by Cláudio Alves
Apologies for the delay in what was supposed to be the Almost There series' glorious return. Since the Oscars are less than one week away, let's see if I can get things back on schedule, starting with a look at one of the season's most disappointing "snubs." When May December premiered in Cannes, many singled out Charles Melton's performance, starting a narrative with great potential. Here was a Riverdale heartthrob making his way into the big leagues, proving he could go toe to toe with such awards-winning stars as Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore. Sadly, not long after a Gotham victory, Melton's campaign lost steam, victim of his film's failure to secure industry support, and he ended outside of AMPAS' Best Supporting Actor ballot…...
Apologies for the delay in what was supposed to be the Almost There series' glorious return. Since the Oscars are less than one week away, let's see if I can get things back on schedule, starting with a look at one of the season's most disappointing "snubs." When May December premiered in Cannes, many singled out Charles Melton's performance, starting a narrative with great potential. Here was a Riverdale heartthrob making his way into the big leagues, proving he could go toe to toe with such awards-winning stars as Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore. Sadly, not long after a Gotham victory, Melton's campaign lost steam, victim of his film's failure to secure industry support, and he ended outside of AMPAS' Best Supporting Actor ballot…...
- 3/4/2024
- by Cláudio Alves
- FilmExperience
Rudy Mancuso is ready to woo Camila Mendes with his life story, as told through song.
The digital creator makes his big screen debut writing, directing, and starring in “Música,” which charts his own coming-of-age story as an artist with synesthesia. Mancuso hears music everywhere, especially when he locks eyes with Isabella (Mendes) while at a New Jersey diner. Set in Newark, “Música” follows Mancuso’s balance of love, family, and his Brazilian culture.
The film will premiere at the 2024 SXSW Film & TV Festival on March 13. Mancuso wrote and directed the feature, with Dan Lagana co-writing. “Curb Your Enthusiasm” star J.B. Smoove, Francesca Reale, and Maria Mancuso also round out the cast.
This year’s SXSW features a slew of first-time filmmakers, including actor Dev Patel’s directorial debut “Monkey Man” and “SNL” alum Kyle Mooney stepping into the director’s chair for “Y2K.” “Música” premieres in the Narrative...
The digital creator makes his big screen debut writing, directing, and starring in “Música,” which charts his own coming-of-age story as an artist with synesthesia. Mancuso hears music everywhere, especially when he locks eyes with Isabella (Mendes) while at a New Jersey diner. Set in Newark, “Música” follows Mancuso’s balance of love, family, and his Brazilian culture.
The film will premiere at the 2024 SXSW Film & TV Festival on March 13. Mancuso wrote and directed the feature, with Dan Lagana co-writing. “Curb Your Enthusiasm” star J.B. Smoove, Francesca Reale, and Maria Mancuso also round out the cast.
This year’s SXSW features a slew of first-time filmmakers, including actor Dev Patel’s directorial debut “Monkey Man” and “SNL” alum Kyle Mooney stepping into the director’s chair for “Y2K.” “Música” premieres in the Narrative...
- 2/29/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Jake Gyllenhaal is an impressive actor with an even more impressive filmography. The actor is recently getting ready for the release of his upcoming movie, Roadhouse, which is a remake of the 1989 movie of the same name starring Patrick Swayze. The upcoming 2024 movie sees Gyllenhaal in the lead, with Doug Liman in the directorial chair. But another name that is making waves with this movie is mixed martial artist and professional boxer, Conor McGregor.
Conor McGregor and Jake Gyllenhaal in Roadhouse | X
The mixed martial arts champion is making his Hollywood debut with the movie as the character Knox. Playing an original character, the Notorious One will knock heads with the protagonist, Jake Gyllenhaal, playing the character of Elwood Dalton. Recently, the Mma champion posted a picture of him and Gyllenhaal, captioning it “McGregor Vs Gyllenhaal,” and fans can’t keep calm.
Suggested“This is just how it goes”:...
Conor McGregor and Jake Gyllenhaal in Roadhouse | X
The mixed martial arts champion is making his Hollywood debut with the movie as the character Knox. Playing an original character, the Notorious One will knock heads with the protagonist, Jake Gyllenhaal, playing the character of Elwood Dalton. Recently, the Mma champion posted a picture of him and Gyllenhaal, captioning it “McGregor Vs Gyllenhaal,” and fans can’t keep calm.
Suggested“This is just how it goes”:...
- 2/27/2024
- by Swagata Das
- FandomWire
¡La rivalidad continúa! Gyllenhaal, Hathaway, Melton y Spaeny están en conversaciones para protagonizar la nueva entrega del éxito de Netflix.
El año pasado, la divertidísima y sorprendente serie “Beef” narraba la historia de las consecuencias de un incidente de furia al volante entre dos desconocidos: Danny Cho (Steven Yeun), un contratista fracasado y resentido, y Amy Lau (Ali Wong), una empresaria con una vida pintoresca. Una serie que ha arrasado durante toda la temporada de premios, llevándose galardones como los Emmy, los Globos de Oro y los SAG.
A raíz del éxito de “Beef”, Netflix no tardó en anunciar una segunda temporada de lo que en un principio iba a ser una miniserie. Ahora se convertirá en una serie antológica con un reparto completamente diferente para la segunda entrega.
Según informa Deadline, la trama de la nueva temporada volverá a centrarse en la enemistad entre dos parejas. El actor revelación de “May December”, Charles Melton,...
El año pasado, la divertidísima y sorprendente serie “Beef” narraba la historia de las consecuencias de un incidente de furia al volante entre dos desconocidos: Danny Cho (Steven Yeun), un contratista fracasado y resentido, y Amy Lau (Ali Wong), una empresaria con una vida pintoresca. Una serie que ha arrasado durante toda la temporada de premios, llevándose galardones como los Emmy, los Globos de Oro y los SAG.
A raíz del éxito de “Beef”, Netflix no tardó en anunciar una segunda temporada de lo que en un principio iba a ser una miniserie. Ahora se convertirá en una serie antológica con un reparto completamente diferente para la segunda entrega.
Según informa Deadline, la trama de la nueva temporada volverá a centrarse en la enemistad entre dos parejas. El actor revelación de “May December”, Charles Melton,...
- 2/27/2024
- by Marta Medina
- mundoCine
It looks like the popular drama series Beef is heading down the anthology route as a brand-new (and very impressive) cast comes together for its second season.
Netflix’s Beef, created by Lee Sung Jin, was one of last year’s breakout hits on the streaming platform. The ten episode drama featured Stephen Yeun and Ali Wong as its twin leads told a self-contained tale of two ordinary people that let an everyday moment of frustration boil up into something much darker and destructive.
Sung Jin is now putting together the casting for season two of the show, which looks like it will go down the anthology route and tell an entirely different story.
Given the critical acclaim that the first season was able to build up, it looks like Sung Jin is going to be able to call on some pretty prestigious names too: according to Deadline, the core...
Netflix’s Beef, created by Lee Sung Jin, was one of last year’s breakout hits on the streaming platform. The ten episode drama featured Stephen Yeun and Ali Wong as its twin leads told a self-contained tale of two ordinary people that let an everyday moment of frustration boil up into something much darker and destructive.
Sung Jin is now putting together the casting for season two of the show, which looks like it will go down the anthology route and tell an entirely different story.
Given the critical acclaim that the first season was able to build up, it looks like Sung Jin is going to be able to call on some pretty prestigious names too: according to Deadline, the core...
- 2/27/2024
- by Dan Cooper
- Film Stories
Clockwise left to right: Ali Wong, the cast and crew of Past Lives, Aidy Bryant, Will FerrellGraphic: The A.V. Club (Getty Images)
If the stars who rolled up to the Film Independent Spirit Awards blue carpet today were any worse for the wear following last night’s SAG Awards after parties,...
If the stars who rolled up to the Film Independent Spirit Awards blue carpet today were any worse for the wear following last night’s SAG Awards after parties,...
- 2/26/2024
- by Cindy White
- avclub.com
Charles Melton’s awards campaign for his breakout role in “May December” started in May when the Todd Haynes drama co-starring Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman premiered at Cannes.
Since then, Melton has gone on to receive a slew of award nominations and wins. He picked up Golden Globe and Independent Spirit Award noms and won a Gotham for outstanding supporting performance.
Fans of the film, however, were disappointed when Melton didn’t receive an Oscar nomination, and the movie only earned one for original screenplay.
But, I’m glad to report that Melton is doing just fine. “I’m happy,” Melton told me Wednesday night at Cultured’s art and film issue dinner (Melton and Lakeith Stanfield appear on separate covers of the magazine). “I just got back from Hawaii. I was just relaxing and processing and getting a nice little suntan. I reconnected with my friends and family...
Since then, Melton has gone on to receive a slew of award nominations and wins. He picked up Golden Globe and Independent Spirit Award noms and won a Gotham for outstanding supporting performance.
Fans of the film, however, were disappointed when Melton didn’t receive an Oscar nomination, and the movie only earned one for original screenplay.
But, I’m glad to report that Melton is doing just fine. “I’m happy,” Melton told me Wednesday night at Cultured’s art and film issue dinner (Melton and Lakeith Stanfield appear on separate covers of the magazine). “I just got back from Hawaii. I was just relaxing and processing and getting a nice little suntan. I reconnected with my friends and family...
- 2/15/2024
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
Elizabeth Olsen and Charles Melton have nabbed lead roles in Todd Solondz’s new feature Love Child.
The darkly comic film follows Misty as she is stuck in a loveless marriage with a brutish husband and her precocious 11-year-old as her only consolation. When Easy, a handsome vagabond stranger, appears, the son hatches a plan to replace the father with a new husband, only for that to backfire and a more devious and disastrous scheme to emerge.
Killer Films, Volition Media and Gramercy Park Media are teaming with Rocket Science, which is handling international sales and will launch the project at the European Film Market in Berlin.
Cindy Bru of Volition Media, Christine Vachon of Killer Films, David Hinojosa of 2Am and Ford Corbett of Gramercy Park Media will produce. Michael Jefferson, Adam Beasley, Atilla Yucer, Joshua Harris and Steven Farneth will executive produce.
The film is fully financed by...
The darkly comic film follows Misty as she is stuck in a loveless marriage with a brutish husband and her precocious 11-year-old as her only consolation. When Easy, a handsome vagabond stranger, appears, the son hatches a plan to replace the father with a new husband, only for that to backfire and a more devious and disastrous scheme to emerge.
Killer Films, Volition Media and Gramercy Park Media are teaming with Rocket Science, which is handling international sales and will launch the project at the European Film Market in Berlin.
Cindy Bru of Volition Media, Christine Vachon of Killer Films, David Hinojosa of 2Am and Ford Corbett of Gramercy Park Media will produce. Michael Jefferson, Adam Beasley, Atilla Yucer, Joshua Harris and Steven Farneth will executive produce.
The film is fully financed by...
- 2/13/2024
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Elizabeth Olsen and May December star Charles Melton will star in Todd Solondz’s next film, the darkly comic Love Child.
Rocket Science will launch sales on the project at this week’s European Film Market.
Love Child is produced by Cindy Bru of Volition Media, Christine Vachon of Killer Films and David Hinojosa of 2Am. Executive producers are Michael Jefferson, Adam Beasley, Atilla Yucer, Joshua Harris and Steven Farneth.
The film is fully financed by Volition Media and Gramercy Park Media. Rocket Science is handling international sales at EFM; Cinetic Media and WME co-represent US rights.
The story follows...
Rocket Science will launch sales on the project at this week’s European Film Market.
Love Child is produced by Cindy Bru of Volition Media, Christine Vachon of Killer Films and David Hinojosa of 2Am. Executive producers are Michael Jefferson, Adam Beasley, Atilla Yucer, Joshua Harris and Steven Farneth.
The film is fully financed by Volition Media and Gramercy Park Media. Rocket Science is handling international sales at EFM; Cinetic Media and WME co-represent US rights.
The story follows...
- 2/13/2024
- ScreenDaily
BAFTA, Golden Globe and Emmy nominee Elizabeth Olsen (Avengers: Infinity War) and Golden Globe nominee Charles Melton (May December) are set to star in Todd Solondz’s darkly comic new feature Love Child.
The story follows Misty who is stuck in a loveless marriage to a brutish husband. Junior, her precocious 11-year-old is her only consolation. When Easy, a handsome vagabond stranger, appears, Junior hatches a plan to get rid of his father so that his mother can marry him instead. But things end up backfiring, so Junior comes up with yet another plan, this one even more devious, and with more disastrous—and unexpected—consequences.
Killer Films (Past Lives), 2Am (Past Lives) Volition Media (Sam and Kate) and Gramercy Park Media (The Fabulous Four) are teaming with Rocket Science to bring the project to this week’s EFM.
Cindy Bru of Volition Media, Christine Vachon of Killer Films, David Hinojosa...
The story follows Misty who is stuck in a loveless marriage to a brutish husband. Junior, her precocious 11-year-old is her only consolation. When Easy, a handsome vagabond stranger, appears, Junior hatches a plan to get rid of his father so that his mother can marry him instead. But things end up backfiring, so Junior comes up with yet another plan, this one even more devious, and with more disastrous—and unexpected—consequences.
Killer Films (Past Lives), 2Am (Past Lives) Volition Media (Sam and Kate) and Gramercy Park Media (The Fabulous Four) are teaming with Rocket Science to bring the project to this week’s EFM.
Cindy Bru of Volition Media, Christine Vachon of Killer Films, David Hinojosa...
- 2/13/2024
- by Andreas Wiseman and Justin Kroll
- Deadline Film + TV
With Civil War set for release this spring, Alex Garland is to direct again, this time an ‘untitled war movie’. More here.
In the summer of 2022, when he was promoting his pretty unforgettable horror Men, Alex Garland was giving the impression of a man done with directing movies. He’s credited with directing Ex Machina and Annihilation and was reported to have finished up 2012’s Dredd. Then, following Men, he launched straight into making Civil War, which is due for release in April.
However, if he was looking to step away from the director’s chair, it sounds as if the plan is at the very least on hold: according to Deadline, he’s just signed up to another project.
It’s going by the codename ‘Untitled War Movie’, and from that, I’m going to hazard a guess that it’s a war film, for which these is not yet a name.
In the summer of 2022, when he was promoting his pretty unforgettable horror Men, Alex Garland was giving the impression of a man done with directing movies. He’s credited with directing Ex Machina and Annihilation and was reported to have finished up 2012’s Dredd. Then, following Men, he launched straight into making Civil War, which is due for release in April.
However, if he was looking to step away from the director’s chair, it sounds as if the plan is at the very least on hold: according to Deadline, he’s just signed up to another project.
It’s going by the codename ‘Untitled War Movie’, and from that, I’m going to hazard a guess that it’s a war film, for which these is not yet a name.
- 2/7/2024
- by Simon Brew
- Film Stories
Kathryn Newton channeled her inner “Lisa Frankenstein” for a special screening of the film at the Hollywood Athletic Club, donning a dramatic black corseted Vera Wang gown with exaggerated tulle hips.
“There was no other dress option. I have a little heart I took from my last boyfriend,” Newton told Variety on the black carpet, pointing to her blood-red heart-shaped choker and giggling, “Just kidding – I don’t have a boyfriend!”
In the film from Zelda Williams, Newton’s Lisa and a re-animated corpse dubbed “The Creature” (Cole Sprouse) embark on a murderous journey to make him whole by claiming some of his missing body parts from the living. Even though Sprouse doesn’t speak a single word in Diablo Cody’s campy script, communicating only through grunts, Newton says they had no trouble selling their chemistry.
“Have you looked at Cole Sprouse? It’s very easy to have chemistry.
“There was no other dress option. I have a little heart I took from my last boyfriend,” Newton told Variety on the black carpet, pointing to her blood-red heart-shaped choker and giggling, “Just kidding – I don’t have a boyfriend!”
In the film from Zelda Williams, Newton’s Lisa and a re-animated corpse dubbed “The Creature” (Cole Sprouse) embark on a murderous journey to make him whole by claiming some of his missing body parts from the living. Even though Sprouse doesn’t speak a single word in Diablo Cody’s campy script, communicating only through grunts, Newton says they had no trouble selling their chemistry.
“Have you looked at Cole Sprouse? It’s very easy to have chemistry.
- 2/6/2024
- by Katcy Stephan
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: After receiving the best reviews of his career in Netflix’s May December, Charles Melton looks to have found his follow-up project as sources tell Deadline he is in talks to star in Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland’s Untitled War Movie at A24. The project is the second collaboration for Garland and Mendoza, who served as the military supervisor for Garland’s latest film Civil War set for release April 12. The pair wrote and will co-direct the film.
Andrew Macdonald and Allon Reich of DNA and Peter Rice will produce. A24 will handle the global release of the film. As with any Garland project, details behind what the film is about are being shrouded in secrecy.
Melton has had his pick of the litter when it comes to hot scripts in town to choose from following his critically acclaimed role in Netflix and Todd Haynes’ May December. Since...
Andrew Macdonald and Allon Reich of DNA and Peter Rice will produce. A24 will handle the global release of the film. As with any Garland project, details behind what the film is about are being shrouded in secrecy.
Melton has had his pick of the litter when it comes to hot scripts in town to choose from following his critically acclaimed role in Netflix and Todd Haynes’ May December. Since...
- 2/6/2024
- by Justin Kroll
- Deadline Film + TV
Jonathan Glazer’s German-language drama The Zone of Interest claimed the top honor, film of the year, at the 44th London Critics’ Circle Film Awards on Sunday, along with the best director and a technical award. Emma Stone was honored as actress of the year for her work in Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things.
Meanwhile, All of Us Strangers star Andrew Scott picked up the actor of the year award, with the Andrew Haigh drama overall claiming three nods, just like The Zone of Interest. The London critics also named Da’Vine Joy Randolph supporting actress of the year for her role in The Holdovers and May December‘s Charles Melton supporting actor of the year. Stone, Randolph and Melton accepted their awards via video messages.
Among the other winners of the night were Paul Mescal, honored as British/Irish performer for his body of work in 2023, and Mia McKenna-Bruce who received...
Meanwhile, All of Us Strangers star Andrew Scott picked up the actor of the year award, with the Andrew Haigh drama overall claiming three nods, just like The Zone of Interest. The London critics also named Da’Vine Joy Randolph supporting actress of the year for her role in The Holdovers and May December‘s Charles Melton supporting actor of the year. Stone, Randolph and Melton accepted their awards via video messages.
Among the other winners of the night were Paul Mescal, honored as British/Irish performer for his body of work in 2023, and Mia McKenna-Bruce who received...
- 2/4/2024
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Stars: Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore, Charles Melton, Chris Tenzis, Andrea Frankle, Gabriel Chung, Mikenzie Taylor, Jocelyn Shelfo, D.W. Moffett, Charles Green | Written by Alex Mechanik, Samy Burch | Directed by Todd Haynes
Best known for starring in a TV series, Elizabeth (Natalie Portman) wishes to distance herself from that past role and prove herself as an actress. Her opportunity arrives in the form of an independent film which adapts a notorious tabloid story that gripped the nation. She intends to research the role by shadowing Gracie (Julianne Moore), the woman she will portray, and Gracie’s husband, Joe (Charles Melton), although Elizabeth’s arrival reveals cracks within their lengthy marriage.
Based off a script by Alex Mechanik and Samy Burch, director Todd Haynes slowly builds the mystery of May December regarding what scandal put the couple in the spotlight. They may be beloved within their community, yet the arriving parcels indicate...
Best known for starring in a TV series, Elizabeth (Natalie Portman) wishes to distance herself from that past role and prove herself as an actress. Her opportunity arrives in the form of an independent film which adapts a notorious tabloid story that gripped the nation. She intends to research the role by shadowing Gracie (Julianne Moore), the woman she will portray, and Gracie’s husband, Joe (Charles Melton), although Elizabeth’s arrival reveals cracks within their lengthy marriage.
Based off a script by Alex Mechanik and Samy Burch, director Todd Haynes slowly builds the mystery of May December regarding what scandal put the couple in the spotlight. They may be beloved within their community, yet the arriving parcels indicate...
- 1/30/2024
- by James Rodrigues
- Nerdly
Photo: Netflix, Warner Bros., Apple Original Films, A24, Amazon MGM Studios, Graphic: The A.V. Club, The A.V. Club, The A.V. Club, The A.V. Club, Screenshot: YouTube, Toho, Paramount, Warner Bros., Universal Pictures/YouTubeThe biggest snubs and surprises from the 2024 Oscar nominationsCharles Melton in May December, Margot Robbie in Barbie,...
- 1/27/2024
- avclub.com
In a post-Barbie universe, it’s a strange feeling to have pity for extremely wealthy, famous, and attractive heterosexual men. Yet this has been the predominant sentiment following actor Charles Melton’s Oscar snub for his turn as a traumatized sexual assault survivor in May December.
Directed by Todd Haynes, May December is a portrait of the relationship between Melton’s Joe Yoo and his wife, Gracie (Julianne Moore), whom he met while he was a 13-year-old working in the then-36-year-old Gracie’s pet store. The story is told...
Directed by Todd Haynes, May December is a portrait of the relationship between Melton’s Joe Yoo and his wife, Gracie (Julianne Moore), whom he met while he was a 13-year-old working in the then-36-year-old Gracie’s pet store. The story is told...
- 1/23/2024
- by Ej Dickson
- Rollingstone.com
Short of "Oppenheimer," there's no film released in 2023 that I enjoyed more than Todd Haynes' "May December" — so of course it's been nearly shut out by the Academy for the 96th Oscars.
It's not a total wash, since "May December" earned a nomination for Original Screenplay. Yet as deserving as Samy Burch's writing is of that honor, the nomination feels like an insufficient offer of consolation. "May December" is not named among the Best Picture nominees, nor is Todd Haynes nominated for Best Director. Marcelo Zavros' score, reworked from Michael Legrand's in "The Go-Between," was shut out even as it accentuates the film's melodrama and dark comic timing.
Most galling is its total absence from the acting categories, even though the movie lives and dies on its three central performances: Julianne Moore, Natalie Portman, and Charles Melton.
"May December" is about Gracie (Moore) and Joe Yoo (Melton), a...
It's not a total wash, since "May December" earned a nomination for Original Screenplay. Yet as deserving as Samy Burch's writing is of that honor, the nomination feels like an insufficient offer of consolation. "May December" is not named among the Best Picture nominees, nor is Todd Haynes nominated for Best Director. Marcelo Zavros' score, reworked from Michael Legrand's in "The Go-Between," was shut out even as it accentuates the film's melodrama and dark comic timing.
Most galling is its total absence from the acting categories, even though the movie lives and dies on its three central performances: Julianne Moore, Natalie Portman, and Charles Melton.
"May December" is about Gracie (Moore) and Joe Yoo (Melton), a...
- 1/23/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
It wouldn’t be the Academy Award nominations without a few shockers mixed in, and this year was no exception. While some big names like Margot Robbie and Leonardo DiCaprio missed out on acting nominations, there were also some unexpected inclusions along the way.
Here, Variety breaks down the biggest snubs and surprises of the 2024 Oscar nominations.
Snub: Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig, “Barbie”
The powerhouse duo responsible for the biggest movie of the year found love in other categories —Robbie is included in the film’s best picture nomination as a producer and Gerwig saw her screenplay (with co-writer Noah Baumbach) recognized. But Robbie ultimately missed on the competitive best actress lineup while Gerwig was shut out of director.
Surprise: America Ferrera, “Barbie”
Though its leading lady and director didn’t land nominations, “Barbie” co-star Ferrera was able to score a supporting actress nod for her role in the megahit,...
Here, Variety breaks down the biggest snubs and surprises of the 2024 Oscar nominations.
Snub: Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig, “Barbie”
The powerhouse duo responsible for the biggest movie of the year found love in other categories —Robbie is included in the film’s best picture nomination as a producer and Gerwig saw her screenplay (with co-writer Noah Baumbach) recognized. But Robbie ultimately missed on the competitive best actress lineup while Gerwig was shut out of director.
Surprise: America Ferrera, “Barbie”
Though its leading lady and director didn’t land nominations, “Barbie” co-star Ferrera was able to score a supporting actress nod for her role in the megahit,...
- 1/23/2024
- by Jenelle Riley and Todd Gilchrist
- Variety Film + TV
Once upon a time a time, Netflix’s “May December” looked like it could be a serious awards contender in several major categories. Now, after shutouts at both the Screen Actors Guild Awards and the BAFTAs, it looks like the film’s Oscar chances are waning.
Todd Haynes‘ film follows Natalie Portman as an actress who visits a couple (Charles Melton and Julianne Moore) to do research about them for a film based on their past scandal. The scandal in question involved the much older woman striking up an affair with the then-13-year-old boy. The film is dark, delicious, and delightful. Haynes combines humor and wit with melodrama, creating a tonal souffle that he executes with aplomb.
At the start of this awards season, we thought the film might be in the conversations for Best Picture and Best Director. We also had Portman competing for a Best Actress nomination,...
Todd Haynes‘ film follows Natalie Portman as an actress who visits a couple (Charles Melton and Julianne Moore) to do research about them for a film based on their past scandal. The scandal in question involved the much older woman striking up an affair with the then-13-year-old boy. The film is dark, delicious, and delightful. Haynes combines humor and wit with melodrama, creating a tonal souffle that he executes with aplomb.
At the start of this awards season, we thought the film might be in the conversations for Best Picture and Best Director. We also had Portman competing for a Best Actress nomination,...
- 1/22/2024
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
“Riverdale truly was my Juilliard,” declared Charles Melton in a revealing interview with i-d magazine in mid-December to promote his new movie “May December.” “I learned so much being there. I formed relationships that I will have until the end of my days. It really helped me refine this work ethic.” His co-star in this acclaimed film by Todd Haynes is Julianne Moore, who won an Emmy for her stint on “As the World Turns” in the 1980s.
She too knew that soap operas are a great way for young actors to refine and develop their craft. As they shoot an large number of scenes each day with minimal takes, actors have to rapidly learn to memorise a lot of lines, seamlessly hit their marks, effortlessly summon heightened emotion, and be efficient and consistent in their quality of performance.
If, indeed, it was Melton’s time as Reggie Mantle on...
She too knew that soap operas are a great way for young actors to refine and develop their craft. As they shoot an large number of scenes each day with minimal takes, actors have to rapidly learn to memorise a lot of lines, seamlessly hit their marks, effortlessly summon heightened emotion, and be efficient and consistent in their quality of performance.
If, indeed, it was Melton’s time as Reggie Mantle on...
- 1/21/2024
- by Nick Bisa
- Gold Derby
Charles Melton hasn’t had a great week. First, he missed out on the BAFTA longlist for Best Supporting Actor. Then, he was snubbed by the Screen Actors’ Guild Awards in their list of official nominees. The two notable omissions have damaged Melton’s chances of an Oscar nomination for his breakout role in Todd Haynes‘ exquisite “May December.”
The Netflix movie follows Natalie Portman as an actress who visits a couple (Julianne Moore and Melton) to do research on them for a film based on the couple’s past scandal. The scandal in question revolves around the couple’s initial affair, which began when the woman was in her 30s and the boy was only 13. As the man — Joe — Melton delivers one of the most heartbreaking performances of the year. Robert Downey Jr. delivers a drama acting masterclass in “Oppenheimer,” Ryan Gosling delivers a comedy masterclass in “Barbie,” and...
The Netflix movie follows Natalie Portman as an actress who visits a couple (Julianne Moore and Melton) to do research on them for a film based on the couple’s past scandal. The scandal in question revolves around the couple’s initial affair, which began when the woman was in her 30s and the boy was only 13. As the man — Joe — Melton delivers one of the most heartbreaking performances of the year. Robert Downey Jr. delivers a drama acting masterclass in “Oppenheimer,” Ryan Gosling delivers a comedy masterclass in “Barbie,” and...
- 1/19/2024
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
The 2024 Screen Actors Guild Awards gave us our first true surprises of this year’s awards season. Since it is the first major kudos with five-nominee slots in each category, there was a number of snubs in the acting categories, one of whom was Sandra Hüller for “Anatomy of a Fall,” in a sea of exclusions that included Leonardo DiCaprio (“Killers of the Flower Moon”), Mark Ruffalo (“Poor Things”), Andrew Scott (“All of Us Strangers”), Greta Lee (“Past Lives”), Fantasia Barrino (“The Color Purple”), Rosamund Pike (“Saltburn”), America Ferrera (“Barbie”), and the trio of actors from “May December”: Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore and Charles Melton.
But fear not, they all still have hope yet for receiving recognition from the academy, particularly Hüller, who is the only performance from an international film in the bunch. She plays Sandra Voyter in Justine Triet‘s award-winning film, a woman who tries to...
But fear not, they all still have hope yet for receiving recognition from the academy, particularly Hüller, who is the only performance from an international film in the bunch. She plays Sandra Voyter in Justine Triet‘s award-winning film, a woman who tries to...
- 1/18/2024
- by Christopher Tsang
- Gold Derby
American actor Charles Melton grew up as a military kid, so he traveled overseas, spending time in Germany and Korea before returning to America. He moved to Kansas for modeling and later to Los Angeles to pursue his acting career at 20. He attended several auditions before landing a role in the musical series Glee. Melton’s parents have always supported his passion for the arts, even while working as a dog walker, at Wendy’s, and other jobs as a teenager before getting his breakthrough roles in shows like American Horror Story. Before his career-making role in May December, these were some of Charles Melton’s most...
- 1/16/2024
- by Isabel k
- TVovermind.com
It’s what most aspiring screenwriters dream of: An Oscar-winning actress reads your spec script and convinces one of the leading indie filmmakers of the past 25 years to make it. Then, it premieres at the Cannes Film Festival and sells to Netflix, all in time for an awards season push.
For Samy Burch, the experience is still overwhelming — understandably so, as her team of collaborators on her first produced screenplay include director Todd Haynes, Oscar winning actresses Natalie Portman (who also produced) and Julianne Moore, plus former Riverdale actor Charles Melton, who has achieved acclaim and Oscar buzz for his breakout role in Netflix’s May December.
Portman plays an actress, Elizabeth, set to star in a movie about Moore’s Gracie, who had a scandalous affair with a 13-year-old boy, Joe, two decades earlier. Gracie and Joe (Melton) are now married and raising adult children of their own. The...
For Samy Burch, the experience is still overwhelming — understandably so, as her team of collaborators on her first produced screenplay include director Todd Haynes, Oscar winning actresses Natalie Portman (who also produced) and Julianne Moore, plus former Riverdale actor Charles Melton, who has achieved acclaim and Oscar buzz for his breakout role in Netflix’s May December.
Portman plays an actress, Elizabeth, set to star in a movie about Moore’s Gracie, who had a scandalous affair with a 13-year-old boy, Joe, two decades earlier. Gracie and Joe (Melton) are now married and raising adult children of their own. The...
- 1/11/2024
- by Tyler Coates
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The 2024 SAG Awards nominations were announced on Wednesday, January 10. Gold Derby editors Denton Davidson, Marcus James Dixon, Daniel Montgomery and Ray Richmond were joined by Oscar Expert Tariq Khan to discuss who’s in, who’s out and what it means for the Oscars. Watch our lively slugfest above.
When it came to the biggest shock of the morning, “It has to be Mark Ruffalo missing for Best Supporting Actor, right?” asks Khan. Instead, the guild favored Ruffalo’s “Poor Things” co-star, Willem Dafoe. “I actually thought it would be the other way around,” he continues. “Mark Ruffalo had the showier, hammier performance and SAG eats that up. It’s funny, this happened the year of ‘Spotlight.’ The film got in for Best Cast and he missed out on an individual nomination. But ‘Spotlight’ won Best Cast. ‘Poor Things’ missed out on Best Cast. I still thought that Ruffalo would...
When it came to the biggest shock of the morning, “It has to be Mark Ruffalo missing for Best Supporting Actor, right?” asks Khan. Instead, the guild favored Ruffalo’s “Poor Things” co-star, Willem Dafoe. “I actually thought it would be the other way around,” he continues. “Mark Ruffalo had the showier, hammier performance and SAG eats that up. It’s funny, this happened the year of ‘Spotlight.’ The film got in for Best Cast and he missed out on an individual nomination. But ‘Spotlight’ won Best Cast. ‘Poor Things’ missed out on Best Cast. I still thought that Ruffalo would...
- 1/10/2024
- by Denton Davidson, Marcus James Dixon, Daniel Montgomery and Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
The SAG Awards nominations provided an exciting blend of usual suspects and stunning omissions. For some awards season strategists — particularly the ones behind critically adored films like “Anatomy of a Fall” and “May December” — there’s no choice but to ask, “what happened?”
The SAG Awards’ pearl anniversary brought expected mentions for Oscar contenders such as the two summer smash hits “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” leading the tally for all movies with four nominations each. In addition, the crime epic “Killers of the Flower Moon” and the satirical dramedy “American Fiction” managed three mentions. The latter needed the boost, picking up vital mentions for Jeffrey Wright and Sterling K. Brown, which turbocharges their campaigns.
SAG wasn’t the only group to change the shape of the Oscar race, with the Directors Guild of America naming five directing nominees: Greta Gerwig (“Barbie”), Yorgos Lanthimos (“Poor Things”), Christopher Nolan (“Oppenheimer”), Alexander Payne (“The Holdovers...
The SAG Awards’ pearl anniversary brought expected mentions for Oscar contenders such as the two summer smash hits “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” leading the tally for all movies with four nominations each. In addition, the crime epic “Killers of the Flower Moon” and the satirical dramedy “American Fiction” managed three mentions. The latter needed the boost, picking up vital mentions for Jeffrey Wright and Sterling K. Brown, which turbocharges their campaigns.
SAG wasn’t the only group to change the shape of the Oscar race, with the Directors Guild of America naming five directing nominees: Greta Gerwig (“Barbie”), Yorgos Lanthimos (“Poor Things”), Christopher Nolan (“Oppenheimer”), Alexander Payne (“The Holdovers...
- 1/10/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Olivia Rodrigo, Charles Melton, and Past Lives star Greta Lee are among the winners honored on the 2024 Gold List, which highlights outstanding work by Asian Pacific creatives in film.
Voted on by members of the advocacy groups Gold House and Cape (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment), the fourth-annual Gold List was released Wednesday, with the critically-acclaimed Past Lives leading the pack with four wins, including Best Picture, Best Director for Celine Song, and Best Performance in a Leading Role for Lee (the categories are not categorized by gender).
Melton...
Voted on by members of the advocacy groups Gold House and Cape (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment), the fourth-annual Gold List was released Wednesday, with the critically-acclaimed Past Lives leading the pack with four wins, including Best Picture, Best Director for Celine Song, and Best Performance in a Leading Role for Lee (the categories are not categorized by gender).
Melton...
- 1/10/2024
- by Tim Chan
- Rollingstone.com
When Charles Melton was 11 years old, his dad sat him down and gave him a talk. Phil Melton served in the US military, and he was about to be deployed to the Middle East. “I remember my father giving me this inspirational talk about life and really encouraging me to take care of my two younger sisters and my mom while he was away at war for a year,” Melton tells Tudum. “And as a kid, if you’re given a size 10 shoe, you’re just like, ‘Ok, I’ll wear it.’ Even if it’s too big.”
That talk from his father popped into Melton’s head more than two decades later, as he prepared to take on the role of Joe in Todd Haynes’ acclaimed new melodrama May December.Joe was also a child forced to take on responsibilities far above his understanding — under very different circumstances. Twenty...
That talk from his father popped into Melton’s head more than two decades later, as he prepared to take on the role of Joe in Todd Haynes’ acclaimed new melodrama May December.Joe was also a child forced to take on responsibilities far above his understanding — under very different circumstances. Twenty...
- 1/10/2024
- by John DiLillo
- Tudum - Netflix
Gold House and Cape (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment) debuted the fourth annual Gold List to guide voters during the awards race by honoring the most outstanding work in film by Asian Pacific creatives in the past year, as voted on by the community’s industry leaders. Notable winners this year include Past Lives (including Celine Song and Greta Lee), May December’s Charles Melton, Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse, Olivia Rodrigo, The Boy and the Heron, and a historic number of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander honorees.
Last year erased any doubt that films by and starring Asian Pacific creatives could achieve the pinnacles of commercial and critical success. According to Gold House’s research, 22% of films grossing over $100 million at the post-pandemic domestic box office featured an Asian Pacific director, screenwriter, or lead actor. 2023 Gold List winner Everything Everything All At Once broke records during the 2023 awards season...
Last year erased any doubt that films by and starring Asian Pacific creatives could achieve the pinnacles of commercial and critical success. According to Gold House’s research, 22% of films grossing over $100 million at the post-pandemic domestic box office featured an Asian Pacific director, screenwriter, or lead actor. 2023 Gold List winner Everything Everything All At Once broke records during the 2023 awards season...
- 1/10/2024
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
Gold House and Cape (Coalition of Asian Pacifics) in Entertainment released the fourth annual Gold List, which spotlights outstanding work and talent within the Aapi community over the past 12 months.
“The Gold List was created to ensure awards seasons and mainstream society are up to date on the most worthy creative work — particularly work from communities that have been historically overlooked or excluded,” Jeremy Tran, executive director and chief operating officer of Gold House, said in a statement. “Every visible success leads to numerous unseen doors that are opened for new creative development, production, and distribution opportunities for these communities.”
Celine Song’s “Past Lives” leads the list which is voted on by the community’s industry leaders and used to guide voters during awards season. It received a nod for best picture, director and original screenplay for Song and performance in a leading role for Greta Lee. Teo Yoo...
“The Gold List was created to ensure awards seasons and mainstream society are up to date on the most worthy creative work — particularly work from communities that have been historically overlooked or excluded,” Jeremy Tran, executive director and chief operating officer of Gold House, said in a statement. “Every visible success leads to numerous unseen doors that are opened for new creative development, production, and distribution opportunities for these communities.”
Celine Song’s “Past Lives” leads the list which is voted on by the community’s industry leaders and used to guide voters during awards season. It received a nod for best picture, director and original screenplay for Song and performance in a leading role for Greta Lee. Teo Yoo...
- 1/10/2024
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
After last awards season’s banner haul for artists of Asian descent, Gold House and Cape are hoping the community will strike gold again.
The two leading Asian Pacific nonprofits in the entertainment industry have revealed the results of their fourth annual Gold List, which draws attention to the top Api hopefuls in the awards race. “The Gold List was created to ensure awards seasons and mainstream society are up to date on the most worthy creative work – particularly work from communities that have been historically overlooked or excluded,” Gold House executive director and COO Jeremy Tran said in a statement. “Every visible success leads to numerous unseen doors that are opened for new creative development, production and distribution opportunities for these communities.”
Celine Song’s Past Lives tops the Gold List with four selections, plus an honorable mention, while May December’s Charles Melton, The Boy and the Heron...
The two leading Asian Pacific nonprofits in the entertainment industry have revealed the results of their fourth annual Gold List, which draws attention to the top Api hopefuls in the awards race. “The Gold List was created to ensure awards seasons and mainstream society are up to date on the most worthy creative work – particularly work from communities that have been historically overlooked or excluded,” Gold House executive director and COO Jeremy Tran said in a statement. “Every visible success leads to numerous unseen doors that are opened for new creative development, production and distribution opportunities for these communities.”
Celine Song’s Past Lives tops the Gold List with four selections, plus an honorable mention, while May December’s Charles Melton, The Boy and the Heron...
- 1/10/2024
- by Rebecca Sun
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Golden Globes have now come and gone, with the organization awarding “Oppenheimer” and “Poor Things” their night’s two Best Picture categories. Now, our attention turns to the Screen Actors’ Guild Awards, whose big prize comes in the form of Best Ensemble.
“Oppenheimer” is again expected to take home that award while we are also predicting that “Barbie,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Poor Things,” and “The Color Purple” will be nominated. However, not every nomination goes that smoothly. So which movies could disrupt these predictions and land themselves a shock bid? Well, here are three we think could do just that.
“Air”
Amazon’s “Air” tells the story of how Nike’s Air Jordan shoe was first created, which includes the sportswear company’s courtship of Michael Jordan. The film’s biggest strength here is the list of A-list names. Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Viola Davis, Jason Bateman,...
“Oppenheimer” is again expected to take home that award while we are also predicting that “Barbie,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Poor Things,” and “The Color Purple” will be nominated. However, not every nomination goes that smoothly. So which movies could disrupt these predictions and land themselves a shock bid? Well, here are three we think could do just that.
“Air”
Amazon’s “Air” tells the story of how Nike’s Air Jordan shoe was first created, which includes the sportswear company’s courtship of Michael Jordan. The film’s biggest strength here is the list of A-list names. Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Viola Davis, Jason Bateman,...
- 1/9/2024
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
The Golden Globes have been and gone with “Oppenheimer” and “Beef” the night’s biggest winners in film and TV, respectively. Now, our attention turns to the Screen Actors’ Guild Awards. We’re taking a last-minute tour through our odds to finalize our predictions but, along the way, we’ve come across several performers who could secure their first-ever SAG nominations. Now, some thespians have been nominated for Best Ensemble before but never secured a solo bid. We are solely looking at performers who have never even been nominated for Best Ensemble, let alone an individual prize. So here are just four such names that we are heavily tipping to do just that and land their first SAG nominations.
Cillian Murphy (“Oppenheimer”) — Best Actor
Surprisingly, Cillian Murphy has never been nominated for a SAG award before — not even as part of an ensemble, despite starring in several Christopher Nolan movies including “Batman Begins,...
Cillian Murphy (“Oppenheimer”) — Best Actor
Surprisingly, Cillian Murphy has never been nominated for a SAG award before — not even as part of an ensemble, despite starring in several Christopher Nolan movies including “Batman Begins,...
- 1/9/2024
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore both responded to Vili Fualaau’s criticism of May December on Sunday, emphasizing the movie was not meant to tell the exact story of his relationship with ex Mary Kay Letourneau.
“It’s not based on them,” Portman told Entertainment Tonight from the red carpet at the 2024 Golden Globes. “Obviously their story influenced the culture that we all grew up in and influenced the idea. But it’s fictional characters that are really brought to life by Julianne Moore and Charles Melton so beautifully.”
May December tells the story of fictional actress Elizabeth Berry (Portman) sent to visit married couple Gracie (Moore) and Joe (Melton). Gracie met and victimized Joe when he was 13, doing time in prison for child rape before being released and marrying Joe. The two share three children, one of whom she gave birth to while in prison. Screenwriter Samy Burch has...
“It’s not based on them,” Portman told Entertainment Tonight from the red carpet at the 2024 Golden Globes. “Obviously their story influenced the culture that we all grew up in and influenced the idea. But it’s fictional characters that are really brought to life by Julianne Moore and Charles Melton so beautifully.”
May December tells the story of fictional actress Elizabeth Berry (Portman) sent to visit married couple Gracie (Moore) and Joe (Melton). Gracie met and victimized Joe when he was 13, doing time in prison for child rape before being released and marrying Joe. The two share three children, one of whom she gave birth to while in prison. Screenwriter Samy Burch has...
- 1/9/2024
- by Zoe G Phillips
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Barbie director Greta Gerwig emerged from the elevator at the Château Marmont with producer David Heyman and her agent Jeremy Barber in tow.
Pleasantries and hugs were exchanged between them and May December filmmaker Todd Haynes and his longtime collaborators, the producers Christine Vachon and Pam Koffler. We were all waiting to go up to the hotel’s penthouse suite, with its sumptuous wraparound terrace, for W Magazine’s annual soiree to celebrate publication of its Best Performances edition, hosted by W’s editor in chief Sara Moonves and Lynn Hirschberg, who has a pretty much unerring eye for discovering talent.
Margot Robbie attends W Magazine’s annual Best Performances Party at Château Marmont on Saturday
“So, if Greta’s leaving, who’s left upstairs?” Haynes wondered aloud as he entered the lift.
Amanda Grandinetti, the Château’s managing director who’d squeezed in with us, assured us that the joint was popping upstairs.
Pleasantries and hugs were exchanged between them and May December filmmaker Todd Haynes and his longtime collaborators, the producers Christine Vachon and Pam Koffler. We were all waiting to go up to the hotel’s penthouse suite, with its sumptuous wraparound terrace, for W Magazine’s annual soiree to celebrate publication of its Best Performances edition, hosted by W’s editor in chief Sara Moonves and Lynn Hirschberg, who has a pretty much unerring eye for discovering talent.
Margot Robbie attends W Magazine’s annual Best Performances Party at Château Marmont on Saturday
“So, if Greta’s leaving, who’s left upstairs?” Haynes wondered aloud as he entered the lift.
Amanda Grandinetti, the Château’s managing director who’d squeezed in with us, assured us that the joint was popping upstairs.
- 1/6/2024
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
Despite being surrounded by revered Hollywood giants in the industry, Charles Melton has been the talk of this season’s Supporting Actor race. His heart shattering turn as Joe Yoo in Todd Hayne’s scandalous melodrama “May December” has birthed a frenzy of passionate acclaim.
The 33-year-old TV star (“Riverdale”) has raked in a whopping 28 nominations from critics groups. Of these, Melton has won seven, including the New York Film Critics Circle. He also won at Gotham Awards in a combined category over, among others, Oscar frontrunners Ryan Gosling (“Barbie”) and Da’Vine Joy Randolph (“The Holdovers”).
He faces off against Gosling (2nd in our combined odds) this Sunday at the Golden Globes. Gosling benefits from his star power and being part of the most nominated film, “Barbie.” The category leader according to our odds, Robert Downey Jr. (“Oppenheimer”), has equal star power. He arguably has the most of any actor this century,...
The 33-year-old TV star (“Riverdale”) has raked in a whopping 28 nominations from critics groups. Of these, Melton has won seven, including the New York Film Critics Circle. He also won at Gotham Awards in a combined category over, among others, Oscar frontrunners Ryan Gosling (“Barbie”) and Da’Vine Joy Randolph (“The Holdovers”).
He faces off against Gosling (2nd in our combined odds) this Sunday at the Golden Globes. Gosling benefits from his star power and being part of the most nominated film, “Barbie.” The category leader according to our odds, Robert Downey Jr. (“Oppenheimer”), has equal star power. He arguably has the most of any actor this century,...
- 1/6/2024
- by Nick Bisa
- Gold Derby
Welcome to Oscar Experts Typing, a weekly column in which Gold Derby editors and Experts Joyce Eng and Christopher Rosen discuss the Oscar race — via Slack, of course. This week, we discuss Best Supporting Actor, which got a new twist with Friday’s BAFTA longlists.
Christopher Rosen: Hello, Joyce! It’s the Friday before an awards-palooza weekend and we’re typing about what has become, at least to me, a very intriguing Best Supporting Actor race. Earlier this morning, the BAFTA longlists were released and sent a mild disturbance through Film Twitter. While presumed future nominees like Ryan Gosling, Robert Downey Jr., Robert De Niro and Mark Ruffalo made the cut in the Best Supporting Actor field, online favorites Charles Melton and Willem Dafoe did not. Does that spell trouble in River City or is it merely a case of BAFTA being BAFTA? Last year, eventual Oscar nominees Brian Tyree Henry...
Christopher Rosen: Hello, Joyce! It’s the Friday before an awards-palooza weekend and we’re typing about what has become, at least to me, a very intriguing Best Supporting Actor race. Earlier this morning, the BAFTA longlists were released and sent a mild disturbance through Film Twitter. While presumed future nominees like Ryan Gosling, Robert Downey Jr., Robert De Niro and Mark Ruffalo made the cut in the Best Supporting Actor field, online favorites Charles Melton and Willem Dafoe did not. Does that spell trouble in River City or is it merely a case of BAFTA being BAFTA? Last year, eventual Oscar nominees Brian Tyree Henry...
- 1/5/2024
- by Joyce Eng and Christopher Rosen
- Gold Derby
Margot Robbie in Barbie (courtesy Warner Bros.), Cillian Murphy in Oppenheimer (courtesy Universal Pictures), Sarah Snook in Succession (courtesy HBO), Jeremy Allen White in The Bear (courtesy FX Networks)Graphic: The A.V. Club
This year’s 81st Golden Globe Awards ceremony may not look any different to viewers watching at home,...
This year’s 81st Golden Globe Awards ceremony may not look any different to viewers watching at home,...
- 1/5/2024
- by Cindy White
- avclub.com
Vili Fualaau, who married his sixth-grade teacher, Mary Kay Letourneau, says he’s upset by filmmaker Todd Haynes’ new film, May December, which drew inspiration from Fualaau and Letourneau’s story. The movie, which stars Julianne Moore as the Letourneau-esque Gracie and Charles Melton as her young husband, Joe Yoo, depicts the couple dodging media exploitation at the hands of an actress played by Natalie Portman after Gracie served time for seducing Yoo when she was 36 and he was 13. In reality, Letourneau was 34, and Fualaau was 12 when they began their sexual relationship.
- 1/4/2024
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
“May December” inspiration Vili Fualaau is speaking out about being portrayed in Todd Haynes’ awards season powerhouse, and he’s not happy.
The film draws loose but obvious inspiration from the infamous 1990s scandal in which Mary Kay Letourneau, then 34, victimized 12-year-old Fualaau, leading to her eventually pleading guilty to two counts of child rape. A few details have been changed for the film: in real life, Letourneau was a sixth-grade teacher and Fualaau was her student, whereas in the movie Julianne Moore’s character Gracie Atherton-Yoo worked at a pet shop where she preyed on her 13-year-old colleague, Joe (Charles Melton).
But these slightly altered details aside, as well as the “May December” largely avoiding discussing the real-life scandal itself, the film very closely aligns with details of Letourneau and Fualaau’s life, down to the idyllic beach house photo shoot the real couple engaged in in 2006 to celebrate their one-year wedding anniversary.
The film draws loose but obvious inspiration from the infamous 1990s scandal in which Mary Kay Letourneau, then 34, victimized 12-year-old Fualaau, leading to her eventually pleading guilty to two counts of child rape. A few details have been changed for the film: in real life, Letourneau was a sixth-grade teacher and Fualaau was her student, whereas in the movie Julianne Moore’s character Gracie Atherton-Yoo worked at a pet shop where she preyed on her 13-year-old colleague, Joe (Charles Melton).
But these slightly altered details aside, as well as the “May December” largely avoiding discussing the real-life scandal itself, the film very closely aligns with details of Letourneau and Fualaau’s life, down to the idyllic beach house photo shoot the real couple engaged in in 2006 to celebrate their one-year wedding anniversary.
- 1/4/2024
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
In Todd Haynes’ May December, Natalie Portman plays Elizabeth Berry, an actress obsessively researching a married couple with a scandalous past.
The similarities between the couple’s story and the Mary Kay Letourneau case — which May December screenwriter Samy Burch has cited as her inspiration — are striking.
But in an ironic twist, no one involved in the Netflix-produced May December has ever reached out to Vili Fualaau, who serves as the inspiration for Charles Melton’s Golden Globe-nominated portrayal of Joe Yoo.
In the film, Joe is 13 when he is first seduced by Julianne Moore’s 36-year-old character. Fualaau was just 12 when a 34-year-old Letourneau first victimized him in 1996. Letourneau later pleaded guilty to two counts of child rape.
There are many other similarities. Both men are Asian/Pacific Islander — Joe is half-Korean, Fualaau is Samoan. Both father children born in prison. Both marry their female abusers after the...
The similarities between the couple’s story and the Mary Kay Letourneau case — which May December screenwriter Samy Burch has cited as her inspiration — are striking.
But in an ironic twist, no one involved in the Netflix-produced May December has ever reached out to Vili Fualaau, who serves as the inspiration for Charles Melton’s Golden Globe-nominated portrayal of Joe Yoo.
In the film, Joe is 13 when he is first seduced by Julianne Moore’s 36-year-old character. Fualaau was just 12 when a 34-year-old Letourneau first victimized him in 1996. Letourneau later pleaded guilty to two counts of child rape.
There are many other similarities. Both men are Asian/Pacific Islander — Joe is half-Korean, Fualaau is Samoan. Both father children born in prison. Both marry their female abusers after the...
- 1/4/2024
- by Seth Abramovitch
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Charles Melton is explaining how his six-year, almost 100-episode Riverdale run prepared him for his critically acclaimed supporting performance in Todd Haynes’ May December, for which the actor is gaining serious Oscar buzz.
“Ten months out of the year, 22 episodes, eight to 10 days to film one episode.… That’s a lot of work in a short amount of time, and it really took everybody on set to come together to execute this process,” Melton tells THR. “That experience alone, and working with nearly 100 directors on that show, really gave me this confidence and this foundation — as, like, my acting school in a way — to really be able to come to a set like Todd Haynes’ and just completely let go.”
The director, however, had never seen Riverdale, so Melton was an unfamiliar face to him when the actor auditioned for the role of Joe, a suburban dad who, when he was just 13 years old,...
“Ten months out of the year, 22 episodes, eight to 10 days to film one episode.… That’s a lot of work in a short amount of time, and it really took everybody on set to come together to execute this process,” Melton tells THR. “That experience alone, and working with nearly 100 directors on that show, really gave me this confidence and this foundation — as, like, my acting school in a way — to really be able to come to a set like Todd Haynes’ and just completely let go.”
The director, however, had never seen Riverdale, so Melton was an unfamiliar face to him when the actor auditioned for the role of Joe, a suburban dad who, when he was just 13 years old,...
- 12/27/2023
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Riverdale was a learning experience for Charles Melton.
Melton — who has already received a best supporting actor award at the Gotham Awards for his performance in May December and a Golden Globe nomination — opened up about how the CW series based on Archie Comics played a critical part in his growth as an actor.
“It really helped me refine this work ethic,” he told i-d of his time on the show, during which he portrayed jock Reggie Mantle. “Riverdale truly was my Juilliard — I was learning and growing and playing and taking risks. I was allowed to do that.”
The show ended its nine-season run in August, which the actor admitted was a “bittersweet” feeling, adding, “But I’m so happy it brought joy to so many people.”
Charles Melton and Camila Mendes in the Riverdale episode “Chapter Forty-Four: No Exit.”
In Todd Haynes’ May December, Melton plays Joe Atherton Yoo,...
Melton — who has already received a best supporting actor award at the Gotham Awards for his performance in May December and a Golden Globe nomination — opened up about how the CW series based on Archie Comics played a critical part in his growth as an actor.
“It really helped me refine this work ethic,” he told i-d of his time on the show, during which he portrayed jock Reggie Mantle. “Riverdale truly was my Juilliard — I was learning and growing and playing and taking risks. I was allowed to do that.”
The show ended its nine-season run in August, which the actor admitted was a “bittersweet” feeling, adding, “But I’m so happy it brought joy to so many people.”
Charles Melton and Camila Mendes in the Riverdale episode “Chapter Forty-Four: No Exit.”
In Todd Haynes’ May December, Melton plays Joe Atherton Yoo,...
- 12/19/2023
- by Christy Piña
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
[Editor’s note: The following article contains spoilers for “Notes on a Scandal,” “Last Summer,” and “May December.“]
“May December” has been called a dark comedy and a campy take on “Persona” (though director Todd Haynes disdains the “camp” label). It inspired an unexpected Netflix meme-based social media push capitalizing on the shirtless scenes of supporting star Charles Melton, and now this tale of abuse has been nominated for, of all things, a comedy at this year’s Golden Globes. (Netflix submitted the film as such.)
It seems that “May December” has led to every conversation but what it’s actually about: grooming.
The film tracks the fallout of Gracie, an adult woman (Julianne Moore) who seduced a 12-year-old boy (played as an adult by Charles Melton), had his children, went to jail for her misdeeds, and — eventually — married her victim. Natalie Portman portrays Elizabeth, an actress playing Gracie in a big-screen adaptation of her life.
Written by Samy Burch,...
“May December” has been called a dark comedy and a campy take on “Persona” (though director Todd Haynes disdains the “camp” label). It inspired an unexpected Netflix meme-based social media push capitalizing on the shirtless scenes of supporting star Charles Melton, and now this tale of abuse has been nominated for, of all things, a comedy at this year’s Golden Globes. (Netflix submitted the film as such.)
It seems that “May December” has led to every conversation but what it’s actually about: grooming.
The film tracks the fallout of Gracie, an adult woman (Julianne Moore) who seduced a 12-year-old boy (played as an adult by Charles Melton), had his children, went to jail for her misdeeds, and — eventually — married her victim. Natalie Portman portrays Elizabeth, an actress playing Gracie in a big-screen adaptation of her life.
Written by Samy Burch,...
- 12/18/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
“I first got the script last summer,” remembers Charles Melton about “May December.” “It was so delicate and created this expansive blueprint to explore these characters and specifically Joe, and there’s just so much complexity. There’s so much between the text.” Watch our exclusive video interview with Melton above.
Directed by Todd Haynes from a screenplay by Samy Burch, “May December” tells the story of a tragic and complex marriage between Gracie (Julianne Moore) and Joe (Melton). They met when Gracie was in her 30s and Joe was just 13: the older woman groomed the child into a sexual relationship, but now they’re husband-and-wife with children about to go off to college, and a Hollywood actress (Natalie Portman) is in town to research a film she’s making about the scandal.
SEESamy Burch interview: ‘May December’ writer
Melton was struck by Joe’s “arrested development, this tragedy...
Directed by Todd Haynes from a screenplay by Samy Burch, “May December” tells the story of a tragic and complex marriage between Gracie (Julianne Moore) and Joe (Melton). They met when Gracie was in her 30s and Joe was just 13: the older woman groomed the child into a sexual relationship, but now they’re husband-and-wife with children about to go off to college, and a Hollywood actress (Natalie Portman) is in town to research a film she’s making about the scandal.
SEESamy Burch interview: ‘May December’ writer
Melton was struck by Joe’s “arrested development, this tragedy...
- 12/14/2023
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
In response to his Golden Globe nomination Monday for Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture for May December, Charles Melton starts the conversation with gratitude towards his mother, Sukyong Melton, who he recently deemed his hero in a heartfelt speech while being honored at the Critics Choice Celebration of Black, Latino & Aapi Achievements last week. Though he admits to sleeping through the ceremony and being informed by his team about the nomination, he made sure to call her as soon as he found out. “She was so proud, and I am so happy.” Melton said.
Primarily known as a TV star from his six-year stint as Reggie Mantle on the teen melodrama Riverdale, Melton has commandeered his first feature film breakout role in May December, holding his own against the likes of seasoned actors, his co-stars, Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman. In the film,...
Primarily known as a TV star from his six-year stint as Reggie Mantle on the teen melodrama Riverdale, Melton has commandeered his first feature film breakout role in May December, holding his own against the likes of seasoned actors, his co-stars, Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman. In the film,...
- 12/12/2023
- by Destiny Jackson
- Deadline Film + TV
Nominations voting is from January 11-16, 2024, with official Oscar nominations announced January 23, 2024. Final voting is February 22-27, 2024. And finally, the 96th Oscars telecast will be broadcast on Sunday, March 10 and air live on ABC at 8:00 p.m. Et/ 5:00 p.m. Pt. We update predictions through awards season, so keep checking IndieWire for all our 2024 Oscar picks.
The State of the Race
It has long been perceived that the Best Supporting Actor race this season has four locks for a nomination, but as the first round of film awards winners have been announced, the last name to join veterans Robert De Niro (“Killers of the Flower Moon”), Robert Downey Jr. (“Oppenheimer”), Ryan Gosling (“Barbie”), and Mark Ruffalo (“Poor Things”) may just have a fighting chance of winning the Oscar.
Former “Riverdale” star Charles Melton has won a Gotham Award and a New York Film Critics Circle Award for his...
The State of the Race
It has long been perceived that the Best Supporting Actor race this season has four locks for a nomination, but as the first round of film awards winners have been announced, the last name to join veterans Robert De Niro (“Killers of the Flower Moon”), Robert Downey Jr. (“Oppenheimer”), Ryan Gosling (“Barbie”), and Mark Ruffalo (“Poor Things”) may just have a fighting chance of winning the Oscar.
Former “Riverdale” star Charles Melton has won a Gotham Award and a New York Film Critics Circle Award for his...
- 12/11/2023
- by Marcus Jones
- Indiewire
Entering May December, Charles Melton was best known as a TV star on the soapy teen drama Riverdale as former football player Reggie Mantle. Next to his castmates Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman, he was virtually an unknown talent in the film world. But with Todd Haynes’ latest melodrama, Melton has broken out as an awards-worthy film star in his own right, already winning the Gotham and securing the Indie Spirit nom for supporting performance, and earning his first Golden Globe nomination as of Monday morning.
Melton plays Joe, the husband of Julianne Moore’s Gracie, in Samy Burch’s script, which is adapted loosely from the real-life story of Mary Kay Letourneau. Gracie and Joe became romantically involved when the former was an adult and the latter was 13 years old, and had children together not long after. Years later, when Joe is now in his thirties and the married...
Melton plays Joe, the husband of Julianne Moore’s Gracie, in Samy Burch’s script, which is adapted loosely from the real-life story of Mary Kay Letourneau. Gracie and Joe became romantically involved when the former was an adult and the latter was 13 years old, and had children together not long after. Years later, when Joe is now in his thirties and the married...
- 12/11/2023
- by Hilton Dresden
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
[Editor’s note: The following interview contains some spoilers for “May December.”]
There’s one word to describe the past few months in rising star Elizabeth Yu’s acting career: “wild.” Spend a little time with the “May December” breakout on the phone, and she’ll invoke the term for everything from the response to the Todd Haynes film to her rapid-fire casting process to her first day on set, which literally saw her smack in between two acting legends in a scene that’s a strong contender for sequence of the year. Wild.
And she’s not wrong. While “May December,” in which Yu plays Mary Atherton-Yoo, one of three children belonging to embattled couple Gracie Atherton-Yoo (Julianne Moore) and Joe Yoo (Charles Melton), is only Yu’s second film role (the first was in Ray Romano’s 2022 effort “Somewhere in Queens”), she more than holds her own in the lauded feature.
Case in point: that first day of production, in...
There’s one word to describe the past few months in rising star Elizabeth Yu’s acting career: “wild.” Spend a little time with the “May December” breakout on the phone, and she’ll invoke the term for everything from the response to the Todd Haynes film to her rapid-fire casting process to her first day on set, which literally saw her smack in between two acting legends in a scene that’s a strong contender for sequence of the year. Wild.
And she’s not wrong. While “May December,” in which Yu plays Mary Atherton-Yoo, one of three children belonging to embattled couple Gracie Atherton-Yoo (Julianne Moore) and Joe Yoo (Charles Melton), is only Yu’s second film role (the first was in Ray Romano’s 2022 effort “Somewhere in Queens”), she more than holds her own in the lauded feature.
Case in point: that first day of production, in...
- 12/11/2023
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
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