Melina Matsoukas: Last News

Fairy tales come in all shapes and sizes. Growing up, you’re probably familiar with the Disney brand of fairy-tale.

Selena Kuznikov American Film Institute alum Melina Matsoukas will deliver the keynote address at the AFI Directing Workshop for Women Showcase for the Class of 2024. The showcase will be held on April 10 at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles.

Matthew Libatique, the Academy Award-nominated cinematographer most recently lending his talents to Bradley Cooper’s Netflix pic Maestro, has been set to receive the American Film Institute‘s Franklin J. Schaffner Alumni Medal at the AFI Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute to Nicole Kidman, taking place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on April 27th.

EXCLUSIVE: London and LA-based management and production outfit 42 has hired MXN Entertainment partner Michelle Knudsen in its LA office.

“There are portals in this world that we may never know we’ve trespassed through,” says a character in the trailer for Apple TV+’s new fantasy-horror series, “The Changeling”.

Apple TV+ has set Friday, September 8 for the premiere of its newest drama series The Changeling, starring and executive produced by LaKeith Stanfield. Following the 3-episode premiere drop, new single episodes will be released weekly through October 13.

BreAnna Bell Onyx Collective’s “Searching for Soul Food” will arrive on June 2 exclusively on Hulu, Variety has learned. “Searching for Soul Food” follows rock star celebrity chef Alisa Reynolds as she discovers what soul food looks like around the world. As she seeks out the food, she’ll also explore the stories, the people, and the traditions of each place she visits, bringing her own flavor right along with her. The international journey finds Chef Reynolds exploring the culinary worlds of Mississippi, Oklahoma, Appalachia, South Africa, Italy, Jamaica, Peru and Los Angeles.” Additionally, Onyx Collective also released a teaser for the unscripted series. The 38-second clip offers a brief montage through some of host Reynolds’ travels across the globe, eating various versions of tacos, corn bread and collard greens, and pizza in celebration of the traditions that unite the diverse cultures throughout the world.

Fact #1“Just Dance” has been certified 11-times platinum by the RIAA – or diamond and then some. It is tied with “Bad Romance” as her most-certified single.Fact #2Gaga states she wrote “Just Dance” in only about 10 minutes.Fact #3“Just Dance” became Gaga’s first No.

EXCLUSIVE: Winning Time executive producer Rodney Barnes has boarded HBO’s limited series project, set to star Mahershala Ali as boxing legend Jack Johnson. Barnes, who is under an overall deal with HBO, will serve as writer and executive producer on the Untitled Jack Johnson limited series (fka Unruly), bringing a brand new take on adapting the PBS documentary Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson, produced and directed by Ken Burns, and its companion book by Geoffrey C. Ward.

Selome Hailu At its first ever Television Critics Association press tour presentation, Disney’s Onyx Collective announced three new series orders: true crime docuseries “Ring of Fire: The Life of Annie Mae Aquash” (working title) directed by Yvonne Russo, an untitled project about car culture hosted by Swizz Beatz and “Searching for Soul Food” hosted by chef Alisa Reynolds and executive produced by Melina Matsoukas.Onyx Collective also set an Oct. 22 premiere date for Oprah Winfrey, Tracee Ellis Ross and Michaela Angela Davis’ docuseries “The Hair Tales” and debuted a trailer for Raamla Mohamed’s legal drama “Reasonable Doubt.” Additionally, an extension was announced of Yara Shahidi and her production company 7th Sun’s overall deal with Onyx Collective and ABC Signature.

Future Islands frontman Samuel T. Herring has been cast opposite LaKeith Stanfield in The Changeling, Apple TV+’s upcoming drama series based on Victor LaValle’s bestselling book of the same name. The role marks Herring’s acting debut. Adina Porter and Clark Backo also star in the drama from Annapurna and Apple Studios.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe upcoming Apple series “The Changeling” has added Future Islands frontman Samuel T. Herring to the cast, Variety has learned.The role will mark Herring’s acting debut. He joins previously announced series lead LaKeith Stanfield in the series, along with cast members Adina Porter and Clark Backo.“The Changeling” is based on the book of the same name by Victor LaValle.

EXCLUSIVE: Indya Moore (Pose, Aquaman and the Last Kingdom) has signed with UTA and Management 360 for representation across all mediums.

EXCLUSIVE: Ashley Holland, a TV lit agent and partner at WME, is leaving the agency to join Onyx Collective, Disney’s curated content brand for creators of color and underrepresented voices. I hear her deal is still being finalized, and she will stay at WME for a few more weeks, but Holland is expected to be a senior scripted executive at Onyx.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAdina Porter and Clark Backo have been cast opposite LaKeith Stanfield in the upcoming Apple drama series “The Changeling,” Variety has learned.The series is based on the book of the same name by Victor LaValle. It is descirbed as a horror story, a parenthood fable, and a perilous odyssey through a New York City you didn’t know existed.Stanfield stars as Apollo. Porter will play Lillian, his mother.

Emmy nominee Adina Porter (Underground) and Clark Backo (Letterkenny) are set as leads opposite LaKeith Stanfield in The Changeling, Apple TV+’s upcoming drama series based on Victor LaValle’s bestselling book of the same name.

Leading job site Indeed, Emmy winner Lena Waithe (Master of None, Twenties) and her company Hillman Grad Productions have today named Cara Lawson, Gbenga Komolafe, Georgia Fu, Jalmer Caceres, Justin Floyd, Leon Cheo, Shanrica Evans, Tara Motamedi, Travis Wood and Urvashi Pathania as the 10 filmmakers selected for the second edition of their Rising Voices program.

Wilson Chapman editorLena Waithe’s Hillman Grad Productions and Indeed have announced the 10 filmmakers selected for season two of Rising Voices, their initiative to support the work of filmmakers of color.Established last February, the program provides resources for BIPOC filmmakers across the United States to create a short film that will premiere at the Tribeca Festival, planned for June 8-19 in New York City.“Indeed’s Rising Voices not only levels the playing field for BIPOC creators in Hollywood by creating opportunities for individuals to be seen, heard and represented, but also empowers the next generation of storytellers, providing access to funding, on-site skill, career development and mentorship,” Waithe said in a statement. “Our continued mission at Hillman Grad Productions is to ensure that program mentees are truly set up for success as they continue to grow within their individual careers.” The ten selected filmmaker teams for the 2022 edition of Rising Voices are Cara Lawson, Gbenga Komolafe, Georgia Fu, Jalmer Caceres, Justin Floyd, Leon Cheo, Shanrica Evans, Tara Motamedi, Travis Wood and Urvashi Pathania.The finalists were selected from 900 applicants based on their submitted screenplays.

For fans of Y: The Last Man, it’s truly the end of their world. Showrunner/EP Eliza Clark has posted that the dystopian drama hasn’t been able to find new distribution.

Lakeith Stanfield is teaming up with Apple for a new show!

Apple TV+ has made it abundantly clear that it is really only interested in original films and TV series that have superstar talent attached. That would include the newest series, “The Changeling,” which has just received the green light from the streaming service.