Deep Inside Hollywood
Romeo San Vicente
Gay documentary filmmaker Jeffrey Schwarz has built a career digging into queer pop culture, exploring how it has shaped the rest of the world. He’s directed “Vito,” about openly gay film historian and author of “The Celluloid Closet,” Vito Russo. He also made “Tab Hunter Confidential,” and “The Fabulous Alan Carr,” about the not-so-openly-gay 1950s heartthrob and the flamboyant mastermind behind “Grease,” respectively. Now he’ll tackle the most iconic queer symbol of all, the Stonewall Inn, the legendary bar that sparked a civil rights revolution for LGBTQIA+ people, in the documentary “Stonewall Forever.” Executive produced by “Modern Family” star Jesse Tyler Ferguson alongside his husband Justin Mikita, the film will tell the story of the bar, its status as an iconic queer space, and the people whose lives intersected with it and went on to make history. Will most likely be required viewing when it hits screens.
Josie Totah, Lisa Kudrow and Whitney Cummings are ‘Good People’
Ever since the underloved “Champions” got cancelled, we’ve been eagerly anticipating Josie Totah’s next career move. We’ve been fans since she stole scenes in the indie comedy “Other People” and are even happier to see her moving forward after coming out as transgender. Now Amazon has Totah co-starring with Whitney Cummings and Lisa Kudrow in the sitcom pilot “Good People.” Lee Daniels created the show that revolves around three generations of women working on a college campus and navigating cultural changes happening all around. Totah’s character is a confident Generation Z student who challenges her older co-workers’ attitudes (and most likely annoys them, hence comedy). Greg Kinnear and Martin Short will co-star. Look for it to drop on Amazon at any given moment, since that’s how we’re all doing things these days.
Boy George gets a biopic
They all come in threes, it seems. After the success of “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Rocketman,” another biopic of a beloved and legendary queer performer was begging to be brought to life to complete the set. And winner is: Boy George. Sacha Gervasi (“My Dinner with Herve,” “Anvil: The Story of Anvil”) is set to write and direct a feature that George will executive produce (just like Elton did, making sure the story gets told to his expectations). The untitled project will dive back in time to George’s Irish, working-class roots, through the early-’80s club scene (and a stint dancing in the crowd on the British chart show “Top of the Pops”) and then on to international fame as lead singer for Culture Club. This story, of course, comes with all the usual demons that attach themselves to fame, but the happy ending is a George who hasn’t rejected his over-the-top persona and who came out on the winning end. Now, who gets cast to lip sync for his life (or try singing like Taron Egerton)? Stay tuned.
Tilda Swinton re-meets the king of Thai art film
Let’s say that, like us, you’re a huge Tilda Swinton fan and an equally huge fan of queer Thai art filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul, the Palme d’Or-winning director of the magically strange films “Tropical Malady” and “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives.” Then you waited and waited for a promised project that never materialized when several years ago it was announced that the two would make a film together. For whatever reasons that project collapsed, but now it looks like the pair will work together on a film called “Memoria.” Set in Colombia, it’s about a woman who is drawn to unknown sounds. It’s also an exploration of colonialism and collective responses to danger. And if that sounds baffling, don’t worry about it — Weerasethakul traffics in mystery and open-ended meaning. And his enlistment of the most adventurous actress of this generation to partner with is just going to double the pleasure. Proceed weirdly, please.
Romeo San Vicente will always tumble for ya.
