HBO/Eddy Chen Investigators have determined a cause of death for Euphoria star Angus Cloud on July 31, and it appears to have been a tragic accident. A representative for the Alameda County coroner’s office told …
Angela Weiss/Getty Images The Young and the Restless closed its episode on Thursday, September 21, with a farewell to one of its own, Billy Miller. The actor, who would have turned 44 last Sunday, reportedly …
First We Feast Over the years, the Star Wars franchise has secretly cast celebrities in minor roles without acknowledging them — for example, Daniel Craig played a Stormtrooper in The Force Awakens. But what about …
Netflix Sofia Vergara stars in and produces Griselda, the Netflix drama that has her playing the savvy and ambitious Griselda Blanco, who created one of the most profitable drug cartels in history. A teaser for …
Stephen Brashear/Getty Images (LOS ANGELES) — A Los Angeles Dodgers star who spent the past seven years playing baseball in the United States while his mom lived in Venezuela saw his dream come true Wednesday …
ABC/Randy Holmes(LOS ANGELES) — Kevin Hart is in talks to bring his comedic chops to a remake of a classic film.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Hart has been tapped to star in a remake of Uptown Saturday Night. The original 1974 film starred Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby as two friends who navigate the criminal underworld in order to retrieve a winning lottery ticket that was stolen from them. Poitier also directed the film with a young Richard Pryor also snagging a supporting role.
Will Smith, who was previously in talks to star as a lead, is set to produce the film via his Overbrook Entertainment company, while Black-ish creator Kenya Barris, has already penned a recent draft of the movie.
This is the latest project for Hart who is set to star alongside Tiffany Haddish in Night School on September 28.
ABC/Paula Lobo(NEW YORK) — CBS is bringing some black star power to its fall lineup.
According to The Wrap, CBS has picked up the racial drama from Ava DuVernay titled The Red Line. The series, which will center on three different families, follows what happens after a white cop shoots a black doctor. It will star Noah Wyle Emayatzy Corinealdi, Howard Charles and Aliyah Royale.
CBS has also given the green-light to a new comedy starring Brandon Micheal Hall. The series, entitled God Friended Me, follows Hall’s character Miles, an outspoken atheist whose life changes dramatically when he’s “friended” by God on Facebook. After his holy encounter, he helps to change the lives and destinies of others around him. Scandal alum Joe Morton has also been cast in the series.
Sheryl Lee Ralph is also set to make a comeback thanks to CBS. Ralph, who will guest star on season two of Claws, will help headline the upcoming CBS comedy, Fam. The series will follow a woman whose “upstanding life with her new fiancé” falls apart after her younger “train wreck half-sister” moves in with her to escape their equally outlandish father.
2017 Lions Gate Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.(NEW YORK) — Karrueche Tran is channeling her inner teenager in the Zoe Saldana-executive-produced film The Honor List.
The film, which centers around four high schools students who decide to honor their dead friend’s bucket list, stars Tran as Sophie, an 18-year-old virgin. Tran tells ABC Radio she really felt the need to research for the role — which included reading high school centered books — since she was almost the complete opposite of her character.
“I’m 29 years old,” Tran says. “The last time I’ve been in high school was years ago. And Karrueche as a teenager is very different from Sophie. So, I wanted to really wrap my head around Sophie’s character and who she is.”
In addition to her dynamic character, Tran explains that the female-centered film provides an authentic female perspective. Tran says its honest narrative is what makes the film so relatable and real.
“This movie is from a female’s perspective,” Tran says. “So… it’s our job to accurately relay that narrative to the world. Because if there’s a male director– he doesn’t know what’s going on in a girl’s head. He doesn’t know those situations where you’re with your friends… the sleepovers and the things they do when they talk about.”
She continues, “And that’s very important that we… represent our real world and our reality.”
The Honor List , which also stars Meghan Rienks, Sasha Pieterse and Arden Cho, is now available on digital, and comes out on Blu-ray, DVD and on demand on Tuesday.
Photo by Stanley Bielecki Movie Collection/Getty Images(MONTANA) — Margot Kidder, best-known for playing Lois Lane in Richard Donner’s landmark 1978 film Superman, has died. ABC News has confirmed that the 69-year-old actress passed away at her Livingston, Montana home on Sunday. A rep tells ABC that she died “peacefully in her sleep.”
No cause of death has been determined.
Born Margaret Ruth Kidder, the actress played Lane in three Superman films opposite the late Christopher Reeve’s Man of Steel. She also appeared in the 1979 horror classic The Amityville Horror, and continued working both in voiceover and on camera, in addition to making comic convention appearances.
In 1996, Kidder made headlines when she was placed in psychiatric care following a severe mental health lapse that found her disheveled and hiding in a neighbor’s yard. She subsequently became an avid spokesperson for people suffering from bipolar disorder, which had plagued her for years.
Kidder was due to attend the Superman Celebration in Metropolis, Illinois in June and also had three projects in the works, according to IMDB.
ABC/Kelsea McNeal(LOS ANGELES) — Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman returned to his alma mater Saturday to give the commencement address at Howard University’s 2018 Commencement Convocation.
This year’s convocation celebrated the Washington, D.C. historically black university’s 150th graduating class. And Boseman offered real advice to the audience, which included students, alumni and proud parents.
After celebrating Howard University alums that have also made it to the big screen, such as Phylicia Rashad and her sister Debbie Allen, Boseman recalled his early career and how he felt “conflicted” when playing what he said was a stereotypical role on an soap opera, which he wouldn’t name. However, one of Boseman’s early acting credits was on ABC’s All My Children where he played Reggie Porter, a young gang member — a role that was later also played by his Black Panther co-star, Michael B. Jordan.
After being fired for criticizing the unnamed show’s writing, which his said was was stereotypical for a black character, Boseman said it paved the way for him to tell stories about significant African-Americans such as Jackie Robinson, James Brown and Thurgood Marshall, all roles he’s played to great acclaim.
Chadwick also shared some powerful advice about college: “Sometimes your grades don’t give a real indication of what your greatness might be.”
On living in the moment: “Invest in the importance of this moment and cherish it,” he said. “Savor the tastes of your triumphs today. Don’t just swallow the moment whole without digesting what is actually happening.”
And on finding your purpose: “When you…are deciding on next jobs, next steps, careers, further education, you would rather find purpose than a job or a career. Purpose is an essential element of you. It is the reason you are on the planet at this particular time in history.”
ABC/Craig Sjodin(LOS ANGELES) — Taraji P. Henson is officially off the market.
The Empire star shared news Monday that her boyfriend, former NFL star Kelvin Hayen, proposed to her on Mother’s Day.
“I said yes y’all!!!,” Henson wrote, sharing an Instagram photo of her engagement ring near a dessert plate of cake and chocolate-covered strawberries, with “Congratulations” written on the plate.
She continued, “He started with the Cartier love bracelet BUT that was my #Mothersday gift and then he dropped to his knee and I almost passed out!!!#sheisofficiallyoffthemarket and she is sooooooooooooo HAPPY!!!!!! #GODIS.”
Henson, 47, first commented on her relationship with Hayden, 34, last December in an episode of Essence‘s “Yes, Girl,” podcast.
“I’m very happy. Everything is coming together,” Henson said, before adding, “I’m happy in my personal life.”
The network announced Sunday the show would be picked up for a third season with its new co-star Scott — opposite Damon Wayans — after Crawford was fired last week, Varietyreports.
The studio was in a mad dash to recast the vacant co-lead spot ahead of Fox’s upfront presentation.
Sources tellThe Hollywood Reporter that Scott will play the brother of Crawford’s character, Martin Riggs.
“Seann is a fantastic addition to this already amazing cast,” says Michael Thorn, Fox Broadcasting’s president of entertainment.
Crawford was pushed out of the show after accusations emerged that he continued his character’s intensity when the cameras weren’t rolling.
At issue were two incidents: one in which Crawford allegedly dressed down co-workers over what he considered unsafe working conditions. Another stemmed from an episode that Crawford directed, in which he reportedly lost his cool at a cast member who complained about the same issue.
Amid the announcement of recasting and renewal, Crawford took to Instagram to address the show’s continuation without him:
“To my cast and crew — CONGRATULATIONS on season 3! To the Fans — Thank you for the overwhelming support and love,” he wrote. “Riggs was a dream role and the experience will live with me forever. My heart is full. Good Luck nxt season!!”
Joseph Del Valle/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images(NEW YORK) — On this day in 1998, the Emmy-winning “show about nothing,” Seinfeld, took its final bow on NBC.
The series ended with a two-parter in which Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer were sentenced to a year in jail for violating a good Samaritan law in a small, fictitious town known as Latham, Massachusetts. They were stranded there by a private plane that a newly interested NBC chartered for Jerry as a “make good” for turning down Jerry and George’s “Jerry” pilot.
Seinfeld — initially titled The Seinfeld Chronicles — first aired July 5, 1989. NBC later ordered more episodes, and yada yada yada, Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer became iconic TV characters who made countless contributions to the pop culture lexicon. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
However, the Seinfeld pilot didn’t quite resemble the show that millions came to know and love.
It began with Jerry Seinfeld’s Jerry and Jason Alexander’s George dining in their native New York City at Pete’s Luncheonette, rather than the familiar Monk’s Café. They weren’t even sitting in a booth.
In the scene, Jerry riffs on the buttons on George’s shirt. The show’s finale had a callback to that very same conversation, when Jerry and the gang were jailed.
Initially, Emmy winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ character, Elaine, was not yet part of the cast. The lead female role belonged to Lee Garlington, who played a sassy waitress at Pete’s. Michael Richards is featured in the episode, but his character is referred to as Kessler, not Kramer. The switch was made because it was thought that Kenny Kramer, show co-creator Larry David’s former mooching roommate, would want a cut of the Seinfeld action. He went on to run the Kramer Reality Tour, which was spoofed on the show.
The last scene of the show featured Jerry performing his stand-up act in prison.
Marvel Studios(LOS ANGELES) — Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War topped the box office for the third straight week, earning an estimated $61.8 million, making it the eighth largest release of all-time in the States and the fifth best worldwide, right behind 2015’s Jurassic World.
Infinity War is now the highest-grossing superhero movie worldwide, earning an estimated $1.6 billion thus far. It earned $200 million alone in China after opening there this past weekend. Disney is the parent company of Marvel and ABC News.
The comedy Life of the Party, starring Melissa McCarthy, bowed in second place, snagging an estimated $18.5 million. The Gabrielle Union thriller, Breaking In, finished third, delivering an estimated 16.5 million.
Overboard, in its second week of release, dropped from second to fourth place, earning an estimated $10.1 million.
A Quiet Place rounded out the top 10, earning an estimated $6.4 million.
Here are the top 10 movies from Friday through Sunday, with estimated weekend gross ticket sales:
1. Avengers: Infinity War, $61.8 million 2. Life of the Party, $18.5 million 3. Breaking In, $16.5 million 4. Overboard, $10.1 million 5. A Quiet Place, $6.4 million 6. I Feel Pretty, $3.7 million 7. Rampage, $3.38 million 8. Tully, $2.2 million 9. Black Panther, $1.9 million 10. Blockers, $1.1 million
ABC/Eric McCandless(LOS ANGELES) — In honor of Mother’s Day, the American Idol Top 5 finalists sang songs dedicated to moms, in addition to performing from the catalogue of American Idol alum and seven-time Grammy-winner Carrie Underwood.
At the end of the show, the contestants learned that Caleb Lee Hutchinson, Gabby Barrett and Maddie Poppe were moving on to the finals.
Michael J. Woodard and Cade Foehner were sent home.
The Top 5 were surprised with a trip to Nashville and the opportunity to learn from Underwood while she served as superstar guest mentor for the week. Underwood also performed her current single, “Cry Pretty.”
The show opened with the top 5 contestants joining Carrie for her hit “See You Again.”
Here are Sunday’s Highlights:
Michael J. Woodard kicked things off with his version of Underwood’s “Flat on the Floor.” During rehearsals, Carrie explained to him that the song was “all about attitude from the beginning,” and predicting the performance would turn him into “Michael J. ‘Beast-mode’.” Afterwards, Lionel thought Michael succeeded in bringing the sass “on a grand scale.”
Woodard’s second performance of the night was Yolanda Adams’ “Still I Rise,” dedicated to his mom. Katy, who was moved to tears by the song and Michael’s pre-performance clip with his mother, joked, “I thought I had my emotions removed,” but it was “so beautiful what I saw between you and your mother.”
Gabby Barrett tackled Underwood’s “Last Name.” Carrie, addressing the camera during rehearsals, marveled at Barrett’s composure and maturity. Following the performance, Luke called Barrett, “Carrie Underwood reincarnated.” Richie agreed Gabby was “fabulous.”
Later, Barrett returned with her Mother’s Day song, “I Have Nothing,” by Whitney Houston. Lionel praised Gabby for pulling off the impossible by “Gabby-izing” a Whitney Houston song and succeeding.
Cade Foehner put his spin on Underwood’s “Undo It.” Carrie, noting that Cade had a tendency to be stuck on “level 10,” explained that a song needs “a beginning, a middle and an end.” The judges later echoed Carrie’s sentiments, with Katy telling Cade that when he loses the dynamics, his performance becomes “a little shaky sometimes.”
Cade redeemed himself with his Mother’s Day dedication, “Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Katy applauded Cade for taking their earlier advice.
Caleb Lee Hutchinson tackled Carrie’s 2007 hit “So Small.” Her advice for Caleb was to simply “stay out of your own way,” explaining that the 19-year-old had a tendency to become “overwhelmed” with what’s happening around him. Afterwards, Perry praised Hutchinson for his authenticity, but warned that he was being outperformed by the competition and needed to “flap those wings a little bit harder when it comes to working the crowd.”
For his Mother’s Day song, Caleb sang Jamey Johnson’s “Stars in Alabama.” Declared Richie afterwards, “In this business, if I can close my eyes and know it’s you in two notes, that’s stardom.” Perry joked that when Caleb turned 21, she wanted to “have a beer” with him.”
Maddie Poppe started off with Underwood’s version of the Randy Travis hit “I Told You So.” Carrie’s advice for Poppe was not to overthink the songs, because she risked losing the emotion. Following Maddie’s live performance, Luke urged the singer not to worry about the notes, assuring her, “you tell the story perfectly.”
Later, Maddie delivered an emotional performance of “God Only Knows” by The Beach Boys for her Mother’s Day tune. Katy said Poppe “did the song justice.” Luke added that watching Maddie choke up at the end of the song was “endearing.”
ABC/Randy Holmes(LOS ANGELES) — Kevin Hart is in talks to bring his comedic chops to a remake of a classic film.
