Millie Bobby Brown, Filmmaker Wanuri Kahiu Tackling ‘The Thing About Jellyfish’ for Universal
Millie Bobby Brown and Kenyan film director Wanuri Kahiu are teaming up to adapt acclaimed YA novel The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin.
Universal has optioned the rights to the 2015 book published by Little Brown and is developing the adaptation with producers Gigi Pritzker and Rachel Shane of MWM Studios, Bruna Papandrea, and Reese Witherspoon.
The producers have been developing the project since 2017, when MWM, the company behind the upcoming Motherless Brooklyn from Edward Norton and Chadwick Boseman’s 17 Bridges, acquired the rights, hiring playwright Molly Smith Metzler to work on what would be her first feature script, which made the 2017 Black List.
Jellyfish tells the story of a young girl named Suzy as she enters seventh grade. When her former best friend dies in a drowning accident — and not believing her mother who says that sometimes “these things happen” — Suzy becomes convinced that the true cause of the tragedy was a rare jellyfish sting. She retreats into a silent world of her imagination and begins crafting a globe-trotting plan to prove her theory, with the book exploring the ideas of life and death, the frailty of friendships and the potential of hope right next door.
The book was Benjamin’s debut novel. It was not only a commercial success, but also a literary smash, named as a finalist for the 2015 National Book Award.
Brown is attached to play Suzy.
Adrian Alperovich and Melissa Rucker will executive produce on behalf of MWM Studios. Jeanne Snow will also exec produce. Senior exec vp production Erik Baiers and director of development Lexi Barta are overseeing on behalf of Universal.
Brown is one of the stars of Stranger Things, whose season three arrives July, and stars in Godzilla: King of the Monsters, which hits the big-screen May 31. She is repped by WME and Hansen Jacobson.
Kahiu wrote and directed the LGBTQ film Rafiki, which made history last year as being the first Kenyan film to screen at the Cannes Film Festival even as the movie was banned in her home country due to its themes. She is repped by CAA and Gotham Group.
Benjamin is repped by CAA while Metzler is repped by WME and Granview.
(THR)
Elizabeth Arden & Reese Witherspoon Announce 2019 ‘March On’ For Women Campaign
Today [March 7th], Elizabeth Arden announces March On Pink, the next phase of the brand’s signature philanthropic campaign, through a $1 million pledge supporting UN Women in their work to advance women’s issues worldwide. To bolster awareness and efforts, a limited-edition lipstick signed by Reese Witherspoon in “Pink Punch” shade will be sold globally with 100% of the proceeds donated to UN Women.
Following last year’s limited-edition March On lipstick in Elizabeth Arden’s classic red, this year’s March On campaign ushers in a new, powerful pink shade. Inspired by the next generation of young women leaders and enacting great change, Pink Punch unapologetically embraces women’s boldness and femininity.
“It’s an incredible time to be a woman. The work we’re doing with Elizabeth Arden and UN Women is igniting real change and increasing possibilities for women globally,” says Reese Witherspoon, Elizabeth Arden’s Storyteller-in-Chief and female advocate. “I’m in this for all women – for my daughter, my mother, and all the amazing women in my life.”
Continue reading this entry »
Way back in December when we had our Advent Calendar, I added these super-rare photos to the Gallery but forgot to post about them here!
Back in the spring of 2014, Reese attended a book signing party for Robin Berman’s book ‘Permission To Parent’. Reese provided praise for the book, saying that it “should be present in every delivery room”! Reese looked lovely in a little navy dress at the event, held in Pacific Palisades in California. Enjoy these previously unseen rare photos exclusively in our Gallery!
• ‘Permission To Parent’ Book Signing Party x14
Here’s a new ad for Crate & Barrel – Out with the Old, In with the You:
We’re almost there with completing the Films section of our Gallery. This weekend, the Home Again section has been updated – we’ve added international posters, screencaptures from the official promotional interview, and some fantastic new high quality stills! This is not one of my favourites in Reese’s filmography, but the pretty high quality stills and poster artwork are worth a browse:
• Movies > Home Again
Reese Witherspoon Says Daughter Ava Phillippe, 19, Taught Her How to Apply Highlighter
Reese Witherspoon has been pampered by Hollywood’s hottest makeup artists since before her daughter Ava Phillippe was born. But these days, the 19-year-old is one of the few people the actress trusts to give her makeup tips.
“I learn a lot from my daughter [about makeup],” says Witherspoon, revealing that Ava honed her skills by watching YouTube tutorials. “Her understanding of how to apply it is so extensive.”
Speaking to PEOPLE about her latest charitable makeup collaboration with Elizabeth Arden, Witherspoon, 42, adds that Ava’s application techniques are especially solid when it comes to eyeshadow and highlighter.
“If I have to do my makeup for a dinner or something, I’ll be like, ‘Ava, can you fix my eyeshadow? I can’t remember what goes in the crease,’ because she has this intense knowledge about how to shade. It’s crazy.”
“She [also] taught me how to put highlighter on my brow bones and the top of my cheekbones. I really liked the way it looked, so now it’s just become part of my makeup routine.”
Witherspoon says her look-a-like daughter has been a pro of sorts for a couple of years. “She knew how to do a beautiful red carpet look by the time she was 17 years old.”
Of course, Ava’s makeup expertise isn’t the only thing the doting mom admires about her daughter.
Last summer Witherspoon threw a joint graduation party for her high school graduate, Ava, and her junior high graduate, son Deacon.
“I’m so proud of her,” says Witherspoon of her daughter, who’s now in college. “She’s just an extraordinary young woman who is passionate about the world, and making change, and helping people. I feel really privileged to be her mom.”
(People)
We’re almost done completing the Films section of our Gallery! The Sing category has been updated with a few stills, posters, and screencaptures from various featurettes and interviews. Reese voiced the adorable and perky pig Rosita – and of course sang for the role. This was a fun movie with some enjoyable music moments – and we’re looking forward to the sequel!
There’s been lots of news & updates posted this weekend so be sure to keep on scrolling down to see all the latest…
• Movies > Sing
HBO have released another teaser trailer to highlight their 2019 shows – and it includes another snippet from Big Little Lies (1:12 mins in):
Big Little Lies (2019)
The Morning Show (2019)
