Entertainment

A respected Jedi Master is investigating a shocking crime spree in the new Star Wars series The Acolyte, out Tuesday on Disney+.

Dafne Keen plays a young Jedi in training, and she tells ABC Audio that when it came to using The Force on the show, everyone had to develop their own way of doing it.

“We had specific Force training,” she explains. “And you’d go and you have one-on-one sessions … and you’d, like, find where your character draws The Force from and how, like, what kind of movements they use.”

Jodie Turner-Smith, who plays Mother Aniseya, the leader of a coven of witches, describes her character as “a fierce protector and a mother. And also she herself wields a power, I think, unlike one we’ve necessarily encountered by somebody who doesn’t have a lightsaber.”

Squid Games star Lee Jung-jae plays Jedi Master Sol and says being a part of this universe was a big deal for him.

He tells ABC Audio through an interpreter, “So I was a big Star Wars fan since I was a kid, so I was well versed in all of the episodes, the films, etc. In terms of my role as Master Sol, The Acolyte, it takes place 100 years before any existing timeline of Star Wars that’s out now. So I find that extremely unique. And while I wanted to kind of stress that this is an earlier timeline, there was also an element of wanting to blend in to, of course, the preexisting world of Star Wars. So those were my considerations when preparing for the role.”

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Deadline is reporting that The Great‘s Elle Fanning is such a fan of the Predator series that she’s landed the lead role opposite the big-game-hunting extraterrestrials in Predator: Badlands, director Dan Trachtenberg‘s follow-up to his Emmy-nominated Prey. 

The trade says the 20th Century Studios project is but one Predator-related film Trachtenberg is overseeing, with a sequel to Prey starring Amber Midthunder also in the works. 

While Prey ended up on Hulu, breaking viewership records, Fanning’s project could be headed to the big screen, the trade speculates.

Deadline reports executives “got wind” of Fanning’s fangirling over the franchise that started with the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger action classic and set up a meeting with Trachtenberg. The trade says shooting could get underway later in 2024 if she signs on the dotted line.

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The latest cover of the magazine emmy features Jeremy Renner, and inside, he shares his thoughts on his mending from the snowplow accident that nearly killed him on Jan. 1, 2023.

The Oscar-nominated star says, “The recovery was a lot quicker than anybody anticipated,” noting,
“I think my instincts kicked in, and my body was able to support it.”

He also thanked his support system, both in his family and in Hollywood, with the star getting a standing ovation from cast and crew when he returned to the Mayor of Kingstown set earlier in 2024.

That show’s producer Taylor Sheridan marveled at the Marvel star’s ability to get back in the saddle as the show’s fixer, Mike McClusky. “Jeremy’s commitment to his recovery is identical to his commitment to creating a character, which is to say, complete immersion.”

Sheridan adds, “The distinction is, there is no requirement to overcome debilitating pain while creating a character.”

Renner waved off his stunt double on the first day, for a scene in which Mike jumps a pair of bad guys from behind. “It was pretty encouraging for everybody and gave me a lot of confidence as a man and as a performer,” Renner said.

The actor and musician, whose EP Love and Titanium helped him share his emotional journey since the accident, also teased that he intends to write a book about what he’s learned.

“I want to get out the words while they’re still in me,” he tells emmy. “I want to share what happened, and I think it can help a lot of people looking for peace. I don’t want anyone to feel alone. I can’t wait to see what’s revealed to myself while I do it.”

 

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The men who will compete for Jenn Tran‘s heart on The Bachelorette have been revealed.

On Monday, ABC announced the 25 contestants vying to receive a rose from Tran — who is of Vietnamese heritage and the first Asian American Bachelorette in franchise history — when season 21 premieres July 8.

Among the men, who range in ages from 24 to 35, are an aerospace engineer, a sommelier, an Army Ranger veteran, an algebra teacher, a pet portrait entrepreneur and more.

Here are the hopeful hunks: 

Aaron, 29, an aerospace engineer from Tulsa, Oklahoma

Austin, 28, a sales executive from San Diego, California

Brendan, 30, a real estate broker from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Brett, 28, a health & safety manager from Manheim, Pennsylvania

Brian, 33, an aesthetics consultant from Boynton Beach, Florida

Dakota, 27, a sommelier from Paradise Valley, Arizona

Devin, 28, a freight company owner from Houston, Texas

Dylan, 24, a medical student from Elk Grove, California

Grant, 30, a day trader from Houston, Texas

Hakeem, 29, a medical device salesman from Schaumburg, Illinois

Jahaan, 28, a startup founder from New York, New York

Jeremy, 29, a real estate investor from New York, New York

John, 25, a medical student from Delray Beach, Florida

Jonathon, 27, a creative director from Los Angeles, California

Kevin, 35, a financial analyst from Denver, Colorado

Marcus, 31, an Army Ranger veteran from Raleigh, North Carolina

Marvin, 28, a luxury event planner from Santa Monica, California

Matt, 27, an insurance executive from Atlanta, Georgia

Moze, 25, an algebra teacher from Albany, New York

Ricky, 28, a pharmaceutical representative from Miami, Florida

Sam M., 27, a contractor from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Sam N., 25, an entrepreneur from Carlsbad, California

Spencer, 30, a pet portrait entrepreneur from Dallas, Texas

Thomas N., 31, a retirement advisor from Tucker, Georgia

Tomas A., 27, a physiotherapist from Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The Bachelorette premieres July 8 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and streams on Hulu the next day.

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Norman Lear may have passed away in December 2023 at 101 years old, but his legacy lives on through the shows the Emmy-winning icon created, like All in the Family, Maude and The Jeffersons. 

Over the weekend, a group of celebrities gathered in Los Angeles to stage live readings of episodes from two of his most famous shows. 

Hollywood, Health & Society, a program from USC Annenberg’s Norman Lear Center, gathered King of the Hill and Better Things veteran Pamela Adlon, Law & Order: SVU‘s Danny Pino, Psyche‘s Dulé Hill and more to bring the episodes of Lear’s groundbreaking Maude and Good Times from the small screen to the live stage.  

Everybody Loves Raymond creator Phil Rosenthal joined Adlon and Pino — along with Entourage alumna Constance Zimmer and Timeless‘ Abigail Spencer — for the reading of the heralded Maude episode “Maude’s Dilemma,” which centered on abortion.

Hill joined Hello, Tomorrow‘s Haneefah Wood; Chicago Fire‘s Daniel Kyri; Clean Slate‘s D.K. Uzoukwu; The Good Doctor veteran Bria Samoné Henderson; and Ms. Marvel‘s Travina Springer for Good Times‘ season 2 episode “The I.Q. Test.”

The performances were followed by panel discussions about the shows’ “still-timely themes of abortion access and systemic racism, and the impact of Lear’s brave TV storytelling,” according to the organization.  

Incidentally, Lear’s words also took center stage onstage on ABC starting in 2019, with a trio of Jimmy Kimmel-produced Live in Front of a Studio Audience specials. The three shows saw celebs including Woody Harrelson, Jamie Foxx, Anthony Anderson, Kevin Hart and Jennifer Aniston in a series of live performances of All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Good Times, Diff’rent Strokes and The Facts of Life. 

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The headlines have not been kind to Jennifer Lopez of late, what with rumors her marriage to Ben Affleck is on the rocks, the critical drubbing of her sci-fi movie Atlas and her canceling her concert tour.

In response, the internet hasn’t been kind, either — and Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare actress Eiza González wants it to stop. 

In a statement posted in an Instagram Story Friday, González noted, “I have to say the level of bullying that this woman has received in the last few months is so disturbing and heartbreaking,” according to a screencap from Page Six. “How can you complain about someone being mean while enjoying mean about them.”

She added, “People are humans, make mistakes and some have personal things happening while also having to be constantly perfect in the public eye.”

She expressed, “The world is a pretty complicated place. The best thing we can be right now is be kind. We have no clue what people are experiencing.”

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Netflix has dropped the juicy trailer to the second half of Bridgerton‘s third season.

After the “sudden” engagement between Nicola Coughlan‘s Penelope Featherington and Luke Newton‘s Colin Bridgerton, the whole town’s abuzz, fed by “fresh gossip” from Penelope’s alter ego, Lady Whistledown.

However, her secret identity could spell disaster as the wedding approaches, as Colin has no idea his bride-to-be has been the author of the tea-spilling missives all along.

Adding to the pressure of their forthcoming nuptials, there’s Claudia Jessie‘s Eloise Bridgerton, who seems like she’s going to spill the beans with a cheeky toast to the couple, raising her glass to “truly knowing each other completely.”

“Colin cannot discover my secret,” Penelope says. “Whistledown is power.”

Colin asks her, “Is there some secret you’re not telling me?”

Whistledown teases in voice-over, “While most seasons of our married mart follow a pattern, this season surely is a surprise.”

Bridgerton season 3, part 2, arrives June 13.

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Sony Pictures just dropped the trailer to the third installment of its successful Venom franchise. Once again, Tom Hardy and his ever-starving symbiote pal are just trying to get along, while doing good — in a kinda bad way. 

The trailer’s opening shows Hardy’s twitchy journalist Eddie Brock evidently questioning — and with Venom’s help, devouring — members of an apparent dogfighting ring. But bigger issues are afoot. 

Set in large part to David Bowie‘s “Major Tom,” the coming attraction showcases Ted Lasso‘s Juno Temple — sans her English accent — as a scientist studying alien phenomena. “We always knew it was impossible that we were alone in the universe. And it’s our job to see that remains a secret,” she tells a soldier played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, who played Mordo in the Doctor Strange movies.

The military is then shown hunting the gruesome twosome down to give humanity a chance against an alien invasion. 

“Eddie: My home has found us,” Venom tells his better half, meaning more of his parasitic shape-shifters are coming. Their army “cannot be beaten,” Ejiofor’s character says. 

To that end, we see Venom tangling with a massive alien on top of an airliner mid-flight. 

“We might not make it out of this alive, buddy,” Eddie warns Venom. Indeed, a title card reads, “Till death do they part.”

Incidentally, Tom Hardy isn’t likely to live down those James Bond rumors thanks to a scene where the normally disheveled Eddie is seen in Vegas, cleaned up nicely in a sharp tuxedo. 

Venom: The Last Dance hits theaters in October.

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Before his final episode this week, Pat Sajak sat down with a familiar face, his daughter, Maggie Sajak, in an interview covering his 41 seasons and more than 8,000 episodes as the man behind Wheel of Fortune.

Pat announced in June 2023 that the show’s 41st season would be his last. Sajak’s daughter joined the Wheel team as the show’s social correspondent in 2021.

In an exclusive clip of the interview shared with Good Morning America, Pat Sajak said he was at “peace” with his decision.

“This was announced a long time ago, almost a year ago. So, I’ve had time to sort of get used to it. And it’s been a little bit wistful and all that, but I’m enjoying it and taking it all in and reflecting on the great run,” Pat Sajak told his daughter.

Alongside Vanna White, Sajak has spent over four decades quizzing wheel spinners.

“Somewhere along the line, we became more than a popular show,” Pat said. “We became part of the popular culture. And more importantly, we became part of people’s lives. And that’s been awfully gratifying.”

He added of his exit, “I’ve always said … I’d rather leave a couple years too early than a couple of years too late. It’s been a great 40 years, and I’m looking forward to whatever’s ahead.”

Pat Sajak joked with his daughter at the prospect of spending his new free time playing with future grandchildren. “Hint hint hint. No pressure,” he joked.

Sajak’s final episode hosting Wheel of Fortune will air on Friday, June 7, on ABC. The episode will coincide with Wheel‘s season 41 finale.

Weeks after Sajak announced that he was stepping down from his position, it was announced that Ryan Seacrest would replace him as host.

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The cast of Grey’s Anatomy is feeling the Ken-ergy.

To celebrate the final episode of Grey’s Anatomy season 20, which aired Thursday, the cast repurposed the classic “I’m Just Ken” song — Ryan Gosling‘s star moment from the blockbuster Barbie.

The video was posted by Chris Carmack, who plays Atticus Lincoln in the hit medical drama television series, and who’s wearing Barbie pink scrubs and a white faux fur top, emulating Gosling’s onscreen look.

Several co-stars joined in on Carmack’s fun, with Camilla Luddington, Anthony Hill and several others featured in the video.

The clip has since garnered more than three million views and over 533,000 likes on TikTok.

“Thank you to the best cast for playing with me! Your talent and generous spirits make it a lovely place to work!” Carmack wrote in the caption of the video. He also revealed that the crew made “special trips” to accommodate the wardrobe and props seen in the clip.

“Thank you to our writers, producers, and directors that still work tirelessly to make our show successful after 20 years! Last but not least… thank you to the FANS!!! You keep us all going!” Carmack’s caption concluded.

In April, ABC renewed “Grey’s Anatomy” for its 21st season, extending its run as the longest-running prime-time medical drama in TV history — a title the show has held since 2019. The show also claims the run for the longest-running prime-time series in ABC history.

 

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