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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
When Actors Direct: What TV Can Teach You About Career Evolution
An actor who decides to direct may inspire an eyeroll: Well, of course they can. After leading a hit show, what producer will say no? A powerful actor who wants to direct has an advantage others won't. At the same time, to become directors Tyler James Williams, Ayo Edebiri, Jason Bateman, and Rhea Seehorn had to be willing to step away from the comfort zone of their expertise and see themselves as beginners. More from IndieWire Sarah Michelle Gellar Says Chloé Zhao's Passion for 'Buffy' Changed Her Mind About a Reboot: 'OK, There's a Reason' Gillian Anderson: Ryan Coogler Is the 'Perfect Person' to Direct the 'X-Files' Reboot They also took advantage of a Hollywood truism: People work with people they know, and the only way to make yourself known is to be excellent around the people who can hire you to do the work. It's the same logic that creates a script supervisor-director (Karyn Kusama), a PA-producer (Kevin Feige), or an art coordinator-Oscar-winning production designer (Hannah Beachler). Here's what these actors say they learned while making the transition. Back when he was the lead in 'Everybody Hates Chris,' Williams began peppering 'Everybody' producer-director Jerry Levine with questions. As he told IndieWire's Proma Khosla in February 2025, he fell in love not just with being on TV but with the prospect of making it. The dream came true in Season 4 of 'Abbott Elementary' with episode 13, 'The Science Fair,' but Williams realized that his dream was considerably larger than anticipated. The mockumentary style meant a single scene could demand crossing three sets at one time. 'We had a lot of conversation about not just where the camera could be for the shot, but does that make sense for the documentarian on the other side of that camera?' he said. 'Playing with these camera operators and cameras as characters in this world, what are their opinions on everything? Why are they getting this shot the way they are? It influenced a lot of the decisions I made.' Williams' prep began months in advance. He sat in on production meetings, tone meetings, concept meetings. He talked with the crew, with the camera department, with executive producer Randall Einhorn. And he began breaking down the episode outline even before he had dialogue or characters. 'Because I know the space, and I know kind of the language of our show and how it works, I can start understanding how this needs to move and what this needs to look like,' he said. 'It's really hard to explain, and I guess that's where the the vision part of it comes in, where I just start to see it as I'm reading. I can kind of see it moving in real time.' By the time Edebiri joined 'The Bear,' she had dozens of acting credits, she'd been a story editor on 'Sunnyside,' a staff writer on 'Dickinson,' and a writer and consulting producer on 'What We Do in the Shadows' and 'Big Mouth.' However, she'd never gotten to direct. Before she directed 'The Bear' (Season 3, episode 6, 'Napkins'), she got a crash course on TV directing from the Directors Guild of America's First-Time Episodic Director Orientation Program. (It's a DGA requirement for a series that 'employs a 'first-time Director' to direct an episode of a dramatic television, High Budget SVOD series, or High Budget AVOD series.') She said it was 'probably one of the coolest, greatest things I've ever done.' 'The thing that I walked away with the most was that the only wrong way to direct — well, there's probably a lot of wrong ways, but beyond not communicating and not being open — is not finding your way,' said Edebiri. 'If you try to do somebody else's way, it's not going to work. Our instructors were so helpful with really illustrating their differences — and that they were successful with their differences — and so encouraging us to find our our ways of communicating, stressing the fact that you always have to be communicating.' Her instructors included legends such as Paris Barclay, Keith Powell, and Dr. Valerie Weiss, but Edebiri had to rely on her own instincts and the readiness of her cast and crew. 'You have to have a certain amount of ego and a certain amount of assuredness in your decisions, but there needs to be space for collaboration, and to also be wrong, or to not have the answer,' she said. 'It's this really miraculous amount of collaboration … It's like making a Venn diagram, but out of a thousand circles. That's why those moments when you get something, or you get it right, it does feel so special — because it's like, that's insane. That's insane that there's a thousand circles but found the one overlapping point.' The actress who portrayed Kim Wexler across six seasons of 'Better Call Saul' became the first performer to direct an episode of the show with Season 6 installment 'Hit and Run.' Bryan Cranston also directed episodes of 'Saul' predecessor 'Breaking Bad'; like Cranston, she played a major role that required she frequently 'hoof it to the monitor.' Relying on the producing team was vital. 'Michael Morris, our producing director, was kind of my right-hand person,' said Seehorn. 'I could watch playback when I needed it. And then I wanted to make sure that I was just available as Kim, once I was in the scene. I would never want a scene partner to feel like their director is observing them.' For her episode, Seehorn was initially anxious about working with Giancarlo Esposito as Gus Fring; they'd never shot a scene together. However, Seehorn soon realized her way in with him. 'He's from theater, as am I. So we had a good shorthand from the beginning,' she said. 'I just simply asked him, 'Do like talk about the scene or beats or do you just only want adjustments after the fact?' And he said, 'I'd love to talk about the scene. Thank you very much.' I said, 'Fantastic! Because here's my six binders.'' (Esposito would shoot his own episode later that season.) On Season 1 of 'Ozark,' Bateman directed four episodes while producing and starring in all 10. (He originally intended to direct all of them.) He believes a director's role hinges on making sure everyone is 'feeling good' — something he learned this from another actor-director, Michael Langdon, who Bateman worked as a child on 'Little House on the Prairie.' 'It was very helpful for me to see that a call sheet can get shot without yelling,' he said. 'It can be done well without being precious, but just by simply encouraging and being supportive and staying out of the way of something that might be better than what you thought.' Understanding actors also helped him be an effective director. 'One of the easy tricks is to go up and if you want an actor to do something, compliment on them having just done it and you want them to do a little more of it,' he said. 'You gotta think of what's the positive way to say this as opposed to 'Stop doing that,' because that's gonna make them nervous.' As IndieWire's Ben Travers noted back in 2020, Bateman would 'rather talk about the look, pace, feel, sound, and tone of his show — all of which form individual 'magic tricks' that help shape 'Ozark' — than his performance in front of the camera, and he's eager to steer the conversation toward his collaborators.' 'I mean, I'm a crew dork,' Bateman told Travers. 'I study who the gaffer or the best boy or the location manager is, let alone production designer [or] cinematographer. When I see a trailer, I'm immediately going over to IMDB Pro and just scouring the crew of that movie, because I'm noticing things that they're doing. I want to see who those people are so that maybe in the future, if I'm lucky enough to build a crew, I'm going to remember those names and see if they're interested in joining the team.' It worked: Bateman won the 2019 Emmy for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series. Best of IndieWire Martin Scorsese's Favorite Movies: 86 Films the Director Wants You to See Christopher Nolan's Favorite Movies: 44 Films the Director Wants You to See The 25 Saddest TV Character Deaths of This Century
Newsweek
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Terry Crews Says Dancer 'Collapsed in My Arms' on America's Got Talent
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors Terry Crews could not be more excited for America's Got Talent Season 20. Talking to Newsweek, the presenter of America's biggest talent show offered a sneak peak of what its millions of viewers are in for. "I'm very, very excited," says Crews. "It's a brand new format that I'm really excited about. There's been kind of a makeover on our 20th season where we have done a lot more behind the scenes. I'm really excited for everyone to see this because it's a way of seeing AGT like you've never seen it before." Terry Crews and the judges for America's Got Talent Season 20 Terry Crews and the judges for America's Got Talent Season 20 NBC Crews, who has hosted America's Got Talent since 2019, says as well as more backstage access, there'll be more than a few household names springing up in the wake of this entertainment goliath. "We have one dancer who gave everything he had on this stage and he got he got a glowing recommendation from the judges. He didn't get a golden buzzer, but this dancer, I can't remember his name right now, but he gave everything." "So much so," continues Crews, "that he jumped off the stage and he collapsed in my arms, in a fit of tears, of joy. And I thought, where else in the world can this happen?" America's Got Talent Season 20 Release Date America's Got Talent Season 20 Tuesday, May 27 at 8/7c on NBC and the next day on Peacock. America's Got Talent Season 20 Episode Schedule See below for the current America's Got Talent Season 20 episode list. The synopsis for the first episode reads as follows: "Season 20 kicks off with a magician who recruits home viewers to participate, a danger act with a superhuman ability and golden buzzers that captivate the judges; Simon, Mel B, Sofia, Howie and Terry invite cameras behind the scenes." America's Got Talent Season 20 - Auditions 1: May 27, 2025 America's Got Talent Season 20 - Auditions 2: June 3, 2025 America's Got Talent Season 20 - Auditions 3: Jun 10, 2025 In addition to America's Got Talent Season 20, Crews also offered a tantalising update on the next season of beloved animated sitcom Everyone Still Hates Chris. "We were so sad when it ended and we only were four seasons in," says Crews of the original live-action sitcom, Everybody Hates Chris, on which the animated show is based. Set in Brooklyn, New York, during the 1980s, it tells the story of comedian Chris Rock's childhood and adolescence. "I really feel like it could go as the long as Family Guy or The Simpsons, and it's so funny. It's still has the same tone, the same like the fact that this could happen. I just think it's incredible, man. It's over 20 years later. It's unprecedented, especially with the original characters. I don't think it's ever been done before." Everybody Still Hates Chris Season 2 Release Date Everybody Still Hates Chris Season 2 is set to release in 2025, but it doesn't yet have a release date. Everybody Still Hates Chris premiered on September 25, 2024 on Comedy Central. Between starring in Everybody Still Hates Chris Season 2 and presenting America's Got Talent Season 20, Crews still has time for collaborations. The actor, former NFL athlete, and professional studio painter, is partnering with Starbucks Sunsera Blend, which you can now buy grocery stores in whole bean, ground, and K-Cup form. For him it's a match made in heaven. Terry Crews in the painting studio Terry Crews in the painting studio Terry Crews "One thing that I love to do while I'm painting is have a coffee, and with the Starbucks Sunsera Blend it's just kind of the ritual that comes with painting and it comes with my artwork, with my sketching, and it's a beautiful ritual to have." Crews, who previously made a living as a courtroom sketch artist, says he has one ambition that sadly looks unlikely to be realised. "I wish I could go to the mall and sketch people like I used to, but right now I'm too famous. So anybody who saw me out there with pencils and paper and sketching people...I wouldn't be able to get away with it."
Los Angeles Times
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
How to have the best Sunday in L.A. according to Terry Crews
Terry Crews is a man of many talents. In the 1990s, he played for both the Rams and the Chargers before becoming an actor and starring in projects like 'White Chicks,' 'Everybody Hates Chris,' 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' and 'The Expendables' franchise. Other roles on his resume? Old Spice spokesman, high-end furniture designer, accomplished painter and author of a memoir. Crews was also featured in People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive issue three times. But the gig that has made him internationally known, he says, is hosting 'America's Got Talent' for the last six years. The show, which is celebrating 20 seasons, returns to NBC on May 27. For Crews, hosting 'AGT' is a job that suits him. 'I am a honey-baked ham,' he shamelessly admits, flashing his endearing white smile during a Zoom call. 'I like the spotlight. I've always been a dancer, so it was like this is the vibe. But then I got in there, and I was like, now I see why I love this so much. It's because every contestant reminds me of me.' We caught up with Crews to discuss his ideal Sunday in L.A. It involves walking around Old Town Pasadena, catching a movie and spending time with his wife Rebecca King-Crews and their five adult children. This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity. 6:30 a.m.: Wake up and hit the gym I am an early riser no matter what. Even if it's Sunday, it's like, my body clock just kind of pops up. Like when I say I sleep in late, that's 6:30 or 7 a.m. because I like to get up at the crack of dawn. I'm a 4:30 or 5 a.m. guy. Every Sunday, I start with a workout. It's very light, more of cardio and active recovery, but I never miss it. 9 a.m.: Pick up breakfast from Erewhon I've been intermittent fasting for almost 15 years, so I don't eat breakfast, but I love breakfast food. So what I do — and this is a real staple — we have an Erewhon that opened near us and it has the most fabulous cooked breakfast. It's half a store, half a restaurant. Erewhon has the best smoothies, the best pastries. Even though I don't eat until 2 p.m., I go to Erewhon and get all their breakfast stuff. I'll get the bacon and eggs, or the breakfast sandwiches [and] breakfast burritos. A lot of the time on Sundays, that's when all the kids want to stop by, so I'll bring a bunch of stuff, set it on the stove, and they go in there and I tell them, 'Leave me something.' 10 a.m.: Praise break at home My wife actually started a church. It's called the L.A. Life Church. It's like Tiny Desk meets church and she has a thing called Sonic Sundays. It's online, but we record during the week, and it's basically a half an hour with a lot of music, and then she does a lesson. We watch it together every Sunday morning when it comes out at 10 a.m. When COVID hit, it kind of changed our churchgoing habits because everybody had to do it at home, and she just decided, 'You know what? Let's just do it!' 11:30 a.m.: Hit up Old Town in Pasadena Once that's over, that's when we go down to Old Town. It's our favorite place to go. I have an office slash studio that's right off Colorado Avenue. That's where all the stores are, and my wife has a store, Rebeccca Crews, which is in Hugus Alley. My daughter works there too. So we'll walk around Old Town and I'll stop by Alfred to pick up a coffee. I get a double espresso, straight with nothing in it. We do occasionally do brunches. We really like Soho House in West Hollywood and also LA Cha Cha Chá near the Arts District. 1:30 p.m.: Breakfast for lunch If we decide to stay out, one place we love is Americana in Glendale, which is really close. I love this place called Egg Slut there. Crazy name, but man-oh-man, like I told you, I love breakfast food and they close at 2 p.m. So we have to time it out. We'll do all that Old Town running around, then we'll jump down to Glendale and usually I get there by 1:30 p.m. and I'll be their last customer, and they know me. I have a double bacon, double egg breakfast sandwich. It comes with a little ketchup on it and I get a side salad, which is like arugula and a little Parmesan and maybe a small orange juice. 3:30 p.m.: Pop over to the Americana in Glendale I love books. I have a library of books that is probably the most valuable thing that I own. I probably have like 10,000 books, so what I love to do is go to Barnes and Noble. You can't find them anymore. It's very rare and the Barnes and Noble at Americana is one of my favorite spots, because I'll get lost. You can spend literally two or three hours there. 5 p.m.: Watch a flick I'm a big movie guy, so usually on a Sunday, that's when I do my theater watching. I've been getting tickets to throwback movies. Being at home, it's OK, but I love the smell of popcorn and I love to experience the reactions of other people. When you're going to see a comedy or something scary or something weird, it's kind of like you want to feel that energy, so we go to IPIC. I'm a gold member. I'm practically a platinum member because I'm about really nice experiences. If you're going to do a theater, do it well. 7 p.m.: Enjoy my cheat-day meal Even though I do intermittent fasting, Sunday is my cheat day. When it's time for dinner, that's In-N-Out Burger time. I'll get a couple double-doubles. You know, I'm simple. Or we'll find a restaurant that everyone's been talking about. But a lot of times, they aren't open on Sunday nights. There are a few like Majordomo that my guy David Chang [owns], but other than that, it's In-N-Out Burger time. If there's a sporting event on a Sunday, I'd go to SoFi to see a football game. I was on the Rams and the Chargers, so the funny thing is, when I get invited to a Chargers game, I act like I'm the biggest Chargers fan in the world, and then when I get invited to the Rams game, I do the same thing. They both ended up in L.A., so they both claim me and I'm like yep [laughs]. 8 p.m.: Get ready for bed I go to bed early and my wife is like, 'What are we, in third grade?' [Laughs] That's why I don't like to go to the movies too late. I will never, ever go to a movie that starts at 7 p.m. cause you won't be out of there until like 10 p.m. I'm like nope! I go to bed at the latest 8:30 p.m. and my regime — something I've been doing for years and it feels so good — is I close all the curtains, make sure the room is all cool. I try my best to put the phone up. I don't want that blue light on me. I wash my face, brush my teeth, get in bed and I'll have the book of the century — whatever I'm reading — right next to the bed and my glasses. I look forward to this time cause you know where you left off, whether it's a novel or an autobiography, and you're like, I wonder what happened there? I always have to make sure I leave at a good spot. I'm the guy who gets sad at the end of a book. The same way people feel about streaming when you've gone through all 10 episodes. I'm reading a book called 'The Weight of Air' by this guy named David Poses. Oh, my God. He was addicted to heroin for years and was in and out of rehab. It's fascinating because he's so transparent and it just inspires me to be that vulnerable.
Black America Web
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Black America Web
Philly To Give Quinta Brunson Keys To The City
Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE Source: Gilbert Flores / Getty Quinta Brunson set her hit show Abbott Elementary in Philadelphia, based on her mother's four-decade career as a teacher. Now, the city is honoring her with a key ceremony and a mural on her elementary school. Brunso will receive the keys to the city in a May 28 ceremony, which Philadelphia's first female mayor, Cherelle Parker, will oversee. 'I am so grateful to be receiving the key to my hometown, Philly,' Brunson said in a statement. 'This city shaped me, and now I get to give back with a mural that celebrates all it gave me. I am truly honored.' Abbott Elementary was renewed for its fifth season in January. The show has enjoyed critical acclaim for Brunson, who won an Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series in 2022 and for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2023. She was the first Black woman to win in that category in four decades. The sitcom's cast includes Tyler James Williams ( Everybody Hates Chris), veteran actress Sheryl Lee Ralph (who won her first Emmy as Outstanding Supporting Actress for her role in 2022), Janelle James, and Lisa Ann Walter. It takes place in a fictional elementary school in West Philadelphia starring Brunson as idealistic teacher Jeanine Teagues, who despite funding woes and the incompetence of principal Ava Coleman (played by James) is trying to do the best for her students. Philadelphia's Mural Arts program has given the city the distinction of having the most public art in the world. They collaborated with the Greater Philadelphia Film Office to put the event together. The new mural on West Philly's Alexander Hamilton School is called 'Blooming Futures,' honoring Brunson and the school's manifesto of upholding rigorous learning standards for student development. 'The City of Philadelphia is beyond grateful to have someone as inspiring and compassionate as Quinta Brunson,' Parker said. 'She doesn't just represent the spirit of Philadelphia on television; she brings her success home and shares it with the city that loves her back. It goes without saying that education and representation matter. She added, 'As our young people look for role models, may they find inspiration in dream chasers and change makers like Quinta Brunson. And let us never forget the impact of a great teacher, who shows up every day to uplift, encourage, and fight for the future of our youth.' As for the show, all the prominent cast members are likely to return, along with some newer ones, including Orlando Jones, who plays William's character's father, and Matthew Law, who appeared in Season 4 as Ava's love interest. Abbott Elementary airs live on ABC on Wednesdays at 8:30 ET, and can also be seen on Hulu and other streaming platforms that support live TV. SEE ALSO Philly To Give Quinta Brunson Keys To The City was originally published on
Buzz Feed
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Check Out 11 Of TV's Best Spring-Themed Episodes To Get You In The Seasonal Vibe
Many of us think of spring as a stepping stone to summer, but if you learn to fully embrace the season, you won't be rushing to the other side ~quite~ so much. These 11 episodes will get you in the mood for florals, cool breezes, and strappy sandals! 1. Hart of Dixie — "Why Don't We Get Drunk" (S2, E18) The CW What's more spring than spring break? The ultimate party takes over Bluebell, Alabama in this fun episode of Hart of Dixie. From beach balls to keg stands, "Why Don't We Get Drunk" will make you reminisce on your own spring break moments. 2. Full House — "The Trouble With Danny" (S5, E22) ABC Do I smell spring cleaning? "The Trouble With Danny" focuses on Danny Tanner's obsession with cleaning, particularly during the spring season, which brings it out in him. The episode starts with Danny having an honorable moment: granting his daughter, Michelle Tanner, her very own cleaning belt. This episode reminds us of when our own parents were asking for help with chores, and might just inspire you to do some cleaning yourself! 3. Modern Family — "Spring Break" (S6, E17) ABC It's spring break in the Dunphy's household: Hailey Dunphy gets Alex drunk at a music festival to get her mind off college applications. Meanwhile, Claire does some spring cleaning, and Luke outperforms Phil. 4. Everybody Hates Chris — "Everybody Hates Easter" (S3, E14) The CW On Everybody Hates Chris, it's time for the Easter pageant. In "Everybody Hates Easter," Chris gets to escort Tasha to the pageant while his mother, Rochelle, is determined to win the church hat competition. The Easter activities and outfits scream spring! 5. Half and Half — "The Big Mother of a Mother's Day Rides Again Episode" (S2, E21) UPN This episode of Half and Half is dedicated to another fun spring holiday: Mother's Day. Mona and Dee Dee Thorne plan a brunch and concert for their mothers. However, it becomes a competition for who can give the best gift. Between brunches and gorgeous flowers, Mother's Day episodes are definitely a spring vibe. 6. Zoey 101 — "Spring Fling" (S1, E9) Nickelodeon Every Zoey 101 fan wanted to be at PCA's Spring Fling! 7. The O.C. — "Return of the Nana" (S2, E21) Fox Spend your spring break with the Cohens, as Seth, Sandy, and Ryan Atwood head to Miami to see Nana, Sandy's mom. A bikini contest involving whipped cream may or may not have happened. And yes, that is young Adam Brody. 8. Friends — "The One With Joey's Fridge" (S6, E19) NBC Another awesome spring break episode. While Joey tries to convince everyone to pay for his fridge, Ross tries to make spring break plans with his college girlfriend, Elizabeth. 9. Outer Banks — "Pilot" (S1, E1) Netflix Hang out with the coolest kids in North Carolina, John B Routledge, Kiara Carrera, Pope Heyward, and JJ Maybank in the pilot episode of Outer Banks. While this series is still dropping new seasons, it first aired in April 2020 and will get you psyched for summer! 10. Golden Girls — "Rites of Spring" (S4, E23) NBC Spring with the golden gals? Sign me up! In ''Rites of Spring," Dorothy Zbornak, Blanche Devereaux, and Rose Nylund prepare for a beach party and are determined to look amazing. Not that they even need to try for that! 💕 11. Schitt's Creek — "Baby Sprinkle" (S4, E10) CBC A spring baby shower is always fun and fits the vibe of the season! In this hilarious episode of Schitt's Creek, Jocelyn Schitt forces David Rose to throw her a baby shower. Or, really, more of a "sprinkle."
