#FIRSTLOOK: “STAGED” SEASON 2 COMING TO HOLLYWOOD SUITE

STAGED Season 2 arrives next month on Hollywood Suite, the acclaimed BBC One Series filmed during the pandemic, starring Michael Sheen and David Tennant playing fictionalized versions of themselves.

Synopsis:

Season 2  follows the “real” Michael Sheen (The Queen) and David Tennant (Doctor Who) following the success of the first season of Staged. Simon Evans (portrayed by creator… Simon Evans) begins work on an American remake of the first series, but the stars are not asked to reprise their roles. Whoopi Goldberg joins the cast as Michael and David’s agent and Ben Schwartz as her assistant.

This eight-part, half-hour series was filmed entirely during the COVID-19 pandemic and features guest appearances by Simon Pegg, Christoph Waltz, Ewan McGregor, Ken Jeong, Jim Parsons, and Josh Gad. Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and Cate Blanchett.

The first four episodes of Staged Season 2 will premiere July 20 starting at 9pm ET, with the last four episodes following on July 27 at 9pm ET.  Viewers can catch up on Season 1 now On Demand. 

Episode One “Saddle Up Sheen” – July 20, 9pm ET

Episode Two “Long Time, No See” – July 20, 9:25pm ET

Episode Three “The Dirty Mochyns” – July 20, 9:50 ET

Episode Four “Woofty Doofty, David” – July 20, 10:15pm ET 

Episode Five “The Warthog and the Mongoose, Part 1” – July  27, 9pm ET

Episode Six “The Warthog and the Mongoose, Part 2” – July  27, 9:25pm ET

Episode Seven “The Loo Recluse”, July 27 , 9:50pm ET

Episode Eight: “Until They Get Home”, July 27, 10:15pm ET 

(Photo credit: Hollywood Suite)

#FIRSTLOOK: HOLLYWOOD SUITE PARTNER TO LAUNCH WIFT INDIGENOUS WRITERS PROGRAM

Hollywood Suite is pleased to announce a partnership with Women in Film & Television Toronto (WIFT Toronto) to launch the WIFT Indigenous Writers Program.

The free, intensive four-day program will include two full-time mentors, industry guest speakers, case studies, writing and pitching workshops, and peer-to-peer mentorship. By engaging key partners including industry leaders, experienced creators, writers, broadcasters, funders and more, the program aims to bring the best education and career opportunities to Indigenous creators whose stories need to be heard.

The application portal will open on August 9, 2021, and all WIFT Toronto members who are First Nations, Métis, or Inuit are encouraged to apply. Applicants who are First Nations, Métis, or Inuit who do not currently have a WIFT Toronto membership may still apply. Anyone chosen for the program that is not a member will be granted a one-year complimentary membership thanks to donations made to the Foundation for WIFT Toronto.

Detailed information on the program including the application process and deadlines will be available shortly.

#FIRSTLOOK: FRANCHISE FRIDAYS ARRIVING ON HOLLYWOOD SUITE THIS SUMMER

It’s Blockbuster franchises every Friday all Summer long on Hollywood Suite! This Summer, grab some popcorn and get ready to re-live the nostalgia that is of these amazing classics!

Schedule:

June 11 Superman, Superman II, Superman III

June 18 National Lampoon’s Vacation, National Lampoon’s European Vacation

June 25 Men in Black, Men in Black II, Men in Black 3

July 2 Rocky, Rocky II

July 9 Alien, Aliens

July 16 The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions

July 23 Kill Bill: Vol. 1, Kill Bill: Vol. 2

July 30 The Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgement Day

August 6 The Mummy, The Mummy Returns

August 13 The Karate Kid, The Karate Kid Part II, The Karate Kid Part III

August 20 Meet the Parents, Meet the Fockers

August 27 The Amazing Spider-Man, The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Other big titles to arrive in June on Hollywood Suite include West Side Story (1961), Airplane! (1980), Space Jam (1996), and Gone Girl (2014).

Get a sneak peek here of the line-up.

#FIRSTLOOK: “LINE OF DUTY” COMING TO HOLLYWOOD SUITE

We know many of you are excited about this! Acclaimed UK Series LINE OF DUTY is coming in Canada to Hollywood Suite! Season Six arrives this October. Seasons One through Five are available now on-demand.

Synopsis:

Set a year and half after the events of the previous season, season 6 will see the return of Vicky McClure, Adrian Dunbar and Martin Compston reprising their roles as DI Kate Fleming, Superintendent Ted Hastings and DS Steve Arnott, with Shalom Brune-Franklin (Our Girl) as a new addition to the AC-12 team. Kelly Macdonald (Boardwalk Empire) makes her debut as Detective Chief Inspector Joanne Davidson, the senior investigating officer on an unsolved murder case whose suspicious conduct attracts the attention of AC-12 unit.

More details to come.

(Photo/video credit: iTV)

#FIRSTLOOK: HBO MAX DOCU-SERIES “EQUAL” COMING TO HOLLYWOOD SUITE

As we approach Pride month, Hollywood Suite is gearing us up with the opportunity to see HBO Max Docu-Series EQUAL! The Docu-Series recalls the trail of Activism and all its unsung heroes that landed us where we are today. It also speaks with several high-profile subjects including Cheyenne Jackson, Anthony Rapp, Shannon Purser, Heather Matarazzo, Jamie Clayton, Isis King, Samira Wiley and Gale Harold. Most of all, Billy Porter narrates.

Schedule is as follows:

Episode 1 – The Birth of a Movement

Broadcast premiere Monday, June 7 at 9pm ET

Available on demand Tuesday, June 8

In response to a repressive 1950s culture that considers homosexuality illegal and immoral, two iconic gay rights groups organize, fight back, and lay the foundation for the modern LGBTQ+ civil rights movement. 

The episode 1 premiere will be followed by the Hollywood Suite premiere of Luca Guadagnino’s Oscar, BAFTA and Spirit Award-winning film Call Me by Your Name (2017).

Episode 2 – Transgender Pioneers

Broadcast premiere Monday, June 14 at 9pm ET

Available on demand Tuesday, June 15

The incredible stories of three trans trailblazers from across the ages help illuminate the significance of the 1966 uprising at San Francisco’s Compton’s Cafeteria. 

The episode 2 premiere will be followed by Colette (2018) and Kinsey (2004).

Episode 3 – Black is Beautiful, Gay is Good!

Broadcast premiere Monday, June 21 at 9pm ET 

Available on demand Tuesday, June 22

We meet three very different activists whose lives and work epitomized the intersection of gay and civil rights in the 1960s: Lorraine Hansberry, Bayard Rustin, and José Sarria. 

The episode 3 premiere will be followed by Moonlight (2016).

Episode 4 – Stonewall: From Rebellion to Liberation

Broadcast premiere Monday, June 28 at 9pm ET

Available on demand Tuesday, June 29

The events of the historic Stonewall Uprising are told through the voices of the activists and icons who were there, and who helped usher in a new era of being, out, proud, and EQUAL. 

The episode 4 premiere will be followed by the Hollywood Suite premiere of Xavier Dolan’s Cannes Grand Prix, César and Canadian Screen Award winner Juste la Fin du Monde (2016) and A Single Man (2009).

Other Queer Cinema selections airing during Pride month include: The Children’s Hour (1962), The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), The Times of Harvey Milk (1984), The Color Purple (1985), My Beautiful Laundrette (1986), Paris is Burning (1990), My Own Private Idaho (1991), The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert (1994), The Celluloid Closet (1995), The Birdcage (1996), Fire (1996), Mulholland Dr. (2001), Brokeback Mountain (2005), Closet Monster (2015) and Sleeping Giant (2015).

(Photo credit: HBO Max)

#FIRSTLOOK: HOLLYWOOD SUITE PRESENT SEASON 2 OF “A YEAR IN FILM” PODCAST

Hollywood Suite presents a second season of their A Year in Film podcast which will launch its second season beginning tomorrow, April 13, 2021. The season features 24 episodes.

Episodes are as follows:

Day of the Locust & At Long Last Love: Old Hollywood Unhinged

Rollerball & Death Race 2000: Dystopias

Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS & Gina: Canuxploitation

Mahogany & Cooley High: Black Rep

Tommy & Lisztomania: The Who

The Passenger & Seven Beauties: Viva Italia

Labyrinth & Legend: Dark Fantasies

Night of the Creeps & Invaders from Mars: Comic Book Horror

Heavy Metal Parking Lot & Trick or Treat: Metal Heads

The Great Mouse Detective & An American Tail: House of Mouse

The Boy in Blue & Flying: Canadian Sports

Blue Velvet & The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2: The New American Gothic

Muriel’s Wedding & The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert: Australian Quirk

The Flintstones & The Little Rascals: Old IP

The Shadow & Radioland Murders: Radio Days

Wolf & Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: Return of the Monster

Shallow Grave & Four Weddings and a Funeral: British Invasion

In the Mouth of Madness & Cemetery Man: It Creeps

Cecil B. Demented & But I’m a Cheerleader: Queer Counter Culture

Mission to Mars & Red Planet: Baroque Space

Godzilla 2000 & Dracula 2000: The Millennial Monster

Girlfight & Love and Basketball: Women in Sports

Bamboozled & Nurse Betty: Cutting Comedies

Bring it On! & Center Stage: Werk It

The first two episodes of Season 2 cover 1975 films The Day of the Locust, At Long Last Love, Rollerball and Death Race 2000, and will be released on April 13, 2021 with the remaining episodes following weekly on Tuesdays. All episodes will be available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and wherever else you find podcasts. 

Learn more here.

#FIRSTLOOK: HOLLYWOOD SUITE TO AIR 2021 INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS

Hollywood Suite has announced it will be the home of the 36th edition of the Film Independent Spirit Awards this year!

The star-studded event will honour films like FIRST COW, NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS, MINARI, MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM and NOMADLAND.

Among those nominated include: Julia Garner (THE ASSISTANT), Riz Ahmed (THE SOUND OF METAL), Carey Mulligan (PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN), Nicole Beharie (MISS JUNETEENTH) and Benedict Wong (NINE DAYS).

Regina King and the Cast of ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI will receive the Robert Altman Award.

Don’t forget you can catch previous Best Picture winners like:

MOONLIGHT

12 YEARS A SLAVE

BIRDMAN (OR THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE)

LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN

THE WRESTLER

LOST IN TRANSLATION

RIVER’S EDGE

THE PLAYER

STAND AND DELIVER

CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON

… all on Hollywood Suite!

Hosted by Saturday Night Live’s Melissa Villaseñor, the ceremony will air live April 22, 2021 at 10pm ET on Hollywood Suite. 

#FIRSTLOOK: “STAGED” ARRIVES ON HOLLYWOOD SUITE APRIL 2021

BBC Lockdown Series STAGED has found a home in Canada on Hollywood Suite! The comedic Series starring Michael Sheen and David Tennant, arrives – you guessed it – April Fool’s Day!

Synopsis:

Actors Michael Sheen (The Queen) and David Tennant (Doctor Who) play fictionalized versions of themselves, trying to rehearse a performance during lockdown via videoconference, while the underconfident director, Simon, struggles to keep control of the production. This six-part, half-hour series was filmed entirely during the COVID-19 pandemic and features guest appearances by Judi Dench, Samuel L. Jackson, and Adrian Lester. 

Two episodes premiere each night April 1–3 beginning at 9pm ET on HS00. The full series will be available on demand from April 1.

Episode One “Cachu Hwch” – April 1, 9pm ET

Episode Two “Up To No Good” – April 1, 9:25pm ET

Episode Three “Who The F#!k is Michael Sheen?” – April 2, 9pm ET

Episode Four “Bara Birth” – April 2, 9:25pm ET

Episode Five “Ulysses” – April 3, 9pm ET

Episode Six “The Cookie Jar” – April 3, 9:25pm ET

STAGED premieres on Hollywood Suite Friday, April 1 at 9pm ET.

(Photo credit: Hollywood Suite)

#FIRSTLOOK: HOLLYWOOD SUITE TO AIR “WHAT ABOUT OUR FUTURE?”

HOLLYWOOD SUITE announced today that it will be premiering Documentary Short What About Our Future? on Sunday, March 21, 2021 at 9pm ET.

Directed by Jaime Leigh Gianopoulos and Cláudio Cruz, the Film follows a group of teens who organized the largest climate strike in Vancouver’s history, which included appearances by famous environmental activists Greta Thunberg and David Suzuki.

There also will be a conversation brought to you by David Suzuki Foundation and Hollywood Suite taking place which you can register to be a part of, on April 29, 2021 at 7 PM ET. You can register here.

#FIRSTLOOK: HOLLYWOOD SUITE TO AIR THE 74th EE BAFTA AWARDS

Hollywood Suite once again is the Canadian home of the EE BAFTA Awards! The Awards are set to take place at London’s spectacular Royal Albert Hall on April 11, 2021, honouring the best in Hollywood and British Film this past year.

Nominees include:

BEST FILM

THE FATHER Philippe Carcassonne, Jean-Louis Livi, David Parfitt
THE MAURITANIAN Nominees TBC
NOMADLAND Mollye Asher, Dan Janvey, Frances McDormand, Peter Spears, Chloé Zhao
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN Ben Browning, Emerald Fennell, Ashley Fox, Josey McNamara
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 Stuart Besser, Marc Platt

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM

CALM WITH HORSES Nick Rowland, Daniel Emmerson, Joe Murtagh
THE DIG Simon Stone, Gabrielle Tana, Moira Buffini
THE FATHER Florian Zeller, Philippe Carcassone, Jean-Louis Livi, David Parfitt, Christopher Hampton
HIS HOUSE Remi Weekes, Martin Gentles, Edward Kings, Roy Lee
LIMBO Ben Sharrock, Irune Gurtubai, Angus Lamont
THE MAURITANIAN Kevin Macdonald, Rory Haines, Sohrab Noshirvani, M.B. Traven
MOGUL MOWGLI Bassam Tariq, Riz Ahmed, Thomas Benski, Bennett McGhee
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN Emerald Fennell, Ben Browning, Ashley Fox, Josey McNamara
ROCKS Sarah Gavron, Ameenah Ayub Allen, Faye Ward, Theresa Ikoko, Claire Wilson
SAINT MAUD Rose Glass, Andrea Cornwell, Oliver Kassman

OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER

HIS HOUSE Remi Weekes (Writer/Director)
LIMBO Ben Sharrock (Writer/Director), Irune Gurtubai (Producer) [also produced by Angus Lamont]
MOFFIE Jack Sidey (Writer/Producer) [also written by Oliver Hermanus and produced by Eric Abraham]
ROCKS Theresa Ikoko, Claire Wilson (Writers)
SAINT MAUD Rose Glass (Writer/Director), Oliver Kassman (Producer) [also produced by Andrea Cornwell]

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

ANOTHER ROUND Thomas Vinterberg, Sisse Graum Jørgensen
DEAR COMRADES! Andrei Konchalovsky, Alisher Usmanov
LES MISÉRABLES Ladj Ly
MINARI Lee Isaac Chung, Christina Oh
QUO VADIS, AIDA? Jasmila Žbanić, Damir Ibrahimovich

DOCUMENTARY

COLLECTIVE Alexander Nanau
DAVID ATTENBOROUGH: A LIFE ON OUR PLANET Alastair Fothergill, Jonnie Hughes, Keith Scholey
THE DISSIDENT Bryan Fogel, Thor Halvorssen
MY OCTOPUS TEACHER Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed, Craig Foster
THE SOCIAL DILEMMA Jeff Orlowski, Larissa Rhodes

ANIMATED FILM

ONWARD Dan Scanlon, Kori Rae
SOUL Pete Docter, Dana Murray
WOLFWALKERS Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart, Paul Young

DIRECTOR

ANOTHER ROUND Thomas Vinterberg
BABYTEETH Shannon Murphy
MINARI Lee Isaac Chung
NOMADLAND Chloé Zhao
QUO VADIS, AIDA? Jasmila Žbanić
ROCKS Sarah Gavron

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

ANOTHER ROUND Tobias Lindholm, Thomas Vinterberg
MANK Jack Fincher
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN Emerald Fennell
ROCKS Theresa Ikoko, Claire Wilson
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 Aaron Sorkin

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

THE DIG Moira Buffini
THE FATHER Christopher Hampton, Florian Zeller
THE MAURITANIAN Rory Haines, Sohrab Noshirvani, M.B. Traven
NOMADLAND Chloé Zhao
THE WHITE TIGER Ramin Bahrani

LEADING ACTRESS

BUKKY BAKRAY Rocks
RADHA BLANK The Forty-Year-Old Version
VANESSA KIRBY Pieces of a Woman
FRANCES McDORMAND Nomadland
WUNMI MOSAKU His House
ALFRE WOODARD Clemency

LEADING ACTOR

RIZ AHMED Sound of Metal
CHADWICK BOSEMAN Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
ADARSH GOURAV The White Tiger
ANTHONY HOPKINS The Father
MADS MIKKELSEN Another Round
TAHAR RAHIM The Mauritanian

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

NIAMH ALGAR Calm With Horses
KOSAR ALI Rocks
MARIA BAKALOVA Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
DOMINIQUE FISHBACK Judas and the Black Messiah
ASHLEY MADEKWE County Lines
YUH-JUNG YOUN Minari

SUPPORTING ACTOR

DANIEL KALUUYA Judas and the Black Messiah
BARRY KEOGHAN Calm With Horses
ALAN KIM Minari
LESLIE ODOM JR. One Night in Miami…
CLARKE PETERS Da 5 Bloods
PAUL RACI Sound of Metal

ORIGINAL SCORE

MANK Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
MINARI Emile Mosseri
NEWS OF THE WORLD James Newton Howard
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN Anthony Willis
SOUL Jon Batiste, Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross

CASTING

CALM WITH HORSES Shaheen Baig
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH Alexa L. Fogel
MINARI Julia Kim
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN Lindsay Graham Ahanonu, Mary Vernieu
ROCKS Lucy Pardee

CINEMATOGRAPHY

JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH Sean Bobbitt
MANK Erik Messerschmidt
THE MAURITANIAN Alwin H. Küchler
NEWS OF THE WORLD Dariusz Wolski
NOMADLAND Joshua James Richards

EDITING

THE FATHER Yorgos Lamprinos
NOMADLAND Chloé Zhao
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN Frédéric Thoraval
SOUND OF METAL Mikkel E.G. Nielsen
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 Alan Baumgarten

PRODUCTION DESIGN

THE DIG Maria Djurkovic, Tatiana Macdonald
THE FATHER Peter Francis, Cathy Featherstone
MANK Donald Graham Burt, Jan Pascale
NEWS OF THE WORLD David Crank, Elizabeth Keenan
REBECCA Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer

COSTUME DESIGN

AMMONITE Michael O’Connor
THE DIG Alice Babidge
EMMA Alexandra Byrne
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM Ann Roth
MANK Trish Summerville

MAKE UP & HAIR

THE DIG Jenny Shircore
HILLBILLY ELEGY Patricia Dehaney, Eryn Krueger Mekash, Matthew Mungle
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM Matiki Anoff, Larry M. Cherry, Sergio Lopez-Rivera, Mia Neal
MANK Kimberley Spiteri, Gigi Williams
PINOCCHIO Mark Coulier

SOUND

GREYHOUND TBC
NEWS OF THE WORLD Michael Fentum, William Miller, Mike Prestwood Smith, John Pritchett, Oliver Tarney
NOMADLAND Sergio Diaz, Zach Seivers, M. Wolf Snyder
SOUL Coya Elliott, Ren Klyce, David Parker
SOUND OF METAL Jaime Baksht, Nicolas Becker, Phillip Bladh, Carlos Cortés, Michelle Couttolenc

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS

GREYHOUND Pete Bebb, Nathan McGuinness, Sebastian von Overheidt
THE MIDNIGHT SKY Matt Kasmir, Chris Lawrence, David Watkins
MULAN Sean Faden, Steve Ingram, Anders Langlands, Seth Maury
THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN Santiago Colomo Martinez, Nick Davis, Greg Fisher
TENET Scott Fisher, Andrew Jackson, Andrew Lockley

BRITISH SHORT ANIMATION

THE FIRE NEXT TIME Renaldho Pelle, Yanling Wang, Kerry Jade Kolbe
THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT Mole Hill, Laura Duncalf
THE SONG OF A LOST BOY Daniel Quirke, Jamie MacDonald, Brid Arnstein

BRITISH SHORT FILM

EYELASH Jesse Lewis Reece, Ike Newman
LIZARD Akinola Davies, Rachel Dargavel, Wale Davies
LUCKY BREAK John Addis, Rami Sarras Pantoja
MISS CURVY Ghada Eldemellawy
THE PRESENT Farah Nabulsi

EE RISING STAR AWARD (voted for by the public)

BUKKY BAKRAY
KINGSLEY BEN-ADIR
MORFYDD CLARK
ṢỌPẸ DÌRÍSÙ
CONRAD KHAN

Broadcast time and date to be confirmed.

(Photo credit: BAFTA)