Latest news with #TooMuch
Forbes
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
5 New Netflix Titles Coming In July 2025 That Are Worth The Binge
Megan Stalter in 'Too Much' on Netflix. Summer is the perfect time to rest, relax, and, of course, binge-watch some great shows and movies. In July, Netflix has so many great options, but for the sake of a doable watch list, here are five standouts. Viewers can go on an adventure to find sharks in the most beautiful locations, cross the pond for love, investigate the real-life cold case of a woman who went missing decades ago while on a cruise, dig into a fictional murder investigation in the remote wilderness, and follow a woman's hilarious journey starting over after her husband leaves her for another woman after more than 30 years of marriage. 'All The Sharks' is coming to Netflix in July 2025. All the Sharks (July 4) This reality competition series features four teams of passionate shark experts as they embark on the ultimate adventure to find and photograph the most sharks. Racing against time and each other, these teams dive into the world's most spectacular shark habitats, all in hopes of winning a $50,000 prize for their chosen marine charity. Over six action-packed episodes, they'll travel from the crystal-clear Caribbean waters to the mysterious depths of the Pacific, where they will come face-to-toothy-face with incredible species, such as the critically endangered Great Hammerhead and the remarkable walking Epaulette Shark. Blending breathtaking visuals, fin-tastic shark facts, and stunning underwater encounters, this is a fun, educational, and fast-paced journey into the misunderstood world of sharks, showcasing why these incredible creatures are more vital to our planet than ever before. Will Sharpe and Megan Stalter in 'Too Much' on Netflix. Too Much (July 10) Lena Dunham is a wonder. She co-created this series with Luis Felber and wrote and directed eight of the ten episodes. In addition, Dunham stars in and executive produced this dramedy that follows the hilarious Megan Stalter as Jessica, a thirty-something New Yorker with big dreams and an even bigger heart. The latter gets her into trouble as she feels things perhaps a little 'too much,' or maybe that's just how people who don't get her would describe her. After a painful breakup, Jessica packs her bags and her adorable dog and moves to London for a work opportunity and a new life. Though she's sworn off love, she soon meets struggling musician Felix (Will Sharpe) and they have an immediate and undeniable connection. Too much? I couldn't get enough of this rom-com from the creator of Girls and the producers of Love Actually. This is a story for anyone who has ever tried to run away from a broken heart only to learn the all-important lesson that wherever you go, there you are. Life's problems always have a way of finding you until you heal and move on. Starring alongside Stalter and Sharpe are Michael Zegan, Janicza Bravo, Richard E. Grant, Rita Wilson, Naomi Watts, Andrew Rannells, Rhea Perlman, Emily Ratajkowski, and Adwoa Aboah. Dunham executive produces alongside Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Michael P. Cohen, Surian Fletcher-Jones, Bruce Eric Kaplan, and producer Camilla Bray. What happened to Amy Bradley? Amy Bradley Is Missing (July 16) This three-part docuseries from directors and executive producers Ari Mark and Phil Lott explores the mystery behind the disappearance of a young woman during a cruise. On March 23, 1998, 23-year-old Amy Bradley and her family were enjoying a vacation on a cruise ship when she went missing. She vanished without a trace, and despite a thorough search of the ship, there was no sign of Amy. The cruise had already docked at their next port, Curaçao, which opened the door for 2400 passengers to explore the island and potentially allow Amy to disappear into the crowd. Hours later, Amy was still nowhere to be found, and fears grew that she may have fallen overboard before arriving at port. However, a body was never discovered. The search for Amy expanded as the FBI and local authorities launched an investigation, turning everyone into a potential suspect. Mark and Lott delve deeply into this decades-old cold case as her family and friends continue their search for answers. Over the years, there have been possible sightings of Amy in various locations by multiple people. Is it really her? Was this a tragic accident or a crime? For Amy's family, only one thing matters: bringing their daughter home alive. Eric Bana in 'Untamed' on Netflix. Untamed (July 17) This six-episode mystery-thriller is set in Yosemite, but the beauty of this national park hides a very dark secret. The limited series is centered around Kyle Turner (Eric Bana), a special agent for the National Parks Service Investigative Services Branch (ISB), as he tries to uncover what caused a young woman's horrifyingly violent death. Immediately, within the first minutes of the pilot episode, the viewer will be hooked. It's great to see Bana back on screen as this tortured man forced to face secrets in the park and his past. Also starring are Sam Neill as Yosemite's Chief Park Ranger Paul Souter; Rosemary DeWitt as Kyle's ex-wife Jill Bodwin, with whom he remains close friends; Lily Santiago as Naya Vasquez, a former Los Angeles police officer-turned-park ranger who joins Kyle on the search for justice; and Wilson Bethel as former Army ranger Shane Maguire who now serves as the park's Wildlife Management Officer. This gripping show comes from executive producers Mark L. Smith and Elle Smith, who also serve as co-showrunners, as well as Bana, John Wells, and Erin Jontow via John Wells Productions; Todd Black and Tony Shaw for Escape Artists Entertainment; Steve Lee Jones for Bee Holder Productions; Cliff Roberts for Syndicate Entertainment. Once you start the binge with this one, it's nearly impossible to stop. Kristen Johnston and Leanne Morgan in 'Leanne' on Netflix. Leanne (July 31) Comedian Leanne Morgan helms this 16-episode comedy about a woman whose life takes an unexpected turn when her husband of 33 years leaves her for another woman. Starting over when you're a grandmother and in menopause isn't exactly what she had in mind. With the help of her family, including her sister Carol (Kristen Johnston), she will navigate this new chapter with grace, dignity, and jello salad. Morgan executive produces alongside Chuck Lorre, Judi Marmel, and Susan McMartin for this classic sitcom about starting over a little later in life. As always, happy binge-watching!
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lena Dunham Makes TV Return With Trailer for Netflix's ‘Too Much,' Takes Megan Stalter to London to Find Her 'English Dream'
Lena Dunham is back behind the scenes on the small screen. The multihyphenate has debuted the trailer for her upcoming Netflix rom-com series Too Much, out July 10, starring Megan Stalter and Will Sharpe. More from The Hollywood Reporter Netflix to Invest $1 Billion-Plus in Spain Over Four Years as Part of Originals Push Indies and Icons, Tentpoles and Oscar Contenders: Annecy at 40 Sets the Animation Agenda Meghann Fahy Says Her 'Sirens' Role Was Unlike Anything She's Done Before: "I've Never Loved a Character This Way" In the preview, viewers see Stalter's Jessica move to London in search of her 'English dream' after a bad break-up in New York. Though she initially feels like she's 'in hell' as she hears her loud neighbors fighting in her U.K. apartment, Jessica's quickly charmed by musician Felix (Sharpe). The trailer shows Jessica and Felix spending more time together as he wonders if she's 'one of those Love Actually girls' and they go on a tour of a picturesque neighborhood, which is less appealing to Felix. 'This is the London I came here for,' Jessica says as the trailer shows her posing in front of a blue door. 'It's like out of a movie.' Felix interjects, 'Yeah, horror movie — these people are full of pent up rage and dark secrets,' as Jessica excitedly points out a yellow house. Via voiceover, viewers learn more about the heartbreak that Jessica's dealing with, as she says, 'I came here to find myself. A lot of stuff went down in New York. My ex-boyfriend is living with another woman right now.' Still this sparks some dark flirting between her and Felix. He quips, 'Do you want me to murder them?' Jessica jokingly replies, 'Yeah, I want you to cut their heads off and sew them back on.' Still Jessica is concerned about Felix being a 'walking series of red flags,' as Netflix teases. Here's the full synopsis from the streamer: 'Jessica (Megan Stalter) is a New York workaholic in her mid-thirties, reeling from a broken relationship that she thought would last forever and slowly isolating everyone she knows. When every block in New York tells a story of her own bad behavior, the only solution is to take a job in London, where she plans to live a life of solitude like a Bronte sister. But when she meets Felix (Will Sharpe) — a walking series of red flags — she finds that their unusual connection is impossible to ignore, even as it creates more problems than it solves. Now they have to ask themselves: do Americans and Brits actually speak the same language? From the creator of Girls and the producers of Love Actually, Too Much is an ex-pat rom-com for the disillusioned who wonder if true love is still possible, but sincerely hope that it is.' Dunham co-created Too Much with husband Luis Felber, who she met and married in the U.K., where she's been living for the past few years, and the show has been called 'semi-autobiographical.' At a Netflix event in London earlier this year, Dunham teased, 'some of my own experiences did kick start the concept for the show.' Dunham serves as writer-director for Too Much and executive produces alongside her Good Thing Going Production company partner Michael P. Cohen as well as Working Title's Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner and Surian Fletcher-Jones and Bruce Eric Kaplan. Camilla Bray is the producer of the Working Title Television, which is part of Universal International Studios, and Good Thing Going show. In addition to Stalter and Sharpe, the series' cast includes Michael Zegan, Janicza Bravo, Richard E. Grant, Leo Reich, Daisy Bevan, Adele Exarchopoulos, Dean-Charles Chapman, Rita Wilson, Naomi Watts, Prasanna Puwanarajah, Andrew Rannells, Rhea Perlman, Emily Ratajkowski, Stephen Fry, Kaori Momoi and Adwoa Aboah. Netflix also announced Wednesday that the following actors have joined the show as guest stars: Andrew Scott, Jennifer Saunders, Kit Harington, Rita Ora and Jessica Alba. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Studio': 30 Famous Faces Who Play (a Version of) Themselves in the Hollywood-Based Series 22 of the Most Shocking Character Deaths in Television History A 'Star Wars' Timeline: All the Movies and TV Shows in the Franchise
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lena Dunham Describes Her Netflix Series ‘Too Much': 'When a Loud, Messy Jewess Descends on a City of Deeply Repressed People'
Audiences last week got a preview of what to expect from Lena Dunham's upcoming small-screen return with the teaser trailer for her Too Much rom-com series, which starts streaming on Netflix July 10. But guests at a recent Tribeca Festival panel with Dunham and moderator Michelle Buteau were treated to more of an advance look in the form of clips and a conversation about how the show came about and what to expect from the Megan Stalter and Will Sharpe-starrer. More from The Hollywood Reporter Kevin Williamson Talks 'The Waterfront' Finale and Insane Childhood That Informed Netflix Series 'Natchez' Review: Shrewd Doc Explores a Southern City's Struggle to Acknowledge History Allison Williams Has "Been Dreaming of" a 'M3GAN' Trilogy The series' official synopsis is: 'Jessica (Stalter) is a New York workaholic in her mid-thirties, reeling from a broken relationship that she thought would last forever and slowly isolating everyone she knows. When every block in New York tells a story of her own bad behavior, the only solution is to take a job in London, where she plans to live a life of solitude like a Bronte sister. But when she meets Felix (Sharpe) – a walking series of red flags – she finds that their unusual connection is impossible to ignore, even as it creates more problems than it solves. Now they have to ask themselves: do Americans and Brits actually speak the same language? From the creator of Girls and the producers of Love Actually, Too Much is an ex-pat rom-com for the disillusioned who wonder if true love is still possible, but sincerely hope that it is.' But at Tribeca, Dunham provided a more blunt take on what the show is about, which was part of her initial pitch: 'I have wanted to make a romantic comedy about what happens when a loud, messy, complicated Jewess descends on a city of deeply repressed people — what will occur.' Dunham created the series with her husband, Luis Felber, whom she met and married in the U.K., where she's been living for the past few years. While the show has been called 'semi-autobiographical,' Dunham said it was more of the 'germ' of the series that was based on her and Felber's romance. 'A girl moves to England. She meets a musician. They fall in love. That was the exoskeleton. But then he's such an amazing and creative thinker and loves stories, and so it really expanded far beyond what we had even dreamed it could be into a totally different world,' Dunham told The Hollywood Reporter ahead of the Tribeca event. 'We feel really, really lucky that we got to do this together, and then of course the actors come in and the characters become different because the actors have taken over. So while the germ of it may be autobiographical, it's gone in directions I never could've dreamed.' Speaking further about how the series reframes the romantic comedy, Dunham explained on the panel, 'Often the thing standing in the way of the two leads is somebody who wishes them ill and wants them apart or a terrible misunderstanding at a post office … And I think so often when we meet someone [at like 35] your biggest challenge, and the biggest things in your way, is yourself and all the baggage. You feel like this kind of, like, I don't know, like Godzilla, who, at any moment might take a wrong step and just crush the whole city with your big, dumb foot. And I was like, how do you capture a relationship where the biggest challenge is that these two people have lived a lot of life before they met each other, and they don't know how to be with another person, and they don't even know how to be themselves?' On the panel, Dunham explained that she asked Felber to work on the show only four weeks into their relationship, which she said was 'way too soon, like inappropriately soon in the relationship — soon enough that I could have found out he had another family, and he could have been keeping it quiet that whole time.' But 'he was so funny, and his notes on things were so good and clear, and I just felt like, 'You have a skill that has not yet been tapped into.' I was like, 'Have you ever thought about working on a TV show?' And he's like, 'No, but like, I could probably do it,'' she added. Speaking to THR ahead of the Saturday event, Dunham indicated that working with Felber on the show has made them closer and able to better understand each other's approach to work. 'I love what I do, and it obviously takes up a huge amount of my life, and he loves what he does, and so the fact that we can do it together is just such a gift for us and I think allows us to be in sync in a totally different way,' she said. Though the series is one of Dunham's biggest small-screen creations since HBO's Girls, which ended in early 2017, the multihyphenate told the Tribeca Festival audience that she had been working on multiple projects and it just worked out that this became her comeback vehicle. 'Maybe people think it's I took a long, purposeful break, and then one day was like, 'I found the thing, guys, I'm ready to go.' But working in TV, as anyone here who works in TV knows, it's like, you have a lot of things you love that don't end up hatching,' she told Buteau. 'I never stopped trying to push things out. You never know which is the one that's going to make sense to someone, and that someone's going to say, 'We believe in you, go.'' She continued, 'So this was a project that I had been like incubating with my husband. … There were these other projects I was pushing and grinding on and and trying to will into existence, and then sometimes one comes up from the back and sneaks past all the others and becomes your primary focus. Now I'm like, if I had actually been able to make any of those other shows, you would have been like, 'Are you okay? This was what you chose?' This one feels like a really natural extension of the work I've done before. … It's exciting to make something that feels connected to my other work. I've had a lot of life between then and now, and it's changed my perspective in ways that I am excited to be able to share.' When THR asked how creating Too Much compared to her time working on Girls, Dunham cited her additional 10 years of experience. She explained that she was helped by 'knowing the kind of set I wanted to be on and the kind of dynamic I wanted to create and trusting myself more than I did — I had so much amazing support on Girls; I wouldn't change that experience for anything. But this was a really special one to be able to come in and trust my own instincts and create an environment that felt really safe.' Speaking about her approach as a showrunner on the panel, Dunham indicated she wants people to speak up but also trusts the 'really amazing people' she hires to 'do their jobs, because we probably both know what it's like to be micromanaged.' 'If there is something that is either putting anyone … at emotional risk,or it's causing an unsettled feeling, anywhere, I want to know about that,' she said. 'Because the no. 1 most important thing to me is to have a set where everyone, everyone feels like their job is respected, they're seen. I always say at the beginning of every shoot: 'Anyone in any department, if you see something, say something.' You may be the one person who points out that we're missing something super essential here. So we all need to be in community with each other, and I want to know those things. But if [you] had an issue [where] the camera truck is 45 minutes late but don't worry, I'm like, 'as long as no one's hurt.'' Dunham also explained how she amassed the superstar ensemble in Too Much including Naomi Watts, Rhea Perlman and Rita Wilson. 'I always try to write with somebody in mind. It just helps me when I'm writing, and usually it's somebody either that I admire or somebody that I already have a really great collaborative relationship with, and then you just kind of write them. And my goal is always: I love this person, so what is going to get them to come do a role, a couple episodes in a half-hour TV show like this? It isn't like, you know, Christopher Nolan is calling to invite you to do The Odyssey. This is very specific. And so my goal is always [to] write them a different kind of part than you've seen them do before, or write them something that's so in their wheelhouse that they're like, 'It's just going to be so fun to come in and crush it.' But no in between; no vanilla. I'd rather go bold and send them something where they're like, 'Why the fuck did you send me that?' than make them feel like they're getting handed the same part that they get to do every time.' For Watts, in particular, who Dunham said she'd been a fan of since Mulholland Drive and wanted her to play the type of comedic role she took on early in her career, 'I thought, let me write her something that's like, not an elegant lady role, that's like an elegant lady to the left role, like an elegant lady who's railing cocaine role. … I want to speak to the thing I think you don't get to do, which is be the funniest fucking person in the world, because you also happen to look like a beautiful British aristocrat, and so people don't always know to ask that of you. So with every part, I'm thinking how can I draw something out and make it interesting for you to show up for those days, and even I'm still shocked that all these schedules worked and all these people came together because everyone on the show is who I wrote the role for.' Dunham also offered lighter previews of other moments in the show, including a memorable, improvised line from Rhea Perlman and how Perlman's characters and another small personal moment inspired a comedic scene in the series. Perlman, Dunham revealed, was entirely responsible for the lewd riff between her and Stalter's characters at the end of the teaser. 'That was all her,' Dunham said on the panel after screening the teaser for the audience. 'And then afterwards, she was like, 'I hope I didn't go too dirty with it.' I was like, 'Have you ever heard of me?'' A longer version of that scene, which Dunham described as a 'pseudo Grey Gardens anxiety puddle,' was one of the clips shown to the Tribeca audience. After it aired, Dunham also revealed that her godson is also in the scene, as a teenager wondering why these older women aren't out on the town. 'He's just a little high school genius,' she said. 'I was like, 'Do you want to come be in a show?' And he was like, 'sure.' He was excited because if he came they had to, like, for academic reasons, let him take tours of all these, like, important British war museums, and that was of interest to him. So he signed on. He signed on for that reason.' And she revealed that Perlman's character was inspired by her Grandma Dorothy/Dottie, with the show even altering Perlman's hair and makeup to resemble a photo of Dunham's relative and make Perlman look like she's in her 90s. 'A lot of those lines are Grandma Dorothy's, like 'don't look at me; all my friends are dead' is a Grandma Dottie classic,' Dunham said. The other clips shown were also longer versions of moments from the trailer, including Felix and Jessica arguing about each others' red flags after Jessica's 'British Jones diaries' line and the pair touring Jess' idealized version of London, yellow house and all, as she channels Julia Roberts and he disillusions her about the people who live in that neighborhood. With respect to the latter scene, Dunham shared a larger theme behind the moment: 'This was the moment where she's like, trying to access the thing that she thinks is romantic and glamorous, and she finds out it's a little more complicated than that.' Dunham also offered some deeper insight into how London affects Sharpe's character. 'London is where Felix has come of age. It's where he feels seen,' she said. 'But he sort of hit the barrier where, like, his friends know him but do they really know him? The people around him love him, but there are parts of him that he's never been able to show.' And she shared that one joke, in which Jess, on ketamine, asks if she's the 'Meghan Markle of fat, white bitches,' which Dunham said was 'fully from my own Notes app.' Meanwhile the 'I'm Horny' dance track included in a wedding scene, which Felber wrote, Dunham said also came from a personal experience. 'We went to a wedding and, while it's not all brought from real life, there was this one cousin … who got up and was like, not only is it so and so's wedding. It is my opportunity to introduce my new EDM, soon to be hit EDM single and turned it on and didn't invite anyone else out onto the dance floor, just took it herself. And I just was like, I'm so glad you're here. So I had to honor her.' Turning serious to wrap up the panel, Dunham said she hoped the show would spread 'love and joy' amid a 'barrage of news that is dehumanizing and painful and terrifying.' 'Something that [Felber] and I talked about a lot is that we all know we're living in very painful times, and every single day we get up and we are experiencing a barrage of news that is dehumanizing and painful and terrifying. … Sometimes I mean in all of our jobs, whether you're an artist, no matter what you're doing, it can be hard, as you look at the news, to think like, what difference can I make in this world in which there is so much constant suffering, displacement, fear? It can feel and it can leave you feeling hollowed out and fatigued. And I know we all feel that. And so the thing I said was, like, we can just make something that we feel like spreads love and joy and hope, which was so not on my radar in my 20s. I was like I don't care if anyone feels any joy or hope, I just hope that they think it's crazy. And now I really wanted to make something that was unifying and loving and at the end of the day hopeful. … To show love, joy and happiness is really, I think, the best thing that we can do as artists in this moment.' Dunham, who was wearing a Planned Parenthood pin at the event, said she was also proud to be able to show and work with the organization, which she said she consulted with for a storyline on Too Much just as she and her team had done on Girls. 'As an artist, I'm proud … that we get to be part of showing people all over the world a healthy woman making a super self actualized choice to get reproductive care [from] a really true, loving abortion provider, because those people are heroes,' she said onstage. 'So to be able to represent that was really, really important to me.' Speaking to THR before the event, Dunham elaborated, 'It was also important to me to show our support for Planned Parenthood at this really pivotal moment, and while we know that television may not always change the dial on politics, what we can do is normalize very normal health procedures like abortion for our audience and especially let young people who may be watching and want to get care at Planned Parenthood know what a loving, safe place it is.' Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Studio': 30 Famous Faces Who Play (a Version of) Themselves in the Hollywood-Based Series 22 of the Most Shocking Character Deaths in Television History A 'Star Wars' Timeline: All the Movies and TV Shows in the Franchise
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lovie Simone on Black Girlhood, Fashion and All Things ‘Forever'
Lovie Simone, previously known for her roles in Greenleaf and Raising Kanan, is now the lead star of the Netflix series Forever, alongside Michael Cooper Jr. Mara Brock Akil's adaptation of Judy Blume's 1975 coming of age novel of the same name shows Simone as Keisha, a teenager who experiences love and growing pains in the late 2010's in Los Angeles. Despite the challenges she faced, including being exposed by an ex-boyfriend, dealing with financial issues at home and working towards a track scholarship for Howard University, Keisha showed up every day for herself through her fashion choices. More from The Hollywood Reporter Sara Burack, 'Million Dollar Beach House' Real Estate Agent, Dies at 40 Lena Dunham Describes Her Netflix Series 'Too Much': "When a Loud, Messy Jewess Descends on a City of Deeply Repressed People" Kevin Williamson Talks 'The Waterfront' Finale and Insane Childhood That Informed Netflix Series 'She was a little nerd, so in my head and everyone else's heads, when you think of nerd, you don't think too stylish,' Simone explains. 'Mara was like, 'There's so much more to Black life' and Regina [King] was like, 'This is where you're at in your Black life as a woman,' and then Tanja [Caldwell] was like, 'We're going to throw the style in there because you're still stylish, you're a Black woman.'' Presentation and looking 'put together' at all times, despite what one is going through, is an experience many Black girls and women face to prove worthiness and capability, and to avoid judgment from others. 'I think when there's a lot going on outside of your control, we try to control what we can,' Simone explains. 'And a lot of the time, the only thing we can control is the initial image, so I'm happy that Keisha was a very put together person because it did describe her personality.' Integrating some of her own stylistic choices and partnering with costume designer Tanja Caldwell, Simone shares with The Hollywood Reporter how involved she was in the process of curating Keisha's look. From fittings to style collages, the actress talks about her favorite fashion moments, the impact of Black coming-of-age stories and what it really was like working with living legends on the set of Forever. I appreciated all of your looks in . It was giving Lauryn Hill, Black girl greatness. The Jordans, the bamboo earrings, the nails. I thought, 'They're very intentional over there.' They are. And I love how it goes to show that even with people who are struggling financially, they can look good too, and it's a norm for them. Because a lot of the time, I would think, 'Shelly (Keisha's mom) is going through a lot financially and all this stuff.' But everyone knows those parents that are like, 'Listen, I'm going through it, but my baby is going to look good so at the end of the day, we're going to figure this out.' When it came to you stepping into the world of Keisha, how did you prepare for that? Preparing for Keisha was a lot of conversations with Mara [Brock Akil], and with Regina [King] during the auditioning process. I know that when I found out she [King] was a part of it, I was just super excited because we worked together on Greenleaf, so this time I think we were both really excited to want to work with each other. And having her be an actor who's now a director, she knows how to speak to actors trying to maneuver in a scene and then also having that mixed with Mara's knowledge of the world of Forever and just that world building that she did. She knew all of the answers to the questions that I had and mixed with [costume designer] Tanja Caldwell's amazing style. It was hard for me not to be Keisha in every moment because all of these people kept reminding me of who Keisha was, so she was just already this being that I was able to step into. Keisha's a California girl and she's a teenager. I'm curious what went into curating her look. Did you guys have a mood board? When I got to the production office, I saw there was a whole collage of just the vibe for each character. For Keisha's vibe, I immediately saw and was like, 'Oh, this is that L.A. girl. OK, cool.' But when working with Tanja, she really brought everything full circle and wrapped the bow on top of everything. Because yes, I knew certain things about Keisha's personality, but that doesn't have to do with her style per se. She was a little nerd, so in my head and everyone else's heads, when you think of nerd, you don't think too stylish or you don't think all of these other things. But to know that Mara was like, 'There's so much more to Black life,' and Regina was like, 'This is where you're at in your Black life as a woman.' And then Tanja was like, 'We're going to throw the style in there because you're still stylish, you're a Black woman.' It was all of those key pieces and I know what I had to offer to Keisha's style. I knew I wanted to keep colors. I love colors in my personal life, so I just wanted to have fun with colors. Even down to Keisha's nails, I was like, 'Hmm, she's sad. So maybe she'd have blue right now.' You know what I mean? Baby boy blue kind of style. Just playing with pieces of me and then pieces of them and it just works so beautifully. When it comes to your own personal style, did you bring any of your own style to Keisha or have any input at all in Keisha's fashion? I did have some input. I know that there were some outfits that they felt like Keisha, but it felt like a stretch for me to get there. I was very grateful that Tanja was able to help me bring them closer together so that way it could be, once I put it on, it's seamless. And even in moments where I couldn't understand why I am wearing this — because I am in my 20s, mid-late 20s, so in my head sometimes I have these questions. Is that what teens are really wearing? — having Tanja have this fresh take on everything, it was nice to have her [explain] why you're going to be wearing this. She'll break everything down for me and it made me feel like I'm ready for this. Talk about the importance of coming-of-age stories specifically for Black youth. Why were you drawn to this story in particular? I was drawn to this project because I hadn't seen anything like it in a very long time and I don't think this generation has had that cutesy, unproblematic, just very teenage love story. I haven't seen it with Black teenagers. Then just outside of being Black teenagers, just teenagers in general, I feel as if in the storytelling, everything is just so dramatic and not too grounded so it was nice to have a grounded story, a grounded first meet-cute, all of these things. It is nice to also see being in the middle of these two ages, it's nice to see the parents not being villains, more so than being humans who are trying to make decisions for themselves and their kids. There were just so many aspects of this project where there's just range here and as an actress, I'm drawn to that. And you got to work with legends like Wood Harris, Mara Brock Akil and Regina King directing. What was that like for you? I love working with every single one of them; it felt like working with a family. Before, when I was working with Keith David and Lynn Whitfield [on Greenleaf], I was like, 'OK, how do I act on a set? How do I memorize easier? How do I do these things?' But now that they've taught me that, it's like now I can really exist and be with these legends, these living legends [on Forever]. It's so fun to just be able to work with them. It feels like family. It feels right. It feels like you should meet your idols. Walk us through the process of getting your hair and makeup done every day in your trailer? I think this is the first set experience I can say where I went to work every day and I could have fallen asleep in the trailer, in the seat. Because usually, as a Black woman in the industry, there's a lot of micromanaging that I feel like I have to do because I know how I like to look and be presented to the world. To be able to have people who know how I want to look and be presented to the world, even if they do have to switch it up for my character, it was nice to work with all of the [beauty team]. The whole set experience felt like everyone coming to work to work on this big project that we all had a personal attachment to. What was your favorite look of Keisha's? If you can pinpoint maybe a specific episode or a moment where you're just like, 'OK, Keisha girl, you did that.' I love Keisha's style. It's a toss-up for three looks for me. One, the pink prom we all love. Two, I'm going to say it would be the reconnecting outfit when she had the blue top and then the blue skirt with her little low ponytail, because that one we didn't see too much, but I really was obsessed with it. Then three, I would say the first party scene with Justin where we meet. I think that was an iconic look. There's so much feelings attached to it. There was a scene that I remember where Keisha was actually getting her hair braided from her cousin in the hair shop. This is such a coming-of-age, rite-of-passage moment. What was stepping into that scene like for you, as someone who probably experienced the same thing in real life? Definitely felt true to the Black girl experience. I'm from the East Coast, so this is what it would look like if I grew up on the West Coast and had a cousin like Tiffany. It felt natural, just like another version of life for me. Walk me through what that collaboration process with costume designer Tanja [Caldwell] was like. How closely did you work together? We worked really closely together. I know before we started filming, we did have a fitting so we were trying on Keisha's closet that Tanja put together. There was a lot of L.A. influence that I was also learning about, being from New York. Also I got to approve some things, some parts and pieces. I was like, 'Hey, I don't know if I'm too comfortable,' and sometimes she'll be like, 'Well, this is my reasoning' and I'm open to hearing just her mind. We would have those moments and then we eventually simmer that all down into a pot and got Keisha and it was amazing. I love the fact that Tanja had in mind the name chain. She was like, 'You're going to wear it every day. You're that kind of girl. You got them at the flea market.' She had stories behind each of the pieces too, and it helped me realize this is what Keisha would've done and the spaces she would've taken up on her free time or with [her best friend] Chloe or whoever. Despite the complexities of your character, she still made sure to show up for herself and still be put together and looking good regardless of the heaviness of her life at that time. What did that mean to you? I think when there's a lot going on outside of your control, we try to control what we can. And a lot of the time, the only thing we can control is the initial image, so I'm happy that Keisha was a very put together person because it did describe her personality. She was very Type-A, very go-getter, very like, 'I'm not going to let this affect me.' Even if she was tired at 4:00 a.m., she was going to have on a matching set and the matching sweatsuit on top. So I do love that Keisha kind of just is always thinking about herself throughout all of this. Favorite behind-the-scenes moments that you can share from set? I feel like all of the behind-the-scenes moments are super fun because we were always just having a blast. I love the in-between takes, photo shoots, that hair and makeup, and I would be a part of it and then we would get everybody in on it. We would also do TikToks together, try and learn dances in between takes all the time. I would say one of my favorites, because it was so sad, was the breakup scene with me and Michael Cooper Jr. (who plays Justin) at the end. It was one of my favorites only because it was like, dang, we really did it. We told the love story and this is the end of it. With the show already being renewed for a season two, can you tease where you personally would like to see Keisha's fashion evolve into? I would just like to see the evolution of it. I couldn't even have imagined a better style for Keisha with Tanja's mind. Where is she going to go next? Where does Tanja see? Because it all depends on the trajectory of Keisha's life. Where is she going to be? Is she going to be in suits? Is she going to be wearing baggy jeans? What is she doing? Before we wrap up, do you have any final comments or anything that you want to share with ? I just want to say I'm so happy to have played such a deep character who has been a mirror for so many people that I didn't realize before. And I love that I'm able to tell this story and I love that Keisha handles stuff with so much grace, and I'm happy other people can use this as a blueprint or just see that they were giving themselves grace in a very heavy moment in life. I'm just happy that I can tell this story. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Studio': 30 Famous Faces Who Play (a Version of) Themselves in the Hollywood-Based Series 22 of the Most Shocking Character Deaths in Television History A 'Star Wars' Timeline: All the Movies and TV Shows in the Franchise
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3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Liam Payne Featured in Netflix's ‘Building the Band' Trailer
Netflix has released an official trailer and first-look images for its new music competition Building the Band, which includes the late Liam Payne. The teaser and stills for the new series shows mentor-slash-judge Nicole Scherzinger, as well as Destiny's Child star Kelly Rowland and the One Direction singer who died in October of last year, bringing their expertise and personal band experience to the competition. AJ McLean, of Backstreet Boys fame, serves as host. More from The Hollywood Reporter Lovie Simone on Black Girlhood, Fashion and All Things 'Forever' Sara Burack, 'Million Dollar Beach House' Real Estate Agent, Dies at 40 Lena Dunham Describes Her Netflix Series 'Too Much': "When a Loud, Messy Jewess Descends on a City of Deeply Repressed People" The release of the show including Payne — whose tragic death in Argentina in October last year shocked the world — has been permitted by his family, Netflix has said. Payne fell to his death from the balcony of a hotel room in Buenos Aires in October 2024. Following his untimely death, the show's producers and Payne's grieving family weighed Payne's inclusion in the series. Ultimately, they decided to move forward. In the new reality show, premiering July 9, 50 musicians form six bands without ever seeing each other — performing from the comfort of individual booths. 'All they have to go on is musical compatibility, connection, chemistry and merit,' a plot synopsis reads. 'What will happen when the bands finally meet, and looks, choreography, and style come into play? With incredible performances, compelling drama, and one big goal — to find the next great music band — the stage is set for an unforgettable experience.' New episodes of Building the Band will roll out in groups every Wednesday, starting with the first four on July 9. Cat Lawson, Alison Holloway, Katrina Morrison, Clara Elliot and Simon Crossley serve as executive producers on the series, made by Remarkable Entertainment and Banijay U.K. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Studio': 30 Famous Faces Who Play (a Version of) Themselves in the Hollywood-Based Series 22 of the Most Shocking Character Deaths in Television History A 'Star Wars' Timeline: All the Movies and TV Shows in the Franchise
