Entertainment

There’s a line in Iron Man 2 when Tony Stark sarcastically asks Gwyneth Paltrow‘s Pepper Potts what she thinks about Stark Industry’s new hire, Scarlett Johansson‘s Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow.

“I thought that you two didn’t get along?” Robert Downey Jr.’s Stark asks. “No, that’s not so,” Paltrow’s Potts responds.

Turns out, in real life that was the rumor, too.

“Is that a rumor?” Johansson asked in disbelief on Paltrow’s Goop Podcast. “You were so nice to me on that movie. I was so petrified … You could’ve been awful. I had no idea — I was so out of my comfort zone on that movie. I’d never done anything like that before.”

For her part, Paltrow added, “I was so happy to have another woman around.”

“You kept telling me that,” Johansson responded, giggling. “When I did Avengers I was one of the few [women].” She added that, excepting Cobie Smulders, who played Maria Hill, the movie was “a big sausage party.”

She added, “Doing Avengers was so much fun. I was 26, I was single … I didn’t have any responsibilities.”  

ScarJo compared her time on the Marvel movies to “an adult summer camp,” adding they were “some of my best experiences.” But she noted, “I’m done. That chapter is over. I kind of did all that I had to do.”

Once again, Paltrow’s famously flawed Marvel memory failed her, with her asking, “Was I in Avengers?!”

She was.

ScarJo added Paltrow could come back, however. “As 64-year-old Pepper Potts?” Paltrow joked.

Johansson added, “One hundred percent that’s happening. I can see it … break out that wig, baby.”

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Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant isn’t the usual Guy Ritchie film. Gone are the hyperkinetic cinematography and edit jumps, trading up for grounded, measured combat and razor-tense action sequences. But one thing remains: Ritchie’s knack for focusing on imperfect characters, which is where Jake Gyllenhaal and Dar Salim come in.

“These guys begrudgingly are heroes to each other,” Gyllenhaal tells ABC Audio.

The war drama puts Gyllenhaal’s U.S. Army Sgt. John Kinley on a rescue mission to save his Afghan interpreter, Ahmed, played by Salim. Both are put in extraordinary circumstances during the post-9/11 war in Afghanistan. They’re from very different backgrounds and thrown into situations they would rather avoid, but it’s their debt to each other that holds strong when the Taliban goes on the hunt for them.

“I also think that’s what really makes it human in a lot of ways,” Gyllenhaal adds. “Ultimately, that’s what really moves me because I think the fabric of humanity is made from these types of actions.”

“It’s a reluctant relationship. It’s an unsentimental relationship,” Salim tells ABC Audio. “It shows how much unites us more than divides us. It was important for me to portray a guy that you could relate to even though he’s from that part of the world.”

Gyllenhaal is no stranger to military portrayals onscreen, having played a real-life Marine in 2005’s Jarhead, a movie praised for its accuracy of military personnel and combat tactics. Gyllenhaal tells ABC Audio that sort of realism and those expectations are also on display here. “It’s always an honor and also I think puts an extra pressure on you because you want to be able to deliver for them, you know?” he says.  

Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant is in theaters now.

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The longest-running game show on TV, The Price is Right, is going to the dogs … and cats starting on Monday, April 24. Host Drew Carey and stars from CBS shows will be promoting the importance of pet adoption on every show through April 28.

On Monday, The Young and the Restless stars Tracey Bregman and Christian LeBlanc will showcase a senior dog; Tuesday will see Lucky Dog cast members Eric Wiese and Rashi Khanna Wiese highlighting pups up for adoption from Los Angeles shelters; and Wednesday will see Scott Clifton of The Bold and the Beautiful spotlighting adorable kittens.

On Thursday, Price‘s own spokesmodel James O’Halloran will welcome a rescue dog, and on Friday, Natalie Morales and Akbar Gbajabiamila from The Talk close out the event.

Luckily, all the pets shown during next week’s shows have already found their forever homes, but the event is designed to highlight opening yours to the many animals in your local shelter who need love.

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Before the former became an Academy Award and two-time Emmy-winning actress, Kate Winslet and Yellowjackets star Melanie Lynskey were nearly inseparable.

They met on the Oscar-nominated 1994 romantic crime drama Heavenly Creatures, which was co-written and directed by the man who would soon direct the epic Lord of the Rings trilogy, Peter Jackson.

The based-on-real-life movie had the pair playing best friends who become romantically involved, which leads to a murder.

“It was more intense than some love affairs that I have had in my life,” 45-year-old Lynskey once told Time of Winslet, now 47.

“We would write each other letters and talk on the phone all the time,” she expressed. “We were in constant contact for so long. Then around the time of Titanic, her life got crazy because she became a superstar.”

She added, “I admire her so much, though.”

To the Happy Sad Confused podcast on Thursday, Lynskey elaborated, “When I lost touch with Kate, it was more heartbreaking than some breakups that I’ve had. It was so painful, and it wasn’t like anything happened. It’s just she became a gigantic, international movie star and … suddenly, she’d be in Los Angeles and not have time.”

She added, “It happens in relationships. People kind of drift apart, but that was so painful for me.”

That said, Lynskey has had a successful career of her own: She starred in the Drew Barrymore hit Ever After; spent years stealing scenes as Charlie Sheen‘s obsessed neighbor Rose on Two and a Half Men; scored Emmy and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for Yellowjackets, which netted her a Critics Choice Award; and was seen as the calculating Kathleen in HBO’s The Last of Us.

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Friday marked Mark Consuelos’ first full week as wife Kelly Ripa‘s co-host following Ryan Seacrest‘s departure from LIVE with Kelly and Ryan.

To Us Weekly, the other half of the newly rebranded LIVE with Kelly and Mark is giving the Riverdale veteran a thumbs-up. “I had no concerns about how well he was going to do and he really proved me right,” Kelly tells the magazine. “I’m so proud of him, but I was never worried.”

Ripa, 52, also shared the words of advice she had for the guy she’s been married to since 1996, just before they made their first official appearance as co-hosts: “The advice I gave him was to just keep being yourself, enjoy every moment and be present. He took it from there.”

And while the first week is in the history books, the ratings book took note, as well: The magazine says Mark’s debut as co-host saw double-digit increases in viewership with female audiences.

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Martin Lawrence now has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The comedian received the honor Thursday, April 20, in a ceremony attended by friends Steve Harvey and Tracy Morgan. He spoke to Extra about the recognition and his brotherhood with his fellow stars.

“I’m truly honored … I feel so blessed and I thank God for this honor and just recognition and my fans and it’s something that I always wanted,” he said. “Richard Pryor was my first introduction to wanting to be in the business.”

Describing Pryor and Eddie Murphy as inspirations, he said, “Just following what they’ve done in their career has allowed me to push forward in mine, so I’m very grateful and thankful.”

Of his friendship with Steve and Tracy, he said it “means so much,” adding they are “two people that tell the truth … and I respect them so much.”

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Matthew McConaughey, who in 2020 published his New York Times bestseller Greenlights, took to Instagram to promote a live self-help event.

The Oscar-winning actor is offering the public some of the life lessons he put in the book and some of the guidance he’s learned from “some of the wonderful mentors” he’s had over his 53 years.

He calls the event The Art of Livin’ and enthuses, “It’s like nothing I’ve ever done before.”

McConaughey, sitting casually between his beloved Airstream trailer and, perhaps predictably, a bongo, begins his pitch by saying, “You ever have the gut feelin’ that maybe you were meant for more, but you weren’t sure about the next best steps to achieve it? Me too.”

He continues, “I’m not talking about just more money, or more things. I’m talking about more love, more joy, more choice, more balance, more trust.”

“What’s your more?” he asks.

With the help of guests like Tony Robbins, Dean Graziosi, and other “really smart people,” McConaughey promises, “We’re gonna get under the hood and work out what the hell we’re doing there, and how we get where we really wanna go.”

“Now I’m not sayin’ I’ve got all the answers,” McConaughey says in the spot, “And I’m not saying I’m making straight As in all the areas of my life that we’re gonna be talking about.”

But, he says, “I do know this: We all need a roadmap.”

While the event is free, there’s also a VIP option for $47, with some of the proceeds buying meals for Feeding America. That gets people face time with the star via Zoom and an extended Q&A session with him and his guests.

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Judy Blume Forever, a documentary about the beloved, boundary-pushing children’s book author, hits Prime Video on April 21. The following week, the film adaptation of Blume’s Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret hits theaters. It wasn’t planned that way, but Judy Blume says she’s making the most of it.

“Well, it wasn’t my idea,” Blume tells ABC Audio. “The fact that both movies are coming out at the same time, almost — that wasn’t supposed to happen, but things happen.” She laughs, “I don’t know — I’m 85, why not enjoy it?”

The movie’s directors, Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok, agree: the more Judy, the better. “We love that Judy Blume is having a moment right now, and we love that the films are coming out at the same time,” says Wolchok. “I think they really complement each other.”

“I mean, you can get to know Judy’s life story and understand a little bit deeper into her perspective … and then to see this really loyal, beautiful, cinematic adaptation of her seminal work, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, a week later and share that with your kids — they’re a great double feature.”

In Judy Blue Forever, Blume tells her own story, but there’s also archival interview footage, commentary by famous fans like Molly Ringwald and excerpts from the thousands of letters that Blume’s received from readers over the years. We also hear from two of those young readers, who went on to correspond with Blume for decades.

“Even though so many of the details of our lives have changed … the feeling of being young and wondering, ‘Am I normal? … Why don’t my parents understand me?’… I think holds true for kids today,” says Pardo. “They don’t go away. And because Judy captured them so accurately, her books really still resonate with kids.”

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Three years after leaving The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Denise Richards is returning to Bravo franchise in a guest-starring role.

“I have filmed some episodes,” Richards told Variety while in Cannes to promote her new drama series, Paper Empire. “And it’s been fun. And you know, I’m a big fan of the show, so it was fun to go back and film a lot of stuff with them.”

“This all just happened recently on the spur of the moment,” said Richards, who attended a screening hosted by RHOBH‘s Garcelle Beauvais “like a real friend.”

“I didn’t tell anyone I was gonna be there. Production didn’t know. I just showed up…” she added. “The next day, I was asked to go to some events — and so it’s been actually fun.”

Richards left the show after two seasons amid a fight with Brandi Glanville and Lisa Rinna — who has since been ousted from from the show.

“When I left after my second season, I just felt as though some of the women were very toxic and they played so dirty,” Richards explained. “I understand there has to be drama, but I also think it’s fun to see women having fun, especially this age group.”

However, notes Richards, “I don’t think it’s a positive message to try and tear people down. You can have your opinions, but don’t try to tear people down. I don’t think it’s right. I mean, that part I don’t like.”

Richards’ says her game plan this second go-round is to just be herself. “You get a group of six to eight [to] 10 women together, your drama will come up, authentically. Leave it at that and have fun with it.”

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Ted Lasso‘s Hannah Waddingham will celebrate the holidays with her own Apple Original musical special, Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas, premiering later this year. The special, recorded live in front of an audience at the London Coliseum, will feature performances and musical numbers from the Emmy-winning actress, as well as special surprise guests…

Speaking of Ted Lasso, with the show reportedly about to end its run after three seasons, series star Juno Temple is already close to lining up her next big role. Sources tell Deadline she is in talks to co-star in Sony/Marvel’s Venom 3. Tom Hardy is set to return as the titular character, but that’s all that’s known about the project thus far. The first two films grossed a combined $1.36 billion worldwide…

Station 19 has been renewed for a seventh season at ABC, the network announced on Thursday. The Grey’s Anatomy spinoff, which follows a group of heroic Seattle firefighters as they put their lives and hearts on the line, stars Jaina Lee Ortiz, Jason George, Boris Kodjoe, Grey Damon, Barrett Doss, Jay Hayden, Okieriete Onaodowan, Danielle Savre and Miguel Sandoval. Station 19 airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC…

A modern-day remake of Girls Just Want to Have Fun, the cult 1985 romantic comedy dance movie that starred Sarah Jessica Parker and Helen Hunt, is in the works with Elizabeth Banks producing, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The original film centered on Janey and her new best friend Lynne — played by Parker and Hunt, respectively — who share a passion for dancing and the TV show “Dance TV.” They enter a competition to be a new “Dance TV” regular couple, although Janey’s father doesn’t approve. the cast also included Lee Montgomery, Jonathan Silverman, Ed Lauter and Shannen Doherty…

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