Anya Taylor-Joy in Talks to Star in the Dark Comedy “The Menu”

Anya Taylor-Joy is perusing the menu…

Following her award-winning role on Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambitthe 25-year-old Argentine-British actress is in talks to star in Searchlight’s dark comedy The Menu.

Anya Taylor-Joy

Taylor-Joy would star opposite Ralph Fiennes. Mark Mylod, who has played a major part in the success of HBO’s Succession, will direct.

The film is a darkly comedic psychological thriller set in the world of eccentric culinary culture, centering on a young couple who visit an exclusive restaurant on a remote island where an acclaimed chef has prepared a lavish tasting menu. Taylor-Joy will play one half of the couple. Fiennes is playing the chef.

Will Tracy and Seth Reiss penned the script.

After her breakout role in Robert Eggers’ The WitchTaylor-Joy has been rising through the ranks and was handpicked to star in the M. Night Shyamalan thriller Split and its sequel Glass

She became one of the big winners of 2021 when her Netflix limited series Queen’s Gambit, about a chess prodigy in the 1960s, became one of the streamers biggest hits of 2020. She was also recently seen in the Focus Features film Emma

She has a busy 2021 ahead of her with starring roles in the Viking drama The Northman, the untitled David O. Russell film and Edgar Wright’s Last Night In SohoShe was also tapped to star in the Mad Max spinoff Furiosa in the title role.

Zoe Saldana to Star in David O. Russell’s Untitled New Regency Film

Zoe Saldana has lined up her next film project…

The 42-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American actress has joined the ensemble cast of David O. Russell’s untitled New Regency film.

Zoë Saldaña

Saldana will star opposite Rami Malek, Christian Bale, Margot Robbie and John David Washington in the film.

The production, based on an original idea from Russell, is currently underway. Plot details are being kept under wraps.

Saldana will next be seen reprising her role of Neytiri in the upcoming second installment in the Avatar franchise. She’s also returning as Gamora in Disney/Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and recently joined Jennifer Garner and Ryan Reynolds in The Adam Project for Netflix and Skydance.

Ramirez to Star Opposite Matthew McConaughey in the Mining Drama “Gold”

Edgar Ramirez is ready to mine his own business…

The 37-year-old Venezuelan actor, who starred in Zero Dark Thirty, will star opposite Matthew McConaughey in Black Bear Pictures’ upcoming mining drama Gold.

Edgar Ramirez

In the Stephen Gaghan-helmed project, Ramirez will portray geologist Michael Acosta opposite the Oscar winner’s role of prospector Walsh.

Written by Patrick Massett and John Zinman and based on the true story about the 1993 Bre-X Mineral Corporation mining scandal, the film revolves around the unlikely pair traveling to the Indonesian jungle in search of the highly valued soft metal of the title.

Production begins in June with filming in New York, New Mexico and Thailand.

Best known for playing 1970s terrorist Ilich Ramírez Sánchez in the 2010 miniseries Carlos, a role that earned him the César Award for Most Promising Actor, Ramirez’s more recent credits include David O. Russell’s Joy opposite Jennifer Lawrence and the Alcon reboot of Point Break, both of which are set for Christmas Day releases this year. Additionally, the actor stars as boxer Roberto Duran in the biopic Hands of Stone opposite Robert DeNiro. Hands of Stone is scheduled to hit the big screen in October.

González Iñárritu to Receive Director of the Year Award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival

Alejandro González Iñárritu may have a little extra spring in his step after his latest award… 

The 51-year-old Mexican film director will receive this year’s Director of the Year Award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival‘s 26th annual Awards Gala on January 3.

Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Birdman

Inarritu, who has said that Birdman is a semi-autobiographical project, has already received Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice nominations for his co-writing and direction of the project.

He previously received PSIFF‘s Director of the Year Award in 2007 for his work on Babel (2006).

Other previous recipients of the PSIFF prize include Steve McQueen for 12 Years a Slave (2013), Robert Zemeckis for Flight (2012), Stephen Daldry for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2011), David O. Russell for The Fighter (2010), Jason Reitman for Up in the Air (2009), Sean Penn for Into the Wild (2007) and Alexander Payne for Sideways (2004).

“By creating the illusion that the film was shot in one take and directing award-worthy performances by Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, Emma Stone and a star-studded cast, Inarritu,” PSIFF chairman Harold Matzner said in a statement. “Inarritu has created a brilliant and original dark comedy.”

The film festival will run January 2-12.

Ramirez In Talks to Star Opposite Jennifer Lawrence in David O. Russell’s “Joy”

It could be a joyous occasion for Édgar Ramírez

The 37-year-old Venezuelan actor is in final talks to play the husband of Jennifer Lawrence’s character in Joy, director David O. Russell’s take on Miracle Mop inventor Joy Mangano. 

Édgar Ramírez

Mangano (being portrayed by Lawrence) is a prominent fixture on the Home Shopping Network with her many inventions, though the mop was her claim to fame and fortune. She began inventing things as a teenager and kept on dreaming and tinkering while still a single mom raising three kids.

Ramírez will play Mangano’s dapper but cheating husband, whom she eventually divorces.

Robert De Niro is already on board to portray Mangano’s father.

Ramírez was last seen on the big screen this summer in Deliver Us From Evil, the supernatural thriller that also starred Eric Bana. He recently wrapped shooting on Point Break, the remake of the 1980s classic in which he plays Bodhi, the role first played by Patrick Swayze. Warner Bros. plans to release the film on July 31, 2015.

Additionally, he leads the cast of Hands of Stone, a biopic about boxer Roberto Duran that also includes De Niro. That movie is expected to be released sometime next year.

Joy is expected to begin production in early February.

Hernandez Cast in ABC’s Drama Series “The Club”

Hollywood newcomer Callie Hernandez has landed her first television role…

The Latina actress has been selected as a regular cast member on the ABC drama series The Club.

Callie Hernandez

Developed by American Hustle writer/director David O. Russell and CBS Television Studios, the project was quietly set up at ABC.

Written by Erin Brockovich scribe Susannah Grant based on a story she co-wrote with Russell, The Club is an upstairs/downstairs soap set at a private country club.

Hernandez will portray Ana, who works at the club, secretly stealing and pawning off nice items from her workplace.

A month ago, the network gave the green light on a straight-to-series, 13-episode order for the series.

Hernandez made her film debut last year in Robert Rodriguez’s Machete Kills.

She’ll soon appear in Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, as well as for what’s being called Untitled Terrence Malick Project.

Cuarón Wins Directors Guild of America Award for “Gravity”

The prizes just keep coming for Alfonso Cuarón…

The 52-year-old Mexican filmmaker took home the top honor at the 66th annual Directors Guild of America Awards, held Saturday.

Alfonso Cuarón & Sandra Bullock

Cuarón, who won his first-ever Producers Guild of America Award last weekend, was announced as the final winner of the night for his critically acclaimed work helming the 3D sci-fi thriller Gravity.

He beat out Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave), David O. Russell (American Hustle), Paul Greengrass (Captain Phillips) and Martin Scorsese (Wolf of Wall Street) for the DGA Award.

During a special presentation to Cuarón, Gravity star Sandra Bullock made a few jokes about Cuaron’s thick accent during shooting, but then praised him for his bravery and imagination.

“You not only gave me a once in a lifetime opportunity but you gave it to me when I thought I had nothing left to offer as an actor,” she said.

Cuarón is now considered the frontrunner to take home the Oscar for Best Director at this year’s upcoming Academy Awards, where he’s up for three awards.

Cuarón Wins First-Ever Producers Guild of America Award

Alfonso Cuarón has made history at the Producers Guild of America Awards

The 52-year-old Mexican filmmaker not only picked up the first PGA Award of his career, but Cuarón is also part of a historic tie.

Alfonso Cuarón

For the first time in its 25-year history, the Producers Guild of America bestowed its top prize on two films during Sunday’s awards ceremony.

Cuarón’s 3D sci-fi thriller Gravity and Steve McQueen‘s historical epic 12 Years a Slave both won the Darryl F. Zanuck Award for outstanding producer of theatrical motion pictures at the show, which took place at the Beverly Hilton.

For the past six years, every feature film chosen by the Producers Guild for its top honor has gone on to be named the best picture at the Academy Awards.

Even though a tie at the Oscars is unlikely, the first-time PGA split keeps the Academy Awards race wide open in one of the tightest three-way battles in years. It may have been shut out by the producers, but David O. Russell‘s con caper American Hustle is also still very much in the running following a week of big showings at the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards.

In the television categories, AMC‘s Breaking Bad won for best episodic drama, while ABC‘s Modern Family scored the win for best episodic comedy. HBO‘s Behind the Candelabra won in the longform category.

Here’s the complete list of winners:

Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures (TIE):
Gravity
12 Years a Slave

Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures:
We Steal Secrets: The Story of Wikileaks

Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures:
Frozen

David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Longform Television (TV Movies and Miniseries):
Behind the Candelabra

Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama:
Breaking Bad

Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Comedy:
Modern Family

Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television:
Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown

Outstanding Producer of Competition Television:
The Voice

Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television:
The Colbert Report

Outstanding Sports Program:
SportsCenter

Outstanding Children’s Program:
Sesame Street

Outstanding Digital Series:
Wired: What’s Inside

 

Leto Wins First-Ever SAG Award for His Performance in “Dallas Buyers Club”

It’s turning out to be a rewarding week for Jared Leto

The 42-year-old part-Spanish American actor/singer took home his first-ever SAG Award on Saturday night at the 20th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Jared Leto

Leto, a first-time SAG Award nominee, earned “The Actor” statuette for best supporting actor for his performance as male-to-female transgender character Rayon in Dallas Buyers Club.

Leto’s SAG Award marked his third prize in a week for the role — he also won his first-ever Golden Globe and a Critics’ Choice Movie Award. Additionally, he earned his first-ever Academy Award nomination this week, an award Hollywood insiders believe he’ll take home on March 2.

Leto dedicated his supporting actor SAG award to “the Rayons of the world, the people who made a choice to live their lives not as others would have them live it but as they have chosen to dream it.”

But Leto wasn’t the only Latino actor to pick up the first SAG Award of his career…

Mexican American comedian Louis C.K., a previous nominee for Male Actor in a Comedy Series for his starring role on FX’s Louie, and first-time nominee Michael C. Peña each earned “The Actor” for forming part of the cast of David O. Russell’s drama American Hustle, which took outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture.

Breaking Bad star Steven Michael Quezada also picked up his first SAG Award. The 50-year-old Mexican American actor and two-time nominee, who portrays DEA Agent Steven Gomez on the series, and his cast mates took home the award for took outstanding performance by a cast in a drama series.

From first to fourth…

Sofia Vergara and Rico Rodriguez made history when they picked up their fourth consecutive SAG Award for outstanding performance by a cast in a comedy series for starring on Modern Family.

With the victory, the hit ABC sitcom broke a tie with Seinfeld for most ensemble cast in a comedy series wins in the history of the SAG Awards, cementing the show’s status as one of the best television comedies of all time.

The SAG Awards were handed out during a live simulcast on TNT and TBS on Saturday night from the Shrine Exposition Center in Los Angeles.

Here’s a complete look at this year’s SAG Award winners:

Female actor in a supporting role:
Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave

Male actor in a supporting role:
Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club

Female actor in a comedy series:
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep

Male actor in a comedy series:
Ty Burrell, Modern Family

Ensemble in a comedy series:
Modern Family
Julie Bowen / Claire Dunphy
Ty Burrell / Phil Dunphy
Aubrey Anderson Emmons / Lily Tucker-Pritchett
Jesse Tyler Ferguson / Mitchell Pritchett
Nolan Gould / Luke Dunphy
Sarah Hyland / Haley Dunphy
Ed O’Neill / Jay Pritchett
Rico Rodriguez / Manny Delgado
Eric Stonestreet / Cameron Tucker
Sofia Vergara / Gloria Delgado-Pritchett
Ariel Winter / Alex Dunphy

Female actor in a TV movie or miniseries:
Helen Mirren, Phil Spector

Male actor in a TV movie or miniseries:
Michael Douglas, Behind the Candelabra

Female actor in a drama series:
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey

Male actor in a drama series:
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad

Ensemble in a drama series:
Breaking Bad
Michael Bowen / Uncle Jack
Betsy Brandt / Marie Schrader
Bryan Cranston/ Walter White
Lavell Crawford / Huell
Tait Fletcher / Lester
Laura Fraser/ Lydia Rodarte-Quale
Anna Gunn / Skyler White
Matthew T. Metzler / Matt
RJ Mitte / Walter White Jr.
Dean Norris / Hank Schrader
Bob Odenkirk/ Saul Goodman
Aaron Paul / Jesse Pinkman
Jesse Plemons / Todd
Steven Michael Quezada / Gomez
Kevin Rankin / Kenny
Patrick Sane / Frankie

Male actor in a leading role:
Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

Female actor in a leading role:
Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine

Cast in a Motion Picture:

American Hustle
Amy Adams / Sydney Prosser
Christian Bale/ Irving Rosenfeld
Louis C.K. / Stoddard Thorsen
Bradley Cooper / Richie DiMaso
Paul Herman/ Alfonse Simone
Jack Huston/ Pete Musane
Jennifer Lawrence / Rosalyn Rosenfeld
Alessandro Nivola / Federal Prosecutor
Michael C. Peña/ Sheik (Agent Hernandez)
Jeremy Renner/ Mayor Carmine Polito
Elisabeth Rohm/ Dolly Polito
Shea Whigham/ Carl Elway

Cuarón Earns Three Academy Award Nominations

Alfonso Cuarón has doubled his Oscar nominations in one fell swoop…

During this morning’s Academy Awards press conference, the 52-year-old Mexican multi-talented filmmaker received three nominations for his critically acclaimed film Gravity.

Alfonso Cuarón

He’d previously earned nods for Best Original Screenplay for Y tu mamá también and Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Editing for Children of Men.

In addition to receiving a nomination for producing the Best Picture nominee, Cuarón is up for Best Directoran award he picked up at the Golden Globes – and Best Film Editing alongside Mark Sanger.

In all, the 3D sci-fi thriller starring Sandra Bullock earned a titanic ten Academy Award nominations, including a Best Actress nod for Bullock, tying David O. Russell’s drama American Hustle for the most nods this year.

Gravity’s lenser Emmanuel Lubezki follows up his American Society of Cinematographers Award nomination with an Oscar nod for Best Cinematography.

It’s the sixth Academy Award nomination for the Mexican cinematographer. He previously earned nods for lensing 1995’s A Little Princess, 1999’s Sleepy Hollow, 2005’s A New World, 2006’s Children of Men and 2011’s The Tree of Life. three of Lubezki’s nominations were for his work on Cuarón films.

But Cuarón and Lubezki aren’t the only Latinos nominated this year…

First-time Golden Globe winner Jared Leto has received his first-ever Oscar nomination.

The 42-year-old part-Spanish American actor/singer earned the nod for his gender-bending performance as male-to-female transgender character Rayon in Dallas Buyers Club. It’s a role he discusses in a featurette from the film’s distributor Focus Features.

The 86th Academy Awards will be awarded on Sunday, March 2 at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland, televised live on ABC and hosted by Ellen DeGeneres for a second time.

Here’s a complete look at this year’s nominees.

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Christian Bale in “American Hustle”
Bruce Dern in “Nebraska”
Leonardo DiCaprio in “The Wolf of Wall Street”
Chiwetel Ejiofor in “12 Years a Slave”
Matthew McConaughey in “Dallas Buyers Club” (Focus Features)

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Barkhad Abdi in “Captain Phillips”
Bradley Cooper in “American Hustle”
Michael Fassbender in “12 Years a Slave”
Jonah Hill in “The Wolf of Wall Street”
Jared Leto in “Dallas Buyers Club”

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Amy Adams in “American Hustle”
Cate Blanchett in “Blue Jasmine”
Sandra Bullock in “Gravity”
Judi Dench in “Philomena”
Meryl Streep in “August: Osage County”

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Sally Hawkins in “Blue Jasmine”
Jennifer Lawrence in “American Hustle”
Lupita Nyong’o in “12 Years a Slave”
Julia Roberts in “August: Osage County”
June Squibb in “Nebraska”

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM OF THE YEAR
“The Croods”
“Despicable Me 2”
“Ernest & Celestine”
“The Wind Rises”

ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
“The Grandmaster”
Philippe Le Sourd
“Gravity”
Emmanuel Lubezki
“Inside Llewyn Davis”
Bruno Delbonnel
“Nebraska”
Phedon Papamichael
“Prisoners”

ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN
American Hustle” Michael Wilkinson
“The Grandmaster” William Chang Suk Ping
“The Great Gatsby” Catherine Martin
“The Invisible Woman” Michael O’Connor
“12 Years a Slave”
Patricia Norris

ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING
“American Hustle” David O. Russell
“Gravity” Alfonso Cuarón
“Nebraska” Alexander Payne
“12 Years a Slave” Steve McQueen
“The Wolf of Wall Street” Martin Scorsese

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
“The Act of Killing”
“Cutie and the Boxer”
“Dirty Wars”
“20 Feet from Stardom”

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
“CaveDigger”
“Facing Fear”
“Karama Has No Walls”
“The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life”
“Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall”

ACHIEVEMENT IN FILM EDITING
“American Hustle” Jay Cassidy, Crispin Struthers and Alan Baumgarten
“Captain Phillips” Christopher Rouse
“Dallas Buyers Club” John Mac McMurphy and Martin Pensa
“Gravity” Alfonso Cuarón and Mark Sanger
“12 Years a Slave” Joe Walker

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR
“The Broken Circle Breakdown”
“The Great Beauty”
“The Hunt”
“The Missing Picture”
“Omar”

ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
“Dallas Buyers Club” Adruitha Lee and Robin Mathews
“Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa” Stephen Prouty
“The Lone Ranger” Joel Harlow and Gloria Pasqua-Casny

ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (ORIGINAL SCORE)
“The Book Thief” John Williams
“Gravity” Steven Price
“Her” William Butler and Owen Pallett
“Philomena” Alexandre Desplat
“Saving Mr. Banks” Thomas Newman

ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (ORIGINAL SONG)
“Alone Yet Not Alone” from “Alone Yet Not Alone”
“Happy” from “Despicable Me 2”
“Let It Go” from “Frozen”
“The Moon Song” from “Her”
“Ordinary Love” from “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”

BEST MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR
“American Hustle”
“Captain Phillips”
“Dallas Buyers Club”
“Gravity”
“Her”
“Nebraska”
“Philomena”
“12 Years a Slave”
“The Wolf of Wall Street”