| |  Welcome to this week’s “Just for Variety.” With Daniel Craig’s reign as James Bond coming to an end with “No Time to Die,” this may be the perfect moment to give the franchise an overhaul. Perhaps the next James Bond could be female, Black or queer? “If they want to continue with this character and the franchise, I think you can explode it and do anything,” Ben Whishaw , who plays Q for the third time in the latest installment, tells me on this week’s episode of the “Just for Variety” podcast. “I don’t know what that should be, but it seems to me like it should be something quite radical, something really different. It’s got to change; it’s got to keep changing. We’re in different times now.” He knows that won’t be an easy task. “There will always be people who want it to stick to the way it was whenever ago, and they’re important, because they love these films,” Whishaw says. “But I think you can do both. You can honor the character and the tradition, and you can push it forward, too. And I think you have to, if it’s not just going to become a kind of museum piece.” Whishaw says he’s relieved the studio insisted the film be exclusively released in theaters. “I’m happy for any film that gets a release at the cinema, but I think particularly something like this,” he says. “It’s not meant to be watched at home. It’s just something about the scale, the majesty, the whole experience of it.” “No Time to Die” hits theaters in the U.S. on Oct. 8 after having its world premiere on Tuesday in London.
Until then, you can see Whishaw in “Surge ,” a psychological thriller in which he stars as Joseph, an airport security screener who becomes unhinged and goes on a frenetic crime spree across London. There’s little dialogue except for a few conversations between Joseph and his co-workers or his off-kilter parents. “It’s not going to be everybody’s cup of tea,” Whishaw says of the film, which earned him the world cinema dramatic special jury award for acting at Sundance. “Some people don’t want to be in that company, don’t want to be in that kind of energy. And I understand that. But some people, it will tap into maybe something that they feel.” On the complete opposite side of the cinematic spectrum, Whishaw and I discussed the status of the third “Paddington” movie. He’s signed on to once again voice the toy bear. However, he hasn’t seen a script yet. It’s due to start filming next year. Listen to the full interview with Whishaw on “Just for Variety” at Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. … EXCLUSIVE: Kim Petras will headline Dreamland, Jake Resnicow and Pollen Presents’ LGBTQ New Year’s festival in Miami on Dec. 30 to Jan. 2. Also in the lineup are Todrick Hall, Sofi Tukker and Purple Disco Machine. … SIGHTING: Josh Duhamel having dinner at Tatel in Beverly Hills.
... Jennifer Love Hewitt was ready to make an appearance on Amazon’s “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” the new show based on her iconic 1997 horror movie. However, JLH decided to skip it because she wasn’t keen on flying to the Hawaii set during the pandemic. Even so, showrunner Sara Goodman tells me that scattered throughout the eight-episode series are Easter eggs connected to Hewitt and some of the other original cast members, including Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr. and Ryan Phillippe . “None of them are in it,” Goodman says. “We did not approach any of them, but there are little hints that they might exist in the universe.” Goodman admits that she initially passed on “I Know What You Did Last Summer.” “I feel like when you’re going to do a title that has that kind of heat behind it, that really defined that era, I wanted to make sure I could bring something that felt modern that also wasn’t going to be a fuck-you to it because eight episodes of people just running gets old,” Goodman says. But then she came up with a storyline — involving twin sisters (played by Madison Iseman ) on the verge of high school graduation — that she could get behind that honored the original premise of a coverup of a fatal accident: “I figured out how to do it as a character piece, but with enough shout-outs to the movie that not everybody will hate me.” Also in the ensemble of young actors is Goodman’s son Ezekiel Goodman . “He said, ‘I think I should audition for your show,’” Sara recalls. “But I was like, ‘You’re not going to be on my show.’ Then everybody was like, ‘You really need to look at his audition.’” She actually looked at 500 actors for the part and submitted Ezekiel and several other hopefuls “because I didn’t want to only submit him, but everyone was like, ‘He’s it.’”
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Bleecker Street’s “Mass,” an emotionally intense drama about two couples (Jason Isaacs and Martha Plimpton; Reed Birney and Ann Dowd) brought together by a horrific tragedy was shot in just eight days after two days of rehearsal. “We all knew we had $12 and only 16 minutes to make this film,” Plimpton cracked at a Sarah Paulson-hosted screening of the film on Sunday at The London West Hollywood. None of the actors knew each other before production began, but Dowd said she immediately “knew that I loved them and I trusted them. I think it’s rare for that to happen so fast.” Have some news to share? Reach out to me at mmalkin@variety.com. |
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| | |  The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures keeps on partying. Just four nights after a gala opening celebration was held at the new complex located on the LACMA campus in Los Angeles, Robert Pattinson and H.E.R. co-chaired, along with museum director and president Bill Kramer and Vanity Fair editor Britt Hennemuth, the Premiere party on Wednesday night. The guest list included Rebel Wilson, Zooey Deschanel, Clea DuVall and more. “It’s strange that it doesn’t exist already in L.A.,” Pattinson told Variety of the long-in-the-works museum. “It’s bizarre. So I’m very very honored to be a part of it.” As a film buff and a newly minted Academy member, the “Batman” actor was particularly eager to take in the Hayao Miyazaki exhibit and the 1,000 seat David Geffen theater. “Being really geeky about it, the technical specs sound insane,” he added. One piece of Academy history that’s not in the museum, though, is H.E.R.’s Oscar statuette, which is still on her kitchen table. “I’m working on getting a really good shelving situation,” she explained. “So as soon as that happens, it’s going to be shining bright under a light in my house.” The museum, which includes multiple exhibit spaces, a gift shop, Fanny’s restaurant and café and the David Geffen Theater, opens to the public today Sept. 30, after a morning dedication ceremony and ribbon-cutting. Among those set to deliver remarks today are Kramer, Tongva leaders Jimi Castillo and Virginia Carmelo, the Academy’s Dawn Hudson and David Rubin, Mayor Eric Garcetti, producer Effie T. Brown, California Film Commission executive director Colleen Bell, county supervisor Sheila Kuehl, city council member Nithya Raman and Netflix boss Ted Sarandos. The museum is quickly becoming the hottest event space in the city. WIF will hold its annual awards gala there next week followed by the premieres of “House of Gucci,” Ridley Scott’s drama starring Lady Gaga, and Guillermo del Toro’s “Nightmare Alley.”
CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL THE RED CARPET PICS FROM THE PREMIERE PARTY! |
 For just two years, from 1979 to 1981, Flipper’s Roller Boogie Palace was one of the hottest spots in Los Angeles. Prince, Cher, Robin Williams, Patrick Swayze, the Go-Go’s and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar were among the bold-faced names to roller disco into the early hours. Founded by Ian “Flipper” Ross and located in the heart of WeHo at the corner of Santa Monica and La Cienega Boulevards, Flipper’s was Studio 54 on wheels. Inside, a mural of a showgirl with a giant banana headpiece standing in a field of strawberries was as well known as the neon signage on the outside. Now Ross’ daughter, Liberty Ross, is spearheading a Flipper’s revival. First up is “Flipper’s Roller Boogie Palace 1979-1981,” a 250-page book out on Oct. 15 and featuring never-before-seen photos as well as interviews with a now-retired Flipper (conducted by Liberty’s husband, Jimmy Iovine) and regulars like Laura Dern , who reminisces about going to the rink as a teen during its more family-friendly afternoon hours. “The beauty of roller skating is that you strap on the wheels and it’s a great equalizer,” Liberty Ross tells Variety. “No one cares where you’re from, if you’re rich, if you’re poor, if you’re white, if you’re brown, if you’re famous or not famous.” KEEP READING... |
From Lady Gaga to Lil Nas X, Celebs Tip Their Hats to Milliner Gladys Tamez |
Even if you’ve never heard of Gladys Tamez, you’ve probably seen her work. “Once you’re familiar with my hats, you can spot them a mile away,” the Los Angeles-based milliner, whose sculptural designs have been worn by everyone from Lady Gaga to Megan Thee Stallion, Ariana Grande to Lil Nas X, and can be seen on shows such as “American Horror Story,” tells Variety. “They tend to have a timeless style that is about quality, balanced design sensibility and giving confidence to whoever is wearing them.” Now Tamez has another feather in her cap: a newly opened Gladys Tamez Millinery brick-and-mortar boutique. Connected to her atelier in downtown L.A.’s Arts District, the retail space is an art-filled shop where clients can also watch Tamez’s team of artisans handcrafting bestsellers such as the Kenny, a straw cowboy hat; the Joanne, a pink felt velour number donned by Gaga on her 2016 “Joanne” album cover; and the Johnny, a Western staple with a silver-studded leather band, named after one of Tamez’s first clients, Johnny Depp. And don’t be surprised if Tamez treats you to a personal fitting.
KEEP READING...
 It wasn't the Oscars, but it certainly looked like it. The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures held its opening gala on Sept. 25, with a guest list that included Lady Gaga, Regina King, Nicole Kidman, Cher, Angela Bassett, Kate Hudson, Spike Lee, Tiffany Haddish and so many more. CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL THE PHOTOS FROM THE ACADEMY MUSEUM'S OPENING NIGHT GALA! |
  Jessica Chastain
Actor, "The Eyes of Tammy Faye," "Scenes From a Marraige" Planta Queen 15 W. 27th St., New York “I get the Torched and Pressed. It’s a truffle avocado sushi roll. And the broccoli is insane. It’s deep-fried, and it has this amazing spicy sauce on it.” |
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Find out who's getting married, who are new parents and more... “Hacks” creators and writers Lucia Aniello and Paul W. Downs were wed the weekend of Sept. 10. Aniello announced their marriage in her acceptance speech for outstanding directing for a comedy series at the Primetime Emmy Awards on Sept. 19. “To Paul, I’m in love with you, which is why I married you last weekend,” she said. Ayesha and Stephen Curry renewed their vows for their 10th anniversary. The couple’s older daughter, Riley, officiated the ceremony, while daughter Ryan and son Canon walked their mother down an aisle in their backyard. Stephen plays for the Golden State Warriors; Ayesha is a cookbook author. Bill Prady and Jessica Queller were married on Sept. 11 at the New York Public Library. The pair met 17 years ago when they both wrote for “Gilmore Girls” and had their first date three years ago at the Warner Bros. party at Comic Con. Both are television writers and producers. Have wedding, baby or pet news to share? Email us at announcements@variety.com. |
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Check out Variety’s Must Attend calendar of events. Oct. 2 Jenna Ushkowitz and Lindsay Price Stone co-host AdoptTogether’s Baby Ball Gala at NeueHouse in Hollywood. Guest list includes Curtis Stone, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Malin Åkerman and Neal McDonough. Oct. 4 Kevin Nealon and Jeff Garlin play in the inaugural Comedy Gives Back Celebrity Golf Classic at the Valencia Country Club in Valencia, Calif. _______________________________________
DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM AT @MARCMALKIN. |
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