BY Rachel Montpelier
“Better Things” Renewed for Season 3
Sam Fox isn’t going anywhere. Variety reports that Pamela Adlon-starrer “Better Things” has been renewed for a third season. Adlon co-created the dramedy and directed every episode of its...
Teaser Watch: There’s No Such Thing as Truth in “I, Tonya”
The newly released teaser for TIFF darling and Gotham Award nominee “I, Tonya” shows figure skating legend Tonya Harding (Margot Robbie) doing what she (first) became famous for: the incredibly...
Gotham Awards 2017: Nods for Greta Gerwig, “Fleabag,” “Better Things,” & More
Nominations for the 2017 Gotham Awards are in. While Greta Gerwig and Maggie Betts are both up for the Breakthrough Director Award for “Lady Bird” and “Novitiate,” respectively, none of the...
Teaser Watch: Meet the Characters of Lena Waithe’s New Show “The Chi”
“The only reason I told you this shit is cuz I thought you was gonna handle it,” an unidentified voice says in the only dialogue included in the teaser for Lena Waithe’s “The Chi.” The...
Stephanie Laing’s Online Network PYPO Teaming Up with Norwegian Air
PYPO, the multi-platform comedy network for women founded by Emmy winner Stephanie Laing, has partnered with Norwegian Air. According to a press release, the airline’s flights will feature...
Quote of the Day: Ava DuVernay Urges Intersectional Approach to Protecting Women in Hollywood
Like Kathleen Kennedy and Reese Witherspoon, Ava DuVernay used her appearance at Elle’s recent Women in Hollywood Event to discuss Hollywood’s misogyny in light of the revelations about serial...
Kat Candler Will Be Showrunner on “Queen Sugar” Season 3
Frequent “Queen Sugar” director Kat Candler is taking on another leadership role at the OWN family drama. Per Deadline, Candler will take over showrunning duties from Monica Macer beginning in...
Julia Bacha’s Doc “Naila and the Uprising” Acquired by Fork Films, Will Air on PBS
“Naila and the Uprising” has found a home. Julia Bacha’s most recent project, a documentary about nonviolent Palestinian movement the First Intifada, has been nabbed by Fork Films and...
Mary Elizabeth Winstead to Star in Eva Vives’ Feature Directorial Debut
Hot off the heels of her turn as con artist-with-a-heart-of-gold Nikki Swango on FX’s “Fargo,” Mary Elizabeth Winstead has booked her next role — and it’s in a woman-helmed film....
Trailer Watch: No One Says What They Mean in Michelle Morgan’s “It Happened in L.A.”
Remember that episode of “30 Rock” where Liz and her boyfriend go to IKEA and suddenly every conversation they have about furniture turns into a metaphor for their relationship? Well, the...
Katie Lovejoy’s Drama Series “Dead Inside” Put Into Development by The CW
Screenwriter Katie Lovejoy’s new project could join the ranks of “Jane the Virgin” and “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.” Deadline confirms that her drama series “Dead Inside” has been put into...
Hilary Swank Toplining Sci-Fi Thriller “I Am Mother”
Two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank has lined up her next role. Variety reports that Swank will star in “I Am Mother,” a mother-daughter story with a sci-fi twist. The feature has already begun...
Kathleen Kennedy Calls for Zero Tolerance Policy in Response to Weinstein Abuse Allegations
Lucasfilm prez and producer Kathleen Kennedy delivered the keynote speech at Elle’s Women in Hollywood Event last night and used her platform to acknowledge — and condemn — the...
Liv Tyler Joins Second Season of “Harlots”
Liv Tyler is swapping the all-white attire of the Guilty Remnant for the vivid corsets and powdered wigs of Greek Street. According to Deadline, the “Leftovers” actress has joined the next...
Quote of the Day: Sarah Polley on How Directing Made Her More Aware of Hollywood’s Sexism
Actress, writer, and director Sarah Polley is sharing her story about Harvey Weinstein. The producer propositioned Polley, the “Stories We Tell” helmer writes in an opinion piece for the New...
Weekly Update for October 13: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
“Professor Marston and the Wonder Women” Films About Women Opening This Week M.F.A. — Directed by Natalia Leite; Written by Leah McKendrick (Also Available on VOD) “M.F.A.” An art...
Jennifer Lawrence to Receive Sherry Lansing Leadership Award
Jennifer Lawrence is following in the footsteps of women like Tina Fey, Helen Mirren, Halle Berry, Barbra Streisand, and Shonda Rhimes. The Hollywood Reporter announced that Lawrence will be the...
Exclusive: New Web Series “She’s the Ticket” Follows Five Women Running for Office in Trump Era
It’s been nearly a year since we elected Donald Trump to our highest political office — and it still sort of seems like a bad dream. But it’s unfortunately all too real: every day Trump...
Lake Bell and “New Girl” Creator Liz Meriwether Collaborating on Fox Comedy
Actress, writer, and director Lake Bell is teaming up with “New Girl” creator Liz Meriwether for a comedy series. According to Deadline, Fox has given a pilot production commitment to “Bless...
Quote of the Day: Patty Jenkins on Her Duty to Fight for Equal Pay on “Wonder Woman 2”
“Wonder Woman” helmer and record-smasher extraordinaire Patty Jenkins made headlines last month when, after a long negotiation process, she officially signed on to helm the superheroine sequel...
Trailer Watch: Bob Newhart and Don Rickles Have Nothing on “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”
Not many people would head to a comedy club and perform a set after learning that their spouse has been having an affair and is leaving them. But, then again, not many people are as cool as Miriam...
BFI Encouraging Greater Inclusivity with Film Fund Changes
The British Film Institute (BFI) has renewed its commitment to finding and supporting a wider range of voices and perspectives in its films. ScreenDaily confirms that BFI has introduced several...
Trailer Watch: Rey Is Drawn to the Dark Side in “The Last Jedi”
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” proved that a female protagonist could successfully carry an established and beloved franchise — and now it appears that “The Last Jedi” will set out to...
Maisie Williams Launches Daisy Chain Productions
Arya Stark would definitely approve. “Game of Thrones” star Maisie Williams has launched production company Daisy Chain Productions with actor Bill Milner and producer Dom Santry, ScreenDaily...
Trailer Watch: Alien Elle Fanning Discovers Punk Music in “How to Talk to Girls at Parties”
The trailer for the 1977 London-set “How to Talk to Girls at Parties” begins with Enn (Alex Sharp, Marti Noxon’s “To the Bone”) and his friends attending a concert’s after-party. Hoping...
Quote of the Day: Sally Potter on Being a Feminist vs. Making Feminist Films
Sally Potter is a proud, self-identified feminist. As she told The Guardian in a new interview, everyone on her newest film, the black comedy “The Party,” received equal pay. However, she is...
Weekly Update for October 6: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
“The Florida Project” Films About Women Opening This Week The Florida Project Set on a stretch of highway just outside the imagined utopia of Disney World, “The Florida Project” follows...
Drama Critic Lyn Gardner to Be Honored at UK Theatre Awards
Drama critic Lyn Gardner will receive the outstanding contribution to British theater prize at the upcoming UK Theatre Awards. According to The Stage, Gardner, who serves as The Guardian’s theater...
Amanda Coe Bringing Famous UK Scandal to TV with “The Trial of Christine Keeler”
Television writer and novelist Amanda Coe’s next project will explore the UK’s notorious Profumo Affair. Per Deadline, the “Apple Tree Yard” writer-producer and Ecosse Films are bringing...
Lynn Shelton, Liz Tigelaar, Amy Pascal, & Elizabeth Cantillon Team Up for Hulu Comedy
Quite the dream team has assembled for a new Hulu project. According to Deadline, director Lynn Shelton (“Your Sister’s Sister”), “Casual” EP/showrunner Liz Tigelaar, and producers Amy...
Trailer Watch: A Human Rights Lawyer Will Do Anything to Get Justice in “Fearless”
The caption, “Don’t be afraid to do the wrong thing to make things right,” punctuates the screen in the trailer for “Fearless” — and that’s a credo protagonist Emma Banville (Helen...
Dee Rees’ Next Film “Uncivil War” Will Tell Story of the Equal Rights Amendment
Dee Rees is on a roll. Less than a week after news surfaced that the “Pariah” director would helm an adaptation of a Joan Didion’s “The Last Thing He Wanted,” Deadline has confirmed that...
Save the Date: Women and Hollywood’s 10th Anniversary Celebration in London
Women and Hollywood will be hosting its final 10th anniversary event in London on November 27. As we honor a decade of educating, advocating, and agitating for greater gender diversity in film, we...
Clea DuVall & Sally El Hosaini Among Selectees for Universal’s Directors Intensive
Universal Filmed Entertainment Group has announced the first eight filmmakers chosen for its “Directors Intensive: Pitch to Premiere” initiative — and seven of the participants are women....
Andrea Arnold Named Jury President of BFI London Film Fest’s Official Competition
“Fish Tank” director Andrea Arnold is heading to the 61st BFI London Film Festival. The Hollywood Reporter confirms that the Oscar-winning filmmaker will lead the official competition’s jury....
Trailer Watch: Three Young Women Are Forced into the Sex Trade in “Trafficked”
“You both owe me 500 men,” Mali (Jessica Obilom) and Amba (Alpa Banker) are told in the new trailer for “Trafficked.” The two young women — from Nigeria and India,...
Council of Europe Condemns Gender Bias in Film and Issues Recommendations on How to Fight It
Europe’s leading human rights group, the Council of Europe, has published the Recommendation on Gender Equality in the Audiovisual Sector. In addition to being a strong rebuke to gender inequality...
Weekly Update for September 29: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
“Te Ata”: The Chickasaw Nation Films About Women Opening This Week Te Ata — Written by Esther Luttrell (Opens in Oklahoma; Opens October 13 in NY and LA) “Te Ata” (TAY’ AH-TAH) is...
Apply Now for the 2018 Fox Writers Lab
Calling on up-and-coming TV writers: applications for the 2018 Fox Writers Lab (FWL) are now being accepted. The goal of the Lab is to build “a strong pipeline of well-rounded talent for potential...
Diane Kruger to Topline and Produce Miniseries About Hedy Lamarr
Coming off of the North American premiere of her upcoming drama “In the Fade” at TIFF, Diane Kruger has just signed on to topline another project. Per The Hollywood Reporter, the “Inglourious...
DGA Study Finds Big Increase in First-Time Female TV Directors in 2016–17 Season
Reed Morano, who made her TV directorial debut with a fall 2016 episode of “Halt and Catch Fire”: IMDb/YouTube The number of first-time female episodic TV directors increased by 13 percent over...
Sofia Vergara Tops Forbes’ Highest-Paid TV Actresses List for Sixth Year in a Row
“Modern Family” star Sofia Vergara is TV’s highest-paid actress yet again. Forbes published its annual list of the world’s highest-earning television actresses and Vergara sits atop it with...
Apply Now for Raising Films’ Program for Parents and Carers in the Film Biz
Raising Films, the organization advocating for parents and carers in the UK film industry, is now accepting applications for its Making it Possible Personal Development Programme 2017. Thirty-six...
Nominate Women-Written TV Scripts for WeForShe’s 2018 WriteHer List
WeForShe is now accepting nominations for the 2018 WriteHer List. Part of WeForShe’s overall mission to “improve the numbers of female storytellers employed in the industry,” the WriteHer List...
Black Panther Leader Elaine Brown’s Memoir to Be Adapted for the Screen
The story of Elaine Brown, the only woman to serve as a Black Panther Party leader, is coming to the big screen. The Firm has obtained the rights to Brown’s 1992 memoir, “A Taste of Power: A...
Trailer Watch: The Bellas Embark on a Farewell Tour in “Pitch Perfect 3”
Post-college life can be tricky. Just ask former Barden Bellas Beca, Chloe, Fat Amy, and Aubrey. They show up to an a cappella event expecting to perform with the current Bellas and are humiliated...
Amy Sherman-Palladino & Daniel Palladino Sign Overall Deal with Amazon Studios
Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino are making themselves at home at Amazon Studios. Deadline reports that the creative partners/spouses have signed a multi-year overall deal with the...
Lauren Gunderson Tops American Theatre’s Most-Produced Playwrights List
“I and You” scribe Lauren Gunderson is the most-produced playwright in the United States, American Theatre confirms. The publication has put out the 2017–2018 edition of its annual ranking and...
Weekly Update for September 22: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You
“Battle of the Sexes”: Melinda Sue Gordon/20th Century Fox Films About Women Opening This Week Battle of the Sexes — Co-Directed by Valerie Faris In the wake of the sexual revolution and...
Dan Harmon Calls Out Misogynist “Rick and Morty” Fans
Dan Harmon: Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons “Rick and Morty” co-creator Dan Harmon has been known to speak his mind — he has a history of DGAF tirades in person and on Twitter. Harmon...
TV Adaptation of “I Mom So Hard” Web Series Coming to CBS
We approve so hard. The Hollywood Reporter writes that Kristin Hensley and Jen Smedley’s popular web series “I Mom So Hard” is on its way to CBS as a multi-cam comedy. The “sizable pilot...