Entertainment

Issa Rae is supporting Black businesses for the holidays. The Insecure star has teamed with American Express for this weekend’s ByBlack Bazaar pop-up marketplace in Los Angeles on Saturday and Sunday. The shopping event, located at 1005 Mateo Street in Downtown LA, will feature 16 local and nationally known businesses prioritizing Black-owned companies that don’t have a physical store, allowing them to connect with live customers.

“Just thinking about shopping small and Black businesses in general, the last couple of years, even in my neighborhood, our businesses have been most affected by the pandemic,” Rae told People. “To be able to just support them genuinely and supporting families feels right and important to me, especially during this holiday season.”

In film news, the Writer’s Guild of America named Jordan Peele‘s 2017 film Get Out as the best screenplay of the 21st century. Peele won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for his breakout horror film, and also earned nominations for Best Picture and Best Director. The movie’s star, Daniel Kaluuya, was nominated for Best Actor.

In television news, Tyler Perry is expanding his programming with Tyler Perry’s Zatima on BET+, a spin-off of Tyler Perry’s Sistas. The 10-episode series follows Fatima, played by Crystal Renee Hayslett, and Zac, portrayed by Devale Ellis, as they navigate the ups and downs of their relationship. Zatima started production at Tyler Perry Studios this week and will premiere in 2022 on BET+.

Finally, congratulations to Olympic champion Simone Biles who was named TIME‘s 2021 Athlete of the Year. Last week, the 24-year-old gymnast was also chosen as one of People magazine’s People of the Year, and was hailed for bringing mental health to the forefront, when she decided to sit out part of the Tokyo Olympics. 

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John Legend is about to give Phantom of the Opera a modern twist.  The “All of Me” singer has teamed with partner Mike Jackson and producer Harvey Mason Jr. to take the famous tale out of France and set it in New Orleans, Louisiana.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the movie’s working title is Phantom and the trio will produce the film for Universal Studios.

John and Mike have tapped their fellow partner at their Get Lifted Film Company, Ty Stiklorius, to executive produce.

The script was written by John Fusco, whose previous works include Crossroads, Hidalgo and The Highwaymen.  The screenwriter says he wanted to set the classic 1910 Gaston Leroux novel — not the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical — in modern day New Orleans.

“I have long wanted to explore The Phantom of the Opera in a contemporary and new way and in a French Quarter setting,” he told THR. “New Orleans is not only known as America’s most haunted city, but the music, Creole culture, voodoo mystique and the pageantry of Mardi Gras, inspire a natural adaptation of the original Paris setting.”

A release date has not yet been announced.  The movie will join Universal’s revival of its collection of black and white monster movies, such as The Mummy and The Wolf Man.  Universal previously adapted the novel in 1925 as a black and white silent horror film, which went on to become a box office success at the time.

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(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.

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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. 

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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.”

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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.”

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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.

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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.”

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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.

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