Sister production companies Lucky 21 and Directorz have united under the Lucky 21 banner. The new Lucky 21’s roster consists of directors Jeff Bednarz and Tom Ryan, who had been at Directorz, and The Chartrands from Lucky 21. The unified company is headquartered in Culver City with a second office in Dallas.
“Lucky 21 is already part of our DNA, so as we’ve grown it seemed like a perfect expression of our company,” explained EP John Gilliland. “This natural evolution allows us to offer all of our talent under one company and to continue to build our national and international presence as one.”
Recent Lucky 21 projects include campaigns for The Home Depot, TGI Fridays, and BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee and have found the team shooting everywhere from New Zealand and Haiti to Los Angeles, Austin, and Miami.
Lucky 21 has unveiled a new brand identity by BLOK and website designed by Funkhaus, both led by EP Anita Olan who has deep experience leading brand campaigns.
“It was exciting to take what I’ve previously spearheaded with networks and brands and apply that inward,” said Olan. “We had fantastic partners in the process with BLOK and Funkhaus. Both understood our culture and translated it with intelligence, fun, and amazing design.”
Rom-Com Mainstay Hugh Grant Shifts To The Dark Side and He’s Never Been Happier
After some difficulties connecting to a Zoom, Hugh Grant eventually opts to just phone instead.
"Sorry about that," he apologizes. "Tech hell." Grant is no lover of technology. Smart phones, for example, he calls the "devil's tinderbox."
"I think they're killing us. I hate them," he says. "I go on long holidays from them, three or four days at at time. Marvelous."
Hell, and our proximity to it, is a not unrelated topic to Grant's new film, "Heretic." In it, two young Mormon missionaries (Chloe East, Sophie Thatcher) come knocking on a door they'll soon regret visiting. They're welcomed in by Mr. Reed (Grant), an initially charming man who tests their faith in theological debate, and then, in much worse things.
After decades in romantic comedies, Grant has spent the last few years playing narcissists, weirdos and murders, often to the greatest acclaim of his career. But in "Heretic," a horror thriller from A24, Grant's turn to the dark side reaches a new extreme. The actor who once charmingly stammered in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and who danced to the Pointer Sisters in "Love Actually" is now doing heinous things to young people in a basement.
"It was a challenge," Grant says. "I think human beings need challenges. It makes your beer taste better in the evening if you've climbed a mountain. He was just so wonderfully (expletive)-up."
"Heretic," which opens in theaters Friday, is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, co-writers of "A Quiet Place." In Grant's hands, Mr. Reed is a divinely good baddie — a scholarly creep whose wry monologues pull from a wide range of references, including, fittingly, Radiohead's "Creep."
In an interview, Grant spoke about these and other facets of his character, his journey... Read More