Entertainment

“Awww Man!! Who’s cuttin’ onions??” Will Smith posted almost immediately after Jamie’s post went up Friday night, July 21. “Love U Foxx!! Your Light Is Needed ‘n Appreciated Right Now!”

Jamie’s fellow Oscar-winner Viola Davis noted, “God is GOOD!!!!!!!! Sending love Jamie,” with a trio of heart emoji.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson said, “I’m gonna bear hug the f*** outta you when I see you again,” while Michael B. Jordan added, “I love you brother!!”

Justin Timberlake said, “Love you Foxx,” along with the “praise hands” emoji, while model and author Ashley Graham posted, “We all love you Jamie! God is so good!!”

The good vibes kept rolling with Marvel movie baddie and The Purge series star Frank Grillo adding, “amen brother. much more for you to do. warrior.”

LL Cool J expressed, “so glad to see you back my brother,” along with a “muscle” emoji, a fist and a crown.

Paris Hilton replied to Jamie’s message with “Love you bro,” adding a heart emoji and “stay strong.”

Corinne Foxx added, “I love you Dad,” with a heart.

Corinne was first to break the news that Foxx had been sidelined around the time he was working on Back in Action with Cameron Diaz for Netflix, saying only that her dad was recovering from an undisclosed “medical complication.”

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

On Friday, July 21, AMC announced there’s more life in The Walking Dead yet: The network has renewed the Negan and Maggie team up, Dead City, as well as the yet-to-debut The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, starring Norman Reedus.

The Walking Dead: Dead City stars Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Lauren Cohan as former mortal enemies Negan Smith and Maggie Rhee, who join forces on a journey into a post-apocalyptic Big Apple to find Maggie’s kidnapped son, Hershel. The show wraps its first season on Sunday, July 23. 

Reedus’ series, which finds his Daryl Dixon lost in Europe, debuts September 10 on AMC. 

Another project, centering on returning star Andrew Lincoln‘s Rick Grimes and his love, Michonne, played by Danai Gurira, will debut in 2024.

With Dead City‘s first season (almost) in the books, Morgan told ABC Audio before the SAG-AFTRA strike that it “took a minute to get used to” the production’s shift to New York City.

“I was nervous about a new crew,” he admitted. “I liked our family in Georgia. And we would look around and be like, ‘Where’s, you know, Melissa’s chair [Melissa McBride] and Norman’s chair? Where are our people that we know? It was odd.”

He adds, however, “Everybody was so fantastic. I think we lucked out with an amazing crew and that were all 100% on board with this show, too, and busted their a**. … And what a cool experience to again be these characters that we’ve been and know for so long, and to be in this new world.” 

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

The entertainment world is mourning the loss of legendary singer Tony Bennett, who has died at age 96.

The tributes continue to roll in, and they’re heartfelt — or in some cases, from felt hearts, as Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog were among those who commented on the crooner’s passing.

Alec Baldwin posted to Instagram a lengthy video, calling Bennett “a sweet guy” and marveled, “He had that first act, then things got a little quiet for him, then he comes back, and the second act of his career is bigger than his first act.”

Baldwin continued, “There are other people of his strata … who were not loved by everybody — in some cases far from it — but everybody loved Tony.”

Baldwin, who impersonated Bennett a few times on Saturday Night Live, called doing so in one sketch in which Bennett appeared as a Tony Bennett impersonator “one of the greatest moments of my life.”

In a statement, Martin Scorsese called Bennett “a consummate artist, whose music quietly wove itself into the fabric of our lives.” He added, “We started to imagine that Tony would live forever…Nobody does. But the music? That’s another story.”

Josh Gad tweeted, “This one shouldn’t sting so much because any of us would take 96 years, but man is it hard to imagine a world without the great Tony Bennett.”

To a picture of him and the “wonderfully talented and truly one of a kind” Bennett, Kermit noted, “Performing the song ‘Firefly’ with him on Muppets Tonight and his album The Playground is one of the highlights of my career. Thanks for the music, Tony.”

Miss Piggy posted a photo of herself with Lady Gaga and the singer, saying Bennett was “as lovely as he was talented.” She added, “I’ll miss his wonderful voice, his marvelous smile, and his unforgettable charm.”

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

While his in-production Deadpool 3 is on ice for the time being because of the SAG-AFTRA strike, ABC Audio has learned Ryan Reynolds has signed on to a revival of the beloved quirky animated series Biker Mice from Mars.

The show, which first aired in 1993, centered on the race of anthropomorphic rodents, who had an earth-like civilization — and among them some dedicated gearheads — until they were nearly wiped out by an obese fish-like humanoid alien plunderer race known as Plutarkians.

The toon centered on survivors Throttle, Modo, and Vinnie who crash-land on Earth, in Chicago, and befriend a female Earthling mechanic named Charlene ‘Charley’ Davidson, and together they fight the alien menace on our planet, with hopes of one day returning to their own.

Earlier this year, The Nacelle Company obtained the rights to Rick Ungar‘s toon, which aired its final episode 27 years ago.

Through his company Maximum Effort, Reynolds will co-produce the series with streamer Fubo, along with Nacelle, which is also creating a toy line from the IP.

“Some people know that I am a motorcycle enthusiast, so it was only natural for us to jump on board,” Reynolds says of the “cult classic.”

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Barbie is a real doll — at the box office, that is. The movie starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling netted the biggest sneak preview numbers of the summer of 2023 with a haul The Wrap pegs at $22.3 million.

Like the toys, Barbie‘s box office figure is impressive: The Greta Gerwig-directed film topped big openers like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3‘s $17.5 million Thursday opening, as well as the late 2022, $18 million-earning sneak peek of Avatar: The Way of Water. Barbie also bested the $21.6 million opening of Matt Reeves‘ The Batman in 2022 and easily topped 2022’s $14 million sneak peek of Top Gun: Maverick.

As for the other half of “Barbenheimer,” Christopher Nolan‘s Oppenheimer earned $10.5 million from Thursday night audiences — that’s impressive, particularly for a more than three-hour historical drama.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

At London’s famed Leicester Square on Friday, July 21, U.K. actors like Succession Emmy winner Brian Cox, Mission: Impossible partners Simon Pegg and Hayley Atwell, and Selma and Silo star David Oyelowo attended a rally in support of striking SAG-AFTRA members.

The Hollywood Reporter notes the event was organized by the U.K.-based actors and performers’ union Equity, which has declared “total solidarity in this fight.”

According to the trade, Cox talked about how one of SAG-AFTRA’s sticking points, “scary” A.I. tech, personally affected him.

He revealed he was on a show for which he was apparently told an A.I. version of himself would be created. “The artificial intelligence Brian Cox was gonna do animal impersonations. I’ve never done a f****** animal impersonation…” he said. “This is gonna happen to everybody. Nobody’s exempt.”

American Rob Delaney served as an emcee of sorts; the comedian and actor — who was over The Pond working on Deadpool 3 before the film’s set went dark over the strike — also blasted the American Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) as “silly little toddlers.”

According to the trade, he said, “They’re like toddlers. So you’ve gotta show them, you gotta say ‘No.’ And they brag like toddlers. They have these earnings calls and they talk about the subscriber numbers and the blockbuster numbers. Then we ask for a nickel and they’re like, ‘No, no, we don’t have any.’ …”

Delaney also said, “We’re gonna win. We’re gonna…get our tiny little slice of the pie…that we made up the friggin’ recipe for…and posed for funny pictures beside [it]…”

THR reports that while Equity’s 47,000 members can pledge their support to SAG-AFTRA, there can’t be a sympathy strike by U.K.-based talent, as that would violate the country’s strict labor laws.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

It’s time for us to Praise Petey.

That’s the name of Freeform’s newest series, its first-ever animated show, which premieres on Friday, July 21. Stars Annie Murphy and Stephen Root spoke to ABC Audio all about the new show before the SAG-AFTRA strike began.

Murphy stars as the titular Petey, a New York City “It” girl whose life changes dramatically after she finds out what her dead father, played by Root, left behind for her.

“Petey is a young woman who thinks that she has it together [but] who does not have it together in the least. And to add insult to injury, she inherits a cult from her dead dad,” Murphy said. “That’s kind of where we start.”

Petey proves that she can run her own cult, but do Murphy or Root think they’ve got what it takes to be able to give it a go?

“Oh gosh, no. I’m so not a type-A personality. Otherwise, I’d direct. No, I like being part of an ensemble,” Root said. “The character that I’m playing is truly out of his mind, but having such a good time doing it.”

Murphy shares Root’s sentiments: “I don’t think I would make a good cult leader at all. I’m too much of a people pleaser. I don’t think I have that manipulative gene in me.”

And while she may differ from her character in that way, Murphy’s had a blast showing up to work in sweatpants, and having the opportunity to just “immediately be over the top and way too much and ridiculous.”

“It’s rare that the director tells you to, like, turn it down, which is always fun, because in film and TV, you’d be fired immediately if you went that bananas right out of the gate,” Murphy said.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Have no fear, your reality roundup is here! Here’s a look at what’s happened in the world of reality television this week.

Bachelorette

– Shawn Booth, known from his engagement to Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe, is going to be a dad! He revealed the news on his podcast In the Booth With Shawn Booth Monday. The baby is due on December 12, and though it wasn’t planned, the 37-year-old says he is thrilled and emphasized that the mother of his child is someone he’s known for years and had a relationship with. They’ve chosen to keep the baby’s gender a surprise until birth.

Real Housewives of New York

– OG Real Housewives of New York City fans can finally rejoice as a long-awaited reconciliation has taken place between Bethenny Frankel and Jill Zarin after more than a decade. The iconic duo came together for a special episode of Bethenny’s ReWives podcast, where they discussed everything openly. Their friendship had soured during the early days of RHONY. The podcast reunion, initiated by Bethenny’s fiancé Paul Bernon, marked the first time in 13 years they were alone together. Hesitant at first, Jill’s daughter. Ally, encouraged her to mend fences, making it possible.

The Kardashians

– Kylie Jenner and Jordyn Woods appear to have reunited as photos obtained by The Daily Mail, show the two were seen leaving a restaurant together in Los Angeles Saturday, July 15. The former BFFs, both 25, had a very public falling-out four years ago when news of Woods allegedly cheating with Tristan Thompson, Kylie’s sister Khloé Kardashian‘s boyfriend at the time.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

On Friday, July 21, Marvel Studios revealed the official trailer to The Marvels, the team-up movie starring Captain Marvel‘s Brie Larson, Ms. Marvel‘s Iman Vellani and WandaVision‘s Teyonah Parris.

The new snippet shows how Brie’s Carol Danvers, Iman’s Kamala Khan, and Teyonah’s Monica Rambeau come to find their powers “entangled.” Rambeau figures it out, saying, “So we switch places whenever we use them. You can absorb light. I can see it, and Kamala can turn light into physical matter — which I have never heard of.”

Samuel L. Jackson‘s Nick Fury calls it “a good theory.”

Apparently, it was all part of revenge at the hands of Zawe Ashton‘s Dar-Benn, a leader of the Kree race seen in Captain Marvel and other MCU entries. In a face-off with Danvers, she refers to her as “the annihilator,” explaining, “You took everything from me. And now I’m returning the favor.”

Larson’s character says, “She’s targeting every planet we call home,” leading the pair to team up whether they get along or not — although the latter doesn’t apply to Vellani’s fangirl Kamala, who’s naturally pretty psyched about the prospect.

The Marvels opens November 10.

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

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

If you’re a Star Wars fan with very deep pockets, you’ll have a chance on Saturday, July 22, to own an action figure called the “Holy Grail” of collectibles.

U.K.-based Excalibur Auctions is putting on the block an unopened, vintage Star Wars Jawa figure from the company Palitoy that’s expected to fetch as much as $20,000.

The item would be rare enough because it hasn’t been opened in all these years, but for collectors, what makes it so unique is the little figure was given a vinyl cape when it was packaged.

Jonathan Torode, Excalibur’s auctioneer commented, “This figure is one of the rarest carded Star Wars figures known to exist, with approximately 10-15 examples documented – the vinyl cape on the Jawa, was substituted with a cloth cape not long into production, and the UK Palitoy carded variation is even rarer than the USA Kenner version. It’s a privilege to handle such a piece of Star Wars toy history.”

So, if you won the Powerball or Mega Millions — or just wish you did — check out Excalibur’s Toys & Model Railways Collectors Sale, where you’ll see the coveted little critter and other rare figures that are up for auction.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.