Entertainment
Nat Geo’s ‘Lion’ Cinematography Interview with Sophie Darlington
We live in a world where pretty much anything can be rendered photorealistically, from animals to aliens to Avatars. That puts pressure on documentary filmmakers, especially those who focus on the natural world, to craft imagery that does more than look glossy or large-scale enough for a screensaver. Great nature docs use dynamic, idiosyncratic imagery to make us feel like we’re in nature rather than absorbing content.
Sophie Darlington has been filming big African cats since the ‘90s and is still perfecting new ways to tell visually authentic stories of the Animal Kingdom. The director of photography’s latest series, “Lion,” is a four-part show from the BBC and National Geographic. Made with the imprimatur of live-action “Lion King” director Jon Favreau and a dusting of the iconic Hans Zimmer score for good measure, it follows a single lion, Kio, as he grows from cub to king of a pride in Kenya — and all the trials and tribulations in between.
According to Darlington, capturing imperfections and improvisations is key to creating a sense of the camera on the ground, as lions are the ultimate opportunists and can, as she told IndieWire, “go from Garfield to Muhammad Ali in about three seconds.”
Plus, the cinematographers all needed to stay far enough away to avoid influencing the lions’ behavior while still capturing immediate, close-up imagery of their subjects. What Ian McKellen identified as true for actors is equally true for Kio the lion: the portal to emotion on film is through the eyes.
“By getting into their eyeline, we’re getting into their world. So we had low mounts that we used, where you’d sit on the side of the car as kind of a bolt-on. And we had a little modesty curtain so we didn’t scare the lions, because, believe it or not, lions are much more scared of us than we are of them,” Darlington said.
Then the challenge was to be on the spot for anything and everything their subjects might do — like lying flat in a car bed, every day, often for 16 hours or longer. “I had a Ronford-Baker Atlas 50, which is Roger Deakins’ head of choice. I copied him because, well, he’s kinda cool,” Darlington joked about their gear package. “ It gives you the absolute weight and the smoothness and the torque that you need when you’re filming a lion. You need to be able to follow very smoothly with ultra-long lenses.”
Everything from the camera heads to the long lenses to the 2:1 aspect ratio, which Darlington credits with making the imagery feel more cinematic than a docudrama-like 16:9, helps create a sense of immersion. But while Darlington and her team kept improving their approach, especially with the drone work on “Lion,” they never let shiny new tools distract them from the storytelling.
“ It was all about long takes and the lion’s eyeline. Immerse yourself in that lion’s world. Immerse yourself in the beauty of the Masai Mara. Let that character, that place? Let them sing, and make it as organic and as natural from the grade through to the movements. Hopefully nothing makes you go, ‘Oh, I wonder what camera they used there?’” Darlington said.
The grading process was one of the places where Darlington and colorist Daniel Gill really wanted the image to look grounded and authentic, not polished and Instagram-filtered. The true color of a lion is, according to Darlington, about the same as digestive biscuits, depending on whether you’re buying the cookies in the UK or the U.S. In fact, the team had a full biscuit guide to ensure the lions always looked just right—never supernatural or oversaturated.
“I sat there and went, ‘Right, Dan, here’s the deal: digestives, Hobnobs, maybe a Rich Tea. Never Ginger Nut. There’s one category where there is this incredible yellow light at dawn and dusk, maybe then we can go Ginger Nut. But any other hint of Ginger Nut that gets in, I’m upset. We’d kill ourselves laughing about heading into Ginger Nut territory,” Darlington said. “But in all seriousness, it was about keeping [the lions] authentic and real.”
That authenticity is crucial, both to Darlington’s work as a whole and to “Lion” in particular. Almost no documentaries follow the lives of young male lions because they leave their mothers’ pride and tend to go into hiding as juveniles, scavenging and moving at night, along with ranging across the border from Kenya into Tanzania.
“As the story was beginning to unfold, I was like, ‘Oh my God. You stayed around! Not only did you stay around but you’ve moved in with the pride that we filmed on previous productions and know really, really well,” Darlington said. “[Kio] was actually 10 minutes from our camp at the very end. It was like, ‘Yay, you read the script.’”
When something kind of miraculous or serendipitous happens, however, the goal is to make sure it doesn’t feel scripted. “ In this time of lack of authenticity, to be in a story that’s real, that’s authentic, that has taken years to craft and isn’t perfect…. There are moments where I want things to be different, but actually they’re real, and that makes them kind of amazing,” Darlington said.
“Lion” is airing on National Geographic and will stream on Disney+.
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As the fall festivals announce their lineups, the heat is on as Oscar nomination watchers predict multiple categories, often sight unseen. They look at pedigree, track record, prior awards recognition, and festival positioning. I prefer to see the movies before I make pronouncements.
This year, they’re fussing over a gaggle of potential double awards contenders. The internet has gone wild with the idea that heart-throb Robert Pattinson, with four high-profile movies released in 2026, could be nominated for four Oscars, given the new rule change allowing two nominations per acting category.
Here’s why that’s unlikely to happen, and a ranking of the thespians most likely to land more than one Oscar nod.
Sandra Hüller
Shots: The German star has two shots for Best Actress. In February, she accepted the Best Actress prize in Berlin for “Rose” (Mubi), about a woman who impersonates a soldier and continues to hide her gender after the war. (“Rose” will compete for Best International Feature for Austria.) The actress also stars in another Mubi release, Cannes director co-winner Pawel Pawlikowski’s “Fatherland” as Erika, the accomplished daughter of novelist Thomas Mann, who drives her father on a road trip through ruined post-War Germany. In the Supporting category, she could land a nod for her authoritative project leader (and karaoke singer) in “Project Hail Mary.” And she also joins the ensemble in another end-of-the-world scenario in Alejandro González Iñárritu’s yet unseen black comedy “Digger.”
Prior Oscar nods: She earned a Best Actress nomination for Justine Triet’s “Anatomy of a Fall.”
Most likely outcome: Best Actress for “Fatherland,” as those who do see “Rose” will favor the higher-profile, established title. (Polish auteur Pawlikowski won Best International Feature for “Ida,” and landed three nominations for “Cold War,” including Best Director.) Supporting Actress for “Project Hail Mary,” a popular smash that most voters have seen. On the other hand, the Best Actress category, unlike Best Actor, is light this year. If anyone can pull off a triple this year, it’s Hüller.
Penélope Cruz
Shots: She is brilliant and hilarious in a supporting role as a shrink who enjoys group sex in Olivia Wilde’s indie four-hander “The Invite” (A24), which could score multiple nominations, including Director and Screenplay. Cruz’s splashy role as a wartime entertainer in likely Spanish entry “La Bola Negra” (Netflix) pops out of the sad Spanish Civil War triptych — but it’s slim. Both A24 and Netflix know how to push a nomination.
Prior Oscar nods: Cruz boasts nominations for two Pedro Almodóvar films (“Volver,” “Parallel Mothers”) and the musical “Nine,” and she won Supporting Actress for Woody Allen’s “Vicky Cristina Barcelona.”
Most likely outcome: A Supporting Actress nomination for “The Invite.”
Emily Blunt
Shots: Steven Spielberg’s too-familiar “Disclosure Day” ($241 million worldwide) is receding in the rearview behind Christopher Nolan’s bold Homeric epic “The Odyssey” ($1.3 billion worldwide). But Universal’s Oscar campaign will remind the Actors Branch why Blunt excels in the sci-fi thriller as a Midwest weather woman who is overtaken by aliens. She also returns in a broad supporting role in the popular sequel “The Devil Wears Prada 2” (Disney, $692 million worldwide). The original catapulted the British actress to a Hollywood career, but in the sequel she is overshadowed by Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway.
Prior Oscar nods: Supporting Actress nomination as the forbearing wife of the title character, “Oppenheimer.”
Most likely outcome: Best Actress for “Disclosure Day,” with no nod for “Prada 2,” the lesser performance.
Anne Hathaway
Shots: The protean actress has been working hard, and scored strong reviews for her four 2026 releases so far. A fifth, Michael Showalter thriller “Verity” (Amazon/MGM), is still to come. We can discount David Lowery’s little-seen “Mother Mary” (A24), her repeat role in “Prada 2,” and the genre thriller “The End of Oak Street.” Her highest-profile quality performance is as the wise Penelope in “The Odyssey.” There’s discussion of moving her to Best Actress to give Samantha Morton a better shot in Supporting. Famously, Kate Winslet won Best Supporting Actress at the Golden Globes and SAG for “The Reader” before Oscar voters voted for her in for Best Actress. She won.
Most likely outcome: A single nomination in whatever category for “The Odyssey.”
Robert Pattinson
Shots: Four. To his credit, Pattinson loves to dig into unappealing characters. He’s the villain, chief suitor Antinous, a coward and an ingrate, in “The Odyssey,” and the feckless boyfriend struggling with his partner’s checkered past in “The Drama.” Many Oscar pundit hopes are pinned on Pattinson’s true-life role as TV host Chris Hanson in “Primetime,” about the twisted morality behind catching pedophiles on TV (revealed in the documentary “Predators“), which premieres in Venice and plays Toronto. Awesome reviews could push the film into contention. He takes on yet another villain in “Dune Part 3,” the Machiavellian Scytale. If Pattinson lands raves for the finale, he could join the fray. So far, Netflix’s “Here Comes the Flood” is holding for 2027, and the third “The Batman” installment is set for February, 2028.
Prior Oscar nods: None.
Most likely outcome: He’s a long shot for three films. It’s possible “The Odyssey” coattails will pull Pattinson into the Supporting Actor mix. At this point, John Leguizamo has the edge as Odysseus’ blind loyal swineherd Eumaeus. If “Primetime” soars out of Venice or he breaks out of the pack in “Dune: Part 3,” then Pattinson could enter the race.
Brad Pitt
Shots: Three. David Ayers’ survival actioner “Heart of the Beast” (Paramount) reunites Pitt with a canine costar. He also stars in two year-end releases, David Fincher’s interpretation of a Quentin Tarantino sequel, “The Adventures of Cliff Booth” (Netflix) and Edward Berger’s psychological thriller “The Riders” (Plan B/A24). None are playing festivals, the usual route for Oscar contenders.
Prior Oscar nods: Pitt has four acting nominations: Supporting Actor for “12 Monkeys,” Lead Actor for “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” and “Moneyball,” and he won Supporting Actor as an aging stuntman who tangles with the Manson family in Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.”
Most likely outcome: Nothing. In Fincher’s sequel, Pitt would have to outperform himself in the same role he already won for.
Zendaya
Shots: Four. The 29-year-old exploding star is front and center opposite her husband Tom Holland in Marvel/Disney’s box office juggernaut “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” ($2 billion worldwide), plays a small but pivotal role as Athena in “The Odyssey,” and costars with Robert Pattinson as her disaffected fiance in A24’s “The Drama” ($105 million worldwide), which surpassed box office expectations. There’s also the final installment of Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” trilogy (Legendary/Warner Bros.) still to come. If she outperforms herself in Parts One and Two, it could be her time.
Prior Oscar nods: None.
Most likely outcome: Genre films, sequels, and a weird contemporary relationship drama make unlikely Oscar bait. Zendaya is more likely to nab a well-deserved Emmy three-peat for her gritty, emotional role in the final season of “Euphoria” (voting is open). She has time.
Willem Dafoe
Shots: On the supporting side, Dafoe rejoins the Robert Eggers gang in year-end medieval monster jam “Werewulf” (Focus Features) and stars in Jennifer Peedom’s fall festival entry “Tenzing” (Apple Original), as the leader of the historic 1953 Everest expedition. As a leading man, he’s grabbed raves for his poignant role as an aging West Village poet in “Late Fame” (Magnolia).
Prior Oscar nods: Dafoe has four nominations and has never won. He’s due. He is beloved by actors.
Most likely outcome: The Best Actor category is crowded. With a tiny box office performer ($97,000) Dafoe has to squeeze in with Matt Damon, Ryan Gosling, Andrew Scott, Tom Cruise, John Malkovich, John Turturro, and Pedro Pascal. Some will fall away as we rate the fall films; other newbies will join the pack. Magnolia doesn’t always step up to spending heavily for an Oscar campaign. An Independent Spirit nod is in Dafoe’s future.
Jeremy Allen White
Shots: “The Bear” Emmy winner plays a Wall Street Journal investigative reporter in Aaron Sorkin’s “The Social Reckoning” (Sony) and also stars opposite Austin Butler in Henry Dunham’s cat-and-mouse thriller “Enemies” (A24). Neither is playing festivals. With so much on A24’s plate this season, the undated film could move into 2027.
Prior Oscar nods: None. He earned a Globe nomination as Bruce Springsteen for “Deliver Me from Nowhere” but did not make the Oscar cut.
Most likely outcome: It feels like Jeremy Strong will dominate “The Social Reckoning” as Mark Zuckerberg, but White could blow us away. With critics behind him, he could emerge into contention.
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EXCLUSIVE: Here’s a big one out of Australia.
Former Binge content chief Alison Hurbert-Burns, who commissioned Colin From Accounts, is teaming with Bruna Papandrea and Steve Hutensky‘s Made Up Stories to launch a production business.
Respected Australian commissioner Hurbert-Burns will be CEO of The Set Up, with Papandrea and Hutensky joining her as co-founders, we can reveal. Made Up Stories execs Casey Haver, Jeanne Snow and Katie Amos will round out the leadership team.
The plan is for The Set Up to package premium series with IP, talent and financing out of Australia and sell them to broadcasters and streamers in the country and internationally.
The new-look management team already has a close-knit relationship. Papandrea produced record-setting drama Strife and Liane Moriarty adaptation The Last Anniversary for Hurbert-Burns when she was leading Aussie streamer Binge.
Made Up Stories will continue to build a slate of TV and film projects in the U.S. and internationally, while Sydney-based label The Set Up will focus purely on Australian titles, “pairing a commissioner’s eye for what audiences want with world-class producing at the source of some of the most distinctive stories, talent and locations in the world,” the founders said in a statement.
Hurbert-Burns is known for launching Foxtel SVoD Binge and overseeing its slate, commissioning the likes of Colin From Accounts, Mix Tape and The Twelve. She exited the DAZN-owned Foxtel in 2025 after six years at the helm as Executive Director for Commissioning and Content, during which time she ordered 25 original series. Further back, she worked in content acquisitions for Nine Network and its streamers 9Now and Stan.
“Alison is that rare combination — a true tastemaker and a brilliant operator — and one of the most highly regarded people in the Australian TV industry. Teaming up with her is a dream,” said Papandrea and Hutensky. “Australian creatives and stories are world-class, and the opportunity to produce a slate of shows that resonate both locally and globally is incredibly exciting. We’re passionate about bringing top Australian television to audiences everywhere.”
Made Up Stories is one of the better known production companies born out of Australia, and is behind the likes of HBO’s Big Little Lies and The Undoing, Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers, Prime Video Australia’s The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart and Peacock’s The Good Daughter. On the film front, it produced The Dry, which is one of Australia’s highest-grossing pics, its sequel The Dry 2 and Addition, which released this year.
Hurbert-Burns added: “Bruna, Steve and the Made Up Stories team are simply the best in the business at making television the world wants to watch — and this new company is a business and creative partnership in every sense.
“We’re bringing a commissioner’s lens and a targeted approach to our slate, finding stories that travel across borders and appeal to broad audiences. Having been on the buying side, I appreciate that streamers and broadcasters need reliable, consistent access to highly engaging, premium-quality content in a landscape that’s changing fast.”
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A sequel to Paul Feig’s The Housemaid will hit the big screen in 2027.
The film started coming together at the beginning of 2026 when it was greenlit by Lionsgate. Several faces both in front of and behind the camera in the first film will return to reprise their roles for the second, titled The Housemaid’s Secret.
Read on for everything we know about The Housemaid’s Secret movie adaptation below:
When will The Housemaid’s Secret movie come out?
The film has set its sights on Dec. 17, 2027 to bow in theaters, exactly two years after the first film arrived in 2025. Production is set to take place this fall, as Paul Feig told Deadline at the Oscars.
Who will be in the cast of The Housemaid’s Secret movie? Who is coming back from the first film?
Sydney Sweeney will reprise her role of Millie Calloway, who nannied and kept house for Nina Winchester (Amanda Seyfried) in the first film. Neither Seyfried’s Winchester nor Brandon Sklenar’s Andrew Winchester will be in the second film, with the latter meeting a fatal end in The Housemaid (2025). Michele Morrone will reprise his role of Enzo, the gardener.
As for new faces, Kirsten Dunst will star opposite Sweeney this second time around as Wendy Garrick. Paul Anthony Kelly (Love Story) will make his film debut as Wendy’s billionaire husband, Douglas Garrick. Brittany Snow has also joined the film as Marybeth.
What is The Housemaid’s Secret about?
Sweeney’s Mille Calloway will take on a new housekeeping job for a woman she’s never allowed to see. Another locked door threatens to explore secrets much darker than Millie’s. The film will be based on Frieda McFadden’s sequel novel of the same name, which published in 2023.
Who else is behind The Housemaid’s Secret?
Sweeney will also executive produce. Paul Feig is returning to direct from a script by Rebecca Sonnenshine, who adapted The Housemaid.
Producers will include Todd Lieberman of Hidden Pictures, Feig and Laura Fischer of Feig’s Pretty Dangerous Pictures, and Hidden Pictures’ Carly Elter and Alex Young. Author McFadden will also serve as an executive producer.
The film will be overseen by Lionsgate’s Chelsea Kujawa, who also oversaw the first film and brought the project into the studio, alongside Maria Ascanio. Robert Melnik negotiated deals for the studio.
RELATED: RELATED: Paul Feig Thought Taylor Swift Was “Never Gonna Clear” Song For ‘The Housemaid’: “I Guess She Likes It”
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