Steve Pond's Blog, page 196

Bill Murray Defends ‘Being Mortal’ Misconduct Allegations as ‘Still Funny,’ Says Disney Shelving Film Was a ‘Great Disappointment’

Bill Murray candidly reflected on the 2022 misconduct allegations that had him settling with a female colleague for $100,000 after he kissed her through COVID-mandated face masks. He defended his behavior as “still funny” and indicated it was blown out of proportion when he was “barbecued” for the incident that led to Disney shelving their project, “Being Mortal” — a move he said was a “great disappointment.”

“It wasn’t like I touched her, it was just, I gave her a kiss through a mask, through another mask, to another person. And it wasn’t, she wasn’t a stranger,” he said, speaking with “The Daily” podcast for The New York Times in a Saturday episode.

“I thought I knew someone, and I did not,” he later added. “And I thought it was, I certainly thought it was light, and I thought it was funny. And to me it’s still funny.”

In October 2022, Murray was accused by a female production staffer on Aziz Ansari’s “Being Mortal” of inappropriate behavior that involved kissing her face and body while they both wore masks. Several outlets at the time reported Murray straddled the younger female assistant and that she was “horrified,” maintaining it was a sexual advance while Murray said it was a joke.

“The Daily” opened the topic in the latter third of their hour-long discussion because Walter, the character Murray plays in his new indie drama with Naomi Watts, “The Friend,” is similarly accused of inappropriate misconduct. The interview posited that “surely those parallels occurred to” the actor while filming.

“I don’t go too many days or weeks without thinking about what happened on ‘Being Mortal,'” Murray responded.

“I thought I was trying to make peace. I ended up being like, to my mind, barbecued,” he said, before breaking down in interpretation of the incident. “But someone that I worked with, you know, that I had had lunch with on various days of the week and so forth, we were all, it was COVID, we were all wearing masks, and we were all just stranded in this one room, listening to this crazy scene. And I don’t know what prompted me to do it. It’s something that I had done to someone else before, and I thought it was funny. And every time it happened, it was funny. I was wearing a mask, and I gave her a kiss, and she was wearing a mask.”

The actor, 74, added that “it still bothers me” that Disney decided to shelve the Searchlight production after his behavior was raised to corporate HR. He said the behavior was simply meant to lighten the mood of the production, which grappled with heavy, “gruesome” themes of mortality and followed “a man whose father is dying before his very eyes.”

“It still bothers me because that movie was stopped by the, whatever they call the human rights or HR of the Disney Corporation, which is probably a little bit more strident than some countries,” Murray said. “But, and I, you know, it turned out there was like preexisting conditions and all this kind of stuff. I’m like, what? Why was anyone supposed to know anything like that? It was like, and there was to be no conversation, there was no conversation, there was nothing, there was no peacemaking, nothing. And it went to this lunatic arbitration, which I recommend to anyone out there — if anyone ever suggests you go to arbitration, don’t do it. Never, ever do it. Because you think it’s, like, justice. And it isn’t.”

Still, Murray admitted when pressed that he felt he learned something from the experience: “You know, you can teach an old dog new tricks. But I just thought it was a disappointment. It was a great disappointment.”

The post Bill Murray Defends ‘Being Mortal’ Misconduct Allegations as ‘Still Funny,’ Says Disney Shelving Film Was a ‘Great Disappointment’ appeared first on TheWrap.

‘Pulse’ Bosses Break Down Danny and Xander’s Finale Apology and the Changes Ahead in Potential Season 2

Note: This story contains spoilers from “Pulse” Episode 10.

“Pulse” may have kicked off with a big focus on the complicated romance between Danny Simms and Xander Phillips, and by the end of Season 1 the messiness between them seemed to fade into the background thanks to a long-awaited apology and an admission of guilt.

After Danny (Willa Fitzgerald) rescinded her sexual harassment claim against her ex, her future at the hospital remained under threat by Xander’s (Colin Woodell) influential parents, who hoped to get her out of their son’s way. When Danny confronted the disgruntled parent of a patient of her sister Harper’s (Jessy Yates), Natalie Cruz (Justina Machado) told Danny that she now had cause to fire her from the residency program.

Natalie faced pressure of her own: either fire Danny or give up control of the hospital’s emergency room. In the end she chose her pupil, whom she recommended to become the official chief resident for the coming year. But the new ER chair had ideas of his own, surprising by announcing that it would be Sam Elijah (Jessie T. Usher) instead.

But Danny wasn’t bothered by the snub. The finale ends with Xander and Danny having a conversation on the beach where he apologized for putting her in the uncomfortable position that led to their messy breakup in the first place. Though next year will see him rise to attending while she remains a resident, the conversation clears the slate between them.

“The thing that Danny didn’t know that she wanted was for Xander to simply say, ‘I’m sorry.’ An apology is such a powerful thing,” series creator Zoe Robyn told TheWrap. “It’s frustrating too, because he’s still her boss, so they can’t really be together even though they do love each other.”

The finale shows Danny seemingly letting go of all the chaos in her life, with a cathartic final scene where she goes for a swim in the ocean. Fitzgerald told TheWrap the scene was a challenge to shoot given her personal fear of the ocean, but praised director Carlton Cuse and the crew for helping her work through it.

“There was a real release of a lot of things happening in that moment, and a real sense of going with the tides — the metaphor is right there,” Fitzgerald said. “There’s a real surrender that’s happening in that moment for Danny. It’s beautiful.”

Willa Fitzgerald and Justina Machado in “Pulse.” (Netflix)

Reflecting on Natalie’s sacrifice for Danny, Machado said her character never considered throwing her under the bus for her career.

“It’s heartbreaking for her to lose the ER, but she’s also mot going to penalize this woman because people want her gone … she does the right thing,” Machado said. “I don’t know what they’re writing for a second season … but I cannot imagine she’d go down without a fight.”

While Danny and Xander’s drama may be in the rearview — though Xander will have to face the consequences of his past mistakes after losing a patient coming to light — the other doctors left plenty of cliffhangers to address should “Pulse” return for Season 2. Dr. Tom Cole (Jack Bannon) faced losing his job after Dr. Soriano (Nestor Carbonell) learned about his inappropriate relationship with a patient.

Daniela Nieves and Chelsea Muirhead in “Pulse.” (Jeff Neumann/Netflix)

On the relationship front, Sophie Chan (Chelsea Muirhead) seemed ready to confess romantic feelings for Daniela Perez (Camila Perez) to convince her to stay at the hospital. Dani does decide to stay, but the conversation is interrupted when her fiancé arrives to pick her up — leaving Sophie in shock. And as Sam celebrated his new promotion to chief resident, he couldn’t help but take a moment to think about his lingering feelings for Danny. Could a love triangle be on the horizon for them?

“We have all these incredible actors on the show and everybody brings their A game,” Cuse told TheWrap, “We want to expand out from Danny and Phillips and really dig into some of these other relationships.”

“Pulse” is now streaming on Netflix.

The post ‘Pulse’ Bosses Break Down Danny and Xander’s Finale Apology and the Changes Ahead in Potential Season 2 appeared first on TheWrap.

The Best Jason Statham Movies Streaming Right Now

Jason Statham is back on movie theater screens again in “A Working Man,” the new action flick from “The Beekeeper” director David Ayer. The film is, like a lot of Statham’s most beloved and popular blockbusters, a thriller starring him as a man with a deadly skillset and a mission to bring some other very, very bad men to justice. That is an archetype that Statham has become exceptionally good at playing as he has slowly but surely established himself over the years as one of the best B-movie action stars of his generation.

For further proof of that, here are five of his best movies that also happen to be available to stream right now.

“Snatch” (Sony Pictures Releasing)“Snatch” (2000)

One of writer-director Guy Ritchie’s earliest films, “Snatch” is a crime comedy about a small-time boxing promoter (Jason Statham) who ends up embroiled in a screwball plot involving a stolen diamond, a group of nomadic Irish Travellers, merciless gangsters and crime kingpins. It is not the kind of explosive, bruising action movie that Statham has become best known for, but it still ranks high among his greatest and most easily recommendable movies. More than anything, it proves that Statham’s likable, effortlessly charismatic presence has always been just as integral to his success as a movie star as his athleticism and physicality.

“Snatch” is streaming now on Apple TV+’s Paramount+ channel.

“The Italian Job” (Paramount Pictures)“The Italian Job” (2003)

Unlike the other entries on this list, “The Italian Job” is more of an ensemble film than a straightforward Jason Statham vehicle. The actor stars in this F. Gary Gray-directed remake of a late ’60s British classic as one member of a heist crew headed by Charlie Croker (Mark Wahlberg). Statham plays Handsome Rob, the crew’s appointed wheelman/getaway car driver.

While much of “The Italian Job” is focused on a rivalry between Wahlberg’s Charlie and Edward Norton’s slimy Steve Frazelli, Statham provides the film with a much-needed comedic and action-star presence. Beyond that, “The Italian Job” is just an exceptionally fun time — a remake that has no business being as good as it is.

“The Italian Job” is streaming now on Paramount+ and Peacock.

“Wrath of Man” (United Artists Releasing)“Wrath of Man” (2021)

A reunion between Statham and “Snatch” filmmaker Guy Ritchie, 2021’s “Wrath of Man” is a lot of things: a heist movie, revenge thriller and a thinly constructed mystery. Statham stands at the center of it all as a cash-truck driver whose remarkable actions in fending off a robbery leads to questions about his past and his motivations.

Not all of the film’s parts work as well as others and its screenplay, co-written by Ritchie, is not as clever as it sometimes thinks. But “Wrath of Man” nonetheless proves that both Ritchie and Statham have become two of the most reliable craftsmen of easy, satisfying mid-budget action entertainment working in Hollywood today. Like a lot of their recent movies, it may not be a film you will remember for long, but it certainly is not one you will regret watching, either.

“Wrath of Man” is streaming now on Fubo, MGM+ and Tubi.

“Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre” (Lionsgate)“Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre” (2023)

Coming off their collaboration on “Wrath of Man,” Statham once again reunited with writer-director Guy Ritchie for the underrated, underseen “Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre.” The film, which was shelved for a while and then dumped unceremoniously in early 2023, follows a spy (Statham) who is tasked with retrieving a stolen piece of technology from a dangerous arms dealer (Hugh Grant). In order to do so, Statham’s Orson Fortune must help a popular movie star (Josh Hartnett) con his way into his target’s inner circle.

Both an ensemble crime comedy and a Statham-led action movie, “Operation Fortune” is oozing with Ritchie’s trademark style of charm and confidence, which has always paired remarkably well with Statham’s own, unique brand of ruthless British heroism. On top of all of that, “Operation Fortune” also has a trio of scene-stealing supporting performances going for it, which come courtesy of Grant, Hartnett and Aubrey Plaza.

“Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre” is streaming now on The Roku Channel.

“The Beekeeper” (Amazon MGM Studios)“The Beekeeper” (2024)

One of the most surprising box office hits of the past few years, “The Beekeeper” is about as pure and simple as a Jason Statham action movie gets. Directed by David Ayer, the film stars Statham as a former “Beekeeper,” an independent special forces agent assigned to protect the world from corruption, who takes it upon himself to avenge the scam-induced suicide of the woman who took him in and offered him a second chance. Punctuated by a handful of cheer-worthy, gonzo action sequences and anchored by Statham’s no-nonsense, hard-hitting lead performance, “The Beekeeper” is exactly the movie you think it is. In this case, that’s a good thing.

“The Beekeeper” is streaming now on Amazon’s Prime Video.

The post The Best Jason Statham Movies Streaming Right Now appeared first on TheWrap.

‘The View’ Hosts Support Chappell Roan After Motherhood Comments Spark Criticism | Video

Chappell Roan’s comments about motherhood indicate “her friends are actually very honest with her,” said “The Weekend View” host Ana Navarro on Saturday’s edition of the daytime series. Those friends “talk about the stresses and strains of being a mom, of motherhood,” she added as the Grammy-winning artist has been the subject of criticism online for her candid thoughts.

Roan was interviewed on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast March 26 when the conversation turned to motherhood. Roan admitted she’s not sure if she wants kids. “All of my friends who have kids are in hell,” she said. “I don’t know anyone, I actually don’t know anyone, who is happy and has children at this age. Like, a 1-year-old, like 3-year old — 4 and under, 5 and under. I literally have not met anyone who is happy, anyone who has, like, light in their eyes. Anyone who has slept,” she said with a slight deadpan indicating she may have been half-joking.

“Sometimes you talk to people who make everything sound perfect,” Navarro said on “The View” as the hosts discussed Roan’s comments. “In my age group, most of my friends right now are stressed as hell trying to get their kids into college. And they’re talking about it, and they can’t sleep, and they can’t do this. So yeah, they’re stressed when they’re 2 and they’re stressed when they’re 20.”

Co-host Sunny Hostin agreed. “The stress never goes away, by the way,” she said.

“But I also think when we talk about the milestones of what we expect, it’s also why it’s so important not to constantly ask, more specifically women,because that happens more often, ‘When are you having kids? Are you having kids?'” Sara Haines said.

“Because I have a friend who admitted to me she would never give back the two kids she had,” she continued. “She loves them dearly. But now that she knows what parenting looks like, she doesn’t know if she was cut out for it, and I really respect her honesty.”

Watch the conversation on “The View Weekend” in the video above.

The post ‘The View’ Hosts Support Chappell Roan After Motherhood Comments Spark Criticism | Video appeared first on TheWrap.

The 7 Best New Movies on Paramount+ Right Now

April has officially arrived; spring is in the air and Paramount+ is dropping some great movie gems this month that everyone can look forward to.

Looking for a drama that’s going to make you shed a few tears? How about a live-action animated flick with an NBA mega star? Or maybe a spooky scary movie that keeps you up at night? Paramount+ has got it all, from female-led flicks to one of Martin Scorsese’s best cinematic works.

While Paramount+ boasts a fresh slate with several new titles, TheWrap wanted to give our seven selections for films you’ve definitely got to add to your watchlist. Here are our picks for the best new movies on Paramount+ right now.

“Girl, Interrupted” (Columbia Pictures)“Girl, Interrupted” (1999)

First on the list is James Mangold’s “Girl, Interrupted.” Based on the true events lived by the author Susanna Kaysen, the film is centered on a young woman’s experiences after she’s admitted into a mental institution for troubled young women. While there she must decide between the relationships she’s built in the psych ward or tough challenges that come with living in everyday society.

“Space Jam” (Warner Bros.)“Space Jam” (1996)

We had to throw a good family flick on the list that sportos will love as well. Before LeBron James transported to the world of Looney Tunes, Michael Jordan had to show up The Monstars in an ultimate basketball game in order to free Bugs Bunny and his friends from an eternal life of non-stop entertaining for an evil alien theme park owner.

“Gangs of New York” (Miramax, Touchstone Pictures)“Gangs of New York” (2002)

In one of Martin Scorsese’s most popular films, Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Amsterdam, an Irish immigrant whose father was slain by an anti-immigrant gangster named William Cutting (Daniel Day-Lewis). After he’s released from prison he sets out to avenge his father’s death by infiltrating Bill the Butcher’s organization. The film, which takes place in 1860s New York, is loosely inspired by the events of the Five Points district.

“Harriet the Spy” (Paramount Pictures)“Harriet the Spy” (1996)

Another great watch for parents and the kiddos is “Harriet the Spy.” The family comedy follows a sixth-grader named Harriet who aside from being a student, lives her life as a spy, documenting the daily events the go on at her school and recording her innermost thoughts about her classmates — no matter how critical. But when the secrets inside her notebook are exposed, she must find a way to earn her respect back as well as her friends’ trust.

“The Caddyshack” (Paramount+)“The Caddy” (1953)

We’re taking it all the way back to the 1950s with our next title, “The Caddy.” The comedy classic stars Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin and Donna Reed. Lewis stars as a shy but skilled golfer named Harvery whose timidness prompts him to enlist his goofy friend Joe (Dean Martin) as his caddy for a golf tournament. But after a series of hilarious yet unfortunate events, Harvey begins to regret his decision. “The Caddy” is one of the many films Martin and Lewis made together during their careers.

“The Ring” (DreamWorks Pictures)“The Ring” (2002)

You have to have a good horror movie on the list that makes you keep the lights on at night, and that flick for us is “The Ring,” an American remake of the Japanese horror film “Ringu.” In Gore Verbinski’s chilling film, everyone’s heard of a videotape that, if watched, leads to a person’s death after just seven days. Newspaper reporter Rachel Keller too is skeptical but her interest rises after the deaths of four teenagers who all watched the tape. Succumbing to her own curiosity, Rachel watches the tape. Now, she just has seven days to solve evil tape’s mystery.

“Four Brothers” (Paramount Pictures)“Four Brothers” (2005)

John Singleton’s action-packed and heartwarming film “Four Brothers” tells the story of a group of adopted brothers who ban together after their mother is killed in. Their No. 1 suspect is neighborhood criminal Victor Sweet (Chiwetel Ejiofor). However, they’ll also have to evade the attention of the cops who are hot on their trail.

The post The 7 Best New Movies on Paramount+ Right Now appeared first on TheWrap.

‘The Bondsman’ Star Kevin Bacon Unpacks Hub Halloran’s ‘Selfish’ Finale Decision

Note: This story contains spoilers from “The Bondsman”

In the Season 1 finale of “The Bondsman,” Kevin Bacon’s Hub Halloran is tasked with capturing one final demon: Lilith, a fallen angel who has escaped hell and possesses Cheryl, whom he accidentally kills earlier in the season.

In the opening of the finale, Hub reveals to his ex-wife Maryanne (Jennifer Nettles) that he accidentally killed Cheryl while drunk. His insane jealousy of Maryanne’s relationship with Lucky (Damon Herriman) causes him to take matters into his own hands, but Cheryl is ultimately caught in the crosshairs when she decides to don Lucky’s hat.

“He’s taken it like he’s done with a lot of his feelings and a lot of his mistakes and a lot of his insecurities: he’s buried them,” Bacon told TheWrap. “He buries her in the backyard. And we come to find out that she is still haunting him.”

Hub’s final mission is to capture Lilith and send her back to hell, but he ultimately decides to cut a deal with her instead: letting her go in exchange for bringing Cheryl back to life, putting the world in jeopardy in an effort to repair his relationship with his family and delay going to hell himself for the rest of his days.

“He makes a selfish choice at the end of the season in a lot of ways and it’s very in keeping with who he is. He’s a selfish or self-involved kind of guy. Yes, he’s heroic, but it’s that combination of being so stubborn and selfish and flawed that I liked about the character,” Bacon added. “Admitting [killing Cheryl] to his family is a big moment, but he’s still holding onto the idea that he’s not the bad guy here.”

Showrunner Erik Oleson told TheWrap it was important that the reasoning behind sending Hub to hell in the first place was revealed in a shocking way that “recalibrated” the audience’s understanding of the character.

“I really wanted to go to a dark place with it and so did Kevin Bacon,” he said. “I will say that there was initially some pushback from some nervous executives but ultimately I said that it was important and they backed the play. Everybody who’s reading the scripts is always worried about building a barrier to entry to the audience or turn turning off the audience. And ultimately, as we talked it out, they became completely supportive of it.”

Despite bringing Cheryl back, Hub’s deal with Lilith ends up causing more chaos, as its revealed in the finale’s final minutes that she has decided to possess Maryanne, escalating the situation and making things even worse for the undead bounty hunter.

“It was interesting for me to see him in his psychological process, to experiment with redemption and then backslide at the end and double down on ‘No, I’m going to find a loophole out of this. F–ck y’all!’ and be the guy that he totally is,” Oleson explained. “I very much wanted to show the consequences of Hub’s failure to change in the scene and have it boomerang in an unexpected way. I think Hub’s attitude would be like, ‘Wait a minute, you cheated. We had a deal. This wasn’t supposed to be what happened’.”

Kevin Bacon and Jennifer Nettles in “The Bondsman” (Photo courtesy of Prime Video)

Both Bacon and Oleson agreed it was important that Hub was not given a one-season redemption arc so that they have more to explore in the event of a potential second season.

“This is a pretty big thing to have to deal with,” Bacon added. “Hub is the only one that knows that his ex-wife, who he is still completely in love with and who sings like an angel and is the mother of my child, is actually possessed by a demon. That’ll be an interesting challenge, to say the least.”

When asked about plans for a potential Season 2, Oleson revealed he has a “laundry list” of “creative, ridiculous, f–ked up” ways for Hub Halloran to kill demons.

“I’ve got so many more fun things that I want to show. I just didn’t have enough time to get to them all. I got away with stabbing a demonic cheerleader underwater in a swimming pool. That was pretty cool. We have a fun demon deputy running up the wall of a hardware store coming at Hub and Maryanne putting a pickaxe in its back,” Oleson said. “I just have so many more gags I want to do. I can’t wait.”

All episodes of “The Bondsman” are streaming now on Prime Video

The post ‘The Bondsman’ Star Kevin Bacon Unpacks Hub Halloran’s ‘Selfish’ Finale Decision appeared first on TheWrap.

Paul Schrader Accused of Sexually Harassing Former Assistant, Refusing to Honor Settlement

“Taxi Driver” and “Mean Streets” screenwriter Paul Schrader has been accused by his former assistant of sexually harassing her and then reneging on an agreed-upon confidential settlement. She is now demanding a court force him to honor that agreement.

In a motion filed Thursday in the Supreme Court of New York in New York County, the 26-year-old former assistant, identified as an anonymous Jane Doe, accused 78=year-old Schrader of groping her and attempting to force her to kiss him while they were at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.

She then says that three days later, he called her over to his hotel room where he exposed his penis to her.

Doe alleges Schrader acknowledged repeatedly that he behaved inappropriately, but continued to make advances on her. She then accuses Schrader or firing her in retaliation for refusing them. She then hired an attorney and eventually a Schrader offered a confidential settlement, with the stipulation it be paid out over the course of 7 months.

According to Doe, he then “repudiated the binding agreement,” informing her attorney a few weeks later that he would no longer pay it; Schrader subsequently refused to sign the agreement.

Schrader’s attorney told Variety their argument is that because he never signed the agreement, it is unenforceable. The attorney also said the complaint was “loaded with inaccuracies” and “materially misleading,” and asserted that during the three years Doe worked for Schrader, they attended multiple events and, “in none of those instances did the plaintiff indicate anything other than enthusiasm about appearing with Mr. Schrader.” The attorney did not explain how that would rebut the accusations of sexual harassment and breach of contract contained in the complaints.

Schrader’s attorney told Indiewire that Schrader and Doe kissed twice after a night of drinking but that he backed down after she said no.

The lawsuit seeks a summary judgment ordering Schrader to pay the agreed upon settlement, as well as court costs and disbursements, additional damages, attorneys’ fees, and pre-judgment and postjudgment interest.

The post Paul Schrader Accused of Sexually Harassing Former Assistant, Refusing to Honor Settlement appeared first on TheWrap.

John Mulaney Sent Conan O’Brien ‘One of the Most Meaningful Texts’ Ever Ahead of Oscars: ‘Gave Me a 20% Boost of Confidence’ | Video

Even for a comedy TV veteran like Conan O’Brien, hosting the Oscars is no small task. Fortunately, he had a lot of good will and support going into the March ceremony this year as a first-time host, including from none other than John Mulaney.

To hear O’Brien tell it, Mulaney — who has his own share of online supporters wanting him to host in the coming years — sent him “one of the most meaningful texts” he has ever received in the lead-up to the March 2 event.

“Just before I went out to do the Oscars, I got a lot of texts from a lot of people. You sent me one of the most meaningful texts I’ve had in my life of encouragement,” the comedian told Mulaney at the end of this week’s “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” podcast. “A quick text of encouragement.”

Mulaney, never one to miss a joke, quickly responded: “The eggplant?”

“The eggplant emoji,” O’Brien confirmed. “And said, ‘I hope you can fit it in.’”

“‘I hop you can fit it in.’ You know what that means right?” Mulaney asked.

“No, I don’t know. I don’t know what that means. Why would I violate myself with such a vegetable?” O’Brien said before pivoting back to sincerity. “No, you sent me a text, and I’m not kidding when I say it gave me, like, a 20% boost of confidence. So seriously, thank you very much.”

“I’m glad it meant something, you’re the best,” Mulaney said. “It was so exciting to watch that show with everything going on in the world.”

Mulaney then remembered the 97th Academy Awards not for the movies that one — because “no one saw any of those movies” — but for O’Brien’s ability to bring people together with comedy that wasn’t “message-y” and that embraced the tone and circumstance of the occasion.

“It’s a bad time in the world and no one saw any of those movies, but for that show, it was like, things seem happy and positive and we’re acting like everyone saw these and we know what they are, you know what I mean?” Mulaney enthused. “‘Oh my god! That won! It won! That’s great!’ No one saw a thing, right? No one saw a thing. But you really did put on a show that said, ‘This is a cool night, and we’re going to have fun.’ And that sounds like a very simple thing, but as we’re talking about comedy that is just not quite always mesasge-y, it’s harder to do.”

O’Brien remained mum on what Mulaney’s text said, but apparently it was just the thing he needed to hear from one comic to another.

Watch the full exchange towards the end of their “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” interview below:

The post John Mulaney Sent Conan O’Brien ‘One of the Most Meaningful Texts’ Ever Ahead of Oscars: ‘Gave Me a 20% Boost of Confidence’ | Video appeared first on TheWrap.

Michelle Williams Shades ‘Crash’ for Taking ‘Brokeback Mountain’ Best Picture Win: ‘I Mean, What Was Crash?’ | Video

Michelle Williams swung by “Watch What Happens Live” on Thursday and learning that “Brokeback Mountain” — the 2005 cowboy romance that earned her her first Oscar nomination — is one of host Andy Cohen’s favorite movies, took part in some light ribbing of the often-maligned race drama that beat it at the Oscars for Best Picture, “Crash.”

“I was very upset about the Best Picture loss,” Cohen said. “I mean, ‘Crash’? Is that what won?”

“I mean, what was ‘Crash’?” Williams questioned slyly.

Cohen, energized by the light shade, responded: “Right, thank you! By the way, who’s talking about ‘Crash’ right now? I hear a pin drop. Yes, very upset.”

The conversation began with Williams, visiting the Bravo talk show studio in promotion of her new FX sex dramedy “Dying for Sex,” reflecting on the significance “Brokeback Mountain” had at the time of its release for telling a gay love story set in the American West and centered on two cowhands who intermittently spent their years together on Brokeback Mountain while their wives — played by Williams and Anne Hathaway — toiled at home. Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal starred.

“May I gush to you about what an important movie ‘Brokeback Mountain’ was to me? And it is still, I think, in my top two movies of all time,” Cohen began. “Did you realize at the time that you were making that what a profound impact it was going to have on people?”

Williams said she realized the Ang Lee film’s power when she began doing press for it and would see grown men crying at the junkets.

“Yes, because people were so open about it,” she said. “And the, you know, I just remember doing the junket. You don’t really get an opportunity to see a lot of grown men cry. And it was really, that was the moment that I think that we all knew that it was going to be special to people.”

Watch the full “Watch What Happens Live” segment below:

“Brokeback Mountain” was nominated for eight Academy Awards going into the 2006 ceremony, and ultimately went home with two, including Best Director for Lee and Best Adapted Screenplay for Larry McMurtry. Considered a frontrunner for Best Picture, the movie ultimately lost to a surprise win from Paul Haggis’ “Crash,” a narratively complex race drama that depicts the intersecting lives of various men and women living in Los Angeles.

“Crash” went into the 2006 Oscars with six nominations, winning three for Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay and Best Film Editing. It starred Matt Dillon, Don Cheadle, Thandiwe Newton, Sandra Bullock, Brendan Fraser and others.

The post Michelle Williams Shades ‘Crash’ for Taking ‘Brokeback Mountain’ Best Picture Win: ‘I Mean, What Was Crash?’ | Video appeared first on TheWrap.

The Heartbreaking Truth Behind FX’s ‘Dying for Sex’

Based on a podcast of the same, FX’s “Dying for Sex” tells the heartbreaking yet empowering true story of a woman reclaiming her sex life after receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis. 

Michelle Williams plays Molly Kochan, who died in 2019 from metastatic breast cancer. Kochan and her best friend Nikki Boyer, played by Jenny Slate, started a podcast in the months prior to her death to document the cancer patient’s journey of sexual exploration. 

Kochan received a devastating phone call from the hospital in the middle of a couples’ therapy session with her then-husband, telling her that her cancer had spread to her bones and was incurable. At this moment Kochan left the session and decided she wanted to end her 15-year marriage. 

Though Kochan did not admit that she had never had an orgasm with another person as she does on the show, she did admit that her marriage was unfulfilling for her sexually, and in her few months to live she wanted to explore. 

Kochan’s cancer journey started at 33 when she went to the doctor to report a lump in her breast and was told she was too young to have cancer – they were wrong. Six years later she was diagnosed with breast cancer that had spread to her lymph nodes and later had to have a double mastectomy. In 2015 – where the pilot episode of the series picks up – she started suffering hip pain and underwent further tests, which revealed the cancer had metastasized and was now in her bones, brain and liver.

After surgeries and radiation treatments, Kochan started hormone therapy that was supposed to suppress her libido, but it ended up having the opposite effect. “I literally wanted to hump everything and everyone that I saw,” she said in the first episode of the podcast.

The podcast documented many of Kochan’s sexcapades that were then adapted for the FX series, including one date who insisted that the cancer patient kick him in the genitals (that part was true). 

“I don’t think I would do any of this stuff without the cancer,” Kochan said of her adventurous sexual encounters post-terminal diagnosis. “Even though I’d maybe want to, I’d be a little more cautious about everything.”

Kochan died in 2019, but the podcast “Dying for Sex” came out in 2020. Kochan and Boyer were co-creators of the Wondery podcast. Boyer also served as an executive producer and writer on the FX series.

All episodes of “Dying for Sex” are available to watch on FX and Hulu.

The post The Heartbreaking Truth Behind FX’s ‘Dying for Sex’ appeared first on TheWrap.