Entertainment

Vanna White isn’t ready to relinquish her spot manning Wheel of Fortune‘s puzzle board after four decades, but she thinks outgoing host Pat Sajak‘s daughter Maggie Sajak, who currently serves as the show’s social media correspondent would the perfect replacement when the time comes.

“I think she’s a good replacement if I can’t be there for some reason,” Vanna told E! News while promoting her Wheel of Fortune-inspired makeup collection with Laura Geller Beauty. “She’s been around it her whole life, so I think she can fill in for me for sure.”

“She’s precious, she’s beautiful, she’s very good,” Vanna says of 28-year-old Maggie. “I think she learned a lot from her father because he’s such a good interviewer.”

Pat, in June, announced his departure from Wheel of Fortune at the end of the show’s current 41st season, saying in a statement that his decades in the position have “been a wonderful ride.”

American Idol host Ryan Seacrest, who exited as host of Live with Kelly and Ryan, opposite Kelly Ripa, after six years, is set to succeed Sajak as host for the 2024-25 season.

Vanna, meanwhile, inked a two-year deal in September that will keep her with the show through the 2025-26 season.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Disney’s first animated feature, the 1937 classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, is returning to Disney+ in a 4K restoration on October 16 as part of the Disney100 Anniversary Celebration. Hailed as one of the greatest triumphs in animation history, as the first full-length animated feature in the history of motion pictures, Snow White was awarded a special honorary Oscar — one large Oscar statuette accompanied by seven smaller ones — which was presented to Walt Disney by Shirley Temple. It’s also the highest-ranked animated feature on the American Film Institute’s “100 Years…100 Movies” list and was inducted into the National Film Registry in the registry’s inaugural year, 1989. Disney is the parent company of ABC News…

The October 5 season 2 premiere of Loki — starring Tom Hiddleston as the titular God of Mischief — is the second most viewed season premiere on Disney+ in 2023, grabbing 10.9 million views globally in its first three days, according to the streamer. The debut of the Marvel Studios series trails only the season 3 premiere of The Mandalorian, which hit Disney+ in March…

Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt, who recently co-starred in Damien Chazelle’s Babylon, are planning a reunion — at least offscreen for the moment. Robbie’s LuckyChap and Pitt’s Plan B entertainment companies are in talks to produce a modern-day retelling of the 1934 comedy-mystery film The Thin Man, sources tell The Wrap. The original starred William Powell as Nick Charles, a retired private detective who left his very successful career and married Nora, a wealthy heiress played by Myrna Loy. However, when Nick’s former police partner shows up asking for help finding a missing inventor, Nick can’t resist getting involved…

Leadership for performers union SAG-AFTRA and the studios, repped by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, issued a joint statement on Monday, announcing that talks between the two sides, which ended on Monday, October 9, without reaching a deal, and will resume on Wednesday. “SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP held negotiations and have concluded for the day. Bargaining will continue on Wednesday, October 11, with the parties working independently on Tuesday”…

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

While some people display awards on their shelves, Gwyneth Paltrow had different plans for her Academy Award. 

In a recent “73 Questions” interview with Vogue, Paltrow offered a glimpse into her stunning Hamptons garden and shared a quirky revelation about her Academy Award.

While strolling through her lush outdoor sanctuary at her Amagansett, New York, residence, the interviewer stumbled upon her casually placed Oscar leaning against a wooden gate.

“And what a beautiful Academy Award,” remarked the interviewer. 

“My doorstop,” she replied. “It works perfectly.”

Paltrow earned her Academy Award in 1999 for her role in Shakespeare in Love, but does she really use it as a doorstop? 

A representative for the actress told Variety, “Of course, it’s a joke.”

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Hollywood writers in the Writers Guild of America have ratified the 2023 tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

“Through solidarity and determination, we have ratified a contract with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of our combined membership,” Writers Guild of America West President Meredith Stiehm said in a statement. “Together we were able to accomplish what many said was impossible only six months ago.

The AMPTP also released a statement congratulating the membership on accepting the agreement.

“The AMPTP member companies congratulate the WGA on the ratification of its new contract, which represents meaningful gains and protections for writers. It is important progress for our industry that writers are back to work.”

The agreement covers September 25, 2023 through May 1, 2026.

In the organization’s statement Monday, the WGA encouraged the AMPTP to negotiate a deal with SAG-AFTRA, which represents actors.

“Now it’s time for the AMPTP to put the rest of the town back to work by negotiating a fair contract with our SAG-AFTRA siblings, who have supported writers throughout our negotiations,” WGAE President Lisa Takeuchi Cullen said in a statement.

“Until the studios make a deal that addresses the needs of performers, WGA members will be on the picket lines, walking side-by-side with SAG-AFTRA in solidarity.”

The tentative deal is set to shape employment in the industry on issues ranging from increases in pay to the use of artificial intelligence and the sharing of viewership data.

Since July, a union representing roughly 160,000 actors — SAG-AFTRA — has been out on strike as they seek a new contract of their own, bringing Tinseltown to a halt.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Peacock has revealed that Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie will premiere on its platform on December 8.

The announcement comes on Monday, October 9, which just so happens to be star Tony Shalhoub’s 70th birthday.

First-look images from the film have also been released. They show off Shalhoub, alongside a cast that includes Caitlin McGee and James Purefoy, as he returns to solve one last case involving his beloved stepdaughter, Molly.

Monk creator Andy Breckman, executive producer David Hoberman and director Randy Zisk said they are delighted to have made a movie version of Monk.

“It’s been twelve years since the world has seen a fresh installment of Monk. The world has changed mightily in those intervening years and Monk 2023 reflects the changing world,” their statement reads. “We are thrilled that every one of our stars were so enthusiastic about coming back. But in coming back, we wanted to do a film that was worthy of our legacy.”

This movie, according to the filmmakers, does exactly that.

“Mr. Monk’s Last Case is a story that is powerful, emotional, funny, heartwarming, and has something to say about the human condition. And it will be both familiar and surprising,” their statement reads.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

The sixth season of The Crown is coming soon.

On Monday, Netflix announced that part 1 of the final season of the hit series will arrive November 16 and part 2 will be available to stream starting December 14.

A teaser for the upcoming season features a look back at the different actresses who have portrayed Queen Elizabeth II in the series: Claire Foy and Olivia Colman, as well as Imelda Staunton, who portrayed the late queen in the previous season.

“It is a duty,” Staunton says as Queen Elizabeth in the clip. “But what about the life I put aside? The woman I put aside?”

Season 6 will continue to follow the story of Britain’s royal family. The previous season chronicled the modern history of the royal family, including the divorce of the late Princess Diana, played by Elizabeth Debicki, and Prince Charles, played by Dominic West.

Both Debicki and West will return in season 6.

In April, photos from the final season of the show were released featuring Ed McVey and Meg Bellamy portraying Prince William and Kate Middleton when they met at the University of St Andrews in the early 2000s.

Last month, Netflix hinted that the upcoming season will also depict the wedding of Charles and now-Queen Camilla.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Director Pablo Larraín has shared first-look photos of Angelina Jolie in costume as Maria Callas in his new biopic about the famed opera star, Maria.

Known for his previous biopics Jackie and Spencer, this new project from Larraín will chronicle the “life of the legendary, iconic and controversial singer, often described as the original diva,” according to the film’s official description.

Maria is now set to begin shooting, as the independent production has secured a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement. Steven Knight’s screenplay was finished prior to the WGA strike.

“I am incredibly excited to start production on Maria, which I hope will bring Maria Callas’s remarkable life and work to audiences all around the world, thanks to the magnificent script by Steven Knight, the work of the entire cast and crew, and especially, Angelina’s brilliant work and extraordinary preparation,” Larraín said.

Jolie is joined by a cast that includes Pierfrancesco Favino, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Alba Rohrwacher and Valeria Golino.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Pop singer Halsey and Schitt’s Creek star Catherine O’Hara will both take on the role of Sally in the Hollywood Bowl’s three-night concert production of The Nightmare Before Christmas.

O’Hara, who voiced Sally in the original 1993 Tim Burton film, will play both Sally and Shock during the October 29 date. Halsey will sing the role of Sally on October 27 and 28. As Variety notes, she’s not the first musician to play the part: Phoebe Bridgers did it in 2022 during a London Nightmare concert production, while Billie Eilish sang the role two years ago in a different concert production.

Fred Armisen and original Nightmare composer Danny Elfman will play Lock and Jack Skellington, respectively, during the production.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

It is hard to imagine Greta Gerwig’s Barbie without the “I’m Just Ken” dream ballet scene, but the writer-director has revealed that she had to fight to keep it in the film.

During her Screen Talk at the BFI London Film Festival on Sunday, October 8, Gerwig says she was asked during a big meeting with executives if the dance sequence was truly necessary.

“It just said in the script, ‘And then it becomes a dream ballet, and they work it out through dance,’” Gerwig said. “There was a big meeting that was like, ‘Do you need this?’ And I was like, ‘Everything in me needs this.’ They were like, ‘What do you even mean? What is a dream ballet?’ And I was like, ‘A dream ballet? Where do I begin!’”

Luckily, Gerwig was able to convince them to keep it in the movie, citing the classic film Singin’ in the Rain as inspiration.

“I was like, if people could follow that in Singin’ in the Rain, I think we’ll be fine. I think people will know that this is. So that was the big reference point,” Gerwig said. “Even though everything felt right to me and was giving me so much joy in the way we were doing it, it was also like, ‘Oh no, this could be just terrible, but now I’m committed.”

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

University of Southern California graduate Will Ferrell returned to his alma mater this weekend, where he crashed a frat party and served as DJ for the college kids, à la his 2003 hit film, Old School.

Videos of his DJ set were subsequently posted on TikTok, where Ferrell’s seen amping up the crowd while decked out in a USC zip-up jacket and sunglasses.

Ferrell graduated from USC with a degree in sports information back in 1990. Over the weekend, he attended the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity tailgate party that took place ahead of the football game against the University of Arizona Wildcats.

It was Trojan Family Weekend, which Ferrell attended because his oldest son, Magnus, is a sophomore at USC.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.