ITV

Tag: Octavia Spencer

  • Prime Video presents: Trailblazers, celebrates women of Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios

    Prime Video presents: Trailblazers, celebrates women of Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios

    Mumbai: The inaugural Prime Video presents: Trailblazers took place in London today, an event celebrating the women of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios. Hosted by Amazon MGM Studios head Jennifer Salke and Prime Video International VP Kelly Day, the showcase featured guest appearances from actors Priyanka-Chopra Jonas, Octavia Spencer, Bryce Dallas Howard, directors Charlotte Brändström and Louise Hooper, and producers Amy Pascal, Sue Vertue and Lindsey Weber, at Queen Elizabeth Hall at London’s South Bank Centre.

    Creative talent from both in front of and behind the cameras joined Salke and Day at the event, attended by industry guests and Prime Video female executives, including global heads of Amazon MGM Studios and regional Prime Video leaders. Hosted by broadcaster Clara Amfo, the event discussed global franchises, appealing to younger audiences, and the rise of action heroines. Participants included Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Octavia Spencer, the cast and directors of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and Bryce Dallas Howard. The event previewed international series and films like Citadel: Diana, The Devil’s Hour Season 2, Culpa Tuya, My Fault: London, La Virgen Roja, The Office Australia, and Pimpinero: Blood and Oil.

    During the live showcase, Jennifer Salke commented: “We’ve had a mission to be a destination for women all around the world, and we’re starting to see progress with that” and Kelly Day added “we’ve expanded the storytelling so much for women, and it’s brought so many new customers to the service and ignited a lot of passion for our female viewers.”

    As part of an on-stage fireside chat, Octavia Spencer said, “For me, there weren’t a lot of female executives. So, to see how vastly different the industry is, how many opportunities are made available to us, I think it’s imperative that we come into the industry with as much in our arsenal as we can give.”

    Commenting on the upcoming Australian Original adaption of The Office, Felicity Ward told Clara Amfo: “Ricky Gervais approved a female lead. He was very excited about a female lead” and on the importance of female commissioners, Laura Osma (Pimpinero: Blood and Oil) said “so many stories have been hidden for so long but now we can delve into them”.

    During a fireside conversation with Jennifer Salke, on what the industry is getting right, Priyanka Chopra Jonas said, “I was wanting to get out of the box and here with Amazon is where I got that, it takes huge courage to back local stories”

    “Women are at the core of our business – from our incredible actors, our inventive producers and our executive teams,” said Amazon MGM Studios head Jennifer Salke. “We also know that women around the world love to be moved by incredible storytelling and we look forward to bringing them all a compelling slate featuring some of the most talented women working both in front and behind the camera.”

    “As we look to grow Prime Video internationally, women will be central to driving that success,” added Day. “From the millions of viewers globally, to the women running the Prime Video and Studios teams in Europe, Latin America, Asia-Pacific and the US, to the women starring in and delivering our biggest shows and movies, Prime Video is being shaped by trailblazing women.”

    The following announcements were made at Prime Video presents: Trailblazers:

    . Greenlight: Prime Video announced a spinoff series, The Untitled Neagley Project, starring Maria Sten (Reacher, Swamp Thing). Created by co-showrunners and executive producers Nick Santora (Reacher, Prison Break) and Nicholas Wootton (Law & Order, Prison Break), and produced by Amazon MGM Studios, Skydance Television, and CBS Studios, the series will premiere on Prime Video in over 240 countries. It follows Frances Neagley, a private investigator, seeking justice after a friend’s suspicious death.

    . First-look clip: An exclusive clip from Citadel: Diana, the highly anticipated Italian series from the Citadel universe, was revealed. Starring Matilda De Angelis, the action sequence is set at the Cretto di Gibellina in Sicily. De Angelis performed most of her own stunts, with the series featuring approximately 850 stunts. The show premieres globally on 10 October.

    . First-look images: Images from the new UK Original movie My Fault: London, set to launch in 2025, were unveiled. Based on Mercedes Ron’s bestselling Culpables trilogy and following the success of Culpa Mia, it stars Asha Banks and Matthew Broome.

    . Trailer: The official trailer for Season 2 of The Devil’s Hour was introduced by Jessica Raine. Premiering globally on 18 October, the psychological thriller stars Peter Capaldi, Nikesh Patel, Phil Dunster, and new cast member Saffron Hocking.

    .  Skills: The £10 million Prime Video Pathway programme, launched in 2022, has seen 64 per cent of all places filled by women, including in traditionally male-dominated fields like Sound, Camera, and Lighting at the National Film and Television School Craft Academy.

  • Emerging female visionaries: Fox, PepsiCo announce contest, award up to $200,000

    Emerging female visionaries: Fox, PepsiCo announce contest, award up to $200,000

    MUMBAI: PepsiCo and 21st Century Fox, in partnership with the New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS), has announced “The Search for Hidden Figures” – a new scholarship contest designed to help uncover the next generation of female leaders in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

    The program is inspired by the highly-anticipated feature film “Hidden Figures”, in theaters nationwide on 6 January, 2017, produced by Pharrell Williams, starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe, Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, and Jim Parsons. The film tells the ‘untold’ story of three African American female NASA mathematicians during the Space Race of the 1960s. This contest will support today’s emerging STEM visionaries by awarding over US$200,000 (Rs 1.35 crore) in scholarships and other prizes to over 20 winners.

    Taraji P. Henson plays Katherine Coleman Goble Johnson, American physicist, space scientist, and mathematician in “Hidden Figures.”

    “PepsiCo is incredibly proud to work with 21st Century Fox and the New York Academy of Sciences to shine a light on women and girls doing outstanding but unheralded work in science, technology, engineering and math,” said PepsiCo’s vice chairman and chief scientific officer – global research and development Mehmood Khan. “The ‘Hidden Figures’ story is being told at a time when advances in each of these fields are creating unprecedented opportunities to develop solutions for many of the world’s biggest challenges. PepsiCo is proud to actively support the discovery of STEM talent and the development of STEM skills in the workforce.”

    Beginning today through 10 December, 2016, online entries will be accepted directly at www.SearchforHiddenFigures.com. Semi-finalists will be selected in mid-December, and each will be asked to provide a video submission for continued consideration. Top video submissions will then be judged by a notable panel of judges that include: “Hidden Figures” Producer Pharrell Williams; “Hidden Figures” Producer Donna Gigliotti; Fox 2000 President Elizabeth Gabler; and President of the New York Academy of Sciences Ellis Rubinstein.

    On January 12, 2017, two grand prize winners will be announced. Winners will receive access to the NYAS STEM skills training materials and programs, up to $200,000 in scholarships, and a trip to the Kennedy Space Center in Orlando, Florida.

    “We are honored to have the opportunity to share the story of Katherine Johnson and her peers whose contributions have remained hidden for too long,” said 21st Century Fox executive chairman Lachlan Murdoch . “At 21CF, we believe in the power of storytelling to inspire the next generation of talent to dream bigger and unlock their full potential, and through The Search for Hidden Figures contest we are excited to give young women across the country the encouragement to pursue those dreams.”

    To help encourage participation, PepsiCo and 21st Century Fox will be supporting the campaign with a national TV and digital media campaign featuring the film’s lead actress, Taraji P. Henson, as well as messages of encouragement from the film’s actresses and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from “Hidden Figures” on the contest’s website. To further discussion around STEM, PepsiCo will also be launching a collection of STEM mobile and web games, quizzes and challenges for students and fans of the film to test their skills. The mobile and web games can be found at http://searchforhiddenfigures.com/stem-challenges/.

    At PepsiCo, deep scientific and technological expertise is critical to meeting the company’s Performance with Purpose goals. Unlocking new ways to create more nutritionally advantaged foods and beverages or delivering tangible plans to increase production while reducing the company’s environment footprint, all rely on STEM leadership. By investing in today’s emerging talent, PepsiCo is playing a role in inspiring the next generation of STEM leaders who will likely become the driving force behind the company’s future innovation and topline growth.

    PepsiCo recently announced a commitment to improve the lives of 12.5 million women and girls by 2025, as part of its Performance with Purpose goals. Given that women represent only 24 percent of the STEM workforce, PepsiCo is particularly committed to expanding and encouraging STEM opportunities among female students and professionals.

    Prior to the Search for Hidden Figures contest, PepsiCo was the founding chair of the STEM Innovation Taskforce, a coalition on of more than 35 industry, government, educator and NGO partners who work cross functionally to develop and implement programs to help solve the STEM shortfall. Additionally, PepsiCo holds a longstanding relationship with NYAS and continues to support “The Junior Academy of the New York Academy of Sciences” – a virtual program dedicated to engaging exceptional STEM students. For more information about The Junior Academy of NYAS, please visit www.thejunioracademy.org.

    “Hidden Figures,” directed by Theodore Melfi, is the incredible untold story of Katherine G. Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe)—brilliant African-American women working at NASA, who served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the nation’s confidence, turned around the Space Race, and galvanized the world. The visionary trio crossed all gender and race lines to inspire generations to dream big. The film was written by Allison Schroeder and Melfi and is based on the book by Margot Lee Shetterly. The film opens wide on 6 January, 2017.

  • Emerging female visionaries: Fox, PepsiCo announce contest, award up to $200,000

    Emerging female visionaries: Fox, PepsiCo announce contest, award up to $200,000

    MUMBAI: PepsiCo and 21st Century Fox, in partnership with the New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS), has announced “The Search for Hidden Figures” – a new scholarship contest designed to help uncover the next generation of female leaders in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

    The program is inspired by the highly-anticipated feature film “Hidden Figures”, in theaters nationwide on 6 January, 2017, produced by Pharrell Williams, starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe, Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, and Jim Parsons. The film tells the ‘untold’ story of three African American female NASA mathematicians during the Space Race of the 1960s. This contest will support today’s emerging STEM visionaries by awarding over US$200,000 (Rs 1.35 crore) in scholarships and other prizes to over 20 winners.

    Taraji P. Henson plays Katherine Coleman Goble Johnson, American physicist, space scientist, and mathematician in “Hidden Figures.”

    “PepsiCo is incredibly proud to work with 21st Century Fox and the New York Academy of Sciences to shine a light on women and girls doing outstanding but unheralded work in science, technology, engineering and math,” said PepsiCo’s vice chairman and chief scientific officer – global research and development Mehmood Khan. “The ‘Hidden Figures’ story is being told at a time when advances in each of these fields are creating unprecedented opportunities to develop solutions for many of the world’s biggest challenges. PepsiCo is proud to actively support the discovery of STEM talent and the development of STEM skills in the workforce.”

    Beginning today through 10 December, 2016, online entries will be accepted directly at www.SearchforHiddenFigures.com. Semi-finalists will be selected in mid-December, and each will be asked to provide a video submission for continued consideration. Top video submissions will then be judged by a notable panel of judges that include: “Hidden Figures” Producer Pharrell Williams; “Hidden Figures” Producer Donna Gigliotti; Fox 2000 President Elizabeth Gabler; and President of the New York Academy of Sciences Ellis Rubinstein.

    On January 12, 2017, two grand prize winners will be announced. Winners will receive access to the NYAS STEM skills training materials and programs, up to $200,000 in scholarships, and a trip to the Kennedy Space Center in Orlando, Florida.

    “We are honored to have the opportunity to share the story of Katherine Johnson and her peers whose contributions have remained hidden for too long,” said 21st Century Fox executive chairman Lachlan Murdoch . “At 21CF, we believe in the power of storytelling to inspire the next generation of talent to dream bigger and unlock their full potential, and through The Search for Hidden Figures contest we are excited to give young women across the country the encouragement to pursue those dreams.”

    To help encourage participation, PepsiCo and 21st Century Fox will be supporting the campaign with a national TV and digital media campaign featuring the film’s lead actress, Taraji P. Henson, as well as messages of encouragement from the film’s actresses and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from “Hidden Figures” on the contest’s website. To further discussion around STEM, PepsiCo will also be launching a collection of STEM mobile and web games, quizzes and challenges for students and fans of the film to test their skills. The mobile and web games can be found at http://searchforhiddenfigures.com/stem-challenges/.

    At PepsiCo, deep scientific and technological expertise is critical to meeting the company’s Performance with Purpose goals. Unlocking new ways to create more nutritionally advantaged foods and beverages or delivering tangible plans to increase production while reducing the company’s environment footprint, all rely on STEM leadership. By investing in today’s emerging talent, PepsiCo is playing a role in inspiring the next generation of STEM leaders who will likely become the driving force behind the company’s future innovation and topline growth.

    PepsiCo recently announced a commitment to improve the lives of 12.5 million women and girls by 2025, as part of its Performance with Purpose goals. Given that women represent only 24 percent of the STEM workforce, PepsiCo is particularly committed to expanding and encouraging STEM opportunities among female students and professionals.

    Prior to the Search for Hidden Figures contest, PepsiCo was the founding chair of the STEM Innovation Taskforce, a coalition on of more than 35 industry, government, educator and NGO partners who work cross functionally to develop and implement programs to help solve the STEM shortfall. Additionally, PepsiCo holds a longstanding relationship with NYAS and continues to support “The Junior Academy of the New York Academy of Sciences” – a virtual program dedicated to engaging exceptional STEM students. For more information about The Junior Academy of NYAS, please visit www.thejunioracademy.org.

    “Hidden Figures,” directed by Theodore Melfi, is the incredible untold story of Katherine G. Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe)—brilliant African-American women working at NASA, who served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the nation’s confidence, turned around the Space Race, and galvanized the world. The visionary trio crossed all gender and race lines to inspire generations to dream big. The film was written by Allison Schroeder and Melfi and is based on the book by Margot Lee Shetterly. The film opens wide on 6 January, 2017.

  • Oscars unveils stellar line-up of presenters

    Oscars unveils stellar line-up of presenters

    MUMBAI: This year’s Oscars will see a stellar line-up of presenters. 

     

    From Josh Hutcherson, Scarlett Johansson, Zoe Saldana, Octavia Spencer, Marion Cotillard, Benedict Cumberbatch, Meryl Streep, Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Cate Blanchett, Jared Leto, Matthew McConaughey to Lupita Nyong’o, the who’s who of Hollywood will take to the stage to present various awards this year.

     

    Cotillard, Cumberbatch, Streep, Winfrey and Witherspoon have all been nominated for the Oscars this year. Cotillard is nominated for Actress in a Leading Role for Two Days, One Night. She previously won an Oscar in this category for La Vie en Rose (2007). On the other hand, Cumberbatch is nominated for Actor in a Leading Role for The Imitation Game.

     

    Streep earned a record 19th acting nomination this year for her supporting role in Into the Woods. She previously took home Oscars for her lead performances in Sophie’s Choice (1982) and The Iron Lady (2011), and her supporting performance in Kramer vs. Kramer (1979). Streep’s previous Best Actress nominations were for The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1981), Silkwood (1983), Out of Africa (1985), Ironweed (1987), A Cry in the Dark (1988), Postcards from the Edge (1990), The Bridges of Madison County (1995), One True Thing (1998), Music of the Heart (1999), The Devil Wears Prada (2006), Doubt (2008), Julie & Julia (2009) and August: Osage County (2013). She also received Best Supporting Actress nominations for The Deer Hunter (1978) and Adaptation (2002).

     

    Winfrey is nominated for Best Picture as one of the producers of Selma. She was previously nominated for Actress in a Supporting Role for The Color Purple (1985). She received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2011.

     

    Witherspoon is nominated for Actress in a Leading Role for Wild. She previously won an Oscar in this category for the 2005 movie Walk the Line.

     

    Additionally, last year’s Oscar winners Blanchett, Leto, McConaughey and Nyong’o will also be seen presenting awards this year. “The great tradition of having the previous year’s Oscar-winning best actors and actresses in all four categories happily continues this year with the amazing quartet of Cate, Jared, Matthew and Lupita. We’re thrilled to have them back,” said show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron.

     

    Blanchett has been nominated for six Oscars and has won two, including last year’s award for Blue Jasmine. Her previous win was for Actress in a Supporting Role for the 2004 film The Aviator. Blanchett also received leading actress nominations for Elizabeth (1998) and Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007), and supporting actress nominations for Notes on a Scandal (2006) and I’m Not There (2007).

     

    Last year, Leto won the Oscar for Actor in a Supporting Role and McConaughey for Actor in a Leading Role, both for Dallas Buyer’s Club. Nyong’o took home the Oscar for Actress in a Supporting Role for 12 Years a Slave.

     

    The Oscars will be hosted by Neil Patrick Harris and will be held on 22 February.

  • Octavia Spencer eyes film production

    Octavia Spencer eyes film production

    MUMBAI: Octavia Spencer, winner of the Oscar in the ‘Best Supporting Actress’ category for The Help, has made her intention clear of turning a producer.

    “I don‘t have any role that I want to play. I want to be a producer. I want to be an activist. I was to be pro-active in bringing about work for men, women, boys, girls, everybody who is good at what they do and deserve a shot,” she has been reported to have said.

    After winning the golden statuette, Spencer admitted she was ‘humbled‘ by the accolade and hoped that she could be a beacon of hope to aspiring actresses. “I‘m very humbled because I get to stand here and accept this award and I haven‘t really done anything. I hope that in some way I can be some kind of beacon of hope, especially am I am not the typical Hollywood beauty,” she observed.

    Spencer can next be seen in an yet-untitled film by Diablo Cody.