The Hollywood Reporter (Weekly)
Rambling Reporter
Who Dined With President Obama at a Brentwood Restaurant? If you saw a bunch of stars ducking into A.O.C. recently, there was a good reason. President Barack Obama and his Higher Ground production company hosted back-to-back dinners the week of March 13 at the Brentwood hotspot, inviting a slew of Oscar winners, nominees and creative talent, according to multiple sources. Joining Obama and Higher Ground execs Joe Paulsen and Tonia Davis were Oscar-winning Everything Everywhere All at Once duo Daniels (fresh from their best picture win), Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler (also riding high with the success of Creed III), Oscar winner Regina King, Janelle Monáe (featured in the Higher Ground-produced We the People), Colman Domingo (who stars in H.G.’s upcoming Rustin this fall), Better Things creator Pamela Adlon, Oscar-nominated writer and filmmaker Kemp Powers, and Station Eleven creator Patrick Somerville. Per an insider, Obama had no specific agenda for the dinners other than to gather those he and his team are either working with, have relationships with or are fans of for an intimate creative discussion. Higher Ground declined to comment.
San Vicente Bungalows Zero in on Santa Monica Expansion
In September, Sunset Tower maître d’ Gabé Doppelt informed the staff that with hotelier Jeff Klein’s blessing, she would soon be departing her post at the industry power spot in favor of a new gig at Klein’s members-only club, San Vicente Bungalows. The job change comes as Klein pushes forward with expansion plans for SVB, first in Santa Monica
and later in New York City, with Doppelt on board to help navigate the two new outposts. Per two sources, Klein and company are close to finalizing an address for their Westside location. If all goes according to plan, SVB Santa Monica will take over the third floor and rooftop of the building that houses Water Grill, located on Ocean Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard, with covetable ocean views. THR reached out to a San Vicente Bungalows rep and Klein for confirmation, and they had no comment.
Ted Lasso Introduces ‘Lunatic’ New Soccer Star
There’s a new star on the pitch. The second episode of Ted Lasso’s third season introduced a soccer player so famous he goes by a one-word moniker — Zava. Played by Agents of SHIELD star Maximilian Osinski, Zava will have more screen time as the season unfolds. The actor is still pinching himself. “I couldn’t believe it at first,” says Osinski, who is married to actress Dichen Lachman, featured on another
Apple TV+ hit, Severance. “You watch a show for two years as a fan and never imagine that one day you’ll be in a scene standing opposite Jason Sudeikis.” Co-creator Brendan Hunt, an executive producer who also plays Coach Beard, says Zava was inspired by some of the sport’s “more colorful divas” including “a lot” of Zlatan Ibrahimovic. “Zlatan is among the most unique of that breed of God-gifted lunatic.” The Swedish superstar, who now plays for A.C. Milan, once played for the L.A. Galaxy, and when his move from Manchester United to the West Coast was announced, Ibrahimovic took out a full-page ad in the L.A. Times that read: “Dear Los Angeles, You’re welcome.”
Sharon Horgan’s New Writing Process: Staying in Bed
At the Spirit Awards, Sharon Horgan revealed to THR that she’s been hard at work writing season two of her Apple TV+ series, Bad Sisters, even if from the outside it may appear she’s stuck in a battle with her snooze button. “Sitting in bed is my new writing process. It’s like a writers room but in my bedroom,” explained Horgan with a laugh. “For now, that’s what I’m doing and then every so often it breaks out into a Zoom with all the other writers. But, at the moment, I’m motoring on in my own bed, which is a whole new thing for me.” Horgan, who cocreated the show with Brett Baer and Dave Finkel, won’t say what exactly she’s accomplished from her cozy new nook. “We don’t start filming until September, but I can tell you that … it’s more sisters going nuts, doing things badly, getting it wrong, but really loving each other through it all. I don’t want to tell you the plot because it’s still percolating.”