The Frame

The classically-trained actress became widely known through "Star Wars," but now she's looking for smaller, meaty roles; the new documentary, "Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am."

'On the Inside' is a group exhibition of LGBTQ artists who are currently incarcerated; a look back at the largely unheard music of the early gay liberation movement; how movies (and movie theaters) will survive the next decade.

TV producer Alan Yang on how his mission in storytelling has changed; L.A. Times TV critic Lorraine Ali says the Democratic debates are the best reality show; writer and musician Solvej Schou reunites with her mentor, high school English teacher Barry Smolin.

Himesh Patel stars as a struggling musician who awakens one day to a world where only he remembers the songs of The Beatles; Ann Sarnoff is named head of Warner Bros. studio.

In 1989, the first all-female crew was assembled for a famously grueling 'round-the-world sailing competition that's chronicled in the new documentary, "Maiden"; musicians have filed the first lawsuit resulting from a devastating 2008 fire on the Universal Studios backlot.

"The Central Park Five" tragedy gets put in operatic scale; Prince estate releases album of "new" old songs; Scorsese take footage from Bob Dylan's 1975 Rolling Thunder tour to create a "fever dream" film and "Sea of Solitude" video game creator wants people to feel less alone in their loneliness.

Designer Connie Geppert takes on depression and loneliness in her much-anticipated video game; a new effort to diversity the ranks of film and TV critics; in the classroom with a real life 'School of Rock' teacher dude.

Composer Anthony Davis turns the troubling tale into a world premiere for Long Beach Opera; the Hollywood courtship continues for Democratic presidential candidates; singer-songwriter Steve Gunn collaborates with Japanese folk singer Sachiko Kanenobu.

Lauren Morelli created the Netflix reboot of a 1994 PBS series that was ahead of its time; screenwriter Max Landis faces multiple allegations of sexual abuse and harassment; the band Big Thief.

The prolific artist wrote many songs that were recorded by other artists. Susannah Melvoin talks about "Nothing Compares 2 You"; Hollywood gets caught up in China trade war; film composer Bear McCreary ("Child's Play").

California's film and TV industries are happily anticipating the state's expanded program to help keep production in-state; NBC will make all 13 episodes of "Aquarius" available online when the series debuts; Josh Gad (at left, with Billy Crystal) hopes "The Comedians" will improve his track record with TV projects.

At a presentation for advertisers, Hulu announces a new "Walking Dead" spinoff and an Amy Poehler project; Warpaint drummer Stella Mozgawa left Australia to join the band; Brett Morgen was given free rein in directing the documentary, "Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck" (pictured).

Hollywood actors, and one prominent producer, are largely bypassed in the Tony nominations; artist William Pope.L has his iconoclastic vision on display at MOCA (pictured); comedian Paul F. Tompkins isn't quite the King of All Media, but he's getting close; "The Wire" creator David Simon has good reason to care about Baltimore.

Documentarian Phelim MacLeer on his controversial play "Ferguson," a work of verbatim theater comprised entirely of excerpts from testimony in the Michael Brown case; Costume designer Lisa Padovani on mashing up influences for her work on "Gotham"; French artist Vincent Lamouroux's piece "Projection" covers an abandoned Silver Lake motel and it's palm trees with lime wash.

Summer movie preview of those films we shouldn't miss. Could Cuba's massive Biennial become a global center for art? The rise of the Asian American youtube star. And, as the latest sequel is set to pass $1 billion overseas, the "Fast and Furious" franchise adds number 8.

Hollywood studios continue to preview their 2015 slates at CinemaCon, the splashy convention for theater owners; Song Exploder dissects a new song by My Morning Jacket; photographer Ken Gonzales-Day draws parallels between the history of lynching and recent fatal shootings by police (pictured).

By the end of 2015, movie concession stands will have to divulge how many calories there are in your favorite snacks; Phox talks about the unglamorous life of a touring band; ‘Happyish’ creator Shalom Auslander (at right, with Bradley Whitford) on how the show handled the death of original lead actor, Philip Seymour Hoffman.

The annual convention for film studios and movie theater owners gets underway in Las Vegas; a group of Latino musicians have put together a tribute to Morrissey (pictured) and The Smiths; David Rubin and Lora Kennedy discuss being a casting director in today’s film business.

The band Tame Impala teases Coachella audience with its next album (pictured: Kevin Parker); some L.A. stage actors say working in small theaters for next to nothing can actually help their careers; John Fithian, president of the movie theater trade association, has a strategy to boost slumping business.

With Verizon offering a pseudo a la carte TV model, is cable as we know it becoming a thing of the past?; L.A. Opera's production of "Hercules vs. Vampires" (pictured) blends a campy sword-and-sandal film with high art; Kyle Kinane admits the absurdity of his job as a stand-up comic.

A second trailer for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" was unveiled today; "Dolphin's of Hollywood" (pictured) was a groundbreaking record store that opened in 1948, and its story is now the subject of a stage musical; how DJ and producer Mark Ronson ended up working with Stevie Wonder and author Michael Chabon.

Could the Santa Monica Museum of Art be leaving Santa Monica?; “Unfriended” producers Jason Blum and Couper Samuelson on the challenge of making a film thriller that plays out in real time on a laptop; the duo behind the band Sylvan Esso (pictured), currently playing Coachella, talk about the grind of being on tour.