Ava DuVernay
‘Hollywood Black’ Review: Justin Simien’s MGM+ Docuseries Digs Deep — but Not Deep Enough — Into African American Film History
The 'Dear White People' director is joined by the likes of Ava DuVernay, Ryan Coogler, Gabrielle Union, Giancarlo Esposito and more in the four-hour project.
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NAACP Image Awards: ‘Abbott Elementary,’ ‘Queen Charlotte,’ ‘Swarm’ Among Night 4 Winners
The NAACP Image Awards has revealed its fourth round of winners in the non-televised categories, including outstanding writing in a motion picture, directing, animated motion picture and more. Thursday night’s awards were presented during a gala event at the Hollywood Palladium, hosted by Sherri Shepherd. Winners include Ava DuVernay, who took home the award for best directing […]
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Jeffrey Wright Jokes He Will Never Again Mock Critics While Honored at African American Film Critics Awards
On Wednesday night, the African American Film Critics Association honored the top actors, directors and films of the year at the 15th annual AAFCA Awards, in a Los Angeles ceremony hosted by Roy Wood Jr. One of night’s top honors — which were announced in advance — went to American Fiction star Jeffrey Wright, who […]
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Ava DuVernay on “Disappointing” Awards Recognition for ‘Origin’: “Time Will Reward the Film for Its Merits”
Ava DuVernay says that while “it’s been disappointing” her film Origin “hasn’t had the reach in the Hollywood community” during awards season, she is proud of the “overwhelmingly positive, overwhelmingly connected” response it’s garnered from those who have embraced it. Starring Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga, Audra McDonald, Niecy Nash-Betts, Nick Offerman, Blair Underwood […]
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Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor on Why She Had to Be Uncomfortable for Ava DuVernay’s ‘Origin’
When King Richard Oscar nominee Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor first learned that director Ava DuVernay was working on a film inspired by Isabel Wilkerson’s book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents — which would feature the award-winning journalist front and center as the protagonist — the actress sprang into action. Having previously earned an Emmy nom for another […]
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‘Awards Chatter’ Podcast: Ava DuVernay on Fighting for ‘Origin,’ the Crazy Backstory of ‘13th’ and How Her Outlook Has Changed 10 Years After ‘Selma’
Ava DuVernay is one of the most fascinating and trailblazing filmmakers in the business. She’s an Emmy and BAFTA award winner and an Oscar and Golden Globe nominee, whose middle name should be “First.” For 2012’s Middle of Nowhere, she became the first Black woman to win Sundance Film Festival’s best director prize. With 2014’s […]
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Ava DuVernay to Receive Casting Society’s Lynn Stalmaster Career Achievement Award
Ava DuVernay will receive the Lynn Stalmaster Award for Career Achievement at the Casting Society’s annual Artios Awards on March 7, the organization announced on Thursday. “Ava DuVernay is a visionary storyteller in the world of filmmaking, a huge champion for casting professionals and an incredible collaborator in the casting process,” Destiny Lilly, CSA president, […]
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Oscars: ‘Origin’ Script Deemed Adapted by Academy, Despite Being Classified as Original by Writers Guild (Exclusive)
In one of the odder twists of this awards season, the script that Ava DuVernay wrote for her film Origin has been deemed an adapted screenplay by the executive committee of the Academy’s writers branch, The Hollywood Reporter has learned, despite being classified as an original screenplay by the Writers Guild of America. The moving […]
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Greta Gerwig, Bradley Cooper and the THR Director Roundtable: “Final Cut Is a State of Mind”
The preshoot rituals they can’t live without, the studio negotiations they’ve learned to finesse and the creative choices they still can’t believe they got away with — the directors of six of this year’s most remarkable movies got together and talked shop. In November, Blitz Bazawule (The Color Purple), Bradley Cooper (Maestro), Ava DuVernay (Origin), […]
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Ava DuVernay Joins MasterClass Roster With Course on Filmmaking (Exclusive)
Award-winning filmmaker Ava DuVernay is giving an up-close view of her work on the set of Origin in a new course on MasterClass — and The Hollywood Reporter has a first look at the teaser. DuVernay’s class “Reframe Your Thinking” will launch in early 2024. In the class, DuVernay shares how the skills she uses to […]
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Events of the Week: ‘Candy Cane Lane,’ ‘Origin’ and More
Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including events for Candy Cane Lane, Origin, WIF Honors and Family Switch. Renaissance premiere Beyoncé brought her Renaissance concert film to the big screen on Saturday night with its Los Angeles premiere, attended by a starry list of […]
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Taraja Ramsess, Stunt Performer in Marvel Films, Dies at 41
Taraja Ramsess, a stunt performer and set dresser with credits including Fast & Furious, Avengers and Black Panther movies, died on Halloween in a car crash in Atlanta that also claimed the lives of three of his children. He was 41. Ramsess died shortly before midnight after the vehicle in which he and his kids […]
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