Cheryl Hines … as First Lady? 'Curb' Star on Life After Larry, Marriage to RFK Jr.

►On the cover. It was not so long ago that Cheryl Hines was best known for playing Larry David's wife on the long-running HBO comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm. As we hurtle towards the presidential election, Hines is in the national spotlight for another reason, with her real life husband Robert F. Kennedy Jr. running as an independent — and polling higher than expected, with 1 in 5 Americans saying they are open to voting for him. The actress opens up to THR's Seth Abramovitch about her close relationship with her neurotic Curb co-star and the ups and down of wedlock to the polarizing presidential hopeful: "I’ve learned to stay out of it." The cover story.

BAFTA Nominations 2024

►🏆 No Lily Gladstone! 🏆 The BAFTA film awards nominees were revealed in London on Thursday, and Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer leads with 13 nominations, closely followed by Yorgos Lanthimos' Poor Things with 11. Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon received nine nominations, tying with Jonathan Glazer's The Zone of Interest. Justine Triet’s Cannes-winning Anatomy of a Fall, Alexander Payne’s The Holdovers and Bradley Cooper’s Maestro earned seven nominations each. The nominees.

—Not too shabby. Bradley Cooper, Margot Robbie, Emma Stone and Sandra Hüller are the stars who scored BAFTA noms in more than one category. Maestro's Cooper was nominated for best leading actor, best director and best original screenplay; Barbie star Robbie was nominated for best leading actress and a nod in the outstanding British film category as a producer on Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn; Poor Things star and producer Stone doubled up with best leading actress and best film; and Hüller received noms for best leading actress (Anatomy of a Fall) and best supporting actress (The Zone of Interest). The story. 

LAT Owner and Family Ignite Tug-of-War Over Paper's Future

►What went wrong? And why so quickly? Kevin Merida’s abrupt Jan. 9 exit as executive editor of the Los Angeles Times came about through a “mutual agreement” with the paper’s owner, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, a biotech magnate turned publishing dilettante. For THR, Jason McGahan looks at how, with Merida's exit, the fault lines between the billionaire owner, his 30-year-old daughter Nika and the paper's leadership are being drawn over how to run the business. The analysis. 

—"We need to recapture some of the swagger and innovation of the early CNN." CNN CEO Mark Thompson's vision for the news network is beginning to take shape. In a wide-ranging memo titled CNN’s Future sent to staffers Wednesday morning, Thompson outlined a new organizational structure for the company, one built "around the future not the past." He also touted new types of content, new products and possibly subscriptions, including linear offerings that can "complement" CNN Max. The story.

—Formal nomination. Disney is facing its second proxy fight in as many years, with Nelson Peltz’s Trian Partners officially nominating the activist investor and former Disney CFO Jay Rasulo to the entertainment company’s board of directors. The hedge fund also revealed its rationale for pursuing another proxy fight, once again highlighting Disney’s lagging stock performance, as well as a relative lack of ownership of Disney shares from the company’s board. The story. 

—Tech layoffs continue. YouTube will cut about 100 roles as part of a restructuring of its content teams. The streaming video platform's chief business officer Mary Ellen Coe announced the changes in a memo Wednesday. As part of the changes, the company’s sports, media, TV and film teams will be consolidated into one group, as will all of YouTube’s music teams. The platform’s creator management teams will now report into leadership within each country. The story. 

—End of an era. Pitchfork is being folded into GQ as part of the ongoing restructuring at Condé Nast, which has owned the music publication since 2015. Anna Wintour, Condé chief content officer, announced the decision in a memo to staff Wednesday. As part of the changes, Pitchfork EIC Puja Patel will leave the company, and there will be other layoffs at the publication. The cuts are connected to larger changes at Condé announced by CEO Roger Lynch last year. The story.

Criticism of Emmys "Red" Carpet Continues

►"Begging award shows to have better looking step and repeats." When television’s biggest names descended on the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Jan. 15 for the Primetime Emmys, they were met with a silver carpet and black backdrop — also known as a step and repeat — overwhelmingly decorated with the words “Fox” and “Emmys.” Chrissy Teigen was among those who expressed disapproval of the design, and many online were not happy either, arguing that the background appeared unfinished and distracting. The story.

—All the talents. The NFL and Roc Nation announced on Thursday that country music legend Reba McEntire will perform “The Star Spangled Banner” at the Super Bowl, airing live on CBS from Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada. Rapper Post Malone will perform “America the Beautiful,” while Grammy-winning R&B singer and Oscar-nominated actress Andra Day will sing “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” R&B superstar Usher will headline the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show. The story. 

—🏆 "A good year for shows and movies by and for people over 50" 🏆 Apple's Killers of the Flower Moon was named best picture and star Robert De Niro won best supporting actor at the AARP Movies for Grownups Awards, the winners of which were unveiled on Wednesday. Oppenheimer’s Christopher Nolan won best director, Netflix’s Nyad won two awards: best actress for Annette Bening and best supporting actress Jodie Foster. The winners. 

—New intake. The Songwriters Hall of Fame has a new class of inductees, including Timbaland, R.E.M., Steely Dan, Hillary Lindsey and Dean Pitchford. The organization announced its 2024 class on Wednesday, and the famed songwriters will be officially inducted on June 13, with a ceremony that will take place in New York City at the Marriott Marquis Hotel. The story.  

'SNL' Without Lorne Michaels?

►"It could easily be Tina Fey." What will happen to Saturday Night Live after season 50? Franchise creator Lorne Michaels, currently steering the veteran NBC sketch comedy in its 49th season, continues to be focused on celebrating the star-making series next year. But conversations about his potential successor are expected to come before then. THR's Lesley Goldberg writes that former SNL star Tina Fey has been speculated for some time as the heir apparent to Michaels when it comes to taking over the show. The story. 

—Class. The Brat Pack — the group of young stars that dominated the box office in the 1980s — is getting the doc treatment from one of its own members. Pretty in Pink and Less Than Zero star Andrew McCarthy wrote and directed the feature doc Brats, a production from ABC News Studios, Neon and Network Entertainment, that will debut on Hulu later this year. The doc will feature McCarthy interviewing stars like Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Ally Sheedy, Emilio Estevez, Jon Cryer, Lea Thompson, and Timothy Hutton, among others. The story. 

—It's official. Bravo is continuing to expand its Vanderpump Rules universe following the long-running show hitting series-high ratings last year amid the Scandoval controversy. The Valley is officially a go at Bravo, with the unscripted Vanderpump Rules spinoff set to debut this spring on a yet-to-be-announced premiere date. Vanderpump Rules alums Jax Taylor, Brittany Cartwright and Kristen Doute are among the familiar faces who are set to star in the project. The story. 

—Pulling double duty. Forest Whitaker has joined the cast of MGM+'s suspense thriller Emperor of Ocean Park. Based on author and law professor Stephen L. Carter’s novel, the series from writer and exec producer Sherman Payne (Shameless) is set in the world of politics and Ivy League academia and the beaches of Martha’s Vineyard. Whitaker also leads the cast of the MGM+ series Godfather of Harlem, which has already been renewed for a fourth season at the premium cable network previously known as Epix. The story. 

—Leap of faith. Amazon MGM Studios announced Wednesday that it’s brokered a partnership with the recently formed Wonder Project, which bills itself as an indie studio designed to "develop series and films rooted in spirituality." Wonder is led by veteran producer Jon Erwin (Jesus Revolution) and former Netflix and YouTube exec Kelly Merryman Hoogstraten, and counts The Chosen creator Dallas Jenkins among its largest shareholders and special advisers. As part of the new pact, Prime Video has already ordered its first project, House of David, to series. The story.

—Northern exposure. Staying with Amazon, the studio has signed a lease for 160,000 square feet of new soundstages and office space at Pinewood Toronto Studios to establish a Canadian production hub. Amazon has had a presence in Canada since 2015 and shows like Reacher and The Boys are both shot in and around Toronto. The deal with Pinewood marks the studio’s first long-term commitment for studio space north of the border. Amazon will secure exclusive use of five new sound stages alongside workshops and office space. The story.

—Nightmare fuel. Chuck E. Cheese's "pizza time theater" and surreally dystopic kids' birthday party destination are inspiring a TV game show. Magical Elves, the producers of Top Chef and other reality TV hits, is developing a series based on the restaurant chain. The show will remind some of Netflix’s Squid Game, as it has adults competing in larger versions of games they played as kids such as The Claw. The story.

Pauly Shore to Play Richard Simmons in Biopic

►It's happening. Pauly Shore is set to play fitness media mogul Richard Simmons in a feature film set up at the Wolper Organization. Prior to the film, which is currently casting, Shore will be seen as Simmons in a short film, The Court Jester, which will be screening during Sundance but not in the festival’s lineup. Jake Lewis directed Shore in the short, which is unrelated to the feature film. The story. 

—But wait... Richard Simmons is distancing himself from the Pauly Shore-led biopic. "I have never given my permission for this movie. So don’t believe everything you read," read a post on Simmons’ verified Facebook page. The story. 

—Moving on. Christopher Landon is lining up a new project, his first since he departed Scream VII late last year. The Happy Death Day and Freaky filmmaker is in talks to direct Big Bad. Lionsgate is in advanced negotiations to land the package that is based on the short story by Chandler Baker. The plot centers on a family that must survive a night in an isolated farmhouse as werewolves prey upon them. The story. 

—In the works. Shazam! filmmaker David F. Sandberg is returning to his horror roots by signing on to direct Until Dawn, an adaptation of the PlayStation video game being made by Screen Gems and PlayStation Productions. Details on the feature adaptation are scant, but Screen Gems is describing it as an R-rated love letter to the horror genre, centering on an ensemble cast. Gary Dauberman, the screenwriter behind hit horror franchises It, Annabelle and The Nun, is doing a pass on a script originally written by Blair Butler. The story. 

—🤝 Financing pact 🤝 Scream VI filmmakers Radio Silence, the collective that comprises Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett and Chad Villella, and Project X Entertainment co-founders James Vanderbilt, William Sherak and Paul Neinstein have signed a film production and financing pact with Knives Out producer MRC. The company's will collaborate on a slate of horror movies and thrillers, with an initial two or three films to be produced each year. The pact is looking to bring on board up-and-coming and established writers and directors in the genre space. The story. 

—Fitting farewell. A black-and-white version of Godzilla Minus One will hit theaters later this month. The newly remastered version is for a special one-week run in cinemas, billed by Toho as a thank you to fans after the color version of the kaiju film surpassed $50m at the domestic box office. The new version is an apt presentation of the period film, that depicts Godzilla wreaking havoc as Japan struggles to recover after World War II. The story. 

The Making of 'The Holdovers'

►"Depressing sh** can still feel cozy." THR's Seija Rankin spoke to The Holdovers director Alexander Payne, stars Paul Giamatti and Da’Vine Joy Randolph and more of the creative team about the making of the buzzy awards contender. The wry comedy about three lost souls spending Christmas together in ‘70s-era Massachusetts required patience from all involved. The story. 

—"My character works best in that [Daredevil darker] kind of tone." THR's Brian Davids spoke to Vincent D’Onofrio about his new show, the Disney+ Marvel series Echo. The actor discusses Fisk’s complicated familial relationship with Maya, and says he thanked Marvel boss Kevin Feige for sticking by him and co-star Charlie Cox amid getting a new creative team to overcome some speed bumps on the Daredevil show. Warning: Spoilers! The interview.  

—"We’re unpacking a little bit emotionally of where our characters have been." For THR, Demetrius Patterson spoke to Chicago P.D. showrunner Gwen Sigan about the season 11 premiere of the hit NBC police procedural. Sigan discusses Hailey Upton’s mistake, the strike inspired time jump this season and her vision for the long-running drama since taking over the helm more than two years ago. Warning: Spoilers! The interview. 

TV Review: 'Griselda'

►"The show wavers, but Vergara is strong." THR's chief TV critic Dan Fienberg reviews Netflix's Griselda. Sofía Vergara and a team of Narcos veterans tell the story of the Miami-based drug kingpin Griselda Blanco in a new six-parter. The review.

In other news...

—Jacob Elordi botches his big moment in Saturday Night Live promo

—The New Look trailer: Ben Mendelsohn’s Christian Dior seeks to "create a new world" in 1940s Paris

—Cillian Murphy’s Small Things Like These set as Berlin Fest opening film

—PGA Awards: Gail Berman tapped for Norman Lear achievement honor

—Pam Grier set for career tribute at Toronto Black Film Festival

—Jeff Bridges to receive Film at Lincoln Center’s Chaplin Award

—Sundance’s fifth annual Latinx House to feature artists from Ponyboi, In the Summers

—Tubi hires Courtney Sanchez as chief strategy officer

—Dulan’s on Crenshaw makes its grand reopening in South L.A.

​​​What else we're reading...

—After Elton John became the 19th member of the EGOT club, Nate Jones, Rachel Bashein, Zoë Haylock, and Jennifer Zhan look at who else is getting close [Vulture]

—Matt Stieb talks to Columbia law professor Edward Klaris about why Bill Ackman’s case against Business Insider is a fantasy [Intelligencer]

—Ciarán McCauley explains how and why newly-minted Emmy winner Ayo Edebiri has become "Ireland's own" [BBC]

—Tom Lamont has a wonderfully insightful interview with Peter Capaldi that covers politics, class, privilege and the arts (oh and his new Apple show, Criminal Record) [Guardian]

—Mark Gurman reports that Apple's upcoming $3,499 Vision Pro headset won't launch with the Netflix app [Bloomberg]

Today...  

...in 2008, Paramount released the found footage monster film Cloverfield in theaters. Directed by Matt Reeves, written by Drew Goddard and produced by J.J. Abrams, the film was a big critical and commercial success and spawned two sequels. The original review.

Today's birthdays: Kevin Costner (69), Dave Bautista (55), Mark Rylance (64), Takeshi Kitano (77), John Boorman (91), Efthimis Filippou (47), David Ayer (56), Jason Segel (44), Jacob Fortune-Lloyd (36), Antje Traue (43), Lou Llobell (29), Jesse L. Martin (55), M.C. Gainey (76), Jane Horrocks (60), Sam Strike (30), Joanna Newsom (42), Hunter Doohan (30), Faye McKeever (39), Samantha Mumba (41), Alison Arngrim (62), Zane Holtz (37), Maulik Pancholy (50), Sarah Gilman (28), Devin Kelley (38), Eugene Lee Yang (38), Becca Tobin (38), Jay Chou (45), Jung Yu-mi (41), Mitra Jouhari (31), Devon Odessa (50), Gang Dong-won (43)