Exclusive: Sierra Teller Ornelas and Jana Schmieding are developing the new CBS half-hour, multi-cam comedy series Bonnie from Universal Television. The project falls under Ornelas’ overall deal at Utv.
Bonnie is a family comedy about a former backup singer who left the grind of touring fifteen years ago to live on the rez, help raise her brother’s kids and live her dream of being “Cool Auntie.”
Ornelas and Schmieding will write and executive produce the project with the latter also set to star. In addition to the pair, Morgan Sackett, Jonathan Berry and Katie Newman also exec produce.
Recently, Ornelas was showrunner of the Peacock comedy Rutherford Falls, which she co-created with Mike Schur and Ed Helms. It was there she met Schmieding, who served as both a star and writer on the show. Previously, Ornelas was a co-executive producer on Loot...
Bonnie is a family comedy about a former backup singer who left the grind of touring fifteen years ago to live on the rez, help raise her brother’s kids and live her dream of being “Cool Auntie.”
Ornelas and Schmieding will write and executive produce the project with the latter also set to star. In addition to the pair, Morgan Sackett, Jonathan Berry and Katie Newman also exec produce.
Recently, Ornelas was showrunner of the Peacock comedy Rutherford Falls, which she co-created with Mike Schur and Ed Helms. It was there she met Schmieding, who served as both a star and writer on the show. Previously, Ornelas was a co-executive producer on Loot...
- 1/11/2024
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
In the latest sign of a new coalition between showrunners and crew during the writers strike, a showrunner match fundraiser has blown past its initial goal of raising $500,000 for the Entertainment Community Fund in less than a week.
The so-called Showrunner Fundraising Match was launched on Sept. 11 in an effort to help support film and TV workers who are not out on strike but have been impacted by the work stoppage that is inching closer to becoming the longest strike in the Writers Guild of America’s history.
The idea stemmed from a group chat that has close to 500 showrunners on WhatsApp in which someone flagged that Joelle Garfinkel’s Green Envelope Grocery Aid was backlogged and low on funds to help industry members who were financially impacted during the labor strife. Within a day, the group that launched as a way to stay in touch during the WGA strike...
The so-called Showrunner Fundraising Match was launched on Sept. 11 in an effort to help support film and TV workers who are not out on strike but have been impacted by the work stoppage that is inching closer to becoming the longest strike in the Writers Guild of America’s history.
The idea stemmed from a group chat that has close to 500 showrunners on WhatsApp in which someone flagged that Joelle Garfinkel’s Green Envelope Grocery Aid was backlogged and low on funds to help industry members who were financially impacted during the labor strife. Within a day, the group that launched as a way to stay in touch during the WGA strike...
- 9/19/2023
- by Lesley Goldberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: As the WGA, studios and streamers prepare to restart negotiations later this week, hundreds of united showrunners are on the verge of making a major donation to help those hit hard by the ongoing strikes.
Launching off an initial $200,000 culled from a group of veteran showrunners, around 250 showrunners have contributed more than $260,000 more as of Monday afternoon, bringing the total up to near $500,000 to date.
The money, from mainly anonymous donors, will go to the Entertainment Community Fund. (Click for the showrunner donation link).
Of the 250 who have contributed online the past week and made their names public are The Walking Dead’s Angela Kang, I’m A Virgo’s Boots Riley, Rutherford Falls co-creator Sierra Teller Ornelas, Hunters’ Natalie Chaidez, Arrow’s Marc Guggenheim and Matrix co-creator Lilly Wachowski. Cutting to the heart of the sentiment out on the picket lines, Wachowski added, “Let’s beat these f-ing mf-ers!
Launching off an initial $200,000 culled from a group of veteran showrunners, around 250 showrunners have contributed more than $260,000 more as of Monday afternoon, bringing the total up to near $500,000 to date.
The money, from mainly anonymous donors, will go to the Entertainment Community Fund. (Click for the showrunner donation link).
Of the 250 who have contributed online the past week and made their names public are The Walking Dead’s Angela Kang, I’m A Virgo’s Boots Riley, Rutherford Falls co-creator Sierra Teller Ornelas, Hunters’ Natalie Chaidez, Arrow’s Marc Guggenheim and Matrix co-creator Lilly Wachowski. Cutting to the heart of the sentiment out on the picket lines, Wachowski added, “Let’s beat these f-ing mf-ers!
- 9/18/2023
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Jessica Alba, Quinta Brunson, Dwyane Wade, Steven Yeun and more are among the list of Hollywood speakers and attendees for the Creative Artists Agency’s Amplify Summit 2023.
The invitation-only event kicks off on June 26 in Ojai, Calif., and will convene leading artists, thought-leaders, and executives of color from the industries of entertainment, sports, media, brands and technology. While there, invitees will have the opportunity to explore business and social justice initiatives, as well as potential collaborations that could “accelerate transformational change in rooms of leadership and popular culture,” according to the event’s organizers.
“CAA Amplify has long utilized CAA’s role as conveners and connectors to create business opportunities for our communities, bringing decision makers together in one room,” CAA’s Natalie Tran, who has been a lead organizer for the summit since its inception. “Now, more than ever, the collective expertise and influence of the CAA Amplify network...
The invitation-only event kicks off on June 26 in Ojai, Calif., and will convene leading artists, thought-leaders, and executives of color from the industries of entertainment, sports, media, brands and technology. While there, invitees will have the opportunity to explore business and social justice initiatives, as well as potential collaborations that could “accelerate transformational change in rooms of leadership and popular culture,” according to the event’s organizers.
“CAA Amplify has long utilized CAA’s role as conveners and connectors to create business opportunities for our communities, bringing decision makers together in one room,” CAA’s Natalie Tran, who has been a lead organizer for the summit since its inception. “Now, more than ever, the collective expertise and influence of the CAA Amplify network...
- 6/23/2023
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Creative Artists Agency has announced the lineup of speakers and attendees for the 2023 CAA Amplify summit, an annual convening of artists, thought-leaders and executives of color from leading organizations in entertainment, sports, media, brands and technology.
Among the bold-faced names confirmed for the sixth annual summit are Chlöe and Halle Bailey — who this year expanded beyond their Grammy-nominated status as recording duo Chloe x Halle into major TV and film projects with leading roles in “Swarm” and “The Little Mermaid,” respectively.
Becky G, a fellow recording artist and actor, is also slated to appear at the summit, joining a list of speakers and attendees that features Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Ava DuVernay; Emmy-winning “Abbott Elementary” showrunner and executive producer Quinta Brunson; and Oscar nominee and “Beef” executive producer and star Steven Yeun.
The lineup also includes three-time NBA Champion, activist and entrepreneur Dwyane Wade and The Honest Company founder and actor Jessica Alba,...
Among the bold-faced names confirmed for the sixth annual summit are Chlöe and Halle Bailey — who this year expanded beyond their Grammy-nominated status as recording duo Chloe x Halle into major TV and film projects with leading roles in “Swarm” and “The Little Mermaid,” respectively.
Becky G, a fellow recording artist and actor, is also slated to appear at the summit, joining a list of speakers and attendees that features Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Ava DuVernay; Emmy-winning “Abbott Elementary” showrunner and executive producer Quinta Brunson; and Oscar nominee and “Beef” executive producer and star Steven Yeun.
The lineup also includes three-time NBA Champion, activist and entrepreneur Dwyane Wade and The Honest Company founder and actor Jessica Alba,...
- 6/23/2023
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
It was the “worst first,” showrunner Sierra Teller Ornelas told TheWrap. “Rutherford Falls,” her sitcom about two friends at a crossroads, was the first Native American television show run by a Native person. But after Peacock canceled it last year after two seasons, she became “the first Native American to have their show canceled,” she said.
Along with Hulu’s “Reservation Dogs,” “Rutherford Falls” spearheaded a wave of Native TV shows at least partly created and written by Native creatives following decades of Indigenous invisibility and crude stereotypes.
That wave also includes Netflix’s “Spirit Rangers,” an animated fantasy series for preschoolers about three Native American siblings who can turn into animal spirits, and A&e’s “Dark Winds,” an adaptation of Tony Hillerman’s bestselling series of thriller novels based on a Navajo reservation. Marvel’s forthcoming “Echo,” a “Hawkeye” spinoff on Disney+, is also a Native-themed show using Native writers.
Along with Hulu’s “Reservation Dogs,” “Rutherford Falls” spearheaded a wave of Native TV shows at least partly created and written by Native creatives following decades of Indigenous invisibility and crude stereotypes.
That wave also includes Netflix’s “Spirit Rangers,” an animated fantasy series for preschoolers about three Native American siblings who can turn into animal spirits, and A&e’s “Dark Winds,” an adaptation of Tony Hillerman’s bestselling series of thriller novels based on a Navajo reservation. Marvel’s forthcoming “Echo,” a “Hawkeye” spinoff on Disney+, is also a Native-themed show using Native writers.
- 6/20/2023
- by Brenda Gazzar
- The Wrap
ABC’s ratings-challenged Happy Endings created a cult following thanks to its relatable stories about a group of friends in their late 20s and early 30s. While the comedy helped to launch the careers of stars Eliza Coupe (Jane), Elisha Cuthbert (Alex), Zachary Knighton (Dave), Adam Pally (Max), Damon Wayans Jr. (Brad) and Casey Wilson (Penny), behind the scenes, the Sony-produced series created by David Caspe was effectively its own showrunner training program. As Rutherford Falls creator Sierra Teller Ornelas revealed in a recent Twitter thread, Happy Endings had 23 writers over its three seasons, with an incredible 21 — including assistants — becoming showrunners.
During this week’s TV’s Top 5 podcast, hosts Lesley Goldberg and Daniel Fienberg reunite 14 of the Happy Endings writers to build off Ornelas’ thread and discuss, in light of the ongoing Writers Guild strike, the benefits of having a traditional writers rooms, why having writers on set...
During this week’s TV’s Top 5 podcast, hosts Lesley Goldberg and Daniel Fienberg reunite 14 of the Happy Endings writers to build off Ornelas’ thread and discuss, in light of the ongoing Writers Guild strike, the benefits of having a traditional writers rooms, why having writers on set...
- 6/16/2023
- by Lesley Goldberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Native American and Indigenous Writers Committee is “one of the smallest committees in the Writers Guild, but [with] one of the loudest voices ever” according to its vice chair Aiko Little — which was evidenced by the turnout of some 100 picketers who joined the Naiwc for a strike event in front of Walt Disney Studios on Wednesday.
The Naiwc’s Disney picket was the most recent of a string of WGA strike events over the past several weeks that have gathered writers from specific marginalized backgrounds — Trans Takeover Thursday, for example — to highlight how current working conditions are affecting them while celebrating storytellers from their communities.
After a land acknowledgement carried out by a SAG-AFTRA member protesting in solidarity with the WGA, the Naiwc introduced two performances: Eric Michael Hernandez, a world champion hoop dancer, as well as the Southern California Bird Singers.
“One of the reasons we’re fighting is...
The Naiwc’s Disney picket was the most recent of a string of WGA strike events over the past several weeks that have gathered writers from specific marginalized backgrounds — Trans Takeover Thursday, for example — to highlight how current working conditions are affecting them while celebrating storytellers from their communities.
After a land acknowledgement carried out by a SAG-AFTRA member protesting in solidarity with the WGA, the Naiwc introduced two performances: Eric Michael Hernandez, a world champion hoop dancer, as well as the Southern California Bird Singers.
“One of the reasons we’re fighting is...
- 6/8/2023
- by Selome Hailu
- Variety Film + TV
The day that SAG-AFTRA began its talks with Hollywood studios over its own film and TV contract with a strike authorization in hand, picketing Writers Guild members on Wednesday hit up Disney and Warner Bros in Burbank.
The WGA West’s demonstrations were the only major ones today, after the WGA East was forced to scrap its planned picketing in New York City due to poor air quality because of smoke from a slew of wildfires raging in Canada. The guild later in the day said it will pause its demonstrations for the entire week due to the conditions.
In Burbank, today began at Warner Bros, where by 10:30 a.m. the picket lines grew to about 100 people. Among those spotted were scribes from CW and/or WB Network shows including Gilmore Girls, Gossip Girl, Vampire Diaries, The Originals, Dawson’s Creek, One Tree Hill, 90210, Riverdale, Nancy Drew, all the DC superhero shows,...
The WGA West’s demonstrations were the only major ones today, after the WGA East was forced to scrap its planned picketing in New York City due to poor air quality because of smoke from a slew of wildfires raging in Canada. The guild later in the day said it will pause its demonstrations for the entire week due to the conditions.
In Burbank, today began at Warner Bros, where by 10:30 a.m. the picket lines grew to about 100 people. Among those spotted were scribes from CW and/or WB Network shows including Gilmore Girls, Gossip Girl, Vampire Diaries, The Originals, Dawson’s Creek, One Tree Hill, 90210, Riverdale, Nancy Drew, all the DC superhero shows,...
- 6/8/2023
- by Katie Campione and Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
Leave it to a sitcom vet like Melissa Rauch to remind the industry that everything old can be new again. After persuading Warner Bros. TV to dust off the Night Court IP and revive it for NBC, multi-cams are suddenly hot again, with every broadcast network — and even a few streamers like Netflix are putting studio audience comedies in development.
While no one is straight-up abandoning single-cams — the success of CBS’ Ghosts and ABC’s Abbott Elementary have certainly made sure of that — there’s no beating the cost-effectiveness of one of TV’s most tried and true genres.
“Everybody had a hunch they should probably be doing more of them,” says one high-powered comedy agent. “Night Court is a good sign there is an appetite for that. Everything I’m hearing out of CBS, for example, is that...
While no one is straight-up abandoning single-cams — the success of CBS’ Ghosts and ABC’s Abbott Elementary have certainly made sure of that — there’s no beating the cost-effectiveness of one of TV’s most tried and true genres.
“Everybody had a hunch they should probably be doing more of them,” says one high-powered comedy agent. “Night Court is a good sign there is an appetite for that. Everything I’m hearing out of CBS, for example, is that...
- 2/3/2023
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
With the Golden Globes nominations set for Monday, Hollywood has a big decision to make when it comes to the beleaguered Hollywood Foreign Press Association: Is it time to forgive the organization for its corrupt past, lack of diversity and paid members just so everyone can booze it up again at the Beverly Hilton?
Related Story Jerrod Carmichael To Host 80th Annual Golden Globe Awards Related Story Sierra Teller Ornelas & Marcos Luevanos Developing Comedy Series 'Amigos' At NBC Related Story 'Chicago Med': How Brian Tee & Yaya DaCosta Exit NBC Drama Series
As far as the current regime of the HFPA is concerned, everyone in town seems ready to party again. “The feedback has been amazing,” President Helen Hoehne tells Deadline. “Our studio partners have worked with us to ensure the kinds of changes were made to reimagine the HFPA and Golden Globes and preserve our future...
Related Story Jerrod Carmichael To Host 80th Annual Golden Globe Awards Related Story Sierra Teller Ornelas & Marcos Luevanos Developing Comedy Series 'Amigos' At NBC Related Story 'Chicago Med': How Brian Tee & Yaya DaCosta Exit NBC Drama Series
As far as the current regime of the HFPA is concerned, everyone in town seems ready to party again. “The feedback has been amazing,” President Helen Hoehne tells Deadline. “Our studio partners have worked with us to ensure the kinds of changes were made to reimagine the HFPA and Golden Globes and preserve our future...
- 12/9/2022
- by Lynette Rice, Dominic Patten and Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Sierra Teller Ornelas (Rutherford Falls) and Marcos Luevanos (Lopez Vs. Lopez) are developing the half-hour multicam comedy Amigos for NBC. The duo will draw inspiration from their own lifelong friendship for the Universal Television-produced project.
Amigos is about a group of six Latine friends living in Los Angeles who lean and rag on each other as they find love, grow up and figure out what success means in 2022.
Ornelas and Luevanos will write and executive produce alongside Morgan Sackett.
Most recently, Ornelas was showrunner of the Peacock comedy series Rutherford Falls, which she co-created with Mike Schur and Ed Helms. Previously, she was a co-executive producer on Loot for Apple TV+ and NBC’s Superstore where she worked for three seasons. She has previously written for Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Splitting Up Together, and Happy Endings. Ornelas is repped by UTA, 3 Arts and Johnson, Shapiro,...
Amigos is about a group of six Latine friends living in Los Angeles who lean and rag on each other as they find love, grow up and figure out what success means in 2022.
Ornelas and Luevanos will write and executive produce alongside Morgan Sackett.
Most recently, Ornelas was showrunner of the Peacock comedy series Rutherford Falls, which she co-created with Mike Schur and Ed Helms. Previously, she was a co-executive producer on Loot for Apple TV+ and NBC’s Superstore where she worked for three seasons. She has previously written for Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Splitting Up Together, and Happy Endings. Ornelas is repped by UTA, 3 Arts and Johnson, Shapiro,...
- 12/8/2022
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
“The Office” star Ed Helms will join Jennifer Garner in “Family Leave,” a body-swap comedy set at Netflix.
Joseph McGinty Nichol, known professionally as McG, is directing the film, which is written by Adam Sztykiel and adapted from author Amy Krouse Rosenthal’s heartwarming book “Bedtime For Mommy.”
In the film, Garner and Helms will play Jess and Bill Walker, two parents who are doing their best to keep their family connected as their children grow older, more independent and more distant. When a chance encounter with an astrological reader causes the family to wake up to a full body switch, on the morning of the most important day of each of their lives, the Walkers will attempt to unite to land a promotion, college interview, record deal and soccer tryout. Additional cast members, who will play the rest of the Walker clan, have yet to be announced.
David Hyman...
Joseph McGinty Nichol, known professionally as McG, is directing the film, which is written by Adam Sztykiel and adapted from author Amy Krouse Rosenthal’s heartwarming book “Bedtime For Mommy.”
In the film, Garner and Helms will play Jess and Bill Walker, two parents who are doing their best to keep their family connected as their children grow older, more independent and more distant. When a chance encounter with an astrological reader causes the family to wake up to a full body switch, on the morning of the most important day of each of their lives, the Walkers will attempt to unite to land a promotion, college interview, record deal and soccer tryout. Additional cast members, who will play the rest of the Walker clan, have yet to be announced.
David Hyman...
- 11/29/2022
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Ed Helms (Together Together) and McG (The Babysitter) have boarded the Netflix body swap comedy Family Leave, inspired by New York Times bestselling author Amy Krouse Rosenthal’s book, Bedtime for Mommy. Helms will star alongside the previously announced Jennifer Garner, with McG serving as the project’s director and producer.
The film first announced back in February of 2021 follows Jess and Bill Walker, who are doing their best to keep their family connected as their children grow older, more independent, and more distant. When a chance encounter with an astrological reader causes the family to wake up to a full body switch, on the morning of the most important day of each of their lives, can the Walkers unite to land a promotion, college interview, record deal and soccer tryout?
Family Leave is a continuation of McG’s recent work with Netflix on titles like The Babysitter, Holidate, the...
The film first announced back in February of 2021 follows Jess and Bill Walker, who are doing their best to keep their family connected as their children grow older, more independent, and more distant. When a chance encounter with an astrological reader causes the family to wake up to a full body switch, on the morning of the most important day of each of their lives, can the Walkers unite to land a promotion, college interview, record deal and soccer tryout?
Family Leave is a continuation of McG’s recent work with Netflix on titles like The Babysitter, Holidate, the...
- 11/29/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Three weeks after Sacheen Littlefeather’s death, a writer has come forward with claims that the celebrated activist and former actress spent her life fraudulently posing as a Native American. Littlefeather died Oct. 2 of metastasized breast cancer at age 75.
In a piece published in the San Francisco Chronicle’s Open Forum opinion section Saturday, Jacqueline Keeler (Diné/Dakota) alleges that Littlefeather, who cemented her pop culture legacy when she took the stage at the 1973 Academy Awards to decline the best actor Oscar on Marlon Brando’s behalf, was of Mexican and white descent. During her lifetime, Littlefeather, whose birth name was Marie Louise Cruz, identified as Apache and Yaqui on her father’s side. (That her mother was white has not been disputed.)
Keeler writes that according to her research of historical documents, the lineage of Littlefeather’s father traces to Mexico, not...
Three weeks after Sacheen Littlefeather’s death, a writer has come forward with claims that the celebrated activist and former actress spent her life fraudulently posing as a Native American. Littlefeather died Oct. 2 of metastasized breast cancer at age 75.
In a piece published in the San Francisco Chronicle’s Open Forum opinion section Saturday, Jacqueline Keeler (Diné/Dakota) alleges that Littlefeather, who cemented her pop culture legacy when she took the stage at the 1973 Academy Awards to decline the best actor Oscar on Marlon Brando’s behalf, was of Mexican and white descent. During her lifetime, Littlefeather, whose birth name was Marie Louise Cruz, identified as Apache and Yaqui on her father’s side. (That her mother was white has not been disputed.)
Keeler writes that according to her research of historical documents, the lineage of Littlefeather’s father traces to Mexico, not...
- 10/22/2022
- by Rebecca Sun
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Issues of discrimination and exclusion in Hollywood are often driven by baseless beliefs about marginalized communities, and even efforts to increase diversity sometimes get stalled in the “listening phase” without prioritizing action. That’s why Harness and Untitled Latinx Project (Ulp) co-produce Dear Hollywood (Demanding Equal Access and Representation in Hollywood). The initiative focuses on concrete, data-based strategies for change.
“Latine storytellers and Latine storytelling has lived in the shadows since the advent of Hollywood. It’s always been like this,” said “Vida” creator and Ulp member Tanya Saracho while opening Dear Hollywood and UTA’s Latine Heritage Month event. “We are allowed a glimpse of light here and there, but we always go back in the shadows. We never remained in the light long enough to make substantial progress.”
“They canceled our ‘Gordita Chronicles,'” Saracho continued, referring to the coming-of-age comedy executive produced by Eva Longoria and Zoe Saldaña...
“Latine storytellers and Latine storytelling has lived in the shadows since the advent of Hollywood. It’s always been like this,” said “Vida” creator and Ulp member Tanya Saracho while opening Dear Hollywood and UTA’s Latine Heritage Month event. “We are allowed a glimpse of light here and there, but we always go back in the shadows. We never remained in the light long enough to make substantial progress.”
“They canceled our ‘Gordita Chronicles,'” Saracho continued, referring to the coming-of-age comedy executive produced by Eva Longoria and Zoe Saldaña...
- 10/13/2022
- by Selome Hailu
- Variety Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Actress and Honest Company founder Jessica Alba, Crazy Rich Asians star and author Constance Wu, and Rutherford Falls writer and showrunner Sierra Teller Ornelas are among the lineup for the 2022 Makers Conference.
Additional entertainment industry talent set to appear at the global leadership event are Ms. Marvel executive producer Sana Amanat and star Iman Vellani, The Janes directors Tia Lessin and Emma Pildes, and former All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Player and inspiration behind Amazon Prime Video’s A League of Their Own Maybelle Blair.
The initial list of guests, speakers and leaders set to appear at the eighth edition of the annual conference produced by Yahoo media brand Makers — a community focused on women’s equity in the workplace and beyond — was announced Monday. The conference, which is slated to return to the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point, California,...
Actress and Honest Company founder Jessica Alba, Crazy Rich Asians star and author Constance Wu, and Rutherford Falls writer and showrunner Sierra Teller Ornelas are among the lineup for the 2022 Makers Conference.
Additional entertainment industry talent set to appear at the global leadership event are Ms. Marvel executive producer Sana Amanat and star Iman Vellani, The Janes directors Tia Lessin and Emma Pildes, and former All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Player and inspiration behind Amazon Prime Video’s A League of Their Own Maybelle Blair.
The initial list of guests, speakers and leaders set to appear at the eighth edition of the annual conference produced by Yahoo media brand Makers — a community focused on women’s equity in the workplace and beyond — was announced Monday. The conference, which is slated to return to the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point, California,...
- 9/19/2022
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Network: Peacock
Episodes: 18 (half-hour)
Seasons: Two
TV show dates: April 22, 2021 -- May 16, 2022
Series status: Cancelled
Performers include: Ed Helms, Jana Schmieding (Cheyenne River Lakota Sioux), Michael Greyeyes (Nêhiyaw from Muskeg Lake Cree Nation), Jesse Leigh, and Dustin Milligan.
TV show description:
A single-camera comedy, the Rutherford Falls TV show was created by Michael Schur, Ed Helms, and Sierra Teller Ornelas.
The story follows Nathan Rutherford (Helms) and Reagan Wells (Schmieding), two lifelong best friends who find themselves at a crossroads – quite literally – when their sleepy town gets an unexpected wake-up call.
Read More…...
Episodes: 18 (half-hour)
Seasons: Two
TV show dates: April 22, 2021 -- May 16, 2022
Series status: Cancelled
Performers include: Ed Helms, Jana Schmieding (Cheyenne River Lakota Sioux), Michael Greyeyes (Nêhiyaw from Muskeg Lake Cree Nation), Jesse Leigh, and Dustin Milligan.
TV show description:
A single-camera comedy, the Rutherford Falls TV show was created by Michael Schur, Ed Helms, and Sierra Teller Ornelas.
The story follows Nathan Rutherford (Helms) and Reagan Wells (Schmieding), two lifelong best friends who find themselves at a crossroads – quite literally – when their sleepy town gets an unexpected wake-up call.
Read More…...
- 9/10/2022
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
David E. Kelley urged his fellow showrunners and TV writers to be mindful of the privilege they have in the platform that television provides to reach millions of viewers as he accepted the 2022 Creative Conscience Award Thursday night at Variety’s Showrunners Dinner presented by A+E Studios.
The kudo was presented to Kelley for his decades-long career of socially conscious work, which includes such series as “The Practice,” “Boston Public,” “Boston Legal,” “Ally McBeal,” “Doogie Howser, M.D.,” “Big Little Lies,” “Nine Perfect Strangers” and “Big Sky,” among others.
“If our work matters, even a little, then that’s something,” Kelley said.
Kelley spoke from the heart to a packed room of showrunners, including top Emmy nominees and producers featured in Variety’s 2022 Producers Impact Report, at the dinner, held at Sunset Tower Hotel in West Hollywood. Attendees included “Abbott Elementary” creator and star Quinta Brunson; Liz Meriwether of “The Dropout...
The kudo was presented to Kelley for his decades-long career of socially conscious work, which includes such series as “The Practice,” “Boston Public,” “Boston Legal,” “Ally McBeal,” “Doogie Howser, M.D.,” “Big Little Lies,” “Nine Perfect Strangers” and “Big Sky,” among others.
“If our work matters, even a little, then that’s something,” Kelley said.
Kelley spoke from the heart to a packed room of showrunners, including top Emmy nominees and producers featured in Variety’s 2022 Producers Impact Report, at the dinner, held at Sunset Tower Hotel in West Hollywood. Attendees included “Abbott Elementary” creator and star Quinta Brunson; Liz Meriwether of “The Dropout...
- 9/9/2022
- by BreAnna Bell
- Variety Film + TV
(Welcome to TV, Interrupted, a series where the /Film team remembers, eulogizes, and makes a case for the revival of TV shows we loved that were canceled far too soon.)
Often, the shows we cover here at TV, Interrupted have been off the air for quite a while. We're here for the Hannibals, the Wonderfalls, and even the Carnivàles. But every now and again, a fresh cancellation feels too acutely unfair to ignore, and some shows are worth celebrating -- and pitching to new networks -- before the dust has even settled. "Rutherford Falls" is one of these rare cases. News of the Peacock series' premature demise just broke on Friday, and while its cast and crew are still sharing their own statements about its ending, I'm already falling back into a rewatch of one of the most underrated comfort watches of the past few years.
"Rutherford Falls" is a...
Often, the shows we cover here at TV, Interrupted have been off the air for quite a while. We're here for the Hannibals, the Wonderfalls, and even the Carnivàles. But every now and again, a fresh cancellation feels too acutely unfair to ignore, and some shows are worth celebrating -- and pitching to new networks -- before the dust has even settled. "Rutherford Falls" is one of these rare cases. News of the Peacock series' premature demise just broke on Friday, and while its cast and crew are still sharing their own statements about its ending, I'm already falling back into a rewatch of one of the most underrated comfort watches of the past few years.
"Rutherford Falls" is a...
- 9/4/2022
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Rutherford Falls Season 2 may be the last season airing on Peacock, but co-creator and showrunner Sierra Teller Ornelas doesn’t want it to be the final season of the celebrated show. After the news of the cancellation broke, she released a statement to Deadline, writing: “It’s been a true joy to make these two seasons of Rutherford Falls. Mike Schur, Ed Helms and I set out to make something new, real, and smart—but also dumb—that made you cry and think, but also laugh when Reagan got kicked in the face or Nathan was stuffed into a coffin.” She also talked about the massive shift in Native representation the series finally made room for. “Borrowing a line from Terry Thomas, played by the ridiculously talented Michael Greyeyes, before our show, “Native representation [was], for the most part, a hate crime.” Which is why it’s been an honor to...
- 9/2/2022
- TV Insider
"Rutherford Falls" has been cancelled. The Native American-led sitcom set in a fictional small town has aired two seasons at Peacock, but today TVLine reports it won't get a third. This is frankly heartbreaking news for anyone who was following the sweet, clever comedy, which is one of only a small handful of American TV shows ever made by and about Native American people. But all hope isn't lost, as series co-creator Sierra Teller Ornelas has shared her intention to find a new home for the series if possible.
The series was made by Ornelas, a Navajo writer and filmmaker, along with star Ed Helms and "Parks and Recreation" and "The Good Place" creator Michael Schur. Unfortunately, though, "Rutherford Falls" never seemed to have the visibility of Schur's other shows, and remained a hidden gem for its two-year run.
Helms and Jana Schmieding lead the cast as two long-time best friends,...
The series was made by Ornelas, a Navajo writer and filmmaker, along with star Ed Helms and "Parks and Recreation" and "The Good Place" creator Michael Schur. Unfortunately, though, "Rutherford Falls" never seemed to have the visibility of Schur's other shows, and remained a hidden gem for its two-year run.
Helms and Jana Schmieding lead the cast as two long-time best friends,...
- 9/2/2022
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Peacock has axed another series as they’ve cancelled Rutherford Falls after two seasons. The comedy series starred Ed Helms and Jana Schmieding as two lifelong friends whose relationship is tested when a crisis hits their small town.
Related Rutherford Falls: New Peacock series finds Ed Helms in a wacky small town
Rutherford Falls was critically acclaimed and hailed for its Indigenous representation both on camera on behind-the-scenes. Despite the rave reviews, sources have said there was a real lack of viewership, prompting Peacock to cancel the series. Sierra Teller Ornelas, who co-created Rutherford Falls with Ed Helms and Mike Schur, commented on the cancellation in a statement.
It’s been a true joy to make these two seasons of Rutherford Falls. Mike Schur, Ed Helms and I set out to make something new, real, and smart—but also dumb—that made you cry and think, but also laugh...
Related Rutherford Falls: New Peacock series finds Ed Helms in a wacky small town
Rutherford Falls was critically acclaimed and hailed for its Indigenous representation both on camera on behind-the-scenes. Despite the rave reviews, sources have said there was a real lack of viewership, prompting Peacock to cancel the series. Sierra Teller Ornelas, who co-created Rutherford Falls with Ed Helms and Mike Schur, commented on the cancellation in a statement.
It’s been a true joy to make these two seasons of Rutherford Falls. Mike Schur, Ed Helms and I set out to make something new, real, and smart—but also dumb—that made you cry and think, but also laugh...
- 9/2/2022
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
Following Peacock’s decision to cancel Rutherford Falls, co-creator, executive producer and showrunner Sierra Teller Ornelas reflected on the show’s two-season run on the NBCU streamer, its legacy and potential future.
Ornelas served as showrunner on Rutherford Falls, which she co-created/executive produces with Ed Helms and Mike Schur. The critically acclaimed series, starring Helms and Jana Schmieding as lifelong best friends Nathan Rutherford and Reagan Wells, respectively, set a benchmark for Native representation on-screen and behind the camera. Edit Edit date and time
“it’s been an honor to introduce the best of Indian Country to the masses,” Ornelas’ said, adding that she and the other producers “will be exploring other platforms” for Rutherford Falls to continue. The series originated at Apple TV+ where it was in development. It landed at Peacock in turnaround.
Here is Ornelas’ full statement:
It’s been a true joy to make these two seasons of Rutherford Falls.
Ornelas served as showrunner on Rutherford Falls, which she co-created/executive produces with Ed Helms and Mike Schur. The critically acclaimed series, starring Helms and Jana Schmieding as lifelong best friends Nathan Rutherford and Reagan Wells, respectively, set a benchmark for Native representation on-screen and behind the camera. Edit Edit date and time
“it’s been an honor to introduce the best of Indian Country to the masses,” Ornelas’ said, adding that she and the other producers “will be exploring other platforms” for Rutherford Falls to continue. The series originated at Apple TV+ where it was in development. It landed at Peacock in turnaround.
Here is Ornelas’ full statement:
It’s been a true joy to make these two seasons of Rutherford Falls.
- 9/2/2022
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Peacock will not be ordering a third season of Rutherford Falls, its comedy series co-created/executive produced by Sierra Teller Ornelas, Ed Helms and Mike Schur. The cancellation of the show, starring Helms and Jana Schmieding, comes two and a half months after the Season 2 premiere June 16. In a statement following the decision, Ornelas indicated that the series will explore finding a new home on another platform.
The critically acclaimed series, hailed for its Native representation both in front of and behind the camera, landed at Peacock in turnaround having been originally developed at Apple TV+. Its cancellation follows Peacock’s decision in late June to scrap Schur’s high-profile Field of Dreams TV series reboot a month before start of production.
Schur, creator/executive producer of The Good Place, co-creator/exec producer of Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Parks and Recreation and executive producer of Hacks, is one of the biggest...
The critically acclaimed series, hailed for its Native representation both in front of and behind the camera, landed at Peacock in turnaround having been originally developed at Apple TV+. Its cancellation follows Peacock’s decision in late June to scrap Schur’s high-profile Field of Dreams TV series reboot a month before start of production.
Schur, creator/executive producer of The Good Place, co-creator/exec producer of Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Parks and Recreation and executive producer of Hacks, is one of the biggest...
- 9/2/2022
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Peacock is putting Rutherford Falls in its rearview mirror, canceling the Ed Helms comedy after two seasons, TVLine has learned.
The series starred Helms (The Office) as Nathan Rutherford and Jana Schmieding (Reservation Dogs) as Reagan Wells, two lifelong best friends who found themselves at a crossroads when their sleepy town got an unexpected wake-up call.
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Additional cast members included...
The series starred Helms (The Office) as Nathan Rutherford and Jana Schmieding (Reservation Dogs) as Reagan Wells, two lifelong best friends who found themselves at a crossroads when their sleepy town got an unexpected wake-up call.
More from TVLineVampire Diaries Is No Longer on Netflix -- Here's Where You Can Stream It NowDays of Our Lives Episodes May Run Longer on Peacock Streaming HomeThat '70s Show Is Returning to Streaming -- But Not on Netflix
Additional cast members included...
- 9/2/2022
- by Andy Swift
- TVLine.com
Click here to read the full article.
Peacock will not return to Rutherford Falls.
The NBCUniversal-backed streaming service has canceled the comedy series from showrunner Sierra Teller Ornelas and starring Ed Helms after a two-season run.
Created by Ornelas, Helms and Mike Schur (The Good Place), Rutherford Falls marked a breakthrough series for Native representation onscreen and in the writers’ room.
The cancellation arrives nearly three months after Peacock dropped all eight episodes of the show’s sophomore season. While Peacock does not release traditional viewership data, season two of the comedy starring Helms, Jana Schmieding and Michael Greyeyes has a rare 100 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. (Season one is also certified fresh with a 92 percent rating.)
Despite its status as a critical breakout and breakthrough for representation, sources say Peacock wasn’t keen on renewing the show after its freshman season because of a lack of viewership. Those...
Peacock will not return to Rutherford Falls.
The NBCUniversal-backed streaming service has canceled the comedy series from showrunner Sierra Teller Ornelas and starring Ed Helms after a two-season run.
Created by Ornelas, Helms and Mike Schur (The Good Place), Rutherford Falls marked a breakthrough series for Native representation onscreen and in the writers’ room.
The cancellation arrives nearly three months after Peacock dropped all eight episodes of the show’s sophomore season. While Peacock does not release traditional viewership data, season two of the comedy starring Helms, Jana Schmieding and Michael Greyeyes has a rare 100 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. (Season one is also certified fresh with a 92 percent rating.)
Despite its status as a critical breakout and breakthrough for representation, sources say Peacock wasn’t keen on renewing the show after its freshman season because of a lack of viewership. Those...
- 9/2/2022
- by Lesley Goldberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Click here to read the full article.
Nearly 400 directors have signed a statement of solidarity with the showrunners’ letter demanding abortion protections from networks, studios and streamers a week and a half ago.
There are now nearly 1,500 writers and directors presenting a united front in asking Hollywood’s employers to help provide abortion access in states where it is now illegal. On July 28, more than 400 female, trans and non-binary TV creators and showrunners sent a letter to the likes of Disney, Lionsgate, NBCUniversal and Netflix asking them to craft explicit policies to protect employees seeking abortions, particularly those working on productions in states where the procedure is now or soon will be prohibited following the Supreme Court’s ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson. On Aug. 1, nearly 600 of their male counterparts signed a statement of support.
The original letter demanded that companies furnish a written policy of their current abortion safety plan within 10 days.
Nearly 400 directors have signed a statement of solidarity with the showrunners’ letter demanding abortion protections from networks, studios and streamers a week and a half ago.
There are now nearly 1,500 writers and directors presenting a united front in asking Hollywood’s employers to help provide abortion access in states where it is now illegal. On July 28, more than 400 female, trans and non-binary TV creators and showrunners sent a letter to the likes of Disney, Lionsgate, NBCUniversal and Netflix asking them to craft explicit policies to protect employees seeking abortions, particularly those working on productions in states where the procedure is now or soon will be prohibited following the Supreme Court’s ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson. On Aug. 1, nearly 600 of their male counterparts signed a statement of support.
The original letter demanded that companies furnish a written policy of their current abortion safety plan within 10 days.
- 8/9/2022
- by Rebecca Sun
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
[Warning: The below contains Major spoilers for Season 2 of Rutherford Falls.] Rutherford Falls Season 2 was filled with its fair share of hilarious moments, but one of the most memorable has to be Reagan (Jana Schmieding) and Terry’s (Michael Greyeyes) visit to the set of Adirondack, a hit TV show in their universe. Invited to serve as consultants, Reagan and Terry are tasked with offering their take on what’s appropriate and appropriation of culture in the drama which seems to resemble another popular TV title, Yellowstone. Needless to say, the trip doesn’t go entirely as planned as Reagan and Terry’s suggestions are barely considered. “We spent a year doing press for Rutherford Falls Season 1, and people had so many questions about native representation. At a certain point, you’re like, ‘I don’t know if I can answer this question anymore,'” co-creator and showrunner Sierra Teller Ornelas says of the inspiration behind sharing this story onscreen.
- 6/22/2022
- TV Insider
[Warning: The below contains Major spoilers for Season 2 of Rutherford Falls.] Rutherford Falls is back and electing a new mayor, but not without a few laughs along the way. On the ballot is Jesse Leigh‘s Bobbie Yang. As the assistant to Nathan Rutherford (Ed Helms), Bobbie’s loyalties were proven in Season 1, but in Season 2, they’re taking charge of their own future by running for office which has been left vacant by Deidre (Dana L. Wilson). With the support of Nathan and Terry Thomas (Michael Greyes), Bobbie works on connecting with the community around them in unique ways, like through creative makeup tutorials. The effort pays off by the time Season 2 comes to its conclusion and we’re catching up with Leigh who is opening up about non-binary and LGBTQ+ representation through Bobbie’s story, the creative collaboration with creators Sierra Teller Ornelas, Helms, and Mike Schur, along with much more. (Credit: Ron Batzdorff/Peacock) Bobbie has...
- 6/20/2022
- TV Insider
Spoiler Alert: Do not read if you haven’t watched Season 2 of “Rutherford Falls.”
“Rutherford Falls” is an interracial love story — between two best friends.
The series follows Nathan (Ed Helms), a white man from the family that founded the town of Rutherford Falls centuries before, and Reagan (Jana Schmieding), a member of the Minishonka Nation that was pushed onto a reservation by Nathan’s ancestors. The two have been friends since childhood, but Nathan didn’t truly understand his family history for decades. Season 1 sees Rutherford Falls go through a racial reckoning that not only contextualizes the Rutherfords as colonizers but reveals that Nathan isn’t biologically related to them at all. He responds by disappearing from Rutherford Falls to “find himself” until Season 2, when Reagan welcomes him back.
Along with starring, Schmieding and Helms both write for the series, with Helms serving as co-creator alongside showrunner Sierra Teller Ornelas and Michael Schur.
“Rutherford Falls” is an interracial love story — between two best friends.
The series follows Nathan (Ed Helms), a white man from the family that founded the town of Rutherford Falls centuries before, and Reagan (Jana Schmieding), a member of the Minishonka Nation that was pushed onto a reservation by Nathan’s ancestors. The two have been friends since childhood, but Nathan didn’t truly understand his family history for decades. Season 1 sees Rutherford Falls go through a racial reckoning that not only contextualizes the Rutherfords as colonizers but reveals that Nathan isn’t biologically related to them at all. He responds by disappearing from Rutherford Falls to “find himself” until Season 2, when Reagan welcomes him back.
Along with starring, Schmieding and Helms both write for the series, with Helms serving as co-creator alongside showrunner Sierra Teller Ornelas and Michael Schur.
- 6/17/2022
- by Selome Hailu
- Variety Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
After a first season spent reckoning with the past, with an inconveniently located statue of a dead white colonialist as the jumping-off point, Peacock’s Rutherford Falls is ready to look forward.
As characters like Reagan (Jana Schmieding) and Terry (Michael Greyeyes) start dreaming big for the town in general and for its Minishonka community more specifically, the storylines become defined less by conflict than cooperation, yielding a series that feels sweeter, more relaxed, less bogged down by the gravity of the past — but also one that seems to render its own white-guy co-lead less necessary than ever.
Initially, though, it looks like business as usual. Basically as soon as Nathan Rutherford (Ed Helms) returns to town in the second season premiere, he seems to fall back into his old habit of making everything about him. “I am a Nathan that knows I...
After a first season spent reckoning with the past, with an inconveniently located statue of a dead white colonialist as the jumping-off point, Peacock’s Rutherford Falls is ready to look forward.
As characters like Reagan (Jana Schmieding) and Terry (Michael Greyeyes) start dreaming big for the town in general and for its Minishonka community more specifically, the storylines become defined less by conflict than cooperation, yielding a series that feels sweeter, more relaxed, less bogged down by the gravity of the past — but also one that seems to render its own white-guy co-lead less necessary than ever.
Initially, though, it looks like business as usual. Basically as soon as Nathan Rutherford (Ed Helms) returns to town in the second season premiere, he seems to fall back into his old habit of making everything about him. “I am a Nathan that knows I...
- 6/15/2022
- by Angie Han
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Get ready to return to Rutherford Falls as Season 2 of the Peacock original comedy kicks off on Thursday, June 16. Back again for new adventures are besties Nathan (Ed Helms) and Reagan (Jana Schmieding) who are tackling big challenges as they enter new stages in their lives. Whether it’s work or romance, there’s no shortage of hilarious drama at hand, and in the mix are Tribal Casino C.E.O. Terry Thomas (Michael Greyeyes) and Nathan’s studious assistant Bobbie (Jesse Leigh). (Credit: Tyler Golden/Peacock) “All of the characters at the end of Season 1 went through giant changes. Some of them were huge successes for Reagan and Terry,” points out series co-creator Sierra Teller Ornelas. “Some of them were their entire legacies being blown up, which is Nathan,” she adds. For those who may have forgotten, Reagan made a breakthrough on her Minishonka Cultural Center, and Terry had...
- 6/14/2022
- TV Insider
For the past few years, streaming has appeared to be the dominant form of TV viewing. But 2022 has already seen a shake-up in the television landscape as we know it, with linear model shows like "Euphoria" breaking viewership records while streaming giant Netflix seems to flounder amid reports of lost revenue and budget upheaval.
Showrunners and creatives know firsthand how tough the choice between streaming and network can be, and today, one of them is speaking up about it. /Film's Ryan Scott reports from the Comedy Showrunners panel at the Atx Television Festival, where showrunner Sierra Teller Ornelas, who co-created the Native...
The post Streaming Offers More Opportunities, But Less Pay for Marginalized Creators [Atx] appeared first on /Film.
Showrunners and creatives know firsthand how tough the choice between streaming and network can be, and today, one of them is speaking up about it. /Film's Ryan Scott reports from the Comedy Showrunners panel at the Atx Television Festival, where showrunner Sierra Teller Ornelas, who co-created the Native...
The post Streaming Offers More Opportunities, But Less Pay for Marginalized Creators [Atx] appeared first on /Film.
- 6/3/2022
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Peacock released the trailer for Season 2 of “Rutherford Falls,” which premieres all eight of its episodes on June 16. From co-creators Sierra Teller Ornelas, Michael Schur and Ed Helms, the series follows best friends Nathan Rutherford (Helms) and Reagan Wells (Jana Schmieding) as they tackle their careers, love lives and big changes to their small town and the Native American reservation it borders, brought on by casino executive Terry Thomas (Michael Greyeyes).
Ornelas said in a statement, “Ed Helms, Mike Schur, and I had an absolute blast making a show that’s heartfelt, laugh-out-loud funny, and depicts Native Americans in ways you never see on television. Also, a lot of people get punched/kicked in the face. We hope you enjoy Season 2.”
Ornellas is showrunner and writer, and executive produces alongside Mike Falbo, David Milner and Morgan Sackett. The cast includes Ed Helms, Jana Schmieding, Michael Greyeyes, Jesse Leigh, Dustin Milligan,...
Ornelas said in a statement, “Ed Helms, Mike Schur, and I had an absolute blast making a show that’s heartfelt, laugh-out-loud funny, and depicts Native Americans in ways you never see on television. Also, a lot of people get punched/kicked in the face. We hope you enjoy Season 2.”
Ornellas is showrunner and writer, and executive produces alongside Mike Falbo, David Milner and Morgan Sackett. The cast includes Ed Helms, Jana Schmieding, Michael Greyeyes, Jesse Leigh, Dustin Milligan,...
- 6/2/2022
- by Sasha Urban and Wilson Chapman
- Variety Film + TV
Peacock has released the official trailer for Season 2 of Rutherford Falls, the comedy series from Sierra Teller Ornelas, Ed Helms and Mike Schur, ahead of its release later this month.
In the first season, we meet lifelong best friends, Nathan Rutherford (Helms) and Reagan Wells (Jana Schmieding), who find themselves at a crossroads – quite literally – when their sleepy town gets an unexpected wakeup call. After the mayor decides to move a statue of Nathan’s ancestor because car drivers keep crashing into it, Nathan embarks on a mission to keep the statue in place. That causes Reagan to juggle loyalty to her friend and to her people, the Minishonka Nation.
In Season 2, Nathan and Reagan help each other tackle work, romance, and major changes to their small town and the Native American reservation it borders, initiated by Tribal Casino C.E.O. Terry Thomas (Michael Greyeyes). Jesse Leigh and Dustin Milligan also star.
In the first season, we meet lifelong best friends, Nathan Rutherford (Helms) and Reagan Wells (Jana Schmieding), who find themselves at a crossroads – quite literally – when their sleepy town gets an unexpected wakeup call. After the mayor decides to move a statue of Nathan’s ancestor because car drivers keep crashing into it, Nathan embarks on a mission to keep the statue in place. That causes Reagan to juggle loyalty to her friend and to her people, the Minishonka Nation.
In Season 2, Nathan and Reagan help each other tackle work, romance, and major changes to their small town and the Native American reservation it borders, initiated by Tribal Casino C.E.O. Terry Thomas (Michael Greyeyes). Jesse Leigh and Dustin Milligan also star.
- 6/1/2022
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
IllumiNative, The Black List and Sundance Institute today revealed the finalists for their 2022 Indigenous List, which represent the best and most promising Native creatives in the film and television industry. See the list below.
The Indigenous List was launched in 2020 to provide a platform for Indigenous writers to showcase their scripts, create additional pathways and opportunities within the industry, and support the development of the next generation of screenwriters.
This year’s writers will have the opportunity to meet with four Indigenous creatives who have first-look and/or overall development deals at major studios, including Bird Runningwater (Cheyenne); actor-director Michael Greyeyes; Sierra Teller Ornelas, showrunner/co-creator of Rutherford Falls; and Sterlin Harjo, showrunner/co-creator of Reservation Dogs.
“As one of the few Indigenous producers with a first look at a studio, I’m excited to help support our storytelling community engage in business to bring more exciting...
The Indigenous List was launched in 2020 to provide a platform for Indigenous writers to showcase their scripts, create additional pathways and opportunities within the industry, and support the development of the next generation of screenwriters.
This year’s writers will have the opportunity to meet with four Indigenous creatives who have first-look and/or overall development deals at major studios, including Bird Runningwater (Cheyenne); actor-director Michael Greyeyes; Sierra Teller Ornelas, showrunner/co-creator of Rutherford Falls; and Sterlin Harjo, showrunner/co-creator of Reservation Dogs.
“As one of the few Indigenous producers with a first look at a studio, I’m excited to help support our storytelling community engage in business to bring more exciting...
- 5/17/2022
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
The Cherokee Nation Film Office recently partnered with Green Pastures Studio and SeriesFest to present the Season 8 Storytellers Initiative, specifically aimed at increasing Native representation within the television industry.
The annual competition offers writers the opportunity to submit a pilot script, participate in a writing workshop with industry experts and a live read with professional actors, as well as secure a yearlong development deal with the winning script. In an ongoing effort to address the need for more Natives on and off screen, this year’s winning submission must include a Native American screenwriter or actor.
“Since the beginning of television, film and traditional media, Native Americans have been grossly underrepresented and currently comprise less than 1 of these industries,” said Jennifer Loren, director of the Cherokee Nation Film Office and Original Content. “The Cherokee Nation and our incredible partners, such as those who joined us at SeriesFest, are doing our...
The annual competition offers writers the opportunity to submit a pilot script, participate in a writing workshop with industry experts and a live read with professional actors, as well as secure a yearlong development deal with the winning script. In an ongoing effort to address the need for more Natives on and off screen, this year’s winning submission must include a Native American screenwriter or actor.
“Since the beginning of television, film and traditional media, Native Americans have been grossly underrepresented and currently comprise less than 1 of these industries,” said Jennifer Loren, director of the Cherokee Nation Film Office and Original Content. “The Cherokee Nation and our incredible partners, such as those who joined us at SeriesFest, are doing our...
- 5/12/2022
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
Three women running current TV and streaming series took stock of progress as well as lingering paradoxes in an entertainment industry that is still processing both the #MeToo movement and the economic change wrought by the streaming boom.
Asked during the panel at SeriesFest if anything has changed in the years since the industry’s initial reckoning with sexual abuse and assault as well as toxic work environments, Sierra Teller Ornelas, showrunner of Peacock series Rutherford Falls replied, “I don’t think so.” She did go on to say she has observed a “slow kind of incline.” In 2010, she said, even though, “the jokes you could tell the things you could talk about the stuff you could say, you just don’t do that now.”
Ornelas was joined by Daisy Gardner, showrunner of Freeform’s Single Drunk Female and Robin Veith, who now runs Candy on Hulu. Denver’s SeriesFest...
Asked during the panel at SeriesFest if anything has changed in the years since the industry’s initial reckoning with sexual abuse and assault as well as toxic work environments, Sierra Teller Ornelas, showrunner of Peacock series Rutherford Falls replied, “I don’t think so.” She did go on to say she has observed a “slow kind of incline.” In 2010, she said, even though, “the jokes you could tell the things you could talk about the stuff you could say, you just don’t do that now.”
Ornelas was joined by Daisy Gardner, showrunner of Freeform’s Single Drunk Female and Robin Veith, who now runs Candy on Hulu. Denver’s SeriesFest...
- 5/9/2022
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Three new reality shows — “The One That Got Away,” “Forever Summer: Hamptons” and “Cosmic Love” — will premiere this summer on Amazon Prime Video, the streamer announced today.
“We’re excited to introduce a new slate of addictive, entertaining reality programming that celebrates love and relationships in all forms,” said Vernon Sanders, head of global television at Amazon Studios. “Through past connections and astrology, ‘The One That Got Away’ and ‘Cosmic Love’ are dating shows that give audiences unique and fresh takes on finding the perfect match. ‘Forever Summer: Hamptons’ gives us a classic, dramatic reality show in an idyllic place with a cast that’s not afraid of confrontation.”
“The One That Got Away,” which will premiere all 10 episodes on June 24, is hosted by singer/songwriter Betty Who. The experimental dating series follows six single people in search for their soulmate. One by one, each of them will get the...
“We’re excited to introduce a new slate of addictive, entertaining reality programming that celebrates love and relationships in all forms,” said Vernon Sanders, head of global television at Amazon Studios. “Through past connections and astrology, ‘The One That Got Away’ and ‘Cosmic Love’ are dating shows that give audiences unique and fresh takes on finding the perfect match. ‘Forever Summer: Hamptons’ gives us a classic, dramatic reality show in an idyllic place with a cast that’s not afraid of confrontation.”
“The One That Got Away,” which will premiere all 10 episodes on June 24, is hosted by singer/songwriter Betty Who. The experimental dating series follows six single people in search for their soulmate. One by one, each of them will get the...
- 5/4/2022
- by Wilson Chapman and Carson Burton
- Variety Film + TV
The Rutherford Falls will be running again in mid-June, when Peacock begins streaming Season 2 of the comedy co-created by Michael Schur (The Good Place), Ed Helms (The Office) and Sierra Teller Ornelas (Superstore).
All eight episodes of the second season will be released on Thursday, June 16.
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Representing a breakthrough moment in Native representation in TV comedy both in front of and behind the camera, Rutherford Falls...
All eight episodes of the second season will be released on Thursday, June 16.
More from TVLineSaved by the Bell Revival Cancelled After 2 Seasons at PeacockBel-Air Emerges as Peacock's Most- Streamed Original Series to DatePete Davidson to Play 'Heightened' Version of Himself in Curb-Esque Comedy Series at Peacock
Representing a breakthrough moment in Native representation in TV comedy both in front of and behind the camera, Rutherford Falls...
- 5/4/2022
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
Peacock‘s small-town comedy Rutherford Falls is gearing up for its second season as the series sets Thursday, June 16 as the premiere date. From co-creators Ed Helms (The Office), Sierra Teller Ornelas (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), and Michael Schur, Rutherford Falls continues the story of life-long buds Nathan Rutherford (Helms) and Reagan Wells (Jana Schmieding). (Credit: Peacock) Together, they’re helping each other tackle work, romance, and major changes around the show’s titular town and the Native American reservation it borders, initiated by Tribal Casino C.E.O. Terry Thomas (Michael Geyeyes). The acclaimed comedy continues to represent a breakthrough moment in Native representation in comedy both in front of and behind the camera as Rutherford Falls employs one of the largest Indigenous writer’s rooms on TV. Among the show’s talented Native writers are Ornelas, Schmieding, Tai Leclaire, Tazbah Chavez, Dash Turner, and Azie Dungey. (Credit: Tyler Golden/Peacock) “Rutherford Falls is back!
- 5/4/2022
- TV Insider
The friendship of two lifelong pals is put to the test in “Rutherford Falls,” a Peacock original comedy from co-creators Ed Helms, Michael Schur, and Sierra Teller Ornelas. The new series was well-received by critics and earned a Rotten Tomatoes score of 94. Ed Helms stars as the lead character, Nathan Rutherford, the descendant of the town’s white colonial founder. Lead actress Jana Schmieding plays opposite Helms as Reagan Well, Nathan’s best friend who’s also part of the indigenous Minishonka Nation in New York.
Below is a complete guide to the characters we meet in season one of “Rutherford Falls.” We’ve also included info about the next season, the show’s writers, and where you can watch the talented cast perform their work today.
Main Characters of “Rutherford Falls”
The town of Rutherford Falls is full of interesting characters played by a diverse cast. Here are the...
Below is a complete guide to the characters we meet in season one of “Rutherford Falls.” We’ve also included info about the next season, the show’s writers, and where you can watch the talented cast perform their work today.
Main Characters of “Rutherford Falls”
The town of Rutherford Falls is full of interesting characters played by a diverse cast. Here are the...
- 5/4/2022
- by Buddy TV
- buddytv.com
Atx TV Festival, on Monday, revealed additional programming for its Season 11 lineup.
The annual television event, which will return for an in-person iteration in Austin, TX from June 2-5, will also spotlight Showtime’s I Love That For You, from Vanessa Bayer and Jeremy Beiler. Atx will feature an advance look at an upcoming episode and a conversation with Bayer, Beiler and showrunner Jessi Klein.
Also added to the lineup of panels is one spotlighting the showrunners of NBC’s Grand Crew, HBO’s A Black Lady Sketch Show and Peacock’s Rutherford Falls. Their respective showrunners Phil Augusta Jackson, Robin Thede and Sierra Teller Ornelas will join for the panel, where they will discuss the state of TV comedies, the art of running (and in sometimes starring in) the show, and how they’ve managed to break through the noise of too-much-tv. Additional panelists will be revealed at a later date.
The annual television event, which will return for an in-person iteration in Austin, TX from June 2-5, will also spotlight Showtime’s I Love That For You, from Vanessa Bayer and Jeremy Beiler. Atx will feature an advance look at an upcoming episode and a conversation with Bayer, Beiler and showrunner Jessi Klein.
Also added to the lineup of panels is one spotlighting the showrunners of NBC’s Grand Crew, HBO’s A Black Lady Sketch Show and Peacock’s Rutherford Falls. Their respective showrunners Phil Augusta Jackson, Robin Thede and Sierra Teller Ornelas will join for the panel, where they will discuss the state of TV comedies, the art of running (and in sometimes starring in) the show, and how they’ve managed to break through the noise of too-much-tv. Additional panelists will be revealed at a later date.
- 4/18/2022
- by Alexandra Del Rosario
- Deadline Film + TV
The 2022 SeriesFest officially announced its star-studded programming slate to take place May 5–11 in Denver, Colorado.
IndieWire can exclusively confirm that new Starz drama “Becoming Elizabeth” will debut opening night, followed by a Q&a panel with creator and executive producer Anya Reiss and series stars Alicia von Rittberg and Jamie Blackley.
Award-winning international festival and non-profit organization SeriesFest spotlights episodic storytelling. The annual six-day festival will include a full slate of in-competition screenings, panels, and workshops, as well as never-before-seen sneak peeks and television premieres.
Joining the special screening event line-up this year includes “Rat in the Kitchen” (TBS) with series’ co-hosts actress and comedian Natasha Leggero and Chef Ludo Lefebvre; “Bring on the Dancing Horses” featuring star and executive producer Kate Bosworth and director, writer, and executive producer Michael Polish; “This is Going to Hurt” (AMC+) with comedian and writer Adam Kay; “Somebody Feed Phil” (Netflix) with series creator...
IndieWire can exclusively confirm that new Starz drama “Becoming Elizabeth” will debut opening night, followed by a Q&a panel with creator and executive producer Anya Reiss and series stars Alicia von Rittberg and Jamie Blackley.
Award-winning international festival and non-profit organization SeriesFest spotlights episodic storytelling. The annual six-day festival will include a full slate of in-competition screenings, panels, and workshops, as well as never-before-seen sneak peeks and television premieres.
Joining the special screening event line-up this year includes “Rat in the Kitchen” (TBS) with series’ co-hosts actress and comedian Natasha Leggero and Chef Ludo Lefebvre; “Bring on the Dancing Horses” featuring star and executive producer Kate Bosworth and director, writer, and executive producer Michael Polish; “This is Going to Hurt” (AMC+) with comedian and writer Adam Kay; “Somebody Feed Phil” (Netflix) with series creator...
- 4/14/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Atx TV Festival will feature the world premiere of Lifetime’s “Flowers in the Attic: The Origin,” followed by a Q&a with the cast and creators, Variety can exclusively announce. Additionally, the 11th season of the festival will feature a live episode of the “Friday Night Lights” rewatch podcast “Clear Eyes, Full Hearts.”
The 2022 festival, set to take place in Austin, Texas, will take place June 2-5, 2022, returning to in-person programming for the first time in two years.
After a screening of Lifetime’s limited series “Flowers in the Attic: The Origin,” based on Andrew Neiderman’s novel “Garden of Shadows,” executive producers Paul Sciarrotta and Jennie Snyder Urman will host a panel with cast members Jemima Rooper, Kelsey Grammer, Alana Boden and Hannah Dodd. More guests will be announced in the future.
“Friday Night Lights,” which has been a staple at the festival since it kicked off in...
The 2022 festival, set to take place in Austin, Texas, will take place June 2-5, 2022, returning to in-person programming for the first time in two years.
After a screening of Lifetime’s limited series “Flowers in the Attic: The Origin,” based on Andrew Neiderman’s novel “Garden of Shadows,” executive producers Paul Sciarrotta and Jennie Snyder Urman will host a panel with cast members Jemima Rooper, Kelsey Grammer, Alana Boden and Hannah Dodd. More guests will be announced in the future.
“Friday Night Lights,” which has been a staple at the festival since it kicked off in...
- 4/8/2022
- by Emily Longeretta
- Variety Film + TV
When Mike Schur, Ed Helms and I pitched our show “Rutherford Falls,” I wore my “power pieces” to every meeting. I sported Native American jewelry that I knew would make me enter each room with my chin a little higher, and my back a little more straight. On my wrist was an ornately designed silver bracelet by Navajo silversmith Cody Sanderson. It’s the kind of bracelet that non-Native people think is cool and Native people will brake hard in the middle of traffic to yell, “Holy hell, is that a Cody Sanderson bracelet?!” I can’t speak for all Native Americans, we’re not a monolith, but from the beginning, a lot of us liked to stunt.
Navajo weavers would unwind government-issued blankets, mix and re-spin different colors to weave our own dresses. We take the things around us, mix it with centuries of art and design, and make it our own.
Navajo weavers would unwind government-issued blankets, mix and re-spin different colors to weave our own dresses. We take the things around us, mix it with centuries of art and design, and make it our own.
- 11/17/2021
- by Sierra Teller Ornelas
- Variety Film + TV
Rutherford Falls' co-creator and showrunner Sierra Teller Ornelas (Navajo Nation) is reflecting on the show's past as she looks towards its future. The critically-acclaimed comedy series, now streaming on Peacock, has added two new Indigenous recurring guest stars for its second season, E! News can exclusively reveal: Reservation Dogs alum Dallas Goldtooth (Mdewakanton Dakota & Dińe) is set to play Nelson, a new museum curator, and Letterkenny star Kaniehtiio Horn (Kahnawake Mohawk) will portray gym owner Feather. Additionally, two Indigenous writers have joined the writing team, comedian Dash Turner (Yurok)...
- 11/16/2021
- E! Online
Exclusive: Three of the most dynamic creators in Tinseltown have brought together two of the most preeminent advocacy organizations to further advance Latine representation and equity in the industry.
America Ferrera, Tanya Saracho, and Gloria Calderón Kellett have partnered Harness and the Untitled Latinx Project that they respectively co-founded to create Dear Hollywood.
With the acronym standing for Demanding Equal Access and Representation, Dear Hollywood aims to bring greater representation of Latine voices, stories, talent and creativity on both sides of the camera and on set and in the corner offices in the film and TV industry.
Planting the flags of equity and education, and set for a soft launch this month, the newly minted organization today unveiled its self-declared, and what should be self-evident, “five pillars”:
1. No stories about us without us
2. Greenlight our projects
3. Represent all aspects of our lives and culture
4. Put a limit on repeating...
America Ferrera, Tanya Saracho, and Gloria Calderón Kellett have partnered Harness and the Untitled Latinx Project that they respectively co-founded to create Dear Hollywood.
With the acronym standing for Demanding Equal Access and Representation, Dear Hollywood aims to bring greater representation of Latine voices, stories, talent and creativity on both sides of the camera and on set and in the corner offices in the film and TV industry.
Planting the flags of equity and education, and set for a soft launch this month, the newly minted organization today unveiled its self-declared, and what should be self-evident, “five pillars”:
1. No stories about us without us
2. Greenlight our projects
3. Represent all aspects of our lives and culture
4. Put a limit on repeating...
- 10/15/2021
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Series Mania Melbourne promises to go behind the curtains of some of the world’s leading dramas and comedies, with the industry program to include talks with Chernobyl creator Craig Mazin and Insecure showrunner Prentice Penny.
Audiences will also hear from Succession writer and I Hate Suzie co-creator Lucy Prebble, and Sierra Teller Ornelas, Navajo co-creator of Rutherford Falls.
The industry day, organised with Film Victoria and Acmi, will take place online October 14 via a series of talks and masterclasses. In addition to the international speakers, there will be a number of sessions focused on Australian content.
A panel featuring producers Tony Ayres and Debbie Lee; ABC head of drama, comedy and Indigenous Sally Riley; and writer and director Belinda Chayko will tackle the Australian industry’s approach to development, and how this stacks up in the global commissioning environment.
BTS of ‘Surviving Summer’.
Surviving Summer creators Joanna Werner and...
Audiences will also hear from Succession writer and I Hate Suzie co-creator Lucy Prebble, and Sierra Teller Ornelas, Navajo co-creator of Rutherford Falls.
The industry day, organised with Film Victoria and Acmi, will take place online October 14 via a series of talks and masterclasses. In addition to the international speakers, there will be a number of sessions focused on Australian content.
A panel featuring producers Tony Ayres and Debbie Lee; ABC head of drama, comedy and Indigenous Sally Riley; and writer and director Belinda Chayko will tackle the Australian industry’s approach to development, and how this stacks up in the global commissioning environment.
BTS of ‘Surviving Summer’.
Surviving Summer creators Joanna Werner and...
- 10/5/2021
- by Jackie Keast
- IF.com.au
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