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"Fight for me!" A queen will rise in trailer to 'Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story'

Netflix

Netflix dropped the first full-length trailer to its Bridgerton prequel series, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. In it, viewers see India Amarteifio playing a younger version of Golda Rosheuvel's monarch, who is about to step into the thorny world of royalty. 

The young Charlotte has a meet-cute with her husband-to-be, the young King George (Corey Mylchreest), as she apparently tries to flee the royal compound. She soon finds living like a queen isn't all it's cracked up to be. "It is time we are united as a society," George's mother, Princess Augusta (Michelle Fairley), informs Charlotte. "You will make lots of babies. As many babies as possible for my son."  

"Your marriage cannot go wrong!" she later admonishes the young royal-to-be.

After a rocky start, the young royals eventually hit it off, but George is hiding secrets from her. "Fight with me. Fight for me!" she urges him. 

Rosheuvel is also seen bookending the flashback story, which comes to Netflix on May 4.

 

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Director Christopher McQuarrie adds another original 'Mission: Impossible' movie character to 7th film

Paramount Pictures

If you've seen all of Tom Cruise's Mission: Impossible movies, your attention to detail will apparently be rewarded by director and co-writer Christopher McQuarrie for the seventh installment: Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One.

Not only does Henry Czerny return as Eugene Kittridge, the secret agent who pursued Cruise's apparently rogue Ethan Hunt in the 1996 original film, but McQuarrie just added another familiar face — if you've got a pretty stout memory.

The filmmaker posted yet another Easter egg cast addition photo to his Instagram, showing Rolf Saxon, who played William Donloe in the first M:I film.

You'd be forgiven if neither name rings a bell, but Donloe was the poor CIA computer guy whose vault-like office Ethan Hunt dropped into from the ceiling in that memorable scene from the first film. After one of Hunt's team members dosed Donloe with something to make him puke — repeatedly — he was forced out of his computer vault so Hunt could steal an important file.

If you have an even better memory, you might remember Kittridge keeping the breech quiet, saying of Donloe, "I want him manning a radar tower in Alaska by the end of the day. Just mail him his clothes."

Apparently, Donloe's clothes arrived safely.

Starring Cruise, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff, Vanessa Kirby, Rebecca Ferguson and Esai Morales, Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One opens July 14.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


After 'Star Wars' script shake-up, 'Peaky Blinders' creator throws his newsboy cap into the ring

Anthony Devlin/Getty Images

There is a disturbance in the Force. Just a day after Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof and Badlands writer Justin Britt-Gibson submitted a script for a Star Wars film, they've exited, Variety reports.

However, the trade says Steven Knight, the creator of the acclaimed crime drama Peaky Blinders, has stepped in and will be writing the Star Wars film project, slated to be directed by Ms. Marvel vet Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.

While content from that galaxy far, far away continues to drop on Disney+, where The Mandalorian's third season is currently unfolding, it hasn't been on the big screen since 2019, when the divisive "sequel trilogy" wrapped with Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker.

While Lucasfilm remains characteristically mum, Variety says the project Knight is writing is expected to be announced, along with a title, at April's Star Wars Celebration fan expo in London.

This purported shake-up is just the latest in recent weeks: The embattled Rogue Squadron, which was to be directed by Wonder Woman franchise filmmaker director Patty Jenkins, as well as an untitled work produced by Star Wars fan and Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige, were reportedly shelved by Lucasfilm.

Lucasfilm is owned by Disney, the parent company of ABC News.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Cheech & Chong cooking up their own biopic

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for MTV/Paramount Global

Stoner comedy kings Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong -- a.k.a. Cheech & Chong -- are teaming up for their first joint-screen collaboration in a decade, a biopic known for the time being as Untitled Cheech & Chong Project.

"We are excited to show the world how two dudes from completely different backgrounds got together, changed comedy, and made cannabis mainstream!" the duo said in a joint statement obtained by Entertainment Weekly.

Cheech & Chong rose to fame in the 1970s with their stand-up routines and Grammy-winning albums that centered on marijuana and counterculture before branching out into movies, starting with 1978's Up in Smoke, followed by Things Are Tough All Over in 1982, Still Smokin' in 1983 and The Corsican Brothers in 1984. They split up in 1985 but reunited sporadically projects like Cheech & Chong's Animated Movie in 2013.

Marin also pursued an acting career that included a regular role in the CBS series Nash Bridges and films including the 1996 Kevin Costner movie Tin Cup. Chong was arrested in 2003 for selling drug paraphernalia and spent almost a year in jail.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


In Brief: HBO Max working on Heidi Fleiss series, and more

Netflix has released the first-look trailer for its To All the Boys I've Loved Before spinoff, XO, KittyAnna Cathcart returns as Lara Jean's younger sister, Kitty Song Covey, in the 10-episode series, which finds the younger Covey sibling "jetting off on her very own adventure," per the streamer. "After making things happen for her sister...it’s time for Kitty to experience an epic story of her own. She’ll learn quickly that love is a lot harder when it’s your own heart on the line." John CorbettSarayu BlueAnthony KeyvanGia KimSang Heon LeePeter Turnwald and Regan Aliyah round out the main cast. XO, Kitty streams May 18th on Netflix...

Variety reports HBO Max is developing a drama series based on the life of Heidi Fleiss, the former madam who ran an upscale prostitution ring in Los Angeles that earned her the nickname "The Hollywood Madam." She was arrested in the early 1990s on multiple charges and ultimately served nearly two years in prison before appearing on reality TV shows like Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew and Celebrity Big Brother. Fleiss' story was previously depicted in the 2004 USA Network made-for-TV movie Call Me: The Rise and Fall of Heidi Fleiss, starring Jamie-Lynn Sigler...

Dick Van Dyke is reportedly recovering from minor injuries he suffered in possible weather-related car crash in Malibu, according to TMZ. Police responded to a call of a single-car accident last Wednesday morning, and when deputies arrived they found Van Dyke, 97, behind the wheel of a 2018 Lexus LS 500 that he'd crashed into a gate, sources tell the gossip website. The film and TV icon was reportedly bleeding from the nose and mouth and might have suffered a concussion, the sources tell TMZ, adding that he was treated at the scene by paramedics and returned to his home...

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Lindsay Lohan and others charged in crypto violation complaint

Hippolyte Petit/Getty Images

Mean Girls actress Lindsay Lohan, is among eight celebrities charged with cryptocurrency violations by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Lohan and the other celebrities were charged in connection with a broader investigation of crypto asset entrepreneur Justin Sun and three of his companies -- Tron Foundation Limited, BitTorrent Foundation Ltd. and Rainberry Inc. -- for the unregistered offer and sale of crypto asset securities, as well as spearheading a scheme to pay celebrities to tout such assets without disclosing their compensation.

In addition to Lohan, The SEC announced charges against Soulja BoyAustin MahoneLil YachtyAkonNe-Yo and Kendra Lust for "illegally touting TRX and/or BTT without disclosing that they were compensated for doing so and the amount of their compensation," according to the SEC.

With the exception of Soulja Boy and Mahone -- the celebrities have settled with a collective of more than $400,000 without admittance or denial of wrongdoing, the SEC added.

A representative for Lohan said in a statement obtained by Variety that the actor was unaware of any disclosure obligations, adding, “Lindsay was contacted in March 2022 and was unaware of the disclosure requirement. She agreed to pay a fine to resolve the matter.”

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


"Justice": 'Rick and Morty' co-creator Justin Roiland cleared of domestic violence charges

Michael Kovac/Getty Images for IMDb

Justin Roiland, the co-creator and voice star of the hit animated series Rick and Morty, has been cleared of domestic violence charges.

Orange County District Attorney's Office spokesperson Kimberly Edds noted in a statement picked up by outlets, including Variety, "We dismissed the charges today as a result of having insufficient evidence to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt."

Roiland's career took a major hit after he was charged with one felony count of domestic battery with corporal injury and one felony count of false imprisonment by menace, violence, fraud and/or deceit in an incident with a woman he was with back in January 2020.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges, but Adult Swim, which airs Rick and Morty; Hulu, which runs his show Solar Opposites; and 20th Animation, which produces his series Koala Man, all severed ties with him.

The 42-year-old made mention of that in a lengthy social media post he captioned "Justice."

Roiland said in part he was thankful the charges were dismissed, adding, "I'm still deeply shaken by the horrible lies that were reported about me during this process."

He expressed, "Most of all, I'm disappointed that so many people were so quick to judge without knowing the facts, based solely on the word of an embittered ex trying to bypass due process and have me 'canceled.'"

He concluded, "That it may have succeeded, even partially, is shameful. However, now that the legal case has ended, I'm determined to move forward and focus both on my creative projects and restoring my good name."

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Adam Sandler calls Jennifer Aniston "one of the funniest people," shares new Drew Barrymore movie idea

Good Morning America

Adam Sandler recently reunited with close friend and on-screen partner Jennifer Aniston ahead of the premiere of their third movie together, the action-packed Murder Mystery sequel Murder Mystery 2.

The comedic duo joined Good Morning America on Wednesday to chat about the movie, fresh off the heels of Sandler's latest achievement, winning the Kennedy Center's Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

"We got emotional, I didn't know what was going to happen," Sandler said of the celebration at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., earlier this month. "It was all great friends of mine there making speeches, family members ... everybody got us teared up, but it was a lot of funniness, and a lot of people made fun of me and the way I look. I loved it."

Aniston was in attendance at that event alongside a slew of entertainment royalty, including fellow longtime Sandler co-star and close friend Drew Barrymore. So the two decided to do a bit about being Sandler's love interests.

"We thought we'd be funny cause there was a Twitter thing a couple years ago and they're always sort of comparing us, who's the better movie wife or movie love, so we just thought we'd do a little bit on that," Aniston explained on Wednesday, to which Sandler confirmed, "You guys were funny, everybody loved it."

The pair, who play husband and wife in the Murder Mystery films, confirmed on GMA that they've actually "been pitching the idea" for a film alongside Barrymore.

"We want to do all three of us together and just put an end to this competition," Aniston said with a laugh.

"There's no competition," Sandler added. "Just two great ladies." Adam also called Aniston "one of the funniest people I know."


Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Paramount launching pop-up 'Grease' diner to promote 'Rise of the Pink Ladies'

Paramount+/Eduardo Araquel

One of the locations made famous in the movie Grease is coming to real life, thanks to Paramount+. To promote its prequel series Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, the streaming service is opening the doors of the Frosty Palace, the favorite hangout of Rydell High's students.

First seen in the 1978 smash Grease with John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, and of course a main location in Pink Ladies, the diner will be recreated for a two-day interactive event in Los Angeles, where fans "can expect to be completely immersed in nostalgia as they are transported back in time and surrounded by retro 1950s tunes and custom décor, all while enjoying twists on familiar diner fare and partaking in iconic social media-worthy photo moments."

There will also be merchandise and other giveaways during the event, which will run Thursday, April 6, and Friday, April 7.

Tickets and details for the event can be found here.

Incidentally, the pop-up is being held at another iconic retro movie location, Mel’s Drive-In Diner on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood: A Mel's eatery was a main location for George Lucas' classic American Graffiti, which was set in 1962.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Wendi McLendon-Covey says killing off Jeff Garlin on 'The Goldbergs' was "a long time coming"

ABC/Pamela Littky

Losing a loved one can be hard on a family, but apparently that wasn't the case for the cast of The Goldbergs. As reported, Jeff Garlin's Murray was killed off between seasons 9 and 10 to cover for the actor having parted ways with ABC after accusations of bullying and other behavior.

The show's matriarch, Wendi McLendon-Covey, just admitted to Sirius XM's Radio Andy host Andy Cohen the situation was "a long time coming."

"That it finally happened, it was like, 'OK, OK. Finally, someone is listening to us,'" she continued.

However, McLendon-Covey did admit the loss of Murray was compounded by the real-life death of her Goldbergs TV dad, George Segal, who died in 2021.

"To have to go through another loss on a sitcom, you know, you can't keep asking your audience to mourn people," she said, adding, "That's not why they tune in."

That said, after shedding some light on the obviously touchy topic, the actress asked Cohen if they could change the subject, and he complied.

She explained it was exhausting recapping the events, because of the "PTSD of it all."

The star of the upcoming comedy Paint also added, "I feel like the less people know about [the situation], the better. No one ... benefits from knowing anything."

In 2022, Garlin announced he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

It was recently announced that the current 10th season of The Goldbergs would be the show's last.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


'The West Wing' creator Aaron Sorkin reveals he suffered a near-fatal stroke last fall

Bruce Glikas/Getty Images

In an interview with The New York Times, Oscar-winning screenwriter and the Emmy-winning creator of The West Wing, Aaron Sorkin, revealed he suffered a near-fatal stroke last fall.

Sorkin explained to the publication that months before he began rehearsals for a Broadway revival of Camelot, he woke in the middle of the night and couldn't walk straight down his hallway.

His doctor recommended he get checked out immediately and quickly informed Sorkin his blood pressure was so high he was "supposed to be dead."

The 61-year-old had suffered a stroke, his doctor informed him. For weeks Sorkin slurred his words; he feared he was "never going be able to write again." He's still having trouble signing his name and can't taste food.

A heavy smoker for decades, Sorkin called the health scare "a loud wake-up call."

He admitted, "I thought I was one of those people who could eat whatever he wanted, smoke as much as he wanted, and it's not going to affect me. Boy, was I wrong."

He began eating right and exercising, and quit smoking cold turkey — which proved difficult for the prolific writer. "[The cigarette] was just part of it, the way a pen was part of it," he said.

Sorkin was hesitant about revealing his health situation, but reconsidered, saying, "If it'll get one person to stop smoking, then it'll be helpful."

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


"The truth shall set you free": Zachary Levi confirms Dwayne Johnson's 'Black Adam'/'Shazam' drama

Warner Bros. Discovery

Not only was Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's Black Adam ultimately unsuccessful, but at least according to Shazam star Zachary Levi, Johnson's failed attempt to shape the DC universe around himself also hurt Shazam's sequel.

Levi reposted a story from The Wrap that confirmed Johnson personally blocked Levi from appearing as Shazam in Black Adam. He also reportedly ordered a last-minute nixing of a Shazam sequel after-credits scene in which Levi's character would be recruited into Black Adam's Justice Society of America.

"The truth shall set you free," Levi captioned the Instagram Story.

It was all a part of Johnson's efforts to "undermine Shazam," the trade reports.

While the character of Black Adam is canonically a foil of Levi's red-suited hero, Johnson refused to appear as the heavy in 2019's Shazam and publicly set his sights on an Adam/Superman matchup instead. He even lured Henry Cavill out of superhero retirement to play the latter in an Adam after-credits, only to have the entire thing blow up in his face when the movie underperformed, and James Gunn and Peter Safran made new superhero plans for Warner Bros. Discovery. 

Shazam's sequel managed to top the box office over last weekend, albeit with a weak $30 million bow. While the original had a 90% from ratings aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, with an 82% Audience Score, critics and fans are split on the follow-up, with a 51% from critics — but an actually better audience score than the original, at 87%. 

Levi addressed this disconnect via Twitter, explaining in a now-deleted Tweet, "I think the biggest issue we're having is marketing. This is a perfect family movie, and yet a lot of families aren't aware of that. Which is just a shame."

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Broadway musical adaptation of NBC's 'Smash' hitting the stage in 2024

Hilty and McPhee in 2015 - Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic

Smash, the short-lived Broadway musical-themed NBC show, is coming to the Great White Way in 2024.

In an announcement Wednesday, the TV show's producers Steven Spielberg and Neil Meron trumpeted that a Broadway version of the musical series about a Broadway musical will be directed by The Producers Tony winner Susan Stroman for the 2024-25 season.

The upcoming production will feature beloved songs from the series, which was about the mounting of a fictitious Marilyn Monroe musical called Bombshell, but also new tracks from Hairspray legends Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman.

Starring Katharine McPhee, Megan Hilty and Debra Messing, Smash only ran for two seasons, but Spielberg noted how it remains "near and dear" to his heart.

He adds, "It was always my hope that a musical inspired by the show would eventually come to the stage. We now have an incredible creative team, and I'm looking forward to completing the Smash journey which began with my producing partners over ten years ago."

Meron added, "Ever since the show ended in 2012, not a week goes by that someone doesn't ask us when will they see Smash as a musical. We think we've come up with something the die-hard series fans will love but that will also be exciting for people who never saw an episode of the show."

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Yara Shahidi discusses work-life balance, her "selfish season" and more

AB + DM for Byrdie

Yara Shahidi has always struck a balance between work and play, but landing her role as Zoey Johnson on black-ish interrupted her equilibrium and invited a world of unprecedented opinions that she had to learn to get used to.

"When black-ish started, that was a lot of attention at a young age," she tells Byrdie. "The good thing about that is people felt like they were our family because they watched us weekly. The bad thing is sometimes certain boundaries do not exist with people in person."

Yara says she once felt "like I couldn't mess up," given her status as a household name.

"I'm such a square that I really couldn't get in trouble if I tried, but I had this weird feeling [that] if I'm out in the world and mess up, that's it," she says, noting, "As Brown and Black women, there's an added layer of the stakes of your mistakes."

"This is especially true if you're the only one in a space," she continues. "However, we shouldn't have to forego the experience of being able to say, 'If I mess up, I'll still be worthy of this moment, space, and opportunity.’”

Yara credits her college experience for helping her "learn how to carve out a distinct space for my private life, which allowed me to enjoy my public life." She's now growing, evolving and honoring her needs and desires in what she calls her "selfish season."

"Even though I've worked for the 23 years I've been alive, by no means have I experienced all of life," Yara says. "I'm at an exciting phase where I'm coming to terms with just how much more life there is to live."

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Vanessa Hudgens heads to Philippines to explore her family's Asian roots in travel documentary

ABC

High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens is set to shoot a travel documentary that will take her to the Philippines, her mother's homeland.

The as-yet-untitled project, filming in Palawan and Manila later this month, will focus on the close relationship between the 34-year-old actress' Filipino mom, Gina, and sister, Stella.

“I feel like ours is such a relatable story to so many women all over the world,” Hudgens said in a statement on Tuesday. “The more that we can share, the more we can lift each other up.”

Following her breakout role in High School Musical, Hudgens went on to star in Spring Breakers, Gimme Shelter, Bad Boys for Life, and Tick, Tick …Boom! She's also set to reprise her role as weapons expert Kelly in Bad Boys 4, alongside Will Smith and Martin Lawrence.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Will the KC Chiefs make it to the Super Bowl?