In many ways, the role of Mary Jane, the single mother at the center of Amy Herzog’s compassionate play Mary Jane, was made for Rachel McAdams.
The actress’ most notable characters include an acid-tongued high-school student (Mean Girls), a lovesick Southern belle (The Notebook) and a tireless investigative reporter (Spotlight), but last year she delivered a quietly moving performance in Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, which marked a new turn in her understated style.
In Kelly Fremon Craig’s adaptation of Judy Blume’s novel, McAdams breathed new life into Margaret’s mother Barbara, a woman estranged from her conservative family after marrying a Jewish man (Benny Safdie). The actress’ best scenes are the hushed ones, moments in which her character, enveloped by the quiet of an empty house, releases the tension in her shoulders and indulges in her anxieties and uncertainties. Not only must Barbara...
The actress’ most notable characters include an acid-tongued high-school student (Mean Girls), a lovesick Southern belle (The Notebook) and a tireless investigative reporter (Spotlight), but last year she delivered a quietly moving performance in Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, which marked a new turn in her understated style.
In Kelly Fremon Craig’s adaptation of Judy Blume’s novel, McAdams breathed new life into Margaret’s mother Barbara, a woman estranged from her conservative family after marrying a Jewish man (Benny Safdie). The actress’ best scenes are the hushed ones, moments in which her character, enveloped by the quiet of an empty house, releases the tension in her shoulders and indulges in her anxieties and uncertainties. Not only must Barbara...
- 4/24/2024
- by Lovia Gyarkye
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: Amazon MGM Studios has ordered a pilot for Dinks, an improvisational style multi-cam comedy starring and executive produced by real-life married couple June Diane Raphael and Paul Scheer. Grace & Frankie creator Marta Kauffman is writer, executive producer and showrunner of the project, which is produced by her Okay Goodnight banner, Amazon MGM Studios and Lionsgate Television.
Dinks (Dual Income No Kids) is about Josh (Scheer) and Charlie (Raphael), a couple who, in absence of a marriage or kids, decide to literally build a life together by renovating their nightmare of a dream house.
Alex Fernie is directing the pilot, which Kauffman co-wrote with Hannah K.S. Canter. Kauffman, Canter, Raphael and Scheer executive produce with Okay Goodnight’s Robbie Rowe Tollin. Jesse Schiller serves as a producer and Molly Arkin as a co-producer.
A previous version of Dinks – then called A Lot – with the same creative auspices, including Raphael, Scheer,...
Dinks (Dual Income No Kids) is about Josh (Scheer) and Charlie (Raphael), a couple who, in absence of a marriage or kids, decide to literally build a life together by renovating their nightmare of a dream house.
Alex Fernie is directing the pilot, which Kauffman co-wrote with Hannah K.S. Canter. Kauffman, Canter, Raphael and Scheer executive produce with Okay Goodnight’s Robbie Rowe Tollin. Jesse Schiller serves as a producer and Molly Arkin as a co-producer.
A previous version of Dinks – then called A Lot – with the same creative auspices, including Raphael, Scheer,...
- 4/22/2024
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
The Republican Party doesn’t seem to have much of a problem with Nazis these days. NBC News recently reported on how they “openly mingled” at last week’s Conservative Political Action Conference. The report was alarming, but not surprising. The event’s keynote speaker and the party’s standard-bearer, Donald Trump, has a history of hobnobbing with white supremacists and antisemites — including Nick Fuentes, the virulently bigoted Holocaust denier the former president invited to dinner at Mar-a-Lago just over a year ago.
Cpac threw a hissy fit over the NBC News report,...
Cpac threw a hissy fit over the NBC News report,...
- 2/28/2024
- by Ryan Bort
- Rollingstone.com
Over two weeks after Matthew Perry’s unexpected death, his “Friends” co-star Jennifer Aniston has taken to social media to mourn his loss.
“Oh boy this one has cut deep… Having to say goodbye to Matty has been an insane wave of emotions that I’ve never experienced before,” Aniston said on Instagram.
The actor went on to note sitting and grieving “allows you to feel the moments of joy and gratitude for having loved someone that deep.”
“And we loved him deeply,” Aniston continued. “We were always the 6 of us [sic]. This was a chosen family that forever changed the course of who we were and what our path was going to be.”
Aniston also noted that the late Perry knew that he loved to make people laugh and that his life “literally depended on it.” “And boy did he succeed in doing just that,” Aniston wrote. He made all of us laugh.
“Oh boy this one has cut deep… Having to say goodbye to Matty has been an insane wave of emotions that I’ve never experienced before,” Aniston said on Instagram.
The actor went on to note sitting and grieving “allows you to feel the moments of joy and gratitude for having loved someone that deep.”
“And we loved him deeply,” Aniston continued. “We were always the 6 of us [sic]. This was a chosen family that forever changed the course of who we were and what our path was going to be.”
Aniston also noted that the late Perry knew that he loved to make people laugh and that his life “literally depended on it.” “And boy did he succeed in doing just that,” Aniston wrote. He made all of us laugh.
- 11/15/2023
- by Kayla Cobb
- The Wrap
Matt LeBlanc shared a touching personal tribute to his late Friends co-star Matthew Perry, writing, “It was an honor to share the stage with you and to call you my friend.”
LeBlanc posted his tribute on Instagram Tuesday, Nov. 14, sharing a couple of stills of his and Perry’s Friends characters, Joey and Chandler, as well as a shot of the whole cast gathering backstage. “Matthew, it is with a heavy heart I say goodbye,” LeBlanc wrote. “The times we had together are honestly among the favorite times of my life.
LeBlanc posted his tribute on Instagram Tuesday, Nov. 14, sharing a couple of stills of his and Perry’s Friends characters, Joey and Chandler, as well as a shot of the whole cast gathering backstage. “Matthew, it is with a heavy heart I say goodbye,” LeBlanc wrote. “The times we had together are honestly among the favorite times of my life.
- 11/14/2023
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
“Friends” was the No. 1 most popular show on U.S. streaming services in the past week, according to new data — coming after news of series star Matthew Perry’s death.
For the week of Oct. 30-Nov. 5, “Friends” (which is available on Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max) was the top-ranked TV show among American viewers, according to data compiled by streaming guide JustWatch. That was followed by limited series “All the Light We Cannot See” on Netflix and “Gen V” on Amazon’s Prime Video (see complete top 10 below).
In the U.S., “Friends” became exclusively available on Max (then called HBO Max) when the streaming service debuted in May 2020, after five years on Netflix. Shortly after Perry died at the age of 54, on Saturday, Oct. 28, Max added a tribute card that now appears at the start of each season in his honor.
Note that the rankings from JustWatch are based...
For the week of Oct. 30-Nov. 5, “Friends” (which is available on Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max) was the top-ranked TV show among American viewers, according to data compiled by streaming guide JustWatch. That was followed by limited series “All the Light We Cannot See” on Netflix and “Gen V” on Amazon’s Prime Video (see complete top 10 below).
In the U.S., “Friends” became exclusively available on Max (then called HBO Max) when the streaming service debuted in May 2020, after five years on Netflix. Shortly after Perry died at the age of 54, on Saturday, Oct. 28, Max added a tribute card that now appears at the start of each season in his honor.
Note that the rankings from JustWatch are based...
- 11/7/2023
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
Documentary director Jeff Kaufman has given an update on the situation for detained award-winning Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh following an in-depth call with her husband Reza Khandan.
Kaufman and his casting director and producer wife Marcia Ross became close with Khandan while making their 2020 Olivia Colman-narrated documentary Nasrin.
The immersive work follows Sotoudeh’s battle to defend human rights in the face of abuses by Iran’s hardline Islamic Republic regime.
“This morning we had an in-depth conversation with Nasrin’s indefatigable husband Reza Khandan. He authorized us to release this update,” wrote Kaufman in a note sent out on Monday evening.
Sotoudeh was among a number of women arrested at the funeral on October 29 of tragic Tehran teenager Armita Geravand, who went into a coma and died after allegedly being assaulted by the country’s morality police for not wearing Iran’s obligatory veil.
The detainees...
Kaufman and his casting director and producer wife Marcia Ross became close with Khandan while making their 2020 Olivia Colman-narrated documentary Nasrin.
The immersive work follows Sotoudeh’s battle to defend human rights in the face of abuses by Iran’s hardline Islamic Republic regime.
“This morning we had an in-depth conversation with Nasrin’s indefatigable husband Reza Khandan. He authorized us to release this update,” wrote Kaufman in a note sent out on Monday evening.
Sotoudeh was among a number of women arrested at the funeral on October 29 of tragic Tehran teenager Armita Geravand, who went into a coma and died after allegedly being assaulted by the country’s morality police for not wearing Iran’s obligatory veil.
The detainees...
- 11/6/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Matthew Perry’s comedic genius was apparent from the very first episode of Friends.
That’s according to storied television director James Burrows, who helmed the pilot “The One Where Monica Gets a Roommate,” and would go on to direct 15 total episodes throughout the iconic NBC comedy’s 10-season run. Burrows spoke to the Today show on Thursday, one day after Friends creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane also opened up to the outlet about the immense loss of losing Perry at age 54.
The actor died over the weekend on Saturday; he was found unresponsive at his Los Angeles home and his cause of death is still pending.
Looking back on the very first episode of Friends, initially known as “The Pilot,” Burrows recalled how inventive Perry was with performing a single line as well as his facial expressions, whether or not the camera was on him.
“Reading around the table,...
That’s according to storied television director James Burrows, who helmed the pilot “The One Where Monica Gets a Roommate,” and would go on to direct 15 total episodes throughout the iconic NBC comedy’s 10-season run. Burrows spoke to the Today show on Thursday, one day after Friends creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane also opened up to the outlet about the immense loss of losing Perry at age 54.
The actor died over the weekend on Saturday; he was found unresponsive at his Los Angeles home and his cause of death is still pending.
Looking back on the very first episode of Friends, initially known as “The Pilot,” Burrows recalled how inventive Perry was with performing a single line as well as his facial expressions, whether or not the camera was on him.
“Reading around the table,...
- 11/2/2023
- by Jackie Strause
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Los Angeles, Nov 2 (Ians) Actor Matthew Perry has been receiving a lot of tribute ever since his untimely death.
Remembering their last conversation together, ‘Friends’ co-creator Marta Kauffman said that Perry was very happy. “It was great,” Kauffman said of the conversation during a joint virtual interview with ‘Friends’ co-creator David Crane.
Recalling their conversation, Kauffmain said: “He was happy and chipper. He didn’t seem weighed down by anything. He was in a really good place, which is why this seems so unfair.”
Perry had been going through a lot of problems due to substance abuse, though the actor was able to overcome his addiction and become sober according to ‘The Hollywood Reporter’.
Confirming his sobriety, she said: “He seemed better than I had seen in a while. I was so thrilled to see that. He was emotionally in a good place. He looked good. He quit smoking.”
“Yes,...
Remembering their last conversation together, ‘Friends’ co-creator Marta Kauffman said that Perry was very happy. “It was great,” Kauffman said of the conversation during a joint virtual interview with ‘Friends’ co-creator David Crane.
Recalling their conversation, Kauffmain said: “He was happy and chipper. He didn’t seem weighed down by anything. He was in a really good place, which is why this seems so unfair.”
Perry had been going through a lot of problems due to substance abuse, though the actor was able to overcome his addiction and become sober according to ‘The Hollywood Reporter’.
Confirming his sobriety, she said: “He seemed better than I had seen in a while. I was so thrilled to see that. He was emotionally in a good place. He looked good. He quit smoking.”
“Yes,...
- 11/1/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Los Angeles, Nov 2 (Ians) Actor Matthew Perry has been receiving a lot of tribute ever since his untimely death.
Remembering their last conversation together, ‘Friends’ co-creator Marta Kauffman said that Perry was very happy. “It was great,” Kauffman said of the conversation during a joint virtual interview with ‘Friends’ co-creator David Crane.
Recalling their conversation, Kauffmain said: “He was happy and chipper. He didn’t seem weighed down by anything. He was in a really good place, which is why this seems so unfair.”
Perry had been going through a lot of problems due to substance abuse, though the actor was able to overcome his addiction and become sober according to ‘The Hollywood Reporter’.
Confirming his sobriety, she said: “He seemed better than I had seen in a while. I was so thrilled to see that. He was emotionally in a good place. He looked good. He quit smoking.”
“Yes,...
Remembering their last conversation together, ‘Friends’ co-creator Marta Kauffman said that Perry was very happy. “It was great,” Kauffman said of the conversation during a joint virtual interview with ‘Friends’ co-creator David Crane.
Recalling their conversation, Kauffmain said: “He was happy and chipper. He didn’t seem weighed down by anything. He was in a really good place, which is why this seems so unfair.”
Perry had been going through a lot of problems due to substance abuse, though the actor was able to overcome his addiction and become sober according to ‘The Hollywood Reporter’.
Confirming his sobriety, she said: “He seemed better than I had seen in a while. I was so thrilled to see that. He was emotionally in a good place. He looked good. He quit smoking.”
“Yes,...
- 11/1/2023
- by Agency News Desk
Friends co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane are reflecting on their last conversations with Matthew Perry, who died on October 28, 2023.
The duo appeared on "Today" Wednesday morning, with Kauffman revealing she last spoke to the Chandler Bing actor two weeks ago.
"It was great. He was happy and chipper," she said on the telecast.
"He didn't seem weighed down by anything. He was in a really good place, which is why this seems so unfair."
Perry's death broke over the weekend, with reports stating the actor was found dead in the hot tub of his Los Angeles home.
Kauffman recalled the "utter shock" she felt after hearing the tragic news.
"My first impulse was to text him, honestly," she said.
"It's hard to grasp: one minute he's here and he's happy, and then poof.
"And doing good in the world, really doing good in the world."
Crane also reacted...
The duo appeared on "Today" Wednesday morning, with Kauffman revealing she last spoke to the Chandler Bing actor two weeks ago.
"It was great. He was happy and chipper," she said on the telecast.
"He didn't seem weighed down by anything. He was in a really good place, which is why this seems so unfair."
Perry's death broke over the weekend, with reports stating the actor was found dead in the hot tub of his Los Angeles home.
Kauffman recalled the "utter shock" she felt after hearing the tragic news.
"My first impulse was to text him, honestly," she said.
"It's hard to grasp: one minute he's here and he's happy, and then poof.
"And doing good in the world, really doing good in the world."
Crane also reacted...
- 11/1/2023
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
Weeks before his death, Matthew Perry was sober, had given up smoking and was “in a really good place” according to “Friends” showrunners Marta Kauffman and David Crane.
Kauffman told Hoda Kotb on Wednesday she had spoken to the late actor two weeks prior to his untimely death. “He was happy and chipper. He didn’t seem weighed down by anything. He was in a really good place, which is why this seems so unfair,” Kauffman said on “Today.”
The showrunner also revealed that Perry seemed “better than I had seen him in a while.” “He looked good. He quit smoking,” Kauffman said. “He was sober.”
In an exclusive interview, ‘Friends’ creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane remember Matthew Perry.
They speak to @hodakotb about the loss of the actor, the last conversations they had with him and the impact he made in the world. pic.twitter.com/96FcJkbghE
— Today...
Kauffman told Hoda Kotb on Wednesday she had spoken to the late actor two weeks prior to his untimely death. “He was happy and chipper. He didn’t seem weighed down by anything. He was in a really good place, which is why this seems so unfair,” Kauffman said on “Today.”
The showrunner also revealed that Perry seemed “better than I had seen him in a while.” “He looked good. He quit smoking,” Kauffman said. “He was sober.”
In an exclusive interview, ‘Friends’ creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane remember Matthew Perry.
They speak to @hodakotb about the loss of the actor, the last conversations they had with him and the impact he made in the world. pic.twitter.com/96FcJkbghE
— Today...
- 11/1/2023
- by Kayla Cobb
- The Wrap
Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman’s last conversation with the late Matthew Perry took place just two weeks before his death. She said the actor — who played the beloved Chandler Bing for 10 seasons on the hit NBC sitcom — was “happy and chipper” during their talk.
“It was great,” Kauffman said during Wednesday’s joint Today interview with Friends co-creator David Crane (watch the full clip embedded above). “He didn’t seem weighed down by anything. He was in a really good place, which is why this seems so unfair.”
More from TVLineMatthew Perry Remembered by 'Devastated' Friends Co-Stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox,...
“It was great,” Kauffman said during Wednesday’s joint Today interview with Friends co-creator David Crane (watch the full clip embedded above). “He didn’t seem weighed down by anything. He was in a really good place, which is why this seems so unfair.”
More from TVLineMatthew Perry Remembered by 'Devastated' Friends Co-Stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox,...
- 11/1/2023
- by Nick Caruso
- TVLine.com
Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman said Matthew Perry “was sober” and “in a really good place” when she last spoke to him two weeks before his death.
In an interview on Today with co-creator David Crane, Kauffman recalled her final conversation with the actor, who died Oct. 28. “It was great,” she said. “He was happy and chipper. He didn’t seem weighed down by anything. He was in a really good place, which is why this seems so unfair.”
Later, Kauffman recalled her concerns about Perry’s health and addiction struggles...
In an interview on Today with co-creator David Crane, Kauffman recalled her final conversation with the actor, who died Oct. 28. “It was great,” she said. “He was happy and chipper. He didn’t seem weighed down by anything. He was in a really good place, which is why this seems so unfair.”
Later, Kauffman recalled her concerns about Perry’s health and addiction struggles...
- 11/1/2023
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
“Friends” co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane recalled their last conversations with series star Matthew Perry, who died on Oct. 28 at the age of 54, during an appearance on “Today” Wednesday morning.
Kauffman spoke to Perry just two weeks ago, saying: “It was great. He was happy and chipper. He didn’t seem weighed down by anything. He was in a really good place, which is why this seems so unfair.”
Perry was found dead in the hot tub of his Los Angeles home, as the L.A. Times reported. No foul play was suspected. When she heard the news, Kauffman was in “utter shock.”
“My first impulse was to text him, honestly,” she said, adding: “It’s hard to grasp: one minute he’s here and he’s happy, and then poof. And doing good in the world, really doing good in the world.”
“Today” host Hoda Kotb pointed out that...
Kauffman spoke to Perry just two weeks ago, saying: “It was great. He was happy and chipper. He didn’t seem weighed down by anything. He was in a really good place, which is why this seems so unfair.”
Perry was found dead in the hot tub of his Los Angeles home, as the L.A. Times reported. No foul play was suspected. When she heard the news, Kauffman was in “utter shock.”
“My first impulse was to text him, honestly,” she said, adding: “It’s hard to grasp: one minute he’s here and he’s happy, and then poof. And doing good in the world, really doing good in the world.”
“Today” host Hoda Kotb pointed out that...
- 11/1/2023
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman spoke to actor Mathew Perry just two weeks before his Oct. 28 death at 54, and was pleased with what she heard.
“It was great,” Kauffman said in an exclusive Today show interview with Hoda Kotb that aired this morning. “He was happy, and chipper. He didn’t seem weighed down by anything. He was in a really good place, which is why this seems so unfair.”
Watch the interview below.
“I was just in utter shock,” Kauffman said about hearing the news of Perry’s death. “My first impulse was to text him, honestly. And then deep sadness. It’s hard to grasp. You know, one minute he’s here and happy, and then poof. And doing good in the world. Really doing good in the world.”
Although a cause of death has not been revealed and toxicology reports are pending, Perry apparently drowned in a hot...
“It was great,” Kauffman said in an exclusive Today show interview with Hoda Kotb that aired this morning. “He was happy, and chipper. He didn’t seem weighed down by anything. He was in a really good place, which is why this seems so unfair.”
Watch the interview below.
“I was just in utter shock,” Kauffman said about hearing the news of Perry’s death. “My first impulse was to text him, honestly. And then deep sadness. It’s hard to grasp. You know, one minute he’s here and happy, and then poof. And doing good in the world. Really doing good in the world.”
Although a cause of death has not been revealed and toxicology reports are pending, Perry apparently drowned in a hot...
- 11/1/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman spoke to Matthew Perry two weeks before his death, and recalled that the actor, who played the beloved Chandler Bing for 10 seasons on the hit NBC sitcom, was happy during the chat.
“It was great,” Kauffman said of the conversation during a joint virtual interview with Friends co-creator David Crane that aired on the Today show Wednesday. “He was happy and chipper. He didn’t seem weighed down by anything. He was in a really good place, which is why this seems so unfair.”
Kauffman says she was in “utter shock” upon hearing the news of his passing. “My first instinct was to text him, honestly,” she said. “And then deep sadness. So much sadness. It’s hard to grasp. One minute he’s here and happy and then poof. And doing good in the world. Really doing good in the world.”
She continued, “He seemed...
“It was great,” Kauffman said of the conversation during a joint virtual interview with Friends co-creator David Crane that aired on the Today show Wednesday. “He was happy and chipper. He didn’t seem weighed down by anything. He was in a really good place, which is why this seems so unfair.”
Kauffman says she was in “utter shock” upon hearing the news of his passing. “My first instinct was to text him, honestly,” she said. “And then deep sadness. So much sadness. It’s hard to grasp. One minute he’s here and happy and then poof. And doing good in the world. Really doing good in the world.”
She continued, “He seemed...
- 11/1/2023
- by Jackie Strause
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Long-time Friends fan Charlie Puth paid tribute to Matthew Perry during his concert in Melbourne on Sunday. Puth led the audience of more than seven thousand at Melbourne’s Margaret Court Arena into a piano version of the iconic theme song “I’ll Be There for You.”
In fan-filmed footage from the show, Puth covers the song originally performed by the Rembrandts, before transitioning into his ballad “See You Again,” in the touching tribute.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Dealcado lifestyle | events | deals | beauty | fashion (@dealcado.
In fan-filmed footage from the show, Puth covers the song originally performed by the Rembrandts, before transitioning into his ballad “See You Again,” in the touching tribute.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Dealcado lifestyle | events | deals | beauty | fashion (@dealcado.
- 10/30/2023
- by Carita Rizzo
- Rollingstone.com
Nick at Nite will air Matthew Perry: Thanks for Being a Friend, tonight, Oct. 29 at 10 p.m. Et, Variety reports.
The show will feature never-before-seen interviews with the late actor, who died on Saturday at the age of 54. Entertainment Tonight produced the special overnight in less than 24 hours. The tribute will also include behind-the-scenes footage from Friends. After the 30-minute special concludes, Nick at Nite will broadcast Friends episodes spotlighting Perry. Each night through Sunday, Nov. 5, Nick at Nite will air fan-favorite Friends episodes highlighting the late actor beginning at 10 p.
The show will feature never-before-seen interviews with the late actor, who died on Saturday at the age of 54. Entertainment Tonight produced the special overnight in less than 24 hours. The tribute will also include behind-the-scenes footage from Friends. After the 30-minute special concludes, Nick at Nite will broadcast Friends episodes spotlighting Perry. Each night through Sunday, Nov. 5, Nick at Nite will air fan-favorite Friends episodes highlighting the late actor beginning at 10 p.
- 10/30/2023
- by Althea Legaspi
- Rollingstone.com
Nick at Nite will air “Matthew Perry: Thanks for Being a Friend” on Sunday, Oct. 29, at 10 p.m. Et.
The tribute special will feature never-before-seen interviews with Perry, behind-the-scenes moments from the “Friends” set and highlights of Perry on the hit NBC sitcom. Entertainment Tonight produced the special overnight in less than 24 hours.
Following the conclusion of the special at 10:30 p.m., Nick at Nite will air fan-favorite episodes of “Friends” featuring Perry, which will continue all next week through Sunday, Nov. 5, beginning at 10 p.m.
Perry, who gained international recognition for his role as Chandler Bing on “Friends,” died Saturday at the age of 54. The actor was found dead in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home, law enforcement sources told the Los Angeles Times.
“Friends” was created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, who executive produced the sitcom with Kevin Bright through Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions...
The tribute special will feature never-before-seen interviews with Perry, behind-the-scenes moments from the “Friends” set and highlights of Perry on the hit NBC sitcom. Entertainment Tonight produced the special overnight in less than 24 hours.
Following the conclusion of the special at 10:30 p.m., Nick at Nite will air fan-favorite episodes of “Friends” featuring Perry, which will continue all next week through Sunday, Nov. 5, beginning at 10 p.m.
Perry, who gained international recognition for his role as Chandler Bing on “Friends,” died Saturday at the age of 54. The actor was found dead in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home, law enforcement sources told the Los Angeles Times.
“Friends” was created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, who executive produced the sitcom with Kevin Bright through Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions...
- 10/29/2023
- by Michaela Zee
- Variety Film + TV
The co-creators and longtime executive producers of Friends paid tribute to Matthew Perry following news of the actor’s death at the age of 54.
“We are shocked and deeply, deeply saddened by our beloved friend Matthew’s passing,” Marta Kauffman, David Crane, and Kevin Bright said in a joint statement to Rolling Stone. “It still seems impossible. All we can say is that we feel blessed to have had him as part of our lives.”
Perry died Saturday at his Los Angeles home in an apparnt drowning, law enforcement sources confirmed to Rolling Stone.
“We are shocked and deeply, deeply saddened by our beloved friend Matthew’s passing,” Marta Kauffman, David Crane, and Kevin Bright said in a joint statement to Rolling Stone. “It still seems impossible. All we can say is that we feel blessed to have had him as part of our lives.”
Perry died Saturday at his Los Angeles home in an apparnt drowning, law enforcement sources confirmed to Rolling Stone.
- 10/29/2023
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Friends co-creators/executive producers Marta Kauffman and David Crane and the series’ executive producer/director Kevin Bright have issued a statement following the sudden death of star Matthew Perry at age 54.
In it, they recall how Perry got the role of Chandler Bing in the audition room, launching decades of collaboration and friendship, and how he made the character his own.
“We will always cherish the joy, the light, the blinding intelligence he brought to every moment – not just to his work, but in life as well,” the trio said, ending their tribute with a somber take on Friends‘ famous episode titles, “This truly is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken.”
Following Friends‘ hugely successful 10-season run Kauffman, Crane and Bright reunited with Perry and the rest of the Friends cast for the 2021 reunion special on Max, for which they all shared an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Variety Special...
In it, they recall how Perry got the role of Chandler Bing in the audition room, launching decades of collaboration and friendship, and how he made the character his own.
“We will always cherish the joy, the light, the blinding intelligence he brought to every moment – not just to his work, but in life as well,” the trio said, ending their tribute with a somber take on Friends‘ famous episode titles, “This truly is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken.”
Following Friends‘ hugely successful 10-season run Kauffman, Crane and Bright reunited with Perry and the rest of the Friends cast for the 2021 reunion special on Max, for which they all shared an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Variety Special...
- 10/29/2023
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
There’s not a lot of Matthew Perry in the pilot episode of Friends, but he gets to deliver one of its funniest jokes. As the gang sits around Central Perk, a newly-divorced Ross admits that he just wants to be married again. A second later, Rachel wanders into the coffee shop, soaking wet and wearing a wedding dress. Without missing a beat, Perry’s Chandler Bing declares, “And I just want a million dollars!”
Like a lot of Chandler punchlines, it’s quick and biting in its sarcasm. And...
Like a lot of Chandler punchlines, it’s quick and biting in its sarcasm. And...
- 10/29/2023
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Rollingstone.com
Matthew Perry, the affable actor who became a television superstar playing Chandler Bing on the beloved NBC sitcom Friends, had died. He was 54.
Perry died Saturday in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home, law enforcement sources told the Los Angeles Times. Authorities responded around 4 p.m. to his home, where he was discovered unresponsive, they said.
While Perry had achieved massive success as part of Friends, one of the most successful shows of all time, he also battled alcohol and substance abuse for decades.
Debuting in 1994, Friends, of course, followed the lives and loves of six young New Yorkers trying to find themselves as they banded together for support. Through their ups and downs, trials and tribulations, one thing remained constant (as affirmed by the show’s theme song): These friends would always be there for each other.
Striking a chord with twenty-somethings everywhere, Friends was a ratings powerhouse.
Perry died Saturday in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home, law enforcement sources told the Los Angeles Times. Authorities responded around 4 p.m. to his home, where he was discovered unresponsive, they said.
While Perry had achieved massive success as part of Friends, one of the most successful shows of all time, he also battled alcohol and substance abuse for decades.
Debuting in 1994, Friends, of course, followed the lives and loves of six young New Yorkers trying to find themselves as they banded together for support. Through their ups and downs, trials and tribulations, one thing remained constant (as affirmed by the show’s theme song): These friends would always be there for each other.
Striking a chord with twenty-somethings everywhere, Friends was a ratings powerhouse.
- 10/29/2023
- by Chris Koseluk
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Film and TV crew members and support staff have been hit hard by the double Hollywood strikes. The latest relief effort, announced last month, comes from Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman, Paul McCrane and Paul Scheer, who are spearheading a live fundraising event in partnership with The Union Solidarity Coalition.
Titled Give Back-ular Spectacular!, the two-hour variety show at The Orpheum Theatre, which will be live-streamed, will showcase about 30 performers, including Jeremy Allen White, Halle Berry, Bryan Cranston, Lily Tomlin, Lil Dicky, LeVar Burton, Kumail Nanjiani and Patton Oswalt. It will feature games, sketches, standup, some improv, musical acts as well as magic from Penn & Teller.
Without revealing too much to not ruin the surprises, Kauffman teased some of the numbers.
“Let me just say, we have a sketch about out-of-work actors auditioning for Magic Mike,” she said. “We have wonderful actors doing monologues they should never be doing, we...
Titled Give Back-ular Spectacular!, the two-hour variety show at The Orpheum Theatre, which will be live-streamed, will showcase about 30 performers, including Jeremy Allen White, Halle Berry, Bryan Cranston, Lily Tomlin, Lil Dicky, LeVar Burton, Kumail Nanjiani and Patton Oswalt. It will feature games, sketches, standup, some improv, musical acts as well as magic from Penn & Teller.
Without revealing too much to not ruin the surprises, Kauffman teased some of the numbers.
“Let me just say, we have a sketch about out-of-work actors auditioning for Magic Mike,” she said. “We have wonderful actors doing monologues they should never be doing, we...
- 10/22/2023
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Update: A roster of talent including Jason Alexander, Jack Black, Lily Tomlin and Jeremy Allen White, among others, will join the Give Back-ular Spectacular! fundraising variety show to benefit the entire community of artists, craftspeople, technicians, production assistants and support staff facing financial difficulty due to the strikes.
Produced by Marta Kauffman, Paul McCrane, Paul Scheer and more, The Give Back-ular Spectacular! set for October 25, 6 p.m., in Los Angeles at the Orpheum Theater will feature, in addition to those mentioned above, Rachel Bloom, LeVar Burton, Nicole Byer, Bryan Cranston, Lil Dicky, Lindsay Dougherty, Simon Helberg, Janelle James, Michael McKean, Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, June Diane Raphael, Andrea Savage, Paul Scheer, Dax Shepard and Julian Velard.
The evening will consist of sketch comedy, stand-up, live interviews, musical performances, and more. Ticket and other information can be found here.
Previous, Sept. 7: Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman, actors Paul McCrane (ER) and...
Produced by Marta Kauffman, Paul McCrane, Paul Scheer and more, The Give Back-ular Spectacular! set for October 25, 6 p.m., in Los Angeles at the Orpheum Theater will feature, in addition to those mentioned above, Rachel Bloom, LeVar Burton, Nicole Byer, Bryan Cranston, Lil Dicky, Lindsay Dougherty, Simon Helberg, Janelle James, Michael McKean, Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, June Diane Raphael, Andrea Savage, Paul Scheer, Dax Shepard and Julian Velard.
The evening will consist of sketch comedy, stand-up, live interviews, musical performances, and more. Ticket and other information can be found here.
Previous, Sept. 7: Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman, actors Paul McCrane (ER) and...
- 9/27/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
They’re calling it “The Give Back-ular Spectacular.”
A new fundraiser has been set for L.A.’s Orpheum Theater on Oct. 25 as a benefit for workers amid Hollywood’s dual strikes, organized in partnership with the Union Solidarity Coalition. It will be co-hosted by Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman, actor and director Paul McCrane and actor and writer Paul Scheer.
Per official intel distributed Thursday, the fundraiser is designed “to raise awareness that this strike is adversely affecting not just writers and actors, but the entire community of artists, craftspeople, technicians, production assistants and support staff” while also raising money to cover Cobra and healthcare premiums for members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), Teamsters, Laborers’ International Union of North America and other workers who are being financially impacted by the work stoppage.
Tusc was founded by writers and directors who were moved to support crews affected...
A new fundraiser has been set for L.A.’s Orpheum Theater on Oct. 25 as a benefit for workers amid Hollywood’s dual strikes, organized in partnership with the Union Solidarity Coalition. It will be co-hosted by Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman, actor and director Paul McCrane and actor and writer Paul Scheer.
Per official intel distributed Thursday, the fundraiser is designed “to raise awareness that this strike is adversely affecting not just writers and actors, but the entire community of artists, craftspeople, technicians, production assistants and support staff” while also raising money to cover Cobra and healthcare premiums for members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), Teamsters, Laborers’ International Union of North America and other workers who are being financially impacted by the work stoppage.
Tusc was founded by writers and directors who were moved to support crews affected...
- 9/7/2023
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
According to one former television writer, working on “Friends” wasn’t all that friendly.
Patty Lin, whose credits include “Breaking Bad,” “Freaks and Geeks” and “Desperate Housewives,” opened up about her turbulent tenure on the juggernaut NBC sitcom in her upcoming memoir, “End Credits: How I Broke Up With Hollywood” (via Time).
“The ‘Friends’ writing staff was cliquey, more so than at any other show I would work on. They reminded me of the preppy rich kids in my high school who shopped at Abercrombie & Fitch and drove brand-new convertibles,” Lin wrote of her former co-workers.
Lin, who is Asian, joined “Friends” in its seventh season and was the only person of color in the writers room at the time. She wrote that she often struggled with “imposter syndrome” and “wondered whether I was hired for ‘Friends’ because of the diversity program or because I was the right person for the job.
Patty Lin, whose credits include “Breaking Bad,” “Freaks and Geeks” and “Desperate Housewives,” opened up about her turbulent tenure on the juggernaut NBC sitcom in her upcoming memoir, “End Credits: How I Broke Up With Hollywood” (via Time).
“The ‘Friends’ writing staff was cliquey, more so than at any other show I would work on. They reminded me of the preppy rich kids in my high school who shopped at Abercrombie & Fitch and drove brand-new convertibles,” Lin wrote of her former co-workers.
Lin, who is Asian, joined “Friends” in its seventh season and was the only person of color in the writers room at the time. She wrote that she often struggled with “imposter syndrome” and “wondered whether I was hired for ‘Friends’ because of the diversity program or because I was the right person for the job.
- 8/24/2023
- by Ethan Shanfeld
- Variety Film + TV
The One Where the Cast Had No Constructive Criticism and Left a Writer Bitter About Working With Big-Time Celebs. As detailed in her upcoming book (excerpted in Time), “End Credits: How I Broke Up with Hollywood”, writer Patty Lin had more troubles with the Friends gang than Mr. Heckles, saying the core cast’s reactions to scripts were far from friendly.
Lin – who wrote season seven’s “The One with the Engagement Picture” and “The One Where Chandler Doesn’t Like Dogs” – said that when it came to script reactions, the Friends cast “rarely had anything positive to say, and when they brought up problems, they didn’t suggest feasible solutions. Seeing themselves as guardians of their characters, they often argued that they would never do or say such-and-such. That was occasionally helpful, but overall, these sessions had a dire, aggressive quality that lacked all the levity you’d expect...
Lin – who wrote season seven’s “The One with the Engagement Picture” and “The One Where Chandler Doesn’t Like Dogs” – said that when it came to script reactions, the Friends cast “rarely had anything positive to say, and when they brought up problems, they didn’t suggest feasible solutions. Seeing themselves as guardians of their characters, they often argued that they would never do or say such-and-such. That was occasionally helpful, but overall, these sessions had a dire, aggressive quality that lacked all the levity you’d expect...
- 8/24/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
The Brown Daily Herald‘s Pride Month poll for the Spring 2023 semester found that 38% of students at Brown University do not identify as heterosexual. According to a 2022 Gallup poll measuring LGBTQ+ identification, this number is approximately five times the national percentage for adults. For individuals aged 18 to 25, Brown’s rate was approximately double.
Although this is similar to other polls that show evidence for increased LGBTQ+ identification nationwide, the jump is especially significant at Brown.
The poll was conducted most semesters since Spring 2016 as well as one performed in Fall 2010. Starting in Spring 2022, The Herald included a greater number of choices for sexual orientation identification and allowed students to select multiple responses for improved representation.
Since Fall 2010, the school’s gay or lesbian population has increased by 26%, and the number of students who identify as bisexual has increased by 232%. People identifying as other sexual orientations have increased by 793%.
Josephine Kovecses,...
Although this is similar to other polls that show evidence for increased LGBTQ+ identification nationwide, the jump is especially significant at Brown.
The poll was conducted most semesters since Spring 2016 as well as one performed in Fall 2010. Starting in Spring 2022, The Herald included a greater number of choices for sexual orientation identification and allowed students to select multiple responses for improved representation.
Since Fall 2010, the school’s gay or lesbian population has increased by 26%, and the number of students who identify as bisexual has increased by 232%. People identifying as other sexual orientations have increased by 793%.
Josephine Kovecses,...
- 7/16/2023
- by Alex Nguyen
- Uinterview
Lily Tomlin, Gloria Allred, Marta Kauffman and top creatives called for entertainment companies to enact stronger health and safety protections for employees working in states that have banned or criminalized abortion at a reproductive health care-themed picket in front of Amazon Studios on Friday.
“Our message to the studios is this: It’s not acceptable to wait until someone dies to take this seriously. It is not acceptable to force people who are pregnant or could get pregnant to have to choose between their jobs and their lives,” said writer-producer Cindy Chupack (Fleishman Is in Trouble, Sex and the City) in a speech at the event in front of the white columns of Culver Studios. “And Amazon, maybe instead of figuring out how drones can safely fly our packages to our door, you could figure out how a medevac could safely fly our crewmembers to a hospital.”
Added Women in...
“Our message to the studios is this: It’s not acceptable to wait until someone dies to take this seriously. It is not acceptable to force people who are pregnant or could get pregnant to have to choose between their jobs and their lives,” said writer-producer Cindy Chupack (Fleishman Is in Trouble, Sex and the City) in a speech at the event in front of the white columns of Culver Studios. “And Amazon, maybe instead of figuring out how drones can safely fly our packages to our door, you could figure out how a medevac could safely fly our crewmembers to a hospital.”
Added Women in...
- 6/23/2023
- by Katie Kilkenny
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It’s official. Velma will be back. Max confirmed the renewal of Mindy Kaling’s adult animated series for a second season. Suzanna Makkos, EVP, Original Comedy and Adult Animation, Max and Adult Swim, revealed the renewal during a panel at Annecy International Animated Film Festival Thursday, where she also talked about upcoming projects and previewed Max’s upcoming adult animation slate.
Velma tells the origin story of Velma Dinkley (Kaling), the unsung and underappreciated brains of the Scooby-Doo Mystery Inc. gang. This original and humorous spin unmasks the complex and colorful past of one of America’s most beloved mystery solvers.
Related: ‘Scooby-Doo!’s Velma Confirmed As LGBTQ In New Halloween-Themed HBO Max Movie
The series also stars Constance Wu, Sam Richardson, and Glenn Howerton in leading roles. Rounding out the ensemble cast in unknown roles is Jane Lynch, Wanda Sykes, Russell Peters, Melissa Fumero, Stephen Root, Gary Cole,...
Velma tells the origin story of Velma Dinkley (Kaling), the unsung and underappreciated brains of the Scooby-Doo Mystery Inc. gang. This original and humorous spin unmasks the complex and colorful past of one of America’s most beloved mystery solvers.
Related: ‘Scooby-Doo!’s Velma Confirmed As LGBTQ In New Halloween-Themed HBO Max Movie
The series also stars Constance Wu, Sam Richardson, and Glenn Howerton in leading roles. Rounding out the ensemble cast in unknown roles is Jane Lynch, Wanda Sykes, Russell Peters, Melissa Fumero, Stephen Root, Gary Cole,...
- 6/15/2023
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
You are reading an exclusive WrapPRO article for free. Want to level up your entertainment career? Subscribe to WrapPRO now.
For a good number of writers in Hollywood, this WGA strike is not their first one. TheWrap spoke with four writer-producers who marched on the picket lines back in 2007 and who have created and written for some of the most popular shows of the past quarter-century, and they say that they’re more concerned for future writers than themselves.
“I was also involved in the 1988 strike, and my biggest memory from that was a rally in Century City, and there was an elderly man in a wheelchair who was a writer on ‘The Lucy Show,'” said Marta Kauffman, co-creator of “Friends” and “Grace and Frankie.”
“Someone said to him, ‘Curious why you’re here. You’re not writing, you’re retired. Why are you here?’ He said, ‘I’m here for the younger writers,...
For a good number of writers in Hollywood, this WGA strike is not their first one. TheWrap spoke with four writer-producers who marched on the picket lines back in 2007 and who have created and written for some of the most popular shows of the past quarter-century, and they say that they’re more concerned for future writers than themselves.
“I was also involved in the 1988 strike, and my biggest memory from that was a rally in Century City, and there was an elderly man in a wheelchair who was a writer on ‘The Lucy Show,'” said Marta Kauffman, co-creator of “Friends” and “Grace and Frankie.”
“Someone said to him, ‘Curious why you’re here. You’re not writing, you’re retired. Why are you here?’ He said, ‘I’m here for the younger writers,...
- 5/25/2023
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
The current Broadway season schedule seemed done and dusted at the start of this month: With an opening night of April 26, the new Kander & Ebb musical New York, New York would be the final production of 2022-23, arriving just a day before the April 27 Tony eligibility cut-off date.
But on April 4, a newcomer entered the ring, with an opening night set for the very date of the Tony cut-off. Well, not exactly a newcomer. The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window is a rarely performed 1964 play by Lorraine Hansberry, a mostly forgotten work forever overshadowed by the playwright’s 1959 masterpiece A Raisin in the Sun. Hansberry died at 34 shortly after Sidney opened, and it would take nearly 50 years – and two very popular stars – before the play would return to Broadway.
The new production of The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window will star Oscar Isaac (the Dune and the Star...
But on April 4, a newcomer entered the ring, with an opening night set for the very date of the Tony cut-off. Well, not exactly a newcomer. The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window is a rarely performed 1964 play by Lorraine Hansberry, a mostly forgotten work forever overshadowed by the playwright’s 1959 masterpiece A Raisin in the Sun. Hansberry died at 34 shortly after Sidney opened, and it would take nearly 50 years – and two very popular stars – before the play would return to Broadway.
The new production of The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window will star Oscar Isaac (the Dune and the Star...
- 4/21/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Aisha Tyler is looking back on her “Friends” stint 20 years later.
The “Last Thing He Told Me” actress revealed that following her 2003 appearance on the hit sitcom as Charlie Wheeler, Ross’ (David Schwimmer) love interest, she is still identified as the singular recurring Black character on the series.
“To this day, people come up to me and go, ‘Charlie, Charlie,’ or they just go, ‘Black girl from “Friends,”‘” Tyler told Entertainment Tonight.
The series has come under fire in recent years for its lack of diversity, with co-creator Marta Kauffman pledging a $4 million donation to her alma mater Brandeis University to establish a fund to support scholars studying Africa and the African diaspora.
Kauffman, who created the series with David Crane, revealed that she originally thought the criticism over a lack of representation was “difficult and frustrating,” but the events of 2020, namely the murder of George Floyd by the Minneapolis police force,...
The “Last Thing He Told Me” actress revealed that following her 2003 appearance on the hit sitcom as Charlie Wheeler, Ross’ (David Schwimmer) love interest, she is still identified as the singular recurring Black character on the series.
“To this day, people come up to me and go, ‘Charlie, Charlie,’ or they just go, ‘Black girl from “Friends,”‘” Tyler told Entertainment Tonight.
The series has come under fire in recent years for its lack of diversity, with co-creator Marta Kauffman pledging a $4 million donation to her alma mater Brandeis University to establish a fund to support scholars studying Africa and the African diaspora.
Kauffman, who created the series with David Crane, revealed that she originally thought the criticism over a lack of representation was “difficult and frustrating,” but the events of 2020, namely the murder of George Floyd by the Minneapolis police force,...
- 4/6/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Don’t expect Warner Bros. Discovery’s French original programming team to follow Netflix and Amazon Prime Video’s trail and chase teen audiences.
Vera Peltekian, VP and head of streaming original production for the banner, says the standalone service’s bow in France “is on the roadmap” with a raft of “bold and director-driven Max originals targeting adult audiences in line with what the HBO brand is known for.”
Peltekian, who previously worked 15 years at Canal + and played a major role in the pay TV group’s critically acclaimed series such as “The Returned,” “Spiral” and “Savages,” revealed that Warner Bros. Discovery’s first French original will be “The Mythomaniac of the Bataclan,” a four-part series inspired by the true story of a woman who conned her way into a victims’ association and quickly became one of its pillars.
Now shooting on location in Paris, “The Mythomaniac of...
Vera Peltekian, VP and head of streaming original production for the banner, says the standalone service’s bow in France “is on the roadmap” with a raft of “bold and director-driven Max originals targeting adult audiences in line with what the HBO brand is known for.”
Peltekian, who previously worked 15 years at Canal + and played a major role in the pay TV group’s critically acclaimed series such as “The Returned,” “Spiral” and “Savages,” revealed that Warner Bros. Discovery’s first French original will be “The Mythomaniac of the Bataclan,” a four-part series inspired by the true story of a woman who conned her way into a victims’ association and quickly became one of its pillars.
Now shooting on location in Paris, “The Mythomaniac of...
- 4/5/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Quinta Brunson took aim at Friends over it’s lack of diversity while hosting SNL.
The Emmy Award-winning Abbott Elementary creator, who also stars in the sitcom, was the latest star to present the US sketch show.
During her opening monologue on Saturday (1 April), Brunson addressed the success of her series, which is focused on a group of teachers at a poorly funded predominantly Black school in Philadelphia.
“I wanted to be on SNL back in the day but the audition process seemed long – so instead, I just created my own TV show, made sure it became really popular, won a bunch of Emmys and then got asked to host,” she quipped, adding: “So much easier, so much easier.”
Bunson then described Abbott Elementary by comparing it to 1990s sitcom Friends, stating: “It’s a network sitcom like, say, Friends. Except, instead of being about a group of friends, it...
The Emmy Award-winning Abbott Elementary creator, who also stars in the sitcom, was the latest star to present the US sketch show.
During her opening monologue on Saturday (1 April), Brunson addressed the success of her series, which is focused on a group of teachers at a poorly funded predominantly Black school in Philadelphia.
“I wanted to be on SNL back in the day but the audition process seemed long – so instead, I just created my own TV show, made sure it became really popular, won a bunch of Emmys and then got asked to host,” she quipped, adding: “So much easier, so much easier.”
Bunson then described Abbott Elementary by comparing it to 1990s sitcom Friends, stating: “It’s a network sitcom like, say, Friends. Except, instead of being about a group of friends, it...
- 4/2/2023
- by Jacob Stolworthy
- The Independent - TV
Jennifer Aniston is speaking out about the current state of comedy and how the arts are becoming "tricky" for comedians.
In an interview with Afp in Paris while promoting Murder Mystery 2, Aniston said that comedy and movies have evolved.
"Now it's a little tricky because you have to be very careful, which makes it really hard for comedians," she said.
"Because the beauty of comedy is that we make fun of ourselves, make fun of life."
The star spoke about Friends, which propelled her and her costars to worldwide stardom.
"There's a whole generation of people, kids, who are now going back to episodes of Friends and find them offensive," she said of the series.
"There were things that were never intentional and others... well, we should have thought it through, but I don't think there was a sensitivity like there is now."
Aniston said that the key to...
In an interview with Afp in Paris while promoting Murder Mystery 2, Aniston said that comedy and movies have evolved.
"Now it's a little tricky because you have to be very careful, which makes it really hard for comedians," she said.
"Because the beauty of comedy is that we make fun of ourselves, make fun of life."
The star spoke about Friends, which propelled her and her costars to worldwide stardom.
"There's a whole generation of people, kids, who are now going back to episodes of Friends and find them offensive," she said of the series.
"There were things that were never intentional and others... well, we should have thought it through, but I don't think there was a sensitivity like there is now."
Aniston said that the key to...
- 3/30/2023
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
Jennifer Aniston recently opened up about how comedy has changed in the decades since Friends aired.
While promoting her upcoming film Murder Mystery 2, Aniston explained that comedy is more complicated today than it used to be.
“Now it’s a little tricky because you have to be very careful, which makes it really hard for comedians, because the beauty of comedy is that we make fun of ourselves, make fun of life,” she told Afp. In the past, she continued, “you could joke about a bigot and have a laugh — that was hysterical. And it was about educating people on how ridiculous people were. And now we’re not allowed to do that.”
The actress then switched her focus to Friends specifically, pointing out that when the show was airing in the 1990s, it was funny and people looked past some of the potentially more controversial takes the sitcom had.
While promoting her upcoming film Murder Mystery 2, Aniston explained that comedy is more complicated today than it used to be.
“Now it’s a little tricky because you have to be very careful, which makes it really hard for comedians, because the beauty of comedy is that we make fun of ourselves, make fun of life,” she told Afp. In the past, she continued, “you could joke about a bigot and have a laugh — that was hysterical. And it was about educating people on how ridiculous people were. And now we’re not allowed to do that.”
The actress then switched her focus to Friends specifically, pointing out that when the show was airing in the 1990s, it was funny and people looked past some of the potentially more controversial takes the sitcom had.
- 3/29/2023
- by Christy Piña
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Jennifer Aniston spoke recently about the state of comedy and what’s considered funny – and what’s not – on the occasion of the debut of her new Netflix comedy Murder Mystery 2 with Adam Sandler.
“Comedy has evolved, movies have evolved,” the former Friends star told French news agency Afp.
“Now it’s a little tricky because you have to be very careful, which makes it really hard for comedians, because the beauty of comedy is that we make fun of ourselves, make fun of life,” she said, before getting specific.
In years past, “you could joke about a bigot and have a laugh — that was hysterical. And it was about educating people on how ridiculous people were,” said Aniston. “And now we’re not allowed to do that.”
In fact, that’s not even considered funny anymore to many people, she says.
“There’s a whole generation of people,...
“Comedy has evolved, movies have evolved,” the former Friends star told French news agency Afp.
“Now it’s a little tricky because you have to be very careful, which makes it really hard for comedians, because the beauty of comedy is that we make fun of ourselves, make fun of life,” she said, before getting specific.
In years past, “you could joke about a bigot and have a laugh — that was hysterical. And it was about educating people on how ridiculous people were,” said Aniston. “And now we’re not allowed to do that.”
In fact, that’s not even considered funny anymore to many people, she says.
“There’s a whole generation of people,...
- 3/29/2023
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Jennifer Aniston has been starring in comedies for nearly 30 years, from the launch of NBC’s “Friends” in 1994 to the upcoming release of her latest Netflix movie “Murder Mystery 2,” which means she’s had a front row seat to watching comedy tastes change over three decades. Aniston recently told Afp (via Yahoo News) that “comedy has evolved” so much that it’s a bit tricky these days to be funny.
“Now it’s a little tricky because you have to be very careful, which makes it really hard for comedians, because the beauty of comedy is that we make fun of ourselves, make fun of life,” Aniston said. “[In the past] you could joke about a bigot and have a laugh — that was hysterical. And it was about educating people on how ridiculous people were. And now we’re not allowed to do that.”
“There’s a whole generation of people, kids,...
“Now it’s a little tricky because you have to be very careful, which makes it really hard for comedians, because the beauty of comedy is that we make fun of ourselves, make fun of life,” Aniston said. “[In the past] you could joke about a bigot and have a laugh — that was hysterical. And it was about educating people on how ridiculous people were. And now we’re not allowed to do that.”
“There’s a whole generation of people, kids,...
- 3/29/2023
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
Variety writer Jon Burlingame’s new book, “Music for Prime Time: A History of American Television Themes and Scoring,” is published today. The product of 35 years of research and more than 450 interviews, it tells the backstory of every great TV theme dating back to 1949. What follows is an excerpt from the sitcom chapter.
In the summer of 1994, ABC Entertainment president Ted Harbert (in response to a question from this writer at a network press conference) admitted that he was asking his producers to eliminate the traditional main-title sequence – and with it, the musical theme – from all new shows.
“I think it’s an antiquated practice,” he said. “It gives the audience an opportunity to take the little remote and zap around. We really have to find ways to stop them from doing that. The 60-second, or in some cases 90-second, main title that they see week after week, given all the choices they have,...
In the summer of 1994, ABC Entertainment president Ted Harbert (in response to a question from this writer at a network press conference) admitted that he was asking his producers to eliminate the traditional main-title sequence – and with it, the musical theme – from all new shows.
“I think it’s an antiquated practice,” he said. “It gives the audience an opportunity to take the little remote and zap around. We really have to find ways to stop them from doing that. The 60-second, or in some cases 90-second, main title that they see week after week, given all the choices they have,...
- 3/28/2023
- by Jon Burlingame
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: CBS is taking an alternative approach to comedy development with A Lot, an improvisational-style multi-camera series starring June Diane Raphael and Paul Scheer. The project hails from Grace and Frankie creator Marta Kauffman through her Okay Goodnight banner and Lionsgate Television. The project reunites Raphael with Kauffman after her run as a series regular on Grace and Frankie, which ran on Netflix for seven seasons.
Because of the comedy’s improv concept, after hearing the pitch, a decision was made to shoot some material for CBS executives to see rather than trying to script it through the traditional development process.
The proof of concept for the comedy, starring husband-and-wife actor-comedians Raphael and Scheer, who have improv background, already has been filmed with Alex Fernie directing, I hear. The footage is expected to be screened alongside CBS’ traditional comedy pilots ordered this season — both multi-cam — a father-son sitcom starring Damon Wayans...
Because of the comedy’s improv concept, after hearing the pitch, a decision was made to shoot some material for CBS executives to see rather than trying to script it through the traditional development process.
The proof of concept for the comedy, starring husband-and-wife actor-comedians Raphael and Scheer, who have improv background, already has been filmed with Alex Fernie directing, I hear. The footage is expected to be screened alongside CBS’ traditional comedy pilots ordered this season — both multi-cam — a father-son sitcom starring Damon Wayans...
- 2/18/2023
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Have you ever refused something you just didn't want to do? Maybe it was a trivial task, or perhaps, it was an important life moment, but something about the situation didn't sit right with you. It compromised your values. It didn't make sense to you. Or you just didn't want to do it, plain and simple, no reasoning required.
The same is true for actors. I know this comes as a shock. They're just like you and me! Gasp! When a television series runs long enough, the actors know their characters well. They have a strong understanding of what their characters would (and wouldn't) do and sometimes have to call the writers out on dialogue or contradictory story points. At other times, an actor morally disagrees with what's on the page to the point of refusing to participate. Even if the writers think the character would do or say a certain thing,...
The same is true for actors. I know this comes as a shock. They're just like you and me! Gasp! When a television series runs long enough, the actors know their characters well. They have a strong understanding of what their characters would (and wouldn't) do and sometimes have to call the writers out on dialogue or contradictory story points. At other times, an actor morally disagrees with what's on the page to the point of refusing to participate. Even if the writers think the character would do or say a certain thing,...
- 2/12/2023
- by Blake Taylor
- Slash Film
During a SAG Awards promotional screening and panel event in Hollywood on Sunday, “Grace and Frankie” co-stars Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin talked about saying goodbye to their Netflix juggernaut hit after seven seasons and 94 episodes. They discussed emulating the characters they portrayed so memorably and playfully sparred before an audience of a few hundred fans and voters after screening the seventh and eighth episodes of the final season that dropped on the streamer in April. While the talk moderated by series co-creator and executive producer Marta Kauffman (“Friends”) was generally light and fun, it got a little heavy when Kauffman asked Fonda (who turns 85 on December 21) and T0mlin (83) if they think the show has changed the Hollywood landscape for older actors – women in particular.
“Yes, absolutely,” Fonda said. “There’s a lot going on (in Hollywood) that makes it a little bit easier for older actors, but I...
“Yes, absolutely,” Fonda said. “There’s a lot going on (in Hollywood) that makes it a little bit easier for older actors, but I...
- 11/30/2022
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
Randy Gene Kaufman, a Trump-loving Republican candidate for the Maricopa County Community College District Governing Board, was arrested for public sexual indecency after he was caught allegedly watching porn and masturbating in his car near a preschool on Oct. 4.
According to an affidavit, a Maricopa County police officer noticed a Ford F-150 parked across three spaces with a shade screen across the front windshield. The officer wrote that he approached the car and “immediately became alarmed as I saw [Kaufman] had his pants down mid-thigh and was exposed showing his fully erect nude penis,...
According to an affidavit, a Maricopa County police officer noticed a Ford F-150 parked across three spaces with a shade screen across the front windshield. The officer wrote that he approached the car and “immediately became alarmed as I saw [Kaufman] had his pants down mid-thigh and was exposed showing his fully erect nude penis,...
- 10/19/2022
- by Nikki McCann Ramirez
- Rollingstone.com
Click here to read the full article.
Oscar Isaac and Rachel Brosnahan are set to star in the second-ever New York staging of A Raisin in the Sun writer Lorraine Hansberry’s The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window.
Obie winner Anne Kauffman will direct the production, which will open at the Brooklyn Art Museum’s Harvey Theater on Feb. 23. It’s her second time helming the play following her critically well-received revival at the Goodman Theatre in 2016 in Hansberry’s hometown of Chicago.
The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window first opened on Broadway at the Longacre Theatre on Oct. 15, 1964, before moving to the Henry Miller Theatre. Directed by Peter Kass and with a cast that included Gabriel Dell as Sidney and Rita Moreno as Iris, the play ran for more than 100 performances before closing around Hansberry’s passing.
“We are in dire need of Hansberry’s voice … we...
Oscar Isaac and Rachel Brosnahan are set to star in the second-ever New York staging of A Raisin in the Sun writer Lorraine Hansberry’s The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window.
Obie winner Anne Kauffman will direct the production, which will open at the Brooklyn Art Museum’s Harvey Theater on Feb. 23. It’s her second time helming the play following her critically well-received revival at the Goodman Theatre in 2016 in Hansberry’s hometown of Chicago.
The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window first opened on Broadway at the Longacre Theatre on Oct. 15, 1964, before moving to the Henry Miller Theatre. Directed by Peter Kass and with a cast that included Gabriel Dell as Sidney and Rita Moreno as Iris, the play ran for more than 100 performances before closing around Hansberry’s passing.
“We are in dire need of Hansberry’s voice … we...
- 10/6/2022
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Oscar Isaac and Rachel Brosnahan will star in the first major New York revival of Lorraine Hansberry’s The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window this February at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Bam announced today.
The production, running Feb. 4-23, 2023, at the Bam Harvey Theater, will be directed by Obie Award winner Anne Kauffman.
Described by Bam as a “sweeping drama of identity, idealism, and love,” The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window is set in 1960s Greenwich Village and focuses on a diverse group of friends “whose loudly proclaimed progressive dreams can’t quite match up with reality. At the center are Sidney and Iris Brustein, fighting to see if their marriage – with all its crackling wit, passion, and petty cruelty – will be the final sacrifice to Sidney’s ideals.”
The play debuted on Broadway in 1964, five years after Hansberry’s masterpiece A Raisin in the Sun and...
The production, running Feb. 4-23, 2023, at the Bam Harvey Theater, will be directed by Obie Award winner Anne Kauffman.
Described by Bam as a “sweeping drama of identity, idealism, and love,” The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window is set in 1960s Greenwich Village and focuses on a diverse group of friends “whose loudly proclaimed progressive dreams can’t quite match up with reality. At the center are Sidney and Iris Brustein, fighting to see if their marriage – with all its crackling wit, passion, and petty cruelty – will be the final sacrifice to Sidney’s ideals.”
The play debuted on Broadway in 1964, five years after Hansberry’s masterpiece A Raisin in the Sun and...
- 10/6/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
One of the stars of “Friends” is sharing her thoughts on the show’s lack of diversity.
In an interview with The Daily Beast, Lisa Kudrow explained why she feels it was probably for the better that series creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane didn’t include characters of colour.
Read More: ‘Friends’ Co-Creator Marta Kauffman ‘Embarrassed’ By The Sitcom’s Lack Of Diversity; Pledges 4 Million For African Studies
“Well, I feel like it was a show created by two people who went to Brandeis and wrote about their lives after college. And for shows especially, when it’s going to be a comedy that’s character-driven, you write what you know. They have no business writing stories about the experiences of being a person of colour,” she said.
Kudrow added of the lack of opportunities for actors of colour, “I think at that time, the big problem that I was seeing was,...
In an interview with The Daily Beast, Lisa Kudrow explained why she feels it was probably for the better that series creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane didn’t include characters of colour.
Read More: ‘Friends’ Co-Creator Marta Kauffman ‘Embarrassed’ By The Sitcom’s Lack Of Diversity; Pledges 4 Million For African Studies
“Well, I feel like it was a show created by two people who went to Brandeis and wrote about their lives after college. And for shows especially, when it’s going to be a comedy that’s character-driven, you write what you know. They have no business writing stories about the experiences of being a person of colour,” she said.
Kudrow added of the lack of opportunities for actors of colour, “I think at that time, the big problem that I was seeing was,...
- 8/12/2022
- by Corey Atad
- ET Canada
Lisa Kudrow made headlines in May 2020 when she acknowledged that “Friends” had a serious lack of diversity during its 10-season run on NBC. The actor said that if the show ever returned to TV then “it would not be an all-white cast.” In a new interview with The Daily Beast, however, Kudrow somewhat stood by the original sitcom’s lack of diversity, or at least made sense of it. The actor said “Friends” creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman had “no business” telling stories about people of color given their own backgrounds.
“Well, I feel like it was a show created by two people who went to Brandeis and wrote about their lives after college,” Kudrow said. “And for shows especially, when it’s going to be a comedy that’s character-driven, you write what you know. They have no business writing stories about the experiences of being a person of color.
“Well, I feel like it was a show created by two people who went to Brandeis and wrote about their lives after college,” Kudrow said. “And for shows especially, when it’s going to be a comedy that’s character-driven, you write what you know. They have no business writing stories about the experiences of being a person of color.
- 8/11/2022
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.