Actor, producer and screenwriter Ryan Reynolds will receive “The People’s Icon” award at the 2022 People’s Choice Awards, NBC and E! announced. Reynolds will be honored for his contributions to film and television, including recent Netflix film “The Adam Project.” The program will air on NBC and E! on Tuesday, December 6 at 9 p.m. ET from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica.
“In any endeavor – whether it’s acting, producing, marketing or business – Ryan Reynolds has the unique ability to create joy and authentically connect with his audience. He’s received many accolades over the years, but it’s these innate qualities that makes him so beloved,” said Cassandra Tryon, SVP, entertainment live events, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “We cannot wait to present Ryan with ‘The People’s Icon’ award at this year’s show.”
Reynolds can next be seen in the musical comedy “Spirited” opposite Will Ferrell and Octavia Spencer, which will premiere November 18 on Apple TV+. The third installment of Reynolds’ “Deadpool” action superhero franchise is in the works under Marvel Studios, with Hugh Jackman attached to reprise his role as Wolverine.
Past recipients of “The People’s Icon” award include Halle Berry, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Aniston and Melissa McCarthy.
Also in today’s television news:
CASTING
Great American Family announced actor James Tupper is set to star alongside Lori Loughlin in “Fall Into Winter,” an original movie currently filming and slated for a world premiere on the network in January 2023.
Loughlin plays Kerrie, who is aghast when her brother sells his half of their family-owned, upscale candy shop to his best friend from high school — Kerrie’s old nemesis, Brooks — (Tupper) forcing urgency to find common ground so the pair can run the business together. With fate bringing the unlikely pair together, the possibility of new beginnings intrigues both parties.
“Fall Into Winter” is executive produced by Brad Krevoy and Susie Belzberg Krevoy, while David Anselmo produces for HP Into Winter Productions, Inc.
TRAILERS
HBO has released the official trailer for the third season of unscripted series “We’re Here,” returning for six weekly episodes starting on Friday, November 25.
This series follows drag queens Bob the Drag Queen, Eureka O’Hara and Shangela as they continue their journey across small-town America, spreading love and connection through the art of drag. This season, the queens recruit a diverse group of local residents across states like Texas, Florida, Mississippi and others, inspiring their “drag daughters” to express their genuine selves in front of their families, friends and communities through one-night only drag shows.
The show is created and executive produced by Stephen Warren and Johnnie Ingram, directed and executive produced by Peter LoGreco, executive produced by Eli Holzman & Aaron Saidman and Erin Gamble for The Intellectual Property Corporation, a part of Sony Pictures Television. Caldwell Tidicue (Bob the Drag Queen), “Eureka” D. Huggard (Eureka O’Hara) and D.J. Pierce (Shangela) serve as series producers.
Check out the trailer below.
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Prime Video Sports released the trailer for “Good Rivals” — previously titled “Good Neighbors” — a three-part docuseries about the rivalry between the Mexican and American men’s national soccer teams. The streamer also announced a November 24 premiere date for the series.
The docuseries will peel back the political social, and sporting layers of a rivalry that has become must-see TV over the past 30 years. Spotlighting the personal and professional arcs of stars from each nation like Landon Donovan and Rafa Márquez, the documentary will explain how they became symbols of their country’s cultures during their respective careers in the early and mid 2000s. Both countries’ men’s national teams qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, which kicks off later this month.
“Good Rivals” is executive produced by Skydance Sports’ David Ellison, Jesse Sisgold and Jon Weinbach; Meadowlark Media’s John Skipper and Deirdre Fenton; and Ocellated Media’s Dante Möller. The docuseries is a co-production from Prime Video Sports and Skydance Sports, with Meadowlark Media and Ocellated producing. Nicaraguan filmmaker Gabriel Serra directs the series, which will feature a variety of American and Mexican perspectives, with episodes accessible for both English- and Spanish-speaking audiences.
Check out the trailer below.
PROGRAMMING
Jazz recording artist Josephine Beavers will be the headlining artist of the upcoming holiday PBS Special “The Musicians’ Green Book: An Enduring Legacy,” which is set to exclusively premiere on the network on November 26, with airings to follow throughout December.
The special is a celebration of the vibrant jazz, R&B and soul music from Black artists who, during segregation, created the foundation of modern American music. Navigating the injustices of racial segregation was difficult and dangerous, even for well-known artists like Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Little Richard and Sam Cooke, leading them to rely on Victor Hugo Green’s “Negro Traveler’s Green Book,” a directory of lodgings, restaurants and entertainment venues where Black individuals were safe and welcomed.
The basis of the special was also the narrative through-line of 2018 film “Green Book,” starring Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali, which won best picture at the 91st Academy Awards.
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Freeform announced winter premiere dates for the series premiere of “The Watchful Eye” and returning comedy “Grown-ish.”
“The Watchful Eye” will premiere Monday, January 30, with a double episode premiere at 9 p.m. before moving to its regular 10 p.m. timeslot. The series follows Elena Santos, played by Mariel Molino, a young woman with a complicated past maneuvering her way into working as a live-in nanny for an affluent family in Manhattan. The show comes from Ryan Seacrest Productions and stars Molino, Warren Christie, Amy Acker, Jon Ecker, Aliyah Royale, Lex Lumpkin, Henry Joseph Samiri and Kelly Bishop. It is created by Julie Durk, who also serves as consultant. Emily Fox serves as showrunner and executive producer. Ryan Seacrest, Nina Wass, Andrea Shay and Jeffrey Reiner serve as executive producers, with Reiner directing the pilot. The series is produced by ABC Signature, which is part of Disney Television Studios.
“Grown-ish” returns for the second half of its fifth season on Wednesday, January 18, at 10:30 p.m. After following in his big sister Zoey’s footsteps, Junior finishes his first year at Cal U, transitioning from Zoey’s little brother into big man on campus. The series stars Yara Shahidi, Marcus Scribner, Trevor Jackson, Diggy Simmons and Daniella Perkins and is produced by ABC Signature. Kenya Barris, Zakiyyah Alexander, Courtney Lilly, Craig Doyle, Yara Shahidi, Anthony Anderson, Laurence Fishburne, Helen Sugland, E. Brian Dobbins and Michael Petok serve as executive producers. Alexander and Lilly also serve as co-showrunners.
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Oxygen True Crime and CrimeCon have announced “CrimeCon: Give-Back-a-Thon,” a livestream event hosted by television personality and true-crime investigative journalist Stephanie Bauer. The event (at crimecon/crimecongivesback) will feature programming as well as a live auction of unique experiences. Fans will also have the opportunity to watch exclusive panels and content from Oxygen True Crime’s series, including “911 Crisis Center,” “Cold Justice” and “Killer Relationship with Faith Jenkins” during the livestream.
The live auction will officially open on November 25 at 8 p.m. ET, with items remaining open for bidding through Giving Tuesday, Nov. 29. Items up for auction include the below with more to be announced soon:
- Be Chris Hansen’s production assistant on an upcoming sting takedown
- Work a cold case with Sheryl McCollum
- Spend a day with Dr. Henry Lee at the Institute of Forensic Science
All proceeds from the live auction will benefit the National Center for Victims of Crime, a nonprofit organization that advocates for victims’ rights, trains professionals who work with victims and serves as a trusted source of information on victims’ issues.
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America’s Cup and Skydance Sports announced an exclusive partnership to produce an all-access, behind-the-scenes documentary series on the 37th edition of the America’s Cup, the world’s premier sailing event and longest-running international sports competition. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, the Academy Award-winning directors of the 2018 documentary “Free Solo,” will executive produce under their Little Monster Films banner alongside producer Evan Hayes and his Anomaly Content & Entertainment production company, with David Ellison, Jesse Sisgold and Jon Weinbach of Skydance.
All teams competing in the iconic sailing event will allow extensive access into their preparations and execution of the race, and the documentary series will showcase the people and the drama – on and off the water – throughout the competition. The 37th America’s Cup will take place in September and October of 2024.
DEALS
Fox Corporation announced that it has selected FreeWheel, a global technology platform for the television advertising industry, as a partner to enable its oneFox video inventory across the company’s leading entertainment, sports, streaming and news portfolio.
FreeWheel will work with Fox to manage direct sold advertising campaigns across Fox News Media, Fox Sports, Fox Entertainment and Tubi.
