Inside THR's Star-Studded Oscar Nominees Night Party 

►Back with a bang. THR's annual Nominees Night celebration returned Monday after three years, with a star-studded party taking over the outdoor pavilion at Spago Beverly Hills.

The event drew Oscar nominees Kristen Stewart (Spencer), Ariana DeBose (West Side Story), Denis Villeneuve (Dune), Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog), Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson (Summer of Soul), Sian Heder (CODA), Ciaran Hinds (Belfast), Chris Miller and Phil Lord (The Mitchells vs the Machines) and Diane Warren (Four Good Days), among others. The story and the photo gallery.   

—A pause in hostilities. THR's Scott Feinberg reports that despite ongoing tensions over the new manner in which certain categories will be incorporated into the 94th Oscars telecast, there was a feel-good and convivial atmosphere at the annual  Oscar Nominees Luncheon on Monday, held at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Century City for the first time. The story. 

—"I want to be crystal clear." Disney boss Bob Chapek told staff Monday that the company “unequivocally” stands with its LGBTQ+ employees in the wake of Florida passing its so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill, but he also acknowledged that there is more the company needs to do and that the company will "reassess" its advocacy efforts, including political donations. The story.

—Well deserved. GLAAD revealed Tuesday that country music artist Kacey Musgraves will receive the Vanguard Award at the 33rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles next month. The award is presented to an LGBTQ ally who has made a significant difference in promoting acceptance of the community. The story.

—"Massive intolerance within the world at large towards homosexuality still." Benedict Cumberbatch defended The Power of the Dog in the wake of criticism from Sam Elliott. The Oscar nominee participated in a BAFTA Film Sessions panel when he alluded to Elliott’s comments, which included taking issue with the drama’s gay themes and calling director Jane Campion’s film “a piece of shit.” The story.

—Look away Sam. Some may have hated The Power of the Dog, but critics up north seem to love it. The Vancouver Film Critics Circle has named Jane Campion’s film as its best international feature of 2021. Andrew Garfield, Olivia Colman, Troy Kotsur and Ann Dowd won in the acting categories. The winners list. 

Shonda Rhimes' White House Murder-Mystery 'The Residence' Set at Netflix 

►"132 rooms. 157 suspects. One dead body. One wildly eccentric detective." Shondaland has set another scripted original series at Netflix. Shonda Rhimes and her longtime producing partner Betsy Beers will exec produce The Residence, a mystery drama that has been ordered straight to series. The drama will use Kate Anderson Brower’s book, The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House, as a jumping off point to tell a new murder-mystery story. The story. 

—Dr. Teeth solo project now! Disney+ is taking another swing at a Muppets TV series by handing out a series order to comedy The Muppets Mayhem. The show will follow the Electric Mayhem Band as it records its first-ever album. Lilly Singh set to star as the human lead. The story.

—Update. James Mangold is well aware fans want to get a peek at his yet-to-be-titled Indiana Jones film, but he is asking for patience while sharing an update on the production. In a Monday note, the director said he has moved on to the editing phase for the next chapter in the iconic franchise. The story.

—From Baywatch to Broadway. Pamela Anderson is having a solid month, securing a Netflix doc and now comes the news that she will make her Broadway debut next month in the musical Chicago. The Canadian actress will play Roxie Hart from April 12-June 5 at the Ambassador Theatre. The story.  
 
—"I'll bore you to death at a dinner party." Renée Zellweger has revealed what she did during her well publicized six-year hiatus away from acting before returning to win an Oscar for Judy. On NBC’s Today show Monday, Zellweger said that among the many things she did she spent some time at UCLA studying international law. The story. 

'The Batman' Star Andy Serkis Sheds Light on Alfred’s Backstory

►"It's a piece of art, but also a story that speaks to millions of people." THR's Ryan Parker spoke to actor, filmmaker and all round good egg Andy Serkis about how he constructed his version of Alfred Pennyworth for Matt Reeves' The Batman. Serkis is also aware the film is already generating some Oscar buzz — and he finds it wholly appropriate. Warning spoilers.  The interview.

—The bat’s out of the bag. THR's Pamela McClintock writes that The Batman has ushered in a new era of variable movie ticket prices in the U.S., with AMC charging a premium to moviegoers looking to see Matt Reeves' film early. The surcharge, ranging from $1 to $1.50, will remain in place for eight days. The story. 

—Hard moment. Zoë Kravitz is getting strong reviews for her portrayal of Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman, in The Batman. But the actress revealed she wanted to audition for a role in Christopher Nolan’s 2012 epic The Dark Knight Rises — and was shot down because she was too “urban.” The story. 

—All good. Taron Egerton is “completely fine” after collapsing on stage during Saturday’s performance of his new play Cock in London’s West End. The Welsh actor did not sustain any major injuries. According to reports, the play was stopped while a doctor in the audience provided assistance to Egerton. He then took a 40-minute break to rest and recover. The story. 

—The gift that just keeps on giving. Two more of The Walking Dead’s beloved characters are getting their own spinoff. AMC on Monday announced a six-episode series order for Isle of the Dead, a spinoff of the flagship series set to star Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan reprising their respective roles as Maggie and Negan. The story. 

TV review: 'The Thing About Pam'

►"Too few of the things about Pam are actually compelling." THR's chief TV critic Dan Fienberg reviews NBC’s The Thing About Pam. Oscar winner Renée Zellweger plays soda-slurping criminal mastermind Pamela Hupp in this limited series adaptation of the podcast and popular Dateline segment. The review. 

—"A wide-ranging, messy and insightful exploration of the pop art icon." Dan reviews Netflix’s The Andy Warhol Diaries. The Ryan Murphy-produced, Andrew Rossi-directed docuseries explores Andy Warhol's art by looking at the man behind the public persona. The review. 

—"Strongest as personal history." THR critic Lovia Gyarkye reviews Jon-Sesrie Goff's After Sherman. The filmmaker returns to South Carolina to re-establish connection with and better understand his Gullah Geechee roots in this searching documentary. The story.

In other news...

—Box office: Hotel Transylvania 4, Fantastic Beasts 3 score rare China release dates

—Morgan Wallen wins top honor at ACM Awards after being banned from 2021 show

—Dolly Parton opens 2022 ACM Awards by sending “love and hope” to Ukraine

—UTA launches data analytics service for podcast deals

—MGM chiefs Michael De Luca, Pamela Abdy to receive ICG publicists tribute

—Toronto’s Stratagem Studios plans $20m expansion to draw Hollywood shoots 

—Brooklyn Beckham signs with CAA

—Russian Doll and Natasha Lyonne set return date for trippy season 2 adventure

—David Ozer to lead Strong Studios film, TV production company

—Heather Kadin joins Range Media Partners as scripted TV president

—Aida Takla-O’Reilly, two-time HFPA president, dies at 90

What else we're reading...

—With a digital Iron Curtain descending around Russia, the country's internet could soon start to look a lot like China's [CNN]

—Story on the incredibly important work of Missing Movies, an advocacy organization looking to find streaming homes for lost movies like The Heartbreak Kid [Guardian]

—How the Encanto soundtrack became a smash [NYT]

—How the letter Z became a Russian pro-war symbol [WSJ]

—David Canfield's excellent in-depth interview with Jane Campion [VF]

Today...  

...in 1996, the Coen brothers unleashed Fargo in limited theaters stateside. The film went on to earn seven nominations at the 69th Academy Awards, claiming honors for actress Frances McDormand and best original screenplay. The original review. 

Today's birthdays: James Van Der Beek (45), Milana Vayntrub (35), Camryn Manheim (61), Aidan Quinn (63), Freddie Prinze Jr. (46), Montana Jordan (19), Alison Becker (45), Susan Clark (79), Leon (60), Boris Kodjoe (49), Jed Rees (52), Micky Dolenz (77), Lewis Teague (84), Sebastián Lelio (48), Don Hall (53), Lester Holt (63), Carole Bayer Sager (75)