- Currently: Associate Editor at The Hollywood Reporter - Iranian-American journalist who loves to nerd out over pop culture.
How 'Wander Darkly' Director Created a Reflective Love Story By Exploring Trauma
Writer-director Tara Miele opens up on the existential drama that follows a couple as they navigate the afterlife of their relationship, inspired by true events in her own life that gifted reflection and gratitude.
Black Publicists Talk Battling Restrictions, Championing Inclusivity in Hollywood: "We Can Tell a Variety of Stories"
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BIPOC publicists, who struggle with being limited to Black projects — often as the only people of color in the room — are working to break down barriers: "A lot of folks like to put us in boxes."
Despite having more than 25 years of publicity and marketing experience, BazanPR founder Jackie Bazan still finds it challenging to encounter people in the entertainment industry who "understand that the color of my skin does not define my capability in this space."
Bazan’s ...
Mahershala Ali on Finding New Opportunities to "Grow and Be Challenged" With 'Ramy' and 'We Are the Dream'
Nominated for his supporting work on 'Ramy' and as an EP of the doc 'We Are the Dream,' Ali shares how acting continues to transform: "What we recognize as good work is shifting."
Director Sujata Day on Exploring Mental Health in Feature Film Debut 'Definition Please'
"It does feel like a good time to be putting out a movie that has a very American message and story, but that stars people that you've never seen before," Day says of her first feature film, premiering Friday at the Bentonville Film Festival.
Comic Book Industry Reckons With Abuse Claims: "I Don't Want This to Happen to Anyone Else"
As Marvel, DC and Dark Horse cut ties with creators, calls grow for new protections in a largely freelance industry: "Who has enough power to call out bad behavior without losing their job?"
'Mucho Mucho Amor' Documentarians on Capturing Walter Mercado's "Message of Love"
Filmmakers Cristina Costantini and Kareem Tabsch, along with producer Alex Fumero, detail filming the gender non-conforming astrologer, who after decades of global love vanished from the public eye.
Amid Pandemic and Protests, Late Night Hosts Become "Megaphone for the Movement"
Late night shows have long been known for bringing in humor while covering the news, but after the racial justice protests against police brutality began to rock the nation, hosts and writers had to grapple with how to approach these intense and important issues.
'The Photograph' Director Stella Meghie Talks Making a "Grounded" Romance
With 'The Photograph' hitting VOD, the director talks romance movie cliches that no longer muster audiences and her excitement over upcoming directing gig — a Whitney Houston biopic.
L.A.'s Indie Bookstores Face Tough Choices Amid Virus Crisis
Some sellers are cutting staff, other retailers are going online-only, and some have shut down entirely: "Our sales are zilch for the moment."
How I'm Living Now: Samantha Bee, 'Full Frontal' Host
While filming her TBS late-night show with the help of her husband and three children, Bee shared her daily quarantine routine and what she hopes to do when (hopefully) this all ends.
"We Can't Be Silent": Asian Americans in Hollywood Denounce "Chinese Virus" and Racist Incidents
Actors, creatives and advocates offer ways to promote inclusivity amid a crisis and say Trump's attempt to racialize the pandemic is "only adding fuel to an already blazing fire."
"I want us all to understand there is no 'Chinese Virus.' A virus knows no nationality, and wherever and however it started, it does us no good to point fingers, ostracize, attack or demonize Asian people."
How Bathtubs, Woodsheds, Couches and Sidewalks Became the New Hubs of Late Night
With kids giggling during monologues and Wi-Fi issues to work out, late-night hosts are wading through uncharted waters to deliver comedy, and a bit of levity, to audiences amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Film Students Work Through Restrictions Caused by Coronavirus
One Chapman University student commented that the faculty and administration are "overwhelmed by trying to orchestrate things under this new paradigm."
Hachette Employees Stage Walkout Over Woody Allen Memoir
The protest follows Ronan Farrow stating he would no longer work with the publisher, while pushing the company to fact-check Allen's memoir.
As 'The Simpsons' Silences Apu, South Asian Creatives Hope for Character's Authentic Revival
It has been over two years since anyone has heard a word from The Simpsons' Kwik-E-Mart clerk Apu — a silence that looks to be indefinite following Hank Azaria's confirmation to The New York Times on Tuesday that he will no longer voice the character.