Even Beverly Hills isn’t safe anymore. Los Angeles’ crime crisis is hitting everyone — from everyday residents to the rich and famous — and reality TV star Morgan Stewart says she’s learned that the hard way. Stewart pulled back the curtain on the string of burglaries that have targeted her home during Friday’s episode of … Read more
The Hollywood filmmaking community is in mourning, with the sudden loss of director Chuck Russell, who died on Wednesday at 74. The filmmaker died unexpectedly at his home in the San Diego area, his family told TMZ, which also reported that the local fire department responded to a call at his address. The Wednesday afternoon … Read more
While Hollywood films seem to be rebounding at the box office — with recent projections hinting that this could be the first domestic $10 billion year since 2019 — production in Los Angeles is still sagging. FilmLA released its new second quarter report on Thursday, revealing there was a 13% drop in film and TV … Read more
Netflix just dropped a ton of cash to scoop up Ben Affleck’s AI startup, but promised to keep human’s in the driver’s seat. The streaming giant paid a whopping $587 million to acquire InterPositive, in an effort to juice up visual effects while keeping big-shot directors on board. A regulatory filing ripped the lid off … Read more
California Gov. Gavin Newsom pushed in his final state budget a cap on business tax breaks in an effort to save money — but the film industry and some lawmakers are calling it a colossal screwup that would inadvertently kill jobs in the state’s struggling film industry. Around three dozen California lawmakers sent a letter … Read more
Welcome to Great Adaptations, the Book Review’s regular multiple-choice quiz about printed works that have gone on to find new life as movies, television shows, theatrical productions and more. With ancient Greek texts back in the cultural conversation — thanks to the new film based on Homer’s “Odyssey” — this week’s challenge highlights screen adaptations … Read more
Hollywood is secretly full throttle on Artificial Intelligence, creating a “new space race” to generate the first (mostly) AI blockbuster. The film industry is notoriously slow to adopt change. Some directors refuse to swap 35mm film for digital, others feel using CGI or blue screen “compromises their art.” Therefore, AI has officially been met with … Read more
Television City, a legendary studio lot in central Los Angeles, is expected to be sold over its owners debt in the latest sign of economic stress tearing through Hollywood. The lot’s owner, Hackman Capital Partners is struggling as production levels hit all-time lows. A group of Hackman’s lenders led by Deutsche Bank is owed more … Read more
The Hollywood Bowl is transforming into the whimsical world of director Wes Anderson this weekend. The tribute to the beloved filmmaker features a star-studded line-up as die-hard fans dressed as their favorite Anderson characters descended on the iconic venue. Fans came dressed at iconic characters from Wes Anderson’s movies for the opening night of his … Read more
After decades of supplying props to some of Hollywood’s most iconic films, including “Titanic,” “Forrest Gump” and “Oppenheimer,” History for Hire Prop House recently laid off employees and cut worker hours. “With so much production leaving the United States, it absolutely has affected my business a lot,” says History for Hire Co-Founder Pam Elyea. “I … Read more
An iconic San Francisco restaurant known for its castle-like facade and A-list customers will reopen in September after being closed down for about 18 years since 2008. The effort to open back up Julius’ Castle, first started by Italian American restaurateur Julius Roz in 1924, has faced a lot of bumps in the road since … Read more
Kirk Fox, a comedian and actor on “Parks and Recreation,” “Jury Duty” and “Reservation Dogs,” as well as a novelist with “Palmdale,” released in June, credits his Hollywood success to an unlikely source. Tennis. Kirk Fox as “Sewage Joe” on “Parks and Recreation.” “Tennis was the agent for my first 10 movies,” Fox proudly told … Read more
What is, “total dream job?” For the first time in eons, the legendary game show “Jeopardy!” is hiring a new clue writer. The ideal candidate should “demonstrate wit and clarity” — and must also be able to pass the show’s infamous contestant quiz, where topics range from U.S. geography to opera, science, and superhero sidekicks. … Read more
Could modern technology help solve the 2,600-year-old mystery of the Lost Ark of the Covenant? Archeologist Chris McKinny believes so, and unlike Indiana Jones, he’s not making it up as he goes along. “I’m not just grabbing a shovel and going to Jerusalem to dig for treasure,” he says. McKinny, an associate professor at the … Read more
“Dirty Jobs” host Mike Rowe claims Discovery cheated him out of millions by launching “Deadliest Catch” spinoffs without using him as the narrator, according to a new lawsuit. Rowe, who started to narrate “Deadliest Catch” episodes back in 2005, filed a lawsuit against Discovery Talent Services (DTS) Tuesday claiming the network failed to pay him … Read more
An actress from a prominent Hollywood family claims she has spent more than two years trying to reunite with her beloved cat, Sheila — even offering the shelter caring for him $50,000 for his return. Katharine Towne, 47, the daughter of Oscar-winning screenwriter of Chinatown Robert Towne and Hitchcock actress Julie Payne, claims she entrusted … Read more
movie review MINIONS & MONSTERS Running time: 89 minutes. Rated PG (violence, action, language and rude/macabre humor). In theaters. One of the best odes to Old Hollywood in a long time comes courtesy of … the Minions? Yes, somehow the funny yellow Tic Tacs, who heretofore clumsily served supervillains, are leading a smart and detailed tribute to Georges … Read more
A celebrity endorsement can sell a movie, cosmetics and, sometimes, a bogus health claim. When stars share personal health experiences or opinions, those messages can reach millions of people and spark real-world behavior change. A 2018 study found that an op-ed penned by Angelina Jolie about her BRCA testing and preventative mastectomy led to a … Read more
The father of “Lilo & Stitch” star Daveigh Chase was not surprised to hear his daughter died of AIDS, telling The California Post the diagnosis was expected considering the reckless life she lived as an addict on LA’s skid row for more than a decade. Chase, a former child actress known for her prominent roles … Read more
Did we stutter? “The Office” star Leslie David Baker, best know for his portrayal of the perennially disgruntled and witty Stanley Hudson in the NBC sitcom, has opened a new Honey Baked Ham location in the San Fernando Valley. The Sherman Oaks location — jointly owned and operated by Baker and Tony Vennie, both residents … Read more