#uk actors
The BAFTAs were held yesterday and the big upset (to me) was that Russell T. Davies’ IT’S A SIN only won two of its eleven nominations: one in editing and one in direction. It garnered null wins in their five acting categories, best mini-series or the fan favourite category.
Who were the winners in the big categories?
Leading Actress
Denise Gough (TOO CLOSE)
Emily Watson (TOO CLOSE)
Kate Winslet (MARE OF EASTTOWN)
Lydia West (IT’S A SIN)
Niamh Algar (DECEIT)
Jodie Comer (HELP)**WINNER
This role for Comer and her costar Stephen Graham was an example of sheer actor audacity as, unbeknownst to each other, they both reached out to writer Jack Thorne (HIS DARK MATERIALS). Comer slid into his Twitter DMs to say she wanted to work with him and Graham (who had worked with Thorne on THIS IS ENGLAND and THE VIRTUES), saw Thorne at a party and asked him to write a role for he and Comer - who years earlier - he (Graham) introduced to his agent who quickly took her on.
Leading Actor
David Thewlis (LANDSCAPERS)
Olly Alexander (IT’S A SIN)
Samuel Adewunmi (YOU DON’T KNOW ME)
Stephen Graham (HELP)
Hugh Quarshie (STEPHEN)
Sean Bean (TIME) **WINNER
Drama Series
The Night Stalker
Unforgotten
Vigil
In My Skin **WINNER
Comedy Programme
Joe Gilgun (BRASSIC)
Samson Kayo (BLOODS)
Steve Coogan (THIS TIME WITH ALAN PARTRIDGE)
Ncuti Gatwa (SEX EDUCATION)
Jamie Demetriou (STATH LETS FLATS)**WINNER
*Demetriou may have taken home the BAFTA but Ncuti (pronounced Shoot-ee) Gatwa gets to have the Tardis. Gatwa was named the new Doctor Who.
Gatwa has had to keep the role under wrap since February.
The coolest Doctor Who actor IMHO.
Female Performance In A Comedy Programme
Aimee Lou Wood (SEX EDUCATION)
Aisling Bea (THIS WAY UP)
Anjana Vasan (WE ARE LADY PARTS)
Rose Matafeo (STARSTRUCK)
Sophie Willan (ALMA’s NOT NORMAL) **WINNER
Supporting Actress
Céline Buckens (SHOWTRIAL)
Emily Mortimer (THE PURSUIT OF LOVE)
Jessica Plummer (THE GIRL BEFORE)
Leah Harvey (FOUNDATION)
Tahirah Sharif (THE TOWER)
Cathy Tyson, Help **WINNER
Supporting Actor
Callum Scott Howells (IT’S A SIN)
David Carlyle (IT’S A SIN)
Nonso Anozie (SWEET TOOTH)
Omari Douglas (IT’S A SIN)
Stephen Graham (TIME)
Matthew Macfadyen (SUCCESSION) **WINNER
Macfadyen was not present. Their writer Jesse Armstrong accepted on his behalf which included a note from Nicholas Braun who recalled wanting to repeatedly do a scene where MacFadyen’s Tom kisses Braun’s Greg on the forehead.
Honours from Gerri.
Single Drama
Death Of England: Face To Face
Help
I Am Victoria
Together WINNER **Utterly, utterly floored that this won over HELP. Both films deal with the pandemic/lockdown, but TOGETHER is a kitchen sink drama with a gimmick in that the characters constantly break the fourth wall monologuing. HELP is so much richer character study as well as a searing look at the ineptitude of government in assisting care workers in the early months of the pandemic.
International
Call My Agent!
Lupin
Mare Of Easttown
Squid Game
Succession
The Underground Railroad **WINNER
Mini-Series
It’s A Sin
Landscapers
Stephen
Time WINNER **I loved TIME, another heavy-hitter this about prison life, but versus IT’S A SIN - no competition. The only think I can reason why TIME won out is because, overall, the acting on IAS was almost always panned. So if you’re thinking overall greatness of a series, acting is a factor. But, whatever, I adored IAS. It was transformative, staggeringly brilliant and gutting and heartbreaking and heartfelt.
The denizens of the Pink Palace are winners in my eyes.
The show must not go on.
Timothée Chalamet’s West End Stage Debut Canceled At London’s Old Vic
I forgot this was even a thing.
Theatre is rebounding though and that’s a great thing. Rafe Spall is receiving incredible reviews in Aaron Sorkin’s take on TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.
Here, stateside, after a delay due to Daniel Craig contracting Covid-19, his MACBETH - opposite Ruth Negga is doing well.
-From the Scottish play, to a Scottish actor-After a successful run in the UK, James McAvoy CYRANO came to off-Broadway.
Apple+ has released the trailer for its upcoming limited series BLACK BIRD (originally titled IN WITH THE DEVIL, based on the true story “In With The Devil: A Fallen Hero, A Serial Killer, and A Dangerous Bargain for Redemption” by James Keene.
The series stars Taron Egerton, Paul Walter Hauser
and the late Ray Liotta as Egerton’s father.
Egerton eulogizes the late actor in an Instagram post.
-Since dropping out of the play C-O-C-K in April, Egerton has kept a low profile. He is just now returning to social media, reposting old pics from set of BLACK BIRD and pictures from a friend’s wedding.
Now doing re-shoots on the TETRIS film.
He even posted another cooking story.
I know people felt like Trent Crimm, formerly of The Independent did the journalism community a disservice by burning his source but editing an article after it has been printed and not adding a disclaimer or adding that the article has been edited is also shady boots. This is about you, Teddington Nub News.
Teddington News journo Stuart Higgins interviewed TED LASSO’s Brendan Hunt (Coach Beard) on June 1st. The notable thing about the article is that Hunt confirmed that series three would be the last for the show.
That led fans to shout, cry and rend their garments. However, the article was reposted with an edit to Hunt’s remarks and no further clarification from the writer about the prior article.
I’m just going to work on the assumption that series three is, indeed, the final season and they want to do a formal statement instead. What also makes me thinks this is the end is that Nick Mohammed had a video interview recently and the interviewer asked him what he believed about TED LASSO and amongst his responses, one was, “All good things come to an end.” Then he quickly added, “Who knows if this time around is the last time.”
We’re still knee-deep in awards season. While the U.S. has had to watch pre-recorded virtual TED LASSO panels or Zoom interviews,
the UK will get an in-person Q&A on June 12th moderated by Trent Crimm. No, not by James Lance, but Lance in character as Trent Crimm.
On June 14th in New York Juno Temple will be on the panel for her Paramount+ limited series THE OFFER. Joining her on the panel will be costars Miles Teller, Matthew Goode and their showrunner Nikki Toscano.
Series 3 of TED LASSO is halfway done with shooting
and as we are deep in the For Your Consideration period for the Emmys, cast members are doing interviews. There have been recent video interviews with an assortment of the cast and none have been very forthcoming about what series 3 will hold, but co-creator Brendan “Coach Beard” Hunt did say one thing.
Yes, 3 is the magic number for the show. Conceived as a three season show they creators are sticking to their guns and pulling a Willie Nelson : going out on a high!
But as Colin told Richard, “Smile because it happened.” I’m glad they are ending it as they intended. I really believe a fourth series would have made storytelling suffer a bit as the show was already written in their minds. Yes, they adjusted when inspiration struck, but they still had all the beats planned out. Another season would mean starting from scratch and I think it would have lost a bit of the magic.
As I wrote, it’s the FYC period and pre-pandemic the big games in town were always the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences events and Netflix and Amazon’s installations.
Netflix went big on SQUID GAME and STRANGER THINGS
The first full on FYC period since 2019 has found more players in the game with Apple+ and NBC Universal holding events.
NBCU’s FYC House is a great addition. They also had a pop-up at outdoor mall The Grove.
Apple+’s Grove pop-up that had booths and little treats from PACHINKO, SEVERANCE, WECRASHED, SCHMIGADOON and TED LASSO. They were out of pink boxed biscuits when I was there so I got Earl Grey tea with shortbread ice-cream.
As WB produces TED LASSO, WB is having their own event for the show under their WB Tour umbrella. I have had so many problems attempting to RSVP for the event that I assume it’s sold out and they just haven’t slapped a SOLD OUT notice on it. But I’m not too put out by it because it was a pre-recorded panel. Which is madness because people are schlepping through weekday traffic in BURBANK for something they should have just sent out links to people can watch at home. Not very Ted Lasso of them.
They are so funny for this. Trent Crimm surely to bring the heat!
Team Ted Lasso out in the wild.
Rupert Mannion, if you think you can beat AFC Richmond, captain Isaac McAdoo and his partner on-and-off the pitch, Colin Hughes says think again!
Speaking of wild, it appears Jason Sudeikis is on dad duty while filming as today kicks off the press tour for his ex-partner Olivia Wilde’s film DON’T WORRY DARLING starring Florence Pugh, Chris Pine, Gemma Chan and Wilde’s beau Harry Styles
Being a WB project, the film is almost certain to have a teaser this evening as part of WB’s presentation at the ongoing CinemaCon in Las Vegas.
No stranger to Rom-Com(munism), it’s no surprise that the newly engaged Jennifer Lopez is a fan
Dan Stevens and Jared Leto’s stylists deserve whatever they’re paid.
A quick wardrobe change for the after-party.
Newt Scamander and his Fantastic Beasts and cohorts are back in the third installment of the franchise: FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE SECRETS OF DUMBLEDORE -
a film which excels over the second entry FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE CRIMES OF GRINDLEWALD.
Like FB: TCOG, FANTASTIC BEATS: THE SECRETS OF DUMBLEDORE has eleventy million characters who, for the most part, we spend far too little time with like (Richard Coyle as Dumbledore’s brother Aberforth and William Nadylam’s Yusuf Kama), but it’s certainly a more involving film and more spry than the sluggish …CRIMES OF GRINDLEWALD.
There is really nothing new under this sun: once again Newt et al - at the behest of Albus Dumbledore (a superb Jude Law) - are chasing down Gellert Grindlewald (Mads Mikkelsen) to stop him from destroying the Muggle world and conquering the magical world. Wand twirling and speechifying ensues and it’s a fun ride.
There’s talk that if this entry underperforms it may kill the planned fourth and fifth film, despite David Yates saying that there was only the definite plan to have three films. I wouldn’t mind journeying through the Wizard World again with this cast.
I want to take a minute to appreciate Jude Law - a man who graduated from angel baby status to handsome older gentleman.
While he does have a couple of moments in FB: TSOD that displays his talent, these films do not do justice for how incredible he is. Luckily there is his filmography to fall back on likelike HBO/Sky’s THE THIRD DAY, the Sir Kenneth Branagh directed, Harold Pinter penned SLEUTH and WILDE.
-Missing at the premieres, thus robbing the world of Fantastic Beast themed lewks
was Ezra Miller who was too busy cutting up in Hawaii. Ezra was arrested at a karaoke bar and subsequently had a restraining order filed against them (and subsequently dropped). Of course the trades wen to press with rumors that Warner Bros. had an emergency meeting to discuss what to do with them in and their Flash future; however “sources” say those discussions never took place.
Whether Ezra’s WB future is in danger (mans was cast as The Flash in 2013 and The Flash was due to come out in 2018. It would be high key funny if he is benched after his standalone finally comes out), Ezra is feeling no pain - outwardly. I’m sure he’s a mess.
Dan Stevens just don’t miss!!
He doesn’t miss style wise either.
What did miss ? This horrid new interface that wouldn’t let me add him playing the banjo in LEGION to my previous Dan Stevens post.
Dan, of course, is promoting GASLIT in which he replaced Armie Hammer as John Dean in the limited series about President Richard Nixon’s Watergate scandal. I’m trying to be all love and light as I really enjoy Stevens, but it grinds my gears of what could have been.
This past weekend was Deadline’s Contenders - two full days of panels comprised of 47 series and 1 movie (THE SURVIVOR starring Ben Foster, directed by Barry Levinson). One of the panels was for Paramount’s THE OFFER about the making of THE GODFATHER starring Matthew Goode, Giovanni Ribisi, Juno Temple and Miles Teller who replaced Armie Hammer as Al Ruddy.
Its presence was very fitting as The Contenders was held on the Paramount lot and the gate leading to the theater is on Francis Ford Coppola Avenue.
*On panel: Teller, Ribisi and series’ creator Nikki Toscano (HUNTERS, 24: Legacy).
*Armie’s father looks more like Al Ruddy than either Teller or Armie.
The one thing the TED LASSO cast is going to do is celebrate each other.
The TED LASSO family is growing with news of new series 3 recurring character of charming venture capitalist Jack played by Jodi Balfour (Apple’s FOR ALL MANKIND)
TED LASSO fans have been clamoring for LGBTQIA representation on the show and hope that if it is indeed its final season that there would be a queer character. While many are hoping it’s Billy Harris’ Colin, what if it turns out to be Balfour who is dating BROAD CITY’s Abbie Jacobson? I would like it to be bar hooligan Baz played by Adam Colborne (pictured with his partner).
Dan Stevens photos for Virgin Atlantic in support of Starz’s GASLIT which bows on April 24th
Smashing actor, a dab hand at singing
and picking up the banjo on the fly
but it’s his sense of humour I love the most.
CONTEXT
I can only assume the ‘stache is because he’s getting ready to shoot the limited Hulu series IMMIGRANT, starring Kumail Nanjiani. IMMIGRANT will tell the story of all-male strip club Chippendales owner Somen “Steve” Banerjee and his creation of the review. Stevens will play Banerjee business partner Paul Snider who would later kill his Playboy Playmate wife Dorothy Stratten and the himself. Their relationship was depicted in the 80s film STAR 80.
Sad, but not unexpected news. Taron Egerton has departed the Mike Bartlett play COCK.
On Egerton’s first night in previews he fainted during the last act. He sat out a performance or two and returned. Then in a matter of days he tested positive for Covid-19. The reasons cited for his exit is “personal reasons”.
As many roles gigs as Egerton has taken on like Apple+s film about the founder of TETRIS and Apple+s limited series BLACK BIRD (costarring Paul Walter Hauser).
Based on the true crime story “In With The Devil: A Fallen Hero, A Serial Killer, and A Dangerous Bargain for Redemption” by James Keene and Hillel Levin.
What’s it all about?
Inspired by actual events, when high school football hero, decorated policeman’s son, and convicted drug dealer Jimmy Keene (Taron Egerton) is sentenced to 10 years in a minimum-security prison, he is given the choice of a lifetime — enter a maximum-security prison for the criminally insane and befriend suspected serial killer Larry Hall (Paul Walter Hauser), or stay where he is and serve his full sentence with no possibility of parole. Keene quickly realizes his only way out is to elicit a confession and find out where the bodies of several young girls are buried before Hall’s appeal goes through. But is this suspected killer telling the truth? Or is it just another tale from a serial liar? This dramatic and captivating story subverts the crime genre by enlisting the help of the very people put behind bars to solve its mysteries.
he has also departed a few roles in recent months. After two seasons he departed the role of Mommintroll in Sky’s MOMMINVALLEYseries.
BUT HE LEFT US WITH THIS LOVELY SONG
You can hear new Moomintroll Jack Rowan in these clips from the series 3 opener.
He also departed Clair Denis’ THE STARS AT NOON
His replacement Joe Alwyn.
