Micheal Ward: Last News

BAFTA has unveiled the longlists across all categories for its 2023 Film Awards, and Martin McDonagh’s tragicomedy The Banshees Of Inisherin and Netflix’s All Quiet on the Western Front lead. Scroll down for the lists in full.

After racing to finish his upcoming Empire of Light and seeing Searchlight launch at festivals leaning into the Cinema Paradiso-style movie love letter element, Sam Mendes is ready to come clean about what his first solo-scripted film is really about, and the experiences that informed it. The grandeur of the seaside 1980 London movie palace is certainly the backdrop for an unlikely romance between a middle-aged theater manager (Olivia Colman) and a dashing young ticket taker (Micheal Ward, whom you’ll recognize from the opening episodes of Steve McQueen’s Small Axe mini). The youth is dealing with the rampant racism that put young men like him in danger in the UK.

Clayton Davis Sam Mendes’ “Empire of Light,” a love story and ode to cinema houses, is dividing critics after playing at the Telluride and Toronto film festivals earlier this month. However, Searchlight Pictures remains confident in its awards prospects. “Empire” is among this season’s divisive films, including “Bardo” from Alejandro G. Iñárritu and “The Son” from Florian Zeller. However, one of the agreed-upon highlights of the film is the quality of the actors’ performances — notably Oscar winner Olivia Colman, breakout star Micheal Ward and veteran actor Toby Jones. As categories become upended with the news of Michelle Williams campaigning for lead actress, instead of supporting, Ward’s campaign is cementing its strategy early by seeking supporting actor consideration for this awards season, Variety has confirmed. Playing Stephen, a young ticket-taker that begins a love affair with Hilary (Colman), a middle-aged woman coming out of a mental health episode, Ward holds his own against the three-time nominee and Oscar winner for “The Favourite” (2018).

Sam Mendes was writing the screenplay for what would become Empire of Light and he’d hit a wall.

Peter Debruge Chief Film Critic In the era where content is king, Sam Mendes still believes in moving pictures. “Empire of Light” is the proof. While the world was in lockdown these past couple years, Mendes let his imagination run to his happy place: a grand old English movie palace he dubbed the Empire Cinema. Thousands pass through its Art Deco doors seeking escapism, but Mendes is more interested in the employees — the projectionist, the ticket-takers, the box office attendant and so forth, who collectively form an ersatz family — whose stories, he senses, are every bit as interesting as the ones they show. And so he put them up on screen where they belong. But “Empire of Light” is more than just Mendes’ homage to an endangered art form — in fact, it spends a lot less time valorizing the medium than you might imagine. He has assembled a terrific cast, trusting that these performers can go deeper than their dialogue makes explicit, whether it’s Olivia Colman (who can do anything) as the romantically frustrated theater manager Hilary or relative newcomer (and “Blue Story” breakout) Micheal Ward as Stephen, Mr. Ellis’ latest hire (in an unusually sleazy cameo, Colin Firth plays the boss).

Empire Of Light, starring Olivia Colman, has been released. You can watch it below.Directed by Sam Mendes (1917, Skyfall), the upcoming film tells the story of a romance that takes place in a scenic old cinema on the South Coast of England in the 1980s.Micheal Ward (Blue Story, Top Boy) stars opposite Colman as her love interest, while Toby Jones (Detectorists) plays a projectionist.“Film: It’s just static frames with darkness in between,” Jones’s character narrates in the trailer, which reveals very little about the film’s plot.

Sam Mendes is set to be honoured by the Toronto International Film Festival following the Canadian premiere of his latest fil, “Empire Of Light”.

Sam Mendes is set to be honoured by the Toronto International Film Festival.

Carson Burton Sam Mendes will receive the Ebert Director Award at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey announced Tuesday.The award, which recognizes filmmakers who have exemplified greatness in their careers, was named after legendary film critic Roger Ebert and is an evolution of the festival’s Roger Ebert Golden Thumb Award. Past recipients of the award include Denis Villeneuve, Chloé Zhao and Taika Waititi.

Naman Ramachandran Sam Mendes’ “Empire of Light,” starring Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward and Colin Firth, will be this year’s American Express Gala at the 66th BFI London Film Festival.Written, produced and directed by Oscar and BAFTA winning filmmaker Mendes, the film also stars Toby Jones, Tanya Moodie, Tom Brooke and Crystal Clarke. Set in an English seaside town in the early 1980s, the film is about human connection and the magic of cinema. It marks Mendes’ first solo credit as screenwriter and reunites him with Oscar winning cinematographer Roger Deakins (“1917,” “Skyfall”).The film is produced by Mendes and Pippa Harris’ Neal Street Productions, in partnership with Searchlight Pictures.

The 66th BFI London Film Festival has set Empire Of Light, the latest film from Sam Mendes, as its American Express Gala screening.

Beauty, set to premiere on the digital streaming platform on June 29.Written and produced by Lena Waithe, the film stars Gracie Marie Bradley in the title role, as she struggles to maintain her integrity and identity after she’s offered a profitable recording contract in the 1980s, setting in place a clash between her family, the label, and her closest friend to determine who will guide her as she travels on the path to stardom.“Do you know what they do to stars? They build you up, just so they can tear you down,” Nash says in the trailer. To which Bradley responds: “Can’t nobody tear me down.”In addition to Bradley, Beauty also stars Niecy Nash, Giancarlo Esposito, Sharon Stone, Aleyse Shannon, Gracie Marie Bradley, Kyle Bary, Micheal Ward.

Netflix is giving fans a first look at the new movie Beauty.

Empire of Light, a new production written and directed by Sam Mendes. The film is set at Dreamland and follows a love story that takes place in an English coastal cinema during the 1980's.

BAFTA has revealed that 900 new members have joined the org since 2020, including a roster of high-profile names from across both sides of the pond.

K.J. Yossman Lady Gaga will present the Rising Star segment at the BAFTA awards in London.Actors Ariana DeBose, Harris Dickinson, Lashana Lynch, Millicent Simmonds and Kodi Smit-McPhee are the 2022 nominees for the BAFTA EE Rising Star Award.It is the only BAFTA award voted on by the British public.Lady Gaga, who is also nominated for Best Actress at the London ceremony, for her performance in “House of Gucci,” will introduce last year’s Rising Star winner, Bukky Bakray, who will announce the winner.

EXCLUSIVE: Sam Mendes has begun principal photography on the south coast of England for his upcoming feature, Empire Of Light. From Searchlight Pictures, the drama is written by Mendes — his first solo screenplay — and stars Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward, Colin Firth, Toby Jones, Crystal Clark and Tanya Moodie.

K.J. Yossman On Tuesday, Ariana DeBose, Harris Dickinson, Lashana Lynch, Millicent Simmonds and Kodi Smit-McPhee were announced as the 2022 nominees for the BAFTA EE Rising Star Award.Nominees are selected for demonstrating “exceptional talent in film over the past year.” Previous winners of the award have included James McAvoy, Eva Green, Tom Hardy, Kristen Stewart, Tom Holland, Letitia Wright and Micheal Ward.The award, which is in its seventeenth year, is the only BAFTA honor to be decided by the general public, who can vote for their favorite online.Just hours after the nominations were unveiled, DeBose and Dickinson sat down with Variety to discuss their nominations.Congrats on the nominations! How are you feeling? DeBose: I’m just thrilled that I get to be here in London to celebrate this nomination and celebrate all of my fellow EE Rising Star nominees, because I am very well aware that every single one of them is massively talented and I find them all incredibly inspiring.Dickinson: Wonderful, thank you very much.

BAFTA EE Rising Star Award.The award is now in its seventeenth year.The nominees were announced by 2021 Rising Star winner Bukky Bakray (“You Don’t Know Me”) and presenter Edith Bowman on Tuesday.The five actors have been selected for demonstrating “exceptional talent in film over the past year.” Previous winners of the award have included James McAvoy, Eva Green, Tom Hardy, Kristen Stewart, Tom Holland, Letitia Wright and Micheal Ward.BAFTA’s Rising Star award is the only one of the EE British Academy Film Awards that is decided by the public. Voting will open at 11AM on Feb.

Top Boy will return for a fourth season in March, Netflix has confirmed. The hit drama, which is produced by Drake, was last on screens in 2019.