On the surface, Harper Steele and I are very different. I love musical theater and bubble tea; she loves dive bars and stock car racing. She grew up in Iowa, while I’ve lived my whole life in New Jersey. I transitioned as a young person with my parents as my biggest supporters, while Harper came […]

Just before 6 p.m. Wednesday, a new brush fire dubbed the Sunset fire broke out near Runyon Canyon in the Hollywood Hills, adding to the frayed nerves of Los Angeles residents. The fire has burned over 19 acres so far. A mandatory evacuation orders covers the area north of Hollywood Boulevard, east of Laurel Canyon […]

Production came to a halt in Los Angeles on Wednesday as fires continue to sweep across the neighborhoods of Pacific Palisades, Altadena and Sylmar. FilmLA, the permitting agency for shoots in Los Angeles, issued a notification that “personnel resources ordinarily available to support film production may not be available during the local State of Emergency.” […]

One of the chief pleasures of James Mangold’s acclaimed new Bob Dylan film biography “A Complete Unknown” comes from the assistance it provides to old-timers often trying, usually failing, to explain why the cultural landscape shift from folk to rock back in 1965 was such a big deal. In “Unknown,” of course, it’s a very […]

Strong winds in Los Angeles are stoking several fires in the area, with a Pacific Palisades blaze causing evacuations all the way to Pacific Coast Highway. The blaze is estimated to be at 200 acres centering on Palisades Highlands, with evacuation warnings for all of Pacific Palisades including Sunset Mesa, Palisades Highlands and Rustic Canyon. […]

Jennifer Lopez and Ralph Fiennes had a mini-“Maid in Manhattan” reunion at Variety‘s 10 Directors to Watch and Creative Impact Awards brunch at the Parker Palm Springs on Saturday morning. While presenting Lopez with Variety‘s Legend and Groundbreakers award in honor of her recent film “Unstoppable” and for the breadth of her career, “Conclave” star […]

Josh Welsh, longtime president of Film Independent, died Dec. 31 after a five-year battle with colon cancer. His age was not immediately available. Welsh started out as an actor and started volunteering at the Film Independent Spirit Awards annually starting in 1996. He joined the Film Independent staff over 20 years ago, becoming president in […]

Movie, TV and music fans are remembering notable figures who have died since the start of 2024. “Beverly Hills 90210” star Shannen Doherty, “Bob Newhart Show” star Bob Newhart, “An Officer and a Gentleman” Oscar winner Louis Gossett Jr., “Alice” star Linda Lavin, “Curb Your Enthusiasm” actor Richard Lewis, “Starsky and Hutch” star David Soul […]

Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States, who may have left an even greater legacy with his efforts in his post-White House years, in which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in resolving international conflicts, died Sunday. He was 100. Carter had entered hospice care in 2023 after surviving […]

Charles Shyer, who was Oscar-nominated for co-writing “Private Benjamin” with Nancy Meyers and went on to direct a string of hit comedies including “Father of the Bride” and “Baby Boom,” died Friday. He was 83. His family said in a statement to Deadline, “It’s with an indescribably heavy heart that we share the news of […]

Greg Gumbel, a sports broadcaster for CBS for more than 20 years who covered the NFL and college basketball, died Friday of cancer. He was 78. CBS Sports shared a statement from his wife Marcy and daughter Michelle Gumbel, who said, “It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our beloved husband […]

Fans of “Downton Abbey” were devastated when Maggie Smith, aka the Dowager Countess, died in September. Smith had starred in both the TV series and in both movies, with the Countess character dying at the end of “Downton Abbey: A New Era.” Now, executive producer Gareth Neame promises that the third film, due Sept. 12, […]

Richard D. Parsons, a pioneering Black business executive who led Time Warner after its disastrous merger with AOL and had a hand in untangling some of the media industry’s knottiest dilemmas, died Thursday in Manhattan. He was 76.  His friend Ronald S. Lauder told the New York Times the cause was bone cancer.  Parsons had […]

Richard Perry, a prominent record producer who helped craft dozens of hits with a polished pop sound throughout the 1970s and ’80s, such as Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain,” died Tuesday in Los Angeles. He was 82. His friend Daphna Kastner Keitel told the New York Times he died of cardiac arrest. Perry started out […]

Johnny Reardon, star of Hallmark holiday movies like this year’s “Believe in Christmas,” revealed in a Christmas Eve Instagram post that he has been recovering from tonsil cancer. The Canadian actor, who stars in the canine-themed detective TV series “Hudson & Rex,” wrote “Last night was my first night out after my recovery from tonsil […]

Lenny Borger, who served as Variety‘s Paris correspondent and film reviewer throughout the 1980s and who championed French cinema for decades as a researcher and subtitle expert for numerous films including Jean-Luc Godard’s “Breathless,” died Dec. 23 in Paris. He was 73. Producer Serge Bromberg reported that he died after a long illness. Borger was […]

Hozier was the musical guest on “Saturday Night Live’s” Christmas edition Saturday night, and for his second song, the Irish artist paid tribute to the Pogues’ classic “Fairytale of New York.” On social media, viewers praised Hozier’s emotional cover of the song that has become a Christmas standard since it was released in 1987, finding […]

Fathom Events, which puts movies, TV series, concerts and other events into movie theaters for limited runs, saw a record-breaking year for limited releases in 2024, with revenues increasing 45% to more than $145 million. CEO Ray Nutt also announced that the company will rebrand as Fathom Entertainment starting in January. Fathom’s strong year comes […]

Michael Cole, who played Pete Cochran, one of the three hip young cops on “The Mod Squad,” died Tuesday. He was 84. Cole’s reps said he died “peacefully this morning, surrounded by loved ones, after living a full and vibrant life.” Born on July 3, 1940, in Madison, Wisc., Cole guested on shows like “Gunsmoke” […]