SPOILER ALERT: This article contains spoilers from “Winter Break,” Season 4, Episode 8 of “Abbott Elementary,” now streaming on Hulu. Lisa Ann Walter is at the center of the “Abbott Elementary” Christmas episode “Winter Break,” which gives fans a nuanced lens into her character, the stubborn, pull-no-punches Melissa Schemmenti. The Melissa-focused episode reveals the fraught family […]

SPOILER ALERT: This article contains spoilers from “Winter Snow,” Season 4, Episode 7 of “Abbott Elementary,” now streaming on Hulu. Chris Perfetti shifts gears as Jacob Hill in the “Abbott Elementary” Christmas episode “Winter Show,” which introduces his younger brother Caleb Hill (Tyler Perez). Normally bubbling with positivity and naivety, Jacob experiences an emotional breakdown in […]

Variety hosted a panel for the short film “The Writer,” with directors Austin Glasser and Luke Maddenwald on Dec. 3 This conversation, moderated by Variety‘s chief film critic Peter DeBruge, was part of FYC Streaming Room, presented by Red Dresser Productions. “Self-isolated, a writer navigates the pressure of the film industry, family, and the looming […]

The Palm Springs International Film Awards has selected Ariana Grande as the winner of the Rising Star Award for her performance in “Wicked.” The awards ceremony will be held at the Palm Springs Convention Center on Jan. 3, 2025. The festival will take place from Jan. 2-13, with Silvercrest presenting and Entertainment Tonight sponsoring the […]

Will Smith is set to perform in France for the international POSITIV Festival on July 31 at the Roman Theatre of Orange. The event will mark Smith’s first concert in France, and comes as he plots his return to the music industry — the actor and “Gettin’ Jiggy With It” singer is reportedly working on […]

The Native American Media Alliance (NAMA) has announced the class of fellows for the 6th Annual Native American Animation Lab. This program was created to support Native Americans pursuing careers in the animation field as well as to highlight more accurate portrayals of Indigenous communities in television and film.  “The Native American Animation Lab is […]

The CBS series “Watson” will premiere after the AFC Championship Game on Jan. 26, 2025, on CBS and also be available to stream on Paramount+. The series will air regularly starting Feb. 16. “Watson” takes place six months after the death of the titular character’s friend and partner Sherlock Holmes at the hands of Moriarty. […]

As the holiday season kicks into gear, new show premieres on Disney+ like “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” and the new season of Marvel’s “What If…?” are some of the most anticipated. It’s also a big month to check out documentaries from National Geographic including “Sugarcane” and “Blink” alongside thrillers like “Cuckoo” starring Hunter Schafer and […]

Selma Blair walked the red carpet at the recent Elle Women in Hollywood event, wearing a chic white dress and heels. Gone were the walking cane and service dog she had often used throughout the last few years due to her multiple sclerosis. “I started feeling really better this last year and I’m back at […]

AMC Networks is celebrating Native American Heritage Month with the launch of its Indigenous Stories collection and short films series. The collection highlights television and film content created by and starring Indigenous creatives and talent from AMC Networks, such as the Zahn McClarnon-produced thriller series “Dark Winds” and the Emmy-winning documentary “Lakota Nation vs. United […]

Bowen Yang’s initial screen test for “Saturday Night Live” did not go well following an interaction with creator Lorne Michaels, according to the comedian. During a recent interview on “Hot Ones,” Yang recalled his screen test in 2017 for the late-night sketch comedy series. “The final step in that process is you have a one-on-one meeting […]

You’ve heard this story before. In 1984, a kid from New Jersey and a California karate champion met on a beach in the San Fernando Valley. They fought. They challenged each other. And, eventually, the infamous crane kick happened. “The Karate Kid” galvanized audiences when it first came out. Three decades later, “Cobra Kai” subverted […]

Manuel Turizo is in Los Angeles after weeks of international travel to promote his fourth studio album, “201.” Despite being thousands of miles from his hometown of Montería in Colombia, he’s managed to take a bit of his native country everywhere he goes.  “This album is my home,” the 24-year-old tells Variety in Spanish. Titled […]

At the premiere of Amazon Prime Video’s “Cruel Intentions” on Tuesday night, Zac Burgess, who plays Lucien Belmont in the series, shared how he has still not watched the original 1999 film, which starred Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe. “I didn’t want to replicate Ryan (Phillippe’s) performance,” Burgess told Variety. “When we were auditioning, (the […]

More than ever, gaming is a cornerstone of contemporary entertainment. It’s not just because other forms of media have adapted to its models, offering historically passive audiences new kinds of participation and interactivity. Gaming has precipitously increased in sophistication, created bigger and broader connections between its participants and, most of all, generated real and profound […]

FerenComm has promoted longtime staffers Krista Zoch and Emily Hunter to senior vice president, just as the PR agency, founded by Sheila Feren Thurston, celebrates its 30th anniversary. Both Zoch and Hunter previously served as vice presidents at the firm. They will continue to focus on client strategy, events and brand work across accounts such as Apple TV+, […]

Creo has announced the jury lineup for the 2025 Sony Future Filmmaker Awards, which is set to take place at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City from June 2 to June 6. The competition, created by Creo in collaboration with Sony, seeks to highlight original voices globally. The selected filmmakers are brought to Los Angeles […]

Web3 consumer platform Flickplay has partnered with “Pac-Man” company Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. and the City of Shibuya for an interactive experience and platform localization in Tokyo. The launch will take place during the DIG SHIBUYA 2025 Festival from Feb 8, 2025 to Feb. 11. “This partnership represents a significant step in merging the digital […]

“Monopoly Go!” game maker Scopely has launched a global brand campaign for the franchise featuring Will Ferrell, doing the voice of the iconic Mr. Monopoly character, as well as stars Jason Momoa, Keke Palmer and Chris Pratt. Titled “Friendship Pays,” the event is the beginning of multiple gaming campaigns planned as part of a partnership […]