Latest news with #SoHelpMeTodd
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Marcia Gay Harden Joins Netflix Drama Series ‘Trinity'
Oscar and Tony Award winner and 4x Emmy nominee Marcia Gay Harden (The Morning Show, So Help Me Todd) joins Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Richard Madden as part of the leading cast of Trinity, the new Netflix drama from showrunner, writer and executive producer Jed Mercurio. The series follows a heroic female Naval Officer who becomes involved with the outwardly charismatic Secretary of Defense, only to discover he may be at the heart of a dangerous conspiracy. More from Deadline 'Building The Band' Execs On Working With The "Glorious" Liam Payne & Why It's Always A Good Time For A New Talent Show 2025 Premiere Dates For New & Returning Series On Broadcast, Cable & Streaming 'Alice In Borderland' Season 3 Gets Netflix Premiere Date; Teaser Trailer Mbatha-Raw stars as Commander Katherine Decker, second-in-command on the USS Kansas, a nuclear submarine and one of the deadliest weapons on Earth. Madden portrays Secretary of Defense Webb Preston, who has a technology background that sets him apart from most politicians. Webb's innovation and purpose are seen as a threat in more ways than one. In a series regular role, Harden joins the series as Margaret Vandenburg, the CEO and matriarch of her family's business empire, guiding them to become a prominent family with political ties. In addition to Mercurio, executive producers include Jimmy Mulville for Hat Trick Mercurio and Wendy Mericle. Michael Cuesta will direct and executive produce the first and second episodes of the 20th Television-produced series. Harden is repped by Framework Entertainment, Independent Artist Group, and Schreck Rose Dapello. Best of Deadline 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery 2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery Everything We Know About Christopher Nolan's Next Film – 'The Odyssey': Release Date, Cast And More
Calgary Herald
09-05-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
President Donald Trump's film tariff threat adds to stress for those in B.C.'s flagging film business
Article content U.S. President Donald Trump's recent threats to put a 100 per cent tariff on films made outside the U.S. was not the news the lagging B.C. film business wanted to hear. Article content 'The pandemic, the strike, the reduction in productions all over North America, and now Mr. Trump. To say that the cumulative effect has been less than positive is an understatement,' said veteran location scout Tonya Hartz. Hartz, who worked on productions such as Watchmen, See, So Help Me Todd, counts herself among the lucky ones working consistently since the strikes. Article content Article content But that hasn't been the case for many others in her field. Article content Article content 'Scouts are paying bills instead of buying groceries,' said Hartz. 'The only ones that can survive an enduring cycle like this one are the highest-paid categories, the most senior members with deep savings, or members who have side hustles.' Article content Film and TV production business is down 20 per cent across the globe. The lingering effects of major strikes, budget cuts by streaming services, and studios shifting toward more conservative, share-price positive, business models have led to a major industry contraction. Article content Here in B.C., the industry expects about 30 productions to be rolling during its usual peak summer season. In good years, that number would easily be double. Article content According to Creative B.C., the province's TV and film industry, the third-largest production hub in North America after Los Angeles and New York, contributed $2 billion to the provincial GDP in 2023, employing around 26,000 full-time workers. Those numbers are down substantially from 2022, when the industry employed close to 50,000 full-time workers and contributed $2.7 billion. Article content Article content 'We've got 15 signed productions under our agreement,' said business representative Crystal Braunwarth. That number would have been double in 2020, Braunwarth said. Article content Article content With production numbers already down, Trump's Truth Social statement spread further unease across the industry. Braunwarth said she fielded over 50 calls from members after Trump's post went up. Article content 'Our members have been through a lot over the last four years,' said Braunwarth. 'So it's another thing that we are going to face — whatever it is.'
Vancouver Sun
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Vancouver Sun
President Donald Trump's film tariff threat adds to stress for those in B.C.'s flagging film business
U.S. President Donald Trump's recent threats to put a 100 per cent tariff on films made outside the U.S. was not the news the lagging B.C. film business wanted to hear. 'The pandemic, the strike, the reduction in productions all over North America, and now Mr. Trump . To say that the cumulative effect has been less than positive is an understatement,' said veteran location scout Tonya Hartz. Hartz, who worked on productions such as Watchmen, See, So Help Me Todd, counts herself among the lucky ones working consistently since the strikes. But that hasn't been the case for many others in her field. Get top headlines and gossip from the world of celebrity and entertainment. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sun Spots will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'Scouts are paying bills instead of buying groceries,' said Hartz. 'The only ones that can survive an enduring cycle like this one are the highest-paid categories, the most senior members with deep savings, or members who have side hustles.' Film and TV production business is down 20 per cent across the globe. The lingering effects of major strikes, budget cuts by streaming services, and studios shifting toward more conservative, share-price positive, business models have led to a major industry contraction. Here in B.C., the industry expects about 30 productions to be rolling during its usual peak summer season. In good years, that number would easily be double. According to Creative B.C., the province's TV and film industry , the third-largest production hub in North America after Los Angeles and New York, contributed $2 billion to the provincial GDP in 2023, employing around 26,000 full-time workers. Those numbers are down substantially from 2022, when the industry employed close to 50,000 full-time workers and contributed $2.7 billion. According to IATSE Local 891, which represents 10,000 professional artists and technicians working in film and television production in B.C., only 25 per cent of its members are currently working. UBCP/ACTA (actors union) declined comment. 'We've got 15 signed productions under our agreement,' said business representative Crystal Braunwarth. That number would have been double in 2020, Braunwarth said. With production numbers already down, Trump's Truth Social statement spread further unease across the industry. Braunwarth said she fielded over 50 calls from members after Trump's post went up. 'Our members have been through a lot over the last four years,' said Braunwarth. 'So it's another thing that we are going to face — whatever it is.' Braunwarth said she's puzzled by how Trump would apply tariffs, given the 'borderless' nature of the film industry. 'We do things in multiple countries with multiple different workers and multiple different areas,' she said. An assistant director with over a decade of experience in the B.C. film and TV industry, Andrew Suttar said he's not a person to panic. But he knows others who are 'super panicked.' 'It's a gig-based economy. It's a contract-based economy,' said Suttar, who has worked on productions such as A Million Little Things and DC's Legends of Tomorrow. 'It has to be part and parcel of anybody who does this work. There's going to be times when you're working and times where you're not. I'm grateful to have had significant projects over the last couple of years. But I know that many in my industry are suffering.' Suttar said he is seeing people having to switch jobs. 'There're people who are significantly employed for many years in higher positions, who are, because of the amount of positions that are available, taking entry-level positions. Just because they have to,' said Suttar, adding he also knows people who have left the industry altogether. Vancouver-based actor Terry Chen who worked on productions such as Jessica Jones and House of Cards, said that during his 25 years in the business, he has seen many dips. 'You hear horror stories of award-winning crew members who are baristas, who are walking dogs now. Really, for me as a gig worker, there's no guarantee, right?' said Chen. 'I went into this industry eyes wide open. It's not like I've got a guarantee of work coming in. My last job could very well be my last job. 'You live under that threat daily. You either live with it or you don't — and you leave the business.' Chen suspects the industry will fight off the most recent malaise and bounce back. 'The film industry is incredibly adaptable. You know, we pivot when we need to,' said Chen, noting the B.C. film industry was one of the first to get back to work during the pandemic. 'We're not just going to watch passively on the sidelines as things sort of come up. But we have to make intelligent, thought-out, moves right now, and creating and sustaining our own industry within Canada is important.' In B.C., 15 per cent of productions are domestic, while the remaining 85 per cent are service productions, which essentially means a Canadian company produces an American or foreign project. 'There's a lot of things we can do domestically, as well, that can help bolster the industry,' said Braunwarth. 'What this has done is really pointed a spotlight on areas where domestic producers can and should be supported in a more-fulsome way across the country.' Aside from the immediate bad news of people walking away from the film industry, prop master Dean Eilerston, who has worked on productions such as The Adam Project and Shōgun, points out that losing people during this contracted era will also have a negative effect in the future. 'Who's coming up through the ranks? Who's going to replace this?' said Eilerston who has worked in the B.C. industry for 36 years. 'There isn't anyone, really. And that is going to open up another whole can of worms.' 'We're dealing with a situation where it's not the best time to enter the industry,' said Suttar. 'The money is still the same money. And even though we got raises across the board, like every union got an increase. … But the reality is that the money didn't (increase). It means finding more creative ways to do things. A department may have hired 12 people before and now it hires 11.' Chris Ferguson, head of the Vancouver-based production company Oddfellows Entertainment, which was behind the productions of Longlegs and The Monkey, said it's just a fact that the industry must contract because of fewer productions. 'I hope that there are ways for it to contract that are healthy for people, because it's not good for the long-term health of the industry for young people to not have their way into the unions and onto these shows and into a career, because then we just won't have a next generation,' said Ferguson. While the film industry was lagging before Trump rattled his sabre on Sunday, his move has prompted those planning projects to have cold feet. 'That uncertainty is certainly having a ripple effect through Hollywood and making people trepidatious about how they want to move forward,' said Ferguson, adding that he is experiencing that trepidation firsthand and in real time. 'Ultimately, film companies can't just stop making movies, because they'd just be putting themselves out of business,' said Ferguson. 'Everyone just needs to talk to each other and decide what level of risk they're comfortable with moving forward. Because there is a level of risk that didn't exist a week ago.' The number of production is down everywhere. But B.C., with its competitive tax credits and the low Canadian dollar, remains a go-to location for top productions, as was evident with the recent announcements that nine-figure TV productions The Last of Us and Shōgun will be returning to shoot here. These sizable productions, Braunwarth said, will put 20 to 25 per cent more IATSE members back to work. Dgee@
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Grant Gustin Shares His Honest First Reaction to The Flash's Musical Episode ‘Duet'
Grant Gustin felt that, like speedster Barry Allen, The Flash's musical episode arrived on the scene a bit quickly. The seventh episode of The Flash's third season, 'Duet' aired March 21, 2017, and featured crossover appearances by Supergirl's Melissa Benoist and Jeremy Jordan, Arrow's John Barrowman and Legends of Tomorrow's Victor Garber. The Flash's Jesse L. Martin and Carlos Valdes also sang in the episode, as did Glee grad Darren Criss, guesting as the villainous Music Meister. More from TVLine TVLine Items: Grant Gustin at Tonys, So Help Me Todd Vet Joins Watson and More Grant Gustin Marks Arrival of Flash's April 25, 2024 Crisis Date, Happily Reports: I Have Not 'Vanished'! Grant Gustin: I Would Play The Flash Again 'If James Gunn Asked Me' The premise: The Music Meister sends The Flash and Supergirl to a world where life is a musical and the only way to escape is to sing and dance. In a series of TVLine polls, readers gave 'Moon River' (performed by Benoist), 'Put a Little Love in Your Heart' (Valdes, Criss, Jordan and Barrowman) and 'More I Cannot Wish You' (Martin, Barrowman and Garber) average grades of 'A-,' while 'Super Friend' (Gustin and Benoist ) netted a 'B+' and 'Runnin' Home to You' (Gustin) scored an 'A.' 'Going into it, I was like, 'Why are we doing this? Like, why are we doing this?'' recalls Gustin in the new, Feb. 11 episode of Smallville alum Michael Rosenbaum's Inside of You podcast (watch full video below). But Gustin, even as No. 1 on the call sheet, did not ask that the Arrowverse press pause on the ambitious idea. 'I never really fought much of anything on the show, I never was like, 'I don't want to do to this,'' he shares on the podcast. Outside of suggesting the occasional dialogue tweak, 'I never considered myself a writer, I never was pitching a different storyline. So yeah, when I saw that we were doing a musical, I was like, 'Feels early,'' coming as it did in Season 3. 'That was one of my first thoughts.' Gustin says that, given the amount of musically inclined talent living in the Arrowverse, 'That's why we did it. It was, like, begging to be done.' Martin, Valdes, Jordan, Garber, Gustin and Benoist all had done or would do Broadway, while Gustin, Benoist and Criss had all been on Glee. Meanwhile, Gustin notes, The Flash's Tom Cavanaugh and Supergirl's Chris Wood — both of whom have Broadway experience — appeared in 'Duet' but didn't get to sing a note. 'It was ridiculous,' Gustin says of the talent on hand. And while he has not rewatched the episode since — out of fear of finding nits to pick amidst a enjoyable experience — 'people love that episode,' he reports. 'The crossovers tended to be the hardest, most miserable experiences at times, but other times the most fun experiences,' he notes. '['Duet'] was both; it was one of the more memorable, fun episodes.'Best of TVLine Yellowjackets' Tawny Cypress Talks Episode 4's Tai/Van Reunion: 'We're All Worried About Taissa' Vampire Diaries Turns 10: How Real-Life Plot Twists Shaped Everything From the Love Triangle to the Final Death Vampire Diaries' Biggest Twists Revisited (and Explained)
