De Armas fans can sue over misleading trailers
Movie trailers as we know it might soon be a thing of the past. Angry Ana de Armas fans will now be able to sue movie studios after Universal lost a bid to toss out a suit regarding its trailer for 2019′s “Yesterday,” despite arguing De Armas First Amendment protection, Variety reports. The Golden Globe-nominated actress, 34, was featured in ads for the film, in which a floundering musician realizes he’s the only person who remembers The Beatles and claims their hits as his own. However, her scenes did not make the final cut. Screenwriter Richard Curtis previously said he cut de Armas’ character from the film because she was distracting from the main love interest, brought to life by Lily James. Though the studio argued the first amendment should cover its “artistic, expressive” means of conveying a film’s entirety in a matter of minutes, U.S. District Judge Stephen Wilson found “creativity does not outweigh the commercial nature of a trailer,” according to the outlet. A trailer, he decided, is subject to the California False Advertising Law and the state’s Unfair Competition Law. Conor Woulfe and Peter Michael Rosza, both of whom paid $3.99 to rent the movie on Amazon Prime, are seeking a minimum of $5 million, according to the outlet. As they wanted to be representative of moviegoers, the ruling could ultimately serve as a precedent for other suits concerning trailers — and affect how and when they’re made — depending on class certification.
Jamie Lee Curtis pays tribute to Janet Leigh
Legendary actress Janet Leigh died in 2004, but her daughter, fellow actress Jamie Lee Curtis, remains proud of her late mother. A photo of Leigh from the iconic shower scene in the 1960 film “Psycho” is featured on the cover of Variety magazine for an issue highlighting “The 100 Greatest Movies of All Time.” Curtis posted about it on her verified Instagram account. Curtis “I woke up this morning missing my mother and wishing she could see the beautiful family that I have and that her two daughters are well and thriving and for her to enjoy this magical, creative year I’m having, after such a long time in the same industry she loved,” the “Halloween” star wrote. “The miracle of the movies is that they last forever, in perpetuity,” the caption went on to read. “How thrilling to see her legacy today through the loving portal of @variety as the number #1 movie of all time.” “Psycho” also starred Anthony Perkins and was directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The shower scene was hailed as incredibly innovative at the time and has since been re-created, spoofed and hailed in other projects.