Mary McNamara is a culture columnist and critic for the Los Angeles Times. Previously she was assistant managing editor for arts and entertainment following a 12-year stint as television critic and senior culture editor. A Pulitzer Prize winner in 2015 and finalist for criticism in 2013 and 2014, she has won various awards for criticism and feature writing. She is the author of the Hollywood mysteries “Oscar Season” and “The Starlet.” She lives in La Crescenta with her husband, three children and two dogs.
Latest From This Author
With L.A. burning, many have called for the Oscars to be canceled. Film academy CEO Bill Kramer tells The Times that the March 2 ceremony will proceed, with ‘special moments’ acknowledging first responders.
After evacuating from the Eaton fire, our columnist wonders if climate change, the insurance crisis and other factors have made remaining, or rebuilding, too risky.
Videos of fire-fighting pilots nailing flames with miraculous precision have given Angelenos something to root for during a week of shock, terror and grief.
At a time when residents, especially evacuees, are desperate for information, press conferences by Mayor Karen Bass and other L.A. officials have fallen woefully short.
As Vera Stanhope, Brenda Blethyn helped create both a revolutionary television character and one of ITV’s longest-running series. Our columnist says goodbye to ‘Vera.’
Whether it’s returning series like “The White Lotus, “Severance” and “The Last of Us,” or new shows like “Watson” and “Long Story Short,” there will be plenty of TV to watch in 2025.
We asked Times staffers for the films they were most stoked for, sight unseen. Brace for a “Freakier Friday,” a new “Superman,” the return of Malick and more.
My husband’s family came to California in large part because of its promising college system. Now we’re one of many praying for a single acceptance. What went wrong?
Netflix is campaigning ‘The Six Triple Eight’ for Oscars. But its true-life story and wider streaming release are a reminder of the social history of the TV movie.
HBO’s ‘Somebody Somewhere,’ which came to an end with Sunday’s finale, may have seemed like a small-town dramedy. In truth, it was a heroic quest — and deserves to be seen that way.