H'wood's Rich People Problem; Fast v. Slow Celeb Brand Deals; Gen Z Bleed
Plus: Introducing our live video shows
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This week, Richard Rushfield debuted his new show, The Rushfield Lunch. Every Wednesday at 11 a.m. PT, Richard will be going live for subscribers with top Hollywood execs and talent. This week, Richard sat down with Ted Hope — the longtime movie producer and executive and author of the Hope for Film newsletter — about, you guessed it, hope for film.
Also this week, Janice Min was invited by the great Tina Brown, now of the Fresh Hell newsletter, for a hilarious chat about everything from the Meghan Sussex (nope, not Markle anymore!) Netflix series, With Love, Meghan, to billionaires’ love of DOGE, to what in the world to do about CNN. You can listen or watch at the link below:
Keep a lookout in your email for when we go live, where subscribers can participate in the conversation with real-time questions and comments and interact with our amazing team.
Now, ICYMI, our best of the week:
Richard Rushfield’s Straight Talk
Richard delivered his annual can’t-miss State of the Showbiz Union address this week, and also, fresh from his seat inside the Academy Awards, an interpretation about what the Oscars ceremony revealed about the current and future state of the industry:
Series Business: What Gen Z Never Learned; CW Writer Hole
Twenty Gen Z agents, publicists and writers tell Elaine Low details (paid subscribers only) the four ways 20-somethings in Hollywood are building their careers; what they’re doing to make themselves promotable and indispensable; and what they’ll do differently when they’re in charge:
When Warners and Paramount sold majority control of The CW to Nexstar, it broke a main pipeline for young TV writers to break into the business. Lesley Goldberg talks to Julie Plec, Greg Berlanti and Marc Pedowitz about what made The CW a fostering home for emerging writers and how veteran showrunners are creating new apprenticeships for early-career scribes:
Dealmakers: New Landscape of Celeb Endorsements
Brands want celebrities again (sorry, influencers!), and Ashley Cullins gathers intel from lawyers, agents and advisors (paid subscribers only) to reveal when they ask for cash vs. equity; which endorsements help talent land better deals with studios and streamers; and the VC-backed sector begging for star power:
Entertainment Strategy Guy: Wealth is Changing the Audience
Shocked to learn that the top 10 percent of earners account for half of all spending, Entertainment Strategy Guy evaluates what a new world of haves and have nots means for streamers and the future of mass media; and the big problem with chasing elite consumers through price increases:
Oscars! Prestige Junkie, Fashion & Photos
After years spent covering the Oscars, Katey Rich finally got to attend them, and she shares why the show made her feel inspired and a little emotional. Plus, she surveys what the next moves might be for Sean Baker, Adrien Brody and the rest of this year’s big winners:
Out with the stealth wealth, in with maximalism — fashion writer Amy Odell breaks down the looks on the Oscars red carpet, which featured the return of rich people looking rich again:
Photos: Oscars, SAG Awards
Roving photog Todd Williamson goes inside the Oscars and SAG Awards, where stars (and executives) were aplenty:
THE WAKEUP
Sean McNulty continued his look into the new economics of Hollywood, with a scoop revealing the home entertainment revenue and streaming value of Sonic, Paramount’s favorite blue hedgehog:
🎧 PODCASTS
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The Lost Art of Hollywood Swagger A look at Gen Z's skill gaps in an industry with no training:
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