Latest news with #FuneralforaFriend
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘MobLand' Emmys Shakeup: Tom Hardy and Pierce Brosnan Both Submitted for Lead Drama Actor, Helen Mirren Goes for Supporting (EXCLUSIVE)
Paramount+ is going all-in on its critically acclaimed British crime drama 'MobLand.' Revealed to Variety exclusively, the company is launching an ambitious Emmy campaign that surprisingly places both Tom Hardy and Pierce Brosnan in the running for lead drama actor. The decision to push Brosnan as a co-lead — rather than a supporting contender as many had assumed — is one of several surprising moves in the streamer's Emmy strategy. More from Variety Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren and, Of Course, Nicole Kidman Are Just Some of This Year's Emmy Contender Overachievers Gender Binary Acting Awards: How the Indie Spirits Have Set the Tone and Why Asia Kate Dillon Remains Hopeful Despite Setbacks Ike Barinholtz on That Chaotic 'The Studio' Golden Globes Episode, Creating 'Running Point' Despite His Bulls Fandom, and How He Won Both 'Jeopardy!' and 'Millionaire' Helen Mirren, meanwhile, will compete for supporting drama actress, avoiding a head-to-head clash with her own work in '1923,' Taylor Sheridan's Western drama, where she is considered a possible contender for lead drama actress. Created by Ronan Bennett, 'MobLand' centers on Harry Da Souza (Hardy), a fixer for the powerful London-based Harrigan crime family, led by Conrad (Brosnan) and Maeve Harrigan (Mirren). As rival gangs threaten the family's empire, Harry is tasked with maintaining control and preventing a full-scale war. The show has also delivered impressive ratings since its debut. According to the network, 'MobLand' logged 8.8 million global viewers in its first seven days — a 298% increase from premiere day — making it the biggest global series premiere week in Paramount+ history. It joined '1923' and 'Landman' as one of the platform's top three launches ever. The series also ranked in the Nielsen SVOD Original Top 10 for two consecutive weeks (April 14-21), becoming the seventh Paramount+ original to achieve that milestone since Q4 2024. In a notable departure from industry norms, 'MobLand' submitted its Emmy entries for writing and directing not for its pilot episode but for later episodes in the season — a rare choice for a new drama. Typically, networks push pilot episodes in these categories, especially for first-year shows looking to make a splash. Instead, the writing submission came from Episode 105, 'Funeral for a Friend,' by Ronan Bennett and Jez Butterworth. Directing submissions included Guy Ritchie for Episode 102, 'Jigsaw Puzzle,' Anthony Byrne for Episode 109, 'Beggars Banquet,' and Daniel Syrkin for the same writing episode, 'Funeral for a Friend.' Paramount+ is betting on peak storytelling rather than premiere impressions to garner some recognition. Hardy, previously Oscar-nominated for 'The Revenant' (2015), is known for intense, transformative turns in films like 'Mad Max: Fury Road,' 'Locke,' 'Bronson' and 'The Dark Knight Rises.' On the small screen, he's been praised for the British series 'The Take' and won a News & Documentary Emmy for producing the 2019 nature documentary 'Trophy.' Brosnan, a Hollywood staple for over four decades, is celebrated for his tenure as James Bond in blockbusters like 'GoldenEye' and for Golden Globe-nominated performances in the comedy 'The Matador' (2006) and the TV miniseries 'Nancy Astor' (1985). Mirren is one of two actors to win an Oscar and an Emmy in the same year. She has five Emmys to her name. She earned an Oscar for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in 'The Queen' (2006) and a lead actress (limited) Emmy for 'Elizabeth I.' Helen Hunt is the only other actor to have achieved the same-year Oscar-Emmy feat for 'As Good as It Gets' and 'Mad About You.' Paramount+ submitted 'MobLand' for 17 total categories, including outstanding drama series, supporting actor (Paddy Considine, Anson Boon, Daniel Betts), supporting actress (Joanne Froggatt, Lara Pulver, Jasmine Jobson, Mandeep Dhillon), and several technical achievements such as cinematography, production design, music composition, and more. Below is the full list of Emmy submissions for 'MobLand.' Variety Awards Circuit: Emmys Outstanding Drama SeriesExecutive Producers: David C. Glasser, Kris Thykier, Guy Ritchie, Ivan Atkinson, Ronan Bennett, Jez Butterworth, Tom Hardy, Dean Baker, Anthony Byrne, Ron Burkle, David Hutkin, Bob YariProducer: Peter Heslop Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series105 – 'Funeral for a Friend': Ronan Bennett and Jez Butterworth, written by Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series102 – 'Jigsaw Puzzle': Guy Ritchie, directed by109 – 'Beggars Banquet': Anthony Byrne, directed by105 – 'Funeral for a Friend': Daniel Syrkin, directed by Outstanding Cinematography for a Series (One Hour)101 – 'Stick or Twist': Stephan Pehrsson, BSC, director of photography106 – 'Antwerp Blues': David Katznelson, DFF, BSC, director of photography Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama SeriesTom Hardy as 'Harry Da Souza'Pierce Brosnan as 'Conrad Harrigan' Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama SeriesPaddy Considine as 'Kevin Harrigan'Anson Boon as 'Eddie Harrigan'Daniel Betts as 'Brendan Harrigan' Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama SeriesHelen Mirren as 'Maeve Harrigan'Joanne Froggatt as 'Jan Da Souza'Lara Pulver as 'Bella'Jasmine Jobson as 'Zosia'Mandeep Dhillon as 'Seraphina Harrigan' Outstanding Casting for a Drama SeriesDes Hamilton, casting byJohn Papsidera, CSA, original casting by Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More)101 – 'Stick or Twist'Andrew Purcell, production designerEd Turner, supervising art directorClare Keyte, set decorator Outstanding Picture Editing for a Drama Series102 – 'Jigsaw Puzzle': Alexander Berner, ACE, and Danny Salas, edited by105 – 'Funeral for a Friend': Stuart Gazzard, edited by Outstanding Contemporary Costumes101 – 'Stick or Twist'Rebecca Hale, costume designerAnnie Crawford, costume supervisorAimee Callaway, assistant costume designer Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling101 – 'Stick or Twist'Debbie Ormrod, hair supervisorMarie Deehan, hair supervisorCate Hall, hair designerFrancesca Hissey, hairstylistStacey Holman, hairstylist Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)106 – 'Antwerp Blues': Ilan Eshkeri and Matt Bellamy, music by Outstanding Music Supervision106 – 'Antwerp Blues': Pete Saville and Zoë Ellen Bryant, music supervisors Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour)101 – 'Stick or Twist'Matt Skelding, sound supervisorBrian Gilligan, sound designerGray Aletter, sound designerIain Eyre, ADR supervisorLouisa Kearns, dialogue editorAli Hawkins, music editorZoe Freed, foley artistRebecca Heathcote, foley artist Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour)102 – 'Jigsaw Puzzle'Martin Jensen, re-recording mixerMark Holding, production mixerSimon Clark, production mixer Outstanding Title DesignKyle Cooper, creative directorBate Lommelen, directorRicardo Bardal, animatorKameron Cooper, editorCameron Niemeyer, editorGary Mau, compositor Best of Variety Emmy Predictions: The Art of the Submission Creates New and Viable Contenders Emmy Predictions: Writing (Drama, Comedy, Limited) - Pilots, Finales and Everything In Between Fuel the Competition Emmy Predictions: Directing (Drama, Comedy, Limited) - Will Ben Stiller, Philip Barantini and Seth Rogen All Become Award-Winning Auteurs?
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'MobLand' Star Annie Cooper Unpacks Her Character's Shocking Fate
The stakes of MobLand are now officially explosive. In the fifth episode of the twisty Paramount+ crime drama, the very end revealed an event that will almost certainly redefine the entire trajectory of the series. But how did we get here? And does the shocking ending of Episode 5 really mean the end for one specific character? Actress Annie Cooper, who plays Vron — the matriarch of the Stevenson family — tells Men's Journal that because she's such a fan of Guy Ritchie, that even if this is the end, "Doing this show was a dream." Spoilers ahead. At the end of "Funeral for a Friend," despite Richie Stevenson's (Geoff Bell) stern warning to Conrad (Pierce Brosnan) and the Harrigans, it seems that some semblance of peace between the two crime families has been achieved. Harry (Tom Hardy) and Kevin (Paddy Considine) didn't need to start shooting, and nobody pulled the pin of a grenade. And yet, in the final moments, when Vron (Cooper) gets into her car, it explodes. It seems Maeve (Helen Mirren) has exacted her revenge on the Stevensons, almost right after the delicate truce was struck. "She was playing with fire, right?" Cooper tells Men's Journal. "But yeah, an explosive ending for Vron to say the least. But she did give Maeve a piece of her mind before the end." Cooper also reveals that it wasn't always clear to her at what point in the story her character would walk into an exploding car, and she's loath to confirm if her character is indeed and in fact dead. "I mean, did she survive? I don't know."At this point in the series, it's easy to see the Stevensons as the victims of the cruelty of the Harrigans, even if the Harrigans are, in theory, the family we're supposed to be rooting for. "I love Vron, she's the matriarch of the Stevenson family, and she is tough," Cooper says. "She is assertive and she's unfazed by violence. But, it doesn't get worse than her situation at this point. She's just lost her only son, and it's also having one of the Harrigans having something to do with it; it's bad blood." Cooper also points out that just because it seems that her character has just been blown up in a car bomb, there are a million ways she could still appear, even if Vron has been deceased. TV shows tend to have flashbacks, meaning there could be plenty more that we might see of Vron before the end. And with five more episodes left in MobLand, there are still quite a few twists left in the series, and Cooper hints it only gets more intese from this point out. "I mean, it would be nice to have seen a bit more of her in action, right?" Cooper says. "So let's see what happens."
Telegraph
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Elton John and Brandi Carlile's new album is a glorious return to his bombastic, melodious 1970s pomp
Before Elton John has even sung a note on his 37 th studio album, Who Believes in Angels?, his fans' spirits will be soaring. The slow building two-minute prelude to opening track, The Rose of Laura Nyro, is replete with warm analogue synth and organ sounds that explode into a flighty blast of lead guitar, elegantly spaced drums and thick harmonies, before pulling back for beautifully voiced piano chords. My first thought was, 'Hello Yellow Brick Road!', as I revelled in echoes of that classic 1973 double album's sensational opening Funeral for a Friend. The song gets better with each unfolding verse and chorus, a sprawling Elton epic with the tone of an emotional power ballad and the energetic drive of a bombastic mid-tempo rocker. Gloriously overloaded lyrics celebrating an unjustly forgotten queer singer-songwriter should probably come with footnotes. Who wants to hear Elton digging out melody and meaning from baroque refrains such as 'Like Virginian to the lighthouse / See the songbirds in their cages / The rose of Laura Nyro / Shed its petal on the pages'? This fan certainly does. And when you think it can't get any better, the song goes up another gear, with Elton's piano barrelling into a roaring gospel-tinged coda whilst he shares extemporised vocal interjections with his sensational duet partner Brandi Carlile. Although not well known in the UK, the 43-year-old Carlile is acclaimed as one of the finest American singer-songwriters of her generation, with a showstopping voice comparable to Emmylou Harris singing Roy Orbison. As a fellow outspoken gay artist, she has been a close friend of Elton's for decades, and the 78-year-old superstar seems to have approached this post-retirement collaborative project as a chance to push Carlile's talents out to the rest of the world. But the resulting album is very much Brandi paying homage to Elton, not vice versa. She is clearly a big fan (Carlile used to perform Elton songs in full costume at talent shows as a child), and the ambitious song structures, wonderfully convoluted lyrics and luxurious analogue arrangements all evoke Elton in his 1970's pomp. Producer Andrew Watt started out working with Justin Bieber but has become the go-to guy for putting modern sonic bite into vintage rockers, working with Ozzy Osbourne, Iggy Pop and the Rolling Stones. He has assembled a phenomenal band including two members of Red Hot Chilli Peppers (drummer Chad Smith and keyboardist / guitarist Josh Klinghoffer) with Pino Palladino on bass. Elton's wingman Bernie Taupin was in the studio to bring his distinctive poetic flavour to the John / Carlile / Watt songwriting partnership. Carlile's greatest contribution, I would respectfully suggest, was to put a rocket up the Rocket Man's posterior. Her voice in tight duet with Elton's restores that hot, high falsetto dimension to his still potent baritone. On the incredible title track, Carlile leads the way, yet it still sounds like an Elton song, partly due to the prominence of his flowery yet robust piano style, the tone of his underpinning voice, and the way his songs melodiously seduce you then suddenly blast off for the stars. This is a set of absolute bangers including a barrel-house Crocodile Rock romp through Little Richard's Bible, the twisty Americana flavoured fantasia of Riverman and a moving Elton solo finale on When This Old World Is Done Me. On such evidence, we're not done with him yet, nor he with us.
