WGA, SAG-AFTRA File Grievance Against NBCU; Inside Peace Efforts Amid Strikes; 'Barbie' Review; Olyphant Talks 'Justified' Return

[View on web]( [New reader? Subscribe]( July 19, 2023 What's news: Mandy Moore says she received a This Is Us streaming residual check for a single penny. A Rebel Wilson comedy is among the titles approved to continue production during the actors strike. Country singer Jason Aldean responds after CMT pulls his controversial music video. One Hollywood notable says Oppenheimer is the "most important film of the century." — [Ryan Gajewski]( Do you have THR's next big story? Confidentially share tips with us at [tips@thr.com](. WGA, SAG-AFTRA File Labor Grievance Against NBCUniversal ►"We support the unions' rights to demonstrate safely." THR's [Gary Baum]( has the scoop on the Writers Guild, now 11 weeks into its strike against the AMPTP over stalled contract negotiations, filing a grievance with the National Labor Relations Board against NBCUniversal. The union claims the corporation is infringing its freedom to picket — and endangering its members — by obstructing the public sidewalk immediately abutting the studio during an ongoing construction project. SAG-AFTRA filed a mirrored action with the agency as well. In a response, NBCU said it is working to increase access. [The story.]( —Indie projects can apply for waivers from SAG-AFTRA to continue production. Hollywood’s historic double strike has shut down the vast majority of productions across the country — but not all of them. On Tuesday, SAG-AFTRA approved certain productions that aren't affiliated with any of the struck studios or streamers to keep filming. The list includes David Lowery's Mother Mary and Rebel Wilson comedy Bride Hard. [The story.]( —"Received a residual for a penny and two pennies." This Is Us star Mandy Moore was among the hundreds of actors who took to the picket lines as part of the SAG-AFTRA strike against Hollywood's streamers and studios over core issues like streaming residuals. The Emmy-nominated actress spent six seasons starring as the matriarch on the Disney-produced NBC drama This Is Us and tells THR's [Lesley Goldberg]( that she has received checks ranging from a penny to 81 cents in return for the hit show's streaming deal with Hulu. [The story.]( —"I have been accused of releasing a pro-lynching song." Jason Aldean is defending his new controversial song and music video that was pulled by CMT, calling claims made against the track "not only meritless, but dangerous." After the country singer released "Try That in a Small Town" in May and its accompanying music video on Friday, it was criticized for promoting gun violence and taking aim at the Black Lives Matter movement. [The story.]( The Behind-the-Scenes Players Seeking a Path to Hollywood Peace ►"The existential, real threat is TikTok." THR's [Kim Masters]( examines whether the Hollywood breach can be mended, given that everyone is mad at everyone during the dual strikes. Amid growing fears of a lengthy standoff between talent unions and studios, a handful of seasoned negotiators — including federal mediators Javier Ramirez and Jimmy Valentine and power agents Ari Emanuel and Bryan Lourd — are working in the shadows to find a way forward. [The story.]( —"We're all fighting for full Equity projects." THR's [Alex Ritman]( talks to insiders who explain why the U.K. won't experience any sympathy strikes in support of the SAG-AFTRA action. Thanks to "draconian" trade union legislation that is considered among the most restrictive in the Western world, industrial action is limited in the U.K. and prevents local union Equity from calling a "secondary strike." [The story.]( Film Review: 'Barbie' ►"Clever send-up of Barbie dolls and their fraught legacy." THR chief film critic [David Rooney]( reviews Greta Gerwig's feature Barbie. Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling star in the fantasy adventure inspired by the popular Mattel toy. [The review.]( —💅 Not to be outdone … 💣 The official review embargo for Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer hadn't yet lifted, but writer-director Paul Schrader offered strong words about the World War II science epic. Writing on Facebook, the screenwriter behind Taxi Driver and Raging Bull gushed about Oppenheimer: "The best, most important film of this century." [The story.]( —Barbenheimer to rescue the box office. Barbie and Oppenheimer should deliver some much-needed good news for Hollywood this weekend. THR's [Pamela McClintock]( reports that Greta Gerwig's Barbie — the long-gestating movie about the world's most iconic fashion doll — is tracking to open to as much as $90 million to $110 million domestically, a huge sum for a female-skewing event movie. Meanwhile, the latest numbers suggest that Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer won't be a dud, either. [The story.]( Timothy Olyphant Talks Bringing Back 'Justified' ►"It's a totally different world, and yet, it's still the same show." For THR, [Josh Wigler]( interviews Timothy Olyphant about returning as Raylan Givens in FX's sequel series Justified: City Primeval. In the conversation conducted prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike, Olyphant discusses exploring the newest member of Raylan's sprawling rogues gallery, in addition to his own relationship with parenthood. [The interview.]( —"I kind of Forrest Gump-ed my way into it." THR's [Kirsten Chuba]( interviews Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken voice actor Jaboukie Young-White about his side career as a rapper. The Daily Show alum chats about dropping his debut album, All Who Can't Hear Must Feel, this summer via Interscope Records. [The interview.]( —"A chance to celebrate the comic book origins of these characters." In a year in which panels are getting canceled left and right at San Diego Comic-Con, one regular feature is moving forward: Rob Liefeld's Deadpool sketch scavenger hunt. THR's [Aaron Couch]( speaks with the comic book creator, who has crafted four Deadpool/Wolverine-themed sketches and will be hiding one sketch per day, offering clues via social media of where to find them around San Diego. [The story.]( 'Vanderpump Rules' Boss Talks Post-Scandoval Filming ►"I felt like a complete moron." THR's [Mikey O'Connell]( speaks with Vanderpump Rules showrunner Alex Baskin about the Bravo series' wild ride following the controversy known as Scandoval. Baskin chats about returning castmembers, contracts and the perks of a long drought between episodes. [The interview.]( In other news... —Las Vegas police serve [search warrant in Tupac Shakur killing investigation]( —Gigi Hadid [arrested for marijuana possession in Cayman Islands]( —HBO dismissed from class action lawsuit over [sharing subscribers' viewing history with Facebook]( —Kumail Nanjiani brings anxious [dad voice to Migration trailer]( What else we're reading... —Kate Woodsome questions whether Threads is any less toxic than Twitter [[WaPo]( —Ahead of Barbenheimer, Charles Bramesco recalls similar face-offs, including competing albums from Kanye West and 50 Cent in 2007, along with 1984's Ghostbusters vs. Gremlins showdown [[Guardian]( —As seminal video game Doom nears its 30th anniversary, Nick Schager talks to designer John Romero about how it ushered in a new era [[Daily Beast]( —Gabriella Paiella chats with Benny Safdie about the misconduct allegations against him and why he and his brother have taken a break from working together [[GQ]( —As the Women's World Cup approaches, ESPN ranks the tournament's top 25 players, with USA's Sophia Smith coming in at No. 3 [[ESPN]( Today... …in 2013, Warner Bros. unleashed James Wan's supernatural thriller The Conjuring. The flick went on to collect more than $300 million worldwide and spawned a 2016 sequel. [The original review.]( Today's birthdays: Benedict Cumberbatch (47), Jared Padalecki (41), Vinessa Shaw (47), Anthony Edwards (61), Kaitlin Doubleday (39), Mark Proksch (45), Campbell Scott (62), Mark Webber (43), Chris Sullivan (43), Cherami Leigh (35), Ryan Dorsey (40), Nancy Carell (57), Brian May (76) In the July 17 newsletter, Brett Goldstein's age was incorrect. He turned 43 on July 17. This email was sent to {EMAIL} by The Hollywood Reporter. Please add email@email.hollywoodreporter.com to your address book to ensure delivery to your inbox. Visit the [Preferences Center]( to update your profile and customize what email alerts and newsletters you receive. Copyright © 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media, LLC. 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