Entertainment

The last time Niecy Nash-Betts worked with producer Ryan Murphy, she won an Emmy for her role in Netflix’s DAHMER: Monster – The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. She can now be seen as the lead in Murphy’s follow-up, FX’s new serial killer series Grotesquerie, which debuts Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET.

“DAHMER was unexpected. I said yes before I knew what I was saying yes to with that one,” the actress tells ABC Audio. “With this one, I had the luxury of reading the script and then saying yes.”

“But I love Ryan. I love collaborating with him. He’s a great partner. And so because of that, he will always have me at hello,” Niecy shares.

The new series has her playing Lois Tryon, “a big-deal detective in a small town,” Niecy says. 

“She … has a very troubled home life. She’s battling alcoholism, all while hunting a serial killer who is seemingly taunting her. So there’s a lot going on.”

She adds, “And then her partner in crime, if you will, the Cagney to her Lacey, ends up being a nun named Sister Megan, played by the lovely Micaela Diamond.” 

Along the way, Lois and Sister Megan run across a creepy suspect, played by acting newcomer but veteran famous person Travis Kelce. 

Nash-Betts, who is also a producer on the series, says of the newbie actor, “He’s charming, well-prepared, takes notes well and he’s greedy.”

She deadpans, “He can eat a lot, you know — and I’m going to be the first one to let you know. And when I say a lot, I mean a lot.”

In all seriousness, she calls Taylor Swift‘s better half “a very, very wonderful guy.”

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Artem Chigvintsev will not be criminally charged following his arrest for felony domestic violence on Aug. 29, the Napa County District Attorney’s Office announced in a press release Tuesday.

According to the District Attorney’s Office, the decision not to charge the Dancing with the Stars pro “was made after a thorough review of the criminal investigation and careful evaluation of the evidence presented to the DA’s Office.”

“While we take every arrest seriously and stand firmly against domestic violence, we have an ethical obligation to only file charges when supported by the evidence,” Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley said in a statement included in the release.

It continued, “We are required to prove any and every criminal charge ‘beyond a reasonable doubt,'” adding, “If the available evidence doesn’t rise to this level of proof, then we cannot ethically file charges.”

The District Attorney’s Office said it “does not typically issue press releases when it declines to file charges against any given individual,” but “did so for this case due to the intense media interest it has received since Mr. Chigvintsev’s arrest.”

A representative for Artem told Good Morning America in a statement Tuesday, “Mr. Chigvintsev has maintained his innocence from the beginning. He is grateful that the district attorney accurately assessed what took place, and determined he should not be charged. He enjoys tremendous support from the community, and requests privacy for the pending divorce matter. He loves his son, wants the best possible for him, and looks forward to the next chapter in his life professionally and as a father.”

Artem was arrested for felony domestic violence on Aug. 29, just before 10 a.m., according to Napa County, California, jail records.

His wife, WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Garcia, filed for divorce shortly afterward. 

The couple married in August 2022 and share one child, 4-year-old son Matteo.

ABC News reached out to Garcia’s representative for comment but did not immediately hear back.

If you are affected by abuse and needing support, or know someone who is, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). You can also chat online at thehotline.org or online.rainn.org, respectively.

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Dancing with the Stars brought the glamour and magic of the movies to the ballroom Tuesday for an Oscars-themed night.

The stars of season 33 hit the dance floor and jived, quickstepped, foxtrotted and more in dances inspired by Academy Award-nominated films as they vied for perfect tens from the judges.

But only one couple was able to achieve the highest score of the night with their scene-stealing choreography, and two couples were sent home in a double elimination.

At the end of the night, Beverly Hills, 90210 alum Tori Spelling and her pro partner, Pasha Pashkov, as well as notorious scam artist Anna Delvey and her pro partner, Ezra Sosa, were sent home.

Spelling called her experience on DWTS an “unbelievable” one and told her five children, “I love you. You can do anything you put your mind to.”

For her part, when asked what she was going to take away from her time on DWTS, Delvey replied, “Nothing.”

Delvey later told Good Morning America her favorite part of her DWTS experience was “getting eliminated.”

The top score of the night went to actress Chandler Kinney and her pro partner, Brandon Armstrong. The duo performed a moving rhumba to “What Was I Made For?” from the Barbie film.

Combining the scores from the premiere episode and Tuesday’s episode, these are the scores for all remaining couples:

Chandler Kinney and Brandon Armstrong – 47
Dwight Howard and Daniella Karagach – 44
Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson – 43
Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold – 43
Danny Amendola and Witney Carson – 41
Phaedra Parks and Val Chmerkovskiy – 40
Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten – 39
Brooks Nader and Gleb Savchenko – 38
Jenn Tran and Sasha Farber – 38
Reginald VelJohnson and Emma Slater – 31
Eric Roberts and Britt Stewart – 30

Dancing with the Stars season 33 will return for a two-night event on Oct. 7 and Oct. 8, with both episodes airing at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+ and streaming on Hulu the next day.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

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MGM+ has greenlit a new drama series titled Robin Hood, a modern take on the classic adventure tale. The reimagining, described by the streaming service as “a smart, sweeping, romantic adventure that brings historical authenticity, psychological depth, and a heightened focus on the relationship between Rob and Marian to the beloved story,” takes place after the Norman invasion of England, as Rob and Marion “fall in love and work together to fight for justice and freedom … and bring peace to the land.” Robin Hood is set to debut on MGM+ in 2025 …

Hamilton star Daveed Diggs has been added to the cast of The Boys for the show’s fifth and final season, according to Deadline. Details on his character have yet to be announced. Developed by Seth Rogen and his partner Evan Goldberg, The Boys is based on the graphic novel series from Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson and follows the eponymous team of vigilantes who set out to take down corrupt superheroes who abuse their superpowers. Antony Starr, Karl Urban, Erin Moriarty and Jack Quaid star …

Netflix has dropped the official trailer for season 4 of Outer Banks. The drama series follows a group of teens dubbed the Pogues on the treasure hunt of a lifetime. After finding the treasure in season 3, the Pogues are committed to having a normal life, but soon accept a proposal to go on a brand new treasure-hunting adventure. The trailer reveals some of the dangers awaiting them on their new mission. The first five episodes of Outer Banks season 4 debut Oct. 10, with the second five coming Nov. 7 …

The New York Comedy Festival will kick off its 20th anniversary on Nov. 7 with a tribute to the late comedian Joan Rivers, titled Dead Funny – An All-Star Tribute to Joan Rivers Benefiting God’s Love We Deliver.  The lineup includes Michelle Buteau, Rachel Brosnahan, Nikki Glaser, Matteo Lane and Randy Rainbow. God’s Love We Deliver is a nonprofit provider of medically tailored meals and nutrition counseling for people living with life-altering illnesses. Rivers was a member of the organization’s board of directors for 25 years, up until her death in 2014 at the age of 81 …

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The third installment of FX’s American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez is now streaming on Hulu. Based on the podcast Gladiator: Aaron Hernandez and Football Inc., the series “explores the disparate strands of his identity, his family, his career, his suicide and their legacy in sports and American culture.”

The third episode, “Pray the Gay Away,” features Patrick Schwarzenegger as Tim Tebow, who was Hernandez’s former college teammate. The Gen V star tells ABC Audio his involvement all comes back to the show’s producer Ryan Murphy.

“It’s so funny because so many people asked me why was I interested in doing something that was only in the show for two episodes when some of the other stuff I’ve done before was bigger,” Patrick says.

He says one of his goals as an actor is “to surround myself with really great talent and showrunners and producers.” He notes, “I’m a huge fan of what Ryan’s done in the industry, he’s been a powerhouse for decades on end, and to be able to work with him in any capacity for me is a great win.” 

When reminded that Murphy often recasts actors he’s previously worked with, Schwarzenegger laughed, adding, “That’s exactly what I was thinking.” 

Tebow’s Christian faith is famously important to him, and how he lives his life couldn’t be a sharper contrast to the one that Hernandez infamously led off the field.

“He’s faith first, faith forward,” the actor says of Tebow. “[He] notices that there’s something else happening off the field, and how can he reach out and be a lending hand to try to make Aaron a better human and to learn from his mistakes? And … Tim understands those mistakes to be, you know, drugs and alcohol and partying.” 

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Disney has announced two new limited Pixar Productions shows that will stream exclusively on Disney+: Dream Productions and Win or Lose.

Dream Productions takes place between the events of Inside Out and its new hit sequel — and once again between the ears of their main character, Riley. This time it’s time “to explore the innerworkings of the studio behind her dreams.”

The studio teases, “Riley is growing up and when her memories need some extra processing, Joy and the rest of the Core Emotions send them to Dream Productions. Acclaimed director Paula Persimmon (Paula Pell) faces a nightmare of her own: Trying to create the next hit dream after being paired up with Xeni (Richard Ayoade), a smug daydream director looking to step up into the big leagues of night dreams.”

The mockumentary-style show features the voices of Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Liza Lapira, Tony Hale, Lewis Black and Phyllis Smith.

The four-episode series comes to Disney+ beginning Dec. 11.

Feb. 19 will see the launch of the eight-episode Win or Lose, which “features the intertwined stories of different characters as they each prepare for their big championship softball game.”

Each of the eight installments tracks a different character in the lead-up to the big game. 

Pixar’s chief creative officer, Pete Docter, noted, “Dream Productions offers up a treasure trove of jokes and fun as it digs deeper into one of our favorite parts of the first film, the making of Riley’s dreams.”

He calls Win or Lose “a major, first-of-its-kind tentpole series, one that really showcases … bold, imaginative storytelling; laugh-out-loud humor; and characters that we can all relate to.”

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

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The upcoming Santa Fe International Film Festival has announced it will be honoring Bryan Cranston with its Lifetime Achievement Award. 

Not coincidentally, his drama Breaking Bad was set in Santa Fe, New Mexico — a fact mentioned by SFiFF Executive Director Liesette Bailey in the announcement.

“Bryan Cranston’s work has inspired generations of actors and captivated audiences worldwide, cementing his place as one of the most respected and accomplished figures in the industry,” she said.

“We are truly honored to present him with the Santa Fe International Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award, not only in recognition of his exceptional body of work, but also for the deep connection he shares with the people of New Mexico and the lasting impact he has made on our community with his role in the iconic series ‘Breaking Bad.'”

Cranston will be honored on Oct. 19; the event takes place Oct. 16 through Oct. 20.

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After Thanos is defeated at the end of 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, Chris Evans‘ Captain America takes a trip through time to return the six Infinity Stones back to the timelines from whence they came. 

And although the movie explains the trip seems instantaneous, to Cap it would be anything but — and returning the Soul Stone would bring him face to face with its keeper, The Red Skull, who happens to be Cap’s archenemy.

Since the end of that film, fans have been wondering exactly what Cap would have encountered on that important mission. 

One of those fans is apparently Ross Marquand, The Walking Dead veteran and gifted celebrity voice impersonator who played Red Skull in the last two Avengers movies.

According to Graham Mosimann, who moderated a panel with Marquand at the fan convention the Edmonton Expo, the actor reiterated he “keeps pitching” to Marvel a Disney+ show that would follow Cap on this final mission. He’s mentioned it at cons before.

Evans already returned to the Marvel Cinematic Universe after Endgame — but as his Fantastic Four character Johnny Storm, not Cap, in Deadpool & Wolverine. 

In the past, he’s said he didn’t want to mess with Cap’s Endgame endgame: His trip through time ends with him finally in the arms of his love, Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell).

In 2023, Evans told GQ about a return as Steve Rogers, “I’ll never say never. … But I’m also very precious with it.”

He added, “I wouldn’t want the black eye if it felt like a cash grab or if it didn’t live up to expectations or if it just felt like it wasn’t connected to that original thing.”

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

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Blumhouse, the studio behind the horror hits like The Purge franchise, M3GAN and the Insidious movies, has partnered with Peacock for Overnightmare — a real-life horrifying, interactive weekend experience. 

The companies are opening the doors to the Stanley Hotel in Colorado, the haunted spot that inspired Stephen King‘s Overlook Hotel in his classic The Shining and the 1980 Stanley Kubrick fright fest of the same name.

Taking place Oct. 18 to Oct. 20, Overnightmare is available to book now. The spine-tingling two-night stay will put guests up in a Stanley Hotel room themed to one of four Blumhouse shockers — Insidious, The Purge, Happy Death Day and Freaky. 

Also promised are “spooky spaces throughout the hotel,” as well as “nightly immersive experiences.”

The announcement says, “Come sundown, things will quite literally go bump in the night. Each evening will feature an after-dark experience as guests are pulled from their rooms for one of four personalized, fully immersive activations, inspired by each of the Blumhouse films and featuring interactive characters, narratives, and scares.”

The ad copy continues, “Experiences will be geared toward different horror levels to allow guests to face their fears no matter their terror threshold – from Freaky and Happy Death Day for those who want just a taste of the terrifying, to Insidious and The Purge for a full nightmare experience.”

There will also be two nights of exclusive screenings, including episodes of Peacock’s upcoming original thriller series Teacup, from James Wan‘s Atomic Monster studio, which hits the streamer Oct. 10.

If you’d rather be scared at home, Atomic Monster, Blumhouse and Peacock also collaborated on the screamer’s — er, streamer’s — Face Your Fears lineup of scary movies, just in time for the spooky season.

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Ian Somerhalder is opening up about his reasons for stepping away from acting.

After starring in high-profile shows like Lost and The Vampire Diaries — shows that celebrate their 20th and 15th anniversaries this year, respectively — the actor opened up in a new interview with People about why he left show business to focus on his passion projects and to raise his family.

“August 19th makes five years since I was professionally on camera as an actor/producer,” Somerhalder told the outlet. “I stepped away from that after V Wars to build these companies, launch films like Kiss the Ground, Common Ground and Ground Swell and raise my kids.”

The actor has focused on environmental activism-themed documentaries in the years since leaving Hollywood behind and shares two children with wife Nikki Reed, from the Twilight franchise.

Somerhalder said he recalled telling his management he was walking away from acting “at this sort of peak” where he “could have gone and done anything,” but that the things he’s pursuing today “mean way more to me.”

“I say this in all humility, in all respect, but I would much rather do this than go spend two months in some city, shooting a TV show away from my family or transporting my family back and forth,” he said. “I don’t need to chase awards and anything that would make me feel better about myself.”

All that said, Somerhalder said he looks back fondly on shows like Lost and The Vampire Diaries, which have garnered even bigger audiences in recent years thanks to streaming, and said he has “enormous gratitude” for them.

“That path has gotten me to where I feel most authentic anyway, which is in a pair of cowboy boots, feeding the cows and running horses.”

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