Innholdsfortegnelse for April 26, 2017 Double Issue i The Hollywood Reporter

Pain. Anxiety. Fear. Those emotions are rippling through members of the Writers Guild of America and their adversaries in the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers as they make a last-ditch attempt to salvage a deal in the wake of the guild’s overwhelming authorization to strike when the current contract ends May 1. As talks drag on, both sides are preparing for the worst. Even as AMPTP president Carol Lombardini and WGA chief Howard Rodman trade proposals, each of the major networks has held contingency meetings on what to air absent any fresh scripted content. At least two broadcast networks are prepared to order additional unscripted programming; some have toyed with purchasing more feature films, replaying the most recent seasons of hits or even reviving vintage fare as well…

I was an entertainment journalist during the most recent Writers Guild of America strike. There were a lot of stories to cover over those 100 days — from Nov. 5, 2007, to Feb. 12, 2008: what a Hollywood without scripted content would look like (and what it would cost); what internet residuals even mean; ranking the various latenight hosts’ strike beards … While I had to remain impartial in print, in person I found myself defending the WGA’s decision to strike, both with family who didn’t understand and with friends who wanted their favorite shows back. Because I wanted to be a TV writer. I have, for as long as I can remember, felt a pull toward making up stories for the screen. (OK, that’s a lie: I can remember…

Each spring, digital media companies descend on New York to woo advertisers at NewFronts, their version of TV’s Upfronts. But now, some key players are forgoing glitzy events, even though advertisers will spend $11.7 billion on online video in 2017, per eMarketer. Yahoo and BuzzFeed are skipping the presentations (which kick off May 1 for two weeks and have slots for more than 30 companies), making way for new presenters such as Twitter. Others including AOL have settled on more modest events. The shift reflects different thinking about the value of shoehorning NewFronts into a traditional TV development cycle that barely applies to broadcast and cable anymore, and certainly not to digital video, as programming increasingly is released year-round. Even so, says Anna Bager, vice president of organizer Interactive Advertising…

Tell Me How This Ends Well (HOGARTH, APRIL) BY David Samuel Levinson AGENCY Gotham Group The Pushcart Prize nominee’s darkly comic novel, set in a 2022 rife with anti-Semitism and terror, finds the adult Jacobson children plotting to murder their abusive father over Passover Seder in L.A. A recent signing at West Hollywood’s Book Soup was SRO. “The All-True, Unbelievable, Death-Defying Tale of the World’s Greatest Paraplegic Surfer” (MEN’S JOURNAL, MAY) BY Ariel Leve AGENCIES ICM, Rob Weisbach Paralyzed in a 1998 carjacking, Bruno Hansen, the World Adaptive Surfing champ, survived the 2004 tsunami in a boat off Thailand.…

On April 20, a group of us went to JR’s BBQ in Culver City for lunch. We ordered like J.C. would have (three meats, three sides) and told stories. There are so many. “We should quit and start a company [Benderspink]. We’re ready,” he said one night. And he was still my intern! Like others who took his brash advice, I’m grateful I listened. J.C. was a maddening, complicated person and a loving, generous soul. He was whip-smart yet gullible. He was family. I could trust him implicitly while knowing that he’d occasionally bald-faced lie to my face about something pointless. He had a deep respect for the old guard — Bernie Brillstein, Robert Evans, Sue Mengers and others — and could provoke poignant personal moments with living legends of…

Mark Geragos may be a big personality, but he doesn’t believe in wearing an attention-getting watch to court. “I don’t think a heavy-duty, blinged-out watch is appropriate for a lawyer to wear for jury trials, especially if you are asking jurors for more money in a civil case. Jurors notice everything, down to whether your shoes are shined,” says the high-profile attorney, whose clients have included everyone from Whitewater defendant Susan McDougal, politician Gary Condit and convicted murderer Scott Peterson to Winona Ryder and Michael Jackson. Geragos recommends the same strategy to defendants, like longtime client Chris Brown, who has a penchant for diamond-covered timepieces. “There have been certain occasions where I’ve told him to lose the watch,” he says of one piece in particular, Brown’s 2014 Richard Mille homage…

N owadays, actresses like Sarah Hyland and Rachel Bloom name-check Spanx on the red carpet, and stars from Sofia Vergara to Zendaya have posted the requisite no-makeup selfie. Even eyelash enhancements get a shoutout in social media posts. But a falsely full head of hair — courtesy of extensions — may be the final frontier of beauty transparency on the red carpet, social media and television. At a time when experts like Hollywood hairstylist Priscilla Valles, whose clients include Kylie Jenner, Chrissy Teigen and Christina Aguilera, estimate that 97 percent of all female stars wear hair extensions — both onscreen and off, whenever there are cameras — many still remain mum about using them. “I would say wearing extensions all the time is the new normal,” says hairstylist Amie Jorgensen…

When Carrie Fisher died last December, Princess Leia didn’t have to die with her. The 60-year-old Star Wars actress already had shot her scenes for Episode VIII — she’ll posthumously be back onscreen in December — and there even was talk of her being digitally resurrected for an appearance in Episode IX. After all, filmmakers already had succeeded in recreating a 19-year-old Fisher for her cameo in Rogue One. In the past, when a star died, his or her heirs could keep their loved one alive — and make money — by marketing their image on posters, action figures and T-shirts. These days, thanks to CGI, dead stars can continue to act — like the late Peter Cushing in Rogue One — and that’s creating a whole new world of…

It had all the makings of becoming the first lawsuit of 2017. Exactly 20 minutes before the ball dropped in Times Square, Mariah Carey failed to sing along to recordings of her hits “Emotions” and “We Belong Together” before a live worldwide audience. New Year’s Day saw her camp trade accusations with Dick Clark Productions, with Carey’s manager threatening legal action if DCP didn’t apologize for failing to resolve technical issues and allowing the diva to go onstage anyway. DCP fired back with a statement calling those suggestions “defamatory” and “outrageous.” Still, no claims have yet been filed by either party. That’s in part because of proactive measures taken by Carey’s team. After an incident goes down, “you’re going to spend the next 24 to 72 hours doing everything legally…

Reed Hastings (right) and Ted Sarandos Compensation soars for Netflix’s CEO ($23.2 million) and chief content officer ($18.9 million) in 2016, as the company’s stock price spikes. Dr. Luke The controversial music producer is dropped by Sony Music amid his years-long war over pop star Kesha’s claims of sexual assault. Kendrick Lamar The rapper’s album DAMN. debuts with the biggest sales week of 2017 (603,000 equivalent units) as his “Humble.” unseats Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You,” which spent 12 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. Vanessa Hudgens Her Powerless, DC Comics’ first live-action comedy series, is yanked from the NBC schedule after drawing a weak 0.6 rating in the key demo. Showbiz Stocks $92.81 (+4%) ELECTRONIC ARTS (EA) The video game maker will release Star Wars Battlefront II with Lucasfilm…

Deal of the Week CAA could finally go public — in China. The agency’s partnership with leading Chinese equity firm CMC Capital Partners to form CAA China, announced April 17, is being praised by experts as a smart move. Observers speculate that CMC, which has made an undisclosed minority investment in the agency, may even help it to an IPO on the Hong Kong stock exchange, similar to what it did for Imax. A year after CMC joined with fellow Chinese investor FountainVest Partners to take an $80 million, 20 percent stake in the company, Imax China raised $248 million in its 2015 initial offering. (CMC divested its remaining shares April 6.) Before going public, CAA China must ramp up its business, and CMC offers two key ingredients to do…

For his next trick, Jacob Latimore will transform into a movie star on the rise. The musician turned actor caught Hollywood’s attention with his vibrant performance — as a young man who tries to take care of his little sister by performing street magic by day and dealing drugs at night — in J.D. Dillard’s Sundance breakout Sleight (in theaters April 28 via Blumhouse’s distribution banner BH Tilt). And he’s appearing in Kathryn Bigelow’s anticipated Detroit (Aug. 4). V I T A L STATS AGE 20 BORN Milwaukee BIG BREAK Collateral Beauty REPS CAA, Geffen Management Group, Selverne & Co. Latimore, who moved from Milwaukee to Atlanta when he was 11, was raised around music: His father and uncle formed the gospel quartet The Latimore Brothers, his mother worked at a…

“Why didn’t I see Emma Stone’s name?” FAYE DUNAWAY The actress, breaking her silence on the Oscars best picture mix-up, admitting to NBC News that she felt “very guilty” for announcing the wrong winner. “The flu can be an amazing diet. So happy it came in time for the Met.” KIM KARDASHIAN The reality star, expressing gratitude for an illness that caused her weight loss ahead of the May 1 Met Gala. She was roasted on social media for the comment. “I was in a relationship with my rapist.” ABIGAIL BRESLIN The Scream Queens actress, revealing that she didn’t report her rape because she “feared not being believed.” “You do drugs or drink, you’re going to die. I’m sorry if that’s cold.” SCOTT BAIO The Happy Days star, commenting on…

J.J. Abrams and Donna Langley had breakfast at Culina. … Oliver Stone stopped by Capo. … Sherry Lansing, Brian Grazer and attorney Sean Marks shared the room at The Palm. … Sterling K. Brown and wife Ryan Michelle Bathe had date night at Pizzeria Mozza. … Dolly Parton lunched at Polo Lounge. … CAA’s Joel Lubin popped in to Mr Chow. Lee Daniels and Byron Allen also were there. … Dana Walden, ICM Partners’ Eddy Yablans and Lachlan Murdoch each dined at Toscana. … James Corden bumped into Conan O’Brien at Farmshop. … Rooney Mara lunched at Sunset Tower. Verlaine The Quick Pitch Prominent Baja California chef Diego Hernandez brings his modernist Mexican cuisine to the U.S. through a menu marked by tamales with sorrel juice, chochoyotes with pickled pig…

Having Sandy Gallin as a friend was like winning the joy lottery. He was generous, upbeat, hilarious and knew everybody. Though I’d like to think I was one of his inner circle of special friends, the truth is, Sandy’s inner circle was as big as Manhattan. His stories — often told in his unmistakable Five Towns drawl bellowing on a speaker phone while he was flat on his back on a massage table — were a glorious part of the soundtrack of his friendships. His was no typical Hollywood shtick — Sandy spent his life in the room where it happened. He picked up The Beatles at JFK, bailed Richard Pryor out of jail and teamed with Dolly Parton as she crossed over into … everything. How about when Sandy…

Throughout his career, Prince was a champion of artistic freedom. But in a horribly ironic twist, when he died on April 21, 2016, without a will, he hadn’t put in place a legal, financial or creative road map that would allow his estate to follow a direct, clearly delineated vision. Last summer, I was brought in by the then-special administrator, Bremer Trust, because of my experience in music publishing, when it was looking to do a global deal for Prince’s entire catalog. Prince had signed individual contracts with dozens of sub-publishers around the globe, and there was some clean-up involved; it wasn’t about opening a vault and having to blow off the dust, but it still was complicated because of a web of various arrangements. When I first looked at…

STEP 1 Start with a setting spray, like Aquage Beyond Body Thermal Spray, on wet or dry hair — Ferry prefers clean, dry hair — and spritz each section of hair, beginning at the nape of the neck. STEP 2 Using a 1-inch barrel curling iron, wrap 1-inch sections of hair vertically around the barrel with the iron aimed toward the ceiling. (“The vertical angle curl gives the effect that you just came out of the ocean and your hair dried in the California sun,” says Ferry, who uses an iron by GHD.) Hold each section for five seconds and then gently pull down on the end of the curl and let the hair cool as it hangs. For larger waves, Ferry advises using a 1 ½-inch barrel. “I don’t…

WHEN THE nattily attired Brit spies return Sept. 29 in Kingsman: The Golden Circle, menswear e-tailer Mr Porter will roll out its own sequel — another collection inspired by Arianne Phillips’ costumes. In the Matthew Vaughn-directed follow-up featuring Taron Egerton, Channing Tatum and Jeff Bridges, the Kingsmen travel to Kentucky, where they meet the U.S.’ the Statesmen. That means the Savile Row-inspired styles of the first film (still available: the double-breasted “Harry” suit named after Colin Firth’s character) will be joined by Jean Shop denim, Stetson hats and Mister Freedom bomber jackets. “It’s the Mount Rushmore of Americana,” says Phillips of the 80-piece line created with Mr Porter managing director Toby Bateman. “Doing costume-to-collection with a global online platform is what it takes to launch merchandising within a narrative —…

I wasn’t a good impressionist. Danny [Aykroyd] did pretty well with Nixon. I just wanted to make you laugh and think in a way that was Charlie Chaplin-ish and Buster Keatonish, so I played Ford physically, making him look clumsy. That was basically my concept. By the way, I noticed recently that Trump said, “I’m the president, and you’re not.” That’s my line: “I’m Chevy Chase, and you’re not.” I got hurt during the sketch about the debate between Ford and Carter. Danny was playing Carter, and I fell forward on one of the podiums as if Ford was not even noticing he was falling. Unfortunately, the prop guy had forgotten to line the back of my podium with foam rubber so I just went down and hit wood. I…

Thank you. Wasn’t Lee Greenwood terrific? For a second there, I thought he wasn’t going to play “Proud to Be an American.” That’s a joke. Thank you. I’ll keep this short because I know we want to get to the comedy of Mr. Scott Baio. Stand up, Scott! (Hold for one minute of continuous applause, then ...) Thank you. What a crowd. The failing New York Times probably won’t report this, but many people are saying we’ve set a record for attendance this evening. Two million people. (Hold for standing ovation.) Thank you. If I knew you guys were going to be so nice, I wouldn’t go to Mar-a-Lago every weekend. I’m kidding. I’ve actually taken fewer vacations than any president in history. That’s a fact you can look up on Breitbart, Infowars…

John Branca Ziffren Brittenham UCLA | He handles the musical estates of Michael Jackson, Janis Joplin and Otis Redding. Allen Grubman Grubman, Shire & Meiselas Brooklyn Law | He’s repped Bruce Springsteen and Madonna and has added Facebook and Spotify. Joel Katz Greenberg Traurig Tennessee | CBS will be the home of the Grammys for the next decade thanks to Katz, who negotiated the $600 million pact. David Lande Ziffren Brittenham UPenn | He negotiated Beyonce’s deals for Lemonade to debut on HBO and for her Formation Tour. Dina LaPolt LaPolt Law John F. Kennedy University | Britney Spears headlines a roster that includes deadmau5, Fifth Harmony and Steven Tyler. Christine Lepera Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp New York Law | She represents Dr. Luke in his dispute with Kesha. And she’s sung onstage with client Dickey Betts. Kenny…

After launching LegalZoom, the country’s most popular online legal resource, in 2001 (and then ShoeDazzle in 2009 with Kim Kardashian), O.J. Simpson’s former lawyer has launched yet another website: RightCounsel. The site, which went live in February, pairs people who have personal injury claims — dealing with everything from defective products to dangerous drugs — with attorneys whose specialties match the case. “All lawyers in personal injury cases or accident cases charge the same,” says Shapiro, 74. “Why not get the best?” Shapiro has no personal injury expertise himself, and the site makes it clear he won’t represent clients. “We want to provide a public service where people can find the best lawyers for serious accidents and injuries,” he says, “and have a business that’s profitable.” Shapiro is still a…

BLAME Quinn Shephard’s directorial debut starts as a queasily steamy story about a high school student (Shephard) and her flirtation with a teacher (Chris Messina) before morphing into an intriguing drama exploring the toxic tangle of relationships between the protagonist and three female classmates. Cliches abound, but the film is powered by fine acting (particularly Nadia Alexander’s seething Mean Girl) as well as a current of sincere feeling. — JON FROSCH THE DEATH AND LIFE OF MARSHA P. JOHNSON How to Survive a Plague director David France steps back into the LGBT past with investigative zeal in this doc digging into questions that remain unsolved 25 years after the pioneering transgender activist and Stonewall riots frontliner of the title was found dead in the Hudson River. While the sense of…

• BASIC WAGE INCREASE: WGA wants 3%; producers have countered with 2%. • HEALTH PLAN: For a $45 million contribution, producers asked for $10 million in cost reductions. The WGA countered with $5 million, and producers came back with $8 million. • FEES FOR SHORTER SERIES: Given seasons now can consist of 12 episodes or fewer, writers want changes in the complicated formulas governing per-episode fees and exclusivity. • SVOD RATES: WGA wants increases in the minimums for streaming-ondemand and cable shows.…

Netflix is adding a bunch of new debt — and what’s striking is the currency it’s using: 1 billion euros, not dollars. While the streaming VOD company has taken loans before, this is the first time it has opted to do so in the European currency, which observers note is a sign of how much CEO Reed Hastings is looking overseas for growth. The new debt is part of a recent binge of sorts, but most analysts remain bullish — though some worry about its eight straight quarters of negative free cash flow because of massive spending on original content and international expansion. Netflix had $1.1 billion in cash on hand at the end of the most recent quarter, down from $2.5 billion two years ago, but it still has…

Big Deal TriStar is getting ready to rumble. The studio is in talks for the rights to Pandemonium, the high-profile biopic of World Wrestling Entertainment chairman and CEO Vince McMahon. When the package — with This Is Us executive producers Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (their film credits include Whiskey Tango Foxtrot and Crazy, Stupid, Love) in talks to direct from a well-received spec by Craig A. Williams (Underdog) — first hit the town last summer, studios hesitated out of fear of potentially antagonizing a powerful entity. It wasn’t until producer Andrew Lazar (American Sniper) recently secured McMahon’s life rights that it sparked a bidding war (UTA repped the project). Sources say TriStar had a passionate pitch, which even included decorating the TriStar offices in WWE regalia. The film traces McMahon’s…

1. Cartier The Tank Anglaise features a crown set within the diamondaccented, 18-karat rose gold bezel; $16,200, at Cartier, Beverly Hills and New York 2. Omega The Constellation Co-Axial Master Chronometer Small Seconds’ mother-of-pearl dial is highlighted by 10 diamond indexes; $9,300, at Omega, Costa Mesa and New York 3. Chanel Inspired by the brand’s boucle tweed, the Boy.Friend Tweed includes a black guilloche dial and 64-diamondembellished case; $8,500, at Chanel Fine Jewelry, New York and Beverly Hills 4. Jaeger-LeCoultre Flip the Reverso One Duetto Moon case to change from a guilloche white dial to chestnut enamel; $37,000, at Jaeger-LeCoultre, Costa Mesa and New York 5. Rolex Stainless steel and 18-karat yellow gold mix on the Oyster Perpetual Lady Datejust with champagne dial; $10,500, at Tourneau, New York, and Gearys,…

N o matter what your political leanings are, Ivanka Trump is a kind of role model,” says Gabriel Chiu of Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery Inc. “How many people have her look, went to an Ivy League school and hold their own in business and socially?” So it’s no surprise to the celebrity cosmetic surgeon that patients wish to emulate the 35-yearold first daughter’s appearance. “It’s both facial and body features. People talk about her cheekbones, how proportionate her face is, the combined features of her eyes, nose and lips,” says Chiu, who also has had patients inquire about the fullness of Trump’s youthful face, which can be accomplished by a fat-transfer procedure. “The aesthetic look is moving nationally from a Kardashian type to an Ivanka Trump look — less done,”…

VALLE DE GUADALUPE Rihanna was the biggest thing to happen to this village in Baja’s wine valley, about a five-hour drive from L.A. Since the singer took over the Encuentro Guadalupe “antiresort” in 2014, the area has seen such stars as Diego Luna, Drew Barrymore and Emily Ratajkowski. El Cielo and La Lomita are winery musts, while the cuisine scene is headed by chef Diego Hernandez of Corazon de Tierra, who in March opened West Hollywood’s Verlaine. “We have a lot of people coming from L.A.,” he says. “Most drive, but some also arrive by helicopter.” SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE The charming colonial town (a seven-hour flight plus 90-minute drive from L.A.) has drawn in Eva Longoria, Antonio Banderas, and Elizabeth Banks and her producer husband, Max Handelman. Marta Kauffman…

A t the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California, which wrapped its run of Molly-fueled partying April 23, fashion ran the gamut: GUCCI TOOK THE STAGE Members of The xx, Lemon Twigs and Tennis were officially dressed by the brand, while Rihanna rolled up in a fresh-offthe- runway bedazzled bodysuit and face mask, tattered Gucci tank top and cutoffs. DESIGNER SKIVVIES The newest way to show off designer love? On exposed elastic bra straps and waistbands, which touted “Christian Dior,” “Moschino” and “Opening Ceremony” in the style of Marky Mark’s classic Calvin Klein briefs (also a popular pick). NATIVE NO-NO Yes, in 2017, festivalgoers still are wearing Native American headdresses despite outcries of cultural appropriation. Curiously, the look only seemed to be popular in the VIP section…

For most people, Bill Cosby lost his presumption of innocence dozens of accusers ago. In the 13 years since he invited Andrea Constand, then a 31-year-old employee of the Temple University athletic department, to his sprawling home in Elkins, Pennsylvania, and offered her a glass of wine and pills, his reputation as an everyman comedian, a national father figure who repeatedly broke ground as an African-American and the highest-paid person in show business has been thoroughly shattered. Everything that followed from that night — the subsequent police investigation, a lawsuit, a settlement, a leaked deposition, viral social media memes and scores of women emboldened to come forward (57 in all) with similar stories of Cosby first approaching them as a mentor, then offering them a drink that left them unconscious,…

Cable news superstar Bill O’Reilly’s fall from the airwaves was years in the making (the first sexual harassment allegation was 13 years ago). But the lawyer who finally helped push the scandal over the edge is Lisa Bloom, 55, who represents the three women whose latest complaints against O’Reilly precipitated his ouster from Fox News. She also has New York state considering an investigation into the network that she called “a cesspool of intimidation and retaliation.” “Sexual harassment is epidemic in our country,” Bloom tells THR, “but Fox News is definitely the worst.” If Bloom looks familiar, it might be because she has popped up on cable before; she covered the Trayvon Martin murder for NBC (her book on the case is being made into a miniseries by Jay Z…