Writers Guild of America East leadership has touched down in Los Angeles for meetings to review the counter-offer by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers furnished on Aug. 11, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. The WGA and the AMPTP are set to meet Tuesday, Aug. 15.
On Friday, the AMPTP presented its latest counter-proposal to the writers’ union. The guild told its members that night that it would “evaluate their offer” and present their response this week.
It’s not unusual for leaders of the eastern branch to join their West Coast counterparts during a strike — president Michael Winship has previously told THR that during the 2007-08 writers’ strike, as president of the eastern branch of the union, he flew out to L.A. every few weeks — but it does suggest that the talks have gotten more serious in recent days.
Neither branch of the Writers Guild of America responded...
On Friday, the AMPTP presented its latest counter-proposal to the writers’ union. The guild told its members that night that it would “evaluate their offer” and present their response this week.
It’s not unusual for leaders of the eastern branch to join their West Coast counterparts during a strike — president Michael Winship has previously told THR that during the 2007-08 writers’ strike, as president of the eastern branch of the union, he flew out to L.A. every few weeks — but it does suggest that the talks have gotten more serious in recent days.
Neither branch of the Writers Guild of America responded...
- 8/15/2023
- by Katie Kilkenny and Lesley Goldberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Ain’t No Mo star and playwright Jordan E. Cooper, Kpop composer Helen Park, and Ojibwe and Oneida performance artist Ty Defoe are among the new members of the Tony Award nominating committee.
The trio are among 25 new members of the 2023-2024 committee announced today by the Tony Awards Administration Committee. Other newcomers include Dear Evan Hansen composer Benj Pasek, writer-director Miranda Haymon, actors Jason Tam, Bob Balaban and Adam Chanler-Berat, and Flying Over Sunset lyricist Michael Korie.
The 2023-2024 committee of the Tony nominators will include 60 members, each of whom serve a three-year term. The Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing.
The 2023-2024 Nominating Committee includes:
Warren Adams – Director/Choreographer/Producer
Becky Ann Baker – Actor
Bob Balaban** – Actor/Producer/Director/Writer
Pun Bandhu – Actor/Producer
Danielle Barlow** – Theatre Administrator
Sarah Benson** – Director
Rick Boynton** – Creative Producer, Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Christopher Burney – Producer...
The trio are among 25 new members of the 2023-2024 committee announced today by the Tony Awards Administration Committee. Other newcomers include Dear Evan Hansen composer Benj Pasek, writer-director Miranda Haymon, actors Jason Tam, Bob Balaban and Adam Chanler-Berat, and Flying Over Sunset lyricist Michael Korie.
The 2023-2024 committee of the Tony nominators will include 60 members, each of whom serve a three-year term. The Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing.
The 2023-2024 Nominating Committee includes:
Warren Adams – Director/Choreographer/Producer
Becky Ann Baker – Actor
Bob Balaban** – Actor/Producer/Director/Writer
Pun Bandhu – Actor/Producer
Danielle Barlow** – Theatre Administrator
Sarah Benson** – Director
Rick Boynton** – Creative Producer, Chicago Shakespeare Theater
Christopher Burney – Producer...
- 7/10/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
The Tony Awards has added new members to its nominating committee, including Ain’t No Mo star and playwright Jordan E. Cooper and Kpop composer Helen Park, who have both been outspoken about the need for change within the industry.
Other new members joining for the 2023-2024 Broadway season include The Greatest Showman and Dear Evan Hansen songwriter Benj Pasek, actor Bob Balaban, actor and playwright Adam Chanler-Berat, interdisciplinary artist Ty Defoe and director Miranda Haymon.
The Tony Awards nominating committee is typically younger and more diverse than the larger Tony Awards voting body. However, the addition of Cooper and Park is particularly notable, as both had shows this past season that posted early closing notices and have spoken out about the need for Broadway to improve how it markets to and welcomes diverse audiences (Kpop is about competing Korean pop bands, while Ain’t No Mo’ follows a series...
Other new members joining for the 2023-2024 Broadway season include The Greatest Showman and Dear Evan Hansen songwriter Benj Pasek, actor Bob Balaban, actor and playwright Adam Chanler-Berat, interdisciplinary artist Ty Defoe and director Miranda Haymon.
The Tony Awards nominating committee is typically younger and more diverse than the larger Tony Awards voting body. However, the addition of Cooper and Park is particularly notable, as both had shows this past season that posted early closing notices and have spoken out about the need for Broadway to improve how it markets to and welcomes diverse audiences (Kpop is about competing Korean pop bands, while Ain’t No Mo’ follows a series...
- 7/10/2023
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The WGA East’s second Showrunner Academy gets underway today, with the 31-member class taking part in a program designed to support television writer-producers, upper-level writers and new show creators in honing the skills necessary to become successful showrunners and TV industry leaders.
The Academy, which provides instruction from current showrunners and other industry professionals on a wide range of topics, is led by Diana Son and Frank Pugliese.
“Being a showrunner is so much more than being the creative voice of the show,” Son said in a statement. “It’s also managing a multimillion-dollar endeavor with over 100 employees. We’re bringing in accomplished and experienced showrunners who’re willing to share the breadth of their experience – the good, bad and the ugly – so new showrunners can have a head start on figuring out what kind of showrunner they’re going to be.
The Academy, which provides instruction from current showrunners and other industry professionals on a wide range of topics, is led by Diana Son and Frank Pugliese.
“Being a showrunner is so much more than being the creative voice of the show,” Son said in a statement. “It’s also managing a multimillion-dollar endeavor with over 100 employees. We’re bringing in accomplished and experienced showrunners who’re willing to share the breadth of their experience – the good, bad and the ugly – so new showrunners can have a head start on figuring out what kind of showrunner they’re going to be.
- 9/14/2022
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
The movie Respect, a biographical musical drama, premiered in 2021 to primarily positive acclaim. The movie was directed by Liesl Tommy, who previously worked on projects like Eclipsed, and was written by screenwriter Tracey Scott Wilson. Respect depicts the problematic life of legendary songstress Aretha Franklin, whose rise to fame and fortune was complicated by her harsh personal life. Critiques of the film had been generally positive, with most people praising the film’s direction and its casting. A review by the Sydney Morning Herald wrote: “The film soars whenever the music takes over, as it does for large chunks of the action.
Meet The Cast Of “Respect”...
Meet The Cast Of “Respect”...
- 8/29/2022
- by A.E. Oats
- TVovermind.com
In preparation for a summer return to in-person artist development labs, the Sundance Institute today named those selected as fellows for its 2022 Directors, Screenwriters and Native Labs.
Creatives developing original work for the screen as part of the Native Lab include Justin Ducharme (Positions), Taietsarón:sere ‘Tai’ Leclaire (How to Deal with Systemic Racism in the Afterlife), Daniel Pewewardy (Residential), Tiare Ribeaux (Huaka’i) and Tim Worrall (Ka Whawhai Tonu – Struggle Without End).
Those participating in the Directors Lab and/or the Screenwriters Lab include Dina Amer (Cain and Abel), Zandashé Brown (The Matriarch), Caledonia Curry and Meagan Brothers (Sibylant Sisters), Hasan Hadi (The President’s Cake), Michael León and Ashley Alvafez (Crabs in a Barrel), Eliza McNitt (Black Hole), Olive Nwosu (Lady), Neo Sora (Earthquake) and Yuan Yang (Late Spring).
The Native Lab began online from May 2-6 and continues in person from May 9-14, in Santa Fe, Nm, for...
Creatives developing original work for the screen as part of the Native Lab include Justin Ducharme (Positions), Taietsarón:sere ‘Tai’ Leclaire (How to Deal with Systemic Racism in the Afterlife), Daniel Pewewardy (Residential), Tiare Ribeaux (Huaka’i) and Tim Worrall (Ka Whawhai Tonu – Struggle Without End).
Those participating in the Directors Lab and/or the Screenwriters Lab include Dina Amer (Cain and Abel), Zandashé Brown (The Matriarch), Caledonia Curry and Meagan Brothers (Sibylant Sisters), Hasan Hadi (The President’s Cake), Michael León and Ashley Alvafez (Crabs in a Barrel), Eliza McNitt (Black Hole), Olive Nwosu (Lady), Neo Sora (Earthquake) and Yuan Yang (Late Spring).
The Native Lab began online from May 2-6 and continues in person from May 9-14, in Santa Fe, Nm, for...
- 5/9/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Since the academy expanded the Best Picture category at the Oscars in 2010, Best Original Screenplay has gone to writers of a wide-range of genres: dramas; comedies (“Midnight in Paris”); biopics; true-life stories (“Spotlight”); period pictures (“Django Unchained”); war movies (“The Hurt Locker”); sci-fi (“Her”), thrillers and horror (“Get Out”). (Scroll down for the most up-to-date 2022 Oscars predictions for Best Original Screenplay)
Regardless of the type of film, a nominee needs broad academy support to win this race. Indeed, all 12 of the most recent Best Original Screenplay winners were, at the least, Best Picture nominees. And six of them won the big prize, bringing the total number of Best Picture champs with Oscar-winning original screenplays to 18. By comparison, 41 films have done this on the adapted side.
In 2021, all five nominees for Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards were crafted by writer/directors. Expect auteurs to be well-represented in this race once again.
Regardless of the type of film, a nominee needs broad academy support to win this race. Indeed, all 12 of the most recent Best Original Screenplay winners were, at the least, Best Picture nominees. And six of them won the big prize, bringing the total number of Best Picture champs with Oscar-winning original screenplays to 18. By comparison, 41 films have done this on the adapted side.
In 2021, all five nominees for Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards were crafted by writer/directors. Expect auteurs to be well-represented in this race once again.
- 1/22/2022
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
“How do we summarize a life that has touched so many people around the world,” acclaimed songwriter Jamie Hartman declares about the original song “Here I Am (Singing My Way Home)” from the Aretha Franklin biopic “Respect.” We talked with Hartman as part of Gold Derby’s special film songwriters “Meet the Experts” Q&a event with key Oscar contenders. Watch our exclusive video interview above.
See Gold Derby interviews with 2022 Oscar contenders
Based on the life of the soul and gospel singing legend, “Respect,” was written by Tracey Scott Wilson and Oscar winner Callie Khouri and directed by Liesl Tommy in her feature directorial debut. Starring Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson as Franklin alongside co-stars Oscar winner Forest Whitaker, Tony winner Audra McDonald, Marlon Wayans, Marc Maron, Tituss Burgess and Mary J. Blige, the biopic follows the first three decades of the singer’s life, from childhood to her ascendancy to international musical stardom.
See Gold Derby interviews with 2022 Oscar contenders
Based on the life of the soul and gospel singing legend, “Respect,” was written by Tracey Scott Wilson and Oscar winner Callie Khouri and directed by Liesl Tommy in her feature directorial debut. Starring Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson as Franklin alongside co-stars Oscar winner Forest Whitaker, Tony winner Audra McDonald, Marlon Wayans, Marc Maron, Tituss Burgess and Mary J. Blige, the biopic follows the first three decades of the singer’s life, from childhood to her ascendancy to international musical stardom.
- 1/21/2022
- by Rob Licuria
- Gold Derby
Editors note: Deadline’s Read the Screenplay series debuts and celebrates the scripts of films that will be factors in this year’s movie awards race.
When it came to encapsulating the epic life, prodigious talent and seismic impact of the iconic Aretha Franklin, the creative team behind Respect had a massive tapestry from which to draw. But the challenge was exactly which aspects of the Queen of Soul’s enormous legacy should be given sharp focus?
“We wanted to have an arc,” said screenwriter Tracey Scott Wilson, who crafted the story in close collaboration with her longtime collaborator, director Liesl Tommy. “We weren’t trying to create Aretha Franklin as she was, larger than life; we were trying to see how she came to be that. So it was about a 10-year-old girl named Aretha… as opposed to trying to show the world the Aretha they think they know.
When it came to encapsulating the epic life, prodigious talent and seismic impact of the iconic Aretha Franklin, the creative team behind Respect had a massive tapestry from which to draw. But the challenge was exactly which aspects of the Queen of Soul’s enormous legacy should be given sharp focus?
“We wanted to have an arc,” said screenwriter Tracey Scott Wilson, who crafted the story in close collaboration with her longtime collaborator, director Liesl Tommy. “We weren’t trying to create Aretha Franklin as she was, larger than life; we were trying to see how she came to be that. So it was about a 10-year-old girl named Aretha… as opposed to trying to show the world the Aretha they think they know.
- 1/17/2022
- by Scott Huver
- Deadline Film + TV
For Variety’s FYC Fest, screenwriters Aaron Sorkin (“Being the Ricardos”), Paolo Sorrentino (“The Hand of God”), Adam McKay (“Don’t Look Up”), Tracey Scott Wilson (“Respect”) and Kenneth Branagh (“Belfast”) gathered virtually to discuss their own individual movies, as well as the state of the film business.
McKay kicked off the conversation by talking about how he’d adjusted “Don’t Look Up” — his Netflix comedy-tragedy about a comet hurtling toward Earth — because of Covid-19, when current events had made daily life even more surreal. “There were a lot of tweaks we had to do with the movie to make it a little crazier, to make it a little less on the head,” McKay said. “One of the strangest writing experiences I’ve ever had.”
Giving specific examples of things he had to take out because “they looked like they were just taken from the headlines,” McKay said: “We had a...
McKay kicked off the conversation by talking about how he’d adjusted “Don’t Look Up” — his Netflix comedy-tragedy about a comet hurtling toward Earth — because of Covid-19, when current events had made daily life even more surreal. “There were a lot of tweaks we had to do with the movie to make it a little crazier, to make it a little less on the head,” McKay said. “One of the strangest writing experiences I’ve ever had.”
Giving specific examples of things he had to take out because “they looked like they were just taken from the headlines,” McKay said: “We had a...
- 12/16/2021
- by Kate Aurthur
- Variety Film + TV
If there was one key ingredient that helped director Liesl Tommy and screenwriter Tracey Scott Wilson navigate their whirlwind journey to bring the Aretha Franklin biopic Respect to the screen on a hyper-accelerated production schedule, it’s the mutual R-e-s-p-e-c-t the longtime collaborators have for each other — and for the Queen of Soul herself.
“I’ve worked with Tracey extensively over the last 15 years,” Tommy says. “She’s a national treasure of a writer, and I knew that she had the personal experience, and the creative skill, to make this a really authentic screenplay.”
Adds ...
“I’ve worked with Tracey extensively over the last 15 years,” Tommy says. “She’s a national treasure of a writer, and I knew that she had the personal experience, and the creative skill, to make this a really authentic screenplay.”
Adds ...
- 12/7/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
If there was one key ingredient that helped director Liesl Tommy and screenwriter Tracey Scott Wilson navigate their whirlwind journey to bring the Aretha Franklin biopic Respect to the screen on a hyper-accelerated production schedule, it’s the mutual R-e-s-p-e-c-t the longtime collaborators have for each other — and for the Queen of Soul herself.
“I’ve worked with Tracey extensively over the last 15 years,” Tommy says. “She’s a national treasure of a writer, and I knew that she had the personal experience, and the creative skill, to make this a really authentic screenplay.”
Adds ...
“I’ve worked with Tracey extensively over the last 15 years,” Tommy says. “She’s a national treasure of a writer, and I knew that she had the personal experience, and the creative skill, to make this a really authentic screenplay.”
Adds ...
- 12/7/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Respect director Liesl Tommy was joined by writer Tracey Scott Wilson, cinematographer Kramer Morgenthau and production designer Ina Mayhew at Deadline’s Contenders: New York award-season event Saturday to discuss their movie about legendary singer Aretha Franklin.
From a screenplay by Wilson, Tommy’s feature directorial debut stars Jennifer Hudson as Franklin and focuses on first two decades of Franklin’s life — from her upbringing as a musical prodigy through the loss of her mother to a rise to stardom that defied the constraints of an abusive marriage and a patriarchal system. Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Audra McDonald, Marc Maron, Tituss Burgess and Mary J. Blige co-star.
“Aretha Franklin, in addition to being a musical genius and a political activist, also had enormous style,” Tommy said on the panel for the film from MGM/United Artists. “I wanted this film to feel like a great big lush classical Hollywood film…...
From a screenplay by Wilson, Tommy’s feature directorial debut stars Jennifer Hudson as Franklin and focuses on first two decades of Franklin’s life — from her upbringing as a musical prodigy through the loss of her mother to a rise to stardom that defied the constraints of an abusive marriage and a patriarchal system. Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Audra McDonald, Marc Maron, Tituss Burgess and Mary J. Blige co-star.
“Aretha Franklin, in addition to being a musical genius and a political activist, also had enormous style,” Tommy said on the panel for the film from MGM/United Artists. “I wanted this film to feel like a great big lush classical Hollywood film…...
- 12/4/2021
- by Ryan Fleming
- Deadline Film + TV
Deadline’s Contenders Film returns to New York this morning with a hybrid in-person and livestreamed showcase at the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, and a lineup of 23 films spotlighting the best motion pictures this awards season has to offer. The in-person event kicks off with a breakfast sponsored by United Artists Releasing at 8 a.m. Et, with panels and livestream coverage kicking off at 9:30 a.m.
Click here to register and watch the livestream.
While last year’s supply of movies during a Covid-embattled awards season may have slimmed down, this year, the studios aren’t holding back. This year’s lineup features films from A24, Amazon, Apple Original Films, Focus Features, MGM/United Artists, Netflix, Neon and Warner Bros, and a roster of panelists that includes stars Matt Damon, Mahershala Ali, Tessa Thompson, Dakota Johnson, Amy Schumer, Andre Holland, Richard Jenkins, Ruth Negga, Oscar Isaac,...
Click here to register and watch the livestream.
While last year’s supply of movies during a Covid-embattled awards season may have slimmed down, this year, the studios aren’t holding back. This year’s lineup features films from A24, Amazon, Apple Original Films, Focus Features, MGM/United Artists, Netflix, Neon and Warner Bros, and a roster of panelists that includes stars Matt Damon, Mahershala Ali, Tessa Thompson, Dakota Johnson, Amy Schumer, Andre Holland, Richard Jenkins, Ruth Negga, Oscar Isaac,...
- 12/4/2021
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
“Respect” is Liesl Tommy‘s feature film directorial debut, and no, she never thought her first movie would be an Aretha Franklin biopic. “Just squirreling around New York City trying to get on and off subways with a crew, I never imagined that [my first movie] would be a studio film,” Tommy tells Gold Derby at our Meet the Experts: Film Directors panel (watch above).
A theater vet, Tommy had recently transitioned into TV directing — “Insecure,” “The Walking Dead” and “Jessica Jones” are among her credits — when she had a meeting with MGM about directing the film in late 2018. At the time, Jennifer Hudson had already been cast, selected by Franklin herself, to play the singer and there was no script yet. Tommy arrived for what was supposed to be a “casual chat” with a full vision and pitch for what would become “Respect.”
“I was very aware because I directed primarily theater...
A theater vet, Tommy had recently transitioned into TV directing — “Insecure,” “The Walking Dead” and “Jessica Jones” are among her credits — when she had a meeting with MGM about directing the film in late 2018. At the time, Jennifer Hudson had already been cast, selected by Franklin herself, to play the singer and there was no script yet. Tommy arrived for what was supposed to be a “casual chat” with a full vision and pitch for what would become “Respect.”
“I was very aware because I directed primarily theater...
- 11/30/2021
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
“When I was brought onto the project by my good friend and colleague, Liesl Tommy, she pitched that it was going to be from age 10 to age 30,” explains Tracey Scott Wilson, the screenwriter for the Aretha Franklin biopic, “Respect,” starring Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson. “Having that frame before I started was instrumental in me accepting the job. I knew that 20 years was a manageable amount of time. The idea of taking her on way into her 70s is just too daunting.”
“Respect” chronicles the rise of Franklin from a young singer in her father’s church to the Queen of Soul’s live recording of her most successful album, “Amazing Grace.” For Wilson, getting to know Franklin’s personal story “before she became the grand diva” was one of the biggest joys of working on the film. “Seeing her become that Queen of Soul involves a lot of humor,” she describes.
“Respect” chronicles the rise of Franklin from a young singer in her father’s church to the Queen of Soul’s live recording of her most successful album, “Amazing Grace.” For Wilson, getting to know Franklin’s personal story “before she became the grand diva” was one of the biggest joys of working on the film. “Seeing her become that Queen of Soul involves a lot of humor,” she describes.
- 11/17/2021
- by Denton Davidson
- Gold Derby
Jennifer Hudson felt that the best way to honor the late soul singing legend Aretha Franklin in the biopic Respect was to deliver as much authenticity in her performance as the Queen of Soul invested in her music.
“How do you even begin to capture or approach someone so massive as Aretha Franklin, that’s so dear to all of us in some way?” a still-marveling Hudson, who was Franklin’s personal choice to portray her in her life story, told Deadline’s Contenders Film: Los Angeles, where she shared a panel with the film’s director Liesl Tommy, costume designer Clint Ramos, hair department head Lawrence Davis and makeup department head Stevie Martin.
“For me, being a fan, from a music perspective — and knowing that, being conscious of it — I felt as though as an actor the only way to approach it would be to approach it in the...
“How do you even begin to capture or approach someone so massive as Aretha Franklin, that’s so dear to all of us in some way?” a still-marveling Hudson, who was Franklin’s personal choice to portray her in her life story, told Deadline’s Contenders Film: Los Angeles, where she shared a panel with the film’s director Liesl Tommy, costume designer Clint Ramos, hair department head Lawrence Davis and makeup department head Stevie Martin.
“For me, being a fan, from a music perspective — and knowing that, being conscious of it — I felt as though as an actor the only way to approach it would be to approach it in the...
- 11/14/2021
- by Scott Huver
- Deadline Film + TV
“Jennifer Hudson stuns with her performance” – Brian Truitt, USA Today
Jennifer Hudson Stars In Respect, The Remarkable Biopicand Dazzling Celebration Of Aretha Franklin’S Incredible Legacy – Available To OWN For The First Timewith All New Never-before-seen Extras. Respect Showcases A Spectacular Ensemble Cast Including Forest Whitaker, Mary J. Blige, Marlon Wayans, Marc Maron, Audra McDonald And Tituss Burgess. OWN It On Digital Now Blu-ray And DVD November 9, 2021 From Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM)And Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
Experience the cinematic music event of the year featuring Oscar® and Grammy® Award winner and vocal powerhouse Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls) as legendary singer Aretha Franklin in the inspiring true story Respect, available to own for the first time on Digital now and on Blu-ray and DVD November 9, 2021 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Hailed by critics as “electrifying” and “extraordinary”, MGM’s musical biopic gives an authentic inside look at the life and legacy of one of the greatest,...
Jennifer Hudson Stars In Respect, The Remarkable Biopicand Dazzling Celebration Of Aretha Franklin’S Incredible Legacy – Available To OWN For The First Timewith All New Never-before-seen Extras. Respect Showcases A Spectacular Ensemble Cast Including Forest Whitaker, Mary J. Blige, Marlon Wayans, Marc Maron, Audra McDonald And Tituss Burgess. OWN It On Digital Now Blu-ray And DVD November 9, 2021 From Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM)And Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
Experience the cinematic music event of the year featuring Oscar® and Grammy® Award winner and vocal powerhouse Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls) as legendary singer Aretha Franklin in the inspiring true story Respect, available to own for the first time on Digital now and on Blu-ray and DVD November 9, 2021 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Hailed by critics as “electrifying” and “extraordinary”, MGM’s musical biopic gives an authentic inside look at the life and legacy of one of the greatest,...
- 10/19/2021
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Michael Winship, running unopposed, has been elected president of the WGA East, the guild said Tuesday, but his running mates for seats on the guild’s council took a drubbing. Seven candidates on the opposition’s Solidarity slate were elected to the council, compared to only four on Winship’s Inclusion & Experience slate.
Winship, an award-winning news and documentary writer, led the guild during the tumultuous 2007-08 writers strike, serving as president for five consecutive two-year terms – starting just before the strike and ending in 2017. His running mates this time were Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, who was elected vice president, and Chris Kyle, who was elected secretary-treasurer. They too ran unopposed.
Their slate, however, came out on the losing end of what amounted to a referendum on the future of the guild. They supported a pause in the guild’s five-year-long campaign to organize digital newsrooms, arguing that so many digital...
Winship, an award-winning news and documentary writer, led the guild during the tumultuous 2007-08 writers strike, serving as president for five consecutive two-year terms – starting just before the strike and ending in 2017. His running mates this time were Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, who was elected vice president, and Chris Kyle, who was elected secretary-treasurer. They too ran unopposed.
Their slate, however, came out on the losing end of what amounted to a referendum on the future of the guild. They supported a pause in the guild’s five-year-long campaign to organize digital newsrooms, arguing that so many digital...
- 9/15/2021
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
Digital writers made big gains in the WGA East’s contentious election for officers and council members that govern the union that represents TV and film writers west of the Mississippi.
The election results unveiled Tuesday confirmed that the guild’s governance will be split among scribes in opposing camps. The union has faced division over WGA East’s aggressive campaign to organize the many digital news outlets on the East Coast and numerous large unscripted production companies.
Some WGA East members fear the influx of digital writers, who typically have far lower income than TV showrunners and screenwriters, as the nature of the work and compensation formulas is very different. There’s concern among many longstanding WGA members about the potential that the new members will tax the pension and health plan benefits available to all union members.
The election drew a strong turnout of about 30% of eligible voters,...
The election results unveiled Tuesday confirmed that the guild’s governance will be split among scribes in opposing camps. The union has faced division over WGA East’s aggressive campaign to organize the many digital news outlets on the East Coast and numerous large unscripted production companies.
Some WGA East members fear the influx of digital writers, who typically have far lower income than TV showrunners and screenwriters, as the nature of the work and compensation formulas is very different. There’s concern among many longstanding WGA members about the potential that the new members will tax the pension and health plan benefits available to all union members.
The election drew a strong turnout of about 30% of eligible voters,...
- 9/15/2021
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
After a month-long debate over the future of digital media organizing in Writers Guild of America East, the guild’s council elections saw seven of the 11 open seats being won by the pro-organizing Solidarity Slate, though the top officers will come from the opposing Inclusion and Experience Slate after running unopposed.
In this year’s elections, six freelance seats and three staff seats were up for grabs on the council, as well as two seats vacated by incoming guild president Michael Winship and incoming vice president Lisa Takeuchi Cullen. All three staff seats, which are allocated to news writers, were won by Solidarity Slate along with four of the six open freelance seats, which are allocated to film and television writers. Council members are elected to terms lasting two years.
Winship and Cullen’s seats will be taken for one year by Inclusion and Experience candidates David Simon, creator of “The Wire,...
In this year’s elections, six freelance seats and three staff seats were up for grabs on the council, as well as two seats vacated by incoming guild president Michael Winship and incoming vice president Lisa Takeuchi Cullen. All three staff seats, which are allocated to news writers, were won by Solidarity Slate along with four of the six open freelance seats, which are allocated to film and television writers. Council members are elected to terms lasting two years.
Winship and Cullen’s seats will be taken for one year by Inclusion and Experience candidates David Simon, creator of “The Wire,...
- 9/14/2021
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
After a heated contest that raised questions about the future of digital journalists in the union, the Writers Guild of America East has unveiled the results of its latest Council elections.
Filling six open freelance seats are Josh Gondelman, Sasha Stewart, Liz Hynes, Lauren Ashley Smith, Benjamin Rosenblum, Tracey Scott Wilson, David Simon and Tian Jun Gu and filling three open freelance seats are Kim Kelly, Sara David and Hamilton Nolan, the union revealed Tuesday. Former WGA East president between 2007 and 2017 and current Council member Michael Winship was elected president, Council member Lisa Takeuchi Cullen was elected vice president and ...
Filling six open freelance seats are Josh Gondelman, Sasha Stewart, Liz Hynes, Lauren Ashley Smith, Benjamin Rosenblum, Tracey Scott Wilson, David Simon and Tian Jun Gu and filling three open freelance seats are Kim Kelly, Sara David and Hamilton Nolan, the union revealed Tuesday. Former WGA East president between 2007 and 2017 and current Council member Michael Winship was elected president, Council member Lisa Takeuchi Cullen was elected vice president and ...
- 9/14/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
After a heated contest that raised questions about the future of digital journalists in the union, the Writers Guild of America East has unveiled the results of its latest Council elections.
Filling six open freelance seats are Josh Gondelman, Sasha Stewart, Liz Hynes, Lauren Ashley Smith, Benjamin Rosenblum, Tracey Scott Wilson, David Simon and Tian Jun Gu and filling three open freelance seats are Kim Kelly, Sara David and Hamilton Nolan, the union revealed Tuesday. Former WGA East president between 2007 and 2017 and current Council member Michael Winship was elected president, Council member Lisa Takeuchi Cullen was elected vice president and ...
Filling six open freelance seats are Josh Gondelman, Sasha Stewart, Liz Hynes, Lauren Ashley Smith, Benjamin Rosenblum, Tracey Scott Wilson, David Simon and Tian Jun Gu and filling three open freelance seats are Kim Kelly, Sara David and Hamilton Nolan, the union revealed Tuesday. Former WGA East president between 2007 and 2017 and current Council member Michael Winship was elected president, Council member Lisa Takeuchi Cullen was elected vice president and ...
- 9/14/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Biopics ain’t Wikipedia entries. Lives never conform to a tidy narrative arc — even one as dramatic as Aretha Franklin’s. With Respect, screenwriter Tracey Scott Wilson and director Liesl Tommy did an admirable job condensing 20 years of the Queen of Soul’s tumultuous life into a mere two-and-a-half hours. Thanks to some impressive research and Jennifer Hudson’s captivating performance as the late icon, the film treats viewers to a host of her most transformative moments. You’re in the studio as Franklin finds the groove for her breakthrough hit,...
- 8/18/2021
- by Jordan Runtagh
- Rollingstone.com
I can’t say I envy the task of trying to bring Aretha Franklin — one of the most enduring artists of the 20th century (and beyond), with a voice so singular that most other singers have been wise enough to spare her the flattery of genuine imitation — to the big screen. And for the Queen of Soul herself to have picked Jennifer Hudson to play the part must, for Hudson, have been a daunting honor, second only to being asked to sing a tribute to Franklin at the icon’s 2018 funeral.
- 8/13/2021
- by K. Austin Collins
- Rollingstone.com
(The following post contains Spoilers for the Aretha Franklin biopic “Respect”)
The new Aretha Franklin biopic “Respect” shows the Queen of Soul grappling with fame, fortune, finding the right note at the start of her career and everything that followed. But it offers little clarity around one of the most poignant parts of her young life – Franklin’s becoming pregnant as a young girl, whether willingly or otherwise.
In the opening of the film directed by Liesl Tommy, we meet a 10-year-old Aretha (played by 12-year-old Skye Dakota Turner) whose preacher father (Forest Whitaker) brings her downstairs to a party full of famous people and asks her to sing for everybody.
In a later party scene, with the clearly pre-pubescent Aretha preparing to go to sleep in her bedroom, an unnamed man enters, closes the door and says that he’ll be her “boyfriend.” Later, we see the little girl in silhouette,...
The new Aretha Franklin biopic “Respect” shows the Queen of Soul grappling with fame, fortune, finding the right note at the start of her career and everything that followed. But it offers little clarity around one of the most poignant parts of her young life – Franklin’s becoming pregnant as a young girl, whether willingly or otherwise.
In the opening of the film directed by Liesl Tommy, we meet a 10-year-old Aretha (played by 12-year-old Skye Dakota Turner) whose preacher father (Forest Whitaker) brings her downstairs to a party full of famous people and asks her to sing for everybody.
In a later party scene, with the clearly pre-pubescent Aretha preparing to go to sleep in her bedroom, an unnamed man enters, closes the door and says that he’ll be her “boyfriend.” Later, we see the little girl in silhouette,...
- 8/13/2021
- by Aarohi Sheth and Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Image Source: Getty / Matt Winkelmeyer / Staff
Despite initially being wary of playing Aretha Franklin's mother, Barbara Siggers Franklin, in Respect, there was never a moment when Audra McDonald didn't want to be part of the movie. "If they had asked me if I would be key grip in the film, I'd be like, 'Yeah, I'll be your grip. I'll get in that union somehow, I'll just bring Starbucks to the set, whatever you want me to do,'" the Broadway icon shared with Popsugar. "So I was never not going to say yes, but it was always about, 'How well will I do? Will I do a good job?'"
Bringing Barbara to life is not a job McDonald took lightly, particularly because Aretha wanted McDonald to be a part of the film. "I feel quite honored that I was able to play [Aretha's] mother. I think that's probably a...
Despite initially being wary of playing Aretha Franklin's mother, Barbara Siggers Franklin, in Respect, there was never a moment when Audra McDonald didn't want to be part of the movie. "If they had asked me if I would be key grip in the film, I'd be like, 'Yeah, I'll be your grip. I'll get in that union somehow, I'll just bring Starbucks to the set, whatever you want me to do,'" the Broadway icon shared with Popsugar. "So I was never not going to say yes, but it was always about, 'How well will I do? Will I do a good job?'"
Bringing Barbara to life is not a job McDonald took lightly, particularly because Aretha wanted McDonald to be a part of the film. "I feel quite honored that I was able to play [Aretha's] mother. I think that's probably a...
- 8/13/2021
- by Grayson Gilcrease
- Popsugar.com
“Free Guy,” the action comedy starring Ryan Reynolds as a video game character, made $2.2 million at the box office in its Thursday night previews beginning at 7 p.m. It opens on 4,165 screens this weekend.
“Free Guy” hopes to set the high score at the box office this weekend, but it will have to go up against two other films that, like “Free Guy,” are also being released exclusively to theaters rather than day-and-date on streaming. Those are the horror sequel “Don’t Breathe 2” and the Aretha Franklin biopic “Respect.” All three films will also have to contend with the second week of the DC superhero film “The Suicide Squad,” not to mention increasing concerns from moviegoers about the Delta variant strain of the coronavirus.
“Free Guy” comes from 20th Century Studios and is projected to earn between $15-17 million. For comparison, Reynolds’ action comedy “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” from 2017 made $1.65 million...
“Free Guy” hopes to set the high score at the box office this weekend, but it will have to go up against two other films that, like “Free Guy,” are also being released exclusively to theaters rather than day-and-date on streaming. Those are the horror sequel “Don’t Breathe 2” and the Aretha Franklin biopic “Respect.” All three films will also have to contend with the second week of the DC superhero film “The Suicide Squad,” not to mention increasing concerns from moviegoers about the Delta variant strain of the coronavirus.
“Free Guy” comes from 20th Century Studios and is projected to earn between $15-17 million. For comparison, Reynolds’ action comedy “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” from 2017 made $1.65 million...
- 8/13/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Tracey Scott Wilson knew she wanted to write since the fifth grade. A teacher encouraged her, and she listened. From there, the playwright and screenwriter, who graduated with a Masters in English at Temple University, gained acclaim in the theater. She wrote several acclaimed plays, including Leader of the People and Buzzer, and frequently collaborated […]
The post ‘Aretha’ Helped Writer Tracey Scott Wilson Rediscover the Power of Faith [Interview] appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘Aretha’ Helped Writer Tracey Scott Wilson Rediscover the Power of Faith [Interview] appeared first on /Film.
- 8/13/2021
- by Jack Giroux
- Slash Film
Chicago – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on Wbgr-fm on August 12th, 2021, reviewing the new film “Respect” – featuring Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin – In theaters on August 13th, 2021.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
Aretha Franklin was burdened by a two-faced preacher father (Forest Whitaker) and an unconventional childhood which included teen pregnancy. As her star began to rise in the early 1960s, she married an abusive husband (Marlon Wayans) and couldn’t find a song niche until 1967, when she teamed with record producer Jerry Wexler (Marc Maron). That’s when songs like “Respect” and “Think” poured out. and other hits followed, but even that success couldn’t shake her “demon,” which the Queen of Soul called her depression.
“Respect” is in theaters on August 13th. Featuring Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whitaker, Audra McDonald, Marlon Wayans, Marc Maron and Tituss Burgess. Screenplay by Tracey Scott Wilson. Directed by Liesl Tommy.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
Aretha Franklin was burdened by a two-faced preacher father (Forest Whitaker) and an unconventional childhood which included teen pregnancy. As her star began to rise in the early 1960s, she married an abusive husband (Marlon Wayans) and couldn’t find a song niche until 1967, when she teamed with record producer Jerry Wexler (Marc Maron). That’s when songs like “Respect” and “Think” poured out. and other hits followed, but even that success couldn’t shake her “demon,” which the Queen of Soul called her depression.
“Respect” is in theaters on August 13th. Featuring Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whitaker, Audra McDonald, Marlon Wayans, Marc Maron and Tituss Burgess. Screenplay by Tracey Scott Wilson. Directed by Liesl Tommy.
- 8/13/2021
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
(Spoiler alert: Do not read on if you have not seen “Respect.”)
Did Dinah Washington really lose it when she attended one of Aretha Franklin’s shows and heard Franklin sing one of Washington’s songs — as depicted in the new movie “Respect”? Not quite — but it did happen at someone else’s show.
In David Ritz’s biography of Franklin, “Respect: The Life of Aretha Franklin,” he writes that Etta James told him she was playing a small club in Providence, Rhode Island, when she heard Washington would be coming to her midnight show: “With that in mind, I decided to open with her big hit, ‘Unforgettable.’ I didn’t even get to the chorus when I heard this earth-shattering crash. Dinah had got up off her chair, swept all the glasses and plates off her table, and was pointing at me, screaming, ‘Bitch, don’t you ever sing...
Did Dinah Washington really lose it when she attended one of Aretha Franklin’s shows and heard Franklin sing one of Washington’s songs — as depicted in the new movie “Respect”? Not quite — but it did happen at someone else’s show.
In David Ritz’s biography of Franklin, “Respect: The Life of Aretha Franklin,” he writes that Etta James told him she was playing a small club in Providence, Rhode Island, when she heard Washington would be coming to her midnight show: “With that in mind, I decided to open with her big hit, ‘Unforgettable.’ I didn’t even get to the chorus when I heard this earth-shattering crash. Dinah had got up off her chair, swept all the glasses and plates off her table, and was pointing at me, screaming, ‘Bitch, don’t you ever sing...
- 8/13/2021
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
“Respect” — the new musical drama based starring Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin — is proof that the biopic is stale, and it’s time to rework the equation.
We keep seeing the same thing. A child loves music, has crappy parental figures, faces struggles or physical ailments, gets famous, does drugs or drinks, and gets clean. Rinse and repeat. Not to be taken lightly, Jennifer Hudson is one of the best vocalists alive; however, Hollywood continues to lean on her aural talents in movies rather than provide her with substantive material to interpret and execute.
In 40 years, we’ll likely be at the precipice of a Hudson biopic. An extraordinary singer who auditioned for the third season of “American Idol” in 2004, singing an Aretha Franklin number “Share Your Love With Me.” She would shockingly place seventh on the show. Two years later, she would make her acting debut opposite Jamie Foxx,...
We keep seeing the same thing. A child loves music, has crappy parental figures, faces struggles or physical ailments, gets famous, does drugs or drinks, and gets clean. Rinse and repeat. Not to be taken lightly, Jennifer Hudson is one of the best vocalists alive; however, Hollywood continues to lean on her aural talents in movies rather than provide her with substantive material to interpret and execute.
In 40 years, we’ll likely be at the precipice of a Hudson biopic. An extraordinary singer who auditioned for the third season of “American Idol” in 2004, singing an Aretha Franklin number “Share Your Love With Me.” She would shockingly place seventh on the show. Two years later, she would make her acting debut opposite Jamie Foxx,...
- 8/12/2021
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
From age 10 till 30, Aretha Franklin sure could sing, but she hadn’t yet found her voice. At least, that’s the take served up in “Respect,” a solid if somewhat conventional feature directing debut for Broadway helmer Liesl Tommy which flatters Franklin in practically every way, beginning with the casting of Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson as the First Lady of Soul’s younger self. That’s not to say that “Respect” is pure hagiography, even if the title makes clear that Tommy intends for audiences to emerge with a deeper appreciation of the personal struggles — as well as the triumphs — that shaped Franklin’s signature sound.
Pandemic delays pushed “Respect” from the 2020 release calendar to Aug. 13, giving National Geographic’s Cynthia Erivo-starring, Aretha-focused season of “Genius” a chance to reach (small) screens first, despite objections from the Franklin family to some of the series’ tawdrier bits. Still, both projects...
Pandemic delays pushed “Respect” from the 2020 release calendar to Aug. 13, giving National Geographic’s Cynthia Erivo-starring, Aretha-focused season of “Genius” a chance to reach (small) screens first, despite objections from the Franklin family to some of the series’ tawdrier bits. Still, both projects...
- 8/9/2021
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
It has not been an easy year for theater lovers, who have mostly made do with well-filmed performances of shows like “Hamilton” and “David Byrne’s American Utopia.”
In contrast to those projects, Liesl Tommy’s Aretha Franklin biopic “Respect” was created as an original film, but it works best when envisioned as a Broadway-style jukebox musical.
Tommy and writer Tracey Scott Wilson are making their cinematic debuts with this sturdy retelling of Franklin’s early life and career. However, they come to the project with impressive stage backgrounds, which inform every aspect of their approach. Any stage, of course, needs a star who can command the space. That the story intermittently recedes into the background might be problematic, were it not for the fact that the spotlight remains resolutely focused on a captivating Jennifer Hudson, who was chosen for the role by Franklin herself, before she passed away in...
In contrast to those projects, Liesl Tommy’s Aretha Franklin biopic “Respect” was created as an original film, but it works best when envisioned as a Broadway-style jukebox musical.
Tommy and writer Tracey Scott Wilson are making their cinematic debuts with this sturdy retelling of Franklin’s early life and career. However, they come to the project with impressive stage backgrounds, which inform every aspect of their approach. Any stage, of course, needs a star who can command the space. That the story intermittently recedes into the background might be problematic, were it not for the fact that the spotlight remains resolutely focused on a captivating Jennifer Hudson, who was chosen for the role by Franklin herself, before she passed away in...
- 8/9/2021
- by Elizabeth Weitzman
- The Wrap
Actors will love Liesl Tommy’s Aretha Franklin biopic “Respect.” Thirteen years after the Queen of Soul first approached Jennifer Hudson, who had just won her “Dreamgirls” Oscar, with the idea of playing her in a movie, “Respect” wrapped filming in February 2020, one month before lockdown. MGM decided to push back the movie from December 2020 to August 13, 2021, to give it a chance to play in theaters.
Judging from the way “Respect” played Saturday night at the Bruin Theatre in Westwood to (masked and vaccinated) members of the Screen Actors Guild nominating committee, the studio made the right choice to favor an exclusive theatrical release. Broadway director Tommy has mounted a solid crowdpleaser, written by Tracey Scott Wilson, that will satisfy generations of Franklin fans. And ageless 39-year-old singer-actress Hudson, who plays Franklin from her teens through her acclaimed 1972 gospel concert “Amazing Grace,” is on her way to a second Oscar nomination.
Judging from the way “Respect” played Saturday night at the Bruin Theatre in Westwood to (masked and vaccinated) members of the Screen Actors Guild nominating committee, the studio made the right choice to favor an exclusive theatrical release. Broadway director Tommy has mounted a solid crowdpleaser, written by Tracey Scott Wilson, that will satisfy generations of Franklin fans. And ageless 39-year-old singer-actress Hudson, who plays Franklin from her teens through her acclaimed 1972 gospel concert “Amazing Grace,” is on her way to a second Oscar nomination.
- 8/8/2021
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Actors will love Liesl Tommy’s Aretha Franklin biopic “Respect.” Thirteen years after the Queen of Soul first approached Jennifer Hudson, who had just won her “Dreamgirls” Oscar, with the idea of playing her in a movie, “Respect” wrapped filming in February 2020, one month before lockdown. MGM decided to push back the movie from December 2020 to August 13, 2021, to give it a chance to play in theaters.
Judging from the way “Respect” played Saturday night at the Bruin Theatre in Westwood to (masked and vaccinated) members of the Screen Actors Guild nominating committee, the studio made the right choice to favor an exclusive theatrical release. Broadway director Tommy has mounted a solid crowdpleaser, written by Tracey Scott Wilson, that will satisfy generations of Franklin fans. And ageless 39-year-old singer-actress Hudson, who plays Franklin from her teens through her acclaimed 1972 gospel concert “Amazing Grace,” is on her way to a second Oscar nomination.
Judging from the way “Respect” played Saturday night at the Bruin Theatre in Westwood to (masked and vaccinated) members of the Screen Actors Guild nominating committee, the studio made the right choice to favor an exclusive theatrical release. Broadway director Tommy has mounted a solid crowdpleaser, written by Tracey Scott Wilson, that will satisfy generations of Franklin fans. And ageless 39-year-old singer-actress Hudson, who plays Franklin from her teens through her acclaimed 1972 gospel concert “Amazing Grace,” is on her way to a second Oscar nomination.
- 8/8/2021
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Following the rise of the legendary Aretha Franklin’s career from a child singing in her father’s church’s choir to her international superstardom, Respect is the remarkable true story of the music icon’s journey to find her voice. Watch actress Jennifer Hudson “become” Aretha Franklin in this brand new featurette about the film’s all-star cast right here!
About The Film Genre: Biography, Drama, Music Cast: Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Audra McDonald, Marc Maron, Tituss Burgess, Kimberly Scott, Saycon Sengbloh, Hailey Kilgore, Heather Headley, Skye Dakota Turner, Tate Donovan, Mary J. Blige Director: Liesl Tommy Screenplay: Tracey Scott Wilson Producers: Harvey Mason Jr., Scott Bernstein, Jonathan Glickman, Stacey Sher MPAA Rating: R
Respect is in theaters on August 13, 2021!
For More Information, Please Visit:
Official Website / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / YouTube / #RespectMovie
The post See Jennifer Hudson “Become” Aretha Franklin in Respect first appeared on CinemaNerdz.
About The Film Genre: Biography, Drama, Music Cast: Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Audra McDonald, Marc Maron, Tituss Burgess, Kimberly Scott, Saycon Sengbloh, Hailey Kilgore, Heather Headley, Skye Dakota Turner, Tate Donovan, Mary J. Blige Director: Liesl Tommy Screenplay: Tracey Scott Wilson Producers: Harvey Mason Jr., Scott Bernstein, Jonathan Glickman, Stacey Sher MPAA Rating: R
Respect is in theaters on August 13, 2021!
For More Information, Please Visit:
Official Website / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / YouTube / #RespectMovie
The post See Jennifer Hudson “Become” Aretha Franklin in Respect first appeared on CinemaNerdz.
- 7/20/2021
- by Mike Tyrkus
- CinemaNerdz
Fandango and United Artists Releasing are holding early access screenings on Aug. 8 for MGM’s Aretha Franklin biopic Respect. Tickets are now on sale on Fandango. The pic will preview at 500 theaters nationwide before its Aug. 13 release.
Respect stars Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson as Franklin. The pic is directed by award-winning theater director Liesl Tommy from a story by Callie Khouri and Tracey Scott Wilson and screenplay by Tracey Scott Wilson.
“We are thrilled to team up with United Artists Releasing to give fans early access to see ‘Respect,’ what is sure to be one of the most talked-about movies of the year,” says Lori Pantel, Fandango Chief Marketing Officer. “With our Fandango Premiere Screenings, we will be generating buzz and excitement across our expansive digital network, raising the film’s visibility leading into to opening weekend.”
“According to our latest Fandango survey, fans think Respect demands to be seen...
Respect stars Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson as Franklin. The pic is directed by award-winning theater director Liesl Tommy from a story by Callie Khouri and Tracey Scott Wilson and screenplay by Tracey Scott Wilson.
“We are thrilled to team up with United Artists Releasing to give fans early access to see ‘Respect,’ what is sure to be one of the most talked-about movies of the year,” says Lori Pantel, Fandango Chief Marketing Officer. “With our Fandango Premiere Screenings, we will be generating buzz and excitement across our expansive digital network, raising the film’s visibility leading into to opening weekend.”
“According to our latest Fandango survey, fans think Respect demands to be seen...
- 7/19/2021
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Former WGA East president Michael Winship, running unopposed, will be the guild’s next president, succeeding Beau Willimon, who’s not seeking re-election after four years in office. House of Cards creator Willimon led the guild through the WGA’s historic legal battle that reshaped the talent agency business.
Winship, an award-winning news and documentary writer, led the guild during the tumultuous 2007-08 writers strike, serving as president for five consecutive two-year terms – starting just before the strike and ending in 2017. He returned to guild politics in 2018, winning a seat on its Council. He won an Emmy and three WGA Awards writing for three different Bill Moyers shows, as well as the WGA East’s Richard B. Jablow Award for service to the guild.
Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, who has served on the Council since 2016 — and was last year’s recipient of the Richard B. Jablow Award — will be the guild’s next vice president.
Winship, an award-winning news and documentary writer, led the guild during the tumultuous 2007-08 writers strike, serving as president for five consecutive two-year terms – starting just before the strike and ending in 2017. He returned to guild politics in 2018, winning a seat on its Council. He won an Emmy and three WGA Awards writing for three different Bill Moyers shows, as well as the WGA East’s Richard B. Jablow Award for service to the guild.
Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, who has served on the Council since 2016 — and was last year’s recipient of the Richard B. Jablow Award — will be the guild’s next vice president.
- 6/22/2021
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
Jennifer Hudson discusses her upcoming role as Aretha Franklin in a new behind-the-scenes featurette for Respect, the upcoming MGM biopic on Franklin’s life.
Through interview segments and clips from the movie, as well as rehearsal videos, the featurette documents Hudson’s journey to embodying the Queen of Soul, beginning from when Franklin herself first chose the actress to portray her on film. In addition to performing Franklin’s songs live on camera, Hudson learned how to play piano and took choreography lessons to try to replicate Franklin’s stride and physicality.
Through interview segments and clips from the movie, as well as rehearsal videos, the featurette documents Hudson’s journey to embodying the Queen of Soul, beginning from when Franklin herself first chose the actress to portray her on film. In addition to performing Franklin’s songs live on camera, Hudson learned how to play piano and took choreography lessons to try to replicate Franklin’s stride and physicality.
- 6/21/2021
- by Claire Shaffer
- Rollingstone.com
What becomes a legend most? Cynthia Erivo and Jennifer Hudson both tackled the Goddess of Soul in rival projects delayed by the pandemic. British-born Oscar-nominated Erivo (“Harriet”) explores the singer in an expansive eight-part series produced without the advance blessing of the Franklin estate in NatGeo’s third season of the “Genius” anthology, “Genius: Aretha,” while Oscar-winner Hudson (“Dreamgirls”) was hand-picked by Franklin before she died in 2018 to star in a two-hour MGM/UA movie which finally hits theaters August 13.
All it will take for Erivo to attain Egot status is an Oscar win, while Hudson needs a Tony and an Emmy. Both women boast extraordinary voices with range comparable to Franklin, and sang most of their songs live, but had to brush up their on-camera piano playing (backed up by pros on the soundtrack) to take on the famed gospel singer-turned-global music star. With support from the estate, Hudson...
All it will take for Erivo to attain Egot status is an Oscar win, while Hudson needs a Tony and an Emmy. Both women boast extraordinary voices with range comparable to Franklin, and sang most of their songs live, but had to brush up their on-camera piano playing (backed up by pros on the soundtrack) to take on the famed gospel singer-turned-global music star. With support from the estate, Hudson...
- 5/24/2021
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
What becomes a legend most? Cynthia Erivo and Jennifer Hudson both tackled the Goddess of Soul in rival projects delayed by the pandemic. British-born Oscar-nominated Erivo (“Harriet”) explores the singer in NatGeo’s third season of the “Genius” anthology, the expansive eight-part series “Genius: Aretha,” while Oscar-winner Hudson (“Dreamgirls”) was hand-picked by Franklin before she died in 2018 to star in an estate-blessed two-hour MGM/UA movie which finally hits theaters August 13.
All it will take for Erivo to attain Egot status is an Oscar win, while Hudson needs a Tony and an Emmy. Both women boast extraordinary voices with range comparable to Franklin, and sang most of their songs live, but had to brush up their on-camera piano playing (backed up by pros on the soundtrack) to take on the famed gospel singer-turned-global music star. With support from the estate, Hudson got to sing the title song, “Respect” and other...
All it will take for Erivo to attain Egot status is an Oscar win, while Hudson needs a Tony and an Emmy. Both women boast extraordinary voices with range comparable to Franklin, and sang most of their songs live, but had to brush up their on-camera piano playing (backed up by pros on the soundtrack) to take on the famed gospel singer-turned-global music star. With support from the estate, Hudson got to sing the title song, “Respect” and other...
- 5/24/2021
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
The official trailer and poster for Respect, the biopic of Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin, have been released.
The film from MGM Pictures in association with Bron Creative and One Community arrives August 13 in theaters and stars Jennifer Hudson as Franklin. The story follows her rise from a child singing in her father’s church’s choir to international superstardom.
Also on board for the film are Forest Whitaker as C.L. Franklin, Marlon Wayans as Ted White, Audra McDonald as Barbara Franklin, Tituss Burgess asReverend Dr. James Cleveland, Marc Maron as Jerry Wexler, Kimberly Scott as Mama Franklin, Saycon Sengbloh as Erma Franklin, Hailey Kilgore asCarolyn Franklin, Heather Headley as Clara Ward, Skye Dakota Turner as Young Aretha Franklin, Tate Donovan as John Hammond, and Mary J. Blige as Dinah Washington.
Director Liesl Tommy makes her feature film debut with Respect. Tommy is the first Black woman nominated for a...
The film from MGM Pictures in association with Bron Creative and One Community arrives August 13 in theaters and stars Jennifer Hudson as Franklin. The story follows her rise from a child singing in her father’s church’s choir to international superstardom.
Also on board for the film are Forest Whitaker as C.L. Franklin, Marlon Wayans as Ted White, Audra McDonald as Barbara Franklin, Tituss Burgess asReverend Dr. James Cleveland, Marc Maron as Jerry Wexler, Kimberly Scott as Mama Franklin, Saycon Sengbloh as Erma Franklin, Hailey Kilgore asCarolyn Franklin, Heather Headley as Clara Ward, Skye Dakota Turner as Young Aretha Franklin, Tate Donovan as John Hammond, and Mary J. Blige as Dinah Washington.
Director Liesl Tommy makes her feature film debut with Respect. Tommy is the first Black woman nominated for a...
- 5/19/2021
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Universal Pictures UK has launched a new trailer for the biopic on Aretha Franklin ‘Respect’, Jennifer Hudson will make your hairs stand on end!
Following the rise of Aretha Franklin’s career from a child singing in her father’s church’s choir to her international superstardom, The film is the remarkable true story of the music icon’s journey to find her voice.
Directed by Liesl Tommy from a screenplay by Tracey Scott Wilson, the film stars Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Audra McDonald, Marc Maron, Tituss Burgess, Saycon Sengbloh, Hailey Kilgore, Tate Donovan, Heather Headley, Skye Dakota Turne.
Also in trailers – Ben Platt stars in poignant trailer for ‘Dear Evan Hansen’
The film hits UK cinemas September 10th. Trailer ahoy!
The post Jennifer Hudson soars as Aretha Franklin in trailer for ‘Respect’ appeared first on HeyUGuys.
Following the rise of Aretha Franklin’s career from a child singing in her father’s church’s choir to her international superstardom, The film is the remarkable true story of the music icon’s journey to find her voice.
Directed by Liesl Tommy from a screenplay by Tracey Scott Wilson, the film stars Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Audra McDonald, Marc Maron, Tituss Burgess, Saycon Sengbloh, Hailey Kilgore, Tate Donovan, Heather Headley, Skye Dakota Turne.
Also in trailers – Ben Platt stars in poignant trailer for ‘Dear Evan Hansen’
The film hits UK cinemas September 10th. Trailer ahoy!
The post Jennifer Hudson soars as Aretha Franklin in trailer for ‘Respect’ appeared first on HeyUGuys.
- 5/19/2021
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
To become the queen, she needed to find her voice.
Academy Award® Winner Jennifer Hudson is Aretha Franklin. Watch the new trailer now, and don’t miss Respect in theaters this August.
Director Liesl Tommy makes her feature film debut with Respect. Tommy is the first Black woman ever nominated for a Tony Award® for Best Direction of a Play in 2016 for Eclipsed, and is an Associate Artist at the Berkeley Rep and an Artist Trustee with the Sundance Institute’s Board of Trustees.
With a story by Callie Khouri and Tracey Scott Wilson, and screenplay written by Tracey Scott Wilson. Wilson and Tommy have worked together creatively since the 2009 play The Good Negro written by Wilson, directed by Tommy at The Public Theatre. Wilson was a writer on FX’s The Americans which garnered her a Peabody Award as well as Emmy® and WGA Award nominations.
The cast includes Jennifer Hudson,...
Academy Award® Winner Jennifer Hudson is Aretha Franklin. Watch the new trailer now, and don’t miss Respect in theaters this August.
Director Liesl Tommy makes her feature film debut with Respect. Tommy is the first Black woman ever nominated for a Tony Award® for Best Direction of a Play in 2016 for Eclipsed, and is an Associate Artist at the Berkeley Rep and an Artist Trustee with the Sundance Institute’s Board of Trustees.
With a story by Callie Khouri and Tracey Scott Wilson, and screenplay written by Tracey Scott Wilson. Wilson and Tommy have worked together creatively since the 2009 play The Good Negro written by Wilson, directed by Tommy at The Public Theatre. Wilson was a writer on FX’s The Americans which garnered her a Peabody Award as well as Emmy® and WGA Award nominations.
The cast includes Jennifer Hudson,...
- 5/19/2021
- by Michelle Hannett
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Exclusive: Outfest has launched its annual Outfest Screenwriting Lab and selected eight scripts that advance the visibility of Lgbtqia+ storytelling. This year’s fellows include Johnny Alvarez, Courtney & Hillary Andujar, Carlton Daniel Jr., Gary Jaffe, Raul Martin, Damon Royster, Cody Stickels & Kea Trevett, and Leandro Tadashi.
The Outfest Screenwriting Lab was established as a screenwriting contest in 1997 and has since become the cornerstone of Outfest’s education and mentoring program, Outfest Forward. Because this year’s Lab will take place virtually, it provided Outfest the ability to accept their largest cohort to date and extended the time frame of the Lab to five days. Fellows will meet with top industry showrunners, executives, and writers who will offer professional development and discuss trends within the industry.
The Lab roster of Lgbtqia+ industry leaders include showrunners Latoya Morgan, Derek Simonds (The Sinner), and M Dickson, alongside...
The Outfest Screenwriting Lab was established as a screenwriting contest in 1997 and has since become the cornerstone of Outfest’s education and mentoring program, Outfest Forward. Because this year’s Lab will take place virtually, it provided Outfest the ability to accept their largest cohort to date and extended the time frame of the Lab to five days. Fellows will meet with top industry showrunners, executives, and writers who will offer professional development and discuss trends within the industry.
The Lab roster of Lgbtqia+ industry leaders include showrunners Latoya Morgan, Derek Simonds (The Sinner), and M Dickson, alongside...
- 12/2/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Variety has released this year’s list of 10 Screenwriters to Watch, and a conversation with the honorees is to be hosted virtually by the Mill Valley Film Festival on Oct. 13.
The annual 10 to Watch program celebrates breakthrough screenwriters, actors, directors, comics, animators, producers and cinematographers, and registration for the virtual conversation with 2020’s selected screenwriters is available now. Many of this year’s honorees are already gaining accolades for their films. Variety executive editor Steven Gaydos called the 2020 selections “emblematic of what is needed from filmmakers in this unsettled and challenging time. These screenwriters are taking on the big issues confronting the world, but they’re also making sure their stories are grounded in empathy for their widely diverse, wildly original characters.”
The class of of 2020’s 10 Screenwriters to Watch comprise eight solo honorees and two pairs serving as the screenwriters for their respective films. Interviews with those being honored...
The annual 10 to Watch program celebrates breakthrough screenwriters, actors, directors, comics, animators, producers and cinematographers, and registration for the virtual conversation with 2020’s selected screenwriters is available now. Many of this year’s honorees are already gaining accolades for their films. Variety executive editor Steven Gaydos called the 2020 selections “emblematic of what is needed from filmmakers in this unsettled and challenging time. These screenwriters are taking on the big issues confronting the world, but they’re also making sure their stories are grounded in empathy for their widely diverse, wildly original characters.”
The class of of 2020’s 10 Screenwriters to Watch comprise eight solo honorees and two pairs serving as the screenwriters for their respective films. Interviews with those being honored...
- 9/24/2020
- by Eli Countryman
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: The 27th annual Austin Film Festival (Aff) has unveiled their first wave of programming for its virtual edition for the fest which takes place October 22-29.
In addition to panels, the writers-driven fest will feature the world premiere of Anne Rapp’s Horton Foote: The Road to Home, which puts the spotlight on the work of the titular Oscar-winning screenwriter of the 1962 adaptation of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Aff will also feature world premieres from second-round writers through the Festival’s Screenplay competitions, including The Catch from first-time director Matthew Ya-Hsiung Balzer as well as Paper Tiger, which also marks the directorial debut of Paul Kowalski. Khaled Ridgeway will also debut the Texas Premiere of his film Death of a Telemarketer starring Larmorne Morris, Haley Joel Osment, and Jackie Earle Haley.
Aff will spotlight Texas filmmakers with the North-American premiere of Blinders, directed by former Terrence Malick...
In addition to panels, the writers-driven fest will feature the world premiere of Anne Rapp’s Horton Foote: The Road to Home, which puts the spotlight on the work of the titular Oscar-winning screenwriter of the 1962 adaptation of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Aff will also feature world premieres from second-round writers through the Festival’s Screenplay competitions, including The Catch from first-time director Matthew Ya-Hsiung Balzer as well as Paper Tiger, which also marks the directorial debut of Paul Kowalski. Khaled Ridgeway will also debut the Texas Premiere of his film Death of a Telemarketer starring Larmorne Morris, Haley Joel Osment, and Jackie Earle Haley.
Aff will spotlight Texas filmmakers with the North-American premiere of Blinders, directed by former Terrence Malick...
- 8/27/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Jennifer Hudson is taking center stage as Aretha Franklin. During the BET Awards on Sunday, MGM unveiled the first teaser trailer for Respect, the upcoming biopic about Franklin, the legendary singer who died at the age of 76 in August 2018 after a long battle with cancer. Though the clip is less than two minutes long, it's nothing short of incredible, as Hudson embodies Franklin by demanding a little respect.
The film, directed by Liesl Tommy, follows the late singer's rise to superstardom. Hudson stars as Franklin alongside a star-studded cast, including Forest Whitaker, Audra McDonald, Mary J. Blige, Marc Maron, Tituss Burgess, Saycon Sengbloh, Hailey Kilgore, Tracey Scott Wilson, and Tate Donovan. Watch the short teaser above before the film hits theaters this December.
The film, directed by Liesl Tommy, follows the late singer's rise to superstardom. Hudson stars as Franklin alongside a star-studded cast, including Forest Whitaker, Audra McDonald, Mary J. Blige, Marc Maron, Tituss Burgess, Saycon Sengbloh, Hailey Kilgore, Tracey Scott Wilson, and Tate Donovan. Watch the short teaser above before the film hits theaters this December.
- 6/29/2020
- by Kelsie Gibson
- Popsugar.com
Jennifer Hudson stars as Aretha Franklin in Respect A Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film Photo credit: Quantrell D. Colbert / © 2020 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved
Following the rise of Aretha Franklin’s career from a child singing in her father’s church’s choir to her international superstardom, Respect is the remarkable true story of the music icon’s journey to find her voice.
Director Liesl Tommy makes her feature film debut with Respect. Tommy is the first Black woman ever nominated for a Tony award for Best Direction of a Play in 2016 for Eclipsed, and is an Associate Artist at the Berkeley Rep and an Artist Trustee with the Sundance Institute’s Board of Trustees.
Check out the first trailer starring Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Audra McDonald, Marc Maron, Tituss Burgess, Saycon Sengbloh, Hailey Kilgore, Skye Dakota Turner, Tate Donovan, and Mary J. Blige. See the film this December.
Following the rise of Aretha Franklin’s career from a child singing in her father’s church’s choir to her international superstardom, Respect is the remarkable true story of the music icon’s journey to find her voice.
Director Liesl Tommy makes her feature film debut with Respect. Tommy is the first Black woman ever nominated for a Tony award for Best Direction of a Play in 2016 for Eclipsed, and is an Associate Artist at the Berkeley Rep and an Artist Trustee with the Sundance Institute’s Board of Trustees.
Check out the first trailer starring Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Audra McDonald, Marc Maron, Tituss Burgess, Saycon Sengbloh, Hailey Kilgore, Skye Dakota Turner, Tate Donovan, and Mary J. Blige. See the film this December.
- 6/29/2020
- by Michelle Hannett
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
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