News

Exclusive: Tim Sheader, who last year became the Artistic Director of prestigious London theater the Donmar Warehouse, has signed with CAA.

Prior to taking over as Artistic Director at the Donmar last March, Sheader held the same post at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, where he directed more than 20 productions and won four Olivier Awards and two Evening Standard Awards.

His productions included Jesus Christ Superstar, which subsequently toured across the U.S. for three years, toured the UK, played a season at The Barbican, and currently is touring Australia.

Other Sheader credits for Regent’s Park include To Kill a Mockingbird (also UK tour and the Barbican); and Into the Woods (also New York). Sheader has also directed productions at the National Theatre, The Young Vic, and The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), among many others.

His work in opera includes the premiere of The Monstrous Child (Royal Opera), Turn of the Screw,...

With a score of 95 on Metacritic, Charlotte Wells' stunning directorial debut, "Aftersun," outranks some of the best father-daughter movies of all time, including "Paper Moon," "To Kill a Mockingbird," and "Interstellar." Having the positive influence of a paternal figure can help shape how a child (regardless of gender) discovers their confidence and self-worth, but father-daughter relationships, in particular, are a special kind of bond. While this obviously does not apply to everyone, good fathers can influence how a young woman understands healthy relationships and expects to be treated by their partner. It's endearing to see films portray nurturing men who care for their daughters, listening to them not only as authoritative parents but also as friends and openly encouraging their emotional well-being.

In "Aftersun," we view Sophie's relationship with her father, Calum, through the hazy lens of her adult memories as she reflects on their Turkish holiday twenty years ago.

A couple of months ago, I had a movie experience that truly shook me up. It was early December, and I was in the middle of my end-of-the-year marathon, catching up with the big prestigious awards-season films I’d missed. One of them was “I’m Still Here,” Walter Salles’ acclaimed true-life drama, set in Brazil in 1970, about a family whose exuberant and loving existence falls off a cliff when the father, Rubens Paiva (Selton Mello), is taken in for police questioning by the country’s military dictatorship. His wife, Eunice (Fernanda Torres), is told that it’s a routine interrogation, and that he’ll be back within a matter of hours. But that doesn’t happen. The hours stretch into days, then weeks, and then months. He is never heard from again.

I’ve been watching movies about political oppression, and scenarios like this one, for most of my life.

Robert Downey Jr. and Johnny Depp are Hollywood icons, known not just for their legendary performances but also for their well-documented battles with substance abuse. However, what many people don’t realize is that another powerhouse of the industry, one who doesn’t necessarily always stay in front of the camera but has shaped some of the most acclaimed films and TV shows, has faced similar struggles. That man is Aaron Sorkin.

Aaron Sorkin | Image by: Ondra Soukup licensed under Cc-by 2.0 via Wikimedia Common

While actors bring characters to life on screen, Sorkin has been the mastermind behind the words that have defined a generation of cinema and television, all while fighting his own personal battles behind the scenes.

Aaron Sorkin’s struggle with substance abuse almost landed him in jail!

Aaron Sorkin, the brilliant mind behind some of Hollywood’s most critically acclaimed films and TV shows, has never...

The SAG-AFTRA Foundation kicked off Black History Month by launching the fourth season of its Legacy Collection, a series of more than 200 never-before-seen career retrospective interviews.

This season focuses on trailblazing Black film and TV actors — beginning with the late Bill Walker, whose career spanned nearly 50 years and more than 100 films and TV shows, including “The Killers,” “The Long Hot Summer” and “Our Man Flint.” Remember Reverend Sykes, who urges Scout a.k.a. Jean Louise to “stand up, your father’s passin’” as Gregory Peck’s Atticus Finch leaves the courtroom near the end of “To Kill a Mockingbird”? That’s Walker in action.

The veteran actor, who also served on the board of directors of the Screen Actors Guild from 1952 to 1971 (only the third Black person to do so), was interviewed about his life and career just seven weeks before he died in January 1992. Then 95 years old, Walker...

Robert De Niro won his second Oscar in 1981 for playing a boxing champ in Raging Bull. And now he has been chosen as the acting champ when it comes to Academy Awards.

His performance for the Martin Scorsese film from 1980 has been voted the greatest Oscar Best Actor winner ever, according to a Gold Derby ballot cast by 21 of our film experts, critics, and editors, who ranked all 97 male leading actors.

Anthony Hopkins finished second for The Silence of the Lambs (1991), with Marlon Brando following in third for The Godfather (1972). Daniel Day-Lewis for There Will Be Blood (2007), and Gregory Peck for To Kill a Mockingbird (1961) rounded out the top five.

At the bottom of the list of the Best Actor winners is Warner Baxter for In Old Arizona (1928). George Arliss in Disraeli (1929), Lionel Barrymore for A Free Soul (1930), Paul Lukas for Watch on the Rhine (1942), and Paul Muni for The Story of Louis Pasteur...

Robert De Niro won his second Oscar in 1981 for playing a boxing champ in Raging Bull. And now he has been chosen as the champ of all actors.

His performance for the Martin Scorsese film from 1980 has been voted the greatest Oscar Best Actor winner ever, according to a Gold Derby ballot cast by 21 of our film experts, critics, and editors, who ranked all 97 male leading actors.

Anthony Hopkins ranked second for The Silence of the Lambs (1991), with Marlon Brando following in third for The Godfather (1972). Daniel Day-Lewis for There Will Be Blood (2007), and Gregory Peck for To Kill a Mockingbird (1961) rounded out the top five.

At the bottom of the list of the Best Actor winners is Warner Baxter for In Old Arizona (1928). Just above that film performance in the rankings are George Arliss in Disraeli (1929), Lionel Barrymore for A Free Soul (1930), Paul Lukas for Watch on the Rhine...

Most in Star Trek fandom can agree that Leonard Nimoy’s Tos portrayal of a half Vulcan/half Human is and will remain the singularly quintessential Spock across all mediums and timelines - Kelvin or otherwise. Given Nimoy's Spock in Tos and various Star Trek feature films, the canon continues with other actors performing the daunting task of portraying Spock in feature film reboots and TV series. Actors Zachary Quinto and Ethan Peck have both recreated the iconic Spock role in their respective Star Trek projections and each has a unique take on this enigmatic, logic-driven first officer, with mommy issues.

Zachary Quinto’s Spock takes place in the Kelvin timeline based on the rebooted Star Trek feature films, beginning with “Star Trek” (2009), to “Star Trek Into Darkness” (2013), and “Star Trek Beyond” (2016). Within Star Trek canon, Spock is a half-human Vulcan struggling with suppressing his human emotions over logic, reason,...

“Stranger Things: The First Shadow,” the upcoming Broadway play based on the hit Netflix sci-fi drama, has added 24 performers to its company.

Among the new cast members are Ta’Rea Campbell (“The Hills of California”) as Patty’s mom, Juan Carlos (making his Broadway debut) replacing previously announced star Nicholas Eldridge as Bob Newby, Robert T. Cunningham (Broadway debut) as Charles Sinclair, Ayana Cymone (Broadway debut) as Sue Anderson, Ian Dolley (“The Holdovers”) as Walter Henderson, Dora Dolphin (Broadway debut) as Karen Childress, Logan Gould (“The Corps”) as Lonny Byers, Shea Grant (Broadway debut) as Claudia Yount, Ted Koch (“To Kill a Mockingbird”) as Chief Hopper, Jamie Martin Mann (Broadway debut) as Ted Wheeler and Eric Wiegand (“Plaza Suite”) as Alan Munson.

Also joining the show are ensemble actors Janie Brookshire (“The Philanthropist”), Kelsey Anne Brown (Broadway debut), Malcolm Callender (Broadway debut), Antoinette Comer (“Mamma Mia!”), Tom D’Agustino (“Dear Edward”), Victor...

Oscar-winner Robert Duvall has starred in dozens of films spanning a 60+ year career, racking up six additional nominations in the process, but how many of those titles remain classics? Let’s take a look back at 20 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.

Duvall made his big screen debut with the small but memorable role of Boo Radley in “To Kill a Mockingbird” (1962), released when he was 31-years-old. His first Oscar nomination came just 10 years later: Best Supporting Actor for Francis Ford Coppola‘s mob classic “The Godfather” (1972).

It would take 11 years before Duvall finally clinched that elusive Best Actor Oscar for “Tender Mercies” (1983), a small-scale drama about a drunken country-western singer working towards redemption. He would compete five additional times: lead for “The Great Santini” (1980) and “The Apostle” (1997); supporting for “Apocalypse Now” (1979), “A Civil Action” (1998), and “The Judge” (2014).

Duvall has found success on the small screen as well,...

By now, General Hospital fans are used to the fact that Nicholas Alexander Chavez’s character, Spencer Cassadine, may not be returning for quite some time. The actor has been busy with his other projects. There’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story for Netflix, as well as FX’s Grotesquerie. For the latter show, where he plays the buff Father Charlie, he had a unique way of preparing for the offbeat character.

Stranger Than Fiction

In a recent interview with the Associated Press, Chavez discussed the incredible year he’s had. After all, he appeared in two hit shows which were his life’s dream come true. But acting is more than a passion or a hobby for him. It’s his calling. “My life feels whole and complete between the words ‘action’ and ‘cut.’ I live for those moments. I think that is the purpose of my entire existence.

Through her shingle Pretty Matches Productions, Sarah Jessica Parker is executive producing Kim A. Snyder’s “The Librarians,” one of 91 films in Sundance’s 2025 Premieres lineup.

The feature documentary follows a group of librarians, dubbed FReadom Fighters, who have resisted book bans in Texas, Florida and beyond. It is produced by Snyder, Jana Edelbaum and Janique Robillard, and exec produced by Parker, Pretty Matches co-founder Alison Benson and Maria Cuomo Cole.

“It’s about the librarians across our country who’ve been fighting against these book bans,” Parker explains to Variety at the Red Sea Film Festival. “They have been standing up to the ideology that prevents children from having access to certain books and they have put their own lives and their family’s lives at risk, but they have not backed down.”

Parker’s commitment to the world of books and reading began as a child, and she...

Latanya Richardson Jackson will return to Broadway in Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’s new play Purpose.

Jackson, who has previously appeared on Broadway in the 2018 production of To Kill A Mockingbird and the 2014 revival of A Raisin in the Sun, will star alongside Kara Young, who won a Tony Award last season for her role in Purlie Victorious, Harry Lennix (The Blacklist), Jon Michael Hill (Pass Over), Glenn Davis (King James) and Alana Arenas (The Bluest Eye).

Phylicia Rashad directs the new play from Jacobs-Jenkins, who wrote last season’s Tony Award-winning revival Appropriate.

The play follows the Jasper family, which has created a powerful dynasty in Black American politics. However, when the family’s youngest son, Nazareth, comes home with an uninvited friend, the family must contend with faith, their own legacy and the cracks beneath the surface.

Purpose is scheduled to play a limited 19-week run at the Helen Hayes Theater,...

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has held almost 100 ceremonies, which means people have been screaming that they got it all wrong in various categories since the Calvin Coolidge administration. It's a bit like in sports where people root for their favorites, only that people are arguing over intangible accomplishments rather than touchdowns and what have you.

Once you get used to the way the Oscars work (e.g. they really hate comedy), you realize there is a certain type of film that's likely to be honored, and those certain types of films attract a certain type of actor -- ergo, to a large extent, it's futile to pull for favorites. Arnold Schwarzenegger was long one of the most popular actors on the planet, but he was portrayed by the media as a walking caricature of himself; only now, in his 70s, could he earn a Best Actor...

To many a fan of a certain age, Brock Peters was Joseph Sisko. The culinary aficionado who made some of the best food out of his restaurant in New Orleans. The father of Deep Space Nine captain Benjamin Sisko and the man who helped instill the same moral integrity into his son that fans truly enjoyed. He had a brief role on the show, but his turn as Joseph Sisko had many fans calling him one of the best side characters in Star Trek history.

For Peters, who famously played Tom Robinson in the live-action version of To Kill a Mockingbird, his turn on Star Trek didn't start with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Like many other actors out in the world of Star Trek, Robinson joined the franchise long before Deep Space Nine. In fact, he's one of the few people in the world of Star Trek to play...

Exclusive: Warner Bros has made a deal to develop a film about the unlikely father of the Israel Air Force, and Aaron Sorkin will write the script and possibly direct the film.

The deal includes America’s Greatest Gift To Israel, an article published in Business Insider, written by David Kushner. The film will be produced by Gotham Group’s Eric Robinson and Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, who are in production on Deliver Me From Nowhere, with Scott Cooper directing Jeremy Allen White in a drama about the existential crisis Bruce Springsteen worked through by writing and recording his masterpiece album Nebraska.

The preeminent wordsmith Sorkin, whose recent credits include Being The Ricardos, The Trial of the Chicago 7 and Broadway’s To Kill A Mockingbird, will script the story of Al Schwimmer, a post-wwii arms smuggler who helped create Israel’s air force, which helped the fledgling country survive.

P.M.

Racism is a theme deeply rooted in the American film industry. Whether it is to depict the stereotypes that People of Color face or the prejudices rooted within the West, it is a genre that appeals to the emotions of the masses, basically, in layman’s terms, the best way to make money.

Mahershala Ali | Credit: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert / YouTube

Although not all such films are successful, Hollywood has had its tried and tested method of making films that address ‘racism’ while keeping the whites as the saviors. While The Help, To Kill a Mockingbird, or even Lincoln is a good example of this, one Mahershala Ali movie, apparently took it too far and ended up receiving extensive criticism despite critical acclaim.

Mahershala Ali Movie That Allegedly Erased Violent Racism Peter Farrelly’s Green Book | Credit: Universal Pictures

Over the years, the film industry has produced several...

From Al Pacino to Marlon Brando, the cast of The Godfather is full of bona fide screen legends who went on to appear in some of the greatest movies ever made. The Godfather was a massive box office success, becoming the highest-grossing film of all time, and it had universal acclaim from critics to match. It didnt just make its director Francis Ford Coppola a household name; it made household names of everyone in its sprawling ensemble.

Some of the actors in The Godfather were already big names. Robert Duvall had already appeared in To Kill a Mockingbird and James Caan had already starred in Brians Song. But most of the films cast members, like Talia Shire and Diane Keaton, got their big break from The Godfather itself. Today, The Godfather is remembered for having one of the most star-studded casts in film history but at the time, a lot of them were unknowns.

Hunter Parrish has joined Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis in “Scarpetta,” an upcoming mystery thriller series from Blumhouse Television that has already been greenlit for two seasons by Amazon Prime Video.

The “Weeds” alum joins an ensemble that also includes Ariana DeBose, Bobby Cannavale, Simon Baker, Rosy McEwen and Jake Cannavale.

The series, an adaptation of Patricia Cornwell’s Kay Scarpetta novels, hails from Blumhouse and Amazon MGM Studios. Liz Sarnoff will serve as writer, executive producer, and showrunner.

According to the logline, the show “follows Kay Scarpetta (Kidman), the chief medical examiner, as she returns to Virginia and resumes her former position with complex relationships, both personal and professional – including her sister Dorothy (Curtis), with plenty of grudges and secrets to uncover.”

Parrish will recur as the younger version of Benton Wesley, presumably in flashbacks. Benton is an FBI profiler who strikes up a romance with Kay in the books.

Plex is gearing up for an exciting lineup of films and series in November 2024. Viewers can look forward to a variety of new additions, including Blue Ridge, But I’m A Cheerleader, Call Jane, and Empire State. Cult classics like The Grudge, Hard Candy, House of 1000 Corpses, and The Midnight Meat Train are also hitting the platform, alongside more recent hits like Wind River and Where’d You Go, Bernadette? For fans of horror, thrillers, and emotional dramas, there’s no shortage of options. However, Plex is also bidding farewell to a number of films and shows in November. Among those leaving are 24 Hours to Live, Drive Angry, The Devil’s Rejects, Snowpiercer, and USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage. If you’ve been meaning to watch these titles, now is the time to catch them before they disappear. For those looking to binge their favorites, many notable titles are still available for streaming.

In a major development in the leadership of New York City’s non-profit theater scene, Lincoln Center Theater has named directors Lear deBessonet and Bartlett Sher to the roles of Artistic Director and Executive Producer, respectively.

The appointments take effect when longtime Lct artistic director André Bishop concludes his 33-year tenure this June, as previously announced. The transition comes in conjunction with the close of Lincoln Center Theater’s 40th anniversary season.

“It is the deepest honor of my professional life to serve as the next Artistic Director of Lincoln Center Theater, following the astonishing legacy of André Bishop,” said deBessonet, whose current tenure as Artistic Director of Encores! at New York City Center has included well-received productions of Once Upon a Mattress (currently on Broadway), Into the Woods, Oliver!, Jelly’s Last Jam and Titanic.

“I believe the theater is a space for the creation and restoration of community...

Modern courtroom dramas engage viewers with compelling narratives of corruption, morality, and justice, leaving a lasting impression. Films like "Roman J. Israel, Esq." and "The Judge" showcase outstanding performances that explore complex ethical dilemmas and legal challenges. Recent courtroom dramas like "Just Mercy" and "The Trial of the Chicago 7" shed light on real-world injustices, sparking thought-provoking discussions.

Courtroom dramas have the power to engage and enthrall audiences, and in recent years, plenty of incredible legal stories have kept viewers on the edge of their seats. This genre can significantly affect viewers as they get drawn into stories of seedy corporate conspiracies, individuals who vehemently plead their innocence, and legal practitioners trying to find the truth behind all the deceit, fraud, and underhandedness they encounter. As a true showcase of the power of cinema, courtroom dramas connect with viewers' desire for good storytelling, messages that resonate with real life, and...

John Gallagher Jr., Stark Sands, Adrian Blake Enscoe and Wayne Duvall will star in Broadway’s upcoming Avett Brothers musical Swept Away, reprising their acclaimed performances from the show’s previous runs at California’s Berkeley Repertory and Washington D.C.’ Arena Stage.

The casting, though expected, was confirmed today by producers Matthew Masten, Sean Hudock, and Madison Wells Live.

Previews begin Tuesday, October 29, at Broadway’s Longacre Theatre. Opening night is Tuesday, November 19.

Also returning from the show’s run at Arena Stage include ensemble members Hunter Brown, Matt DeAngelis, Cameron Johnson, Brandon Kalm, Michael J. Mainwaring, Orville Mendoza, Tyrone L. Robinson, and John Sygar. New to the cast are Josh Breckenridge, Rico LeBron, John Michael Finley, Chase Peacock, Robert Pendilla, and David Rowen.

Swept Away features music from folk-rock band The Avett Brothers, a book by John Logan, direction by Michael Mayer and choreography by David Neumann (Hadestown).

The musical tells the story of four men stranded in the Atlantic Ocean following a 19th Century shipwreck.

Gallagher made his Broadway breakthrough in the hit musical Spring Awakening, and Sands has appeared in Kinky Boots and To Kill A Mockingbird, among others. Enscoe is best known for Apple TV+’s Dickinson, and Duval appeared on Broadway in 1984.

The Swept Away creative team includes set designer Rachel Hauck, costume designer Susan Hilferty, lighting designer Kevin Adams, sound designer John Shivers, music arranger & orchestrator Chris Miller, music arranger & orchestrator/music supervisor Brian Usifer, and music director Will Van Dyke.

Wagner Johnson Productions serve as Executive Producers.

Elmer Bernstein is one of the greatest composers in the history of film scoring. He broke in writing music for Z-grade schlock like "Cat-Women of the Moon" and "Robot Monster" (forever in the conversation for The Worst Movie Ever Made) and quickly hit the A-list with his scores for "The Man with the Golden Arm," "The Ten Commandments," and "Some Came Running." In a career that spanned over 50 years, he dabbled in every imaginable genre, earning 14 Academy Award nominations (winning only one) without ever overtly repeating himself (a hazard for many movie composers).

How versatile was Elmer Bernstein? He could rouse us with his plucky theme for "The Great Escape," break our hearts with his soaring "To Kill a Mockingbird" score, and find classical grandeur in the frat-boy hijinks of "National Lampoon's Animal House."

He scored Martin Scorsese's luscious "The Age of Innocence" and two ludicrous "Billy Jack" movies.

During the Jeopardy! shows, the players are often asked questions about themselves so the audience can get to know them during the games. On a recent episode, one man offered his Q&a and gave his family a sweet shout-out. However, fans trolled him online, saying his story “wasn’t unique.”

However, many Jeopardy! players personally read the Reddit comments, and in this case, the player responded to the people saying he wasn’t unique enough. Here is what he had to say.

Jeopardy! Fans Mock Contestant For Kids’ Names

On Wednesday’s episode, Larry P. Wellington, an entrepreneur from Madison, Mississippi, came onto the show. He did well and finished in second place with $16,801, but he lost out to Isaac Hirsch, who is in the middle of a huge Jeopardy! winning streak.

Ken Jennings – Jeopardy!

However, fans decided to poke fun at Larry based on his Q&a answers as...

Exclusive: Bartlett Sher, nine-time Tony Award directing nominee and winner for 2008’s South Pacific, will direct the recently announced Dolly Parton musical Hello, I’m Dolly, set for Broadway in 2026.

“How lucky I am to have the great Bartlett Sher direct my Hello, I’m Dolly musical,” Parton said in a statement. “When you decide to put your whole life up on stage, you hope and pray to find the right director with the right creativity and sensitivity to present all the blood, sweat, tears, light, love, and laughter that I’ve experienced over seven decades of living. My heart tells me that Bartlett is the man and the director for the job.”

Said Sher, “Dolly is one of the great songwriters in the American canon, and being entrusted with the opportunity to help her translate that glorious talent into the American musical theater is not only an honor, but absolutely a thrill.

Looking to celebrate Father’s Day with a classic movie? Nearly every streaming service offers something to celebrate dads, but we’ve pulled together some of the best movies we’ve seen to mark the holiday. Whether you’ve got an action hero dad, a tender-hearted dad, an estranged dad, or a dad shepherding you through a cinematic hellscape, there’s a movie to fit your mood.

Best Movies About Dads Field of Dreams April 21, 1989

Ray Kinsella is an Iowa farmer who hears a mysterious voice telling him to turn his cornfield into a baseball diamond. He does, but the voice’s directions don’t stop — even after the spirits of deceased ballplayers turn up to play.

Loading… Big Fish December 25, 2003

Throughout his life Edward Bloom has always been a man of big appetites, enormous passions and tall tales. In his later years, he remains a huge mystery to his son,...

Exclusive: Gabriel Sloyer (Grisdela) and Matthew Modine (Stranger Things) are the latest thesps tapped as series regulars for The Better Sister, Prime Video’s thriller series based on the novel by bestselling author Alafair Burke.

Sloyer plays Jake Rodriguez, a colleague of Adam’s (Corey Stoll) at a high-level law firm in Manhattan. He and Adam are bonded by their outsider status at the firm, and over time he’s grown close with the whole family. But that closeness is tested by Adam’s murder.

Modine portrays the powerful founding partner at Adam’s (Corey Stoll) law firm, Bill Braddock, a man of appetites who can be an ally or a threat depending on the day.

As previously announced, Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks lead the cast as sisters Chloe and Nicky, with Bobby Naderi as Matt, Maxwell Acee Donovan as Ethan, and Kim Dickens as Nancy.

Hailing from Tomorrow Studios,...

How would you like to spend a special Father’s Day with your dad? Here’s a suggestion — why not sit down for a couple of hours and watch one of these movies that’s all about fathers, both terrific and horrible? Our ranked photo gallery above includes many fine suggestions, all of which feature an Oscar-winning performance by an actor who plays a father where that role was pivotal to the plot.

Though there are thousands of films in which one character happens to be a father, you won’t find them all on this list. Besides the fact that these 17 films contain a paternal performance that won an Academy Award, they show a wide array of what it means to be a father. There’s the courageous father, the inspirational dad, the loving father and even the monstrous father. Lead and supporting actors include Anthony Hopkins, Daniel Day-Lewis,...

To Kill a Mockingbird was filmed on a Universal Studios backlot in Hollywood, not in the actual town of Monroeville, Alabama. Art Director Henry Bumstead won an Academy Award for recreating the small Southern town setting effectively. The iconic "Mockingbird Square" on the Universal Studios lot was later renamed "Courthouse Square" after the Back to the Future movies.

The setting of To Kill a Mockingbird is a critical piece of the film and book's legacy, considering how important the racial attitudes of the town are to telling the story. This has some fans of the 1962 movie wondering, "Where was To Kill a Mockingbird filmed?" To Kill a Mockingbird is not just one of the best movies of the 1960s, but many consider it a classic of cinema, and the book it's adapted from a critical piece of American literature. Atticus Finch, Boo Radley, Scout, Jem, and Tom Robinson are iconic characters of the courtroom genre.

Timeless YA novels explore universal themes like love and self-discovery that resonate with readers of all generations. Stories like "Perks of Being a Wallflower" and "Bridge to Terabithia" tackle complex emotions and friendships in relatable ways. "The Fault in Our Stars" and "To Kill a Mockingbird" offer poignant reflections on life, love, and societal issues, timeless in their impact.

Coming-of-age, young adult novels have remained one of the most popular novel subgenres, and there are several titles that readers have returned to time and time again. Because of the popularity of books adapted into movies and TV shows in recent years, many readers have been reminded of their favorite timeless books and decided to read them once again. Timeless novels invited readers into a world and story that was so endearing that it was hard to put the book down and easy to re-read numerous times.

Many timeless novels used...

The black and white images of "To Kill a Mockingbird" are seared onto my brain. Just the film's monochrome snapshots of young, rambunctious Scout with her friends in the sweltering days of summer -- or being scolded for her unkindly manner -- are enough to conjure memories of childhood without tipping over into nostalgia. 

Compare that to the scenes set at nighttime where Scout and her companions investigate their elusive, reclusive neighbor, Arthur "Boo" Radley (Robert Duvall). These sequences evoke the terror of being a helpless child with their long shadows and sinister ambience, culminating with the film's intense climax (and its profoundly touching aftermath). Even in the movie's agitated courtroom scenes, the black and white visuals serve to augment the fiery emotions on display rather than distract from them.

Director Robert Mulligan's classic 1962 adaptation of Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winner, itself a bildungsroman loosely inspired by Lee's own upbringing,...

This week, two attorneys will stand and make their cases to the jury. Yes, that jury and that trial, which may put a former—and future?—president behind bars. This is when the pressure falls on the prosecution and defense to make their final claims of guilt or innocence.

“At this point, parties are free to use hypothetical analogies to make their points; to comment on the credibility of the witnesses, to discuss how they believe the various pieces of the puzzle fit into a compelling whole, and to advocate why jurors should decide the case in their favor,” explains the official site of the Federal Court System.

Or, we can just recall the most memorable, decisive arguments made on screen. Hey, we can handle the truth! Here is my list of 10 to remember.

“To Kill A Mockingbird”

Gregory Peck won the Oscar — even though he didn’t win the case — as Atticus Finch,...

Before "Star Wars," there was "Thx 1138." A strange, dystopic science fiction movie packed with big ideas up to its eyeballs, "Thx 1138" is now mostly known as the feature directorial debut of one George Walton Lucas Jr. (though it also came back in conversation when the best episode of "Andor" paid homage to it). The future Lucasfilm founder originally created this story of repressed emotions and stymied sexuality as a student film, but by the time it was reimagined as a feature, it had gained backing from Warner Bros.

Lucas' American Zoetrope co-founder Francis Ford Coppola also had faith in the movie, and served as one of its producers. "Thx 1138" starred Robert Duvall, then already known for his work on stage and television, not to mention in films like "To Kill A Mockingbird," "M*A*S*H," and "True Grit." Future "Halloween" actor Donald Pleasence co-starred, along with a then-unknown actress named Maggie McOmie.

Robert Downey Jr. will make his his Broadway debut in the lead role of McNeal, the new play by Ayad Akhtar, author of the Tony-nominated Junk and the Pulitzer-winner Disgraced.

Downey will play the title character Jacob McNeal in the production staged by Lincoln Center Theater and directed by Bartlett Sher (To Kill A Mockingbird).

McNeal will begin previews Thursday, September 5, and open on Monday, September 30, at Lct’s Vivian Beaumont Theater. The production will play a strictly limited engagement through Sunday, November 24.

Complete casting will be announced at a later date.

The official synopsis: “Good writers borrow, great writers steal. Jacob McNeal is a great writer, one of our greatest, a perpetual candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature. But McNeal also has an estranged son, a new novel, old axes to grind and an unhealthy fascination with Artificial Intelligence. Pulitzer Prize-winner Ayad Akhtar’s new play is a...

Robert Downey Jr. is making his Broadway debut this fall in a new play by Ayad Akhtar.

The play, called McNeal, will see Downey portraying a talented writer who grapples with a new novel, a broken family life and “an unhealthy fascination with artificial intelligence.” Bartlett Sher, resident director at the Lincoln Center who also helmed To Kill a Mockingbird, among others, is directing.

Downey’s production company, Team Downey, is producing, in association with Lincoln Center Theater.

The play will run at Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theater starting Sept. 5 and opening on Sept. 30. The play will be a strictly limited engagement running through Nov. 24. Complete casting will be announced at a later date.

The Iron Man star won his first Oscar this year for his role in Oppenheimer. His recent projects include the HBO and A24 adaptation of the novel The Sympathizer. He is also slated to appear in Paramount Pictures’ Vertigo.

The Judge, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall, subtly references Duvall's feature film debut in To Kill A Mockingbird. Both The Judge and To Kill A Mockingbird share themes of corruption and murder, creating ethical dilemmas for the characters. Despite mixed reviews, The Judge gained popularity on Netflix for its powerful legal drama and strong cast performances.

Robert Duvall's role in The Judge includes a major callback to his feature film debut that was released more than 6 decades ago. Directed by David Dobkin, The Judge is a powerful legal drama that gained popularity on Netflix in May 2024 after originally being released in 2014. Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, earning just a 48 Metascore and a 49% on Rotten Tomatoes, The Judge has strong ratings among audiences.

Duvall, the celebrated actor who starred in The Godfather (1971), The Godfather Part II (1974), Network (1976), and Apocalypse Now (1979), leads the cast of The Judge alongside...

Plot: When Atlanta real estate mogul Charlie Croker faces sudden bankruptcy, political and business interests collide as Charlie defends his empire from those attempting to capitalize on his fall from grace. From Showrunner/ Writer/ Executive Producer David E. Kelley, A Man in Full is based on the New York Times bestselling novel by the late Tom Wolfe.

Review: Jeff Daniels has had a career that includes acclaimed performances on stage in Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of To Kill A Mockingbird and on the big screen in dozens of dramas, as well as his iconic turn in the Dumb and Dumber films opposite Jim Carrey. To say the actor has a wide range would be an understatement. To follow up his brilliant turn in Sorkin’s HBO series The Newsroom, Daniels headlines the limited Netflix series A Man In Full, which has him channeling the most nefarious antagonist characters he has ever played.

Back when he was finishing “Dumb and Dumber To” in 2014, Jeff Daniels was ready to leave show business. “I’m done,” he told Jim Carrey. “You can’t stop man,” Carrey said. “You can’t, you’re creative, you’re going to create something, you’ve got to keep creating. That’s what we do!”

These days, Carrey’s off in Hawaii painting. And when Daniels is not acting, he’s writing songs and plays, which he mounts at his Michigan hometown’s Purple Rose Theatre Company. “It’s what keeps me going,” Daniels told me on Zoom. “It keeps me alive. It’s what I’m supposed to do. It’s helped me between the phone calls for the acting jobs. Because you can go insane staring at that phone. They’ll call you when they need you. And so I’ve always battled whatever depression or fear might...

Jim Parsons, Zoey Deutch and Katie Holmes will star in the Broadway revival of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town this fall.

In the production, directed by Kenny Leon, Parsons will play the role of Stage Manager, Deutch will play Emily Webb and Holmes will play Mrs. Webb. They lead a cast of 28 actors, who also include Richard Thomas (The Waltons, To Kill a Mockingbird) as Mr. Webb, Ephraim Sykes (Ain’t Too Proud, Hairspray Live!) as George Gibbs and Billy Eugene Jones (Purlie Victorious) as Dr. Gibbs.

The play will begin previews at the Barrymore Theatre on Sept. 17, ahead of an Oct. 10 opening.

Known for his role as Sheldon Cooper on The Big Bang Theory, Parsons also has extensive stage credits, including a role in Mother Play, which begins Broadway previews April 3. He has previously appeared on Broadway in productions including The Boys in the Band, An Act of God and The Normal Heart.

The Omen franchise has 5 movies, with the original having the highest critical acclaim at 84% on Rotten Tomatoes. The original 1976 film is not on streaming platforms, only available for rental or purchase on digital platforms like Amazon and Apple TV. All other movies in The Omen series can be streamed on Hulu for subscribers at a monthly price of $7.99 or an annual fee of $79.99.

All five installments of The Omen horror franchise are available to watch through streaming or Video On Demand platforms. The franchise began with the celebrated original film from 1976 titled The Omen before extending to include three sequels and a remake over the course of 30 years. The Omen is by far the most critically acclaimed movie in the series with an 84% on Rotten Tomatoes, placing it in a similar elite category of classic horror films, such as 1973's The Exorcist (78%) and 1968's Rosemary Baby (96%).

The other four movies...

The graphic novel adaptations of classic literature breathe new life into timeless stories, making them more accessible and visually appealing. Each adaptation stays faithful to the source material while adding unique elements that enhance the reader's understanding and appreciation of the original work. The use of stunning artwork in these adaptations helps capture the essence and themes of the classic novels, enriching the reader's experience and bringing them into a new medium.

There have been some amazing comic adaptations of classic novels, like Dracula, 1984 and To Kill a Mockingbird, over the years. Stories from some of history's most well-known novelists continue to stand the test of time because of how they use the literary space to create thoughtful commentary, characters and plots. Whether it's Bram Stoker or George Orwell, these authors' most well-known classics have held up for a reason, and a surge in adaptations have made them more popular than ever for new readers.

Gold statuettes may be the Oscars’ ultimate status symbol, but what of the envelopes that reveal the big winners? Three sets of cards, designed by Marc Friedland since 2011, are produced for each category — two of which are taken to the venue. Winners are allowed to keep their cards and envelopes. Those that are left behind, as well as extras, are recycled. But Friedland’s envelopes are meant to be keepsakes.

Catherine Zeta-Jones shared that she keeps her winning envelope for Chicago on the mantel in her home office, framed next to her statuette. Francis Ford Coppola says his winning envelopes and statues are on display at his Sonoma County winery. And Steven Spielberg keeps his three winning envelopes framed in his Amblin Entertainment office. Christopher Lord and Phil Miller gifted their envelope for 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse to their publicist, Rachael Reiss.

Unlike the statuettes — winners cannot sell or...

Chicago – During Oscar week, all eyes turn to Unit Photographer Dale Robinette, who got the assignment on the Oscar nominated “Barbie.” The following on-set pictures were snapped during the production’s time in Los Angeles, which including the iconic cowpoke wardrobe of Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling.

“Uncle Dale” Robinette first contacted me via email in 2013, to give information about some photos he took on the film “Lovelace.” Ever since then he has been a reliable email pal, sending me image after image from the movie sets that he is “blessed” (his word) to work on. He has plied his skills in Hollywood as a Unit Still Photographer since 1988, after a career as a stage and television actor in New York and Los Angeles. Starting with a TV short called “The Big Five” (1988), he has worked his way up the ladder, and has built an impressive photo resume through familiar films like “Donnie Darko,...

Grey’s Anatomy and Quiz Lady actor Sandra Oh will star in the Off Broadway American premiere of Lucy Kirkwood’s The Welkin this summer.

The Atlantic Theater Company production begins previews Thursday, May 16, and will open Wednesday, June 12 for a limited engagement through Sunday, June 30.

Directed by Sarah Benson, The Welkin is set in Rural Suffolk, England, 1759, as the country waits for Halley’s Comet. A young woman is sentenced to hang for a heinous murder, and when she claims to be pregnant, a jury of twelve matrons are taken from their housework to decide whether she’s telling the truth or simply trying to escape the noose. Only midwife Lizzy Luke (Oh) is prepared to defend the girl against a mob baying for blood, matrons wrestling with their new authority and the devil in their midst.

Atlantic describes the work as a “dark, fierce,...

Sandra Oh will appear in the Off-Broadway premiere of The Welkin, written by Lucy Kirkwood at Atlantic Theater Company this spring.

Oh, known for her starring roles in Grey’s Anatomy and Killing Eve, among many others, has previously appeared on the New York stage in Off-Broadway productions including Satellites, Stop Kiss and Wild Goose Dreams. She will also appear in HBO/A24’s limited series adaptation of The Sympathizer, airing in April.

She is joined by a cast that also includes Dale Soules (Orange Is The New Black), Danny Wolohan (To Kill a Mockingbird), b (American (Tele)visions), Tilly Botsford (Off-Broadway debut), Paige Gilbert (Skin of Our Teeth), Ann Harada (Avenue Q), Jenn Kidwell (Underground Railroad Game), Mary McCann (Harper Regan), Emily Cass McDonnell (I’m Revolting), MacKenzie Mercer (Frozen national tour) and Haley Wong (Mary Gets Hers at McC).

Directed by Sarah Benson, an Obie Award winner for her direction of Fairview,...

In 2006, a movie came out starring Daniel Craig, Sandra Bullock, Sigourney Weaver, Jeff Daniels, Hope Davis, Isabella Rossellini, Peter Bogdanovich, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Toby Jones. That’s a murderer’s row of talent bringing to life writer/director Douglas McGrath’s script — and very few people paid it much mind. But “Infamous” was a victim of bad timing, not bad filmmaking.

One can’t blame audiences for greeting it with a collective shrug. McGrath’s movie tackled the exact same topic as the previous year’s “Capote” (the movie that earned Philip Seymour Hoffman his first and only Oscar): Truman Capote’s time spent researching and writing his true-crime classic “In Cold Blood.” After the buzzy release of “Capote” and months spent in awards season campaigning mode, no one was ready to revisit the subject.

What a shame, because “Infamous” restores much of what was missing from Bennett Miller...

Robert Duvall is an iconic actor with a storied career spanning film, TV, and stage. He is known for his intense and complex portrayals that capture the essence of the American spirit. Duvall's talent and commitment to the craft of acting have led to a remarkable career, with roles in some of the greatest movies of all time. He continues to take on compelling roles and never rests on his laurels. Duvall's performances in films like Get Low, Sling Blade," and A Civil Action showcase his ability to bring depth and complexity to his characters, earning him critical acclaim and awards recognition.

Robert Duvall, an enduring icon in Hollywood, boasts decades of experience across film, TV, and stage. His prolific career includes roles in some of the greatest movies of all time. Getting his start in the 1950s, Duvall has been a fixture of the entertainment industry for years.

Sixty-two years after the release of the film “Days of Wine and Roses,” the Oscar-winning movie by writer J.P. Miller and director Blake Edwards, a musical adaptation has opened on Broadway with a score by Adam Guettel. The story of two characters brought together and torn asunder by alcohol stars Kelli O’Hara and Brian d’Arcy James in the roles played in the movie by Lee Remick and Jack Lemmon. The production opened at Studio 54 on Jan. 28.

In addition to reuniting Guettel and O’Hara, who collaborated on “The Light in the Piazza,” the librettist Craig Lucas from that musical contributed the book for this new venture. The ensemble cast includes Tabitha Lawing and Byron Jennings in pivotal roles under the helm of director Michael Greif.

Theatre critics were largely positive about this new Guettel musical. It earns a Critic’s Pick from Laura Collins-Hughes (New York Times), who praises the “superb” performances,...

Characters with flaws are more relatable and interesting, but may be less likable. Positive character traits like moral courage, generosity, and charisma make characters likable. Secondary characters can serve as examples or support for the protagonist's journey.

Different people have different opinions on their favorite movie characters, but some characters are universally adored. It's common for movies to try and forge a connection between the audience and their main characters, but this is more successful in some cases than others. Protagonists are far more interesting and relatable if they have some kind of demonstrable flaw, although this can have the side effect of making them less likable. Secondary characters don't always need such obvious drawbacks. In some cases, they can even be an example of what the protagonist hopes to become.

Positive character traits are the same in fiction and real life. People like those who are morally courageous, generous,...