Shonda Rhimes, who produces Bridgerton for Netflix, has broken her silence on the exit of season one star Regé-Jean Page not returning for season two.
The Shondaland producer and TV exec also just announced the show will return to Netflix for season three and four, with season two starting production soon in the UK.
Click inside to see Shonda Rhimes’ reaction to all the stories about Rege-Jean Page…More Here! »
Ava DuVernay and Shonda Rhimes are pulling back more of the curtain about the HFPA and claiming that the organization will not promote Black projects until they become hits.
The Wrap put out a story this week that highlighted how the organization, which has been under scrutiny for their lack of Black voting members, insulted Black-led projects by not recognizing them until they were hits.
The article also claims that the HFPA rejected press conferences and other promotional events for Black projects such as Bridgerton, Girls Trip, and Queen & Slim.
Shonda, who is a producer on Bridgerton, says this is true.
“HFPA rejected our press conference,” she tweeted. “Until it was a ‘surprise hit’ (Grey’s, Scandal, Murder -SURPRISE!) And yet they STILL asked me to show up in person to present at the Globes.”
And I'm the lucky one. More important: think of all the great talent and shows out there that never even got a chance.
— shonda rhimes (@shondarhimes) March 16, 2021
The series was shut out of the Globes this year. However, it did earn two SAG Award nominations, including one for Best Ensemble in a Drama Series.
Bridgerton wasn’t the only show. Ava‘s When They See Us limited series was also not a project that was sought after.
“For the WHEN THEY SEE US/ HFPA press conference, less than 20 of them showed up,” she wrote. “Based on the quality of their questions, I jokingly asked, ‘Have any of you seen the series?’ Crickets. More came in the room when the pix were to be taken, at which time two peddled their scripts.”
When They See Us earned 16 Emmy nominations, and won two, but was ignored by the Golden Globes.
For the WHEN THEY SEE US/ HFPA press conference, less than 20 of them showed up. Based on the quality of their questions, I jokingly asked “Have any of you seen the series?” Crickets. More came in the room when the pix were to be taken, at which time two peddled their scripts. https://t.co/pBWbUz2FZ3 pic.twitter.com/5XbiSeOBDz
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) March 16, 2021
Just recently, Hollywood firms have banned together and are withholding their celebrity clients from attending Globes events. Read the letter here…
Shonda Rhimes is gushing over Bridgerton‘s hunky Duke of Hastings, Rege-Jean Page.
The producer, who brought the show to Netflix, shared her admiration for Rege-Jean after he was named to the 2021 TIME100 Next list.
“You might dream of him, the one we call the Duke of Hastings,” she wrote in the feature of him. “But in reality, Regé-Jean Page is finer than fiction and better than any dream.”
Shonda went on, saying that Rege-Jean is “that rare actor, one who brings an intensity, an intelligence and a precision to his work, providing endless depth to any scene. His disappearance into character builds a vibrant world for us to enter, making it impossible to imagine any other actor playing the role.”
“Regé is a singular talent whose prospects are limitless. Today, he may be our duke, by tomorrow… not even I can dream big enough to imagine.”
There are a lot of things happening for Rege-Jean professionally, as it was just announced he’ll be starring in the Dungeons & Dragons movie, and he’s hosting Saturday Night Live this weekend.
Things are looking up for him romantically, too!
Julia Quinn, the author of the Bridgerton books that inspired the Netflix series of the same name, is opening up about how the series came into Shonda Rhimes‘ hands.
Speaking on The Tamron Hall Show, Julia shared that it was a surprise phone call from her agent that got the ball rolling on the show.
“It came out of nowhere,” she shared. “I was just sitting there as one does, pretending to write in a Starbucks, and my phone rang and it was my agent and he said, ‘Have you heard of Shonda Rhimes?’ And I just kind of went, ‘Uh, yes.’ He said, ‘Well, I just had the most interesting call.’”
Julia added that she “practically fell off the stool, ’cause nobody was adapting romance novels. People will ask me, ‘How did you sell it?’ and I’ll say, ‘I didn’t do anything!’”
Apparently, Shonda stumbled on the books because she “ran out of books to read on vacation.”
“It’s crazy to think that my life is forever changed because Shonda didn’t bring enough reading material on vacation, but that’s honestly what happened.”
If you missed it, Bridgerton just earned a big recognition. See what it was here!
Phoebe Dynevor and Regé-Jean Page share a laugh in the brand new trailer for Netflix’s new period drama, Bridgerton.
From Shonda Rhimes, the series is inspired by Julia Quinn’s best-selling novels and centers on Daphne (Dynevor), the eldest daughter of the powerful Bridgerton family as she makes her debut onto Regency London’s competitive marriage market.
Hoping to follow in her parent’s footsteps and find a match sparked by true love, Daphne’s prospects initially seem to be unrivaled. But as her older brother begins to rule out her potential suitors, the high society scandal sheet written by the mysterious Lady Whistledown casts aspersions on Daphne.
Enter the highly desirable and rebellious Duke of Hastings (Page), committed bachelor and the catch of the season for the debutantes’ mamas. Despite proclaiming that they want nothing the other has to offer, their attraction is undeniable and sparks fly as they find themselves engaged in an increasing battle of wits while navigating society’s expectations for their future.
Golda Rosheuvel, Jonathan Bailey, Luke Newton, Claudia Jessie, Nicola Coughlan, Ruby Barker, Sabrina Bartlett, Ruth Gemmell, Adjoa Andoh, Polly Walker, Ben Miller, Bessie Carter, Harriet Cains and Julie Andrews as Lady Whistledown also star in the Regency set show.
Bridgerton will premiere on Netflix on Christmas Day, December 25.
Shonda Rhimes is one of the most beloved creators of television right now and she left her longtime home of ABC in 2017 to launch a deal with Netflix.
Rhimes is the producer of such shows as Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder, and Station 19. Her new series Bridgerton will be her first series for Netflix.
In a new interview with THR, Shonda revealed what the final straw was in her decision to leave ABC after so many years with the network.
“I felt like I was dying,” she told the outlet about working in network TV. “Like I’d been pushing the same ball up the same hill in the exact same way for a really long time.”
As an employee of ABC, which is owned by Disney, Shonda was given an all-inclusive pass to Disneyland and since she doesn’t have a partner, her nanny was given her second pass. Her sister was in town and was going to take the kids to Disneyland with the nanny, and since the passes aren’t transferable, she asked an exec for an additional pass.
Shonda was told, “We never do this.” Eventually, she was given the pass, but when the family arrived at Disneyland, one of the passes didn’t work. She called up a “high-ranking executive” to sort out the matter, but the exec replied by saying, “Don’t you have enough?”
THR reports, “Rhimes was beside herself. She thanked him for his time, then hung up and called her lawyer: Figure out a way to get her over to Netflix, or she’d find new representatives.”
Shonda signed a $150 million deal in 2017!
Kerry Washington and Sandra Oh are talking Scandal!
The 43-year-old Scandal actress and the 48-year-old Killing Eve actress sat down for Variety‘s Actors on Actors series.
PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Sandra Oh
During their conversation, Sandra revealed why Shonda Rhimes turned her down for the role of Olivia Pope on the hit series, which went to Kerry.
“I’ve got to tell you, I remember exactly where I was when I read that damn pilot,” Sandra revealed.
“Really?” Kerry asked.
“Oh yeah. I was on Grey’s. We were on stage five. Someone snuck it to me, I don’t know who it was, but I got my hands on that pilot and I read it and I was just like, ‘How could I play Olivia Pope?’” Sandra continued.
“Oh, for sure!” Kerry added.
“I remember going to Shonda, and it’s like, ‘How could I do this? What is this script? Could I do this too?’ She goes, ‘No, you’ve got to play Cristina Yang!’” Sandra explained.
Sandra also revealed her own theory about this Killing Eve finale…
Watch Sandra Oh and Kerry Washington have a discussion inside…More Here! »
