-In her new Variety cover story, Mindy Kaling talks about her first movie, Late Night, which debuts at Sundance and stars Emma Thompson as a Letterman-esque talk show host who attempts to address diversity concerns by hiring her first female staff writer. Kaling is also the showrunner for the Hulu miniseries adaptation of Four Weddings and a Funeral, is working on a Netflix show that centers on an Indian teenager, is penning a “slim memoir,” and is raising her daughter. I got tired just reading the interview.
-In yesterday’s post, I said that if a Bryan Singer exposé was going to come out, now would be the time since Bohemian Rhapsody did so well in the Oscar noms. Today, The Atlantic published the big Bryan Singer investigation that Esquire was originally doing months ago. The report took 12 months and writers Maximillian Potter and Alex French spoke to more than 50 people, including four men that are newly accusing the Bohemian Rhapsody director of sexual misconduct and underage sex. It’ll be interesting to see what (if any) fallout comes from this, both with Singer’s career (he’s signed on to direct the adaption of Red Sonja), and BR’s Oscar race.
–This bit right here illuminates why it took so long for the Singer (and Weinstein and Spacey etc.) allegations to go mainstream: “He was abetted, in a less direct way, by an industry in which a record of producing hits confers immense power: Many of the sources we interviewed insisted, out of fear of damaging their own career, that we withhold their name, even as they expressed dismay at the behavior they’d witnessed.” A lot of people in Hollywood must be dealing with a heavy conscious right now. It’s also why Rami Malek‘s comments yesterday about not knowing about the allegations are so frustrating. Even if — IF — he managed to make it all the way through his Mr Robot days without hearing Hollywood’s worst kept secret, the second Singer became attached to the project, someone in his life (agent, publicists, friend) must have mentioned it.
-Potter and French said their story was intended for publication in Esquire magazine but was “killed” by Hearst executives for unknown reasons. Also, the story is reminding a lot of people about this article on how Hollywood failed Apt Pupil star Brad Renfro.
-Meanwhile, Singer has commented on The Atlantic’s exposé, which he calls a “homophobic smear piece” (but he doesn’t actually deny anything). He’s taking a page out of Kevin Spacey‘s handbook and conflating being gay with performing abuse. (Remember when Spacey used being closeted as a privacy shield and responded to the allegations that he came onto a 14-year-old by coming out?)
-I have yet to see Bohemian Rhapsody (and have even less desire to now) but if this wonky edit made it into the final cut, that’s hilarious.
-It looks like Justin and Hailey Bieber are postponing their wedding celebration.
–Jonah Hill trying to transition into a serious photographer is very on brand.
-The Suits cast is going to hang up their suits soon. The show has been renewed for a ninth and final 10-episode season.
-Spice Girls superfan Emma Stone recreated the “Stop” dance with Haim for her Omaze campaign.
–Gina Rodriguez cried over accusations that she hasn’t been supportive of black women. I’m…not sure this was the best way to go.
–Harvey Weinstein was denied his bid to pause the class action lawsuit against him.
-I love that Courteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow still hang out.
–Meek Mill has teamed with Jay Z to launch a justice reform organization.
-We have an update on the Game of Thrones’ runtime: the six-episode final season will kick off with two hour-long episodes, followed by four 80-minute installments, according to an HBO affliliate.
-This is an interesting thread by Boots Riley about his decision to not campaign for Sorry to Bother You (a movie I’m still not sure I fully understood, but stayed with me wayyyyy longer than, say, Green Book).
-Speaking of good Twitter threads, I adore ones in which people tell stories about meeting celebrities who turn out to be great.
-Wait, is that Shania Twain playing John Travolta‘s wife in the Trading Paint trailer?!?
-Here’s the red-band trailer for Harmony Korine‘s latest film, The Beach Bum, starring Matthew McConaughey, Zac Efron, Jonah Hill, Martin Lawrence, Isla Fisher and Snoop Dogg.
