, getting on a plane to England, then going to Madrid, then coming back, then back to New York, then coming back, then going to Cannes. Then I’m going to Tokyo. Yeah. And I enjoy it,” Emanuel said. “So when I don’t enjoy it,...
- 6/1/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith and Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
The origins of Lawrence Kasdan's "Wyatt Earp" rest within the troubled production of Kurt Russell's "Tombstone". In the early 1990s, Kevin Costner, who was busily branding himself as an all-American hybrid of Gary Cooper and James Stewart, hooked up with "Glory" screenwriter Kevin Jarre to make "Tombstone," an epic film about the legendary, real-life lawman. This would've afforded the ambitious Costner a connection to another red-white-and-blue big-screen icon, Henry Fonda, who'd turned in what was then considered the definitive performance of Earp in John Ford's 1946 classic, "My Darling Clementine."
But Costner, who'd just won Oscars for Best Picture and Director with "Dances with Wolves," disapproved of Jarre's ensemble vision. He wanted his warts-and-all take on Earp to be the film's sole focus. When Jarre resisted, Costner bolted the project and pursued his own telling of Earp's tale.
Costner wisely took his Earp film to Kasdan, who had...
But Costner, who'd just won Oscars for Best Picture and Director with "Dances with Wolves," disapproved of Jarre's ensemble vision. He wanted his warts-and-all take on Earp to be the film's sole focus. When Jarre resisted, Costner bolted the project and pursued his own telling of Earp's tale.
Costner wisely took his Earp film to Kasdan, who had...
- 4/1/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Wrapbook, a startup payroll services firm aimed at Hollywood production companies, told its customers on Friday that its processing for March 10 will be delayed. The entertainment industry firm, with offices in Los Angeles, Toronto and New York, cited the failure of Silicon Valley Bank for the impact to its services.
In an update to its clients on March 11 from co-founder and CEO Ali Javid, the firm stated that it has “96% of our funds outside of Svb” and it has a “strong cash position” to use “to provide liquidity to our clients, ensuring that any payroll funds with Svb are covered,” per a copy of an email obtained by The Hollywood Reporter.
The Wrapbook email added: “We have remediation plans underway with another bank to resume processing payroll early next week. We will reimburse cast and crew for overdraft fees incurred due to Svb’s collapse.”
After revealing the loss of...
In an update to its clients on March 11 from co-founder and CEO Ali Javid, the firm stated that it has “96% of our funds outside of Svb” and it has a “strong cash position” to use “to provide liquidity to our clients, ensuring that any payroll funds with Svb are covered,” per a copy of an email obtained by The Hollywood Reporter.
The Wrapbook email added: “We have remediation plans underway with another bank to resume processing payroll early next week. We will reimburse cast and crew for overdraft fees incurred due to Svb’s collapse.”
After revealing the loss of...
- 3/11/2023
- by Erik Hayden
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
When news emerged in 2021 that Anthony Pellicano, fresh from serving a 15-year prison sentence, had returned to Hollywood and was working again for a major entertainment figure, the New York Times took notice.
Then-Times reporter and New York Times Presents senior producer Rachel Abrams was intrigued by reports that Pellicano had been hired by mega-producer Joel Silver (Die Hard, The Matrix) after his release from prison in 2019. Pellicano, a former go-to private investigator for the stars — his client list included Chris Rock, Michael Jackson, Brad Grey and Michael Ovitz — came under fire in the 2000s, when the Pi was convicted of wiretapping and racketeering, among other crimes, in legal proceedings that exposed the extent of Pellicano’s surveillance apparatus and the Hollywood figures that knowingly or unknowingly benefited from it. Abrams was joined in her interest by Liz Day, then a reporter and New York Times Presents supervising producer who...
Then-Times reporter and New York Times Presents senior producer Rachel Abrams was intrigued by reports that Pellicano had been hired by mega-producer Joel Silver (Die Hard, The Matrix) after his release from prison in 2019. Pellicano, a former go-to private investigator for the stars — his client list included Chris Rock, Michael Jackson, Brad Grey and Michael Ovitz — came under fire in the 2000s, when the Pi was convicted of wiretapping and racketeering, among other crimes, in legal proceedings that exposed the extent of Pellicano’s surveillance apparatus and the Hollywood figures that knowingly or unknowingly benefited from it. Abrams was joined in her interest by Liz Day, then a reporter and New York Times Presents supervising producer who...
- 3/10/2023
- by Katie Kilkenny
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Money may very well equal power, but so does information — especially the dirty kind. Hollywood understands this. From The Sweet Smell of Success to L.A. Confidential, the movies are laden with bullying blackmailers and influence-peddlers using muscle and corruption to scrub the tainted and gain an upper hand. The dynamic, of course, is quite real, and the gripping new two-part documentary Sin Eater: The Crimes of Anthony Pellicano provides a fine if troubling look at how it works in contemporary showbiz.
The latest production from FX’s The New York Times Presents series,...
The latest production from FX’s The New York Times Presents series,...
- 3/10/2023
- by Chris Vognar
- Rollingstone.com
Bryan Lourd, CAA managing director and co-chairman, will deliver the keynote address at Variety‘s annual Dealmakers event saluting the industry’s top players and biggest M&a transactions of the year.
Lourd will sit with Claudia Eller, Variety‘s Chief Production Officer, on Dec. 13 at the Palm in Beverly Hills for a deep-dive interview about his agency’s acquisition of longtime competitor ICM Partners as well as his outlook for the industry in 2023. CAA took ownership of ICM Partners in a 750 million deal that was completed in late June.
“Bryan Lourd’s name has always been synonymous with ‘rainmaker’ and this past year he helped guide CAA’s acquisition of ICM Partners — a transformative transaction that changed the agency landscape,” Eller said. “Along with being one of the most influential agents and dealmakers in Hollywood, Bryan is also highly regarded as an industry statesman and trusted consigliere to many...
Lourd will sit with Claudia Eller, Variety‘s Chief Production Officer, on Dec. 13 at the Palm in Beverly Hills for a deep-dive interview about his agency’s acquisition of longtime competitor ICM Partners as well as his outlook for the industry in 2023. CAA took ownership of ICM Partners in a 750 million deal that was completed in late June.
“Bryan Lourd’s name has always been synonymous with ‘rainmaker’ and this past year he helped guide CAA’s acquisition of ICM Partners — a transformative transaction that changed the agency landscape,” Eller said. “Along with being one of the most influential agents and dealmakers in Hollywood, Bryan is also highly regarded as an industry statesman and trusted consigliere to many...
- 12/1/2022
- by William Earl
- Variety Film + TV
Elon Musk is keeping Delaware Chancery Court busy. The same judge who shepherded months of contentious discovery in the billionaire’s legal battle with Twitter will preside at trial in a shareholder lawsuit against Tesla’s board over his 2018 pay package, calling it “the largest in human history.”
The Telsa stockholder Richard Tornetta – “individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated” sued board members James Murdoch, Robyn Denholm, Antonio Gracias, Linda Johnson Rice, Brad Buss, Ira Ehrenpries and Musk to invalidate the grant, worth up to 56 billion if the electric automaker achieved certain market cap and financial milestones.
The proceedings are set to start Monday morning with Musk up to his eyeballs in fallout from Twitter since his purchase. There’s Blue-Check chaos, thousands of employees fired and others resigning, the FTC breathing down his neck, advertisers wary, debt payments looming and, as he told staffers, bankruptcy not out of the question.
The Telsa stockholder Richard Tornetta – “individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated” sued board members James Murdoch, Robyn Denholm, Antonio Gracias, Linda Johnson Rice, Brad Buss, Ira Ehrenpries and Musk to invalidate the grant, worth up to 56 billion if the electric automaker achieved certain market cap and financial milestones.
The proceedings are set to start Monday morning with Musk up to his eyeballs in fallout from Twitter since his purchase. There’s Blue-Check chaos, thousands of employees fired and others resigning, the FTC breathing down his neck, advertisers wary, debt payments looming and, as he told staffers, bankruptcy not out of the question.
- 11/12/2022
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Writer Richard Eustis died On Monday, Oct. 31, at the age of 86 in Thousand Oaks, Calif, show writing partner Michael Elias confirmed to TheWrap.
The Emmy Award-winning screenwriter was best known for his ABC high school sitcom “Head of the Class,” which he co-created alongside Elias, his longtime writing partner. The series, which ran for five seasons from 1986 to 1991, was picked up for a 10-episode reboot in 2021 for HBO Max.
The original series detailed the stories of a group of bright students who live in Manhattan and attend the fictional high school Millard Fillmore High School in the Individualized Honors Program. The revival show — released Nov. 4 on HBO Max — was developed by Amy Pocha and Seth Cohen. The show wasn’t picked up for a second season.
Before his journey in television in Los Angeles, Eustis started off with a career in journalism. Some of his other work includes writing episodes...
The Emmy Award-winning screenwriter was best known for his ABC high school sitcom “Head of the Class,” which he co-created alongside Elias, his longtime writing partner. The series, which ran for five seasons from 1986 to 1991, was picked up for a 10-episode reboot in 2021 for HBO Max.
The original series detailed the stories of a group of bright students who live in Manhattan and attend the fictional high school Millard Fillmore High School in the Individualized Honors Program. The revival show — released Nov. 4 on HBO Max — was developed by Amy Pocha and Seth Cohen. The show wasn’t picked up for a second season.
Before his journey in television in Los Angeles, Eustis started off with a career in journalism. Some of his other work includes writing episodes...
- 11/11/2022
- by Raquel "Rocky" Harris
- The Wrap
Click here to read the full article.
Steve Dayan, the former leader of Teamsters Local 399 who stepped down from the role earlier this year, has a new gig.
Payroll services platform Wrapbook has hired the longtime L.A. labor leader as a senior advisor for its labor relations team, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. In his new role, Dayan will work with the company — a competitor to Cast & Crew, with funding from Jeffrey Katzenberg’s WndrCo and Michael Ovitz — to assist its success, support and engineering teams and augment its union rules engine, which facilitates calculations on the platform.
In his new role, Dayan will report to Wrapbook senior director of labor relations Paul Schoeman. Wrapbook’s labor relations team also includes Lon Huberman and Patrick Delaney.
Dayan has worked in multiple areas of the industry over the course of his 46-year career, including as a projectionist, assistant editor and location manager.
Steve Dayan, the former leader of Teamsters Local 399 who stepped down from the role earlier this year, has a new gig.
Payroll services platform Wrapbook has hired the longtime L.A. labor leader as a senior advisor for its labor relations team, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. In his new role, Dayan will work with the company — a competitor to Cast & Crew, with funding from Jeffrey Katzenberg’s WndrCo and Michael Ovitz — to assist its success, support and engineering teams and augment its union rules engine, which facilitates calculations on the platform.
In his new role, Dayan will report to Wrapbook senior director of labor relations Paul Schoeman. Wrapbook’s labor relations team also includes Lon Huberman and Patrick Delaney.
Dayan has worked in multiple areas of the industry over the course of his 46-year career, including as a projectionist, assistant editor and location manager.
- 11/3/2022
- by Katie Kilkenny
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It’s hard to recognize the entertainment industry of 2022 from the business that it was 20 years ago – which was when I began covering Hollywood.
Back then, the DVD industry floated billions of dollars in free cash to the major studios. Tech companies were recovering from a burst bubble and geeky Silicon Valley was not yet cool. International box office had overtaken domestic box office by a lot – and this little video-by-mail distributor Netflix was five years old. We all stared at it with curiosity.
Fast-forward to now: Netflix rose and rose, and now it has stalled, even though everyone copied what it created. Streaming is the new model, but everyone is nervous that it won’t last — at least with as many players as have dived into the fray. Tech companies from Amazon to Apple have overtaken Hollywood, even as some of them are being overtaken by younger upstarts like TikTok.
Back then, the DVD industry floated billions of dollars in free cash to the major studios. Tech companies were recovering from a burst bubble and geeky Silicon Valley was not yet cool. International box office had overtaken domestic box office by a lot – and this little video-by-mail distributor Netflix was five years old. We all stared at it with curiosity.
Fast-forward to now: Netflix rose and rose, and now it has stalled, even though everyone copied what it created. Streaming is the new model, but everyone is nervous that it won’t last — at least with as many players as have dived into the fray. Tech companies from Amazon to Apple have overtaken Hollywood, even as some of them are being overtaken by younger upstarts like TikTok.
- 10/11/2022
- by Sharon Waxman
- The Wrap
Click here to read the full article.
Tom Cruise, Dustin Hoffman and Jeffrey Katzenberg were among the Hollywood luminaries who paid tribute to Bert Fields, the power lawyer who died in August at age 93, at a memorial service held Sunday at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica.
Fields’ client Cruise, who appeared via video, shared how he met the lawyer — whom he referred to as the most interesting man in the world — at a dinner in 1989 with his Rain Man co-star Dustin Hoffman, another Fields client.
At the time, Cruise said, he didn’t know who Fields was, but when he found out Fields was Hoffman’s lawyer, he knew he wanted to hire the attorney.
Hoffman also was on hand at the service, where he spoke about Fields’ attributes, including his sense of humor as well as his loyalty.
Katzenberg also spoke, relaying how they often ate at The Grill on the Alley,...
Tom Cruise, Dustin Hoffman and Jeffrey Katzenberg were among the Hollywood luminaries who paid tribute to Bert Fields, the power lawyer who died in August at age 93, at a memorial service held Sunday at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica.
Fields’ client Cruise, who appeared via video, shared how he met the lawyer — whom he referred to as the most interesting man in the world — at a dinner in 1989 with his Rain Man co-star Dustin Hoffman, another Fields client.
At the time, Cruise said, he didn’t know who Fields was, but when he found out Fields was Hoffman’s lawyer, he knew he wanted to hire the attorney.
Hoffman also was on hand at the service, where he spoke about Fields’ attributes, including his sense of humor as well as his loyalty.
Katzenberg also spoke, relaying how they often ate at The Grill on the Alley,...
- 10/3/2022
- by THR staff
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Hollywood gathered Sunday to pay tribute to Bert Fields, the legendary lawyer who was in the middle of high profile battles spanning several decades. Fields died in August at the age of 93.
Among those paying their respects were Jeffrey Katzenberg, Dustin Hoffman and Michael Ovitz, who each recalled him as a loyal friend. Elaine May and Tom Cruise also recorded video tributes that were played for the audience at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica.
Cruise, a longtime client of Fields, remembered him as “a person who I knew I could always count on.”
“I think we all know how valuable that is in this world — when someone says they’re going to do something and they actually do it,” Cruise said. “I’m just very grateful to him.”
With a courtly manner and a roster of high-powered clients, Fields developed a reputation as the most fearsome lawyer in Hollywood.
Among those paying their respects were Jeffrey Katzenberg, Dustin Hoffman and Michael Ovitz, who each recalled him as a loyal friend. Elaine May and Tom Cruise also recorded video tributes that were played for the audience at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica.
Cruise, a longtime client of Fields, remembered him as “a person who I knew I could always count on.”
“I think we all know how valuable that is in this world — when someone says they’re going to do something and they actually do it,” Cruise said. “I’m just very grateful to him.”
With a courtly manner and a roster of high-powered clients, Fields developed a reputation as the most fearsome lawyer in Hollywood.
- 10/2/2022
- by Gene Maddaus
- Variety Film + TV
Hollywood powerbrokers past and present officially said goodbye to one of their own Sunday.
Bert Fields, who died August 8 at the age of 93, was celebrated today by clients, family and colleagues at a memorial service in Santa Monica. Jeffrey Katzenberg, Dustin Hoffman, Susan Estrich and Michael Ovitz paid tribute to the Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger Llp partner and industry consigliere in front of a well-heeled crowd that included Fields’ widow Barbara Guggenheim, Leslie Moonves and Julie Chen Moonves, Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy, uber-producer Jerry Bruckheimer and David Geffen among many others.
Individually, Katzenberg, Hoffman and Ovitz remembered a man who was clearly as much their friend as he was their lawyer.
Related Story Bert Fields Dies: Powerhouse Showbiz Lawyer For Tom Cruise, Weinsteins, George Lucas, Michael Jackson, Beatles & Many Others Was 93 Related Story Vertical Entertainment Pre-Buys Family Dramedy 'Sam & Kate' Starring Dustin Hoffman And Sissy Spacek Related Story...
Bert Fields, who died August 8 at the age of 93, was celebrated today by clients, family and colleagues at a memorial service in Santa Monica. Jeffrey Katzenberg, Dustin Hoffman, Susan Estrich and Michael Ovitz paid tribute to the Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger Llp partner and industry consigliere in front of a well-heeled crowd that included Fields’ widow Barbara Guggenheim, Leslie Moonves and Julie Chen Moonves, Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy, uber-producer Jerry Bruckheimer and David Geffen among many others.
Individually, Katzenberg, Hoffman and Ovitz remembered a man who was clearly as much their friend as he was their lawyer.
Related Story Bert Fields Dies: Powerhouse Showbiz Lawyer For Tom Cruise, Weinsteins, George Lucas, Michael Jackson, Beatles & Many Others Was 93 Related Story Vertical Entertainment Pre-Buys Family Dramedy 'Sam & Kate' Starring Dustin Hoffman And Sissy Spacek Related Story...
- 10/2/2022
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Hollywood actors, writers and executives gathered at a memorial on Sunday in Santa Monica to remember power attorney Bert Fields with a string of stories about his legal prowess and sometimes unorthodox way of helping clients.
The larger-than-life litigator — with clients that included The Beatles, Warren Beatty, Tom Cruise, Edward G. Robinson and Michael Jackson — knew a lot of the secrets behind Hollywood scandals that happened throughout his six-decade-long career. Not to mention, he was yanked into a federal wiretapping and conspiracy probe into notorious private investigator Anthony Pellicano in the early 2000s.
The video that played to kick off the tribute addressed the controversies head-on — putting up a fake tabloid cover with the word “escandalo.” It also included a 1967 clip of his appearance on “Dragnet” (Jack Webb was a client) and a tribute from Tom Cruise.
“He’s a very unique adventure, someone I knew we could always count on.
The larger-than-life litigator — with clients that included The Beatles, Warren Beatty, Tom Cruise, Edward G. Robinson and Michael Jackson — knew a lot of the secrets behind Hollywood scandals that happened throughout his six-decade-long career. Not to mention, he was yanked into a federal wiretapping and conspiracy probe into notorious private investigator Anthony Pellicano in the early 2000s.
The video that played to kick off the tribute addressed the controversies head-on — putting up a fake tabloid cover with the word “escandalo.” It also included a 1967 clip of his appearance on “Dragnet” (Jack Webb was a client) and a tribute from Tom Cruise.
“He’s a very unique adventure, someone I knew we could always count on.
- 10/2/2022
- by Joe Bel Bruno
- The Wrap
Bertram “Bert” Fields, the larger-than-life entertainment lawyer whose roster of star clients and studios spoke to a penchant for doling out legal threats with a rhetorical flourish, along with a capacity for winning lucrative settlements, has died at his Malibu home, his rep confirmed to Variety. He was 93.
Fields thrived on the notion that he never lost a trial, and even if the Perry Mason-like reputation wasn’t exactly true, he was a relentless litigator who defined some of the industry’s most heralded cases of the 1980s and ’90s, with clients that included Warren Beatty, Tom Cruise, the Beatles, Edward G. Robinson, Michael Jackson, Rupert Murdoch and, at one time or another, just about all of the major studios.
Cruise said in a statement, “Bert Fields was a gentleman; an extraordinary human being. He had a powerful intellect, a keen wit, and charm that made one enjoy every minute of his company.
Fields thrived on the notion that he never lost a trial, and even if the Perry Mason-like reputation wasn’t exactly true, he was a relentless litigator who defined some of the industry’s most heralded cases of the 1980s and ’90s, with clients that included Warren Beatty, Tom Cruise, the Beatles, Edward G. Robinson, Michael Jackson, Rupert Murdoch and, at one time or another, just about all of the major studios.
Cruise said in a statement, “Bert Fields was a gentleman; an extraordinary human being. He had a powerful intellect, a keen wit, and charm that made one enjoy every minute of his company.
- 8/8/2022
- by Ted Johnson
- Variety Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Bert Fields, the renowned entertainment litigator whose clients included Edward G. Robinson, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Tom Cruise, Warren Beatty, The Beatles and a host of other luminaries, studios and talent agencies, has died. He was 93.
Fields died peacefully late Sunday night at his Malibu home, a spokesperson for his law firm, Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger Llp., announced.
“For forty years, we were graced with Bert’s brilliance, decency and charm,” said Bob Baradaran, managing partner of Greenberg Glusker. “Bert was a beloved colleague, friend and mentor who trained a generation of outstanding lawyers. We were blessed to know and work with such a truly remarkable lawyer and human being.”
A longtime partner at Greenberg Glusker and mainstay on THR‘s annual Power Lawyer list, Fields during his six-decade career also represented the likes of David Geffen, James Cameron, Dustin Hoffman, Michael Jackson, Mike Nichols,...
Bert Fields, the renowned entertainment litigator whose clients included Edward G. Robinson, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Tom Cruise, Warren Beatty, The Beatles and a host of other luminaries, studios and talent agencies, has died. He was 93.
Fields died peacefully late Sunday night at his Malibu home, a spokesperson for his law firm, Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger Llp., announced.
“For forty years, we were graced with Bert’s brilliance, decency and charm,” said Bob Baradaran, managing partner of Greenberg Glusker. “Bert was a beloved colleague, friend and mentor who trained a generation of outstanding lawyers. We were blessed to know and work with such a truly remarkable lawyer and human being.”
A longtime partner at Greenberg Glusker and mainstay on THR‘s annual Power Lawyer list, Fields during his six-decade career also represented the likes of David Geffen, James Cameron, Dustin Hoffman, Michael Jackson, Mike Nichols,...
- 8/8/2022
- by Jonathan Handel
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Click here to read the full article.
A.O.C. Brentwood
This Mediterranean mecca is from Caroline Styne and Suzanne Goin — key figures behind Hollywood’s favorite philanthropic culinary event, L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade.
Angelini
The original Fairfax location first gained an industry following thanks in large part to late Hollywood publicist David Horowitz, who would hold court there. A Palisades outpost opened this year.
E. baldi
Chef Edoardo “Edo” Baldi’s Canon Drive outpost, specializing in Tuscan recipes, is a staple for restaurant row outings. Justin Bieber, Jason Bateman and Al Pacino are among the recent celeb visitors.
Great White
Laid-back California vibes meet Cal-Coastal cuisine (polenta fries, avocado dip) at Great White’s two on-trend locations — Larchmont Village and Venice.
Great White The Grill on the Alley
An industry stalwart, it’s where big hitters like Jeffrey Katzenberg and WME’s Rick Rosen dine on classic Cobb salads,...
A.O.C. Brentwood
This Mediterranean mecca is from Caroline Styne and Suzanne Goin — key figures behind Hollywood’s favorite philanthropic culinary event, L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade.
Angelini
The original Fairfax location first gained an industry following thanks in large part to late Hollywood publicist David Horowitz, who would hold court there. A Palisades outpost opened this year.
E. baldi
Chef Edoardo “Edo” Baldi’s Canon Drive outpost, specializing in Tuscan recipes, is a staple for restaurant row outings. Justin Bieber, Jason Bateman and Al Pacino are among the recent celeb visitors.
Great White
Laid-back California vibes meet Cal-Coastal cuisine (polenta fries, avocado dip) at Great White’s two on-trend locations — Larchmont Village and Venice.
Great White The Grill on the Alley
An industry stalwart, it’s where big hitters like Jeffrey Katzenberg and WME’s Rick Rosen dine on classic Cobb salads,...
- 8/5/2022
- by Gary Baum, Evan Nicole Brown, Kirsten Chuba, Chris Gardner and Sydney Odman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Click here to read the full article.
Hinoki & the Bird, the unofficial midday canteen for CAA and WME execs craving wagyu burgers and barbecue Jidori chicken, reopened for lunch July 15. Its trellised Century City patio is most in-demand — companies from Amazon Studios to UTA have held “welcome back” gatherings there — but covers are still down 50 percent as hybrid and fully remote schedules bite into business. “I think this is the new normal,” says owner Walter Schild.
Call it a vibe shift, or something more difficult to swallow, but two and a half years after the onset of Covid, Hollywood’s sit-down restaurant scene has transformed. One o’clock no longer is what it used to be. Propagate chairman Ben Silverman, known for his Before Times ubiquity in dining rooms around town, muses of the new rhythm, or at least his own, “Lunch is out, walks are in, Zooms will never die.
Hinoki & the Bird, the unofficial midday canteen for CAA and WME execs craving wagyu burgers and barbecue Jidori chicken, reopened for lunch July 15. Its trellised Century City patio is most in-demand — companies from Amazon Studios to UTA have held “welcome back” gatherings there — but covers are still down 50 percent as hybrid and fully remote schedules bite into business. “I think this is the new normal,” says owner Walter Schild.
Call it a vibe shift, or something more difficult to swallow, but two and a half years after the onset of Covid, Hollywood’s sit-down restaurant scene has transformed. One o’clock no longer is what it used to be. Propagate chairman Ben Silverman, known for his Before Times ubiquity in dining rooms around town, muses of the new rhythm, or at least his own, “Lunch is out, walks are in, Zooms will never die.
- 8/4/2022
- by Gary Baum
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
More than 100 employees will be laid off as a result of the merger between Hollywood talent giants CAA and ICM Partners, Variety has learned.
It is expected that 425 employees will make the transition from ICM to CAA, resulting in a combined staff total of approximately 3,200 employees at the supersized CAA. Meanwhile, 105 current ICM employees will be laid off following the close of the transaction.
CAA and ICM announced the deal, valued at 750 million, had been finalized Tuesday, 10 months after the Hollywood talent agencies first revealed the acquisition plans in September 2021.
The agreement marks the largest talent agency transaction since WME acquired Img in 2014 and Endeavor joined forces with William Morris Agency in 2009, which forged the contemporary WME. It also reduces the competition among the mega agency playing field, with the Big Four of CAA, ICM, WME and UTA being reduced to the Big Three of CAA, WME and UTA.
CAA...
It is expected that 425 employees will make the transition from ICM to CAA, resulting in a combined staff total of approximately 3,200 employees at the supersized CAA. Meanwhile, 105 current ICM employees will be laid off following the close of the transaction.
CAA and ICM announced the deal, valued at 750 million, had been finalized Tuesday, 10 months after the Hollywood talent agencies first revealed the acquisition plans in September 2021.
The agreement marks the largest talent agency transaction since WME acquired Img in 2014 and Endeavor joined forces with William Morris Agency in 2009, which forged the contemporary WME. It also reduces the competition among the mega agency playing field, with the Big Four of CAA, ICM, WME and UTA being reduced to the Big Three of CAA, WME and UTA.
CAA...
- 6/28/2022
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
Almost nine months to the day after the surprise Deadline scoop that CAA would acquire ICM Partners, the deal finally got government approval and closed. This creates a mega agency in the biggest linkup in the space since the Wma-Endeavor merger. Sources close to the situation said the Department of Justice finally approved the deal late last night or this morning, and it closed. It is valued around 750 million, and a combined enterprise value around 5 billion. The merged company’s leadership is expected to address staff at a town hall Thursday, with the newly combined departments set to begin their integration process with get-togethers on July 11, we hear.
First, though, comes the pain.
Around 105 positions will be eliminated, all from ICM, and coming from all areas. There will be 425 ICM agents and staffers from the agency joining CAA, meaning around 80 will be retained by CAA. These conversations will happen quickly.
First, though, comes the pain.
Around 105 positions will be eliminated, all from ICM, and coming from all areas. There will be 425 ICM agents and staffers from the agency joining CAA, meaning around 80 will be retained by CAA. These conversations will happen quickly.
- 6/28/2022
- by Nellie Andreeva and Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.