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Diego Luna Interview on Cannes Film ‘Ashes,’ Playing Michael Jackson

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Diego Luna had both personal motivations and more universal ones that drove him to make Ashes, his fifth feature as director.

While Luna continues to tackle an array of high-profile fare in front of the camera — starring opposite Jennifer Lopez in last year’s Kiss of the Spider Woman, leading the Emmy-winning Star Wars series Andor and nabbing a role in Disney’s live-action Tangled — he continues to tell more intimate stories through his filmmaking work. Adapting Brenda Navarro’s novel Ceniza en la boca, his latest effort centers on Anna Díaz as Lucila, a 21-year-old woman leaving Mexico for Madrid in search of a better life as she reunites with her mother (Adriana Paz), who moved there years ago.

Ahead of Ashes premiering during the Special Screening section at Cannes, Luna tells The Hollywood Reporter about the film resonating with him not only because of the current polarizing debate over immigration but also due to his own family history. Additionally, he reflects on having directed the 2014 biographical feature Cesar Chavez in light of recently surfaced abuse claims against the labor leader who died in 1993.

What was it about the novel that drew you to this project?

It was a very powerful read for me. My son was 14 when I read it, and I thought it was a very interesting story to approach migration from an angle we don’t see much, particularly living in Mexico with that proximity to that huge border between such a powerful country [as the U.S.] and ours, and such a complicated scenario these days. For me, the book resonated profoundly because of the journey of this young woman. If you read it, you’ll understand that I took a piece of that book to make this story and decided to center everything on Lucila. Distance in crucial years for people where parents are not around — that is something really important for me. My mother died when I was 2 years old. I grew up with my father, and he dedicated his life to theater. In a way, what Spain represents in this film for me was theater. It was that thing that was keeping my father away from me.

How did you decide that Anna Díaz and Adriana Paz were the right fit as the mother-daughter duo?

With Adriana, I’ve known her from a long time. We played a couple together in a film called Rudo y Cursi that we did many years ago, and I know her strengths. With Anna, it was very interesting because as soon as the casting director in Mexico read the script, he said to me, “What about Anna? Did you see [her in the 2024 movie] La Cocina?” And I said, “Yes, I saw La Cocina! Obviously, I thought about her, but we should see a lot of actresses.” We saw hundreds of options of great actresses from Mexico. At the very end, I said to Anna, “Do you mind coming and working with me a good hour, and we’ll do a little scene together?” We had a session — Adriana, Anna, me, a few of the producers and the casting director — and everyone was sobbing. When they did that scene, I was like, “This is it. It’s them.”

Over a decade ago, you made a film about Cesar Chavez starring Michael Peña. The civil rights leader has been in the news with labor activist Dolores Huerta, whom Rosario Dawson portrayed in your movie, having accused him of sexual abuse. Have you thought about how you might approach the film differently today?

Completely. I was devastated and very confused and very worried and sad and conflicted with the whole thing because, most importantly, of what the movement means. It was very, very, very hard to understand and believe. I was shocked, and there’s very little you can say. I met so many people whose lives depend on what the movement achieved and what the community was able to do. It was horrendous and painful to read what we all read.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Y Tu Mamá También, which still delivers such impact. How has the process for independent filmmaking changed since then?

The cinema I still enjoy doing the most is that one that celebrates the perspective of someone and has a point of view with independent drive. That can be done small or big. It’s not about the size of the production; it’s about what actually drives the project. I get to work with people that make me feel that way. Basically, in every project I’ve done for the last 10 years, I have had that kind of feeling — no matter what it is, if it’s animation or a gigantic production or a very small one. I’m in search of those projects and trying to celebrate that cinema as much as possible. It’s urgent, and it’s needed, and there’s nothing more powerful for me as the audience, so I want to defend those spaces.

Your Star Wars series, Andor, is beloved as well, so you’ve found a balance between massive projects and smaller ones.

That independent drive was there. We were working on the project written by Tony Gilroy, and there was a very clear vision. That independent drive can happen in gigantic or very small productions. It’s about what’s propelling the project.

I have to ask you about Michael Jackson, given that you played a version of him in [Harmony Korine’s 2008 movie] Mister Lonely, and now the new hit biopic Michael has sparked debate about what it says or doesn’t say. How was the experience with your film?

I haven’t seen [Michael] just because of all the research I had to do and all the beautiful work I got to do with the amazing Harmony Korine on Mister Lonely. It was quite an experience, getting in the head of Harmony and trying to serve him and become a tool for his story to come across. I remember that as a wonderful journey. I learned a lot [from Korine]. His way is different than anybody else. It’s incredible. But I haven’t seen the [new] film. I’ll probably go by myself and watch it soon.

What excites you most about Ashes premiering soon?

I am very anxious to see it in that cinema in Cannes and find a first audience. The fear, the ignorance, the hate we are seeing around migration, this is the way to fight that — reflecting on it, telling stories, trying to get you close to understand the story of just one person who can’t live where they belong, and what does that mean? We don’t stop enough to think about that. That would make the experience and the world different these days.

Have you started considering future projects to direct?

As soon as I finished directing, I was like, “I need to write this other thing and this other thing.” Suddenly, directing allowed me to remember how much I like this process and also how much I’m ready to talk. As an actor, I’m always ready to be invited to help others tell their stories, but today, I have stories to tell, and I want to do it again.

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Tim Daly & Téa Leoni Take A Quick Trip To The Altar In ‘Newlyweds’ Trailer

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NBC has dropped the first trailer for Newlyweds, starring real-life married couple Tim Daly and Téa Leoni.

The trailer opens with Jeanie (Leoni) and James’ (Daly) first meeting at a valet stand.

“Dan didn’t tell me you were stunning,” a clearly already-smitten James tells Jeanie. “He didn’t tell me you have great taste in women,” replies Jeanie as the two rush off on what appears to be their first date.

Per the logline, Newlyweds is a later-in-life love story about a free-spirited woman, Jeanie (Leoni), and a buttoned-up professor, James (Daly), who marry impetuously after a whirlwind courtship. Recently divorced, James accidentally runs into Jeanie at a valet stand and is so taken with her beauty and spirit that they wind up having dinner together anyway. Tony soon realizes that his life with Jeanie is not going to be the quiet, stay-at-home lifestyle he enjoys, but he also knows he’d rather change his ways than live without her.

Jamie Lee Curtis, Emma Meisel, Ignacio Diaz-Silverio, Bill O’Neill and Al Madrigal co-star.

Curtis plays James’ ex-wife Claudia, Meisel and Diaz-Silverio play Jeanie’s children, Poppy and Lolo, respectively, O’Neill plays Arvid, James’ assistant in the philosophy department at the University of Oslo, and Madrigal plays Dan, James’ divorced best friend whose plans for single life are derailed by James and Jeanie’s impulsive wedding. As the matchmaker behind the couple, he also earns the ire of James’ ex, Claudia (Curtis).

Newlyweds is co-created by Gail Lerner and Curtis, both of whom also executive produce. Additionally, Lerner will serve as showrunner. Pam Fryman directed and executive produced the pilot episode. Executive producers also include Eric and Kim Tannenbaum and Jason Wang for The Tannenbaum Company, Scott Schwartz and Lionsgate Television. Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, is the studio.

Newlyweds premieres Friday, October 23 on NBC.

Check out the trailer above.

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Kevin Feige Accepts Pioneer Of The Year Award At Will Rogers Foundation

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It seems appropriate that Kevin Feige was the honoree at a dinner that would became the most successful for the philanthropic Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation Assistance Fund in 22 years.

It appears everything the producer and Marvel Studios president touches turns to gold. The annual Pioneer of the Year dinner raised $1.9 million, the biggest haul since 2004 for the group that helps those in the motion picture distribution and exhibition industry in dire need.

And yes, there was lots of talk about money when extolling the virtues of this year’s Pioneer of the Year, with Focus Features distribution head Lisa Bunnell and Disney chairman Alan Bergman both among those on stage noting the record-breaking box office success of Feige — particularly just after a weekend where a reissue of Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame managed to top the charts against all new movies and earn another $80 million globally.

Bunnell also mentioned the most recent achievement of Spider-Man: Brand New Day becoming the biggest movie of all time at the domestic box office, among other records set. Feige’s 38 films as a producer for Marvel have all opened to No. 1 earning a collective $35 billion. It is nice he could extend that streak for this worthy cause.

“The Will Rogers Motion Pictures Pioneers Foundation makes an extraordinary difference for the people in this industry, and it’s a mission I’m very, very honored to stand behind. And of course, to be mentioned in same breath as Will Rogers is incredibly humbling,” Feige said as he accepted the award.

A tradition for more than 75 years, the Pioneer of the Year Award is bestowed upon esteemed and respected members in the motion picture industry whose leadership, service to the community, and commitment to philanthropy are exceptional. It is one of the most distinguished honors in the entertainment industry and within the philanthropic community. All proceeds raised at the event benefit WRMPPF’s Pioneers Assistance Fund, the only charity of its kind in the nation which provides financial assistance and social services to individuals in the motion picture distribution and exhibition community in times of need.

From left, Asad Ayaz, Alan Bergman, Kevin Feige, Josh D’Amaro, Louis D’Esposito and Andrew Cripps attend the 2026 Will Rogers Pioneer of the Year Dinner honoring Kevin Feige on Sept. 30, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)

The Beverly Hilton ballroom was packed Wednesday night to celebrate Feige, and before the man called “the most successful producer in the history of motion pictures” hit the stage, his Guardians Of The Galaxy star Chris Pratt appeared to sing his praises. “Kevin and I, we go way back. I auditioned for this man honestly, probably seven or eight thousand times before he said, ‘You know what? This guy just might be able to act’, either that or he just really needed a third Chris to complete the set,” he laughed. “And to be fair, when I was finally cast in Guardians Of The Galaxy, it took someone with real vision to look at me and say, ‘Yeah, that’s a guy that can guard the galaxy, since at that point, all anyone knew me as was Andy Blair from Parks and Recreation. Yeah, nobody was thinking that there’s an action star who carry a big sci-fi film franchise.”

Before he presented the award to Feige, Iron Man director Jon Favreau shared his stories about the man of the hour, especially during the making of that very first Marvel giant hit which actually was a negative pickup, essentially an independent movie at the time. He said they didn’t always see eye to eye in the editing room, even as Favreau fought to save scenes. “They were very nice scenes, and Kevin would just be like, ‘cut this, cut this, get out there. I think you don’t even need that scene’. And I would just turn to him and I would say to him, ‘why do you hate movies?’ And he would laugh. Eventually, of course everything that he suggested (worked), but not because he forced me to, but because he was right. And I learned like later that you know you got to keep things moving. You can’t be too indulgent when you’re making movies,” he said. “If there’s one individual who has been quality control central in this kind of thing Kevin was a personification of what pioneers are because he had this vision of putting together films that were going to be part of a total universe. Not only do the films have to stand on their own, but they had to connect, not by plot but by character. He loves films and always wants it to be the best it could be. His love of storytelling and storytellers is who the guy is.”

Feige thanked everyone for making the evening possible, but said his initial thought was to turn it down. “This cause, of course, is important. But the truth is, when the team first called and told me about it, my instinct was absolutely to be flattered and to be honored and to say I’m too busy. And then they sent me a picture of that statue. And my wife knows that I have a mildly concerning habit of collecting a lot of things, and collecting toys and action figures because I want to find a way to bring movies home with me, and I think that’s one of the coolest action figures I’ve seen in a while. It’s real bronze,” the Marvel President marveled while assuring the crowd he is just getting started. “I love movies. It’s the greatest privilege of my life that I get to make movies. The motion picture industry has given me my career, my closest friends, and my sense of purpose. So this award means something to me-not just a recognition for the work, but a reminder of the responsibility that comes with it.”

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Ed Helms Stars In ‘The Streak’ For Lion Forge Entertainment

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EXCLUSIVE: Ed Helms has wrapped a lead role in The Streak, a sports comedy marking Academy Award-winning outfit Lion Forge Entertainment‘s entrée into the live-action space.

Following Coach Oliver Eslinger and the 2011 Caltech men’s basketball team as they seek to break the longest losing streak in NCAA history, the film hails from writer-director Steve Byrne (The Opening Act).

Helms plays Enslinger, a first-time head coach who takes over the Caltech men’s basketball program after the team has gone more than three decades without winning a conference game. Armed with relentless optimism and an unconventional coaching philosophy, he attempts to convince a group of brilliant but athletically challenged students that an impossible turnaround can begin with winning just one game.

Nina Dobrev (The Get Out), Natasha Rothwell (White Lotus), Tone Bell (The Flash), Peter Billingsley (A Christmas Story) and comedian Joe DeRosa also star.

Prior to The Streak, which shot in St. Louis and the surrounding areas, many production companies had chased the rights to Coach Eslinger’s story over the last decade. But it was only after a long meeting with Byrne that he finally felt comfortable moving forward. Mike Falbo, Helms’ partner in production company Pacific Electric, slipped the script to longtime friend and collaborator Jon Kanak, who brought the project to Lion Forge.

Helms and Mike Falbo are producing through their Pacific Electric (Rutherford Falls, The Clapper) banner alongside Tim Zajaros and Chris Lemole of Armory Films (The Peanut Butter Falcon, Mudbound), plus Lion Forge Entertainment founder & CEO Dave Steward II and President & Chief Creative Officer Stephanie Sperber. Lion Forge also financed the film alongside Same Page Entertainment, with co-founder & CEO Jalen Rose exec producing.

Other exec producers include Enslinger, Kanak, Steven Fisher, Matt Heath, Bud Hawk, Greg Suess, Trevor Engelson, Matt Brodlie and Jonathan Kier.

UTA is repping domestic sales alongside Brodlie and Kier’s Upgrade, which will also handle international.

In a statement on the project, Byrne told us, “Sports stories have always been about much more than sports. At its core, The Streak is about hope, leadership, and finding greatness in people everyone else has overlooked. Ed was always my dream for Oliver because he brings an authenticity, warmth and humor that perfectly embodies the spirit of this story. We’re excited to bring this incredible true story to audiences.”

Added Lionsgate’s Steward II, “As we scale our live-action business, The Streak is exactly the type of commercial, four-quadrant film we’re focused on producing. With a proven cast, a true story foundation, and global appeal, it reflects how we’re expanding our slate with projects designed to perform in today’s marketplace.”

Currently, Helms can be seen starring alongside Jay Baruchel in The Stunt Driver, a Michael Dowse film telling the true story of daredevil Canadian stuntman Ken Carter, which premiered to critical acclaim at TIFF and released in September. Next up, he’ll be seen in another pair of films coming off TIFF premieres: Cody Lightning’s hockey dramedy Smudge the Blades, which he also exec produced, and Babies opposite Seth Rogen and Anna Kendrick. He is repped by UTA and Schreck Rose Dapello.

Byrne is a comedian and filmmaker who made his feature directorial debut with The Opening Act, a 2020 stand-up world comedy starring Jimmy O. Yang. Previously, he also co-created and starred in the TBS sitcom Sullivan & Son. He’s repped by IAG, Underground, and Cohen & Gardner.

Founded in 2019 — after spinning out from Lion Forge Comics — Lion Forge Entertainment is best known for its work in animation, having won an Oscar for its animated short Hair Love in 2020. One of the few Black-owned entertainment studios of scale in North America, they more recently took to HBO Max and Cartoon Network with Iyanu, an animated fantasy series that aired its second season earlier this year. Kicking off a strategic expansion into commercial, all-audience live-action storytelling following a recent capital raise, their pipeline has surged in the last year as the company joined forces with Game of Thrones‘ George R.R. Martin to adapt the novella A Dozen Tough Jobs into an adult animated feature; set a partnership with TalesVision to expand their short-form YouTube series Lostlings into a long-form series debuting later this year; executive produced two movies, the comedy Jacob Beats Up Nate and A Dog’s Perfect Christmas for Netflix; set a strategic partnership with Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts); and partnered with Rebel Girls to develop content around Rebel Girls Sports in the unscripted space. Additional strategic partnerships include an alliance with Penguin Young Readers to develop films & TV series based on select children’s books. LFE is part of the media and sports-focused firm Polarity.

Dobrev is repped by CAA, Noble Caplan Abrams, Lighthouse Management + Media, and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller; Rothwell by CAA, Untitled, and Jackoway Austen Tyerman; Bell by CAA, Mosaic and Hansen, Jacobson; Billingsley by UTA and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman; DeRosa by Range Media Partners and Schreck Rose Dapello; Lion Forge Entertainment by UTA, Activist Artists Management and Jon Kanak’s Lumify Entertainment; and Same Page Entertainment by Paradigm.

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