Entertainment

The awards show isn’t until September, but Pose star Mj Rodriguez has already made Emmys history.

The actress was nominated for best actress in a drama series Tuesday morning, becoming the first trans actress to ever garner an Emmy nod in a leading acting category.

In 2014, Orange Is the New Black actress Laverne Cox became the first transgender person to ever be nominated for an acting Emmy; Rain Valdez, creator and star of the short Razor Tongue, became the second last year.  Neither Cox nor Valdez won.

Last year, Pose fans voiced their frustrations that the series’ transgender stars were snubbed on Emmy nominations day. Pose actor Billy Porter, however, was nominated for best actor in a drama series; Jeremy Strong of Succession went on to win the category.

Rodriguez has not yet commented on her groundbreaking nomination, though GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis called it “a long-overdue recognition for her groundbreaking performance.”

Ellis continued, “Additionally, the show’s nomination for outstanding drama series, as well as Billy Porter’s third nomination for outstanding lead actor in a drama series, mark a historic show that undoubtedly raised the bar for trans representation on television and changed the way viewers around the world understand the trans community.”

“As over 40 leading LGBTQ organizations pointed out in our open letter about Pose to Emmy Award voters [last month], representation matters. Congratulations, Michaela Jaé, Billy Porter, and the entire Pose team — the world is standing with you and applauding your talents.”

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Netflix’s The Crown and Disney+’s Star Wars series The Mandalorian led the field with 24 nominations for this year’s primetime Emmy Awards, which were just announced.

Following close behind is another Disney+ series, Marvel Studios’ first small-screen MCU spin-off, WandaVision, which earned 23. 

As previously predicted, this year’s Emmy nominations were a mix of surprises and sure things, with newcomers like WandaVision, Cobra Kai, and The Boys taking their places next to shows that were expected to be nominated, including Ted Lasso, This Is Us and Mare of Easttown. 

Emmy-winning father-daughter team Ron Cephas Jones from This Is Us and Blindspotting‘s Jasmine Cephas Jones read the nominees separately, but together via video — with some audio delay interrupting their cute father-daughter banter.

Here’s a list of the nominees in the major categories. Find the full list at Emmys.com.

The 73rd Emmys will be held live and in person from on Sunday, September 19 at 8 p.m. Eastern on CBS.

Outstanding Drama Series
The Boys (Amazon Prime Video)
Bridgerton (Netflix)
The Crown (Netflix)
The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
Lovecraft Country (HBO)
The Mandalorian (Disney+)
Pose (FX)
This Is Us (NBC)

Outstanding Comedy Series
black-ish (ABC)
Cobra Kai (Netflix)
Emily in Paris (Netflix)
Hacks (HBO Max)
The Flight Attendant (HBO Max)
The Kominsky Method (Netflix)
Pen15 (Hulu)
Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series
I May Destroy You (HBO)
Mare of Easttown (HBO)
The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix)
The Underground Railroad (Amazon Prime Video)
WandaVision (Disney+)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Sterling K. Brown – This Is Us
Jonathan Majors – Lovecraft Country
Josh O’Connor – The Crown
Regé-Jean Page – Bridgerton
Billy Porter – Pose
Matthew Rhys – Perry Mason

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Uzo Aduba – In Treatment
Olivia Colman – The Crown
Emma Corrin – The Crown
Elisabeth Moss – The Handmaid’s Tale
Mj Rodriguez – Pose
Jurnee Smollett – Lovecraft Country

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Anderson – black-ish
Michael Douglas – The Kominsky Method
William H. Macy – Shameless
Jason Sudeikis – Ted Lasso
Kenan Thompson – Kenan

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Aidy Bryant – Shrill
Kaley Cuoco – The Flight Attendant
Allison Janney – Mom
Tracee Ellis Ross – black-ish
Jean Smart – Hacks

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Paul Bettany – WandaVision
Hugh Grant – The Undoing
Ewan McGregor – Halston
Lin-Manuel Miranda – Hamilton
Leslie Odom Jr – Hamilton

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Michaela Coel – I May Destroy You
Cynthia Erivo – Genius: Aretha
Elizabeth Olsen – WandaVision
Anya Taylor-Joy – The Queen’s Gambit
Kate Winslet – Mare of Easttown

Outstanding Variety Talk Series
Conan
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Outstanding Competition Program
The Amazing Race
Nailed It
RuPaul’s Drag Race
Top Chef
The Voice

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Ahead of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s upcoming third Spider-Man movie, Zendaya is weighing in on the possibility of a fourth installment.

Speaking recently with E! News, the 24-year-old actress — who stars as Spider-Man’s, a.k.a. Peter Parker’s, love interest, Michelle “MJ” Jones — admitted she has no idea what’s next. 

Confirming that the third movie, Spider-Man: No Way Home, recently wrapped filming, Zendaya expressed, “It was so much fun. It was just kind of bittersweet.”

The upcoming Space Jam: A New Legacy star added that neither she nor the cast “know if we’re going to do another one, like, is it just going to be three and done?”

“Normally you do three movies and that’s pretty much it,” Zendaya explained. “I think we just were all absorbing and taking the time to just enjoy the moment being with each other and being so grateful for that experience.”

Noting she did the first movie when she was 19, the actress continued, “It’s pretty special to have grown up all together and be apart of another legacy.”

“There’s been so many different Spideys before us,” Zendaya added, referencing the past Spider-Man incarnations played by Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. She feels “very, very lucky” to have been part of the latest Spider-Man franchise, which stars her rumored boyfriend Tom Holland as the webslinger.

Spider-Man: No Way Home swings into theaters December 17.  

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

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Drake Bell is spending some quality time with his son after being sentenced Monday to two years probation and 200 hours of community service for improper conduct with an underage girl. 

Shortly after the virtual sentencing, the 35-year-old former star of Nickelodeon’s Drake & Josh went on Instagram Live and played the piano and sang while his son sat on his lap, ETOnline reports.

“Father Son jam sesh,” he captioned the video, which appears to have been deleted. 

Bell, whose birth name is Jared Drake Bell, was indicted in May on charges stemming from an interaction with a then-15-year-old girl in December of 2017. He initially entered a not guilty plea before deciding to take a deal, pleading guilty to attempted endangering children, a fourth-degree felony, and disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, a first-degree misdemeanor.

Following Monday’s sentencing, Bell’s attorney’s issued a statement on his behalf.

“Today’s plea and sentence reflect conduct for which Mr. Bell did accept responsibility,” the statement reads. “The victim’s allegations that went beyond that which all parties agreed, not only lack supporting evidence but are contradicted by the facts learned through extensive investigation. As the court made clear, this plea was never about sexual misconduct or sexual relations with any person, let alone a minor. Sexual registration was not imposed as Mr. Bell did not plead guilty to any such offense.”

The statement concludes, “Drake and his family are relieved and grateful to have this matter behind them. He looks forward to, once again, performing for all his supportive fans around the world.”

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Eli Roth is known for his horror films like Hostel and Knock Knock, but he tells ABC Audio the “scariest” film he’s ever done is the new documentary Fin. 

Co-produced by Leonardo DiCaprio and released today as part of Discovery’s Shark Week, Fin took Roth behind the scenes of the environmentally disastrous commercial shark fishing industry. 

The documentary maintains that 100,000,000 sharks are slaughtered every year, for use in products from shark fin soup to lipstick. “I didn’t want to be another kind of Hollywood person with a cause,” he insists to ABC Audio. “I just couldn’t believe what was happening.”

He explains it was, “a chance for me to make the scariest movie I’ve ever made because it’s real…you don’t even have to try and make it scary,” Roth insists. “You just have to show what’s happening.”

Roth found that out straightaway, in a scene reminiscent of one his most famous characters, who dispatched Nazis with a baseball bat. “When I got out on the sea the first day of shooting, they killed a Mako shark with a bat. I thought, ‘Wow, this is crazy because I’m so known for that scene in Inglourious Basterds and now I’m watching a shark get beaten to death with a bat…”

A swim with sharks to confront his fears changed his life. “You’re coming from this place of ‘This thing wants to eat me,’ to, ‘Oh, my God, this thing reminds me of my dog.”

The movie fan says, “You know, the most famous horror film of all time is Jaws. And it’s certainly time to show the other side. And I really wanted to make a film that just put into context just how necessary sharks are and how what we’re doing to them is so completely insane.”  

Roth urges those who want to seek an end to the global shark trade to visit FinTheMovie.com, where they can find information to contact their representatives in government.

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Kyle Massey, known for playing Cory Baxter in Disney Channel shows That’s So Raven and Cory in the House, has been hit with an arrest warrant stemming from a case where he stands accused of sending pornographic material to an underage girl.

TMZ reports that Massey, 29, failed to appear at his scheduled court date in King County, WA, on Monday.  Because the actor missed his court date and allegedly did not respond to the summons, a judge signed a $100,000 warrant for his arrest.

This is the second arraignment Massey missed, as he also was absent from the first court appearance set for late June.

Massey’s lawyer, Lee Hutton, spoke with TMZ and said that the actor’s team tried to communicate with the court, but did not hear back.  The claim was denied by a member of the King’s County, Washington, District Attorney’s Office.

The representative said, not only did Massey fail to communicate with the court, “Mr. Massey, nor any representatives of him, have filed anything in the Court docket.”

The D.A.’s rep added, “It is possible that Mr. Massey’s attorney is calling the wrong office. It’s also worth noting that Mr. Massey previously acknowledged the filing of the case in past media articles since the first arraignment date, which also included today’s new arraignment date. There’s no misrepresentation here. Quite simply, Mr. Massey did not appear in court.”

Massey, who maintains his innocence, faces 1 charge of communication with a minor for immoral purposes. 

The alleged victim said she was 13 when she reached out to the former Disney star in November 2018 after learning of a potential Cory in the House reboot and wanted to audition.  She claims he texted her explicit material in the form of images, videos and written communications.

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20 years ago today, the beloved comedy Legally Blonde hit theaters, with Reese Witherspoon winning over audiences as Elle Woods, a sorority girl seeking to overcome stereotypes while earning a law degree. In honor of the film’s big 2-0, here are five fascinating facts about the film:

1. The film is based on a true story.
   Before Legally Blonde the movie, there was Legally Blonde the book, written by Amanda Brown, who drew from her real-life experiences at Stanford Law School.
    
2. Reese Witherspoon almost didn’t get the lead role of Elle.
   Christina Applegate was also in the running but she turned it down, stating that she didn’t want to play another stereotypical blonde character. “What a stupid move that was, right?” she told ET before adding that Reese did a “much better job than I ever could.”
    
3. The iconic “bend and snap” moment was created during a drunken night out.
   While at a bar in Los Angeles trying to come up with a scene for Jennifer Coolidge’s character, Paulette, lead writer Karen McCullah asked co-writer Kirsten “Kiwi” Smith, “What if Elle shows [Paulette] a move so she can get the UPS guy?” Smith then spontaneously came up with what we know now as the “bend and snap.”
    
4. Legally Blonde made its way to the theatre.
   There were Broadway and West End musicals based on the film. Its London West end production won several awards, including the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Musical.
    
5. The movie almost had a very different ending.
   The current version ends with Elle delivering a speech at her Harvard Law School graduation, but the first cut actually ended at the courthouse. After winning her case, she shares a kiss with Emmett (Luke Wilson) and then it cuts to Elle and a blonde Vivian Kensington (Selma Blair) opening their own blonde legal defense club in law school. It was changed because of test audiences.

As Legally Blonde celebrates turning 20, a third installment is currently in the works and slated for a May 2022 release —  plenty of time for fans to give the original movie another view. 

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The pandemic year’s best of the best in television will be hailed at 11:30 a.m. Eastern time Tuesday, when the nominations for the 73rd Emmy Awards are revealed. 

Emmy winning father-daughter team Ron Cephas Jones from This Is Us and Blindspotting‘s Jasmine Cephas Jones will do the honors. Nominations will stream live at on Emmys.com.

The pandemic year devastated the entertainment industry, with shutdowns and delays that took sure-bets like Better Call Saul, Stranger Things and Ozark out of the running for this year. 

While locked-down viewers meant big numbers for Marvel Studios’ first small-screen spin-off WandaVision, many predict the show will enchant Emmys voters — particularly for scene stealer Kathryn Hahn as Agnes/Agatha Harkness. 

Another all-but-sure nominee in the Limited Series category is HBO’s Mare of Easttown and its lead, Emmy and Oscar winner Kate Winslet. Ditto goes for Netflix’s Golden Globe-winning The Queen’s Gambit. 

The void left by some shows could mean Disney+’s other major release, The Mandalorian, could return to the Emmy stage this year, with a better shot at the Best Drama category than it previously had. In the comedy category, Jason Sudekis‘ AppleTV+ show Ted Lasso seems another sure thing, seeing as Schitt’s Creek swept the category last year.

Other favorites going into Tuesday’s announcement include Netflix’s steamy Bridgerton and HBO’s acclaimed-but-ultimately cancelled Lovecraft Country. 

The 73rd Emmys will be held live and in person from on Sunday, September 19 at 8 p.m. Eastern on CBS.

Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

The Bachelorette continued Monday with one suitor’s shocking and heartbreaking exit, leaving the rest of the men doubting where they stand with Katie.

The episode started with a friendly competition for the remaining 12 men, cooked up by Katie and mentors Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe.  The three wanted to find out who among the suitors — to borrow a phrase from a classic Seinfeld episode — was “the master of his own domain.”

Dubbed “Operation: WOWO,” the men made a promise to refrain from “self-care” for the remainder of the competition.

Back to the real business at hand, Justin got the first one-on-one date — a dress rehearsal of sorts for their potential big day in which he and Katie had to write and recite their wedding vows.

Katie admitted the date was tough for her and tearfully explained that her dad, whom she’d lost to cancer, could not give her away.  She also revealed that she’d learned shortly before his death that he was not her biological father.  Despite her real father’s attempt to reach out, Katie said he could never replace the man who raised her.

Justin’s promise to support Katie and be there for her “no matter what,” along with his ability to listen to her, resonated with her.  Katie believed his caring nature would make him a great husband and awarded him the date rose.  Afterwards, they slow-danced to MAX performing his song, “Butterflies.”

Next, Katie enlisted RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars winners Shea Couleé and Monét X Change in a group date that engaged Blake, Andrew, Michael A., Greg, Aaron, Mike P., Brendan, James, Tre and Hunter in a “great royal debate” to prove why they deserved to remain in the competition with Katie, instead of the other suitors.

When pressed to pick the man they thought was the least compatible with Katie, Hunter was the unanimous choice, arousing her suspicions.  Later, at the after-party, James, Tre and Aaron used their time with Katie to try and cast more doubt in her mind about Hunter’s character, leaving the bachelorette confused and sick to her stomach — literally.  She abruptly ended the date, informing the men that they would not be getting a rose.

Another one-on-one date, this time with Connor B., started out with a special double date featuring Bristowe and her fiancé Jason Tartick.  Beforehand, Katie admitted that she and Connor are still in the “friend-zone” and hoped the date would change that.  After one last kiss between the two failed to ignite a “spark,” Katie informed Connor he would be going home.

In a break with tradition, Connor personally told the remaining suitors he was leaving, leading to an emotional goodbye that left them all shell-shocked because the Tennessee-based math teacher was once considered the one to beat.  His departure caused everyone to doubt their own futures with Katie.

The tension grew more intense after Katie canceled the pre-rose ceremony cocktail party, revealing she’d already made up her mind.  Fed up with the drama, she sent James, Tre, Aaron and Hunter home.

The Bachelorette airs Monday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

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