Scouting Hollywood: Nov. 9-15

A roundup of news, gossip and history of the entertainment business brought to you from Hollywood, Calif.

Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash

In the “never let an opportunity go to waste” category, performers and crew in the reality TV world are advocating for union representation for their roles. Championed by Bethenny Frankel of Real Housewives of New York fame, it’s been dubbed the “the reality reckoning” movement. Since the format’s growth during earlier actor strikes, networks and companies have parlayed reality into big money for themselves. Performers complain of long hours and little pay beyond the hope of super stardom and merchandising deals that only a small percentage ever obtains. The Screen Actors Guild, whose current work stoppage grinds on, agrees that representation is needed. Beyond working conditions, complaints of harassment and bad food have been raised, but so far the producers are ignoring the demand. 

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, despite having a $19.86 ticket price, fell to second place in the North American box office to Universal Studios horror flick, Five Nights At Freddy’s which grossed an astonishing $78 million over the weekend. The film, the eighth highest opening of the year, posted the best horror opening since 2019’s It, Chapter Two. The results are even better for the film as it was the seventh wide release horror film in the last five weeks. 

Barbie did big box office this summer, grossing nearly a billion and half dollars and it also appears to have given the eponymous toy’s maker, Mattel, a boost.  Third quarter financial results for Mattel were up 9 percent and the doll’s revenue increased 16 percent. Nothing like a bit of publicity for a 60+ year old toy to spur sales. Have you bought one for your daughter yet?