
Dec 29, 2022
The weather outside may be frightful, but the myriad viewing options inside can be nothing short of delightful
LONDON (AP) — The weather outside may be frightful, but the myriad viewing options inside can be nothing short of delightful.
During interviews in recent weeks, The Associated Press asked celebrities promoting their own projects in Europe what they planned to watch this winter season:
LUCAS BRAVO and DARREN STAR ("Emily in Paris"):
“I just have so many shows to catch up on. I have fantasies of what I will watch, but I don’t really ever get to them, you know. Like, I never really got to see ‘The Sopranos’ the way I should have,” Star, the creator of “Emily in Paris” said.
Does catching up on other television shows feel like work, though?
“Not when they’re that old," Star said. "I don’t mind going back and watching the old shows because then I’m not sort of thinking about them in that present moment — like, ‘Damn, how is it so good?’”
Bravo, the actor who plays love interest and chef Gabriel on the Netflix show, put in another vote for “The Sopranos” and added “Twin Peaks” to his list — but there's another show up first.
“I’m watching ‘Tokyo Vice’ right now — such a spectacular show,” the French actor said. "The way Japan is filmed, it made me want to be there. It’s very immersive, very good.”
MARTIN CLUNES ("Doc Martin"):
Clunes, who has played the titular fish-out-of-water-and-into-rural-Cornwall doctor on the ITV show since 2004, chose “Ghosts.”
“I love ‘Ghosts.’ I absolutely love ‘Ghosts,’ because, just because they’re all so good and they all dig each other so much that they all kind of thrive, don’t they?” he said of the BBC sitcom about a couple who inherits an old house haunted by some quirky characters. A U.S. adaptation is aired by CBS.
“They’re all so clever,” Clunes said of the U.K. show's cast. “I’ve worked with a couple of them. Well, we had Mathew Baynton down. He had his finger chopped off in an early ‘Doc Martin.’”
WILLIAM ABADIE and LUCIEN LAVISCOUNT ("Emily in Paris")
The “Emily in Paris” actors turn to the environment for their winter watches.
“I love nature documentaries. I’ve been a vegan for a couple of years," Abadie, who plays perfumer and PR client Antoine, said.
Documentaries about nutrition and global warming also catch his fancy: “I just them put them on a loop and I listen, try to understand the data, how it's explained and all that.”
Laviscount, who plays Emily's love interest Alfie, chases a “similar vibe” and said he was into “anything inspiration, inspiring stuff.”
"I need to kind of keep that going, especially through the winter months, so inspirational kind of adventure shows I’m into,” he said.
A show he's hooked on at the moment? “Wednesday.”
DOUGLAS HODGE and BLAKE HARRISON ("I Hate Suzie Too")
“I suppose I watch quite a lot of horror with my wife, as it gets dark," Hodge said, much to Harrison's, well, horror as the two “I Hate Suzie Too” actors were interviewed together.
The three-part “I Hate Suzie” follow-up on Sky revolves around a former child star played by Billie Piper. Hodge plays her ex-husband while Harrison plays Suzie's rival contestant on a dance competition show-within-the-show.
Harrison, on the other hand, is "trying to indoctrinate my daughter into Tolkien's world” despite his wife's distaste.
“I went through a period where me and my brother would get together around every Christmastime and, in one day, watch all three extended editions of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ — it would be like a 12-and-a-bit-hour marathon,” he explained. “Obviously I’ve got kids now, so that doesn’t happen as much, although I’m just starting to introduce my daughter to ‘Fellowship of the Ring.’ She’s slowly getting — and she’s sort of into it.”
BRUNO GOUERY and SAMUEL ARNOLD ("Emily in Paris")
Once more to Paris, where Arnold and Gouery play Julien and Luc, co-workers at a Paris PR firm.
Arnold is seasonally appropriate: "Christmas movies — like, it’s always the best, like ‘Home Alone,’ ‘Die Hard’ — all those Christmas movies.”
Gouery, meanwhile, is primed for a different kind of time: spooky season, helped by the fact that it gets dark so early.
“I like comedy, too," he said. "And in another way, the two opposite things: I like horror films, you know, movies like ‘Scary Movie,’ ‘Shining,’ ‘Psycho.' You look at me: ‘He’s crazy.’”
“Remind me to not do Christmas with you, bro," Arnold replied.
Marrakech Film Festival has revealed the lineup of the jury, which is led by Marion Cotillard, as previously announced. Judging the winners of the Étoile d’Or from among the 14 films in competition will be Danish actor Claes Bang, who gained international recognition for his turn in Ruben Östlund’s “The Square,” which won the Palme […]
The Royal Shakespeare Company’s stage version of “Hamnet,” Lolita Chakrabarti’s adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s novel about William Shakespeare’s family and the death of his 11-year-old son, will tour the U.K. for the first time starting in September 2027. Fiery Angel and Neal Street Productions are presenting the RSC production, which previously played London’s West End. […]
Indian romantic drama “Weekend” is eyeing a shoot in Russia’s remote Sakha Republic, also known as Yakutia, after producer Vivek Singhania’s banner Picture Perfect signed a memorandum of understanding with local outfits Saidam Baryl and Sakhafilm to explore taking the production there. The three-way MoU was signed during the recently concluded 9th Yakutsk International Film […]
Nicole Kidman will be feted with an Honorary César at the 52nd César Ceremony in Paris in February 2026. She follows in the wake of Jim Carrey (2026) Julia Roberts (2025), Christopher Nolan (2024), David Fincher (2023) Cate Blanchett (2022), Robert Redford (2019) and George Clooney (2017). The Australian actress has worked with a number […]
EXCLUSIVE: Bridgerton star Adjoa Andoh is swapping Shonda Rhimes’ regency wonderland for an ITV detective drama. Andoh is creating her first drama series, Protect and Serve [working title], with Time scribe Helen Black. Andoh will play the lead, DI Araba Dadzie, a cop, mother and daughter. Araba is in the squeezed middle of her life, […]
Federation Studios, the Paris-based group behind French spy series “The Bureau,” is overhauling its finances and leadership, with co-founder Lionel Uzan succeeding Pascal Breton as president and Montefiore and the company’s financial shareholders set to take majority control. The company said Thursday that it settled on the plan after weighing a number of strategic alternatives. […]
James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli has been revealed as the next president of the U.K.’s National Film and Television School. She succeeds Oscar-winning producer David Puttnam in the role. Broccoli will be the first female president in the NFTS’s history. Puttnam, whose credits include “Chariots of Fire,” “The Killing Fields” and “Midnight Express,” is to […]
EXCLUSIVE: Barbara Broccoli has been named the first female president of the UK’s National Film and Television School (NFTS). The storied James Bond producer becomes President just a few weeks before the opening of a building dedicated to her father, the legendary Cubby Broccoli. Barbara Broccoli will build on her longstanding relationship with the NFTS […]
Federation Studios’ Lionel Uzan is taking the reins at the French entertainment giant with Pascal Breton stepping back, as Montefiore Investments becomes a majority shareholder. Federation, which had been seeking a huge cash injection of hundreds of millions of euros for the past couple of years, will have a new structure with an increase of […]
Netflix has unveiled a documentary on Russell Brand, days after the comedian and former actor received a prison term of 10 years and six months for rape and sexual assault. “Russell Brand: Open Secret” is directed by Olivia Isaacs and produced by Fremantle-owned 72 Films, the company behind “Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story.” The […]
As the Cairo Intl. Film Festival celebrates 50 years since its founding, president Hussein Fahmy wants younger Egyptians to rediscover their country’s rich cinematic heritage. For the veteran actor, introducing new audiences to the films that established Egypt as the Arab world’s cinematic capital is central to the festival’s future. Speaking to Variety ahead of […]
Apple TV's heist show 12 12 12 might be built on tropes, but it's got style to spare and great performances by Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan.