What happened these past two weeks that I need to know about? We haven't done a link roundup yet this month (due to the critics institute retreat I was attending) so I have no idea what happened in my absence. But let us not get further behind. Herewith some news stories as well as a few random good reads.
News
• IndieWire Sofia Coppola responds to the backlash regarding her adaptation decisions on The Beguiled
• Theater Mania Josh Lucas and Uma Thurman to star in a new Broadway political play opening this fall The Parisian Woman
• Audra McDonald is going on a North American tour so get your tickets! The six time Tony winner's voice is utterly sublime.
• NYT Kermit the Frog voice Steve Whitmire fired after three decades as the beloved felt frog
• IndieWire Greta Gerwig's Ladybird starring Saoirse Ronan will be released this fall. Awards push expected
• Variety Todd Haynes will get the Locarno Festival's lifetime achievement award
• Ryan Murphy teases fans with a bee covered image for the next season of American Horror Story
• Towleroad Thomas Dekker (Kaboom, Heroes, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) comes out after being casually mentioned (not by name) in a speech by queer TV genius Bryan Fuller at OutFest
Randomness
• Interview what's next for Tatiana Maslany when she finally wraps her demanding Orphan Black role?
• Awards Daily Jazz talks to Nicole Kidman about her Emmy nomination
• The Guardian will Star Wars The Last Jedi be an Empire Strikes Back retread or will it bring something new to the nostalgia-focused series
• Awards Daily I was polled for this critics roundup f the "best of the year so far" at the halfway mark. Get Out, The Big Sick, Logan, Baby Driver, and Colossal topped the list, three of which I voted for. I like Logan and Colossal just fine but labelling them "best" feels stretchy.