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Did Chris Pratt almost lose his role as Star-Lord? (Photo Credit – Facebook)

Chris Pratt as Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy is the stuff of Hollywood legend. But did you know the journey to that iconic role could have been smoother? Initially, casting director Sarah Halley Finn and director James Gunn saw something in Pratt that others overlooked. They envisioned the goofy guy from Parks and Recreation as the next big action star. But the audition process was a rollercoaster of doubt and tension.

After a rocky initial audition, Gunn brought Pratt in for a final screen test, thinking he had finally found his leading man. But that hope quickly turned to frustration. During the audition, things went south. Pratt struggled, and Gunn intervened: “I don’t know what you’re doing, but you’re blowing it. This is the moment right now. You just need to stop doing whatever...

When the Avengers Almost Had a Different Lineup of Actors: The Surprising Story Behind Marvel’s Original Casting Choices! (Photo Credit – Facebook)

Before Chris Evans suited up as Steve Rogers in Captain America: The First Avenger, the role of Cap could’ve had a very different face. The casting process for The First Avenger was stacked with a crazy range of actors who almost snagged the part.

In 2010, when Captain America: The First Avenger was being cast, the paycheck was a modest $300k, and the role came with a six-film deal—nothing compared to what Marvel stars command today. But oh, how things could have gone differently. Chris Evans was far from the only one-eyed for the role of skinny Steve, and before Marvel locked him in, some surprising names popped up on the shortlist.

Actors like Sam Worthington (Avatar) and Will Smith were discussed early on, though neither seriously pursued the role.

Meryl Streep Can Be "Anything She Wants" in the MCU, Casting Director Says - Main Image

Could Meryl Streep be joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Marvel Studios still has a lot on their plate and with the variety of heroes and villains yet to grace the big screens, so there's a huge chance other major Hollywood stars are joining in soon.

Is Meryl Streep Joining the MCU? Casting Director Teases Her Potential Involvement

Rumors about Mamma Mia, Don't Look Up, and Only Murders in the Building star Meryl Streep joining the MCU wouldn't be considered a new thing in 2024.

However, with more Marvel projects coming out in the following years, Marvel Studios casting director Sarah Halley Finn didn't play around and went out with it.

If given the chance, Sarah recently told Variety she would love to have Meryl Streep in the franchise. When asked who Meryl could be playing in Marvel,...

Every so often, rumors that Marvel Studios has been in talks with some of the true Hollywood icons about potentially boarding an upcoming project do the rounds.

Though these reports don't usually pick up any steam, Kevin Feige and co. probably have spoken to pretty much every in-demand actor (or their agents) you can think of at some point or another - this doesn't mean they've officially been in negotiations for a specific role.

Last year, there was some internet scuttlebutt that the legendary Meryl Streep might have taken a meeting with the studio, and during last night's Agatha All Along premiere event, casting director Sarah Halley Finn hinted that this may have been accurate.

We don't need to list off Streep's numerous roles and accolades, but she has mostly avoided big studio blockbuster fare over the years. As Halley Finn suggests in the video interview below, it may simply...

The decision to cast Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Victor Von Doom is an unexpected and exciting choice. Marvel Studios and its casting director, Sarah Finn, have a great track record of casting the right actors for their characters. While some people wish Marvel had hired a Romani actor for the role of Doctor Doom, there's no denying that the San Diego Comic-Con announcement has generated buzz, sparked many discussions, and led to plenty theories among fans, similar to the excitement during the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Infinity Saga days.

The Oscar-winning actor first played the role of Tony Stark in 2008's Iron Man, and 2019 saw him receiving a fitting farewell in Avengers: Endgame. Now, he makes a dramatic return to the franchise he initiated, appearing as one of the Marvel Universe's most formidable antagonists in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. It's a natural progression, almost like a poetic sequence.

There had been rumblings about Robert Downey Jr. returning to the MCU heading into last month's San Diego Comic-Con, but none of us expected him to be announced as Doctor Doom in place of Iron Man! 

The Oscar-winner first suited up as Tony Stark in 2008 and, five years after bidding farewell to the Armoured Avenger in Avengers: Endgame, he'll transform into one of the Marvel Universe's greatest villains in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. 

We completely understand why the decision to cast Downey as Victor Von Doom has proven somewhat divisive but now have some thoughts on why it's actually a good idea. In fact, we'd say this casting decision is the best one Marvel Studios could have made. 

Find out why we think Downey as Doom is the right thing for the Multiverse Saga by clicking the "Next"/"View List" buttons below. 

5. It's Not Predictable

Cillian Murphy, Giancarlo Esposito,...

Chris Evans has been very grateful regarding his time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Still, he felt the superhero movies could sometimes be less rewarding than much smaller projects.

What Chris Evans felt about working on Marvel movies Chris Evans | Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

The MCU was a huge success for Evans. Including cameos, the actor appeared in 11 Marvel movies. The franchise was very good to Evans. After Avengers Endgame, his net worth skyrocketed to $110 million according to celebrity net worth.

But he didn’t resign himself only to Marvel films during his long stint as Captain America. Evans would star in a few smaller projects in between saving the world to further expand his film resume. One of the films he starred in was Gifted. The 2017 drama saw Evans playing the Uncle of a mathematically gifted young girl. He also teamed up with filmmaker Marc Webb for the project, who...

Presented in partnership with Disney, IndieWire’s “Pass the Remote” FYC series dissected the work of artists and craftspeople throughout the industry with screenings of their work at the Vidiots Foundation in Los Angeles’s Eagle Rock neighborhood. This is IndieWire’s first TV screening and panel series, and each event featured in-person discussions with TV’s behind-the-scenes players moderated by IndieWire editors and others.

“We’re excited to offer evenings of great TV and the first-person experiences of its creators,” said IndieWire senior VP and editor in chief Dana Harris-Bridson in a statement launching the series. “Partnering with Vidiots, one of our favorite screening locations, makes this a true IndieWire event.”

“We’re thrilled to launch this new series with FX, Disney, Hulu, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, Nat Geo, and ABC and celebrate such a wide range of excellence in TV,” said IndieWire Senior VP & Publisher James Israel.

“Pass the...

The MCU currently has numerous projects in development, both movies and shows, despite Iger’s announcement that their creative output will significantly decrease to 2-3 movies and 2 live-action shows per year.

Many projects were greenlit before the SAG-AFTRA strike and the subsequent failure of several ventures, and now they need to be completed.

One such project is ‘Armor Wars.’ Initially conceived as a movie, it was redeveloped into a show, and now it’s back to being a movie again. According to the production schedule, ‘Armor Wars’ is set to begin filming on January 6, 2025, in Atlanta, USA. Although details about the movie are scarce, the production listing has provided a brief synopsis:

Cheadle returns as James Rhodes aka War Machine in Armor Wars, about Tony Stark’s worst fear coming true: what happens when his tech falls into the wrong hands. Stark discovers that someone has been stealing his...

MCU currently has plenty of projects in the works both movies & shows, despite Iger announcing that their creative output will significantly decrease to 2-3 movies a year and 2 live-action shows per year.

Still, plenty of projects were greenlit before the SAG-AFTRA strike and the consequent failure of several projects, and at this point, they have to be finished.

One such project is ‘Armor Wars.’ It was initially imagined as a movie, only to be redeveloped as a show and now it’s back to being a movie again. According to the production list ‘Armor Wars’ should start filming on January 6, 2025, in Atlanta, USA. Next to nothing is known about the movie but the production listing did provide us with a short synopsis:

Cheadle returns as James Rhodes aka War Machine in Armor Wars, about Tony Stark’s worst fear coming true: what happens when his tech falls into the wrong hands.

IndieWire launched our “Pass the Remote” FYC TV screening series, produced in partnership with Disney, with a dynamic casting directors panel April 25, two Disney Storytellers panels April 29, and a panel about “Abbott Elementary” May 20.

Next up? A “Jim Henson Idea Man” panel on May 24 celebrating the documentary about the Muppets creator, which just premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. Like all events in the “Pass the Remote” screening series, it will take place at the Vidiots Foundation in Los Angeles’s Eagle Rock neighborhood.

Legendary director Ron Howard will be in attendance on the panel, as will composer David Fleming and editor Paul Crowder. Howard is a two-time Oscar winner. In recent vintage, he’s become a more prolific documentary director, with films such as “The Beatles: Eight Days a Week” (2016), “Pavarotti” (2019), “Rebuilding Paradise” (2020), and 2022’s profile of Jose Andres and the World Central Kitchen, “We Feed People.”

“Jim Henson...

Disparage the Marvel Cinematic Universe all you want, but there's no denying that when it comes to casting, Kevin Feige and the McU's longtime casting director, Sarah Halley Finn, have the magic touch. It's all but impossible now to picture anyone other than Robert Downey Jr. lending his snarky wit to the self-declared "genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist" Tony Stark, or to imagine a different actor bringing the same spot-on mix of wholesomeness and New Yorker defiance like Chris Evans did as Steve Rogers. And let's not forget Thor and Loki, two Marvel Comics veterans who could've easily been dismissed as dorky C-listers, only to become the franchise's most long-lasting players thanks to Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston.

For all of its missteps, that hasn't changed in the MCU post-"Avengers: Endgame." Esteemed character actors Oscar Isaac, Hailee Steinfeld, and Florence Pugh all brought the full brunt of their talents to...

Instead of traveling too far back in time, let’s take a peek at Tom Holland’s Spider-Man screen test with Chris Evans; the moments that defined his MCU career, and turned him into the fan-favorite web-slinger. His old audition tape before his big debut in Captain America: Civil War has been making rounds on the internet for years.

Tom Holland as Peter Parker aka Spider-Man in Spider-Man: No Way Home

Looking back at the screen test tape shared via X, fans are taken on a nostalgic trip, back to the good old days of the MCU. Reliving the moments, netizens recall Og Avengers and reminisce about the time when Marvel used to be about quality content and gripping storylines.

Tom Holland’s Old Screen Test With Chris Evans Resurfaces

It was undoubtedly a daunting task for Tom Holland, to not only become the third live-action Spider-Man but also make...

Marvel hasn't been having the best time of late and the shaky attempt to recapture lightning in a bottle that was "Thor: Love and Thunder" is a good example. Whereas its predecessor, "Thor: Ragnarok," saw star Chris Hemsworth leaning into his comedic sensibilities to great effect, even Hemsworth himself agreed that "Love and Thunder" was just too silly. But when the God of Thunder made his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut all the way back in 2011, the opposite was true.

Whereas "Iron Man," the film that changed Hollywood forever by kicking off the massively popular interconnected universe, was led by Robert Downey Jr. and his magnetic charisma, 2011's "Thor" was a darker affair that embraced the character's origins and delivered what was essentially a fantasy adventure with relative unknowns in the lead roles of Thor and Loki. In the late-aughts, Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston did not enjoy the superstar status they do today,...

No man is an island. As much as we hate to admit it, sometimes, no one gets anywhere in life without someone believing in them. The same is true for Hollywood. It takes the stars aligning (pun intended) for any success story for anyone to really make it, and especially to escape the shadow of how they may be initially perceived.

There may be no better example of that than Mr. Channing Tatum. He told GQ in 2009, “I got crazy lucky. Like, sometimes I think I won the lottery or something. I don’t really know how I got here. But I just keep moving forward, and it just keeps getting better and better.” Had the stars aligned differently, he could have been just an exotic dancer and never entered the public consciousness. Or just a model. Or just played a jock. Or just played generic romantic leads. Or just played generic action roles.

Over the past year, Jonathan Majors has experienced a significant and unforeseen shift in his professional life. From being a rising star in Hollywood with a prominent role in a major franchise, he found himself dismissed from the same project following his arrest in connection with an alleged domestic dispute.

A still from Loki | Credit: Marvel StudiosHowever, his trajectory within the MCU could have been jeopardized even before it began. In a 2023 interview with Vanity Fair, the 34-year-old actor shared that he almost walked out of his first Marvel meeting with the studio as he felt out of place.

Jonathan Majors Recalled Leaving His First Meeting With Marvel

In a conversation with Vanity Fair, the former MCU star Jonathan Majors recalled the time he decided to walk out of his first meeting with the studio. “I hope this doesn’t bite me in the ass, but I walked out of my Marvel general [meeting],” he said.

Jonathan Majors has become a controversial figure over the past year, and it has greatly affected his career. After several brands dropped him as an endorser, Marvel Studios immediately fired him as soon as he was found guilty.

Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror

He played Kang the Conqueror, one of the most highly anticipated villains in the history of the MCU. When asked how he got the coveted role, Majors claimed he did not even break a sweat. Indeed, no audition happened.

How Jonathan Majors Snagged Kang The Conqueror Role

Speaking with Total Film via Twitter, actor Jonathan Majors shared he joined the MCU without going through tryouts. He believed the studio bosses probably saw a performance of his that sparked their interest, though he could not ascertain which film it was.

“I guess after The Last Black Man in San Francisco. I can’t say it was that film at all.

Kathryn Newton loves being part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.The 27-year-old actress - who played Cassie Lang in 2023's 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' - has fulfilled a long-held dream by becoming part of the money-spinning film franchise.The Hollywood star told Empire magazine: "I started watching those movies when I was eight years old. So they're a big part of my life. "Honestly, one of the biggest goals of my career was to be a Marvel superhero. I would do it forever if I could."Despite this, Kathryn remains determined to try her hand at different roles and on-screen challenges over the coming years.The actress was just four years old when she landed her first role in 'Bun-Bun', a short film for HBO, and she remains as enthusiastic about her work as she ever has been.Recalling her debut appearance, Kathryn said: "I didn't even...

The Oscars added a category for casting, and it’s about damn time.

The announcement of the new category, slated to debut in 2026 for films released in 2025, has been warmly received on social media by awards aficionados. Many consider it a long-overdue acknowledgment, especially since the Casting Directors Branch was established over a decade ago in 2013. However, this raises questions about future categories and if, when, and how they will be accommodated in an awards ceremony that aims to stay under three hours.

It’s important to note that the Academy has yet to commit to featuring the best achievement in casting award during the televised ceremony. Details regarding eligibility and voting for the inaugural award will be disclosed in April 2025, alongside the complete rules for the 98th Academy Awards. The presentation method will be determined by the Academy’s Board of Governors and its administrative leadership at a later date.

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the character of Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) first appeared in Anthony and Joe Russo's 2016 fight flick "Captain America: Civil War," a film about multiple superheroes sectioning off and fighting one another over the issue of governmental oversight. Those fighting for increased oversight were Iron Man, Black Widow, the Vision, War Machine, Spider-Man, and Black Panther. They faced off against several characters who were fighting on the wrong side of the conflict. Boseman would eventually be given his own solo superhero flick with "Black Panther" in 2018. 

It seems, however, that Boseman almost became a different superhero in the same series, which would have seen his MCU debut two years earlier. It seems that when James Gunn was casting his 2014 film "Guardians of the Galaxy," Boseman auditioned for the role of Drax the Destroyer. Drax, of course, is the none-too-bright, sage-skinned, near-indestructible space alien who serves...

[This story contains spoilers for Loki season two.]

In 2022, Ke Huy Quan’s comeback story was the talk of the town. As a child actor, he endeared himself to audiences with back-to-back roles in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) and The Goonies (1985), but by the early 2000s, he left acting behind for two decades, only to return to prominence in storybook fashion thanks to his Oscar-winning role as Waymond Wang in the Daniels’ Everything Everywhere All at Once. During the lead-up to his Oscar win, Quan’s journey was received with much fanfare, and he shared his account as often as he could throughout awards season.

However, in 2023, Quan experienced the other end of the spectrum, as his next high-profile job as Ouroboros (aka O.B.) on Loki season two coincided with the SAG-AFTRA strike that lasted nearly four months. So Quan has been anxiously awaiting the chance to discuss his dream of joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe,...

If you want to see Ke Huy Quan's life change in real time, keep an eye on his performance in "Loki" season 2. According to producer Kevin Wright, who recently spoke to io9 about the show, Quan was actually cast in the time-twisting Marvel series just as "Everything Everywhere All At Once" was hitting big. According to his timeline, Quan likely filmed the show while his name was being thrown around for award consideration (he would eventually go on to win the Best Supporting Actor Oscar). "The buzz was picking up on 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' — that was happening as we were shooting — and then when we were in post-production, he had won an Academy Award," Wright told the outlet, adding, "The timing was crazy."

Timing is a key word here, as Quan was offered a part in the show when "Everything Everywhere All At Once" was...

The premiere of Loki season 2 is nearly upon us, and Disney has released a new video which focuses on one of the most exciting additions to the cast: Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once).

From just ninety seconds of video, Ke Huy Quan’s enthusiasm is infectious, and I can’t wait to see what he brings to Loki season 2. The actor plays Time Variance Authority tech expert Ob, a quirky character who is responsible for keeping every piece of tech at the Tva running smoothly.

Loki executive producer Kevin Wright has explained how quickly they had to move in order to sign the Oscar-winning actor up for the show. Marvel casting director Sarah Halley Finn caught an early screening of Everything Everywhere All at Once and suggested they make Quan an offer as soon as possible. “I think Kevin Feige made a call maybe April 12, just to follow up and say,...

A new Vanity Fair piece charts the behind-the-scenes work of Marvel casting director Sarah Halley Finn and the castings that might have been. For instance, Daniel Craig was an early candidate to play Thor for Kenneth Branagh‘s 2011 film, as was Charlie Hunman, Alexander Skarsgård, and Joel Kinnaman. Or before he became Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman was seriously considered to play Drax in “Guardians Of The Galaxy,” and Lupita N’yongo was for Gamora.

Continue reading Chris Evans Recalls Initial Regret Accepting Steve Rogers/Captain America Role: “I Can’t Believe I Did This. This Isn’t The Career I Wanted” at The Playlist.

The second season of Loki will debut on Disney+ next month, and one of the most exciting additions to the cast is Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once), who plays Time Variance Authority tech expert Ob.

While speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Loki executive producer Kevin Wright shed a little light on Ob. “His job is basically every piece of tech, every computer, every thing that is running at the Tva,” Wright said. “He either designed it, or he fixes it and keeps it running.” Wright also explained how quickly Marvel moved in order to sign Ke Huy Quan for Loki season 2. Marvel casting director Sarah Halley Finn had caught an early screening of Everything Everywhere All at Once and suggested they make Quan an offer as soon as possible. “I think Kevin Feige made a call maybe April 12, just to follow up and say, ‘Please, please do this,...

Casting is one of the hidden arts of Hollywood, and starting June 15, the second season of The Academy Museum Podcast, “Close Up on Casting,” hosted by the Museum’s Director and President Jacqueline Stewart, delves into often misunderstood art and influence of Hollywood casting.

The audio series draws inspiration from the museum’s galleries, Stewart said during a recent small press gathering and podcast preview for the episode centered on the Hitchcock film “Rebecca.” She saw that her curators had more research and intel to share than was possible to display in the audience-favorite Performance Gallery, packed with early Polaroids of actors, audition tapes, and casting directors’ notes, which deserves to be expanded. The typewritten list of actresses considered for producer David O. Selznick’s production of “Rebecca” (1940), for example, is priceless, with often snarky and misogynist descriptions by each name.

“It was really interesting to watch visitors imagine different...

The first "Guardians of the Galaxy" remains one of the high watermarks of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) that managed to capture lightning in a bottle, when it danced its way into theaters back in 2014. The long superhero saga that finally culminated with "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Avengers: Endgame" was a staggering accomplishment, balancing a multitude of beloved comic book characters with unrivaled action set pieces and high emotional stakes. But there was something special about the rag-tag group of misfits in James Gunn's far-out space opera that tapped into something truly magical. 

The original rogues' gallery of Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Drax (Dave Bautista), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Groot (Vin Diesel), and Rocket (Bradley Cooper) overcame all odds to assemble one of the most unlikely team-ups in the history of the MCU. As the second theatrical release to kick off Marvel's Phase 5 after the fairly disappointing "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,...

Special awards go to the UK’s United Agents and late German casting director Simone Bar.

Casting directors from Matilda The Musical, The Banshees Of Inisherin and The Fabelmans were among winners of the 38th Annual Artios Awards, presented by the Casting Society (CSA) at ceremonies in Los Angeles, New York and London on Thursday (March 9).

Matilda’s Lucy Bevan and Emily Brockmann won in the big budget comedy category and The Fabelmans’ Cindy Tolan and Nicholas Petrovich for big budget drama. Louise Kiely won in the studio or independent drama category for her work on Banshees.

Special award recipients...

The Casting Society announced its winners in film, television, and theater on Wednesday night, honoring Best Picture front-runner “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” as well as Oscar nominees “The Banshees of Inisherin,” “The Fabelmans,” and “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On.”

The casting branch of the academy is a year shy of a decade old and still doesn’t have an Oscar category of its own. However, the Casting Society has been handing out the Artios Awards for 38 years (“Artios” is from the ancient Greek meaning “perfectly fitted.”).

Nominees for feature films were announced on January 10 (two days before Oscar nominations voting begins). Many of the leading Academy Awards contenders reaped bids across the various categories according to production cost. Winners were revealed at a ceremony on March 9 (two days after the close of final Oscar voting).

Last year’s big budget winners were the comedy “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” and...

On Thursday, awards season festivities turned over to the Casting Society (CSA), which held its 38th annual Artios Awards honoring excellence in casting across feature films, television and theatre.

Taking place in Los Angeles, New York, and London, the Casting Society’s first in person celebration in three years added to the awards tally for highly acclaimed film and TV projects like “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and “Succession,” as well as independent fare like “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On” and “Emily the Criminal.”

Academy Award nominees “The Fabelmans” and “The Banshees of Inisherin” both received Artios awards, for Big Budget – Drama and Studio or Independent – Drama, respectively, right as the filmmakers behind them prepare to attend the 95th Oscars on Sunday.

Meanwhile, with Emmys a ways away, award-winning shows like “Abbott Elementary” and “Yellowjackets” got more love for their debut seasons, this time from the Casting Society.

The...

Casting Society honored achievements in casting across film, television and theater on Thursday night with its 38th annual Artios Awards. CSA celebrated with three star-studded award ceremonies, the first in-person celebrations in three years. Yvette Nicole Brown hosted the Los Angeles show at the Beverly Hilton, while Amber Ruffin hosted in New York’s Edison Ballroom and Gordon Griffin M.B.E. at London’s Union Club.

Among the film winners were Oscar-nominated features Everything Everywhere All at Once, which received the Zeitgeist Award. Marcel the Shell With Shoes On won in the animation category, while The Fabelmans and The Banshees of Inisherin won for big budget film (drama) and studio or independent film (drama), respectively.

Among the television winners were Abbott Elementary and Yellowjackets, both earning prizes for TV pilot/first season. Hacks and Succession won the prizes for comedy and drama casting, respectively, while Dopesick won for limited series.

“Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “Abbott Elementary” and “Yellowjackets” received top honors at the 38th annual Casting Society Artios Awards.

The ceremony honors top casting spanning films, TV and theater. The celebrations were in-person for the first time in three years, taking place in Los Angeles, New York City and London, with hosts Yvette Nicole Brown, Amber Ruffin and Gordin Griffin, respectively.

Egot winner Rita Moreno received career honors with the Lynn Stalmaster Award, which was presented by her “80s for Brady” co-star Glynn Turman. The Associated Casting Director / Unscripted Casting Producer Spotlight Awards went to Joy Gordo, Jenn Noyes and Martin Ware. Other top honors included United Agents (London), Leslee Feldman, Black Theatre United, Jessica Sherman and Simone Bär.

“This evening was fantastic, from New York to London to Los Angeles, celebrating our peers and recognizing their hard work and masterfulness in their craft across film, television and theatre,...

The Fabelmans, The Banshees of Inisherin, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On and Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical were among the big film winners Thursday at the Casting Society’s 38th annual Artios Awards.

The casting pros behind Abbott Elementary, Succession, Hacks and Yellowjackets took home some of the prime TV hardware at the triad of Artios ceremonies held in Los Angeles, New York and London. Winners from live theater included Take Me Out and Company. The full list of honorees for excellence in casting across features, television and live theater is below.

Related Story Casting Directors Weigh In On Actors And Self-Tape Controversy at Artios Awards: “We Watch Your Tapes” Related Story Rita Moreno Set For Artios Awards Career Honor; Yvette Nicole Brown To Host Ceremony Related Story Artios Awards Film Nominations Revealed By Casting Society: 'Wakanda Forever', 'Elvis', 'Fabelmans' & More Rita Moreno (FilmMagic)

Rita Moreno was among...

The Casting Society (CSA) announced on Tuesday the lineup of presenters for the 38th annual Artios Awards, which will take place on March 9 simultaneously at the Edison Ballroom in New York and the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.

Presenters at the Los Angeles gala will include Utkarsh Ambudkar, Anna Camp, Hong Chau, Paul Walter Hauser, Andrew Leeds, Melanie Lynskey, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Sam Richardson, Britt Robertson, Glynn Turman and Tuc Watkins.

New York presenters will include Sarita Choudhury, Jordan E. Cooper, Rory Culkin, Khris Davis, Alex Edelman, Raúl Esparza, Katie Finneran, Katrina Lenk, Nicole Ari Parker, Peppermint, Morgan Spector and Kuhoo Verma.

Yvette Nicole Brown and Amber Ruffin were previously announced as the hosts at the Los Angeles and New York celebrations, respectively.

Netflix and HBO/HBO Max led the Artios nominations in the television categories, nominees for which were announced October 2022. Netflix also led the film category nominations, which...

The Latino Entertainment Journalists Association (Leja) has handed out its awards for the year, with “Everything Everywhere All at Once” scooping up 10 wins including best picture, director for the Daniels and actress for Michelle Yeoh.

The sci-fi comedy led the nominations with 16, the most in the history of the organization.

Paramount’s “Top Gun: Maverick” scored the second-most wins with three for best cinematography going to Claudio Miranda, sound and stunt design.

“I am incredibly excited by the selections of our distinguished group of Latino critics, journalists and writers from all over the country,” said Clayton Davis, Leja founder and president. “I applaud our tiny but mighty organization for selecting a respectable group of films from artists we all love and admire.”

“Wakanda Forever” won prizes for costume design (Ruth E. Carter) and original song.

“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” won two prizes for animated film and adapted screenplay. In addition,...

When the Marvel Cinematic Universe began with “Iron Man” in 2008, star Robert Downey Jr. was 43 years old. At the time, Xochitl Gomez was two. “I literally didn’t live in a world without it,” the “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” star points out.

And she’s far from the only new face in today’s MCU who grew up as the franchise took over pop culture. In 2008, “Ms. Marvel” breakout Iman Vellani was six years old. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” actress Dominique Thorne was 10. “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” star Kathryn Newton was 11.

Now, all four women are part of the next big wave of heroes, a group that, as a whole, is far younger than the men and women who started this universe.

Also Read:

Marvel Movies in Order: How to Watch All MCU Movies Chronologically A New Age of Heroes

Known as the Infinity Saga, the...

Though she’s 26, Kathryn Newton has been playing a teenager for a long time — perhaps because she does it so well: with early roles in “Bad Teacher” and “Paranormal Activity 4,” she proved she can bring depth and dimension to whatever her character is struggling with, be it a dyspeptic teacher or an otherworldly entity. But after doing comedy (“Blockers”), drama (HBO’s “Big Little Lies”) and sci-fi-tinged mystery, growing up on screen takes on new meaning in “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” where — spoiler alert — she gets to participate in the series’ size-changing action as Cassie Lang, the daughter of Scott Lang’s (Paul Rudd) Ant-Man. Newton had previously auditioned for another role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and though she didn’t divulge which one, she tells Variety how that experience paved the way for her to play a character who could become part of the next generation of MCU superheroes.

Kevin Feige and his team are building Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe around Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror.

Majors plays the villain in “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” before taking center stage in the upcoming “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. The villain is quickly becoming a fan favorite character, but many comic book lovers might be shocked to learn how close the casting came to falling through. In a new interview with Vanity Fair, the star revealed that he came very close to leaving his first meeting with Marvel before it even began.

“I hope this doesn’t bite me in the ass, but I walked out of my Marvel general [meeting],” Majors said. “This was a long time ago. I had just gotten out of drama school and I’m running around town and I’m sitting in the office. I grew up in a very particular way and I...

This year, the Baftas were held away from the Royal Albert Hall for the first time in seven years, with all the action taking place at London’s Southbank Centre.

Richard E Grant was on hosting duties, and All Quiet on the Western Front led the nominations with a whopping 14 nods.

But who was the biggest winner of the night?

Find the full list of winners below...

Best Film

All Quiet on the Western Front (Winner)

The Banshees of Inisherin

Elvis

Everything Everywhere All at Once

Tár

Outstanding British Film

Aftersun

The Banshees of Inisherin (Winner)

Brian and Charles

Empire of Light

Good Luck to You, Leo Grande

Living

Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical

See How They Run

The Swimmers

The Wonder

Best Director

Edward Berger – All Quiet on the Western Front (Winner)

Martin McDonagh – The Banshees of Inisherin

Park Chan-wook – Decision to Leave

Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert – Everything Everywhere All at Once...

The Bafta nominations for 2023 have been announced – and a huge record has been matched.

Leading the pack with 14 nominations is Netflix’s German-language All Quiet on the Western Front, which has equalled a record previously held by Ang Lee’s 2001 film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

With 14 nods each, both films are the two international films to have received the most nominations in Bafta history.

Following close behind with 10 nominations each are The Banshees of Inisherin and Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Other films battling it out for the top awards include Elvis, Tár and British film Aftersun.

Find the full list of Bafta 2023 nominations below and live updates from the announcement, including nominee reactions, here.

Best Film

All Quiet on the Western Front

The Banshees of Inisherin

Elvis

Everything Everywhere All at Once

Tár

Outstanding British Film

Aftersun

The Banshees of Inisherin

Brian and Charles

Empire of Light

Good Luck to You,...

Jonathan Majors plays Kang the Conquerer, a character capable of traveling through time, in the new film, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

But ironically, his first meeting with Marvel Studios almost saw him almost walk out because the casting office was taking too long to see him.

“I hope this doesn’t bite me in the ass, but I walked out of my Marvel general [meeting],” Majors said. “This was a long time ago. I had just gotten out of drama school and I’m running around town and I’m sitting in the office. I grew up in a very particular way and I don’t want to waste nobody’s time. So I got in there and they’re just busy. And I was like, ‘I’m supposed to be here, right?’ It got long and I went, ‘I’m just going to go. It’s cool. I’ll just go.

Jonathan Majors – who plays Kang the Conquerer in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania – revealed he walked out of his first meeting with Marvel after executives kept him waiting too long.

Majors stars as the imposing supervillain in the soon-to-be-released third instalment in the Ant-Man saga starring Paul Rudd as the titular hero.

However, Majors revealed in a new interview with Vanity Fair that his Marvel journey was nearly over before it began.

Asked whether he had any trepidation about signing on to film several movies as the character, Majors replied: “No, not once I realized who the character was and the potential for the character. I hope this doesn’t bite me in the ass, but I walked out of my Marvel general [meeting].”

The Lovecraft Country star continued: “This was a long time ago. I had just gotten out of drama school and I’m running around town and I’m sitting in the office.

Jonathan Majors’ career is about to enter a new level with the release of “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.” Majors stars as Kang the Conquerer, the new Thanos-sized villain of the Marvel Cinematic Universe whose arc will extend all the way through at least 2025’s “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.” But Majors revealed in a new interview with Vanity Fair that his Marvel career could’ve ended before it began after he decided to walk out of his first general meeting with the studio.

“I hope this doesn’t bite me in the ass, but I walked out of my Marvel general [meeting],” Majors said. “This was a long time ago. I had just gotten out of drama school and I’m running around town and I’m sitting in the office. I grew up in a very particular way and I don’t want to waste nobody’s time. So I...

Jonathan Majors is getting rave reviews for his role as Kang The Conqueror in “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania”, but his work with Marvel didn’t get off to the best start.

Majors is one of 12 young stars featured on Vanity Fair‘s 2023 Hollywood cover, with him admitting in his accompanying interview that he once “walked out” of a meeting with the company.

As the reporter mentions that his character Kang is set to appear in several Marvel films as the main villain over the next few years, Majors says of whether he had “any trepidation about signing on for such a long time”: “No, not once I realized who the character was and the potential for the character.

“I mean, listen, I hope this doesn’t bite me in the ass, but I walked out of my Marvel general [meeting].”

Read More: Jonathan Majors Compares Fighting Paul Rudd In...

Nobody is having a better week than Paul Rudd, but Kathryn Newton’s past week comes a close second.

The Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania star just celebrated her birthday on Feb. 8 while promoting her MCU debut as Scott Lang/Ant-Man’s daughter, Cassie Lang. The role has been a long-time dream for Newton, and as much as she’s made the character her own, she still went back to reference Abby Ryder Fortson’s work as Young Cassie in Ant-Man (2015) and Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018).

“Abby was so cute and joyful and just magical in both movies. So we thought about her a lot, especially in creating what she looks like now,” Newton tells The Hollywood Reporter. “So I had a seamless transition, and … she still has that same spark of energy, that joy, that love and a big, big heart.”

Newton also starred in Christopher Landon’s body-swap slasher film,...

Dave Bautista is having a big year, with appearances over the past 12 months in several Marvel projects as well as a major role in Glass Onion. And now he stars in M. Night Shyamalan’s Knock at the Cabin.

Bautista, who said he never considered the upcoming film “a horror movie, it felt more like an emotional rollercoaster to me,” made waves recently when he told GQ of his longtime role as Drax the Destroyer in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, “I just don’t know if I want Drax to be my legacy — it’s a silly performance and I want to do more dramatic stuff.”

At Monday’s Knock at the Cabin premiere in New York, the star opened up about what he does want his legacy to be, remembering when he was first cast in Guardians of the Galaxy by casting director Sarah Finn, who spoke highly of co-star Lee Pace.

The nominees for the upcoming 2023 British Academy Film Awards have been revealed.

Leading with 14 nominations, among the 25 categories, is Edward Berger’s adaptation of “All Quiet on the Western Front”. Despite the First World War drama’s lack of fanfare since its Netflix release last October, the film has garnered notable attention as awards season picks up.

Following “All Quiet” is Martin McDonagh’s comedy-drama “The Banshees of Inisherin” with 10 nominations, including nods to leading star Colin Farrell. The film is tied with the hit indie flick “Everything Everywhere All At Once”.

Read More: Colin Farrell And Brendan Gleeson Will Miss Critics Choice Awards After Testing Positive For Covid

This year’s BAFTA Awards, hosted by Richard E. Grant at London’s Royal Festival Hall, airs Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. GMT. The annual awards ceremony recognizes and honours some of the best British and international film contributions of the year.

One of the great feel-good stories of 2022 is Ke Huy Quan’s return to acting. After emerging as a child star in the 1980s with his performances in “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” and “The Goonies,” the actor has spent the past decades out of the spotlight, often working behind the scenes on Hong Kong action films. His comeback performance in the Daniels’ “Everything Everywhere All at Once” has made him a frontrunner for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar, as he has won the equivalent prize at virtually every early award show this season.

In a new appearance in The Hollywood Reporter’s Actor Roundtable, Quan reflected on the unlikely set of circumstances that led to him getting the “Everything Everywhere” script right after deciding that a return to acting was worth pursuing.

“It was at the same time that I called up an agent friend of mine,...

The casting branch of the academy is a year shy of a decade old and still doesn’t have an Oscar category of its own. However, the Casting Society has been handing out the Artios Awards for 37 years (“Artios” is from the ancient Greek meaning “perfectly fitted.”).

Nominees for feature films were announced on January 10 (two days before Oscar nominations voting begins). Many of the leading Academy Awards contenders reaped bids across the various categories according to production cost. Winners will be revealed at a ceremony on March 9 (two days after the close of final Oscar voting).

Last year’s big budget winners were the comedy “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” and the drama “The Trial of the Chicago 7 ” while “The Forty-Year-Old Version” and “One Night in Miami” took the equivalent prizes in the independent division. “Minari” won the low budget and “The Surrogate” the micro budget prizes while “Soul” claimed the animation award.

Casting Society (CSA) today announces the film nominees for the 38th Artios Awards, which honor the contribution of casting directors in film, television and theater. The CSA previously announced the nominees for its television, theater, short film and short-form series categories on Oct. 17.

Among the nominations this year are Oscar hopefuls Armageddon Time, Avatar: The Way of Water, The Banshees of Inisherin, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Elvis, Everything Everywhere All at Once, The Fabelmans, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Tár and The Whale.

Netflix leads the total nominations with six. A24, Disney and Universal earned four nods each.

Three casting directors are honored with three nods: Ellen Chenoweth, Mary Vernieu and Bret Howe. Receiving two nominations each are Lucy Bevan, Kim Coleman, Sarah Halley Finn, Christi Soper Hilt, Avy Kaufman, Bernard Telsey, Natalie Lyon and Kevin Reher.

First held in 1985, the Artios Awards honors casting professionals in more than 20 different categories encompassing film,...