London Critics’ Circle Awards Noms

SUPPORTING ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Robert Downey Jr – Oppenheimer
Ryan Gosling – Barbie
Charles Melton – May December
Paul Mescal – All of Us Strangers
Mark Ruffalo – Poor Things

The Critics Choice Awards Nominations

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Sterling K. Brown – American Fiction
Robert De Niro – Killers of the Flower Moon
Robert Downey Jr. – Oppenheimer
Ryan Gosling – Barbie
Charles Melton – May December
Mark Ruffalo – Poor Things

Nominations For The 81st Annual Golden Globe Awards

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE ON TELEVISION
ELIZABETH DEBICKI (THE CROWN)
ABBY ELLIOTT (THE BEAR)
CHRISTINA RICCI (YELLOWJACKETS)
J. SMITH-CAMERON (SUCCESSION)
MERYL STREEP (ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING)
HANNAH WADDINGHAM (TED LASSO)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE ON TELEVISION
BILLY CRUDUP (THE MORNING SHOW)
MATTHEW MACFADYEN (SUCCESSION)
JAMES MARSDEN (JURY DUTY)
EBON MOSS–BACHRACH (THE BEAR)
ALAN RUCK (SUCCESSION)
ALEXANDER SKARSGÅRD (SUCCESSION)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE
WILLEM DAFOE (POOR THINGS)
ROBERT DE NIRO (KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON)
ROBERT DOWNEY JR. (OPPENHEIMER)
RYAN GOSLING (BARBIE)
CHARLES MELTON (MAY DECEMBER)
MARK RUFFALO (POOR THINGS)

Saturn Award Nominations

Best Supporting Actor in a Film
Nicolas Cage, Renfield (Universal Pictures)
Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer (Universal Pictures)
Ryan Gosling, Barbie (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Michael Keaton, The Flash (DC/Warner Bros. Pictures)
Stephen Lang, Avatar: The Way of Water (Walt Disney/Lightstorm)
Mads Mikkelsen, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (Lucasfilm/Paramount/Disney)

Cary Grant’s ex-wife Dyan Cannon, 86, credits prayer for youthful outlook: ‘I’m a big God girl’

“Praying, that’s what keeps me straight,” the actress, who is turning 87 next month, told Page Six exclusively at The Paley Center for Media on Monday night.

“I’m a big God girl,” the Oscar nominee continued. “After some of the things I’ve been through, I couldn’t make sense out of the world, so I had to go to something that did make sense.

“And what I realized one day — not just believed, I can’t believe because you tell me to believe, I have to understand — and when I came to a place in my understanding is that there really is something bigger than me that protects me and guides me and nourishes me and I believe that.”

Cannon was on hand to help present The American Premiere of Britbox’s “Archie” as part of PaleyLive NY.

The mini-series is based on her first husband Cary Grant’s remarkable life. (Archie refers to Grant’s real name, Archibald Leach).

The four-part series, with Jason Isaacs playing Grant, is based in part on Cannon’s 2011 memoir, “Dear Cary: My Life with Cary Grant.” She serves as an executive producer along with their daughter, Jennifer Grant.

The show doesn’t shy away from showing an unflattering side to the “Charade” star, who died in 1986 at 82.

Cannon’s tempestuous marriage — which included controlling behavior and Cary forcing her to take LSD — is shown along with the deep joy the Hollywood legend derived from becoming a father later in life.

It also delves into Cary’s tragic childhood, which included not knowing that his mother had been placed in a mental asylum by his father for 30 years.

Though the “Heaven Can Wait” star is in tune with her religion, she is reluctant to call herself born-again.

“I’m living now,” she told Page Six. “I just came to understand that there is something bigger than me that I can trust because I can’t trust a lot of what is out there because it changes its mind all the time.”

However, Cannon admitted that she doesn’t solely rely on God to keep herself physically trim.

“I’ve come to a place in my life where I can eat anything but I do work out,” she said. “I try and do something at least three or four times a week.”

Critics Choice Awards TV Nominations

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Nicole Beharie – The Morning Show (Apple TV+)
Elizabeth Debicki – The Crown (Netflix)
Sophia Di Martino – Loki (Disney+)
Celia Rose Gooding – Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+)
Karen Pittman – The Morning Show (Apple TV+)
Christina Ricci – Yellowjackets (Showtime)

Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild Awards Honorees

“We are honored to recognize Kevin Haney and Ora T. Green for their unprecedented contributions to the artistry of make-up and hair styling,” said Julie Socash, president of MUAHS (IATSE Local 706). “Over their legendary careers, their work has been captured on the most memorable, whimsical, creative and celebrated characters of film and television.”

Whether it’s the baby’s mustache on Addams Family Values or Martin Short’s Jiminy Glick in Primetime Glick, Haney’s characters always have a surprise of quirkiness in his creations. Haney began his career as a lab assistant to the legendary Dick Smith on the 1980 feature Altered States, going on to worked on Saturday Night Live and a staff position at NBC. He created aging effects on Dan Aykroyd for Driving Miss Daisy that won the Oscar for Outstanding Makeup.

His long list of credits also includes Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Dungeons & Dragons, Honor Among Thieves, the Hocus Pocus films, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Iron Man, Planet of the Apes (2001), Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, The Shawshank Redemption, Dick Tracy, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and dozens more. His TV work includes Friends and The Mandalorian, Friends, Perry Mason and many others.

A two-time Emmy nominee for Path to War and Frank’s Place, Green has amassed dozens of TV and film credits ranging from groundbreaking 1970s Norman Lear series to Ally McBeal, Star Trek: Nemesis and Blade. She began her studio career working on popular sitcoms Good Times, Maude and One Day at a Time before transitioning to feature films including Best Picture Oscar winner Driving Miss Daisy, Hook, Thirteen Days, Supernova, Wayne’s World 2, and many others.

Green joined Local 706 in 1977, at a time when the union was going through many transitions, and has been a trailblazer who helped open the doors for other women. She quickly proved herself to be one of the most valuable and in-demand stylists, who could handle any task with style, grace and her infallible sense of humor.

‘Dope Girls’: Julianne Nicholson & Eliza Scanlen To Lead BBC Drama About Female Crime Boss In Soho; Filming Underway

Umi Myers, Eilidh Fisher and Geraldine James have also landed major parts in the series, which we first told you about back in March. At the time, our sources said the BBC sees Dope Girls as a spiritual successor to Peaky Blinders, which ended last year.

Filming on the show, which is set in London’s Soho in the early 20th century, when female gangs ran the clubs, drugs and moonshine, is now underway. It will launch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, and comes from Polly Stenham (The Face, The Neon Demon) and Alex Warren (Eleanor).

Nicholson will play Kate Galloway, a single mother who establishes a nightclub amidst the hedonistic uproar of post-World War One London, embracing a life of criminal activities with the dedicated aim of providing for her daughter Evie, played by Fisher (The Power).

Scanlen (Little Women) will play Violet Davies, one of the first wave of female officers for the Metropolitan Police, who is assigned to go undercover and investigate the illicit world of underground Soho nightclubs. Myers (Bob Marley: One Love), plays Billie Cassidy, a dazzling bohemian dancer whose life is turned upside down by Kate’s arrival.

James (Silo) will also star as Isabella, the leader of the criminal Salucci family that also includes Rory Fleck Bryne (This Is Going To Hurt), Dustin Demri-Burns (Slow Horses) and Sebastian Croft (Heartstopper) as Silvio Salucci.

Also cast are Michael Duke (Get Up Stand Up), Ian Bonar (I May Destroy You), Laura Checkley (Screw), Will Keen (His Dark Materials), Fiona Button (The Split), Harry Cadby (Everything Now), Eben Figueiredo (The Serial Killer’s Wife), Nabhaan Rizwan (Informer), Priya Kansara (Polite Society) and Jordan Kouamé (Malpractice).

Bad Wolf is producing in association with its parent company Sony Pictures Television, which has international sales rights. Stenham and Alex Warren are writing the show, which is inspired by Marek Kohn’s non-fiction book Dope Girls: The Birth of the British Drug Underground.

Shannon Murphy (Babyteeth, Killing Eve) has now been unveiled as lead director with Miranda Bowen (Women in Love) directing later episodes. Directors of Photography include Annika Summerson and Carlos Catalan, and Sherree Philips (Babyteeth) is production designer. Ado Yoshizaki Cassuto serves as producer. Casting is by Julie Harkin and Nathan Toth.

Writers Stenham and Warren and director Murphy will be executive producers alongside Bad Wolf’s Kate Crowther and Jane Tranter, Michael Lesslie (Assassin’s Creed) for Storyteller Productions and Rebecca Ferguson for the BBC. The project was developed and overseen by Bad Wolf Director of Content Dan McCulloch and Chief Creative Officer Ryan Rasmussen. Matthew Barry, who is also an EP, is an additional writer alongside Xiao Tang (You Killed My Robot) and Matthew Jacobs Morgan (The Rig).

Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, commissioned the series. “We can’t wait for viewers to discover the bold and brilliant Dope Girls,” she said. “Packed full of complex and electrifying characters from a fascinating time in Britain’s history, this will be must-see, ambitious drama.”

The project has been developed and overseen by Bad Wolf’s Director of Content, Dan McCulloch and Chief Creative Officer, Ryan Rasmussen.

“Dope Girls is quintessentially Bad Wolf,” said company co-founder Jane Tranter. “A viscerally thrilling drama that rides through the underbelly of organised crime in the early 20th Century with a uniquely female point of view. Polly and Alex’s visionary fictional take on Soho is as audacious as the world it portrays.”

Shailene Woodley & Martha Stewart Join David E. Kelley’s ‘Hope In The Water’ As Docuseries Lands At PBS

The series, which was formerly known as Eating Up the Oceans: How Do We Save Our Seas?, will launch on the public broadcaster in summer 2024.

Shailene Woodley, Martha Stewart, José Andrés and Baratunde Thurston are starring in the series, which marks the Big Little Lies creator’s first foray into documentary. Kelley bought a fish farm a few years ago that raises steelhead trout.

The series is produced by Andrew Zimmern’s Intuitive Content, the company behind series such as MSNBC’s What’s Eating America and Magnolia’s Zoe Bakes.

It will explore the creative solutions and breakthrough blue food technologies that could not only feed people but help save threatened seas and fresh waterways. The series highlights the stories of aquafarmers and fishers who are working toward a sustainable future for the planet.

Woodley, Stewart, Andrés and Thurston will reveal hidden underworlds jeopardized by climate change, irresponsible fishing and exploitation, and habitat destruction.

Big Little Lies star Woodley, for instance, grew up surfing the California coast and has witnessed firsthand how “zombie” purple urchins have taken over and destroyed kelp forests. She goes underwater with urchin divers who collect the barren urchins and then deliver them to a farm where their buttery roe is grown and harvested – turning an ecological imbalance into a sellable commodity and helping to save the kelp at the same time.

“It’s my hope that through this important work, we can collectively practice better alternatives that will nourish communities across the planet and sustain our waters,” she said .

Stewart has a deep connection to the Gulf of Maine – the fastest warming body of water on the planet. She sails into Penobscot Bay where a young fisherman abandoned his plans of lobstering for a more sustainable alternative: scallop farming. As Stewart cooks the scallops, she notes that Maine’s famous lobsters are now migrating further north in search of colder water.

Andrés recounts the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, which devastated Puerto Rico in 2017. He and volunteers with World Central Kitchen prepared more than four million meals to feed hungry survivors. World Central Kitchen also provided grants to fishers to repair boats, buy new engines, and rebuild their fishery. Marine conservationist Raimundo Espinoza assisted that effort and is now helping these fishers pivot to a new and sustainable species: 60-lb., diamondback squid.

Thurston tells the story of technology, democracy, and climate. He is the host of PBS’ America Outdoors.

Hope In The Water is directed by Brian Peter Falk. Andrew Zimmern and Patrick Weiland serve as executive producers. Blue-foods experts and advocates Jennifer Bushman, Jill Kauffman Johnson and Katherine Bryar serve as advisors and impact producers. Bill Gardner serves as executive-in-charge for PBS.

“Through Hope In The Water we are on a mission to reimagine a planet where both ecological balance and food abundance are possible. Our series is a fresh take on how we can rewrite menus worldwide that will create meaningful and lasting impact for generations to come,” said Kelley. “Andrew and I are buoyed by our enthusiastic collaborators – Shailene, Martha, Baratunde and José – and are proud to partner with the Earth-conscious changemakers at PBS.”

“We’re particularly excited about Hope In The Water’s potential to reach broad audiences thanks to the powerful voices at the forefront of the series, who demonstrate the possibilities of a more sustainable future,” added Bill Gardner, VP, multiplatform programming and head of development at PBS. “With a commitment to extensive public engagement around the series, we aim to not only bring compelling and authentic documentary content to audiences but also to connect and strengthen voices, people and communities with real world ways to make a difference.”

Anne Heche Gives Final TV Performance in This Week’s All Rise

The actress has recurred on the CBS-turned-OWN legal drama since Season 2, appearing in six episodes as lawyer Corrine Cuthbert, who has a contentious professional relationship with Simone Missick’s Judge Lola Carmichael. Heche’s character returns in this week’s installment (aka Episode 313, airing at 9/8c) as part of a trial case. The hour concludes with the following dedication:

“In Memory of Anne Heche
Our Friend and Wonderful Artist
You Are Missed”

Heche’s final Season 3 episode was filmed back in June 2022, but is only just now airing after the show’s year-long scheduling hiatus. Following All Rise’s midseason finale in August 2022, the series took a lengthy break before returning for its final run of episodes on Sept. 16, 2023.

Heche died from injuries sustained in a car crash on Aug. 5, 2022. Shortly after the accident, Heche’s rep confirmed that the actress fell into a coma due to a “significant pulmonary injury requiring medical ventilation and burns that require[d] surgical intervention.” Days later, on Aug. 11, her rep shared that the actress had suffered a “severe anoxic brain injury” from the crash and was unfortunately “not expected to survive” her critical condition. The actress was declared “brain dead” on Aug. 12, according to her reps, before being “peacefully taken off life support.”

“Today we lost a bright light, a kind and most joyful soul, a loving mother, and a loyal friend,” Heche’s rep said in a statement at the time.

“Anne will be deeply missed but she lives on through her beautiful sons, her iconic body of work, and her passionate advocacy,” the statement continued. “Her bravery for always standing in her truth, spreading her message of love and acceptance, will continue to have a lasting impact.”

In addition to this week’s All Rise, Heche will also posthumously star in the indie movie Wildfire: The Legend of the Cherokee Ghost Horse, which is slated to be released on Nov. 2, 2023.

‘Ally McBeal’, ‘The Practice’, ‘Hill Street Blues’ Among Classic 20th TV Titles Leaving Hulu

The list of departing series includes 20 series from Disney’s 20th Television, including the David E. Kelley Emmy-winning legal shows Ally McBeal, which the studio had been looking to remake, and The Practice, as well as fellow award-winners The Bob Newhart Show, Hill Street Blues and Arrested Development.

A slew of catalog titles from Fox and Paramount also are impacted, as well as a couple of properties each from Nat Geo and NBC News. According to sources, the entire WWE hub would expire Sept. 25, and a handful of ABC News titles also will be gone, something which we have not confirmed.

The move follows a major cost-cutting content removal across Disney+ and Hulu in the spring as the two platforms are preparing to combine offerings into “one-app experience” by the end of the year.

Here is the list of confirmed Hulu library series departures:

20th TV shows leaving Sept. 30:
The Bob Newhart Show
Dollhouse
Napoleon Dynamite
Don’t Trust the B—- in APT 23
Second Chance
Shots Fired
Touch
Ally McBeal
Arrested Development
Sirens
The Cleveland Show
Hill Street Blues
Damien
Son of Zorn
The Practice
Speechless
Out There
Legends
Breakout Kings
Better Off Ted

Fox shows, most of them departing Sept. 25
I Can See Your Voice (Seasons 1-2)
Alter Ego (Season 1)
Cherries Wild (Season 1)
Beat Shazam (Seasons 4-5)
Masterchef Junior (Seasons 1-8)
Masked Dancer (Season 1)
Crime Scene Kitchen (Seasons 1-2)
Gordon Ramsay’s 24 Hours To Hell And Back (Seasons 1-3)
Cosmos Possible Worlds (Season 1)
Lego Masters (Seasons 1-2)
Masterchef (Seasons 1-12)
The Masked Singer (Seasons 1-8)
Name That Tune (Seasons 1-2)
Next Level Chef (Season 1)

Paramount catalog tittles, departing Sept. 30/Oct. 14:

VH1 (entire hub)
Basketball Wives LA (Seasons 1-3)
Love & Hip Hop Hollywood (Seasons 1-4)
RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars (Seasons 1-3)

MTV
Acapulco Shore (Seasons 1-4) -October 14 exp.
Catfish Mexico (Season 1) -October 14 exp.
The Hills (Seasons 1-6)
My Super Sweet 16 (Seasons 4-7)
The Real World (one or more seasons)

Showtime:
Sleeper Cell (Season 1)

CBS:
7th Heaven (Seasons 1-4)
Beverly Hills 90210 (Seasons 1-2)

Comedy Central
La Culpa es de Cortés

Paramount Network Mexico:
Dani Who (Seasons 1)

Taye Diggs Signs With A Management Co. & Global Artists Agency

Diggs can next be seen leading the two-part BET+ film Love & Murder: Atlanta Playboy based on the true crime story of businessman Lance Herndon. In the film, Diggs stars as Lance (Diggs), a successful Atlanta businessman, renowned in equal measure for both revolutionizing the city’s 911 system, and his womanizing ways. When he is found murdered in his own home, questions and allegations abound as to who might have wanted him dead.

Diggs also is set to voice King Triton with Amber Riley as Ursula in Ariel, the Disney/Disney Junior animated series.

Other TV credits include the series regular role of Dr. Sam Bennet in Grey’s Anatomy spinoff series Private Practice as well as the TNT serial crime drama Murder in the First as homicide inspector Terry English. He also had recurring roles in Ally McBeal, The West Wing, Will & Grace as Eric McCormack’s boyfriend in the show’s final season, The Good Wife, Rosewood, and Empire as city councilman Angelo Dubois, a love interest for Taraji P. Henson’s character.

Notable film credits include Go, The Wood, The Best Man, House on Haunted Hill, Equilibrium, The Way of the Gun, Brown Sugar, and The Best Man Holiday among others.

Diggs made his film debut in How Stella Got Her Groove Back starring opposite Angela Bassett as her younger love interest Winston Shakespeare. From there, he went on to build a successful career across film, television, and theatre. On the film side, Diggs portrayed The Bandleader in Rob Marshall’s film version of the Broadway musical Chicago. He also reprised the role he originated on Broadway, landlord Benjamin Coffin III, in Chris Columbus’ film version of the Tony Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Rent. He continued his theatre career and went on to appear in Broadway musicals including Chicago, Rent, Wicked, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

Diggs has served as a producer on several projects in addition to starring including the critically acclaimed UPN series Kevin Hill in which he plays the title character who juggles work as a lawyer while raising his ten-month-old cousin, and the ABC series Day Break in which Diggs’ Detective Brett Hopper relives the day he is accused of murder to discover the true killer. Diggs has also produced and starred in the films Til Death Do Us Part and Incarnation. He executive produced and hosted two variety specials alongside Ne-Yo and Eric Bellinger titled The Black Pack for The CW which featured music, dance, and comedy. He also executive produced and hosted the Hulu reality dating series Back in the Groove based on Digg’s original starring vehicle.

Diggs is also an author and has penned five children’s books, Mixed Me!, Chocolate Me!, I Love You More Than…, My Friend!, and Why? A Conversation about Race..

Christina Ricci slams Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis’ support of Danny Masterson: Discrediting victims is ‘a crime’

The “Addams Family” star – who allegedly suffered “severe physical and emotional abuse” at the hands of ex-husband James Heerdegen – took to her Instagram Story Saturday to speak out in support of victims after Masterson’s sentencing.

“So sometimes people we loved and admired do horrible things. They might not do these things to us and we only know who they were to us but that doesn’t mean they didn’t do the horrible things and to discredit the abused is a crime,” Ricci, 43, wrote.

“People we know as ‘awesome guys’ can be predators and abusers. It’s tough to accept but we have to. If we say we support victims – women, children, men, boys – then we must be able to take this stance.”

Ricci continued, “Unfortunately I’ve known lots of ‘awesome guys’ who were lovely to me but have been proven to be abusers privately. I’ve also had personal experience with this. Believe victims. It’s not easy to come forward. It’s not easy to get a conviction.”

Both Kutcher, 45, and Kunis, 40, starred alongside Masterson, 47, in “That ’70s Show.” The married couple were among 50 people who “vouched” for the disgraced actor’s “exceptional character” after he was convicted on two counts of rape.

Masterson was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison earlier this week for the rapes of two women, both of which were committed in 2003.

Following Masterson’s sentencing, Ricci also shared a candid selfie with her 9-year-old son, Freddie, captioned, “We out here believing and hoping for a better future.”

Ricci’s social media posts came just one day after court reporter Meghann Cuniff published the character letters for Masteron’s case, in which Kutcher and Kunis pleaded for Judge Charlaine Olmedo’s leniency.

“As a friend, Danny has been nothing but a positive influence on me. He’s an extraordinarily honest and intentional human being,” Kutcher wrote, noting that Masterson served as a “role model” for him.

“I attribute not falling into the typical Hollywood life of drugs directly to Danny,” the “Cheaper by the Dozen” star continued.

“Any time that we were to meet someone or interact with someone who was on drugs, or did drugs, he made it clear that that wouldn’t be a good person to be friends with.”

Meanwhile, Kunis credited her former co-star with being an “amazing friend, confidant, and, above all, an outstanding older brother figure to me.”

“His caring nature and ability to offer guidance have been instrumental in my growth both personally and professionally,” the “Friends With Benefits” actress wrote.

The pair quickly spoke out after receiving backlash for the letters.

“We are aware of the pain that has been caused by the character letters that we wrote on behalf of Danny Masterson,” the “Punk’d” creator said in a video message shared via Instagram Saturday.

Kunis chimed in, “We support victims. We have done this historically through our work and will continue to do so in the future.”

Ricci, for her part, was allegedly the victim of her ex-husband’s emotional and physical abuse.

The “Casper” star filed for divorce from Heerdegen in July 2020 following seven years of marriage, and was granted an emergency protective order after police were called to their home.

In court docs obtained by TMZ, she claimed her then-husband’s abuse began in December 2019, at which time she told him she wanted a divorce.

When the COVID-19 lockdown began in early 2020, she “found herself trapped in a house with a violent abuser.”

Ricci also claimed he told her, “the only way he could feel sorry for me is if I were dismembered into small pieces” in late 2019, “something that made me think that [he] could kill me.”

They finalized their divorce in December 2022 and share custody of their son, Freddie.

The “Wednesday” star has since welcomed a daughter, Cleo, with her second husband, Mark Hampton.

Taye Diggs To Voice King Triton With Amber Riley As Ursula In ‘Ariel’ Animated Series

Other Disney Junior programming news made at the event included the lead cast for the channel’s upcoming Ariel animated series, with Mykal-Michelle Harris (Raven’s Home) in the title role, Taye Diggs (Rent) as King Triton and Amber Riley (Glee) as Ursula. In the recent Disney live-action movie The Little Mermaid, the parts were played by Halle Bailey, Javier Bardem and Melissa McCarthy, respectively.

Additionally, Cynthia Erivo, Valerie Bertinelli, Alan Cumming, Susan Kelechi Watson, Ana Gasteyer, Alison Pill and Dulé Hill have been tapped for recurring guest star roles in new animated series RoboGobo.

A stop-motion Halloween special Mickey and Friends Trick or Treats also was announced, along with holiday-themed episodes of Disney Junior’ SuperKitties, Pupstruction, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse‘s successor Mickey Mouse Funhouse as well as Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends. Additionally, there were several premiere date reveals.

The CG animated Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, which aired originals from 2006-2016, anchored a Disney Junior – Live On Stage! show at Disney California Adventure.(You can watch the opening theme and the famous Hot Dog Dance closing song below at your own risk.)

Disney Junior is the U.S. linear home of the Australian animated series Bluey, which just notched two consecutive weeks of over 1 billion minutes on Disney+ domestically as the streamer’s most watched program.

“Disney Junior captures the hearts and imaginations of preschoolers and their families everywhere with stories and characters filled with magic, wonder, adventure and heart,” Davis said. “From providing early entry points into classic Disney franchises to introducing brand-new IP that becomes the latest kid obsessions, Disney Junior is always there with infinite opportunities to engage and play.”

DISNEY JUNIOR’S ARIEL — (Premieres 2024 on Disney Junior and Disney+)
Produced by: Wild Canary in association with Disney Junior
Executive Producer: Lynne Southerland
Producer: Ezra Edmond
Supervising Director: Kuni Tomita
Art Director: Chrystin Garland
Story Editors: Norma P. Sepulveda and Keith Wagner

Mykal-Michelle Harris (Raven’s Home) has been cast in the lead role of Ariel in Disney Junior’s Ariel, an animated musical series for preschoolers inspired by the beloved story of “The Little Mermaid.” Broadway, film and television stars Taye Diggs (Rent) and Amber Riley (Glee) will voice King Triton and Ursula in the series, which follows 8-year-old mermaid princess Ariel as she and her friends embark on fun-filled, action-packed underwater adventures throughout their Caribbean-inspired fairytale kingdom of Atlantica and beyond. In addition to Harris, Diggs and Riley, the series stars Elizabeth Phoenix Caro (The Christmas Chronicles) and Cruz Flateau (SuperKitties) as Ariel’s friends Lucia and Fernie, respectively, and Gracen Newton (Puppy Dog Pals) as Flounder..

Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations - Soap Stars

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series

Barry • HBO Max • HBO in association with Alec Berg and Hanarply
Anthony Carrigan as Noho Hank

Ted Lasso • Apple TV+ • Apple presents a Doozer Production in association with Warner Bros. Television and Universal Television
Phil Dunster as Jamie Tartt

Ted Lasso • Apple TV+ • Apple presents a Doozer Production in association with Warner Bros. Television and Universal Television
Brett Goldstein as Roy Kent

Jury Duty • Amazon Freevee • Amazon Studios
James Marsden as Himself

The Bear • FX • FX Productions
Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Richard “Richie” Jerimovich

Abbott Elementary • ABC • Delicious Non-Sequitur Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television and 20th Television
Tyler James Williams as Gregory Eddie

Barry • HBO Max • HBO in association with Alec Berg and Hanarply
Henry Winkler as Gene Cousineau

Television Critics Association Award Nominations

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY
Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary – ABC
Ayo Edebiri, The Bear – FX
Harrison Ford – Shrinking – Apple TV+
Bill Hader, Barry – HBO | Max
Janelle James, Abbott Elementary – ABC
Natasha Lyonne, Poker Face – Peacock
James Marsden, Jury Duty – Amazon Freevee
Jeremy Allen White, The Bear – FX.

2024 Hollywood Walk Of Fame Honorees

In the category of Television: Ken Jeong, Eugene Levy, Mario Lopez, Jim Nantz, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Michael Schur, Kerry Washington and Raúl De Molina and Lili Estefan, co-hosts of the television show "El Gordo y La Flaca" (double ceremony)

In the category of Recording: Glen Ballard, Toni Braxton, DEF LEPPARD, Charles Fox, Sammy Hagar, Brandy Norwood, Darius Rucker, Gwen Stefani and Andre "Dr. Dre" Young

In the category of Live Theatre/Live Performance: Jane Krakowski and Otis Redding (posthumous)

In the category of Radio: Angie Martinez

In the category of Sports Entertainment: Billie Jean King and Carl Weathers

Dates have not been scheduled for these star ceremonies.

Recipients have two years to schedule star ceremonies from the date of selection before they expire.

Upcoming star ceremonies are usually announced ten days prior to dedication on the official web site www.walkoffame.com.

Christina Ricci slams ‘vindictive’ ex-husband for allegedly blocking NYC trip with son: docs

In court documents obtained by Page Six, the “Casper” actress, 43, claimed the film producer — identified as “Jimmy” in the filing — initially agreed to let her take their child on the mother-son getaway, but later changed his mind.

“Jimmy’s refusal to agree causes me concern, because he clearly was being vindictive and retaliatory when he initially refused my request to travel for the additional dates,” Ricci stated in the court docs filed June 20.

“As recently as Monday, June 19, 2023, Jimmy was agreeable to allowing Freddie to travel with me, but apparently he still wants to wait until our hearing to discuss it.”

Ricci provided screenshots of text messages that showed Heerdegen allegedly wrote that he “didn’t have a problem” with their son traveling with her for a “couple of days.”

However, he allegedly then texted on June 19 that he and the “Monster” star had a “number of pending matters” that they needed to address in a court date on June 21.

Ricci said she is concerned that if the hearing doesn’t go Heerdegen’s way, he will “renege.” The “Addams Family” star is seeking an emergency hearing.

She also claimed her ex is “purposefully” making her “incur attorneys’ fees unnecessarily,” which could have an impact on her “employment and professional reputation.”

“I also ask that the court consider retaliatory litigation conduct when making custody orders,” Ricci added, per the documents. “This is the second ex parte that I have had to file requesting that I be permitted to travel with Freddie for work.”

The Emmy nominee alleged that the first ex parte, which is an order that does not give the opposing parties the usual amount of notice, was filed at the end of January when her ex “reneged on his agreement to allow Freddie to travel with [her] for work in Canada.”

Ricci claimed he “retaliated” against her by “filing his own ex parte requesting that the court eliminate [her] tie-breaking authority on education.”

“Jimmy seems to be more focused on harassing and punishing me than on Freddie’s best interests,” she alleged. Page Six has reached out to Heerdegen’s reps for comment.

In the summer of 2020, Ricci filed for divorce from Heerdegen after nearly seven years of marriage following an alleged domestic battery incident.

Months later, the cinematographer requested a temporary restraining order against the actress, but it was denied.

In April 2021, the exes reached an agreement on custody of their son. At the time, Freddie lived with the “Yellowjackets” star in Vancouver, Canada, while she filmed a project.

Heerdegen was given visitation rights and Ricci agreed to pay his “reasonable costs for travel and accommodations,” which included “economy airfare.”

After the former couple finalized their divorce last December, they agreed to share custody of Freddie with Ricci having deciding power over his education, which she pays, and his medical care.

In October 2021, the actress tied the knot with Mark Hampton. They welcomed a daughter named Cleo just two months later.

‘PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie’ Trailer: Superpowers And Kardashians In Adventure City

The new pic, from Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies and Spin Master Entertainment, is headed for a September 29 theatrical release.

In The Mighty Movie, the team’s new adventure begins after a magical meteor crash-lands in the city, giving the pups superpowers. But the city needs saving again after arch-nemesis Humdinger (voice of Ron Pardo) breaks out of jail and teams with a mad scientist named Victoria Vance (Taraji P. Henson) to steal the superpowers and become supervillains.

The voice cast includes newcomer Mckenna Grace along with Marsai Martin, Christian Convery, Lil Rel Howery, Chris Rock, Serena Williams, Alan Kim, Brice Gonzalez, Christian Corrao, Luxton Handspiker, Nylan Parthipan and Callum Shoniker, with James Marsden, Kristen Bell and Finn Lee-Epp.

Kim Kardashian and her kids North and Saint West are also in the cast, the former reprising her role from the first movie as a poodle named Delores. North plays a member of the Junior Patrollers.

Cal Brunker directs PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie from a script he wrote with Bob Barlen. Jennifer Dodge, Laura Clunie and Toni Stevens are producers, while Ronnen Harary, Adam Beder and Peter Schlessel executive produce.

Check out the trailer above.

Lucy Liu Voicing Tribeca VR Experience ‘The Pirate Queen’

The project, from UK writer-producer-director Eloise Singer of Singer Studios, will see players take on the identity of Shih to complete a series of puzzle-based tasks and outsmart enemies to become the Pirate Queen.

Orion Lee (First Cow) is also among voice cast. You can check out the teaser trailer below.

According to producers, The Pirate Queen game is part of a franchise currently being developed alongside a graphic novel, podcast and TV series, with China’s Seesaw Films (The Farewell).

“Lucy is a formidable talent, her performance as the voice of the Pirate Queen is truly exceptional,” said director Singer. “It was a pleasure working with her to bring the character to life, her ability to convey depth and nuance into the character have added layers of complexity to Cheng Shih’s personality, making the Pirate Queen a truly compelling and memorable character.”

“I’m really excited to be working alongside Eloise to bring new life to a forgotten story about Cheng Shih – a fascinating woman, who with incredible resilience and tenacity, became a powerful pirate leader during the Qing Dynasty,” added Charlie’s Angels and Kill Bill star Liu. “This project marks the first time I embody a character through immersive storytelling and I’m honored to join forces with Singer Studios to share this historical narrative with a potentially new and expanded audience.”

Shih was a young pirate leader active in the South China Sea from 1801-1810. At her peak, she reportedly oversaw a fleet of hundreds of boats and thousands of pirates. (Teaser)

Holt McCallany & Julianne Nicholson Join Rami Malek In 20th Thriller ‘Amateur’

The actors join an ensemble that will also include Rachel Brosnahan, Caitríona Balfe, Laurence Fishburne and Adrian Martinez, as previously announced.

Based on a novel by Robert Littell, Amateur tells the story of Charles Heller (Malek), a CIA cryptographer who, after his wife is tragically killed in a London terrorist attack, demands his bosses go after them. When it becomes clear they won’t act due to conflicting internal priorities, he blackmails the agency into training him and letting him go after them himself.

The film to be directed by Slow Horses‘ James Hawes had its screenplay adapted by Ken Nolan, with Scott Frank and Gary Spinelli handling revisions.

While sources tell Deadline that McCallany will play CIA Deputy Director Moore, a “kill whoever we want” kind of guy who has spent his career behind a desk, details as to Nicholson’s role haven’t been disclosed. Hutch Parker and Dan Wilson are producing, with Malek serving as the film’s executive producer.

Generating much acclaim with his turn as FBI agent Bill Tench on Netflix’s Mindhunter, McCallany more recently appeared on the TV side in 61st Street, the legal drama that has moved from AMC to The CW for its second season. The actor recently appearing on the film side in Guillermo del Toro’s Oscar-nominated Nightmare Alley will next be seen starring opposite Zac Efron, Harris Dickinson, Jeremy Allen White and Lily James in Sean Durkin’s buzzy wrestling drama Iron Claw for A24, and will also appear in the forthcoming Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two.

A recent Emmy winner for her turn opposite Kate Winslet in the acclaimed HBO miniseries Mare of Easttown, Nicholson has also been seen of late on such much-discussed series as The Outsider and Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty. She played the mother of Ana de Armas’ Marilyn Monroe in Netflix’s Blonde and was also recently seen in Roku’s Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. The actress is next set to star opposite Nicolas Cage in A24’s Dream Scenario.

McCallany is represented by Atlas Artists, Buchwald, and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman. Nicholson is repped by UTA, B-Side Management in the UK, and Untitled Entertainment.

Downey’s Dream Cars

Anne Heche Laid to Rest on Mother's Day

A rep for Anne tells TMZ … Heche was given her final resting place Sunday afternoon at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery - Cathedral Mausoleum, a location reserved for some of the biggest names in showbiz.

The rep says, "She loved everyone so passionately and deeply and her children, her legacy, thank everyone for their support and love through this difficult time and are grateful to be able to honor their mother, [Sunday] on Mother’s Day."

AH was cremated, and our sources say her crypt is across from Chris Cornell and Johnny Ramone and it is next to Mickey Rooney -- a spot with a beautiful view of the lake located within the cemetery's Garden of Legends.

As we reported, Anne died last August after she was involved in a horrendous car crash. You'll recall, her car slammed into an L.A. home and caught the house on fire.

The last time we talked to Anne's son, Homer, he told us he was super proud his mom would be getting a spot on one of the mausoleum walls at HF and among her Hollywood peers.

Taye Diggs To Star In True Crime Film Series ‘Love & Murder: Atlanta Playboy’ For BET+

Courtney Miller will direct, based on Ron Stodghill’s book Redbone: Money, Malice and Murder in Atlanta. Gregory R. Anderson will pen the script.

Atlanta Playboy follows Lance (Diggs), a successful Atlanta businessman, renowned in equal measure for both revolutionizing the city’s 911 system, and his womanizing ways. When he is found murdered in his own home, questions and allegations abound as to who might have wanted him dead. An investigation into the murder is launched which reveals the truths and suspicions behind Lance’s professional and personal life. Was it a business rival, threatened by Lance’s bid for a big contract? Was it a scorned lover jealous of the place occupied in Lance’s bed? The film, much like the book, reconstructs Lance’s life as told by the various players in it.

“Working in partnership with Mona and her team at Monami Productions to produce this film series is certainly a career highlight. This is the beginning of many collaborations that will emphasize important stories that will be told by an extraordinary producing team. We couldn’t be more excited,” Tomosunas said.

Adds Scott-Young: “I am so excited to collaborate with Swirl Films on our first project, Love & Murder: Atlanta Playboy. The film series is a captivating true life crime story that captures the unique culture of Atlanta. BET has always provided a platform for stories that are authentic and relatable and we are proud to be partnered with them on this project.”

Scott-Young and Tomosunas executive produce, and Stodghill serves as co-executive producer with Stephanie R. Gayle of Monami Productions and Abbey MacDonald of Swirl Films. Ron Robinson and Keith Neal of Swirl Films serve as producers.

Brian Rikuda and Devin Griffin also produce. Lorisa Bates and Marvin Neil serve as co-executive Producers. John Baldasare and Noelle Broussard serve as consulting producers all for BET Films.

Taye Diggs guests on S.W.A.T.

WRITTEN BY: Ryan Keleher

DIRECTED BY: Jay Harrington

Barry Humphries: Dame Edna Everage comedian dies at 89

The star had been in hospital in Sydney after suffering complications following hip surgery in March. He had a fall in February.

Humphries' most famous creation became a hit in the UK in the 1970s and landed her own TV chat show, the Dame Edna Everage Experience, in the late 1980s.

His other personas included the lecherous drunk Sir Les Patterson.

In a statement, his family remembered him as "completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit".

They said Humphries' fans were "precious to him", and said his characters, "which brought laughter to millions, will live on".

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese paid tribute shortly after the news of Humphries' death broke.

"A great wit, satirist, writer and an absolute one-of-kind, he was both gifted and a gift," Mr Albanese said.

Melbourne-born Humphries moved to London in 1959, appearing in West End shows such as Maggie May and Oliver!

Inspired by the absurdist, avant-garde art movement Dada, he became a leading figure of the British comedy scene alongside contemporaries like Alan Bennett, Dudley Moore and Spike Milligan.

Broadcaster Dame Joan Bakewell, a friend of Humphries, told the BBC he had an "extremely brilliant mind".

"A world in which I don't have the friendship of Barry Humphries is really painful. Because he was so resilient and energetic and loving and direct... that's a great absence in my life now," she said.

Comedian Rory Bremner described Humphries as "lightning quick, subversive, mischievous... & savagely funny" in a tweet.

He said with his passing "we lose an all-time great".

Actor and comedian Rob Brydon also described Humphries as a "true great who inspired me immeasurably" and said it was a "delight to call him my friend".

He said he was with him only three days ago, where he was "as ever, making me laugh".

Australian actor Jason Donovan tweeted a photo of himself with Dame Edna and said Humphries was "quite simply an entertaining genius".

Ricky Gervais described Humphries as a "comedy genius" while former Mock The Week host Dara Ó Briain said he was "one of the absolute funniest people ever".

Little Britain actor Matt Lucas tweeted a picture of him with Humphries, saying: "Quite simply, you were the greatest."

Former prime minister Boris Johnson, who edited the Spectator magazine that Humphries contributed to, said he was "one of the greatest-ever Australians - and a comic genius".

Sir Elton John said: "Barry was the funniest man ever. AND, the sweetest man ever. What a sad day."

Andrew Lloyd Webber shared a photo of himself with Humphries and wrote: "No more will we share obscure composers and unfashionable Victoriana. How I'll miss you."

'Hello possums!'

In 1955, Humphries introduced Mrs Norman Everage, the housewife from Moonee Ponds, a suburb in Melbourne, in a university production.

It was the first iteration of the irrepressible character that would define his career.

Humphries said his creation was supposed to last only a week.

Instead, it blossomed into Dame Edna, his gaudy, sharp-tongued comic alter ego who would leave audiences in stitches in Australia and beyond for decades. He said the character was based on his own mother.

"Edna was painfully shy at first," Humphries told the Guardian in 2018. "Hard to believe!"

She became more outrageous as the years went on, and was famed for her lilac-rinsed hair, flamboyant glasses and catchphrase: "Hello possums!"

Dame Edna surprised the then Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, at the Royal Variety show in 2019 when she sat near the two and joked "they've found me a better seat" before moving.

Humphries even wrote an autobiography, My Gorgeous Life, as the character.

His other popular characters on stage and screen included the more grandfatherly Sandy Stone.

He said of Stone in 2016 that he could "finally feel myself turning into him".

Humphries also presented six series for BBC Radio 2, the latest being a three part series celebrating 100 years of the BBC.

The commissioning executive for Radio 2, Laura Busson, said his series "Barry Humphries Forgotten Musical Masterpieces" was hugely popular with audiences, and would be published on BBC Sounds today as a tribute to the comedian.

The comic actor, author, director and scriptwriter, who was also a keen landscape painter, announced a farewell tour for his satirical one-man stage show in 2012. But he returned last year with a series of shows looking back at his career.

His other credits included voicing the shark Bruce in 2003 Pixar animated film Finding Nemo, as well as appearances in 1967 comedy Bedazzled, Spice World, The Hobbit and Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie.

Humphries was made an Officer of the Order of Australia, one of the country's highest civic honours, in 1982.

Later in his career, he was criticised for referring to gender affirmation surgery as "self-mutilation" and described transgender identity as a "fashion".

But his fans in Australia are mourning the loss of a comedy legend.

He was married four times, and leaves behind his wife of Lizzie Spender and four children.

‘The Sympathizer’ Teaser Features EP Robert Downey Jr. Playing Four Characters In HBO Limited Series

Based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, The Sympathizer is an espionage thriller and cross-culture satire about the struggles of a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy during the final days of the Vietnam War and his resulting exile in the United States.

Co-showrunner, executive producer, writer Park Chan-wook also directed Episodes 1-3, co-showrunner and writer Don McKellar also executive produces alongside A24, Downey Jr., Susan Downey and Amanda Burrell for Team Downey, Kim Ly, Niv Fichman for Rhombus Media, Ron Schmidt, book’s author

Viet Thanh Nguyen, and Jisun Back for Moho Film. The Sympathizer is a co-production between HBO, A24, and Rhombus Media.

Searchlight Pictures’ Rock Opera ‘O’Dessa’ Adds Regina Hall

Set in a post-apocalyptic future, O’Dessa follows Sink’s same-name farm girl on an epic quest to recover a cherished family heirloom. Her journey leads her to a strange and dangerous city where she meets her one true love (Harrison) – but in order to save his soul, she must put the power of destiny and song to the ultimate test.

Hall’s role is under wraps, though we know the project will feature original songs penned and produced by Jasper and Jason Binnick. Michael Gottwald will produce for the Department of Motion Pictures, along with Noah Stahl, and Rodrigo Teixeira for RT Features. Executive producers include Jonathan Montepare, Dan Janvey and Lourenço Sant’Anna. SVP Taylor Friedman and Creative Executive Cornelia Burleigh are overseeing the project for Searchlight Pictures, reporting to Heads of Production and Development Katie Goodson-Thomas and DanTram Nguyen.

Hall recently landed an NAACP Image Award nomination recognizing her performance in the miniseries The Best Man: The Final Chapters, which helped build some streaming-wars momentum for Peacock as the platform’s first original project to register in Nielsen’s Top 10 streaming rankings. She prior to that starred in and produced Focus Features, Peacock and Monkeypaw‘s dark comedy Honk for Jesus. Save your Soul., which garnered critical acclaim and sold for $8.5M out of last year’s Sundance Film Festival, bringing her Independent Spirit and NAACP Image Award nominations.

Hall has also exec produced and starred in Mariama Diallo’s Prime Video psychological horror pic Master, as well as Uni’s fantasy comedy Little, also producing and starring alongside Don Cheadle in the Showtime comedy series, Black Monday. Other major, recent titles for the multi-hyphenate include Uni’s ensemble comedy Girls Trip, which has a sequel in development after grossing over $140M worldwide, David E. Kelley’s Hulu drama series Nine Perfect Strangers, George Tillman Jr.’s Fox drama The Hate U Give and the SXSW-premiering dramedy Support the Girls, which led her to become the New York Film Critics Circle Awards’ first African-American winner of Best Actress in 2018.

Hall’s production company, Rh Negative, has a first-look deal with Showtime. She most recently signed on to produce and star in director Jim Strouse’s horror comedy Breitenbush and is represented by APA.

Hayden Panettiere, Hoping to Leave Her Struggles Behind, Is Back Onscreen

She survived being a child actor in the early 2000s when the media obsessively treated the lives of young women as entertainment fodder; she survived early adulthood in the 2010s when she starred in the popular soap opera “Nashville,” a role that mirrored her own issues with postpartum depression and substance abuse; and she survived the aggressive tabloid coverage of her daughter’s move to Ukraine after her father was granted custody of her.

Recently Ms. Panettiere, 33, found herself in survival mode once again, because of grief. About three weeks before the release of “Scream VI,” in which she reprises her character Kirby Reed, her brother, Jansen Rane Panettiere, died at 28. He was an actor and budding artist, and he died from heart complications, her family said in February.

Ms. Panettiere tried to push through the press tour for the film in New York, but on March 6, two days before her brother’s funeral, she could sit through only one interview. She canceled the rest of her appearances, aside from the premiere.

On an overcast morning in late March in her Los Angeles condominium, Ms. Panettiere reflected on the past month of her life. Her brother’s ashes were atop a mantel, across from which she posed for a portrait in a Christian Siriano dress. She stood in front of a canvas teeming with hidden words, which her brother had created for her.

“I always see a few secret messages that maybe he meant to put there, maybe he didn’t,” she said. Mr. Panettiere was working on it when he died. “His art, that was the thing that made him happiest,” she said, her voice cracking.

After the photo shoot, Ms. Panettiere climbed the spiral staircase in her living room and curled up under a blanket on her velvet sofa in the lofted part of her condo. Her home is “the last place my whole family ever lived together” before her parents separated, she said.

Ms. Panettiere, who was born and raised in New York, has lived most of her life in the public eye. She landed her first gig in a commercial at 11 months old and was a child actor in films like “Remember the Titans” and “Bring It On: All or Nothing” and TV shows like “Guiding Light” and “Ally McBeal.”

She said her parents gave her a great childhood where she was able to attend prom and play sports, though she was always working. “I don’t think I really had a lot of time to be a kid,” she said. “I would miss these pockets of time, and because of that, it wasn’t easy for me as a young girl to slide back into a friend group and to belong.”

She solidified her place in Hollywood through roles like Claire Bennet in “Heroes,” the high school cheerleader with special powers; Kirby, a quirky horror aficionado, in “Scream IV”; and Juliette Barnes, a troubled country diva, in “Nashville.”

But in her private life, she struggled. When she was 18, her parents separated, and she ended up in the midst of an eight-year divorce battle. There were times, she said, when she felt like she had to choose one parent over the other and would end up staying by herself or with Wladimir Klitschko, an ex-boxer whom she dated on and off between 2009 and 2018.

“Of course, kids are always caught in the middle,” Ms. Panettiere said. “But my relationship with my parents now is good and even more special to me, because we lost my brother.”

In 2014, while she was working on “Nashville,” she gave birth to a daughter, Kaya (Mr. Klitschko is the father) and began suffering from postpartum depression. Ms. Panettiere said she turned to alcohol and opioids to self-medicate.

She ended up leaving “Nashville” during the fourth season in 2015 to go to a treatment facility for her depression. In 2018, when the show ended, her daughter went to live with her father, Mr. Klitschko, in Ukraine. Ms. Panettiere said she sees Kaya as much as she can (Kaya and Mr. Klitschko live in an undisclosed location since the war broke out last year).

Ms. Panettiere said that many of her real-life experiences were reflected in the show’s script while she was going through them, which was traumatizing. But there wasn’t much she could do about its story lines, and she had spent most of her life doing what she was told by those who had power over her. “Even if something was too much for me, I would never admit to it,” she said. “It was always about making them happy.”

The demand of her career took its toll. “When I went home after acting out what I was really going through, the last thing I wanted to do was properly manage or talk about what I was feeling in a healthy way,” she said. “So I turned to unhealthy coping mechanisms.”

That meant cocktails with friends and hiding under the covers and pouring herself a drink almost every day. Her life, she said, could be summed up by the adage “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.”

In some ways, Ms. Panettiere said, her tumultuous behavior stemmed from the time she lost in growing up as a child actor. “I wanted that control back,” she said. “I wanted to do things I wasn’t supposed to do, and I wanted to just let go and act like a kid.”

Ms. Panettiere said that at some point she couldn’t recognize herself in the mirror anymore. “My eyes were yellow,” she said, adding that doctors told her that her liver was failing and she was septic. She was 27 at the time and would wake up shaking, needing an entire bottle of alcohol to get through the day. She would often swap in opioids to stave off drinking alcohol, she said.

In 2021, Ms. Panettiere re-entered a treatment center for eight months. She has been sober for almost two years, now swapping substances for Peloton rides and organic meals, and has deleted most of the photos from her time deep in addiction, except for one.

Why? “To remind myself what I looked like,” she said. “The fact that I thought I looked OK at that time is the scariest part to me.”

At the height of her addiction, she dated Brian Hickerson on and off for about four years. In 2021, he pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring the actress and served time in jail. Mr. Hickerson was in the condo during our interview, walking around, vacuuming and shooting a basketball through the hoop in her living area.

Both Ms. Panettiere and Mr. Hickerson became sober and later reconnected as friends. During the photo shoot, Ms. Panettiere called him “babe” a handful of times. When asked if they were dating again, she was hesitant to define their relationship, but said, “There are feelings there, yes.”

She added that she doesn’t condone what he did. “He knows he deserved what happened to him,” Ms. Panettiere said, referring to his arrest and jail time. She noted that their relationship was “contingent on him continuing on this road of recovery,” and she is self-conscious about how people may perceive her letting him back into her life. “I did not do any of this lightly,” she said.

When Ms. Panettiere heard “Scream V” was in the works, her team reached out to see if she could be involved in the film. It was too late, but Ms. Panettiere ended up connecting with one of the sixth film’s executive producers, Kevin Williamson, with whom she had done “Scream IV.” Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, the directors of “Scream V,” wanted to bring Ms. Panettiere back for that movie but “felt like we’d be forcing her character in as a cameo,” they wrote in an email. Instead they had her return for a more fully fledged part in the next film.

Ms. Panettiere had some anxiety about returning to set as she struggled to remember her lines. “I used to memorize things like that, within two seconds,” she said, snapping. “Suddenly it was taking me hours to memorize something. It was like that muscle atrophied, so I was terrified.”

Fans of Ms. Panettiere’s singing on “Nashville” will be happy to know that the thought of making an album has crossed her mind. “I would love to do that one day and really do it right,” she said. Ms. Panettiere also said she’d love to take on more comedy or action roles.

Perhaps Ms. Panettiere might even make an appearance in another future “Scream” movie. When she initially took on the role of Kirby, she did it with the contingency that her character’s fate was left open-ended. “I was stabbed, but you never saw me die,” she said, laughing.

Hayden Panettiere Reacts to Her BIGGEST Career Moments

Ali Wong To Star & EP New Netflix Animated Series ‘Jentry Chau vs. The Underworld’

Wong will also star in the supernatural action series alongside Bowen Yang, Lori Tan Chinn, Lucy Liu, Jimmy O. Yang, Sheng Wang, and Woosung Kim.

The series follows Jentry Chau (voiced by Wong), a Chinese-American teen living in a small Texas town, who finds out a demon king is hunting her for the supernatural powers she’s been working her whole life to repress. With the help of her weapons expert great-aunt and a millennia-old jiangshi (Chinese hopping vampire), Jentry must now fight an entire underworld’s worth of monsters while balancing the horrors of high school.

Chris Prynoski (The Legend of Vox Machina), Shannon Prynoski (Fairfax), Antonio Canobbio (Arlo the Alligator Boy) and Ben Kalina (Big Mouth) will also executive produce from Titmouse.

Adam McKay Lines Up Robert Pattinson, Amy Adams, Robert Downey Jr, Forest Whitaker & Danielle Deadwyler For Serial Killer Comedy ‘Average Height, Average Build’

Much the way that the McKay-crafted series Succession and his films Don’t Look Up and The Big Short told entertaining stories that reflect what’s going on in the world, Average Height, Average Build sounds like a pretty ingenious marriage of a black comedy premise with the corruption that rife in politics.

Pattinson will play a serial killer who enlists a lobbyist (Adams) to change laws that will allow him to get away with murder more easily. Downey’s role is a retired cop who won’t give up on the murders, and the killer tries to prevent him from dogging his trail now that he’s hung up his gun. The serial killer turns himself into a cause celebre, a Mr. Smith Goes to Washington figure shielding his true motives.

Hyperobject Industries’ McKay and Kevin Messick are producing. The script has been shopped without a budget, and with that killer cast it should be set soon. McKay has been talking about making a dirty money movie since he promoted Don’t Look Up, which shined a light on global warming without making audiences feel they were being fed spinach.

The film marks a reunion for McKay and Adams, who worked together on the Oscar-nominated political satire Vice. As for Pattinson, The Batman had been weighing options after recently wrapping production on the sci-fi thriller Mickey 17, which has Bong Joon Ho directing.

Stay tuned.

Paramount Sets Remake Of Hitchcock’s ‘Vertigo’ As Potential Robert Downey Jr-Starrer; Steven Knight To Write Script & Davis Entertainment To Produce With Team Downey

Davis Entertainment’s John Davis and John Fox are producing with Team Downey’s Robert and Susan Downey.

Paramount was the home for the original film, and the Hitchcock Estate favored the studio as the landing spot for this. The original was scripted by Alec Coppel and Samuel A. Taylor from the Boileau-Narcejac novel D’entre les morts (From Among the Dead).

After he’s shelved by his affliction, the police detective is hired by an acquaintance to shadow his wife, who he feels is behaving erratically. The film was the first to use the dolly zoom, an in-camera device that distorts perspective to create disorientation and pull audiences into the cop’s acrophobia condition.

Team Downey has Perry Mason in Season Two on HBO, and Downey is starring in the Park Chan-wook-directed The Sympathizer for A24 and HBO. Davis Entertainment is in post on Harold and the Purple Crayon and Uglies.

Downey is repped by WME, Joy Fehily and Hansen Jacobson; Knight is CAA and Nelson Davis.

‘Yellowjackets’: Showtime Drops New Trailer For Season 2 Of Drama From Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson

The season two trailer marks the release of Florence + The Machine’s new single “Just A Girl,” a cover of No Doubt’s song from 1995. The single is produced by Florence Welch and Mark Bowen of Idles.

“I’m such a huge fan of Yellowjackets and this era of music, and this song especially had a huge impact on me growing up, so I was thrilled to be asked to interpret it in a deeply unsettling way for the show,” said Florence Welch in a statement. “We tried to really add some horror elements to this iconic song to fit the tone of the show. And as someone who’s first musical love was pop punk and Gwen Stefani it was a dream job.”

Season one, which earned a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes and received seven Emmy nominations, averaged more than 5 million weekly viewers across platforms and was the second-most streamed series in Showtime history. Produced for Showtime by studio Entertainment One (eOne), the series is currently in production in Vancouver.

Yellowjackets follows a team of high school girl soccer players who become the unlucky survivors of a plane crash deep in the remote northern wilderness. Beyond the original cast that includes Melanie Lynskey, Christina Ricci, Tawny Cypress and Lewis, season 2 will feature Wood, Lauren Ambrose and Simone Kessell, along with Sophie Nélisse, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Sophie Thatcher, Samantha Hanratty, Courtney Eaton, Liv Hewson, Steven Krueger, Warren Kole and Kevin Alves.

Yellowjackets was created Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson. Produced by studio Entertainment One (eOne), the series is currently in production in Vancouver.

James Marsden Freevee Series ‘Jury Duty’ Sets Cast & Premiere Date; Drops Trailer

Deadline exclusively revealed the top secret project from Amazon Studios was in the works back in September. Watch the trailer above.

Jury Duty chronicles the inner workings of an American jury trial through the eyes of one particular juror, Ronald Gladden. Gladden is unaware the entire case is fake, everyone except him is an actor, including Marsden, and everything that happens — inside the courtroom and out — is carefully planned.

“What interested me was the challenge of creating a hero’s journey for someone who has no idea the world around him was completely manufactured,” said Marsden, “and whether or not this high wire act could lead him to unite this family of wonderful weirdos and in the process become an inspiring leader for us all under the process of serving Jury Duty.”

Marsden stars as an alternate version of himself alongside Alan Barinholtz, Susan Berger (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Cassandra Blair (Hacks), Rashida “Sheedz” Olayiwola (South Side), David Brown, Kirk Fox (Reservation Dogs), Ross Kimball, Pramode Kumar, Trisha LaFache, Mekki Leeper (The Sex Lives of College Girls), Brandon Loeser, Edy Modica (Made for Love), Kerry O’Neill (Murderville), Whitney Rice, Maria Russell, Ishmel Sahid, Ben Seaward, Ron Song, and Evan Williams.

“Jury Duty originated with a question: Was it possible to make a sitcom like The Office about a trial, populate it with brilliant comedic performers, and put a real person at the center of the show who doesn’t realize he’s surrounded by actors?” said executive producer Todd Schulman. “We honestly had no idea but when we pitched it to Freevee we pretended like it was a sure thing. Thank God we pulled it off.”

The series is executive produced by David Bernad (The White Lotus, Bad Trip), Lee Eisenberg (WeCrashed, The Office), Ruben Fleischer (Superstore), Nicholas Hatton (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Who Is America?), Cody Heller (Dummy), Todd Schulman (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Brüno), Gene Stupnitsky (Hello Ladies, The Office), Jake Szymanski (The Package), and Andrew Weinberg (Great Minds with Dan Harmon). Eisenberg and Stupnitsky co-created the series, Heller serves as showrunner, and Szymanski directs.

Hayden Panettiere tears up in first TV interview since brother Jansen’s death

“He’s right here with me,” the “Scream VI” actress, 33, tearfully said on “Good Morning America” Monday after Michael Strahan offered his condolences at the end of their interview.

Jansen was found dead on Feb. 19 in New York. He was 28.

The artist’s family revealed eight days later that his cause of death was an enlarged heart.

“His charisma, warmth, compassion for others and his creative spirit will live forever in our hearts and in the hearts of all whom he encountered,” the family added in a statement.

A police report obtained by TMZ stated that friends had grown concerned about Jansen when he did not show up to a business meeting prior to his death.

One pal rushed to check on the actor and found him unresponsive in his apartment, sitting upright in a chair, according to the outlet. They then called 911 and started doing CPR.

Jansen’s dad, Skip Panettiere, reportedly told police that he had talked to his son the night before and he sounded “OK.”

But a source told “Entertainment Tonight” that the former child star struggled with mental health issues.

“Art was his therapy and escape,” the insider shared. “In the past, Jansen was open to family and friends about his struggles. Hayden was always there for him and constantly tried to help Jansen when she could.”

The source added that Hayden, who has publicly battled addiction, was “absolutely heartbroken” over the death of her only sibling.

“She loved her brother unconditionally, and the two shared a special bond,” the insider told “ET.”

Hayden and Jansen seemed to have a close relationship, as he shared a photo with her on Instagram in January in which she smiled while cutting his hair. His final post on the social media platform was a selfie in front of a graffiti-covered wall.

As a child, Jansen had small roles in “Even Stevens,” “Hope & Faith,” “Blue’s Clues,” “Ice Age: The Meltdown” and “Everybody Hates Chris.”

He was nominated for a Young Artist Award for his work on Nickelodeon’s “The Last Day of Summer” in 2008.

Jansen also collaborated on a few movies with Hayden, including 2004’s “Tiger Cruise” and 2005’s “Racing Stripes.”

Most recently, Jansen appeared in the 2022 comedy-drama “Love and Love Not.” He had been working on four other projects prior to his death, according to his IMDb page.

Hayden Panettiere Is Standing Strong After Battling Addiction And Postpartum Depression

“This is the last place my family lived all together,” she says of her parents and younger brother, Jansen. Hayden moved multiple times over the past 15 years, including relocating to Tennessee to film the TV show Nashville. But she always held on to this place.

Recently, she’s been renovating it into her personal sanctuary since returning to L.A. after a four-year hiatus from acting. “I’ve completely redone it,” she beams, looking over her shoulder at two black-and-white prints she brought back from Montreal, where she shot Scream 6. She’s particularly fond of the lighting she installed—bulbs that change color to suit your mood. Now, they’re pink and yellow for warmth. “It feels like home,” she says.

There’s no missing the symbolism: This homecoming isn’t simply about a place. For Hayden, it’s a state of mind, a return to her roots—to herself—after years of struggling with postpartum depression and substance abuse and giving up custody of her daughter, Kaya, to her ex, retired pro boxer Wladimir Klitschko.

Hayden admits she’s nervous to do a cover tied to a movie release—it’s been awhile. But she says it’s important to her.

Plus, she has decades of experience to guide her.

Hayden started work as a child actor at 4 years old. She went from roles in popular daytime soap operas to Grammy nominee before she was 10. She starred opposite Denzel Washington in Remember the Titans at 11, and at 14, she trained to race a zebra in South Africa for the movie Racing Stripes. She’s done her own stunts (in heels) and learned to ice skate like a pro. She became a prime-time television staple for most of her teens and 20s, and while other celebrities her age were out partying, she was constantly working—and her star continued to rise.

Then, at age 22, she moved to Nashville and began drinking to cope with stress.

“I was being told how to be and how to live by so many people in my life,” she says. “I wanted certain decisions to be my own, and nobody could stop me. What I put in my body was like an act of defiance.”

Hayden maintained her professionalism on-set, and with no paparazzi following her, it was easy to hide her habit.

“Some people work out. I wish that was my coping mechanism,” Hayden says. “Alcohol might make you feel better in that moment, but it makes you feel so much worse the next day, and then you do it all over again.”

Her drinking ramped up in 2014 after giving birth to her daughter and dealing with crippling postpartum depression, which she describes as feelings of “extreme hopelessness” and “like all the walls are closing in.” (Postpartum depression occurs in about 6.5 to 20 percent of women after childbirth and can last for years.)

It was around this time that an old neck injury flared up, and Hayden began taking opioids. “I was in a lot of pain,” she says. “My tolerance got so high so fast that it became a problem.” She found herself in a vicious cycle, alternating between opioids and alcohol.

“I should have gone on antidepressants [to cope with the postpartum depression], but you have to find the right one that works for you,” she says. “They don’t mix well with alcohol, and I wasn’t ready to stop drinking.”

She entered rehab in the middle of production on Nashville’s fourth season in 2015. “I was the one who put myself in the first treatment center,” she says. “I was drowning.”

In treatment, she was told to change everything about her daily routine, from what she read to the people she surrounded herself with, yet returning to work made that advice basically impossible. In a cruel twist of fate, art was imitating life.

“They wrote my character as having postpartum depression,” says Hayden, whose daughter was going back and forth between Nashville and Ukraine (with her father) at the time. “They wrote that she abandoned her child and went to a different country. And it was very difficult to go on-set and to act out these feelings about these things that I was truly going through in my real life.”

Hayden eventually left the industry and the public eye to work on herself but returned to drinking to manage anxiety. That’s when her physical health caved. “I struggled with sleep deprivation,” she says. “Sleep is massive. It affects your motor skills, your ability to think, and your overall health.

“My body was like, ‘enough,’” she continues. “I hit 30. My face was swollen. I had jaundice. My eyes were yellow. I had to go to a liver specialist. I was holding on to weight that wasn’t normally there. My hair was thin and coming out in clumps.”

She went back to treatment in 2021, enrolled in a 12-step program, and even went to trauma therapy.

“I did a lot of work on myself,” Hayden explains of this soul-searching period. “After eight months of intensive therapy, I felt like I had this blank canvas to work with.”

Now, without alcohol or opiates, her body is recovering, and she’s choosing which habits will fill that blank canvas. At night, she sips chamomile tea with milk and honey while soaking in vanilla-scented bubble baths. She’s finally sleeping again. She works out with trainer Eddie Pavese, whom she met while in treatment, and keeps a Peloton in her bedroom—though she admits she doesn’t have a rigid workout schedule in order to keep exercise from feeling too much like a chore.

Part of her recovery process has included reclaiming herself after childbirth too.

“My body still didn’t feel like it belonged to me,” Hayden says, explaining why she decided to get a breast reduction in November 2022. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with somebody who wants to tweak something if it makes them feel more confident. That’s all I have to say about it. My confidence is back.”

Perhaps the biggest shift is how Hayden has learned to connect to herself emotionally and view her journey with compassion. “A big part of my therapy has been living in forgiveness,” she says. “A step in the 12-step program is making amends. If somebody wants to be a good person and to be the best version of themselves, they can choose to do that.”

Speaking of amends, her daughter, for now, doesn’t know about her mother’s struggles, but Hayden’s “looking forward to the day where I get to have these conversations with her,” she says. “I’m grateful that I’m equipped with the information and with the experience that I’ve had with postpartum depression.”

Hayden’s return to acting was inspired, in part, by the desire to go back to a feeling of “home,” in the well-being sense.

“In therapy, I kept wanting to go back to the beginning of the period of time where I was really happy and healthy,” she says of reprising her role as Kirby Reed in Scream 6. (Hayden has fond memories of filming Scream 4 in 2010 and says she’s still on a text thread with her costars from the movie.)

This time around, though, she and her character have something in common: They’re both survivors. “We saw Kirby get stabbed, but we never saw her die. We didn’t see her rescued either,” Hayden says of her character’s fate. “She has that human trauma, and it’s changed her. That’s something I can obviously relate to.”

Kirby is back, and so is Hayden. Her homecoming has been hard-earned—rebuilding from the inside out to become the strongest, healthiest version of herself. This is the Hayden of the future, the woman who creates her own environment and makes her own moves. The best part? She feels like she’s just now getting started.

A version of this story ran in the April 2023 issue of Women's Health. The interview with Hayden took place in January.n oa

Jansen Panettiere Family Reveals Actor’s Cause Of Death

“Though it offers little solace, the Medical Examiner reported Jansen’s sudden passing was due to cardiomegaly (enlarged heart), coupled with aortic valve complications,” the family said in a statement to ABC News.

“We sincerely appreciate the outpouring of love and support towards our family as we navigate this unthinkable loss, and ask that we be gifted our privacy during this time of mourning,” the family said. “We love you so much Jansen and you will be in our hearts forever.”

Jansen Panettiere, the younger brother of actress Hayden Panettiere, died Feb. 19 in Nyack, New York. He was an actor who had followed his sister Hayden into show business with appearances on Even Stevens, Blue’s Clues, Ice Age: The Meltdown and The Walking Dead.

Born September 25, 1994, in Palisades, NY, Panettiere earned his first credits as a voice actor before landing a 2002 appearance on Disney Channel’s Even Stevens starring a young Shia LaBeouf. Subsequent credits include 2003 appearances on the sitcom Hope & Faith and the drama Third Watch, and the following year he voiced the recurring character Periwinkle on Blue’s Clues.

As a voice actor, his credits include 100 Things To Do Before Middle School, Robots, Ice Age: The Meltdown, and The X’s,among others.

Panettiere, also a painter and artist, appeared alongside his sister in the 2004 Disney Channel movie Tiger Cruise. In 2019, he co-starred in MTV’s How High 2. Hayden Panettiere is best known for her roles in TV’s Heroes and Nashville, as well as the Scream movie franchise.

In the statement to ABC News, the late actor’s family, including his mother Lesley Vogel, father Skip Panettiere and sister Hayden, said, “Jansen’s heart could be seen in his eyes, and his charm in his brilliant, engaging smile; his soul in his masterful and revealing paintings, and the joy of life in his dry wit. His charisma, warmth, compassion for others, and his creative spirit will live forever in our hearts and in the hearts of all whom he encountered.”

Nominations For The Critics Choice Super Awards

BEST ACTRESS IN A HORROR SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE
Jennifer Coolidge – The Watcher
Natasia Demetriou – What We Do in the Shadows
Katja Herbers – Evil
Niecy Nash-Betts – Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
Jenna Ortega – Wednesday
Christina Ricci – Wednesday

Hayden Panettiere's Brother Jansen Panettiere Dead At 28

A family source tells us Jansen died over the weekend in New York. His cause of death is currently unclear. Law enforcement sources tell us they got a call to a residence Sunday night around 5:30PM. We're told there's no foul play suspected in Jansen's death.

Jansen, 5 years Hayden's younger, jumped onto the scene in the early 2000s, working on projects like "Even Stevens," "Blue's Clues," "Robots," and "Ice Age: The Meltdown." He also had a recurring role as Truman X in Nickelodeon's "The X's."

At one point, Jansen worked alongside Hayden in 2004's "Tiger Cruise" and 2005's "Racing Stripes."

He went on to star in Disney Channel original movies and made-for-TV Nickelodeon films, picking up a nomination for a Young Artist Award back in 2008 for his work on "The Last Day of Summer."

Jansen kept acting through the 2010s, working on shows like "Major Crimes" and "The Walking Dead." He also was attached to 5 more projects at the time of his death.

Jansen was only 28.

‘The Dresden Sun’: First Look At Christina Ricci In Sci-Fi Action Pic, World Sales Deal Inked

The film follows a heist that goes south when a brilliant, principled mercenary (Ogg) with a traumatic history works with an insider to steal a prized commodity called “the sphere” from Peredor Corporation and Dr. Dresden (Ricci).

Above is a first look at Ricci who is coming off Netflix hit Wednesday and Showtime series Yellowjackets.

Penned and directed by Michael Ryan, the film is produced by Tyler Lockamy and Michael Ryan at Archetype Pictures.

The sales deal was negotiated by Jessica Bennett, COO Productions and Acquisitions for VMI, and Michael Ryan and Tyler Lockamy on the producing side.

The film is currently in post-production. VMI will be introducing the project to buyers at the upcoming EFM.

“The Dresden Sun is a whole other world of sci-fi with stylized and sleek action elements with an overall unique concept. We at VMI are very excited to bring this one to market, the stellar cast and level of filmmaking will bring the wow factor,” said Bennett.

“The Dresden Sun is an allegorical story that deals with ideas and concepts ranging from corporatocracy, interdimensional reality, grief, arrested development, and apostasy. We at Archetype Pictures appreciate working with VMI and their passionate team and are looking forward to their abilities to help deliver the film to the world,” commented filmmaker Michael Ryan.

Octavia Spencer, Joseph Gordon-Levitt & Lucy Liu To Star In Black List Script ‘Nobody Nothing Nowhere’ For ‘Beasts Of The Southern Wild’ Producers

Filming is slated for summer 2023 on the project, which is “the story of Ruth, one of the Non-People, human-looking beings designed and trained for the sole purpose of filling in a realistic world for a bland guy named Dave, the only person that actually exists on Earth. Tired of serving as an extra in someone else’s life, Ruth is ready to demand a life of her own.”

A 2018 Black List and Sundance Screenwriter Labs script written and to be directed by Rachel Wolther and Alex H. Fischer, pic is being produced by veteran producers Josh Penn and Michael Gottwald of the Department of Motion Pictures, Allison Rose Carter, Spencer, Gordon-Levitt and Liu.

Christina Campagnola under a banner to be announced, Brian Clisham and Stephanie Kluft of Orit Entertainment, Brian O’Shea, Nat McCormick and Caddy Vanasirikul of The Exchange and Blair Ward and Anders Erden of Orogen Entertainment are serving as executive producers.

CAA Media Finance and WME Independent are handling domestic.

Fischer’s previous work includes Sundance 2020 movie Save Yourselves!; Penn and Gottwald produced critical hit and four-time Oscar nominee Beasts of the Southern Wild and their banner produced 2017 Sundance and Cannes Directors’ Fortnight pic Patti Cake$. Carter’s credits as co-producer and line producer include Everything Everywhere All at Once and American Honey, respectively.

Multiple Oscar nominee Spencer said: “Nobody Nothing Nowhere is a wholly original feature film that presents a world and its characters in an entirely unique way. Having the opportunity to work with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Lucy Liu is a dream come true! It is always a priority for me, and my partners at Orit Entertainment, to produce projects that entertain and bring the light, hope and promise audiences are craving. I am excited to be part of such an inventive and thoughtful project.”

“Not only is Nobody Nothing Nowhere a strong commercial project with a hilarious script, but the film also subtly tackles social issues in a mind-boggling cinematic universe. We are incredibly proud to represent this project at a market and play a part in bringing it to audiences around the world,” said McCormick of The Exchange.

The Exchange EFM lineup also includes Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Guy Pearce’s Neponset Circle, Olivia Munn’s Replay, Kathy Bates’ Thelma, and Zoe Saldana and Garrett Hedlund’s The Absence of Eden.

Spencer is represented by CAA and Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner & Klein, Gordon-Levitt by WME and Jackoway Austen Tyerman and Liu by Framework Entertainment, CAA, The Artist Partnership and Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham.

‘Party Down’: Starz Drops Trailer For Series Revival

The third season will consist of six all-new episodes and take place 10 years later, when most of the Party Down catering team have moved on, including actor/bartender Henry Pollard (Adam Scott). After a surprise reunion, the gang find themselves once again stoically enduring the procession of random parties and oddball guests all over Los Angeles.

Scott reprises his role alongside original cast members Ken Marino, Jane Lynch, Martin Starr, Ryan Hansen and Megan Mullally. New cast members include Jennifer Garner, Tyrel Jackson Williams, Zoë Chao and James Marsden. Guest stars include Dan Bakkedahl, Quinta Brunson, Liv Hewson, Fran Kranz, Ki Hong Lee, Lyric Lewis), Bobby Moynihan, Nick Offerman, Judy Reyes and Calum Worthy.

The third season is executive produced by Party Down alumni Rob Thomas, Paul Rudd, Dan Etheridge and Scott. Enbom also serves as showrunner. Party Down is produced for STARZ by Lionsgate Television.

The first two seasons of Party Down debuted on Starz in 2009 and 2010. Both seasons remain available on the network and for download or streaming via the Starz app.

‘PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie’ Adds Kristen Bell, McKenna Grace, James Marsden, Lil Rel Howery, North West & more

A trio of new pups also join the ranks, voiced by Critics Choice Award winner Alan Kim (Minari), TikTok star Brice Gonzalez of EnkyBoys and North West, who joins her mom Kim Kardashian returning as Delores from the first movie, along with a cameo from brother Saint West.

Additional cast members reprising their roles include Marsai Martin (Liberty), Ron Pardo (Mayor Humdinger) and Callum Shoniker (Rocky). New cast members also include Luxton Handspiker (PAW Patrol series), Christian Corrao (Dino Dana) and Nylan Parthipan (PAW Patrol series).

All of them join Taraji P. Henson in the feature which is hitting theaters on October 13.

The pic’s score is composed and produced by Emmy-nominated Pinar Toprak (Captain Marvel, The Lost City).

“This year marks the 10th anniversary of the PAW Patrol franchise, and what better way to celebrate than the release of our second feature film,” said Jennifer Dodge, Spin Master’s President of Entertainment and producer of the film. “As we continue to expand the PAW Patrol universe for fans, we’ll follow the pups on mightier missions and explore their backstories, this time with a heartwarming tale centered around our heroine Skye. With this cast of dynamic voice talent, we’re bringing a whole new level of excitement to the big screen.”

Added Ramsey Naito, President of Nickelodeon Animation and Paramount Animation, “Following the historic success of the first film, which truly reinforced the global love for this franchise, we knew that this sequel called not only for an equally great story, but for world-class talent to bring these characters to life once again.”

The first PAW Patrol: Movie was a theatrical-day-and-date title with streaming service Paramount+. The movie opened to No. 1 in more than 25 countries and ultimately amassed $150M+ worldwide. It also became one of the most-watched Paramount+ originals.

PAW Patrol: The Movie helmer Cal Brunker directs again with his writing partner Bob Barlen (PAW Patrol: The Movie) who takes on the role as associate producer. Dodge produces along with Spin Master’s Laura Clunie, Spin Master’s SVP Development Current Series & Feature Film, and Toni Stevens, SVP Entertainment Production & Operations. Spin Master co-founder Ronnen Harary, EVP Adam Beder and Peter Schlessel are EPs.

Anne Heche’s 13-year-old son, Atlas, breaks silence 5 months after mom’s death

Anne Heche’s son Atlas is mourning his late mother in his first statement since the actress’ death.

The 13-year-old called Heche the “brightest person [he’s] ever known” while breaking his silence in a statement to Los Angeles Inquisitor magazine Tuesday.

“She always knew how to solve a problem or help a friend,” Atlas gushed. “She always knew the right thing to do.

“I cannot put into words how grateful I am or how much I miss her,” he continued.

Heche shared Atlas with her ex James Tupper.

The “Big Little Lies” alum, 57, also spoke to the outlet about the “love and energy” that Atlas brought into his and Heche’s relationship.

“Anne and I were together for more than a decade; we have a beautiful son together, and in that time, he was the very definition of light in our lives, always bringing fun,” Tupper said.

The actor, who dated Heche from 2007 to 2018, concluded, “She will always be remembered in our hearts and minds.”

The Emmy winner was also the mother of son Homer, 20, with her ex-husband, Coleman Laffoon.

Since Heche died in August 2022 at age 53 after a fiery car crash and ensuing coma, Tupper has been battling with his ex’s eldest son over her estate.

In October, Tupper claimed in court documents obtained by Page Six that Homer had been “hostile” toward Atlas.

The “Men in Trees” alum accused his former stepchild of breaking “several promises” to his son, claiming Homer failed to provide an “inventory list and pictures of [Heche’s] tangible personal property.”

However, Homer was granted control over his mom’s estate two months later.

Heche is buried at the Hollywood Forever cemetery, with Homer telling Page Six in an August 2022 statement that her resting place is “a living place, where people attend movies and concerts and other events.”

He added, “We are convinced our Mom would love the site we have chosen for her; it’s beautiful, serene and she will be among her Hollywood peers.”

‘Scream VI’ Trailer: The Call Waiting Is Over As Ghostface Returns For More

The latest pic, co-directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett, follows on from last year’s Scream V and returns the four survivors of the latest Ghostface killings. The cast includes returnees Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Jenna Ortega, Hayden Panettiere and Courteney Cox. Jack Champion, Henry Czerny, Liana Liberato, Dermot Mulroney, Devyn Nekoda, Tony Revolori, Josh Segarra and Samara Weaving also star.

A notable absentee in the trailer that dropped today: Neve Campbell, like Cox a franchise regular, who revealed last year that she wasn’t returning.

It’s Cox’s Gale Weathers that gets the iconic phone call in the footage revealed today.

“It never works out for the dipsh*t in the mask,” Gale tells Ghostface over the phone. “Maybe,” responds the voice, “but there’s never been one like me, Gale. I’m something different.” It looks like Barrera’s Sam might be involved in the final showdown.

James Vanderbilt & Guy Busick, who wrote Scream V, return as scribes, William Sherak, Vanderbilt and Paul Neinstein are producers. Kevin Williamson, Gary Barber, Peter Oillataguerre, Chad Villella, Cox, Ron Lynch, Cathy Konrad and Marianne Maddalena are executive producers.

‘Yellowjackets’: Showtime Drops Trailer For Season 2

“Kidnapping, cults, death … your friendships are a little more complicated than most,” says Wood, who plays a dedicated citizen detective named Walter in round two of the popular Showtime drama. He also appears in the season’s first official trailer, which shows Juliette Lewis’ Natalie getting hypnotized before she’s asked to remember what happened on that mountain.

Oh, but where to start?

Season two will kick off March 24 on streaming and on demand for all Showtime subscribers, before making its on-air debut on March 26 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Season one, which received seven Emmy nominations, averaged over 5 million weekly viewers across platforms and was the second-most streamed series in Showtime history.

Yellowjackets follows a team of high school girl soccer players who become the unlucky survivors of a plane crash deep in the remote northern wilderness. Beyond the original cast that includes Melanie Lynskey, Christina Ricci, Tawny Cypress and Lewis, season 2 will feature Wood, Lauren Ambrose and Simone Kessell, along with Sophie Nélisse, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Sophie Thatcher, Samantha Hanratty, Courtney Eaton, Liv Hewson, Steven Krueger, Warren Kole and Kevin Alves.

Yellowjackets was created Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson. Produced by studio Entertainment One (eOne), the series is currently in production in Vancouver.

NAACP Image Awards Nominations

Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special
Niecy Nash-Betts – Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (Netflix)
Regina Hall – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)
Sanaa Lathan – The Best Man: The Final Chapters (Peacock)
Viola Davis – The First Lady (Showtime)
Zoe Saldaña – From Scratch (Netflix)

‘All American’ Renewed For Season 6 At The CW; Marks First Scripted Deal Under New Owners

The network has handed an early sixth season renewal to the drama series, marking the first scripted renewal after Nexstar took ownership earlier this year.

All American, which was The CW’s number one linear series in adult 18-49, most-watched series on digital and the largest show in total audience across all platforms, will launch its fifth season on January 23.

It will then return for season six in the 2023-24 broadcast season.

Deadline understands the series, which comes from Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television and CBS Studios, will continue to be produced in line with its previous seasons. This comes despite talk that the network is looking to cut budgets for scripted orders and floating a target license fee for drama series of $1 million dollar per episode going forward.

The move also marks the first renewal since the hire of Brad Schwartz as President of Entertainment.

It bucks a trend where a large number of The CW’s scripted shows are coming to an end including DC’s Stargirl, The Flash, Riverdale and Nancy Drew.

Season five kicks off when Laura (Monet Mazur) throws Billy (Taye Diggs) a surprise birthday party, everyone comes together to roast Billy, but Billy has a looming decision hanging over his head. Spencer (Daniel Ezra) makes an effort to do what’s best for himself, hoping it helps Olivia (Samantha Logan) and him take a step towards moving on. Jayme (guest star Miya Horcher) offers some sage advice to Asher (Cody Christian) about his speech with JJ (Hunter Clowdus), but she ignores her own about watching out for red flags. Meanwhile, Jordan (Michael Evans Behling) and Layla (Greta Onieogou) get in their first fight over something neither of them could have predicted.

All American is exec produced by Nkechi Okoro Carroll, Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, John A. Norris, Jameal Turner, Mike Herro and David Strauss.

“Over the last five seasons, All American has established itself as one of the all-time CW flagship franchises,” said Schwartz. “All American is not only the network’s youngest series, but also the strongest performer when combining all our platforms. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with showrunner Nkechi Okoro Carroll, Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, the entire creative team and the incredible cast for another season of captivating family drama.”

James Marsden, Marcia Gay Harden And Al Pacino Among Those Starring In Michael Keaton-Directed Thriller ‘Knox Goes Away’

Keaton plays John Knox, a contract killer diagnosed with a fast-moving form of dementia. He vows to spend his final days attempting to redeem himself by saving the life of his estranged adult son (Marsden). He finds himself in a race against the authorities as well as the ticking clock of his own rapidly deteriorating mind.

With an original script by Gregory Poirier, the film is produced by Brookstreet’s Trevor Mathews and Nick Gordon along with Sugar23’s Michael Sugar and Ashley Zalta, along with Keaton.

“Original noir thrillers like this are a rarity nowadays, so as producers, and movie lovers, we couldn’t be more excited to be a part of this project,” said Brookstreet and Sugar23. “With Michael Keaton both behind and in front of the camera, combined with the rest of our gifted cast and crew, the audience is in for a real treat.”

Executive producing is Carter Stanton for Brookstreet and Jillian Kay for Sugar23. Director of photography Marshall Adams, production designer Bill Arnold, costume designer Michele Michel and editor Jessica Hernandez lead the crew.

Brookstreet Pictures is financing alongside Three Point Capital, with Viviana Zarragoitia, Ali Jazayeri, David Gendron and Michael Hansen executive producing. Film Nation represents international rights and CAA Media Finance and Verve Ventures are representing U.S. rights.

‘Yellowjackets’ Gets Early Season 3 Renewal By Showtime As Chris McCarthy Lays Out Programming Strategy & Signals Slate Review

There was a practical rationale behind the timing of the renewals, which come exactly a year apart (the Season 2 pickup was announced December 16, 2021). I hear they were tied to the yearly deadline for picking up the cast’s options, which are up in mid-December.

But it also makes a statement about Showtime’s programming strategy as the first renewal after the network moved under the purview of Chris McCarthy.

“With Yellowjackets’ runaway success in Season 1 and the pent-up anticipation for Season 2, we wanted to maximize the momentum by fast-tracking Season 3 now,” said McCarthy, President/CEO, Showtime and Paramount Media Networks. “The show’s ambition is only exceeded by its execution, and I thank the incredible creative team behind it, including Ashley, Bart, Jonathan, eOne and the Showtime team, for turning this into such a success.”

The early renewal “demonstrates our strong commitment to the show and its ability to continue to grow as well as how it fits clearly within a Showtime brand,” McCarthy added.

He proceeded to shed light on his vision for the Showtime brand going forward and the content plans around it. McCarthy’s first pickup move after taking over the premium network was to bring in the MTV Entertainment Studios-produced country drama limited series George and Tammy, which had become a free agent after Spectrum pulled away from scripted originals.

“As we head into 2023 and beyond, our plan is to lean into Showtime’s strengths and focus on three key areas that have defined the brand. Complex and subversive antiheroes like Dexter and Yellowjackets, powerful high-stakes worlds like Homeland and Billions, and unconventional cultural takes like The L Word and The Chi – all with an eye towards making the biggest hits possible and building them into hit franchises as we have done very successfully across the company” McCarthy said. “From Yellowstone to South Park and to our global unscripted formats, these franchises have helped to drive Paramount+ to the fastest-growing streaming service in the U.S. two years in a row, and now we are excited to bring this franchise thinking into the great set of hit series that have defined Showtime.”

As Paramount Global mulls Showtime’s future as a stand-alone service, its series’ streaming performance is increasingly important. Yellowjackets delivered on that front too, becoming the second most-streamed series in Showtime history behind Dexter: New Blood.

McCarthy’s comments also bode well for The L Word: Generation Q which is now airing its third season.

He also echoed recent comments by Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish about the company’s plans for Showtime, saying he wanted “to make it clear that the [Showtime] brand still matters, and the slate is going to matter even more.” The label also will “lean into franchises,” Bakish added. “We have not announced anything. But you will see that as we move into 2023.”

Expanding on Bakish’s statement, McCarthy spoke about the network’s franchise strategy, noting that it would involve redistributing resources to the series with franchise potential while “some shows won’t make the cut.” There has been one major Showtime cancellation in the past couple of months, that of drama City On a Hill, with a couple of others likely.

“We intend to use our successful franchise strategy to fuel the future for Showtime whereby fans make connections with a franchise, and franchises further build the brand and our streaming services and ultimately building long-term value for the company” said McCarthy. “In order to realize that full potential, we will take a critical eye on all series, asking how big can we go in order to place the right creative bets to be additive to the overall company’s IP bank – which means some shows won’t make the cut and others will receive a lot more resources and attention, taken together we only see opportunities to further grow the Showtime brand.”

Produced by eOne, Yellowjackets has started assembling a writers room for Season 3 as production on Season 2 continues in Vancouver.

Created by Lyle and Bart Nickerson, Yellowjackets, whose first season earned 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating, stars Melanie Lynskey, Juliette Lewis, Christina Ricci and Tawny Cypress.

Following the breakout success of Season 1, the show added several big names for Season 2: Lauren Ambrose and Simone Kessell joined as series regulars, along with Elijah Wood in a seasonlong guest arc.

Equal parts survival epic, psychological horror story and coming-of-age drama, Yellowjackets is the saga of a team of wildly talented high school girls soccer players who become the (un)lucky survivors of a plane crash deep in the remote northern wilderness. The series chronicles their descent from a complicated but thriving team to savage clans, while also tracking the lives they’ve attempted to piece back together nearly 25 years later, proving that the past is never really past and what began out in the wilderness is far from over. Season 2 also stars Sophie Nélisse, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Sophie Thatcher, Samantha Hanratty, Courtney Eaton, Liv Hewson, Steven Krueger, Warren Kole and Kevin Alves.

Yellowjackets is executive produced by Lyle, Nickerson and fellow showrunner Lisco. Comins of Creative Engine also serves as executive producer. Karyn Kusama directed the pilot. Jacqueline Sacerio oversees the series for eOne.

Christina Ricci Divorce Finalized ... Shared Custody of Kids, Assets Divvied

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Christina is getting the house in the San Fernando Valley ... while she and her ex-husband, film producer James Heerdegen, will split the money from the upcoming sale of their place in NYC.

Christina, who's repped by attorney Samantha Spector, will keep all of the residuals and royalties for her work. As for James, he gets a Subaru -- along with his personal belongings, and a one-time payment of $189,687 from Christina.

There's no spousal or child support according to the docs ... but Christina will pay for 100% of private school, and any uncovered medical expenses for their 8-year-old son, Freddie.

They'll have joint legal custody, but she makes the tiebreaking call on things like major medical and educational decisions. As for physical custody, that's also split between Christina and James ... although she has primary custody.

TMZ broke the story, Christina filed for divorce in 2020, citing irreconcilable differences.

‘Yellowjackets’: Showtime Sets Return Date For Emmy-Nominated Drama

Showtime announced today that Yellowjackets will return for its second season Friday, March 24 on streaming and on demand for subscribers, before making its on-air debut on Sunday, March 26 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

Season one, which earned a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes and received seven Emmy nominations, averaged more than 5 million weekly viewers across platforms and was the second-most streamed series in Showtime history. Produced for Showtime by studio Entertainment One (eOne), the series is currently in production in Vancouver.

Created by Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson (Narcos), Yellowjackets stars Melanie Lynskey (Castle Rock), Juliette Lewis (Camping), Christina Ricci (Z: The Beginning of Everything) and Tawny Cypress (Unforgettable). Lauren Ambrose (Six Feet Under, Servant) and Simone Kessell (Obi-Wan Kenobi) have also joined the second season as series regulars, along with Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings trilogy) in a season long guest arc.

Equal parts survival epic, psychological horror story and coming-of-age drama, Yellowjackets is the saga of a team of wildly talented high school girls soccer players who become the unlucky survivors of a plane crash deep in the remote northern wilderness. The series chronicles their descent from a complicated but thriving team to savage clans, while also tracking the lives they’ve attempted to piece back together nearly 25 years later, proving that the past is never really past and what began out in the wilderness is far from over.

Season two also stars Sophie Nélisse (The Book Thief), Jasmin Savoy Brown (The Leftovers), Sophie Thatcher (Prospect), Samantha Hanratty (SHAMELESS), Courtney Eaton (Mad Max: Fury Road), Liv Hewson (Santa Clarita Diet), Steven Krueger (The Originals), Warren Kole (Shades of Blue) and Kevin Alves.

Yellowjackets is executive produced by Lyle, Nickerson and fellow showrunner Jonathan Lisco. Drew Comins of Creative Engine also serves as executive producer. Karyn Kusama directed the pilot.

Critics Choice TV Nominations

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Brandon Scott Jones – Ghosts (CBS)
Leslie Jordan – Call Me Kat (Fox)
James Marsden – Dead to Me (Netflix)
Chris Perfetti – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Tyler James Williams – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Henry Winkler – Barry (HBO)

Anne Heche autopsy reveals ‘no evidence of impairment’ by illicit drugs in crash

According to the Los Angeles County medical examiner-coroner’s report — which was obtained Tuesday by Page Six — the actress tested positive for benzoylecgonine, cocaine, fentanyl and cannabinoids. However, she was not high at the time of the accident.

The medical examiner explained to Page Six that benzoylecgonine is an inactive metabolite of cocaine, which indicates that she had used it in the past but not on the day of her accident. The same was said for the presence of cannabinoids (marijuana) found in her system.

As for the fentanyl that was detected, the report states that the narcotic was administered to Heche to help alleviate her pain after she had already been admitted to the hospital.

The medical examiner ruled that Heche’s death was accidental and caused by inhalation and thermal injuries, with a fracture to her sternum caused by blunt force trauma also contributing.

Sternal fractures are often the result of a driver’s chest striking the steering wheel. Per the report, that type of injury made it “painful while breathing when she was in her vehicle.”

The medical examiner also estimated that Heche was trapped in her car for about 30 minutes before first responders were able to extricate her.

During that time, the actress’ car was charred and her clothes were almost entirely burned off as she suffered second-degree burns on 12 percent of her body, including to her the right side of her face/neck, right shoulder, left upper chest and her upper extremities.

On the afternoon of Aug. 5, the Emmy winner crashed her blue Mini Cooper into an LA home in the Mar Vista neighborhood, igniting a blaze.

According to eyewitnesses on the scene, Heche first slammed into the garage of a nearby apartment complex before backing up and speeding off.

She hit another vehicle before bulldozing into the house that caught fire.

Photos from the scene captured the actress being put on a stretcher and showed serious injuries to her back. Aerial shots documented smoke billowing out of the residence as well as numerous fire trucks surrounding the area.

Heche’s rep told Page Six at the time that she had suffered a severe anoxic brain injury, a significant pulmonary injury that required mechanical ventilation and burns that required surgical intervention. The actress slipped into a coma and never regained consciousness.

While law enforcement officials were investigating the accident as a potential felony DUI, reports surfaced claiming Heche was under the influence of cocaine at the time of the crash. That has now been dispelled.

The mother of two was declared brain dead on Aug. 12 and taken off life support on Aug. 15 after matching with an organ donor recipient. She was 53.

Heche, who had a high-profile romance with Ellen DeGeneres in the ’90s, used to speak openly about her battles with addiction and substance abuse.

“I drank. I smoked. I did drugs. I had sex with people. I did anything I could to get the shame out of my life,” she told ABC News in 2001, explaining that her choices were a result of a painful childhood marked by sexual abuse.

Anne Heche’s son Homer Laffoon granted control over late mother’s estate

The 20-year-old was given control over Heche’s belongings Wednesday — marking the end of a bitter back-and-forth between him and Heche’s ex James Tupper.

The actress died on Aug. 12 death following a fiery car crash at the age of 53. Her death sparked a legal battle between Laffoon and Tupper over the estate’s ownership.

Laffoon was granted permission to “take possession of all the personal property of the estate of the decedent and preserve it from damage, waste, and injury,” according to court docs via People.

Judge Lee Bogdanoff’s ruling ultimately dismissed Tupper’s claim that Laffoon is “not suitable” to run the estate because of his age, the fact that he’s unemployed, and that he was not in contact with his mother at the time of her death.

“I find no malfeasance by Mr. Laffoon,” Judge Bogdanoff added. The judge also denied Tupper’s request for a hearing to investigate the claim that Heche’s $200,000 jewelry collection has gone missing.

Tupper’s attorney told the judge that Heche “had approximately $200,000 worth of jewelry and none remains and that was four years ago.”

After the ruling, Laffoon’s attorney Bryan Phipps told People in a statement, “We believe the court reached the correct result this morning, both legally and equitably, and are glad to have this phase of the process behind us.

“With Mr. Tupper’s allegations and objections now resolved, we are hopeful the administration of the Estate can proceed without unnecessary complication.”

In October, Tupper — who was with Heche from 2007 until 2018 — claimed that Laffoon was “hostile” to his younger half-brother Atlas Tupper, whom he shared with the late actress.

James claimed that Laffoon has “broken several promises” to his half-brother by not providing him with an “inventory list and pictures of the tangible personal property” the 20-year-old told the court is still inside Heche’s apartment.

Moreover, he alleged that Laffoon “has acted in a hostile manner towards Atlas” since probate proceedings began “and has refused to communicate with him or his representatives at all.”

He insisted his son “has no confidence in Laffoon’s ability to meet his fiduciary obligations to Atlas,” pointing out that Laffoon recently asked the court for certain powers that his title as special administrator apparently already affords him.

‘The Best Man: The Final Chapters’ Trailer Sets Up Emotional Reunion

Based upon the eponymous film franchise written and directed by Malcolm D. Lee, the 8-episode series will catch up with the beloved cast as relationships evolve and past grievances resurface in the unpredictable stages of midlife crisis meets midlife renaissance.

Returning cast includes all the originals: Morris Chestnut as Lance, Melissa De Sousa as Shelby, Taye Diggs as Harper, Regina Hall as Candy, Terrence Howard as Quentin, Sanaa Lathan as Robyn, Nia Long as Jordan, and Harold Perrineau as Murch. Rounding out the cast are Michael Genet, Yvonna Pearson, Aaron Serotsky, Terrence Terrell, Tobias Truvillion, and Eric Scott Ways.

The Best Man: The Final Chapters is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group. The series is created, written and executive produced by Malcolm D. Lee of Blackmaled Productions & Dayna Lynne North of Loud Sis Productions. Sean Daniel, of Hivemind, will serve as executive producer. Dominique Telson will also serve as executive producer and oversee production for Blackmaled Productions.

Watch the trailer in full above.

Hayden Panettiere, ex Brian Hickerson go on a trip following July split

Hayden Panettiere and her ex-boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, were spotted together at LAX just three months after announcing their latest split.

In photos obtained by Page Six, the pair tried to stay under the radar while wearing dark clothes and baseball caps as they made their way around the airport.

The “Remember the Titans” actress and Hickerson — who dated on and off since the summer of 2018 — also enjoyed a bite to eat before jetting off on vacation for the holidays. However, it’s unknown where they were going.

The pair’s reunion may come as a surprise after Panettiere, 33, spoke out about her abusive relationship with Hickerson following a wild hotel brawl in May.

“It was a very dark and complicated time in my life,” the actress told People about dating in the midst of her alcohol and opioid addiction. “But a lot of women go through what I went through, and I want people to know it’s OK to ask for help.”

However, the pair seemingly tried to maintain a friendship following their split, with Panettiere saying “making amends is a really important thing that you learn in treatment.”

Hickerson also confirmed that he and the actress were “absolutely not” together in July after their very tumultuous four-year relationship seemingly came to a head.

Hickerson, who was on probation at the time, told paparazzi that there was no way the exes were ever going to reconcile and said he is “looking forward to new chapters.”

He was arrested back in May 2019 for domestic violence after he and the actress got into a drunken, physical altercation in their Los Angeles home.

Although Hickerson pleaded not guilty, he was ordered to stay 100 yards away from Panettiere — only to be arrested again in 2020 for domestic violence.

Hickerson was sentenced to 45 days in jail for two felony counts of injuring a partner.

Following the second arrest, the “Nashville” star released a statement saying she would do anything she could to ensure “this man never hurts anyone again.”

“I am coming forward with the truth about what happened to me in the hope that my story will empower others in abusive relationships to get the help they need and deserve,” she wrote.

Spirit Award Noms 2023

BEST LEAD PERFORMANCE
Cate Blanchett - Tár
Dale Dickey - A Love Song
Mia Goth - Pearl
Regina Hall - Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.
Paul Mescal - Aftersun
Aubrey Plaza - Emily the Criminal
Jeremy Pope - The Inspection
Andrea Riseborough - To Leslie
Taylor Russell - Bones and All
Michelle Yeoh - Everything Everywhere All At Once

‘Back In The Groove’: Hulu Drops Trailer For Dating Show Hosted By Taye Diggs

Back in the Groove will follow three women in their 40s, stuck in the grind of their everyday lives, who will check into The Groove Hotel, a resort on an island of the Dominican Republic. The goal is to rediscover their youth, live joyously, and hopefully find love with men half their age.

The special four-night premiere event kicks off Monday, December 5 with two episodes, on Hulu. Two all-new episodes will be available to stream daily through Thursday, December 8.

The show marks the first unscripted Hulu Original series under the Walt Disney Television Alternative Banner. There will be eight episodes.

The three women are Sparkle, a 43-year-old from Atlanta; Steph, a 41-year-old from Miami, and Brooke, a 42-year-old from Los Angeles.

The series is executive produced by showrunner Elan Gale, Bill Dixon, Sonya Wilkes, Evan Wilkes, Michael Krupat, John Luscombe, Shannon Stoeke and Diggs. Back in the Groove is produced by Walt Disney Television Alternative and Beyond Media Rights Ltd.

NBC LAUNCHES NEW GAME SHOW ‘THE WHEEL’ WITH A TWO-WEEK TAKEOVER DURING THE HOLIDAYS, BEGINNING MONDAY, DEC. 19

The takeover begins Monday, Dec. 19 with new episodes airing nightly at 10 p.m. ET/PT, and continues the following week with new episodes airing at 8 p.m. The series features suspenseful high-stakes trivia, laugh-out-loud moments and more than 50 all-star guests seated on a spectacular 42-foot-wide spinning wheel.

The all-star lineup includes Clay Aiken, Carole Baskin, Brie Bella, Tom Bergeron, Bobby Berk, Bre-Z, Jaime Camil, Christine Chiu, Margaret Cho, Deepak Chopra, Cat Cora, Victor Cruz, Ester Dean, Russell Dickerson, Taye Diggs, Sheila E., Shawn Johnson East, Josh Flagg, Kate Flannery, Vivica A. Fox, Debbie Gibson, Todrick Hall, Tony Hawk, Matt Iseman, JoJo, Chris Kattan, Steve Kornacki, Ricki Lake, Lyric Lewis, Loni Love, Judge Greg Mathis, Mark McGrath, Chrissy Metz, Mike “The Miz” Mizanin, Terrell Owens, Kyla Pratt, Christina Ricci, Andy Richter, Amber Riley, Adam Rippon, Captain Lee Rosbach, Jalen Rose, Sanya Richards Ross, Amber Ruffin, Mark Sanchez, Tori Spelling, Curtis Stone, Raven-Symone, Jackie Tohn, Bruno Tonioli, John Urschel, Buddy Valastro, Kym Whitley, Justin Willman, Carnie Wilson and Captain Sandy Yawn.

Created and hosted by McIntyre, each hourlong episode follows six celebrity guests spinning, advising and supporting charismatic contestants as they endeavor to be the last one standing. As the contestants vie for the chance to win over $100,000, the celebrities lend their expertise in a variety of hilarious and outrageous categories from candy and comedians to poker and politics.

Below is the episode rollout:

Monday, Dec. 19 at 10 p.m. – “The Wheel: Premiere”
Contestants receive help from celebrity guests Cat Cora, Mark McGrath, Todrick Hall, Steve Kornacki, Christina Ricci and Amber Ruffin to answer trivia questions tackling a range of categories from Beyoncé and the ’90s to elections and more.

Tuesday, Dec. 20 at 10 p.m. – “Boats, Soaps & Wrestling Ropes”
With categories ranging from soap operas to mathematics, contestants receive help from celebrity guests Vivica A. Fox, Mike “The Miz” Mizanin, JoJo, John Urschel, Captain Sandy Yawn and Bruno Tonioli.

Wednesday, Dec. 21 at 10 p.m. – “Déjà Vu & Eyes of Blue”
Celebrity guests Judge Greg Mathis, Ricki Lake, Mark Sanchez, Amber Ruffin, Justin Willman and Tori Spelling lend their expertise in a variety of categories that include candy, magic and Beverly Hills to assist contestants competing for a life-changing prize.

Thursday, Dec. 22 at 10 p.m. – “Divas & Derbies”
With categories including cakes, horse racing, percussion and more, contestants are supported by celebrity experts Buddy Valastro, Amber Riley, Jaime Camil, Carnie Wilson, Steve Kornacki and Sheila E.

Friday, Dec. 23 at 10 p.m. – “Fish N’ Chips & Gold Medal Flips”
Celebrity guests Tom Bergeron, Shawn Johnson East, Captain Lee Rosbach, Kyla Pratt, Victor Cruz and Debbie Gibson lend their expertise to contestants in a wide range of hilarious categories, including “The Three Stooges,” gymnastics and seafood.

Monday, Dec. 26 at 8 p.m. – “Big Cats & Bigger Brains”
With wacky categories including big cats and bowling, contestants lean on celebrities Carole Baskin, Bre-Z, Deepak Chopra, Matt Iseman, Raven-Symone and Terrell Owens to be the last one standing on “The Wheel.”

Tuesday, Dec. 27 at 8 p.m. – “Wigs Galore, Dogs & More”
Contestants hope for answers from celebrity experts Bobby Berk, Margaret Cho, Kate Flannery, Loni Love, Andy Richter and Adam Rippon in categories that include wigs, comedians, dogs, figure skating and more.

Wednesday, Dec. 28 at 8 p.m. – “Sky Hooks & the Almighty Book”
Celebrity experts Taye Diggs, Ester Dean, Josh Flagg, Lyric Lewis, Jalen Rose and Christine Chiu advise contestants on questions about the Bible, real estate, plastic surgery and more.

Thursday, Dec. 29 at 8 p.m. – “A Spin, a Twin & a Win”
With categories including astrology, presidents and country music, contestants lean on celebrity experts Chrissy Metz, Sanya Richards Ross, Russell Dickerson, Loni Love, Brie Bella and Clay Aiken.

Friday, Dec. 30 at 8 p.m. – “The Skater & the Dater”
Contestants get insight from celebrity guests Christina Ricci, Chris Kattan, Kym Whitley, Tony Hawk, Jackie Tohn and Curtis Stone on a variety of categories that include “Saturday Night Live,” pregnancy and meat.

“The Wheel” is produced by Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Warner Horizon, Apploff Entertainment and the original British creative team, Hungry McBear. The series was created by Michael McIntyre and Dan Baldwin, who executive produce alongside Jeff Apploff, Noah Bonnett, Mike Darnell and Brooke Karzen.

Anne Heche Estate Sued Over Fiery Car Crash ... My House is Destroyed!!!

The late actress' estate is being sued over her August car wreck by the woman who lived in the home where Anne crashed her Mini Cooper and ignited a huge blaze.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Lynne Mishele says she was minding her business at home with her pets when suddenly Anne's car came barreling inside, allegedly stopping just a few feet away from the woman, her dogs and her tortoise.

Lynne claims she is still traumatized by the incident -- she says she's startled by loud noises, plagued by nightmares and flashbacks of the crash, terrified of walking outside ... and has no place to live.

In the suit, she claims the house and all of her possessions were completely burned and destroyed as a result of Anne's crash.

She notes Anne was driving erratically before crashing into her home ... remember, Anne also crashed into another home nearby, and also notes a blood analysis showed Anne had cocaine and fentanyl in her system at the time of the crash.

As we reported ... Anne was stuck in her burning car for at least 45 minutes after the crash, and she was transported to a hospital where she later died from smoke inhalation and burn injuries.

Lynne is going after Anne's estate for at least $2 million in damages.

We reached out to the estate ... so far no word back.

Peacock Drops Teaser Trailer For ‘The Best Man: The Final Chapters’ Limited Series

Based upon the eponymous Universal film franchise written and directed by Malcolm D. Lee, the series will catch up with Harper, Robyn, Jordan, Lance, Quentin, Shelby, Candace, and Murch as relationships evolve and past grievances resurface in the unpredictable stages of midlife crisis meets midlife renaissance.

Cas of The Bast Man: The Final Chapters include Morris Chestnut, Melissa De Sousa, Taye Diggs, Regina Hall, Terrence Howard, Sanaa Lathan, Nia Long and Harold Perrineau.

The Peacock original was filmed on locations like New York City, New Jersey and Dominican Republic. Malcom D. Lee of Blackmaled Productions is the creator of the Best Man franchise, which he Co-Developed, wrote, EP, directed and served as a Co-Showrunner. Dayna Lynne North of Loud Sis Productions also co-developed, wrote, EP and served as co-showrunner.

Executive producers are Sean Daniel of Hivemind & Dominique Telson of Blackmaled Productions. Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, produces. Directors for the series include Malcom D. Lee for four episodes, Charles Stone III, Robert Townsend and Stacey Muhammad.

Julianne Nicholson Among Six Joining Nicolas Cage In Kristoffer Borgli’s A24 Pic ‘Dream Scenario’

Hereditary and Midsommar filmmaker Ari Aster is producing with Lars Knudsen under their Square Peg banner.

The movie, which Borgli is also writing, has a storyline that’s under wraps, but is billed as a comedy. Borgli’s Sick of Myself premiered at Cannes.

Jacob Jaffke and Tyler Campellone are also producing alongside A24.

The project reps the fourth collaboration between Square Peg and A24 including Hereditary, Midsommar and the upcoming film Disappointment Blvd. starring Joaquin Phoenix.

Nicholson won an Emmy for Supporting Actress in a Limited Series for HBO’s Mare of Easttown last year. She is repped by UTA and Untitled Entertainment. Nicholson can recently be seen in Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, Blonde, and HBO’s Winning Time. She also starred in I, Tonya; August Osage County, and Black Mass.

Berlant has a one-woman show Kate, Would It Kill You to Laugh?. The actresses starred in Don’t Worry Darling, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood as well as Netflix’s Space Force and Amazon’s A League of Their Own. She is repped by UTA, Rise Management, Felker Toczek Suddleson.

Saturday Night Live alum and Primetime Emmy nominee Meadows starred in such movies as Mean Girls, Train Wreck, Jack and Jill, and the Grown Ups franchise. He’s repped by CESD Talent and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.

Baker is repped by Innovative Artists and Viking Entertainment. HIs credits include The Good Wife, Hunters, The Resort, Evil Blindspot.

Cera is the longtime vet of Arrested Development and has starred in such movies as Superbad, Juno, Molly’s Game, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and the Hulu series Life & Beth. He’s repped by APA and Thruline Entertainment.

Gelula has been seen on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Shameless and Everything’s Fine. She’s repped by Mosaic, Michael Auerbach of Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner & Klei.

James Tupper claims Anne Heche’s son Homer has been ‘hostile’ to younger brother

According to court documents obtained Monday by Page Six, James — who shared 13-year-old son Atlas Tupper with the late actress — formally opposed Laffoon’s recent request to “expand his authority” as special administrator of Heche’s estate.

James claimed that Laffoon has “broken several promises” to his half-brother by not providing him with an “inventory list and pictures of the tangible personal property” the 20-year-old claims is still inside Heche’s apartment.

Moreover, James, 57, alleged Laffoon “has acted in a hostile manner towards Atlas” since probate proceedings began “and has refused to communicate with him or his representatives at all.”

James insisted his son “has no confidence in Laffoon’s ability to meet his fiduciary obligations to Atlas,” pointing out that Laffoon recently asked the court for certain powers that his title as special administrator apparently already affords him.

James further argued that the aforementioned request “underscores [Laffoon’s] lack of competence and inability to preserve estate assets,” and he accused Laffoon of “wasteful and needless litigation.”

James asked the court to force Laffoon to give Atlas the requested inventory list before expanding his authority “so it can be determined whether Laffoon actually safeguards all of [Heche’s] personal property in the future and conflict can be minimized.”

Additionally, James requested that the bond be set at $2 million instead of the $800,000 Laffoon had asked for because “no evidence of such information has been provided to the court, James or Atlas as to what justifies” the latter amount.

James and Homer — whom Heche shared with ex-husband Coleman Laffoon — have been in a legal battle for control of her estate as well as for the title of guardian ad litem for Atlas since her Aug. 12 death following a fiery car crash at the age of 53.

James was denied guardianship of his own son earlier this month.

Homer Laffoon requests to ‘expand his authority’ over late mom Anne Heche’s estate

According to court documents obtained Friday by Page Six, Laffoon filed an application to “expand his authority” as special administrator of his mother’s estate to be able to “take possession of money or other property of the estate.”

The 20-year-old argued that the “powers are necessary prior to the next court hearing” because “tangible personal property” belonging to the estate is still “located in [Heche’s] apartment.”

Laffoon claimed that the aforementioned personal property “needs to be moved out of the apartment as soon as possible in order to avoid additional fees, costs and possible loss to the estate.”

He recently alleged that his mother died with $400,000 to her name.

Additionally, Laffoon told the court that he “is aware of numerous checks made payable to [Heche] that need to be negotiated, endorsed and deposited into a bank account in the name of the estate in a timely manner so that the checks are not voided.”

According to Laffoon, expanding his authority would allow him to “take possession of all of the real and personal property” of his mother’s estate and preserve it from “damage, waste and injury.”

It would also allow him to “collect all claims, rents and other income belonging to the estate;” “commence and maintain or defend suits and other legal proceedings;” and “request and receive copies of [the estate’s] financial records.”

Furthermore, Laffoon argued that the requested powers would let him “manage, perform and enforce the rights and interests” pertaining to Heche’s forthcoming book, “Call Me Anne.”

He is also asking for a bond of $800,000.

Homer, whom Heche shared with ex-husband Coleman Laffoon, has been in a legal battle with the actress’ ex-boyfriend, James Tupper, since her Aug. 12 death following a fiery car crash.

Homer and James, who co-parented 13-year-old son Atlas Tupper with Heche, have been fighting for control of the estate as well as for the title of guardian ad litem for Atlas.

James was denied guardianship earlier this month.

Grey's Anatomy: Greg Germann to Return as Koracick in November

TVLine has learned exclusively that Greg Germann is set to reprise his role as Tom Koracick in the Nov. 3 episode, the same installment that marks Williams’ comeback as Jackson Avery.

Germann left what had become a series-regular role in Season 17, when Koracick, having won his battle with COVID but having lost Teddy to Owen, decided to move to Boston to help Jackson run his mother’s Catherine Fox Foundation.

In the Nov. 3 outing, Koracick reaches out to Catherine (who is in Boston) regarding a personal matter. Meredith, meanwhile, also spends the episode in Boston, catching up with Jackson.

After exiting Grey’s last year, Germann joined the second and final season of Netflix’s Firefly Lane (which kicks off Dec. 2) in a recurring role. The Ally McBeal vet also turns up in this week’s episode of The Good Fight.

When Germann’s Grey’s departure was announced in May 2021, showrunner Krista Vernoff all but confirmed that Koracick would be back.

“Greg Germann is a comic genius and we are so lucky that he brought his talents to our show these last few years,” Vernoff said at the time. “We will miss Greg terribly in the day to day — but we plan to see Tom Koracick again!”

Lucy Liu To Star Opposite Dwayne Johnson & Chris Evans In Prime Video’s Holiday Pic ‘Red One’

The movie which reteams Johnson with his Jumanji franchise director Jake Kasdan has a plot that’s under wraps.

But the project is billed as a globe-trotting, four-quadrant action-adventure comedy imagining a whole new universe to explore within the holiday genre. The project, which Prime won in a bidding war and was developed off an original story by Seven Bucks President of Production, Hiram Garcia, will stretch across multiple industries and businesses in the Amazon fold.

Chris Morgan wrote the script. Kasdan, Melvin Mar via the Detective Agency, Morgan via Chris Morgan Productions; Hiram Garcia, Dany Garcia and Johnson through their Seven Bucks are producing. Sky Salem Robinson via The Detective Agency is co-producing.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Jumanji: The Next Level grossed $1.7 billion worldwide. Morgan has also been a frequent collaborator with Seven Bucks Productions on titles such as Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw, The Fate of the Furious, Furious 7, Fast & Furious 6, and Fast Five.

Liu is represented by CAA, Framework Entertainment, and Schreck Rose. Her feature credits include the Charlie’s Angels franchise, Chicago, Kill Bill series. TV series roles include Why Women Kill, Ally McBeal and Elementary. Liu received a Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Primetime Nomination for Ally McBeal. She has directed episodes of New Amsterdam, Elementary, Why Women Kill, Luke Cage, Graceland, Law & Order: SVU and the 2012 indie feature Meena. Liu can next be seen in Shazam! Fury of the Gods and Disney Animation’s Strange World.

James Tupper denied guardianship of Atlas amid estate battle with Anne Heche’s son Homer

According to documents obtained by Page Six, the court found that not enough evidence had been provided by Tupper — who shares Atlas with Anne Heche — to stop Homer Laffoon from becoming his half-brother’s legal guardian.

Following the ruling, Laffoon’s lawyer, Bryan L. Phipps, told Page Six in a written statement, “We are pleased — but not surprised— with the court’s ruling this morning denying James’ petition to appoint himself guardian ad litem for Atlas. We look forward to the court resolving Homer’s petition at the next hearing and, in the meantime, Homer will continue to diligently administer the Estate pursuant to his authority as Special Administrator.”

The next court hearing will take place on Nov. 30, 2022.

On Aug. 31, Homer — Heche’s oldest son with Coleman Laffoon — filed a petition to be named executor of his mother’s estate, claiming that he is “the person with the highest priority of appointment” and is “legally entitled to appointment as administrator.”

The 20-year-old requested that he and his brother be listed as their late actress’ sole heirs before asking the court to name him as Atlas’ guardian.

Immediately after, Tupper tried to stop Homer, claiming that “as a minor, Atlas has no ability to hire legal representation to represent his interests in these proceedings.”

He also added that he is Atlas’ sole living parent, they live together and he loves his son “very much.”

Tupper continued in his petition, “In order to preserve family harmony and a healthy, brotherly relationship between Atlas and Homer, and given the complexity this estate will foreseeably involve … a bonded, neutral, private professional fiduciary would be a more appropriate administrator.”

On top of asking the court to name him as his son’s legal guardian, Tupper also claimed he was the executor of Heche’s estate, according to an email she had sent him back in 2011.

“My wishes are that all of my assets go to the control of Mr. James Tupper to be used to raise my children and then given to the children,” he claimed she wrote in the alleged will.

However, Homer fired back and claimed the alleged will wasn’t valid because it “was not signed by [Heche] and does not have two witnesses who signed the document during [her] lifetime.”

The “Six Days Seven Nights” actress died on Aug. 12 after an Aug. 5 car crash that left her in a coma. She was 53.

Anne Heche’s son reveals how much money actress allegedly had at time of death

According to Homer Laffooon, Heche allegedly died with approximately $400,000 to her name, per court documents obtained Tuesday by the Daily Mail.

Laffoon reportedly said in his filing that his “best estimate on the value of all [Heche’s] personal property is $400,000.”

He also reportedly expects to receive that same amount annually from royalties and residuals, claiming that “the probable value of the annual income from all the estate’s property is approximately $400,000.”

Additionally, Laffoon, 20, reportedly revealed that his mother lived in an apartment and did not own a home, alleging in the paperwork that she “did not have any interest in real property at the time of her death.”

Laffoon also provided the court with a list of what the actress allegedly owned at the time of her death, which included a few modest bank accounts, royalty payments and other income, an LLC membership interest related to her podcast, and his mother’s interest in future profits from her memoir, “Call Me Anne,” which was set to be published next year — among other things.

Laffoon, whom Heche shared with ex-husband Coleman Laffoon, has been battling Heche’s ex-boyfriend, James Tupper, for control of the actress’ estate since her death on Aug. 12 at the age of 53.

Homer first filed a petition to be named executor of the estate, claiming that he is “the person with the highest priority of appointment” and is “legally entitled to appointment as administrator.”

He requested that he and his younger half-brother — Heche and James’ 13-year-old son, Atlas Tupper — be listed as their mother’s sole heirs and also asked the court to appoint him as the teenager’s guardian.

James, 57, has opposed all of the above, claiming that Heche sent him an email in January 2011 that read, “My wishes are that all of my assets go to the control of Mr. James Tupper to be used to raise my children and then given to the children.”

Additionally, he requested to be named his son’s guardian, arguing that he is Atlas’ “father and only living parent.” He insisted that he “loves both Homer and Atlas as a father and wants the best for them both.”

Homer has since called into question the validity of the email as well as James’ motives.

Heche died after an Aug. 5 car crash that left her in a coma with severe burns and critical injuries.

James Tupper tries to stop Anne Heche’s oldest son from becoming brother’s guardian

According to court documents obtained by Page Six, Tupper filed a petition on Monday to be named the guardian ad litem of his 13-year-old son, Atlas Tupper, whom he shared with the late actress.

A guardian ad litem is appointed by the court to watch after someone during a case. In this case, James does not want Heche’s 20-year-old son, Homer Laffoon — whom she shared with ex-husband Coleman Laffoon — to have control over Atlas’ portion of her estate.

“As a minor, Atlas has no ability to hire legal representation to represent his interests in these proceedings,” James argued in the paperwork, which states that the two currently live together.

James further noted that he is Atlas’ “father and only living parent,” adding that he “loves both Homer and Atlas as a father and wants the best for them both.”

Last month, Homer filed a petition to be named executor of Heche’s estate. He requested that he and Atlas be listed as their mother’s sole heirs and also asked the court to appoint him as Atlas’ guardian.

James argued in Monday’s paperwork, “In order to preserve family harmony and a healthy, brotherly relationship between Atlas and Homer, and given the complexity this estate will foreseeably involve … a bonded, neutral, private professional fiduciary would be a more appropriate administrator.”

James previously filed his own petition in response to Homer’s, in which he claimed that Heche sent him an email in January 2011 that read, “FYI in case I die tomorrow and anyone asks. My wishes are that all of my assets go to the control of Mr. James Tupper to be used to raise my children and then given to the children.”

But Homer fired back, claiming that the email “fails to satisfy the legal requirements for a valid formal witnessed will” because it “was not signed by [Heche] and does not have two witnesses who signed the document during [her] lifetime.”

Heche died on Aug. 12 after an Aug. 5 car crash that left her in a coma with severe burns and critical injuries.

Battle between Anne Heche’s son, ex James Tupper over her estate rages on

Heche’s oldest son, Homer Laffoon, filed new court documents this week opposing the validity of a 2011 email his mother allegedly sent ex-boyfriend James Tupper appointing him executor of her estate.

The 20-year-old insists that the email “fails to satisfy the legal requirements for a valid formal witnessed will” because it “was not signed by [Heche] and does not have two witnesses who signed the document during [her] lifetime.”

“Mr. Tupper repeatedly refers to the email … as a ‘will.’ However — as a matter of law — the email does not qualify as either a holographic will or formal witnessed will,” he wrote in his filing, which was obtained by Page Six.

Therefore, Laffoon claims he is “the person with the highest priority of appointment” and is “legally entitled to appointment as administrator.”

Additionally, he alleges that it “was not uncommon” for his mother “to send emails such as the one attached … when she was faced with uncertainty. In fact, [Heche] sent a similar email to her bookkeeper on April 7, 2020, after [she] contracted COVID-19.”

“This document, which fails to qualify as a will on the same basis as the email … makes no reference whatsoever to Mr. Tupper, which is not surprising given their acrimonious breakup in 2018,” Laffoon argues.

Following Heche’s death on Aug. 12, Laffoon filed a petition to be named executor of her estate and requested that he and his half-brother, Atlas Tupper, be listed as their mother’s sole heirs.

However, Tupper — who fathered 13-year-old Atlas with Heche — filed his own documents in which he claimed that the late star sent him an email in January 2011 that read, “FYI in case I die tomorrow and anyone asks. My wishes are that all of my assets go to the control of Mr. James Tupper to be used to raise my children and then given to the children.”

In his filing, Tupper, 57, further argued that Laffoon “is not suitable” to run Heche’s estate, pointing out his young age, lack of employment and estranged relationship with his mother when she died.

The actor also alleged that Laffoon changed the locks on Heche’s apartment, which she shared with Atlas, and has prevented the teen from gaining access to his belongings inside.

Tupper also claimed that the half-brothers have not had any contact since Heche’s death on Aug. 12.

In his new filing, Laffoon refers to Tupper’s allegations as “unfounded personal attacks” and “frivolous legal claims.”

Heche — who shared Laffoon with ex-husband Coleman Laffoon — died at age 53 after an Aug. 5 car crash that left her in a coma with severe burns and critical injuries. She was later removed from life support, and her organs were donated.

The Los Angeles County medical examiner-coroner listed sternal fracture due to blunt trauma as a contributing factor to her death, which was ruled accidental.

Hayden Panettiere details her, Wladimir Klitschko’s current custody arrangement

Since the former boxer obtained full custody of the now-7-year-old in 2018, the little one has “never been back to California,” Panettiere told the “Red Table Talk” co-hosts on Wednesday.

The “Remember the Titans” star noted that she has “seen” her daughter, who lived in Ukraine until she was taken “elsewhere because it was dangerous” when Russia invaded.

“I go over there. … I wish there was more of a bringing her to visit,” the “Nashville” alum, 33, said.

However, the actress has not “gotten any hints” that the current custody situation will change.

“I’ve been told that I can go over and see her anytime,” the “Heroes” alum explained. “I just have to keep the hope that one day when she is old enough for her opinion to be respected a little bit more and her wants are heard, that there will be more proactivity on that side.”

Panettiere detailed the “heartbreaking” moment she signed full custody over to her ex-fiancé while Kaya was in Ukraine, saying that it was a “shock.”

“She was already over there in a country where her uncle is a mayor and they are icons over there,” Panettiere said of Wladimir and his brother, Vitali Klitschko. “It is a country that is very male-dominated, and there wasn’t a heck of a lot that I could do.”

Although the Golden Globe nominee considers the athlete to be a “fantastic father” and thinks he believes “he is doing the right thing,” Panettiere wants Wladimir to “fully grasp” what Kaya’s separation from her mom will mean in the future.

“Kids need their moms,” the singer told Jada Pinkett Smith, Adrienne Banfield Norris and guest co-host Kelly Osbourne. “I had never endangered her or done anything that would, in this country, they would never take a child from me.

“It never would have happened,” Panettiere continued. “When she was there, I was stuck between a rock and a hard place.”

The “Scream 6” star went on to describe her “incredibly strong” daughter’s “stoic” personality, sharing her worries over the “trauma reaction” Kaya recently exhibited.

“Kaya is going around and asking other women if she can call them Mommy,” Panettiere, who dated Wladimir on and off from 2009 to 2018, said. “That’s a cry for help.”

Hayden Panettiere Reflects on Entering Rehab While Starring in Nashville: 'I Just Wanted to Escape'

“When I was on Nashville, they really wrote my life into it. So on the show, one of the storylines was that I was playing an alcoholic. Another storyline was that I was pregnant on the show, and then I got postpartum depression,” Panettiere says during her appearance on the newest episode of Facebook Watch’s Red Table Talk. “I had to go to work every day and be acting out what I was truly going through. So by the time I got home, I didn’t want to sit there with my own feelings and work them out. You know, I just wanted to escape.”

In a sit-down chat with Jada Pinkett Smith, Adrienne Banfield Norris and guest host Kelly Osbourne, Panettiere recalls going to treatment roughly four months after Kaya, her daughter with Wladimir Klitschko, was born in December 2014. The Golden Globe-nominated actress says that she was drinking heavily at the time, “just leaning on that crutch, and it was making things worse.” She adds that she was diagnosed with postpartum depression at the facility where she sought help.

Per Panettiere, her first visit lasted roughly a month; a subsequent one lasted longer. After the country-music drama ended in 2018, she says during the interview, her mental health issues got worse, and she checked into a facility where she wound up staying for eight months.

“I had had it with myself, and I knew it was a longer process,” she says.

Nashville viewers will remember that in October 2015, Panettiere took a very public step back from the show, then in its fourth season. She returned to set the following January but then resumed treatment shortly after the season’s production wrapped.

She appeared in the show’s final two seasons, though Juliette’s involvement in a cult created a reason for Panettiere to be off-screen for a bunch of episodes.

Hayden Panettiere on giving up custody of daughter: 'It wasn't fully my decision'

The 33-year-old actress – who has been candid about her struggles with addiction and depression – has opened up about losing custody of Kaya, now seven, after her daughter moved to Ukraine with Hayden’s ex Wladimir Klitschko.

In a clip from Red Table Talk revealed by Entertainment Tonight, she said: “She was almost three, and it wasn’t fully my decision. In fact, I didn’t even know it was happening until she was already over there.”

The Heroes star explained that she realized she needed to focus on herself and the “unselfish thing” would be focus on herself.

She added: “I was trying to tell myself that if I’m not OK, if I’m not good, then I cannot be the best mom to you.

“I was going through such a hard time that I knew the most unselfish thing I could do was to make that hard decision and just try to work on myself.”

Hayden – who would later spend eight months in rehab – previously addressed her battle with alcoholism after hitting her lowest point before Kaya moved to live with her father.

She said: “I would have the shakes when I woke up and could only function with sipping alcohol.

“It was the hardest thing I ever had to do. But I wanted to be a good mom to her — and sometimes that means letting them go.”

While suffering with depression, Hayden has made it clear while she “never had the feeling that I wanted to harm my child,” she “didn’t want to spend any time with her.”

Reflecting on her relationship with ex Klitschko – which ended for good in 2018 – she added: “He didn’t want to be around me. I didn’t want to be around me. But with the opiods and alcohol I was doing anything to make me feel happy for a moment. Then I’d feel worse than I did before. I was in a cycle of self-destruction.”

‘Dead To Me’: Dark Comedy Finally Returns To Netflix For Last Season

The Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini-fronted dark comedy will return for its third and final season on November 17.

The second season of the Liz Feldman-created series premiered in May 2020 and was renewed for its third and final run in July 2020. The pandemic delayed its return.

“All roads have led to this,” says the teaser trailer, which you can see above.

At the end of the second season, Applegate’s Jen and Cardellini’s Judy are struck in a car crash by a drunk Ben, one of the two characters played by James Marsden. They wake up, both injured but alive, after a series of confessions, murders and financial bonanzas.

“I know you think you’re the reason all our problems started,” Jen’s voice is heard in the teaser. “But they existed long before we met and I’m so glad that we met, you were the best friend I’ve ever known and we survived because we had each other.”

Dead to Me has been a breakout commercial and critical hit for Netflix – its first season was watched by 30M households in its first month, ranking fourth on Netflix’s Top 10 Most Popular Series of 2019 in the U.S. and scoring Applegate an Emmy nomination.

Feldman executive produces with Jessica Elbaum and Will Ferrell for Gloria Sanchez Prods., Christie Smith, Applegate and Adam McKay. Cardellini serves as co-executive producer.

Earlier this year, Feldman, who has an overall deal with the streamer, scored a greenlight for her new dark comedy No Good Deed, which follows different families vying to buy the very same 1920s Spanish style villa that they think will solve all their problems.

Anne Heche memoir 'Call Me Anne' scheduled for January

“I was labelled ‘outrageous’ because I fell in love with a woman. I had never been with a woman before I dated Ellen,” Heche wrote in “Call Me Anne,” which Start Publishing has scheduled for January. Heche, whose films included “Donnie Brasco” and “Wag the Dog,” died Aug. 14 at age 53 after a car crash in Los Angeles.

In her lifetime, Heche said that Hollywood effectively blacklisted her because of her being with DeGeneres, who around the same time made television history by having her character in the sitcom “Ellen” come out as gay.

“I did not, personally, identify as a lesbian. I simply fell in love! It was, to be clear, as odd to me as anyone else. There were no words to describe how I felt,” Heche wrote in her book, a sequel to the memoir “Call Me Crazy,” published in 2001. “Gay didn’t feel right, and neither did straight. Alien might be the best fit, I sometimes thought. What, why, and how I fell in love with a person instead of their gender, I would have loved to have answered if anyone had asked, but as I said earlier, no one ever did. I am happy that I was able to tell you in this book – once and for all.”

Start, an independent publisher based in Hoboken, New Jersey, shared the excerpt this week with The Associated Press. The book’s publisher, Jarred Weisfeld, says that he signed a deal with Heche in May and that she had turned in a manuscript shortly before she died. She will also write about having Harrison Ford as a mentor, along with stories about Alec Baldwin, Ivan Reitman and Oliver Stone, among others.

The book’s release was first announced by Publishers Weekly. Heche had mentioned writing a memoir during a podcast earlier this year, in which she promised that “some of the truths” about her and DeGeneres would be included.

Amazon Freevee Has Secretly Shot A Jury Trial Docu-Style Comedy Series Starring James Marsden

“Freevee has confirmed the existence of the docu-style comedy series but details are under wraps amid speculation of the unique, genre-bending format centered around a jury trial,” a rep for the free, ad-supported platform told Deadline, declining further comment.

The secrecy surrounding the filming was driven by the nature of the semi-improvised series which we hear employs a device similar to the setup used in Sacha Baron Cohen’s Borat and Brüno movies and the series Who Is America? where actors, often in disguise, interact with unsuspecting regular (or famous, in some of Cohen’s work) people.

In the case of the Freevee series, we hear Marsden and a group of largely up-and-coming actors with improv background performed alongside civilians in the comedy about being summoned for jury duty. We hear the show was filmed in a real courtroom south of Los Angeles, with regular and addition shooting partially scheduled around Marsden’s Westworld schedule.

The list of executive producers on the untitled series includes two producers who had previously worked with Cohen. The full list is comprised of Dummy creator/exec producer Cody Heller; The White Lotus executive producer David Bernad; Borat Subsequent Moviefilm exec producer, and Who Is America? producer Nicholas Hatton; WeCrashed co-creator/executive producer Lee Eisenberg; director-producer Jake Szymanski (The Package); writer-producer Gene Stupnitsky (Hello Ladies); Borat Subsequent Moviefilm and Brüno co-producer and Who Is America? exec producer Todd Schulman; and director-producer Ruben Fleischer (Superstore).

Marsden most recently appeared at Disney’s D23 Expo in support of the upcoming Disney+ film Disenchanted, reprising the role of King Edward that originated in the 2007 feature, Enchanted. Up next, he stars in the comedy film Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story for Netflix directed and co-written by Jerry Seinfeld.

The actor is also notably known for his portrayal of Scott Summers/Cyclops in the X-Men film series which originated in 2000; Lon Hammond in 2004 hit The Notebook; as well as Richard White in Superman Returns in 2006. Other credits include Zoolander, Hairspray, 27 Dresses, Straw Dogs, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

On the small screen, Marsden recently returned to HBO’s Westworld for the show’s fourth season which concluded in August. Next, he will be seen in Starz’s revival of Party Down and Season 3 of Netflix’s Dead to Me. Other TV credits include Party of Five, Ally McBeal, Modern Family, Mrs. America, and The Stand. Marsden is repped by CAA.

Taye Diggs To Host ‘Back In The Groove’ Dating Series For Hulu

Back in the Groove will follow three women in their 40s, stuck in the grind of their everyday lives, who will check into The Groove Hotel, a resort on an island of the Dominican Republic. The goal is to rediscover their youth, live joyously, and hopefully find love with men half their age.

“As the saying goes, you can’t fall in love with someone else until you fall in love with yourself!” according to the Hulu announcement. “At the Groove Hotel, these three women will have the opportunity to do both! Whether they find the perfect fling, friendship, true love, or something in between, this is their chance to take charge and break through the double standards older women face every day. And they’re going to have a lot of fun doing it!”

The show marks the first unscripted Hulu Original series under the Walt Disney Television Alternative Banner. There will be eight episodes.

The three women are Sparkle, a 43-yesar-old from Atlanta; Steph, a 41-year-old from Miami, and Brooke, a 42-year-old from Los Angeles.

The series is executive produced by showrunner Elan Gale, Bill Dixon, Sonya Wilkes, Evan Wilkes, Michael Krupat, John Luscombe, Shannon Stoeke and Diggs. Back in the Groove is produced by Walt Disney Television Alternative and Beyond Media Rights Ltd.

CAA represents all parties (except the contestants).

Anne Heche Family Fight Over Estate Heats Up

Here's the deal ... Anne, who had 2 sons with 2 different men, died without a will and her oldest son, 20-year-old Homer Laffoon, wants to run the estate. He also wants his younger half-brother, 13-year-old Atlas Heche Tupper, and himself listed as Anne's sole heirs.

That would've been clean and simple, but enter James Tupper -- Anne's former "Men In Trees" co-star and Atlas' father says Anne wanted him to be in charge of her estate.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, James claims Anne emailed him and 2 other people a copy of her will back in 2011, when they were still dating. James says in the email Anne stated she nominated him as the executor of her will so he could carry out her financial wishes.

Meanwhile, Homer's recently doubled down on allegations James is trying to manipulate him ... with Homer claiming he can't get in touch with his half-brother because James is controlling Atlas' phone.

James is firing back in this latest legal filing ... claiming Homer "is not suitable" to run the estate, claiming he's only 20, is unemployed, dropped out of school and was estranged from Anne at the time of her death.

What's more, James claims he's trying to meet up with Homer, but says he's being ghosted ... and James also accuses Homer of locking him and Atlas out of Anne's house as soon as she died.

UPDATE: 6:30 PM PT -- An attorney for Anne's older son, Homer, tells TMZ ... "We prefer to see the estate administration play out in court and not in the media, as our legal documents speak for themselves."

Homer's lawyer, Bryan Phipps, adds ... "The court appointing Homer special administrator today supports that decision."

‘Strange World’: Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid And Lucy Liu Preview Walt Disney Studios’ New Animated Film At D23

The film includes characters voiced by Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid, Jabouki Young-White and Lucy Liu, all of whom were on hand. It’s about a legendary family of explorers whose differences threaten to scuttle their latest crucial adventure. The film is directed by Don Hall and written by Raya and the Last Dragon’s Qui Nguyen.

Hall called the film a “story of family [and] the strong desire to leave them a better world.” The director described the driving inspiration behind the film as “our kids.”

Nguyen said the story involves a hidden world, unique creatures and “environments full if surprises and dangers.”

Strange World marks Gyllenhaal’s first time in Disney animated movie. He plays a character called Searcher.

“Being here is so cool and to share this trailer for the first time,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to be in a Disney animated movie so it’s kind of a dream come true.”

Quaid agreed.

“I love being part of the Disney family. It really has been very, very good to me. I play Jaeger Clade. I’m Searcher’s father and it’s a really different kind of character for me. He’s got huge calves, for one thing. Jaeger’s a world famous explorer in his strange world, an adventurer. He’s stubborn but he’s a lot of fun – opinionated but, you know, take him as he is.”

Liu said she was “excited to play such an amazing character because Callisto is tough. She’s fearless. A leader.” She also calls the character “someone I would aspire to be” because she wants to protect others.

“I love the idea of looking out for other people,” she said.

Young-White, who plays Searcher’s son Ethan Clade, describes his character as “an incredible kid. Super excited for adventure like his grandfather, not like his dad. I feel a part of myself in him.”

ABC Adds Serious Star Power to Its Upcoming ‘Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration’ Special’

As previously announced, five-time GRAMMY- and Academy Award®-winning singer-songwriter H.E.R. will play the role of Belle, with Jon M. Chu set to executive produce the special, and Hamish Hamilton set to direct. Additional talented cast, whose performances will be seamlessly woven through the original feature film, will be announced at a later date.

Tony, EMMY, and four-time GRAMMY Award-nominated singer, songwriter, actor and philanthropist Josh Groban possesses one of the most outstanding and instantly recognizable voices in music. Moreover, he continues to captivate fans everywhere as both a powerhouse vocalist and dynamic renaissance man. He has sold over 35 million albums worldwide, headlined legendary venues on multiple continents, and entertained audiences with acclaimed film and television appearances. His catalog spans a series of chart-topping blockbuster albums, including “Josh Groban” (five-time platinum), “Closer” (six-time platinum), “Noël” (six-time platinum), “Awake” (two-time platinum), “Illumination,” “All That Echoes” (gold), “Stages” (gold), his first UK No. 1 album, “Bridges,” and his most recent release, “Harmony.”

Extending his repertoire, Groban made his Broadway debut in 2016 with a starring role in “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812.” He garnered a Tony Award nomination for Best Lead Actor In A Musical. He has expanded his presence with appearances on “Glee,” “The Simpsons,” “The Office,” “CSI: NY,” “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” and “The Crazy Ones” as well as in the feature films “Coffee Town,” “Muppets Most Wanted” and “Crazy, Stupid, Love.” In addition, he starred in the NETFLIX series “The Good Cop” in 2018. In spring 2023, Groban will once again grace the stages of Broadway in the revival of “Sweeney Todd,” playing the title role. He remains an active arts education philanthropist and advocate, and his Find Your Light Foundation helps enrich the lives of young people through arts, education and cultural awareness.

Joshua Henry is a GRAMMY-nominated performer and recording artist best known for his Tony-nominated leading roles in “Carousel,” “The Scottsboro Boys” and “Violet,” as well as for his show- stopping performance as Aaron Burr in the cultural phenomenon “Hamilton” (Chicago/San Francisco/Los Angeles). A BMG recording artist, Henry’s debut album, “Grow,” is available worldwide on all streaming platforms. On screen, he starred as Roger Bart in the Academy Award-nominated film “Tick, Tick, Boom,” directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda. He also starred as Jerlamarel opposite Jason Momoa in two seasons of Apple TV+’s show “See.” Other Broadway shows include “In the Heights,” “Shuffle Along,” “American Idiot,” “Porgy and Bess,” “Bring It On: The Musical,” “Off-Broadway: In the Heights” and “The Wrong Man.” Henry can currently be seen starring on Broadway in “Into The Woods.”

Rita Moreno has won all four of the most prestigious awards in show business: two Emmys, a GRAMMY, an Oscar and a Tony. Her countless credits span more than seven decades, beginning with her Broadway debut at age 13. Moreno has starred on Broadway and London’s West End, appeared in more than 40 feature films and countless television shows, and has performed in numerous regional theaters including her one-woman show, “Life Without Makeup,” at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre.

Just recently, Moreno wrapped production on two films: “Eighty for Brady,” starring opposite Sally Field, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin; and “Fast X,” where she plays Vin Diesel’s grandmother. Last year, she co-starred and served as an executive producer on Steven Spielberg’s remake of “West Side Story.” For four seasons, Moreno co-starred in the critically acclaimed Latinx reimagining of Norman Lear’s classic TV sitcom, “One Day At A Time.” Moreno has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush and the National Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama.

This year, 2022, marks the 30th anniversary of when Disney Animation’s “Beauty and the Beast” became the first animated film to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. The film went on to win the Golden Globe® Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, while the theme song “Beauty and the Beast” won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1992.

“Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration” is produced by Done+Dusted in association with Walt Disney Television Alternative and Electric Somewhere. Executive producers are Jon M. Chu, Caitlin Foito, Hamish Hamilton, Raj Kapoor, Richard Kraft and Katy Mullan. Hamish Hamilton will serve as director. H.E.R. serves as a producer.

Emmy Presenters: Ariana DeBose, ‘Squid Game’ Stars, Jean Smart, Jimmy Kimmel, Selena Gomez & More

Here is the list, in alphabetical order: Will Arnett, Angela Bassett, Vanessa Bayer, Kelly Clarkson, Ariana DeBose, Taye Diggs, Hannah Einbinder, Selena Gomez, Mariska Hargitay, Squid Game’s Jung Ho-yeon & Lee Jung-jae, Jimmy Kimmel, Diego Luna, Christopher Meloni, Seth Meyers, Amy Poehler, Molly Shannon, Jean Smart, Kerry Washington and Natalie Zea.

More presenters will be announced as we get closer to TV’s Biggest Night, which will be hosted by SNL stalwart Kenan Thompson from the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles. The ceremony will air live on NBC starting at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET.

Anne Heche died without a will, son files to control estate

Homer Laffoon, Heche’s son with ex-husband Coleman Laffoon, filed a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday requesting that he be allowed to administer his mother’s estate.

The petition lists Homer Laffoon and 13-year-old Atlas Tupper, Heche’s son with former partner James Tupper, as her only heirs.

The document says the value of Heche’s estate is unknown. That is often the case on such initial filings, before anyone has the legal authority to assess the dead person’s assets.

Homer Laffoon also filed a petition asking that someone be appointed to represent his brother’s interests in court.

An email to a Heche representative seeking comment was not immediately returned.

On Aug. 5, a car Heche was driving jumped a curb, smashed into a Los Angeles home and burst into flames. She was declared brain dead on Aug. 11, and was kept alive on life support for three more days so her organs could be donated.

Heche, 53, was among the biggest film stars of the late 1990s, starring opposite actors including Johnny Depp and Harrison Ford, and had worked consistently in movies and television for more than three decades.

She was married to Coleman Laffoon, a television camera operator, from 2001 to 2009, and was in a relationship with James Tupper, an actor, from 2007 to 2018. She had a son with each.

‘Nashville’ & ‘Scream’ Star Hayden Panettiere Signs With APA As Comeback Continues After Addiction Battle Reveal

The two-time Golden Globe nominee recently finished filming on Scream 6 in which she reprises her role as Kirby Reed.

Panettiere’s breakout role came as Claire Bennet in NBC’s Heroes and she went on to get the starring role of Juliette Barnes in ABC’s hit Nashville. She also starred in the final season of David E. Kelly’s Ally McBeal for Fox.

The actress’s other film credits include The Forger opposite Josh Hutcherson, Remember the Titans with Denzel Washington, Custody with Viola Davis, Chris Columbus’s I Love You Beth Cooper, and Bring It On: All Or Nothing.

Scream 6 marks Panettiere’s first movie in six years. She hasn’t acted in TV since Nashville ended in 2018. Last month, the actress opened up to People magazine about a long struggle with alcohol and substance abuse as well as postpartum depression. She explained how she has undergone trauma therapy and inpatient treatment within the last year in a bid to get her life back on track.

Panettiere continues to be represented by Mainstay Entertainment (who she signed with earlier this year) and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller, Gellman, Meigs & Fox.

Netflix Fall & Holiday Film Slate

‘Ally McBeal’ Sequel With New Lead In Works At ABC From Karin Gist; Calista Flockhart Eyed To Return

Written and executive produced by Karin Gist (Mike), I hear the new show will follow a young Black woman who joins the law firm from the original series (or its current incarnation) straight out of law school. The young woman is believed to be the daughter of Ally McBeal’s (Flockhart) D.A. roommate Renée Raddick, who was played by Lisa Nicole Carson on the mothership series.

I hear Flockhart has been approached to reprise her title role from the original in some capacity and to executive produce the follow-up. A decision on her potential involvement likely won’t be made until a script has been written.

Kelley created and executive produced Ally McBeal through his overall deal at 20th Television that had his David E. Kelley Productions function as a mini studio, giving the prolific producer a bigger say in exploiting existing IP. I hear Kelley has been looped in on the idea and has given his blessing for the follow-up. Given the new show’s focus on a new character who is a Black woman, I hear Kelley felt he was not needed and graciously stepped aside out of respect for Gist being able to tell that character’s story. There are no current plans for Kelley to be involved in the sequel, which Ally McBeal studio 20th Television, part of Disney TV Studios, is producing. Gist serves as showrunner and executive produces through her production banner, The Gist of It, alongside the company’s EVP Claire Brown.

Reps for ABC and 20th TV declined comment.

Executives at 20th TV had been looking to bring back Ally McBeal in some shape or form for years; the efforts were stepped up after the 2019 Disney acquisition of Fox assets, including 20th TV, fueled by how well the series’ DNA fits into ABC’s core brand of female-driven character dramas with levity. I hear Gist’s take was very well received across the board, leading to the pitch’s sale to ABC for development.

The setup of the Ally McBeal follow-up is reminiscent of NBC’s upcoming Night Court sequel series, which also features a new lead character (Melissa Rauch) who is the daughter of a character from the original series and has the original lead, John Larroquette, reprising his role alongside her.

Ally McBeal, which aired on Fox from 1997-2002, starred Flockhart as Ally, a lawyer working in the Boston law firm Cage and Fish along with her ex-lover and his wife, and followed Ally’s trials and tribulations through life as she looked for love and fulfillment. The main focus of the dramedy was the romantic and personal lives of the main characters, often using legal proceedings as plot device.

The series won the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series in 1999, one of seven Emmys and a slew of other major awards for its run. Ally McBeal was known for its strong ensemble cast, led by Flockhart and featuring Courtney Thorne-Smith, Greg Germann, Carson, Jane Krakowski, Peter MacNicol, Gil Bellows, Lucy Liu, Portia de Rossi as well as musician Vonda Shepard who rose to fame on the show. Additionally, the series gave Robert Downey Jr. one of his first big roles following his 1990s legal troubles en route to his blockbuster career comeback in Iron Man.

Ally McBeal transcended television to become a pop culture phenom and generate memes before memes existed with its infamous dancing baby. It remains influential two decades after its end, with She-Hulk‘s creative team recently listing the dramedy as an inspiration for their Marvel series.

Gist is among the top creators/showrunners on 20th TV’s roster of overall deals. Under the pact, she is executive producer and showrunner on the new Mike Tyson limited series Mike for Hulu. She co-created, executive produced and showran the Fox series Our Kind of People and served as executive producer and showrunner on the ABC comedy mixed-ish.

Previously, Gist served as executive producer and showrunner of Fox’s Star for Seasons 2 and 3. Before that, she was a co-executive producer on ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy from 2015-17. Additional writing and producing credits include WB/CW’s One Tree Hill, Showtime’s House of Lies and ABC’s Revenge. Her film writing credits include Disney’s Camp Rock and Camp Rock 2, Jump In and VH1’s Drumline: A New Beat. She is repped by Adventure Media, Joel McKuin and ID PR.

‘Feud’: Tom Hollander, Calista Flockhart & Diane Lane To Star In Season 2 Of Ryan Murphy’s FX Series

They join previously announced Naomi Watts and Chloë Sevigny. Hollander will star as Truman Capote, Flockhart as Lee Radziwill and Lane as Slim Keith. As previously announced, Watts stars as Babe Paley, wife of CBS head Bill Paley, and Sevigny portrays C.Z. Guest.

An adaptation of Laurence Leamer’s bestselling book Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era, the miniseries is set in the 1970s and ends with Truman Capote’s death in 1984. It chronicles the tale of the famous wunderkind author as he stabs several of his female friends — whom he called his “swans” — in the back by publishing a roman à clef short story called “La Côte Basque 1965” in Esquire in 1975. The piece was intended to be a chapter in Capote’s infamous unfinished novel Answered Prayers, his follow-up to the blockbuster In Cold Blood.

Two-time Oscar nominee Gus Van Sant is set to direct all eight episodes, with Tony- and Pulitzer-nominated Jon Robin Baitz writing all episodes and serving as showrunner.

Baitz, Van Sant and Watts are executive producing Feud: Capote’s Women alongside Murphy, Plan B’s Dede Gardner, Tim Minear and Alexis Martin Woodall — who all executive produced/produced Season 1, titled Feud: Bette and Joan. 20th Television is the studio, producing with Plan B Entertainment and Ryan Murphy Productions. Filming is slated to begin in New York this fall.

Hollander is known for his roles in The Night Manager and Gosford Park, as well as films Pride & Prejudice and the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

Flockhart, best known for her starring role in Ally McBeal, most recently played Cal Grant on the CW’s Supergirl.

Lane next will be seen opposite Jeff Daniels in Netflix limited series A Man in Full. She most recently starred in FX’s adaptation of Y: The Last Man.

Variety was first to report the castings.

Anne Heche’s Cause Of Death Revealed By Coroner – Report

The report cited a “sternal fracture due to blunt trauma” as another “significant condition” contributing to her passing. Heche sustained the injuries when her car jumped a curb and careened into a house in West L.A. last week, whereupon it burst into flames. She was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.

After Heche was pronounced brain dead, her family on Thursday made the difficult decision to take her off life support after any viable organs could be donated. Her heart stopped beating Sunday evening.

The coroner’s office listed her date of death as August 11, the day she was declared brain dead at the Grossman Burn Center at West Hills Hospital and Medical Center. It was unclear exactly what organ or organs were donated.

Her family and friends released the following statement:

“We have lost a bright light, a kind and most joyful soul, a loving mother, and a loyal friend. Anne will be deeply missed but she lives on through her beautiful sons, her iconic body of work, and her passionate advocacy. Her bravery for always standing in her truth, spreading her message of love and acceptance, will continue to have a lasting impact.”

Even the woman whose house Heche fatally crashed into shared her sorrow on social media.

Lynne Mishele, who was in the back yard on the other side of the house at the time of the crash, said in part, “The news of Anne Heche passing is devastating. Her family and her friends and her children, especially, really have suffered a great loss, and my heart goes out for them.”

“This entire situation is just tragic and there really are just no words. I’m sending love to everyone involved.”

A fund, set up to assist Mishele in her financial struggles arising from the accident had by Sunday raised $150,000.

Law enforcement officials had been looking into the accident after blood tests showed the presence of “narcotics” in Heche’s system. They were trying to determine, among other things, if the drug or drugs were introduced into her system at the hospital, as part of pain management, or before. The test results also showed Heche was not under the influence of alcohol. On Sunday officials announced the investigation had been closed.

“As of today, there will be no further investigative efforts made in this case,” the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement shared by People. “Any information or records that have been requested prior to this turn of events will still be collected as they arrive as a matter of formalities and included in the overall case. When a person suspected of a crime expires, we do not present for filing consideration.”

James Tupper thanks Emily Bergl for denying Anne Heche was ‘crazy’

The 57-year-old actor, who shares son Atlas, 13, with the “Another World” alum, called Bergl’s Friday Instagram post “completely accurate and true.”

He wrote, “Oh god thank you for writing this. … love you e.”

In her lengthy post, Bergl wrote that Heche, who died on Friday at age 53, was a “genius.”

“Anne was … one of the most astoundingly focused and prepared actors I’ve ever worked with,” the “Shameless” alum, 47, told her followers of working with the Daytime Emmy winner from 2006 to 2008. “I don’t think I ever saw her miss her mark.

“Her strength seemed super human,” Bergl continued, noting that Heche never “phone[d] it in” on set.

“She would work for twelve hours, invite everyone to the bar, drink a couple of doubles and be back at work at four AM.”

Heche was “always on time” and “luminous without a lick of makeup,” the “Southland” alum added. “Scene after scene, her work would be flawless, and yet always remained spontaneous.”

At the time of Bergl’s post, Heche was declared brain dead and “not expected to survive” after crashing her blue Mini Cooper into a Los Angeles home and causing a fire one week prior.

The Tony nominee was removed from life support on Sunday, with her rep telling Page Six, “We have lost a bright light, a kind and most joyful soul, a loving mother and a loyal friend.”

While Bergl and Tupper have yet to post via social media since Heche’s passing, the late “Call Me Crazy” author’s eldest son, Homer, 20, told us that he hopes she is “free of pain” now.

“After six days of almost unbelievable emotional swings, I am left with a deep, wordless sadness,” Homer said over the weekend. “Hopefully my mom is … beginning to explore what I like to imagine as her eternal freedom.”

Heche gave birth to Homer in 2002 while married to Coleman “Coley” Laffoon. After the couple split in 2007, she moved on with Tupper.

The former couple welcomed Atlas in 2009, calling it quits in 2018. Following Heche’s car crash, the “Big Little Lies” alum wrote via Instagram that he will “love [her] forever.”

As for Laffoon’s tribute, the 48-year-old real estate broker told his Instagram followers Friday that Homer is “strong” and “going to be OK.”

He gushed, “She came in hot and she had a lot to say and she was brave and fearless, loved really hard and was never afraid to let us know what she thinks and what she believed in.”

‘Yellowjackets’ Christina Ricci On Why She Roots For The Underdog — Even If It Bites Her

DEADLINE: Why did you want to want to do Yellowjackets?

CHRISTINA RICCI: I loved the idea of it — the premise in general. But then I read the pilot script and the only scene I had in the whole episode was such an incredibly well written, succinct, informative, evocative scene. It was about a character type I’ve always been fascinated by — petty, small people who are so powerless in the world that their only way to fight back is through these tiny little instances of being able to force their will onto someone else. I’ve always been fascinated by that character type, and I was excited, because I really, really, really enjoy playing characters that do bad things. Then I was told that, later on in the show — if we were picked up — Misty would do some pretty terrible criminal things, and I was completely intrigued. I’m referring more to the murder she commits [laughs]. Kidnapping, torture, that kind of stuff!

DEADLINE: The show is unusual in that its weaving of the past and present gives both time frames equal weight. Did you always know that would be the case?

RICCI: I knew after the pilot and I loved that as well, because it’s so helpful for my performance. Frankly, it allows me to start from a further along place then I would if I was the only person playing the character — it’s a real luxury to not have to worry about showing the past. Especially with Misty. She’s such a proactive character: she just goes, goes, goes. The past doesn’t really seem to have had much effect on her. Obviously, it’s shaped her and formed her, but, intellectually, I don’t think she ever looks back.

DEADLINE: What does a typical script look like? Do you get the whole episode or just your timeline?

RICCI: We read the whole script and we have a Zoom table read, or at least we did last year. Actually, seeing what happens in the flashback scenes is very important, because a lot of times in the script there’ll be scenes that mirror things that happen in the past. So, I learned to look out for those things, to make sure that I could do them the way that Sammi did, or make sure Sammi did it the same way that I do it in the present.

DEADLINE: How much interaction did you have with Sammi?

RICCI: We didn’t have that much interaction before the pilot — we met very briefly. And then when we finally went to shoot the season, we had a lunch and discussed the character. Obviously, neither of us are doctors, so in terms of diagnosing Misty, it’s a little more complicated. But with a character that is so extreme, you do have to have a specific take on her, and rules for her, because she’s still a person.

DEADLINE: How much research can you do into a character like Misty?

RICCI: You can’t do any, really, because when you’re doing TV, it’s not set in stone what this character will be doing. You have to have a concept that can evolve and stretch, but you also, as an actor, have to feel confident that you know your parameters. They intentionally put a scene in there when Misty’s a child, where she stares at an animal drowning and dying. To me, that speaks to a lack of empathy, and, as a sort of dime-store psychiatrist, I’d think that they were saying that she’s a bit of a sociopath. From there, what I do is just try to take everything I see written for her and really ground it in reality. And also, with such an extreme character, you never want her to be purely comic relief. I was always like, “I just don’t want her to be a clown. She can’t be the clown.”

DEADLINE: But she’s still very funny and in a very elevated, witty way.

RICCI: Well, I don’t think she’s stupid. She’s learned a lot of coping mechanisms, survival skills, methods of getting ahead, manipulative tactics that involve pretending to be as innocuous as possible. I always describe her as a murderous golden retriever. [Laughs] It’s how I describe myself, actually. Inside she’s seething, but she has to cover it all the time with this very innocuous, adorable kind of thing. But that means that her main form of hostility is passive aggression, and usually through the things she says and the things she does, you can tell she’s actually very smart and understands everything that’s going on, even if somehow, she just cannot do the right thing.

DEADLINE: It’s so nice to see good parts for women. There’s you, Melanie Lynskey, Juliette Lewis, Tawny Cypress… And you’re playing great characters, with not too many men to clutter the horizon.

RICCI: You’re right. I mean, all the parts on this show are just some of the best examples of characters for women right now, because they are so specific and unique and individual and not just types. That’s something I think that is only now starting to be the norm — that we don’t treat women as tropes or props, and they don’t have to be specific types that we recognize. It’s very strange now. If you read a script or you see a show where women are treated in that way, it’s so glaring. It’s like, “Ooh, that feels dated.”

DEADLINE: How much have you seen the industry change since you started acting?

RICCI: For me? Well, when I started, I was a child and just happy to be in that environment and away from home and working. It was exciting and fun, so all I focused on was being really well behaved so that I would get more jobs. But now that I’m past my difficult 20s, and all of the distraction that goes on in that time, I feel like I can really look at my work from a creative, artistic, intellectual standpoint, with all the calm that comes with age. It’s really lovely for that to be what I drown myself in and focus on, and it allows me to shut out all the other kind of stuff about being an actress that is superfluous.

DEADLINE: How did you find the transition from child acting to adult acting?

RICCI: Actually, I didn’t have a hard time, because, just as I became 17, independent film became a huge thing and for the first time, filmmakers wanted to cast actual teenagers to play teenagers. The kind of material was so meaty and gritty. That really helped me to not struggle in my transition to doing adult films — but, again, it’s just a time-and-place kind of thing. I got really lucky.

DEADLINE: Did casting agents have preconceptions of you?

RICCI: At that time, I did a lot of indies because, in mainstream movies, there was still a lot of leading-lady standards that I didn’t fall into.

DEADLINE: You’ve certainly seen that change.

RICCI: Well, yeah. But I’m not at that age anymore. I’m not in my 20s and it’s not the 2000s, when you were either a leading lady or a character actress, and there was no in-between. Now they’re melding and blending. I’m not sure what it’s like to be in your 20s now, as an actress. But I do think, from what I see as a TV- and film-watcher, that they’re also benefiting from playing much more complicated, interesting women.

DEADLINE: Tell me about your production company. How does that work?

RICCI: I spend a lot of my time mining for material, articles. One of the pieces I have is an obscure piece of true crime that I found. Another piece is an article from Vanity Fair about old Hollywood lore. I spend most of my time looking for IP and material and then trying to package it, find partners. And I’ve been successful with a few things.

DEADLINE: What kinds of stories appeal to you?

RICCI: I usually look for something that’s a little bit different. I love a story; I love an antihero. I love it when the protagonist is just a scumbag, but you’ve got to follow them anyway and figure out why. And I like being challenging — I like the idea of the audience having that sort of emotional character arc experience. You know what I mean? I like turning the tables. I don’t know how to really eloquently describe it, but I like the idea of people seeing something that they think they couldn’t possibly relate to — but then being intrigued enough to want to understand it and follow along with it. I do not believe that audiences have to see themselves in a character to want to watch them and understand them, and that has been something I’ve argued about for my entire career.

DEADLINE: Where does that interest come from?

RICCI: I’ve always been like that. I’ve always been that person who stands too close to the abandoned dog and then gets bitten. I’ve always really over-empathized with, maybe, the wrong types of people, because I’m fascinated by deviant behavior. In a weird, Pollyanna-ish way I have that optimism of thinking that people are good deep inside, even when they’re really not.

DEADLINE: Which of your roles do you think has come closest to achieving what you’ve just been talking about?

RICCI: I don’t know how to answer that question, but I do feel that — in terms of putting something really off-putting in front of people and then ultimately making it compelling and interesting enough that they want to dive in and end up actually even liking the character — Misty is a very good example of that. I finally found the right job for it.

DEADLINE: What has the reaction to Yellowjackets been like? On a personal level, not just from reading it in the trades.

RICCI: People really like it. I mean, everyone I talk to loves it. I have friends who genuinely love it, and they aren’t just saying that because they’re my friends. I have a lot of trouble [processing success]. I’ve always been like that, since I was young and super-famous. I don’t feel famous — I’m just home, doing my day. It’s hard to actually feel this ephemeral thing, that somewhere out there, hanging above us, there’s a hit show and everyone’s crazy for it. I can’t feel that. But it is very, very exciting to be in the position I’m in now, and for the show to be so nominated and for people to really love it. Because it is a bit of a risk in a lot of ways, in the way it deals with women and their characters. And so if it had failed, or been stupid, that would’ve been really a shame for women.

Actress Anne Heche ‘peacefully taken off life support’ nine days after car crash

A representative for the 53-year-old star confirmed her death to the PA news agency on Sunday night.

Heche had been in hospital since she was severely injured in the crash in the Mar Vista area of Los Angeles on August 5.

The actress, who rose to fame in the late 90s, suffered burns and a brain injury when she crashed her car into a house.

Heche had been classified as “legally dead according to California law” after the crash but kept on life support in case her organs could be donated.

The assessment took nine days.

Earlier on Sunday, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said they had concluded their investigation into Heche’s serious car crash.

“As of today, there will be no further investigative efforts made in this case,” police said in a statement.

“Any information or records that have been requested prior to this turn of events will still be collected as they arrive as a matter of formalities and included in the overall case. When a person suspected of a crime expires, we do not present for filing consideration.”

The department previously confirmed to the PA news agency that the crash was being investigated as a felony driving-under-the-influence (DUI) traffic collision after preliminary blood tests revealed the presence of drugs in Heche’s system.

However, additional testing was required to rule out substances administered in the hospital.

Heche’s family earlier shared a statement with PA saying she was “not expected to survive” her injuries and that she was being temporarily kept on life support – presumably while the assessment for organ donation took place.

The statement added: “We want to thank everyone for their kind wishes and prayers for Anne’s recovery and thank the dedicated staff and wonderful nurses that cared for Anne at the Grossman Burn Centre at West Hills hospital.

“Unfortunately, due to her accident, Anne Heche suffered a severe anoxic brain injury and remains in a coma, in critical condition. She is not expected to survive.

“It has long been her choice to donate her organs and she is being kept on life support to determine if any are viable.

“Anne had a huge heart and touched everyone she met with her generous spirit.

“More than her extraordinary talent, she saw spreading kindness and joy as her life’s work – especially moving the needle for acceptance of who you love.

“She will be remembered for her courageous honesty and dearly missed for her light.”

Pictures and video footage obtained by US media outlet TMZ following the incident showed Heche driving a blue Mini Cooper, which was later pictured severely damaged at the scene.

The vehicle struck a two-storey home and “erupted in heavy fire” according to the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD).

Fifty-nine firefighters took 65 minutes to access, confine and fully extinguish the flames within the heavily damaged structure, according to an LAFD report.

Heche sustained a “significant pulmonary injury requiring mechanical ventilation” and “burns that require surgical intervention”.

The actress earned recognition portraying twins Vicky Hudson and Marley Love on the US soap opera Another World from 1985 to 1991 which won her a Daytime Emmy Award.

She rose to prominence in the late 1990s with roles in the crime drama film Donnie Brasco, alongside Johnny Depp and Al Pacino, the slasher movie I Know What You Did Last Summer and action comedy film Six Days, Seven Nights among others.

She also starred in the 1998 remake of Psycho.

She is the former partner of US talk show host Ellen DeGeneres – the pair began dating in 1997 before separating in 2000.

Heche later suggested their public relationship had led to her being blacklisted professionally, describing herself as “patient zero in cancel culture”.

As well as film roles, Heche appeared in multiple US television series including Men In Trees, Save Me and military drama television series The Brave.

More recently she was a contestant in the 29th season of Dancing With The Stars – the US version of Strictly Come Dancing – in 2020, but was eliminated in the third round.

Anne Heche: Her Family Says “We Have Lost A Bright Light”

“While Anne is legally dead according to California law, her heart is still beating, and she has not been taken off life support so that One Legacy can see if she is a match for organ donation,” a rep for Heche said.

According to sources, Heche will be taken off the ventilator in the next 24 or so hours. But to all who knew her, she is already gone. The sentiment was reflected in a statement released by a rep on behalf of Heche’s family and friends.

“We have lost a bright light, a kind and most joyful soul, a loving mother, and a loyal friend,” the statement says. “Anne will be deeply missed but she lives on through her beautiful sons, her iconic body of work, and her passionate advocacy. Her bravery for always standing in her truth, spreading her message of love and acceptance, will continue to have a lasting impact.”

Heche’s older son, Homer Laffoon, also issued a statement Friday, mourning the mom he shared with his younger brother Atlas.

“Today my brother Atlas and I lost our Mom,” Laffoon said. “After six days of unbelievable emotional swings, I am left with a deep, wordless sadness. Hopefully my mom is free from pain and beginning to explore what I like to imagine as her eternal freedom. Over those six days, thousands of friends, family and fans made their hearts known to me. I am grateful for their love, as I am for the support of my Dad, Coley, and my step-mom Alexi, who continue to be my rocks during this time. Rest In Peace Mom, I love you, Homer.”

Anne Heche Dead at 53

The rep adds life support machines are keeping Anne's heart beating for the purpose of preserving her organs for donations, however, the rep made it clear ... Anne has no brain function.

The actress died Friday at an L.A.-area hospital ... she was rushed there in a coma, in critical condition and never regained consciousness. We're told she suffered a severe anoxic brain injury -- complete oxygen deprivation to the brain.

A rep for Anne's family tells TMZ ... "We have lost a bright light, a kind and most joyful soul, a loving mother, and a loyal friend. Anne will be deeply missed but she lives on through her beautiful sons, her iconic body of work, and her passionate advocacy. Her bravery for always standing in her truth, spreading her message of love and acceptance, will continue to have a lasting impact."

Anne had a long and successful career in Hollywood, getting her start playing Vicky Hudson and Marley Love in the soap, "Another World," winning a Daytime Emmy.

When Anne moved over to the big screen, she landed roles in some huge movies ... including "Donnie Brasco," "Volcano," "I Know What You Did Last Summer," "Six Days Seven Nights," "Return to Paradise," the "Psycho" remake and "Wag the Dog."

Anne also starred in a number of TV shows, like "Men in Trees," "Hung," "Aftermath" and "The Brave" ... and she also did voice work for the animated TV series "The Legend of Korra."

During the first year of the pandemic, Anne was a contestant on "Dancing with the Stars."

Anne famously dated Ellen DeGeneres back in the day ... starting in 1997 until their highly-publicized split in August 2000 ... she ended up marrying cameraman Coleman Laffoon, whom she met on Ellen's stand-up comedy tour.

Heche had a child with Laffoon, but their marriage ended in divorce. Her next relationship was with her "Men in Trees" costar, James Tupper, with whom she had her second child. They split in 2018 after 10 years together.

TMZ broke the story ... LAPD sources say Anne was under the influence of cocaine and possibly fentanyl on Aug. 5 when she committed at least 2 hit-and-runs before crashing through a home and causing a fire.

Anne sustained significant injuries in the crash, including severe burns and lung damage.

Anne was 53.

Anne Heche “Not Expected To Survive” After Severe Brain Injury, Will Be Taken Off Life Support

“We want to thank everyone for their kind wishes and prayers for Anne’s recovery and thank the dedicated staff and wonderful nurses that cared for Anne at the Grossman Burn Center at West Hills hospital,” a rep for Heche’s family and friends told Deadline.

“Unfortunately, due to her accident, Anne Heche suffered a severe anoxic brain injury and remains in a coma, in critical condition. She is not expected to survive.

“It has long been her choice to donate her organs and she is being kept on life support to determine if any are viable.

“Anne had a huge heart and touched everyone she met with her generous spirit. More than her extraordinary talent, she saw spreading kindness and joy as her life’s work — especially moving the needle for acceptance of who you love. She will be remembered for her courageous honesty and dearly missed for her light.”

There are plans for Heche to get Honor Walk, a hero’s goodbye donor patients receive by hospital staff as they are wheeled into the operating room in their final journey.

Heche had been hospitalized since Friday, Aug. 5, when she crashed her car into a Mar Vista house and ignited it. (The house’s owner and her pet were able to evacuate.)

Fifty-nine firefighters battled the blaze, which had engulfed both Heche’s car and the house, for 65 minutes until she could be safely pulled out of the wreckage. Heche was reportedly able to communicate at the time of her rescue but lost consciousness shortly thereafter and never regained it. She has been in a coma ever since.

On Monday, Aug. 8, Heche’s was described as being in “extreme critical condition.”

“She has a significant pulmonary injury requiring mechanical ventilation and burns that require surgical intervention,” a rep for the actor said at the time.

There had been a lot of speculation about Heche’s condition before the crash as she was filmed driving erratically and speeding in the minutes prior to the accident, including getting into another, minor car accident, blocks from the crash site. A blood test was performed after Heche was taken to the hospital.

“Based on the blood work, it revealed the presence of narcotics,” Officer Lizeth Lomeli of the LAPD told Deadline on Wednesday, Aug. 11.

Heche had recently wrapped filming Lifetime movie Girl In Room 13, which explores the dark underworld of the $150-billion-dollar human trafficking industry. Amy Winter, executive VP and head of programming for Lifetime Networks addressed Heche’s accident Thursday during a panel for the film at the Television Critics Association virtual press tour. Winter said the film was still scheduled to premiere in September as planned.

“This project is important to Anne, along with each and every one of us,” Winter said.” We all sought to make a film that would bring attention to this appalling issue of human sex trafficking. We hope that this film reached you and that you are just as inspired as Anne was to help us with our mission to stop violence against women.”

Anne Heche Under Influence of Cocaine At Time of Car Crash

LAPD sources tell TMZ ... the department has tested the blood they drew after Anne was admitted to the hospital, and in addition to cocaine, they also found fentanyl. However, our sources say fentanyl is sometimes used as a pain med in hospitals, so they need to do more testing and investigation to determine if the fentanyl was in her system at the time of the crash.

We are also told Anne's condition is dire ... it has not improved since she was admitted to the hospital. As we reported, Anne has been fighting for her life and is in critical condition.

As we reported, Anne was driving her Mini Cooper at an extremely high rate of speed last Friday in a residential area of L.A. when she crashed into a car, a garage and then a house, igniting a fire that severely burned her.

Anne Heche Lifetime Movie ‘Girl In Room 13’ Still On Track Following Car Crash

Amy Winter, executive VP and head of programming, addressed the issue at the top of the panel, and asked reporters to refrain from asking questions about the actor’s health status.

“As many of you know, Anne remains in critical condition and all of us here at Lifetime are deeply concerned for her and everyone affected,” Winter said. “We hope that her friends and family stay strong during this difficult time. You know, just as much as we do, that we ask that you kindly refrain from inquiring about her health status. This project is important to Anne, along with each and every one of us. We all sought to make a film that would bring attention to this appalling issue of human sex trafficking. We hope that this film reached you and that you are just as inspired as Anne was to help us with our mission to stop violence against women. Thank you for your support and your questions about the film.”

Director Elisabeth Rohm confirmed during the panel that filming on the movie had been completed and it will air in September as scheduled.

“We’re all so dedicated to the cause, stopping violence against women and I again thank Lifetime’s so much for creating this platform. All of us, especially Larissa who played this victim, are committed to that cause,” Rohm said. “We talked about it — every single one of us — that this was our mission. And although [Anne] is deeply missed, right now, I will say the film is finished and she did a phenomenal performance — a tour de force much like Larissa.”

Heche has been hospitalized since Friday when a car she was driving crashed and caught fire in the Mar Vista area of Los Angeles.

On Monday, her representative released an update: “At this time Anne is in extreme critical condition. She has a significant pulmonary injury requiring mechanical ventilation and burns that require surgical intervention. She is in a coma and has not regained consciousness since shortly after the accident.”

Heche stars along with Larissa Dias, Max Montesi and Matt Hamilton in Room in Girl 13, which explores the dark underworld of the $150-billion-dollar human trafficking industry.

Girl in Room 13 is produced by Motel Productions Inc for Lifetime. Tim Johnson, Stacy Mandelberg and Yvonne Chotzen serve as executive producers. The film is written by Maria Nation (The Gabby Douglas Story) and directed by Rohm.

Anne Heche Under Investigation for Felony DUI After Fiery Crash into House

LAPD sources tell TMZ ... they've now upped the investigation to a felony because the woman inside the home Anne barreled through with her Mini Cooper claims she was injured -- suffering cuts requiring medical treatment.

Cops believe Anne was driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol ... because she was driving erratically and recklessly, hitting a garage and a parked car before slamming into the home.

Cops also took note of a photo of Anne in the car just before the crash, with what appeared to be a bottle of alcohol in a cup holder.

Anne's rep says the actress is still fighting for her life ... she lost consciousness shortly after the crash, and has been in a coma ever since.

TMZ broke the story, Anne almost struck a woman before hitting another vehicle and crashing into a garage in the moments leading up to the fiery explosion.

Heche was pulled from her car as it burned and loaded onto a stretcher by paramedics. The vehicle was left a smoldering pile of metal.

Anne Heche's son advocating for her

The 53-year-old actress is in a coma following a fiery smash in Los Angeles late last week, and 20-year-old Homer – who she has with ex-husband Coley Laffoon – has been taking the lead in ensuring she receives the “best care.”

A source told Entertainment Tonight: “Her family is on pins and needles, just praying.

“(Homer is) being as strong as he can be. Her family is ready to surround her, and be there if she wakes up. Everyone is waiting for that to happen.”

The update comes a day after Anne’s spokesperson confirmed the actress – who also has 13-year-old son Atlas with former partner James Tupper – has sustained a “significant pulmonary injury.”

Her representative said:”She has a significant pulmonary injury requiring mechanical ventilation and burns that require surgical intervention.

“She is in a coma and has not regained consciousness since shortly after the accident.”

Earlier this week, the Volcano star was said to be in a “stable condition” in hospital after crashing into a house in the neighbourhood of Mar Vista at high speed on Friday.

Local residents have been sharing their accounts of what happened, and one has recalled Anne told passers-by she “wasn’t doing real well” following the collision.

Lynne Bernstein, who lives in nearby Venice with wife Natalie, told how he and neighbours Dave and Gabriel were able to talk to the Volcano star after she drove “almost all the way through” a house and her car “almost immediately” caught fire.

Dave was able to get into the back of the car to speak with the driver.

Lynne said: “She responded that she wasn’t doing real well.

“He actually talked to her briefly. Yeah, he asked her to raise her hand or something … if she was OK and she said she couldn’t.”

The group tried their best to free Anne from her vehicle and Lynne thinks if they had been able to do so before the fire brigade arrives “maybe she wouldn’t be suffering the way she is now.”

Noting that Gabriel tried to put out the fire while Dave tried to get Anne out, Lynne said: “We were having a hard time seeing and breathing.

“(Dave was) overcome by the smoke. So, he went to the back of the house to see if there was an alternative route, maybe we could get to her from the front of the vehicle. But the smoke, even on the backyard was pretty darn intense.”

Robert Downey Jr. & Susan Downey Move Into Podcasting With Cult Series ‘The Sunshine Place’ For Cadence13

The duo are moving into the audio medium with an investigative audio series about the Synanon cult.

The Sunshine Place tells the story of the former California-based experimental drug rehab facility and community that morphed into a dangerous and violent cult, led by its messianic founder Charles E. Diedrich.

The series comes from Team Downey and Wink Pictures for Audacy-owned Cadence13.

The Sunshine Place will tell the story of Synanon from the inside out, and by the people who lived it, charting its rise and exploring its decade-long reign over 1960s and ‘70s counterculture through the recollections of members, survivors and dedicated chroniclers. The series will be narrated by Sari Crawford, daughter of a former Synanon leader Bill Crawford.

The eight-part series will launch August 10. Listen to a trailer above.

Synanon was called “the miracle on the beach” in Santa Monica, CA during the 1960s. It started as an experimental drug rehab facility that made a radical claim: It could cure your addiction to heroin. The man responsible for this miracle? Charles E. Dederich, aka “Chuck.” Before long, Diedrich would make an even bolder claim: Synanon could cure any of your problems. All you had to do was move in. What started in a house on the beach in Santa Monica soon spread to San Francisco and Oakland, then to compounds across the state of California, and then the country, with thousands of people and millions of dollars in assets. But Diedrich would be the same man to destroy it all, along with the lives of many of his followers and, by the late ’70s, Synanon was being called a violent cult.

Exec produced by Robert Downey Jr., Susan Downey and Emily Barclay Ford for Team Downey, Josh McLaughlin for Wink Pictures and Cadence13 chief content officer Chris Corcoran, The Sunshine Place is written, directed and produced by Perry Crowell, Zak Levitt, Ian Mandt and Bill Schultz.

“While we were familiar with Synanon, it wasn’t until we heard the deeply personal stories that we could truly appreciate its epic rise and fall,” said the Downeys. “We felt this was a strangely relevant and twisted cautionary tale that had to be told about the incredible lengths people will go to seek out answers and the more dangerous ones others will provide.”“This is a story we were immediately drawn to, and wanted to tell,” added Corcoran, Cadence 13’s founding partner. “‘It’s an honor to be able to tell incredible stories like this with such a great team in Susan, Robert, Emily, and Josh in collaboration with our brilliant C13Orginals creative team.”

Anne Heche In “Extremely Critical Condition,” Remains In A Coma Following Fiery Car Crash

“At this time Anne is in extreme critical condition. She has a significant pulmonary injury requiring mechanical ventilation and burns that require surgical intervention,” the rep said in a statement. “She is in a coma and has not regained consciousness since shortly after the accident.”

The new statement comes two days after Heche’s publicist released an encouraging statement Saturday listing her as being “in stable condition.” Still, Heche’s family at the time asked for “thoughts and prayers.”

Heche has been in the hospital since Friday when a car she was driving crashed and caught fire in the Mar Vista area of Los Angeles.

Fifty-nine firefighters battled the blaze, which had engulfed both Heche’s car and the house she crashed into, for 65 minutes until she could be safely pulled out of the wreckage. She was reportedly able to communicate at the time but lost consciousness shortly thereafter.

There has been a lot of speculation about Heche’s condition before the crash as she was filmed driving erratically and speeding in the minutes prior to the accident, including getting into another, minor car accident, blocks from the crash site. A podcast featuring Heche, in which she is heard slurring her speech, was released Friday, and has been linked to the crash online. That podcast was recorded Tuesday, sources told Deadline.

Earlier Monday, Los Angeles Police Department Officer Annie Hernandez told City News Service that investigators obtained a warrant for a blood draw from the actress following the Friday crash that left her car fully inside the Mar Vista home, which caught fire and was largely destroyed.

Neighbors of the woman whose home was destroyed in the crash, Lynne Mishele, have started a GoFundMe page to assist her, raising more than $75,000 as of Monday afternoon. According to the page, Mishele “very narrowly escaped physical harm” in the crash, but the home was destroyed and she lost “her entire lifetime of possessions.”

Anne Heche In Stable Condition As Her Family Asks For Prayers After Fiery Car Crash

Actress Anne Heche severely burned in fiery car crash

The “Vanished” actress, 53, was reportedly driving her blue Mini Cooper down a suburban street in Los Angeles around noon when she crashed into the garage of an apartment complex.

The actress’ burned back was visible as she sat up on the stretcher.

According to the outlet, bystanders tried to help Heche exit the vehicle, but she allegedly backed up and drove off before crashing into another home where her car became “engulfed” in flames.

It appears that Heche may have been under the influence of alcohol, as bottle with a red cap was seen in the car’s cup holder shortly before the accident. However, the Los Angeles Police Department could not immediately be reached.

Aerial shots of video from the accident obtained by Fox11 show smoke billowing out of the home in which she crashed into.

Sources told TMZ that Heche is currently intubated in the hospital, but “expected to live.”

“Her condition prevents doctors from performing any tests to determine if she was driving under the influence of alcohol,” the outlet also reported.

Heche, known for her high-profile romance with Ellen DeGeneres in the ’90s, has spoken openly about her previous battle with substance abuse.

“I drank. I smoked. I did drugs. I had sex with people. I did anything I could to get the shame out of my life,” she told ABC News in 2001, adding that her choices were a result of her painful childhood that stemmed from being sexually abused by her father, Donald Heche.

“I’m not crazy,” the “Six Days Seven Nights” star also said at the time. “But it’s a crazy life. I was raised in a crazy family and it took 31 years to get the crazy out of me.”

Reps for Heche could not immediately be reached.

Samara Weaving, Tony Revolori & Hayden Panettiere Join ‘Scream 6’

The next installment in the horror franchise from Spyglass Media and Paramount Pictures will pick up with Sam (Barrera), Mindy (Brown), Chad (Gooding) and Tara (Ortega)—four survivors of the most recent batch of Ghostface killings—as they leave Woodsboro behind and start a fresh chapter. Details as to the characters Weaving and Revolori will be playing have not been disclosed.

Radio Silence’s Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, who helmed the last Scream film, return as directors. James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick co-wrote the screenplay, with Project X Entertainment’s Vanderbilt, Paul Neinstein and William Sherak serving as producers. Scream franchise creator Kevin Williamson and Radio Silence’s third member, Chad Villella, are exec producing alongside Spyglass’ Gary Barber and Peter Oillataguerre, Ron Lynch, Cathy Konrad and Marianne Maddalena. The film will hit theaters worldwide on March 31, 2023.

Weaving previously worked with Radio Silence on the 2019 horror Ready or Not. The actress can currently be seen in the Hulu film The Valet, having also recently starred in the streamer’s series Nine Perfect Strangers. She’ll next be seen in Stephen Williams’ drama Chevalier with Lucy Boynton and Minnie Driver, and Damien Chazelle’s buzzy period Hollywood pic Babylon.

Revolori is best known for his collaboration with Wes Anderson on films like The Grand Budapest, The French Dispatch and the upcoming Asteroid City, and for his role as Flash Thompson in the most recent trilogy of Spider-Man films. He stars in the Apple series Servant and will soon be seen in the Disney+ series Willow.

Bloody Disgusting was first to report the news of today’s castings. Weaving is represented by CAA, 111 Media and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole; Revolori by WME and Circle of Confusion.

Christina Ricci Talks Tim Burton’s “Really Great, Smart, Modern Take” On ‘Wednesday’ As She Lands Second Emmy Nom For ‘Yellowjackets’

Ricci, who played Wednesday Addams in two past Addams Family films, said it was “wonderful” to reteam with director Tim Burton on his upcoming Netflix series, for the first time since their collaboration on 1999’s Sleepy Hollow. “I was beyond flattered, particularly because it is Tim Burton and I respect and admire Tim so much,” she said. “So, to have him ask me to come back and play this part in that world was really gratifying on a sentimental level.”

While Ricci is sworn to secrecy on the role she’ll be playing in the series, she said she also “really loved” working with Jenna Ortega, who takes over the role of the Addams’ sole daughter. “She’s so incredibly talented and professional, and really seems to love film and TV making, and is involved in every step along the way of the show,” said Ricci. “And her Wednesday is a really, really great, smart, modern take on that character.”

Ricci’s latest nomination followed her Drama Guest Actress nom for her turn as Hannah on Grey’s Anatomy in 2006. The acclaimed survival drama Yellowjackets, in which she plays one version of plane crash survivor Misty, was recognized today in a total of seven categories, which also included Outstanding Drama Series, Directing for a Drama Series, Writing for a Drama Series (x2), Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Melanie Lynskey) and Casting for a Drama Series.

Ricci said that the display of love for the show is “overwhelming” and “a testament” to the pedigree of talent involved, across the board. While she said she has “absolutely no objectivity” when it comes to the project she works on and “had no idea that it would explode in the way that it has,” she’s been a fan from the get-go of the “incredibly varied examples of women” it presents, and “the honest portrayal of these characters,” who “never pander” and “never sort of wink at the audience, begging for affection.”

The actress said that production on Yellowjackets Season 2 will kick off “at the end of the summer,” adding that while she has been given “no concrete information” as to the upcoming installment’s plot, she has her hopes, as far as what will be explored with Misty going forward. “We did see her citizen detective sort of talents come out a little bit in the first season, and I would love to see that in the second season,” said Ricci. “I would love to see her trying to solve the mystery of where Juliette [Lewis]’s been taken. What’s going on in that crazy basement [with that] alter, dog head thing? I just really feel like I’d like to see her solve those crimes—and commit other crimes, along the way.”

Looking ahead, Ricci hopes to continue to play “really amazing, interesting, varied characters, and to just challenge myself and be excited about what I’m working on.” She’s at the same time developing numerous projects through her company Blaspheme, with several “going out to pitch soon” that will hopefully lead to more involvement in TV, “in different ways.”

Ricci competitors in this year’s Drama Supporting Actress race are Severance‘s Patricia Arquette, Ozark‘s Julia Garner, Squid Game‘s Jung Ho-yeon, Better Call Saul‘s Rhea Seehorn, Succession‘s J. Smith-Cameron and Sarah Snook, and Euphoria‘s Sydney Sweeney. The ceremony will take place on September 12.

2022 Emmy Nominations

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series

Severance • Apple TV+ • Endeavor Content / Red Hour Productions in association with Apple
Patricia Arquette as Harmony Cobel

Ozark • Netflix • MRC for Netflix
Julia Garner as Ruth Langmore

Squid Game • Netflix • Siren Pictures for Netflix
Jung Ho-yeon as Kang Sae-byeok

Yellowjackets • Showtime • Showtime Presents, Entertainment One
Christina Ricci as Misty

Better Call Saul • AMC • High Bridge, Crystal Diner, Gran Via Productions and Sony Pictures Television
Rhea Seehorn as Kim Wexler

Succession • HBO/HBO Max • HBO in association with Project Zeus, HyperObject Industries, Gary Sanchez Productions
J. Smith-Cameron as Gerri Kellman

Succession • HBO/HBO Max • HBO in association with Project Zeus, HyperObject Industries, Gary Sanchez Productions
Sarah Snook as Shiv Roy

Euphoria • HBO/HBO Max • HBO in association with ADD Content Agency | HOT | TCDY Productions, Dreamcrew, Tiny Goat, A24 and The Reasonable Bunch
Sydney Sweeney as Cassie

‘Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul.’ Trailer: Regina Hall & Sterling K. Brown Lead Focus Features’ Megachurch Comedy

Writer-director Adamma Ebo’s feature directorial debut, based on her 2018 short of the same name, is a satire centered on Trinitie Childs (Hall)—the proud first lady of a Southern Baptist megachurch, who together with her husband Pastor Lee-Curtis Childs (Brown), once served a congregation in the tens of thousands. But after a scandal forces their church to temporarily close, Trinitie and Lee-Curtis must reopen their church and rebuild their congregation to make the biggest comeback that commodified religion has ever seen.

Honk for Jesus debuted to critical acclaim at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. The film was produced by Hall, Brown, Adamma Ebo, Adanne Ebo, Daniel Kaluuya, Rowan Riley, Amandla Crichlow, Kara Durrett, Jessamine Burgum and Matthew Cooper. Pic is slated to open on the 2nd against Roadside Attractions’ family drama Gigi & Nate, IFC Films’ thriller Burial, Strand Releasing’s drama Peter von Kant and Blue Fox Entertainment’s Waiting for Bojangles. Its release by Focus follows those of films including Graham Moore’s crime drama The Outfit, Robert Eggers’ Viking revenge pic The Northman, Jim Archer’s comedy Brian and Charles and Downton Abbey: A New Era.

Other upcoming films from Focus include the period dramedy Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris (July 15), B.J. Novak’s feature directorial debut Vengeance (July 29) and James Gray’s semi-autobiographical drama, Armageddon Time. Watch the trailer for Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. above.

Hollywood Critics Association TV award nominations

Best Supporting Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Drama

Chrissy Metz, This is Us (NBC)
Christina Ricci, Yellowjackets (Showtime)
J. Smith-Cameron, Succession (HBO)
Rhea Seehorn, Better Call Saul (AMC)
Sandra Mae Frank, New Amsterdam (NBC)
Sarah Snook, Succession (HBO)
Susan Kelechi Watson, This is Us (NBC)
Sydney Sweeney, Euphoria (HBO)

Best Writing in a Streaming Series, Drama

Chris Mundy, Ozark “A Hard Way to Go” (Netflix)
Dan Erickson, Severance “The We We Are” (Apple TV+)
David E. Kelly, Nine Perfect Strangers “Ever After” (Prime Video)
Hwang Dong-hyuk, Squid Game “One Lucky Day” (Netflix)
Kerry Ehrin & Scott Troy, The Morning Show “La Amara Vita” (Apple TV+)
Michael Waldron, Loki “Glorious Purpose” (Disney+)
Soo Hugh, Pachinko “Chapter One” (Apple TV+)
The Duffer Brothers, Stranger Things “Chapter Seven: The Massacre at Hawkins Lab” (Netflix)

Hayden Panettiere Opens Up Postpartum Depression, Struggles With Alcoholism

"I didn't know where the alcoholism was ending and the postpartum was beginning," Panetierre said. "And I ran myself pretty ragged."

In a People and "Good Morning America" exclusive interview, the 32-year-old said that she'd been "struggling for a long time."

Since her hit show "Nashville" ended in 2018, Panettiere said the years that followed have "been difficult." She added, "The years before were very difficult for me, too. And I just needed a break."

'I was deeply depressed'

Shortly after the birth of her daughter in 2014, Panettiere was overcome with postpartum depression. She told ABC News' Kaylee Hartung she turned to "the bottom of a bottle" for support.

"I didn't have any negative feelings towards my child," she said. "I just knew I was deeply depressed." Panettiere said that she felt like she "was in this haze, this haze that just wasn't me."

"People around me were more concerned about my usage of alcohol than they ever were about the postpartum depression," she said. They thought she was "being a crazy woman" or "an overly emotional female" who was choosing to be depressed, when Panetierre said "it was so out of my control."

"I felt like I was walking blind," she said. "And I don't like to ask for help either. I wanna be that strong, stoic woman. But, I mean, when you see a happy-go-lucky girl for years suddenly on the floor in a puddle of mess and alcohol, you gotta know something is wrong."

Eventually, Panettiere sought treatment. At that treatment facility, she found the help she needed, which included making friends who could understand her struggles.

On sobriety

Panettiere says she is now sober and is taking things one day at a time.

"It's an everyday battle," she said. "It really is. I'm grateful to say that I'm sober today."

When Panetierre was in her darkest days, she described it as "somebody taking an eggbeater and scrambling around your brain." But even worse was her fight to be believed.

"Oh, it was horrible," Panettiere said. "Once you're the identified patient as the alcoholic -- and not as a girl, a woman going through postpartum depression -- then they don't believe anything that comes outta your mouth. So even when you're telling the truth, even when you're doing well, I've been told 'No' -- almost gaslit -- and told no, I wasn't."

"It's frustrating. It's heartbreaking," she added. "You wanna break down and cry, which makes you look even worse. But not being believed, I think to anybody not being believed is -- when they're telling the truth -- is painful."

Panettiere said she hopes other women who are going through the same thing, and are questioning their sanity and want to be heard, know that they're "not alone."

"So many women have been in our positions," she said. "And if the people around you don't believe you, find somebody who does. Find somebody who can help. Go on a journey of exploration and do whatever you have to do to get yourself better, to understand what's going on inside your heart, your mind, your body."

Her 'favorite little person'

Panettiere said she is grateful to be sober and especially grateful for her daughter, Kaya, who is now 7 years old.

"She's my favorite little person," Panettiere said. "All of those, like, little good senses that remind me of what I used to be as like a little kid. She is like the 2.0 version where she's so much smarter. But she's incredible. She's such a little light. She's such an amazing human being."

Panettiere's daughter calls Ukraine her home, having lived there with her father, former professional boxer Wladimir Klitschko, for several years. Klitschko and his brother Vitali, the mayor of Kyiv, have been on the frontlines of the country's ongoing war with Russia, since it began in February.

Panettiere said her daughter is no longer in Ukraine and is out of harm's way.

"She is very safe," she said. "And where she is, she also has a lot of friends. So she's not alone. She's handled this [in] stride."

"I speak to Wlad a lot," she added. "And I don't think anybody knew that it was gonna be like this. So it was a shock to the system."

In March, Panettiere launched Hoplon International, a relief organization that raises funds for medical supplies and body armor for those defending Ukraine.

"I created Hoplon International to make sure that every dollar that people donate goes to med kits and protective gear, and helmets and blood, for the people who are on the frontlines," she said.

"We're still sending out protective gear to them anytime we can," Panettiere added.

Getting back to work

In addition to helping Ukraine, Panetierre said she's been keeping herself busy preparing to get back to work.

"That is so good for my soul," she said. "I just want to keep that ball rolling. I have a whole new team of people who really believe in me and they have helped me to gain some trust back in myself."

Fans will see the actress back on the big screen for "Scream 6," reprising her role as Kirby Reed.

In looking for the right project to bring her back, she thought back to her days on "Scream 4," more than a decade ago, and said "I just thought, 'This is the perfect role.'"

6th Annual Black Reel Television Awards Nominations

Outstanding Actress, Comedy Series
· Quinta Brunson | “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
· Regina Hall | “Black Monday” (Showtime)
· Issa Rae | “Insecure” (HBO)
· Tracee Ellis Ross | “black-ish” (ABC)
· Robin Thede | “A Black Lady Sketch Show” (HBO)

Outstanding Supporting Actress, TV Movie/Limited Series
· Rosario Dawson | “Dopesick” (HULU)
· Dominique Fishback | “The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray” (Apple TV+)
· Regina Hall | “Nine Perfect Stranger” (HULU)
· Moses Ingram | “Obi-Wan Kenobi” (Disney+)
· Natasha Rothwell | “The White Lotus” (HBO)

Melissa McCarthy, Jim Gaffigan, Amy Schumer, Hugh Grant, James Marsden & More Join Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedy ‘Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story’ For Netflix

Billed as a tale of ambition, betrayal, sugar and menacing milkmen, Unfrosted is set in 1963 Michigan. It will watch as sworn cereal rivals Kellogg’s and Post race to create a pastry that will change the face of breakfast forever. Information on the roles to be played by Seinfeld and the newly introduced members of his ensemble has not been disclosed.

Netflix won rights to the film in a competitive situation last year. Seinfeld’s relationship with co-CEO and CCO Ted Sarandos proved helpful in swinging the deal in the direction of the streamer. The comedian and actor inked a deal worth an estimated $100M with Netflix in 2017, which brought it his popular interview series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, as well as the comedy specials Jerry Before Seinfeld and 23 Hours to Kill. Netflix also last year purchased global rights to stream episodes of Seinfeld’s classic sitcom of the same name for a five-year period.

Seinfeld and Spike Feresten wrote Unfrosted with Andy Robin & Barry Marder. Seinfeld, Feresten and Beau Bauman will produce the film, with Cherylanne Martin, Andy Robin and Barry Marder serving as executive producers.

McCarthy is an Emmy winner and two-time Oscar nominee who can currently be seen on the HGTV series The Great Giveback, which premiered on Monday, and Netflix’s fantasy-comedy series God’s Favorite Idiot, debuting on the streamer today. She’ll next be seen in Thor: Love and Thunder and a live-action Little Mermaid film from Rob Marshall.

Gaffigan is a Grammy-nominated comedian and actor whose upcoming projects include the sci-fi drama Linoleum, David Lowery’s Peter Pan & Wendy, the thriller Susie Searches, the comedy Providence from Old Henry‘s Potsy Ponciroli and Mukunda Michael Dewil’s thriller Collide.

Schumer is an Emmy-winning comedian and actor who most recently created the Hulu comedy series Life & Beth, in which she also stars, seeing it get a second-season pick-up in April. She also recently co-hosted the Oscars and hosted the Netflix comedy special Amy Schumer’s Parental Advisory.

Grant is a Golden Globe winner who recently starred alongside Nicole Kidman in HBO Max’s hit miniseries, The Undoing, also featuring in the Netflix comedy specials Death to 2020 and Death to 2021. Upcoming projects include the spy pic Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre from director Guy Ritchie, and John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein’s Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.

Marsden plays Teddy on HBO’s Westworld, which returns for its fourth season on June 26. He’ll also soon be seen in Starz’s revival of Party Down and Adam Shankman’s Disenchated, which has him reprising his Enchanted role as Prince Edward.

A four-time Emmy nominee best known for his role as Kenneth Parcell on NBC’s 30 Rock, McBrayer created and hosts the children’s show, Hello, Jack! The Kindness Show for Apple TV+.

Lennon is a two-time Emmy-nominated actor, writer, director and producer best known for Reno 911!. Upcoming film projects include Weird: The Al Yankovic Story and Ashley Shelton’s comedy Best Clowns.

Martinez is a veteran actor who recently made his feature directorial debut with the drama iGilbert, in which he also stars. He’ll next be seen in the Dracula comedy Renfield from Universal.

Moynihan is an SNL alum who most recently played Jayden Kwapis on NBC’s Mr. Mayor.

Greenfield is an Emmy nominee known for his role as Schmidt on Fox’s New Girl who now stars on CBS’ The Neighborhood, heading into its fifth season.

Slater is a Golden Globe winner who recently starred in Peacock’s miniseries Dr. Death. Upcoming projects include the series Army of the Dead Lost Vegas and Fleishman Is in Trouble, as well as the feature Freelance.

Cooper is an actor and comedian known for her 2020 Netflix special Sarah Cooper: Everything’s Fine, which Natasha Lyonne directed, with Maya Rudolph producing. She’s also lent her voice to Fox’s Housebroken and appears in James Ponsoldt’s Sundance 2022 pic Summering.

McCarthy is represented by CAA and Mgmt Entertainment; Gaffigan by UTA, Brillstein Entertainment Partners and Schreck Rose Dapello; Schumer by WME, Ocean Avenue and Schreck Rose Dapello; Grant by CAA; Marsden by CAA and Jackoway Austen Tyerman; McBrayer by UTA; Lennon by UTA, Artists First and Jackoway Austen Tyerman; Martinez by Innovative Artists, Vault Entertainment and attorney James Sarna; Moynihan by UTA, Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment and Jackoway Austen Tyerman; Greenfield by UTA, Untitled Entertainment and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole; Slater by UTA; and Cooper by WME and Sugar23.

Anne Heche To Star In Lifetime’s ‘Girl In Room 13’ Movie, Elisabeth Rohm To Direct

Heche stars as Janie, and Dias as her daughter, Grace, who is abducted by Richie (Montesi) for human trafficking.

Inspired by actual events, Girl in Room 13 examines the story of Grace (Dias), who was addicted to opioids after her doctor prescribed them for a sports injury at a very young age and after three stints in rehab, she is finally ready to turn her life around. Under the watchful eye of her mother, Janie (Heche), Grace takes on a job at her family’s restaurant. But her past will not let her go and when her friend coerces her into meeting her former love interest and drug dealer, Richie (Montesi), she finds herself imprisoned in a hotel room with no way out. Held captive, Richie repeatedly violates Grace, forces her to consume drugs and alcohol, and starves her — all to break her down so that she becomes compliant and can be sold into human trafficking. Refusing to give up on her daughter even when her husband and the local police believe Grace has returned to a life of using, Janie starts an all-out hunt to find Grace. Stopping at nothing, Janie discovers the dark world of human trafficking and the shocking statistics about its widespread victims and its unexpected accomplices.

Girl in Room 13 is produced by Motel Productions Inc for Lifetime. Tim Johnson, Stacy Mandelberg and Yvonne Chotzen serve as executive producers. The film is written by Maria Nation (The Gabby Douglas Story) and directed by Rohm.

In 2020 reporter Carmen Neithammer reported in Forbes that global statistics on human trafficking are on the rise and the International Labor Organization estimates that there are currently 25 million victims worldwide, including men, women and children. The $150 billion dollar business of human trafficking knows no bounds and traffickers use banks, transportation, hotels rooms and social media to lure in their victims, often involving legitimate services and companies.

Heche returns to Lifetime having previously starred in 2004’s Gracie’s Choice with Kristen Bell, 2006’s Fatal Desire with Eric Roberts and 2011’s Girl Fight with James Tupper. She most recently starred in the Peter Facinelli-directed psychological thriller The Vanished for Netflix, as well as Quiver’s tornado thriller 13 Minutes. She will also soon be seen recurring in All Rise on OWN and Sam Levinson’s upcoming HBO series, The Idol, opposite The Weeknd. Heche is repped by APA and Zero Gravity Management

Dias also previously starred in Family Pictures in 2019, reuniting her with Rohm who also starred in the movie. She most recently appeared in Supernatural Academy and When Calls The Heart. Dias is repped by Luber Roklin Entertainment and Carrier Talent Management.

Montesi’s recent television credits include The 100 and Sacred Lies, among others.

Rohm is repped by Buchwald, Luber Roklin Entertainment and Felker Toczek.

Girl in Room 13 is the latest movie in Lifetime’s successful “Girl In” franchise which included Girl in the Basement, Girl in the Shed, Girl in the Box and Girl in the Bunker, among others.

Westworld Alum James Marsden to Return for Season 4

James Marsden will return to HBO’s sci-fi series in the upcoming Season 4. The casting news was announced Saturday during the show’s panel at ATX Festival, which Marsden attended as a surprise guest.

No one on the panel — which also included co-creator Lisa Joy and executive producer Alison Schapker as well as stars Jeffrey Wright, Evan Rachel Woods, Angela Sarafyan, Aurora Perrineau and Luke Hemsworth — gave any further details about what Marsden would be up to in the new season.

Viewers will remember that Marsden played Teddy Flood, a wide-eyed, aw-shucks hero host who was a love interest for Wood’s Dolores. Teddy was a major character in Seasons 1 and 2. Season 4 will be set at least partially in New York City. Joy told the audience at the panel that Wood will play a new character named Christina, who is a writer.

After more than two years’ absence — the Season 3 finale aired in May 2020 — Westworld will return for its long-awaited fourth season on Sunday, June 26. Ariana DeBose (Schmiagdoon!, West Side Story) has joined the cast in a mysterious role.

Hayden Panettiere To Reprise Role As Kirby Reed In Next ‘Scream’ Film

The next Scream film will pick up with Sam (Barrera), Mindy (Brown), Chad (Gooding) and Tara (Ortega)—four survivors of the most recent batch of Ghostface killings—as they leave Woodsboro behind and start a fresh chapter. Panettiere’s Kirby, you might recall, is the former Woodsboro resident who was the lone teenage survivor of the Second Woodsboro Murders in the fourth Scream film. Principal photography on the sequel, also to be helmed by Radio Silence, will kick off this summer.

James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick are co-writing the screenplay, with Project X Entertainment’s Vanderbilt, Paul Neinstein and William Sherak serving as producers. Scream franchise creator Kevin Williamson and Radio Silence’s third member, Chad Villella, will exec produce alongside Spyglass’ Gary Barber and Peter Oillataguerre, Ron Lynch, Cathy Konrad and Marianne Maddalena. Pic will hit theaters worldwide March 31, 2023.

Panettiere is well-known for her roles on the hit television series Heroes (NBC) and Nashville (ABC), and for starring in such films as Custody, alongside Viola Davis; The Forger, with Josh Hutcherson; and Remember the Titans, opposite Denzel Washington. Other major film credits include I Love You Beth Cooper, Bring It On: All or Nothing and Ice Princess.

The new Scream film will be Panetierre’s first to hit the screen in eight years. She is represented by Mainstay Entertainment.

‘Nashville’ & ‘Heroes’ Star Hayden Panettiere Signs With Mainstay Entertainment For Management

Actress, model and singer Panettiere has been acting since age four. She is best known for her role as Claire Bennet on the NBC series Heroes and subsequently starred in the ABC hit series Nashville, which earned her two Golden Globe nominations.

On the feature side, she played the lead in the film Custody alongside Viola Davis and prior to that starred in The Forger opposite Josh Hutcherson. She was appeared in horror Scream 4.

Other film credits include I Love You Beth Cooper and Remember The Titans.

Panettiere first appeared on-screen in a commercial in 1990 at only 11 months old. However, her full-time acting career began in 1994 on the long-running ABC soap One Life To Live.

LA-based Mainstay’s clients include Katherine Heigl, Lupita Nyong’o, Kim Coates, Peter Facinelli and Franka Potente.

‘Exploding Kittens’ Card Game Gets Animated TV Series & Mobile Game In Netflix Franchise First

Tom Ellis (Lucifer), Abraham Lim (The Boys), Lucy Liu (Elementary), Ally Maki (Wrecked), Mark Proksch (What We Do in the Shadows) and Sasheer Zamata (Woke) are providing the voices for the animated series, which is set to launch next year.

Exploding Kittens follows the eternal conflict between heaven and hell as it reaches epic proportions when both God and the devil are sent to Earth — in the bodies of chunky house cats.

The series comes from Mike Judge and Greg Daniels’ nascent animation company Bandera Entertainment.

The pair will exec produce alongside showrunners Shane Kosakowski and Matthew Inman, Bandera’s Dustin Davis, Peter Chernin and Jenno Topping for the Chernin Entertainment Group and Elan Lee, who created the original card game alongside Inman.

The game, meanwhile, will launch in May. It will see players draw cards aiming to avoid the Exploding Kitten. Future cards and game mechanics will be themed around the animated series so people can play with their favorite characters. The game will feature both single and multiplayer options.

It joins games including Stranger Things: 1984, Shooting Hoops and Card Blast on the service.

“The co-development of a game and animated series breaks new ground for Netflix, and we couldn’t think of a better game to build a universe around than Exploding Kittens, one of the most inventive, iconic and original games of this century,” said Mike Moon, Netflix Head of Adult Animation.

“Our goal is to offer our members great entertainment they’ll love in whatever format they may enjoy — whether it be a game or an animated series,” said Leanne Loombe, Head of External Games at Netflix.

Said Exploding Kittens Chief Creative Officer Matthew Inman: “We actually launched Exploding Kittens on Kickstarter as a weekend project, but our community has been the heart and soul of the company over the past six years. The new series and game will give our fans new ways to connect and interact with the franchise.”

Robert Downey Jr Makes Blackstone Publishing Deal For First Non-Fiction Book ‘Cool Food: Erasing Your Carbon Footprint One Bite At A Time’

The deal marks the first major non-fiction book from Downey, best known for his iconic turns as Iron Man and Sherlock Holmes and partnering with wife Susan Downey in their Team Downey production label. Downey leaned into nutrition since early in his Marvel run to prepare for the rigors of that role. While there has been a preoccupation in Hollywood in cutting down carbon footprints, doing it through a diet seems an innovative wrinkle. Blackstone hasn’t set a pub date.

“Our best global food future requires no hand-wringing, fad diets, or radical shame—just a perspective shift to discovering the many solutions in plain sight,” Downey said. “With Kostigen in the cockpit, and Blackstone’s formidable ground control, it should be an actionable adventure. Join us.”

Said Kostigen: “As the great Yogi Berra once said, ‘The future ain’t what it used to be.’ Increasingly, we are presented with forecasts of a worsening climate. Cool Food shows how we can change that outlook for the better by making a few different choices at the grocery store, trying something new on the restaurant menu, and by keeping an eye out for foods that store more carbon in the ground rather than polluting the air.”

The deal was negotiated by Stanton and Blackstone Head of New Business Development Rick Bleiweiss, with WME’s Mel Berger and Susan Raihofer at David Black Agency. Downey is represented by WME and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller. Kostigen is repped by Lighthouse Management & Media, CAA and Felker Toczek.

Stanton confirmed the deal, saying the publisher is “is proud to partner with Robert Downey, Jr. and Thomas Kostigen to publish this vital book that shows how we, as individuals, can make a major impact with the foods we choose to eat. Cool Food provides an approachable roadmap with practical steps to reduce our carbon footprint—and, with brilliant and witty Downey, Jr. and Kostigen at the helm, readers are sure to have a lot of fun as they learn, too.” Downey and Kostigen will provide specifics on how to create a carbon-free diet, and dissect their own take on their cool food paradigm. The duo will walk readers through the adventures they embarked on that unfold a 360º story about where these foods are grown and sold – ranging from exotic regions, local productions, and giant wholesale markets, and the simple and Michelin-star restaurants at which they are served.

In 2019, Downey founded The Footprint Coalition, a business and non-profit solely focused on the adoption and scaling of sustainable technologies. Kostigen has been writing about climate change for the past two decades.

Hayden Panettiere & BF Brian Massive Bar Brawl Fists, Feet Fly Outside Sunset Marquis!!!

We got this insane video from Thursday night outside the Sunset Marquis where HP, and mostly Brian, threw down with a large group of people. At one point, security was able to calm the situation ... but then Brian broke free, ramping things up again.

An eyewitness tells us everything started inside at the hotel bar, where some sort of argument started between Hayden, Brian and some other patrons. We're told one of the people from the other group claimed Brian spit on them, and the manager kicked everyone out ... leading to this wild scene on the street.

During the fight, you can see Hayden do her best to try to pry Brian off the others -- and it even appears she gets kicked in the face while she was in the scrum. She's heard yelling, "Brian, jail!" ... likely warning him what could happen if cops show up, because he's on probation until 2025.

Once everyone finally gets separated -- Brian and Hayden head back into the hotel -- where she apologizes to staff, and the other group leaves.

Hayden and Brian certainly have a tumultuous history -- he's been arrested for domestic violence and assault for alleged attacks against the actress. Last night, at least, they were a united front.

Law enforcement got a call for a fight at the hotel, but by the time they arrived, everyone had left and no report has been filed.

The CW Renews 7 Series: ‘The Flash’, ‘Kung Fu’, ‘All American’, ‘Nancy Drew’, ‘Superman & Lois’, ‘Walker’ & ‘Riverdale’

The network also has renewed All American, The Flash, Kung Fu, Nancy Drew, Riverdale, Superman & Lois and Walker.

Traditionally, the youth-skewing network hands out early renewals, sometimes as early as January, to the majority of its slate – a boon for its owners CBS and Warner Bros.

However, this year, the broadcaster’s future is up in the air with local affiliate group Nexstar circling, and Deadline understands that a new majority owner likely would have a say in some of its renewal decisions. The network also needs to take into account elements such as streaming rights to shows and other variables that will determine a pickup.

The renewal of flagship series The Flash for a ninth season — making it the network’s longest-running Arrowverse series, taking over that mantle from Arrow, which ended after eight seasons — was paved earlier this year with the news that star Grant Gustin was in talks for a new deal. There’s no word from The CW yet as to whether Season 9 will be The Flash’s swan song.

Some of the other renewals were more of a given that others. All American was expected to return for Season 5, and Superman & Lois and Walker were good for their third seasons.

Riverdale also was expected to return for its seventh season, but similarly there’s no word as to whether this will be its final season.

Kung Fu only launched its second season earlier this month but is now coming back for a third.

Nancy Drew, however, was thought to be slightly more on the bubble and will return for a fourth season. That comes as spinoff series Tom Swift also has yet to launch on the network.

There are two other tranches of shows that the network still has to make renewal decisions on – and these are expected to come over the next month or so ahead of the upfronts in May.

4400, which launched in October, Naomi, which premiered in January, and All American: Homecoming, which started last month, will all be hoping for second seasons.

There also are question marks about the future of Legends of Tomorrow, which is in its seventh season; Dynasty, which is in its fifth; Charmed and Legacies, which are in their fourth seasons; and Batwoman, which is in its third.

Stargirl’s third season and In the Dark’s fourth season have yet to premiere, while Roswell, New Mexico was picked up for a fourth season ahead of its third season.

The scripted renewals follow a batch of unscripted renewals including Penn & Teller: Fool Us and Masters of Illusion, which are both returning for their ninth season, and World’s Funniest Animals, which is heading into Season 3.

Mark Pedowitz, Chairman and CEO of the CW Network, said: “As we prepare for the 2022-23 season, these scripted series, along with the alternative series we renewed earlier, will serve as the start of a solid foundation utilizing some of our most-watched series for us to build on for next year and beyond. These dramas are also important to our overall digital strategy, as they are some of our most-streamed and socially engaged programming, and we look forward to adding more new and returning series to help strengthen and expand our multiplatform footprint.”

Christina Ricci To Star In Netflix’s ‘Wednesday’ Series In Return To Addams Family Universe

Ricci, who starred as Wednesday Addams in the Barry Sonnenfeld-directed 1990s Addams Family feature franchise, is a series regular in Wednesday, which is headlined by Jenna Ortega in the title role, Deadline has learned.

Details about Ricci’s role are being kept under wraps to protect the surprise for fans, but I can reveal that she plays a new character and not an older version of Wednesday.

I hear Ricci was brought in following Thora Birch’s exit amid production. Ricci is playing a new character, who is similar to the one originally played by Birch and will replace it on the show. Ricci quietly has been working on Wednesday for weeks; filming on the MGM-produced series is slated to wrap in Romania at the end of the month.

The coming-of-age comedy, written by Smallville creators Al Gough and Miles Millar and directed by Burton, stars Ortega as Wednesday Addams during her years at Nevermore Academy. It’s described as a sleuthing, supernaturally infused mystery.

In addition to Ortega, Ricci stars alongside Catherine Zeta-Jones as matriarch Morticia Addams and Luis Guzmán as Gomez Addams.

Ricci’s performance as Wednesday in the Addams Family movies is so beloved for fans of the franchise that they launched a petition when the Netflix series was announced, calling for her to be cast in the show.

Burton executive produces Wednesday with Gough and Millar, who serve as showrunners. Also executive producing are Kayla Alpert, Steve Stark, as well as Andrew Mittman for 1.21, Kevin Miserocchi, Jonathan Glickman for Glickmania and Gail Berman.

Ricci next will return for Season 2 of Showtime’s breakout hit Yellowjackets, in which she stars. Her recent credits also include Amazon’s Z: The Beginning of Everything, which she produced, and The Matrix: Resurrections. She is repped by ICM Partners and Untitled Entertainment.

David E. Kelley Leaps Into Non-Fiction With Natural History Series From Intuitive Content

The Big Little Lies creator is developing Eating Up the Oceans: How Do We Save Our Seas? with Andrew Zimmern’s Intuitive Content, the company behind series such as MSNBC’s What’s Eating America and Magnolia’s Zoe Bakes.

It marks his first move into docuseries and comes a couple of years after he bought a fish farm that raises steelhead trout.

Kelley and Zimmern are working with sustainable seafood expert and founder of Fed by Blue, Jennifer Bushman on the project, which is produced by Intuitive Content and David E. Kelley Productions.

The pair have previously appeared on panels together talking about the issue and will be discussing the topic at SXSW on Tuesday.

Emmy-winning actress and activist Julia Ormond is narrating their sizzle that they will take out to buyers.

The series explores how climate change threatens the very existence of marine life and our own. It confronts the contentious issues that arise when what we eat clashes with the health of our oceans.

The six-part docuseries, which poses provocative concepts and actionable solutions, will feature stories from frontline experts who are working across multiple disciplines to affect change and curtail an impending crisis. It is equal parts nature documentary, investigative journalism and food travelogue.

Eating Up the Oceans: How Do We Save Our Seas? is exec produced by Andrew Zimmern and David E. Kelley with Intuitive Content’s Patrick Weiland, Jennifer Bushman, Jill Kauffman Johnson and Katherine Bryar.

It joins a crowded plate for Kelley, who behind Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers and HBO’s The Undoing. The writer/producer also has a second season of Big Shot at Disney+, Presumed Innocent with J.J. Abrams at Apple, an adaptation of A Man in Full with Regina King and Anatomy of a Scandal for Netflix, Love and Death at HBO Max, The Missing at Peacock and Avalon at ABC.

“It’s time to tell the stories of the inspiring visionaries, the water farmers, fishers, scientists and activists that are already creating pathways to restore abundance to our oceans,” said Kelley.

“We have the power to course our path by reconsidering behaviors that can help restore our delicate balance,” added Zimmern. “David and I share a passion for food and the health of our marine ecosystems and are conveying a message of hope through this series: we absolutely can replenish our oceans while also sustainably nourishing the world.”

Jennifer Bushman said, “The narrative of sustainability and biodiversity, conservation and revitalization, equity and profit, indigenous culture and innovation, offer a whole new understanding of our role in the health of our oceans. Each episode dives deep into a global question concerning the world’s historic and growing reliance on marine resources, particularly as a food source. Viewers witness first-person stories that connect them with those most impacted by our stressed marine waters.”

‘Master’ Trailer: Regina Hall, Zoe Renee & Amber Gray Star In Amazon Studios’ Sundance Genre-Bender From Filmmaker Mariama Diallo

In the first feature written and directed by Mariama Diallo, three women strive to find their place at a prestigious New England university whose frosty elitism may disguise something more sinister. Professor Gail Bishop (Hall) has recently been promoted to “Master” of a residence hall, the first time at storied Ancaster College that a Black woman has held the post. Determined to breathe new life into a centuries-old tradition, Gail soon finds herself wrapped up in the trials and tribulations of Jasmine Moore (Renee), an energetic and optimistic Black freshman.

Jasmine’s time at Ancaster hits a snag early on when she’s assigned a dorm room that is rumored to be haunted. Things get worse when she clashes in the classroom with Liv Beckman (Gray), a professor in the middle of her own racially charged tenure review. As Gail tries to maintain order and fulfill the duties of a Master, the cracks begin to show in Ancaster’s once-immaculate facade. After a career spent fighting to make it into Ancaster’s inner circle, she is confronted with the horrifying prospect of what lies beneath, her question ultimately becoming not whether the school is haunted, but by whom.

Talia Ryder and Talia Balsam also star in the film produced by Joshua Astrachan, Brad Becker-Parton and Andrea Roa. Hall, Sophia Lin and Terence Nance exec produced, with Claire Edelman and Rita Walsh serving as associate producers.

Check out the trailer and poster for Master above.

David E. Kelley Lands Straight-To-Series Order For Adaptation Of Michael Connelly’s ‘Avalon’ At ABC

The Big Little Lies creator has scored a straight-to-series order at ABC for Avalon, a drama series based on Michael Connelly’s short story.

It is Kelley’s latest project for the Disney-owned network – Big Sky is currently in its second season – as well as his latest adaptation of Connelly’s work. He has an adaptation of The Lincoln Lawyer at Netflix.

Avalon, which is ABC’s first straight-to-series order for its 2022-23 programming slate, takes place in the city of Avalon on Catalina Island, where L.A. Sheriff’s Department Detective Nicole “Nic” Searcy heads up a small office.

Catalina has a local population that serves more than 1 million tourists a year, and each day when the ferries arrive, hundreds of potential new stories enter the island. Detective Searcy is pulled into a career-defining mystery that will challenge everything she knows about herself and the island.

Avalon was published last year as part of the short story collection When a Stranger Comes to Town.

Kelley, who will write the pilot episode, created the series with Connelly, and the pair will exec produce.

The series is produced by A+E Studios, which produces Kelley’s Big Sky, and 20th Television. Fineman Entertainment’s Ross Fineman, who exec produces Big Sky and The Lincoln Lawyer, will exec produce alongside A+E Studios’ Barry Jossen and Tana Jamieson.

Kelley, who also behind Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers and HBO’s The Undoing, also has a second season of Big Shot at Disney+, Presumed Innocent with J.J. Abrams at Apple, an adaptation of A Man in Full with Regina King and Anatomy of a Scandal for Netflix, Love and Death at HBO Max and The Missing at Peacock.

‘Presumed Innocent’ Limited Series Adaptation From David E. Kelley & J.J. Abrams Ordered At Apple

The straight-to-series order comes as ABC has also been ramping up its traditional development pipeline. Earlier this month, it ordered a drama pilot about a group of therapists in Philadelphia from This Is Us writer-director Kay Oyegun and gave a cast-contingent pilot order to Will Trent, a crime drama based on Karin Slaughter’s bestselling book series, from The Big Leap creator Liz Heldens and Dan Thomsen. It also has two off-cycle drama pilots on the books: the Alaska project, starring Hilary Swank, and the Blair Underwood-fronted L.A. Law sequel.

“Excited to reunite with Michael Connelly,” said Kelley. “He’s written a fantastic short story, a great protagonist. Can’t wait to get started.”

Added Connelly: “Being on a project with David E. Kelley again is amazing. This whole team of David, A+E and Ross Fineman has been wonderful to work with previously; and now joining up with ABC, well, I can’t wait to start. Catalina is full of mystery and good storytelling. We’re going to put it on the screen.”

Said Craig Erwich, president of Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment: “David E. Kelley is one of the great storytellers of our time and we are excited to continue our successful relationship with him on what we believe will be his next epic series on ABC. Michael Connelly’s short story is ripe with mystery and intrigue, and we can’t wait for David and Michael to bring this eerie and captivating world to life.”

NAACP Image Award Winner

Regina Hall – “Nine Perfect Strangers”

Hayden Panettiere confirms her daughter is 'safe and not in Ukraine'

The 32-year-old actress has daughter Kaya with the retired Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko – but Hayden has confirmed via social media that she’s not in any danger, following Russia’s invasion of the country.

In response to a comment on Instagram, Hayden said: “she’s safe and not in Ukraine (thumbs-up emoji) (sic)”

The Heroes actress has also voiced her support for Ukraine on social media.

She wrote online: “I have personally witnessed the strength of the Ukrainian people who fought so hard for their independence and have continued to passionately defend their country over the years.

“This horrific moment in history sends a terrifying message: the message that in this day and age, in year 2022, it’s okay to violate the rights of free people and allow autocrats like Putin to take whatever they please.”

Hayden wishes she could provide more support to Ukraine.

She said: “I’m praying for my family and friends there and everyone who’s fighting. I wish you had more support and I wish I was there fighting with you!”

The actress also encouraged her followers to voice their support for democracy.

She explained: “For now, I ask for those of us who can’t be there to stand shoulder to shoulder in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and show your support for #democracy (sic)”

Meanwhile, Wladimir recently enlisted in Ukraine’s reserve army.

The 45-year-old former heavyweight champion and his brother Vitali Klitschko – who is also a former heavyweight champion – have both pledged to fight for their country.

Wladimir said: “We will defend ourselves with all our might and fight for freedom and democracy. You can also act. Let not fear seize us; let’s not remain frozen. Putin shoots at Ukrainian cities, but he aims at our hearts and, more importantly, at our minds.”

Wanda Sykes, Amy Schumer And Regina Hall To Host Oscars

The news is expected to be announced officially Tuesday on ABC’s Good Morning America. ABC is airing the awards ceremony March 27. Organizer the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences declined comment on the host news today.

This year’s Academy Awards are being produced by Will Packer, whose long list of hit TV and film successes includes Girls Trip, which starred Hall among its ensemble. The trio of hosts that includes comedy veterans Sykes and Schumer indicates a plan to get some humor injected into the proceedings, though it’s unclear how the duties will be meted out among the three.

Variety confirmed the Oscar host news first today.

The Oscars are coming off a 2021 telecast that was the lowest-rated ever, hampered by pandemic constraints (the show was held with reduced capacity at Los Angeles’ Union Station instead of its normal home at the Dolby Theatre) and a lineup of movies that were tougher to see in a year in which cinemas were impacted by Covid restrictions.

This year’s Oscars return to full capacity at the Dolby as the latest Omicron variety continues to subside. Last week, it was confirmed that the Academy will not be requiring shots, just a recent negative test, to attend. Masks also might be jettisoned as Los Angeles County could by then be following the state in removing the mandate for large indoor crowds. California Gov. Gavin Newsom promised an announcement on that front early this week.

As for the movies in the hunt this year, Netflix’s The Power of the Dog leads all nominees with 12 going in, with Warner Bros/Legendary’s tentpole Dune second with 10. Once again, several of the year’s highest-profile films, including the box office juggernaut Spider-Man: No Way Home, did not get major nominations despite a rule tweak that called for an expansion of Best Picture nominees to 10 — done in part to increase the chances of getting movies on people’s radars to tune in on Oscar night.

Other pics in the key races for the March 27 Oscar ceremony include specialty fare like Japan’s International Feature Oscar submission Drive My Car, Belfast and CODA, which are also nominated for Best Picture alongside Netflix’s Power of the Dog and Don’t Look Up, Warner Bros’ Dune and King Richard, MGM/UAR’s Licorice Pizza, Searchlight’s Nightmare Alley and Disney’s West Side Story.

‘Presumed Innocent’ Limited Series Adaptation From David E. Kelley & J.J. Abrams Ordered At Apple

The streamer has ordered an eight-part series based on Scott Turow’s book.

It marks the first Apple series order for Kelley, who will serve as showrunner on the project and will exec produce alongside Castle Rock showrunner Dustin Thomason, Abrams and Bad Robot’s Head of Television Ben Stephenson.

Presumed Innocent was published in 1987 and was turned into a feature film starring Harrison Ford in 1990. It tells the story of a horrific murder that upends the Chicago Prosecuting Attorneys’ office when one of its own is suspected of the crime.

The book told the story through the eyes of the accused Rusty Sabich, played by Ford in the movie, who was charged with the murder of his colleague Carolyn Polhemus.

The series will explore obsession, sex, politics, and the power and limits of love, as the accused fights to hold his family and marriage together.

Presumed Innocent will be produced by Bad Robot Productions and David E. Kelley Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television. J.J. Abrams and Ben Stephenson executive produce for Bad Robot. In addition to writing, Kelley executive produces through David E. Kelley Productions alongside Matthew Tinker. Dustin Thomason also serves as executive producer. Scott Turow and Bad Robot’s Rachel Rusch Rich will serve as co-executive producers.

It joins an incredible busy score card for both Kelley and Abrams. Kelley was behind Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers and HBO’s The Undoing and also has Big Sky in its second season at ABC and Big Shot, which was recently renewed for a second season at Disney+. He is working with Regina King on an adaptation of A Man In Full for Netflix and also has The Lincoln Lawyer and Anatomy of a Scandal at the streamer as well as Love and Death at HBO Max and The Missing at Peacock, while it emerged that 20th Television has been exploring a reboot of his classic law comedy drama Ally McBeal.

Abrams and his Bad Robot have worked with Apple on a number of series including Little Voice and Lisey’s Story. The company is also working on a number of series for HBO Max including Constantine, Demimonde and Madame X as well as a fourth season of Westworld for HBO.

‘Party Down’: Jennifer Garner, Tyrel Jackson Williams, Zoë Chao & James Marsden Join Revival On Starz

They join original stars Adam Scott, Jane Lynch, Ken Marino, Martin Starr, Ryan Hansen and Megan Mullally who are all returning for the six-episode new season. (The only original cast member not coming back is Lizzy Caplan who had a scheduling conflict.)

Like the original series, the new Party Down installment follows a Los Angeles catering team – a sextet of Hollywood wannabes (Scott, Lynch, Marino, Starr, Hansen, Mullally) stuck working for tips while hoping for their “big break.” Each episode finds the hapless catering team working a new event – and inevitably getting tangled up with the colorful guests and their absurd lives.

Garner will play Evie, a successful producer of studio franchise movies, who, in the wake of a breakup, is reconsidering her life choices. A fledgling relationship with Henry Pollard (Scott) becomes a way for her to explore possible new directions.

Williams will play Sackson, a handsome, confident, driven, wannabe influencer/internet personality. He’s knowledgeable and savvy about his specific internet niche, but a bit lost in every other aspect of life.

Chao will play Lucy, a passionate, outspoken, free-thinking creative “food artist.” Lucy dreams of being a celebrity chef, but she’s stuck cranking out hors d’oeuvres at Party Down without the resources to do anything more ambitious.

Marsden will play Jack Botty, an actor who plays the lead in a popular superhero franchise. Jack’s looks match his charm, he enjoys his life, his fame and being the center of everyone’s attention.

The Party Down revival is executive produced by the original series’ creators/EPs, Rob Thomas, John Enbom, Paul Rudd and Dan Etheridge, as well as Scott, who was a producer on the original. Enbom will serve as showrunner. Lionsgate Television is the studio.

The first two seasons of Party Down premiered on Starz in 2009 and 2010 and remain available.

Blumhouse Television Sets Stephen King Novel ‘Later’ For Limited Series To Star Lucy Liu; Raelle Tucker Scripted Pilot

Published in March 2021 by Hard Case Crime, Later centers on Tia, a literary agency owner who is raising her son Jamie alone and finds herself on the brink of professional ruin when her star author client dies before turning out the work that will make her agency financially whole. Jamie has the supernatural ability to talk to the dead, all of whom tell him the truth. This is very helpful when he talks to the dead author and feeds the contents of the book to his mother, who writes it herself and publishes it under the author’s name, to great success. But this gift can be used for more nefarious purposes. Tia’s police detective girlfriend figures out what the boy can do, and soon the youth gets over his head in the spirit world, as Danny Torrance did in King’s The Shining.

Tucker was Emmy nominated for her work on HBO’s True Blood, and she collaborated with Blumhouse Television on the anthology series Sacred Lies and Sacred Lies: The Singing Bones, which starred Juliette Lewis and Jordan Alexander for Facebook Watch.

Liu, who starred for seven seasons on the CBS series Elementary, most recently starred in Death to 2021 for Netflix and next stars in the Warner Bros DC sequel Shazam! Fury of the Gods. She also appeared recently on Curb Your Enthusiasm and starred in the dark comedic series Why Women Kill.

“I’ve wanted to work with Jason Blum for years, and now we have two projects together,” King said. “Go, me!”

Blumhouse separately is producing an adaptation for Netflix of Mr Harrigan’s Phone, one of the stories in King’s anthology novel If It Bleeds. Production just finished, with John Lee Hancock directing Donald Sutherland and Jaeden Martell.

The Blumhouse founder/CEO responded: “I’ve wanted to work with Stephen King since before I was born, which sounds impossible until you remember that it’s Stephen King.”

Said Tucker: “Later is terrifying and touching and wonderfully weird — of course it is, it’s Stephen King. Adapting one of my favorite writers of all time, with an incredible partner like Blumhouse and the incomparable Lucy Liu, is a dream come true.”

Blum, Chris McCumber and Jeremy Gold are executive producers for Blumhouse Television.

Tucker is represented by UTA and Mckuin, Frankel and Whitehead. Liu is with ICM Partners, Framework Entertainment, and Schreck Rose Dapello.

NAACP Image Awards Nominations

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series

Issa Rae – Insecure (HBO)
Loretta Devine – Family Reunion (Netflix)
Regina Hall – Black Monday (Showtime)
Tracee Ellis Ross – `black-ish (ABC)
Yvonne Orji – Insecure (HBO)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special

Anika Noni Rose – Maid (Netflix)
Natasha Rothwell – The White Lotus (HBO)
Pauletta Washington – Genius: Aretha (National Geographic)
Regina Hall – Nine Perfect Strangers (Hulu)
Sheila Atim – The Underground Railroad (Amazon Studios)

Cinedigm Acquires Horror Pic ‘Incarnation’ Starring Taye Diggs, Jessica Uberuaga & Michael Madsen

The first feature from director Isaac Walsh picks up with the young couple of Brad (Diggs) and Jess (Uberuaga) as they move to Los Angeles in search of a better life. When they stumble upon a hidden real estate gem, managed by the laid-back landlord Peter (Madsen), they are elated by their turn of fortune. But their ideal home is hiding a secret far more sinister than they could have ever imagined, for the very walls are alive with an ancient evil, and they soon learn that greed comes with a hefty price.

In the film written by Walsh and Tyler Clair Smith, Madsen takes over a role that was originally to have been played by Mickey Rourke. Mike Hatton produced the project, with Diggs and Uberuaga exec producing alongside Garrett Zinke, Ryan McDonald, Martin Andrew Lyon, Glen D Smith, Gary Smith, Gary Smith Jr, Asko Akopyan, Sandra Siegal, Eric Brenner, Lake Garner, Jerry Tankersley, Grant Guthrie and Michael Walker.

“The best horror movies tap into our basic human fears and desires. With ever-mounting suspense and surprising plot twists, Incarnation explores the nature of greed and how, if left unchecked, it can manifest into deadly consequences for an unsuspecting couple in their very own home,” said Cinedigm’s Chief Content Officer, Yolanda Macias. “We look forward to audiences experiencing this terrifying tale, led by the exceptional Taye Diggs, in theaters and on digital this February.”

“This project came together under extreme conditions during the height of the pandemic and I am proud of the work we accomplished,” added Walsh. “I couldn’t be more pleased with Cinedigm’s expertise in the genre and I’m grateful they’re releasing my debut feature.”

Cinedigm is an entertainment company founded in 2000 that also recently acquired North American rights to Boon—the sequel to the Neal McDonough thriller Red Stone, which it released last month in theaters and on VOD.

Cinedigm’s Vice President of Acquisitions Melody Fowler negotiated the deal to acquire Incarnation with Eoghan Burke, Vice President of Sales on behalf of 101 Films International, an Amcomri Entertainment Company.

‘Yellowjackets’ Gets Early Renewal: Showtime’s Gary Levine On Series’ Breakout Success & Season 2 Surprises

Yellowjackets, featuring an all-star female cast led by Juliette Lewis, Christina Ricci and Tawny Cypress, launched to strong reviews, scoring a rare 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, and has been seen by over 4 million viewers across platforms to date. Showtime’s President of Entertainment Gary Levine called it “an unadulterated sensation” and “a hotshot out of a cannon.”

“It’s done extremely well in terms of streaming subscriptions,” Levine told Deadline. “It was our second biggest series debut ever on streaming, and it’s grown each week on streaming by double digit percentages. In terms of acclaim, in terms of buzz – no pun intended — and in terms of hard numbers, this show has just exploded. For it to be embraced as quickly and as deeply as it was by both audiences and critics alike, that’s a little like catching lightning in a bottle — you can never anticipate that but boy, it’s awfully sweet when it rarely happens.”

Yellowjackets’ streaming debut was second only to the return of Showtime’s signature drama Dexter with the limited series Dexter: New Blood.

Linear viewing is far less relevant in the multi-platform universe (Yellowjackets has been drawing modest Live+Same Day linear audiences but even there the show just hit a series high with its most recent episode, 295,000 viewers.) Still, putting Yellowjackets behind Dexter: New Blood likely helped the newbie to be discovered by audiences quickly.

Cancellations/Renewals Scorecard: TV Shows Ended Or Continuing In 2020-21 Season

“While they are very different shows, we felt that both the strength and some of the tonalities of Dexter would be a great launching pad for Yellowjackets and it seems to have been borne out,” Levine said. “Dexter is a dark and violent show but it’s also a witty, funny show, it’s also a family drama, and Yellowjackets has some of the same mix of tones.”

With Yellowjackets being renewed, is there a pickup in the cards for its companion, Dexter: New Blood?

“Dexter is a limited series and any further discussions of Dexter will have to wait until we finish airing the limited series and see where we are with our stories and our characters,” Levine said. “Dexter was really designed to have a proper conclusion to the series, and I believe we will deliver that in the best possible way.”

Yellowjackets also brought back female audiences, which Showtime previously attracted with long-running hit Shameless.

“I think in terms of the breadth of audience and its audience demographics, it probably is closest to Shameless in terms of its reach,” Levine said. “It’s probably no accident that both had characters in their teens and adult years. But I also think tone, there is an audacity and irreverence to both of those shows that I think has some inherent appeal to a broader range of demographics.”

The creative team of Yellowjackets just finished editing the Season 1 finale, slated to air Jan. 16, last week.

“We have not heard the pitch for Season 2, the writers room has not even come together yet, they are going to come together in January,” Levine said. “I’m sure Ashley, Bart and Jonathan have some loose ideas but they hadn’t fleshed out their ideas and they certainly haven’t conveyed them to us.”

Still, “I do know that there will be some surprises in terms of the characters,” Levine said. “There are still lots of questions about who survived, what happened out there. There will be some real surprises in terms of that and I think some characters you may not even have met yet.”

Levine, who recalled how the Yellowjackets pitch struck a chord with him and his team to a point where he couldn’t remember whether the story was fictional or based on real events. “That’s how real the pitch felt,” he said.

Facing Prime Video’s similarly themed (on paper) The Wilds, Yellowjackets sailed through the development process, with both shows, which turned out very differently, doing well.

As for what Yellowjackets’ success speaks to, “I think what it says is, in this time of reboots, comic books and procedurals, there is a real hunger for originality,” Levine said. “It’s such a unique concept, and also the fact that it’s all women and showing of all sides of women: they are athletes, they are hunter-gatherers, they are cheaters, they are killers, and yet there is sisterhood and there is competition.”

Equal parts survival epic, psychological horror story and coming-of-age drama, Yellowjackets is the saga of a team of wildly talented high school girls soccer players who become the (un)lucky survivors of a plane crash deep in the remote northern wilderness. The series chronicles their descent from a complicated but thriving team to savage clans, while also tracking the lives they’ve attempted to piece back together nearly 25 years later, proving that the past is never really past and what began out in the wilderness is far from over. Season one also stars Ella Purnell, Samantha Hanratty, Sophie Thatcher, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Sophie Nélisse, Steven Krueger and Warren Kole. Karyn Kusama directed and executive produced the pilot.

“We are beyond grateful for the incredible support we’ve received for this show — both from Gary Levine, Jana Winograde, David Nevins, Amy Israel, Dave Binegar, and the rest of the fantastic Showtime team, and from our growing team of “Citizen Detectives” at home,” said Lyle, Nickerson and Lisco. “We can’t wait to continue telling this story with our amazing cast and crew. The saga continues!”

Nicole Byer & Taye Diggs To Host Critics Choice TV Awards On The CW & TBS

The All American star, who is soon to reprise his role of Harper Stewart in Peacock’s The Best Man: The Final Chapters, will host for the fourth consecutive year and will be joined by Wipeout host Byer.

The show, which will be simulcast on The CW and TBS, will air on Sunday January 9 between 7pm and 10pm ET (delayed on the West Coast). The show will be produced by Bob Bain Productions and Berlin Entertainment.

Succession nearly lapped the field when the nominations were announced earlier this month. The HBO drama nabbed eight noms, with the premium cabler’s Mare of Easttown and Paramount +’s Evil next with five apiece.

HBO edged Netflix for the most noms for the 27th annual Critics Choice Awards, scoring 20 to the streamer’s 18.

Succession and Evil will vie for the Best Drama Series prize along with Apple TV+’s For All Mankind, Paramount+’s The Good Fight, FX’s Pose, Netflix’s Squid Game, NBC’s This Is Us and Showtime’s Yellowjackets.

Mare of Easttown is up for Best Limited Series against a streamer-heavy field of Dopesick (Hulu), Dr. Death (Peacock), It’s a Sin (HBO Max), Maid (Netflix), Midnight Mass (Netflix), The Underground Railroad (Prime Video) and WandaVision (Disney+).

Tussling for the Best Comedy Series prize will be Hulu’s The Great and Only Murders in the Building, HBO Max’s Hacks and The Other Two, HBO’s Insecure, FX on Hulu’s Reservation Dogs, Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso and FX’s What We Do in the Shadows.

“Excited to be again hosting The Critics Choice Awards with Miss Nicole Byer,” said Diggs. “It’s always a fun time and Miss Byer is hilarious. Very much looking forward to it.”

“Ooooh! What a nice treat, I am so excited to be hosting the Critics Choice Awards with Taye!,” added Byer. “Oh, the gowns, the stars, the attention… on me on a stage cohosting! I’m very excited for all of it.”

“This is definitely going to be the best Critics Choice Awards show ever,” said Critics Choice Association CEO Joey Berlin. “Imagine Taye and Nicole up in front of a big, beautiful room full of all the biggest stars in film and television – all dressed to kill, drinking champagne and hoping to win. It’s going to be a blast.”

Christina Ricci gives birth to first child with husband Mark Hampton

The Emmy nominee, 41, who is already a mom to son Freddie, 7, with her ex James Heerdegen, announced the happy news on Wednesday.

“Baby Cleo is here we are so in love with her also she has the most incredible dad imaginable,” Ricci captioned an Instagram video of the newborn napping in a pink beanie.

Her hairstylist beau — whom she married in October — also shared an adorable snap of baby Cleopatra Ricci Hampton.

“My heart has exploded. @riccigrams and baby Cleo are doing fantastic, we’re all resting after such an eventful morning… welcome to the world baby Cleopatra Ricci Hampton,” he captioned an Instagram post.

“What a truly emotional morning, never cried as much.”

Ricci first revealed she was expecting her second child when she shared an ultrasound image in August. “Life keeps getting better,” she wrote at the time.

The “Addams Family” actress previously opened up about being a hands-on mom to her son Freddie.

“Usually when I’m off, I’m with my son,” she told People in December. “When I’m not working, I try to be as full-time with him as I can be. Taking him to his play dates and nursery school.”

She was granted full custody of her little boy in April, after her highly contentious split from Heerdegen.

She filed a restraining order against her cinematographer ex following an alleged domestic battery incident, however, he still has visitation rights.

Former Soap Stars Get Critics Choice TV Nominations

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Jennifer Coolidge – The White Lotus (HBO)
Kaitlyn Dever – Dopesick (Hulu)
Kathryn Hahn – WandaVision (Disney+)
Melissa McCarthy – Nine Perfect Strangers (Hulu)
Julianne Nicholson – Mare of Easttown (HBO)
Jean Smart – Mare of Easttown (HBO)

Netflix Returns To ‘Death To 2021’; Adds Lucy Liu, Stockard Channing, William Jackson Harper To Comedy Special

Hugh Grant, Tracey Ullman and British comedians Samson Kayo and Diane Morgan also return after featuring in last year’s Death to 2020. A teaser trailer today for the show, which drops on December 27, shows Morgan as Gemma Nerrick, one of the world’s five most average citizens, on a Zoom date with a man called Geoff.

The special mixes archival footage harvested from across the year with commentary from fictitious characters.

Charlie Brooker’s indie Broke & Bones is once again behind the satire, with Annabel Jones and Ben Caudell exec producing and BBC Comedy Commissioning Editor Caudell lead-writing. Jack Clough and Josh Ruben are directing.

Last year’s show was narrated by Laurence Fishburne and also featured Samuel L Jackson, Lisa Kudrow and Kumail Nanjiani and was dropped as much of the world was in lockdown.

Christina Ricci Joins Cyberpunk Pic ‘The Dresden Sun’ From Director Michael Ryan

The film observes as a heist goes south when a brilliant, principled mercenary with a traumatic past works with an insider to steal a valued asset from Peredor Corporation called “the sphere.” The C & Earth corporation, vying for global dominance, seeks to find a solution to an otherworldly technology via a scientist’s project. Meanwhile, a financial analyst, who despises his job at the powerful investment firm Mutual One, finds himself caught between deadly corporate rivals, financial fraud, and technological espionage, and is ultimately forced to run from a psychopathic military contractor.

Ricci will play Dr. Dresden Corliss, an inventor of a cosmic technology, who grieves over the death of a loved one. Michael Ryan and Tyler Lockamy are producing via their Archetype Pictures banner, with Neely Gurman handling casting.

Ricci currently stars in the critically acclaimed Showtime series Yellowjackets, and will next be seen in Lana Wachowski’s The Matrix Resurrections, which is hitting theaters and HBO Max on December 22. The veteran actress has previously starred on the TV side in Amazon’s Z: The Beginning of Everything, The Lizzie Borden Chronicles, Pan Am and more. She’s appeared on the film side in such titles as Black Snake Moan, Monster, Sleepy Hollow, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Ice Storm, Casper, and Barry Sonnenfeld’s 1991 adaptation of The Addams Family.

Ricci is represented by ICM, Untitled Entertainment, and attorney Jamie Afifi.

Megan Hilty Steps In As Replacement For Covid-Struck Jane Krakowski In ‘Annie Live!’

“I am beyond thrilled to join this all-star cast, crew and creative team,” said Hilty in a statement. “My family and I have been super fans of Annie for as long as I can remember, and we always look forward to the epic televised musicals produced by Bob Greenblatt & Neil Meron, so to be a part of this particular production is an honor and a dream come true. I wish Jane the speediest of recoveries and hope to do her proud.”

According to NBC, Krakowski is “experiencing a breakthrough Covid case while working on a separate project in Ireland despite being double vaccinated, a regular testing process and abiding by protocols.”

Hilty joins Celina Smith, who will play Annie, and an ensemble that includes Taraji P. Henson as Miss Hannigan, Harry Connick Jr. as Daddy Warbucks, Nicole Scherzinger as Grace and Tituss Burgess as Rooster.

2021 Holiday Movies, Shows On TV & Streaming For November & December – Updated Schedule

Hilty is best known to TV audiences for her portrayal of Ivy Lynn in NBC’s musical drama Smash, and she recently appeared in Lifetime’s Patsy & Loretta. Other TV credits include Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce, Difficult People, The Good Wife and The Good Fight. She made her Broadway debut as Glinda in Wicked and was Tony-nominated for her role in 2016’s Noises Off.

Annie Live! will be executive produced by Robert Greenblatt, Neil Meron and Alex Rudzinsky, with Lear deBessonet and Rudzinski sharing the directing duties. Choreography will be led by Sergio Trujillo. The live event is being produced by Chloe Productions.

The musical will air Thursday, December 2 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

Hilty is represented by Randi Goldstein and Nick Collins at Gersh.

‘Midnight Run’: Universal Sets Regina Hall To Star; ‘Girls Trip’ Actress Will Produce With Jesse Collins

The details of the new version are being kept under wraps. The original movie marked multi-Oscar winner Robert De Niro’s pivot into comedy, the actor playing Jack Walsh, a Bond bailsman bounty hunter whose job it is to collect mob accountant, Jonathan Mardukas, played by the late Charles Grodin, and get him to Los Angeles. The only thing is the accountant can’t fly, putting the easily irritable bounty hunter and fastidious accountant on an endless road trip in which they’re pursued by the Feds and a rival bounty hunter, Marvin Dorfler, played by John Ashton. The movie grossed $82M WW in 1988 dollars, and was nominated for Best Comedy/Musical at the Golden Globes with De Niro receiving a Best Actor nod in that category. Midnight Run was also one of the top ten movies on the National Board of Review’s 1988 list.

Collins (The New Edition Story, American Soul) will produce on behalf of his Jesse Collins Entertainment. De Niro will produce with Jane Rosenthal through Tribeca. Berry Welsh will executive produce for Tribeca.

Universal Pictures’ SVP of Production Development, Sara Scott, will oversee on behalf of the studio.

Hall recently starred in the Hulu limited series Nine Perfect Strangers, and also in the Universal hit comedy Girls Trip which grossed $140.5M WW. She stars in and executive produced the Showtime comedy series Black Monday. Other feature credits include the Scary Movie franchise, The Hate U Give, The Best Man Holiday, About Last Night, Think Like a Man Too, and Vacation. She is repped by ICM.

Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE) is an Emmy nominated full-service television and film production company that has a multi-year overall agreement with ViacomCBS Cable Networks. On the theatrical side, JCE has a first look with Paramount Players. The award-winning and critically acclaimed television that JCE has produced includes miniseries—The New Edition Story and The Bobby Brown Story; scripted series—American Soul and Real Husbands of Hollywood; unscripted series – Cardi Tries; talk show – Face to Face with Becky G; Emmy Award winning children’s series—Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices; award shows—BET Awards, Black Girls Rock!, BET Honors, UNCF’s An Evening of Stars, BET Hip Hop Awards, ABFF Honors and Soul Train Awards; specials—John Lewis: Celebrating A Hero, Love & Happiness: An Obama Celebration, Change Together: From The March On Washington To Today, Stand Up for Heroes, Dear Mama, Amanda Seales: I Be Knowin’, Def Comedy Jam 25 and Leslie Jones: Time Machine. Collins was an executive producer for the Grammy Awards and The Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show and also produced The 2021 Academy Awards. He will next executive produce the 2021 American Music Awards.

Collins is represented by CAA; Yorn, Barnes, Levine, Krintzman, Rubenstein, Kohner, Endlich & Gellman.

Regina King & David E. Kelley Book Series Order For Adaptation Of Tom Wolfe’s ‘A Man In Full’

The streamer has handed the limited project a straight-to-series order of six episodes.

The book, published in 1998, follows Atlanta real estate mogul Charlie Croker. When he faces sudden bankruptcy, political and business interests collide as he defends his empire from those attempting to capitalize on his fall from grace.

Kelley will serve as showrunner, writer and exec producer with King directing and exec producing as part of her first-look deal with Netflix via her Royal Ties production company. Matthew Tinker also exec produces.

It is Kelley’s latest project for the streamer with upcoming series such as Lincoln Lawyer and Anatomy of a Scandal. It comes after King starred in Netflix feature The Harder They Fall, which was released earlier this month.

Robert Downey Jr. And Matt Damon Latest Stars To Join Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’

Reps for Universal, Damon and Downey Jr. could not be reached for comment.

Universal will distribute Oppenheimer theatrically worldwide and release the film in North America. Nolan will also be producing along with Emma Thomas and Atlas Entertainment’s Charles Roven. The film is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and the late Martin J. Sherwin.

Deadline was first to announce this would be Nolan’s next film and also broke the news of Universal landing the rights to the project following a heated bidding war among almost every major suitor in town. Deadline also first mentioned that Murphy would have a key role in the project, which is now confirmed to be the man at the center of the story.

Nolan is known for having ensembles with a mix of talent he’s worked with in the past, along with stars he would be working with for the first time. This film touches both areas. Damon previously worked with Nolan on his sci-fi epic Interstellar. As for Downey Jr., this would mark the first time the two will work together on a project.

Both Damon and Downey Jr. are repped by WME.

Jon Bon Jovi, Bryan Adams Pull From Events After Testing Positive For Covid-19

According to Variety, Adams was scheduled to appear at Tina Turner’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. He was set to perform a medley of songs including “It’s Only Love,” which is a duet between Adams and Turner from his 1984 album, Reckless, but a last minute positive Covid test rendered him unable to attend. A rep for Adams told Variety that Adams is fully vaccinated and showed no symptoms.

Country star Keith Urban stepped in for Bryan Adams at the ceremony to perform with R&B recording artist, H.E.R. in a recreating the Turner/Adams song.

“It’s My Life” singer Jon Bon Jovi, is in a similar boat as WSVN 7 News in south Florida first reports that a scheduled concert was promptly canceled in front of an awaiting crowd that was informed about his Covid diagnosis. Variety mentions the event, called “Runaway With JBJ” and put on by Runaway Tours, was scheduled for October 29 to 31 and included an acoustic storyteller performance with Jovi, a Q&A and photo-op, in addition to a Halloween costume welcome party.

A rep for Bon Jovi states that the musician is fully vaccinated and doing well.

‘The Black Pack’: CW Sets Two Variety Specials With Taye Diggs, Ne-Yo, & Eric Bellinger

Both specials will feature music, dance, and comedy. Confirmed guests include Jordin Sparks, Tank, and Sevyn Streeter.

We Three Kings will be a holiday-themed celebration with both classic and new music brought to life on stage.

The trio will return to host Excellence at an as-yet-unannounced date with a focus on celebrating Black excellence and culture through musical and dance performances. Viewers can expect appearances by a star-studded list of guests commemorating Juneteenth. The Black Pack—a hat tip to the Rat Pack— explores how to celebrate America’s newly acknowledged national holiday while glorifying those that came before.

The Black Pack also pays tribute to rat packer Sammy Davis Jr. and will feature a newly penned Juneteenth anthem.

Both specials are produced by Magic Lemonade and executive produced by Taye Diggs, Shannon Stoeke, and Rikki Hughes, who also serves as the showrunner of both specials.

Peacock Orders ‘The Missing’ Crime Drama Series From David E. Kelley

Written by Kelley, who also serves as showrunner and executive producer, The Missing tells the story of NYPD Detective Avraham Avraham, whose belief in mankind is his superpower when it comes to uncovering the truth. Guided by a deep sense of spirituality and religious principles, Avraham is left to question his own humanity when a seemingly routine investigation turns upside down.

Kelly’s producing partner Matthew Tinker also executive produces with Keshet Studios’ Peter Traugott, Keshet International’s Alon Shrutzman, Keshet Media Group’s Avi Nir, Keshet Broadcasting’s Karni Ziv and Mishani. The Missing is produced by Keshet Studios, the U.S. production arm of Keshet International, and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studios Group.

Anne Heche claims she was ‘canceled’ because of Ellen DeGeneres romance

In a new interview with Page Six, the actress looked back on her former relationship with the talk show host and why she was made to feel like “patient zero in cancel culture.”

“This wasn’t a long-term love affair,” recalled Heche, who dated DeGeneres from 1997 to 2000. “This was a moment in my life when I was given the glory of being able to stand up for what I believe in and have since I was a kid.”

Heche, 52, famously made headlines when she invited DeGeneres, 63, as her date to the 1997 premiere of “Volcano.”

The two faced scrutiny for their same-sex partnership at the time, but Heche told us her spontaneous gesture to invite DeGeneres was “about living in loving-kindness.”

She remembered that the repercussions were swift and harsh, however, due to the nature of the times.

“I didn’t do a studio picture for ten years,” she claimed. “I was fired from a $10 million picture deal and did not see the light of day in a studio picture.”

One movie that Heche was already in talks to do before the infamous premiere was the big-budget romantic comedy “Six Days, Seven Nights” opposite Harrison Ford.

She claimed to Page Six that after going public with DeGeneres, it didn’t seem like the studio wanted her for the role anymore, and was even told she wasn’t going to get it.

Heche remembered being home one morning with DeGeneres when Ford, 79, called with an important message.

“He said, ‘Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn who you’re sleeping with,’” she said. “’We have a romantic comedy to make. Let’s make it the best one that’s ever happened.’”

“That is why Harrison Ford is my hero,” she continued. “To stand behind me at such a time when the force of what I was standing up for could have been toppled.”

Heche told us that every TV show and movie after that has been her “favorite” because they’ve allowed her to support her family. The actress shares son Homer, 19, with ex-husband Coleman Laffoon, and son Atlas, 12, with her former “Men in Trees” co-star James Tupper.

Despite starring in dozens of television shows and movies over the years, it’s clear Heche is most proud of what she sees as her role in changing societal norms – even if it derailed her career for a bit.

“Those repercussions that happened, are to me what has created a part of the change,” she said. “I’m a part of it. It is a badge of honor.”

Next up, Heche is starring in “13 Minutes,” which she cheekily described as a disaster film like “Volcano.”

She was thrilled to work with director Lindsay Gossling, she said, because “she tackles social issues in a disaster movie,” which “very few people have the balls to do.”

“13 Minutes” will be released in theaters on Oct. 29, and on-demand and digital Nov. 19.

Christina Ricci marries for second time

The Sleepy Hollow star revealed she and her hairstylist beau had tied the knot by posting photos from their low-key wedding ceremony on Instagram.

Ricci wrote “Mr. and Mrs.” alongside two snaps of the newlyweds, both wearing white, button-down shirts.

The news comes two months after Ricci revealed she was expecting her second child with Hampton.

The actress, who shares seven-year-old Freddie with former husband James Heerdegen, shared a photo of her sonogram on Instagram with the caption: “Life keeps getting better.”

Ricci filed for divorce from film producer James, who she wed, a year ago, following an alleged domestic battery incident.

Six months later, she was granted a domestic violence restraining order against her estranged husband.

‘Firefly Lane’ Adds Ignacio Serricchio, Greg Germann, India de Beaufort & Jolene Purdy To Cast For Season 2

In Season 2, Heigl and Chalke reprise their roles as lifelong best friends Tully and Kate, facing the ultimate test of their friendship and the path to sustain the other relationships in their lives.

Argentinian-born Serricchio plays Danny Diaz. Danny is a cocky sportscaster turned reporter who has crackling chemistry with Tully (Heigl). He’s brash, ambitious, and sexy. Danny and Tully continually trade barbs, but beneath his smug façade lies real vulnerability and passion.

De Beaufort plays Charlotte. As we meet Charlotte in 1985 Seattle, she’s a quiet and reserved aspiring journalist with a hopeless crush on Johnny Ryan (Ben Lawson). But over the years she grows into a world-renowned, confident and sophisticated reporter- a woman who knows what she wants, and isn’t afraid to go after it.

Germann plays Benedict Binswanger. The scion of an influential logging family, Benedict parlays his success in business into a run for Governor of Washington state in the 1980s. His outward confidence belies a deep concern for both his own and his family’s reputations—and he is determined to preserve the Binswanger legacy by making sure a long-held secret stays buried.

Purdy plays Justine Jordan, a sunny, upbeat talent agent with a knack for keeping a positive demeanor even when delivering devastating news. She’s always got a plan, and is ready to execute it. An up and coming power player in the world of entertainment. Justine Jordan is no nonsense but always charming, the kind of person everyone wants in their corner — including Tully Hart (Heigl).

Maggie Friedman serves as showrunner of Firefly Lane, based on the novel of the same name by Kristin Hannah, and executive produces along with Heigl, Shawn Williamson and Michael Spiller. Hannah serves as co-executive producer. The series is currently in production in Vancouver, Canada.

Ally McBeal alum Germann Germann joined ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy as a recurring in Season 14 and was promoted to a series regular at the start of Season 16. He is repped by A3 Artists Agency and manager Matt Goldman.

Serricchio, whose series credits also include Good Girls and El Recluso, is repped by MPG Management.

Purdy played Lani in the opening episode of HBO’s The White Lotus and also recurred on Disney+’s WandaVision. She is repped by A3 Artists Agency and BMK-ENT.

Actress-singer de Beaufort recently shot the Steven Soderbergh/Zoe Kravitz New Line feature Kimi along with the Francis Lawrence/Jason Momoa Netflix feature Slumberland. She is repped by Gersh and Think Tank Management.

Julianne Nicholson Wins Her First Emmy, Tells Kate Winslet “I Owe This To You”

Easttown follows Mare (Emmy nominee Kate Winslet), a small-town detective investigating the murder of a young girl. Lori is Mare’s close friend and confidant, and despite their crumbling lives, the two friends try to hold on to their long-lasting friendship. The series is directed by Craig Zobel and was written by Brad Ingelsby.

Nicholson co-stars along with Jean Smart and Evan Peters. All were nominated for their roles tonight, and Peters already won.

During her speech, Nicholson praised Winslet for convincing her to take a chance on being a part of the series.

“If you hadn’t called and asked if I wanted to join you in Philly, I probably would have read the first two episodes, thought ‘Nah, the priest did it,’ and stayed home. So I owe this to you,” she said, looking at Winslet in the audience.

Nicholson went on to mention how Winslet’s leadership got them through tough times on set as the series was shot during the pandemic. “Turns out, you’re good at caring for a whole production,” she said. “You led all of us every step of the way with such care and intelligence and love.”

Nicholson’s performance beat out fellow nominees Renée Elise Goldsberry (Hamilton), Phillipa Soo (Hamilton), Smart, Moses Ingram (The Queen’s Gambit) and Kathryn Hahn (WandaVision).

In total, Mare of Easttown garnered 16 Emmy nominations, and the Nicholson win makes it three for the series, which received a statue at the Creative Arts Emmys for Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More), along with Peters’ Best Supporting Actor win tonight.

The 73rd annual Emmy Awards is being celebrated in-person, with Cedric The Entertainer as host.

Jane Krakowski Joins NBC’s ‘Annie Live!’

The casting, announced today by NBC, is the latest addition to the holiday season musical special airing Dec. 2: Krakowski, known to TV audiences for performances in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and 30 Rock, among others, and Broadway theatergoers for She Loves Me, Grand Hotel, Company and Once Upon a Mattress, joins a line-up that includes Burgess, Taraji P. Henson as Miss Hannigan, Harry Connick Jr.’s Daddy Warbucks, Nicole Scherzinger’s Grace and the recently announced Celina Smith as Annie.

Krakowski is currently starring on TV in Dickinson and Schmigadoon, and hosts Name That Tune.

As the larger-than-life Lily St. Regis, Krakowski teams up with Burgess’ conniving Rooster Hannigan as a greedy duo that schemes to abduct Annie and pose as her parents to land a big reward. The role of Lily was created on Broadway in 1977 by Barbara Erwin and portrayed in the 1982 film version by Bernadette Peters.

Annie Live! will be executive produced by Robert Greenblatt, Neil Meron and Alex Rudzinsky, with Lear deBessonet and Alex Rudzinski sharing the directing duties. The live event is being produced by Chloe Productions.

Annie Live! airs Thursday, Dec. 2 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

Regina Hall Joins Kevin Hart And Mark Wahlberg in Netflix’s ‘Me Time’

The film follows a stay-at-home dad (Hart) who finds himself with some “me time” for the first time in years while his wife and kids are away. He reconnects with his former best friend (Wahlberg) for a wild weekend that nearly upends his life.

Lauren Hennessey will exec produce alongside Mark Moran and Patricia Braga of HartBeat. Joe Gatta will also exec produce.

Hall can currently be seen in Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers and can also in her Showtime comedy Black Monday. She will also star in and executive produce the occult drama Master as well as the comedy Honk For Jesus, Save Your Soul.

She is repped by ICM Partners.

‘Yellowjackets’: Showtime Survival Drama Starring Juliette Lewis, Christina Ricci Gets Premiere Date & Trailer

During its TCA presentation, Showtime unveiled the first look at Yellowjackets. Written by Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson, the series is a saga of a team of wildly talented high school girls soccer players who become the (un)lucky survivors of a plane crash deep in the remote northern wilderness. The series chronicles their descent from a complicated but thriving team to savage clans, while also tracking the lives they’ve attempted to piece back together nearly 25 years later, proving that the past is never really past and what began out in the wilderness is far from over. “I used to think all the sex, the drinking, the drugs – I used to think I did those things because of what happened out there. What I saw, what I did,” Lewis’ Natalie recalls in the trailer.

A pact of secrecy, disturbing images of survival and rising tensions fill the teaser as the girls’ past catches up to them.

Showtime also unveiled that Yellowjackets will debut Sunday, November 14 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. The series also features Ella Purnell, Samantha Hanratty, Sophie Thatcher, Sophie Nélisse, Steven Krueger, Jasmin Savoy Brown and Warren Kole.

Yellowjackets is for Showtime by Entertainment One (eOne). Jonathan Lisco joins Lyle and Nickerson as executive producer and showrunning partner. Karyn Kusama executive produces and directed the pilot. Drew Comins of Creative Engine also serves as executive producer.

Watch the trailer above.

‘Star Wars: Visions’: Disney+ Unveils Trailer; Lucy Liu, Neil Patrick Harris Among Voice Cast

Lucy Liu, Neil Patrick Harris, George Takei, Alison Brie and Joseph Gordon-Levitt are among the English voice cast for the series that tells new Star Wars stories through the singular style and tradition of Japanese anime.

“Lucasfilm is partnering with seven of the most talented anime studios in Japan to bring their signature style and unique vision of the Star Wars galaxy to this inspired new series,” said James Waugh, executive producer and VP Franchise Content & Strategy at Lucasfilm. “Their stories showcase the full spectrum of bold storytelling found across Japanese animation, each told with a freshness and voice that expands our understanding of what a Star Wars story can be, and celebrates a galaxy that has been such an inspiration to so many visionary storytellers.”

The studios creating the nine shorts include Kamikaze Douga – “The Duel”; Geno Studio (Twin Engine) – “Lop and Ocho”; Studio Colorido (Twin Engine) – “Tatooine Rhapsody”; TRIGGER – “The Twins” and “The Elder”; Kinema Citrus – “The Village Bride”; Science Saru – “Akakiri” and “T0-B1”; and Production I.G. – “The Ninth Jedi.”

English dub cast:

The Duel: Brian Tee (Ronin), Lucy Liu (Bandit Leader), Jaden Waldman (Village Chief)

Tatooine Rhapsody: Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Jay), Bobby Moynihan (Geezer), Temuera Morrison (BobaFett), Shelby Young (K-344), Marc Thompson (Lan)

The Twins: Neil Patrick Harris (Karre), Alison Brie (Am), Jonathan Lipow (B-20N)

The Village Bride: Karen Fukuhara (F), Nichole Sakura (Haru), Christopher Sean (Asu), Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (Valco), Andrew Kishino (Izuma), Stephanie Sheh (Saku)

The Ninth Jedi: Kimiko Glenn (Kara), Andrew Kishino (Juro), Simu Liu (Zhima), Masi Oka (Ethan), Greg Chun (Roden), Neil Kaplan (Narrator), Michael Sinterniklaas (Hen Jin),

T0-B1: Jaden Waldman (T0-B1), Kyle Chandler (Mitaka)

The Elder: David Harbour (Tajin), Jordan Fisher (Dan), James Hong (The Elder)

Lop & Ocho: Anna Cathcart (Lop), Hiromi Dames (Ocho), Paul Nakauchi (Yasaburo), Kyle McCarley (Imperial Officer)

Akakiri: Henry Golding (Tsubaki), Jamie Chung (Misa), George Takei (Senshuu), Keone Young (Kamahachi), Lorraine Toussaint (Masago)

Japanese dub cast:

The Duel: Masaki Terasoma (Ronin), Akeno Watanabe (Bandit Leader), Yuko Sanpei (VillageChief)

Tatooine Rhapsody: Hiroyuki Yoshino (Jay), Kousuke Goto (Geezer), Akio Kaneda (Boba Fett), MasayoFujita (K-344), Anri Katsu (Lan)

The Twins: Junya Enoki (Karre), Ryoko Shiraishi (Am), Tokuyoshi Kawashima (B-20N)

The Village Bride: Asami Seto (F), Megumi Han (Haru), Yuma Uchida (Asu), Takaya Kamikawa(Vaan), Yoshimitsu Shimoyama (Izuma), Mariya Ise (Saku)

The Ninth Jedi: Chinatsu Akasaki(Kara), Tetsuo Kanao (Juro), Shin-ichiro Miki (Zhima), Hiromu Mineta (Ethan), Kazuya Nakai (Roden), Akio Otsuka, (Narrator), Daisuke Hirakawa (Hen Jin)

T0-B1: Masako Nozawa (T0-B1), Tsutomu Isobe (Mitaka)

The Elder: Takaya Hashi (Tajin), Kenichi Ogata (The Elder), Yuichi Nakamura (Dan)

Lop & Ocho: Seiran Kobayashi (Lop), Risa Shimizu (Ocho), Tadahisa Fujimura (Yasaburo),Taisuke Nakano (Imperial Officer)

Akakiri: Yu Miyazaki (Tsubaki), Lynn (Misa), Cho (Senshuu), Wataru Takagi (Kamahachi),Yukari Nozawa (Masago)

Christina Ricci I'm Pregnant!!! After Nasty Divorce

The "Casper" and 'Addams Family' star shared a photo of her ultrasound Tuesday ... and the image makes it seem like she's pretty far along. Disclaimer: we're not doctors.

Christina's clearly thrilled to be expecting her second child ... saying, "Life keeps getting better."

What she didn't say -- not that she has to, either -- is who the expectant daddy is.

We're not at all connecting any dots here, but Christina's hairstylist Mark Hampton also posted images of her ultrasound with the same caption she did. Could just be a very supportive friend.

Anyway, the pregnancy comes after Christina filed to divorce film producer James Heerdegen after nearly 7 years of marriage, and their split was contentious.

TMZ broke the story ... Christina got a domestic violence restraining order against Heerdegen after filing divorce docs ... claiming he beat her and terrorized her during the COVID lockdown.

A judge signed off on Christina's divorce last month, officially making her a single woman ... and with her pregnancy, things are looking up for her again.

Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart make rare outing with son in Croatia

The couple, who have been summering in the European country, was spotted sightseeing in Dubrovnik with what appeared to be a tour guide. Their youngest son, Liam Flockhart, 20, joined the notoriously private couple for a rare public outing as a family.

One photo shows Ford, 79, receiving a shoulder massage while shirtless on the balcony of the villa where he and his family are staying. Flockhart — who at 56 is 23 years younger than Ford — and Liam were seated at a nearby table.

Ford is currently on hiatus from filming the fifth “Indiana Jones” film due to a shoulder injury. The actor was hurt while rehearsing a fight scene that left production on the film halted for at least three months, as The Post previously reported.

“The film’s bosses have come together to work out the scheduling and it’s chaos,” a production source told The Sun in June. “The earliest they think they can restart the production is September.”

The fifth installment of the “Indiana Jones” franchise is rumored to be Ford’s last time taking on the role.

Liam is Flockhart’s only child. She adopted him one year before she and Ford began dating in 2002, and Ford later formally adopted him as his own. The couple wed in 2010.

Ford has four more adult children from two previous marriages.

Michelle pfeiffer & David e. Kelley unload pacific palisades mansion And In Record Time Too

The couple listed the estate in July and it only took a week to get a solid offer. The house was listed at $25 million and our real estate sources say they got close to asking.

It's an eye-popping amount of loot, but it's by no means a bonanza for them. They paid $22,250,000 in January 2020 ... so with carrying costs, upgrades and realtor fees ... it's probably around the break-even mark.

The house is just over 10,000 square feet, with 7 bedrooms and 11 bathrooms. It's right up against the Riviera Golf Course, which is prime real estate in the area. In addition to overlooking the golf course, it has ocean views as well. Of course, it has the requisite pool -- an infinity pool, no less.

The house was listed by Cindy Ambuehl at Compass.

Michelle Pfeiffer and David E. Kelley check on the Progress of their New Home

Last we saw Michelle, she was overseeing the construction of a house they were building. Word on the street is they have amazing taste, so the new house has gotta be awesome.

Lucy Liu Opens Up About Altercation With Bill Murray On Set Of ‘Charlie’s Angels’: “I Stood Up For Myself, And I Don’t Regret It”

The actress shared her perspective on the matter for the first time, on an episode of the Los Angeles Times podcast Asian Enough, hosted by Johana Bhuiyan, Tracy Brown, Suhauna Hussain and Jen Yamato.

Liu said her clash with Murray came about during rehearsal on a scene which had recently been reworked, without Murray’s knowledge.

“We had taken the weekend to rework that particular scene and Bill Murray was not able to come because he had to attend some family gathering,” she explained. “So it was everyone else, and we just made the scene more fluid.

“I wish I had more to do with [the rewrite], but I didn’t,” she continued. “Because I was the last one cast, and I probably had the least amount of privilege, in terms of creatively participating at that time.”

While Liu didn’t specify what Murray said to her during rehearsal of the scene, she confirmed reports that the actor started “to sort of hurl insults” at her, after learning of the rewrites.

In the moment, the actress had difficulty processing what was happening. “I was, like, ‘Wow, he seems like he’s looking straight at me.’ I couldn’t believe that [his comments] could be towards me, because what do I have to do with anything majorly important at that time?” she said. “I say, ‘I’m so sorry. Are you talking to me?’—and clearly he was, because then it started to become a one-on-one communication.”

From Liu’s perspective, some of the language Murray used “was inexcusable and unacceptable.” She therefore decided to speak up, in spite of the fact that she was one of the lesser-known actors on set.

“I stood up for myself, and I don’t regret it,” she said. “Because no matter how low on the totem pole you may be or wherever you came from, there’s no need to condescend or to put other people down.”

Liu related the incident from the early years of her career to a moment from her childhood, when her immigrant mother was spoken down to by a “condescending” salesperson.

Liu said she isn’t sure her response to the incident was linked to that earlier experience. “But I don’t want to be that person that is not going to speak up for myself and stand by the only thing that I have,” she explained, “which is my dignity and self-respect.”

The actress later addressed media coverage in the immediate aftermath of the incident, noting that it came off as sexist.

“What came out in the press was that I was this and I was that. It was incredible to me how it was turned around, and they automatically thought that the woman was the difficult one,” she recalled. “But I didn’t understand how it got flipped when I had nothing to do with instigating it, or creating that platform of confrontation or anxiety.”

Even if certain media reports were not on her side, she took solace in feedback from collaborators on Charlie’s Angels, who appreciated her response, as a young star in the middle of a difficult moment. “I remember years later, maybe even decades later, some crew members that I didn’t even know at the time came up to me on other sets and told me that they were there at the time,” she shared, “and they were really grateful that I did that.”

Liu went on to share that she has reconciled with Murray. “I have nothing against Bill Murray at all. I’ve seen him since then at an SNL reunion, and he came up to me and was perfectly nice,” she said. “But I’m not going to sit there and be attacked.”

Murray last told his side of the story to The Times of London, all the way back in 2009. “Look, I will dismiss you completely if you are unprofessional and working with me,” he said. “When our relationship is professional, and you’re not getting that done, forget it.”

Hayden Panettiere 'Trying to Forgive and Move Forward' After Ex Is Released from Jail

The two were spotted together in West Hollywood over the weekend, according to E!, with Hickerson himself telling the outlet the duo were "not back together but are working on a friendship."

A source close to Hayden confirms they are in communication. "Brian is in intensive therapy treatment," the source tells TooFab. "She won't forget what he did but she's trying to forgive and move forward."

Our source added Hayden "is sober and doing very well."

That echoes what Hickerson told E!, telling the publication that Panettiere was "not drinking" during their hangout with friends. "We have a long history together, and the first step in my recovery as an abuser is making amends," he added. "That's exactly what Hayden has been gracious enough to allow me to do."

In April, Hickerson was sentenced to 45 days in jail after pleading no contest to two felony counts of injuring a spouse/cohabitant/girlfriend/child's parent. He was also sentenced to four years probation, received a five-year restraining order and was ordered to attend 52 domestic violence classes and pay a $500 fee.

Hickerson initially pleaded not guilty to eight charges brought against him after his July 2020 arrest -- including battery, corporal injury, assault with a deadly weapon and intimidating a witness, for incidents that allegedly took place during his relationship with Panettiere. All remaining charges against him were dropped after his sentencing.

He was previously arrested over allegations of abuse against Panettiere in February 2020 and May 2019, the latter also for felony domestic violence. He pleaded not guilty and the charges were dropped later that year.

"I am coming forward with the truth about what happened to me with the hope that my story will empower others in abusive relationships to get the help they need and deserve," Panettiere said in a statement to TMZ last July.

"I am prepared to do my part to make sure this man never hurts anyone again. I'm grateful for my support system, which helped me find the courage to regain my voice and my life," she added.

"For anyone affected by abuse and needing support, call 1-800-799-7233," she concluded, sharing the National Domestic Violence Hotline, "or if you're unable to speak safely, you can log onto thehotline.org or text LOVEIS to 1-866-331-9474."

Robert Downey Jr. To Co-Star In Drama Series Adaptation Of Viet Thanh Nguyen’s ‘The Sympathizer’ For HBO And A24

The novel is an espionage thriller and cross-culture satire about the struggles of a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy during the final days of the Vietnam War and his resulting exile in the United States. A worldwide search is underway for the lead role and the rest of the predominantly Vietnamese ensemble.

Described as a “blistering exploration of identity and America, a gripping spy novel and a powerful story of love and friendship,” the novel is hailed as a new classic of war fiction and has been compared to the works of Kafka, Orwell, and le Carré.

Execs now will look to cast the title character who will co-star opposite Downey.

Oldboy director Park Chan-wook is on board as co-showrunner, along with Don McKellar, and also will direct the series. Park and McKellar will also exec produce along with Downey, Susan Downey and Amanda Burrell for Team Downey. Niv Fichman will also exec produce through Rhombus Media as will Kim Ly. The series is a co-production between HBO, A24 and Rhombus Media in association with Cinetic Media and Moho Film.

The project marks the first role for Robert Downey since his final appearance as the iconic Tony Stark aka Iron Man, and the Oscar nominee has been particular since the end of his run. (Production on his 2020 film Dolittle began before Endgame‘s release.) After weighing several offers, sources say what made this role so appealing, besides an incredible story, was the opportunity to show his range as an actor. According to insiders, he is set to play multiple supporting roles as the main antagonists — all of whom represent a different arm of the American establishment including an up-and-coming Orange County congressman, a CIA agent and a Hollywood film director, among others.

“Adapting Mr. Nguyen’s important and masterful work requires a visionary team,” Robert Downey said. “With director Park at the helm, I expect this to be a creative producing adventure for Susan, me and Team Downey and a stimulating process for myself in playing these complex supporting roles. A24 and HBO are the perfect combination of partners and co-parents. … It’s exactly the type of challenge I’ve been craving, and I believe we will deliver an exceptional viewing experience to our audience.”

The partnership makes sense following the collaboration between Team Downey and HBO on Perry Mason, with Team Downey producing the HBO series. Matthew Rhys, who stars in the series, was nominated for an Emmy this week. Following the success of that first season, HBO and Team Downey re-upped their overall deal.

This marks the latest collaboration between A24 and HBO, who have worked together on the Emmy-winning Euphoria and the anticipated Olivier Assayas remake of his own Irma Vep, starring Alicia Vikander.

Park is best known for directing Oldboy, Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, and Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance. He is repped by WME, Industry Entertainment Partners and Hansen Jacobson Teller.

Robert Downey — who recurred on Ally McBeal in the early 2000s — is repped by WME and Hansen Jacobson Teller. McKellar is represented by Great North Artists Management.

2021 Primetime Emmy Nominations

Supporting Actress in a Limited/Anthology/Movie

HamiltonDisney+ • Lin-Manuel Miranda and Nevis Productions LLC, Old 320 Sycamore, and RadicalMedia
Renée Elise Goldsberry as Angelica Schuyler

Hamilton • Disney+ • Lin-Manuel Miranda and Nevis Productions LLC, Old 320 Sycamore, and RadicalMedia
Phillipa Soo as Eliza Hamilton

Mare Of Easttown
HBO • HBO in association with wiip Studios, The Low Dweller Productions, Juggle Productions, Mayhem and Zobot Projects
Julianne Nicholson as Lori Ross

Mare Of Easttown • HBO • HBO in association with wiip Studios, The Low Dweller Productions, Juggle Productions, Mayhem and Zobot Projects
Jean Smart as Helen

The Queen’s Gambit
Netflix • Netflix Moses Ingram as Jolene.

HCA TV Awards Nominations

Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Television Movie
Jean Smart – Mare of Easttown (HBO)
Jessie Buckley – Fargo (FX)
Julianne Nicholson – Mare of Easttown (HBO)
Kat Dennings – WandaVision (Disney+)
Kathryn Hahn – WandaVision (Disney+)
Marielle Heller – The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix)
Teyonah Parris – WandaVision (Disney+)

Netflix’s Animated ‘My Little Pony’ Movie Gets A Title And A Release Date; Voice Cast Revealed

The voice cast includes Vanessa Hudgens (Sunny), Kimiko Glenn (Izzy), James Marsden (Hitch), Sofia Carson (Pipp) and Liza Koshy (Zipp) along with Ken Jeong, Elizabeth Perkins, Jane Krakowski, Phil LaMarr and Michael McKean.

The plot centers on what happens when Earth Ponies, Unicorns, and Pegasi are no longer friends on Equestria and live separated by species. But idealistic Earth Pony Sunny teams with Unicorn Izzy team to travel to faraway lands to find a way to bring enchantment and unity back to their world.

Robert Cullen and José L. Ucha direct the film, and Mark Fattibene is co-director. The story was created by Cullen & Ucha, and Tim Sullivan. Sullivan and Gillian Berrow penned the script. Cecil Kramer and Peter Lewis produce.

‘The Flash’: Jesse L. Martin, Danielle Panabaker & Candice Patton Ink Deals To Return For Season 8

The trio joins star Grant Gustin, whose current contract already goes through next season. (Martin’s, Patton’s and Panabaker’s contracts were up at the end of Season 7.)

The network has not indicated whether Season 8 will be The Flash‘s final chapter. The remaining two Flash original cast members, Tom Cavanagh and Carlos Valdes, are leaving at the end of the current seventh season. Martin plays CCPD detective Joe West, a legal guardian to Barry Allen (Gustin). Patton plays Iris West-Allen, the daughter of Joe West and Barry Allen’s wife. Panabaker plays Dr. Caitlin Snow, a bioengineer who works at S.T.A.R. Labs. All three also played alter-ego characters and have appeared on other Arrowverse series as part of crossovers.

Law & Order and Rent alum Martin is repped by ICM Partners, manager Bob McGowan and Kraditor & Haber. Panabaker is repped by UTA, John Carrabino Management and Goodman Genow Schenkman. Patton is repped by Stride Management and Jackoway Austen.

Christina Ricci Will Be In ‘The Matrix 4’

In an updated press kit from Warner Bros., Ricci’s name was quietly added to the star-studded cast list. Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Jonathan Groff, Neil Patrick Harris, Jessica Henwick, Christina Ricci, Telma Hopkins, Eréndira Ibarra, Toby Onwumere, Max Riemelt, Brian J. Smith, and Jada Pinkett Smith round out the cast.

Ricci has previously worked with Lana in 2008 on the Wachowski’s Speed Racer. The movie was based on the novel of the same name by author Tatsuo Yoshida. The futuristic sports action comedy film also featured Emile Hirsch, John Goodman and Susan Sarandon.

The fourth Matrix is scheduled to premiere in theaters Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021, instead of April 1, 2022.

The Matrix 4 is written by Lana Wachowski, David Mitchell and Aleksander Hemon based on characters created by The Wachowskis. Lana Wachowski, Grant Hill and James McTeigue are the producers with Terry Needham, Garrett Grant and Bruce Berman executive producing.

Regina Hall & Sterling K. Brown To Star In Pinky Promise’s ‘Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul’

The film centers on Trinity Childs (Hall), the first lady of a prominent Southern Baptist megachurch, who attempts to help her pastor-husband, Lee-Curtis Childs (Brown), rebuild their congregation and reconcile their faith to make the biggest comeback that commodified religion has ever seen. Shot in a faux-documentary style, the film takes a satirical look at megachurch culture and the often nebulous perspectives that are cultivated from being both entrenched in it, as well as finding yourself on the outside looking in. “Both Regina and Sterling are forces of nature, and the sense of play and sheer creative energy they bring to these roles will be incredible to see.” said Pinky Promise co-founder Jessamine Burgum. “We’re over the moon to partner with two of the most lovely and hardworking people in town. Honestly, it’s a dream come true.”

The pic was written and will be directed by Adamma Ebo in her feature writing and directorial debut. The script was selected for the 2019 Sundance Screenwriting Intensive, as well as the 2019 Hit List. Oscar winner Daniel Kaluuya will be producing through his 59% banner with Rowan Riley and Amandla Crichlow, alongside Adanne Ebo and Kara Durrett. UTA Independent Film Group, CAA Media Finance and ICM Partners arranged for the film’s financing by Pinky Promise, and they are co-representing its domestic distribution rights.

Hall can be seen reprising her role as Dawn Darcy in the hit Showtime comedy series Black Mondayrecently , opposite Don Cheadle. Hall was seen in Tate Taylor’s thriller Breaking News in Yuba County and will star and executive produce the upcoming occult drama Master, with Amazon Studios as well as Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers opposite Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy slated for August. Hall’s recently launched production company, Rh Negative, has signed a first-look deal with Showtime as well as a six-movie slate deal with ViacomCBS’ Entertainment & Youth Group.

Two-time Emmy-winning actor and producer SBrown stars in NBC’s critically acclaimed drama series This Is Us. For his role as Randall Pearson, Brown has received an Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG Award. Next month he will executive produce and co-host the OWN television special Honoring Our Kings: OWN Honors Black Fatherhood, alongside Oprah Winfrey. In 2016, Brown won an Emmy Award for his portrayal of prosecutor Christopher Darden in FX’s highly-rated award-winning television event series American Crime Story: The People V. O.J. Simpson. He has received additional Emmy nominations for his work in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. His film credits include Marvel’s Black Panther, the A24 family drama Waves and Disney’s Frozen 2. He also recently created Indian Meadows Productions under a pact with 20th Television. The company’s chief mandate is to champion diversity through the development and production of entertaining, educational and inclusive projects across multiple forms of media, including film, broadcast, cable and streaming.

Hall is represented by ICM Partners and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman. Brown is represented by CAA, JWS Entertainment and Ziffren Brittenham. Adamma and Adanne Ebo are represented by UTA, Redefine Entertainment and Ziffren Brittenham.

Pinky Promise focuses on empowering up-and-coming storytellers with the support and financing they need to achieve their vision, create wonder, and inspire empathy. Honk For Jesus. Save Your Soul will join other Pinky Promise projects in development including the upcoming features, Tankhouse and Cuttlefish and upcoming series, To the Moon!.

Greg Germann Exits ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ As Series Regular

Greg Germann is joining Grey’s veteran Jesse Williams in departing the medical drama as a series regular. However, this is not the last we have seen of Tom Koracick, as Germann is expected to reprise his role as a guest star in the future.

After Jackson’s bombshell’s announcement in Grey’s Anatomy‘s most recent original that he would be leaving Seattle to take over the family foundation to help create racial equity in medicine, signaling Williams’ exit from the show, the promo for tonight’s episode, Williams’ last, prepared viewers for an hourlong farewell to his beloved character. The surprise part is that the double-exit episode, “Tradition,” also marks the last episode as a series regular for Germann. And to tie things up nicely, Jackson and Koracick rode off into the sunset — or, in this case, flew off to Boston — together.

“Greg Germann is a comic genius and we are so lucky that he brought his talents to our show these last few years,” Grey’s Anatomy executive producer/showrunner Krista Vernoff told Deadline. “We will miss Greg terribly in the day to day – but we plan to see Tom Koracick again!”

Germann has played Dr. Tom Koracick, a brilliant neurosurgeon who is unapologetic in his arrogance — and in his romantic pursuits — since 2017. He joined the series as a recurring in Season 14 and was promoted to a series regular at the start of Season 16.

“To have worked with all the incredibly talented people involved with Grey’s over the past few years has been such a privilege,” Germann told Deadline. “A big thank you to the fans as it has truly been a shared experience!”

The Ally McBeal alum helped bring some levity to this season, filled with a lot of grief and heartache as it tackled the pandemic; Koracick’s witty banter with Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) while she was briefly out of her Covid-induced coma was certainly a highlight.

Koracick had an intense season arc as he, like Meredith, battled Covid. That storyline had a happy ending, and his love triangle plot also was resolved, with Teddy letting him go and he and Owen (almost) reconciling in a touching moment, giving the character’s journey on the show closure.

In tonight’s episode, Koracick got to treat a Native American elder with symptoms of a stroke from a tribal community that had been hard hit by the pandemic.

While Koracick was performing an emergency surgery on the man to remove a clot, he paused with a look on his face like he had just had a premonition when Levi told him that Jo had switched specialties to obstetrics because “she was sick of general.”

Koracick later appeared moved by the speech the old man, recovering from his surgery, gave to his granddaughter via a video link to another room in the hospital where she had just given birth to his great-granddaughter.

“I don’t think I know anything anymore,” Koracick told a confused Levi moments later.

Later that evening, Koracick met Jackson and offered to join him at the foundation in Boston.

“I lost six roommates while I was treated for Covid; I was the only white guy,” Koracick said.

“I want to be an ally, I want to spend whatever time I’ve got left making this lousy, stinking place better,” he pleaded with Jackson. “I’ll operate, I’ll administrate, I’ll do anything. I don’t want money, I don’t want a title, just let me help.”

Jackson hired him on the spot but asked him not to join him on his jet for the flight to Boston so “I am not tempted to fire you before we land.”

The exits of Germann and Williams follow the departure of another series regular, Giacomo Gianniotti, who left the series earlier this season.

Germann can currently be seen in Herding Cats by Lucinda Coxon, marking the first production post-pandemic to fuse in-person and livestream theater. Germann performs live from a soundstage in Los Angeles, and is transmitted via video-link into the Soho Theatre where Jassa Ahluwalia and Sophie Melville perform in front of an in-person audience. Simultaneously, audiences across the globe can access the production as a live-streamed theatrical experience that combines performances of both the American and British actors in real time.

Julianne Nicholson To Headline & EP ‘Separation Anxiety’ TV Series Based On Book In Works At Wiip

The independent studio has optioned the rights to author Laura Zigman’s bestselling novel Separation Anxiety, to develop as a premium TV series headlined by Nicholson. In addition to starring, Nicholson executive produces with Zigman and wiip’s Paul Lee and Mark Roybal.

Separation Anxiety centers on Judy, who will be played by Nicholson. It is described as an honest and humorous portrait of a wife and mother in limbo, examining the ebb and flow of her most important relationships, her career and ultimately, her self-worth. The novel taps into the insecurities and anxieties that most keep under wraps with a voice that is at once gleefully irreverent and genuinely touching.

“I fell in love with Judy on page one and she drew me in deeper with every accidental revelation along the way,” Nicholson said. “She has landed in ‘middle age’ and nothing looks like she thought it would. Laura Zigman has drawn a beautifully relatable, and very funny, world of characters. I am so excited to re-team with Mark and wiip to bring Judy’s ups and downs to life on screen.”

Published by Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollins, Separation Anxiety was named to a new of the Most Anticipated and Best Books lists of 2020 and was a finalist for the Joyce Carol Oates Prize.

“As a huge admirer of Julianne’s work — the intelligence, compassion, and realness she brings to every role — I couldn’t be more thrilled that my novel is in her hands. I can’t wait to see what she and the whole wiip team does with the story,” said Zigman.

Nicholson currently stars opposite Kate Winslet in Mare of Easttown, which is produced by wiip.

“It’s been a thrill to see audiences and critics rave about Julianne’s brilliant performance in Mare of Easttown,” said Roybal. “Watching her craft that performance every day on set was a career highlight for me, and now I have the privilege of producing with her. I can’t wait for the world to see what Julianne will do with Laura Zigman’s beautifully funny heroine, Judy, in Separation Anxiety.”

Zigman is the author of Animal Husbandry, which was turned into the movie Someone Like You, starring Hugh Jackman and Ashley Judd. She is also the author of Dating Big Bird, Piece of Work and Her. She also produced a popular online series of animated videos, Annoying Conversations. Zigman is represented by Stephanie Rostan at Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency and WME.

Nicholson, who recently starred in HBO’s The Outsider, just signed on to play Cranny McKinney in HBO’s untitled Lakers series. She is repped by UTA.

‘Schmigadoon!’: Apple TV+ Sets Premiere Date For Cecily Strong/Keegan-Michael Key Comedy From Lorne Michaels

The six-episode musical comedy series is executive produced by Lorne Michaels will bow on Friday, July 16 via the streamer. Two episodes will be available at launch, followed by one episode weekly every Friday.

Schmigadoon! stars Strong and Key as a couple on a backpacking trip designed to reinvigorate their relationship. They discover a magical town living in a 1940s musical and learn that they can’t leave until they find “true love.”

The first season also stars Alan Cumming, Kristin Chenoweth, Aaron Tveit, Dove Cameron, Ariana DeBose, Fred Armisen, Jaime Camil, Jane Krakowski and Ann Harada. Martin Short guest stars.

Hailing from Broadway Video and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, Schmigadoon! is co-created by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio. Cinco Paul serves as showrunner, and wrote all of the original songs for the series.

Barry Sonnenfeld directs and executive produces. In addition to starring, Cecily Strong serves as producer, and Ken Daurio serves as consulting producer and writer. Andrew Singer executive produces with Lorne Michaels on behalf of Broadway Video.

Anne Heche: Ellen DeGeneres 'didn’t want me to dress sexy'

The Hung actress reviewed her “iconic red carpet looks” from over the years in a new TikTok clip when she made the comments about the U.S. talk show host.

A photo popped up of the pair attending the 1998 Golden Globes together, with the former couple coordinating in navy outfits.

However, Anne insisted the look wasn’t to her taste, sharing, “Why do I look like a hippie? It’s because Ellen didn’t want me to dress sexy.”

Anne then gave her look a 0 out of 10, putting her thumb down and saying, “Bye, no.”

Anne and Ellen dated from 1997 until 2000. She later married Coleman Laffoon, with whom she shares son Homer, before their split in 2007, and went on to welcome her second son, Atlas, with actor James Tupper, in 2009. They separated in 2018.

Ellen has been married to wife Portia de Rossi since 2008.

Anne Heche & Ashley Jones recur on All Rise 5/3/21

RECURRING CAST: Anne Heche (Corrine Cuthbert), Mitch Silpa (DDA Clayton Berger), Ashley Jones (Wendy Gessner), Josh Henderson (Collier Owens), Douglass Bennett (Shayne Monroe), Ahmad Dugas (Bailiff Douglas).

Tracy Letts, Julianne Nicholson, Jimel Atkins, LisaGay Hamilton, Andy Hirsch Join HBO’s 1980s L.A. Lakers Series

Written by Max Borenstein, the fast-break series chronicles the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Lakers, one of sports’ most revered and dominant dynasties — a team that defined its era both on and off the court.

Letts will play Jack McKinney. The unsung hero behind Showtime basketball, Jack McKinney is the original architect of the Lakers’ fast paced running game. Despite having no NBA head coaching experience, McKinney must find a way to translate his groundbreaking vision and unify his new team.

Nicholson is Cranny McKinney. A coach’s wife who is in many ways a coach herself, Cranny McKinney is frank, funny, and tenacious. No stranger to uprooting her family, she does it one last time – leading the family to LA for what could be the realization of their lifelong dream. It proves to be just that; but as the Lakers rocket to unprecedented success, tragedy derails everything.

Atkins will portray Jamaal Wilkes. The son of a Baptist preacher who converted to Islam, Jamaal Wilkes is thoughtful, good-natured, and soft-spoken. Which means he’s often overshadowed by the big personalities (and bigger egos) of his teammates. But he doesn’t need headlines or hype. On the court, he’s a silent killer; with game smooth enough to earn his nickname: Silk.

Hamilton will play Magic Johnson’s mom, Christine Johnson. Like her son, Christine Johnson is a natural leader in her community; able to command a room with charisma and savvy. As Magic’s fame and wealth grow, she tries to keep his feet on the ground.

Hirsch is David Stern. As commissioner of the NBA for 30 years, David Stern’s groundbreaking marketing transformed the NBA and led it to unprecedented financial success. But in 1979, he was the organization’s legal counsel, determined to use the rivalry between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird to reinvigorate the league – and, hopefully, save it from financial ruin. They join previously announced cast Brett Cullen as Bill Sharman, Lola Kirke as Karen West, Sarah Ramos as Cheryl Pistono, Jason Segel as Paul Westhead, Michael Chiklis as Red Auerbach, Sally Field as Jessie Buss, Adrien Brody as Pat Riley, John C. Reilly as Jerry Buss, Jason Clarke as Jerry West, Quincy Isaiah as Magic Johnson, Solomon Hughes as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Gaby Hoffmann as Claire Rothman, Hadley Robinson as Jeanie Buss, DeVaughn Nixon as Norm Nixon, Molly Gordon as Linda Zafrani, Rob Morgan as Earvin Johnson Sr., Spencer Garrett as Chick Hearn, Kirk Bovill as Donald Sterling, Delante Desouza as Michael Cooper, Stephen Adly Guirgis as Frank Mariani, Tamera Tomakili as Earletha “Cookie” Kelly, Joey Brooks as Lon Rosen and Bo Burnham as Larry Bird.

Borenstein executive produces the series with McKay, who directs the pilot, and Kevin Messick for Hyperobject Industries. Jim Hecht is co-writer of story and executive produces along with Jason Shuman, Scott Stephens and Rodney Barnes.

Letts, most recently seen in Oscar-winning Ford v. Ferrari and HBO’s Divorce, is repped by Innovative Artists. Nicholson, who currently can be seen in HBO’s Mare of Easttown, is repped by UTA. The Practice and Men Of A Certain Age alum Hamilton is repped by Greene & Associates Talent Agency and Greenlight Management. Newcomer Atkins, who recently appeared in David Makes Man, is repped by Hyperion and Luber Roklin Entertainment. Hirsch, whose film credits include World War II drama Fort McCoy and Liz & Dick, is repped by MMV Agency and Larry Hummel.

Lucy Liu Joins New Line & DC’s ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’

David F. Sandberg is back directing from a screenplay by Henry Gayden, based on the DC character created by Bill Parker and C.C. Beck. The sequel will continue the story of teenage Billy Batson who, upon reciting the magic word “SHAZAM!” is struck by the Living Lightning of the gods and transformed into his adult superhero alter ego, Shazam. Peter Safran is producing through The Safran Company. Shazam! Fury of the Gods is slated for release on June 2, 2023.

Liu, who co-starred for seven seasons on CBS’ popular drama Elementary, most recently seen in the CBS All Access dark comedic series Why Women Kill. On the film side, Liu is known for her performances in the blockbusters like the Charlie’s Angels films and Kill Bill.

Liu is repped by Framework Entertainment, ICM Partners, and Schreck Rose.

‘Cinema Toast’ Anthology Series From Jeff Baena & Duplass Brothers To Stream On Showtime

Directors of the series include Baena, Jay Duplass, Mel Eslyn, Alex Ross Perry, Marta Cunningham, Aubrey Plaza, Numa Perrier, Jordan Firstman, Kris Rey and David Lowery. The episodes are voiced by actors including Alison Brie, Nick Offerman, Fred Armisen, John Early, Christina Ricci, Megan Mullally, Chloe Fineman and Chris Meloni.

“When the pandemic first hit and all paths to traditional production seemed unlikely at best, I racked my brain to find a way to still create,” said Baena. “That’s when the idea hit me to re-dub and re-shape old material into something transcendent that extends beyond just a comedic curio.”

Cinema Toast features stories spanning genres including drama, horror and comedy. Per Showtime, Plaza’s psychological thriller “Quiet Illness” pieces together footage of Loretta Young to create a portrait of an emotionally tortured modern woman, while Cunningham’s “Attack of the Karens” shows just how timely the classic Night of the Living Dead is when re-contextualized within this last year in America. In “After the End,” Eslyn injects the beloved monster movie Beast from Haunted Cave with a mumblecore comedy sensibility. And with “Report on the Canine Auto-Mechanical Soviet Threat,” Perry creates a surreal journey from Soviet rarities about a young boy who is immersed in a new reality inhabited by talking cars and telepathic dogs.

Cinema Toast is produced by Duplass Brothers Productions. The series is executive produced by Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass, Mel Eslyn, Jeff Baena and Tyler Romary. Shuli Harel also serves as producer.

Christina Ricci strikes custody agreement with estranged husband

The actress and her estranged husband, cinematographer James Heerdegen, submitted a new custody arrangement for their 6-year-old son, Frederick “Freddie” Heerdegen, to the court last month, with a judge signing off on it last week, per Los Angeles County Superior Court documents obtained by Page Six on Tuesday.

The new order — which favors Ricci — comes in the midst of the pair’s heated divorce, which saw Ricci and Heerdegen both seek restraining orders against each other and make claims of domestic abuse.

The agreement was made as Ricci, 41, is planning to relocate to Vancouver to begin filming on a project later this month. It is unclear what role will be taken on in Canada, but it was announced last month that she is set to star in thriller-flick “Monstrous.”

Freddie will live in Vancouver with Ricci, the agreement states, with Heerdegen getting visitation rights. Ricci agreed to pay Heerdegen’s “reasonable costs for travel and accommodations,” which include “economy airfare.”

Ricci will also select the hotel where Heerdegen says — although it is unclear if it has anything to do with the restraining order she was granted against Heerdegen in January. Heerdegen also sought a restraining order against Ricci the same month, but his request was denied.

Ricci and Heerdegen married in 2013, but the “Addams Family” star filed for divorce in July 2020 following an alleged domestic battery incident at their home where she sought an emergency restraining order.

As part of their new agreement, Ricci will have sole legal custody of Freddie and will facilitate 15-minute FaceTime calls three times per week with Heerdegen when he is not able to be in Canada. However, if he “engaged in any inappropriate communication” with Freddie — which includes discussing their ongoing divorce — the call will be terminated.

The agreement also mandates that all of Heerdegen’s visits with Freddie be supervised and “after four weeks,” he and Ricci will discuss the “appropriateness of expanded visitation and/or overnights.”

Heerdegen also acknowledged in the agreement that he would not interfere with Ricci’s work contract.

A representative for Ricci didn’t immediately get back to us.

Heerdegen’s attorney didn’t return our request for comment.

Peter MacNicol recurs on All Rise 4/12/21

‘Ally McBeal’ Revival With Calista Flockhart Explored By 20th Television

Ideas about a possible revival of the legal comedy-drama series, which became a pop culture phenomenon, are being bounced around 20th TV, which would produce, sources tell Deadline. Original series creator David E. Kelley is expected to have some involvement in the project, but likely not as a writer. We hear Calista Flockhart, who starred in the title role, has been approached about reprising her role, but there have been no formal talks.

Ally McBeal aired for five seasons on Fox from 1997 to 2002. Created by Kelley, the series starred Flockhart as Ally, a lawyer working in the Boston law firm Cage and Fish along with her ex-lover and his wife, and followed Ally’s trials and tribulations through life as she looked for love and fulfillment. The main focus of the series was the romantic and personal lives of the main characters, often using legal proceedings as plot device. The series pushed sexual boundaries in the workplace, where lawyers and secretaries in the firm would routinely date, flirt with, or have a romantic history with each other, something that would be clearly forbidden in the #MeToo era. The critically praised series won the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy in 1997 and 1998, and won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 1999.

The ensemble cast also included Courtney Thorne-Smith, Greg Germann, Lisa Nicole Carson, Jane Krakowski, Peter MacNicol and Gil Bellows.

20th Century Fox Television, now 20th TV, and David E. Kelley Productions produced.

Portia de Rossi undergoes emergency surgery for appendicitis

The “Arrested Development” star was experiencing pain, so her wife, Ellen DeGeneres, took her to the hospital where she was diagnosed with appendicitis, a source confirms to Page Six.

We’re told de Rossi, 48, is already back at home and doing well following the surgery.

The pandemic has seen both de Rossi and DeGeneres experience health woes. In December, the 63-year-old talk show host revealed she had tested positive for COVID-19 and was experiencing experiencing “excruciating back pain.”

“One thing that they don’t tell you is you get, somehow, excruciating back pain,” DeGeneres, who since has recovered fully, shared with fans at the time. “Didn’t know that that was a symptom but I talked to some other people — back pain. Who knew, how come? Back pain, bad.”

DeGeneres also endured a toxic workplace scandal surrounding her eponymous talk show after numerous employees alleged the host treated them with cruelty and abuse. The “Finding Dory” star later said de Rossi was critical in getting her through her low points.

“It broke my heart; I couldn’t have gone through everything I went through without her,” DeGeneres told People in February. “It was a horrible time in my life, and she was a rock. She kept me going and tried to help me put things in perspective.”

The couple tied the knot in 2008.

Christina Ricci Starring In Thriller ‘Monstrous’

Lucy Liu’s Workplace Comedy & Kelly Ripa & Ryan Seacrest-Inspired ‘Work Wife’ Pilots Passed On At ABC

The Disney-owned network has passed on two high-profile comedy pilots – Lucy Liu’s workplace comedy, which was formerly known as Kids Matter Now, and Work Wife.

The workplace comedy, which has also had the title Bossy, starred Lucy Liu and came from Better with You creator Shana Goldberg-Meehan, CBS Television Studios and 20th Century Fox TV.

The multi-camera comedy was ordered to pilot in March 2020 but the Covid pandemic meant that it wasn’t able to shoot until much later down the line.

Written and executive produced by Goldberg-Meehan and directed by Christine Gernon (Speechless), the show centered on a diva boss with no patience for working parents who adopts a baby and has a change of heart, casting her mother-of-three assistant as an unlikely mentor and upending the office dynamics.

Former Angie Tribeca star Hayes MacArthur was set as a lead opposite Liu.

Liu played the fierce and powerful diva boss, while MacArthur played Dean, a handsome and self-assured exec who runs the manufacturing division at Devin’s (Liu) multi-million dollar furniture company.

In February 2020, ABC handed a pilot order to Work Wife, a single-camera comedy inspired by the real-life partnerships of co-hosts and longtime friends Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest.

Similarly shooting later in the year, the show came from David Windsor and Casey Johnson, the longtime writing-producing team and The Real O’Neals co-creators. Todd Holland (The Real O’Neals) directed the pilot, from Seacrest’s Ryan Seacrest Productions, Ripa and Mark Consuelos’ Milojo Productions and ABC Signature, where both Ryan Seacrest Prods and Milojo Prods are based.

Work Wife tells the story of a platonic male-female team whose professional success, personal friendship and ability to share deodorant makes their lives work. Set in the world of real estate, Dani and Scott have taken the leap to start their own team. Now feeling the stress of being the boss, they have to rely on the yin-yang of their dynamic more than ever to keep their professional and personal lives afloat.

Angelique Cabral (Life In Pieces) and Tone Bell (Fam) starred as the two central characters, with Christopher Gorham, Annapurna Sriram, Matt Shively and Maile Flanagan also starring and Ripa making a cameo in the pilot.

‘The Best Man’ Limited Series With Original Cast Ordered By Peacock From Malcolm D. Lee & Dayna Lynne North

The core star-studded original cast from the movies are set to return, including Morris Chestnut, Melissa De Sousa, Taye Diggs, Regina Hall, Terrence Howard, Sanaa Lathan, Nia Long and Harold Perrineau. I hear the actors all recently closed significant seven-figure deals to reprise their roles in the series, which is eying a September start. The only missing original Best Man cast member is Monica Calhoun whose character died in the sequel, The Best Man Holiday, which was released more than seven years ago.

“We’re excited to reunite this beloved cast for a limited series run of The Best Man for Peacock,” said Susan Rovner, Chairman, Entertainment Content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “With a powerhouse duo like Malcolm and Dayna at the helm, fans will fall in love with our favorite group of friends all over again.”

Based on the eponymous film franchise written and directed by Lee, the series will catch up with Harper, Robyn, Jordan, Lance, Quentin, Shelby, Candace, and Murch as relationships evolve and past grievances resurface in the unpredictable stages of midlife crisis meets midlife renaissance.

“Here we go! The band is back together! I am very excited to bring these iconic characters back to the fans who have supported us through this franchise,” said Lee. “We are thrilled to deliver everything one would expect from this group of friends in The Best Man universe and take them through their final chapters. We can’t wait! I told you it wouldn’t be 14 more years.”

Lee followed up The Best Man franchise with two more very successful feature comedies for Universal, Girls Trip and Night School, which he produced and directed. In 2018, he expanded his relationship with the studio to television, signing a first-look deal with Universal TV.

“When Malcolm joined the UTV family, our first conversation was about our collective desire to bring his groundbreaking Universal feature franchise to television,” Universal Television President Erin Underhill said. “Three years and one pandemic later, we’re on the brink of doing just that. I’m thrilled for us all to see this goal come to fruition.”

North is a new creative team addition to The Best Man franchise, but she is a longtime fan of the movies.

“The Best Man films were a cultural touchstone during my college days — and they’ve remained influential pop culture references to this day,” she said. “I’ve grown up laughing with these characters, copying their dance moves, and grieving at their losses. I am overjoyed to be partnering with Malcolm D. Lee and this amazing cast to adapt this iconic franchise at Peacock.”

The Best Man: The Final Chapters is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group. The series is written and executive produced by Malcolm D. Lee via his Blackmaled Productions and Dayna Lynne North of Loud Sis Productions. Sean Daniel, of Hivemind, who produced The Best Man Holiday, will also serve as executive producer. Sheila Walcott will oversee for Blackmaled Productions.

In the original 1999 romantic comedy-drama movie, produced by Spike Lee, old college friends reunite for a wedding. It was followed by a Christmas-themed sequel, The Best Man Holiday, released in November 2013. Both films were box office hits. The original grossed $34 million domestically on a $9 million budget. The 2013 followup earned $70 million. A third film in the series, The Best Man Wedding, also written and to be directed by Lee, was announced by Universal in 2014 with a planned release in 2016, but it was never made, largely because of scheduling issues.

Last year, Diggs revealed that a third installment of The Best Man franchise may be finally happening but as a streaming series.

On Peacock, The Best Man: The Final Chapters will join a number of revivals and reboots of iconic Universal titles, including Saved By the Bell, Punky Brewster and Battlestar Galactica. Additionally, Universal TV is rebooting The Equalizer as a TV series for CBS.

Lee, who executive produced the NBC Night School comedy pilot, has another NBC pilot, At That Age, on which he is creator, executive producer and director. In features, Lee has Space Jam: A New Legacy for Warner Brothers/HBO Max. Lee’s Blackmaled Productions banner has several projects in development including I Almost Forgot About You (Universal), an adaptation of Terry McMillan’s novel with Viola Davis, The Classic (Universal), Real Talk (Universal), and Rock the Bells (Fox). Lee is repped by A3 Artists Agency and Del Shaw Moonves.

North is co-writing and executive producing Young Love, the upcoming series adaptation of the Oscar-winning short Hair Love. She recently was a writer/executive producer on Insecure, co-created by and starring Issa Rae. North is repped by CAA and Narrative.

Daniel and his company are also executive producers on The Witcher at Netflix and The Expanse at Amazon.

Chestnut is repped by Verve and LINK Entertainment. De Sousa is with A3 Artists Agency and Meyer & Downs. Diggs is repped by ICM Partners. Howard is repped by Universal Bridges. Lathan is with CAA and Morris Yorn Barnes. Long is repped by Verve, Untitled Entertainment and Meyer & Downs. Perrineau is repped by Gersh and Anonymous Content.

2021 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award Nominations

FAVORITE MOVIE ACTOR
Jim Carrey (Dr. Robotnik, Sonic the Hedgehog)
Robert Downey Jr. (Dr. John Dolittle, Dolittle)
Will Ferrell (Lars Erickssong, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga)
Lin-Manuel Miranda (Alexander Hamilton, Hamilton)
Chris Pine (Steve Trevor, Wonder Woman 1984)
Adam Sandler (Hubie Dubois, Hubie Halloween)

NAACP Image Awards Nominations

Set to simulcast across all ViacomCBS Networks including BET, CBS and MTV on Saturday, March 27th at 8 p.m. ET, the 52nd NAACP Image Awards honors the accomplishments of BIPOC artists across TV, music, film and literature.

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series
Issa Rae – Insecure (HBO)
Folake Olowofoyeku – Bob Hearts Abishola (CBS)
Regina Hall – Black Monday (Showtime)
Tracee Ellis Ross – Black-ish (ABC)
Yara Shahidi – Grown-ish (Freeform)

Peter MacNicol recurs on All Rise 2/22/21

RECURRING CAST: Ryan Michelle Bathe (Rachel Audubon), Peter MacNicol (Judge Albert Campbell), Steven Williams (DDA Tony Carver), Shalim Ortiz (Joaquin Luna).

Jane Krakowski is actually dating famed architect David Rockwell

Proving the report about beloved theater darling Krakowski and mustachioed Republican Lindell was total horsefeathers — a source exclusively tells us that the actress has been quietly dating starchitect and designer Rockwell for a while.

The source said, “Jane has been dating David Rockwell for a couple of years now, however, very quietly.

“Friends are speculating if the strange story about Jane and the silly MyPillow guy was a game of telephone; maybe somehow Rockwell turned into Lindell in rumor-ville.

“Otherwise, people are baffled where the story came from. Lindell is absolutely not her type.”

Rockwell has designed many sets for Broadway shows and movies, which is how he is believed to have met the “30 Rock” star.

Krakowski also appeared on TV in “Ally McBeal,” “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” and “Dickinson.” On Broadway, she won a Tony for “Nine” and an Olivier Award for “Guys and Dolls.”

In March 2019, Rockwell and Krakowski were pictured together at the Broadway Opening Night of “Kiss Me, Kate.”

They were also pictured cuddling up together at Bette Midler’s Hulaween in October 2019. She was also at Rockwell’s 60th birthday at Central Park Zoo in July 2020.

Meanwhile, Lindell is losing his pillow bobble knit over the story that he and Krakowski were allegedly linked.

He has filed a lawsuit against Mailonline.com saying the story caused him, “Significant humiliation and emotional distress.”

Reps for Krakowski and Rockwell didn’t get back to us. Lindell reps could not be reached.

Christina Ricci Husband Claims She's the Abuser But Judge Denies Him Restraining Order

James Heerdegen filed Friday to get a restraining order against the actress, claiming alcohol and substance abuse is fueling her allegedly abusive conduct.

In his court filing, James claims Christina was boozing hard during quarantine and would routinely abuse him physically and verbally while she was intoxicated. He says she would often hit and scratch him with her arms, hands and nails.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Heerdegen also claims Christina would habitually follow him around their home, screaming and yelling profanities at him in front of their son. He says her alleged outbursts are causing their child emotional distress.

James says Christina attacked him back in October 2019, claiming she grabbed his throat while he was on the toilet. He says she "squeezed and pushed on my throat with her left hand using her right hand to gain leverage by propping it up against the doorframe" ... according to the docs.

Heerdegen's filing comes 48 hours after Christina was granted a restraining order against him, claiming he'd beaten her multiple times and she now fears for her life and their son's. She filed to divorce him in July.

In his docs, James claims Christina filed false domestic violence allegations against him to "leverage" her control over their son and prevent Heerdegen from seeing the kid. He also claims she filed a false police report.

James says Christina was sober during her pregnancy but claims she started abusing alcohol and pills when she began breastfeeding, and things got to the point where he was throwing out some of her breast milk for fear of alcohol polluting the milk ... according to the docs.

Christina's attorney, Samantha Spector, tells TMZ ... "This filing is nothing more than a transparently abusive attempt to silence my client. It will not work. Christina will not be intimidated by Mr. Heerdegen and his barrage of misleading claims – and she remains determined to protect her family."

The judge has not yet ruled on Heerdegen's request to restrain Christina.

Update 11:44 AM PT -- Christina's legal team was also in court Friday to file an opposition to Heerdegen's request for a restraining order. In the docs, obtained by TMZ, she says there is "overwhelming evidence" that he is the abusive one -- even beyond the photos she already filed with the court.

She says she has an audio recording from his alleged attack on her on June 25, 2020. According to the docs, James can be heard "terrorizing Christina, spitting and screaming at her, admitting to violence, following her from room to room, chasing her and then violently assaulting her." She says the recording ends abruptly with her in tears, saying she's going to call the police.

Update 4:31 PM PT -- The judge rejected Heerdegen's request for a restraining order against Christina. The judge said there was no basis for an emergency order before their next court hearing in March.

This means Heerdegen must stay away from Christina and their son at least until then ... under the terms of her restraining order against him.

Christina Ricci Claims Husband's Abused Her in Lockdown ... Gets Restraining Order

The actress filed Wednesday to get a restraining order against James Heerdegen, who she claims started abusing her in December 2019. In her court filing, Christina claims he beat her, spit at her and made pig noises in her face. She says that incident, during which she suffered multiple bruises, convinced her she needed to leave him.

Christina says she told James she wanted a divorce, but that was derailed when the COVID-19 quarantine began in March, and she "found herself trapped in a house with a violent abuser."

In docs, she claims Heerdegen attacked her twice in June, while still in lockdown ... chasing her around the house, trying to prevent her from calling 911 after an argument. He allegedly dragged her by her wrists into their yard and threw her into a fire pit ... leaving her cut and bruised.

During the second attack, she claims he spit on her and threw coffee and a chair at her -- all while their 6-year-old son was watching.

Christina filed several photos with the court, showing injuries she claims to have suffered at Heerdegen's hands.

Christina filed to divorce him after those alleged incidents, and her attorney, Samantha Spector, was in court Wednesday to file the restraining order.

According to those docs, obtained by TMZ, Christina also fears Heerdegen's abuse could turn deadly. During a car ride in late 2019, she claims James "said something that made me think that [he] could kill me. He said the only way he could feel sorry for me is if I were dismembered into small pieces."

Christina says she immediately hid all the knives in the cabin where they were vacationing.

Late Wednesday, the judge granted a domestic violence restraining order ... which requires Heerdegen to stay 100 yards away from Christina and their son, and have no contact with them.

Christina claims Heerdegen leaves the dog leashed to his living room coffee table when he has visitation with their son -- and under the terms of the restraining order he has to stay away from the dog too.

Although he's already moved out, Christina wants a formal court order blocking James from returning.

And, there's this ... Christina is afraid her estranged husband -- who she married in 2013 -- will release private audio and video of her to "humiliate and embarrass" her, or use it to extort her. She wants the court to block him from releasing it, and force him to turn it over.

Heerdegen's attorney, Larry Bakman, tells TMZ they will file for their own restraining order against Christina "detailing her abusive conduct fueled by alcohol and substance abuse. His papers will also include documentation that Ms. Ricci advised law enforcement in December 2019 that there had been no prior incidents of domestic violence between the couple, thereby calling into question her credibility."

He also says his client "unequivocally denies all allegations of abuse made by Ms. Ricci as having occurred in 2020."

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Stars To Celebrate Frontline Workers, Talk Coronavirus Vaccine On ‘Stars In The House’

Grey’s stars Chandra Wilson, James Pickens, Kelly McCreary, Jake Borelli and more will reunite on the YouTube series hosted by Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley on Thursday night. The cast will come together to raise money for The Actors Fund and answer any burning fan questions about the hit ABC series.

Also set to appear are Kim Raver, Camilla Luddington, Chris Carmack, Greg Germann, Richard Flood and Anthony Hill.

The Grey’s Anatomy cast members are the latest to appear on the YouTube series that raises money for coronavirus relief efforts and the Actors Fund. The Waltons actors Richard Thomas, Michael Learned and more were the latest television starts to stop by Stars In The House.

Previous installments of the YouTube series featured Knots Landing, Melrose Place, Frasier, Glee, SCTV and the Broadway casts of Spring Awakening, Rent, A Chorus Line and The Full Monty, among others.

The Stars in the House Grey’s Anatomy reunion is set for 8 p.m. ET Thursday on the Stars in the House YouTube channel and at starsinthehouse.com.

Big Little Lies Update: David E. Kelley Says Potential Season 3 Would Be a Scheduling Nightmare, 'But... '

“I’m not sure logistically how it could be done because everyone is so busy,” exec producer David E. Kelley tells TVLine. “It [certainly] couldn’t be done right away. Down the road? Maybe.”

Big Little Lies star (and frequent Kelley muse) Nicole Kidman divulged to Marie Claire Australia last fall that Kelley and BLL author Liane Moriarty “have a really good idea for” a third season. And the Oscar and Emmy winner later told us that the pair actually shared a “tidbit” of the premise with her.

Kelley declined to offer up any details on the aforementioned idea, except to say “it hasn’t progressed very far” as a result of the myriad scheduling hurdles. “Nicole herself has about five projects backed up,” notes Kelley, whose growing list of Kidman collaborations also include HBO’s The Undoing and the forthcoming Hulu limited series Nine Perfect Strangers. “Reese [Witherspoon] is equally as busy. Zoë [Kravitz] is [playing] Catwoman [in The Batman] — and that’s just the beginning. All [of the actresses] are extremely busy.

“But we so love the show and the characters,” Kelley adds, “so none of us have given up on the idea of bringing the band back together.”

Kidman is equally as game. “I would like there to be [a Season 3],” she recently enthused to TVLine. “There are so many great stories to tell and I am open to all the different horizons.We all love each other and want to work together. We’re deeply intertwined now. Whether that [camaraderie yields] a story that will be fascinating and complex and important, that’s a different thing. It would need to be a story that makes our jaws drop.”

Anne Heche & Peter MacNicol revurs on All Rise 1/4/21

RECURRING CAST includes: Paul McCrane (Judge Laski), Peter MacNicol (Judge Campbell), Anne Heche (Corrine Cuthbert).

‘Big Sky’: ABC Hands David E. Kelley Drama Six-Episode Back Order

The crime thriller, which was the network’s first new scripted series of the season to launch, has performed well since its debut on Tuesday, November 17. After seven days of viewing across linear and digital platforms, the show secured 10.8 million viewers and a 2.5 rating among adults 18-49, becoming the network’s highest-rated debut since The Rookie in October 2018.

The show’s second episode also held 100% of its L+3 debut rating among the same demo and increased numbers in total viewing.

The back order take the total number of episodes ordered to 16.

The series, created by Big Littles Lies’ Kelley and based on C.J Box’s book, follows private detective Cassie Dewell, played by Kylie Bunbury, and ex-cop Jenny Hoyt, played by Katheryn Winnick, who join forces to search for two sisters who have been kidnapped by a truck driver on a remote highway in Montana. But when they discover that these are not the only girls who have disappeared in the area, they must race against the clock to stop the killer before another woman is taken.

The premiere [SPOILER ALERT] featured a major surprise twist at the end of the episode when one of the seemingly lead characters, Cody Hoyt, played by Ryan Philippe, was shot dead by State Trooper Rick Legarski, played by John Carroll Lynch.

The series also stars Brian Geraghty as Ronald Pergman, Dedee Pfeiffer as Denise Brisbane, Natalie Alyn Lind as Danielle Sullivan, Jade Pettyjohn as Grace Sullivan, Jesse James Keitel as Jerrie and Valerie Mahaffey as Helen Pergman.

Produced by 20th Television in association with A+E Studios, Big Sky is exec produced by Kelley, Ross Fineman, Matthew Gross, Paul McGuigan, Box and Gwyneth Horder-Payton.

Ellen DeGeneres, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry to be neighbors in California

The deal makes the compound one of the priciest ever sold in the area, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Comedian and political commentator Miller and his wife, Carolyn Espley-Miller, a former model, have lived on the estate since 2006.

The property features three plots which are a combined four acres, and includes a South African Cape Dutch-style main building, a barn and a large lily pond.

DeGeneres and de Rossi are longtime property owners in the ritzy neighborhood, having just sold a different home for $33.3 million.

Montecito’s other newest denizens are Markle and Prince Harry.

Peter MacNicol recurs on All Rise 12/7/20

RECURRING CAST includes: Samantha Marie Ware (Vanessa “Ness” Johnson), Todd Williams (Robin Taylor), Peter MacNicol (Judge Campbell), Paul McCrane (Judge Laski).

‘All Rise’: Anne Heche To Recur On Season 2 Of CBS Legal Drama

Heche will play Corrine Cuthbert, an infamous trial attorney who often is called upon by police unions to defend officers accused of violent crime. She is wicked smart, using humor as a distraction while she verbally destroys anyone who gets in her way.

All Rise follows the chaotic, hopeful and sometimes absurd lives of its judges, prosecutors and public defenders, as they work with bailiffs, clerks and cops to get justice for the people of Los Angeles amidst a flawed legal process. Among them is newly appointed Judge Lola Carmichael (Simone Missick), a highly regarded and impressive deputy district attorney who doesn’t intend to sit back on the bench in her new role, but instead leans in, immediately pushing the boundaries and challenging the expectations of what a judge can be. The series also stars Marg Helgenberger, Jessica Camacho, Lindsay Mendez and Ruthie Ann Miles.

Creator/co-showrunner Gregg Spottiswood, Len Goldstein, Michael Robin and co-showrunner Dee Harris-Lawrence are executive producers for Warner Bros Television.

Heche recently starred as Deputy Superintendent Katherine Brennan on Chicago P.D., and as Patricia Campbell, Deputy Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, on NBC’s The Brave. She previously co-created, executive produced and wrote for the NBC series Bad Judge, starring Kate Walsh. She can recently be seen in the feature film My Friend Dahmer. Heche is repped by Zero Gravity Management and Morris Yorn.

Nominations For Inaugural Critics Choice Super Awards

BEST VILLAIN IN A MOVIE
Jim Carrey – Sonic The Hedgehog (Paramount)
Katherine Langford – Spontaneous (Paramount)
Kathryn Newton – Freaky (Universal)
Martin Short and Jane Krakowski – The Willoughbys (Netflix)
J.K. Simmons – Palm Springs (Hulu)
Hilary Swank – The Hunt (Universal).

Fox Brings Back ‘Name That Tune’ With Jane Krakowski Hosting & Randy Jackson As Band Leader

Former American Idol judge Randy Jackson is set as band leader for the show, which will premiere on January 6 after The Masked Singer. It comes from Fox Alternative Entertainment, Prestige Entertainment, which owns the rights to the show, and Holey Moley producer Eureka Productions. Janine Cooper, who has overseen The Bachelor and The Masked Singer in Australia, is showrunner.

It joins Beat Shazam, the Name That Tune-esque competition hosted by Jamie Foxx that was renewed for a fourth season, on Fox’s unscripted schedule.

The ten-episode series order comes three years after CBS attempted a reboot of the classic format, which was created by Harry Salter and first aired in 1953. CBS ordered a pilot, which was hosted by Elizabeth Banks, but it didn’t go to series.

Ralph Rubenstein and Noah Rubenstein from Prestige Entertainment, who were involved in that version, will exec produce the series alongside Eureka Productions’ Chris Culvenor and Paul Franklin and Cooper.

The game show, which launches in the 9 pm slot, tests contestants’ music knowledge as they battle it out in an assortment of challenging musical games for cash and prizes.

Each episode will include two standalone half-hour contests pitting two players against one another as they race against the clock to test their knowledge of songs, performed by the live band. Each contest features a rotating variety of games from the original format, before the iconic Bid-a-Note round. The player with the most money at the end of Bid-a-Note wins the game and takes his or her bank into the Golden Medley bonus round, for a chance to win additional cash and potentially the $100,000 grand prize.

Name That Tune premiered on NBC Radio in 1952. It quickly made the leap to television and aired from 1953-1959 on NBC and CBS. After a 17-year hiatus, the show returned for a syndication run from 1974-1981 and then again in 1984, with Tom Kennedy and then Jim Lange as the host.

“We’re thrilled to bring the iconic musical game show Name That Tune back to television with this updated revival. It’s been beloved the world over for decades and we can’t wait for a new generation of families to get to play along with the classic series at home,” said Rob Wade, President, Alternative Entertainment & Specials, Fox Entertainment. “With the captivating Jane Krakowski as host alongside band leader Randy Jackson the Big Dawg himself, this surely will be a harmonious pairing.”

Prestige Entertainment, Jane Krakowski and Randy Jackson are repped by UTA and Jackson is also repped by Brillstein Entertainment Partners.

Peter MacNicol recurs on All-Rise 11/23/20

RECURRING CAST includes: Ryan Michelle Bathe (Rachel Audubon), Reggie Lee (Head DDA Thomas Choi), Peter MacNicol (Judge Albert Campbell).

‘Dangerous’: Scott Eastwood, Tyrese Gibson, Famke Janssen, Kevin Durand & Mel Gibson Set For Action-Thriller

Eastwood will play a reformed sociopath who, after the death of his brother, heads to a remote island which soon falls under siege from a deadly gang of mercenaries. Forced to fend for himself, he discovers their role in his brother’s demise and sets off on a relentless quest for vengeance.

International Film Trust is launching world sales (minus Canada) at this week’s virtual AFM. Shoot is being lined up for later this month in Canada.

Pic will be produced by Kevin DeWalt and Ben DeWalt for Minds Eye Entertainment and by Doug Falconer for Falconer Pictures, with Michael Benaroya executive-producing for his Benaroya Pictures and Todd Shepherd executive-producing for Miscellaneous Entertainment.

International Film Trust, Invico Capital and 3 Point Capital will finance. Mind’s Eye International is selling Canada and co-repping the U.S. with IFT.

Eastwood is repped by UTA and LBI Entertainment. Gibson is repped by APA and Pearlman & Tishbi. Famke Janssen is repped by APA, Link Entertainment The Artists Partnership. Durand is repped by ICM Partners. Director David Hackl is represented by APA and Mel Gibson is repped by APA and Brecheen Feldman.

Keegan-Michael Key, Alan Cumming, Fred Armisen, Kristin Chenoweth Among 10 Cast For Apple Musical Comedy Project Starring Cecily Strong

Written by Despicable Me duo Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, the as-yet untitled comedy series follows a couple on a backpacking trip designed to reinvigorate their relationship when they discover the magical town of Schmigadoon, in which everyone acts as if they’re in a studio musical from the 1940s. They then discover that they can’t leave until they find “true love.”

Key will play Josh, Melissa’s (Strong) long term, pragmatic partner, and the last person who wants to be stuck in this magical town. Cumming is Mayor Menlove, the welcoming mayor of the town with a secret (and a song) in his heart. Armisen plays Reverend Layton, the mild-mannered religious leader of the town. Chenoweth is Mildred Layton, Reverend Layton’s morally superior wife who is in everybody’s business. Tveit plays Danny Bailey, the town bad boy who is trouble with a capital T, especially once he sets his sights on Melissa. Cameron is Betsy, the farmers daughter who instantly falls for Josh. DeBose portrays Emma Tate, a more modern woman and the town’s teacher, she struggles to fit into the town’s strict mold. Camil plays Doc Lopez, the handsome town doctor with an icy heart. Krakowski plays The Countess, a stunning and sophisticated woman determined to marry Doc Lopez. Harada is Florence Menlove, the oblivious and dutiful wife of Mayor Menlove.

Paul will serve as showrunner, and will write all of the original music. Barry Sonnenfeld will direct. Strong will produce in addition to star, and Daurio will serve as consulting producer. Andrew Singer will serve as executive producer on behalf of Broadway Video. Caroline Maroney, Micah Frank and Rose Lam will serve as producers. The series hails from Broadway Video and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.

Key is represented by UTA, Viewpoint and Brecheen Feldman Breimer Silver & Thompson. Cumming is represented by ICM Partners and Untitled Entertainment. Armisen is represented by WME, Brillstein Entertainment Partners and Jared Levine. Chenoweth is represented by Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham, 3 Arts Entertainment and ICM Partners. Tveit is represented by CAA, Elin Flack Management and Wolf Kasteler. Cameron is represented by A3 Artists Agency, LBI Entertainment and Felker Toczek Suddleson Abramson. DeBose is represented by Anthony Calamita of AC Management, Ryan LeVine & Kimberly Jaime of Jackoway/Austen & CAA. Camil is represented by Zero Gravity and Jackoway Austen Tyerman. Harada is represented by her agents in NY and LA at Artists and Representatives. Krakowski is repped by UTA.

Mickey Rourke & Taye Diggs Board Horror Thriller ‘Mammon’

The movie, penned by Walsh and Tyler Clair Smith, follows a struggling young couple who are chasing the American dream, and soon realize that their worst nightmare is the demonic spirit in their new home. Mammon is the biblical word for the worship of wealth, and the couple discover that getting rich can come at a hefty price. The feature is in pre-production and will shoot in Southern California next month.

Mike Hatton is producing under his production company, Ton of Hats. Executive Producers are Glen D. Smith, Gary Smith, and Gary Smith Jr. of MHI Investments, along with Kimberly Hines of Framework Entertainment, Michael Walker, Garrett Zinke, Ryan McDonald, and Asko Akopyan.

Rourke was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar in 2009 for Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler, a role which earned him a Golden Globe Lead Actor drama and BAFTA win. Rourke’s feature career credits which include Iron Man 2, The Expendables, Immortals, Sin City, Diner, and The Pope of Greenwich Village among several others have amassed close to $2 billion at the global box office.

Diggs feature credits include The Best Man franchise, Chicago, and Rent, as well as the TV series All American, Muppets Now, Empire and Murder in the First. He won a Screen Actors Guild ensemble award for Chicago.

Uberuaga starred in the John Travolta movie The Fanatic, the Sharon Stone movie Running Wild, and the Rourke-Michael Jai White action thriller Take Back.

In August, Ton of Hats completed photography on Take Back, which was one of the first SAG-AFTRA approved independent features to shoot successfully during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ton of Hats is led by producer/actor Mike Hatton (Green Book actor). Most recently, the production company produced the Val Kilmer-Luke Goss crime-heist, PayDirt (2020), the comedy Live Nude Girls (2014) and Vigilante Diaries (2016) which sold to HBO.

Diggs is represented by ICM Partners. Rourke is represented by Framework Entertainment. Uberuaga and Hatton are represented by Industry Entertainment.

Big Sky First Look: Ryan Phillippe and Kylie Bunbury Embark on Killer Pursuit in David E. Kelley's ABC Crime Drama

The network’s lone new fall drama — which was previewed in a series of promos during Sunday’s 72nd Emmy Awards — hails from prolific TV producer David E. Kelley (Big Little Lies), and stars TV faves Bunbury and Phillippe as private detectives on the hunt for two kidnapped sisters in Montana. Soon they discover that these are not the only girls who have disappeared in the area — at one point, Phillippe’s Det. Hoyt notes that there are 12 missing females within a hundred-mile radius — and must race against the clock to stop the killer before another woman is taken.

The above teaser features footage of the aforementioned abduction, soundtracked by an eerie rendition of the Ben E. King classic “Stand by Me.” (The phrase “be afraid” is repeated over and over and over.) At one point, a highway patrol officer (played by ubiquitous character actor John Carroll Lunch) tells Det. Hoyt that “things are about to take an ugly turn.”

‘The Boss Baby: Family Business’: Jeff Goldblum, James Marsden, Eva Longoria, Ariana Greenblatt & Amy Sedaris Join Alec Baldwin In DreamWorks Animation Sequel

Tom McGrath, who directed the 2017 installment, which earned more than $500 million worldwide and was nominated for an Oscar, is back to direct the sequel with producer Jeff Hermann.

The new chapter sees the Templeton brothers — Tim (Marsden) and his Boss Baby little bro Ted (Baldwin) — as adults now who have drifted away from each other. Tim is now a married dad and Ted is a hedge fund CEO. But a new boss baby with a cutting-edge approach and a can-do attitude is about to bring them together again and inspire a new family business.

Longoria plays Tim’s wife and mother to super-smart 7-year-old daughter Tabitha (Greenblatt), and super-cute new infant Tina (Sedaris). Tabitha, top of her class at the prestigious Acorn Center for Advanced Childhood, wants to become like her Uncle Ted but Tim worries that she’s working too hard and is missing out on a normal childhood.

Baby Tina reveals to be a top-secret agent for BabyCorp on a mission to uncover the dark secrets behind Tabitha’s school and its mysterious founder, Dr. Armstrong (Goldblum). This reunites the Templeton brothers in unexpected ways, leading them to re-evaluate the meaning of family and discover what truly matters.

Universal will release The Boss Baby: Family Business on March 26, 2021.

“We are so fortunate to work with such a talented ensemble of actors, all of whom possess tremendous imaginations,” said director Tom McGrath. “The everyday joy for me is not only watching our actors make a line hilarious or heartfelt through subtle adjustments but the process they all share of improvisation and character creation. They are the heart and soul of the characters they bring to life.”

“We are so thrilled to welcome these new additions to our Boss Baby family,” said producer Jeff Hermann. “James, Amy, Ariana, Eva, and Jeff each bring so much depth, wit, and charm to combine with Alec, Lisa, and Jimmy to form an incredibly rich ensemble, one which expands upon the world of the first movie in unexpected and exciting ways.”

Goldblum is repped by ICM, Industry Entertainment and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman; Marsden by CAA, Authentic Talent and Literary Management and Jackoway Austen Tyerman; Longoria by Brillstein Entertainment Partners and Jackoway Austen Tyerman; Greenblatt by Paradigm, Mosaic and Schreck Rose Dapello; Sedaris by UTA and Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham LLP..

Lucy Liu To Star In Drama ‘Rosemead’ Based On L.A. Times Article ‘A Dying Mother’s Plan’

Based on a true story that took place in the San Gabriel Valley, the film follows an immigrant mother (Liu) with terminal cancer who takes desperate measures to help her unstable teenage son as she uncovers his growing obsession with mass shootings. Rosemead marks the feature directorial debut of Lin, who has worked as a cinematographer on high-profile festival films including The Sound of Silence, Hearts Beat Loud, I Smile Back and Equity.

“This heartbreaking, true story shines a light on how important it is to understand all aspects of mental illness, especially in Asian societies,” said Liu. “I’m excited to be working with Eric and Marilyn to tell a story within our shared culture, and to bring attention to the terrible stigma attached to this disease that can cause individuals and families to become ostracized in their own communities, or in this case, lose their lives.”

Fu, who is Taiwanese American, added, “Creating important roles for Asian women is one of my driving forces as a screenwriter. Not only do we need to see people on screen who look like us, but who feel joy, who struggle, and who confront obstacles, like us. Lucy is a pioneer in showing the power in representation, and the perfect conduit for this complicated woman.”

Lin was deeply moved when he first read Rosemead and he admits that it was like a script he has never read before. “It beautifully depicts how mental illness, and the shame of it, tests the fierce bonds of a Chinese immigrant family. I’m beyond excited to work with Lucy and to see her bring her fearless talent to a challenging role that we haven’t seen her take on yet.”

The announcement of Rosemead continues to push the needle in terms of well-rounded, inclusive narratives. In this case, the story gives a deep dive into an Asian narrative that is seldom seen, further showcasing the diversity within immigrant storytelling within the Asian diaspora. “We were all haunted by Frank’s article; we could not shake it,” said Corkin, James, and Louie in a joint statement. “The story addresses so many timely issues, from mental illness to the immigrant struggle to mass shootings. But at its heart is a universal story about love, especially a mother’s love for her son and the lengths she would go to protect him, even from himself. We’re excited to work with Lucy, Eric, and Marilyn to bring this important story to life.”

The film will be produced by Andrew D. Corkin (A Vigilante, Martha Marcy May Marlene) and Theo James (How It Ends, Divergent) through their Untapped banner, alongside Mynette Louie (Swallow, The Tale) of The Population. Jeff Yang and L.A. Times Studios will executive produce. Shyong will serve as a co-producer.

Liu is a groundbreaking Asian American actress who has numerous film and TV credits. She is best known for her roles in iconic TV series and films such as Ally McBeal, Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Charlie’s Angels. She most recently starred in the CBS All Access series Why Women Kill as well as Elementary, CBS’s modern procedural take on Sherlock Holmes.

Liu is repped by ICM Partners, Framework Entertainment, and Schreck Rose Dapello. Lin is repped by WME. Fu is repped by Jen Au Management and Del, Shaw, Moonves, Tanaka, Finkelstein & Lezcano.

Barrymore Hosts Angels Reunion

The talker’s debut episode will also feature Barrymore’s frequent co-star Adam Sandler (The Wedding Singer, 50 First Dates).

Additional premiere-week guests include Reese Witherspoon, Billy Eichner, Jane Fonda, Gabrielle Union, Charlize Theron, Tyra Banks and Billy Porter.

V.C. Andrews' Ruby: Double Trouble Brews in Trailer for Next Lifetime Series

Naomi Judd (The Killing Game), Crystal Fox (The Haves and the Have Nots), Gil Bellows (Ally McBeal) and Deborah Cox (Broadway’s Aida) star in the first installment of the cabler’s next series of V.C. Andrews adaptations, alongside twins Raechelle Banno (Pandora) and Karina Banno (Home and Away) and Lauralee Bell (The Young and the Restless). The movie series follows Ruby Landry, who after being raised in the Louisiana bayou by her loving Grandmère Catherine (Judd), is ensnared in a world of dark family secrets and betrayal, upon discovering that she has another family living in New Orleans. Bellows plays Ruby’s estranged father.

The Landry Family books — Ruby, Pearl in the Mist, All That Glitters, and Hidden Jewel — are the second highest-selling novel series from Andrews. Lifetime’s series of Casteel Family movies last year ranked as cable’s No. 2 new drama series among Women 25-54.

Ruby will launch the new movie series sometime in 2021.

‘Dancing With The Stars’: ABC Unveils Season 29 Cast Including ‘Tiger King’s Carole Baskin & Rapper Nelly

The ABC competition show, which is based on BBC format Strictly Come Dancing, revealed the full cast on Good Morning America ahead of its September 14 premiere.

The quartet will be joined by Monica Aldama, star of Netflix’s Cheer, Disney Channel actress Skai Jackson, One Day at a Time’s Justina Machado, The Real’s Jeannie Mai, Catfish’s Nev Schulman and Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir.

The network confirmed that Super Bowl Champion Vernon Davis, Anne Heche, Backstreet Boys singer AJ McLean will also be joining, after their names leaked over the last few days. The Bachelor’s Kaitlyn Bristowe was the first celebrity to be named a few months ago.

The professional dancers include Brandon Armstrong, Alan Bersten, Sharna Burgess, Cheryl Burke, Artem Chigvintsev, Val Chmerkovskiy, Sasha Farber, Jenna Johnson, Daniella Karagach, Keo Motsepe, Peta Murgatroyd, Pasha Pashkov, Gleb Savchenko, Emma Slater and Britt Stewart.

It will be hosted and exec produced by Tyra Banks, who replaces Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews in season 29. The show is produced by BBC Studios’ Los Angeles production arm with Andrew Llinares exec producer.

One of the challenges for this season is to ensure that the production adheres to COVID-19 protocols, a trickier move for a dance competition format than many other productions. Details of the health and safety protocols and other format refreshes are expected imminently.

Anne Heche, Jesse Metcalfe and Vernon Davis Confirmed for ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 29

Heche, 51, is best known for films include Donnie Brasco, Seven Days, Seven Nights and a recent role on Chicago P.D. Metcalfe, 41, for his part, has starred on Desperate Housewives and in the film John Tucker Must Die among others. Former NFL player Davis, 36, played with the San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos, with whom he won the Super Bowl in 2015. He finished his pro career in Washington, D.C.

The celebrities join Backstreet Boys member AJ McLean who first teased the news via Instagram when he alluded to his strict eating regimen. “I’m on a very strict diet, grain-free, gluten-free, sugar-free, no sodas of any kind, and completely sober for almost nine months,” he said wrote. “This amazing, but rigorous, workout is all due to my amazing trainer, Mr. Bobby Strong. He’s been a huge asset in my transformation, trying to get myself prepared and ready for what’s to come in the next few weeks. A lot of surprises coming from me.”

Days later, the “I Want It That Way” crooner, 42, confirmed the news via Twitter: “We’re going for the mirrorball, baby!! I am so grateful to @dancingabc and @abcnetwork for the opportunity to be joining this season’s cast of #DWTS,” he captioned a selfie from a dance studio on August 27. “I also want to thank my wife and my two girls for letting Daddy go on this new adventure. I’m doing it ALL for you!”

Former Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe is also confirmed to compete. Months before announcing any other celebrities, Chris Harrison asked Bristowe — who has voiced her hopes to do the show — during an episode of The Bachelor: The Greatest Seasons — Ever in June. Bristowe previously claimed that Bachelor creator Mike Fleiss didn’t allow her to dance on the show.

Tyra Banks is set to host after Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews were axed. Dancing With the Stars premieres on ABC Monday, September 14 at 8 p.m. ET.

Hayden Panettiere’s ex threatened to release private videos: Report

The on-off couple finally called it quits four months ago after he was arrested for allegedly punching Panettiere in the face during an argument on Valentine’s Day in Jackson, Wyoming, and she was recently granted court-ordered protection in both Wyoming and California.

According to insiders, Hickerson “had direct communication with” the former Nashville actress in the wake of his legal troubles, a source told Us Weekly, during which he “threatened to release certain information if she didn’t drop the charges.”

“Specifically, he threatened to release videos of” Panettiere, the source added. The report follows a pretrial conference on Monday.

Hickerson – who was also arrested in May 2019 in connection with domestic violence in an incident with Panettiere – has been accused of witness intimidation in the ongoing case, as a warrant for his felony arrest was issued across the U.S. last week.

Last month, he was charged with eight more counts in the case, with four felony charges of corporal injury on a spouse/cohabitant, including two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, and a misdemeanour charge of battery on a spouse/cohabitant.

Court papers allege Hickerson had tried to contact the Heroes star in March and escalated to “much more directed and threatening manner toward the end of June”.

“Some of the ‘embarrassing’ information… appears to be for short video clips that were sent from (Hickerson) to (Panettiere) during this exchange from a previous incident at an unknown date and time,” according to the legal documents.

Hickerson “used threatening language throughout the texts and videos referencing having information that would be embarrassing to (Panettiere) if she refused to drop the charges that have been brought against him.”

He has entered a not guilty plea in the initial case and denies the allegations. Hickerson faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Ellen DeGeneres’ ex Anne Heche weighs in on toxic workplace scandal

“I haven’t spoken to Ellen in years. I’d listen to the people who have,” Heche, 51, told Mr. Warburton magazine for its cover story.

Heche described their nearly four-year relationship as “a beautiful part” of her life that she wears “with honor” but hinted that there might be something to the complaints surrounding the “Ellen” show, which have prompted many to wonder if it’ll be canceled. DeGeneres’ producers, however, maintain the show will go on.

“If I’m standing someplace and I don’t like what’s going on there and I stay there, it’s my fault,” said Heche, who dated DeGeneres from 1997 to 2000. “So what are the actions that got me there and why can’t I get out of it easily if that’s not something that I want to be engaged in?”

She added, “Ellen is standing where she walks, and that is hers to continue that journey.”

Past and current employees anonymously came forward and complained of a toxic workplace environment on the set of the talk show that always preaches people should “be kind.” The allegations forced WarnerMedia to launch a formal investigation into the show.

DeGeneres penned an apology but appeared to place the blame on her producers instead of herself.

Regina Hall Boards ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ Hulu Limited Series

Hall will play Carmel one of the nine perfect strangers. The Girls Trip and The Hate U Give star joins the previously announced cast of Nicole Kidman, Melissa McCarthy, Michael Shannon, Manny Jacinto, Tiffany Boone, Luke Evans, Melvin Gregg, Grace Van Patten and Samara Weaving in the project from David E. Kelley Bruna Papandrea’s Made Up Stories, Kidman’s Blossom Films and Endeavor Content.

Co-written by Kelley, John Henry Butterworth and Samantha Strauss and co-showrun by Kelley and Butterworth, Nine Perfect Strangers takes place at a boutique health-and-wellness resort that promises healing and transformation as nine stressed city dwellers try to get on a path to a better way of living. Watching over them during this ten-day retreat is the resort’s director Masha (played by Kidman), a woman on a mission to reinvigorate their tired minds and bodies.

Hall was nominated for a 2019 Independent Spirit Award in the Best Female Lead category for the feature Support the Girls. Her TV credits include Ally McBeal, Showtime’s Black Monday, and HBO’s Insecure. On the big screen, Hall has starred in Shaft, Little, Vacation, Barbershop: The Next Cut and the Scary Movie series. She is repped by ICM Partners and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher.

Nine Perfect Strangers is executive produced by Bruna Papandrea, Steve Hutensky and Jodi Matterson for Made Up Stories, Kidman and Per Saari for Blossom Films, Liane Moriarty, Kelley, John Henry Butterworth and McCarthay.

Anne Heche reflects on son Homer’s ‘bizarre’ 2020 graduation

Anne: “He’s 18. Excitedly looking forward to this major event in his life. So where was it held? In a parking lot. The Rose Bowl parking lot in LA.

“We had to enter wearing masks. Cars were spaced far apart. Nobody allowed outside their vehicle. The graduates onstage were masked and allowed only one second to remove that and mumble thank you. It was surreal. Bizarre.

“Your pass was preprinted out. You were allowed one car per family. No extra guests. Allowed photos were without the graduate’s face being visible. The security stationed around all wore black masks. Everything else nearby was boarded up, locked up, chained up.

“It was watching California disintegrate.”

Portia de Rossi breaks silence on Ellen DeGeneres scandal

“To all our fans….we see you. Thank you for your support,” de Rossi, 47, captioned a quote that said “I Stand By Ellen” in the host’s signature white and baby blue show colors.

The “Arrested Development” star then added the hashtags #stopbotattacks, which appeared to imply that the allegations came from “bots” and were unfounded.

De Rossi’s rep did not immediately return a request for comment.

De Rossi and DeGeneres, 62, have been married since 2008.

Since May, insiders have been speaking out on DeGeneres’ alleged rude behavior to staff and others.

A tweet by comedian Kevin Porter branding her “notoriously one of the meanest people alive” received more than 2,000 responses.

TV writer Ben Simeon wrote in the thread, “A new staff member was told, ‘Every day she picks someone different to really hate. It’s not your fault, just suck it up for the day and she’ll be mean to someone else the next day.’ They didn’t believe it, but it ended up being entirely true.”

In July, WarnerMedia launched an investigation into “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” through a third-party firm to see if there was any truth to the accusations of a toxic workplace culture.

DeGeneres addressed the allegations in a memo to her staff later that month, saying in part, “As we’ve grown exponentially, I’ve not been able to stay on top of everything and relied on others to do their jobs as they knew I’d want them done. Clearly some didn’t. That will now change and I’m committed to ensuring this does not happen again.”

She added, “Obviously, something changed, and I am disappointed to learn that this has not been the case. And for that, I am sorry. Anyone who knows me knows it’s the opposite of what I believe and what I hoped for our show.”

Rumors began to circulate that the host, who tells her audience to “be kind to one another,” was considering leaving her show after 17 years on the air.

However, her executive producers have said she has no intention of quitting.

Aside from de Rossi, other celebrities in Hollywood have also picked sides in the scandal.

‘With/In’: Julianne Moore, Don Cheadle, Sanaa Lathan, Rebecca Hall, Chris Cooper & More Star In Anthology Movie Inspired By Lockdown; CAA & UTA Rep Sales

Trudie Styler and Celine Rattray’s newly rebranded Maven Screen Media (American Honey) is in production on the two-hour feature, which is a collection of short films made during lockdown by a slew of top actors and directors. Scroll down for the full list of participants.

The project was initiated when Maven and Emmy-winning writer-producer Margaret Nagle (Boardwalk Empire) asked actor-director families and friends to come up with stories about life stuck inside. Storylines include a couple stuck together after a one night stand, kids scheming to run away from their paranoid dad, a divorced couple isolating together for the sake of their dog, and a widow dealing with her grief.

It was filmed using shared equipment, with DP Zach Kuperstein and sound consultant Dan Bricker advising remotely through Zoom. Oscar-nominated editor Tariq Anwar (American Beauty, The King’s Speech) is editing.

Maven partners Rattray and Styler produced with Peter and Michael Sobiloff. Nic Marshall and Jenny Halper oversaw production for Maven. CAA and UTA are handling worldwide sales, with principal photography ending imminently. A portion of the proceeds are earmarked for Feeding America and their response to Covid.

“We wanted to explore what isolation means to different people, and asked a handful of artists whose work we really admire,” Celine Rattray and Trudie Styler said in a joint statement. “What they came up with, to our delight, were stories about human connection that were powerful and funny and very different. Our plan is to continue to tell these stories, and to capture a moment in time that is continuing to change.”

Margaret Nagle added: “This moment is collectively bigger than we are and we wanted to capture that. The stories carry themes of love, loss, redemption, hope and transition told through the lens of these artists. The world has been altered so radically in such a short period of time and we wanted to explore creativity within the barriers of confinement and create new forms of storytelling.”

Maven, which recently wrapped Keira Knightley feature Silent Night and A Mouthful Of Air with Amanda Seyfried and Paul Giamatti, has recently rebranded from Maven Pictures to Maven Screen Media.

Rattray explained the name change to us: “Maven Screen Media is a new chapter for Trudie and myself. We will be producing content across film, TV and digital but with a strong push into TV and digital. We will be working far more with UK writing and directing talent, which we are thrilled about based on the extraordinary talent here, and we will be shooting more in the UK and hiring here.”

The With/In filmmakers and cast include:

– Nuts, Directed by Chris Cooper, Written by Marianne Leone, starring Marianne Leone and Chris Cooper

– Neighborhood Watch, Written and Directed by Sam Nivola, starring Emly Mortimer, Alessandro Nivola, May Nivola and Sam Nivola

– One Night Stand, Written and Directed by Griffin Dunne, starring Griffin Dunne and Zonia Pelensky

– Touching, Directed by Jonathan Cake and Julianne Nicholson, Written by Jonathan Cake, starring Julianne Nicholson, Jonathan Cake, Iggy Cake, Phoebe Cake

– Mother!! Directed by Morgan Spector and Maya Singer, Written by Maya Singer, starring Rebecca Hall, Morgan Spector and Maya Singer

– Coco and Gigi, Written and Directed by Rosie Perez, starring Rosie Perez and Justina Machado

– In the Air, Written and Directed by Bill Camp and Elizabeth Marvel, starring Bill Camp, Elizabeth Marvel and Silas Camp

– Her Own, Written and Directed by Arliss Howard, starring Debra Winger and Arliss Howard

– Twenty Questions, Written and Directed by Sebastian Gutierrez, starring Carla Gugino and Adrianne Palicki

– Shell Game, Written and Directed by Gina Gershon, starring Gina Gershon

– I’m Listening, Directed by Mickey Sumner, Written by Portia Alen-Buckley and Mike Lindley, starring Mickey Sumner and Trudie Styler

– Leap, Directed by Sanaa Lathan, Written by Margaret Nagle, starring Sanaa Lathan and Lucy Punch

– Intersection, Written and Directed by Bart Freundlich, starring Julianne Moore, Don Cheadle, Talia Balsam, Taj Swaminathan-Sipp.

LeAnn Rimes, Pharrell Williams and Jon Bon Jovi To Keynote DOJ Event On Music Licensing

The virtual event on July 28 and 29 comes as the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division reviews the ASCAP and BMI decrees, a move that would have huge implications on songwriters, artists and publishers. The workshop will be open to the public.

The event also will include panels on an array of issues related to music licensing and industry competition. Makan Delrahim, chief of the DOJ’s Antitrust Division, will deliver opening remarks, and others speaking include David Israelite, president and CEO, National Music Publishers’ Association; Michelle Lewis, Executive Director, Songwriters of North America; Elizabeth Matthews, CEO of ASCAP; Michael O’Neill, president and CEO of BMI; and Gordon Smith, president and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters.

The DOJ last reviewed the consent decrees during the Obama administration, but concluded that “the current system has well served music creators and music users for decades and should remain intact.”

But the DOJ under Delrahim has been reviewing consent decrees across all industries to gauge their continued effectiveness and relevance.

Ellen DeGeneres & Portia de Rossi Montecito Mansion Burglarized

According to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office ... the theft went down on July 4, and cops believe their residence was "targeted due to the victim’s celebrity status."

No word on the value of what was taken but cops say some of the stolen items include high-value jewelry and watches.

The Sheriff's Office says it's working with other law enforcement agencies, as part of an extensive investigation, to see if this incident is connected to other recent celeb home burglaries.

It's unclear at this point if Portia and/or Ellen were home at the time of the break-in.

Ellen purchased the massive 8,188-square-foot, Balinese-style home in early 2019 for a whopping $27 million ... and it's easy to see why it comes with that price tag.

It's also just one of several homes the talk show host owns in SoCal.

Cops offered up some free advice to other residents in the area -- which includes several celebrity estates -- to avoid social media posts about being on vacation and leaving lights and TV on while away.

How Jane Krakowski’s son supported her during ‘30 Rock’ reunion

“We were asked to do every job,” star Jane Krakowski explained on the “Stars In The House” Web series. “My 9-year-old son Bennett was my main home helper. When I needed a fan to hit on one lyric, the boy had it. I had trained him well. He kept saying ‘Quiet on set!’ when there was no one else in my home. At one point he asked for a union break.”

Brian Hickerson pleads not guilty to assaulting ex Hayden Panettiere

People reports that Hickerson, 31, entered a plea of not guilty to multiple felony charges, including four felony charges of corporal injury on a spouse/cohabitant; a felony charge of assault with a deadly weapon, “to wit, garage floor;” a felony charge of assault with a deadly weapon, “to wit, stairs;” and a misdemeanor charge of battery on a spouse/cohabitant.

Just two days before Hickerson’s most recent arrest, the former “Nashville” star, 30, filed a request for an out-of-state restraining order that would protect her in California, where she now resides. Panettiere’s request came five months after Hickerson was arrested for domestic battery after allegedly assaulting her on Valentine’s Day in Wyoming.

Following his arrest, the actress broke her silence on the alleged abuse, telling fans via Instagram, “I am coming forward with the truth about what happened to me with the hope that my story will empower others in abusive relationships to get the help they need and deserve,” she wrote on Instagram. “I am prepared to do my part to make sure this man never hurts anyone again. I’m grateful for my support system, which helped me find the courage to regain my voice and my life.”

Hayden Panettiere breaks silence on alleged abuse by ex Brian Hickerson

The former “Nashville” star, 30, released a statement on social media saying she’s coming forward with the hope that she can help others who find themselves in similar situations.

“I am coming forward with the truth about what happened to me with the hope that my story will empower others in abusive relationships to get the help they need and deserve,” she wrote on Instagram. “I am prepared to do my part to make sure this man never hurts anyone again. I’m grateful for my support system, which helped me find the courage to regain my voice and my life.”

In the caption, she added, “You are not alone,” along with phone numbers to domestic abuse hotlines.

Panettiere’s statement comes after Hickerson, 31, was arrested on Thursday at 9:00 p.m. local time in Los Angeles on felony charges, Page Six confirmed. His bail has been set at $320,0000.

Earlier this week, Page Six also confirmed that Panettiere obtained an out-of-state restraining order to protect her from Hickerson. Her request was filed five months after Hickerson was arrested for domestic battery after allegedly assaulting her on Valentine’s Day in Wyoming.

“After suffering for years as the victim of psychological, emotional and severe physical abuse, Hayden Panettiere has begun the process of taking back her life,” Panettiere’s attorney, Alan Jackson, told Page Six in a statement on Friday.

“Hayden has found the strength and courage to share the truth about her abuse and her abuser, and she intends to assist the prosecution to see that justice is served. As a survivor, she recognizes that her arduous journey of healing has just begun.”

Hayden Panettiere Ex-BF Arrested and Charged ... Dom. Violence & Assault

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Hickerson was charged Thursday in an 8-count complaint that includes domestic violence charges, assault charges. Seven of the 8 charges are felonies.

Panettiere recently reported her ex-BF to the Teton County Sheriff in Wyoming -- along with the Santa Monica police and LAPD -- for multiple incidents involving extreme domestic violence against her during their year-and-a-half relationship.

The former "Nashville" star tells TMZ ... “I am coming forward with the truth about what happened to me with the hope that my story will empower others in abusive relationships to get the help they need and deserve. I am prepared to do my part to make sure this man never hurts anyone again. I’m grateful for my support system, which helped me find the courage to regain my voice and my life."

Hayden's attorney, Alan Jackson, says ... "After suffering for years as the victim of psychological, emotional and severe physical abuse, Hayden Panettiere has begun the process of taking back her life. Hayden has found the strength and courage to share the truth about her abuse and her abuser, and she intends to assist the prosecution to see that justice is served. As a survivor, she recognizes that her arduous journey of healing has just begun."

As we reported ... Panettiere recently got court-ordered protection from Hickerson in Wyoming, and a California judge just granted her that same protection in the Golden State.

Hickerson was arrested for domestic violence on Valentine's Day in Teton County, Wyoming -- after Hayden told cops he'd roughed her up after an argument and punched her in the face.

As for Hayden, a source close to the actress says she's been undergoing successful treatment for alcohol abuse issues and is now focused on healing, sobriety and recovery.

HBO Max Orders ‘A World Of Calm’ Series Based On App; Mahershala Ali, Nicole Kidman, Idris Elba & Others Narrate

The 10-episode order co-produced by Calm and Nutopia is HBO Max’s first brush with the health and wellness space. From the creators of the Calm app and Nutopia, the series combines mesmeric imagery with narration by A-list stars – including Mahershala Ali, Idris Elba, Oscar Isaac, Nicole Kidman, Zoë Kravitz, Lucy Liu, Cillian Murphy, and Keanu Reeves.

Here’s the logline: A timely antidote for our modern lives, each half-hour episode takes audiences on an immersive visual journey into another world. Building on Calm’s Sleep Stories – bedtime stories for grown-ups – each relaxing tale is designed to transform how you feel. Viewers will be transported into tranquility through scientifically engineered narratives, enchanting music and astounding footage to naturally calm the body and soothe the mind.

“With the considerable amount of stress and chaos we are all experiencing at this particularly challenging time, we could all use a bit of guided relaxation, and A World of Calm is here to help,” said Jennifer O’Connell, EVP Non-fiction and Kids Programming at HBO Max.

Jane Root, Nicola Moody, Michael Acton Smith and Chris Advansun serve as executive producers, and Sara Brailsford and Fiona Caldwell as co-EPs.

“Although this collaboration has been in the works for many months,” said Nutopia CEO and founder Jane Root, “this series has been entirely created during quarantine using Nutopia’s worldwide network of award-winning cinematographers and filmmakers. We hope this series of serene stories will bring a sense of much needed calm to audiences.”

Added Calm co-founder and co-CEO Michael Acton Smith: “Calm started life as a meditation app, but the brand has evolved far beyond that. We are delighted to bring the magic behind our audio Sleep Stories to the screen for the first time. These experiences are visual Valium and will help people relax and unwind during these stressful times.”

Hayden Panettiere obtains restraining order against ex Brian Hickerson

The “Heroes” star, 30, filed a request for an out-of-state restraining order that would protect her in California, where she now resides. Panettiere’s request comes five months after Hickerson was arrested for domestic battery after allegedly assaulting her on Valentine’s Day in Wyoming.

In April, Hickerson reportedly pleaded not guilty to the charge. A trial is scheduled for September.

It was the second domestic violence arrest for Hickerson, who allegedly assaulted Panettiere in May 2019 during an altercation at their home after a night of drinking. He was ordered to stay 100 yards away from the “Remember the Titans” actress.

In early June, Panettiere seemed to allude to having moved on from the relationship when she showed off her “newish” neck tattoo depicting the Eye of Ra, which is an ancient Egyptian symbol of protection and royal authority.

Lucy Liu To Star In ABC Workplace Comedy Pilot From ‘Better With You’ Creator Shana Goldberg-Meehan

Liu, who most recently starred in CBS All Access’ Why Women Kill, will lead the cast of the Untitled Workplace Comedy, which was also known as Kids Matter Now during development.

This comes after ABC revealed that the pilot was one of five that it intends to film from its current batch of pilot orders as soon as it is safe to do so. Last month, the network said it was picking up the cast options for these projects through to the end of September.

In the comedy, Liu plays Devin, the fierce and powerful head of Shelter, a large and successful modern furniture company. She is a force and is unfamiliar with failure. But when she adopts a baby she is ill-prepared for the task of parenting and feels at a complete loss as to how to be a mom.

The multi-camera comedy is written and exec produced by Friends alum Goldberg-Meehan and directed by Speechless’ Christine Gernon. Liu will be a producer.

It is Liu’s latest network role, having starred as Dr. Joan Watson, alongside Jonny Lee Miller, in CBS’ Elementary. Other roles include Difficult People, Southland, Marry, Cashmere Mafia, Dirty Sexy Money and as Ling Woo in Fox’s Ally McBeal.

On the feature side, she stars in Netflix rom-com Set It Up and has starred in Charlie’s Angels, Kill Bill and Chicago and also voiced the role of Lady Sagami in animated feature The Tale of The Princess Kaguya.

Liu is repped by Framework Entertainment, ICM Partners, and Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham.

Christina Ricci Files for Divorce

The "Casper" and "Addams Family" star filed in L.A. County Superior Court Thursday morning to divorce film producer James Heerdegen, whom Ricci met in 2011 while they working on the set of the show, "Pan Am." They got married on October 26, 2013, in NYC.

Ricci cites irreconcilable differences as the reason why she wants to end the marriage. She's asking for sole legal and physical custody of their 5-year-old son, Freddie.

Our sources say there is no prenup but Christina was the main money earner. And, then there's this ... Ricci was granted an emergency protective order by cops after an altercation in which she claims James spit on her. The altercation went down exactly a week ago in her L.A. home.

Heerdegen, who was not arrested after the incident, has been ordered to stay away from Ricci.

Ricci's repped by attorney Samantha Spector in the divorce.

‘Love In The Time Of Corona’: Freeform Sets Leslie Odom Jr., Gil Bellows And More For Limited Series Event

The series comes from executive producers Joanna Johnson (Good Trouble, The Fosters), Christine Sacani (Good Trouble, The Fosters), Anonymous Content’s Robyn Meisinger. Love in the Time of Corona will be filmed using remote technologies and shot in the talents’ actual homes.

Odom Jr. and Robinson, who are a real-life couple, will portray James and Sade, a couple who have been living somewhat separate lives. He has a busy career that keeps him on the road and she is at home raising their daughter. Once the pandemic puts them under one roof, their time together leads them to reevaluate their relationship and their priorities. They also serve as executive producers on the project.

Dorfman stars as Oscar, a successful nonbinary stylist, while Qualley plays Elle, an aspiring singer-songwriter. With the uncertainty of the pandemic, Oscar and Elle’s mostly platonic friendship becomes increasingly complicated as Oscar’s latest online date progresses toward relationship territory just as Elle’s neighborly crush starts to blossom.

Bellows will play Paul, while his real-life wife Kihlstedt will portray Sarah. Their daughter Bellows will play Sophie. After quietly separating months earlier, Paul and Sarah reluctantly decide to quarantine together when their sweet yet intense daughter, Sophie, returns home from college. But when Sophie’s high school sweetheart suddenly breaks up with her, Paul and Sarah struggle to continue their “happy couple” ruse for their daughter’s sake.

Caldwell will step into the role of Nanda, a headstrong woman determined to celebrate her 50th wedding anniversary with her husband, Charles who is unable to come home from a rehab facility when COVID-19 causes them to go into lockdown. Charlie Robinson is set to guest star as Charles.

Love in the Time of Corona is set to debut on Freeform in August.

Jacki Weaver & Lucy Liu Comedy ‘Stage Mother’ Sells Around The World – Cannes

The pic has now gone to Australia and New Zealand (Madman), Italy (Eagle Pictures), Japan (Regents), Taiwan (Deepjov), Middle East (Eagle Films), and South Africa (African Entertainment Distributors).

The movie debuted at Palm Springs International Film Festival in January. Brad Hennig wrote the screenplay, which follows a conservative Texas church choir director who inherits her recently deceased son’s drag club and tries to save it from bankruptcy. Adrian Grenier, Mya Taylor and Jackie Beat are also in the cast.

“We love seeing audiences dancing in their seats, laughing and crying all at the same time. It’s evident that even in these trying times, quality films that address current events and the human condition continue to be embraced by audiences worldwide,” commented Film Mode chief Clay Epstein.

Momentum Pictures Buys Jacki Weaver, Lucy Liu Comedy ‘Stage Mother’

The movie debuted at Palm Springs International Film Festival in January. Brad Hennig wrote the screenplay, which follows a conservative Texas church choir director who inherits her recently deceased son’s drag club and tries to save it from bankruptcy. Adrian Grenier, Mya Taylor and Jackie Beat are also in the cast.

The deal was negotiated between Dylan Wilcox on behalf of Momentum Pictures and Clay Epstein for sales rep Film Mode Entertainment.

“We are excited to be distributing Stage Mother in the United States and Canada. It is such a special film; the perfect mix of tenderness, poignancy and laugh-out-loud humor with an incredible cast. We feel privileged to share Thom and Brad’s work with the world,” said Dylan Wilcox, SVP Acquisitions at Momentum Pictures.

Altitude Film Entertainment is handling the UK release, which is planned for July 31.

Film Mode Launches Panel Series With Dustin Hoffman, Lucy Liu & Jacki Weaver

The discussions will feature talent from its movies, including Dustin Hoffman and Simon Helberg (who appear in Mayim Bialik’s directing debut comedy As Sick As They Made Us), Jacki Weaver and Lucy Liu (who are both in Stage Mother, which recently sold North American rights to Momentum Pictures), and producer Malin Åkerman and Asher Levin (With Teeth).

Titles also being featured include Tuscaloosa and Broil, which Deadline reported on last week.

Stars a la Mode will be available to watch via Film Mode’s website.

“In an effort to better engage and service our distributors, we have thought outside the box with this entertaining concept.” said Film Mode chief Clay Epstein.

Hayden Panettiere and Brian Hickerson Split: She’s on a ‘Path to Recovery’

“She’s in a good place right now,” says one source. “She’s on the path to recovery.”

The actress, 30, finally cut ties with Hickerson, whom she began dating in August 2018, after their February dispute that led to his second arrest for domestic abuse. (Hickerson was previously arrested for domestic violence following another argument with Panettiere in May 2019.)

“She and Brian haven’t had contact,” says the source. “He’s moved back to his hometown in South Carolina, and friends are praying this is the end of her journey with him.

And the early signs are promising. Panettiere, who rejoined Instagram this month, “has done a 180-degree turn since her terrible ordeal with Brian,” reveals a second source. “She’s moving ahead with her life and getting back into working in Hollywood and being creative again. It’s all very therapeutic for her.”

Now the mom of 5-year-old Kaya, who she shares with ex Wladimir Klitschko, is not looking back. Panettiere is “calmer and more relaxed,” says the second source, while the first source adds: “She’s trying to move past the pain and focus on her future.”

Us Weekly Cover Issue 2220 Kelly Clarkson Divorce Hayden Panettiere Path Recovery After Drama With Brian Hickerson

Pick up the new issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands now.

David E. Kelley’s ‘Big Sky’ & Kari Lizer’s ‘Call Your Mother’ Get ABC Series Orders, Other Pilots Still In Play

They will join 11 returning ABC scripted series, which have been renewed for next season, including eight picked up today, as well as the previously announced Supermarket Sweep series reboot with Leslie Jones, which also will debut next season.

“At a time when we are physically apart and shared experiences matter more than ever, these shows will build on the strategy that has made us No. 1 this season – bringing people together, creating cultural moments, and making content that entertains and inspires across generations and demographics,” said ABC Entertainment President Karey Burke, referring to ABC’s No.1 finish for the 2019-20 season (outright or tied with NBC and Fox, depending on metric) with entertainment programming, excluding sports.

Big Sky (fka.The Big Sky) had a series commitment/ order from the get-go, though it was formally contingent on ABC seeing a pilot, while Call Your Mother had a pilot order. Big Sky, from A+E Studios and 20th Century Fox TV, already had a writers room working on additional scripts, while Call Your Mother, from Sony Pictures TV and ABC Studios, had received an order from the network for 2 backup scripts.

The remaining ABC pilots, including high-profile dramas Rebel, starring Katey Sagal, and thirtysomething sequel thirtysomething(else), both of which also had opened writers rooms, remain in contention. I hear some will be piloted later, when Hollywood production is safe to resume, and there is a chance that some will go straight-to-series like The Big Sky and Call Your Mother.

Disney TV Studios, whose divisions 20th Century Fox TV and ABC Studios produce or co-produce all ABC pilots, is in the process of extending the options of the casts of all outstanding pilots through Sept. 30, I hear. As Deadline reported earlier this month, Disney TV Studios is among the studios that started paying the actors on their pilots, which allows the studio to amend cast deals and extend options.

As the coronavirus pandemic completely upended the 2020 pilot season, with all pilots grounded before most had started production, the networks ordered backup scripts for their pilots to give them a better sense of projects’ potential and help them make straight-to-series decisions. All nets originally commissioned one backup script, with ABC subsequently ordering a second for all of their pilots.

Besides the three projects with writers rooms and Call Your Mother, among those that had been garnering very early buzz were drama Harlem’s Kitchen and comedy Home Economics.

This marks a second series order for the industrious Kelley today; Netflix this morning announced his new anthology Anatomy of a Scandal.

Written and executive produced by The Practice creator in his return to ABC, Big Sky is based on The Highway, the first book in C.J. Box’s Cassie Dewell series of novels. In the procedural thriller, private detective Cassie Dewell (Bunbury) partners with ex-cop Jenny Hoyt (\Winnick) on a search for two sisters who have been kidnapped by a truck driver on a remote highway in Montana. When they discover that these are not the only girls who have disappeared in the area, they must race against the clock to stop the killer before another woman is taken.

Written and executive produced by The New Adventures Of Old Christine creator Lizer, Call Your Mother revolves around an empty-nester mom, Jean Raines (Sedgwick), who wonders how she ended up alone while her children live their best lives thousands of miles away. She decides her place is with her family and as she reinserts herself into their lives, her kids realize they might actually need her more than they thought.

Here are more details about the newly picked up series:

BIG SKY

From visionary storyteller David E. Kelley (Big Little Lies) comes Big Sky, a thriller created by Kelley, who will write multiple episodes and serve as showrunner in its premiere season. Private detectives Cassie Dewell and Cody Hoyt join forces with his estranged wife and ex-cop, Jenny Hoyt, to search for two sisters who have been kidnapped by a truck driver on a remote highway in Montana. But when they discover that these are not the only girls who have disappeared in the area, they must race against the clock to stop the killer before another woman is taken. Based on the series of books by C.J. Box, Big Sky is executive produced by David E. Kelley, Ross Fineman, Matthew Gross, Paul McGuigan and C.J. Box and is produced by A+E Studios in association with 20th Century Fox Television. A+E Studios is the studio unit of the global media company A+E Networks. 20th Century Fox Television is a part of Disney Television Studios, alongside ABC Studios and Fox 21 Television Studios.

Cast: Katheryn Winnick as Jenny Hoyt, Kylie Bunbury as Cassie Dewell, Brian Geraghty as Ronald Pergman, Dedee Pfeiffer as Denise Brisbane, Natalie Alyn Lind as Danielle Sullivan, Jesse James Keitel as Jerrie, with John Carroll Lynch as Rick Legarski and Ryan Phillippe as Cody Hoyt.

CALL YOUR MOTHER

From Kari Lizer (The New Adventures of Old Christine), this multicamera comedy follows an empty-nester mom who wonders how she ended up alone while her children live their best lives thousands of miles away. She decides her place is with her family and as she reinserts herself into their lives, her kids realize they might actually need her more than they thought. Call Your Mother is produced by Sony Pictures Television & ABC Studios. ABC Studios is a part of Disney Television Studios, alongside 20th Century Fox Television and Fox 21 Television Studios.

Cast: Kyra Sedgwick as Jean Raines, Rachel Sennott as Jackie Raines, Joey Bragg as Freddie Raines, Patrick Brammall as Danny, Emma Caymares as Celia and Austin Crute as Lane.

‘Anatomy Of A Scandal’: David E. Kelley, Melissa James Gibson Team For Netflix Anthology Series Based On Sarah Vaughan Novel

Anatomy Of A Scandal is a six-part series based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Sarah Vaughan and tells the story of a scandal among the British privileged elite and the women caught up in its wake.

The original 2017 book centers on a high-flying Westminster politician whose marriage unravels when he is accused of rape. Sophie is sure her husband is innocent, while prosecutor Kate is equally convinced he is guilty.

The idea is that future seasons will focus on different scandals in an anthology format that has echoes of A Very English Scandal. Hugh Grant starred in the first season of the BBC and Amazon show as British politician caught up in a murder conspiracy, while the second season spotlights a 1963 sex scandal.

Kelley and Gibson will write, showrun and executive produce Anatomy Of A Scandal, which is housed at Liza Chasin’s 3dot productions and Bruna Papandrea’s Made Up Stories.

The other executive producers are Clarkson, Chasin for 3dot, and Papandrea, Steve Hutensky and Allie Goss for Made Up Stories. Vaughan and Margaret Chernin are co-executive producers.

Anatomy Of A Scandal will be made in the UK. It was meant to go into production this year, but there are now question marks over when filming can begin due to the coronavirus pandemic.

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars’ Sets Ricky Martin, Tessa Thompson, Jane Krakowski And More As Guest Judges; Unveils Season 5 Twist

The star-studded lineup of guest judges does not stop with the “She Bangs” singer. Joining RuPaul on the mainstage are Tessa Thompson, Jane Krakowski, Nicole Byer, Bebe Rexha, Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, Sam Richardson, Madison Beer, Sarah Hyland, Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Tommy Dorfman and Drag Race regular Todrick Hall. In the premiere, Martin will help judge the all-star queens for seasons past as they partake in a reading mini-challenge and hit the runway for a “Werq the World” variety extravaganza.

On top of that, the fifth season has thrown traditional elimination rules out the window. Mama Ru has shaken things up and has “Ru-vealed” that each week she will name a top all-star and that queen will lip sync for her legacy against a mysterious lip sync assassin, chosen from the most iconic performers in Drag Race “herstory”. If the top all-star of the week wins the lip sync, she wins a $10,000 tip and the power to eliminate the bottom queen of her choice. If the lip sync assassin wins, a bottom queen selected from a secret group vote gets the chop, and the money rolls over until a top all-star wins — now that is a gag!

As previously announced, the 10 queens competing for a spot in the “Drag Race Hall of Fame” and a grand prize of $100,000 are Alexis Mateo (Season 3, All Stars 1), Blair St. Clair (Season 10), Derrick Barry (Season 8), India Ferrah (Season 3), Jujubee (Season 2, All Stars 1), Mariah Paris Balenciaga (Season 3), Mayhem Miller (Season 10), Miz Cracker (Season 10), Ongina (Season 1) and Shea Couleé (Season 9).

The RuPaul’s Drag Race season 12 reunion airs May 22 at 8pm ET/PT followed by the finale on May 29 at 8pm.

‘Dead To Me’ Live Table Read Set With Christina Applegate, Linda Cardellini, James Marsden & Liz Feldman

After the live reading of the first episode of season 1, Applegate, Cardellini, Marsden and Feldman will hold a Q&A with fans. It’s set for 5 pm PT/8 pm ET on Thursday, May 7 on Netflix Facebook.

The cast will also be raising awareness for World Central Kitchen. Founded by Chef José Andrés, World Central Kitchen is working to provide meals for kids and families impacted by COVID-19.

Created by Feldman, Dead to Me centers on Jen (Applegate), a sardonic widow determined to solve her husband’s recent hit-and-run murder, and Judy (Cardellini) an optimistic free spirit who’s recently suffered her own tragic loss. When the two women meet at a support group, they become unlikely friends, despite their polar-opposite personalities. But as they bond over bottles of wine, Entenmann’s cookies and a shared affinity for The Facts of Life, Judy desperately tries to shield Jen from a shocking secret that could destroy her life as she knows it.

Feldman serves as showrunner and executive producer on Season 2. The show is produced by CBS Television Studios for Netflix. Executive producers are Jessica Elbaum from Gloria Sanchez Productions, Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Christie Smith and Applegate.

Dead to Me Season 2 premieres at 12:01 pm PT on Friday, May 8.

‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ Drama Series From David E. Kelley Not Going Forward At CBS

I hear The Lincoln Lawyer‘s studios, A+E Studios and CBS TV Studios, were informed on Friday of the network’s decision. This is believed to be the first official pass on a project from the 2020 broadcast pilot season.

More are expected to come from all the broadcast networks as they are trying to make decisions on pilots that have not been shot because all production was shut down by the coronavirus pandemic. CBS is expected to step up its series pickup, renewal and cancelation activity next week as it prepares for the network’s May 13 video Upfront special that will replace its upfront presentation this year.

Even in the context of a highly irregular pilot season decimated by the pandemic, the pass on The Lincoln Lawyer is a jaw-dropper as it is a well known title, comes from one of the top legal drama creators in the business, Kelley, and had a huge commitment.

I hear no force majeure has not been invoked yet but the two sides are yet to get into the nitty-gritty of settling the big series penalty. It is unclear yet whether leading studio A+E Studios would shop the series elsewhere; it is a likely scenario.

A lot has changed since CBS preemptively bought The Lincoln Lawyer exactly a year ago with a series production commitment. The network’s parent company CBS Corp. merged with Viacom, and the combined company has been facing big financial challenges that have resulted in waves of layoffs. There also has been a change at the top of the CBS-branded assets, with George Cheeks assuming control as President and CEO of CBS Entertainment Group a little more than a month ago.

When production on all CBS pilots was shut down on Friday, March 13, The Lincoln Lawyer was in final stages of pre-production. The cast had been assembled, including closing a complex deal with Logan Marshall-Green for the lead that took weeks of negotiations.

With production suspended, the project’s executive producer/showrunner, Ted Humphrey, was given the go-ahead to open a writers room with three other writers and Connelly closely involved. At the time CBS made the decision not to proceed with the show, the network brass had received two scripts, the original pilot script by Kelley, and one by Humphrey and his team, with two more in the works. A+E Studios had been working on possible production schedules for when Hollywood filming resumes under new safety guidelines.

It is standard practice for projects with 13-episode commitment to film a pilot episode and take a break for the network and studio to assess it creatively before filming on the remaining episodes commences. Under the extraordinary circumstances this year, other broadcast projects with similar commitments to The Lincoln Lawyer’s, which also were planning to film a pilot during the regular pilot season, are moving straight to series production. The list includes another hourlong project from Kelley, The Big Sky at ABC, as well as comedy Call Me Kat at Fox.

The Lincoln Lawyer centers on Mickey Haller, an iconoclastic idealist, who runs his law practice out of the back of his Lincoln Town Car, as he takes on cases big and small across the expansive city of Los Angeles.

Kelley executive produces with Connelly, Humphrey and Ross Fineman.

Video: Melrose Place Reunion Chat

‘Melrose Place’ Cast Sets Remote Reunion For ‘Stars In The House’ Tomorrow

Hosted by Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley, the Stars in the House YouTube series has been hosting special reunion episodes for weeks, welcoming casts from Frasier, Glee, Desperate Housewives, SCTV and Taxi, as well as original Broadway casts from Spring Awakening and Les Misérables, among others.

The Tuesday, April 28 episode, airing at 8 p.m. ET, will featuring the Melrose cast reminiscing about their years in West Hollywood’s most iconic apartment complex. The reunion supports The Actors Fund, with viewers able to donate while they watch. Viewers also can ask questions and interact with with the cast in real time during the show.

“Seth and I believe that in this time of social distancing and isolation, much happiness can be found by seeing familiar faces from shows beloved by the whole world,” said Wesley. “We call these shows comfort TV. And we plan on having even more every week, along with our beloved theatre pals – all for The Actors Fund.”

The livestream Stars in the House series raises money for The Actors Fund’s COVID-19 efforts. The series’ episodes are available at the Stars in the House website and on YouTube.

Peter MacNicol recurs on All Rise 5/4/20

Throughout it all, unknown dance party DJ Tailwind (Dorian Missick) offers a comforting, irreverent voice for all Angelenos in lockdown by sharing his music and thoughts via his laptop at home.

RECURRING CAST includes: Lindsey Gort (Amy Quinn), Paul McCrane (Judge Jonas Laski), Peter MacNicol (Judge Campbell).

‘The Undoing’ Trailer: HBO Sets Premiere Date For Nicole Kidman And Hugh Grant’s Chilling Limited Series

The six-part limited series based on Jean Hanff Korelitz’s book You Should Have Known. The story centers on Grace Sachs (Kidman), who is living the only life she ever wanted for herself. She’s a successful therapist, has a devoted husband (Grant) and young son (Noah Jupe) who attends an elite private school in New York City. Overnight a chasm opens in her life: a violent death, a missing husband, and, in the place of a man Grace thought she knew, only a chain of terrible revelations. Left behind in the wake of a spreading and very public disaster, and horrified by the ways in which she has failed to heed her own advice, Grace must dismantle one life and create another for her child and herself.

Donald Sutherland, Edgar Ramirez, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Matilda De Angelis as Elena Alves, Lily Rabe, Noma Dumezweni and Sofie Gråbøl also star. The series is created and written for television by Kelley who also serves as showrunner while Bier will direct. The two will serve as executive producers alongside Kidman and Per Saari through Blossom Films, Bruna Papandrea through Made Up Stories, Stephen Garrett and Celia Costas.

Watch the tense, riveting trailer above.

Peter MacNicol Recurs on All Rise 3/9/20

RECURRING CAST includes: Paul McCrane (Judge Jonas Laski), Peter Macnicol (Judge Albert Campbell).

Courtney Thorne-Smith guest on Mom 3/5/20

Hayden Panettiere BF Arrested for Dom. Violence Again ... Allegedly Punched Her

The ex-"Nashville" star's BF, Brian Hickerson, was arrested around 2:30 AM on Valentine's Day, after the couple had a fight and he struck her "with a closed fist on the right side of her face" ... according to cops.

The Teton County Sheriff's Office was notified of a disturbance at a private residence in Jackson. The caller said an intoxicated male was locked out of the home because he punched his girlfriend in the face.

When deputies arrived, they found Brian in the driveway, and according to docs obtained by TMZ ... he allegedly told them Hayden was in the house "saying he beat the f*** out of me." Cops say he avoided answering if he had punched Hayden, but claimed he hired a private chef to stick around so he "wouldn't be accused of bulls**t."

Cops talked to the chef on the phone, and he said he left a little after 1 AM -- but claims he witnessed the couple arguing earlier in the night.

According to the docs, Hayden told cops she and Brian were in their bedroom when he started throwing her around and punched her. Cops say her face was red and swollen, and she also had a scrape and swelling on her left hand -- which she believed came from Hickerson's watch during the altercation.

The deputies heard enough to book Hickerson for domestic battery. He was also hit with a second charge of interfering with a police officer for allegedly refusing to identify himself.

When we last spoke with Hayden in November, she told us everything was well between Brian and her -- intimating they'd moved past his felony domestic violence arrest earlier in 2019.

We broke the story ... the couple allegedly got into an altercation at their L.A. home that left red marks on Hayden's body, and police arrested Brian for it. However, the case was later dismissed for not being able to secure a "material witness" -- AKA, Hayden.

Hickerson was also involved in a domestic incident in late 2018 ... with his father. Hayden was there for that one too. She's been dating Brian for about a year and a half.

Robert Downey Jr & Team Downey’s Susan Downey Sign With WME

Downey Jr had been repped by CAA, and thus ends one of the most lucrative and prolific decade-long runs any actor has had with an agency in recent memory. That covers the period when Downey Jr. blew away all comers to win the role of Iron Man, becoming the signature player in an unprecedented decade of success for Marvel Studios. It also created a situation where the actor was making in the vicinity of $50 million-$70 million each time he donned the metal suit in numerous spinoffs and Avengers films, a run that ended in Avengers: Endgame, the highest grossing film of all time. At the same time, he headlined the billion dollar-grossing Sherlock Holmes franchise and got an Oscar nomination for 2009’s Tropic Thunder.

The move comes after a flat box office performance of Dolittle. Downey Jr came to CAA after a long run with iconic agent Ed Limato at ICM. It will be interesting to see where Downey Jr. takes the next phase of his career. Early in his career, given his outsized acting talent displayed in films from Less Than Zero to Chaplin, I thought it inevitable he would win an Oscar. As he moves beyond the franchises, there’s no reason to think he can’t still accomplish that if it is important to him.

Led by Susan Downey, the Team Downey production company has been busy. The company produced Dolittle and The Judge, and is percolating an adaptation of the horror novel A Head Full of Ghosts and an untitled feature based on Gimlet Media’s Reply All podcast episode Man of the People, which Richard Linklater is writing to direct. For TV, the company is producing Perry Mason for HBO starring The Americans and A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood‘s Matthew Rhys, premiering this summer as part of Team Downey’s first look with the network. They are also producing the coming of age fable Sweet Tooth based on the DC comic book series. Team Downey released its eight-episode docuseries, the critically-celebrated The Age of A.I. for YouTube Originals. Downey Jr. announced last year the launch of Footprint Coalition, his organization dedicated to utilizing advanced technologies for the good of the environment.

Downey Jr. remains represented by Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Neauman, Warren, Richmond, Rush and Gelman LLP.

David E. Kelley PI Drama ‘The Big Sky’ Ordered To Series By ABC From A+E Studios

Written by Kelley, The Big Sky is a procedural thriller, in which private detective Cassie Dewell partners with ex-cop Jenny Hoyt on a search for two sisters who have been kidnapped by a truck driver on a remote highway in Montana. When they discover that these are not the only girls who have disappeared in the area, they must race against the clock to stop the killer before another woman is taken. Kelley executive produces with Ross Fineman, with whom he works on Goliath, and Box.

The Big Sky originated as a spec by Kelley had written which A+E Studios acquired about two years ago, setting it up at Epix. While the project did not move forward at the premium network, Kelley and A+E Studios remained high on it. At the same time, Kelley indicated to A+E Studios brass that he was looking to return to broadcast. They collaborated on an adaptation of The Lincoln Lawyer, also created and executive produced by Kelley, which scored a straight-to-series order at CBS. The Big Sky also subsequently was reworked for broadcast, landing at ABC.

This is the second high-profile drama project A+E Studios, whose parent company A+E Networks is co-owned by ABC parent The Walt Disney Co., has at the broadcast network, along with Kevin Costner national parks crime drama ISB, which has a put pilot commitment.

At Disney, Kelley also has new series Big Shot starring John Stamos, for Disney+.

The Big Sky is believed to be the first ABC pilot or series from an outside studio to be laid off at new corporate sibling 20th TV vs. ABC Studios. It marks a return of Kelley to 20th TV where he was based for 22 years under a string of overall deals, creating a string of popular series, including the Emmy-winning Ally McBeal for Fox and The Practice for ABC. The latter spawned a spinoff, Boston Legal, headlined by James Spader.

Kelley most recently collaborated with 20th TV on the 2013 CBS comedy series The Crazy Ones, which starred Robin Williams. Over the past five years, Kelley has been focused on premium cable and streaming with series, including Goliath at Amazon, Mr. Mercedes at Audience, the Emmy-winning Big Little Lies at HBO and the upcoming The Undoing on HBO and Big Shot on Disney+.

The Cassie Dewell book series includes four novels published to date, The Highway (2013), Badlands (2015), Paradise Valley (2017) and The Bitterroots (2019).

Why Robert Downey Jr. doesn’t regret wearing blackface in ’Tropic Thunder’

The 54-year-old actor recently discussed the controversial role on “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast, saying that he believes the comedy sparked a very necessary conversation that’s more than skin deep.

“I think that it’s never an excuse to do something that’s out of place and out of its time, but to me it blasted the cap on [the issue],” Downey Jr. shared. “I think having a moral psychology is job one. Sometimes, you just gotta go, ‘Yeah I effed up.’ In my defense, ‘Tropic Thunder’ is about how wrong [blackface] is, so I take exception.”

While he believes the blackface in “Tropic Thunder” ultimately served a purpose, he was still hesitant to accept the role when it was initially offered by director Ben Stiller. His mother, Elsie Ford, was also concerned.

“My mother was horrified,” Downey Jr. revealed. “‘Bobby, I’m telling ya, I have a bad feeling about this.’ I was like, ‘Yeah me too, mom.’”

He continued, “When Ben called and said, ‘Hey I’m doing this thing’ – you know I think Sean Penn had passed on it or something. Possibly wisely. And I thought, ‘Yeah, I’ll do that and I’ll do that after Iron Man.’ Then I started thinking, ‘This is a terrible idea, wait a minute.’

The star went on to joke about wanting the opportunity to “be black for a summer.”

“I thought, ‘Well hold on dude, get real here, where is your heart? My heart is … I get to be black for a summer in my mind, so there’s something in it for me.”

He went on, “The other thing is, I get to hold up to nature the insane self-involved hypocrisy of artists and what they think they’re allowed to do on occasion, just my opinion.”

Downey Jr. also noted that the majority of his black friends had no problem with the part while acknowledging those who did take issue.

“[Ben] knew exactly what the vision for this was, he executed it, it was impossible to not have it be an offensive nightmare of a movie,” Downey Jr. continued. “And 90 percent of my black friends were like, ‘Dude, that was great.’ I can’t disagree with [the other 10 percent], but I know where my heart lies.”

Downey Jr. was nominated for an Oscar, Golden Globe and SAG Award for the role, losing all three to Heath Ledger for “The Dark Knight.”

Greg Germann guests on 'Station 19' 2/6/20

“Station 19” stars Jaina Lee Ortiz as Andy Herrera, Jason George as Ben Warren, Boris Kodjoe as Captain Robert Sullivan, Grey Damon as Jack Gibson, Barrett Doss as Victoria Hughes, Jay Hayden as Travis Montgomery, Okieriete Onaodowan as Dean Miller, Danielle Savre as Maya Bishop and Miguel Sandoval as Captain Pruitt Herrera.

Guest starring is Alberto Frezza as Ryan Tanner, Pat Healy as Chief Dixon, Rigo Sanchez as Rigo Vasquez, Greg Germann as Tom Koracick, Alex Landi as Nico Kim, Jesse Williams as Jackson Avery, Kelly Thiebaud as Eva, Chelsea Kurtz as Shauna, Jeff Davis as Martin and Emily Chang as Penelope.

“Eulogy” was written by Anupam Nigam and directed by Eric Laneuville.

Nicole Kidman And David E. Kelley Talk Possibility Of More ‘Big Little Lies’; New Limited Series ‘The Undoing’ – TCA

This marks another collaboration between Kelley and Kidman who worked together on two seasons of the Emmy-winning Big Little Lies. That said, the two were asked if we can expect more from the ladies from Monterey County.

Kidman said they would love to make a third season, but the pair have been focusing on The Undoing and the rest of the cast is just too busy. “I don’t think we’d ever get Laura [Dern] back!” she laughs. She also mentions how Zoe Kravitz is going to be busy in the new Batman film. “Everyone’s working,” she adds. “Hopefully we can collide again at one point.”

The Undoing centers on Grace Sachs (Kidman), who is living the only life she ever wanted for herself. She’s a successful therapist, has a devoted husband (Grant) and young son (Noah Jupe) who attends an elite private school in New York City. Overnight a chasm opens in her life: a violent death, a missing husband, and, in the place of a man Grace thought she knew, only a chain of terrible revelations. Left behind in the wake of a spreading and very public disaster, and horrified by the ways in which she has failed to heed her own advice, Grace must dismantle one life and create another for her child and herself.

The privileged and affluent characters folded into scandalous circumstances is bound to draw comparisons to Big Little Lies but for Kelley, there was nothing intentional about the similarities.

“We gravitate to material that fascinates us,” he said. “In this piece, the theme and core of denial that the characters lived in drew me in. He said that the story “gives rise to delusions that have a surprising tenacity” and how for many, “the facts are the facts but the stories are better.”

The Undoing and Big Little Lies explore the constructs of the perfect world and Kelley said beyond that, the two series have little in common.

Kelley is known for telling female-driven stories and with the need for more representation front and center, many think that perhaps more women should be writing these stories. For him, he is all for it and although he wrote The Undoing, he said Bier took full control. “She’s the mastermind of this piece. We are all better off having her in charge and in control,” he said.

Kidman said it was a very collaborative environment on set and feels like six hours of cinema that Bier created. She said that Kelley was great when it came to collaborating. “Whatever I bring, he absorbed it and really listened,” she added.

The Undoing also stars Noah Jupe, Donald Sutherland, Edgar Ramirez, Lily Rabe, Ismael Cruz Cordova and Matilda De Angelis.

Kelley executive produces The Undoing through David E. Kelley Prods. and serves as showrunner. Bier executive produces and will direct all episodes. Kidman executive produces with Per Saari through their Blossom Films alongside Bruna Papandrea via Made Up Stories, Stephen Garrett and Celia Costas.

‘The Age Of A.I.’: Robert Downey Jr. Hosts YouTube Documentary Series – Watch The Trailer

The eight-episode series takes a deep dive into the fascinating world of the most transformational technology in the history of humankind, per YouTube’s logline. Downey brings an irreverent enthusiasm and curiosity to the screen as the learning series takes an immersive look at artificial intelligence and its potential to change the planet.

In each episode, viewers will meet the people on the front lines of A.I. – the scientists, innovators and dreamers who are shaping the future and the real people whose lives might be changed forever as technology races to tackle some of the world’s greatest challenges.

The premiere episode follows co-founder of Soul Machines, Mark Sagar, an Oscar-winning special effects artist who has created some of the most sophisticated avatars, as he builds an autonomously animated digital version of Grammy winner will.i.am. Future episodes will feature prominent figures including former NFL linebacker Tim Shaw, who is battling ALS, as he works with a team at Google to help restore his ability to communicate, testing the prototype of Project Euphonia for the first time.

The series is produced by Network Entertainment with Team Downey in association with Sonar Entertainment. Sean Foley, Yon Motskin, Emily Ford, Cory Lanier, Tom Lesinski, Paul Gertz, and Derik Murray serve as executive producers alongside Downey and Susan Downey. Will.i.am is a consulting producer with Evan Moore serving as a co-producer on the series.

Patrick Duffy, Alicia Coppola, Peter Macnicol Guests on All Rise

GUEST CAST includes: Peter Macnicol (Judge Albert Campbell), Patrick Duffy (Ed Parker), Alicia Coppola (Wanda Taylor)

Juliette Lewis & Christina Ricci Among Eight Cast In Showtime Drama Pilot ‘Yellowjackets’

Rounding out the cast are regulars Ella Purnell (Sweetbitter), Sammi Hanratty (Shameless), Sophie Thatcher (Prospect), Sophie Nélisse (The Book Thief), Steven Krueger (The Originals) and Amy Okuda (Atypical). They join previously announced Melanie Lynskey, Tawny Cypress and Jasmin Savoy Brown.

Karyn Kusama (Destroyer) will direct and executive produce the pilot, a co-production of Showtime and Entertainment One. Comins of Creative Engine also serves as executive producer.

Written by Lyle and Nickerson, Yellowjackets is equal parts survival epic, horror story and coming-of-age drama and tells the narrative of a team of wildly talented high school girls soccer players who become the (un)lucky survivors of a plane crash deep in the Ontario wilderness. The series chronicles their descent from a complicated but thriving team to warring, cannibalistic clans, while also tracking the lives they’ve attempted to piece back together nearly 25 years later, proving that the past is never really past and what began out in the wilderness is far from over.

Lewis and Thatcher star as the respective adult and teen versions of Natalie. Despite her natural talent, Natalie’s punk rock spirit and habit of finding trouble make her the unlikeliest member of the team. As an adult, Natalie struggles to quiet the demons that still haunt her from her time in the wilderness.

Ricci and Hanratty will respective play adult and teen versions of Misty, the Yellowjackets’ equipment manager. Eager to please and easy to overlook, Misty’s abundance of team spirit belies a hidden dark side.

Purnell will play Jackie, the Yellowjackets’ magnetically charismatic, effortlessly popular, occasionally entitled team captain.

Nélisse will play Lynskey’s counterpart as the teen version of Shauna.

Krueger joins as Ben Scott, the assistant coach and the object of many an unrequited crush.

Okuda will play Cat Wheeler, a history teacher recruited to bolster the female presence on the coaching staff, despite knowing literally nothing about soccer.

Lewis received an Oscar and Golden Globe nomination for her role in Martin Scorsese’s Cape Fear and an Emmy nomination for HBO movie Hysterical Blindness. She recently played Jandice in HBO’s Camping and next will be seen in Tate Taylor’s Breaking News in Yuba County as well as the HBO limited drama series I Know This Much Is True. She’s currently shooting indie feature Mayday. She’s repped by UTA and Untitled Entertainment.

Thatcher’s film credits include Prospect and The Tomorrow Man.

Ricci most recently starred in Z: The Beginning of Everything, for which she also served as executive producer. In film, she starred in critically acclaimed roles in Black Snake Moan, Monster, The Ice Storm and The Opposite of Sex, for which she earned Golden Globe and Independent Spirit Award nominations. She’s repped by ICM, Untitled Entertainment and Melanie Cook of Ziffren Brittenham.

Hanratty has recurred on Shameless, Salem, Chosen and Pushing Daisies.

Purnell is best known for her starring roles in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and Sweetbitter. Additional credits include Maleficent and Kickass 2.

Nélisse is best known for her lead role in the critically acclaimed feature The Book Thief, along with feature roles in Monsieur Lazhar, Pawn Sacrifice and 1:54. She’s repped by ICM Partners, Anonymous Content, and Ryan LeVine and Marcy Morris at Jackoway Austen Tyerman.

Krueger is best known for his series regular role in The Original. He’s other notable TV credits include a recurring role on Pretty Little Liars, and guest spots on Hawaii Five-O, Anger Managment, Two and a Half Men and Workaholics. His feature work includes a supporting role in Goosebumps and the lead role in indie thriller Satanic. He’s repped by Abrams Artists Agency and Allen Edelman Management.

Okuda’s credits include recurring roles on How to Get Away With Murder, Atypical, The Good Place and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

Regina Hall To Executive Produce & Star In ‘Master’ Drama For Amazon Studios

The film follows two African American women at a predominantly white college in Massachusetts – one head of students (aka Master) and one a freshman – who start to experience haunting activities ingrained in the history of the school.

Hall will play Gail Bishop, the queer, black master of the Belleville house at Ancaster, a liberal arts college outside Boston. She must manage her campus as instances of racism cause tensions while students and faculty are haunted by sinister supernatural forces.

Andrea Roa, Brad Becker-Parton and Josh Astrachan will produce through their Animal Kingdom label.

Diallo is the writer and director of the Sundance-winning short film Hair Wolf, a horror-comedy about a staff of a black hair salon who must fend off white women intent on sucking the lifeblood from black culture. Diallo has also directed episodes of HBO’s abstract series Random Acts of Flyness.

This year, Hall was seen on the big screen in the Shaft sequel from New Line, as well as Universal’s Little. Up next, she co-stars in the Tate Taylor film Breaking News In Yuba County with Mila Kunis and Allison Janney. She’ll also return for the second season of Showtime’s Black Monday.

Hall is repped by ICM Partners and Stone, Genow, Smelkinson, Binder & Christopher, LLP. Diallo is repped by UTA.

Master is slated to begin production early next year in New York.

Hayden Panettiere defends relationship with Brian Hickerson

The real estate agent was arrested by Los Angeles police officers on May 2 after an argument between the two at Panettiere’s home allegedly turned physical. He pleaded not guilty to an abuse charge, and in September, the count was dropped due to a lack of witnesses, while a restraining order forcing him to stay away from Panettiere was also lifted.

Now the 30-year-old is maintaining all is well in her relationship, and that her spats with Hickerson never turned violent.

“Everything was totally OK,” she told TMZ.

It was initially reported that the pair’s relationship, which began in August 2018, came to an end following the dispute, but earlier this month, the couple was photographed together at a U.S. airport.

When asked how her family feels about the reconciliation, Panettiere revealed she has their support.

“My family knows that I’m smart enough to make my own decisions,” she added. “There was never a problem.”

Her folks previously urged the judge overseeing Hickerson’s assault case to hand him the maximum sentence for his alleged actions.

The former Nashville star was previously engaged to former boxing champ Wladimir Klitschko, the father of her four-year-old daughter, Kaya.

Vision Films Takes Christina Ricci Romance ‘10 Things We Should Do Before We Break Up’ – AFM

Film was written and directed by Galt Niederhoffer, it stars Ricci as a single mother who meets an irresponsible man. The pair believe they are destined to end badly, so create a list of ten things they should do before they break up.

Lindsey Broad, John Abrahams and Katina Winter also star.

Archstone Entertainment handles sales. Vision is planning a day and date theatrical release for February 2020.

Hayden Panettiere back with Brian Hickerson month after his domestic abuse case dismissed

The 30-year-old actress and the real estate agent were photographed dragging luggage through an airport together on Tuesday.

The pair were both dressed casually in sneakers and they each lugged backpacks and wore a similar-looking necklace.

Their travels together come shortly after Hickerson’s domestic violence case was dismissed at the end of September.

“The case against Brian Hickerson was dismissed without prejudice [Thursday,]” Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office spokesman Greg Risling told Page Six in a statement at the time. “Our office was unable to proceed because we could not secure a material witness. The protective order also was dismissed.”

Hickerson was arrested for domestic violence by the LAPD in May after he and Panettiere got into a physical altercation at their home after a night of drinking. Cops saw that Panettiere had redness and marks on her body, TMZ reported.

Hickerson was ordered to stay 100 yards away from the “Heroes” star after their scuffle. He was arraigned in LA in July and pleaded not guilty.

Page Six previously reported that Panettiere had not seen Hickerson since from the time the squabble occurred until at least July and that they had split.

However, the “I Love You, Beth Cooper” actress was spotted holding hands with Hickerson’s brother, Zach, in September.

Panettiere’s rep did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.

Rachel Brosnahan, Travis Fimmel, Christina Ricci Among 9 Cast In Quibi Horror Anthology Series ’50 States Of Fright

The first season will explore stories based on urban legends from Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Oregon and Washington taking viewers deeper into the horrors that lurk just beneath the surface of our country.

Raimi and Debbie Liebling (Pen 15, Plus One) executive produce through POD 3 along with Van Toffler, Tony DiSanto, Cody Zwieg, Barry Barclay, Tommy Coriale and Chris Mangano.

Following are details of each episode with cast.

Brosnahan, Fimmel and Jones will star in “The Golden Arm” based on a famous urban legend out of Michigan, co-written by Sam Raimi and Ivan Raimi (Army of Darkness, Drag Me to Hell) and directed by Sam Raimi.

Ricci and Batalon will play lead roles in “Red Rum,” which follows the storyline of Colorado’s scariest story.

Wen will star in “America’s Largest Ball of Twine,” based on Kansas myth.

Farmiga and Livingston will co-star in “Almost There,” Iowa’s frightening folklore, which will be written and directed by Iowa natives Scott Beck & Bryan Woods (A Quiet Place, Haunt).

Butterfield is cast as the male lead in “Grey Cloud Island” a chilling tale from Minnesota.

“The driving force for us as a studio is to foster the careers of emerging talent by marrying them with proven innovators,” said Van Toffler, CEO, Gunpowder & Sky. “With 50 States of Fright we sought out a diverse group of breakthrough performers and fearless horror visionaries and partnered them with Sam Raimi to oversee the creative process. This winning formula ensures we’ll get a s-load of scares.” Additional writers/directors include: Yoko Okumura (Facets, Fed Up) to direct; Sarah Conradt-Kroehler (Out of Her Mind) to write; Mae Catt (Transformers: Cyberverse) to write; Isa Mazzei (CAM) & Daniel Goldhaber (CAM) to write and direct; Cate Devaney (Sinister, Deliver Us From Evil) to write and direct; Greg Hale (Avengers, Iron Man) to write; Ryan Spindell (Two Sentence Horror Series) to write and direct; Adam Schindler (Intruders, Delivery: The Beast With Within) and Brian Netto (Delivery: The Beast Within) to write and direct; Alejandro Brugués (Juan of the Dead, Nightmare Cinema) and Eduardo Sánchez (The Blair Witch Project, Queen of the South) to write and direct.

‘Mare Of Easttown’: Julianne Nicholson & Jean Smart Among 6 Cast In HBO Limited Series

Written and executive produced by Inglesby, who also serves as showrunner, Mare Of Easttown stars Winslet as a small-town Pennsylvania detective whose life crumbles around her as she investigates a local murder.

Nicholson will play Lori Ross. She and Mare have been best friends since they were 4. Lori knows how mercurial and cutting Mare can be at times, but loves and accepts her exactly as she is.

Smart portrays Helen, Mare’s mother. Opinionated, stubborn, a devout Catholic, Helen never holds back on her opinions, whether solicited or not.

Rice is Siobhan Sheehank, Mare and Frank’s daughter, a lovely, brilliant young woman who is rebellious and strong-headed in nature.

Peters plays Detective Colin Zabel, the county detective who has been called in to assist with Mare’s investigation — much to her chagrin.

Spaeny will play Erin McMenamin, a lonely teen girl who lives with her volatile father. The only love in her life is her infant son DJ.

Denman will portray Frank Sheehan, an affable, outgoing man, a math teacher at the local high school. He married Mare when they were just 20 years old, but their marriage split apart years ago.

Inglesby and O’Connor executive produce with Gordon Gray, and Lee and Mark Roybal for wiip. Winslet also executive produces.

Nicholson’s latest film, Monos, had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival and received the Special Jury Award in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition. On the television side, Nicholson has wrapped production on Netflix’s Marilyn Monroe biopic Blonde and HBO’s The Outsider, based on the best-selling book by Stephen King.

Three-time Emmy winner Smart will next be seen starring with Regina King, Jeremy Irons and Louis Gossett Jr. in HBO’s Watchmen, premiering in October. On the film side, she’ll be seen in the Warner Bros action comedy Superintelligence, starring Melissa McCarthy, and she recently wrapped the independent feature Senior Moment.

Rice can most recently be seen starring in Netflix’s latest season of Black Mirror. On the film side, she recently starred opposite Tom Holland and Jake Gyllenhaal in Spider-Man: Far from Home, which grossed $1.1 billion at the worldwide box office.

Peters was most recently seen in I Am Woman, the Helen Reddy biopic directed by Unjoo Moon, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival. Earlier this year, Peters reprised his role as Quicksilver in 20th Century Fox’s X-Men: Dark Phoenix, directed by Simon Kinberg. He also received a Critics’ Choice Award nomination for lead actor in a limited series for his role as Kai Anderson in American Horror Story: Cult.

Spaeny made her feature film debut last year opposite John Boyega in Legendary’s Pacific Rim: Uprising after winning a nationwide talent search at the age of eighteen, and went on to star in Fox’s Bad Times at the El Royale and Focus Features’ On The Basis of Sex. She’ll make her TV debut in 2020 in FX’s miniseries Devs and she goes into production for Zoe Lister-Jone’s reboot of The Craft this fall.

Denman made his feature debut opposite Gene Hackman and Keanu Reeves in the football comedy The Replacements. He most recently starred opposite Elizabeth Banks in the upcoming Sony horror film Brightburn from James Gunn. Denman also stars in the JJ Sneed episode of the upcoming Netflix anthology series Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings.

Nicholson is represented by UTA. Smart is represented by WME and Untitled Entertainment. Rice is represented by WME, Catherine Poulton Management and Sloane Offer. Peters is represented by CAA. Spaeny is represented by WME, Identity Agency Group in the UK and Hansen Jacobson. Denman is represented by Berwick & Kovacik, UTA, and Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham.

Hayden Panettiere’s ex Brian Hickerson’s domestic violence case dismissed

“The case against Brian Hickerson was dismissed without prejudice [Thursday,]” Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office spokesman Greg Risling told Page Six in a statement Friday. “Our office was unable to proceed because we could not secure a material witness. The protective order also was dismissed.”

According to a Los Angeles court filing, Hickerson also no longer has to pay his $50,000 bail.

Hickerson was arrested for domestic violence by the LAPD in May after he and Panettiere, 30, got into a physical altercation at their home after a night of drinking in Hollywood.

At the time, cops saw redness and marks on Panettiere’s body, TMZ reported.

Following the scuffle, Hickerson was ordered to stay 100 yards away from the “Heroes” star. He was arraigned in Los Angeles in July and pleaded not guilty.

As Page Six previously reported, Panettiere has not seen Hickerson since the alleged incident in May.

The duo began dating over the summer following her split from boxer Wladimir Klitschko, the father of her 4-year-old daughter, Kaya.

Meanwhile, the actress was spotted holding hands with Hickerson’s brother, Zach Hickerson, earlier this month.

A rep for Panettiere did not respond to our request for comment.

Photos of Hayden Panettiere holding hands with alleged abuser ex’s brother shocks family

“It’s a very strange set of circumstances,” the insider said of the Nashville star’s rumoured new fling with Brian Hickerson’s brother Zach.

Panettiere, 30 — who as Radar first reported exclusively, is now living in New York City — showed PDA with the South Carolina-based pastor downtown in the Big Apple on Sept. 4, in exclusive photos revealed by In Touch.

“I don’t know if it’s better than the alternative,” said the concerned pal. “How strange it may be, the one positive thing about this is Zach is certainly not the violent temper that Brian is.”

Despite her family’s concerns, Panettiere appeared carefree as she strolled with Brian’s brother. “They were walking hand-in-hand, talking and laughing together,” an eyewitness told In Touch.

“She was jumping up and down making funny faces, and he was flexing his muscles and laughing. They looked happy together.”

Sources reveal to Radar the unlikely couple have “been involved for two months now.”

As Radar readers know, the actress’ bad new beau Brian faces a felony domestic violence charge for allegedly beating his famous girlfriend in a May 2 incident.

A responding officer testified Hayden suffered bruises on her arms and eyelids, and swelling on her face.

On May 23, a Los Angeles County judge issued a protective order against Brian, preventing him from coming within 100 yards of the actress.

The new pairing isn’t sitting well with her loved ones. “Those close to Hayden are not going to pretend to understand it or condone it,” but “there’s nothing anyone can do,” said the informant.

“She has been reluctant to talk about it because she knows how people feel — it’s definitely something she would not want to discuss. And she doesn’t want to share too much especially because of what’s going on with Brian and his legal issues.”

With high-powered attorney Shawn Holley by Brian’s side, a jury trial begins in Los Angeles court on Sept. 24.

David E. Kelley, Jack Bender Developing Stephen King’s ‘The Institute’ As Limited Series

The project marks a reunion for Kelley and Bender who have worked together on Mr. Mercedes, DirecTV’s Audience Network’s adaptation of King’s Bill Hodges Trilogy that has been renewed for a third season.

Kelley will pen the adaptation for The Institute and Bender will direct. Both will executive produce.

“Having the opportunity to work on a new and brilliant book by Stephen King is an absolute privilege,” said Whitney. “We are thrilled to collaborate with this dream team, including the incomparable David E. Kelley, and Jack Bender, the architect behind this project, whose extensive directing and executive producing credits speak for themselves. After such a competitive pursuit, we have big plans for The Institute here at Spyglass.”

The Institute, on sale today, has received stellar early reviews. Publisher’s Weekly describes the novel as “the most gut-wrenching tale of kids triumphing over evil since It…”

Said King, “I’m delighted to be working with Jack and David, the creative team behind Mr. Mercedes. We think alike, and I believe The Institute is going to be a great success.”

Said Bender, “I am thrilled to be working with Spyglass Media and couldn’t be more excited that we’ll be starting with Stephen King’s extraordinary new book The Institute. Continuing to work with David Kelley only adds to the brilliance I am surrounded by.”

Said Kelley, “It’s a privilege and a joy to be able to team with Stephen and Jack again. Stephen has written yet another compelling and brilliant book. I cannot wait to jump in.”

Kelley is coming of the second season of Big Little Lies, whose season 2 finale delivered series high ratings for HBO. His Goliath will debut its third season later this year on Amazon Prime. Up next, Kelley is developing the limited series The Undoing, starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant for HBO, and is writing and executive producing the adaptation of Michael Connelly’s bestseller The Lincoln Lawyer for CBS.

Bender is well known for directing episodes for hit series including Lost, Game of Thrones, The Sopranos, Mr. Mercedes, Under the Dome, and Alias. He is the executive producer to HBO’s upcoming The Outsider, based on 2018’s best-selling novel by King and was the executive producer of Under the Dome, the CBS series adaptation of King’s 2009 novel.

Spyglass is home to more than 250 film library titles, scripted and unscripted television series, including Project Runway; Academy Award winners The King’s Speech and The Artist; box office hits Inglourious Basterds, Silver Linings Playbook, The Hateful Eight, Django Unchained and Spy Kids, and genre franchises Hellraiser and Scream.

King is represented by Paradigm, Bender is represented by UTA and Kelley is represented by attorney Michael Gendler.

E! People’s Choice Awards Finalists

The E! People’s Choice Awards will be broadcast live from Barker Hanger in Santa Monica on Sunday, November 10 at 9p ET/PT

THE MALE MOVIE STAR OF 2019
Male Star Movie
Robert Downey Jr. Avengers: Endgame
Chris Hemsworth Avengers: Endgame
Tom Holland Spider-Man: Far From Home
Will Smith Aladdin
Keanu Reeves John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum
Samuel L. Jackson Captain Marvel
Dwayne Johnson Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw
Adam Sandler Murder Mystery

THE ACTION MOVIE STAR OF 2019
Action Star Movie
Robert Downey Jr. Avengers: Endgame
Chris Evans Avengers: Endgame
Tom Holland Spider-Man: Far From Home
Halle Berry John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum
Keanu Reeves John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum
Sophie Turner Dark Phoenix
Brie Larson Captain Marvel
Dwayne Johnson Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw

Dickinson Trailer: Hailee Steinfeld Is a Literary Rebel in Apple TV+ Comedy

“She’s wild,” Jane Krakowski matriarch bemoans at the start of the trailer, before adding, “She will be the ruin of this family. And she doesn’t know how to behave like a proper young lady.”

Dickinson — starring actress-singer Steinfeld in the titular role — “audaciously explores the constraints of society, gender and family from the perspective of the rebellious young poet. Set in the 19th century, Dickinson is a coming-of-age story that finds Dickinson to be an unexpected hero for our millennial era.”

Created and written by Alena Smith (The Affair), who serves as an EP alongside Steinfeld, the cast also includes Jane Krakowski, Toby Huss, Anna Baryshnikov, Ella Hunt and Adrian Blake Enscoe.

Apple TV+ is expected to launch in November with a reported $9.99 monthly subscription price.

‘The Stand’: James Marsden, Amber Heard, Odessa Young & Henry Zaga Set For Stephen King’s CBS All Access Series

Written by Josh Boone and Ben Cavell, The Stand is King’s apocalyptic vision of a world decimated by plague and embroiled in an elemental struggle between good and evil. The fate of mankind rests on the frail shoulders of the 108-year-old other Mother Abagail and a handful of survivors. Their worst nightmares are embodied in a man with a lethal smile and unspeakable powers: Randall Flagg, the Dark Man.

Marsden will portray Stu Redman, an ordinary working-class factory man in an extraordinary situation with a damaged quality to him that belies his exterior.

Heard will play Nadine Cross, a deeply conflicted woman who feels the consequences of her actions, but is still compelled by her allegiance to Randall Flagg, the Dark Man.

Young is Frannie Goldsmith, a pregnant young woman navigating a strange new world, who also has the foresight to recognize that there is evil lurking beyond the Dark Man.

Zaga will portray Nick Andros, a young deaf and mute man who finds himself in a position of authority when the unthinkable happens. He has a habit of risking his own well-being for the safety of others.

The series will be produced by CBS Television Studios. Boone and Cavell will executive produce, with Boone also directing. Roy Lee, Jimmy Miller and Richard P. Rubinstein will also serve as executive producers with Will Weiske and Miri Yoon as co-executive producers. Knate Lee, Jill Killington and Stephen King’s son, Owen King, will serve as producers.

Marsden most recently seen on the hit dark comedy Dead to Me. His other credits include Westworld and 30 Rock, and he will also appear in FX’s upcoming Mrs. America. In film, he will soon star in the live-action/animation hybrid film Sonic the Hedgehog and The Comeback Trail opposite Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Tommy Lee Jones and Zach Braff.

Heard recently starred in Warner Brothers’ box office hit Aquaman opposite Jason Momoa. She can currently be seen in Alex Ross Perry’s Her Smell alongside Elizabeth Moss.

Young will next be seen opposite Elisabeth Moss in the film Shirley. Her other film credits include Assassination Nation, A Million Little Pieces opposite Aaron Taylor-Johnson and The Professor.

Zaga can be seen in Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why, which was just renewed for a fourth and final season, and the upcoming Trinkets as well as Looking for Alaska, which is currently in production. He will also be seen in Josh Boone’s X-Men: New Mutants.

James Marsden's role as young Burt Reynolds cut from 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'

The actor was reportedly hired to play the younger version of the late Burt Reynolds’ character, George Spahn, in the film – but Burt didn’t live to portray the blind landowner, who gifted his property to cult leader and serial killer Charles Manson and his hippie followers.

Instead, Oscar winner Bruce Dern took the role and Tarantino reportedly ditched a flashback scene with Brad Pitt.

Marsden is still thanked for his contribution to the film in the end credits.

Meanwhile, Roth, who previously starred in three Tarantino movies, also gets a credit in the film, with the word ‘Cut’ in brackets after his name.

The Brit’s Reservoir Dogs co-star Michael Madsen, who has also appeared in multiple Tarantino movies, has been added to the final cut of the film after failing to make it into the feature the director showed at the Cannes Film Festival in May.

Why Women Kill Trailer Features Sex, Death Wishes and… More Sex

“We are proud to have offered fans a third season of Designated Survivor, and will continue to carry all three seasons for years to come,” reads a statement from Netflix. “We’re especially thankful to star and executive producer Kiefer Sutherland, who brought passion, dedication and an unforgettable performance as President Kirkman. We’re also grateful to showrunner/executive producer Neal Bear for his guiding vision and steady hand, creator/executive producer David Guggenheim and EPs Mark Gordon, Suzan Bymel, Simon Kinberg, Aditya Sood and Peter Noah along with the cast and crew who crafted a compelling and satisfying final season.”

The Sutherland-led political drama was cancelled by ABC in May 2018, after its sophomore run (averaging 3.9 million total viewers and a 0.7 demo rating) dropped 30 and 40 percent from its freshman season. Then-ABC chief Channing Dungey explained at the time, “We were less confident with the creative path forward than the other shows we brought back.”

Designated Survivor underwent three backstage shake-ups during its first two seasons. Amy B. Harris (Wicked City) originally served as showrunner on the series (which was created by David Guggenheim), only to be replaced in May 2016 upon its official pickup, with Jon Harmon Feldman (Blood & Oil). Feldman left in December 2016, and was succeeded by Jeff Melvoin (Army Wives). And then The Good Wife grad Keith Eisner stepped in to run Season 2.

Four months after ABC gave the series the hook, Netflix stepped in to “save” Season 3, with ER vet Neal Baer at the helm.

Hayden Panettiere’s daughter living with ex Wladimir Klitschko in Ukraine

“[Hayden’s] life is in flux with her daughter living away, and she has other issues weighing on her mind,” a source told People.

The 29-year-old actress’s child, Kaya, has apparently been living in Ukraine with Klitschko, 43, since last summer.

Meanwhile, Panettiere’s current boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, is facing a felony domestic violence charge. Panettiere’s family is “begging” her to dump Hickerson, with a source telling People, “It is totally out of control and she has to get over this guy.”

The LAPD arrested Hickerson in May. Page Six reported that cops were called after the couple got into a physical altercation in their home after a night of drinking in Hollywood.

At the time, TMZ reported that police saw redness and marks on Panettiere’s body.

Hickerson was ordered to stay 100 yards away from the “Heroes” star. He pleaded not guilty.

The duo began dating last summer.

Hayden Panettiere’s family ‘begging’ her to dump allegedly abusive boyfriend

The “Nashville” star’s friends and family are “begging” her to dump allegedly abusive boyfriend Brian Hickerson, according to a new report from People.

Hickerson currently faces a felony domestic violence charge. A source told the outlet that as a result, those closest to Panettiere, 29, “are begging her to straighten up and move ahead.”

“It is totally out of control and she has to get over this guy,” the source said.

“Her friends and family have been worried about her for quite a while, and things seem to have gotten worse,” the source added. “She needs to do some soul-searching. For whatever reason, she continues this relationship, but it has done nothing but take her down lower. It’s a sad situation.”

Panettiere’s family broke their silence on the ongoing trauma that not only the “Heroes” star faces but also other victims of domestic violence as well.

“We are hopeful that the judge makes the right decision,” the family said. “It’s an important message in terms of domestic violence for all women.”

Page Six previously reported that LAPD arrested Hickerson after a night of drinking with Panettiere. They returned to their home — where the alleged attack occurred — in the early morning hours. Police saw redness and marks on Panettiere’s body when they arrived and took Hickerson into custody.

Hickerson was later ordered to stay 100 yards away from the actress after he pleaded not guilty to one count of felony domestic violence.

2019 Emmy Nominations

GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY (2018 winner: Katt Williams)
Matt Damon, Saturday Night Live
Robert de Niro, Saturday Night Live
Luke Kirby, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Peter MacNicol, Veep
John Mulaney, Saturday Night Live
Adam Sandler, Saturday Night Live
Rufus Sewell, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Hayden Panettiere's family speaks out about boyfriend's alleged assault

Brian Hickerson was arrested by police on May 2 after an argument with the former Nashville star at her home reportedly turned physical.

His lawyers tried to fight the charges against him in court on Wednesday, arguing Panettiere was also to blame for the bust-up, but the judge ruled prosecutors had enough evidence to move forward with the case, and denied the defendant’s motion for dismissal.

Hickerson, who had previously pleaded not guilty, was also slapped with a restraining order, demanding he stay at least 100 yards (91 metres) away from Panettiere.

If convicted of the felony, he faces up to four years in prison and now Hayden’s family has released a statement, encouraging the judge to take a tough line.

“We are hopeful that the judge makes the right decision,” it reads. “It’s an important message in terms of domestic violence for all women.”

Panettiere and Hickerson were first linked in August, 2018, shortly after the actress split from her fiance, former boxing champ Wladimir Klitschko — the father of her four-year-old daughter, Kaya.

Taye Diggs Says ‘Empire’ Should Bring Jussie Smollett Back

Diggs recently sat down with Black Hollywood Live’s “Inside The Black Actor’s Studio” on Afterbuzz TV, and said he thinks Smollet should be allowed to return to the hip-hop drama.

“I have no idea what people are going through. And to be honest, it’s kinda none of my business,” Diggs began. He [Smollett] is a good friend of mine. I love him. He’s, he’s only done right by me. So you know people go through things. It doesn’t change who he was and who he is to me. It doesn’t change, you know, the attention that we still need to pay to, you know, homophobic. Like, the people, people trip out, just because; whatever happened doesn’t mean that, that the issue that he stands for don’t still exist.” Diggs then said he thought the decision to write Smollett out of the series last season, following his alleged attack, was made too quickly.

“If I am being honest, the smart thing would be to bring him back and, and let it interweave it into the, into the show, you know?” Diggs said. “I feel like, people, I may get in trouble for saying this, but they’re so quick to just, uh, to leave, to leave these people. You know what I mean? So quick to, to fire them, so quick to kind of, you know, throw them away as opposed to, you know, taking their time and, maybe letting it, let it, let it work toward, you know, the program or the job, or, you’d probably get to the bottom of it if he, if he stuck around.”

Diggs had a recurring role as Angelo DuBois on Empire between 2016 to 2017. But his comments may be a moot point, since Daniels said on June 4, Smollett’s character Jamal Lyon would not appear on the sixth and final season of the series.

“Jussie will NOT be returning to Empire,” Daniels tweeted, following reports that the embattled actor’s character was being re-worked into scripts for the series.

On January 29, Smollett claimed he was beaten up in Chicago by two masked men wearing “MAGA” hats. Police later said Smollett hired two friends to stage the attack.

Cook County prosecutors charged the actor with 16 felony counts of disorderly conduct for allegedly filing a false police report. Smollett maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty. On March 26, the state’s attorney’s office suddenly dropped the charges after Smollett agreed to forfeit his $10,000 bail and perform community service.

The case is now being given a second look by a special prosecutor in Chicago.

David E. Kelley's The Lincoln Lawyer Series Adaptation Eyed by CBS

The series revolves around Mickey Haller — half-brother of Connelly’s LAPD detective Hieronymus “Harry” Bosch — a criminal defense attorney who operates out of the back seat of his Lincoln Town Car, traveling between the far-flung courthouses of Los Angeles to defend clients of every kind.

The Lincoln Lawyer was previously adapted as a feature film in March 2011, starring Matthew McConaughey as Haller, plus Marisa Tomei, Ryan Phillippe, William H. Macy, Bryan Cranston, John Leguizamo, Michael Pena, Trace Adkins and Katherine Moennig.

Kelley will executive produce with Connelly and Ross Fineman.

2019 BET Award Winners

Whoopi Goldberg, James Marsden and Amber Heard Eyeing The Stand

The streaming outlet greenlit a 10-episode limited series adaptation of Stephen King’s bestselling horror novel in January.

“I’m excited and so very pleased that The Stand is going to have a new life on this exciting new platform,” King said in a statement at the time. “The people involved are men and women who know exactly what they’re doing; the scripts are dynamite. The result bids to be something memorable and thrilling. I believe it will take viewers away to a world they hope will never happen.”

King’s 1978 novel chronicles the outbreak of an influenza that wipes out nearly everyone on the planet. In its aftermath, bands of survivors struggle to rebuild society. Oh, and did we mention that there’s an evil, supernatural presence stockpiling whatever weapons he and his followers can find?

Marsden will play Stu Redman, a military vet who is immune to the virus, per our sister site Deadline. Since Stu never got sick after finding patient zero, the government tries to make a vaccine from his blood. No details about the other character roles are currently available.

The series will be directed by Josh Boone (The Fault in Our Stars), who will co-write with Ben Cavell (SEAL Team).

Roselyn Sánchez, Denyse Tontz & Bryan Craig in Grand Hotel 6/17/19 produced by Eva Longoria

“Grand Hotel” stars Demián Bichir as Santiago Mendoza, Roselyn Sánchez as Gigi Mendoza, Denyse Tontz as Alicia Mendoza, Bryan Craig as Javi Mendoza, Wendy Raquel Robinson as Mrs. P, Lincoln Younes as Danny, Shalim Ortiz as Mateo, Anne Winters as Ingrid, Chris Warren as Jason, Feliz Ramirez as Carolina and Justina Adorno as Yoli.

Brian Tanen is the writer and executive producer. Eva Longoria and Ben Spector (UnbeliEVAble) are executive producers, in addition to Bob Daily. Bill D’Elia is a director and an executive producer. Ramón Campos and Teresa Fernández-Valdés are executive producers of the series, as well as executive producers of the original Spanish version. The series is produced by ABC Studios. ABC Studios is a part of Disney Television Studios, a collection of studios comprised of 20th Century Fox Television, ABC Studios and Fox 21 Television Studios.

“Pilot” was written by Brian Tanen and directed by Ken Olin.

Jane Krakowski on Match Game 6/19/19

Celebrity panelists for June 19 include the following:
Chris Parnell (“Archer”; “Rick and Morty”)
Whitney Cummings (comedian, actress and producer)
Tony Rock (“Living Biblically,” “All Def Comedy,” “The Game of Dating,” nationally touring comedian)
Jane Krakowski (“Dickinson,” “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” “30 Rock,” Tony Award® winner)
Rob Riggle (“Holey Moley,” “The Hangover,” “12 Strong,” “Midnight Sun”)
Sarah Chalke (“Friends from College,” “Rick and Morty,” “Scrubs,” “Speechless”)

Joining the celebrity panelists are contestants Mike Brown (hometown: Harlem, New York), Christina Floriza (hometown: Chevy Chase, Maryland), Brett White (hometown: Queens, New York) and Julee Snitzer-Levine (hometown: Northridge, California).

Hayden Panettiere's BF Charged with Felony Domestic Violence

The L.A. County District Attorney's Office has charged Hayden's BF, Brian Hickerson, with 1 count of felony domestic violence. If he's convicted, Brian faces up to 4 years in prison.

TMZ broke the story ... Brian was arrested earlier this month after an argument with Hayden allegedly turned physical. As we told you ... the couple had been out drinking before an argument ensued at their pad. Law enforcement sources initially said the injuries were marks and redness, but we're now told the injuries were far more serious.

Hickerson appeared in court this morning and pled not guilty to the charge. His bail was set at $50k. The judge also issued a protective order that prohibits Hickerson from being 100 yards near Panettiere or contacting her. He'll be back in court next month.

Cops arrested Brian almost immediately after the altercation after determining he started the fight. Hayden and Brian have been dating since last summer.

Mila Kunis, Awkwafina, Regina Hall, Samira Wiley Among Cast Joining Allison Janney In Tate Taylor’s All-Star ‘Breaking News In Yuba County’ — Cannes

Bridget Everett (Patti Cake$), Jimmi Simpson (Date Night) and Keong Sim (Dead To Me) will also star while Oscar-nominee Juliette Lewis (August: Osage County), Golden Globe nominee Ellen Barkin (Animal Kingdom) and Emmy-winner Wanda Sykes (Bad Moms) are in advanced negotiations to join. Like Taylor’s Oscar-nominated box office hit The Help, this is a cast packed with girl power. Additional names are also expected to join the impressive ensemble.

Shoot is due to get underway in Mississippi next month. Laura Dern was previously aboard but had to drop off for scheduling reasons. Script comes from Amanda Idoko.

Recent Oscar-winner Janney will portray a pencil pusher who catches her husband in bed with another woman, which causes him to die of a heart attack. So she buries his body and takes advantage of the growing celebrity status that comes from having a missing husband. However, she soon finds herself in over her head, dodging cops and criminals, all while trying hide the the truth, especially from her half- sister (Kunis), a local news anchor who’s desperate for a story, and a determined local police detective (Hall).

AGC Studios is fully financing and handles international sales. The movie largely sold out at AFM last year. Producing are Taylor’s Wyolah Films, Jake Gyllenhaal and Riva Marker’s Nine Stories, John Norris, and Franklin Leonard’s The Black List. CAA Media Finance and Endeavor Content rep domestic.

Taylor, coming off solid performer The Girl On The Train, has Jessica Chastain pic Eve and Octavia Spencer horror Ma in post-production.

Sarah Paulson, James Marsden and 9 Others Join Cate Blanchett in FX's Limited Series Mrs. America

Sarah Paulson, James Marsden and Uzo Aduba are among 11 additions to the drama, which will star Oscar winner Cate Blanchett. Mrs. America tells the story of the movement to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and the unexpected backlash led by a conservative woman named Phyllis Schlafly (Blanchett).

Through the eyes of the women of that era, Mrs. America “explores how one of the toughest battlegrounds in the culture wars of the ’70s helped give rise to the Moral Majority and forever shifted our political landscape,” the official synopsis reads.

Here’s a breakdown of the newly cast roles:

* Paulson (American Horror Story) as Alice, the fictional best friend of Phyllis who joins her efforts to block the ERA

* Marsden (Westworld) as Phil Crane, a conservative congressman from Phyllis’ home state of Illinois and one of her most powerful allies

* Aduba (Orange Is the New Black) as Shirley Chisholm, who made history as the first African-American congresswoman. She also became the first African-American candidate to run for president from a national political party when she launched her unprecedented campaign in 1972.

* John Slattery (Mad Men) as Fred Schlafly, Phyllis’ anti-Communist husband who was a prominent lawyer and GOP donor

* Rose Byrne (Damages) as Gloria Steinem, the most recognizable leader of the women’s movement, who co-founded the magazine Ms. and played a major part in the effort to pass the ERA

* Margo Martindale (The Americans) as Bella Abzug, a three-term congresswoman who spearheaded the effort to pass the ERA

* Ari Graynor (I’m Dying Up Here) as Brenda Feigen-Fasteau, a Harvard-educated lawyer and young feminist who co-founded Ms. with Steinem

* Melanie Lynskey (Castle Rock) as Rosemary Thomson, a homemaker in Schlafley’s inner circle who eagerly joined her fight against the ERA

* Tracey Ullman (The Tracey Ullman Show) as Betty Friedan, known as the mother of the women’s movement. An active proponent of the ERA, Friedan wrote The Feminine Mystique and co-founded the National Women’s Political Caucus.

* Jeanne Tripplehorn (Criminal Minds) as Eleanor Schlafly, Fred’s unmarried sister and a close confidant of Phyllis, who is also a devoted aunt to Phyllis’ six children

* Kayli Carter (Godless) as Pamela, a young and impressionable (and fictional) housewife who is an early member of Phyllis’ anti-ERA movement

Mrs. America, which spans nine episodes, is slated for a 2020 premiere on FX.

MTV Movie & TV Awards: 2019 Nominees

Grey's Anatomy Promotes 3 Actors to Series Regular Ahead of Season 16

“Chris, Jake, and Greg have been recurring for us as guest stars and have popped as fan favorites,” Grey’s Anatomy showrunner Krista Vernoff said in a statement. “We are excited to continue revealing their characters and we are beyond thrilled to welcome them to the Grey’s Anatomy family.”

Germann and Borelli joined Grey’s last season as Dr. Thomas Koracick and Levi Schmitt, respectively, while Carmack — who play Dr. Atticus Lincoln (aka “Link”) — joined the series this season.

Hayden Panettiere’s boyfriend arrested for domestic violence: Report

Sources tell TMZ the former Nashville star had enjoyed a date night in Hollywood with Brian Hickerson on Wednesday, before heading back to their home, but they soon became engaged in a heated argument, which appeared to turn physical.

Police were called to the property in the early hours of Thursday, when they questioned both Panettiere and Hickerson.

Insiders claim officers noticed redness and marks on the actress’ body, and placed Hickerson in handcuffs.

The realtor and aspiring actor was taken to a local police station, where he was booked for felony domestic violence.

Hickerson was released hours later after posting $50,000 bond.

The news emerges seven months after Panettiere’s man was involved in a domestic dispute with his father, David, during the couple’s visit to his native South Carolina in late October.

Reports at the time suggested cops had been called to investigate a claim of assault and battery at the family’s Greenville property, where his dad was noted to have severe bruising and bleeding on his face.

However, David played down the clash by insisting he had just fallen.

Representatives for Panettiere have yet to comment on Thursday’s arrest.

She has been linked to Hickerson since last August, shortly after her split from her fiance Wladimir Klitschko was made public.

Hayden and the now-retired Ukrainian boxer had been dating since 2009, and became engaged in 2013, a year before welcoming their daughter Kaya.

Lucy Liu joined by Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore for Hollywood Walk of Fame

On Wednesday, the actress was honored with a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, where she celebrated the momentous achievement with her former “Charlie’s Angels” co-stars Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, and Demi Moore, who appeared in the 2003 sequel, “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle.”

“Lucy and I first met while making ‘Charlie’s Angels’ — didn’t know we were going to have a reunion today!” Moore said, according to Entertainment Weekly. “And I could see that she was, in fact, as I had heard, a badass with brains.”

Liu, 50, is also the second Asian-American woman to receive a star on the Walk of Fame. She later paid tribute to the first, Anna May Wong, during Wednesday’s ceremony.

“When I moved to Los Angeles, I actually lived on Vine Street, so it’s thrilling to have Anna May Wong, who is the first Asian-American actress, as my neighbor. A hundred years ago, she was a pioneer while enduring racism, marginalization and exclusion,” Liu said, per Variety.

“Sometimes people talk about my mainstream successes as groundbreaking for an Asian, but Asians have been making movies for a long time. They just weren’t making them here because we weren’t yet invited to the table. I was lucky that trailblazers, like Anna May Wong and Bruce Lee, came before me. if my body of work somehow helped bridge the gap between stereotypical roles, first given to Anna May, and mainstream success today, I am thrilled to have been part of that process,” she also noted.

Jennifer Garner To Star In ‘Fantasy Camp’ At STX

Fantasy Camp follows Julie (Garner) to a reunion at the theater camp of her youth, Camp Footlights, where she will get the chance to challenge her fears, live out her dreams and finally take the stage.

Greg Silverman is producing this project, which we hear was put together by Management 360, which reps Kohn, Silverstein and Garner.

Garner, who is also repped by CAA and Sloane Offer, is reuniting with STX following the Pierre Morel-directed crime drama Peppermint, which was released in theaters last year. Her other recent credits include the animated feature Wonder Park, Fox’s Love, Simon, and the Lena Dunham/Jenni Konner-created HBO series Camping. She’s also developing Yes Day for Netflix and the series My Glory for Apple TV.

Kohn and Silverstein’s additional reps are UTA and Sloane Offer.

Taye Diggs' All American Renewed at the CW

They’re joined by Roswell, New Mexico and The 100, which were also picked up on Wednesday for Season 2 and Season 7, respectively. With those four renewals, The CW is officially bringing back its entire scripted lineup, including all of its newbie series. Ten other shows — including The Flash, Riverdale, Charmed and, well, everything else — received additional seasons back in January.

That said, The CW will still have some scheduling space to fill in the year ahead. The network will soon lose Jane the Virgin and iZombie after their final seasons (in addition to the recently ended Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), while veteran dramas Supernatural and Arrow will both be heading into farewell runs of their own this fall.

“As we begin to plan for the 2019-2020 season, we’re thrilled to have this roster of 14 exceptionally creative and distinctive series, including all five first-year shows, as the foundation on which to continue to build the multiplatform future of The CW,” network president Mark Pedowitz said. “One of our key long-term goals has been to continually add more original programming all year round, especially in midseason and summer, and with these returning shows and the new series we’ll order as we get closer to the May upfront, next season on The CW is shaping up to be our most robust year round schedule yet.”

All American averaged a 0.22 demo rating and 670,000 total viewers across its 16-episode run, respectively ranking 12th and 13th out of The CW’s 15 dramas this season. A very recent premiere, In the Dark thus far is pulling a 0.2 along with 760,000 viewers, ranking 13th and 11th among the network’s dramas.

Lucy Liu to get Hollywood Walk of Fame star

The Charlie’s Angels star will be inducted on May 1 by famous pals Demi Moore and Rhea Perlman.

Liu’s plaque has been slotted to be placed beside the star of legendary actress Anna May Wong, the first Chinese American actress to grace Hollywood’s film screens, at the corner of Hollywood & Vine.

The big unveiling ceremony will take place three weeks before the premiere of the final season of her hit Sherlock Holmes drama Elementary.

Anne Heche on ups and downs of career before receiving Sarasota Film Festival award

The Sarasota Film Festival will honor that filmography Saturday when it gives Heche a Career Tribute Award. She’ll also participate in the festival’s In Conversation With series on Sunday.

Heche told the Herald-Tribune in a phone interview that the award means a great deal to her, particularly from a festival centered on independent film.

“I don’t know what my life would’ve been without independent film,” Heche said. “I think that’s where some of the most special stories that I’ve been able to tell are.”

Coincidentally, Heche has her first major role in a wide-release film in more than a decade out in theaters when she visits the festival. She co-stars in “The Best of Enemies,” based on the true story of civil rights activist Ann Atwater (Oscar nominee Taraji P. Henson) and Ku Klux Klan leader C.P. Ellis (Oscar winner Sam Rockwell) befriending each other during a school desegregation community summit.

Heche plays Ellis’ wife Mary. She’s longtime friends with the film’s director Robin Bissell, making his directorial debut, and wanted to support him however she could.

“I didn’t know that I was going to be able to get the honor of acting with two of my favorite actors and I think two of the most gifted actors today,” Heche said. “Sam is one of those where if there was a bucket list of people I’d like to work with, he’s certainly it.”

Heche’s own acting career started on the long-running soap opera “Another World.” One of her first major film roles was in recent Oscar nominee Nicole Holofcener’s 1996 indie “Walking and Talking,” with the Austin Chronicle noting Heche was “destined for larger film roles.”

Indeed, the next year she co-starred with Tommy Lee Jones in the disaster blockbuster “Volcano” and Johnny Depp and Al Pacino in the crime drama “Donnie Brasco.” She had third billing after Robert De Niro and Dustin Hoffman on the political satire “Wag the Dog,” playing a role written for a man before director Barry Levinson decided to cast her.

After meeting and starting to date Ellen DeGeneres, Heche was warned she wouldn’t get the part as Harrison Ford’s love interest in “Six Days Seven Nights” if they went public. They nonetheless attended the “Volcano” premiere together, immediately causing a great deal of public scrutiny over their same-sex relationship.

That same night, Heche got a phone call from Ford, who said he didn’t care about her personal life and that she was still his choice for the role.

“If it were not for that stand, I wouldn’t be able to have had the career that I’ve had even outside of the studios,” Heche said. “It was something that without him, I never would’ve been able to do. I owe him my life for that.”

Though the film was a box-office success when it came out in 1998, it was one of the last studio films she appeared in, due to her relationship with DeGeneres, Heche said. The couple broke up in 2000 and Heche had a breakdown, as documented in her 2001 memoir “Call Me Crazy.”

Yet Heche continued to act, including in the Golden Globe-nominated indie drama “Birth.” She also co-starred with Kristen Bell in the 2004 television movie “Gracie’s Choice,” playing a drug-addicted mother struggling to care for her children, a role that earned her an Emmy nomination.

That same year, she starred alongside Alec Baldwin in a Broadway revival of the ’30s screwball comedy “Twentieth Century,” about a struggling theater producer who pursues his former protege and now-successful actress for a role. Heche was nominated for a Tony for Best Actress.

She’ll reunite with Baldwin and other actors including Henry Winkler this month for a one-night reading of the play, benefiting Roundabout Theatre Company. Heche said she’s excited about the event because the initial show was such a pivotal role for her.

“There were certain angels that came into my life and Alec was one of them,” Heche said. “He said that he wouldn’t do it without me. He really stood up for me and thought that the focus was being put on the wrong thing in my life.”

Heche continued to find acclaim with independent films, including her roles as a seductive insurance agent in the 2011 comedy “Cedar Rapids” and an ex-wife in that same year’s cop drama “Rampart.” She also started acting more on television, including a main role on the HBO series “Hung.”

Recently, Heche has appeared on “Chicago P.D.” as a superintendent, and on the NBC drama “The Brave” as the deputy director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. Heche said she got the latter role after show creator Dean Georgaris sent her a letter saying he always admired her after seeing her in “Donnie Brasco.”

“That was a real honor to me, and I feel like that’s part of what has kind of been able to bubble over into ‘Chicago P.D.,’ a woman who is extraordinarily powerful and believes in the goodness and the fight to make things right,” Heche said.

She’s still working in indie film, as well, including on the upcoming “Hour of Lead” with Thomas Jane. Heche said she remains grateful for all the indie films she’s worked on and collaborators she’s worked with over the years.

“If it weren’t for people like Alec Baldwin, who said come and be with me on Broadway, or these independent films, these beautiful artists reached out to me and gave me a career that defined some of the most incredible things I’ve been able to do,” Heche said.

Anne Heche at Sarasota Film Festival: Anne Heche will receive the festival’s Career Tribute Award during the closing night film and awards ceremony, which starts at 6 p.m. Saturday at Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave. Tickets cost $30-60 or $25-$48 for members. She will also participate in the festival’s In Conversation With series 1 p.m. Sunday at Sage, 1216 First St. Tickets cost $30. For more information or to buy tickets, call 941-366-6200 or visit www.sarasotafilmfestival.com.

Taye Diggs reveals the kinds of pictures women DM him

Talking candidly about his dating life – or lack thereof – with “Just the Sip” host Justin Sylvester, the actor joked about what goes down in his DMs.

“Some of these women will put pictures of themselves, and there’s a side of me that is like, ‘Honey, put on some clothes. Oh my Lord,’” he quipped.

Despite his reaction, Diggs, 49, says he does give it a good peek.

“You don’t know me, but you’re going to send me that? Where are we supposed to go from there?” he wondered.

“If stuff isn’t presented to me in a certain way, I don’t really know,” Diggs added. “I feel like I can’t let things happen naturally ’cause that’s not where we are.”

He was married to Broadway actress Idina Menzel for over 10 years. The pair got divorced in 2014 and share a 9-year-old son. He hasn’t done much dating since breaking up with Menzel.

“I am not dating,” he said. “I am not technically savvy. I don’t have time. I’m praying on it. I am using my friends. I want to find friends of friends.”

CBS Sets Dates for Elementary's Final Season, Instinct's Return, Treasure Hunt

The detective drama’s seventh and final, 13-episode season will launch on Thursday, May 23 at 10/9c, after S.W.A.T. has wrapped its sophomore run. As the farewell salvo opens, Holmes (played by Jonny Lee Miller) and Watson’s (Lucy Liu) new careers as consultants for Scotland Yard are disrupted by news that a member of their inner circle has been gravely wounded in the United States. As Holmes’ Stateside legal trouble threatens to keep them from returning to New York, their greatest foe to date, tech billionaire Odin Reichenbach (played by James Frain), waits on the horizon to test their limits.

CBS also announced that Instinct will return on Sunday, June 16 at 9 pm, affording the Alan Cumming-fronted drama some promotion during the network’s Tonys telecast the week prior. In the 11-episode Season 2, NYPD consultant Dylan Reinhart (Cumming) is reinstated after being put on leave, just in time to join his partner, Detective Lizzie Needham (Bojana Novakovic), on their new case — the “Sleeping Beauty Killer.”

As for fresh fare, the action-adventure series Blood & Treasure will get a special double-episode preview on Tuesday, May 21 — leading out of the NCIS season finale and moving New Orleans‘ closer up to May 14 — before calling Tuesdays at 10pm its regular home.

Blood & Treasure stars Matt Barr (Valor) and Sofia Pernas (The Brave) as a brilliant antiquities expert and a cunning art thief, respectively, who team up to catch a ruthless terrorist who funds his attacks through stolen treasure. But as they crisscross the globe hunting their target, they unexpectedly find themselves at the center of a 2,000-year-old battle for the cradle of civilization.

Lucy Liu Developing ‘Unsung Heroes’ Female-Focused Anthology Series With ABC Studios International

Unsung Heroes is about the untold stories of incredible women who overcame adversity to become pioneers of their time. It will profile women who were highly accomplished in their fields, but did not receive the acknowledgment for their achievements and how their stories have impacted history. The first hero to be profiled is the Asian American female silent screen star of film and theatre, Anna May Wong.

Liu will executive produce the project via her Moonvision Entertainment production banner, and direct the first episode. Secunda will executive produce through her overall deal with ABC Studios. Keli Lee, Managing Director of International Content, Platforms, and Talent, will lead for ABC Studios International. Maryellen Mulcahy Liu’s longtime manager from Framework Entertainment will also executive produce.

Liu has co-starred for six seasons on CBS’ highly praised drama series Elementary as Dr. Joan Watson, alongside Jonny Lee Miller as Sherlock Holmes. Liu continues to direct episodes of Elementary, now in its seventh and final season, since her directing debut in 2014. She most recently starred in Netflix’s feature film, Set It Up, opposite Taye Diggs, Glenn Powell and Zoey Deutch, directed by Claire Scanlon. She’ll soon be seen in a starring role in CBS All Access’ upcoming darkly comedic drama series Why Women Kill.

Liu is repped by Framework Entertainment, ICM Partners, and Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham.

Regina Hall, Amandla Stenberg, Kiki Layne & Jenifer Lewis Feted At Essence’s Black Women In Hollywood Awards

This year’s honorees were The Hate U Give stars Amandla Stenberg and Regina Hall, as well as with If Beale Street Could Take standout Kiki Layne and veteran actress Jenifer Lewis (Black-ish), who all offered up words of enlightenment, encouragement, and empowerment.

“Sometimes it may feel like we carry a lot of weight but it is because we have been given roots that run deep into the earth,” wax poetic Stenberg, who was the first to receive Essense award at the pre-Oscars luncheon. “We are gifted with a knowingness that often doesn’t need words. A love and protection of our ancestors envelops us and transcends time itself. No matter what we are faced we are wrapped in that protection… we are part of the richest tapestry, one that houses the energy of the past, the present, and the future.”

Not a dry eye was left after an emotional Layne got on stage to accept her award. The rising star made sure to acknowledge those come before her and broke barriers. “This award, in addition to showing me whose already around me, it also reminds me of who has come before and all of the people who had sacrificed so that I could be here, days away from my first Academy awards ceremony representing a James Baldwin adaptation,” she said. “I’m so thankful that I am being shown all of these things and being made aware of this power at this point in my career where it’s just getting started.”

Coming off of a year that saw her make history as the first Black woman to win best actress at the New York Film Critics Circle awards, Hall, who after some funny quips, reflected on her career journey. “I never had a quantum leap that was overnight but there’s so much you learn in the journey. So I’m grateful for that.”

She added, “as I celebrate this, I want to celebrate every woman in this room who — and man, shit y’all are here — who at whatever part of the journey that you’re in because it’s a never-ending journey…but it’s not really about that. It’s about what we show each other. It’s about the love we give to each other. It’s about the empowerment that we feel as people.”

Lewis took the stage to cap off the afternoon, opening up about her early days of dealing with mental illness, depression, and being a victim of sexual assault, and sex addiction. With that said, the self-proclaimed “mother of Black Hollywood” beamed with pride as she celebrated the woman that she is now. “I am now, as you can plainly see, In my skin. I’m happy, free, rich, famous. I’m so amazing I can’t see straight.”

She went to describe how she had “touched bliss” when she took responsibility for own actions, concluding her speech with, “stop pointing the fingers at others and that includes this administration. You take of what’s right in front of you and make a difference in this world.”

Singer/actress Kelly Rowland hosted the event which was also attended by Spike Lee, Tina Knowles, Diddy, Maxine Waters, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Tarana Burke, Lorraine Toussaint, Ryan Michelle Bathe, Meagan Good, Logan Browning, Loretta Devine, DeWanda Wise, MACRO’s Charles D. King, Shangela, and Angela Rye.

Arrested Development Season 5B Premiere Date Set at Netflix

As previously reported, the odds are not in Arrested Development‘s favor to return for a sixth season (particularly in the wake of that disastrous New York Times piece). “I’ve learned to say ‘Never say never,'” co-star David Cross recently remarked on a potential Season 6, “but I can’t see it happening again, I think for a number of reasons.”

The first half of Arrested Development Season 5 closed with at least a half-dozen dangling plot threads. Among them: Lucille’s plan involving Lucille 2’s disappearance was falling apart; Michael was on the verge of incriminating himself; Lindsay was still M.I.A.; and Tony Wonder was probably dead.

NAACP Image Awards Nominees

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Danai Gurira – Black Panther (Marvel Studios)
Letitia Wright – Black Panther (Marvel Studios)
Lupita Nyong’o – Black Panther (Marvel Studios)
Regina Hall – The Hate U Give (20th Century Fox)
Regina King – If Beale Street Could Talk (Annapurna Pictures)

Lucy Liu to Star in Marc Cherry Dramedy Why Women Kill at CBS All Access

The series details the lives of three women living in three different decades: a housewife in the ‘60s, a socialite in the ‘80s and a lawyer in 2018, each dealing with infidelity in their marriages. It will examine how the roles of women have changed, but how their reaction to betrayal has not.

Liu, who recently completed work on the seventh and final season of CBS’ Elementary, will play Simone (aka the ’80s socialite). “Elegant, stylish, effervescent, Simone is the picture of urbane confidence, moving through the world as if it were a delightful movie starring herself,” per the official character description. “Smugly superior, a woman for whom appearances mean everything, she thrives on shopping and throwing parties, seemingly happily married to her indulgent husband, Karl, who thinks she is simply fabulous. However, despite nagging premonitions, Simone is devastated, her world upended, when she learns that Karl has been cheating on her.”

Cherry created Why Women Kill and will serve as an EP alongside Brian Grazer, Francie Calfo, Michael Hanel, Mindy Schultheis and Marc Webb.

Gil Bellows, Mira Sorvino Star In ‘Drowning’

‘The Outsider’: Cynthia Erivo, Bill Camp, Mare Winningham, Paddy Considine, Julianne Nicholson Among 10 Cast In HBO Drama Series

Cynthia Erivo (Bad Times at the El Royale), Bill Camp (The Looming Tower), Mare Winningham (George Wallace), Paddy Considine (The Ferryman), Julianne Nicholson (Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders), Yul Vázquez (I Am the Night), Jeremy Bobb (The Knick) and Marc Menchaca (Ozark) are the new regulars, with Hettienne Park (Hannibal) and Michael Esper (Trust) set to recur.

The project hails from The Night Of co-creator/executive producer Richard Price, director-producer Jack Bender (Mr. Mercedes) Jason Bateman’s Aggregate Films, Temple Hill Entertainment and MRC. Bateman is set to direct the first two episodes.

In The Outsider, written by Price, a seemingly straightforward investigation into the gruesome murder of a local boy leads a seasoned cop and an unorthodox investigator to question everything they believe to be real, as an insidious supernatural force edges its way into the case. The book was published in May by Charles Scribners and Sons.

Erivo will play Holly Gibney, Camp is Howie Gold, Winningham will portray Jeannie Anderson, Considine is Claude Bolton, Nicholson plays Mercy Maitland, Vázquez portrays Yunis Sablo, Bobb is Alec Pelley, Menchaca will play Jack Hoskins. Park and Esper will recur as Tomika Collins and Bill Samuels, respectively.

Price executive produces with Bateman and Michael Costigan via Aggregate Films, Marty Bowen for Temple Hill Entertainment, and Bender. MRC is the studio on the project, which is being produced by Bateman’s Aggregate Films and Temple Hill Entertainment. Mendelsohn also is a producer.

Through their relationship with Stephen King, Temple Hill Entertainment’s Marty Bowen and Jack Bender secured the rights for the title and attached Richard Price to write and executive produce.

Temple Hill Entertainment is represented by UTA and Hansen Jacobson. Richard Price is represented by UTA. Jack Bender is represented by UTA and Myman Greenspan.

Tony, Emmy and Grammy winner Erivo will next be seen starring alongside Daisy Ridley and David Oyelowo in the anticipated sci-fi thriller, Chaos Walking, from director Doug Liman. She recently wrapped production on Kasi Lemmons’ Harriet and John Ridley’s Needle in a Timestack, starring alongside Orlando Bloom, Freida Pinto, and Leslie Odom Jr.

Camp was most recently seen in a starring role in Hulu’s The Looming Tower. On the film side, he can be seen in Wildlife and Vice. Camp received an Emmy nomination for supporting actor in HBO’s The Night Of.

Winningham won two Emmys for Amber Wave and George Wallace. She also received an additional five Emmy nominations, including for her performances in The Boys Next Door, Hatfields and McCoys and Mildred Pierce.

Considine currently stars in Broadway’s The Ferryman. TV credits include the title role in The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher, Peaky Blinders and Red Riding.

Nicholson’s latest film, Monos is having its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. Her TV credits include Law & Order True Crime: the Menendez Murders and a starring role in USA Network’s Eyewitness.

Vázquez next stars in the anticipated Patty Jenkins’ mystery miniseries I Am The Night opposite Chris Pine. He also stars in Netflix’s Narcos: Mexico alongside Michael Pena and Diego Luna, as Rev. Emilio Sheehan on NBC’s drama series Midnight Texas.

Bobb is best known for his performance in Steven Soderbergh’s The Knick. Other recent credits include Godless, Mosaic, Manhunt: Unabomber and Escape at Dannemora. He’ll next be seen in Amy Poehler’s Russian Doll.

Menchaca is known for his turn as Russ Langmore in Emmy nominated Netflix series Ozark and he recently completed production on the upcoming Netflix series Raising Dion alongside Michael B. Jordan.

Park starred as Beverly Katz in acclaimed series Hannibal. Recurring and guest roles include Blindspot, The Blacklist, High Maintenance and The Good Wife.

Bon Jovi's restaurant gives free meal to workers affected by shutdown

JBJ Soul Kitchen in Red Bank announced on Facebook it will provide the free meals to furloughed workers Monday between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.

The meals are a result of a partnership between Gov. Phil Murphy’s organization the Phil and Tammy Murphy Family Foundation.

JBJ Soul Kitchen opened in 2011, and the restaurant allows customers to pay a donation or volunteer to pay for their meals.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Trailer: First Look at the Series' Final Episodes

Highlights from the trailer include Kimmy being mistaken for Olympic snowboarder Shaun White, Titus orchestrating a celebrity showmance to make Mikey jealous and Lillian… joining a gang? Also, what are the “Toonys,” and how do we get an invite?

Season 4B also boasts a bevy of famous guest stars, including Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Zachary Quinto (American Horror Story), Greg Kinnear (House of Cards), Busy Philipps (Busy Tonight), Bobby Moynihan (Saturday Night Live), Amy Sedaris (At Home With Amy Sedaris), Fred Armisen (Portlandia), Jon Bernthal (The Punisher), Steve Buscemi (Miracle Workers), Kenan Thompson (Saturday Night Live), Ronan Farrow (of the news) and Lisa Kudrow (Friends).

The Netflix comedy returns for its final run on Friday, Jan. 25.

Jane Krakowski on Match Game 1/30/19

Celebrity panelists for Jan. 30 include the following:
Chris Parnell (“Archer”; “Rick and Morty”)
Whitney Cummings (comedian, actress, author and producer)
Kevin Smith (writer, director and podcaster)
Jane Krakowski (Tony Award® winner; “30 Rock”; “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”)
Ron Funches (“Giggle Fit”; podcast “Getting’ Better with Ron Funches”)
Caitlyn Jenner (best-selling author and reality TV star).

Amandla Stenberg, Regina Hall & More Set As Essence Black Women In Hollywood Honorees

The actresses will be recognized as the annual Black Women in Hollywood Awards luncheon which celebrates the global influence of Hollywood’s leading female artist-activists—both in front of the camera and behind-the-scenes.

“We are proud to salute the marvelous work and stunning achievements of our 2019 Black Women in Hollywood awardees, who as a collective presence are challenging perceptions and impacting social change,” says MoAna Luu, Chief Creative and Content Officer for Essence. “Through their craft and their commitment to causes, Amandla, Jenifer, Kiki, and Regina represent the dynamic intersection of art and activism that is influencing how we shape our own destiny.”

Last year’s recipients included Emmy-winner Lena Waithe, Girls Trip breakout Tiffany Haddish, Black Panther and The Walking Dead star Danai Gurira, and Thor Ragnarok’s Tessa Thompson

The Oscar-week ceremony will take place on February 21 at the Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills, CA.

Flash's Jesse L. Martin Set to Return

TVLine has learned that Martin — who last appeared in Episode 4 of the CW hit’s fifth season — is back on set filming and will next be seen in Episode 15. (The Flash returns from the midseason break this Tuesday, Jan. 15, with Episode 10.)

Martin had suffered a back injury over the summer hiatus, resulting in him almost always sitting in the first episodes of this season. On the heels of his most recent on-camera appearance, a Warner Bros. TV rep told TVLine that the actor had in fact embarked on a medical leave, adding: “We wish him a full and speedy recovery and look forward to his return as Detective Joe West.”

Until Joe is seen again, showrunner Todd Helbing tells TVLine that viewers will get an on-screen accounting for Martin’s ongoing absence.

“There’s an explanation, and then there’s another sort of thing down the line that will give more explanation as to why [Joe] was gone for so long,” Helbing shared.

It sounds, though, like Iris’ father won’t be completely MIA from these next five episodes…? “I’ll just say there’s some technology that S.T.A.R. Labs has [via which] he’s gone and he’s not gone at the same time,” the EP said, cryptically.

‘Little’ Trailer: Regina Hall, Marsai Martin Star In Body-Swap Comedy From Universal & ‘Girls Trip’ Producer

Hall plays Jordan Sanders, a snarky tech mogul who, from the trailer, shows little regard for her seemingly ambitious and obsequious assistant, April (Rae). After a confrontation with a young girl, Hall wakes up to find that she is a tween (Martin) again and has to lean on her assistant, the only one in on the secret, to run the company, while she heads back to grade school.

Girls Trip scribe Tracy Oliver co-wrote the screenplay with Gordon. It’s based on a pitch from 14-year old Martin, who serves as an executive producer along with Hall, Josh Martin, and Preston Holmes. Will Packer produced alongside production partner James Lopez and Black-ish creator Kenya Barris.

Little hits theaters April 12.

Check out the trailer above.

Regina Hall On How ‘Support The Girls’ Became A Surprise #MeToo Hit; The New ‘Shaft’ & ‘Black Monday’

A slice-of-life look at life for women working in a Hooters-type Texas bar, Support the Girls is far from the sexcapade its double entendre title might suggest. Hall brings a nuanced and moving performance as Lisa, a bar manager dealing with a rage-afflicted boss, misogynistic customers, thieving kitchen staff and a team of scantily-clad 20-something women she must protect at all costs. Here she discusses what attracted her to Andrew Bujalski’s project in the first place, and why it’s been a fantastic ride.

Support The Girls was not what I expected. There was no a neatly tied-up message or big dramatic crisis and I loved that about it.

Oh, I’m so glad, thank you. When I read it, it wasn’t what I expected either. I think that’s what drew me to it so much. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t that. It wasn’t something so heartwarming, and so still. I just read the script, and it stayed with me. I didn’t stop. I thought about it, and I thought about Lisa, and that world. I thought it was really interesting to have the backdrop of this restaurant, which I had my preconceived ideas about, and that he created as this idea of sisterhood, and integrity, and they love each other in this workplace.

Lisa had an optimism about life that was so beautiful, and it didn’t use any of the same things that the studio movies do. It wasn’t like this setup, and then big second act, and then resolution. It just moved along, and I cared about the characters. It wasn’t tragic. It was just people doing the best they could. It’s the frustration of what life is, and I just liked that it was unique, and different.

Then of course once I got the part, and started doing more research, and really talking to the women who work in [those] places, and the managers, we just wanted to make sure that we showed the humanity of everyone in the script, and not have caricatures and boob jokes.

The scene where you argue with your boss Cubby (James LeGros) in the car is incredible. He goes from racism to misogyny to being punched in a road rage incident–and every second of it shows on your face.

I loved James LeGros as Cubby. He’s such a curmudgeon. His clothes, just everything about him, I loved him but, thankfully James Le Gros is really great at driving. And so we literally drove with the cameras in the back seat. We’re driving, and he was so out of control and remember we had that big boat on the back [in a trailer]. It was sad because you saw the dynamic of how many times he’s tried to fire Lisa and he really didn’t ever appreciate her.

We were in the middle of a high-speed chase, so it was fun but it was a little scary because we were really driving and I was like, “James, you’re gonna turn these corners with that big boat?” But there was no way to have a stunt guy. He could back it up and I was like, “This is crazy.” I was on the edge of my seat, I was like, “Oh my god.”

What he says about tailoring the numbers of women of color working in the bar, and their specific ethnicities and body types was so horrible that I wondered if it was true-to-life?

We researched to find out how they cast. They do call it casting and not hiring, and so those places are not bound by the same laws as most employers. They call it entertainment so they’re not bound, and of course he can be like, “I want one version of this…” He’s so like, “The lord only knows we don’t hire fat girls.” He’s such a pig. There’s something wonderful about him getting punched in the stomach, but you don’t expect it.

You’ve previously said the script appealed because it wasn’t specified whether this was written for a woman of color. So it didn’t feel like, “here’s a white guy writing for a woman of color.”

I read it, really, just to read it, and I noticed that it didn’t have, “Lisa. 40s, African American’. It said her name and her age, which also made me wonder after the meeting, are they going to go black with this character? Sometimes you almost feel like if its not specified, maybe they won’t do it. But what I loved was that he wrote her with a sense of humanity and sensitivity.

They don’t ever need to write for her to be black because I’m going to bring that. That’s who I am and how I vibrate in the world. That’s never anything that needs to be written for. It just has to be respected, and you have to understand that that comes with things that may not resinate as true for me to say or for me to do, or this character.

Your performance has been noticed by critics and you have an Indie Spirit nom, but do you have the sense the film’s strength has been a surprise and and so came a little later to the awards conversation?

I think one of the things that’s interesting is that when we originally made the film and script hoping to get into Sundance, it was right at the beginning of the #MeToo movement when the film came out and Sundance was like, “No.” I think people got a little nervous because they thought of Support The Girls, like breasts. I think they thought women were going to be objectified, so they were actually afraid to go to support the film. But when you watched it, it was actually absolutely nothing like that.

I think we were a day-and-date film, so I think everyone was so excited and shocked by the critical reception. It’s really been the support of writers and critics that have even kept it alive this much. Of course it would have been great if more eyes could have seen it, just for the story’s sake and for Andrew, but that’s just what happens, and the timing is great for the people who do see it with the #MeToo movement…we’ve been really grateful just for the reception that we have gotten. It’s been exciting.

How’s the new Shaft been with Samuel L. Jackson? What can you say about it?

Well Shaft was great and Sam was so amazing. He’s so badass in the film and it’s funny. It was great to work with Tim Story again, who’s so great and wonderful and fun. That was a great project. It’s interesting for people to see where she fits in the movie.

And you have Black Monday–about the ‘80s stock market crash–coming out on Showtime.

In Black Monday, Don (Cheadle) is crazy. The thing about the ‘80s is its really pre-pre-pre-pre-#MeToo movement and you get to see where we’re coming from. It was really creating an understanding, a tone, it was just so fun to do. It was such a collaborative process. Don Cheadle, I love, and Andrew Rannells, and Paul Scheer. It was interesting because I went from a movie, Support the Girls, with all women, and now I’m the only woman. It’s a boys’ club. I think people are really going to have a lot of fun watching it and really care about the characters too.

Taye Diggs Set As Critics’ Choice Awards Host

“I am truly honored and ridiculously excited to be hosting the 24th annual Critics’ Choice Awards, especially since, as an actor, I recognize what a vital role the critics play in the entertainment industry today,” said Diggs. “We are all looking forward to a big night celebrating the best of the best in TV and film!”

Diggs can be seen in the CW drama All American opposite Daniel Ezra. Diggs also starred in the Netflix rom-com Set It Up opposite Zoey Deutch and Lucy Liu. He can be seen in the forthcoming River Runs Red with John Cusack and George Lopez.

This year’s Critics’ Choice Awards will honor Best Supporting Actress nominee Claire Foy with the #SeeHer Award, while Big Bang Theory creator Chuck Lorre will receive the Critics’ Choice Creative Achievement Award.

Grey's: Here's Why a Meredith/Koracick Romance Isn't Happening

But… but… what about the sparks that have flown between the doctors? What about the banter? The chemistry between Ellen Pompeo and Greg Germann? “They really love working together; maybe you’re [picking up] on that,” Vernoff suggests. “Greg is such a delightful actor, and they have such a blast working together.

“But,” she hastens to add, “[the chemistry] wasn’t scripted or intentional.”

Online Film Critics Society Nominations

BEST LEAD ACTRESS
Yalitza Aparicio – Roma
Toni Collette – Hereditary
Olivia Colman – The Favourite
Regina Hall – Support the Girls
Lady Gaga – A Star Is Born.

‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’: Season 4B First-Look Teaser

The clip features Titus Andromedon (Tituss Burgess) performing the theme song for Season 4B titled “Magic Boy”, that of course, is all about Titus. The first-look photos (see below) feature Kimmy (Ellie Kemper), Jacqueline (Jane Krakowski), Lillian (Carol Kane) and Mimi Kanasis (Amy Sedaris).

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt follows Kimmy Schmidt (Kemper) as she continues to adjust to the 21st century and learn more about who she really is. Joining Kimmy on her journey are her best friend and roommate, Titus Andromedon (Burgess); her former-employer-turned-friend Jacqueline White (Krakowski); and landlord Lillian Kaushtupper (Kane).

The first ongoing original half-hour comedy series to debut on Netflix, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt has been among the streaming giant’s most acclaimed shows. To date, it has earned 16 Primetime Emmy Award nominations, including a best series nom for each of its first three seasons. The comedy also quickly entered the cultural zeitgeist with pop culture parodies and songs like “Pinot Noir” that have amassed sizable followings on social media.

Elementary Cancelled After 7 Seasons

“A lot of parties came together and talked about their positions on the show — both in terms of business and in terms of creative — and we all decided that this was an opportune time to say goodbye to a show that has been very, very good to us,” CBS Entertainment President Kelly Kahl said in a statement to our sister site Deadline.

Added EP Carl Beverly: “[Series creator] Rob [Doherty] set out to tell a story, and it feels like he has accomplished what he had set out to do. The actors, the crew and the cast feel that way, and we feel that. So are grateful and celebrating what we had and looking forward to the future.”

The show’s sixth season ended with Sherlock (Jonny Lee Miller) and Joan (Lucy Liu) relocating to the UK. “When we come back in the seventh season, a year will have passed,” Doherty previously revealed to TVLine. “So all of our characters will have had time to really reflect on what happened at the end of the sixth season.”

Production on Season 7 wrapped last week; CBS has yet to announce a premiere date.

HBO Sets Natalie Wood Documentary From Her Daughter & Amblin TV

Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind will feature previously unseen home movies, photographs, diaries, letters and artifacts, as well as intimate interviews with her friends, family, co-stars and colleagues. The film will re-examine her personal and professional triumphs and challenges, which have often been overshadowed by her tragic death at age 43 when Gregson Wagner was only 11 years old. The documentary comes from Amblin Television and will be produced by Gregson Wagner and Manoah Bowman, author of Natalie Wood: Reflections on a Legendary Life, to which Gregson Wagner contributed. Laurent Bouzereau, director of Amblin TV’s Netflix documentary Five Came Back, will serve as director and will also produce. Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey are executive producing for Amblin TV.

“I’m looking forward to working with HBO, Amblin Television and our director, Laurent Bouzereau, to create this unprecedented portrait of a woman who was an actress, a legend and ultimately, my mother,” Gregson Wagner said.

Wood starred in many films during the golden age of Hollywood, earning Academy Award nominations for her roles in Love with the Proper Stranger, Splendor in the Grass, and Rebel Without a Cause. She also starred as Maria in Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise’s 10-time Academy Award-winning movie musical West Side Story which is being remade by Amblin principal Steven Spielberg.

African American Film Critics Association Awards

Winners

Best Actress: Regina Hall (Support the Girls)

Lifetime Unveils Premiere Dates For Winter Movie Slate

Highlights of their slate include Love You to Death (January 26) starring Marcia Gay Harden, which is based on the true story of a mother and daughter who are nothing like they seem, their tumultuous relationship ending in a brutal murder. Also based on a true story is Escaping the Madhouse: The Nellie Bly Story (January 19) starring Christina Ricci. The movie is inspired by Nellie Bly’s undercover stay at the impenetrable Women’s Lunatic Asylum. For something a little lighter, there’s Olivia Newton-John: Hopelessly Devoted to You (February 16) which follows the personal and professional journey of the titular Grease icon. Lifetime acquired the biopic for its U.S. premiere.

Other features on the slate include Victoria Gotti: My Father’s Daughter (February 9) which is executive produced by the real-life Victoria Gotti. Lifetime will also bring back the cult classic Death of a Cheerleader (February 2). The remake will see the return of Kellie Martin, who starred in the 1994 original.

Lifetime has also acquired Best Friend’s Betrayal and My Mother’s Split Personalities for January. The network will feature five weeks of premieres every Saturday at 8 pm PT/ET, beginning January 19.

See the complete list and summaries of the features below.

Escaping the Madhouse: The Nellie Bly Story
Starring Christina Ricci, Judith Light and Josh Bowman
January 19

The Lifetime feature is inspired by Nellie Bly’s undercover stay at the impenetrable Women’s Lunatic Asylum and stars Golden Globe and Emmy nominated actress Christina Ricci (Monster), two-time Tony award-winner, Golden Globe and Emmy nominee Judith Light (Transparent, The Assassination of Giannni Versace) as Matron Grady and Josh Bowman (Revenge).

On a mission to expose the deplorable conditions and mistreatment of patients at the notorious Women’s Lunatic Asylum, investigative reporter Nellie Bly (Ricci) feigns mental illness in order to be institutionalized to report from the inside. The movie delivers an intense and fictionalized account of actual events surrounding Nellie’s stay beginning after Nellie has undergone treatment, leaving her with no recollection of how she came to the asylum or her real identity. Nellie’s unwillingness to submit to authority results in unspeakable torture at the hands of the head nurse, Matron Grady (Light). When Nellie captures the attention of Dr. Josiah (Bowman) who tries to help her, Grady’s barbaric tactics only intensify, leading Nellie to questions if she actually does belong in the asylum after all.

A real-life hero, Nellie Bly’s expose was the first of its kind in America and inspired the global reformation of mental health care.

Escaping the Madhouse: The Nellie Bly Story is executive produced by Howard Braunstein along with Ricci of Grey Team Productions. Michael Tive, David Sigal, Peter Werner and Jonathan Baruch of StoryBy Entertainment also serve as executive producers with Karen Moncrieff as director (Petals on the Wind) with a screenplay by Helen Childress (Reality Bites).

Love You to Death
Starring Marcia Gay Harden, Emily Skeggs and Tate Donovan
January 26

Inspired by a true story, Love You to Death is a shocking tale of a mother and daughter who are nothing like they seem, their tumultuous relationship ending in a brutal murder. Camile (Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden, Fifty Shades features, Code Black, Point Blank) and Esme (Emily Skeggs, Miseducation of Cameron Post, Mile 22) are well-known in their community – Esme as the sickly, child-like wheelchair-bound daughter, and Camile as the perfect caretaker and mother. They seem a perfect pair until Camile is found stabbed to death in her home, and Esme has vanished, believed to be kidnapped by the killer. But when Esme is found, a terrible secret emerges. Esme was not kidnapped. Instead she ran away with her boyfriend (Brennan Keel Cook) after working with him to murder Camile. More than that, Esme is perfectly healthy, mentally and physically, and has been a victim of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, forced to believe she was ill by her controlling, abusive mother.

Tate Donovan (The Man in The High Castle) plays Travis, Esme’s estranged father who tries to reconnect with his daughter, despite her mother’s objections.

Marcia Gay Harden is repped by ICM Partners and Framework Entertainment.

Love You to Death is produced by Sony Pictures Television and Davis Entertainment Television. Executive producers are Jordan Davis and John Davis. Alex Kalymnios directs from a script written by Anthony Jaswinski.

Death of a Cheerleader
Stars Kellie Martin, Aubrey Peeples and Sarah Dugdale
February 2

In a remake of the cult-classic, Death of a Cheerleader is inspired by Randall Sullivan’s Rolling Stone article of the same name about the real-life murder of a popular, affluent and beautiful Northern California high school cheerleader at the hand of a classmate. Bridget Moretti (Aubrey Peeples) is a shy outsider from a lower middle-class background who aspires to be beautiful, popular and perfect in everything. Believing that a friendship with rich and pretty Kelly Locke (Sarah Dugdale), leader of the school’s most prestigious clique, will get her all that she desires, Bridget tries to forge a friendship with her. When Kelly rejects Bridget’s attempts, it leaves her humiliated and feeling like a failure and ultimately fuels a jealous rage that will lead to murder. Death of a Cheerleader explores the events leading up to and after the shocking crime that took place in this upper-middle-class community.

Kellie Martin, who starred alongside Tori Spelling in the original, plays the FBI agent who cracks the case.

Death of a Cheerleader is produced by Just Singer Entertainment and Reunion Pacific Entertainment. Executive producers are Matthew O’Connor, Paddy Bickerton, Steve White and Sheri Singer. Paul Shapiro directs from a script written by Caitlin D. Fryers.

Victoria Gotti: My Father’s Daughter
Executive Produced and Narrated by Victoria Gotti and
Starring Chelsea Frei and Maurice Benard
February 9

Executive produced by Victoria Gotti herself, the movie takes us deep into the world of what it was really like to grow up as the daughter of mob boss John Gotti, revealing the glamour, glitz and unique hardships of her world. Sharing never-before-revealed stories about her life, Victoria (played by Chelsea Frei) tells of a sensitive child growing up with a beloved father (Maurice Benard) she worried about constantly; the tragedy of her younger brother’s death; and her turbulent romance, forbidden by her father, with the man who later became her husband. Victoria had a front-row seat to a life the world became fascinated with, all while trying to reconcile the loving father she adored with a man the outside world was determined to bring down.

Victoria Gotti: My Father’s Daughter is produced by Relevé Entertainment for Lifetime with Victoria Gotti, Jennifer Wachtell (The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks) and Holly Carter (Home is Where You Find It) executive producing. Catherine Cyran (The Prince & Me) directs from a script co-written by Victoria Gotti and David Schneiderman (Chasing Liberty). The film is based on Gotti’s book This Family of Mine: What It Was Like Growing Up Gotti. Victoria Gotti will appear on camera narrating her story.

Olivia Newton-John: Hopelessly Devoted to You
Starring Delta Goodrem
February 16

Olivia Newton-John: Hopelessly Devoted to You is the remarkable personal and professional journey of international superstar Olivia Newton-John, illustrated through her music. Covering her lasting power across more than five decades in one of the world’s toughest industries, the film delves into both Olivia’s public persona as well as the private woman behind-the-scenes, including her multiple battles with cancer and her intense fight to survive.

Australian singer, songwriter and actress Delta Goodrem (House Husbands, judge on The Voice, Australia) stars as Olivia Newton-John and re-records her classic hits for the film. Hugo Johnstone-Burt (San Andreas, The Wrong Girl) is Bruce Welch and Todd Lasance (The Flash, The Vampire Diaries) plays Lee Kramer. Richard Brancatisano (Chasing Life) is featured as Matt Lattanzi, Anthony Brandon Wong (The Matrix Revolutions) is Patrick McDermott, Morgan Griffin (San Andreas, The Sleepover Club) is young Olivia, and Georgia Flood (American Princess, Wentworth) is young Pat Carroll.

Olivia Newton-John: Hopelessly Devoted to You is produced by Fremantle with the assistance of Screen Australia and Film Victoria for Channel Seven. Lifetime has acquired the film for the U.S. premiere.

JANUARY ACQUIRED MOVIES

Best Friend’s Betrayal
Starring Mary Grill, Vanessa Walsh, Jaime M. Callica
Premieres January 13

Best friends Katie (Mary Grill) and Jess (Vanessa Walsh) are inseparable and have always had each other’s backs. When Jess begins a new serious relationship with famous crime writer, Nick (Jaime M. Callica), Katie is unsure of this new seemingly perfect man. Katie wants to support her friend’s newfound happiness but is fiercely protective of her. But Katie’s obsession with Jess soon proves deadly and it is up to the recently vilified Nick to expose this supposed ‘best friend’ before it is too late. Best Friend’s Betrayal is produced by Reel One Entertainment.

My Mother’s Split Personalities
Starring Lindsay Hartley, Kayla Wallace, Jefferson Brown
Premieres January 12

After her father dies of a heart attack, Julie Price (Kayla Wallace) has returned home after two years of living in estrangement from her mother Gail (Lindsay Hartley). But Gail is not herself these days, acting bizarrely and under the control of Warren (Jefferson Brown), a highly intelligent criminal, who has become Gail’s boyfriend and is plotting to get his hands on a vast amount of money left behind by her dead husband. As Julie investigates the cause of her mother’s strange behavior, she gets closer to the truth about Warren, and a deadly game of cat and mouse begins, in which the dark criminal operator will do anything to protect his payday. It’s up to Julie to save her mother from not only Warren but also from her own split personalities and get her the help she desperately needs. My Mother’s Split Personalities is produced by Reel One Entertainment

New York Film Critics Circle Awards Names ‘Roma’ Best Film, Alfonso Cuarón Best Director

It’s a major breakthrough for the streaming title which is in a limited four-wall theatrical release, and drops on Netflix on Dec. 14. To date, most critics groups have overlooked Roma following its Golden Lion win at the Venice Film Festival. The pic landed in National Board of Reviews top films of the year, but did not land a win in their above the line categories. At the Film Independent Spirit Awards, Roma, which is also Mexico’s Oscar entry, was only eligible and nominated in the best foreign language film category. In total from NYFCC, Roma counts three wins along with Cuarón’s DP work. Roma was produced and financed by Participant Media for a production cost in the teens, and was later shopped around town to specialty distributors. Netflix scooped up the movie for a reported $20M. Roma will be expanding to other locations prior to its streaming date with showtimes in Dolby Atmos.

Keeping in tradition for the most part over the last decade, the NYFCC went indie in regards to its best picture choice. Previous indie best pic winners include last year’s Lady Bird from Greta Gerwig, La La Land (2016), Carol (2015), Boyhood (2014), The Artist (2011), The Hurt Locker (2009) and Milk (2008). When it comes to big studio best picture wins, they’ve all belonged to Sony with American Hustle (2013), Zero Dark Thirty (2012) and Social Network (2010)

A24, like Netflix, also counted three wins, with Paul Schrader’s drama First Reformed scoring best screenplay and actor for Ethan Hawke as well as best first film for Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade.

That movie was the first trophy to be announced today 90 minutes into deliberation: In its long wake after premiering at Sundance back in January, Burnham’s middle school opus has already won him the Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director award at the Gothams as well as Breakthrough Actor for Elsie Fisher. Eighth Grade was also named Best Directorial Debut at the National Board of Review earlier this week plus the film has four Independent Spirit nominations for Best Feature, Best Female Lead (Fisher), Best Screenplay (Burnham) and Supporting Male Actor (Josh Hamilton).

Regina Hall is nominated for lead actress role in Support the Girls at the Film Independent Spirit Awards, and was nominated at the Gothams, but she’s a winner here for the Magnolia release at NYFCC.

Meanwhile, Regina King is walking away with another best supporting actress win after her National Board of Review win for If Beale Street Could Talk. She’s also nominated for a best supporting actress at Spirits.

NYFCC followed the Gotham Awards in recognizing Richard E. Grant for his turn in Fox Searchlight’s Can You Ever Forgive Me?; having previously won best actor at that kudos ceremony. He’s also up for a supporting male nom at the Spirits.

NYFCC agreed with NBR from their choice earlier this week and named Pawel Pawlikowski’s Cold War as best foreign film. Pawlikowski won best director at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year for the Amazon release.

Though the organization’s bellwether rate for determining Oscar’s best picture is reportedly over 40%, the last time both AMPAS and NYFCC matched was in the 2011-12 season when they both gave the top prize to Michel Hazanavicius’ Hollywood silent film ode The Artist. Last year NYFCC lauded Lady Bird as best picture which went to score five Oscar nominations, but no wins. While it’s common for many NYFCC winners to continue on as potential Oscar nominees, last year the only category where the group saw eye-to-eye with AMPAS as far as wins go was Disney’s Coco for Best Animated Film. Three years ago, the NYFCC predicted a surprise that no one expected at the Oscars: Mark Rylance taking best supporting actor for Steven Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies.

Here’s this year’s NYFCC wins:

Best Film: Roma (Netflix)

Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón, Roma (Netflix)

Best First Film: Eighth Grade, dir. Bo Burnham (A24)

Best Actor: Ethan Hawke for First Reformed (A24)

Best Actress: Best Actress, Regina Hall, Support the Girls (Magnolia Pictures)

Best Supporting Actor: Richard E. Grant for Fox Searchlight’s Can You Ever Forgive Me? (Fox Searchlight)

Best Supporting Actress: Regina King for If Beale Street Could Talk (Annapurna)

Best Screenplay: First Reformed (Paul Schrader) (A24)

Best Cinematography: Roma, Alfonso Cuaron (Netflix)

Best Foreign Language Film: Cold War (dir. Pawel Pawlikowski) (Amazon)

Best Documentary: Minding the Gap (dir. Bing Liu)

Best Animated Film: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (dirs. Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman)

Special Awards: David Schwartz, Chief Film Curator at Museum of the Moving Image (who will be stepping down after 33 years) and Kino Classics Box Set “Pioneers: First Women Filmmakers.

National Board Of Review Names ‘Green Book’ Best Picture; ‘A Star Is Born’s Bradley Cooper As Best Director

The National Board of Review does it their way when it comes to lauding awards contenders and often isn’t in lockstep with who the ultimate Oscar winner is. Last year, they named Steven Spielberg’s The Post as best picture along with its stars Tom Hanks as best actor and Meryl Streep as best actress. The Post only earned two Oscar noms last year for best picture and Streep and came up empty in regards to wins. The last time NBR synced with AMPAS on best picture was for 2008’s Slumdog Millionaire.

Green Book also took best actor for Viggo Mortensen who plays ‘Tony the Lip’, the driver (and bodyguard) of American pianist Don Shirley as they travel through the South during the divided 1960s South on a concert tour. Today’s news is a ray of sunshine for Green Book as the film has struggled in its first week at 1,000 theaters at the box office making $8.3m. That said, audience exits have been through the roof for the Peter Farrelly-directed period drama with an A+ CinemaScore and four-and-a-half stars. Green Book also surprised many earlier this fall when it took the top prize at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Last year Greta Gerwig took best director at the NBR for Lady Bird. She would get nominated at the Oscars, but AMPAS handed the trophy to Guillermo del Toro for The Shape of Water. The last time NBR and Oscars agreed on best director was the 2006-2007 awards season when they named Martin Scorsese for The Departed. Quite often, in recent NBR millennial history, they’ve lauded notable Hollywood directors like Clint Eastwood (for American Sniper, and Invictus), David Fincher (The Social Network, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and Ridley Scott (The Martian). In addition to Cooper a Best Director, A Star Is Born came up with wins for Lady Gaga as Best Actress and Sam Elliott as Best Supporting Actor.

Also receiving multiple wins was Annapurna’s If Beale Street Could Talk from director Barry Jenkins (who was actually named best director in 2016 for Moonlight by NBR) with Regina King as Best Supporting Actress and Jenkins for Best Screenplay.

BR President Annie Schulhof said in a statement, “We are proud to honor Green Book as our best film – it is a warm and heartfelt look at a remarkable friendship, brought to the screen at a moment where its story of love, compassion, and shared humanity deeply resonates. We are also thrilled to award Bradley Cooper as our best director – he is an extraordinary talent behind the camera, bringing a fresh and modern perspective, as well as superb craftsmanship and tremendous heart, to the classic story of A Star is Born.”

Below is a full list of the National Board of Review’s recipients:

Best Film: GREEN BOOK

Best Director: Bradley Cooper, A STAR IS BORN

Best Actor: Viggo Mortensen, GREEN BOOK

Best Actress: Lady Gaga, A STAR IS BORN

Best Supporting Actor: Sam Elliott, A STAR IS BORN

Best Supporting Actress: Regina King, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK

Best Original Screenplay: Paul Schrader, FIRST REFORMED

Best Adapted Screenplay: Barry Jenkins, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK

Best Animated Feature: INCREDIBLES 2

Breakthrough Performance: Thomasin McKenzie, LEAVE NO TRACE

Best Directorial Debut: Bo Burnham, EIGHTH GRADE

Best Foreign Language Film: COLD WAR

Best Documentary: RBG

Best Ensemble: CRAZY RICH ASIANS

William K. Everson Film History Award: THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND and THEY’LL LOVE ME WHEN I’M DEAD

NBR Freedom of Expression Award: 22 JULY

NBR Freedom of Expression Award: ON HER SHOULDERS

2019 Spirit Award Nominations

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Kayli Carter, PRIVATE LIFE
Tyne Daly, A BREAD FACTORY
Regina King, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK
Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie, LEAVE NO TRACE
J. Smith-Cameron, NANCY.

‘The Good Cop’ Tony Danza-Josh Groban Dramedy Canceled By Netflix After One Season

“The Good Cop will not return for a second season,” Netflix said in a statement to Deadline. “We’re grateful to creator Andy Breckman and his fellow producers, writers, the incredible crew and especially stars Tony Danza and Josh Groban for bringing this classic odd couple father-son story to Netflix.”

The move is not a surprise as the dramedy, from Monk creator Andy Breckman, had not been able to cut through the clutter and make noise since its Sept. 21 debut. It was part of Netflix’s efforts to expand its portfolio with broad-appeal shows.

The Good Cop starred Danza as Tony Sr., a disgraced former NYPD officer who never followed the rules. He lives with his son, Tony Jr., (Groban), an earnest, obsessively honest NYPD detective who makes a point of always following the rules. This “odd couple” become unofficial partners as Tony Sr. offers his overly cautious son blunt, streetwise advice.

This marked the return to series television for Danza who is fielding interest from other shows.

Monica Barbaro played female lead Cara Vasquez, the street-smart and self-assured newest detective on the All-City Homicide Task Force. The actress was recently tapped for a starring role in Top Gun 2.

Isiah Whitlock Jr. and Bill Kottkamp co-starred.

Breckman served as showrunner and executive produces alongside Randy Zisk and Howard Klein. Danza was a producer on the series, which was inspired by an Israeli format.

Jon Bon Jovi slams Kim Kardashian: 'I made a porno and got famous'

The explicit video, featuring Kim and her ex-boyfriend Ray J, was leaked the same year the Kardashians landed their TV series on U.S. network E!

Kim has since become a successful businesswoman, wife and mother of three, but rocker Bon Jovi can’t get past the fact she’s just a sex tape star who got lucky.

“I think it’s horrific that we live in that world and I can tell you I’ve never given 60 seconds of my life, ever, to one of those Housewives of Blah Blah and Kardashians,” he ranted to host Lisa Wilkinson on The Sunday Project. “I don’t know their names, I’ve never watched 60 seconds of the show, it’s not for me.”

The 56-year-old rocker, who has sold over 130 million albums worldwide, added, “What’s gonna be in your autobiography? ‘I made a porno and guess what, I got famous?’ F—, sorry, I’ll pass. Go and write a book, paint a painting, act, study, sing…”

The Bon Jovi frontman also addressed his rift with former sidekick Richie Sambora, who left the group in 2013, telling Wilkinson the guitarist’s problems got the better of him.

“The truth is he didn’t come to a show, and then he never came to see us in five years,” he explained. “There was no falling out. His habits got into the way of him coming to work. And he just didn’t show up.”

The former songwriting partners staged a get together earlier this year, when Bon Jovi were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but both have since made it clear that a proper reunion is unlikely.

Taye Diggs Sued By His Fired Managers Over Unpaid Commissions

The actor’s Deep Down Productions also is a defendant in the suit (read it here) filed today in Los Angeles Superior Court. Authentic says it is owed “substantial sums of money” and that “these sums continue to accrue.” “Plaintiff has made repeated efforts to obtain payment from Diggs in order to avoid litigation,” the suit says. “Regrettably, however, Diggs has failed and refused to abide by his obligations hereunder and to tender commissions and post-termination commissions and other payments due and owing Plaintiff.”

The filing says Diggs hired Authentic to manage his career in June 2015 and that Authentic performed “exemplary” services until he fired the firm in late July. “Diggs has wrongfully failed and refused to abide by his legal obligations to pay Plaintiff commissions in connection with the numerous deals and employment obtained during the parties’ management relationship, including but not limited to the following: the All American, Beauty and the Beast, Crossovers, 25 Words or Less and [multiple] endorsement deals.”

The suit seeks unspecified damages and declaratory relief. Attorneys Mathew Rosengart and Michael Neighbors of Greenberg Traurig LLP in Los Angeles are representing Authentic in the suit.

Why Taye Diggs is unsure if he’ll ever get married again

The actor — who split from Idina Menzel in 2014, and stars as a married man on CW’s “All American” — told us, “I have moments of wanting to be married again even without the show. Just watching couples; I liked being coupled up. I want to be boo’d up at some point.”

But, he added, “I don’t know if it will happen.”

Menzel remarried last year, to “Rent” co-star Aaron Lohr.

But Diggs told us that his 9-year-old son, Walker, has other ideas.

“Walker told me he wants me to chill out for a minute,” the actor said. “I am right out of a relationship. So when I got out of it, he said that this was good to have me back.”

Meanwhile, he told us that it’s sometimes a struggle bringing up Walker because Diggs didn’t grow up with parents who had a Hollywood-size bank account.

“I am first-generation wealthy, 100 percent, so I have no experience when raising my son,” he said. “All I have to fall back on is the way I was raised. My son is in a completely different setting. I can’t raise him based on my childhood.”

‘Black Monday’: First-Look Teaser For Showtime’s Wall Street Comedy Starring Don Cheadle, Andrew Rannells & Regina Hall

Written by creators David Caspe and Jordan Cahan and originally titled Ball Street, Black Monday takes us back to October 19, 1987. No one ever really knew who caused it — until now. The series shows how a group of outsiders took on the Street’s blueblood, old-boys club and ended up crashing the world’s largest financial system, along with a few other things.

In his second lead role in a Showtime comedy set in the world of high finance, House of Lies alum Don Cheadle stars as Rod “The Jammer” Jaminski, a self-educated, self-made, self-destructive master of the universe whose firm the financial press called, “The L.A. Raiders of corporate raiders.” Rannells is Blair Shmerman, a fresh-out-of-Wharton trading prodigy whose pure heart struggles to survive Wall Street, and Regina Hall plays Jammer’s top lieutenant, Dawn Darcy, the first female head trader on the street, who rides the second wave of feminism through a sea of horny millionaires.

Paul Scheer, Yassir Lester, Michael James Scott and Eugene Cordero co-star in the series, and Ken Marino and Kurt Braunohler are guest stars. Set Rogen and Evan Goldberg directed the pilot and exec produce with Caspe and Cahan. Showtime will bow the 10-episode series in early January. Until then, check out the first footage — set to the decided not-period-specific tones on Kids See Ghosts’ “Freeee” — and tell us if your money is on Black Monday.

Greg Berlanti Assembles Star Cast For Charity ‘Terms of Endearment’ Reading

Presented by Berlanti Productions and Supergirl co-showrunner Jessica Queller, the reading will feature Supergirl’s Melissa Benoist Calista Flockhart and Chris Wood as well as Alfred Molina (The Front Runner, Spider-Man 2), Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick, Silicon Valley), Constance Wu (Crazy Rich Asians, Fresh Off The Boat), Willie Garson (White Collar), Kate Burton (Scandal) and Italia Ricci (Designated Survivor).

Berlanti and Queller are doing the event to honor the memory of their mothers who both died of cancer.

Berlanti’s mom passed away just over a year ago. “Throughout the time that she was sick she was always commenting, marveling at all the individuals who had to go through the sickness alone,” Berlanti said. He knew quickly after her death that he wanted to do something to help others battling cancer “to stay close to her and her memory.”

The idea for a reading came during a dinner Berlanti had with Supergirl stars Benoist and Wood who told him that they sometimes read plays together in their spare time. Berlanti asked them whether they would do it for a cause, and both were in right away. Benoist then texted Supergirl co-star Flockhart who also immediately came on board.

Berlanti knew Queller’s story and approached her about teaming up on the project.

Tomorrow will mark 15 years since Queller lost her mom to ovarian cancer after she had beaten breast cancer.

“My life has been completely colored by my loss,” said Queller who herself has the Breast Cancer gene mutation and has dedicated herself to helping educate young women about the disease and prevention.

Berlanti and Queller were looking at possible plays to do a reading of when the director they’d brought in, Gordon Greenberg, suggested doing a screenplay instead.

The Oscar-winning Terms of Endearment was an obvious choice.

“It’s a timeless story about a parent-child relationship, and it’s dealing with cancer — we felt it was a great way to honor those who lost and those who are still fighting,” said Berlanti, noting that the film’s writer-director-producer, James L. Brooks and studio, Paramount Pictures, have both been gracious, giving their blessing for the reading. The original cast featured Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger, Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito and John Lithgow.

All proceeds from the fundraiser will benefit Stand Up To Cancer and Geffen Playhouse’s New Play Development Program. You can find more information on the event and get tickets here.

Dean Norris, Gil Bellows, Lorraine Toussaint Join ‘Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark’

Currently in production, the pic follows a group of teens who must solve the mystery surrounding a wave of spectacularly horrific deaths in their small town.

The three join previously announced Zoe Colletti, Michael Garza, Austin Abrams, Gabriel Rush, Austin Zajur, and Natalie Ganzhorn.

“Lorraine, Gil, and Dean are exceptionally talented actors who also happen to be game for all of the creepy madness that this film entails,” said Øvredal. “We are thrilled to have them aboard our macabre little train.”

Sean Daniel and Jason Brown of Hivemind, J. Miles Dale, and Elizabeth Grave are also producing. Mark Ross and Alex Ginno are overseeing the project for CBS Films, which will distribute the film in the US as part of its ongoing partnership with Lionsgate.

Norris is repped by CAA and Industry Entertainment; Bellows by PTM, Untitled Entertainment, Verve, and attorney Jeff Bernstein; Toussaint by Innovative Artists and Frontline Management.

James Marsden Is Heading to Netflix for a Dark Comedy Series

The show, which is apparently being dubbed a comedic Big Little Lies (I'd argue Big Little Lies was plenty funny already), has been picked up for a 10-episode first season. It centers on Jen (Applegate), a widow who develops an unexpected friendship with a "free-spirit with a shocking secret" named Judy (Cardellini). Asner plays an elderly man living in the assisted living facility where Applegate's character works, while Marsden will step in as Judy's love interest who is drawn to her free-spirit ways.

But Marsden's casting could potentially create some interesting complications for Westworld Season 3. His character Teddy committed suicide at the end of Season 2, but because of the nature of the show, there was no real reason to assume the actor wouldn't return for the next round of rebellion. Maybe we truly have seen the last of Teddy? Of course, we have to remember that Westworld tends to have an extended pre-production period, so it is possible that Marsden could film Dead to Me in his hiatus.

Dead to Me is also executive-produced by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay.

Christopher Walken & Christina Ricci To Topline Anti-GMO Indie ‘Percy’

The film, based on events from a 1998 lawsuit, follows small-town Saskatchewan farmer (Walken) who challenges major conglomerate when the company’s genetically modified (GMO) canola is discovered in the 70-year-old farmer’s crop. As he speaks out against the company’s business practices, he realizes he is representing thousands of other disenfranchised farmers around the world fighting the same battle. Suddenly, he becomes an unsuspecting folk hero in a desperate war to protect farmers’ rights and the world’s food supply against what they see as corporate greed. Ricci will play anti-GMO activist Rebecca Salcau.

Additional casting includes Roberta Maxwell as Percy’s wife; Adam Beach as Percy’s neighbor, Alton Kelly; Luke Kirby as Percy’s son; Martin Donovan as the conglomerate’s lead lawyer, Rick Aarons; Peter Stebbings as Rebecca’s NGO boss.

Scythia Films’ Daniel Bekerman, Ian Dimerman, Brendon Sawatzky, Pryor, and Miller are producing the feature, which will also shoot in India.

Ethan Lazar, William Santor, Andrew Chang-Sang, and Kevin Hoiseth will serve as exec producers.

Walken and Ricci are both repped by ICM Partners, while Ricci is also a client of Untitled Entertainment. Johnson is repped by UTA.

‘Whiskey Cavalier’: Josh Hopkins Named Series Regular On New ABC Dramedy

Written by Hemingson, Whiskey Cavalier, from WBTV and Lawrence’s studio-based Doozer Prods., follows the adventures of FBI agent Will Chase (codename: Whiskey Cavalier) — played by Foley — who, following an emotional break-up, is assigned to work with quick, cunning and completely fearless CIA operative Francesca “Frankie” Trowbridge (codename: Fiery Tribune) — played by Cohan. Together, they lead an interagency team of spies who periodically save the world (and each other) while navigating the rocky roads of friendship, romance and office politics.

Hopkins plays Ray Prince, a charmingly roguish FBI agent who has a complicated relationship with his former partner, Agent Will Chase (Scott Foley).

In addition to Foley and Cohan, he joins Ana Ortiz, Tyler James and Vir Das.

Hemingson executive produces alongside Doozer’s Lawrence and Jeff Ingold; Foley is a producer.

Whiskey Cavalier is Hopkins first series regular role since he played FBI agent Liam O’Connor in the first season of ABC’s Quantico. Before that, he starred opposite Courteney Cox in the long-running comedy series Cougar Town. He’ll next be seen in a recurring role on the third season of HBO’s True Detective and in a starring role in the film Crown Vic alongside Thomas Jane and Luke Kleintank. He’s repped by Gersh and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.

Terms of Endearment starring @MelissaBenoist, #CalistaFlockhart & @ChristophrWood

Celeb Family Feud: Jeff Dunham vs. Ming-Na Wen and Taye Diggs vs. Caroline Rhea (9/6)

Steve Harvey, the highly popular stand-up comedian, actor, author and Emmy® Award-winning game show host, will pit celebrities and their families against each other in a contest to name the most popular responses to a survey-type question posed to 100 people.

The celebrity teams who will try to guess what the “survey said” are the following:

Jeff Dunham – comedian and ventriloquist; playing for Baby2Baby

Kenna Dunham – daughter
Ashlyn Dunham – daughter
Bree Dunham Hemphill – daughter
Audrey Dunham – wife

VERSUS

Ming-Na Wen – actress known for “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” and “Mulan”; playing for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals

Eric Zee – husband
Michaela Zee – daughter
Lang Yee – brother
Juliet Silva – sister-in-law

In another game of “Celebrity Family Feud,” the two contesting teams are the following:

Taye Diggs – actor; playing for FosterMore

Marcia Berry – mother
Christian Diggs – sister
Gabriel Diggs – brother
Shalom Israel Diggs – sister

VERSUS

Caroline Rhea – actress known for “Caroline and Friends”; playing for Hopeland

Cynthia Rhea – sister
Celia Rhea – sister
William Woods – nephew
Robert Woods – nephew

Hayden Panettiere and New Boyfriend Brian Hickerson Enjoy a Date Night at Movie Premiere

The Nashville star and her new boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, enjoyed a night out on the town when they went to the Los Angeles premiere for the film Breaking and Exiting. Hayden could hardly contain her joy on their date night, with a source telling E! News, "Hayden was non-stop glowing with excitement. She looked really happy in general, and her and Brian were very cute while sitting together."

Just two weeks ago, news broke of the actress' split from former boxer Wladimir Klitschko, after which she promptly started dating the aspiring actor. But an insider says, "She definitely was not trying to hide the fact that she has a new boyfriend, and it seemed like everyone in her group of friends got along with him as well."

That being said, the source added, "They were not over-the-top affectionate, but everyone could tell they were a couple."

During the screening of the movie, "Her and Brian were sitting with a group of friends in the back of the theatre and she was laughing, smiling together."

Afterwards, the duo and their friends headed over to HYDE Sunset for the film's after party. With Hickerson by her side, Panettiere chatted and posed for pictures with the movie's director, Peter Facinelli, before introducing her beau to other party attendees. The source said, "Hayden was very social and was in a great mood."

Her positive attitude following her breakup from her boyfriend of nine years is no surprise considering the fact that the 28-year-old and her ex split amicably. "Hayden and Wladimir are on great terms and friendly. They are a big part of each other's lives and will continue to be. Hayden is back in Los Angeles and figuring out what's next," a source previously told E! News.

Meanwhile, the insider says her 3-year-old daughter, Kaya, is staying "with her dad and his family in Europe and Florida. They also spend time together as a family with Hayden."

Teen Choice Award Winners

Hayden Panettiere selling home amid Wladimir split rumors

Located in the fancy Green Hills neighborhood, the house was built in 2012 and is relatively modest by celeb standards. Just under 5,000 square feet, it has four bedrooms and five bathrooms. What it lacks in grand spaces it makes up for with a show-stopping interior. Each room is uniquely styled — and could appear right at home on a Hollywood set or a Pinterest board.

According to a recent tour of the house provided by Panettiere, the dining room was designed with the motif of being underwater, topped with a light fixture that looks like a sea urchin. Another highlight is daughter Kaya’s paisley and pink room.

The house has the latest smart features, including iPad-controlled functions and Lutron lighting and audio. There’s also plenty of luxe amenities such as a heated pool and spa, sauna and fitness rooms.

Panettiere appears to be in a period of flux. Her show “Nashville” just aired its finale last month. She’s also rumored to be splitting with her fiance, Ukranian boxer Wladimir Klitschko, who’s Kaya’s father. E! recently reported a sighting of Panettiere with aspiring actor Brian Hickerson around Los Angeles.

“Think there are a lot of changes going on in her life. But I think they’re positive changes. And I think that she’s taking some time,” her mom, Lesley Vogel, told Radar, confirming Panettiere’s split from Klitschko.

Hayden Panettiere splits from boxer fiance

The Nashville actress’ mother Lesley Vogel confirmed the news in an exclusive interview with Radar.

“Think there are a lot of changes going on in her life. But I think they’re positive changes. And I think that she’s taking some time,” Vogel told Radar.

Vogel also said her daughter, 28, has been taking a “break” from working after her hit show Nashville recently ended after six years.

Amid the split and her show ending, Panettiere has relocated from Nashville to her native Los Angeles, Vogel confirmed.

Panettiere and boxer Klitschko, 42, are still on good terms, and recently took a trip together with their daughter Kaya, 3.

“She just was in Greece with Wlad and her daughter,” Vogel said.

Radar can confirm that fans spotted the former couple together in Greece on July 30.

The co-parents also vacationed together in Barbados earlier this year.

The exes started dating in 2009, and announced their engagement in 2013 — but never tied the knot.

He stood by her through two bouts of rehab for her battle with postpartum depression.

Fortunately, “I think she is in a very good place,” Vogel assured.

Christina Ricci & Jane Krakowski on Match Game

Netflix released the first trailer for the Danza/Josh Groban cop dramedy — which you can watch above — where the former Who’s the Boss star plays Big Tony, a self-described “naughty cop” who barges back into the life of his straight-laced cop son TJ, played by Groban. Dad waltzes in unannounced at a homicide crime scene TJ is working… and brings his much younger girlfriend along to gawk at the body, too.

TJ isn’t exactly thrilled to spend quality time with his pops. When Big Tony crows that he taught his son everything he knows, TJ adds: “Except right from wrong! That, I learned on my own.” Big Tony is a big hit with his former colleagues, though, and he only has the best intentions for his son. He even gets TJ a speaking slot on an ethics panel… by slipping somebody 50 bucks.

The Good Cop — from Monk creator Andy Breckman — debuts on Friday, Sept. 21 on Netflix.

Christina Ricci & Jane Krakowski on Match Game

Celebrity panelists for June 28:
Jack McBrayer (“30 Rock”; “Wreck-It Ralph”; “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”)
Jenifer Lewis (“black-ish”; author “The Mother of Black Hollywood”)
James Van Der Beek (“Pose”)
Ellie Kemper (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”)
Anthony Anderson (“black-ish”; host, “To Tell the Truth”)
Kate Flannery (“The Office”; “All Night”)

Joining the celebrity panelists are contestants Star Mitchell (hometown: Akron, Ohio), Amanda Morris (hometown: Merrimack, New Hampshire), Chris Capuano (hometown: Queens, New York) and Kristy D’Amelio (hometown: Sparta, New Jersey).

Executive producers include Alec Baldwin, FMNA’s Jennifer Mullin, Scott St. John and Mallory Schwartz.

Taye Diggs on The 100,000 Pyramid

This week’s hour-long episode features two separate celebrity couples. First up, Leslie Jones (“Saturday Night Live”) competes against actor Taye Diggs. Next, the stars of “Barely Famous,” Sara and Erin Foster, compete with hopes of making it to the winner’s circle and the ultimate prize of $100,000.

“The $100,000 Pyramid” is the timeless word association game in which two celebrities and their partners face off in a race against the clock to make it to the winner’s circle and take home $100,000. “Good Morning America”’s Michel Strahan hosts “The $100,000 Pyramid.”

Why Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi love divorce rumors

“The divorce rumors came and then we really knew the perceptions had changed,” the actress, 45, told Us Weekly on Wednesday. “I’m not kidding. I know it sounds ridiculous, but when that started happening I thought, ‘Oh, now we’re finally accepted.’ We get the same s–t as every celebrity couple.”

“I thought, ‘Wow, this is great that I’m pregnant, not pregnant, divorced, not divorced,’ whatever,” she continued. “That means there is an acceptance for this.”

The “Arrested Development” star and DeGeneres tied the knot in 2008 and have been going strong ever since.

Still, despite not minding being the subject of the occasional tall tale, it doesn’t mean the ladies are thrilled with gossip culture as a whole, especially since so much of what they read is inaccurate.

“I was at a newsstand … and there was a cover of Brad [Pitt] and Jen [Aniston]. I literally just stared at it, and I was like, ‘They haven’t seen each other,’ ” de Rossi scoffed. “‘How is this even a thing? I know for a fact.’ I actually took a picture of it and sent it to Ellen and said, ‘Can you believe this?’ … We avoid it. We don’t care.”

De Niro, Lupita and Pink among 2019 Hollywood Walk of Fame honorees

For film honors, Alan Arkin, Kristen Bell, Daniel Craig, Robert De Niro, Guillermo del Toro, Anne Hathaway, Lupita Nyong’o, Tyler Perry and Gena Rowlands were selected.

In the television category, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Candice Bergen, Guy Fieri, Terrence Howard, Stacy Keach, Sid and Marty Krofft, Lucy Liu, Mandy Moore, Dianne Wiest and Julia Child (posthumously) will receive stars along Hollywood Boulevard.

Recipients in the recording group include Michael Bublé, Cypress Hill, the Lettermen, Faith Hill, Tommy Mottola, Pink and Teddy Riley. Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris will also receive a star together for “Trio,” and Jackie Wilson will be honored posthumously.

Idina Menzel, Cedric the Entertainer, Judith Light and Paul Sorvino will be recognized in the live theater/live performance category.

Television producer and Walk of Famer himself Vin Di Bona, chair of the Walk of Fame Selection Committee this year, revealed the honorees with Leron Gubler, president and CEO for the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce as well as the emcee of the Walk of Fame ceremonies.

“The Committee always tries to select a group of talented honorees that appeal in various genres of the entertainment world,” Di Bona said. “I feel the Committee has outdone themselves and I know the fans, tourists and the Hollywood community will be pleased with our selections. We are excited to see each and every honoree’s face as they unveil that majestic star on Hollywood’s most famous walkway.”

Dates have not yet been scheduled for the star ceremonies.

Christina Ricci, John Cusack Make Virtual Reality Debut In 360 Degree Experience For Film ‘Distorted’

The thriller is just the latest film to have done this and for Ricci and Cusack, it’s their VR debuts. Although this is not the first film to get this kind of treatment, you gotta wonder, how does this all physically work with actors and crew?

Well, first off, the VR portion was shot immediately after director Rob King filmed the live-action portion. The actors, which also included Brendan Fletcher, then re-shot for the VR camera and with more dialogue.

How do you film in 360 degrees with a full crew? “Sometimes it’s a challenge. You do have to hide the crew because the audience can see everything and everywhere,” said one of the VR producers Travis Cloyd. “You have to make sure everyone is hidden so we have people hiding behind walls and whatever our natural sets allow.”

Cloyd said they used 16, synchronized GoPro Hero4s filmed with the GoPro Odyssey and under Jump, which is Google’s professional VR video program.

The result is pretty darn cool. If you click here and above, you will be able to move the entire trailer around 360 degrees.

Cloyd has shot multiple films the 360 format, including The Recall with Wesley Snipes and The Humanity Bureau with Nicolas Cage. “I feel like it’s an amazing vertical and opportunity for anyone in this medium because it’s the first time in 100 years that the canvas has changed. With the 360 degree format, you can tell more stories and more of the story.”

The VR experience was written and directed by King (the live-action director) and produced by Josh Courtney, Cloyd, Kevin DeWalt, Danielle Masters and Rob Bryanton.

Distorted Reality is a 10-minute film that is going to be distributed through OneTouch VR on Google Daydream, Oculus Go and Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR, and iOs. It will also be available in stereo 3D on various platforms like the Littlstar app on Sony’s’ Playstation VR.

“We’re excited to be one of the only groups facilitating A-list film star debuts in VR, and we hope that others will follow,” said Cloyd, who would not comment on the budget other to say, “it was done at a very good price.”

Bridgegate Pictures Corp., Invico Capital and Talking Dog Studios also brought the VR portion to life and it was made possible through the Creative Saskatchewan Screen-Based Media Production Grant Program with participation of the Province of British Columbia Production Services Tax Credit Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit.

Lucy Liu, Thomas Sadoski To Star In ‘The Last Weekend In May’ For Director Matthew Lillard

Producing the feature film is Gabriela Revilla Lugo (The Tribes of Palos Verdes) of Revek Entertainment and Andrew Carlberg (Sun Dogs). Ellen Wander of Film Bridge International will handle financing and worldwide rights to the film.

The film will start production early next year in Liu’s hiatus from the popular CBS TV series Elementary.

Scripted by Jeffrey W. Ruggles, The Last Weekend in May tells the story of Paul and Leah, two people caught in the throes of an extramarital affair. Knowing that the situation is untenable, they decide to rent a house and turn their backs on “real life” one last time before they call it quits. As the weekend progresses, Paul reveals, unbeknownst to Leah, he has left his wife, rented a home and started his life new. His plan for the weekend was to convince Leah, she should do the same so they can build a future together. No decision is easy when love is in mix, and Leah wrestles with her love for Paul and the potential of their life together vs. the husband she has now.

“We are so thrilled to bring this special and intimate story to life alongside such an amazing and talented group of creatives” stated Lugo and Carlberg in a statement.

Liu’s other credits include The Man With The Iron Fists (co-starring Russell Crowe, directed by THE RZA), Charlie’s Angels and Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2, Lucky Number Slevin as well as the Oscar winning Chicago.

She can next be seen in Set It Up, which co-stars Taye Diggs, Glenn Powell and Zoey Deutch and directed by Claire Scanlon which streams this summer on Netflix.

Sadoski currently stars on the hit CBS comedy series Life in Pieces and portrayed the role of Don Keefer on HBO’s Aaron Sorkin series The Newsroom. But the previously Emmy-nominated actor (Reasons to Be Pretty) has a number of other television and film credits. Those include the NBC mini-series The Slap as well as the features The Last Word, John Wick: Chapter Two, I Smile Back, Wild with Reese Witherspoon, to name a few. He will next star in the independent comedy Mimic, which also co-stars Jake Robinson, Gina Gershon and Jessica Walter.

Lillard, of course, is a veteran of both stage and screen (SL Punk!, Ed Burn’s The Groomsmen, and Alexander Payne’s The Descendants, Scooby-Doo, and the cult horror franchise Scream). His directorial debut was Fat Kid Rules the World.

He has recently worked on the Amazon show Bosch and Showtime’s Twin Peaks, and is currently working on the new NBC drama Good Girls.

Gabriela Revilla Lugo is a producer of Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash, which won the Sundance Jury Selection award and took home several Academy Awards. Lugo also produced Warner Bros. and Blumhouse’s, The Gallows. She oversaw Summer Forever, helmed by director Roman White, which was distributed by Disney’s Makers Studio.

In 2016, Lugo was the executive producer of The Tribes of Palos Verdes, staring Jennifer Garner as well as Forest Whitaker, and Tom Wilkinson’s Burden, (both produced by Robbie Brenner of The Dallas Buyers Club). Recently, Lugo was executive producer on the indie Saint Judy staring Michelle Monaghan, Common, Alfred Molina, and Alfre Woodard.

Carlberg is an award-winning feature film, television, new media, Broadway and Los Angeles stage producer who recently produced the film Sun Dogs, which marked the feature directorial debut of Jennifer Morrison and premiered at the 2017 Los Angeles Film Festival; it was released on Netflix in April 2018. Other recent and upcoming film work includes the 2018 Official Sundance Selection The Blazing World and the feature film Accommodations, premiering this month.

Liu is repped by ICM, Framework Entertainment, and Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham. Sadoski is repped by UTA and Industry Entertainment. Lillard is repped by Paradigm, and Linings Entertainment. Carlberg is repped by Nelson Davis. Lugo is repped by UTA.

Black Monday: '80s Wall Street Satire Starring Don Cheadle, Andrew Rannells and Regina Hall Snags 10-Episode Showtime Series Order

The project — which was previously titled Ball Street — promises to answer the decades-old question: What caused the worst stock market crash in the history of Wall Street on October 19, 1987? Per the logline, “It’s the story of how a group of outsiders took on the blue-blood, old-boys club of Wall Street and ended up crashing the world’s largest financial system, a Lamborghini limousine, Don Henley’s birthday party and the glass ceiling.”

Happy Endings creator David Caspe and frequent collaborator Jordan Cahan (Marry Me) serve as EPs and showrunners. Preacher duo Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg are also EPs.

The cast also includes Paul Scheer (The League), Yassir Lester (Making History), Michael James Scott (Aladdin on Broadway) and Eugene Cordero (Kong: Skull Island),. Happy Endings‘ Casey Wilson and Wet Hot American Summer‘s Ken Marino will recur.

“Black Monday is a scathing comic commentary on the excess of the ’80s,” Showtime president David Nevins said. “Don, Andrew and Regina lead a hilarious cast that takes on blue-blooded Wall Street as the Bad News Bears of Wall Street trading firms.”

Family Feud: Jeff Dunham vs. Ming-Na Wen and Taye Diggs vs. Caroline Rhea (7/8)

Steve Harvey, the highly popular stand-up comedian, actor, author and Emmy® Award-winning game show host, will pit celebrities and their families against each other in a contest to name the most popular responses to a survey-type question posed to 100 people.

The celebrity teams who will try to guess what the “survey said” are:

Jeff Dunham – comedian and ventriloquist; playing for Baby2Baby

Makenna Paige Dunham – daughter
Ashlyn Evelyn Dunham – daughter
Bree Dunham Hemphill – daughter
Audrey Elena Dunham – wife

VERSUS

Ming-Na Wen – actress known for “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” and “Mulan”; playing for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals

Eric Zee – husband
Michaela Zee – daughter
Lang Yee – brother
Juliet Silva – sister-in-law

In another game of “Celebrity Family Feud,” the two contesting teams are:

Taye Diggs – actor; playing for FosterMore

Marcia Berry – mother
Christian Diggs – sister
Gabriel Diggs – brother
Shalom Israel Diggs – sister

VERSUS

Caroline Rhea – actress known for “Caroline and Friends”; playing for Hopeland

Cynthia Rhea – sister
Celia Rhea – sister
William Woods – nephew
Robert Woods – nephew.

Taye Diggs: I was wrongly fired for stealing from an ice cream parlor

Diggs, who stars in the comedy “Set It Up,” told Page Six: “I got fired from this ice cream place in Rochester, [NY].”

He added at the Netflix premiere, “[The owners] said I stole money from them. They knew I didn’t, but they fired me anyway. I wish I could remember their names. I was on the register and they blamed it on me.”

He fumed, “Damn, you made me mad just now!”

Taye Diggs’ son doesn’t want him to have a girlfriend

But Taye Diggs says his relationship with his and ex-wife Idina Menzel‘s 8-year-old son, Walker, is really unique.

“He is now getting kind of more candid and honest,” Diggs, 47, told People. “He said the other day that he doesn’t want me to have a girlfriend. He said, ‘I want you to myself.’”

“Then he said, ‘Is that okay to say dad?’” the actor recalled. “I was like, ‘Yeah man! I want you to be able to tell me anything. Okay I get that.’”

Diggs and Menzel, 47, split in 2014 after 11 years of marriage. In 2017, Menzel remarried to Aaron Lohr.

Kimmy Schmidt's Final Episodes

The show’s last six episodes may be followed up by a movie to wrap up any loose ends, it was reported earlier this month.

The first half of Kimmy‘s fourth season hit the streaming service on Wednesday.

Arrested Development Season 5

Portia De Rossi confirms she's quit acting on 'Ellen'

The Australian actress rose to fame after landing the role of Nelle Porter in legal drama series Ally McBeal and later appeared in TV shows such as Arrested Development, Nip/Tuck and Scandal.

While Portia will be seen in five episodes of the upcoming season five of Arrested Development, she disclosed during an interview with her wife on her TV show The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Wednesday that she would no longer be concentrating on her Hollywood career.

“You aren’t a big fan of doing press and talk shows, so thank you for being here,” Ellen told her spouse of nearly 10 years. “She really doesn’t. That’s why she actually quit acting. She decided you didn’t want to do anything more with acting and got off of Scandal.”

Portia then went on to explain that she made the decision about a year and a half ago, when Shonda Rhimes decided to cut her character from political thriller series Scandal.

“I was approaching 45 and I was just wondering was there something that I could tackle now that I’ve never done before that would be very challenging and different. I kind of knew what acting would look like for me for the next 10, 20 years, so I decided to quit and start a business,” the star shared, adding that while she tried to explain her decision to Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurwitz at the time, he had other plans for her.

“I called Mitch Hurwitz, who is the creator of Arrested Development, and I said, ‘If there’s a season five, I won’t be doing it because I quit acting.’ And he seemed really understanding and he totally got it – we had a great conversation. And then he wrote me into five episodes! Don’t know how it happened.”

Portia is now focusing on developing her new business, an art venture named General Public, in which she collaborates with artists to create their original works as Synographs, or textured prints, and sells them online direct to consumers.

‘Westworld’ star James Marsden talks ‘scary and sad’ divorce

“Being a white male, you’re born with certain unearned privileges,” he told Men’s Health. “My life hasn’t been filled with sorrow and deep struggle. When the divorce happened, it was the first time I felt I lost my equilibrium.”

The “Westworld” actor married Linde in 2000, but they divorced in 2011 citing irreconcilable differences. They share two children together, a boy and a girl.

“It was scary and sad and made me pull everything into focus,” Marsden said. “I needed to focus on what was important.”

As hard as the experience may have been, there was also a lot to be gained from it.

“I know regrets can be a catalyst for good things,” he said. “Not to talk like a Hallmark card, but it’s true.”

Marsden eventually moved on with Rose Costa, with whom he shares a son. He’s currently dating British singer Edei.

Robert Downey Jr. To Topline A.I. Docuseries For YouTube

Downey Jr. will host and narrate the Untitled A.I. Series, which will feature researchers and leading experts in science, philosophy, technology, engineering, medicine, futurism, entertainment and the arts sharing their perspectives on A.I. The series will explore the impact of A.I. and how it is transforming the way we live and work — both now and in the future.

The Downeys will executive produce with Team Downey’s Emily Ford. The production company’s Evan Moore will oversee the project. Sonar’s Jenna Santoianni and Tom Lesinski also will executive produce. Network Entertainment’s Derik Murray and Paul Gertz will produce the series.

“We are excited to be in business with the smart creative minds behind this innovative new series,” said Susanne Daniels, Global Head of Original Content, YouTube. “There is so much to discover, and this series will take us on a fascinating journey as we explore the exciting developments in the world of A.I. and glimpse into the future.”

“Robert and I share a curiosity for A.I., a complicated and often polarizing subject. Our aim is to explore A.I. through a lens of objectivity and accessibility, in a thoroughly bold, splashy, and entertaining way. We’re thrilled to bring this project to life along with Network Entertainment, Sonar, and YouTube Red,” said Susan Downey.

Downey is represented by CAA and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush & Kaller, L.L.P. Network Entertainment is repped by UTA.

Obie Awards Set Andrew Garfield, Laura Benanti, Lucy Liu, Matthew Broderick As Presenters

This year’s presenters include Academy Award and two-time Tony Award nominee Andrew Garfield, Emmy Award nominee Lucy Liu, as well as two-time Tony Award and Obie Award winner Matthew Broderick. Other presenters include Oliver Platt, Laura Benanti, Laura Osnes, Beth Malone, David Morse, Itamar Moses, Arian Moayed, William Ivey Long, Natasha Katz, David Henry Hwang, David Zinn, Emilio Sosa, Lilli Cooper, and Pixie Aventura. Hitchens and Barbey will also present along with Chair of the Obie Judges Michael Feingold.

Emmy and Obie-winning actor John Leguizamo will serve as this year’s Obie Awards. Tony Award-nominated and three-time Obie Award-winning actress Kathleen Chalfant will receive a special Obie Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Elementary Renewed at CBS

CBS has renewed the long-running drama Elementary for Season 7.

The show kicked off Season 6 just two weeks ago. Its opener drew 4.7 million viewers and an 0.6 demo rating — up slightly from its Season 5 finale. Although far from a ratings powerhouse, the show is a a huge international player for CBS.

The sixth season is currently airing Mondays at 10/9c.

Netflix Lands Stephen King & Joe Hill Novella ‘In The Tall Grass’ With James Marsden, Helmer Vincenzo Natali

The logline: after hearing a young boy’s cry for help, a sister and brother venture into a vast field of grass in Kansas but soon discover that there may be no way out.

The film will be produced by Splice‘s Steve Hoban, Jimmy Miller at Mosaic, and M. Riley. Miller and Riley produced The Lazarus Effect.

The film will begin production this summer in Toronto. This becomes the third Netflix film with the horror maestro King, following Gerald’s Game and 1922.

Paradigm reps King and negotiated on behalf of the producers. Natali and Marsden are repped by CAA. Mardsen is also repped by Authentic.

‘True Detective’: Josh Hopkins, Jodi Balfour Set To Recur In Season 3 Of HBO Series

Starring Mahershala Ali, Carmen Ejogo, Stephen Dorff, Scoot McNairy, Mamie Gummer and Ray Fisher, the next installment tells the story of a macabre crime in the heart of the Ozarks, and a mystery that deepens over decades and plays out in three separate time periods.

Hopkins will play Jim Dobkins, a private attorney in Fayetteville, Arkansas involved in deposing state police detectives in an ongoing investigation. Balfour will play Lori, long-term love interest to Det. Roland West. Chavis will play Wayne Hays’ (Ali) son at age 9.

They join previously announced recurring cast Michael Greyeyes, Jon Tenney, Rhys Wakefield, Sarah Gadon, Emily Nelson, Brandon Flynn and Michael Graziadei.

As with the breakout original installment of True Detective, Pizzolatto is the sole writer of the third season with the exception of Episode 4, which he co-wrote with David Milch. Daniel Sackheim directs alongside Pizzolatto, who will make his directorial debut. Jeremy Saulnier directed the first two episodes.

Pizzolatto, who also serves as showrunner, executive produces with Saulnier and returning executive producers Scott Stephens; Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, who toplined Season 1; Cary Joji Fukunaga, who directed Season 1; along with Scott Stephens, Steve Golin, Bard Dorros and Richard Brown.

Hopkins played the series regular role of Liam O’Connor in the first season of ABC’s Quantico and before that starred as Grayson Ellis in Cougar Town. He’s repped by Gersh and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.

Balfour, who received critical praise for her guest role as Jackie Kennedy in Netflix’s The Crown, currently stars as the female lead in BBC1/Cinemax limited series Rellik opposite Richard Dormer. She’s repped by APA, Sanders Armstrong Caserta Management and Gang, Tyre, Ramer & Brown.

Chavis recurs as Randall in NBC’s breakout drama This Is Us and played Trevor in White Famous, among other credits. He’s repped by Randy James Management and Eris Talent Agency.

Robert Downey Jr. set to reprise role in 'Sherlock Holmes 3'

The studio said Monday that Robert Downey Jr. will reprise his role as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famed detective alongside Jude Law as his counterpart Watson.

“Sherlock Homes” was a box office hit for the studio when it was released in 2009, just one year after Downey Jr. also made his debut as Iron Man. A sequel quickly followed in 2011. Combined, the first two films grossed north of $1 billion. Both were directed by Guy Ritchie.

A director has yet to be announced for “Sherlock Holmes 3,” however. The film is dated for a Christmas 2020 release.

Kimmy Schmidt Ending With Season 4; Finale Movie in the Works — Report

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt will end its run on Netflix after its fourth season, TVLine’s sister site Deadline reports, with a finale movie in the works to wrap up any loose ends.

The movie will reportedly be written by Kimmy co-creators Tina Fey and Robert Carlock following production on Season 4, which releases its first six (of 13) episodes on Wednesday, May 30. (The second half arrives later this year.)

TVLine has reached out to Netflix for comment.

Are you ready to say goodbye to Kimmy and the gang (keeping in mind that you still have a season and a potential movie left to enjoy)?

Kimmy Schmidt Gets a New Job (and Song!) in Season 4 Premiere — Watch

Netflix has released a first look at the opening minutes of the comedy’s Season 4 premiere (debuting Wednesday, May 30), and in it, Ellie Kemper’s Kimmy is starting her first day at work to the tune of an energetic, Mary Tyler Moore-style theme song — sung by co-star Jane Krakowski, naturally. Kimmy even tosses her hat in the air, just like Mary Richards… but alas, it gets stuck in a tree, along with a dozen others.

Kimmy’s the new HR manager at Giztoob, a hip tech start-up where she hands out unwanted high-fives and hugs to her fellow co-workers — including a robot named C.H.E.R.Y.L. But her job isn’t easy: Her boss Zach informs her she’ll have to fire an employee for being late — and fix that scratchy record player, while she’s at it.

Jacki Weaver, Taye Diggs, Lucy Liu To Star In Drag Queen Comedy ‘Stage Mother’

Canadian director Thom Fitzgerald (Cloudburst) is helming the movie penned by San Francisco screenwriter Brad Hennig (The Hot Flashes). The cute story follows a conservative Texas church-choir director who inherits her recently deceased son’s San Francisco drag club. Following her heart, she surprises her closed-minded husband and everyone else she knows by moving on her own from Texas to San Francisco save the club from bankruptcy. In this raucous, racy new environment, she begins to open up and find new meaning for her life, even becoming a mother figure to the club’s flamboyant performers, until a surprise visit threatens to upend her new life.

J. Todd Harris is producing for Branded Pictures Entertainment alongside Idiot Savant’s Anne Clements, 4K Productions’ Laurie Lacob and Emotion Pictures’ Doug Pettigrew. Executive Producers are Clay Epstein, Brad Hennig and Thom Fitzgerald.

“Stage Mother has the sharp balance of humor and drama that characterize a number of films that focus on mature protagonists in unexpected new surroundings, like The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel or Shirley Valentine, and especially those that focus on conservative straight characters coming to embrace the LGBTQcommunity, as in Pride and Kinky Boots,” Fitzgerald said.

Weaver is repped by ICM Partners and Elevate Management, Diggs by ICM Partners and Authentic Management and Liu by ICM Partners, Framework and Untitled.

Jane Krakowski Guest Stars on Modern Family

“Modern Family” stars Ed O’Neill as Jay Pritchett, Julie Bowen as Claire Dunphy, Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy, Sofia Vergara as Gloria Pritchett, Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell Pritchett, Eric Stonestreet as Cameron Tucker, Sarah Hyland as Haley Dunphy, Nolan Gould as Luke Dunphy, Ariel Winter as Alex Dunphy, Rico Rodriguez as Manny Delgado, Aubrey Anderson-Emmons as Lily Tucker-Pritchett and Jeremy Maguire as Joe Pritchett.

Guest starring are Jane Krakowski as Dr. Donna Duncan, Christian Barillas as Ronaldo, Ben Schwartz as Nick and Dylan Bay Kleckner as Cal.

Michelle Pfeiffer and David E. Kelly list Bay Area home for $29.5M

The couple purchased the place in 2004 for $12 million, according to property records. Located about 30 miles south of San Francisco, the exclusive enclave is one of the San Francisco Bay Area’s wealthiest communities, and residents include Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and finance guru Charles Schwab.

Pfeiffer’s equestrian property on 8.67 acres features a Spanish-style main house with four bedrooms, 4.5 baths and 6,379 square feet of living space. The main level includes a great room with multiple seating areas plus an elevated media/library area, and three sets of French doors that open to the main terrace.

All the bedrooms are on the main floor, including a “luxurious” master suite complete with sitting area and private rooftop deck, two walk-in closets and a marble bath with steam shower for two.

The spread also features three studio apartments, a gym plus a separate office and a detached office or guesthouse.

The manicured grounds feature an array of outdoor pursuits, including a gated pool and spa and tennis court. The main terrace has a fireplace and cedar hot tub.

If you have a green thumb you’ll appreciate the apple orchard, three fenced and covered vegetable beds, natural grasses, meadows and a formal lawn. For equine pursuits, there’s a historic octagonal barn from 1925 with 10 stalls as well as a fenced paddock.

The serene space is one more home the couple appear to be shedding. The two were rumored to have listed a 340-acre, waterfront property for $28.8 million in British Columbia that’s accessible only by boat.

The 59-year-old has been enjoying a resurgence in her acting career of late. Along with the recent films “Mother!” and “Murder on the Orient Express,” the Oscar-nominated actress also stars in the upcoming Marvel film “Ant-Man and the Wasp.”

Jane Krakowski & Tituss Burgess Set To Announce Drama Desk Award Nominations

Bon Jovi’s portion of the four-hour-plus event ran an hour-long Saturday night, with Jon Boni Jovi giving a lengthy 20-minute speech onstage. He said he had been writing the speech for years.

“Some days I write the ‘Thank you’ speech, sometimes I write the ‘(Expletive) you’ speech,” he said. “In the end, it’s all about time. It took a lot of people to get us here tonight.”

Richie Sambora, who left the New Jersey band in 2013, and Alec John Such, who left in 1994, embraced their former bandmates with a hug after each one spoke onstage to accept the honor. They performed together, too, singing crowd favorites like “Livin’ on a Prayer,” ?You Give Love a Bad Name” and “It’s My Life.”

They were inducted by Howard Stern, who provided many laughs to the Public Auditorium in Cleveland, where the Rock Hall is based.

Stern joked about Rock Hall co-founder Jann Wenner, questioning why he was qualified to vote on who enters the prominent organization. Stern said the Rolling Stone magazine founder doesn’t play any instruments “but he did start a great magazine … and now it’s the size of a pamphlet.”

Simone, who died in 2003, was welcomed into the Rock Hall in a groundbreaking way from performers who she has deeply inspired, from Hill to Mary J. Blige.

Hill was exceptional, stretching her voice as wide as possible, and singing in French, in honor of Simone’s music. Hill earned a standing ovation from the audience.

Day, a Grammy-nominated R&B singer, was also extraordinary, hitting high notes that also earned her applause. Blige inducted Simone, calling the singer “bold, strong, feisty and fearless.”

“Her voice was so distinctive and powerful and I never heard anything like it,” the R&B superstar said.

Simone was a leader in pushing for civil rights and influenced everyone from Aretha Franklin to Alicia Keys. Her brother, Sam Waymon, accepted the honor on his sister’s behalf.

“They said I had three minutes, I said, ‘No, I don’t.’ I’m going to take the time necessary to say what I got to say,” Waymon said.

Waymon said sharp words during his speech, including lines like, “To all the brothers out there, protect your sisters.” He said he always protected Simone, and continues to do so.

He also told the crowd, “If you’re sampling (Nina’s) music, you better pay for it!”

The 33rd annual Rock Hall ceremony kicked off with a tribute to Tom Petty, who died in October at age 66. The Killers earned a loud applause from the audience when they started performing “American Girl,” then transitioning to “Free Fallin’.”

“Pay some rock ‘n’ roll respect … to the eternal Tom Petty,” frontman Brandon Flowers said, as photos of Petty were displayed in the background.

Later in the event, Ann Wilson of Heart and Jerry Cantrell honored Chris Cornell with a commanding rendition of Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun.” Cornell hanged himself in a Detroit hotel hours after a Soundgarden concert there last May.

The Cars and four first-time nominees, including Simone, Dire Straits, The Moody Blues and Sister Rosetta Tharpe, make up the 2018 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class.

Rock Hall voters have recently opened their hearts to progressive rockers, which benefited “Nights in White Satin” singers The Moody Blues, the last act to be inducted Saturday.

Wilson of Heart said the English rockers “are and have always been a kick ass rock band.”

Another English band, Dire Straits, was inducted at the event, but it was without its leader Mark Knopfler, or his brother David Knopfler. Onstage, Illsley said of Mark’s absence: “I’ll assure you it’s a personal thing. Let’s just leave it at that.”

Illsley thanked the entire band and described the group as “a collective, a brotherhood.” The band did not perform after speaking.

A flawless Brittany Howard, of the critically acclaimed rock act Alabama Shakes, gave an extraordinary Tharpe impression onstage, winning over the audience with her rousing live performance in honor of the godmother of rock ‘n’ roll. Howard was backed by an equally appealing Questlove of The Roots on the drums. Felicia Collins, best known has a member of the band on “Late Show with David Letterman,” also wowed the audience when she performed a tribute to Tharpe.

Tharpe died in 1973 and was a pioneering guitarist who performed gospel music. A video package featuring past interviews from Johnny Cash, Aretha Franklin and others praising Tharpe’s musicality aired at the event. Tharpe earned the “Award for Early Influence,” while the other five acts were inducted as performers.

Flowers of the Killers, who has covered The Cars’ songs at his live shows, was ecstatic and energetic as he inducted the band into the Rock Hall, even getting on his knee to hand the members their award as they walked onstage.

The Cars, founded in Boston in 1976 and known for combining New Wave and classic rock sounds, were inducted this year after being nominated twice before. Ric Ocasek paid tribute to bandmate Benjamin Orr, who died in 2000.

“It’s quite strange to be here without him,” Ocasek said.

Elliot Easton also was emotional at the end of his speech when he thanked his mom, who he said was watching from above.

“We did it mom!,” he said, earning cheers from the audience.

Ocasek also earned applause when he namedropped Cleveland: “I lived in Cleveland for a while. It was actually the first place I played music in front of people.”

The event will air May 5 on HBO.

Jane Krakowski & Tituss Burgess Set To Announce Drama Desk Award Nominations

The awards ceremony, as previously announced, will be hosted by Michael Urie at Manhattan’s The Town Hall on Sunday, June 3.

“What an honor to have Jane Krakowski and Tituss Burgess announce this year’s Drama Desk Nominations,” said Gretchen Shugart, President of Arts and Culture of AudienceView, parent company of TheaterMania.com, producer of the awards ceremony. “With their unique theatrical backgrounds, we are so pleased that they will be on hand to celebrate the New York theater community.”

The nominations will be announced at 10 a.m. ET on April 26 from Feinstein’s/54 Below and livestreamed on the TheaterMania site. The Drama Desk Awards honor outstanding achievement on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off Broadway.

Jennifer Ehle, Scott Speedman & Gil Bellows Board ‘Run This Town’

Written and directed by Ricky Tollman, the story follows a young journalist (Platt) who is desperate to prove himself and catches wind of a scandal involving a flashy, unpredictable politician with no filter (Lewis). Political aides (Massoud and Dobrev) attempt to keep their boss in check – and the story under wraps – in order to save their jobs.

Producers are Randy Manis and Jonathan Bronfman for JoBro Productions, and Ariella Naymark, while Aqute Media’s Berry Meyerowitz and Jeff Sackman and CounterNarrative Films serve as exec producers. Aqute is financing the film with Telefilm Canada.

Ehle is repped by UTA and Independent Talent Group in the UK. Speedman is also with UTA as well as Anonymous Content. Bellows is a client of Patterson Talent Management and Untitled Entertainment.

David E. Kelley On Steven Bochco’s Death: “A Devastating Loss For Television”

In 1986, Kelley was a practicing attorney in Boston when a legal thriller feature screenplay he had written in his spare time, From the Hip, got in the hands of Bochco. The TV showrunner was looking for writers with a legal background for the new NBC series he had co-created, L.A. Law.

Bochco gave Kelley his first TV writing job on the show. Kelley, who kept his Boston law office for the first year just in case writing did not work out, excelled, and Bochco quickly promoted him to executive producer. The two shared three consecutive Best Drama Series Emmys together, two of which were accompanied by writing Emmy trophies for Kelley.

The mentor and the mentee teamed to create together the series Doogie Howser, M.D., which ran from 1989-93 and made Neil Patrick Harris a star.

“A devastating loss. For television,” Kelley said today about the death of Bochco. “For those who loved him and were loved by him. My beacon, my friend. The ground feels different now.”

Robert Downey Jr. Unveils Cast For ‘The Voyage Of Doctor Dolittle’: Octavia Spencer, Marion Cotillard, Kumail Nanjiani & More Joining

New to the cast are: Oscar winners Marion Cotillard and Octavia Spencer, Oscar nominee Kumail Nanjiani, Emmy Award winner Rami Malek, Craig Robinson, John Cena, Carmen Ejogo and Frances De La Tour who will all provide voiceovers.

Playing live action roles are Antonio Banderas, Michael Sheen, Harry Collett and Jim Broadbent.

Previously announced cast members include Downey, Jr., Ralph Fiennes, Emma Thompson, Tom Holland and Selena Gomez.

The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle is based on the character from the 1920s series of children’s books by Hugh Lofting.

Stephen Gaghan directs from his screenplay, with an earlier draft by Tom Shepherd. Joe Roth and Jeff Kirschenbaum produce for their Roth/Kirschenbaum Films alongside Susan Downey for Team Downey. Roth/Kirschenbaum Films has been behind such family blockbusters as Alice In Wonderland, Snow White and the Huntsman, and Maleficent. Susan Downey’s credits include the Sherlock Holmes franchise, The Judge and The Brave One. Executive Vice President Jon Mone and Creative Executive Lexi Barta will oversee production for Universal.

Cotillard is represented CAA and Adequat; Spencer is represented by WME and Jackoway Tyerman Wertheimer Austen Mandelbaum Morris & Klein; Malek is represented by WME, Brillstein Entertainment Partners and Sloane, Offer, Weber and Dern, LLP; Robinson is represented by UTA, 3 Arts Entertainment and Ziffren Brittenham LLP; Cena is represented by ICM Partners; Nanjiani is represented by UTA, Mosaic and Schreck Rose Dapello & Adams; Ejogo is represented by WME and Anonymous Content; de La Tour is represented by APA, Independent Talent Group in the U.K. and Simmons & Scott Entertainment.

Peter MacNicol on The Big Bang Theory 4/12/18

Grey's Anatomy: Hold Back the River (4/5)

Guest starring are Jason George as Ben Warren, Greg Germann as Tom Koracick, Jeanine Jason as Sam Bello, Alex Blue Davis as Casey Parker, Jake Borelli as Levi Schmitt and Jaicy Elliot as Taryn Helm.

“Hold Back the River” was written by Alex Manugian and directed by Geary McLeod.

Lucy Liu Wants to #BringArtBackToSchools After Her Childhood Passion Changed Her Life

The Kill Bill star, 49, tells PEOPLE she mined her creativity by exploring her artistic hobbies at school. Growing up, Liu says, her parents didn’t encourage art in their home. The only time she could explore that side of herself, she says, was in school.

“It actually changed my life completely because since we were so math and science oriented,” she recalls. “When I started to get involved and do art on my own and at school in those programs, I was able to understand that I really wanted to have a creative life. Once I graduated from school I obviously pursued that and continued to pursue it even though my parents were not thrilled about that.”

That’s why Liu says she is partnering up with LIFEWTR, the premium bottled water company, and the brand’s “Arts in Education Series” on Arts Advocacy Day to drive conversation around the importance of arts in education and help #BringArtBackToSchools. On Monday, the actress posted about the campaign to her Instagram alongside a message on how her fans can get involved and help their local schools receive free art kits from LIFEWTR.

“Today, @LIFEWTR is announcing a commitment to reach one million students nationwide in the next year through curated curriculum, distribution of art supplies and local partnerships to champion this cause and inspire the next generation of artists like myself,” she wrote. “Please join me and share your story about how art has had a positive impact on you or someone you know, zip code and #BringArtBackToSchools. They’ll be donating art kits to classrooms in select schools across the country.”

The initiative combines two of the things Liu is most passionate about. As a mom herself to 2-and-a-half-year-old Rockwell Lloyd, the Elementary actress says it’s important to make sure kids explore their creativity when young.

“I have a few focuses. One of them is children, the other one is art and the other one is acting,” Liu says. “With kids especially, there’s a certain freedom that they have with the way they express themselves and that’s what we should tap into now. And what I love about what LIFEWTR is doing is they’re advocating for that and they’re advocating for people to have an opportunity to discover themselves as artists and to inspire other people.”

Nicole Kidman to Star in HBO Limited Series The Undoing, Reuniting With BLL Writer and EP David E. Kelley

The Big Little Lies Emmy winner has signed on to star in the HBO limited series The Undoing, which will reunite her with writer David E. Kelley, TVLine has learned. Kidman will play Grace Sachs, a successful therapist on the verge of publishing her first book. But her life is rocked by a series of tragedies: a violent death, the disappearance of her husband and “a chain of terrible revelations” about the man she thought she knew.

Kelley will write the psychological thriller, based on the Jean Hanff Korelitz novel You Should Have Known, and serve as showrunner. He also wrote all seven episodes of the HBO miniseries Big Little Lies, which won an Emmy for Kidman last year in the role of abused wife Celeste Wright. (HBO announced in December that both Kidman and Kelley will return for Season 2 of Big Little Lies as well.)

“David has created another propulsive series with a fascinating, complicated female role at its center,” Kidman said in a statement. “I’m excited and honored to continue collaborating with HBO and David E. Kelley.”

Grey's Anatomy: Old Scars, Future Hearts (3/15)

Guest starring are Rachel Ticotin as Marie Cerone and Greg Germann as Tom Koracick.

“Old Scars, Future Hearts” was written by Tameson Duffy and directed by Ellen Pompeo.

Jon Bon Jovi launches his rosé at Versace mansion

Bon Jovi, who modeled for Versace 20 years ago, said, “Welcome to Gianni’s house,” before singing several hits and covering “I Put a Spell on You.”

Synchronized swimmers performed in the pool. The rocker said working with his son is one of the greatest thrills he’s ever had and that Jesse’s his boss.

Kimmy Schmidt Season 4 Gets May Premiere Date, Will Be Split in Half

Netflix on Wednesday announced that it’s breaking the comedy’s upcoming fourth season into multiple parts, with the first half (six episodes) premiering on Wednesday, May 30. The second half will premiere sometime in 2018.

This makes at least half of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt‘s fourth season eligible for Emmy consideration, as episodes must air or be released by May 31 in order to qualify.

The announcement, naturally, came equipped with this fun little video of Kimmy being… Kimmy:

STOP… in the naaaame of Season 4! Part 1 streams May 30th! pic.twitter.com/ey0mHQ5DDM — Kimmy Schmidt (@KimmySchmidt) February 14, 2018

Bon Jovi loses big after selling West Village condo

We’re told the rock superstar took a loss after selling his West Village condo for $15 million — $2.25 million down from the original asking price.

Sources say the “Livin’ on a Prayer” singer bought the apartment at 150 Charles St. — where other celebrity residents have included Sports Illustrated model Irina Shayk and Ben Stiller — in 2015 for $12.95 million and did “extensive renovations” on the pad.

The rocker listed the 4,031-square-foot duplex — which boasts four bedrooms, 4 ½ bathrooms, river-and-skyline views and a large, grassy terrace — for $17.25 million in June but didn’t bag a buyer.

We’re told Bon Jovi “just wanted out of the building.”

He picked up a new place at the “much more elegant” Greenwich Lane building in the West Village for $19 million.

According to Curbed, the star has “had quite the real estate journey in the past few years,” listing and cutting the price on a Soho penthouse several times.

Reps didn’t get back to us.

Grey's Anatomy: You Really Got a Hold on Me (3/1)

Guest starring are Jaina Lee Ortiz as Andy Herrera, Greg Germann as Tom Koracick, Sophia Taylor Ali as Dahlia Qadri, Jake Borelli as Levi Schmitt, Jeanine Mason as Sam Bello, Jaicy Elliot as Taryn Helm and Rushi Kota as Vik Roy.

“You Really Got a Hold on Me” was written by Stacy McKee and directed by Nzingha Stewart.

Portia surprises Ellen with a gorilla conservation center

De Rossi announced the gift during an episode of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” airing Thursday. Her donation to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund will create a permanent home in Rwanda for the organization that has been protecting endangered mountain gorillas for 50 years.

DeGeneres said in a statement Thursday that she is “beyond excited” about the opportunity to work with the group. She said de Rossi “knew the exact right gift to give me.”

DeGeneres has been an animal-rights activist for many years. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals named her “woman of the year” in 2009.

Fossey wrote “Gorillas in the Mist.” She died in 1985.

Jon Bon Jovi is launching a rosé

The future Rock and Roll Hall of Fame crooner and acclaimed French winemaker Gérard Bertrand will release “Diving into Hampton Water” rosé wine ahead of the summer season.

“Creating this wine with Gérard was just as creative as collaborating with another songwriter, Gérard uses his talents and wine knowledge just like a gifted musician,” Bon Jovi said in the press release Thursday. “And working with my son on this has been an amazing experience.”

The brainchild of Bon Jovi, 55, and his son, Jesse Bongiovi, 22, the idea sprouted after spending time in the Hamptons. Though the rocker initially dubbed the wine “pink juice,” his son and a pal settled on “Hampton Water” before taking the next steps and teaming up with Bertrand, whom they met through a mutual friend, to craft a wine encompassing the luxurious, albeit laid-back, lifestyles of the Hamptons and the South of France.

“We’d tried rosé from everywhere,” Jesse said. “But when we visited Gérard, we realized that there is an entire coastline in France that is producing some of the best-kept secrets on Earth.”

Set to hit shelves before spring at $25 a bottle, “Diving into Hampton Water” looks poised to follow the track of Bon Jovi’s previous wines, which are currently sold out.

‘False Profits’ Comedic Soap From Kayla Alpert & Jason Reed Gets ABC Pilot Order

Written by Alpert, False Profits is described as Desperate Housewives meets Glengarry Glen Ross. It follows a team of down-and-out women in suburban Arizona as they fight their way to the top of the cutthroat world of a multi-level marketing cosmetics business.

Alpert executive produces with Reed and former Desperate Housewives exec producer Sabrina Wind via Jason T. Reed Productions. ABC Studios, where Jason T. Reed Prods is under an overall deal, is the studio.

For the past two development seasons, ABC has put an emphasis on lighter one-hour shows in the tradition of Desperate Housewives.

This is the network’s second official pilot order this season, joining a Tim Doyle Irish-Catholic family comedy. The network also has straight-to-series orders for The Rookie light hourlong procedural starring Nathan Fillion and a Kenya Barris/Alec Baldwin comedy, plus a Get Christie Love reboot, which is casting in anticipation of a formal pilot order.

Alpert is supervising producer and writer on CBS’ Code Black. Her previous writing/producing credits include TV movie Flowers in the Attic and series Up All Night and Ally McBeal.

Robert Downey Jr. responds to Hugh Grant’s claim Downey hated him

“A lot has happened over two decades! I respect how Mr. Grant has matured as an artist & voice against violations of privacy,” Downey Jr. wrote on Twitter on Thursday.

The 52-year-old actor added, “Let’s break bread together soon @HackedOffHugh! #burythehatchet2018”

Grant, 57, recently gave an interview to People, in which he claimed Downey Jr. never liked him.

“He took one look at me and wanted to kill me,” he said.

Your move, Grant.

Anne Heche and James Tupper have ended their relationship of over 10 years.

The statement continues, “Relationships change and grow; we’re taking time for that. We care very much for each other and plan to continue raising our two beautiful boys in love and harmony. Thank you for allowing us privacy as our family evolves.”

Heche. 48, and Tupper, 52, began dating in 2007. They share 8-year-old son Atlas and Heche has a 15-year-son named Homer from a previous relationship.

A rep did not immediately return our request for comment.

James Legros on Blue Bloods

GUEST CAST includes: Genevieve Angelson (Whitney), James Legros (Jim Voorhees), Max Weinberg (Mario Vangelis).

Bon Jovi finally gets into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Bon Jovi is finally being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The New Jersey rockers will take their place with music elites in April at the induction ceremony in Cleveland, alongside the Cars, Dire Straits, the Moody Blues and Nina Simone. Rock-and-roll pioneer Sister Rosetta Tharpe will also receive a special Award for Early Influence.

Bon Jovi’s omission has puzzled rock fans for years. The band has sold hundreds of millions of records, had four No. 1 hits and their anthemic songwriting has been aped by many subsequent pop-rock outfits.

They’ve been eligible for induction since 2009, but the band has only ever been on the nominee docket once before, in 2011. Lead singer Jon Bon Jovi has previously put this down to a “falling out” with Rock Hall bigwigs, and a subsequent personal vendetta.

“There’s other guys on that thing that have made it their personal mission to f–k with me,” he told Howard Stern in 2016. “And that’s okay. I get it. I’ve sold more records than their artists.”

This time, it’s the people who have spoken. Bon Jovi came out clear winners in this year’s fan vote, which is added to the hundreds of votes registered by music industry professionals. The group clocked up more than a million votes, well ahead of the second-place Moody Blues.

Now, the question is whether the band will reunite with estranged guitarist and songwriter Richie Sambora for the induction. Sambora reportedly battled alcoholism in recent years, and left the group abruptly during its 2013 tour.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is again choosing to leave out some big names such as Depeche Mode, Kate Bush, Rage Against the Machine and, most notably, Radiohead, who were nominated for the first time.

The Brits appeared to be shoo-ins, but they didn’t help their case by shrugging at the prospect of being inducted. When asked about the possibility by Rolling Stone this year, rhythm guitarist Ed O’Brien said he didn’t “understand it,” while lead guitarist Jonny Greenwood simply stated “I don’t care.” Proving it, the band booked a South American tour in April, meaning they couldn’t attend even if they were inducted.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has long been criticized for its failure to recognize women (Steve Miller took issue with this shortcoming during his own induction in 2016). This year, two out of the six inductees are female – that’s an entire one-third of the acts, y’all! It might not seem especially progressive, but for the overwhelmingly old and male Rock Hall voters, this must feel like the suffragette movement all over again.

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi Evacuate Pets From Home Under Threat From California Fire

The two have several cats and dogs. This past October, the couple bought an $18.6 million beachfront home in Carpinteria, located near Santa Barbara. The Thomas Fire, one of a few wildfires raging in California, has prompted thousands of evacuations, road closures and unhealthy air quality warnings in Santa Barbara County and as well as neighboring Ventura County.

"Our house is under threat of being burned. We just had to evacuate our pets," DeGeneres tweeted on Sunday. "I'm praying for everyone in our community and thankful to all the incredible firefighters."

"Everyone in the Montecito area is checking up on each other and helping to get people and animals to safety," the daytime host added. "I'm proud to be a part of this community. I'm sending lots of love and gratitude to the fire department and sheriffs. Thank you all. #ThomasFire."

According to the CAL FIRE website, the Thomas fire began on December 4 and has so far burned through 173,000 acres, destroying more than 750 structures and damaging more than 160. On Sunday morning, mandatory evacuations have been ordered in areas around DeGenerous and de Rossi's home.

Evacuations have also been ordered for parts of the Montecito area—home to other celebs such as Oprah Winfrey. If it unclear if they have been affected.

DeGeneres and de Rossi also own a massive Italian-style villa in the Santa Barbara area that they have been trying to sell since early this year. It remains for sale for $39.5 million.

The Thomas Fire was 15 percent contained on Sunday morning and smoke could be seen dozens of miles away in Los Angeles County.

Last week, many people who live in the area, including celebs such as Paris Hilton and Lea Michele, evacuated their homes amid the threat of another wildfire that raged near hillside homes alongside the 405 freeway, one of the busiest highways in the U.S.

The fires have also impacted businesses. Kylie Jenner's Kylie Cosmetics facility in Ventura County has temporary shut down as a result of the Thomas Fire to ensure the safety of workers, according to a message posted on the brand's Twitter page earlier on Sunday.

"The impact of the fires has meant that many of our staff members have been evacuated from their homes, and have to relocate their families," the message read. "Those who weren't evacuated came in yesterday and have been working around the clock to get orders out."

"Our team is incredible and everyone is working hard to catch up and we are going everything we can to ship orders, while ensuring the health and safety of our team members," the message continued. "Orders are continuing to ship and we appreciate everyone's patience and support."

Nashville Final Season Trailer: Wait, Is Juliette Barnes Joining a Cult?

In the new video, released Thursday, Ms. Barnes makes the acquaintance of Darius, a charming founder of a self-actualization movement. “Why isn’t all of this fame and success enough?” he asks her, which isn’t an outrageous question. But then Avery says, “You’re putting all of your trust in this guy. You’re living your whole life by his words,” and that’s a fair observation — made by someone we know truly wants the best for our often impulsive heroine.

In short, it seems like Ju is headed for cult membership or something equally troubling. And we’re officially worried.

Other intel gleaned from the trailer:

* Deacon has apparently given Juliette another chance after she stole Maddie’s song last season, and Ju seems appropriately grateful.

* Gunnar seems to be having a far harder time dealing with the breakup than Scarlett is.

* As teased in a previous promo, Will is the one shooting what appear to be steroids in the bathroom,

* Deacon and Jessie definitely kiss and hold hands, and it’s definitely not making Daphne happy.

* Maddie gets real cozy with pop star Jonah Ford.

* Gunnar, Will and Avery play together. Dare we hope they’re forming a new band?!

* Hey, look! It’s Hallie playing the Bluebird with Deacon! She lives!

Nashville returns on Thursday, Jan. 4, at 9/8c.

Nashville Final Season Video Teases Will's New Man (?), Deacon-Jessie Kiss

The teaser promo, released Thursday by CMT, tees up the country-music drama’s final season with new footage — and a series of sounds — that give a glimpse into what’ll happen in upcoming episodes.

Most important things first: the kissing. Will and a new guy, Juliette and Avery, and Jessie and Deacon (almost) smooch during the 30-second spot. Then there’s the first look at new characters in action, including Jonah Ford, a charming and super successful pop star played by newcomer Nic Luken.

Elsewhere, Maddie thwarts an admirer’s attempt to get closer, Scarlett signs an Exes poster, Daphne sobs, Jessie’s stupid ex twirls his stupid fidget spinner, and Deacon restrings a guitar.

Nashville returns Thursday, Jan. 4, for its final season.

Elementary Season 6 Expanded to 21 Episodes

The Eye network has upped the procedural’s midseason run from 13 episodes to a full-ish 21, our sister site Deadline reports. The order comes on the heels of CBS announcing that the Jeremy Piven-fronted freshman drama Wisdom of the Crowd would not be producing more than its initial 13 episodes.

Wisdom of the Crowd premiered on Oct. 1 to 8.8 million total viewers and a 1.3 rating, but went fractional in the demo with its fifth episode. To date, it is averaging 7.4 million viewers and a 1.0 rating. Among CBS dramas, it only outrates Scorpion and MacGyver (both averaging 0.8 this fall) and fellow Sunday series Madam Secretary (0.7).

Christina Ricci & Judith Light To Star In ‘Nellie Bly’ Movie In Works At Lifetime

Ricci plays investigative reporter Nellie Bly, who’s on a mission to expose the deplorable conditions and mistreatment of patients at the notorious Women’s Lunatic Asylum, and feigns mental illness in order to be institutionalized to report from the inside. The movie is an account of actual events surrounding Nellie’s stay beginning after she has undergone treatment, leaving her with no recollection of how she came to the asylum or her real identity.

Nellie’s unwillingness to submit to authority results in unspeakable torture at the hands of the head nurse, Matron Grady (Light). Bowman plays Dr. Josiah, who tries to help Nellie, but the attention prompts Grady’s barbaric tactics to intensify, leading Nellie to question if she actually does belong in the asylum after all.

A real-life hero, Nellie Bly’s expose was the first of its kind in America and inspired the global reformation of mental health care. The story also spawned the 2015 movie 10 Days in a Madhouse based on Bly’s book, which starred Caroline Barry as Bly. An untitled drama project based on the book also is in development by Entertainment One, James Bond film producers Danjaq and The Frederick Zollo Company, with Kate Mara attached to star and executive produce.

Ricci also executive produces via Grey Team Productions along with Howard Braunstein of Howard Braunstein Films. Michael Tive, David Sigal, Peter Werner and Jonathan Baruch also serve as executive producers with Karen Moncrieff directing (Petals on the Wind) from a screenplay by Helen Childress (Reality Bites).

The Bly role marks Ricci’s return to Lifetime following her praised performance in limited series, The Lizzie Borden Chronicles and the prequel movie, Lizzie Borden Took An Axe. Ricci received an Emmy nomination for outstanding guest actress for her role as Hannah Davies in ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy and most recently starred in Amazon’s Z: The Beginning of Everything.

Ugly Betty alum Light currently plays Shelly Pfefferman on Transparent. She’s been nominated for three Primetime Emmys, two for Transparent and one for Ugly Betty, and she won a Daytime Emmy for her performance in One Life To Live.

Bowman is known for his starring role as Daniel Grayson on Revenge and most recently appeared as John Stevenson on Time After Time.

JOSH GROBAN WILL HEADLINE THE 19th ANNUAL “A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS”

A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS features uplifting stories of adoption from foster care and raises awareness of this important social issue. The inspirational stories of these American families are enhanced with performances by some of today’s most popular artists.

Singer, songwriter and actor Josh Groban has entertained fans globally with his multi-platinum albums and DVDs (over 30 million sold worldwide), electrifying live performances and comedic film and television appearances. He is the only artist who has had two albums on the Top Ten Bestselling Albums list in the past decade, according to Billboard. Groban has released seven studio albums and received numerous Grammy Award nominations. In 2016 he embarked on an extensive North American tour to support his album Stages, titled “Josh Groban: On Stage.” That year, Groban also made his Broadway debut in the new musical “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812.” He is a member of Americans for the Arts Artists Committee and his Find Your Light Foundation helps enrich the lives of young people through the arts.

Multiple Grammy Award winner Kelly Clarkson recently released her eagerly anticipated eighth studio album, Meaning of Life, which is a collection of smart and sensual soul-inspired pop. The Texas-born, Nashville-based singer-songwriter came to fame in 2002 as the winner of the inaugural season of “American Idol.” She has had over 100 #1 Billboard singles and total worldwide sales of more than 25 million albums and 36 million singles. She has released eight studio albums, one greatest hits album and two children’s books.

Multiple Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Kacey Musgraves received mass critical acclaim and recognition with the 2013 release of her Gold-certified album Same Trailer Different Park, which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. Her follow-up album, Pageant Material, was released in 2015, earning her a second #1 debut on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and soaring to #3 on the Billboard 200 chart. Musgraves is currently working on her highly-anticipated third album and will be joining Little Big Town and Harry Styles on tour next year.

Multi-Platinum-selling country vocalist Kane Brown burst onto the music scene with the release of his chart-topping, Gold-certified debut album, Kane Brown, less than a year ago. After debuting at #1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart, the iTunes Country chart and iTunes all-genre chart upon its release last December, Brown released Kane Brown, Deluxe Edition, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Country chart and #5 on the Billboard 200 chart. Brown is the only artist in history to simultaneously top all five Billboard Country charts and is the best-selling new country artist of the past three years. The ACM New Male Vocalist nominee recently released his new single, “Heaven,” which is the follow-up single to his record-breaking #1, Platinum-selling single “What Ifs.”

Nashville to End After Season 6

“All of us on Nashville are so incredibly grateful to the show’s fans, who convinced CMT to give us a chance to keep telling the story of these remarkable characters,” executive producer Marshall Herskovitz said via statement. “And we want to return the favor with a final season that celebrates all the joys and passions, twists and turns — and amazing music! — that made Nashville such an exciting journey for the last six years.”

The cancellation is actually the series’ second; longtime fans will recall that ABC gave the drama the ax in 2016, but CMT saved the show by offering a pickup almost a month later.

“After more than 120 episodes of unforgettable television, we believe that creatively it is time for the series to come to its triumphant close at the end of the upcoming season” Kevin Beggs, chairman of Lionsgate Television Group, said in a statement. “We’re very proud of our incredibly talented cast and crew, the creative brilliance of our showrunners, and the loyal support of our great partners at CMT, Hulu and ABC Studios. Most importantly, we owe a special debt of thanks to the Nashville fans who propelled the series to an incredible run. We owe it to them to make the sixth season the most exciting and memorable of all.”

Season 6 of Nashville will premiere on Thursday, Jan. 4. As reported earlier in November, Rachel Bilson has exited the series and will not appear in upcoming episodes.

Nashville Sets Season 6 Premiere Date

The network tweeted the announcement Tuesday via a video featuring stars Jonathan Jackson and Hayden Panettiere.

(Video) We have a special announcement from @haydenpanettier and @JonathanJackson…
The new season of #NashvilleCMT premieres Thursday, January 4 on @CMT. ?? pic.twitter.com/t7zGl0VPP3
— Nashville on CMT (@NashvilleCMT) November 14, 2017

After the Season 5 finale, co-showrunner Marshall Herskovitz told TVLine that Rayna’s legacy record label Highway 65 — which suffered greatly after her demise — is down but certainly not out. “There is a chance that Highway 65 will survive, but they’re still facing the same kind of real difficulties record labels face these days.”

Earlier in November, CMT announced that several new characters played by recurring guest stars will grace the screen this season. These include Darius (played by The Affair‘s Josh Stamberg), Sean (Nashville musical contributor Jake Etheridge) and Twig (When We Rise‘s Dylan Arnold).

Even Josh Groban isn’t immune to Times Square hustlers

At the Only Make Believe gala this week, the “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812” Tony nominee Groban was presented with an award by Tony winner Lena Hall, who revealed: “At our first meeting, he signed my guitar .?.?. we took a stroll around the middle of 42nd Street together, and I watched as he was hustled out of $40 by a character dressed up in Times Square.”

“SNL” comic Cecily Strong hosted the event, and Bryan Terrell Clark, Montego Glover and Greg Hildreth performed.

Big Little Lies Eyes Spring 2018 Production Start for Season 2

Sources confirm to TVLine exclusively that HBO is eyeing a Spring 2018 production start for the female-driven phenom, which snagged eight Emmy statues in September, including for Outstanding Limited Series and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series for Nicole Kidman. As recently as two weeks ago, Big Little Lies EP/writer David E. Kelley strongly intimated to TVLine that a second season was nearing the scheduling stage.

“We’re kicking around ideas and trying to lasso the talent [and] get the band back together,” he shared. “It’s just a lot of logistical things. But I’m optimistic because everyone wants to do it. We feel we still have storytelling to do. No decision has been made yet, but we’re hopeful. Where we left it, I felt like it did open the opportunity for a lot more storytelling.”

An HBO rep declined to confirm anything about a potential second season.

Even before Big Little Lies triumphed at the Emmys, HBO asked Liane Moriarty — whose novel the miniseries was based on — to “take a crack at” coming with with a story for a potential second season. Kidman and fellow leading lady/EP Reese Witherspoon both expressed interest in keeping the franchise going, and director Jean-Marc Vallée — who initially balked at doing a sequel — now wants in. “It’d be great to reunite the team and to do it,” Vallée said backstage at the Emmys. “Are we going to be able to do it, altogether? I wish. We’ll see.”

Portia De Rossi Says Steven Seagal Unzipped His Pants During An Audition

De Rossi took to Twitter and said that during her final audition for a Segal movie in his office he told her that it was important to have “chemistry off-screen.” As he sat her down, he unzipped his leather pants.

“I ran out and called my agent,” de Rossi recalls. “Unfazed, she replied, ‘well, I didn’t know if he was your type.'”

Her story comes shortly after Julianna Margulies came forward with her own encounter with Segal earlier in her career when he invited her to his hotel room to go over a scene in a role she was up for. She arrived to find that he was armed with a gun.

De Rossi’s story is the latest in a flood of allegations coming out since the Harvey Weinstein scandal broke. Sexual harassment accusations against prominent Hollywood figures Hollywood have been coming out of the woodwork: Kevin Spacey, Brett Ratner, Jeremy Piven, Dustin Hoffman, James Toback and most recently de Rossi’s Arrested Development co-star Jefferey Tambor.

The Good Cop: Josh Groban Cast as Tony Danza's Son in Netflix Dramedy

The feel-good procedural, from Monk creator Andy Breckman, centers on disgraced, former NYPD officer Tony Sr. (Danza) and his earnest, obsessively honest son — and current NYPD officer — Tony Jr. (Groban). This “odd couple” become unofficial partners as Tony Sr. offers his overly-cautious son blunt, street-wise advice on everything from handling suspects to handling women.

Although known mostly as a singer, Groban has been beefing up his acting resume in recent years with stints on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Life in Pieces and Parks and Recreation. Most recently, he snagged a Tony nomination for his starring role in Broadway’s The Great Comet.

Breckman, who is The Good Cop‘s showrunner, will serve as an EP alongside Randy Zisk (Bones, Monk) and Howard Klein (The Office, The Mindy Project). Zisk will also direct the premiere.

Taye Diggs, Diane Guerrero to appear at BookCon

Diggs and Evans will be promoting their picture book “I Love You More” during the June 2-3 gathering at the Javits Center in Manhattan.

Other guests include “Orange is the New Black” actress Diane Guerrero, whose book “My Family Divided” will tell of growing up as the child of undocumented immigrants, and popular young adult authors Angie Thomas and Jason Reynolds.

The guest lineup was announced Thursday by BookCon producer ReedPOP.

BookCon is a fan-based event that began as an offshoot of the publishing industry’s annual convention and trade show, BookExpo.

Scarlett Johansson & ‘Avengers’ Mates Slate Puerto Rico Benefit

“The struggle faced by Puerto Rican residents since their island was ravaged by Hurricane Maria is terribly heartbreaking and has left many feeling hopeless and helpless,” Johansson said in announcing the event. “It is a great privilege to be able to participate in whatever way I can, to provide some relief to those that are struggling to access even the most basic of human needs in the aftermath of this disastrous event. Please help me and my co-stars in coming together for an extraordinary, one-time-only evening to raise lifesaving funds for a devastated island and to help celebrate the true meaning of community with this unique reading of a great American classic.” Johansson is in Atlanta filming the next Avengers movie. “We immediately asked how we could help,” said producer John Gore, whose John Gore Organization is backing the benefit. “We couldn’t be happier to support our friend, Scarlett, and her co-stars in producing this evening for such a worthy cause.”

The Hurricane Maria Community Relief & Recovery Fund will be housed at the Center for Popular Democracy (CPD) and funds will be used to support immediate relief, recovery and equitable rebuilding in Puerto Rico for low-income communities of color hit hardest by the storm. The fund will support organizations working on the front lines with these communities.

Tickets go on sale October 23 through FoxTheatre.org/OurTown.

Nashville Video: Juliette's On-Stage Tirade Tees Up Season 6 Premiere

Then again, that was a few months ago.

And when the CMT series returns for Season 6 in January, it appears that Ju’s regained her signature spunk… as well as the inability to pass up an opportunity to speak her mind.

“I don’t want your money, I don’t want your attention,” Juliette angrily tells a crowd of concertgoers in the just-released promo above, “and I sure as hell don’t want your love.” (She appears contrite and teary later in the spot, so maybe we’ve got another public apology situation on our hands? How many is that now?)

Ms. Barnes’ outburst isn’t the only noteworthy aspect of the 30-second video. We also get Deacon and Jessie having a possibly flirty phone call (probably with each other), Will giving a stirring speech about art and risk, and Gunnar as a bottle blonde (!).

Fox's Christmas Story: Jane Krakowski, Chris Diamantopoulos Join Live Musical

Krakowski is set to play Miss Shields, teacher to nine-year-old Ralphie (played by relative newcomer Andy Walken). Diamantopoulos, meanwhile, will play Ralphie’s father. (He better brush up on his Italian!)

Fox’s A Christmas Story Live! is a new rendition of the classic 1983 holiday film, based on the Broadway musical with new songs written by Oscar winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. Krakowski and Diamantopoulos join an all-star ensemble, with Matthew Broderick playing an older version of Ralphie and serving as the musical’s narrator, and Saturday Night Live alum Maya Rudolph playing Ralphie’s mom.

A Christmas Story Live! is set to ring in the holiday season on Sunday, Dec. 17 at 7/6c.

Greg Germann on Grey's Anatomy - 10/12/17

Guest starring is Debbie Allen as Catherine Avery, Abigail Spencer as Megan Hunt, Stefania Spampinato as Carina DeLuca and Greg Germann as Tom Koracick.

“Ain’t That a Kick in the Head” was written by Marlana Hope and directed by Geary McLeod.

The Brave: Five Things to Know About NBC's Two-Pronged Military Drama

“I don’t come from a military family. I don’t have a political axe to grind. I don’t have a particular fascination with death, but I am fascinated with human resiliency and human ingenuity,” Georgaris (Life of Pi) tells TVLine. After watching documentaries about American Special Forces teams, “I was continually impressed with their ingenuity. I was continually impressed with their resiliency,” the EP says. “I would read story after story where the missions almost sounded like episodes of Breaking Bad, in that what started off with one simple decision leads to all these complications.”

That concept — that the men and women who execute undercover, elite missions all over the world often have to innovate on the fly when plans fall apart — eventually became The Brave, which debuts Monday, Sept. 25, at 10/9c. Georgaris and his team created a fictional paramilitary unit that works all over the globe, using the players’ intelligence, weapons knowledge, language prowess and cultural skills to set bad situations right. Meanwhile, back in the United States, a group of analysts provides real-time backup and much-needed technical support to the unit in the field.

We got Georgaris to give us some intel on the premiere of the series, which stars Mike Vogel (Under the Dome) and Anne Heche (Hung). Read on for what you need to know about the new NBC drama.

THE TEAM | Vogel plays Capt. Adam Dalton, leader of a squad of what the show’s official site refers to as “highly trained undercover specialists.” These include Sgt. Jasmine “Jaz” Khan (played by Natacha Karam), a sniper; CPO Ezekiel “Preach” Carter (Demetrius Grosse, Banshee); Sgt. Joseph “McG” McGuide (Noah Mills, 2 Broke Girls), a combat medic; and Amir Al-Raisani (Hadi Tabbal, The Blacklist), an intelligence officer. Dalton’s team is backed by the Defense Intelligence Agency’s deputy director Patricia Campbell (Heche) and her employees, which include Noah Morgenthau (Tate Ellington, Quantico), a cultural specialist; and Hannah Archer (Sofia Pernas, Jane the Virgin), mission coordinator.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION | Though the series premiere takes place in a Middle Eastern country, Georgaris stresses that evil doesn’t respect national borders — aka, it’s everywhere. So the show will take Dalton’s gang all over the world in Season 1. “NBC could have said, ‘OK, stay in these four locales, and that’s safest for budget. That’s easiest on everyone,'” the executive producer adds. “But they said… ‘We want missions on five continents,’ and I said, ‘Sounds good to me!'”

CLOSER THAN YOU THINK | Though Dalton’s team and Campbell’s people won’t often physically cross paths, it will happen at least a few times in the first season. “In general, it’s this interesting intimacy, almost like news producer and news anchor, like the people who are in your ear and the people who are out in the field,” the EP notes. “A lot of our drama will come from what it’s like to be on either end of that connection.”

ALL IN A DAY’S WORK | Rather than denote specific episodes to flesh out characters’ backstories, Georgaris says, the writers have decided to let the team’s missions do the work of filling us in on who these people are. For example, Amir has a surprising — and rather dangerous — work history that will be revealed when he’s thrust back into a prior role. “Amir comes from a history of service to the CIA, and basically is a lone wolf, deep penetration agent in ISIS,” Georgaris says. “There is an episode where that identity gets reactivated, so he has to go back to the world that he left… and what you’ll come to learn is why has Amir chosen to do this? What made this wealthy, Lebanese-born Muslim from a very successful, not very religious practicing family, what made him decide to fight for his religion at the age of 22?” WHAT LIES BENEATH | In the premiere, we learn that Heche’s Campbell recently lost her son, who was in the military. Georgaris teases that Vogel’s Dalton will play into the grieving director’s backstory. “They have a very deep respect for one another. They have a long-standing work relationship with one another. He knew her son,” he says. “And they actually have a natural chemistry, the two actors and characters, that I think will leave people wondering: Was there a personal history [between Campbell and Dalton] in the past?”

“MICHAEL JACKSON’S HALLOWEEN,” A NEW ONE-HOUR ANIMATED SPECIAL, TO BE BROADCAST FRIDAY, OCT. 27 ON CBS

The special follows millennials Vincent (Lucas Till) and Victoria (Kiersey Clemons), who meet “accidentally” on Halloween night and find themselves, along with Ichabod the dog, at a mysterious hotel located at 777 Jackson Street called This Place Hotel. Once inside, Vincent and Victoria are sent on an unexpected, magical adventure of personal discovery, culminating in a spectacular dance finale featuring an animated Michael Jackson.

MICHAEL JACKSON’S HALLOWEEN was created and produced by Optimum Productions, with animation production by Hammerhead. John Branca and John McClain, co-executors of the Estate of Michael Jackson, serve as executive producers. Daniel Chuba is the producer, and Mark A.Z. Dippé is the director.

Greg Germann on Grey's Anatomy (10/5)

Guest starring is Debbie Allen as Catherine Avery, Abigail Spencer as Megan Hunt, Stefania Spampinato as Carina DeLuca and Greg Germann as Tom Koracick.

“Go Big or Go Home” was written by Meg Marinis and directed by Chandra Wilson.

2017 Emmy Awards Winners

Elementary Video: Lucy Liu, Nelsan Ellis Discuss Joan and Shinwell's Friendship

The pair’s unlikely friendship was born because “we wanted to find something that would push [Joan’s savior] buttons a little bit and bring her into conflict with Sherlock,” executive producer Robert Hewitt Wolfe shares in this exclusive video from the CBS drama’s Season 5 DVD release.

While the P.I. was “searching for something to do with her life” as she struggled with the criminal element that surrounds her, “Shinwell becomes someone that she can save, that she can help, and work towards making a better person,” star Lucy Liu says.

“[Shinwell] tries to protect her… and she tries to protect him from himself,” Ellis adds. But unfortunately, Joan couldn’t protect Shinwell from his tragic fate.

Elementary: The Fifth Season arrives on DVD tomorrow, with a “For the Hundredth Time” featurette celebrating Episode 100, deleted scenes, a gag reel and more extras.

Elementary Season 6 is slated to premiere midseason on CBS.

Robert Downey Jr. Warns Fans To Avoid Online Impersonators Looking For Cash

In his first post on Twitter in several days, the Oscar nominee who is the on-screen personification of Iron Man asked fans to “have each other’s backs” when it came to the “scam artists.”

Likely not wanting to put even more of a spotlight on the situation, the star didn’t provide specific details of where these scams are taking place. Not that The Avengers star is any stranger to online charitable pleas. As recently as June, Downey participated in a campaign with Microsoft and Omaze offering to raise big bucks for charity.In the past, the Marvel leadman has posted video from the set of Avengers: Infinity War offering visits to those who donate to the Random Act Funding effort. He has also invited fans to doante to join him at the premiere of Spider Man: Homecoming too.Obviously someone was trying to take advantage of that goodwill but Tony Stark is shutting them down.

Besides more Marvel, Downey has an untitled Doctor Dolittle movie from Universal set to come out on April 12, 2019 and a third Sherlock Holmes pic down the line.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: Josh Groban to Guest-Star (And Sing!) in Season 3

The CW’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend will welcome chart-topping singer Josh Groban as a guest star in Season 3, TVLine has confirmed. Groban will play “a mysterious and helpful stranger” — and yes, he will sing.

Series star Rachel Bloom first broke the news with an Instagram post on Monday — but as she says, “it’s a secret so don’t tell anyone.”

Groban confirmed the news with a tweet of his own on Monday evening, thanking Bloom for welcoming him to her “brilliant show.”

It’s not clear if Groban’s character might be a new love interest for Rebecca, but she’s definitely in the market for one. Last season of Crazy Ex left off with Rebecca getting ditched at the altar by another Josh: her longtime obsession, Josh Chan (Vincent Rodriguez III), who ran off to become a priest. (Bloom has teased that Season 3 will play like a “funny Fatal Attraction,” with Rebecca seeking revenge on her ex.)

Along with being a multi-platinum recording artist, Groban’s no stranger to the acting game, having appeared in episodes of Glee, The Office and Ally McBeal.

Big Little Lies Season 2? 'We're Kicking It Around,' Says Showrunner David E. Kelley

Fortunately, it worked: The show earned 16 Emmy nominations, including Best Limited Series and a Best Writing for a Limited Series nod for Kelley. He credits Big Little Lies’ successful tightrope walk to his colleagues, all Emmy-nominated for their roles in the project themselves: director Jean-Marc Vallée (Wild) along with stars Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman, who pulled double duty as producers.

EW chatted with Kelley about the show’s “surprise” success, what the skilled cadre of actors — also including Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley, and Zoë Kravitz — brought to their roles, and whether he thinks the limited series might get the second season some fans are craving.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Now that we’re a few months out from Big Little Lies, what kind of responses have you received? Has anything surprised you?

DAVID E. KELLEY: It’s all been a surprise. You never know how these things will turn out. You sit down and you write them because you like them, and you congregate a cast and a crew that also responds to the material, and you make it to the best of your ability, and then you throw it out there, and you kinda cross your fingers and duck.

The first reward that you get is if we all like it and believe in what we made, so we had that. But in terms of the reaction to it, it’s just a big guess. So it was a surprise that it caught on with such a frenzy, but as surprises go, one of the better ones.

What are some of the scenes that you’re proudest of?

The ones that were the most difficult to write and the most disturbing to me were obviously the ones involving Celeste and the violence and domestic abuse. That was just tough stuff to wade into. It was really, I know, equally difficult — probably more so — for Nicole to play, and for Jean-Marc to direct. But there was some gratification when I saw it on the screen to see how well they had executed it. It was very powerful. We ended up being pretty proud of the depiction of it.

Let’s see… the finale. I loved the juxtaposition of suspense and music and love and murder. That was a big challenge to pull all that off in 60 minutes. I sat back and marveled at how well Jean-Marc balanced all those story lines and blended those tones.

Finales can be so divisive, but for the most part, I felt like people agreed this one was extremely satisfying.

I give great credit to Jean-Marc on that, because he just did masterful work. I remember after the script was written, he came back and said, “Okay, can we try and tell this with the camera as opposed to words, and fill in some of this with subtext as opposed to text?” And by that time — well, we had an almost immediate trust. By show seven, I really felt the series was more his baby than anybody’s. When I saw what he did with it and how he brought that home, it was pretty thrilling.

When you’re dealing with such a talented ensemble cast like this, do you want to play to their strengths, or do you want to give these actors a challenge they’ve never had?

In terms of this series, I was trying to be very faithful to a book that I quite loved. Then we attracted a pretty great cast, and you see that they have gifts and strengths, and you want to avail yourselves to them. With Reese’s role, Madeline was the protagonist, she was the antagonist, she was a scorned lover, she was a parent, she was a busybody — she had so many hats to wear, all of them involving different tones. It took a great deal of preparation by Reese and real impeccable execution, because she had to go from being emotional one moment to funny the next to bullying in the next.

With Nicole, she was so gifted in her subtextual abilities, to be able to tell a story with her face, that when we were writing some of those scenes, especially the therapist scenes, we didn’t have to give her words because she was so able to convey emotion — conflict, surprise, betrayal — just with her reactions. That’s a real luxury for a writer to have an actor with that kind of skill set.

With Renata, she probably became a little bit bigger in the series, and a little bit funnier, because Laura Dern has those dramatic and comedic muscles, and can shift on a dime. And she has that quality where she can be the antagonist, that character you disapprove of at every turn, and at the same time, she’s becoming more and more beloved with each scene. That, again, is a difficult trip. She brought such a heart and humanity to that character that even though she was the antagonist to our main players, your heart went out to her.

So when you have five of your cast members being nominated for Emmys — some of them against each other — does it feel like a kind of Sophie’s choice for you?

[Laughs] Well, I don’t know. I’m just happy for everyone. It’s all icing on the cake, and it actually makes it more fun, because it was such an ensemble piece. This was such a selfless group through and through, so to see everybody get rewarded was very nice.

I thought the limited series was the perfect medium for this material. And your other shows, Goliath and Mr. Mercedes, also have these tight, short seasons. Is there more freedom in that for you?

Well, there’s more free time! There is freedom in the storytelling, because without having to write a franchise that has to live in perpetuity, you can go places faster, and you can burn more brightly if you have to, because you don’t have to keep the star burning for a hundred episodes, to keep characters redeeming. You can play to their flaws if it’s a shorter run. And you can be a little bit tighter in your plots. I’ve really enjoyed the limited series format.

I have to ask the season 2 question. What are your thoughts on doing one?

We don’t know yet. We’re kicking it around. If we feel that the material warrants it, we’ll do it. Everybody’s game for getting the band back together, but we want to make sure that we’ve got the music to justify it. That decision hasn’t been made yet, and it’ll be story-driven when it is.

From what Reese and other people have said, it sounds like it’s up to whether Liane Moriarty has a story idea.

Correct.

With Mr. Mercedes and with Big Little Lies, the authors weren’t really involved in your adaptations. But would season 2 end up more collaborative if it’s based on a new story from Liane?

It could be. I’m certainly open to it. I think [Moriarty], for the book, was game to say, “Okay, it’s your baby. Run with it now.” But she’s a great writer, and she also writes excellent dialogue, so if she wanted to jump over to the screenwriting side of the fence, we’d welcome her.

On that note, are you trying to get in on the Truly Madly Guilty adaptation with Reese and Nicole now?

No, not yet. I’ve just read the book, but there’s other stuff on our plate before turning to that.

I have to ask you, as an Ally McBeal superfan: With all these older shows getting rebooted, do we have any hope?

Oh, I don’t know. Again, it’s not on my front burner. We did it once and loved doing it, but that might be hard to do again.

Calista Flockhart Set to Return for Season 3 Premiere

Calista Flockhart is set to appear in the Season 3 premiere of Supergirl, EW.com reports, and is then expected to recur throughout the season.

A series regular during Supergirl‘s first season, Flockhart appeared in just two episodes of Season 2 before bidding Kara & Co. adieu. She then made a highly anticipated return in the final two episodes of its sophomore run.

Word of Flockhart’s Supergirl comeback is just the latest bit of Season 3 casting news. Earlier this month, it was reported that Erica Durance, famous for playing Lois Lane on Smallville, will take over the role of Kara’s (late) biological mother Alura Zor-El. (Alura was originally played by the East Coast-based new mom Laura Benanti).

Supergirl Season 3 takes flight on Monday, Oct. 9 at 8/7c on The CW.

Ellie Kemper and Jane Krakowski Are Singing Dragons—Yes, You Read That Right

The two costars made their way over to Disney Junior's Sofia the First to play dragons, Kemper is the recurring character of Crackle, and Krakowski plays Crackle's childhood rival Sizzle. In the episode, Sofia (Ariel Winter) disguises herself as a dragon to attend the annual Dragon Roast n' Toast picnic with her pal Crackle. There, they meet Sizzle and another familiar-voiced dragon, Orange Is the New Black star Kimiko Glenn's Cinder.

And then they sing, of course. And spoiler alert, it's kind of a catchy song. For those missing 30 Rock, you can just pretend it's Krakowski's Jenna Maroney singing and that'll take things to a whole new level.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt was nominated for three Emmys for the 2017 ceremony. Kemper, Tituss Burgess and the series itself picked up nominations. Netflix renewed the comedy from Tina Fey and Robert Carlock for a fourth season, which is likely a year away. So, let this Sofia the First clip give you a little Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.

Sofia the First has won Daytime Emmys in the past, maybe this original song done by the Unbreakable duo will get it another?

Sofia the First airs Friday, July 21 at 9 a.m. on Disney Channel.

PBS: GREAT PERFORMANCES “She Loves Me”

‘Luke Cage’: Lucy Liu To Direct Season 2 Premiere For Netflix

“What a thrill to collaborate with Marvel and Netflix, two industry titans, who paint our world with inspiring stories and beguiling characters,” Liu said in a statement. “It is such an honor to work with such a passionate and fearless team.”

Series executive producer Jeph Loeb is excited to have Liu on board to helm the premiere. “When you’re dealing with a bulletproof man, it helps if you have a bulletproof director,” he said. “Lucy brings a keen eye, a superb sense of story and an obvious love of actors. She is rocking Luke Cage 2.”

Liu’s involvement with the series, which is set to return in 2018, continues her relationship with Netflix. She recently joined Zoey Deutch, Glen Powell, and Taye Diggs in the streaming giant’s upcoming comedy Set It Up from director Claire Scanlon.

The news also comes after shortly after the announcement of Netflix’s continuing foray into the comic book world with a live-action series based on The Umbrella Academy by former My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way and illustrated by Gabriel Bá.

Liu is repped by Framework Entertainment, Untitled Entertainment, ICM Partners, and Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham.

Michael Jackson's Halloween

Battle of the Network Stars: Doctors vs. Famous TV Families (7/27)

Here are the teams for this new episode (* = returning to “Battle of the Network Stars”):

Famous TV Families (Danny Bonaduce, Barry Williams, Beverley Mitchell, *Willie Aames, *Charlene Tilton)vs.

Doctors (Thomas Calabro, Taye Diggs, Rachelle Lefevre, *Deidre Hall, Benjamin Hollingsworth)

Josh Hopkins & Charisma Carpenter Join ‘Mail Order Monster’

Robert Downey Jr. thinking over when to quit ‘Iron Man’

The 52-year-old star recently addressed his future within the ever-growing world of Marvel heroes being brought to the big, and small, screen. Downey Jr. took on the role of Tony Stark in 2008, and his “Iron Man” installments have been a smash hit, but he said in a recent interview he is worried that remaining in the role for too long could tarnish Stark’s legacy.

“It’s this cyclical thing. I could have said when the first ‘Avengers’ came out: ‘It’s never going to get any better than that. Everybody stop.’ But to me, it’s always about people and opportunities, like the (‘Avengers’ directors Anthony and Joe) Russos, who I adore,” he told News Corp Australia Network.

“Everyone says to me it’s like a glove that fits so well. I have to start over every time but I am starting over with a pretty solid base. I just never want to blow it for the last six or seven (Marvel movies) I have done by dropping the ball because I decided to go do it one more time. I just want to hang up my jersey before it’s embarrassing.”

Downey Jr. has had the most screen time of any other actor in the Marvel universe. To date, he’s been featured in six out of the 15 connected films — not counting his brief cameo in “The Incredible Hulk.” However, it’s worth noting that Downey Jr. hasn’t led one of these movies since “Iron Man 3” in 2013.

In 2014, he disappointed some fans when he confessed to Variety that there were no plans for an “Iron Man 4.” Since that time, though, he’s acted as part of the franchise’s ensemble with memorable supporting roles in “Avengers: Age of Ultron” and “Captain America: Civil War.” He’s currently slated to do so again alongside Tom Holland in the upcoming “Spider-Man: Homecoming” as well as “Avengers: Infinity War,” which will be a two-part story.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe films are the highest-grossing film franchise of all time, beating out heavy hitters like “Stars Wars,” “Harry Potter” and “Fast and the Furious.”

While the actor seems to be cooling off on the Tony Stark role, he’s not outright refusing to return. According to CinemaBlend, he previously told reporters at a “Spider-Man: Homecoming” press junket that he simply wants to ensure he’s attached to quality projects.

“What happens to me is that things are presented to me that are really well thought out by folks that have been doing this correctly for a really long time, and I go like, ‘Check.’”

“Spider-Man: Homecoming” hits theaters July 7, 2017.

‘Doomsday’: Sony TV Eyes Series Order For Ex-ABC Pilot, Extends Cast Options

I hear Sony TV is planning to produce Doomsday for global distribution based on oversees interest in the concept and auspices. I hear the studio would open a writers room and fund the production of the series, likely in the 13-episode range, before taking it out to domestic and international buyers.

I hear one of the potential options considered involves Sony Pictures Television Networks’ AXN set of international channels, which distributes Sony TV’s straight-to-series Stana Katic thriller drama Absentia that just had its world premiere at the Monte Carlo Television Festival.

Doomsday was one of the first big buys of the 2016-2017 broadcast development cycle, landing at ABC with a production commitment plus a series penalty behind it. It went to pilot but did not make the cut to series.

Written by Mark Bianculli & VJ Boyd and directed by Joachim Ronning, Doomsday starts in the aftermath of 9/11, when the U.S. government institutes a secret think tank featuring the most creative minds in science and entertainment that is tasked with dreaming up man-made disaster scenarios and their possible solutions. Because the hypothetical ideas are deemed extremely dangerous, the list is sealed and the program shut down. But when a catastrophe occurs that’s ripped from the pages of the missing doomsday book, the team is brought back years later to prevent the disasters of their own making.

Mendelsohn and Julie Weitz executive produce for Sony TV-based Carol Mendelsohn Productions alongside Boyd via Pernomium Pictures and Bianculli via Signal Hill Productions.

If the deals close and Doomsday goes to series, it would be the second broadcast pilot this season to score a series order after getting a pass by its original network. CBS TV Studios’ Insatiable, originally at the CW, has landed at Netflix. As for Sony TV, it would be the second save this season, following NBC’s un-cancellation of the studio’s drama Timeless.

Fall TV First Impression: The Brave

THE COMPETITION | CBS’ Scorpion and ABC’s The Good Doctor (new)

THE CAST | Mike Vogel (Under the Dome), Anne Heche (Men in Trees), Demetrius Grosse (Banshee), Sofia Pernas (Jane the Virgin), Natacha Karam, Noah Mills (2 Broke Girls), Hadi Tabbal and Tate Ellington (Quantico)

THE SET-UP | Vogel leads a Special Ops team (comprised of Grosse, Karam, Mills and Tabbal), while Heche calls the shots from D.C.

THE FIRST IMPRESSION | You had to twist my arm to press play on this one; after watching SEAL Team, Valor and S.W.A.T. in quick succession, I had OD’d on Elite People Doing Elite Things. (I may have even told Andy Swift at one point to keep his head on a swivel and watch my six. Copy that!) But I must say, The Brave (fka For God and Country) is well-produced, the tactical operations are clever and the cast is impressively diverse in a way that makes their opening undercover maneuvers in Syria rather believable. (Conversely, see Michael Scofield and “Whip” scampering around Yemen completely unchecked.)

Among the ensemble, Vogel has a role that suits him to a tee, Grosse I find to be always engaging and Karam (as a plucky sniper named “Jaz”) is a real find. What’s interesting here is that the cast is poised to always be geographically divided, with Heche (whose DIA honcho suffered a Recent Personal Tragedy, we are repeatedly reminded), Pernas and Ellington manning the strategic ops hub while the others trot the globe. Oh, one last thing: the pilot has the strangest ending.

THE TVLINE BOTTOM LINE | Can The Brave steal eyeballs from those who appreciate Scorpion‘s derring-do but have grown weary of its cartooniness? With ABC also trying out a newbie, many viewers are up for grabs, though The Brave may be missing the “noisy hook” that helped time slot predecessors Revolution (the lights went out!), The Blacklist (James Spader!), Blindspot (naked in a duffel!) and Timeless (time travel!) get out of the gate — especially in a fall season that is well-armed with military dramas.

Watch the trailer for The Brave: Video.

Calista Flockhart, 52, feels older than Harrison Ford, 74

“Harrison and I laugh a lot, and humor is everything to me,” the 52-year-old actress told Closer Weekly on how the pair keep the romance spark alive.

And their 22-year age gap is a “non-issue” within their relationship.

“The truth is, I sometimes feel very much older than Harrison,” admitted Flockhart.

The 74-year-old actor first met the former “Ally McBeal” star at the 2002 Golden Globes. After dating for eight years, the duo tied the knot in June 2010.

“I’m in love,” Ford told Hello! Magazine in 2003. “Romantic love is one of the most exciting and fulfilling kinds of love and I think there is a potential for it at any stage of your life. I was not surprised that I was able to fall in love, and I wasn’t surprised that I did.”

Even then, Flockhart stressed their age difference wasn’t a factor.

“Sometimes I even say, ‘Wow, I keep forgetting that he’s 22 years older than me,’” she said. “It doesn’t factor into our relationship at all. I like the way he looks first thing in the morning. It’s not handsome, it’s more cute. He looks like a little boy.”

Lucy Liu Joins Netflix Comedy Feature ‘Set it Up’

Written by Katie Silberman, the film follows the story of two overworked and underpaid assistants, Harper and Charlie (Deutch and Powell), who are wasting their 20s working for superiors who treat them like dirt and work them ’round the clock. Harper and Charlie commiserate with each other about their crazy bosses (Liu and Diggs) and realize that they would have much more free time if the people they worked for weren’t single. They concoct a plan to solve their problem by setting up their respective bosses with each other. As assistants they have all the access and all the power to pull the strings behind the scenes to lure their unwitting bosses into a faux romance. When the plan is a huge success, Harper and Charlie are now free to live their lives. But, things start to spin out of control as they begin to discover what started out as a harmless plan could lead to some unanticipated consequences.

Liu plays Kirsten Stevens, described as “an intimidating, no-nonsense, extremely successful sports reporter.”

The project is being produced by Justin Nappi and Juliet Berman of Treehouse Pictures. Liu plays Dr. Joan Watson on CBS’ Elementary, which is about to wrap its fifth season. On the film side, she’ll next be seen in James Franco’s indie sci-fi film Future World.

Liu is repped by Framework Entertainment, Untitled Entertainment, ICM Partners, and Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham.

‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’ Renewed For Season 4 By Netflix

The Emmy-nominated series starring Ellie Kemper, Tituss Burgess, Jane Krakowski and Carol Kane follows the travails of Kimmy (Kemper) who, after living in a cult for fifteen years, decides to reclaim her life and start over in New York City. She quickly finds a new job (working for Krakowski), a new roommate (Burgess), and a new beginning.

Recurring guest stars have included Anna Camp, Josh Charles, David Cross, Amy Sedaris, Tina Fey, Daveed Diggs and Jon Hamm.

Kimmy started with a straight-to-series order at NBC, moving to Netflix before the premiere with a second-season order tacked onto the first. The series received a third-season renewal from Netflix in January 2016, ahead of the April 2016 debut of its second season.

Fey and Carlock serve as executive producers with fellow 30 Rock alums Jeff Richmond and David Miner. The series, from Universal Television, Little Stranger, 3 Arts Entertainment and Bevel Gears, has amassed 11 Emmy nominations, including two in the Outstanding Comedy Series category for each of its first two seasons. Like the first two, Season 3 also has been well received by critics.

Robert Downey Jr. buys Malibu mansion almost as cool as Iron Man’s

In the “Iron Man” movie franchise, Stark owns an over-the-top, cliffside mansion on Point Dume that would easily be worth north of $100 million if it actually existed (the filmmakers digitally created the home).

Downey’s new home is located about 15 minutes south of Point Dume, near Pepperdine University, the Los Angeles Times reports.

The 3,384-square-foot, three-bedroom, three-bath home was built in 1972 on a 1.3-acre lot. Its most striking feature is a floor-to-ceiling — and wall-to-wall — sliding glass door that extends from the living room to the glass-enclosed balcony overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

The open-concept living room flows into the kitchen, which is anchored by a trapezoidal island mirroring the room’s shape. There’s a Viking gas range with a glass-tiled backsplash, a sink with a stone backsplash, and open shelving. A free-standing breakfast bar seats three.

Off the kitchen is a formal dining room. The bedrooms all open to either the backyard or the balcony. The bathrooms have been upgraded, including one with floor-to-ceiling, blue glass tile. Elsewhere, there’s an outdoor kitchen, putting green, exercise studio, black-bottomed pool, whirlpool spa and cabana.

The home hit the market in early May for $3.95 million, and Downey closed on the house in less than a month.

Downey, 52, has been on a real estate shopping spree. He and his wife, Susan, reportedly closed on a $10.5 million, windmill-shaped home in East Hampton, NY, earlier this year.

He’s currently one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood, according to Forbes. The former child actor grappled with drug addiction in his 30s, but later achieved sobriety and restarted his career as Iron Man. He’s also appeared in “Weird Science,” “Tropic Thunder,” and Guy Ritchie’s reboot of “Sherlock Holmes.”

Julianne Nicholson Back In ‘Law & Order’ Fold With ‘Menendez Murders’ Role

The true-crime anthology series centers on Lyle (Gaston Villanueva) and Erik (Gus Halper) Menendez, brothers who were convicted in 1996 of murdering their parents seven years earlier. After a mistrial and deadlocked juries — there was one trial but two separate juries, one for each brother — they later were re-tried, convicted and sentenced to life without parole.

Edie Falco plays defense attorney Leslie Abramson. Nicholson will play Jill Lansing, Abramson’s whip-smart and trusted partner on the defense team, responsible for representing Lyle. Lansing is a caring professional genuinely dedicated to the Menendez case.

Last week, the series cast Anthony Edwards as Judge Stanley Weisberg, who oversaw the trial and had a contentious relationship with Abramson.

Nicholson guest-starred on the original Law & Order, was a series regular on Conviction and co-starred alongside Chris Noth on Criminal Intent which ran for 10 seasons on NBC and USA Network. She is repped by UTA and Davien Littlefield.

Maya Rudolph, Martin Short, Jane Krakowski Join Voice Cast Of ‘The Willoughbys’

Rudolph will be the voice of Nanny, who looks after the Willoughby children. Crews is voicing candy mogul Commandor Melanoff, and Short and Krakowski give voice to Father and Mother Willoughby, parents so in love with each other they forget they even have children. Cullen has a duel role of voicing their twin boys Barnaby A and B.

Additional casting is currently underway on the film, which is being repped by WME Global.

The logline: The story follows the four Willoughby children – Tim, Jane and the twins who — when abandoned by their selfish parents — embark on a wild adventure through the modern world, colliding with a cat, an orphan, a nanny and a candy mogul, to reunite with the “family they were born into,” only to discover along the way the value of love in the “family they choose.”

The Willoughbys is being written and directed by Kris Pearn with Cory Evans co-directing, and is currently in pre-production at Bron’s studio in Burnaby, BC. Bron Animation President Brenda Gilbert, Aaron L. Gilbert and Luke Carroll are producing.

Along with Gervais, Jason Cloth of Creative Wealth Media also serves as an executive producer.

The director/co-writer Pearn previously worked on films at Sony, Dreamworks, Lucas/Disney and Aardman with credits including head of story on Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, co-director of Cloudy 2, story supervisor on Arthur Christmas. He also had credits on Surf’s Up, Shawn the Sheep, Home and Pirates: Band of Misfits, and has been nominated twice for Annie Awards (Open Season and Arthur Christmas).

ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT OFFICIALLY RENEWED FOR SEASON 5 AT NETFLIX

Netflix on Wednesday confirmed that it has officially greenlit a fifth season of Mitchell Hurwitz’ family farce, with the entire main cast — including Jason Bateman, Michael Cera, Jeffrey Tambor, Jessica Walter, Will Arnett, Tony Hale, Portia de Rossi, David Cross and Alia Shawkat — reprising their signature roles.

The new season will bow in 2018. An episode count was not revealed.

In a shade-throwing statement that likens the Bluths to America’s First Family, series creator Mitchell Hurwitz said, “In talks with Netflix we all felt that that stories about a narcissistic, erratically behaving family in the building business — and their desperate abuses of power — are really underrepresented on TV these days. I am so grateful to them and to 20th TV for making this dream of mine come true in bringing the Bluths, George Sr., Lucille and the kids; Michael, Ivanka, Don Jr., Eric, George-Michael, and who am I forgetting, oh Tiffany. Did I say Tiffany? — back to the glorious stream of life.”

Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos hinted that in Season 5 “the Bluths will collectively be spending more quality time with their millions of fans around the world,” a possible nod to Season 4’s polarizing standalone-character format.

As TVLine previously reported, Season 5 may include a major prequel element, with potentially half of the action unfolding in flashbacks featuring much younger versions of all the principal characters (played by different actors). The move would go a long way in clearing Season 5’s major scheduling hurdle (i.e. corralling the insanely busy cast at the same time) without having to recycle the maligned character-centric conceit. “More of the episodes can now include all of the original cast together, with lots of big group family scenes,” said a source.

Hayden Panettiere Childhood NY Home Hits The Market

The crib's in Palisades, New York ... a ritzy suburban enclave where Angelina Jolie grew up, and stars like Bill Murray, Diane Sawyer and Al Pacino have also lived.

Hayden's folks bought the 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath home in 1995. It sits on a quaint suburban lot, surrounded by trees and it's just a short walk away from the Hudson River.

Interesting timing on the sale ... Hayden's parents went through a nasty 8-year divorce that finally ended last April. It's unclear whether mom or dad gets the dough from the house. It's still registered in both their names.

Fun fact: When her folks bought this place, Hayden was playing Sarah Roberts on "One Life to Live" ... at the age of 6!

Elementary Renewed for Season 6

CBS has renewed up the Sherlock Holmes procedural for a sixth season, TVLine has learned.

Elementary was conspicuously missing from CBS’ sweeping renewal announcement in March, with the network doling out pickups to nearly all of its established dramas with the exception of Elementary. Although the Jonny Lee Miller-Lucy Liu series has seen its ratings erode considerably in recent seasons, it performs well internationally for CBS (a key factor in its renewal).

With Elementary set for the 2017-18 season, that leaves medical drama Code Black as the last remaining hour-long drama on the bubble for CBS.

‘Difficult People’: Lucy Liu Set To Recur On Season 3 Of Hulu Series

The upcoming season finds Julie (Julie Klausner) and Billy (Billy Eichner) remaining each other’s best friends while still their own worst enemies. Julie embarks on a season long quest for happiness, while Billy begins to sour on New York, just as he begins to fall for his first real boyfriend (John Cho). Marilyn (Andrea Martin) lands a book deal, and Arthur (James Urbaniak) is forced to commute to the Burt Reynolds Dinner Theatre in Jupiter Florida, where PBS has moved all of its productions.

Liu will play Veronica a morally corrupt, taste-challenged, highly successful alpha female. Veronica is the book editor who gives Marilyn (Martin) a chance to publish her own book.

Liu plays Dr. Joan Watson on CBS’ Elementary, which is about to wrap its fifth season. On the film side, she’l next be seen in James Franco’s indie sci-fi film Future World. Liu is repped by Framework Entertainment, Untitled Entertainment, ICM, and Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham.

The third season of Difficult People will premiere August 8 on Hulu.

Bruce Dern & Gil Bellows Board Indie Film ‘Nation’s Fire’

Also in the cast are Chuck Liddell, Kristen Renton and Massimo Dobrovic. Filming is underway in Los Angeles.

Dern, who is upcoming in Chappaquiddick and White Boy Rick, has two Oscar nominations over his long career for Coming Home (1978) and Nebraska (2014). He is repped by Innovative Artists and Pure Arts.

Bellows’ credits include the TV series Patriot, on which he also is an exec producer, and Eyewitness. In addition, he won Emmy and Peabody awards for the HBO film Temple Grandin and is starring and exec producer on the indie feature Business Ethics. He is repped by Don Buchwald & Associates and Luber Rocklin Management.

The producers on Nation’s Fire are Phillip B. Goldfine, Robert Ori and Carmine Famiglietti. The film is being financed by Hollywood Media Bridge. Executive producers are Binh Dang, Benjamin Sacks and Jason Hewitt.

Regina Hall & Haley Lu Richardson Topline Andrew Bujalski’s Indie ‘Support The Girls’

Sam Slater will produce for Burn Later Productions alongside Houston King of Houston King Productions, reteaming with Bujalski after they produced his 2015 Sundance pic Results starring Guy Pearce, Cobie Smulders and Kevin Corrigan. Jonathan Fryd, Scott Carmel and David Bernon are executive producers.

The plot centers on Lisa Conroy (Hall) who may not love managing the restaurant Double Whammies, but she loves her employees more than anything, not only Danyelle (McHale), and Maci (Richardson) her closest friends, but also her extended family. Unfortunately, the cheap, curmudgeonly owner Ben Cubby (Le Gros) doesn’t care nearly as much, and confronts Lisa when he learns that she’s using the restaurant to raise money for Shaina (Kramer), an employee in legal trouble related to an abusive boyfriend. To get even, the girls decide to sabotage the restaurant on the night of a major mixed martial arts fight.

Hall is repped by ICM Partners and Principato-Young Entertainment, and Richardson by Gersh, 3 Arts Entertainment and Coast to Coast Talent Group. LeGros is with Innovative Artists and Industry Entertainment, AJ Michalka by Gersh and Primary Wave Entertainment. Gelula is represented by CAA and Management 360. McHayle is represented by Kathryn Kenealy and ICM Partners. DeLaria is represented by The Katz Company. Jana Kramer is repped by Primary Wave and WME, and Decker is with Gersh and Authentic Management.

Bujalski is represented by CAA.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Jane Krakowski Says Jacqueline Will Sing in Season 3

And while exuberant performer extraordinaire Titus (Tituss Burgess) traditionally gets all the shine for fanciful musical follies on the show -- including the classic "Peeno Noir" from Season 1 and "Outside Bones" from Season 2 -- Season 3 is going to spread the musical love around, specifically to Krakowski's character Jacqueline.

Though creators Robert Carlock and Tina Fey initially balked at having Jacqueline croon because the idea was too close to her role as Jenna Maroney on 30 Rock, she'll now get to share her vocal talents -- a development that, as you see in the video, is enough to make Krakowski break out in song on the spot.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt returns on Friday, May 19 on Netflix.

‘Z: The Beginning of Everything’ Star Christina Ricci On Presenting Zelda Fitzgerald’s Full Humanity

A thirty-minute period drama series created by Dawn Prestwich and Nicole Yorkin (The Killing)—based on the novel Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald, by Therese Anne Fowler—Z: The Beginning of Everything presents a fictionalized look at the extraordinary life and times of American socialite and writer Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald (Christina Ricci), one of the most iconic public personas of her era, alongside her husband, F. Scott Fitzgerald (David Hoflin).

“I just happened to read Therese’s book, and I loved it, and I couldn’t believe that I had such misconceptions about Zelda Fitzgerald,” Ricci said, of the way in which she found her way to the project.” Assuming someone was already making a film about Zelda’s incredible life story, Ricci had her manager inquire about the rights to the novel, which she ultimately realized were still available.

The executive producer and star of the Amazon series, Ricci was inspired by the idea of taking a figure shrouded in mythology and bringing her to life in a new way. “I think that for me, what I really wanted was this idea of giving this woman who lives in myth—either adored or reviled—make her human, give her back her humanity,” the actress remarked.

When it came to preparations for their roles in the series, Ricci and Hoflin had very different methodologies, with Ricci pursuing a deeper dive into research, to do the part justice. “I did tons and tons of research about Zelda—I read two biographies, I read all of her writing that I could get my hands on, and I read all of [F. Scott Fitzgerald’s] writing,” she explained. “I read about that period of time in America—I pretty much covered all my bases, because it is very intimidating to play somebody who is kind of the stuff of legend. You don’t want to disappoint anyone, or embarrass yourself.”

Hoflin, on the other hand, found that indulging in too much research can become an all-consuming venture. “I think you can go crazy, doing so much research, because there’s so much stuff written about them, and then not only that, but we’ve got obviously scripts to read, and there’s an element of a storyline that Z’s telling,” he said. “It’s a person’s view on what happened, so I think there’s gotta be a limit, or at least there was for me. There’s a limit to doing research, and then trying to work out how that relates to the actual work that you’re doing.”

In approaching Z, Ricci was much more interested in examining who Zelda Fitzgerald really was away from the glamor, the Hollywood spotlight, and the persona the writer put on in public—though the actress admitted that Fitzgerald’s real and constructed personas did, at times, coincide.

“For me, it’s very much about playing a woman, about being very real, and human, and heartfelt,” Ricci explained. “It’s sort of like pulling back the curtain a little bit, so the celebrity aspect of it and the iconic kind of aspect of it was something I didn’t even think of at all, except for the way that celebrity affected her behavior, and how she felt about herself.”

Emmy-winning costumer Tom Broecker sparked to the idea of visually examining a fascinating moment in fashion and culture, generally, profiting in his process from visual resources and a “wealth of information” that are readily available to the public.

“The interesting part about this show, for me anyway, is that it is a really ugly period, until you actually get to know it, and then it’s a really spectacularly beautiful period, because it’s actually right before what we imagine as the most beautiful period in fashion, which is the later ‘20s,” Broecker said.

Bowing in January, Z‘s first season follows Zelda’s marriage to the author, and subsequent marital tensions stemming from both a raucous partying lifestyle, and F. Scott’s inability to take his wife on her own terms, recognizing her worth and innate ability as a writer.

With the announcement of a Season 2 renewal for the series coming just hours before the night’s panel, Ricci expressed her excitement at the prospect of a second season, discussing what it may mean for the show going forward.

“We’re truly thrilled. It’s such a rich history and their story is so fascinating. It should be a pretty exciting second season,” the actress said, while acknowledging that the story may continue to travel down some darker avenues. “Certainly, we’re going to get more into the complexities of their marriage, and what led to her (Zelda’s) breakdown.”

The Z panel last night and a final presentation at the Hollywood Athletic Club tonight mark the culmination of a two-week FYC event, in which Amazon set up ten rooms within the two levels of the Sunset Blvd. facility, each specifically designed for one of Amazon’s roster of television series. The series represented include The Man in the High Castle, Z: The Beginning of Everything, Goliath, Sneaky Pete, Patriot, Mozart in the Jungle, Catastrophe, Transparent, the yet-to-premiere I Love Dick, and two beloved children’s television programs, Just Add Magic and An American Girl Story – Melody 1963: Love Has to Win.

To view Deadline’s conversation with Christina Ricci, David Hoflin and costume designer Tom Broecker for yourself, click above.

‘Z: The Beginning Of Everything’ Renewed For Season 2 By Amazon

Created by Dawn Prestwich and Nicole Yorkin, the bio-series is based on the life of Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald, the brilliant, beautiful and talented Southern Belle who becomes the original flapper and icon of the wild, flamboyant Jazz Age in the 20s.

Starring Christina Ricci as Zelda, Z: The Beginning of Everything starts before she meets the unpublished writer F. Scott Fitzgerald (David Hoflin) and moves through their passionate, turbulent love affair and their marriage—made in heaven, lived out in hell as the celebrity couple of their time. The series travels through the wild parties, the wicked jazz, the dissolute artists of the era, as well as the alcoholism, adultery and struggle with dashed dreams and mental illness that characterizes their later years. David Strathairn co-stars.

Prestwich and Yorkin who also exec produce along with Pamela Koffler, Christine Vachon and Ricci.

Lucy Liu uses Mandarin skills to help out lost man

Prior to a Sunday performance of Broadway’s “The Little Foxes,” starring Laura Linney and Cynthia Nixon, a spy says, “a delivery man was confused about where he should be. He spoke very limited English, but kept asking about a hotel.”

We’re told no one at the Manhattan Theatre Club could help.

“He was holding up the box-office line .?.?. A woman stepped forward and said, ‘He just needs to know where he’s going. I can help.’?”We’re told the woman was Liu, who gave the man directions in fluent Mandarin and sent him on his way.

“It was very classy,” said the source.

‘Scandal’ Bids Farewell To Series Regular; Departing Co-Star & Creator Shonda Rhimes React

Tonight’s “Trojan Horse” marked the final episode of Scandal‘s Portia De Rossi, whose character Elizabeth North was brutally murdered in the ongoing fight for power. Introduced in Season 4 of the soapy Washington DC-set ABC drama, the brash and resourceful Republican operative Liz North was an instant standout, with De Rossi joining the cast as a regular at the beginning of Season 5. But she had been rarely seen lately as her character had not been involved in the current storylines of Season 6.

“I am incredibly grateful for my time here at Scandal!,” De Rossi said in a statement. “I will miss playing Elizabeth North but I’ve made the decision to focus on a business opportunity. Shonda, Betsy and the cast have been incredibly supportive of my decision. I will always love my Scandal family. I’ll be watching!”

Scandal creator/executive producer Shonda Rhimes, who executive produces alongside Betsy Beers, bid a fond farewell to the popular character and to De Rossi.

“I have been a fan of Portia’s for years and it was an honor to have her join our Scandal family,” she said in a statement. “Portia infused Liz North with a smart powerful vulnerable soul while also making the humor sing — and that brought all of us in the writers room a lot of joy. If I could keep her forever, I would — but kidnapping is illegal. Besides, I am incredibly impressed with the vision she has for her creative future. I wish her all the best.”

While Scandal has had a sizable body count over the years, more recently President-elect Vargas, Huck’s duplicitous girlfriend Meg and bystander Jennifer Flowers, the main cast of the show has stayed intact. Guillermo Diaz’s Huck came this close to death a couple of episodes ago but pulled through.

Supergirl: Calista Flockhart Returning for Final Episodes of Season 2

TVLine has confirmed that Calista Flockhart will reprise the role of Cat Grant in the final two episodes of Supergirl‘s second season. Unfortunately, any further details — including the reason for Cat’s return — remain tightly under wraps.

A series regular during Supergirl‘s first season, Flockhart appeared in just two episodes of Season 2 before bidding Kara & Co. adieu. As expressed repeatedly by the show’s producers, a return has been in the cards for quite a while — it was always an issue of timing.

“We’re still trying to work out her schedule,” executive producer Andrew Kreisberg told reporters back in October. At the time, he said the team hoped to have Flockhart back for “as many [episodes] as we can get.”

Nashville Renewed for Season 6 at CMT

Season 6 of the country-music drama will consist of 16 episodes, premiering in early 2018.

Nashville made its official CMT debut in January to a total audience of 1.2 million, before floating down toward the 800,000-viewer range. But since Rayna’s death, the same-day audience has ticked up, settling back in around a million weekly viewers.

CMT also revealed that the drama’s midseason premiere, which will pick up a few months after Rayna’s death, will air on Thursday, June 1 at 9/8c.

Charles Esten (Deacon) and Hayden Panettiere (Juliette) happily shared the news with the cast and crew in a Facebook video that you can watch here.

Julianne Nicholson, Emma Roberts & Zachary Quinto To Star In New Matthew Newton Pic ‘Who We Are Now’

The drama centers on convicted felon Beth (Nicholson), who forms an unlikely alliance with a young public defense lawyer Jess (Roberts), who does everything she can to get Beth’s young son back from her sister after Beth went into prison 10 years earlier for manslaughter. Beth finally lowers her guard enough to meet a former U.S. soldier (Quinto) unfazed by her checkered past.

No Place Like Films’ Newton and Kate Ballen (who co-wrote From Nowhere, which won the Narrative Spotlight audience award at SXSW 2016) are producing with Living the Dream Films’ Ray Bouderau and ESA’s Varun Monga. Alex Lebovici and Steve Ponce of Oriah Entertainment are executive producing with Cedarvale Pictures’ Michael Bien. UTA Independent Film Group is repping the project.

Nicholson is repped by UTA and Davien Littlefield, Roberts is with CAA and Sweeney Entertainment and Quinto with CAA and Untitled Entertainment. Newton is repped by ESA.

‘Redliners’: Greg Germann Joins NBC Drama Pilot

Eyewitness Cancelled

The cabler has cancelled the crime drama after one season.

Eyewitness — which was adapted from the Norwegian program Øyevitne — centered around two teenage boys (played by Tyler Young and James Paxton) who witness a triple-homicide during a romantic encounter in a cabin. The show also starred Julianne Nicholson (Masters of Sex) and Gil Bellows (Ally McBeal).

Empire's Taye Diggs to Star in ABC's End of Days-Themed Doomsday Pilot

Taye Diggs — who’s currently recurring on Fox’s Empire as Taraji P. Henson’s love interest — is set to star in ABC’s apocalyptic drama pilot Doomsday, TVLine has learned.

Written by Justified vets Mark Bianculli and VJ Boyd and EPd’ by CSI vet Carol Mendelsohn, the hour-long thriller centers on a secret think tank that is tasked with dreaming up man-made disaster scenarios and their possible solutions. Because the hypothetical ideas are deemed extremely dangerous, the list is sealed and the program shut down.But when a catastrophe occurs that’s ripped from the pages of the missing doomsday book, the team is brought back years later to prevent the disasters of their own making.

Diggs will portray Dr. Davis, a celebrity at the Navy SEAL training base who’s dubbed he’s “Captain America by way of Harvard. He holds a PhD in anthropology and a masters in military strategy. But unlike your average soldier or sailor, Chris is not one to blindly follow orders — a trait that has gotten him benched by the SEALS despite a heroic act in combat. Chris is a devoted family man, tough and tenacious, but with a warm sense of humor, he, too, is a member of the former Doomsday Project think tank, and being summoned again to thwart an imminent attack is the first real military situation he’s been a part of since his suspension.

The Doomsday ensemble also includes Under the Dome‘s Rachelle Lefevre Smash‘s Jack Davenport and Cougar Town‘s Dan Byrd.

Anne Heche Nabs Lead in NBC Military Drama Pilot For God and Country

The Hung grad — who previously toplined the Peacock network’s Save Me and recurred on The Michael J. Fox Show — will star opposite Mike Vogel in NBC’s military-themed pilot For God and Country, our sister site Deadline reports.

The drama, penned by Dean Georgaris (Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life), is said to take an in-depth look into the complicated world of our bravest military heroes, who make personal sacrifices while executing the most challenging and dangerous missions behind enemy lines.

In the pilot, Vogel plays Michael Dalton, leader of a special ops group in charge of retrieving a kidnapped American doctor. Heche’s Patricia Campbell works opposite Dalton, and as Deputy Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, oversees a team of surveillance analysts in charge of uncovering and interpreting threats. She is the mother of both a 19-year-old son currently enlisted in the Marines and a seven-year-old son at home who is known for her ability to remain calm while supervising any looming crisis.

Heche most recently appeared alongside real-life hubby James Tupper on Syfy’s one-and-done Aftermath. Her previous TV credits also include Dig, Men in Trees, Everwood and Another World.

Robert Downey Jr. To Star In Con Man Pic Based On Podcast; Richard Linklater Directs

The podcast tells the true story of charlatan Dr. John Brinkley who scams his way to fame and fortune using fake medicine, populism, and the newest technology of the time: radio. As Brinkley’s fame grows, he gets the attention of Dr. Morris Fishbein, editor of the American Medical Association who begins a decade long quest to take him down. “Reply All,” which features stories about how people shape technology and how technology shapes people, aired “Man of the People” on January 19.

Team Downey’s Susan Downey and Robert Downey Jr. will produce alongside Annapurna’s Megan Ellison. Linklater will co-produce through his Detour Filmproduction banner with Gimlet Media’s PJ Vogt, Tim Howard, and Chris Giliberti.

Downey Jr., of course, plays Iron Man in the Marvel Comics movies and next appears in Spider-Man: Homecoming and Avengers: Infinity War. His recent non-superhero films including The Judge and Chef. Linklater is a five-time Oscar nominee whose Boyhood was up for Best Picture in 2015, and most recently helmed Everybody Wants Some!!, which Annapurna produced. Other credits include Before Midnight and its predecessors, along with Bernie, Fast Food Nation and the stoner classic Dazed and Confused.

Annapurna recently produced 20th Century Women, Sausage Party, Joy, American Hustle and Foxcatcher.

CAA represents Gimlet Media, Linklater and Downey Jr.

2017 Kids' Choice Awards: Complete List of Nominations

Favorite Movie Actor
Ben Affleck (Batman, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice)
Will Arnett (Vernon, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows)
Henry Cavill (Superman, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice)
Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man, Captain America: Civil War)
Chris Evans (Captain America, Captain America: Civil War)
Chris Hemsworth (Kevin, Ghostbusters)

Favorite Frenemies
Anna Kendrick & Justin Timberlake (Poppy/Branch, Trolls)
Ben Affleck & Henry Cavill (Batman/Superman, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice)
Chris Evans & Robert Downey Jr. (Captain America/Iron Man, Captain America: Civil War)
Ginnifer Goodwin & Jason Bateman (Judy/Nick, Zootopia)
Dwayne Johnson & Auli'i Cravalho (Moana/Maui, Moana)
Anna Kendrick & Justin Timberlake (Poppy/Branch, Trolls)
Charlize Theron & Emily Blunt (Ravenna/Freya, The Huntsman: Winter's War)

#Squad
Captain America: Civil War - Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman
Finding Dory – Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Kaitlin Olson, Hayden Rolence, Willem Dafoe, Ed O'Neill, Ty Burrell, Eugene Levy
Ghostbusters – Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – Felicity Jones, Forest Whitaker, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Alan Tudyk, Donnie Yen, Riz Ahmed, Mads Mikkelsen
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows – Noel Fisher, Jeremy Howard, Pete Ploszek, Alan Ritchson
X-Men: Apocalypse – James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Evan Peters, Tye Sheridan, Ben Hardy, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Sophie Turner, Alexandra Shipp, Olivia Munn

Christina Ricci Discusses Her Amazon Original Series

Courtney Thorne-Smith on Fresh Off The Boat

“Neighbors with Attitude” – Jessica is disappointed to learn that she is excluded from the Neighborhood Watch, because she has a reputation of not being a team player. But when Ann’s son goes missing, Jessica proves that her independent security measures work better than everyone else’s. Meanwhile, Eddie sets the stage for the perfect first kiss with Alison, on a special Valentine’s Day-themed episode of ABC’s “Fresh Off the Boat,” airing on TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14 (9:00–9:30 p.m. EST).

Ellen, NPH, Jim Parsons, Laverne Cox and Others Say 'Thanks Obama' on Behalf of LGBT Community

The heartfelt tribute airs as part of Friday’s Ellen (check your local listings), which in many parts of the country will be broadcast following coverage of Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Among the long list of celebs who pay their respects to Obama: Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory), Debra Messing (Will & Grace), Neil Patrick Harris (A Series of Unfortunate Events), Laverne Cox (Orange Is the New Black), Drew Barrymore (Santa Clarita Diet), Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family), Colton Haynes (Arrow), Evan Rachel Wood (Westworld), Nathan Lane (The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story), George Takei (Star Trek), Kristen Bell (The Good Place), Jonathan Groff (Looking), Alan Cumming (The Good Wife), Lily Tomlin (Grace & Frankie), Tig Notaro (One Mississippi), Chris Colfer (Glee), Dan Bucatinsky (Scandal) and DeGeneres’ wife, Portia De Rossi (Scandal).

“It would have been hard to believe we could have repealed Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, pass the Hate Crimes Act and legalize marriage equality all with one president, but yes, we could, and yes, we did,” DeGeneres said. “President Obama, we are all so grateful for everything you’ve done in the name of equality, kindness and love.”

People's Choice Awards 2017 Winners

Margot Robbie’s ‘I, Tonya’ Adds Julianne Nicholson

Nicholson will play Diane Rawlinson, Harding first skating coach. Her recent credits include the films Black Mass and Sophie And The Rising Sun, which bows in theaters January 27. She also toplined the USA Network series Eyewitness.

Miramax will distribute the pic written by Steven Rogers. Clubhouse Pictures’ Bryan Unkeless, LuckyChap’s Robbie and Tom Ackerley, and Rogers are producing, with AI’s Len Blavatnik and Aviv Giladi as exec producers. Rosanne Korenberg is overseeing the film for Miramax, and Sierra/Affinity is handling international sales.

UTA Independent Film Group and CAA handled representation of U.S. rights.

The Lifetime movie starring Viola Davis and Hayden Panettiere

Charles Esten And Hayden Panettiere Discuss "Nashville"

Hayden Panettiere Opens Up About Postpartum Depression and Rehab: "I'm All the Stronger for It"

The Nashville star appeared on Good Morning America Thursday and opened up about her struggles with postpartum depression after welcoming daughter Kaya, 2. "It takes you a while and you feel off," Panettiere explained of how she realized something was wrong. "You don't feel like yourself."

With the love and support of her fiancé Wladimir Klitschko, Panettiere checked into rehab to receive treatment—a decision she said made her a "better mom."

"Women are so resilient, and that's the incredible thing about them," she said. "I think I'm all the stronger for it. I think I'm a better mom because of it because you never take that connection for granted."

Even though Panettiere is away from her daughter these days—little Kaya is skiing in Austria (no big deal!)—the Heroes alum is "feeling fabulous."

"I'm feeling great," she gushed, adding that filming Nashville has helped her get back on track. "I'm so glad to be back playing Juliette. Everything she's been through has been like a hazard sign in the road. She made me stronger. I feel like she's a phoenix. She crashes and burns and then she rises from the ashes and she always takes the lesson and becomes stronger for it.

"So we have that in common I think," Panettiere added.

Panettiere's onscreen character also struggled with postpartum depression. "It absolutely helped me," she said of playing her country star character. "I think it helped me identify what was going on. And to let women know that it's OK to ask for help and it's OK to have a moment of weakness. It doesn't make you a bad person, doesn't make you a bad mother. It makes you a very strong, resilient woman. You've just got to let it make you stronger."

Taye Diggs Survives Crash, G Wagon Trashed

The photos from the rainy accident scene show Taye was lucky to walk away from the crash -- looks like he somehow ended up in a ditch on the side of Melrose Ave.

Taye seemed to be okay as he walked away from the scene, but his G-Wagon had to be towed.

We've reached out to Taye's camp, but no word back yet.

2016 Critics’ Choice Award Winners

Bon Jovi to rock Art Basel with secret show

The iconic band fronted by Jon Bon Jovi is performing a much-anticipated private show for SiriusXM at the Faena Theater for just 200 invited guests and subscribers Saturday night.

Jon signed up for the show after he was a guest at Coldplay’s intimate SiriusXM show in the Hamptons this summer, and it will air live on the broadcaster’s Bon Jovi Radio channel.

Word is getting out about the hot-ticket show, with just a select few of the VIPs in town for Art Basel and the surrounding fairs attending, along with lucky subscribers.

A source told us of the Bon Jovi show, “The band’s arena tour starts in February. This is one of the world’s biggest bands playing a tiny room.”

Bon Jovi’s “This House Is Not for Sale” tour kicks off in Greenville, SC, on Feb. 8.

Meanwhile, frontman Jon Bon Jovi was seen perusing the art on sale at Art Basel on Thursday, and being stopped numerous times to take photos with fans.

Nashville Sneak Peek Set for Dec. 15 on CMT

As a gift for the fans, CMT will sneak the first hour of the two-hour season premiere of Nashville on Thursday, Dec. 15 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. (Video)

Additionally, CMT just dropped the first trailer for the new season. Check it out!

The season begins with Rayna and Deacon facing a new normal with Maddie now back home and Highway 65 struggling financially. The shocking news about Juliette creates a wave of emotions throughout Nashville and sets Rayna off on a journey of discovery.

The two-hour season premiere of Nashville will debut on Thursday, Jan. 5 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

What breakup? Hayden and Wladimir party at Art Basel

The “Nashville” star and Klitschko appeared together at the Daily Front Row bash at the Faena Art Dome on the beach on Tuesday night.

The couple happily posed for photos and mingled with other guests including supermodel Natasha Poly, the covergirl for the Daily Front Row’s Art Basel edition, plus editor-in-chief Brandusa Niro and publisher Mark Tevis.

Panettiere, who said she recently sought treatment for postpartum depression following the birth of their daughter Kaya, who is nearly 2, shot down rumors that she and the Ukrainian boxing champ had split after she was spotted in New York without her engagement ring.

“Missing rings don’t mean the end of relationships,” she captioned a photo of herself cuddling with Klitschko and their daughter, “Blessed to be with my beautiful family.”

Bon Jovi’s donation saves Benjamin Franklin’s gravestone

Rocker Jon Bon Jovi and his wife, Dorothea, on Tuesday donated $5,000 to the Christ Church Preservation Trust to quickly push it past its $10,000 goal.

The marble ledger tablet marking Franklin’s grave at Philadelphia’s Christ Church Burial Ground has developed a significant crack on top of the pitting caused by the ritual of tossing pennies onto Franklin’s grave.

Thousands of coins are thrown onto the marker each year in a tribute to Franklin’s adage, “a penny saved, is a penny earned.”

Franklin, who died in 1790, is one of seven signers of the Declaration of Independence buried across from Independence Mall.

The trust received grants to cover most of the restoration costs.

People’s Choice Awards Nominees Set

FAVORITE MOVIE ACTOR
Kevin Hart
Robert Downey Jr.
Ryan Reynolds
Tom Hanks
Will Smith

FAVORITE ACTION MOVIE ACTOR
Chris Evans
Liam Hemsworth
Robert Downey Jr.
Ryan Reynolds
Will Smith

FAVORITE TV CRIME DRAMA ACTRESS
Jennifer Lopez
Lucy Liu
Mariska Hargitay
Pauley Perrette
Sophia Bush

Tumultuous period for the band inspires new Bon Jovi album

"At least I know where the end zone is," Bon Jovi joked.

But then after hearing that Chuck Berry is still playing music at 90, the 54-year old rocker threw his hands up.

As Bon Jovi releases their 14th studio album, "This House Is Not For Sale," the frontman admits that he's thinking about the finish line a bit more these days. Though he has no intention of slowing down anytime soon — Bon Jovi goes on a world tour in February — he doesn't see the band performing in their seventies, a la the recent Desert Trip concert series in Indio, California, featuring Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, the Stones and more.

"I am so proud and in awe of them. And that was the music of our youth," Bon Jovi said.

"But it hurts here and here," he added, pointing to his neck and back.

Besides, even if he stops touring at some point, he knows the music will always be there.

"This is the closest thing I will ever know to immortality," Bon Jovi said.

The new album not only adds to the band's catalog, it also makes a statement, particularly about the difficulties they endured since the release of their last album, 2013's "What About Now."

They flirted with the possibility of leaving their longtime music label, Universal Music Group, when it seemed the sides couldn't come to terms.

"Though we were the longest tenured and biggest-selling artist on the label, we had come to a crossroad. We had to come to terms to what the future would look like," he said.

They ended up working out a deal, but "The Devils in the Temple," off the new album, paints a negative view of the music industry now.

Their record label challenges didn't compare to their most seismic jolt — the departure of guitarist Richie Sambora, who had been with the group since its inception, during their tour for that album. Sambora, who in the past had battled substance abuse, was almost as popular with fans at Bon Jovi himself.

"He decided not to show up one night. But we had 80 more shows and there's 120 people whose families depend on the paycheck for a year, and the record company that was having an album come in at No. 1 that Tuesday. That was one of those days," he said.

He was replaced by guitarist Phil X, who felt the disappointment of fans — some held signs reading "Where's Richie?" in the audience.

"But then the Phil X signs started to pop up," he recalled.

It was a difficult situation for him to be in, and it remains so.

"Musically — as a guitar player, it's one if those things where I'm not like Richie, but I'm not really me. I'm this guy in the middle that shows up and delivers and expresses the guitar parts and the vocal parts," said Phil X. "Richie, you gotta tip your hat to his ability."

And despite the loss of Sambora, Bon Jovi not only survived, but also has managed to thrive. The group's ability to soldier on is represented by the photo on the album cover: It shows an old house spawning from thick roots, as if it were part of a large tree.

"A lot of history had lived in those four walls. But it was in disrepair. (And) it all came to me — this house is not for sale. That became the cornerstone of the record," he said. "Because now it wasn't going to be a collection of songs, it was going to a thread that was gonna take us through these last tumultuous three years."

"Those roots are our integrity," said Dave Bryan, the band's keyboard player.

Lucy Liu Has a Few Anti-Aging Secrets You Need to Know Now

So how does 47-year old Lucy Liu manage to always look fresh, and quite honestly, the same age she did a decade ago? It probably has something to do with her healthy eating habits, hardcore morning workouts and her insistence on only wearing comfortable heels.

In fact, the Elementary star favors comfy shoes so much that she just partnered with Italian shoe designer Bruno Magli to help design "The Lucy" pump (with portion of the proceeds benefiting UNICEF) for his new fall line.

"I just like the idea of a pump because I'm shorter, and it gives the illusion of a longer leg," the actress said.

What other easy-yet-wise lifestyle tips does this Hollywood veteran offer up? Keep reading.

Tell us about the Lucy pumps you helped design.

They're classic with a twist. I like a little bit of toe cleavage, and you get that look with the classic M-design of these shoes. It was important that all of the colors were neutral and timeless (think two-toned palettes in combos of nude, black, snakeskin, grey, metallic and red). I always gravitate toward neutrals. I especially love a grey neutral; it goes with brown, black and you can wear it with anything—on the red carpet and even with jeans.

What's most important in a shoe for you?

Comfort. I feel the inside…that's what I do when I buy a shoe. I check to see if it's cushioned. If it's not, then I won't buy it. I kept that in mind with these pumps.

What's a typical outfit for you?

I love to wear a dress during the day. I usually go workout in the morning, take a shower and throw a dress on with a pair of heels. It's easy because, as soon as I get to work, I have to take it off to put on a costume. And then when I'm done at work, I throw it back on and it still feels fresh. It's simple to dress up if I'm going out after work, too.

What's a typical workday like for you?

I get up early, around 6 a.m. I'll get up, take the dog out and workout. I have an hour and a half before I even get to the gym, then an hour at the gym and then I'm off to work. Typically my workday is 14 hours long, so by the time I come back home, I'm dead.

What workouts do you do?

I am obsessed with SoulCycle right now. It energizes me and helps wake me up in the morning. With all of the lines that I have to memorize, it sort of activates my brain. Obviously, it's not easy to get up, but it's fun to be in a group of people. We all kind of suffer together.

What's your skin-care routine like?

I've really minimized my skin-care routine over the years. I used to do a lot of different things, but now I put coconut oil and Avène cream on my face and call it a night. And if you drink a lot of water, that helps, too.

What's your go-to everyday makeup?

A concealer, mascara and cream blush. I think that's the key. The cream blush I have, I think it's Avon, I use on my lips, too. The mascara I have is literally just from the Japanese supermarket. Tom Ford does a really great foundation stick. It looks great on camera, too. Oh, and a wonderful Elizabeth Arden eyebrow pencil. Maybe I'll bring that with me for an evening look.

Do you have any non-product related beauty tips?

Aside from exercising, these days I'm eating really organic. I'll even pass on something if I don't think it's organic. I'm doing that more now because I have a 1-year old son and it's important for me to feed him things that are fresh. For him, who's growing and developing, it's going to make a big difference. For me, when I don't eat organic, I just feel tired.

‘Murder In the First’ Canceled By TNT After 3 Seasons

Murder In the First was set in San Francisco and starred Taye Diggs as a homicide inspector and Kathleen Robertson as his partner. Ian Anthony Dale, Raphael Sbarge, Lombardo Boyar, Currie Graham and Mimi Kirkland co-starred.

The third and now final season wrapped its run on Sept. 4. The show actually ended on a high note, with the Season 3 finale hitting a season high audience of 1.6 million viewers in Live+same day.

Sarah Carter Scores High In ‘Business Ethics’ As Comedy Rounds Out Cast

Kurtwood Smith, Lance Reddick & Angus Macfadyen have already joined the cast. The pic begins production next week in Toronto.

Carter, who stars on DirecTV’s drama Rogue, will play Veronica, the loyal but unsuspecting assistant to Zachery Cranston (Tate). Unaware of his financial schemes, she develops unrequited feelings for him. She recently wrapped five seasons on TNT’s Falling Skies is repped by Paradigm and Global Creative.

Bellows will play Edwin Murk, a wealthy but crooked investment manager, who also becomes Cranston’s surrogate father and mentor. He also is an executive producer on the pic after toplining the 2015 short. He’s next up in the upcoming Amazon series Patriot, which he also executive produces. He is repped by Don Buchwald & Associates, Luber Roklin and attorney Jeff Bernstein.

Kennedy, who recently wrapped Gemini with Zoe Kravitz and co-stars in the Starz series Black Sails, is repped by Gersh and Armada Partners. De Oliveira will play Cranston’s ex-wife Rosa. She’s repped by Gersh, Wright Entertainment and The Characters.

Sanzhar Sultan is producing. In addition to Bellows, Tate, Richard Wernham, Loudon Owen, Jai Khanna, and LaRon Tate are exec producing.

Anne Heche Talks Playing Husband and Wife with Real-Life Partner James Tupper in New TV Series: We're 'Family People'

In the new Syfy series Aftermath, Heche and her longtime partner James Tupper star as a husband-wife duo navigating their family through a post-apocalyptic world full of supernatural scares.

And the actress says her real-life relationship with Tupper informed the one that plays out on screen.

"We're very strong family people, and we felt a connection to this story," Heche, 47, says in the new issue of PEOPLE.

"Our sense of commitment helped us get into character," she adds.

Of course, this isn't the first time the couple has appeared together on the small screen.

"We obviously did a show many years ago," Heche says of the 2006 dramedy Men in Trees, in which they costarred before they began dating. "We enjoy working together," she says, but to work together again, "It had to be the right fit."

Aftermath was partly because "family is the core," adds Heche.

And Heche and Tupper's own brood was front-and-center when the cameras weren't rolling.

"The kids were with us all the time," she adds of her sons: 14-year-old Homer (with ex Coley Laffoon) and 7-year-old Atlas, whom she and Tupper welcomed in 2009.

As for her youngest, Heche says he might be eyeing a future in acting, too.

"He was one of the background characters in one of our scenes," Heche says of Atlas' gig as an Aftermath extra. "Now he wants a speaking role!"

Netflix Gets ‘Naked’ With Marlon Wayans, Regina Hall

“The response I’ve gotten from fans worldwide to my films on Netflix has been overwhelming, and I’m thrilled to be working with them on an original film,” Wayans said in a statement. “Also, I’m excited to be working with Regina again.”

The premise is Groundhog Day, sans clothes. Wayans stars as Rob Anderson, a charming man-child who wakes up on his wedding day, naked in an elevator. He relives the hour before the ceremony over and over again. The film is being produced by Wayans, Alvarez, Todd Garner (whose relationship with Wayans goes back to the Revolution pics White Chicks and Little Man), and Ryan Lewis. Sean Robins, Michael Flynn and Paul Hanson serve as executive producers. Wayans is repped by 3 Arts Entertainment, UTA and attorney Lawrence Kopeikin. Hall is repped by ICM and Principato Young.

Joss Whedon Recruits Stars of Buffy, HIMYM, Grey's, Castle, SNL, S.H.I.E.L.D. for Anti-Trump PSA

The Avengers director has released a new star-studded “Save the Day” PSA to encourage people to get out on Election Day and vote for Hillary Clinton. Featuring A-list talent like Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo and Julianne Moore, the video encourages people to put an end to “this nightmare before it even begins” and elect the candidate who isn’t famous for firing people.

Among the many TV stars featured in the LOL video: Nathan Fillion (Castle), Clark Gregg (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Jesse Williams (Grey’s Anatomy), James Franco (11.22.63), Neil Patrick Harris and Cobie Smulders (How I Met Your Mother), Taran Killam (Saturday Night Live), Yvette Nicole Brown (The Odd Couple), Tom Lenk (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) Bradley Whitford (Transparent), Keegan-Michael Key (Key & Peele), Matt McGorry (How to Get Away With Murder), Randall Park (Fresh Off the Boat), Ashley Johnson (Blindspot), Stanley Tucci (Fortitude), Leslie Odom Jr. (Smash), Don Cheadle (House of Lies) and Martin Sheen (Grace and Frankie).

James Le Gros, Amy Hargreaves & Nolan Lyons Cast In Indie Drama ‘Buck Run’

Also cast are veterans Kevin J. O’Connor, Amy Hargreaves, Jim Parrack and Angus Macfadyen. Story centers on teen Shaw Templeton (Lyons) forced to reunite with his estranged father (Le Gros) following the death of his mother (Hargreaves).

Buck Run is produced by Nancy Degnan, Julio Lopez Velasquez, Allison Vanore and Nick Frangione. Executive Producers are Julio Lopez Velasquez, Harley Kaplan and Brandon Powers.

“This is a dream cast of actors with work I admire, performances that have stuck with me and audiences everywhere long after the credits rolled on a number of legendary films,” says Frangione. “I lost my mother to cancer at age 17 during a cold, Pennsylvania winter, so I know Shaw’s story all too well, and I couldn’t possibly imagine a better cast to bring this film to life.”

The Comeback Poster Boy: How Robert Downey Jr. Completely Revamped His Career

Then, cut to August, 2015 and he's the world's highest-paid actor, with an IMDB page that promises years upon years of further franchises and their associated high paychecks. He also happens to be happily married, with two toddlers at home. (Just recently, he was ousted from Hollywood's top salary spot by Dwayne Johnson—blame all the Fast and the Furious money—but that's all just extraneous details at this point.)

So how exactly does this happen? How does a guy go from radioactive to the top of the industry? It's a story worth revisiting time and time again.

It all started in the mid-90's—at least for today's purposes. Downey was one of the most wanted men in the business, whether you were looking to cast a movie or to build a guest list for a party. He was fresh off an Oscar nomination for his role in Chaplin, he had just completed a quickie wedding to singer Deborah Falconer (after having relationships with the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker, among others), and he was, shall we say, celebrating life a bit too much.

In other words, his partying and drug use was up to a constant level and it was beginning to take a toll on his personal life and career. Friend Sean Penn even chartered a plane to fly Downey to detox—which he would flee from after a mere 24 hours. His first major arrest came when he was stopped for speeding near his Malibu home, allowing the cops to discover a plethora of illegal extracurriculars. Let's call this point the beginning of the end, round one.

His arrests and substance abuse caught up to him the first time around in 1997, when he spent hard time in a Los Angeles county jail. For those unacquainted with the nuances of the criminal justice system, let's just say this wasn't exactly the sleepaway camp experienced by the likes of some other celebs. He also spent a year in a rehab facility as so ordered by a judge. For most of this country's population, that alone would spell the end of one's career—you certainly couldn't expect to come out of the treatment program with a job lined up.

For Robert Downey, Jr., he was cast on Ally McBeal seven days after leaving.

The gig was billed as the ultimate comeback. He was once Hollywood's golden boy, and now here he was on one of the late '90s most popular shows, ready to show the world that he was a changed man. And for a while, the fairy tale played out just so.

As lawyer Larry Paul, RDJ helped the show's ratings hit astronomical numbers during his two-season stint. He even won a Golden Globe in 2001 for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role. It was the kind of win viewers could root for—in his acceptance speech, he thanked series creator David E. Kelley for creating a character that he described as " a new toy" and vowing, "I will do my best not to get sent back to the factory."

Can you say foreshadowing?

Wait a couple months, throw in two more arrests, a character arc on an award-winning show that suddenly comes to an end, and you've got yourself a rock bottom. But the thing about hitting rock bottom is that the only way to go is up. RDJ is luckier than most, because his upward mobility was actually quite smoother than most. As soon as he began to tackle his personal demons and attempt to get clean for good, the next issue that arose was the problem of finding roles again.

After all, even though there were plenty of directors who still had faith in his immeasurable talent, actors with legal or drug issues typically find it nearly impossible for insurance companies to cover them on a production. And no insurance means no jobs. That's where fellow trouble-seeker Mel Gibson came in—he cast Downey in a small movie called The Singing Detective and put himself on the line to get the actor insured. (It was a huge favor, and one that Robert himself attempted to repay when Mel found himself on the business end of a major Hollywood scandal.)

Once the industry saw that gig go successfully, the parts started rolling in. For his part, RDJ managed to pull off all of his post-rehab roles with great talent and without incident. But, his personal turnaround must also be credited to his now-wife Susan Levin.

The two met during the height of Downey's issues, and not only did she help level out his wild ways and deal with his demons, she carefully curated his career. As a producer, she was able to guide him to make great choices—and get big paychecks. Like Iron Man, the movie that changed everything.

The flick was the Marvel Cinematic Universe's first solo project (in fact, there was barely even a cinematic universe to speak of), and booking the gig came not only with lots of notoriety and positive press, but the promise of many sequels and franchise work to come. Signing on meant that RDJ could bet on reliable work, and have the freedom to choose more creative projects in between his superhero stints—like Tropic Thunder (which earned him another Oscar nom), Sherlock Holmes and Chef.

Add to that a personal life that finds you building yourself an adorable little family, hobnobbing with Hollywood's biggest A-listers, and dazzling the world with your charm on all your big fancy Marvel-sponsored press tours, and you've got a recipe for the perfect scandal recovery. Consider RDJ written into the comeback hall of fame.

Lucy Liu Celebrates Son Rockwell’s First Birthday: ‘This Has Been the Most Incredible Year’

On Saturday, Lucy Liu wished her son Rockwell Lloyd a happy first birthday with a sweet photo and message on Instagram.

“Happy 1st birthday to my little love Rockwell!” she wrote next to a snap of her son at the Bronx Zoo, wearing a birthday hat and taking in a monkey exhibit.

“This has been the most incredible year of new adventures and endless fun,” the Elementary actress, 47, added. “Giant thanks for everyone’s generosity.”

Liu also shared a clip of herself helping her son blow out the candles on a huge birthday cake, on what looked to be the set of her show.

“1st Birthday Wishes,” she captioned the video.

The proud mama welcomed her son via a gestational surrogate in 2015, and told PEOPLE in May that motherhood is something she enjoys greatly — and realizes is going by quickly.

“I didn’t realize how quickly babies progress,” she said. “Very basic things that you just take for granted. They’re just this little lump of flesh, and then all the sudden they’re turning around, they’re observing you and they’re smiling and they’re interacting. It’s a magical experience.”

Nashville Season 5 Premiere Set at CMT

The cancelled ABC country-music drama will make its CMT debut with a two-hour premiere on Thursday, January 5, at 9/8c, the cable network announced Wednesday.

As previously reported, Ed Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz (thirtysomething) will take over as showrunners; Connie Britton, Hayden Panettiere, Charles Esten, Jonathan Jackson and many of their castmates are confirmed to return.

We hear that the proposed Nashville after-show is still a possibility, as well, even though it was not included in the network’s announcement.It’s safe to assume that Nashville‘s season-opener will deal with the cliffhanger that ended the drama’s ABC run: Divorced parents Avery and Juliette were on the verge of reconciliation… just before her private jet went missing. (A happier ending was shot, but Lionsgate and ABC Studios convinced the network to use the more ambiguous outcome, in hopes of making the drama more attractive to potential buyers.)

In addition, CMT also announced that its series adaptation of the Broadway musical Million Dollar Quartet, starring Chad Michael Murray (One Tree Hill), will premiere sometime in March and that the Billy Ray Cyrus scripted series Still the King will return for Season 2 in the spring.

The network also has ordered a pilot for the soapy comedy His Wives & Daughters, which follows “the eclectic and cunning wives and daughters of larger-than-life country-music legend (and infamous womanizer) Eddie Ray Banks.” The potential series is created and produced by Dina Chapman (Tia & Tamera) and Steve Sessions (Still the King).

New Season of Nashville Coming to Thursdays in January on CMT

The fifth season of Nashville will kick off with a two-hour premiere on Thursday, Jan. 5 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

Nashville is set against the backdrop of the city’s music scene and follows Rayna Jaymes and Juliette Barnes. Both women face personal and professional challenges as they navigate their paths as artists and individuals. Surrounding them and often complicating their lives are their family, friends and, in some cases, lovers, as well as the up-and-coming performers and songwriters trying to get ahead in the business. Music City can mean so many things to different people.

In Nashville, musicians and songwriters are at the heart of the storm driven by their own ambitions. Some are fueled by their creativity and passion for fame. Others struggle to cope with the pressures of success and are doing everything in their power to stay on top.

Also joining CMT’s scripted lineup is Million Dollar Quartet (working title), which will premiere in March. Set in Memphis during the tumultuous early days of the civil rights movement, the eight-part limited-run series tells the untold true story of nothing less than the birth of rock ‘n’ roll. Guided by Sam Phillips, young musicians like Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis combined the styles of hillbilly country with 1950s R&B and changed the course of music forever.

The all-star cast includes Chad Michael Murray as Sun Records founder Sam Phillips, Billy Gardell as Presley and Arnold’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, Drake Milligan as Elvis Presley, Kevin Fonteyne as Johnny Cash, Christian Lees as Jerry Lee Lewis, Jonah Lees as Jimmy Swaggart, Trevor Donovan as Eddy Arnold, Keir O’Donnell as Dewey Phillips, Jennifer Holland as Sam’s wife Becky Phillips and Margaret Anne Florence as Sam’s assistant Marion Keisker.

Million Dollar Quartet will also be joined this spring by season 2 of the hit show Still The King, which won over fans this past summer. The comedy centers on Vernon Brown, played by Billy Ray Cyrus, a scandal-ridden washed up one-hit wonder who is kicked out of country music, only to emerge 20 years later as the second-best Elvis impersonator. In Season 1, he re-connected with a former one-night-stand, played by Joey Lauren Adams, only to discover he has a 15-year-old daughter he’s never met, played by Madison Iseman.

Additionally, CMT has ordered a pilot for His Wives & Daughters. The soapy, comedic series centers on the eclectic and cunning wives and daughters of larger-than-life country music legend (and infamous womanizer) Eddie Ray Banks. After his estranged family is brought together unexpectedly, tempers flare and old rivalries resurface setting the stage for startling secrets to emerge as an unforgettable mystery begins to unfold. Casting is underway now with production slated to begin in the fall.

Be sure to follow CMT on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest updates on all of our shows, and don’t miss the season premieres of I Love Kellie Pickler and Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making The Team on Thursday (Aug. 25).

Toby Kebbell, James Marsden, Lucy Punch Join Whitney Cummings’ ‘The Female Brain’

Cummings is also starring and making her directorial debut on the project after adapting the book with Neal Brennan. The film is being financed by Black Bicycle Entertainment and produced by Erika Olde and Night and Day Pictures’ Michael Roiff, who earlier this year was nominated for four Tony Awards.

Black Bicycle recently announced Hallie Meyers-Shyer’s Home Again which they are financing and producing alongside Nancy Meyers.

Others in the film include the already announced Cecily Strong (Ghostbusters, Saturday Night Live), Beanie Feldstein (Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising), Blake Griffin (Broad City), Xosha Roquemore (The Mindy Project), Chris D’Elia (Undateable), and Deon Cole (Black-ish).

Kebbell, one of the stars of this weekend’s release Ben-Hur, has a number of interesting movies upcoming including A Monster Calls and Kong: Skull Island. Likewise, Marsden will be seen in the reboot of Westworld as well as in Rob Reiner’s Shock And Awe, a drama about the only journalists who asked vital questions in the lead-up to the Iraq War. Punch, who is multi-talented as a singer in stage and film (and also has TV credits), is a comedic and dramatic talent who has been in Into the Woods and will next be seen in You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger.

Cummings, Marsden, Punch, Kebbell, and D’Elia are all repped by CAA, which also represents the film’s worldwide distribution rights.

Vergara is represented by UTA and Latin World Entertainment. Strong is represented by ICM Partners and Brillstein Entertainment, Feldstein by WME and Brillstein Entertainment, and Griffin by Excel Sports Management. Roquemore is represented by Authentic Talent and Literary Management and SDB Partners, and Cole by APA. Marsden is also repped by manager Sean Elliot at Authentic.

Singer Josh Groban finally sells Malibu estate for $3.75M

The singer has been trying to sell the 3,300-square-foot, Tuscan-style house on 2 acres with mountain views for nearly six years. It features a two-story entry hall, living room with wood-paneled walls, and ironwork stair and landing rails. The property also boasts a lighted tennis court and a pool with spa.

The singer snapped up the sweet house in 2005 for $4,125,000. After four years of Malibu life, he listed the Point Dume property for $6.1 million in 2010. He reduced the price a few times over the years, but ultimately let it go for less than what he paid for it over a decade ago.

Groban, who began his career as a stand-in and rehearsal singer for tenor Andrea Bocelli, has made his mark as a mainstream singer, songwriter, and actor. He has reportedly sold over 25 million records worldwide.

In the fall, Groban will play the role of Pierre in Broadway’s “Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812.” He’s currently touring the country in concert with Sarah McLachlan.

Lucy Liu Designed a Shoe and She’s Calling It ‘The Lucy’

“I like a shoe that becomes classic and is not something that is so of that season all the time,” she tells PeopleStyle of her inspiration when we caught up with her during a break from shooting the Bruno Magli campaign on the Upper East Side in New York City. “I wanted to bring a little bit of that classic style that they have but I also wanted to make it special in the sense of the dual-tone shoe.”

When creating the style, she paid special attention to the color and heel height. “I like a nude shoe because it lengthens your leg,” she says. “I’m not that super tall [she’s 5’3”] but I like the way that looks and it doesn’t cut you off in the front. Also, we made the heel so it wasn’t super high so that it could be easy to wear. You know in New York you walk to work and then your walking in the office all day. So I wanted to make it actually something that people would actually use not just put in their bookcase like it’s holding up some books.”

And she didn’t just create this silhouette for the sake of adding shoe designer to her résumé. Bruno Magli is donating a portion of the proceeds of the shoe sales to benefit UNICEF, the non-profit global children’s rights organization that Liu has been working with closely since 2004. “I love the aspect of doing something that’s creative and it also contributes to a great cause,” she says. “I used to do a lot of missions, and I’ve seen how very little these kids have. I think it’s a nice idea not just have Bruno Magli just coming back but actually have something that it’s connected to. That makes it a little more important, don’t you think? Especially nowadays.”

Robert Downey Jr., True Detective Boss Eye (Perry Mason?) Series at HBO

Per our sister site Variety, Pizzolatto and Downey Jr. are in talks to respectively pen and star in a drama series that just might be a small-screen reboot of the Perry Mason film the latter had been developing at Warner Bros.

Among its several incarnations, Perry Mason is best remembered as a CBS TV series that ran 1957-1966, starring Raymond Burr as the titular criminal defense attorney. (Burr reprised the role in numerous TV-movies, from 1985 until his death in 1993.

HBO had no comment on Variety‘s report.

Downey Jr.’s scant previous TV credits include a run on Ally McBeal.

Bon Jovi ready with first album since split

"This House is Not for Sale," the 14th studio album from the New Jersey rockers, will come out on October 21 with the band releasing the first single Friday.

The album is the first since the seemingly amicable departure in 2013 of lead guitarist Sambora, a fixture in the group along with frontman and namesake Jon Bon Jovi.

Sambora said that he wanted to devote more time to his family rather than embark on another of the lengthy arena tours for which Bon Jovi is famous.

Sambora last year told the site Ultimate Guitar Rock that his decision was also about music, as he felt "starved" for more improvisation and innovation after playing Bon Jovi's hits for so long.

Bon Jovi's new lead guitarist is Phil X, a veteran Canadian session musician for leading artists.

The title track off "This House is Not for Sale," released as the first lesson, may reference the split as Bon Jovi takes a house as a metaphor for stability.

"This house was built on trust / That's what it is, it always was / No wrecking ball could knock it down," he sings.

Bon Jovi is also known personally for his stable family life in an industry known for excess. He and his wife have been active in charitable efforts, recently opening an anti-hunger center in New Jersey.

Bon Jovi has sold more than 130 million albums since the band's start in 1983, generating arena-packing anthems such as "Livin' On a Prayer," "I'll Be There for You" and "You Give Love a Bad Name."

While most identified with hits from the 1980s, the group's last studio album, "What About Now," debuted at number one on the US chart in 2013.

Empire EP Confirms Taye Diggs' Arrival in Season 3 'Is All About Cookie'

“His story is all about Cookie,” exec producer Ilene Chaiken confirmed Monday at the Television Critics Association summer press tour. “It starts as a Jamal story and then intersects [with Cookie].” Asked by TVLine if Diggs’ Obama-esque Angelo Dubois will be a love interest for Taraji P. Henson’s alter ego, Chaiken teased, “He certainly would like to be.”

In possibly related news, Chaiken also shared that this will be the season that Cookie will “try to leave Lucious,” adding, “She’s going to try to move on… She’s fighting for her life. She’s fighting for her opportunity to start over.”

Empire‘s third season premieres Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 9/8c on Fox.

Calista Flockhart Sets Supergirl Return (But Not as a Series Regular)

A Warner Bros. rep tells TVLine that Flockhart will be appearing in multiple episodes, beginning with the Oct. 10 season premiere.

According to sources, her status change was a direct result of the show’s move from Los Angeles (where Flockhart lives) to Vancouver (where she doesn’t).

“Supergirl wouldn’t be Supergirl without the amazing Calista Flockhart as Cat Grant,” said executive producer Andrew Kreisberg in a statement.” We are so excited Calista has agreed to continue on the show when she can. We and the audience love to see her on screen.”

Josh Groban and Kat Dennings Break Up After Almost 2 Years of Dating

E! News can exclusively confirm Josh Groban and Kat Dennings have split after almost two years of dating.

"It was a mutual breakup," a source shared with E! News. "They are still friends and care about each other, but it's not the right time for them now as a couple."

The Hollywood pair made their relationship official back in October 2014 when they stepped out together at the Carousel of Hope Ball in Beverly Hills. "They were so cute together!" a source said of the stars. "They were adorable on the carpet. She was whispering in his ear a lot and they seemed really happy."

Soon after, Josh would admit that the charity event was the first time the 2 Broke Girls star had ever heard him sing.

As to what brought them together, the Broadway star admitted to Ellen DeGeneres that both bonded over their nerdiness.

"She's, well, she's such a brilliant and funny person," he gushed during an appearance on the talk show. "Humor is such a huge thing for me, so the fact that we could talk about Monty Python and all sorts of weird other things, I was like, 'OK, yeah, we're on the same page.'"

While the two Hollywood stars finish up the summer with a new relationship status, both will be hard at work on various projects.

Josh is set to star in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1982 beginning early October while Kat's popular CBS comedy 2 Broke Girls returns the same month.

Jon Bon Jovi Wants to Be 'Secretary of Entertainment' for Hillary Clinton

Jon Bon Jovi is pitching a place for himself in Hillary Clinton's cabinet that would meld both politics and music.

"I'm gonna be the Secretary of Entertainment when Mrs. Clinton gets in," the 54-year-old joked during his final Runaway Tours appearance at the B.B. King Blues Club and Grill in New York City.

Would he ever take on the big role of Commander in Chief, though? No way, Bon Jovi said: "There'd be so many skeletons that would fall out of my closet."

Bon Jovi revealed that he's known the official Democratic presidential nominee and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, for some time, sharing an anecdote about their time together at a horse race "many years ago.”

"He asked Dorothy and I to come with him and there was only three other people, and we flew down on this private plane," Bon Jovi shared, explaining that the other passengers began badgering President Clinton with questions, including, "Whose job is cooler, your's or Jon's?"

The musician stepped in to answer, asserting that his job as a rock star was definitely superior because "I got to keep the airplane and the house."

He laughed, adding, "I got him to agree that mine was the cooler position."

Bon Jovi campaigned for Clinton in June, appearing at a rally for the former Secretary of State in New Jersey.

Last year, Bon Jovi was spotted celebrating Bill's birthday at the Blue Parrot restaurant in East Hampton.

Hayden Panettiere -- My Dog Sitter is a Dirty Dog

The dog fight began when Tia Brooks filed a lawsuit against Hayden for more than $8,500 for unpaid services.

Hayden fired back with a letter from legal pit bull Marty Singer, who accused Tia of giving the 2 dogs away and then having the nerve to continue charging for her services.

Turns out Hayden rescued the 2 rescue pooches ... Zander, a Rottie/Lab mix, and Xena, a Lab/Pit Bull mix. The arrangement was Hayden would pay Tia $30 a day until Hayden could find a permanent home for the dogs.

Singer claims Tia put an ad on Craigslist last month, found a home but continued billing. Tia disputes it and says her bills were all legit.

Get this ... according to Singer's letter, Tia's been caring for the dogs for 6 years, charging a grand total of $119,335.88!!! As for how the bill got so high, Singer claims, in addition to the daily fee, Tia tacked on all sorts of extras, including dog bones, bug spray, tick control, dog beds and other stuff.

Tia tells us a big chunk of the money was for vet bills after one of the dogs got really sick.

It's expensive to be a dog in L.A.

Emmys Twist: Veep's Peter MacNicol Loses Guest Actor Nomination

Having last week been bestowed with his fourth career Emmy nod, for his turn as Jonah’s uncle Jeff Kane on the acclaimed HBO comedy, the Academy on Wednesday disqualified the actor, since he appeared in half of Veep‘s Season 5 episodes. Per Emmy rules, a nominee for guest actor must appear in “less than 50 percent” of his/her series’ eligible season.

A new nominee for Guest Actor in a Comedy will be announced imminently, to round out the list, which includes Bob Newhart (The Big Bang Theory), Tracy Morgan (Saturday Night Live), Larry David (Saturday Night Live), Bradley Whitford (Transparent) and Martin Mull (Veep).

The Hollywood Reporter first reported on MacNicol’s disqualification.

MacNicol’s mantle isn’t fated to be empty, however — he converted one of his previous Emmy nods, for his run as Ally McBeal‘s John Cage, into gold in 2001.

Taye Diggs Joins Empire Season 3 in Major Barack Obama-Infused Role

Taye Diggs has signed on for a major recurring role on Fox’s Empire, TVLine has learned. The Private Practice vet will first appear in the Fox drama’s Sept. 21 Season 3 premiere as Angelo Dubois, a city councilman hailing from a respected and affluent New York family.

With his pedigree and a Harvard law diploma, Diggs’ Angelo could have made a fortune in the private sector. Instead, he is ruled by his sense of noblesse oblige, and focuses his energies on community organizing and local politics, inviting comparisons to Barack Obama.

Diggs, who is currently starring in TNT’s anthology drama Murder in the First, joins a Season 3 guest roster that also includes singer Sierra McClain, rapper French Montana and music mogul Birdman (as himself). As TVLine scooped last month, rapper-actor Xzibit — who joined Empire last season as Lucious’ drug-dealin’, music-makin’ adversary Shyne Johnson — has been promoted to a series regular.

Hayden Panettiere Spends Family Time With Wladimir Klitschko and Daughter Kaya

After checking herself back into rehab for postpartum depression back in May, the actress now looks happier and healthier than ever.

Presumably in response to rumors that she and Klitschko had split when she was seen without her engagement ring, Panettiere wrote, “Missing rings don’t mean the end of relationships. Blessed to be with my beautiful family.”

Of course, it’s not all smooth sailing with a 19-month-old, as evidenced in this image where poor Kaya is clearly having a moment! “Me,” Panettiere wrote of the pic. “Stuck somewhere between clueless and Russian. Let it out, girl!”

With Panettiere set to return for the fifth season of NASHVILLE when it returns to TV via CMT, it’s nice to see her back on her feet and ready to tackle anything life throws at her!

Robert Downey Jr. gets picked for jury duty

The “Judge” star, 51, is currently serving as an alternate juror in a car accident case in Los Angeles, reports TMZ.

Downey, who said he worked in the film industry during the selection process, was picked because he came off as a “fair guy,” a source who claims to be “connected to the case” told the website. Alternates are customarily chosen so that a retrial doesn’t have to be called if a juror is excused before the end of a trial.

The court case appears to be rather mundane, with no “horrific injuries” having been suffered as a result of the crash. Fifty-thousand dollars is reported to be on the line.

Although the $15 per day pay he gets for serving as an alternate is significantly less than he is used to earning, Downey doesn’t appear to mind. In fact another source told the website that the actor “seems happy to be here.”

News of Downey’s service comes just days after it was reported that Katie Couric was passed over for jury duty because she was “too inquisitive.”

ABC Streaming App Adds Brothers & Sisters, Felicity and More 'Throwback' Fare, New Ty Burrell Comedy

For one, full seasons of 38 “throwback” series — including Brothers & Sisters, Felicity, My So-Called Life, Body of Proof and Sports Night — will be available via the free, ad-supported service.

Other past programs now streaming include 8 Simple Rules, Benched, Betrayal, Commander in Chief, Detroit, Dinosaurs, Dirty Sexy Money, Ellen, FlashForward, Happy Town, Hope and Faith, I Survived a Japanese Game Show, The Knights of Prosperity, Less Than Perfect, Manhattan Love Story, Mixology, My Generation, The Neighbors, October Road, Off the Map, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, Perception, Reaper, Red Band Society, The River, Samantha Who?, School House Rock, Secret Millionaire, Smart Guy, Trophy Wife, Ugly Betty and What About Brian?

Additionally, ABCd will feature original content, including Boondoogle, which stars Modern Family patriarch Ty Burrell as a 40something TV actor who has finally made it big (with the series Wingbot) and now hangs with his “non-tourage” of best buds (played by Joel Spence, Mel Cowan and Johnny Meeks). Other fresh fare includes Forever 31, starring comedian Iliza Shlesinger.

The ABC app also added live streaming for 14 markets — Albuquerque/Santa Fe, Boston, Fort Smith/Fayetteville/Springdale/Rogers, Jackson, MS, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Monterey-Salinas, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Pittsburgh, Portland-Auburn, Savannah and West Palm Beach-Ft Pierce — as well as improved its user interface for iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch (is that still a thing??) and Apple TV users.

James Marsden Joining Woody Harrelson In Rob Reiner’s ‘Shock And Awe’

The pic follows Knight-Ridder reporters Jonathan Landay and Warren Strobel, who after the events of 9/11, meet with their bureau chief John Walcott to get to the bottom of who was responsible. They find their sources telling them the Bush Administration is trying to tie Saddam Hussein to the terror attacks, even though there is no evidence to support the claim. As the push for war in Iraq increases, they bring in legendary reporter Joe Galloway to give them the high-level sources to help counter the false narrative of Hussein, al-Qaeda and WMDs. They find themselves one of the only media sources running stories countering the prevailing narrative. In the end, Iraq is invaded and their reporting is proven true.

While more iconic papers follow the administration line, the smaller-market Knight-Ridder papers try to get beneath the surface and serve the smaller markets where the military bases are, with the reporters believing the military troops in their markets were going to be the most affected by the decision to go to war. It is those troops whose lives would be risked and lost on the battlefield.

The film, which Reiner has had in development for several years, is scheduled for production this year, with financing from Savvy Media Holdings and Acacia Filmed Entertainment. The producers are Reiner, Matthew George and Michele Reiner.

Marsden can next be seen in HBO’s hugely-anticipated Westworld, the big budget adaptation of Michael Crichton’s bestseller about a futuristic theme park populated by artificial beings. Also in the cast are Ed Harris, Sir Anthony Hopkins and Thandie Newton.

Marsden is repped by CAA and Authentic.

Hollywood’s newest bromance: Rami Malek and Robert Downey Jr.

Robert Downey Jr. recently spoke to “Mr. Robot” star Rami Malek for Interview magazine, revealing the blossoming bromance between the pair.

“You turned me into a hero when you came to set [to visit],” Malek told Downey Jr. in an article published on Tuesday. “I’m not kidding. They were like, ‘You know him?’ ‘How do you know him?’ I knew it was very cool to know you, but the world started paying me more attention on that day on set. Maybe I elaborated on our relationship too much and started fantasizing it was more than it actually was. No, I just told them how close we were and that we hang out, we celebrate holidays together, we watch movies together, all of which is true!”

The pair also bantered about making plans together.

“Are you in town next Wednesday?” Downey asked, to which Malek replied he unfortunately would not be. “I guess if I want to see you for the foreseeable future, I just have to come to set again.”

We will be patiently awaiting their beach vacation together.

Hayden Panettiere Shuts Down Relationship Trouble Rumors with Heartwarming Family Photo

On Wednesday, photos surfaced of the actress sitting alone on a stoop reading a book in New York City – sans her engagement ring, prompting speculation that she and the Ukrainian boxing champ were on the outs.

Panettiere quickly squashed those rumors on Thursday by posting a black-and-white family photo with Klitschko holding their daughter, Kaya, 18 months.

"Missing rings don't mean the end of relationships," she wrote. "Blessed to be with my beautiful family."

Panettiere, 26, and Klitschko, 40, began dating in 2009 but split in 2011. They reconciled two years later in early 2013, he popped the question that October and they welcomed Kaya in December of the following year.

In May, Panettiere announced she was seeking holistic help for her continued struggles with postpartum depression.

"The postpartum depression I have been experiencing has impacted every aspect of my life," she announced on Twitter at the time. "Rather than stay stuck due to unhealthy coping mechanisms I have chosen to take time to reflect holistically on my health and life."

It was recently announced that the actress would be returning to Nashville for season 5 when it moves to CMT.

Jon Bon Jovi belts out ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’ at a wedding

Videos show the rocker sheepishly taking the microphone after a wedding band led by singer Lourdes Valentin launched into Bon Jovi’s 1986 classic, “Livin’ on a Prayer.”

Bon Jovi opted for a smoother delivery of the song to match the jazz quintet. A trumpet player added a solo to fill in for the song’s missing electric guitar riff.

Valentin tells The Associated Press she knew Bon Jovi would be a guest at the wedding and she prepared the song specifically for him. She says he told her he didn’t think he wanted to sing before the party and she was “very surprised” when he decided to “grace us with his talent.”

Jenna Fischer & Greg Germann To Star In Steve Martin’s ‘Meteor Shower’ At The Old Globe

Meteor Shower revolves around Norm and his wife Corky who invite another couple to their Ojai backyard to watch a meteor shower. As the stars come out and the conversation gets rolling, cocktails flow, tempers flare, and sparks fly — literally. Alex Henrikson (Fish In The Dark) and Josh Stamberg (The Affair) will play the other couple, the production said.

Gordon Edelstein is directing in a co-production with Long Wharf Theatre, where he serves as artistic director. The play begins previews July 30 and will run through September 11, with opening night August 7 at the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. The Old Globe has extended the run by a week due to ticket demand, it said today.

Martin isn’t done at the Globe yet: In February, as part of the 2016-2017 season, the venue will mount a production of his comedy Picasso At The Lapin Agile set to run February 4-March 12, 2017.

Hayden Panettiere Steps out Without Her Engagement Ring After Seeking Help for Postpartum Depression

Dressed in a plaid shirt and blue tights, Panettiere, 26, had her nose in the book Underboss: Sammy The Bull Gravano’s Story of Life in the Mafia while sitting on a stoop and smoking a cigarette. Missing on her left ring finger was her six-carat engagement ring from fiancé Wladimir Klitschko. Panettiere and Klitschko, 40, began dating in 2009 but split in 2011. The pair reconciled two years later in early 2013.

Recently, Panettiere had called her fiancé one of the “loves of [her] life” during the couple’s beach outing with their child Kaya Evdokia in March.

The Nashville star first sought treatment for postpartum depression in October 2015 after giving birth to the couple’s daughter, who is now 18 months. Panettiere has never been ashamed to talk about her battle with postpartum depression. “There’s a lot of misunderstanding — there’s a lot of people out there that think it’s not real, that’s it not true, that it’s something that’s made up in their minds, that ‘Oh, it’s hormones,'” she said prior to her very first treatment. “They brush it off. It’s something that’s completely uncontrollable. It’s really painful and it’s really scary and women need a lot of support.”

And in May, the mother of one tweeted: “The postpartum depression I have been experiencing has impacted every aspect of my life. Rather than stay stuck due to unhealthy coping mechanisms I have chosen to take time to reflect holistically on my health and life.”

Panettiere’s N.Y.C. outing comes a week after it was reported that she would return to Nashville for season 5 when it moves to CMT. Panettiere is expected to reprise her role as Juliette Barnes, who also suffered from postpartum on the show, along with series regular Connie Britton.

Nashville Update: Connie Britton, Hayden Panettiere, Plus 7 Others Set to Return for Season 5 on CMT

The cast of the show is under contract for a couple of more seasons, but it was unclear when the show moved from ABC to CMT that all regulars would continue full-time. Charles Esten, Sam Palladio, Jonathan Jackson, Clare Bowen, Lennon Stella, Maisy Stella and Chris Carmack also are set to return as series regulars. As Deadline reported last week, Will Chase and Aubrey Peeples will not be returning, but could come back for guest-starring appearances subject to availability.

Along with a new network and tweaked cast, Season 5 of Nashville also will have new showrunners, Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick, who have succeeded Dee Johnson.

Britton and Panettiere’s casting was first reported by TVLine.

Jon Bon Jovi surprises cancer-stricken fan with guitar, kiss

Rosie Skripkunis says her mother, Carol Cesario, is a lifelong fan of Bon Jovi and has always wanted to meet him.

Last month, Skripkunis shared a sign on social media asking the singer to visit her mother.

Skripkunis later told her mother that Bon Jovi’s Toms River restaurant, JBJ Soul Kitchen, had invited them over for a free meal.

While at the restaurant on Saturday, Bon Jovi sneaked in behind Cesario and stood beside her without saying anything. Video shows Cesario yell out “oh my God!” after seeing Bon Jovi.

He gave her an autographed guitar and a book, as well as a kiss on the cheek.

Kelly Ripa and hubby host star-studded grad party for son

Sources told Page Six the glitzy guests toasting Michael included Bravo host Andy Cohen and “Elementary” star Lucy Liu. Consuelos also joined his wife on her show, ABC’s “Live With Kelly,” on Friday to talk about the milestone.

“How are we old enough to have a kid that’s going to college?” well-preserved Ripa asked.

“I don’t know,” Consuelos said, adding that he hoped their son would take a “gap year” before heading to college.

Ripa jokingly disagreed, saying, “I’ve got big plans for his bedroom — that bedroom is going to be turned into a megacloset!”

CMT confirms 'Nashville' fifth season, 22 episodes

The show was canceled by ABC after a four-season run, but fans of the show banded together and launched a social media campaign to save the country music-focused drama. Lionsgate began pitching the show to other networks and ultimately found a home on the Nashville-based CMT.

In a press release on Friday, CMT confirmed that it had picked up the show, which will have a 22-episode run this season. Under the deal, Hulu will have streaming rights to episodes the day after they air.

“CMT heard the fans. The wave of love and appreciation they have unleashed for ‘Nashville’ has been overwhelming,” said Brian Philips, President of CMT. “‘Nashville’ is a perfect addition to our evolving line-up of big music specials, documentaries, and original series. We see our fans and ourselves in this show and we will treasure it like no other network. Nashville belongs on CMT.”

Crucial to the deal is the incentive package that will see the state, Metro, the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp. and Ryman Hospitality chip in funds to offset the cost of the show's production. The state put $8 million in its budget and Nashville Mayor Megan Barry has proposed a $1.375 million fund for film incentives, though the final amount for "Nashville" has not been announced.

The state and Metro have justified incentives for "Nashville" by arguing the show brings tourists to the city and pumps millions of dollars into the local economy, in addition to bringing production jobs.

The entire cast is expected to return for the show, which will be under the direction of a new creative team. The show is a joint venture between Lionsgate, ABC Studios and Opry Entertainment, a division of Ryman Hospitality.

“‘Nashville’ has long been a fan favorite show on Hulu and we are so proud to continue to make new episodes available for fans to stream the day after they air,” said Craig Erwich, Senior Vice President and Head of Content at Hulu. “We look forward to bringing even more episodes of this acclaimed series to its passionate and devoted audience.”

"Nashville" was conceived by Ryman Hospitality and developed by Lionsgate. The show's ratings were inconsistent in its fourth season, but a loyal fan base has remained. And "Nashville" has additional revenue streams than the typical television show because of its music licensing component.

In fact the show's stars have been on a tour in recent weeks. Some observers have said that no scripted show has licensed more original music than "Nashville."

The show has also taken local film production to another level, providing steady employment for hundreds of workers behind the scenes. The local payroll was in the neighborhood of $21.2 million for season two, according to the most recent numbers released by the show's representatives.

'Nashville' incentives

Season 1: $14.4 million

Season 2: $13.25 million

Season 3: $8 million

Season 4: $10 million.

Carpool Karaoke Goes Broadway With Jane Krakowski, Audra McDonald & more

Nashville Season 5 Update: Axed ABC Drama on Verge of Renewal at CMT

The country-infused cable network is nearing a deal with producer Lionsgate to pick up a fifth season of Nashville, which last month was cancelled at ABC. A formal announcement is expected to be made during Wednesday’s CMT Awards.

Execs at Lionsgate and ABC Studios were so confident they would find the series a new home that they convinced the network to end what could’ve been its series finale a cliffhanger. “We wouldn’t take such a strong position to advocate for [the cliffhanger ending] if we didn’t feel good about our chances moving forward,” Lionsgate TV chairman Kevin Beggs told The Hollywood Reporter.

In the cancelled series’ ABC swan song on May 25, the fate of Hayden Panettiere’s Juliette was left very much up in the air as the plane that was carrying the starlet lost radio contact. As TVLine reported, an alternate ending showing Juliette alive, well and being reunited with estranged hubby Avery (Jonathan Jackson) at the airport was shot but ultimately discarded.

As TVLine was first to report, TV vets Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick (My So-Called Life, thirtysomething) are set to take the showrunner reins in Season 5, replacing Dee Johnson. One big question mark: Which current cast members will join the show over at CMT? Reps for Lionsgate and CMT declined to comment for this story.

Teen Choice Awards 2016 Nominations

Paltrow, Downey Jr, Evans visit Avengers fan with cancer

The Marvel Comics fan knows a thing or two about those heroic attributes. He is battling cancer for a second time in his life, and so when he recently received some bad news about his prognosis, his schoolmates rallied and called in the Avengers.

On Monday, the 67-pound teen answered his front door and was shocked at what he saw: Iron Man Robert Downey Jr. and Captain America Chris Evans had not only teamed up, they were with "Iron Man" star Gwyneth Paltrow on a mission to lift his spirits.

"Hey what's up buddy?" Evans is heard as Wilcox shakes his head, doing a double take in a video taken by Paltrow. "We were in the neighborhood and thought we'd cruise by."

"Hey guys," says Wilcox, wearing a T-shirt featuring Captain America's shield.

Paltrow, who plays Pepper Potts in the "Iron Man" films, hugged Wilcox's mom, as the other two stars plopped down on the carpeted living room floor. They spent an hour at the home, conversing with the teenager, like they were old friends, his mom, Amy Wilcox, said.

"She told me this is a gift from one mom to another mom," Amy Wilcox said. "She knew how happy it would be for me to see Ryan so happy."

Wearing a blue "Stark" hat with Downey's autograph on the bill, Wilcox was still reveling Tuesday in what he described as the best day of his life.

"It was really cool hanging out with them. That really picked me up," said Wilcox, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm going to get through this."

Captain America has been a symbol of strength for Ryan Wilcox. The film series has kept him going, keeping him distracted as he has undergone chemotherapy and bone marrow treatments during numerous hospital visits.

Wilcox was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer at the age of 16. His mother said the cancer may be the result of chemotherapy treatments he underwent to fight a brain tumor at the age of three.

He had a bone marrow transplant from his 14-year-old sister in April 2015, but he had a relapse in December of that year. In February, he had to leave school because his immune system was too weak, and last month the family was told the treatments are not working so far and his disease is progressing, his mother said.

Thousands of students at Grossmont High School in the San Diego suburb of El Cajon held a rally two weeks ago, chanting "Ryan Strong." Scores were dressed in red, white and blue in honor of his favorite superhero. Then a group of students made a plea on Facebook for the cast of "Captain America: Civil War" to visit Wilcox.

Evans responded within days of the posting with a video message telling Wilcox to "stay strong."

Evans on Monday signed the shield in the portrait of Wilcox dressed as Captain America above his bed. It reads: "Stay strong Brother!! Chris Evans. CAP."

James Franco’s ‘Future World’ Beefs Up Cast As Lucy Liu, Method Man, Snoop Dogg & Suki Waterhouse Sign On

Fall TV 2016: Trailers for ‘Supergirl’

(Video 1, Video 2)

By now, you know the story: Kara Zor-El was sent to Earth like her famous cousin and raised by Earth’s Danvers family. Now, the mid-20s super being is embracing her powers, hanging with Martian Manhunter and dealing with evil threats. Supergirl will now lead into “Jane the Virgin” on its new network, while retaining its old timeslot.

Cast: Melissa Benoist, Mehcad Brooks, Calista Flockhart, Peter Facinelli

Producers: Michael Cedar, Yahlin Chang, Michael Grassi

CW Boss Defends Benching Originals, Touts Next Fall's 'Biggest Ever' Superhero Crossover Event

In a conference call on Thursday morning, network president Mark Pedowitz spoke of his decision to hold the show until midseason, telling reporters, “We have a very strong schedule. We still believe quite a bit in The Originals. We only have 10 hours, so we made a choice to [hold it] to further boost our schedule at midseason.”

Pedowitz also shot down speculation that Vampire Diaries upcoming eighth season would be its last. “No decision has been made one way or the other,” he maintained, before adding, “My dream is it isn’t [the final season].

Meanwhile, with Supergirl joining The CW’s already DC-packed stable that includes Arrow, The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow, Pedowitz promised the network’s annual superhero crossover event will be “the biggest one ever.” The exec also remarked that the ex-CBS drama always “should have been” on The CW.

Regarding buzz that Calista Flockhart’s role may be reduced in Season 2 in light of Supergirl‘s move from Los Angeles to Vancouver, Pedowitz said that there are “ongoing discussions” with the actress, adding, “We are thrilled she wants to continue with the show and we’re happy to have her in whatever capacity.”

The CW Fall Schedule: Supergirl Retains Monday Perch, Supernatural on Move, The Originals and iZombie MIA

The CW is the final broadcast network to unveil its 2016-17 schedule, and the ex-CBS drama will retain its Monday-at-8 pm timeslot, where it will lead into Jane the Virgin.

Also of note: The network is plugging in new series No Tomorrow and Frequency after its two biggest hits, The Flash and Arrow, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, respectively; Supernatural is shifting to Thursdays following Legends of Tomorrow; and The Originals is being held until midseason.

Also on tap for midseason:Returning series iZombie, The 100 and Reign, as well as new entry Riverdale.

All told, the The CW’s fall schedule looks like this; new shows are in CAPS, click for details. (And for handy reference, here are ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC‘s fall lineups.)

MONDAY
8 pm Supergirl
9 pm Jane the Virgin

TUESDAY
8 pm The Flash
9 pm NO TOMORROW

WEDNESDAY
8 pm Arrow
9 pm FREQUENCY

THURSDAY
8 pm Legends of Tomorrow
9 pm Supernatural (new timeslot)

FRIDAY
8 pm The Vampire Diaries
9 pm Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

NOT RETURNING NEXT SEASON: America’s Next Top Model, Containment and Significant Mother.

Hayden Panettiere Taking "Time to Reflect Holistically" on Health & Life Following Postpartum Depression Battle

The Nashville star, who welcomed daughter Kaya in December 2014, let fans know Thursday via Twitter that as a result of her postpartum depression experience, she would be taking some time to take care of herself.

"The postpartum depression I have been experiencing has impacted every aspect of my life," wrote Hayden, 26. "Rather than stay stuck due to unhealthy coping mechanisms I have chosen to take time to reflect holistically on my health and life. Wish me luck!"

We definitely wish Hayden the best and applaud her to help de-stigmatize the issue of postpartum depression and what follows it. "It's something a lot of women experience," she said on Live! With Kelly and Michael back in September. "But you don't realize how broad of a spectrum you can really experience that on. It's something that needs to be talked about. Women need to know that they're not alone, and that it does heal."

Hayden checked into a treatment center this past October for her postpartum depression. After voluntarily seeking treatment, she continued to be open about her experiences, telling Yahoo! Style earlier this year that she was "floored" by the amount of love she received after speaking out.

"The more open I was, the more acceptance I got from people," she said. "I got so much support and so much love. I was floored. I feel much more exposed, yes, but in a great way."

Nashville Cancelled at ABC

Season 5 would have found the country-music drama under the leadership of new showrunners: thirtysomething‘s Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick were set to replace Dee Johnson, who was stepping down from the role.

The Season 4 finale — which now likely will serve as its series finale — airs Wednesday, May 25.

Supergirl Moves to The CW for Season 2

The CW will take over as the new home for the superhero drama, which in October debuted on CBS to 13 million total viewers and a 3.1 demo rating, tying NBC’s Blindspot as the 2015-16 TV season’s top-rated drama launch.

And speaking of new homes, TVLine can confirm that Supergirl will move production to Vancouver, after setting up shop in Los Angeles for its maiden voyage. At this very early stage, sources say there is nothing to report yet, either way, on Calista Flockhart‘s participation in the relocation away from L.A.

Starring Glee grad Melissa Benoist in the title role, Supergirl averaged 7.7 million viewers and a 1.7 rating, numbers which with Live+7 DVR playback swell to 10 mil/2.5. Its freshman finale last month did 6.1 mil and a 1.3 in Live+Same Day numbers.

One of Supergirl‘s most popular outings featured a crossover from the star of The CW’s The Flash, Grant Gustin, which boosted the CBS series to a 7-week high in the demo.

Lucy Liu Gushes About Son's Latest Milestones, Reveals the Most Important Thing Every Parent Can Do

The actress posted the very first photo of her son, Rockwell Lloyd Liu, on Twitter last August and wrote, "Introducing the new little man in my life, my son."

Shortly thereafter, a rep told E! News that Lucy's pride and joy was "brought into the world via gestational carrier."

And now, the actress is opening up to us exclusively about how she's juggling a career with being a single mom, and the many, many milestones in Rockwell's life.

"I am obviously somebody who is very career oriented. I really enjoy what I do and how I do it, but I really decided later on to consider having a family and I never really kind of had the dream of, ‘Oh, I'm going to get married and I'm going to have a baby.' I didn't dream about that, that was never really something that was in my cards necessarily," Liu, who is now part of the Tylenol #HowWeFamily Campaign, divulged.

"I think that having the ability to make that decision and that opportunity and that choice is something that is a gift, so I'm really glad I was able to go about it the way I did. My son is the greatest gift I've ever had."

Liu admitted that being a single mom is "really challenging and I think the most important thing to do is to be able to open up and ask for help."

So how is the little one now? Well, according to the proud mama, "he's started crawling, at seven months, and he's starting to get teeth now and he started eating when he was five-and-a-half months old."

"Every day there's sort of something fabulous and interesting and different that he does, you know, pulling himself up to standing, even learning how to sit down on his own is just amazing to watch the process."

Robert Downey Jr. Really Doesn't Care About Being the World's Highest-Paid Actor

In the latest issue of GQ Style, the 51-year-old actor opens up about getting older, wiser and understanding that monetary value has nothing to do with his creative value.

"First of all, could you imagine back in, let's call it the golden era...Pacino's and De?Niro's—do you think they would ever have allowed such a paltry discussion, reducing them to a monetary figure?" he asks the publication. "I have had and I have created some of the worst luck in the history of anybody in the public eye. And then there was five minutes there where I was batting a thousand."

Despite what he may consider his "worst luck," R.D.J. says he never sees anything as a failure. "I don't want to talk about failure. I want to talk about moments of humility," he explains. "Like when you feel suddenly sick and embarrassed but then you have to continue on to the next moment immediately in full view of others. Because it's not failure if you just recognize, I fell short, and that's okay."

In order to prevent himself from falling short in the future, he looks at the roles he takes on with a keen eye.

"Honestly, just as someone who loves movies, it's: Can I be bothered to go see that movie if that guy makes it?" he tells GQ. "And I'm not saying that I only want to do quote-unquote popular mainstream movies. But life is short, and ultimately I'm in a service industry. As much as I exist to do anything else, I exist to create widgets of entertainment for other people to consume. And some people, that's a big affront to their sensibilities, and I go, okay. End of the day, you are in a service industry, like Kirkland. It's that simple."

He continues, "When you're on the outside looking in, for years, for decades, only a fool misplays [success] once he's given a winning hand. And aside from certain devastating genetic weaknesses, I am not a fool."

As for his advice for younger actors seeking the same path as him, he says, "If you always talk about all the cool stuff you're gonna do, and you don't understand why it hasn't already happened for you, because, you know [snaps fingers]… The fumes of that will get you over the first hurdle, and nothing else. You must learn to put your nose to the grindstone for years and not look up, no matter how much rejection is heaped on you."

He also expresses the power of appreciating what you have when you have it. Looking back on his role in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, he gets nostalgic. "When I watch that movie I say, 'You were beautiful. And now…you just need to accept the fact that you're going to age as gracefully as possible.'"

Read R.D.J.'s full GQ Style interview here.

Bon Jovi opens hunger center in shore town hit hard by Sandy

The Sayreville, New Jersey-born rocker and his wife, Dorothea, are joining with local charities and wealthy fellow philanthropists to tackle hunger and poverty in a shore town that was devastated by Superstorm Sandy.

He and his Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation held a grand opening Tuesday for the B.E.A.T. Center, which stands for Bringing Everyone All Together. The center in Toms River is designed as a one-stop facility to help people get food stamps, health care and culinary-related job training. It also provides meals for at-risk children and seniors.

Surrounded by crates of potatoes, apples and turnips and pallets of canned ravioli and green beans, the singer best known for rock anthems like "Livin' On A Prayer," ''You Give Love A Bad Name" and "Wanted Dead Or Alive" said hunger is something he can actually do something about.

"We didn't need scientists to find a cure," he said. "There are so many wonderful causes and so many passionate people that are addressing them. We have been inspired by so many of our in-need neighbors who have come seeking help."

He and several others active with the center said one of its main goals is not just to feed the lines at food pantries but to also permanently shorten them. The center will house a second JBJ Soul Kitchen community restaurant, where diners pay a minimum $10 donation or do volunteer work for their meals. The first one opened in 2011 in Red Bank.

Bon Jovi says many area residents are still recovering from Sandy and don't have enough nutritious food to eat. But he says the need predated the storm in Ocean County, where one in five residents is low-income or lives below the poverty level of $15,000 a year for a family of four.

"This is happening across our nation," he said. "When there's 15 percent of children going to be hungry at night in a nation like ours, that's not an issue it takes a scientist to solve."

Toms River was one of the hardest-hit communities during Sandy, which struck Oct. 29, 2012. The nearby Ortley Beach section was devastated, and many homes and businesses still have not been rebuilt as the fourth summer after the storm approaches.

Bon Jovi is partnering with the Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, The Peoples Pantry and the David Tepper Charitable Foundation to provide $5 million in services to needy families in the B.E.A.T. Center's first year of operation.

The center joins other charitable endeavors undertaken by Bon Jovi, including the construction of 440 units of affordable housing for homeless or low-income families and donations to numerous Sandy relief efforts.

Why Lucy Liu Chose Gestational Surrogacy: It Was the ‘Best Solution for Me’

“I cried when he came out,” Liu, 47, told PEOPLE while promoting Tylenol’s #HowWeFamily campaign on Wednesday.

“I think ‘How We Family’ is about how we as a modern family are connecting now. Whether it’s your gay parents and you’re doing it that way, or you have a child that’s transgender, it’s more about how you love.”

She adds, “I think that’s a really wonderful way to support non-traditional families and make what we are doing now what is tradition.”

Want all the latest pregnancy and birth announcements, plus celebrity mom blogs? Click here to get those and more in the PEOPLE Babies newsletter.

With a hectic schedule, the Elementary star knew she was destined to be a mom, even if she didn’t take the traditional route.

“It just seemed like the right option for me because I was working and I didn’t know when I was going to be able to stop,” Liu says of her decision to turn to gestational surrogacy. “I decided that was probably the best solution for me, and it turned out to be great.”

With her little one growing at a rapid pace, Liu admits that she is loving everything about motherhood.

“I didn’t realize how quickly babies progress,” she says. “Very basic things that you just take for granted. They’re just this little lump of flesh, and then all the sudden they’re turning around, they’re observing you and they’re smiling and they’re interacting. It’s a magical experience.”

At 8 months old, Rockwell already has a best friend: Apple, the family dog.

“She’s really gentle,” Liu explains of her chocolate lab. “She’s protective, too. She’ll sit between him and whoever else comes in just to make sure they don’t step on him. It’s really beautiful to see how they interact.”

James Tupper & Anne Heche To Topline Post-Apocalyptic Series ‘Aftermath’

Tupper and Heche will play Joshua and Karen Copeland who, along with their three teenagers, must battle for survival after civilization comes to an apocalyptic end, triggered by devastating natural disasters – and the rise of supernatural creatures. The series was created by William Laurin and Glenn Davis, who will executive produce with Julie Hope. Suzanne Berger and Connie Dolphin will produce.

Tupper is repped by United, UTA, and attorney Jamie Mandelbaum. Heche is repped by United, Paradigm, and attorney Ashley Nissenberg.

La La Anthony, Yvette Nicole Brown, Monica Calhoun Among Five Cast In ‘New Edition: The Movie’ On BET

Anthony will play Flo DeVoe, mother of the young Ronnie DeVoe, Brown will play Michael Bivins’ mother Shirley Bivins, Calhoun is Ralph Tresvant’s mother Patricia Tresvant, Carson will play Ricky Bell’s mother Mae Bell and McCree is Bobby Brown’s mother Carole Brown. They join previously cast Bryshere Y. Gray, Elijah Kelley, Luke James, Keith Powers, and newcomers Algee Smith and Woody McClain.

Written by Abdul Williams (Lottery Ticket), the miniseries follows the group from their humble beginnings as kids in Boston to global megastardom – weathering the highs and lows of controversy, personnel changes, and the ultimate cost of fame.

New Edition: The Movie is executive produced by Real Husband’s of Hollywood’s Jesse Collins for JCE Films, a division of Jesse Collins Entertainment; directed by Chris Robinson and co-produced by Brooke Payne, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Ronnie DeVoe, Johnny Gill, Ralph Tresvant and Bobby Brown.

Anthony is repped by UTA and Untitled Entertainment.

Robert Downey Jr. Says Gwyneth Paltrow Is His 'Free Pass' – But There's a Catch

"My free pass is – because her and Susan are such good friends – is Paltrow," the 51-year-old star said on The Howard Stern Show Thursday. "I gotta get her back in these movies so I can make out with her onscreen again."

Paltrow, 43, played love interest Pepper Potts in the first three Iron Man movies, and although she does not appear in Captain America: Civil War, which has Downey reprising his Tony Stark role once again, he said that doesn't mean she's gone from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

"She's coming back," he said. "We need her."

Stern asked if that would make his wife jealous, and Downey Jr. responded, "She could care less."

That's probably because this "free pass" only applies if Downey Jr. and Paltrow are "rolling on a take." Plus, he isn't really looking to cash in on his wife's offer.

"I'm very happily married," he said, after explaining that he doesn't go on Facebook and look up exes.

The Iron Man costars reunited in August in a beach selfie that Paltrow, who is currently dating producer Brad Falchuk, posted to her Instagram.

"@robertdowneyjr how I love thee #pepperony," the Goop boss wrote in the caption.

Tony Award nominations

Robert Downey Jr. Puts His Son to Bed Under Superhero Sheets (But Not Iron Man Ones!)

When PEOPLE caught up with Downey Jr. and his Civil War rival Chris Evans (a.k.a. Captain America) recently for a lively chat about finding humor in their superhero status, Downey Jr. revealed that he’s a big Captain America and Chris Evans fan, something he shares with his son.

“I was tucking my boy in last night when he fell asleep and I put a Captain America blanket on him,” Downey Jr. told Evans.

“Did you?” Evans asked in disbelief.

“Yeah, so that’s the last time I saw your face,” Downey Jr. said. “Keeping my kid safe.”

Altogether: “Aww.”

And lest you think the compliments were one-sided, Evans spent plenty of time talking about his Civil War costar.

“People know Downey as a phenomenal actor, but he’s a really great writer too, he really is,” admitted Evans. “It’s just crazy working with him.”

“My character’s name isn’t in the title,” Downey Jr. playfully interjected.

“But it’s just nuts working with someone like Downey where you’re just kind of like, ‘You’re Downey! You’re Downey!’ What am I supposed to say?” Evans added.

Downey Jr. said Evans has come into his own over the last few years, becoming more comfortable with his fame and place in Hollywood — even if he might not admit it outright.

“Evans plays very low status, he’s extremely shrewd,” he said. “You’re very shrewd. You can’t see it right now.”

Captain America: Civil War hits theaters May 6.

For more from Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.

Cary Grant story could be heading to Broadway

The leading man’s ex-wife Dyan Cannon has been working for years on a musical version of her best seller, “Dear Cary.”

“We have a book. We have some songs. The next step is the 29-hour table read,” Cannon told me.

The story of her romance and marriage with the Hollywood icon — which produced his only child, Jennifer Grant — was a No. 1 best seller 4 ¹/2 years ago and recently was back on the lists.

“I can’t explain why it’s suddenly selling again,” Cannon said. “I’m just happy about it.”

Nominated for two Best Supporting Actress Oscars, she plans to play herself.

The story won’t be a light romantic comedy. It includes Cannon being institutionalized for depression and the toll her LSD use with Grant took on her.

“It’s about the things we think we need in life to make us happy, and we find out that’s not the case,” says Cannon.

Born in England as Archibald Leach, Grant was a vaudevillian before he co-starred on-screen with Mae West, Katharine Hepburn, Ingrid Bergman and Audrey Hepburn.

“It’s an amazing part for a man,” Cannon said. “Whoever gets it will be lucky.”

Taye Diggs To Host ‘You’re Back In The Room’ Hypnosis Game Show On Fox

You’re Back In The Room (wt) features physical comedy and unpredictable situations, as contestants work together in teams and are challenged to complete a variety of simple, everyday tasks, from frosting a cake to blowing up balloons…after being hypnotized. With big money at stake, the contestants need to work together as a team, but their entranced state causes hysterical hurdles that unwittingly sabotage their progress.

The series will begin production in July.

“The second I saw this show I knew I needed to be a part of it. It’s the most unique blend of comedy and competition I’ve seen in years,” said Diggs. “I’m also quite excited as this is a program I can watch and laugh at with my six-year-old son.”

Diggs currently stars as Detective Terry English in TNT drama series Murder in the First. He recently wrapped a multi-episode arc on Fox’s Rosewood, before ending his run in the title role of Broadway’s Hedwig and the Angry Inch. He also recently wrapped production on upcoming feature One Shot opposite Topher Grace. Diggs is repped by ICM, and Authentic Talent and Literary Management.

In addition to UK’s You’re Back in the Room, Barry also starred in cable’s Deception with Keith Barry and the Irish TV Studio series Brain Hacker. He’s also the Chief Magic and Mentalist Consultant on upcoming feature Now You See Me: The Second Act slated to premiere in June.

You’re Back In The Room, produced by Tuesday’s Child, debuted in the UK as the No. 1 new unscripted entertainment series in 2015, ending its first season as a Top 10 series overall. The series is currently airing its second season and the format has been produced in France, The Netherlands and Australia and optioned internationally in multiple territories, including Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Denmark, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Portugal and Spain.

You’re Back in the Room (wt) is executive-produced by Tuesday’s Child in association with BBC Worldwide Productions. Karen Smith and Joe Sungkur serve as executive producers.

Hayden Panettiere's Parents' Nasty Divorce Over ... Dad Still Owes Hayden

According to the divorce docs ... Alan will pay $5,000 a month in spousal support to Hayden's mother, Lesley, for the next 5 years or until she remarries.

Alan also agreed to shoulder all of the money owed to their daughter. As we reported ... Hayden helped out mom and dad last year by letting Lesley live in her condo, and loaning Alan $100k.

Based on the docs, Lesley wanted to make sure that dough wasn't coming out of her pocket. The divorce settlement brings the nearly 8 year divorce battle to a close.

Just Like Mom! Jane Krakowski Says Her Son Bennett Is a ‘Fun, Dramatic Child’

“I came home from rehearsal [the other day] and he ran to the door yelling ‘Mommy!’ and then pretended to faint and fall on the floor,” Krakowski, 47, told PEOPLE at the season 2 world premiere of The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt in New York Wednesday night.

“I love coming home and seeing his joy running to the door,” she says. “He’s a real ham — a fun, dramatic child!”

Those traits are ones he most certainly gets from his mama, who is currently starring in the Broadway revival of She Loves Me while juggling shooting for Kimmy and motherhood. “I’m in rehearsal six days a week [and have] eight performances a week,” she says.

But recently, Krakowski was able to combine the best of both worlds when Bennett paid her a visit at the Roundabout Theatre where she’s performing. “He came to see me in the Broadway show,” she says. “He sat through the whole thing — it’s a long show!”

Her only worry was that he’d disrupt the theatre. “I just said, ‘Please don’t yell [for] Mommy! You have to stay quiet,’ ” she explains.

And Bennett did just that while still offering the actress some encouragement. “Apparently during my numbers he was giving me signals — if he liked it, [he gave a thumbs up] and when a man treated me badly, he did a thumbs down. He’s very sweet!”

On top of her incredibly busy schedule, Krakowski has a party to plan.

“I’m planning his [fifth] birthday party,” she says, “It’s Star Wars Jedi training-themed. It’s a really fun age because you can chat with them and he’s got his own opinions and ideas. I’m so in love.”

Once Upon a Time: Hades and Zelena "Definitely Have Sparks" - But Is That A Good Thing?

The secret to defeating Hades is with Zelena (Rebecca Mader). The missing storybook pages reveal that Hades and the Wicked Witch have a big secret together and so now the heroes must track down their least favorite person if they want a chance of saving Hook (Colin O'Donoghue) and returning home. In the meantime, Hades is aiming a precise chisel at each of the heroes' Achilles' heels, including the formidable Rumpelstiltskin (Robert Carlyle).

Greg Germann talked to TVGuide.com about what Hades' past with Zelena will reveal and why he takes such pleasure in being so bad. See his answers below.

What can you tease about the nature of his relationship with Zelena?

Greg Germann: Hades and Zelena could either be great adversaries or a great match. Because of both of those things, they are both formidable in their own way. There's definitely some sparks that will fly in one direction or another between those two.

What does he plan to do with Rumpelstiltskin and the unborn child?

Germann: Anything that is going on with Hades, whether its with Rumple or any of the other characters, he's an opportunist. It's not so much that he wants a baby but he's finding the Achilles' heels of all the characters to move things forward for the things that he wants.

Hades makes it clear that he can kill any of the heroes at any point, but he seems to take more pleasure in torturing them. Why is that?

Germann: It's really fun to have one up on your adversary. What if the world were that way -- if we had some adversary in the world and we could just go 'Yeah you're gonna do that? Well what about this?' and stump them. That would feel really satisfying. In a way, Adam [Horowitz] and Eddy [Kitsis] are writing to that desire that we all have in us if we could all just easily one up the people that are hurting us. Hades, like Zelena, has abandonment issues, which is a funny way to say it. They both in their own way have suffered in their lives. They feel that they are the other end of some victimization maybe. I don't want to say there's any bitterness there, but if they can get back at the world that feels satisfying. It feels good.

Does Hades have any particular feelings on Zelena and her new baby?

Germann: I don't know that he's got strong feelings that she's had other relationships. Hades is very mature. I don't know if that's the issue necessarily for him or other things like whether the sparks that fly between them or the power that each of them have can enhance each other and help one another.

Will we find out why Hades chose Regina, Emma and Snow White as the three of the heroes that he wanted to keep?

Germann: That's something you have to wait to tune in to see. Hades isn't really doing anything arbitrarily. Everything that Hades is doing, there's a reason why [he's] doing it. I definitely have an agenda and everything I'm doing is moving that agenda forward.

Is his ultimate goal to keep everyone down there or would he be willing to let some of them go?

Germann: I like having people down there. I don't want to let anyone go. The more lost souls, the more souls down there that have unfinished business, as Adam and Eddy say, the better. Hades' ultimate ambition is an ABC spinoff.

One of the things this show loves to do is show a human side to its villains. Will we get to see that side of Hades?

Germann: Yes. What Adam and Eddy understand as writers is that these characters, whether they're humans or villains, they're three dimensional. It's not just a two dimensional renderding of a bad guy or a good guy. We've got all sides to us, even Hades ultimately.

Once Upon a Time continues Sunday at 8/7 on ABC.

‘The Blacklist’ Spinoff Starring Famke Janssen In the Works At NBC

Janssen will be introduced in the May 5 episode before the planted spinoff. She will play Susan “Scottie” Halsted; it will be the female lead if NBC proceeds with the series, a decision that likely will be made in the next month and a half.

No details are being provided on Janssen’s character or the storyline for the spinoff, but I hear that Scottie Halsted was conceived to be to Tom (Ryan Eggold) what Raymond “Red” Reddington (James Spader) is to Liz (Megan Boone). Actresses in their 60s and 50s were considered for the role. Making Episode 322 a planted spinoff was contingent on finding a star name to play Scottie, with the contingency lifted by the casting of Janssen.

The spinoff was created by Bokenkamp and Eisendrath, who executive produce with The Blacklist exec producers John Davis and John Fox.

The Blacklist, now in its third season, was a breakout hit for NBC when it launched in fall 2013. The drama has been dinged in the ratings since it was moved from its lofty Monday 10 PM perch to anchor NBC’s struggling Thursday lineup at 9 PM but it has done a respectable job in its challenging new slot and continues to be very strong in delayed viewing.

In addition to The Blacklist offshoot, NBC has Episode 21 of Chicago P.D., which serves as a planted spinoff for a fourth Chicago series, Chicago Justice.

In TV, Janssen, co-star of The X-Men and Taken franchises, recently toplined the Netflix series Hemlock Grove and recurred on ABC’s How To Get Away With Murder. She is repped by ICM Partners and Brookside Artist Management.

Hayden Panettiere Has a Sexy New Role: Carl's Jr. Commercial Star

The 26-year-old Nashville actress stars in a new Carl's Jr. commercial to promote the fast food chain's Midnight Moonshine Burger. Wearing a cleavage-baring black button-down top tucked into matching shorts, Panettiere bites into the massive sandwich inside what appears to be a distillery as a fire rages in the background and Jessie James Decker is heard singing.

The actress joins a long list of stars who have appeared in sexy Carl's Jr. ads. The roster includes Kim Kardashian, Kate Upton, Audrina Patridge, Emily Ratajkowski, Heidi Klum and Padma Lakshmi.

Panettiere has appeared in commercials before. In 2013, she showcased her singing chops in a Cotton commercial. She is also a celebrity spokesmodel for Neutrogena and has appeared in several of the skincare and makeup company's ads.

The Midnight Moonshine Burger contains a charcoal-grilled, 100 percent black Angus beef patty topped with a moonshine glaze, pepper jack cheese, garlic and pepper fried onions and thick-cut, applewood-smoked bacon, according to CNBC. Parent company CKE Restaurants partnered with Hall of Fame NASCAR driver Junior Johnson on the sandwich. He is a partial owner of Piedmont Distillers, the dispenser of Junior's Midnight Moonshine.

The burger will be available for a limited time in more than 3,600 Carl's Jr. and Hardees restaurants.

"It knocked everybody's socks off when we tasted it," CKE Restaurants CEO Andy Puzder told CNBC.

How Hayden Panettiere Got Her Pre-Baby Body Back!

“The more that you give yourself grace, the better that you feel,” the actress, 26, told PEOPLE on the set of her upcoming Carl’s Jr. commercial.

“You go through the, ‘I’m not going to eat,’ ‘I’m not going to eat this,’ ‘I’m not going to eat that,’ ” she continues. “Part of [losing the weight] is mind, body and spirit. Spirit’s a huge part of it, so being happy and being content [helps].”

Going back to work on her hit show Nashville also helped her drop the baby weight.

“I’m standing on my feet on the show for sometimes hours in a day,” she explains.

For added exercise, Panettiere likes to get on the treadmill and zone out.

“I put on some guilty pleasure TV and just jog,” she says.

And her 15-month-old daughter Kaya sometimes gets involved in her workouts too.

“Working out with your baby is actually great,” says Panettiere. “When I’m holding her in my arms, I lift her above my head, or do bicep curls with her, or I’ll dance with her a lot. She’s the best weight I can find!”

Hayden Panettiere on Recovering from Postpartum Depression: ‘It’s Okay to Ask for Help’

“The biggest message that I’ve been trying to promote for women is that it’s okay to ask for help,” the Nashville star, 26, told PEOPLE on the set of her new Carl’s Jr. commercial. “You feel mommy guilt — it’s for real.”

Panettiere — who gave birth to daughter Kaya Evdokia in December 2014 — knows that many moms can judge themselves too harshly for their perceived shortcomings.

“It’s like being in a tunnel,” she said. “You can’t even remember when you felt good. You try and think back to when you felt good, when you felt positive, when you felt happy, and you can’t. All you see is this enveloping darkness.’

Going public with her battle and recovery has helped the actress to move past those feelings.

“I’ve just been trying to be much more open and honest about who I am,” says Panettiere. “I’m 26 years old, I’m an adult, and [I don’t] have to falsify who I am.”

For more of Panettiere’s interview on postpartum depression and how she moved on, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.

USA NETWORK CASTS JAMES PAXTON AND GIL BELLOWS IN LEADING ROLES FOR NEW DRAMA SERIES “EYEWITNESS”

Paxton will co-lead as “Lukas Hallenbeck,” a young teenaged boy who seems to have it all – popularity, motocross stardom, and the hottest girl in school. But beneath the surface, he’s deeply conflicted about his sexuality. When he meets Philip (Young) – a classmate who’s more comfortable in his skin – Lukas starts a journey towards self-acceptance that is interrupted when the boys witness a quadruple murder. His sanity begins to slip as he’s hunted by the killer and haunted by the fear of being outed as gay and losing everything he has.

Born and raised in Ojai, CA, Paxton started his career at the age of nine in “Spy Kids 3.” After attending New York University, he studied British film and theater in London. Son of actor Bill Paxton, he most recently starred alongside Vince Vaughn in “Term Life” and appeared in “Texas Rising.”

Bellows has been cast as “Gabe,” a small-town veterinarian whose decency, integrity and compassion rescued Helen from her self-destructive cycle of living. But the pressures of fostering Philip amidst Helen’s shocking homicide case threaten to tear the marriage apart.

As a respected producer, Bellows executive produced the Emmy® and Peabody® Award winning, Golden Globe® nominated movie “Temple Grandin.” Additionally, he co-wrote, produced and directed the film “3 Days in Havana” and will soon produce and direct the Blacklist feature “Loose Women.” Bellows film career include credits in the Academy Award® nominated film “The Shawshank Redemption,” “Love and a .45,” “The Weatherman,” “Parkland” and “Kill the Messenger.” TV credits include “Ally McBeal” and “11/22/63” opposite James Franco. Additionally, he co-created, executive produced and appears in “Patriot.”

Jones is set for the role of “Kamilah,” an unapologetic FBI agent who suddenly finds her loyalty to her job and troubled sister at odds. When Kamilah’s own case intersects with Sherriff Hellen Torrance’s, they forge a friendship that leads her to question everything she thought she wanted.

After graduating high school, Tattiawna Jones went to York University and completed a Bachelor in Fine Arts degree in Acting. Recent credits include a recurring guest star role in the TV series "19-2" and a series regular role in the TV series "Strange Empire.”

Murray will be featured as “Tony,” Helen’s bright-eyed and bushy-tailed deputy with big dreams, whose life is forever changed when a grisly crime happens in his small town.

Most recently, Murray starred as ‘Brian’ on “Kevin From Work.” He also starred in two seasons of the hit drama series “Rookie Blue” and will soon appear in the comedy pilot “What Goes Around Comes Around.” He received a degree in Theatre Performance from the esteemed Humber School of Creative Arts and was accepted to the prestigious Canadian Film Centre Actors Conservatory, a program that selects only 8 actors from across Canada per year.

From Universal Cable Productions (UCP), EYEWITNESS explores a grisly crime from the point of view of the eyewitness and is executive produced by Adi Hasak (Creator, “Shades of Blue”), Jarl Emsell Larsen and Scott Peters (“V,” “THE 4400”) also serve as executive producers.

Courtney Thorne-Smith will guest-star on Fresh Off the Boat

2016 MTV Movie Award nominations

Best Fight
Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) vs. Ajax (Ed Skrein) – “Deadpool”
Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) vs. The Bear – “The Revenant”
Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) vs. Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) – “Mad Max: Fury Road”
Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) vs. Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) – “Avengers: Age of Ultron”
Rey (Daisy Ridley) vs. Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) – Star Wars: The Force Awakens”
Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) vs. Lia (Nargis Fakhri) – “Spy”.

Robert Downey Jr.'s Son Indio: Judge Dismisses Cocaine Case as Father Watches

Indio Downey showed up at an L.A. courthouse Tuesday morning, where a judge dismissed his cocaine case, after he submitted proof he had successfully completed a drug diversion program.

The dismissal comes 2 months after California Governor Jerry Brown gave Robert Downey Jr. a full pardon for his drug convictions.

Indio spoke to Judge Lauren Weis Birnstein in open court, saying, "I would like to say I am truly grateful for the experience I had over the last 20 months in recovery." He went on, "I'm so blessed to have my life back. I hope to be an inspiration to work with others in the future."

Indio was arrested in June 2014 in West Hollywood when cops drove alongside the vehicle in which he was riding and noticed he was smoking something out of a pipe. Cops found coke on the actor's son.

The dismissal erases the entire criminal case ... it's as if Indio was never even arrested.

Disney Channel's Tangled Series Adds Ashley Judd, Jonathan Banks and More

The Disney Channel series Tangled: Before Ever After has added a slew of TV and movie stars to its ranks, the network announced Tuesday. Among the cast additions: Ashley Judd (Divergent); Jonathan Banks (Better Call Saul); Sean Hayes (Will & Grace); Jeremy Jordan (Supergirl); and Jeffrey Tambor (Transparent), reprising his role from the 2010 movie.

As previously reported, Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi also will voice their characters from the film —Rapunzel and Flynn Rider, respectively — in the series, which will feature music and lyrics from Alan Menken and Glenn Slater. Chris Sonnenburg (Enchanted) and Shane Prigmore (How to Train Your Dragon) will executive-produce.

Judd will lend her voice to Rapunzel’s mother Queen Arianna, while Broadway’s Eden Espinosa (Wicked) will be Rapunzel’s handmaiden/confidant Cassandra. Tambor will voice Snuggly Duckling Pub Thug Big Nose — joined by the film’s Shorty (Anchorman‘s Paul F. Tompkins) — and M.C. Gainey (Lost) will voice the Captain of the Guards as he did in the movie.

Other new cast members include: Richard Kind (Gotham), comedian Jeff Ross, Peter MacNicol (Ally McBeal), Clancy Brown (Sleepy Hollow), Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (Lost), Diedrich Bader (The Drew Carey Show), and Charles Halford (Constantine).

Set between the events of the feature film and the 2012 short Tangled Ever After, the animated series finds Rapunzel acquainting herself with her parents, her kingdom and the people of Corona, as she realizes there is so much left to learn before she can accept her royal destiny. The series is slated to premiere in 2017.

Hayden Panettiere Details Her Experience with Postpartum Depression: ‘It Is One of the Most Debilitating, Scary, Guilty Feelings’

“I was always so terrified that people weren’t going to accept me,” the 26-year-old tells Yahoo! Style in a new interview of revealing that she had PPD.

“I finally just went, ‘I’m tired of living afraid. I’m tired of living in fear of what people are going to think, so, you know, I’m just going to put it all out there on the table and I’m not going to worry about the judgment.’ ”

The Nashville actress — who shares daughter Kaya Evdokia, nearly 15 months, with fiancé Wladimir Klitschko — entered treatment last October, and was immediately “floored” by the outpouring of support she received.

“The more open I was, the more acceptance I got from people,” she told Yahoo!. “I got so much support and so much love.”

Panettiere added, “I feel much more exposed, yes, but in a great way.”

What the star doesn’t appreciate, however, is the sometimes negative stigma that surrounds PPD.

She says of critics: “It’s like you have no idea what you’re talking about. If you think for one second that a mother wants to feel that way toward her child, you’re outta your mind. It is one of the most debilitating, scary, guilty feelings that you can ever feel.”

Continuing, “That a mother would not be able to connect with their child, would not be able to get a grip, or would not know what’s going on, for anybody to say that it’s false or created by us, you must have your head examined.”

On top of her personal journey, Panettiere was also faced with her Nashville character’s own struggle with PPD — an unplanned coincidence. In fact, Juliette’s battle has extended past Panettiere’s own.

“It was strange having to throw myself back into that frame of mind,” she shared. “The way I do things is to pull from my own personal experience and sometimes even turn myself into what I’m portraying so that I can pull from my life and step into that person’s shoes by being able to relate.”

Julianne Nicholson To Topline USA Series ‘Eyewitness’

The project, an adaptation of the Norwegian crime thriller Øyevitne, explores a grisly crime from the point of view of the eyewitnesses. In it, two innocent teenage boys — one of them played by Tyler Young — secretly meet up in the forest where they witness a shooting and barely escape with their lives. Desperate to keep their relationship a secret and in fear of being found by the perpetrator, they remain silent but soon learn that what has been seen cannot be unseen and when you witness a horrible event it changes everything, forever.

Nicholson will play Helen Torrance, a former big-city homicide detective who left her harrowing career to become a small-town sheriff and loving wife. However, when a gruesome crime occurs she’s thrust back into the traumas of her past – just as she’s begun her hardest case yet: fostering a teenage boy (Young). Anneke von der Lippe won a best actress International Emmy for playing the role in the original series.

Catherine Hardwicke is set to direct and executive produce the first two episodes of the USA version, produced by Universal Cable Prods. Eyewitness will begin production in Canada later this year for later this year.

Nicholson most recently co-starred opposite Johnny Depp and Joel Edgerton in Black Mass. She also starred in the Sundance scripted series The Red Road, and recurred on Masters of Sex and Boardwalk Empire.

Shades Of Blue creator Adi Hasak wrote the series. and will serve as executive producer/showrunner. The series’ original creator Jarl Emsell Larsen and Scott Peters also executive produce.

Lucy Liu Honored at Harvard

The “Kill Bill” and “Charlie’s Angels” actress, currently starring in the CBS series “Elementary,” was named 2016 artist of the year by the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations.

She received the award Saturday evening in a presentation at the Cultural Rhythms Festival at Sanders Theater in Cambridge.

Born to immigrant parents in the New York City borough of Queens, Liu is a UNICEF Ambassador and has been a spokeswoman for the Human Rights Campaign. Harvard says she’s “worked tirelessly to raise awareness of the plight of women and children in some of the world’s most impoverished countries.”

Previous Harvard Foundation winners have included Eva Longoria, Andy Garcia, Matt Damon, Denzel Washington and Salma Hayek.

Watch the First Trailer for Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Season 2

NCIS Episode 300 Casts Taye Diggs in Pivotal, Musical Role

In the landmark hour of TV’s most watched drama (airing March 15), Diggs will play Marine Gunnery Sergeant Aaron Davis, a Special Ops sniper who suffered traumatic injuries and PTSS after an ambush attack in Iraq. For the past six months, Davis has been at Walter Reed Medical Center, facing a slow but effective rehab that includes a cutting-edge music therapy program.

Once a free spirit and a gifted musician, Davis has spiraled into a shell of his former self When Gibbs (Mark Harmon) attempts to reach the wounded warrior, needing as he does an account of the aforementioned ambush to solve a murder.

Of the casting, NCIS showrunner Gary Glasberg said in a statement, “For our 300th episode we needed a guest actor who could proudly portray one of our nation’s wounded warriors as well as participate in a very touching musical performance. This emotionally charged role is tailor-made for Taye Diggs and we are so thrilled and honored to have him join us.”

Well known for his Private Practice run (if not the woefully underappreciated Day Break), Diggs’ recent TV credits include a lead role on TNT’s Murder in the First (which has been renewed for a third season), Rosewood, The Good Wife and New Girl.

Hayden and XTina bring the heat for ‘Lady Marmalade’ on ‘Lip Sync Battle’

Panettiere has enlisted the help of one Christina Aguilera to perform the 1975 hit by girl group Labelle — made up of Patti LaBelle, Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash — that became a smash when Aguilera, Lil Kim, Pink and Missy Elliott recorded it for “Moulin Rouge” in 2001.

Sporting big blonde wigs, Panettiere is handling the other three singers’ parts while Aguilera is there to bring the house down by lip-syncing to her own run-filled vocals.

Eva Longoria better bring her A game to top this sexy, sassy “Lady Marmalade” that Panettiere and Aguilera have cooked up.

“Lip Sync Battle” airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Spike.

Kids' Choice Awards 2016 Nominations

Favorite Movie Actor
Chris Evans, Avengers: Age of Ultron
Chris Hemsworth, Avengers: Age of Ultron
Chris Pratt, Jurassic World
John Boyega, Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Robert Downey Jr., Avengers: Age of Ultron
Will Ferrell, Daddy's Home.

Josh Groban might wear five pairs of underwear on Broadway

“There can’t be any more rituals than solo recording artists have,” he figured of learning any backstage traditions of Broadway. “I mean, any singer’s crazy no matter what the genre.”

We ran into Groban at the Acura Studio at Sundance.

“I have a lot to learn as we gear up into rehearsals in a lot of ways … I’m sure I will be wearing five pairs of underwear or whatever I have to do.”

Denée Benton was cast in the show this week to star with Groban. The show originally debuted in the Meatpacking District in 2013.

Regina Hall To Star In Hulu Comedy Pilot ‘Crushed’ From ‘Peeples’ Filmmaker

The project, written by Chism, was originally developed for HBO two years ago. Recently greenlit to pilot by Hulu, it centers on an African-American family who stumbles into a successful wine business in Napa, with Hall playing the wife, Celia. The comedy is described as a fish-out-of-water story following the family’s unorthodox approach to wine making and their unique life style. Chism is executive producing alongside Stephanie Allain Bray. C. Deneen Brown is co-producing.

Chism made her directorial debut with Tyler Perry/Lionsgate’s Peeples, starring Craig Robinson and Kerry Washington. She also wrote the scripts for Drumline and ATL. She is repped by ICM Partners.

Ally McBeal alumna Hall has starred in a number of successful comedy feature franchises, include Scary Movie, The Best Man and Think Like a Man. She will next be seen in Barbershop: The Next Cut. Hall is repped by ICM Partners and Principato-Young.

Lionsgate TV has been an early Hulu adopter, coming on board to produce one of the streaming services’ first breakout original comedy series, Deadbeat.

At Hulu, Crushed joins comedy pilot Future Man, from Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg and Sony TV.

Hayden Panettiere: Being Honest About Postpartum Depression Struggle Is a ‘Weight Off My Shoulders’

“It feels different for me because of things that I’ve gone through recently, over the last year,” the Nashville star told PEOPLE exclusively on the red carpet for the Critics’ Choice Awards. “I’ve really gone, ‘You know what, I’ve been in this industry for so long, forget it!’ I’ve been hiding myself. Just putting out the smiling face, showing people this, and allowing that veil to come down — it’s like a weight off my shoulders.”

She adds, “I’m 26 years old. I’m a mom. I don’t need to be afraid of what people are going to think. I saw how much people rallied behind me when I was honest, and I didn’t know that honesty could be such a gift.”

Sunday night marked Panettiere’s first U.S. red carpet appearance since entering treatment in October, and the actress says she enjoyed walking in front of the cameras “so much more because I don’t feel like I have to hide anymore.”

After welcoming daughter Kaya Evdokia in December 2014 with fiancé Wladimir Klitschko, Panettiere said she felt scared. Choosing to be open about her struggle has helped, though, she contends.

“Honestly, when I said [I had PPD] the first time on Kelly and Michael I didn’t plan on it,” she says. “We talked about it for a second, but it was just like a conversation, and I was like, ‘Why should I be ashamed or hide when it costs so much?’ It costs me so much to hide. It costs you so much to lie.”

Panettiere has used her own personal journey to address the stigma surrounding PPD, and tells PEOPLE that “there is no overcoming” the often negative sentiment.

“The only important thing to me is that I’m not causing myself pain and discomfort anymore, and I can be a strong woman for my daughter to look up to,” she says. “It would horrible for me to be going, ‘You can be whomever you want! You can do whatever you want in life!’ yet I was unable to follow the same words.”

As she tells E! News, “I was floored by the positive response. I’m really happy that I can stand up for the women who are out there suffering from this and let them know it’s okay. They’re not alone. It doesn’t mean they’re weak. It doesn’t mean they’re a bad mom. It doesn’t mean they’re strange. They can get help if they need it, and that’s okay.”

Hayden Panettiere Wears Plunging Peach Gown to First Red Carpet Since PPD Treatment

After welcoming daughter Kaya in December 2014, Panettiere entered treatment in October for PPD, saying “It’s really painful and it’s really scary and women need a lot of support.” Her Nashville character, in an ironic twist, was also suffering from the same disease.

After receiving treatment, Panettiere made her first public appearance in late November to support fiancé Wladimir Klitschko ringside during his boxing match against Tyson Fury. Shortly thereafter, she debuted a big haircut on Twitter, writing, “Chopping hair off is like getting rid of metaphorical and literal dead ends. Off with the old and growing the new.”

Sunday night (just days after she announced she’d be returning to Nashville), she officially returned to the red carpet, sporting a pale peach Maria Lucia Hohan dress that showed off her figure thanks to the seriously plunging neckline and side cutouts. Delicate silvery jewels and a small clutch were all she added to accessorize the already head-turning look, and she kept her new bob wavy and makeup clean and fresh.

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia De Rossi adopt a ‘Kid’

DeGeneres, 57, made the announcement on Thursday’s show.

“I have not talked about this yet, but we have a new puppy,” she said. “Portia and I got a puppy and his name is Kid so now we have a kid. Yep. I mean, he is absolutely adorable.”

Although the couple is thrilled at the new addition, they’re not so pleased with the constant after-hours attention Kid needs. DeGeneres said it’s “not cute” to wake up at 11, and 1 and 3 and 5 for all his puppy needs.

“It really makes me appreciate what it’s like to be a mother,” she added. “Because like I’m trying to hold a puppy while I’m trying to make coffee. And I can’t do anything. He doesn’t let me do anything.”

There’s always been speculation as if and when DeGeneres and de Rossi will ever have a child. “And I named him Kid because, you know, people… There have been rumors forever,” DeGeneres began. “‘When are you and Portia gonna have a kid?’ So, now I can say we have a Kid. So it can just stop.”

Kid joins DeGeneres and De Rossi’s other four-legged babies Wolf and Auggie.

Hayden Panettiere Returns to Nashville Following Medical Leave

Nashville‘s Hayden Panettiere — who in October took a leave of absence from the ABC drama to undergo treatment for postpartum depression — has returned to work on the series, TVLine has learned exclusively.

An ABC rep declined to comment, but sources confirm that the actress reported back to the set on Friday to begin work on Season 4’s 14th episode, which is slated to air in April. (Nashville returns from its midseason break on March 16).

Panettiere left the series in early October just as Episode 9 was about to start production. Her character, Juliette — who in an eerie parallel was also battling postpartum depression — was last seen in the Nov. 18 episode.

At the time, executive producer/showrunner Dee Johnson said that she fully expected Panettiere to return.

“It’s not the entire season, it’s just for now,” Johnson told Deadline, adding, “We’ve had to make adjustments, but it’s not uncommon for shows to have to make such accommodations when real life intervenes.”

Josh Groban and Kat Von D are set to guest-star on Life in Pieces

Robert Downey Jr Pardoned For Drug Convictions In California

Back in October, Downey was inducted into the California Hall of Fame. “I think I might be first inductee who’s been in the correctional system,” he later joked during a pre-Thanksgiving appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

“By completion of his sentence and good conduct in the community of his residence since his release, Robert John Downey, Jr. has paid his debt to society and earned a full and unconditional pardon,” reads the declaration.

Downey was arrested multiple times from 1996-2001, first for possession of heroin, cocaine and a handgun while driving in Hollywood. Soon after, he was busted for breaking into a neighbor’s home while intoxicated and on parole. The actor was given probation but was jailed in Los Angeles for missing a court-ordered drug test. He was arrested in 1999 after missing another drug test and sentenced to three years in state prison. He was granted early release the following year.

Pardons mainly are symbolic and don’t erase a criminal record, but they can allow ex-convicts to own firearms, serve on jury duty or work in some government jobs. To be eligible, individuals must have been out of prison for at least a decade, committed no new crimes and received a court-granted Certificate of Rehabilitation if they still live in California.

Other pardons Brown granted today were for crimes ranging from arson. kidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon to DUI, perjury and use of a fake ID. See the full list of pardons here.

Click Here to read Downey’s pardon.

Ally McBeal Star Lisa Nicole Carson on Her Battle with Bipolar Disorder: 'When You Lose Your Mind, It's as Traumatic as It Sounds'

In this week's PEOPLE, Carson, 46, speaks in depth for the first time about the bipolar diagnosis that nearly shattered her life and career. "From the time I stepped away from show business [in 2001] until now, I've been on a long, very complicated and challenging journey," says Carson. "I didn't know if I was going to make it out."

"I don't really have an option to be silent about my illness, although I wanted to be for many years," Carson reveals. "But since I had a public breakdown, it's something I felt I had to address."

She is now living quietly in Hollywood, where she hopes to relaunch her acting career.

She tells PEOPLE, "When you lose your mind it's as traumatic as it sounds. It's not anything you can imagine happening to you."

Just before her career took off as Flockhart's sidekick on the show, Carson had her first psychotic breakdown in 1997. For the next seven years, she says, there were "too many breakdowns to count."

After she was first diagnosed as bipolar, "It didn't make any sense to me, at all. I had never heard of it. I was in denial and would not take my medicine."

In the years that followed, she experienced more mania than depression. "Sometimes it can be beautiful," she says. "And sometimes it can be horrifying."

In 2000, Carson had a breakdown at a Manhattan hotel that made headlines and left her terrified and confused. "I remember glass breaking, yelling, screaming and terror," she says. "Sheer terror."

She spent several weeks in a psychiatric ward before returning to work at Ally McBeal.

"The cast was very concerned," she recalls. "They put together a video for me, wishing me well."

Petrified, "I busted my butt and worked hard for a year. And then in 2001, I got the call, 'We're not renewing your contract.' I cried for a week."

Although devastated, Carson doesn't harbor ill feelings about the situation.

"Something very weird happened to me and everybody had a reaction," she says, "and it was more weird to me than anyone."

Her last breakdown, in 2004, "was the most terrified I have ever been," she recalls. "It was the closest everything came to collapsing for me. That's what marked the beginning of the end of the disease for me. I decided that whatever was going on in my life, had to take second place. I had to take my medication and fight this with everything I am."

After years of consulting with doctors and experimenting with numerous medications, Carson finally found the mood stabilizer she is currently taking. "I've been stable and haven't had a breakdown in 10 years," she says.

Since returning to Hollywood in 2014, she says, "Just being at a place where I am healthy, excited about life and auditioning is a joy. I feel very blessed."

Carson hopes her story can help others. "It's a risk for me to be open," she admits. "I never wanted to breathe a world about what happened to me. But I've had a change of heart. It's rare for someone who has something as severe as I've had to come out the other side, but I'd like to let people know that you can. You can get to the other side."

Harrison Ford is Not Solo At Star Wars Premiere As He Arrives with Wife Calista Flockhart

The married couple were all smiles at the Star Wars: The Force Awakens premiere on Monday at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles.

The 73-year-old actor looked suave in a black suit and baby blue collared shirt while the 51-year-old Supergirl star color coordinated in a long sleeve LBD with jeweled collar detailing.

Over 38 years since his first Star Wars premiere, Ford – who broke his leg during the latest production – expressed the big difference of going to the first showings then and now.

"In the 70s nobody knew what to anticipate, nobody had ever seen anything like it," he shared on the red carpet – streamed live on http://www.starwars.com/. "Now we have to live up to what the first film delivered."

With over $50 million in pre-sale tickets sold and many fans already lined up ahead of the official Dec. 18. release, the actor jokingly brushed off the pressures of delivering a box office success.

"No its not my fault you can blame it on JJ [Abrams] – I just work here," he said.

Josh Groban eyes Broadway, says he's in that 'headspace'

"I was kind of in that headspace to begin with," Groban said Monday. "There was this nice stars-aligning-thing happening."

Groban will play Pierre in "Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812," a musical by Dave Malloy that dramatizes a 70-page melodrama at the center of Leo Tolstoy's "War and Peace." It starts on Broadway in September.

Groban has been offered parts on Broadway before but timing never worked out. This time, he'll be ending a tour in support of an album — "Stages," for which he just earned a Grammy Award nomination for best traditional pop vocal album — that coincidentally has him singing musical theater hits from "The Phantom of the Opera," ''Les Misérables," ''Into The Woods" and "A Chorus Line," among others.

Since he made his debut in 2001, Groban's soaring anthems and soothing yet stirring ballads have sold millions of albums.

The sung-through musical "Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812" premiered at New York City's Ars Nova in 2012 and is currently playing at the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University.

He caught an off-Broadway version in 2013 and vowed that if he ever returned to his musical theater roots it would be for "the right piece of music."

Rachel Chavkin, who has directed previous versions of the show, is directing the new Broadway-bound version. Additional casting, design team and theater will be announced later. (Phillipa Soo, who played a dynamite Natasha, is currently in "Hamilton.")

By the time the "Great Comet" makes it to New York again, it will have changed a great deal since its earlier off-Broadway lives, which included strobe lights, actors racing about and smoke pouring as dance music competed with traditional Russian folk music.

The show reached for an immersive experience by trying to erase the line between audience and performer. A full Russian-themed meal — including vodka — was served and audience members were asked to pass along love letters or interact with actors.

Groban said he was "totally transfixed" by the intimate production when he saw it and wants to "pass along that magic." On Broadway, stage designer Mimi Lien will put many seats onstage, let actors move around the theater and there will be some sort of food and drink on offer.

The show centers on a bright young thing, Natasha, who falls for one man, only to be seduced later by another.

Groban said he's looking forward to the sense of comradery that comes with joining a Broadway cast. He said he'll protect his voice for the grueling eight-shows-a-week rhythm.

"My regiment is not going to be any different. At this point in my career, I've learned how to take care of myself. I'll just try not to burn the candle at both ends and try not to have real vodka on the stage every night."

Calista Flockhart Reveals Harrison Ford Is Learning to Text at Age 73, but He's Not Quite Sure How to Use Emojis Yet

Supergirl star Calista Flockhart appeared on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live! Thursday night, and host Jimmy Kimmel began by asking the actress about her famous husband, Harrison Ford. "How is Harrison? Is he in Star Wars land?" he asked. "Is he off promoting and stalking about things?"

"He is," Flockhart said. "He is currently in Australia."

"We talk all the time," she added. "He's learning how to text."

Flockhart, 51, then demonstrated how Ford, 73, composes his text messages, and let's just say he's not the fastest. Still, she's happy to hear from Ford. "He's getting better," she said. Asked if he uses emojis, she replied, "No. He says, 'Where'd you get that picture from?' It's really bad."

Kimmel told Flockhart that when Ford has appeared on the show, he gets a feeling that "he really likes me but he never shows it in any way." Perhaps that was wishful thinking on his part.

"It's funny because I was just talking to him and I said, 'You know, I'm going to do Jimmy Kimmel.' And he said, 'Yeah…yeah, I don't know about that guy,'" Flockhart explained. "And then he said, 'I remember the last time you were on Jimmy Kimmel, Calista. Yeah, I remember.'"

Kimmel knew exactly what Ford was referring to during his conversation with Flockhart. "In fact, people sometimes ask me what from the show is your most embarrassing moment, that is the first thing that usually pops to mind, the last time that you were here," he told his guest.

The two then reviewed a clip of Flockhart's last appearance on Feb. 26, 2009. "We have a clip here. Do you want to set the clit up—clip up?" Kimmel asked at the time. Red in the face, the host told a giggling Flockhart, "You go ahead and set it up. I'm going to sit under the desk."

After re-watching it, Kimmel joked, "I stayed under there for like a month."

"It's Harrison's fault!" he added. "He brought it up."

"My heart is pounding," Flockhart admitted. "This is so awkward."

Tell it to Ford.

Hayden Panettiere Makes First Red Carpet Appearance Since Seeking Postpartum Depression Treatment

The Nashville actress joined her fiancé, former heavyweight world champion boxer Wladimir Klitschko, on the international red carpet of the Ein Herz Fuer Kinder Gala 2015 show in Berlin, Germany on Saturday.

Dressed in a fashion forward black ensemble, complete with leggings bedazzled with a silver stud trim line down the side and sky-high black wedge booties. Despite their severe height, the boots weren't quite tall enough to match her beau's incredible height.

Her future husband opted for a dark suit and deep blue skinny tie as they cozied up to each other for photos along the red carpet.

Vitali Klitschko and Natalia Klitschko, Wladimir's older brother and his wife, later joined the happy couple for a silly group photo, Hayden throwing up a "hang loose" sign as she laughed for the cameras.

The actress' happy spirits are a positive indication of a new chapter in the blond beauty's life after E! News confirmed in October she had voluntarily sought treatment for postpartum depression following the birth of her first child Kaya in December 2014.

The actress spoke publicly of the common post-pregnancy affliction during an interview with Michael Strahan and Kelly Ripa days before it was revealed she had entered into a facility.

"It's something a lot of women experience. When [you are told] about postpartum depression you think it's 'I feel negative feelings towards my child; I want to injure or hurt my child.' I've never, ever had those feelings. Some women do," Panettiere told the co-hosts.

"But, you don't realize how broad of a spectrum you can really experience that on. It's something that needs to be talked about. Women need to know that they're not alone, and that it does heal."

5 Reasons Cat Grant Is Supergirl's Best Influence

More than Kara's Fortress of Solitude Mom, her adopted mom or even her big sister Alex (Chyler Leigh) - Cat is doing the most to make Kara into the superhero that National City needs, and that's why she gets our vote for best influence. Let's recap:

1. She does "it all" without complaining: Cat Grant is the head of a media conglomerate and a single mom, but she still gets the job done. Yes, she pushes her employees to the limit, but it's so that she can present the best product for the company, and she's made it clear on several occasions that she cares more about her son than anything.

Better yet, when Kara asked how she manages to keep it all going, Cat delivered some of the most practical advice ever offered on this show. Juggle two balls before you juggle three. Kara needs to get her personal life in check, and then add superhero stuff and when she has that under control she can tackle DEO investigations. Managing Supergirl's many responsibilities is the key to Kara's sanity and Cat's the only one that can understand that.

2. She doesn't coddle Kara or Supergirl: Mentoring someone doesn't mean you have to hold their hand all the time. Many of the people looking out for Kara are trying too hard to protect her rather than making sure she gets better. Since Cat doesn't know Kara is Supergirl or have any sentimental attachment, she's not afraid to tell Supergirl the truth, even if it's hard to hear.

Cat was the first one to point out that Supergirl is actually kind of bad at being a superhero. It's not the critique that Kara wanted, but the astute point forced her to reevaluate how she was handling thingsand made her better.

3. She actually has the most faith in Supergirl:Don't mistake Cat's criticism for a lack of caring. As Alex points out early on, Cat's editorial about Supergirl was passionately written, meaning she wants Supergirl to succeed even if she can see some flaws in the superhero's game plan. It even goes back to the debate about Supergirl's name when Kara wanted to get up in arms because it was 'girl" instead of "woman."

"Are you saying there's something wrong with being a girl?" Cat queried. At the time it may have seemed that Cat cared most about branding the new superhero, but really she's been the one challenging Supergirl to accept who she is rather than what everyone else thinks she should be from the very beginning.

4. She encourages Kara to be strong: Cat respects Kara most when she stands up for herself, and that's an important thing for any superhero. Kara tends to wear rose-colored glasses, but she's in a dog-eat-dog career field - both as Kara and as Supergirl. Cat is the one pushing Kara to have a backbone. She'll get her name wrong as long as Kara lets her, but when Kara bit Cat's head off for being so mean you could see the pride in Cat's eyes. And then Cat actually took time out of her busy day to sit Kara down and discuss anger management and psychology over a couple of martinis. Those are the actions of someone who cares.

Also, when Kara explained that her parents had died, Cat responded with compassion about Kara's resiliency, but never pitied her assistant. She saw a new side to the meek girl that delivers her coffee, and their relationship has started to expand ever since.

5. She's protective of Kara's well-being: Remember that time a crazed ex-employee tried to electrocute Cat and Kara, but Cat sent Kara to safety while she tried to keep Livewire (Brit Morgan) distracted? Sure, there was a dig about how useless Kara was in there, but really it was to make sure Kara was safe while Cat took responsibility for the situation. If she were really the terrible person she wanted you to think she was, Cat would have left Kara in the dust.

It's clear that Cat has some severe Mommy issues, just like Kara, but that didn't stop her from standing up to her mom (Joan Juliet Black) when she tried to come down on Kara. It's even more proof that when Cat is hard on her assistant it's an attempt to make her stronger, but that doesn't mean she's going to let anyone else attack her. What else could you want in a mom figure?

Supergirl airs Mondays at 8/7c on CBS.

Hayden Panettiere Cuts Her Hair: 'It's Like Getting Rid of Metaphorical and Literal Dead Ends'

“Chopping hair off is like getting rid of metaphorical and literal dead ends. Off with the old and growing the new ??,” she captioned the snap on her feed.

The tweet is one of the first the actress has posted since entering treatment for postpartum depression in October.

The Nashville star 26, is a mother to 10-month-old Kaya Evodokia with her fiancé, professional boxer Wladimir Klitschko, and has been very open about her struggle since her daughter’s birth last December.

During an interview on Live! with Kelly and Michael in September, she said she could “relate” to her on-screen character Juliette Barnes, who navigates her own journey with PPD in the current season of the hit ABC show.

“It’s something a lot of women experience. When [you’re told] about postpartum depression you think it’s ‘I feel negative feelings towards my child, I want to injure or hurt my child’ — I’ve never, ever had those feelings,” she shared. “Some women do. But you don’t realize how broad of a spectrum you can really experience that on. It’s something that needs to be talked about. Women need to know that they’re not alone, and that it does heal.”

And the cast of the show has been very supportive of Panettiere during her treatment.

“We have connected, and I think she’s doing really well,” Connie Britton, 48, told the Associated Press. “She’s right where she needs to be, and that’s really good, and we all support her in that.”

Panettiere stepped out publicly for the first time Saturday, looking happy and healthy as she cheered on her fiancé Wladimir Klitschko during a boxing championship in Germany. And her new do seems to be giving her a fresh outlook as well.

Lucy Liu’s Son Is ‘All That and Dim Sum’: Check Out Rockwell’s Adorable Onesie

The actress shared a photo of her little boy Rockwell Lloyd, 3 months, to Instagram on Wednesday in a special red onesie with the text, “I’m all that and dim sum.”

The cute outfit also featured a graphic of a traditional Cantonese steamed bun. Both of Liu’s parents were born in China, the home country of the delicious dish.

“When it’s your birthday and you’re feeling…” Liu, who celebrated her 47th birthday on Tuesday, wrote of her smiling baby.

Rockwell was born via surrogate in August and is the first child for the Elementary star.

While it’s doubtful that anyone could look as adorable as Rockwell, the dim sum onesie is available online — and for only $15!

Hayden Panettiere's Nashville Co-Stars Show Their Support for Her Hiatus

The 26-year-old actress decided to seek treatment for postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter, Kaya, whom she welcomed with fiancé Wladimir Klitschko in December 2014. In order to fully focus on recovery, she had to take a bit of a hiatus from Nashville.

Chatting with E! News at the CMT Artists of the Year Awards on Wednesday, some of her fellow co-stars expressed their immense amount of support, but also couldn't help from showing their excitement for her return when she's ready.

"I think she seems to be doing really well, and obviously all of us are very excited for her to come back when it's time," Jonathan Jackson told us. "But I'm also really grateful that she's taking the time that she needs, and I think that that's really a wonderful example for people."

Lennon Stella reciprocated his thoughts, adding, "She's doing good! You know, she's doing what she's doing, and we're like super supportive. We haven't heard any more on when she's coming back, but she's been doing great. We've been in contact with her and she's great."

"We all support her so much, and we're really excited for her return," Aubrey Peeples noted. "But we don't have any new information yet."

Meanwhile, Hayden seems to be doing much better these days! She was all smiles as she cheered on her fiancé during his fight against Tyson Fury at the IBF IBO WBA WBO Heavyweight World Championship contest in Germany over the weekend. It marked her first public appearance since she entered treatment in October.

"It's something a lot of women experience," Hayden opened up about her struggle on Live! With Kelly and Michael at the time. "When [you are told] about postpartum depression you think it's 'I feel negative feelings towards my child; I want to injure or hurt my child.' I've never, ever had those feelings. Some women do, but you don't realize how broad of a spectrum you can really experience that on."

She added, "It's something that needs to be talked about. Women need to know that they're not alone, and that it does heal."

We are happy to see that her healing process is going well.

Connie Britton Supports Nashville Costar Hayden Panettiere During Postpartum Depression Treatment: 'She's Doing Really Well'

Connie Britton, who plays country queen (and Panettiere's character Juliette's onetime mentor) Rayna, and Jonathan Jackson, who appears as her estranged husband Avery, both spoke about the actress's progress at Wednesday night's CMT Artists of the Year awards.

"We have connected, and I think she's doing really well," said Britton, 48, told the Associated Press. "She's right where she needs to be, and that's really good, and we all support her in that."

"We've been in communication, and she seems to be doing well, and we're really excited to get back to work when the time comes," Jackson, 33, told PEOPLE on the red carpet. "My wife and I were really grateful that she took the time that she needed. I think that's a really great example for people."

Pannettiere, 26, looked happy and healthy Saturday as she cheered on her fiancé Wladimir Klitschko during a boxing championship in Germany. (Klitschko, 39, lost the match.)

The couple welcomed their first child, daughter Kaya Evdokia, on Dec. 9, 2014, and Panettiere opened up about her private battle with PPD in September, entering treatment in October.

"There's a lot of misunderstanding," the mom, whose character also has PPD, said on Live with Kelly and Michael. "There's a lot of people out there that think that it's not real, that it's not true, that it's something that's made up in their minds, that 'Oh, it's hormones.' They brush it off. It's something that's completely uncontrollable. It's really painful and it's really scary and women need a lot of support."

A source close to the show previously told PEOPLE that Juliette's heartbreaking storyline was planned long before Panettiere shared her own struggle – and production has worked around her treatment schedule for season 4.

Nashville airs Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.

Hayden Panettiere Beams During First Public Appearance Since Entering Treatment for Postpartum Depression

The Nashville star had been battling the condition since the birth of her daughter Kaya last December, openly describing it as "really scary".

But Panettiere, 26, looked like the picture of health as she sat ringside to support her fiancé, heavyweight boxer Wladimir Klitschko, as he fought to defend his world title against British challenger Tyson Fury in Düsseldorf, Germany, on Saturday.

Panettiere entered a treatment facility in October, and spoke candidly about the condition a month earlier during an appearance on Live! with Kelly and Michael.

"There's a lot of misunderstanding," she said. "There's a lot of people out there that think that it's not real, that it's not true, that it's something that's made up in their minds, that 'Oh, it's hormones.' They brush it off. It's something that's completely uncontrollable. It's really painful and it's really scary and women need a lot of support."

On Saturday, Panetierre showed off a more lighthearted side, beaming as she draped a Ukrainian flag over her shoulders in support of Klitschko, 39, while wearing a cream striped sweater with a plaid mini-skirt, black tights and cute tan fedora.

Sadly, her gesture of support proved to be in vain: her fiancé's 11-year reign as World Heavyweight Champ came to a juddering halt on a unanimous points decision in favor of the British underdog.

In an echo of Fury's unexpected pre-fight serenade to Klitschko – when he suddenly broke into an acapella version of the Bette Midler classic "Wind Beneath My Wings"– Fury, 27, stunned boxing fans across the world with a live rendition of Aerosmith's "Don't Want to Miss a Thing" after his victory.

Luckily for Klitschko, this time the target of Fury's romantic crooning was his pregnant wife Paris, who stood visibly moved in the center of the ring as her man sung the classic rock love ballad in front of 50,000 fight fans and a global TV audience of millions.

‘Murder In The First’ Renewed For Third Season By TNT

Murder In The First marked a departure from TNT’s procedural formula as it tracks one case for an entire season. It joins Rizzoli & Isles and The Last Ship, which also were renewed for next year. New Turner regime have been very selective in deciding which TNT and TBS series would stay on as both networks are undergoing a brand makeover.

James Marsden and British Singer Edei Step Out: They're 'More than Friends,' Says Source

The X-Men: Days of Future Past star and the "I'll Go" singer "are a little more than friends," a source tells PEOPLE.

The actor, 42, was previously spotted out with Bradley Cooper's ex-girlfriend Suki Waterhouse in April, when they grabbed dinner together with a group of friends at Little Door restaurant in Los Angeles.

Edei (née Emma Deigman) is a 27-year-old up and coming musician from the UK who's currently working on a new album, according to her Twitter page.

Marsden, who's starring on HBO's Westworld, was formerly married to actress Lisa Linde from 2000 to 2011. They have two children together, Jack Holden and Mary James.

Elton John, Bon Jovi to headline 24-hour climate concert

The event, spearheaded by former US vice president Al Gore and known as "24 Hours of Reality and Live Earth," will feature artists, scientists and politicians and will air online November 13 and 14.

"Each hour, the broadcast will be punctuated by thought-provoking, knockout appearances from an all-star lineup," organizers said in a statement.

"The broadcast is aimed at urging world leaders to push for the strongest possible climate agreement at the upcoming UN conference in Paris, and at urging people to take action in their own communities and homes."

Back in May, Live Earth -- a set of global concerts backed by Gore -- announced a delay to planned shows on each inhabited continent.

Live Earth was initially intended to consist of concerts on June 18 in Australia, Brazil, China, South Africa and the United States, as well as Paris.

The November 13-14 broadcast is a partnership between the Climate Reality Project and Live Earth, designed to "include an unprecedented artistic lineup and distribution platform to maximize its global reach," organizers said.

Among those scheduled to appear are French President Francois Hollande, Mexican President Felipe Calderon, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, California Governor Jerry Brown, actors Ryan Reynolds, Jared Leto and Ed Begley Jr., and former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

The first Climate Reality broadcast aired in 2011.

Gore won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts on climate change.

A slideshow presented by Gore about the dangers of climate change was the basis of the popular 2006 documentary "An Inconvenient Truth," which won two Academy Awards.

PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS 2016 Nominees

Fans can vote now at http://vote.peopleschoice.com.

Favorite Movie Actor
Channing Tatum
Chris Pratt
Johnny Depp
Robert Downey, Jr.
Will Smith

Favorite Action Movie Actor
Chris Hemsworth
Chris Pratt
Dwayne Johnson
Robert Downey, Jr.
Vin Diesel

Favorite Cable TV Actor
Adam DeVine
Christian Slater
Eric Dane
Kevin Hart
Taye Diggs

Favorite Crime Drama TV Actress
Emily Deschanel
Lucy Liu
Mariska Hargitay
Pauley Perrette
Stana Katic.

Once Upon a Time: Greg Germann Cast as Season 5B's Devilish Mystery Man

TV vet Greg Germann (Ally McBeal) has landed the heavily recurring role of what is for now being dubbed “The Distinguished Gentleman,” TVLine has learned exclusively.

ABC would confirm no further details on the character or his storyline, but the casting call described him as “a mysterious figure with god-like powers who is always clad in a perfectly tailored suit,” someone who can “strike fear into people just by being friendly” and “the last person you ever want to share a drink with.”

Last month at New York Comic-Con, Once co-creator Eddy Kitsis summed up Season 5B as “hell,” spurring speculation that our heroes next will brave the Underworld and perhaps clash with Hades himself. Subsequent casting calls cited by Matt’s Inside Line — though not confirmed — suggest we will meet Hercules and Megara at some point this spring.

Germann will make his debut in this season’s 12th episode aka the series’ 100th, which will launch the second half of the season sometime in March.

In addition to his aforementioned run as Ally McBeal‘s Richard Fish, Germann’s TV credits include arcs on House of Lies, Raising Hope, NCIS, SVU and Chasing Life.

Lucy Liu Shares Adorable Photo of Newborn Son Rockwell

The actress took to Instagram to share an adorable, smiley photo of her 10-week-old son, Rockwell Lloyd.

“Mood #Rockwell,” Liu, 46, captioned the pic.

In the photo, the chubby-cheeked baby boy rests on a bird-printed blanket with a stuffed animal near as he smiles for the photo.

The Elementary star hasn’t been shy about sharing her son with the world through social media. After welcoming him in late August, Liu shared a photo with the caption, “Introducing the new little man in my life, my son Rockewell Lloyd Liu. In [love]!”

Although Rockwell is Liu’s first child, she’s dedicated herself to children around the world, volunteering with UNICEF since 1994 and credits her own parents for helping her value what she had, making her want to help others.

“I felt like they really gave me an appreciation for the care and love we had,” she told PEOPLE of her parents.

Now, the doting mother of one can share that love and care with her own child.

Greg Germann & Katherine Castro Join ‘Reinbou’

Robert Downey Jr. 'Thrilled' to Be Inducted into the California Hall of Fame

The Iron Man star, the Peanuts creator and the Kung Fu icon were all inducted into the California Hall of Fame by Governor Brown in Sacramento on Wednesday.

"Had the honor of being one of a number inducted into the CA Hall of Fame yesterday by Gov Brown. Thrilled to be in any group that includes Bruce Lee and Peanuts creator Charles M Shulz. #goodcompany #CAProud," Downey Jr., TK, wrote on Instagram.

The actor posted a picture of himself accepting the award wearing a dark blue suit, grey sneakers and a pair of red framed glasses. He was joined at the ceremony by his wife, Susan.

Although Downey Jr. was born in New York City, he went to high school in Los Angeles before dropping out to pursue acting. The ceremony was established in 2006 by Maria Shriver "to honor legendary people who embody California’s innovative spirit and have made their mark on history," according to the Hall of Fame's website.

Lester Holt, the new anchor of NBC’s Nightly News, Ellen Ochoa, first Latina astronaut in space, country star Buck Owens and Olympic figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi were also on the list of inductees.

Supergirl's Calista Flockhart: Our Show Is a 'Celebration of Girl Power'

"Our show is a real celebration of girl power," Supergirl's Calista Flockhart tells PEOPLE. "I think it's refreshing and really important for young girls to have a role models to look up to."

Flockhart costars on the new CBS series as Cat Grant, the boss of the titular character's alter ego. And even though her character doesn't have superhuman strength, Flockhart thinks she's pretty strong.

"The exciting part about playing Cat is that there really are no boundaries. She's kind of out there. She's unapologetic and uncompromising," says Flockhart. "She's kind of earned this position in her life. She can be really nasty at times, but I don't want to cross over into the world of making people not like her. We want to keep a likable and sassy as possible. I think that's the balance we're hoping to strike."

Hayden Panettiere checks into facility for postpartum depression similar to her ‘Nashville’ character

“Hayden Panettiere is voluntarily seeking professional help at a treatment center as she is currently battling postpartum depression,” a rep for the actress says in a statement to Us Weekly. “She asks that the media respect her privacy during this time.”

Just last month, Panettiere was doing a media tour and telling outlets like “Live! With Kelly and Michael” that she “can very much relate [with her character Juliette],” adding, “It’s something a lot of women experience. When [you’re told] about postpartum depression you think it’s ‘I feel negative feelings towards my child, I want to injure or hurt my child.’ I’ve never, ever had those feelings.”

The former “Heroes” actress gave birth to her child Kaya in December 2014.

On Saturday (Oct. 10), the actress tweeted a message that had sounded like positive news, but she hasn’t posted since Saturday. “Feeling like I’m finally coming back to my own body,” she wrote with the hashtags #daughter and #wellworthit.

Taye Diggs Joins Fox Drama ‘Rosewood’

Bon Jovi honors high school football player who died

The New Jersey rocker posted a tribute online to 17-year-old Evan Murray, and he placed a sticker with Murray's number 18 on his guitar during a show in the United Arab Emirates Thursday.

Bon Jovi says that as a father of football players, his heart and prayers go out to Murray's family. He wished Murray's teammates at Warren Hills Regional High School in Washington Township the best and told them to "win one for Evan."

Authorities say the 17-year-old died from massive internal bleeding caused by a lacerated spleen.

The funeral for the popular three-sport star and honors student was held Thursday.

Bon Jovi's son, Jesse Bongiovi, made it onto Notre Dame's football team as a walk-on in 2013.

Hayden Panettiere Opens Up About Postpartum Depression: It ‘Needs to Be Talked About'

“I can very much relate. It’s something a lot of women experience. When [you’re told] about postpartum depression you think it’s ‘I feel negative feelings towards my child, I want to injure or hurt my child’ — I’ve never, ever had those feelings. Some women do. But you don’t realize how broad of a spectrum you can really experience that on. It’s something that needs to be talked about. Women need to know that they’re not alone, and that it does heal,” Panettiere, 26, said during a Monday appearance on Live! with Kelly and Michael.

“There’s a lot of misunderstanding — there’s a lot of people out there that think that it’s not real, that it’s not true, that it’s something that’s made up in their minds, that ‘Oh, it’s hormones.’ They brush it off. It’s something that’s completely uncontrollable. It’s really painful and it’s really scary and women need a lot of support.”

She adds, “Women are amazing. We do something that no man can do on this planet. I mean, we grow a human being in our body!”

While the actress praises women for being able to give birth, she jokes that she wishes that her fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko, 39, could “figure out a way to get pregnant.” Better yet, she admits he would “absolutely” go through with it.

“When I was pregnant, he would do this thing where he would suck in his stomach and then I would put my stomach to his so that he could feel when she was moving, almost like she was in his stomach,” explains Panettiere, who welcomed her daughter, Kaya Evdokia, with the professional Ukrainian boxer in December 2014.

“He wanted to feel what it was like to have a baby as close to him as it was to me.”

As for the bond between Klitschko and their 9-month-old baby girl, Panettiere shares the two are “inseparable.”

Over the summer, the happy family took a vacation to France, Germany and Klitschko’s native Ukraine, where Kaya was baptized. Sadly, Kaya didn’t think the moment was as special as the rest of the family.

“This kid loves water. She’s never cried anytime we’ve put her in the shower or the bath or the ocean — she loves swimming. Of course, the one time we need her to not cry … the priest dipping her into the holy water and this kid is just wailing,” Panettiere says with a laugh. “All the pictures — beautiful pictures, everyone is all dolled up and she’s like, “Ahhhh!!’ ”

And when Mom and Dad didn’t come to the rescue, Kaya took the situation into her own hands — literally.

“At one point [the] priest takes a little bit of her hair and cuts it — it’s part of the tradition — and she was like, ‘Honey, you take my hair, I take yours,’ and she took his beard [and yanked],” says Panettiere. “My husband still has the [priest’s] beard hair, which is about this long. She’s a fighter.”

Panettiere is looking forward to adding to her brood, but she’s not ready to make a final decision on exactly how large her family might one day become.

“I would love to have a big family. I always said four, but I’m not gonna speak too soon. One at a time,” the proud mama shares.

Hayden Panettiere Wants to Have Four Kids, Wishes That Wladimir Klitschko "Figured Out a Way to Get Pregnant"

The Nashville actress and her fiancé Wladimir Klitschko welcomed their firstborn daughter, Kaya, in December 2014. Over the summer, the family traveled to France and Germany, "and we spent some time in Ukraine," Panettiere recalled on Live! With Kelly and Michael Monday. "Kaya got introduced to her other native country. We did her baptism there, and that was one of the most incredible parts."

Kaya's baptism didn't go smoothly, however. "This kid loves water. She's never cried anytime we've put her in the shower, the bath or the ocean. She loves swimming. And of course the one time that we need her to not cry is the priest dipping her into the holy water, and this kid is just wailing. All the pictures are these beautiful pictures and everyone's all dolled up and her head is covered and [she screamed]," Panettiere said. "The priest, at one point, he takes a little bit of her hair and cuts it—it's part of the tradition—and she was like, 'Honey, you take my hair, I take yours.' She took his beard and yanked. My husband has the beard hair."

Panettiere "would love to have a big family," but she's not putting the cart before the horse. "I always said four, but I'm not going to speak too soon. One at a time. I mean, I would love it if Wlad figured out a way to get pregnant and he could have the baby," she said. "We would be going right now, no problem."

"If he could, would he?" Kelly Ripa asked. "That's the question."

"Absolutely. Absolutely," Panettiere replied. "I asked him this question...He's going to be like, 'I can't believe you told them!' But when I was pregnant, he did this thing where he would suck in his stomach and then I would put my stomach to his so that he could feel when she was moving—almost like she was in his stomach. He wanted to feel what it was like to have a baby as close to him as it was to me."

"Wow," Michael Strahan said. "You put it that way, it makes me wanna cry."

"And then, labor happens!" Ripa said.

"Oh, he felt it! I made sure of that," Panettiere joked. "No, he was a trooper."

Strahan then asked Panettiere why she won't be reprising her role as Claire Bennett on NBC's Heroes Reborn." You know, I loved that show. That show was such a huge part of my life," said the actress, who played the part for four seasons from 2006 to 2010. "It took me such a long time to get out of a cheerleading outfit. I just love where I am right now and I love being on Nashville...but I love Heroes so much. I can't wait to see it. I've been seeing the previews; I cannot wait to see what they're doing on it. They've got Masi Oka back and Jack Coleman. I think I saw Greg Grunberg. So, they've got some of the old cast back. I hope the fans will love it, because they're so loyal and so wonderful and so supportive."

James Marsden and Singer Edei Continue to Fuel Romance Rumors, Celebrate Their Birthdays Together

James Marsden and English singer Edei continued to fuel romance rumors this week when the two celebrated their birthdays together.

Edei, 22, posted a number of pics from the b-day bash on her Instagram account, and we couldn't help but notice that the 42-year-old actor is present in many.

"Birthday buddies out in full force!! #nyc #lastnight #epictrip #birthdaybuddies," the singer-songwriter captioned the pic in which Marsden, Edei and model Keeley Hazell are cozying up together at a restaurant (presumably, all three share the same birthday, as Marsden rang in the big 4-2 on Sept. 18).

By the looks of Edei's Instagram, the trio celebrated over the course of several days, enjoying mimosas one morning and a fancy dinner later at night.

"Very happy that I get to share my birthday with these two gems!! #bestday #sharedbday #birthdaybuddies #918 #allweekend," singer captioned another cute shot of the trio.

This isn't the first time Edei and Marsden have been seen out and about together. In early September, the two, who have a 20-year age difference, were photographed out and about in NYC.

The singer also posted on Instagram about a road trip to Austin taken over Labor Day with her pals, including the Enchanted star.

Marsden, who last sparked romance rumors with model Suki Waterhouse, was previously married to actress Lisa Linde from 2000 to 2011. The former couple has two children together, Jack Holden, 14, and Mary James, 10. The Superman Returns star is also a dad to son William, 2, from a previous relationship with Brazilian model Rose Costa.

Emmy nominees answer: What TV world would you hang out in?

Hayden Panettiere -- Shelling Out Loot for Both Parents During Divorce War

Hayden's mom says she's virtually destitute with no place to live in L.A., and were it not for the generosity of her daughter she could be homeless. Lesley Panettiere claims in legal docs her estranged husband Alan has paid her only 4 months worth of spousal support since 2012.

Lesley says Hayden is letting her stay in the actress' West Hollywood condo for free, until she can get back on her feet.

But Hayden's generosity doesn't stop there. According to the docs, Hayden gave Alan a $100,000 gift just this year.

Lesley was making money by managing Hayden when she was a minor, but when she turned 18 she got a professional agency. That left Lesley without work, though she's trying to become a producer.

Lesley and Alan have a difficult past. In 2008 Alan was criminally charged with misdemeanor battery for striking Lesley in the face. He pled no contest.

Josh Groban Will Appear on The Muppets ...as Miss Piggy's New Beau

Singer Josh Groban will be appearing on the new comedy as himself, EW reports. But you may want to rein in your feelings for him, ladies, because he'll be a new love interest for Miss Piggy.

Groban has shared the screen with Piggy before, with a brief cameo in the Muppets' latest feature Muppets Most Wanted, and collaborating with the gang in a music video for his cover of "Pure Imagination" with Lindsey Stirling earlier this year.

Is it possible the two will kindle their relationship on the set of Up Late with Miss Piggy?

Groban has previously guest-starred on Parks and Recreation, CSI: NY and parodied himself on Glee. He joins a guest of celebrity Muppets guests that includes Liam Hemsworth, Reese Witherspoon and Imagine Dragons.

The Muppets premieres Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 8/7c on ABC.

Take a Tour of Hayden Panettiere’s Gorgeous Nashville Home

Despite some serious differences in taste — Panettiere’s is more traditional and feminine, while Klitschko prefers a sleeker, more modern look — the two settled on the perfect look for their new home with the help of decorator Benjamin Vandiver, who opened up to Domino about the experience.

The process wasn’t without hitches.

A few weeks into the design process, the Nashville star discovered she was pregnant with her second child … meaning that Vandiver had to switch gears and completely re-imagine the 5,000-sq.-ft. space.

“Suddenly, we had to find a way to speak to Hayden and Wladimir’s personal styles in a way that felt collected and authentic,” Vandiver said, “while also creating a child-friendly home.”

Each room has its own vibe, from the pale pink master bedroom to the sleek, minimalist kitchen. Klitschko even has his own recluse — an eclectic music room above the garage, where he’s authorized to play drums as loud as he wants.

Adding personal touches, Vandiver maintains, is the best way to avoid that model-home-look of most newly constructed houses.

“There’s no way to create a house that looks lived in without furnishing it with pieces you truly love.”

Bon Jovi shows in Asia canceled for 'unforeseen reasons'

AEG Live Asia said in a statement Tuesday that refunds will be offered for shows scheduled Sept. 14 in Shanghai and Sept. 17 in Beijing.

AEG also apologized "for the inconvenience and disappointment that this will cause."

A representative for Jon Bon Jovi didn't immediately reply to an email seeking comment.

Lucy Liu Shares Another Adorable Photo of Newborn Son Rockwell—See for Yourself!

The Elementary actress shared another photo of her newborn on social media earlier today and thanked fans for the outpour of support and well wishes since she announced the little one's arrival last week.

"Rockwell and I so appreciate your warm wishes," the proud mama wrote alongside a shot of her snuggled up to her first child, who appears happy as can be bundled up in a white blanket and hat.

The 46-year-old star debuted her son to the world via Twitter last Thursday, writing, "Introducing the new little man in my life, my son Rockwell Lloyd Liu. In [love]."

Shortly thereafter, a rep for Liu told E! News, " I can confirm that Lucy Liu is the proud mother of Rockwell Lloyd Liu, brought into the world via gestational carrier."

The rep added, "Mom and baby are healthy and happy."

In a 2010 interview with USA Today, the actress shared that she never felt under pressure to settle down and start a family by a certain age.

"I don't have a settling-down time," she explained before joking about her biological clock by saying, "Someone threw out the battery!"

Congratulations again to Lucy and her little one!

Surprise! Lucy Liu is a mom

A rep for the actress confirmed that she welcomed a baby boy via surrogate on Thursday. “I can confirm that Lucy Liu is the proud mother of Rockwell Lloyd Liu, brought into the world via gestational carrier,” her rep told Page Six.

“Mom and baby are healthy and happy.”

The 46-year-old shared her exciting — and surprising — news via Instagram with a sweet mother-son photo.

“Introducing the new little man in my life, my son Rockwell Lloyd Liu.” she wrote.

The “Elementary” star did not previously reveal she was expecting a child.

Liu, who is extremely discreet about her personal life, was linked to hedge-fund billionaire Noam Gottesman in 2014.

Anne Heche Inks With Paradigm

Upcoming on the film side, Heche stars in One Shot, the backstage musical comedy with Topher Grace, Taye Diggs and Rob Riggle. Her other recent big-screen credits include Rampart, Cedar Rapids and The Other Guys.

She also has a Tony nomination (for Twentieth Century) and an Emmy nom (for miniseries Gracie’s Choice).

Bon Jovi parts ways with longtime label

The singer revealed the split before a Jon Bon Jovi and the Kings of Suburbia (Bon Jovi's side band) concert in Vancouver on Saturday, telling Billboard that the split was the "end of an era." He went on to explain that his new album Burning Bridges "[fulfills] a commitment to Mercury Records."

"If you listen to Burning Bridges, the song, it is clearly spelled out," he said.

The lyrics to Burning Bridges make good on the song's title, depicting in plain terms Bon Jovi's distain for the label.

"Here's one last song you can sell," he sings. "Play it for your friends in hell."

“After 30 years of loyalty, they let you dig the grave
Now maybe you can learn to sing or strum along
Well I’ll give you half the publishing
You’re why I wrote this song.”

In a separate drama, Bon Jovi's Saturday show at Vancouver's Rogers Arena was hastily rebooked after a performance scheduled that night in the city's Stanley Park was canceled.

"Integrity matters," Bon Jovi told the Associated Press about his decision to rebook the concert. "If you give your word to somebody I think you should do the very best you can to follow through on that word."

According to the AP, the cancellation followed a week of drama between Bon Jovi's management and the concert's promoters, Paper Rain. After Paper Rain announced earlier in the week that the Stanley Park show had been cancelled due to low sales, Bon Jovi's camp accused the promoters of not paying vendors or acquiring staging equipment, and the City of Vancouver said they did not have the required permits.

Jane Krakowski’s Son Bennett Is a Budding Comedian Like His Mom

Jane Krakowski‘s son Bennett Robert might only be 4 years old, but he already shares his mother’s appreciation of comedy.

“He has a great sense of humor, which obviously makes his mama proud,” Krakowski told PEOPLE at the kickoff of Pampers Cruisers #SagToSwag Tour in New York City on Wednesday.

“[Bennett]’s just learning what an actual written out joke is and enjoys it.”

She adds, “He enjoys getting a laugh, I wonder where he got that from.”

In fact, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt star’s son is already well-versed in what differentiates a standard joke from a classic.

Once when a visitor came by, the actress reveals, “he started telling them some jokes and he did first, ‘Why did the chicken cross the road?’ … So he did that joke and he said, ‘Now, do you want to hear a classic?’ ”

“He actually called a joke a classic,” Krakowski adds with a laugh. “And then he did the knock knock who’s there banana, banana, banana, orange and I was like, ‘Well he’s right, it’s a classic.’ ”

While the mother-son duo share the same funny bone, the 46-year-old actress admits her son isn’t her mini-me. “He’s actually a very individual little person,” she says. “He’s a wonderful little chap.”

Krakowski, who is returning to Broadway in the revival of She Loves Me next year, calls finding the balance between work and family a “process,” but it’s one where there is “joy every day” at both home and work.

Luckily for the Emmy-nominated actress, she gets to bring a piece of home — her son — with her to set on special occasions.

“We have a kid’s Halloween party every year,” Krakowski reveals. “We did at 30 Rock and do at Kimmy as well, so he’s visited on those days.”

And although Bennett might not fully comprehend what Mommy does for a living, the actress says, “I’m sure he just thinks I live Halloween every day because I dress up and there’s craft service, which is basically free candy so I think he thinks I’m some sort of Halloween character.”

Taye Diggs played matchmaker for Misty Copeland and her fiancé

Diggs pointed out Copeland to his cousin Evans on the dance floor at Rabin’s former hot spot Lotus 11 years ago.

So it was fitting for Rabin to host their engagement party Thursday at his bar Jimmy at the James.

Copeland told us she was planning a party to toast her ABT promotion, but it became a double celebration after Evans proposed. Diggs, starring in Broadway’s “Hedwig”, celebrated with the couple.

Tony Stark & Pepper Potts Hit the Beach! Iron Man Pals Gwyneth Paltrow & Robert Downey Jr. Pose for a Sunny Selfie

Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow, who play the titular character and his love interest, respectively, in Marvel's Iron Man franchise, posed for a sandy selfie together, shared to the Goop girl's Instagram.

In the photo, Downey, 50, and Paltrow, 42, stand in front of a beach dining setup.

Paltrow appears makeup-free as she gives a slight smile for her fictional boyfriend. Downey – wearing a straw, camo fedora and brown plastic frames – keeps it straight-faced.

"@robertdowneyjr how I love thee," Paltrow wrote, adding the onscreen duo's couple name. "#pepperony."

Downey had recently been spotted in the Hamptons, where he stepped out with his family.

Just last weekend, Downey also referenced his and Paltrow's Iron Man characters on social media, sharing a portrait of Stark and Iron Man made of spices.

The image appears to be made of salt and pepper.

"Hopefully Pepper won't get jealous of salt," he wrote, making a punny reference to the Stark CEO.

Ellen DeGeneres' Empowering Anniversary Tribute to Portia de Rossi

"It feels good to be chosen, but there was a time in my life where I was not chosen – I was the opposite of chosen because I was different," said DeGeneres, 57, about her struggle to come out in the public eye.

"And I think I want to make sure that everyone knows that what makes you different right now makes you stand out later in life," she continued, "so you should be proud of being different. You should be proud of who you are."

The talk show host added, "The most important thing I want to say is, just really embrace who you are because being unique is very, very important, and fitting in is not really all that matters. It's being unique and being who you are."

She finished her speech by sharing a lovely dedication – and a knowing look – with de Rossi, 42: "And what an amazing day this is. This is my seven-year wedding anniversary, so happy anniversary. It's yours, too."

The couple had danced together right as the show started when 5 Seconds of Summer performed, and de Rossi affectionately put her hand on her heart during DeGeneres' speech.

Sightings

Calista Flockhart Opens Up About Harrison Ford Flying Again After Plane Crash: 'I Support Him 100 Percent'

"He loves it, so I love it, and I support him 100 percent" Calista Flockhart said of her husband's passion at the CBS TSA panel for Supergirl, in which she stars alongside Glee star Melissa Benoist, who plays the titular heroine.

Flockhart added that the Indiana Jones star, 73, is doing well, and she has even joined him in his plane.

Although Ford has recovered from his injuries, Flockhart told PEOPLE that the plane crash was a "really hard, scary time" for the family.

Ford suffered critical injuries when his vintage plane went down just minutes after he took of from Santa Monica Airport in March. A report recently released by the National Transportation Safety Board claims that engine malfunction was the cause of the crash.

"I think it just makes you realize once again that life can turn on a dime, and we just have to appreciate every second we're here, because you never know."

Flockhart, 50, said she cherishes the time she spends with her family and gushed about their 14-year-old son, Liam, revealing that he isn't a big fan of Star Wars – yet.

"But he is very excited about seeing the new Star Wars now, now that he's a bit older" she said. "And he's going to be a huge Supergirl fan."

Flockhart is just as excited about her return to television in the upcoming series, which is slated to air on CBS in October. She also said she now has a different perspective on work, compared with her days on Ally McBeal.

"I think I'm older and I think I'm wiser and I think my priorities have changed a lot," she said. "I'm still really excited about the new show and I'm happy that I don't have to carry the show."

Another thing she's thankful for? That the show is filmed in Los Angeles.

"I like coming home for dinner," she quipped.

Robert Downey Jr. has a family weekend in the Hamptons

The “Iron Man” actor was spotted with his wife and kids at breakfast Friday morning at the Golden Pear in Sag Harbor, and later at Jack’s Stir Brew Coffee in Amagansett.

On Sunday night, Downey Jr. was with his wife, Susan, for an al fresco dinner on the patio at Nick & Toni’s in East Hampton.

Spies said he was dressed casually in a T-shirt and baseball hat, and the duo shared an order of risotto.

Robert Downey Jr. is highest-paid actor again

What's different this year is that for the first time three multimillionaire Indian actors little known among American movie audiences are included in an international top 10.

And Jackie Chan of China ($50 million) is No. 2.

It's yet another sign of the growing globalization of ... well, everything, but especially the film business. In an increasingly internationalized industry, China and India can be a players, each with more than 1 billion people, many of them mad for movies made in their own countries.

Thus, Bollywood superstars Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar are No. 7 ($33.5 million) , No. 8 ($33.5 million) and No. 9 ($32.5 million) in the top 10 this year.

They rank ahead of Mark Wahlberg at No. 10 ($32 million), Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson at No. 11 ($31.5 million) and Johnny Depp at No. 12 ($30 million), for instance.

Above them are: Vin Diesel at No. 3 ($47 million), Bradley Cooper at No. 4 ($41.5 million), Adam Sandler at No. 5 ($41 million) and Tom Cruise at No. 6 ($40 million).

Downey remains the Iron Man among the highly compensated thanks to that franchise: Avengers: Age of Ultron earned $240 million gross in China alone. But America, long accustomed to bestriding the world as the Colossus of the movies, has to make room on the list for other nationalities and languages.

"From Hollywood to Hong Kong and Bollywood, the ranking examines international stars’ earnings for the first truly global dollar tally of film’s flushest stars," Forbes writer Natalie Robehmed says in the article.

"Though we have long looked at foreign actors starring in the U.S. films — Irishman Liam Neeson, Brit Daniel Craig and Australian Hugh Jackman have all made the Highest-Paid Actors list previously — we have never examined those working solely in international movie industries."

The full list includes 33 thespians from seven countries, who together earned a combined $877 million before taxes and fees between June 1, 2014, and June 1, 2015, Forbes said.

Bon Jovi: No 'competition' with Springsteen

Jon Bon Jovi made that clear in a recent interview on WCBS' (101.1 FM) "Scott Shannon in the Morning." The issue came up in the aftermath of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie choosing Jon Bon Jovi over Bruce Springsteen in response to a question, "Bon Jovi or Springsteen?"

"You know my respect for the E Street Band, and that's where that ends," said Jon Bon Jovi. "They're them and we're us and who cares? It's not a competition, for chrissake."

Christie made the switch after attending more than 130 Springsteen concerts over the years. Christie, who is a Republican candidate for president, used Bon Jovi music when he announced his candidacy in June. His choosing Bon Jovi received criticism on several fronts, including from the Daily Beast, who called it "Christie's biggest flip-flop ever."

Seemingly in an effort to walk it back, Christie took a break from running for president to profess his love for Springsteen's music to the New York Post on Aug. 4. He called Springsteen's "Born to Run" the "most powerful rock album of my lifetime.”

As for a "competition" between Bon Jovi and Springsteen, Matthew Bongiovi, who works closely with brother Jon on several fronts, did care about a popularity poll earlier this year between Bon Jovi and Springsteen. He encouraged fans to vote for Bon Jovi, the eventual winner of the poll.

Jon Bon Jovi was on the Shannon show July 24 to promote the single We Don't Run from the upcoming album Burning Bridges, the band's first without long-time guitarist and co-writer of Bon Jovi hits, Richie Sambora.

Yet, Sambora does have a songwriting credit for the lead single, Saturday Night Gave Me Sunday Morning, an uptempo melodic pop song.

“My latest is not my next and it’s not that it’s a riddle,” Bon Jovi said. "This is a fan record to accompany a 12 show international tour. It's songs that weren’t finished, that were finished, a couple of new ones like the one we released as a single (We Don’t Run). It’s sort of a hint as to where we’re going musically, but the new album, the real new album, will be early next year.”

Bon Jovi clarified that We Don't Run is a new song.

"I had a lot of get off my chest in last year and a half and it's all come out in the wash," Bon Jovi said.

Bon Jovi, without Sambora, will tour China, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan, Abu Dhabi and Israel starting Sept. 11. Burning Bridges is scheduled for release Friday.

The Stars of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Share What Is 'Unbreakable' About Themselves

Tituss Burgess

[Before I was cast on Kimmy Schmidt], I actually had started accepting offers to teach at universities. I was on staff at Marymount Manhattan College, about to teach voice, and my manager called and said, "I think you should quit [and give acting] another go round."

Things were very slow, just to speak very candidly, but I'm a very specific type of a performer. I can do lots of different things, but … you have to put me in and then let me do it versus the inverse. And so, to have the great pleasure of waiting it out, I think my unbreakableness is about resilience and patience.

Ellie Kemper

If you choose this kind of career, you have to be able to stand up to rejection and keep on going. [Laughs.] I mean, I'm acting like [acting is] the hardest job in the world. It's not the hardest job in the world, but you have to keep on going. … I didn't accept any jobs to teach because no one would want me to.

Tina Fey

I have problems with my hip.

[Laughs.]

I came out here today. I wore two different shoes by accident. I didn't let that stop me from coming out here.

[She models her mismatched footwear for the room of reporters.]

I mean … we didn't give up on this idea. We believed in [Kimmy Schmidt], and we did have to shepherd it through a few groups of people who were very reasonably nervous about it. And, so, that. Yeah, let's count that.

Jane Krakowski

There were two years between 30 Rock and Kimmy that I had to endure working with other people. [Laughs.] I thank you so much, [Tina,] for having me back. And I am thrilled to say that this is our ninth season of television together.

My hip hurts as well.

Season 2 of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt will come to Netflix next spring.

James Marsden Plants a Kiss on Lizzy Caplan's Cheek After a Fun Night Out in Los Angeles

The Masters of Sex actress was dressed in a provocative see-through black tank top that showed off a sassy black bra. She kept it casual with a pair of baggy, light blue Levi's jeans, a black leather belt and black lace-up shoes.

Marsden looked ultra cool in a white cotton T-shirt, black pants, tennis shoes and carried a dark baseball cap in his hand.

The Best of Me actor gave the brunette beauty a friendly kiss on the cheek before the two parted ways.

But slow down, shippers! According to Caplan, these two genetically blessed people are in the friends zone. In 2014, the 33-year-old actress revealed that she and Marsden have been buds for years.

"He's just one of my best friends," the actress told People. "He's one of my dearest friends."

Back in April, Marsden was photographed withBradley Coopers ex Suki Waterhouse during a night out in Hollywood and it didn't take long for romance rumors to swirl. The 23-year-old model and 41-year-old actor were caught leaving The Little Door restaurant after a dinner together. Marsden even helped the blond beauty get into the car by holding her door open before they drove off. What a gentleman!

It turns out the duo were actually meeting over some mutual business, a source tells E! News.

"Suki is very single now and she is really excited to start dating and also focus on her booming career," the insider tells E! News.

Taye Diggs’ ‘Hedwig’ debut thrills Broadway

The 44-year-old actor’s much anticipated first performance as the transgender rocker took place at the Belasco Theater on Broadway on Wednesday night and ended with a standing ovation from the sold out crowd.

In May, it was announced that Diggs would take on the gender-bending role.

Earlier this week, the actor told the New York Times that while he had seen the play several times, he never thought he’d get the chance to star in it.

‘‘Since I was a kid, I’ve been trying to wean myself off of seeing things as right and wrong and black and white and good and bad. And Hedwig was a mixture of all that stuff … But I didn’t think it would ever happen,’’ he said. ‘‘I assumed that nobody would ever have the open-mindedness to cast this character black.’’

Diggs is the latest famous face to step into the role, which, in recent years, has been filled by Neil Patrick Harris, Michael C. Hall, and the character’s creator, John Cameron Mitchell, among others.

The actor is no stranger to Broadway. He got his big break as part of the cast of “Rent,” and also appeared in “Chicago.”

See the First Photos of Taye Diggs Onstage in Hedwig and the Angry Inch on Broadway!

PEOPLE, in a joint exclusive look with Entertainment Weekly, has the first photos of Taye Diggs as the titular character, a troubled transgender rocker from East Berlin, in the glittering Broadway production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

In a profile of Diggs on the brink of his Hedwig debut, The New York Times reports that Diggs had hoped to appear as Hedwig for many years. "But I didn't think it would ever happen," Diggs tells the newspaper. "I assumed that nobody would ever have the open-mindedness to cast this character black."

Now that he has taken over the part, Diggs is making the most of his turn on the Great White Way. "[The role is] everything I've ever wished for," Diggs notes. "This is me telling myself, 'O.K....put your money where your mouth is. You've been telling agents and your best friends – I told [ex-wife] Idina [Menzel] – 'I want a chance to show everybody everything. I can dance and I can sing, and everybody knows I can act.' "

The demanding role of Hedwig has been passed from celebrity to celebrity since the show, which won the Tony Award for best revival of a musical, opened in 2014. Neil Patrick Harris opened the show on Broadway and nabbed a Tony for it. Since Harris left the production, Andrew Rannells, Michael C. Hall, co-creator John Cameron Mitchell (who originated the role Off-Broadway in 1998) and Darren Criss have channeled the titular diva.

Outside of the theater, Diggs has starred in movies such as Chicago and television shows including Private Practice. He shares son Walker with Menzel, whom he met during their time in Broadway's Rent.

Taye Diggs keeps Idina Menzel line in ‘Hedwig’

Before Diggs’ debut in the show on Wednesday night, spies pointed out that his character in the musical quips to another, smack in the middle of their song: “Idina sang it better.”

We hear that at a Tuesday dress rehearsal, Diggs not only delivered the line but ad-libbed afterward in a reference to Mendel’s hit tune from the movie “Frozen” — “Oh, let it go.” Audiences should look out for the laugh line during Diggs’ run.

He took over the role from Darren Criss.

Josh Hopkins Joins ABC’s ‘Quantico’ As Series Regular

Hopkins, repped by Gersh and Brillstein Entertainment Partners, played Grayson opposite Courtney Cox in all six seasons of TBS comedy Cougar Town. More recently he co-starred in Kelly And Cal, opposite Juliette Lewis and the James Brown biopic Get On Up, starring Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer and Chadwick Boseman.

Quantico is executive produced by Joshua Safran, Mark Gordon, Nicholas Pepper, Jake Coburn and Robert Sertner and produced by ABC Studios.

Robert Downey Jr. Surprises Food Truck Crew – in Costume (Sort Of)

Robert Downey Jr. paid a surprise visit to a food truck operator and his crew in Atlanta, Georgia, on Tuesday.

"All of a sudden, someone knocks on the back door, asks if we mind if they come aboard," The Blaxican food truck owner Will Turner tells PEOPLE. "I looked. I looked twice. I looked three times, and to my surprise it was Robert Downey Jr."

Turner, who opened his food truck and take-out restaurant business, The Blaxican, four years ago, adds, "He took a great, sincere interest in my business. He wanted to know how I got started, how I came up with the concept of Mexican soul food. He loved everything that we were doing, loved the spirit of what we were doing. Just a great person."

After taking pics with the actor, Turner decided to use the power of social media to promote the encounter.

"First celebrity on my truck and he is freaking Iron Man! @Robertdowneyjr made my day," Turner Tweeted.

The best part of Downey Jr.'s visit?

The Iron Man actor, 50, appeared to have been in partial costume, with his face made up with scrapes and a black eye.

Because Downey Jr. has been filming Captain America: Civil War in Georgia, it's only fair to assume that he had just come from a hard day's work.

However, the actor was kind enough to clarify the origins of the scratches, jokingly Tweeting, "Thanx for the grub. Those scrapes were actually from me fighting to get to the front of the line!"

"I had no idea that this one little catering job was gonna [lead to] meeting this guy that has given us a whole lot of wonderful publicity," Turner says.

Kimmy Schmidt's Jane Krakowski Celebrates Emmy Nod, Teases 'Fun' Season 2 Storyline With Carol Kane

“Where is Mimi Kanasis?” she asks TVLine of her character’s arch frenemy (played by Amy Sedaris), before dreaming up this perfect headline: “Mimi Kanasis Found Dead from Shock on Jacqueline Voorhees’ Marble Kitchen Countertop.”

“Honestly, we have such an incredible cast and crew,” she adds. “The fact that the show also got a Best Comedy nomination [and a Supporting Actor nomination for Tituss Burgess] is just the greatest. I can’t wait to high-five everyone when I see them all.”

Below, Krakowski reflects on Kimmy Schmidt‘s first season — including one of the hardest scenes she’s ever had to get through — and looks ahead at what the future holds for Jacqueline.

TVLINE | Some critics were quick to draw comparisons between Jacqueline and [your 30 Rock character] Jenna. Do you feel like this nomination validates how wrong they were?

I understand the natural association people made because of Tina [Fey] and [Robert] Carlock and myself all working together again, but I’ve always come at these two characters so differently. They are such different characters. Initially, when only a few episodes were released, I think I understood it, but once people saw the whole season, it became much more clearly defined.

TVLINE | Jacqueline had so many scene-stealing moments in the first season. I’m sure it’s hard to choose, but do you have a favorite?

Some of my favorite moments were filming as myself in those flashbacks. I remember the day we saw the script; it said “Jacqueline at age 14, played by Jane.” I was like, “Yes! Only Tina Fey would let me play myself at 14.” I loved working with Gil Birmingham and Sheri Foster, who play my parents. That whole storyline was an interesting, unexpected backstory for the character. It was a lovely way to wrap up that character in Season 1.

TVLINE | Speaking of Jacqueline’s Native-American backstory, were you surprised to see it stir up so much controversy?

I don’t think I was expecting it. I didn’t know what I thought the reaction was going to be, to be honest. When we were filming it, I knew it was something we didn’t see very often, that representation being shown. But I love that they gave the character such an A to Z journey, showing how hard she worked to change her whole life. Her bunker is her gilded cage, that Park Avenue lifestyle. It was such a worthwhile and lovely story to tell, absolutely.

TVLINE | While we’re talking about favorite scenes, were there any you had trouble getting through?

[Laughs] The hardest scene to film was with Ellie Kemper, where we both have the great pleasure of saying, “Your anus responds to the laser.” I think you can actually hear me laughing on Ellie’s coverage in every take.

TVLINE | When do you start filming Season 2?

Very soon! They’re writing now and we go back in August. I can’t wait to see everybody!

TVLINE | Is there anyone you didn’t get to work with in Season 1 that you hope to this time around?

There was no way for my character to have been there, but I would have loved to work with Tina [Fey] as Marcia Clark. That would have been a lovely, surreal moment for us to be in a scene together again. Maybe Jacqueline can hire that lawyer in the future; I’m sure she’ll have other legal dealings.

TVLINE | Personally, I’m hoping to see Jacqueline have more scenes with Lillian.

Oh, I was thrilled in the finale because I had never gotten to meet Carol Kane’s character. When they told me we were going to take a road trip together, I was so excited. I loved that they got to meet, and I do believe we’ll have more stuff together in Season 2; I think they’re writing a fun storyline for us, which I cannot wait for. I love her and I loved what we did together. I also hope I get to know Tituss’ character. We met briefly, burying a robot, but that was it. I hope our characters meet again.

Unbreakable fans, what were your favorite Jacqueline moments from Season 1? And what do you hope to see from her in Season 2?

2015 Emmy nominations list

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Limited Series Or A Movie
Regina King - "American Crime"
Sarah Paulson - "American Horror Story: Freak Show"
Angela Bassett - "American Horror Story: Freak Show"
Kathy Bates - "American Horror Story: Freak Show"
Mo’Nique - "Bessie"
Zoe Kazan - "Olive Kitteridge"

Jane Krakowski, René Auberjonois & Gavin Creel Join Broadway ‘She Loves Me’ Revival

The 1963 musical will be directed by Scott Ellis, choreographed by Warren Carlyle and have musical direction by Paul Gemignani. The creative team includes David Rockwell (sets), Jeff Mahshie (costumes), Don Holder (lights), Jon Weston (sound), Larry Hochman (orchestrations) and David Krane (dance arrangements and incidental music).

The show, originally staged by Harold Prince, is based on the play by Miklos Laszlo first adapted for The Shop Around the Corner, the 1940 Ernst Lubitsch film starring James Stewart and Margaret Sullivan, later updated as Nora Ephron’s 1998 Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan starrer You’ve Got Mail. The show has a book by Joe Masteroff (Cabaret) and score by Sheldon Harnick and Jerry Bock (Fiddler On The Roof, also being revived this season).

The cast will also feature Nicholas Barasch and Peter Bartlett, and ensemble members Cameron Adams, Alison Cimmet, Justin Bowen, Preston Truman Boyd, Benjamin Eakeley, Sara Edwards, Michael Fatica, Gina Ferrall, Jenifer Foote, Andrew Kober, Laura Shoop and Jim Walton. Ellis directed Roundabout’s 10-Tony nominated revival of She Loves Me in 1993 with Judy Kuhn, currently starring on Broadway in Fun Home.

'Every Person Deserves a Home': Tina Fey and Jane Krakowski Lead Star-Studded Fundraiser for Older Foster Kids

"You always have to have hope," Henry of the Bronx, New York, tells PEOPLE. "Even when it's hard to see it, you need to believe in it."

Henry is just one of 1,300 kids waiting to be adopted in New York City. Additionally, there are more than 700 kids on the verge of aging out of the foster care system.

"People say I'm unadoptable," says Henry. "But I disagree. It's never to late to have someone in your life who you can call family."

You Gotta Believe

Numerous stars came to support the non-profit organization You Gotta Believe on Monday night for the "Voices for the Voiceless: Stars for Foster Kids" event in New York City.

The organization helps find permanent families for young adults, teens and pre-teens in foster care.

"People really just want babies," Henry says. "As us kids get older, it becomes really hard to get adopted."

Many stars took to the stage to perform, including Tina Fey and Jane Krakowski.

While Krakowski sang “Don’t Cry Out Loud," Fey chimed in with her hilarious commentary.

"Don't cry out loud? Terrible advice," Fey said in between Krakowski's lines. "I think Peter Allen and Carole Bayer Sager were day-drunk when they wrote this song."

Broadway alum and former Smash star Megan Hilty performed "Do-Re-Mi" with several children on stage, and Glee star Darren Criss even auctioned off a serenade for $30,000. He sent hearts a flutter when he sang "Close to You" to a woman and a 7-year-old girl.

The evening not only brought attention to an underserved cause (on March 31, New York City cut the funding for the critical older youth adoption and permanency services), it also brought in over $500,000 for the organization.

"We need to help these kids," co-host James Wesley tells PEOPLE. "Every person deserves a home. It doesn't matter how old you are."

Wesley's husband, Seth Rudetsky, was also on stage during the event.

"We adopted our daughter and there are still so many other kids out there who need a home," Rudetsky tells PEOPLE. "You see the success stories, but there are a lot of kids and adults still looking for their forever family.

The most heartfelt moments of the night came when children and young adults walked on stage to share their strong desire to get adopted.

"You need a role model in your life," Rudetsky says.

Wesley adds: "You need someone you can share your successes and failures with."

Sighting

Taye Diggs on Starring in Hedwig and the Angry Inch: 'I Like Wearing Nail Polish'

The actor and Broadway alum will take over the titular role in the smash revival of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and PEOPLE has an exclusive first look at Diggs glammed up in glittery makeup as the character.

"Hedwig is the role of a lifetime. I'm looking forward to being challenged performance-wise on many levels, as well as being humbled by the musical's social implications," Diggs says in the new issue of PEOPLE, adding: "I also like wearing nail polish."

The actor will start his 12-week run as Hedwig – a transgender rocker who sings about her botched surgery – in N.Y.C. on July 22, replacing Glee star Darren Criss. And Diggs is actually the sixth actor to take on the role since its Broadway return last year. Neil Patrick Harris scored a Tony as the revival's original star, while Andrew Rannells, Michael C. Hall, John Cameron Mitchell (the musical's co-writer) and Criss all donned high heels and fishnets as well.

His turn in Hedwig marks Diggs' first time on a Broadway stage in over a decade: He last appeared in Wicked in 2004.

The Lizzie Borden Chronicles Not Returning for Season 2

Originally billed as a limited series, The Lizzie Borden Chronicles — which starred Ricci as the real-life historical figure, acquitted of murder in 1892 — ran for eight episodes earlier this year. Chronicles was a spinoff of the Lifetime original movie Lizzie Borden Took an Ax, which centered around the titular character’s murder trial.

But don’t worry about Ricci finding her next gig; as TVLine exclusively reported earlier this week, she’s starring in the Amazon drama pilot Z, in which she’ll portray celebrated American novelist Zelda Fitzgerald.

Are you bummed by this news, or did you not expect to see more of Borden’s (mis)adventures?

Christina Ricci to Play Zelda Fitzgerald in Amazon Drama Pilot Z

TVLine has learned exclusively that Ricci is set to star in and exec-produce an Amazon pilot about celebrated American novelist (and wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald) Zelda Fitzgerald.

The hour-long project’s working title is Z.

An Amazon rep declined to comment for this story.

Ricci recently played another iconic American woman — Lizzie Borden — in Lifetime’s eight-episode The Lizzie Borden Chronicles (and the TV movie that preceded it).

Jane Krakowski on Her New Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Life and Reaping the Benefits of "Peeno Noir"

"It was a very different experience," Krakowski said in a phone interview. 30 Rock came out on weekly basis, but Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt dropped all season one episodes at once. "This one felt a bit more like opening night in a sense...The show, I think, is very different and unique in tone and I think it was wonderful—one of the things I thought initially when it first went up on Netflix, for streaming, is that people got what Tina and Robert were creating and that was wonderful."

In the show, a young woman, Kimmy (Ellie Kemper), escapes from a doomsday cult after years of imprisonment and starts her life over in New York with a roommate, Tituss (Tituss Burgess), her landlord Lillian (Carol Kane) and her boss (Krakowski). Krakowski found herself playing another privileged and vapid character, but this time she wasn't playing a sociopath. Yes, 30 Rock's Jenna Maroney was wonderfully entertaining, but Kimmy Schmidt's Jacqueline Voorhees is actually more human.

"I think she's absolutely a very vulnerable soul. I love that difference between the two of them, certainly between Jenna and Jacqueline. I would say, I think it's a great quality and they absolutely showed that, especially if you watched the whole season," she said. "You really see how Jacqueline grows and changes through the influence of Kimmy."

There is one unsurprising similarity between 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: The breakneck speed at which the jokes fly. Like the moment when Krakowski's character is stunned by Kimmy's living conditions and assumes there's more to her ground-level apartment and tries to walk up "stairs" (a desk and chair). "That goes by quick," she said of that standout scene. "There are so many jokes within scenes that aren't the highlighted joke…even when there's a news program on TV, the crawl on the bottom is always hilarious and very specific. I love all that. In the case with Netflix, if you do rewatch, there are new joys to be found throughout, new things you missed the first time around."

One of her favorite moments had nothing to do with Jacqueline. "Just because it took me by surprise and made me laugh out loud," she said. "Titus is laying on the bed and Lillian looks through the floor and he's rubbing money all over his body. [Laughs.] It just took me by surprise when I first saw it. Whenever I just even think about it if I ever need something to make me laugh, it makes me smile and laugh."

But one thing she is proud of in regards to her character is the storyline about her past. "One of my favorite things that I love about working with Tina and Robert is I find they write things for you that you would never get to do anywhere else. Certainly when I read the scenes of my own personal flashback where I got to play myself at 14 [Laughs.] 14 and then 17, then 22, was a great surprise and joy to me. I don't know how far we can push it, but I'm willing to go back as far as they think could possibly happen."

That story, which saw Krakowski's character remembering her Native American heritage, coupled with several jokes about Dong, Kimmy's Vietnamese friend, received some negative criticism. Krakowski said everybody's individual opinion is valid, but she thought it was a "wonderful" journey for her character to go on, one you don't see very often.

"I thought it was a wonderful story to tell. I absolutely loved working with Sheri Foster and Gil Birmingham. I think we all agreed when we were filming it that it was a story that was beautiful to tell, especially how the story evolved. That a character who ran so far away from her true identity and heritage, and ultimately, through Kimmy's inspiration, finds what is beautiful about it and goes back towards it," she said. "I think that was a great journey for this character. I found it very touching and I thought it was such a complicated backstory, as I think all of these characters have, and that's where I think the show is so unique. They all have such a dark, underlying stories and yet it's told through such great humor and how they find optimism through that. I found it a wonderful story and I look forward to seeing how it grows through season two."

Sadly, something we may not be seeing in season two is Krakowski, a Tony winner, singing.

"I don't think Jacqueline will ever be able to sing. I've been told it's one of the purposeful choices keeping Jenna and Jacqueline separate is that Jacqueline does not sing and won't sing, we'll see if that changes as the series grows," she said. A possible way around it? A Bugsy Malone-like entirely musical episode because of all the musical talent in the cast. "I think it would be a great group of people to do that with, if they ever wanted to write a full musical episode," she said. "That would be fun. Maybe that's the way we can get Jacqueline to sing! [Laughs.]"

30 Rock's Jenna Maroney was known for breaking out into song whenever needed (and sometimes not needed), so Krakowski worked a lot with Jeff Richmond, Fey's husband and the man behind the music of both shows. In Kimmy Schmidt, it's Burgess who gets the musical moments.

"I'm so happy for Tituss and Jeff Richmond. I was so blessed with so many of Jeff Richmond's genius musical moments and creations in 30 Rock. I'm so thrilled that he is having this great moment right now for all the music he's contributed to Kimmy. I think he's incredible," she said. Richmond's creations, such as "Peeno Noir" (or "Pinot Noir," depending on your spelling preference) and the theme song, have gone viral.

"I'm sure Tituss and everyone has had this happen too, but I've been sent free glasses of pinot noir to my table at restaurants. It wasn't even my video! [Laughs.] I wrote Tina, Jeff, Carlock and Tituss and I said,'If I'm getting free glasses of pinot noir sent to my table, you guys must be drunk!' [Laughs.] ‘You guys must be getting full bottles and cases.'"

And what would Jenna Maroney think about "Peeno Noir"?

"Jenna's nose would start bleeding upon seeing the video," she said with a laugh.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is streaming now on Netflix.

Regina King To Return To 'American Crime' As Series Regular In Season 2

In announcing King’s return, American Crime creator/executive producer John Ridley lifted the veil on Season 2’s subject matter and how King’s character would fit in it. “Regina is phenomenal in all regards, and is going to be at the center of a story that deals with physicality, sexuality, and societal boundaries with the same urgency as our first season dealt with race and faith,” he said. “We’ve been blessed with the opportunity to speak on subjects as no other show does, and a cast which can do so with such a high degree of emotional honesty.

12 Years A Slave writer Ridley executive produces American Crime with Michael J. McDonald for ABC Studios. Like the first installment, which followed the aftermath of a murder in Modesto, California, Season 2 will film in Austin Texas, with production likely to begin in July.

While ratings have been very modest, American Crime has been widely praised by critics and is expected to garner awards attention for Ridley as well as multiple cast members, including Huffman, Hutton and King, in the limited series Emmy categories.

Like was the case with the maiden season of another anthology series, FX’s American Horror Story, I hear the actors on ABC Studios-produced American Crime all had one-year deals going in, so new contracts needed to be hammered out. One or more additional original cast members may also continue in Season 2.

King is repped by ICM Partners and John Carrabino Management.

Taye Diggs is already prepping for his 'Hedwig' takeover

The actor, who starred in “Rent” in 1996, was spotted at the Alvin Ailey Spirit Gala in black, sparkly nail polish that was left on from a “costume fitting earlier in the day.”

Diggs is taking over for Darren Criss in the show starting July 22.

He brought his 5-year-old son to the Ailey event at the David H. Koch Theater, where guests included Tyson Beckford and “SNL” comic Jay Pharoah.

Sighting

2015 Teen Choice Awards Nominations

Choice Movie Actor: Sci-Fi/Fantasy (#ChoiceSciFiMovieActor)
George Clooney - "Tomorrowland"
Robert Downey, Jr. - "Avengers: Age of Ultron"
Chris Hemsworth - "Avengers: Age of Ultron"
Liam Hemsworth - "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1"
Josh Hutcherson - "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1"
Channing Tatum - "Jupiter Ascending"

Josh Groban 'Would Love to' Do a Broadway Show

The singer – who performed Carousel classic "You'll Never Walk Alone" during the "In Memoriam" reel at the Tony Awards Sunday – hopes to make his Broadway debut soon.

"I would love to. I think it's about the right role and the right timing, but I'm giving myself another year before I finally make the move," the singer, 34, told PEOPLE at New York's Radio City Music Hall before the show. "I love it."

The move makes sense: Groban's latest album, Stages, features theater and cinematic classics, like "Over the Rainbow" from The Wizard of Oz and The Phantom of the Opera's "All I Ask of You," on which he shares the spotlight with Kelly Clarkson.

"It was daunting! It was almost harder to choose the songs than it was to record them because I've grown up with a hundred of my favorites, so really, it came down to the songs that felt right for my voice, right for my life experiences – stories that I wanted to tell – and then great arrangements," says Groban of the collection.

"The unsung heroes are the great orchestrators, the great arrangers who give you the tracks that you feel like you can add something new to."

The singer attended the annual awards show with girlfriend Kat Dennings.

Taye Diggs: Being a Good Father Starts with Showing Up

“Be there. How about that? Show up,” the actor, who has teamed up with Dockers to star in their Father’s Day #DadJam video, tells PEOPLE.

And the benefits go both ways: Diggs, who is dad to Walker Nathaniel, admits there is nothing better in life than spending time with his 5½-year-old son.

“For me, the greatest thing about being a dad is a tie between when I haven’t seen my son in awhile and he runs to me and says, ‘Daddy’ and when he’s asleep and I’m carrying him to the bed,” he explains.

The Murder in the First star jokingly adds, “Ah, he’s so cute when he’s asleep.”

Although the 44-year-old is known for his impeccable sense of style, balancing his fashion-forward ensembles with daddy duty has its challenges.

“I love dressing, but when you’re a pops you gotta get dressed quick, and you have to be comfortable, and you gotta be ready to have stuff spilled on,” he says.

Fortunately, he’s found the perfect go-to pair of pants that go hand-in-hand with parenthood.

“Every dad should own … cargo pants because they have a lot of pockets,” he shares with a laugh. “Pacifiers and bottles and diapers and wet wipes and crackers and little toy dinosaurs and candy for treats for any child that has behaved or when you’re trying to bribe them. Yeah, cargo pants.”

Jon Bon Jovi Releases Finding Neverland Song 'Beautiful Day' - Hear It First

Josh Groban Gushes About Kat Dennings, Then Gasps from Fright During Roller Coaster Ellen Interview

Jon Bon Jovi debuts song at Rutgers commencement

After all, the ceremony was held at the Susquehanna Bank Center, a concert venue where his band has performed.

The New Jersey native premiered a new song, “Reunion,” which he said was a gift to the graduates. It began, “This isn’t how the story ends, my friends, it’s just a fork along the road.”

Rutgers-Camden, a university that takes pride in its civic engagement in a city that ranks as one of the most impoverished in the nation, gave Bon Jovi an honorary doctorate of letters recognizing his entertainment career and a history of philanthropy focused on homelessness and poverty.

He has helped build affordable housing in Philadelphia, a homeless shelter in Camden and founded a Red Bank restaurant that feeds homeless people and others.

Bon Jovi said he decided to take on homelessness when he looked out his window in Philadelphia in 2006 and saw a homeless man on the street below. “I didn’t need a scientist to find the cure,” he told the graduates. “I needed someone to help me help those in need.”

After that, he began working with groups already addressing homelessness.

It wasn’t the first time Bon Jovi has received an honorary degree. He was also awarded one in 2001 at New Jersey’s Monmouth University.

Another honorary degree went to Equal Justice Initiative founder Bryan Stevenson, a lawyer, professor and author, who told the graduates to get close to people who are struggling and are in poverty if they want to change the world.

He said the United States needs to imprison fewer people for minor crimes and come to grips with its history of slavery and racial injustice.

Bon Jovi was the first to stand to applaud at the end of Stevenson’s speech. The rocker told the audience, “I feel they may have gotten the opening act and headliner mixed up here today.”

Robert Downey Jr. was 'more interesting' on drugs

Wayne Darwen, the model for Downey’s newsman character in “Natural Born Killers,” told me, “Junior was a lot more interesting when he was a substance-abusing, suffering artist — brave and silly enough to push the envelope.”

The former “A Current Affair” producer added, “He should remember that it was the untamed spirit of the indie movement and the writings of journalists he now walks out on, that made him a name in the first place.”

Downey abruptly ended a British TV interview in April when a reporter tried to ask him about his politics and his troubled past (drugs and jail).

The “Iron Man” star, promoting “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” called the reporter a “schmuck” and then later said the reporter was “a bottom-feeding muckraker.”

Downey, Hollywood’s highest-paid actor at $75 million per year, then insulted independent filmmakers on Entertainment Weekly Radio.

The actor said he would never make a low-budget movie “because they’re exhausting and sometimes they suck and then you just go, ‘What was I thinking?’?”

As for the young, idealistic artists who struggle to get their films made without studio support: “Most of you are kind of inexperienced and lame,” said Downey.

“His own father was one of the most influential indie filmmakers in history!” Darwen said. “Junior sold out for a comfortable life in boring Sherlock Holmes reboots and cartoon remakes. At least indie films come up with fresh stories.”

When “Birdman” director Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu called superhero movies “cultural genocide,” Downey said, “Look, I respect the heck out of him, and I think for a man whose native tongue is Spanish to be able to put together a phrase like ‘cultural genocide’ just speaks to how bright he is.”

Darwen wrote, co-directed and stars in his own independent feature, “High There,” being released on BRINKvision DVD and on demand on June 23.

The gonzo documentary won the people’s choice award at the recent Cannabis Film Festival in Humboldt County, Calif.

Taye Diggs is heading back to Broadway in 'Hedwig'

Producers of the Tony-winning show said Monday that the “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” star will take over the title role in Broadway’s “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” starting July 22.

The show opened last season with Neil Patrick Harris starting off the Hedwigs — and winning a Tony Award. He was replaced by Andrew Rannells, Michael C. Hall, co-creator John Cameron Mitchell and currently Darren Criss.

Diggs, who has been onstage in “Chicago” and “Rent,” was on David E. Kelley’s “Ally McBeal” as attorney Jackson Duper and played Dr. Sam Bennett on Shonda Rhimes’ “Private Practice.” His films include “The Best Man Holiday” and “Brown Sugar.”

Portia de Rossi Bumped To Series Regular For Next Season Of 'Scandal'

de Rossi joined Scandal in a recurring role during the 2014-15 season, playing Elizabeth North, the scheming chair of the Republican National Committee . Over the course of the season, North becomes First Lady Mellie Grant’s campaign chairperson during Grant’s run for the US Senate. Scandal was renewed for a 5th season on May 8.

David E. Kelley Legal Drama, Shane Black Western Among Amazon Pilot Orders

I hear Amazon’s latest batch of pilots also includes The Patriot, from The Pursuit of Happyness‘ Steve Conrad. It is a comedic thriller/family dramedy about a father working at the state department and his two sons, a senator and a Iraq war veteran with PTSD who wants to be a folk singer.

The Good Girls Revolt is a 1970s drama in the vein of Mad Men that is set at Newsweek. It was written by Dana Calvo (Covert Affairs) who is executive producing with Lynda Obst for Sony TV Studios. Amazon had no comment.

The pilot orders would join the pickup of six kids pilots earlier this week. The most recent Amazon pilot cycle led to five new series orders, drama The Man In The High Castle from Frank Spotnitz, hour-long dark comedy Mad Dogs from Shawn Ryan, docu-series The New Yorker Presents, and kids shows Just Add Magic, and The Stinky & Dirty Show.

Amazon is a major awards contender this season with its breakout comedy, the Golden Globe-winning Transparent.

Portia de Rossi on eating disorder struggle: 'I didn't eat for 10 days'

The actress spoke to “Entertainment Tonight” about her long history with bulimia and anorexia, which started when she was just 12 years old.

“I felt tremendous responsibility when I was 12 years old and I was put on a catwalk,” said the “Scandal” star, now 42. “My modeling agents had told me to go on a diet. So I didn’t eat for 10 days before then.”

De Rossi opened up about being bullied by the other models and dealing with the pressure by binge-eating. “I’m up on this catwalk, and I’m a little kid and posing and trying to be sexy and strutting around and all the other models are making fun of my bushy eyebrows,” she said.

“When I got in the car after that event and just opened up a bag of my favorite candy and just put my whole head in it and I think, ‘S–t, what have I done? I just undid two weeks worth of dieting.’ So then I vomit.”

The “Arrested Development” star, who is married to Ellen DeGeneres, spoke about her battle with bulimia in the second season of the ET Online docuseries “It Got Better.”

“I erase the feelings with food, erase the food with vomiting, but you’re still left with the shame,” she explained in the video.

De Rossi has spoken publicly about her battle with eating disorders in the past and penned a memoir, “Unbearable Lightness,” in 2010 which addressed her struggles with her weight and sexuality.

“Nobody can really get inside the anorexic’s mind like the anorexic. I abused my body. I had bulimia. I would use [diet drug] fen-phen. I wanted to talk about all that,” she said at the time.

In May 2014, de Rossi checked into a Malibu rehab facility for a one-month stay, reportedly for drug and alcohol treatment.

In 2000, she sought treatment for an eating disorder after her weight reportedly dropped to just 82 pounds.

Peter MacNicol To Depart 'CSI: Cyber'

MacNicol played Assistant Director Stavros Sifter, a career FBI insider and supervisor of Special Agent Avery Ryan (Arquette) for the Cyber Crime Division in Washington, D.C. Ryan, who didn’t need a boss, will not have one going forward. Danson will play his character from CSI, D.B. Russell, who crossed paths with Ryan in the Cyber planted spinoff episode of CSI last season. Despite Danson’s high-profile casting, sources close to the CSI: Cyber say the reasons for MacNicol’s departure were strictly creative.

James Marsden talks getting spotted in public

“It is an interesting social phenomenon how people behave when they’re around just anyone who’s on TV at all,” “The D Train” star told us.

When he sees people he grew up with in Oklahoma, “some get really excited and want to take a picture, [but] then some people are like, purposefully rude. Like, ‘I don’t watch TV or movies, I don’t care who you are .?.?. I’m not gonna give you special attention.’ It’s like, I just said, ‘Hi, dude!’”

Super News! Supergirl Officially Takes Flight at CBS

The new super-series stars Melissa Benoist as Kara Zor-El. Born on the planet Krypton, Kara escaped amid destruction. Since arriving on Earth she's been hiding the powers she shares with her famous cousin Superman, but now at age 24, she decides to embrace her superhuman abilities and be a hero.

Supergirl also stars Calista Flockhart, Mehcad Brooks, Chyler Leigh and David Harewood.

The drama comes from Greg Berlanti and Ali Adler, with Berlanti's Arrow and Flash comrade Andrew Kreisberg also attached.

The pickup makes Supergirl the latest in a long line of comic book series on the major broadcast nets, with Arrow, The Flash and iZombie at CW, Gotham on Fox, NBC's Constantine and ABC's Marvel duo, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Agent Carter.

NBC ANNOUNCES STELLAR CAST FOR SECOND SEASON OF 'RUNNING WILD WITH BEAR GRYLLS

In this hourlong alternative series, the famed adventurer, writer and television host will take eight entertainment and sports stars into the most remote and pristine locations in the U.S. and around the world for a 48-hour journey of a lifetime.

Joining the renown survivalist for season two are Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet, Oscar nominee Kate Hudson, Super Bowl-winning QB Drew Brees, Emmy nominee and “Modern Family” star Jesse Tyler Ferguson, “Hangover” star Ed Helms, “Furious 7” star Michelle Rodriguez, and award-winning film and television actors James Marsden (“X-Men: Days of Future Past”) and Michael B. Jordan (“Fantastic Four”).

Each of these eight accomplished actors and athletes will partner with Grylls for two days for a one-on-one adventure they will never forget. This season the series will take viewers from the jungles of Panama to the far reaches of the Italian Alps and then to the Colorado Rocky Mountains of Colorado and Red Rocks of Utah. The intrepid cast members will face their deepest fears and tackle everything from skydiving to repelling as they journey through some of the world's most unforgiving wildernesses.

“It has been such a privilege to adventure alongside these iconic men and women - and this season has made for some unforgettable journeys,” said Grylls. “The excitement of being dropped into uncharted territory and tackling the wilderness head-on, in the way we do, can be both daunting and very draining, but it is also very empowering when we finally make it out in one piece. Along the way we get to see the stars we love in a totally authentic way as they face a few demons and come through it stronger. And that's the beating heart of 'Running Wild.'”

Each of these stars will push their minds and bodies to the limit to complete their journey.

The show was devised by Grylls and Delbert Shoopman. Grylls recently starred on the NBC series “Get Out Alive with Bear Grylls” and serves as host and executive producer of “The Island.”

“Running Wild with Bear Grylls” is produced by Electus and Bear Grylls Ventures. Grylls serves as executive producer along with Ben Silverman, Chris Grant, Laura Caraccioli and Viki Cacciatore.

2015 Critics Choice TV Awards Nominees

GUEST PERFORMER IN A DRAMA SERIES
Cicely Tyson, "How to Get Away with Murder"
Julianne Nicholson, "Masters of Sex"
Linda Lavin, "The Good Wife"
Lois Smith, "The Americans"
Sam Elliott, "Justified"
Walton Goggins, "Sons of Anarchy"

Robert Downey Jr. finds making indie films too 'exhausting'

The “Avengers: Age of Ultron” star, 50, told Entertainment Weekly Radio that the soul-sucking rigors of big-budget popcorn flicks haven’t made the world of independent cinema any more alluring to him.

“No,” he said flatly when asked about wanting to appear in more indie films. “Because they’re exhausting and sometimes they suck and then you just go, ‘What was I thinking?’”

The actor clarified that he has nothing against small movies, it’s just that sometimes those films take more out of you than blockbusters – and this comes from an actor who walked out of an interview just last week.

“But I’m interested in doing all different kinds of movies,” he said. “Sometimes the little movies are the ones that wind up taking the most out of you because they’re like, ‘Hey, man, we’re just running a couple of days behind. Do you think you can stay through your birthday and then come back on the Fourth of July? And, by the way, but, like, the crew — can you pay for the craft services? And, oh, by the way, man, when we go to Sundance, it’s like, can we just sit you in a chair and you can sell this for six days in a row so that we’ll make 180 bucks when it opens in one theater?'”

“The Avengers: Age of Ultron,” which is expected to break box office records, arrived in theaters on Friday.

We Hear...

Downey Jr.'s Inarritu comments intended as 'complimentary'

Inarritu, while promoting "Birdman" in October, likened superhero movies to a "cultural genocide."

Downey Jr. said in a video interview last week that "for a man whose native tongue is Spanish, to be able to put together a phrase like 'cultural genocide' just speaks to how bright he is."

Various Twitter users accused Downey Jr. of being racist in his remarks. One woman wrote that she "loved" him until this and hashtagged the word "racist." Another user tweeted at the actor to "keep your racist opinions to yourself."

Downey Jr. also said that he respects "the heck" out of Inarritu in the interview with The Guardian. Later, he remarked, too, that "a certain level of scrutiny is good," when making films that are so popular — especially among children — even if it's critical.

"You want to be responsible to the opportunity you've been given," he said.

The reporter also asked Downey Jr.'s "Avengers: Age of Ultron" co-stars similar questions about the glut of superhero movies on the market, though none of their responses were as inflammatory.

"Taken in the proper context of the interview, it is intended to be, and is, complimentary," said Downey Jr.'s publicist Alan Nierob.

Inarritu's "Birdman," which won Oscars for best picture and best director, takes a darkly satirical look at blockbuster culture in its examination of a past-his-prime actor grasping for artistic authenticity. His film is centered on an actor (Michael Keaton) who cannot shake the voice of his superhero character, and pokes fun at many real-life actors who have participated in the genre, including Downey Jr.

In an interview with trade publication Deadline in October, Inarritu said that although he "sometimes" enjoys superhero movies, he takes issue when they try to be too profound.

"They have been poison, this cultural genocide, because the audience is so overexposed to plot and explosions and (expletive) that doesn't mean nothing about the experience of being human," Inarritu said.

A representative for Inarritu did not immediately respond to request for comment.

The social media response echoed the backlash against Sean Penn months ago when the actor presented Inarritu with his best picture Oscar by saying, "who gave this son of a bitch his green card?"

Robert Downey Jr. Reveals He Reunited with Ex Sarah Jessica Parker in NYC

Howard Stern asked Downey Jr., 50, on Tuesday about the meeting as the actor had said in a previous interview that he planned to contact Parker, 50, "during a moment of candor."

"You know how life goes and so many things happen, particularly when you're looking at the back nine and you're not a kid anymore," Downey Jr. told Stern. "You go, 'You know, this trip to New York, as opposed to just doing what's required of me … I wanna check in with someone I shared a big part of my life with and say hi.'"

Long before he was Iron Man and she was Carrie Bradshaw, the pair dated for seven years. "Without her, Robert would go at 100 miles an hour into a brick wall. They're very sweet together. He might become a gentleman as a result of this," his father, Robert Downey Sr., told PEOPLE in 1985 before they split.

Parker ended the relationship in 1991 and Downey Jr. admitted in a 2008 interview that his substance abuse led to the breakup. "She provided me a home and understanding. She tried to help me. She was so miffed when I didn't get my act together," he said. "I was in love with Sarah Jessica … and love clearly was not enough."

The actor says the pair met up in Parker and husband Matthew Broderick's New York apartment. "We were able to spend some time together and it was really cool," he told Stern. "You know, the funny thing too, is you always have a perception of somebody that you spent a big chunk of your life with and I think it's typical to the human thing that the further you get away from that in your new relationship, you [unintentionally] taint your perception of the person."

"Seeing her I was like, 'She's so great and so cool and so funny and so in-command,'" he added. "I got to meet her kids and I saw the way she and [her husband] live and I respect both of them so much."

"I would have loved to have seen him," Downey Jr. said of Broderick, 53. "For my generation, particularly the New York theater guys, he was the beginning and ending of everything you could aspire to be."

Robert Downey Jr. and Jimmy Fallon Get "Emotional" on The Tonight Show

Robert Downey Jr. Doesn't Regret Walking Out of Interview or Passing on Gravity

Actually, "I just wish I'd left sooner," the Avengers: Age of Ultron star revealed on The Howard Stern Show on SiriusXM Tuesday.

The actor, 50, abruptly walked away when the Channel 4 reporter asked him about "the dark periods you went to...taking drugs and drinking and all of that." As he explained to Stern, "I'm one of those guys who I'm always assuming the social decorum is in play, and that we're promoting a superhero movie, a lot of kids are going to see it, and that just has nothing to do with your creepy dark agenda."

Guru-Muthy, for what it's worth, stood by his line of questioning. As he put it in an op-ed for the U.K.'s Guardian, "I want something serious and illuminating, they [the interviewees] just want publicity."P>Downey didn't like the the dark turn the interview took, though, and explained to Stern he hated "feeling all of the sudden ashamed and obligated to accommodate your weirdo s--t." He also pretended to address Guru-Murthy, saying, "You know what? You are a bottom-feeding muckraker."

Stern pointed out that asking the now-sober star about a touchy topic in his past seemed unnecessary. "It's not like you're running for president," quipped the shock jock.

As Downey noted, though, "the assumption is that there's a button that because you've sat down [for an interview] there you're going to be scrutinized like you're a kiddy fiddler who's running for mayor."

He's got a game plan for next time though! "What I have to do in the future is give myself permission to say, 'That is more than likely a syphilitic parasite and i need to distance myself from this clown,'" he joked. "Otherwise i'm probably gonna put hands on this clown and then there's a real story!"

Tell us how you really feel, Downey! Of course, Iron Man didn't just talk to Stern about that interview — he also talked about pulling out of Gravity (George Clooney ended up playing the role) after shooting a 20-minute test scene in a space simulator and being completely uncomfortable. "You've got to have boundaries," he explained. "You've got to leave before you flip out!"

He has nothing but love for the film, though, and when Stern asked if he had any regrets about not being a part of it, he didn't seem to. "Any of us can have anything," he said sagely, "but we can't have everything!"

Another topic Downey touched on with Stern? HIs friendly relationship with ex-girlfriend Sarah Jessica Parker! Both stars are now happily married, but they recently caught up.

Downey had only the kindest things to say about Matthew Broderick's wife, too, calling her "this fully mature mother and woman and artist and human being." As he told Stern, he's glad "there's enough good will left over" that he and Parker were able to catch up like old friends.

Iron Man: Age of Ultron hits theaters Friday.

Hayden Panettiere is Klitschko's most enthusiastic fan

In fact, based on the scenes at Wladimir Klitschko’s successful heavyweight title defense at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night, she loves it.

Clad in a black and gold blazer and matching dress, the “Nashville” star, 25, was all smiles and triumphant yells as she cheered on her fiancé, 39, during his unanimous victory over Bryant Jennings.

Panettiere and Klitschko announced their plans to wed in 2013. Last year, the actress gave birth to the couple’s first child, a daughter named Kaya Evdokia Klitschko.

Sightings

Robert Downey Jr. hires 'insane' security detail for NYC lunch

Witnesses tell us the “Iron Man” star took his father and other family members to lunch. “The security operation to get him and his entourage to the restaurant was insane,” described a source, who said Downey sent two SUVs to pick up family members. Meanwhile, two bodyguards loaded Downey into an SUV at his hotel.

“You would’ve thought it was the president,” snipped our source. “His security blocked cars coming into the garage until Downey was in his car.”

The guards also stood watch in the restaurant throughout the three- hour meal. Despite the ring of steel, Downey did sign autographs on the way out.

Downey’s rep told us: “Robert had brunch on Sunday at his father’s favorite restaurant, ABC Kitchen. Security was invited to attend as guests, along with other family members and friends.”

Beth Behrs Set Up Kat Dennings with Josh Groban Because They're Both 'Nerds at Heart'

Behrs, who stars alongside Kat Dennings, 28, on the CBS sitcom 2 Broke Girls, is responsible for hooking up her costar with singer Josh Groban.

Behrs, 29, introduced Dennings and Groban, who have been dating since October 2014.

"I always wanted to find him the right girl," Behrs told PEOPLE of Groban, 34. "At the time, Kat was in a relationship, so I couldn't. Then they happened to both be single for once at the same time."

She adds, "It didn't take much coaxing for either of them."

"They're both nerds at heart," said Behrs while attending Sunday's John Varvatos 12th Annual Stuart House Benefit in West Hollywood, California. "But their hearts are in the right place."

Groban has owned up to the couple's "nerd" behavior, previously telling PEOPLE their typical date night involves bingeing on the reality show Shark Tank and lounging in onesies.

"They're in this crazy business, they're both very calm and mellow and wonderful," Behrs said on Sunday. "And he treats her like a princess, and it's amazing."

2 Broke Girls airs Mondays (8 p.m. ET) on CBS.

Suki Waterhouse and James Marsden Grab Dinner Together in LA

The British model, 23, and the X-Men: Days of Future Past star, were spotted leaving the Little Door restaurant in Los Angeles. Marsden, 41, was dressed casually in a grey t-shirt jeans and blue leather jacket, while Waterhouse covered up in a grey jacket.

Waterhouse split from actor Bradley Cooper in January after two years of dating. The pair have still remained close, however, most recently spending time together at Coachella on April 12.

Prior to the festival, Cooper and Waterhouse were spotted grabbing dinner in Venice, California, sparking rumors that they had reconciled their romance. However, the rumors were short-lived. Cooper, 40, took model Irina Shayk, 29, on a Broadway date in New York City last Wednesday.

Marsden, meanwhile, was married to actress Lisa Linde from 2000 to 2011. The former couple have two children together, Jack Holden and Mary James.

Meet Robert Downey Jr.'s Daughter Avri Roel

Robert Downey Jr. Reveals What Happened When He Sang at His Star-Studded Birthday Party

White House Correspondents' Dinner Guests

Robert Downey Jr. walks out on interview questioning his drug past

The interview started out innocently enough until Krishnan Guru-Murthy began to question Downey Jr. about his past drug history. He referenced a quote the "Iron Man" actor gave years ago to the New York Times that reads "You can't go from a $2,000-a-night suite at La Mirage to a penitentiary and really understand it and come out a liberal."

The question seems to be asking Downey Jr.'s political leanings, though it's not quite clear. The actor graciously answers by saying he's given many interviews over the years and he can't go back to something five or six years ago and explain what he meant in that moment.

A awkward moment could have ended there, but the Guru-Murthy continues to press the issue, making Downey more uncomfortable. Even more than that, Guru-Murthy seems to be uncomfortable about the situation he's wading into.

"Are we promoting a movie?" the actor asks before trying to wrap up the question.

Yes, but no. The interview continues with a line of questioning about Downey's past that make the actor visibly upset.

"Your foot has started jumping, you better get to your next question," he says pointedly towards the end.

Finally, the Guru-Murthy poses a statement about Downey's troublesome relationship with his father -- without an actual question attached. At that point, Downey takes off his mic and ends the interview.

Guru Murthy tries to apologize and clarify his intentions with the invasive questions, but it's clear that Downey Jr. is finished with the interview when he walks out of the room -- and his interviewer is left with the glaring eyes of publicists.

Josh Groban mines old love for new 'Stages'

It was "trips to see great musicals as a kid that first inspired me," explains the singer. Stages (out April 28) features some of the most beloved musical-theater songs of all time, from Rodgers and Hammerstein's If I Loved You and You'll Never Walk Alone (both from Carousel) to Stephen Sondheim's Children Will Listen (Into the Woods) and Not While I'm Around (Sweeney Todd), presented as a medley, and Finishing the Hat (Sunday in the Park with George).

"In my mind, it started as a Sondheim double album," quips Groban, whose affection for the composer/lyricist is such that he named his Wheaten terrier Sweeney, after the bloodthirsty protagonist of Todd. In fact, Stages was conceived as a collection of songs from stage and film musicals. Two of its entries, Over the Rainbow and Pure Imagination (the latter from Willie Wonka & the Chocolate Factory) were introduced on screen.

In the end, the bari-tenor narrowed the song list down by choosing "what felt right for my age, what felt right for my voice, stories I want to tell now."

He also wanted to accommodate the artists who make guest appearances, among them trumpeter Chris Botti. "I'm glad he picked Old Devil Moon," says Groban, because the Burton Lane/Yip Harburg classic "was basically the first musical-theater song I sang as a solo" (when Groban played the lead in his high school production of Finian's Rainbow).

Six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald — "the queen," Groban calls her — turns up on If I Loved You, while Kelly Clarkson joins Groban for Andrew Lloyd Webber and Charles Hart's All I Ask Of You, from The Phantom of the Opera. "She runs deep," Groban say of Clarkson. "I knew she was a Broadway buff. ... I think fans of both of ours are going to be really blown away by her vocals on this record."

Some of the album was recorded at London's storied Abbey Road studios, though the sessions took place mostly in Los Angeles, allowing Groban to spend time with his girlfriend, actress Kat Dennings of CBS' 2 Broke Girls.

"I'm slowly getting her into the musical-theater world," Groban says. "We've only seen a few shows. We're getting past the thing of, 'What, they're doing a scene and all of a sudden they turn and sing?' ... I've got to bring her to New York and take her to some of these brilliant shows."

Groban would love to take a stab at Broadway himself in the not-too-distant future. "There's no escaping it now — it's about finding the right thing. I'd like to bring back Chess," an '80s musical with music by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, and lyrics by Tim Rice. "I think the book needs work, but that music deserves to be on Broadway again."

For now, Groban is planning a tour, set to launch Sept. 12 in Atlanta. And given that "there's a lot of stuff left over" from the material he considered for Stages, fans should expect a follow-up. "There has to be," he says.

Robert Downey Jr. says he was 'den mother' on 'Avengers' set

“I am an assistant den mother for him (director Joss Whedon) — we’re more contemporaries,” Downey said at the film’s London premiere on Tuesday, where he was accompanied by others in the cast, including Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo.

“With some younger talent, they’re very exuberant; I remember when I was that way. I kind of feel like I’m the assistant principal.”

The 50-year-old Downey plays Iron Man in the film, the sequel to the 2012 blockbuster “Avengers” movie.

For Johansson, the screen reunion was “amazing.”

“I mean first of all it’s great to be able to share this experience with actors that are really friends of mine and it feels like we’re all in it together,” said the actress, who plays Black Widow. “We’re all a part of something that has this huge fan base, this built-in excitement and it’s not always like that.”

New this time are Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Quicksilver and Elizabeth Olsen as Scarlet Witch.

“They’ve already done the work of establishing a fan base,” smiled Olsen, “so I feel like I’ve snuck in.”

This is Whedon’s last “Avengers” movie — at least for now. He’ll hand over the reins of the franchise to “Captain America: Winter Soldier” directors Anthony Russo and Joe Russo for the two-part “Avengers: Infinity War,” due out in 2018 and 2019.

The director admits he has mixed feelings about saying goodbye.

“Yeah, it’s sort of like sending your kid off to college, it’s like, ‘Wow, they really don’t need me anymore, do they?'” he said, pretending to sob. “At the same time it’s like, ‘My kid’s gone, party all night!’ You know, I’m going to pick my actual kids up from school, I’m going to read books, it’s going to get crazy.”

“Avengers: Age of Ultron” is set to open in US theaters on May 1, but it’s opening in other countries earlier.

Jon Bon Jovi selling SoHo penthouse for $37.5M

The mystery man in contract to buy Jon Bon Jovi’s $37.5 million duplex penthouse in the New Museum Building at 158 Mercer St. is Gerhard Andlinger, sources told The Post’s Jennifer Gould Keil.

Andlinger, founder of private investment firm Andlinger & Co., had to pay more than $3.4 million as part of a 2003 settlement over insider-trading allegations.

The 7,452-square-foot condo has six bedrooms and three landscaped terraces.

It had lingered on the market since 2013.

Sightings

Bon Jovi plans anti-hunger center in Sandy-ravaged N.J.

The Jersey-born rocker and his Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation announced plans Tuesday for the B.E.A.T. Center, which stands for Bringing Everyone All Together. The center site is designed as a one-stop facility to help people get food stamps, health care, meals for at-risk children and seniors, and culinary-related job training. It will open later this year in Toms River.

The center also will house a second JBJ Soul Kitchen community restaurant, where diners pay a minimum $10 donation or do volunteer work for their meals. That first one opened in 2011 in Red Bank, New Jersey.

Bon Jovi says Ocean County suffered the worst damage from the October 2012 storm, but has not gotten a proportionate share of aid.

“Ocean County was directly impacted by Hurricane Sandy; it was not a wealthy county to begin with,” he said. “At one point or another, 45 percent of households that had kids needed emergency food relief services during the course of the last year. I know people who have been hungry. You’d be shocked to know these hardworking, middle-class people from the tri-state area who after the economic downturn couldn’t afford to keep a consistent, nutritious meal on the table.”

Toms River was one of the hardest-hit communities during Sandy. The nearby Ortley Beach section was devastated and many homes and businesses — not to mention the main road through town — still have not been rebuilt as the third summer after the storm approaches.

Bon Jovi is partnering with the Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, The Peoples Pantry and the David Tepper Charitable Foundation to provide $5 million in services to needy families in the B.E.A.T. Center’s first year of operation.

The center joins other charitable endeavors undertaken by Bon Jovi, including the construction of 440 units of affordable housing for homeless or low-income families; donations to numerous Sandy relief efforts; and two Soul Kitchen restaurants, including a smaller third one in a firehouse in storm-tossed Union Beach, New Jersey.

“With hunger and homelessness, I realized 10 years ago that this was something we could make a dent in — just a dent — that didn’t need a scientist to create the cure,” he told the Associated Press. “That we, with a little money and action and then desire, that we could in fact make a dent. We’re certainly going to try.”

His band, Bon Jovi, has been one of rock and roll’s most popular acts for the past 32 years, with hits including “Livin’ On A Prayer,” ”You Give Love A Bad Name” and “Wanted Dead Or Alive.”

Robert Downey Jr. Humbly Accepts the MTV Generational Award From His Avengers: Age of Ultron Squad

MTV saluted Robert Downey Jr.'s talents with the help of the Avengers:Age of Ultron squad. He was commemorated tonight at the MTV Movie Awards receiving the Generational Award, honoring his great achievement in film.

His Avengers: Age of Ultron co-stars including Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo and Jeremy Renner introduced him by saying, "He can be charming, intensely funny and seriously intense." They went on, "Now when you're describing the character, you're also describing the man who played them. So we are honored to present our friend, our hero, our avenger, the invincible Robert Downey Jr. with the Generational Award."

Following their loving prelude was a montage of his movies including the Iron Man series, Sherlock Holmes, and Due Date. The recently turned 50-year-old had quite the epic entrance strolling in the steam-filled room colored by black and red lights.

Looking cool as ever, the star rocked some red-lensed shades with thick black brims while saying his speech and accepting his golden popcorn.

"When I witnessed the first MTV Movie Awards," RDJ stopped to notice his co-stars taking a knee and graciously thanked them. "The first was in 1992, and that's my generation's version of the Oscars. And when the first Generational Award was given in 2005, I thought where's mine!?"

You've just got to love this man's honesty!

He continued, "In the 34 years that have passed since the birth of MTV, I've grown up, I've failed, succeeded, partied way too much, begged for second chances and literally clawed my way to the top.... Because you CAN define your generation."

After his touching and humble speech about the hardships he's endured throughout his acting career, he thanked his fans by sharing an exclusive world premiere clip of Marvel's Avengers: Ave of Ultron.

The Ally McBeal Cast Reunites, and More from Inside the TV Land Awards

The celebration was a veritable who's who of late night re-runs! Mary Ann (Dawn Wells) from Gilligan's Island was there … Winnie Cooper (Danica McKellar) from The Wonder Years showed up … and Rose Nylon herself, 93-year-old Golden Girl Betty White, came to receive the Legend Award.

"When we grow up, we want to be like you, Betty," said White's Hot in Cleveland co-stars Valerie Bertenelli, Wendie Mallick and Janes Leeves before giving her the award.

Calista Flockhart left her recuperating husband Harrison Ford at home to accept the Groundbreaking Award for her show Ally McBeal, while Seth Rogen and Jason Segel were on hand to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Freaks and Geeks. To top the evening off, Jennifer Hudson performed "Whatever Makes You Happy" from Empire.

Perhaps the most emotional part of the evening came when George Lopez took the stage to present a tribute to late comedian Joan Rivers who passed away last year.

"Joan inspired so many comedians, including me. She was fearless. She was ahead of her time. At 81, she was ahead of her time," Lopez told the audience which included Rivers's daughter Melissa and grandson Cooper. "There will never be another Joan Rivers."

But, the biggest applause was reserved for the now grown-up cast of The Wonder Years. Paul Saviano, who played the iconic Paul Pfeiffer on the show (and is now a corporate attorney), dropped a bombshell on the red carpet – admitting even he had a crush on costar McKellar growing up!

"Who didn't have a crush on Danica? She's beautiful and talented and awesome. But we worked together, it would have been awkward," Pfeiffer revealed.

All in all, it was probably the award show's host Terry Crews who celebrated the most that night. Since his wife had been out of town, Crews rushed home immediately after the show to "see" her.

"Let's just say the TV's going to be off tonight," Crews joked to reporters. "We'll meet up and have celebration sex. It will be real nice."

The TV Land Awards air Sunday, April 18, at 9 p.m. on TV Land.

'The Lizzie Borden Chronicles' Christina Ricci: 'We definitely decided that she was sociopathic'

Christina Ricci: I think it's a very need-based relationship. Lizzie sort of views her as her property, and Emma's always taken care of her but it's not, at least from Lizzie's point of view, a loving relationship. She's not really capable of love in a normal way.

Zap2it: Is Lizzie a fun character to play?

Christina Ricci: Yeah, really fun. Anything that is fantastic and sort of extreme is really fun to do as an actor, at least for me.

Zap2it: How did you approach creating her?

Christina Ricci: Well, I think a lot of the character is based on the action, sort of, [which] implies who she is, really. Somebody who is able to take human life like this and actually derive pleasure from it is going to be a certain type of character (laughs). We definitely decided that she was sociopathic, that she either played at the emotions of a normal functioning person but that she probably didn't have them for herself.

Zap2it: Was shedding her at the end of the day difficult?

Christina Ricci: No not really. I mean, this is a very lighthearted kind of piece. I mean, it's just supposed to be fun and sort of gory and fantastic. So I think there were like two emotional scenes in the whole series for my character because she doesn't really experience emotion. So it's not the kind of thing, a kind of heavy role where you go home and you live with it or are affected by it.

Rock Stars Shed Personas And Go Home In Reality Project From EP Jon Bon Jovi

If I Wasn’t a Rock Star also counts Bob Weinstein among its EPs. “The series will offer music fans a chance to see their favorite stars as they’ve never imagined them before,” TWC-Dimension’s Co-Chairman said. “We can’t wait to see what other amazing talent comes on board.” Also exec producing are 3 Ball Entertainment CEO Todd A. Nelson and CCO Brant Pinvidic, Prototype’s Frank Rainone and Teresa Sorkin and TWC SVP Television Patrick Reardon.

The announcement comes a day after another ’80s-rooted pop star dove into the reality fray. Culture Club singer Boy George is linking with Bunim/Murray for a show that will follow the Brit’s relocation from London to L.A.

Sightings

Inside Robert Downey Jr.'s Star-Studded 50th Birthday Bash

Jennifer Aniston and fiancé Justin Theroux, Reese Witherspoon and husband Jim Toth, Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, Orlando Bloom, Gwyneth Paltrow, Katie Holmes and other famous friends gathered at Santa Monica's Barker Hangar for Downey's star-powered soirée.

"It was the best party. Star-studded, of course, but at the same time, it felt very intimate," a source tells PEOPLE of the bash, where Jeremy Renner, Dustin Hoffman, Edward Norton and Jason Bateman rounded out the impressive guest list. "Everyone seemed friendly and hugged each other left and right."

Joined by his wife Susan, the Iron Man star and his guests – many of whom showered him with gifts – enjoyed jazz music at the historic event space, where cocktails and hors d'oeuvres were served.

While Holmes showed up sans sometime beau Jamie Foxx, the fête did serve as a date night for many of the couples: Paltrow and was spotted getting cozy with reported love interest Brad Falchuk, while engaged pair Aniston and Theroux shared some sweet P.D.A.

"Jen and Justin looked happy and were very affectionate," the source adds. "They kept hugging and kissing."

As for the birthday boy, he took to Twitter, posting a succinct reflection Saturday.

Josh Groban to sing national anthem at Kentucky Derby

The multiplatinum-selling Groban has been selected to sing the national anthem at the annual thoroughbred race, to be held May 2 at the Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky. It is an upgrade for Groban; the last time he attended the event, he was a spectator.

The classically inspired crooner will become the seventh person to sing the national anthem at the Derby; the tradition started in 2009.

The race is the first in the Triple Crown; the next will be the Preakness Stakes on May 16, followed by the Belmont Stakes on June 6.

'The Lizzie Borden Chronicles': Christina Ricci and Clea DuVall are truly twisted sisters

The hourlong eight-part series, which premieres Sunday (April 5), on Lifetime, presents a fictionalized look at the events and people surrounding Lizzie's (Ricci) life following her acquittal of the horrific murders of her father and stepmother in 1892. Now famous, Lizzie finds herself living the life of a celebrity, complete with scandalous love affairs. When several people close to her turn up dead in strange and brutal circumstances, suspicion falls on you-know-who.

The series is a continuation of the 2014 Lifetime telepic "Lizzie Borden Took an Ax."

"It's a very fun, kind of outrageous show," Ricci tells Zap2it of the new offering, "where you're rooting for two antiheroes the whole time and kind of delighting in the macabre. It's mostly macabre and kind of campy and fun. Above all, it's just supposed to be a really fun show."

The most fun part in playing an unbalanced character such as Lizzie, according to Ricci, is that anything goes.

"The only rules," she says, "are kind of the rules you establish for yourself and for the character because it's somebody who doesn't really adhere to the rules of society."

"I think a lot of the character is based on the action, sort of," Ricci continues, "[which] imply who she is, really. Somebody who is able to take human life like this and actually derive pleasure from it is going to be a certain type of character. We definitely decided that she was sociopathic, that she either played at the emotions of a normal functioning person but that she probably didn't have them for herself."

One who was on the receiving end of Lizzie's manipulations was sister Emma, whom the actress who portrays her, DuVall, describes as Lizzie's enabler.

"In the very beginning," DuVall explains, "she really took a back seat to Lizzie and really just served as her caretaker. And as the story evolved, she starts to get her own life and evolve into her own person and really has the opportunity to branch out from just being Lizzie's sister. ... She develops relationships outside of Lizzie, which she never had before, and finally taking the steps toward creating her own life and getting married and cutting the cord."

"She feels threatened," DuVall says of Lizzie, "and she feels scared because ultimately she is like a little girl who kind of learned to cope in not the best way."

'Ultron' cast to present Downey Jr with MTV award

MTV announced Thursday that Downey Jr will receive the award during the 2015 MTV Movie Awards, airing live from Los Angeles on April 12.

And it looks like it could be a love fest: The award will be presented to him by his Avengers: Age of Ultron co-stars Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo and Jeremy Renner.

And helpfully for the movie's promotion (it comes out May 1), the cast will present a 90-second clip from the film during the show.

Trailers from the film have already been released to tease fans and promote the movie but MTV is describing this clip as an "exclusive world premiere."

The MTV Generation Award is the major category of MTV's movie awards and recognizes an actor who has engaged the MTV audience throughout their career. Past recipients include Mark Wahlberg, Jamie Foxx, Johnny Depp, Reese Witherspoon, Ben Stiller, Adam Sandler, Sandra Bullock, Mike Myers, Tom Cruise and Jim Carrey, MTV said.

Besides the success of Marvel's The Avengers movies, Downey Jr also has had tremendous success in three Iron Man films.

"Throughout his career, Robert Downey Jr has mesmerized audiences by capturing the humanity in larger-than-life characters like Charlie Chaplin, Sherlock Holmes and Tony Stark," said Stephen Friedman, president of MTV, in a statement.

"He's a brilliant actor and a Hollywood icon, and we are proud to recognize his tremendous passion and talent with this year's Generation Award."

The line-up for show includes host Amy Schumer, Comedic Genius recipient Kevin Hart, Trailblazer Award recipient Shailene Woodley, and confirmed presenters Miles Teller, Reese Witherspoon, Vin Diesel, Sofia Vergara and Jimmy Kimmel.

MTV says this year's nominees span every film genre from dystopian universes (The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 and The Maze Runner) to heart-felt coming of age stories (The Fault In Our Stars and Boyhood), out-of-this-world comedies (Guardians of the Galaxy, Neighbors, The Interview, The Wedding Ringer and Top Five), real-life heroes (Selma and American Sniper) and more.

Fans can cast their votes for their favorites at MovieAwards.MTV.com through Saturday, April 11. Voting for "Movie of the Year" will continue throughout the live broadcast of the show.

Jack Black Takes James Marsden For A Ride On 'The D Train': Trailer

Ellen DeGeneres & Portia de Rossi Weigh in on Dolce & Gabbana "Synthetic" Babies Remarks

She and wife Portia de Rossi, spoke to E! News at the 2015 GLAAD Media Awards in Beverly Hills, California on Saturday.

Dolce & Gabbana founders Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana had made their remarks to an Italian magazine earlier this month, expressing their disapproval of "synthetic children" conceived via artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization, the only viable method of getting pregnant for both same-sex and heterosexual pairs.

"It's not even worth commenting on because they're, you know, ignorant," DeGeneres told E! News.

The 57-year-old talk show host added she will never wear Dolce & Gabbana clothes "ever, ever again."

Dolce and Gabbana's comments had spurred John, who shares two sons with his husband, to call for a boycott of their luxury fashion label Dolce & Gabbana and several celebs soon followed the singer-songwriter's lead. Dolce and Gabbana later clarified their remarks, saying they did not mean to judge other people's choices.

"The only thing you can say is that, you know, we're all entitled to free speech," de Rossi, 42, told E! News. "However, I just don't understand who they are. I don't understand why they would want to say that."

Zoe Saldana, who attended the 2015 GLAAD Media Awards with husband Marco Perego, with whom she shares twin sons, disagrees with the couple's stance. She told E! News it would be "the stupidest thing" to boycott Dolce & Gabbana, adding that she is "certainly not going to be refuting when they are adopting synthetic children, however they wanted to say it."

DeGeneres and de Rossi, who celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary in December, have no children and had last year debunked tabloid reports that claimed the two were trying to start a family.

Hayden Panettiere Goes on Her First "Solo Trip" Since Giving Birth to Kaya

The Nashville actress tweeted a selfie and wrote, "Momma's first solo trip." She included two nerve-wracking emojis to show that she might not have been ready to leave her daughter and fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko, just yet. Even though it has been only 12 short weeks since Panettiere gave birth, we have to say she looks absolutely flawless in her minimal makeup selfie.

Dressed in a casual white button down with anchors printed on it, Panettiere appears effortlessly chic while hanging out in her airplane seat. With the sun shining through the window, she literally and figuratively is glowing! Her skin doesn't look to have any blemishes either, making her actually #flawless.

Panettiere welcomed Kaya with the heavyweight-boxing champion on Dec. 9, 2014, but with both of their busy schedules and a newborn, they still haven't found time to turn their engagement into a marriage. But they don't mind because they already have something tying them together to life: Kaya.

"When people get married there are different things they promise to each other, and I understand the promising part, but I think [having] children is something that connects you until the end of your days no matter what," Klitschko told Us Weekly. "And I think that, Kaya, our daughter, has connected us forever. And that's the most amazing thing. Everything else is coming, it's something that needs to be planned…but as I said, the connection with the child is better than any marriage!"

He has a big fight coming up on Apr. 25, so maybe after that they can finally tie the knot! If she looks this good on a flight, we can only imagine how gorgeous she'll be on her wedding day.

Sightings

Team Downey Producing Iraq Drama 'Baghdad Country Club' For Cinemax

Written by Dave Andron (Justified), the project is inspired by the digital article of same name by prolific journalist Joshuah Bearman, whose story The Great Escape became the basis for the 2012 Best Picture Oscar winner Argo. Baghdad Country Club centers on a special forces soldier-turned-mercenary who opens the only watering hole in Baghdad’s Green Zone at the height of the post-invasion Iraqi insurgency.

Team Downey in producing in association with Warner Horizon Television. The companies’ collaboration stems from Team Downey’s first-look feature deal at Warner Bros. Team Downey’s Robert Downey Jr., Susan Downey and Amanda Burrell executive produce alongside Andron and Bearman. Bearman’s Baghdad Country Club was published by The Atavist and previously optioned by Cinemax sibling HBO.

Television has been a priority for the Downeys, who launched Team Downey in 2010. They have set up several TV projects in the past couple of years, including 1980s rehab drama at Showtime.

Cimenax’s profile as a destination for respected original programming has been on the rise with series like Banshee and The Knick.

Team Downey is repped by CAA and attorney Stewart Brookman. Andron is repped by CAA, Adam Kolbrenner of Madhouse Entertainment, and attorney Bruce Gellman. Bearman is with UTA.

Josh Groban Describes Date Night with Kat Dennings (Spoiler: It Involves a Onesie)

The singer-songwriter, 34, stopped by the PEOPLE Now studio Monday to dish on his typical date night with the 2 Broke Girls star, 28. The couple's favorite activity? A Shark Tank binge.

"I try to behave like one of the sharks from the comfort of my onsie," the Crazy, Stupid, Love actor said, also joking he's often tempted by the out-there businesses pitches on the show.

"A great date night is some good old-fashioned entrepreneurship," he said. "We'll sit at a table and think up inventions."

Although his ideal night with his leading lady may sound a little less than glamorous, he admitted Dennings, who he started dating in October, has made him a total hopeless romantic.

"When you're with somebody who's as wonderful as she is – and she's just absolutely spectacular – it's like that Jack Nicholson [line], 'It makes me want to be a better man,' " he said of Dennings, while attempting his best impression of the As Good as It Gets actor. "It's great. It's easy."

Though he sits beside Dennings during a Shark Tank binge, he likely won't join the actress on her comedy series 2 Broke Girls.

"They already have one bearded creep on that show. I don't think they need another!" he joked.

Where might we spot Groban next? Broadway! Groban – whose new Broadway-inspired album Stages! comes out April 28 – says that a stage debut would be a "dream come true for me."

"I've said to myself 2016 is the year I'm going to find myself on Broadway. I hope I can live up to that," he said. "In the meantime, these are songs I've wanted to sing my whole life."

Harrison Ford Recovering - with Books and Food from Calista Flockhart

In the week following the accident, the actor, 72, received daily visits at his bedside from Flockhart, 50, who regularly headed to the Los Angeles hospital after taking the couple's 14-year-old son Liam to school.

"She drops Liam off in the morning and then spends hours with Harrison," says a source. "She brings him food and reading material."

The couple, who wed in 2010 after eight years together, have discussed their shared passion for flying in the past and a source told PEOPLE that the crash and its aftermath have been "terrifying" for them.

A preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board states that the crash was caused by "substantial damage following a loss of engine power."

An eyewitness on the scene previously told PEOPLE that Ford suffered a five- or six-inch gash about "the size of a pancake." However, a surgeon said that the inures to his face and scalp will "heal very well and fade with time."

Iron Man Robert Downey Jr. delivers bionic arm to boy

Lucy Liu Reveals an 'Intimate' Side Project and the 'Unhealthy' Path Ahead on Elementary

On Wednesday, Liu unveils decades of her art – which she has been curating for more than two years – on lucyliu.net. The collection has inspirations as wide-ranging as 9/11 and modern-day slang, and Liu tells PEOPLE, "Ultimately I think it is about sharing – it's about being in an experience."

Despite her very public career, Liu admits she hesitated to expose herself in such a way with this exhibition. She ultimately decided that "it's important to let go of that [discomfort]" and is now exclusively sharing the stories behind a few of her pieces – not to mention a little Elementary scoop – with PEOPLE.

Velocity

As a native New Yorker, Liu finds personal significance in the events of Sept. 11, 2001, but she also recognizes the universality of that day. She spent "a very long time" on Velocity because "I just felt like it was important for me to basically understand what happened from all perspectives and why people did what they did."

She says, "That's why I ended up stitching it because it takes a great deal of time to sew – on canvas no less. I created a cityscape that was somewhat generic in order to say that this was possible anywhere and that this is a universal piece – it's not just New York-based."

Beyond the stitching, the mixed-media piece is scrawled with words depicting narratives Liu, 46, imagined from that morning and its aftermath. It is a 360-degree work meant to be viewed front and back. For Liu, the piece evolved her own understanding of the reality that "everybody has a certain belief, and it's not something they can change, and that's what that piece is about. There are a lot of memorials in the back, as well. It's about forgiveness."

Flag

Liu created Flag after attending a 1992 Pro Choice march in Washington, D.C. "For me, as a witness being there [this piece] is a memory," she says. When a friend suggested she exhibit her art, including Flag, Liu's first instinct was to think, "Oh, that's such an uncomfortable thought to take something that's so intimate and put it out there."

Ultimately, Liu says, "I'm glad I did because it's important to share your work. You can't just hold it for yourself."

Sorry, Not Sorry

Liu says her silkscreen works "are very relationship-oriented, not just love relationships … all of it, so there was a lot of tongue-in-cheek in terms of the titling. It's very simple: You're sorry, but you're not sorry because it happened, and something else came of it. One thing happens, and it opens the door to another thing."

The thread continues in another piece called Slam the Door, drawn from the spontaneous interactions she's seen on the streets of New York: "You see things sort of unraveling," she says, "and it's kind of unbelievable to see these things unfold right in front of your eyes."

Elementary

While Liu's own door is opening as an artist, the life of her character Joan Watson is currently unraveling. Still reeling from the death of her boyfriend Andrew (Homeland's Raza Jaffrey), Watson will encounter family drama on Thursday's episode of the CBS procedural.

Having moved back into the brownstone with her partner in crimesolving Sherlock Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller), Watson is about to embark on an "unhealthy" stretch: "What makes Joan special is that she's not Sherlock. That she starts to become more and more like him is not going to be a good balance for both of them."

Liu says, "Watson finding her balance again is going to be a journey for her until the finale – and probably in the next season, too."

That said, even though Liu admits her character "has to pull herself together a little bit ... the not pulling herself together is going to be interesting, too."

Elementary airs Thursdays (10 p.m. ET) on CBS, and Liu's work is available to view on lucyliu.net.

'No escaping' Broadway for Josh Groban

Due April 28, Stages includes guest appearances by Audra McDonald, Kelly Clarkson and Chris Botti — and three songs by Stephen Sondheim: Finishing The Hat and, in a medley, Children Will Listen and Not While I'm Around. The last song, as fans of Sondheim and Groban know, is from Sweeney Todd — a title that inspired the 34-year-old singer to name his 9-and-a-half-year-old Wheaten terrier Sweeney.

"He's a grumpy old man now," Groban jokes of the dog — though not nearly as grumpy as his bloodthirsty namesake. "He still loves to play, which is so great. ... We're always together."

Stages also features tunes from Carousel, Finian's Rainbow, Les Miserables, A Chorus Line and The Phantom of the Opera — begging the question, could a Broadway production be in Groban's future?

"It's an obvious thing to me," Groban admits, "and to the Broadway community, who's been so open-armed about it. It's been a timing issue." But he adds, "There's no escaping it now. It's about finding the right thing."

While waiting, Groban's fans can look forward to live shows this fall.

We Hear...

Calista Flockhart Visits Husband Harrison Ford in Hospital

The Star Wars actor, 72, suffered a bad laceration to his face in the crash and was transported to a local hospital, where his loved ones, including wife Calista Flockhart and Ford's son Ben and daughter Georgia rushed to his side.

Flockhart, 50 – who was at the hospital with Ford till late on Thursday night – was photographed driving on Friday, looking tired and clutching a tissue. She later returned to her husband's bedside.

On Thursday, "Calista arrived at the ER shortly after Harrison," a source tells PEOPLE. "She looked concerned and stayed with Harrison until late last night. This morning, she drove [their son] Liam to school and then straight to the hospital. She is still at the hospital now."

The pair tied the knot in 2010 after more than eight years together.

"They are a super loving, normal, down-to-earth family," a source tells PEOPLE. "Flying is something they've shared. This whole thing must be terrifying."

Ben Ford, Tweeted an update from the hospital Thursday night, explaining that his dad was "battered, but ok!"

"He is every bit the man you would think he is. He is an incredibly strong man," he added, but admitted to a friend on Twitter that the incident had been "#veryscary."

Jane Krakowski's New (Yet Familiar) Frontier With Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

"I absolutely love their writing and they're great people. We had such amazing times working together on 30 Rock," Krakowski told E! News in a phone interview. "I felt very honored that they would want me to come be part of their new show. I said yes before knowing anything about the character."

It took seeing only about five minutes of footage from the pilot for Krakowski to sign on. And once she said and received more scripts, she was "just so excited for what they had written for me and nervous that they thought I could pull this off, that they gave me this part to do."

"I thought it was such a rich, funny character," she said. "I still, every day, hope to be able to pull off their humor with what they are hoping to get out of it."

The character is not just Jenna Maroney with a new name. Jacqueline Voorhees' history is a surprising one; viewers will see that in episode three. But Krakowski was almost never part of the series starring Ellie Kemper as Kimmy Schmidt, a survivor of an apocalypse cult.

When 30 Rock ended, Krakowski said it was similar to the feelings she had after Ally McBeal wrapped. "After you have finished shows like Ally McBeal and 30 Rock, you just hope to work with/continue to work with great writers/creators," she said. "And I was lucky to be asked back by great writers/creators with Tina and Robert."

However, before boarding Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Krakowski was attached to Dead Boss, a Fox pilot also starring Amy Sedaris and Rachel Dratch. She said the part was a departure and she was looking forward to growing comedically with the cast. She didn't get the chance to.

"The day it didn't get picked up, Tina wrote me within like a half an hour asking me to come over [to Kimmy Schmidt], so it was a yin and yang of a day…I couldn't be happier with where I've landed. The Netflix people have been so great to us. It's going to be a new experience in that I've never been a part of something the way they air things with streaming. There's a great joke in Kimmy. Xan, my stepdaughter, says ‘I Googled you,' to Kimmy and she goes, 'Really? I didn't feel it,'" Krakowski said with a laugh. "That's what I feel like about streaming on Netflix. Like, 'You're streaming!' 'Really? I didn't feel it. What is it going to feel like? [Laughs.] I'm not sure what that means,' but I'm happy to be with the cool kids."

Fans of 30 Rock and Krakowski's character, Jenna Maroney, should take note there is a stark difference between the two. For one, Fey advised Krakowski that Jenna was a terrible person.

"I have to say, I never approached playing Jenna as if she were a horrible person. [Laughs.] I mean, if you look back at her actions, she's not a good person, I understand the reality of that, but I think—I don't know, I just love Jenna. All of her horribleness and horridness is what was so fun about her, obviously," she said. "But I never approached her as if she was a horrible person, I think everyone has a reason for what they do, it's just how you approach it. But I did, from minute one on Kimmy, appreciate how much more vulnerable Jacqueline was. Vulnerable is not a word I would put to Jenna…Where I think with Jacqueline it's so innately built into her. As you see the episodes go, you see one of themes of the show—that I very much like—is we are all in our own bunker, so to speak. Jacqueline has created her own gilded cage that she completely changed her life to get into. For someone to work that hard to get into the world they thought they were in and still not be happy, is a complex and sad character to play at its ultimate core, even though it's told so humorously."

Carlock said the seven years on 30 Rock with Krakowski were a lot of fun and the character seemed tailor made for her.

"We couldn't wait to find a way to work with Jane again, and it was like well what can we do that's different? This is a woman who, unlike Jenna Maroney from 30 Rock who scraped and clawed her way into show business, this woman probably hasn't worked very hard in a long time except at maintaining herself," Fey told E! News in January.

"And also unlike Jenna Maroney, I think this is a woman who, at her core, is a good person, and Kimmy will help bring that out," Carlock said.

Still, because the show hails from Fey and Carlock there is certainly a 30 Rock vibe, especially with the dialogue and jokes. And maybe with guest stars. Fey has been open about having a spot for Tracy Morgan when he's ready, something Krakowski would of course welcome.

"Oh my God, it would be awesome to have him. I know Tina has also mentioned that it might implode the entire show because I'm already established as a different character to have other characters come in. I think they wanted to have Jack McBrayer do something in the background at one point, dressed as Kenneth the Page. Although a genius idea, it might implode the entire story," she said, laughing. "But to be reunited with Tracy again, in any way, shape or form, would bring me the greatest joy. I love that guy. I've never had more fun or someone make me laugh more than Tracy."

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt season one is now streaming on Netflix. A second season has already been ordered.

A.J. Jacobs Interviews His (Very Distant) Cousin Jane Krakowski

Each month until then, Jacobs will be interviewing one of his famous "cousins" for PEOPLE. This month: Trop50 spokesperson Jane Krakowsi, who stars in the upcoming Netflix sitcom Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.

You are my aunt's seventh cousin's wife's husband's eighth cousin twice removed.

So we can still marry!

We'll see how this phone call goes. I don't want to rush things.

That's wise.

You have deep Polish roots. Tell me about those.

My great-grandparents came from Poland. Interestingly enough they were named Adam and Eve. But I do not believe they are the original.

And where did they settle when they came to America?

Both my mom and dad's families moved to the great city of Brooklyn. I love the story of how my parents met, because it seems very 1950s Brooklyn. They met on a brownstone stoop as my father was singing a little doo-wop.

How romantic.

Yes, I've got some good New York roots in me. That I try to get bleached out every month.

Your last name means [from Krakow], the Polish city.

Yes. I visited Krakow about 10 years ago, and when you're named Krakowski, you are very welcomed. I loved every minute of it. They had Ally McBeal on Polish TV. People offered to drive us out to our family's farm.

So your ancestors were farmers. Did you inherit a green thumb?

I have trouble keeping plants alive. Even plastic ones.

Do you speak Polish?

Very little. Whenever my grandparents didn't want us to understand, they would speak in Polish. So I learned things you would never repeat.

Taye Diggs: Why 'Let It Go' Has Become My Mantra in Life

“We were friends to start out with, but especially when you have a kid in the mix, there’s no time for any negativity,” the Murder in the First actor, 44, tells PEOPLE.

“He’s our main objective, he’s what’s most important for us, so we’re still there as a family.”

Recently, being there for each other has meant that the father-son duo have supported Menzel’s incredible success with the phenomenon “Let It Go,” the hit song from Disney’s Frozen.

“Watching Walker watch her [sing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl] and seeing the pride in his face is cool,” Diggs shares of the couple’s 5-year-old son. “He was at some playdate with a bunch of kids and the song came on. The kids said, ‘Oh, my mother is always singing this song,’ and he said, ‘No, my mother really sings this song!”

And although the unforgettable tune is a favorite among the kiddie crowd, Diggs — who finalized his divorce from Menzel in December — admits the track has played a big role in his life, too. “I use it more of a mantra these days,” he explains.

“Last year was a tough year for many reasons and I think all of us could use that lesson to release and keep moving on and not hold on to stuff.”

Bon Jovi backs restaurant in Sandy-ravaged N.J.

Through his Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, he is providing financial backing to Spoon Full of Hope. The church project began serving meals in January in a firehouse in Union Beach, New Jersey, near his childhood home of Sayreville.

It lost its funding last summer.

Patrons can either pay a minimum donation or volunteer an hour of time to earn a dining certificate for the volunteer and four family members.

It’s similar to the JBJ Soul Kitchen, a community restaurant Bon Jovi founded in Red Bank, New Jersey, in 2011.

Bon Jovi says the project gives hope to people still rebuilding their lives.

Calista Flockhart Joins 'Supergirl' Pilot

Based on the characters from DC Comics, Supergirl, from Warner Bros. TV, studio-based Berlanti Prods. and writers/executive producers Berlanti and Ali Adler, centers on Kara Zor-El (Benoist). Since arriving on Earth, the Krypton-born Kara has been hiding the powers she shares with her famous cousin, Superman. But now at age 24, she decides to embrace her superhuman abilities and be the hero she was always meant to be. Kara works as as assistant to Grant, a self-made media magnate and founder of CatCo who started her career as a reporter and has built her company into a global powerhouse.

Flockhart, repped by Gersh, Industry Entertainment and Jackoway Tyerman, has largely stayed away from acting since the end of ABC’s Brothers & Sisters, passing on a number of pilots. The involvement in Supergirl of Berlanti, with whom Flockhart worked on Brothers & Sisters, played a part in her decision to return to series television. She will next be seen in the second installment of DirecTV’s anthology drama Full Circle.

Calista Flockhart and Harrison Ford Show Off PDA for the Lakers Kiss Cam

Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart couldn't be bothered with Hollywood's biggest event of the year and opted to have a (fairly) low-key date night with just the two of them.

Well, the two of them and an entire crowd of sports fans, but you get the drift.

The longtime couple attended the Los Angeles Lakers basketball game at Staples Center just a few miles away from where Tinsletown's finest was indulging in the Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

While Ford and Flockhart are notoriously private about their personal lives, they were put right on the spot when the kiss cam caught them on the big screen.

The two looked at each other, laughed, and shared a smooch for all to see midway through the game.

Now that's one romantic way to start the week if you ask us!

Idina Menzel And Taye Diggs -- We're So Rich, Divorce is Easy

The settlement makes it clear ... each has accrued earnings and earning capacity that makes spousal support irrelevant. You don't see that much in divorces.

Their parting of the ways seems completely amicable ... they agreed to share custody of their 5-year-old son, Walker.

Not amicable enough for you? They're also splitting all parenting costs right down the middle, so no child support either.

As previously reported, the couple has lived apart since 2013 but recently decided to pull the plug and end their 10 year marriage.

Kinda makes you want to get a divorce ... kinda.

Jami Gertz To Co-Star In ABC's NBA Comedy Pilot

Fogelman, Kaplan, Mandalay Sports Media’s Peter Guber & Mike Tollin executive produce the project, which is being done with the cooperation of the NBA and the Golden State Warriors, co-owned by Guber.

The Secret to Jon Bon Jovi's 25-Year Marriage

What's his secret? It's simple.

"I got it right the first time," Bon Jovi told PEOPLE at Common Thread: An Acoustic Collection Music Series, an event he is curating with designer Kenneth Cole in New York City.

Sounds so simple, right? Just pick the right person the first time, don't settle for someone else. But then, why do so many people get it wrong? Well, not everyone is as lucky as Bon Jovi, who married his high school sweetheart, Dorothea.

"She's the best, I just adore her," he said.

His marriage obviously isn't the only success in his life. Bon Jovi's band is still one of the biggest touring bands in the world, which was proven by the screaming fans outside the Kenneth Cole store in Soho and the audience singing along to his acoustic rendition of "Livin' on a Prayer" at the event.

Fans will be happy to know he has another album in the works.

"I was in the studio all day working on the new record. I walked here from the studio," the musician told PEOPLE. Where is he getting inspiration for his 18th album? From the news.

"I just read the paper, it gives you an opportunity to write something ... It's early but I'm about a dozen songs in. I feel good."

As for Thursday night's event, Bon Jovi and Kenneth Cole have known each other for a decade and decided to curate this series over dinner one night.

"Around Christmas time, as a matter of fact, we were out to dinner with our wives reminiscing about the year gone by and we were talking about the frustrations both in the design world and the music world ... And we were talking about what a joy that is when you see that next generation come through," Bon Jovi expressed. "So he said, 'For Fashion Week wouldn't it be neat if we did something like this?' And he was promoting the next generation's designers and I could throw a bone to some good songwriters, and I know plenty of them. So we said, this is a great concept. And I'm here, and it's Fashion Week and it gave us an excuse to go to dinner again ... it's giving back to the next generation, all at the same time."

He did just that Thursday, opening up the stage to up-and-coming artists Rodney Atkins, Rose Falcon and Cole Redding.

This isn't the only time the duo has teamed up to give back. Bon Jovi's Soul Foundation teamed up with Kenneth Cole's wife, Maria, and HELP USA to build a 50-unit apartment building in Newark, New Jersey, together.

"Across the country my foundation has built 450 houses and the kitchen is doing great," he said, referring to Soul Kitchen, his pay-what-you-can charity restaurant in New Jersey.

"It's so rewarding emotionally. I try to explain to people, take part in what we do because you'll leave there feeling so good about it."

Robert Duvall Grilled By Robert Downey Jr

Wladimir Klitschko -- Childbirth Is Tougher Than Any Fighter ... 'Hayden Is a Hero'

Wlad says Hayden's pain tolerance must be through the roof in order for her to have pushed out their giant baby 2 months ago ... saying he now believes women are WAY tougher than any boxer.

"Every woman is a hero."

Hayden might be more of a hero than most ... considering their daughter Kaya was 7 lbs., 14 oz. and damn near 2 feet tall. Hayden's only 5 feet tall.

#Salute

Wladimir Klitschko Jokes That He's Like Kaya's "Mother and Father," Calls Hayden Panettiere "Amazing"

The heavyweight-boxing champion has been busy training for his Apr. 25 fight against Bryant Jennings at New York City's Madison Square Garden, but he's also been busy caring for his 3-month-old daughter, Kaya. "I cut nails, change diapers, do the bath with her," Klitschko, 38, told The New York Post's Page Six Thursday. The Ukrainian pugilist joked that he's "pretty much playing mother and father at same time."

Parenting jokes aside, Klitschko also made sure to praise his fiancée, Golden Globe-nominated actress Hayden Panettiere. "I'm so happy to have Hayden in my life. She's the best mom I could even imagine," the 6-foot-6 athlete told Us Weekly during a press conference Wednesday. "She's a true, amazing mom."

And how is Kaya?

"She can communicate with her eyes and smile," Klitschko shared. "Even if you're tired and haven't slept enough, when you look at your child's eyes, [it's like], 'For you, little angel, I'm going to do everything! Literally everything.' I don't know what appreciation she's expressing but it's something like, 'Thank you for being here in my life, Dad, and being around.' It's something that gives you a boost of energy."

Panettiere is more than a supportive co-parent—she's also a supportive fan of her man.

"She understands boxing and sometimes we watch the fights and she's giving her opinion about how the guy fights. With her analytics, she's very, very good and she understands. She knows I'm still in good shape and that I can do it," he told USA Today. For now, at least. When Klitschko was asked if he's getting ready to retire, the boxer laughed and told the newspaper, "Shut up. I don't want to answer this question. This question makes me feel bad. I don't know how much longer I want to do it. I do it from fight to fight, and I've been doing it for a couple of years like that and I will keep doing it. My answer is probably as long as I have motivation and health. If one of those two is missing, then time has beat me."

After his Apr. 25 boxing match, will Klitschko finally marry Panettiere?

"Now is for now. When people get married there are different things they promise to each other, and I understand the promising part, but I think [having] children is something that connects you until the end of your days no matter what," he told Us Weekly. "And I think that, Kaya, our daughter, has connected us forever. And that's the most amazing thing. Everything else is coming, it's something that needs to be planned…but as I said, the connection with the child is better than any marriage!"

Stars' Real Names Revealed!

Birthday Girl Ellen DeGeneres Shares Makeup-Free Selfie With Portia de Rossi Before Star-Studded Celebration

Before celebrating her birthday with Vice President Joe Biden Monday afternoon, the talk-show host spent some quality time with her leading lady by the California coast.

Before the sun disappeared behind the clouds, DeGeneres and Portia De Rossi captured a makeup-free selfie that easily melted our hearts.

"My last sunset of 56 with my favorite person," she wrote on Twitter while the twosome posed for the camera. So sweet!

So what exactly went down on DeGeneres' actual birthday? To be honest, we don't know where to begin.

In addition to chatting with the Vice President, the former American Idol judge received a special performance from Keith Urban. And in true Ellen show fashion, the talk-show host had to pay it forward by giving away two brand-new Mercedes-Benz vehicles to some surprised fans.

"I'm celebrating all week long. I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner," she tweeted. "Next year, I'm gonna do a whole month."

We won't argue with that. Happy Birthday, Ellen! Here's to another year of love and laughs!

David E. Kelley Writing Stephen King's 'Mr. Mercedes' As Limited Series For Sonar

Mr. Mercedes, which King describes as his first hard-boiled detective tale, was published by Scribner in June. The story focuses on a psychopathic killer who commits mass murder by driving his Mercedes into a crowd and the recently retired cop who makes it his mission to bring him down. Mr. Mercedes is the first of a projected trilogy. The second novel, Finders Keepers, will be published by Scribner in May of this year.

“This is an amazing opportunity to adapt a script from material penned by one of the world’s most acclaimed and accomplished authors,” said Kelley. “Mr. Mercedes is a great story that will translate beautifully to the screen if I don’t mess it up.”

King is repped by Paradigm. Kelley is repped by CAA. Bender is with UTA.

Chris Hemsworth Grabs Robert Downey Jr. by the Throat in New Avengers: Age of Ultron Trailer

Christina Ricci Is All Smiles at Post-Baby Appearance at Lizzie Borden Chronicles TCA Event

On Friday, at a Television Critics Association 2015 Winter Press Tour event promoting the Lifetime Television series The Lizzie Borden Chronicles, the actress showcased a big smile and a chic look, a black outfit with white floral designs down the sleeves. Ricci reprises her role as a 19th century former murder suspect, which she played in a 2014 TV movie.

The 34-year-old The Addams Family movies alum has largely stayed out of the public eye since the weeks before she and husband James Heerdegen, 32, welcomed a baby boy, their first child together, in August. She has since then, however, occasionally posted hilarious tweets.

Her hubby, a dolly grip who recently worked on the 2014 film Birdman, met on the set of the ABC show Pan Am. She played a flight attendant on the '60s-themed drama series, which aired for one season and ended in 2012. A year later, she and Heerdegen tied the knot in New York.

The Lizzie Borden Chronicles series was filmed this past October. Ricci first played Borden, a wealthy Massachusetts woman who was acquitted of the murders of her father and stepmother, in the TV movie Lizzie Borden Took An Ax, which aired on Lifetime in January 2014 and is based on a true story. The new, eight-part series premieres in April and is not as historically accurate. Clea DuVall also reprises her role as Borden's sister, Emma.

The miniseries focuses on her life after the trial, during which several people close to her, including her half-brother William, played by Hatfields & McCoys' Andrew Howard, and her business associate and underworld kingpin Mr. Flowers, played by Breaking Bad and new prequel Better Call Saul's Jonathan Banks, are found dead, mysteriously, Lifetime said in a statement.

Lizzie Borden's Christina Ricci Talks 'Satisfying,' Expanded Round 2

Following the success of last year’s TV movie Lizzie Borden Took an Ax, the cable network will debut its limited series The Lizzie Borden Chronicles in April — now with two additional episodes, the network announced Friday at the Television Critics Association winter press tour in Pasadena.

Christina Ricci once again will star as Borden, the real-life woman who was tried (and acquitted) in 1892 of murdering her father and stepmother.

“It’s a fictionalized version of what happens after the trial, as she continues to misbehave,” Ricci said of the eight-hour series. “This is an imagining of what could have happened.”

So, how did Ricci prepare to inhabit such a dark role once more? Easy: It was fun.

“I never expected to play her again, but she’s really fun in this interpretation,” Ricci said. “This version of her is actually a lot more satisfying. She has a sense of self-awareness. But at the same time, we do deal with the complexities and emotions behind what created this monster.”

Will viewers find themselves rooting for Borden, much like Dexter and Breaking Bad viewers cheered for those antiheroes? Maybe, says director Stephen Kay.

“There’s an element where you don’t understand why you’re rooting for her, but you are,” Kay said. “But in the same breath, you’re going, ‘Someone freaking stop her.””

'The Lizzie Borden Chronicles' Gets Order For 2 More Episodes From Lifetime

The Lizzie Borden Chronicles is produced by Sony Pictures Television and executive produced by Judith Verno (Lizzie Borden Took An Ax) and Ricci. Lizzie Borden Took An Ax averaged 4.4 million Total Viewers in its January 25 world premiere.

Ellen DeGeneres Secretly Films Portia de Rossi Doing a Jane Fonda Workout - and de Rossi Retaliates!

The talk show host and comedian, 56, caught wife Portia de Rossi, 41, on camera following along to a Jane Fonda workout tape — and she couldn’t help but share de Rossi’s retro fitness moves.

“@PortiadeRossi said I could watch her do her @JaneFonda workout. She didn’t say anything about filming & tweeting it,” DeGeneres tweeted on Jan. 3, along with the 22-second snippet of de Rossi mimicking the video. (DeGeneres is, of course, laughing along in the background.)

As revenge, de Rossi posted a video to her own Twitter Monday of DeGeneres running on the treadmill and singing along (quite loudly) to Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk."

DeGeneres first shared a clip of de Rossi’s old-school workout with fitness guru Jane Fonda herself when she stopped by The Ellen DeGeneres Show in December.

How did the notorious prankster secretly capture her wife’s moves on tape?

“I’m sitting there, and it’s Saturday afternoon, and Portia’s sitting doing a jigsaw puzzle, and I said, ‘I’m going to pop [the Jane Fonda workout video] in,'” DeGeneres said during the interview.

"I want to see this because I want to be able to talk about it,” continued DeGeneres of the classic videos that are being re-released on DVD and digital download on Jan. 6. “So she got up from the jigsaw puzzle she was doing, and I took the phone out, and started recording her.”

Hayden Panettiere and Newborn Daughter Snapped by Proud Dad Wladimir Klitschko

The boxing champ posted the above pic of Panettiere and their newborn daughter, Kaya Evdokia, on Sunday, hashtagging the post "#newyear" and "#family." (It's the first IG of the new kid!)

Panettiere told PEOPLE that Klitschko "has always wanted to be a dad," so it's great to see him accepting the early responsibilities of taking a lot of pictures of his fiancée and daughter.

"I think at some point he might have started thinking he wasn't ever going to be [a father]," Panettiere said. "And then he was. He is just so over the moon."

Sightings

Taye Diggs & Idina Menzel -- Finally Let It Go for Real ... Secretly Divorced

Diggs and Menzel announced their split in December 2013, but according to court docs obtained by TMZ ... there was no further action until November, when Taye filed the divorce petition in New York.

Looks like they hammered out all their issues -- child custody and divvying up assets -- during the delay ... because the divorce was quickly finalized on December 3.

Diggs and Menzel were married for 10 years and have a five-year-old son named Walker.

A source connected to the couple says the break-up has been as amicable as these things can be ... and they've both remained committed to raising their son together and peacefully.

Hayden Panettiere and Adriana Lima talk babies over dinner

We’re told the “Nashville” actress and the Brazilian model, who has two children with her estranged NBA star husband Marko Jaricc, dined at Japanese eatery Makoto at the Bal Harbour Shops, and were overheard talking about pregnancy and motherhood.

Panettiere, 25, welcomed her first child, daughter Kaya Evdokia, on Dec. 9 with her fiancé, 38-year-old boxing champ Wladimir Klitschko.

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi Slam Baby Rumors, Assure Fans They're Not Keeping a "Secret"

That's the question many fans of Ellen DeGeneres and Portia De Rossi are asking after a certain tabloid reported the couple was expecting a new family member.

As soon as family and friends started asking the twosome directly, the talk-show host and her wife decided to tackle the rumors head-on.

"It's so fun for everybody," Portia explained on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. "There's this magazine…Did you see it says, ‘They are finally starting to have one.' Like are people really that mad at us?"

Mad? Absolutely not! But curious, well we can certainly admit that.

As it turns out, the twosome are not expecting or having a baby anytime soon. "No, we're not," Portia proclaimed. "That's good for me to know now," Ellen joked afterwards.

So what finally compelled the two to speak out? Ultimately, all the attention made those closest to the pair question their family plans.

"I will say my brother called me and said ‘I heard I'm going to be an uncle,' but there was a tiny little question in the word uncle," Portia shared. "He didn't know, but he's not going to read it on a tabloid magazine."

Ellen shared a similar story when one of her closest co-workers confronted her about the rumors.

"My assistant asked if I was keeping something secret from him because it's so prevalent that everyone assumes we really are having a baby and we're just not sharing it," she shared.

In the meantime, just follow the talk-show host's advice: Get up and have a little fun today…and maybe not believe all the tabloids.

Ally McBeal Singer Launches Kickstarter Campaign for New Album

It's been more than 10 years since the cult '90s hit ended its five-season run, and now the creative force behind the catchy opening tune "Searchin' My Soul" – Vonda Shepard – is ready to get back in the spotlight.

Shepard – who also appeared as the bar singer in the series – has continued to produce music and recently turned to Kickstarter to help fund her latest work.

"After a long time of just hanging back, and still playing shows, and recording and writing, I decided to just dive in and try [Kickstarter]," Shepard tells PEOPLE. "So far, it's going really well."

Shepard says that one of the Ally McBeal stars has already contributed to her campaign – which runs until Jan. 15 and has a goal of $35,000 – although she won't reveal which one.

"A couple of people have just been so, so supportive … I'm still friendly with a few of the people in the cast," she says.

As for life after the series, "I just kept making records, touring in Europe a lot and then I had a baby in 2006, so my life has been very, very much family-orientated. But I can't really stop doing the music because it really feeds me," Shepard says.

"The two together are a really great combo: the family life and then being able to go play some shows and write."

Hayden Panettiere's Baby Album

You'll Never Guess What's at the Top of Robert Downey Jr.'s Christmas Tree

The Iron Man star debuted his holiday arbor on Facebook Wednesday morning, captioning the pic, "Gearing up for a very Downey Christmas..." But if you take a look at the top of the tree, it's not an angel—it's a gnome! Not only is it a golden gnome, it's an imaginary figure that's flipping the bird.

Nothing says "Merry Christmas" like getting the finger LOL!

The statue behind the tree also piques our interest. Is it a wooden Oscar? It's tough to tell!

RDJ isn't the only celeb who posted his pine. Other stars have been showing off their Christmas trees as of late, with Rihanna posting a picture of her interesting choice. No, it wasn't your average Frasier Fur...it was a multi-tiered, black pyramid! She is known for pushing the limits in her personal style, and apparently that doesn't end when it comes to her holiday decorations!

Beyoncé also posted an adorable photo of daughter Blue Ivy standing in front of the Carter family's massive tree. Although you can only see her silhouette, the little tot looks seriously pint-size next to the gorgeously decorated pine!

Meet Hayden Panettiere's Daughter Kaya Evodokia

“Wlad’s mom was desperate to take the baby for a night,” the Nashville star, 25, tells PEOPLE. “She looks like she didn’t get much sleep, but I feel well-rested!”

Adjusting to life as a parent has been “such a surreal experience and so out of body,” for Panettiere and her heavyweight professional boxer beau, 38. “You’re suddenly looking at this little thing like, ‘Oh, that was you in my belly this whole time,'” she says. “[We’re] just getting to know her.”

Recovering from the labor and delivery has also been a bit of a challenge.

“I’m limping around. I’m still trying to figure out what [pregnancy] has done to my body, how it’s changed it. What’s temporary and what’s permanent,” Panettiere tells PEOPLE, laughing. “I feel like an 80-year-old woman trying to go down the stairs, you know, please tell me this is temporary. But I know some things will never be the same again.”

So far, little Kaya has been an easy baby despite a few restless nights and what Panettiere describes as an “insatiable appetite.”

“She’s really so sweet,” the actress says. “I’m sure that’s the way it’s meant to be, because when they are putting you through the ringer you’re like, ‘You are so lucky you’re cute!'”

For more photos of the family, pick up the Jan. 12 issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Jan. 3.

Hayden Panettiere Gushes About Her "Sweet" Baby Girl, Calls Motherhood a "Surreal Experience"

Just two days before Christmas, the Nashville star and fiancé Wladimir Klitschko are opening up about life with their newborn daughter, Kaya Evdokia. Turns out she is everything they hoped for and more.

"She's really so sweet," the new mom gushed to People. "I'm sure that's the way it's meant to be, because when they are putting you through the ringer you're like, ‘You are so lucky you're cute!'"

And although Kaya is only two weeks old, the baby already has plenty of hair on her head and resembles both mom and dad.

While giving birth was a healthy and smooth process, Panettiere admits that recovering has been a bit of a struggle.

"I'm limping around. I'm still trying to figure out what [pregnancy] has done to my body, how it's changed it. What's temporary and what's permanent," she joked to the publication. "I feel like an eight-year-old woman trying to go down the stairs, you know, please tell me this is temporary. But I know some things will never be the same again."

Throughout the highs and lows—not to mention sleepless nights—Panettiere has had the support of her main man throughout the journey.

"He's such a resilient guy. He's so calm and patient," she recently told Hello! "I have never even heard this man raise a voice."

As the couple gears up to celebrate their very first Christmas with their newest family member, the actress still can't believe how life has changed for the better.

This has been "such a surreal experience and so out of body," she explained. "You're suddenly looking at this little thing like, ‘Oh, that was you in my belly this whole time.' [We're] just getting to know her."

Hayden Panettiere Welcomes Daughter Kaya

The Nashville star is a new mom after welcoming her first child with fiancé Wladimir Klitschko on Tuesday, Dec. 9, her rep confirms to PEOPLE exclusively.

Daughter Kaya Klitschko weighed in at 7 lbs., 14 oz., and measured 20 inches.

“We are over the moon and madly in love!” the proud new parents tell PEOPLE.

The actress, 25, stayed mum throughout much of her pregnancy, letting her growing belly speak for itself.

But while walking the red carpet at the Emmys in August, Panettiere not only showed off her bump in a glittery gown — she also confirmed the sex of her baby the way!

“I want to go shopping, I want to paint the room,” she said after letting the sex slip.

In November, the mom-to-be admitted she was ecstatic to find out she would be welcoming a daughter. “I’m thrilled that I am having a girl first because I feel like I know a lot about raising a strong woman,” she told Hello magazine.

“I feel very empowered myself and I think my daughter will, too.”

Panettiere announced her engagement to heavyweight boxing champion Klitschko in October.

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi Celebrate 10 Years Together With Makeup-Free Selfie!

On Saturday, the happy spouses tweeted a makeup-free selfie from the beach. Both Portia, 41, and Ellen, 56, were all smiles in the natural pic—clearly enjoying spending time together outdoors.

Portia tweeted another selfie Sunday. In this sweet snap, Ellen was au natural, but it looked like Portia put on a tidbit of eye makeup for the occasion. Still, both ladies looked relaxed and happy in the no-fuss pic!

Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman to Star in Big Little Lies Limited Series; David E. Kelley to Serve as Writer/Showrunner

The Oscar winners are developing a limited series based on the New York Times best-selling novel Big Little Lies, TVLine has learned.

The pair, whose respective production companies optioned the rights to Liane Moriarty’s comic tale earlier this year (with an eye toward turning it into a feature film), would star and produce.

Additionally, David E. Kelley — who’s coming off of CBS’ The Crazy Ones — is set to pen the adaptation as well as serve as showrunner.

The project will be shopped around in the coming weeks. (That noise you hear is HBO and Netflix revving their bidding-war engines).

Big Little Liars tells the story of three mothers of kindergartners whose apparently perfect lives unravel to the point of murder.

Regina King To Co-Star In FX Pilot 'Pariah'

Downey dad most proud when Robert 'turned his life around'

But he told us on Monday that his ultimate career “highlight” was “when my son turned his life around [from drug problems], that’s my highlight moment.”

Downey Sr. is being honored at the Friends of Cinefamily weekend fundraiser and retrospective in LA that will include a Q&A with Downey Jr. But it will likely be “embarrassing,” Sr. said, because they joke around so much.

“Right after ‘Iron Man,’ he was voted one of the Time Magazine 100,” the proud papa recalled. “He called me up and asked me to get in a tuxedo. So I rented a tuxedo, [but] he didn’t like the way I had the tuxedo.”

When the pair was onstage later, Sr. got his revenge.

After Downey Jr. said his father was “his mentor,” and added, “What do you have to say dad?” — “I said, ‘I’m not your father,’” Downey Sr. told us.

He added, “The most exciting part of going to LA .?.?. [is] I get to see my 2-week-old granddaughter.”

Taye Diggs Joins Topher Grace Musical Comedy 'One Shot'

Diggs will play Malcolm, a flamboyant member of the production. Diggs of course got his start originating the character of Benny in 1996's Tony-winning Rent, a role he reprised in 2005 when the musical was adapted into a film by Sony and Chris Columbus. By then he was well into a film and TV career with How Stella Got Her Groove Back, The Wood, The Best Man, and a run on Ally McBeal under his belt. He’s now coming off Private Practice, Murder in the First, The Good Wife, and last year’s hit sequel The Best Man Holiday, which has another installment in the works for 2016.

Daniel Posada and Jason Tamasco are also producing One Shot for Mexico-based Dark Factory Entertainment (100 Cries, Reversal) with Alex Garcia of AG Studio (Demian Bichir’s Refugio, Paul Schrader’s The Jesuit, Jonas Cuaron’s Forsaken). Filming is set to begin next month in Mexico City. Brillstein Entertainment Partners’ Jai Khanna packaged the film, which is being financed by Dark Factory and AG Studios. Annapurna is repping international rights and ICM Partners will co-rep North American rights with Brillstein.

Grace next appears in Truth opposite Robert Redford and Cate Blanchett, American Ultra opposite Kristen Stewart and Jesse Eisenberg, and the Jason Blum-produced Home. He’s repped by ICM Partners, Brillstein Entertainment Partners and Ziffren Brittenham.

Diggs is represented by ICM Partners, Management 360 and Franklin Weinrib.

Hayden Panettiere -- I've Got a Klitschko in My GIANT Oven

The "Nashville" star was hanging poolside in Hawaii this weekend. The proportions of the 5'0" actress seem out of whack ... we're guessing that's because her fiance Wladimir Klitschko is a beast ... 6'6" and weighing in at 243 lbs.

No word on whether she'll attempt a natural childbirth, and the reality is the kid may not be all that big ... but then again, the baby girl could be gargantuan.

Good luck Hayden!

Sighting

The Meaning Behind Robert Downey Jr.'s Baby Name

It’s pronounced Ay-Vree (think Avery without the extra vowel). There’s no special family history behind the first name, although the couple’s son Exton Elias, 2½, and Indio, his 21-year-old son from a previous marriage, also have memorable monikers.

But there’s a bit of a tale behind Avri’s middle name, Roel, which is derived from her grandparents’ names.

The first two letters of Roel are for The Judge and Ironman star’s father, Robert Downey Sr., and his wife Rosemary. They also are a shoutout to producer Susan’s mom, Rosie. The last two letters are for the actor’s mother Elsie and Susan’s father, Eliot Levin.

One thing’s for certain: The proud dad is thrilled to welcome his baby girl to the family. “Avri Roel Downey joined the party @3:22 a.m.,” he posted Wednesday on Facebook.

“She’s 7 lbs even, spans 20 inches, and is accompanied by a variety of Susan’s traits that have seemingly overwritten my ‘junk DNA.'”

Robert Downey Jr. and Wife Susan Welcome Baby Girl

The couple welcomed a daughter in Los Angeles, People reports. No further details have been released.

The producing partners are already parents to son Exton, 2. Downey, 49, also has a 21-year-old son, Indio, from his previous marriage to Deborah Falconer.

The Downeys, who met on the set of the 2003 film Gothika, married in 2005.

2015 People's Choice Awards: TV Nominees

Favorite Crime Drama TV Actress
Emily Deschanel
Lucy Liu
Mariska Hargitay
Robin Tunney
Stana Katic

Sighting

Jon Bon Jovi at John McDonald and Josh Capon’s Bowery Meat Company.

Pregnant Hayden Panettiere Reveals Her Current Weight, Says She's "So Ready to Hold My Baby Girl"

The Nashville star, who is expecting her first child with fiancé Wladimir Klitschko, has been keeping a low profile as she prepares for her newest family member.

But in a new interview with Hello! magazine, the actress is expressing plenty of enthusiasm for her upcoming arrival.

"I'm so ready to hold my baby girl—I'm going to be a very hands on mom," she told the publication. "I'm thrilled that I am having a girl first because I feel like I know a lot about raising a strong woman. I feel very empowered myself and I think my daughter will, too."

Panettiere, who recently showed off her baby bump in a revealing Halloween costume, is also going where not many celebs go. She's talking about her weight gain while expecting.

"I'm 5 feet, 2 inches and I started out at 106 pounds and guess how much I weight now? Around 145 pounds," she revealed. "And the worst part is that my feet are still size five and they're going, ‘What's going on with all this weight?' They're about to snap from underneath me with the strain."

The actress believes much of the pounds can be attributed to water weight and her past experience of being a gymnast.

"I'm still quite muscular, so if you're running around carrying 40 pounds of extra weight, you're going to build extra muscle," she explained.

No matter what size she is, Panettiere can count on both her mom and her man for much-needed support. When asked about Klitschko, the 25-year-old revealed, "He's such a resilient guy. He's so calm and patient. I have never even heard this man raise a voice."

And although fans are still eagerly waiting for that beautiful wedding, Panettiere makes it clear that we will have to wait until the baby weight comes off.

"I'll tell you one thing for sure: I am not walking down the aisle 40 pounds heavier than usual in a wedding dress with a huge pregnancy belly stitched in," she said. "Not happening."

Let's be honest, she would still look absolutely pretty.

Robert Downey, Jr. Jokes: This Pregnancy Has Been 'Extraordinarily Tough' on Me

“It’s going to be a good date night,” Downey, 49, told PEOPLE as he and his very expectant wife and film producing partner Susan, 40, arrived at the BAFTA Los Angeles Jaguar Britannia Awards in Beverly Hills on Thursday, where he was receiving the Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film. The actor was in high spirits squiring his wife down the red carper, and was looking forward to the imminent birth of their daughter (the Downeys are already parents to son Exton, 2½, and Downey is father to 21-year-old son Indio from a previous marriage).

“It’s just the uncertainty of how nowadays you have all these things where you think you have much more of an understanding of what you’re going to get,” said Downey. “And then this little soul lets herself be known to you, and it’s just like: you don’t know anything. It’s great!”

Downey decided to make his good feelings even more public during the awards ceremony, after he was presented his award on stage by his Iron Man and Chef director Jon Favreau and The Soloist costar Jamie Foxx following video tributes from colleagues including Ben Stiller, Samuel L. Jackson, Jude Law, Vera Farmiga and Robert Duvall.

In his acceptance speech Downey singled out his wife, “who is literally about to pop,” asking her to stand and show off her frame to the crowd. “How is she still so darn pretty and functional and mood-stable?” he told the crowd before joking that “the second pregnancy has been extraordinarily tough for me. Self-prescribed mandatory bed rest was of some benefit. At least my milk is finally coming in.”

“Honestly, I think Susan Downey is extremely manipulative and clairvoyant,” said actors, suggesting that the timing of the award as well as other recent career good fortunes — including recent announcements that he would return as Tony Stark for three additional Marvel superhero films beyond next year’s Avengers: Age of Ultron — were craftily maneuvered by his wife to coincide with their delivery date.

“For the safety of herself and others, I firmly believe that she rigged it for me to get this thing so I’ll be distracted by the implications just long enough for her to get through labor and deliver our baby girl,” he said. “She trusts [childbirth] will be a breeze compared to developing projects with me when I’m coffeed up, when I’m an ‘idea machine.’ Or worse yet, when I’m right because ‘I made it! I’m powerful! People like me! If this is the mafia, you know, I’m an earner.'”

“Mrs. Downey, any day now when you’re in the throes of birthing, if you need to yell at me or scratch me, scratch my face or blind me, it’s fine,” he told her. “Because, yes, I did that to you.”

Longtime friend Foxx told the crowd about how Downey’s particular sensitivity toward children who see him as the superhero they admire onscreen was very apparent when the Ray star sheepishly conveyed a request from his then-4-year-old daughter to have “Iron Man” show up at her birthday party with a day’s notice.

“He texts back, he says, “Is noon, good?” said Foxx, who still wasn’t convinced his pal would show. “All of my homies and everybody was there, and he drives up — and he has a basket of Iron Man stuff. Passed it out to my daughter, all her friends. And then he hung out. He chilled. People asked him questions. He took pictures. That’s what it’s really all about.”

On stage, Downey acknowledged the importance of being the hero kids need at times. “If you could be in my skin when a sick kid gets a set visit to Stark Tower, and he believes that you can help him walk or run or not be in a complicated surgery, or that she might survive to see another Christmas if you can put your heads together and machine something in the lab, you feel that sense of reward and service that says, you know, that you’d do this for free,” said the star.

Among Downey’s fellow honorees at the Britannia Awards were his Avengers costar Mark Ruffalo, Emma Watson, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Dame Judi Dench and filmmaker Mike Leigh, and the evening also featured a video appearance by Prince William, paying tribute to the late filmmaker Lord Richard Attenborough, who also directed Downey in Chaplin.

Hayden Panettiere Shows Off Sex Appeal and Bare Baby Bump in Revealing Halloween Costume

The 25-year-old star, who is expecting her first child with fiancé Wladimir Klitschko, took to Twitter today to show off her costume while simultaneously flaunting her growing baby bump.

Wearing a cheetah print bikini top, a tribal necklace and some seriously impressive face paint, the mama-to-be puts her baby bump on full display in the ferocious photo, which she appropriately captioned "Happy Halloween!!!!"

E! News confirmed that Hayden and her hubby-to-be are expecting in early June, and less than three months later, the blond beauty exclusively revealed to E! News at the 2014 Emmys that she's having a baby girl.

Downey, Watson, Dench honored by British Academy

But the most of attendees Thursday night were Brits — no surprise, given the party was thrown by the L.A. branch of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

Downey received the Stanley Kubrick Award for Excellence in Film, named after the legendary director of such films as “2001: A Space Odyssey.”

“(The award) means a heck of a lot to me,” said Downey. “I love British filmmakers, and they have such a great talent pool.”

Oscar-winning actress Dench was honored with Albert R. (“Cubby”) Broccoli Award for Worldwide Contribution in Entertainment, named after one of the original producers of the James Bond films.

Noted Dench, “Well, I’m rather overwhelmed by (the award), because I didn’t ever expect to have a film career at all. I never knew Cubby Broccoli, although I know, of course, (Albert’s daughter) Barbara Broccoli and (Barbara’s half-brother and Bond-series producer) Michael Wilson very well. And I’ve had 17 years of doing Bond, which has been just wonderful. So, I’m very, very proud that I shall have something that is named after Cubby.”

Dench and fellow honoree Watson posed together for photographers on the arrivals line.

Watson, named Britannia British Artist of the Year, said Dench is “just all soul and all grace and strength and beauty, and she really, for me, she’s an iconic British actor. She’s what you aspire to be.”

The 79-year-old Dench is currently on a box-office roll, with her 2012 releases “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” and “Skyfall” and her Oscar-nominated 2013 “Philomena” all boasting worldwide grosses of more than $100 million each. Dench’s next film is the sequel “The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,” hitting cinemas in February.

Dench said, “People like to say, ‘When are you retiring?’ Or ‘When are you going to slow down?’ That’s all very rude in my family. We don’t say any of that. I think if I stop, it’ll be like a car: I shall run out of petrol and fall over. So, I plan not to that, if possible.”

The BAFTA Los Angeles Jaguar Britannia Awards are set to air on BBC America 2 November.

Sightings

'Elementary's Lucy Liu To Star In Human Smuggling Drama 'Snakehead'

Liu will play a Chinese immigrant who arrives penniless to the streets of New York City’s Chinatown, until she is mentored in the business of human smuggling by the powerful bosses—called Snakeheads—who run a thriving business that preys on the hopes of wannabe immigrants who pay a high price for a piece of the American dream. Motivated by a desire to regain her daughter and reclaim her family, she rises to the top of Chinatown’s smuggling business.

“I was drawn to this story and character not only because it ties into my history as a Chinese American but also as a New Yorker,” said Liu. “After reading Evan’s script, the hidden world of human smuggling was exposed to be right here in everyone’s backyard and the reality is at the same time fascinating and grotesque. This combination undoubtedly lays a landscape for a cinematic experience not to be forgotten.”

Leong did extensive research to ground the thriller with the reality of the ordeal faced by illegal immigrants. “Being a 6th generation Chinese-American, I’ve always been curious about my past and how my ancestors emigrated to the United States,” he said. “I find the heart-wrenching choice to uproot and emigrate to a foreign land, truly compelling and brave – a life altering experience for themselves, their families and loved ones left behind. New York, and more specifically its Chinatown, is a fascinating backdrop, that is full of hope, yet fraught with danger, and in itself an important character in this story and society at large.”

To work around Liu’s Elementary series shooting schedule, shooting begins in the spring, and is the first in a slate that 408 Films is raising a fund for. Liu is repped by ICM Partners and Frameworks Entertainment.

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi: We Didn't Cancel on Pet Charity Event Over a Fight!

On Monday, reports surfaced claiming that the couple got into a huge fight on the way to a Sunday fundraising event for Saving Spot! and never showed up to the event, much to the disappointment of guests. However, a rep for the pair tells us they didn't cancel. In fact, they were never on their way to the charity bash in the first place.

"We were happy to lend our names as honorary chairs and the organization was always aware that we would be unable to attend. This is the first time we have seen our images attached to the invite. It was not approved and it is misleading," DeGeneres and de Rossi tell E! News in a statement.

Additionally, a source tells E! News that two months ago DeGeneres and de Rossi agreed to lend their name to the event but told Saving Spot! they would not be attending. They also approved to be co-chairs and approved an early draft of an invite for the event that was later changed. The morning of the event, DeGeneres' assistant again reminded the owner of Spot! pet shop they would not be attending.

While the 56-year-old talk show host and the 41-year-old actress maintain they were never making appearances at the soiree, one source says organizers were under the impression that they would be in attendance and canceled at the last minute.

Despite missing this year's fundraiser, the couple was in attendance at last year's Saving Spot! fundraiser in L.A. and event helped host the live auction.

Ellen and Portia cancel appearance after 'epic' fight

The power couple was on the way to the Saving SPOT! fund-raiser at Tiato in Santa Monica when they got into an argument and turned around without attending the event, even though they were listed and pictured on the invitation as hosts. Ellen and Portia on Monday insisted to Page Six they had informed the charity they would be unable to make it and their picture should not have been on the invitation.

A source told us: “Ellen and Portia were supposed to be at the event at 5 p.m., but at 6:30 p.m., the media was still waiting for their arrival. Reporters were told they were on their way, until the head of the charity informed everyone at the end of the event that they weren’t going to make it due to ‘logistics.'”

The source added, “Ellen and Portia were delayed and were in the car on the way, when they had an epic fight. They ended up turning around and not going to the fund-raiser.”

Saving SPOT! is a nonprofit dedicated to rescuing dogs and providing them with caring owners. Ellen and Portia attended last year’s benefit in Beverly Hills and had been happy to be listed as hosts for this year’s event, we’re told.

Ellen — a generous animal-welfare supporter — and Portia said in a statement to Page Six: “We were happy to lend our names as honorary chairs and the organization was always aware that we would be unable to attend. This is the first time we have seen our images attached to the invite. It was not approved and it is misleading.”

DeGeneres’ attorney Marty Singer said, “The story is a complete lie. My client told the organizer they never agreed nor planned to attend the event. There was no fight that caused them not to attend.” The charity didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Ellen recently slammed divorce rumors and reports of arguments on the season premiere of her talk show. “I had a great summer,” she said in September. “I went on a trip with Portia, my beautiful wife — who I am happily married to, but thank you for your heartfelt concern, tabloids.”

Lucy Liu Signs With ICM Partners

Lifetime Orders 'Lizzie Borden' Limited Series Starring Christina Ricci

Lifetime has turned successful movies into series before. It did it with The Client List, also from Sony TV, which became a regular series with the movie’s star Jennifer Love Hewitt and Cybill Shepherd reprising their roles. It ran for two seasons. Lifetime also has done two-hour movies/backdoor pilots, most recently Nicholas Sparks’ Deliverance Creek, whose series future is yet to be determined.

Lifetime is going through an overhaul of its scripted schedule with Devious Maids as the only existing series guaranteed to return next year. Witches Of East End is still in limbo, while freshman The Lottery was just cancelled. In addition to Lizzie Borden, Lifetime will introduce two new dramas in 2015, UnREAL and the straight-to-series Omen sequel Damien, and has pilot Clan Of The Cave Bear.

Lizzie Borden: The Fall River Chronicles will feature a fictionalized account of actual events and people surrounding Lizzie’s life after her controversial acquittal of the horrific double murder of her father and stepmother in 1892, when the exonerated figure lives a life awash in newfound celebrity. But when numerous people close to Lizzie – ranging from her half-brother to Broadway luminaries and the head of the criminal underworld — start to die mysteriously under brutal and strange circumstances, legendary Pinkerton detective Charlie Siringo (Cole Hauser) becomes determined to prove her involvement in their demise. John Heard will portray William Almy, the business partner of Lizzie’s murdered father Andrew, while Lizzie’s half-brother William will be played by Andrew Howard (Hatfields & McCoys).

“For more than a century, the world has been captivated by the legend of Lizzie Borden, but no one has captured her enigmatic menace as well as Christina Ricci,” said Lifetime’s Rob Sharenow. “This series will take viewers further down Lizzie Borden’s dark path, revealing what many people suspected about her mysterious life.”

Lizzie Borden: The Fall River Chronicles is executive produced by the film’s exec producer Judith Verno and Ricci. The limited series will be written by Greg Small & Rich Blaney (Jodi Arias: Dirty Little Secret), Barbara Nance (House Of Lies), Jason Grote (Mad Men) and David Simkins (Grimm). Stephen Kay (Sons Of Anarchy) will direct the first two episodes.

Lizzie Borden Took An Ax premiered in January with 4.4 million total viewers and triggered strong social media response. In 2014 YTD, it is ad-supported cable’s second-most-watched movie telecast among women, behind the Lifetime Original Movie Flowers In The Attic, which Lifetime also built into franchise with several movie sequels.

Robert Downey Jr. signs up for 'Civil War' with Captain America in new film

Variety reports that RDJ is close to inking a deal for the third "Captain America" movie, which will feature his character of Tony Stark at odds with Chris Evans' Steve Rogers over the Superhero Registration Act. The act forces superheroes to register their identities and abilities with the U.S. government, which Stark supports but Rogers does not. Rogers and other Marvel superheroes eventually go on the run to avoid being arrested for not registering.

The entire storyline stems from the "Civil War" arc from the comics, which was first published in 2006. It was one of the biggest crossover arcs in recent Marvel Comics history, though it's unclear just which Avengers will clash in the upcoming movie.

Having RDJ appear as Stark/Iron Man in "CA3" almost didn't work out, as Downey wanted a larger role in the piece than he was originally offered and was then cut from the script entirely. But Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige insisted that having Downey and Evans face off in this "Civil War" storyline would propel the entire universe forward, giving them new sequel and franchise plotlines for years to come.

Hopefully in between his busy Marvel movie schedule, RDJ can find time for a "SHIELD" cameo as well.

Joe and Anthony Russo will return to direct "Captain America 3" after helming the 2014 release "The Winter Soldier." The third installment is set for a May 6, 2016 release -- which was, incidentally, also the release date of "Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice," until that one was moved to March 25 of that year.

According to Badass Digest, the Russos are also likely candidates to direct "The Avengers 3" and "4," following in Joss Whedon's footsteps. As for Evans, he is expected to sit out "The Avengers 3."

Swoon Alert! James Marsden Sings With Lady Antebellum and It's Amazing

The actor may be known for his ability to portray a wide variety of characters on the big screen, but the blue-eyed hunk also has an impressive set of pipes—of course, anyone who watched Hairspray or even 27 Dresses (Ba-ba-ba-Benny and the Jets!) would know that.

Ryan Seacrest knew that, which is why he put Marsden, who was promoting his upcoming film Best of Me, on the spot during his morning radio show and asked the Hollywood stud to lend his vocals alongside Lady Antebellum, who were also in studio, for a fun little sing-along.

"James, I just know you have this performance bug about you that we gotta expose to the world," Seacrest said. A confused Marsden exclaimed, "What? What's happening?!"

"We're gonna do a little 'I Need You Now,'" Ryan explained, but the group instead decided on doing a little Garth Brooks. So the star, who admitted he was nervous, opted to cover "Friends in Low Places," and he killed it.

Sure, he may have been caught offguard, but being the professional performer he is, Marsden just swooped on in there once the song began and made it all his own. And even though Hillary Scott promised him, "We'll do it together," she couldn't help but stand back in awe with the rest of the studio and watch him belt the lyrics and cheered him on.

"Now I'm just pissed, because he's better than me," Charles Kelley joked.

You just gotta see it for yourself: Watch Now.

Robert Downey Jr. Confirms Sherlock Holmes 3 Is Happening

The actor participated in the ever-so-popular Reddit AMA yesterday to promote his upcoming film The Judge, and to answer a number of fans' burning questions—like are we ever going to see a Sherlock Holmes 3 or what?!

"Yes, we have a Sherlock 3 in development. We want it to be the best of the series, so that's a pretty tall order," RDJ answered, "Also, Perry Mason is a property I'm looking forward to developing further, going back to the 1931 book series…similarly to what we did with the first 2 Sherlocks, mining the original material for things that are 'new.'"

This seems to be right in line with what his co-star Jude Law hinted at late last year. "We had a meeting earlier this year, the three of us, and I think it's being written now," Law told Digital Spy in 2013 of Sherlock 3. "Warner Bros. have still got to agree to pay for it…I think they want to!"

Speaking of the crime drama, Downey couldn't help but give credit where credit is due, and praised his fellow thesp Benedict Cumberbatch, who also plays the same role for the BBC series. "Very impressed with Benedict," he wrote. "Such smart writing on that show. I have screen envy."

Because of his back-and-forth with Iron Man, RDJ was asked about the film and his recent remarks to Deadline, where he hinted that he'd consider doing another installment of the popular franchise if his pal Mel Gibson directed it. He explained, "It was an offhanded remark to a journalist and friend. I have other projects in mind for Mel and I."

He also discussed the matter in more detail with David Letterman last night. "There [are] no plans for an Iron Man 4," he revealed. Asked why not, the 49-year-old star said, "That's a valid question. Like it hasn't made enough money? Yeah, I guess they have too much money or something. There is no script for Iron Man 4. They do have a plan and I think they're going to announce it [soon]."

But when asked, yet again, if Iron Man 4 is a possibility, RDJ responded, "Just between us, no. But I'm going to do other stuff with Marvel. I'm still going to be involved with Marvel and there's going to be plenty of fun stuff to happen."

Robert Downey Jr. Now Says Iron Man 4 Isn't Happening: "I'm Going to Do Other Stuff With Marvel"

While promoting The Judge (in theaters Friday), the actor was asked numerous times if he plans to reprise his role as Iron Man in a fourth movie. On Tuesday, he confirmed that "yes," there is another installment in the works. "I know there are going to be a bunch more Marvel movies," he explained, "and they have big ideas of how to do it best and [they're] in the middle of negotiation, blah blah blah..."

After that interview with Ellen DeGeneres, however, he changed his tune.

Appearing on The Late Show Tuesday, the actor told David Letterman a slightly different story. "There [are] no plans for an Iron Man 4," he revealed. Asked why not, the 49-year-old star said, "That's a valid question. Like it hasn't made enough money? Yeah, I guess they have too much money or something. There is no script for Iron Man 4. They do have a plan and I think they're going to announce it [soon]."

Letterman didn't let up, asking Downey a second time if a fourth Iron Man movie could still be a possibility. "Just between us, no," he told the late-night host. "But, I'm going to do other stuff with Marvel. I'm still going to be involved with Marvel and there's going to be plenty of fun stuff to happen."

Perhaps Downey was merely being coy—Marvel is known for its secrecy, after all.

Robert Downey Jr. Says He's Willing to Appear on Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

The actor answered a myriad of questions, including "How is it that your facial hair is always on point" (thank Pedro at Shave of Beverly Hills) and "If you were a pizza, what kind of toppings would you have" (garlic, extra cheese, onions, spinach, pepperoni). But the biggest news to come out of the question and answer session is that Downey, who has played popular Marvel character Tony Stark since the first Iron Man film in 2008, said he would be willing to guest-star on the Marvel TV series, ABC's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

When asked by another reddit user if there was any chance he'd drop by this season, Downey said, "Nothing is impossible. But there might be a fair amount of red tape involved in something like that." He continued, "I love Clark Gregg, and am pleased the show is doing so well."

For what it's worth, it looks like the cast would love for him to stop by. Chloe Bennet, who plays S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Skye on the series, posted a screenshot of his AMA to her Instagram and captioned it, "Please please please tell me this is real life."

Downey is next set to reprise his role as Tony Stark in the upcoming Avengers sequel, which hits theaters on May 1, 2015.

What do you think? Would you like to see Downey bring his awesomeness to S.H.I.E.L.D.?

Robert Downey Jr. Surprises Military Personnel at Ohio Air Force Base During The Judge Screening

The 49-year-old Iron Man star stopped by the Wright Patterson Air Force Base on Sunday where he showcased the forthcoming David Dobkin-directed film in front of more than 900 military personnel.

RDJ posted a number of pics from his visit on his Facebook page, showing his support for our nation's armed forces. "Had a blast w the airmen and airwomen at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Such an honor. The Judge #airforceflyfightwin #heroes," the Avengers star wrote on the social media site.

During his time at the military base, the Sherlock Holmes star, who is preparing for the release of his first flick produced with wife Susan Downey, said he wanted to stop by the site in order to pay tribute to the men and women who fight for our freedom.

"For me, it's just a way of reminding myself that there are people out there who put their lives on the line so I can go out and make movies ... their sacrifice allows us to have that freedom," RDJ said (as reported by Dayton Daily News).

Downey most recently made headlines when he revealed he's open to the idea of filming an Iron Man 4 (he previously said he had no plans to reprise his role as Tony Stark in the famed franchise), but there's one tiny catch to his proposition: his pal Mel Gibson must direct the movie.

"Marvel badly wants Iron Man 4 and you've said you aren't doing it. How about the idea you'll do that movie if Mel directs it?," Downey was asked by Deadline in a Q and A.

To which the talented thesp replied, "Correct...Why not? That movie would be bananas."

Meanwhile, The Judge, in which Downey plays a lawyer who must confront his past in his rural Indiana hometown, hits theaters Friday.

'The Judge' a family affair for Robert Downey Jr.

That didn't stop the "The Avengers" leading man from landing on "The Judge" as the inaugural film from his production company Team Downey, which he formed with his wife, Susan. Other than the 2010 buddy comedy "Due Date," the legal family drama marks Downey's first movie in five years that doesn't star the 49-year-old actor as either Iron Man or Sherlock Holmes.

In the film, conceived of and directed by "Wedding Crashers" filmmaker David Dobkin, Downey plays a Chicago lawyer who returns to his small Indiana hometown to attend his mother's funeral. While there, Downey's stubborn motor-mouth becomes enmeshed in a criminal case involving his more stubborn father, the town's judge, portrayed by Robert Duvall.

"I've done lawyers before and it's like, 'Dude, really? Courtrooms? So boring,'" Downey recently acknowledged over a cup of coffee. "The idea David (Dobkin) had was that a lawyer would be able to get his father — when he's sworn in — to tell the truth. How could you not take advantage of that, with his life on the line and all the stuff that's happened between them?"

After saving the world as Tony Stark in four Marvel films, Downey said he wasn't necessarily looking to make the 180-degree turn that he does in "The Judge," out next Friday. (Besides, Iron Man will be back in next year's "Avengers" installment.) Downey and Susan, a longtime producer he first met on the set of the 2003 thriller "Gothika," were merely drawn to the story.

"I think we're a good partnership," he said. "She works really closely with the director, as do I, obviously. She's really smart, pretty and calm — for the most part. That's just a winning combination. I've seen this before with directors who have partners that produce. You just see this symbiosis between them, and you go, 'Oh, I get why they do this together.'"

Dobkin, known for goofy comedies like "Fred Claus" and "The Change-Up," always envisioned Downey in the role.

"The first week this story came to me, I started writing it, and I first thought of Robert," said Dobkin, who was initially inspired by the loss of his own mother. "When I brought (screenwriter) Nick Schenk on, I told him this was for Robert. Everyone wrote toward Robert, and then obviously Robert got involved and wrote toward Robert. The movie was always going to be him."

While the Downeys, according to Downey, bear no resemblance to the Palmers in "The Judge," life still managed to imitate art. Downey's mother died Sept. 22. ("Life on life's terms," he said of having to promote the film soon after her death.) The once out-of-control actor recalled in a Facebook tribute last week how his "ball buster" mom inspired him to quit drugs.

In a more upbeat example of "The Judge" mirroring his own life, Downey plays father to a spunky daughter in the film. Downey and his wife are expecting their second child, a daughter, next month. Their son, Exton, is 2 years old, while Downey's first son, Indio, is 21. When asked about the impending arrival of his first-ever daughter, Downey seemed undeterred.

"The closer you get to having a kid, the less daunting it becomes because you're just like, 'OK. I can't take the suspense anymore. I've got to see her,'" said Downey. "And a lot of it is just what's been going on for eons, which is you see something that is completely helpless without you, and you show up."

Robert Downey Jr. Open to Doing Iron Man 4...If Mel Gibson Directs It

Robert Downey Jr.. has openly said that there won't be an Iron Man 4, but during a recent interview with Deadline, it seems as though the Hollywood star is willing to re-think that idea and reclaim his role as Tony Stark one more time. There is one, tiny catch, though...

RDJ suggested that he's open to doing another installment of the popular franchise if his pal Mel Gibson directs it. Deadline asked, "Marvel badly wants Iron Man 4 and you've said you aren't doing it. How about the idea you'll do that movie if Mel directs it?," to which Downey responded, "Correct...Why not? That movie would be bananas."

"He has changed so much," Downey said of Gibson, who has had his fair share of troubles in the media. "Nobody should make a case for somebody who just wants forgiveness but hasn't changed, but he's a fundamentally different guy. I think it was just the very worst aspects of somebody's psyche being treated as though they were the blanket statement about a person. But honestly we are talking about a competitive business and it all comes down to this: because he is so gifted as a story teller and a director, I don't know that he requires some sort of mass forgiveness.

"He has changed, but at the same time he's still Mel. He and I are so similar in so many ways. He really, honestly is the first to admit his character defects and also is just a great, great collaborative guy. I always say too that if you want to judge a man or a woman then look at their kids. He has the healthiest, happiest, most productive kids you could ever meet or know, and I'm fortunate to be friendly with several of them. He did a lot right, and there's stuff he taught me about parenting that didn't sink in at the time but have proven to be true."

Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get this going, people!

The Secret to Robert Downey Jr.'s Happy Marriage? Cleanliness

The actor and his wife Susan have been married for nine years and are currently expecting their second child, not to mention their other baby – a production company they've launched together.

"This is one of the keys to our relationship," Downey Jr., 49, told reporters at the Los Angeles premiere of The Judge. "I am so clean you could eat off of me. I think women appreciate that."

But for Susan Downey, a relationship that transcends the barriers of home and office takes more than a good loofah – it's also about knowing when your partner needs a little "me" time.

"That's key in any relationship," she told PEOPLE while locked in an easy embrace with her husband. "Whether you're working together all of the time or not, you always have to give each other space and kind of read it."

And long ago, Susan figured out that any time before noon is when the Ironman star is less than himself.

"He's a little bit of a slower start in the morning than I am," she says with a laugh. "So I have to make sure that there's enough coffee in his system before I start throwing questions his way."

For his part, the actor knows that if a day turns sour, there is one surefire remedy for anything that may be ailing his wife.

"She dances," Downey Jr. says. "So when she gets her dance time on the dance floor with the other girls … It isn't Jazzercise, it's real dance! When Mommy is done dancing, the world is a better place."

Only if it were as simple as a healthy dose of showers, dancing and some caffeine, the world truly would be a happier place, but the actor knows from experience that success in any aspect of his life takes a bit more effort.

"There is always that thing of love and respect," Downey Jr. says, pulling Susan in a bit closer as they share a gaze. "It is work, but it's just so nice."

Then, with a combination of laughter and theatrics, he adds, "It's just so nice not to be lonely! Thank you, dear!"

Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey Reveal How They've Successfully Balanced Romance and Work

Before The Judge hits theaters, the power couple covers The Hollywood Reporter's Oct. 10 issue. In a rare joint interview, they reveal why their polarity makes them perfect partners in business and in life.

The couple met in 2003 while Susan was producing her first movie for Joel Silver. Given that she'd been working at his Silver Pictures since 1999, she knew that Gothika could be her big break. As such, she was focused on work, not romance. "We were up in Montreal prepping for Gothika, and we had lunch with the director and Halle Berry," Susan recalls of their first encounter. "Everybody else ordered Japanese, but Robert told us how oatmeal was the 'superfood.' He brought his own packets of oatmeal to have at lunch. And he had this box of various herbs and stuff. And then he started doing these yoga moves."

Susan adds, "I mean, he was interesting, but weird."

Robert's weirdness, as it turned out, won over the producer.

Within three months, Robert proposed. He wasn't yet divorced from model-singer Deborah Falconer, whom he wed in 1992 after 42 days of dating. Eventually, however, Susan agreed to marry him. She made him wait two years and insisted that her fiancé get sober, or she'd break up with him for good. "Addiction was so foreign to me," she says. "I was incredibly ignorant of the hold it had on people."

"Thank God for that," the actor says. "If she knew the depths of my depravity, we would not be sitting here." Robert, 49, and Susan, 40, got married in a Jewish ceremony in the Hamptons in August 2005.

Susan, who is pregnant with a baby girl, says she was "very focused, driven, rigid, work-oriented" before meeting Robert. "I didn't care about having a family or making a home. I didn't think about kids. It's not that I didn't want those things; I just didn't think about them. And then I had someone who came in as a tornado, this creative, beautiful ball of insane energy and passion. And it completely opened me up."

Their careers flourished, and out of necessity, they instituted a two-week rule: Never spend more than a fortnight apart. When they built their own production company, Team Downey, in 2010, however, they modified it a no-week rule. "Our feeling was, if we wanted to spend time together, have a life together, then we should just go ahead and make movies together," Susan says. Her husband, half-jokingly, adds, "Susan holds one pillar and I hold the other, and this creative arc of tension just flows between us."

They found success with the Sherlock Holmes and Iron movies, and they plan to do even more together. "Before I met Susan, I didn't even know what producers did, except yell at you when you?did something they didn't like," the actor confesses. "Now that I understand what they do, she's the only one I want."

In many ways, Robert and Susan balance each other out.

"She's still the person who always knows the most direct route from A to B," Robert marvels. "If you're trying to get through traffic from Malibu to Burbank, or wherever, she'll beat nav every time. She must have the most branched neural pathway system in history." Susan says humbly, "I like traffic patterns."

Robert has no problem mixing business with pleasure. "I see it as a part of several different therapeutic interactions that we are constantly engaged in. It's another form of co-parenting. We co-parent our children, our relationship, our business. It's all the same," he explains. "It's all part of the therapy of life."

James Marsden on His Pretty Boy Image: I Can No Longer Get By on My 19-Year-Old Good Looks

Whether playing Prince Edward in Enchanted or as Lon Hammond in The Notebook, the actor excelled at being the good-looking star.

But after turning 41 earlier this month, Marsden now realizes he can't rely on those irresistible looks that helped launched his career.

"When I was younger, I was always going to be cast as the preppy, good-looking guy at school. It was a good thing when I was 19. That helped me get work," he told Los Angeles Confidential magazine. "Now that I'm 40…I can't get by on my 19-year-old good looks."

What's an actor to do? For Marsden, he's ready to explore new opportunities on the big screen.

"It's been great to be the guy who is viewed as multipurpose, but the only thing that's absent is that defining role," he said while gracing the publication's Men's Issue. "And that's maybe something I'd want to zero in on."

Along his journey, Marsden is more than ready to admit his strengths and weaknesses. Believe it or not, he's never viewed himself as the "cool guy."

"My main struggle was I never thought of myself as the cool guy because I wasn't that guy in high school," he explained. "I see myself more as James Bond's goofy younger brother, as opposed to James Bond."

He added, "I need to find my Dude!"

Marsden has a full schedule ahead of him including a starring role in the romance The Best of Me. The Nicholas Sparks story features a pair of former high school sweethearts who reunite after spending years apart. Michelle Monaghan is expected to play his love interest.

Maybe those James Bond roles can wait a little longer.

Robert Downey Jr.'s Mother Dies: Read His Moving, Candid Tribute to Elsie Ann Downey

According to her son, Elsie Ann Downey died Monday night at the age of 80, and today the actor took to Facebook to pen a touching—and yet signaturely quirky—tribute to the woman to whom he owes so very much.

"As promotion for The Judge kicks off this weekend, I feel the need to run the risk of over sharing..." Downey's essay began as he delved into describing different stages of his mom's life, from her birth as Elsie Ann Ford near Pittsburgh in April 1934, through her short but turbulent marriage to Downy's father, filmmaker Robert Downey Sr., her unremarkable acting career and her struggle with addiction, and onto how she helped him battle his own demons when he was at his worst, how she bonded with her grandchildren and the health issues that weakened her in her final years.

"While I strived to have the kind of success that eluded her, my own addiction repeatedly forbade it," the Iron Man star wrote.

"In the summer of 2004, I was in bad shape. She called me out of the blue, and I admitted everything. I don't remember what she said, but I haven't drank or used since. Eventually, when finances allowed, we were able to move her out to LA. She had a special affinity for my firstborn son Indio, and really got a kick out of Exton. Got an iPad, pictures, videos, the whole 9....

"Her doctors basically titled her a 'Medical Incredible,' said there was little they could do, and were frankly amazed she was up and walking.... Many fond memories of her in the last few years...holidays, kid-stuff, her strutting around with a walking stick. I knew it was difficult, and understood as the visits got shorter."

Downey and wife Susan have a second child on the way, a girl due in November.

Downey wrote: "She was my role model as an actor, and as a woman who got sober and stayed that way. She was also reclusive, self-deprecating, a stoic Scotch-German rural Pennsylvanian, a ball buster, stubborn, and happy to hold a grudge. My ambition, tenacity, loyalty, 'moods,' grandiosity, occasional passive aggression, and my faith....That's all her...and I wouldn't have it any other way.

"If anyone out there has a mother, and she's not perfect, please call her and say you love her anyway..."

Read Downey's entire tribute to Elsie right here. Yes, you'll probably tear up. We're sending nothing but love RDJ's way...

As promotion for "The Judge" kicks off this weekend, I feel the need to run the risk of over sharing.....

My mom passed away early this week....I wanna say something about her life, and a generic "obit" won't suffice...

Elsie Ann Ford was born outside Pittsburgh in April of 1934, daughter of an engineer who worked on the Panama Canal, and mother who ran a jewelry shop in Huntingdon, where they settled....a bona fide "Daughter Of The American Revolution."

In the mid '50s, she dropped out of college and headed to NY, with dreams of becoming a comedienne. In '62, she met my dad, (who proposed at a Yankees/Orioles game). They married, had my sister Allyson in '63 and me in '65...

There was another "revolution" of sorts going on at that time, of underground counter-culture film and theatre...and with her as Bob Sr's muse, they jumped in wholeheartedly...

"Chafed Elbows" (a man marries his mother and goes on welfare), "Greaser's Palace" (a woman relentlessly persecuted by God who never utters a word), and "Moment To Moment" AKA "Two Tons Of Turquoise To Taos Tonight" (in which she played 17 characters) were the stand outs.

By the mid '70s, the downside of drug culture caught up with many artists. She was an alcoholic...

As the marriage suffered, she continued to work, but not for long. A recurring role on "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" ('76-'77) was her last paying job...not that she cared, she'd have done it for free.

I remember living with her and her boyfriend Jonas, (who became a second father to me) in a 2 room 5 story walk up in Manhattan after that...Bunsen burner for a stove, cockroaches, broken dreams...

By 1990, she'd had enough, went to treatment, got sober. Just in time to enjoy several decades of heart disease, bypasses, you name it....

While I strived to have the kind of success that eluded her, my own addiction repeatedly forbade it.

In the summer of 2004, I was in bad shape. She called me out of the blue, and I admitted everything. I don't remember what she said, but I haven't drank or used since.

Eventually, when finances allowed, we were able to move her out to LA. She had a special affinity for my firstborn son Indio, and really got a kick out of Exton. Got an iPad, pictures, videos, the whole 9....

Her doctors basically titled her a "Medical Incredible," said there was little they could do, and were frankly amazed she was up and walking....

Many fond memories of her in the last few years...holidays, kid-stuff, her strutting around with a walking stick. I knew it was difficult, and understood as the visits got shorter.

In March, she suffered another cardiac arrest and was put on life support.

Her wishes were to be left to die if there wasn't a reasonable chance of recovery, which for some time there was.

I returned from filming the "Avengers" sequel in June, went straight to see her.

To my amazement, she was completely lucid, interactive, mugging + pulling faces.

We couldn't speak 'cause she had a tracheal tube. I wondered if she might just beat the odds once more.

Another set of seizures answered that, and we brought her home for hospice.

She died @ 11 p.m., September 22nd, survived by her extremely loving and tolerant partner of 37 years, Jonas Kerr.

She was my role model as an actor, and as a woman who got sober and stayed that way.

She was also reclusive, self-deprecating, a stoic Scotch-German rural Pennsylvanian, a ball buster, stubborn, and happy to hold a grudge.

My ambition, tenacity, loyalty, "moods," grandiosity, occasional passive aggression, and my faith....

That's all her...and I wouldn't have it any other way.

If anyone out there has a mother, and she's not perfect, please call her and say you love her anyway...

Elsie Ann Downey. 1934-2014

Hayden Panettiere Flaunts Baby Bump (and Pregnancy Glow!) at Nashville Food and Wine Festival

The 25-year-old mama-to-be, who is expecting her first child with fiancé Wladimir Klitschko, flaunted her growing belly at the Music City Food + Wine Festival Harvest Night on Saturday night in Nashville.

Panettiere looked positively radiant as she posed for pics with Kings of Leons rockers Jared and Caleb Followill, Garrett Hedlund and her Nashville co-star Clare Bowen. The blond beauty, who sported minimal makeup and wore her hair back to show off her glowing complexion, also rocked a pair of navy stretch pants and a flowy tank that just barely kept her baby bump concealed. At one point, she was also seen spending time with country music star and fellow mama-to-be Holly Williams, beaming from ear to ear as the two put their bellies on full display (perhaps they were swapping pregnancy secrets?).

The Nashville cutie was most recently seen arriving at LAX airport just over one week ago where she showed off her best accessory—her growing baby bump—as she strolled through the terminal.

And just three weeks prior, the erstwhile Heroes star exclusively revealed to E! News that she is expecting a baby girl while chatting with E!'s Giuliana Rancic at the 2014 Emmy Awards in late August.

"I want to go shopping for my girl. I want to paint the room appropriately," she gushed on the carpet after her candid gender confession.

As for baby names, the soon-to-be parents are still trying to decide what to call their daughter, as they are hoping to choose a moniker with a nod to both Hayden and Wladimir's heritage.

"We have to make sure that it is American and Ukrainian all at the same time," she dished. "That's a little rough...we're still working on it."

When it comes to pregnancy cravings, the pint-size star said that her everyday cravings have only been amplified, admitting, "[Pregnancy] probably just accentuated my craving for chicken noodle soup. I've always been a chicken noodle soup lover."

E! News confirmed in May that the Bring It On beauty and her hubby-to-be are expecting their first child. The ABC star confirmed her engagement to the boxing champ in October 2013 during an appearance on Live! With Kelly and Michael.

"She's an amazing person and I'm more than sure that she's going to be an amazing mom," Klitschko gushed to E! News of his leading lady back in July. "Her wish to become a mother and have a child [was something] she's been mentioning and telling me about a lot. You know, every dream will eventually come true and she's going to be more than an amazing mother."

Aww. Can't wait to meet the little one!

'Bones' recruits Gil Bellows for Season 10 role

The "Shawshank Redemption" star will play Mason Curtiz, a smooth, powerful, confident -- and extremely wealthy -- manager of a giant Wall Street brokerage firm. He'll be questioned by Agent Booth when one of his employees, the head of his high frequency trading fund, is murdered.

"Bones" Season 10 premieres Thursday, Sept. 25 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on FOX.

Robert Downey Jr. & Judi Dench Among BAFTA LA Britannia Awards Honorees

The Britannia Awards are BAFTA Los Angeles’ highest accolade, a celebration of achievements honoring individuals and companies that have dedicated their careers to advancing the entertainment arts. Downey Jr. will receive the Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film, while Ruffalo will receive the Britannia Humanitarian Award for his work with Water Defense. Watson will receive The Britannia Award for British Artist of the Year, Leigh will be honored with The John Schlesinger Britannia Award for Excellence in Directing and Dench will receive the 2014 Albert R. Broccoli Britannia Award for Worldwide Contribution to Entertainment.

The awards are presented annually at a gala dinner, where peers and colleagues celebrate the work and accomplishments of the year’s distinguished honorees. Proceeds support BAFTA LA’s on-going education, scholarship, community outreach and archival projects.

Robert Downey Jr & Robert Duvall In 'The Judge'

Pregnant Hayden Panettiere Spotted at LAX Airport-See Her Growing Baby Bump!

The Nashville actress was spotted arriving at LAX airport over the weekend dressed in a casual and comfy ensemble.

Panettiere donned a pair of leggings, knee-high brown boots, a silk blouse and a chic Valentino bag for her travel day.

The expectant star recently revealed to E! News at the 2014 Emmy Awards that she was getting ready to give birth to a baby girl.

"I want to go shopping for my girl. I want to paint the room appropriately," she gushed to Giuliana Rancic on the red carpet.

"I like to shop, girl!"

She also confessed that she and fiancé Wladimir Klitschko have yet to pick out a name for their little one.

"We have to make sure that it is American and Ukrainian all at the same time," she explained. "That's a little rough...we're still working on it."

The 25-year-old also shared that her pregnancy craving of choice at the awards pre-show last month is chicken noodle soup!

"I've always been a chicken noodle soup lover," she said.

'American Dad' Season 10: Jane Krakowski guest stars as registered sex offender

Krakowski's Charlotte is initially filled with all the inappropriate stereotypes of a hot sex offender; lascivious behavior, double entendres every other second, and "accidentally" letting it slip how horny she was throughout the episode.

As the episode progresses, however, it's clear that sexual activity isn't her sole aim. The boys end up landscaping the backyard, remodeling her bedroom, and taking care of a myriad of household chores.

As telegraphed, Charlotte's intentions are not what they appear, as the home improvements accomplished are not rewarded by sex at all but by the reveal that she is actually a savvy house-flipper who uses her knockout looks to get things done.

There are enough throwaway moments to make the arc funny (including a send-up of cliche poolside sexiness a la Phoebe Cates in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High") but the borderline homophobic jokes left a bad taste.

Krakowski inhabited the part perfectly without overdoing things, perhaps because her performance as Jenna Maroney on "30 Rock" was similar in style as far as the cartoonish exaggeration of existing tropes.

In the more heartwarming of the two premiere plots, Roger sells his bar to a national chain after a heart attack sidelines him and struggles with the transformation the new corporate owners force on his former dive bar. As a commentary on a falsely rewarding corporate culture, it hit all the right notes but didn't have much new to say on the subject.

Stan's only real plot line came in the second episode of the 2-part premiere, "A Boy Named Michael", with a story centering around a new La-Z-Boy and the cultured gay couple across the street. In contrast to the gay jokes in the first episode, the neighbors' adoption of a son and subsequent marital problems is less an opportunity for the show to revel in gay stereotypes and more for it to mock the type of married friends that everyone has who feel the need to throw their culture in everyone's face.

Of course, the show goes beyond that original concept and finds more racy and improper humor in their relationship that might come to mind at first. "A Boy Named Michael" is the more cohesive and entertaining of the two episodes, but it is an up and down premiere hour overall. As the show ends its time on FOX before moving to TBS for Season 11 it will be interesting to see if the quality holds steady for the rest of the year or remains in flux.

"American Dad" airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on FOX.

Robert Downey Jr. Shows Up for Son's Drug Plea

Indio clearly impressed the judge with a glowing letter from his rehab facility -- where Indio has been since his arrest 2 months ago.

Judge Keith Schwartz made a point of acknowledging Indio's famous dad by saying, "I know in life people always look up to superheroes, but I think you might have contact or an inside as to one superhero -- that's Iron Man."

Indio pled guilty to felony cocaine possession -- but the judge said the conviction will be wiped clean if Indio stays clean and sober for 18 months and finishes his program.

Indio is prohibited from being around anyone who sells, buys or uses drugs.

The courtroom scene was moving ... As Indio and his lawyer, Blair Berk, faced the judge, Robert -- who has his own history with drug addiction which he has kicked in breathtaking form -- watched attentively.

Portia de Rossi on Scandal First Look: There's a Mystery Man!

De Rossi was spotted filming in L.A. on the street with a mystery man who looks an awfully lot like Mistresses and Teen Wolf star Matthew Del Negro. Details on her role are being kept under wraps—as are most things Scandal. Last season featured Lisa Kudrow in an extended arc as a presidential candidate with whom Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) works with.

De Rossi's role was announced on Twitter by Ellen DeGeneres. Her other credits include Better Off Ted and Nip/Tuck.

Shonda Rhimes takes over Thursdays on ABC with the new seasons of Grey's Anatomy and Scandal and the new legal drama How To Get Away With Murder. Viola Davis stars in Murder, which will take the 10 p.m. slot, pushing Scandal to 9 p.m. To celebrate Shondaland Thursdays, or TGIT (Thank God it's Thursday), BuzzFeed presented a chat with the three leading ladies of Shondaland: Davis, Ellen Pompeo and Washington. During the panel, the ladies talked spoilers and sex scenes.

"It's freeing to play a character who is messy and fully human, who has big feelings and a big life," Washington said. "So the fact that my character has such a sense of passion is exciting as an actor. It's thrilling to figure that stuff out and take those kinds of risks."

Scandal, Grey's Anatomy and How to Get Away With Murder premiere Sept. 25 on ABC.

Robert Downey Jr. Speaks Out About Son Indio's Addiction 'Chasm'

The actor, 49, opens up in a new Vanity Fair cover story, telling the magazine of his much-publicized struggles before getting sober in 2002, "Job one is get out of that cave. A lot of people do get out but don't change."

The star, who has been promoting his upcoming drama, The Judge, at the Toronto International Film Festival, also addresses the hereditary nature of addiction. Indio, his 20-year-old son with ex-wife Deborah Falconer, was arrested for cocaine possession in June.

"He's his mother's son and he's my son, and he's come up the chasm much quicker than we did," Downey tells the magazine. "But that's typical in the Information Age; things get accelerated."

He adds, "Pick a dysfunction and it's a family problem."

"Robert clearly understands the struggle," a source told PEOPLE in July after Indio checked into rehab following his arrest.

Robert Downey Jr. Says There's "No Plan" for an Iron Man 4

Because? Variety recently asked Tony Stark himself about the possibility of a fourth Iron Man movie, and he shot that prospect down pretty quickly. "There isn't one in the pipe," he said. "No, there's no plan for a fourth Iron Man."

Not to worry, though. The 49-year-old actor signed with Marvel and Disney for two Avengers sequels, hitting theaters in 2015 and 2018, so there's still some Stark on the horizon.

After that, though, would Downey "let" anyone else play his iconic superhero character? "I like that the idea is that it would be up to me," he said to Variety, "like I'm casting director for Marvel."

RDJ did, however, joke about the possibility of turning his new drama The Judge, which he's currently promoting in Toronto, into more films. "Maybe it'll be trilogy, like that other series he [co-star Robert Duvall] was in," he joked. "I heard two of those were good."

Hey, now, was that some shade at The Godfather: Part III? You be the judge of that, and keep those fingers crossed that somebody makes Downey an offer he can't refuse to keep on playing Stark!

Robert Downey Jr. wants movies for Hulk and Black Widow

Speaking with USA Today, Downey says the world is ready for a Black Widow and Hulk movies. When asked about the lack of a movie dedicated to Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow, Downey jokes, "Doesn't Scarlett deserve a break?" However, he believes the female characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe help make the movies what they are. "I think that the interesting thing particularly after 'Guardians' with Zoe [Saldana], [or] even from the first 'Iron Man' where Pepper was kind of this really -- to me the 'Iron Man' franchise would never have taken off without [Gwyneth] Paltrow."

That said, it's Johansson he thinks has the best shot at her own movie. "It would be kind of more appropriate for a character that already was like a Black Widow [to lead a movie]," he says. "It just seems like whatever Scarlett does people want to go see it."

As for Hulk, after two solo movies that didn't go so well, Downey thinks it's time to give the character another shot. "I'd like to hear them talk even more seriously about a Hulk franchise, because that's been one of the toughest ones to get right," he explains. "But I'm sure that my parent company is feeling expansive and and bold after the summer they've had."

Perhaps Downey will get his wish. After all, "Ant Man" is being made into a movie so anything is possible.

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi Look Adorable During Shopping Trip Together

The 56-year-old talk show host and the 41-year-old Arrested Development actress stepped out in L.A. today for an adorable shopping trip together.

The smiley couple were spotted walking with their arms around each other during their romantic day of retail therapy. DeGeneres looks casual in blue jeans and a black T-shirt while her wife sported boots, blue jeans a tank top and a scarf. The lovebirds also wore matching sunglasses.

In addition to their PDA, DeGeneres and de Rossi flashed smiles while strolling Melrose Avenue.

DeGeneres and de Rossi celebrated their sixth wedding anniversary just last month (they wed back in August 2008). DeGeneres is clearly enjoying time off from her talk show, which premieres again next week.

She tweeted a funny promo for the Sept. 8 premiere the other day, writing, "One week and counting to premiere! Happy Labor Day."

Robert Downey Jr.'s Son Indio -- Arraignment Delayed While He Gets Drug Treatment

As TMZ first reported, Indio was arrested in West Hollywood back on June 29 after cops observed him smoking something out of a pipe while riding in the passenger seat of a car.

Indio is facing charges of felony possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.

Thursday in court, his attorney, Blair Berk, told the judge Indio is doing well in his live-in treatment facility.

He's due back in court next month.

Emmys 2014: Hayden Panettiere is having a baby girl, shows baby bump

It's the first child for Panettiere and fiance Wladimir Klitschko and will change the course of her "Nashville" character, Juliette Barnes. Producers are writing in a bundle of joy for the character, though there's no word on who the father is.

"Nashville" Season 3 premieres Wednesday, Sept. 24 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.

Robert Downey Jr. Pays Tribute to Chaplin Director Richard Attenborough: "I Wouldn't Be Who I Am" if Not for Him

And for that, the Iron Man star will always be thankful to Sir Richard Attenborough, the actor and filmmaker who directed Downey's Oscar-nominated in the biopic Chaplin about the silent-film legend. Attenborough, who won two Oscars for directing and producing Gandhi, died yesterday at 90.

"I'm so grateful I was able to visit Lord Attenborough recently, to deeply thank him for his contributions to cinema, his lasting impact on all who knew him, and his legacy of philanthropy, wit and kindness," Downey said in a statement released Monday to E! News.

"I wouldn't be who I am personally or professionally if not for Dickie, and I am equally indebted to Lady Sheila, who was and remains every bit his equal..."

Attenborough married English actress Sheila Sim, 92, in 1945 and she survives him. They had three children together.

Tina Fey's New Show, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Features Everything You Love: Ellie Kemper and Jane Krakowski and Small Dogs

The Office and Bridesmaids star Kemper plays the title role of Kimmy Schmidt, a young woman who departs a cult and goes on a press tour that includes a stop on NBC's Today. But she's not going back to Indiana. Kimmy decides to stay in New York and "reclaim her life." She's got just a backpack, sneakers, some library books and cash and is ready to take New York by storm.

30 Rock's Titus Burgess—he was D'Fwan on the popular series, appearing primarily in the Queen of Jordan episodes opposite Sherri Shepherd as Angie Jordan—plays Titus, a struggling actor who rents a room to Kimmy. Fellow 30 Rock veteran Krakowski will play Kimmy's boss, a rich Upper East Sider who hires Kimmy as a nanny. You can tell she's rich because of the small dog she's holding.

NBC showed a trailer for the new series at its Upfronts presentation in May, but has yet to release anything aside from the show description and banner image on NBC.com.

Fey created the new series along with Robert Carlock. Tristram Shapeero, pictured above with Kemper, is directing. His credits include Community, Happy Endings and Parks and Recreation.

No premiere date has been set, but we'll be setting our DVRs for sure.

OMG! Look What Portia De Rossi Surprised Ellen DeGeneres With on Their Sixth Wedding Anniversary!

Ellen DeGeneres got quite a romantic surprise over the weekend for her sixth wedding anniversary to Portia De Rossi.

The daytime talk show host shared with fans what her wife got her, oh you know, just your typical everyday skywriting!

The word "six" was written above them when DeGeneres snapped a selfie with her wife and wrote, "Look what my wife did for our wedding anniversary. Six!"

Both ladies look as happy as can be, with grins from ear to ear in the sweet picture.

The couple is clearly going strong months after reports claimed that the famous duo was headed for a split.

Earlier this year, the comedienne addressed the rumors and put an end to the speculation once and for all.

"The tabloids had a photo of Portia not wearing her wedding ring. She goes, 'I didn't wear it because when I ride horses and I'm holding the reins, it gives me a blister!'" DeGeneres told People magazine.

"The truth is, and this is corny, I fall more in love with Portia all the time. I really do. She surprises me all the time," she explained.

"It's what anyone experiences when you find that person that gets you, wants to take care of you, wants the best for you. We're really lucky because we know how rare it is."

Sightings

David E. Kelley Says "Our Hearts Are Broken" As Robin Williams' 'Crazy Ones' Family Mourns His Death

Williams’ early TV success was self-made, with a one-time guest shot as alien Mork on Happy Days that was so memorable, they had to give him his own show. Williams also made a contribution to the multi-camera format that has gone down in history. Mork And Mindy co-creator/producer Gary Marshall added a fourth camera to the then-traditional three-camera setup, which couldn’t contain Williams’ physical comedy on the ABC series. That four-camera format is now the sitcom standard.

But, no matter the number, bulky studio cameras still weren’t match for Williams’ incredible comedic energy. So it was fitting that his second half-hour series, Crazy Ones, which came three decades after Mork And Mindy, was single-camera. In it, Williams starred as an ad exec heading a Chicago agency with his daughter, played by Gellar. At a Q&A in January, Williams talked about “the pressure of (the show) being a Robin Williams Vehicle.” He said it was a “joy” working on the series with its young ensemble cast. “It’s a great group of people. And there is that whole thing — the pressure’s off, thank God. So I don’t have to be a Robin Williams Vehicle. It’s a bus… The joy for me is just being back and having a steady gig like this, with a great group of people.”

Memories from the Set: Eric McCormack Talks Role on Ally McBeal

Lucy Liu's secret love life

The “Elementary” actress has been dating the Israeli-American hedge-fund billionaire for almost four years. But they don’t go out in public much. “And he has Israeli bodyguards follow her around,” one source told me.

Gottesman invested in the record company of Lyor Cohen, the former Warner Music chief, and lives near him on Jane Street, where Gottesman bought an old factory for $34 million and tore it down to build a 12,000-square-foot mansion. He also owns an estate in Hampshire, England, where he’s reportedly hosted the likes of Beyoncé and Jay Z.

With an art collection that includes works by Andy Warhol, Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud, Gottesman is said to be helping Liu with her career as an artist. She’s been painting since the ’90s.

Liu’s representative had no comment.

Christina Ricci Welcomes Her First Child

Christina Ricci and her husband James Heerdegen recently welcomed a baby boy, Us Weekly reports.

This is the first child for the couple, who met on the set of the short-lived 2011 ABC drama Pan Am and wed in October 2013.

Best known for her roles in The Addams Family and Casper, Ricci most recently starred in the title role of Lifetime's Lizzie Borden Took an Ax.

James Marsden, Eddie Rouse & More Join HBO Drama Pilot 'Westworld'

Also booked roles in Westworld are Demetrius Grosse (Banshee, Justified), Kyle Bornheimer (She’s Out of My League, Bachelorette), Currie Graham (Murder in the First, NYPD Blue), Lena Georgas (Prime Suspect, Ray Donovan), Steven Ogg (Grand Theft Auto V) and Timothy Lee DePriest.

Marsden will be seen in upcoming features The Best Of Me, D-Train and Business Trip. Rouse’s credits include the features Being Flynn, Sundance Award-winning short Rat Pack Rat, Pandorum and American Gangster.

Robert Downey Jr's Son Indio Charged with Felony Drug Possession

As TMZ previously reported, the 20-year-old was arrested in June after cops noticed he was a passenger in a car in West Hollywood ... smoking something out of a pipe. Authorities say Indio -- who appeared in "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" -- was in possession of cocaine.

Sources tell TMZ ... Indio -- a first-time offender -- is automatically entitled to a drug diversion program.

In addition to the felony, Indio has been charged with misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.

Robert Downey Jr. thanked the L.A. County Sheriff's Dept. for what he called "their intervention."

Robert famously struggled with addiction and then overcame it in a spectacular way.

Hayden Panettiere Shows Off Her Baby Bump in a Bikini in Miami

After flashing her burgeoning belly while strolling the streets of Porto Cerve, Italy with her fiancé Wladimir Klitschko, the 24-year-old Nashville star flaunted her pregnancy curves while hitting the beach in Miami Friday.

Clad in a blue and white striped bikini, Panettiere was glowing as she stepped on the sand while enjoying a sunny day on the shore with her boxer beau.

The mom-to-be has yet to publicly comment on their baby news, but back in May 2013, she did talk about her desire to start a family with the 38-year-old athlete. "I've lived a very big life, and I don't feel my age, and I feel like I was born to be a mother," she told Glamour.

"Sometimes people speak about [having kids] like, 'Your life ends—you're never going to be able to do anything again!' And I'm like, 'What are you talking about?' Motherhood is the most beautiful, exciting thing, and there's nothing that I feel like I can't accomplish while having children in my life," she continued.

Klitschko, meanwhile, opened up recently to E! News about becoming a dad. "When you're going to become a father or a parent, your life is going to change," he told us. "So I look forward to having my life change for the good and I heard, just recently, somebody said, 'You don't know what love is until you have your first baby, then you know what love is.' So I think I know what love is, but I look forward to getting more knowledgeable about that."

He also gushed over his ladylove, saying, "She's an amazing person and I'm more than sure that she's going to be an amazing mom. Her wish to become a mother and have a child [was something] she's been mentioning and telling me about a lot. You know, every dream will eventually come true and she's going to be more than an amazing mother."

Peter MacNicol Joins the Cast of CSI: Cyber

Ally McBeal alum Peter MacNicol has joined the cast of CSI: Cyber as a new series regular, TVGuide.com has learned.

The new drama stars Patricia Arquette as Avery Ryan, Special Agent in Charge at the Cyber Crime Division of the FBI in Quantico, Va., who is tasked with solving high-octane crimes that start in the mind, live online, and play out into the real world.

MacNicol, whose credits also include 24 and Grey's Anatomy, will play Assistant Director Stavros Sifter, 40, a career FBI insider and Avery's supervisor. Sifter quickly rose up the ranks and positioned himself in a job where he is the clearing house between FBI Cyber and all other branches of government. He is a shrewd and savvy networker as well as a charmer with a hint of malice.

Jerry Bruckheimer and Jonathan Littman will executive-produce the drama, written by fellow executive producers Carol Mendelsohn, Anthony Zuiker and Ann Donahue.

CSI: Cyber will air Sundays at 10/9c starting midseason.

Jon Bon Jovi to be honored for humanitarian work

The Marian Anderson Award is given in Philadelphia to "critically acclaimed artists who have impacted society in a positive way."

In announcing the recipient Wednesday, organizers said Bon Jovi has used his musical success to support groups working to end homelessness and hunger.

Bon Jovi will accept the $25,000 award on Nov. 18 at the city's Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.

Anderson was a celebrated contralto and Philadelphia native who in 1955 became the first black soloist at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. She died in 1993 at age 96.

Previous winners include actor James Earl Jones, poet Maya Angelou and actress Elizabeth Taylor.

'Scandal' Season 4 casts Portia de Rossi; who will she play?

The comedian tweets, "So annoying when people brag on twitter & that's why I'm not tweeting that Portia just signed on to do a top secret arc on 'Scandal'. Oops."

ABC confirms to Zap2it that Portia de Rossi is coming to "Scandal" this fall, but the network isn't releasing any storyline details yet. Let the speculating begin!

Maybe she's a Washington, D.C., bigwig who is going to cause trouble for President Grant. Maybe she's a woman in trouble who hires Pope & Associates to help her out. Or maybe she's Olivia's long-lost half-sister! Whatever it is, we're sure it'll be juicy.

"Scandal" returns Thursday, Sept. 25 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.

Robert Downey Jr. Snags No. 1 Spot on Forbes' List of Top Earning Actors

The Iron Man star topped Forbes magazine's latest list of the top earning actors for the second year in a row after securing an estimated—wait for it—$75 million (!) between June 2013 and June 2014, the same amount as he earned last year.

His whopping intake is mostly due to his portrayal of the popular superhero character. Marvel movies starring Downey have earned almost $4 billion at the global box office and millions more on home video, not to mention the millions the movies have generated in merchandise, according to Forbes.

In fact, RDJ is expected to earn more than before for the upcoming Avengers: Age of Ultron after holding out during negotiations.

Coming in second on the list is former wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, with an estimated $52 million mostly thanks to his work in movies like the Fast and Furious franchise. Bradley Cooper, who is currently promoting Guardians of the Galaxy in which he voices the character of Rocket Raccoon, came in at No. 3 with $46 million.

Leonardo DiCaprio snagged the fourth spot an estimated $39 million in earnings, thanks to the box office success of The Wolf of Wall Street and The Great Gatsby. And rounding out the top five is fellow superhero, Chris Hemsworth, who earned an estimated $37 million for his work with the Thor franchise and the Michael Mann and Ron Howard-directed biopic, Rush.

AP sources: Bon Jovi part of group eyeing Bills

It is unclear if the group would eventually want to move the NFL team to Toronto. The club is on the market after Hall of Fame owner Ralph Wilson died in March.

The three people spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity Friday because the process is private and the Toronto group has not revealed its intentions.

The group includes Larry Tanenbaum and the Rogers family. Tanenbaum is chairman of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which controls the NHL's Maple Leafs and NBA's Raptors. The Rogers family includes Edward Rogers, who is deputy chairman of Rogers, the Toronto communications giant.

The group is on a list of prospective buyers who have submitted a nondisclosure agreement form to Morgan Stanley, the banking firm overseeing the Bills sale. The Toronto group has retained the Goldman Sachs banking firm to assist in the bid.

Bon Jovi previously expressed interest in owning an NFL franchise but never specifically mentioned the Bills. This is the first real indication linking him to Tanenbaum and Rogers.

One of the people confirmed that Bon Jovi discussed his interests involving the Bills during a restaurant meeting with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in New York City last month.

The Bills most recently were valued by Forbes at $870 million. They are projected to be sold for at least $1 billion, partly because NFL teams rarely go on the market.

The team is essentially locked into playing at Ralph Wilson Stadium through the 2019 season because of a strict nonrelocation clause included in a 10-year lease agreement reached with the state and county in December 2012.

The Bills would incur a $400 million penalty by even broaching the prospect of moving during the lease's term. There is a one-time exception that would allow the Bills to break the lease for just under $28.4 million in 2020.

Of about 60 nondisclosure forms sent out by Morgan Stanley in June, at least 10 of have been returned, two of the people said. Among those also listed as returning their forms are Buffalo Sabres owners Terry and Kim Pegula and New York City real estate mogul Donald Trump.

The forms were required in order for prospective bidders to gain access to financial and background information on the franchise to begin formulating their bids.

The next step is for prospective bidders to submit another set of forms - including their own financial information - by July 29 to gain more access to the Bills' financial information.

One of the people said Morgan Stanley has informed prospective buyers that the Bills made just under $30 million in net profits last season. And Morgan Stanley projects that number will double by 2019 as a result of the NFL's TV contract, current renovations taking place at the stadium and other potential local sources of income.

CAA Signs David E. Kelley

Inside Robert Downey Jr.'s Fight to Help His Son Indio After Drug Arrest

The Iron Man star, 49, who battled drug addiction for years before getting sober in 2002, has rallied to help his son Indio, 20, who was arrested for cocaine possession on June 29.

A family source says Indio, a musician, has struggled with substance-abuse issues in recent years. He voluntarily checked himself into rehab after the arrest.

"Robert clearly understands the struggle, and while of course this relapse was very upsetting to him, he is very proud of his son," the source tells PEOPLE in this week's issue.

Indio has the support of his family, including his mom, Deborah Falconer (who was divorced from Downey in 2004) and Downey's wife of eight years, Susan.

"Indio truly wants to stay clean," says the family source. "And no matter what, his dad will be right there with him."

For more on Robert Downey Jr. and Indio, pick up this week's issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.

Ally's Beau Boards Syfy's Ascension

Cougar Town‘s Brian Van Holt stars as the captain of the titular vessel, which was launched into space by the U.S. government in 1963 to populate a new world. The series picks up 50 years into the mission, as a mysterious murder causes those on board to question the true nature of their mission.

Bellows plays the son of Abraham Enzmann, the founder of the Ascension mission who is determined to continue his father’s work.

Ascension is due to blast off in November.

'30 Rock's Jane Krakowski Joins Adam Sandler Sci-Fi Comedy 'Pixels'

In the past year the Golden Globe-nominated thesp has turned in guest spots on The Simpsons and Modern Family after ending her Emmy-nominated seven season run as Jenna Maroney on NBC’s 30 Rock. Krakowski has already lined up her return to TV as the lead in Fox’s half-hour pilot Dead Boss, from Warner Bros TV and Aaron Kaplan’s Kapital Entertainment, and was also tapped to reunite with 30 Rock creator/star/executive producer Tina Fey and executive producer Robert Carlock with a recurring role on NBC’s 2015 comedy series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. On the features side she’s also got the upcoming Ashley Judd romance Big Stone Gap and Adult Beginners with Nick Kroll and Rose Byrne in the hopper. Krakowski’s repped by UTA and Brillstein Entertainment Partners. Pixels is due in theaters May 15, 2015.

Elementary Scoop: Lucy Liu Returning to Director's Chair in Season 3

Liu is set to direct a Season 3 episode of the CBS drama, TVLine has learned, her second in the series’ history.

She previously directed the Season 2 episode “Paint it Black,” which found Sherlock (Jonny Lee Miller) partnering with his estranged brother to solve a deadly case.

Elementary‘s third season premieres Oct. 30 at 10/9c on CBS.

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi: What's Really Going On?

Reports of marital problems have plagued the couple over the past year, including a recent claim that de Rossi, 41, has spent time in a rehab facility. While the couple have yet to comment, an insider tells PEOPLE they are taking it all in stride.

"They've had their ups and downs," the source tells PEOPLE in this week's issue. "Portia has been very outspoken about previous issues, like her eating disorder, and she's good at seeking help when she needs to. They've worked out difficulties in the past, and no doubt they're trying to work out any problems right now."

While the couple share many passions, including renovating houses – they reportedly just sold one of their homes in Los Angeles for $55 million – and animal causes, DeGeneres's professional workload may have become an issue, the insider says.

"At times Portia felt overwhelmed at all that goes into redoing a house and moving to another, no matter how lucrative it may be," says the source. "She felt like she was doing everything herself and needed some downtime."

Yet DeGeneres, 56, told PEOPLE in February that any notion that de Rossi was unhappy was laughable. "One tabloid said Portia's leaving me because she doesn't like moving a lot," she said. "Which is funny because she is overseeing the construction of our new house and loving it."

As for the couple's anniversary next month, friends wouldn't be surprised if they decide to renew their wedding vows as well.

"They both love to celebrate special occasions and holidays, and their wedding anniversary is no different. They usually celebrate with a big party and invite a lot of friends," the insider says. "They really are a lovely couple. They enjoy being married, and it shows."

For more details inside DeGeneres and de Rossi's relationship, pick up this week's issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.

Portia de Rossi secretly went to rehab in May

The “Arrested Development” star, 41, and wife of Ellen DeGeneres, spent 30 days at the Passages Malibu rehab facility, InTouch reports.

A source told the magazine the talk show host visited her spouse every weekend to provide support.

Passages’ program has reportedly been attended by Mel Gibson, David Hasselhoff and Natasha Lyonne, among others.

While it’s unclear what de Rossi was admitted for, an admission counselor at the facility told Page Six that “the primary issue has to be a substance abuse issue, because that’s what we’re licensed as.”

In 2000, de Rossi sought treatment for an eating disorder after her weight reportedly dropped to 82 pounds.

A rep for de Rossi did not immediately get back to us.

Robert Downey Jr. -- Deeply Involved in Son's Struggle with Sobriety

TMZ broke the story ... 20-year-old Indio was arrested Sunday for cocaine possession. We're told it's the latest slip in his ongoing struggle with drugs ... and his dad has been deeply involved in Indio's treatment.

Indio has been in and out of treatment programs for several years. One source says until Sunday Indio had a fairly long stretch of time when he was clean, in no small part because of Robert's counseling.

We're told Robert feels a degree of guilt as a father ... because he's been through the same struggle.

One source put it this way, "Because of Robert's own struggle he's very much in tune with his son's sobriety. And that has really helped Indio."

Everyone we've spoken with say Indio is a good person who is polite, well-mannered and serious about trying to stay clean, but like so many people with addiction problems, he's slipped.

Indio has also seen Robert help others who have struggled, including Mel Gibson.

Robert Downey Jr.'s son in cocaine arrest

Indio Falconer Downey, 20, was arrested Sunday in Southern California, reportedly for possession of cocaine.

“Iron Man” star Robert Downey Jr. famously battled drugs for much of the 1990s before cleaning up and becoming one of Tinseltown’s biggest stars.

“Unfortunately there’s a genetic component to addiction and Indio has likely inherited it,” the concerned dad said in prepared statement.

“Also, there is a lot of family support and understanding, and we’re all determined to rally behind him and help him become the man he’s capable of being. “

The “Sherlock Holmes” actor actor even thanked law enforcement for coming down on Indio.

“We’re grateful to the Sheriff’s department for their intervention, and believe Indio can be another recovery success story instead of a cautionary tale,” Robert Downey Jr. said.

Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies rolled up next to a car with Indio inside and spotted him smoking a pipe, law enforcement sources told TMZ.com.

When deputies searched the car at 2 p.m., they allegedly found the younger Downey in possession of cocaine.

He was booked into a West Hollywood jail for possession of a controlled substance and released on $10,250 bail at 12:19 a.m. Monday, Sheriff’s Sgt. Harry Drucker said.

Indio, whose mother is Robert Downey Jr.’s first wife, Deborah Falconer, has battled substance abuse before and did a stint in rehab last year, the National Enquirer reported then.

Hayden Panettiere Bares Her Bump in a Crop Top

On Saturday, the mom-to-be, 24, flashed her growing belly in a loose navy crop top and matching harem pants while walking around Porto Cervo, Italy, with fiancé Wladimir Klitschko, 38.

And she couldn’t be any cuter. We’re already loving her laid-back yet chic maternity style.

The couple, who announced their engagement in October, put their wedding plans on hold because of unrest in Klitschko’s native country, Ukraine. (Maybe now they can incorporate their little one into their ceremony!)

Even though the Nashville star has yet to confirm her pregnancy, she previously hinted at her plans to start a family of her own.

“I’ve lived a very big life, and I don’t feel my age,” Panettiere told Glamour. “I feel like I was born to be a mother.”

Eye on Emmy: Nashville's Hayden Panettiere on Juliette's 'Trailer Trash' Monologue, Friendship With Rayna

And yet after a season where her country diva became an industry pariah by very publicly breaking up a radio titan’s marriage (and appearing to have denounced God’s existence in a viral video), then wound up betraying her soulmate Avery by drunkenly hooking up with the record exec who’d booted her from his label, “the brilliance of the writing” has made fans “very forgiving of Juliette,” says the actress. “They’ve actually managed to find empathy for someone who just makes mistake after mistake after mistake.”

Of course, Panettiere’s nuanced performance — full of humor, heartache and oodles of diva brass — wins over audiences, too, and made her one of TVLine’s Dream Emmy Nominees as Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.

So, while Panettiere admits she was especially nervous about how Nashville fans would feel about Juliette’s aforementioned indiscretion with Jeff Fordham — “especially since they love Avery, and they love her and Avery together” — from a purely creative point of view, “the more fuel you put in my fire, the happier I’m going to be.”

TVLine caught up with the actress to talk about her epic season-finale monologue, her funniest one-liner and the way wardrobe helps delineate between Juliette’s public and private personas.

TVLINE | Let’s jump right in and talk about the Season 2 finale, your last scene with Avery (Jonathan Jackson) to be specific: After he asks her why she cheated on him, Juliette has that monologue about her difficult childhood, about her experiences with her mom’s “older guy” friends, about feeling like she’s just “trailer trash covered in rhinestones.” Tell me about coming to that point in Juliette’s character development, about making her that vulnerable.

You know, one of the things that has been such a blessing about playing this character is that, as forward as Juliette has been and as many times as she’s fallen on her face, there’s always something else to learn about her, to understand about her. For me, that scene was a big point of realization about my own character, about her and her past and where she comes from. Because I can come up with things in my head and speculate as to what’s gotten her to this place and why she is the way she is, but it’s not until you have monologues like that, that things really become clear.

[Juliette] really broke down. She really trusts Avery – and that’s the difference between him and all of the other relationships that she’s been in. She was on her knees going, “I am admitting to you something that I would never admit to anyone — nor have I ever really admitted to myself.” She’s that kind of person who puts a wall up in her head, and all that pain goes behind a door and it gets filtered and forgotten. But in that moment, she knew that she was going to lose the most important relationship she had ever had in her life. I’d say it was definitely one of my favorite scenes.

TVLINE | How many takes did it require to bring those emotions to the surface?

I love when they use as many cameras as they can — especially when you’re doing monologues like that. You want to be able to think about what you’re saying and come up with it in the moment. I knew the lines, but it wasn’t so set in my head that it just became repetitive to me. So, sometimes with emotional scenes, I’ll ask them to do the close-ups first, because the fresher I am with it, the better I feel. [In that scene], Juliette was speaking out of realization. She was going through it in that moment. This wasn’t something she had planned to say. She was almost speaking to herself, as much as to Avery. She was finally saying all this stuff out loud and coming to the realization about herself in that very moment.

TVLINE | The funny thing is, Avery wasn’t a terribly likeable character throughout Season 1 — or a good chunk of Season 2. Somehow he and Juliette bring out the best in each other — and their relationship has shown us her softer side, too. Was it fun this season to play that – to be able to leave her brattiness and hardness behind for a minute?

Absolutely. To play the “villain,” if you will, it’s only interesting when there’s a balance. If a character is constantly sweet you’re going to have a problem with it. If a character is constantly monstrous and evil, you’re going to have a problem with it. It’s the balance that makes it relatable and human — and that’s what we want to see. You forgive [Juliette] and you understand her and you love her, because the person that she is outside of the industry is a good person, a sweet girl. But she’s been through a lot. A lot of people will say “What a bitch,” but you know what? A lot of the time, while I don’t fully agree with the way she goes about things, most of the time I agree with her opinion about the situation. I genuinely do.

TVLINE | Speaking of balancing acts, the episode after Juliette has sex with Jeff is the one where the main characters go to the military base and perform. I thought that was an amazing episode for you because there wasn’t a single second where we couldn’t see that mistake haunting Juliette, see the panic and the sickness on her face. How did you achieve that?

It was probably as fresh and new to me as it was to Juliette, because I think that was the first time that she had ever cared enough to regret her actions. There have been very few things that this girl has allowed herself to feel guilty about in her life, and very few people, if any, that she’s genuinely hurt without going, “Well, take it, or leave it. This is life. I’ve been hurt too, and you’re not going to get sympathy from me.” So the guilt she’s feeling [over betraying Avery], it’s absolutely sickening, and you question your mind, “Even if I can guarantee a hundred percent that no one will ever find out, can I live with that? Can I live knowing that I did something that gives me nightmares?” Those scenes were really tough, because I was dealing with that hanging over my head, and also dealing with the fact that it was the first time that we realize that Juliette’s stepdad, who was her rock, and for all intents and purposes was her father, was a Blackhawk pilot and had died in a [training] accident. When people have been emotionally through a lot of trauma in the past, you almost become numb in a certain way where your brain shuts down. You tend to go into system overload — where things aren’t even in focus to you anymore. It’s such an intense emotional state that there are no words to describe it.

TVLINE | Watching the show, it’s almost like there are two Juliettes: Public Juliette, who’s always dressed to the nines with full hair and makeup, and Private Juliette, who in these moments of vulnerability at home is in sweats with her hair pulled back. Is that juxtaposition something you’ve worked on in developing the character?

Absolutely. Absolutely. I really, really wanted to make a huge differentiation — emotionally, mentally, verbally and physically. Physical acting is not something to be overlooked. It’s a huge part of feeling like the character and being in that emotional state. So, I wanted people to both physically and emotionally see the massive change in between those two people — and that is a choice that she’s made, exactly what you said. It is that suit of armor that she puts on. It’s like a lot of these amazing singers nowadays, these performers go up on stage and they’ve got their suits of armor on and they sometimes call themselves different names. They step into this character that they’ve created.

That is a huge wall that Juliette has put up, a boundary, and it is a major part of protecting herself. So, when you do get to see her with Avery and at home, she is as raw as humanly possible. She is not concerned with what she looks like, she’s not being anything but the little girl from Alabama who has gone through the ringer, and she is finally revealing herself to somebody, her true self, that vulnerability.

TVLINE | I also think that Juliette is one of the funniest characters on TV. Every episode, it seems like she has a classic zinger. Like when she tries to be nice to Layla in the elevator — to let her know she has her back if that radio programmer gets too sexually forward – and Layla shuts the conversation down. Juliette takes a moment, then says, “I guess nice just ain’t my color.”

I love that line. That was absolutely one of my favorites: When I saw it, I was like, “Thank you Lord. That is amazing!” The key to those moments is they’re believable and they’re real. She was a having a moment with that girl in the elevator, with Aubrey [Peebles]‘ character, and she was being genuine. There was a sense of, “All right. I don’t like this girl, but I know what she’s going through. I’ve been there. I’ve done that.” So she let down her wall for a second. And then when she gets rejected, it’s like, “Yep. That’s exactly why I don’t do this, and I just learned my lesson again.”

I mean, I’ve done the same exact thing where you go, “Okay. I’m going to be super nice to this person who’s not being great to me. I’m just going to kill them with kindness and make lemonade out of lemons.” And then, they bring you back, and you say, “That’s exactly why I needed to keep my guard up. That’s exactly why people behave the way they behave in this business — because it’s survival of the fittest. You’ve got to protect yourself.” It’s real emotion.

The writers for our show are also amazing at writing to their actors, not just me, all of the actors. They know who can pull off saying what and when — and even though some people may call it a soap opera, they know what they’re doing. There’s a cleverness behind their writing that I think is kind of rare.

TVLINE | Your show also really delves into what artists go through to succeed. As you straddle that dual role of actress and singer, how accurately does Nashvile get the politics of the music business? And what is it like seeing the chart performance of songs and soundtracks from the show?

One of the biggest compliments that we’ve gotten, I think I can speak for all of us, is how much Nashville as a city has accepted us and how much the country music industry has accepted us. And I don’t think they would if we weren’t hitting the nail pretty closely on the head. The show has revealed a lot about [the busines] without being disrespectful. But you have to realize to that we’ve got [executive producer] Callie Khouri, who’s married to T Bone Burnett, and they know this industry. They know what they’re writing about, they’ve seen it firsthand. We’ve been so lucky in that way — and we’ve had amazing producers and songwriters who love the show, too, and are here for us. And you’ve got people like [executive music producer] Buddy Miller, people that are so highly respected in the country music industry, right at the top of the pyramid. [Shooting] in [the city of] Nashville has kept it grounded, too.

TVLINE | Tell me a little bit about the Juliette/Rayna relationship. We’ve seen it go from adversarial to sort of a sisterhood. I loved that scene in the finale where Juliette is throwing up and Rayna’s holding her hair back. It’s a long way from where they started. How do you and Connie Britton approach these scenes now, where there’s this understanding, albeit with a little eye-rolling, between two women who are both a little larger than life?

There is a respect there that you have to keep in mind, because they’re two incredibly strong women that have overcome all obstacles in a way. In one sense, they’re from opposite sides of the fence, but in another sense they have a lot in common. They both have family issues. One might be in a mansion and one in a trailer park, but they both understand the pain of loss, and that becomes a connection.Also, Rayna is smart enough to understand that Juliette doesn’t mean 90 percent of what she says — not the way that she says it. She knows that it’s lashing out, so she can roll her eyes and walk away.

Sometimes, those treacherous relationships become the people that you actually care about the most — and that you become the most afraid to lose. That’s why I really wanted to make a thing out of [the start of Season 2], when Rayna was in a coma. On one hand, Juliette was pretending like she didn’t really care, but on the other hand she was not allowing herself to show that she cared because she cared so deeply. That’s why I loved the shot when they panned out from looking at a picture of Juliette’s [late] mom: The candles are lit and I’m in mourning for her, and then I put Rayna’s CD — an old CD of hers — next to it. I wanted [the CD] to be old, because I wanted it to show that she has been a fan of Rayna’s for years, and that there’s something more to it then just hating her. You don’t just hate somebody and give that negative energy to somebody without there being a good reason — some sort of sensitivity, some sort of vulnerability. I tried to equate it to [Juliette's] mom, maybe something that Rayna triggered in me, and that Rayna was almost as much a part of my past as my family. So, yeah, they do have a very, very tight bond — even though you see them constantly at odds and rubbing each other the wrong way. People don’t make you that angry unless you care what they think.

Pregnant Hayden Panettiere makes a splash

Panettiere, 24, and her fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko, 38, enjoyed a fun day on a yacht in St. Tropez on Sunday.

The “Nashville” star opted for a black one-piece bathing suit that hugged her belly.

Becoming a mother is something Panettiere has always felt strongly about.

“I’ve lived a very big life, and I don’t feel my age, and I feel like I was born to be a mother,” she told Glamour. “Motherhood is the most beautiful, exciting thing, and there’s nothing that I feel like I can’t accomplish while having children in my life.”

Pregnant Hayden Panettiere Gets A Shaggy Bob Haircut

That seems to be Hollywood's motto of the moment. Stars are chopping off their locks so often it's becoming the new norm.

Still, even if it's not exactly surprising when a celeb takes off a few inches we still are interested in seeing which bob style they decide on. And this weekend, a pregnant Hayden Panettiere went with a shaggy one. The actress—who just last week confirmed she is expecting her first child with fiancée Wladimir Klitschko—turned to Jennifer Aniston's hairstylist Chris McMillan for her new ‘do.

The star's makeup artist Amy Orseman posted a first look at the choppy style on her Instagram, writing: "It's a fun work day when you get to watch @mrchrismcmillan give #haydenpanettiere a fab new [cut]." The 24-year-old's new 'do isn't too different from her previous cut, which ended at her shoulders.

McMillian has famously given Aniston some very stylish bobs over their nearly two decades together. Most recently an asymmetrical version in November of last year. He also was the man behind Kim Kardashian's bridal hairstyle from her nuptials to Kanye West last month.

But back to his work with Hayden: Do you like her new cut?

Hayden Panettiere Pregnant With Her and Fiancé Wladimir Klitschko's First Child

The Nashville star is pregnant with her and fiancé Wladimir Klitschko's first child together, multiple sources confirm to E! News.

The 24-year-old actress has remained mum on her expectant status, but that seems to be her style—she didn't confirm that she was engaged to her boxing champ beau until October, a few months after she was spotted wearing a huge diamond ring.

Panettiere finally let Kelly Ripa get the scoop, telling the Live! With Kelly and Michael host that the ring "speaks for itself" but that, yes, she was engaged.

Since then, Panettiere has said that she and Klitschko, 38, are in no rush to get to the altar, for various reasons.

"We are very laid-back about the wedding plans; we don't want to rush anything," she said in British Cosmopolitan's March issue. "We want the day to be fun, happy and stress-free. Growing up, the thought of not getting married never crossed my mind. It was always: I'm going to get married and then I'm going to have a family."

As for the continued political unrest in her Klitschko's native Ukraine, where his brother Vitali is the leader of the Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform, Panettiere said at the time, "I spend a lot of time in Ukraine and I completely agree with what Wladimir and Vitali are fighting for; we want justice and democracy for Ukrainians."

She and the heavyweight fighter temporarily separated in 2011 after nearly two years of dating, but reunited in spring 2013 and never looked back.

It's unclear what Panettiere's pregnancy means for ABC's Nashville, which is scheduled to start shooting its third season next month, or her character Juliette Barnes.

But wouldn't having a baby on the way be a juicy twist for Juliette?!

Us Weekly was first to report the happy news.

Report: Hayden Panettiere Is Pregnant

The Nashville star, 24, has been engaged to Russian boxer Wladimir Klitschko, 38, for more than a year. In October, the actress finally confirmed the impending nuptials on Live! With Kelly and Michael, saying, "I mean, I think [the ring] speaks for itself."

The pair met in 2009, but split in 2011. They then rekindled their romance in 2013.

Speaking about future baby plans, Panettiere told Glamour last year, "I've lived a very big life, and I don't feel my age, and I feel like I was born to be a mother. Sometimes people speak about [having kids] like, 'Your life ends—you're never going to be able to do anything again!' And I'm like, 'What are you talking about?' Motherhood is the most beautiful, exciting thing, and there's nothing that I feel like I can't accomplish while having children in my life. I would sacrifice having more years of being wherever I want whenever I want for years with my kids."

A rep for Panettiere could not confirm the report.

Sightings

Lucy Liu To Co-Host First Huading Film Awards Show In Hollywood On June 1

Christina Ricci Expecting First Child

The actress, 34, is expecting her first child with husband James Heerdegen, her rep confirms to PEOPLE.

The mom-to-be’s pregnancy was revealed as she made her way through Los Angeles International Airport in a belted black dress with Heerdegen on Saturday.

After meeting on the set of her former show Pan Am, Ricci and Heerdegen, a camera technician, went public with their relationship in February 2012, and announced their engagement one year later.

In October, the couple wed in an intimate ceremony at Manhattan’s Harold Pratt House & Peterson Hall.

“I can’t wait [to call him], ‘Husband,’ because then I can really throw my weight around,” Ricci joked to PEOPLE before the nuptials.

And soon it will be, ‘Dad!’

The Avengers Assemble to Support Cancer-Stricken Fan With a Series of #CapforStrat Selfies

Stratford Caldecott, 60, is a huge comic book fan and loves Marvel movies. Unfortunately, due to his advanced prostate cancer, he was too ill to see Captain America: The Winter Soldier in theaters. His daughter Sofie Caldecott started an online campaign to get him a DVD before it's released in August.

Thanks to her efforts, people began posting pictures of themselves appealing to the cast of The Avengers and Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. by holding signs and using the hashtag #CapforStrat. Mark Ruffalo was the first star from the movie to participate. "Banner/Hulk for Strat! #CapForStrat," he tweeted Wednesday. The actor, 46, added the caption: "Hang tough Strat! We are pulling for you."

Samuel L. Jackson followed suit that day, tweeting, "Keep fighting and Stay Strong Strat! You can do it!"

Captain America himself took a selfie—his first ever, actually—and tweeted it out Thursday. "Thanks @MarkRuffalo!!!!" Chris Evans tweeted. Chris Hemsworth and Robert Downey Jr. took a joint selfie Friday, with Downey tweeting, "Thor and Iron Man got your back, Strat." Like Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner does not have a Twitter account—but Ruffalo happily posted a photo on his co-star's behalf.

Other Marvel actors who took #CapforStrat selfies include Chloe Bennet, Brett Dalton, Clark Gregg, Elizabeth Henstridge, Tom Hiddleston, Cobie Smulders and Ming-Na Wen. Only one Avengers star (Scarlett Johansson), one Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. star (Iain De Caestecker) and three Captain America stars (Hayley Atwell, Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan) have yet to participate in the campaign.

Sofie blogged Friday to publicly acknowledge "how great Christopher Markus and the people at Marvel have been, how great the actors have been, how great the general public have been, and, most importantly, the courage of cancer patients, their families and their doctors and nurses around the world."

"If we all take anything away from all of this, let it be that the world can be a good and gentle place, despite what we often hear to the contrary, and that the kindness of strangers is very real. To all those suffering now, please remember that you are not alone," she wrote. "I will, of course, let you all know how the screening of The Winter Soldier goes–you made it possible for dad to see it, after all!"

Jane Krakowski Joins NBC's Tina Fey-Robert Carlock Comedy Series

Robert Downey Jr. and Jeremy Renner Hang Out With Their Families in Nashville-Get the Scoop!

Robert Downey Jr. and Jeremy Renner have been spending time in the Tennessee capital with their families, enjoying the city's attractions as well as each other's company.

On Saturday, Renner was spotted at the Sevier Park Festival, a community neighborhood fesitival which is co-sponsored by Nashville Underground Radio. Zeke Duhon and Brandy Clark were two of the featured performers at the event, where RDJ was also in attendance.

"It was Saturday around 4 p.m. Robert Downey Jr. was hanging out at the festival. Zeke Duhon was performing on stage. Downey was in the crowd. He was just hanging around and listening to the music," the source said. "He was with Jeremy Renner. They seemed to be having a good time."

Earlier in the afternoon, Downey Jr., Renner and several others came for a bite at Nashville's Urban Grub, which is located across the street from the festival.

"It was Saturday around 2 p.m. and they stayed until about 3:30 to 4 p.m. Robert Downey Jr. and Jeremy Renner and several others came in and ordered off the brunch menu. They sat out in the beer garden patio. It was a beautiful day. They seemed to enjoy themselves and were having a great time," Urban Grub general manager Garth Nash tells E! News.

Then on Sunday both Renner and RDJ, along with their families, stopped by Mike's Ice Cream and Coffee for a sweet treat, an eyewitness tells E! News.

"It was Sunday afternoon about 4:30 p.m. and they stayed about a half hour. Robert Downey Jr. was with his family and Jeremy Renner [with his]. It looked like the ladies were sitting together and the kids were sitting together and Robert and Jeremy were talking. It looked like a couple of families going out together," the eyewitness tells E! News.

"Robert got a triple shot of espresso and they rest of the group got shakes and ice cream," the eyewitness adds. "They had two bodyguards with them."

The insider continued, noting that "they seemed like a regular family that came in for ice cream and coffee on a Sunday afternoon. It looked like a normal family outing. They didn't make a spectacle and several people didn't even realize that he [Robert Downey Jr.] was there."

Sounds like Nashville may be the place to be for these two!

Hayden Panettiere Elegantly Trips and Falls After the Met Gala-See the Pics!

And the Dennis Blasso dress she wore to the big shindig definitely got people's attention. In more ways than one!

Yes, the gown looked simply elegant on the Nashville star, but its length also proved to be a bit of a challenge at one point.

As she made her way out of the event, the 23-year-old actress wound up slightly stumbling while walking down the stairs.

But without missing a beat, the gal quickly got back up, smiled that infectious grin of hers and held up the dress a bit so as to avoid a repeat performance.

Panettiere's attendance at the Met Gala came just hours after it was reported that she has postponed her wedding to Urkrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko due to the current conflict in Ukraine.

"Everything that's happening in Ukraine definitely put a hold on things. But we have time," Panettiere told Parade magazine.

Panettiere announced her engagement to Klitschko in Oct. 2013.

Hayden Panettiere: My Wedding Plans Are on Hold Because of Political Unrest in Ukraine

Due to conflict in Ukraine, Hayden Panettiere and her fiancé, Ukranian boxer Wladimir Klitschko, have decided to wait on picking out tuxedos and floral arrangements.

"Everything that's happening in Ukraine definitely put a hold on things. But we have time," the actress, 24, tells Parade magazine.

Panettiere and her husband-to-be are closely tied to the events in Ukraine – Klitschko's brother Vitali sits on the Ukrainian Parliament and is one of the leaders of the democratic reform movement. Panettiere even traveled to Ukraine last December to speak to protesters.

"It’s a beautiful country with beautiful people and a culture that I love," the Nashville star has said.

Hot Mess! Hayden Panettiere Tries to Pull Off a Granny Shirt and Figure Skater Tights

First, did she grab that blouse out of granny's resort collection closet? Not only is the pattern way too stuffy for a 20-something, but the fully-bottoned styling is as conservative as it gets.

Then there are those silk mini shorts. We love them as the bottom part of a springy PJ set, but as actual clothing, they're slightly off.

And finally, the tights...

Unless TV's country bad girl plans to work on her triple lutzes after taking in fiancé Wladimir Klitschko's match, those leg covers have got to go! They make the petite star's gams look like they're covered in three inches of shellac! We know she's supporting her tall, dark and handsome beau in Germany, but these tights can't possibly be a European trend. And if they are, we're begging for them to stay within those borders.

Word to the wise Hayden: most ring-side style involves a sexy mini cocktail dress and giant fur stole. You'll need to get the hang of that as the wife of a heavyweight champion.

'Game of Thrones' Director Files for Divorce

Graves filed legal docs citing irreconcilable differences in his marriage to Sarah Graves. They were married in 1995 and have 2 kids, a son 15 and a daughter 11.

Alex is asking for joint physical and legal custody. He also wants to split attorney's fees with his wife.

Graves has directed a number of huge shows -- including "West Wing" (where he was also Executive Producer) and "Ally McBeal."

Bon Jovi helps open low-income housing in Philly

On Tuesday, he attended the grand opening of a low-income housing development that bears his initials. The 55-unit JBJ Soul Homes will be occupied by low-income tenants and the formerly homeless.

Bon Jovi's Soul Foundation and the Middleton Partnership provided the lead gift for the $16.6 million complex in the Francisville neighborhood. The project also received public funds.

Residents will have access to social services provided by Project HOME, a group dedicated to ending homelessness. The four-story building includes retail and office space.

Bon Jovi is a longtime advocate for affordable housing in Philadelphia, Newark, N.J., and many other cities. The New Jersey native once co-owned the Philadelphia Soul arena football team.

Hayden Panettiere Answers Our Pressing Questions About Her Wedding Day Hair, Nashville Love Interests and More!

Currently, the 24-year-old star is sporting a short cut, but when it comes time for her wedding day to fiancé Wladimir Klitschko she’ll likely be wearing some extensions.

“I would like some really long, loose boho beach waves and just a nice golden tan,” Panettiere tells PEOPLE. [Editor's note: It's nearly impossible to look away from the blinding 6-carat sparkler on her hand, which she designed herself, when talking to her.] “I want to be classy and elegant and sophisticated, but I also don’t want to forget my age. I want to be comfortable. I want it to be just sexy enough, but youthful at the same time. I don’t want to look so done up."

Since she’s planning a trip down the aisle (no date to report yet!) — and is tied to her Nashville character’s blonde hair, Panettiere won’t be doing anything drastic to her mane. But she reveals if she had the freedom to switch up her strands, she’d jump on the pastel hair hue bandwagon.

“I would probably do a combo of the light blue, lavender and maybe a really light pink,” she shares. “I mean if I did my whole head, I would probably go for lavender. My friend on set did her hair with this very, very light pink and it kind of has a multicolor look on the ends. It’s really light and really pretty. We would have to see what looks best.”

For now, she’s busy keeping her hair tresses healthy with Neutrogena’s Triple Repair Hair Care system. “Part of the reason I chopped it off because it kept getting so fried. I didn’t think I was going to be able to nurse it back to health. Here [Nashville] the weather is tough, you’re dealing with a lot of humidity, and I’ve got curly hair so it’s rising like dough at all times. When we do the big performance scenes and I’m sweating or outside, my hair turns really curly and gets really frizzy, which means re-blow drying it and using the flatiron, which is terrible for your hair. It just starts breaking it off. The products have given me a stronger base to work with and my hair is actually starting to curl back the way it naturally was before all the frying.”

And for all those Nashville fans out there who are dying to know if Panettiere raids Juliette’s wardrobe, let’s just say she really wants to.

“She’s got great clothes. I ask the wardrobe department sometimes, ‘Do you think they would let me have these?’,” she tells PEOPLE. “Her performance on-stage clothes are one thing, but her off-stage clothes are also really fun and wearable. There was this one Balmain dress, which I really wanted to use, but it [didn't work for] the scene. It was amazing.”

She also addressed the question on everyone’s mind: Deacon or Luke for Rayna?

“That’s so hard because Luke is so obviously a great guy for her life right now, but Deacon’s the one that she will always love because he’s the love of her life,” she explains. “Hopefully, we have many years to sort that out. I don’t write the script, girl!”

What do you think of Panettiere’s wedding day hair plan? Are you a fan of her Nashville wardrobe?

Robert Downey Jr. Joins Twitter, Opts for Simple Short Bio That Says It All

Or at least that's what Robert Downey Jr. encouraged the twitterverse to do this afternoon in his first-ever tweet today, which came with a photo of the Iron Man star holding a sign bearing his easy-to-remember, verified Twitter handle.

"Talk to me, Twitter," he wrote after setting up his account with a self-assured bio reading, "You know who I am."

@RobertDowneyJr: Talk to me, Twitter.

And with that, let the epic wordplay begin! (Just so you know, RDJ, we're expecting a lot from you.)

While The Avengers and two Iron Man sequels certainly didn't seem miss the boost from a star with a wider social media presence, Downey does have a new, somewhat smaller film coming out soon—and what movie couldn't use a box-office bump these days?!

"You wanted him, you got him. Ladies and gentlemen, give a big #FF to @RobertDowneyJr#chef," tweeted Jon Favreau, the director of Iron Man and RDJ's latest, Chef. "Show him some love!"

Mission accomplished. Less than two hours ago, Downey had 18,000 followers, not too shabby for a beginner.

Right this second, he has 324,000 (and will surely have more by the time you check in on him).

"@Jon_Favreau thx for the intro," Downey tweeted back, obviously already adept at how the whole thing works.

REPORT: BON JOVI FACE OF TORONTO GROUP LOOKING TO BUY BILLS

According to a report in the Toronto Sun, the rock star is the face of a Toronto group presumably backed by MLSE and chairman Larry Tanenbaum looking to buy the Bills.

After owner Ralph Wilson's passing earlier this month, it's been reported the team is expected to be sold by as early as October.

Toronto is behind only Los Angeles as the biggest North American market to not own an NFL franchise.

Sighting

Gil Bellows Nabs Deadly Role in CSI's Planted Spin-Off Episode

Bellows will play Mr. Berman, a wealthy and powerful casino mogul with many secrets. He becomes the prime suspect when his wife is murdered.

One important note: Bellows is only appearing as a guest star in this episode. He is not attached to the spin-off — which focuses on Avery Ryan (Arquette), Special Agent in Charge at the Cyber Crime Division of the FBI in Quantico, VA – if it gets ordered to series.

Hayden Panettiere -- I'm DUNZO With L.A.

Hayden recently bought a house in Nashville, where she's doing her show. As you know, she's engaged to boxing champ Wladimir Klitschko, who owns a penthouse in Hollywood, Fla, and she's spent a lot of time down there.

As for the L.A. home ... we've learned Hayden sold it for $3.075 MIL. She bought it in 2008 for $2.635 MIL.

It's interesting ... For years Hayden was a fixture in L.A. ... frequently hitting the town. But now she's high profile in Nashville.

Los Angeles ... it used to be a thing.

2014 MTV Movie Awards nominees

Hayden Panettiere: On Low-Key Wedding Planning, Dress Hunting and Hair Disasters

Panettiere recently tried on a variety of dress styles for Brides magazine, and she told PEOPLE all about the experience.

“I have a very specific body type, and you have to dress for your body type. As flattering as wedding dresses tend to be they can also go sour really quick,” the Neutrogena spokesperson said. “It was nice to see the different cuts on my body. And you just look at the cumulative likes and loves and hopefully that will lead to ‘the dress.’”

As for the rest of the wedding planning, the star does not have a date yet, but she definitely has a vision. “I have always dreamed of a wedding day! Not over the top or crazy, but yeah, I’ve always thought about it. It’s one of those things you have to just cross your fingers and hope everything will go smooth. You will plan and plan and at the end of day you just have to kick back and see what happens.”

If that wasn’t proof enough that she’s a laid-back bride, Panettiere recently did what most brides-to-be would probably avoid: Getting a major new haircut! But she has no regrets (and gets to wear extensions for her role as Juliette Barnes on Nashville).

“I like it,” she said. “My hair was so damaged before, I had to cut it off and give it a rest. I love having short hair. But the grass is always greener. You have it for a couple of months, and then you’re ready to go back to long.”

Like any girl, there are a few hair moves she definitely regrets. “Some of my school pictures when the crunchy hair was in, you would get out of the shower and put the most intense gel you could find in your hair. Welcome to my 8th grade picture — my mom was pleased. You could blow on your hair and it would snap in half,” she said. “And then I dyed my hair red once, which was also a terrible idea. It washed out into a lovely orange. It was a very unattractive part of my life.”

For now Panettiere keeps her hair healthy with Neutrogena’s Triple Repair Hair Care system. “I call my hair my ‘problem child.’ It’s blonde and curly. It gets blown out every morning, so the heat is damaging. This system has completely repaired my hair.”

Hayden Panettiere Talks Proposal, Tries On Wedding Gowns

"It wasn't about being overwhelmed by fireworks or a mariachi band," the Nashville star, 24, reveals in the April/May issue of Brides.

"I think it's amazing when people do that, but I like that mine was simple and from the heart."

Panettiere announced her engagement to boxer Wladimir Klitschko, 37, in October.

Though she hasn't started planning her nuptials, Brides gave the star a head start, dressing her in wedding gowns by designers like Oscar de la Renta, Marchesa and Monique Lhuillier for the cover shoot.

The bride-to-be admitted she's nervous to actually wear a white dress on her big day, calling walking the red carpet and walking down the aisle "polar opposite" experiences.

"When eyes have been on me in the past, it's been because of an event, where people see me as a persona, as Hayden Panettiere the actress," she explained.

"For the aisle, you're the purest, most emotionally stripped down version of yourself, sharing this raw moment with the most important people in your life. It seems very overwhelming!"

The couple hasn't set a wedding date, and Klitschko's native Ukraine remains embroiled in political conflict (his brother Vitali is a major player in the protests). But Panettiere, who spoke out to Ukrainians in December, says she's proud of her future family's homeland.

"It's a beautiful country with beautiful people and a culture that I love," she told the magazine. "With his brother running for president and the mass demonstrations [against the government aligning with Russia], it's an incredible thing to be a part of."

As for hints of what's to come when she and Klitschko do wed? Panettiere promises a classic ceremony with a twist.

"I love color, so that will play a big part," she says.

Hayden Panettiere in No Rush to Get Married, Talks Political Turmoil in Ukraine

"We are very laid-back about the wedding plans; we don't want to rush anything," the Nashville star tells British Cosmopolitan. (The full interview appears in the magazine's April issue, on sale March 4.) "We want the day to be fun, happy and stress-free. Growing up, the thought of not getting married never crossed my mind. It was always: I'm going to get married and then I'm going to have a family."

Of course, it wouldn't be all that surprising if the 24-year-old actress is holding off on tying the knot, in part, due to the political turmoil taking place in Klitschko's native Ukraine.

"I spend a lot of time in Ukraine and I completely agree with what Wladimir and [his brother] Vitali are fighting for; we want justice and democracy for Ukrainians," she says.

Last December, Hayden joined Wladimir in Kiev to show her support for the protesters who oppose the government's efforts to create closer ties with Russia instead of the European Union.

But the gal clearly has her wedding day on the brain nevertheless.

Case in point? The April/May issue of Brides, on which Hayden appears on the cover wearing a gorgeous white dress.

However, she does admit to a bit of trepidation when it comes to her eventual big day.

"When eyes have been on me in the past, it's been because of an event where people see me as a persona, as Hayden Panettiere the actress," she tells the publication. "For the aisle, you're the purest, most emotionally stripped down version of yourself, sharing this raw moment with the most important people in your life. It seems very overwhelming!"

Portia de Rossi Stuns at 2014 Oscars, Says Ellen DeGeneres Has Been "Preparing Like Crazy"

Although these two lovebirds are extremely close, the beautiful star tells E! News that she has yet to see what the Academy Awards host will pull out during tonight's show.

Portia, who stunned in a patterned Naeem Khan gown, tells Ryan Seacrest, "She's been preparing like crazy," but adds, "She actually won't allow me to see anything until tonight. I haven't seen her perform [the monologue], but everyone that's seen it says she's amazing. She's in really good spirits and she's having a blast."

So what do the two stars have planned once all of the Oscars hoopla is over? "I think we're gonna hit some parties and then we have to go to bed pretty early because she has a live show the next day. She's kinda busy," Portia tells us.

Ellen briefly talked to E! News about her pre-show rituals earlier this week. "I like to shower. I like to shower first and comb my hair," the 56-year-old deadpanned. "I like to smell good. I'll put something that smells good on. My breath, I like to do a mint of some sort. And I'll do a couple of sit-ups and push-ups. That's what I do. And I stretch."

Sounds like a pretty solid prep for the Oscars, right?

And DeGeneres is too busy finessing her act to worry about how she'll do on stage. She leaves that to Portia. "She gets nervous for me," DeGeneres explained.

That's love.

A 30 Rock Spinoff Following Jenna Maroney? Jane Krakowski Is Game!

Host Andy Cohen asked the Tony-winning actress if she'd be down to step back in front of the camer-ah as Jenna Maroney and Krakowski said, "Oh my god, if they asked me. I loved playing Jenna."

She continued, "I just loved playing somebody who was so not in touch with reality whatsoever. So, she could get away with anything ‘cause she never knew right from wrong. You could go any which way you could and not get in trouble for it."

Now before you start chowing down on some Cheesy Blasters in celebration, you should know Krakowski is attached to star in Fox's Dead Boss comedy pilot. Described as a "comedic mystery," Dead Boss follows overachiever Helen Stephens (Krakowski) as she is wrongfully convicted of murdering her boss. Helen must rely on her sister, who is a train wreck, to prove her innocence.

Meanwhile, 30 Rock creator Tina Fey is busy with projects of her own, including the Ellie Kemper comedy Tooken at NBC. While we may not be getting a 30 Rock spinoff, Krakowski did leave fans with Jenna Maroney's Real Housewives tagline: "In the reflection of life, I am a disco mirrorball."

Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards 2014: Nominations!

Favorite Movie Actor

Johnny Depp

Robert Downey, Jr.

Neil Patrick Harris

Adam Sandler

Favorite Male Buttkicker

Johnny Depp

Robert Downey, Jr.

Hugh Jackman

Dwayne Johnson

Cheryl Burke & Josh Hopkins Are Dating: Source

Dancing with the Stars beauty Cheryl Burke has quietly been seeing Cougar Town star Josh Hopkins for the past several weeks, a source tells PEOPLE.

Burke, 29, and Hopkins, 43, have crossed paths several times in recent years. But it wasn't until late last year that the two reconnected.

"They have been seeing each other since around New Year's," the source says. "They are having fun. He's a really solid guy."

Hopkins and Burke "met in social circles because they both were on ABC shows," the source adds. "They are enjoying each other's company. They make a nice couple."

Hopkins's show, Cougar Town, has since moved to TBS. Burke, a two-time DWTS champ, will likely rejoin the show for its 18th season, which kicks off on March 17.

Hayden Panettiere Reveals Why She Moved to Nashville With Fiancé Wladimir Klitschko

The actress moved to Tennessee when she was cast as Juliette Barnes on Nashville in 2012, and she recently decided to buy a home in the Volunteer State with her fiancé, heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko. "I like being in a place where people appreciate the little things and don't need a lot of stuff to be happy. You can put a group of Southerners in any scenario and they'll have a good time," Panettiere, 24, tells Southern Living. "At my core, this is the kind of person I am and want to be."

"The people here are amazing. Living in Nashville gives me a sense of normalcy that I wasn't sure I was ever going to get back in my life," she raves. "When I first got here, all my defenses were still up, and I was waiting for that world to suddenly creep back in. When it didn't, I realized that I can live a normal life here with people who don't judge you based on what you do or who you are in the public eye."

The March 2014 cover girl says the "toughest" part of living in Nashville has been adjusting to the humidity. "I've found it helps to braid my hair when it's wet, rather than letting it air-dry," the blond beauty tells the magazine. "It tames the frizz. Otherwise, in the summer I look like a Pomeranian!""

Panettiere's "tomboy" and "chic" style has changed a bit, too. "It's a lot more laid-back, which suits me better," the Golden Globe nominee explains. "In L.A. and New York, you go out to lunch and everyone is wearing high heels. In Nashville if I see someone wearing heels, I get the sense they might not be from around here."

Hayden Panettiere: 'Living in Nashville Gives Me a Sense of Normalcy'

"I like being in a place where people appreciate the little things and don't need a lot of stuff to be happy," the Nashville star tells Southern Living for its March cover story, which features a celebrity on its front for the first time in its 48-year history.

"At my core, this is the kind of person I am and want to be."

The New York native, 24, moved to Music City when she landed the role of Juliette Barnes on the ABC drama, and found such a home in the country music capital that she and Klitschko decided to plant permanent roots in the city and buy a home.

"Living in Nashville gives me a sense of normalcy that I wasn't sure I was ever going to get back in my life," she shares.

"When I first got here, all my defenses were still up, and I was waiting for that world to suddenly creep back in. When it didn't, I realized that I can live a normal life here with people who don't judge you based on what you do or who you are in the public eye."

Another fringe benefit to Nashville living for the actress and activist? Its approach to style.

"It's a lot more laid-back, which suits me better," she says.

"In L.A. and New York you go out to lunch and everyone is wearing high heels. In Nashville if I see someone wearing heels, I get the sense they might not be from around here."

Plus, she can't help but fall in love with those pointed Southern expressions. Her favorite? "Bless her heart."

"There is so much context there," says Panettiere. "So much more is said with those three words."

Jane Krakowski to Star in Dead Boss Pilot for Fox

The comedy-mystery project tells the story of Helen Stephens (Krakowski), an overachiever who's wrongfully convicted of murdering her boss. Helen is then forced to rely on her train-wreck sister to prove her innocence.

Dead Boss is based on a UK series of the same name. Sharon Horgan,Holly Walsh and Aaron Kaplan will executive-produce the single-camera comedy.

Krakowski is best known for playing Jenna on 30 Rock. Her other credits include Ally McBeal, Alfie and Ice Age.

Sighting

Hayden Panettiere shocks with off-the-rack Tom Ford

Hayden Panettiere shocked the fashion world when she — gasp — wore an off-the-rack Tom Ford dress to the Golden Globes last month.

“[Ford] only dresses one woman per awards show,” a source says. “And he put a lot of effort into Naomi Watts’ dress, so all were surprised when Hayden walked the carpet in a Ford gown.”

Typically, a star’s stylists coordinate with a designer in advance to avoid such a fashion misstep. But the “Nashville” star wasn’t pleased with any of the gowns her first stylist pulled, so she hired a second stylist, who resorted to buying a Tom Ford frock straight off the rack.

Panettiere tells Alexa: “I simply fell in love with this particular look and made the purchase last minute. I felt great in it, and I was honored to wear Tom Ford.”

Insiders said that when Ford saw the petite actress wearing his mod black-and-white design on the red carpet, he was utterly stunned. (When E! host Giuliana Rancic asked Panettiere who she was wearing, the actress gushed: “Tom Ford. It’s the first time I’ve ever worn him, because I’ve been begging?.?.?.”)

The designer, known to be very choosy about which starlets he dresses, eventually embraced the unexpected attention.

“Tom graciously sent [Panettiere] flowers because she was speaking so kindly about him on the red carpet.”

Le sigh!

Jesse L. Martin Joins CW's Flash Pilot

The Law & Order alum will play Detective West, an honest, blue-collar cop who is a surrogate father to Barry Allen (Grant Gustin). West is the father of Barry's eventual wife in the comics, Iris West.

The Arrow spin-off initially launched during the final episodes of sophomore series' fall run, when Barry traveled to Starling City to help on a case before he was struck by lightning mixed with chemicals in the midseason finale.

The pilot will be executive-produced by Arrow executive producers Andrew Kreisberg and Greg Berlanti, as well as DC Comics chief Geoff Johns.

Aside from starring on Law & Order for nine seasons as Det. Ed Green, Martin is also known for his roles in Rent and on Ally McBeal. He most recently recurred on Smash.

Robert Downey Jr. duet with Sting surfaces on YouTube

Hayden Panettiere's Golden Globes Dress: She Loved It So Much, She Bought It Off the Rack!

So it’s super-unlikely to see a celeb wearing a gown they’ll actually take home with them, which is why it was so refreshing to find out that Hayden Panettiere picked out her Tom Ford gown off the rack to wear to Sunday’s awards show. She gushed about the designer to PEOPLE (“I’m obsessed with it! I freaked out that I’m even wearing it. Anything he makes is just stunning,” she said) and she was ready to put her money where her mouth is.

At the HBO post-Golden Globes party, the star confessed to trying on tons of dresses before finding the one — “More than I feel like I usually do!” — but the search was worth it when she found this dress. “I bought this one. I actually get to keep it, which is really weird to me, that I don’t have to worry about somebody showing up on my doorstep going, ‘Where’s the dress? Give it back!’” she said. “It’s like buying a piece of art. You can hopefully keep it forever."

She also showed off a shorter haircut to complement the “sexy, vampy and comfortable” vibe of her dress. Why the new do? “Fried ends, split ends,” she said. “That’s the inspiration. I got to chop off my hair and it’s fun and I can finally get away with it again” [after having to wear long hair for Nashville for the past two seasons].

Ellen DeGeneres Surprises Wife Portia de Rossi with Revved-Up Christmas Gift

So you can bet wife Portia de Rossi is one lucky lady.

This year, DeGeneres's significant other received a sweet holiday surprise – and it was all caught on a camera-phone video for a segment of The Ellen DeGeneres Show called "Celebrity Christmas Stories."

De Rossi, 40, has always had a car crush on a rare vehicle, a Land Rover Defender, the host explained on her show. But in the spirit of making holiday wishes come true, DeGeneres, 55, went on a hunt and found the vehicle in Texas, and she had it sent to California just in time for the holidays.

As the loving couple walk through a parking lot to do some shopping, de Rossi sees her dream ride parked in a space and pauses to admire it as DeGeneres whips out her phone. "It has a bow on it … Oh, God, it's insane," marvels de Rossi of what she thinks is a serendipitous find – and someone else's cool present.

When she turns around to see DeGeneres dangling the keys, de Rossi realizes the present is for her, and her face lights up in shock.

"What, are you kidding?" she asks DeGeneres, incredulous. "Are you serious?"

"So fantastic, I loved it!" DeGeneres, who recently won her 14th People's Choice Award for favorite daytime TV host, later tells her studio audience after she shows the clip. "She was crying and then she ruined the upholstery!"

James Marsden Offered Lead To Replace Paul Walker In Nicholas Sparks Novel Adaptation 'The Best Of Me'

Book is about two former high school sweethearts reunited after 20 years apart, when they return to their small town for the funeral of the beloved friend. Their bittersweet reunion reignites the sparks, but the forces that drove them apart back then still get in the way. J. Mills Goodloe, Will Fetters and Hoffman wrote the script. Denise DiNovi, Sparks and his producing partner Theresa Park are producing with Relativity CEO Ryan Kavanaugh. Relativity president Tucker Tooley and Richard Middleton are executive producing.

Marsden is currently onscreen in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, and he just wrapped Business Trip opposite Vince Vaughn. WME and Authentic Talent and Literary Management rep Marsden.

2014 People's Choice Award Winners

David E. Kelley Named To TV Academy's Hall Of Fame

The 23rd Hall of Fame class includes four-time Emmy® Award-winning actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus, prolific writer-producer David E. Kelley, late night legend Jay Leno, media mogul and FOX Broadcasting Company founder Rupert Murdoch, and iconic ABC Network executive Brandon Stoddard. Additionally, sound pioneer and innovator Ray Dolby will be inducted posthumously. The induction ceremony will take place at the Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel on March 11, 2014.

The Hall of Fame gala will once again be produced in partnership with the Television Academy Foundation, which celebrates past, present and future industry leaders through its educational outreach and archival programs. The ceremony will be executive produced for a third time by noted television producer Phil Gurin (Oh Sit!, Shark Tank, The Singing Bee).

“The six individuals being inducted into the Hall of Fame have all made a profound impact on the landscape of television, leaving their own mark within our industry and with audiences around the world,” said Rosenblum. “Their groundbreaking contributions will last for generations, making them true icons who could not be more deserving of the Television Academy’s highest honor.”

The 2014 honorees join more than 130 individuals previously inducted into the Hall of Fame since its inception in 1984. Recognized for their extraordinary contributions to the medium, candidates are submitted by the Television Academy’s membership and the industry at large to the Hall of Fame Selection Committee, chaired by Warner Bros. Television Group President and Chief Content Officer Peter Roth. In addition to Roth, this year’s committee included Emmy® Award-winning producer Marcy Carsey; Bonnie Hammer, Chairman of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment Group; Rick Rosen, Board Member and Head of Television at WME; Fred Silverman, founder of The Fred Silverman Company and former executive at ABC, CBS and NBC; and Nina Tassler, President of CBS Entertainment.

David E. Kelley – Multi award-winning writer-producer David E. Kelley is the mind behind some of America’s most distinctive television series. As creator of the Emmy, Peabody and Golden Globe Award-winning shows “Boston Legal,” “The Practice” and “Ally McBeal,” the critically acclaimed dramatic series “Harry’s Law,” “Boston Public” and “Chicago Hope,” and the multiple award-winning drama series “Picket Fences,” Kelley’s writing and executive-producing style continues to intrigue television viewing audiences. His most recent series is “The Crazy Ones.” After receiving his law degree from the Boston University School of Law, Kelley was an attorney practicing law in Boston before venturing into the world of entertainment. Honored with four George Foster Peabody Awards, a Television Showmanship Award from the Publicists Guild of America, the David Susskind Lifetime Achievement Award from the Producers Guild and the TV Guide Awards’ inaugural Brandon Tartikoff Award, Kelley was also the subject of a tribute by the Museum of Television and Radio and was named a Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame Honoree. He is the recipient of the Monte Carlo Television Festival’s first Showman of the Year Award, the Casting Society of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and has been honored by the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles. In addition, he has received the prestigious Humanitas Prize for two consecutive years for “The Practice,” and was presented with both The Paddy Chayefsky Lifetime Achievement Award and The Paul Selvin Award from the Writers Guild of America. To date, Kelley is the only Producer to ever win the Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy and Outstanding Drama, “Ally McBeal” and “The Practice” respectively, in the same year (1999). Kelley also is a two-time Television Academy Honors recipient for “Boston Legal” and “Harry’s Law.”

BFCA's Critics Choice Movie Awards Nominations

The Critics Choice Movie Awards hosted by Aisha Tyler will air live for the second year on the CW network January 16th.

BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION MOVIE
Henry Cavill – Man of Steel
Robert Downey Jr. – Iron Man 3
Brad Pitt – World War Z
Mark Wahlberg – Lone Survivor

Portia de Rossi to guest-star in three episodes of 'Sean Saves the World' as...

Her episodes will likely air in early spring. Upcoming installments will also feature fellow Will & Grace alum Megan Mullally as Sean’s sister and Guy Pearce as his love interest.

The final episode of Sean before the holidays airs Thursday night at 9 p.m.

Ellen DeGeneres Addresses Rumors of Trouble in Her Marriage

The talk show host addressed rumors about their five-year marriage during a hilarious monologue on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Wednesday, that began with a trip to the hair salon.

"The other day I'm at the hair salon getting these extensions," DeGeneres joked. "And there's tabloids all over the hair salon – that's where they are, I guess. All of a sudden I notice one sitting on the counter in front of me [and] it caught my eye because Portia and I were in the top right-hand corner and I thought, 'Oh, that's sweet, they're honoring us.' "

"And then I read the headline underneath and it said 'Ellen and Portia's Marriage Crumbles.' I was like, 'Oh, what happened? They seemed so happy," DeGeneres joked.

The 55-year-old said that while she never reads tabloids because "I don't like letting that energy in," curiosity got the better of her.

"So I get the magazine and I'm flipping through it and there's one page torn out," she said. "The only page torn out was my story ... I will never know what's tearing my marriage apart."

DeGeneres then took a moment to shoot down the rumors and set the record straight. "It's so ridiculous to me," she said, adding that there's no trouble in paradise.

"There's not one ounce of truth to any of it," she said. "I am very happily married. The only thing we ever argue about is who loves who more, it really is true. And ... we argue if we would let a kangaroo carry us in a pouch for a year."

DeGeneres ended by telling her fans that she'll always be honest with them about what's going on in her life. "If there's anything you need to know," she said, "I will announce it here first."

Hayden Panettiere Shows Support for Protesters in Ukraine

"There's a movement happening here, and you have a chance to make things right, to make things just. You have a right to a democracy," the Nashville star told the crowd gathered in Independence Square.

She added, "As an American, I want you to know that I stand by you, I support your fight, and I will support it until the country of Ukraine in its entirety reflects the beauty, the true beauty of Ukrainian people. Keep fighting. I love you all."

Hayden Panettiere and Fiancé Wladimir Klitschko Are Calling Nashville Home

The 24-year-old, who's engaged to boxer Wladimir Klitschko, is buying a home in Tennessee.

While a lot of her fellow cast and crew were buying homes in Nashville "pretty immediately" after the show began shooting, Panettiere tells PEOPLE that she wanted to take her time.

"That's a big investment and a big commitment for something [like a TV show] that can be very fleeting," she explained at the CMT Artist of the Year awards on Tuesday.

"But after a year and a half of living here, I felt that I had enough personal investment here, that I want to have a grounding here, even if something happens to the show. Knock on wood it won't! But I have amazing friends here and this just feels good as a home base."

When asked how her 6'6"-tall Ukranian fiancé will adjust to life in Nashville, she smiled and said, "He fits in anywhere. He's a very worldly man!"

As for any wedding plans? "With both of our schedules, it's crazy trying to schedule anything, much less a wedding," Panettiere admits.

But she does have her perfect dress – and perfect day – in mind. "I can picture it," she says, but admits she's a bit uncomfortable about having all the attention focused on her on her big day.

"I'm very shy in some ways," she says. "Obviously I'm in the spotlight professionally, but to be that vulnerable, standing up in front of people doing something so personal, that's kind of a new thing for me and not exactly in my comfort zone."

She adds: "There are many ways to get married and we'll figure one out that is comfortable for both of us."

Watch Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi and Prince William Sing Live!

During the Winter Whites Gala at Kensington Palace, Swift led Prince William on to the stage, where they joined Bon Jovi in singing his band's famous hit, "Livin' on a Prayer." While clearly shy at first, William joined an enthusiastic Swift and the rocker during the chorus.

After the song, Swift gave William a high-five. Watch here.

Hayden Panettiere on Having Kids with (Tall) Wladimir Klitschko: 'They'll Be Normal Height'

"I'm small, but he's large," the 5'2" Nashville star said on Wednesday's Ellen DeGeneres Show about her 6'6" fiancé, heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko.

"That's how we met. I said, 'You're huge.' He said, 'You're tiny.' "

Panettiere said the on-again, off-again relationship between the couple, who confirmed their engagement last month, was "God telling us [that we] were too far on either end of the spectrum. He needs to make normal people."

Joked Ellen DeGeneres about the couple's having kids, "The two of you are going to make normal people between you and him?"

"Yeah," Panettiere said with a laugh. "He's got bowlegs. I've got knocked knees. They're going to have straight legs. They'll be normal height."

Although Panettiere, 24, told DeGeneres that Klitschko, 37, is a "good dude," as a Ukrainian "he's very confused about our traditions," the actress said, imitating Klitschko's not understanding why he's not allowed to see a bride in her dress before the wedding – or the meaning of a honeymoon.

Still, there's an upside, she notes: "He doesn't know the woman's side of the family is supposed to pay for the wedding. Sssshhh!"

"Oh, that's smart," DeGeneres acknowledged.

Concluded Panettiere, "We don't need him to know that."

James Marsden Is Not January Jones' Baby Daddy: "There's So Much Stupid Talk Out There"

"There's so much stupid talk out there," Marsden says in the December issue of Playboy. "I think that came from somebody thinking we were both in X-Men so it must be true."

Luckily, the single stars are able to laugh off such speculation. "Every time I see January, she's like, 'Hey, father of my baby,'" Marsden tells the mag in its recurring 20 Questions feature.

Jones, 35, has no intention of ever revealing the identity of her mystery man. "That's my son's business," she told The New York Times in May. "It's not the public's business." Speaking to Net-a-Porter's The Edit that some month, Jones revealed that she had always planned to be a single mom.

"It was something I went in to knowingly, I was prepared mentally—and I was excited about it," she said. Jones once again refused to reveal who fathered her son, telling the magazine, "It's just not something the public needs to know. I don't divulge my sexual preferences. There are parts of your life—no matter what your job—that should remain private."

Marsden doesn't mention Jones again in the Playboy article, though he does name-drop many other celebrities. Opening up about his early days in Hollywood, the 40-year-old actor recalls an unusual dinner he had with Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart, who were not yet married at the time.

"I did the last season of Ally McBeal, and it was right when Harrison was starting to date Calista Flockhart. I had become friends with her, and one night she said, 'Come to dinner with me and Harrison.' I'm like, 'Me, you and him?' It turned out to be a small group of us, thankfully, but I ended up as her wingman.

"We had dinner someplace in Brentwood and then went back to his house. He put music on and made everybody drinks. He was giggly and goofy around her but pretty aloof with the rest of us," Marsden remembers. "I kept thinking we should leave the two of them alone, but Calista was like, 'Don't leave, don't leave, don't leave.' I'm making him sound like a rapist, but he was very hospitable. She was just really nervous. Anyway, we had more drinks, he played more music, and then at some point he gave me a look that said, 'Okay, you've got to get the f--k out of here.'"

Before he became an actor, however, a 16-year-old Marsden bumped into Candace Cameron and her sisters during a trip to Hawaii. "We hung out by the pool the whole trip," he says. "They invited me to Los Angeles, and I flew out to see a taping of [Kirk Cameron's] Growing Pains and Full House."

Christina Ricci is murderous in 'Lizzie Borden Took An Ax'

It’s not just a disturbing nursery rhyme! Now the true story of how Lizzie Borden murdered her parents (or did she?) in the summer of 1892 is being brought to Lifetime, with Christina Ricci as the eponymous Lizzie. The true-crime case captured national attention when it first happened, proving that Americans obsession with scandalous and sordid tales is nothing new.

Lizzie Borden Took An Ax also stars Billy Campbell as Borden’s lawyer, and Clea DuVall (Argo) as her sister. The TV movie — with the perfectly pun-y tagline “It’s time to bury the hatchet” — will premiere on Lifetime Jan. 25 at 8 p.m. ET.

Inside Robert Downey Jr.'s Star-Studded Birthday Bash for His Wife Susan

E! News has exclusively learned that the Iron Man star threw a star-studded bash for his wife Susan's 40th birthday, hosting a celebration at Cavallo Point near Sausalito, Calif. where guests, including Justin Theroux, Gwen Stefani, Gavin Rossdale, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jon Favreau and Reese Witherspoon, spent the entire weekend relaxing at a resort spa.

"It was a great weekend for Susan, and Robert went all out to make sure she knows how special she is," a source exclusively tells E! News of the getaway. "Around 50 of their closest friends came up for the weekend and stayed at the hotel in historic houses. It was a very relaxing weekend and there was a lot of time for people to catch up."

Guests spent the weekend enjoying the amenities at the resort, getting spa treatments, going on walks and celebrating Susan's birthday.

On Saturday night, there was a birthday party held in a ballroom of the hotel with dinner and dancing, and after the party there was a spectacular fireworks show over the water next to the Golden Gate Bridge. (How picturesque!)

"There were kids running around everywhere, and the whole weekend catered to families," the source says. "They had lot of kids' entertainment and the children were included in all of the events, even the nighttime birthday party. The whole group was very tight and very friendly. There was lots of hugging and reminiscing with old friends."

As for the A-list attendees?

"Justin Theroux attended the party without Jennifer Aniston," the insider adds. "He was tight with all of the guys especially Jason Bateman, Gavin Rossdale and Jon Favreau. He was in great spirits and seemed to know a lot of people there."

Paltrow, who has starred with RDJ in all three Iron Man flicks, stayed close to her costar and his wife, clearly enjoying their company.

"Gwyneth was very friendly with Robert and Susan," the source says. "They are very close after the movies and couldn't get enough of each other. They were always talking closely and putting their arms around each other."

And Reese?

"Reese did her own thing and visited with friends she knows in the area," the insider reveals. "She had her family with her and they had a lot of family time together hanging out."

On Sunday morning, partygoers were served brunch with food trucks and a coffee bar in the parking lot, and everyone picnicked outside and chatted together. Guests all sang happy birthday to Susan before packing up their bags and heading off to the airport.

"When it was time to go on Sunday, everyone talked about how much fun they had and that it was too short," the source says. "They wished it could have lasted longer."

Nice job, RDJ! And happy birthday, Susan!

Hayden Panettiere Wears Creepy Contacts, Flashes Engagement Ring-See the Pic!

The Nashville star took to Twitter on Friday, Nov. 8, to post a picture of herself wearing a rather colorful, if not a wee bit creepy, pair of contact lenses.

"Halloween contacts finally came....better late than never I guess," she tweeted.

Well, at least the actress is good to go for next year.

And while it's normally pretty easy to get lost in the 24-year-old's eyes, we were slightly distracted this time around.

After all, the gal is posing with her engagement ring.

Then again, it's not the first time we've had the pleasure of gazing upon the rock that was presented to her when boyfriend Wladimir Klitschko popped the question.

In fact, E! News not only got to see it up close and in person at the Environmental Media Awards last month, but the actress even revealed to us at the time that she created the ring herself with Montblanc.

"They made me this amazing book where they did a bunch of sketches," Panettiere said. "I told them my idea over time and tweaking things here and there, and it came to fruition."

Panettiere officially announced her engagement during an Oct. 9 appearance on Live With Kelly & Michael, though speculation of an engagement began back in August when she was spotted in Los Angeles wearing the bling on her ring finger.

People's Choice Awards Nominees

Favorite Movie Duo
Chris Pine & Zachary Quinto (Star Trek Into Darkness)
Jennifer Aniston & Jason Sudeikis (We're the Millers)
Robert Downey Jr. & Gwyneth Paltrow (Iron Man 3)
Sandra Bullock & George Clooney (Gravity)
Sandra Bullock & Melissa McCarthy (The Heat)

Favorite Action Movie Star
Brad Pitt
Channing Tatum
Hugh Jackman
Robert Downey Jr.
Vin Diesel

Portia de Rossi Opens Up About Life Before Coming Out: "I Just Didn't Want to Be a Lesbian"

The Arrested Development star opened up about her decision to come out in 2005 on The Conversation With Amanda De Cadenet, saying she considered it "strange" to be gay at the time, mostly because she didn't know of any other high profile, notable lesbians that were "out" at the time.

"I just didn't want to be a lesbian," de Rossi said. "I'd never met one for a start and I just thought they were strange and that they hated men and they were very serious and I had these ridiculous images in my head and there were no out celebrities or politicians or anybody that I could look to and go, 'Oh, I could be like that.' There was nobody that I could say, 'I could date her and I want to be like her.' I just kind of thought I don't want to live like this. I don't have to, I don't need to, I just shut down the emotional life.''

The 40-year-old actress said things got "really bad" for her while she was working on Ally McBeal and she "had to hide her sexuality."

"I felt very scrutinized for just being a woman and an actress playing this kind of sexy role, because I didn't really feel like that. It's not really my personality to want to be the sexiest girl in the room," de Rossi said.

"I didn't like people thinking of me as a sexual being, and I was just terrified that people would know that I was gay."

De Rossi said she didn't date at all at the time while she was hiding her sexuality, and had a plan to start dating once she had saved enough money to live a more private life.

The actress said her eating disorder at that time took the place of her dating life.

Modern Family Casting Scoop: Jesse Eisenberg, Jane Krakowski and Jonathan Benjamin Hickey Set to Guest Star

The Emmy-dominating comedy has announced a string of guest stars who will all be appearing in episode 11, titled "Under Pressure," and it's some high-caliber talent they got coming in.

30 Rock alum, SAG Award winner and she of general fabulousness Jane Krakowski will play Dr. Donna, a mean girl mommy at Manny's (Rico Rodriguez) school. She becomes a nemesis for Gloria (Sofia Vegara), and we know we're not alone when we say we can't wait for their showdowns.

Academy-Award nominee Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network, Now You See Me), will appear as Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) and Cam's (Eric Stonestreet) neighbor Asher, who is overly ecologically aware and will probably call those two out on anything and everything they do to hurt the environment.

Finally, Tony Award-winning and Emmy-nominated John Benjamin Hickey (The Big C, Pitch Perfect) is set to play a therapist to one of the Dunphy members. Any ideas who will be getting in some couch time? Our money is on Claire (Julie Bowen ).

Krakowski, Eisenberg and Hickey join a long list of impressive Modern Family guest stars that includes the like of Elizabeth Banks, Matthew Broderick, Leslie Mann, Greg Kinnear, Judy Greer, Nathan Lane and James Marsden. Not a bad list to be on, eh?

Modern Family airs Wednesday nights on ABC.

Christina Ricci's Givenchy Wedding Dress-See the Pics!

On Wednesday the actress shared a picture of her custom Givenchy dress on her Twitter account, writing: "I'm sorry I have to share what @riccardotisci made for me!! #iloveyouricky!"

More like sorry you're not sorry—and with one glance at that dress, why would you be? The haute couture gown featured a mini pearl embellished top with lace sleeves and cutouts at the shoulder. The silk tulle skirt included a train which complimented the shorter tulle veil.

The ultra delicate theme also extend to the bride's small bouquet which appeared to contain a mix of blush and white flowers.

Yet even with the picturesque Big Apple backdrop, it is the dress that we can't take our eyes off. Clearly, Riccardo Tisci knows what he's doing when it comes to bridal looks (not that we had any doubts). Even more reason for the designer to create a custom gown for close pal and bride-to-be Kim Kardashian.

Christina Ricci's Givenchy Wedding Dress: See An Exclusive Photo!

Ricci, 33, did not go the traditional princess route (we knew she wouldn’t), selecting a white silk tulle design with Chantilly lace and satin piping. The dress is also covered in micro pearl embroidery and features a very unique detail: short lace sleeves with cutouts at the shoulders. Not pictured: her white tulle veil, which had a matching Chantilly lace appliqué.

The star and longtime boyfriend Heerdegen said “I do” in an intimate New York ceremony Saturday night before their family and friends. The nuptials took place at Manhattan’s Harold Pratt House & Peterson Hall.

“Getting to say ‘fiancé’ instead of ‘boyfriend’ is my favorite thing,” about being engaged, the actress told PEOPLE in July. “I can’t wait for ‘husband.’”

Christina Ricci Marries Longtime Boyfriend

The couple wed in an intimate ceremony in front of family and friends at the Harold Pratt House & Peterson Hall in Manhattan, a nearly century-old mansion that serves as the headquarters of the Council on Foreign Relations, according to People.

Ricci, 33, and Heerdegen met on the set of ABC's short-lived 2011 series Pan Am. They announced their engagement in February.

Ricci was previously engaged to actor Owen Benjamin.

Arrested Development Cast Reunites for Inside the Actors Studio

In an episode airing Thursday, Nov. 7 (8/7c on Bravo), Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, Portia de Rossi, Alia Shawkat, Jeffrey Tambor, Jessica Walterand creator Mitch Hurwitz will discuss the beloved cult comedy, including the real-life inspiration behind the Banana Stand and the meaning behind the name "Maeby."

Robert Downey Jr., Sandra Bullock and Jennifer Lawrence Named Most Valuable Stars

The Iron Man actor was just named the Most Valuable Star of 2013 by Vulture. The New York magazine site combined domestic and overseas box office totals, studio value, likeability, Oscars, critics' scores, Twitter mentions and tabloid value when deciding exactly which Hollywood stars would make the list.

Leonardo DiCaprio was named "The Star Who Started Smiling Again" and landed the No. 2 spot.

Meanwhile, Jennifer Lawrence was dubbed "The Breakthrough BFF" and was in third place on the top 100 list. The mag wrote about the Hunger Games beauty, "Nobody has navigated instant fame better than her."

The top five also included Sandra Bullock, who has seen her star power rise after taking a few years off from the limelight, and "Golden Boy" Brad Pitt.

So who nabbed the rest of the spots in the top ten? Well, it appears that the slots six through ten were male -dominated after all.

Will Smith, Christian Bale, Denzel Washington, Tom Hanks and Johnny Depp were given the honors, respectively. Not bad, gentlemen.

And it wouldn't be show business without a few surprise twists, now would it?

Matt Damon fell to the No. 19 spot and was named "The Star Who Slipped" after struggling with box office sales last year.

In addition, Bradley Cooper came in at No. 23 with a title that will undoubtedly stir controversy far and wide: "The New Brad." Ballsy, but possibly true?! We'll let you decide.

But it seems as though none of the famous faces listed could top RDJ's big screen gold standard.

Earlier this year, the actor ranked No. 1 on Forbes' annual list of the highest paid actors, banking $75 million from June 2012 to June 2013 thanks to the generous slice of the box office pie he got for starring in The Avengers last year.

Congrats!

Hayden Panettiere Already Planning Winter Wedding to Fiancé Wladimir Klitschko

The 24-year-old actress has already started planning her upcoming nuptials to fiancé Wladimir Klitschko, 37, and has been interviewing different wedding planners, E! News has learned. A source adds that the couple is planning to get married around the holidays.

That means it will only be a few short months before the Nashville star walks down the aisle during her big winter wedding!

Panettiere officially announced her engagement yesterday during an appearance on Live With Kelly & Michael, though speculation of an engagement began back in August when the actress was spotted in L.A. wearing a giant rock on her ring finger.

On Wednesday, E! News gave you all the scoop on Panettiere's 6-carat, emerald-cut diamond engagement ring, which has an estimated value of around $500,000.

Panettiere and Klitschko, who's a professional boxer from the Ukraine, have been dating for over two years. The lovebirds briefly broke up back in May 2011 before getting back together.

Panettiere has previously dated her Heroes costar Milo Ventimiglia was rumored to be romancing British TV personality Steve Jones.

Hayden Panettiere's Engagement Ring: Finally, She's Showing It Off!

But Wednesday, she gave up the game, confirming on Live With Kelly & Michael that the two are getting hitched. “I think it speaks for itself,” Panettiere said of her ring when Kelly Ripa pressed her on it.

And boy, does it ever — it’s practically half the size of the petite actress! She showed off her new(ish) sparkler outside Good Morning America, allowing us to get a good glimpse. It appears to be an enormous emerald-cut diamond on a split-band platinum setting, which is otherwise unadorned.

It’s classic, elegant and totally envy-inducing. And we’re amazed she kept it under wraps for this long. What do you think of Panettieres’s big reveal?

Hayden Panettiere engaged to Wladimir Klitschko

Appearing on Wednesday's "Live with Kelly and Michael," the 24-year-old actress was flashing a large diamond ring that prompted host Kelly Ripa (RIH'-puh) to inquire what it might signify.

Panettiere confirmed she's engaged as the studio audience cheered. She added that she and longtime boyfriend Klitschko haven't set a wedding date.

Panettiere made her entrance on the show wearing a huge, live boa constrictor meant to startle host Michael Strahan (STRAY'-han), who is not a snake fancier.

Clearly Panettiere's ring, and big news, upstaged even her pet reptile.

On ABC's "Nashville," Panettiere plays scheming up-and-coming country music star Juliette Barnes.

Hayden Panettiere's Nashville House Hits Market for $2.1 Million

Well, a fictional country music star, that is.

Now you can do your best impression of Hayden Panettiere's Nashville character, Juliette Barnes, from the very home the country crooner struts around in week after week on the show.

The 5,325-square-foot property located in—you guessed it!—Nashville is on the market for a $2.1 million dollars.

Fans of the show are no doubt familiar with the spacious living room the sassy singer often shoots scenes in, as well as the pool the broody Barnes often spends time gazing at through large floor-to-ceiling windows.

But even the most avid Nashville watcher is most likely unfamiliar with the abode's other perks, which include four bedrooms and a whopping eight bathrooms.

And the show isn't the home's only claim to fame. A+D Museum cofounder Stephen Kramer designed the modern mansion, which was built back in 2008.

So, what if the new owner of the home refuses to let the show continue filming at the property?

Show producers recreated the Belle Meade neighborhood property of Connie Britton's character, Rayna James when it sold last year for $19.5 million, so we're guessing Barnes won't end up homeless any time soon.

Hayden Panettiere Talks Being a Role Model and "Representing a Different Body Type"

"There is a lot of pressure that comes with it," the Nashville star told FOX411. "But there's also the pressure to be a good role model for women and have a normal, healthy body."

The 24-year-old blond beauty added, "But I love being my height and size, and representing a normal girl and a different body type."

Panettiere made her comments while promoting her involvement in Blue Jeans Go Green's "Great Denim Auction."

The actress and 12 other celebs, including Britney Spears and Kellan Lutz, have cleaned out their closets and contributed pairs of jeans to the auction, which is designed to raise awareness about textile recycling and help the program collect its one-millionth piece of denim.

Blue Jeans Go Green has diverted over 600 tons of denim from landfills since 2006, and has utilized the denim for insulation for communities in need and public works projects across the U.S. Fans of the stars can bid on their jeans at www.BlueJeansGoGreen.org until Nov. 3.

Meanwhile, the second season of Panettiere's show Nashville premiered Sept. 25 on ABC.

Stars Salaries Revealed

Well, your burning inquiry has been answered by The Hollywood Reporter, as the mag just released the salaries of 23 of your favorite A-list stars. Unsurprisingly, all of the celebs listed are sitting pretty.

According to THR, Angelina Jolie, who won her first Academy Award 14 years ago for her role in Girl, Interrupted and whose star power only seems to rise, will make an estimated $20 million if she stars in Salt 2, cementing her status as one of the top-earners in Tinsel Town.

But not far behind is Angie's partner Brad Pitt who, according to the mag, recently signed a $3 million deal with Cadillac to advertise in China only in addition to reportedly received a cool $7 million for his ad campaign with Chanel's No. 5 fragrance

Of course, Beyoncé is also at the top of the list, thanks to her $50 million deal with Pepsi. The music legend, who is currently on her Mrs. Carter Show World Tour, is also preparing for the release of her fifth studio album, which will surely bring Queen Bey some extra earnings.

As for Robert Downey Jr.?

The Iron Man star remains Hollywood's highest-paid actor, netting an estimated $50 million for his role as Tony Stark in the third franchise film. He also reportedly received more than $12 million from HTC after inking a two-year deal as the face of the mobile company's most recent campaign.

Additional actors in the $20 million salary club include Leonardo DiCaprio, Will Smith, Denzel Washington, Daniel Radcliffe, who earned $20 million for the final Harry Potter film, as well as Skyfall star Daniel Craig.

Former lovebirds Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart also earned $20 million for the last Twilight flick, and R.Pattz continues to bring in cash from his $12 million dollar three-year deal with Dior Homme fragrance.

As for stars whose salary might surprise you?

Cameron Diaz scored a whopping $42 million for her role in the raunchy comedy Bad Teacher (but only because she reportedly agreed to a small $1 million upfront fee), and George Clooney has earned an estimated $40 million for his Nespresso endorsement.

Jennifer Aniston can nab $5 million for a comedy role, as well as Rachel McAdams, who also earns $5 million for her appearance in heartfelt romantic films like The Vow.

Greg Germann To Co-Star In Pilot 'HR'

'Nashville' Season 2 key art revealed: Juliette's still gunning for Rayna

Rayna, on the other hand, doesn't have time to worry about a simple rivalry with another female country singer. After Deacon's bender resulted in a car crash in the season finale, Rayna starts off Season 2 in a coma. But even that won't stop Juliette from trying to dethrone Rayna ... nothing will stop Juliette in her quest to be the No. 1 country star.

"Nashville" Season 2 premieres Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.

Hayden Panettiere: Check Out Her Crazy New Hair!

1. She was sick of Miley getting all the attention and decided to try to one-up her. Totally possible.

2. She got inspired by Michelle Obama’s sassy new red highlights and, before she could second-guess herself, booked an appointment with her stylist ASAP to make crazy hair things happen, too. A little less possible, but still possible.

3. She is going to a Gwen Stefani costume party after the Letterman taping and figured she’d get a head start on her costume. Fine, not very possible.

Damon, Panettiere get Environmental Media Awards

The organization announced Monday that the two actors will be honored at its 23rd annual Environmental Media Awards this fall.

Damon will receive the Ongoing Commitment Award for his work with Water.org, the organization he co-founded that aims to bring safe water and sanitation to people around the world.

The 42-year-old actor says he hopes the award brings attention to Water.org's efforts "to bring clean water to communities around the world and inspire new friends and partners to join the fight."

Panettiere will accept the Futures Award, which recognizes younger entertainers for their potential to be environmental activists. The "Nashville" star is active with the Whaleman Foundation, an oceanic research and conservation group.

The 24-year-old actress said she's excited to talk about her work with the Whaleman Foundation and "using my voice to protect our oceans and their amazing inhabitants."

The prizes will be presented at a ceremony on Oct. 19 at Warner Bros. studios in Burbank, Calif.

Hayden Panettiere -- That's GOTTA Be an Engagement Ring

Rumors have been swirling that the "Nashville" star finally said "Yes" to her massive heavyweight boyfriend Wladimir Klitschko ... but that bling on her hand pretty much put the rumors to bed.

So ... CONGRATS!!!!

Hayden was in a great mood on her way out of the airport yesterday (as usual) -- and there was only one topic to discuss ... weddings! Though it's unclear if she was referencing her own.

Check out the clip.

Revenge Season 3 Scoop: Ally McBeal Star Cast in Holy Role

Ally McBeal star James LeGros has been cast on Revenge's third season, we've exclusively learned.

LeGros, who most recently appeared on HBO's hit series Girls, is set to join the ABC sudser in the recurring role of Father Paul when it returns in September. Father Paul will be introduced to viewers after Emily (Emily VanCamp) seeks him out; he also has ties to the Grayson family...never a good thing in the Hamptons!

LeGros has also appeared on Justified and Grey's Anatomy, as well as the miniseries Mildred Pierce and in films such as Point Break and Enemy of the State.

This is just the latest new casting for Revenge's third season: We exclusively reported that Smallville's Justin Hartley landed the coveted role of Victoria's (Madeleine Stowe) long-lost son Patrick, Pan Am's Karine Vanisse will play a blast from Daniel's (Josh Bowman) past and The Bible's Diogo Morgado will guest star in the season premiere.

But with new characters comes the exit of several key Revenge players, as Ashley (Ashley Madekwe) is set to exit the series this season and Declan (Connor Paolo) was killed off in the finale, while creator Mike Kelley stepped down as showrunner after season two.

Revenge returns for its third season on Sunday, Sept. 29, at 9 p.m. on ABC.

Sightings

2013 Emmy Nominee Reaction

2013 Emmy Awards Nominations

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory
Jane Lynch, Glee
Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Merritt Wever, Nurse Jackie
Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock
Anna Chlumsky, Veep

Robert Downey Jr. tops Forbes' list of Hollywood's highest-paid actors

Downey recently starred in six movies that have each grossed over $500 million at the box office worldwide, and two of those films, "The Avengers" and the just-released "Iron Man 3," each earned over $1 billion. So it should come as no surprise that he sits at the top of Forbes' list of Hollywood's highest-paid actors with an estimated $75 million in earnings between June 2012 and June 2013.

That's not bad at all, considering that fact that Downey used to be considered as "damaged goods" to studios due to his struggles with drug abuse. But he turned his sinking career around with the first installment in the "Iron Man" franchise, and since then there's been no stopping him.

Check out the full list of Forbes' highest-paid Hollywood actors:

1. Robert Downey Jr.

2. Channing Tatum

3. Hugh Jackman

4. Mark Wahlberg

5. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson

6. Leonardo DiCaprio

7. Adam Sandler

8. Tom Cruise

9. Denzel Washington

10. Liam Neeson

Hayden Panettiere Starts Her Fourth of July Celebration Early With 11 Pounds of Nutella!

The Nashville cutie took to Twitter Wednesday morning showing off one of her favorite snacks, which could very well last the entire month of July.

Wearing a burgundy textured bomber jacket and black shirt underneath, Panettiere smiled brightly as she held an 11-pound plus container of nutella in her left arm.

In fact, it appears that the 23-year-old has already enjoyed a taste of the dessert. In her other hand, Panettiere carried a giant spoon covered in the yummy spread. Come on girl, don't think we didn't notice.

The actress isn't denying the fact the she tasted a bit of the treat. In fact, she asked her Twitter followers the all-important question: "Breakfast anyone?" More like breakfast of champs.

Something that isn't a secret is Panetierre's fit and toned body. We were more than impressed with her figure as she enjoyed the Miami sun in a two-piece purple bikini earlier this year. But with a beach body like that, we can't imagine the actress will be tempted to eat much of the tasty Nutella.

Maybe she will splurge a little here and there and work out later. Or maybe she will split it with a little help from boyfriend Wladimir Klitschko.

The boxing beau, who Panettiere has dated for more than two years and even been subject to engagement rumors, is 6-foot-6 and is one of the best fighters in the world. He can easily treat himself to a little chocolate treat once in a while.

If she's feeling extra generous, we know Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis love some Nutella, based on their recent London trip. The couple was able to satisfy their crêpe craving during an afternoon stroll. Even model Katherine Webb admits she's not afraid to eat some good food with a little extra calories. "No way I only eat 1100 cals a day!" she said. "I love chocolate too much!"

Whoever she decides to share her nutty chocolate spread with, we're certain Panettiere is going to have one glorious (and tasty) Fourth of July. Let us know if you have any extra!

Jennifer Lopez, Lucy Liu invited to film academy

The academy announced it's class of 2013 on Friday, naming 276 members in a variety of fields.

"These individuals are among the best filmmakers working in the industry today," said academy President Hawk Koch in a statement. "Their talent and creativity have captured the imagination of audiences worldwide, and I am proud to welcome each of them to the Academy."

The class also included veteran performers such as Charles Grodin, 78, and Emmanuelle Riva, the 86-year-old actress nominated for an Oscar in 2012's Amour.

The 276 new members is a large increase from the class of 2012, which brought on 176 new members to an academy that has a membership of about 6,000.

Gordon-Levitt tweeted that the inclusion was "an honor."

Many praised the diverse group of people from the academy, which is often criticized for its member make-up.

"I, for one, am far happier with an Academy that embraces excellence and diversity of all sorts, like this one did today...than I was with the old white man's club that used to reign supreme," wrote The Hollywood Reporter's Scott Feinberg.

Those who accept the invitation will be welcomed at an invitation- only reception in September.

Hayden Panettiere -- There's Nothin' Like Firm Boobs!

It all went down in Verona ... when Hayden and her BF Wladimir Klitschko toured the home where it is believed Juliet lived back in the day ... before she, you know, went all O.J. on herself (allegedly).

During the visit, the couple encountered the famous Juliet statue ... so, naturally, Hayden copped herself a feel. But not because she's a perv -- local legend has it that anyone who rubs J's right breast will be blessed with good fortune.

"O, that I were a glove upon that hand ..."

Julianne Nicholson To Co-Star On Sundance Channel's Drama Series 'The Descendants'

Robert Downey Jr. confirmed for 'The Avengers 2' and '3' by Marvel

The announcement was made in a blog post on Marvel's website. It promises that "The Avengers 2" will feature "favorites from the first Avengers film and new Marvel characters never before seen on the big screen."

Joss Whedon is writing and directing "The Avengers 2," and previously said he expected RDJ to sign on board the project. "He is Iron Man," Whedon said. "He is Iron Man in the way that Sean Connery was James Bond. I have no intention of making 'Avengers 2' without him, nor do I think I'll be called upon to do that. I don't think it's in my interest, Marvel's interest, or his interest, and I think everything will be fine."

"The Avengers 2" is due in theaters on May 1, 2015, while "The Avengers 3" does not yet have a release date.

Robert Downey Jr. Comforts a Child Disappointed Not to Meet Iron Man

The superhero's alter ego, Robert Downey Jr., found that out first-hand this week, when he encountered 1½-year-old super-fan Jaxson Denno – who just couldn't wait to meet Iron Man.

Only problem: Downey, in the Western Massachusetts towns of Sunderland and Shelburne Falls to shoot his latest, The Judge, was not wearing his Iron Man outfit.

That did not please Jaxson, as this photo shows.

Not to worry, though – Downey, 48, soon brought a smile to the boy's face.

"He was fine as soon as he talked to him," Jaxson's mother, Heather Denno, told PEOPLE, explaining that her young son "was so confused because I kept telling him it was Iron Man and he knew it wasn't. Well, not Iron Man in the suit."

Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart Play Paparazzi During Son's Soccer Game-See the Pic

At his soccer match in Brentwood, Calif., over the weekend, the parents enjoyed the game with both a camera and video recorder to capture every moment of Liam's moves on the field.

Flockhart went for the soccer-mom look and donned a casual jeans and cardigan ensemble, while Ford opted for a similar outfit in jeans and a blue button-down jacket.

The actress was in charge of the video camera and kept the lens on her teenage son throughout almost the entire scrimmage.

The duo looked more like paparazzi than parents at one point—getting shots of their son from the sidelines while other parents shouted their support for their kids.

Ford gave Liam a pat on the back after the game and looked like he was as pleased as ever at his son's performance.

What proud parents!

Christina Ricci To Play Lizzie Borden In Lifetime Movie

Hayden Panettiere Talks Avoiding "Drugs, Alcohol" Temptations as Child Star

The Nashville star admitted to being exposed to the darker side of Hollywood after beginning her career at just 11-months old.

"I'm no different to anyone else and those same doors were opened to me and they were very easy to walk through—drugs, alcohol, being in inappropriate places where you shouldn't be at a certain age—it's a very tough position to be in, but I had great people to pull me back from it."

Panettiere also expressed sympathy for fellow female child stars like Lindsay Lohan and Amanda Bynes.

"Being a young female growing up in the industry is tough. I grew up in the generation of the wild child—I was guilty by association. So everyone sits there and waits for you to fall off your horse.

"But as long as you have people who are willing to tell you the truth and are not afraid to tell you the truth and give you a reality check—it makes a world of difference," she added.

Portia de Rossi Hasn't Had Plastic Surgery, Says Source

Shortly after the 40-year-old actress reprised her role as Lindsay Bluth-Funke on Arrested Development's season four premiere, rumors sparked that she had some work done on her face.

In spite of the plastic surgery chatter though, a source tells E! News those rumors are simply not true.

"She's absolutely not had plastic surgery," the source said. "Her character is clearly wearing a wig, which ended up altering her entire look."

De Rossi couldn't be happier with the way she looks, according to the source, who added, "It's no secret she credits her youthful look to her being a vegan for the last five years."

A rep for de Rossi could not be reached for comment. A rep for Mitch Hurwitz has not yet responded.

The entire fourth season of Arrested Development hit Netflix May 26.

Teen Choice Awards 2013 Nominees

Choice Movie Actor: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Tom Cruise, "Oblivion"
Robert Downey, Jr., "Iron Man 3"
James Franco, "Oz the Great and Powerful"
Taylor Lautner, "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2"
Robert Pattinson, "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2"

Choice TV Actress: Action
Lyndsy Fonseca, "Nikita"
Lucy Liu, "Elementary"
Grace Park, "Hawaii Five-0"
Maggie Q, "Nikita"
Monica Raymund, "Chicago Fire"

Ellen DeGeneres & Portia de Rossi Drop $26.5 Million On Astounding Cali Mansion

The deal went through last week, and words can't do justice to how insane this house is -- it's 10,522 square feet ... located in Montecito, which has some of the most beautiful vistas in Cali. It's got 6 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms ... and it sits on 13 ACRES.

Oh yeah, it's also got NINE fireplaces ... and even the pool's got an ocean view.

And if that weren't crazy enough, it's just the latest house Ellen has added to her arsenal -- she also owns several other properties in the Los Angeles area, including homes in Beverly Hills and Hidden Valley.

Annnnnnd now we feel poor. Thanks, Ellen.

Bon Jovi slams Bieber: 'You're an a-hole'

In March, the 19-year-old teen heartthrob was met with a chorus of boos after he turned up nearly two hours late for his London O2 Arena concert.

“Every generation has guys that do that, none of that is new,” Bon Jovi told the London Evening Standard.

“They run the risk of disrespecting their audience members who have worked hard to pay for their ticket, to give you the permission to take two or three hours of their lives — or in that kid’s case, 80 minutes of their lives,” the frontman said.

“Do it once, you can be forgiven. Do it enough times and shame on you. They won’t have you back,” Bon Jovi continued. “Then it just becomes a cliché. It’s really not cool — you’re an a--hole. Go to [bleepin’] work!”

Bieber was scheduled to take the stage at London's O2 Arena at 8:30 p.m. but finally appeared around 10:20 p.m. He later issued a lengthy apology on his Twitter account, blaming "some technical issues."

Sightings

Robert Downey Jr. surprises student innovators

As his billionaire inventor character Tony Stark and Iron Man 3 stormed through the U.S. box office, Downey surprised 12 finalists onstage at the "Iron Man 3: Inventor and Innovator Fair" at Hollywood's El Capitan Theater.

The finalists in the nationwide competition looked amazed and shocked when Downey made the unannounced visit onstage, hands in the air giving the victory sign, following the awards ceremony. Students had flown in from around the country to accept the innovation honors for their work.

Downey congratulated the students, ranging from sixth to ninth grade.

"I hate to say this, but I'm humbled," Downey said from the stage. "I congratulate all of you."

"I am very pleased to be introducing the future design team of the next Tony Stark Iron Man suit," Downey added.

Iron Man 3 was on par to make $60 million on its opening Friday following a stellar international opening last week. But Downey put the spotlight on the award-winning students.

Anin Sayana from Cupertino, Calif., was just one of the award-winning entries with an impressive title: "A Novel Configuration of Carbon Nanotubes to Inhibit ABCG2 and Selectively Target Chemotherapy-Resistant Cancer Stem Cells."

"Iron Man is breaking records all over the world, but these are our big stars today," Downey said.

"This whole series is about someone who invents something out of necessity. It's nice entertainment," he added. "But I am just so pleased to be part of the youth of America representing the things that are going to be keeping the planet sustainable and push technology and innovation forward for years to come."

NJ gov signs overdose law, Bon Jovi applauds it

Bon Jovi called the law a lifesaver and encouraged other states to do the same.

"I hope that Governor Christie's actions here will cause other states to stand up and to pay attention and also to follow in his footsteps," Bon Jovi said before accompanying the Republican governor on a visit with patients at a drug rehabilitation center.

The New Jersey law seeks to assure timely medical treatment for overdose victims by encouraging people to seek help without fear of being arrested for drug possession.

Bon Jovi's daughter overdosed in a dorm at Hamilton College in upstate New York last year. Prosecutors dropped drug charges against Stephanie Bongiovi and another student under that state's good Samaritan overdose-reporting law.

Bon Jovi, who has a home in New Jersey, did not bring up his daughter's case at the bill-signing, and neither did the governor. In a December interview, Bon Jovi said he was shocked to learn of her overdose.

"She was doing great. Then a sudden and steep decline. Hopefully, we caught it when we did and that's the end of it. But who knew?" said Bon Jovi, a father of four.

The governor and singer told patients during their visit they should be proud of their recovery.

Christie has called the war on drugs a failure and has pushed for mandatory treatment for all non-violent drug offenders.

As elected officials, the governor said Thursday, "it's our obligation to ensure that we are doing everything we can to prevent tragic deaths from drug overdoses."

Families who have loved ones who died of drug overdoses also attended the event, many holding up pictures of those they lost. If people aren't afraid to call 911 in overdose cases, they said, more lives will be saved.

Taking a two-pronged approach to preventing drug overdose deaths, the New Jersey law also provides civil, criminal and professional immunity to health care professionals who prescribe or administer any FDA-approved treatment for drug overdoses. Lay people who administer antidotes in an emergency will also be protected.

Legislative sponsors of the bill say New Jersey is now the 12th state to provide good Samaritan protections for those who report overdoses, and the 11th to give legal immunity to those who administer antidotes.

The law extends protection even to those on parole and probation from being arrested, charged or prosecuted for small amounts of drugs when reporting an overdose.

The measure includes the core of two bills that the governor, a former federal prosecutor, had previously vetoed. He insisted that the law spell out that no immunity will exist for drug traffickers. Protections were also removed for people with restraining orders against them and those facing forfeiture of assets.

"This is a real triumph of public health policy and we thank Gov. Christie and the Legislature for working so hard to come to an agreement," said Roseanne Scotti, state director of the New Jersey Drug Policy Alliance, an advocacy group for drug policy reforms.

Jon Bon Jovi to watch signing of NJ overdose law

The New Jersey law will shield from prosecution both overdose victims and those seeking medical help for them if they act in good faith.

The issue hits close to home for Bon Jovi. The rocker's daughter apparently overdosed on heroin in a dorm at Hamilton College in upstate New York last year.

Prosecutors dropped drug charges against Stephanie Bongiovi and another student under New York's own Good Samaritan 911 law, which was designed to reduce overdose deaths by encouraging people to call 911 without fear of being arrested for drug possession.

The New Jersey law, in addition to protecting victims and people who seek help for them, provides civil, criminal and professional immunity to health care professionals who prescribe or administer any FDA-approved treatment for drug overdoses.

The New Jersey Legislature approved a compromise Monday that preserved the core of two bills that had been partly vetoed by the governor.

Bon Jovi, who has four children with wife Dorothea Hurley, told The Associated Press in December he was surprised to learn of his daughter's overdose, but that he hoped with help she would move forward.

"I'm shocked as much as the next parent with this situation and had no idea," said Bon Jovi, 51. "But then you surround them with best help and love and move on, and that's where we're at with it. Steph is a great kid. ... She was doing great. Then a sudden and steep decline. Hopefully, we caught it when we did and that's the end of it. But who knew? I've got three more to come."

Downey's iron bond with Dad

Bon Jovi helps launch online concert venue Evntlive

All can watch the first 30 minutes of the concert for free (go to evntlive.com to register). Then viewers will be asked to join the Backstage with Bon Jovi club.

Evntlive opened its virtual doors in beta mode last week and has a lineup of on-demand performances to watch ($2.99 - $3.99) including Shelby Lynne, Flogging Molly and Gogol Bordello.

Viewers can watch the online stream via computer or mobile devices and tablets and simultaneously share Twitter and Facebook updates about the event. "The whole idea behind Evntlive is to build an online interactive concert venue and to have a mix of video on-demand shows you can watch at any time, they could be from 30 years ago or yesterday, for rent on a pay-per-view basis, in addition to interactive livestreams," says chief marketing officer David Carrico. "We're treating both in a social interactive fashion."

Evntlive also aims to bring other live aspects to its new virtual venue including multiple viewing aspects and shopping for music and merchandise.

Portia de Rossi: I Don't Want to 'Chase' How I Looked at 20

"The trick for me turning 40 was to really evaluate what I wanna do with this next phase in my life," she explains on the set of her photo shoot for PEOPLE's Most Beautiful issue, on newsstands Friday.

While she may still be figuring out what's next, the Arrested Development actress knows what she won't be doing.

"The one thing I don't wanna do is chase what I looked like at 20," she says.

As for retaining her youthful glow, de Rossi credits her wardrobe and her vegan diet, which she's maintained for the past six years.

"People do think I look younger than I am because I dress like a teenager," de Rossi says with a smile.

But while de Rossi understands the pressure for women to stay young, she says its actually in their DNA.

"As women we're so conditioned to think that beauty and age area very important that you stay kind of youthful in order to be beautiful," she says. "I don't think it's fair for people to think that women are just vain because they're worried about getting older. It's actually really linked in with a lot of very primitive stuff for women."

'Iron Man 3' star Robert Downey Jr. talks more sequels: 'The future is uncertain'

When asked Monday (April 22) at a press conference if he's been locked down for a second "Iron Man" trilogy, Downey dodged the question. "I'm not at liberty to discuss that," he jokes, adding, "The future, as usual, is uncertain and I think the great thing is that we never could have known what and who was going to come together for the third 'Iron Man,' and usually the third of anything struggles to meet the first two, let alone the first one."

Downey did give a vague answer though, saying, "In all earnestness, things are very much in flux right now and Marvel has their plans, and we're all living and growing and we'll see what happens."

"The Avengers 2," which would presumably feature Downey's character in a lead role, is currently scheduled to begin production in February 2014, for a Summer 2015 release. Once again, Joss Whedon will be directing.

"Iron Man 3" will be in theaters May 3.

Robert Downey Jr. on Receiving an Oscar Someday: "I'm Getting One"

"I'm probably one of the best," the Iron Man 3 star tells GQ. "But it's not that big a deal. It's not like this is the greatest swath or generation of actors that has ever come down the pike."

What's more, the 48-year-old knows it's only a matter of time before he wins an Academy Award.

"I, personally, would be shocked if we went to the end of the tape now and I didn't have at least one," he says. "Because I'm young enough, and I'm running down being occupied with these kind of genre movies, close enough. Even the next thing we're doing with [my wife, Susan Downey], I'm so confident about it. It's the best script the studio has; it's the best thing I've read in years."

Downey adds, "Look, even if I don't get one directly, eventually they're just going to have to give me one when I get old. So no matter how you slice it, I'm getting one."

Until that day, Downey is keeping busy these days promoting Iron Man 3.

However, whether he'll eventually star in another installment of the film franchise remains to be seen.

The actor admits he's unsure, saying, "How many genre movies can I do? How many follow-ups to a successful follow-up are actually fun?...I don't know. I don't know. Right now I don't have a contract to do anything, and I did for the last five years.

"At whatever point I'm done with this, I'm going to have a bit of a crisis, because I probably haven't even fully ingested how much I've enjoyed it, how much it's meant. It so came out of relative obscurity as this second-tier character from the Marvel universe, and I feel I was part of making it something more. But it also to me was just good filmmaking."

MTV Movie Awards 2013: Winners

Portia de Rossi: 'You Have to Really Want Kids' - and I Don't

After wondering whether they would ever expand their family, the native Australian actress says she believes a brood of babies just isn’t in the cards for the couple.

“There comes some pressure in your mid 30s and you think, ‘Am I going to have kids so I don’t miss out on something that other people really seem to love?’” de Rossi, 40, tells OUT in their May issue. “‘Or is it that I really genuinely want to do this with my whole heart?’”

According to the talk show host’s wife, the answer was obvious.

“I didn’t feel that my response was, ‘Yes,’ to the latter. You have to really want to have kids and neither of us did,” she explains. “So it’s just going to be me and Ellen and no babies — but we’re the best of friends and married life is blissful, it really is.”

Despite not having a baby, de Rossi still has plenty to keep her busy; Her once-canceled show Arrested Development is back on Netflix in May, with the actress reprising her role as Lindsay Bluth.

“We could trust the process because we know our characters and we know [creator] Mitch [Hurwitz]. But at the same time, everything was very spontaneous,” she says of the show’s second chance. “Some of the funniest stuff I have ever seen in my whole life is in this new season.”

Robert Downey Jr. promotes 'Iron Man 3' in Beijing

At a news conference Saturday, Downey — who reprises the role of Tony Stark in the upcoming movie — said he's fascinated with Chinese culture and loves Chinese movies, while urging the local audience to see the superhero film.

"Iron Man 3" was financed in part by the Chinese company DMG, which has created for the movie the role of Dr. Wu, played by the Chinese actor Wang Xueqi.

DMG chairman Xiao Wenge said introducing Chinese culture to the world is a core mission of his company. China also is a major overseas market for Hollywood movies.

"Iron Man 3" opens internationally later this month.

Richie Sambora Bails on Bon Jovi -- Jon Treats Him Like Crap

Sources directly connected to Bon Jovi tell TMZ ... tensions between Jon and Richie have been running high for years and it's finally erupted. One source tells us, "It's a classic Jagger/Richards blowup."

Our sources say part of the problem is that Jon constantly belittles Richie. But there's another part of the problem -- they're fighting over money.

Richie was a no-show at a Bon Jovi concert in Calgary last night, and yesterday he posted on the Bon Jovi website that he was pulling out because of "personal issues."

During the Calgary concert, Jon told the crowd, "I had two choices: pack up and go home or give you everything I got ... Richie Sambora won't be performing for a while. If there's ever a night I need you, it's tonight, Calgary!"

In the meantime, Richie's been spending personal time with his daughter -- the two were on vacation in Hawaii last week. We're told it was an 11-day trip filled with zip-lining, hikes, paddle boarding, and chilling at the pool.

Richie has had alcohol issues in the past, but we're told in no uncertain terms ... Richie is clean now.

Sources close to Richie tell TMZ ... Sambora's camp is hopeful the two sides can work things out before April 19, when Bon Jovi is set to play in L.A. -- Richie's hometown.

Hayden Panettiere Talks Parenthood to Glamour: "I Was Born to Be a Mother"

The 23-year-old Nashville star—who has yet to confirm reports that her on-again beau, Wladimir Klitschko, popped the question late last month—has opened up to Glamour magazine about both marriage and family, weighing in on tying the knot at a young age and whether motherhood is in the cards for her.

And when it comes to answers, she's holding certain cards close to her chest while putting the rest on the table.

"I don't really have a plan," the petite blond stunner tells the magazine about marriage—an interesting revelation given all the subsequent talk about her supposed engagement.

Panettiere, however, is much more definitive about the possibility of children.

"I've lived a very big life, and I don't feel my age, and I feel like I was born to be a mother," she explains. "Sometimes people speak about [having kids] like, 'Your life ends—you're never going to be able to do anything again!' And I'm like, 'What are you talking about?'"

Motherhood, Panettiere contends, "is the most beautiful, exciting thing, and there's nothing that I feel like I can't accomplish while having children in my life."

As for whether her heavyweight-boxer beau could be the father of her children?

"It wouldn't shock me!" the actress exclaims.

Something tells us it wouldn't shock Klitschko, either.

Hayden Panettiere & Wladimir Klitschko -- Bikini Makeout Time!

With rumors speculating they are already engaged, a ringless Hayden showed off her lady curves in a sexy purple fringe bikini, while Wlad bronzed his jacked up boxer's physique by going shirtless.

Whether engaged or not, their lips are definitely not sealed.

Hayden Panettiere's new ring fuels engagement rumors

As she frolicked around the Florida beaches in a lavender string bikini, she flaunted a bauble coated with tiny diamonds on her ring finger.

Panettiere’s musician friend Kate York also posted a photo of Panettiere wrapping her legs around her heavyweight hunk, putting the jewel in full display.

Last week, a new report surfaced that the rekindled pair are set to wed. A source told Us Weekly that the 26-year-old “Nashville” star and the 37-year-old Ukrainian boxer might even tie the knot by this summer.

Although they have not publicly acknowledged their romance, the two have been hot and heavy since reuniting earlier this year.

Hayden Panettiere Celebrates Easter on the Beach

Hayden Panettiere celebrated Easter Miami style – in a bikini on the beach!

Wearing a purple triangle top bikini with turquoise and gold details, the 23-year-old smiled as she waded in the warm Florida water.

The actress – who is staying at the beach with friends – has been enjoying her time off, Tweeting photos with captions like "Love my friends!"

But the Florida trip hasn't been all fun in the sun for Panettiere. Tweeting a photo on Saturday of herself sitting on an ice pack, she wrote "Sun burn remedy #bagofice #dontrunoutofsunscreen."

Although she recently reconciled with former flame Wladimir Klitschko, he was visibly absent from photos.

CBS Renews 'Elementary', 'Blue Bloods'

Not surprisingly, MIA from CBS’ early renewal list again is perennial bubble comedy Rules Of Engagement. With the series recently hitting the 100-episode mark, the deals for the main cast up and most of them off to do pilots, it seems highly unlikely that Rules would continue, though I hear a short final installment is a possibility. With the key players on Criminal Minds, including stars Thomas Gibson and Joe Mantegna, all embroiled in difficult negotiations as their contracts come up this season, CBS is playing it conservatively with no early renewal, though the crime drama is fully expected to return. As for Vegas, a lot will depend on how the series does in the Friday 9 PM slot this spring.

Report: Hayden Panettiere and Wladimir Klitschko Engaged

According to Us Weekly, the Nashville star is secretly engaged to her on-again, off-again boyfriend, boxer Wladimir Klitschko.

Panettiere, 23, and Klitcshko, 37, dated for two years before splitting in May 2011. While they haven't confirmed their reconciliation, the pair was spotted kissing at Sunday's Miami Heat game.

An email to the actress' rep has not been returned.

Ellen DeGeneres: Portia de Rossi and I Could Move to Australia

"I shouldn't put it out there," DeGeneres, 55, told a crowd in Melbourne, "but I can see us living here one day," reports Australia's News Limited.

"I've wanted to come to Australia for a long, long time, before meeting Portia," the talk-show host also said.

DeGeneres echoed the sentiment more than once during her trip, which she made with her mother, Betty, and de Rossi. Dockside in Sydney to film segments of The Ellen DeGeneres Show (her trip Down Under was hosted by Swisse Wellness), she told some 3,000 people who'd gathered to watch the taping, "I'm moving here, it's so beautiful."

According to the Associated Press, among DeGeneres's TV guests was Sydney resident Russell Crowe, who gave her two kangaroo-hide cattle whips so she could catch "some brumbies" (wild horses) in Australia's southeast.

For her part, de Rossi, 40, put on her old school uniform and, with DeGeneres, paid a visit to her alma mater, Melbourne Girls Grammar School, spending a few hours with the thrilled students on Monday.

Amanda Knox Retrial: Will Hayden Panettiere Reprise Her Role in a Lifetime TV Movie Sequel? Get the Details

After drawing in 2.8 million viewers with Amanda Knox: Murder On Trial In Italy in 2011, it only makes sense that Lifetime would jump at the chance of shooting a sequel now that Amanda Knox is facing a retrial.

Right?! Nope, the network doesn't see it that way, anyway.

A source tells E! News that Lifetime has no plans on shooting a sequel to the TV movie and left it at that.

The flick, which debuted in February 2011 and starred Panettiere and Marcia Gay Harden, depicted the events surrounding Knox's trial for the murder of British exchange student Meredith Kercher.

Earlier today, it was announced that the Court of Cassation, Italy's final court of appeal, overturned the acquittals of both Knox and then-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, ordering her to stand trial again for the 2007 death of her roommate.

"No matter what happens, my family and I will face this continuing legal battle as we always have, confident in the truth and with our heads held high in the face of wrongful accusations and unreasonable adversity," Knox said in a statement.

Hayden Panettiere & Wladimir Klitschko Kiss -- Back to Face Sucking!

With the entire American Airlines Arena watching, the itty bitty 23-year-old babe and her 6'6" Ukrainian boxing champ lover inhaled each other's mouths at the Miami Heat game in Florida on Sunday.

After previously dating for about two years, Hayden and Wlad ended their relationship back in 2011.

Glad to see they've kissed and made up.

Jon Bon Jovi Opens Up About Daughter's Overdose: "Worst Phone Call Ever"

His daughter, Stephanie Rose Bongiovi, overdosed on heroin in November and was facing misdemeanor charges after authorities found heroin, marijuana and drug paraphernalia in her dorm room. Charges were dropped, however, because of a "Good Samaritan" provision that exempts people from possession charges if they were seeking help for somebody experiencing a "drug or alcohol overdose or other life-threatening medical emergency."

Bon Jovi says his daughter's overdose was a wake-up call for her. "She's doing great, and I appreciate everyone's thoughts and prayers, [but] in short, that problem is much more prevalent... than I knew and I cannot get over how many people I've met that have said, 'My son, my daughter,'" he told Katie Couric on her daytime talk show. "There is a lot of pressure on kids these days. There's access to things my generation didn't have."

Check out the full interview below: video.

Bon Jovi edges out David Bowie to top Billboard album chart

Bon Jovi, fronted by Jon Bon Jovi, notched their fifth No. 1 album with "What About Now," which sold 101,000 copies in its debut week, according to figures from Nielsen SoundScan.

Bowie, 66, a pioneer of Britain's glam rock movement in the 1970s and 1980s, came in at No. 2 with his latest album "The Next Day," selling 85,000 copies.

Bowie's album sold more digital copies than Bon Jovi, with 41,000 copies of "The Next Day" downloaded in comparison to 34,000 copies of "What About Now," which was a bigger seller in retail shops, Billboard magazine said.

Bowie has yet to score a No. 1 album in the United States despite having released 27 studio albums in his career.

"The Next Day" marks the singer's unexpected return to music after a decade-long hiatus, and it topped the British album chart last week while Bon Jovi came in at No. 2.

Bon Jovi and Bowie led among six new debuts in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 this week.

Christian music compilation album "Passion: Let the Future In" landed at No. 4, R&B band Mindless Behavior debuted at No. 6 with "All Around The World," and Eric Clapton's latest release, "Old Sock," came in at No. 7.

"Sound City - Real to Reel," the star-studded compilation soundtrack to Foo Fighter frontman Dave Grohl's documentary "Sound City," which features Paul McCartney and Stevie Nicks, landed at No. 8 this week.

Legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix's "People, Hell and Angels," the 12th posthumous album from the late rock star's label and which contained 12 previously unreleased studio recordings, rounded out the top 10 this week.

Total U.S. album sales in the past week totaled 5.6 million units, while the year-to-date album sales tally of 61.4 million is down 7 percent from the same period in 2012.

Music industry analysts expect Justin Timberlake's new album "The 20/20 Experience" to top the Billboard 200 chart next week and sell as many as 750,000 copies in its first week.

Tiny Hayden Panettiere Playfully Poses With a Gigantic SUV-See the Hilarious Photo!

The pint-sized Nashville star playfully tweeted a hilarious photo of herself standing next to an enormous SUV on Tuesday.

"I know I'm small, but COME ON! I think this should be my new ride. #Napoleonsyndrome," Panettiere wrote.

The 23-year-old actress then proceeded to show off her, um, tough side by posting a pic of herself sitting on the hood of the huge vehicle.

Of course, given Panettiere's tiny stature, it's hard to know for sure just how big the SUV actually is here.

Regardless, it's a pretty awesome Kodak moment nevertheless.

Reunited, maybe

MTV Movie Awards 2013 nominees

BEST ON-SCREEN DUO
--Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L. Jackson - Django Unchained (The Weinstein Company)
--Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence - Silver Linings Playbook (The Weinstein Company)
--Mark Wahlberg and Seth MacFarlane as Ted - Ted (Universal Pictures)
--Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo - The Avengers (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
--Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis - The Campaign (Warner Bros. Pictures)

BEST FIGHT
--Jamie Foxx vs. Candieland Henchmen - Django Unchained (The Weinstein Company)
--Daniel Craig vs. Ola Rapace - Skyfall (Sony Pictures)
--Mark Wahlberg vs. Seth MacFarlane as Ted - Ted (Universal Pictures)
--Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner vs. Tom Hiddleston - The Avengers (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
--Christian Bale vs. Tom Hardy - The Dark Knight Rises (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Pedro Pascal, James LeGros & Chin Han Join NBC Pilot 'The Sixth Gun'

ICM Partners Signs Portia De Rossi

Sightings

Pilot Season: CBS Orders New Pilots from David E. Kelley and Robin Williams, Homeland Bosses

Anatomy of Violence, which will be executive-produced by Homeland's Howard Gordon, Alex Gansa and Alex Cary, is about a criminal psychologist and expert on sociopaths who partners with a young female detective with whom he shares a conflicted past.

Intelligence, from Michael Seitzman (North Country), takes place at U.S. Central Command and is about a unit that has been created around one agent with a very special gift — a microchip that has been implanted in his brain, allowing him access to the entire electromagnetic spectrum. Seitzman will act as executive producer and writer for the pilot, alongside David Semel, who will direct, and Tripp Vinson.

TNT's Monday Mornings: David E. Kelley Brings the Courtroom Into the Hospital

"That's the first question that we asked: How this is different than what we already did in Chicago Hope many years ago?" executive producer and frequent Kelley collaborator Bill D'Elia tells TVGuide.com. "But you wind up watching this show differently than you watch any another medical drama. Most of them are about, 'Are they going to save that patient? How are they going to deal with that? Is the doctor flawed? Heroic?' That happens here, but [whether or not] the case is solved successfully ... the difference truly is the morbidity and mortality conference, where the doctors are called to task."

Indeed, the show's title, which it shares with the novel by Dr. Sanjay Gupta upon which the show is based, refers to those weekly "M&M" meetings, during which doctors — from hotshot neurosurgeon Tyler Wilson (Jamie Bamber) to trauma chief Jorge "El Gato" Villanueva (Ving Rhames) — gather in Chelsea General's Room 311 to discuss and defend their shortcomings and successes before Chief of Staff Dr. Harding Hooten (Alfred Molina). It's in those scenes that the show diverges from a typical medical drama and more closely resembles another time-honored TV genre that Kelley favors a bit more.

"Suddenly when I was in that room 311 for the first time, I realized, 'Oh my God, this is a courtroom on steroids,'" D'Elia says. "This is no-holds-barred courtroom, and [Molina] is the Grand Inquisitor. Having done all that courtroom stuff, it greatly informed how to pace and shoot those scenes."

The doctor on trial in the premiere episode (Monday at 10/9c on TNT) is Bamber's Dr. Wilson, whose failure to ask for a full medical history endangers his 7-year-old patient during surgery to remove a brain tumor. "I was intrigued as to how someone who's supremely confident, who is the very, very best at what he does, then unravels as a result of making such a fundamental mistake," Bamber says of his character. "His sense of self really is eroded through that. ... I think this is forever part of his DNA from there on in. Once your confidence has been cracked, that fissure is there and it can be reopened."

Dr. Wilson is particularly hard on himself because of his own tragic past: His brother also died during a brain surgery when Dr. Wilson was very young. "His whole life has been this slightly immature attempt to put back those pieces that were shattered when he was so young," Bamber says. "His whole medical career is a search for redemption. Ty is in this game to put people's lives right... and that's what he bases his whole self-esteem on."

During this stressful time, Bamber's character will turn to Dr. Tina Ridgeway (Jennifer Finnigan), a colleague whose own struggling marriage portends some possible outside-the-OR consolation time between the duo. But don't expect hanky panky in the on-call room. "It's not really a show about their personal lives as some other shows might be," D'Elia says. "We get a little bit involved in that relationship between Ty and Tina, but our show is mainly with the doctors at work."

Adds Bamber: "The beauty of their relationship is that it is there in glimpses and touches, and the audience will decide. Whatever is going on between them, they're very aware of the perceived image of each other and they don't want to compromise that. We were very serious about making sure that this thing is not overt, whatever it is."

But Bamber argues that perhaps the biggest difference between Monday Mornings and other recent medical dramas is the portrayal of the doctors as humans, not surgical superheroes. "The normal trope is that these people are flawless at work, but flawed personally," he says. "Our show is fundamentally trying to do a different thing. We're trying to show that these surgeons, yes, they're brilliant, but they are flawed in the professional work as well. They make mistakes. The mistakes are actually the things that are highlighted in the show. ... For the first time with these M&M meetings, you get to see that sort of honesty."

But could highlighting a doctor's flaws each week scare some viewers from ever going to the hospital again? "I'm reminded of Bill Cosby's old routine: You don't want your doctor to say, 'Oops,'" D'Elia says with a laugh. "We're showing you some of the 'oops.' There is an element in watching this show where if I go to a hospital, I'm going to ask some different questions than I might have asked. And I think that's a great thing. People look at doctors as very god-like. ... But if a doctor makes a mistake, what happens? That's what we're showing."

Monday Mornings premieres Monday at 10/9c on TNT.

Pilot Scoop: Greg Germann In, Aasif Mandvi Out in NBC Comedy The Gates

The project is set at the front gates of an elementary school drop-off and revolves around the parents, school staff and 15-minute social minefield they navigate at the beginning and end of each school day. It centers on type-A Helen (Kathleen Rose Perkins), who just moved to town with her husband Mark (Ken Marino) and their 8-year-old daughter.

Germann takes over the role of the super-driven, competitive Yale-educated lawyer who pushes his kids way too hard. Producers made the change after the first table read.

Lucy Liu Gets Pie in the Face on Jimmy Fallon Show

The always elegant actress, 44, now starring on the CBS crime drama Elementary, was a good sport as she joined the Late Night With Jimmy Fallon host for a messy game of "Rock, Paper, Scissors, Pie" – and ended up a gooey mess with her face covered with white cream.

Fallon, 38, also took a sweet wallop to the face as the segment placed the stars behind a cutout board – framing them as chefs – and exposed their faces and arms. They put their hands on a device whose handles, when clicked, could deliver an unexpected pie blast.

"She is the greatest," Fallon said with a giggle as the two – she in a chic, one-shoulder dress, and he in suit and tie – stepped outside of the game board to earn audience cheers, their faces covered in goo.

2013 People's Choice Awards winners

Favorite Movie Superhero: Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man

Robert Downey Jr. and Son Exton Elias Share a Sweet Moment on the Beach in Anguilla

Robert Downey Jr. and his adorable son Exton Elias were snapped sharing a sweet moment together as they walked on the beach in Anguilla, where the actor spent his holiday vacation with his 11-month-old son and his wife, Susan Downey.

The Avengers star was the ever-doting dad as he cradled his smiling son, clearly enjoying their quality time together.

Downey wore neon green swim trunks and a white T-shirt on the quiet stroll. The caring father made sure to shield his little one's face from the harsh Caribbean sunlight with an adorable bright orange bonnet.

Robert and his wife welcomed their first child together almost a year ago in February. The actor also has 19-year-old son, Indio, from a previous marriage.

Too stinking cute, you two!

To Thine Own Character

THE women of “Girls” are hardly the first ones for whom the outfits they wear are an essential part of their characters’ makeup. Here are three memorable characters from past television shows in which clothes very much helped to make the woman.

‘THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW’ (1970-1977)

For Mary Tyler Moore, the look of Mary Richards was modeled largely on her own style, especially as the character evolved from a Midwestern girl newly moved to the big city (that beret!) to a successful newsroom producer earning a decent salary. Over the years, Ms. Moore would go to the showroom of the designer Norman Todd and pick out many of the outfits she would later wear on the show. “As I’m supposed to be an office worker, I very much wear the same outfit more than once,” she told a newspaper in 1974. “The clothes are the property of the studio, but when they’ve ‘had it,’ I’m allowed to take them home. I try to stick to tailored styles for dresses and neat, chic fashions for pantsuits. Off screen those are the styles I go for, too.”

‘ALLY MCBEAL’ (1997-2002)

For Ally McBeal, the Boston lawyer portrayed by Calista Flockhart, no skirt seemed to be too short, despite the protestations of other characters. (“No real lawyer wears a short skirt like that!” one prospective client exclaimed early in the show’s run. “I want pants.”) A judge once even ruled her in contempt of court for not dressing more modestly. Though her look proved something of a flash point among viewers, including some women who thought she was undermining her credibility as a lawyer with her miniskirts, others defended her fashion choices. “We can all look at Ally McBeal and see her as some kind of icon,” Jane Pratt said in 1998, when she was the editor in chief of Jane magazine. “Women find themselves emulating her, feeling O.K. wearing shorter skirts to the office because of her. She’s freeing women up.”

‘SEX AND THE CITY’ (1998-2004)

Whether it was an Azzedine Alaïa jacket paired with Prada capri pants, or her cherished Fendi baguette, or that John Galliano newspaper-print dress, or floor-sweeping gowns from Oscar de la Renta or Versace, or even some pieces from her own short-lived Halston Heritage collection, Sarah Jessica Parker made sure her character, Carrie Bradshaw, was always fashion-forward. And if anyone wondered how she managed to afford all of those designer duds and Manolo Blahnik shoes on a freelance-writer’s salary, Carrie had a ready answer. “I like my money right where I can see it,” she said in one episode. “Right in my closet.”

Is David E. Kelley's Monday Mornings a Carbon Copy of Grey's Anatomy?

No, we're not talking about Grey's Anatomy. We're describing TNT's new medical drama Monday Mornings, a near carbon-copy of ABC's Seattle-based series. In David E. Kelley's new take on the medical world, doctors — including those played by Jamie Bamber, Alfred Molina, Ving Rhames and Jennifer Finnigan — in a Portland-based hospital face life-and-death decisions every day as they fight against often-impossible odds to save their patients.

"A medical franchise will invite comparisons to other medical franchises," Kelley tells TVGuide.com. "I haven't seen a whole lot of Grey's lately, so it's not fair for me to compare. I compare more to Chicago Hope and ER — Chicago Hope I did, and ER I watched invariably."

The difference with this medical drama, Kelley says, is that the focus of each episode is on the weekly M&M meeting that takes place on — you guessed it — Monday mornings. The M&M (or Morbidity & Mortality) focuses on the doctor's actions that lead to deaths in the hospital so they can learn from their mistakes. "This is about the doctors holding each other accountable," Dr. Sanjay Gupta, whose book the series is based on, told reporters at the show's Winter TV preview panel Friday.

"I think it's the Monday morning chapter of our storytelling that's very, very different," Kelley says. "We're going behind the veil and really aggressively analyzing these doctors as doctors. That, I don't think, has been portrayed in medical shows in the way we're endeavoring to do it."

Despite comparisons, Kelley insists there's still plenty of ground to cover in the medical world. "First I had a reservation of the project itself because I've done a medical show before," Kelley says. "It sounded great, but the terrain sounded a little familiar with Chicago Hope. Then I read the book and saw that it was completely different... It felt like fertile storytelling ground."

"Are we reinventing the wheel? Probably not," he adds. "But is our wheel different from others that have been out there before? I think so."

Monday Mornings premieres Monday, Feb. 4 at 10/9c on TNT. Will you be watching?

'Monday Mornings': Doctors answer for patient deaths in David E. Kelley's new medical drama

Adapted from the book by CNN chief medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta, who also serves as executive producer, "MM" is the first series to take viewers inside the weekly Morbidity and Mortality conference (M&M), where surgeons answer for errors in patient care -- and in medicine, mistakes can mean death.

"That meeting is a hallowed space in medicine that very few people know about and very few people get to see," Gupta told reporters at the TCA Winter Press Tour Friday (Jan. 4).

"The spirit of it is that we learn," said Gupta. "As unsettling as it is to think about, these mistakes [and] unexpected outcomes get discussed openly -- and hopefully everyone can learn from it."

"You have to pay attention in this show -- everything is a potential clue here, things you think are inconsequential end up having significant consequence."

The surgeons on staff at the fictional Chelsea General Hospital are played by Jamie Bamber ("Battlestar Galactica"), Ving Rhames ("Mission: Impossible," "Pulp Fiction), Jennifer Finnigan, Keong Sim, Emily Swallow, Bill Irwin and Sarayu Rao. Alfred Molina ("Law & Order: LA") is the administrator who presides over the M&M meetings.

"Preserving [the surgeons'] credibility and exposing their fallibility is a dance," Kelley acknowledges about making the characters' professional errors the cornerstone of the show. "Some doctors that aren't regulars we can string up like piñatas, [while with] others we want to be more invested in we have to be more careful."

"Some characters get persecuted for the same things several episodes in a row," grumbles Bamber, with a laugh.

Gupta's heavy involvement should at least mean the show itself will more accurately portray medical procedures than most televised dramas.

When filming the pilot, for example, Finnigan reveals that Gupta "came up and showed us how to clip an aneurism in a cow brain."

After believing they'd nailed a particular scene, executive producer Billy D'elia says he noticed Gupta didn't share the crew's enthusiasm. "Sanjay looked so depressed. He said, 'We just killed him!' So we did it again and the show got tremendously better."

"Monday Mornings" premieres Monday, Feb. 4 on TNT.

'Mockingbird Lane' officially dead: NBC 'not moving forward with' 'Munsters' reboot

"I tweet with a heavy heart," showrunner Bryan Fuller wrote on Twitter Thursday afternoon (Dec. 27). "NBC not moving forward with #MockingbirdLane. From producers and cast, thank you all for enthusiasm and support."

It's not surprising news, especially since the network repurposed the expensive "Mockingbird" pilot to air as a Halloween special, on Friday, Oct. 26. And although it drew respectable ratings in its Friday-night time slot, "Mockingbird" -- starring Portia de Rossi, Jerry O'Connell, and Eddie Izzard -- wasn't enough to persuade the network to suddenly champion it as a series.

Fuller does have NBC's full support for "Hannibal," the upcoming prequel focusing on the young Hannibal Lecter and premiering in 2013.

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi Hold Hands During Romantic Vacation in St. Barts

Prior to their romantic stroll, the duo enjoyed lunch at Eden Rock Restaurant, and then went on to grab some last minute Christmas gifts at Hermes, according to the Daily Mail.

The lovebirds were spotted doing more shopping the day before, picking up a ring at Cartier, and running into Kimora Lee Simmons as they looked around for gifts.

"Ming Lee, Aoki Lee+Kenzo Lee chillen with Ellen and Portia in ?#StBarths... #HappyHolidays!," the Baby Phat mogul tweeted following the run-in, along with a photo of her three kids posing with DeGeneres and Rossi.

James Marsden Welcomes Son William Luca

Brazilian model Rose Costa delivered a son, William Luca Costa-Marsden, on Friday, Dec. 14 in Los Angeles, PEOPLE has learned.

The 30 Rock star, who briefly dated Costa after his split from wife Lisa Linde in 2011, picked the name and is being very supportive, a source tells PEOPLE.

Marsden, 39, is already dad to daughter Mary James, 7, and son Jack Holden, 11, with Linde.

A rep for the actor could not be reached for comment.

"Silver Linings Playbook" sweeps Satellite Awards

Motion picture: "Silver Linings Playbook"

Director: David O. Russell, "Silver Linings Playbook"

Actor: Bradley Cooper, "Silver Linings Playbook"

Actress: Jennifer Lawrence, "Silver Linings Playbook"

Editing: Jay Cassidy and Crispin Struthers, "Silver Linings Playbook"

Jane Krakowski: Santa Made My Son Scream

“We went and saw Santa for the first time last weekend,” the actress told PEOPLE at a Bank of America charity event on Wednesday. “We have the classic screaming by the Santa Claus photo. I love it.”

But with Bennett’s latest craze over clothes, St. Nick has it easy when it comes to the toddler’s wish list.

“I don’t know if it’s just his age or because of his parents, but he enjoys getting clothes as gifts,” Krakowski, 44, explains. “Maybe he doesn’t realize that toys are more fun! When he gets a new sweater, he hugs it.”

It’s a busy time of year for the star — who finishes filming the final season of 30 Rock on Dec. 17 — as she prepares to host Christmas dinner at her home for the first time.

But the ending of an era is bittersweet for Krakowski. While she’ll now have extra time with Bennett, the first-time mom found the balance of her professional and personal lives doable during the show’s run.

“It’s been great because I work with other working moms, and Tina Fey is a great example of a multitasking working mom,” she says. “[When 30 Rock is over], I’ll be what they call a stay-at-home actress.”

One thing’s for sure: Krakowski certainly has a lot of love at home to return to.

“The other day [Bennett] grabbed my face and gave me a kiss for the first time,” she shares. “Like he understood what a kiss was. I was like, ‘Okay, that’s it! That’s the whole thing!’”

Golden Globes 2013 Nominations

Best Original Song, Motion Picture
"For You," Act of Valor, Monty Powell & Keith Urban
"Not Running Anymore," Stand Up Guys, Jon Bon Jovi
"Safe and Sound," The Hunger Games, Taylor Swift. John Paul White, Joy Williams & T Bone Burnett
"Skyfall," Skyfall, Adele & Paul Epworth
"Suddenly," Les Misérables, Claude-Michel Schonberg & Alain Boublil

Critics' Choice Awards 2013 Nominations

BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION MOVIE
Christian Bale, The Dark Knight Rises
Daniel Craig, Skyfall
Robert Downey Jr., The Avengers
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Looper
Jake Gyllenhaal, End of Watch

Mel Gibson, Gene Simmons, Robert Downey, Jr., and Celebrity Friends Helped to Raise Funds for Mending Kids International

Will Hartman walked away with the night’s poker trophy. Those who didn’t play poker enjoyed casino games and entertainment provided by The Commodores Band, American Idol Winner Lee Dewyze, and Dominic Scott Kay.

Sponsors for the event include ICON Films, The London West Hollywood, The Sher Group, Morgan’s Jewelers, Variety, Marich Premium Chocolates, Polanti Watches, BERYLL, Smile Sciences, El Cartel Tequila, Akvinta Vodka, Atlantico Rum, Paul Smith, Floral Crush, and GrapeVine Productions. MKI is already planning the 2nd Annual event for Fall 2013 and sponsorship opportunities and player slots are available.

About Mending Kids International: MKI is a 501(c)3 organization working to save the lives of children in over 51 countries around the world in Central and South America, the Caribbean, Africa and Southeast Asia. MKI strives to give children access to critical surgeries that they would otherwise not be able to receive due to lack of medical or financial resources, and works to help communities create self-sustaining surgical programs.

JBJ stunned by drug scandal

Stephanie Rose Bongiovi, 19, was found unresponsive in her dorm room at Hamilton College in New York and hospitalised, before being arrested on drug charges after a "small quantity" of heroin and marijuana was found during a search.

The charges were later dropped and Bon Jovi insists the teenager is now "doing great", but reveals he was initially stunned to discover his little girl was getting into trouble.

He tells the Associated Press, "I didn't have any sisters. We bring home this girl the first day. Now what? Where's the manual? There was no manual. So you bring her up the best you can, you surround her with hugs and kisses and know that she may eventually fall down... I'm shocked as much as the next parent with this situation and had no idea. But then you surround them with best help and love and move on, and that's where we're at with it. Steph is a great kid... Cool school, Hamilton College up in Clinton, New York.

"Everything about it is idyllic. She was doing great. Then a sudden and steep decline."

The singer now hopes Stephanie will be able to move on from the incident, adding, "Hopefully, we caught it when we did and that's the end of it. But who knew? I've got three more (children) to come (grow up)."

Hayden Panettiere in Nashville Car Crash -- Accused of Blowing Red Light

The crash occurred on November 14th in Nashville -- where Hayden films her show "Nashville" -- and according to the crash report, the accident occurred for two reasons ... 1) Hayden ran a red light ... and 2) the other driver turned into Hayden's lane.

According to the report, Hayden was driving in the right lane through an intersection when the other driver made a left turn into her lane -- instead of into the left lane.

A witness reported Hayden had a red light at the time of the accident.

According to the report, both vehicles were towed from the scene -- but thankfully, no one was seriously hurt. Calls to Hayden's people were not returned.

FUN FACT: Hayden uses State Farm insurance ... like a good neighbor ...

Sighting

Bon Jovi Calls His Daughter's Heroin Overdose a 'Tragedy'

Speaking with Fox 11 in L.A., Bon Jovi called the Nov. 14 episode in a dorm room at New York's Hamilton College involving daughter Stephanie Rose Bongiovi, 19, a tragedy. Charges of drug possession against her eventually were dropped and she recovered at a local hospital.

"This tragedy was something that I had to face too, so we'll get through it," said Bon Jovi, 50, also father to three younger children with his wife of 23 years, Dorothea Hurley. "And people's incredible warm wishes for my family and I have been really reassuring. So, we're good."

Bon Jovi, who supported the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund along with fellow native Bruce Springsteen, also spoke about his rock world and the issues that come with it.

"It's human. What I do for a living, it seems glitzy and glamorous but if you don't take it too seriously it's a great way to make a living," he said. "And then life goes on. Things happen."

Springsteen, Bon Jovi join Sandy NJ Relief Fund

The musicians will serve on the advisory board of the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund. The nonprofit was created by state first lady Mary Pat Christie to aid in the long-term recovery effort following the storm.

The board has raised more than $16 million, so far.

Springsteen says he knows people will rally together to help neighbors to "come back better and stronger."

Bon Jovi says the damage and devastation is unimaginable.

The musicians will join Kelly Ripa of "Live with Kelly and Michael," nationally syndicated talk show host Dr. Mehmet Oz, and musician and actor Kevin Jonas as celebrities on the board.

Bon Jovi tour tickets start at a bottom-rocking $19.50

The New Jersey band's Because We Can tour, launching Feb. 9 in Uncasville, Conn., will offer tickets starting at $19.50, a rare bargain for superstar acts.

The outing takes Jon Bon Jovi and company to arenas nationwide and several stadiums, including a two-night stand at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The group, which has played 2,700 shows in more than 50 countries for 35 million fans, had the highest-grossing tours worldwide in 2008 and 2010. Because We Can, which will introduce new songs from upcoming studio album What About Now, will travel from the USA to Europe, the Far East, Africa, Latin America and Australia.

Tickets for the first leg go on sale Nov. 30; visit BonJovi.com for details.

Tickets are offered at seven price levels (plus service charges): $19.50, $29.50, $49.50, $59.50, $99.50, $125 and $185, plus lavish VIP packages bundled with such extras as meet-and-greets, parking, dinner and merchandise.

"Jon is very savvy," says Randy Phillips, president/CEO of AEG Live, promoter of the tour. "He's using the highest 10% of the house to finance the rest of the house. It's almost similar to President Obama wanting to raise the upper tax rate. He's an artist who's fully in control of his own business and who understands the business. He told me he wanted to make sure there was something for everyone."

Moved by the plight of Hurricane Sandy victims in his home state, Bon Jovi left his promotional tour in Europe and flew home to work in a soup kitchen, Phillips says.

"He's been a huge lobbyist for New Jersey," Phillips says. "Because he's so socially active, he never lost touch with what his fans feel and are going through. He does not want to play in an arena full of rich people. Doing things like this is why this band still matters."

Jon Bon Jovi's daughter's arrest 'shocks' family: report

The 19-year-old Hamilton College student was found initially unresponsive by medics Wednesday after she apparently overdosed in a dorm room. Bongiovi was rushed to a local hospital, where she recovered. She and a fellow student, Ian Grant, were subsequently charged with possession of a small amount of heroin and marijuana.

"This was a shock," a source told Us Weekly. "A very sad shock."

Drug charges against Stephanie have been dropped, prosecutors said yesterday, but the magazine reports that the incident has shaken the otherwise "normal" and tight-knit family.

"[Stephanie] is really close with her dad," a different source told the mag. The source added that the father of four always attended their school events and functions. "He's a very good dad who loves his kids."

"We were shocked [to hear about what happened]," the second source added. "Stephanie is a sweetheart and so down-to-earth. She always wanted to party, but not in a way that made anyone think differently of her over any other teenager."

Bon Jovi and wife Dorothea Hurley also have three sons: Jesse James, 17, Jacob Hurley, 10, and Romeo Jon, 8.

Jon Bon Jovi's Daughter: Drug Charges Dropped

Bongiovi, 19, and Ian S. Grant, 21, both students at Hamilton College in Upstate New York, were arrested this week on drug possession charges after officers found heroin, marijuana and drug paraphernalia in her dorm room, according to police.

On Thursday, the misdemeanor charges against both were dropped because of a 2011 amendment to the New York penal code exempting people from possession charges if they had sought help for somebody experiencing a "drug or alcohol overdose or other life-threatening medical emergency."

The so-called "Good Samaritan" section of the law applies to the Bongiovi case because Grant had called for help for the rocker's daughter as she suffered a possible overdose, authorities said.

"By law, they have immunity. I can’t prosecute them even if I wanted to,” said Oneida County District Attorney Scott D. McNamara, according to the Observer-Dispatch in Utica, N.Y. "To proceed would be highly inappropriate and highly unethical, and would jeopardize my opportunity to practice in the future."

Bongiovi, one of the singer's four children with wife Dorothea Hurley, was hospitalized early Wednesday. Her condition was unknown. Reps for Bon Jovi have not commented.

People's Choice Awards: 2013 Nominees

Favorite Movie Actor
Channing Tatum
Johnny Depp
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Robert Downey Jr.
Will Smith

Favorite Action Movie Star
Chris Evans
Chris Hemsworth
Christian Bale
Robert Downey Jr.
Will Smith

Favorite Movie Superhero
Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man
Chris Evans as Captain America
Chris Hemsworth as Thor
Christian Bale as Batman
Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man

Jon Bon Jovi's daughter arrested after suspected heroin overdose: report

Stephanie Rose Bongiovi, 19, was arrested in Upstate New York early this morning, reports WKTV. The Town of Kirkland Police Department told the local news station that officers responded to the Dunham Dorm around 1:51 a.m. this morning to assist medical personnel with a report of a female who had allegedly overdosed on heroin and was unresponsive.

After a search a drug task force found a small quantity of heroin along with marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Stephanie was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and criminally using drug paraphernalia, all misdemeanors. She was eventually released from custody and ordered to appear in court at a later date.

Kirkland Police said two students from the college were arrested. Ian S. Grant, 21, of Red Bank, New Jersey, was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Hamilton College released a statement to WKTV: "In addition to violating state law, the actions alleged to have been committed by the students violate Hamilton College policy. The college is cooperating with the police investigation. Our first concern is always for the safety of our students. Out of respect for the privacy of our students and in accordance with federal regulations we do not discuss individual health or disciplinary matters."

Stephanie is the rock star’s only daughter and the oldest of his four children with wife Dorothea Hurley.

Buried treasures

Bon Jovi slams 'Jersey Shore'

The Bon Jovi frontman hails from Perth Amboy, New Jersey but he is no fan of the hit fly-on-the-wall program set in the state, which shows scenes of locals boozing in the streets and causing fights.

He is adamant the housemates featured in the show are not typical New Jersey residents, and he has criticised the program's bosses for contributing to the modern 'culture of fame'.

Bon Jovi tells British magazine OK!, "It's not my Jersey shore. I was there way before they were. We used to go down to the boardwalk all the time when we were kids, that was a cool place to go. People from New Jersey know that's not what it's like.

"I more resent that those shows create 'celebrities', that's bad. Some kid is struggling to write a song, or to be an actor or write a book, and kids want to get famous to be famous. I don't like that. It's really sad."

Robert Downey Jr. Stars in Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Live-Action Trailer

No, it's not for another Sherlock Holmes flick, but rather a new 60-second trailer for the highly anticipated Call of Duty: Black Ops 2.

In this explosive Ritchie-directed live-action clip titled "Surprise," the actor makes a quick, but nevertheless memorable, appearance.

"Guess who brought a jet to a gun fight," quips Downey Jr. before attempting to fly out of harm's way.

The spot will have its official debut tonight during Monday Night Football. The game itself hits stores on Nov. 13.

Bon Jovi announces Canadian dates

The veteran New Jersey rockers, who have sold more than 125 million albums, have announced their Because We Can world tour of stadiums and arenas with Canadian dates unveiled first.

The group will start this side of the border on Feb. 13 in Montreal at the Bell Centre before continuing on to Toronto, Edmonton, Ottawa, Calgary and Winnipeg. On-sale information will be released later.

The trek is in support of Bon Jovi’s upcoming album, What About Now, to be released in spring 2013, with U.S. dates expected to to be announced in the coming weeks.

Here is the entire run of Canadian dates: Feb. 13, Montreal, Bell Centre; Feb. 17, Toronto, Air Canada Centre; Feb. 20, Ottawa, Scotiabank Place; April 2, Calgary, Scotiabank Saddledome; April 3, Edmonton, Rexall Place; April 5, Winnipeg, MTS Centre.

PDA of the Day: Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart Steal a Kiss in L.A.

The 70-year-old big screen legend and his 47-year-old TV star missus couldn't resist leaning in for an old fashioned kiss and some PDA in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles on Saturday.

Donning baseball caps, the demure duo was on hand to cheer on their 11-year-old son Liam at a soccer game. Both wore jeans and jackets to keep the autumnal chill away, while Ford also sipped at a cup of coffee.

According to reports, they weren't the only celebrities on the sidelines. Reese Witherspoon—just three weeks out from giving birth—and hubby Jim Toth were also at the game to watch the actress' 8-year-old son Deacon in action.

Bon Jovi thief jailed 5 years

Nicholas Tracy illegally entered a string of houses in New Jersey, including the It's My Life hitmaker's mansion, during a three-day period in spring, 2011, making off with jewellery and other goods, totalling $300,000.

Last month the 22 year old pleaded guilty to three counts of burglary and theft at the State Superior Court in Freehold, and on Friday Judge Ronald L. Reisner handed down the sentence, according to local news site NJ.com.

It is not known what items were swiped from Bon Jovi's residence, however some of the property has since been recovered.

NBC Airing Munsters Reboot as Halloween Special

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the pilot, which cost NBC $10 million, will air Friday, Oct. 26 at 8/7c before Grimm.

The project, which has been in development for two years, comes from writer-producer Bryan Fuller and director Bryan Singer. The cast includes Jerry O'Connell, Portia de Rossi and Eddie Izzard.

Unlike the goofy CBS original, Mockingbird Lane is a more serious family drama that will feature Fuller's signature visual style.

NBC hasn't completely left Fuller out in the cold. The showrunner is currently working on Hannibal, a midseason drama about Hannibal Lecter.

Big Machine Label Group to Release Music from ABC's Nashville

Songs by BMLG artists will also be on the soundtrack for the series. The premiere episode opens with Eli Young Band’s No. 1 hit “Even If It Breaks Your Heart.” It will also feature Greg Bates’ “Did It For The Girl” and Justin Moore’s “Small Town USA.”

Grammy Award-winning producer T Bone Burnett serves as the show’s executive music producer. One of the most anticipated new TV dramas of the fall, Nashville premieres Wednesday October 10 at 10/9 p.m. CT on ABC. The show is filmed entirely in Nashville.

Visit the Original Nashville Fan Site here.

Hayden Panettiere Opens Up About Teenage Battle With "Body Dysmorphia"

In an interview with Women's Health, the 23-year-old Nashville star opens up about being "mortified" when a magazine published a picture of her backside in jean shorts with the word "cellulite."

"It gave me such body dysmorphia for so long," she says, referring to a body-image syndrome involving negative self-image. "But I remember reminding myself that beauty is an opinion, not a fact. And it has always made me feel better."

She tells the mag that now she tries to eat healthfully but doesn't "go crazy over it."

"I mean, you gotta eat," she says, adding that others "can tell when you're happy with being you and when you're not."

"As I've gotten older and grown into my body, I've started realizing that the way you carry yourself and that light coming out of your eyes are the most attractive things about you," she adds.

Amen, sister!

Jesse L. Martin Books Recurring Role on Smash

The actor will recur as Scott Welker, the artistic director of a theater company who has history with a couple of the characters. Will he clash with Julia's (Debra Messing) reported new love interest, played by Daniel Sunjata?

Besides Law & Order, Martin has also starred in several Broadway shows, including the original production of Rent. He joins previously announced Smash guest stars Jennifer Hudson and Sean Hayes.

Smash returns midseason on NBC.

See What Ellen DeGeneres Gives Portia de Rossi Each Year for Their Anniversary

Earlier this week, Ellen DeGeneres shared on her talk show that when her and Portia de Rossi's annual wedding anniversary rolls around, she gives the same thoughtful present.

To mark the annual occasion, DeGeneres hires a skywriter to, well, write in the sky whatever year they are currently celebrating.

In addition to showing her audience the most recent one, she also pulled up similar-looking pics from the previous three years as well.

Pretty sweet, right?

The couple celebrated their most recent anniversary with a barbecue at a ranch near Santa Barbara, Calif., in August. Sofia Vergara, Katy Perry, Gwen Stefani and Michelle Williams were among those who attended.

Hayden Panettiere reveals weight battle

The Heroes star was horrified when she saw an unflattering photo of herself in shorts with the word 'cellulite' printed next to her bottom, and the image sent her into a downward spiral, sparking body dysmorphia, a condition which affected the way she saw herself.

She tells Women's Health magazine, "I was mortified. It gave me such body dysmorphia for so long. But I remember reminding myself that beauty is an opinion, not a fact. And it has always made me feel better."

The former child star, now 23, has since managed to overcome her demons and she feels more confident than ever about her shape.

She says, "People can tell when you're happy with being you and when you're not. It's only cheesy because it's true. As I've gotten older and grown into my body, I've started realizing that the way you carry yourself and that light coming out of your eyes are the most attractive things about you."

Bon Jovi buzz

Fall Preview: Nashville

The Orginal Nashville Fan Site: http://nashville.byethost7.com

As this point, the Friday Night Lights and American Horror Story alum is the Meryl Streep of TV. To quote Modern Family's Cam (Eric Stonestreet), she could play Batman and be the right choice. She is one of TV's most likable and talented stars and Nashville showcases all of her best qualities and highlights one talent we never knew she had: singing!

Yes, in addition to those acting chops and that hair, Britton can sing, y'all! Britton is pitch-perfect as Rayna, a country music superstar (think Faith Hill), whose career isn't what it used to be now that she has to compete with the likes of spitfire Juliette (Panettiere, displaying one of the best beyotchy smirks on TV), whose pop sound is dominating their airwaves. (Think Taylor Swift if she had a lot of daddy, mommy and all other kinds of issues.)

Yes, it's basically Gwyneth Paltrow's Country Strong…but better.

But it's not all country music and diva battles on Nashville. Rayna's also struggling with her home life. Her husband Teddy (Close), who we felt was kind of lackluster in comparison to her longtime bandleader/former beau Deacon (Esten), is running for major with her the support of her father (Boothe), the most powerful (and possibly corrupt) businessman in town. Honestly, we weren't expecting the show to pack such a juicy political punch.

Of course, complicating things even further is the fact that there are still some serious sparks flying between Rayna and Deacon, something the calculating and conniving Juliette, who is something of a man-eater, is well aware of. Thankfully, Juliette isn't all attitude (clichés are no fun, right?), and when you learn what's haunting the tiny blonde, the surprising scene tugs at your heartstrings.

However, the biggest surprise of the series comes in the form of another blonde crooner: Bowen as waitress/aspiring musician Scarlett, who, along with Palladio's barkeep Gunnar, steal the entire episode with their haunting cover of The Civil Wars' "If I Didn't Know Better." Yes, we've been checking iTunes daily hoping their cover will magically appear.

Verdict: We're booking a one-way flight to Nashville, a worthy successor to Revenge's timeslot, and never looking back.

Fall Preview: Elementary

We should probably preface this with a disclaimer. We are big fans of the BBC's Sherlock, but we believe that more than one modern Sherlock Holmes adaption can exist in the universe without taking away from the brilliance of the other. Shocking, we know.

You may think you know Sherlock Holmes, but you don't know this one. It's different approach focusing on the recovering-addict Holmes. He's quirky in the best sense of the word, but probably more aptly, he's complex.

We're introduced to Sherlock Holmes (Miller) through his newly appointed sober companion, Dr. Joan Watson (Liu). She is no-nonsense, but Holmes has her number from the get-go. Or does he? She's suffering from some past trauma that pushed her out of the OR. And Holmes used drugs to forget some past trauma that pushed him out of London. It's a match made in dysfunctional heaven.

Elementary is very much a CBS show. CBS knows what they do well, and this they do very well. If you like crime shows, you'll recognize the beautifully stylized slow-motion shots and intricately weaved mystery.

But while perfectly feeling like a CBS show, it feels fresh and different from their other offerings. It may be due to Miller's complicated and nuanced performance as Holmes. There is enough intrigue to keep us interested, enough humor to keep us entertained. We've already saved a place on our DVR for this baby.

And before you get your panties in a twist about sexual tension and a female Watson, cool yo' jets. This Holmes and Watson have an interesting dynamic, not because they want to jump each other's bones, but because they both are intelligent, stubborn and interesting people who are both clearly damaged. And while Watson is being paid to be Holmes' sober companion to keep him on the straight and narrow, something tells us this new partnership will be good for her too.

Liu says that the bosses don't have any intention of taking the Holmes-Watson relationship to the romantic direction, but references the source material for Holmes' interesting relationship with women. "There is friction," Miller adds. "That creates a tension and a friction rather than the other way."

Sherlock Holmes gets modern treatment in two TV shows

Even as he was fighting his nemeses in two recent films set in the 19th century, he also was solving crimes in BBC's acclaimed Sherlock, a television series set in modern-day London.

And when CBS rolls out its prime-time Sherlock iteration this fall, Elementary, Holmes will be living in 21st-century Manhattan unraveling mysteries on a new continent, even as BBC's Sherlock, a co-production with PBS' Masterpiece (where it airs in the USA), prepares to film its third season back in the U.K.

The world's love affair with Holmes in all his mutations — be it in films, on TV or re-imagined in new novels — is cyclical. And "we seem to be at the peak of another wave," says Leslie Klinger, a Holmesian scholar and member of the Baker Street Irregulars, an organization of Holmes devotees.

"Every age takes something different from Sherlock Holmes," says Klinger, who worked as a consultant on the 2009 and 2011 films that starred Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law as Holmes and Dr. John Watson (a third installment is in development). Klinger cites Guinness World Records, which lists Holmes as the most portrayed movie character; 75 actors have played the part in more than 200 films.

"There is something that every actor brings to this role," says Benedict Cumberbatch, who is up for an Emmy for lead actor in a miniseries for his work on Sherlock, in a phone interview from London. "Like Hamlet, if you're any good, you bring enough of your own personality and talent to bear that you will make it your own."

"There is nothing new under the sun. It has all been done before," Holmes says in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's 1887 A Study in Scarlet, but the notion hasn't stopped filmmakers from experimenting with new interpretations of the Holmes legacy.

Sherlock, which premiered in 2010, has had fans swooning over Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman as Holmes and Watson.

And whether CBS' Elementary, which premieres Sept. 27 (10 ET/PT) and stars Jonny Lee Miller as Holmes and Lucy Liu as Joan Watson, is a misstep or a stroke of genius is a case waiting to be cracked.

"Every vision of Holmes is a legitimate one," Klinger says. And great actors, including Downey, Basil Rathbone and Jeremy Brett, who starred in the acclaimed Granada television series The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1984-1994) in England, have found the role irresistible and inspiring.

Men for all seasons

Placing Holmes and Watson in the 21st century is not the first time the detectives have been shifted to an era other than the Victorian period in which they were first written. Universal Studios' 12 movies starring Rathbone all took place in the 1940s, the decade in which they were made. He's seen driving a car and even goes head-to-head against the Nazis.

From these films grew the iconic image of Holmes (in part because of Rathbone's Shakespearean training) as a suave English gentleman decked out in a Deerstalker cap and Inverness cape. The films also are why Watson (as portrayed by Nigel Bruce) is considered by many to be a bumbling fool. But Conan Doyle envisioned him as a competent surgeon and excellent marksman, and quite intelligent.

As for the original Holmes, created in the 19th century and featured in four novels and more than 50 short stories, he was famous for his logic, disguises, a tobacco fetish and the occasional use of cocaine and opiates.

Current novels range from The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz, a period piece that was authorized by the Conan Doyle estate, to Laurie R. King's Mary Russell novels, which give Holmes a wife who also solves mysteries.

In film, Downey buffed Holmes into more of an action-adventure hero who brings mixed-martial-arts chops to his bare-chested street fights. On television, Cumberbatch's Sherlock is a nicotine-patch-wearing, tech savvy, fast-talking, antisocial genius whose brain analyzes clues at lightning speed. Elementary's Sherlock is a man with self-doubts, a secret past and a Watson described as his "sober companion."

Cumberbatch's drama may be set in modern times, but, he says, "we came from a place of absolute reverence for the original. So it was always going to be an interpretation of the original, however much Sherlock fiddles with an iPhone or fusses around with modern graphics.

"Obviously there are some witty adaptations of certain ideas, but an awful lot of the material we use is from the canon. And the references are rich throughout," he says. "I guess that's why we're scoring high. We're appealing on both of those levels, and the traditionalists love the updates."

Masterpiece executive producer Rebecca Eaton says she isn't sure there's room for two modern-day Sherlocks on TV. "It's already a crowded field. … I think (CBS is) skating a little close to the risky edge, because there's already such a successful TV show out there."

She acknowledges, however, that "there are a lot of Sherlock Holmes fans out there. I don't know how those people will react to another Sherlock. Either they could be quite dismissive, or they could welcome any bit of Sherlock in the drought between our last season and the next one."

Elementary executive producer Robert Doherty says: "Sherlock has broad shoulders, and I believe he can carry us all. I've seen Sherlock in other novels, in comic books, in television shows, in movies, in TV movies. Some are better than others, but nobody has managed to ruin the franchise. It's a credit to what Conan Doyle did in the very beginning."

Overall, Doherty says, it's a good time to be in the Sherlock business, "but you also want to make sure that you're telling your own story, and that you can sit down and be excited about your vision for the show and not think about the others."

Room for everyone

Don't expect a Cumberbatch vs. Miller smackdown over the franchise. The actors are friends who co-starred in Danny Boyle's theatrical production of Frankenstein. And Miller called Cumberbatch before accepting Elementary. "Benedict has been very supportive, and I wanted to reassure him about how different this script was and project was," Miller told reporters in July. "All of the other differences will kind of be apparent."

"I genuinely, as a friend, wish him all the luck in the world," Cumberbatch says. "It's a wonderful role, and I hope it's as enjoyable for him as it has been for me. I think there's room for both of us, (but if) his takes over, then I've had a fantastic time doing it and I wouldn't bear any grudge. I adore Jonny."

"It is a great honor to be asked to play such a rich character," Miller says via e-mail, "and I felt there were many differences in Rob Doherty's great script to anything I had seen previously. I particularly like the darker struggles our version of Sherlock is dealing with."

As to how he'll make Holmes his own, Miller says: "I used the books. There is so much material there that you can try to find aspects that maybe haven't been seen so much. You can also discard what you feel has been seen a lot. I am trying to show some conflict and difficulty in Sherlock's life, so he seems a little at odds with the world."

For now, while Sherlock balances its story lines atop Conan Doyle's body of work including The Hound of the Baskervilles, Elementary will devise new Holmes stories.

"We're really trying to embrace our setting, trying to embrace our Watson," Doherty says. "That's not to say we won't ever take something from the canon and try to make it an episode, but it's not what's really driving us."

In the end, it will be up to fans to decide whether there's room for two modern-day Holmes/Watson teams on TV.

Kristina Manente, who last year founded the London-based fan group Baker Street Babes (bakerstreetbabes.com), says Sherlock "is so brilliant, but when I first heard about it, I didn't like the idea of modernizing it. But it makes so much sense: Holmes was always a modern man. The acting and writing is flawless."

And she's "quite open-minded about Elementary. I love Jonny Lee Miller. I'm definitely going to check it out.

"To be fair, BBC's Sherlock has brilliantly used the canon as its base, so (Elementary) can't really mimic that. They have to do something new for it not to be thought of as a copycat."

No family plans for Ellen, Portia

Editors at U.S. tabloid the National Enquirer suggested the couple had asked a friend to be a surrogate mother for their child, using De Rossi's eggs.

However, a publicist for the pair has shot down the speculation, telling GossipCop.com the report is "completely untrue".

The website adds that the spokesperson confirms the funny woman and her actress partner are not currently making plans for a family.

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi: Find Out How They Celebrated Their Fourth Wedding Anniversary!

The adorable couple threw a casual barbeque at a ranch near Santa Barbara on Saturday, where they celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary with a number of their closest friends.

Several celebs came out to celebrate the happy occasion, including Sofia Vergara and her fiancé Nick Loeb, Jesse Tyler Feguson and Nigel Lythgoe. Radar Online reports that Katy Perry, Gwen Stefani and Michelle Williams were also in attendance.

"It was a lovely occasion," a partygoer tells E! News. "Everyone is really happy for Ellen and Portia and wanted to be there to celebrate with them."

The 54-year-old funnygal and the Arrested Development star wed in 2008 when same sex marriage was legal in California, but no law has changed the love we've seen between these two.

"Happy 4th anniversary to my beautiful wife, Portia," Ellen tweeted Thursday morning. "This has been the best 4 years of my life. Thank you for all the anniversary wishes!"

Awww. Here's to many more years of wedded bliss!

Robert Downey Jr. Injured on Iron Man 3 Set

The 47-year-old actor injured his ankle while filming Iron Man 3 on Wednesday.

"Robert Downey Jr. sustained an ankle injury on the set of Iron Man 3 in Wilmington, North Carolina while performing a stunt. There will be a short delay in the production schedule while he recuperates," Marvel Studios said in a statement.

The third installment of the superhero franchise is currently scheduled for a May 3, 2013 release and stars Ben Kingsley, Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce and Rebecca Hall.

Sightings

Downey p'd off

Who Earns What: TV's Highest Paid Stars

Hayden Panettiere Gets 'Bratty and Snotty' - in Nashville

Hayden Panettiere (ex-Lizzie, Guiding Light/ex-Maddie, Ally McBeal/ex-Sarah, One Life To Live) and Connie Britton are going head-to-head (more like voice-to-voice) in Nashville, ABC's upcoming musical drama that pits a veteran country star against the latest ingénue in cowboy boots.

"My character, Juliette Barnes, is very edgy," Panettiere, 22, says of her on-screen alter ego in a preview of the series, which premieres Oct. 10. "She comes off very diva-ish and bratty and snotty sometimes."

But with a joint tour on the table, it looks like this diva, whose whirlwind success reads like a Taylor Swift fairy tale, will have to come together with Britton's character, seasoned veteran Rayna James.

Drama aside, the show is all about the music, Panettiere adds.

"It is real, whole-hearted, gritty, raw, talented Nashville," she says.

Visit The Original Nashville Fan Site here.

Hayden Panettiere Shows Off Sexy Summer Bikini Bod While on Vacay in Egypt

Yeah, we wish we didn't remember Heroes either. But thank you, Hayden Panettiere, for resurfacing to remind us that TV once had a show where a kid could talk to machines.

One positive thing has come out of this ugly incident, though...

We like that black bikini, which the girl is wearing for, as we understand it, a vacation with her buddies. The actress took to a puffy floating raft for a bit of relaxation in Egypt, where she soaked in the sun before—we assume—hitting the 2012 Teen Choice Awards this past weekend.

What do you think of Hayden's bikini bod?

Jon Bon Jovi -- I'm NOT the Next American Idol ... Judge

Lopez threw Bon Jovi's name into the mix during her farewell media blitz this week ... telling ABC News she'd like to see someone like Jon ... or Mick Jagger or Bono take over her spot.

But one Bon Jovi source, who is definitely in a position to know, tells TMZ ... "With all systems go for a new album and a mega-tour on the horizon, Jon wouldn't be able to give those aspiring singers the guidance they deserve."

The source adds, "Jon wouldn't commit to anything unless he can give 100%. With planning for the next album already underway, he's focused on the band."

The search continues ...

Robert Downey Jr. Shows Up at Iron Man Costume Contest at Comic-Con!

Robert Downey Jr. played hero to dozens of children and countless thrilled spectators today when he made a surprise appearance at the Iron Man Kids' Costume Contest today at Comic-Con.

The Iron Man 3 star, who showed up at the Marvel booth ahead of his scheduled lineup of press and his film's panel, didn't just show up and dash off, either—he posed for pictures with a bunch of tiny Iron Man clones!

And the contestants just thought they were going to get an autographed poster!

Superhuman, no. But still pretty darn awesome.

Lucy Liu proud to be first female Watson

Fans were stunned when it was announced the actress had been cast in the traditionally male role, but she insists the dynamic with co-star Jonny Lee Miller, who plays the famous detective, adds "a little bit of a tingle".

Chatting about her controversial casting at California's Comic-Con on Thursday, she told fans, "You have to be a pioneer and being a pioneer means doing things that are different and outside of the box... (Creator Rob Doherty) was really thinking outside the box... When you do stuff, it's not always to please other people. It's to please yourself."

Doherty also assured the crowd that a romance between Watson and Holmes is off the cards as he wants the show to remain true to author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's original stories.

He said, "It's a challenge of the series to not turn it into a will-they-or-won't-they (get together). It's not about that, it's about honouring the source material and the bond.

"When this opportunity arose, I did a lot of research - psychological assessments of the original characters by actual doctors - and Holmes struggled a bit with women... There are moments when he doesn't quite get the fairer sex.

"It made me laugh - the idea of 'What would be more trying than Sherlock Holmes living with a Watson who's also a woman?'"

Ally McBeal Alum Peter MacNicol Joins Necessary Roughness

Necessary Roughness has recruited Ally McBeal alum Peter MacNicol to play Dr. Dani's old mentor, TVGuide.com has learned exclusively.

MacNicol, 58, will appear in three episodes of the USA drama as her former psychology professor, Dr. Gunner. Dr. Gunner is described as a warm and generous intellectual in the casting call, and will first appear in the 12th episode of the season, slated to air later this year. Why or how her former teacher comes back into Dr. Dani's life remains a mystery, but considering the inner turmoil at the New York Hawks and the recent baby talk with boyfriend Matt (Marc Blucas), maybe Dr. Dani (Callie Thorne) will need some couch time of her own?

MacNicol, who won an Emmy for his performance as John Cage on Ally McBeal, is also known for his stints on 24, Chicago Hope and NUMB3RS. More recently, he guest-starred as a judge on Fairly Legal and appeared in HBO's Sarah Palin-centered TV movie, Game Change.

Necessary Roughness airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on USA.

Are you excited to see MacNicol on Necessary Roughness? How do you think Dr. Dani's old mentor will come back into her life?

Avon taps Bon Jovi for new Unplugged fragrances

Avon Products Inc. announced Monday that the 50-year-old rock star is the company's newest celebrity fragrance partner. He'll appear in ads for both Unplugged for Her and Unplugged for Him.

The company said the inspiration for both scents is the unique feeling one has listening to a favorite song. The goal is "an emotional connection."

The women's version, which will be available through Avon representatives and online in October, is a floral oriental perfume, and the men's is a woody floral musk fragrance. It will go on sale in November.

Both Avon and Bon Jovi said admiration for each other's involvement in philanthropy largely drew them together as partners.

Holy Hairdos, Hayden Panettiere! Heroes Star Joins the Rainbow Locks Brigade

Next up, Hayden Panettiere. But it seems the Heroes star couldn't quite make up her mind when deciding what color to choose.

So, she chose them all.

As a result, Hayden is currently rocking rainbow-colored tresses. The 22-year-old tweeted a rather intimate picture of herself and a female friend saying, "Me and my BF Allie finally gettin' some play time."

Now, the star's colorful hair matches her notoriously colorful personality.

James Marsden Gearing Up to Be a Daddy Again

E! News exclusively confirms that the X-Men star, who separated from his wife Lisa Linde in 2011, has learned that he will be welcoming a new bundle of joy into the world.

So, who's the mommy?

No, it's not Kirsten Dunst, they were just gettin' hot and heavy for a movie.

Apparently, the mother-to-be is a model who Marsden was dating shortly after his split with Linde.

"A girl he dated after he separated from his wife has told him she is four months pregnant." a source close to the expecting mystery woman told E! News. "She is very excited to be a mom."

The actor was in Hawaii last week being honored at the Maui Film Festival with the Nova Award, and he didn't seem too preoccupied with a pregnancy bombshell (at least he didn't show it).

Marsden was seen hangin' at the beach, going for an almost-all-day mountain bike ride and was even spotted at a local bar doing karaoke ("Bennie and the Jets," maybe?).

James already has two children with his estranged wife, a son Jack Holden and a daughter Mary James. Lisa filed for divorce in September 2011 after being married for slightly more than 11 years.

Critics Choice Awards 2012 winners

2012 Teen Choice nominees

Choice Summer Movie Star: Male
Robert Downey Jr., "The Avengers"
Andrew Garfield, "The Amazing Spider-Man"
Chris Hemsworth, "Snow White & The Huntsman" and "The Avengers"
Adam Sandler, "That's My Boy"
Will Smith, "Men In Black 3"

Sighting

Portia de Rossi is your new Lily Munster in 'Mockingbird Lane'

Mariana Klaveno was originally cast in the role, but due to some complicated contractual issues with her ABC pilot "Devious Maids" -- which still could get picked up by Lifetime despite the fact that ABC passed -- she had to drop out, Deadline reports.

De Rossi joins O'Connell as Herman, Eddie Izzard as Grandpa, Charity Wakefield as Marilyn and Mason Cook as Eddie.

The show comes from "Pushing Daisies" creator Bryan Fuller, and will hopefully make the midseason schedule on NBC.

What do you think of de Rossi as the new Lily Munster? (Remember, there's a little thing called hair dye that can come in handy on occasion.)

Ellen DeGeneres: Portia's New Haircut Is 'Adorable'

“It’s adorable,” she tells Bethenny Frankel in an episode of bethenny airing Tuesday. “She loves it. Everybody loves it. She really, really wanted to do it for a long time.”

DeGeneres says that because de Rossi grew up modeling, she always kept her hair long. “Everyone told her never to cut her hair,” she explains. “I think [long hair] just got to be part of her.”

So when de Rossi decided to take the plunge, “Everybody was like, ‘Oh, you’re going to regret it,’” DeGeneres recalls. “[But] it’s adorable and I love it.”

Though de Rossi is excited about her new look, she wasn’t so excited about its debut. “She was so upset we got paparazzi the other day,” DeGeneres says. “She was like, ‘Couldn’t it have been at an event when [my hair] was done and everything?’”

However, she’ll be able to show off another new detail soon: a wrist tattoo. “It’s a brand of her horse … a Hanoverian,” DeGeneres explains, before adding jokingly, “Not my name, it’s her horse.” Hear more from DeGeneres here.

Portia de Rossi Channels Wife Ellen DeGeneres With New, Short Hairdo!

On Wednesday, de Rossi debuted her shorter tresses on a walk through West Hollywood with DeGeneres.

While the talk show host's pixie cut has been around for years, de Rossi has famously worn her thick, blond tresses long for most of her acting career.

From the looks of de Rossi's radiant smile, it looks like she's a fan of her new look!

DeGeneres and de Rossi began dating in 2004 and said "I do" in 2008.

What do you think of Portia's new 'do?

2012 Teen Choice Award Nominations

Movie Actor: Action
• Tom Cruise, Mission: Impossible—Ghost Protocol
• Robert Downey Jr., Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
• Tom Hardy, Warrior
• Taylor Lautner, Abduction
• Logan Lerman, The Three Musketeers

Movie Actor: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
• Robert Downey Jr., The Avengers
• Chris Hemsworth, The Avengers
• Josh Hutcherson, The Hunger Games and Journey 2: The Mysterious Island
• Taylor Lautner, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn—Part 1
• Robert Pattinson, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn—Part 1

Robert Downey Jr. Could Make How Much for The Avengers?!

As we all know, The Avengers was a hit at the box office (duh), but what may come as a surprise is just how much the studio might fork over to Robert Downey Jr. (aka Iron Man aka Tony Stark) for the flick.

Can you take a wild guess?

According to The Hollywood Reporter, sources claim that Downey could receive a whopping—wait for it—$50 million.

Yep, 5-0, which blows his costars' paychecks out of the water.

Two sources tell THR that Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner and Mark Ruffalo will make about $2 millon to $3 million on Avengers , while Samuel L. Jackson and Scarlett Johansson, who signed deals to pop up in several Marvel movies, will reportedly make about twice that.

So why the big gap?

After Iron Man's success in 2008 (the movie made $585 million worldwide), Downey's reps renegotiated a deal to include what multiple sources say is a slice of Marvel's revenue from future movies in which he plays the same character, THR reports.

The studio and Downey's rep declined to comment.

TNT Orders David E. Kelley's Medical Drama Monday Mornings

Based on the eponymous book by Dr. Sanjay Gupta, the series chronicles the professional and personal lives of five Portland, Ore., surgeons. The title refers to the hospital's weekly morbidity and mortality conference, when doctors gather with their peers for a confidential review of complications and errors in patient care.

Alfred Molina stars as the chief of surgery at Chelsea General. Ving Rhames plays the hospital's trauma chief, and Battlestar Galactica alum Jamie Bamber and Jennifer Finnigan are the hotshot neurosurgeons who are having a fling. Bill Irwin (CSI), Keong Sim (Glee), Sarayu Rao (Lions for Lambs) and Emily Swallow (Southland) round out the ensemble cast.

The series is scheduled to premiere in summer 2013.

Downey wants 'Iron Man' for himself

The once troubled actor's Hollywood comeback was complete with the release of 2008's Iron Man, and he's since gone on to reprise the character twice more in Iron Man 2 and The Avengers.

A third Iron Man movie is in the works, and Downey, Jr. is keen to keep playing the character providing the films retain the same high quality.

He tells MTV News, "I would really hate for someone else to think they could step into my shoes. I know things are looking like that they (sic) could go on for a long while. As usual in my book, it's all about quality control and delivering a product that you can have this kind of reaction to. If they keep doing that, maybe I'll keep showing up."

Portia de Rossi's Peekaboo Blouse: Flower Power or Wardrobe Malfunction?

Portia de Rossi stepped out with her wife, Ellen DeGeneres, on the red carpet at last night's GLAAD Media Awards and, while Cher's wig certainly stole the spotlight, Portia was making a fashion statement of her own…

And it probably wasn't even on purpose!

While our favorite dancing daytime host and her main lady were posing for pictures, de Rossi was leaving little to the imagination.

Whether she knew it or not, the flashbulbs caused her sheer blouse to become completely see-through, revealing what look to be flower pasties underneath.

Hey, it could have been worse, right?!

So what do you think: Was Portia's peekaboo blouse supposed to show off her secret garden (it is springtime, after all) or was it just an unfortunate accident?

Maybe next time she'll take a cue from wife Ellen: Dress in layers!

Downey Jr. battled baby fears

The Hollywood actor and his producer wife Susan welcomed their first child together in February, and Downey Jr. admits he struggled to enjoy the excitement of becoming a parent again because he harboured so many worries for his new son.

But his fears disappeared once he laid eyes on little Exton - a half-brother to Downey Jr.'s teenage son Indio, from his previous marriage to actress Deborah Falconer.

He tells Esquire magazine, "There was all this trepidation, all this projection, all this anticipation and goodwill and a good vibe about it. But what you're squeezing to the side - or what's in the glove box - is these thousands of forms of fear.

"And then he was born and they've all just kind of scattered now. It seems like he's always been here."

Now he is a dad again, Downey Jr. insists he won't be trying to act like an Iron Man-esque superhero in front of his baby boy - because he wants his son to grow up as well-rounded as possible.

He says, "Do I want to be a hero to my son? No. I would like to be a very real human being. That's hard enough.

"Every dad casts a shadow, you know? And that shadow is you're disappointed, you're resentful, or you feel so supported and loved you don't understand why life is so hard anyway - or, you know, it's so long and so dark that you can never step out of it, so you might as well not even try."

'Avengers' meets 'Castle' - Robert Downey Jr. and Nathan Fillion are more alike than you'd think

In a cute display of corporate synergy -- ABC's "Castle" and Marvel are both Disney-owned properties -- Fillion and Downey teamed up for a commercial promoting the upcoming summer blockbuster "The Avengers."

"You know what, Robert, I couldn't help but notice how similar our characters are," Fillion tells Downey. "On 'Castle' I play a hero, in 'The Avengers' you play --"

Wild guesses? "A hero," Downey interjects.

"Right. I play the wealthy, charming philanthropist," says Fillion. "As do I, me too," Downey responds.

The one difference? "I'm Iron Man, and you're not," Downey points out.

Hey, you can't argue with facts.

Robert Downey Jr. Calls Chris Hemsworth "Strapping," but Which Costar Impressed Him Most?

And althoughSusan got emotional about the separation, they seemed to enjoy themselves on the red carpet.

Maybe it's because RDJ was excited to see a particularly handsome costar?

Downey called Chris Hemsworth "strapping" (duh), which makes us feel good because it's like RDJ is one of us.

But even though he's beautiful, Hemsworth wasn't the costar that impressed Downey the most.

"Everyone impressed me in their own ways…I really like Chris Evans a bunch. I think in a way, he had the toughest part, because Captain America—you either believe Avengers or not, based on, do they fall in line or not when captains run the show. I think he had the highest degree of difficulty in a way."

Hey, he's handsome, too!

Robert Downey Jr. says playing a superhero feels 'just about right'

"Feels just about right," says the actor, with wife Susan Downey, a film producer who recently gave birth to their son, Exton.

In the film, hitting theaters May 4, Downey reprises his role as the Iron Man, a superhero who gets recruited to join a band of like-minded do-gooders -- to track down bad guys in the Joss Whedon-directed film.

Downey also told us about his personal affinity for people who are tied to a purpose.

"I love enthusiasm," he says, referencing the legion of fans screaming behind him on Hollywood Boulevard. "Like all those folks across the street who've been standing out there [since] who knows when. And I like it when people make good on an ambitious promise, which is what Marvel did five years ago when they said, by 2012, we'll have an 'Avengers' movie put together."

Downey didn't rule out the possibility of assembling one more giant blockbuster flick down the road, which would feature a juggernaut of superheroes, Batman included.

"Susan's negotiating that right now... in between breastfeeding," he jokes.

If he seems indestructible and unflappable, Downey did share one specific challenge that comes with playing this larger-than-life role.

"Promoting it," he says with a laugh.

'Men' is a numbers game: Thorne-Smith

External arithmetic: With Ashton Kutcher having replaced Charlie Sheen this season, viewers at home see a 33% turnover of main characters (or 40%, if you take the “half-man” designation literally).

Internal arithmetic: As important as Sheen was, just about everyone else associated with the show - cast, writers, crew - has stayed consistent.

“It feels a little different, but 99.99% of the people there have remained the same,” Thorne-Smith said. “So it doesn’t feel quite as jarring as you would think.

“Everybody misses Charlie because everybody loved Charlie. He’s a great guy and a great actor. But everybody loves Ashton, too. It’s the same great, professional, wonderful, happy group. There’s just a new member who’s great, professional, wonderful and happy.

“It was much less of a bump than anybody - well, I won’t say anybody - it was much less of a bump than I expected.”

Thorne-Smith, 44, has been a familiar face on TV since the early 1990s, when she played Alison on Melrose Place. Subsequent roles included Georgia on Ally McBeal and Cheryl on According to Jim, before Thorne-Smith joined Two and a Half Men - which currently airs Mondays on CBS and Thursdays on CTV - to portray Lyndsey McElroy, the girlfriend of Alan Harper (Jon Cryer).

Thorne-Smith has been a comedic actress for so long now, her primetime-soap era must seem like a lifetime ago.

“No, it really doesn’t, it just feels of a piece, they’re all such a part of me,” Thorne-Smith said. “I was a comedic actress when I first came to (Hollywood), and they wouldn’t believe me as a dramatic actress. Then I got Melrose Place, and when I wanted to get back into comedy, they wouldn’t believe me as a comedic actress.

“You finish one job, then you have to go out there for a full year, saying, ‘I’m not that person.’ It takes a good six months for them to even start to believe it. Then it takes another six months to convince them. Then they go, ‘Oh, we always knew it.’ You did not! You wouldn’t hire me!”

Actually, most actresses would dream of being hired as often as Thorne-Smith has. But she feels most comfortable in comedy, partially for the lifestyle and partially for the simple joy of being naughty and funny.

“The first script (the writers) send out (every week) is always filthy dirty,” Thorne-Smith said. “That’s before it gets to the censors. And I love it. They apologize to me all the time about what I have to say, and I’m like, ‘Please don’t apologize.’

“A sitcom life is a life, it’s very humane. And it’s fun. I hang out with Jon Cryer all day and laugh. And they pay me a lot of money, so don’t tell anybody.” Hey, we’ve already established that Two and a Half Men is a numbers game, so Courtney Thorne-Smith’s mathematical secret is safe with us.

Marsden's wrong-way win

Pilot Season: Lucy Liu to Play Watson in CBS' Elementary

The drama is a modern take on the cases of Sherlock Holmes in which Sherlock (Eli Stone's Jonny Lee Miller) is a recovering addict and consultant for the NYPD. Liu will play Joan Watson, a former surgeon-turned-sober companion who looks after Holmes.

Best known for her roles in Charlie's Angels, Kill Bill and Ally McBeal, Liu currently stars in TNT's Southland.

Robert Doherty (Medium) will write and executive-produce with Justified duo Sarah Timberman and Carl Beverly.

Oscar Moments

Robert Downey Jr. Welcomes Son Exton Elias

Wife Susan delivered son Exton Elias Downey at 7:24 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7 in Los Angeles, his rep confirms to PEOPLE.

“Everyone is healthy and they couldn’t be happier,” a friend of the couple says.

Baby boy weighs in at 7 lbs., 5 oz., is 20 inches long and joins big brother Indio, 18, Downey’s son from his previous marriage.

After announcing the pregnancy in August, the Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows star, 46, revealed the sex of the baby on national television, much to his producer wife’s (feigned) chagrin.

“I could never really stay mad at him, but I can tell you it genuinely wasn’t something we planned to reveal,” Susan, 38, later explained.

Thankfully, her husband — who will next star in The Avengers — did manage to keep quiet about their name choice.

“If I told you the name, then she would lop off my head with a machete,” joked Downey.

Pilot Season: ABC Picks Up Portia de Rossi Comedy

The multi-camera comedy tells the story of a brilliant, successful woman who begrudgingly ends up working for her ditzy beauty queen sister, who is now a big-city mayor.

The Smart One, written by Don Todd for Warner Bros. TV, will be executive-produced by Ellen DeGeneres and Lauren Corrao's A Very Good Production.

Sightings

Hayden Panettiere's Mom Pulls Plug On Marriage

Lesley Panettiere cited irreconcilable differences in her divorce petition, filed in L.A. County Superior Court.

The couple made headlines in August, 2008, after Alan was charged for striking Lesley in the face. He pled no contest to misdemeanor battery and was placed on 24 months probation.

Here's what's interesting ... Lesley lists the date of separation as July 15, 2008, which is a month prior to the incident that led to his battery conviction.

Lesley is asking for spousal support.

The couple has only one minor child -- a 17-year-old son. Hayden is 22. Lesley wants joint custody.

Tropical bliss

Also at the Caribbean resort are Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi. Sources tell us DeGeneres is planning a private New Year’s Eve bash for her close friends there and “has even flown in the resident DJ from her show, Tony Okungbowa, to spin at the party.” He posted on Twitter yesterday: “Hanging out at the pool in Anguilla wish u were here.”

Robert Downey Jr. getting shoe lifts for 'Iron Man 3'

According to Us Weekly, Downey's stylist has requested shoes with three-inch built-in lifts to wear while filming "Iron Man 3."

"They're working on a special pair just for him," a source said. "The lift insole needs to be concealed in a high top shoe or boot. The highest that's offered the general public is 2 inches."

While Downey has not commented on his lifts per se, he did recently tell Men's Fitness magazine that he was surprised to be cast in the action hero franchise given his compact body type.

"I guess I had some notion about it," he said. "I’ve always really enjoyed that genre, but I mean, it’s pretty outlandish. I’m not particularly tall or strong or fast or aggressive. Yet, I’m not faking it. To me, it’s a cosmic chuckle."

His trainer, Brad Bose, also reveals in the cover story that he was similarly skeptical about turning Downey into Tony Stark.

"He was skinny," said Bose. "He weighed about 150 pounds ... Our goal was to get him as big as we could."

Stars hit beaches & slopes

Wanted Alive! Jon Bon Jovi Is Not Dead

The rock star is the latest celeb to fall prey to the non-discriminatory celebrity death hoax, which has been picking on actors and musicians willy-nilly over the last couple of years.

So, what was it this time? A tragic cliff splat in New Zealand? A head-on snowboarding collision in Switzerland?

Actually, dailynewbloginternational, which first "reported" that Bon Jovi was deceased, really gave the New Jersey native short shrift in the excitement department, killing him off via cardiac arrest.

Seemingly thanks to this site, word started to get around that the "You Give Love a Bad Name" singer was found unconscious in a room at the Empress Hotel in Asbury Park, N.J., and was later pronounced dead at Jersey Shore Medical Center (which sounds fake, but does exist if you stick the word "University" between "Shore" and "Medical").

News of Bon Jovi's untimely demise made him a top trending topic on Twitter this afternoon, but the singer quickly took to Facebook to assure fans of his earthliness.

He posted a photo of himself holding a sign reading, "Heaven looks a lot like New Jersey," dated Dec. 19, 2011 at 6 p.m., along with the message, "Rest assured that Jon is alive and well! This photo was just taken."

Review: "Sherlock Holmes" sequel full of "Ka-Blams!"

Detective work with some occasional fisticuffs and gunplay thrown in may be all well and good for people who still actually read books, one imagines Ritchie thinking ... but to make Holmes relevant to 21st century audiences, there has to be post-"Matrix" slo-mo sequences devoted to kung fu and/or heavy artillery, interspersed with constant cacophony and occasional gadding about.

Sadly, the first "Sherlock Holmes" was a hit, despite the fact that Ritchie's big-screen interpretation of the legendary sleuth resembles Conan Doyle's creation as much as the hero of the low-budget thriller "Jesus Christ, Vampire Hunter" calls to mind the protagonist of the New Testament.

There are moments when it feels like "A Game of Shadows" is getting Holmes right, only it's Mycroft and not Sherlock -- the titular gumshoe's brother is played by Stephen Fry, whose periodic appearances in the movie feel like a wonderful visit from someone who's actually read the books.

Would that this film were about Mycroft, then, and not the man he calls "Sherlie."

Robert Downey, Jr. returns as the detail-oriented, socially awkward detective, who has begun piecing together the far-flung threads of a conspiracy being woven by the nefarious Professor Moriarity (Jared Harris). The dastardly professor has turned himself into a one-man military-industrial complex, setting out to do what all military-industrial complexes do: start a war so that the cash will come rolling in.

Moriarity proves himself to be a formidable foe for Holmes, quickly dispatching Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams) -- admittedly, one of the film's smartest moves is getting rid of this character in a hurry -- and sending his goons to kill Dr. Watson (Jude Law) and his new bride Mary (Kelly Reilly) as they attempt to honeymoon in Brighton.

Holmes and Watson, aided by a Romany fortune-teller (Noomi Rapace, of the original Swedish "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and its sequels), pursue Moriarity to the edge of Reichenbach Falls in an attempt to prevent the academic from starting World War I several decades early.

In its favor, "Game of Shadows" gives us a sinister plot that's a notch or two smarter than most of the schemes hatched by 007's nemeses (even if it feels all too familiar), and there are occasional moments when Ritchie has fun with period spectacle, whether it's a roomful of waltzing diplomats or an elaborately-staged production of "Don Giovanni" at the Paris Opera.

If only the CG-heavy evocations of 1891 London or the dwelled-upon internal mechanics of firearms had the heft or the simplicity of those opera singers dressed up like singing statues or devilish minions -- time and again, the film assaults the eyes with cartoonish visual trickery and deflates the story with its obvious artificiality. (A game of shadows, indeed.)

When the film slows down enough to let us enjoy the interplay between its talented cast members or to allow us to pick up on little clues along the way that let us attempt to join Holmes in solving the mystery, this new "Sherlock Holmes" offers moments of vitality that are all too quickly crushed by the next exploding set piece.

Two hours of Downey and Harris sparring over a chessboard would have provided many more thrills, but neither Ritchie nor the suits at Warner Bros. would have any idea how to make or market a Sherlock Holmes movie featuring the actual character rather than some pipe-smoking, 19th century James Bond with a weakness for coca leaves and jiu jitsu.

Review: 'Sherlock' smothered in dreary sameness

Director Guy Ritchie once again applies his revisionist approach to Arthur Conan Doyle's classic literary character, infusing the film with his trademark, hyperkinetic aesthetic and turning the renowned detective into a wisecracking butt-kicker. But what seemed clever and novel the first time around now feels stale and tired; a lot of that has to do with the grimy, gray color scheme, which smothers everything in a dreary, suffocating sameness and saps the film of any real tension or thrills.

While Downey is more than capable of tossing off impish quips — he's based an entire career on being charmingly subversive — his heart just doesn't seem to be in it. Sure, he gets a couple of funny lines here and there, and some of his wardrobe changes are good for a laugh, but it's as if the material just isn't challenging him. And that's a shame, since this time we meet Holmes' most famed foe.

"Game of Shadows" finds Downey's Holmes facing off against brilliant super-villain Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris), who's cooked up a scheme to pit various European nations against each other in hopes of benefitting from the demand for arms. (This is more than a couple decades before World War I, by the way. So not only is Moriarty dastardly, he's also prescient.)

Holmes must stop him with the help of his trusty sidekick, Dr. Watson (Law), who's newly married and not nearly so gung-ho about such wild antics anymore. And it shows in the script from Michele and Kieran Mulroney as well as in the performances; Law gets little to do beyond functioning as the skeptical straight man, and the chemistry just isn't there this time.

Noomi Rapacetags along for some reason as a Simza, a gypsy fortune teller looking for her missing brother. Ostensibly this is because the filmmakers felt the need to inject a female figure as part of their adventures, and the saucy Rachel McAdams, who played Holmes' love interest in the first film, gets knocked out of the picture early. But the formidable presence Rapace displayed in the original Swedish "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" and its sequels goes to waste. In a mound of wavy hair and gaudy jewelry, she's asked to run and look worried, and that's about it.

Again and again, though, Ritchie falls back on the same super-slow-motion visual effects he used in the first film: sequences in which Holmes can foresee how a physical showdown will play out, narrate it blow-by-blow, then take part in it in sped-up fashion. It's cool-looking the first couple times; Ritchie trots out this trick about eight times too many, to the point where you begin to wonder whether that's all he's got left in his bag. But even straight-up chase scenes and shootouts are so amplified and over-edited, they become incomprehensible.

Not that any sort of criticism matters: The ending of "A Game of Shadows" clearly sets up a third film in the series. And so Downey can trot out that British accent and don his dapper Victorian duds once more.

"Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows," a Warner Bros. Pictures release, is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some drug material. Running time: 129 minutes. One and a half stars out of four.

Bon Jovi dessert

The Fanta-Pants toque was whipping up a private dinner for 15 with fellow celeb chefs David Chang and Tom Colicchio, and Bon Jovi was the entertainment. Diners had bid $160,000 at a Food Bank for New York gala for the evening, which was originally just for the chefs, but Bon Jovi threw himself into the package to up the winning bid. He sang “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” before heading back to the “New Year’s” after-party at the Hilton Ballroom.

Theron, Depp top 2012 hot list

Editors at leading movie news and ticket website Fandango.com asked film fans to select the stars that turn them on in the most-anticipated releases of 2012 and the foursome came top of the separate male and female hot lists.

Theron, who will terrify as the evil queen in Snow White & The Huntsman, has topped the women's list of sexiest female stars, beating Gravity's Sandra Bullock and Kate Beckinsale, the star of 2012 movies Total Recall, Underworld 4 and Contraband, while the British actress tops the men's list, ahead of The Avengers' Scarlett Johansson.

Female poll respondents picked Johnny Depp as the sexiest guy, ahead of George Clooney, while the men gave Robert Downey, Jr. the edge over Clooney.Thousands of film fans responded to the survey, which was first posted on Fandango.com on Dec. 1.

The Fandango Hot List is focused on next year's films, and performers whose upcoming movies do not have a 2012 release date were not included.

Robert Downey Jr. In Trouble With Wife For Revealing Sex of Baby?

Not only is he celebrating the release of new flick Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, he announced earlier this week that he and wife Susan Downey are expecting a baby boy!

But did revealing the sex of their baby-to-be while chatting with Jay Leno on The Tonight Show get him in trouble with the missus?

"I can never really stay mad at him, but I can tell you it wasn't something that we had planned to reveal," Susan told us last night at the Game of Shadows premiere. "I was over at Warner Brothers [studio] which is around the corner from Leno and he came through and he immediately admitted it. I was like, 'Really?!'"

The 46-year-old actor may want to zip it until Susan gives birth. "If I told you the name, she would lop off my head with a machete," he told us.

Susan also shot down RDJ's comment to Leno that the pregnancy has been "tougher" on him.

She laughed, "Who's the actor in the family?"

Now that we have all that cleared up, back to the movie. So can we expect Downey to team up with director Guy Ritchie for a third Sherlock Holmes flick?

"I love making these movies with Rob," Ritchie told us. "He is a creative maelstrom. He's hard to control. He's tumultuous. We have a love-hate relationship, but I do love making them with him."

TNT greenlights David E. Kelley/Sanjay Gupta pilot

The drama, tentatively titled "Chelsea General," will be based on Gupta's upcoming novel "Monday Mornings." Both Kelley and Gupta are executive-producing, with Kelley writing.

Slated for release in March 2012, Gupta's book tracks five surgeons as they push their medical skills to the limit while confronting their personal and professional shortcomings, attempting to come to grips with and learn from their mistakes.

Michael Wright, executive VP and head of programming for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies said that the upcoming pilot "promises to be a smart, witty and extremely powerful medical drama, the kind of series David E. Kelley is renowned for making."

Kelley, who's also the creator of NBC's current drama "Harry's Law," most recently endeavored to bring "Wonder Woman" back to the small screen for the same network, though the pilot wasn't picked up.

Robert Downey Jr.: We're Having a Boy!

Despite telling Jay Leno on the Tonight show Monday that “I can’t say a word” and that he is “not permitted to discuss” the sex of the baby he’s expecting in late February with wife Susan, the actor then blurted out that they’re having a boy.

Downey, 46, immediately put his head in his hands in mock horror and said, “S—. I did it.”

Continuing with his tongue-in-cheek interview, Downey Jr. told Leno he’s been the one suffering through Susan’s pregnancy, which the pair announced in August.

“I think actually it’s been tougher on me,” he joked. “Just the hormones and the moods stuff and the nausea, and the whole thing.”

When asked if he planned to be an involved father with his son, he said, “I suspect I will be.”

He then donned a prosthetic breastfeeding device Leno handed him and asked the audience, “Who’s first? I need some practice.”

The actor does have some practice on the parenting front – he’s already a father to Indio, 18, his son with ex-wife Deborah Falconer.

Bon Jovi gets taste of NFL suite life

2012 People's Choice Award Nominations

Favorite Tour Headliner
Bon Jovi
Katy Perry
Taylor Swift
U2
Usher

Business huddle

Lucy Liu, from Charlie's Angel to inspired artist

Liu, 42, best known for roles in television series "Ally McBeal" and in the "Charlie's Angels" movies, worked out of her Chelsea studio in Manhattan to create a series of abstract black-and-white illustrations using ink and acrylic paint on watercolor paper that were compiled into a book, "Lucy Liu: Seventy Two," released last month.

The series of paintings was based on a chart of 72 names of God in the Kabbalah, a mystical branch of Judaism. While not a practitioner of Kabbalah, Liu was inspired by the names.

"I felt drawn to the chart because I thought it was so fascinating," Liu told Reuters. "I love the way they categorize everything into boxes, I love the organization of that."

The Kabbalah chart aims to help people with healing, prosperity and fertility, among other pursuits.

"They believe that if you meditate on the letters, you can manifest the energy," said Liu.

While the actress is not a trained artist -- she refers to her work as 'outsider art' -- she was inspired by people such as painter and printmaker Robert Motherwell and also drew from her own Chinese heritage, specifically calligraphy.

"It's a special thing to be able to come from another place and retain that culture," said Liu of her ethnicity. "It's so fascinating to see the progression of how China is becoming more connected to the U.S."

While the paintings themselves only took a few months to create, the big challenge was getting the book published. Liu described that process as "very involved, very intimidating."

"When you don't know enough on certain things, you find yourself learning very quickly," said the actress. "There was an amazing amount of information, such as how deep the blacks would be, or trying to match the colors."

MADE IN ITALY

Publishers Salma Editions took the book to Italy and produced it in the city of Verona, the same location photographer Helmut Newton used for his iconic "SUMO" book, something that Liu said she was "bowled over by."

"I've always had an appreciation for books, but now I can see the detail and options they have," she said. "There are so many different options on how you want to present the book."

The result is a highly-produced coffee table book, and the paintings are accompanied by essays from spiritual doctor Deepak Chopra and meditations written by Liu herself.

"Meditation is such a wonderful way of connecting to a larger part of yourself that you're not really aware of. I thought there was a connection between what I believe in Eastern philosophy and the Kabbalah mentality," she said.

Liu grew up without any specific religious orientation, and given the book's religious foundation, she said she had concerns about how it might be interpreted by people.

"The book is about sharing, but you don't want to be intrusive or invasive to other people," said Liu. "I did grow up believing there is something greater than we are, and I think that's that I tapped in to."

After launching her book, the actress is back to her day job and will be seen in two upcoming independent films, 'Nomads" and "The Man With The Iron Fists," along with rigorously training for a recurring role in the upcoming season of Emmy-winning police drama "Southland."

As for producing more artwork, the actress remains unsure.

"The book changed me, and I love that," she said. "This book was very specific only because it had a base and a chart to go off. I would have to find another focus to get me into that place" again, she said.

Lucy Liu -- Bulletproof Vest for LAPD Tour of Inner City

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Liu donned a bullet-proof vest and sat shotgun with an LAPD officer Friday evening ... as they toured some of the most gang-infested parts of Watts in a squad car.

Liu -- who just took a role as an LAPD officer on the TNT cop drama, "Southland" -- was not involved in any police activity during her tour of the area, but we're told the actress is scheduled to participate in a more active ride-along in the near future.

As we previously reported, Liu's new co-star Michael Cudlitz also put in some time with the LAPD recently -- and actually responded to a call about a "man with a gun" during his ride-along.

Katherine Heigl Talks Jon Bon Jovi: "Yes, I Made Out With Him!"

The former Grey's Anatomy starlet was gushing over locking lips with another musician!

Heigl plays Jon Bon Jovi's love interest in New Year's Eve, Garry Marshall's followup to Valentine's Day.

"I play a young woman who's a caterer and she's catering the New Year's Eve party and event," she explained. "Jon plays my big, famous musician ex-fiance who comes back into town to sort of win me back."

And then Heigl beamed, "Yes, I made out with him!"

How was it?

"It's always so nerve-wracking," she said. "There's all the giggles and there's all the Altoid popping."

And Bon Jovi couldn't have been more of a gentleman. "He's just a gem," Heigl said. "One of the nicest guys ever."

In other New Year's Eve news, Michelle Pfeiffer and Zac Efron may or may not get it on. "We have a very unusual relationship," Pfeiffer told me. "We're sort of an odd couple.

"He only really hangs out with me in the beginning, because I bribe him with super-fabulous party tickets for New Year's Eve, but then I think he grows a little fond of me," she said.

We can see why. At 53, Pfeiffer seriously remains one of the hottest women in Hollywood.

Jon Bon Jovi's charity restaurant opens in NJ

Yet there's no place he'd rather have dinner than The Soul Kitchen, a "pay-what-you-can" restaurant he and his wife Dorothea established in a former auto body shop near the Red Bank train station in central New Jersey.

The restaurant provides gourmet-quality meals to the hungry while enabling them to volunteer on community projects in return without the stigma of visiting a soup kitchen. Paying customers are encouraged to leave whatever they want in the envelopes on each table, where the menus never list a price.

The restaurant is the latest undertaking by the New Jersey rocker's Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, which has built 260 homes for low-income residents in recent years.

"With the economic downturn, one of the things I noticed was that disposable income was one of the first things that went," Bon Jovi told The Associated Press in an interview Wednesday before the restaurant's grand opening ceremony. "Dining out, the family going out to a restaurant, mom not having to cook, dad not having to clean up — a lot of memories were made around restaurant tables.

"When I learned that one in six people in this country goes to bed hungry, I thought this was the next phase of the Foundation's work," he said.

It started several years ago when Dorothea Bongiovi (she uses the legal spelling of her husband's name) and Jon started helping out at a food pantry at nearby St. Anthony's Roman Catholic Church. They later moved their focus to the Lunch Break program, which feeds 80 to 120 people a day, dubbing it "The Soul Kitchen."

They brought that name with them to a former auto body shop down the street from the Count Basie Theater, where Jon and his self-titled band have played many fundraising shows for local charities.

It took a year and $250,000, but the restaurant now rivals any of its competitors in trendy Red Bank, with entrees like cornmeal crusted catfish with red beans and rice, grilled chicken breast with homemade basil mayo and rice pilaf, and grilled salmon with soul seasonings, sweet potato mash and sauteed greens, many of which were grown in the herb and vegetable garden right outside the restaurant's doors.

Bon Jovi, who has a home in next-door Middletown, is adamant about one thing.

"This is not a soup kitchen," he emphasizes. "You can come here with the dignity of linens and silver, and you're served a healthy, nutritious meal. This is not burgers and fries.

"There's no prices on our menu, so if you want to come and you want to make a difference, leave a $20 in the envelope on the table. If you can't afford to eat, you can bus tables, you can wait tables, you can work in the kitchen as a dishwasher or sous chef," he said. "If you say to me, 'I'm not a people person,' I say, 'That's not a problem. We'll take you back to Lunch Break to volunteer with those people. If you don't want to volunteer with that, we'll take you to the FoodBank."After volunteering at one of those places, a person will be given a certificate good for a meal at The Soul Kitchen.

"If you come in and say, 'I'm hungry,' we'll feed you," Bon Jovi said. "But we're going to need you to do something. It's very important to what we're trying to achieve."

That includes making people feel part of a larger community that cares about them, while still expecting them to contribute to society at large.

"This is not an entitlement thing," Bon Jovi said. "This is about empowering people because you have to earn that gift certificate."

He and others at the restaurant want those who can afford to dine out to patronize the restaurant as well and pay what they consider market prices, or even a bit more than that, to help sustain The Soul Kitchen as a true community resource.

Bon Jovi said he is currently writing songs for his band's next album, due out in 2013, along with another typically massive Bon Jovi tour. He said many of the songs are inspired by the current economic downturn and the struggles of everyday people to make ends meet without losing hope.

In the meantime, he and his wife plan to stay active in the restaurant, where he estimates he has worked at least once a week in recent months. The Soul Kitchen is open for dinner Thursday through Saturday, and offers Sunday brunch.

How important is rolling up his sleeves and working in the restaurant to him?

"Last Friday, I was at the White House, serving on the Council for Community Solutions, got on a train, changed in the bathroom and got here in time to wash dishes Friday night," he said. "I'm the dishwasher, for real. I can't cook a lick."

What a Drag! Explosive New Sherlock Holmes Trailer Finds Robert Downey Jr. in a Dress!

Fortunately, though, he doesn't have to sit around and do a lot of worrying about that, because as we see there are more pressing dangers at hand...like explosions. Lots of them. And of course, trying to fit into a dress...

Check it out.

Holmes is back with his trusty sidekick Watson (Jude Law), and the two are embroiled in the biggest case of their careers: thwarting the most formidable criminal mind in all of Europe, Dr. Moriarty. And with the collapse of Western civilization hanging in the balance, the two are feeling the pressure.

But it isn't anything they can't handle. Explosions, gun fights and witty banter dominate and definitely have us looking forward to this caper. A nice comedic bonus though? More glimpses of Downey rocking some glamorous eveningwear. He might not think it's his best disguise, but we don't think he's giving himself enough credit.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows hits theaters Dec. 16. Eager to make this flick a part of your holiday season?

Cannon talks Cary Grant LSD use

In her new book, Dear Cary, the Heaven Can Wait star opens up about the end of her three-year union with the Hollywood icon and admits she has come to understand why he took psychedelic drugs when he needed to escape his life problems.

Cannon reveals she was so desperate to save the marriage she agreed to get high with her man.

She says, "I think he thought it (LSD) was a gateway to peace inside himself. With all the wealth and fame that he embraced and that embraced him, he couldn't find it... When our marriage started to go south... he said, 'LSD will help us'.

"That's one of the big messages of the book. I wanted to make him happy more than anything else in life and it's good to love someone and it's good to try and make them happy, but if you have to go against something that's intrinsically against your nature, that you know you shouldn't do, in order to please someone, it's death."

Cannon reveals Grant first experimented with LSD after discovering his callous father had lied about the death of the movie star's mother - when he was a child.

She tells Access Hollywood Live, "He had such a traumatic childhood, it was horrible. I work with a lot of kids on the street and I've heard a lot of stories about what happens when a family breaks down - but his was just horrendous. And he never really dealt with those things. He tried to. That's the reason he tried LSD... he thought it was a gateway to God.

"Can you imagine, at 10, coming home and hearing, 'Your mother's at the seashore...' 'Well why didn't she take me? Did I do something wrong?' And then three months later: 'Your mother's dead...'

"Your father abandons you, takes a younger wife, has a baby. 'Daddy, can I live with you?' Cary said. 'There's not room for you!' He's 10 years old. Imagine that.

"And 20 years later, he gets a call saying, 'I lied...' Cary comes to London, meets with his dad and his dad says, 'Your mother is not dead, she's alive'."

Grant's father placed his young wife in an insane asylum and told his son she had died.

We Hear...

Dyan Cannon book recounts life with Cary Grant

With an age difference of over 30 years, the duo had a magical courtship in the 1960s that eventually gave way to the dark side of Grant after they were engaged. Following three years of marriage and not long after the birth of their daughter Jennifer, the couple divorced and Cannon suffered a nervous breakdown.

Cannon, now in her early 70s, sat down with Reuters to talk about her former late husband and what she's learned about love over the years.

Q: Why focus the book just on your years with Cary?

A: "I've been offered so much money over the years to write a kiss and tell, which this is not. I wanted this to be a helpful book, an inspirational book. It's really about the little things that happen in our relationships that tear us asunder, so I felt people would benefit from most of this."

Q: Is there an underlying message you wanted to relay?

A: "One of the biggest messages is that it is wonderful to love and to serve and to give. It's wonderful to try and make people happy, but it's impossible to do so."

Q: What was the biggest challenge in writing this book?

A: "I know how people feel about Cary -- they love him. I didn't want people to lose the stars in their eyes about him. I wanted people to love him more at the end of this book than they did before. This book humanizes him. They'll understand what formed him. And I had such compassion for what formed him. But I also suffered a breakdown. So balancing all that was my biggest challenge."

Q: There must have been a lot of stories to sort through.

A: "I didn't know what to put in and what to leave out. The first (draft) was so out of balance. The second time around it started to take shape. The third time I thought, 'Maybe I've got it now.'"

Q: Cary was a big proponent of LSD use and wanted you to do it with him. But for you it was a disastrous experience. Do you think Cary had a drug problem?

A: "Absolutely not. With specificity, no. He thought LSD was his gateway to God, to peace, to that turmoil that wouldn't leave him alone. He thought it helped him, but I don't think it did. If it did, it gave him a peace that enabled him without being tormented 24 hours a day."

Q: Were you able to have a friendship after the divorce?

A: "We were polite."

Q: Was it hard getting your career back on track afterward? Did studio executives have to choose sides?

A: "Maybe some people for a moment. But Mike Frankovich was a good friend of Cary's. He was the head of Columbia Pictures and he chose me for 'Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice' (which earned Cannon an Oscar nomination). So no, not really."

Q: When Cary passed away in 1986 at the age of 82, did that affect you at all?

A: "I was amazed at how I mourned him. I couldn't believe how hammered I was by his death, how deeply I felt his loss. I loved him so dearly, but some of that love had to get pushed down through all the pain."

Q: Was he the greatest love of your life?

A: "I've known a lot of wonderful men. I've known a couple of jerks. And I think the best is yet to come (laughs). I do. Because I understand love now. That's why I can say I'm a whole, satisfied, complete woman. But up to now, I've certainly had no experience with anybody like I had with Cary. I loved him and he loved me. I was the only woman in the world that he trusted enough to have a baby with. That's a big deal to me."

Q: Your daughter, Jennifer, has a three year-old son, Cary Benjamin. Do you see traits of Cary in her or in little Cary?

A: "More with the grandchild. There's traits in Jennifer that remind me of Cary -- wonderful traits. But the little guy, he's something else!."

Q: Will you write another book to encompass all the other aspects of your life?

A: "I'm not sure about writing another book. I've had offers but writing a book is the hardest thing I've ever done. I'd like to write and perform a one-woman show with other people as a part of it. I've talked to a friend of mine, we're contemplating it and I've made a lot of notes. But as far as a second book about my career and things that happened to me? I'm not motivated to do that."

Pals pay tribute to Downey, Jr.

Now, you're probably thinking, sure, but the guy's only, like 46 years old.

Who's next, Ryan Gosling?

But let's face it -- Downey has packed quite the life into those four-and-a-half decades, coming back from a troubled, not-too-distant past and reaching even greater heights than before.

Certainly, back in 2000, the words "career" and "achievement" weren't exactly foremost on his mind while serving time in prison for his recurring substance abuse problems.

But that was then and this is now, and now is all about getting ready for Friday's big event at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where the Golden Globes are held each year.

Among those who will be paying tribute to Downey at the black tie gala are many of his past and present co-stars, including Michael Douglas (Wonder Boys), Jack Black (Tropic Thunder), Jamie Foxx (The Soloist), Robin Wright (The Singing Detective), Anthony Michael Hall (Weird Science) and Jared Harris (the upcoming Sherlock Holmes movie).

Also singing Downey's praises (this is a fete, not a roast, after all) are those who were on the other side of the camera, like directors Jon Favreau (the Iron Man movies) and Jodie Foster (Home for the Holidays), as well as producer Joel Silver, whose working relationship with Downey runs from Weird Science to Gothika to Holmes.

He'll certainly be in good company -- what with previous American Cinematheque honourees including Al Pacino, Denzel Washington, Nicole Kidman and George Clooney, and he serves as sterling example of staring down demons and turning your career around.

Mr. Sheen and Ms. Lohan, take note.

'Iron Man 2' disappointed Downey

The actor reaffirmed his place in the Hollywood A-list playing inventor-turned-superhero Tony Star in the 2008 film following a career slump due to years lost in drug addiction.

Downey, Jr. is convinced the success of Iron Man turned his fortunes around, but he was less than impressed with its 2010 sequel, which opened to mixed reviews from critics.

He tells the Los Angeles Times, "The first one changed everything for me. And with the second Iron Man there were certain aspects that were dissatisfying and disappointing to me but at least they lit me right.

"(The first one) was a meditation on responsibility and an exploration of how a small group of people can take a two-dimensional idea and, if the winds are right, create something that makes people say, 'That was my favourite movie of the year'...

"I love a good action movie - a Steve McQueen or Tom Cruise or Clint Eastwood, Bruce Willis or Mel Gibson in the right spot, and you smile and say, 'That's what this kind of movie is all about.'"

Downey, Jr. also admits he was surprised to land an Oscar nomination for his controversial 'blacked-up' role in 2008's Tropic Thunder, because he feared the part would undo all the hard work he put into Iron Man.

He adds, "I signed up to do it and then I did Iron Man and I thought, 'You know, I think I just buried myself. I did a movie that is going to re-establish me here in a little way and now I'm going to squander any good will I have'... This movie ended up being the most cathartic thing I had done in ages and one of the happiest times in my life."

Courtney Thorne-Smith: I Like Botox

"It's never been a secret in my personal life – I've just never been asked by the press," says Thorne-Smith, 44, the new celebrity face of Botox. "I've used it, I like it, it works well for me. That's just the simple truth."

The actress and mother of a 3½-year-old son owns up to first getting injections about 10 years ago, when the lines on her forehead started to bother her.

"I found I've been able to use it and have full expression and look really normal," she says. "I found the frown line was distracting me – I was conscious of it. Now I'm not."

Would the Two and a Half Men guest star consider getting plastic surgery?

"My hope is that if I take good care of my skin and use Botox, I won't have to use anything else," says Thorne-Smith, who then adds: "Never say never. I always want to look like myself – that's key for me. I don't want to look like a different person, I don't want my face frozen."

Time to get out

Which Classic Character Is Robert Downey Jr. Ditching Iron Man For?

Or, he will, once he slips into the guise of defense attorney extraordinaire, Perry Mason.

The Iron Man star is looking to suit up—in a regular suit this time—as the brilliant lawyer in a Warner Bros. film based on the character created by novelist Erle Stanley Gardner and first played on TV by Raymond Burr, according to trade reports.

Per Variety, the reboot would be set in 1930s Los Angeles—the birthplace of noir—and feature classic Perry Mason characters like his loyal secretary, Della Street; district attorney and frequent Mason nemesis Hamilton Burger; and private investigator Paul Drake.

A dozen actors have played Mason over the last 80 years on both the big and small screens, but, do you think it's safe to say that Downey will be the most sardonic, singular presence of the bunch?

Before he gets a chance to draw out confessions on the stand, though, Downey has to wrap production on The Avengers, his third outing as Tony "Iron Man" Stark (Iron Man 3, meanwhile, is penciled in for a May 2013 release). And before we get to see the fruits of that labor, Downey will be kicking arse and figuring things out the old old-fashioned way in what's becoming his other hit franchise, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, in theaters Dec, 16.

In kinda related Iron Man news, former franchise helmer Jon Favreau is eyeing a proposed sitcom called Tweaked—about single parents navigating life and love—as his next directing venture.

Ellen DeGeneres & Portia de Rossi Give a Tour of the Beverly Hills Home

The couple invited Architectural Digest into the three-acre compound for this month's issue, and there's certainly plenty to see – a large painting by Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat and loads of other artworks; tables, chairs, blankets and rugs from various continents and centuries; shoe shelves filled with sneakers and stilettos; and a luxurious pool out back with sweeping views of Los Angeles.

DeGeneres is like a kid in a candy store when it comes to real estate and interior design.

"We never had a house when I was growing up," she tells the magazine. "We always rented. But my father would dream, and we used to look at houses all the time. I'd pick out which bedroom would be mine and get all excited."

She adds: "The first thing I did when I made money was buy a house. And then..."

"Another one," De Rossi says. "And another one and another one and another one."

Like the look of the mansion? It could be yours. The Los Angeles Times reports that the couple just put it on the market for $49 million.

Maternal instinct

'Arrested Development' -- Coming Back for One More Season!!!!

Hurwitz said the show will do a "limited" season which will show us what the characters have been up to since the show last aired ... which will then lead right into the planned movie.

There is no official deal in place yet for where or when the show will air.

Have a frozen banana and celebrate!

Robert Downey Jr. Shocker: We Need to Forgive Mel Gibson!

In a surprise move last night, Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. turned a gala in his honor into an effort to save Mel Gibson's career and bring the onetime A-Lister back into the Hollywood fold.

It all went down during the annual star-studded American Cinematheque tribute...

"Unless you are without sin—and if you are, you are in the wrong f---king industry—you should forgive him and let him work again," Downey said after Gibson presented him with the award before a packed ballroom at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

During his presentation, Gibson remembered being warned about hiring Downey for Air America in 1990 because of his troubled private life. Downey has always credited Gibson for being the first person in town who gave him a job during some of his years battling substance abuse.

Once he was accepting his honor, Downey spoke about that time, recalling that Gibson had told him to "help the next guy" once he was able to.

"It's reasonable to assume...he didn't imagine the next guy would be him," said Downey.

Gibson, who became notorious after arrest and his anti-Semitic rant, attracted skepticism most recently when it was announced that he's planning on directing a film about Judah Maccabee, the Jewish warrior who led the fight against the Seleucid Empire. Hanukkah marks the return of Jewish worship at a Jerusalem temple after he removed pagan statuary.

Jennifer Aniston, Jodie Foster, Jack Black, Jared Harris, directors Jon Favreau and Guy Ritchie, Jamie Foxx, Michael Douglas and CAA honcho Bryan Lourd were among the night's other presenters.

James Marsden's Wife Files for Divorce

Citing irreconcilable differences in court documents filed one week ago, Linde is seeking spousal support and joint legal and physical custody of the couple's two young children Jack and Mary.

"It's always been about being together and keeping the family together," the X-Men and 27 Dresses star, 38, told PEOPLE in 2008 of his then-happy marriage.

"When I'm not working, I want to be home, and that's all I want to do."

Sighting

New New Year's Eve Trailer: See Katherine Heigl Beat Down Jon Bon Jovi!

Hence today's new trailer, which shows off both more—Jessica Biel and Seth Meyers battle it out with another couple to deliver the first baby of the year—and more than we bargained for—Abigail Breslin channeling Girls Gone Wild in front of Sarah Jessica Parker? Uh, OK.

Needless to say, there truly is something for everyone in this flick. Especially the part where Katherine Heigl bitch-slaps Jon Bon Jovi, because really, who can't watch that on repeat?

Our only problem with this trailer: not enough Ryan Seacrest! Way to, um, drop the ball.

New Year's Eve is out Dec. 9.

First Look: Robert Downey Jr.'s Face Goes Deep Undercover in Sherlock Holmes Sequel

Robert Downey Jr. is playing quite the quick-change artist in the upcoming Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, which apparently finds the brilliant detective in multiple situations when a disguise is in order.

In this scene, Downey dons a traditional Chinese robe, a long braided ponytail and elaborate facial hair to, er, blend in when his investigation takes him to an Asian marketplace.

Rachel McAdams, who was also on the set at the University of Greenwich's Royal Naval College in London, was just wearing her boring blue Irene Adler dress. She looked so ordinary.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, also starring Jude Law and Noomi Rapace, hits theaters Dec. 16.

"Arrested" cast reuniting for festival

The just-announced event, "A Bluth Family Reunion," will include Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, Michael Cera, David Cross, Portia de Rossi, Tony Hale, Alia Shawkat, Jeffrey Tambor, Jessica Walter and series creator Mitchell Hurwitz, and will be moderated by The New Yorker television critic Nancy Franklin.

Tickets for the October 2 event go on sale at The New Yorker website at noon on Wednesday. Among others appearing during the three-day fest: Amy Poehler, Aziz Ansari, Chris Colfer, David Cronenberg, Ellen Barkin, Owen Wilson, Zach Galifianakis, Paul Giamatti, the Scissor Sisters, and writers Janet Malcolm, Jonathan Franzen, and Malcolm Gladwell.

Is it too much to hope that Lucille 2, a.k.a. Liza Minnelli, might make a surprise pop-in?

Ellen DeGeneres, Portia de Rossi Team for NBC Comedy

The untitled comedy is about dueling sisters, one of whom will be played by de Rossi. Under the deal, NBC must produce a pilot.

DeGeneres will executive-produce with her new A Very Good Production company, along with Samantha Who?'s Don Todd, who will also write the pilot.

The project is the first sale for A Very Good Production and would be de Rossi's first TV gig since Better Off Ted ended last year.

Robert Downey Jr.'s Wife Is Pregnant

The actor, who reprises his role as Iron Man in the upcoming movie The Avengers, and his wife of six years are set to welcome their first child together early next year.

"Robert and Susan could not be more excited over this news," his rep tells PEOPLE. "They can't wait to welcome this new baby into their wonderful family."

The actor, 46, is already a father to Indio, 17, his son with ex-wife Deborah Falconer.

But the news should come as no surprise. In 2010, while promoting his comedy Due Date, Downey predicted he'd have another kid in 2012.

"I think I will be wrist-deep in doo-doo within 18 months. I'm calling it right here," he said.

And he was thinking pink.

"I think we should probably try to have a girl because I don't want another male entity to have to compete," he said. "I don't want Indio to feel there's another boy in my life. But I don't know what we'd have to do [to have a girl]. Do we have to put it in a spoon and hang it upside-down?"

'Two and a Half Men': Courtney Thorne-Smith returns as Lyndsey

Though details of her character's return are under wraps, as is to be expected with this highly anticipated season, we can be sure to see some hijinks -- after all, the last time we saw Lyndsey, in a January episode, Alan accused her of having a secret relationship with Charlie.

We can't wait to see how she reacts to Charlie's untimely death... and to his replacement, Walden (Ashton Kutcher).

Jane Krakowski: Bennett's Already a People Person

Son Bennett Robert, 4 months, was a hit during his first trip to see Mom at work, Krakowski tells PEOPLE.

“He loved it,” the 30 Rock star, 42, says. “He had a great time meeting everybody — he’s a people person.”

Bennett, who arrived in April, got his name because the moniker was “always stuck” in Krakowski and Robert Godley‘s heads after a search.

“It’s an English name on my fiancé’s side,” she explains. “We went through all the names on both sides. He came out and he looked like a Bennett! It suited him.”

And it appears Bennett has inherited more than just his name: he’s also a redhead.

“[His hair] was quite strawberry blonde when he was born, but it’s gone more red now,” shares Krakowski. “Both of our moms have red hair so we think he got that recessive gene!”

Krakowski, who’s nominated for an outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series Emmy for her role as Jenna Maroney, is excited for the ceremony — and fitting into her dress.

“Good old-fashioned hard work is the way I’m getting rid of the baby weight,” she notes. “I’ve been spinning a lot and working out with a personal trainer. I’m excited to get into my Emmy dress!”

Lea Michele and Jon Bon Jovi-Is This the Duet of the Year?

So what's bringing these two vocal powerhouses together and how can we get a listen to this performance?

Unfortunately, we'll have to wait until Dec. 9. The two are just a few of the many (and we mean many) stars appearing in director Garry Marshall's Valentine's Day follow-up, New Year's Eve. Why is the end of the year always so far away!

In the flick, Lea actually plays Elise, a backup singer to Bon Jovi's rock star Jensen (such a stretch, right?)

Rocking some slick reverse matching outfits, no doubt these two are whipping the New Year's crowd into a frenzy. Maybe with a little "Bad Medicine"?

Any requests? Let us know what you hope these two will be rocking out with as the clock counts down on 2011.

Southland Recruits Lucy Liu in Season 4

The 42-year-old actress is billed as a special guest-star who will recur throughout Season 4 as a member of the LAPD.

Liu, whose film credits also include Kill Bill: Volume 1 and Chicago, previously starred on Ally McBeal and Dirty Sexy Money.

Southland will premiere this winter.

For Robert Downey Jr., New Sherlock Holmes Movie Is a Real Drag

In the upcoming sequel Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, the actor may be reprising his role as the super sleuth, but he dons a getup that's anything but super. Funny? Sure. A little disturbing? Definitely.

"I agree, it's not my best disguise, but I had to make do," Downey Jr. tells Jude Law's Watson in the trailer.

Where is that cool Iron Man costume when you need it, right?

Check out Downey Jr. in drag and more in a new preview: Video

Hayden P's NFL Boyfriend -- Meet The Fam!!!

Sources close to the couple tell TMZ ... Hayden and Scotty ... along with Scotty's teammate Mark Sanchez ... rolled down to Newport Beach last weekend to attend a retirement party for Scotty's dad.

One source tells us Hayden was "very sweet the whole night" -- and get this -- we're told she was often seeing carrying Scotty's baby cousin around and raving about how much she loves kids!

After the party, the couple, along with several members of Scotty's family, hung out at a nearby pub and downed a few pints. Someone's getting comfortable!!!

Teen Choice Award Nominations

Sighting

Scotty McKnight, Hayden Panettiere a Couple?

The 21-year-old was photographed with her "pal" New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez in Malibu Memorial Day weekend, but she was also out in Hollywood with Scotty McKnight, 23, that same week.

McKnight, a wide receiver for the Jets, was photographed leaving Mel's Diner in West Hollywood, with the actress. He's from California and most-notably graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with CU's all-time records for receiving touchdowns and receptions.

The Scream 4 actress recently split with Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko after two years together.

Panettiere's rep had no comment.

Jon Bon Jovi's 'listening tour' comes to NJ

The rocker visited a youth services center in New Jersey's largest city on Monday as the final stop on a "listening tour with disengaged youth."

It's part of the New Jersey native's role as a member of the White House Council for Community Solutions, which is looking at successful youth programs that can be replicated.

Participants in the Newark session told Bon Jovi that jobs, a lack of mentors for young people and bullying were among their top concerns.

Hayden Panettiere Not Dating Mark Sanchez, Says Source

So, are they more than just burger buddies?

"They're not dating at all," a source tells PEOPLE. "They're really just friends."

Another source tells PEOPLE that they've been spotted together for months – but maintains they are just friends.

In addition to heavyweight boxer Klitschko, the actress, 21, has also dated her former Heroes costar Milo Ventimiglia as well as Hills alum Stephen Colletti.

Sighting

ABC cancels 'V,' 'Brothers & Sisters' and more

ABC has decided to cancel "V," "Brothers & Sisters" and rookie series "No Ordinary Family," "Off the Map," "Detroit 187" and "Mr. Sunshine."

The announcement came just after Deadline reported the network was attempting to bring back "Brothers & Sisters" for a sixth and final season.

ABC also announced they're picking up drama pilots "Good Christian Belles," "Pan Am," "Charlie's Angels," "Once Upon a Time," "Revenge," "Scandal" and "The River" to series. Comedies "Apt. 23" and Tim Allen's "Last Man Standing" were also picked up.

Panettiere splits from boxer

The Heroes star, 21, has been dating the Russian sportsman, 35, since 2009 but they have now revealed the relationship is over.

Panettiere confirmed the news in a statement, obtained by Germany's Bunte.de, while the boxer has blamed the split on their struggle to maintain a long-distance relationship.

Panettiere's statement reads, "While we decided to split, we feel great sympathy and respect for each other and will surely stay close friends."

Klitschko adds, "We had a great time together. But more and more we realised how difficult it is to maintain a relationship when living on two continents... I cherish Hayden as a person and woman. I'm sure we will stay friends."

Panettiere previously dated her Heroes co-star Milo Ventimiglia. They split in early 2009.

'Brothers & Sisters': ABC reportedly mulls over a shorter Season 6 and even less Kitty

Because of its soft ratings and expensive large cast, the issues for renewal are economical, and I hear several months ago ABC created budget targets that would allow for the series to come back for a final foray. Brothers and Sisters' budget was reduced going into the current fifth season, and it will have to go down again for Season 6. The per-episode price increases by reducing the number of episodes because of less cost amortization, so I hear that ABC is exploring scenarios for a final season that could range from 6 to 18 episodes. Last year, the holdup in getting the renewal was getting the actors to agree to do fewer episodes, which they eventually did, and ABC gave the series a 18-episode pickup at the last minute. (That order was subsequently raised to a full-season 22 after the series started the season with solid ratings that have slid in the past few months.) This year, I hear the studio is in talks with top-billed Calista Flockhart to do six episodes next season as the prominence of her character Kitty on the show has decreased. (Rob Lowe, who shared a major storyline with her, left at the end of last season, while Flockhart remained regular this season but reduced her workload. Sunday's episode will be her 15th this season.) No talks with other Brothers and Sisters actors are currently going on, but I hear that the cast has a minimum guarantee of 13 episodes and, if ABC's Season 6 order is for fewer episodes, the studio will have to negotiate separately with each cast member. That is not expected to be a problem. Star Sally Field will be busy filming Steven Spielberg's Abraham Lincoln movie, so she probably won't be able able to do all the episodes anyway. Co-star Gilles Marini recently talked about how much he would love for the show to be renewed, while Rachel Griffiths joked in her native Australia that she is facing losing her job and may need unemployment benefits, so she should be on board too.

We Hear...

Jane Krakowski Welcomes a Baby Boy

The actress, 42, gave birth to son Bennett Robert Godley on Wednesday, April 13 in New York City, her rep confirms to PEOPLE.

The baby boy – who has blond hair like Mom – weighed in at 7 lbs., 12 oz., and is the first child for Krakowski and fiancé Robert Godley.

"Bennett is an amazing, healthy sweet boy and we are both just crazy in love with him," Krakowski says.

The latest addition to the 30 Rock family joins Elizabeth Banks's son Felix, born in March, Tina Fey's daughter Alice and a second child, due to arrive later this year.

BROTHER'S & SISTERS (5/5) SEASON FINALE

"Brothers & Sisters" stars Dave Annable as Justin Walker, Sally Field as Nora Holden, Calista Flockhart as Kitty Walker, Rachel Griffiths as Sarah Walker, Luke Macfarlane as Scotty Wandell, Gilles Marini as Luc Laurent, Matthew Rhys as Kevin Walker, Ron Rifkin as Saul Holden and Patricia Wettig as Holly Harper.

Guest starring are Balthazar Getty as Thomas Walker, Kerris Lilla Dorsey as Paige Whedon, Maxwell Perry Cotton as Cooper Whedon, Mark Ricks as Evan McCallister, Marika Dominczyk as Tyler Altamirano, Richard Chamberlain as Jonathan Byrold, Isabella Rae Thomas as Olivia, Ryan Devlin as Seth, Beau Bridges as Nick Brody, Sonia Braga as Gabriela Laurent, Trieste Kelly Dunn as Lori Lynn, Bradley White as the Minister and Garrett Backstrom as Andrew.

"Walker Down the Aisle" was written by David Marshall Grant and David Babcock and directed by Ken Olin.

Bon Jovi tours Philly shelter for homeless youth

The Covenant House shelter in the city's Kensington neighborhood will house 20 formerly homeless people ages 18 to 21.

Many have aged out of the foster-care system or formerly lived on the streets.

Covenant House International President Kevin Ryan says the shelter will provide a needed bridge to adulthood. Staff will help the clients set goals, while also teaching them life and housekeeping skills.

One resident, a 21-year-old named Steve who did not want his last name used, said Tuesday that he's excited Bon Jovi and other adults care about him.

New Jersey native Bon Jovi is a longtime advocate for homeless causes in Philadelphia.

Man charged with burglarizing Bon Jovi's NJ home

Bail has been set at $100,000 for 21-year-old Nicholas Tracy of Beachwood.

Authorities tell the Asbury Park Press of Neptune that Tracy was arrested Wednesday after police responding to a tripped burglar alarm at a Middletown Township home found him hiding in a bathroom.

Tracy was charged in three other burglaries, including one that occurred April 3 at Bon Jovi's $22 million estate along the Navesink (nah-vuh-SINK') River in Middletown, about 30 miles south of New York City.

Tracy remained in the Monmouth County Jail on Friday. Jail officials didn't know if he had an attorney.

We Hear...

Sightings

Panettiere pestered for sex secrets

The petite Heroes star is dating boxing giant Wladimir Klitschko and admits the little-and-large factor appears to fascinate the public.

She explains, "He is quite a big bigger than me and I get the prudish people coming up to me (saying), 'Does it work?' I'm like, 'Yeah... we find a way'. Where there's a will, there's a way."

Appearing on Tuesday's Ellen DeGeneres Show in America, the actress adds, "They're very conservative people most of the time; they have to know... I don't mind it."

People Names Jennifer Lopez World's Most Beautiful Woman; Who Else Topped the List?

"I feel not worthy, you know?" was how Lopez reacted to the mag when she found out the news.

The American Idol judge, looking absolutely flawless on the spring-inspired pink and green cover, discussed with the mag her makeup-free days from the show, skin-care regimen, diet, kids and hubby Marc Anthony.

Read on to find out when the mom to twins Max and Emme is the happiest...and who else was happy to join her on People's Most Beautiful list...

On landing the 22nd annual "World's Most Beautiful" coveted cover spot, Lopez said she felt "happy and proud" after the initial shock wore off.

"It's so crazy. Rarely am I left speechless, but I feel honored." the hard-working reality judge and L'Oréal model said, adding that she feels better now than she did in her 30s.

"I feel better, I feel smarter," she said. "In my 20s, I just wasn't there in my mind and my soul and my spirit. It's just great to be in the position I'm in now and be able to share that with the world."

As for her striking beauty and that gorgeous face, Lopez says the real trick to her glow is due to the abundance of "love" in her life and insists that the real beauty in a person comes from their heart. And J.Lo says that even though she's considered hot, she doesn't get any compliments from men because "they're afraid of Marc."

After revealing that she was prematurely gray at 23 and that her upper thighs are a real problem, it's on to the topic of her famous booty: "It became this huge thing. No pun intended!" she says.

The 41-year-old also spent some time clearing up other "big" rumors: No, her body is not insured for a million dollars; no, she doesn't have a diamond-encrusted toilet seat or a glam squad of 50; and yes, she spray tans.

The other beautiful people in the mag's double issue are listed in subcategories of hotness; here are a few of our faves:

In the "Not a Drop of Makeup," pages, 10 women were snapped looking fresh-faced in nothing but moisturizer and lip balm. Dancing With the Stars turned Footloose star Julianne Hough is stunning in a full-page closeup. Joy Bryant, Anne Heche, Kaley Cuoco, Mandy Moore, Nikita star Maggie Q, Pretty Little Liars star Lucy Hale, Cheryl Burke, Angie Harmon and Hayden Panettiere all made the list.

The mag's got the older eye candy covered too, picking 57-year-old Christie Brinkley as the leadoff in that category; she credits her youthful look to blotting her makeup with a wet washcloth after applying. Also making the list are Stacey Dash, 44, Lucy Liu, 42, Jennifer Beals, 47, and Dana Delany looking superhot at 55.

In the "Beautiful Minds" category, Ivy League intellects Anna Paquin, Jordana Brewster, Tatyana Ali, Amanda Peet and Ellie Kemper and The Office star Mindy Kaling all made the list for their smarts.

Watch out, curves ahead! Listed under "Year of the Bombshell" are hourglass honeys like Jessica Simpson, Sofia Vergara, Paula Patton and Christina Hendricks, who says she's probably at her sexiest while "at home cooking."

A huge chunk of the mag is dedicated to stars' beauty sleep. Katie Holmes gets six hours a night, while newly single Jessica Biel counts sheep and has insomnia. Halle Berry needs nine hours, while Christina Aguilera and Jessica Alba get a solid eight. Cutie Amanda Seyfried needs 10 hours, while Beyoncé usually can't shut off her brain for the night.

And finally, some familiar names are back, with some "Hall of Famers" making the list—again and again and again. Berry leads with a whopping 15 times, with Julia Roberts coming in second with 12 appearances. This issue marks Lopez's 10th "Most Beautiful" appearance, tied only with George Clooney, followed by nine-time hottie Brad Pitt.

Hats off to all the Hollywood hotties who made the list!

BROTHERS & SISTERS (5/1)

"Brothers & Sisters" stars Dave Annable as Justin Walker, Sally Field as Nora Holden, Calista Flockhart as Kitty Walker, Rachel Griffiths as Sarah Walker, Luke Macfarlane as Scotty Wandell, Gilles Marini as Luc Laurent, Matthew Rhys as Kevin Walker, Ron Rifkin as Saul Holden and Patricia Wettig as Holly Harper.

Guest starring are Christine Garver as Young Nora, Robbie Amell as Young William, Marika Dominczyk as Tyler Altamirano, Isabella Rae Thomas as Olivia, Beau Bridges as Nick Brody and Chris Sheffield as Young Brody.

"For Better or for Worse" was written by Stephen Tolkin and Matt Donnelly and directed by Michael Morris.

Jets' QB has eye for Hayden

Sanchez seems to have a type: pretty, blond and feminine. Panettiere even looks similar to 17-year-old high schooler Eliza Kruger, to whom Sanchez was recently linked. Panettiere is currently in a long-distance relationship with giant Ukrainian heavyweight boxer Wladimir Klitschko, and sources insist she's "just friends" with Sanchez, who is also pals with Klitschko. Reps for Panettiere had no comment, and Sanchez's reps couldn't be reached.

BROTHERS & SISTERS (4/24)

"Brothers & Sisters" stars Dave Annable as Justin Walker, Sally Field as Nora Holden, Calista Flockhart as Kitty Walker, Rachel Griffiths as Sarah Walker, Luke Macfarlane as Scotty Wandell, Gilles Marini as Luc Laurent, Matthew Rhys as Kevin Walker, Ron Rifkin as Saul Holden and Patricia Wettig as Holly Harper.

Guest starring are Isabella Rae Thomas as Olivia, Roxy Olin as Michelle McGregor and Deirdre Lovejoy as Marissa Crandall.

"Father Unknown" was written by Molly Newman and Gina Lucita Monreal and directed by Matthew Rhys.

BROTHERS & SISTERS (4/17)

"Brothers & Sisters" stars Dave Annable as Justin Walker, Sally Field as Nora Holden, Calista Flockhart as Kitty Walker, Rachel Griffiths as Sarah Walker, Luke Macfarlane as Scotty Wandell, Gilles Marini as Luc Laurent, Matthew Rhys as Kevin Walker, Ron Rifkin as Saul Holden and Patricia Wettig as Holly Harper.

Guest starring are Isabella Rae Thomas as Olivia, Beau Bridges as Nick Brody, Roxy Olin as Michelle McGregor and Evan Jones as Dan, Julia Murney as Kendra, Scot Zeller as Hans and Jenny Phagan as TSA agent.

"Wouldn't It Be Nice" was written by Michael J. Cinquemani and Marc Halsey and directed by Ken Olin.

BROTHERS & SISTERS (4/10)

In the second part, "Never Say Never," emotions are running high in the Walker family when Nora and Saul find out their mother, Ida, has passed away.

"Brothers & Sisters" stars Dave Annable as Justin Walker, Sally Field as Nora Holden, Calista Flockhart as Kitty Walker, Rachel Griffiths as Sarah Walker, Luke Macfarlane as Scotty Wandell, Gilles Marini as Luc Laurent, Matthew Rhys as Kevin Walker, Ron Rifkin as Saul Holden and Patricia Wettig as Holly Harper.

Guest starring in "Olivia's Choice" are Edwina Findley as Jill, Anita Finlay as Judge Marsha Forrest, Douglas Spain as Brian Garcia, Isabella Rae Thomas as Olivia, Ryan Devlin as Seth and Stephanie Lemelin as Beklee Makowska. "Olivia's Choice" was written by Cliff Olin and Stephen Tolkin and directed by Michael Morris.

Guest starring in "Never Say Never" is Richard Chamberlain as Jonathan Byrold, Isabella Rae Thomas as Olivia, Beau Bridges as Nick Brody and Jayne Brook as Bertha Wandell. "Never Say Never" was written by Sarah Kucserka and Veronica Becker and directed by Bethany Rooney.

Robert Downey Jr. & Mel Gibson: Double-Double Date

The old friends found themselves out in Irvine, CA when the hunger pangs hit -- so they went to every West Coasters favorite fast food spot.

According to a witness, they each ordered a Double-Double combo meal and dined with a third person, non-celebrity. They were joined by a friend, who did the ordering for them.

BTW -- We know the pic is blurry, but we've confirmed ... it's definitely them.

No word on why the two were in Irvine together, but we're told it definitely wasn't for a movie.

BROTHERS & SISTERS: Call Mom (3/27)

"Brothers & Sisters" stars Dave Annable as Justin Walker, Sally Field as Nora Holden, Calista Flockhart as Kitty Walker, Rachel Griffiths as Sarah Walker, Luke Macfarlane as Scotty Wandell, Gilles Marini as Luc Laurent, Matthew Rhys as Kevin Walker, Ron Rifkin as Saul Holden and Patricia Wettig as Holly Harper.

Guest starring are Jeremy Davidson as Jack Randall, John Apicella as Frank, Debra Monk as Alexandra Kirby and Brianne Davis as Vanessa.

"Call Mom" was written by Veronica Becker and Brian Studler and directed by Michael Schultz.

Five Biggest Oscar Night Jaw-Droppers

"I'm not here to be a part of your games so you get people coming up to you at the afterparty saying how witty you are or how charming you are," Law scolded his Sherlock Holmes costar. "It's their moment! If it wasn't for them, your closest association with a superhero would have been in 2001 when you got busted in a cheap hotel with a woman dressed as Batgirl."

To which Downey smoothly replied, "First of all, that cheap hotel room cost $1,250 a night with a corporate discount. Secondly, it was 2000, not 2001. And most importantly, she was dressed as Wonder Woman—and that attention to detail is what has won the respect of all the Academy voters for these fine men and women." Sure, it was funny because of the presenters' collective appeal, but when that is the night's comedic high point, you get...

Oscars' Five Best Moments

Oscars 2011 Minute-by-Minute

Oscar Live Report

Law and Downey Jr announce the best film editing Oscar - it goes to The Social Network!

Best & Worst of the 2011 Oscars

Christina Ricci may fly with "Pan Am" pilot

Australian actress Margot Robbie has already been cast in the ABC project as one of Pan Am's flight attendants, while Michael Mosley ("Scrubs") will play one of the pilots. "ER" veteran Jack Orman wrote the script and will exec produce.

Ricci has periodically popped up on series television in guest roles including ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" in 2006, TNT's "Saving Grace" in 2009 and this year in CBS' "CSI."

The former child star of "Mermaids" and the "Addams Family" films went on to earn critical raves for adult roles in such films as "Buffalo '66," "The Ice Storm" and "The Opposite of Sex."

If Ricci can strike a deal, the actress would be the latest name star to join a broadcast pilot this season. Maria Bello, Amanda Peet and Ethan Hawke have already signed on to projects, while Minnie Driver and Ashley Judd are in negotiations.

Panettiere wants killer freed

The Heroes star plays the American student in Amanda Knox: Murder on Trial in Italy, which is based on the brutal killing of Knox's roommate, Meredith Kercher.

Panettiere admits she can't help but "root for" the 23 year old as she appeals against her conviction, and wants to see her freed - whether she's guilty or not.

The actress tells the Los Angeles Times, "I've lived a very different life than her. She went to normal school and worked at a coffee shop and was just going over to Europe, and I grew up acting. But we're both young girls. And I care about her. To a certain degree, guilty or innocent, I want to see her get out and be able to live the rest of her life. She's someone that I root for."

Knox is serving a 26-year sentence in an Italian prison for killing Knox in 2007 but a jury will meet next month after new forensic evidence was discovered.

BROTHERS & SISTERS: A Righteous Kiss (3/13)

"Brothers & Sisters" stars Dave Annable as Justin Walker, Sally Field as Nora Holden, Calista Flockhart as Kitty Walker, Rachel Griffiths as Sarah Walker, Luke Macfarlane as Scotty Wandell, Gilles Marini as Luc Laurent, Matthew Rhys as Kevin Walker, Ron Rifkin as Saul Holden and Patricia Wettig as Holly Harper.

Guest starring are Ken Olin as David Caplan, Emily VanCamp as Rebecca Harper, Maxwell Perry Cotton as Cooper Whedon, Mark Ricks as Evan McCallister, Stephen Collins as Charlie, Jeremy Davidson as Jack Randall, Sarah Rafferty as Gloria Pierson-Davenport, Emily Hahn as Margaret Hartley and Sophina Brown as Bitsy Fairbank

"A Righteous Kiss" was written by Stephen Tolkin and Cliff Olin and directed by Ken Olin.

BROTHERS & SISTERS (3/6)

"Brothers & Sisters" stars Dave Annable as Justin Walker, Sally Field as Nora Holden, Calista Flockhart as Kitty Walker, Rachel Griffiths as Sarah Walker, Luke Macfarlane as Scotty Wandell, Gilles Marini as Luc Laurent, Matthew Rhys as Kevin Walker, Ron Rifkin as Saul Holden and Patricia Wettig as Holly Harper.

Guest stars are Kerris Lilla Dorsey as Paige Whedon, Mark Ricks as Evan McCallister, Isabella Rae Thomas as Olivia, Evan Pedro Pascal as Zach, Edwina Findley as Jill, Evan Jones as Dan, Paul Ganus as handsome man and Robert Maffia as policeman.

"Home Is Where the Fort Is" was written by Geoffrey Nauffts and Brian Studler and directed by Bethany Rooney.

Heche turned down 'Speed' role

The former Ally McBeal star was lined up for the role which catapulted Oscar winner Bullock to fame opposite Keanu Reeves in the 1990s.

But Heche opted out of the project because she was immature and "unguided" - and now admits she would love to appear in a sequel.

Heche tells Movieline.com, "(I had) dumb opinions, like, 'I can't go in on Speed.' You know? What?! Who in a million years... How or why any opinion in my brain would get formed around certain ideas. 'No, no, I can't do that... I couldn't possibly.' It was completely ridiculous opinions that I only had because of whatever I was thinking that day. Just unguided. I was an unguided soul. I hopefully have matured and become more guided...

"If they do a third Speed, I'm available. Sandra? There's no way; she's Woman of the Year. I'm free, if someone wants to write it, I'll do it."

Intruder Arrested at Home of Ellen DeGeneres

A rep for the talk show host tells us, "The property is protected by a 24-hour security team that detected and detained the intruder until she was turned over to the custody of Beverly Hills police officers, who arrested her."

Bon Jovi gearing up for big tour

Hot on the heels of having the No. 1 tour of 2010, and releasing a greatest-hits collection in November, the band is hitting the road again. They visit four Canadian cities between next week and May, as part of an extensive North American tour. First up is a two-night stand at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto on Feb. 14-15.

Bon Jovi have been in the music business together for 28 years and sold 125 million albums worldwide. The keys to their success? Simple. Hard work and friendship.

"Love of music, love of each other," said guitarist Richie Sambora, 51, down the line with drummer Tico Torres, 58, during a teleconference interview.

"We're brothers. And we go out there and we look at each other and I don't want to play with nobody else, you know? Tico's got his drum right up my butt and he plays some different feels and he does some different things, and I smile -- and then I'll play something different. And it's an exchange of energy. Not only between the band and the audience, but between the band. I mean those three hours or two-and-a-half hours on stage every night is what we live for."

Added Torres: "Richie's right. We play off each other and that's what we have, that's what a band is. Really, the innuendos and the changes that we make are (the key). We play differently every night. It's something that you look forward to because, you know, you spend a lot of time in the hotel room away from home, and you're looking forward to those three hours on stage."

Sambora said that over the years Bon Jovi has perfected the art of what he calls "giving good stadium." Through the use of large video screens audience members "can see the sweat,' and having a charismatic frontman in the form of Jon Bon Jovi, who manages to keep things intimate no matter how large the setting. Neither Sambora nor Torres says the band thinks about scaling things down to do a theatre tour.

"Maybe when we're 85 we'll do the small, little tour because you don't have to run around a lot," Torres cracked.

After the current tour wraps with European dates in August, Bon Jovi will take the next couple of years off. Jon Bon Jovi has already said he might make another solo record in the group's down time.

"I think it's important for us to just get away from the audience for a bit," Torres said. "We've toured the world quite a bit, and sometimes you've got to get away so people can appreciate you better."

Added Sambora: "We do need a little bit of a break, but not that much of a break because what's going to happen is there's going to be more songs to be written and, you know, guess what? We want to be the Rolling Stones. I know I do."

Bon Jovi might not get the same critical respect as the Rolling Stones of the music world, but they have had the top-grossing tours of 2008 and 2010.

"You know what, we get the respect from the people," Sambora said. "And on this particular tour, on the Circle Tour (in 2010), the media came around ... Personally, I don't read the reviews myself."

Added Torres: "I don't think we ever did (read the reviews). I think you gauge yourself. Remember, we're from the East Coast -- Jersey, New York -- and our motto has always been. 'Go up there and kick some ass.'"

Sambora, however, does bristle a bit at the fact that this was the first year Bon Jovi was nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame but didn't make the final cut.

"Personally, I mean I think it's a boys club over there. I don't know what they're doing. And, you know, they're looking for ratings or what are they're doing, I have no idea. Is it legitimate? Let's ask that question."

Torres has a more diplomatic take on it.

"The bands that were nominated this year and the ones that made it -- well deserved. And it's just -- well, it's nice to be nominated. We have a long life ahead of us. And I think there's a lot of bands that we're included with that, one day, should be in the Hall of Fame, and will be. So we just do what we do, play in front of people and have fun until then."

What it takes to succeed in music

Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora has some advice for the young hot music stars of today -- the Justin Biebers of the world.

Write your own songs.

"Well, you know, I had the pleasure of meeting Justin, and I introduced my daughter (13-year-old Ava, with ex-wife Heather Locklear) to him. And hopefully she won't be going out with him any time soon," Sambora said jokingly.

"Although, I thought he was a great guy, I really did. I think he's a nice boy. And, you know, now the business has changed and you just got to write great songs that get to people. I mean, that's the advice."

Sambora also advises working with like-minded people.

"You've got to get in the band with people that have your same passion. If you don't have passion for something, you know, then there's a problem there. So continue to be better, because every time that this band gets on stage we try to get better. Every time I sit down with Jon (Bon Jovi), we try to write a great song."

BROTHERS & SISTERS (2/20)

"Brothers & Sisters" stars Dave Annable as Justin Walker, Sally Field as Nora Holden, Calista Flockhart as Kitty Walker, Rachel Griffiths as Sarah Walker, Luke Macfarlane as Scotty Wandell, Gilles Marini as Luc Laurent, Matthew Rhys as Kevin Walker, Ron Rifkin as Saul Holden and Patricia Wettig as Holly Harper.

Guest starring are Balthazar Getty as Tommy Walker, Kerris Lilla Dorsey as Paige Whedon, Cara Buono as Rose, Beau Bridges as Nick Brody, Alice Evans as Dr. Felicity Milton and Pedro Pascal as Zach.

"Brody" was written by Molly Newman and directed by Matthew Rhys.

Robert Downey Jr. to Present at Academy Awards