Entertainment

While he appears to be on the path to the Oscars podium for his work in The Whale, Brendan Fraser detoured with a stroll down memory lane during an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show Tuesday.

Clarkson asked the actor if it was true he “almost died” on the set of the 1999 blockbuster The Mummy during a scene where his swashbuckling adventurer, Rick O’Connell, was nearly executed by hanging. “Nearly,” Fraser admitted, explaining he was “choked out by accident.”

In the sequence, he’s dropped from the gallows and left to struggle with the noose around his neck while Rachel Weisz‘s Evelyn literally bargains for his life.

Fraser got to his feet and mimed the situation, explaining he was on his toes, with the noose around his neck.

Director Stephen Sommers then said, “‘Hey, it doesn’t really look like you’re choking — can you sell it?'” Fraser recalled. “And I was like, ‘All right, fine.’ So I thought, ‘One more take, man.'”

He adds, “And the camera swooped around and I went up on the toes, and the guy holding the rope above me, he pulled it up a little higher and I was stuck on my toes — I had nowhere to go but down. And so he was pulling up and I was going down.”

Fraser continued, “The next thing I knew, my elbow was in my ear, the world was sideways, there was gravel in my teeth and everyone was really quiet.” The actor said he was slapped backed to consciousness by a cheery British stunt coordinator singing his name. “‘Brendan? Brendan, wake up!'”

He explained the stunt guy noted, “‘Congratulations, you’re in the club — the same thing happened to Mel Gibson on Braveheart!'” Fraser shouted his response: “Thanks, I think?! I wanna go home!”

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

On Tuesday, Disney+ released the teaser to Peter Pan & Wendy, a live-action reimagining of the J.M. Barrie novel and the 1953 Disney animated classic.

The teaser introduces Wendy Darling (Ever Anderson), “a young girl afraid to leave her childhood home behind, who meets Peter Pan (Alexander Molony), a boy who refuses to grow up.”

The streaming service continues, “Alongside her brothers and a tiny fairy, Tinker Bell (Grown-ish‘s Yara Shahidi), she travels with Peter to the magical world of Neverland. There, she encounters an evil pirate captain, Captain Hook, and embarks on a thrilling and dangerous adventure that will change her life forever.”

Jude Law plays the crook-mitted madman, leading a cast that also includes Molly Parker from House of Cards, Rogue One‘s Alan Tudyk, and comedian and actor Jim Gaffigan.

The movie debuts on April 28.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Universal’s star-packed animated The Super Mario Bros. Movie is getting bumped up two days. The film, which features the voices of Chris Pratt as Mario, Charlie Day as Luigi and Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, will now hit theaters in the States on the same day it will debut in more than 60 markets all over the world: April 5.

The Illumination Entertainment, Universal and Nintendo collabo was initially set for a U.S. debut on April 7, with overseas markets, including movie-hungry China, getting a two-day head start.

The movie also stars the voices of Jack Black as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad and Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong.

The rest of the film’s voice cast includes Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong, Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek and Sebastian Maniscalco as Spike. Charles Martinet, who has voiced Mario since the ’90s, will also be featured in “surprise cameos.”

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Rian Johnson seems to have revived the whodunit genre with his two Knives Out films, most recently with last year’s Glass Onion. He wrote and directed the latest Benoit Blanc mystery and was honored with a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay at this year’s Academy Awards.

As he makes the rounds in the awards circuit, Johnson tells ABC Audio there’s really only one celebrity he has been starstruck by.

“I got to meet James Cameron. Very quickly, very briefly,” Johnson says. “He was so kind, and we had a nice little talk. He’s somebody whose work I’ve just admired, obviously, my entire life and means a lot to me.”

Though their interaction was short, Johnson says he looks forward to the day when he can sit and listen to all the wisdom Cameron would care to share — preferably Luke and Yoda on Dagobah style, à la The Empire Strikes Back.

“If there’s a Yoda that I would love to sit at the feet at for a few hours, I think it’s Cameron,” Johnson says.

And while Johnson says there’s much to love about Cameron’s work, there’s one thing that stands out.

“Cameron’s secret weapon is he knows his story,” Johnson says. “It’s not about the technical element, it’s about the fact that he’s staying on story and telling the story incredibly clearly even through the action scenes in his movies.”

Just in case there happens to be any doubt about how much of a fan he is — yes, Johnson says he did watch Cameron’s recent Masterclass, where the Avatar director teaches filmmaking for over three hours.

“I watched his Masterclass that he just did,” Johnson says. “That’s how big of a fan [I am]. I’m like, ‘I’ll watch that whole thing.’ It’s so good.”

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Twice Oscar-nominated Avengers actor Jeremy Renner is putting in the work, both physically and mentally, following his near-fatal New Year’s Day snowplow accident.

In a series of new Instagram Stories he posted Monday evening, Renner recorded himself on a stationary bike, exercising his left leg, with the help of a brace in his left hand, as his right leg rests on a platform.

“Whatever it takes,” he captioned the video, a callback to a repeated line of dialog in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The next image in the sequence shows the Mayor of Kingstown actor by the fire, reading cancer survivor Mark Nepo‘s self-help tome The Book of Awakening: Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have.

“Mental recovery, too,” Renner captioned that photo. The book deals with finding peace and beauty within your life one day at a time, even after adversity.

To show support to his Kingstown family, the final video in the sequence he posted was a clip from the latest episode of the Paramount+ show.

Renner suffered serious injuries when he was pulled under his Snowcat plowing vehicle in an accident outside his Nevada home on January 1.

The now-52-year-old star said he broke over 30 broken bones in the incident, which also left him with blunt chest trauma. He underwent emergency surgery after he was airlifted from the scene, and spent weeks in intensive care before he continued his recovery at home.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Keke Palmer is a mother!

Taking to Instagram the actress, 29, announced she welcomed her first child — a baby boy — with Darius Jackson.

“Hey Son!!!! 1. Only 48hrs of being parents!” she wrote alongside of carousel of photos and videos, chronicling their first moments as parents. “LEODIS ANDRELLTON JACKSON, welcome to the world baby Leo.”

The True Jackson alum also included some adorable snapshots of the newborn. One picture, where the baby’s face was barely visible, Keke jokingly captioned, “‘I’m not hiding the world from my son, I’m hiding my son from the world.’ Hahaha.”

“I’m just playing, my baby face is on this slide,” she captioned a subsequent photo. “6. And this slide
Born during Black History Month, with a name to match.”

In another slide on the post, Keke shared a video of herself singing “Someone by El Debarge to Jackson, and explained that he included the song in some playlists early on in their relationship.

“We became each other’s someone and made a someone, look at God,” she wrote.

Keke first confirmed her pregnancy in early December while hosting Saturday Night Live.

“There’s some rumors going around, people have been in my comments saying, ‘Keke’s having a baby, Keke’s pregnant,’ and I wanna set the record straight — I am!” she said, opening her jacket to reveal a baby bump.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Apple TV+ on Monday released the official trailer for Ted Lasso‘s third season. The clip, set to the Rolling Stones‘ classic “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” contains no dialogue until the very end, when Sam Obisanya –played by Toheeb Jimoh — leads the team in a locker room chant of “I love you all so very much,.” and Brett Goldstein‘s normally grumpy Roy compliments a play with “Great job.” That prompts Jason Sudeikis‘ titular character to say, “Whoa, Roy Kent just said great job,” as Coach Beard — played by Brendan Hunt — pretends to faint. Ted Lasso season 3 premieres Wednesday, March 15, followed by new episodes weekly, every Wednesday…

A second season of The Night Manager is in the works at Amazon Prime Video, with Tom Hiddleston set to reprise his role as protagonist Jonathan Pine, according to Deadline. Season 2 will reportedly film later this year in London and South America. Though it’s not official, the show is reportedly set to receive a two-season order. Season 1 ended in 2016 with Hiddleston’s Pine facing and even deadlier challenge after learning British arms dealer Richard Roper — played by Hugh Laurie — has been dead for two years…

TLC has renewed four more popular series, — including Dr. Pimple Popper, 90 Day Fiancé: Love in Paradise, You, Me & My Ex, 7 Little Johnstons and Doubling Down With the Derricos for new seasons. The pickups come on the heels of the cable channel’s other recent renewals, Sister Wives, 90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After? and 1000lb Sisters…

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Monday’s episode of The Bachelor found Zach and the ladies trying to make up for lost time in Tallinn, Estonia, after COVID-19 forced him to isolate from the others, leading to a confrontation between to contestants and a devastating elimination for another.

The first one-on-one was a makeup date with Charity, whose solo date with Zach last week was canceled due to the virus. This date got off to an awkward start after Zach showed up at the ladies’ hotel suite and was whisked away by Katherine “Kat” for a private conversation capped off with some kissing. Her “stunt” didn’t sit well with the others, especially Brooklyn, who called Kat out for spoiling Charity’s moment.

Later, Charity spilled the details about her date — which ended with a rose — also throwing some shade at Kat, noting, “It was a really good day” but she “tried to kind of block out some things” that happened ahead of the date.

Kat’s response that she didn’t to spoil her upcoming group date by reigniting the argument did just that when Brooklyn pointed out the hypocrisy of Kat’s remark.

The group date also included Jess, whose frustration at being the only remaining lady not to have gotten a one-on-one-date, left her in fear of elimination.

Her attempt to get some reassurance from Zach led to an emotional conversation that left him “not feeling that confident” about their relationship. Jess agreed her journey on The Bachelor was over, telling Zach, “I’m not going to beg for you.” Still reeling from Jess’ unexpected departure, Zach didn’t hand out a group date rose.

Jess’ abrupt exit also left the other ladies feeling less secure about their relationships with Zach, including Kat, who decided ahead of the rose ceremony that she needed to smooth things over with Charity. However, the meeting was cut short by Brooklyn, leading Kat to storm out of the room and Charity to Brooklyn, “Why is this a storm?”

Elsewhere, Ariel left her one-on-one date with a rose, and Aly was sent home at the rose ceremony.

Greer was missing from Monday’s episode after testing positive for COVID.

Here are the seven women remaining after Monday night’s episode:

Ariel, 28, a marketing executive from New York City, N.Y.
Brooklyn, 25, a rodeo racer from Stillwater, Okla.
Charity, 26, a child and family therapist from Columbus, Ga.
Gabriella “Gabi,” 25, an account executive from Pittsford, Vt.
Greer, 24, a medical sales rep from Houston, Texas. — First Impression Rose
Kaitlyn “Kaity,” 27, an ER nurse from Austin, Texas.
Katherine, 26, a registered nurse from Tampa, Fla.

The Bachelor returns Monday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Days before his directorial debut Creed III hits theaters, Michael B. Jordan will receive his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The actor will be honored Wednesday, March 1. Ryan Coogler, who worked with Michael on Fruitvale Station, the Black Panther movies and the Creed films, will share some words about him at the event, as will his Creed III co-star Jonathan Majors.

“Michael B. Jordan has become a household name thanks to his many roles on the big screen,” stated Ana Martinez, Hollywood Walk of Fame producer. “To think that this star didn’t grow up with dreams of being an actor! Luckily for us he changed his mind and now he will be honored with an iconic star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.”

Since his breakout role in Fruitvale Station, Michael has accomplished a lot in Hollywood through his art and philanthropy. He’s starred in films including Without Remorse and Journal for Jordan; has a NAACP Image, SAG Award and Producers Guild Award; and has been named TIME’s 100 Most Influential People of 2020, People’s 2020 Sexiest Man Alive and one of New York Times’ 25 Greatest Actors of the 21st Century.

Michael also launched Outlier Society, a production company that showcases diverse stories including Fahrenheit 451 and David Makes Man, as well as a fellowship that “focuses on developing the next generation of media, arts and entertainment industry leaders.”

In 2020, he teamed with Color of Change for the #ChangeHollywood initiative, which laid out ways to invest in anti-racist content and authentic Black stories, Black talent and more. Most recently, he announced the Invesco QQQ Legacy Classic, an inaugural historically-Black-colleges-and-universities (HBCU) basketball showcase that will highlight elements of HBCU life and culture.

Creed III premieres on March 3.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

The trailer has dropped for Ray Romano‘s directorial debut, the film Somewhere in Queens, which debuted over the summer to strong reviews on the film festival circuit.

In the movie, Romano plays a dad and owner of a family-run New York construction company whose son, nicknamed Sticks (Jacob Ward), gets a potentially life-changing chance to be scouted for college basketball teams. When a broken heart threatens to derail the dream, however, Romano’s Leo tries to do whatever it takes to get Sticks back on track.

Emmy winner Laurie Metcalf plays Romano’s wife, Angela, and fellow stand-up and actor Sebastian Maniscalco stars as Romano’s younger brother.

The movie debuts April 21.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.