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☆ Ava DuVernay's new movie 'Origin' opens on the night of Trayvon Martin's death — here's why
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Palmer Haasch | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ava DuVernay's new film "Origin" is loosely based on Isabel Wilkerson's nonfiction book "Caste." DuVernay told BI that she sought to "humanize" Martin in the film, and obtained his mother's blessing. AdvertisementAva DuVernay's newest film "Origin" is a movie that's as ambitious as its acclaimed source material. Before moving forward with any plans to depict Martin in the film, DuVernay contacted his mother, Sybrina Fulton, for consent. "By speaking to what was shown, you humanize him," she told BI.

Persons: Ava DuVernay's, Isabel Wilkerson's, DuVernay, Martin, —, Aunjanue Ellis, Taylor, Wilkerson, Martin wasn't, Sybrina Fulton, humanize Martin, Fulton Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Nazi Germany, India, Sanford , Florida, Los Angeles

☆ Niecy Nash-Betts doesn't regret turning down 'Girls Trip' because it helped Tiffany Haddish's career: 'Everybody can have a turn'
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Olivia Singh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Niecy Nash-Betts told Business Insider she turned down a role in the 2017 comedy "Girls Trip." "I don't regret turning anything down, I don't think," Nash-Betts told Business Insider's Libby Torres for the latest installment of our "Role Play" interview series. "But I did turn down, what was the one with all the girls that went to New Orleans? "I turned down 'Girls Trip,' and they ended up booking Tiffany Haddish and her career completely took off," she said. NetflixDespite turning down a part in "Girls Trip," Nash-Betts' career has been thriving.

Persons: Niecy Nash, Betts, Dina, Tiffany Haddish, Nash, —, Libby Torres, Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Dahmer, Jeffrey Dahmer, Guy, Raineesha Williams, Glenda Cleveland, Ryan Murphy's, Marion Wilkerson, Ava Duvernay's Organizations: Service, Regina, Netflix Locations: New Orleans, Louisiana, Hollywood, America

With a dearth of new releases in cinemas, Paramount Pictures' Tina Fey-scripted musical “Mean Girls” pushed its two-week total past $50 million, along with $16.2 million internationally. The top 10 films collectively accounted for just $51.3 million in box office, according to Comscore. The Jason Statham thriller “The Beekeeper,” from Amazon MGM Studios, remained in second place, grossing $8.5 million in its second weekend to bring its total to $31.1 million. Warner Bros. “Wonka,” six weeks into its smash run in theaters, was third, with $6.4 million in ticket sales. In its fourth week of release, the Blitz Bazawule-directed film starring Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson and Danielle Brooks, grossed just $720,000.

Persons: Oscar, Tina Fey, it's, Ariana DeBose, Jason Statham, “ Wonka, It's, Sydney Sweeney, Glen Powell, Bridget Jones's Baby, Ava DuVernay's “, Aunjanue Ellis, Taylor, Isabel Wilkerson, Yorgos, Emma Stone, Cord Jefferson's, ”, Jeffrey Wright, Jonathan Glazer’s, Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P, Henson, Danielle Brooks, Comscore, “ I.S.S Organizations: Paramount Pictures, U.S, Bleecker, Audiences, Hollywood, Amazon MGM Studios, Warner Bros, Sony Pictures, Searchlight, Globe Locations: Russia

☆ Ava DuVernay on her ‘rebellious and radical’ new film ‘Origin’ and the ‘caste system of Hollywood’
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Thomas Page | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

With “Origin,” her latest film, she was forced to dig in a little deeper. She built that film herself – it’s an absolutely Herculean effort.”Jon Bernthal and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor star as a married couple in Ava DuVernay's film "Origin." Atsushi Nishijima/NEON“Origin” began life at Netflix before DuVernay split and pivoted to independent financing (the film is distributed in the US by Neon). “Because we were making a film about this idea of caste, this system of hierarchy, (DuVernay) wanted to do away with that on set,” she said. The streamer had reportedly eyed a 2025 release, but the director wanted the film out well ahead of the 2024 US election.

Persons: CNN —, ‘, ‘ That’s, ” Ava DuVernay, Isabel Wilkerson, namechecked, Barack Obama, “ Selma, ”, DuVernay, Wilkerson, Niecy Nash, Betts, Marion, “, Jon Bernthal, Brett, Wilkerson’s, – it’s, ” Jon Bernthal, Aunjanue Ellis, Taylor, Ava DuVernay's, Atsushi Nishijima, ” DuVernay, Oscar, “ King Richard, that’s what’s, George Zimmerman, Trayvon Martin, Husband Brett, Ellis, ” Brett, Bernthal “, Nash, let’s, ” Bernthal, I’ve, it’s, undersells Organizations: CNN, Pulitzer, Netflix, DuVernay, Reich Locations: United States, India, Nazi Germany, Texas, Delhi, Germany

☆ Actors' strike stalks Venice film festival from start to end
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Crispian Balmer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Actors went on strike in July, joining writers who had walked off the job in May, to demand that streaming sites and film studios improve their contracts and impose curbs on the use of artificial intelligence. SOLIDARITYVenice's artistic director Alberto Barbera had predicted that the actors of just three of the 23 films in competition would not be able to come to the festival because of the strike. No official reason was given, but one festival insider said she believed it was out of solidarity. Without their actors, the directors did most of the talking and were regularly quizzed about the dispute. Some of the actors who did make it to the festival wore T-shirts promoting the strike, as did the president of the main jury, Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle.

Persons: Oscar, Jessica Chastain, Chastain, AFTRA, " Chastain, Alberto Barbera, Emma Stone, Michael Fassbender, Bradley Cooper, Maestro, Lea Seydoux, Penelope Cruz, Liam Neeson, Ava DuVernay's, I'm, Sofia Coppola, Priscilla, Wes Anderson, Henry Sugar, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dev Patel, Ben Kingsley, Damien Chazelle, it's, Hanna Rantala, Alison Williams Organizations: Hollywood, Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television, Radio Artists, Thomson Locations: Venice, VENICE, Hollywood

☆ Kevin Hart sold a $100 million stake in his media company to private equity firm Abry. Here are 10 more Hollywood production shops that are hot M&A targets.
▼ + stars: | 2022-05-19 | by ( Natalie Jarvey | Elaine Low | Madeline Berg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Abry Partners' $100 million stake in Kevin Hart's company HartBeat is the latest big M&A move in Hollywood. Dealmakers said production companies are valuable amid the streaming wars and demand for content. The M&A activity had top Hollywood dealmakers telling Insider in early 2022 that practically every independent production company is a target. Many production companies make work-for-hire or don't control the rights to a project once it is sold off to a studio distributor. Based on January interviews with five entertainment industry experts and insiders, Insider identified a list of 10 production companies that could be compelling acquisition targets as M&A activity continues.

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