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Monday, Jul. 10, 2017

Barry Jenkins to adapt James Baldwin for "Moonlight" follow-up

Barry Jenkins

NEW YORK (AP) --

Writer-director Barry Jenkins' feature-film follow-up to his Oscar-winning "Moonlight" will be an adaptation of James Baldwin's "If Beale Street Could Talk."

Annapurna Pictures announced Monday that Jenkins will start shooting the film in October.

Jenkins said adapting Baldwin's 1974 novel about love and injustice in 1970s Harlem is "a dream I've long held dear." He penned the screenplay in the same 2013 summer during which he wrote "Moonlight" from Tarell Alvin McCraney's play.

The Baldwin estate has given its blessing to the film, which follows Raoul Peck's Oscar-nominated Baldwin documentary "I Am Not Your Negro." ''If Beale Street Could Talk" will return much of the production team behind "Moonlight," including producer Adele Romanski and Plan B.

Jenkins is also developing a series for Amazon based on Colson Whitehead's "The Underground Railroad."

Monday, Jul. 10, 2017

"Curb Your Enthusiasm" returning to HBO on Oct. 1

In this Feb. 28, 2016, file photo, Larry David arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

NEW YORK (AP) --

You can curb your skepticism. HBO has locked down Oct. 1 to start a new season of the Larry David comedy "Curb Your Enthusiasm."

HBO said Monday that the 10 episodes will bring back regulars Jeff Garlin, Susie Essman and JB Smoove, among others.

This long-awaited ninth season was announced in June 2016 for some time in 2017. The eighth season had aired in 2011, and, until a year ago, David remained tight-lipped about whether there would ever be more.

Premiering in 2000, the series was created by and stars David in a fictionalized version of himself as he stumbles through socially awkward situations.

Among David's projects since curbing this series: a hit Broadway play, "Fish in the Dark," and repeated appearances on "Saturday Night Live" impersonating Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Sunday, Jul. 9, 2017

Man who died in Texas skydiving accident was voice actor

Randy Schell

HOUSTON (AP) --

An experienced skydiver who was also a longtime voiceover actor has died after a midair collision during a jump at a Southeast Texas skydiving center.

The Houston-area center, Skydive Spaceland, says in a statement that two seasoned skydivers deployed parachutes normally during a planned group jump on Saturday, but that they later collided and fell to the ground, killing one and injuring the other.

The man who died was identified by his longtime agent as Randy Schell, who worked as a voiceover actor for more than 25 years. Schell's voice could be heard on commercials for different television shows, including "Fear the Walking Dead," and for various companies, including Geico.

His agent, Jenny Bosby, on Sunday described Schell as a "generous, spirited man" who mentored many in his industry.

Saturday, Jul. 8, 2017

"True Blood" actor Nelsan Ellis dead at 39

In this Monday, July 21, 2014 file photo, actor Nelsan Ellis attends the world premiere of "Get On Up" at the Apollo Theater in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

NEW YORK (AP) --

Actor Nelsan Ellis, best known for his memorable portrayal of Lafayette Reynolds on HBO's "True Blood," has died at the age of 39.

Ellis' manager, Emily Gerson Saines, confirmed the actor's death in an email Saturday. The Hollywood Reporter, which was first to report Ellis' death, quoted her as saying the actor died from complications of heart failure.

The Illinois-born actor, who studied at Juilliard, played the role of Lafayette, a gay short order cook, on the HBO drama from 2008 to 2014, and more recently appeared in the CBS detective series "Elementary." He also was a playwright and a stage director.

Ellis appeared as Martin Luther King, Jr. in Lee Daniels' "The Butler," and as singer Bobby Byrd in the James Brown biopic "Get On Up."

He also appeared in "The Help," and his castmate Octavia Spencer mourned his death on Instagram. "My heart breaks for his kids and family," the actress wrote.

On Twitter, some fans More

Saturday, Jul. 8, 2017

"Dunkirk" director Christopher Nolan didn't know extent of Harry Styles' fame

In this May 9, 2017 file photo, Harry Styles performs on NBC's "Today" show at Rockefeller Plaza in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)

By Nicole Evatt

LOS ANGELES (AP) --

Director Christopher Nolan and actor Mark Rylance didn't know quite how famous Harry Styles was before "Dunkirk." The young people in their lives certainly did.

"I don't think I was that aware really of how famous Harry was" before casting the pop star in the upcoming World War II epic, Nolan said Friday. "I mean, my daughter had talked about him. My kids talked about him, but I wasn't really that aware of it. So the truth is, I cast Harry because he fit the part wonderfully and truly earned a seat at the table."

Styles, 23, who gained fame with One Direction and recently launched his solo career, plays a British soldier in Nolan's suspense-thriller about the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of Allied soldiers from Dunkirk, France, in May and June of 1940.

Rylance, also featured in the film, said he learned of Styles from his 11-year-old niece.

"She was just more excited than anything I've ever done because I was going to More

Saturday, Jul. 8, 2017

"Little Crusader" wins Karlovy Vary film fest's top prize

A scene from "Little Crusader"

PRAGUE (AP) --

Czech director Vaclav Kadrnka's "Little Crusader" has won the top prize at the 52nd edition of an international film festival in the Czech spa town of Karlovy Vary.

The movie was chosen from 12 contenders for the Crystal Globe by the Karlovy Vary Film Festival's five-member grand jury. Saturday's award also comes with a $25,000 cash prize.

Described by organizers as a "meditative drama on fatherhood," ''Little Crusader" tells the story of a medieval knight searching for his son and his way of coping with loss after his only descendant runs away from home to find the Holy Land.

It's Kadrnka's second feature after "Eighty Letters."

Kadrnka's win represented a somewhat rare triumph for Czech films. Petr Zelenka was the last Czech director to win the prize in 2002.

Friday, Jul. 7, 2017

Emma Stone says male co-stars have helped her get equal pay

In this Feb. 26, 2017 file photo, actress Emma Stone arrives at the Oscars in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)

LOS ANGELES (AP) --

Emma Stone says that male co-stars have taken pay cuts to ensure she received equal pay on films.

Speaking to tennis great Billie Jean King in an interview published Thursday in Out Magazine , Stone said the gesture to match has impacted what she's able to ask for in the future.

The Oscar-winner portrays King in the upcoming film "Battle of the Sexes" about the 1973 match against Bobby Riggs.

Stone has spoken about the gender pay gap in Hollywood before, as have big screen stars like Jennifer Lawrence, Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson.

Her experience is not universal, though. Stone's co-star Andrea Riseborough said that she has not had the same experience and has been paid less than male co-stars even when she's asked for a raise.

Friday, Jul. 7, 2017

HPA seeks applicants for 2nd year of Young Entertainment Professionals program

LOS ANGELES --

On the heels of last year’s successful launch of the Young Entertainment Professionals Program (YEP), the Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) has announced the second year of the YEP program. YEP 2017 seeks passionate and driven applicants open to mentorship and to developing lasting relationships with industry leaders and other young professionals. The HPA’s YEP program provides a framework for young professionals to network and learn from peers and mentors. YEPs selected for the yearlong program will participate in signature HPA events, including the HPA Tech Retreat and HPA Awards, as well as exclusive and high-powered mentoring events.

The program is open to men and women between 21 and 35 years of age currently working in the media content creation industry. There are no educational requirements, and applicants do not have to be members of the HPA, and there is no fee associated with the program or application.

Seth Hallen, More

Thursday, Jul. 6, 2017

QVC parent buying HSN as shopping shifts online

This photo shows a sign outside of the headquarters of the Home Shopping Network on Thursday, July 6, 2017, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (Scott Keeler/Tampa Bay Times via AP)

By Damian J. Troise

NEW YORK (AP) --

QVC's parent company is taking control of the Home Shopping Network for about $2.6 billion in stock to create what they say will be the third-largest e-commerce company in the United States.

The companies long known as bases for home shopping on TV had been dealing with sluggish sales as Amazon dominates online. Both had long moved beyond cable channels and were trying to refashion themselves for younger shoppers buying more on their mobile phones.

"They're a little bit late to the dance of the online arena, but are catching up now," said Craig Johnson, president of Customer Growth Partners, a retail research consulting firm.

The combination will help give QVC and HSN the scale they need to take on more established online competitors. A key focus will have to be offering unique, exclusive products at a compelling value. Otherwise, he said, competitors including Amazon and Walmart will be tough to beat online.

Liberty More

Thursday, Jul. 6, 2017

Director Franco Zeffirelli gets museum featuring life's work

Pippo Zeffirelli, center, son of director Franco Zeffirelli, poses with Russian entrepreneur Mikhail Kusnirovich, and American investor Govind Friedland during the presentation of the Franco Zeffirelli International Centre for the Performing Arts at the Foreign Press Club in Rome, Thursday, July 6, 2017. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

MILAN (AP) --

Director Franco Zeffirelli's art works and personal library have been moved from his Roman villa to his native Florence to fill a museum honoring his life's work.

The museum and performing arts center will display around 500 sketches of production sets that Zeffirelli made during his vast career, make available his 10,000-volume library and incorporate artistic activities.

His son, Pippo Zeffirelli, said at a presentation Thursday in Rome "the project was born from the maestro's desire to leave all his artistic treasures" intact and accessible. Zeffirelli was expected to attend, but his son said he was feeling unwell because of a heat wave.

The film, TV and opera director, who is 94, also will be honored at La Scala with a revival of his 1963 production of "Aida."