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  • “Ballsy and Bold”: Series Mania Signals TV’s Quality Reset

    “Ballsy and Bold”: Series Mania Signals TV’s Quality Reset

    For an industry still recalibrating after the boom and bust of Peak TV, this year’s Series Mania offered that rarest of commodities: Hope.

    The executive side may have lacked some of its usual star power — there were no U.S. network chiefs or global streaming bosses among this year’s keynote speakers — but the festival’s official lineup ranked among its strongest in years.

    Series Mania got off to stellar start with The Testaments — Hulu‘s The Handmaiden’s Tale sequel starring One Battle After Another breakout Chase Infiniti — and never looked back, with edgy, boundary-pushing shows from around the world and across all genres. Highlights included The Audacity, AMC‘s Silicon Valley satire from Succession producer Jonathan Glatzer; The Flaws, a German office sitcom that takes its inspiration from Buster Keaton-style silent film comedy; and My Brother, a Swedish family drama that’s as dark and bleak as a Nordic winter.

    It felt like a return to the quality, if not the quantity, of shows from the Peak TV era. Networks and streamers, which have spent the past few years retrenching, may be regaining their appetite for risk.

    “There was this sense [post Peak-TV] that now everything’s conservative. It’s got to be a big IP, it’s got to be a big book. It’s got to be boring old genre,” said Steve Matthews Head of Scripted, Creative, at Banijay Entertainment. “But I’m starting to hear: ‘Can you bring us something a bit more bold?’ Buyers are saying: ‘Come on guys, lift your game.”

    “Great storytelling, great distinctive voices, are still cutting through,” agreeded Johannes Jensen, Head of Scripted, Business at Banijay. “But it’s become tougher to finance shows, it takes longer and we have to be creative in how we put the financing together. [The days] when the global streamers would come in and fund everything are gone.”

    The initial post-Peak years saw “a trend where everything started to become safe, in movies and in TV shows,” said Belgian director Adil El Arbi (Rebel, Bad Boys for Life), attending Series Mania with The Best Immigrant, a Flemish dystopian drama about the rise of the far-right in Europe, which he executive produced. “[But] nowadays, if you want to stand out, you got to be ballsy and bold. Not necessarily shock just to shock, but try to address things that makes people think, that get people talking about your TV show.”

    That risky TV can translate into real ratings seems to be born out by some of the buzzier Series Mania shows. The Spanish premiere of Anatomy of a Moment, a period drama about the failed 1981 coup d’etat that nearly toppled Spain’s neophyte democracy, was the best-ever launch for a original series on pay-TV platform Moviestar Plus+. More than a million Swedish viewers turned into the first episode of Swedish legal drama Burden of Justice on public broadcaster SVT, 163 percent above initial forecasts.

    “Our show, My Brother, had a retention rate of 98 percent in Sweden over Christmas,” said Matthews. “And it’s one of the darkest series you’ll ever see.”

    The streaming giants used Series Mania to announce there were spending money again, and willing to take big swings on original stories.

    Sarah Aubrey, Head of Original Content at HBO Max, announced an overall first-look deal with Domingo Corral, the Spanish producer and former Moviestar Plus+ executive whose credits include Anatomy of a Moment and the Oscar-nominated feature Sirât. Angela Jain, head of content for Disney+ across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said she was “ramping up production” and unveiled an eclectic slate of new projects including including a feature doc on Welsh soul singer Duffy, an Italian murder mystery and a Turkish comedy about a 350-year-old virgin vampire who falls in love with a human.

    “Our message today is more series, more series, more series,” Thomas Dubois, Head of French Originals at Amazon Prime Video said at a Series Mania session on Tuesday, highlighting Prime Video’s non-English-language slate, including upcoming French YA drama Campus Drivers, adapted from the C.S. Quill book series.

    Not to be outdone, on Wednesday, New8, the co-production alliance between eight northwestern European public broadcasters, unveiled their upcoming slate. It included the eco-thriller Phoenix, which featured at last month’s Berlinale Market Selects; Red Light District, an ambitious Dutch drama chronicling the rise and fall of the Jewish WWII orphan who built a sex club empire in Amsterdam; and Belgian action series Hunters, about special ops anti-terrorist teams, which Bad Boys For Life directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah are executive producing.

    European co-producers got more good news on Wednesday when Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset unveiled a historic co-production treaty designed to help boost funding for ambitious cross-border European series.

    All of which set up a more pragmatic, but quietly bullish mood among those on the ground. There is a sense that industry contraction, rather than killing creativity, may be forcing the business to sharpen its focus.

    “If everything contracts, you can either play it safe and avoid risk — or you can double down on quality,” said Matthews. “A lot less television is being made now, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, as long as what disappears is the weaker material. For the industry, for the art, and for audiences, it’s hard to argue that’s not a good thing.”

  • How ‘Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette’ Ends: A Heartbreaking Finale Explained

    [This story contains MAJOR spoilers from the Love Story finale, “Search and Recovery”.]

    After seven weeks of ’90s nostalgia and an intimate look at America’s ultimate power couple — John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy — Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette concluded Thursday night. And it was an emotional watch, to say the least.

    Created by Connor Hines and executive produced by Ryan Murphy, the anthology series picks up shortly after last week’s episode, when John (Paul Anthony Kelly) left for the night. Set during the final weekend of their lives, the episode reveals that he didn’t return after leaving Carolyn (Sarah Pidgeon) during that explosive argument. Still, the two attempt to repair their relationship, visiting a marriage counselor who suggests they spend time apart.

    After leaving the session, they head to a dive bar and reminisce about the passion and excitement of their early relationship — before it was strained by relentless media attention, and before Carolyn, in particular, struggled to adjust to such a drastic change in lifestyle.

    “If only we knew then how good we had it,” Carolyn tells John.

    Though they try to stay apart, neither can follow through. Both turn to family for support — John confides in his sister Caroline (Grace Gummer), while Carolyn leans on her sister Lauren Bessette (Sydney Lemmon) — and each is encouraged to fight for the relationship.

    They do. Carolyn even makes a rare public appearance to support John at an event for George magazine. The two also recreate their first date at an Indian restaurant, where Carolyn finally explains what her “sign above her head” means, which she referenced in the pilot: “Please handle with care, not as tough as she looks.” In a rare moment of vulnerability, she opens up about why she kept her guard up early on — and John realizes she is his priority.

    About 20 minutes into the episode, it’s now July 16, 1999 — the day John, Carolyn, and Lauren died from a plane crash while en route to attend a Kennedy family wedding in Martha’s Vineyard. The series also opened with this day. Hines previously told The Hollywood Reporter why it was important to begin there, before shifting back seven years.

    “We wanted to contrast the Carolyn everybody knows from images with that very bleached blonde hair; very straight aesthetic. It’s very recognizable. We cut back in time to show who Carolyn was before everybody got to meet her. Somebody who had a different sense of style and more bohemian hair,” he said. “There was a whole person before the world got to know her who was living in a studio apartment in the East Village, throwing clothes on and running off to work. To see where she was towards the end of her life, and then cut back to the beginning of a woman just moving through New York like everybody else anonymously was really important and effective for telling the rest of the story.”

    Carolyn initially hesitates to attend the wedding in Martha’s Vineyard, but ultimately chooses to go to be with him. John also makes a call to check on the weather, which was reportedly hazy and he allegedly became disoriented.

    In their final moments, the three are shown on the plane as the weather worsens, and John’s expression says it all — a quiet, haunting suggestion that he understands what’s coming. Carolyn, seated beside him in the cockpit, senses it too, picking up on his unease. “I want to sit with you,” she says, and the two share a knowing look as he remains visibly shaken, realizing there’s nothing he can do to change the situation.

    Carolyn stays calm, as does Lauren in the back. “It’s OK, just breathe,” she tells him, trying to steady his panic. The camera then zooms in on a red light flashing across John’s face — the engine failure warning — before the screen cuts to black.

    What follows is the world’s reaction. Police officers show up to Caroline’s home to tell her and her husband, Edwin Schlossberg (Ben Shenkman), that John’s plane has been reported missing. A call in the middle of the night wakes up Carolyn and Lauren’s mother, Ann Messina Freeman (Constance Zimmer), with the news. Newsstands across New York City show a meticulously replicated New York Daily News cover that reads: “LOST.”

    As the Kennedys gather, former President Bill Clinton, called Senator Ted Kennedy (Donal Logue) and it’s clear what the conversation means, without it being said: they’ve been found, not not alive.

    Gummer then delivers a heartbreaking performance as Caroline, crying and screaming at Ed, unable to rationalize that John is gone. “Please don’t do this to me, I can’t do it again,” she says sobbing into his arms. She has already lost her mother, Jackie Kennedy Onassis (Naomi Watts) to cancer, as portrayed earlier in the season, along with her father, former President John F. Kennedy who was assassinated, and several other members of the Kennedy family.

    To access the aftermath of the deadly crash, Ann and Ed meet. He outlines burial plans for John and Carolyn, repeatedly only naming them, prompting her to respond: “You keep saying ‘Carolyn.’ May I remind you that I had not one, but two daughters on board that plane that he crashed.”

    Ahead of the series premiere, Hines and executive producer, Brad Simpson told THR that it was always important to honor Lauren as well: “We want to remind people that Carolyn’s mom lost two daughters that day.”

    Ann then goes to their Tribeca loft, where Caroline also appears. The two sit down and have a touching conversation, acknowledging their grief and regret. Caroline recalls a near-death experience from her teenage years.

    “The only thing I really gleaned from that experience was that there is no rhyme or reason as to why some of us get to stay here a little longer,” she says. “All we know, is that time doesn’t belong to us. Nothing is promised.”

    Ann expresses remorse that Carolyn was struggling so much with the exacerbated media attention toward the end of her life.

    “She said she didn’t recognize who she had become. And now that person will be immortalized forever,” Ann says crying. “I only wish she had lived long enough to be remembered for something else.”

    The two grieve together and begin to consider how to move forward — together.

    Caroline leaves John and Carolyn’s apartment — which was always hounded by paparazzi — in a moving scene, as those gathered to pay tribute, and photographers, allow her to pass without intrusion.

    The last moments of the finale show Ethel Kennedy (Jessica Harper) offering words of strength to Caroline, followed by a funeral for the three. There, includes returning cameos from John’s cousin Anthony Radzwill (Erich Bergen), Carolyn’s former boss and fashion designer Calvin Klein (Alessandro Nivola), John’s former business partner Michael Berman (Michael Nathanson). Ann delivers a reading at the service, intercut with scenes of her and Caroline scattering their ashes into the Ocean.

    The episode ends with Ann reading, “Do not stand by my grave and cry. I am not there. I did not die” alongside a final clip of John and Carolyn on the beach — a reminder that despite the couple’s most challenging moments, their story was indeed a love story.

    ***

    Check out all of The Hollywood Reporter‘s Love Story coverage here.

  • iHeartRadio Music Awards: Taylor Swift Dominates as Alex Warren Tops Winners List

    iHeartRadio Music Awards: Taylor Swift Dominates as Alex Warren Tops Winners List

    Taylor Swift was the top winner at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards, which took place live from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Thursday night.

    “The Fate of Ophelia” singer went into the Ludacris-hosted ceremony, which aired on Fox and could be heard on iHeartRadio stations nationwide and the iHeartRadio app, with the most nominations, nine, leading the field for the fourth year in a row.

    And she left the night with the most wins at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards, with seven total. She earned the coveted title of artist of the year, and won additional honors including best music video, pop song of the year and lyrics, among others.

    Swift stopped by the awards show, making her first awards show appearance of 2026, where her fiancé Travis Kelce also attended in support. During her acceptance speech for for pop album of the year, tied to her 2025 record The Life of a Showgirl, she sung praise toward her fiancé.

    “The album The Life of a Showgirl was really inspired by the energy that I felt looking into crowds and seeing you guys and connecting with you every single night. And so the album came out with this energy of just feeling really happy and strong and confident and free, and so I wanna say thank you to the fans for for giving me that feeling,” Swift said. “This album probably also feels very happy and confident and free because that’s the way that I get to feel every single day of my life, because of my fiancé, who’s here tonight.”

    Other top winners at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards included Alex Warren, with three awards total, including song of the year, best new pop artist and favorite debut album. Best new artists were named in various categories, including Ella Langley (country); Real Boston Richey (hip-hop); Leon Thomas (R&B); sombr (alternative); Sleep Theory (rock); Beéle (Latin Pop/Urban); Los Dos De Tamaulipas (Regional Mexican); and Cortis (K-pop).

    Sabrina Carpenter was named the pop artist of the year, as Kendrick Lamar earned the same honor in the hip-hop category. Amy Allen won songwriter of the year, as Andrew Watt took home the producer of the year title.

    Warren, Carpenter and Bad Bunny went into the night with eight nominations each, with Swift, Carpenter and Bad Bunny up for artist of the year alongside Lamar, Benson Boone, Chris Brown, Jelly Roll Lamar, Lady Gaga, Morgan Wallen and Tate McRae.

    The awards show honored John Mellencamp with the iHeartRadio Icon Award along with Ludacris with the iHeartRadio Landmark Award, Miley Cyrus with the iHeartRadio Innovator Award and Warren with the iHeartRadio Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award. Ludacris and Warren also performed at the iHeartRadio Music Awards.

    Additional performers included Kehlani, Lainey Wilson, Raye and, performing together for the first time, TLC, Salt-N-Pepa and En Vogue. Alysa Liu, Ne-Yo, Nicole Scherzinger, Nikki Glaser, sombr and Weezer also appeared on the show.

    The 13th annual iHeartRadio Music Awards celebrate the most-played artists and songs on iHeartRadio stations and the iHeartRadio app throughout 2025. This year’s show was executive produced by Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon and Jeannaé Rouzan-Clay for Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE) as well as John Sykes, Tom Poleman and Bart Peters for iHeartMedia and Fox Entertainment Studios.

    A complete list of this year’s iHeartRadio Music Awards winners follows.

    Song of the Year         

    “Anxiety” – Doechii
    “Good News” – Shaboozey
    “Love Somebody” – Morgan Wallen
    “luther” – Kendrick Lamar and SZA
    “Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter
    “MUTT” – Leon Thomas
    “Ordinary” – Alex Warren (WINNER)
    “Sorry I’m Here For Someone Else” – Benson Boone
    “Stargazing” – Myles Smith
    “The Fate of Ophelia” – Taylor Swift

    Artist of the Year

    Bad Bunny
    Benson Boone
    Chris Brown
    Jelly Roll
    Kendrick Lamar
    Lady Gaga
    Morgan Wallen
    Sabrina Carpenter
    Tate McRae
    Taylor Swift (WINNER)

    Album of the Year

    Taylor Swift, “The Life of a Showgirl” (WINNER)

    Pop Artist of the Year

    Alex Warren
    Benson Boone
    Sabrina Carpenter (WINNER)
    Tate McRae
    Taylor Swift

    Pop Song of the Year

    “Golden” – HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI
    “Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter
    “Ordinary” – Alex Warren
    “Pink Pony Club” – Chappell Roan
    “The Fate of Ophelia” – Taylor Swift (WINNER)

    Pop Album of the Year

    Taylor Swift, “The Life of a Showgirl” (WINNER)

    Best New Artist (Pop)

    Alex Warren (WINNER)
    Jessie Murph
    Myles Smith
    Ravyn Lenae
    sombr

    Duo/Group of the Year

    HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI (WINNER)
    Linkin Park
    Maroon 5
    Shinedown
    Twenty One Pilots

    Best Collaboration

    “All The Way” – BigXthaPlug ft. Bailey Zimmerman
    “APT.” – ROSÉ & Bruno Mars (WINNER)
    “luther” – Kendrick Lamar and SZA
    “Timeless” – The Weeknd ft. Playboi Carti
    “WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME” – GloRilla ft. Sexyy Red

    Country Song of the Year

    “After All The Bars Are Closed” – Thomas Rhett
    “Good News” – Shaboozey (WINNER)
    “Liar” – Jelly Roll
    “Love Somebody” – Morgan Wallen
    “Whiskey Drink” – Jason Aldean

    Country Artist of the Year

    Jason Aldean
    Jelly Roll
    Lainey Wilson
    Luke Combs
    Morgan Wallen (WINNER)

    Best New Artist (Country)

    Chase Matthew
    Ella Langley (WINNER)
    Hudson Westbrook
    Josh Ross
    Zach Top

    Country Album of the Year

    Morgan Wallen “I’m The Problem” (WINNER)

    Hip-Hop Song of the Year

    “luther” – Kendrick Lamar and SZA (WINNER)
    “NOKIA” – Drake
    “Outside” – Cardi B
    “The Largest” – BigXthaPlug
    “WHATCHU KNO ABOUT ME” – GloRilla ft. Sexyy Red

    Hip-Hop Artist of the Year

    Cardi B
    GloRilla
    Kendrick Lamar (WINNER)
    Playboi Carti
    Tyler, The Creator

    Best New Artist (Hip-Hop)

    MOLIY
    PLUTO
    Real Boston Richey (WINNER)
    YKNIECE
    ZEDDY WILL

    R&B Song of the Year

    “Burning Blue” – Mariah the Scientist
    “Folded” – Kehlani (WINNER)
    “MUTT” – Leon Thomas
    “Residuals” – Chris Brown
    “SOMEBODY LOVES ME” – PARTYNEXTDOOR & Drake

    R&B Artist of the Year

    Chris Brown (WINNER)
    Kehlani
    Leon Thomas
    Mariah the Scientist
    SZA

    Best New Artist (R&B)

    Jenevieve
    Kwn
    Leon Thomas (WINNER)
    Mariah the Scientist
    Sailorr

    R&B Album of the Year

    Leon Thomas, “PHOLKS” (WINNER)

    World Artist of the Year

    Ayra Starr
    Jackson Wang
    JO1
    MOLIY (WINNER)
    Tyla

    Alternative Song of the Year

    “Back To Friends” – sombr
    “Ensenada” – Sublime (WINNER)
    “One Eyed Bastard” – Green Day
    “Stargazing” – Myles Smith
    “The Contract” – Twenty One Pilots

    Alternative Artist of the Year

    Cage the Elephant
    Green Day
    Linkin Park
    Sublime
    Twenty One Pilots (WINNER)

    Best New Artist (Alternative)

    almost monday
    Gigi Perez
    Lola Young
    Role Model
    sombr (WINNER)

    Alternative Album of the Year

    sombr, “I Barely Know Her” (WINNER)

    Rock Song of the Year

    “Afterlife” – Evanescence
    “Bad Guy” – Falling In Reverse ft. Saraya
    “Dance, Kid, Dance” – Shinedown
    “Even If It Kills Me” – Papa Roach
    “Heavy Is the Crown” – Linkin Park (WINNER)

    Rock Artist of the Year

    Linkin Park
    Papa Roach
    Shinedown (WINNER)
    Sleep Token
    Three Days Grace

    Best New Artist (Rock)

    Architects
    Poppy
    Return to Dust
    Sleep Theory (WINNER)
    Spiritbox

    Dance Song of the Year

    “Blessings” – Calvin Harris feat. Clementine Douglas
    “In My Arms” – ILLENIUM & HAYLA
    “No Broke Boys” – Disco Lines & Tinashe (WINNER)
    “Save My Love” – Marshmello, Ellie Goulding and AVAION
    “Won’t Be Possible” – Tiësto, Odd Mob & Goodboys

    Dance Artist of the Year

    Calvin Harris
    David Guetta (WINNER)
    John Summit
    Martin Garrix
    Tiësto

    Dance Album of the Year

    Lady Gaga, “MAYHEM” (WINNER)

    Latin Pop/Urban Song of the Year

    “Angel” – Grupo Frontera & Romeo Santos
    “DEGENERE” – Myke Towers & benny blanco
    “DtMF” – Bad Bunny (WINNER)
    “Qué Pasaría…” – Rauw Alejandro and Bad Bunny
    “Soltera” – Shakira

    Latin Pop/Urban Artist of the Year

    Bad Bunny (WINNER)
    Feid
    J Balvin
    Karol G
    Shakira

    Latin Pop/Urban Album of the Year

    Bad Bunny, “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS” (WINNER)

    Best New Artist (Latin Pop/Urban)

    Alleh Mezher
    Beéle (WINNER)
    De La Rose
    Dei V
    Louis BPM

    Regional Mexican Song of the Year

    “Amor Bonito” – Luis Angel “El Flaco” (WINNER)
    “El Amor De Mi Vida” – Calibre 50
    “Flores” – Xavi
    “Hecha Pa’ Mi” – Grupo Frontera
    “Lejos Estamos Mejor” – Eden Muñoz

    Regional Mexican Artist of the Year

    Alejandro Fernández
    Carin León
    Fuerza Regida
    Grupo Frontera (WINNER)
    Luis Angel “El Flaco”

    Best New Artist (Regional Mexican)

    Clave Especial
    Edgardo Nuñez
    Los Dos De Tamaulipas (WINNER)
    Óscar Maydon
    Oscar Ortiz

    Latin Pop/Urban Song of the Year

    Fuerza Regida “111XPANTIA” (WINNER)

    K-pop Artist of the Year

    JENNIE
    j-hope
    Jin
    LISA
    ROSÉ (WINNER)

    K-pop Group of the Year

    ATEEZ
    BLACKPINK
    ENHYPEN
    Stray Kids (WINNER)
    TWICE

    K-pop Song of the Year

    “APT.” – ROSÉ & Bruno Mars
    “Golden” – HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI (WINNER)
    “JUMP” – BLACKPINK
    “Killin’ It Girl” – j-hope feat. GloRilla
    “like JENNIE” – JENNIE

    Best New Artist (K-pop)

    82Major
    AllDay Project
    Cortis (WINNER)
    Hearts2Hearts
    Meovv

    K-pop Album of the Year

    Jennie, “Ruby” (WINNER)

    Songwriter of the Year

    Amy Allen (WINNER)
    Ashley Gorley
    Cal Shapiro
    Charlie Handsome
    Julia Michaels

    Producer of the Year

    Andrew Watt (WINNER)
    Dijon
    Jack Antonoff
    Max Martin & Shellback
    Sounwave

    Favorite Broadway Debut

    Ashley Graham, “Chicago”
    Cheryl Porter, “& Juliet”
    Durrell “Tank” Babbs, “Hell’s Kitchen”
    Gabrielle Nevaeh Green, “Stranger Things: The First Shadow”
    Jack Wolfe, “Hadestown”
    Kelsie Watts, “Six! The Musical”
    Lencia Kebede, “Wicked”
    Lizzy McAlpine, “Floyd Collins”
    Meg Donnelly, “Moulin Rouge! The Musical”
    Ne-Yo, “Hell’s Kitchen”
    Tom Felton, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” (WINNER)
    Trisha Paytas, “Beetlejuice”

    Favorite TikTok Dance

    “Abracadabra” – Lady Gaga
    “Gnarly” – KATSEYE
    “GO!” – CORTIS
    “Happen To Me” – Russell Dickerson
    “JUMP” – BLACKPINK
    “like JENNIE” – JENNIE
    “Midnight Sun” – Zara Larsson
    “MONA LISA” – j-hope (WINNER)
    “Revolving Door” – Tate McRae
    “SPAGHETTI” – LE SSERAFIM, j-hope
    “The Fate of Ophelia” – Taylor Swift

    Favorite Debut Album

    Addison Rae, “Addison”
    Alex Warren, “You’ll Be Alright, Kid” (WINNER)
    Audrey Hobert, “Who’s the Clown?”
    Calum Hood, “ORDER chaos ORDER”
    Coco Jones, “Why Not More?”
    JADE, “THAT’S SHOWBIZ BABY!”
    JENNIE, “Ruby”
    LISA, “Alter Ego”
    Michael Clifford, “SIDEQUEST”
    Perrie, “Perrie”
    sombr, “I Barely Know Her”
    Tucker Wetmore, “What Not To”

    Best Lyrics

    “Anxiety” – Doechii
    “BAILE INoLVIDABLE” – Bad Bunny
    “Camera” – Ed Sheeran
    “Choosin’ Texas” – Ella Langley
    “DAISIES” – Justin Bieber
    “Golden” – HUNTR/X, EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, REI AMI
    “Man I Need” – Olivia Dean
    “Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter
    “Ordinary” – Alex Warren
    “The Fate of Ophelia” – Taylor Swift (WINNER)
    “undressed” – sombr
    “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” – RAYE

    Best Music Video

    “Abracadabra” – Lady Gaga
    “BAILE INoLVIDABLE” – Bad Bunny
    “BORN AGAIN” – LISA feat. Doja Cat & RAYE
    “Gabriela” – KATSEYE
    “JUMP” – BLACKPINK
    “like JENNIE” – JENNIE
    “Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter
    “Ordinary” – Alex Warren
    “Sapphire” – Ed Sheeran
    “Shake It to the Max (FLY) (Remix)” – MOLIY, Shenseea, Skillibeng, Silent Addy
    “The Fate of Ophelia” – Taylor Swift (WINNER)
    “toxic till the end” – ROSÉ

    Favorite On Screen 

    AJ McLean, Nicole Scherzinger, Liam Payne, Kelly Rowland, “Building the Band”
    Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo, “Wicked: For Good”
    Bad Bunny, “Happy Gilmore 2”
    Becky G, “REBBECA”
    Ed Sheeran, “ONE SHOT with Ed Sheeran: A Musical Experience”
    Jimin and Jungkook, “Are You Sure?!” (WINNER)
    Jonas Brothers, “A Very Jonas Christmas Movie”
    Karol G, “Karol G: Tomorrow Was Beautiful”
    Lady Gaga, “Wednesday”
    LISA, “The White Lotus”
    Taylor Swift, “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour | The End of an Era”
    Zara Larsson, “Up Close”

    Favorite Tour Photographer

    Abby Waisler for Gracie Abrams
    Adam DeGross for Post Malone
    Anna Lee for Coldplay
    baeth for Tate McRae
    Chris Cornejo for Shakira
    Cynthia Parkhurst for Katy Perry
    Henry Hwu for Billie Eilish
    Hyghly for The Weeknd
    Joshua Halling for Oasis
    Rahul Bhatt for KATSEYE (WINNER)
    Thomas Falcone for Shawn Mendes
    Tom Pallant for YUNGBLUD

    Favorite Soundtrack

    “A Very Jonas Christmas Movie (Original Soundtrack)”
    “F1 the Album”
    “Frankenstein (Soundtrack from the Netflix Film)”
    “KPop Demon Hunters” (WINNER)
    “Nobody Wants This Season 2: The Soundtrack”
    “Sinners (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)”
    “Smurfs Movie Soundtrack (Music From & Inspired By)”
    “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere”
    “Tron: Ares (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)”
    “Wicked: For Good – The Soundtrack”
    “Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires (Original Soundtrack)”

    Favorite Tour Style

    Bad Bunny, “DeBí TiRaR MáS FOtoS World Tour”
    Beyoncé, “Cowboy Carter Tour”
    Billie Eilish, “Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour”
    BLACKPINK, “Deadline World Tour”
    Dua Lipa, “Radical Optimism Tour”
    Ella Langley, “Still Hungover Tour”
    KATSEYE, “Beautiful Chaos Tour”
    Lady Gaga, “The Mayhem Ball”
    Sabrina Carpenter, “Short n’ Sweet Tour”
    Tate McRae, “Miss Possessive Tour”
    Taylor Swift, “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour” (WINNER)
    Zara Larsson, “Midnight Sun Tour”

    Favorite Tour Tradition

    Benson Boone, Cover song
    Beyoncé, Blue Ivy & Rumi on stage
    Billie Eilish, “when the party’s over” silent loop
    Coldplay, Crowd cam (WINNER)
    Dua Lipa, Surprise guest
    Jonas Brothers, Surprise guest
    KATSEYE, “Gnarly” dance break
    Lainey Wilson, Cowgirl of the night
    ROLE MODEL, Sally
    Sabrina Carpenter, Celebrity “Juno” arrest
    Tate McRae, Fan cam on stage
    Zara Larsson, “Lush Life” star

    Favorite K-pop Collab 

    “Blink” – Corbyn Besson & TZUYU of TWICE
    “BORN AGAIN” – LISA feat. Doja Cat & RAYE
    “BUCK” – Jackson Wang feat. Diljit Dosanjh
    “Confessions” – Flo Rida, HEESEUNG & JAKE of ENHYPEN, Paul Russell
    “Dirty Work” – aespa feat. Flo Milli
    “ExtraL” – JENNIE, Doechii
    “EYES CLOSED” – JISOO X ZAYN
    “Illegal + SEVENTEEN” – PinkPantheress, SEVENTEEN
    “On My Mind” – Alex Warren & ROSÉ
    “Sweet Dreams (feat. Miguel)” – j-hope, Miguel (WINNER)
    “TOO BAD” – G-DRAGON feat. Anderson .Paak
    “WE PRAY (TWICE Version)” – Coldplay, TWICE, Burna Boy, Elyanna, TINI, Little Simz

  • ‘The Drama’ Director Kristoffer Borgli’s 2012 Essay on His Age-Gap Romance Resurfaces, Sparking Controversy

    ‘The Drama’ Director Kristoffer Borgli’s 2012 Essay on His Age-Gap Romance Resurfaces, Sparking Controversy

    A resurfaced Norwegian magazine essay by Kristoffer Borgli — now drawing attention on Reddit — is raising fresh questions about the filmmaker just as his profile in Hollywood continues to rise.

    Borgli, the director behind the upcoming feature The Drama starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, has been the subject of a viral thread on the platform, where users have shared scans of a 2012 print article from D2, the weekend magazine of Dagens Naeringsliv — Norway’s leading financial daily, comparable to the Wall Street Journal. D2 is its glossy culture and lifestyle supplement known for longform essays and profiles.

    The piece, written by Borgli himself, then 27, reflects on a recent relationship he had with a teenage girl. The scans, which are not widely available online, have begun to circulate and have been translated by users.

    The renewed attention comes as Borgli transitions from cult indie filmmaker to a more mainstream presence. Borgli’s The Drama — his latest English-language project, following 2023’s Dream Scenario starring Nicolas Cage — features two of Hollywood’s biggest stars, Zendaya and Pattinson, further elevating his profile internationally.

    The Drama follows a soon-to-be-married couple whose relationship takes an increasingly unsettling turn, blending intimacy with unease. It’s in line with Borgli’s brand of black comedy, which leans into discomfort, taboo and provocation — a sensibility that aligns with A24‘s taste for bold, conversation-driving, filmmaker-led work.

    While the legal age of consent in Norway is 16, relationships between adults and teenagers remain socially contentious in the country, a tension Borgli grapples with in the essay.

    The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to A24 and Borgli’s team for comment.

    Below is the full translated text of the essay, as shared and translated from the original Norwegian:

    Wikipedia lists 266 films that deal with so-called May-December romances.

    The term “May-December” is explained here as when the age difference between two people in a relationship is so large that it risks social disapproval. The reason I know this is because I met a girl ten years younger than me whom I liked very much – a girl who wasn’t old enough to vote – and I had to find something that could recalibrate my moral compass. The few friends I confided in about my situation responded that it was not “within bounds. ” That confirmed that it was precisely a May-December romance.

    I woke up in the cramped little apartment I was temporarily renting after I moved out – or was thrown out – by my ex half a year earlier. Beside me lay a blonde girl, a high school student enjoying the sporadic holidays in May. I chose to see her that way, to define her by her age, and I chose never to see her again. But you can’t choose what the heart wants. A post on Facebook, a text message, small digital exchanges in the days that followed.

    In my previous relationship, the age difference had been in the opposite direction; she had lived seven more summers than me. Age then proved to be more of a problem than an attraction. Emotional dilemmas like these drive me to seek out films and books with similar and relevant themes (and suddenly all songs are about me). Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson portray a May-December romance, aged 53 and 18 respectively, in Lost in Translation. In Ghost World, the age difference between Steve Buscemi and Thora Birch is significant, but it was revisiting Woody Allen’s Manhattan that completely changed my attitude. The relationship there is presented as entirely open and romantic. If a film made in 1979, in which Woody Allen’s 42-year-old character has a public relationship with a 17-year-old girl, is portrayed exclusively in a positive way and causes no controversy in its own time, then why shouldn’t my relationship – with a considerably smaller age difference – in 2012 be “within bounds”? I chose to listen to Woody over my friends.

    I was fascinated by her life. Unlike me, she was born and raised in Oslo, in Grünerløkka, and must have been exposed early and clearly to literature, music, and film. When I was 16, I played PlayStation, drank homemade liquor at house parties, and made splatter films in the backyard. She played piano, drank cava at gallery openings, and wrote texts that were published by a press. I think my cultural insight (and therefore, because I am who I am, my life insight) was delayed by ten years as a result of growing up in the countryside versus Oslo. In many ways, we were strangely quite equal. She never laughed at my Seinfeld references – naturally, since she had never seen a single episode – but in return she could recommend books to me, such as Self-Portrait by Édouard Levé.

    I could watch her as she read the ever-new books she brought into my apartment. Her curiosity was admirable and contagious. I developed a bigger appetite for everything. Suddenly we were together all the time – long days in my apartment, eggs and bacon with Woody Allen films for breakfast (she was also a fan), long walks with her parents’ dog, and late midweek evenings at restaurants and bars (where they didn’t check ID). When her parents were away, we began spending entire days in their large apartment; we drank her parents’ wine, we read her parents’ books. Some days we didn’t go outside because it was dark (and only then did we get dressed); sometimes we could sit at the large kitchen table from breakfast until dinner without moving, just talking and laughing. She played completely unfamiliar music that I often liked on first listen, and my favorite films became her favorite films. She told me what clothes I should and shouldn’t wear (crew neck, not V-neck). We shared a fascination with Fleetwood Mac, and we both had a childish attachment to peanuts. That summer, I didn’t travel – for the first time as long as I can remember – but the time we spent together that summer in her parents’ apartment was nonetheless the best and most exotic summer I’ve ever had. Her parents came home unexpectedly early from vacation, and I had to climb out the window (first floor). The summer ended, and our weeklong weekends became ordinary weekdays. She was May; I was December.

  • Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Make Awards Show Debut at 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards

    Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Make Awards Show Debut at 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards

    Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have made their official awards show debut as a couple at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards.

    The Grammy winner and NFL star were both in attendance at Thursday night’s show, which was held at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre. They did not make their highly anticipated red carpet debut, as Swift walked solo, though they were seated inside the theater together.

    The Grammy winner’s attendance at the ceremony was confirmed ahead of the show, marking her sole appearance at an awards show in 2026. Swift walked the carpet in a mint-green mini skirt and corset ensemble that was adorned with sparkly embellishments.

    Swift and Kelce announced their engagement in August 2025, after first being romantically connected in the late summer of 2023. While they may have not walked the red carpet as a duo quite yet, Swift regularly attends the Kansas City Chiefs player’s NFL games, as he has attended many stops of Swift’s Eras Tour. During her 2024 London show, Kelce himself made a surprise on-stage cameo during her performance of “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart.”

    The “Opalite” singer was the most nominated artist at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards, leading the nominees with a total of nine nods. Swift was up for some of the night’s tops honors, including song of the year (for “The Fate of Ophelia”), best music video (for the same track) and artist of the year.

    Elsewhere, Alex Warren, Sabrina Carpenter and Bad Bunny topped the nominees list with eight noms each. Carpenter and Bad Bunny were up for the coveted title of artist of the year alongside Swift, Benson Boone, Chris Brown, Jelly Roll, Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Morgan Wallen and Tate McRae.

    The awards ceremony took place live from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Thursday night, where Ludacris served as host. He was recognized with the the iHeartRadio Landmark Award, while John Mellencamp was presented with the the iHeartRadio Icon Award. Miley Cyrus also received the iHeartRadio Innovator Award and Warren with the iHeartRadio Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award.

    More to come.

    Taylor Swift attends the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards.

    Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for iHeartRadio

  • Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop Beauty Gets Rare Discount During Amazon’s Big Spring Sale

    Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop Beauty Gets Rare Discount During Amazon’s Big Spring Sale

    If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, The Hollywood Reporter may receive an affiliate commission.

    Whether a Goop Beauty loyalist or intrigued first-timer, there’s no time like the present — aka Amazon’s Big Spring Sale — to stock up on clean skin care, hair care, body care and makeup staples from Gwyneth Paltrow‘s beloved beauty brand. Running through Tuesday, March 31, Amazon’s seasonal savings event gives Goop‘s non-toxic best-sellers a limited-time price drop of up to 25 percent.

    See below for the top 10 Goop Beauty sale standouts, and shop Amazon’s full lineup of limited-time discounts, including up to 35 percent off premium beauty brands, on the Big Spring Sale landing page.

    At a Glance: Best Goop Beauty Deals During Amazon Big Spring Sale 2026

    Amazon Big Spring Sale 2026: 10 Best Goop Beauty Deals

    Goop Beauty Microderm Body Polish

    Goop Beauty Microderm Body Polish

    6 fl oz.

    Goop Beauty Multi-Use Highlighter

    Goop Beauty Multi-Use Highlighter

    0.28 oz.

    Goop Beauty Highlighter colors include Aura (champagne gold; pictured above), Petal (cool-toned light pink) and Sunny (cool-toned bronze).

    Goop Beauty Microderm Exfoliator

    Goop Beauty Microderm Exfoliator

    0.5 fl oz.

    Goop Beauty 20% Vitamin C + Hyaluronic Acid Serum

    Goop Beauty 20% Vitamin C + Hyaluronic Acid Serum

    1 fl oz.

    This serum‘s ingredients work together to brighten the appearance of the skin, while improving its firmness, tone and texture, for an ultra-hydrated result.

    Goop Beauty Scalp Scrub Shampoo

    Goop Beauty Scalp Scrub Shampoo

    6.7 fl oz.

    Goop Beauty Nourishing Lip Repair Mask

    Goop Beauty Nourishing Lip Repair Mask

    0.3 oz.

    Related: THR Red Carpet Essentials 2026: 34 Beauty Winners for Awards Season and Beyond

    Goop Beauty Eye Masks for Puffy Eyes

    Goop Beauty Eye Masks for Puffy Eyes

    30-Pack.

    Goop Beauty Featherlash Lifting Mascara

    Goop Beauty Featherlash Lifting Mascara

    Goop’s mascara doubles as a volumizing, lengthening and nourishing eyelash serum.

    Goop Beauty Discounted for Amazon Big Spring Sale 2026: See Best Deals

    Goop Beauty Body Oil

    4 fl oz.

    Goop Beauty Discounted for Amazon Big Spring Sale 2026: See Best Deals

    Goop Beauty 3x Retinol Eye Lift Serum

    0.5 fl oz.

    For even more savings, shop Amazon’s full lineup of limited-time discounts, including up to 35 percent off premium beauty brands, on the Big Spring Sale landing page. The weeklong event runs through Tuesday, March 31.

    Related: 11 Designer Toiletry Bags So Good, You’ll Want to Carry Them to Dinner

  • Why Has ‘Project Hail Mary’ Ignited So Much Online Debate?

    Why Has ‘Project Hail Mary’ Ignited So Much Online Debate?

    The popularity for Project Hail Mary continues to soar since its massive opening weekend at the box office, which has given oxygen to plenty of social media discourse.

    Ryan Gosling stars in directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller‘s sci-fi epic that surpassed $80 million domestically in its debut frame to represent Amazon MGM Studios‘ top opening weekend. With a script from Drew Goddard that adapts author Andy Weir‘s 2021 novel, Project Hail Mary centers on science teacher Ryland Grace (Gosling) teaming with alien pal Rocky in an desperate effort to prevent the sun’s destruction.

    With the movie’s release came a flurry of social media posts, as audiences debated everything one could possibly imagine to be a potential topic for debate. This included messages about the film’s quality, the book’s quality, the frequency and success of the jokes, its perceived political perspective, its positioning of the U.S. amid the global ecosystem, Gosling’s project choices and the directors’ track records, to name a smattering.

    “Anything that incites debate — especially if you have people who are evangelical about the property and certain talent or creators — is going to drive the algorithm,” Jordan Levin, the former CEO of both the WB and AwesomenessTV, tells The Hollywood Reporter. “There’s debate around a number of themes that seem to be political. The whole idea of international cooperation seems to be a political debate. The idea of fact-based science — which is very foundational to the writing of Andy Weir — is very much a debate in this day and age, especially this idea that science can solve our problems.”

    Ryan Gosling stars as Ryland Grace and Sandra Hüller as Eva Stratt in Project Hail Mary.

    Jonathan Olley/Amazon Content Services

    Adds Levin, who worked with Lord and Miller and former Buffy the Vampire Slayer writer Goddard during his time at the WB: “Then if you just get into cinephiles, there’s this whole debate about, ‘Is the moviegoing theater experience alive or dead?’ I’ve seen huge online debate about, ‘Is it a sci-fi classic that goes up there with the greats?’ Or other people are saying it’s pandering or the use of humor is a little out of place. There’s debate over production techniques, and there are a lot of people rallying around the fact that there were practical sets and puppetry used as compared to just all CGI.”

    Other films over the past 12 months have similarly spurred rabid social media conversation, including A Minecraft Movie, Sinners, Superman and Weapons. But the expansive range of discussion topics for an original property that appeals to audiences of all ages has made the Project Hail Mary discourse particularly notable.

    For some industry experts, the fact that the film is not part of an existing franchise worked as an asset to open up marketing possibilities in the lead-up to the release. Certainly, the Project Hail Mary team was busy creating unique promotional moments in recent weeks, like viral videos involving Gosling on Jeopardy! or showing off his football-tossing skills.

    “It’s great to see,” Russell Schwartz, the former president of theatrical marketing at New Line Cinema, says about the audience engagement. “The nice thing about a non-IP movie is that you’re able to conceptualize from zero: ‘What are the best companies or brands that we should work with?’ It’s a much more imaginative way of selling a movie than having to go with the established IP and knowing you’re going with your usual, run-of-the-mill partners. I think the people at MGM are giddy over that opportunity, and the fact that Ryan was so willing is just great to see.”

    A bearded Ryan Gosling embraces Rachel McAdams in The Notebook.

    Courtesy Everett Collection

    Schwartz ran the marketing campaign for The Notebook — the 2004 drama that marked Gosling’s first major hit as a lead — and was able to see how seriously the actor takes movie promotion. Schwartz recalls that New Line founder Bob Shaye did not like the look of a poster for The Notebook that showed a bearded Gosling embracing co-star Rachel McAdams, which led Shaye to ask that they remove the facial hair. “Shaye said, ‘No one will ever go see that movie because the hero’s got a beard on,’ so I took the beard off,” the marketing expert says. “I showed it to Ryan, and he says, ‘I’m never doing publicity for this movie if you don’t put my beard back on.’” Sure enough, the beard came back.

    Prominent figures with a reputation for outer space social content are not surprised that Project Hail Mary has dominated online conversation, given the way that the film developed its story, not to mention its unique alien friend. “I talked to Andy a bunch about the movie, and Andy and I have been talking about his next book a little bit,” says Chris Hadfield, retired astronaut and author of the best-selling thriller Final Orbit. “I’m really pleased that they worked hard to make it as visually realistic and compelling as they could. The deft way with which you decide to portray an alien leaves some of it to the imagination but with enough there to really spark your curiosity.”

    Splashy marketing campaigns and noisy social media chatter over a project can run the risk of alienating audiences, which may have been a factor in A24’s Marty Supreme and lead Timothée Chalamet getting shut out at this year’s Oscars despite nine nominations. “It’s a little bit different than the way Timothée Chalamet rough-rode over A24, in terms of him running the campaign,” Schwartz says about what he’s heard of the two recent films. “Obviously, Ryan was in terrific sync with the MGM people.”

    The continued popularity of Project Hail Mary has also spurred new interest in real-life space exploration, including the impending launch of Artemis II, marking NASA‘s first moon mission in more than 50 years.

    “This movie and movies like it are engaging ways for people get familiar with pretty hard concepts,” says space-focused content creator Kobi Brown. “In the movie and the book, we’re talking about hardcore alien molecular biology and exploration of things like how the sun could be destroyed or how interstellar traffic works, time dilation. All of these things are very complex, but this could be people’s first touchpoint for those concepts, and they want to know more.”

    Despite the complex nature of the science, one factor that might have helped increase the amount of social posts about Project Hail Mary is that families have been drawn to it, which perhaps was not the initial focus for the campaign.

    “I suspect the filmmakers made a movie for the Ryan Gosling sci-fi audience and ended up with a family movie,” Schwartz says. Regardless, the excitement for the film confirms that audiences remain thirsty for something fresh: “When it’s a surprise movie like that, it just does wonders for word of mouth. It’ll just go on and on. This movie’s not going anywhere.”

  • ‘Hadestown’ Live Capture Set For Theatrical Release This Summer

    ‘Hadestown’ Live Capture Set For Theatrical Release This Summer

    Bleecker Street’s Crosswalk and LD Entertainment have acquired the live theater capture of the Tony-Award winning and West End musical Hadestown.

    The film, titled Hadestown: The Musical, is set to be released theatrically in North America on July 24, 2026. The musical, with a score and book by Anais Mitchell, won the 2019 Tony Award for best musical, along with seven other Tonys, and is now in its seventh year on Broadway and its third year in the West End.

    The live capture was filmed in London and includes five original Broadway cast members: Reeve Carney as Orpheus, Andre De Shields as Hermes, Amber Gray as Persephone, Eva Noblezada as Eurydice and Patrick Page as Hades. Brett Sullivan of Stream and Sound directed. A UK date for theatrical release will be announced at a later date. 

    The musical, directed by Rachel Chavkin, combines the two mythic love stories of Orpheus and Eurydice and Hades and Persephone, as Orpheus must go down to Hades’ underworld to rescue Eurydice after hard times befall the couple. The show began as a concept album by Mitchell, who blended American folk music and New Orleans-style jazz to write the score. 

    In addition to the West End and Broadway productions, the musical had a three-year North American tour, as well as productions in South Korea, Sydney, Melbourne and Amsterdam. 

    Mara Isaacs, Dale Franzen, Hunter Arnold and Tom Kirdahy serve as producers on the production, as well as the film. 

    “We are eager to share this iconic performance of ‘Hadestown,’ featuring a unique combination of our original Broadway case and West End company, made for the big screen,” Isaacs said. “A great deal of love and care has gone into capturing the show on film, allowing it to live beyond the stage and reach new audiences around the world for years to come.”

    Crosswalk and LD plan to release more live theater captures. Bleecker released the live capture of the musical Waitress in 2023, while Crosswalk recently released the KPOP concert film Stray Kids: The domiATE Experience. 

    “We are thrilled to be embarking on our second Crosswalk release, and couldn’t be happier to be partnered with our friends at LD,” said Bleecker CEO Kent Sanderson. “Hadestown has touched the hearts of so many people around the world, and we are grateful for the opportunity to share it even more widely with this beautifully accomplished film.” 

    The film also features Bella Brown, Madeline Charlemagne and Allie Daniel as Fates, Lauren Azania, Tiago Dhondt Bamberger, Ryesha Higgs, Waylon Jacobs and Christopher Short as Workers and Lucinda Buckley, Francessca Daniella-Baker, Winny Herbert and Miriam Nyarko as swings. 

  • Andrea Martin to Receive The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment Canada Honor

    Stage and screen star Andrea Martin is set to be honored at The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment Canada gala event on May 28.

    Martin, whose recent credits include Evil, Only Murders in the Building, The Gilded Age and Overcompensating, will receive the Icon Award at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Toronto. She will be honored for a five decade career that includes playing Robin in Godspell in Toronto in 1972 in a live stage company that included future stars Gilda Radner, Martin Short, Eugene Levy and Victor Garber.

    Her iconic roles on SCTV, including as the leopard skin-wearing station manager Edith Prickley, started in 1976 when she joined fellow emerging talents John Candy, Dave Thomas, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Harold Ramis and Joe Flaherty on the classic Canadian sketch comedy series. 

    Crossing over to Hollywood, Martin went on to star in the My Big Fat Greek Wedding film series, stage her one-woman show Andrea Martin: Final Days, Everything Must Go!, and earn two Tony Awards and two Emmy Awards, among other honors.

    “Few performers have shaped the fabric of comedy like Andrea Martin. From her groundbreaking work on SCTV to her celebrated career on Broadway and across film and television, her artistry has defined eras, influenced generations, and expanded what comedic and dramatic performances can be,” The Hollywood Reporter said in a statement as WIE Canada organizers announced Martin for the career tribute.

    The upcoming third annual WIE Canada summit will again bring together the Canadian industry across TV, film and music to celebrate and recognize the achievements of women leading the industry forward. The all-day event is attended by top homegrown producers, actors, musicians and execs.

    Martin joins previously announced honoree Malin Akerman, who will receive the Impact Award at the May 28 gala, with more honorees and special guests to be announced in the coming weeks.

  • Bill Maher to Receive Mark Twain Prize for Humor After White House Had Called It “Fake News”

    Bill Maher to Receive Mark Twain Prize for Humor After White House Had Called It “Fake News”

    The Kennedy Center will present the 27th Mark Twain Prize for American Humor to Bill Maher.

    The announcement comes one week after members of Trump’s administration said a report in the Atlantic, stating that Maher would be the recipient, was “fake news.” 

    “This is fake news. Bill Maher will NOT be getting this award,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at the time. 

    “Literally FAKE NEWS,” White House Communications director Steven Cheung said. 

    On Thursday, the Kennedy Center confirmed Maher as the recipient for the ceremony set to take place June 28 at the arts institution. The program will premiere exclusively on Netflix, with the streaming date to be announced. 

    Public financial records for The Kennedy Center from fiscal 2024 underscore how the award is a driver of revenue, thanks to its corporate sponsorship and streaming deal with Netflix. The filings show that the Center recorded receipts of $5.2 million from The Mark Twain Prize.

    The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor recognizes individuals who have had an impact on American society in the same vein as Mark Twain. 

    Maher has hosted HBO’s Real Time for more than 20 years, after about a decade hosting Politically Incorrect on Comedy Central and ABC. He has received 42 Emmy nominations and won his first Emmy in 2014 as executive producer on the HBO Series VICE. 

    “For nearly three decades, the Mark Twain Prize has celebrated some of the greatest minds in comedy,” said Roma Daravi, Vice President of Public Relations. “For even longer, Bill has been influencing American discourse – one politically incorrect joke at a time.”

    “Thank you to the Mark Twain people: I just had the award explained to me, and apparently it’s like an Emmy, except I win,” Maher said “I’d just like to say that it is indeed humbling to get anything named for a man who’s been thrown out of as many school libraries as Mark Twain.”

     Previous recipients of the Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize are Richard Pryor (1998), Jonathan Winters (1999), Carl Reiner (2000), Whoopi Goldberg (2001), Bob Newhart (2002), Lily Tomlin (2003), Lorne Michaels (2004), Steve Martin (2005), Neil Simon (2006), Billy Crystal (2007), George Carlin (2008), Bill Cosby (2009; rescinded in 2018), Tina Fey (2010), Will Ferrell (2011), Ellen DeGeneres (2012), Carol Burnett (2013), Jay Leno (2014), Eddie Murphy (2015), Bill Murray (2016), David Letterman (2017), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (2018), Dave Chappelle (2019), Jon Stewart (2022), Adam Sandler (2023), Kevin Hart (2024), and Conan O’Brien (2025).