Daytime Soap Operas: Search For Tomorrow

The teaser was released at CCXP in São Paolo, Brazil on a panel featuring cast members Patrick Gibson (“Dexter Morgan”), Christian Slater (“Harry Morgan”), Molly Brown (“Debra Morgan”), and special guest stars Sarah Michelle Gellar (“Tanya Martin”) and Patrick Dempsey. The series premieres on December 13 globally on Paramount+.

Captain Spencer recently welcomed a second Morgan family member into the Miami Metro fold: Dexter Morgan (Patrick Gibson), who follows his father, Harry Morgan (Christian Slater), into the business. For those of you OG Dexter fans, you know that eventually, potty-mouth queen Deborah Morgan will also join the force. But we have some time until that happens.

Dexter is currently dipping his toes into the industry as an intern, working closely alongside his new buddies Vincent Masuka (Alex Shimizu) and Angel Batista (James Martinez). It’s fun to see the desk Dexter works from as a young man continues to be his spot through adulthood, well, at least until he decides to run away and be a logger.

Captain Spencer means business and even though Dexter’s dad is beloved at work, things won’t be easy for him. He needs to find a way to hone his craft and make his two passions work without getting caught. We know how it ends, now see how it all began.

It’s worth noting, Gibson, Martinez and Shimizu are spot on with their nods to the OG characters. It’s just enough of the classic moves to give a nod to the future, without it looking like pure imitation. And hearing Michael C. Hall’s voice narrating the tale, is a chef’s kiss.

Serving as a prequel to the award-winning Showtime series Dexter, Dexter: Original Sin is set in 1991 Miami and follows Dexter (Gibson) as he transitions from student to avenging serial killer. When his bloodthirsty urges can’t be ignored any longer, Dexter must learn to channel his inner darkness. With the guidance of his father, Harry (Slater), he adopts a Code designed to help him find and kill people who deserve to be eliminated from society without getting on law enforcement’s radar. This is a particular challenge for young Dexter as he begins a forensics internship at the Miami Metro Police Department.

‘Dexter: Original Sin’ Trailer: Michael C. Hall Charts Young Dexter’s Path From Student To Serial Killer — Watch

In anticipation of the upcoming prequel series, Paramount Global finally debuted a trailer for the upcoming series, which follows Dexter Morgan’s path to becoming the avenging serial killer that audiences knew and loved in the original Showtime series.

The trailer, just like the series, is narrated by Michael C. Hall as he looks back on his younger years to explain how he ends up as a blood splatter expert helping the Miami Police Department solve murders while committing them in his free time.

There are scenes spliced into the trailer that call back to the ending of Dexter: New Blood. Dexter’s (Hall) is shown after he was shot by his son Harrison (Jack Alcott) lying in the snow motionless and believed to be deceased. Another scene shows he was taken to an emergency room and that’s when his life flashes before his eyes, connecting New Blood to Original Sin.

The teaser does not reveal whether Dexter lives or dies, but the second season of New Blood has been renamed Resurrection for Season 2. One can only hope that our favorite serial killer-turned-logger then lumberjack may return.

Watch the full trailer above. Dexter: Original Sin debuts on December 13 on Paramount+ with Showtime. It will also air on Showtime beginning December 15.

Set in 1991 Miami, Dexter: Original Sin follows Dexter (Patrick Gibson) as he transitions from student to serial killer. When his bloodthirsty urges can’t be ignored any longer, Dexter must learn to channel his inner darkness. With the guidance of his father, Harry (Christian Slater), he adopts a Code designed to help him find and kill people who deserve to be eliminated from society without getting on law enforcement’s radar. This is a particular challenge for young Dexter as he begins a forensics internship at the Miami Metro Police Department.

The prequel series also stars Molly Brown, Christina Milian, James Martinez, Alex Shimizu, Reno Wilson, special guest star Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Patrick Dempsey. Michael C. Hall returns to voice the iconic inner monologue in Dexter Morgan’s head.

‘Ripple’: Frankie Faison, Julia Chan, Ian Harding & Sydney Agudong Lead Cast Of Hallmark+ Series

Created by Michele Giannusa (The Dead Girls Detective Agency), Ripple revolves around four strangers whose lives start to serendipitously intersect.

Set in New York City, the series follows the four — Walter (Faison), Kris (Chan), Nate (Harding) and Aria (Agudong) — who have unknowingly crossed paths many times but never met. As they each face life’s challenges, their actions create a ripple effect that ultimately connects them. Ripple delivers a powerful message of hope: just wait for the rainbow, some of the best things in life can’t happen without the storm.

“Walter, Kris, Nate and Aria are the heart of Ripple and it was essential that we get it right in casting those roles,” said Kelly Garrett, VP Programming at Hallmark Media. “Frankie, Julia, Ian and Sydney are magic as our core four. We cannot wait for them to guide viewers through this romantic look at life and humanity in New York City.”

Production on Ripple is underway in Toronto. The hourlong drama series is slated to premiere on Hallmark+ in 2025.

Ripple is executive produced by Giannusa, Joni Lefkowitz (New Girl, Jane the Virgin) who also serves as showrunner, Jocelyn Hamilton (Burden of Truth) and Darren Giblin as well as Amanda Tapping (Supernatural) who also serves as supervising director and pilot director.

Faison, best known for his work in The Wire, Banshee, Coming to America, and Do the Right Thing, received a lead actor Gotham Award for The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain. He most recently appeared on television in Apple TV+’s Hello Tomorrow! and The Rookie: Feds and in Till and Lucille on the film side. Faison is repped by Sweeney Entertainment and Del Shaw Moonves.

Chan most recently played the series regular role of Annabelle in Netflix limited series Archive 81. She also starred in the CW’s Katy Keene and on Bell Media’s Saving Hope, among others. Chan is repped by Thruline Entertainment, Buchwald and GGA in Canada.

Harding played Ezra on all seven seasons of Pretty Little Liars. He was recently seen on the big screen in the James Mangold-directed Ford v Ferrari. He’ll next be seen in the TV miniseries Holidazed and in the Stephen Herek-directed Our Little Secret alongside Lindsay Lohan and Kristin Chenoweth. Harding is repped by Gersh and Authentic Talent & Literary Management.

Agudong will next be seen in Disney’s live-action Lilo and Stitch movie, which is eyeing a 2025 release. She can currently be seen as the lead in the adventure film At Her Feet, and in psychological thriller Ether, in which she stars and executive produces. Agudong is repped by Gersh, AEFH Talent Agency, Trilogy Talent Management, Inc. and attorney Howard Fishman of HWHM+F.

Ron Hale, Actor on ‘Ryan’s Hope’ and ‘General Hospital,’ Dies at 78

Hale, who lived in St. George, South Carolina, died Aug. 27, his family announced.

Hale worked on Ryan’s Hope from 1975-89 and received supporting actor Daytime Emmys in 1979 and ’80. As Coleridge, a doctor from a well-do-do family who often clashed with the Ryan clan, he was married to Delia Reid (Ilene Kristen/Randall Edwards), Maggie Shelby (Cali Timmins) and then Delia again.

Hale then recurred as Corbin, the father of mob boss Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard), on General Hospital from 1995-2010, and he showed up on the G.H. spinoff Port Charles from 1997-2000 as well. (Max Gail played the character from 2018-21.)

Ronald Hale Thigpen was born on Jan. 2, 1946, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He attended Furman University, came to New York when he was 19 and graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1967.

He made his onscreen debut on an episode of ABC’s N.Y.P.D. in 1968 and a year later appeared on his first soap opera, CBS’ Search for Tomorrow. Also that year, he made it to Broadway in William Saroyan’s The Time of Your Life.

In All the President’s Men (1976), he portrayed Watergate burglar Frank Sturgis.

Hale’s résumé also included Trial by Jury (1994), episodes of Matlock and MacGyver and plays performed at Columbia, South Carolina’s Trustus Theatre, which was started by his late brother, Jim Thigpen Jr., and late sister-in-law, Kay Thigpen.

Dexter Prequel Original Sin Gets December Premiere Date — See Sarah Michelle Gellar, Christian Slater and More in First Trailer

Dexter‘s prequel series Original Sin will get underway in December, TVLine has learned. The drama, which follows the original show’s central character during his teenage years, will premiere on Sunday, Dec. 15, on the linear Paramount+ With Showtime cable network; the episode will be available to stream on Paramount+ (for subscribers with the Paramount+ With Showtime plan) two days earlier, on Friday, Dec. 13.

The spinoff is set in the 1990s and is centered on a younger version of the serial-killer character played by Michael C. Hall in the original series. (Hall will narrate the show, as well as star in another spinoff, Dexter: Resurrection.) Per Original Sin‘s official description, young Dexter is unable to control his “bloodthirsty urges” and must learn to “channel his inner darkness.”

In conjunction with the premiere date news, the network released the series’ first teaser trailer, which you can watch above. “I am a killer, but I wasn’t born this way. I was made — by my history, by the people around me,” Hall narrates as we watch flashes of Dexter’s formative years. “They say it takes a village to raise a killer.”

Patrick Gibson (Shadow and Bone) will play Dexter, with Molly Brown (Billions) as his sister Deb and Christian Slater (Mr. Robot) as his adoptive father, Harry. The cast also includes Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Patrick Dempsey (Grey’s Anatomy), James Martinez (Love, Victor), Christina Milian (Grandfathered), Alex Shimizu (The Blacklist) and Reno Wilson (Good Girls).

Neil Patrick Harris & Jane Krakowski Join Starry Cast Of Robert O’Hara’s Off Broadway Play ‘Sh*t. Meet. Fan.’

The MCC Theater production will begin previews on Thursday October 10, with an opening night set for Monday October 28. The engagement at MCC Theater’s Newman Mills Theater runs through Sunday November 17.

Based on the 2016 film Perfect Strangers by Paolo Genovese, Shit. Meet. Fan. unfolds in real time as a group of long-time friends gather to play a game on the night of an eclipse, with each person required to share the contents of their phones – out loud – with the rest of the group. As the synopsis reads, “With the cocktails flowing among grownups who refuse to grow up, outrageous secrets and skeletons begin to emerge… Shit. Meet. Fan. Are they ready for the ensuing chaos? Are you?”

O’Hara’s previous plays include the comedy Bootycandy and MCC’s BLKS. He directed Jeremy O. Harris’ hit Off Broadway and Broadway satire Slave Play.

Both Harris and Krakowski have appeared in numerous New York stage productions. Harris’ recent credits include Into The Woods, Peter Pan Goes Wrong and Hedwig And The Angry Inch, while Krakowski won a Tony Award for her portrayal of Carla in 2003’s Nine. Her other Broadway credits include Grand Hotel, Company, Once Upon a Mattress, Tartuff and Starlight Express.

Hallmark+ To Kick Off In September With Premiere of ‘The Chicken Sisters’ & ‘Celebrations With Lacey Chabert’

Additional premieres will drop through the month, with three new installments of The Jane Mysteries starring Jodie Sweetin (Fuller House) and Stephen Huszar (Navigating Christmas), and a Love on the Danube movie trilogy featuring Nazneen Contractor (Charmed), Wes Brown (Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up), Jessica Sipos (Betty’s Bad Luck in Love), Dan Jeannotte (Sense and Sensibility), Sarah Power (Good Witch), Brendan Penny (Chesapeake Shores) and Catherine Disher (Good Witch).

Hallmark Media announced the launch of the service in July. The new platform will cost $80 a year and offer the “very best of Hallmark with new exclusive content and membership benefits program,” said President and CEO Mike Perry at the time. That price includes e-cards and “surprising gifts.”

Created for television and executive produced by Annie Mebane (Shrinking, Atypical, The Goldbergs), The Chicken Sisters is an eight-episode family drama starring Schuyler Fisk (Sam & Kate), Genevieve Angelson (The Handmaid’s Tale), Lea Thompson (Back to the Future) and Wendie Malick (Just Shoot Me!) as the women at the heart of the restaurant rivalry. James Kot (Virgin River), Margo Martindale (Justified) narrates. It’s based on the NY Times Bestseller and Reese’s Book Club selection The Chicken Sisters.

Following the first episode, new episodes premiere every Thursday starting on September 12.

As previously reported, Celebrations with Lacey Chabert is a new aspirational series executive produced and hosted by Chabert. Known for her multitude of starring roles in Hallmark movies over the years, Chabert will bring her passion for celebrating everyday heroes to this 10-episode series. The show follows Chabert as she surprises deserving individuals who are making a positive impact in their communities with the celebration of a lifetime. Following the first episode, new episodes premiere every Thursday.

Other series planned for the service include holiday limited series Holidazed and Mistletoe Murders; the reality competition series Finding Mr. Christmas; a docu-style dating series hosted by Ashley Williams; a home renovation show hosted by Luke Macfarlane; and new movie trilogy called Groomsmen that’s inspired by the success of The Wedding Veil. .

‘Dexter: Original Sin’ First Look Photo Shows Patrick Gibson’s Serial Killer In Training Seemingly Mid-Kill

Photos from the upcoming Dexter prequel were released Thursday, introducing audiences to the Morgan family — including Christian Slater as Harry Morgan, Patrick Gibson as Dexter Morgan and Molly Brown as Debra Morgan

One of the photos, is particularly ominous as it appears to catch Gibson’s Dexter mid-kill. The others are seemingly innocuous, including a photo of Dexter and Harry in the kitchen, as well as another of Dexter deep in thought (shown above).

Dexter: Original Sin takes place 15 years before the events of the flagship series. Set in 1991 Miami, the 10-episode series follows Dexter (Gibson) as he transitions from student to avenging serial killer. When his bloodthirsty urges can’t be ignored any longer, Dexter must learn to channel his inner darkness. With the guidance of his father, Harry (Slater), he adopts a Code designed to help him find and kill people who deserve to be eliminated from society without getting on law enforcements’ radar. This is a particular challenge for young Dexter as he begins a forensics internship at the Miami Metro Police Department.

Additional cast includes Patrick Dempsey as Aaron Spencer, James Martinez as Angel Batista, Christina Milian as Maria LaGuerta, Alex Shimizu as Vince Masuka, Reno Wilson as Bobby Watt and special guest star, Sarah Michelle Gellar, as Tanya Martin.

Dexter: Original Sin is executive produced by showrunner Clyde Phillips and produced by Showtime Studios and Counterpart Studios. Executive producers also include Scott Reynolds, Michael C. Hall, Mary Leah Sutton, Tony Hernandez, Lilly Burns, with the series also being produced by Robert Lloyd Lewis. Michael Lehmann serves as directing executive producer.

‘Night Court’ Adds Wendie Malick To Season 3 As New Prosecutor

Well, Julianne is new to most but not to Dan Fielding (John Larroquette), her former love interest. She is described as “a reformed convict” who is “a sophisticated, savvy woman and accomplished attorney who also knows how to make a shank out of a spoon.” She will keep everyone in the courthouse on their toes. The position of prosecutor was left vacant following India de Beaufort’s exit from the series in late May.

Headlined by Melissa Rauch and original series star John Larroquette, in Night Court, the eternally optimistic Abby Stone (Rauch) follows in the footsteps of her revered late father, Judge Harry Stone, as she takes on the challenge of overseeing the night shift of a Manhattan arraignment court. Abby always sees the best in people and her passion for justice is undeniable. In her quest to bring order and dignity to the court and reign in its colorful crew of oddballs, she enlists former night court district attorney Dan Fielding to serve as the court’s public defender.

From executive producer and writer Dan Rubin, Night Court is based on the original hit series that ran for 9 seasons on NBC. Executive producers also include Melissa Rauch, Winston Rauch, John Larroquette, Mat Harawitz, Lon Zimmet, Lindsey Shockley and Mona Garcea. The series is produced by Rauch’s After January Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.

Malick received four Cable Ace Awards for her role in the HBO comedy Dream On, and garnered a Golden Globe and two Emmy Award nominations for her role in Just Shoot Me! Additional credits include TV Land’s Hot in Cleveland, NBC’s Frasier, CBS’ Good Company and Rush Hour, also for CBS, as well as recurring roles on Netflix’s The Ranch, ABC’s American Housewife, NBC’s This Is Us and ABC’s NYPD Blue. Recent roles include Apple’s Physical, CBS’ Young Sheldon and Apple’s Shrinking. She is repped by Innovative Artists and Marcia Hurwitz Management..

Kevin Bacon & Glenn Howerton Join Netflix Limited Series ‘Sirens’

Created by Molly Smith Metzler (Maid) based on her play Elemeno Pea and executive produced by LuckyChap, Sirens revolves around three women, Devon, Simone and Michaela. Devon (Fahy) thinks her sister Simone (Alcock) has a really creepy relationship with her new boss, the enigmatic socialite Michaela Kell (Moore). Michaela’s cult-ish life of luxury is like a drug to Simone, and Devon has decided it’s time for an intervention. Told over the course of one explosive weekend at The Kells’ lavish beach estate, Sirens is described as an incisive, sexy, and darkly funny exploration of women, power, and class.

Bacon will play Michaela’s husband Peter Kell who comes from an old money family and is the highest-status person in every room he enters. He’s an avid outdoorsman who enjoys the occasional joint.

Howerton plays Ethan Corbin II, a dear friend of the Kells and lifelong bachelor who lives next door. He’s a regular at the yacht club and he’s rapidly burning through his trust fund.

Writer/showrunner Metzler executive produces for Quiet Coyote under her deal with Netflix. Dani Gorin, Tom Ackerley, and Margot Robbie executive produce for LuckyChap. Nicole Kassell is executive producer and director.

Howerton continues to star on FX’s It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, which is headed into its 17th season. He was recently seen in the indie film Blackberry, earning a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the Independent Spirit Awards and the Gotham Awards. Howerton is repped by WME, 3 Arts Entertainment, and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern.

Bacon is in two high-profile summer movies that are released this week, MaXXXine and Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F having most recently starred in the Netflix hit Leave The World Behind. He also headlines the upcoming Prime Video series The Bondsman. Bacon is repped by WME, MGMT Entertainment and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.

Talk Show Appearance

Susan Sarandon, William H. Macy & Marcia Cross To Star In Indie ‘Exit Right’

Marking Morgan’s narrative debut, the film centers on Jan Randall (Sarandon), whose brain — affected with inoperable cancer — makes her deeply afraid of being trapped inside. Refusing to take medications that would reduce her final days to a hospital bed, she moves into a tent in her backyard. Determined to give her one last gift, her husband John courageously takes her on a trip around the world — on foot, in their own hometown, for what is truly the trip of a lifetime.

Sarandon’s Jan Randall is adventurous, confident and strong-willed. She retired after a successful career as a journalist, with both local and national recognition, and is fashionable without trying, bringing humanity and passion into everything she does.

Macy plays John Randall, who is recently retired from the accounting department of a furniture company. He stays close to home and his life is practical. He likes things tidy and simple, with ironed jeans and a no-risk outlook on life…and his favorite color is beige.

Cross will play Monica Freeman, the estranged sister to Jan Randall, who is deeply contemptuous of John and determined to secure for her sister all the comforts modern medicine can provide.

Ed Glauser will produce through Garrick Street Productions. Sarandon and Macy will executive produce, along with Garrick Street’s Lawrence Aldridge and Michael Shyjka.

In a statement to Deadline, Morgan shared, “This story is personal to me on many levels. As we age, who gets to influence how we die? Who do we want by our side? How do we define love or family or community? Bringing a story like this to the world is a life-long dream fulfilled for a little boy who sat in the theater every weekend, waiting to see life unfold on a screen.”

An Oscar winner most recently seen in films like the hit Vertical rom-com Maybe I Do and DC’s Blue Beetle, Sarandon will next be seen starring opposite Bette Midler, Megan Mullally and Sheryl Lee Ralph in the Bleecker Street comedy The Fabulous Four, out July 26. Other upcoming projects include Tyler Perry’s Netflix war drama Six Triple Eight and the Stephen Chbosky film Nonnas with Vince Vaughn.

Repeatedly Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated for his starring role on Showtime’s Shameless, Macy is currently in theaters with Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, which has thus far grossed over $303M worldwide. Also recently starring in the acclaimed Prime Video comedy Ricky Stanicky, the actor will next be seen in Sean McNamara’s survival pic On Fire, Clint Bentley’s drama Train Dreams, and Season 2 of Fox’s Accused.

Emmy-nominated for her role on Desperate Housewives, Cross has most recently been seen on the series Monarch and You.

A News & Documentary Emmy nominee, Morgan’s feature credits as a director include the docs Scrum, Tomorrow’s Hope, Soufra, and Storied Streets.

Garrick Street Productions, a division of iGeneration Studios, most recently produced the Netflix drama My Life with the Walter Boys, which spent 21 days as the streamers #1 scripted series and was quickly renewed for a second season. TV projects in development include the Spanish Civil War drama Villa Paz, which has The Handmaid’s Tale EP Matthew Hastings attached as showrunner; Diva, based on the life of French heroine Julie Maupin; and the thriller Knife Edge, based on Simon Mayo’s bestselling novel.

Sarandon is represented by Atlas Artists; Macy by Atlas Artists and IAG; and Cross by Untitled Entertainment and Industry Entertainment.i

Elizabeth MacRae Dies: ‘General Hospital’ & ‘Gomer Pyle: USMC’ Actor Was 88

After graduating, MacRae pursued a career in acting and auditioned for Otto Preminger’s production of Saint Joan in 1956. Although she didn’t land a role, she continued to pursue acting. She moved to New York City where she studied with Uta Hagen at the Herbert Berghof Studio and gained experience in off-Broadway productions.

MacRae landed her first television role playing a witness in the courtroom series The Verdict Is Yours. Over a career that spanned 25 years, MacRae would be featured in television shows like Route 66, Surfside 6, Rendezvous, The Fugitive, Judd for the Defense, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, I Dream of Jeannie, The Andy Griffith Show, and many more.

One of her most prominent roles was in Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., where she played Gomer’s girlfriend Lou-Ann Poovie.

MacRae also appeared in soaps like General Hospital, where she played Meg Baldwin starting in August 1969. She remained on the ABC daytime soap until 1973, when the character was killed off. Other soaps MacRae starred in were Another World, Days of Our Lives, Guiding Light, and Search for Tomorrow.

MacRae’s film credits include Live in a Goldfish Bowl, Everything’s Ducky, The Incredible Mr. Limpet, and Frances Ford Coppola’s The Conversation.

She continued to work in television and featured in shows like Kojak, Barnaby Jones, and Rhoda. MacRae’s last film credit was in 1989, where she played a reporter on Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives!

Following her acting career, MacRae and her husband, Charles Day Halsey Jr., moved to North Carolina and, years later, returned home to Fayetteville.

She is survived by five stepchildren, Terry Halsey, Peter Halsey, Hugh Halsey, Cate Halsey, and Alex Halsey Topper.

‘Dexter: Original Sin’ Casts Patrick Gibson As Young Serial Killer; Christian Slater & Molly Brown Round Out Morgans

Dexter: Original Sin (previously known as Dexter: Origins) has cast the Morgan family: Patrick Gibson (Shadow and Bone) will play a young Dexter Morgan; Golden Globe-winner Christian Slater (Mr. Robot) will play his dad Harry Morgan; and Molly Brown (Senior Year) will play Dexter’s younger sister, Debra Morgan. The series will be available from Paramount+ with Showtime.

In the original series Dexter, which ran for 8 seasons on Showtime, Michael C. Hall portrayed the titular blood spatter analyst by day, killer by night. His adoptive father Harry was played by James Remar and his sister Deb was played by Jennifer Carpenter.

Dexter vet Clyde Phillips will return as showrunner and executive producer of the the 10-episode prequel series which takes place 15 years before the events of Dexter.

Dexter: Original Sin follows Dexter (Gibson) in 1991 Miami, as a student transitioning into a serial killer in training. When his bloodthirsty urges can no longer be ignored, Dexter finds solace and understanding in Harry. As his only confidant, he teaches Dexter a Code that’s designed to help him find and kill people who deserve to die—all while avoiding getting caught by law enforcement. This is a particular challenge for young Dexter as he begins a forensics internship at the Miami Metro Police Department.

Dexter: Original Sin is executive produced by Clyde Phillips and produced by Showtime Studios and Counterpart Studios. Scott Reynolds also EPs alongside ,Michael C. Hall, Mary Leah Sutton, Tony Hernandez, Lilly Burns, with Robert Lloyd Lewis producing. Michael Lehmann will serve as directing executive producer on the project that reunites him with Slater, whom he directed in the 1989 film Heathers.

For Showtime Studios, the series is being creatively overseen by Gary Levine and Urooj Sharif, with production supervised by Tara Power. The project is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution outside of Paramount+ markets.

‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’ Trailer: Eddie Murphy Is Back In Action As Axel Foley In Mark Molloy Action Comedy

With Eddie Murphy reprising his iconic role as a wise-cracking, butt-kicking detective in Los Angeles, the film also sees Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Paul Reiser, and Bronson Pinchot returning as well. New additions to the franchise include Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Taylour Paige, and Kevin Bacon.

Directed by Mark Molloy, with a script penned by Will Beall, Tom Gormican and Kevin Etten, Detective Axel Foley (Murphy) is back on the beat in Beverly Hills. After his daughter’s life is threatened, she (Paige) and Foley team up with a new partner (Gordon-Levitt) and old pals Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and John Taggart (Ashton) to turn up the heat and uncover a conspiracy.

Producers include Jerry Bruckheimer, Eddie Murphy, Chad Oman, with Melissa Reid as co-producer. Ray Angelic, Charisse Hewitt-Webster, Melissa Reid, Lorenzo Di Bonaventura, serve as executive producers.

The franchise moved from Paramount to Netflix in the winter of 2019 and follows the adventures of Detroit cop Foley, who first appeared in the 1984 smash hit that followed him to Beverly Hills to solve the murder of a friend. The film became one of the year’s biggest hits and solidified Murphy’s movie-star status. It was followed by two sequels, in 1987 and 1994. The first film grossed $234 million, making it the highest-grossing domestic release of 1984, and received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay.

Lea Thompson and Wendie Malick to Head The Chicken Sisters Adaptation at Hallmark

A family drama with southern charm and romance, the eight-episode Chicken Sisters series is set in the fictional town of Merinac, “where a generations-old rift between dueling fried chicken restaurants — Mimi’s and Frannie’s — has left the founders’ families fractured and the locals taking sides,” reads its official description. “When popular cooking competition show Kitchen Clash comes to town, this could be the recipe for ending this feud once and for all. But things are fixing to heat up both inside and outside of the kitchen as the reality show spotlight causes sparks to fly as secrets are spilled and feathers get ruffled.”

Lea Thompson (Switched at Birth) and Wendie Malick (Hot in Cleveland) will star alongside Schuyler Fisk (Castle Rock) and Genevieve Angelson (Good Girls Revolt). Annie Mebane (Shrinking) serves as executive producer and showrunner.

“Annie Mebane blew us away with her vision for The Chicken Sisters — her unique spin and enthusiasm for this fried chicken feud had us excited from Day 1,” EVP of programming, Hallmark Media, Lisa Hamilton Daly said in a statement. “And talk about a dream cast! Schuyler, Genevieve, Lea and Wendie are the perfect actors to lead this witty and heartfelt story. We are confident that each episode is going leave our viewers craving more and more.”

Added Mebane: “When I read The Chicken Sisters by KJ Dell’Antonia, I fell in love with these characters. On the surface, the show is about two restaurants competing on a reality show, but it’s about the baggage we pass down through the generations and learning to unpack it. I love telling this multigenerational story focused on women: their frustrations, their desires, and ultimately, their healing. We’ve assembled an incredible cast, and we can’t wait to welcome audiences to Merinac.”

Thompson most recently starred in the CW/CTV series The Spencer Sisters, which is not expected to return for Season 2, the actress revealed on Instagram.

Samm-Art Williams Dies: Tony-Nominated ‘Home’ Playwright, Actor & ‘Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air’ Producer Was 78

Born Samuel Arthur Williams on January 20, 1946, in Philadelphia, Williams was a prolific playwright, screenwriter, actor, and producer.

Performing as Samm Williams, he got his start on the New York stage in the early 1970s, appearing in notable plays such as Black Jesus and, with the New York’s Negro Ensemble Company, Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide and Liberty Calland. By the mid-’70s he began performing in other Off Broadway shows under the name Samm-Art Williams.

By the end of the decade, Williams had made his mark as a stage writer, and is today best known for Home, a drama originally staged by the Negro Ensemble Company in 1979 that moved to Broadway the following year. Home will be revived on Broadway beginning this June is a major Roundabout Theatre Company production directed by Kenny Leon.

The production begins previews May 17 at the Todd Haimes Theatre, opening on June 5.

Home is described by Roundabout as “a muscular and melodic coming-of-age story that gives voice to the unbreakable spirit of all Americans who have been searching for a place to belong.” The drama tells the story of Cephus Miles, a black Southern farmer thrown in jail for opposing the Vietnam draft and later moving North only to experience further difficulties before finally returning home.

The original Broadway production was nominated for the Best Play Tony Award and ran for 278 performances. Williams’ other stage credits include Welcome To Black River and Friends.

Williams also kept busy throughout the 1980s and ’90s writing for such TV shows as The New Mike Hammer, Cagney and Lacey, Badges, John Henry, Frank’s Place, Miami Vice, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and Martin, among others. He received a 1985 Emmy nomination (Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program) for Motown Returns to the Apollo (shared with fellow writers Buz Kohan and Peter Elbling).

As a producer, Williams was Emmy-nominated for Frank’s Place, and scored major TV hits with The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper, Martin and The Good News.

A recognizable actor, Williams made notable appearances in 1984’s Blood Simple and as the enslaved person Jim in a 1985 American Playhouse/PBS limited series production of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Other acting credits include guest appearances in 227, Miami Vice, Frank’s Place, The Women of Brewster Place, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, A Rage In Harlem and Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper.

On the big screen, he made his debut The Wanderers (1979), and the following year played a subway police officer in director Brian De Palma’s Dressed to Kill.

Accolades include a Guggenheim Fellowship, The National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship for Playwriting, and other awards for writing. He was an Artist-in-Residence at North Carolina Central University, where he taught classes on equity theater and the art of playwriting.

Meg Bennett Dies: ‘The Young And The Restless’ Star Who Played Julia Martin Was 75

Bennett grew up in Pasadena began her career in 1975 on Search For Tomorrow, playing the role of Liza Walton on several episodes.

From there, she segued to The Young and the Restless, where she played Julia Martin, a role that was featured on the long-running soap in appearances over four decades.

She also contributed to the soap industry as a writer, becoming the associate head writer at General Hospital and penning 197 episodes.

Survivors include her husband, Sunset Beach co-creator and writer Robert Guza, Jr., two stepdaughters, four grandchildren, and two siblings.

Morning Show Appearance

(7-9 a.m.) Kevin Bacon Returns to Payson High School 40 Years After He Shot Footloose There.

‘Footloose’ Star Kevin Bacon Will Revisit The School Featured In The Film

The iconic movie, which celebrates the 40th anniversary of its release this year, was filmed in Payson, Utah. For those few unfamiliar with it, Bacon plays Ren McCormack, a teenager from Chicago who moves to a small town. There he attempts to overturn a ban on dancing imposed by a local minister (John Lithgow).

Payson’s students have been lobbying Bacon to attend this year’s prom, which will be the last there as the school will be relocating at the end of the academic year.

The effort has paid off, and Bacon will visit during the day of the prom, although he won’t be cutting the rug that night at the actual event.

Bacon announced his plans by calling in from Atlanta while students filled the school gym. The gym erupted in cheers.

“I have been so impressed with everything that’s been going on there with this crazy idea to get me to come back,” he said, reminiscing on how the movie and the school had been important to his life.

Bacon also gave his thanks for the student support of his SixDegrees.org charity, not to mention the efforts to get him to appear.

“I’ve been amazed at the work that all of you have been putting into this, with the musical and the flash mobs and the re-creations,” he said.

“It hasn’t gone unnoticed by me, not to mention the fact that you tied in SixDegrees.org, our foundation, and are trying to figure out ways to give back to your community. It’s really inspirational, so thank you. Thank you. And I’m gonna come. I gotta come,” he said.

“Let’s dance! We’re gonna do it! This is awesome!” student Rubie Raff told him after he made the announcement.

In a segment that aired right before Bacon’s announcement, the school’s student council advisor Jenny Staheli said she’s proud of all the work the students have put in.

“To watch them just take ownership of that and run with it has been … it succeeded beyond my wildest dreams, honestly,” she said.

Bacon, who celebrated the end of last year’s actors strike by re-creating a famous dance scene from “Footloose,” has embraced the enduring popularity of the film.

“I think that it was a great gift to be part of that movie,” he told TODAY’s Willie Geist in 2022. “I certainly took it very seriously when I was doing it and I love that people will still come up and say that they just showed it to their kids.”

Christian Slater, Lucas Hedges & John Cameron Mitchell In Industry Reading Cast For Will Arbery Play ‘You Hateful Things’

The reading was announced by producers Jeremy O. Harris (Slave Play) and Josh Godfrey. The reading will be presented on Thursday, March 14, at New York’s Pearl Studios.

The play’s synopsis: “In You Hateful Things, Dad keeps all of his weirdness in a big box, and today we’re opening it.”

In addition to their film careers, Slater has appeared on Broadway six times, most recently in 2005’s The Glass Menagerie; Hedges starred in 2018’s The Waverly Gallery; and Mitchell created and starred in Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Powell is best known for his performance in Harris’ Slave Play, while Myha’la recently appeared in Leave the World Behind and Amandla Stenberg’s appeared in Bodies Bodies Bodies.

The industry presentation will be directed by Simon Stone, with Mark Shacket as Executive Producer.

Jane Krakowski guests on Elsbeth

After the loathed co-op board president (guest star Linda Lavin) of a luxury pre-war building falls off her balcony to her death, Elsbeth and Kaya are called to the scene to dig for a lead when they meet Joann (guest star Jane Krakowski), a high-powered Manhattan real estate broker with huge clients and even bigger secrets.

When a larger-than-life reality TV star is found dead in her bathtub, Elsbeth and Kaya investigate the circumstances around her death to determine if it was an accident or murder. As they get deeper into the events surrounding her demise, they meet Skip Mason (guest star Jesse Tyler Ferguson), the mercurial producer behind the popular, guilty-pleasure reality series “Lavish Ladies,” who becomes a prime suspect after he is accused of going to dangerous lengths to concoct “good TV.”

Malachy McCourt Dies: ‘Ryan’s Hope’ Actor, Brother Of ‘Angela’s Ashes’ Author Frank McCourt Was 92

The brother of Pulitzer Prize-winning Angela’s Ashes memoirist Frank McCourt, Malachy McCourt left an indelible mark on New York City’s Irish American community. As the owner of the quintessential 1950s Irish pub Malachy’s on Third Avenue in Manhattan – McCourt would often call it the city’s first singles bar, since he welcomed unaccompanied women to the establishment – the Brooklyn native became one of the city’s great story-tellers, regaling patrons from longshoremen to the actor Richard Harris with blarney, rugby talk and biographical anecdotes.

His way with words would hold him in good stead through a wide-ranging career path that included acting, writing, talk-show hosting and politics.

Born Malachy Gerard McCourt in Brooklyn on September 20, 1931, McCourt and his siblings were uprooted by parents Malachy and Angela McCourt to Limerick, Ireland. When his alcoholic father, a former member of the IRA, deserted the family after two years, leaving mother Angela to raise four of their surviving seven children in poverty, a harrowing tale detailed in Frank McCourt’s 1996 memoir Angela’s Ashes. (Frank McCourt died in 2009)

Malachy McCourt, who returned to New York at age 20, would later write his own memoirs including A Monk Swimming (1998), an account of his life in Limerick that picks up where Angela’s Ashes leaves off, and in 2000, Singing My Him Song, which recounts his later (sober) life as a husband and father. Other writing includes a history of the Irish ballad “Danny Boy.”

An occasional guest on Jack Paar’s Tonight Show and sometime host of New York radio programs, McCourt also acted on stage (he co-wrote and co-starred in A Couple of Blaguards with brother Frank); movies The Molly Maguires (1970), The Brink’s Job (1978), Brewster’s Millions (1985), Starman (1987), and The Devil’s Own (1997), among others; and such TV series as Oz, Tales of the Unexpected and Remember WENN.

McCourt appeared on numerous New York-based soaps, including One Life To Live, Search For Tomorrow and Another World, but will best be remember for his annual Christmas appearances on All My Children as the possibly angelic Father Clarence and, most especially, in the recurring role of bartender Kevin MacGuinness throughout the entire 14-year run of Ryan’s Hope.

Bringing a outsized touch of Irish authenticity to the Washington Heights-set soap, McCourt’s Kevin was best friend to bar owner Johnny Ryan (Bernie Barrow) and truth-telling thorn-in-side to the trouble-making family in-law Delia (Ilene Kristen). In all, McCourt appeared in 217 episodes of the 1975-1989 series.

Offscreen, McCourt waged a high-profile, if ultimately losing, political battle in 2006 when he ran for governor of New York as a Green Party candidate. An outspoken opponent of the war in Iraq, McCourt was an early and vociferous proponent of allowing gay and lesbian groups to march in New York’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

In addition to wife Diana, McCourt is survived by daughter Siobhan McCourt; sons Malachy Jr., Conor and Cormac; stepdaughter Nina Galin; nine grandchildren; and one great-grandson. e

‘The Spiderwick Chronicles’ Teaser Trailer: First Look At Christian Slater & Joy Bryant In Fantasy Series

“This town is full of stories,” says Christian Slater‘s’ Mulgarath as he sets the scene at the beginning of the teaser. “Some are darker than others. What kind of creatures are lurking inside Spiderwick?”

Per the series official logline: Helen and her children, 15-year-old fraternal twins Jared and Simon and their sister Mallory move to their ancestral home, Spiderwick. Jared discovers a boggart and realizes that magical creatures are real! The only one to believe him is his great-aunt Lucinda who implores Jared to find the pages of her father’s field guide to magical creatures and protect them from the murderous Ogre, Mulgarath.

Roku picked up the exclusive U.S. rights to the television adaptation of the popular children’s fantasy books by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black after Disney+ opted not to move forward with the series.

Joy Bryant, Noah Cottrell, Lyon Daniels, Mychala Lee, Jack Dylan Grazer also star.

The Spiderwick Chronicles is executive produced by Aron Eli Coleite and Kat Coiro, also also serve as showrunners, along with Tony DiTerlizzi, Holly Black, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Jeremy Bell, D.J. Goldberg, Julie Kane-Ritsch and Grace Gilroy. The series is produced by Paramount Television Studios and 20th Television.

All eight episodes will be available for streaming on The Roku Channel beginning April 19.

Kevin Bacon & Kyra Sedgwick To Star Alongside Each Other In A Movie For First Time In 20 Years

Principal photography kicked off this week on the movie from Victoria Hill and Greg Clark‘s Fibonacci Films, with Bacon and Sedgwick playing the leads, joined by White Lotus star Brittany O’Grady and Oscar-nominated The Fabelmans actor Judd Hirsch.

Bacon plays Stan Olszewski, a sharp, funny, but chronically underachieving security guard, who breaks up an attempted robbery at the home of Cynthia Rand (Sedgwick), a successful urologist married to brilliant former Watergate prosecutor Warren Rand (Judd Hirsch). From this chance encounter grows a charged and dynamic friendship – first as late-night text sessions filled with humor and intimate revelations, growing into something that shakes the foundation of both their lives.

Bacon and Sedgwick, who married in 1988 and have two children including actor Sosie Bacon, haven’t acted together since 2004, during which they starred in both Cavedweller and The Woodsman. Bacon has since directed Sedgwick in Loverboy and Sedgwick directed Bacon in Space Oddity, while the pair have scooped numerous gongs for roles in the likes of The Closer and Taking Chance.

Sedgwick and Bacon said: “We are so excited to work together on screen again for the first time in 20 years in such a funny, moving and original script.”

Hill added: “We are thrilled and excited to bring this timely, entertaining and moving story to life with such a stellar cast.”

Across a plus-40-year career, Weithorn has mainly directed small screen projects such as CBS’ The King of Queens, which ran for nine seasons and more than 200 episodes. Other credits include The Goldbergs, Weird Loners and Schooled.

Filming on Connescence will continue for 22 days in and around Brooklyn. Hill is producing with Sedgwick, Bacon and Andrew Mann. Laura D’Augello is co-producer. Director of photography is Andrew Wonder, production designer is Michael Fitzgerald with costume designer Gina Ruiz, and casting directors are Jen Euston and and Allison Jones.

Susan Sarandon Shares Apology, Says Comments At Pro-Palestinian Rally Were A “Terrible Mistake”

The Academy Award-winning actress, who shared the apology on her Instagram account, began the statement: “Recently, I attended a rally alongside a diverse group of activists seeking to highlight the urgent humanitarian crisis in Gaza and call for a ceasefire. I had not planned to speak but was invited to take the stage and say a few words.”

The statement continued: “Intending to communicate my concern for an increase in hate crimes, I said that Jewish Americans, as the targets of rising antisemitic hate, ‘are getting a taste of what it is like to be Muslim in this country, so often subjected to violence,’” Sarandon continued. “This phrasing was a terrible mistake, as it implies that until recently Jews have been strangers to persecution, when the opposite is true. As we all know, from centuries of oppression and genocide in Europe to the Tree of Life shooting in Pittsburgh, PA, Jews have long been familiar with discrimination and religious violence which continues to this day. I deeply regret diminishing this reality and hurting people with this comment. It was my intent to show solidarity to the struggle against bigotry of all kinds, and I am sorry I failed to do so.”

Sarandon concluded her remarks by saying she will continue her commitment to “peace, truth, justice, and compassion for all people.”

“I hope that we can meet with love and willingness to engage in dialogue, especially with those with whom we disagree,” the statement ended.

Sarandon had attended a November 17 pro-Palestinian rally in New York City where she drew widespread criticism for a public speech where she said: “There are a lot of people afraid of being Jewish at this time, and are getting a taste of what it feels like to be a Muslim in this country.”

UTA Drops Susan Sarandon As Client Following Recent Antisemitic Remarks She Made At A Rally In New York

The Dead Man Walking Oscar winner has been present at several pro-Palestinian rallies where she made several remarks that included, “There are a lot of people afraid of being Jewish at this time, and are getting a taste of what it feels like to be a Muslim in this country.” She also went on to repost on X a pro-Palestinian post from Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters, who has been criticized over the years for his antisemitic remarks.

Sarandon being dropped from UTA is another instance in recent weeks of talent agencies making tough decisions when it comes to clients or agents making public statements on the war in Israel. Last month, CAA Co-Head Of Film, Maha Dakhil, resigned from the agency’s board after she reposted an instagram story that said “You’re currently learning who supports genocide.”

‘The Bay’ To Release 18 New Episodes Starting This Month

The series is an independent multi-camera drama and is produced under a non-struck SAG-AFTRA contract which has allowed the series to continue production and self distribute new content.

The final four new episodes of season 7 will air Popstar! TV starting November 14 at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT with encore presentations at 9 p.m. ET and 9 p.m. PT. Replays of Season 7 will follow in its entirety every weekday up to the debut of 14 all-new episodes of season 8, beginning Monday, December 11, and will include The Bay’s 100th episode special on, December 14.

Previously on The Bay, several chore characters found their lives hanging in the balance after being kidnapped and brought to a non-disclosed location in Puerto Rico by the nefarious Adam Kenway (Daytime Emmy-winner Kristos Andrews). With help in Bay City from the Police Commissioner Lex Martin and former Police Detective Nardo Ramos (Daytime Emmy-winners Tristan Rogers and A Martinez), vigilantes Pete Garrett (also played by Andrews), Caleb McKinnon (Daytime Emmy-winner Mike Manning), and R.J. Garrett-Foster (Najee DeTiege) set out to a remote island to find and rescue their abducted family members Vivian Johnson-Garrett (Daytime Emmy-winner Karrueche Tran), Daniel Garrett (Daytime Emmy-winner Eric Nelsen), and Tamara Garrett (Celeste Fianna). But will they arrive in time?

Back in Bay City, psychic medium and southern belle Sofia Madison (played by the late Jacklyn Zeman, in her Emmy nominated role) taps into socialite and town matriarch Sara Garrett’s (Daytime Emmy-winner Mary Beth Evans) coma to discover she’s being visited by the spirit of her deceased husband, Lee Nelson (Joe Lando) and haunted by the ghost of her late grandfather, the corrupt Senator Red Garrett (Golden Globe-winner and Oscar-nominated special guest star Bruce Davison), whose spirit is said to have cursed the town after his drowning in the bay 30 years prior.

In December, the series will introduce billionaire Sir Thomas Kenway (played by special guest star Maxwell Caulfield), the father of Adam Kenway. Returning series regulars include Brandon Beemer, Alicia Leigh Willis, Matthew Ashford, Taylor Stanley, Carlo Mendez, Kiara Liz Ortega, and Dante Aleksander.

The Bay received three Daytime Emmy nominations this year for Outstanding Daytime Drama Series, Outstanding Writing and for Outstanding Directing. It is written and produced by Daytime Emmy-winners Gregori J Martin and Wendy Riche and is owned by the independent production company LANY Entertainment, in association with She Mogul Media.

Filmed at ATI Studios in Burbank, a segment of season 7 of The Bay was shot on location in Puerto Rico. Ninety-two episodes of THE BAY are currently available on Tubi, Prime Video, and Popstar! TV, with several episodes also available for streaming on Peacock and The Roku Channel.

Fans can also #BingeTheBay on demand on multiple streaming platforms in early 2024.

Soap Opera Digest Is Ending Its Weekly Print Edition

Staffers were informed of the decision Friday, according to sources. A spokesperson for a360Media, the company that owns the brand, confirmed that the weekly edition is being discontinued. The company plans to continue publishing special print issues of Soap Opera Digest four times per year.

“Soap Opera Digest, like many other brands, is adjusting its print frequency and shifting more resources to digital to better accommodate its audience,” the a360Media rep said in a statement to Variety.

Soap Opera Digest was first launched in 1975. Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp bought the publication in 1989 for $70 million before selling it two years later, per the New York Times, and it has had a succession of different owners ever since.

In its heyday, the magazine had a circulation of 1.5 million in 1991, according to the Times. But the reach of its print edition, as with many magazines, has sharply fallen off in the decades since.

According to its website, Soap Opera Digest is “the leading magazine reporting on the soap opera industry for over 40 years,” serving up “behind-the-scenes scoops and breaking news to passionate soap fans every week.” The mag also has included special editorial features on beauty, fashion, parenting, and health and fitness.

Soap Opera Digest has been available in print and digital subscription plans, priced at $45.97 for six months (26 issues at $1.77 apiece) or $69.97 for one year (52 issues at $1.34 apiece).

A360media houses a media portfolio of celebrity, entertainment and women’s lifestyle brands including Us Weekly, Star, InTouch and Life & Style. The company claims that it is the largest print publisher in the U.S., both in retail sales and units sold, with its titles representing about one-third of all magazines sold at retail.

A360media was formerly known as American Media Inc., which had been the owner of the National Enquirer (involved in the “catch and kill” scandal involving Donald Trump and which Jeff Bezos accused of an extortion attempt). In 2020, AMI was acquired by Atlanta-based logistics firm accelerate360, which sold off the National Enquirer, Globe and National Examiner tabloids earlier this year.

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