Niecy Nash-Betts says 2 producers discussed her weight in front of her face during audition: 'Guys, she can hear you'
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter as part of its drama actress roundtable, Nash-Betts recalled a very uncomfortable moment during an audition years ago when producers started talking about her body as though she wasn't standing right in front of them. "I auditioned for something early in my career, and the two producers looked at each other and said, 'She's got a cute face. You think she can lose weight?' And I was like, 'Guys, she can hear you. She is here. And, no, she can't. Now are y'all going to give me the job?''
Though Nash-Betts didn't reveal the name of the project, she said she did end up landing the role: "I don't even know if I was the best one, but they probably felt so embarrassed." Even better, she did not have to lose any weight to get the part. In fact, Nash-Betts recalled, "I went home and ate a cookie."
The 55-year-old Nash-Betts, who married singer Jessica Betts in 2020, also discussed how surprised she was to be asked to do nude scenes later in her career. "When I turned 45, it was like, 'And now we want you to be naked.' You waited until now? I was fine to play the part, but the days that you have to film intimate scenes, it's stressful."
After winning an Emmy in 2024 for Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, Nash-Betts — who broke through in 2003 for her performance as Deputy Raineesha Williams on the comedy Reno 911! — has seen her career go in a more dramatic direction. "I literally just called my team and said, 'I think people forgot I'm funny,'" said the actress, who will next star alongside Naomi Watts and Kim Kardashian in Ryan Murphy's legal drama, All's Fair. "Every role I get, I'm crying. I'm falling out. I'm perturbed. I'm a funny girl too, so I'm out here in the streets trying to remind people."
Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Los Angeles Times
10 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
‘& Juliet' euphorically turns Shakespeare's tragedy into a Max Martin dance party
Everyone can use an editor, and Shakespeare is no exception. Fortunately, he married one. Tired of being cooped up with the kids in Stratford-upon-Avon, Anne (Teal Wicks), wife of the great playwright, pops down to London to see the first performance of 'Romeo and Juliet.' The new tragic ending that Shakespeare (Corey Mach) proudly previews to the company strikes her as completely wrongheaded. 'What if … Juliet doesn't kill herself?' she proposes. As strong-willed as her husband, she doesn't wish to argue the point. She merely wants to put her idea to the test. Behold the premise of '& Juliet,' the euphoric dance party of a musical that updates Shakespeare with a dose of 21st century female empowerment. The production, which opened Friday at the Ahmanson Theatre under the fizzy direction of Luke Sheppard, reimagines a new post-Romeo life for Juliet while riding a magic carpet of chart-toppers from juggernaut Swedish producer Max Martin, who has spun gold with Katy Perry, Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys, among other pop titans. This good-time jukebox musical relies as much on its wit as on its catalog of pop hits. The show's music and lyrics are credited to Max Martin and friends — which sounds like a low-key cool table at the Grammy Awards. The clever book by Emmy winner David West Read ('Schitt's Creek') creates a world that can contain the show's musical riches without having to shoehorn in songs in the shameless fashion of 'Mamma Mia!' Take, for instance, one of the early numbers, 'I Want It That Way,' a pop ballad made famous by the Backstreet Boys. Anne starts singing the song when Shakespeare initially resists her idea of giving Juliet back her life. She wants him to go along with her suggested changes not because she's sure she's right but because she wants him to trust her as an equal partner. The song is redeployed in a way that has little bearing on the lyrics but somehow feels coherent with the original emotion. Obviously, this is a commercial musical and not a literary masterpiece on par with Shakespeare's tragedy of ill-starred lovers. '& Juliet' would have trouble withstanding detailed scrutiny of its plot or probing interrogation of Juliet's character arc. But Read smartly establishes just the right party atmosphere. Juliet (a vibrant Rachel Webb), having survived the tragedy once scripted for her, travels from Verona to Paris with an entourage to escape her parents, who want to send her to a nunnery for having married Romeo behind their backs. Her clique includes Angélique (Kathryn Allison), her nurse and confidant; May (Nick Drake), her nonbinary bestie; and April, her newbie sidekick out for fun who Anne plays in disguise. Shakespeare casts himself as the carriage driver, allowing him to tag along and keep tabs on the cockeyed direction his play is going. In Paris, the crew heads directly to the Renaissance Ball, which has the look and feel of a modern-day mega-club. Entry is barred to Juliet, but not because she's ridiculously underage. Her name isn't on the exclusive guest list. So through the back door, Juliet and her traveling companions sashay as the production erupts in 'Blow,' the Kesha song that encourages everyone to get their drink on and let loose. The dance setting — kinetically envisioned by scenic designer Soutra Gilmour, lighting designer Howard Hudson, sound designer Gareth Owen and video and projection designer Andrzej Goulding into a Dionysian video paradise — provides the all-purpose license for Martin's music. It's the atmosphere and the energy that matter most. Paloma Young's extravagant costumes raise the level of decadent hedonism. In this welcoming new context — imagine 'Moulin Rouge! The Musical' suffused with girl power — there's never anything odd about the characters grinding and wailing like karaoke superstars. The ecstatic motion of Jennifer Weber's choreography renders dramatic logic irrelevant. But love is the name of the game, and both Juliet and May fall for François (Mateus Leite Cardoso), a young musician with a geeky sense of humor who's still figuring out his identity. May doesn't expect romance to be part of their fate. In the Spears song 'I'm Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman,' they give powerful expression to an inner confusion this musical romance is determined to sort out with an appropriate partner. Unlike for the original characters, a happy ending is no longer off-limits. Shakespeare and Anne wrestle to get the upper hand of a plot that seems to have a mind of its own. Shakespeare pulls a coup at the end of the first act that I won't spoil except to say that what's good for the goose proves dramaturgically viable for the gander. This spirited competition stays in the background, but their marital happiness matters to us. Mach's Shakespeare has the cocky strut of a rapper-producer with a long list of colossal hits. Wicks gives Anne the heartfelt complexity of one of her husband's bright comic heroines. There's a quality of intelligent feeling redolent of Rosalind in 'As You Like It' in Wicks' affecting characterization and luscious singing. But the musical belongs to Juliet, and Webb has the vocal prowess to hijack the stage whenever she's soaring in song. If Juliet's character is still a work in progress, Webb endows her with a maturity beyond her years. She makes us grateful that the Capulet daughter is getting another crack at life. When the big musical guns are brought out late in the second act ('Stronger,' 'Roar'), she delivers them as emancipatory anthems, fueled by hard-won epiphanies. Allison's Angélique is just as much a standout, renewing the bawdy earthiness of Shakespeare's nurse with contemporary sass and rousing singing. If the supporting cast of men doesn't make as deep an impression, the festive comic universe is nonetheless boldly brought to life. '& Juliet' bestows the alternative ending everyone wishes they could script for themselves — a second chance to get it right. This feel-good musical is just what the doctor ordered in these far less carefree times.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Warner Bros. TV Group's Channing Dungey on Emmy Nomination Haul, Future of ‘The Pitt' and ‘The Penguin,' When to Expect New ‘Ted Lasso' (EXCLUSIVE)
As its siblings over at HBO/HBO Max celebrate a massive Emmy nomination haul, a good chunk of their shows come from Warner Bros. TV Group — and both studio and platform were toasting their joint drama series nod for 'The Pitt' and limited series nod for 'The Penguin.' All told, Warner Bros. TV Group scored 60 nominations for the 77th Emmys — which it says is the most of any traditional studio this year. Leading the pack: 24 noms for 'The Penguin,' 13 for 'The Pitt,' seven for Apple TV+'s 'Shrinking,' six for ABC's 'Abbott Elementary' (including another acting nod for creator Quinta Brunson, seen with Dungey at the 2022 Emmys above), five for NBC's 'The Voice,' four for Apple TV+'s 'Presumed Innocent' and one for CBS' 'Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage.' Variety recently spoke with Channing Dungey, the chairman/CEO, Warner Bros. Television Group and (for now) WBD US Networks, to talk about the studio's Emmy haul, what's next for 'The Pitt,' 'Presumed Innocent' and (possibly) 'The Penguin,' and also what's to come — including some hints at what to look forward to as 'Ted Lasso' returns. More from Variety Adam Scott and Britt Lower Debate Which 'Severance' Couple to Root For: Mark and Gemma Scout, or Mark S. and Helly R. 'The Pitt' Makeup Team Used Medical Training Websites to Create Realistic Blood and Prosthetics Outstanding Sci-Fi, Western, Procedural or Action Series? Maybe It's Time to Bring Back the Genre Emmys It was a fantastic day. And what it means for me, it's just so rewarding. We love all the shows that we make, and we're so proud of the creators with whom we work. Obviously, nominations aren't everything, but it is a really wonderful signal that people are enjoying the content that we're making. And I love that for the team. 'The Pitt' is the ultimate success story. I'm so proud of John [Wells] and Scott [Gemmill] and Noah [Wyle] and the entire cast and crew. This is such a tremendous recognition of their talent. I think there are some people that are saying, 'oh, it's like a sleeper hit, or it's an underdog,' but from where I'm sitting, it is a validating proof of concept. It means great storytelling, no matter what the current trends are in terms of format or whatever, will always resonate. There definitely are some conversations. I think what has really been interesting is that the larger episode order has resonated really well with the general public, with fans, but also with people in the business. When you're enjoying a show, the fact that you get 15 episodes of it, we've gotten to the point of being so used to six of this or eight of that. And I think people were not only thrilled that there's 15 and you can really immerse yourself in the world and the characters, but also the fact that we're bringing it back on an annual cadence has people really excited. I did not hear that, but that's very fun. At the moment, we're in production right now in Season 2, we're aiming to be back on the air at the top of the year. I think right now, the focus is just making sure that we deliver as strong a season in the second season as we did in the first. Anything else maybe comes after that. We've not yet gone to the place of talking about spin-offs. The focus right now is all on Season 2. The main focus right now for Matt [Reeves] is getting the movie underway, and that seems to be going along very well. I think he and Lauren [Lefranc] have batted around a couple of different ideas. So I would say that it's absolutely possible. We want to do it if it's right and all of the things come together in the right way. But there's nothing specific to share at the moment. We are in pre production, very excited about that. We are in the midst of conversations about casting, but nothing that I can confirm yet today. There's a lot of rumors out there, and it's just exciting because there are so many people that are anticipating the second season. But no, no new details yet. We didn't start out that way. This was very much intended as a limited series, kind of a one and done. What ended up happening is there's such great creative collaboration. David [E. Kelley] had a really fun time doing it, and Apple was really excited about it. Some of those conversations happened as the episodes started rolling in, this idea of using 'Presumed Innocent' as the marker for an anthology. And the great thing was that we were able to find a book, 'Dissection of a Murder,' a debut legal thriller from an author named Jo Murray. David really sparked to it. And so that's the that's the jumping off point for us for this second season. We take a lot of pride in the fact that we have the No.1 and No. 2 comedies of all time on Apple, because 'Shrinking' comes in right behind 'Ted Lasso,' which is exciting. We had an amazing first season, but everything caught fire and really took off in the second season. People just love these characters. Harrison Ford, in particular, is the fan favorite. Every person that I've talked to, they cannot get enough of Harrison Ford. It's really exciting to see that he has now garnered his first Emmy nomination. It's totally wild, but we're thrilled that it's for this show. We just wrapped Season 3, and I never want to jinx anything, but I think it is the strongest season yet. We've got some great guest stars in it: Michael J. Fox, Jeff Daniels and Candice Bergen. I think audiences are going to really enjoy Season 3. Can you believe we are back in production? This was one of those ones where I was like, 'I don't know if we were going to get there,' but we are here now. I'm really excited about the new cast. We don't have a firm date yet from Apple. We're talking right now about mid-year next year, so your guess is as good as mine as to what that actually means. But I would say sometime from Q2 forward. I'm telling you, it is amazing when you actually feel emotional in watching dailies. There's a there's a scene that takes place at an airfield. You'll see it, it's in the first episode. And I'm telling you that everybody in watching those dailies was tearing up. I think it's because it just feels so good to be back in the saddle with these characters. It feels both like a natural bridge and that we've hit the reset button in great ways. The new cast that we've added are fantastic, and I think people are going to be very excited about this next version of the story. It was always about getting the right idea, and Jason [Sudeikis] and the team landed on this, and it's a great direction for us. Well, that's the ambition. So hopefully we get there. What I think makes it feel a little bit different is that there's so much content now. There are so many shows on so many platforms, and so when you have shows that are nominated for Emmys, it brings welcome attention to that show. It tells people this is one that you should be paying attention to. It's always a testament to the passion and hard work of the producers and the creative teams, but it's also very validating to be recognized in such a prestigious way. The thing that I'm always the most proud of as an independent studio is that we're still selling everywhere. This season, we have shows on all five broadcast networks. And across the whole portfolio, we have more than 80 series across 20 different platforms What are we gonna be talking about next year? Well, I don't know if we'll necessarily be talking about 'Untamed' for the Emmys, but it was Netflix's No. 1 series in 76 countries, which is crazy, and we were quickly renewed for Season 2 on that one. Other second seasons are 'Running Point' —Season 1 was another big success for Netflix, and we are starting production on the second season of that this month as well. If I stick with the comedy space, we are just getting ready to do our table read for Mindy Kaling's 'Not Suitable for Work,' which is her twentyomething single camera comedy for Hulu. I flew to Toronto for the table read of 'Memory of a Killer,' which is our Fox drama that Patrick Dempsey and Michael Imperioli are starring in. And then we have coming up a little bit later this fall, the 'Scooby Doo' live action series for Netflix, and then 'Stillwater,' which is a project that we're doing for Amazon with Greg Berlanti. And then Greg is also developing an untitled drama pilot for Casey, which he's very high on. So hopefully that's something that's going to come together. It's a family drama. Very much in the vein of the work that Greg did on 'Brothers and Sisters,' but with an interesting secret at the core And then unscripted stuff. we've got 'Bachelor in Paradise' on the air now. 'Bachelor' original recipe was just renewed for season 30, and that's going to be a big celebratory season for all of us. We're having some conversations with ABC about that. And we're shooting 'Golden Bachelor Season 2' right now. And then we're also doing, of course, my HGTV series. Before I get out the door here, I'm getting this done. 'Bachelor Mansion,' excited about that. A couple of animation shows as well. We did just have the 'Wonderfully weird World of Gumball' premiere on Hulu, and that has resonated really, really well with fans. And then we've got 'Bat Fam' which is a spin off of our very little Batman film, which we're doing for Prime Video. And then we've got a couple of other things in the works that are happening. The 'Steven Universe' Lars of the stars is also for Amazon. And then we just had a 'Keeping Up with the Joneses,' greenlit at Adult Swim. And we're doing 'Mr. Miracle' with DC Studios — platform on that one is TBD. 'Peacemaker' Season 2 from James Gunn starring John Cena premieres on August 21, and 'It: Welcome to Derry' premieres this October on HBO. Also coming up in 2026 is HBO's untitled college comedy from Bill Lawrence and Matt Tarses starring Steve Carell. Not next Emmy cycle, but the one after that. We are in production. We're getting dailies every day. It's so exciting. And they look great. They really do. It's been, it's been really fun to see. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in August 2025 What's Coming to Netflix in August 2025 Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Do Emmy Episode Submissions Still Matter? Kathy Bates, Quinta Brunson and Britt Lower Make the Case
With the Television Academy officially revealing this year's Emmy nominees, attention turns not only to who's in the running — but what episodes the actors are submitting. Though the Emmys have increasingly become dominated by buzz and momentum, official episode submissions can play a critical role. But as full-season sweeps have become more common, it's worth asking: Does the individual episode still carry as much weight? In the lead drama actress category, frontrunner Kathy Bates — who made history as the oldest nominee ever — opted for the penultimate 17th episode of 'Matlock's' inaugural season from CBS. 'I Was That, Too' reveals the truth about Matty (Bates) to Olympia (Skye P. Marshall) and provides an absolute masterclass in acting from Bates, blowing the story wide open. More from Variety Fifth Season's Noah Greenshner on 'Severance,' Emmy Glory and the Studio's Creator-First Approach Netflix, Prime Video and Beyoncé Lead Wins in 77th Emmy Juried Categories A Salute to Legends Like Kathy Bates, Jean Smart and Harrison Ford on Finally Getting Their Emmy Flowers Her closest competitor, Britt Lower, submitted the acclaimed 'Attila' episode from Apple TV+'s dystopian 'Severance' — where 'Innie' Helly R. learns that her 'Outie' Helena slept with Mark S. and decides to form her own memories. It's a showcase for Lower's dual performance as the mysterious dual versions of her character. The hurdle for Bates is precedent. In the past 20 years, only two lead drama actress Emmys have been won as the sole nominee for their shows — Tatiana Maslany for 'Orphan Black' in 2016 and Patricia Arquette for 'Medium' in 2005. It's a steep climb for Bates' procedural drama. Elsewhere, Bella Ramsey chose 'Convergence,' the season two finale from HBO's 'The Last of Us' — the harrowing finale episode that showcases depth and intensity for the 20-year-old performer. A very wise choice. Three-time 'Hacks' winner Jean Smart submitted 'I Love LA' — the fourth episode showing the first taping of 'Late Night with Deborah Vance' and how it doesn't go according to plan. It's hard to bet against Smart at this point, looking to continue her historic run. Previous winner Quinta Brunson went with 'Strike' from ABC's 'Abbott Elementary,' that highlights Janine's growth during a pivotal teacher protest. Notably, this episode isn't among the required six episodes submitted for the comedy series trophy, nor is it her own writing episode. Moreover, her Emmy-nominated supporting actresses — Janelle James and Sheryl Lee Ralph — also submitted different episodes entirely. Is this a thoughtful strategy to get TV Academy members to watch more episodes of the 22-episode season? Perhaps. Ayo Edebiri's 'Legacy' from 'The Bear' presents a tightly wound character unraveling as her character Sydney, considers a position at a different restaurant. When a show like 'The Bear' dominates multiple categories — as it did last year — it raises the question: Are voters casting ballots based on their full impression of the series, rather than comparing submissions side-by-side? Streaming has fundamentally changed television consumption. Bingeable formats and serialized storytelling make it harder for voters to isolate an individual episode. Instead, performances are judged within the context of a season-long arc, making specific episode submissions feel almost arbitrary. Still, for performers in highly competitive categories, the right episode can crystallize a character's transformation, emotional arc, or comic brilliance in a way that lingers in voters' minds. So, does it still matter? The short answer: yes — but maybe not as much as it used to. While episode selection remains an important strategic tool, momentum and overall series reception appear to be the strongest indicators of Emmy success. Interestingly, the lead actress limited series category doesn't require performers to submit a specific episode. Instead, voters evaluate the performance across the entire series. However, that's not the case for supporting categories, which begs the question — why? Your guess is as good as mine. The TV Academy is always chock full of weird, unexplainable rules. The 77th Emmy Awards, hosted by comedian Nate Bargatze, will broadcast live on Sunday, Sept. 14 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBS. The ceremony will also stream live and on-demand through select Paramount+ packages. Awards Circuit Predictions: Emmys Current Emmy Predictions (as of Aug. 13, 2025) Drama Series: 'Severance' (Apple TV+) Comedy Series: 'The Studio' (Apple TV+) Limited Series: 'Adolescence' (Netflix) TV Movie: 'Rebel Ridge' (Netflix) Lead Drama Actor: Noah Wyle, 'The Pitt' (HBO Max) Lead Comedy Actor: Seth Rogen, 'The Studio' (Apple TV+) Lead Actor Limited: Stephen Graham, 'Adolescence' (Netflix) Lead Drama Actress: Kathy Bates, 'Matlock' (CBS) Lead Comedy Actress: Jean Smart, 'Hacks' (HBO Max) Lead Actress Limited: Michelle Williams, 'Dying for Sex' (FX) Supporting Drama Actor: Tramell Tillman, 'Severance' (Apple TV+) Supporting Comedy Actor: Harrison Ford, 'Shrinking' (Apple TV+) Supporting Actor Limited: Owen Cooper, 'Adolescence' (Netflix) Supporting Drama Actress: Carrie Coon, 'The White Lotus' (HBO Max) Supporting Comedy Actress: Catherine O'Hara, 'The Studio' (Apple TV+) Supporting Actress Limited: Erin Doherty, 'Adolescence' (Netflix) Guest Drama Actor: Shawn Hatosy, 'The Pitt' (HBO Max) Guest Drama Actress: Kaitlyn Dever, 'The Last of Us' (HBO Max) Guest Comedy Actor: Bryan Cranston, 'The Studio' (Apple TV+) Guest Comedy Actress: Julianne Nicholson, 'Hacks' (HBO Max) Competition Program: 'The Traitors' (Peacock) Structured Reality: 'Shark Tank' (ABC) Unstructured Reality: 'Love on the Spectrum' (Netflix) Talk Series: 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' (CBS) Scripted Variety: 'Last Week Tonight with John Oliver' (HBO Max) Variety Special Live: 'Beyoncé Bowl' (Netflix) Variety Special Pre-Recorded: 'Adam Sandler: Love You' (Netflix) Documentary Series: 'Social Studies' (FX) Documentary Special: 'Pee-wee as Himself' (HBO Max) Hosted Nonfiction: 'My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman' (Netflix) Exceptional Merit: 'I Am Celine Dion' (Prime Video) Directing Drama: Ben Stiller, 'Severance' (Apple TV+) Directing Comedy: Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, 'The Studio' (Apple TV+) Directing Limited: Philip Barantini, 'Adolescence' (Netflix) Directing Documentary: Matt Wolf, 'Pee-wee as Himself' (HBO Max) Directing Variety Special: Liz Patrick, 'SNL50: The Anniversary Special' (NBC) Directing Variety Series: Paul Pennolino, 'Last Week Tonight with John Oliver' (HBO Max) Directing Reality: Cian O'Clery, 'Love on the Spectrum' (Netflix) Writing Drama: 'Severance' (Apple TV+) — 'Cold Harbor' by Dan Erickson Writing Comedy: 'The Rehearsal' (HBO Max) – 'Pilot's Code' by Nathan Fielder Writing Limited: 'Adolescence' (Netflix) – Series by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham Writing Variety Series: 'The Daily Show' (Comedy Central) Writing Variety Special: 'Your Friend, Nate Bargatze' (Netflix) Writing Nonfiction: 'Martha' (Netflix) by RJ Cutler Game Show: 'Jeopardy' (ABC) Game Show Host: Jimmy Kimmel, 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire' (ABC) Reality Host: Alan Cumming, 'The Traitors' (Peacock) Animated Program:'Arcane' (Netflix) Best of Variety Final Emmy Predictions: Documentary Programs — Wide‑Open Races Could Decide Which Networks Top the Nomination Leaderboard Final Emmy Predictions: Supporting Actress (Comedy) — Could History Repeat With Another Barrier-Breaking Lineup? Final Emmy Predictions: Supporting Actress (Drama) - Can Katherine LaNasa or Allison Janney Ride 'The White Lotus' Overload? Solve the daily Crossword
