Steve Pond's Blog, page 2019
January 8, 2020
Record Number of Top Films Had Female Protagonists in 2019, Study Finds
Women made unprecedented gains as protagonists in top grossing films in 2019, according to the latest “It’s a Man’s (Celluloid) World” report released Wednesday by Dr. Martha Lauzen, executive director of the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University.
The percentage of films featuring female protagonists rose from 31% in 2018 to 40% in 2019, reaching a recent historic high. 43% of films featured male protagonists, and 17% had ensembles. The study defines protagonists as characters from whose perspective the story is told.
In 2019, 45% of female protagonists appeared in studio features and 55% were in independent features. This marks a shift from 2018 when females were more than twice as likely to appear in independent features as studio features (68% vs. 32%). The percentages of females appearing as major characters and speaking characters remained relatively stable. Females comprised 37% of major characters, up just 1 percentage point from 36% in 2018, and 34% of all speaking characters, down 1 percentage point from 35% in 2018. Major characters appear in more than one scene and are instrumental to the action of the story.
Also Read: Female Representation Saw 'Historic' Gains Last Year Both on and off Screen, New Study Finds
“We have now seen two consecutive years of substantial gains for female protagonists, indicating the beginning of a positive shift in representation,” said Lauzen in a statement. “That said, it is important to note that moviegoers are still almost twice as likely to see a male character as a female character in a speaking role.”
Regarding race and ethnicity, the percentage of Black females in speaking roles declined slightly from 21% in 2018 to 20% in 2019. The percentage of Latinas increased slightly from 4% in 2018 to 5% in 2019. Without the boost provided by a film like “Crazy Rich Asians” in 2018, the percentage of Asian female characters reverted to 2017 levels at 7%.
Female protagonists were most likely to appear in horror features (26%), followed by dramas (24%), comedies (21%), action features (16%), science fiction features (8%), and animated features (5%). “In 2019 we saw female protagonists across genres, including in horror films such as ‘Us’ and ‘The Curse of La Llorona,’ dramas including ‘Little Women’ and “Harriet,” and action features like ‘Captain Marvel.” We’re seeing a wider variety of stories being told from a female perspective,” added Lauzen.
However, many stubborn gender stereotypes remain. Female characters were more likely than male characters to have a known marital status (46% vs. 34%). A larger proportion of male than female characters had an identifiable occupation (73% vs. 61%), and male characters were more likely than female characters to be seen in their work setting, actually working (59% vs. 43%).
Lauzen’s “Celluloid Ceiling” study has tracked female employment on films for over two decades, reviewing over 70,000 film credits in that time.
Related stories from TheWrap:
'Captain Marvel': Kevin Feige on Film's 'Female Voice' and the MCU's 'More Diverse' Future
Female Directors Dropped to Just 8 Percent of the Top 250 Films in 2018, Study Finds
January 7, 2020
Roy Wood Jr Is Appropriately Scared About the Iran Situation on ‘The Daily Show: ‘Imma S— Myself’ (Video)
On Tuesday’s “The Daily Show,” Roy Wood Jr. showed up to explain the latest harrowing ins and outs of the scary international crisis between the United States and Iran — but he was so freaked out about it that he admitted he was close to incontinence.
Or, as he put it when he showed up wearing a safety helmet and an orange vest, “there’s a 73% chance Imma s— myself.”
Wood came on after Trevor Noah broke down a chilling moment earlier today when Iran’s foreign minister said in an interview that it will retaliate for the death of general Qassem Soleimani, who was assassinated by a U.S. drone strike on Donald Trump’s orders last week. The minister said that Iran is “a patient country,” and that retaliation “will be taken at a time of our choosing, not the United States’ choosing.”
“This s— is scary,” Wood said about that statement. “Usually when you get a threat from the Middle East, it’s some dude screaming in a cave. But this guy was calm. Like an Iranian John Wick. Like we killed his puppy and now he’s coming for us.”
Also Read: Golden Globes 2020: Winners Get Political With Speeches on Climate Change, Abortion Rights and War
Noah then asked what Wood thinks Iran will do. “It’s obvious, Trevor. We threaten their cultural sites, so now they’re going to attack our cultural sites.”
But Wood wasn’t talking about, per Noah’s suggestion, the Washington Monument or Mt. Rushmore, which Wood dismissed as “just rocks and s—.”
“I’m talking about our actual culture. The Netflix service, the Popeye’s chicken sandwich, or killing America’s greatest storyteller, Stan Lee,” Wood said.
Noah of course pointed out that Lee is already dead.
“Those bastards! It’s already begun,” Wood exclaimed.
Also Read: Mike Bloomberg Buys a 60-Second Super Bowl Ad for $10 Million
After a discussion about how paranoid the whole “Iran is a patient country” thing is making him, Wood had a suggestion for how Iran could really get revenge on Trump, and it was delightfully nonviolent. “Tell him he’s invited to a party full of supermodels, then when he gets there, bam! Eric’s birthday party.”
Watch the clip above.
Related stories from TheWrap:
Joe Scarborough Calls Trump 'Ignorant of World History,' Worries About International Crisis
Trevor Noah Consults 2011 Trump to Learn Why 2020 Trump Attacked Iranian General (Video)
8 Showstoppers to Watch at CES 2020, From Giant TVs to Ivanka Trump
‘Joker’ Composer Hildur Gudnadottir Wins Big at Inaugural Society of Composers and Lyricists Awards
Four months after winning an Emmy for her score to the miniseries “Chernobyl” and two days after taking home a Golden Globe for her music to “Joker,” composer Hildur Gudnadottir won new awards for both of those scores at the first annual SCL Awards, presented by the Society of Composers and Lyricists.
Although the SCL was formed in 1983 as an offshoot of previous organizations that had dated back to 1945, its efforts to promote the interests of composers and lyricists working in visual media did not include giving out awards until this year.
“What took you guys so long with the awards?” composer Bill Conti asked at the beginning of the show. “People who work in Hollywood, we need constant approval.”
Also Read: BAFTA Nominations Put '1917' in the Awards Spotlight Again - and 'Joker,' Too
The Icelandic composer Gudnadottir received that approval to the point where she was visibly embarrassed, winning for “Chernobyl” early in the crisp 90-minute ceremony and then receiving a second award at the end for “Joker.”
The first award of the night, which meant it was also the first award in the history of the SCL Awards, was won by Kathryn Bostic for her score to the independent documentary “Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am.”
Cynthia Erivo and Joshuah Brian Campbell won the song award for “Stand Up” from “Harriet,” the film in which Erivo also stars. Gordy Haab and Stephen Barton won for interactive media for “Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.”
Also Read: Janet Mock and Taylor Swift to Be Honored for LGBTQ Advocacy at GLAAD Media Awards
All five of the SCL’s nominated movie songs and four of its five scores in the Outstanding Original Score for a Studio Film category have made the Oscars’ music shortlists. One of the nominees in a category devoted to independent film, Alberto Iglesias’ score for “Pain and Glory,” was also shortlisted by the Academy.
“1917” composer Thomas Newman and director Sam Mendes were given a special Spirit of Collaboration Award. Newman’s score for the film was completed too late to qualify for a nomination in its category, but he and Mendes were honored for a collaboration that has also included “American Beauty,” “The Road to Perdition,” “Jarhead” and two James Bond movies, “Skyfall” and “Spectre.”
The ceremony took place at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles, and included performances from “Us” composer Michael Abels with the 38-piece SAG-AFTRA singers, violinist Philippe Quint and singer Dannielle D’Andrea, who was accompanied on a sultry version of the classic “Cry Me a River” by veteran saxophonist Gene Cipriano.
That song’s writer, Arthur Hamilton, was one of the presenters on the show, along with composers Bill Conti, Charles Bernstein and Hannah Parrott, among others.
Also Read: 'Euphoria,' 'Rocketman' Among 31st Annual GLAAD Media Awards Nominees
To launch a new awards show for the first time, the SCL chose a day that had already included Producers Guild, Directors Guild and Visual Effects Society nominations in the morning and the end of Oscar nomination voting in the afternoon. But the show had a low-key, collegial feel that made it a welcome stop in an increasingly frantic awards season.
Also Read: Jerry Herman Remembered by Bernadette Peters, Harvey Fierstein and More: 'We Lost One of the Greats'
The nominees and winners:
Outstanding Original Score for a Studio Film
Michael Abels, “Us”
Michael Giacchino, “Jojo Rabbit”
Hildur Gudnadottir, “Joker” *WINNER
John Powell, “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”
Alan Silvestri, “Avengers: Endgame”
Outstanding Original Song for Visual Media
Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, “Into The Unknown” from “Frozen II”
Kathryn Bostic, “High Above the Water” from “Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am”
Joshuah Brian Campbell and Cynthia Erivo, “Stand Up” from “Harriet” *WINNER
Justin Paul, Benj Pasek and Alan Menken, “Speechless” from “Aladdin”
Diane Warren, “I’m Standing With You” from “Breakthrough”
Outstanding Original Score for an Independent Film
Jeff Beal, “The Biggest Little Farm”
Kathryn Bostic, “Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am” *WINNER
Alberto Iglesias, “Pain and Glory”
Howard Shore, “The Song of Names”
Gabriel Yared, “Judy”
Outstanding Original Score for a Television or Streaming Production
Kris Bowers, “When They See Us”
Nicholas Britell, “Succession”
Kyle Dixon, Michael Stein, “Stranger Things”
Hildur Gudnadottir, “Chernobyl” *WINNER
Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, “Watchmen”
Adam Taylor, “The Handmaid’s Tale”
Outstanding Original Score for Interactive Media
Neal Acree, “Rend”
Gordy Haab, Stephen Barton, “Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order” *WINNER
Austin Wintory, “Erica”
Spirit of Collaboration Award
Thomas Newman and Sam Mendes
Related stories from TheWrap:
'1917,' 'Joker,' 'The Irishman' Among American Society of Cinematographers Nominees
12 Best Superhero Movies of the Decade, From 'Avengers' to 'Black Panther' to 'Joker' (Photos)
How 'Joker' Designer Mapped Gotham With a Touch of DC Comics and a Lot of Old NYC Squalor (Map)
‘Underwater’ Film Review: Kristen Stewart, Unfathomably, Stars in All-Wet ‘Alien’ Rip-Off
I felt frustrated walking out of “Underwater”: Here’s a movie with good production values, a great leading actress, and a fantastic score, yet it gets so lost trying to figure out what story it wanted to tell that it completely forgets to form a connection with the audience.
Norah (Kristen Stewart) has been underwater for so long, she has lost all sense of time. (The press notes state she’s been there for thirty days, but the film never specifies.) She’s part of a mining crew sent to drill on the ocean floor, deep in the Mariana Trench, and she lives in a sea rig with her co-workers.
As she’s putting on her shoes, what she appears to be an earthquake occurs, destroying the rig. She and the remaining crew — Captain Lucien (Vincent Cassel), Emily (Jessica Henwick, “Iron Fist”), Smith (John Gallagher Jr), Rodrigo (Mamoudou Athie, “Sorry for Your Loss”), and Paul (TJ Miller) — have to devise a plan to walk across the ocean floor and make it to a distant, abandoned rig in hopes of using their communication gear or finding escape pods back to the surface.
Watch Video: Kristen Stewart Takes a Deep Dive in Trailer for Fox Horror Movie 'Underwater'
But as they start the journey to possible safety, they discover it wasn’t an earthquake that caused the destruction. They aren’t alone at the bottom of the ocean; there’s a school of mysterious, terrifying ghost-octopus-like creatures, and one big mama monster that isn’t about to let anyone escape.
“Underwater” is not “Alien” beneath the sea, although it desperately wants to be, from the close-up of barefoot Norah to having her run around in her underwear (admittedly, there is a plausible reason for this) to the possible “baby” sea monster the crew captures at one point. But the results feel like too little “Alien” and too much “Ad Astra” as it also tries to examine, however briefly, the possibility that nature is fighting back because humans have gone too far.
Also Read: Kristen Stewart to Star in Ben Foster's Directorial Debut
Writers Brian Duffield (“Insurgent”) and Adam Cozad (“The Legend of Tarzan”) insert all the things that they assume makes “Alien” heroine Ripley the icon that she is, but they haven’t written any story, any relatability, or any connection to anyone actually watching the film. Stewart is a talented actress, for sure, but even she can’t breathe life into this wannabe-empowered heroine. The failure of “Underwater” lands more on the story, or the lack of one, than on her or any of her co-stars.
Where the story is lacking, the sound and score excel. Sound designers Wayne Lemmer and Jack Whittaker create exquisite tension, particularly in close-up shots of Norah in her suit. The focus on the sound of her breathing, from normal to intense, and the way the sound builds in the rigs achieve what the story doesn’t, creating an atmosphere into which the audience can plunge.
The score, by Marco Beltrami (“Ford v. Ferrari”) and Brandon Roberts (“The Twilight Zone” 2019), adds intensity and optimism, at the right moments, and uplifts the performances. Most impressively, it fleshes out the environment, making us feel like we’re at the bottom of the ocean alongside the performers.
Watch Video: TJ Miller Says 'I Play an A-hole' on 'Silicon Valley' - But Denies Real-Life 'Bully' Accusations
Director William Eubank (“The Signal”) assembles the pieces of a good sci-fi thriller, and the production itself is actually pretty impressive. There are a few moments where he takes us inside their suits, and the angles and view capture the claustrophobia that the crew is feeling at that moment.
But Eubanks’ failure to expand on the ideas that could truly terrify an audience dissipate the intensity into a puddle of nothing. There are far too many questions left unanswered — Why would a company hire so many people with traumatic backgrounds and isolate them at the bottom of the ocean? Why are there only a handful of deep-sea pressure suits? Why does the sea monster know how to throw down? — and too much disconnect from any character for audiences to root for anyone or to care about their survival.
“Underwater” tries to float by on the strength of its talented ensemble, but that ship has sunk.
Related stories from TheWrap:
'Seberg' Film Review: Kristen Stewart Captures the Spirit of a Martyred Icon
'Charlie's Angels' Film Review: Kristen Stewart and Company Make Reboot All About Sisterhood
Kristen Stewart in Talks to Star in Holiday Rom-Com 'Happiest Season' at TriStar
Awkwafina's Comedy Central Series Gets a Title – Will Debut in January 2020
‘Ugly Betty’ Stars America Ferrera, Vanessa Williams ‘Heartbroken’ by Series Creator’s Death
The stars of the groundbreaking dramedy “Ugly Betty” paid tribute to series creator Silvio Horta following his death Tuesday at age 45.
“I’m stunned and heartbroken to hear the devastating news of ‘Ugly Betty’ creator, Silvio Horta’s death,” America Ferrera, who played the title role, said in a statement on Instagram. “His talent and creativity brought me and so many others such joy & light. I’m thinking of his family and loved ones who must be in so much pain right now- and of the whole Ugly Betty family who feel this loss so deeply.”
“Still in shock after hearing the tragic news of our #uglybetty creator #silviohorta ??'”,” Vanessa Williams, who portrayed Wilhelmina Slater on all four seasons, wrote on Instagram. “His creativity and passion will be missed by so many of us that worked with him. May he Rest In Peace.”
Also Read: 'Ugly Betty' Creator Silvio Horta Found Dead at 45
Christopher Gorham, who starred on Horta’s UPN sci-fi series “Jake 2.0” before playing Henry on “Ugly Betty,” thanked Horta for giving him “two of the greatest opportunities in my career with ‘Jake 2.0’ and ‘Ugly Betty.’ I will be forever grateful for his creativity, his enormous heart, and his friendship. His family was his world and my heart goes out to them tonight. Let’s all take care of each other.”
Meanwhile, Michael Urie, who played Betty’s “frenemy” Marc St. James, said on Twitter that “I will be forever indebted to this sweet, brilliant man.”
“I am devastated,” said Alec Mapa, who portrayed Suzuki St. Pierre on the final three seasons of “Ugly Betty.” “Sylvio cared so deeply about the message of the show, that kindness is our greatest strength and cruelty a weakness.”
“No. This is horrible, horrible news” said Richard Shepherd, who directed the “Ugly Betty” pilot. “Silvio was the sweetest guy. So talented and exciting to work with. Our collaboration on the pilot of “Ugly Betty” was one of the most terrific experiences. Devastating.”
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by America Ferrera (@americaferrera) on Jan 7, 2020 at 4:54pm PST
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Vanessa Williams (@vanessawilliamsofficial) on Jan 7, 2020 at 5:06pm PST
Silvio Horta gave me two of the greatest opportunities in my career with Jake 2.0 and Ugly Betty. I will be forever grateful for his creativity, his enormous heart, and his friendship. His family was his world and… https://t.co/MxdjOmVWi8
— Christopher Gorham (@ChrisGorham) January 8, 2020
I will be forever indebted to this sweet, brilliant man. ???? https://t.co/M8MYuDle6I
— Michael Urie (@michaelurie) January 8, 2020
I am devastated. Sylvio cared so deeply about the message of the show , that kindness is our greatest strength and cruelty a weakness. https://t.co/395xZap7c0
— Alec Mapa (@AlecMapa) January 8, 2020
No. This is horrible, horrible news. Silvio was the sweetest guy. So talented and exciting to work with. Our collaboration on the pilot of “Ugly Betty” was one of the most terrific experiences. Devastating. Ugly Betty’ Creator Dies in Suicide – Variety https://t.co/OjwDrKjZpm
— Richard Shepard (@SaltyShep) January 8, 2020
Related stories from TheWrap:
Andrew Burkle, Aspiring Producer and Son of Billionaire Ron Burkle, Dies at 27
Elizabeth Wurtzel, 'Prozac Nation' Author, Dies at 52
Nick Gordon, Ex-Boyfriend of Bobbi Kristina Brown, Dies at 30
How Harvey Weinstein’s LA Sexual Assault Charges Could Impact New York Trial
Just hours after Harvey Weinstein left the courthouse for the first day of his New York criminal trial, prosecutors on the other side of the country dropped a dramatic announcement of new sexual assault charges against the ex-mogul.
The potential impact of the L.A. case on the current trial has already been brought up in the courtroom. According to experts who spoke to TheWrap, a major impact could be jury selection for the New York trial.
“You’re going to have to hope the jurors tell you the truth, when they’re getting questioned, as to whether or not they heard about [the new charges],” Mark Geragos, an L.A.-based criminal defense attorney, told The Wrap on Monday. “This is not the prosecutor’s slamdunk case — everybody makes it out to be — although certainly the timing of the L.A. D.A. did not help [Weinstein’s] cause.”
In addition, Lara Yeretsian, an L.A. criminal defense attorney, said the separate cases could work to bolster one another.
“The L.A. charges legitimize the New York case, making jurors think, ‘It’s not just here, so there must be something,'” Yeretsian told TheWrap via email. “If he’s convicted in New York, that strengthens the L.A. prosecutor’s case.”
As for the scheduling of the two separate cases, Weinstein’s attorney Donna Rotunno said in court on Tuesday morning that the L.A. D.A.’s office “assured” them that they were not going to arrest Weinstein until after the New York trial was over. A spokesperson for the L.A. D.A.’s office told The Wrap that an arraignment date has not been set, but “it’s expected that NY will handle their matters first before we do” and that an arraignment would happen after the trial is finished.
If Weinstein were to be convicted in the New York trial — which could mean a life in prison, if he’s convicted of the most serious charge — it wouldn’t necessarily make L.A.’s case moot.
“At that point, L.A. would have [a few] options: They could either proceed, they could wait for sentencing, or after he’s sentenced, they could do what’s called a ‘writ’ to try to bring him to California custody,” Geragos said.
Also Read: Harvey Weinstein's Courtroom Cellphone Use Could Send Him to Jail, Judge Warns
But the timing of the L.A. district attorney’s announcement has raised a few eyebrows — especially from Weinstein’s defense. “I cannot think of one time, of one case, where the day of jury selection, this type of prejudice is being cast against a criminal defendant,” Arthur Aidala, one of Weinstein’s attorneys, said on Tuesday morning in court. “It’s very hard to believe that that was an absolute coincidence.”
Geragos — whose clients have included Michael Jackson, Winona Ryder, and Robert Downey Jr. — also agreed. “It’s quite the coincidence,” he said. “L.A. has been investigating this for over two years, so if that’s [730] days in which to file this case, what are the odds … that they would pick the day that he starts trial in New York?”
But Neama Rahmani, a former U.S. assistant attorney and co-founder of West Coast Trial Lawyers, said the New York trial wouldn’t be affected by the L.A. charges; if anything, Rahmani said the L.A. prosecutors could actually be at a “disadvantage” since some of the witnesses are expected to testify at both trials.
Also Read: Harvey Weinstein Hit With New Rape and Sexual Assault Charges in Los Angeles
“This will give Weinstein’s L.A. defense team an opportunity to preview the testimony of the victims and prepare for cross-examination — if Weinstein ever actually stands trial in Los Angeles,” Rahmani said in an email.
Jury selection continues this week for the trial and is expected to last two weeks. Barring any delays, opening statements should begin on January 22.
Related stories from TheWrap:
Harvey Weinstein Hit With New Rape and Sexual Assault Charges in Los Angeles
Harvey Weinstein Trial Day 1: The Scene Inside (and Outside) the Courtroom
Harvey Weinstein Trial Judge Rules NYPD Detective Cannot Be Called to Testify
Harvey Weinstein Trial Judge Tells Defense to 'Leave the Witnesses Alone' in Public Statements
11 Stars Whose Blackface Blunders Backfired, From Ted Danson to Kylie Jenner (Photos)
Don’t even think of mimicking these celebrities whose blackface blunders backfired.
Joni Mitchell
The singer posed in blackface on the cover of her album “Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter” in 1977, and later went on to justify it by saying, “I have experienced being a black guy.”
Ted Danson
The “Cheers” star appeared at a N.Y. Friars Club Roast in 1993 with then-girlfriend Whoopi Goldberg wearing blackface makeup to perform an offensive N-word-filled comedy routine.
Tom Hanks
The Oscar-winning actor came under fire in 2012 when video surfaced of a 2004 school fundraiser featuring Hanks and another man wearing blackface and stereotypical African clothing. Hanks later condemned the bit as “horribly offensive.”
Tyra Banks
The host of “America’s Next Top Model” took heat, as did her show, for a photo shoot in 2009 in which competing models were made to look “biracial.” Styling techniques included the darkening of contestants’ skin.
Paula Deen
Following the epicure’s ouster from the Food Network in the wake of her infamous N-word controversy, Deen posted a photo on Twitter from her show’s 2011 Halloween episode featuring her son, Bobby, dressed as Ricky Ricardo, complete with brownface makeup.
Beyoncé
The diva took heat for a 2011 L’Officiel Paris cover with an “African Queen” theme for which the pop star’s skin was darkened.
January 6, 2020
BAFTA Nominations Put ‘1917’ in the Awards Spotlight Again – and ‘Joker,’ Too
Sam Mendes’ Golden Globe winner “1917” had another strong awards showing on Tuesday in London, where it will be competing for the top award at the 2020 EE British Academy Film Awards, which are handed out by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).
In nominations announced Tuesday morning by Asa Butterfield and Ella Balinska, “1917” was nominated for Best Film along with Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman,” Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood,” Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite” and Todd Phillips’ “Joker.”
But while the homegrown “1917,” from a British director and about British soldiers in World War I, landed a solid nine nominations, Todd Phillips’ “Joker” was the surprise leader in noms with 11. “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” and “The Irishman” each received 10, with “1917” lagging behind after being left out of the acting and screenwriting categories.
Also Read: Golden Globes Analysis: The Stars Ignore Ricky Gervais on a Night of Surprises
The acting nominees were for the most part performers who are expected to be contending for Oscars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Adam Driver, Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson, Saoirse Ronan, Charlize Theron and Renee Zellweger in the lead categories, and Tom Hanks, Anthony Hopkins, Brad Pitt, Joe Pesci, Al Pacino, Laura Dern, Florence Pugh and Margot Robbie in supporting. But the 6,700 BAFTA voters also threw in some distinctly British touches, with Jessie Buckley landing a nomination for “Wild Rose” and Taron Egerton getting a chance to reprise his Globes victory by getting an actor nod for “Rocketman.”
The voters also really liked Johansson, who was nominated in lead for “Marriage Story” and supporting for “Jojo Rabbit”; and Robbie, who took two of the five slots in supporting actress for both “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” and “Bombshell.”
The five directing nominees were an exact match of the Best Film category: Mendes for “1917,” Scorsese for “The Irishman,” Phillips for “Joker,” Tarantino for “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” and Bong for “Parasite.”
Also Read: Writers Guild Nominates 'Little Women,' 'The Irishman,' 'Parasite'
In the writing categories, all of the main films except “1917” were represented, though “Booksmart” and “Knives Out” also slipped in.
BAFTA added a casting category for the first time this year, with the nominations going to the casting directors of “Joker,” “Marriage Story,” “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood,” “The Personal History of David Copperfield” and “The Two Popes.”
Films nominated in the Best Film Not in the English Language category were “The Farewell,” “Pain and Glory,” “Portrait of a Lady on Fire,” the documentary “For Sama” and, of course, “Parasite.”
That last film became the seventh non-English film to be nominated in BAFTA’s top category since 2000, following “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” “Amelie,” “The Motorcycle Diaries,” “Babel,” “The Lives of Others” and “Roma,” which won last year.
Since the Oscars expanded the number of Best Picture nominees in 2009, 46 of the 50 BAFTA Best Film nominees have gone on to receive Oscar nominations, with five of the 10 winners also winning the Oscar for Best Picture.
Also Read: SAG Awards 2020: The Complete List of Nominations
Last year, all five BAFTA best-film nominees also became Oscar Best Picture nominees, as did four of the five nominees in three of the acting categories. (In the fourth acting category, supporting actress, only three of the BAFTA nominees made the cut at the Oscars.) The eventual Oscar winner, “Green Book,” received four BAFTA nominations, including Best Film, but lost to “Roma” two weeks before winning at the Oscars.
This year’s BAFTA ceremony will take place on Sunday, Oct. 2 at the Royal Albert Hall in London. It will likely end right around the time the Super Bowl is beginning in New Orleans, in a rare instance of a major awards show and the biggest football game taking place on the same day.
The BAFTA nominations:
BEST FILM
1917 Pippa Harris, Callum McDougall, Sam Mendes, Jayne-Ann Tenggren
THE IRISHMAN Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, Martin Scorsese, Emma Tillinger Koskoff
JOKER Bradley Cooper, Todd Phillips, Emma Tillinger Koskoff
ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD David Heyman, Shannon McIntosh, Quentin Tarantino
PARASITE Bong Joon Ho, Kwak Sin Ae
OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
1917 Sam Mendes, Pippa Harris, Callum McDougall, Jayne-Ann Tenggren, Krysty Wilson-Cairns
BAIT Mark Jenkin, Kate Byers, Linn Waite
FOR SAMA Waad al-Kateab, Edward Watts
ROCKETMAN Dexter Fletcher, Adam Bohling, David Furnish, David Reid, Matthew Vaughn, Lee Hall
SORRY WE MISSED YOU Ken Loach, Rebecca O’Brien, Paul Laverty
THE TWO POPES Fernando Meirelles, Jonathan Eirich, Dan Lin, Tracey Seaward, Anthony McCarten
OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER
BAIT Mark Jenkin (Writer/Director), Kate Byers, Linn Waite (Producers)
FOR SAMA Waad al-Kateab (Director/Producer), Edward Watts (Director)
MAIDEN Alex Holmes (Director)
ONLY YOU Harry Wootliff (Writer/Director)
RETABLO Álvaro Delgado-Aparicio (Writer/Director)*
FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
THE FAREWELL Lulu Wang, Daniele Melia
FOR SAMA Waad al-Kateab, Edward Watts
PAIN AND GLORY Pedro Almodóvar, Agustín Almodóvar
PARASITE Bong Joon Ho
PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE Céline Sciamma, Bénédicte Couvreur
DOCUMENTARY
AMERICAN FACTORY Steven Bognar, Julia Reichert
APOLLO 11 Todd Douglas Miller
DIEGO MARADONA Asif Kapadia
FOR SAMA Waad al-Kateab, Edward Watts
THE GREAT HACK Karim Amer, Jehane Noujaim
ANIMATED FILM
FROZEN 2 Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee, Peter Del Vecho
KLAUS Sergio Pablos, Jinko Gotoh
A SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE: FARMAGEDDON Will Becher, Richard Phelan, Paul Kewley
TOY STORY 4 Josh Cooley, Mark Nielsen
DIRECTOR
1917 Sam Mendes
THE IRISHMAN Martin Scorsese
JOKER Todd Phillips
ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD Quentin Tarantino
PARASITE Bong Joon Ho
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
BOOKSMART Susanna Fogel, Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, Katie Silberman
KNIVES OUT Rian Johnson
MARRIAGE STORY Noah Baumbach
ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD Quentin Tarantino
PARASITE Han Jin Won, Bong Joon Ho,
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
THE IRISHMAN Steven Zaillian
JOJO RABBIT Taika Waititi
JOKER Todd Phillips, Scott Silver
LITTLE WOMEN Greta Gerwig
THE TWO POPES Anthony McCarten
LEADING ACTRESS
JESSIE BUCKLEY Wild Rose
SCARLETT JOHANSSON Marriage Story
SAOIRSE RONAN Little Women
CHARLIZE THERON Bombshell
RENÉE ZELLWEGER Judy
LEADING ACTOR
LEONARDO DICAPRIO Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood
ADAM DRIVER Marriage Story
TARON EGERTON Rocketman
JOAQUIN PHOENIX Joker
JONATHAN PRYCE The Two Popes
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
LAURA DERN Marriage Story
SCARLETT JOHANSSON Jojo Rabbit
FLORENCE PUGH Little Women
MARGOT ROBBIE Bombshell
MARGOT ROBBIE Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
SUPPORTING ACTOR
TOM HANKS A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
ANTHONY HOPKINS The Two Popes
AL PACINO The Irishman
JOE PESCI The Irishman
BRAD PITT Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
ORIGINAL SCORE
1917 Thomas Newman
JOJO RABBIT Michael Giacchino
JOKER Hildur Gu?’nadóttir
LITTLE WOMEN Alexandre Desplat
STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER John Williams
CASTING
JOKER Shayna Markowitz
MARRIAGE STORY Douglas Aibel, Francine Maisler
ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD Victoria Thomas
THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD Sarah Crowe
THE TWO POPES Nina Gold
CINEMATOGRAPHY
1917 Roger Deakins
THE IRISHMAN Rodrigo Prieto
JOKER Lawrence Sher
LE MANS ’66 Phedon Papamichael
THE LIGHTHOUSE Jarin Blaschke
EDITING
THE IRISHMAN Thelma Schoonmaker
JOJO RABBIT Tom Eagles
JOKER Jeff Groth
LE MANS ’66 Andrew Buckland, Michael McCusker
ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD Fred Raskin
PRODUCTION DESIGN
1917 Dennis Gassner, Lee Sandales
THE IRISHMAN Bob Shaw, Regina Graves
JOJO RABBIT Ra Vincent, Nora Sopková
JOKER Mark Friedberg, Kris Moran
ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD Barbara Ling, Nancy Haigh
COSTUME DESIGN
THE IRISHMAN Christopher Peterson, Sandy Powell
JOJO RABBIT Mayes C. Rubeo
JUDY Jany Temime
LITTLE WOMEN Jacqueline Durran
ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD Arianne Phillips
MAKE UP & HAIR
1917 Naomi Donne
BOMBSHELL Vivian Baker, Kazu Hiro, Anne Morgan
JOKER Kay Georgiou, Nicki Ledermann
JUDY Jeremy Woodhead
ROCKETMAN Lizzie Yianni Georgiou
SOUND
1917 Scott Millan, Oliver Tarney, Rachael Tate, Mark Taylor, Stuart Wilson
JOKER Tod Maitland, Alan Robert Murray, Tom Ozanich, Dean Zupancic
LE MANS ’66 David Giammarco, Paul Massey, Steven A. Morrow, Donald Sylvester
ROCKETMAN Matthew Collinge, John Hayes, Mike Prestwood Smith, Danny Sheehan
STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER David Acord, Andy Nelson, Christopher Scarabosio, Stuart Wilson, Matthew Wood
SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
1917 Greg Butler, Guillaume Rocheron, Dominic Tuohy
AVENGERS: ENDGAME Dan Deleeuw, Dan Sudick
THE IRISHMAN Leandro Estebecorena, Stephane Grabli, Pablo Helman
THE LION KING Andrew R. Jones, Robert Legato, Elliot Newman, Adam Valdez
STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER Roger Guyett, Paul Kavanagh, Neal Scanlan, Dominic Tuohy
BRITISH SHORT ANIMATION
GRANDAD WAS A ROMANTIC. Maryam Mohajer
IN HER BOOTS Kathrin Steinbacher
THE MAGIC BOAT Naaman Azhari, Lilia Laurel
BRITISH SHORT FILM
AZAAR Myriam Raja, Nathanael Baring
GOLDFISH Hector Dockrill, Harri Kamalanathan, Benedict Turnbull, Laura Dockrill
KAMALI Sasha Rainbow, Rosalind Croad
LEARNING TO SKATEBOARD IN A WARZONE (IF YOU’RE A GIRL) Carol Dysinger, Elena Andreicheva
THE TRAP Lena Headey, Anthony Fitzgerald
EE RISING STAR AWARD (voted for by the public)
AWKWAFINA
JACK LOWDEN
KAITLYN DEVER
KELVIN HARRISON JR.
MICHEAL WARD
*also written by Héctor Gálvez
Related stories from TheWrap:
Golden Globe Awards 2020: Win or Lose, the After-Parties Rocked
Jennifer Lopez Is a 'Survivor' This Awards Season and 4 Other Things We Learned at Palm Springs 2020
5 Awards Shows on One Night! Inside the Most Crammed Awards Season Ever
Trevor Noah Consults 2011 Trump to Learn Why 2020 Trump Attacked Iranian General (Video)
On Monday’s “The Daily Show,” Trevor Noah peered into the past and consulted a prescient observer who seemed to have the best answer for why Trump has escalated tensions with Iran — Donald Trump himself from 2011.
The bit came at the end of a lengthy discussion of the political and military crisis unfolding in the Middle East following a U.S. military drone strike against a convoy in Baghdad that killed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani. Since then, Iran has threatened retaliation, Trump has responded by threatening (among other things) to destroy Iranian cultural treasures (a war crime), and the government of Iraq wants to expel U.S. forces from the country.
“Because of Trump’s extreme decisions, the world is now in a state of panic. Because the truth is, no one knows what’s gonna happen. No one. We could be on the brink of war, World War 3. Or the whole thing could just fizzle out like the beef between Nick Cannon and Eminem,” Noah said.
Also Read: Golden Globe Winner Patricia Arquette Needles Trump, Laments 'Country on the Brink of War' (Video)
“The question on everyone’s mind is, why would Donald Trump even bring everybody to this point? Why do something so risky? Why now?” Noah continued. “Nobody knows. If only there was some wise man in 2011 who could have predicted why this would be happening today.”
At this point, he rolled actual footage of Donald Trump from 2011, in which Trump repeatedly claimed that Barack Obama would attack Iran in 2012 in order to secure reelection — something Trump also did several times on Twitter.
“Isn’t it pathetic,” 2011 Trump asks at the end of the video. “He’s right,” Noah responded.
Watch the clip above.
Related stories from TheWrap:
Comedian George Lopez Under Attack for Joke About Rumored Bounty on Trump
Rose McGowan Apologizes to Iran, Slams Trump: 'We Are Being Held Hostage in a Terrorist Regime'
GOP Congressman Tweets Fake Photo of Iran President and Obama
Facebook Cracks Down on Deepfake Videos Ahead of 2020 US Election
Facebook is cracking down on deepfakes and will be more aggressive in the removal of manipulated videos, the company said on Monday night.
“While these videos are still rare on the internet, they present a significant challenge for our industry and society as their use increases,” Facebook VP Monika Bickert wrote in a blog post.
Deepfakes are videos that utilize faked or out of context images to depict a fictional event that is presented as real. They often superimpose the face of one person onto another person and other times, the lips and voice of someone are manipulated to look like they’re saying something they didn’t actually say.
Facebook will implement a new policy to judge edited content. The policy will determine whether a video is removed based on two factors:
– If a video has been edited “beyond adjustments for clarity or quality – in ways that aren’t apparent to an average person and would likely mislead someone into thinking that a subject of the video said words that they did not actually say,” according to Bickert.
– If the artificial intelligence or product used on the video makes it “appear to be authentic,” Bickert added.
Also Read: Deepfake Videos Could Become Undetectable Within the Next 2 Years, Experts Say
The new rules do not completely ban deepfakes from Facebook, however. The company will allow content that is “parody or satire, or video that has been edited solely to omit or change the order of words” to remain on its platform, according to Bickert.
Facebook’s decision comes ahead of the 2020 U.S. election and days before Bickert is set to appear before Congress. Last May, Facebook’s critics called for the company to remove a doctored video of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi slurring her words; the company “downranked” the clip, curtailing how far it spread on users’ news feeds, but did not remove the video.
So far, political deepfakes haven’t been a major issue. But that could soon change in the years ahead, as it becomes more difficult to determine whether a video has been edited. Right now, most deepfakes still have something a bit off about them — the person’s cadence might be a bit clunky, or their movements are a little robotic.
Also Read: Facebook Has 'No Plans' to Fact-Check Its Political Ads
Siwei Lyu, head of the computer vision and machine learning lab at the University of Albany, warned in an interview with TheWrap last year there are a few “visual artifacts” viewers can use to spot deepfakes. The first hint? The video subjects “do not blink very much,” Lyu said. If the subject is consistently going 10 seconds or more without blinking, it’s likely a deepfake. Another hint is that the subjects in the video are rarely able to turn side to side. (Both are technological hangups stemming from the process of copying one person’s face onto someone else’s.)
Soon, though, those blemishes will be wiped away, as editing technology continues to improve. Once deepfakes make it through the “uncanny valley,” where their inauthenticity is unable to be detected just by watching the video, a new, more powerful brand of fake news could become widespread.
“You now have an emerging technology that has a much greater capacity for persuasion,” Robert Chesney, a law professor at the University of Texas, told TheWrap.
Hollywood has already seen the disturbing ways deepfakes can be used in recent years. A cottage industry has emerged where the faces of stars like Gal Gadot and Daisy Ridley are swapped onto porn. Some of these videos have racked up millions of views.
One bogus video falsely described as “leaked” footage of Scarlett Johansson has been viewed more than 1.5 million times on a popular porn site.
Johansson bleakly called it a futile battle. “Nothing can stop someone from cutting and pasting my image or anyone else’s onto a different body and making it look as eerily realistic as desired,” Johansson told The Washington Post in late 2018. “The fact is that trying to protect yourself from the Internet and its depravity is basically a lost cause.”
Related stories from TheWrap:
How Tech Giants Like Amazon and Facebook Became Wall Street Juggernauts in the Last Decade
12 Biggest Media and Tech Deals of the Decade, From Facebook-Instagram to Disney-Fox
Steve Pond's Blog
