Entertainment

Virgil Abloh, the founder of fashion brand Off-White and the first African American to serve as artistic director for Louis Vuitton, has died at age 41 after a long battle with a cancer.

Abloh had been battling cardiac angiosarcoma “privately” since 2019 before succumbing to the disease, according to a statement from Abloh’s verified Instagram page. Cardiac sarcoma is a rare type of primary malignant heart cancer.

“Through it, all, his work ethic, infinite curiosity, and optimism never wavered. Virgil was driven by his dedication to his craft and to his mission to open doors for others and create pathways for greater equality in art and design … He often said, ‘Everything I do is for the 17-year-old version of myself,’ believing deeply in the power of art to inspire future generations.” the Instagram post continued.

Abloh was considered a groundbreaker for Black fashion designers, according to fashion industry insiders. He was also a DJ, a musician and a furniture designer, according to his art studio’s website.

The Illinois native previously served as a creative director for fellow Illinois native, rapper Kanye West. With West, he designed the cover for Kanye and Jay-Z‘s album, Watch the Throne.

After gaining experience interning at Fendi and working with West, he started his own luxury streetwear brand, Off-White LLC. He collaborated with other brands including Nike, Ikea and Evian, and also designed a wedding gown for Justin Bieber‘s wife, Hailey Bieber.

Abloh sold a 60% stake in Off-White to LVMH this year, giving him an expanded role in the company and made him what some considered one of the most powerful Black executives in the luxury fashion industry.

Abloh is survived by his wife Shannon Sundberg and two children, Grey Abloh and Lowe Abloh, his sister Edwina Abloh, and his parents, Nee and Eunice Abloh.

 

 

 

 

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A little more than a week before a new, Steven Spielberg-directed version of West Side Story — one of his most famous works — is set to hit the big screen, composer Stephen Sondheim has died. The giant of musical theater died Friday at his home in Roxbury, CT. He was 91.

Marianne Elliott, the director of the current Broadway revival of Company, Sondheim’s 1970 musical, tweeted, “We have lost the Shakespeare of musical theater. He was the most generous collaborator with the greatest spirit. The joy of working with him was that he knew theater could and should evolve with time. He was always open to the new.”

Considered one of the most influential composers and lyricists of the 20th century, Sondheim’s works included A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, West Side Story, Gypsy, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sunday In the Park with George, Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd and many more.

Five of his shows won the Tony for best musical, while six won the Tony for best original score. Sunday In the Park with George won the 1985 Pulitzer Prize for drama.  Sondheim’s accolades also included eight Grammys, plus an Oscar for writing “Sooner or Later,” which Madonna recorded for the soundtrack of the movie Dick Tracy.

In 1993, Sondheim won the Kennedy Center Honors, and in 2015, President Obama gave him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.  In 2010, a Broadway theater was renamed in his honor.

Among the stars paying tribute to Sondheim on social media: Barbra Streisand, Hugh Jackman, Josh Gad, Idina Menzel, Elaine Paige, Lea Salonga and Josh Groban.

A statement from the Broadway League reads, “It is nearly impossible to measure Stephen Sondheim’s impact on the world of musical theater. During a career that spanned nearly 65 years he created music and lyrics that have become synonymous with Broadway…It is hard to imagine Broadway without him, but we know his legacy will live on for many years to come.”

According to the New York Times, Sondheim is survived by his husband, Jeffrey Romley, whom he married in 2017, and a half-brother, Walter Sondheim.

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Andrew Garfield can be seen on Netflix in Lin-Manuel Miranda‘s musical film Tick…Tick…Boom!, and he can also now be seen absolutely losing his mind on NetflixGeeked’s social media. And it’s all thanks to a greeting from the cast of the streaming service’s Emmy-nominated Cobra Kai. 

The Oscar-nominated actor has said he became “obsessed” with the Karate Kid spin-off series, telling Netflix he unfortunately “had to put that on the shelf” because of how long he’s been waiting for the forthcoming forth season. 

To get him through, Netflix set up surprise video greetings to Garfield from Cobra Kai‘s Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Jacob Bertrand, Mary Mouser and Peyton List.

Via a split-screen, you can see Garfield, arms occasionally flailing, as he nerds out hard while the cast members thank him for being such a “superfan.”

Afterwards, Garfield wiped away happy tears, saying “They know I exist.” Clearly moved, he observed, “My body feels like Christmas.” 

“Forget season four,” he laughs. “That’s gonna keep me going for years.”

Fortunately, he won’t have to wait that long: Season 4 of Cobra Kai is set to be released December 31.

(Cobra Kai video contains uncensored profanity.)

 

 

 

 

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Yes, the holidays are a magical time, but one guy is about to show you that with a Thanksgiving special that incorporates some actual magic.

Magician Adam Trent, aka The Futurist, has appeared on America’s Got Talent and on his own show The Road Trick on Netflix. Now he’s using his talents to make everyday people’s dreams come true, courtesy of  The Magic Maker, airing Thursday night on ABC.

On the show, Trent will use magic to do things like have a soldier “magically” reappear to his family after serving overseas, and help a guy “walk on water” for a special marriage proposal. He also helps surprise attendees at a firefighter’s retirement party and helps a pediatrician delight and mystify his young patients.

Trent says he’ll go undercover and use his skills to “create the biggest and most emotional moments” of these folks’ lives.

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Will Smith narrates the trailer for Bel Air, the new coming-of-age series he is executive-producing that’s inspired by his iconic show Fresh Prince of Bel Air. “This is a story all about how my life got flipped and turned upside down,” he says in the promo. Bel Air will premiere on Peacock in 2022.

Halle Berry leads the Thanksgiving weekend TV/film lineup with her directorial debut, Bruised. The Oscar winner stars as a washed-up MMA fighter attempting a comeback. Bruised premieres Wednesday on Netflix.

Kevin Hart makes his dramatic series debut in True Story. The Think Like a Man star portrays the world’s most famous comedian in the seven-episode series. Wesley Snipes plays his older brother, and they face a life-or-death situation. True Story premieres Wednesday on Netflix.

The documentary DMX: Don’t Try to Understand premieres Thursday at 8 p.m. ET on HBO, and also will stream on HBO Max. The film focuses on when the late Earl “DMX” Simmons was released from prison in January 2019 after serving one year for tax fraud. On Wednesday, DMX received a posthumous Grammy nomination in the Best Rap Song category for “Bath Salts” with Jay-Z and Nas.

Kelly Rowland is reprising her role as Jacquie Liddle in Merry Liddle Christmas Baby, premiering Saturday at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT on Lifetime. Rowland previously starred in Merry Liddle Christmas in 2019, and Merry Liddle Christmas Wedding in 2020.

The Soul Train Music Awards airs Sunday at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET, BET Her, MTV2 and VH1. Maxwell will receive the Legend Award on the event, and Ashanti will be presented with the Lady of Soul Award.

Finally, Porsha Williams from Real Housewives of Atlanta now has her own reality series, Porsha’s Family Matters, which debuts this Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo.

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Bat-fans are going to have to wait until next year to see it, but until then, they can take some comfort in Zoë Kravitz‘s new comments about The Batman.  

Kravitz plays Selena Kyle/Catwoman in the new film, and while she wasn’t giving Variety any spoilers, she tells the trade she’s “seen a little” of director Matt Reeves’ movie.

“Rob is perfect for this role,” she says of co-star Robert Pattinson, who plays the Dark Knight and his alter-ego, Bruce Wayne. “He was incredible. His transformation was out of this world,” the actress enthuses.

Kravitz also commented, “[Director] Matt Reeves has a lot of heart, and he cares so much for these characters. I’m just very excited for him to be able to go on vacation because he deserves it.”

Zoë adds, “I hope the fans love it because we put a lot of work into this.”

Also starring Jeffrey Wright, Colin Farrell, Andy Serkis and Paul Dano, The Batman swings into theaters March 4, 2022.

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Mean Girls star and 911 veteran Lacey Chabert is mourning the loss of one of her older sisters. 

In an Instagram post Tuesday showing a graduation photo of her “beautiful” sister, Wendy, Chabert captioned, “Our hearts are shattered into a million pieces that I don’t know how we will ever put back together again now that you’re gone.”

“We love and adore you more than we can ever say and we will continue to forever and ever and ever,” Chabert expressed. “The shocking loss has left us so broken hearted. Our lives will never be the same without my dear sister, but we cling to the promises of Jesus that we will be together again in eternity. Please keep our family, especially her two boys, in your hearts and prayers. Thank you so much.”

Wendy was 46 but no details were given about her death. Lacey is the youngest of three girls; just days ago, she posted a birthday tribute to her eldest sister, Chrissy.

Chabert’s message brought sympathy posts from Lacey’s fellow Hallmark holiday movie mainstays, including Candice Cameron Bure and Danica McKellar.

“Oh my goodness, Lacey. I love you so much and am sending prayers and love to you,” McKellar told the Christmas at Castle Hart star. “I don’t know what I could possibly do but please call on me if I can do anything at all.”

Bure posted in part, “we are praying for you, your family and Wendy’s family. We love you, always here for you my sweet sweet friend.”

 

 

 

 

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Amazon Studio’s The Wheel of Time launched on November 19, and the sword and sorcery series is performing well for the streaming service, the studio’s head Jennifer Salke tells Deadline.

The show, which stars Rosamund Pike, is based on a bestselling fantasy book series.

“We can firmly say that Wheel of Time was the most-watched series premiere of the year and one of the top five series launches of all time for Prime Video,” Salke tells the trade.  

While, like other streaming services, viewer numbers for Amazon Prime are hard to pin down, Salke says, “there were tens and tens of millions of streams in the first three days of its release in the US, India, Brazil, Canada, France, and Germany, in particular.”

With its Lord of the Rings spin-off already underway, Amazon Studios is looking to the world of video games for its next big launch, according to Deadline.  The studio is reportedly “nearing a deal” to adapt the bestselling video game franchise Mass Effect into a show. The sci-fi game is set in an alternate reality in which humans and aliens band together in an effort to save the universe from an ancient, robotic menace.

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Millions of Americans are already in the kitchen, getting things together for the big Thanksgiving feast, but actress Kim Fields isn’t among them. 

The former Facts of Life and Living Single star has been busy promoting her upcoming VH1 movie, Adventures in Christmasing, which debuts Monday. But promo or no, she’s not letting her personal holiday tradition change this year: getting all her food from the good folks at the Honey Baked Ham company. 

“My specialty is driving to Honey Baked to get everything I need for the holidays,” Kim says by phone. “There is no shame in my game. I am woman enough to say so and I enjoy it!”

She adds with a big laugh, “That’s the thing, you know: Be thankful for other people in business!” 

Co-written by Fields, Adventures in Christmasing also stars Kel Mitchell, Jonathan Silverman and Eva Marcille. It airs at 9 p.m. Monday on VH1.

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(NOTE LANGUAGE) In his latest bit of cinematic “get off my lawn!”, legendary filmmaker Ridley Scott says millennials are to blame for his film The Last Duel fizzling at the box office. 

Just days after he dissed superhero movies to Deadline as “boring as sh**,” Scott chatted with Marc Maron on his WTF podcast, and let millennials have it over the tepid theatrical performance of the Ben Affleck/Matt Damon medieval movie.

Released October 15, the movie has made just over $27 million globally on a reported budget of $100 million.

“I think what it boils down to — what we’ve got today [are] the audiences who were brought up on these f**king cell phones,” the director said. “The millennian do not ever want to be taught anything unless you are told it on the cell phone. This is a broad stroke, but I think we’re dealing with it right now with Facebook. There is a misdirection that has happened where it’s given the wrong kind of confidence to this latest generation, I think.”

He added, “We all thought it was a terrific script, and we made it,” allowing, “You can’t win all the time.”

Scott commented, “I’ve never had one regret on any movie I’ve ever made. Nothing. I learned very early on to be your own critic….Walk away. Make sure you’re happy. And don’t look back. That’s me.”

For the record, Scott believes he’s made three great superhero movies — but just not the comic book kind.

“One would be Alien with Sigourney Weaver,” he told Deadine. “One would be f***ing Gladiator, and one would be Harrison Ford [in Blade Runner]. They’re superhero movies. So, why don’t the superhero movies have better stories?”

Scott’s latest film, House of Gucci, is now in theaters.

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