Entertainment

It’s official! People‘s magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive” 2022 is Chris Evans. 

The news was announced on Monday night’s episode on ” href=”https://digital.abcaudio.com/www.youtube.com/embed/erlZXAHuECI” title=”YouTube video player” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen>” rel=”noopener noreferrer” target=”_blank”>The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Although Evans, wasn’t able to appear live in studio, a short skit played featuring 2016’s “Sexiest Man Live” Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson delivering the exciting news to the Capitan America star. 

In the clip, Johnson seems perplexed by the idea that he had to give up the title after his year, stating “I never gave the title up… I’m sexiest man alive in perpetuity.”

After agreeing that Johnson is both still alive and sexy, the two agree to share the title. Prompted to then “say something sexy,” Evans says, “Go vote tomorrow.”

In an interview with People, the 41-year-old actor joked that the title “is tough to be interviewed about.”

“It feels like a weird form of humble bragging,” he said.

However, one person that will be excited to boast about Evans’ new title is his mother Lisa. 

“My mom will be so happy,” he shared. “She’s proud of everything I do, but this is something she can really brag about.”

When it comes to the Boston native’s friends, though, he’s prepping for some kindhearted teasing, telling the magazine, “Really this will just be a point of bullying. It’s ripe for harassment.”

Nonetheless, Evans is sure this moment is one that he’ll look back on warmly. 

“It’s something that as I become old and saggy I can look back on and say ‘I remember then…’ ” he said. “I’m lucky to be in the discussion in any capacity.”

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EGOT winner and Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda has jumped aboard another Disney project. Disney+ announced on Monday that the Mary Poppins Returns star will play the messenger god Hermes in the Disney+ project Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

Miranda was shown smiling on set, standing next to a director-style chair with both the title of the show and his character name.

Disney+ says of the guest role, “The messenger god who looks out for travelers and thieves and is a bit of a trickster himself. He is charismatic & boisterous, the life of the party. Unfortunately, his charm does not do much to heal his strained relationship with his son, Luke. He’s hesitant to help Percy and his friends on their quest as sometimes getting involved is more trouble than it’s worth.”

Percy Jackson and the Olympians, based on Rick Riordan‘s bestselling Percy Jackson books, stars The Adam Project‘s Walker Scobell as a yong man who discovers he’s the titular son of the Greek god Poseidon.

Adam Copeland — best known as WWE Hall of Famer Edge, Silicon Valley‘s Suzanne Cryer and The Flash‘s Jessica Parker Kennedy were recently added to the series, with Copeland recurring as Ares, the god of war. Cryer will guest star as Echidna, the mother of monsters, and Kennedy will guest star as Medusa, the infamous gorgon. Megan Mullally, Jason Mantzoukas, Virginia Kull, Glynn Turman and Timm Sharp will also star.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

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Following Dahmer: Monster‘s success of becoming one of the biggest hits in Netflix’s history, the streaming service wants more. ABC Audio has confirmed that there are two more Monster shows in the works, produced again by Ryan Murphy.

The future installments of Monster “will tell the stories of other monstrous figures who have impacted society,” according to the streamer.

Additionally, the American Horror Story veteran’s other Netflix show, the thriller The Watcher, has been re-upped. That series follows a family that moves into a home in a peaceful New Jersey neighborhood that turns out to be anything but.

In a statement, Bela Bajaria, head of global TV for Netflix, said, “Audiences can’t take their eyes off Monster and The Watcher. The creative team of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan on Monster along with Eric Newman on The Watcher are masterful storytellers who captivated audiences all over the world. The back-to-back force of these two series is due to Ryan’s distinct original voice which created cultural sensations and we are thrilled to continue telling stories in the Monster and Watcher universes.”

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Rebel Wilson is a mom.

The Pitch Perfect star shared a photo of her newborn daughter, Royce Lillian, on Instagram Monday, writing that the baby is a “beautiful miracle.”

“Beyond proud to announce the birth of my first child, Royce Lillian, born this past week via surrogate,” Wilson wrote in the post’s caption, alongside a snap of the newborn. “I can’t even describe the love I have for her.”

“I am forever grateful to everyone who has been involved, (you know who you are), this has been years in the making,” she added. “But particularly wanted to thank my gorgeous surrogate who carried her and birthed her with such grace and care. Thank you for helping me start my own family, it’s an amazing gift. The BEST gift!!”

Last year, Wilson opened up about her struggle with fertility, telling fans on Instagram that she feels for women who are also struggling with having children.

“The universe works in mysterious ways and sometimes it all doesn’t make sense,” she said at the time. “But I hope there’s light about to shine through all the dark clouds.”

In her Instagram post on Monday, the actress is embracing motherhood and said she is “ready to give little Roycie all the love imaginable.”

“I am learning quickly,” she added. “Much respect to all the Mums out there! Proud to be in your club.”

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On Monday, Lucasfilm officially announced that the forthcoming Star Wars series The Acolyte just got underway in the United Kingdom and shared who will be joining Amandla Stenberg in the show bound for Disney+.

Lucasfilm also released a behind-the-scenes snap of Stenberg on set with just-revealed co-star Lee Jung-jae, Emmy winner from Squid Game, and writer and executive producer Leslye Headland.

Alongside the The Hate U Give star and Lee will be The Matrix series veteran Carrie-Ann Moss; Logan and His Dark Materials‘ Dafne Keen; Queen & Slim‘s Jodie Turner-Smith; Charlie Barnett from Russian Doll; 1917‘s Dean-Charles Chapman; and Inventing Anna‘s Rebecca Henderson.

According to Lucasfilm, “The Acolyte is a mystery-thriller that will take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era” — the latter referring to about 200 years before the start of the Skywalker saga.

The studio continues, “A former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes, but the forces they confront are more sinister than they ever anticipated.”

Headland is both writing and executive producing the show, in addition to directing the series pilot.

The Acolyte‘s release date is not yet known.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

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Netflix announced Monday that it’s turning the bestselling video game series Gears of War into not one but two original shows.

The streaming service will begin production on both a live-action film set in the world of the sci-fi shooter and an adult animated series set in the same universe.

Calling the Gears of War series “one of gaming’s richest and most acclaimed sagas,” the streaming service sets the scene for the uninitiated. “A society divided and on the brink of collapse faces total extinction by the Locust, a monstrous threat from below. Delta Squad, a ragtag fireteam led by disgraced sergeant Marcus Fenix, is now charged with leading humanity’s last stand.”

The series has won critical acclaim and a legion of fans; to date, more than 40 million copies have been sold.

Incidentally, there’s no word on whether Dave Bautista, a superfan who once called Fenix “a dream role” — and whose face and voice could be swapped for the original star, John DiMaggio, in Gears 5 thanks to fan demand — is involved.

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Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds took to Instagram to try to tamp down fans’ expectations for the pair’s forthcoming holiday movie, Spirited.

In trying to promote the film, Reynolds opened by grousing, “Ugh. This sucks. Do you have any idea what it’s like to be in a Will Ferrell Christmas movie that’s not Elf?”

He disagrees with Ferrell that people will be expecting the 2003 Jon Favreau-directed classic. “Instead, they’re getting a musical movie from two guys with questionable pitch.”

Ferrell continued, “Some simple disclaimers: Hey, everyone: Spirited is not Elf. It’s not Deadpool either. It is a musical. It is funny. Anything else?” he asks his dejected co-star.

Reynolds replies, “It’s on Apple TV+.”

“Where the hell is that?!” Ferrell exclaims.

Spirited debuts in theaters November 11 and on the streaming network November 18.

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On social media Monday, Chris Evans and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson teased the start of production on their upcoming Amazon Studios holiday movie Red One.

“Callum Drift and Jack O’Malley, Evans said of Rock and his respective characters. “We’re already having WAY too much fun on this one,” the Marvel movie veteran said, adding in parentheses, “I can’t believe I’m finally doing a Christmas movie!”

Johnson is decked out in a red-and-black leather, superhero-like get up, and Evans is dressed more casually as they pose in what looks like a museum gift shop.

For his part, The Rock posted the same photo, explaining, “Chris and I have been waiting to make a Christmas movie our entire careers and now finally, the trouble begins…Our director, Jake Kasdan has been in inspired form to deliver a very special, one of a kind CHRISTMAS franchise for you and your families around the world to enjoy,” adding Kasdan directed him in both the Jumanji reboot and its hit sequel. “Let’s get to work,” Johnson concluded.

The plot of the film is still under wraps, but was born from an idea from Hiram Garcia, one of Johnson’s partners at his Seven Bucks production company.

Red One will also star Lucy Liu, Kiernan Shipka and Nick Kroll, with JK Simmons and Bonnie Hunt just added, respectively, as Santa and Mrs. Claus.

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In a wide-ranging conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Sylvester Stallone reveals some mistakes he made in his career and in his life.

The 76-year-old star admitted, “I feel very immature… The older I get, the more I try to embrace my inner kid.”

Stallone noted, “In the beginning of my career, I was celebrating the fact that I had made it to the point of obnoxiousness….When I look back on my quotes, I think, ‘God, a little humility would’ve been nice’…”

The Rocky icon admitted to career missteps in the 1990s, most notably, the infamous action comedy Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot! He told the trade, “I felt as though I wasted a lot of time….When you’re young, you’re just haphazardly shooting wildly and hope you hit something. Now you don’t have the luxury of missing – especially with the family and the kids.”

Stallone added, “I find that to be my biggest regret. Everyone goes, ‘I wish I’d shown love more’ or ‘I wish I’d spent more time with the kids.’ I’m riding that boat.”

The star also referenced his recent breakup — and subsequent make-up — with his wife of 25 years, Jennifer Flavin Stallone, speaking on, “how rare a real good relationship is.” He said, “Sometimes I put the work ahead of [my family], and that is a tragic mistake which won’t happen again.”

Stallone also mentioned those big projects that he could have done, including Arthur and Pulp Fiction. “Witness killed me,” he said of the 1985 movie that starred Harrison Ford in the lead instead.

He said of turning down a Rambo IV — a follow-up to the 1988 third film, a $34 million paycheck at the time, “Oh boy, what an idiot. Now I think about that and … wow.”

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With Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hitting theaters Friday, ABC Audio is taking a deep dive into the lore of the MCU character, with some trivia. The questions range in difficulty from Casual to Super Fan, so if you’re ready, imbibe of the Heart-Shaped Herb and give it your best!

Casual Fan
Q: In what Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film did Chadwick Boseman make his debut as T’Challa/Black Panther?
A: Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Average Fan
Q: Prior to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, in how many MCU films does the Black Panther character appear?
A: Four: Captain America: Civil War (2016); Black Panther (2018); Avengers: Infinity War (2018); and Avengers: Endgame (2019).

Super Fan
Q: How much money has Black Panther grossed worldwide, to date?
A: $1.347 billion.

Bonus Question

Q: Where does Black Panther rank on the list of all-time highest-grossing films in North America, not adjusted for inflation?
A: Sixth, with $700,426,566 (according to BoxOfficeMojo.com).

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

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