Women in Entertainment Power 100

►Leading ladies. Ramping up output while still laboring through the pandemic, the women of the entertainment industry worked doubly hard in 2021, so it's only fair they be celebrated twice. Ava DuVernay, Scarlett Johansson and — welcome! — the Williams sisters topline THR's annual survey of Hollywood's most powerful women. The WIE 100.

—"Keep pushing boundaries." The entertainment industry’s leading ladies gathered at Fairmont Century Plaza on Wednesday for the return of The Hollywood Reporter's annual Women in Entertainment event, presented by Lifetime. This year, the star-studded event honored Jennifer Aniston with the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award, highlighting a woman who is a pioneer in her field. The story.

—"I want to widen this address not only to celebrate the incredible achievements of women in this room but to include women outside of it." Molly Shannon opened THR’s annual Women in Entertainment gala, presented by Lifetime, by celebrating female creators like Issa Rae, Michaela Coel, Emerald Fennell and Mindy Kaling who have created “a sea change” in the entertainment industry. The story.  

—"My story is but one of many." Selma Blair brought a packed ballroom to their feet when she was honored with the Equity in Entertainment award at THR’s Women in Entertainment gala presented by Lifetime. The actress, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in August of 2018, passionately advocated for the rights and dignity of people with disabilities, and she spoke to the importance of visibility in Hollywood. The story. 

—"Imagine a different world." Nikole Hannah-Jones, whose 1619 Project examines how slavery influenced the country's founding, gave the keynote address at Wednesday’s gala, presented by Lifetime. The author and journalist spoke about how she considered it an honor that her work has been banned in some states. The story. 

Festivals Resist Altering Plans Amid Omicron Fears

►Bracing for the wave. Amid an alarming rise in COVID-19 cases, driven largely by the omicron variant, press tours for awards contending films such as Netflix's Don't Look Up have been upended. But organizers behind the major film festivals, including Sundance and Berlin, are, for the moment, forging ahead with plans for in-person events in 2022. The story. 

—"A somber tempo shift." THR critic Robyn Bahr reviews HBO Max's And Just Like That… In this sequel series to Sex and the City from Michael Patrick King, Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte York-Goldenblatt (Kristin Davis) find themselves confronting life in their mid-50s. The review. 

—The first woman to receive an Oscar nomination for best director. Lina Wertmüller, the masterful Italian filmmaker who created a sensation in the 1970s with her earthy mix of sex and politics seen in such classics as Seven Beauties, Swept Away and The Seduction of Mimi, has died. She was 93. The obituary.

—Ready to flip the switch. Fox Corp. is ready to stream Fox News directly to consumers if the state of the pay-TV business necessitates it. Speaking Wednesday, Fox CFO Steve Tomsic underscored that the company is committed to the linear pay-TV business for its sports and news assets, but added that it is ready and willing to push further into streaming via Fox Nation if it has to. The story.

—"This film will overcome any border." Speaking at Tuesday’s Los Angeles premiere, the creative team behind West Side Story reacted to the news that the film will be banned in large parts of the Middle East after Disney refused to make requested cuts, particularly over the presence of a trans character. The story.

Dr. Oz's Political Bid Will Give Sony and Oprah a Headache

►Blowback incoming. As Dr. Mehmet Oz makes a run for the Senate in Pennsylvania, THR's Eriq Gardner looks at how his old partners in the entertainment space, including Oprah Winfrey, had better be prepared for the fallout, especially when reporters dig in to his history of questionable claims. The story.  

—Best of the best. The American Film Institute has announced its choices for the year’s 10 best films and 10 best TV shows. Coda, Don’t Look Up, Dune, King Richard and Licorice Pizza were among the films selected and Hacks, Maid, Mare of Easttown, Reservation Dogs, Schmigadoon! and Succession were among the TV selection. The full selection.

—Status quo. Jeopardy!’s temporary hosting solution is extending into the new year. Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings, who have been sharing hosting duties for season 38 following the Mike Richards debacle, will continue to serve in the same capacity into 2022. The story.  

—"There was never offer and acceptance." CBS is asking an L.A. judge to end a three-year legal fight over profits from the MacGyver reboot — arguing that the plaintiffs’ breach of contract claim fails because there was never a “meeting of the minds” on key terms and they haven’t proven an enforceable agreement exists. The story. 

—Overall deal news. The Upshaws creator Regina Hicks has inked a multiyear overall deal with Netflix. As part of the pact, Hicks is teaming with Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground to develop a scripted comedy about four middle-aged Black women from Houston. Hicks will write, serve as showrunner and exec produce alongside the Obamas. The story. 

Critics' Conversation: Great Film Performances of 2021

►"It’s been a stellar year for ensemble work." THR critics David Rooney, Lovia Gyarkye and Sheri Linden celebrate career bests from Benedict Cumberbatch and Kristen Stewart, honor seamless ensembles and single out formidable turns from rising stars, character actors and clutch supporting players (all hail Aunjanue Ellis!). The conversation. 

—Renewal. Apple TV+ has picked up a second season of Invasion, a sci-fi drama depicting characters from around the world who are caught up in an alien invasion of Earth. The renewal for the show, created by Simon Kinberg and David Weil, came days ahead of the show’s first season finale, which debuts Friday. The story.  

—Banner year. Elizabeth Olsen and Regé-Jean Page, buoyed by small-screen performances in WandaVision and Bridgerton respectively, rocketed to the top of annual star charts on IMDb. Olsen, whose multi-faceted work ranges from blockbusters in the MCU to low-budget indies, topped IMDb’s Top 10 Stars of 2021. The story. 

—This Week in TV. THR's Rick Porter runs down the TV premieres, returns and specials over the next seven days. Things to look out for over the coming week include the debut of Sex and the City sequel series And Just Like That... on HBO Max, finales for Survivor, The Voice and The Masked Singer as well as the premiere of the final season of The Expanse. The full guide.

In other news... 

—Exclusive: TCM Big Screen Classics 2022 lineup unveiled

—Time Magazine takes Person of the Year reveal to YouTube

—TV ratings: Diff'rent Strokes, Facts of Life redos post decent numbers for ABC

—South Park dropping Post COVID Part II movie next week

—SXSW: Michelle Yeoh movie Everything Everywhere All At Once to open fest

—Rebel Wilson says she “got a lot of pushback” from her team following weight loss

—I Hate Suzie director Georgi Banks-Davies signs with CAA

—Rhonda Stubbins White, actress on Tyler Perry’s Ruthless, dies at 60

What else we're reading...

—Will Smith Is Done Trying to Be Perfect [New York Times]

—Yellowjackets Reminds Us How Much Fun It Is to Wait [Slate]

—Mel Brooks Says His Only Regret As A Comedian Is The Jokes He Didn't Tell [NPR]

—The 50 Best Movie Soundtracks of the Past 50 Years [The Ringer]

—YouTube’s Crypto Influencers Try Shouting Over the Scammers [Bloomberg]

Today... 

...in 1948, Paramount released the 88-minute Alan Ladd Western Whispering Smith. Based on a novel by Frank H. Spearman, the film was directed by Leslie Fenton and was Ladd's first Western. The original review. 

Today's birthdays: Judi Dench (87), Simon Helberg (41), John Malkovich (68), Pixie Davies (15), Michael Nouri (76), Michael Dorn (69), Jesse Metcalfe (43), Felicity Huffman (59), Allison Smith (52), Mario Cantone (62), Donny Osmond (64), Lori Greiner (52), Jakob Dylan (52), Russell Carpenter (71), Jolene Purdy (38)