Matt Damon confirms cameo in Thor: Love and Thunder; calls Bennifer “true love”

Lorne Thomson/Redferns

Matt Damon has finally confirmed what everybody has pretty much known for a while now — he’ll be reprising his role as “actor Loki” from Thor: Ragnarok in the Marvel franchise’s upcoming fourth installment, Thor: Love and Thunder.

“I don’t know if it’s secret or not, though everybody knows.  I went down [to Australia] to shoot, and I think they sussed out, ’cause paparazzi took pictures of us, so that they sussed out what we were doing,” he said on SirusXM’s The Jess Cagle Show.

“We were kind of reprising a cameo that Luke Hemsworth [brother of Thor actor Chris Hemsworth] and I did in the last one,” Damon explained. “And we had a ball, and so [Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi] had us back again to kind of run that joke back and upgrade it a little bit.”

Damon also weighed in on his thoughts about Bennifer 2.0.

When asked if he was happy about longtime pal Ben Affleck rekindling his romance with Jennifer Lopez, Damon joked, “How else would I be? Like, would I be unhappy?”

“Like, I hate true love. It sucks. Yeah. Yeah. I wish them nothing, but you know, hardship,” he added sarcastically.

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‘Better Call Saul’ star Bob Odenkirk in stable condition after “heart-related incident”

Jesse Grant/Getty Images for AMC

Bob Odenkirk is in stable condition after experiencing a “heart-related incident” on set, a rep for the Better Call Saul star told ABC News Wednesday.

“He and his family would like to express gratitude for the incredible doctors and nurses looking after him, as well as his cast, crew and producers who have stayed by his side,” the rep said in a statement.  “The Odenkirks would also like to thank everyone for the outpouring of well wishes and ask for their privacy at this time as Bob works on his recovery.”

The 58-year-old actor collapsed while shooting the sixth and final season of the AMC series in New Mexico on Tuesday and was rushed to the hospital, according to a source.

No other details were immediately available.

Nate Odenkirk, the actor’s son, tweeted Wednesday evening that his father was “going to be okay.”

Odenkirk starred as Saul Goodman on Breaking Bad before going on to star in Better Call Saul, a spinoff prequel series focused on the scam artist-turned-lawyer.

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Director Jason Reitman dives deep into ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ trailer as new round of toys appear

Columbia Pictures

For Ghostbusters fans — particularly those wary of the infamous 2016 reboot later marketed as Ghostbusters: Answer the Call — the new trailer to Ghostbusters: Afterlife came as a relief. 

Fans already knew the original cast would return — in their original roles, unlike the reboot — but seeing Bill MurrayErnie HudsonDan Akykroyd, and the late Harold Ramis suited up in a vintage photo in the trailer brought all the feels back. 

Now Ghostbusters: Afterlife director Jason Reitman, the son of original Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II producer Ivan Reitman, has partnered with IGN for a deep dive into his new trailer, to show the pains all involved went through to pay honor to what he called the “original sauce” that made the first two films so special to fans. 

Among them, Reitman points out, are the props from the original two films that have been faithfully laser scanned and replicated for use in his film. Also making an appearance in the coming attraction is the “terror dog” as seen in the 1984 original — Reitman explains how their digital effects wizards replicated its wonky running that was due to the limitations of the effects at that time.

Reitman said of the project, “…I feel like I’m not really carrying the Spengler story, but I’m carrying my own family story,” adding he’s “thrilled to share it with everybody.” The filmmaker said, “It’s a movie that was made by a family about a family. My father and I cannot wait for you to see this in theaters.” 

Also debuting along with the trailer was a new line of toys from Hasbro Pulse, including action figures of McKenna Grace and Finn Wolfhard‘s characters and their friends, as well as the original Ghostbusters, all in their gear. 

Ghostbusters: Afterlife hits theaters in November.

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Emma Roberts hilariously responds to becoming a meme

Rich Polk/Getty Images for IMDb

Emma Roberts proved she can take a joke as well as anyone after a video she posted on Instagram over the weekend went viral.

The clip shows Roberts striking a glamorous pose while Lana Del Rey‘s “Happiness Is a Butterfly” plays.  At one point, the 30-year-old Scream Queens actress sticks out her tongue at the camera.

The video, which has over a million and a half likes, instantly went viral, with Twitter users adding captions like, “Me trying to get the barista at Pret to give me my coffee for free” and “me looking at myself before everyone else logs into the meeting.”

Emma responded by sharing a snippet of the video on her Instagram Stories, writing, “Me going viral after 30. Thank you gays and whoever else.”

This isn’t the first time Emma made a meme out of herself.  In 2013, when starring in American Horror Story: Coven, her character, Madison Montgomery, uttered a memorable line when revealing she was resurrected from the dead.

The scene where Emma remarks, “Surprise, b**** — I bet you thought you saw the last of me,” has since become a popular reaction image and gif on social media.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Emma Roberts (@emmaroberts)

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Jennifer Garner lines up for ‘Yes Day’ sequel as part of new Netflix deal

Netflix

Riding on the success of her popular family comedy flick Yes DayJennifer Garner is staying in business with Netflix not only for a sequel, but other films for the streaming giant. 

In a statement, Garner said Netflix chiefs Reed Hastings and Ted Sarandos “have built a safe, collaborative home for storytellers,” adding, “I am honored to join the awesome group of creatives in the Netflix family, and I am extremely excited to work with their passionate and innovative teams across all departments.”

In Yes Day, Garner and Edgar Ramirez played a married couple who decides to take their Torres family up on any whim by saying yes to anything and everything for a single day.

“Seeing Netflix’s global reach as the Torres family wreaked havoc in homes all over the world makes me eager to dive in with another Day of Yes; I can’t wait,” said Garner. 

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Wilmer Valderrama says new podcast was inspired by his dad’s COVID-19 battle

Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2021 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Wilmer Valderrama has lent his voice to projects including the hit kid’s show Handy Manny, and Disney/Pixar’s Onward, among others. But none are as personal to him as his latest podcast project. 

The That 70s Show veteran explained to Variety that his new series, Essential Voices, is dedicated to the essential workers and first responders who helped his father — and millions of others — battle through COVID-19. 

Valderrama’s father contracted the disease and suffered two minor heart attacks in the past year, the actor said, explaining of those who helped, “They showed up and helped my dad be with us for many more years.”

The NCIS star added, “I’m so thankful, and I want to make sure their voices are heard. That’s my small contribution back for what they’ve done for my family.”

His father is still recovering from the disease, “working through his respiratory stuff, and he’s still trying to get his stamina back,” Wilmer said. “He’s working out every day. I always joke with him that he reminds me of Stella because he’s trying to get his groove back.”

The Essential Voices podcast also hails those in the community who fought food insecurity throughout the pandemic, and others who are still doing what they can to save lives and raise spirits.

 

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‘Mythbusters’ props hitting auction block to benefit non-profit honoring late cast member Grant Imahara

Discovery

More than 80 authentic props from the landmark Discovery Channel science series Mythbusters are hitting the auction block, to benefit the Grant Imahara STEAM Foundation.

The non-profit was established after the engineer, robotics genius and former cast member after his untimely death in 2020, and “provides mentorships, grants and scholarships to underserved youth in the areas of science, technology, engineering, art and math.”

PropStore is handling the auction, which will let fans get their hands on items like the mechanical shark built by Imahara for 2008’s “Shark Week Special,” as well as Grant’s “Robo-cat” for the “Dog Myths” show, and spent rockets from various episodes, pieces of the poor crash test dummy/mascot Buster, and much more.

Many of the items were autographed by Grant’s friend and fellow Mythbuster Adam Savage, to boot.

The auction begins Friday, August 20 at noon Eastern time, and runs through Wednesday, September 1, 2021. To check out previews and register to bid at Propstore.com.

Imahara died one year ago this month of a previously undiagnosed intracranial aneurysm. He was 49.

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Not a ‘Nobody’: Twitter unites for a brief moment to wish Bob Odenkirk well

Universal

(NOTE LANGUAGE) As everyone knows, Twitter isn’t always the place to go to see any semblance of human unity, but it appears news that Bob Odenkirk collapsed on the Albuquerque set of Better Call Saul on Tuesday has managed to do the impossible.

There were the usual well-wishes from present and former fellow cast members, like his Better Call Saul co-star Michael McKean — who tweeted in part “You got this, brother!” — as well as an Instagram post from Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston, who asked for “positive thoughts and prayers” for the actor.

However, so many messages came from regular folks supporting the star that his name is trending on the social media service. 

“I do not pray but I will do it for Bob Odenkirk to please be ok,” tweeted one fan.

“If anything bad happens to Bob Odenkirk, I will fight God,” noted USA Today‘s Barbara VanDenburgh.

“if anything happens to bob odenkirk we blow up the f***ing moon,” offered another.

Yet another added, “hopefully he was just dehydrated or something i cannot deal w a world in which bob odenkirk is experiencing suffering.”

One Twitter user summed it up: “One small positive observation from this troubling news: can you imagine anyone being more universally loved/respected than Bob Odenkirk? Never seen the entire timeline unite and rally behind someone so quickly.”

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Never say never: Lisa Leslie on coaching in the Big3 League and possibly coaching for the NBA

Stacy Revere/Getty Images for BIG3

Lisa Leslie knows basketball. That’s why it wasn’t much of a surprise when the three-time WNBA MVP and four-time Olympic gold medal winner was able to lead her Big3 league team, the Triplets, to victory in 2019, in her first year as coach.

Leslie tells Essence magazine that coaching a Big3 men’s team wasn’t that big of shock to her as a woman.

“I only get reminded we’re different when it’s time for my guys to change clothes in the locker room,” Leslie says, joking about giving her players their privacy.

“And then the second time is only in media,” she continues. “People ask me the question about being a woman and I’m like, ‘Oh, what about it?’ because it really is basketball. We all play this sport at such a high level and after a while, it’s like screens and picks and rolls and certain strategies that we all know. And then it’s hard effort and fight and that don’t got nothing to do with being a woman or a man, you know? You either come in and you’re mentally strong about it or you’re not.”

Considering Leslie’s glowing track record, including helping to coach the WNBA All-Stars to victory against the Tokyo-bound U.S. national team, it’s been asked whether the former-basketball star has any interest in coaching for the NBA.

“I would never say that I’m not interested,” Leslie shares. “For me, I love being a wife and a mom and I feel like it’s about sacrifices and the age of my children. Obviously, I’ve had those opportunities when my kids were younger and I wasn’t willing to do that. Now as my kids get older and they understand the routine of the house it’s a possibility.”

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Lucy Liu addresses rumors she “stood up” to Bill Murray on ‘Charlie’s Angels’ set

ABC

Lucy Liu cleared the air about what really happened between her and Bill Murray on the set of Charlie’s Angels.   

Liu, who starred as Alex in the hit 2000 film, spoke with Los Angeles Times‘ Asian Enough podcast Tuesday and recalled the tumultuous relationship she had with Murray, who played Bosley. 

The Chinese-American actress said the two had an argument after she rehearsed a scene Murray was unable to join because he had to attend a “family gathering.”  When he returned, Liu said he began to “hurl insults” that “kept going on and on.”

“I was, like, ‘Wow, he seems like he’s looking straight at me,'” the Emmy nominee recalled. “I say, ‘I’m so sorry. Are you talking to me?’ And clearly he was, because then it started to become a one-on-one communication.”

Liu, who said she had “the least amount of privilege in terms of creatively participating” in the movie because “I was the last one cast,” didn’t tolerate the way Murray allegedly treated her.

“Some of the language was inexcusable and unacceptable, and I was not going to just sit there and take it,” the 52-year-old actress continued. “So, yes, I stood up for myself, and I don’t regret it. Because no matter how low on the totem pole you may be or wherever you came from, there’s no need to condescend or to put other people down. And I would not stand down, and nor should I have.”

Liu revealed that, several years after Charlie’s Angels hit theaters, cast members approached her and said “they were really grateful that I did that.”

“I have nothing against Bill Murray at all,” she clarified, saying they’ve run into each other since and been cordial. “But I’m not going to sit there and be attacked.”

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