hbo asia – Page 5 – Jellybeans in the City

HBO remembers Gloria Vanderbilt with Encore Presentation of NOTHING LEFT UNSAID: GLORIA VANDERBILT & ANDERSON COOPER exclusively on HBO GO

HBO remembers Gloria Vanderbilt with an encore presentation of the poignant documentary NOTHING LEFT UNSAID: GLORIA VANDERBILT & ANDERSON COOPER, which is available for streaming exclusively on HBO GO. The documentary will also encore on HBO SIGNATURE on 23 and 26 June, 2.30pm and 6pm respectively.

Debuting in 2016, the feature-length film intertwines archival footage and previously unseen home videos spanning eight decades with present-day scenes to paint an intimate portrait of one of America’s most fascinating families. In a series of candid conversations, Cooper and Vanderbilt tell the story of their past and present, losses and loves, and show how, in life, patterns repeat themselves in the most unexpected ways.

NOTHING LEFT UNSAID: GLORIA VANDERBILT & ANDERSON COOPER is a Moxie Firecracker Films production; a film by Liz Garbus; directed by Liz Garbus; executive producer, Anderson Cooper. For HBO: senior producer, Nancy Abraham; executive producer, Sheila Nevins.

HBO Original productions as well as live channels are also available for streaming on HBO GO which is exclusively available to SKY subscribers in the Philippines. To subscribe, call 418-0000 or your local SKY office or visit www.mysky.com.ph.

Disclosure: I work for SKY and part of my job is promoting its products and services, especially the content it provides to its subscribers. I consider being able to share my love for TV shows and movies and the experience of watching and talking about them with like-minded people some of the biggest perks of my job.

Show details and image provided by HBO in a recent press release.

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HBO Films’ SHARE premieres July 28 exclusively on HBO and HBO Go

The HBO Films presentation SHARE, which screened in official selection at Cannes Film Festival this year, debuts same time as the U.S. on Sunday, 28 July at 10am exclusively on HBO GO and HBO. The film encores the same day on HBO at 10pm.

Based on Pippa Bianco’s Cannes Film Festival award-winning short of the same name, this feature-length drama stars Rhianne Barreto as 16-year-old Mandy, who discovers a disturbing video from a night she doesn’t remember and must try to figure out what happened and how to navigate the escalating fallout. SHARE also stars Charlie Plummer, Poorna Jagannathan, J.C. MacKenzie, Nicholas Galitzine, Lovie Simone and Danny Mastrogiorgio.

At the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, Pippa Bianco received the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award and Rhianne Barreto won the Special Jury Award for Achievement in Acting, both in the U.S. Dramatic Competition. The film was also featured this year as the closing night screening of MoMA and Film Society of Lincoln Center’s New Directors/New Films Festival, and most recently screened in official selection at Cannes Film Festival.

SHARE is an HBO Films presentation of an A24 and Loveless production; written and directed by Pippa Bianco; produced by Carly Hugo, Tyler Byrne and Matt Parker.

HBO is available on SKYcable Ch. 54 SD/Ch. 168 HD (For Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan, Lipa-Batangas) or on Ch. 402 SD/710 HD (For Bacolod, Baguio, Cebu, Davao, Dumaguete, General Santos, Iloilo). SKYdirect subscribers can watch it on Ch. 22 HD. HBO Original Series as well as live channels are also available for streaming on HBO GO which is exclusively available to SKY subscribers. To subscribe, call 418-0000 or your local SKY office or visit www.mysky.com.ph.

Series details provided by HBO in a recent press release.

Header image from IMDB.com.

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HBO’s Emmy-winning series Little Big Lies returns June 10 on HBO and HBO Go

HBO Emmy®-winning series BIG LITTLE LIES returns same time as the U.S. on Monday, 10 June at 9am, exclusively on HBO GO and HBO. The episode repeats on the same day at 10pm on HBO. New episodes premiere every Monday at the same time. The second season of this subversive, darkly comedic drama will explore the malignancy of lies, the durability of friendships, the fragility of marriage and the vicious ferocity of sound parenting. Relationships will fray, loyalties will erode…the potential for emotional and bodily injury shall loom.

The Monterey Five – Madeline (Reese Witherspoon), Celeste (Nicole Kidman), Jane (Shailene Woodley), Renata (Laura Dern) and Bonnie (Zoë Kravitz) – are joined by Celeste’s visiting mother-in-law, Mary Louise (Meryl Streep), and their husbands, Ed (Adam Scott), Nathan (James Tupper) and Gordon (Jeffrey Nordling), in this seven-episode season.

Created by David E. Kelley; teleplays by David E. Kelley; story by David E. Kelley and Liane Moriarty; based on the novel by Liane Moriarty; directed by Andrea Arnold; executive producers, Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, David E. Kelley, Andrea Arnold, Jean-Marc Vallée, Bruna Papandrea, Per Saari, Gregg Fienberg, Nathan Ross and Liane Moriarty.

Series details and image provided by HBO in a recent press release.

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Five-part miniseries CHERNOBYL premieres on HBO and HBO Go on May 7

Premiering the same time as the U.S. on HBO GO and HBO on Tuesday 7 May 9am, CHERNOBYL dramatizes the 1986 nuclear accident, one of the worst human-made catastrophes in history, and tells the story of the brave men and women who made incredible sacrifices to save Europe from unimaginable disaster, all the while battling a culture of disinformation.

Airing every Tuesday at 9am, with a same day encore at 10pm, the five-part miniseries stars Jared Harris (“The Crown”; Emmy nominee for “Mad Men”), Stellan Skarsgård (“Melancholia,” “Good Will Hunting”) and Emily Watson (Oscar nominee for “Hilary and Jackie” and “Breaking the Waves”).

CHERNOBYL, was written, created and executive produced by Craig Mazin (“The Huntsman: Winter’s War”) and directed by Johan Renck (“Breaking Bad”); produced by Sister Pictures, The Mighty Mint and Word Games as an HBO/Sky co-production. Carolyn Strauss (Emmy winner for “Game of Thrones”) and Jane Featherstone (“Broadchurch”) executive produce; Johan Renck and Chris Fry (“Humans”) co-executive produce; Sanne Wohlenberg (“Black Mirror”) produces.

On April 26, 1986, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine, Soviet Union suffered a massive explosion that released radioactive material across Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, and as far as Scandinavia and western Europe.

Jared Harris portrays Valery Legasov, a leading Soviet nuclear physicist. As part of the response team, he is one of the first to grasp the scope of the unparalleled disaster that has occurred.

Stellan Skarsgård plays Soviet Deputy Prime Minister Boris Shcherbina, who is assigned by the Kremlin to lead the government commission on Chernobyl in the hours immediately following the accident.

Emily Watson portrays Ulana Khomyuk, a Soviet nuclear physicist committed to solving the mystery of what led to the Chernobyl disaster.

The miniseries also stars: Paul Ritter (“Lovesick”) as Chernobyl deputy chief engineer Anatoly Dyatlov; Jessie Buckley (“Beast”) as Lyudmilla Ignatenko, a Pripyat resident married to a firefighter on the first response team; Adrian Rawlins (“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”) as Chernobyl chief engineer Nikolai Fomin; and Con O’Neill (“Harlots”) as plant director Viktor Bryukhanov.

The cast also includes: Sam Troughton (“The Ritual”), Adam Nagaitis (“The Terror”), Barry Keoghan (“Dunkirk”), Ralph Ineson (“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”), Mark Lewis Jones (“Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi”), Fares Fares (HBO’s “Westworld”) and David Dencik (“McMafia”).

Writer, creator and executive producer Craig Mazin began researching the Chernobyl disaster in 2014, using a wide variety of materials, including several books and government reports from inside and outside of the Soviet Union. He spoke to nuclear scientists to learn how a reactor works, and interviewed former Soviet citizens to gain a better sense of the culture in 1986.

Mazin also read a great number of first-person accounts, which helped bring an additional layer of authenticity and humanity to the story. He explains, “When you’re reading the personal stories of people who were there – people who lived near the plant, people who worked at the plant, people who were sent to Chernobyl as part of the effort to clean it up – in those individual accounts, that’s really where the story came alive.”

Principal photography for CHERNOBYL took place in Lithuania and Ukraine, with a creative team including: director of photography Jakob Ihre (“Thelma”); production designer Luke Hull (“Howards End”); editors, Jinx Godfrey (“The Theory of Everything”) and Simon Smith (“Endeavor”); costume designer Odile Dicks-Mireaux (“Brooklyn”); casting directors Nina Gold and Robert Sterne (both two-time Emmy^® winners for HBO’s “Game of Thrones”); and composer Hildur Guðnadóttir (“Trapped”).

Episodes include:

Episode 1: “1:23:45”

Premiere date: Tuesday, 7 May at 9am on HBO GO and HBO

April 26, 1986, Ukrainian SSR. Plant workers and firefighters put their lives on the line to control a catastrophic 1986 explosion at a Soviet nuclear power plant.

Written by Craig Mazin; directed by Johan Renck.

Episode 2: “Please Remain Calm”

Debut date: Tuesday, 14 May at 9am on HBO GO and HBO

With untold millions at risk after the Chernobyl explosion, nuclear physicist Ulana Khomyuk (Emily Watson) makes a desperate attempt to reach Valery Legasov (Jared Harris), a leading Soviet nuclear physicist, and warn him about the threat of second explosion that could devastate the continent.

Written by Craig Mazin; directed by Johan Renck.

Episode 3: “Open Wide, O Earth”

Debut date: Tuesday, 21 May at 9am on HBO GO and HBO

Lyudmilla Ignatenko (Jessie Buckley), a Pripyat resident, ignores warning about her firefighter husband’s (Adam Nagaitis) contamination; Valery Legasov (Jared Harris) lays out a decontamination plan, complete with human risks.

Written by Craig Mazin; directed by Johan Renck.

Episode 4: “The Happiness of All Mankind”

Debut date: Tuesday, 28 May at 9am on HBO GO and HBO

Valery Legasov (Jared Harris) and Soviet Deputy Prime Minister Boris Shcherbina (Stellan Skarsgård) consider using lunar rovers to remove radioactive debris, while Ulana Khomyuk (Emily Watson) faces government hurdles in determining the truth about the cause of the explosion.

Written by Craig Mazin; directed by Johan Renck.

Episode 5: “Vichnaya Pamyat” (finale)

Debut date: Tuesday, 4 June at 9am on HBO GO and HBO

Valery Legasov (Jared Harris), Boris Shcherbina (Stellan Skarsgård) and Ulana Khomyuk (Emily Watson) risk their lives and reputations to expose the truth about Chernobyl.

Written by Craig Mazin; directed by Johan Renck.

Series details and images provided by HBO in a recent press release.

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SKY treats subscribers to exclusive Game of Thrones events

SKY subscribers who are die-hard Game of Thrones fans were recently given one-of-a-kind experiences: an ice skating spectacle inspired by HBO’s phenomenal hit TV series and an exclusive live screening of the final season premiere in one of the trendiest establishments in Poblacion, Makati.

On April 12 and 13, they witnessed Fire or Ice: A Musical Spectacle at SM Megamall’s Skating Rink.

There, they were treated to the outstanding performances by the country’s top figure skaters Joel Minas and Sofia Guidote. Minas, who has bagged over 30 gold medals in various local and international skating competitions, masterfully brought King in the North Jon Snow to life on the ice. Guidote, on the other hand, in her role as Mother of Dragons Danaerys Targaryen, displayed the grace and athleticism that helped her bag the gold medal for the third year in a row at the Philippine National Competition. Together, they gave absolutely stunning performances.

This remarkable event was made possible by SKY’s partnership with SM Lifestyle Entertainment Inc.

On April 15, selected SKY subscribers were invited to an exclusive live viewing party at the Johnnie Walker House in Poblacion. SKY partnered with Diageo, the company behind the Johnnie Walker brand, in hosting the event. Guests were treated to a sumptuous breakfast with food items that whimsically reference Game of Thrones characters and locations. Ten bottles of White Walker, Johnnie Walker’s limited edition Scotch whiskey inspired by the show’s most chillingly enigmatic of characters, were also raffled off to lucky winners.

Of course, the real highlight of the event was the live screening of the Season 8’s premiere episode in full high definition on HBO HD (SKYcable ch 168), all the better for attendees to see (and obsess over) every detail as they happen onscreen.

During both events, attendees were asked to choose their side: vote for their choice on who will sit on the Iron Throne and rule over the seven kingdoms by the series’ end.

They were also serenaded by 4G String Quartet who performed their own haunting renditions of the show’s theme songs and musical scoring.

Cosplayers from Westeros Cosplay PH also graced the events, bringing the show’s lead characters to life, and gamely posed with the show’s fans for selfies and photo opps.

With these two events, it is certainly a great time for a GOT fan to be a SKY subscriber!

Game of Thrones fans can look forward to more immersions into Westeros with the upcoming SKY Alive event at the SM Mall of Asia on April 27 and 28. Here, they can participate in games and contests, interact with their favorite Game of Thrones characters through the attending cosplayers, be entertained by more performances by 4G String Quartet, and experience what it’s like to sit on the Iron Throne!

New episodes of the eighth and final season of GAME OF THRONES will air in Asia same time as the U.S. every Monday at 9am, with a same day encore at 10pm, exclusively on HBO GO and HBO (SKYcable ch 54 SD | 168 HD in Metro Manila).

Based on the popular book series “A Song of Ice and Fire,” by George R.R. Martin, this hit Emmy®-winning fantasy series chronicles an epic struggle for power in a vast and violent kingdom. Members of the ensemble cast for the seventh season included Emmy® and Golden Globe winner Peter Dinklage, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, Aidan Gillen, Kit Harington, Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams. Season seven credits: executive producers, David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Carolyn Strauss, Frank Doelger, Bernadette Caulfield; co-executive producers, Bryan Cogman, Guymon Casady, Vince Gerardis, George R.R. Martin.

HBO GO is HBO’s online streaming service that gives subscribers a chance to watch and enjoy the world’s best movies, HBO Originals and more through the website or the mobile app. Subscription to the app also gives SKY subscribers free access to cable channels – HBO Hits, HBO Family, and HBO Signature. To register your SKY account and subscribe to HBO GO, visit mysky.com.ph/hbogo.

Video Credits: SKYcable on Youtube

All other images are mine.

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HBO Asia announces new lineup of Asian Original Productions

HBO Asia unveiled a line-up of brand new Asian original productions that are scheduled to premiere soon. Since the regional network’s first original production in 2012, HBO Asia has been committed to ramp up the number of quality Asian original content to their audiences in the region and globally. To date, HBO Asia has produced and aired fifteen HBO Asia Original productions and is expanding its repertoire further in the coming years.

HBO Asia recently hosted a press conference in Hong Kong to further showcase four upcoming projects that included an anthology drama series, a crime drama, a sci-fi thriller and the second season of a coming-of-age drama series. Actors Vivian Hsu, David Wang and James Wen, directors Eric Khoo and Billy Christian and executive producer, Cheang Pou-Soi were present to share insights about the upcoming HBO Asia Original productions. All upcoming HBO Asia Originals will be available in the Philippines exclusively on HBO Asia’s network of channels including HBO (SKYcable channel 54 SD and 168 HD in Metro Manila) and HBO’s online streaming platform, HBO GO.

Mr. Jonathan Spink, CEO of HBO Asia said, “Over the past 7 years, we recognise the significance and importance of locally produced programming. Since 2012, the number of Asian original productions we have done has been increasing and they have all proven to be very effective for us. We are encouraged to learn that our Asian productions are working well across the region, especially those in local languages.” He further adds, “We maintain our commitment to producing outstanding programming and will continuously aim to present our content to our audience in the region, in an easily accessible way. We will continue to produce the highest quality content that the HBO brand represents and showcase to the world the best Asia has to offer.”

Series premiering soon on HBO Asia’s network of channels include (in alphabetical order):

DREAM RAIDER is HBO Asia’s first science fiction drama series. DREAM RAIDER is an eight-episode hour-long series that brings together production expertise from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan featuring cast and crew including actors Vivian Hsu, David Wang, Jason Wang, Weber Yang and Ellen Wu, executive producer, renowned filmmaker, Cheang Pou-Soi, directors, Daniel Fu and Simon Hung, and producer, Freeman Xiang. Set in the near future, DREAM RAIDER features a misfit team of scientists and cops that are trying to get to the bottom of a criminal conspiracy that exploits human consciousness. The series opens with a criminal police officer that is investigating a case of missing girls and uncovers a mysterious cutting-edge technology that enables them to enter the dreamscapes of others to find the truth. The series is produced with the support of the Taipei Film Commission and Taipei Cultural Foundation.

FOOD LORE is an eight-episode hour-long anthology series that explores the human condition with narratives inspired by and showcased through the perspectives of Asian cuisines, weaving tales of the tastes and aromas that have filled the Asian souls – tales of longing and forbidden passion, of connection and loss, of childhood memory. Helmed by award-winning Singaporean filmmaker Eric Khoo, the series is shot in eight countries across Asia and directed by some of Asia’s most talented storytellers including Don Aravind (Singapore), Billy Christian (Indonesia), Takumi Saitoh (Japan), Ho Yuhang (Malaysia), Erik Matti (Philippines), Pen-Ek Ratanaruang (Thailand) and Phan Dang Di (Vietnam). FOOD LORE is produced as part of a two-year partnership with the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) in Singapore. Through a series of workshops and collaborations with local companies and talent on HBO Asia Original productions, the partnership aims to develop the content production capabilities of Singapore’s media industry.

THE TEENAGE PSYCHIC is HBO Asia’s second returning series, following the success of the first season. The eight-episode hour-long second season of the coming-of-age Taiwan drama series returns with Kuo Shu Yau reprising her lead role as Xiao Zhen, a psychic born with the ability to see spirits and learning to use her abilities to help others. Starring alongside her will be new cast members including two-time Golden Bell Award-winning actress, Wen Chen-Ling and rising star, Fandy Fan. The new season of THE TEENAGE PSYCHIC sees Xiao Zhen back from her summer break and determined to have a fresh start at school, but life is not that simple, especially when she is still coming to terms with the loss of the love of her life. Things get even more complicated with the arrival of Zhan Xiao Tong, played by Wen Chen-Ling, a soft spoken yet resourceful new member of the drama club. Juggling the multiple pressures from school, the drama club and the demands of the spirit world, things are about to take a turn for the worse for the 17-year-old. THE TEENAGE PSYCHIC season two will be directed by up-and-coming director Liu Yan-Fu (劉彥甫). Chen Ho-Yu, director of THE TEENAGE PSYCHIC season one, will executive produce.

THE WORLD BETWEEN US is a ten-part hour-long Taiwan drama series that follows the aftermath of a mass-shooting where all parties involved – the killer, the victims, the victims’ families, the media and the defense teams, whose fates are all intertwined. Shot entirely in Taiwan, the series features an all-star ensemble cast from Taiwan including Alyssa Chia, James Wen and Wu Kang-Jen. The series is directed by award-winning filmmaker, Lin Chun-Yang ) and written by the renowned award-winning screenwriter, Lu Shih-Yuan . The series is produced by Taiwanese broadcaster, Public Television Service (PTS), and will be jointly distributed by HBO Asia and CATCHPLAY outside of Asia. THE WORLD BETWEEN US premieres in Asia on Sunday, March 24 with two back-to-back episodes from 9pm onwards exclusively on HBO GO and HBO. Two new episodes will debut at the same time every Sunday. The series will also be available on HBO On Demand.

2018 was a great year for HBO Asia Original productions. MISS SHERLOCK, the network’s first Japanese original drama series, and the first HBO Asia Original documentary, THE TALWARS: BEHIND CLOSED DOORS were both recognised at the Asia Academy Creative Awards 2018. MISS SHERLOCK was the national winner for Japan under the categories for Best Drama Series, Best Actress in a Leading Role and Best Actress in a Supporting Role. THE TALWARS: BEHIND CLOSED DOORS was the national winner for Singapore under the Best Documentary Series category. In addition, all six episodes from FOLKLORE, HBO Asia’s first horror anthology series, were recognised at major International film festivals that included the Toronto International Film Festival (Toronto, Canada), SITGES International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia (Barcelona, Spain), Fantastic Fest (Texas, USA), and selected for competition at the International Panorama section of Series Mania International Festival (Lille, France).

HBO Asia Original productions have also reached audiences worldwide. Select titles are available in territories outside of Asia including Spain (on HBO España), Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark (on HBO Nordic), and in Central European territories including Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania and Croatia (on HBO Europe). They are also available to HBO’s U.S. subscribers across the channel’s platforms, including HBO GO®, HBO NOW®, HBO On Demand®, and participating television and streaming partner platforms. These productions most recently included MISS SHERLOCK, FOLKLORE and GRISSE, the network’s first Asian-inspired Western period drama.

Series details and images provided by HBO in a recent press release.

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Starring Jeffrey Wright, HBO Films’ O.G. premieres Feb 24 exclusively on HBO GO and HBO

The HBO Films drama O.G. debuts same time as the U.S. on Sunday, February 24 at 11am exclusively on HBO GO and HBO. The film repeats on the same day at 11.30pm on HBO. Starring Jeffrey Wright (Emmy® winner for HBO’s “Angels in America,” two-time Emmy® nominee for HBO’s “Westworld”), the film is directed by Madeleine Sackler (Emmy® winner for HBO’s “Dangerous Acts Starring the Unstable Elements of Belarus”) and written by Stephen Belber (Emmy® nominee for HBO’s “The Laramie Project”).

O.G. follows Louis (Wright), once the head of a prominent prison gang, in the final weeks of his 24-year sentence. His impending release is upended when he takes new arrival Beecher (Carter), who is being courted by gang leadership, under his wing. Coming to grips with the indelibility of his crime and the challenge of reentering society, Louis finds his freedom hanging in the balance as he struggles to save Beecher.

Also starring Theothus Carter and William Fichtner (“Crash”), O.G. premiered at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival, where Wright won the award for Best Actor in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film. It was filmed over a five-week period at Indiana’s maximum-security Pendleton Correctional Facility.

Groundbreaking in that it was filmed in an active prison, with several of the incarcerated men and prison staff appearing as first-time actors, O.G. takes an intimate and unflinching look at the journey of one man at the precipice of freedom.

The film is executive produced by Sharon Chang, Kareem “Biggs” Burke, Mark Steele, Nic Marshall; produced by Madeleine Sackler, Boyd Holbrook, Celine Rattray, Trudie Styler, Nick Gordon, Trevor Matthews, Stephen Belber and Ged Dickersin.

Director Madeleine Sackler describes the inspiration behind the film’s uniquely realistic approach, noting, “There have been so many prison films that it’s become a genre of its own. To me, when a type of story becomes a genre, it can lose its uniqueness or its specificity in the storytelling.

“My goal was to disregard the prison genre and start from scratch, starting with one character, a man preparing to leave after many years behind bars. To do that as authentically as possible, to truly understand and portray that experience, I wanted to make the film in close collaboration with people going through the experience themselves, so I started calling different departments of correction around the country. And I was very lucky when the state of Indiana called me back.

“This film wouldn’t be what it is if we hadn’t made it as a collaboration with the prison and with hundreds of men incarcerated there. And to have two films come out of the experience, one fiction and one nonfiction, is very exciting. We were able to explore many different themes.”

For Jeffrey Wright, it was a unique experience filming in an active prison, which helped him step inside his character. He explains, “It was absolutely necessary for me to wrap my head and my body around who this character was and what the story was that we were trying to tell. It’s a pretty informative place. It’s an affecting place. There’s an energy inside that place unlike no other, no other. It’s heavy, it’s kind of laden with trauma. It’s just molecularly heavy inside, and it certainly informed our understanding of the story, of the issues, and in my case, the character that I was playing.”

Director Sackler describes her introduction to Theothus Carter, saying, “His audition was incredible. We were watching hundreds of people in one week, and you can’t imagine the array of men who are incarcerated, and the talent and depth that they bring to the dialogue. There’s just no replacement for the real way that people move and interact and talk. And then Theothus came in, and he just blew me and the casting director away. And then he worked harder than anyone else.”

Wright says, “Theothus was all business, and he has a force to him. He has capabilities that we see through this film, that he had never tapped into in a way as constructive as this, perhaps in his lifetime.”

O.G. is an HBO Films and Maven Pictures Presentation in association with Brookstreet Pictures, a Great Curve Films production of a Madeleine Sackler film. The behind-the-scenes team includes director of photography Wolfgang Held; editor Frédéric Thoraval; production designer Michael Bricker; and costume designer Heidi Bivens. Music by Nathaniel Méchaly; casting by Richard Hicks.

After the screenplay for O.G. had been developed and Sackler was prepping to shoot the film, she began collaborating with 13 men incarcerated at the facility on a nonfiction film. In IT’S A HARD TRUTH AIN’T IT, co-directed by Sackler and those men, several of whom were also first-time actors, they study filmmaking as a vehicle to explore their memories and examine how they ended up with decades-long sentences. Animated sequences by Yoni Goodman (“Waltz with Bashir”) bring their stories to life.

Sackler says, “In a way, O.G. and IT’S A HARD TRUTH AIN’T IT are two different sides of the same coin. In O.G., Louis is preparing to leave prison after 24 years of incarceration. In IT’S A HARD TRUTH AIN’T IT, the men look deeper into the paths that got them to prison in the first place. In that sense, neither film is about being in prison, but something deeper.”

Series details and image provided by HBO in a recent press release.

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8 Facts you may not know about Game of Thrones

We still have quite some time to wait until the much-anticipated final season of HBO’s juggernaut of a series Game of Thrones hits the TV screens in April.

Based on George R. R. Martin’s book series, A Song of Ice and Fire, the TV show chronicles the struggles of nine noble families for power in the land of Westeros, as an ancient enemy rises up to threaten the entire land.

With its far-reaching influence and popularity, not just in entertainment, but in general pop culture, you would think that the show’s fans know all there is to know about their favorite show.

But here are some facts you may not know about Game of Thrones.

1. The show’s creators are referred to as D&D.

When you hear “D&D” in the context of Game of Thrones, this actually refers to the showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.

2. Peter Dinklage (“Tyrion Lannister”) and Lena Headey (“Cersei Lannister”) are good friends.

They may snipe at and antagonize each other on-screen, but, away from the cameras, actors Peter Dinklage and Lena Headey have been friends for years. In fact, Dinklage was the one that recommended Headey to D&D for Cersei’s role.

3. The show’s cast includes actors from the Harry Potter franchise.

Among prominent cast members who also appeared in the Harry Potter movies are: Natalia Tena (“Osha”) played Nymphadora Tonks, David Bradley (“Walder Frey”) played Argus Filch, Michelle Fairley (“Catelyn Stark”) played Mrs. Granger, Ciaran Hinds (“Mance Rayder”) played Aberforth Dumbledore and Jim Broadbent (“Archmaester Ebrose”) played Horace Slughorn.

4. Four actors also appeared in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy.

Jack Gleeson (“Joffrey Baratheon”) and Richard Brake (“The Night’s King”) appeared in Batman Begins while Aidan Gillen (“Littlefinger”) and Burn Gorman (“Karl Tanner”) were in The Dark Knight Rises.

5. Two cast members were cast as leads in Marvel’s Iron Fist.

Finn Jones (“Loras Tyrell”) and Jessica Henwick (“Nymeria Sand”) headline the Netflix series Iron Fist as Danny Rand and Colleen Wing, reapectively.

6. Jon Snow and Ygritte ended up together in real life.

Kit Harington and Rose Leslie who played ill-fated lovers Jon Snow and the wildling Ygritte fell on love while filming, got engaged in 2017, and got married in 2018. Harington was even prodded by actress Nicole Kidman about proposing to Leslie while on The Late Late Show with James Corben when she found out that they have moved in together.

7. Two of the female leads have played the same character from the Terminator franchise.

Both Lena Headey and Emilia Clarke (“Danaerys Targaryen”) have played Sarah Connor: Headey in the Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Clarke in Terminator Genisys.

8. A prequel series is in the works.

A spinoff starring Naomi Watts is being developed. Set a thousand years prior to the events of Game of Thrones, it will chronicle Westeros’ descent from the Age of Heroes to the Longest Night.

Game of Thrones’ eighth season is set to premiere in April 2019 on HBO, available on SKYcable Ch. 54 SD/Ch. 168 HD (For Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan, Lipa-Batangas) or on Ch. 402 SD/710 HD (For Bacolod, Baguio, Cebu, Davao, Dumaguete, General Santos, Iloilo). SKYdirect subscribers can watch it on Ch. 22 HD.

If you haven’t watched the series yet or want to review previous episodes, Game of Thrones Seasons 1 to 7, as well as other HBO Original Series are also available for streaming on HBO GO which is exclusively available to SKY subscribers. To subscribe, call 418-0000 or your local SKY office or visit www.mysky.com.ph.

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Third season of True Detective to premiere Jan 14 on HBO and HBO Go

Starring Oscar® winner Mahershala Ali and created by Emmy® nominee Nic Pizzolatto, TRUE DETECTIVE returns for its eight-episode third season with two episodes debuting back-to-back on Monday, 14 January at 10am, with a same day encore at 10pm, exclusively on HBO GO and HBO, followed by single episodes subsequent Mondays at the same time.

1980: Will and Julie Purcell, the children of feuding parents Tom and Lucy Purcell, go missing a week after Halloween in West Finger, Ark.

2015: Retired detective Wayne Hays, who originally investigated the crime, is asked to look back on the twists of the unsolved case with a true-crime documentary producer.

Playing out in three separate time periods, the third season tells the story of a macabre crime in the heart of the Ozarks, and a mystery that deepens over decades. Mahershala Ali (Oscar^® winner for “Moonlight”) stars as state police detective Wayne Hays, with Stephen Dorff (“Somewhere”) starring as Roland West, the detective who investigated the case with Hays, and Carmen Ejogo (“Selma”) starring as schoolteacher and writer Amelia Reardon.

In 2015, retired detective Wayne Hays, his memory failing, looks back at the disappearance of 12-year-old Will and ten-year-old Julie Purcell, recalling the days and weeks immediately following the 1980 crime, as well as developments in 1990, when he and his former partner, Roland West, were subpoenaed after a major break in the case.

Filmed at locations throughout northwest Arkansas, the new season of TRUE DETECTIVE was written by series creator Nic Pizzolatto, except for the fourth episode, which he wrote with David Milch (HBO’s “Deadwood”), and the sixth episode, which he wrote with Graham Gordy (CINEMAX’s “Quarry”). Pizzolatto is also making his directorial debut with two episodes; other directors are Jeremy Saulnier (“Hold the Dark”) and Daniel Sackheim (HBO’s “Game of Thrones”).

Episodes include:

Episode #17 (season 3, episode 1): “The Great War and Modern Memory”

Premiere: Monday, 14 January at 10am

The disappearance of a young Arkansas boy (Phoenix Elkin) and his sister (Lena McCarthy) in 1980 triggers vivid memories and enduring questions for retired detective Wayne Hays (Mahershala Ali), who worked the case 35 years before with partner Roland West (Stephen Dorff). What started as a routine case becomes a long journey to dissect and make sense of the crime. Written by Nic Pizzolatto; directed by Jeremy Saulnier.

Episode #18 (season 3, episode 2): “Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye”

Premiere: Monday, 14 January at 11am

Hays (Mahershala Ali) looks back at the aftermath of the 1980 Purcell case in West Finger, Ark., including possible evidence left behind at the Devil’s Den, an outdoor hangout for local kids. As attention focuses on two conspicuous suspects – Brett Woodard (Michael Greyeyes), a solitary vet and trash collector, and Ted LaGrange (Shawn-Caulin Young), an ex-con with a penchant for children – the parents of the missing kids, Tom (Scoot McNairy) and Lucy Purcell (Mamie Gummer), receive a cryptic note from an anonymous source. Written by Nic Pizzolatto; directed by Jeremy Saulnier.

Episode #19 (season 3, episode 3): “The Big Never”

Premiere: Monday, 21 January at 10am

Hays (Mahershala Ali) recalls his early romance with Amelia (Carmen Ejogo), as well as cracks in their relationship that surfaced after they married and had children. Ten years after the Purcell crimes, new evidence emerges, giving him a second chance to vindicate himself and the investigation. Written by Nic Pizzolatto; directed by Daniel Sackheim.

Episode #20 (season 3, episode 4): “The Hour and the Day”

Premiere Monday, 28 January at 10am

Hays (Mahershala Ali) and West (Stephen Dorff) see a possible connection between the local church and the Purcell crimes. As the detectives search for one suspect and round up another for interrogation, Woodard (Michael Greyeyes) is targeted by a vigilante group. Written by David Milch & Nic Pizzolatto; directed by Nic Pizzolatto.

TRUE DETECTIVE was created by Nic Pizzolatto; executive producers, Nic Pizzolatto, Scott Stephens, Daniel Sackheim, Jeremy Saulnier, Steve Golin, Richard Brown, Bard Dorros; producer, Peter Feldman.

Series details and image provided by HBO in a recent press release.

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HBO receives 9 Golden Globe nominations

HBO received 9 Golden Globe nominations for the upcoming 76th annual Golden Globe Awards, which were announced today in Los Angeles. The Golden Globe Awards will be presented on 6 January in Los Angeles.

HBO’s Golden Globe nominations this year include:

3 nominations for BARRY

Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy
Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy (Bill Hader)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Henry Winkler)

Synopsis: A hit man from the Midwest moves to Los Angeles and gets caught up in the city’s theatre arts scene.

BARRY is now streaming on HBO GO.

3 nominations for SHARP OBJECTS

Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Amy Adams)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Patricia Clarkson)

Synopsis: A reporter confronts the psychological demons from her past when she returns to her hometown to cover a violent murder.

SHARP OBJECTS is now streaming on HBO GO.

1 nomination for SUCCESSION

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Kieran Culkin)

Synopsis: Succession follows a dysfunctional American global-media family.

SUCCESSION is now streaming on HBO GO.

1 nomination for THE TALE

Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Laura Dern).

Synopsis: A woman filming a documentary on childhood rape victims starts to question the nature of her childhood relationship with her riding instructor and running coach.

THE TALE is now streaming on HBO GO.

1 nomination for WESTWORLD

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Thandie Newton).

Synopsis: Set at the intersection of the near future and the reimagined past, explore a world in which every human appetite can be indulged without consequence.

Both seasons of WESTWORLD are now streaming on HBO GO.

Series and movie details provided by HBO in a recent press release.

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