Hollywould: Desus and Mero, Chris Hardwick fallout and the Don Quixote curse continues
The film and television business moves at a mile a minute, so keeping up with the latest news can be a little daunting. Not to worry—we have your back. In Hollywould, we’ll round up the industry developments you need to know. Here’s what you may have missed:
Chloe Dykstra Reveals Abusive Relationship
Actress Chloe Dykstra recently published a lengthy letter detailing years of emotional and sexual abuse on her Medium account. She describes her relationship with an unnamed boyfriend as exploitative and controlling; Dykstra alleges she was forbidden from going out at night, drinking, appearing in public with the abuser, and even speaking in public. According to her account, she was expected to be “ready” for sex upon her boyfriend’s return home from work.
“I generally stopped speaking unless spoken to while with him, drifting through life like a ghost. I would try to sleep in as late as possible so my days were shorter. I stopped listening to music entirely. I ceased to be. I was an ex-person.”
Though she never names names or points a finger, speculation has comedian Chris Hardwick as the boyfriend in question. Hardwick has disputed the account, saying he “at no time” assaulted her.
AMC Pulls Chris Hardwick from TV & Comic-Con
…But that hasn’t kept Hardwick from experiencing repercussions. Variety reports that AMC has postponed Hardwick’s upcoming season of Talking with Chris Hardwick and Hardwick’s hosting duties at AMC’s Comic-Con panels while they “assess the situation.”
Desus & Mero Leave Viceland & Move to Showtime
Viceland is losing one of its breakout hits. Offbeat talk show Desus & Mero, hosted by podcasters Desus Nice and The Kid Mero, will end its run on the cable network June 28th; the hosts will move to Showtime sometime in 2019. Deadline has the statement from Showtime, who couldn’t be happier:
“We have waited a long time to enter the talk-show space, and we were only going to do it if we felt like we had the next big thing. Desus and Mero feel like exactly that: They have knockout comedic voices, they’re brilliant interviewers and they always have a unique take on culture both high and low. They have a loyal and devoted fan base that will only multiply, and we can’t wait to see them take it to the next level on Showtime.”
Desus Nice himself had this to say:
“We’re honored and excited to be joining the Showtime family. The brand is stronger than ever and we look forward to continuing to make amazing authentic television that will make your wiggington explode.”
Oprah Signs On with Apple
Apple’s mysterious streaming platform just signed yet another big name. Media mogul Oprah Winfrey and Apple have inked a “multi-year content partnership,” according to Variety. No word on what Winfrey has planned, but don’t expect her much onscreen— she’s legally only able to appear on OWN and limited roles like CBS’ 60 Minutes.
Oprah’s projects will join works, like an Emily Dickinson comedy from David Gordon Green— an animated project from the Bob’s Burgers team, and an immigrant-focused anthology from Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon.
Terry Gilliam Loses Don Quixote Rights
In yet another bizarre turn in director Terry Gilliam’s decades-long crusade to film his take on Cervantes’ Don Quixote, Screen Rant reports that Gilliam’s lost the rights to his pet project. The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, starring Adam Driver, premiered at Cannes in May, but the Paris Court of Appeal has ruled that the film was made illegally and that the rights belong to the film’s former producer, Paulo Branco. Screen Daily quotes Branco:
The film belongs in its entirety to [Alfama Films]. The film was made illegally. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen so many people embark on a mission to produce and exploit a film, without holding the rights. It’s a unique case.
Gilliam now owes $10,000 in damages to Alfama, and the company plans to pursue the film’s production crew and the Cannes Film Festival for similar charges. Hopefully, this isn’t the end for The Man Who Killed Don Quixote.
—Jackson Sutliff