Entertainment
Divisive ‘Man of Steel’ Controversy Officially Reignited With ‘Supergirl’s Ending
Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for ‘Supergirl.’
Just last year, DC Studios co-chief James Gunn finally launched his first feature that would set the tone of the new DCU, introducing David Corenswet in Superman as the titular Kryptonian hero. The movie was a healthy dose of Kal-El’s stubborn optimism and a clear picture of Gunn’s vision for the future, but an altogether different hero wasn’t far behind on the horizon. Working in tandem with Gunn and Peter Safran, director Craig Gillespie now proudly offers an answer to Superman’s hopefulness with Supergirl, starring House of the Dragon’s Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El, whose internal battles aren’t for Earth’s acceptance but for her own.
Unlike her cousin, Kara’s past trauma has left her cynical and resentful of this role of protector that’s been thrust upon her. For Gillespie, writer Ana Nogueira’s script, based on Tom King’s comic miniseries Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, was all about navigating this turbulent emotional journey, manifesting on screen as an action-packed western of sorts that allows Kara to embark on over half of the nearly two-hour runtime without ever donning a supersuit. And while it’s an emotional and unapologetic look at superheroes, Supergirl brings every ounce of DC’s more fantastical moments, from Jason Momoa as the larger-than-life Lobo to Kara’s best friend and superdog, Krypto.
In this exclusive interview with Collider’s Steve Weintraub, Gillespie discusses finding the tonal balance for Supergirl’s DCU debut, from changes made in the edit to determining how much Lobo and Superman screen time was necessary to push Kara’s story. He also talks about the inclusion of the Kryptonian sequence, how he brought his previous directorial style from I, Tonya, Cruella, and “even Lars and the Real Girl” to Supergirl, deleted scenes, finding the visual language for the film, and much more.
Craig Gillespie Explains Kara’s Difficult Decision at the End of ‘Supergirl’
“That was something James [Gunn] felt very strongly about.”
COLLIDER: How did the film change along the way from when you first got the script to what people are going to see? Did it go through huge revisions, or was it pretty close to what you made?
CRAIG GILLESPIE: Amazingly, it’s pretty close. Honestly, one of the first things that I asked her to do was to prolong as long as possible her wearing the superhero outfit. In the original script, it was a lot earlier. I sort of designed it in a way, obviously, the ship gets stolen at the beginning, and the suit’s on it, so she gets to not have to wear it for a while, and that was important to me from an emotional standpoint. But the ending was always there, from the get-go, and I loved that that’s where they wanted to go with the film.
I love the ending. I’m watching the movie, and I’m not sure what is going to happen with Krem. Are they going to let him go? When she does that, honestly, I was all on board. I’m sure there was a lot of debate behind the scenes about whether or not she would do this, but I think it shows the difference between what she’s been through and what Kal-El has been through. Can you talk about that?
GILLESPIE: Absolutely. It was amazing because that was something James [Gunn] felt very strongly about, and it was in the script. There were conversations leading up to that day of, like, “Do we shoot a backup version?” And every time, it would come back, like, “Nope. Just go with that.” To have that kind of confidence that we wouldn’t be in a test screening and suddenly they’re like, “Ooh, yeah, we completely misread that,” was amazing. It was never debated. It was something that we stayed true to, and James was 100% behind it all the way through. Knowing that that was our North Star, and that they were willing to go that far with the film, gave you license for so many other things.
Also, if we go back a number of years, one of the things that really bothered a lot of people about Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel is Superman killing Zod, and I viewed it as times have changed, and Zod is going to keep killing people, so what do you do? That’s that version of Superman. But in James Gunn’s universe, Superman is that North Star of good who believes in redemption for everyone, and I think that the difference between Supergirl and Superman is a great thing that can be mined for story.
GILLESPIE: Absolutely. They come from such different backgrounds. She’s come from trauma. She’s come from loss. She’s come from seeing a lot of suffering, and never being discussed that this is going to be her role in life. She wants to stay there and die with her family, so to suddenly have this thrust upon her, she resents it. She’s resisting all of it. She doesn’t even know if she’s capable of it. Everything about it stayed true to that logic, and that was the emotional journey that she was on.
Why Kara Speaking Kryptonian in Her Flashback Was So Important
“We had this linguist who created five different languages for the film.”
I love the stuff on Krypton because you see another side of Krypton that you haven’t seen, but in the middle of the movie, you have this big scene that’s not in English. From the studio’s perspective and from your perspective, how long can you get away with this where it’s not going to be in English? Can you talk about what the debate was on how long you could speak in Kryptonian?
GILLESPIE: You just reminded me. That was not in the script. That was something I decided I wanted to do, which was to have them speak in a different language, almost for the authenticity of it, as strange as that sounds, because it’s a language we created. But to really make it feel grounded and like it’s of another world, in watching other films where this is done, that, to me, is where you really start to feel like it’s layered and complex and we are going throughout these different universes. I can’t tell you how many of the actors were like, “Are you sure we need to do this in another language?” [Laughs] It’s formidable, and some people are better at it than others. That was the scene that just blew me away.
We had this linguist who created five different languages for the film, and then that was off of my plate. I knew the actors had to go and work with the linguist, and work on this and learn this phonetically. I never really talked to Milly [Alcock] about it, and then we got to the scene with her and David [Krumholtz], and it’s an incredibly emotional scene. It’s four pages long. “Action,” and out of the gate, she just killed it. Absolutely killed it to the point that there were hairs standing up on my arms. She was so engaged and emotional and nuanced with it, and it’s a completely made-up language. I remember that day being like, “Wow, she’s such a master of her craft.” Between being able to do that, the humor, the drama, and the physicality that she’s doing for five and a half months for this, she was just killing it every day.
The stuff with her and David is great. And like I said, I liked seeing something on Krypton that I hadn’t seen before.
GILLESPIE: That scene and how much we broke them up, that was one scene that moved around a lot in the movie, in the edit.
I’m always fascinated by the editing room because there’s always so much that happens. With all Marvel and DC movies, they’re always plussing the movie to make it better and to learn from early screenings. How did this film change in the editing room once you started getting feedback and seeing what people were thinking?
GILLESPIE: In terms of plussing it, and the thing that surprised me in the edit, throughout the film, we kept trying things. I love to be spontaneous. I stay by the camera, I’m throwing out ideas and throwing out jokes and throwing out things to Milly as we’re shooting, and vice versa — she’s trying things. You like to have that arsenal in the edit room so we can figure out the tone of the movie, like, “How much humor do we want? No humor?”
That was the surprising part of it, because literally we have this ticking clock, and there were a lot of jokes that we ended up having to take out because it just felt like she’s not in a joking mood. She’s pissed off, and she’s on a mission, and every second counts. So every time she would stop to have a joke or be sarcastic about something, we really had to weigh up, “Is it true to her character and where she is emotionally right now,” and make those sacrifices. So there was a lot of leaning it out more and making it tighter in a way, and that was an interesting learning curve to the edit. She is almost like this missile on a mission throughout the film, and it got leaner and leaner in that sense.
Who was the one you showed it to who gave you a note that you had just missed somehow completely? It was oblivious to you, and you’re like, “How did I miss this?”
GILLESPIE: It’s a good question. The first person I always show it to is my wife. We’ve been together for 40 years, 34 years married. She’s very straight and blunt and honest. I know if I’m in good shape after she’s seen it. She saw the first rough. It’s hard to imagine, but as soon as the movie finishes, she was like, “How does she not reunite with the dog?” That scene we have in the tent was a pickup. We had the part at the end where Krypto was there running through the field and everything, but that interstitial scene there… As soon as the credits came, that was her first response. I was like, “Oh my God, you’re right. How did we not shoot that?” So there you go. That was one thing.
[Laughs] I’ve spoken to so many filmmakers, and there’s always something that you miss. By the way, it was everyone on set. Every single person. It’s not just you.
GILLESPIE: Yeah, nobody was like, “Should we show him getting the anecdote?” [Laughs]
The whole movie is about saving a dog, but we’re not going to show the reuniting because that’s not important.
GILLESPIE: We had them reuniting in the field, but it just wasn’t the same.
Craig Gillsepie Explains Superman’s Small but Important Role in ‘Supergirl’
Superman and Supergirl will return in James Gunn’s ‘Man of Tomorrow.’
Superman is in the movie, but he’s a minor part. I would imagine there’s a lot of debate from the studio, like, “How much do we want Superman in the movie? Where is he going to be in the movie?” Because I’m a huge Superman fan, I want to see him in the movie, but it’s not a Superman movie.
GILLESPIE: It ended up being a great, organic thing. There was that discussion as we were putting him in the film because that was something that wasn’t in the initial script, was the conversation when she’s brushing her teeth at the beginning of the film. It was like, “Do we do a flashback here? Do we do this or that?” And I really liked the idea that he was calling here on a video phone, and keeping it in her space and in her environment, and not going to him on his planet, and saving those moments where they were actually physically together for later in the film.
So that was something that we sort of mapped out throughout the movie. And again, you don’t need a lot. A little goes a long way. So there are sort of these emotional touchstones along the way where she is that worked beautifully as these signposts, in terms of their relationship. So that was the main goal of Superman in this film.
I love the stuff with her in him when she has returned. She goes through so much. Where she starts at the beginning and where she is at the end, we see her journey, and we understand at the beginning why she is the way she is, and we understand at the end why she is the way she is. For fans, there’s something so great about seeing the two of them together, both on the same page. Can you talk about filming that stuff?
GILLESPIE: I sometimes like to give myself options, so I actually shot that scene with David [Corenswet] in the superhero outfit and then David as Clark Kent, trying to do a surprise birthday for her. Very quickly, when we cut that together, to your point, you wanted to see the two superheroes together in their outfits. It was abundantly clear. And it is a magically understated moment between them, which I love.
She’s not “cured.” She’s not at peace, necessarily, but she’s definitely come to terms with her responsibilities. I think it’s still going to be a journey to her, but that’s what’s exciting about it. You do see she’s gotten a darker place, and part of that whole journey was that she was very much running away from it, and she was forced to deal with it, obviously, through Krypto, but also Eve [Ridley], as a character, who was almost a mirror to the trauma that she’d been through in a different kind of way, a very drastic trauma. So when she starts trying to preach to her how to deal with that, she realizes she’s not doing that, and that was a very interesting dynamic to have for the two of them.
‘Supergirl’s Lobo Was Always Going To Be Jason Momoa
“Fifteen years he’s been championing it.”
I definitely have to bring up Lobo. Was it always going to be Lobo, or did you guys discuss another character?
GILLESPIE: [Laughs] Jason [Momoa] has wanted to do this role forever, and he’s perfect for it. Fifteen years he’s been championing it, I think, so pretty much out of the gate, it was like, “Yeah, we’re going to have Jason for Lobo,” and he was thrilled with it.
Then, it was about, “Alright, so there have been decades of comics with Lobo. Where are we zeroing in? Which version of Lobo will we do?” We very quickly gravitated towards the ‘90s and all the outfits and how close we stayed. Because you’ve seen in the comic book world, they’ve gone a long way away from, sometimes, where comic books are with their outfits, but we really wanted to stay true to a version of Lobo, and Jason did too. He had a very strong point of view on that, as well.
When he came on the set, it was, in the best way, this sort of injection of adrenaline, because there’s a certain energy to Milly’s performance, which is exactly what it should be. She’s an outsider, and she’s quieter, and she’s subversive and sort of sarcastic, but then Lobo comes in, and he’s like a tornado. He literally comes out of a fireball in that scene. He’s so gregarious and unfiltered in the best way, and to see those two clash, it was always some of the funnest scenes to shoot.
Was it always going to be Lobo hungover in a bar, the way you introduce him? I do like how he’s in the bar, and Milly’s like, “Don’t look at him. Don’t talk to him. Don’t engage this man.”
GILLESPIE: Yes. It was always written that way. And Jason, of course, in the best way, once he gets up to the bartenders, that was primarily the script, but he’s improvising in places, and I do love when actors get to improvise. It’s always something that I get excited about. So, to see the way that they can react to each other, because that’s acting to me, is the reaction, to see when they can play and to have that banter, that’s when it really comes alive, and Jason was very game with that.
When you think back on the Lobo stuff when you were filming, is there a scene or a moment with Milly and Jason that, when you think back, you always zero in on?
GILLESPIE: It’s in the bar. It’s literally him coming up and asking about her, and then her slinging under and doing the Valley Girl impersonation. And then when he’s like, “Stop, you’re giving me a headache.” I think that was an improvisation from Jason.
Once Jason agreed to do Lobo and he’s in the movie, I’m sure there’s debate between how much it’s going to be a cameo and how much we want Lobo to be in the movie. Where is the line? Because for a lot of men, that’s what they want to see. I love that it’s two women leading this movie, but being honest, a lot of men go to see superhero movies, and they want to see Jason as Lobo or Superman, and you have to balance, “How much do we want to have?”
GILLESPIE: It is a dance, and it’s absolutely that balance. Obviously, the priority is that this is Supergirl’s film, so it’s like, how much can we get away with? There was even to the point of, in that final action sequence, the balance of, like, a few less explosions and carnage on the Lobo side, in which case he comes in and just causes mayhem. So, it was that dance of that balance, of when do we get back to then Milly taking over? And you want to leave the audience wanting a little more. That’s always the best part, too. You don’t want to overdo it. You don’t want to overcook it.
No matter how much money you have and no matter what your schedule is, there are always sequences that the line producer or someone will say, “Are you sure we need this?” What was something that you were fighting for, even against the budget and schedule?
GILLESPIE: Candidly, it was shooting in Iceland. As much as there’s stuff that’s done on stage, we got to go to Iceland and shoot some sequences there, and it sets the look for the whole third act. What I love about that, where she lands and walks out and collapses, and Eve coming out of the cave and going down to the water, is that it holds the visual effects companies beholden to make it as authentic as what we’ve already shot. It’s great for them that they’ve now got the canvas that they have to replicate, in terms of lighting and the clouds. So it just makes it all feel so much more authentic, and that was something that I really threw down my sword on at one point.
I’ve thankfully been to Iceland before, and it is really like visiting another planet. The actual location, there’s no set deck, it’s just another planet.
GILLESPIE: Literally, when she comes out of that cave and walks down to that lake, that’s all in camera.
I say the same thing about Malta. It’s like stepping back in time. It’s incredible. Anyway, what is a tiny background detail, costume choice, or prop that you hope fans obsess over?
GILLESPIE: [Laughs] The pooping alien.
That’s a great gag.
GILLESPIE: Also, Alan Tudyk on the space bus.
Of course.
GILLESPIE: That was a really fun surprise.
It was. Once you hear his voice, you know exactly who it is. He’s okay. He’s talented.
GILLESPIE: He might have a future.
Exactly. So you’ve mentioned the intense debate over where to place Kara’s single allowed PG-13 F-bomb. Without spoiling the exact moment, what was the funniest or most absurd scene where you considered using it but ultimately had to say, “Let’s save it?”
GILLESPIE: It was probably the arm wrestling scene. She had a good F-bomb in there.
Was there a lot of debate on where you wanted to place it?
GILLESPIE: It’s also, again, to that point that we were talking about with her being locked into getting to save Krypto; that was some of the jokes that we’d have to sacrifice. It’s a fun moment, but again, maybe she’s having too much fun in the moment. Ultimately, that scene was longer, the whole arm wrestling part of that, and then we ended where she just snaps it. She’s just moving forward, like she’s propelling the plot. That was a sort of discovery in the edit.
It’s also Harrison Ford just shooting the dude in Raiders.
GILLESPIE: Exactly.
‘Supergirl’s Deleted Scenes Expand on Eve’s Backstory
“There’s like 10 minutes of stuff that is not in the movie.”
It’s great when someone super powerful doesn’t play around. It’s “Let’s just move on.” You’ve obviously finished the movie, and eventually this will be out on home video. Let’s not pretend it won’t be. Have you actually prepared a bunch of deleted scenes, or are there things you’re going to give to the fans down the road?
GILLESPIE: Yes, we’re working on that. The amount of scenes is what we’re trying to figure out. But yeah, there’s a few.
Is it something where you would think about an extended cut, or is it always the theatrical cut with deleted scenes?
GILLESPIE: We’ve tightened it, so there’s like 10 minutes of stuff that is not in the movie, but it’s all part of the same scene, so to speak. So, I’d say some of the other things. There’s a scene we’re thinking about where we get to see Eve’s family. We do a whole section of that that used to be the front of the film.
So it’s basically more with the family before Krem, and everyone shows up.
GILLESPIE: Yeah, and ultimately, we felt we didn’t necessarily need that. It’s those small sacrifices that you make to propel the movie on.
Totally. That’s why I love physical media. But some directors I’ve spoken to do not like showing deleted scenes, and others are selective with what they’re willing to show. It’s the balance.
GILLESPIE: It is a balance. Then there are the alternate scenes, as well. Is that good or bad? So, we haven’t quite figured out the list yet. Right now we’re just in the middle of getting the film out.
Judd Apatow has done a lot of alt scenes where they’ll show multiple versions with different jokes and stuff.
GILLESPIE: I enjoy those scenes because you sort of put your own director’s hat on, like, “Would I put that in, not put that in?”
100%. It’s interesting because in a lot of movies, filmmakers will do that, but with superhero movies from Marvel and DC, they tend not to do that. It’s very meticulous what the studio will allow out. It’s a little different.
GILLESPIE: Good to know. [Laughs]
Good luck, because I would love for you to do this. I love that home video stuff. There are five original alien languages created for this film. Did you ever catch Milly or the cast cursing at you in Kryptonian when a scene took too many takes?
GILLESPIE: [Laughs] I’m betting they were. Here’s my flaw as a director: “Let’s do one more.” Milly would be like, “It’s never just one more.” But I knew she was saying, “Let’s go again!”
You’ve directed ice skaters, fashion villains, hedge fund chaos, and now Kryptonians. Which one has the most dangerous set of fans?
GILLESPIE: I would probably say the hedge fund guys. There are some pretty aggressive lawyers.
They also have way too much money.
GILLESPIE: Yeah. That’s a scarier proposition.
You’ve directed complicated, messy, funny characters in movies like I, Tonya and Cruella. What made Kara Zor-El feel like a Craig Gillespie character?
GILLESPIE: She’s so similar in so many ways to characters I’ve done in the past, whether it’s I, Tonya, Cruella, or even Lars and the Real Girl with Ryan [Gosling]. They’re these outsiders, or these misfits, who have often been through some kind of trauma and are trying to find their way and find their own identity. Ultimately, their imperfections are what make them so relatable. I love to go on that journey and find out what makes them beautiful.
How Craig Gillespie Found a Unique Directorial Voice for ‘Supergirl’
Gillespie has previously worked on ‘I, Tonya’ and ‘Cruella.’
What’s the most Craig Gillespie scene in the film?
GILLESPIE: It’s probably her drinking in the bar at the start. [Laughs] It’s funny, I love being able to meet her character that way. It’s just not what you expect of a superhero. She’s running away from all of her responsibilities; she wants to hide, she’s got nobody other than Krypto, and we see all of that happening in a singular scene. Then, against her better judgment, she can’t help but help someone. Having all that wrapped up in one scene as an opening was really amazing.
James Gunn has spoken extensively about creating a DC universe with distinct directorial voices. What is the specific thematic boundary you pushed in this film that you think would never have been allowed in a traditional, formulaic studio superhero movie?
GILLESPIE: I think it is that unapologetic nature of this character. To see, particularly, a female superhero that’s so flawed and almost self-destructive in a way, with her going to the red planets and trying to escape with alcohol, to be able to start there, but have a female character as a superhero that’s not sexualized, that can just look like she’s rolled out of bed in rumpled clothes, and give basically zero fucks. All of that stuff was incredibly exciting for me to be able to present, like a really grounded, fully formed character that is not perfect and is more beautiful because of that, and more relatable, I think, for the audience.
Also completely different from Superman. We don’t want two of the same character. There has to be a difference.
GILLESPIE: I know. That was wonderful to have that sort of friction and juxtaposition. I do love that line where she’s explaining it upstairs in the bedroom to Eve, and she’s like, “Oh, he’s a nerd.” She’s like, “He sees the good in people, and I see the truth.” They have such a different perspective on life.
You find out you’re going to do this project. What is it like as a director, because you must have known a little bit about DC, but I don’t think you knew everything. What is it like once you get to the gig in terms of the preparation? How much are you reading? How much are you diving deep on every character to understand the lore, and how much is it like, “I have so much to do. I can only read so much, so what do I really need to know?”
GILLESPIE: The amazing thing is Tom King’s version of Supergirl, Woman of Tomorrow, is so different than what’s come before it. So having that and then Ana [Nogueira]’s script, that was my North Star, and I started there. I deliberately stayed away from everything else. I think the trick is, too, you can’t second-guess people. You’ve got to sort of stay true to yourself, and so I put together a deck of what I wanted to do. If they didn’t want to do that, no harm, no foul. So I had 120 images; I came in, it was gritty, it was quite dark. She was very rough around the edges as a character. I pushed to not have her be in her superhero outfit until late in the movie. All of these things that excited me about it.
I had the one meeting with James, and in that meeting, I said to him as we were talking, “How much do you want this to be in your universe?” Right out of the gate, he’s like, “We’re taking each one as its own graphic novel, as distinctive as a graphic novel is with its illustrator and writer. This is your version.” And because most of this movie happens off-planet, I had to invent it all, which was incredibly exciting and ultimately daunting as hell. I mean, there are like 50 aliens on that bus. All the wardrobe, the languages, every planet, the different spaceships. I’d turn around and be like, “Give her a coffee cup,” and they’d be like, “Which planet is it from?” It’s not a coffee cup from Earth. You can’t just grab things. So that part was daunting, but the freedom we had to do all of that was kind of amazing.
Everyone loves George Lucas and Star Wars, but a lot of people forget that he was doing all that in ‘75, ‘76, designing all these aliens, all the tech. People just forget how genius it was, what he accomplished back then.
GILLESPIE: Honestly, to do a movie now that’s just set on Earth… Like 70% of our production was taken up with that development — all these aliens, all the looks, all the languages. I think they’re on seven different planets. The transportation and the backstory of that. Krypton, we’re reinventing that in its own way. So, that was an enormous undertaking, just every aspect of that, between wardrobe, production design, the cinematography. We were trying to make it look different in each place.
It’s funny you mentioned cinematography because that was my next question. How did you end up with Rob Hardy, and what were those initial conversations like in terms of telling him what you wanted to accomplish and working together on the visual aesthetic of what you wanted to put on screen?
GILLESPIE: I love his work. He has such a range, from Ex Machina to Mission: Impossible. I had my regular DP, who sadly was not available, who I did Cruella and I, Tonya with, Nicolas Karakatsanis, so I went to Rob, and I showed him the visual deck that I had. We started with that. One of the first questions was, “How gritty can we go?” And I was like, “I think we can go as gritty as necessary. We don’t have to shy away from that. We’ve been given that opportunity, and I want to lean into running with it.”
He quickly latched onto some of the late ‘80s, like Thelma & Louise was sort of a big inspiration for the bar scenes with the neon. There was a lot of color going on in that period, and so we looked at that as a reference and faced a lot of practicals that had those colors and influence, like in those bar settings. Same with the space bus. There was a lot of color going into those sections, and we really tried to differentiate each emotional space. By the time we get to Bilquis, it’s pretty grim in terms of color. There’s a lack of color there on that planet, and we talked our way through all of that.
The other thing, which I love with Rob Hardy, in terms of the grittiness of it, is that he really insisted on a lot of that action sequence shooting outside, even though there would be big blue screen sections to it, up on the decks — we built that whole deck — but he loves the imperfection of that, and that you have to chase the light. There are things that aren’t perfect, whereas if you’re on stage, everything looks perfect all the time. So, it’s constantly trying to give it that grit.
You’ve said that the camera language shifts with Kara’s emotional state. What emotion was the most fun to translate visually?
GILLESPIE: I actually did really enjoy the fight on Bilquis. The first one was in the bar, and we said, “Let’s make this Eve’s perspective, because we’re going to see a lot of action through the film.” So that was fun to see with her and to see the wonder of it. The second one, she’s angry, and to have her be angry with a superpower and also poison, so she’s not completely in control of her faculties, to see a superhero on the edge that might lose it and go too far was a really fun dynamic to have in that sequence. But then, I love the final sequence of the big wraparound because it’s poetic. She’s fully embraced her character, and you see the awe from Eve. So, I love how they’re all so different, honestly.
One thing people don’t realize is that when you’re filming an action set piece, that can eat up a lot of time in your schedule, depending on what you’re trying to accomplish. Hypothetically, let’s say you had 80 days. You have to calculate, “Where and when do I want to deploy my additional resources in my schedule?” Can you talk about working with everyone to figure out, “Where do we want to spend extra time?”
GILLESPIE: It’s amazing. It’s kind of incredibly surprising how much those action sequences take up. I like to do it myself. We don’t have a second unit director to do the action because I’m a little too specific about what I want and a bit too much in control, I guess.
You like to micromanage? What?
GILLESPIE: As a director? [Laughs] So, we shot all of those sequences, so that middle sequence probably ultimately ended up being maybe six weeks of our shoot. And then you get to do these dialogue scenes where Lobo in the bar is one day. It’s such an impactful scene, and it’s just the kind of stuff that people love. But the flip side of that is our actors are so good at their craft, and so dialed in, that we can do that in a day. Then you might do three big action set pieces in a day, which is 12 seconds of the movie. It’s such a crazy imbalance, but it all is important. Obviously, the character stuff is the stuff that you connect to and resonate with, so you’ve got to make sure you have space for that. There is that dance, but when you break it down, the amount of time that you have two people talking in a room, percentage-wise, is kind of shocking.
Every movie is going to have big action set pieces. The thing that I visually really remember is the two of them in the apartment talking after she’s back. That scene means a lot.
GILLESPIE: I love that scene. Again, that scene is probably two-thirds of a day. It didn’t need to be more. Milly is so good. She sat down, and that was her body language out of the gate, tucked in that corner, not wanting to talk, resisting, trying to keep her space from Eve. Then it was the blocking on Eve, when she’s sitting, and then she lays down. Once you figure out that blocking, and then you let them go, she didn’t do a bad take. That’s the amazing thing. You get to see this beautiful performance, and we get to do eight or nine takes, and we have it. You kind of want to step away before you wear it out, in a weird way.
Your filmography frequently explores characters who build emotional walls to cope with isolation or trauma. How did you approach Kara’s specific flavor of grief, the burden of remembering a dead world that her famous cousin never knew?
GILLESPIE: It’s emotional walls, and often, too, humor is used to deflect, which is something that I think is often a tool of humor. It gets overlooked. So she might make a joke or dismiss something, or throw a line away. That’s her way of deflecting the moment. It’s just a very natural human trait, and I think it’s something that people identify very quickly with and can relate to. It’s so much more interesting than somebody who doesn’t have things to explore and work out within their own selves.
Supergirl has Krypto, Lobo, alien worlds, revenge, and comedy. What was the hardest tonal ingredient to balance?
GILLESPIE: It was the tone. It was exactly that. Like I said before, I’m getting a bunch of different jokes, knowing in the edit we’re going to have to sacrifice some of those jokes. Interestingly, that was the thing we lost more than I expected. There was a great scene between her and the alien that’s drooling on her shoulder on the space bus. It’s so much fun, but we were kind of like, “We kind of don’t want her wasting her time with him.” So, things like that, that I thought would be just fun to sit in for a while, we had to release.
Supergirl is in theaters now.
- Release Date
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June 26, 2026
- Runtime
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108 minutes
- Writers
-
Ana Nogueira
- Producers
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James Gunn, Lars P. Winther, Nigel Gostelow, Peter Safran
Continue Reading
Roomies, A$AP Rocky has the internet talking again after a recent tour stop sparked a wave of reactions online—and this time, he used the moment to directly respond to the ongoing chatter surrounding him. The Harlem rapper paused during his ‘Don’t Be Dumb’ tour performance to address several rumors and narratives that have followed him throughout his rollout, making it clear he was ready to set the record straight.
RELATED: Fans Are Mentioning Rihanna After A$AP Rocky Drops SPICY Comment About Pretty Women At Recent Concert (WATCH)
A$AP Rocky Ain’t Letting ANYTHING Slide
During the show, Rocky called out critics over a string of viral topics that have circulated online in recent weeks. He pushed back on claims about his wardrobe, ticket sales, and personal life, telling the crowd he feels frustrated with the constant speculation surrounding him. “Fuck the internet,” Rocky told the audience. “First they was saying n***a was wearing thongs, then they was saying n***as show wasn’t selling out, nobody wasn’t coming, then they saying I’m disrespectful to my wife. Suck my d**k, n***a.“
A$AP Rocky goes off on the internet 👀
“F*ck the internet. First they was saying I was wearing thongs, then they was saying the show wasn’t selling out, nobody wasn’t coming, then they saying I’m disrespectful to my wife… suck my d*ck.” pic.twitter.com/ZZFK8TGL0F
— Kurrco (@Kurrco) June 27, 2026
Wait… Who Brought Up A Thong?
Now, A$AP Rocky had the internet in a frenzy after a viral clip from his tour sparked wild speculation about what fans thought they saw on stage. The conversation quickly spiraled online, but Rocky and his creative agency AWGE wasted no time flipping the narrative right back on everyone.
After the footage began circulating, showing what some users believed was a fashion choice involving thong underwear, AWGE stepped in with a sharp response and turned the moment into a marketing play instead. The label teased its own branded line of thongs while shutting down the rumors, writing, “Don’t be dumb you played yaself,” and adding that what people saw was simply a mic pack. In true Rocky fashion, he and his team flip the situation back onto the internet, spark debate among fans, and reject claims of confusion.
Why Do Folks Think He Disrespected Rihanna?
During a recent show in Arizona, A$AP Rocky was caught on fan-recorded video making a bold comment to the crowd, saying he would’ve “f****d the s**t” out of fans if he were still single. The remark quickly spread online, with some social media users calling it unnecessary and disrespectful, while others brushed it off as typical Rocky humor. Still, many came to Rihanna’s defense, with fans pointing out that the rapper has been in a committed relationship with the global superstar for years.
RELATED: Spicy Date Night! Footage of Rihanna Dippin’ It Low For A$AP Rocky During Night At Magic City Is Turnin’ Heads (WATCH)
What Do You Think Roomies?
The momentum that Apple TV has accumulated with a series of hit shows in the last few months isn’t slowing down, with another sure-fire winner around the corner. Apple’s streak began with the comedy-drama Margo’s Got Money Problems, and continued with the sci-fi series Star City, the humorous crime thriller Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed, and the horror comedy Widow’s Bay. Each of these titles is “Certified Fresh” on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, with Widow’s Bay emerging as a bona fide cultural phenomenon. Even Cape Fear, arguably Apple’s biggest bet this summer, received positive reviews despite not hitting the viewership benchmarks it was projected to. This streak will continue when one of the most acclaimed sci-fi shows on Apple returns with a new season this week.
The show in question debuted in 2023 and returned with a second season in 2024. Over that period, Apple has cemented itself as the go-to hub for sci-fi content, thanks to shows such as Severance, Foundation, and more recently, Pluribus. Don’t forget, the streamer’s longest-running series is the sci-fi hit For All Mankind, which will conclude its six-season run next year. The 2023 series, created by Graham Yost, has already been renewed for a fourth and final season, which will be released in 2027. The show stars Rebecca Ferguson in the lead role, with Tim Robbins, Steve Zahn, and Jessica Henwick in supporting roles.
Here’s When Apple’s Hit Sci-Fi Series Returns
We’re talking, of course, about Silo. The show holds an overall 90% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with both previous seasons being “Certified Fresh” on the aggregator. The show’s third season is set to premiere on July 3. A new episode will be released weekly, with the 10-episode season coming to an end on September 4. The show is based on a series of dystopian novels by Hugh Howey, which take place in a future where humankind lives in underground silos with their own social hierarchies. Ferguson plays an engineer who becomes entangled in the many conspiracies surrounding the survival and subjugation of humanity. Think of it as a combination of Snowpiercer and Apple’s own Severance. You can watch the show on Apple TV, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
- Release Date
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May 5, 2023
- Network
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Apple TV
- Showrunner
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Graham Yost
- Directors
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Morten Tyldum, David Semel, Michael Dinner, Aric Avelino
- Writers
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Graham Yost, Hugh Howey, Jeffery Wang, Lekethia Dalcoe
Jennifer Lopez is officially getting ready for an empty nest as she took to social media to share a series of wholesome photos from the high school graduation of her twins, Max and Emme [also known as Oskar].
Last month, the singer was full of pride when she revealed that her twins got into all five colleges they applied for with scholarships.
Meanwhile, Jennifer Lopez’s ex-husband, Marc Anthony, has been MIA, and she didn’t hesitate to throw shades at him on how she raised them “with very little help.”
Lopez is seemingly reminiscing on how things have been on the home front as she took to her Instagram account to share several photos that include some from her children’s graduation.
Beginning with photos of herself posing on a couch and another close to a bathtub, the post also featured one where she’s seen tightly embracing Max while closing her eyes and resting her hand on his cheeks.
Another photo sees her child, Oskar, sit in front of a sign that reads, “Class of 2026.”
One other slide captured a close-up photo of Oskar’s graduation cap, which read, “Not my first rodeo,” while another had several graduation-themed cupcakes.
“They say I got lucky… and I don’t disagree… Just this feeling,” Lopez captioned the post.
Fans Congratulate The Singer On The Twins’ Graduation Post After Emme Revealed Their New Identity And Pronouns
In the comment section of Lopez’s new post, fans were full of praise for the singer while congratulating her twins.
A person wrote, “I love you all!! Congratulations to the coconuts! So happy for them. You are a wonderful mother at all times.”
Another fan noted, “Congratulations to Emme and Max!!! So proud of them & their hard-earned work and future success!!”
The celebrations mark a phase of major transitions for the family, as it comes after a social media post revealed that Lopez’s child, Emme, is now going by the name “Oskar Muñiz.”
The now-deleted post, which announced that the student in question was going to study theater and visual arts at Sarah Lawrence College, tagged Oskar’s Instagram account, which has a profile picture of Lopez’s child.
In the post, Emme was not only referred to as Oskar but was also described using he/him pronouns.
The Singer Struggled To Stop Her Tears As She Watched Max Graduate
Meanwhile, Max has yet to share his preferred college destination, unlike his twin sibling, who is likely going to Sarah Lawrence College.
Earlier this month, the “Maid In Manhattan” actress attended his graduation and struggled to keep the tears from flowing down her face as she watched him graduate.
Photos obtained by Page Six showed her Lopez emotional as she hugged him tightly in another wholesome shot.
At the event, she was in the company of her parents, Guadalupe Rodríguez and David Lopez, manager Benny Medina, and Oskar.
Jennifer Lopez Has Been Helping Her Children Prepare For College Life
The “Ain’t Your Mama” singer has been beaming with pride on the stellar academic performance of her children so far.
During a May appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” she revealed that she has been a major figure in their transition to college life and has been helping them arrange their stuff.
“I do all the things,” she told Kimmel. “We have sheets at the house. We’re gonna pack up their rooms here, and they’re going to take all the things that they want to take to their dorms.”
Lopez then shared that she was going to miss them and hoped they wouldn’t stay away for too long.
“Then, they’re gonna get there and realize their dorms are too small,” she stated. “They’re going to miss home, I hope and want to come back real soon. That’s my plan.”
The Singer Revealed Both Her Kids Got Scholarships
The road to graduation wasn’t without its own challenges. The singer recently opened up about how proud she is of both of them for overcoming academic hurdles related to ADHD and getting into all 5 universities they applied to with scholarships.
She made the remark in a chat with Extra, saying she’s so proud of them as they’ve seemingly achieved their set goals.
“They all got into all five colleges that they applied to. They both got a scholarship, you know, one scholarship to each. Each one got a scholarship to a school. And I just felt like they work so hard,” she said.
“I watched how hard they worked, from the time they were like… when school gets serious in the fifth grade, and they just worked hard,” she continued. “They have ADHD, and so they need to learn differently, and there were struggles and times, and I’m just so proud of them because they did what they said they were going to do, and they’re good people.”
Jennifer Lopez Takes A Jab At Her Ex-Husband, Marc Anthony
Lopez recently took a subtle dig at her ex-husband, Marc Anthony, who has notably been absent from graduation photos of the twins.
During an appearance on the “SmartLess” podcast, she dished on how she has become increasingly “emotional” as they prepare to leave for college.
“It’s crazy. And now I can really look at my life, appreciate it for what it is and what I’ve created for myself and be really happy,” she told hosts Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett.
She continued, “Both my kids got into all their colleges, and they both got scholarships, and they’re going where they want to go.”
“It’s just … I was like, ‘You did that sh-t all by yourself.’ That’s great. Like, ‘You had very little help,’ you know?” Lopez added.
Can you believe that it’s been 45 years since Raiders of the Lost Ark first graced the silver screen? When George Lucas and Steven Spielberg get together, incredible things happen, and that was certainly the case here with the very first Indiana Jones adventure. Harrison Ford stars as Indy in this pulse-pounding, globe-trotting thrill, and after all this time, it continues to prove itself to be not only the best adventure movie of all time, but perhaps one of the best films ever made.
Raiders is a masterclass in action, character work, suspense, and pulp-inspired storytelling that helped shape pop culture more than we dared believe it could. Spawning several sequels, a television show, video games, and even comic books, Indiana Jones revived the B-picture genre as an A-list form of entertainment. So, what makes Raiders the best adventure movie ever made? Here are some of the reasons we consider the first theatrical Indy outing to be superior to all others.
It’s Harrison Ford At His Best as Indiana Jones
In his career, Harrison Ford has played Indiana Jones in live-action on six separate occasions (yes, including that one episode of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles), but when you put them all together, he’s still at his best here in Raiders. His cowboy-like swagger commands every moment he’s on the screen, from that initial introduction with the whip to the moment he shows up with a rocket launcher threatening to blow up the Ark of the Covenant. Ford perfectly embodies Indiana Jones in the same way he does Han Solo, with natural charisma.
Additionally, Raiders of the Lost Ark also allows Ford to explore his more sensitive side. Apart from being a badass teacher-turned-adventurer (and he’s certainly that), the film allows it’s leading star to occasionally offer glimpses of the man underneath, yet without removing that masculine exterior. We see this in his despair at Marion’s (Karen Allen) apparent death, as well as his several defeats at the hands of René Belloq (Paul Freeman). No matter his emotional state, Indy is still Indy.
All the Incredible Sets and Locations
It’s not uncommon for movies, and especially Hollywood blockbusters, to be filmed on large blue-screen sets these days. While there is a time and place for digital scenery, Raiders is impressive for its attention to detail and masterfully-constructed set pieces that make the whole thing feel larger than life. The snake temple in Tanis, for example, is a brilliant piece of work that is as much a character as those trying desperately to escape the slithering around them (the use of real snakes also perfectly adds to the suspense).
Additionally, the film’s on-location shoots in Tunisia and Hawaii, in particular, perfectly simulates Egypt and Peru is that we instantly believe it. It doesn’t feel like some poor digital recreation that takes us out of the adventure, but rather adds to the mystique and overall production value. While Raiders spent plenty of time in the studio, its use of place elevates the material.
The Perfect Mixture of Science and Religion
It can be quite difficult for modern blockbusters to so effortlessly balance the notions of science and religion in the same way that Raiders of the Lost Ark does. For every Disclosure Day that does the mixture injustice, there is a Project Hail Mary that honors both faith and fact in different ways. But back in 1981, Raiders of the Lost Ark perfected the idea by sending a skeptic archeologist after one of the most enchanting biblical discoveries out there, forcing him to confront the supernatural despite his opposing beliefs.
Raiders of the Lost Ark never shoves religion down one’s throat, but it does highlight this Old Testament object as a source of incredible power desired by the Nazis in their growing schemes to take over the world. Because the Ark is so central to the plot (not unlike the Holy Grail in The Last Crusade), Indy and those in search of the relic are forced to confront it through more secular, scientific methods — at least until they cannot deny its power. Whether you’re a believer or a skeptic, Raiders feels like it’s made for everyone.
The Practical Effects Still (Mostly) Hold Up
For years now, audiences have lamented the absence of practical effects in many blockbusters, with many noting the decline in quality of CGI over the years. Wherever you fall in that debate, there’s no doubt that Raiders of the Lost Ark‘s use of practical effects is part of its charm. From the giant boulder that nearly crushes our hero to the sweeping car chases and explosions, everything about the film feels real, tangible, and authentic. Yes, even the infamous face-melting sequence.
Admittedly, not every practical effect used in Raiders holds up to scrutiny. Belloq’s demise, for instance, could have been done better today. That said, there’s a certain charm to terrifying moments like Arnold Toht’s (Ronald Lacey) face melting before our eyes that we cannot deny — the technical aspects alone are so enrapturing as we wonder how Spielberg and company pulled it off.
The Romance Between Indy and Marion
Not all of Indiana Jones’ on-screen romances are particularly engaging, but what made Marion Ravenwood great from the get-go was that she was a woman who could rival Indy’s confidence. When we first meet her in Nepal, she’s drinking her customers under the table, and when Indy arrives looking for her father’s amulet, she is not duped by his pleas, but rather sees right through them. Marion knows Indy better than perhaps anyone, and it’s for this reason that the pair work so well together — and always return to one another.
Raiders of the Lost Ark doesn’t make more of its romantic subplot than it ought, yet Marion remains an important fixture in Indy’s journey that makes it all worth it in the end. The chemistry between Ford and Allen is exceptional, rivaling even the riveting on-screen romance between Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz in The Mummy. Without it, Raiders would be without its heart.
It’s Loaded With Meaningful Action
Another thing that sets Raiders of the Lost Ark apart from its contemporaries is the film’s purposeful use of action. There are no over-the-top overly-choreographed fight sequences just for the sake of it, nor does anything come across as ham-fisted or inauthentic. Every action sequence has a clear purpose, and in the moments where Raiders teeters toward redundancy, the picture reins itself in.
One famous behind-the-scenes tidbit from the set of Raiders is that Ford suggested that the initial three-page whip-versus-gun battle between Indy and the Arab swordsman be cut short. Rather than repeat the same “Indy’s whip saves the day” beat as previously expressed earlier in the film, our hero takes the villain down with a single shot — and it works masterfully in the picture. Just another example of how self-restraint can do wonders in moviemaking.
John Williams’ Triumphant and Immersive Score
Although John Williams had already blown audiences away with his scores for Star Wars and Superman, the composer defied the odds by doing so once again with Raiders of the Lost Ark. The famous “Raiders March” is a well-known piece of musical genius that sets a clear tone for the picture, establishing Indy as our leading hero, highlighting each romantic beat, and keeping us on the edge of our seats. It doesn’t just do everything that a good score should do, it excels with each new track.
Part of the reason that the Indiana Jones saga is so thoroughly rewatchable is because of Williams’ score. The rousing tune encourages the viewer to participate in the excitement and every time that familiar trumpet blast is heard, one is instantly transported to 1936 — or, at least 1981.
Visually Speaking, ‘Raiders’ Is Stunning
These days, even big-budget blockbusters feel like they’re shot like commercials and advertisements, but back when Raiders was first released, every shot was constructed like a painting. Part of this was the limited 35mm film stock that forced the filmmakers to be more selective with their time and resources, and part of it was the creative eye of cinematographer Douglas Slocombe, who shot the original trilogy.
In short, Raiders of the Lost Ark still looks great. The shot compositions, character blocking, and expert lighting techniques all combine to craft something that few can emulate today. It’s not just popcorn entertainment (though it is certainly that), it’s truly a work of cinematic art. No wonder it’s considered a crown jewel on the “Mount Rushmore” of Spielberg movies.
The Tight Script Hits All the Right Beats
A great film starts long before the cameras ever roll, and Raiders of the Lost Ark was destined for greatness the moment Lucas and Spielberg cracked the Indiana Jones character. Soon after, Lucas and Philip Kaufman went to work on the story, with Lawrence Kasdan penning the screenplay. Frankly, it’s one of the more perfect screenplays out there, especially when it comes to the adventure genre.
Raiders hits every story beat exactly when required, expertly balancing character work with plot in a 115-minute adventure that gives its heroes room to breath while never letting up on the stakes. There’s no excess fat here, as Raiders is well-trimmed and thoroughly brought to temperature. Not once are we bored, and that’s part of the magic.
‘Raiders’ Is George Lucas and Steven Spielberg At Their Best
Although both Steven Spielberg and George Lucas had their own respective careers and creative visions apart from one another, the two will always be tied together by Indiana Jones. Raiders of the Lost Ark is truly the pair at their collaborative and creative best, as Spielberg’s clear cinematic vision is on full display while Lucas’ role as a creative force magnifies the hero and his journey. Without one or the other, Raiders would not be what it is today.
No matter if you adore Star Wars or think Jaws is the best movie ever, when it comes to the adventure genre, Lucas and Spielberg knew how to evoke all the stories they grew up with and repurpose them into an action-packed thrill worthy of its title. As one of the most recognizable heroes in film history, Indiana Jones was only ever possible because of these two filmmakers. It’s just a shame they weren’t creatively involved in Ford’s final installment as the character.
Are you ready to experience “culture’s biggest night” of the year? The 2026 BET Awards are just around the corner, and this year’s edition promises to be the biggest yet in the ceremony’s 25-year history.
Some of Hollywood’s biggest stars are scheduled to perform and present, with several scheduled presentations that highlight several trailblazers in the movie, music and media industries.
Grammy award-winning singer Lauryn Hill is set to receive the Living Legend Icon Award, while Oscar-nominated actress Teyana Taylor will accept the award for Icon of the Year. There’s also a musical tribute to ’90s R&B legend D’Angelo, who passed away last year.
For a complete guide to the 2026 BET Awards, including when and how to watch it, who is hosting and more, Watch With Us has all the information you need below.
The biggest names in music, television and beyond descended upon the 2025 BET Awards on Monday, June 9, and brought the heat to the red carpet. Disney Channel alum Skai Jackson and actor and musician Bow Wow were among the first stars to arrive at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles ahead of host Kevin […]
What Date and Time Is the 2026 BET Awards?
The 2026 BET Awards will take place on June 28 at 8:00 p.m. EST/PST. The ceremony will be held at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, California.
Where Can I Watch and Stream the 2026 BET Awards?
If you want to watch the 2026 BET Awards on cable television, well, you know where to go: BET. It will also be simulcast on MTV, MTV2, Logo, the Paramount Network, and Pop TV.
If you want to stream the ceremony, head over to Paramount+. The two-hour ceremony will be streamed live on the platform. If you miss it, you can watch it anytime afterwards on Paramount+.
Who Is Hosting the 2026 BET Awards?
This year’s host is Druski, the 31-year-old comedian and influencer who stirred up controversy earlier this year when he impersonated Erika Kirk in a viral sketch that was seen by millions and talked about by a lot of media outlets.
When he takes the stage Sunday night, Druski will make history as the ceremony’s youngest host ever.
Who Is Presenting at the 2026 BET Awards?
The following personalities are scheduled to present at the 2026 BET Awards ceremony:
Carl Anthony Payne II
Chlöe Bailey
Chris “Comedian CP” Powell
Deon Cole
DeRay Davis
Diarra Kilpatrick
Gail Bean
Isaiah John
Jaafar Jackson
Jacob Latimore
Keke Palmer
Kelly Rowland
Latto
Luke James
Nia Long
Who Is Performing at the 2026 BET Awards?
The list of scheduled performers is long. Here’s who will be performing the tribute to Lauryn Hill:
Alexia Jayy
Common
Doechii
Doja Cat
Lizzo
Nas
Queen Latifah
Rapsody
selah
Tierra Whack
The War and Treaty
Zion Marley
YG Marley
Here’s who will perform in the D’Angelo tribute segment:
Ari Lennox
BJ the Chicago Kid
Durand Bernarr
George Clinton and RAYE, joined by D’Angelo’s children
Other performers include Cardi B, T.I., Tems, Erica Campbell and Le’Andria Johnson.
Is There a Complete List of All the 2026 BET Awards Nominees?
Yes! Below is a complete list:
Album of the Year
AM I THE DRAMA? — Cardi B
DON’T TAP THE GLASS — Tyler, the Creator
everything is a lot. — Wale
HEARTS SOLD SEPARATELY — Mariah the Scientist
Let God Sort Em Out — Clipse
MUTT Deluxe: HEEL — Leon Thomas
The Fall-Off — J. Cole
The Romantic — Bruno Mars
Best Female R&B/Pop Artist
Ari Lennox
Coco Jones
Ella Mai
Jill Scott
Kehlani
Mariah the Scientist
Olivia Dean
SZA
Tems
Best Male R&B/Pop Artist
Brent Faiyaz
Bruno Mars
Bryson Tiller
Chris Brown
Durand Bernarr
GIVĒON
Leon Thomas
October London
Usher
Best Female Hip Hop Artist
Cardi B
Coi Leray
Doechii
Doja Cat
GloRilla
Latto
Megan Thee Stallion
Monaleo
YK Niece
Best Male Hip Hop Artist
A$AP Rocky
Baby Keem
BigXthaPlug
DaBaby
Don Toliver
Drake
J. Cole
Kendrick Lamar
T.I.
Best Group
41
Clipse
De La Soul
FLO
French Montana & Max B
Metro Boomin & DJ Spinz
Nas & DJ Premier
Terrace Martin & Kenyon Dixon
Wizkid & Asake
Best Collaboration
“Chains & Whips” — Clipse & Kendrick Lamar
“Errtime Remix” — Cardi B feat. Jeezy & Latto
“Go Girl” — Summer Walker feat. Latto & Doja Cat
“Good Flirts” — Baby Keem feat. Kendrick Lamar & Momo Boyd
“Is It a Crime” — Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis
“It Depends (The Remix)” — Chris Brown feat. Bryson Tiller & Usher
“Take Me Thru Dere” — Metro Boomin feat. Quavo, Breskii, YK Niece & DJ Spinz
“wgft” — Gunna feat. Burna Boy
Best New Artist
Belly Gang Kushington
DESTIN CONRAD
JayDon
kwn
Miles Minnick
Monaleo
Olivia Dean
RAYE
Trap Dickey
Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award
“Able” — Kirk Franklin
“ABLE (REMIX)” — Darrel Walls, PJ Morton & Kim Burrell
“All to Thee” — BeBe Winans
“Already Good (Tasha Slide)” — Tasha Cobbs Leonard
“At the Cross” — CeCe Winans
“Church” — Tasha Cobbs Leonard & John Legend
“Do It Again” — Kirk Franklin
“Headphones” — Lecrae, Killer Mike & T.I.
BET Her
“Already Good (Tasha Slide)” — Tasha Cobbs Leonard
“Be Great” — Jill Scott feat. Trombone Shorty
“Beautiful People” — Jill Scott
“First” — Tems
“girl, get up.” — Doechii feat. SZA
“Go Girl” — Summer Walker feat. Latto & Doja Cat
“Gorgeous” — Doja Cat
“Lady Lady” — Olivia Dean
Viewers’ Choice
“Burning Blue” — Mariah the Scientist
“Chains & Whips” — Clipse feat. Kendrick Lamar
“Chanel” — Tyla
“Folded” — Kehlani
“I Just Might” — Bruno Mars
“It Depends” — Chris Brown feat. Bryson Tiller
“Man I Need” — Olivia Dean
“Outside” — Cardi B
“Raindance” — Dave & Tems
“Take Me Thru Dere” — Metro Boomin feat. Quavo, Breskii, YK Niece & DJ Spinz
Video of the Year
“100” — Ella Mai
“Anxiety” — Doechii
“Burning Blue” — Mariah the Scientist
“Chanel” — Tyla
“Escape Room (Short Film)” — Teyana Taylor
“Folded” — Kehlani
“LET ‘EM KNOW” — T.I.
“luther” — Kendrick Lamar & SZA
Video Director of the Year
A$AP Rocky & Dan Streit
Anderson .Paak
Benny Boom
Cactus Jack
Cardi B & Patientce Foster
Cole Bennett
Director X
Hype Williams
Teyana “Spike-Tey” Taylor
The Fashion Vanguard Award (New)
A$AP Rocky
Bad Bunny
Beyoncé
Cardi B
Colman Domingo
Doechii
Rihanna
Teyana Taylor
Zendaya
The Pulse Award (New)
85 South Show
Baby, This Is Keke Palmer
Charlamagne Tha God
Don Lemon
Druski
It Is What It Is
Joe and Jada
On the Radar
R&B Money Podcast
Best Movie
Highest 2 Lowest
Him
Number One on the Call Sheet
One Battle After Another
Relationship Goals
Ruth & Boaz
Sinners
Wicked: For Good
Best Actress
Angela Bassett
Ayo Edebiri
Chase Infiniti
Coco Jones
Cynthia Erivo
Keke Palmer
Quinta Brunson
Regina Hall
Teyana Taylor
Best Actor
Aaron Pierre
Aldis Hodge
Anthony Mackie
Colman Domingo
Damson Idris
Delroy Lindo
Denzel Washington
Michael B. Jordan
Sterling K. Brown
YoungStars Award
Daria Johns
Graceyn “Gracie” Hollingsworth
Heiress Harris
Jazzy’s World TV
Lela Hoffmeister
North West
Thaddeus J. Mixson
VanVan
Sportswoman of the Year Award
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Queer Eye alum Jonathan Van Ness revealed that they recently had to rehome their pet dog George.
“This has been such a devastating event and I’m sharing to say for every animal family, its not easy, but Im so glad we can show up for these creatures & each other,” Van Ness, 39, announced via Instagram on Friday, June 27.
The celebrity hairstylist explained that there was an incident in their home recently where the pit bull mix physically lashed out at their cat Liza, breaking her jaw in the process.
“This is not a fun pet and family update. That is our cat Liza,” he explained. “Three weeks ago, I think it was June 2nd, our beloved dog George had a situation with Liza where they were trying to cross each other on the stairs. Liza was pissed and she gave him a little swat but George freaked out and went for her.”
Many stars have come under fire for their pet ownership, including Rachel “Raquel” Leviss and Pete Davidson. The Vanderpump Rules star and then-fiancé James Kennedy adopted their pooch, Graham Cracker, amid their early courtship. After they split in December 2021, Leviss retained custody of the dog, but many costars called out his poor behavior. “Rachel would bring […]
Van Ness said that the ordeal was totally shocking for them and husband Mark Peacock because their animals usually get along well. (Prior to this incident, the couple owned eight pets: five cats and three dogs.)
“[George] wasn’t like biting her, but roughhousing [and] going for her and ended up breaking her jaw,” the Queer Eye star said. “I got George off of her, I couldn’t tell what the immediate damage was until I got to Liza and saw what I knew was a broken jaw.”
In the midst of the chaos, Van Ness “started screaming, crying [and] howling” for Peacock to help them get Liza to safety. The couple eventually rushed the cat to a local vet to perform emergency surgery.
“I knew instantly that if she made it, we weren’t gonna be able to keep George and thank God for the people at the animal hospital, they performed a literal miracle on her,” he recalled. “I didn’t think she was gonna make it, and I thought I was gonna cancel my shows.”
Jonathan Van Ness and Mark Peacock with George in 2023. Courtesy YouTube / Jonathan Van Ness
Once Liza was out of the woods, Van Ness and Peacock chose to have George immediately removed from their home.
“[George has] been with us for four years, all the animals got along so well for the most part and this just came completely out of the blue. It’s been so gut-wrenching,” they said.
Van Ness confirmed that they quickly found George a new foster home where he could receive individual care without other pets around.
“Our theory on George is that he is not a three dogs, five cats sort of dog and he just needs to be the only dog in the house,” they suggested.
Their announcement drew an array of responses, with some questioning whether Van Ness and Peacock had done what was best for George.
“Why not rehome the cat who was the agitator? If the dog doesn’t have a pattern of aggression?” one person asked, with another chiming in, “If not biting attacking and had been absolutely fine for 4 years… I don’t understand the sudden rehoming/only a one dog home.”
“Pets just like humans have disagreements,” the commenter went on. “There are children that rough play accidentally break their siblings arm or whatever… sports accidents… everyone has to do what’s best for them. But that seems like a sudden conclusion to jump to.”
However, many sympathized with Van Ness and Peacock’s decision to prioritize the safety of their cat after such a severe injury.
“As a vet tech, I think you made the best decision for everyone involved,” one person noted. “While I understand the people on the dog’s side, it was a choice that needed to be made and it would be cruel to punish the cat, when they are the one suffering for the dog’s actions.”
Another Instagram user added, “This is so heartbreaking and of course such a tough situation to be in. Ignore the people saying you shouldn’t have rehomed the dog, some dog people are genuinely crazy. Liza almost died and that’s such a serious angry thing. It sounds like you’ve done the most rational, if not difficult thing. A lot of people wouldn’t do that.”
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8 Years Later, Mel Gibson’s 159-Minute Crime Epic Is Finally Getting the Love It Deserves
Biblical epics have a history of big box office hauls, and one of the most famous arrived over two decades ago, when The Passion of the Christ earned over $612 million worldwide and became the highest-grossing Christian movie of all time. This is despite huge controversy which overshadowed the release of the film, including some claims that it promoted anti-Semitic tropes. Co-produced and directed by Hollywood veteran Mel Gibson, the film has since become one of the most famous of its kind, with it now confirmed that a sequel, 23 years later, is coming to the big screen next year.
Titled The Resurrection of the Christ, the film is set to be split into two parts, released almost two months apart. The anticipation for The Resurrection of the Christ — for better or for worse — continues to build, and one of Gibson’s most underrated performances is about to become available to stream for free. A neo-noir thriller released in 2019 by Brawl in Cell Block 99 director S. Craig Zahler, Dragged Across Concrete features a Gibson performance that earned plenty of critical praise, and even earned a Best Actor nomination at the Saturn Awards following its premiere at the 75th Venice International Film Festival.
The film follows Detective Brett Ridgeman (Gibson) and Detective Anthony Lurasetti (Vince Vaughn) as they descend into the criminal underworld after they are suspended for assaulting a suspect on video. The film had a limited theatrical release, earning less than $1 million in a brief box office run, but earned much more success on VOD, where it made more than $1.5 million. If this action gem seems enticing, you’re in luck, as Dragged Across Concrete will be available to stream for free on Plex this July.
‘The Resurrection of the Christ’ Release Date Has Been Moved
It would be impossible for a Passion of the Christ follow-up not to face issues before its debut, but few expected it to have its release date changed already. It was announced in late May that Day Drinker, an action thriller lined up to try and revitalize Johnny Depp‘s career following the legal battle with his ex, Amber Heard, has taken over the release date of The Resurrection of the Christ: Part One (March 26, 2027). Gibson’s biblical epic has now been postponed to May 6, 2027.
Dragged Across Concrete is streaming on Plex this July. Make sure to stay tuned to Collider for the latest streaming stories.
- Release Date
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March 22, 2019
- Runtime
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159 minutes
- Director
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S. Craig Zahler
Since the 1920s, there have been an array of memorable comedy duos, such as Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy and Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, who left a significant mark on Hollywood, but one act that often gets lost in the crowd of other comedians is Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin. Lewis and Martin were both solo performers when they first met in 1944 and decided to team up, performing for the first time as Martin and Lewis in 1946. In 1949, Martin and Lewis made their feature film debut as the comic relief in My Friend Irma and returned in the 1950 sequel, My Friend Irma Goes West, which was written specifically as a Martin and Lewis vehicle.
Blending Martin’s effortless charm and smooth charisma with Lewis’s wild, energetic slapstick, the pair became one of the biggest box office attractions of the late 1940s and 1950s. Together, they starred in 16 movies before parting ways in 1956, but a few of their films, including The Caddy and The Stooge,brilliantly showcase the duo’s unmatched chemistry and uncanny ability to deliver timeless entertainment. Whether you’re discovering their work for the first time or revisiting classic favorites, these are the six best Martin and Lewis movies that capture the magic of one of cinema’s greatest comedy partnerships.
6
‘Sailor Beware’ (1952)
Sailor Beware is one of Martin and Lewis’ earliest and most popular comedies, which effectively demonstrates the duo at the height of their screen partnership. Set in the U.S. Navy, the film follows Martin as a confident sailor, Al Crowthers, and Lewis as a bumbling recruit, Melvin Jones, as they stumble through military life, leading to a nonstop series of hilarious mishaps and misunderstandings. The film also features a brief appearance by an unknown James Dean, who has one line of dialogue in the locker room scene, as well as future Paramount star, Betty Hutton.
Lewis’ energetic slapstick is perfectly balanced by Martin’s easygoing charm and musical talent, resulting in the chemistry and sheer precision that made the comedic pair such enduring stars. The movie was a massive success and went on to become one of the year’s highest-grossing films. The overwhelming success and rave reviews of Sailor Beware essentially assisted in cementing Lewis and Martin as one of Hollywood’s biggest box office draws. Sailor Beware is packed with memorable comedy routines, lively musical numbers, and plenty of laughs, and remains one of the strongest and most entertaining films in the Martin and Lewis catalog.
5
‘The Caddy’ (1953)
Norman Taurog‘s 1953 classic comedy, The Caddy, is a must-see Lewis and Martin flick that features a perfect balance of comedy, music, and heart, making it one of Martin and Lewis’ finest films. The movie follows Lewis as a talented but timid golfer, Harvey Miller, who, on the advice of his fiancée, Lisa (Barbara Bates), decides to become a golf instructor with his future brother-in-law, Joe Anthony (Martin), being his first client. When Anthony realizes he’s pretty good, he starts competing in tournaments with Miller as his caddie, but his success starts to go to his head, and his overinflated ego eventually comes between the two of them on and off the green.
The Caddy is a monumental Martin and Lewis classic and features one of the duo’s most famous musical moments with the debut of the hit song “That’s Amore,” which became one of Martin’s signature and most recognized tunes. The scene itself is also recognized as one of the most iconic musical numbers in classic movie history. The song went on to earn an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song, but unfortunately ended up losing to “Secret Love” from Calamity Jane starring Doris Day and Howard Keel. Between the catchy music, lighthearted story, and laugh-out-loud performances, The Caddy is a non-stop laugh fest that remains one of the most beloved and enduring contributions to the Martin and Lewis catalog.
4
‘Artists and Models’ (1955)
Frank Tashlin‘s one-of-a-kind 1955 comedy Artists and Models is considered one of Martin and Lewis’ greatest films thanks to its colorful blend of comedy, music, and clever satire. The movie centers around a struggling painter, Rick Todd (Martin), who decides to pull some artistic inspiration from the vivid dreams and nightmares of his roommate and avid comic book fan, Eugene Fullstack (Lewis), who talks in his sleep. The movie is an ingenious spoof on the world of comic books and pop culture, and also stars Shirley MacLaine and Dorothy Malone, and features brief appearances by Eva Gabor and Anita Ekberg.
Martin provides the perfect foil with his relaxed charisma and suave musical performances in Artists and Models, while Lewis takes advantage of every opportunity to showcase his energetic physical comedy and imaginative antics, creating an effortless dynamic of oil and water that made the duo one of Hollywood’s most successful. Today, Artists and Models remains one of the most inventive and entertaining Martin and Lewis comedies, and is celebrated for its vibrant visual style, memorable collection of songs, and fast-paced humor, earning its place as a fan favorite and a standout display of Martin and Lewis’ unique partnership.
3
‘You’re Never Too Young’ (1955)
You’re Never Too Young is a gender-swap remake of Billy Wilder‘s The Major and the Minor and stars Lewis as a barber’s apprentice, Wilbur Hoolick, who becomes an unknowing accomplice in a recent jewel heist when the thief (Raymond Burr) secretly hides the precious diamond in his coat pocket. As the thief tries to retrieve the diamond, Hoolick believes a jealous husband is following him and takes a train, where he meets a young school teacher, Nancy (Diana Lynn), unaware that their interaction will lead her fiancé, Bob (Martin), to believe they’re having an affair.
It’s hard to compete with, let alone surpass, any Wilder movie, but Lewis and Martin honor the original material while also forging their own path in the comedy genre. Lewis and Martin play effortlessly off each other in You’re Never Too Young and manage to keep the hysterical premise grounded without diminishing the overall comedic tone. Lewis shines with his energetic physical comedy and childlike antics, while Martin provides his trademark cool charm and musical talent, making them the perfect balance of heart and humor. The film’s clever humor, fast-paced gags, and unforgettable performances, notably by Burr, make You’re Never Too Young one of the funniest and most enduring highlights of the Martin and Lewis partnership.
2
‘Living It Up’ (1954)
Living It Up is one of Martin and Lewis’ most beloved comedies that features a combination of sharp humor, toe-tapping musical performances, and the duo’s effortless comedic banter. The movie is a remake of William A. Wellman‘s 1937 screwball comedy, Nothing Sacred, starring Carole Lombard and Fredric March, and follows a small-town railroad worker, Homer Flagg (Lewis), who is told by his doctor, Steve Harris (Martin) that he’s dying but when Harris learns that his patient isn’t on death’s doorstep, his interest in a beautiful reporter, played by Alfred Hitchcock blonde, Janet Leigh, who has been following Flagg’s story causes him to keep the information to himself.
Filled with clever satire, lively songs, and laugh-out-loud moments, Living It Up was both a critical and commercial success that elevated Martin and Lewis to new heights of stardom and fame. Lewis delivers a wonderfully frantic performance as the bewildered every-day man alongside Martin, who gives a stellar deadpan performance that’s topped off with his smooth wit and relaxed confidence. Leigh successfully holds her own against the powerhouse duo and frequently said that Living It Up was one of her personal favorites. Living It Up also marked a significant moment for Lewis, who directed the jitterbug dance sequence in the film, making it his first unofficial directorial credit.
1
‘The Stooge’ (1951)
The Stooge is one of Martin and Lewis’ finest and funniest films that pairs their trademark comedy with a surprisingly heartfelt story about friendship, ambition, and show business, which hit close to home for both stars. The film’s blend of genuine emotion, energetic humor, and the duo’s unforgettable chemistry makes The Stooge a standout in the Martin and Lewis filmography. Set in the world of vaudeville, the film follows an established performer, Bill Miller (Martin), who believes he’s good enough to be the frontman and parts ways with his long-time partner. When Miller reluctantly teams up with an awkward comic, Ted Rogers (Lewis), the duo is a smash hit, but Miller eventually discovers that his new partner is the real reason audiences keep coming back.
Paramount was initially terrified of releasing The Stooge because of how the audience might react to how Martin’s character treats Lewis’ character, but to their surprise (and relief), the movie was not only a hit with both audiences and critics, but also a big box office success. Martin gives one of his strongest dramatic performances alongside his traditional musical numbers as Lewis delivers some of his funniest and most endearing physical comedy. Out of all the films they made together, Lewis cited The Stooge as his favorite Martin and Lewis film, ultimately solidifying its reputation as the duo’s most rewarding and cherished collaboration.
Living It Up
- Release Date
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July 15, 1954
- Runtime
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95 minutes
- Director
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Norman Taurog
- Writers
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Jack Rose
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Dean Martin
Dr. Steven Harris
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-
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Edward Arnold
The Mayor of New York
Entertainment
17 Years Later, Liam Neeson’s Forgotten Thriller Gets a Second Chance on Free Streaming
Earlier this year, Liam Neeson followed up on his comedic success in the laugh-a-minute reboot of The Naked Gun with an adaptation of David Koepp‘s 2019 novel Cold Storage; the same Koepp who recently penned Steven Spielberg‘s long-awaited return to sci-fi in Disclosure Day. Starring alongside Stranger Things favorite Joe Keery, Neeson helped steer the film to critical success, with one reviewer writing, “It’s silly, fun, and gross in the best possible way. While it doesn’t redefine the genre, it settles in comfortably and has a blast with the material presented.”
Cold Storage was yet another reminder of Neeson’s talent and range, as the same man who earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in Schindler’s List and led the gritty action gem Taken. In 2009, Neeson led a Sixth Sense replacement that time forgot, although it’s about to get a second chance on free streaming. The movie in question is the awkwardly titled After.Life, a psychological horror-thriller directed by Agnieszka Wójtowicz-Vosloo, a Polish-American filmmaker who Neeson said “reminds me a little of Kathryn Bigelow.”
Sadly, despite also starring Wednesday and Yellowjackets favorite, Christina Ricci, After.Life failed to hit the sort of success Bigelow has earned, falling to a poor reception from critics, including a 24% average score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. At the box office, the film failed to even return its small budget of $4.5 million, scoring a global haul of $2.4 million, with most coming from overseas markets. In its very limited U.S. release, the film was overshadowed by the likes of Clash of the Titans and How to Train Your Dragon. Next month, After.Life will be available to stream for free on Plex, starting July 1.
What Is Liam Neeson Making Next?
Three new projects are in the pipeline from Neeson, starting with the upcoming black comedy 4 Kids Walk Into a Bank, directed by Frankie Shaw. The film is set to be released in August this year, and will be followed in October by The Mongoose, Neeson’s action thriller, which also stars Marisa Tomei, Ving Rhames, and Michael Chiklis. Finally, Neeson is set to star as Larry in Guy Moshe‘s action thriller Hotel Tehran, opposite Not Without Hope‘s Zachary Levi.
After.Life will be available to stream for free next month on Plex. Make sure to stay tuned to Collider for more streaming updates.
- Release Date
-
November 7, 2009
- Runtime
-
103 minutes
- Director
-
Agnieszka Wojtowicz-Vosloo
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