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What's news: THR's Sustainability Issue is back for its fifth edition! Netflix is in talks to buy Radford Studio Center. Payal Kapadia will serve as president of the jury for Cannes Critics’ Week. Julianna Margulies has joined the cast of Hulu's Paradise. And L.A.’s film office has unveiled a pilot program aimed at removing cost barriers for small shoots. — Abid Rahman
Do you have THR's next big story? Confidentially share tips with us at tips@thr.com. |
THR's Sustainability Issue 2026►Burn notice. If Hollywood needed a reminder of the dangers of a warming planet, last year’s devastating wildfires in L.A. sent all too clear a message. But that’s just it — Hollywood didn’t need a reminder. The industry has long been a wellspring of climate activism, from committed celebrity environmentalists to the below-the-line teams working to make carbon-neutral productions the new normal. With our fifth annual Sustainability Issue, THR celebrates the people defying the federal rollback of climate regulation, building back better after the blaze and telling the stories that will keep inspiring generations to take action. The issue.
—Hollywood's most sustainable sets. You may not be able to see it onscreen, but from major franchises to hit series, your favorite TV show may be doing its part to preserve the environment (or at least not eff it up any further), using solar and hydropower, reusable water bottles and electric vehicles. The story.
—Staying green, staying competitive. Illinois is rolling out a sustainability tax credit for films and TV shows, a first in the country. Productions that meet certain criteria designed to incentivize sustainable filmmaking practices are eligible for a five percent uplift, making the maximum tax incentive 45 percent of eligible costs. As Hollywood’s presence in Illinois grows, state lawmakers last year expanded the film and TV subsidy program to include the uplift. The state saw record-high production spend in 2025 of $703m. The story.
—The conservative climate activists Hollywood ignores. Why is environmentalism seen as a purely progressive issue? For THR, Nadia Gill, the director of a new documentary The [Conserv]atives, writes that the needless division is partly the fault of the film and TV industries. The column.
—Thanks Trump? THR's Katie Kilkenny writes that the Trump administration's disastrous war on Iran has inadvertently provided an opportunity for sustainable power alternatives to gain a greater foothold in Hollywood. The story. |
The 25 Most Eco-Minded Stars►Stepping up. What lands a star on THR‘s fifth annual list of the 25 Greenest Celebrities? A rap sheet doesn’t hurt. Some of the actors below have been busted more times than Nick Nolte and Randy Quaid combined. They’ve also made multimillion-dollar investments in clean energy, produced countless eco documentaries, done literal deep dives into the ocean, built zero-waste homes, launched nonprofits providing clean water to underserved communities and written climate change plot points into their scripts. The list.
—Carpet diem. A viral video from the cleanup after the 2026 Oscars sparked outrage online over the fate of the world’s most famous red carpet.THR's Kirsten Chuba unrolls the rest of the story. The story.
—Galifianakis’ greener pastures. In a new Netflix gardening docuseries shot around his home in rural Canada, actor and comedian Zach Galifianakis swaps showbiz for soil, pitching an agrarian future with kids, compost and deadpan conviction. THR's Mikey O'Connell spoke to Galifianakis about his passion project, and more. The interview.
—Diamonds are forever. But are they sustainable? From ethically sourced stones to lab-grown diamonds and the skyrocketing presence of vintage designs on red carpets, THR's Laurie Brookins writes that stars are increasingly making conscious choices about their jewels — and jewelers are paying attention. The story.
More from THR's Sustainibility Issue...
—Al Gore isn’t worried Trump is killing the climate
—Hell on Earth: 40 films and TV shows about the climate apocalypse
—Can fireproofing be climate-friendly?
—The secret to rebuilding in L.A.’s wildfire era
—How Dave Matthews crushed the blueprint for green touring
—How Scriptation broke Hollywood’s addiction to paper
—The hit video games sneaking in climate storylines |
Scooter Braun Tied to Hollywood Smear Saga►"Common strategies." THR's Gary Baum reports that a new court filing appears to tie music mogul Scooter Braun more tightly to the entertainment industry’s emerging smear-site saga. Gary first exposed the clandestine operation in February that has sucked in crisis publicist Melissa Nathan, online fixer Jed Wallace and prominent Hollywood lawyer Bryan Freedman. New litigation contends that a former business rival of Braun, who shepherded the careers of Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato, was anonymously maligned online as part of a larger operation surfaced amid the Justin Baldoni-Blake Lively fallout. The story.
—The lawsuit that could expose Hollywood’s hidden accounting. THR's Winston Cho reports on how buzzy Neon doc Amazing Grace, that was positioned for an awards run, became a cautionary tale of bills piling up, bad decisions, antagonism — and millions in legal fees charged to the production. The story.
—Unwell is unwell. Call Her Daddy host Alex Cooper is facing another bad headline. According to a new report, there’s been employee turnover and uneasiness amongst the staff at Trending, a company which encompasses Cooper’s Unwell Network of podcasts as well as ACE Entertainment, the production company started by Cooper’s husband Matt Kaplan. Per the report, staff have threatened to quit or walk off the job due to Kaplan allegedly yelling and berating crew and staff members. The story.
—"No one is paying me." Reese Witherspoon went viral last week for suggesting that her followers embrace and learn how to use AI. While some of her famous friends loved the seemingly organic promotion, not everyone was as enthusiastic. The backlash spread pretty far and wide as many on social media criticized Witherspoon for a multitude of reasons from the impact AI data centers have on the environment to how AI companies have stolen artists’ intellectual property to feed and train models, and more. Witherspoon has hit back at the criticism and directly addressed whether or not she was being paid to promote AI. The story.
—"The whole thing’s about defaming me." Infowars host Alex Jones on Monday went shirtless as he reacted to a deal unveiled earlier that day by The Onion to acquire his right wing-centric brand and website from bankruptcy. "Look, just because you’re wearing my shirt don’t mean you’re me, so let’s be 100 percent clear about that," the Infowars founder and host declared during a livestream on X. The story. |
Is Netflix Making a Big Real Estate Move In L.A.?►Studio shuffle. For years, Netflix has been the anchor tenant at Sunset Studios, making the ICON building its L.A. HQ and occupying the EPIC and CUE buildings as part of the complex on Sunset Boulevard. The streamer has a lease on those buildings through 2031 with the owner, Hudson Pacific Properties, which receives $27m in base annualized rent from Netflix. But it seems like an exit could be a stronger possibility now. Netflix is reportedly in talks with Goldman Sachs to buy the Radford Studio Center. The historic studio was in the hands of the then-named ViacomCBS corp until 2021 when it was sold — as part of a slimming down of the Shari Redstone-run empire — to Hackman Capital Partners and Square Mile Capital Management for $1.85b. The story.
—The negotiators explain it all. The Writers Guild's unusually drama-free negotiation with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers has raised eyebrows. After just three weeks of talks, the WGA cut a surprise deal with the studios that was distinct in its concession to a key studio demand, for a longer deal (four years instead of the typical three) to assure a sustained period of labor peace. But labor leaders tell THR's Katie Kilkenny say health plan woes and new AMPTP leadership made for a more cordial exchange. The story.
—Proactive reforms. L.A.’s film office has unveiled a six-month pilot program aimed at removing cost barriers for small shoots as outcry over Hollywood’s production downturn that has now snowballed into a political campaign issue. FilmLA’s new “Low Impact Permit Pilot Program” will reduce the city’s typical permit fees for tiny productions with fewer than 30 cast and crew members. The program will only apply to productions that shoot for a maximum of three consecutive days and in a maximum of three locations. For those who meet the qualifications, application fees will drop from the typical $931 to $350, and notification fees will drop from $250 per location to $156 per location. LAFD spot check fees ($285) will also be waived for these shoots. The story. |
Curry Barker in Talks to Direct 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre'►Gassing up the chainsaw. Curry Barker, the 25-year-old filmmaker behind the much-talked-about film Obsession that is not yet in theaters, is A24's choice to take over the storied horror property The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Barker is in talks to write and direct his own take on Texas Chainsaw, which will stand separate from an A24 TV series from Glen Powell, Dan Cohen and JT Mollner. Barker has been on a rise rarely seen these days in Hollywood. After coming up in the world of YouTube sketch comedy, he shot an $800 horror movie and put it on YouTube for free, where it amassed more than 2m views and caught Hollywood’s attention. The story.
—All set. Payal Kapadia, the Indian filmmaker whose All We Imagine as Light won the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2024, will serve as president of the jury for the 65th Cannes Critics’ Week, running May 13-21 alongside the main festival. Kapadia will be joined on the jury by Canadian actor Théodore Pellerin, French singer-songwriter Oklou, Ghanaian-British producer Ama Ampadu and journalist and Bangkok World Film Festival director Donsaron Kovitvanitcha. The story.
—🎭 Filled out. 🎭 Kumail Nanjiani, Jim Belushi, Brittany O’Grady and Taylor John Smith have joined Tatiana Maslany in Green Bank, an independent sci-fi horror thriller Pangaea Studios, Big Swell Entertainment and Nocturnal Kid. Josh Ruben, who previously helmed the rom-com slasher Heart Eyes, is directing the feature, which is begins production this week at Pangaea Studios in Atlanta. Written by Aaron Horwitz, Green Bank sees O’Grady playing the lead of a story which follows infant sleep-trainer who discovers that the parents of the child she is caring for are far more than the clueless yuppies they appear to be. The story.
—Didn't make the cut. Sydney Sweeney is such the talk of the town lately, she’s making headlines for movies she’s not in. The Housemaid star shot a scene for The Devil Wears Prada 2 that has been cut from the film. Sweeney was previously spotted headed to the set last year, spawning speculation that she would appear in the highly anticipated sequel. The actress played herself in a reported three-minute scene that was part of the re-introduction of Emily Blunt’s character, Emily Charlton, early in the film. In the scene, Charlton was dressing a celebrity client — Sweeney. The scene reportedly did not mesh with the rest of the film’s opening and was removed from the Disney film. The story.
—🎭 Heading to Cannes. 🎭 Naomi Ackie and Alison Oliver have just wrapped on Luna Carmoon’s sophomore feature To Make Ends Meat. Also starring Éanna Hardwicke and Armande Boulanger, the film follows three women — all in debt to despicable men, their pasts and each other — who find themselves bargaining to survive in the only language these men seem to understand: consumption and violence. Goodfellas is handling international sales and will launch the film at Cannes, with True Brit nabbing U.K. and Ireland distribution rights. The story. |
'Mormon Wives' to Resume Production After Taylor Frankie Paul Scandal►Moving forward. The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives will resume production following a pause initiated by an internal investigation surrounding Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen amid allegations of domestic violence. Casting details were not made available, leaving Paul’s fate with the show still unclear. Details on when cameras will pick up were also not outlined. Notably, news of production resuming on Mormon Wives arrived a day before Hulu‘s Get Real House on Wednesday, which will spotlight the streamer and ABC’s unscripted slate. The story.
—🎭 Award-winning addition. 🎭 Julianna Margulies will join Hulu‘s post-apocalyptic drama Paradise for season three. It will be the former ER and Good Wife star’s first series work since a run on seasons two and three of The Morning Show at Apple TV. As per usual with Paradise (and other shows from creator Dan Fogelman), details about the role the Emmy-winner is playing are being kept under wraps. Hulu renewed the show for a third season in March, in keeping with Fogelman’s plan for a three-season arc for the story. The story.
—Host found. The latest iteration of Jeopardy! will focus on sports — and more specifically, the worldwide leader in sports. Sony Pictures Television, which produces Jeopardy!, and ESPN are teaming up for the aptly named ESPN Jeopardy! Monday Night Football announcer Joe Buck will host the show, which will stream on Disney+ and Hulu. A premiere date has yet to be announced. ESPN Jeopardy! will also feature the sports network’s talent as contestants, playing in a tournament competition for the charities of their choice, and answers and questions will “cover the full spectrum of ESPN content.” The grand prize is $500,000. The story.
—Turning to toons. THR's Rick Porter has the scoop that Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated writer Terence Winter is taking on an animated series as his next TV project. Winter and his wife, Oscar-nominated producer Rachel Winter, are developing an adult animated show called Nouvelle with Bizaar Studios, a year-old animation shop that counts George R.R. Martin and Jimmy Iovine among its backers. The project doesn’t have an outlet attached yet. Nouvelle, inspired by Jacob Tomsky’s memoir Heads in Beds, will follow the staff, guests and enigmatic owner of a luxury hotel in New York. The story. |
Film Review: 'Animal Farm'
►"Juvenile." THR's Frank Scheck reviews Andy Serkis' Animal Farm. An all-star voice cast feature in this animated version of George Orwell's satirical allegorical novella. Featuring the voices of Seth Rogen, Gaten Matarazzo, Steve Buscemi, Glenn Close, Laverne Cox, Kieran Culkin, Woody Harrelson, Jim Parsons, Andy Serkis, Kathleen Turner and Iman Vellani. Written by Nicholas Stoller, based on the book by George Orwell. The review.
—"A four-hour puff piece." THR's chief TV critic Daniel Fienberg reviews the Netflix docuseries Hulk Hogan: Real American. Director Bryan Storkel traces the roller-coaster rise of Terry Bollea to wrestling superstardom, with access to his subject in the last months of his life. The review.
—"A fascinating fusion of the physical and technological." THR's Jordan Mintzer reviews Giulio Bertelli's Agon. The first-time Italian director's hybrid feature, which premiered last year in Venice, follows a trio of women training to compete in a mock Olympic Games. Starring Alice Bellandi, Yile Vianello, Sofjia Zobina, Michela Cescon, Francesco Acquaroli, Chiara Caseli and Louis Hoffman. The review.
In other news...
—Coyote vs. Acme trailer: First footage from film saved from WB's ax
—Tribeca reveals TV, podcast lineup
—Fashion, lifestyle creator Nara Smith signs with Range
—Pip Wedge, U.K. and Canadian TV pioneer, dies at 97
—Riccie Johnson, longtime makeup artist at 60 Minutes, dies at 101
—Alan Osmond, eldest member of The Osmonds, dies at 76
What else we're reading...
—Alayna Treene and Kevin Liptak report that Trump's unhinged social media posts are ruining the prospect of a deal with Iran [CNN]
—Jesse Hassenger wonders why respected filmmakers like Soderbergh and Aronofsky are suddenly embracing AI [Guardian]
—Lucas Shaw spoke to Larry Jackson, the music exec championing Kanye West's attempted return to the mainstream [Bloomberg]
—Kelly Ng unpacks why Korean police are seeking to arrest the billionaire K-pop mogul behind BTS [BBC]
—It begins... Peter Campbell, Ian Johnston and and Sebastien Ash report that Lufthansa is cutting 20,000 flights to save fuel as prices soar due to Trump's Iran War [FT]
Today...
...in 2011, 20th Century Fox released Francis Lawrence's Water for Elephants in theaters. The period romantic drama, which starred Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson, received mixed reviews but made $117m at the box office. The original review.
Today's birthdays: Jack Nicholson (89), John Waters (80), Jeffrey Dean Morgan (60), Sheryl Lee (59), Sherri Shepherd (59), Roman Coppola (61), Robert Elswit (76), Cassidy Freeman (44), Catherine Mary Stewart (67), Michelle Ryan (42), Malcolm Barrett (46), Dana Barron (60), Machine Gun Kelly (36), Shuya Sophia Cai (18), Leonie Benesch (35), Ryan Stiles (67), Jay Duffy (30), Robin Bartlett (75), Amy De Bhrún (42), Ken Olandt (68), Meng'er Zhang (39), Marshawn Lynch (40), Misty Lee (50), Manu Intiraymi (48), Bruce A. Young (70), Alix Koromzay (57), Go Youn-jung (30), Violet McGraw (15)
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Dave Mason, the singer, songwriter and guitarist who first found fame with Traffic and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the band, has died. He was 79. The obituary.
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