ESSENTIAL INDUSTRY AND AWARD NEWS  APRIL 23, 2019 Nicole Kidman, Burning Bright There may be just one woman in the world who can say that she has managed to convince Nicole Kidman to pee in the woods: Krista Smith, Vanity Fair’s outgoing executive West Coast editor and author of our May issue’s cover story. The subject of that story, of course, is Kidman—a chameleonic actor, a bona-fide movie star, an Emmy-winning TV lead, and a busy producer. Her next big project is the second season of Big Little Lies, which debuts on HBO in June. In its sophomore year, the juicy, soapy series promises to be as addictive as ever, and will debut an intriguing new character played by Meryl Streep—who slipped seamlessly into the show’s close-knit cast, according to Kidman. “There are no men in our equation. I mean, there are, but they’re not on the group chat, let’s put it that way,” she told Smith. Streep, however, is: “And she’s very funny.” Elsewhere in HWD, Game of Thrones writer and producer Bryan Cogman defends the show’s controversial Arya sex scene, while TV critic Sonia Saraiya explains why it just didn’t sit right with her; contributor Ben Philippeillustrates how the series missed yet another opportunity to give its black characters a significant showcase in Season 8; and Nick Bilton explains why L.A. will be ground zero for the coming tech apocalypse.

Viva Kidman The Big Little Lies star reflects on her career, her marriage, her faith, and the sisterhood of her hit TV show, which premieres its second season this year. READ MORE » Point “She’s not a kid anymore!” Game of Thrones writer and producer Bryan Cogman tells Vanity Fair’s Still Watchingpodcast, explaining why he believes Arya bellyachers should stand down. READ MORE » Counterpoint TV critic Sonia Saraiya was not on board with Arya and Gendry’s tryst—mainly because Arya’s greater arc seems to be missing a few key steps. READ MORE » The Tragedy of Grey Worm Game of Thrones is finally showing some self-awareness about its black characters—but that doesn’t lessen the sting of how they’ve been sidelined. READ MORE » Winter Is Coming Hollywood may be the last creative industry not to be hollowed out by technology. But what happens when Silicon Valley starts replacing screenwriters with bots, and your favorite actress with C.G.I.? READ MORE »