Posted in Movies, Recommendations, Reminder, Television, Video on January 3, 2022| Leave a Comment »
The Amazon movie The Tender Bar will debut online on January 7.
This is an adaptation of the 2005 memoir by J. R. Moehringer, directed by George Clooney about a boy (played by Daniel Ranieri, Tye Sheridan and Ron Livingston throughout his life), seeking a replacement for his father, who disappeared shortly after his birth, who bonds with his uncle (Ben Affleck) and the patrons at a bar.
The cast includes Lily Rabe, Christopher Lloyd and Max Martini.
Here is a trailer for The Tender Bar:
Posted in Movies, Music, New Faces, New Shows, Television, Year End Round Up on December 30, 2021| Leave a Comment »
Much like the Faces of 2021, there are always entertainers of note to be on the look-out for in the new year or those who made great waves throughout the current year who will, undoubtedly, be big stars in the new year.
The new faces of 2022 appear below in no particular order:
Amber Ruffin – The comedian is the host of The Amber Ruffin Show – the only Black woman with a late-night show currently on the air. The late-night show airs on Peacock (the NBC streaming service) breaks away from the typical structure, focusing on topical sketches instead of guests. Additionally, she and her sister Lacey Lamar co-authored the book ‘You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories About Racism,’ which landed on the New York Times best-seller list.
Louis Partridge – Louis made waves playing Tewkesbury in the Netflix movie Enola Holmes alongside Stranger Things alum Millie Bobby Brown; and he will reprise that role in the sequel that is in post-production right now. He will play Peter Pan in the upcoming box office movie The Lost Girls; Sid Vicious in the upcoming mini-series called Pistol; and he will play Tristan in the upcoming fantasy romance film called Ferryman, adapted from the best-selling young adult trilogy by Claire McFall.
Leslie Grace – Leslie made her film debut in the Lin-Manuel Miranda box office adaptation of his Broadway play In the Heights that came out in theatres this summer; and she landed the title role, following a competitive search, of Barbara Gordon in the upcoming box office film Batgirl. She is also a three-time Latin Grammy nominee, having started her singer-songwriting career when she was 16.
Emilia Jones – The 19-year-old London born actress was part of the cast of the Nickelodeon mystery series House of Anubis back in 2011 and even appeared in an episode of Doctor Who in 2013, but it was her star-making role as the only hearing person in her deaf family in the Apple TV+ movie CODA – which also stars Marlee Matlin, Troy Kotsur and Daniel Durant – that turned heads. In fact, she spent 9 months learning American Sign Language, took singing lessons and learned how to operate a professional fishing trawler for the part. She is also the middle child in the Netflix series Locke & Key and will star in Cat Person, the psychological thriller box office movie.
Alex Tarrant – Alex has appeared in the New Zealand original series Filthy Rich (FOX made an American version that lasted for less than one full season in 2020); the Cook Islands-based mystery series Tatau; and the New Zealand-based medical primetime soap opera Shortland Street. He also appeared in the New Zealand-based family drama 800 Words (that aired here in the states on UPtv). He is now the new guy on the latest franchise series NCIS: Hawai’i and he is part of the ensemble cast of the upcoming Amazon series The Lord of the Rings that will be set thousand of years before the events in the J.R.R. Tolkien novels.
Xolo Maridueña – He has played Miguel Diaz for three seasons in Cobra Kai, the small screen adaptation of the original Karate Kid movies that started out on YouTube before moving over to Netflix, becoming a hit series in its own right. The 4th season of the show will debut on December 31. He completed high school and two years of credits at a city college while working on the show too. Also, a chance meeting at Sundance with director Angel Manuel Soto, led Xolo to landing the lead in Blue Beetle, DC’s first Latino superhero movie.
Danielle Deadwyler – Danielle has appeared in episodes of Greenleaf, Watchmen and P-Valley, but it was her role in the ensemble cast of the Netflix film The Harder They Fall – that featured Regina King, Idris Elba, LaKeith Steinfield, Damon Wayans, Jr., Zazie Beetz, Jonathan Majors and Edi Gathegi – that turned heads. She will next be seen in the close-to-home HBO Max series Station Eleven (about survivors of a devastating flu) and she will play Emmet Till’s mother in the upcoming film Till.
Jaden Michael – Jaden is only 18, but he has appeared in multiple roles in critically acclaimed series and films alongside a lengthy list of A-List actors like Michelle Williams, Viola Davis and Ellen Burnstryn (just to name a few). But it was when director/producer Ava DuVernay selected him to play a young Colin Kaepernick in the Netflix series Colin in Black & White that launched him into the stratosphere. He will also appear in the lead role in the Amazon pilot of Shelter based on the Harlan Coben book.
Moses Ingram – This newcomer actress earned an Emmy nomination for her role in the much-buzzed about Netflix series The Queen’s Gambit; starred as Lady Macduff in The Tragedy of Macbeth alongside Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand and will next be seen in the box office movie Ambulance that stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Eiza Gonzalez. In addition to all of that, she is part of the cast of the upcoming Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Saniyya Sidney – The 15-year-old has an impressive resume appearing in the box office movies Hidden Figures, starring as one of the daughters of Taraji P. Henson’s Katherine Johnson; and Fences with Denzel Washington and Viola Davis. She was part of the cast of the short-lived FOX drama The Passage before starring as the young Venus Williams in the box office movie King Richard and she will next be seen as Sasha Obama in the Showtime series The First Lady.
Alexis Lauder – Alexis has appeared in a handful of episodes of The Originals and HBO’s Watchmen; and she had a small role in Black Panther and was part of the cast of the box office film Harriet. This year she appeared in the Amazon sci-fi flick The Tomorrow War that starred Christ Pratt, and she starred opposite Frank Grillo and Gerard Butler in the box office movie Copshop. Next she will be seen in the Amazon series The Terminal List, once again starring alongside Chris Pratt.
Simone Ashley – Simone is a British up-and-comer who has guest starred in episodes of Broadchurch, C.B. Strike and Casualty as well as a bit part in the box office film Detective Pikachu before appearing in a recurring role in the Netflix series Sex Education. Her next role will put her on the map, as she will play a very pivotal role in the second season of the Netflix period piece drama Bridgerton.
Fabien Frankel – He made his film debut in the holiday movie Last Christmas that starred Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding. He was going to appear as Theo Sipowicz in the NYPD Blue reboot that didn’t actually happen, but then he went on to star in four episodes of the 8-episode mini-series The Serpent. He will next be seen in the highly-anticipated Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon that is set to debut on HBO Max.
Max Harwood – Among his theatre work is Rent, Point Of View, The Christmas and Spring Awakening, but it was his debut film role in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, which is a film adaptation of the musical about a teenager from Sheffield, England who wants to be a drag queen that turned heads. He will next be seen in the modern fairytale box office film The Loneliest Boy in the World and the movie Magpie that will star Downton Abbey (the movie and its sequel) Tuppence Middleton.
Are there any actors or actresses who you think are the faces to watch in 2021? Please share.
TOMORROW: Closing Out 2021
Posted in Movies, Recommendations, Reminder, Television, Video on December 29, 2021| Leave a Comment »
On January 2, the PBS 8-episode series Around the World in 80 Days, based on the legendary book by Jules Verne, will debut at 8 PM.
David Tennant stars as literature’s greatest explorer Phileas Fogg in a new adaptation of the classic adventure novel.
French actor Ibrahim Koma and Leonie Benesch (Babylon Berlin and The Crown) co-star.
Here is a trailer for Around the World in 80 Days:
Posted in Movies, Music, New Faces, New Shows, Television, Year End Round Up on December 29, 2021| Leave a Comment »
The following list highlights the actors and actresses on TV and on the big screen who really caught viewers’ attention throughout the year.
They appear in no particular order:
Top Row: Reign and Jenna; Middle Row: Sarah, Shannon and Sophia
Bottom Row: Helena, Erana and Mia
1. The Wilds – The Wilds debuted on Amazon Prime on December 11, 2020, with all 10 episodes of the debut season airing that day. The series left off with quite a killer cliffhanger, though. There will be a second season of this compelling and complicated drama about teenage girls from radically different backgrounds, who find themselves stranded on a remote island, unaware they’ve just become the subjects of an elaborate social experiment [not to be confused with the recently introduced Showtime drama Yellowjackets, which debuted on November 14 of this year].
The 8 actresses in The Wilds include:
San Diego native Sophia Ali (Grey’s Anatomy) as Fatin Jadmani; Australian born Shannon Berry (Syfy’s Hunters) as Dot Campbell; relative newcomer and New York native Jenna Clause as Martha Blackburn; the Bold and the Beautiful alum Reign Edwards as Rachel Reid; Sydney-born newcomer Mia Healey as Shelby Goodkind; relative newcomer Helena Howard (Quibi’s Don’t Look Deeper); New Zealand native Erana James (NZ’s comedy Golden Boy) as Toni Shalifoe and American newcomer Sarah Pidgeon as Leah Rilke.
Besides season two of The Wilds coming up at some point in 2022, Sophia will appear in the Tom Holland-Mark Wahlberg box office movie Uncharted; Shannon appeared in the Australian movie Slant alongside Aussie legend Sigrid Thornton and Reign has had an ongoing recurring role in the FX drama Snowfall.
Photo Credit: Gari Askew II
2. Thuso Mbedu – The South African actress has appeared in a handful or so dramas and soap operas in her home country, being nominated for an International Emmy. But in her international debut in the role of Cora Randall in the Amazon Prime historial limited series The Underground Railroad, which debuted in May of this year, that put her on the map. In fact, she earned a Hollywood Critics Association Award for TV Breakout Star. She will next be seen in the box office movie The Woman King alongside Viola Davis, John Boyega and Lashana Lynch, who has appeared in No Time to Die and Captain Marvel.
3. Ariana DeBose – Ariana is having a very BIG year! She appeared in the 2020 taped version of Hamilton that aired on Disney+ and was in Netflix’s musical The Prom (alongside the likes of Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep and James Corden). She then appeared in the Apple TV+ musical comedy Schmigadoon! opposite Keegan-Michael Key, Cecily Strong and Kristin Chenoweth; and is playing Anita (the role that won Rita Moreno an Oscar) in the latest adaptation of West Side Story. She got her start in So You Think You Can Dance, and appeared on the stage in Bring It On: The Musical; Motown: The Musical; Pippin; A Bronx Tale and Summer: The Donna Summer Musical.
4. Rege-Jean Page – The London native appeared in the BBC series Waterloo Road, the 2016 adaptation of Roots and the short-lived legal drama For the People before turning heads and becoming an international sensation in the Netflix period drama Brigderton where he played the Duke of Hastings. Granted the fact that he will not appear in the second season of the worldwid phenomenon, he has been cast in Paramount’s movie adaptation of Dungeons & Dragons and he will also appear in The Gray Man, Netflix’s biggest-budgeted film to date.
Abigial (Left) and Emily (Right)
5. Abigail Barrow and Emily Bear – Speaking of Bridgerton, Abigail and Emily became social media sensations because of this streaming series. Abigail, a well-known social media singer-songwriter and performer, and Emily, a talented former child prodigy with an impressive arts-heavy resume, joined forces to create The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical. This duo has been interviewed everywhere, has garnered fans from all over the world (including a LOT of Broadway performers and cast members from the show) and they recently signed with the talent agency CAA (Creative Artists Agency).
6. Simone Recasner – The Los Angeles native (whose father is also an actor) had the breakout role of 2021, playing single mom Gabby Lewis on the FOX reality show within a drama The Big Leap. The show has received a lot of buzz this TV season, albeit low ratings. While the FOX series is her first BIG professional gig, she has been acting since she was a kid, making her stage debut in the New York play Ain’t No Mo’ at the Public, the dream theatre where she wanted to work since walking past the building while attending school nearby.
7. Simu Liu – The chiseled Chinese actor, who grew up in Ontario and was briefly an accountant at, of all places Deloitte & Touche, appeared in the popular CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) sitcom Kim’s Convenience as well as blink-and-you-would-miss him spots in Nikita, Warehouse 13, Beauty and the Beast, Dark Matter and Orphan Black as well as guest starring roles in Fresh Off the Boat, the TV version of Taken and The Expanse. But it was his title role in the highly-touted box office Marvel flick Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings that put him on the map. He will next appear alongside Hamilton’s Phillipa Soo in One True Loves and in Arthur the King alongside Mark Wahlberg.
Who are some of the faces from this year who caught your attention either on television, in music or in film? Please share.
TOMORROW: New Faces of 2022
Posted in Movies, Recommendations, Reminder, Television, Video on December 28, 2021| Leave a Comment »
The Hallmark Channel movie Where Your Heart Belongs will debut on January 1 at 9 PM.
Mackenzie Sullivan (Jen Lilley) is a New York-based marketing executive struggling to keep her clients. When she returns home to a rural maple farm to help her best friend plan her wedding in just two weeks, Mackenzie learns the hard way that the love and support of family and true friends means more than she’d imagined.
Christopher Russell co-stars.
Here is a trailer for Where Your Heart Belongs.
Posted in Movies, Recommendations, Reminder, Television, Video on December 28, 2021| Leave a Comment »
On January 1, the New Year’s Day special Doctor Who: Eve of the Daleks will air at 2 PM (check your local listings for airtime) on BBC America.
On New Year’s Eve, the appearance of an executioner Dalek means Sarah and Nick’s countdown to midnight will be the strangest and deadliest they have ever known. Can the Doctor, Yaz and Dan save them?
Here is a trailer for Doctor Who: Eve of the Daleks:
Posted in Movies, Recommendations, Reminder, Television, Video on December 27, 2021| Leave a Comment »
On December 31, the psychological drama film The Lost Daughter, written and directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal – in her feature directorial debut – will debut on Netflix online.
A woman (Olivia Colman), while on a summer holiday, finds herself becoming obsessed with another woman and her daughter, prompting memories of her own early motherhood to come back and unravel her.
The film will also star Dakota Johnson, Peter Sarsgaard, Ed Harris, Paul Mescal, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Jack Farthing and Dagmara Domincyzk along with Jessie Buckley playing Coleman’s character as a younger woman.
Here is a trailer for The Lost Daughter:
Posted in Condolences, Movies, Television, Year End Round Up on December 27, 2021| Leave a Comment »
The following industry personalities, athletes and politicians passed away in 2021 and heartfelt condolences are extended to their families, friends and fans.
Before we get to the list, however, we need to take a moment of silence to remember all those who have been lost this year due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
The celebrities we have lost this year (in alphabetical order):
Hank Aaron (Pro Baseball Player)
Granville Adams (Actor, Oz)
Raymond Allen (Actor, Sanford and Son)
Michael Apted (British Director, Coal Miner’s Daughter, Gorillas in the Mist and Nell)
Ed Asner (Legendary Actor, Lou Grant and The Mary Tyler Moore Show)
Eve Babitz (Chronicler and Muse of the L.A. Scene)
F. Lee Bailey (Famed Lawyer to Patty Hearst and OJ Simpson)
Lisa Banes (Actress, Gone Girl and Young Guns)
Anne Beatts (Original Writer, Saturday Night Live and Creator of Square Pegs sitcom)
Ned Beatty (Veteran Actor, Deliverance and Network)
Jean-Paul Belmondo (Beloved French Actor)
Walter Bernstein (Blacklisted Writer and Oscar Nominee, The Front) [He was 101]
Biz Markie (Rapper)
Frank Bonner (Actor, WKRP in Cincinnati and Saved By the Bell)
Connie Bradley (Longtime ASCAP Nashville Head)
Harry Bring (TV Producer, Criminal Minds and The X-Files)
Eli Broad (Billionaire Philanthropist)
Allan Burns (Emmy-Winning Screenwriter and Co-Creator of The Mary Tyler Moore Show)
Jessica Campbell (Actress, Freak and Geeks and box office film Election)
Linda Carlson (Actress, Murder One and TV adaptation of Clueless)
Sonny Chiba (Martial Arts Legend and Japanese Actor, Kill Bill)
Roy Christopher (Famed Production Designer)
Beverly Cleary (Best-Selling Author, ‘Ramona the Pest’ and ‘Henry and Beezus’) [She was 104]
Michael Collins (Apollo 11 Astronaut)
Michael Constantine (Actor, My Big Fat Greek Wedding)
Alex Cord (Actor, Airwolf)
Chick Corea (Jazz Fusion Pioneer)
Johnny Crawford (Former Child Star, The Rifleman and Original Mousketeer)
Dave Creek (Lead Character Designer, Bob’s Burgers)
Irv Cross (Former NFL Player and first black TV Analyst)
J.D. Crowe (Master Banjo Player and Grammy Winner)
Arlene Dahl (Veteran Actress, One Life to Live; Cosmetics Executive)
Stuart Damon (Veteran Soap Actor, General Hospital)
Sarah Dash (Labelle Co-Founder and “Lady Marmalade” Singer)
Nick Davatzes (Cable Pioneer who launched A&E Network and the History Channel)
Martha De Laurentiis (Film and TV Producer, Hannibal and Red Dragon and Wife of late Dino De Laurentiis)
David H. DePatie (Cartoon Co-Creator and Producer, The Pink Panther)
Dustin Diamond (Actor, Saved by the Bell) [He was 44]
Eric Jerome Dickey (Best-Selling Author) [He was 59]
Joan Didion (Beloved Author and Screenwriter)
DMX (Rapper)
Bob Dole (Former Senate Majority Leader and Republican Presidential Candidate) [He was 98]
Young Dolph (Rapper, killed in Memphis shooting) [He was only 36]
Richard Donner (Director, Superman, The Goonies and Lethal Weapon)
Anne Douglas (Producer and Widow of Kirk Douglas) [She was 102]
Jerry Douglas (Veteran Actor, The Young and the Restless)
Suzzanne Douglas (Actress, The Parent ‘Hood)
Robert Downey Sr. (Director and father of Robert Downey, Jr.)
Olympia Dukakis (Oscar-Winning Actress, Moonstruck and Steel Magnolias)
Dianne Durham (First African American Senior National Gymnastic Champion) [She was 52]
Graeme Edge (Drummer and Co-Founder of the Moody Blues)
Mark Elliott (Longtime Voice of Disney Trailers)
Don Everly (Half of the Everly Brothers, best known for song “Wake Up Little Susie”)
Frances “Sissy” Farenthold (Liberal force in Texas politics, championed racial parity and women’s rights)
Siegfried Fischbacher (Magician, Siegfried & Roy)
Larry Flynt (Founder and Publisher, Hustler Magazine)
Jahmil French (Actor, Degrassi: The Next Generation) [He was 29]
Chuck Fries (Prolific TV and FIlm Producer) [He was 92]
Mira Furlan (Actress, Babylon 5 and Lost)
Willie Garson (Actor, White Collar and Sex in the City)
Richard Gilliland (Prolific Actor, Designing Women, Thirtysomething, Operation Petticoat and Heartland)
Arlene Golonka (Veteran Character Actress, Mayberry R.F.D.)
Pedro Gomez (Veteran ESPN Sports Center Reporter) [He was 58]
Saginaw Grant (Actor, Breaking Bad and The Lone Ranger)
Alison Greenspan (TV Series Producer, For Life and 2014 movie If I Stay) [She was 48]
Nanci Griffith (Grammy-winning singer-songwriter)
Charles Grodin (Veteran Actor, Midnight Run, Beethoven and Heaven Can Wait)
Tom T. Hall (Country Music Hall of Fame legend)
James Hampton (Writer and Director, F Troop, Longest Yard and Teen Wolf with Michael J. Fox)
Sarah Harding (Actress and Singer from British girl group Girls Aloud) [She was only 39]
Al Harrington (Actor, Hawaii Five-0, original series and reboot)
Billie Hayes (Actress, H.R. Pufnstuf) [She was 96]
Monte Hellman (Director, Two-Lane Blacktop, The Shooting and Road to Nowhere) [He was 91]
Tony Hendra (British Satirist and Comic)
Gloria Henry (Actress, Dennis the Menace)
Dusty Hill (Bassist, legendary band ZZ Top)
Patricia Hitchcock (Daughter of legendary director Alfred Hitchcock) [She was 93]
Hal Holbrook (Veteran Actor, Emmy- and Tony-Winner, All the President’s Men and Lincoln)
bell hooks (Renowned Author and Social Activist
Sally Ann Howes (Actress, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) [She was 91]
Joye Hummel (First woman to write Wonder Woman) [She was 97]
Halyna Hutchins (Cinematopher who was killed on set of western movie Rust)
Ravil Isyanov (Actor, The Americans and NCIS: Los Angeles)
Anthony “A.J.” Johnson (Actor, Friday and House Party)
Geoffrey Johnson (Tony Award winning casting director of Cats and Phantom of the Opera)
Vernon Jordan (American business executive and Civil Rights Activist)
Joey Jordison (Co-founder and original drummer of the band Slipknot) [He was 46]
Irma Kalish (Prolific and Pioneering TV Comedy Writer, Maude and Gilligan’s Island)
Larry King (Legendary Interviewer and Talk Show Host)
Tommy Kirk (Disney Actor, Old Yeller and Swiss Family Robinson)
Julie E. “Tawny” Kitaen (80’s Music Video Vixen)
Yaphet Kotto (Bond Villain and Actor, Alien and Live and Let Die)
Art LaFleur (Actor, Sandlot, Field of Dreams and Santa Clause)
John Langley (Creator, Cops, the long-running TV reality series)
Tommy Lasorda (Famed Baseball Coach and Manager, Los Angeles Dodgers) [He was 93]
Cloris Leachman (Veteran TV Actress)
Gregg Leakes (Real Housewives of Atlanta star and Husband to NeNe Leakes)
G. Gordon Liddy (Convicted Watergate Operative and Talk Show Host) [He was 90]
Rush Limbaugh (Right-Wing Radio Host)
Joanne Linville (Actress, Star Trek) [She was 93]
Ernie Lively (Actor, Father of actress Blake Lively)
Norman Lloyd (Actor, Producer and Director, Hitchcock flick Saboteur and TV’s St. Elsewhere) [He was 106]
Sean Lock (British Comedian)
William Lucking (Veteran Actor, Sons of Anarchy)
Norm Macdonald (Saturday Night Live Performer and Comedian)
Ray MacDonnell (Veteran Actor, All My Children)
John Madden (NFL Hall of Fame Coach and Broadcaster)
Bernie Madoff (Ponzi Scheme Mastermind)
Harriet Margulies (Producer’s Assistant, JAG and Audience Liaison NCIS)
Carlos Marin (Member of the British opera-pop crossover group Il Divo)
Gerry Marsden (Frontman of Gerry and the Pacemakers)
Jackie Mason (Veteran Comedian) [He was 93]
Gavin MacLeod (Actor, Love Boat) [He was 90]
Liz McCann (Pioneer Broadway Producer, 9-Time Tony Winner)
Helen McCrory (Actress, Harry Potter franchise and Peaky Blinders, wife of actor Damian Lewis) [She was 52]
Les McKeown (Singer, Bay City Rollers)
Larry McMurtry (Oscar Winner, Brokeback Mountain and Author ‘Lonesome Dove’)
Eddie Mekka (Actor, Laverne & Shirley)
Roger Michell (Director, Notting Hill, Venus and My Cousin Rachel)
Matthew Mindler (Child Actor, Our Idiot Brother) [He was only 19]
Walter Mondale (Former Vice President)
Paul Mooney (Comedian, Actor and Writer for Richard Pryor)
Jovita Moore (Atlanta News Anchor) [She was only 53]
Captain Sir Tom Moore (British World War II Veteran who raised millions of pounds to battle COVID) [He was 100]
Trevor Moore (Comedian and Co-Founder of The Whitest Kids U Know Sketch Comedy Group)
Mark Anthony Morales (aka Prince Markie Dee, Rap Group The Fat Boys) [He was 52]
Roger Mudd (Veteran CBS and NBC News Correspondent) [He was 93]
Dr. Barbara Murphy (Kidney Transplant Expert)
Michael Nader (Actor, Dynasty and All My Children)
Mike Nesmith (Singer-Songwriter, The Monkees and Multimedia Entrepreneur)
Johnny Pacheco (Co-Founder, Salsa Label Fania Records)
Peter Palmer (Star of Li’l Abner on Broadway and the big screen)
Christopher Pennock (Actor, General Hospital and Dark Shadows)
Lee “Scratch” Perry (Jamaican Reggae Legend, Producer and Performer)
Prince Philip (Husband of Queen Elizabeth II) [He was 99, two months short of 100]
Jay Pickett (Veteran soap opera actor)
Ronald Pickup (Actor, The Crown and Best Exotic Marigold Hotel)
Marc Pilcher (Bridgerton Makeup Designer and Emmy Winner)
Christopher Plummer (Veteran Shakespearean Actor, The Sound of Music, Departure and Beginners)
Ron Popeil (Infomercial Icon)
Markie Post (Actress, Night Court)
Anthony Powell (Three-Time Oscar-Winning Costume Designer)
Colin Powell (Former U.S. Secretary of State)
Jane Powell (Legendary Actress, Royal Wedding and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers)
Eddie Mekka (Actor, Laverne & Shirley)
Marion Ramsey (Broadway Actress, Film Actress, Police Academy)
John Reilly (Veteran Actor, General Hospital)
Anne Rice (Writer, ‘Interview with the Vampire’)
Jerry Remy (Former Baseball player and long-time Boston Red Sox Broadcaster)
Sonny Rhodes (Singer-Guitarist, Performed Theme Song to TV Show Firefly)
Peter Mark Richman (Stage Actor and TV Actor, Beverly Hills 90210 and Three’s Company)
Sam Riddle (Producer, Star Search and Original LA ‘Boss Radio’ DJ)
Paul Ritter (British Actor, Chernobyl and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince) [He was 54]
Tanya Roberts (Actress, Charlie’s Angels and That ‘70s Show)
Charles Robinson (Actor, The Night Court)
Mick Rock (Legendary Photographer of David Bowie, Queen and Lou Reed)
Joanne Rogers (Widow of Fred Rogers aka Mister Rogers)
Max Rosenthal (Character Actor and father of series creator Phil Rosenthal) [He was 95]
Donald Rumsfeld (Former U.S. Secretary of Defense)
Richard Rush (Director, The Stunt Man) [He was 92]
Antonio Sabato Sr. (Actor, Grand Prix and Escape From the Bronx and father of actor Antonio Sabato Jr.)
Mort Sahl (Standup Comic) [He was 94]
Jay Sandrich (Emmy-winning Director, The Cosby Show and The Mary Tyler Moore Show)
Herbert Schlosser (NBC Executive)
Al Schmitt (Engineer-Mixer, Winner of 20 Grammys) [He was 91]
Peter Scolari (Actor, Newhart and Bosom Buddies)
Willard Scott (Legendary Today Show Weatherman)
Sabine Schmitz (Top Gear Presenter and Famed Racing Driver) [She was 51]
Fred Segal (Icon of Los Angeles Fashion and Retail)
George Segal (Veteran Actor, The Goldsbergs, Oscar Nominee, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf)
Sidharth Shukla (Beloved Bollywood Actor) [He was only 40]
Gregory Sierra (Actor, Barney Miller and Sanford and Son)
Felix Silla (Actor, Cousin Itt on The Addams Family and Twiki on Buck Rogers)
Cliff Simon (Actor, Stargate: SG-1)
Joseph Siravo (Actor, The Sopranos, Jersey Boys and American Crime Story)
Sylvain Sylvain (Co-Founder and Rhythm Guitarist, New York Dolls)
Shock G. (Bay Area rapper-producer who fueled “The Humpty Dance” by Digital Underground)
William Smith (Action Star/Actor, Any Which Way You Can and Rich Man, Poor Man)
Stephen Sondheim (Legendary Composer and Dominant Voice in American Musical Theatre)
Phil Spector (Legendary Studio Producer)
Michael Stanley (Cleveland Rock Hero, Michael Stanley Band)
Jim Steinman (Composer, Lyricist and Record Producer – worked with Meat Loaf, Celine Dion and Bonnie Tyler)
Dean Stockwell (Veteran Actor, Quantum Leap and countless movie since he was a child)
Una Stubbs (Veteran Actress, Sherlock)
Jamie Tarses (TV Executive, First Woman to Lead NBC Programming Division) [She was 56]
B.J. Thomas (Singer and Grammy-Winner)
Ruthie Tompson (Animation Pioneer and Disney Legend) [She was 111]
Houston Tumlin (Child Actor, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby) [He was 28]
James Michael Tyler (Actor, Gunther on Friends)
Michael Tylo (Veteran Soap Actor, Guiding Light, General Hospital, The Young and the Restless)
Cicely Tyson (Emmy- and Tony-Winner, Veteran Actress
Bobby Unser (American Auto Race, 3 time Indy winner)
Melvin Van Peebles (Legendary Filmmaker and father of actor-director Mario Van Peebles)
Alma Wahlberg (Mother of Mark and Donnnie Wahlberg)
Bunny Wailer (Founding Member, Bob Marley’s Wailers and Reggae Singer)
Jeff Wald (Manager to Helen Reddy, Sylvester Stallone and Donna Summer)
Jessica Walter (Actress, Arrested Development)
Charlie Watts (Legendary Drummer, The Rolling Stones)
Jim Weatherly (Songwriter, “Midnight Train to Georgia”)
Howard Weitzman (Celebrity Attorney to Michael Jackson, Marlon Brando and Sean Combs)
Sunni Welles (Actress and Author; and one of Bill Cosby’s sexual assault accusers)
Lina Wertmüller (first woman to be nominated for Best Director Oscar) [She was 93]
Diane Weyermann (Producer, Inconvenient Truth)
Betty White (Legendary Actress)
Clarence Williams III (Actor, The Mod Squad and Purple Rain)
Michael K. Williams (Actor, The Wire and Boardwalk Empire)
Mary Wilson ( (Co-Founder of the Supremes)
Jane Withers (Former Child Star and Josephine the Plumber) [She was 95]
Samuel E. Wright (Voice of Sebastian in The Little Mermaid)
John Sacret Young (TV Series Co-Creator, China Beach)
Wanda Young (Original member of the Marvelettes, and later the group’s lead singer)
NOTE: This list, in no way, covers all the industry talent who passed away this year. Again, condolences are extended to one and all.
Out of respect, please take a moment of silence.
TOMORROW: TV Ratings
Posted in Awards, Movies, Music, Television, Year End Round Up on December 26, 2021| Leave a Comment »
Every year there are lots of awards shows, some important, some just fun and numerous just plain silly or nonsensical, but the list featured below – despite the continued pandemic – showcases just some of the top winners over the course of 2021.
But first, let’s salute Ruth E. Carter, the first Black costume designer who, in February, received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He costuming has been featured in the box office movies Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, Black Panther, Amistad, What’s Love Got To Do With It and Coming 2 America [just to name a few].
CRITICS CHOICE SUPER AWARDS (January)
Best Animated Movie – Soul (Disney+)
Best Superhero Movie – The Old Guard (Netflix)
Best Action Series – Vikings (History)
Best Actor, Action Series – Daveed Diggs, Snowpiercer (TNT)
Best Actress, Action Series – Angela Bassett, 9-1-1 (FOX)
Best Actor, Horror Series – Jensen Ackles, Supernatural (The CW)
Best Actress, Horror Series – Jurnee Smollett, Lovecraft Country (HBO)
Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Series – The Mandalorian (Disney+)
Best Villain in a Series – Anthony Starr, The Boys (Amazon)
THE GOTHAM AWARDS (January)
Best Feature – Nomadland
Best Actor – Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal
Best Actress – Nicole Beharie, Miss Juneteenth
Breakthrough Actor – Kingsley Ben-Adir, One Night in Miami…
GOLDEN GLOBES (February)
Best Actress, Motion Picture – Andra Day, The United States vs. Billie Holiday
Best Director, Chloe Zhao, Nomadland
Best TV Series, Drama – The Crown (Netflix)
Best Limited TV Series – The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix)
Best Actor TV Series – Josh O’Connor, The Crown (Netflix)
Best Actress TV Series – Emma Corrin, The Crown (Netflix)
Best Actor, Supporting Role, Motion Picture – Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah
CRITICS’ CHOICE AWARDS (March)
Best Supporting Actress, TV Drama – Gillian Anderson, The Crown (Netflix)
Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series – Michael K. Williams, Lovecraft Country (HBO)
Best Acting Ensemble – The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix)
Best Movie Made for TV – Hamilton (Disney+)
Best Actor – Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)
Best Actress – Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman
GRAMMY AWARDS (March)
Record of the Year – Everything I Wanted, Billie Eilish
Album of the Year – folklore, Taylor Swift
Best New Artist – Megan Thee Stallion
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance – Rain On Me, Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande
Best Pop Solo Performance – Watermelon Sugar, Harry Styles
Best Pop Vocal Album – Future Nostalgia, Dua Lipa
Best R&B Album – Bigger Love, John Legend
Best Country Song – Crowded Table, The Highwomen
Best Musical Theater Album – Jagged Little Pill
NAACP IMAGE AWARDS (March)
Social Justice Impact – Stacey Abrams
Outstanding Actor, TV Drama – Regé-Jean Page, Bridgerton (Netflix)
Outstanding Independent Motion Picture – The Banker” (Apple TV+)
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Motion Picture – Madalen Mills, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (Netflix)
Outstanding Actor, TV Comedy – Anthony Anderson, Black-ish (ABC)
Outstanding Actress, TV Movie, Limited–Series or Dramatic Special – Octavia Spencer, Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker (Netflix)
Outstanding Female Artist – Beyoncé, Black Parade
Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration – Chloe x Halle, Wonder What She Thinks Of Me
Outstanding Writing, TV Comedy – Michaela Coel, I May Destroy You, Ego Death (HBO)
SAG AWARDS (April)
Outstanding Supporting Actress – Youn Yuh-Jung, Minari
Outstanding Performance, Ensemble Cast, TV Comedy – Schitt’s Creek
Outstanding Actor in TV Movie or Mini-Series – Mark Ruffalo, I Know This Much Is True
BAFTA (April)
Leading Actress – Frances McDormand, Nomadland
Leading Actor – Anthony Hopkins, The Father
Outstanding British Film – Promising Young Woman
Outstanding Screenplay – Promising Young Woman, Emerald Fennell
FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS (April)
Best Actor, New Scripted Series – Amit Rahav, Unorthodox
Best Actress, New Scripted Series – Shira Haas, Unorthodox
Robert Altman Award – One Night in Miami
Best Supporting Female – Yuh-jung Youn, Minari
RAZZIE AWARDS (April)
Worst Picture – Absolute Proof
Worst Actress – Kate Hudson – Music
Worst Director – Sia, Music
Worst Screenplay – 365 Days
OSCARS (April)
Best Actor – Anthony Hopkins, The Father
Best Actress – Frances McDormand, Nomadland
Best Picture – Nomadland
Best Original Song – “Fight for You” from Judas and the Black Messiah [Music by H.E.R. and Dernst Emile II; Lyric by H.E.R. and Tiara Thomas]
Best Director – Chloé Zhao, Nomadland
Best Support Actor – Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah
Best Original Screenplay – Promising Young Woman by Emerald Fennell
MTV MUSIC AND TV AWARDS (May)
Best Show – WandaVision (Disney+)
Best Movie – To All the Boys: Always and Forever (Netflix)
Best Musical Moment – “Edge of Great” from Julie and the Phantoms (Netflix)
Best Villain – Kathryn Hahn, WandaVision (Disney+)
Best Duo – Falcon & Winter Soldier [Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan], The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Disney+)
Breakthrough Performance – Rege-Jean Page, Bridgerton (Netflix)
Elizabeth Olsen, WandaVision (Disney+)
BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS (May)
Top Artist – The Weeknd
Top Female Artist – Taylor Swift
Top Duo/Group – BTS
Top R&B Female Artist – Doja Cat
Top Country Female Artist – Gabby Barrett
Top Christian Album – Carrie Underwood, My Gift
Top Rock Song – “Bang!” by AJR
DAYTIME EMMY AWARDS (June)
Outstanding Drama Series – General Hospital (ABC)
Lead Actress in a Drama Series – Jacqueline MacInnes Wood, The Bold and the Beautiful (CBS)
Lead Actor in a Drama Series – Maurice Benard, General Hospital (ABC)
Supporting Actress in a Drama Series – Marla Adams, The Young and the Restless (CBS)
Supporting Actor in a Drama Series – Max Gail, General Hospital (ABC)
Younger Performer in a Drama Series – Victoria Konefal, Days of Our Lives (NBC)
Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show – The Kelly Clarkson Show (NBC)
BET AWARDS (June)
Album of the Year – “Heaux Tales” by Jazmine Sullivan
Best Female R&B / Pop Artis – H.E.R.
Best Group – Silk Sonic
Best Female Hip Hop Artist – Megan Thee Stallion
Video Director of the Year – Bruno Mars And Florent Déchard
Best Movie – Judas And The Black Messiah
Best Actress – Andra Day
Best Actor – Chadwick Boseman
Youngstars Award – Marsai Martin
HOLLYWOOD CRITICS ASSOCIATION TV AWARDS (August)
Best Broadcast Network Series, Drama – New Amsterdam (NBC)
Best Streaming Series, Drama – The Mandalorian (Disne+)
Best Cable Series, Comedy – Resident Alien (Syfy)
Best Broadcast Network or Cable Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Live-Action Television Movie – Mare of Easttown (HBO)
Best Streaming Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Live-Action Television Movie – WandaVision (Disney+)
Best Actor in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Drama – Billy Porter, Pose (FX)
Best Actor in a Streaming Series, Drama – Josh O’Connor, The Crown (Netflix)
Best Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Drama – Mj Rodriguez, Pose (FX)
Best Actress in a Streaming Series, Drama – Emma Corrin, The Crown”(Netflix)
Best Actress in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Television Movie – Anya Taylor-Joy, The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix)
Best Supporting Actor in a Streaming Series, Drama – Rupert Grint, Servant (Apple TV+)
Best Supporting Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Drama – Tatiana Maslany, Perry Mason (HBO)
Best Supporting Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy – Mary Steenburgen, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (NBC)
Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Television Movie – Evan Peters, Mare of Easttown (HBO)
Special Honorary Awards:
Legacy Award – Cobra Kai (Netflix)
Spotlight Award – Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (NBC)
Impact Award – New Amsterdam (NBC)
Pop Culture Icon Award – Tom Ellis, Lucifer (Netflix)
CREATIVE ARTS EMMYS (September)
Television Movie – Dolly Parton’s Christmas On The Square (Netflix)
Outstanding Stunt Performance AND Stunt Coordination – The Mandalorian (Disney+)
Outstanding Original Music And Lyrics – WandaVision (Disney+)
Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music – The Flight Attendant (HBO Max)
Outstanding Casting For A Drama Series – The Crown (Netflix)
Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes – WandaVision (Disney+)
Outstanding Period And/Or Character Hairstyling – Bridgerton (Netflix)
TELEVISION CRITICS ASSOCIATION (September)
Individual Achievement In Drama – Michaela Coel, I May Destroy You (HBO)
Individual Achievement In Comedy – Jean Smart, Hacks (HBO Max)
Outstanding Achievement In Youth Programming – The Baby-Sitters Club (Netflix)
EMMY AWARDS (September)
Limited Series – The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix)
Drama Series – The Crown (Netflix)
Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie – Ewan McGregor, Halston (Netflix)
Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie – Kate Winslet, Mare of Easttown (HBO)
Supporting Actor in a Drama Series – Tobias Menzies, The Crown (Netflix)
Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie – Julianne Nicholson, Mare Of Easttown (HBO)
TONY AWARDS (September)
Best Musical – Moulin Rouge: The Musical
Best Play – The Inheritance
Best Revival of a Play – A Soldier’s Play
Best Book of a Musical – Jagged Little Pill, Diablo Cody
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play – Andrew Burnap, The Inheritance
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play – Mary-Louise Parker, The Sound Inside
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical – Aaron Tveit, Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical – Adrienne Warren, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play – David Alan Grier, A Soldier’s Play
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical – Lauren Patten, Jagged Little Pill
AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS (November)
Artist of the Year – BTX
New Artist of the Year – Olivia Rodrigo
Favorite Male Pop Artist – Ed Sheeran
Favorite Female Pop Artist – Taylor Swift
Favorite Male Country Artist – Luke Bryan
Favorite Female Country Artist – Carrie Underwood
Favorite R&B Song – “Leave The Door Open” by Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak)
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS (December)
The Movie of 2021 – Black Widow
The Comedy Movie of 2021 – Free Guy
The Action Movie of 2021 – Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
The Drama Movie of 2021 – Cruella
The Female Movie Star of 2021 – Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow)
The Comedy Movie Star of 2021 – Dwayne Johnson (Jungle Cruise)
The Action Movie Star of 2021 – Simu Liu (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings)
The Comedy Show of 2021 – Never Have I Ever
The Male TV Star of 2021 – Tom Hiddleston (Loki)
The Drama TV Star of 2021 – Chase Stokes (Outer Banks)
The Comedy TV Star of 2021 – Selena Gomez (Only Murders in the Building)
The Sci-Fi/Fantasy Show of 2021 – Lucifer
The Female Artist of 2021 – Adele
The Song of 2021 – “Butter” (BTS)
The New Artist of 2021 – Olivia Rodrigo
BLACK FILM CRITICS AWARDS (December)
Best Picture – King Richard
Actor – Will Smith (King Richard)
Actress – Tessa Thompson (Passing)
Supporting Actress – Aunjanue Ellis (King Richard)
Ensemble – The Harder They Fall
Congratulations to all of the above winners (and the countless others who won awards) this year. Are any of the above your favorites? Do you think there was an actor or actress who was overlooked this year? Please share your thoughts.
TOMORROW: Condolences
Posted in Movies, Year End Round Up on December 25, 2021| Leave a Comment »
Movie fans were finally able to return to their local Cineplexes starting this past May – with COVID restrictions in place, of course, and I was able to see about a dozen movies over the past 6 months or so. Most were superhero related (Black Widow, Eternals and Shang-Chi) with a little James Bond (No Time to Die) stirred [not shaken] in too; but my favorites were Jungle Cruise, In the Heights and Free Guy (Ryan Reynolds was hysterical!)
Among the much buzzed about news items in the world of box office movies have been former Twilight leading lady Kristen Stewart get rave reviews for her portrayal of the late Princess Diana in the film Spencer; legends Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci receiving their own share of rave reviews for their roles in the indie flick Supernova. And, Chloe Zhao is now the hottest director in Hollywood, coming off her win at the Golden Globes (she’s the second woman to win Best Director in 78 years) and at the Oscars as well. She was the Director for this year’s Eternals and her next project will be the sci-fi Western spin on Dracula.
Now let’s take a look at the top 30 box office winners from this year (up through Sunday, December 19 that is):
1. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings – 224 million
2. Venom: Let There Be Carnage – 212 million
3. Black Widow – 184 million
4. F9: The Fast Saga – 173 million
5. Eternals – 163 million
6. No Time to Die – 161 million
7. A Quiet Place Part II – 160 million
8. Free Guy – 121.6 million
9. Spider-Man: No Way Home -121.5 million
10. Jungle Cruise – 117 million
11. Ghostbusters: Afterlife – 115 million
12. Godzilla vs. Kong – 99 million
13. Dune – 93 million
14. Halloween Kills – 92 million
15. Cruella – 86 million
16. Encanto – 77 million
17. Space Jam: A New Legacy – 67 million
18. The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It – 66 million
19. Candyman – 61 million
20. The Boss Baby: Family Business – 57 million
21. The Addams Family 2 – 56.4 million
22. The Suicide Squad – 55.7 million
23. Raya and the Last Dragon – 54.7 million
24. Clifford the Big Red Dog – 49 million
25. Old – 48 million
26. Tom and Jerry – 46 million
27. The Forever Purge – 45 million
28. House of Gucci – 44 million
29. Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway – 40.3 million
30. PAW Patrol: The Movie – 40.1 million
NOTE: This list does not include Spider-Man: No Way Home, as the movie was released on December 17; however, this latest version of the webslinger’s tale is set to cross the $1 billion mark WORLDWIDE on Christmas Day.
On the other spectrum are the movies that were either a disappointment in the box office due to poor ticket sales or, more importantly, had a horrible trailer that made me completely uninterested in seeing them. While several of the below were in the top 30 for ticket sales, they still weren’t very good (at least to me).
They appear in alphabetical order below:
Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar
Don’t Breathe 2
Godzilla vs. Kong
Jackass Forever
Halloween Kills
Malignant
Music
Old
Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin
Spiral: For the Book of Saw
Separation
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
The Forever Purge
The Last Duel
Venom: Let There Be Carnage
What movies did you most enjoy seeing this year? Which movies were disappointments to you? Please share your thoughts and comments.
TOMORROW: Awards of 2021
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
Rueben's Ramblings 