DEADLINE – Elle Fanning has teamed up with Jessica Wapner, former science editor of Newsweek, for a documentary podcast series looking at the controversial diet pill and bodybuilding aid DNP.

The pair are working on One Click for Cadence13, the Entercom-backed podcast company. It is based on Wapner’s story for The Daily Beast – The Deadly Internet Diet Drug That Cooks People Alive that was published by in January 2020 and was commissioned by Vespucci Group, the film, TV, podcast & multimedia incubator that produces fact-based stories.

The Great star and exec producer Fanning will narrate the series, based on Wapner’s writing.

DNP is a chemical that was originally used in WWI-era artillery shells that has more recently been sold on the Internet as a diet pill and bodybuilding aid—with fatal results. Fanning and Wapner explore the issues of body image and mental health, and unravel these chain of events.

One Click is designed as a franchise with the story of DNP set as season one. The franchise will explore how a single click on the internet can change a life forever.

The first season of One Click will launch in early 2021.

One Click will be executive produced by Chris Corcoran, Chief Content Officer, Cadence13. It will be directed and produced by Cadence13 and Vespucci Group. Fanning, Wapner, and Brittany Kahan Ward will also produce.

“I am thrilled to be partnering with Cadence 13, Jessica Wapner and Vespucci Group on a podcast that I hope will start an important conversation amongst my peers,” said Fanning. “Our lives are consumed by social media and the internet, and we need to be conscious of the negativity it can breed and the ways in which it is being misused that are so harmful. I even find myself comparing my thighs to other people’s thighs on Instagram. Through Jessica’s investigation into DNP, a drug I had never heard of before, we hope to uncover and expose those preying on the vulnerable. This isn’t a chemistry story—it’s the story of 21-year-olds who burned alive from the inside trying to reach an intangible goal of what society’s beauty standards are today.”

Wapner added, “Moving this story from print to podcast will make for a far-reaching and in-depth examination of the many dire issues surrounding body image. Elle’s intelligence, openness and experience make her an ideal co-host. Vespucci Group’s collaborative spirit, dedication to journalism and storytelling skills make them the ideal producers, along with Cadence13.”

“We’re proud to be aligning with Elle and Jessica, two enormous talents who are clearly passionate about exploring the dangers of body image pressures and the risks people are willing to take, through the lens of this dark and terrifying story,” said Chris Corcoran, Chief Content Officer, Cadence13.

Fanning is represented by Echo Lake Entertainment, United Talent Agency, and Hansen Jacobson. Vespucci Group is represented by WME.

Elle was seen while she was running errands in Los Angeles the other day, September 9. You can find the newest candids in the gallery.

Elle Fanning’s Bright Future

The actor’s darkly comic portrayal of a young Catherine the Great could be the role that defines her. With a second season in the works and a burgeoning career as a producer, things are heating up for fashion’s favorite polymath

Since she started working in the movie business a whopping 20 years ago, Elle Fanning, who turned 22 earlier this year, has collaborated with some of Hollywood’s most exciting directors. Among them: David Fincher for 2008’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; Sofia Coppola for 2010’s Somewhere and 2017’s The Beguiled; J.J. Abrams for 2011’s Super 8; Mike Mills for 2016’s 20th Century Women; and Alejandro González Iñárritu for 2006’s Babel.

But Fanning’s first major role in television may wind up being her career-defining moment. In The Great, she stars as Catherine the Great, Russia’s longest-ruling female leader, opposite Nicholas Hoult as the dastardly Peter III. Alongside Normal People, the series became one of Hulu’s biggest streaming successes during the pandemic, and the platform says it will commission a second season.

As viewers gleefully discovered, this is not your average, run-of-the-mill Catherine the Great — nor anything at all like the one portrayed last year by Helen Mirren in HBO’s limited series. No, this is Tony McNamara’s Catherine the Great. You might know McNamara because he co-wrote 2018’s The Favourite, which won Olivia Colman an Oscar. The Great is very much in the mold of that film, meaning it’s hilarious and absurd, offering a side of Fanning we haven’t gotten to see much during the last two decades.

Few TV shows of 2020 have been as thrilling, funny, and heartbreaking as The Great. The Hulu series is a tonal tight-rope walk as it chronicles (and fictionalizes) the early days of Catherine the Great’s marriage to Peter III of Russia, with Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult playing off of one another like they’re having a fierce tennis match. It’s jubilant and harrowing and romantic and hilarious at equal turns, and the fact that it works so well is a testament to the performances and, of course, the writing.

Before showrunner Tony McNamara earned an Oscar nomination for co-writing the 2018 film The Favourite, he wrote a play based on the life of Catherine the Great. He previously attempted to adapt the play into a feature film, before eventually deciding on a TV series format. Enter Hulu, Fanning, and Hoult, and you have one of the best TV shows of 2020.

The Great is Emmy-nominated for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for McNamara’s work on the pilot (and Matt Shakman for Best Director on the same episode), and while I’m still mad as heck that Hoult and Fanning weren’t recognized for their brilliant performances (and that the show itself wasn’t nominated for Best Comedy), I was more than happy to speak with McNamara by phone recently about his work on the series.

During our interview, he talked about the key casting of Fanning and Hoult, the purposeful pace of the show, and why he didn’t want to write all the episodes before they started filming. McNamara also shed some light on some specific plot points from the show’s first season, including why Marial betrayed Catherine and whether Leo’s death was always part of the plan. And with the show renewed for a second season by Hulu, he offered a tease of where The Great Season 2 might be going.

Check out the full interview below.

On the anniversary of Miley Cyrus’s infamous Wrecking ball, Elle Fanning performs the song in Lyrical Improv fashion.

Elle was photographed while she was out and about in Los Angeles with her mom a few days ago, August 20. Head over to the gallery for the latest candids

Elle was seen while she was leaving her home first and then while she was doing some shopping in Los Angeles a few days ago, August 15. Be sure to check out the latest candids, you can find them in the gallery

Elle Fanning is attached to star in the Universal Content Productions (UCP) series based on the real-life case of Michelle Carter, which has landed at Hulu, Variety has learned.

Titled “The Girl From Plainville,” Fanning will star as Carter, who was infamously convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2017 after texting her boyfriend encouragement to commit suicide three years prior. The series will be based on the Esquire article of the same name by Jesse Barron.

Liz Hannah and Patrick Macmanus will co-write the series and serve as executive producers and co-showrunners. Fanning and Echo Lake’s Brittany Kahan Ward will also executive produce. Barron and Erin Lee Carr will serve as consulting producers. UCP will serve as the studio, while Kelly Funke will oversee the project for Macmanus’ Littleton Road Productions. Littleton Road is currently under an overall deal at UCP.

“The Girl From Plainville” keeps Fanning in the Hulu fold. She recently starred in the historical dramedy “The Great” in the titular role of Catherine the Great. The show was nominated for two Emmy Awards and was renewed for a second season in July.

UCP has found great success with true crime shows in the past few years. “The Act,” which also aired on Hulu, told the story of Dee Dee and Gypse Rose Blanchard. The show won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for star Patricia Arquette. UCP also produces the series “Dirty John,” which aired its first season on Bravo and is recently aired its second on USA Network. UCP’s “Dr. Death” — based on the story of Dr. Christopher Duntsch and starring Jamie Dornan, Alec Baldwin and Christian Slater — has been ordered to series at Peacock, with Macmanus serving as writer and showrunner on that series as well.

Via

Megan Thee Stallion, Maluma and Shira Haas were among the artists featured in Variety’s Power of Young Hollywood virtual event, which premiered Thursday, Aug. 6 at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET on Facebook. The program partnered with Facebook to benefit Rock the Vote and encouraged fans to register to vote in the 2020 presidential election.

The hourlong special celebrated young actors, musicians and social media creatives who have continued to flourish during the shutdown of the entertainment industry, exploring new creative outlets or devoting time to their loved ones. Benito Skinner, Instagram star also known as Benny Drama, hosted the event.

Skinner kicked off the night with an introduction of Netflix’s docuseries “Cheer.” The series’ breakout star Jerry Harris had a surprise e-visit from his role model Gabrielle Union, who plays a cheerleader in the 2000 film “Bring It On.” Union said Harris’ journey and positivity made her cry every time he appeared on the show. When asked for advice, she told her mentee to always be on time.

“Time in this town — people act like it’s a suggestion, and that is the quickest way to put yourself right out the mix,” she said. “So many people’s careers have been impacted, because they do not value other people’s time. Just be you. Don’t be weird, and watch your crowd.”

Nickelodeon star Jojo Siwa joined singer Jojo to discuss her music career. The 17-year-old star shared she feels comfortable making her youthful music, rather than telling stories she doesn’t resonate with.

“For music wise, people actually assume ‘she has to be young,’” said Siwa. “She has to dress like she does; she has to walk and talk like she does. But for me, it’s actually the opposite. I am like I don’t want to sing about something yet. I’m not ready to.”

Maluma also expressed love for his music. The Latin artist, named after his mother Marlli, father Luis and sister Manuela, draws artistic inspiration from his Columbian family and feels proud sharing his culture with the world. He has been working nonstop in quarantine, producing his next album and releasing a new single, “Hawái.” He was recently featured in two songs from Madonna’s album “Madame X.”

“[Madonna] texted me. That was crazy,” he said. “She was like ‘oh, I’m Madonna, and I’m making my album right now. I would love to have you be a part of the project.’ We did three songs, two for her album and one for my album.”

Elle Fanning, portraying Queen Catherine the Great in Hulu’s “The Great,” reflected on her transition from starring in child roles to playing “adult” ones. She shared her experience with a mother who asked for advice for her 14-year-old daughter who loves acting.

“You have to make sure you absolutely love it, because as much fun as it is, it definitely takes a lot of work,” she said. “So you have to make sure you got that passion for it, because there can come a lot of rejections and a lot of nos. And I think having that passion will push you through those disappointments.”

“Unorthodox” star Haas joined Michael Cimino and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan to discuss the power of teen dramas. When asked what makes their series special, Haas focused on its power of empathetic storytelling.

“When I read it and I think ‘I wonder what happened to people when they watched it’ is that they thought they’d see something supposed to be very different from them, but then they saw themselves in a way we tell their story,” she said. “And I think it really brings people together and connect people to understand that we’re all just human beings.”

In closing, sisters Chloe x Halle performed “Forgive Me” from their newest album “Ungodly Hour.”

Other stars featured in the event included Hailee Steinfeld, Kelsea Ballerini, Bebe Rexha, Rickey Thompson, Jalaiah Harmon, Adam RayOkay (Rosa), Bretman Rock and the cast of “Outer Banks.” Watch the full presentation below.