Entertainment – Page 1008

Peloton releases statement after shocking death on ’Sex and the City’ sequel ‘And Just Like That…’

December 10, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(SPOILERS AHEAD) Sex and the City fans were served a major surprise at the end of the first episode of the new sequel series, And Just Like That…

Mr. Big, husband to Sarah Jessica Parker‘s Carrie Bradshaw, shockingly dies of a heart attack after an intense workout on a Peloton bike. Having suffered from heart-related issues throughout the series, Carrie returns home to find that Big had collapsed in the shower, and he dies in her arms.

That scene has prompted Peloton to respond publicly, apparently to disabuse anyone of the notion it was their bike that caused his demise.

“I’m sure SATC fans, like me, are saddened by the news that Mr. Big dies of a heart attack,” Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, member of Peloton’s Health & Wellness Advisory Council, tells Entertainment Weekly in a statement. “Mr. Big lived what many would call an extravagant lifestyle — including cocktails, cigars, and big steaks — and was at serious risk as he had a previous cardiac event in season 6.”

Steinbaum goes on: “These lifestyle choices and perhaps even his family history, which often is a significant factor, were the likely cause of his death. Riding his Peloton Bike may have even helped delay his cardiac event.”

And Just Like That… premiered on HBO Max on Thursday. The 10-episode series airs through February 3.

Trailer for ‘Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre’ shows Jason Statham, Hugh Grant & more in action

December 10, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Jason Statham is back in the action-packed trailer for Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre.

The film follows Statham’s Orson Fortune, an elite spy who is tasked with stopping billionaire arms dealer Greg Simmonds, played by Hugh Grant, from selling deadly technological weaponry that would wreak havoc across the globe.

In true Statham fashion, the trailer shows him fighting crime with plenty of explosions, action sequences and his signature growl. “As a private contractor, you possess a unique set of skills,” a voice over says in the beginning, followed by shots of Statham taking down a team of criminals in an elevator.

The supporting cast of Grant, Josh Hartnett, Aubrey Plaza and Cary Elwes are also seen in action, Josh starring as Danny Francesco, a movie megastar tasked with going undercover and infiltrating Simmonds’ empire, with Aubrey also taking part in Statham’s crime-fighting team.

Operation Fortune is co-written and directed by Guy Ritchie. It’s set to premiere on January 21.

The Monkees’ Michael Nesmith dead at 78

December 10, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Michael Nesmith, singer/guitarist and songwriter for The Monkees who went on to become a respected producer, and a pioneer in the nascent field of music video, has died at the age of 78.

The Monkees’ manager, Andrew Sandoval, confirmed the news on Facebook, writing, “It is with deep sadness that I mark the passing of Michael Nesmith. We shared many travels and projects together over the course of 30 years, which culminated in a Monkees farewell tour that wrapped up only a few weeks ago.”

“That tour was a true blessing for so many. And in the end I know that Michael was at peace with his legacy which included songwriting, producing, acting, direction and so many innovative ideas and concepts,” Sandoval continued. “I am positive the brilliance he captured will resonate and offer the love and light towards which he always moved.”

“Nez expressed the highest part of his being through his voice,” Sandoval wrote. “And you could get no closer to him then through knowing his work. May all those who loved him feel his comfort at this time – just listen and he will be there for you.”

He ended by posting a quote from Nesmith’s song “I’ll Remember You”: “Thank you for the times you gave me, thank you for the tears you saved me, please take this song as my thanks to you.”

Nesmith’s family told Rolling Stone in a statement, “With Infinite Love we announce that Michael Nesmith has passed away this morning in his home, surrounded by family, peacefully and of natural causes. We ask that you respect our privacy at this time and we thank you for the love and light that all of you have shown him and us.”

His death leaves Micky Dolenz as the only living member of The Monkees. Fellow members Davy Jones and Peter Tork died in 2012 and 2019, respectively.

Alec Baldwin makes first public appearance since ‘Rust’ shooting

December 10, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Alec Baldwin made his first public appearance Thursday night since the tragic shooting that occurred on the set of his film, Rust.

The actor was the master of ceremonies for the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights’ gala in New York City, a nonprofit that focuses on mass incarceration, gender-based violence, racial justice and more.

“Thank you for all coming out tonight. It’s great to be together in person. It’s great to be with everyone. My wife and I have six kids, anything to get out of the house for 30 minutes,” Baldwin said, according to People.

“He’s there. He’s there in good times and bad, in your good times and bad and his good times and bad, he always shows up,” Robert Kennedy‘s daughter, Kerry Kennedy, remarked of her and Alec’s near 40-year friendship. “I’m so proud.”

This is the first time Alec has appeared at an event since the prop gun he was using on the set of Rustdischarged a live round and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza.

In a recent interview with ABC News, Baldwin professed he would “go to any lengths to undo what happened,” while adding, “Someone is responsible for what happened, and I can’t say who that is, but I know it’s not me.”

Opening today: Uzo Aduba, JK Simmons, Lil Rel Howery and more in National Champions

December 10, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Emmy winner Uzo Aduba heads up an all-star cast in Friday’s new release National Champions.

Stephan James plays LeMarcus James, an NFL-bound college athlete who starts a player boycott on the eve of a key game in an effort to score more compensation for college athletes.

Uzo plays Katherine Poe, a fixer of an attorney for the NCAA, who tries to short circuit his efforts.

“She knows her job well, the ins and outs of it,” Uzo tells ABC Audio.

“She’s been called to come in…for the NCAA in their eyes to quarterback this mission. But I think she really ends up being the coach in a lot of ways.”

As the movie plays out, however, we learn there’s more under her apparently icy surface. “[S]he has found herself straddling the life she has created for herself….and the woman she once was, who happens to be perhaps the very person that LeMarcus is fighting for.”

Alexander Ludwig plays Emmett Sunday, LeMarcus’ best friend, who helps him hatch the boycott plan. With sports turning to activism of late, Ludwig tells ABC Audio it’s the best time for this movie.

“I’ve never been a part of something that was shot so quickly and then turned around so quickly, and I think that part of the reason that happened was it’s so topical,” the actor explains.

“It’s a conversation that’s being had right now on every level of sports. And I’m so proud to be a small part of it. It’s incredible, the group of people they got together for it, not to mention pretty much all of the NFL that …wanted to be part of it. So that…spoke a lot to how much people want there to be some form of change.”

Josh Duggar found guilty of possessing child pornography

December 10, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Former reality TV star Josh Duggar has been convicted of downloading and possessing child pornography.

On Thursday, at the Western District of Arkansas Federal Courthouse in Fayetteville, Arkansas, a federal jury found the 33-year-old guilty on one count each of receiving and possessing child pornography. U.S. District Judge Timothy Brooks said sentencing will happen in about four months, Entertainment Tonight reports. Duggar faces up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000 for each count when he’s sentenced.

The six-day trial began on November 30, with the jury beginning deliberations on Wednesday.

Duggar was accused of downloading child sexual abuse material, some of which depicted children younger than 12, and having it in his possession in May of 2019, according to the indictment. He pleaded not guilty.

Duggar has been the focus of several controversies over the years, starting in 2006 when he was investigated for allegedly molesting five underage girls when he was a teenager. Since then, two of his sisters — Jill, 30, and Jessa, 28 — have come forward as two of his victims.

Opening today: Sam Worthington, Heather Graham, and Machine Gun Kelly in the Western ‘The Last Son’

December 10, 2021 by WDNY Radio

In the new Western movie The Last Son, Heather Graham plays a “working lady” desperate to save her kids from a dude so bad, legend has it he’s The Devil himself.

Sam Worthington plays the single-minded character, stalking through the snow of late 19th century Montana.

She jokes to ABC Audio, “It’s a heartwarming story of a father that goes out in search of all his children to kill them, basically.”

She explains, “he’s this gunslinger, and he hears this prophecy that one of his children is going to kill him, so he seeks out all of his children…And my character is a ‘working lady’ and I have twins that are his sons. I know he’s a bad guy, so I don’t want him to know about where they are.“

Avatar veteran Worthington is nearly unrecognizable as Isaac LeMay. “As a woman, I’m like, ‘Sam, don’t you want to look cute?” Graham laughs. “Like, ‘You have so much facial hair!'”

“[He] didn’t want to, you know, I guess look his handsome self, he wanted to look more grimy, gritty, you know?”

She adds, laughing, “He’s so disgusting in the movie. Like, he’s just horrible. You know, you really just hate him, you know?”

Graham admitted she felt “nurturing” toward her onscreen son Colson Baker, otherwise known as recording artist Machine Gun Kelly.

“It’s funny because I actually didn’t know who he was, to be honest,” she added with a laugh. “I mean, my friend’s kids know who he is.”

Graham explains that for a newcomer, MGK has some big-screen chops. “I think, you know, he’s very raw. Like, I like that he doesn’t because some actors are kind of ‘actor-y.’ And I like that he just has raw talent.”

Rita Moreno was an “invaluable asset” in making ‘West Side Story,’ says Steven Spielberg

December 10, 2021 by WDNY Radio

West Side Story dances into theaters this Friday and director Steven Spielberg credits the “invaluable” Rita Moreno for making the movie what it is.

“She was an invaluable asset to our entire production and she kept a kind of moral compass for us and continued to give us purpose,” the esteemed director told ABC News.

“Why are we telling the story again? Because the power of the story needs to be told to a generation who perhaps have never heard of West Side Story. That was another reason I wanted to bring this movie out now,” the 74-year-old director added.

The musical, inspired by William Shakespeare‘s Romeo and Juliet, is set in New York City and follows the story of Tony and Maria — two star-crossed lovers with ties to rival gangs that are fighting for control over their Upper West Side neighborhood. The musical tackles themes of violence, racism and sexual assault.

Ansel Elgort, who stars as Tony in West Side Story, says the groundbreaking film earned a seal of approval from the late, legendary composer Stephen Sondheim.

“Sondheim was able to see it before he passed and he loved it,” the 27-year-old actor revealed. “It’s so sad that he’s gone, but what a legend and how great to be able to celebrate him at this time with this great piece of work.”

Rachel Zegler stars as Maria and some critics predict her performance could score an Oscar nod for Best Actress. She credits her “old soul” for helping her dive into character and, when discussing her “technique,” she says her talent was born from being “raised on classic films” such as “All About Eve and George Cukor‘s The Women.”

West Side Story bows in theaters Friday, December 10.

Miley Cyrus reveals she and Pete Davidson have matching tattoos

December 10, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Miley Cyrus appeared on Thursday’s The Tonight Show with her Miley’s New Year’s Eve co-host Pete Davidson, and revealed they’ve been close friends for years — so close, they even have matching “We Babies” tattoos.

Miley and Davidson tell host Jimmy Fallon, it was a snap decision they made after appearing in a Saturday Night Live sketch together.

“We made this SNL sketch where we were babies that were rapping — trap babies,” he began.

“And at the end of it all,” Miley continued, “Our excuse for it all, you know, Larry David said, “What is going on?’ and we said, ‘We babies.’ And for some reason looked at each other and it was like, that’s a great tattoo.”

However, only Miley still has the tattoo, now that Pete has been having most of his ink removed.

The two were on The Tonight Show to promote Miley’s upcoming NBC New Year’s Eve show, which provided the perfect opportunity for her and Davidson to work together.

“I know what I bring to the table. It’s musicianship. And [Pete] the funniest, coolest, hunkiest guy in the world,” she joked.

One thing you won’t see Miley do is brave the cold in New York’s Times Square.

“I don’t like to be cold…And so, that was one of the things I thought all these other shows, people are going to have on big coats everyone is going to be shaking and freezing,” says Miley, adding, “I’m going to have no clothes on per usual. He’ll be funny and I’ll be naked and together, we got a a show.”

Miley closed the show with a tongue-in-cheek cover of “It Should’ve Been Me,” in which she teased Davidson about his rumored relationship with Kim Kardashian.

Common explains break up with Tiffany Haddish, Nicole Ari Parker joins ‘Sex and the City’ reboot, and more

December 9, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Common and Tiffany Haddish ended their relationship in November, and the rapper/actor explains why they broke up.

“I don’t think the love really dispersed,” he says. “I think it was just like we weren’t feeding the relationship.”

Common made the comment during Fox Soul’s Hollywood Unlocked Uncensored in a clip obtained by Page Six. The couple went public with their romance in August 2020, and he says their busy careers led to their breakup, preventing them from spending “as much time” or putting “as much energy” into their relationship.

The John Wick: Chapter 2 star added that it became hard “to balance” personal life and career, “and keep the relationship fair.”

In other news, And Just Like That… A New Chapter of Sex and the City, debuts Thursday night on HBO Max with Nicole Ari Parker joining the cast as Lisa Todd Wexley. Nicole tells Essence she is proud to bring a woman of color to the show and says the series will not shy away from racial issues.

“They are not going to magically resolve the massive conflict that we are continuing to struggle with in this country; but without giving away too much, they did try to have those issues trickle down into conversations between two women that might become friends,” she says. “How does the absence of Black people in your life manifest when you’re invited to a dinner party, have a cup of coffee or pick up your kids from the same school?”

Finally, Porsha Williams from Real Housewives of Atlanta is planning more than one wedding ceremony with her fiancé, Simon Guobadia. She tells Us Weekly that in addition to the A-T-L,” “we’ll be doing one in Nigeria as well, and we’re thinking about doing one at our home in Costa Rica.

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