Entertainment

While the original Black Panther was hailed for bringing Black heroes to the forefront, its hit sequel, Wakanda Foreveris earning praise for a change of its antagonist’s origin to highlight Meso-American heritage.

Namor was one of Marvel Comics’ first characters back in 1939, and although he predated DC Comics’ Aquaman, Namor’s reign as the King of Atlantis was preceded in theaters by Jason Momoa‘s movie of the same name.

So director Ryan Coogler and Marvel Studios’ producer Nate Moore and president Kevin Feige reimagined Namor for Wakanda Forever as being the ruler of the Aztec-themed underwater world of Talokan. This meant more representation for actors of color, specifically Mexican-born Tenoch Huerta and Mabel Cadena, who respectively played Namor and his cousin and advisor, Namora.

Cadena gushed at a recent press event, “As a Mexican woman, a Latin American woman it’s like, ‘Oh my God, this is amazing!’ I’m very proud to be part of something like this, because it’s not just a superhero movie, you know?” She added, “Before, I never thought I could be a superhero. And now thanks Black Panther, thanks Ryan, Thanks Kevin, Nate. Lupita [Nyong’o], Letitia [Wright], Danai [Gurira], Chadwick [Boseman], I have this new opportunity to believe in me…!”

Huerta said changing Namor’s origins was “a fantastic move,” adding, “I hope this helps the people to embrace who they are, who we are. You know? [Everybody can] look at the mirror and see what is in the mirror is okay.”

The actor explains, “You know…almost everybody in Mexico is has indigenous or African roots. It’s about culture. You know, so culturally we are a part of indigenous roots. So [we now can] embrace those roots, and honor these two main sources.”

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

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Believe it or not, Leonardo DiCaprio is pretty close to kissing his 40s goodbye, and the who’s who of Hollywood showed up in Beverly Hills Friday night to help him ring in the big 4-8.

Page Six reports the likes of Leo’s fellow Oscar winners Bradley Cooper, Rami Malek, Jamie Foxx, Casey Affleck and Adrien Brody were on the guest list, as were living legends like Mick Jagger and LeBron James. Longtime pal Tobey Maguire was also on hand, as well as Ashton Kutcher and Rebel Wilson, among others.

Despite the star power, don’t expect to see anything but paparazzi shots from outside the event: All cellphone cameras were reportedly taken away from Leo’s guests to keep the celebration private.

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Jay Leno is reportedly receiving care at a Los Angeles burn center after suffering injuries to his face from a car fire.

TMZ reports the well-known car collector was in his massive Los Angeles garage when one of the autos burst into flames. The 72-year-old former Tonight Show and Jay Leno’s Garage host was reportedly burned on the left side of his face. The gossip site says Jay’s ear and eye were spared from injury.

In a statement to Variety, Leno clarified he suffered “some serious burns from a gasoline fire.”

The comedian added, “I am ok. Just need a week or two to get back on my feet.”

The trade reports that Leno was forced to cancel a Sunday night corporate gig for The Financial Brand in Las Vegas due to a “serious medical emergency,” but the organizers didn’t specify at that time what had happened.  

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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Jennifer Aniston is mourning the death of her actor father, John Aniston.

The Friends actress took to Instagram on Monday, Nov. 14, to share the news that her “sweet papa,” a soap opera legend, died recently at the age of 89.

“You were one of the most beautiful humans I ever knew,” she wrote in the heartfelt tribute, sharing photos of the two together throughout the years, from when she was a baby to more recent years.

“I am so grateful that you went soaring into the heavens in peace – and without pain. And on 11/11 no less! You always had perfect timing. That number will forever hold an even greater meaning for me now,” she continued. “I’ll love you till the end of time.”

Jennifer concluded her post telling her late father, “Don’t forget to visit.”

John started his acting career in 1962. He was best known for playing Victor Kiriakis on Days of Our Lives, a role he took on in 1985.

He received a Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award earlier this year for his Days of Our Lives role. He did not attend the 49th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards to accept the award, but Jennifer shared a moving tribute during the show that honored his career.

“For over 30 years, his dedication to that show has gained him respect and admiration of his fellow actors, deep friendships, and thrilled millions of fans around the world,” she said at the time. “His career is literally the definition of lifetime achievement.”

John Aniston also held roles in TV series including Combat!, Mission: Impossible, Search for Tomorrow, Kojak, and more throughout his career.

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Paramount + on Sunday debuted the teaser trailer for the new Yellowstone prequel 1923, starring Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford. The new original drama series, per the streamer, “will introduce a new generation of Duttons led by patriarch Jacob and matriarch Cara — played respectively by Ford and Mirren. The series will explore the early twentieth century when pandemics, historic drought, the end of Prohibition and the Great Depression all plague the mountain west, and the Duttons who call it home.” 1923 debuts on December 18 on Paramount+…

CBS has announced a first-ever three-hour crossover event between NCIS, NCIS: Hawai’i and NCIS: Los Angeles on January 2. Team members from the three NCIS divisions will converge in Washington, D.C., to celebrate a Federal Law Enforcement Training Center professor who taught multiple members from each squad, only to learn he’s been found dead of an apparent suicide. His former students, however, suspect foul play. The story begins at 8 p.m. with the NCIS episode “Too Many Cooks,” and continues with the NCIS: Hawai’i episode “Deep Fake” at 9 p.m., before wrapping up at 10 p.m. with the NCIS: Los Angeles story “A Long Time Coming”…

Budd Friedman, who founded The Improv comedy club franchise, and launched the careers of Jerry Seinfeld, Robin Williams and Billy Crystal, among others, died of heart failure Saturday in Los Angeles, the Hollywood Improv confirmed on Saturday. He was 90 years old. An outpouring of tributes came from comedians like Richard Lewis, who recalled, “In 1971, my father, a hero to me died young. I was lost and found by this man who was a veritable kingmaker for many young comedians.” Other comedians whose careers got a boost from Friedman included Jimmy Fallon, Larry David, Chris Rock, Keenen Ivory Wayans, David Brenner, Lily Tomlin, David Steinberg, Steve Landesberg and Dick Cavett…

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Dave Chapelle devoted a portion of his Saturday Night Live opening monologue to addressing Kanye “Ye” West‘s antisemitic comments and found himself in hot water with the Anti-Defamation League.

Chappelle began by stating, “I denounce antisemitism in all its forms. And I stand with my friends in the Jewish community,” before adding, “And that, Kanye, is how you buy yourself some time.”

Chappelle also discussed the controversy around Kyrie Irving, who recently was suspended from the Brooklyn Nets for at least five games after he shared a link to the documentary Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America — a film that is believed to contain antisemitic sentiments.

“He was slow to apologize,” said Chappelle, before stating, “The demands to get back in their good graces got longer and longer, and this is where I draw the line: I know the Jewish people have been through terrible things all over the world, but you can’t blame that on Black Americans. You just can’t.”

Chappelle went on to suggest that the “delusion that Jews run show business” is “not a crazy thing to think,” but “it’s a crazy thing to say out loud.”

Jonathan Greenblatt, the head of the Jewish civil rights organization, took to Twitter shortly after the show to accuse Chappelle of normalizing and popularizing antisemitism.

“Why are Jewish sensitivities denied or diminished at almost every turn? Why does our trauma trigger applause?” Greenblatt wrote.

Influencer Rabbi Josh Yuter tweeted, “the key point” of the monologue was that “there are double standards regarding who can say what about whom.”

The Jerusalem Post characterized the monologue as “engaging in antisemitic tropes,” while Adam Feldman of Time Out New York said the monologue “probably did more to normalize [antisemitism] than anything Kanye said.”

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While the anticipated sequel only officially opened Friday, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has already made nearly $60 million worldwide.

Ryan Coogler‘s Marvel Studios film opened on Wednesday and Thursday in a handful of overseas markets; foreign ticket sales, plus $31 million from Thursday sneak peeks Stateside, have pushed the movie’s take to $59.9 million as the movie heads into its debut weekend, Deadline reports.

The original Black Panther debuted to $192 million back in 2018 — the fifth-highest-grossing opening ever.

It remains to be seen if Wakanda Forever can top this year’s biggest debut, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which earned $182 million when it opened in May.

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

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The Toy Hall of Fame has announced this year’s inductees, and while its experts always look back at what people have played with over the years, this year they went way back — thousands of years, in fact.

That’s why the humble spinning top made the list this year — along with He-Man and the Masters of the Universe and the classic Lite-Brite.

Christopher Bensch, the chief curator at the Strong Museum of Play, which unveiled the winners, noted, “The top is one of the oldest toys and an integral part of many cultures, where it developed independently as a plaything. With more than 5,000 years of history behind it, it’s about time that the top spun its way into the National Toy Hall of Fame!”

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe began as an ’80s phenomenon, which recently saw a resurgence with new toys aimed at adult Gen Xers who grew up on the action figures and their cartoon tie-in. The well-muscled hero and his super-powered friends also came to Netflix in 2021 with the animated Masters of the Universe: Revelation; the streaming service previously reimagined the He-Man spin-off She-Ra, Princess of Power. A new live-action big-screen He-Man adventure is also in the works.

Curator Michelle Parnett-Dwyer, commented, “Masters of the Universe characters had the strength, weapons, and power to defeat the villain—and give kids confidence. He-Man, after-all, regularly asserted ‘I have the power!'”

Lite-Brite was launched in 1966, allowing kids to make mosaics using just light and colored pegs. “Hasbro [once] declared Lite-Brite a ‘magic light box,’ and that magic continues more than 50 years later,” noted curator Nicolas Ricketts.

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Camila Alves, the 40-year-old model wife of Matthew McConaughey, is modeling a not-so-enviable look on Instagram: posing in a neck brace for a photo, she told her followers she took a nasty spill down the stairs.

She explained, “I am OK but… Don’t fall people…don’t fall. Ladies hold your long dresses up or lose pants up when going by down the stairs!!”

The mother of three noted, “Wind blew mine as I was midair, pant fabric wrapped around my shoe and down the floor I went…A silly fall, turned into not so silly neck situation, recovery time ahead.”

Alves, who is Brazilian, also repeated the warning in her native Portuguese for her nearly 970,000 followers.

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ABC has released a tease of star and executive producer Ellen Pompeo‘s final episode as a series regular on Grey’s Anatomy. It will air when the long-running drama returns February 23.

“Last day,” her Dr. Meredith Grey says in the clip, which also shows her Grey Sloan colleagues toasting her.

“Meredith leaves Seattle to begin again,” a legend in the spot reads.

Thursday night’s episode saw Meredith emailing her letter of resignation; viewers previously learned she is bound for a new opportunity in Boston.

Pompeo had agreed to appear in eight episodes this 19th season; Deadline notes the February 23 episode will be the seventh, and she’s expected to return for the finale. She also may appear in future episodes, the trade explains, as well as contribute to the show’s voice-overs.

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