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Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences sent a letter to its members on Friday evening, addressing the recent departure of multiple Black executives from its organization over the past few weeks. Signed by Academy CEO Bill Kramer and president Janet Yang, the statement, obtained by Variety, includes an affirmation of the organization’s commitment to its diversity and inclusion programs, as well as efforts to “expanding” their promotion. “We have heard from some of you who have asked about our Academy DEAI programs as these efforts across our film community and other industries have been called into question,” the letter begins. “A number of Black executives in Hollywood have exited their roles, including within the Academy, and we recognize the concern this creates. Given all of this, we want to reiterate, in the strongest possible terms, the Academy’s commitment to not only continuing, but expanding our efforts to promote diversity and inclusion within our organization and the film industry at large.”

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Shawn Finnie, executive vice president, member relations, global outreach and awards for the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, is leaving the organization after nearly a decade, Variety has learned exclusively. His final day was Thursday, July 13. Finnie was a beloved figure within the Academy, rising through the ranks and receiving multiple promotions. His departure comes after his most recent promotion to his role in June 2021 by former COO Christine Simmons. He led engagement and outreach initiatives for the organization’s global membership of more than 10,000 artists, filmmakers and executives. In addition, he led a team of more than 20 team members.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Variety’s Awards Circuit Podcast hosts Michael Schneider, Clayton Davis, Emily Longeretta and Jazz Tangcay gathered on Wednesday, just hours after the Television Academy announced this year’s Emmy nominations, to dissect the news — from the big winners like “Succession,” to the shocking omissions (no Harrison Ford or Elizabeth Olsen), and then the nice surprises (wow, “Jury Duty”!). The nominations were telling on a number of fronts — including the current assessment that we may very well see a beat “Succession”/”Ted Lasso” dominance. Did the voting procedural changes help bring in a wider group of nominees? No. And will voters pick straight tickets of “Succession” and “Ted Lasso” nominees? Quite possible. Who will win the “SNL”/”Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” smackdown? What are our favorite faceoffs this year? (How can one pick between birthday celebrations for Norman Lear and Carol Burnett, for example?)

Dierks Bentley puts on a show.The 47-year-old country star recently shared clips from his ongoing ‘Gravel and Gold Tour’ on Instagram and if the concerts are even half as fun as they look, audience members are in for an unforgettable evening of country.Thankfully, the tour, supporting his 2022 album with the same name, is far from over.As of now, Bentley has 26 concerts remaining on his tour schedule including gigs at Holmdel, NJ’s PNC Bank Arts Center on July 27 and Bethel, NY’s Bethel Woods Center For The Arts on July 28.Even better, tickets are quite affordable to see the “Drunk On A Plane” singer live.At the time of publication, we found some seats going for $17 before fees on Vivid Seats.While that’s a bit of an outlier — most tickets start in the $30 to $80 range — a great deal may pop up at any time for any upcoming show.Plus, as an added bonus, Bentley is bringing special guests like Elle King, Jordan Davis, Tracy Lawrence, The Cadillac Three and Shane Smith and the Saints on select dates.Want to hear “Somewhere On A Beach,” “What Was I Thinkin'” and “Beers On Me” live in concert?Slow your scroll.We’ve got everything you need to know and more about Dierks Bentley’s ‘Gravel and Gold Tour’ below.All prices listed above are subject to fluctuation.A complete calendar of all upcoming Dierks Bentley concerts including tour dates, venues and links to the cheapest tickets available can be found below.(Note: The New York Post confirmed all above prices at the publication time.

Kristin Davis can't completely relate to her iconic character, Charlotte York Goldenblatt. The staple opened up on the podcast about the ways in which she is similar and very different to the preppy New Yorker. «Essence of my personality is the same because I think after 25 years, how could it not be, you know what I mean?» the 58-year-old  star said of Charlotte, before adding, «We have very different lifestyles.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor A group of state legislators representing the California Legislative Black Caucus are calling on film studios to meet with them regarding the sudden removal of Black female executives over the past few weeks. A mass exodus of Black women from senior leadership posts — Vernā Myers (Netflix), LaTondra Newton (Disney), Jeanell English (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences) and Karen Horne and Terra Potts (Warner Bros. Discovery) — has raised questions about the depth of the film and television industry’s commitment to diversifying the top ranks of the entertainment industry. The CLBC held a press conference on Thursday, citing the executives’ resignations and removals after the State Legislature approved the $1.6 billion Film Tax Credit initiative to provide tax incentives for the film studios.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor “Fall festivals are fucked.” That was one studio executive’s blunt assessment about the impact of an actors’ strike on the rapidly approaching Telluride, Toronto and New York film festivals. Showcasing Oscar contenders at these annual events is going to be much more difficult now that SAG-AFTRA has joined the WGA on the picket lines. “You can’t premiere movies anywhere without your stars,” the executive said. “No stars, no movie.” And SAG-AFTRA has made it clear that its members are not to do any promotional activity around their movies until a new contract deal is reached and ratified. So that means that the red carpets that make these festivals massive media events will be significantly less celebrity-studded. So why would studios shell out hundreds of thousands, even millions of dollars, to launch a movie at one of these gatherings?

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Voice acting is equally as important as on-screen performances, even though Hollywood doesn’t seem fully aware of it yet. From the envious Lucille La Verne’s jealous Queen from “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves” (1937) to the whimsical magic of Robin Williams’ Genie in “Aladdin” (1992), there have been countless contributions to the acting form; all conveyed through the passion of a talented performer’s tone. In honor of Walt Disney Co.’s 100th birthday later this year, Variety ranks the animation powerhouse’s 13 best voice-acting performances, including their subsidiaries, such as Pixar.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor This year’s Emmy nominees will highlight a more diverse crop of actors, with Latino performers having a particularly strong showing. Of course, much of that is thanks to Pedro Pascal, who has become the most nominated Latino in a single year with three noms. He’s recognized for his work in “The Last of Us” as lead drama actor, “Saturday Night Live” as guest comedy actor and “Patagonia: Life on the Edge of the World” as outstanding narrator. Pascal’s nomination for HBO’s dystopian video game adaptation makes him only the second Latino ever recognized in the drama category after Jimmy Smits’ four consecutive noms for “NYPD Blue” from 1996-1999. But there were some notable Latino stars who didn’t hear their names read — namely, Diego Luna, who was snubbed for Disney’s “Andor” despite its best drama series nomination.

pretty little liars — Ashley Benson is engaged!The 33-year-old actress is set to tie the knot with 43-year-old boyfriend Brandon Davis after less than a year of dating, as evidenced by the massive diamond engagement ring she showed off in Instagram Story posts on Thursday. In one photo re-shared from Davis' Story, Benson has the sparkler on her lefthand ring finger.

K.J. Yossman Warwick Davis-led animated series “Moley” has been picked up by Peacock for its U.S. launch. The show, which also stars Gemma Arterton (“Prince of Persia”), Jessica Henwick (“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”), Julie Walters (“Harry Potter”), Richard E Grant (“Loki”) and Stanley Tucci (“The Devil Wears Prada”), is produced by Two Daughters Entertainment. “Moley” follows an optimistic young mole (voiced by Davis) who lives in MoleTown, a secret city buried deep under Windsor Castle in England. With his charming manner and magic book, the adventurous Moley finds himself on a new caper in each episode – and often gets himself into a pickle. Luckily his friends Mona Lisa (Arterton) and Dotty (Henwick) are there to help, accompanied by Uncle Mishmosh (Tucci) and mom Mrs Mole (Walters).

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor From Scar’s telling us to be prepared to the poor unfortunate souls of Ursula, Disney movie villains have played vital roles in simultaneously frightening viewers and becoming fan favorites over the decades. In honor of Walt Disney Co.’s 100th birthday later this year, Variety ranks the animation powerhouse’s 10 best movie villains of all time.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor A mass exodus of Black women from senior leadership posts across Hollywood during the last few weeks is raising questions about the depth of the film and television industry’s commitment to diversifying the top ranks of the entertainment industry. The high-profile departures have sparked outrage on social media, with mounting concerns that major studios are only performing lip service after pledging to elevate more people of color to positions of influence. In the last month, six Black women executives in prominent leadership roles have abruptly left their positions in the studio system. Many oversaw DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) departments, putting them on the frontlines of larger effort to change corporate cultures and hiring practices. The exits include Karen Horne, who led DEI efforts at Warner Bros. Discovery and Jeanell English, executive VP of impact and inclusion at the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. The other prominent executives are Netflix’s Vernā Myers, the streamer’s first head of inclusion; Disney’s LaTondra Newton, chief diversity officer and senior VP; and another Warner Bros. executive, Terra Potts, VP of worldwide marketing. On Monday, Joanna Abeyie, the BBC’s creative diversity director, joined their ranks. And even though the steady stream of departures is alarming, multiple industry sources tell Variety that more BIPOC executives are expected to join them in the coming weeks.

Cynthia Nixon is worried about what “Sex and the City” fans will think when Kim Cattrall’s Samantha Jones finally makes an appearance in “And Just Like That…” season 2.

Manic Street Preachers‘ Nicky Wire has surprise released his new solo album ‘Intimism’  – check it out below.Having recently dropped the launch single ‘Contact Sheets‘, the Manics’ bassist and lyricist has shared his second solo record in full via BandCamp.“This record is a collage pieced together over the last decade,” said Wire. “It’s as me as me can be – a distillation of my purest indie fantasies, a place where all those broken lists of regret have found themselves realigned. I found a musical and lyrical language I could call my own.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Jeanell English, executive vice president of impact and inclusion, is exiting her role at the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. English was promoted to the newly created role in July 2022 by Academy CEO Bill Kramer. In her role, she led the Academy’s initiatives to address underrepresentation across the industry and the talent development programs such as Academy Gold. Over the past year, she’s been a key figure in major initiatives and changes across the organization including developing the infrastructure for the Academy’s inclusion standards and enabling a path for community, advocacy, education and empowerment amongst its members and staff. She also designed and implemented the Academy’s first mid-career talent development program, the Academy Film Accelerator, which advocates for the careers of filmmakers from underrepresented communities.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Love stories, period dramas, the origins of sneakers and an explosion of multiverses are among the standout movies from the first half of 2023 that could have the legs to make it to next year’s Oscar ceremony. As we enter the midpoint of the calendar year, we turn our attention to which films seem worthy of Academy recognition, based on critical acclaim and buzz surrounding contenders. The list considers films that have had theatrical releases and standouts in 19 of the 23 Oscar categories.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor The casual Oscar observer might wonder how some of the 398 new members invited to join the Academy’s ranks qualify for the honor that includes Oscar voting rights. From Taylor Swift to Warner Bros-Discovery CEO David Zaslav, it’s not always obvious how the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences decides who to invite as next year’s class of new members. Oscar winners are automatically invited to join the ranks after their big moment, so Billie Eilish was therefore eligable after she won the Oscar for the James Bond song “No Time to Die” (2021) with her brother Finneas.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Austin Butler, Ke Huy Quan, Keke Palmer, NT Rama Rao Jr and music superstar Taylor Swift are among the 398 artists and executives invited to join the membership of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. If all of this year’s invitees accept membership, it will bring the total number of overall Academy members to 10,817 (up from 10,665 last year), with 9,375 eligible to vote (a decrease from 9,665 due to deaths, retirements and moving to emeritus status) for the 96th Oscars, set to take place on March 10, 2024. The 2023 class is 40% women. 34% belong to underrepresented ethnic/racial communities and 52% hail from 51 countries and territories outside the United States. There are many recent Oscar nominees among the invitees, such as Austin Butler (“Elvis”), Paul Mescal (“Aftersun”), Stephanie Hsu (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”) and Kerry Condon (“The Banshees of Inisherin”). The list also includes many of the 95th ceremony’s winners, such as Ke Huy Quan (supporting actor for “Everything Everywhere All at Once”) cinematographer James Friend (“All Quiet on the Western Front”) and composer and songwriter M.M. Keeravani and Chandrabose (“Naatu Naatu” from “RRR”). Even the dynamic “RRR” lead acting duo of Ram Charan and N. T. Rama Rao Jr. have also been extended invitations, along with the film’s production designer Sabu Cyril and cinematographer K.K. Senthil Kumar.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor With too much television, viewing every piece of content that is up for consideration for this year’s Primetime Emmy Awards nominations is impossible. With 163 drama series, 95 comedies, 51 limited or anthologies and 61 television movies, every TV-goer has their tastes. Variety staffers have come together to curate its own dream Primetime Emmys ballot, with voting set to close at 10 p.m. PT tonight. However, it should be noted — we love consistency, especially in TV land. With our selections, we want to continue to promote (and advocate) for the Television Academy to allow 10 nominees in the top series categories. In addition, we would love to see uniformity in the acting races (having some categories with five while others have eight doesn’t make much sense. With this large TV boom, more options should be available for the respective lineups.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks and Carol Littleton will receive honorary Oscars at this year’s Governors Awards, announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In addition, the Sundance Institute’s Michelle Satter will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Awards. The four statuettes will be presented at the 14th annual ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, in Los Angeles. “The Academy’s Board of Governors is thrilled to honor four trailblazers who have transformed the film industry and inspired generations of filmmakers and movie fans,” said Academy President Janet Yang. “Across her decades-long career, Angela Bassett has continued to deliver transcendent performances that set new standards in acting. Mel Brooks lights up our hearts with his humor, and his legacy has made a lasting impact on every facet of entertainment. Carol Littleton’s career in film editing serves as a model for those who come after her. A pillar of the independent film community, Michelle Satter has played a vital role in the careers of countless filmmakers around the world.”