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Zoë Kravitz Teases That Robert Pattinson’s Batman Transformation Is ‘Out of This World’

Welcome to this week’s “Just for Variety.”

Zoë Kravitz says she has “seen a little” of “The Batman.” Of course, she’s not allowed to say too much, but Kravitz, who stars as Catwoman in the upcoming DC film, says of Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader, “Rob is perfect for this role. He was incredible. His transformation was out of this world.” She added, “[Director] Matt Reeves has a lot of heart, and he cares so much for these characters. I’m just very excited for him to be able to go on vacation because he deserves it. I hope the fans love it because we put a lot of work into this.”

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When Wesley Snipes was first approached about co-starring in Netflix’s new limited dramatic thriller series “True Story,” he thought producers wanted him for Kevin Hart’s role: a famous Hollywood comedian whose life unravels when his shady brother (Snipes) visits him during a tour stop in Philadelphia. He also believed it was a comedy like “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” “You could have heard a pin drop when I said that,” Snipes recalls. “They were like, ‘Um, no. This is very serious. I was like, ‘What? I’m sorry.’” Of Hart nailing the dramatic work, Snipes says, “I think he did very well … very, very good.”

Nicole Kidman was close to tears when she received a standing ovation at the first press and SAG-AFTRA screening of “Being the Ricardos” this month in Los Angeles. “It was so emotional,” she tells me. “I was like, I don’t want to cry in front of all these people.” In the drama, which is written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, Kidman portrays Lucille Ball opposite Javier Bardem as Desi Arnaz during a week of shooting an episode of “I Love Lucy.” “It was so, so hard what it took to get through it. Every single cast member would say that,” Kidman says. “When you’re dealing with Aaron Sorkin, and that sort of dialogue, and not having been in his world, it’s like you have to hit the ground running. You get on that train, and you just have to be on your A game on that first take. We were all kind of hanging on for dear life.” When I asked if she’d be up for playing Ball again during another time in her life, Kidman laughed. “No! My heart wouldn’t survive.”

Sofia Vergara will show off her dramatic chops by starring in Netflix’s limited series “Griselda” as notorious drug queenpin Griselda Blanco, also known as the Black Widow and the Cocaine Godmother. Exec producer Eric Newman, who was the showrunner on “Narcos” and “Narcos: Mexico,” tells me, “She’s all in. It’s what she wants to do and has always wanted to do. As a woman, as a Colombian, she’s 100% in.”

SIGHTING: Jeffrey and Marilyn Katzenberg enjoying dinner at Son of a Gun on 3rd Street in Los Angeles.

I know “House of Gucci” is just hitting theaters, so forgive me if I’m a tad early pushing for a musical adaptation on Broadway. “It could be. It’s operatic,” director Ridley Scott told me at the film’s Los Angeles premiere. His wife and producer Giannina Facio said, “We’ve actually talked about that a lot.” Scott, who named “All That Jazz” and “Cabaret” as his favorite musicals, has never directed a Broadway show. “I’m trying to convince him to do that,” Facio said.

Legendary “Saturday Night Live” player Laraine Newman will receive the Icon Award at the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences’ Voice Arts Awards gala on Dec. 19 at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. “I love this art form so much, and I’m so grateful to SOVAS for this meaningful honor,” Newman tells me. Additionally, Trevor Noah will present the Muhammad Ali Voice of Humanity Honor to Stacey Abrams.

Los Angeles restaurant Phenakite and chef Minh Phan will host a fundraising dinner on Dec. 3 at Second Home in Hollywood for the Tom Finland Foundation. The event helps kick off the 2021 Tom of Finland Art & Culture Festival. To purchase tickets to the dinner, go to seetickets.us.

Got some news or a tip to share? Email me at mmalkin@variety.com.

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