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Daily Mirror
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
American Horror Story star unrecognisable in hit Sky period drama
She was once known as Violet Harmon in the first season of American Horror Story. Now, Taissa Farmiga has traded Violet's whimsical streak for Gladys Russell's socialite status. George and Bertha Russell's marriage is hanging by a fragile thread in the third season of The Gilded Age - but one of the show's stars originally shot to fame with several appearances in American Horror Story. Taissa Farmiga portrays socialite Gladys Russell in The Gilded Age, originally aired on HBO. In its third series, due on Sky, Gladys has to face the aftermath of her parents' choice to promise her hand in marriage to the Duke of Buckingham. But will she go through with the nuptials? This remains to be seen. But, back in 2011, shortly after debuting her acting career in High Ground, Taissa starred in the first season of American Horror Story as Violet Harmon, the daughter of Vivien (Connie Britton) and Ben Harmon (Dylan McDermott). Violet's story ended in tragedy as she committed suicide, joining her killer boyfriend Tate Langdon (Evan Peters) in the afterlife - but Taissa still reprised the role in the eighth season of American Horror Story. She even appeared in the anthology series as two different characters - Sophie Green and Zoe Benson. READ MORE: Disney+ drops to £1.99 in rare deal Netflix and Amazon can't beat Now starring in The Gilded Age, Taissa admitted that she had to delve deep into the Downton Abbey universe to nail Gladys' role. "I started watching Downton Abbey because I thought 'I have to brush up,'" she told producer Joshua Horowitz in 2023 on his podcast Happy Sad Confused. But when she first auditioned for Gladys, Taissa was honest - she wasn't a fan of period dramas. "During my audition, they asked me if I was passionate about period pieces," she remembered, joking later: "I told them, 'I don't know. I'm a stoner, I watch Rick and Morty.'" Growing up, Taissa was the youngest in a family of six children and watched her older sister Vera Farmiga rise to fame through her roles in The Conjuring franchise, Orphan and even Bates Motel. But she had no intentions of following in her footsteps. Instead, Taissa dreamed of being an accountant - until Vera convinced her to appear in her directorial debut drama, Higher Ground. "I was thrown into this world," Taissa once told Yahoo Movies in 2015. The experience was enough for her to change trajectory completely. "After Higher Ground about six months went by and I went back to my normal life," Taissa said. "I was looking at community college classes for accounting. I wasn't jumping right into it, thinking, 'I have to be an actress.'" And the rest was history. Since then, Taissa has bagged a multitude of roles in feature films and series alike. She was notably seen in The Bling Ring with Emma Watson, The Nun franchise as Sister Irene Palmer and even in The Twilight Zone. Taissa is also very active on social media, particularly on Instagram, where she's followed diligently by 1.9 million admirers. The 30-year-old shares everything - from snaps on set and on the red carpet, to her trips with producer husband Hadley Klein.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Steven Paul's SP Media Group Acquires Avenue Six Studios to Boost Local Film Production in Hollywood
The Landmark Studio is to Serve as a New Base for Film Production as SP Media Group Ramps Up U.S.-Based Output LOS ANGELES, May 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SP Media Group, a production and entertainment company led by veteran producer Steven Paul, announced today the acquisition of Avenue Six Studios, a premier production facility in Van Nuys, California. Founded by Paul Reitzen in 2009, the studio features four fully equipped sound stages, a backlot modeled after a New York City street, and has produced numerous films, commercials, and television shows, including talk shows for Oprah Winfrey and Marie Osmond. "We're committed to making films in Hollywood and making Avenue Six Studios the most producer-friendly studio for filmmakers from around the world," said Paul. "I currently have three productions slated for the studio this year and look forward to welcoming more projects to take advantage of its production capabilities." "Avenue Six is a versatile production studio perfectly suited to accommodate an array of creative visions," said Scott Karol, President of SP Media Group/Atlas Comics. "The studios will be used primarily for film and television production, while its smaller sound stages will be used for branded content, music videos, photography, social media campaigns, podcasts, workshops, and industry events." Future developments to the facility will include the integration of an LED virtual production stage to create immersive visual environments in real time, and a post-production facility, including editing suites and audio facilities, to offer a full-service, end-to-end production environment. This acquisition follows the successful relaunch of Atlas Comics, which under Paul's leadership is developing a slate of film and TV properties, led by the upcoming live-action feature Devilina in partnership with Paramount Pictures. "Avenue Six has always stood apart as a certified stage, saving clients time and money by eliminating permit requirements," said Paul Reitzin, founder of Avenue Six Studios. "With access to props, sets, lighting, equipment and our New York-style backlot, we've proudly served as a one-stop shop for nearly a decade." Steven Paul, who serves as Special Advisor to Hollywood Ambassador Jon Voight, recently submitted a proposal to President Trump on how to increase U.S.-based film and television production. The plan, which includes federal tax incentives, co-production treaties, job training, and infrastructure subsidies, is currently under review by the White House. Paul has recently collaborated with Voight on a series of films, including Man with No Past, High Ground, and The Last Gunfight, and has several new titles now in development or production. "I've been filming in Los Angeles since I was twelve years old, when I first played a lead in Kurt Vonnegut Jr.'s, Happy Birthday, Wanda June for Columbia Pictures, and I'm thrilled at what's possible now that we have our own studio," said Paul. About Steven Paul Steven Paul is a leading independent film producer and chairman/CEO of SP MEDIA GROUP [SPMG] based on the Paramount lot in Hollywood, CA. SPMG maintains a co-financing agreement with Paramount Pictures to co-produce feature films and has financed and produced over twenty motion pictures in the past three years. Paul, who has a substantial real estate portfolio, including the Samuel Goldwyn building in Century City and a hotel in Miami, recently acquired the Atlas Comics library, founded by Marvel Comics founder Martin Goodman. Atlas Comics relaunched at New York Comin Con in October in partnership with Walmart, while also celebrating its 50th anniversary. Paul is also the owner of leading independent distributor Echo Bridge, and recently acquired a substantial stake in JLTV – the largest Jewish network in the world, available in more than 65m households in North America. SPMG has a library of more than 3,000 films through its affiliated companies and supplies content to leading AVOD platforms like Pluto TV and more. Press Contact: Rubenstein Public RelationsKevin PryorEmail: kpryor@ (212) 805-3057 View original content: SOURCE SP Media Group, LLC
