Oscars Revolt; Smollett "Pissed Off"; TCA Takeaways; 'Breaking Bad' Movie; TV Power Rankings

What's news: The Academy's officers and high-profile filmmakers continue to battle over the live Oscars broadcast changes. Plus: Takeaways from TCA's winter tour, Jussie Smollett speaks to GMA and RBG's son reflects on his parents' marriage. — Will Robinson [The Hollywood Reporter - Today In Entertainment]( February 14, 2019 What's news: The Academy's officers and high-profile filmmakers continue to battle over the live Oscars broadcast changes. Plus: Takeaways from TCA's winter tour, Jussie Smollett speaks to GMA and RBG's son reflects on his parents' marriage. — Will Robinson ^The Academy's divide: The decision this year to present four awards during commercial breaks has drawn widespread criticism, forcing competing open letters, Gregg Kilday reports: + Taking umbrage: A long list of prominent filmmakers, including Oscar nominees and winners like Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino and Spike Lee, and those from branches including cinematographers, editors and production designers, are calling for the decision to not air four awards live be reversed. + The main gripe: "Relegating these essential cinematic crafts to lesser status in this 91st Academy Awards ceremony is nothing less than an insult to those of us who have devoted our lives and passions to our chosen profession. "When the recognition of those responsible for the creation of outstanding cinema is being diminished by the very institution whose purpose it is to protect it, then we are no longer upholding the spirit of the Academy’s promise to celebrate film as a collaborative art form." [Read the letter.]( * IATSE leader demands Oscars reverse course: "It is an insult to the hardworking women and men of all below-the-line crafts [to push]( these nominees and winners out of the spotlight," the group's president Matthew D. Loeb said. + The Academy responds: They emphasized that while the awards will be given out during the breaks, the winners' speeches will air later in the broadcast. And they also added that in future years, the categories that are presented during the breaks will rotate, presumably so that no one category will be stigmatized. Rather, the letter from Academy officers, led by president John Bailey, restated how the awards would be presented in the four affected categories. And it blamed the growing negative reaction to the plan to "inaccurate reporting and social media posts ... a chain of misinformation that has understandably upset many Academy members." [The Academy's response.]( TCA Takeaways It's a wrap: Fifteen days and nearly as many panels, castings, series pickups, cancellations and pilot orders as there are Netflix originals (or at least it feels that way), the Television Critics Association's winter press tour is officially in the books. Lesley Goldberg notes the most interesting items: + Amazon's scope: Jennifer Salke ended press tour by [revealing plans]( to take Amazon global (but didn't come armed with new details about Lord of the Rings). Salke instead announced more than 20 new global originals and [shared]( that the Russo brothers' English-language spy thriller will expand what she hopes will become — you guessed it! — a global franchise, complete with other local-language offshoots. * Other Amazon news: The Palladinos [sign]( a new overall deal... Jack Ryan earns season three renewal... Jill Soloway [teases]( Transparent finale. + Exec attendance: CBS' Kelly Kahl doesn't mind hanging out at TCA in the winter — even when there's no exec session (and all the panels are stale). But hey, at least he was there! NBC's new execs — who started a month before ABC's Karey Burke and two ahead of Fox's Charlie Collier — couldn't be bothered to make the drive from Universal City to Pasadena. [13 takeaways.]( -> Broadcast TV Scorecard: Goldberg tracks which shows are slated to return, have been canceled or are ending their run this year. [Bookmark.]( Elsewhere in TV... ► Jussie Smollett is "pissed off" after brutal attack. The Empire star spoke with Good Morning America anchor Robin Roberts in his first televised interview since he was assaulted in what Chicago police have called a possible hate crime. "At first it was the thing of like, listen, if I tell the truth then that's because it's the truth. Then it became a thing of, like, how can you doubt that? How can you not believe that?" [Interview.]( ► Univision swings to quarterly loss amid Dish dispute, higher expenses. The Spanish-language media giant [reported]( lower revenue, but CEO Vince Sadusky lauds a recent "ratings resurgence," fueled by "a more diversified, modernized programming lineup." ► Netflix, Queer Eye unveils season three plans. Pop star Carly Rae Jepsen has lent her voice to the latest season of the hit reboot, which returns March 15. [Teaser.]( ► HBO sets J.J. Abrams, The Other Two creator's sci-fi comedy. They Both Die at the End will be penned by Chris Kelly. The project, which is [in development](, is based on the book of the same name by Adam Silvera. ► Nickelodeon nearing Star Trek kids-focused animated series deal. The Viacom-owned cable network [is in talks]( for kids-focused animated series from Alex Kurtzman. ► Fox News rejects national ad for Oscar-nominated anti-Nazi doc. The spot doubles as a promotion of this year's Oscar-nominated documentary short A Night at the Garden, which [recounts]( a 1939 Nazi rally in New York City, and a warning — "It Can Happen Here" — to Sean Hannity's largely conservative viewers about the potential dangers of President Donald Trump's brand of populism. ► Fox nabs Jason Katims family drama pilot. The untitled drama is based on Endemol's Australian series Sisters, and [will reteam]( the About a Boy creator with writer Annie Weisman. ► USA Network order series for Brave New World. David Wiener has [boarded]( the straight-to-series 10-episode drama as showrunner. ► MTV U.K. bringing back Cribs. Kelly Bradshaw, vp, MTV U.K., [lauds]( the show as a "cult hit" and picks it as the latest iconic property to return to the Viacom brand. Casting call... ► Grey's Anatomy enlists Amy Acker for key role. The star of Fox's The Gifted [will play]( the fourth Shepherd sister on the ABC medical drama. ► CBS' FBI spinoff adds Kellan Lutz. The What Men Want actor will play an agent in FBI: Most Wanted, a [planted spinoff]( of the first-year drama. ► CBS All Access taps Ginnifer Goodwin for dark dramedy. In her first series regular role since Once Upon a Time wrapped, the actress [will join]( Lucy Liu in Marc Cherry's Why Women Kill. ► Syfy slasher-movie satire pilot sets cast. Emily Alyn Lind will topline (Future) Cult Classic, about a group of teens hunting a serial killer [obsessed]( with horror films. ^Tim Goodman's TV Power Rankings: THR's chief TV critic refreshes his rankings of the best dramas on the small screen, with series newly debuting and recently ending alike: 1. Amazon's Patriot: It's a beautiful, existential thing. It might not be for everybody and the title doesn't help (just substitute "Sad Spies" and that should help, though not in the search function). Creator, writer and director Steven Conrad has crafted a truly funny, moody, action-packed, plot-heavy bit of joy that subverts so many styles (and assumptions) on its way to originality. 5. Netflix's Black Earth Rising: Hugo Blick is quickly becoming the master at Big-Picture, ultra-twisty mysteries, often with global impact (if you watched The Honorable Woman, you know what I mean) — and he doesn't disappoint again here with Black Earth Rising, which revolves around some serious, deeply buried secrets about the Rwandan genocide. [Full list.]( Digital digest... ► Apple invites talent to help unveil video service in March. Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Garner and J.J. Abrams have [all been invited]( for the tech giant's news event. ► BuzzFeed staffers vote to unionize. Follow recent layoffs, "an overwhelming majority of workers were in favor of the decision to join NewsGuild, the labor union that’s part of the Communications Workers of America," Gerry Smith and Janet Paskin report. [[Bloomberg](] ► PopSugar can't dodge influencer's class action lawsuit. Fashion blogger Nita Mann [claims]( the site reposted influencers' photos without permission to cash in on their social media following. ► Europe's new copyright rules would force YouTube, Facebook to block protected content. Supporters of the Copyright Directive claim it [will force]( internet giants like Google's YouTube and Facebook to share online revenues, while opponents fear censorship. The Masked Singer returns... ► Week 7's eliminated celebrity speaks. The unmasked celebrity talks exclusively with Jean Bentley about the song-selection process, whose identity they've guessed correctly and whether they'd do it again. [Spoilers.]( ► Who could the remaining singers be? Bentley parses through the judges' guesses and the factoids shared to prognosticate who the remaining five celebs are. [Recap.]( Ratings notes... ► This Is Us slides to series low. The NBC drama [scored]( a 1.7 rating in the 18-49 demo after two weeks off, 0.1 below its previous low in November. Lead-out New Amsterdam held steady with a 1.0, and Ellen's Game of Games (1.5) improved a little on last week, giving NBC a sweep of the demo in primetime. AMC, Netflix to will air Breaking Bad sequel movie. Aaron Paul will star. Netflix will have it first in a move that [flips the script]( on how the original series was released on AMC and then sold to the streaming giant. [Possible plot?]( Enjoy reading this? Six days a week, look for Today in Entertainment in your inbox to stay up-to-date on the industry. Sign up for this newsletter (and others) at [THR.com/Newsletters](. Hollywood & Art Collide Symbiotic relationship: Artists, patrons, producers and curators (and a few skeptics) discuss how the two creative universes of Los Angeles feed each other and explore the backstory of L.A.'s booming art scene, Alison Brower and Laura van Straaten report: + Why to buy: "If I find something beautiful, that moves me, that's what I [buy]. It's what I love," says Endeavor CEO Ari Emmanuel. "But as much as the art world would like it to be just about the art, a lot of [collectors] want to make sure their collection is valuable and recognized and it represents who they are, and I think that's natural, that's OK." + The city's seminal work: "The synergy between Chris Burden's Urban Light, the selfie, and Instagram really anchored L.A. in the flood of art-going imagery that's become pervasive in an age of social media," artist Alex Israel says. "That work — accessible, beautiful and right in front of LACMA on Wilshire Blvd. in the heart of the city — [went viral], and it probably has to do with the fact that L.A. is and always has been a car culture built on roads and freeways, and a city of stars and lights." [More from Eli Broad, Bob Gersh]( -> A former TV exec's free Felix art fair occupies the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel: Ex-UPN CEO and collector Dean Valentine wanted to [create]( a cozy, rambling event with a discovery around every corner of the storied location: "It's like on The Voice, the surprise of when the red chair turns around — that's what makes that show a hit." -> What your business manager really thinks about your art collection: "I'm not going to tell them they can't buy a piece of art. I'm just going to tell them [what they can afford](," one tells Ashley Cullins. "Like the car they drive or the house they buy, it's in the eye of the beholder." Around town... ► Legendary photographer Annie Leibovitz looks back with L.A. show of early work. Her new exhibition at Hauser & Wirth in downtown Los Angeles includes shots of John Lennon, the Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, Meryl Streep and the photographer's late partner, Susan Sontag. [Details.]( Elsewhere in film... ► Paramount shakes up marketing department. David Sameth has been with the studio for just over a year and is on the out as president of worldwide marketing. Marc Weinstock, his replacement, most recently served as president at Annapurna. [Details.]( ► Pre-royal Meghan Markle comedy picked up for North America. The Boys and Girls Guide to Getting Down, Paul Sapiano's tongue-in-cheek look at 20-something singles clubbing and partying in L.A. and featuring a pre-royal Duchess of Sussex, has been [picked up]( by Artist Rights Distribution. ► Magnolia takes Sundance doc Mike Wallace Is Here. Director Avi Belkin [received access]( to the CBS archives and never-before-seen raw footage of Wallace’s famed interviews. ► Sony launches branded premium large format theater system. A competitor to Imax and Dolby Cinema, the first Sony Digital Cinema theater [will open]( at Galaxy Theatres in Las Vegas this spring. Casting call... ► Chris Pratt in talks for sci-fi film Ghost Draft from Lego Batman director. Skydance is behind the film, which will be directed by Chris McKay. The pic is [aiming]( for a summer start date. ► Josh Brolin joins Timothee Chalamet in all-star Dune. If a [deal makes](, Brolin will play Gurney Halleck, a troubadour-swordsman loyal to the family who is instrumental in the wakening of Atreides’ cosmic powers which will start a revolution. Music's latest #MeToo... -> "Ryan Adams Dangled Success. Women Say They Paid a Price." Joe Coscarelli and Melena Ryzik report on Adams' alleged history of sexual misconduct, which he denies — ex-wife Mandy Moore: "What you experience with him — the treatment, the destructive, manic sort of back and forth behavior — feels so exclusive. You feel like there’s no way other people have been treated like this." [[The New York Times](] [Quoted:]( "I am not a perfect man and I have made many mistakes. To anyone I have ever hurt, however unintentionally, I apologize deeply and unreservedly." — Ryan Adams, after the Times' article was published. ^Skip the carpet: It may not matter that much which designer a star chooses to wear at an awards show. A majority of Americans don’t watch red carpet coverage, according to a new THR/Morning Consult poll, Lindsay Weinberg details: + Blind spot: About 44 percent “never” watch red carpet coverage before the award show starts and an additional 25 percent “rarely” watch. Only 6 percent often or always tune in to the fashion. For example, about 60 percent of respondents had heard “nothing at all” about the Fiji Water Girl who photobombed the Golden Globes red carpet. + Interest divide: 34 percent of Americans are strongly or somewhat interested in what women wear on the carpet, compared with 19 percent for menswear, according to the poll. “Traditionally, women have a lot more freedom when it comes to design and color, while men’s formal suiting hasn’t changed much in the last 100 years,” stylist Lulu Bernard says. [Full results.]( On the festival circuit... ► Tribeca to open with world premiere of Apollo Theater doc. The Roger Ross Williams-directed film, which will air later in the year on HBO, [will screen]( at the historic Harlem venue. For your consideration... ► Black Panther tops NAACP Image Awards film noms. Other top projects nominated across film and TV include If Beale Street Could Talk and Black-ish with nine nominations each, Insecure and Seven Seconds with eight each and BlacKkKlansman with seven. [Nominees.]( Musical notes... ► L.A., NYC radio stations keep R. Kelly off airwaves. Local stations and media conglomerates alike have [stopped playing]( the "Ignition" singer amid renewed backlash over accusations of sexual and emotional abuse. ► ICM Partners drops Celine Dion as client for not paying commission. According to an internal memo, ICM will [no longer]( be representing the singer and will be initiating legal proceedings in order to receive that compensation. Happy Valentine's Day... Modern love: To mark Valentine's Day, James Ginsburg, the son of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, looks back at his mother and his father Martin, a tax attorney, and how they forged "an equal partnership" that defied the conventions of their times: "As lucrative and rewarding as his work was, Dad always saw Mom's [as more important](." Console wars... ► God of War leads 2019 D.I.C.E. Awards. The Sony Santa Monica title earned nine wins, including game of the year and game direction. [Full winners list.]( Coming attractions... ► Trailer: Yesterday explores what would happen if only one man remembered the Beatles. Lily James, Himesh Patel and Kate McKinnon star in the comedy, in which a man wakes up after an accident and seems to be the only person who knows any Beatles songs. [Watch.]( ► Trailer: Octavia Spencer's Ma brings the scares. The Blumhouse film centers on a group of teens who accept a woman's offer to drink in her basement. [Watch.]( ► Trailer: Five Feet Apart shows more of Cole Sprouse, Haley Lu Richardson's health woes. The romance film about two teens with cystic fibrosis also stars Moises Arias, Kimberly Hebert Gregory, Parminder Nagra, Claire Forlani, Emily Baldoni, Elena Satine, Gary Weeks and Sophia Bernard. [Watch.]( How it feels to be "stalked" by National Enquirer for years. Writer Rielle Hunter, who once had an affair with politician John Edwards and became a target of the tabloid, says Jeff Bezos’ willingness to fight back may be a game-changer: "[He has shifted the paradigm](." Black Women & #MeToo Addressing the truth: A history of false accusations against black men drives many to question credible abuse accusations against figures like R.  Kelly and Justin  Fairfax, but "if we keep putting violence against women on the back burner, our community will never heal," TV writer Keli Goff argues: + Racial difference: None of my white female friends worried that projects that matter to all women would cease to exist if Harvey Weinstein's or Les Moonves' career imploded. For black Americans, there is endless agonizing over how the success or failure of one person who looks like us may ultimately affect us all. While #MeToo has created a global sisterhood, it has also highlighted this disconnect between women of different races. + No easy circumstances: Some black women feel caught in an impossible position, as mothers, sisters or wives of men who have historically been targeted in a way other men have not. Yet historically, black women have been targeted in ways other women have not, from female slaves who were regularly raped by their masters, to the first public faces of sexual harassment. [Full column.]( What else we're reading... — "The Uphill Battles of Black Talent Agents in Hollywood." Cara Buckley reports: "A lot of people of color in the assistants’ pools are first-generation college students. When they go back and tell their parents, 'I don’t want to be a doctor or engineer, I want to push a mail cart,' the families are like, 'What?'" [[The New York Times](] — "How the Brutal L.A. Weekly Takeover Produced The LAnd." Katie Kilkenny reports: "How do I take that old sense of liberation and freedom [from the Weekly] and apply it in the modern era, where you're not just having young, white, angry writers?" [[THR](] — "The Long Shadow of the True-Crime TV Movie." Kenny Herzog writes: "But by the turn of the ’90s, cable television had become commonplace, and Court TV, CNN, and their kin could cover titillating criminality with unprecedented persistence. ... If development executives were to stay relevant, they’d need a crime so captivating that no round-the-clock news cycle could contain it." [[The Ringer](] — "Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Crackpot Theories’ on How Moviegoing Has Changed." David Sims chats with the director: "I ran into the problem that all platforms are having, which is that the big chains don’t want to engage with this. ... What I don’t understand is why everyone in this business thinks there is one template." [[The Atlantic](] — "How the 60-Year-Old Country Song ‘Big Iron’ Became an Enduring Meme." Brian Feldman explains: "[The song's trajectory] shows the internet’s unceasing interest in nostalgia. And it proves that some things are timeless, whether that thing is Marty Robbins’s sultry vocals or the innate comedy of a beagle wearing a cowboy hat." [[Intelligencer](] What else we're watching... + "Steve Martin, Martin Short 'surprise' Jimmy with anniversary montage." [[Tonight Show](] + "Trevor Noah is stealing 'executive time' from Trump." [[Late Show](] + "Jennifer Lopez remembers first Valentine's Day with A-Rod." [[Jimmy Kimmel](] + "Nick Kroll went through a serious jazz phase." [[Late Late Show](] From the archives... + Today in 2005: Jawed Karim, Steve Chen and Chad Hurley created their experimental video sharing service, YouTube. Less than two years later, Google bought the company for $1.65 billion, transforming it into the leading video sharing platform: "Almost single-handedly, YouTube has both popularized the sharing of videos and empowered would-be movie makers around the world." [[The New York Times](] Today's birthdays: Freddie Highmore, 27, Brett Dier, 29, Danai Gurira, 41, Simon Pegg, 49, Jules Asner 51, Teller, 70, Steve Tisch, 70. Follow The News Is this email not displaying correctly? [View it in your browser.]( ©2019 The Hollywood Reporter. 5700 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036 All rights reserved. [Unsubscribe]( | [Manage Preferences]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Terms of Use]( February 14, 2019