The all-new Hollywood Reporter offers unprecedented access to the people, studios, networks and agencies that create the magic in Hollywood. Published weekly, the oversized format includes exceptional photography and rich features.
LINDA BLOODWORTH-THOMASON The television producer, writer and creator of the hit TV series Designing Women pens an essay about Hollywood’s culture of harassment (page 63). Bloodworth-Thomason helped produce Bill Clinton’s campaign film The Man From Hope, which kicked off the 1992 Democratic National Convention and is considered a groundbreaking piece of political filmmaking, changing the way many politicians marketed themselves. She has been nominated for five Emmys and most recently directed the documentary film Bridegroom. NANCY DUBUC The A+E Networks CEO shares her own professional experiences with Harvey Weinstein — not all of which were horrible. “I think everyone’s afraid to say, ‘I’ve seen charming Harvey,’ ” Dubuc writes on page 68. “But there are many Harveys, and I’ve seen charming Harvey.” In light of the claims against the producer,…
Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence and trailblazing movie executive and producer Amy Pascal will be honored at THR’s 2017 Women in Entertainment breakfast, taking place Dec. 6 at Milk Studios in Los Angeles. Oscar winner Angelina Jolie will deliver the keynote speech at the 26th annual event, where $1 million in university scholarships will be awarded to young women from disadvantaged backgrounds. All of them are participants in THR’s highly competitive Women in Entertainment Mentorship Program, now in its eighth year. Lawrence, 27, is the youngest person ever to receive the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award. Three-time Oscar winner Meryl Streep will present Pascal with the second annual Equity in Entertainment Award.…
Jason Blum The producer’s Happy Death Day, which cost just $5 million, opens to $26 million for Universal, his latest 2017 horror hit after Split and Get Out. Jack Gao The Legendary Entertainment chief and senior vp of China’s Wanda exits after two years as regulatory changes in Beijing spark a further retreat from Hollywood. Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest The Live! duo hits season highs, dominating NBC’s Megyn Kelly by 57 percent among the favored daytime demo of women 25-to-54. Debra Lee With flagship drama Being Mary Jane set to end and Tyler Perry not joining the cable network until 2019, BET has a big scripted void that the CEO has yet to fill. Showbiz Stocks $159.88 (+2.6%) APPLE (AAPL) KeyBanc Capital upgrades the new-media giant, saying its pricing…
Behind the Headlines Is Amazon Studios emptying its shopping cart? The exit of programming chief Roy Price on Oct. 17 after a harassment claim was made public has prompted observers to question if the retail giant will clean house and reboot its video strategy. Price was put on leave Oct. 12, hours after THR published allegations of his vulgar propositioning of The Man in the High Castle executive producer Isa Hackett. Five days later, Amazon announced Price is stepping down. Now the focus is on whether other execs will survive amid a push to change course creatively and culturally. Amazon Studios COO Albert Cheng is taking over on an interim basis, and the hunt is on for a new — and, according to sources, preferably female — content head. Amazon…
The surprise announcement that Tom Barrack’s Colony Capital wants to throw a lifeline to The Weinstein Co. is the latest twist in a Shakespearean-like drama engulfing the company founded by disgraced film mogul Harvey Weinstein and his nowestranged brother, Bob Weinstein. On Oct. 17, Harvey Weinstein resigned from the board of his company after his brother and other board members earlier ratified his termination. Barrack’s plan — which could still fall apart — is to break up and either sell off parts or bring in investors to salvage them, a source tells THR. After a flurry of dealmaking, Barrack could sell the remainder, much as Colony and a consortium of investors did with Miramax seven years ago. Colony is a private equity firm that is part of Colony NorthStar, an…
One month after Facebook jumped into original programming in early September with its Watch video platform, which shows are working? A batch of early renewals is helping to bring the social network’s original programming strategy into focus. The tech giant is handing out second seasons to Mike Rowe’s unscripted series Returning the Favor, Bunim/Murray-produced reality series Ball in the Family and scripted comedy Strangers. Facebook also will revive Nicole Byer’s MTV comedy, Loosely Exactly Nicole, for a 10-episode second season. “It’s early,” says Facebook vp media partnerships Nick Grudin, “but what we’re looking for with these shows is, are they finding an audience and are they engaging an audience? These shows have done that.” Although Facebook’s video efforts have been lumped in with Amazon’s, Google’s and Apple’s offerings, the social…
