SAG Awards: Who Do You Want to Win?

Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad; Viola Davis, The Help Actors' biggest night is here: the 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards! Can Breaking Bad win its first trophy? Will Alec Baldwin six-peat? Will Julianna Margulies extend her record to nine wins? Can The Artist claim its second guild award in two days? Or will top nominee The Help derail its momentum?Check out our SAG Awards predictionsSound off below with your predictions for the big show!

DCP's Shapiro details deal strategy

The trial over rights to the Golden Globe Awards on Thursday delved into the dealmaking strategy deployed by the head of Dick Clark Prods. in 2010 as he secured a long-term rights deal with NBC. In proceedings in a federal courtroom in Los Angeles, Mark Shapiro, CEO of Dick Clark Prods., admitted that he told NBC's Marc Graboff that he needed the approval of the HFPA to secure a rights deal with the network when he knew that he did not. Shapiro called his statements to Graboff a "negotiating strategy," one he carried throughout the year even though he never told the HFPA that there was a new deal with NBC until it was actually signed. "It was not entirely accurate," Shapiro said. "I did not need approval from HFPA." DCP negotiated a deal with NBC that would give the broadcaster rights to the Globes through 2018. The HFPA sued DCP in November 2010, claiming that its longtime producer made the pact without its permission. But DCP contends it never had to, citing an "extensions clause" in a 1993 pact with the HFPA giving it the option to produce the show in perpetuity as long as it continued to secure the Peacock Network to broadcast the show. But Shapiro said that as DCP started negotiations with NBC in 2010 he faced obstacles if he was to dramatically increase the amount that NBC paid for the show. HFPA members had pressed him to seek at least $20 million, double the license fee it was earning. For one, ratings were not as great as they were before the 2008 WGA strike, which forced the Globes to abandon the show and instead hold a press conference announcing the winners. But Shapiro said he also worried that if NBC was to pay so much, it would ask for much more in return, including rights giving it the ability to change the date of the show and even its locale, as one suggestion had been to move it to Universal City. So Shapiro told NBC multiple times that he needed the HFPA's approval, as the negotiating strategy was to give "a sense that I had a higher authority to answer to" and was limited in what the exec had the power to negotiate away. "I did believe that (Graboff) believed me, that the negotiating strategy was working," Shapiro said. As the deal dragged on, Shapiro told NBC that he faced a "deadline" to get it done. In fact, there was no such thing. But he said there was "urgency" to do a deal, as Comcast was about to take over the network and NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker wanted to land a new Globes pact as part of his "legacy." Shapiro said he secured a deal averaging $21.5 million per year. He said he was not aware that the HFPA was seeking another network on its own, and that then-HFPA prexy Philip Berk (now chairman) met with CBS' Les Moonves to discuss moving the show to that network. Contact Ted Johnson at ted.johnson@variety.com

Pilot Season: ABC Plans Reimagining of Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast ABC has ordered a pilot for a reimagining of Beauty and the Beast. The one-hour drama is set in a mythical, dangerous world where a beautiful and tough princess discovers an unlikely connection with a mysterious beast. Jonathan E. Steinberg will write and executive-produce the series alongside Gary Fleder and Mary Beth Basile. Get the latest news on all the pilot pickups here The CW recently ordered a Beauty and the Beast-inspired pilot planned as a loosely based modern adaptation of the 1987 CBS series starring Linda Hamilton with a procedural twist.

Fox to co-finance, distrib 'Lincoln' o'seas

Last Century Fox is originating onboard to co-finance Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln subsequently" and distribute the pic worldwide. Disney will stay onboard as domestic distributor for that DreamWorks film. Participant Media can also be active in the film, getting decided to co-finance the project in October. Fox wasn't readily available for comment. "Lincoln subsequently" marks the 2nd Spielberg pic that the studio is presently co-financing. In September, Fox came aboard towards the helmer's sci-fi adaptaion "Robopocalypse," which it will likewise distribute overseas. Disney will even release that film locally. More in the future. Contact Rachel Abrams at Rachel.Abrams@variety.com

The Bachelor's Chris Harrison: Shawntel Had Every Right to Return

Shawntel Newton, The Bachelor When Shawntel Newton asked to return to The Bachelor, no one had any idea just how upset - and brutal - the women would be. Host Chris Harrison tells us why he still backs up the funeral director's decision to come back, how he's still not sure why Brittney decided to leave and that next week's episode gets ugly for two front-runners. Were you surprised by the women's reaction to Shawntel?Harrison: I thought it was horrible. I knew they weren't going to be happy, but they got mean. It was like a bad high school bullying session where they ganged up on her. I still think that Shawntel had every right to do what she did, she had just as much right to go say hi to Ben as everybody else did; and if he wants to keep her, that's his prerogative. ... I talked to Shawntel the next day because I felt very bad for her. Whether he kept her or not, she was prepared for that, but she wasn't prepared to be attacked the way she was. Had the girls reacted different, do you think he would've kept her?Harrison: I think he was on the fence. There was a chance he would've kept her if not for the long haul, at least for the next week. But once he saw the reaction from the girls, and the meltdown going on, that had a lot to do with it. Ben was smart and the chance of maybe hitting it off with Shawntel is not worth losing the entire house. It would've been a disaster [to keep her] and it went a long way in changing the entire season. Although the women's reactions were mean, childish and a bit immature, the point was taken of what they were really feeling. VIDEO: The Bachelor's ousted Jenna laughs off her crying and craziness Why didn't Brittney at least give the one-on-one date a shot before deciding to leave?Honestly I didn't get it then and I didn't get it when I watched it back last night. It's almost like she couldn't handle the jealousy and competition and felt like she wasn't worthy. She wasn't so repulsed or upset that a date wouldn't maybe change things. She took the noble high road of saying I don't want to take someone else's time, but that's her time too. It didn't make sense and I think there's more to it. Emily's date climbing up the Bay Bridge was insane!We've done some crazy stuff from zip-lining to bungee-jumping, but this bar none was the scariest thing we've ever done. That expanse was not that wide and it's rounded and slick and once you get going you're not really allowed to go back. That was unbelievable that she was able to pull that off. Bachelor's Harrison on Kacie's emotional date, Blakeley's outfit and next week's mystery lady Skiing in bikinis for the group date was definitely a first.The girls were game, they thought it was fun. I don't know if once they all got in bikinis they thought it was cool, but all those girls have ridiculous bodies and if I looked like any of them I'd be walking around in a bikini all the time. And I love our public dates where we let people take pictures and come watch. For so long the unrealistic part of the dates was that no one was around and everything was so secluded. We still do that to a certain degree, but it feels so much more natural. What can you say about next week when the group is headed to Park City, Utah?Everything is about to unfold with this rivalry between Courtney and Emily. Emily is about to be taken far out of her element because I don't think [she's confrontational]. I don't know if Courtney is just smart or good at this, but she pinpoints Emily, goes after her and it almost gets to the point where Ben is forced to pick a side. It gets ugly. Watch our newest video series: Bachelor: The Morning After

Ough Gervais on Hosting the Globes: "I Really Get It Done My Way"

Ough Gervais Ough Gervais states because he returns as host in the Golden Globes on Jan. 15, he's carrying it out his way - again. "I really get it done my way, I buy finality on everything ... plus they're not going to know very well what I'm prone to say until I believe that it," Gervais told Matt Lauer. Gervais needed plenty of warmth for his jokes finally year's ceremony, despite the fact that he mentioned he'd never host the show again, he later changed his mind. "What expected the quantity was all the people nonetheless I'd 't be back," according to him. Who'll he offend this year? Ough Gervais to host Golden Globes again Nevertheless the comedian stands by his jokes. "What did I believe that that was false? I mentioned that Robert Downey Junior. spent some time in centers which he did. I'm not knowing him by it is a joke," according to him. "The controversy is not important in my opinion.In . More youthful crowd states he becomes another person before audiences. "The guy on stage is lot brasher, more arrogant, knowledgeable than me. I relax and day swagger." Same goes with this time around around hosting really his last? Yes, according to him, "for a while, no less than.In . Watch a clip in the interview airing on Dateline Sunday at 7/6c on NBC. Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news in regards to the economy

New Stills From The Impossible

Naomi Watt faces the Boxing Day tsunamiThe Impossible, Juan Antonio Bayona's dramatisation of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, may be nearly a year from our screens, but, judging by these new stills, the Spanish director's latest is already taking shape on an impressive scale.{New Stills From The Impossible}Based on the true-life story of a Spanish family caught up in the event, The Impossible follows the fate of a holidaying family whose Thai hotel is directly in the path of the colossal tidal wave. Mum Naomi Watts, dad Ewan McGregor and their three boys (newcomer Tom Holland among them) are separated and must endure the wave's horrific aftermath in the hope of being reunited. Here, Watts and Holland survey the carnage post-tsunami.At first glance, Bayona's latest doesn't appear to share DNA with his last film, 2007's cracking haunted house flick The Orphanage. Wrong, says the director, who's focusing again on grief and suffering with a family unit. "It's more or less the same," he tells Empire. "It's about how you deal with pain, how you overcome death, what is family."Currently in post-production, The Impossible doesn't have a release date yet, but there is an early Spanish trailer over at Twitch.

Pills may raise new video privileges fight

XFinityTV.com To know the tricky territory that separates website from application, think about the illustration of Comcast's Xfinity TV. When customers who wish to watch television online go to the cable operator's XfinityTV.com on their own pills, they might spot the website presently has exactly the same finger-swiping navigation since it's application. This recent upgrade might be a distinction with no impact on the customer eye but tend to herald a substantial change for privileges holders.Like they have licensed a lot more than 200,000 TV episodes and films towards the Comcast site. Only about 9,000 game titles happen to be licensed towards the Xfinity TV application -- a restriction that could beirrelevant whenever a Comcast sub accesses the web site from the tablet later on. Although the MSO presently keeps the entire selection of video on XfinityTV.com not allowed when utilized on pills, it might not remain this way forever, based on Matt Strauss, senior Vice president and g.m. of Comcast Interactive Media."The problem using the iPad is, could it be your personal computer or perhaps a wireless device?" stated Strauss. "The solution might be different based on if you are streaming content from the browser or perhaps an application. That blurriness is leading to some confusion on the planet of privileges and can likely continue as websites be enhanced for mobile consumption."That won't sit well with developers who wish to be taken care of use of their content with an application, which can lead to their next legal skirmish with video marketers searching to consider TV content outdoors TV. Viacom and Time Warner Cable happen to be enmeshed inside a suit within the MSO's transmission of their linear channels to iPads. But that can be a suit relies upon the questionable distinction between a Television set along with a tablet, this potential new debate asks what are the differences from a website as well as an application when seen on the tablet. Many content companies and marketers are simply starting to grapple with this particular problem because they negotiate affiliate deals such as the one Comcast sealed Wednesday with Disney. A number of these pacts were first made whenever a website was narrowly understood to be a browser-based experience limited to some computer while wireless privileges were first created within the pre-application world. Some developers have granted privileges to much more content to websites compared to what they have for wireless, which might be meaningless once marketers start to make websites the distribution point for wireless products additionally to applications.That may happen because of the arrival of HTML5, the relatively recent coding language whose usage is growing since it can provide an internet site the sophistication of the application. In success, HTML5 intends to supplant applications, although the consensus is that they will a minimum of exist together for the short term.You will find lots of arguments on sides from the HTML5 versus. application debate. However the primary help to the previous is the fact that while applications require individual maintenance on each one of the growing quantity of platforms which they operate, HTML5 supplies a simpler solution. "Whenever you consider delivering video content via a a smartphone or perhaps a connected TV or video games, lots of effort adopts maintaining that in present day atmosphere," stated Steve Necessary, Vice president of video strategy at Cox Communications. "If individuals abilities were completed in HTML5, it will get a great deal nearer to writing it once and implementing across multiple platforms."No content companies approached to go over how HTML5 figured to their distribution methods were prepared to discuss it around the record.Some content companies who own almost all their content could make an effort to wrangle a brand new revenue stream if their response to the confusion is granting a brand new to marketers. Others might not even have the ability to make an effort to extract new costs until they have settled track of the galleries that they license that content. "Some content companies are more than pleased to express as lengthy because the customer is having to pay, we'll use you to definitely authenticate use of that content on multiple products at no cost, just still safeguard this content,Inch Necessary stated. "Others do not take that position. In most cases, there is a conversation."Comcast can't just switch the turn on streaming all of the content on its website from pills tomorrow. The organization is dealing with the technical hurdles to make sure that exactly the same DRM that may be enforced within an application atmosphere does apply to HTML5-empowered websites. After that, Comcast may even reconfigure the Xfinity application to direct customers to some website without one even recognizing they have left the iOs or Android conditions.Comcast has not made the decision what it really is going to do if this becomes technically achievable to create everything content available online via tablet, based on Strauss.The Xfinity TV application was downloaded 4 million occasions this year as the website is closing in on 8 million unique site visitors monthly. Contact Andrew Wallenstein at andrew.wallenstein@variety.com

Makeup for beauty more than skin deep

'The Skin I Live In''The Skin I Live In'As Vera in writer/director Pedro Almodovar's "The Skin I Live In," actress Elena Anaya spends a fair amount of time naked, but her epidermis is far from completely exposed.Makeup artist Karmele Soler and two assistants spent three hours each day applying subtle scars and discolorations over her body, the result of character Vera Cruz's extensive reconstructive plastic surgery."Firstly, we had to draw the pattern on her skin, like the seams when sewing, and then we had to create and apply makeup to the scars and the skin," Soler says. "It was very delicate work. I used Pros-Aide (makeup adhesive) for the texture and a thin brush to draw clear and precise scars. Then for the color we used alcohol makeup to obtain the desired skin tone."While some might find it uncomfortable having a team labor over their naked body for hours at a time, "Elena was always very patient and showed no problem about her nudity," Soler says.Almodovar enlisted French haute couture designer Jean Paul Gaultier to create a second skin in the form of a bodysuit based on those worn by people who've had skin surgery after suffering severe burns.Gaultier also created a tiger costume for the unhinged criminal Zeca (Roberto lamo) that, while whimsical, speaks to the character's darker impulses. "(The idea) was to create an exotic creature, an animal," says the film's costume designer, Paco Delgado.The tiger costume contrasts starkly with the tailored suits and conservative cardigans worn by Antonio Banderas as obsessed plastic surgeon Robert Ledgard."We were trying to portray a professional guy who was successful not only in his job, but also socially," says Delgado. "An elegant look but with a certain coldness. We want him to wear suits like an armor when in public and softer approach when he was at home."The film contains some extreme special makeup effects created by David Marti and Montse Ribe of DDT, Oscar-winners for their work on "Pan's Labyrinth" (2006). The effects include the horrific burn makeup for Ledgard's wife and the white silicon mask worn by Vera as her face heals. But the key plot twist -- Vincente's (Jan Cornet) gradual transformation to Vera -- is communicated via a more subtle, almost transparent collaboration between hair, makeup and costume."We did a number of hairdo tests to avoid a sharp change in the character, and we softened the hairstyle to (strengthen) the feminine side that would enable the subtle transformation of Jan due to the several operations that the character went through to become Vera," hair stylist Manolo Carretero explains.The final brushstroke accentuating the completion of the Vincente-Vera transformation is provided by a simple Dolce & Gabbana floral dress."Pedro talked of having a dress that should be the essence of femininity," Delgado remarks. "This dress had it all. (It) created a very feminine silhouette and embodied an idea of a woman newly reborn."Eye on the Oscars: Art Direction, Costumes & Makeup Scenes reveal souls | Makeup for beauty more than skin deep | Helmers, designers take the edge out of war | Realistic, exotic look for 'Lady' Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com