(L to R) Ariana DeBose and Bobby Cannavale star in ‘Scarpetta’.
Moviefone recently spoke with Bobby Cannavale and Ariana DeBose about their work on Scarpetta, DeBose’s first reaction to the series and her approach to her character, Cannavale collaborating with his son Jake to portray the same role, and their experiences working with Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with DeBose and Cannavale, as well as Simon Baker, Hunter Parish, Jake Cannavale, showrunner Liz Sarnoff, and author Patricia Cornwell.
Moviefone: To begin with, what was your first reaction to this series and your approach to playing Lucy and the grief that she is going through?
Ariana DeBose: I thought that was just inherently very compelling. I’d never seen a grief process dramatized in this way, with the tech elements, as we call it. I hope viewers will watch and tune in and find out exactly what I’m talking about. It allowed for an interesting exploration. I don’t know that it’s ever been explored in this way. I like trying new things. So, when you get an opportunity to play a character that is so wildly layered, not only in her personality or her circumstances, but in this very specific emotional process that she’s going through, and it’s in a sandbox with these great people? Yeah, I think I’ll do that.
MF: Bobby, you and your son, Jake, both play the same character but in different time periods. Did you work together to create one seamless performance, or did it feel like you were both working on two separate projects?
Bobby Cannavale: You know, a little bit of both. I certainly didn’t want to tell him how to play the part. I think Jake’s physical mannerisms are a done deal. He knows how to look like me, and act like me. I guess what we talked about really was, where this guy was coming from before he met up with, Nicole’s character, Kay and how to incrementally find his way to a mutually respectful relationship with her because that is where they are 30 years later. So, we want that to grow incrementally. That’s why there is so much tension and static between them early on. I think that’s fascinating to watch. When we meet them 30 years later in the present day, they are harboring a pretty deep and dark secret. I think like calibrating where they are earlier in the show and making sure that we don’t get too far ahead for the audience, was something we did talk about.
MF: Bobby, what was it like for you to work with Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis on this project?
BC: The way I heard about the project was I got a text from Jamie Lee, and I didn’t know Jamie. She got my number somehow. She’s very direct and I like people like that, especially in this business. I said, “What is it?” She went on and on about Patricia and Patricia’s work, which I had not read. She encouraged me to read some of her stuff and I did, and then, it was a no-brainer. Jamie is so talented. She’s so enigmatic and you just want to be around her energy. Nicole, I had worked with on ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ some years ago and I was up for playing with her again. That’s not a hard decision to make.
MF: Finally, Ariana, what was your experience like working with Nicole and Jamie Lee to create the dynamic between those three characters?
AD: I will say every day I got to go to work, it was an exciting day because I knew I would get to be in the sandbox and just watch master’s at their craft and take notes. It’s like the finest form of flattery, right? When I watch something that I like, I put things in my toolbox. To share space and time and energy with them, it’s just a real gift. I think they’re the type of actors and artists that make all your chakras come alive when you’re in a scene with them. So, you’re going to sweat, but you’re going to have a great time. Ultimately, I think when you have the privilege to work with actors like Nicole, Jamie Lee, Bobby, and Simon (Baker), and really all the very fine actors in our cast, you come out better. Every day I got to go to work was like getting an education on the thing that I love to do.
‘Scarpetta’ premieres March 11th on Prime Video.
What is the plot of ‘’Scarpetta’?
Kay Scarpetta (Nicole Kidman) is a brilliant and beautiful forensic pathologist, the protagonist in a beloved series of crime novels. Inspired by former Virginia Chief Medical Examiner Marcella Farinelli Fierro MD (retired), she employs advanced forensic technology to unravel mysteries and solve crimes. Throughout the series, Scarpetta, of Italian descent, navigates her investigative journey across various settings, including Florida, Virginia, and Charleston, South Carolina.
While ‘One Battle After Another’ has been the presumed winner the entire awards season, having taken home Best Picture at every major award show including Critics Choice, Golden Globes, and BAFTA, ‘Sinners’ won Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture at the Actor Awards, building some momentum for the Ryan Coogler helmed film.
It’s also been assumed that Paul Thomas Anderson would finally receive Best Director from the Oscars, especially after winning Outstanding Directorial Achievement from the DGA, but don’t count out a surprise win from Coogler just yet.
Speaking of ‘Sinners’, although Timothée Chalamet won Best Actor for ‘Marty Supreme’ from Critic’s Choice and the Golden Globes, he failed to win at BAFTA, and lost to Michael B Jordan at the Actors Awards, which signals trouble for Chalamet’s Oscar run.
On the other hand, ‘Hamnet’s Jessie Buckley has had virtually no competition in her race to the Best Actress Oscar and after winning every other major award, I don’t think anything can stop her from taking home gold on Oscar night.
Best Supporting Actress seems like a two-way race between Golden Globe winner Teyana Taylor for ‘One Battle’ and Actor Awards winner Amy Madigan for ‘Weapons‘, however, ‘Sinners’ Wunmi Mosaku is still in the mix.
Finally, the Best Supporting Actor category is fairly wide open, with BAFTA and Actor Awards winner Sean Penn currently the frontrunner fighting off Golden Globe winner Stellan Skarsgård for ‘Sentimental Value’. But the Oscars love a surprise, so if ‘Sinners’ has a big night, Delroy Lindo could end up having a surprise win.
Below are our predictions for who will win Oscars on Sunday at the 98th Academy Awards. We are only breaking down our predictions for the six major categories, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress.
Leonardo Di Caprio as Bob Ferguson in ‘One Battle After Another.’ A Warner Bros. Pictures Release. Photo Credit: Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures.
Well, now we finally have a real race!
Since the start of this awards season it has seemed preordained that director Paul Thomas Anderson’s ‘One Battle After Another’ would finally earn the filmmaker a long overdue win for Best Picture. The film has won almost every precursor needed to be the frontrunner, including wins at Critics Choice, Golden Globes, BAFTA, and the all important Producers Guild of America Awards.
However, don’t count ‘Sinners’ out just yet! After grabbing an Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture win at the Actor Awards, as well as Michael B. Jordan’s win for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role, the vampire epic now has real momentum.
It also did better at the box office than ‘One Battle’, which sometimes but not always is a factor. But keep in mind that Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture at the Actor Awards is basically a recognition of ensemble acting and not necessarily a film award. And while ‘One Battle’ was also in that category, I don’t buy into the narrative that ‘Sinners’ “beat” ‘One Battle’ for Best Picture at SAG.
It now seems like we have a two-way race but ‘Hamnet’ is still in the mix after winning a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Drama, and remember it was produced by Oscar favorite Steven Spielberg.
Keep in mind that the Academy uses a preferential ballot for Best Picture, meaning the winner isn’t simply the film with the most No. 1 votes. Instead, voters rank the nominees, and if no film receives more than 50% of the first-place votes, the movie with the fewest No. 1 votes is eliminated and its ballots are redistributed to the next highest-ranked film on those ballots. That process continues until one film crosses the 50% threshold. In other words, it’s not just about passion at the top — it’s about broad support.
The real question isn’t only who voters rank No. 1, but which film consistently appears in the No. 2 and No. 3 spots and can accumulate support as other contenders fall away. My guess is that many voters may not rank ‘Sinners’ first, but could place it second or third, giving it a plausible path in later rounds. Still, the safer bet remains ‘One Battle’, which feels more likely to build the majority coalition needed to win.
(L to R) Leonardo Di Caprio and Director/Writer/Producer Paul Thomas Anderson on the set of ‘One Battle After Another.’ A Warner Bros. Pictures Release. Photo Credit: Merrick Morton.
Just like the Best Picture race, since the start of this current awards season it has seemed like this was “Paul Thomas Anderson’s Year”, and that the ‘Boogie Nights’ director would finally win his long-awaited Best Director Oscar. With directorial wins at every other award show including Critics Choice, Golden Globes, BAFTA, and the all important Directors Guild Awards, it does look like Anderson will finally win Best Director at the Oscars.
But what about Ryan Coogler? While he has yet to win a director’s award this season, he is definitely Anderson’s biggest competition, especially now that the film is surging late. Typically, Best Picture and Best Director go hand in hand, but not always, and much like when Damien Chazelle won best director for ‘La La Land‘ but ‘Moonlight‘ went on to win Best Picture, we could see a similar spilt this year. But if we do, I think it is more likely that Anderson still wins Best Director, and the surprise win comes for ‘Sinners’ in Best Picture.
Let’s be honest, the Academy usually don’t get it right! They could be thinking that Coogler will return with another film in the near future, and want to finally reward Anderson now for ‘One Battle’ as well as his overall career, assuming that Coogler’s time will come sooner than later. While I would love to see an upset and have Coogler win, I would also like to see the Academy finally reward Anderson for his body of work, which I think will be the final result on Oscar night.
This is the race to really keep an eye on! The Oscars love a surprise, and if there is going to be a big surprise on Oscar night, it will be in this category.
Timothée Chalamet began the awards season with wins from Critics Choice and Golden Globes, making it look like he was a lock for a Best Actor win at the Oscars. But, when he lost the BAFTA to Robert Aramayo for ‘I Swear‘, who is not even in the Oscar race, it left the young actor’s Oscar chances vulnerable.
That brings us to Michael B. Jordan, who in my opinion gave the best performance of the year, and recently beat Chalamet at the all important Actor Awards. Historically, one Actor Award win is not enough to ensure an Oscar win, as demonstrated by Chalamet last year when he won Best Actor from SAG for ‘A Complete Unknown‘ but then lost the Oscar race to Adrien Brody for ‘The Brutalist‘. But Jordan has the surging momentum of ‘Sinners’ behind him and a lot of goodwill from Academy voters, while Chalamet seems to be cooling off and has fueled criticism for his unusual Oscar campaign style and recent comments on “ballet and opera.”
There is also a theory that Chalamet is really being rewarded for his performance last year in ‘A Complete Unknown’, when he should have won, and not his performance this year in ‘Marty Supreme’. The Academy tends to do that and often tries to make up for their past mistakes. For example, after not nominating Paul Giamatti for ‘Sideways‘, which he should have been nominated for, the following year he was nominated for ‘Cinderella Man‘. So, if Chalamet does win, it will be for playing Bob Dylan and not for playing Marty Mauser!
Also working against Chalamet is the fact that the Academy typically does not give young actors the Best Actor trophy. They love giving the Best Actress award to young actresses, examples including Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Lawrence, Emma Stone, and recently Mikey Madison. But, if Chalamet were to win, he would be just a few months shy of breaking Adrien Brody’s record as the youngest Best Actor recipient ever for his first win in ‘The Pianist‘. Jordan is just reaching his prime as an actor, and with a long body of work to his credit, voters could see him as a strong alternative, especially with his recent win and the ‘Sinners’ surging.
While Chalamet is statistically the frontrunner, I feel like there will be a big surprise on Oscar night and I’m betting on Jordan for the win.
There really is not much to say here. If there is any locked category this year, it is this one.
‘Hamnet’s Jessie Buckley is one win away from a “perfect award season’. After winning Best Actress at Critics Choice, Golden Globes, BAFTA, and the Actor Awards, she is almost guaranteed a win on Oscar night.
Does she have any competition? A little, but not much. Rose Byrne won a Golden Globe for ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You‘, but that’s because the Globes split the Best Actress race into two different categories, Drama and Musical or Comedy. So, Byrne did not compete in the same category as Buckley. When she has, she has lost to the ‘Hamnet’ star, and I see no reason that will not continue to take place.
Kate Hudson has been campaigning hard, but this is the only nomination ‘Song Sung Blue‘ received, and I don’t think that is enough to compete with Buckley and ‘Hamnet’, which received 8 overall nominations. ‘Sentimental Value’ does not seem to have the same momentum it did earlier in the season, leaving actress Renate Reinsve without a real path to the gold. And with two Oscars already on her shelf, Emma Stone’s nomination was more or less given just to round out the five nominees, not unlike some of Meryl Streep‘s past nominations.
The safe money is clearly on Jessie Buckley to win Best Actress, and at this point it would take a miracle for anyone else to beat her and win.
Delroy Lindo at the New York Premiere of ‘Sinners’. Photo: Warner Bros.
This is another very interesting category and one to keep an eye on for big surprises on Oscar night!
With no real frontrunner, Best Supporting Actor is wide-open and really anybody’s for the taking.
The season began with Benicio del Toro positioned as the frontrunner for ‘One Battle’, but the actor has yet to win for that performance, putting his chances of winning the Oscar in doubt.
His co-star, Sean Penn, could be considered a slight frontrunner after winning BAFTA and the Actor Award, but with two Oscars already to his name, I’m not sure the Academy is ready to hand him his third just yet. I also think that having both actors from ‘One Battle’ in the same category will split the vote, leaving them both empty handed on Oscar night.
Jacob Elordi received a surprise win for ‘Frankenstein‘ at the Critics Choice Awards, but the young actor was unable to capitalize on it and has yet to win a second award.
Veteran actor Stellan Skarsgård won the Golden Globe, but also was not able to capitalize with a second win, and with ‘Sentimental Value’s momentum cooling off, I’m not sure it will be enough to earn him the trophy.
Enter Delroy Lindo. Keep in mind that this is his first nomination this entire awards season, meaning that he has not had the opportunity to compete with his fellow nominees yet. It’s not unheard of for an actor to suddenly enter the Oscar race and win. Marcia Gay Harden successfully pulled that off when she won Best Supporting Actress for ‘Pollock‘ over Kate Hudson, the presumed frontrunner for ‘Almost Famous‘.
With ‘Sinners’ surging, Michael B. Jordan’s possible win, no real front runner in this category, and Lindo’s overall likability in the industry, I do think that he will pull off the win on Oscar night.
While its not as wide-open as Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress is really between two, maybe three actresses at this point.
Let’s just get this out of the way. Much like the two ‘One Battle’ actors in the Supporting Male category, I think ‘Sentimental Value’s Elle Fanning and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas will cancel each other out. Neither has won any major award this season, and with the film’s lack of momentum, I doubt either actress has a real shot to win.
While Wunmi Mosaku did win BAFTA, I’m not sure that will be enough to win an Oscar. ‘Sinners’ popularity could give her a boost, and if Lindo and Jordan fail to win, this could be where ‘Sinners’ gets an acting award. But since I do think Jordan and Lindo will be triumphant, I’m thinking this award will be given to someone else.
Teyana Taylor won a Golden Globe, and her film is the frontrunner for Best Picture. It would be odd for ‘One Battle’ to win Best Picture with no wins in the actor categories, so if it were to win an acting Oscar, it will be here. But Taylor has some real competition from veteran actress Amy Madigan.
The ‘Weapons’ actress began the season winning Critics Choice, but bounced around a bit before recently winning the all important Actor Award. That doesn’t make her the frontrunner, but puts her on par with Taylor. Working against Madigan is that she is ‘Weapons’ only nomination, but it’s not unheard of for an actor to win for a movie that received no other nominations. It happened when Kathy Bates won Best Actress for ‘Misery‘.
So while it’s a tight race, I think that Madigan’s long career and versatile body of work will in the end give her an edge over Taylor.
Jessica Chastain stars in ‘Dreams’. Photo: Greenwich Entertainment.
Jessica Chastain is one of the most talented and acclaimed actresses working today.
She first gained attention for her breakout role as Celia Foote in ‘The Help,’ which earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She would go on to be nominated for Best Actress for ‘Zero Dark Thirty‘ and ‘The Eyes of Tammy Faye,’ finally winning the award for the latter performance.
(L to R) Sophie Turner as Jean Grey / Phoenix and Jessica Chastain as Vuk in ‘Dark Phoenix.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.
The X-Men face their most formidable and powerful foe when one of their own, Jean Grey (Sophie Turner), starts to spiral out of control. During a rescue mission in outer space, Jean is nearly killed when she’s hit by a mysterious cosmic force. Once she returns home, this force not only makes her infinitely more powerful, but far more unstable. The X-Men must now band together to save her soul and battle aliens that want to use Grey’s new abilities to rule the galaxy.
As two evil sisters (Charlize Theron and Emily Blunt) prepare to conquer the land, two renegades—Eric the Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth), who aided Snow White in defeating Ravenna in ‘Snow White and the Huntsman‘, and his forbidden lover, Sara (Chastain)—set out to stop them.
In the aftermath of a family tragedy, an aspiring author (Mia Wasikowska) is torn between love for her childhood friend (Charlie Hunnam) and the temptation of a mysterious outsider (Tom Hiddleston). Trying to escape the ghosts of her past, she is swept away to a house that breathes, bleeds… and remembers.
In the Texas bayous, a local homicide detective (Sam Worthington) teams up with a cop from New York City (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) to investigate a series of unsolved murders.
(L to R) Peter Sarsgaard and Jessica Chastain in ‘Memory.’ Photo: Ketchup Entertainment.
Sylvia (Chastain) is a social worker who leads a simple and structured life. This is blown open when Saul (Peter Sarsgaard) follows her home from their high school reunion. Their surprise encounter will profoundly impact both of them as they open the door to the past.
27 years after overcoming the malevolent supernatural entity Pennywise, the former members of the Losers’ Club, who have grown up and moved away from Derry, are brought back together by a devastating phone call.
A group of top female agents from American (Chastain), British (Lupita Nyong’o), Chinese (Fan Bingbing), Colombian (Penelope Cruz), and German (Diane Kruger) government agencies are drawn together to try and stop an organization from acquiring a deadly weapon to send the world into chaos.
The impressionistic story of a Texas family in the 1950s. The film follows the life journey of the eldest son, Jack (Sean Penn), through the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years as he tries to reconcile a complicated relationship with his father (Brad Pitt). Jack finds himself a lost soul in the modern world, seeking answers to the origins and meaning of life while questioning the existence of faith.
Suspicious that her colleague (Eddie Redmayne) is responsible for a series of mysterious patient deaths, a nurse (Chastain) risks her own life to uncover the truth.
Molly Bloom (Chastain), a young skier and former Olympic hopeful becomes a successful entrepreneur (and a target of an FBI investigation) when she establishes a high-stakes, international poker game.
From the 1960’s to the 1980’s, evangelist Jim Baker (Andrew Garfield) and his ambitious wife, Tammy Faye (Chastain), rose from humble beginnings to to build an empire based on big-time evangelical Christianity–only for the couple to fall from grace because of some all-too-human sins.
A thriller set in New York City during the winter of 1981, statistically one of the most violent years in the city’s history, and centered on the lives of an immigrant (Oscar Isaac) and his family trying to expand their business and capitalize on opportunities as the rampant violence, decay, and corruption of the day drag them in and threaten to destroy all they have built.
In 1931, the Bondurant brothers of Franklin County, Virginia, run a multipurpose backwoods establishment that hides their true business — bootlegging. Middle brother Forrest (Tom Hardy) is the brain of the operation; older Howard (Jason Clarke) is the brawn, and younger Jack (Shia LaBeouf), the lookout. Though the local police have taken bribes and left the brothers alone, a violent war erupts when a sadistic lawman from Chicago arrives and tries to shut down the Bondurants operation.
Aibileen Clark (Viola Davis) is a middle-aged African-American maid who has spent her life raising white children and has recently lost her only son; Minny Jackson (Octavia Spencer) is an African-American maid who has often offended her employers despite her family’s struggles with money and her desperate need for jobs; and Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan (Emma Stone) is a young white woman who has recently moved back home after graduating college to find out her childhood maid has mysteriously disappeared. These three stories intertwine to explain how life in Jackson, Mississippi revolves around “the help”; yet they are always kept at a certain distance because of racial lines.
The adventures of a group of explorers who make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage.
During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive.
Jessica Chastain as Maya Harris in ‘Zero Dark Thirty.’ Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
A chronicle of the decade-long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 2001 attacks, and his death at the hands of the Navy S.E.A.L. Team 6 in May, 2011.
Neve Campbell stars in Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group’s ‘Scream 7.’
Actress Neve Campbell has been working successfully in Hollywood for over 25 years!
Campbell first rose to fame on TV with the popular series ‘Party of Five‘, and transitioned to film with successful movies like ‘The Craft‘ and ‘Wild Things‘, as well as the groundbreaking ‘Scream‘ series where she stars as Sidney Prescott.
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Since then, Campbell has also appeared on such popular Netflix series as ‘House of Cards‘ with Robin Wright and ‘The Lincoln Lawyer‘. But now, after sitting out ‘Scream VI‘, the actress returns to the horror franchise with ‘Scream 7‘, which opens in theaters on February 27th.
In honor of the new installment, Moviefone is counting down the 20 best films of Neve Campbell’s career, including ‘Scream 7’.
(L to R) Neve Campbell and Dylan McDermott in ‘Three to Tango’. Photo: Warner Bros.
Oscar (Matthew Perry) and Peter (Oliver Platt) land a career-making opportunity when a Chicago tycoon chooses them to compete for the design of a cultural center. The tycoon mistakenly believes that Oscar is gay and has him spy on his mistress Amy (Campbell). Oscar goes along with it and ends up falling in love with Amy.
During the 1940s, a group of young men go off to war, leaving behind Ethel Ann (Mischa Barton), who is in love with one of them, Teddy (Stephen Amell). In modern-day Belfast, a man named Jimmy (Martin McCann) endeavors to return a ring found in the wreckage of a crashed plane. He travels to Michigan, where the grown Ethel Ann (Shirley MacLaine), who married another man after Teddy was killed in battle, now lives. Ethel Ann must decide whether to go with Jimmy to meet the soldier who last saw Teddy alive.
As bodies begin dropping around the Hollywood set of STAB 3, the third film based on the gruesome Woodsboro killings, Sidney (Neve Campbell) and other survivors are once again terrorized by another Ghostface killer.
Belfast, 1909. The Harland and Wolff shipyard has been handed the greatest project in its history. It will build a great, unsinkable ship. And it will be called the RMS Titanic.
The recently deceased Mona Dearly (Bette Midler) was many things: an abusive wife, a domineering mother, a loud-mouthed neighbor and a violent malcontent. So when her car and corpse are discovered in the Hudson River, police Chief Wyatt Rash (Danny DeVito) immediately suspects murder rather than an accident. But, since the whole community of Verplanck, N.Y., shares a deep hatred for this unceasingly spiteful woman, Rash finds his murder investigation overwhelmed with potential suspects.
When a new Ghostface killer emerges in the quiet town where Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) has built a new life, her darkest fears are realized as her daughter becomes the next target. Determined to protect her family, Sidney must face the horrors of her past to put an end to the bloodshed once and for all.
Ten years after the original Woodsboro murders, one of the survivors returns home to promote their new book about surviving trauma, only for a new Ghostface killer to emerge, targeting a new group of teens.
Young musician Zach Sobiech (Fin Argus) discovers his cancer has spread, leaving him just a few months to live. With limited time, he follows his dream and makes an album, unaware that it will soon be a viral music phenomenon.
The circle of life continues for Simba (Matthew Broderick), now fully grown and in his rightful place as the king of Pride Rock. Simba and Nala (Moira Kelly) have given birth to a daughter, Kiara (Campbell) who’s as rebellious as her father was. But Kiara drives her parents to distraction when she catches the eye of Kovu (James Marsden), the son of the evil lioness, Zira (Suzanne Pleshette). Will Kovu steal Kiara’s heart?
When the mastermind (Mike Myers) behind New York’s infamous Studio 54 disco plucks young Shane (Ryan Phillippe) from the sea of faces clamoring to get inside his club, he not only gets his foot in the door, but lands a coveted job behind the bar — and a front-row ticket to the most legendary party on the planet!
Twenty-five years after a streak of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, a new killer has donned the Ghostface mask and begins targeting a group of teenagers to resurrect secrets from the town’s deadly past.
Set in present day Washington, D.C., House of Cards is the story of Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey), a ruthless and cunning politician, and his wife Claire (Robin Wright) who will stop at nothing to conquer everything. This wicked political drama penetrates the shadowy world of greed, sex and corruption in modern D.C.
Two years after the Woodsboro murders, Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) acclimates to college life while someone donning the Ghostface costume begins a new string of killings.
(L to R) Neve Campbell and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo in Netflix’s ‘The Lincoln Lawyer.’
Hotshot LA defense attorney Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) will do whatever it takes to win as he navigates the criminal justice system from his trademark Lincoln.
A Catholic school newcomer (Robin Tunney) falls in with a clique of teen witches (including Fairuza Balk and Campbell) who wield their powers against all who dare to cross them — be they teachers, rivals or meddlesome parents.
When teen-socialite Kelly Van Ryan (Denise Richards) and troubled bad girl Suzie Toller (Campbell) accuse guidance counselor Sam Lombardo (Matt Dillon) of rape, he’s suspended by the school, rejected by the town, and fighting to get his life back. One cop suspects conspiracy, but nothing is what it seems…
Neve Campbell in 1996’s ‘Scream’. Photo: Dimension Films.
A year after the murder of her mother, a teenage girl (Neve Campbell) is terrorized by a masked killer who targets her and her friends by using scary movies as part of a deadly game.
With six previous movies, the franchise has gone on to gross over $900 million at the box office. The latest installment, ‘Scream 7‘, once again stars Campbell and Cox, and opens in theaters on February 27th.
In honor of the new film, Moviefone is counting down every ‘Scream’ movie ever made from worst to best, including the latest.
(L to R) Parker Posey and Courteney Cox Arquette in ‘Scream 3’. Photo: Dimension Films.
As bodies begin dropping around the Hollywood set of STAB 3, the third film based on the gruesome Woodsboro killings, Sidney (Neve Campbell) and other survivors are once again terrorized by another Ghostface killer.
Hayden Panettiere in ‘Scream 4’. Photo: Dimension Films.
Ten years after the original Woodsboro murders, one of the survivors returns home to promote their new book about surviving trauma, only for a new Ghostface killer to emerge, targeting a new group of teens.
Courteney Cox stars in Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group’s ‘Scream 7.’
When a new Ghostface killer emerges in the quiet town where Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) has built a new life, her darkest fears are realized as her daughter becomes the next target. Determined to protect her family, Sidney must face the horrors of her past to put an end to the bloodshed once and for all.
Neve Campbell (“Sidney Prescott”) stars in Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group’s “Scream.”
Twenty-five years after a streak of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, a new killer has donned the Ghostface mask and begins targeting a group of teenagers to resurrect secrets from the town’s deadly past.
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2. ‘Scream 2’ (1997)
Sarah Michelle Gellar in ‘Scream 2’. Photo: Dimension Films.
Two years after the Woodsboro murders, Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) acclimates to college life while someone donning the Ghostface costume begins a new string of killings.
Drew Barrymore in ‘Scream’. Photo: Dimension Films.
A year after the murder of her mother, a teenage girl (Neve Campbell) is terrorized by a masked killer who targets her and her friends by using scary movies as part of a deadly game.
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(L to R) Isabel Myers and Milla Jovovich star in ‘Protector’.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Milla Jovovich and Isabel Myers about their work on ‘Protector’, their first reactions to the screenplay, and what they hope audiences learn about human trafficking.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews.
Milla Jovovich stars in ‘Protector’. Photo: Magenta Light Studios.
Moviefone: To begin with, Milla, what was your first reaction to the screenplay and why did you want to be part of this project?
Milla Jovovich: For me, it was the story, obviously. The fact that the story is about human trafficking, which is a lot of times swept under the carpet. The fact that it is a mother fighting for her child really resonated with me. I wanted to really come on as a producer to make sure that the film was done in a way that was respectful, but also had amazing and believable action too. Yes, in the end, it’s like an edge-of-your-seat thriller action story. But playing someone from Special Forces, being able to have these talents, to be able to wreak havoc the way she does but make it raw and gritty and not like CGI, crazy martial-arts, or unbelievable things. Like the way the movie goes, there is an element that you kind of go, “If I was from the Special Forces and my kid got kidnapped, I would do the same thing.”
Isabel Myers stars in ‘Protector’. Photo: Magenta Light Studios.
MF: Isabel, what was your first reaction to the script and your initial approach to this character?
Isabel Myers: For me, it was the whole subject matter, wanting to raise awareness to human trafficking. It’s a very big issue all around the world, and it’s especially big here in the US. So, I think that it’s very important that people become more aware of what’s happening right under their nose.
(L to R) Isabel Myers and Milla Jovovich star in ‘Protector’. Photo: Magenta Light Studios.
MF: Finally, as Isabel just mentioned, the movie is literally ripped from today’s headlines and deals with a very serious subject matter. Milla, what do you hope this movie will contribute to the conversation and what do you hope audiences will learn from the film?
MJ: I guess the first thing would be for young people to be aware of their surroundings, to be aware of who their friends are, to be aware of what you’re doing when you’re going out, and to pay attention. It starts with you understanding where you are in your situation, and not allowing yourself to be in the moment. I mean, you want people to be in the moment, but at the same time, just be vigilant. People don’t tend to pick a victim who is vigilant. They tend to pick people who are scared, who are nervous, and who are easy targets. So just be aware and have an attitude about you where you’re going to remember this person. You’re hyper-aware of where you are and what’s going on around you.
Editorial Note: Don Kaye conducted this interview and contributed to this article.
‘Protector’ opens in theaters on March 6th.
What is the plot of ‘Protector’?
Nikki (Milla Jovovich) is an ex-soldier who left her violent life behind to raise her daughter Chloe (Isabel Myers). Eventually, Nikki wakes up in an abandoned factory and learns that Chloe has been kidnapped and sets her off in a race against time to comb through the criminal underworld in search of Chloe as she eludes both the cops and the military.
Moviefone has compiled a list of the most anticipated movies opening in theaters and/or streaming in March and April 2026, which not only includes major studio releases but also smaller independent films that you won’t want to miss.
Scientists have discovered how to “hop” human consciousness into lifelike robotic animals, allowing people to communicate with animals as animals. Animal lover Mabel (Piper Curda) seizes an opportunity to use the technology, uncovering mysteries within the animal world that are beyond anything she could have imagined.
A lonely Frankenstein (Christian Bale) travels to 1930s Chicago to ask groundbreaking scientist Dr. Euphronious (Annette Bening) to create a companion for him. The two revive a murdered young woman and The Bride (Jessie Buckley) is born. But what ensues is beyond what either of them imagined.
After his estranged son gets embroiled in a Nazi plot, self-exiled gangster Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) must return to Birmingham to save his family — and his nation. ‘Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man’ opens in select theaters on March 6th, and on Netflix March 20th.
On one last grueling mission during Army Ranger training, a combat engineer (Alan Ritchson) must lead his unit in a fight against a giant otherworldly killing machine.
Stephen Graham stars in ‘Heel’. Photo: Magnolia Pictures.
From Academy Award nominated director Jan Komasa, ‘Heel’ is a twisted thriller that follows 19-year-old hooligan Tommy (Anson Boon), who revels in a life of drugs, parties, and violence. One night, on a bender with his reckless friends, he becomes separated from the group and is abducted by an unknown figure (Golden Globe winner Stephen Graham). Though he is no stranger to inflicting violence, he is enraged and horrified when he wakes to find himself chained in the basement of the isolated suburban family home of Chris (Graham), his wife Kathryn (Academy Award nominee Andrea Riseborough), and their young son Jonathan (Kit Rakusen). The family sets out to reform Tommy’s unruly behavior, forcing him to comply with their relentless mind games or seek escape at any cost.
Milla Jovovich stars in ‘Protector’. Photo: Magenta Light Studios.
Former war hero Nikki’s (Milla Jovovich) peaceful life is shattered when her daughter is kidnapped. Thrust into the criminal underworld while hunted by cops and military, she must fight to rescue her child.
(L to R) Bradley Whitford and Amy Landecker star in ‘For Worse’. Photo: Brainstorm Media.
Lauren (Amy Landecker), a newly divorced, sober mom, feels like she has a new lease on life after joining her first acting class and starting a fling with her hot, young scene partner. However, when they attend their Gen Z classmate’s wedding together, things begin to fall apart, and Lauren finds herself behaving like a drunk 25-year-old bridesmaid. Luckily after a disastrous night she stumbles into a new day and a new beginning.
When Diem’s (Zoe Kosovic) custodial grandparents adamantly refuse Kenna’s (Maika Monroe) attempts to see her, she discovers unexpected compassion, and then something truer and deeper, with former NFL player and local bar owner Ledger (Tyriq Withers). As their secret romance develops, so do the dangers for both of them, leading Kenna toward heartbreak and, ultimately, the hope for a second chance.
A still from the action, sci-fi and adventure film, ‘Storm Rider: Legend of Hammerhead’, a Blue Harbor Entertainment release. Photo courtesy of Blue Harbor Entertainment.
300 years after the Big Flood, the legend of an outlawed Storm Rider inspires two rebellious islanders to find out the truth about the origin of their world.
(Center) Josh Duhamel as “Alan” in the Comedy, Family film, ‘Preschool’. Photo courtesy of Republic Pictures (a Paramount Pictures label).
Two determined fathers engage in a comical battle to enroll their kids in an elite preschool, escalating into an absurd competition with unexpected results.
Ryan Gosling in ‘Project Hail Mary’. Photo: Amazon MGM Studios.
Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling), a school-teacher-turned-astronaut, wakes up from a coma, alone, on a space station with no memory of who he is or his mission. His memory returns in bursts and he pieces together that he was sent to the Tau Ceti solar system, 12 light-years from Earth, to reverse the impact of a space event that had already hurled our planet into the early stages of an Ice Age. As details of the mission unravel, Grace must call on all of his scientific training and sheer ingenuity, but he might not have to do it alone…
Moments after surviving an all-out attack from the Le Domas family, Grace (Samara Weaving) discovers she’s reached the next level of the nightmarish game — and this time with her estranged sister Faith (Kathryn Newton) at her side. Grace has one chance to survive, keep her sister alive, and claim the High Seat of the Council that controls the world. Four rival families are hunting her for the throne, and whoever wins rules it all.
Nick Offerman and Nina Oyama star in ‘The Pout-Pout Fish’. Photo: Viva Pictures.
Living on a rundown shipwreck, Mr. Fish (Nick Offerman) one day discovers a hyperactive young sea dragon Pip (Nina Oyama), who had mistaken his home for a junkyard – pilfering his belongings. The heated argument that ensues leaves both their houses in ruin. But there is hope! Embarking on a seemingly impossible quest in search of the mythical “Shimmer” to grant them a wish, there’s only one problem: someone else is on the hunt…
Rose Byrne in ‘Tow.’ Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
After her car is towed and she is left with a shocking $21,634 tow bill, an unhoused woman (Rose Byrne) wages a relentless fight to reclaim her car—and her life—exposing a broken system and redefining what it means to persevere against all odds.
(L to R) Director Sofia Coppola and Marc Jacobs on the set of the documentary ‘Marc by Sofia’. Photo: A24.
An intimate, unconventional portrait of Marc Jacobs, crafted by Sofia Coppola to capture the genius and singular universe of the iconic American designer.
(L to R) Grace (Avantika), Princess (Lana Condor), Bones (Maddie Ziegler), Chloe (Millicent Simmonds), and Zoe (Iris Apatow) in ‘Pretty Lethal’. Photo: Amazon.
A troupe of ballerinas find themselves fighting for survival as they attempt to escape from a remote inn after their bus breaks down on the way to a dance competition.
Alpha (Mélissa Boros), a troubled 13-year-old lives with her single mom. Their world collapses the day she returns from school with a tattoo on her arm.
From the Academy Award-winning filmmakers behind ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once‘ and Navalny; a father-to-be tries to figure out what is happening with all this AIinsanity. ‘The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist’ is a hand-made, eye-opening documentary about the most powerful technology humanity has ever created… and what’s at stake if we get it wrong.
A woman (Zazie Beetz) answers a help wanted ad to be a housekeeper in a mysterious high-rise in New York City, not realizing she is entering a community that has seen a number of disappearances over the years and may be under the grip of a Satanic cult.
Johnny Pemberton as “Doug Nelson” in the Action, Comedy, Horror film, ‘Mermaid’. Photo courtesy of Utopia.
A Percocet-addicted ‘Florida Man’ finds a wounded mermaid at his lowest point. Fascination becomes a drug infused, one sided relationship — sending him further into decline. When word spreads about his secret, he’ll stop at nothing to protect her.
(L to R) Keanu Reeves and Jonah Hill in ‘Outcome’, premiering April 10, 2026 on Apple TV.
Reef Hawk (Keanu Reeves), Hollywood’s poster child since age six, is not okay. When he learns about an extortion plot tied to a mysterious video, Reef preemptively sets out on a redemption tour to make amends, confront his demons, and avoid getting canceled.
(L to R) Russell Crowe and Daniel MacPherson in ‘Beast’. Photo: Lionsgate.
A commercial fisherman struggling to provide for his family and avenge his brother’s death fights in a mixed martial-arts match against a dangerous opponent. Starring Russell Crowe and Daniel MacPherson.
A scene from 2026’s ‘Faces of Death’. Photo: Shudder.
A moderator on an internet video-sharing platform stumbles across a potential snuff film ring hidden in the depths of the site’s content. Are these gruesome videos merely a morbid work of shock-value fiction, or something all too horribly real?
(L to R) Anna (Halle Bailey) and Michael (Regé-Jean Page) in ‘You, Me & Tuscany’, directed by Kat Coiro. Photo: Giulia Parmigiani/Universal Pictures.
Free-spirited Italian chef (Halle Bailey) and reserved British lawyer (Regé-Jean Page) embark on a whirlwind romance during a destination wedding in coastal Italy.
Oil tycoon Merriell Sunday Sr. and renowned adventurer Hollis Bannister have disappeared without a trace. Their last known location is northern Alaska. Ellie Bannister and Merriell Sunday Jr., set out to search for their missing fathers and the truth behind what made them vanish. As the rescue team heads deeper into the heart of this frozen landscape, danger mounts. Something has taken notice of their trespassing expedition…and that prehistoric something is now stalking them…hunting them.
Focus Features will release ‘Lorne’ in theaters on April 17th.
From Morgan Neville, Academy Award-winning filmmaker of ‘20 Feet From Stardom‘ and ‘Won’t You Be My Neighbor?‘, comes ‘Lorne’, an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes glimpse at the man who built the inimitable empire of comedy, shaping television and culture for generations. The documentary features exclusive footage, archival treasures, and candid interviews with the show’s most iconic cast members and writers including Tina Fey, Maya Rudolph, John Mulaney, Andy Samberg, Conan O’Brien, Chris Rock and many more.
Bob Odenkirk in ‘Normal’. Photo: Magnolia Pictures.
In the aftermath of a bank robbery, interim sheriff Ulysses (Bob Odenkirk) uncovers a criminal conspiracy at the heart of his small-town Minnesota community.
The young daughter of a journalist disappears into the desert without a trace—eight years later, the broken family is shocked when she is returned to them, as what should be a joyful reunion turns into a living nightmare.
(L to R) Michaela Coel and Anne Hathaway in ‘Mother Mary’. Photo: A24.
Long-buried wounds rise to the surface when iconic pop star Mother Mary (Anne Hathaway) reunites with her estranged best friend and former costume designer Sam Anselm on the eve of her comeback performance.
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson.
The story of Michael Jackson’s (Jaafar Jackson) life beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world.
A woman (Charlize Theron) testing her limits in the Australian wilderness is suddenly ensnared in a deadly game with a ruthless predator. ‘APEX’ debuts on Netflix April 24th.
The Actor Awards Presented by SAG-AFTRA will stream Sunday March 1st on Netflix.
Preview:
‘Sinners’ and ‘One Battle After Another’ won prizes at this year’s Actor Awards.
The ceremony, on behalf of actors’ unions SAG-AFTRA, was shown on Netflix.
Kristen Bell hosted.
While they may forever be known as the SAG awards, the ceremony organized by actors’ unions the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, which were re-titled The Actor Awards last year, returned to screens this evening for their 32nd annual event, broadcast again by Netflix.
Kristen Bell hosts the 32nd Annual Actor Awards at the Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California. Photo by Rich Polk/Shutterstock for The Actor Awards.
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
(L to R) Delroy Lindo, Miles Caton, Wunmi Mosaku, Omar Miller, Jayme Lawson, and Michael B. Jordan win Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for ‘Sinners’ at the 32nd Annual Actor Awards. Photo by Rich Polk/Shutterstock for The Actor Awards.
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
Michael B. Jordan wins Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role for ‘Sinners’ at the 32nd Annual Actor Awards. Photo by Rich Polk/Shutterstock for The Actor Awards.
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
Jessie Buckley wins Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role for ‘Hamnet’ at the 32nd Annual Actor Awards. Photo by Rich Polk/Shutterstock for The Actor Awards.
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Amy Madigan wins Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role for ‘Weapons’ at the 32nd Annual Actor Awards. Photo by Rich Polk/Shutterstock for The Actor Awards.
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
Noah Wyle and the cast of ‘The Pitt’ win Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series for ‘The Pitt’ at the 32nd Annual Actor Awards. Photo by Rich Polk/Shutterstock for The Actor Awards.
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
(L to R) Seth Rogen, Ike Barinholtz, Chase Sui Wonders and Kathryn Hahn win Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for ‘The Studio’ at the 32nd Annual Actor Awards. Photo by Rich Polk/Shutterstock for The Actor Awards.
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
Noah Wyle wins Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series for ‘The Pitt’ at the 32nd Annual Actor Awards. Photo by Rich Polk/Shutterstock for The Actor Awards.
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
Keri Russell wins Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series for ‘The Diplomat’ at the 32nd Annual Actor Awards. Photo by Rich Polk/Shutterstock for The Actor Awards.
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
Seth Rogen wins Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series for ‘The Studio’ at the 32nd Annual Actor Awards. Photo by Rich Polk/Shutterstock for The Actor Awards.
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series
Michelle Williams wins Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series for ‘Dying for Sex’ at the 32nd Annual Actor Awards. Photo by Rich Polk/Shutterstock for The Actor Awards.
Harrison Ford receives the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award at the 32nd Annual Actor Awards. Photo by Rich Polk/Shutterstock for The Actor Awards.
Editorial Note: James White contributed to this article.
Moviefone recently had an opportunity to attend Smorgasburg LA in downtown Los Angeles, where actor Simon Rex was handing out food at the Tacos 1986 truck in promotion of ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’.
Simon Rex attends Smorgasburg LA in downtown Los Angeles at the Tacos 1986 truck for ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’. Photo: Michelle Felix.
We had a chance to speak with the actor about his new film, his first reaction to the screenplay, working with Dustin Milligan and Jason Biggs, crazy conspiracy theories, and collaborating with director Michael Kvamme on set, as well as working with Oscar nominee Rose Byrne and director Stephanie Laing on their upcoming film ‘Tow’, which opens in theaters on March 20th.
Simon Rex attends Smorgasburg LA in downtown Los Angeles at the Tacos 1986 truck for ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’. Photo: Courtesy of Jami Philbrick.
Moviefone: To begin with, this is a wild movie, what was your first reaction to the screenplay and why did you want to be part of this project both as an actor and a producer?
Simon Rex: Well, I laughed out loud every page, which was a good sign. Me and my agent and my manager, after reading it, were like, “This is the funniest script we’ve read in a long time.” There’s not a lot of comedies being made. If they are being made, they’re not that funny lately. I feel like that genre is gone and we need it back. So, when I read this, I knew I had to do it, and my agent and manager were like, “We have to roll the dice and go for it on this one.” Sometimes working with a first-time director, you don’t know what you’re getting into, but I trusted Michael because I knew how smart he was from the script and his background at ‘Funny or Die’ and working with Will Ferrell. He’s just gets it, and I knew he could pull it off. I was happy that he did, obviously.
(L to R) Simon Rex as “Danny” and Dustin Milligan as “Luke” in the comedy, ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’, a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.
MF: Can you talk about the brotherly relationship between Danny and Luke and creating that relationship on screen with Dustin Milligan?
SR: So, in the casting process, which was new for me, I usually am the one who’s coming in for what they call a chemistry read to see if you are of the essence of the other actor’s brother or friend or partner. So, we had it down to like five actors, and Dustin was one of them, and when he came in and read, it was just obvious that it worked. He was very grounded and pragmatic. I’m very over the top, and insane, and that’s the odd couple chemistry that you need for it to work. I’ve seen him in ‘Schitt’s Creek’ and I saw him in another movie, the name escapes me right now, but I was a fan of his. I’m like, this dude’s great, you know? He gets comedy, he nailed it, and that’s how we got him. We just cast him old school, in the room, which doesn’t happen anymore, usually it’s self-tapes.
Jason Biggs as “self” in the comedy ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’, a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.
MF: Jason Biggs plays a crazy and exaggerated version of himself, was he a good sport about doing that?
SR: Well, that takes a lot of courage and a lot of self-deprecating, self-awareness, and a lot of actors won’t do that. I love that he would because he’s the perfect chef’s kiss for this role, because he’s sort of a throwback to the era of what this movie feels like. It’s like the ‘American Pie’ era. It’s, ‘Dude, Where’s My Car?’, ‘Harold & Kumar’, and those fun, lighthearted, wholesome comedies that we don’t make any more in this town. He was perfect in that universe to be synonymous with that era. He’s hilarious, and he’s Jason Biggs. Everyone knows him. He’s a familiar name, so it was perfect. We’re very happy with him. There was a lot of people we were exploring, and some actors wouldn’t be willing to laugh at themselves. I’m just glad he did.
Doug Jones as “Elder” in the comedy, ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’, a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.
MF: Your character in the movie is a conspiracy theorist. What is your favorite conspiracy theory, not necessarily one you believe in, but one you think is interesting like Stanley Kubrick shooting the Moon landing?
SR: That’s a good one. There are some very strange parallels there. It’s that thing where I got friends who are conspiracy theorists and they’re like, “There are no coincidences.” I don’t agree with that, but there are some things lately that have been coming to light that have proved me wrong. But my favorite one to answer your question is the “flat Earth” theory because I love how those guys go so crazy. They’ll fly to Antarctica, and they’ll do the measurements, and they’ll be proven wrong, and they’ll still be like, “No, it’s flat.” They just can’t accept the science. That one’s very entertaining, so that’s my favorite one.
(L to R) Dustin Milligan and director/writer Mikey K on the set of the comedy, ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’, a Chroma release. Photo courtesy of Chroma.
MF: What was it like collaborating with director Michael Kvamme on set to find the right tone for the movie?
SR: I mean, again, he just gets it. I think people who are that funny are usually very smart in my experience, the funniest people that I’ve worked with are usually intelligent. I think that humor is also a part of being smart and I just knew because of his background, who he’s worked with, and the script that he wrote that his instinct was really on point. That’s a lot of it too, his instinct. It’s just one of those things that you go with your gut. When I met with him and I read the script, it just felt right, and then I’m happy to say that while we were filming, that he knew exactly what he wanted. He showed up prepared, and when you have a director that knows what they want, it makes everything else fall into place. I’ve done jobs where the director is sort of lost. You’re like, “Uh oh, the captain of the ship doesn’t know what’s going on.” This was the opposite. He was extremely on point with everything he wanted and how it would look, and he did all the preparation and he nailed it.
(L to R) Simon Rex and Rose Byrne in ‘Tow.’ Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
MF: Finally, you also have the movie ‘Tow’ opening in March with Rose Byrne, which is based on a real story. What was it like working with Rose and director Stephanie Laing to bring Amanda Ogle’s story to the big screen?
SR: It was cool. It’s a great wholesome heartwarming movie. I got to meet Amanda. She was on set with her daughter and working with Rose, she might be the most down to earth, normal, big female actor I’ve ever worked with. She was just extremely sweet and generous and I’m happy for this moment she’s having. I’m rooting for her to win the Oscar. I mean, she won the Golden Globe. She could walk away at this point a winner, but I want her to win it all. Obviously, it helps ‘Tow’ if she does. Working with Stephanie Laing, she’s so calm and I’ve never worked with a director that was this mellow, but in a good way where she was so chill. We shot that movie in 19 days, which is insane and ambitious to shoot a whole movie in 19 days with that cast. We got it, and the movie came out great, and it was a great experience. I want to work with Stephanie more and hopefully I will.
‘Operation Taco Gary’s’ opens in theaters February 27th.
What is the plot of ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’?
Two brothers uncover an alien invasion hidden inside a fast-food chain and must save Earth.
Who is in the cast of ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’?
Simon Rex as Danny
Dustin Milligan as Luke
Brenda Song as Allison
Tony Cavalero as Kyle
Jason Biggs as himself
Doug Jones as Elder
Arturo Castro as Tiago
Simon Rex attends Smorgasburg LA in downtown Los Angeles at the Tacos 1986 truck for ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’. Photo: Michelle Felix.
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(L to R) Rashida Jones and Daveed Diggs star in ‘In the Blink of an Eye’.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Rashida Jones and Daveed Diggs about their work on ‘In the Blink of an Eye’, Diggs first reaction to the script, Jones’ approach to her character, and what makes this film stand out.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Jones and Diggs, director Andrew Stanton, and screenwriter Colby Day.
Moviefone: To begin with, Daveed, can you talk about your first reaction to the screenplay and why you wanted to play this character?
Daveed Diggs: I loved the scripts. I loved how impossible it felt to make. I loved the people working on it. I loved Greg’s decisiveness about who he was in love with. It is just, “This is my person. I know this is my person. I’m so confident in that, and I’m just going to sit in that and be honest about that and believe that it’s going to work out.” There’s so much faith in him that I found aspirational.
MF: Rashida, can you talk about your approach to playing Claire and depicting her quiet moments?
Rashida Jones: I relate to the idea that all these small moments make up a big life, and that’s just the truth. Nobody can really see the scope of their life unless they’re looking back, which is why this movie’s beautiful, because you’re spending time with people as they live their lives. So, consequential looking back, but at the time, you’re just making decisions for your family and yourself that you think are right and that you hope are right, and you’re making decisions out of love, hopefully. So, it was nice. It was nice to play those as real and present without thinking about the scope of the movie and the scope of life.
MF: Finally, Daveed, what makes this film different than other movies and uniquely stand out?
DD: I think the span of time it’s attempting to take us through is unique. 40,000 years in the past to about that far in the future is a big scope. I think to have a film that’s essentially a romance, but it’s structured as a grand sweeping epic. It’s the ‘Ben-Hur’ of romances. It’s a unique thing. It was very exciting for me to be a part of.
Editorial Note: Krisily Fernstrom conducted this interview and contributed to this article.
‘In the Blink of an Eye’ premieres on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ on February 27th.
What is the plot of ‘In the Blink of an Eye’?
Depicts three interconnected stories exploring the history of the world.
