The Watchers Film Show Blog is 10 today!

 I can scarcely believe I'm writing these words, but it's true: The Watchers Film Show Blog is 10 today. Double digits, y'all!

We've gone on longer than Game Of Thrones, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and Star Trek: The Next Generation (to name but a few) which is utterly astounding.

The Watchers Film Show itself celebrated its 10th birthday/anniversary/whatever you call it back in November 2021, but the blog itself launched a couple of months after we started recording, hence the delay in the two celebrations.

In the decade since the blog has been running, we've had over 382,000 page views from all around the globe, including Japan, Canada, Indonesia, South Korea, Belgium, Hong Kong, Singapore, Czechia (the Czech Republic), Australia, Romania, Poland, Germany, Turkey, and Italy. 

Our Top 5 Most popular posts are:

• Revisiting A Classic: The Star Wars Saga (Episodes IV-VI)
• Revisiting A Classic: The Star Wars Saga (Episodes I-III)
• Whatever Happened To Baby Jane? (1962)
• Masters Of The Universe (1987)
• Alien (1979)

So, a massive Thank You to everyone who's supported us during this time - here's to many more years of chatting nonsense about films with your mates!

Much love,

The Watchers

(Rhys, Matt, & Tez)

Awards Season 2022: Producers Guild Awards (PGA), Directors Guild Awards (DGA) and Writers Guild Awards (WGA) Nominations

 

Typical, isn't it? You wait for some awards season news, and then three come along at the same time. Today [Thursday 27th January 2022] saw the three major Guilds- the Producers Guild (PGA), Directors Guild (DGA), and Writers Guild (WGA)- announce their award nominations for this year. 

So here we go...

* * *

PRODUCERS GUILD AWARD (PGA)

Here are the nominations for the 33rd Producers Guild of America Awards

The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures

Being The Ricardos

Belfast

CODA

Don't Look Up

Dune

King Richard

Licorice Pizza

The Power Of The Dog

tick, tick...Boom!

West Side Story

Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures

Encanto

Luca

The Mitchells Vs The Machines

Raya And The Last Dragon

Sing 2

Outstanding Producer of Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures 

(previously announced)

Ascension

The First Wave

Flee

In The Same Breath

The Rescue

Simple As Water

Summer Of Soul (...Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

Writing With Fire

The PGAs will be given out on Saturday 19th March (moved from their original date of Saturday 26th February). 

* * *

DIRECTORS GUILD AWARDS (DGA)

Here are today's DGA Awards nominations:

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film

Paul Thomas Anderson (Licorice Pizza)

Kenneth Branagh (Belfast)

Jane Campion (The Power Of The Dog)

Steven Spielberg (West Side Story)

Denis Villeneuve (Dune)

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in First-Time Feature Film

Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Lost Daughter)

Rebecca Hall (Passing)

Tatiana Huezo (Prayers For The Stolen)

Lin-Manuel Miranda (tick, tick...Boom!)

Michael Sarnoski (Pig)

Emma Seligman (Shiva Baby)

The winners will be announced at the 74th Annual DGA Awards on Saturday March 12th.

* * *

WRITERS GUILD AWARDS (WGA)

And finally, here are the nominees for this year's Writers' Guild Awards (WGA).

Long-time readers of the awards season nonsense on here will know that the screenplay categories are not ones that I try and guess nominees (or winners) for, but as a writer, I'm interested to see what's got the nod.

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Being The Ricardos

Don't Look Up

The French Dispatch

King Richard

Licorice Pizza

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

CODA

Dune

Nightmare Alley

tick, tick... Boom!

West Side Story

DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY

Being Cousteau

Exposing Muybridge

Like A Rolling Stone: The Life And Times Of Ben Fong-Torres

Due to how the Writers Guild of America works (where non-members are not permitted to be nominated for a WGA Award), there are several major films that were ineligible (but will be eligible for the Oscars): these include The Power Of The Dog, Belfast, Cyrano, The Lost Daughter, Parallel Mothers, Passing, and A Hero.

The Writers' Guild Awards will be handed out on Sunday 20th March.

Congratulations to all nominees!

Our next awards announcement is a week away, when the BAFTA Film Awards nominations are announced on Thursday February 3rd.

Awards Season 2022: Screen Actors' Guild (SAG) Awards Nominations

This afternoon (Wednesday 12th January), the nominations for the 28th Annual Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards were announced, with Vanessa Hudgens (tick, tick... BOOM!, High School Musical, Spring Breakers) and Rosario Dawson (Daredevil, Sin City, Rent) doing the honours via Instagram Live. 

Last year's SAG Awards were also announced this way and, just like last year, there were a few technical issues to start, with no sound on Rosario Dawson's feed. This was soon rectified, though, and the nominees were announced.

Below is the list of film nominations:

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

Belfast

CODA

Don't Look Up

House Of Gucci

King Richard

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

Javier Bardem (Being The Ricardos)

Benedict Cumberbatch (The Power Of The Dog)

Andrew Garfield (tick, tick… Boom!)

Will Smith (King Richard)

Denzel Washington (The Tragedy Of Macbeth)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

Jessica Chastain (The Eyes Of Tammy Faye)

Olivia Colman (The Lost Daughter)

Lady Gaga (House Of Gucci)

Jennifer Hudson (Respect)

Nicole Kidman (Being The Ricardos)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

Ben Affleck (The Tender Bar)

Bradley Cooper (Licorice Pizza)

Troy Kotsur (CODA)

Jared Leto (House Of Gucci)

Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power Of The Dog)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

Caitriona Balfe (Belfast)

Cate Blanchett (Nightmare Alley)

Ariana DeBose (West Side Story)

Kirsten Dunst (The Power Of The Dog)

Ruth Negga (Passing)

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture

Black Widow

Dune

The Matrix Resurrections

No Time To Die

Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings

House Of Gucci and The Power Of The Dog both have three nods apiece. 

A couple of surprises here (for me, the main one is that neither Jamie Dornan or Ciaran Hinds got a nod in Supporting Actor for Belfast). This is the first major awards love for Jennifer Hudson, Bradley Cooper, and Cate Blanchett this season, so it'll be interesting to see if this continues. Unsurprisingly, there's a lot of the same names cropping up again, so it's looking like (in the acting categories at least) there's a strong core of 3-4 consistent names, with some variation then in the remaining 1-2. 

Also, as previously announced, the living legend that is Helen Mirren will be given this year's SAG Life Achievement Award. 

The SAG Awards will be handed out on Sunday February 27th 2022.

Congratulations to all nominees!

For those of you with absolutely no interest in this utter trivia, you'll be glad to know you've got a good two weeks' respite from this as the next awards announcements aren't until Thursday 27th January, when all three of the major Guilds- Producers', Writers' and Directors'- will announce their nominations. A three-for-one deal. How exciting!

Awards Season 2022: Golden Globes Winners

Last night (Sunday 9th January 2022), the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) announced the winners of the 79th Annual Golden Globe Awards, for both television and film.

There was no traditional ceremony, no red carpet, no telecast, and no media. The winners were released via Twitter and a press release afterwards. The show itself focused on the HPFA's philanthropy. As one unnamed commentator said, "This was essentially the most expensive Instagram production ever."

Here is the full list of film winners.

Best Motion Picture (Drama): The Power Of The Dog

Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy): West Side Story

Best Director: Jane Campion (The Power Of The Dog)

Best Actor (Drama): Will Smith (King Richard)

Best Actor (Comedy or Musical): Andrew Garfield (tick, tick… Boom!)

Best Actress (Drama): Nicole Kidman (Being The Ricardos)

Best Actress (Comedy or Musical): Rachel Zegler (West Side Story)

Best Supporting Actor: Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power Of The Dog)

Best Supporting Actress: Ariana DeBose (West Side Story)

Best Screenplay: Kenneth Branagh (Belfast)

Best Original Score: Hans Zimmer (Dune)

Best Original Song: "No Time To Die" (No Time To Die)

Best Foreign Language Film: Drive My Car

Best Animated Feature Film: Encanto

The Power Of The Dog and West Side Story were the big winners of the evening, with three Globes apiece. 

Yesterday should also have been the 27th Critics Choice Awards ceremony, but - in a statement released just before Christmas- a decision was made to postpone the ceremony, given the current public health crisis (something that has also seen the Grammys and the Sundance Film Festival cancel in-person events). A new date is still to be announced. 

Congratulations to all winners!

Next up with awards season is the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards nominations, which will be revealed on Wednesday (12th January)

Happy New Year From The Watchers!

 

Happy New Year to you all!

However you spent last night, we hope you enjoyed it and hopefully 2022 has started well for everyone. 

If 2021 was not a good year for you, may 2022 be better. If 2021 was a good year for you, may 2022 continue to be good. In any and all cases,

In terms of upcoming cinematic treats, there's plenty that The Watchers are excited by: Scream (or Scream 5, or 5cream if you will), The Tragedy Of Macbeth, Death On The Nile (finally due in February if all goes to plan!), The Batman, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore, Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness, Top Gun: Maverick, Jurassic World Dominion, Thor: Love And Thunder, Black Adam, Mission: Impossible 7, Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (Part One), Halloween Ends, The Flash, Creed III, Morbius, Turning Red, Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom, and John Wick: Chapter 4, to name but a few. 

Obviously there's a lot that can still change, so we'll keep an eye out and let you know of any big shifts. 

We wish you all the very best - may the upcoming year bring you what you want and need to thrive. 

The Watchers

(Rhys, Matt & Tez)

In Memoriam 2021

At the close of another twelve months of trials and tribulations, our thoughts pass to those who are no longer with us, passing during this most difficult year. We paid tribute to Christopher Plummer and Stephen Sondheim throughout the year, but there were many people whom we were unable to pay tribute to at the time of their deaths. So here we remember some of the stars- from both in front of and behind the camera- who sadly passed away this year.

British director Michael Apted began his career as a researcher for Granada TV and even directed a few episodes of Coronation Street. He directed eight instalments of the ground-breaking 7 Up documentary series (which aired its first instalment in 1963), which followed the lives of fourteen Britons from the age of seven, coming back to them in seven-year increments (with his last instalment- 63 Up- broadcast in 2019). As well as an exceptional documentarian, Apted also directed feature films and television, directing Sissy Spacek to the Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of country singer Loretta Lynn in Coal Miner's Daughter (1980). His other films include Agatha (1979), Gorky Park (1983), Gorillas In The Mist (1988), Nell (1994), The World Is Not Enough (1999), and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010). He was President of the Directors' Guild of America from 2003-2009.

Best known for his multiple Emmy Award-winning performance as newspaper editor Lou Grant, first in The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-1977) and then his own self-titled spin-off (1977-1982), Ed Asner became the first (and so far, only) actor to win an Emmy in both the comedy and drama category for the same role! Twice President of the Screen Actors Guild, Asner's career took in film, TV, and voice work. Other TV roles an Emmy Award-winning performance in the mini-series Roots (1977), playing Pop opposite Bette Midler's Mama Rose in the 1993 version of Gypsy, a stand-out turn opposite Lily Tomlin in an episode of The X Files titled "How The Ghosts Stole Christmas", and recurring roles in ER, Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip, Grace And Frankie, Dead To Me, and Cobra Kai. A gifted voice actor, he voiced roles in Captain Planet And The Planeteers, Gargoyles, Spider-Man, and Superman: The Animated Series, and also provided the voice for Carl Fredricksen in Up (2009). Some of Asner's film appearances include They Call Me Mister Tibbs! (1970), Fort Apache The Bronx (1981), JFK (1991) and as Santa in Elf (2003). 

Once described as "the busiest actor in Hollywood", Ned Beatty's first film role was one that would forever ensure he was recognised. He played Bobby Trippe in John Boorman's Deliverance (1972) who- in one infamous scene- is told to "squeal like a pig" as he is being violated. Talk about making a strong first impression! Beatty went on to have a career spanning five decades, taking in everything from Oscar-nominated dramas, such as Nashville (1975) and All The President's Men (1976), to comic book movies (providing a wonderful foil to Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor's inept henchman Otis in Superman [1978] and Superman II [1980]), action thrillers (The Fourth Protocol [1987]), horrors (Exorcist II: The Heretic [1977]) and animation (voicing Lots-O'-Huggin' Bear in Toy Story 3 [2010] and the Mayor in Rango [2011]). He received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role as network executive Arthur Jensen in Sidney Lumet's searing satire Network (1976), where- in an explosive monologue- he declares "There is no America." 

British composer and lyricist Leslie Bricusse won two Oscars throughout his career; one for Best Original Song for "Talk To The Animals" from the 1967 musical Doctor Dolittle (for which he also wrote the screenplay), the other for Best Adapted Score for Victor/Victoria (1982). He wrote the lyrics for the Bond themes "Goldfinger" and "You Only Live Twice" and Scrooge, the 1970 musical adaptation of A Christmas Carol. He also provided the lyrics and music for Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971), giving us the memorable songs "Pure Imagination" and "The Candy Man". He also wrote the lyrics for "Can You Read My Mind" from Superman (1978), "They Won't Get Me" from Superman III (1983), "Life In A Looking Glass" from That's Life! (1986) - which garnered him both a Best Original Song Oscar nomination AND a Worst Original Song Razzie nomination- and "Somewhere In My Memory" from Home Alone (1990). His song "Feeling Good"- covered by artists as diverse as Nina Simone, Michael Bublé, and Muse- has appeared in over 80 movies and television shows, from So You Think You Can Dance to The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and from Last Holiday (2006) to Cruella (2021)

Journalist, screenwriter and cultural icon, Joan Didion was born in Sacramento and worked for Vogue in New York for eight years, becoming associate features editor. Her incisive essays (some of which she referred to as "Personals") were anthologised in various collections, including Slouching Towards Bethlehem (1968), The White Album (1979) and Where I Was From (2003). Along with her husband John Gregory Dunne, Didion co-wrote the screenplays for The Panic In Needle Park (1971), Play It As It Lays (1972, adapted from her own 1970 novel), the 1976 version of A Star Is Born (with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson), True Confessions (1981, based on Dunne's 1977 novel) and Up Close & Personal (1996). Her 2005 memoir The Year Of Magical Thinking, written in the twelve months after Dunne's unexpected death in 2003, is a raw and honest look at grief and mourning, and was adapted as a monologue for stage, with Vanessa Redgrave taking the role in the West End.

Some film-makers define a genre. Some define a decade. Some do both, and Richard Donner was such a director. His insistence on playing Superman "straight" instead of campy or parodic helped to usher in an era of comic-book movies, whilst he also directed several movies which have come to define the 1980s. An accomplished television director (he directed the seminal Twilight Zone episode "Nightmare At 20,000 Feet"), Donner made his film directorial debut in 1961 with X-15 before making his name in 1976 with diabolical horror The Omen- a film plagued by so much tragedy, it's thought to be cursed. He injected new life into the buddy-cop genre with Lethal Weapon (1987) and its three sequels, put a contemporary twist on a classic story in Scrooged (1988), and brought the rollocking action-adventure of The Goonies (1985) vividly to life. His other films include Ladyhawke (1985), Maverick (1994), Conspiracy Theory (1997), and 16 Blocks (2006). He was also a producer, with credits on The Lost Boys (1987), Free Willy (1993), and X-Men (2000). 

Olympia Dukakis won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role as Rose Castorini, the mother of Cher's character Loretta, in Norman Jewison's romantic comedy-drama Moonstruck (1987). She also appeared as Clairee Belcher in Steel Magnolias (1989)- forming a fantastic double-act with Shirley MacLaine as the ornery Ouiser-, Rosie in Look Who's Talking (1989) and its two sequels, and Anna Madrigal in the Tales Of The City miniseries. Her other films include Death Wish (1974), Working Girl (1988), Jeffrey (1995), Mighty Aphrodite (1995), Mr. Holland's Opus (1995), The Last Of The Blonde Bombshells (2000), Away From Her (2006), In The Land Of Women (2007), Big Driver (2014), and The Infiltrator (2016)

French writer Jean-Claude Carrière was nominated for three Best Adapted Screenplay Oscars: for The Discreet Charm Of The Bourgeoisie (1972), That Obscure Object Of Desire (1977), and The Unbearable Lightness Of Being (1988). His other screenplays include Belle De Jour (1967), The Tin Drum (1979), The Return Of Martin Guerre (1982), Valmont (1989), Cyrano de Bergerac (1990), At Play In The Fields Of The Lord (1991), Birth (2004), Goya's Ghosts (2006), A Bigger Splash (2015), and At Eternity's Gate (2018). He won an Oscar for Best Live-Action Short in 1963 for The Anniversary (which he wrote and also directed), and was awarded an Honorary Oscar in 2015.

Whilst he will probably be best remembered for playing patriarch George Newton in family comedy Beethoven (1992)- about a St Bernard dog- and its 1993 sequel Beethoven's 2nd, one of Charles Grodin's first film roles was as Dr. Hill in Rosemary's Baby (1968). He also appeared as Aarfy Aardvark in Catch-22 (1970), Lenny Cantrow in The Heartbreak Kid (1972), and Fred Wilson in King Kong (1976). His other films include Heaven Can Wait (1978), The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1981), The Great Muppet Caper (1981), The Woman In Red (1984), Ishtar (1987), Midnight Run (1988), Dave (1993), and So I Married An Axe Murderer (1993). 

Esteemed character actor Hal Holbrook will be remembered for his roles as informant "Deep Throat" in All The President's Men (1976), Henry Northrup in the Creepshow (1982) segment "The Crate", Lou Mannheim in Wall Street (1987), the voice of Amphitryon in Disney's Hercules (1997), and Ron Franz in Into The Wild (2007) for which he was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Other films include The Great White Hope (1970), Magnum Force (1973), Julia (1977), Capricorn One (1977),  The Fog (1980), The Firm (1993), The Majestic (2001), and Water For Elephants (2011). He was also known for playing Abraham Lincoln on screen (in TV mini-series Lincoln [for which he won an Emmy] and North And South), and appeared in Steven Spielberg's 2012 biopic as Preston Blair. He also created and developed the one-man stage show Mark Twain Tonight! in which he portrayed the famous American writer, giving over 2000 performances. 

He starred in two of the biggest movie franchises in cinema history; however, they were only two entries in Yaphet Kotto's impressive filmography. One of his earliest film roles was in the 1968 version of The Thomas Crown Affair, before he played the Caribbean diplomat Dr. Kananga (also known as drug kingpin Mr. Big) in Roger Moore's first Bond film, Live And Let Die (1973). He puts in a performance of great menace (even if his demise is slightly ridiculous). In Alien (1979), he plays the Nostromo's chief engineer Parker who attempts to save the crew from the invading menace. He also appeared as Othello in a 1980 film version of Shakespeare's play, which is the first film portrayal of the character to be played by a Black actor. Other film roles include The Running Man (1987), Midnight Run (1988), Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991) and The Puppet Masters (1994).

Cloris Leachman won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role as Ruth Popper, a neglected wife in The Last Picture Show (1971), reprising the role in the 1990 sequel Texasville. She also appeared in several Mel Brooks movies, playing Frau Blücher in Young Frankenstein (1974), and Nurse Diesel in High Anxiety (1977). Other film appearances include Kiss Me Deadly (1955), Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969), Lovers And Other Strangers (1970), The Muppet Movie (1979), The Iron Giant (1999), Bad Santa (2003), Spanglish (2004), Sky High (2005), and The Croods: A New Age (2020). As well as an impressive filmography, Leachman had an extensive television career, playing Phyllis Lindstrom on The Mary Tyler Moore Show (and getting her own spin-off, Phyllis, for which she won a Golden Globe), as well as appearing in The Facts Of Life, Malcolm In The Middle (for which she won two Primetime Emmys for playing Grandma Ida), Raising Hope, Mad About You and American Gods. In 2008, she appeared on Dancing With The Stars, placing seventh. 

Helen McCrory's career spanned television, film, and stage- and she excelled in all three mediums. On stage, she appeared in the title role of Medea and as Hester Collyer in The Deep Blue Sea, both for the National Theatre, and played in a double bill of Twelfth Night and Uncle Vanya for the Donmar Warehouse. One of her first television roles was playing opposite Michael Gambon in John Osborne's The Entertainer. She would go on to play the fearsome Aunt Polly in Peaky Blinders and the villainous Madame Kali in Penny Dreadful. She also had guest roles in Doctor Who, Inside No. 9, and His Dark Materials (voicing Asriel's daemon Stelmaria). On film, McCrory will be most remembered for playing Narcissa Malfoy in Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince (2009) and both parts of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows (2010/2011). She was originally cast as Bellatrix Lestrange, but was unable to take that role due to pregnancy. Her other films include Interview With The Vampire (1994), The Count Of Monte Cristo (2002), The Queen (2006) [as Cherie Blair], Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), Hugo (2011), and Skyfall (2012). 

Born in South Africa, Roger Michell began his directing career on TV, helming the BBC's 1993 adaptation of Hanif Kureishi's The Buddha Of Suburbia, and a well-regarded adaptation of Jane Austen's Persuasion. His feature debut came in 1997 with My Night With Reg (based on Kevin Elyot's play about a group of gay men at the beginning of the AIDS crisis). He also directed romcom Notting Hill (1999), The Mother (2003), and Enduring Love (2004), and directed Peter O'Toole to his eighth and final Best Actor Oscar in the comedy-drama Venus (2006). He also directed Hyde Park On Hudson (2012), My Cousin Rachel (2017), and The Duke (2020) and was on hand to capture the wonderful conversations between Eileen Atkins, Judi Dench, Joan Plowright, and Maggie Smith in the 2018 documentary Nothing Like A Dame.

Ronald Pickup began his career with a role in the Doctor Who serial The Reign Of Terror (1964), opposite William Hartnell, and provided the voice of Aslan for the BBC adaptations of The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, Prince Caspian And The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader, and The Silver Chair. On film, he appeared in The Day Of The Jackal (1973), The Thirty Nine Steps (1978), Never Say Never Again (1983), The Mission (1986), Bring Me The Head Of Mavis Davis (1997), Lolita (1997), and Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time (2010). He also played Norman Cousins in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011) and its 2015 sequel, and Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain in Darkest Hour (2017).

American actress Tanya Roberts has the distinction of being both one of Charlie's Angels and a Bond girl, appearing as Julie Rogers  in the final season of the TV show in 1980-81 (opposite Jaclyn Smith and Cheryl Ladd); and playing geologist Stacey Sutton in A View To A Kill (1985), Roger Moore's last film as Bond. She also appeared as Kiri in The Beastmaster (1982) and as the title character in Sheena: Queen Of The Jungle (1984). She also had a recurring role as ditzy housewife Midge Pinciotti in That '70s Show.

Making his film debut in 1961 in The Young Doctors, George Segal would go on to be nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as Nick in Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? (1966), opposite Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. He also appeared opposite Glenda Jackson in A Touch Of Class (1973), Jane Fonda in Fun With Dick And Jane (1977), and Jeff Bridges in The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996). His other films include The Longest Day (1962), Ship Of Fools (1965), King Rat (1965), The Quiller Memorandum (1966), Look Who's Talking (1989),  To Die For (1995), Flirting With Disaster (1996), 2012 (2009), Love & Other Drugs (2010), and The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya (2013). He also had recurring television roles in Just Shoot Me!, Entourage, and The Goldbergs.

Born in Cape Town, Antony Sher became one of the most respected Shakespearean actors of his generation, winning an Olivier award for his performance of Richard III (as well as for playing drag queen Arnold in Torch Song Trilogy!) and impressing in productions of King Lear (as both the Fool and Lear himself), Macbeth, and The Tempest. Whilst primarily known for his stage work, Sher also had several film and television appearances, making an impression as Howard Kirk in the TV mini-series The History Man (1981) based on the novel by Malcolm Bradbury and playing British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli opposite Judi Dench in Mrs. Brown (1997). He played Loki in Erik The Viking (1989), the Chief Weasel in The Wind In The Willows (1996) and Dr. Moth in Shakespeare In Love (1998). Other film appearances included Superman II (1980), The Young Poisoner's Handbook (1995), Churchill: The Hollywood Years (2004) and The Wolfman (2010). 

Dean Stockwell's career spanned eight decades and encompassed both film and television roles. Making his film debut at the age of nine in The Valley Of Decision (1945)- opposite Gregory Peck and Greer Garson- his filmography features such diverse fare as Anchors Aweigh (1945), Gentleman's Agreement (1947), Kim (1950), Sons And Lovers (1960), and Long Day's Journey Into Night (1962)- for which he won the Best Actor award at the Cannes Festival, with his co-stars Ralph Richardson and Jason Robards. He also appeared in The Dunwich Horror (1970), Paris, Texas (1984), Dune (1984), Blue Velvet (1986), Beverly Hills Cop II (1987), Married To The Mob (1988) - for which he was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar-, Air Force One (1997), The Rainmaker (1997), and The Manchurian Candidate (2004). Television roles included Admiral Al Calavicci in Quantum Leap (1989-1993) (for which he was nominated for four Primetime Emmys and four Golden Globes, winning one), the voice of Duke Nukem in Captain Planet And The Planeteers (1990-1992), and John Cavil in Battlestar Galactica (2006-2009). 

Nominated for the Best Actress Oscar for her performance in Great Depression family drama Sounder (1972), Cicely Tyson's career on film and television spanned seven decades. Her other films include The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter (1968), The Concorde... Airport '79 (1979), Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café (1991), Diary Of A Mad Black Woman (2005), Madea's Family Reunion (2006), The Help (2011), Alex Cross (2012), and Last Flag Flying (2017). Her television roles include Doris Jones in House Of Cards, and Ophelia Harkness (Annalise Keating's mother) in How To Get Away With Murder, which garnered her five Primetime Emmy nods for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. She was honoured with an Honorary Oscar at the 2019 ceremony, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama in 2016. 

Born in Montreal, Jean-Marc Vallée started his directorial career with music videos before moving onto short films and television. One of his first major films was family drama C.R.A.Z.Y. (2005), followed by The Young Victoria (2009) which starred Emily Blunt as the titular monarch. In 2013, he directed biopic Dallas Buyers Club, starring Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto, with both men winning Oscars (for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor respectively). It was also nominated for Best Picture, with Vallée receiving a nomination for Best Editing. The following year, he directed Wild (based on the memoir by Cheryl Strayed) and directed both Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern to Oscar nominations. For television, Vallée directed the first season of Big Little Lies, based on the novel by Liane Moriarty and starring Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, and Laura Dern, as well as the miniseries adaptation of Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects (starring Amy Adams and Patricia Clarkson).

Many people will know Jessica Walter as the boozy matriarch Lucille Bluth in the TV show Arrested Development (stealing every scene with an acidic quip). But before taking the role, she already had a distinguished and varied career on television, in film, and on stage. In 1966, she appeared in The Group (directed by Sidney Lumet) and Grand Prix (directed by John Frankenheimer), making her mark in supporting roles as a brash, haughty writer and the bored wife of a racing driver respectively. Perhaps her best-known film role is that of Evelyn Draper, the obsessed stalker who terrorises Clint Eastwood's radio DJ in Play Misty For Me (1971), for which she received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress (Drama) for her performance. Her other film appearances include The Flamingo Kid (1984), Slums Of Beverly Hills (1998), and Unaccompanied Minors (2006). Aside from her role in Arrested Development (for which she received a Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series), she also provided the voices of Fran Sinclair in Dinosaurs (1991-94) and Mallory Archer in Archer (2009-2020).

Italian film director Lina Wertmüller made history as the first woman to be nominated for the Best Director Oscar; she was nominated in 1977 for Seven Beauties [Pasqualino Settebellezze] but lost to John G. Avildsen for Rocky. Wertmüller was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay for the film, but lost to Paddy Chayefsky for Network. She was awarded an Honorary Oscar in 2020. Nominated twice for the Palme d'Or at Cannes, for The Seduction Of Mimi (1972) and Love & Anarchy (1973), Wertmüller's other films included The Lizards (1963), Swept Away (1974), A Joke Of Destiny, Lying In Wait Around The Corner Like A Bandit (1983), Saturday, Sunday And Monday (1990) and Too Much Romance... It's Time For Stuffed Peppers (2004). 

American actress Cara Williams received Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actress for her role as the mother of a young boy who encounters two runaway convicts (played by Sidney Poitier and Tony Curtis) in Stanley Kramer's The Defiant Ones (1958), although lost out to Wendy Hiller and Hermione Gingold respectively. Williams' other film roles included Boomerang! (1947), The Girl Next Door (1953), The Great Diamond Robbery (1954), and Viva Las Vegas! (1956). She was also nominated for a Primetime Emmy for her role in sitcom Pete And Gladys (1960-1962). 

Known for his television role as Lincoln Hayes in Mod Squad (1968-1973), Clarence Williams III also had an illustrious film career, playing the Father in Purple Rain (1984), Kalinga in I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988), Mr. Simms in Tales From The Hood (1995), Jelly Roll Morton in The Legend Of 1900 (1998), and Colonel Fowler in The General's Daughter (1999). He also appeared in Tough Guys Don't Dance (1987), Sugar Hill (1993), Life (1999), Reindeer Games (2000), American Gangster (2007) and Lee Daniels' The Butler (2013). Other television roles included FBI Agent Roger Hardy in Twin Peaks, and Omet'iklan in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. 

As Omar Little in The Wire (2002-2008), Michael K. Williams created one of the most fascinating and engrossing TV characters of the 21st Century. He would also appear on TV in Boardwalk Empire (2010-2014), The Night Of (2016), When They See Us (2019), and Lovecraft Country (2020). His many film roles included Robert in 12 Years A Slave (2013), Jack Lewis in RoboCop (2014), Agent Hawkins in Ghostbusters (2016), and Moussa in Assassin's Creed (2016). He also appeared in Gone Baby Gone (2007), The Incredible Hulk (2008), The Road (2009), The Purge: Anarchy (2014), and Motherless Brooklyn (2019).

Other people who have passed away this year include:

- Cypriot-born visual consultant, designer, and conceptual artist Chris Achilleos (Willow, Heavy Metal, King Arthur)

- American actor Rick Aiello (Do The Right Thing, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, Jungle Fever)

- Australian stunt co-ordinator and performer Bradley James Allan (Rush Hour 2, Scott Pilgrim Vs.. The World, Kingsman: The Golden Circle)

- American actor Scott Atkinson (Elvira's Haunted Hills, Windtalkers, The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life Of Ethan Green)

- South African-born actor David Bailie (Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl, Gladiator, Doctor Who)

- American actress Lisa Banes (Gone Girl, Cocktail, Young Guns)

- French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo (A Bout De Souffle [Breathless], La Ciociara [Two Women], Pierrot Le Fou)

- American screenwriter and producer Walter Bernstein (The Front, Fail-Safe, The House On Carroll Street)

- Canadian-born actor, choreographer and entertainer Lionel Blair (A Hard Day's Night, Absolute Beginners, Give Us A Clue)

- British actor Johnny Briggs (H.M.S. Defiant, Carry On England, Coronation Street)

- Australian actor Dieter Brummer (Home And Away, Neighbours, Underbelly)

- British actress Denise Bryer (Return To Oz, Labyrinth, Terrahawks)

- Italian actor Nino Castelnuovo (The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg, The English Patient, That Malicious Age)

- British actor John Challis (Only Fools And Horses, Doctor Who, Benidorm)

- Japanese actor and stuntman Shin'ichi "Sonny" Chiba (Kill Bill, The Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Drift, The Street Fighter)

- American actor Kevin Clark (School Of Rock)

- Australian producer, writer and director John Cornell (Crocodile Dundee, Crocodile Dundee II, Almost An Angel)

- Greek-American actor Michael Constantine (My Big Fat Greek Wedding, The Hustler, Voyage Of The Damned)

- American actor and rapper Deezer D (ER, Romy And Michele's High School Reunion, Cool As Ice)

- Australian actor David Dalaithngu (Crocodile Dundee, Rabbit-Proof Fence, Australia)

- American actor Henry Darrow (The Hitcher, Blue Heat, Runaway Jury)

- American producer Martha De Laurentiis (Red Dragon, Hannibal, U-571)

- American actor Dustin Diamond (Saved By The Bell)

- American actor and rapper DMX (Cradle 2 The Grave, Exit Wounds, Romeo Must Die)

- American actress Suzzanne Douglas (School Of Rock, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Jason's Lyric)

- American actor, writer, director and producer Robert Downey, Sr. (Putney Swope, Tower Heist, To Live And Die In L.A.)

- American actress Marilyn Eastman (Night Of The Living Dead)

- British actor Mark Eden (Séance On A Wet Afternoon, Coronation Street, Doctor Who)

- American actor and voice-over announcer Mark Elliott 

- American poet and playwright Lawrence Ferlinghetti

- British actress Myra Frances (Doctor Who, Survivors, Don't Just Lie There, Say Something!)

- Croatian actress Mira Furlan (Babylon 5, Lost, When Father Was Away On Business) 

- American actor Willie Garson (Sex And The City, White Collar, Groundhog Day)

- American producer and documentarian Leon Gast (When We Were Kings, Smash His Camera, The Trials Of Muhammad Ali)

- American actor Richard Gilliland (Airplane II: The Sequel, Designing Women, Happy Hour)

- American actor Craig "muMs" Grant (Oz, Dark Water, BlacKkKlansman)

- Native American actor Saginaw Grant (Grey Owl, The World's Fastest Indian, The Lone Ranger)

- British actor Leon Greene (A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, The Devil Rides Out, Carry On At Your Convenience)

- Italian producer Alberto Grimaldi (The Good, The Bad And The Ugly, Last Tango In Paris, Gangs Of New York)

- American actor, make-up artist, and special effects designer Cleve Hall (Twisted Nightmare, Re-Animator, Camp Dread)

- American actor James Hampton (The China Syndrome, Teen Wolf, Sling Blade)

- American actress Cynthia Harris (Mad About You, Mannequin: On The Move, Three Men And A Baby)

- British actress Damaris Hayman (Doctor Who, Bunny Lake Is Missing, The Pink Panther Strikes Again)

- British writer, producer, and actor Tony Hendra (This Is Spinal Tap, The Great White Hype, Jumpin' Jack Flash)

- American actor and stuntman Bob Herron (L.A. Confidential, Liar Liar, Diamonds Are Forever)

- British-born actress Patricia Hitchcock (Psycho, Strangers On A Train, Alfred Hitchcock Presents...)

- British actor Bernard Holley (Doctor Who, The Gentle Touch, Z Cars)

- American cinematographer John Hora (The Howling, Gremlins, Honey I Blew Up The Kid)

- British actress Sally Ann Howes (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Admirable Crichton, The History Of Mr. Polly)

- Ukrainian cinematographer Halyna Hutchins (The Mad Hatter, Blindfire, Archenemy)

- Russian actor Ravil Isyanov (Transformers: Dark Of The Moon, Defiance, K-19: The Widowmaker)

- French stunt co-ordinator and driver Rémy Julienne (A View To A Kill, Licence To Kill, GoldenEye) 

- American broadcaster Larry King

- American actor Bruce Kirby (Crash, Throw Momma From The Train, Stand By Me)

- American actor Tommy Kirk (Old Yeller, The Shaggy Dog, Swiss Family Robinson)

- American actress Tawny Kitaen (Bachelor Party, Witchboard, White Hot)

- Indian actor Dilip Kumar (Devdas, Mughal-E-Azam, Kohinoor)

- American actor Art LaFleur (Cobra, Field Of Dreams, The Sandlot)

- British actress Jackie Lane (Doctor Who)

- American actor Joe Lara (Tarzan: The Epic Adventures)

- American actress Joanne Linville (A Star Is Born, Star Trek, Scorpio)

- American producer, director, and actor Norman Lloyd (Spellbound, Dead Poets Society, In Her Shoes)

- British comedian, writer and actor Sean Lock

- Canadian actor and writer Norm MacDonald (Saturday Night Live, Billy Madison, Doctor Dolittle)

- American actor Gavin MacLeod (The Sand Pebbles, Kelly's Heroes, The Love Boat)

- American comedian and actor Jackie Mason (The Simpsons, The Jerk, Caddyshack II)

- American actor Biff McGuire (The Thomas Crown Affair, The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter, Serpico)

- American author and screenwriter Larry McMurtry (Terms Of Endearment, The Last Picture Show, Brokeback Mountain)

- American actor Frank McRae (*batteries not included, Licence To Kill, Loaded Weapon I)

- Russian director and actor Vladimir Menshov (Moscow Does Not Believe In Tears, Day Watch, The Envy Of Gods)

- American writer and actor Paul Mooney (The Richard Pryor Show, The Buddy Holly Story, In Living Color)

- American sound editor Alan Robert Murray (Letters From Iwo Jima, American Sniper, Joker)

- American actor Walter Olkewicz (Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, The Client, 1941)

- British actor Brian Osborne (Nighthawks, Cary On England, Under Milk Wood)

- British actress Nicola Pagett (Upstairs Downstairs, Anne Of The Thousand Days, An Awfully Big Adventure)

- British actor Trevor Peacock (The Vicar Of Dibley, Fred Claus, Hamlet)

- British-Italian screenwriter and director Clare Peploe (Zabriskie Point, Rough Magic, The Triumph Of Love)

- American casting director Don Phillips (Fast Times At Ridgemont High, Mallrats, Dog Day Afternoon)

- American actress Jane Powell (Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, Royal Wedding, A Date With Judy)

- American actress Marion Ramsey (Police Academy)

- American author and screenwriter Anne Rice (Interview With The Vampire, Queen Of The Damned, Exit To Eden)

- British actor Paul Ritter (Friday Night Dinner, Chernobyl, The Limehouse Golem)

- British actor and stuntman Doug Robinson (Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom, A View To A Kill, An American Werewolf In London)

- British actor Clifford Rose (The Iron Lady, Doctor Who, Secret Army)

- Italian actor Antonio Sabàto, Sr. (Grand Prix, Barbarella, Escape From The Bronx)

- British actor and stuntman Roy Scammell (Willow, Doctor Who, GoldenEye) 

- British actor Tony Selby (Doctor Who, Witchfinder General, Adolf Hitler: My Part In His Downfall)

- British actress Barbara Shelley (Village Of The Damned, Dracula: Prince Of Darkness, Quatermass And The Pit)

- American actor Gregory Sierra (Beneath The Planet Of The Apes, Papillon, The Towering Inferno)

- Italian-born actor and stuntman Felix Silla (The Addams Family, Batman Returns, Spaceballs)

- American actor Joseph Siravo (Carlito's Way, Maid In Manhattan, The Sopranos)

- American casting director Lynn Stalmaster (The Greatest Story Ever Told, Harold And Maude, Superman)

- American composer and songwriter Jim Steinman

- British actress Una Stubbs (Summer Holiday, Sherlock, Worzel Gummidge)

- French director, writer, and producer Bertrand Tavernier (The Watchmaker Of St. Paul, A Sunday In The Country, 'Round Midnight)

- American actor James Michael Tyler (Friends)

- German voice actress and dialogue coach Nikki Van der Zyl (Dr. No, Goldfinger, You Only Live Twice)

- American actor, writer, director, and producer Melvin Van Peebles (Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, Watermelon Man, Last Action Hero)

- American director, producer, and writer David Von Ancken (Seraphim Falls)

- Japanese costume designer Emi Wada (Ran, Hero, House Of Flying Daggers)

- British director Norman J. Warren (Bloody New Year, Terror, Inseminoid)

- American actress Erica Watson (Dirty Laundry, Precious, Chi-Raq)

- American producer Diane Weyermann (An Inconvenient Truth, CitizenFour, American Factory)

- British actor Henry Woolf (The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Superman III, Doctor Who)

- American actor Samuel E. Wright (Bird, The Little Mermaid, Dinosaur)