Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Music’ Category

2023 Year-End Round Up: Condolences

Posted in Condolences, Movies, Music, Sports, Television, Year End Round Up on December 27, 2023| Leave a Comment »

The following industry personalities, athletes, politicians (etc.) passed away in 2023 and heartfelt condolences are extended to their families, friends and fans.

The celebrities we have lost this year are (in alphabetical order):

DJ Mark the 45 King (Music Producer for Eminem, Jay-Z and Queen Latifah) [He was 62]

Sharon Acker (Canadian Actress, Point Blank and rebooted Perry Mason in the 1970s)
Joss Ackland (Actor, Lethal Weapon 2 and White Mischief) [He was 95]
Scott Alexander (America’s Got Talent Magician) [He was only 52]
Martin Amis (British Author, “Zone of Interest”)
Katherine Anderson-Schaffner (Founding Member of The Marvelettes “Please, Mr. Postman”)
Kenneth Anger (Experimental Filmmaker and Artist) [He was 96]
Selma Archerd (Actress and wife of long-time Variety columnist Army Archerd) [She was 98]
Alan Arkin (Veteran Actor TV, Film and Broadway)
Clarence Avant (Music Executive and known as the Godfather of Black Entertainment) [He was 92]

Burt Bacharach (Legendary Songwriter-Composer) [He was 94]
Robbie Bachman (Co-Founder and Drummer of Canadian rock band Bachman-Turner Overdrive)
John Bailey (Former Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President and Cinematographer) [He was 81]
Rich Barancik (Last surviving member of Monuments Men and Women, who preserved European artworks and cultural treasures that Nazi Germany had looted) [He was 98]
Ady Barkan (Healthcare Activist who had ALC) [He was only 39]
Bob Barker (Legendary TV Game Show Host, Price Is Right) [He was 99]
John Barrett (Celebrity Hairdresser) [He was only 66]
Norma Barzman (Screenwriter Blacklisted During McCarthy Era) [She was 103]
John Beasley (Actor, Everwood)
Cari Beauchamp (Hollywood Historian and Author)
Jeff Beck (Guitar Master of the Rock Era)
Richard Belzer (Actor, Law & Order: SVU and Homicide: Life on the Street)
Nick Benedict (Soap Actor, All My Children and Days Of Our Lives)
Silvio Berlusconi (Italian Media Magnate and Former Prime Minister)
Tony Bennett (Legendary Singer and 20-time Grammy winner) [He was 96]
Helmet Berger (Star of acclaimed European Art Cinemas in the 60s and 70s)
Jane Birkin (British-French Actor and Singer)
Robert Blake (Actor, Baretta)
Jake Bloom (Legendary Hollywood Attorney)
Jean Boht (Beloved Actress, BBC Sitcom Bread) [She was 91]
Barbara Bosson (Actress, Hill Street Blues)
Fernando Botero (Artist of Whimsical Rotundity) [He was 91]
Michael Boyd (Artistic Director at the Royal Shakespeare Company)
Bertie Bowman (Longest-serving Black congressional staffer) [He was 92]
Howard Bragman (Veteran of Entertainment Public Relations; his clients included Cameron Diaz and Paula Abdul) [He was only 66]
Kwame Brathwaite (Celebrity Photographer and Catalyst for “Black is Beautiful Movement in the 1960s)
Andre Braugher (Emmy-winning Actor, Homicide: Life on the Street and Brooklyn Nine-Nine) [He was only 61.]
George Brown (Founding Member, Kool & The Gang)
Jim Brown (NFL Great and Actor, The Dirty Dozen)
James D. Brubaker (Producer, The Right Stuff, Cobra and Rocky IV
Dick Butkus (NFL Legend and Prolific TV Star) [He was 80]
Jimmy Buffett (American Singer-Songwriter, “Margaritaville”)
Colin Burgess (Original drummer AC/DC)
A.S. Byatt (English Critic, Novelist, Poet and Short Story Writer)
John Byrne (Creator, acclaimed TV show Tutti Frutti) [He was 83]

Sergio Calderon (Actor, Pirates Of The Caribbean and Men in Black)
Wally Campo (Actor, Little Shop of Horrors) [He was 99]
Bobbie Jean Carter (Sister of Nick and Aaron Carter) [She was only 41]
Jeffrey Carlson (Actor, All My Children) [He was only 48]
Rosalynn Carter (Former First Lady) [He was 96]
Paul Cattermole (Member British pop band S Club 7) [He was only 46]
Josephine Chaplin (Actress and Daughter of Charlie Chaplin)
Bobby Charlton (Soccer Great for Manchester United, World Cup Winner) [He was 86]
Michael Chiarello (Former Food Network Star) [He was only 61]
Tyler Christopher (Actor, General Hospital) [He was only 50]
Carol Higgins Clark (Mystery Writer and daughter of Author Mary Higgins Clark)
Angus Cloud (Actor, Euphoria) [He was only 25]
Gloria Coates (Prolific Female Composer, Wrote 17 in Her Lifetime) [She was 89]
Phyllis Coates (TV’s First Lois Lane) [She was 96]
Walter Cole (aka Darcelle XV) [World’s Oldest Drag Performer) [He was 92]
Van Conner (Co-Founder and Bassist of Alternative Band Screaming Trees) [He was only 55]
Carole Cook (Protege to Lucille Ball) [She was 98]
James “Buster” Corley (Co-Founder, Dave & Buster’s)
Manny Coto (Emmy Winning Executive Producer, 24 and American Horror Story)
Noah Cowan (Former TIFF Co-Director) [He was only 55]
Rolly Crump (Early Disneyland Animator) [He was 93]
David Crosby (Singer-Songwriter-Guitarist, Bryds and Crosby, Stills & Nash)
Catherine Cyran (Prolific Film Director, The Prince & Me)
Dick Curtis (Character Actor and Straight Man to Comedian Jonathan Winters) [He was 95]

Henri Dauman (Holocaust survivor and Celebrity Photographer) [He was 90]
Sandra Day O’Connor (First Woman to Serve as Supreme Court Justice) [She was 93]
Terence Davies (Esteemed British Director)
Ann de Toth (Screenwriter)
Kamar de los Reyes (Actor, One Life to Live) [He was only 56]
Arnold Diaz (New York TV Reporter)
Melinda Dillon (Tony- and Oscar-nominated Actress, A Christmas Story and Close Encounters of the Third Kind)
Carol Duvall (DIY Trailblazer and TV’s Crafting Queen) [She was 97]

Paul Eckstein (Co-Creator of TV Series, Godfather of Harlem) [He was only 59]
Evan Ellingson (Former child star, CSI: Miami and My Sister’s Keeper) [He was only 35]
Daniel Ellsberg (Analyst who leaked The Pentagon Papers) [He was 92]
Andrea Evans (Soap Veteran, One Life to Live)
Joan Evans (Veteran Actress, On the Loose, Skirts Ahoy! and Edge of Doom) [She was 89]

Sharon Farrell (Actress, The Young and the Restless) [She was 82]
Benjamin Ferencz (Last Surviving Prosecutor of Nuremberg Trials) [He was 103]
Senator Dianne Feinstein (Oldest Member of the Senate) [He was 90]
Shirley Anne Field (Actress, The Entertainer and Alfie)
Shirley Jo Finney (Actress “Wilma” and Theatre Director)
Frederic Forrest (Actor, Apocalypse Now and The Rose)
Andrew Freedman (Veteran News and Entertainment Publicist) [He was only 67]
Edward Fredkin (Influential Professor at MIT)
Gerald Fried (Composer, original Roots mini-series, Star Trek and Gilligan’s Island) [He was 95]
William Friedkin (Director, The Exorcist and The French Connection) [He was 87]
Andrea Fay Friedman (Actress with Down Syndrome, Life Goes On) [She was only 53]
Terry Funk (WWE Hall of Fame Wrestler)

Michael Gambon (Legendary Actor, Dumbledore of Harry Potter franchise) [He was 82]
Walt Garrison (Dallas Cowboys Running Back and Rodeo Cowboy)
Julie Garwood (Author)
Bill Geddie (Co-Creator of The View) [He was 68]
Bob George (Producer on Films like Newness, Zoe and Endings, Beginnings) [He was 51]
Astrud Gilberto (Brazilian Singer, “Girl From Ipanema”)
Louise Gluck (American Poet and Nobel Prize for Literature Winner) [She was 80]
Mark Goddard (Actor, Original TV Series Lost in Space) [He was 87]
David Lance Goines (Iconic Berkeley Printmaker)
Bert I. Gordon (Cult Filmmaker) [He was 100]
Bob Goldman (Oscar-Winning Writer, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest) [He was 90]
Jim Gordon (Drummer for Eric Clapton and Co-Writer of “Layla”)
Bill Granger (Top Chef and Entrepreneur) [He was only 54]
Bud Grant (Hall of Fame Football Coach for Minnesota Vikings) [He was 95]
Shecky Greene (Legendary Las Vegas Standup Comedian) [He was 97]
Haydn Gwynne (Actor, The Crown and The Windsors) [She was 66}

Brett Hadley (Actor, The Young and the Restless) [He was 92]
Marlene Bauer Hagge (LPGA golf Champion)
Todd Haimes (Leader of New York’s Roundabout Theater Company)
Peter Hardy (Actor, McLeod’s Daugthers and Chopper)
Sheldon Harnick (Broadway Lyricist, Fiddler on the Roof) [He was 99]
Don Harold (Vintage Train Cars Collector, helped create the New York Transit Museum) [He was 91]
CJ Harris (American Idol Season 13 finalist) [He was only 31]
Steve Harwell (Former Lead Singer of Smash Mouth) [He was only 56]
Willie Hernandez (Baseball Player)
Maurice Hines (Tap Dancer in The Cotton Club, Choreographer and brother of Gregory Hines)
Stuart Hodes (Legendary Dancer, Danced with Martha Graham) [He was 98)
Elizabeth Hoffman (Veteran Actress, Sisters) [She was 97]
Dave Hollis (Former President of Worldwide Distribution at Disney) [He was only 47]
Ellen Holly (First Black Actor to Star in Daytime TV on One Life to Live) [She was 92]
Elizabeth Hubbard (Emmy-winning Actress, As the World Turns)
Hugh Hudson (Director, Chariots of Fire)
Bobby Hull (Legendary Hockey Player)

Rudolph Isley (Singer and Songwriter for the Isley Brothers, “Shout”)

Chuck Jackson (Singer, “Any Day Now”)
Glenda Jackson (Oscar, Tony and Emmy winning Actress)
David Jacobs (Creator, Knots Landing, Dallas and Paradise)
Kyle Jacobs (Husband to Country Singer Kellie Pickler) [He was only 49]
Al Jaffee (Creator, Mad Magazine) [He was 102]
Ahmad Jamal (Pianist who inspired generations of jazz musicians) [He was 92]
Dave Jolicoeur (aka Trugoy the Dove) [Co-Founder De La Soul) [He was only 54]
Scott Johnson (Composer and Guitarist)
Dean Jones (Director, Britain’s Got Talent) [He was only 56]
Rebecca Jones (Mexican American Actress, Popular Telenovelas)
Ron Cephas Jones (Acclaimed Actor, This Is Us) [He was only 66]

Ted Kaczynski (aka the Unabomber)
Bernard Kalb (Veteran Correspondent and Former CBS News Journalist) [He was 100]
Victor J. Kemper (Cinematographer, Dog Day Afternoon and National Lampoon’s Vacation) [He was 96]
Darren Kent (Actor, Game of Thrones and Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves) [He was only 36]
Lance Kerwin (Actor, James at 15 and Salem’s Lot)
Charles Kimbrough (Actor, Murphy Brown)
Terry Kirman (Singer, Songwriter and Founding Member of Folk-Rock Band The Assocation, known for the song “Cherish”) [He was 83]
Henry Kissinger (Former Secretary of State) [He was 100]
Bobby Knight (Legendary Basketball Coach)
Jean Knight (Singer, “Mr. Big Stuff”) [She was 80]
Marty Krofft (Creator, H.R. Pufnstuf and Land of the Lost) [He was 86]
Milan Kundera (Novelist, “The Unbearable Lightness of Being”) [He was 94]

Paul La Farge (Inventive Novelist) [He was only 52]
Jim Ladd (Veteran Rock DJ and SiriusXM Host)
Denny Laine (Cofounder of The Moody Blues and longtime member of Paul McCartney’s group Wings)
Lewis Largent (Influential MTV VJ and KROQ DJ) [He was 58]
Milt Larsen (Co-Founder Magic Castle and TV Game Show Writer) [He was 92]
Michael Latt (Strategist on Social Justice Marketing Campaigns) [He was only 33]
David LaFlamme (Founder of San Francisco band It’s a Beautiful Day, who was at the forefront of the Haight-Ashbury acid-rock explosion) [He was 82]
Piper Laurie (Veteran Actress and 3-Time Oscar Nominee) [She was 91]
Norman Lear (Legendary Sitcom Creator and Producer) [He was 101]
Coco Lee (Hong Kong-Born Singer-Songwriter) [She was only 48]
Sun-kyun Lee (Actor, Parasite) [He was only 48]
Eugene Lee (Award-Winning Production Designer, Saturday Night Live)
Michael Lerner (Actor, Barton Fink)
Gina Lollobrigida (Actress and Italian Bombshell) [She was 95]
Erik Lomis (Veteran MGM Film Distribution Executive)
Cody Longo (Actor, Days of Our Lives) [He was only 34]
Lisa Loring (Former Child Actress, The Addams Family)
Laura Lynch (Founding member of the Dixie Chicks) [She was 65]
Lisa Lyon (Bodybuilding Pioneer and inspiration for Marvel’s Elektra)

Shane MacGowan (Singer-Songwriter and Frontman, The Pogues) [He was 65]
George Maharis (Actor, Route 66 and Fantasy Island)
Mark Margolis (Veteran Actor, Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad) [He was 83]
Eddie Marks (Emmy-Winning President of Western Costume company)
Ben Masters (Actor, Passions)
Thomas Kenneth Mattingly II (Astronaut, Help Apollo 13 crew return safely to Earth) [He was 87]
Burny Mattinson (Walt Disney Animation Studios Animator, Director, Producer and Story Artist)
James McCaffrey (Actor, Max Payne) [He was only 65]
David McCallum (Legendary Actor, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and NCIS) [He was 90]
Cormac McCarthy (Author, “No Country for Old Men”)
Tim McCarver (Award-Winning Broadcaster and Former World Series Champion)
Pat McCormick (4-Time Olympic Diving Champion) [He was 92]
Michael McGrath (Tony-Winning Actor, ‘Nice Work If You Can Get It) [He was only 65]
Randy Meisner (Eagles Co-Founder and Singer)
Joanna Merlin (Broadway Actress, Fiddler on the Roof then Renowned Casting Director) [She was 92]
Billy Miller (Actor, General Hospital and The Young & The Restless) [He was only 43]
Mildred Miller (Mezzo-Soprano at the Metropolitan Opera) [She was 98]
Walter Mirisch (Former President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences)
Richard Moll (Veteran Actor, Night Court) [He was 80]
Gordon E. Moore (Co-Founder, Intel, the California chip maker) [He was 94]
Max Morath (Pianist) [He was 96]
Ted Morgan [formerly Sanche de Gramont, the son of a French count] (Journalist and Author) [He was 91]
Jerry Moss (Co-Founder of A&M Records) [He was 88]

Barry Newman (Broadway and Film Actor, Vanishing Point) [He was 92]

Sinead O’Connor (Irish Singer, Musician and Grammy Winner) [She was only 56]
Paul O’Grady (Popular British Presenter of The Paul O’Grady Show and Blind Date)
Ryan O’Neal (Oscar Nominated Actor, Peyton Place, Love Story, Paper Moon) [He was 82]
Gail O’Neill (Former Fashion Model and The Early Show Correspondent)
Horace Ove (Pioneering Black British Filmmaker)

Jansen Panettiere (Child Actor and Brother of Actress Hayden Panettiere)
Hersha Parady (Actress, Little House on the Prairie)
Lara Parker (Actress, Dark Shadows) [She was 84]
Michael Parkinston (Legendary U.K. Talk Show Host) [He was 88]
Tatjana Patitz (Supermodel of the 1980’s and 1990’s) [She was only 56]
Anne Perry (Best-selling Crime Writer)
Matthew Perry (Actor, Friends) [He was only 54]
Gordon Pinsent (Canadian Actor, Due South and Away From Her) [He was 92]
Lisa Marie Presley (Singer and Daughter of Elvis Presley) [She was only 54]
Edward Pressman (Independent Producer, Wall Street, Conan the Barbarian and Badlands)

Phil Quartararo (Former Head of Warner Bros. and Virgin Records)

Paco Rabanne (Iconic Fashion Designer and Perfume Maker)
Taraja Ramsess (Stunt Performer and Set Dresser, Fast & Furious, Avengers and Black Panther) [He was only 41]
Betsy Rawls (Golf Champion and Golf Executive) [She was 95]
John Refoua (Film Editor, Avatar franchise) [He was only 58]
Keith Reid (Lyricist for British group Procol Harum and Co-Writer of 1960’s hit “A Whiter Shade of Pale”)
Paul Reubens, aka Pee-wee Herman (Actor)
Adam Rich (Actor, Eight Is Enough) [He was only 54]
Bill Richardson (Former Governor of New Mexico and Champion of Americans Held Overseas)
Lance Riddick (Actor, The Wire and John Wick franchise)
Bobby Rivers (TV Personality and Movie Critic)
Dave Robb (Veteran Hollywood Labor Reporter and Variety Alum)
Pat Robertson (Controversial Televangelist and Longtime 700 Club Host) [He was 93]
Robbie Robertson (Guitarist-Songwriter-Singer-Leader of the Canadian-American rock group The Band) [He was 80]
Rodriguez (Singer-Songwriter and Subject of 2012 Documentary Searching For Sugar Man) [He was 81]
Haim Roet (Holocaust Survivor, who read out the names of people murdered by the Nazis, starting the practice that has become a part of memorial ceremonies around the world) [He was 90]
Stan Rogow (Veteran Producer and Writer, Fame and Lizzie McGuire)
Owen Roizman (Oscar-Nominated Cinematographer, The Exorcist and The French Connection)
John Romita, Sr. (Marvel Comics Icon and Co-Creator of Wolverine) [He was 93]
Cari Ross (Communications Chief at Gersh) [She was only 59]
Gary Rossington (Last Surviving Original Member of Lynyrd Skynyrd)
Windham Rotuna aka Bray Wyatt (WWE Wrestler) [He was only 36]
Richard Roundtree (Veteran Actor, Shaft and Roots) [He was 81]
Andy Rourke (Bassist, The Smiths) [He was only 59]

Ryuichi Sakamoto (Oscar-Winning Composer, Last Emperor)
Julian Sands (Actor, A Room With a View)
Carlos Saura (Spanish Auteur) [He was 91]
Hedda Kleinfeld Schachter (Built Bridal superstore Kleinfeld’s) [She was 99]
Lynn Seymour (International Star and British Ballet Dancer)
Ruth Seymour (Former KCRW General Manager, Public Radio Pioneer, Integral Part of NPR)
Mark Sheehan (Lead Guitarist, Irish rock band The Script) [He was only 46]
Suzanne Shepherd (Actress, The Sopranos and Goodfellas) [She was 89]
Wayne Shorter (Jazz Titan and Saxophonist)
Elliot Silverstein (Director, Cat Ballou) [He was 96]
Sylvia Sims (British Films Actress, Ice Cold in Alex and Victim)
Tom Sizemore (Actor, Saving Private Ryan)
Shelley Smith (Model and Actress, The Associates and For Love and Honor)
Tom Smothers (Part of Smothers Brothers Comedy Duo) [He was 86]
Suzanne Somers (Actress, Three’s Company and Step By Step)
Jack Sonni (Guitarist, Dire Straits) [He was only 68]
Arleen Sorkin (Actress, Day of Our Lives and Original Voice of Harley Quinn) [She was only 67]
Seymour Stein (Legendary Music Executive at Sire Records; He Signed Madonna, The Ramones and Talking Heads)
Norman Steinberg (Screenwriter, Blazing Saddles and My Favorite Year)
Frances Sternhagen (Veteran Actress, Cheers and ER) [She was 93]
Stella Stevens (Actress, Girls! Girls! Girls! with Elvis Presley, The Nutty Professor and The Poseidon Adventure)
Ray Stevenson (Actor, Divergent and Thor franchises) [He was only 58]
Pedro Suárez-Vértiz (Peruvian Rock Icon) [He was only 54]
Robert Swan (Actor, The Untouchables and Hoosiers)
Inga Swenson (Actress, Benson) [She was 90]

Yukihiro Takahashi (Electronic-Music Pioneer)
The Iron Sheik (aka Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri) (Greco-Roman Wrestler and WWE Legend)
D.M. Thomas (English Novelist, “The White Hotel”)
Chaim Topol (Film and Stage Actor, Fiddler on the Roof)
Camden Toy (Actor, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel) [He was only 68]
Dorothy Tristan (Actress, Klute and End Of The Road)
Robert Trotman (Trainer, Competitive Swimming)
Shawna Trpcic (Emmy-nominated Costume Designer, The Mandalorian and Ahsoka) [She was only 56]
Lawrence Turman (Oscar-Nomination Producer, The Graduate) [He was 96]
Tina Turner (Legendary Singer, the “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll” and Actress)

Robin Wagner (Broadway Set Designer, Hair, A Chorus Line and Angels in America)
John Warnock (Co-Founded Adobe Systems, best known for inventing PDF) [He was 82]
Andre Watts (Groundbreaking Classical Music Pianist)
Nicholas Lloyd Webber (Composer and Son of Andrew Lloyd Webber) [He was only 43]
Cynthia Weil (Songwriter, “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,” “Make Your Own Kind of Music” and “On Broadway”)
Raquel Welch (Legendary Actress and International Sex Symbol) [She was 82]
Ans Westra (Famed Photographer)
Paxton Whitehead (Stage Veteran and Sitcom Character Actor, Camelot, Friends and Mad About You)
Tom Wilkinson (British Actor, The Full Monty and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel)
Cindy Williams (Legendary Actress, Laverne & Shirley)
Mars Williams (Saxophonist, Psychedelic Furs and the Waitresses) [He was only 68]
Treat Williams (Legendary Film and TV Actor, box office movie Hair and TV series Everwood and Chesapeake Shores)
George Winston (Titan of soothing Piano Instrumental Music)
Myrtle Witbooi (Domestic Servant in South Africa turned International Activist)
Oliver Wood (English Cinematographer, original Bourne trilogy and Die Hard 2)
Gary Wright (Singer, “Dream Weaver”)
John Wright (Oscar-nominated Film Editor, The Hunt for Red October and Speed)

Mike Yarwood (Comedian and Impersonator) [He was 82]
Burt Young (Actor, Rocky Franchise) [He was 83]

Benjamin Zephaniah (Acclaimed Poet and Actor, Peaky Blinders) [He was only 65]
Zeus (the Texas Great Dane who held the Guiness World Records title of World’s Tallest Living Male Dog, standing at 3 feet and 5.18 inches) [He was only 3 years old]

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

Read Full Post »

2023 Year-End Round-Up: And the Award Goes To

Posted in Awards, Music, Television, Year End Round Up on December 26, 2023| 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 following list – despite the pandemic – is just some of the top winners over the course of this year:

GOLDEN GLOBES (January)

Best Picture, Drama: The Fabelmans
Best Picture, Musical or Comedy: The Banshees of Inisherin
Best Director, Motion Picture: Steven Spielberg, The Fabelmans
Best Actor, Motion Picture, Drama: Austin Butler, Elvis
Best Actress, Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy: Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Best Supporting Actor, Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy: Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Best Supporting Actress, Motion Picture, Drama: Angela Bassett,Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Best Television Series, Drama: House of the Dragon
Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy: Abbott Elementary
Best Actor TV Drama: Kevin Costner, Yellowstone
Best Supporting Actress, Television Drama: Julia Garner, Ozark
Best Limited TV Series: The White Lotus

CRITIC’S CHOICE (January)

Best TV Drama: Better Call Saul
Best Actress, TV Drama: Zendaya, Euphoria
Best Supporting Actor, TV Drama: Giancarlo Esposito, Better Call Saul
Best Actress, TV Comedy: Jean Smart, Hacks
Best Supporting Actor, TV Comedy: Henry Winkler, Barry
Best Supporting Actress, TV Comedy: Sheryl Lee Ralph, Abbott Elementary
Best Limited TV Series: The Dropout
Best Foreign Language Series: Pachinko

GRAMMY AWARDS (February)

Record of the Year: About Damn Time by Lizzo
Album Of the Year: Harry’s House by Harry Styles
Song of the Year: Just Like That by Bonnie Raitt
Best New Artist: Samara Joy
Best Pop Solo Performance: Easy On Me, Adele
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: Higher, Michael Bublé
Best Alternative Music Album: Wet Leg
Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media: Encanto
Best Music Video: All Too Well: The Short Film, Taylor Swift
Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording: Finding Me, Viola Davis

NOTE: This makes Viola Davis the latest EGOT (winner of an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony) alum.

NAACP AWARDS (February)

Entertainer of the Year: Angela Bassett
Outstanding Motion Picture: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture: Will Smith, Emancipation
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: Viola Davis, The Woman King
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture: Jalyn Hall, Till
Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series: Angela Bassett, 9-1-1
Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special: Morris Chestnut, The Best Man: The Final Chapters

PRODUCERS GUILD (February)

Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama: The White Lotus
Outstanding Producer of Televised or Streamed Motion Pictures: Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television: Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy
The Award for Outstanding Short-Form Program: Only Murders in the Building: One Killer Question

SAG AWARDS (February)

TV, Drama Ensemble: The White Lotus
Actress, TV Drama: Jennifer Coolidge, The White Lotus
Female Actor, TV Movie or Mini Series – Jessica Chastain, George & Tammy
Male Actor, TV Movie or Mini Series – Sam Elliott, 1883
Male Actor, Leading Role: Brendan Fraser, The Whale
Stunt Ensemble: Top Gun: Maverick

WRITERS GUILD (March)

Original Screenplay: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Adapted Screenplay: Women Talking
Drama Series: Severance
Daytime Drama: Days of Our Lives

SPIRIT AWARDS (March)

Best Lead Performance, New Scripted Series: Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
Best Breakthrough Performance: Stephanie Hsu, Everything Everywhere All at Once

RAZZIE AWARDS (March)

Worst Picture: Blonde
Worst Actor: Jared Leto, Morbius
Worst Supporting Actor, Tom Hanks, Elvis
Worst Remake, Rip-Off or Sequel: Disney’s Pinocchio

OSCARS (March)

Best Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Best Lead Actress: Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Best Lead Actor: Brendan Fraser, The Whale
Best Sound: Top Gun: Maverick
Best Adapted Screenplay: Women Talking, Sarah Polley
Best Costume Design: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Ruth E. Carter
Best Supporting Actress: Jamie Lee Curtis, Everything Everywhere All at Once
Best Supporting Actor: Ke Huy Quan, Everything Everywhere All at Once

MTV MUSIC & TV AWARDS (May)

Best Movie: Scream VI
Best Show: The Last of Us
Best Performance in a Movie: Tom Cruise, Top Gun: Maverick
Best Performance in a Show: Jenna Ortega, Wednesday
Best Hero: Pedro Pascal, The Last Of Us
Best Villain: Elizabeth Olsen, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Best Breakthrough Performance: Joseph Quinn, Stranger Thing

TONY AWARDS (June)

Best Play: Leopoldstadt
Best Musical: Kimberly Akimbo
Best Revival of a Musical: Parade
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play: Sean Hayes, Good Night, Oscar
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play: Jodie Comer, Prima Facie
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical: Alex Newell, Shucked

NOTE: This is the first time a nonbinary has won a Tony Award

BET AWARDS (June)

Best Actor: Damson Idris
Best Actress: Angela Bassett
Young Stars Award: Marsai Martin
Best Movie: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Best New Artist: Coco Jones

TELEVISION CRITICS ASSOCIATION AWARDS (August)

Individual Achievement in Drama: Rhea Seehorn, Better Call Saul
Individual Achievement in Comedy: Natasha Lyonne, Poker Face
Outstanding Achievement in Family Programming: Ms. Marvel on Disney+
Outstanding Achievement in Drama: Succession

MTV VMA’S (September)

Video of the Year: Taylor Swift, Anti-Hero
Best New Artist: Ice Spice, 10K Projects
Group of the Year: Blackpink
Best Rock Video: Måneskin, The Loneliest
Video for Good: Dove Cameron, Breakfast
Show of the Summer: Taylor Swift

COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS (November)

Entertainer of the Year: Lainey Wilson
Single of the Year: Fast Car, Luke Combs
Male Vocalist of the Year: Chris Stapleton
New Artist of the Year: Jelly Roll

NEW YORK FILM CRITICS AWARDS (November)

Best Director: Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer
Best Actress: Lily Gladstone, Killer of the Flower Moon
Best Supporting Actor: Charles Melton, May December
Best Support Actress: Da’Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers
Best International Film: Anatomy of a 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

Read Full Post »

2023 Year-End Round-Up: The Tops in Music

Posted in Music, Year End Round Up on December 24, 2023| Leave a Comment »

As I’ve shared for many years now, music has always been an important part of my life. It all started when I was a little girl, listening to music while sitting in the middle of my big brothers’ shared bedroom on the their old 1970’s turntable then listening to my big boom box and later the Walkman I had in the 1980’s all the way through to my iPod in the 2000’s to now my Pandora and Spotify accounts.

I wake up to music every morning rather than a buzzing alarm; and then I go to bed with music. Music may not mean to everyone what it means to me, but it does play a crucial part in television, Broadway, theatre and the box office.

The following are just some of the top performers for 2023:

Top Single of the Year and Most Moving Song of the Year: “What Was I Made For?” – by Billie Eilish from Barbie movie

Say what you will about both Billie Eilish and the mega hit movie Barbie (not everybody likes the singer and not everybody liked the movie), but both were a hit this summer and the single continues to receive heavy airplay on the radio.

Here is the official lyric video for “What Was I Made For?”:

Duet of the Year and Top New Country Artist: “Save Me” by Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson and Jelly Roll

Jelly Roll (aka Jason Bradley DeFord) is a singer, songwriter and rapper who transitioned to country music a few years ago, taking that genre by storm, winning New Artist of the Year this year at the Country Music Association Awards. His single “Save Me” with hit country artist Lainey Wilson was a chart topper.

Here is the duo performing the song live at the 58th ACM Awards:

Most Soulful Artist: “Lose Control” by Teddy Swims

Teddy Swims (aka Jaten Colin Dimsdale) got his start on his YouTube channel and then his debut album came out in January 2020. This soulful single hit the Billboard Hot 100 chart in June and quickly rose up the charts. Listen for yourself and tell me that this isn’t a soulful tune.

Here is the official video for “Lose Control”:

She Made History Again: Tracy Chapman

The blues rocker saw her 1988 folk hit single “Fast Car” become a hit once again after country singer Luke Combs released his version of the single, which hit number one on country airplay charts and won Song of the Year at the Country Music Awards, making Chapman the first BLack songwriter to ever win that award.

Here is Luke Combs performing the song live in concert:

And, you can watch the original music video to the single by Tracy Chapman here:

Making History, Part Two: “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee

This festive song was recorded back in 1958 when Brenda Lee was all of 14 years old. The now 79 year old has become the oldest artist ever to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart with this single this year, breaking several other chart records, including out-performing chart-topper “All I Want for Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey.

Get your holiday cheer on with Brenda Lee in this new music video of that hit single here:

Having a Big Year, Yet Again: Taylor Swift

I included Swift in my music list last year, and she is right back on the list again this year because this time around she has sold nearly one out of every 15 vinyl albums in the United States this year. Her catalog of albums have sold 2.484 million copies in 2023. She is setting some other high benchmarks with the release of “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” not only debuted at No. 1 with the biggest numbers of the year, it’s one of four albums she now has in the top 10 album charts. This is the first time a woman has done that in the entire 6-decade history of there being an album chart at Billboard. And let’s not forget about her Eras Tour that had packed audiences every night and culminated in a live concert movie that hit records in and of its own.

Stealing A Little of Taylor Swift’s Thunder: Beyoncé

The pop hip-hop artist not only accepted her record-shattering 32nd Grammy trophy this year, but this win made her the most awarded musician in Grammy’s 64-year history. Then there was her Renaissance World Tour that became a cultural movement with people all over the globe not only attending the concerts and dressed en masse in silver and rhinestones. In fact, she will have generated an estimated 4.5 billion for the American economy – about as much as what the 2008 Olympis did for Beijing.

She’s Finally Grown Up and I Can Tolerate Her Music Now: Miley Cyrus

Miley has had quite the career starting out as a Disney teen idol through the TV series Hannah Montana before moving into more “mature” territory via suggestive lyrics and dance moves that rattled a lot of cages and upset the adults in her sphere. This year, though, she released the album entitled Endless Summer Vacation, which includes the hit singles “Flowers” and “Used To Be Young” that finally – in my opinion, of course – make her someone I can now tolerate to listen to on the radio.

Here is the official video for “Flowers”:

Here is the official video for “Used To Be Young”:

Top Reality Artist [TIE]: Putri Ariani and Gabriel Henrique both on America’s Got Talent

These two talented singers both earned a golden buzzer on the long-running reality series and wowed not only the judges and the in-theatre audience but the countless TV viewers with their incredible voices. Judge for yourself in the videos below:

Putri, the blind 17-year-old piano player and singer from Indonesia sang an original song that she wrote as well as Sorry Is the Hardest Word:

Gabriel is a 27-year-old Brazilian who speaks very little English but can sing like the love child of Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. Check out his incredible vocal range below:

Oh, No You Didn’t: “Try That In a Small Town” by Jason Aldean

The country artist caused a major controversy this year with this single, getting vilified by liberals and Dems alike, and of course, getting a lot of support from Southern Republicians. The single also suffered a significant drop from the charts, in fact it was one of the steepest drops from the top spot in the history of the charts. Watch the video below and judge for yourself.

Here is the official video for “Try That In a Small Town”:

Group of the Year: Boygenius

This indie group includes singer-songwriters Julie Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus, who debuted their first EP in 2018 and then returned this year with their debut studio album that has become a critical and commercial success, and their six Grammy nominations prove they deserve this accolade.

Check out the video to their single “True Blue”:

Top Female Artist of the Year: SZA

While her self-released debut EP came out back in 2012, SZA (born Solána Imani Rowe) has been working hard within the music industry, and made it to the number 2 spot on the Hitmakers chart just eking past Taylor Swift for the title. I’d say that’s quite the feat, wouldn’t you.

Here is the video for her hit single “Kill Bill”:

Top Male Artist of the Year: Morgan Wallen

The former disgraced country singer, who was caught on camera using a racial slur just two and half years ago, then his supporters sent sales of his music skyrocketing so much so that he had six singles on the Hitmakers Chart.

Here is the video for his single “Last Night,” which topped the charts:

What singer or band has been your “go-to” music during the past year? Which singles were the stand-outs for you this year? What song did you get sick of hearing on the radio? What was the top album in your opinion? Please share your thoughts on the music of 2023 below.

TOMORROW: Box Office Results

Read Full Post »

2023 Year-End Round-Up: TV Hightlights

Posted in Movies, Music, Television, Year End Round Up on December 23, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Our TV viewing was greatly hampered by the writers and actors strikes which curtailed everything for half of this year. The fall TV season will start in earnest starting in January, by the way.

But despite that TV fans have been able to enjoy their favorite shows, good, bad or otherwise. There were new shows for which we became obsessed with; outstanding performances, lots of streaming shows to get hooked on, unexpected departures and much, much more.

Please join me as I focus on the top highlights for 2023 (listed in no particular order):

Top Actress (TIE): Devery Jacobs in Reservation Dogs (FX on Hulu) and Laura Birn in Foundation (Apple TV+)

Devery has earned rave reviews for playing Elora Danan Postoak, one of four Indigenous teenagers in rural Oklahoma in a small town in the Muscogee Nation dealing with the death of a friend and dreaming of moving to California.

Laura Birn plays the enigmatic robot Demerzel, a loyal aide to the Emperor of the Galaxy, who seems almost human, but clearly isn’t. She has had an intricate, and sometimes sordid, relationship with the multiple centuries-long versions of the Emperor.

Fresh New Face – Sadie Laflamme-Snow in The Way Home (Hallmark Channel)

This relative newcomer plays Alice Dhawan, the third generation of the Landry women, who discovers time travel thanks to a small pond on the vast property owned by her grandmother Del.

Impressive Cast of a Cancelled Show – Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies (Paramount+)

The four lead girls in this short-lived musical rom-com drama – Marisa Davila, Cheyenne Isabel Wells, Ari Notartomaso and Tricia Fukuhara – were really quite impressive not only with the moving musical numbers but also the complicated, yet timely, relationships with their families, lovers, and classmates.

Best Performances [TIE] – Arsema Thomas in Queen Charlotte (Netflix) and Freya Allan in The Witcher (Netflix)

Taking on the younger version of Lady Danbury was no easy feat, but Arsema played the role effortlessly, giving viewers a behind-the-scenes look at what the fair Lady had to endure in her marriage to a much older man, and the path that she took to get where she was in Bridgerton.

Playing Princess Cintra, aka Ciri, opposite Henry Cavill and Anya Chalotra cannot be an easy thing, but Freya really excelled in the episode that found Ciri transported into unfamiliar territory where she was threatened in tangible and hallucinatory ways until she stepped into her power. It was a tour de force performance by the young actress.

Best Young Actress – Jordyn McIntosh in Unprisoned (Hulu)

Jordyn plays the imaginary, younger version of Paige Alexander (portrayed by Kerry Washington) in this almost odd-couple-like streaming series. This youngster is a perfect “mini Paige” not only mirroring her attire but also her mannerism. Well done!

Honorable Mention (Young Actress) – Skywalker Hughes played Sheridan, the eldest daughter in the recently cancelled Spectrum-turned-Paramount+ drama Joe Pickett; and while the show’s first season aired in 2021, I didn’t see that season until this fall, and I have to say I was blown away by this young girl’s performance throughout the show’s debut season especially the nail biting season finale.

Surprise TV Performance in the Streaming Ratings – Suits (Netflix)

This former USA Network series debuted back in the summer of 2011, running for 8 seasons as part of the “Blue Sky” programming for which that cabler became synonymous, and also brought Meghan Markle to the attention of avid TV viewers well before she ever met (and later married) a certain royal. This year Suits crossed 3 billion minutes watched for seven weeks in a row on Netflix, the first title to ever do so on the Nielsen Streaming Top 10. But I have to ask, where were all those viewers when the show was actually airing from 2011 to 2019?

Stand Out Performance – Betty Gilpin in Mrs. Davis (Peacock)

While this series may have been heavy on the absurdity, Betty’s performance of Sister Simone was glorious as each twist and turn of the, at times, hard to follow story was nothing short of divine. Despite the far-fetched storyline – a nun battling against an unseen AI, which sent her on a quest to destroy the Holy Grail – the viewer couldn’t help but root for Simone’s journey to be fruitful.

Best Companion – Betty the dog in Will Trent (ABC)

This adorable little Chihuahua is unlike other puppy companions in police dramas, flipping the typical trope over. Betty is not a trained K-9 but rather a loyal companion, who was found by Will Trent tied up alone in his neighborhood. He was reluctant, at first, to take her in, but she has proven to not be a mighty little soul but also a wonderful little partner to the detective.

Emotional End to a Series – A Million Little Things (ABC)

After five seasons on the air and culminating in 87 episodes, this series came to an end in May with a moving, albeit heartbreaking, video being watched by a now 16-year-old Javier Mendez, interspersed with scenes of Maggie visiting Gary’s gravesite and the whole family gathered together to celebrate the young man’s birthday, finishing with the next generation of the four families together for a hockey game.

Here is the video of the final scene of A Million Little Things:

Handsome Newcomer – Brendan Sklenar in 1923 (Paramount+)

Brendan has been acting for a decade, but it was his role of Spencer Dutton, the nephew of Jacob Dutton and ancestor to modern-day John Dutton in Yellowstone that had heads turning from the pilot episode where he faced down not only a giant lion and a massive leopard to his love affair with Alexandra, a well-to-do British woman and that oh so sexy beachside honeymoon with her that had viewers swooning.

Most Talked About TV Death – Logan Roy in Succession (HBO)

While I personally never watched the critically acclaimed and highly awarded drama starring Brian Cox, the death of the character he portrayed for four seasons seemed to truly reverberate with viewers; and how he died (SPOILER ALERT!) – dropping dead on his private plane – seemed almost an unjust, yet fitting, end to a complex and cold-hearted man.

Best TV Season Yet – Season 3 of Sweet Magnolias (Netflix)

For viewers who have been watching the series since its beginning near the onset of the COVID pandemic (May of 2020 to be exact), this series about 3 best friends in the heart of the South has touched their hearts. The show’s third season may have been lauded by some as its best season yet (I am in that corner) while others have not been as colorful in their prose about the show, I think if you love stories about flawed yet strong women who support, cajole and even criticize each other but are always there for one another, then you’ll want to watch this show.

Best Performance in a Critically Panned Series – Kingsley Ben-Adir in Secret Invasion (Disney+)

This series within the Marvel Cinematic Universe received very mixed reviews, especially the final battle scene between G’iah (Emilia Clarke) and Gravik (Kingsley Ben-Adir), which left a pretty bad taste in the mouths of fans of the long-running franchise. That being said, though, Ben-Adir was the epitome of a bad guy with his vehement hatred of not only the human race but also specifically Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). He ruled every scene he was in and really stole the show.

Moving Moments [Three Way TIE] – Alexandra Breckenridge in Virgin River (Netflix) and Allison Miller in A Million Little Things (ABC) and Elizabeth Tulloch in Superman & Lois (The CW)

Alexandra Breckenridge was fantastic in season 5 of the popular Netflix series Virgin River, especially giving the nearly breaking point she reached when her character Mel Monrole suffered a miscarriage halfway through the season. Watching the devastation – once again – that Mel had to deal with all while the town of Virgin River was in danger was palpable. It was three episodes of heartbreaking scenes: Mel performing the ultrasound on herself, collapsing into Jack’s arms as she broke the news to him and then coming face to face with the reality of what happened. It was a bravura performance, to say the least.

The final season of A Million Little Things was a tearjerker to say the least, but one of the breakout moments was watching Allison Miller as Maggie Bloom Mendez deal with the impending death of her husband Gary, whose battle with cancer was coming to an end. Her pain and grief was clear as her whole body showed how raw she was. It was devastating to watch, but an amazing piece of work by a talented actress.

For a superhero series to focus on a real-life issue is quite something different, but Superman & Lois focused on a cancer diagnosis for Lois Lane deftly. Elizabeth Tulloch gave a haunting performance with vacant stares, nailing her struggle of trying to act as if nothing had changed in her life despite her world being shattered.

Top Actor – Zahn McClarnon in Dark Winds (AMC)

Zahn has been acting for over 35 years, playing quite a number of “heavys” in his time, but it has been his turn as Sheriff Joe Leaphorn in the acclaimed AMC drama that has finally garnered him some much needed, albeit long-overdue, attention. In the second season of the series, he was given the opportunity to cover so many emotions in gut-wrenching fashion that according to critics it was “a sight to behold.”

Best Guest Actor – Mark Lewis Jones in Outlander (Starz)

As much as fans of the long-running series reviled Tom Christie for his unpleasantness, his religious rigidity and his, at times, barely contained resentment of Jamie Fraser, Mark Lewis Jones portrayed Tom in refreshingly honest way when the man revealed his love for Claire, Jamie’s wife, and admitted (albeit falsely) that he was the person who killed Malva, his daughter, not Claire, who was being blamed for the wayward girl’s death. It was quite a sight to be seen.

Best New Character – Ramon Rodriguez in Will Trent (ABC)

Being the lead in a brand new TV drama can be hard work, but Ramon Rodriguez in the title role of Will Trent made it look easy. His character has a lot of quirks combined with a very heartbreaking backstory, but those quirks actually help in his work with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. He was especially impressive when he learned out the truth about his birth mother and how his boss Amanda Wagner became a surrogate mom to him.

Best Speech – Tommy Vega on 9-1-1: Lone Star (FOX)

Gina Torres has played Tommy Vega in the spin-off series since its second season, and this season Tommy dipped her toe into the dating scene for the first time after losing her beloved husband. She ended up dating the new minister (who she helped save from a torrent of falling frogs in the season opener), but when the church gossips got to be a bit too much, Tommy gave her own, powerful sermon, striking those women quite a deserved blow.

Honorable Mentions – Whitney Cummings and Stephanie Nogueras in Accused (FOX)

Whitney and Stephanie appeared in separate installments of this new anthology series and both received kudos for their performances.

Whitney played Brenda, a stand-up comedian until she was raped by a successful peer (and former “hook-up”), who took advantage of that “connection” to brutalize her. Her portrayal of Brenda was nothing short of heartbreaking, as she was let down by her pseudo boss at the comedy club, a reluctant DA and, especially, a new acquaintance.

Stephanie played Ava, a Deaf surrogate who decided to kidnap the baby she gave birth to for another couple because she suspected the couple would not let their Deaf child grow up in a signing environment. It was an ill-advised move, but one that brought to the forefront the Deaf community, and showcased her talent as she showed such passion in her signing when on the witness stand.

Worst Show – The Idol (HBO)

The creator of this show has been created with saying that this new series “would be the biggest show of the summer,” but sadly it was easily not that at all; in fact, according to some critics the show was torturous, nasty, brutish and much longer than it needed to be, making it “worthy” of the worst show of the year.

Best Couple – Chenford, Lucy Chen and Tim Bradford in The Rookie (ABC)

It took quite a while for Chenford (actors Melissa O’Neil and Eric Winter) to go on their first date – season 5, episode 10 to be exact – but it was worth the wait even though the sit-down dinner was awkwardly interrupted by their work, their do-over date was so much better, and just reconfirmed they are so right for each other.

Best Musical Performance – Sam Claflin and Riley Keough in Daisy Jones & the Six (Prime Video)

Watching Daisy Jones (Keough) and Billy Dunne (Claflin) perform as the lead singers of the fictionalized title band in this limited series was quite captivating because they made it look so effortless, but the devastating behind the scenes interactions of these two were just as thrilling to watch.

What have been the stand-out moments on the small screen (networks or streaming) for you? Who was your favorite actor for the year? What series, special or TV event disappointed you the most? Please share your thoughts on TV from this year below.

TOMORROW: Music Moments

Read Full Post »

2022 Year-End Round Up: Faces of 2022

Posted in Movies, Music, Television, Year End Round Up on December 29, 2022| 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:

Nicole Lecky – The 30-something English-Jamaican writer and actress (who is a quadruple threat: creator, writer, actress and singer-songwriter) hit it big with the BBC America and AMC drama series Mood, which was based on her 2019 one-woman show that debuted last month. Among her other credits are writing for the series E20, a spin-off of the British soap opera EastEnders and appearing in the British series Doctors and Casualty along with the streaming series Sense8.

Iman Vellani – Iman is a rising newcomer who landed the lead role of Kamala Khan in the Disney+ series Ms. Marvel, becoming the first Muslim to play a key superhero in a live-action Marvel adaptation. This is her first role ever, and since she is a big fan of the genre (calling herself a “full-on fangirl,” not to mention she dressed up as Kamala Khan for Halloween when she was younger, she is having quite a year. She will reprise her role in next summer’s The Marvels.

Isabel May – This native Californian landed the plum role of Elsa Dutton in the Taylor Sheridan-Yellowstone prequel series 1883, which debuted at the beginning of this year. She started her career on the Netflix comedy series Alexa & Katie and had a recurring role on Young Sheldon. She also appeared in the movies I Want You Back and Run Hide Fight. She’ll next be seen in the indie heist film The Smack with Casey Affleck.

Troy Kotsur – Troy made history this year by not only being the first deaf man to be nominated for an acting Oscar and the second deaf actor to be nomimated for an Oscar as well as becoming the first deaf man to win the golden idol for his role as devoted father, and randy husband, Frank Rossi in the acclaimed film CODA, which won for Best Picture at this year’s Oscars. In the past, he has appeared in episodes of Strong Medicine, CSI: NY, Scrubs and Criminal Minds.

Quinta Brunson – It’s been quite a year for Quinta with the debut of her hit ABC comedy Abbott Elementary (which she created) in December of 2021. Since then the show has received critical acclaim and made her the first black woman to be nominated for acting, writing and producing in Emmy history. She has won awards for her role in the show from the Hollywood Critics Assocation and the Television Critics Association too. Her past TV appearances include guest starring roles in iZombie, Single Parents and Miracle Workers. She also played Oprah Winfrey in the The Al Yankovic Story,

Sydney Sweeney – This 24-year old has had a big year with her double Emmy nominations for her leading roles in the HBO dramas Euphoria and The White Lotus; and she has landed a role in the upcoming Marvel film Madame Web that will star Dakota Johnson in the title role. Sydney has appeared in episodes of Pretty Little Liars, The Handmaid’s Tale and Sharp Objects as well as the box office film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

Melanie Lynskey – With nearly 30 years of industry work under her belt, including roles in the TV comedy Two and a Half Men and the box office favorites Ever After and Sweet Home Alabama, Melanie has a lot for which to be proud. That being said, it has been her role in the much-buzzed about Showtime drama Yellowjackets that has landed her a great deal of attention with praise galore. It’s been a long time coming and well deserved.

Amber Midthunder – Some viewers will remember her for her work in the Dan Stevens-led mind-binder series Legion or for her role in the rebooted series Roswell, New Mexico, but it was her lead role of Naru, the skilled warrior of the Comanche Nation in the box office film Prey that was a prequel to the Predators franchise.

Daryl McCormack – This relative newcomer from Ireland appeared in TV shows like Vikings and Peaky Blinders, but it was his turn as a gigolo in the Sundance hit Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, starring alongside Emma Thompson. He has also appeared in the much-talked-about Apple TV+ series Bad Sisters and appeared in the fantasy series The Wheel of Time.

The cast of Squid Game – This Netflix survival series took the world by storm, changing the landscape of TV and garnering the series and its cast with a Golden Globe win, three Screen Actors Guild awards, two Critics Choice Awards, 14 Emmy nominations and a special award at the AFI awards as well as a greenlit reality series.

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 2023

Read Full Post »

2022 Year-End Round-Up: In Remembrance

Posted in Books, Condolences, Movies, Music, Television, Year End Round Up on December 27, 2022| Leave a Comment »

The following industry personalities, athletes, politicians (etc.) passed away in 2022 and heartfelt condolences are extended to their families, friends and fans.

The celebrities we have lost this year are (in alphabetical order):

Shinzo Abe (Former Japanese Prime Minister)
Neal Adams (Batman Comic Artist)
Shireen Abu Akleh (Al Jazeera Journalist)
Madeleine Albright (First Female Secretary of State)
Ian Alexander Jr. (Musician, DJ and son of Actress and Director Regina King) [He was only 26]
Marie Alice (Actress, A Different World and Spakle)
Kirstie Alley (Actress, Cheers, Veronica’s Closet and Look Who’s Talking)
Louie Anderson (Comedian; Emmy Winning Actor, Baskets and Family Feud Host)
John Aniston (Veteran Actor, Days of Our Lives and Jennifer Aniston’s Father)
David A. Arnold (Standup Comedian and Showrunner)
Nicki Aycox (Actress, Supernatural) [She was 47]

Angelo Badalamenti (Composer, Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive)
Rebecca Balding (Actress, Soap and the original Charmed)
Jim Balfe (father of actress Caitriona Balfe from Outlander)
Darius Barnes (Broadway dancer and choreographer)
Jules Bass (Producer and Director, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman)
Luke Bell (Country Artist, Cowboy and Troubadour) [He was only 32]
Jana Bennett (Former President and General Manager of the History Channel and Former Director at the BBC)
Marilyn Bergman (Oscar-, Emmy- and Grammy-winning songwriter, “The Way We Were”)
David Birney (Actor, St. Elsewhere and Bridget Loves Bernie)
Stephanie Bissonnette (Broadway Star, Mean Girls) [She was only 32]
June Blair (Actress, Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet) [She was 90]
Peter Bogdanovich (Iconic Director, The Last Picture Show and Paper Moon)
Stephan Bonnar (Legendary Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Bellator fighter) [He was only 45]
Lee Bontecou (Legendary Artist) [She was 91]
Stephen “tWitch” Boss (Dancer, DJ and Co-Executive Producer, So You Think You Can Dance and The Ellen DeGeneres Show) [He was 40]
Traci Braxton (Singer and Star of Braxton Family Values alongside her sisters Toni and Tamar) [She was only 50]
David Brenner (Film Editor, Justice League and Independence Day)
Raymond Briggs (Creator of “The Snowman’ picture book) [He was 88]
Todd Brodginski (Veteran Music Publicist and Art Garfunkel’s Manger)
Peter Brook (Tony-Winning British Theater Director) [He was 97]
Johnny Brown (Veteran Actor, Good Times)
June Brown (Veteran British Actress, EastEnders) [She was 95]

James Caan (Actor, The Godfather and Las Vegas)
Patrick Carlin (Author, Comedy Writer and Older Brother of Comedian George Carlin) [He was 90]
Irene Cara (Iconic 1980’s Singer-Actress, Fame and Flashdance)
Pat Carroll (Emmy Winner and voice of Disney’s Ursula)
Dick Carson (Director, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and younger brother to Johnny Carson) [He was 92]
Jeff Carson (Award-Winning Country Artist and Songwriter ) [He was 58]
Aaron Carter (Pop Singer and Younger Brother of Nick Carter from Backstreet Boys) [He was only 34]
Robbie Coltrane (Actor, Hagrid in the Harry Potter franchise)
Coolio (Rapper, Best Known for “Gangster’s Paradise”)
Kevin Conroy (Iconic Voice of Animated Batman)
Tim Considine (Disney Legend and Actor, My Three Sons and original The Mickey Mouse Club)
Ann Turner Cook (Face of Gerber’s Baby Food) [She was 95]
Zuri Craig (America’s Got Talent Finalist and Collaborator of Tyler Perry)
Bernard Cribbins (British Actor, Grandfather to Donna Tate on Doctor Who) [He was 93]
Carl Croneberg (Deaf Swedish Immigrant, Helped write first comprehensive ASL dictionary) [He was 92]
Julee Cruise (Icon Singer, Twin Peaks theme song)

David Davis (Comedy Writer, Bob Newhart Show and Taxi)
Charlbi Dean (Actress, Black Lightning) [She was only 32]
Emilio Delgado (Actor, Sesame Street)
Robert Breck Denny, Jr. (Writer and Actor, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Member of The Groundlings) [He was only 34]
Jan DeWitt (50-Year Veteran Producer, Bones and Judging Amy)
Tony Dow (Actor, Leave It To Beaver)
Denise Dowse (Actress, Insecure and Beverly Hills 90210)
Lamont Dozier (Motown Legend, Singer-Songwriter-Producer, Mastermind behind songs like “Baby Love” and “Two Hearts”)
Shonka Dukureh (Actress-Singer, Played Big Mama Thornton in 2022 Elvis) [She was only 44]

Sonya Eddy (Actress and Beloved General Hospital Star) [She was 55]
James Edwards (Major Figure in British Music Industry) [He was only 31]
Ned Eisenberg (Actor, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Mare of Easttown)
Ralph Emery (Country Music DJ and TV Host)
Charles Entenmann (Builder of the Baked Goods Empire) [He was 92]
Zack Estrin (Writer-Producer, Prison Break and Lost in Space) [He was 51]
Nicholas Evans (Author, The Horse Whisperer)

Ben Feigin (Executive Producer, Schitt’s Creek)
Ryan Fellows (Cast Member on Discovery series Street Outlaws) [Died in Car Crash; He was only 41]
Bobbie Faye Ferguson (Actress, Designing Women, Dallas and Dukes of Hazzard)
Steve Fickinger (Tony-Winning Producer, “Dear Evan Hansen”)
Bert Fields (Consummate Hollywood/Entertainment Lawyer) [He was 93]
Nikki Finke (Founder of Deadline and Iconoclastic Journalist)
Andy Fletcher (Founding Member of Depeche Mode)
Louise Fletcher (Oscar Winning Actress, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest)
Farrah Forke (Actress, Wings and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman) [She was 54]
Jason David Frank (Actor, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers) [He was 49]
Dallas Frazier (Songwriter, “Elvira,” “Alley Oop” and “Beneath Still Waters”)
Budd Friedman (Founder of The Improv Comedy Club) [He was 90]

Gallagher (Well-Known Comedian)
Mickey Gilley (Country Music Icon)
Clarence Gilyard, Jr. (Actor, Die Hard and Walker, Texas Ranger)
Jean-Luc Godard (King of France’s New Wave Cinema) [He was 91]
Mikhail Gorbachev (Last Soviet leader who ended the Cold War) [He was 91]
Gilbert Gottfried (Comedian)
Heather Gray (Executive Producer of “The Talk”) [She was only 50]
Jeremiah Green (Co-founder and Drummer, Rock Band Modest Mouse) [He was 45]
Stephen Greif (Actor, The Crown and Blake’s 7)
Robyn Griggs (Soap Opera Actress, One Life to Live and Another World) [She was only 49]
Clu Gulager (Veteran Actor, The Virginian and Return of the Living Dead) [He was 93]

Mike Hagerty (Actor, Friends and Somebody, Somewhere)
Patrick Haggerty (Trailblazing Gay Country Star)
Philip Baker Hall (Veteran Actor, The Loop, Falcon Crest and Seinfeld) [He was 90]
Scott Hall (WWE Hall of Famer)
Thich Nhat Hanh (Zen Master and Buddhist Monk) [He was 95]
Estelle Harris (Veteran Actress, Seinfeld) [She was 93]
Franco Harris (Legendary Football Player, Pittsburgh Steelers)
William “Poogie” Hart (Lead Singer of Soul Group Delfonics)
John Hartman (Founding Drummer of The Doobie Brothers)
Dwayne Haskins (Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback) [He was only 24]
Shelley Haus (Chief Marketing Officer of Ulta Beauty) [She was only 49]
Ronnie “Hawk” Hawkins (Rocabilly Singer, Mentor to The Band)
Rosa Lee Hawkins (Singer from The Dixie Cups, “Chapel of Love”)
Taylor Hawkins (Drummer, Foo Fighters) [He was only 50]
Anne Heche (Actress, Men In Trees)
Brad William Henke (Former NFL Player and Actor, Orange Is the New Black)
Howard Hesseman (Actor, Head of the Class and WKRP in Cincinnati)
Dwayne Hickman (Actor, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis)
Mike Hodges (British Director, Get Carter and Croupier) [He was 90]
Nick Holly (Manager, Writer, Producer and Co-Creator of ABC comedy Sons & Daughters) [He was 51]
Georgia Holt (Singer, Actress and Mother of Cher) [She was 96]
Bo Hopkins (Actor, American Graffiti and The Wild Bunch)
Joan Hotchkis (Veteran Stage and Screen Actress, The Odd Couple and Legacy) [She was 95]
Marsha Hunt (Blacklisted Actress and Activist) [She was 104]
William Hurt (Oscar-Winning Actor)

Gregory Itzin (Actor, 24)

Michael Robin Jackson (LA Talk Radio Personality)
Conrad Janis (Veteran Actor, Mork & Mindy)
Anthony “A.J.” Johnson (Actor, House Party and Friday) [He was 55]
Brad Johnson (Actor, Always and the original Melrose Place)
L.Q. Jones (Veteran Actor, The Wild Bunch, Casino and The Legend of Zorro) [He was 94]
Leslie Jordan (Actor, Writer and Singer)
Marvin Josephson (Founder, ICM Partners) [He was 95]
Naomi Judd (Matriarch of The Judds and mother to Wynonna and Ashley)
Max Julien (Actor, 1973 Blaxploitation classic The Mack)

Robert A. Katz (Producer, Gettysburg and Selena)
Takahashi Kazuki (Creator, Yu-Gi-Oh!)
Jack Kehler (Character Actor, The Main the High Castle and The Big Lebowski)
Sally Kellerman (Actress, Original Movie MASH)
Jessica Klein (Producer and Writer, Beverly Hills 90210)
Howie Kleinberg (Top Chef Fan Fave) [He was only 46]
Jak Knight (Stand-Up Comedian) [He was only 28]
Charles Koppelman (Legendary Music Executive and Former Chairman of Martha Stewart’s Company)
Michael Kopsa (Actor, Hallmark Channel movies)
Krishna (Major Star of 1980’s Telgui Cinema and Father of Star Mahesh Babu)
Hardy Kruger (German Actor, A Bridge Too Far, Hatari! and Barry Lyndon)
Cheslie Kryst (Former Miss USA 2019 and Correspondent for Extra) [She was only 30]
Oleksandra “Sasha” Kuvshynova (Journalist) [Killed in Ukraine] (She was only 24)

Art Laboe (Legendary Radio DJ who coined “Oldies but Goodies”)
Alan Ladd Jr. (Son of legendary actor Alan Ladd, Oscar-Winning Producer and Influential Motion Picture Executive)
Guy Lafleur (Legendary Montreal Canadiens player)
Bappi Lahiri (Bollywood Composer and Singer)
Edie Landau (Producer, The David Susskind Show and Executive President of the National Telefilm Associates) [She was 95]
Angela Landsbury (Veteran Actress, Murder She Wrote)
Mark Lanegan (Singer, Screaming Trees and Queens of the Stone Age)
Michael Lang (Co-Creator of the 1969 Woodstock Festival)
Mike Lang (Leading Jazz and Studio Pianist)
Stephen J. Lawrence (Composer, Sesame Street)
Quentin Oliver Lee (Broadway Actor and Opera Singer)
Kevin Levene (Pioneering Guitarist and Co-Found of the Clash)
Jerry Lee Lewis (Rock Pioneer and Singer)
Lil Keed (Atlanta-based Rapper) [He was only 24]
Ray Liotta (Actor, Goodfellas and Field of Dreams)
Jon Lind (A&R Executive and Songwriter “Boogie Wonderland,” “Crazy for You”)
Sacheen Littlefeather (Native Americn Activist Who Declined Marlon Brando’s Oscar)
Bob LuPone (Actor and Brother of Broadway Icon Patti LuPone)
Loretta Lynn (Country Music Legend) [She was 90]

Patricia MacLachlan (Award-Winning Author, “Sarah, Plain and Tall”)
Lata Mangeshkar (Bollywood Singer, Known as the ‘Nighingale of India’) [She was 92]
Mary Mara (Actress, Nash Bridges, Law & Order and ER)
Jane Marczewski [aka Nightbirde] (Fan Favorite Season 16 contestant on America’s Got Talent) [She was only 31]
Stuart Margolin (TV Director, Actor and two-time Emmy winner, The Rockford Files)
Ron Masak (Actor, Murder She Wrote)
Dan McCafferty (Frontman of Scottish Rock Band Nazareth)
David McCullough (Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author) [He was 89]
Bob McGrath (One of the Original Human Stars on Sesame Street) [He was 90]
Virginia McLaurin (Sharecropper Daught in Jim Crow South/Danced with Barack & Michelle Obama at the Whitte House) [She was 113 by her accounting, as she had no birth certificate]
Dale McRaven (Creator, Mork & Monday and Perfect Strangers)
Christine McVie (Fleetwood Mac, Singer-Songwriter-Keyboardist)
Meat Loaf (Singer, “Bat Out of Hell”)
Marijane Meaker (Autor, 1952 novel “Spring Fire” among countless other books) [She was at 95]
Yvette Mimieux (Actress, The Time Machine, The Black Hole, Where the Boys Are and Toys in the Attic)
Nicky Moore (Lead Singer of heavy metal band Samson)
Tommy Morgan (Harmonica Soloist for Dances With Wolves and Roots) [He was 89]
Robert Morse (Veteran Actor, Mad Men) [He was 90]
Roger E. Mosley (Actor, the original Magnum P.I.)
Virginia Patton Moss (Last Surviving Adult Cast Member of It’s a Wonderful Life)
Manfred Thierry Mugler (French Fashion Designer)

Mace Neufeld (Longtime producer, Patriot Game and Beverly Hills Cop III) [He was 93]
Olivia Newton-John (Grammy-Winning Singer and Actress, Grease and Xanadu)
Nichelle Nichols (Veteran Actress, Original Star Trek) [She was 89]
Monty Norman (Composer, James Bond Theme) [He was 94]

Terrence O’Hara (TV Director, NCIS and JAG)
Mo Ostin (Top Executive at Warner Bros.-Reprise Records for more than three decades) [He was 95]

Mimi Parker (Vocalist and Drummer for the band Low)
Tom Parker (The Wanted, British-Irish Boy Band) [He was only 33]
Fred Parris (Singer from The Five Satins, “In The Still Of The Night”)
Pelé (Soccer Legend) [He was 82]
D.H. Peligro (Drummer of Legendary Punk Rock Band Dead Kennedys)
Bill Pence (Co-Founder of the Telluride Film Festival) [He was 82]
Bob Penny (Veteran Actor, Forrest Gump and Sweet Home Alabama)
George Perez (Comic Book Artist, Wonder Woman and Teen Titans)
Nehemiah Persoff (Actor, Yentl and Some Like it Hot) [He was 102]
Wolfgang Peterson (Director, Air Force One and Das Boot)
Leslie Phillips (Actor in Harry Potter franchise as the voice of The Sorting Hat) [He was 98]
Svika Pick (Israeli King of Pop and Eurovision Winner)
Anita Pointer (Member of the Pointer Sisters)
Sidney Poiteir (Revered Actor, Oscar-Winning Trailblazer and Civl Rights Activist) [He was 94]
Jesse Powell (R&B Singer and Grammy Nominee)
Julie Powell (Food Writer of Julia Child Recipe Blog – Amy Adams played her in Julia & Julie movie) [She was only 49]
Pope Benedict XVI (German Pope from 2005 to 2013) [He was 95]
Albert Pyun (Action Director, Nemesis, Cyborg and Captain America)

Queen Elizabeth (Longest-Reigning Monarch in British History) [She was 96]

Bob Rafelson (Director, Five Easy Pieces and Co-Creator of The Monkees)
Teddy Ray (Stand-Up Comedian and Actor) [He was only 32]
Julia Reichert (Oscar-Winning Documentarian)
Ivan Reitman (Legendary Director, Ghostbusters)
Brent Renaud (U.S. Documentary Filmmaker) [He was only 50] [Killed in Ukraine]
Hargus “Pig” Robbins (Country Hall of Fame Piano Player)
Peter Robbins (Voice Actor, Original Voice of Charlie Brown in Peantus cartoons)
Cormac Roth (Musician and Son of Actor Tim Roth) [He was only 25]
Art Rupe (Specialty Records Founder and Rock ‘n’ Roll Pioneer) [He was 104]
Bill Russell (11-Time NBA Champion and First Black Head Coach in US Pro Sports) [He was 88]
Mitchel Ryan (Veteran Actor, Dark Shadows, Lethal Weapon and Dharma & Greg)
Bobby Rydell (1960’s Pop Idol and Star of Bye Bye Birdie)

Bob Saget (Stand-Up Comedian and Actor, Full House and Host, America’s Funniest Home Videos)
Pharoah Sanders (Boundary-Pushing Jazz Saxophonist)
Marnie Schulenburg (Actress, As the World Turns and One Life to Live) [She was only 37]
Vin Scully (Legendary Announcer for the LA Dodgers) [He was 94]
Jim Seals (Seals and Crofts 70’s soft-rock duo)
Bernard Shaw (Legendary CNN Broadcaster) [He was 82]
Liz Sheridan (Veteran Actress on Broadway and on TV in Seinfeld and ALF)
Mark Shields (Political Analyst for PBS News Hour and CNN’s Capital Gang)
Oksana Shvets (Revered Ukranian Actress) [Killed in Russian Rocket Attack]
Charles Siebert (Actor, Trapper John M.D.)
Henry Silva (Veteran Actor, Ocean’s Eleven and The Manchurian Candidate) [He was 94]
Joanna Simon (Opera Singer and Sister of Carly Simon)
Lucy Simon (Singer, Broadway Composer and Sister of Carly Simon)
Joyce Sims (R&B Singer-Songwriter)
Tony Siragus (Former NFL PLayer) [He was 55]
Tony Sirico (Actor, The Sopranos)
Paul Sorvino (Actor, Goodfellas and Law & Order)
Ronnie Spector (Lead Singer of 60’s girl group The Ronettes)
Carol Speed (Actress, Blaxploitation film The Mack and Horror classic Abby)
Willie Spense (Season 19 American Idol Runner-Up) [He was only 23]
Meghan Stabile (New Jazz Impresario) [She was only 39]
Susie Steiner (Author of Acclaimed British Crime Novels) [She was only 51]
Morgan Stevens (Actor, Fame and Melrose Place)
Austin Stoker (Veteran Actor, Assault on Precinct 13 and Sheba, Baby) [He was 92]
Larry Storch (Actor, F Troop) [He was 6 months shy of his 100th birthday]
Alec John Such (First Bassist and Founding Member, Bon Jovi)

Marva Hicks Taha (Broadway and TV Actress)
Akira Takarada (Veteran Actor, Star of Original Godzilla and Voiceover Artist) [He was 87]
Takeoff (Rapper) [He was only 28]
Andre Leon Talley (Former America’s Next Top Model Judge and Fashion Icon)
Joe E. Tata (Actor, Beverly Hills, 90210)
Dax Tejera (Executive Producer, ABC’s This Week) [He was only 37]
Judy Tenuta (Accordian-Playing ‘Love Goddess’ Comedian)
Terry Tolkin (Veteran A&R Executive for Elektra Records)
Jean-Louis Trintignant (French Actor, A Man and a Woman and Amour) [He was 91]
Trouble aka Skoob (Atlanta Rapper) [He was only 35]
Ivana Trump (Donald Trump’s former wife)
Brett Tuggle (Keyboardist for Fleetwood Mac and David Lee Roth)
Joe Turkel (Bartender in The Shining and Blade Runner) [He was 94]

Gaspard Ulliel (French Actor, Moon Knight)

Vangelis (Oscar-Winning Composer Chariots of Fire)
Ronan Vibert (Actor, Saving Mr. Banks and The Snowman) [He was 58]
Leon Vitali (Actor, Barry Lyndon and Personal Assistant to Stanley Kubrick)
Monica Vitti (Actress, Italian movies L’Avventura and La Notte)
Lenny Von Dohlen (Actor, Twin Peaks)

Grant Wahl (Soccer Journalist) [He passed away while covering the World Cup in Qatar]
Jackie Walorski (Indiana US Representative)
Barbara Walters (Legendary News Anchor, TV Interviewer and TV Host) [She was 93]
Fred Ward (Actor, The Right Stuff and Tremors)
Shane Warne (Legendary Former Australian Cricket Player and TV Commentator) [He was 52]
David Warner (British Actor, The Omen, Tron, Time Bandits)
Shirley Watts (Wife of Rolling Stones Drummer Charlie Watts)
Kenneth Welsh (Actor, Twin Peaks and The Day After Tomorrow)
Vivienne Westwood (Legendary English fashion designer who helped to popularize punk style)
Bobbie Whiteman (Longtime Variety Editor)
Don Wilson (Co-Founder of Rock-N-Roll Group The Ventures)

Shimada Yoko (Golden Globe Winner playing Mariko in 1980s TV series Shogun)

Pierre Zakrzewski (Fox News Cameraman) [Killed in Ukraine]
Jon Zazula (Legendary Metal Label Megaforce Records)

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

Read Full Post »

2022 Year-End Round Up: Award Winners

Posted in Awards, Movies, Music, Television, Year End Round Up on December 26, 2022| 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 showcases just some of the top winners over the course of 2022.

GOLDEN GLOBES (January)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama – Will Smith, King Richard
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy – Andrew Garfield, Tick, Tick … Boom!
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy – Rachel Zegler, West Side Story
Best Supporting Actress, Motion Picture – Ariana DeBose, West Side Story
Best Television Series, Drama – Succession, HBO
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Drama – Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Pose
Best Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture made for Television – The Underground Railroad
Best Performance by an Actress, Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture made for Television – Kate Winslet, Mare of Easttown
Best Motion Picture, Animated – Encanto

NAACP IMAGE AWARDS (February)

Entertainer of the Year – Jennifer Hudson
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture – Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture – Regina King, The Harder They Fall
Outstanding Drama Series – “Queen Sugar”
Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series – Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series – Angela Bassett, 9-1-1
Outstanding Female Artist – Jazmine Sullivan

SAG AWARDS (February)

Life Achievement Award – Helen Mirren
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture – Coda
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role – Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series – Jung Ho-Yeon, Squid Game
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series – Lee Jung-Jae, Squid Game

CRITIC’S CHOICE AWARDS (March)

Best Picture (Film) – The Power of the Dog
Best Young Actor (Film) – Jude Hill – Belfast
Best Ensemble (Film) – Belfast
Best Original Screenplay (Film) – Kenneth Branagh – Belfast
Best Costume Design (Film) – Jenny Beavan – Cruella
Best Visual Effects (Film) – Dune
Best Comedy (Film) – Licorice Pizza
Best Actress in a Drama Series (TV) – Melanie Lynskey – Yellowjackets
Best Movie Made for TV – Oslo
Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for TV – Jennifer Coolidge – The White Lotus
Best Animated Series – What If…?

BAFTA FILM AWARDS (March)

Leading Actress – Joanna Scanlan, After Love
Documentary – Summer Of Soul (Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
Adapted Screenplay – CODA, Siân Heder
EE Rising Star Award – Lashana Lynch
Outstanding Directorial Achievement of a First-Time Feature-Film Director -Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Lost Daughter (Netflix)
Best Character Animation – Live Action – Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS (March)

Best Male Lead – Simon Rex, Red Rocket
Best Female Lead – Taylour Paige, Zola
Best Ensemble Cast in a New Scripted Series – Reservation Dogs
Best Female Performance in a New Scripted Series – Thuso Mbedu, The Underground Railroad
Best Male Performance in a New Scripted Series – Lee Jung-jae, Squid Game”
Best New Scripted Series – Reservation Dogs
Best Supporting Female – Ruth Negga, Passing
John Cassavetes Award (Given to the best feature made for under $500,000) – Shiva Baby

PRODUCER’S GUILD AWARDS (March)

David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Limited or Anthology Series TV – M0are of Easttown
Award for Outstanding Producer of Televised or Streamed Motion Pictures- Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free: The Making of Wildflowers
Award for Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction TV – The Beatles: Get Back
Award for Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment, Variety, Sketch, Standup & Talk TV – Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

WRITER’S GUILD AWARDS (March)

Original Screenplay (Film) – Don’t Look Up
Comedy Series TV – Hacks
Adapted Long Form TV – Maid
Daytime Drama TV – Days of Our Lives
On-Air Promotion (Documentary TV) – Celebrating Powerful Female Leads: Trailers for The Equalizer & Why Women Kill, Written by Molly Neylan;

RAZZIE AWARDS (March)

Worst Picture – Diana the Musical (The Netflix Version)
Worst Actor – LeBron James / Space Jam: A New Legacy
Worst Supporting Actor – Jared Leto / House of Gucci

ACADEMY AWARDS (March)

Best Original Score – Hans Zimmer, Dune
Best Supporting Actress – Ariana DeBose, West Side Story
Best Supporting Actor – Troy Kotsur, CODA
Best Director – Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog
Best Lead Actor – Will Smith, King Richard
Best Lead Actress – Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Best Picture – CODA

GRAMMY AWARDS (April)

Record of the Year – Silk Sonic
Album of the Year – Jon Baptiste
Best New Artist – Olivia Rodrigo
Best Pop Solo Performance – Olivia Rodrigo, “Drivers License”
Best Rock Performance – Foo Fighters, “Making a Fire”
Best Traditional R&B Album – H.E.R., “Fight for You”
Best Country Solo Performance – Chris Stapleton, “You Should Probably Leave”
Best Musical Theater Album – Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, “The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical”

BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS (May)

Top Duo/Group – BTS
Top Billboard 200 Artist – Taylor Swift
Top Hot 100 Artist – Olivia Rodrigo
Top Billboard Global Artist – Ed Sheeran
Top Tour – The Rolling Stones
Top Country Duo/Group – Dan + Shay
Top Rock Artist – Glass Animals
Top Dance/Electronic Artist – Lady Gaga
Top Billboard 200 Album – Olivia Rodrigo, “SOUR”
Top Soundtrack – Encanto
Top Rock Album – Twenty One Pilots, “Scaled and Icy”
Top Radio Song – Dua Lipa, “Levitating”

MTV MOVIE & TV AWARDS (June)

Best Movie – Spider-Man: No Way Home
Best Show – Euphoria
Best Performance in a Movie – Tom Holland, Spider-Man: No Way Home
Best Performance in a TV Show – Zendaya, Euphoria
Best Comedic Performance – Ryan Reynolds, Free Guy
Best Hero – Scarlett Johansson, Black Widow
Best Villain – Daniel Radcliffe, The Lost City
Best Breakthrough Performance – Sophia Di Martino, Loki

BET AWARDS (June)

Best Actress – Zendaya, Euphoria/Spider-Man: No Way Home
YoungStars Award – Marsai Martin, black-ish
Album of the Year – Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak), “An Evening with Silk Sonic”
Best Female R&B/Pop Artist – Jazmine Sullivan

TELEVISION CRITICS ASSOCIATION AWARDS (August)

Individual Achievement in Drama – Mandy Moore, This Is Us
Individual Achievement in Comedy – Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
Outstanding Achievement in Youth Programming – The Baby-Sitters Club
Program of the Year – Abbott Elementary

MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS (August)

Best New Artist – Dove Cameron
Best Rock – Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Black Summer”
Song of Summer – Jack Harlow, “First Class”
Best Album – Harry Styles, Harry’s House
Best Altenative – Måneskin,“I Wanna Be Your Slave”
Song of the Year – Billie Eilish, “Happier Than Ever”
Group of the Year – BTS

HUMANITAS PRIZE AWARDS (September)

Comedy Feature Film – Don’t Look Up
Drama Teleplay – Pachinko, “Chapter One”
Limited Series, TV Movie, or Special – Women of the Movement: ‘Mother and Son

EMMY AWARDS (September)

Limited or Anthology Series – The White Lotus
Lead Actor in a Drama Series – Lee Jung-jae, Squid Game
Lead Actress in a Comedy Series – Jean Smart, Hacks
Lead Actress in a Drama Series – Zendaya, Euphoria
Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie – Amanda Seyfried, The Dropout
Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Sheryl Lee Ralph, Abbott Elementary
Supporting Actress in a Drama Series – Julia Garner, Ozark

CMA AWARDS (November)

Entertainer of the Year – Luke Combs
Female Vocalist of the Year and New Artist of the Year – Lainey Wilson
Male Vocalist of the Year – Chris Stapleton
Vocal Group of the Year – Old Dominion

GOTHAM AWARDS (November)

Television Performer – Ben Whishaw, This Is Going To Hurt
Outstanding Lead Performance – Danielle Deadwyler, Till
Best Feature – Everything Everywhere All at Once

AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS (November)

Collaboration of the Year – Elton John & Dua Lipa, Cold Heart – Pnau Remix
Favorite Touring Artist – Coldplay
Favorite Female R&B Artist – Beyonce
Favorite Male Latin Artist – Bad Bunny
Favorite Soundtrack – Elvis

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS (December)

Movie of 2022 – Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Comedy Movie of 2022 – The Adam Project
Action Movie of 2022 – Top Gun: Maverick
Male Movie Star of 2022 – Chris Hemsworth – Thor: Love and Thunder
Drama Movie Star of 2022- Austin Butler – Elvis
Action Movie Star of 2022 – Elizabeth Olsen – Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Show of 2022 – Stranger Things
Comedy Show of 2022 – Never Have I Ever
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Show of 2022 – Stranger Things
Country Artist of 2022 – Carrie Underwood

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

Read Full Post »

2022 Year-End Round-Up: Music Moments

Posted in Music, Year End Round Up on December 24, 2022| Leave a Comment »

As I’ve shared for many years now, music has always been an important part of my life. It all started when I was a little girl, listening to music while sitting in the middle of my big brothers’ shared bedroom on the their old 1970’s turntable then listening to my big boom box and later the Walkman I had in the 1980’s all the way through to my iPod in the 2000’s to now my Pandora and Spotify accounts.

I wake up to music every morning rather than a buzzing alarm; and then I go to bed with music. Music may not mean to everyone what it means to me, but it does play a crucial part in television, Broadway, theatre and the box office.

The following are just some of the top performers for 2022:

Most Moving Song of the Year: “Unstoppable” by Sia

Sia (born Sia Kate Isobelle Furler) is a singer-songwriter from Australia who has been performing since the mid-1990’s. With nine albums (and a 10th album for which she is currently working on) under her belt, she is nothing short of very accomplished in the industry. Much like Lady Gaga, who was known for her outrageous outfits, Sia is very often seen in public – and especially when performing – behind the long bangs of a Cruella de Vil inspired wig. The wigs notwithstanding, Sia is a powerhouse singer and a force to be reckoned with.

Here is the lyric video for “Unstoppable”:

Duet of the Year: “Cold Heart” by Elton John and Dua Lipa

Joining forces this year was the one and only Elton John and one of the current, top pop princesses, former model and now singer Dua Lipa. This inventive single quickly reached number one on many charts all across the globe, using lyrics from John’s hit single “Rocketman,” this single earned the duo honors as Variety’s 2022 Hitmakers of the Year

Here is the lyric video for “Cold Heart”:

Up and Comers of the Year: Chapel Hart

The country music vocal group from Mississippi, comprised of sisters Danica and Devynn Hart and their cousin Trea Swindle, received a unanimous group golden buzzer on America’s Got Talent this summer with their original song, based on the Dolly Parton hit single Jolene, called “You Can Have Him Jolene.” They may have finished fifth in the competition, but they captured the hearts of everyone.

Here is the moment Chapel Hart took the stage and wowed everyone:

Global Artist of the Year: Bad Bunny

Bad Bunny (born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) is a Puerto Rican rapper and singer, who has been credited with helping Spanish-language music achieve worldwide mainstream popularity, and he has the awards to prove it. He has amassed 2 Grammys, four Latin Grammys, 8 Billboard Music Awards and 13 Premios lo Nuestro awards as well as being crowned Artist of the Year at this year’s Apple Music Awards.

Here is the music video for “Titi Me Pregunto” by Bad Bunny:

Hot New Group: Wet Leg

Wet Leg is a British duo from the Isle of Wight, founded by Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers, has a new wave sound and deadpan vocals. They created an infectious and deceptively sly debut album that hit number one on the UK, Australian and Irish album charts and earned them five Grammy nominations, including Best New Artist.

Here is the official music video of the single “Chaise Lounge” by Wet Leg:

Best “New” Country Artist: Lainey Wilson

Lainey Wilson was the most nominated singer at the 2022 Country Music Awards, and has landed herself a recurring guest starring role in the immensely popular Paramount Network drama Yellowstone. And while she is 30 years old and has been performing since she was a child, it was this year, and her single “Things A Man Oughta Know,” where she finally made it big

Here is the official music video for “Things A Man Oughta Know”:

Top Band of the Year: Glass Animals

Glass Animals is an English indie rock band that was formed back in 2010 and since that time has released three studio albums, hit it big this year with their single “Heat Waves,” which went viral on TikTok, surpassed 2 billion streams on Spotify and reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. They received their first Grammy nomination this year in the Best New Artist category.

Here is the official music video for the hit single “Heat Waves”:

Top Single of the Year (TIE): “ABCDEFU” by Gayle and “Victoria’s Secret” by Jax

Gayle (born Taylor Gayle Rutherfurd) is an 18-year old singer from Texas, who made it big this year with her breakout single “ABCDEFU.” The single, which has a pop-punk edge with a catchy lyrical twist and a sing-along chorus, has inspired a number of imitators, as well as parodies, and crossed over to Billboard’s Hot 100 list and even hit internationally on Billboard’s Global 200.

Here is the official music video for “ABCDEFU” by Gayle (explicit language warning):

Jax (born Jaclyn Cole Miskanic) hails from New Jersey and finished 3rd on the 14th season of American Idol. Her first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart is the single “Victoria’s Secret” that is her ode to body positivity, which blew up on TikTok.

Here is the lyric video for “Victoria’s Secret” by Jax:

Best Dance Number: “Never Gonna Not Dance Again” by Pink

The lead single from the pop rocker’s 9th studio album is “an upbeat anthem about dancing through perpetually hard times” that has been called “vibrant, joyful and euphoric.” Pink has been quoted that the song reflects her “desire to just find happiness” and that “insecurities should not limit people from doing what they want.”

Here is the music video for “Never Gonna Not Dance Again“:

Has He Become Over-Exposed: Harry Styles

Yes, Harry Styles is handsome and talented. He has hit singles playing on the radio; in fact, it seems you can’t turn on the radio without hearing one of his singles. He even starred in the much-buzzed-about drama thriller flick Don’t Worry Darling alongside Chris Pine and Florence Pugh and the independent film My Policeman, making him even more of the “It Boy” than he already was. But, for me, it just seems like he has become overexposed.

She’s Having a Big Year: Taylor Swift

For over half her life, Taylor Swift has built up quite an impressive catalog of songs, albums and awards. This year, though, she has become the first artist in history to command all 10 of the top spots on the Billboard Hot 100 in a single week with songs from her latest album Midnights.

What singer or band has been your “go-to” music during the past year? Which singles were the stand-outs for you this year? What song did you get sick of hearing on the radio? What was the top album in your opinion? Please share your thoughts on the music of 2022 below.

TOMORROW: Box Office Results

Read Full Post »

2021 Year-End Round Up: New Faces of 2022

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

Read Full Post »

2021 Year-End Round Up: Faces of 2021

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

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »