Mariah Carey Signs On as Co-Producer of New Broadway Musical Comedy “Some Like It Hot”

Things are heating up for Mariah Carey

The 52-year-old half-Venezuelan American Grammy-winning singer and actress has signed on as a co-producer of the new musical comedy Some Like It Hot, becoming the latest in a trend of celebrities lending their clout and popularity to support Broadway productions during previews.

Mariah Carey“When Neil Meron shared this new take on the beloved film,” said Carey in a statement, “I knew I had to be a part of it. To see how this show continues to expand on the film’s legacy – pushing boundaries, promoting inclusion, celebrating diversity – I’m proud to help bring Some Like It Hot for today’s world to new audiences.”

Currently in previews at the Shubert TheatreSome Like It Hot officially opens on Sunday, December 11.

Earlier this month, NBA champ Dwyane Wade, actor Gabrielle Union and Drag Race star RuPaul joined the producing team of Ain’t No Mo, a Lee Daniels production of Jordan E. Cooper’s comedy in previews at the Belasco Theatre (opening Dec. 1).

Last season, Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra Jonas joined the producing team of Douglas LyonsBroadway comedy Chicken & Biscuits while it was in previews at Circle in the Square Theatre.

The impact of celebrity producers – and their exacts roles, duties and financial commitments – is, as yet, unclear. Despite the high-profile additions of the Jonases last fall, Chicken & Biscuits closed more than a month early after struggling at the box office (and with Covid).

Carey, who has won multiple Grammy Awards and sold more than 200 million albums, said she was drawn to Some Like It Hot – a musical adaptation of the classic 1959 film comedy – in part due to her lifelong love of the film’s star Marilyn Monroe.

“I first became familiar with this story through the timeless film starring Marilyn Monroe,” she said in the statement. “She’s been an important touchstone throughout my life, so much so that I acquired her treasured baby grand white piano at an auction.”

The stage adaptation features a book by Matthew López (The Inheritance) and Amber Ruffin (The Amber Ruffin Show), music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman and direction and choreography by Casey Nicholaw. The cast includes Christian Borle, J. Harrison Ghee and, in the role of Sugar originated by Monroe, Adrianna Hicks.

Some Like It Hot is produced by The Shubert Organization and Neil Meron and co-produced by MGM on Stage, Roy Furman, Robert Greenblatt, James L. Nederlander, Kenny Leon, Hunter Arnold, John Gore Organization, The Dalgleish Library Company Group, Sheboygan Conservatory Partners, Ambassador Theatre Group Productions, Bob Boyett, Cue to Cue Productions, Janet and Marvin Rosen, The Araca Group, Concord Theatricals, Marc Howard, Independent Presenters Network, Juanita Jordan, Jujamcyn Theaters, Henry R. Muñoz III, Ostar, and, now, Carey.

Robert Trujillo & His Metallica Band Mates to Host Helping Hands Benefit Concert for Third Year

Robert Trujillo is offering a helping hand 

The 57-year-old half-Mexican American musician and his Metallica band mates are bringing their Helping Hands benefit concert back for a third year, the band has announced.

MetallicaOn behalf of the rockers’ All Within My Hands foundation, the 2022 edition of the Helping Hands Concert and Auction will make its Southern California debut on December 16, when Metallica will hit the stage at L.A.’s Microsoft Theater with a number of yet-to-be-revealed special guests.

Tickets for the special event will go on sale to the general public starting Friday, September 23 at 10:00 am local time. Customers will have two-ticket limit per person — with 100 percent of proceeds going directly to Metallica’s non-profit organization, which aims to create “sustainable communities by tackling issues including hunger and workforce education.”

The band’s last Helping Hands Concert and Auction took place in November 2020 with a livestream that ultimately raised more than $1.8 million for work with partners including Feeding America, the American Association of Community Colleges and a number of COVID-19 and disaster-relief funds.

For more information on the upcoming concert as well as access to two different pre-sales, visit the event’s AXS site.

This weekend, Metallica is headed to New York City to headline the 10th annual Global Citizen Festival along with the likes of Mariah Carey, the Jonas Brothers, Charlie Puth, Måneskin, Rosalía and Mickey Guyton and host Priyanka Chopra. A parallel show will also take place in Accra, Ghana, featuring Usher, Stormzy, H.E.R., Tems, Uncle Waffles and others to commemorate the 65th anniversary of Ghana’s independence and the 20th anniversary of the African Union.

Rosalia to Perform at This Year’s Global Citizen Festival

Rosalia is taking the global stage…

The 29-year-old Spanish singer and songwriter will take part in this year’s Global Citizen Festival, which is set for Saturday, September 24 with twin shows in New York City and Accra, Ghana.

RosaliaRosalia will be part of the U.S. leg alongside Metallica, Charlie Puth, Jonas Brothers, Måneskin, Mariah Carey and Mickey Guyton.

Other New York City performers include Angélique Kidjo and Billy Porter.

Bollywood star and Global Citizen ambassador Priyanka Chopra Jonas will host Global Citizen Festival: NYC, to be staged in Central Park.

For its 10th anniversary edition, Global Citizen expands its program with a show at Ghana’s Black Star Square, featuring performances by Usher, SZA, Stormzy, Gyakie, H.E.R., Sarkodie, Stonebwoy, Tems, and Uncle Waffles.

That show will mark the 65th anniversary of Ghana’s independence and the 20th anniversary of the African Union.

The annual concert-with-a-cause will call on world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly and ahead of the G20 and COP27 this November to invest in the future, and to end global hunger.

The international advocacy organization and its supporters want to action, not words.

Among its list of requests, an investment of $600 million into the future of women and girls; close the annual $10 billion climate financing shortfall; $500 million to help African farmers respond to the global food crisis; and provide urgent relief from crushing debts to end extreme poverty.

The health crisis has pushed nearly 100 million more people into extreme poverty and is “reversing recent trends of shrinking inequality, leading to the loss of at least three years of progress,” reads a statement. “Without urgent action now this backsliding will only worsen.”

Also, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has “aggravated the situation further, with as many as 323 million people now facing acute hunger, and 1.2 billion people now live in nations experiencing a perfect storm of food, energy, and financial crises. If we don’t take action now, as many as 200 million more people may be plunged into extreme poverty by November.”

The 2022 Global Citizen Festival will be broadcast and streamed on ABC, ABC News Live, FX, Hulu, iHeartRadio, TimesLIVE, Twitter, YouTube, and more.

ABC will also broadcast a primetime special Global Citizen Festival: Take Action NOW, on Sunday, September 25 at 7:00 pm ET. Additional tune-in details will follow in the weeks ahead.

Tickets to the festivals are free and can be earned by downloading the Global Citizen app or visiting www.globalcitizen.org to participate in its campaigns.

For each “action” taken, users earn points that can be redeemed for tickets.

More performers and special guests will be announced in due course.

Nicolás Pereda’s Narco Culture-Themed Film “Fauna” to Premiere at This Year’s Reimagined Toronto Film Festival

Nicolás Pereda is bringing the faunato this year’s reimagined Toronto Film Festival.

The 38-year-old Mexican filmmaker’s latest film Fauna will be among the film’s screened at the festival, which is North America’s largest festival.

Nicolás Pereda

The film is an exploration of the impact of “narco” culture on Mexican society.

It’ll be Fauna’s official global premiere. An excerpt from the film was screened as part of the “Works in Progress” section of the Los Cabos International Film Festival in 2019,and won the Cinecolor Mexico Award.

This year’s edition will run from September 10–19. As expected, the festival will look different due to the coronavirus.

Organizers say the 45th TIFF will be “tailored to fit the moment,” with a combination of physical screenings and drive-ins, digital screenings, virtual red carpets, press conferences and industry talks. 

There’ll be considerably fewer movies — a selection comprising 50 new features — and the festival isn’t expecting large numbers of international press or industry to attend in person.

In addition to Pereda’s Fauna, this year’s strong crop of early movies confirmed to screen at the festival are the Kate Winslet-starrer AmmoniteThomas Vinterberg’s Another RoundConcrete Cowboy with Idris ElbaGood Joe Bell starring Mark WahlbergSuzanne Lindon’s Spring BlossomTrue Mothers by Naomi Kawase and Halle Berry’s directorial debut BruisedMore titles will be announced over the summer.

The movies will play over the event’s first five days as physical, socially distanced screenings. There will also be five programs of short films, interactive talks, film cast reunions, and Q&As with cast and filmmakers.

However, the festival has acknowledged that its plans for an in-person festival will be contingent on the local government’s “reopening framework to ensure that festival venues and workplaces practice, meet and exceed public health guidelines.” Large gatherings still aren’t permitted in Toronto.

TIFF temporarily closed its year-round offices and cinemas at TIFF Bell Lightbox in March due to the pandemic. The organization is now taking steps to prepare for reopening and working with medical advisors and public health officials to ensure safe conditions.

Meanwhile, TIFF is launching a bespoke digital platform for the festival. The organization has partnered with Shift72 on the platform, which will host digital screenings, talks and special events.

The Industry Conference will be online-only this year, with screenings for press and industry taking place on the digital platform only. The fest says there will be “advanced security and anti-piracy measures, access to buyers, and opportunities for networking.”

For 2020, TIFF says it will welcome 50 filmmakers and actors as TIFF Ambassadors to help the festival deliver its program. They will include Ava DuVernayTaika Waititi, Anurag KashyapNicole KidmanMartin ScorseseNadine LabakiAlfonso CuarónTantoo CardinalRiz Ahmed, Isabelle HuppertClaire DenisAtom EgoyanPriyanka Chopra, Viggo MortensenZhang ZiyiDavid OyelowoLulu Wang, Rosamund PikeSarah Gadon and Denis Villeneuve.

TIFF will also present its annual TIFF Tribute Awards, acknowledging and celebrating outstanding contributors to the film industry. 

Now in its third year, TIFF’s Media Inclusion Initiative will continue to accredit eligible black, indigenous, people of color, LGBTQ+ and female emerging film critics. New this year, TIFF is also offering companies and individuals the opportunity to gift industry access to 250 underrepresented emerging filmmakers from around the world.

Demi Lovato to Serve as Co-Host at This Year’s Global Citizen Festival

Demi Lovato is celebrating her global citizenship…

Global Citizen has announced several guest appearances for its annual Global Citizen Festival on September 23, including the 25-year-old part-Mexican American actress/singer.

Demi Lovato

Lovato will serve as a co-host, alongside Aaron Paul, Priyanka Chopra, Kal PennLupita Nyong’o, Nashville‘s Connie Britton and many more.

Hugh Jackman and actor/producer Deborra-lee Furness will serve as lead hosts.

Dianna Agron, Freida Pinto, Wendy WilliamsMark CubanBridget MoynahanDaymond JohnCamren BicondovaElaine Welteroth, Erin Richards, Latina supermodel Joan Smalls, Malin Akerman, Rachel BrosnahanMichelle Monaghan and Serge Ibaka will also serve as hosts for this year’s festival, taking place in New York City’s Central Park.

The social advocacy group hosts the free festival each year to raise awareness of its goal to end extreme poverty by 2030.

Fans can earn their tickets by taking part in Action Journeys, a series of challenges designed to promote social activism.

This year’s headliners include Stevie Wonder, Green Day, The Killers and The Lumineers, with featured performances by The ChainsmokersPharrell Williams, Big SeanAndra Day and Alessia Cara.

The one-day festival will also be broadcast live from Central Park on YouTube, Twitter and MSNBC.

To hear more from this year’s hosts and learn more about the festival, visit Global Citizen’s official site.

Gomez to Headline This Year’s Global Citizen Festival

Selena Gomez is a global citizen

The 24-year-old half-Mexican American singer/actress has been named one of the headline acts at this year’s Global Citizen Festival.

Selena Gomez

The annual free-ticketed event, which is held on the Great Lawn in New York City’s Central Park, will take place on Saturday, September 24, 2016.

In addition to Gomez, other headliners include Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar, Major Lazer and Metallica.

The Festival will harness actions from millions of Global Citizens around the world to hold world leaders accountable to the progress made toward achieving the Global Goals set out by the United Nations last year.

Special guest performers include Usher, Chris Martin, Eddie Vedder, Ellie Goulding, Yandel, and Yusuf/Cat Stevens.

Hosts for this year’s festival include Chelsea Handler, Deborra-lee & Hugh Jackman, Neil Patrick Harris, Priyanka Chopra, Salma Hayek Pinault and Seth Meyers.

Since 2012, more than six million actions from Global Citizens have led world leaders to enact policy changes and commit significant resources to issues of girls and women’s equality, education, health, water and sanitation, environment, finance and innovation, and food and hunger. These financial and policy commitments and announcements are set to affect the lives of up to 656 million people.

“I couldn’t be more honored to participate in the Global Citizen Festival as it continues to help solve important issues around the world. I am particularly proud to be involved this year as the focus is on education. As an artist with many young fans, I believe everyone has the right to an education,” said Gomez.

A live simulcast of the full concert will air on MSNBC and MSNBC.com.

Global Citizens can earn their admission to the free-ticketed Festival by joining the social action platform at globalcitizenfestival.com. Ticket draws will occur throughout the summer and fans will be notified via Global Citizen when they have been selected. A limited number of VIP tickets will also be available for purchase through Ticketmaster starting on Thursday, July 28th.

Leto to Serve as a Presenter at This Year’s Academy Awards

Jared Leto has a date with Oscar

The 44-year-old part-Spanish actor/singer and Oscar-winner is the latest entertainer to be added to the list of presenters for the 88th Academy Awards this month.

Jared Leto

He joins a roster that includes Steve Carell, Priyanka Chopra, Quincy Jones, Byung-hun Lee, Julianne Moore, Olivia Munn, Margot Robbie, Jason Segel, Andy Serkis, J.K. Simmons, Kerry Washington and Reese Witherspoon.

Two years ago, Leto picked up the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his critically acclaimed performance as male-to-female transgender character Rayon in Dallas Buyers Club.

Hayek’s “Girl Rising” Documentary Headed to Regal Cinemas

Richard E. Robbins’ documentary Girl Rising featuring narration by Salma Hayek and Selena Gomez is headed to the big screen.

The film, about nine girls in different developing countries who dream of attending school, has been picked up by Regal Cinemas for a weeklong engagement.

Girl Rising Poster

Narrated by Hayek, Gomez, Cate Blanchett, Priyanka Chopra, Anne Hathaway, Alicia Keys, Chloe Moretz, Liam Neeson, Frieda Pinto, Meryl Streep and Kerry Washington, the documentary will begin showing April 19 in 150 theaters.

Girl Rising will also continue to be showcased in cities nationwide via Gathr, a new demand-based theatrical-distribution platform in which fans are committed to buying enough movie tickets to secure a screening.

Girl Rising Poster

“Regal recognizes the intense interest by American moviegoers demanding that this film be seen in their local communities,” stated Amy Miles, CEO of Regal Entertainment Group. “This movie is making an emotional impact on many of our patrons, me included. The stories from these extraordinary girls in nine different countries are accompanied by narration from an A-list of entertainers.”

A portion of ticket sales will go to the 10×10 Fund for Girls Education, a global campaign to educate and empower girls.

Girl Rising is produced by The Documentary Group and Paul Allen’s Vulcan Productions.

CNN Films has global TV distribution rights and plans to air it soon.