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‘Think It Up’ Telecast: What You Didn’t See on TV
12 September 2015 2:29 PM, PDT
The Entertainment Industry Foundation joined DonorsChoose.org to broadcast the live telecast “Think It Up” Friday night at Santa Monica’s Barker Hangar.
The commercial-free event brought cultural awareness of the urgency to improve America’s education system. The hour-long program aired on all four broadcast networks with stars, students and teachers pushing for donations to thinkitup.org.
Before the show, the audience had a couple of practice runs to act excited when the cameras swooped above them on the floor. They were encouraged to keep their energy up throughout the duration of the show, although that wasn’t a difficult task. Each celebrity that took the stage received more screams than the last.
Justin Bieber kicked off the show with a performance of “What Do You Mean?” The section of mostly teenage girls close to the stage were shocked when he ran up the stairs to touch their hands. »
- Mannie Holmes
‘Game of Thrones’ Adds Essie Davis for Season 6
12 September 2015 10:49 AM, PDT
Australian actress Essie Davis has joined the cast of the upcoming season of HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” Variety has confirmed.
Davis will play an actress who stars in a play called “The Bloody Hand,” which is meant to mirror the world of Westeros. Davis’ character will play a version of Cersei Lannister.
The actress is known for her work in horror hit “The Babadook” and two “Matrix” sequels.
She joins recently announced “Thrones” newbies Ian McShane, Pilou Asbæk and Freddie Stroma.
Davis is repped by Wme and Rgm Artists in Australia.
»
- Marianne Zumberge
Daytime Emmy Winner Andre Bauth Sought in Studio City Stabbing Incident
12 September 2015 9:51 AM, PDT
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office has filed attempted-murder charges and issued an arrest warrant for Colombian-born actor/producer Andre Bauth in connection with a Sept. 8 stabbing incident in Studio City, according to Kcbs-tv Los Angeles.
Bauth, whose real name is Andre Salaman Bautista, allegedly stabbed 23-year-old actor Clayton Haymes, his tenant and management client, early Tuesday morning. Haymes told Kcbs that Bauth stabbed him in the lung after Haymes and a group of fellow roommates laughed when Bauth told the group he would one day win five Oscars.
Bauth was part of a team that won the Daytime Emmy Award in May for his work as a producer on the online soap “The Bay: The Series.” “Bay” executive producer Gregori J. Martin said in a statement that Bauth was only nominally credited as a producer on the series and that he and others had not been »
- Kate O'Hare
Donald Trump Sends Jimmy Fallon to Highest Friday Rating in 18 Months
12 September 2015 7:31 AM, PDT
Jimmy Fallon got a Donald Trump bump as the Gop presidential hopeful’s appearance took “The Tonight Show” to its highest ratings for a Friday broadcast in 18 months.
NBC’s “Tonight Show” brought in 4.5 million viewers, according to Nielsen’s preliminary estimates. In adults 18-49, Fallon averaged a 1.2 rating. That was Fallon’s highest mark for a Friday broadcast since Feb. 28, 2014, shortly after his debut at the “Tonight Show” desk.
The week-one duel between Fallon and CBS’ new “Late Show” host Stephen Colbert ended with “Late Show” drawing 3.5 million viewers and 0.8 in adults 18-49. It was notable that “Late Show” held steady Friday in its 18-49 average of the past three nights despite the lure of Trump on the competition. And Friday’s “Late Show” episode was up 47% from CBS’ showing the same night last year.
Colbert’s guests on Friday included Amy Schumer and Stephen King. Trump is set »
- Cynthia Littleton
Toronto: Weinstein Co. Acquires U.S. Rights to Icelandic TV Drama ‘Trapped’
11 September 2015 5:29 PM, PDT
The Weinstein Co. has acquired U.S. rights to the Icelandic TV drama series “Trapped,” created by director Baltasar Kormakur.
The deal was sealed Friday at the Toronto fest, hours before “Trapped” had its world premiere as part of Toronto’s first-ever TV showcase.
Kormakur created the series through his Rvk Studios banner and directed two of its ten episodes. Clive Bradley and Sigurjon Kjartansson wrote the scripts.
“Trapped” revolves around a grisly murder in a small Icelandic village and a blizzard that traps the likely killer in the area with the villagers. Olafur Darri Olafsson, Ilmur Kristjansdottir and Ingvar E. Sigurdsson star.
Kormakur’s thriller “Everest” just opened the Venice film fest earlier this week. The rising-star director has said “Trapped” was designed with international audiences in mind as an effort to highlight Icelandic actors and creative talent.
The series was commissioned in Kormakur’s home country by state broadcaster Ruv. »
- Cynthia Littleton
Donald Trump Dodges Policy Questions, Offers No Apologies on ‘Tonight Show’
11 September 2015 4:44 PM, PDT
After taking swipes at any number of people vying against him for the Republican nomination in the race for U.S. President in 2016, Donald Trump made fun of someone unexpected: himself.
During Friday evening’s broadcast of NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” Trump took part in a sketch in which he portrayed the mirror image of a version of “himself” played by Fallon. The Fallon version of Trump proceeds to ask his mirror image all sorts of questions to prepare for the “Tonight” appearance.
“Me interviewing me – that’s a great idea,” Trump says to Fallon. A bottle of Lock It Weather Control Hairspray was placed on the dressing-room table in the scene.
In an interview segment, Trump was quick to cast aspersions on Hillary Clinton, who he said faces “tough stuff” in light of the current scrutiny she is receiving due to questions about how she handled emails while U. »
- Brian Steinberg
Emmy Q&A: A+E Networks Chief Nancy Dubuc on Television’s Power to Change Lives
11 September 2015 3:52 PM, PDT
Harnessing the power of television to advocate for and raise awareness of social issues is a tricky business.
A+E Networks cablers have embraced a range of causes for more than 30 years, from supporting veterans to breast cancer awareness to the treatment of drug addiction. In recognition of the company’s commitment to public service and advocacy efforts, A+E Networks will be feted on Saturday at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards with the Television Academy’s Governors Award.
A+E Networks president-ceo Nancy Dubuc spoke with Variety about the company’s approach to tackling social issues, the criteria they use to measure success and what it’s like to hear from people whose lives have been changed by programs such as A&E’s “Intervention.”
Where do you start when it comes to getting behind a cause or an issue?
We do it at the brand level, the show level and the personal level. »
- Cynthia Littleton
Media Congloms on Pay-tv Shrinkage: What, Us Worry?
11 September 2015 11:44 AM, PDT
The pay-tv business is in decline, and the growing tide of cord-cutters helped spook Wall Street into a major selloff of media stocks in August.
But to hear top execs from big media conglomerates tell it, the investor panic was overwrought — and the TV networks in their own portfolios, at least, will enjoy continued revenue growth in the years ahead.
Top brass from Disney, CBS and Time Warner voiced a similar refrain at this week’s Bank of America/Merrill Lynch 2015 Media, Communications & Entertainment Conference. The execs insisted that subscription TV remains healthy, and each claimed their own company will thrive despite the headwinds:
Disney COO Tom Staggs: “I think, yes, the market overreacted. We feel good about where we sit. Espn continues to be one of the most important and valuable brands in programming.” CBS chief Leslie Moonves: “We’re not selling 30 channels that people don’t want to pay for… »
- Todd Spangler
Shiri Appleby Joins CBS Medical Drama ‘Code Black’ (Exclusive)
11 September 2015 11:27 AM, PDT
Shiri Appleby is set to appear in “Code Black,” Variety has learned exclusively. Though she is expected to have an arc in the CBS medical drama this season, she is currently signed on to guest star in one episode.
Appleby, who also stars in Lifetime’s “UnReal,” will play Dr. Carla Niven, the ex-girlfriend of first-year resident Dr. Malaya Pineda (Melanie Chandra), who comes back into her life unexpectedly when she shows up to the hospital, this time, as a patient.
Dr. Niven is described as a hard charging, type-a ER doctor from another area hospital who trained at Code Black’s Angels Memorial, which is where her romance began with Dr. Pineda who was then a medical student. Now an ER resident at Angels, Dr. Pineda treats Dr. Niven, who is pregnant and shows up to the hospital for treatment for muscle pain that turns out to be a form of cancer. »
- Elizabeth Wagmeister
Watch: ‘Htgawm’ Season 2 Trailer — Rebecca’s Killer Revealed in Premiere
11 September 2015 10:50 AM, PDT
The first trailer for Season 2 of “How To Get Away with Murder” has arrived, and when the whodunnit phenomenon returns, a major question will be answered — who is Rebecca’s (Katie Findlay) killer?
In the Season 1 finale this past February, Rebecca’s lifeless body was found under the staircase in Annalise Keating’s (Emmy-nominated Viola Davis) home. According to the new video, posted Friday by ABC on Twitter, the cliffhanger that ended the freshman season won’t be left up in the air for long — but, of course, another big twist will be introduced.
Talking to an undisclosed figure, Keating screams, “Now that you’ve done this, you’re a monster!”
As for Rebecca’s killer, the season teaser pans over each member of the Keating Five, plus Keating’s staffers Bonnie (Liza Weil) and Frank (Charlie Weber), who, in the Season 1 ender, was revealed to be the killer behind Lila Stangard’s murder, »
- Elizabeth Wagmeister
Ratings: Jimmy Fallon Leads Late-Night But Stephen Colbert Gets a Biden Boost
11 September 2015 10:01 AM, PDT
Jimmy Fallon’s “Tonight Show” kept the late-night crown on Thursday despite a nearly hourlong delay from an overrun of the NFL’s season kickoff game. Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show,” meanwhile, saw an uptick on its third night thanks to an emotional appearance by Vice President Joe Biden.
NBC drew a predictably big crowd in primetime with its Pittsburgh Steelers-New England Patriots broadcast.
The game delivered a 17.7 rating/30 share in primetime, according to Nielsen’s 56 overnight metered markets, which cover about 70% of U.S. TV households. According to NBC that matches the highest overnight score for an NFL kickoff broadcast, set in 2010 with the Minnesota Vikings-New Orleans Saints matchup. And it’s up 5% from last year’s Green Bay Packers-Seattle Seahawks game.
All the drama surrounding the Patriots’ “Deflategate” scandal and the recently rescinded NFL suspension for quarterback Tom Brady undoubtedly boosted tune-in for the game, which ended with a 28-21 Patriots win. »
- Cynthia Littleton
‘Hannibal’ Alum Richard Armitage to Star in Epix Spy Series ‘Berlin Station’
11 September 2015 10:00 AM, PDT
Fresh off the heels of “Hannibal,” Richard Armitage has been cast to topline “Berlin Station,” the upcoming original spy series for Epix.
Armitage will star as Daniel Meyer, the cerebral, newly-anointed CIA case officer who goes from being an analyst at Langley to an undercover agent in Berlin tasked with finding an informant.
Michelle Forbes (“The Killing,” “True Blood,” “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2”) has also been cast in the 10-episode thriller. She will play Valerie Edwards, the no-nonsense administrator who serves as a Berlin Station Section Head.
“We are very happy to have found our ‘Daniel’ to join this incredible ensemble cast,” said Mark S. Greenberg, president and CEO of Epix. “Richard is a singular talent who has the presence and attitude to bring this character and story to life. We are also honored that Michelle has joined Berlin Station. She is a gifted actor who embodies the »
- Elizabeth Wagmeister
‘Australian Idol’ Winner Stan Walker Dances to Toronto Festival
11 September 2015 10:00 AM, PDT
Of Maori descent, Stan Walker was born in Australia but grew up in New Zealand. At 18, he rose to stardom when he won the final season of “Australian Idol” in 2009. “The whole journey was incredible, especially for me to win a show like that,” he says. “A Kiwi with a strong Kiwi accent sometimes does not go (over) so well with locals.”
After his win, he was a judge on New Zealand’s “X Factor,” and starred in 2013 drama “Mt. Zion” from Te Arepa Kahi. He’ll appear in the upcoming comedy “Hunt for the Wilderpeople,” with Sam Neill and Rhys Darby.
‘Born’ Ultimatum: At the Toronto Film Festival, he’ll be hoofing it in Tammy Davis’ “Born to Dance,” a pic about a competitive hip-hop dance crew, although that discipline is not his forte. “I definitely feel like I accomplished a lot being able to keep up,” he says »
- Terry Flores
Patrick Schwarzenegger Joins ‘Scream Queens’ Cast
11 September 2015 9:56 AM, PDT
The “Scream Queens” ensemble just got even bigger. Days away from its Sept. 22 premiere, Patrick Schwarzenegger has joined the cast of Fox’s hotly anticipated horror-comedy show.
Series creator Ryan Murphy made the announcement on Twitter Friday morning.
In true Murphy form, he stayed mum on character details, though Variety has learned Schwarzenegger will play a relative of an existing cast member and will first appear in an episode in November.
Happy to announce that Patrick Schwarzenegger has joined the cast of Scream Queens pic.twitter.com/hmcPWMGwqQ
— Ryan Murphy (@MrRPMurphy) September 11, 2015
Schwarzenegger, the model/actor son of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, joins an ensemble led by Emma Roberts and Jamie Lee Curtis that includes Lea Michele, Keke Palmer, Glen Powell, Abigail Breslin, Skyler Samuels, Oliver Hudson and Diego Boneta. Nick Jonas and Ariana Grande also guest star.
Schwarzenegger and Grande co-starred in the singer’s 2013 music video for “Right There, »
- Elizabeth Wagmeister
Donald Trump Eyes Sale of Miss Universe to Wme/Img After Settling with NBCUniversal
11 September 2015 9:20 AM, PDT
Donald Trump is in negotiations to sell the Miss Universe Organization to Wme/Img now that he has bought out NBCUniversal’s half of the company and settled a lawsuit with the Peacock that arose over this year’s Miss USA pageant telecast.
Trump disclosed the news of his NBC settlement via Twitter on Friday. Later in the day, Bloomberg News reported the talks with Wme/Img were heating up.
“Just purchased NBC’s half of The Miss Universe Organization and settled all lawsuits against them,” he wrote in a Tweet. “Now own 100% — stay tuned!”
A rep for Wme/Img declined to comment. A source said the discussions had been under way for some weeks. The purchase of Miss Universe would be in keeping with Wme/Img’s strategy of expanding its reach in entertainment into content ownership and live events, to complement its strengths in sports and fashion. Img »
- Whitney Friedlander
Television Academy to Name New Building for Saban Family Foundation
11 September 2015 9:00 AM, PDT
The Television Academy has received a major gift in its $40 million fundraising campaign from philanthropists Cheryl and Haim Saban and the Saban Family Foundation — and in recognition, it will name the new building on the campus the Saban Media Center.
“We are well down the road with our extraordinarily exciting New Destination campaign,” Television Academy chairman and CEO Bruce Rosenblum told Variety. “Cheryl and Haim are terrific philanthropists. They care about a lot of causes here in Los Angeles and globally. All of us at the academy are thrilled to have them lend their name to our new media center and to have such generous contributors to our academy and our foundation.”
The 30,000-square-foot Saban Media Center, which is scheduled to open in April 2016, will be a state-of-the-art home for the TV academy and its foundation, enhancing the organization’s ability to support and educate its 20,000 above and below-the-line members. »
- Debra Birnbaum
First Look: Meet Hawkgirl and Hawkman From ‘DC’s Legends of Tomorrow’
11 September 2015 8:00 AM, PDT
Hawkgirl (Ciara Renée) and Hawkman (Falk Hentschel) are taking flight on The CW this season, and the network has released the first photo of the two DC Comics heroes in costume. They’ll make their debut together in crossover episodes of “Arrow” and “The Flash” before spinoff series “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow” premieres at midseason.
Hawkgirl (aka Kendra Saunders) and Hawkman (aka Carter Hall) are soulmates and reincarnations of Ancient Egyptian royalty, fated to be reborn throughout time. Both heroes can access the powers of the Hawk God Horus, allowing them to sprout wings from their backs.
Renée already made her first onscreen appearance as Kendra in the season one finale of “The Flash,” while other members of the “Legends” roster have previously been introduced via “Arrow” and “The Flash,” including Ray Palmer/the Atom (Brandon Routh; Sara Lance/White Canary (Caity Lotz); one half of Firestorm, Dr. Martin »
- Laura Prudom
TV Review: ‘The Bastard Executioner’
11 September 2015 7:30 AM, PDT
Given “Sons of Anarchy” creator Kurt Sutter’s let’s-get-medieval sensibilities, the wedding of his knack for dark and violent material with an early 14-century setting sounds like a match made in a hellacious Heaven. Yet the collision proves a trifle jarring in his latest FX series, “The Bastard Executioner,” which proves too uneven to be satisfying — flitting from grisly violence to elaborate dream sequences to the occasional flourish seemingly plucked from Mel Brooks’ “History of the World.” Watching the first three hours isn’t torture, but nor is it as compelling as the series to which it will be inevitably compared.
At its heart a revenge tale with a twist, the most apt reference point would be “Braveheart”: With the heir of King Longshanks and his British barons ruling over their Welsh fiefdoms with iron fists, the knight Wilkin Brattle (Lee Jones) has taken refuge from his killing ways, »
- Brian Lowry
New Owner May Be Too Late For Hong Kong’s Struggling Atv
11 September 2015 4:08 AM, PDT
Hong Kong’s struggling free to air broadcaster Asia Television (Atv) says that it has sold a 41% share stake to China Culture Media Group.
It is not clear that the rescue will come in time, nor that it will be approved by Hong Kong’s broadcast regulators.
The company is set to lose its broadcasting license in April next year, and has still not paid its all of its staff their salaries from August.
The deal was announced on Thursday by Atv executive director Ip Ka-po, wo said that former major shareholder Wong Ben-koon, will sell most of his 52% stake.
China Culture, a subsidiary of Qingdao, China-based Sino Asia Media Group says it plans to invest up to Hk$10 billion into media businesses, including Hk$5.1 billion into the struggling broadcaster.
Hong Kong’s Communications Authority said that it had received notification of a change of ownership, but said that these »
- Patrick Frater
‘The X-Files’ Reboot to World Premiere at Mipcom TV Market
11 September 2015 4:04 AM, PDT
London — The re-incarnation of “The X-Files” is to receive its world premiere at Mipcom, the television conference and market that runs from Oct. 5-8 in Cannes, France.
Thirteen years after the last episode, the supernatural series returns as a six-episode season, reuniting creator and executive producer Chris Carter with stars David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, who re-inhabit their roles as FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully. Delegates at Mipcom will watch the first episode of the reboot on Oct. 6, titled “My Struggle,” at 6.30 P.M. local time in the Grand Auditorium of the Palais des Festivals in Cannes. Carter is due to attend the event, and will participate in a question-and-answer session after the screening.
The series is brought to Mipcom by 20th Century Fox Television Distribution. Fox Television Group heads Dana Walden and Gary Newman are Mipcom 2015 Personalities of the Year.
“The X-Files” remains one of the longest-running sci-fi series in television history. »
- Leo Barraclough
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