Entertainment

Hilaria Baldwin has broken her silence over the deadly accidental shooting that occurred last Thursday, when her husband, Alec Baldwin, fired a pistol allegedly containing a live round, fatally striking cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring the film’s director. 

“My heart is with Halyna,” Hilaria said on Instagram. “Her husband. Her son. Their family and loved ones. And my Alec.”

“It’s said ‘There are no words’ because it’s impossible to express the shock and heartache of such a tragic incident,” Hilaria continued, concluding with, “Heartbreak. Loss. Support.”

Police are still investigating the incident on set of the Western Rust. It’s suspected that a live bullet was loaded into a pistol Baldwin fired while rehearsing for a scene, striking 42-year-old camera operator Hutchins and grazing director Joel Souza.  Alec Baldwin was also a producer of the movie.

The pistol that was used in the fatal scene was reportedly left on a cart by the movie’s armorer, 24-year-old Hannah Gutierrez Reed, and picked up and declared “cold” — or safe — by the film’s assistant director, Dave Halls, who told investigators he handed it to Baldwin before the incident.  Halls told police he didn’t know the pistol was loaded.

There were already safety concerns raised by crew members on the film’s New Mexico set, ABC News has learned. Gun safety concerns had been “brushed off” by its producers, a camera crew member told ABC News after the incident.

Producers are cooperating with local authorites’ investigation.

Only a week earlier, Hilaria Baldwin posted a photo of a smiling Alec in costume on the New Mexico set of the film. “Told ya I was gonna marry a cowboy soon,” she captioned it, adding a cowboy emoji.

 

 

 

 

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Kristen Stewart has been acting since she was 10, but the actress who rose to pop culture icon status with the Twilight films admits, “I’ve probably made five really good films.”

The actress told this to the Sunday Times, explaining she’s made dozens of films, but there aren’t many she’s still passionate about. “[O]ut of 45 or 50 films? Ones that I go, ‘Wow, that person made a top-to-bottom beautiful piece of work!,'” those are, “few and far between,” she admits.

Having said that, Stewart says she “doesn’t regret the experience” of working on any of her films. She explains, “I’ve only regretted saying yes to a couple of films and not because of the result, but because it wasn’t fun. The worst is when you’re in the middle of something and know that not only is it probably going to be a bad movie, but we’re all bracing until the end.”

For the record, two of those “four or five”good films include 2014’s Clouds of Sils Maria and 2016’s Personal Shopper, both thrillers directed by French filmmaker Oliver Assayas.

Stewart called her choices in the past “a total crapshoot,” but added she’s now acquired a “better nose for what’s going to be fruitful.”

That seems to have been the case with Spencer, in which she plays the late Princess Diana and that already has the one-time Twilight Razzie Award winner on the Oscars short list.

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Congratulations are in order for Jamie Chung and Bryan Greenberg, who announced they’ve welcomed twins!

Greenberg shared the happy news on Sunday, sharing a video of the two little ones snuggling on his chest. He captioned the clip, “We got double the trouble now @jamiejchung,” followed by two baby emojis. The gender of the children was not disclosed. 

Although Chung has yet to share the news on her own page, she commented a pair of red hearts under her husband’s post. Many of the couple’s famous friends also flooded the comments, including Mindy Kaling, who wrote, “Omg omg!!! Congrats!!,” comedian Chris D’Elia, who wrote, “ALL IS RIGHT!!!!!!! Congratulations!!!!,” and Hilary Duff, who commented, “Whaaaaaaaat!!!!!.”

Chung and Greenberg began dating shortly after they starred in Already Tomorrow in Hong Kong. They married three years later in 2015. 

 

 

 

 

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Within minutes of news that Star Wars prequel star Hayden Christensen would be co-starring in the live-action Disney+ series Ahsoka, that show’s star posted a sweet in-character greeting. 

Christensen, who played Anakin Skywalker in two prequel films, was already announced as a cast member of the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series starring Ewan McGregor, headed for Disney+. 

However, for fans, Christensen’s participation in Ahsoka was, to quote Palpatine, “a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one.”

Dawson, who played the live-action version of the Clone Wars animated series character Ahsoka Tano in The  Mandalorian, appeared to be champing at the bit to let the secret out. 

In a now-deleted Instagram post referencing The Hollywood Reporter‘s casting news, Dawson noted, “Skyguy, …They know!!! See you soon, Snips.” 

The names were nicknames the characters gave each other in the animated series; Skywalker was voiced by actor Matt Lanter, while Ashley Eckstein voiced Tano in her animated form. 

Tano was created by Clone Wars Emmy winning animator Dave Filoni, who is now an executive producer on The Mandalorian. She began as something of a hanger-on to the headstrong Jedi Skywalker, who reluctantly trains her, and has since evolved into a fan favorite.

Ahsoka should premiere on Disney+ sometime in 2022. 

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

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Dune, Denis Villenueve’s sci-fi epic starring Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Zendaya, Jason Momoa and Javier Bardem, topped the box office on its opening weekend, grabbing an estimated $40.1 million. The film, also available to stream on HBO Max, was predicted to make somewhere between $30-$35 million.

Dune, which opened internationally several weeks ago, has racked up an additional $180.6 million overseas.

Halloween Kills, last week’s #1, landed in second place, earning an estimated $14.5 million. It’s two-week total now sits at $73.1 million.

No Time to Die, in its third week of release, finished third with an estimated $11.9 million. The latest Bond flick has racked up $120 million here in the States and $405 million overseas.

Fourth place belongs to Venom: Let There Be Carnage, delivering an estimated 9.1 million. Its four-week total is now at $181.8 million. The Venom sequel added another $170.6 million internationally, bringing its worldwide tally to $352.4 million.

Rounding out the top five is this week’s only other major release: Ron’s Gone Wrong, the animated tale featuring the voices of Zach Galifianakis, Olivia Colman and Ed Helms. It earned an estimated $7.3 million, short of its predicted $10 million.

Wes Anderson‘s latest independent release, The French Dispatch, starring Bill Murray, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton and Timothée Chalamet, had an impressive opening, finishing in ninth place with an estimated $1.3 million.

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The cast and crew of Friends are mourning the loss of James Michael Tyler, The actor, who played Gunther on the hit sitcom, lost his battle with prostate cancer over the weekend. He was 59. 

Taking to Instagram Sunday evening Jennifer Aniston shared her condolences alongside a clip of a scene they had together on Friends. In the scene, Gunther confesses his love to Aniston’s Rachel, saying “I love you,” to which she responds, “I love you too,” before explaining that her love is more platonic than romantic. 

Alongside the snippet, the actress wrote, “Friends would not have been the same without you. Thank you for the laughter you brought to the show and to all of our lives. You will be so missed #JamesMichaelTaylor,” followed by the broken hearty emoji.

Courteney Cox, who played Monica on the series, also took to Instagram to pay tribute to Tyler, writing, “The size of gratitude you brought into the room and showed every day on set is the size of the gratitude I hold for having known you. Rest In peace James. [red heart emoji].”

News of Tyler’s death made waves after Friends producer Kevin Bright tweeted on Sunday, “James Michael Tyler Our Gunther passed away last night. He was an incredible person who spent his final days helping others. God bless you James, Gunther lives forever.”

The official Friends Twitter account also posted a tribute, writing, “Warner Bros. Television mourns the loss of James Michael Tyler, a beloved actor and integral part of our FRIENDS family. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, colleagues and fans.”

 

 

 

 

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Gretchen Carlson is returning to The View as guest co-host on Monday and Tuesday to talk “Hot Topics” as well as topics that are close to her heart.

The journalist has been advocating for women’s rights and workplace equality since becoming a #MeToo pioneer five years ago when she sued former Fox News CEO Roger Ailes for sexual harassment. She co-founded the organization Lift Our Voices, which aims to give a voice to those silenced by non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and arbitration clauses.

“It became my passion project,” she tells ABC Audio of Life Our Voices. “Because I had the personal experience, but also because I wanted to pay tribute to the thousands, maybe millions of women who have never had their voices heard.”

While Carlson says she never aspired to be the “poster child for sexual harassment,” she’s made the most of the role and has seen her work’s power when it comes to inspiring others, including her own two teenage children.

Her story has also had an effect on pop culture — she was portrayed by Nicole Kidman in the film Bombshell and by Naomi Watts in the mini-series The Loudest Voice. She calls the experience “surreal,” especially because her own NDA from Fox prevented her from consulting on either project.

“I can’t even tell you if they were accurate or not,” she says. “But I have to look at it high level and know that these projects help so many other people.”

The View airs at 11 a.m. ET on ABC.

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Jason Sudeikis returned to his old stomping grounds this past weekend, hosting Saturday Night Live for the first time since leaving the show in 2013.

In the show’s opening sketch, President Joe Biden — played by new SNL cast member James Austin Johnson — grapples with his falling poll numbers and wonders and longs for the old days, when the press used to like him.

He’s then visited by “The Ghost of Biden Past” — played by Sudeikis, reprising his Biden impersonation from from 2013 — who gives 2021 Biden a pep talk, reminding him he’s still “Joe Freakin’ Biden.”

Sudeikis’ monologue took a couple of sentimental turns, with a shout out to his two kids with ex-wife Olivia Wilde — Otis, seven, and Daisy, five — then to reflect on the “historic” Studio 8A and how it shaped his life.

The Ted Lasso star also joined Weekend Update anchors, Colin Jost and Michael Che, and dusted off his devil character, who bragged about some of his recent accomplishments, including Jost’s marriage to Scarlett Johansson.

Sudeikis’ devil also claimed responsibility for Florida, The Houston Astros, Tom Brady and Lil Nas X.

Later, Sudeikis revived his red sweatsuit-clad over-enthusiastic back up dancer, Vance, in Kenan Thompson‘s recurring sketch, “What’s Up with That,” joined by fellow SNL vet, Fred Armisen as the sax-playing Giuseppe.

Sudeikis was joined by musical guest Brandi Carlile.

Kieren Culkin, who stars in the HBO drama Succession, will host when SNL returns November 6.

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Actor James Michael Tyler, who played Gunther on Friends, has lost his battle with prostate cancer. He was 59.

Friends producer Kevin Bright tweeted the news on Sunday, writing, “James Michael Tyler Our Gunther passed away last night. He was an incredible person who spent his final days helping others. God bless you James, Gunther lives forever.”

The official Friends Twitter account also posted a tribute, writing, “Warner Bros. Television mourns the loss of James Michael Tyler, a beloved actor and integral part of our FRIENDS family. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, colleagues and fans.”

Earlier this year, Tyler revealed to NBC’s Today show that his fight against the illness left his lower body paralyzed, keeping him from participating in the recent HBO Max Friends reunion in person. He did appear via a video greeting. 

The actor told Today the cancer was at stage 4, and had spread to his bones. “So eventually, you know, it’s gonna probably get me,” he said.

He also explained his cancer worsened during the pandemic last year.

“I missed going in for a test, which was not a good thing,” he explained. “So the cancer decided to mutate at the time of the pandemic, and so it’s progressed.”

Some time ago, Tyler told ABC Audio he was “grateful” his character left such an impression on the sitcom.

“I got there, started with one word, and really no storyline whatsoever. You got to say ‘Yeah,'” he recalled.

“I believe the whole like ‘Gunther’s unrequited love for Rachel’ was only supposed to be about one or two episodes, but they kept that story arc for 10 years, which I’m very grateful for.”

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Lennie James has played Morgan Jones in The Walking Dead universe starting from the show’s pilot in 2010, and reappeared many times before transitioning to the spin-off show Fear The Walking Dead. 

Nobody’s more surprised by that than Lennie, he tells ABC Audio. “I started out just doing one episode and I’m not sure people believe me when I tell them that it genuinely was just one episode.”

James explains he was surprised when producer Gale Ann Hurd wanted him to be a permanent part of the series, but as a busy character actor, he wasn’t always available.

In Fear The Walking Dead, his character is now pitted against Colman Domingo‘s Strand, who has morphed from reluctant hero to formidable, megalomaniacal opponent.

“If someone had told me at the beginning that this is where it was going to go, I would have said I don’t believe it,” James noted. “It’s kind of snuck up on me and taken me by surprise.”

The journey of James’ character has taken Morgan from a mourning husband bent on revenge to a Zenned-out-seeming samurai-like figure, to something quite different nowadays.

“At each point there has been a new challenge, each point there’s been something that has been worth taking on and worth seeing what it was like with this guy,” he explains. “And he’s he’s never really kind of stopped challenging me, stopped surprising me and stopped interesting me, which is why I’m still here. I suppose doing it.”  

Fear The Walking Dead airs Sunday nights on AMC, and streams anytime on the AMC app.

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