Behind the Scenes Buzz with Bridgerton and Ma Rainey

BRIDGERTON RENEWED: Surprising no one, Bridgerton has been renewed for a second season on Netflix. The Shondaland series, a Regency-era Gossip Girl style show, has been a mega-hit. Lord Anthony Bridgerton, played by Jonathan Bailey, will “dominate the social season.” The program reached an estimated 63 million homes in its first four weeks.

MA RAINEY’S NAMED BEST FILM BY BLACK FILM CRITICS CIRCLE: George C. Wolfe’s Netflix production Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, has been named best film by the Black Film Critics Circle. It also snagged best actor for Chadwick Boseman, best actress for Viola Davis and best adapted screenplay for Ruben Santiago-Hudson. The film is an adaptation of August Wilson’s 1984 play of the same name. Other winners: One Night in Miami‘s Regina King (best director, in a tie), Leslie Odom, Jr. (best supporting actor) and cast (best ensemble); Nomadland‘s Chloe Zhao (best director, in a tie); Minari‘s Yuh-Jung Youn (best supporting actress) and script (best original screenplay); Tenet (best cinematography); Time (best documentary); Soul (best animated film); and Ivory Coast‘s Night of the Kings (best foreign film).

INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS BREAKS TRADITION: The pandemic has upended everything, including when the Film Independent Spirit Awards will take place. They will now be held on Thursday, April 22^nd, instead of the night before the Oscars, which are set to go on Sunday, April 25^th. Nominees will be announced Tuesday, January 26^th.

VICE SNAGS THE TOXIC PIGS: Vice has picked up the rights to Valparaiso Pictures’ doc The Toxic Pigs of Fukushima by The Eagle Huntress filmmaker Otto Bell. The film follows what happened after the Great East Japan Earthquate of 2011, which trigged a tsunami.