The two-part documentary, which was directed by Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio, arrives to HBO on Thursday. Apatow told ABC Audio that Brooks needed a bit of convincing before he agreed to become the subject of another retrospective.
“There had been other pieces made about him in the past, and I wanted to do something more personal. And he wasn’t sure how he felt about that,” Apatow said. “My main pitch was, ‘But Mel, you get to hang out with me,’ you know, like, ‘We get to talk and when else are we going to have a reason to talk for 10 hours?’ And he’s like, ‘OK, I’ll do it.'”
Bonfiglio said that Brooks’ style of comedy in movies like Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein became a brand unto itself.
“The Mel Brooks brand is big, laugh-out-loud funny, going for the huge, huge laughs, no-holds-barred, kind of busted all open kind of humor. Not a lot of subtlety, but always so funny,” Bonfiglio said.
Apatow said that the daring nature of Brooks’ comedy is not something that could be replicated today.
“He certainly was as daring as you can be,” Apatow said. “What’s most impressive is that at a time when people weren’t making much work like that, he decided to plant his flag and make a movie that mocked racism in a way that was such a strong point of view that even today people are like, ‘Whoa, did you see that?’ I mean, it certainly doesn’t seem tamer as the years pass. And I think the lesson of it is still very, very important, unfortunately.”
Rhea Seehorn and Karolina Wydra in “Pluribus,” now streaming on Apple TV (Courtesy Apple TV)
Going into Sunday night’s Golden Globes, Apple TV+’s new series Pluribus — about a woman who is unaffected by an alien virus that causes nearly everyone on earth to be joined to a hive mind — is up for two awards.
The show, from Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, is nominated for best television series, drama and best performance by an actress in a television series, drama for star RheaSeehorn. Pluribus star KarolinaWydra, who plays Zosia, says she’s thrilled for Gilligan and Seehorn, telling ABC Audio, “I’m glad that they’re being celebrated for their greatness.”
Pluribus marks the first leading role for Seehorn, who previously appeared in Gilligan’s Better Call Saul. Wydra says she hopes Seehorn receives long-overdue recognition.
“I want her to be celebrated for the incredible artist that she is, and not only incredible artist, but also an incredible woman and an incredible leader,” she says. “I am shocked that she hasn’t been a leading lady. She’s made to be that. She’s just phenomenal.”
Wydra is also happy that Gilligan’s vision is being recognized by the Globes.
“He is a master of his craft and he is a brilliant storyteller, brilliant filmmaker, and more than anything, he’s an incredible human being,” she tells ABC Audio. “And I am in awe of him as a person.”
“It starts from the top down and the way he runs the set and the ways he hires people. He really cares about making sure that people are there because they want to and they’re really good humans.”
The Golden Globes will air live on CBS Sunday night and stream live on Paramount Plus.
Catherine O’Hara attends a red carpet for ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ during the 81st Venice International Film Festival at on Aug. 28, 2024, in Venice, Italy. (Stefania D’Alessandro/WireImage via Getty Images)
Actress Catherine O’Hara has died. She was 71.
The Emmy Award winner was best known for her roles in beloved shows and films like Schitt’s Creek, Beetlejuice and Home Alone.
O’Hara’s manager confirmed the news of her death Friday. Details surrounding her death are not known.
O’Hara’s long career saw her take on more than 100 roles across TV and film, most recently for her Emmy-nominated roles in The Studio and The Last of Us in 2025.
She also recently starred in Schitt’s Creek as Moira Rose, a grandiose actress who is blissfully detached from reality. Her performance in Schitt’s Creek — which also starred Eugene Levy, Dan Levy and Annie Murphy — earned her a Primetime Emmy Award in 2020, as well as a Golden Globe in 2021.
O’Hara first rose to widespread fame in 1988, starring as overdramatic artist and perfectionist Delia in Beetlejuice alongside Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder.
Her portrayal as mom Kate McCallister to a young Macaulay Culkin in the 1990 film Home Alone also revealed another side of O’Hara onscreen, as she warmed the hearts of audiences in a performance that provided a portrait of motherhood.
Catherine Anne O’Hara was born on March 4, 1954, in Toronto, Ontario, as the sixth of seven children, and the older sister to Canadian singer Mary Margaret O’Hara. She got her start in acting when she landed a role on the Canadian television sketch comedy show Second City Television in 1974.
According to the official Second City Television website, O’Hara had auditioned for SCTV two years prior and replaced Gilda Radner when the latter left in 1974.
While on SCTV, O’Hara showcased her range, impersonating figures like Meryl Streep, Brooke Shields and Lucille Ball. Her characters on the show included Lola Heatherton and Dusty Towne. She also contributed as a writer on the show and earned her first Primetime Emmy for outstanding writing in a variety or music program in 1982.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
