Los Angeles Time - 08.08.2019

FRANKGardner and Colleen Bell on an “American Sniper” set in Santa Clarita.

Myung J. ChunLos Angeles Times

On a sweltering July
afternoon, Colleen Bell
strolled through an alley
that had been transformed
into a grimy, urban skid row
for the CBS police drama
“S.W.A.T.”
The rusty garage doors,
dusty lamps and worn build-
ing facades resembled
downtown L.A. But Bell was
about 40 miles away from
the alley’s inspiration, on
the Santa Clarita set of
“S.W.A.T.,” which was prep-

ping its third season.

“Look at that — amaz-

ing,” said Bell, marveling at

the alley’s transformation.

“Wow.”

As a veteran TV pro-

ducer, Bell could appreciate

such detail. The former U.S.

diplomat, who was ap-

pointed executive director of

the California Film Commis-

sion in May, was making the

rounds to visit various local

productions that have ben-

efited from state tax credits.

In her new role, the 52-

year-old executive will draw

upon her background as a

diplomat and industry vet-

eran to champion Califor-

nia’s film industry while

maintaining relationships

with state politicians, whose

support is vital.

Diplomatic help

for Hollywood

Veteran producer and

former ambassador

Colleen Bell heads

state film commission.

By Wendy Lee

[SeeBell,E5]

CALENDAR

THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 2019:: LATIMES.COM/CALENDAR

E

Still in step with

‘Fosse/Verdon’

Michelle Williams,

Sam Rockwell reflect

on series. The Envelope

Comics...................E6-7

What’s on TV..........E8

starring role at a Disney theme park.

In “Villainous!,” a Halloween-themed limited run of Dis-

ney California Adventure’s popular “World of Color” evening

light and water show, the company’s fairy tale crafters are

making the case that evil doesn’t have to mean bad. After all,

no one is ever always good. Instead, the young Shelley Marie

— her name a play on “Frankenstein” author Mary Shelley —

is a celebration of the individual and an acknowledgment

from the happily-ever-after factory that “normal” isn’t one

size fits all.

Shelley Marie, whose fashion aesthetic is a mash-up of

Wednesday Addams from “The Addams Family” and Lydia

from “Beetlejuice,” but with fewer goth overtures and bolder

colors, is the creation of celebrated Disney animator Eric

Goldberg. His credits include “Hercules,” “The Princess and

the Frog” and “Moana,” though he’s best

Princesses versus villains. It’s a clas-

sic conflict in Disney animated movies.

And while there are plenty of variations within those

groups, be it “Frozen’s” comfortably independent Elsa or

“The Little Mermaid’s” entitled power broker Ursula, they

usually fall into two camps: good and evil.

Perhaps there’s room for some middle ground? Meet Shel-

ley Marie.

She’s something of an anti-princess. That is, she’s a regu-

lar kid, a preteen whose idols aren’t the privileged class but

the outsize personalities that make up some of Disney’s most

warped characters. Give her the shape-shifting abilities of

Maleficent, the spellbinding prowess of the Evil Queen from

“Snow White” or the charisma of Dr. Facilier (the Shadow

Man) from “The Princess and the Frog.” Shelley Marie is also

that rare original character created not for a movie but for a

SHELLEY MARIEwas created for “Villainous!” — a “World of Color” show in California Adventure’s special-ticket Oogie Boogie Bash.

Joshua SudockDisneyland Resort

Unafraid to be herself

For a Halloween park show, Disney devises a bold anti-princess

BYTODDMARTENS>>>

[SeeDisneyland, E4]

Hollywood has a new

unofficial mayor.

Casting director David

Rubin was elected the 35th

president of the Academy of

Motion Picture Arts and Sci-

ences, the group’s board of

governors announced Tues-

day. He’s now charged with

helping to lead the film in-

dustry’s most prestigious in-

stitution through the next

chapter of its transforma-

tion.

In a meeting Tuesday

evening at the academy’s

Beverly Hills headquarters,

the group’s 54-member

board, including such Holly-

wood heavyweights as

Steven Spielberg, Laura

Dern and Whoopi Goldberg,

elected Rubin to succeed the

group’s outgoing president,

cinematographer John Bai-

ley, who is stepping down be-

cause of term limits after two

occasionally tumultuous

years at the helm of the 92-

year-old institution.

Among academy watch-

ers, Rubin’s election did not

come as a great surprise. Al-

though active campaigning

for the job of president is

frowned upon, in the weeks

leading up to the election,

his name, along with make-

up artist Lois Burwell, was

among those most fre-

quently mentioned. Rubin,

whose numerous film cred-

its include “The English Pa-

tient,” “Men in Black,” “Cold

Mountain” and “Gravity,”

was reportedly in the run-

AMPAS

PICKS

INSIDER

TO LEAD

Casting director

David Rubin inherits

various challenges

facing film academy.

By Josh Rottenberg

[SeeRubin,E5]

Novelist and book editor

Toni Morrison was a private

person who never wrote a

memoir and turned away bi-

ographers, according to her

friend Timothy Greenfield-

Sanders. But she did allow

the photographer-director

to interview her extensively

for the documentary “Toni

Morrison: The Pieces I Am,”

which explored her life as

well as elements of black his-

tory.

After Morrison died

late Monday at 88,

Greenfield-Sanders — who

was also the writer’s “pho-

tographer of choice” for her

book jackets and publicity

shots — opened up to The

Times exclusively via email

about his memories of her.

He remembers her as a

woman who saw the big pic-

ture and, even in dark times,

“managed to be philoso-

phical.” For those who

missed the Oscar-buzzy

documentary the first time

From a

beloved

friend

Toni Morrison’s

documentary director

shares insights (and

memories of cake).

By Christie D’Zurilla

[SeeMorrison,E4]