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Review: “Succession” Episode 5 Gives Sarah Snook, Kieran Culkin Shining Moments and Clinches Their Emmy Awards

Roger Friedman
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Review: “Succession” Episode 5 Gives Sarah Snook, Kieran Culkin Shining Moments and Clinches Their Emmy Awards

The great thing about how “Succession” is written is that each actor is given amazing scenes to submit for the Emmy Awards. Each character has moments in which they shine. And they are all breathtaking.

In Episode 5, we have not yet had Logan Roy’s funeral. It’s only a day or two — Roman can’t actually remember — since he died.

The whole gang gets on private planes to Lukas Matsson’s GoJo company retreat in Norway where The Deal to sell Waystar will be renegotiated and finalized. Maybe. Nothing is certain. The death is still very fresh, and the kids have left Connor back in New York to finalize funeral plans. (Maybe that’s the week after.)

I don’t know if the production actually filmed in Norway or upstate New York, but wherever it is, it’s amazing. Most of the episode takes place at this largely outdoors camp for billionaires, which isn’t easy to do to. But the starkness of the architecture, plus the gray skies, adds to the dread that builds through the whole process of deciding futures.

As I said, every actor gets tremendous moments in every episode. But this particular chapter belongs to Sarah Snook, Kieran Culkin, and Alexander Skarsgard. They tear the wood from the walls. Even the nails come flying up. Long scenes — an intimate one between Shiv and Matsson, and then a brutally raw one between Roman and Mattson — will leave you breathless. I was as rattled and haven’t stopped thinking about them. All the actors deserve Emmys and whatever other awards are out there.

There are five more episodes remaining for “Succession.” I don’t know what direction they will take. The dynamics have shifted certainly, and they could shift again easily. But with Logan, the kids’ mutual enemy, gone, the playing field has been reset. There’s a camaraderie now, but that could change also. There’s also the matter of Shiv and Tom’s marriage, her pregnancy, and what if anything, Cousin Greg, is planning.

Another night of must-see TV. Whew! I’m exhausted.

PS There is no ensemble like this on TV. “Yellowstone” looks silly by comparison. The Emmys should come up with a special award for this group! I guess that’s just Best TV Drama.

The Long Knives Come for Robert Kennedy Jr Involving His Sex Life, Wife Who Committed Suicide, Reckless Past

Roger Friedman
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The Long Knives Come for Robert Kennedy Jr Involving His Sex Life, Wife Who Committed Suicide, Reckless Past

Actor Billy Baldwin knows new wanna be presidential candidate Robert Kennedy Jr. well. Very well. He writes on Twitter, showing a photo of Kennedy’s dead second wife, Mary Richardson:

“This is Mary Richardson Kennedy.
Robert Kennedy’s 2nd wife and mother to four of his six children.
She was an incredible woman.
A wonderful mother, wife and activist.
Sadly she is no longer with us.

She cried on my shoulder about Bobby numerous times at their former home on Bedford Road, my former home on Chestnut Ridge Road, at the Canaan Ridge School and the Saw Mill Club.

If Bobby were half a man she would still be alive today.
It will all come out.
His campaign will be over in weeks.
If these walls could talk.”

The long knives are coming for RFK Jr, a well known philanderer with a drug past and a wife dead from suicide. The New York Post has a great story about a Kennedy diary from 2001 in which he ranked his sex partners. USA Today is running a piece from the Gannett paper in Westchester County New York about the suicide. People Magazine and the Daily Mail are running pieces today, too.

Kennedy’s sister, Kerry Kennedy, has expressed that her family will not backing her brother. She issued a statement on April 6th:  “I love my brother Bobby, but I do not share or endorse his opinions on many issues, including the COVID pandemic, vaccinations, and the role of social media platforms in policing false information. It is also important to note that Bobby’s views are not reflected in or influence the mission or work of our organization.”

Kennedy has unleashed the wrath of people who know him here in New York going back 30 years. It will not stop. Why he thought he could get past this is beyond me. It’s only a matter of time before some of the women start talking. One of them is a TV star who could do him a lot of damage. This would be a good time to withdraw from this path loaded with landmines.

Curb Your Enthusiasm, Please: Anti-Vaxxer Robert Kennedy Jr., Who Wanted His Father’s Murderer Released from Jail, Running for President

Roger Friedman
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Curb Your Enthusiasm, Please: Anti-Vaxxer Robert Kennedy Jr., Who Wanted His Father’s Murderer Released from Jail, Running for President

Listen to me: Robert Kennedy Jr. is crazy. He’s running for president, he says. But his famous family is not backing him. His sisters, Rory and Kerry, are not going to endorse him.

Why? He’s nuts. He’s completely anti-vax and wrote a book against Dr. Anthony Fauci. You may not like Dr. Fauci, but he saved our lives. Without him, millions more would have died from COVID.

Before that he blamed autism on childhood vaccines.

Robert Kennedy, Jr. is also nuts because he advocated for the release of his father’s murderer, Sirhan Sirhan. His family put an end to that crazy idea.

In New York it won’t take long for Kennedy’s private life to come out. Married now to “Curb Your Enthusiasm” actress Cheryl Hines, Kennedy has a poor track record. He was divorced twice. His second wife committed suicide, she was found hanging in his barn. Kennedy had a lot of relationships during those marriages, at least one with a well known actress. It may come out, but no one wants to embarrass the woman. Plus if you think Hunter Biden was an issue, the Kennedy baggage is unmatched, comes in many colors and sizes.

Kennedy is also not physically well. He suffers from Parkinson’s Disease. If you think Joe Biden’s age is against him, Parkinson’s is so debilitating you would not want someone with it running the country.

The best thing about a Kennedy run is it eats into Trump and DeSantis’s kooks. But he’s not a Democrat like his father or uncles. He stands for nothing that a true Democrat would be interested in. Believe me, there’s more to come…

Cannes Exclusive: Legendary French Actress Catherine Deneuve Will Grace This Year’s Official Poster

Roger Friedman
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Cannes Exclusive: Legendary French Actress Catherine Deneuve Will Grace This Year’s Official Poster

Catherine Deneuve is getting the star treatment at Cannes this year –and she deserves it.

The legendary French actress will be featured on the festival’s poster and all marketing materials. This is very prestigious for all parties!

I’m told Deneuve’s daughter, Chiara Mastroianni, will represent her mother at the opening ceremony. Her father was the late great Marcelo Mastroianni, of course.

Plus: Anna Biolay, Chiara’s daughter, is starring in a film this year in Un Certain Regard.

A family affair!

“Beau is Afraid” of Reporting Box Office Numbers Since Audience Rating is Only 71% for Three Hours Joaquin Phoenix Horror

Roger Friedman
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“Beau is Afraid” of Reporting Box Office Numbers Since Audience Rating is Only 71% for Three Hours Joaquin Phoenix Horror

After an initial weekend run at four theaters, “Beau is Afraid” has disappeared from the box office reports.

On Sunday, A24 reported huge per screen takes since, again, the three hour movie starring Joaquin Phoenix was in just four theaters. And each day after opening showed a drastic decrease. Word of mouth must not have been good.

But the interest in what’s said to be a very self indulgent fantasy may have ebbed. On Rotten Tomatoes the audience rating is just 71%, which isn’t very promising. There’s little interest in sitting though three hours of navel gazing even in a bunch of new metaverses.

“Beau is Afraid” of the ongoing box office report. There was none yesterday for Monday, and likely none today for yesterday (unless this item forces their hand). At the same time, A24 knows that this won’t play out like that other Emperor’s New Clothes movie, “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” You can’t fool the audience twice. And in the fall, Phoenix’s Oscar campaign is going to be for “Gladiator 2,” not this cinematic quicksand.

Lincoln Center Film Society Chaplin Awards: Dozens of Tickets Still Available at Every Price for Next Monday’s Tribute to Viola Davis

Roger Friedman
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Lincoln Center Film Society Chaplin Awards: Dozens of Tickets Still Available at Every Price for Next Monday’s Tribute to Viola Davis

Next Monday comes the Chaplin Awards at Film at Lincoln Center. They’re honoring Viola Davis, who’ll be there along with Meryl Streep and a bunch of A list stars. Everyone loves Viola.

But so far there are tickets to be had by the dozen on the Lincoln Center website. And I mean, at every price. I was able to briefly reserve $103,000 worth of seats tonight from $10,000 gala plus dinner down to $150 to sit way in the back of Alice Tully Hall and not get a peanut. I was able to secure blocks of ten and blocks of four without any trouble.

So what’s going on? Viola Davis should be a big draw. Not only is La Streep coming but so are her “The Help” mate Jessica Chastain, directors Steve McQueen, George C. Wolfe, and Gina Prince-Bythewood, and actress Jayme Lawson from “The Woman King.” (Where is Denzel Washington in all this? He should really be there.)

I haven’t been to the Chaplin Awards since 2017 (they’re not crazy about press) but it sounds like a solid night for movie fans. Tickets can still be found — in bulk — at www.filmlinc.org.

Broadway: Tom Stoppard Is On His Way to Win a Tony Award and (Hopefully) A Pulitzer Prize for “Leopoldstadt”

Roger Friedman
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Broadway: Tom Stoppard Is On His Way to Win a Tony Award and (Hopefully) A Pulitzer Prize for “Leopoldstadt”

British-Czech playwright has six Tony Awards for writing the Best Play on Broadway. This June should come his 7th statue, and maybe even a Pulitzer Prize.

I went back last week to see again his real masterwork, “Leopoldstadt.” The Longacre Theater was full, which was good since this production set to close in July. Frankly, it should run forever.

This time, a few standbys were in the cast. Plus Josh Malina, of “West Wing” fame, is now playing the key role of Herman, originally played by David Krumholtz.

But the original players are still there mostly including Brandon Uranowitz, Betsy Aidem, Jenna Augen, and the amazing Faye Castelow. Actually, the whole cast is amazing as this Jewish family in Vienna begins at the end of the 19th century feeling that they’ve made it financially and socially. They even have a Christmas tree so it looks like they fit in. One member has become a Catholic. Another has married a non Jew. This group of the family has convinced themselves they are Austrian above anything else, guaranteeing them assimilation and success.

Of course, they couldn’t be more wrong. Over the next two hours and ten minutes their lives will be destroyed, devastatingly and they would say — unexpectedly. But the writing has been on the wall. They’ve just refused to see it.

“Leopoldstadt” is a historical tale but it’s also a warning for Jews in 2023. That’s why it resonates so loudly and cuts so deeply. Antisemitism all over the world has increased tremendously. Even in New York, where people feel safe, the threat always looms. Are we ignoring the writing on the wall? I know plenty of people who feel like the family on this stage, wrapped in their own success, ignoring the signs around them. This is why when the “Leopoldstadt” comes to its close there’s a lot of sniffling in the audience. Every immigrant can identify with this experience.

You have until July 2nd to see this play. Don’t miss it.

Hollywood Retreat: Jonathan Majors’ “Magazine Dreams” Have Turned Into a Nightmare for Disney’s Searchlight and Marvel Studios

Roger Friedman
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Hollywood Retreat: Jonathan Majors’ “Magazine Dreams” Have Turned Into a Nightmare for Disney’s Searchlight and Marvel Studios

Jonathan Majors was the hottest movie star of the winter. He starred in “Creed III” and “Ant Man 3” and was Most Wanted by every studio. His Sundance film, “Magazine Dreams,” was bought up by Disney’s Searchlight studio for a lot of money and set for late fall release with Oscars on the agenda.

Not only that: Majors’ Kang the Conqueror was set to be the new villain in two “Avengers” movies set for 2025 and 2026 from Marvel, which is also Disney. How much hotter could you be? I met Majors at the Oscars and, like everyone else, was thrilled to greet the new hot star in town.

But then came The Incident. A week after the Oscars, in New York, Majors was arrested on domestic violence charges. It’s claimed he tried to strangle his girlfriend. He’s innocent until proven guilty, but not in Hollywood. This week his management company and his publicity team each dropped him. His talent agency is still with him, but everyone else seems to have fled before hearing the evidence. Majors has to be crushed. No one could have predicted this career destruction.

Can it be fixed? If Majors can bring the public proof that he’s innocent, yes. And quickly. He’s losing jobs left and right. Searchlight has the biggest exposure right now. They’ve invested a lot in “Magazine Dreams.” But they’ve also been down this road before. A few years ago they set up Nate Parker’s “The Birth of a Nation” until Parker got trapped in the scandal surrounding his undisclosed college rape trial. The whole Oscar campaign was shelved, the movie was dumped into theaters, and no one spoke of it again. This could happen to “Magazine Dreams.” Let’s hope it doesn’t, and this is all a big misunderstanding.

Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” So Long It Will Be Killer of Cannes Saturday Night

Roger Friedman
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Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” So Long It Will Be Killer of Cannes Saturday Night

Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” is long, long, long. I was told a while ago that it logged in at nearly four hours. Now Deadline says it’s down to three hours, twenty six minutes.

“Killers” is supposed to premiere in Cannes on Saturday, May 20th. But even if the film unfurls at 6pm sharp, it will take up the entire evening on the Croisette. And “sharp” is not a term heard a lot at Cannes events. In all likelihood, “Killers” won’t start rolling much before 7pm, ending at 10pm with the requisite “fifteen minute standing ovation” that accompanies every film.

The Flower Moon won’t be the only thing the Scorsese film kills off. All parties and events connected to the actual festival will take a hit, too. By 10:15pm that crowd will be ravenous and not looking forward to a half hour ride to the Hotel du Cap Eden Roc or Antibes in general. Apple and Paramount may have to feed their guests right on the spot!

The length of “Killers” is not unprecedented. Back in 2008, Steven Soderberg unveiled his movie about Che Guevara, shot in natural light and lasting four hours and change. There was even a bathroom break. The great publicist Peggy Siegal brought a buffet in her large handbag with crackers and cheese. She was the most popular person in the Palais!

Fox News Caves on $1.6 Bil Defamation Suit, Settles with Dominion, Murdoch Avoids Trial, Will Pay $787.5 Million

Roger Friedman
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0
Fox News Caves on $1.6 Bil Defamation Suit, Settles with Dominion, Murdoch Avoids Trial, Will Pay $787.5 Million

Fox News has caved in and settled the $1.6 billion defamation case brought by Dominion Voting Systems. They will pay $787.5 million to Dominion.

All news outlets are reporting this except for the NY Post and Foxnews.com. The Wall Street Journal has posted a terse two paragraph story. Fox News’s Howard Kurtz just appeared on the network 20 minutes after all the other news networks. They are all owned by Rupert Murdoch.

Murdoch had to settle. He had to avoid a trial in which he would have to testify as well as his lying news anchors. There’s speculation that Dominion took $1 billion from Fox. Howard Kurtz just read a statement on Fox News that didn’t sound very conciliatory.

Huge success for foes of Fox News. More to come..

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