ESSENTIAL INDUSTRY and AWARD NEWS FROM HOLLYWOOD, compiled by REBECCA KEEGAN
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
It's Wednesday, and I hope God forgives Mark Wahlberg for dissing Boogie Nights.
Hello from Los Angeles, where we're lawyering up to fight the Weinsteins, opening our checkbooks for the Kardashians, and mourning Robert Guillaume.
SO SUE ME
A person doing a business deal with the Weinstein Co. once told me he didn't expect full and timely payment, because "money goes through the Weinsteins' hands like concrete." Well, there's another way to get one's cash: sue. Attorneys for actress Dominique Huett have filed a $5 million civil suit in Los Angeles Superior Court against the Weinstein Co., alleging that the company's board of directors knew about Harvey Weinstein's pattern of sexual misconduct and was negligent in failing to put a stop to it. "Whether it is a criminal case is not for me to say; we are saying that the company knew he was doing this to women," Huett's Florida-based attorney, Jeff Herman,toldDeadline's Dominic Patten. "What [Huett] wants to do is take on Hollywood, force a change of its attitude toward women." Huett's complaint describes a by now familiar-sounding pattern—a 2010 meeting at the Peninsula Hotel ostensibly about Huett's career, the odious bathrobe appearance, persistent demands for a massage and other touching Huett said she didn't want.
Bob Weinstein and the other Weinstein Co. board members have said they had no knowledge of Harvey's behavior—which now includes allegations from more than 50 women—and fired him on October 8. But as V.F.'s Yohana Destanotes, the T.W.C. board was made aware of at least three or four settlements the producer had struck with women, at least as far back as 2015; board member Lance MaerovtoldThe New York Times the board believed the settlements were "used to cover up consensual affairs." This new civil suit is clearly unwelcome news for the Weinstein Co., which is clinging to life thanks to a cash infusion by Colony Capital as talent and business partners run for the hills. But the suit may be the least of Harvey's problems. The New York, Los Angeles, and London police departments are all investigating allegations that could lead to possible criminal charges against the producer as well. A spokeswoman for Weinstein has said that "any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr. Weinstein."
By Catherine McGann/Getty Images.
SHOWDOWN IN KITCHEN STADIUM
V.F.'s Hillary Busis writes:
As V.F. contributor Allen Salkin explains in this juicy feature, Iron Chef's scheduled return to TV has hit a few unforeseen snags. First, the latest iteration of the series counts among its guest judges the restauranteur John Besh, who left his restaurant group this week after being hit with dozens of sexual harassment accusations. And second, there's the curious case of one Bobby Flay—a longtime Iron Chef stalwart (he's appeared on the franchise, on and off, for a staggering 18 years) who reportedly decided to announce his departure from the series in a truly unorthodox way. As Salkin points out, the Flay saga is a fascinating metaphor for the rise and fall of Iron Chef and the Food Network more broadly—and it also comes at a precarious time for the channel, which is currently being sold by Scripps Networks to Discovery Communications for a cool $14.6 billion.
ALL'S FARIS IN LOVE AND WAR
V.F.'s Katey Rich writes:
In promoting her new book, Unqualified, which hit shelves this week, Anna Faris has been pulling off the publicity equivalent of a triple lutz. Her book is full of specific reflections on her marriage to Chris Pratt, and comes out just a month after the two announced they were separating; the book also contains a foreword written by Pratt in which he says that between the time he agreed to write it and the book's release, "Boy did a lot happen. So much. Like . . . soooo much." Amid all of this, Faris has managed to say virtually nothing about the reason for their split, beyond telling The New York Times that "two incredibly busy people that care a lot for each other got really busy." Whether or not anyone buys that, the book tour has given the world renewed reason to appreciate Faris, who for years was dubbed the most promising comedic actress of her generation but hasn't starred in a movie in six years. Unqualified film adaptation, anyone?
KEEPING UP WITH KEEPING UP
V.F.'sLaura Bradley writes:
Kardashian fans, rejoice. America's poutiest family just renewed with E! in a multi-year deal that stretches into 2020. Reports differ on just how much the Kardashians are taking home from this deal; TMZ places the number at $150 million, while a source tells The Hollywood Reporter that in truth they're making less than $100 million. And here's one more number for you: Sunday's installment will mark the show's 200th episode. Now it's time to get ready for (probably) 200 more.
REST IN PEACE, ROBERT
V.F.'s Yohana Desta writes:
We lost a legend on Tuesday. Robert Guillaume, the indelible star of sitcoms like Soap and Benson, and the voice behind Rafiki in The Lion King,died at his home after a battle with prostate cancer. He was 89 years old. His widow, Donna Brown Guillaume, made the announcement to the Associated Press. Guillaume was a two-time Emmy winner who worked in the business for more than 50 years, making a name for himself thanks to Soap and Benson, the 1979 spin-off that lasted for seven seasons. Guillaume worked his way through the sitcom world, turning in a dazzling array of guest performances in hits like The Jeffersons,Sanford and Sons, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. He also starred in Aaron Sorkin's memorable but short-lived series Sports Night, playing the distinguished managing editor Isaac Jaffe. In between all that, he landed the role of the eccentric Rafiki in The Lion King, and later picked up a Grammy for his performance in the audio book version of the Disney film. In a 1999 interview, the actor said this is the way he would like to be remembered: "I would like for them to think that I always played true to me."
That's the news for this sweltering Wednesday in L.A. What are you seeing out there? Send tips, comments, and Benson memories to Rebecca_Keegan@condenast.com. Follow me on Twitter @thatrebecca.
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