• Comedian Chris Rock says he was surprised and grateful to be asked to join the FX series Fargo. But don't expect a ton of laughs. "This is a straight-ahead drama. I mean, Fargos always have a little comedy, but they're always more ironic. The comedy in Fargo really serves the story," Rock said. The fourth season of Fargo is set in 1950 Kansas City and Rock will play the head of a criminal syndicate who has struck an uneasy peace with a rival group -- they've swapped sons. A death forces the unraveling of their plans. Longtime Fargo showrunner Noah Hawley will again lead the creative team. The series is set to premiere in April. "I was definitely surprised when I got the offer. I am grateful to Noah because he could have offered it to kind of anybody," Rock said. The series is inspired by the 1996 black comedy film and over the years has attracted stars including Billy Bob Thornton, Ted Danson, Kirsten Dunst, Jean Smart, Allison Tolman, Timothy Olyphant, Carrie Coon, Patrick Wilson and Ewan McGregor.
• British actor Jeremy Irons will head the jury at the Berlin International Film Festival next month, organizers said this week. Irons will be jury president at the festival's 70th edition, running from Feb. 20 to March 1. Other members of the jury haven't yet been named. Irons said in a statement that he was taking on the festival role "with feelings of great pleasure and not inconsiderable honor." Irons' screen and stage career started in the 1970s. He won a best actor Oscar for his role in 1990's Reversal of Fortune and had notable performances in films including The French Lieutenant's Woman, Dead Ringers, The Mission and Justice League, as well as the acclaimed 1981 TV miniseries, Brideshead Revisited. "With his distinctive style, Jeremy Irons has embodied some iconic characters that have accompanied me throughout my journey in cinema, making me aware of the complexity of human beings," Carlo Chatrian, the festival's artistic director, said.
• After dominating 2019, singer-rapper Lizzo will be the first female act to headline the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in June. Tool and Tame Impala will also headline the four-day festival. The festival announced the lineup Tuesday for its 19th year. Bonnaroo will be held June 11-14 in Manchester, Tenn. Miley Cyrus, Lana Del Rey, DaBaby, Megan Thee Stallion, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, The 1975, Vampire Weekend and others will also perform. Returning to Bonnaroo will be Leon Bridges, Bassnectar and Run The Jewels, as well as the group Oysterhead, featuring Les Claypool of Primus, Trey Anastasio of Phish and Stewart Copeland of The Police.
A Section on 01/11/2020