Entertainment

November 17, in case you don’t know, is an important day for Star Wars fans, and Wookiees alike, for the same reason. It’s Life Day!

The holiday was at the center of the infamous, George Lucas-disowned Star Wars Holiday Special, which only aired once on TV in 1978 and about which Lucas has publicly said he wished he could personally destroy every copy. 

The special — which lives on, thanks to YouTube — features Star Wars icons Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher in character as Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Princess Leia Organa.  The heroes are trying to return to the Wookiee home planet Kashyyyk [kah-SHEEK] to celebrate the holiday. Along the way, they run afoul of Boba Fett, making his screen debut in an animated interstitial segment. 

Also along the way, Jefferson Starship performs, and Bea Arthur sings a torch song, as does Diahann Carroll, while Chewbacca’s dad, Itchy, inappropriately digs on Carroll’s sexy hologram in front of his family.

The special closes with Fisher addressing the audience in character. “We all share with you this day brings us closer to freedom and to harmony and to peace. No matter how different we appear, we’re all the same in our struggle against the powers of evil and darkness.”

“I hope that this day will always be a day of joy in which we can confirm…our love for one another,” Leia continues, before belting out the Life Day song.

The Star Wars Holiday Special may be janky, but that message is arguably sweet. And while Lucas has distanced himself from the special he never controlled, ShopDisney is offering Life Day-themed items, including a plush Chewie and other related goodies.

Happy Life Day! 

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Warner Bros. has released an all-new poster for The Matrix Resurrections, which hits theaters and HBO Max on December 22. 

It shows Keanu Reeves‘ Neo with his hair and beard at John Wick-length, and wearing a long black trench coat. His arm is extended and outstretched, as he was seen in the trailer stopping a hail of bullets. 

Standing around Reeves on the poster are his co-stars: Carrie-Ann Moss, who reprises as Trinity, as well as series newcomers Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Jessica Henwick. Another figure, farther in the background, appears to be Jada Pinkett Smith. The trio play, respectively, Morpheus, Bugs, and returning character Niobe.

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Warner Bros. Pictures (@wbpictures)

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Ellen DeGeneres welcomed Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, to her chat show, in a sit down that will air Thursday. 

In a preview of their visit, Meghan expressed how she felt returning to the Los Angeles Warner Bros. lot on which The Ellen DeGeneres Show is shot, and how the former Suits star used to audition there “all the time.”

In fact, the Duchess joked about her old Ford Explorer that she used to drive while trying to make it as an actor — and how her busted driver’s-side door lock required she used to have to climb in through the trunk. 

Clearly, the former Deal or No Deal suitcase model has come a long way. “The security guards here used to say, ‘Break a leg, I hope you get it!’ Markle recalled with a laugh. “So the drive in today was very different.”

Check your local listings for when The Ellen DeGeneres Show airs in your market.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Venus and Serena Williams‘ true and powerful story about how they became tennis stars is about to hit the big screen. King Richard takes a deep dive into the major role their father, Richard Williams, played in their success.

Tony Goldwyn, who plays Paul Cohen aka the Williams sisters’ first tennis coach, was touched by their story and told ABC Audio, “It’s deeply inspiring about family and the power of family.”

The movie focuses on how Richard, played by Will Smith, labored to make his girls’ “dreams come true” and, while Goldwyn admits he knew the basics of the story, he didn’t know the details.

“I had no idea that Richard Williams had a vision and wrote, I think a 75 or 80 page manifesto before Venus and Serena were even born,” remarks the 61-year-old. “He literally envisioned this and wrote a plan and then implemented it in the most extraordinary way. You just couldn’t make this stuff up!”

Goldwyn also notes that, despite his ambition, Richard nor the girls’ mother, Oracene, were brutal taskmasters.

“It was something borne out of love and passion. And if the girls ever didn’t want to do it, they didn’t have to,” he explains. “Tennis became this metaphor for them, for building their character as human beings.”

The Scandal alum also salutes the parents for ensuring the sport didn’t “rob [Venus and Serena] of their childhood” nor allowing them to become spoiled by “the pressures of competitive tennis.”

Goldwyn also reserved some high praise for Smith, saying he was “super fun” to work with and made people “feel relaxed in his presence.”

Additionally, he teased, “In this movie, [Will] just brings his A-plus game.”   

King Richard premieres Friday in theaters and on HBO Max.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

In addition to co-creating one of the most beloved film franchises of all time in Ghostbusters, fan of the paranormal Dan Aykroyd is committed to being in the spirits business: he has a pretty good side hustle as the founder of the award-winning vodka brand Crystal Head. 

And for his return Friday as Dr. Ray Stanz in Ghostbusters: Afterlife, his company has come up with some spooky cocktails to help you celebrate.  

Afterlife also and pays tribute to Dan’s Ghostbusters co-creator and star Harold Ramis, who died in 2014: Finn Wolfhard and Mckenna Grace play his character Egon Spengler’s grandkids, who find themselves getting into the family business when their town gets haunted.

The film will see Akyroyd reuniting with Bill Murray‘s Dr. Peter Venkman and Ernie Hudson‘s Winston Zeddemore, along with original cast members Sigourney Weaver and Annie Potts. 

So strap on your proton packs and get that shaker out, for these signature drinks: 

Stay Puft
2 oz.Crystal Head Vodka
1 tsp. Marshmallow Syrup
4 Scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream
1 Marshmallow
Sprinkle of Sea Salt

Directions: Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend. Pour into a glass. Garnish with a marshmallow and a sprinkle of sea salt.

Slimer’s Revenge
2 oz. Crystal Head Onyx
1 1⁄2 oz. Pineapple Juice
3⁄4 oz. Lemon Juice
3⁄4 oz. Honey Simple Syrup
1 tsp. Matcha Powder
Fresh Mint Sprig

Directions: Combine all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Strain over ice in a Collins glass. Garnish with a fresh mint sprig.

Gozer the Destroyer
1 oz. Crystal Head Onyx
2 oz. Grapefruit Juice
4 oz. Guava Gose Beer
1⁄2 oz. Vanilla Syrup
5-6 Fresh Basil Leaves

Directions: Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker and gently muddle. Add ice and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Double strain into a Collins glass with a salted rim and ice. Garnish with a fresh basil crown.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

As previously reported, the new trailer for Spider-Man: No Way Home debuted Tuesday night. Star Tom Holland himself surprised fans at an event in Los Angeles, and teared up after watching the preview along with them. In fact, he prompted the folks at the Regal Theater in Sherman Oaks to play it twice, addressing the crowd both times. 

Holland didn’t dish any spoilers, but hinted that for all the multiverse madness in the trailer — which includes former Spider-Man movie villains Doc Ock, Green Goblin, Sandman, Electro, Lizard, and enter the MCU — there’s more to come in the film. 

“Trust me when I say that that is the tip of the iceberg,” promised Holland. “You’ll be on your feet, you’ll be screaming,” he enthused, before adding, “I want to tell you everything, but I can’t.”

Tom could be referring to persistent reporting that previous Spider-Man stars Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield will enter Holland’s Spider-Verse to battle those baddies who’ve appeared in their films, played by Alfred Molina, Willem Dafoe, Thomas Hayden Church, Jamie Foxx, and Rhys Ifans. However, Maguire and Garfield, weren’t seen in the trailer. In fact, Molina’s Dr. Otto Octavius hints he expected to see Maguire, too, telling Holland on screen, “You’re not Peter Parker.”

After the trailer played to thunderous applause, Holland said, “It’s really overwhelming…To see your reaction, means that we’ve been doing something right.” Holland, 25, also got choked up recalling when he was cast at age 18 to play the hero, for his first appearance in Captain America: Civil War. “[Marvel Studios head] Kevin Feige called me…and changed my life.”

Opening December 17, Spider-Man: No Way Home is a co-production of Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios, the latter of which is owned by ABC News’ parent company Disney.

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Kirsten (@not_kristen)

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

The fantasy series The Wheel of Time hits Amazon on Friday, based on the wildly popular novels by Robert Jordan. The streamer is hoping the series will be the next Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones, and Zoe Robbins, who plays the sorcerer Nynaeve al’Meara, says to bring on the comparisons.

“It’s incredibly different from a lot of the other fantasy stories that we know,” she tells ABC Audio. “I think in particular, it’s so character-driven and the power dynamics and the gender dynamics and everything that we explore is, I think, quite different to what we’re used to in the fantasy genre.”

Robbins adds, “I think we all expect that the comparisons will happen, but I think I think ours is quite different and special.”

What makes The Wheel of Time different from fantasy series that have come before it? The gender and power dynamics, for one. Madeline Madden stars as Edwene Al’Vere in the series, a villager just learning how to tap into her powers. She reveals what makes this world unique.

“The Wheel of Time is set in a world where magic exists, but only women are allowed to touch this magic or wield it,” says Madden. “So obviously there is a power struggle between the genders that is explored throughout the course of the series.” 

“There is this streak of the matriarchy throughout the world. And you know, it is that struggle between men and women, light and dark, but at the core of The Wheel of Time, it’s really a story about balance and finding that balance,” the actress adds.  

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

The Bachelorette headed to Michelle Young‘s hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota on Tuesday, but even a change in venue couldn’t stop Chris S. from trying to chip away at Nayte‘s frontrunner status.

After pulling Michelle aside at last week’s rose ceremony to accuse Nayte of being too cocky and not being there for her, Chris thought he had taken some of the wind out of Nayte’s sails, while upping his own status with Michelle.

Instead, Nayte scored a one-on-one date with Michelle, while Chris was left competing with nine other men for Michelle’s time, which he failed to get.

Desperate, Chris brazenly crashed her date with Nayte to voice disappointment that the warnings about his fellow suitor “had fallen on deaf ears.”

After pointing out Chris’ “negative attitude” during the group date she explained that she wanted “a man who will stand and support me when I speak, and not a man who speaks for me.” Nayte got the date rose, while Chris was shown the door. 

Also sent home on Tuesday were Casey, Clayton and Leroy. 

Another one-on-one date with “Minnesota” Joe led to his revelation that a career-ending sports injury led to severe anxiety, depression and, ultimately, thoughts of suicide. Michelle praised him for battling through it and offered him the date rose. 

Here are the other men remaining after the rose ceremony: 

Brandon J., 26, a traveling nurse recruiter from Portland, Ore
Joe, 28, a real estate developer from Minneapolis, Minn.
Martin, 29, a personal trainer from Miami, Fla
Nayte, 27, a sales executive from Austin, Texas
Olu, 27, an IT analyst from Newark, N.J.
Rick, 32, a medical sales rep from Los Angeles, Calif.
Rodney, 29, a sales rep from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.

If you are in crisis or know someone in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741. You can reach Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860 (U.S.) or 877-330-6366 (Canada) and The Trevor Project at 866-488-7386. 

The Bachelorette continues Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Sony dropped the footage Spider-Man fans were waiting for Tuesday night, more or less, in the trailer to Spider-Man: No Way Home. 

As we learned from the teaser, Tom Holland‘s Peter Parker is on the run, and has teamed up with Benedict Cumberbatch‘s Doctor Strange for a spell to make people forget he’s Spider-Man. Except the spell rips open the multiverse.

A bunch of former Spider-Man villains come tumbling out — but they’re not villains that Holland’s Spidey has faced. 

Willem Dafoe returns as Norman Osborn/Green Goblin from 2002’s Spider-Man. Ditto for Alfred Molina as Dr. Otto “Doc Ock” Octavius from 2004’s Spider-Man 2. Also spotted in the trailer is Sandman, the villain played by Thomas Haden Church in 2007’s Spider-Man 3, The Lizard, who was played by Rhys Ifans in 2013’s The Amazing Spider-Man, and Jamie Foxx‘s Electro from 2014’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

However, here’s who you didn’t see: Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, the two actors whose respective Spidey alter-egos fought those baddies in previous films.

Clearly, Doc Ock was looking for Tobey, telling Holland’s Spidey, “You’re not Peter Parker…”

It had been widely reported that Maguire appears in the film, and it’s thought Garfield is too — despite his frequent denials.

But they’re nowhere to be found in the trailer. There IS another Spidey shown in the trailer, but his black and metallic outfit doesn’t reveal his identity — and it’s not a suit we’ve seen before. 

However, speculation began immediately Tuesday night that Sony and co-producers Marvel Studios might just be pulling a fast one. Marvel Studios has digitally removed characters in other trailers to preserve surprises.

Fans might have to wait and see: Spider-Man: No Way Home opens December 17. 

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

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Yes, Quentin Tarantino directed and co-wrote Pulp Fiction, but no, he doesn’t own it — at least that’s according to the studio Miramax, which is suing him for those Pulp Fiction NFTs he recently announced. 

Miramax was the one-time Oscar-magnet studio owned by Harvey Weinstein and his brother Bob. Since Harvey Weinstein’s incarceration on sex charges, however, the studio has severed ties with the disgraced producer.

The Hollywood Reporter says the suit claims Tarantino didn’t get permission to launch his non-fungible tokens based on the hit Oscar-winning crime classic; as previously reported, the NFTs were to contain never-before-seen secrets and other goodies from the film. 

The trade quotes Miramax’s suit as saying it was filed “in order to enforce, preserve, and protect its contractual and intellectual property rights relating to one of Miramax’s most iconic and valuable film properties.”

Furthermore, it states, “Left unchecked, Tarantino’s conduct could mislead others…into believing they have the rights to pursue similar deals or offerings, when in fact Miramax holds the rights needed to develop, market, and sell NFTs relating to its deep film library.”

However, Tarantino’s lawyers countered, saying the NFTs fall into special rights he had enumerated in his contract. The trade notes the situation might be legally murky, seeing as NFTs didn’t exist back when Tarantino made the 1994 film.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.