Latest news with #ThePitt
Los Angeles Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
A Billy Joel doc, ‘Quarterback' and more to watch this weekend
Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone who still needs to binge some of the Emmy contenders before TV's biggest night. The nominations for the 77th Emmy Awards were announced earlier this week and Apple TV+'s 'Severance' lead the pack with 27 nominations. If this week's breaking news headlines kept you too occupied to see how your favorite TV show fared, check out the list of nominees here. Plus, our awards czar Glenn Whipp weighed in on this year's snubs and surprises. We also had some fun and thoughtful conversations with nominees: Noah Wyle ('The Pitt'), Adam Scott ('Severance'), Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg ('The Studio'), Jeff Hiller ('Somebody Somewhere'), Tony Gilroy ('Andor') and the 'Adolescence' team. But if you'd rather watch TV than read about it, we've got that covered too. This week's streaming recommendations include a sprawling two-part documentary on the life of musician Billy Joel that'll surely change your commute playlist before the workweek starts again, and the return of Netflix's behind-the-scenes look at the lives, both on and off the field, of NFL quarterbacks. Also in this week's Screen Gab, actor Brittany Snow drops by to talk about her new Netflix thriller, 'The Hunting Wives,' about a woman who moves to a small Texas town and gets drawn into the dangerous world of the wealthy and influential women in her orbit. Must-read stories you might have missed CBS to end 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert' next year: The network attributed the cancellation to 'a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night.' Commentary: Why the Emmys still matter in a time of turmoil: The day we stop celebrating and arguing about art is the day we'll know the bastards have won, writes critic Mary McNamara. Alan Tudyk: Resident alien, android and voice actor: He scored his first starring role with 'Resident Alien,' but he's long been celebrated in genre circles, and for good reason. Hollywood's being reshaped by generative AI. What does that mean for screenwriters?: As AI creeps further into Hollywood, screenwriters like Billy Ray, Paul Schrader, Bong Joon Ho and Todd Haynes, along with a new class of tech disruptors, are navigating the uncertain future of storytelling. Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times 'Billy Joel: And So It Goes' (HBO Max) Over the decades, Billy Joel has created countless iconic hits that have cemented his legacy in pop music, but despite his rock star status, he's always been a man of few words, preferring to let his songs do the talking. HBO Max's new two-part docuseries, however, gives him the mic to tell the stories behind the music in his notable albums, including 'Piano Man,' 'The Stranger' and 'Storm Front,' exploring how his upbringing, marriages and addiction shaped his creative works. Part 1 of the series, premiering Friday at 8 p.m. EDT/PDT, is notable in how it reframes the narrative around his relationship with his former wife and manager Elizabeth Weber, explaining how she was instrumental in guiding his career and helping him become a superstar — and how songs like 'Big Shot' and 'Stiletto' were inspired by the rocky times in their marriage. (You'll want to tune in to Part 2 next week as well.) It's a compelling and nuanced portrait of an imperfect person who created timeless music and whose influence continues to reverberate. — Maira Garcia 'Quarterback' (Netflix) After watching weeks of 'Love Island' (Team Amaya Papaya 4eva!), I was in need of a palate cleanser. I found it in the second season of 'Quarterback,' the seven-part series that follows three big names in the NFL's most visible position. This year's roster features the Cincinnati Bengals' Joe Burrow, the Detroit Lions' Jared Goff (formerly of the Rams) and singing favorite Kirk Cousins, who appeared in the show's first season as QB of the Minnesota Vikings before moving to Atlanta — and then the bench. Football nerds will geek out on the play calling, but what makes the show such a must-watch is seeing the human side of the pros. Watching fashionista Burrow pick out what designer items he loved and also talk about iguanas and fossils made me kind of infatuated with my football enemy. As for Goff, I really want to pet his dog Quincy. Cousins is again the star. He ups his suburban every-dad vibe by getting a haircut at Great Clips (and shows the stylist his roster photo for inspiration) but the highlight is the music. We see him explain his love of Celine Dion, find out which Tom Petty song gets him fired up and watch him rehab an Achilles injury as he sings 'Put One Foot in Front of the Other' from Rankin/Bass Christmas classic 'Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town.' However, the show's obvious highlight is watching him sing Cher's 'Believe' while waiting in a drive-through. If Cousins retires from the NFL, I will be first in line to buy a ticket for his Vegas cabaret. — Vanessa Franko A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they're working on — and what they're watching With her recent turns on TV, Brittany Snow has leaned into characters with some mystique. Earlier this year, she appeared in the second season of Netflix's 'Night Agent' as Alice, a new partner and mentor to the show's central character Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso) in his first mission after joining the highly classified counterintelligence program. Without spilling spoilers, let's just say viewers were left with many questions about the character. In her latest series, 'The Hunting Wives,' Snow plays Sophie, an East Coast transplant with a mysterious past who steps into an elite Texas circle where power struggles, jealousy, betrayal and murder lurk beneath the surface. Available to stream on Netflix beginning Monday, the soapy thriller is based on the book by May Cobb. Snow stopped by Guest Spot to discuss the intrigue of playing an outsider, her upcoming role as a journalist and the reality competition series she savors watching. — Yvonne Villarreal Sophie is a complex character wrestling with her past, as well as her attraction to socialite Margo (Malin Akerman), and all she represents — the freedom to do what she wants, with little concern for social mores or the law. What intrigued you about playing her? And what would Brittany Snow, unencumbered by image or expectations, be doing? I related a lot to Sophie when I read the scripts for 'Hunting Wives.' I spent my 20s being very careful, shy and afraid of people's perceptions of me. In my early 30s, I really did have an awakening of some sort which challenged my childhood beliefs of needing to be 'good' and 'perfect.' I started realizing who I wanted to be and the woman I already was. I finally felt 'in' my body, and I didn't need to necessarily fit in. Sophie is having that awakening as well, in a different way, but one I could very much relate to. Margo represents a side of Sophie that she has shut herself off from, mostly because she's scared of that side of herself and perhaps scared of taking up that much space. At first, the power of Margo is alluring to her because it makes her more aware of her own. As the series continues, you see Sophie realize who she really is, which creates the disillusionment of Margo and what Margo represents. I loved that aspect of the script and I loved playing a character who has a complete transformation by coming back to herself. I think this show is the very embodiment of what I would be doing if I were unencumbered by image or expectations. It's fun, brave and I worked hard to have the confidence to do a show like this. It's all very full-circle for me. The series brings Sophie into an elite and conservative social circle in Texas. You can sense both her discomfort and curiosity. What was it like having the character explore that world? I am always drawn to characters who are curious. It's in my nature to sit back and observe closely. Sometimes to my detriment, I do it too well. I think the interesting thing about Sophie is her immediate curiosity as opposed to an immediate judgment. It would be a different show if she was unwilling to understand the atmosphere she's been put in. Because she's trying so hard to fit in and understand, she gets in over her head. It then takes some unraveling for her to see the truth and hold firm in her opinions. I, myself, am pretty opinionated but I am also very understanding. I think this show has a great duality of seeing both sides with an open lens — a viewpoint that is fun and doesn't take itself too seriously. You recently completed filming on Hulu's series about the Murdaugh murders. You play Mandy Matney, the real-life journalist who helped unravel the family's unsolved mysteries. What kind of research did you do for the role? And what struck you most about Mandy's journey? I was so honored to play Mandy. She is a force, and I admire her greatly. I was already familiar with her podcast ['Murdaugh Murders Podcast'] and had listened to the show when it first came out. When I found out I would be playing her, I reached out to her directly and asked if we could have conversations about the murders but more importantly, about her life. We talked on the phone, hung out, had dinners, drinks and became friends. I read her book and listened to every episode of her podcast again, as well as every interview I could get my hands on. I learned so much about her, but mostly what a strong and fierce woman she is and continues to be. Her story is so much more than the Murdaugh murders, it's about overcoming so many hardships and spearheading a new way women were perceived in her field. What have you watched recently that you're recommending to everyone you know? After David Lynch's passing, I wanted to go back and rewatch all the classics. We started with 'Blue Velvet' [Pluto TV, Tubi], 'Eraserhead' [HBO Max], 'Lost Highway' [VOD], 'Mulholland Drive' [Philo] (my favorite), then read all the complicated articles after. I know you are never supposed to truly 'get' that movie, but after a couple rewatches, I do sort of feel like I 'get' it and what happens, in my own way. I love figuring out movies like that. Figuring out the puzzle and how it fits, only to me. I recommend everyone going back and doing that again with all his films. What's your go-to 'comfort watch,' the film or TV show you return to again and again? 'Top Chef' [Peacock]. I've seen every single episode multiple times and it truly relaxes me. Chefs have this elegance and clear intention in making great dishes. It makes me appreciate food more. When I watch it, sometimes I eat dinner as well and I eat in the most lovely and present way. It also weirdly makes your food taste better. I can't explain it.
Gulf Today
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
Noah Wyle talks about his Emmy nomination for ‘The Pitt'
Twenty-six years after Noah Wyle was last nominated for an Emmy, for his role as Dr. John Carter on NBC's long-running medical drama 'ER,' the actor has scrubbed back in for a chance at a golden trophy. The star and executive producer of 'The Pitt' received a nomination for lead actor in a drama series for his role as Dr. Michael 'Robby' Robinavitch, and overall, HBO Max's breakout hit received 13 nominations. Wyle will be competing alongside Sterling K. Brown ('Paradise'), Pedro Pascal ('The Last of Us'), Gary Oldman ('Slow Horses') and Adam Scott ('Severance') for the award. The actor's skill around a fictional emergency room has yielded strong results. While it's his first Emmy nomination since 1999, it's the actor's sixth Emmy nomination for playing a doctor — the previous five were for his supporting role as the med student-turned-hospital veteran on 'ER.' Tuesday's nomination is his first ever in the lead actor in a drama category. Wyle was in production on 'The Pitt's' sophomore season on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank when he got the celebratory news, and The Times caught up with him during a break. Noah, congratulations! Production on Season 2 is underway. You were on set when you got the news? Thank you. Yes, we're working today. I was on set. We shot the first scene. I asked to go to the bathroom. On a bathroom break, I checked my phone and saw a text from my wife that said, 'Baby!' I thought, 'Oh.' By the time I came back onto set, everybody was starting to get very excited. Then just now, [R.] Scott Gemmill [the show's creator] came down and made a formal announcement and read off all the 13 nominations, and that just exploded the crew and cast background into massive celebration. How do you get back to work after this? Oh, so easily. I'm going [to] go in there, and we're gonna get right back at it. I don't know. I guess with a little bit of a bounce in our stride. When I look at the sound department, who works so hard on our show, parsing out all that overlapping dialogue — to see them get recognized, and see our makeup departments, both prosthetic and non-prosthetic, be recognized for their labour — everybody puts such pride into their work, and I am inspired by so many incredible artists who bring their expertise to this place every day. How are you feeling about that kind of cast change early in the show's run, or what it means for Season 2? We made it clear at the outset that part of being in a realistic teaching hospital is a revolving door of characters, whether you have somebody not come back, or you have somebody die, or whether you have somebody rotate to another department or go on another specialty. These are the things that we pull our hair out in the writers' room trying to figure out how to keep this ensemble together for as long as time possible, but knowing that there has to be a revolution of characters coming through to keep the place realistic. I would imagine it'll be easy today. How do you plan to celebrate? I looked at that list of nominees that I'm in the company of, and I send my congratulations to all of them. It's incredibly gratifying and humbling to be included in their company. I'm going to celebrate quietly with my family and come back to work tomorrow. What's a memory that stands out from your last Emmys experience? Talk about perspective. It was such a beautiful, wonderful, heady time for me that the last time I was nominated, I was annoyingly blasé about it, and if I had known that it was going to be 20-plus years before I was invited to the party again, I think I would have had a better time. Tribune News Service
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Touting 142 Emmy Noms, Casey Bloys Talks ‘Penguin' and ‘White Lotus' Futures, ‘Duster' Demise, HBO Max Re-Re-Brand
The Primetime Emmy nominations arms race shifted back in HBO and HBO Max's favor on Tuesday morning, with the Warner Bros. Discovery-owned platform's historically dominant slate commanding 142 nominations across 23 originals. With particularly strong showings for limited series The Penguin (24), drama The White Lotus (23) and comedy Hacks (14), HBO and HBO Max content chairman and CEO Casey Bloys hopped on the phone to dig into some of the surprises (two nominations for the outgoing Somebody Somewhere), smaller showings (House of the Dragon) and offer up some updates on a slew of nominated originals (The Penguin, The White Lotus, The Pitt) and 2025 offerings like the new season of The Gilded Age and the upcoming The Chair Company. He also had a very humble response to the suggestion of playing himself in a future season of Apple TV+'s The Studio. More from The Hollywood Reporter Cristin Milioti, First-Time Emmy Nominee for 'The Penguin,' is "Ready to Get in There Again" Critics' Conversation: 2025 Emmy Nominations Take a Typically Shallow Dive Into TV's Best Harrison Ford, Aimee Lou Wood and Cooper Koch Among First-Time Emmy Nominees in Acting Categories made a remarkably strong showing in the nominations. I assume there's an appetite for more on your end? We get that question a lot. (Laughs.) I will say that I know that [showrunner] Lauren [LeFranc] has ideas. I know that she and Matt [Reeves] have spoken about it. I also know that Matt is working on the movie [The Batman Part II], so I don't have any updates. There is absolutely interest, appetite and excitement. I can't say for sure, because there's a lot to think about and a lot to do, but we'd certainly be excited if we could figure it out. What's the lesson from a smaller show like finally breaking through in this third and final season? The show is heartwarming and getting the recognition is heartwarming. And, look, we still have the ability to champion a show. I will say, as producers, they were incredibly responsible. It was done at a budget where we were able to continue to say yes to it. That was very important. Not only are they great at writing, but they were also really smart producers. They made it easy for us. I was just speaking with producer John Wells about how much more onus is now on the producers to budget in ways to can keep a show on the air. That is John's expertise. There's nobody better, and The Pitt is a great reflection of what he and Scott [Gemmill] and Noah [Wyle] are able to do. It was a really great creative validation that a show made in that format was able to break through, because it's not easy what they're doing. They're setting out to say to do 15 episodes and deliver it on an annual basis. Some of our own shows are seven to eight episodes, and they take 18 months or two years between seasons. The fact that season two [of The Pitt] is in production now and will come out in January, that's a great story for us. It's a great story for television. A show that will not be coming out a year after its most recent season is , which had another huge showing in the nominations today. What was your reaction to the call from Mike White announcing that he'd be taping a season of before getting into season four of ? Here's what I will say about Mike: He is the kind of guy who does a lot of thinking in his head. So when he comes to us with an idea, it is fully fleshed out. His first drafts are almost what we shoot. Not to say that we don't go through the process, but he has it so worked out in his head. I'm not worried about him. I may be worried about him physically with whatever challenges in Fiji, but I'm not worried about the process for The White Lotus. If anything, it's probably invigorating creatively for him to be doing this. Whenever he comes back, we'll hear what he's thinking. I already have an idea of what the season is going to be. Then he'll start scouting. That's obviously a big part of the process for him, understanding the physical location. He'll get inspired by that. So I hope he does well on Survivor, but I'm not worried about season four of The White Lotus at all. Have there been additional talks on location, though? Do you feel like you're close? No. He's kind of said, 'Generally Europe.' But until he actually goes and scouts, I have no idea, It could change just based on if he gets inspired by one location versus another … one hotel versus another. So even if I told you, 'Oh, it's going to be in this country,' he could see a hotel in a completely other country and just love it. We'll take his lead on that. You pulled the lever on HBO Max last week, yet there's some lingering 'Max' labeling in today's nominations. How soon before that's completely uniform? The branding on the platform is complete. It's HBO Max. I like having the flexibility with The Pitt as a Max Original to do something that maybe you wouldn't see on HBO. It gives us a lot more flexibility to try something. And before The Pitt came out, I would say this is kind of an experiment. It's something that maybe you would've seen on a network or basic cable channel before. Let's try something like that. Calling it a Max Original just gives us a little room to play. But I'm glad that we are back to HBO Max. I think it's here to stay. And I'm glad we did all that before today. I'm probably showing my own ignorance, but season two of , for example, will not be called an HBO Max Original… It will still be a Max Original. The other's a little bit of a mouthful, so we just decided to stick with Max Originals. But it's all on HBO Max. was obviously well-represented in the nominations but in smaller numbers. I realize air dates and delays never help these things, but what's the takeaway there? You can't take anything for granted with the Emmys. Because you were nominated one season doesn't mean you're going to be nominated another season. I think sometimes where you air on the calendar can make a difference. How long ago you've aired can make a difference. You never really know. But again, the nominations are a great validation of what everybody's doing. But is not the reason why we're doing it. We're excited and believe in all of the shows whether they got nominated or not. The was bonkers. What did you learn from working on such a short timetable? Jesse [Armstrong] had a story he wanted to get out there. It was incredibly timely. I think it was a great creative challenge in the same way that The White Lotus was during COVID. They were shooting in one location, basically in a bubble. And he wanted to get it out there. Also being the first thing that Jesse directed, I think it was helpful to be on an accelerated schedule. Creatively and performance-wise, how are you feeling about season three of ? I feel great. You saw the reviews, which were really, really good. And the ratings. We are reporting live plus three instead of night of, but it's up I want to say 20 percent over the last season? That is unusual for a drama to come back and be up. Sometimes you'll see a more natural erosion as there's other things to watch. You're always fighting that on returning shows. To see a show, a drama, be up 20 percent is really, really encouraging. Anecdotally, I feel that show has benefited a great deal from word of mouth. I feel the same. I can sometimes tell when we're airing something and I'll get unsolicited calls or emails saying, 'Oh, I love this season.' And I'm getting a lot of that. Again, anecdotal and not scientific, but I think it's encouraging. Can you tell me about the relatively ? It's never fun to make those decisions, but a show has to perform —and perform relative to its budget, as fun as the show was. And I think they did a great job. Josh Holloway is a star and this confirmed that. But I always say a show has a job to do. It's got to get either great reviews, great numbers, a lot of buzz. Hopefully all of it. As much as we loved the show and wanted it to do well, it never really hit one of those metrics. I don't know that I got clarity on this in . Is Chip and Joanna Gaines' Magnolia still going to report to you or do they go with the other cable networks? No, unfortunately it will go with [the SpinCo]. Because it is a cable net, it is going to go with the global networks — which is a bummer. I had a lot of fun with that. Would you consider a guest appearance on season two? I don't think I have a high enough profile or the acting skills, to be honest. (Laughs.) OK, before I let you go, I need to know when is coming out. October. It's great. You're going to love it. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Studio': 30 Famous Faces Who Play (a Version of) Themselves in the Hollywood-Based Series 22 of the Most Shocking Character Deaths in Television History A 'Star Wars' Timeline: All the Movies and TV Shows in the Franchise
Chicago Tribune
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
‘Untamed' review: Eric Bana investigates a Yosemite murder as an agent for the National Parks Service
In Netflix's 'Untamed,' Eric Bana plays a rugged, no-nonsense special agent for the National Parks Service working the mystery of a woman's death in Yosemite. The six-episode series isn't doing anything new, which tends to get a bad rap these days. The streaming era has prioritized breaking from, or at least playing around with, TV norms, but these kinds of meat-and-potatoes offerings can be as satisfying as shows with wilder ambitions. That said, 'Untamed' suffers from some object permanence issues; nothing about it stayed with me after watching it. But while it was on in front of me? A good (enough) time. A lot of that has to do with executive producer John Wells, whose vast array of credits include everything from 'ER' to 'The West Wing' to 'The Pitt.' He doesn't have a recognizable style like fellow super-producers Shonda Rhimes or Ryan Murphy, but he understands television in ways that have become increasingly rare. Here he's working with show creators Ellie Smith and Mark L. Smith (the latter of whom was the screenwriter of 2024's 'Twisters'). The series opens with two climbers ascending the vertical rock face known as El Capitan. Suddenly, a woman's lifeless body comes hurtling past them from above, getting caught in their ropes and nearly taking them down with her. The circumstances of her death become the show's driving plotline. When Bana's Kyle Turner arrives at the summit on horseback, a park ranger says with a mixture of envy and annoyance: 'Here comes Gary Cooper.' Turner is haunted by past mistakes, a broken marriage, a dead son and a tendency to find solace at the bottom of a bottle. 'What's with you tonight?' someone says. 'You're extra serious even for you.' That sums up his personality. The ranger assigned to assist his investigation is a rookie and that's because Turner has burned through everyone else with his stubborn insistence on doing things his own way. When an Indigenous character shows up, it's because Turner (and Turner alone) has befriended him. These are common tropes that can be tedious in the wrong hands — the dead child has become overused as a shorthand meant to add sympathetic texture to a character's backstory — but 'Untamed' is made with enough talent and skill that these pieces feel right, instead of hacky. Credit that to Bana's performance, which doesn't belabor the guy's issues nor his stoicism. The Gary Cooper thing isn't too far off. Lily Santiago plays Naya Vasquez, the inexperienced park ranger with whom he's paired. She's from the city and therefore not thrilled with the idea of jumping on the back of a horse to explore the area for clues, but Turner won't budge. 'This park's the size of Rhode Island. It's got five separate highway entrances bringing over 100,000 people a week,' and going off the trails, on horseback, is better than going in his truck. That she will eventually come around to him, and he to her, is a foregone conclusion. Sam Neill and Rosemarie DeWitt round out the cast as the seasoned head park ranger who looks out for Turner and Turner's amiable ex-wife, respectively. The series' premise is better suited to a movie. But at six episodes, it doesn't overstay its welcome. The wide open spaces and the occasional appearance of (CGI?) wildlife are as picturesque as you'd expect — it's one of the show's selling points — although filming took place not in California-based Yosemite but in British Columbia. I suppose one soaring, mountainous forest looks like another. The park rangers are stuck wearing unflattering uniforms, but Turner has too much swagger for that and is outfitted in jeans and a sand-colored work shirt worn with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The show's subtitle might as well be 'Untamed: Eric Bana's Forearms' Where other shows try to leverage the sex appeal of their male lead by having him doff his shirt within the first 20 minutes, 'Untamed' takes a different tack, and I like it. Hollywood has never really understood the appeal of a good pair of forearms. Now's as good a time as any. 'Untamed' — 2.5 stars (out of 4) Where to watch: Netflix
The Independent
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
The Pitt's Noah Wyle addresses Tracy Ifeachor's exit: ‘We will miss her'
Tracy Ifeachor, who played Dr. Heather Collins in the HBO Max medical drama The Pitt, will not return for the show's second season. HBO said in a statement that Dr. Collins, a fourth-year resident in season one, would not be part of the shift in season two, indicating a creative decision. Social media speculation suggested Ifeachor's departure was due to controversial religious beliefs, including involvement with a church performing 'gay exorcisms'. Noah Wyle, a co-star, addressed the rumors, expressing amusement at the speculation and stating they loved working with Ifeachor. Ifeachor's publicist firmly denied all claims, stating she was not fired and that rumors about her participating in discrimination through her religion are entirely false and defamatory.
