Len Amato - celebsbar.com

EXCLUSIVE: As she is getting ready to mark her 20th anniversary at HBO next year, Francesca Orsi has officially extended her contract at the premium network through 2026. Her new title is EVP, HBO Programming, Head of HBO Drama Series and Films.

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Film Independent Adds Dan Stern to Board of Directors; Chaz Ebert, Kasi Lemmons and Lulu Wang Join Advisory Board (EXCLUSIVE)

Angelique Jackson Film Independent has made notable additions to its ranks with Dan Stern elected to the board of directors, while Chaz Ebert, Kasi Lemmons and Lulu Wang join the nonprofit arts organization’s advisory board. The new appointees are the first under Film Independent board chair Brenda Robinson’s tenure after her January 2022 election.

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MasterClass Lowers Price of Subscription

Anna Tingley If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. In addition to rapidly growing its star-studded roster of teachers, MasterClass has found another way to attract more customers: lowering its price. The online learning platform announced on Tuesday that it will lower the price of a subscription from $15 to $10 per month. In addition to the price change, the service also unveiled new programming for the coming year, including an improv course taught by Amy Poehler set to release in the fall. In the classes, the Emmy-winning comedian will workshop real life scenarios with a live audience, teaching viewers how to approach flexibility, openness and humor. “By continuing to innovate the approach to our portfolio of content and making the platform more accessible, we’re not only unlocking potential in our members, we’re enabling them to realize it,” David Rogier, the founder and CEO of MasterClass, said in a statement.

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MasterClass Hires Ben Cotner, Formerly With Netflix and A24, as VP of Creative

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Documentary filmmaker and producer Ben Cotner has joined celebrity-driven online learning platform MasterClass as vice president of creative, leading the company’s creative and development teams. Cotner reports to chief content officer Len Amato, the former HBO exec who joined MasterClass a year ago. Cotner joined indie studio A24 in 2019 as head of documentaries where he oversaw the production of “Val” (for Amazon), “Home” Season 2 (Apple TV+) as well as several films currently in post-production including Morgan Neville’s untitled Steve Martin project for Apple TV+. He will continue to see many of these projects through as a producer or executive producer, according to MasterClass.

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Benedict Cumberbatch To Headline HBO Limited Series About Poisoned KGB Agent Alexander Litvinenko

HBO is developing Londongrad, a limited series based on Alan Cowell’s book The Terminal Spy, about poisoned KBG agent Alexander Litvinenko, with Benedict Cumberbatch set to star as Litvinenko, Deadline has confirmed. Cumberbatch also will executive produce the project via his Sunnymarch production banner.