TV

Wow, Check Out The Pretty Good Madonna Voice Evan Rachel Wood Is Doing In The New Weird Al Movie

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Evan Rachel Wood might be in the midst of promoting the new season of Westworld, but that doesn’t mean she can’t show off her pretty impressive vocal skills. While stopping by The Tonight Show on Thursday, Wood not only opened up about her upcoming role as Madonna in Roku’s Weird Al Yankovic biopic, but she gave the audience a taste of how well she can channel the iconic girl by belting out a performance of “Material Girl” at Fallon’s request.

According to Wood, she’s become prone to using her Madonna voice to “disarm” interviewers. As for taking on the iconic role, she felt much better playing the singer in the Weird Al movie than the full-fledged Madonna biopic that stars Julia Garner in the coveted role, which she deemed “too much pressure.” Regarding her casting, Wood added, “Honestly, like I thought I was gonna take a break the rest of the year, and then I got an email and the first thing I read is ‘You’ve been offered the role of Madonna,’ and I just burst out laughing like…. you just spit your drink out when you read that. Like, you’re not expecting that as a Tuesday.”

As for when you can see Wood play Madonna in Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, Roku has yet to provide a release date for the biopic that stars a surprisingly ripped Daniel Radcliffe in the title role. However, the film is scheduled to premiere some time this year, which is already halfway over, so the wait shouldn’t be too long.

(Via The AV Club)

Lil Wayne Added To List Of 2022 BET Award Performers

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lil wayne tha carter v

Lil Wayne, 39, is being added to the growing list of performers for this year’s BET Awards.

A press release on Thursday announced the “A Milli” rapper will join a star studded list of performers including Lizzo, Babyface, Chlöe, Jack Harlow, Chance The Rapper, Roddy Ricch, Fireboy DML and more.

Business titan, Diddy is set to be honored with BET’s “Lifetime Achievement Award.“ Oscar-nominated actor, Taraji P. Henson will be hosting this year, making it her second time doing so. The 2022 BET Awards will air on June 26 on BET at 8 pm ET/ PT from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

READ MORE: Taraji P. Henson Says “Pressures of Being Black” Have Her Considering Leaving America

 Doechii, Ella Mai, GIVĒON, Joey Bada$$, Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin, Latto and Muni Long are set to grace the stage. In addition to the announced performers Idris Elba, Irv Gotti, Janelle Monáe, Keke Palmer, Daniel Kaluuya and Sanaa Lathan will be presenting amongst others.

For the complete list of this year’s nominees, performers and presenters visit bet.com.

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Billie Eilish, Lizzo, Ed Sheeran, And Joe Biden Will Appear On Upcoming ‘Corden’ Episodes From London

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Getty Image/Ralph Ordaz

With James Corden announcing in April that he will be leaving The Late Late Show in 2023, the talk show host is pulling out all the stops in his final season. For a slate of episodes filmed in the UK that will air next week, guests on the show include Billie Eilish, Lizzo, Ed Sheeran, and President Joe Biden (as Variety notes). The shows will be broadcast from London’s Freemason’s Hall and these aren’t just your typical “sit down and chat” type of appearances for the illustrious guests.

For his “Take A Break” segment, Corden is going to fill in as an assistant of sorts to Biden, Lizzo is set to do a new “Carpool Karaoke” segment, and hilarity will surely ensue. Other guests on the upcoming slate of episodes include Star Wars actor John Boyega, singers Sam Smith and Alanis Morissette, Thor’s Tessa Thompson, David Harbour from Stranger Things, and Vin freakin’ Diesel.

It’s all set to air from Tuesday, June 28th to Friday, July 1st in its normal 12:37 a.m. timeslot on CBS (or on the Sky Comedy channel if you find yourself in the UK).

Some of the artists mentioned here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Giancarlo Esposito Hints At Gus Fring Spin-Off: “Vince Gilligan Told Me It Is Not Over Until It’s Over”

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giancarlo esposito

Breaking Bad is often regarded as one of, and to some people, the greatest TV shows of all time. Characters like Walter White, Jesse Pinkman, Saul Goodman, and Gus Fring have become idolized in the canon of TV show characters. Even after the show ended, Saul Goodman received his spin-off Better Call Saul, and fans have been wanting and speculating a potential spin-off about the early days of Gus Fring, played by Giancarlo Esposito.

With just 6 episodes left in the final season of Better Call Saul, Esposito appeared on a Late Show With James Corden. He was asked if fans could ever expect a spin-off about the origins of Gus Fring.

“It’s over. It’s going to be over,” Esposito said before revealing that series creator Vince Gilligan might be ready to explore the origins of Esposito’s character.

“Vince Gilligan said to me, ‘It is not over until it’s over,” he added. “Is that a clue? For me, I think it may be a clue because as an actor I take that [to mean] ‘There could be something else.’”

Esposito went on to say, “In my brain, there is another show…called ‘The Rise of Gus.’”

However, this is not the first time Esposito has hinted at the possibility of a Gus Fring spin-off. In an interview with Insider in April, the actor said that he feels like there is enough material to possibly explore the rise of Gus Fring.

“The last days [on set of Better Call Saul], I’m tearing up and looking over my shoulder and I hear Vince say, ‘You never know,’” Esposito said.  “And so, I’ve always wanted, and felt like, there’s room for material for the rise of Gus. I feel like it’d be interesting to know where he came from.”

Esposito added, “I feel like he came from a really wealthy family, had the opportunity to run, not only the family but government in another country. He had that kind of brain, that charisma, that stature, and he traded it in because he wanted to be his own man. There’s something fascinating to me about that.”

You can watch the full clip below. The conversation about a potential spin-off starts around the 5:05 mark.

The post Giancarlo Esposito Hints At Gus Fring Spin-Off: “Vince Gilligan Told Me It Is Not Over Until It’s Over” appeared first on The Source.

Bill Cosby Found Guilty, Civil Jury Awards $500K to Judith Huth

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Bill Cosby, Bobby Shmurda, Kodak Black All Received Thanksgiving Meals

A jury in California decided that comedian, Bill Cosby is guilty of sexually assaulting Judith Huth, a then-teenage girl at the Playboy Mansion back in 1975.

On Tuesday, the jury came back with a verdict in the civil case against Cosby which found him liable and awarded Huth with the sum of $500,000 in damages. 

While no punitive compensation was awarded, 84-year-old Cosby, was served a major legal defeat. 

“We have always maintained that Judy Huth, Gloria Allred and their cohorts fabricated these false accusations, in order to force Mr. Cosby to finance their racist mission against successful and accomplished Black Men in America,” Cosby’s spokesperson said in a statement following the verdict. “Mr. Cosby continues to maintain his innocence and will vigorously fight these false accusations, so that he can get back to bringing the pursuit of happiness, joy and laughter to the world.”

READ MORE: Judge Orders Jury Deliberations to Start Over in Civil Case for Bill Cosby

According to Variety, Huth, who is now 64 years-old accused Cosby of luring her and a friend to the Playboy Mansion a few days after meeting him in a park. She claimed that Cosby took her alone into a bedroom, pulled down his sweatpants and then grabbed her hand in order to masturbate himself, forcing her into a sexual act.

The is the first case to go to trial under the Child Victims Act, which protects adults who suffered abuse as children and come forward with their accounts years later.

Prosecutors say there won’t be criminal charges because the case is past the statute of limitations. Cosby maintains the allegations are false. 

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Shonda Rhimes Launches Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Programs at Netflix

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Shonda Rhimes Ended 15-Year Relationship With ABC Over Disneyland Pass

After extending their partnership last summer, Netflix and accomplished producer Shonda Rhimes broaden their commitment with the launch of new inclusive programs for diversity, equity, inclusion, access initiatives and opportunities. The new programs are called The Producers Inclusion Initiative and The Ladder, which both will be supported by Netflix’s Fund for Creative Equity.

MORE: Shonda Rhimes and Netflix Extend Their Partnership Into New Ventures

The programs will allow graduates to be considered for job consideration on Shondaland and other Netflix productions. The Producers Inclusion Initiative is specifically designed as a nine-week virtual program to train indie producers, unit production managers, supervisors and first assistant directors, who come from those historically underrepresented communities. The program’s participants will learn from executives and key production department heads from Netflix, Shondaland and elsewhere in the industry with the express goal of minting qualified line producers for the studio system. In addition to monthly stipends while in the program, graduates will connect with folks at the two companies and others about potential gigs or other career development opportunities.

MORE: Shonda Rhimes Ended 15-Year Relationship With ABC Over Disneyland Pass

The Ladder, for its part, is set up to provide opportunities for people from marginalized groups who are looking to gain the kind of on-set experience and training that’s key to success in the film and TV business. Like the Inclusion Initiative, the Ladder participants will be paid during their time in the program, which will also transport those taking part from central points around London.

Shondaland’s Head of Production Sara Fischer had this to say on the new programs and opportunities: “At our core, Shondaland is a company dedicated to championing opportunities for underrepresented communities both on and off the screen. We have made incredible strides with ensuring women are represented in our productions and I’m excited to expand our efforts and see real results with all marginalized groups. Our partnership with Netflix has allowed us to create these two new incredible programs that have already led to palpable changes in our industry. I am extremely proud to be a part of history as we look forward to greater representation on set.”

Shonda Rhimes is one of the most high-profile and commercially successful showrunners in the business.

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Judge Orders Jury Deliberations to Start Over in Civil Case for Bill Cosby

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Bill Cosby is Eligible for Special Treatment in Prison

More snags arise in the Bill Cosby civil case playing out in California. There is still no verdict from jury deliberations that wrapped up Monday.

The jurors were forced to start over from scratch after nearly reaching a verdict on Friday.  An alternate juror is now considering the case in Los Angeles County after a main juror had to leave for a prior commitment. 

READ MORE: Bill Cosby Assault Witness Caught Lying On Stand

Cosby faces claims from a woman who says the comedian molested her at the Playboy Mansion in the 1970s when she was a teenager. Judy Huth previously said the alleged incident happened in 1974, and Cosby’s team tried but failed to get the suit dismissed after she changed the timeline of her story. He denies all allegations. 

 Prosecutors say there won’t be criminal charges because the case is past the statute of limitations.

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Maya Hawke Hilariously Revisits A Classic Rihanna And Ethan Hawke Moment For Father’s Day

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Rihanna Ethan Hawke 64th NBA All-Star Game 2015
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Father’s Day was yesterday, meaning social media was flooded with tributes to dads everywhere. One of the funniest of them came from Stranger Things star and musician Maya Hawke, whose father is of course Ethan Hawke.

An Instagram post shared yesterday reads, “Happy Father’s Day specifically to Ethan Hawke making his son switch seats with him so he could get at Rihanna.” Indeed, the post shows two photos of Rihanna and Ethan sitting courtside at the 2015 NBA All-Star Game, one with his son Levon seated between them and another with Ethan next to Rihanna. Maya shared that post on her Instagram story and let the image do the talking, adding simply, “Happy Father’s Day dad”

Maya Hawke Instagram Ethan Rihanna
@maya_hawke/Instagram

Ethan actually addressed this moment previously: In 2019, he re-shared a similar tweet featuring the same two photos and wrote, “Yes, my son and I remember this GREAT night. His version is a little different than mine.”

As for the topic of the depicted conversation, it’s possible Rihanna and Hawke were chatting about Valerian And The City Of A Thousand Planets, the 2017 movie in which they both starred; The photos were taken on February 15, 2015 and the two joined the cast of the film later that year, Rihanna in October and Hawke in December.

Wendy Williams Reportedly Never Leaves Home and Has Memory Loss

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Wendy Williams Tearfully Reveals She's Living in Sober House for Cocaine Addiction

The Wendy Show is now over and according to sources, the former host, Wendy Williams, has no plans to get back to work.

A source spoke to The Sun stating Williams doesn’t leave her house and “can’t remember anything.” The source also added Wendy “hasn’t taken any meetings to try to get back on the air” and it would be a long road to get her back on air in the future.

“She can’t remember anything, she needs a teleprompter and she needs someone there to remind her of things,” the source said. “She is sitting in her house, she isn’t taking meetings, she isn’t going out, there is no plan.”

The decade-plus run of The Wendy Williams show came to a close this past Friday. Ahead of the show Variety noted Wendy Williams would not be in attendance for the final episode. Instead, a video montage celebrating Williams played in the time slot.

“The final original episode of ‘The Wendy Williams Show’ will air on Friday, June 17th with a video tribute to the iconic host. The series comes to an end after 13 successful years in syndication,” said a spokesperson for the show.

Wendy Williams has not been on her show for the entire 2021-22 season due to health-related issues. Throughout the season multiple guests filled in for Wendy, including Sherri Shepherd, who is hosting the final week and will have her own show this coming Fall.

Previously, Williams expressed she would be returning to her show. Co-Presidents of Debmar-Mercury, the show’s creators, Ira Bernstein and Mort Marcus, said they would be willing to work with the host again.

“It doesn’t mean the next day, but we will put it together and figure it out,” Bernstein said. “It’s not like we have a Plan B where we hit a button and it’s back in a week, but we do have the desire to be in business with her, if she can come back and be healthy, and so does Fox.”

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ICYMI: Jennifer Hudson’s Talk Show Set for September Airdate

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40-year-old Actress and musician Jennifer Hudson’s new talk show will air September 12. The series will debut on the Fox TV stations as its core station group.

“The Jennifer Hudson Show” will be produced by the same minds behind “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” which ended its run after 19 years on the air, as reported by Variety. 

The “Spotlight” singer took to social media with excitement to confirm the news.

“I can’t believe I get to say this, but welcome to my show !!! Let’s light up daytime beginning September 12th ! Wait a minute that’s my birthday !!!”

READ MORE: Jennifer Hudson Wins Tony Award for ‘A Strange Loop,’ Gains EGOT Status

Hudson is fresh off becoming an EGOT winner after taking home a Tony award last weekend. 

An EGOT means a person has won a Grammy, an Emmy, a Tony and an Oscar. 

“The Jennifer Hudson Show” will debut on her birthday, September 12 on FOX.

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