Sony Pictures has announced plans to launch the based-on-real-life drama Father Stu in April, starring Mel Gibson and Mark Wahlberg.
The Daddy’s Home series co-stars are reuniting for a very different film: It’s based on the life story of boxer-turned-priest Father Stuart Long, “whose journey from self-destruction to redemption inspired countless people along the way,” according to the studio.
Oscar-nominated Wahlberg stars as the titular pugilist priest, while Oscar winner Gibson plays a supporting role, along with Academy Award-nominated Silver Linings Playbook co-star Jacki Weaver.
The film, from screenwriter and first-time director Rosalind Ross, the mother of Gibson’s youngest son, Lars, opens Friday, April 15, which not coincidentally is Good Friday, according to the Christian calendar.
Actor Dylan McDermott is jumping from one show from producer Dick Wolf to another, according to Deadline.
The actor, who plays crime boss Richard Wheatley on Law & Order: Organized Crime, is moving to FBI: Most Wanted, days after it was announced that series lead Julian McMahon will be leaving the show in April.
It’s not known who McDermott will play on Most Wanted, but with McMahon’s team leader Jess LaCroix exiting, it’s easy to envision McDermott picking up his mantle.
The trade also reports McDermott will join the CBS series as his time on NBC’s L&O winds down. His Organized Crime character was only supposed to appear in the show’s inaugural season, but it proved to be so popular as the nemesis to Christopher Meloni‘s Det. Elliot Stabler that McDermott was given a very “lucrative” deal to shoot eight episodes for the Law & Order spin-off’s second season, according to Deadline.
Attorneys for embattled actor Alec Baldwin argued in court Monday that a judge should toss a lawsuit filed against him by a crew member on his movie Rust.
On October 21, 2021, Baldwin discharged a round from a pistol he believed to be unloaded, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.
Mamie Mitchell, the film’s former script supervisor, claims in her lawsuit against Baldwin and other crew members that she was standing just a few feet away when he fired the fatal shot. Mitchell, who called 911 from the movie’s New Mexico set, alleges she suffered pain and ringing in her ears as well as emotional injuries.
She further alleges that the actor failed to double-check to see if the gun was unloaded, and also accuses the producers of cutting corners, leading to unsafe conditions.
Mitchell’s suit also names the movie’s armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, and David Halls, the first assistant director who reportedly handed the gun to Baldwin after declaring it “cold,” or safe to handle.
Baldwin’s attorneys alleged, in court filings obtained by ABC News, that because the fatal shooting was a workplace accident, Mitchell must seek “recompense” from New Mexico’s workers compensation system.
Further, his lawyers claimed, “nothing about [Mitchell’s] allegations suggest that any of Defendants, including Mr. Baldwin, intended the Prop Gun [sic] to be loaded with live ammunition.”
It should be noted the Colt revolver wasn’t a “prop gun,” but a real firearm loaded with a live round.
However, Baldwin’s lawyers claim he couldn’t have known that.
His attorneys also claimed Mitchell wasn’t injured in the incident, and that she, “raced to the courthouse in California… apparently to get her claim in… [before]…the two individuals who were hit by the live round.”
An investigation into the shooting is still ongoing.
Although Rob Gronkowski will not play in this year’s Big Game, he’s paying it forward to the NFL fans who supported him through another tremendous season.
The Buccaneers tight end teamed with Groupon and is handing the keys to his 4,486 square-foot Foxborough, MA, home over to one lucky fan so they can watch the Big Game in style. Oh, and they can invite up to 15 friends, too.
“I got the whole setup down to perfection at my house,” he told ABC Audio, saying it is more than just ensuring his guests have their fill of good, local food and drink. “We got a pool… we got an indoor bounce house! We got indoor mini golf. These experiences are going to be amazing.”
Gronk says part of the experience is seeing what it’s like to party like a football player. “Everyone knows me. I used to party back in the day. I still have a good time, but obviously, I’m not 20 to 23 anymore,” he laughs. “It’s going to be popping.”
Because he is going over-the-top with his “Party like a Player” experience, he said he wanted the winner to not stress or feel pressure about who to invite. “You’re going to be able to bring everyone that you know,” promises Gronk. “It’s a true party experience.”
So, who does he think his guests will watch play on one of his big screen televisions?
“I’m going to go with the Kansas City Chiefs. Their offense is red hot,” said Gronk, noting their intense match against the Buffalo Bills. “And I’m going to say the San Francisco 49ers… That’s my prediction.”
Those over 21 and are U.S. residents have until February 2 to enter on Groupon’s Party Like a Player website.
Tiffany Haddishappeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Monday night, and while other celebrities might have, she didn’t shy away from her recent DUI arrest.
Haddish was arrested on suspicion of DUI early in the morning of January 14, after cops investigated a report of a driver asleep behind the wheel of her car on a Georgia highway.
Haddish told Fallon in the Zoom interview, “I’ve been praying to God to send me a new man. A good man. And God went ahead and sent me four…in uniform.”
Haddish added, “And now I got a really great lawyer, and we’re going to work it out. I’ve got to get my asking of things to God a little better!”
Tiffany explained the last few months have been rough for her, what with her break up from boyfriend Common, and the deaths of both her friend and “mentor” Bob Saget and her grandmother.
“[Saget] was like a big mentor to me, a big brother, a father figure,” she explained.
“He meant a lot to me. Funny man. He was the first white man to ever tell me, ‘Just be yourself, just be who you are, Tiffany. Don’t worry about nothing. Just be you.’ That was huge for me.”
The Girls Trip star added solemnly, “And then, my grandma passed away, and she saved my life. That’s my heart. She was like my soulmate. So that’s been… really hard to process, all this…grief.”
“My next special is going to be about grief. And it’s going to be hilarious,” she added, explaining that would help her, “figure out how to process it all.”
“Kids get to cry whenever they want to, wherever they want to. As an adult you can’t do that,” Haddish joked.
Jeopardy! champion Amy Schneider is officially in second place for consecutive wins on the iconic quiz show with her 39th victory.
Schneider, whose Jeopardy! run began Nov. 17, overtook Matt Amodio‘s 38-game winning streak with Monday’s victory. She is now about halfway to overtaking Ken Jennings‘ 74-game winning record, which he has held since 2004.
Already the winningest woman in Jeopardy! history, Schneider’s total winnings are now $1,319,800, the fourth-highest ever in terms of regular-season play. This puts her in striking territory of Amodio, who earned $1,518,601 last year.
Schneider, an engineering manager from Oakland, California, has a ways to go if she wants to overtake the top two Jeopardy! earners, as she is still more than $1 million behind James Holzhauer and Jennings, who won $2,462,216 and $2,520,700, respectively, during their original runs.
In an interview Monday, Schneider told Good Morning America that Jennings is “limited” in what advice he can give her so he can “stay neutral” as host. So, he gives all contestants the same tip: “to relax and have fun and enjoy the moment.”
Schneider also said she is looking forward to the next Tournament of Champions, which will see her face off against Amodio. “It’s going to be really challenging; a lot of strong players there, but it should be a lot of fun,” she said.
Monday’s episode of The Bachelor began with host Jesse Palmer telling Clayton he could “do whatever you want” with regards to taking back the rose he gave to Cassidy after hearing a rumor that she was dating a guy back home.
When confronted with the rumor, Cassidy initially denied it, before clarifying that the man in question was “a friend” of hers who “does not want a relationship” and she had no interest in resuming it.
Despite her assurances that there was no one in the competition as “excited” about him as she was, Cassidy was sent home.
“The wicked witch is gone,” replied Kate, who would soon be gone herself.
But if Cassidy was the Wicked Witch of the East, Shanae, whose aggressive play for Clayton during a group date two weeks ago ended in disappointment, would end up being the Wicked witch of the West.
During a group date on Monday that featured former Baywatch star Nicole Eggert taking some of the ladies through some romantic lifeguard training, Shanae once again tried to grab Clayton’s attention by throwing herself at him every chance she got. Once again though, she came up empty as Gabby snagged the date rose.
Finding herself in a “do or die” situation, Shanae escalated her ongoing fight with Elizabeth, telling Clayton that Elizabeth was bullying her and causing the other women to avoid her when they were in the room together. Shanae seemed to acknowledged it was all a show, by bragging to the camera, “I was good!”
Whether the ploy worked or not will be answered on next week’s episode.
Elsewhere, Kaitlyn Bristowe made a surprise appearance, leading an emotional date where Clayton and the women opened up about their insecurities, ending with Eliza picking up a rose.
Sarah, who earned a rose after a one-on-one date that featured Becca Kufrin sending her and Clayton on a semi-naked scavenger hunt.
Kate, Ency and Tessa were sent home after the rose ceremony.
Kevin Hart is returning to the small screen for a new season of the Real Husbands of Hollywood series that premieres February 10, and he’ll be joined by fellow cast members Duane Martin, JB Smoove, Nelly, Nick Cannon, Boris Kodjoe and Robin Thicke.
The new trailer for BET+’s Real Husbands of Hollywood: More Kevin, More Problems just dropped, and once again, Hart and his buddies — playing fictional versions of themselves — bring the funny.
Cynthia McWilliams and Jackie Long return to the cast, to which Michele Weaver and Angela Rye have been added for this go ’round. As usual, the show also boasts a variety of celebrity guests. The trailer alone features Tiffany Haddish, Dr. Phil and Neil DeGrasse Tyson — who Kevin thinks is Mike Tyson‘s “astronaut” father.
All six episodes of Real Husbands of Hollywood: More Kevin, More Problems will stream on BET+.
Sidney Poitier‘s memorial service will be private due to the pandemic.
“The Poitier family so appreciates the wonderful outpouring of love, support and affection for Sidney,” reads the family statement, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “There have been many inquiries about an event to honor his life. At this time, due to the coronavirus pandemic, a private memorial service has been arranged for the family with the possibility of a more public memorial service should the virus’ numbers subside in the near future.”
The Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner star, who was the first Black man to win an Academy Award for Best Actor, died on January 6. He was 94. As previously reported, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced that Poitier passed away from a combination of cardiopulmonary failure, prostate cancer and Alzheimer’s dementia
In other news, production on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is expected to resume Monday, according to Entertainment Weekly. Shooting was halted in November as Letitia Wright, who portrays T’Challa’s sister, Shuri, recovered from an injury she sustained while filming a stunt in August. Production was initially scheduled to resume last week, however, it was pushed back after several people involved in the production — including Lupita Nyong’o, who stars as Nakia — tested positive for COVID-19.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is scheduled to open November 11.
Finally, Kandi Burruss has a new reality show. The Real Housewives of Atlanta star, and her husband, Todd Tucker will feature their A-T-L restaurant, OLG, in the new series, Kandi & The Gang. They operate OLG with Kandi’s mother, Joyce, and aunts Nora and Bertha.Kandi & The Gang will premiere on Sunday, March 6 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo.
Chris Evans is joining forces with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson for the latter’s big holiday movie Red One.
Marvel Studios’ Captain America has signed on to join the DC Universe’s Black Adam for the hush-hush Amazon Studios project, which was previously touted to Deadline by producer Hiram Garcia as, “Hobbs [& Shaw]-meets Miracle on 34th Street.“
Garcia, who is credited with coming up with the story, is Johnson’s producing partner at their successful Seven Bucks production company.
The trade reports Red One is slated to get underway later this year, reuniting Johnson with Jake Kasdan, the director of The Rock’s hit Jumanji movies.
