Director Jon M. Chu, known for his visually stunning blockbuster films including Crazy Rich Asians, will receive the Motion Picture Showman of the Year Award at the 56th Annual International Cinematographers Guild (ICG, IATSE Local 600) Publicists Awards for his unique contribution to the art of movies. The awards, which traditionally occur the week leading up to the Academy Awards®, will be held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Friday, February 22, 2019.
In announcing the award, Steven Poster, ASC, national president of the ICG, said, “Jon M. Chu has made an extraordinary contribution to the art of filmmaking. His Crazy Rich Asians, adored by audiences throughout the world, is the first studio modern day film to feature an all-Asian cast in a quarter of a century. We celebrate the achievement of this breakout film, which has moved diverse audiences around the world.”
Chu is known for his kinetic work across various genres from groundbreaking digital series to commercials and feature films. Crazy Rich Asians has earned over $173 million dollars in the United States alone.
Chu’s previous credits include Step Up 2: The Streets, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Justin Bieber: Never Say Never and many more representing over 1.3 billion dollars in the worldwide box office. His past honors include a Teen Choice Award, MTV Movie Award, and International Emmy.
In the commercial/digital/music video space Chu broke new ground by creating The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers (The LXD) and broke records with directing videos for Justin Bieber and the Virgin America Safety Video. Chu is directing and executive producing an untitled streaming series for Apple inspired by 11-year-old investigative reporter Hilde Lysiak.
In the summer of 2019, Chu will helm his most ambitious project to date: the highly anticipated adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony Award-winning musical In the Heights for Warner Bros. Studios.
As the youngest of five children from Palo Alto, California, Chu continues to use the influences of his childhood (family, technology, food, music and movement) to tell personal stories that connect with audiences from around the world.
ICG Publicists Awards chair this year is Tim Menke with Sheryl Main serving as co-chair. Nominations will be announced in January 2019. Final online balloting will be held Jan. 14-Feb. 4, and winners will be announced at the lunch ceremony on Friday, February 22, 2019.
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