Music

After putting a stake in the ground with her award-winning 14-minute movie All Too Well: The Short Film, which she wrote and directed, Taylor Swift said that she’d love to direct a feature film.  Now, she’s getting her chance.

Searchlight Pictures has announced that Taylor will make her feature directorial debut with an original script that she’s written.  More details about the movie will be announced soon.

Searchlight presidents David Greenbaum and Matthew Greenfield said in a statement, “Taylor is a once in a generation artist and storyteller. It is a genuine joy and privilege to collaborate with her as she embarks on this exciting and new creative journey.”

Taylor is the only solo artist to win two Best Direction awards at the MTV Video Music Awards, for All Too Well: The Short Film and her clip for “The Man.”

Taylor’s also the only woman to direct a VMA-winning Best Longform Video, also for All Too Well: The Short Film. That project, starring Sadie Sink, Dylan O’Brien and Taylor herself, has been submitted for consideration in the short film category at the forthcoming 95th Annual Academy Awards.

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An attorney for Backstreet Boy Nick Carter has called the lawsuit filed against the singer, accusing him of sexual assault in 2001, “entirely untrue.”

In a statement obtained by ABC News, Michael Holtz, attorney for Nick Carter, says, “This claim about an incident that supposedly took place more than 20 years ago is not only legally meritless but also entirely untrue.”

As previously reported, 39-year-old Shannon Ruth, the plaintiff, claims she was sexually assaulted by Carter in 2001 after meeting him at a Backstreet Boys concert in Tacoma, Washington.  The civil lawsuit is seeking monetary damages to punish Carter and to compensate for Ruth’s “harm, pain and suffering,” said her attorney.

ABC News does not usually identify the victims of sexual assault, but Ruth has given media outlets permission to use her name.

Holtz’s statement continues, “Unfortunately, for several years now, Ms. Ruth has been manipulated into making false allegations about Nick -– and those allegations have changed repeatedly and materially over time. No one should be fooled by a press stunt orchestrated by an opportunistic lawyer — there is nothing to this claim whatsoever, which we have no doubt the courts will quickly realize.”

Meanwhile, a number of publications are reporting that ABC will no longer air a Backstreet Boys’ holiday TV special, which they filmed earlier this month in Los Angeles with guests Seth Rogen, Meghan Trainor, Nikki Glaser and others.  ABC has yet to issue an official statement regarding the show.

If you are affected by abuse and needing support, or know someone who is, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). You can also chat online at thehotline.org or online.rainn.org, respectively.

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(NOTE LANGUAGE) Trevor Noah hosted his final episode of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show on Thursday after a seven-year run, thanking many people, but mostly his fans.

“I remember when we started the show, we couldn’t get enough people to fill an audience,” he said.

“Then I look at this now and I don’t take it for granted ever. Every seat that has ever been filled to watch something I’m doing is always appreciated because I know the empty seat that sits behind it,” he continued. “Thank you to people who watch, the people who share the clips, everyone who’s had an opinion, everyone who’s been kind enough and gracious enough, even if it’s a critique.”

The 38-year-old South African comedian gave a special shout-out to Black women, noting, “Who do you think teaches me, who do you think has shaped me, nourished me, informed me. From my mom, my gran, my aunts, all these Black women in my life but then in America as well.”

“I always tell people if you truly want to learn about America, talk to Black women. Because unlike everybody else Black women can’t afford to f*** around and find out,” he continued. “Black people understand how hard it is when things go bad.”

Noah’s final episode also featured appearances from Daily Show correspondents Michael Kosta, Desi Lydic, Dulcé Sloan, Ronny Chieng, Roy Wood Jr. and Jordan Klepper, as well as his longtime friend Neal Brennan.

Noah announced his exit as host of the show after seven years back in October, surprising fans, producers and network executives. Al Franken, D.L. Hughley, Leslie Jones, John Leguizamo, Hasan Minhaj, Kal Penn, Sarah Silverman, Wanda Sykes and Marlon Wayans are among the other stars expected to fill in beginning January 17.

(Video contains uncensored profanity.)

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Now that Lainey Wilson‘s made her acting debut playing the singer Abby in season 5 of Yellowstone, the CMA Female Vocalist of the Year sounds like she may be ready to step in front of the camera again. 

“I will say it’s very similar to what I do on a daily basis anyway,” she says of her first dramatic turn. “It’s a lot of, like, hurry up and wait. You know, you get ready, you get on set, and then you wait for a while.”

“Even when it comes to, like, learning the lines,” she continues, “it’s kind of like learning a song that I didn’t write. It’s a little more difficult than, you know, learning the songs that I write myself.”

In fact, the “Things a Man Oughta Know” hitmaker was eager to step outside her comfort zone.

“I feel like I’ve learned a whole lot,” Lainey reflects. “I’ve learned how to, like, be more in my body, be more grounded.”

“I didn’t want to learn my lines exactly the way that they were,” she explains, “because I wanted to be able to have a conversation with the person I was acting with. I didn’t want it to seem that I had it all memorized perfectly, and this is how it goes, you know?”  

You can watch new episodes of Yellowstone Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on Paramount Network. Meanwhile, Lainey has not one but two songs climbing the country chart: her own “Heart Like a Truck” and “wait in the truck” with HARDY. 

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Vance Joy has announced a new live album, Live at the Sydney Opera House.

The set was recorded at the famed venue in the “Riptide” artist’s home country of Australia over two nights in November. You’ll be able to hear Live at the Sydney Opera House in full in 2023, but in the meantime, you can listen to the recordings of the songs “Clarity” and “Catalonia” now via digital outlets.

The Sydney Opera House show took place amid Joy’s world tour in support of his new album, In Our Own Sweet Time, which dropped in June and includes both “Clarity” and “Catalonia.” The record, Vance’s third studio effort, also spawned the single “Missing Piece.”

Joy’s tour will launch in the U.S. in February.

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Katy Perry‘s 2-year-old daughter, Daisy Dove, is finally getting into the holiday spirit, which means it’s time for Katy to break out the Elf on the Shelf.

Speaking with Access Hollywood, Katy said, “She is just coming alive … This is her third Christmas and she’s super into it.”

Now that Daisy is starting to understand what the holiday is all about, Katy said she is ready to start some new traditions for her little one. “I need to order my Elf on the Shelf now,” she said.

The singer admitted she might be a little late to the starting line. “I can’t do 25 days on my first Elf on the Shelf, guys. You know what I’m talking about,” she chuckled. “It’s a journey. I’ll do 15 days — maybe 10.”

Katy welcomed Daisy in August 2020 alongside fiancé Orlando Bloom. She announced her pregnancy that March via the music video for “Never Worn White.”

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Burna Boy is shedding light on the ongoing issues of pollution, flooding and overall negligence in Port Harcourt, his Nigerian hometown. His mini documentary Whiskey, which is also the name of one of his songs, sees affected individuals, including a mother who lost her son to a pollution-related sickness, open up about the harsh realities they face.

“This is real life, everyday life for my people. I feel like we’ll make songs about everything else, so why not make songs about what’s really going on and what’s really affecting the people in real time. That’s what the song ‘Whiskey’ is,” Burna said at an exclusive screening of the mini doc in London. “I hope it does its job and creates the necessary awareness and some type of change comes from this. If you don’t know, now you know.”

Burna also hopes the mini documentary helps to draw a picture of the environmental issues in not only his hometown, but also other parts of Nigeria, Africa, the Caribbean and the rest of world.

He highlights The R.E.A.C.H., or Reach Every Available Communal Household, a Nigerian-based charitable organization that provides resources to the community. All donations go directly toward helping those affected by the crisis.

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The Black Keys will be boogieing across the pond next year.

The “Lonely Boy” rockers have announced a United Kingdom and European leg of their Dropout Boogie tour, kicking off in June. The outing will also include Spoon on the bill.

The Dropout Boogie tour, which launched in the U.S. over the summer, takes its name from The Black Keys’ latest album, which was released in May. The follow-up to 2021’s Delta Kream includes the lead single “Wild Child.”

Along with their trip abroad, The Black Keys’ 2023 includes a trip to the Grammys. Dropout Boogie the album is nominated for Best Rock Album, while “Wild Child” is up for Best Rock Performance. Frontman Dan Auerbach will also compete for the Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical prize.

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