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Posts tagged as “Scott Rudin”

Denzel Washington to Direct and Star in "Fences" Movie for Paramount

By goodblacknews on April 11, 2016
Denzel Washington Cecil B. DeMille
Denzel Washington (UNIMEDIA IMAGES/REX SHUTTERSTOCK)

article by Dave McNary via Variety.com
Denzel Washington will star in and direct a movie version of August Wilson’s “Fences” for Paramount Pictures with Viola Davis on board to star.

Both actors won Tony Awards for their performance in the 2010 Broadway revival of “Fences.” Bron Creative and Macro are producing the movie with Washington, based on Wilson’s screen adaptation of his Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning play.
Scott Rudin and Todd Black are producing with Washington. Executive producers are Eli Bush; Bron Creative’s Aaron L. Gilbert, Jason Cloth, Andy Pollack; Macro’s Charles D. King and Kim Roth along with co-executive producer Poppy Hanks.
Brad Grey, Chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures said, “This important and beloved play has been a passion of Denzel’s for many years and it is with great excitement that we embark together to bring his dream project to the big screen.”
“Fences” is the story of a one-time promising baseball player, now working as a Pittsburgh garbage collector, and the complicated relationships with his wife, son, and friends. The film’s ensemble cast includes Stephen Henderson, Russell Hornsby, Mykelti Williamson, Jovan Adepo and Saniyya Sydney.
“Fences” is Washington’s third outing behind the camera following “The Great Deabaters” and “Antwone Fisher.”
To read more, go to: http://variety.com/2016/film/news/denzel-washington-viola-davis-starring-fences-movie-1201750942/

Shonda Rhimes Calls Out Sony Email Exchange as "Racist" Not "Racially Insensitive"

By goodblacknews on December 14, 2014
Shonda Rhimes
In the latest fallout from the Sony hack, “Scandal” and “Grey’s Anatomy” Creator/Producer Shonda Rhimes has responded bluntly to a leaked email exchange between Sony Pictures Entertainment chief Amy Pascal and producer Scott Rudin.
“Calling Sony comments”racially insensitive remarks” instead of “racist”? U can put a cherry on a pile of sh*t but it don’t make it a sundae,” the Scandal showrunner wrote on her Twitter account on Thursday afternoon.
On Wednesday evening, BuzzFeed posted excerpts of leaked emails between Rudin and Pascal in which they corresponded about a Jeffrey Katzenberg democratic fundraiser and made mention of Kevin Hart, Quentin Tarantino‘s Django Unchained and Steve McQueen‘s 12 Years a Slave.
Read more Chris Rock Pens Blistering Essay on Hollywood’s Race Problem: “It’s a White Industry”
Earlier in the day, Hart responded with a statement of his own, saying that is “able to brush ignorance off of my shoulder and continue to move forward.”
Pascal and Rudin have both issued apologies for the email exchange.
Rhimes, who was honored at The Hollywood Reporter‘s Women in Entertainment event on Wednesday, spoke about race and gender in the industry during the breakfast.
“The view from here  —  way up here where the glass ceiling is broken  —  would be incredible. Right? So how come I don’t remember the moment? When me with my woman-ness and my brown skin went running full speed, gravity be damned, into that thick layer of glass and smashed right through it? How come I don’t remember that happening? Here’s why: It’s 2014,” she stated. Read her entire speech here.
article via hollywoodreporter.com

Chris Rock Lands $12.5 Million Deal with Paramount for His New Film "Top Five"

By goodblacknews on September 8, 2014
Top Five Toronto Film Festival

Paramount is about to finalize what will likely be the biggest deal of this year’s Toronto Film Festival: a whopping $12.5 million for the Chris Rock comedy “Top Five.”  The studio, which is acquiring worldwide rights to the movie, has also agreed to spend $20 million on marketing.

The Scott Rudin-produced film, which Rock stars in and directs about a day in the life of a comedian movie star, premiered in Toronto on Saturday night and sparked a fierce bidding war among several studios.
The film’s budget was north of $10 million.  Buyers interested in the film included CBS Films, Sony, Open Road and Relativity.
Part of the concern for potential buyers is that with a substantial promotional commitment and Rock’s limited international following, the film would be almost wholly dependent on its domestic box office in order to make a profit. However, the film was enthusiastically received by audiences at Toronto and knowledgeable insiders say it has real commercial potential.
Paramount makes sense because the studio’s chief, Brad Grey, has a longstanding relationship with Rock.
article by Brent Lang and Ramin Setoodeh via Variety.com