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Best TV Shows of the 21st Century: First 25 Years

Moviefone’s 25 Best TV Series of the first 25 years of the 21st Century.

With 2025 quickly coming to a close, so is the first 25 years of the 21st century!
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While most consider that the modern golden age of television started with ‘The Sopranos‘ in 1999, it really came into prominence in the 2000’s with shows like ‘The Wire‘, ‘24‘, ‘Lost‘, ‘Mad Men‘, ‘Breaking Bad‘, and ‘The Walking Dead‘, and eventually ‘Game of Thrones‘, ‘Stranger Things‘ and ‘Succession‘.

As we leave behind the first quester of this century, Moviefone is counting down the 25 best TV series of the first 25 years of the 21st century!

Let’s begin!

Related Article: The 25 Best Films of the First 25 Years of the 21st Century

25. ‘Stranger Things‘ (2016-2025)

(L to R) Sadie Sink, Noah Schapp, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, and Caleb McLaughlin in Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things.’

When a young boy vanishes, a small town uncovers a mystery involving secret experiments, terrifying supernatural forces, and one strange little girl (Millie Bobby Brown).
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24. ‘The Walking Dead‘ (2010-2022)

Jeffrey Dean Morgan in ‘The Walking Dead’. Photo: AMC Studios.

Sheriff’s deputy Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) awakens from a coma to find a post-apocalyptic world dominated by flesh-eating zombies. He sets out to find his family and encounters many other survivors along the way.
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23. ‘30 Rock‘ (2006-2013)

(L to R) Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey in ’30 Rock’. Photo: NBC.

Liz Lemon (Tina Fey), the head writer for a late-night TV variety show in New York, tries to juggle all the egos around her while chasing her own dream.
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22. ‘Westworld‘ (2016-2022)

(L to R) Evan Rachel Wood and James Marsden in ‘Westworld.’ Photo: HBO.

A dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the evolution of sin. Set at the intersection of the near future and the reimagined past, it explores a world in which every human appetite, no matter how noble or depraved, can be indulged.
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21. ‘The Boys‘ (2019-2024)

Antony Starr as John Gillman / Homelander in Prime Video’s ‘The Boys’ season 4. Copyright: Amazon Studios.

A group of vigilantes known informally as “The Boys” set out to take down corrupt superheroes with no more than blue-collar grit and a willingness to fight dirty.
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20. ‘Justified‘ (2010-2015)

Timothy Olyphant in ‘Justified’. Photo: FX.

A character drama based on the 2001 Elmore Leonard short story “Fire in the Hole.” Leonard’s tale centers around U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) of Kentucky, a quiet but strong-willed official of the law. The tale covers his high-stakes job, as well as his strained relationships with his ex-wife and father.
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19. ‘Sons of Anarchy‘ (2008-2014)

(L to R) Charlie Hunnam and Tommy Flanagan in ‘Sons of Anarchy’. Photo: FX Productions.

The Sons of Anarchy (SOA) are an outlaw motorcycle club with many charters in the United States and overseas. The show focused on the original and founding charter, Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club, Redwood Original, often referred to by the acronym SAMCRO, Sam Crow, or simply Redwood Charter. The charter operates both legal and illegal businesses in the small town of Charming, California. They combine gun-running and a garage, and involvement in porn film industry. Clay (Ron Perlman), the charter president, likes it old school and violent; while Jax (Charlie Hunnam), his stepson and the club’s VP, has thoughts about changing the way things are done. Their conflict has effects on both the club and their personal relationship, especially when Jax goes on a personal quest to cleanse the SAMCRO name and image.
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18. ‘Arrow‘ (2012-2020)

(L to R) Stephen Amell, Katie Cassidy, and David Ramsey in ‘Arrow’. Photo: Warner Bros. Television.

Spoiled billionaire playboy Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) is missing and presumed dead when his yacht is lost at sea. He returns five years later a changed man, determined to clean up the city as a hooded vigilante armed with a bow.
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17. ‘The Closer‘ (2005-2012)

(L to R) J.K. Simmons and Krya Sedgwick in ‘The Closer’. Photo: Warner Bros. Television.

Deputy Police Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick) transfers from Atlanta to LA to head up a special unit of the LAPD that handles sensitive, high-profile murder cases. Johnson’s quirky personality and hard-nosed approach often rubs her colleagues the wrong way, but her reputation as one of the world’s best interrogator eventually wins over even her toughest critics.
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16. ‘Billions‘ (2016-2023)

(L to R) Daniel Breaker as Roger “Scooter” Dunbar, Corey Stoll as Mike Prince, Toney Goins as Philip Charyn, Damian Lewis as Bobby “Axe” Axelrod, Asia Kate Dillon as Taylor Mason, David Costabile as Mike ‘Wags’ Wagner, Paul Giamatti as Chuck Rhoades, Maggie Siff as Wendy Rhoades, Sakina Jaffrey as Daevisha ‘Dave’ Mahar, Dola Rashad as Kate Sacker and Jeffrey DeMunn as Chuck Rhoades, Sr. in ‘Billions’ Season 7. Photo Credit: Mark Seliger/Showtime.

A complex drama about power politics in the world of New York high finance. Shrewd, savvy U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti) and the brilliant, ambitious hedge fund king Bobby “Axe” Axelrod (Damian Lewis) are on an explosive collision course, with each using all of his considerable smarts, power and influence to outmaneuver the other. The stakes are in the billions in this timely, provocative series.
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15. ‘Mad Men‘ (2007-2015)

Jon Hamm in ‘Made Men’. Photo: Lionsgate Television.

Set in 1960-1970 New York, this sexy, stylized and provocative drama follows the lives of the ruthlessly competitive men and women of Madison Avenue advertising.
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14. ‘Yellowstone‘ (2018-2024)

Kevin Costner as John Dutton III in Paramount Network’s ‘Yellowstone’ season 5. Credit: Paramount Network.

Follow the violent world of the Dutton family, who controls the largest contiguous ranch in the United States. Led by their patriarch John Dutton (Kevin Costner), the family defends their property against constant attack by land developers, an Indian reservation, and America’s first National Park.
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13. ‘Game of Thrones‘ (2011-2019)

Emilia Clarke in HBO’s ‘Game of Thrones.’ Photo: HBO.

Seven noble families fight for control of the mythical land of Westeros. Friction between the houses leads to full-scale war. All while a very ancient evil awakens in the farthest north. Amidst the war, a neglected military order of misfits, the Night’s Watch, is all that stands between the realms of men and icy horrors beyond.
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12. ‘Breaking Bad‘ (2008-2013)

Bryan Cranston in ‘Breaking Bad’. Photo: Sony Pictures Television.

Walter White (Bryan Cranston), a New Mexico chemistry teacher, is diagnosed with Stage III cancer and given a prognosis of only two years left to live. He becomes filled with a sense of fearlessness and an unrelenting desire to secure his family’s financial future at any cost as he enters the dangerous world of drugs and crime.
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11. ‘Succession’ (2018-2023)

Brian Cox in season 4 of HBO’s ‘Succession.’ Photograph by Macall Polay/HBO.

Follow the lives of the Roy family as they contemplate their future once their aging father begins to step back from the media and entertainment conglomerate they control.
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10. ‘Prison Break‘ (2005-2017)

(L to R) Amaury Nolasco, Robert Knepper, Wentworth Miller, Peter Stormare and Dominic Purcell in ‘Prison Break’. Photo: 20th Century Fox Television.

Due to a political conspiracy, an innocent man (Dominic Purcell) is sent to death row and his only hope is his brother (Wentworth Miller), who makes it his mission to deliberately get himself sent to the same prison in order to break the both of them out, from the inside out.
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9. ‘Arrested Development‘ (2003-2019)

The cast of ‘Arrested Development’. Photo: 20th Century Fox Television.

The story of a wealthy family that lost everything, and the one son who had no choice but to keep them all together.
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8. ‘Battlestar Galactica‘ (2004-2009)

The cast of ‘Battlestar Galactica’. Photo: Universal Media Studios.

When an old enemy, the Cylons, resurface and obliterate the 12 colonies, the crew of the aged Galactica protect a small civilian fleet – the last of humanity – as they journey toward the fabled 13th colony, Earth.
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7. ‘The Shield‘ (2002-2008)

The cast of ‘The Shield’. Photo: Sony Pictures Television.

The story of an inner-city Los Angeles police precinct where some of the cops aren’t above breaking the rules or working against their associates to both keep the streets safe and their self-interests intact.
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6. ‘Lost‘ (2004-2010)

The cast of ‘Lost’. Photo: ABC Studios.

Stripped of everything, the survivors of a horrific plane crash must work together to stay alive. But the island holds many secrets.
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5. ‘The Wire‘ (2002-2008)

(L to R) Wendell Pierce and Dominic West in ‘The Wire’. Photo: HBO.

Told from the points of view of both the Baltimore homicide and narcotics detectives and their targets, the series captures a universe in which the national war on drugs has become a permanent, self-sustaining bureaucracy, and distinctions between good and evil are routinely obliterated.
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4. ‘Luther‘ (2010-2019)

Idris Elba in ‘Luther’. Photo:BBC Studios Drama Productions.

A dark psychological crime drama starring Idris Elba as Luther, a man struggling with his own terrible demons, who might be as dangerous as the depraved murderers he hunts.
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3. ‘Life‘ (2007-2009)

(L to R) Sarah Shahi and Damian Lewis in ‘Life’. Photo: Universal Media Studios.

Complex, offbeat Detective Charlie Crews (Damian Lewis) returns to the force after serving time in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Crews’ new lease on life has provided him with a Zen-like outlook, peace of mind and no need for vengeance, an attitude which can be challenging to maintain when someone he cares about is threatened — or when he is investigating the mystery surrounding the murder he was falsely accused of.
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2. ‘24‘ (2001-2014)

Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer in ’24’. Photo: 20th Century Fox Television.

Counterterrorism agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) fights the bad guys of the world, a day at a time. With each week’s episode unfolding in real-time, “24” covers a single day in the life of Bauer each season.
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1. ‘Bosch‘ (2015-2021)

Titus Welliver in season 4 of ‘Bosch’. Photo: Aaron Epstein. Copyright: Amazon Studios

Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver), an LAPD homicide detective, stands trial for the fatal shooting of a serial murder suspect. A cold case involving the remains of a missing boy forces Bosch to confront his past. As daring recruit Julia Brasher (Annie Wersching) catches his eye and departmental politics heat up, Bosch will pursue justice at all costs.
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December 30, 2025
Charlie Hunnam and Daniel Brühl Join ‘Legacy of Spies’
(Left) Charlie Hunnam as Charlie Waldo in ‘Last Looks’. (Right) Actor Daniel Brühl attends the 5th Annual Governors Awards at The Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, CA, on Saturday, November 16, 2013. Credit/Provider: Matt Petit / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

Preview:
- Charlie Hunnam, Daniel Brühl and Devrim Lingnau Islamoğlu are joining the cast of ‘Legacy of Spies.’
- Matthew MacFadyen is starring in the show as George Smiley.
- It’ll adapt John le Carré’s books.
His work might not have generated quite as many movies as fellow author Ian Fleming’s James Bond books, but John le Carré certainly has the edge when it comes to TV.

And now another show is rapidly heading towards shooting, with Matthew Macfadyen (‘Succession’) starring as George Smiley, the character made famous in several adaptations of ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.’
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Variety brings word that the new series, titled ‘Legacy of Spies,’ has now added Charlie Hunnam, Daniel Brühl and Devrim Lingnau Islamoğlu to its cast.

Related Article: ‘Succession’s Matthew Macfadyen to Play George Smiley in New John le Carré Series

What’s the story of ‘Legacy of Spies’?

Matthew Macfadyen as Tom Wambsgans on HBO’s ‘Succession.’ Photograph by Macall B. Polay/HBO.

The new series, which has Stephen Cornwell (one of the author’s –– real name David Cornwell –– sons) writing alongside Clarissa Ingram, will partly adapt le Carré’s 1963 novel ‘The Spy Who Came in From the Cold’ but also draws from his 2017 book ‘Legacy of Spies,’ which revisits the story.

For the new show, the narrative begins in the shadow of the newly-erected Berlin Wall, as Alec Leamas (Hunnam) watches his last agent shot dead by East German sentries. For Leamas, a senior British intelligence officer in Berlin, the Cold War is over.

As he faces the prospect of retirement or worse — a desk job — Control offers him a unique opportunity for revenge. Assuming the guise of an embittered and dissolute ex-agent, Leamas is set up to trap Mundt, the deputy director of the East German Intelligence Service, with himself as the bait. In the background is George Smiley (MacFadyen), ready to make the game play out just as Control wants…

Brühl will portray East German spy Jens Fielder and Islamoğlu will portray Doris Quinz, AKA Agent Tulip.

Graham Yost, no stranger to British spy craft after helping to get ‘Slow Horses’ on its feet, will be an executive producer.

‘Legacy of Spies’: the creator speaks

(Right) Gary Oldman as George Smiley in ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’. Photo: StudioCanal.

This was Stephen Cornwell’s statement alongside brother Simon on the new project:

“This project is in many ways the most ambitious and all-encompassing adaptation of le Carré’s work to date, taking our father’s best-known and most-loved most character [George Smiley] and using this medium as a canvas to chart his story as he moves through a world which culturally and politically shapes the one we live in today. To have Matthew embody this operational mastermind, a man both vulnerable and dangerous, alongside the brilliant talent of Charlie, Daniel and Devrim, is a great coup. We are thrilled the series has found its home with the BBC and MGM+ and to be collaborating alongside Malte and the Amusement Park team, while having Graham’s wisdom, vision and deft touch helping us guide this project – bringing his own mastery of the genre alongside that of le Carré’s.”

The show will kick off filming early next year.

(L to R) Daniel Brühl and Jude Law star in ‘Eden’. Photo: Vertical.

John le Carré Movies and TV Shows:
- ‘The Spy Who Came In from the Cold‘ (1965)
- ‘The Deadly Affair‘ (1967)
- ‘The Looking Glass War‘ (1970)
- ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy‘ (1979)
- ‘Smiley’s People‘ (1982)
- ‘The Little Drummer Girl‘ (1984)
- ‘A Perfect Spy‘ (1987)
- ‘The Russia House‘ (1990)
- ‘A Murder of Quality‘ (1991)
- ‘The Tailor of Panama‘ (2001)
- ‘The Constant Gardener‘ (2005)
- ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy‘ (2011)
- ‘A Most Wanted Man‘ (2014)
- ‘The Night Manager‘ (2016)
- ‘Our Kind of Traitor‘ (2016)
- ‘The Little Drummer Girl‘ (2018)
Buy Charlie Hunnam Movies & TV on Amazon
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December 9, 2025
Movie Review: ‘Mountainhead’
(L to R) Cory Michael Smith, Steve Carell, Ramy Youssef, Jason Schwartzman in ‘Mountainhead.’ Photo: HBO

‘Mountainhead’ receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.

Premiering on Max on May 31st is ‘Mountainhead,’ the directorial debut of ‘Succession’ creator Jesse Armstrong and featuring a similar mix of cold-eyed satire and spiky, swear-laden dialogue.

The new movie stars Steve Carell (‘The Big Short’), Jason Schwartzman (‘Asteroid City’), Ramy Youssef (‘Ramy’) and Cory Michael Smith (‘Saturday Night’).

Related Article: Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, Ramy Youssef to Star in Jesse Armstrong’s Directorial Debut

Initial Thoughts

(L to R) Jason Schwartzman, Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell in ‘Mountainhead.’ Photo: Macall Polay/HBO

How exactly do you follow a zeitgeisty hit like HBO’s ‘Succession,’ the story of a family of wealthy, entitled people squabbling over control of a media empire?

If you’re Jesse Armstrong, who created and ran that award-winning black comedy drama across four seasons, the answer has been to quickly whip up another tale of wealthy, entitled people, this time not related, but still squabbling and in this case, over control of even higher stakes.

Yet was it a mistake for Armstrong, who clearly showed he knew how to create compelling, if toxic characters and give actors chewy, chatty role, to head back so quickly to familiar territory? The answer is a mixture of yes and no.

Script and Direction

Jason Schwartzman in ‘Mountainhead.’ Photo: Macall Polay/HBO

Armstrong, whose credits stretch back to the likes of the movies ‘Four Lions’ and ‘In the Loop’ and on TV, UK series ‘The Thick of It,’ ‘Peep Show’ and ‘Fresh Meat,’ has a particular style and sensibility he has developed working with the likes of fellow creators Chris Morris and Armando Iannucci (the latter created ‘The Thick of it’ and also worked on HBO’s ‘Veep’).

There are no sacred cows safe from slaughtering, but Armstrong’s focus in recent years has been the super-rich, the fact that all the money, gadgets and excess in the world can’t buy you happiness and their disdain for the “common” working people. It’s a 21st century spin on out-of-touch rulers, these titans who either inherited their wealth or got lucky through routes such as paradigm-shifting technology and their craven ways.

‘Mountainhead’ is no different, featuring at its core four toxic techies who revel in their wealth, swap insults and make big plans for how they’re going to shape the world to their own ideas.

The script for the new movie is full of Armstrong’s trademark, sniping zingers, including one of the foursome describing the décor of another’s new mountain retreat as “Ayn Bland” (yes, the film’s title, which is also the name of the sprawling, concrete-and-glass monstrosity, is a nod to Ayn Rand’s novel ‘The Fountainhead’).

Cory Michael Smith in ‘Mountainhead.’ Photo: Macall Polay/HBO.

But though Armstrong certainly draws some darkly-hued, often cruel laughs at the expense of these people, the actual character work is somewhat lacking. Empathy is not necessarily a requirement, but there is so little to hold on to here: merely a slow devolution into rivalry and endless preening or lack of accountability. It becomes more punishing than entertaining after a while and a late-turn dive into farce doesn’t help matters.

With just a couple of short films under his belt as director, Armstrong relies more on the tools he’s picked up working with other directors on the shows and movies he’s been involved in the past. In fact, the look of the movie is essentially ‘Succession,’ all frosty structures and minimal action. It gets the job done and the screenplay is the focus anyway.

Cast and Performances

Steve Carell in ‘Mountainhead.’ Photo: Macall Polay/HBO.

To his credit, Armstrong has an eye for casting, and the leads are either an established talent or a rising star.

Carell plays Randall, the “Papa Bear” of the main four, who made his millions (and later, billions) before the others. He’s got fingers in a multitude of pies, but his good-natured charm –– feeding off the actor’s own –– hides a mercenary zeal.

Schwartzman has specialized in slightly offbeat characters for years, and his Hugo Van Yalk (nicknamed “Soup” as in “soup kitchen,” because he’s the only multimillionaire among this group of “b-nut” bros) is a typically needy, funny type, desperate to secure investment for a new wellness app. When things take an even crazier turn, Schwartzman’s talent for physical comedy shines.

Cory Michael Smith has been making a name for himself on screens both big and small, and was particularly impressive as a young, unpredictable Chevy Chase in Jason Reitman’s ‘Saturday Night’ last year. Here, he’s Venis, an Elon Musk-type peacock with a social media app that is sowing chaos across the globe (not that Venis is willing to admit or even perceive that). Despite Smith’s best efforts and a small nod towards flecks of humanity lodged in his blackened soul, the role is a loathsome one.

Ramy Youssef in ‘Mountainhead.’ Photo: Macall Polay/HBO.

Finally, Ramy Youssef has been creating and starring in his own work, including sitcom ‘Ramy,’ and he provides the slightly sweeter –– which is not saying much with this group –– Jeff, whose own A.I. counterpoint to Venis’ lie-spewing social media is causing friction between the pair. Youssef is good in the part, and clearly has a handle on Armstrong’s sharp dialogue, but even he can’t make the character all that likeable.

Outside of the main foursome, pretty much everyone else has little time or opportunity to pop, as they are tiny supporting roles.

Final Thoughts

(L to R) Cory Michael Smith, Steve Carell, Ramy Youssef, Jason Schwartzman in ‘Mountainhead.’ Photo: Macall Polay/HBO.

While ‘Mountainhead’ certainly shows off the sharp, satirical and expletive-peppered writing for which Armstrong has become known, the doomy, oppressive feel of the movie makes this sometimes more punishment than entertaining.

We certainly wouldn’t recommend hitting social media afterwards –– maybe go for a walk? Or find something nice to look at instead?
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What’s the story of ‘Mountainhead’?

A group of billionaire friends get together against the backdrop of a rolling international crisis.

Who is in the cast of ‘Mountainhead?
- Steve Carell as Randall
- Jason Schwartzman as Hugo Van Yalk
- Cory Michael Smith as Venis
- Ramy Youssef as Jeff
- Hadley Robinson as Hester
- Andy Daly as Casper
- Daniel Oreskes as Dr. Phipps
- Ali Kinkade as Berry
- Ava Kostia as Paula
(L to R) Steve Carell, Ramy Youssef in ‘Mountainhead.’ Photo: Macall Polay/HBO.

List of Steve Carell Movies and TV Shows:
- ‘The Daily Show‘ (1996 – 2025)
- ‘Bruce Almighty‘ (2003)
- ‘The Office‘ (2005 – 2013)
- ‘Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy‘ (2004)
- ‘The 40 Year Old Virgin‘ (2005)
- ‘Little Miss Sunshine‘ (2006)
- ‘Evan Almighty‘ (2007)
- ‘Horton Hears a Who!‘ (2008)
- ‘Get Smart‘ (2008)
- ‘Despicable Me‘ (2010)
- ‘Date Night‘ (2010)
- ‘Crazy, Stupid, Love.‘ (2011)
- ‘Despicable Me 2‘ (2013)
- ‘Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues‘ (2013)
- ‘Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day‘ (2014)
- ‘Foxcatcher‘ (2015)
- ‘The Big Short‘ (2015)
- ‘Despicable Me 3‘ (2017)
- ‘Battle of the Sexes‘ (2017)
- ‘Vice‘ (2018)
- ‘Welcome to Marwen‘ (2018)
- ‘The Morning Show‘ (2019 – 2023)
- ‘Space Force‘ (2020 – 2022)
- ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru‘ (2022)
- ‘The Patient‘ (2022)
- ‘Asteroid City‘ (2023)
- ‘IF‘ (2024)
- ‘Despicable Me 4‘ (2024)
- ‘The Four Seasons’ (2025)
- ‘Mountainhead’ (2025)
Buy Steve Carell Movies on Amazon
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May 29, 2025
Matthew Macfadyen to Play George Smiley
(Left) Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Paradox in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 Marvel. (Right) Gary Oldman as George Smiley in ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’. Photo: StudioCanal.

Preview:
- Matthew Macfadyen may be our next screen George Smiley.
- A new TV series will adapt several John le Carré spy novels.
- Le Carré’s sons are behind the latest effort.
Spies, it would seem, never quite leave our screens. And would we even know if they’d snuck away anyway?

But between the ongoing wrangling over the future of the James Bond franchise, similar seismic shifts in the Bourne empire, Apple TV+’s ‘Slow Horses’ continuing to impress on small screens and Steven Soderbergh bringing icily cool espionage to movie theaters with the recent ‘Black Bag,’ they are still at the forefront of pop culture.

And that’s without mentioning the raft of straight-to-home entertainment titles that sneak on to streaming and elsewhere apparently every other month.

Yet the name John le Carré, much like Bond creator Ian Fleming, carries more weight and –– usually at least –– a more recognizable stamp of potential quality.

Which goes some way to explain why his work keeps being adapted. Now, if a new project comes together as its backers hope, we could see the latest incarnation of le Carré’s most famous creation, George Smiley, show up.

Matthew Macfadyen as Tom Wambsgans on HBO’s ‘Succession.’ Photograph by Macall B. Polay/HBO.

As, according to Variety, ‘Succession’ actor Matthew Macfadyen is attached to play Smiley in a potential new series called ‘Legacy of Spies.’

It’s the latest development for The Ink Factory, the company founded by le Carré’s sons Stephen and Simon Cornwell, which has previously produced multiple adaptations of the author’s work.

That includes the series adaptation of ‘The Night Manager’ starring Tom Hiddleston. That show won two Emmys and three Golden Globes, including best actor for Hiddleston, upon its debut.

‘Legacy of Spies,’ however promises to be a little different…

What’s the story of ‘Legacy of Spies’?

(Right) Gary Oldman as George Smiley in ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’. Photo: StudioCanal.

The pitch comes with multiple scripts written by Ink Factory co-founder Stephen Cornwell and Clarissa Ingram.

‘Silo’ creator Graham Yost (who also helped launch ‘Slow Horses’) is executive producing the potential series, based on le Carré’s series of novels featuring the character Smiley, ‘The Spy Who Came in From the Cold,’ ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,’ ‘The Honorable Schoolboy’ and several others, as well as some unpublished materials.

Le Carré’s bestselling novels were inspired by the author’s own experience of working for British intelligence in the 1950s and 60s. Some other work by le Carré –– the pen name of David Cornwell, who died aged 89 in 2020 –– will also be used in the show.

We’ll have to see if it gets picked up, but Variety’s story mentions that it has already been pitched and has multiple offers on the table, so we’re thinking it’s more a case of when this one gets made.

Legendary spymaster Smiley, a sometimes bureaucratic and calculating character, has previously been brought to screens by a long line of actors, including Rupert Davies in 1965’s ‘The Spy Who Came in From the Cold,’ Denholm Elliott in 1991 TV movie ‘A Murder of Quality’ and Alec Guinness in the 1979 ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’ TV miniseries.
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Perhaps the most famous version was Gary Oldman’s in Tomas Alfredson’s 2011 movie adaptation of ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’ which was nominated for three Oscars, including Oldman for Best Actor, its score, composed by Alberto Iglesias, and its adapted screenplay from Peter Straughan and Bridget O’Connor.

In the novels, le Carré describes the character as, “Short, fat, and of a quiet disposition, he appeared to spend a lot of money on really bad clothes, which hung about his squat frame like skin on a shrunken toad,” which means the lanky Macfadyen will be playing a slightly shifted version.

Smiley is also far from the author’s only creation. The Ink Factory’s series and film adaptations of le Carré novels besides ‘The Night Manager’ include U.K. television series ‘The Little Drummer Girl,’ directed by Park Chan-wook and the Anton Corbijn-directed ‘A Most Wanted Man’ starring Philip Seymour Hoffmann, in partnership with Amusement Park.

The company is also developing a new TV series based on le Carré’s ‘The Spy Who Came in From the Cold,’ and contemporary series adaptations of ‘The Constant Gardener’ (in English) and ‘A Most Wanted Man’ (in German).

Where else have we seen Matthew Macfadyen?

Matthew Macfadyen Talks ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’.

Macfadyen is probably best known at the moment for the aforementioned role on HBO hit ‘Succession’ as Tom Wambsgans, the ambitious, blustering husband to Sarah Snook’s Shiv Roy, who has his eye on more power in her father’s legacy media company.

He won two Emmys and two BAFTA awards for his scene-stealing performance on Jesse Armstrong’s show, which was on screens between 2018 and 2023.

The British actor is also known for his roles in films such as 2005’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and ‘Death at a Funeral,’ and was most recently seen in as Mr. Paradox in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine.’

Next up is Prime Video thriller ‘Holland,’ opposite Nicole Kidman, which premiered this month at the SXSW festival.

And let’s not forget that the actor has fictional intelligence agency bona fides already: he played MI-5 agent Tom Quinn across several episodes of UK spy series ‘Spooks’ (retitled in the States as ‘MI-5’), so he knows his way around a dead drop.

Related Article: Matthew Macfadyen Talks ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ and Playing Mr. Paradox

When will the new George Smiley series be on our screens?

That’s the big question –– right now, without a confirmed buyer for the project, there are zero details on a release.

But with multiple offers coming in, we can expect to hear news before too long; perhaps we could see another collaboration between AMC and a UK channel, as with ‘The Night Manager’ series? Or even Prime Video, which has nabbed the rights to two further seasons of the Hiddleston-fronted show.

Gary Oldman as George Smiley in ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’. Photo: StudioCanal.

John le Carré Movies and TV Shows:
- ‘The Spy Who Came In from the Cold‘ (1965)
- ‘The Deadly Affair‘ (1967)
- ‘The Looking Glass War‘ (1970)
- ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy‘ (1979)
- ‘Smiley’s People‘ (1982)
- ‘The Little Drummer Girl‘ (1984)
- ‘A Perfect Spy‘ (1987)
- ‘The Russia House‘ (1990)
- ‘A Murder of Quality‘ (1991)
- ‘The Tailor of Panama‘ (2001)
- ‘The Constant Gardener‘ (2005)
- ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy‘ (2011)
- ‘A Most Wanted Man‘ (2014)
- ‘The Night Manager‘ (2016)
- ‘Our Kind of Traitor‘ (2016)
- ‘The Little Drummer Girl‘ (2018)
Buy Matthew Macfadyen Movies on Amazon
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March 24, 2025
Steve Carell Starring in Jesse Armstrong’s New HBO Movie
Steve Carell in ‘The Office’. Photo: Universal Television.

Preview:
- ‘Succession’ Creator Jesse Armstrong has found the cast for his directorial debut.
- Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, Ramy Youssef and Cory Michael Smith will star.
- It’ll debut on Max.
Having spent the last few years –– at least up until May 2023 when the series final screened –– chronicling the lives of fictional (if not-so-loosely based on Rupert Murdoch’s dynasty) billionaires in ‘Succession,’ writer/producer Jesse Armstrong could be forgiven for wanting to make something about an entirely different subject. Sheep farmers in Bolivia, say. Or a toilet attendant in Arizona.

But no, for his next trick, the satirical writer is throwing himself back into that maelstrom, albeit through a new angle –– and this time, he’ll direct what he wrote, making his shot-calling debut with a satirical new movie whose title is a mystery for now.

Now, thanks to a tweet from streaming service HBO/Max –– which is teaming back up with Armstrong after being the home of ‘Succession’ for its four-season run, we now know that Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, Ramy Youssef and Cory Michael Smith will star.

Carell. Schwartzman. Smith. Youssef. A new @HBO Original film from Jesse Armstrong, the creator of Succession.

Premieres this spring on Max. pic.twitter.com/HRfMOOm3cd

— Max (@StreamOnMax) March 4, 2025

The movie starts filming this month in Park City, Utah, which is most famously known as A) a place for wealthy types and B) the home for years of the Sundance Film Festival.

What’s the story of ‘Succession’ creator Jesse Armstrong’s new movie?

(L to R) Jeremy Strong, Alan Ruck, Kieran Culkin, Brian Cox, and Sarah Snook in HBO’s ‘Succession.’

According to the barebones official synopsis, the new film –– it presumably has a title, but we’re not being told what it is yet –– follows a group of billionaire friends who get together against the backdrop of a rolling international crisis.

We also know the characters that the cast are bringing to screens: Carell plays Randall, Schwartzman plays Hugo Van Yalk (aka “Souper”), Smith plays Venis and Youssef plays Jeff.

Here’s what Armstrong said about the new project:

“I’m intrigued to discover whether being around so many brilliant actors and directors on ‘Succession’ has in any way rubbed off on me. Let’s hope so. I’m grateful to Casey Bloys, Francesca Orsi and the whole HBO team for backing this film so wholeheartedly and helping me pull together a dream team of cast and crew.”

Team HBO seem just as happy to have him back in the fold:

“We’re ecstatic to be back in business with the singular talent Jesse Armstrong coming off our fruitful collaboration on ’Succession.’ Jesse once again raises the bar with a bold examination of modern greed, power and male ambition. That this feature serves as his directorial debut will only elevate what is already thrilling on the page, and we couldn’t be more excited to share this timely film with the world soon.”

Related Article: Director Chris Renaud Talks ‘Despicable Me 4’ Digital Release

Where else can I see the cast?

‘Despicable Me 4’ opens in theaters on July 3, 2024. Photo: Universal Pictures.

Carell has been switching between TV and movies for years, since getting a big break on ‘The Daily Show’ and seeing his fortunes boosted further by ‘The Office.’

He was most recently heard rather than seen in two movies last year: family fantasy ‘IF’ and franchise behemoth ‘Despicable Me 4.’

On the small screen, he starred in short-lived Netflix sitcom ‘Space Force’ and effective Hulu thriller miniseries ‘The Patient.’ Carell has worked on Tina Fey’s new Netflix show, ‘The Four Seasons’ and is collaborating with ‘Ted Lasso’ co-creator Bill Lawrence on a series for HBO.

Schwartzman was last seen in ‘Queer,’ stealing scenes from Daniel Craig, and in Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘Megalopolis.’ Keeping it in the family he also had a tiny role in cousin Gia Coppola’s ‘The Last Showgirl.’
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He’ll be once more voicing ‘The Spot’ when Sony gets around to releasing ‘Spider-Man: Beyond The Spider-Verse’ and has a role in Michael Showalter’s new Christmas comedy ‘Oh. What. Fun.’

Comedian/actor Youssef, the creator and star of his own show ‘Ramy’ on Hulu, was seen in 2023’s ‘Poor Things’ and lent his voice to Disney animated title ‘Wish.’ He also co-created the Netflix series ‘Mo’ and worked on upcoming Prime Video animated comedy series ‘#1 Happy Family USA.’

Smith, who made an impression playing Chevy Chase in Jason Reitman’s ‘Saturday Night,’ also appeared in ‘May December’ and has a couple of movies on the way, ‘Sentimental Value’ and ‘Famous.’

In addition to that, he’s part of the cast for Prime Video crime show ‘The Nightbeast.’

When will Jesse Armstrong’s film be on screens?

There’s the big wrinkle for this one: if you look at the script cover in the Max tweet about the cast, you’ll see the words “This Spring.”

Which, yes, means that Armstrong is aiming to have the movie ready in the next couple of months.

Presumably, he wants to get a satire of international chaos out before everyone in America is too poor to subscribe to Max at all. Either that, or spending years toiling at the relentless maw of TV means he learned how to work quickly.

Steve Carell in ‘The 40-Year-Old Virgin’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

List of Steve Carell Movies and TV Shows:
- ‘The Daily Show‘ (1996 – 2025)
- ‘Bruce Almighty‘ (2003)
- ‘The Office‘ (2005 – 2013)
- ‘Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy‘ (2004)
- ‘The 40 Year Old Virgin‘ (2005)
- ‘Little Miss Sunshine‘ (2006)
- ‘Evan Almighty‘ (2007)
- ‘Horton Hears a Who!‘ (2008)
- ‘Get Smart‘ (2008)
- ‘Despicable Me‘ (2010)
- ‘Date Night‘ (2010)
- ‘Crazy, Stupid, Love.‘ (2011)
- ‘Despicable Me 2‘ (2013)
- ‘Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues‘ (2013)
- ‘Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day‘ (2014)
- ‘Foxcatcher‘ (2015)
- ‘The Big Short‘ (2015)
- ‘Despicable Me 3‘ (2017)
- ‘Battle of the Sexes‘ (2017)
- ‘Vice‘ (2018)
- ‘Welcome to Marwen‘ (2018)
- ‘The Morning Show‘ (2019 – 2023)
- ‘Space Force‘ (2020 – 2022)
- ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru‘ (2022)
- ‘The Patient‘ (2022)
- ‘Asteroid City‘ (2023)
- ‘IF‘ (2024)
- ‘Despicable Me 4‘ (2024)
Buy Steve Carell Movies on Amazon
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March 7, 2025
Movie Review: ‘A Real Pain’
(L to R) Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg in ‘A Real Pain’. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures, © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Opening in theaters November 1st is ‘A Real Pain,’ directed by Jesse Eisenberg and starring Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin, Will Sharpe, Jennifer Grey, Kurt Egyiawan, Liza Sadovy, and Daniel Oreskes.

Related Article: Jessie Eisenberg and Claire Danes Talk FX’s ‘Fleishman Is in Trouble’

Initial Thoughts

(L to R) Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin in ‘A Real Pain’. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures, © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Jesse Eisenberg has long been an acquired taste as an actor, but as a director, his second feature, ‘A Real Pain,’ shows tremendous growth from his 2022 debut behind the camera, ‘When You Finish Saving the World.’ While that film felt incomplete and abrasive in ways, ‘A Real Pain’ brings tremendous emotional sensitivity and a more focused wit to the story of two cousins traveling together to the land of their family’s heritage, and the issues that journey brings up.

Eisenberg also wrote and stars in the picture as the more grounded of the two characters, but the showcase performance is undoubtedly that of Kieran Culkin, who comes off his incredible run on ‘Succession’ to create a character here that is complex, irritating, endearing, and deeply wounded. ‘A Real Pain’ seems deceptively modest at first, but is a powerfully funny and poignant look at family, loneliness, depression, and heritage.

Story and Direction

(L to R) Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin on the set of ‘A Real Pain’. Photo by Agata Grzybowska, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures, © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) are cousins who were super-tight as kids but have drifted apart as adults. David is married, with a child and a solid but unglamorous job in tech, and anxiety-ridden. Benji is much looser, and living in what could best be described as a state of arrested development, although there’s ultimately more to it than that.

The two, who haven’t seen each other in years, meet at the airport for a flight to Poland, where they will tour both sites related to their family and the Holocaust thanks to money left to them by their late, beloved grandmother. From the start, Benji is much more devil-may-care, even smuggling weed aboard an international flight to David’s horror. Once they get to Poland and meet up with the rest of their tour group, Benji’s free-spiritedness manifests itself even more in ways both charming and exasperating, both to David and the group.

Jesse Eisenberg on the set of ‘A Real Pain’. Photo by Agata Grzybowska, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures, © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Whether it’s berating the cerebral tour guide James (Will Sharpe) for not exhibiting more emotion at the sites they visit, or abruptly deciding not to sit in the paid-for first class section of the train (because of a sudden interest in human rights), or having the group enact a battle scene at a memorial in the middle of a park, Benji dominates the tour with his outsized personality and antics. That sets him at odds with the more reserved David, who struggles with issues of his own and is often embarrassed at his cousin’s behavior. But as more of their family history comes to light, the double meaning of the movie’s title emerges as well: yes, Benji is a real pain, but he’s also dealing with the real pain of mental illness, which has led him to some dark places that he and David must confront.

But while that sounds grim – and the movie does feature some heavy emotional moments – much of ‘A Real Pain’ is scathingly funny, again thanks to Benji’s interactions with the tour group and the world around him. It’s a tonal balancing act managed beautifully by Eisenberg’s sharp script and unfussy direction, and given resonance by a series of locations both lovely and somber in Poland, shot magnificently by Michel Dymek. In one particularly haunting sequence, the group travels through some lush countryside only to arrive at the real Majdanek concentration camp, the setting for one of the movie’s most quietly and almost overwhelmingly powerful scenes.

The Cast

(L to R) Will Sharpe and Jesse Eisenberg in ‘A Real Pain’. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures, © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

As we noted above, Jesse Eisenberg as an actor is not always everybody’s cup of tea: he’s specialized throughout his career I twitchy, neurotic, highly intellectual characters who often can’t see past their own anxieties. But following his nuanced work on the ‘Fleishman is in Trouble’ miniseries, Eisenberg here brings more gravitas and even playfulness to the role of David, who may not possess the same free spirit as his cousin but is working hard to be content with who he is.

Yet Eisenberg generously cedes the spotlight to his sparring partner Culkin, who just dominates the proceedings throughout the movie. His Benji is at first righteous, arrogantly self-confident, casually careless, and determined to push people’s buttons. But that hides a far deeper pain embedded in his very soul, which Culkin brings out masterfully as he slowly peels away Benji’s bravado and lets us see the frightened boy inside. It’s a masterful performance from an actor who’s truly coming into his own, effortlessly turning our exasperation with Benji into empathy and compassion.

Jennifer Grey in ‘A Real Pain’. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures, © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

The supporting cast – which includes Jennifer Grey, Will Sharpe, and others – complete their assignments believably and humorously as the rest of the tour group that David and Benji are on, sketching out portraits of exactly the sort of people you’d meet on a trip like this and the way their interactions unfold, as they are briefly united as traveling partners and even friends who find themselves willing to share bits of themselves with complete strangers.

Final Thoughts

(L to R) Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg in ‘A Real Pain’. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures, © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

‘A Real Pain’ is the kind of “small” independent film (albeit released by Disney subsidiary Searchlight Pictures) that may seem humble in its scope but actually says something quite large about family history in every sense of the word. It’s also a poignant reminder of how important it is to learn where we come from and to stay in touch with the people we love, a theme that Eisenberg skillfully makes clear without being heavy-handed or cloying.

It’s also funny as hell, lovely to look at, and should be in the Oscars conversation for best supporting actor and best original screenplay at the very least. ‘A Real Pain’ is anything but as a movie, and is an encouraging vehicle for both the future directorial career of Jesse Eisenberg and the continuing evolution of Kieran Culkin as one of our stealth best actors.

‘A Real Pain’ receives 8.5 out of 10 stars.
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What is the plot of ‘A Real Pain’?

When cousins David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) embark on a tour of Poland as a tribute to their late grandmother, longstanding tensions and unresolved issues in their relationship and family history come to the surface.

Who is in the cast of ‘A Real Pain’?
- Jesse Eisenberg as David Kaplan
- Kieran Culkin as Benji Kaplan
- Will Sharpe as James
- Jennifer Grey as Marcia
- Kurt Egyiawan as Eloge
- Liza Sadovy as Diane
- Daniel Oreskes as Mark
- Ellora Torchia as Priya
Jesse Eisenberg on the set of ‘A Real Pain’. Photo by Agata Grzybowska, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures, © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

List of Jesse Eisenberg Movies and TV Shows:
- ‘The Village‘ (2004)
- ‘The Squid and the Whale‘ (2005)
- ‘Adventureland‘ (2009)
- ‘Zombieland‘ (2009)
- ‘The Social Network‘ (2010)
- ‘Rio‘ (2011)
- ‘30 Minutes or Less‘ (2011)
- ‘Now You See Me‘ (2013)
- ‘Rio 2‘ (2014)
- ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice‘ (2016)
- ‘Café Society‘ (2016)
- ‘Now You See Me 2‘ (2016)
- ‘Justice League‘ (2017)
- ‘Zombieland: Double Tap‘ (2019)
- ‘Fleishman Is in Trouble‘ (2022)
Buy Tickets: ‘A Real Pain’ Movie Showtimes

Buy Jessie Eisenberg Movies On Amazon
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November 2, 2024
Movie Review: ‘The Apprentice’
Sebastian Stan as Donald Trump in ‘The Apprentice’. Photo: Briarcliff Entertainment.

Opening in theaters on October 11th, ‘The Apprentice’ feels both timely and of its time as it turns the clock back to the late 1970s and 1980s, where Donald Trump was still a wannabe real estate developer working for his father’s companies who dreams of running his own business empire, but initially lacking the connections –– despite his family’s clear privilege –– to do so.

Ali Abbasi’s latest charts his rise thanks to the Palpatine-alike influence of obnoxious, powerful lawyer Roy Cohn, and aims to dig under Trump’s skin to discover what lead to the problem we have today.

Related Article: Sebastian Stan Playing a Young Donald Trump in New Movie ‘The Apprentice’

Does ‘The Apprentice’ work?

Sebastian Stan as Donald Trump in ‘The Apprentice’. Photo: Briarcliff Entertainment.

With the upcoming election on everyone’s minds, it’s timely that a film targeted at discovering where Donald Trump got a lot of his business and general beliefs from is arriving in theaters. ‘The Apprentice’ doesn’t look to completely profile the man, but then, that’s not the point; this is a tightly-focused story of his rise to business dominance in New York in the 1980s thanks to the support and advice of Roy Cohn in particular, who sees something in Trump and encourages his less ethical side with a mantra that includes the phrase “admit nothing, deny everything” (sound familiar?).

Truth and fairness are entirely malleable to these men, who use wealth and power to manipulate the world around them, and though the movie sometimes seems to let Trump off the hook for his behavior, it’s ultimately a compelling chronicle of his muddy morals.

Script and Direction

(L to R) Jeremy Strong as Roy Cohn and Sebastian Stan as Donald Trump in ‘The Apprentice’. Photo: Briarcliff Entertainment.

Writer Gabriel Sherman has spent most of his career chronicling dodgy wealthy and powerful people, and he brings plenty of research to the page here. Keeping the focus almost entirely on Trump, he has crafted a solid and believable evolution (though perhaps devolution might be a better word) for the man on the page.

While ‘The Apprentice’ script does sometimes fall into the old trap of this-happens-then-this-happens storytelling, there’s enough meat on the bone to keep it from feeling stale.

Director Ali Abbasi has more normally worked from scripts he wrote, including the superb ‘Holy Spider’ and the excellent ‘Border’ and has brought both horror and fantasy to screens. He’s a good choice for a real-life horror story and his Iranian-Danish background means he has an outsider’s eye on the whole, ridiculous saga.

Bringing late 1970s and 1980s New York to the screen is no easy feat, especially for a movie that had to find its thrifty $16 million budget from a patchwork of companies and investors. But Abbasi infuses his film with punkish energy and keeps the story in motion while getting a lot out of his two leading men.

Performances

Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong dominate the screen here, while finding support in the likes of Maria Bakalova and Martin Donovan.

Sebastian Stan as Donald Trump

Sebastian Stan as Donald Trump in ‘The Apprentice’. Photo: Briarcliff Entertainment.

Stan is having a stellar year, providing some of the best performances of his career between ‘A Different Man’ and now this. His Donald Trump is less an impression of the man, more a channeling of his corrupted essence, though as he moves through the story, he becomes closer to the Trump as most people will know him. While his work on ‘A Different Man’ seems more likely to draw awards attention, it’s not impossible that this transformation will also see potential trophies.

Jeremy Strong as Roy Cohn

Jeremy Strong as Roy Cohn in ‘The Apprentice’. Photo: Briarcliff Entertainment.

The ever-intense Strong (who spent a few years as the ambitious, neurotic Kendall Roy on ‘Succession’) here dives into playing the powerful lawyer who seemingly set Trump on his path to how he is today. This is a bravura acting job by Strong, who fully imbues Cohn with angry power, but also gets to chart his slow decline as Trump rises and Cohn is impacted by the AIDS epidemic in those around him and finally, himself (though he insists to his dying day that he has liver cancer). Cohn’s a fascinating, intimidating character, a puppet master whose creation gets away from him.

Maria Bakalova as Ivana Trump

Maria Bakalova as Ivana Trump in ‘The Apprentice’. Photo: Briarcliff Entertainment.

Bakalova, best known for her breakout role in the ‘Borat’ sequel, has less to do than her co-stars, but she brings spirit and, later spite to the role of Trump’s first wife. She’s always watchable and works well with Stan.

Martin Donovan as Fred Trump

(L to R) Sebastian Stan as Donald Trump and Martin Donovan as Fred Trump in ‘The Apprentice’. Photo: Briarcliff Entertainment.

Trump’s overbearing father had a huge impact on his life, and Donovan is excellent in the role, working in prosthetics to bring him to life.

Supporting cast

There is good work in relatively small (but impactful) roles from the likes of Charlie Carrick (as Trump’s brother Freddy, who goes from high-flying airline pilot to addicted burnout) and Mark Rendall as Roger Stone, who will infamously go on to be a key advisor to Trump.

Final Thoughts

Sebastian Stan as Donald Trump in ‘The Apprentice’. Photo: Briarcliff Entertainment.

‘The Apprentice’ faces a struggle for attention in theaters because of its divisive subject matter. There will be surely those who will be disappointed it doesn’t completely demonize the man (though a couple of scenes, based on more spurious accusations certainly push in that direction, including how he treats Ivanna), while Trump supporters will skip it and label it as leftie propaganda and “fake news.”

But take on its own merits, it’s a worthwhile peek at a very troubling person.

‘The Apprentice’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the plot of ‘The Apprentice’?

A young Donald Trump (Sebastian Stan), eager to make his name as a hungry second son of a wealthy family in 1970s New York, comes under the spell of Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong), the cutthroat attorney who would help create the Donald Trump we know today.

Cohn sees in Trump the perfect protégé — someone with raw ambition, a hunger for success, and a willingness to do whatever it takes to win.

Who is in the cast of ‘The Apprentice’?
- Sebastian Stan as Donald Trump
- Jeremy Strong as Roy Cohn
- Maria Bakalova as Ivana Trump
- Martin Donovan as Fred Trump
- Ben Sullivan as Russell Eldridge
- Charlie Carrick as Fred Trump Jr.
- Mark Rendall as Daniel Sullivan
- Joe Pingue as Anthony Salerno
(L to R) Sebastian Stan as Donald Trump and Jeremy Strong as Roy Cohn in ‘The Apprentice’. Photo: Briarcliff Entertainment.

Other Sebastian Stan Movies and TV Shows:
- ‘Rachel Getting Married‘ (2008)
- ‘Gossip Girl‘ (2007 – 2012)
- ‘Hot Tub Time Machine‘ (2010)
- ‘Black Swan‘ (2010)
- ‘Once Upon a Time‘ (2011 – 2018)
- ‘Captain America: The First Avenger‘ (2011)
- ‘The Apparition‘ (2012)
- ‘Political Animals‘ (2012)
- ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier‘ (2014)
- ‘The Martian‘ (2015)
- ‘Ant-Man‘ (2015)
- ‘Captain America: Civil War‘ (2016)
- ‘Logan Lucky‘ (2017)
- ‘I, Tonya‘ (2018)
- ‘Destroyer‘ (2018)
- ‘Black Panther‘ (2018)
- ‘Avengers: Infinity War‘ (2018)
- ‘Avengers: Endgame‘ (2019)
- ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier‘ (2021)
- ‘What If…?‘ (2021 – 2023)
- ‘The 355‘ (2022)
- ‘Pam & Tommy‘ (2022)
- ‘Sharper‘ (2023)
- ‘Ghosted‘ (2023)
- ‘Dumb Money‘ (2023)
- ‘A Different Man‘ (2024)
- ‘Thunderbolts*‘ (2025)
Buy Tickets: ‘The Apprentice’ Movie Showtimes

Buy Sebastian Stan Movies On Amazon
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October 13, 2024
‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Exclusive Interview: Matthew Macfadyen
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Opening in theaters on July 26th is the long awaited third installment of the ‘Deadpool’ franchise entitled ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’.

The movie was directed by Shawn Levy (‘Free Guy’) and stars Ryan Reynolds (‘Deadpool 2’) and Hugh Jackman (‘Logan’), reprising their roles as Deadpool and Wolverine, respectively, as well as Emma Corrin (‘The Crown’) as Cassandra Nova and Matthew Macfadyen (‘Succession’) as Mr. Paradox.

Matthew Macfadyen Talks ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’.

Related Article: 10 Things We Learned at the ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Press Conference

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Matthew Macfadyen about his work on ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’, joining the MCU, his character, working with Reynolds and Jackman, and being directed by Levy.

You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above and watch our interview.

Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Paradox in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

Moviefone: To begin with, what was it like joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe and watching the specific way they make movies?

Matthew Macfadyen: It’s interesting because it’s only really after you’ve shot it and worked on it that you’re aware of this, or that I was becoming aware of this huge, wide and deep fan love for the MCU and for the project. So, it’s exciting and it’s thrilling, really, and there’s a lot of love for it. I think with the combination of Deadpool and Wolverine, the possibilities are endless now. They’re sort of infinite for matchups and new stories, and so it’s exciting. It’s great.

(L to R) Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson and Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Paradox in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

MF: Were you surprised by the secrecy behind the project?

MM: No, I knew there’d be a fair number of secrets to be kept, and I was aware that there are special appearances by various characters and actors, so that was exciting. So, it’s great. It’s fun to keep a secret like that, or to keep secrets like that.

(L to R) Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Paradox and Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

MF: Did you do any research into the comic book history of Mr. Paradox, or did you just base your performance off the screenplay?

MM: I just go off the script really and talking to Shawn, the director, and Ryan, I think if they’d wanted me to, I don’t know, do a bit of research or bring another flavor to it, they would’ve suggested that. But yeah, if you’ve got a good script and then just go with that. We did have a good script; we had a wonderful script.

(L to R) Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine/Logan in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’. Photo by Jay Maidment. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

MF: How would you describe the character in your own words and how does he feel about working with Deadpool and Logan?

MM: I think he’s working with Deadpool and Logan through gritted teeth and weird fascination. He’s a strange man, Mr. Paradox, I think he’s disgruntled in his position within the TVA. He’s a bureaucrat, he’s an office guy, and I think he wishes he had a bit more heft and power, maybe.

(L to R) Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine/Logan in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’. Photo by Jay Maidment. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

MF: What was it like working with Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman and can you talk about the incredible onscreen chemistry they have together?

MM: They have a wonderful chemistry. They’re great friends, and so it was just lovely. They’re great friends, so you’ve got that, and they’re wonderful actors, so you’ve got that. Also, they’ve been playing these parts. Ryan’s brought Deadpool into existence, really. And Hugh’s been playing Wolverine for 24 years or something. So, it’s in their bodies, and it’s wonderful to watch. So that sort of authenticity and flare and those performances transmit through the whole set, and it’s exciting to see, especially when they walk on in the costumes. You’re like, “Oh, there we go. There they are”. It’s thrilling. It’s good fun.

(L to R) Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, and Director Shawn Levy on the set of Marvel Studios’ ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’. Photo by Jay Maidment. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 MARVEL.

MF: Finally, can you talk about collaborating with director Shawn Levy on set?

MM: He’s wonderful. He has an amazing, dauntingly, amazing energy. He’s just extraordinary. You think, how are you still going? He’s just brilliant. But he’s just lovely. He has a great gift of giving everybody, and not just the actors, but everybody from the dresser to the props-maker to everybody, confidence. So, it’s wonderful. It creates a very happy, purposeful set where you’re coming to work, and it’s a nice place to be. He’s wonderful. He’s wonderful, Shawn.
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What is the plot of ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’?

Six years after the events of ‘Deadpool 2’, Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) lives a quiet life, having left his time as the mercenary Deadpool behind him, until the Time Variance Authority (TVA)—a bureaucratic organization that exists outside of time and space and monitors the timeline—pulls him into a new mission. With his home universe facing an existential threat, Wilson reluctantly joins an even more reluctant Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) on a mission that will change the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

Who is in the cast of ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’?
- Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson / Deadpool:
- Hugh Jackman as James “Logan” Howlett / Wolverine
- Emma Corrin as Cassandra Nova
- Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Paradox
- Morena Baccarin as Vanessa Carlysle
- Rob Delaney as Peter Wisdom
- Leslie Uggams as Blind Al
- Karan Soni as Dopinder
- Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead
- Shioli Kutsuna as Yukio
- Stefan Kapičić as the voice of Colossus
‘Deadpool & Wolverine’. © 2024 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2024 Marvel.

Other Movies and TV Shows Similar to ‘Deadpool and Wolverine’:
- ‘X-Men‘ (1992 – 1997)
- ‘X-Men‘ (2000)
- ‘X2‘ (2003)
- ‘Daredevil‘ (2003)
- ‘Elektra‘ (2005)
- ‘Fantastic Four‘ (2005)
- ‘X-Men: The Last Stand‘ (2006)
- ‘Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer‘ (2007)
- ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine‘ (2009)
- ‘X-Men: First Class‘ (2011)
- ‘Real Steel‘ (2011)
- ‘The Wolverine‘ (2013)
- ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past‘ (2014)
- ‘X-Men: Apocalypse‘ (2016)
- ‘Deadpool‘ (2016)
- ‘Logan‘ (2017)
- ‘Deadpool 2‘ (2018)
- ‘Once Upon a Deadpool‘ (2018)
- ‘Free Guy‘ (2021)
- ‘The Adam Project‘ (2022)
- ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness‘ (2022)
- ‘Ms. Marvel‘ (2022)
- ‘The Marvels‘ (2023)
- ‘X-Men ’97‘ (2024)
Buy ‘Deadpool’ Movies On Amazon
July 23, 2024
2024 Screen Actors Guild Awards Winners
Motion Picture Cast, ‘Oppenheimer.’ Photo: Stewart Cook/Shutterstock for SAG.

Preview:
- ‘Oppenheimer’ dominated the movie section of the 2024 SAG Awards.
- In the TV categories, ‘The Bear’ and ‘Beef were predictable winners.
- The show was carried by Netflix for the first time.
This year’s Screen Actors Guild Awards ceremony happened Saturday evening, and while they’re extremely limited in their Oscar prognostication (since this is all about acting), there were still few surprises, but shared love among a variety of movies and shows.

Perhaps the most unusual element was the venue –– not the location, but the fact that it is being carried live via Netflix after years on broadcast cable.

The show itself had some fun elements –– like the Emmys, it opted for a number of reunions from much-loved shows and movies, including ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ (Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt), ‘The Lord of the Rings’ Elijah Wood and Sean Astin, and the casts of ‘Breaking Bad’ and ‘Modern Family’, among others.

On the movie front, ‘Oppenheimer’ and ‘Barbie’ led the nominations, with the former taking Motion Picture Cast, Male Actor in a Leading Role for Cillian Murphy (does this point to him taking the Oscar instead of ‘The Holdovers’ Paul Giamatti?) and Male Actor in a Supporting Role for Robert Downey Jr. (who is a big Oscar favorite for playing Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan’s film). “Why me? Why now? Why do things seem to be going my way?,” RDJ quipped. “Unlike my fellow nominees, I will never grow tired from the sound of my own voice….”

(L to R) Male Actor in a Leading Role – Motion Picture, Cillian Murphy, ‘Oppenheimer’ – with Robert Downey Jr. 30th Screen Actors Guild Awards, Show, Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, USA – 24 Feb 2024. Photo by Christopher Polk/Shutterstock for SAG .

‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ only saw Lily Gladstone winning another award as Female Actor in a Lead Role, while ‘The Holdovers’ Da’Vine Joy Randolph added Female Actor in a Supporting Role to her considerable collection, pointing to her surely nabbing an Oscar next month.

TV-wise, there were even fewer shockers since the delayed Emmys and other shows had featured many of the same winners. So ‘The Bear’ duo Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri once again took the stage to collect trophies (both deserving winners, even though the debate remains as to whether the tension-filled show is truly a comedy), as well as being part of the series wining the Comedy ensemble award. ‘Succession’ meanwhile, nabbed the Drama Ensemble trophy.

In other no-real-surprise news, Ali Wong and Steven Yeun both won for ‘Beef’.

A mild surprise given what has happened so far? Pedro Pascal took Male Actor in a Drama Series for ‘The Last of Us’, beating out ‘Succession’s Kieran Culkin. Pascal was typically charming, admitting he’d thought he was allowed to get a little drunk and concerned he was making a fool of himself.

Related Article: ‘Barbie’, ‘Oppenheimer’ and ‘Succession’ Lead 2024 SAG Nominations

Screen Actors Guild: Full Movie Winners List

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

Motion Picture Cast, ‘Oppenheimer’ 30th Screen Actors Guild Awards, Show, Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, USA – 24 Feb 2024. Credit: Photo by Christopher Polk/Shutterstock for SAG.
- ‘American Fiction’
- ‘Barbie’
- ‘The Color Purple’
- ‘Killers of the Flower Moon‘
- ‘Oppenheimer’
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

Male Actor in a Leading Role – Motion Picture, Cillian Murphy, ‘Oppenheimer’ 30th Screen Actors Guild Awards, Show, Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, USA – 24 Feb 2024. Credit: Photo by Christopher Polk/Shutterstock for SAG.
- Bradley Cooper – ‘Maestro’
- Colman Domingo – ‘Rustin’
- Paul Giamatti – ‘The Holdovers’
- Cillian Murphy – ‘Oppenheimer’
- Jeffrey Wright – ‘American Fiction’
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

Female Actor in a Leading Role – Motion Picture, Lily Gladstone, ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ 30th Screen Actors Guild Awards, Show, Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, USA – 24 Feb 2024. Photo by Christopher Polk/Shutterstock for SAG.
- Annette Bening – ‘Nyad’
- Lily Gladstone – ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’
- Carey Mulligan – ‘Maestro’
- Margot Robbie – ‘Barbie’
- Emma Stone – ‘Poor Things’
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

Male Actor in a Supporting Role – Motion Picture, Robert Downey, Jr., ‘Oppenheimer.’ Credit: Stewart Cook/Shutterstock for SAG.
- Sterling K. Brown – ‘American Fiction’
- Willem Dafoe – ‘Poor Things’
- Robert De Niro – ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’
- Robert Downey Jr. – ‘Oppenheimer’
- Ryan Gosling – ‘Barbie’
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

Female Actor in a Supporting Role – Motion Picture, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, ‘The Holdovers.’ Credit: Stewart Cook/Shutterstock for SAG.
- Emily Blunt – ‘Oppenheimer’
- Danielle Brooks – ‘The Color Purple’
- Penelope Cruz – ‘Ferrari’
- Jodie Foster – ‘Nyad’
- Da’Vine Joy Randolph – ‘The Holdovers’
Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture

Tom Cruise plays Ethan Hunt in ‘Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning – Part One ‘from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.
- ‘Barbie’
- ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’
- ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’
- ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’
- ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’
Screen Actors Guild: Full TV Winners List

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

Drama Series Ensemble, ‘Succession.’ Photo: Stewart Cook/Shutterstock for SAG.
- ‘The Crown’
- ‘The Gilded Age’
- ‘The Last of Us’
- ‘The Morning Show’
- ‘Succession’
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

Comedy Series Ensemble, ‘The Bear.’ Photo: Stewart Cook/Shutterstock for SAG.
- ‘Abbot Elementary’
- ‘Barry’
- ‘The Bear’
- ‘Only Murders in the Building’
- ‘Ted Lasso’
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

Male Actor in a Drama Series, Pedro Pascal, ‘The Last of Us.’ Credit: Stewart Cook/Shutterstock for SAG.
- Brian Cox – ‘Succession’
- Billy Crudup – ‘The Morning Show’
- Kieran Culkin – ‘Succession’
- Matthew Macfadyen – ‘Succession’
- Pedro Pascal – ‘The Last of Us’
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

Female Actor in a Drama Series, Elizabeth Debicki, ‘The Crown.’ Credit: Stewart Cook/Shutterstock for SAG.
- Jennifer Aniston – ‘The Morning Show’
- Elizabeth Debicki – ‘The Crown’
- Bella Ramsey – ‘The Last of Us’
- Keri Russell – ‘The Diplomat’
- Sarah Snook – ‘Succession’
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series

Female Actor in a Comedy Series, Ayo Edebiri, ‘The Bear’ 30th Screen Actors Guild Awards, Show, Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, USA – 24 Feb 2024. Credit: Photo by Christopher Polk/Shutterstock for SAG.
- Alex Borstein – ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’
- Rachel Brosnahan – ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’
- Quinta Brunson – ‘Abbott Elementary’
- Ayo Edebiri – ‘The Bear’
- Hannah Waddingham – ‘Ted Lasso’
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series

Male Actor in a Comedy Series, Jeremy Allen White, ‘The Bear’ 30th Screen Actors Guild Awards, Show, Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, USA – 24 Feb 2024. Credit: Photo by Christopher Polk/Shutterstock for SAG.
- Brett Goldstein – ‘Ted Lasso’
- Bill Hader – ‘Barry’
- Ebon Moss-Bachrach – ‘The Bear’
- Jason Sudeikis – ‘Ted Lasso’
- Jeremy Allen White – ‘The Bear’
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series

Female Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries, Ali Wong, ‘Beef.’ Credit: Stewart Cook/Shutterstock for SAG.
- Uzo Aduba – ‘Painkiller’
- Kathryn Hahn – ‘Tiny Beautiful Things’
- Brie Larson – ‘Lessons in Chemistry’
- Bel Powley – ‘A Small Light’
- Ali Wong – ‘Beef’
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series

Male Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries, Steven Yeun, ‘Beef.’ Photo: Stewart Cook/Shutterstock for SAG.
- Matt Bomer – ‘Fellow Travelers’
- Jon Hamm – ‘Fargo’
- David Oyelowo – ‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves’
- Tony Shalhoub – ‘Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie’
- Steven Yeun – ‘Beef’
Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series

(L to R) Pedro Pascal and Anna Torv in ‘The Last of Us.’ Photo: Warner Media.
- ‘Ahsoka’
- ‘Barry’
- ‘Beef’
- ‘The Last of Us’
- ‘The Mandalorian’
February 24, 2024
Emmy Awards Winners 2024
(Left) Sarah Snook in season 4 of HBO’s ‘Succession.’ Photograph by Claudette Barius/HBO. (Center) Jeremy Allen White in ‘The Bear.’ Photo: Courtesy of FX. (Right) Steven Yeun as Danny in “Beef.’ Photo: Andrew Cooper/Netflix © 2023.

Preview:
- The 75th Emmy Awards ceremony was broadcast Monday night.
- ‘Succession’, ‘Beef’ and ‘The Bear’ scooped a lot of awards.
- The show also brought out casts from veteran series.
While there have been a number of award ceremonies (the Directors Guild, the Critics Choice Association) that feature television among their trophies, Monday night was the big one for TV –– the 75th Emmys. Delayed from September last year (so these are technically the 2023 Emmys), they were finally handed out Monday night.

In the lead up to the award, there were questions as to whether there would be a lot of repeat winners, including ‘Ted Lasso’, which has done well in recent years, and whether that, along with ‘Succession’, would benefit from voters looking to reward them for their final seasons (neither show, let’s be honest has needed it, but the fact remains).

‘Succession’ once again dominated, along with ‘Beef’ (in limited series categories) and ‘The Bear’, the three shows winning multiple awards, to no-one’s surprise.

Anthony Anderson proved to be an engaged and entertaining host, kicking things off with a tribute to the television he loved growing up and popping up to move things along from time to time (at one point donning an ‘American Horror Story’ gimp suit), with his mother, Doris, acting as a human alternative to play off music (also used judiciously so the joke never wore thin).

Kieran Culkin at the 81st Annual Golden Globe Awards, airing live from the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California on Sunday, January 7, 2024, at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT, on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2024 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The speeches, for the most part, were short and sweet. And in a presenting moment, Pedro Pascal continued the comedy feud with ‘Succession’s Kieran Culkin (who had told his category competitor to “suck it” while accepting the Golden Globe), blaming Culkin for his recent shoulder injury in a sweary moment that the broadcast muted.

Aside from the awards, the show looked to generate buzz by reuniting the casts of some classic and iconic shows including ‘Cheers’, ‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, the latter an odd once since it’s still on the air (but everyone still thinks of the original lineup).

Those were much more of a mixed bag –– the ‘Cheers’ gang were game and warm, but does it really count as a ‘Game of Thrones’ reunion when it’s just Peter Dinklage?

Related Article: ‘Succession’, ‘The White Lotus’, ‘Beef’, ‘Ted Lasso’ Among the Nominees for the 2023 Emmy Awards

But what you’re really here for is the results. And the winners are…

Outstanding Drama Series

(L to R) Jeremy Strong, Alan Ruck, Kieran Culkin, Brian Cox, and Sarah Snook in HBO’s ‘Succession.’
- ‘Andor’
- ‘Better Call Saul’
- ‘The Crown’
- ‘House of the Dragon’
- ‘The Last of Us’
- ‘Succession’
- ‘The White Lotus’
- ‘Yellowjackets’
Outstanding Comedy Series

Jeremy Allen White in ‘The Bear.’ Photo: Courtesy of FX.
- ‘Abbott Elementary’
- ‘Barry’
- ‘The Bear’
- ‘Jury Duty’
- ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’
- ‘Only Murders in the Building’
- ‘Ted Lasso’
- ‘Wednesday’
Outstanding Limited Or Anthology Series

(L to R) Steven Yeun as Danny, Ali Wong as Amy in ‘Beef.’ Photo: Courtesy of Netflix © 2022.
- ‘Beef’
- ‘Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’
- ‘Daisy Jones & The Six’
- ‘Fleishman is in Trouble’
- ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series

Sarah Snook in HBO’s Succession’ season 4. Photograph by David Russell/HBO. ©2022 HBO. All Rights Reserved.
- Sharon Horgan (‘Bad Sisters’)
- Melanie Lynskey (‘Yellowjackets’)
- Elisabeth Moss (‘The Handmaid’s Tale’)
- Bella Ramsey (‘The Last of Us’)
- Keri Russell (‘The Diplomat’)
- Sarah Snook (‘Succession’)
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series

Kieran Culkin in HBO’s ‘Succession’ season 4. Photograph by Claudette Barius/HBO. ©2022 HBO. All Rights Reserved.
- Jeff Bridges (‘The Old Man’)
- Brian Cox (‘Succession’)
- Kieran Culkin (‘Succession’)
- Bob Odenkirk (‘Better Call Saul’)
- Pedro Pascal (‘The Last of Us’)
- Jeremy Strong (‘Succession’)
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series

Quinta Brunson on ABC’s ‘Abbott Elementary.’ Photo Courtesy of ABC’s YouTube Channel.
- Christina Applegate (‘Dead to Me’)
- Rachel Brosnahan (‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’)
- Quinta Brunson (‘Abbott Elementary’)
- Natasha Lyonne (‘Poker Face’)
- Jenna Ortega (‘Wednesday’)
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series

Jeremy Allen White in ‘The Bear.’ Photo: Courtesy of FX.
- Bill Hader (‘Barry’)
- Martin Short ‘(Only Murders in the Building’)
- Jason Segel (‘Shrinking’)
- Jason Sudeikis (‘Ted Lasso’)
- Jeremy Allen White (‘The Bear’)
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie

Ali Wong as Amy in ‘Beef.’ Photo: Andrew Cooper/Netflix © 2023.
- Lizzy Caplan (‘Fleishman is in Trouble’)
- Jessica Chastain (‘George & Tammy’)
- Dominique Fishback (‘Swarm’)
- Kathryn Hahn (‘Tiny Beautiful Things’)
- Riley Keough (‘Daisy Jones & The Six’)
- Ali Wong (‘Beef’)
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie

Steven Yeun as Danny in ‘Beef.’ Photo: Andrew Cooper/Netflix © 2023.
- Taron Egerton (‘Black Bird’)
- Kumail Nanjiani ‘(Welcome to Chippendales’)
- Evan Peters (‘Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’)
- Daniel Radcliffe (‘Weird: The Al Yankovic Story’)
- Michael Shannon (‘George & Tammy’)
- Steven Yeun (‘Beef’)
Outstanding Reality Competition Program

(L to R)Judges Michelle Visage, host RuPaul, JoJo Siwa and Ts Madison in ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars’ season 8, streaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo Credit: World of Wonder/Paramount+ ©2023 World of Wonder Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. RuPaul’s Drag Race and all related titles and logos are trademarks of World of Wonder Productions, Inc. VH1 is a trademark of Viacom International Inc.
- ‘The Amazing Race’
- ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’
- ‘Survivor’
- ‘Top Chef’
- ‘The Voice’
Outstanding Talk Series

Trevor Noah in ‘The Daily Show with Trevor Noah.’ Photo: Paramount+.
- ‘The Daily Show With Trevor Noah’
- ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’
- ‘Late Night With Seth Meyers’
- ‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’
- ‘The Problem With Jon Stewart’
Outstanding Scripted Variety Series

John Oliver on ‘Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.’ Photograph by Courtesy of HBO.
- ‘A Black Lady Sketch Show’
- ‘Last Week Tonight With John Oliver’
- ‘Saturday Night Live’
Outstanding Variety Special (Live)

Elton John in ‘Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium.’ Photo: Disney+.
- ‘The Apple Music Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show Starring Rihanna’
- ‘Chris Rock: Selective Outrage’
- ‘Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium’
- ‘The Oscars’
- ‘75th Annual Tony Awards’
Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded)

(L to R) Lily Tomlin and Carole Burnett in ‘Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love.’ Photo: Trae Patton/NBC. 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC.
- ‘Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love’
- ‘John Mulaney: Baby J’
- ‘Lizzo: Live in Concert’
- ‘Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music & Laughter’
- ‘Trevor Noah: I Wish You Would’
- ‘Wanda Sykes: I’m an Entertainer’
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series

Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Rochard “Richie” Jerimovich in ‘The Bear.’ Photo: Courtesy of FX.
- Anthony Carrigan (‘Barry’)
- Phil Dunster (‘Ted Lasso’)
- Brett Goldstein (‘Ted Lasso’)
- James Marsden (‘Jury Duty’)
- Ebon Moss-Bachrach (‘The Bear’)
- Tyler James Williams (‘Abbott Elementary’)
- Henry Winkler (‘Barry’)
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series

Matthew Macfadyen as Tom Wambsgans on HBO’s ‘Succession.’ Photograph by Macall B. Polay/HBO.
- F. Murray Abraham (‘The White Lotus’)
- Nicholas Braun (‘Succession’)
- Michael Imperioli (‘The White Lotus’)
- Theo James (‘The White Lotus’)
- Matthew Macfadyen (‘Succession’)
- Alan Ruck (‘Succession’)
- Will Sharpe (‘The White Lotus’)
- Alexander Skarsgård (‘Succession’)
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie

Paul Walter Hauser in ‘Black Bird,’ now streaming on Apple TV+.
- Murray Bartlett (‘Welcome to Chippendales’)
- Paul Walter Hauser (‘Black Bird’)
- Richard Jenkins (‘Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’)
- Joseph Lee (‘Beef’)
- Ray Liotta (‘Black Bird’)
- Young Mazino (‘Beef’)
- Jesse Plemons (‘Love & Death’)
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series

Alo Edebiri in ‘The Bear.’ Photo: Courtesy of FX.
- Alex Borstein (‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’)
- Ayo Edebiri (‘The Bear’)
- Janelle James (‘Abbott Elementary’)
- Sheryl Lee Ralph (‘Abbott Elementary’)
- Juno Temple (‘Ted Lasso’)
- Hannah Waddingham (‘Ted Lasso’)
- Jessica Williams (‘Shrinking’)
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series

Jennifer Coolidge in HBO’s ‘The White Lotus.’ Photograph by Fabio Lovino/HBO.
- Jennifer Coolidge (‘The White Lotus’)
- Elizabeth Debicki (‘The Crown’)
- Meghann Fahy (‘The White Lotus’)
- Sabrina Impacciatore (‘The White Lotus’)
- Aubrey Plaza (‘The White Lotus’)
- Rhea Seehorn (‘Better Call Saul’)
- J. Smith-Cameron (‘Succession’)
- Simona Tabasco (‘The White Lotus’)
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie

Niecy Nash as Glenda Cleveland in ‘Dahmer. Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.’ Photo: Courtesy Of Netflix © 2022.
- Annaleigh Ashford (‘Welcome to Chippendales’)
- Maria Bello (‘Beef’)
- Claire Danes (‘Fleishman is in Trouble’)
- Juliette Lewis (‘Welcome to Chippendales’)
- Camila Morrone (‘Daisy Jones & The Six’)
- Niecy Nash-Betts (‘Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’)
- Merritt Wever (‘Tiny Beautiful Things’)
Outstanding Writing For A Comedy Series

Jeremy Allen White in ‘The Bear.’ Photo: Courtesy of FX.
- Bill Hader (‘Barry’)
- Christopher Storer (‘The Bear’)
- Mekki Leeper (‘Jury Duty’)
- John Hoffman, Matteo Borghese, Rob Turbovsky (‘Only Murders in the Building’)
- Chris Kelly, Sarah Schneider (‘The Other Two’)
- Brendan Hunt, Joe Kelly, Jason Sudeikis (‘Ted Lasso’)
Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series

(L to R) Matthew Macfadyen as Tom Wambsgans, Brian Cox as Logan Roy, and Nicholas Braun as Greg Hirsch on HBO’s ‘Succession.’ Photograph by Macall B. Polay/HBO.
- Beau Willimon (‘Andor’)
- Sharon Horgan, Dave Finkel, Brett Baer (‘Bad Sisters’)
- Gordon Smith (‘Better Call Saul’)
- Peter Gould (‘Better Call Saul’)
- Craig Mazin (‘The Last of Us’)
- Jesse Armstrong (‘Succession’)
- Mike White (‘The White Lotus’)
Outstanding Writing For A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie

(L to R) Lee Sung Jin, Ali Wong and Steven Yeun attend Netflix’s Los Angeles premiere of ‘BEEF’ at Netflix Tudum Theater on March 30, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix.
- Lee Sung Jin (‘Beef’)
- Joel Kim Booster (‘Fire Island’)
- Taffy Brodesser-Akner (‘Fleishman is in Trouble’)
- Patrick Aison, Dan Trachtenberg (‘Prey’)
- Janine Nabers, Donald Glover (‘Swarm’)
- Al Yankovic, Eric Appel (‘Weird: The Al Yankovic Story’)
Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series

Jeremy Allen White in ‘The Bear.’ Photo: Courtesy of FX.
- Bill Hader (‘Barry’)
- Christopher Storer (‘The Bear’)
- Amy Sherman-Palladino (‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’)
- Mary Lou Belli (‘The Ms. Pat Show’)
- Declan Lowney (‘Ted Lasso’)
- Tim Burton (‘Wednesday’)
Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series

Brian Cox in season 4 of HBO’s ‘Succession.’ Photograph by David Russell/HBO.
- Benjamin Caron (‘Andor’)
- Dearbhla Walsh (‘Bad Sisters’)
- Peter Hoar (‘The Last of Us’)
- Andrij Parekh (‘Succession’)
- Mark Mylod (‘Succession’)
- Lorene Scafaria (‘Succession’)
- Mike White (‘The White Lotus’)
Outstanding Directing For A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie

(L to R) Lee Sung Jin, Ali Wong and Steven Yeun attend Netflix’s Los Angeles premiere of ‘BEEF’ at Netflix Tudum Theater on March 30, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix.
- Lee Sung Jin (‘Beef’)
- Jake Schreier (‘Beef’)
- Carl Franklin (‘Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’)
- Paris Barclay (‘Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’)
- Valerie Faris, Jonathan Dayton (‘Fleishman is in Trouble’)
- Dan Trachtenberg (‘Prey’)
January 16, 2024