A new research brief from Dr. Stacy L. Smith, who founded the Institute, looked at the 100 most popular movies of 2023 for portrayals related to pregnancy, miscarriage, infertility, contraception, abortion, menstruation, and overall reproductive health. 

“For years we have provided data on how Hollywood marginalizes girls and women on screen,” said Dr. Smith in a statement shared with TheWrap. “This latest report offers further evidence that it is not only the presence of women themselves that is missing on screen, but of critical depictions related to their health and well-being.”

The results show that only 42% of films contained any depiction of reproductive health in 2023. There were 8 depictions of menstruation, most of them in 
Kelly Fremon Craig’s “Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret,” which was based on the classic book by Judy Blume.

“Abortion and access to reproductive care are some of the most significant issues in the upcoming election,” said Smith. “Yet Hollywood devoted only 3 minutes and 12 seconds to the topic in the nearly 200 hours of film content last year. The film industry has squandered its opportunities to depict abortion in authentic, informative, and multidimensional ways.”

Half of films with women directors included a reproductive health portrayal compared to 40.7% of films directed by men. “It’s no surprise that women in leadership roles are responsible for depictions related to reproductive health,” said Smith. “The refusal to hire women in critical positions behind the camera has ripple effects far beyond employment.”

Pregnancy was featured or mentioned in 36 out of the 100 films with 53 pregnant characters, two of whom were never shown on-screen. The majority of these characters, 60.8%, were from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group and 39.2% were white , the study found.

Broken out by genre, the study found that dramas (66.7%) and comedies (50%) were most likely to show reproductive health portrayals, while horror films — at least in 2023 —  were least likely with only 21.4%.

The 2024 study should see a spike in the horror category given the the plethora of “nun giving birth to the antichrist” films, including “Immaculate” and “The First Omen.”

As for the issue of abortion: Only 4 out of the 100 films mentioned it, including what the study calls a philosophical discussion of abortion” and “a joke about Roe v. Wade.”

There was also the scene in “The Exorcist: Believer” when Ann Dowd’s character is being tormented by a demon who refers to the past procedure as being “scraped out… like a rotten pumpkin.”

Pregnant characters tended to be in the background, with only 4 leading or co-leading characters out of 100 shown as expecting and only five films featured discussions of reproductive damage or visits to doctors. There were two portrayals of infertility in the top 100 films of 2023: Both occurred in historical settings. 

“At a time when 21 states have abortion bans or restrictions in effect, this lack of depiction of sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion, means that the stories and experiences of millions of people are erased from our screens,” said Caren Spurch, national director for arts and entertainment engagement at Planned Parenthood Action Fund.

She urged the entertainment community to use “their immense power” to “normalize abortion and the whole range of reproductive health care.”Spurch added, “We have to change the culture to help change policies that would help advance reproductive freedom,” noting that the Planned Parenthood Action Fund is available to assist directors, producers and writers.

The Annenberg Inclusion Initiative also announced four recipients — Eve Chadbourn, Naa Adei Mante, Jenniffer González Martinez, and Hanna Gray Organschi — of its Reproductive Rights Accelerator, a program that offered $25,000 to filmmakers to tell a story related to reproductive rights.

The post Few Films Tackle Reproductive Health, USC Annenberg Study Finds — ‘Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret’ Leads the Handful That Do appeared first on TheWrap.

“You were so disrespectful to me at the Grammys,” Roan told the photographer, whom she confronted while attending Olivia Rodrigo’s “Guts World Tour” concert documentary on Saturday. Footage of the incident was captured by Entertainment Weekly.

The “Good Luck, Babe!” singer was posing for cameras just before she spotted and pointed the photographer out in a crowd full of media.

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“You yelled at me at the Grammy party. Yes, at the Universal after party. I remember, you were so rude to me. And I deserve an apology for that,” Roan persisted. “No, no, no, you need to apologize to me.”

Ultimately, it appears the photographer did apologize to the pop star just as her publicist ushered her away.

This isn’t the first time Roan has scolded a photographer. Last month when she attended the Video Music Awards, the artists told a camera person “you shut the f—k up” after they yelled at her to “shut the f—k up.” She added, “Not me, b—h.”

The post Chappell Roan Demands Apology From ‘Disrespectful’ Red Carpet Photographer: ‘You Yelled At Me’ appeared first on TheWrap.

“I got diagnosed with POTS, Sjogrens and Mcas in 2018 and really relate to not wanting your health to be your identity,” the “Dreams” singer shared in the comment section underneath musician and model Shaun Ross’ health update post on Instagram on Oct. 14.

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In his video post, Ross opened up about his Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) diagnosis, which came “as a result of long COVID.”

“Sending u so much love and strength Shaun and to all in the comments struggling with the debilitating, confusing, and lonely symptoms of POTS !” Knowles commented.

She ended her words by sharing the Instagram page for the nonprofit organization Dysautonomia International, which “seeks to improve the lives of individuals living with autonomic nervous system disorders through research,” per its website.

“The good folks at @dysautonomiaintl were really an incredible resource for me and I feel really grateful for the spoonie community for holding me down during my times of complete uncertainty! Sending an abundance of love your way !” Knowles concluded.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, POTS produces several symptoms that impact a person while they are laying down, including fast heart rate, dizziness and fatigue. With Sjögren’s syndrome, a chronic autoimmune disease, a person’s immune system attacks the glands that produce moisture in the eyes, mouth and other areas of the body, per the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

And Mass cell activation syndrome (MCAS) is an immunological condition that makes mast cells (a type of white blood cell) excessively release chemical mediators, which can cause hives, vomiting or anaphylaxis or near-anaphylaxis episodes, according to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology. MCAS is not an autoimmune disorder.

The post Solange Knowles Reveals She’s Been Diagnosed With ‘Debilitating, Confusing’ Autoimmune Disorders appeared first on TheWrap.

In the meantime, the guild’s strike against all Interactive Media Agreement signatory companies remains in effect.

“After three days of scheduled negotiations, SAG-AFTRA announced that Interactive Media Agreement negotiations with employers would continue, with new dates to be announced as soon as they are confirmed,” the guild said in a statement Saturday morning.

The two sides resumed talks on Oct. 23, almost exactly three months after the strike began. Among the participating video game companies are Activision Productions Inc., Blindlight LLC, Disney Character Voices Inc., Electronic Arts Productions Inc., Formosa Interactive LLC, Insomniac Games Inc., Llama Productions LLC, Take 2 Productions Inc., and WB Games Inc. on Oct. 23.

When the strike was declared in July, performers had been working on video games without a contract since November 2022. SAG-AFTRA said that while most issues were settled, negotiations broke down over protecting voice and motion capture performers from exploitation by so-called artificial intelligence.

The day the strike went into effect, Negotiating Committee chair Sarah Elmaleh and Interactive Agreement lead negotiator Ray Rodriguez explained that among other things, video game industry counteroffers were designed with loopholes big enough to effectively neutralize any agreed-upon protections.

Among them, motion capture performances would only be protected if a video game character actually resembled the actor — which would exclude the majority of video game mo-cap. And voice actors would only be protected if their characters’ voices sounded recognizably like their own.

In addition to closing those loopholes, SAG-AFTRA wants consent and compensation guaranteed for performers for any use of their work in any AI models for video games.

Naturally video game companies dispute this, saying at the time the strike was declared that they were “disappointed the union has chosen to walk away when we are so close to a deal, and we remain prepared to resume negotiations.”

Meanwhile, earlier this week SAG-AFTRA announced that more than 120 games created by 49 different companies had signed on the tiered-budget or interim agreements the union has offered since the strike began.

The post SAG-AFTRA Video Game Contract Talks Extended, New Dates TBA appeared first on TheWrap.

Elvira, whose real name is Cassandra Peterson, shared the anecdote of how Grande once demanded 21 free tickets to a show for her friends and family, only to then refuse to take a picture with the Mistress of the Dark.

“She came and she brought 20 guests — she wanted 20, 21 tickets,” Elvira told the crowd at Knott’s Scary Farm in Southern California on Sunday. She detailed meeting the group backstage, even signing autographs for and taking pictures with all 20 plus-ones. However, when she then asked Grande for a photo, the pop star apparently turned her down, saying, “Nah, I don’t really do that.”

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“All her relatives stayed … and she took off. OK? Right? Just sayin’,” Elvira added as the audience booed. She then shared the story to her Instagram page.

The “Supernatural” singer, who plays Glinda the Good Witch in the upcoming “Wicked” film, left a comment on the IG post on Monday, saying she was “so disheartened to see this” while apologizing.

“I actually don’t even remember getting the chance to meet you because I had an anxiety attack and to my memory, left before the rest of my family (this was around seven years ago and at the time I was really not great with being in public crowds or loud places),” Grande wrote, likely referring to the deadly bombing at her 2017 concert at Manchester Arena in which 22 people were killed after a suicide attacker set off a home-made bomb outside the venue.

“But if I’m misremembering this moment, I sincerely apologize for offending you so,” she continued. “Thank you for being so nice to my mom, she told me how lovely you were (she might have different feelings about that now but I’ll talk to her … clearly, we all have our days).”

“Sending love always,” Grande concluded her comment. “You’ll always be our queen of Halloween!”

The post Ariana Grande Clears the Air After Elvira Shares Backstage Snub Story 7 Years in the Making appeared first on TheWrap.

“Forgive me for the delay … First of all, I had to get strength. I had to get strength enough to do this without breaking,” Wayne, who has previously voiced his desire to headline the Super Bowl halftime show, said in an Instagram video on Friday. “I thought there was nothing better than that spot, that platform in my city, so that hurt. It hurt a whole lot. But y’all, y’all are f–kin’ amazing. It made me feel like s–t not getting this opportunity, and when I felt like s–t you guys reminded me that I ain’t s–t without y’all, and that’s an amazing reality. So, like I said, it broke me and I’m just trying to put me back together.”

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He concluded his statement by thanking his slew of fans, supporters and colleagues in the industry.

“I must say thank you to every voice, every opinion, all the care, all the love and support. Your words turned into arms and held me up when I try to fall back. That hurt. Hurt a lot. You know what I’m talking about. It hurt a whole lot. I blame myself for not being mentally prepared for a letdown and for automatically mentally putting myself in that position, like somebody told me that was my position. So I blame myself for that,” Wayne continued. “But, my God, have you all helped me. Thanks to all my peers, my friends, my family, my homies on the sports television, everybody reppin’ me. I really appreciate that. I really do. I feel like I let all of y’all down by not getting that opportunity, but I’m working on me and I’m working, so thank you.”

Wayne’s remarks come after Kendrick Lamar, Jay-Z’s entertainment company Roc Nation and the NFL announced on Sunday that the Los Angeles rapper would be taking the spot as the next Super Bowl halftime performer.

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The news immediately sparked differing opinions about the selection. Some were excited, noting that Lamar’s “Not Like Us” was the biggest track of the year, while others felt it was time for a Louisiana rapper to take the shine. Though the Crescent City has hosted the Super Bowl 10 times, a Louisiana-born rapper has never headlined the event’s halftime show. The only Louisiana star to take the big stage was New Orleans singer Irma Thomas at Super Bowl XXIV in 1990, during which she shared her set with musicians Pete Fountain and Doug Kershaw.

Several musicians, including Nicki Minaj, Birdman, Master P, Cam’ron, Hurricane Chris and Mase, have chimed in raising concerns with the move, all stating that a Louisiana artist also deserves to be featured — particularly Lil Wayne.

“Salute to @kendricklamar for performing at the halftime show at Super Bowl LIX.. well deserved, he’s one of the hottest music artists in the world and has one of the biggest songs right now,” Master P began in a Facebook post on Sunday.

However, he added, “As Ambassador of Entertainment in the City of New Orleans I have to agree with the fans that @liltunechi_c5 should be a part of this celebration as well. He’s one of the greatest Hop Hop artists alive, still relevant and he’s a New Orleans native. Let’s not miss this cultural moment in the South. Life is too short! We have to give our legends their flowers while they are here,” the rapper and businessman concluded.

The friction got even thicker when Nicki Minaj, whom Lil Wayne found and later signed to his record label Young Money Entertainment, chimed in with her own thoughts. Some felt her words were directed at Jay-Z, a behind-the-scenes co-producer for the halftime event.

“Denying a young black man what he rightfully put into this game for no other reason but your ego,” Minaj wrote. “Your hatred for BIRDMAN, Drake & Nicki got you punishing Lil Wayne?!?!!! LIL WAYNE!!!!!!!!!! THE GOAT?!!!!!!!!!!! Nola what’s good?!!!!!! Eminem stood firm on having 50 Cent come out. A white man. S–t sad. House N–R TINGZ. but it’s GOOD FI DEM!!!!!!! No loyalty? Welp. then n–z will keep son’ing you!!!!! #DTLR #GagCityDC LMFAOOOOOOOOOO GOODAZ FI DEL GAL U AH GOODAZ FI DEM.”

Denying a young black man what he rightfully put into this game for no other reason but your ego. Your hatred for BIRDMAN, Drake & Nicki got you punishing Lil Wayne?!?!!! LIL WAYNE!!!!!!!!!! THE GOAT?!!!!!!!!!!! Nola what’s good?!!!!!! Eminem stood firm on having 50Cent come out.…

— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) September 9, 2024

While Jay-Z hasn’t directly responded to the backlash, he has explained the reason Lamar was chosen as the Super Bowl’s next headliner.

“Kendrick Lamar is truly a once-in-a-generation artist and performer,” Jay-Z said in a statement, per media reports. “His deep love for Hip-Hop and culture informs his artistic vision. He has an unparalleled ability to define and influence culture globally. Kendrick’s work transcends music, and his impact will be felt for years to come.”

While Jay-Z is a co-producer for the halftime show and has a hand in selecting who performs, he doesn’t necessarily make the final call. According to media reports, that decision is made by the NFL’s board and the host city.

During an interview with NPR, Clemson University performing arts professor Melvin Villaver explained how the process has previously gone.

“I can’t speak for this year specifically. But the Super Bowl halftime show for Los Angeles and Las Vegas, two recent Super Bowls, has been, the host city comes up with a shortlist. And they bring that to the NFL,” Villaver said. “The NFL has various boards, and someone who’s on the board that’s extremely famous is Jay-Z. And they have to agree. And so the host city brings the shortlist to the board. The board agrees and brings it back to the host city, saying, we select this artist.”

The post Lil Wayne Says Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show Decision ‘Broke’ Him: ‘I Felt Like S–t’ appeared first on TheWrap.

It was Trump this time who offered the meme gods a new sacrifice. When asked more than once whether or not the former president had a plan in place for health care he replied, “I have the concepts of a plan and you will be hearing more in the near future.”

This had viewers sprinting to X to post their own variations of the moment. Many called out people – both real and fictional – who famously stumbled through moments with no clear plan in place for the future but confidently none the less.

Some of the easy targets were fantasy author George R.R. Martin – whose sixth installment in the “Game of Thrones” series has been in the works for over a decade – Cousin Greg from “Succession, Dutch van der Lind from the “Red Dead Redemption 2” video game, and just about anyone facing life after college.

Here’s a collection of some of the best “concept of a plan” memes to come out of the debate.

The post The Best ‘Concepts of a Plan’ Memes From Trump’s Debate Flub, From George R.R. Martin to Cousin Greg appeared first on TheWrap.

“He actually expressed how much he loved the show, and when we approached him, wanted to be a part of it, and he just made it work,” Wilmore shared as he opened up about how much fans and some celebs enjoy the series. “So it’s fun to have that, that people feel about that, because you don’t know when you’re doing it. People might hate it, you have no idea, so it’s nice to have that.”

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Chestnut steps into the courtroom as Corey Cash, the suave, media-savvy and extremely calculated defense attorney that Jax Stewart (Emayatzy Corinealdi) needs to help her win her best friend’s murder case. However, his unique tactics could cause drama moreso than providing assistance for Jax.

“He’s just Morris the Chestnut, brings so much professionalism,” Corinealdi said. “He just stepped in like he was there from the beginning. It felt right like it was supposed to be, and he meshes with the world, with the reality of the world. It was just easy. It’s been a lot of fun working with Morris.”

McKinley Freeman, who stars as Jax’s husband, Lewis Stewart, completely agreed with his costar, saying Chestnut “seamlessly” fits into the cast.

“Morris is a legend,” Freeman said. “Any production, any crew, any cast that has Morris on it is off to a fantastic start. We have a world here that’s super open to collaborative people and Morris just, he landed it and handled his business.”

“We couldn’t have asked for a better person to stir stuff up a little bit,” Freeman added.

Other newcomers to the series include Essence Atkins, who stars as a domestic violence expert named Dr. Brandy Michaels; Melissa Ponzio, who plays new district attorney Lucy Wargo; Vaughn W. Hebron, who stars as an ex-NFL player and J.T.’s (Shannon’s now-dead husband) mentee, Adrian Hunter; and Kandi Burris, who plays Eboni Phillips, the mother of J.T.’s daughter Natasha.

The full cast this season includes Emayatzy Corinealdi as Jax Stewart, McKinley Freeman as Lewis Stewart, Morris Chestnut as Corey Cash, Tim Jo as Daniel, Angela Grovey as Krystal, Thaddeus J. Mixson as Spenser and Aderinsola Olabode as Naima.

“Reasonable Doubt” was created, written and executive produced by Raamla Mohamed. Kerry Washington executive produces alongside Pilar Savone for Simpson Street, Larry Wilmore via Wilmore Films and Anton Cropper. Shawn Holley, Jon Leshay, Tamara Gregory, Lena Cordina, TASH Gray and Resheida Brady serve as co-executive producers. The series hails from Onyx Collective and is produced by ABC Signature, a part of Disney Television Studios. 

“Reasonable Doubt” Season 2 is currently airing on Hulu.

The post ‘Reasonable Doubt’ EP Larry Wilmore Says Morris Chestnut Was a Fan Before Joining Cast for Season 2: He ‘Wanted to Be a Part of It’ appeared first on TheWrap.

The Jewish arts organization — whose mission is to empower “artists, storytellers, and innovators to transform society with inspirational and provocative new Jewish content across theater, television, film, podcasts, music, publishing, and beyond” — will provide financing support for four cross-platform Jewish media productions: “Sangre Sucio/Tainted Blood” from writer/director Jeremy Xido and producer Noam Dromi; “How to Rule the World,” a theatrical documentary from award-winning British filmmaker Tim Samuels; Erev Yalda, a cultural celebration from entrepreneur Rachel Sumekh and food writer Tannaz Sassooni; and AlefBet Audio, a podcast series from Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie.

“Reboot Studios is proud to support this year’s Creator Fund recipients, who are expanding the Jewish narrative by bringing to light underrepresented stories from across the diaspora,” the studios’ managing director Noam Dromi said in a statement to TheWrap. “From the Sephardic experience in “Sangre Sucio” to the cultural celebration of Erev Yalda, confronting modern antisemitism in “How to Rule the World,” and redefining Jewish life through “AlefBet Audio,” these projects reflect our commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive understanding of Jewish identity.”

Dromi added that “amidst a historic rise in antisemitism,” the work Reboot Studios does to reclaim Jewish narratives “is more important than ever.”

“In a divided world, we are committed to the idea that art can be a unifying force, bringing people together to foster greater empathy and showcase diverse narratives to meet the challenges of our time,” Dromi said.

Creator Fund recipients from 2023 included the Academy Award shortlisted live action short film “The Anne Frank Gift Shop” from filmmaker and journalist Mickey Rapkin and “Just for Us,” the hit one-man show written and performed by Tony winner Alex Edelman and directed by Adam Brace, now streaming on Max.

Reboot Studios’ Creator Fund has invested over $500,000 in Jewish projects since its 2022 launch.

More information on the 2024-25 projects can be found below:

“Sangre Sucio/Tainted Blood”

From writer/director Jeremy Xido and producer Noam Dromi, “Sangre Sucio/Tainted Blood” is a Ladino language cowboy movie set on the borderlands between Coahuila, Mexico, and south Texas during the closing days of the American Civil War. The story follows a family of Crypto-Jews, focusing on a dying father, Aureliano, and his son, Emmanuel de León, who harbors a dark past. Following a prophetic dream, Aureliano insists that Emmanuel take him on a perilous journey north to Las Cruces, New Mexico, to mend a longstanding family rift before he dies.

“How to Rule the World” (working title)

From award-winning British filmmaker Tim Samuels, “How to Rule the World” confronts the deep-seated roots and alarming resurgence of antisemitism in this provocative new theatrical documentary. Known for his investigative journalism and subversive humor, Samuels combines these elements to tackle this ancient hatred that continues to evolve in our modern era of misinformation and conspiracy theories.

Erev Yalda

From entrepreneur Rachel Sumekh and food writer Tannaz Sassooni, Erev Yalda is an original Iranian-Jewish take on Yalda, the ancient Persian celebration marking the winter solstice by staying up late into the night, reciting poetry, eating traditional foods, and being in community. The holiday, often falling close to Hanukkah, shares themes of bringing light into the darkest moments. The videos will be accompanied by a digital resource kit that guides and inspires readers on how to host their own Yalda night.

“AlefBet Audio”

From Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie, cofounder and senior spiritual leader of Lab/Shul, AlefBet Audio is a podcast series that offers the basic building blocks of post-patriarchal Jewish life for the 21st century. Each 45-minute segment explores core Jewish concepts, symbols, ethical values, rituals, and spiritual practices through engaging storytelling and conversations with diverse guests. This series, based on Rabbi Amichai’s successful annual course held in New York City and online, aims to provide an inclusive, justice-driven, and meaningful framework for modern Jewish life.

The full list of current and announced Reboot Studio Projects can be found here.

The post Jewish Arts Org Reboot Studios Unveils 2024 Creator Fund Recipients | Exclusive appeared first on TheWrap.

Donald Trump’s spokesperson, Steven Cheung, posted a clip of the GOP candidate landing in Michigan on Tuesday. And in what appears to be an attempt — and let’s be real, somewhat pathetic attempt — to troll the Kamala Harris campaign, the clip was edited to include Beyoncé’s song “Freedom.”

Harris was granted use of the song by the pop superstar less than a day after she entered the race, and the song is now indelibly linked to her historic campaign.

TheWrap has reached out to Beyoncé’s reps for comment.

Trump’s camp has a history of using songs without the artist’s permission, including, most recently, the Isaac Hayes-penned hit “Hold on I’m Coming.” The estate for the late R&B star has sued Trump for $3 million for the unlicensed use of the song, which they estimate has been used 100 times by the GOP campaign.

The suit, which was filed in Georgia federal court, also names the Republican National Committee and conservative group Turning Point USA.

In addition to the $150,000 fee per each use of the song, Hayes’ family also wants a disclaimer that they have not “authorized, endorsed, or permitted use of the Isaac Hayes Enterprises’ property at any point, now or in perpetuity throughout the universe” for the candidate.

Previous musicians who have objected to Trump’s use of their songs include Bruce Springsteen, Adele, Celine Dion, Elton John, Steven Tyler of Aerosmith, the estate of George Harrison, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Earth Wind & Fire.

X users were quick to point out the folly of trying to co-opt Beyonce and her song:

Anna Maltese wrote, Oh, look, you’re trying to copy Kamala Harris, that’s cute! Of course, Beyonce might feel differently.

Portland, Oregon-based Badd Company responded with, “And now you will be sued, again, for Copyright Infringement. You, folks, are destroying yourselves, good job!”

@ZephyrRN1701G said, “Holy s–t…OH NO HE DIDN’T. OMG…
Beyonce, sue him!”

The Daily Beast first reported this story.

The post Trump Campaign Tries to Steal Beyoncé’s ‘Freedom’ From Kamala Harris appeared first on TheWrap.