SAG-AFTRA Contract Talks Extended; ESPN Cuts Top Talent; Alan Arkin Remembered; Karlovy Vary Kicks Off

[View on web]( [New reader? Subscribe]( July 01, 2023 What's news: Ezra Miller speaks out after their harassment order expires. A fire broke out on the Warner Bros. lot. Freeform cancels Single Drunk Female and The Watchful Eye. Tron 3 adds Jodie Turner-Smith. The Bear's Molly Gordon discusses finding catharsis on the set. — [Ryan Gajewski]( SAG-AFTRA Contract Talks Extended ►Last-minute extension. Industry insiders concerned about the possibility of a potential actors strike will have to wait a little bit longer to know for sure. SAG-AFTRA and top studios and streamers have agreed to extend their current contract negotiations until July 12 at 11:59 p.m. The announcement that the two parties would delay the expiration of the union's current TV/theatrical contracts package arrived mere hours before those agreements were set to expire. [The story.]( —"This is an extremely challenging process." THR's [Alex Weprin]( reports that ESPN is cutting a number of on-air personalities as it seeks further cost savings. The new round includes "a small group of job cuts," as well as "an ongoing focus on managing costs when we negotiate individual contract renewals in the months ahead," per an ESPN statement. About 20 people were notified that they were let go, including Jeff Van Gundy, Max Kellerman, Suzy Kolber, Keyshawn Johnson and Jalen Rose. [The story.]( —Turbulence in the diversity and inclusion space. Jeanell English has resigned from her role as executive vp impact and inclusion at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences a year after beginning in that position. English was promoted to the then-newly created position in July 2022, reporting directly to Academy CEO Bill Kramer. English joins a string of diversity and inclusion executives who have left their posts or been laid off in the past month, including Warner Bros. Discovery's Karen Horne, Netflix’s Vernā Myers and Disney's Latondra Newton. [The story.]( —"I have been unjustly and directly targeted." A judge has allowed a temporary harassment order against Ezra Miller to expire. The Greenfield District Court order, put in place in June 2022, was brought by the mother of a 12-year-old Massachusetts child. Now the Flash star is pushing back against those claims in a rare public statement after the order was lifted. [The story.]( Alan Arkin 1934 - 2023 ►"A uniquely talented force of nature." Alan Arkin, the versatile actor who finally won an Oscar — for Little Miss Sunshine — after making a career of disappearing into characters with turns that could be comic, chilling or charming, has died. Known for The Russians Are Coming, The In-Laws, The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter and Argo, the performer was 89. [The obituary.]( —"I thought he'd live forever." Michael Douglas, John Cusack, Anne Hathaway and Sheryl Lee Ralph are among the stars paying tribute to the late actor. Little Miss Sunshine co-star Abigail Breslin called Alan Arkin one of the "kindest, gentlest and hilarious actors" she’s ever worked with. [The story.]( —"Arkin could be as scary as he was funny." THR's Frank Scheck heralds Alan Arkin as the king of comforting wryness. Frank writes that the Oscar-winning actor turned irascibility into an art form — and made it seem like the most natural and intelligent response to a world gone mad. [The critic's appreciation.]( Latest Anonymous Strike Diary ►"It is true — this strike is not, actually, for us." THR's series of frank accounts of the writers strike continues. The Well-Known Creator is back, and the showrunner contemplates who the WGA walk-out is really for as he reflects on his past and the future. [The diary.]( —Shedding a pair of scripted originals. Freeform has canceled sophomore comedy Single Drunk Female and rookie drama The Watchful Eye. The news comes four months after Disney's Dana Walden shuffled her executive ranks and gave oversight of Freeform to Simran Sethi, the ABC development executive who previously headed up originals for the younger-skewing broadcast network. [The story.]( —The legacy continues. Jodie Turner-Smith, who starred in 2019's Queen & Slim, has joined the cast of Tron: Ares, the third installment of Disney's technology-pushing movie series. Jared Leto, Greta Lee and Evan Peters have already logged on to the cyber adventure, which is gearing up for an August shoot in Vancouver. [The story.]( —No injuries were reported. THR's [Aaron Couch]( reports that fire broke out on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank on Friday, after what a source described as the sound of an explosion heard shortly before 2 p.m. Power was at least partially out on the lot, according to the source. It is not believed to have been a deliberate act, and the fire — which was soon put out — is being labeled an accident, according to a Warners insider. [The story.]( —"It becomes an even bigger ensemble show." THR's [Seija Rankin]( talks to The Bear's Molly Gordon about finding catharsis — and bolognese — on the set of the show's second season. The actress, who joined the award-winning series as the love interest to Jeremy Allen White's chef Carmy, discusses that heartbreaking final fight scene. [The interview.]( Russell Crowe, Alicia Vikander Kick Off Karlovy Vary Film Fest ►"I was unaware of this film festival until very recently." THR's Georg Szalai reports on the opening ceremony of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic. The 57th edition of Central Europe's largest cinema party got underway with stars, the sounds of Morcheeba and excitement on the red carpet as Alicia Vikander and Russell Crowe received honors. [The story.]( —"I am convinced that Johnny Depp will one day return." Johnny Depp was back at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, kind of — onscreen, not in person. The event's opening ceremony in the Czech spa town featured the much-anticipated premiere of its annual trailer starring the Pirates of the Caribbean actor. [The story.]( —"The small territory we have is perfectly enough for us." Karlovy Vary's opening ceremony also featured political commentary from Czech actor and TV presenter Marek Eben. This included an apparent reference to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in addition to a mention of the Chinese government banning the nation's movies from screening in the Czech Republic. [The story.]( This Week's Must Reads ►THR's Digital Cover Story. When Eva Longoria first moved to L.A. 25 years ago, she would audition for the Latina roles and be told she was too white and then audition for the white roles and be told she was too Latina. She's come a long way since then. After the success of Desperate Housewives, Longoria tells THR's [Mia Galuppo]( that she made a concerted effort to pursue directing, despite initial resistance: "It was like, 'Here comes a dumb actor.'" Ten years later, she released her feature film debut, Flamin' Hot, marrying her ambitions with her advocacy for Latinos, both onscreen and off. [The cover story.]( —"Other writers tell stories about The Other Two writers' rooms like other people tell ghost stories." The Other Two, the cult Max comedy about the inner workings of Hollywood, concluded June 29 with its season three finale. THR's [Lesley Goldberg]( and [Gary Baum]( report that the ending follows multiple staff complaints about creators and showrunners Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider over the course of the production, though several insiders say that there is no causal connection between the complaints and the decision to end with season three. [The story.]( —"Super weird to have stand-up as your safety net." As the WGA nears the third month of the writers strike, one section of entertainment remains thriving amid the work stoppage: stand-up comedy. THR's [Kirsten Chuba]( reports that comedy and late night writers are booking up venues across the country as a way to stay busy and make ends meet: "Good to be able to do comedy and not have some CEO make money off of it." [The story.]( —"Always be prepared, on time, humble and well-dressed." THR's annual New York's Top Real Estate Agents list is back, highlighting NYC and the Hamptons' top agents who are inking marquee deals and helping A-list clients navigate the market. [The list.]( In other news... —Patrick Corcoran [exits the National Association of Theatre Owners]( after more than two decades as vp —Misty Copeland discusses her short film Flower and [transitioning from the ballet stage to the big screen]( —Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny digs up [$7.2 million in Thursday previews at the box office]( —[Events of the week]( The Afterparty, Joy Ride and more What else we're reading... —Mikael Wood asks whether the hot-garbage stench of HBO's The Idol will cling to star The Weeknd [[LAT]( —Lucas Shaw explores how Taylor Swift manages to make more than $13 million a night on her current tour [[Bloomberg]( —Lindsay Zoladz picks 16 songs to soundtrack your Fourth of July barbecue [[NYT]( —Tariro Mzezewa examines what it takes to be a Tomato Girl, as celebrated by the latest TikTok trend [[Slate]( —Jaya Saxena explores how drag queens use cookbooks to flip femininity [[Eater]( Today... Debbie Harry (78), Léa Seydoux (36), Pamela Anderson (56), Liv Tyler (46), Jared Keeso (39), Hilarie Burton (41), Julianne Nicholson (52), Alan Ruck (67), Sonoya Mizuno (37), Melissa Peterman (52), Dan Aykroyd (71), Andre Braugher (61), Hannah Murray (34), Storm Reid (20), Jordi Mollà (55), Caitlin Thompson (36), Chloe Bailey (25), Fortune Feimster (41), Amanda Seales (42) Do you have THR's next big story? Confidentially share tips with us at [tips@thr.com](mailto:tips@thr.com?subject=). This email was sent to {EMAIL} by The Hollywood Reporter. Please add email@email.hollywoodreporter.com to your address book to ensure delivery to your inbox. Visit the [Preferences Center]( to update your profile and customize what email alerts and newsletters you receive. Copyright © 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media, LLC. 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