Riding on the success of her popular family comedy flick Yes Day, Jennifer 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.
Justin Bieber approves of gymnast Simone Biles‘ decision to withdraw from Thursday’s all-around competition to focus on her mental health.
On Instagram Wednesday, Justin posted a photo of Biles, the most decorated American gymnast of all time, and explained why he can relate so strongly to Biles’ situation.
“nobody will ever understand the pressures you face! I know we don’t know each other but I’m so proud of the decision to withdraw. It’s as simple as – what does it mean to gain the whole world but forfeit your soul,” Justin wrote.
“Sometimes our no’s are more powerful than our yes’s. When what you normally love starts to steal your joy it’s important we take a step back to evaluate why,” he continued. “People thought I was crazy for not finishing the purpose tour but it was the best thing I could have done for my mental health!! So proud of you @simonebiles.”
In 2017, Justin canceled his Purpose World Tour and wrote at the time, “Me taking this time right now is me saying I want to be SUSTAINABLE… I want my career to be sustainable, but I also want my mind heart and soul to be sustainable. So that I can be the man I want to be, the husband I eventually want to be and the father I want to be.”
Earlier this week, Biles also removed herself from the U.S. Olympic team finals, saying, “I do not trust myself any more. I have to focus on my mental health.” She added, “We have to protect our mind and our body rather than just go out there and do what the world wants us to do.”
Saint Motel‘s new album The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is coming to life in a very unique way.
The band will perform the record in its entirety during a streaming concert filmed in Macedonia. They’ll be accompanied by the country’s acclaimed Fames Orchestra and film composer Duke Bojadziev, who had created “film score transitions” for in between the songs on The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.
“What an incredible way to perform The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack in the most thematically true way possible,” says Saint Motel frontman A/J Jackson. “Live with one of the best orchestras in the world and showcasing not only all the songs but the incredible film score transitions. It’s something truly special.”
The concert will premiere August 18 via the streaming platform Dreamstage. Visit Dreamstage.live for ticket info.
The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was released in June. It combines three different EPs, which spawned the singles “Van Horn,” “Preach” and “It’s All Happening.”
Reba McEntire’s 2001 hit, “I’m a Survivor,” shares a message of resilience, with lyrics describing “a single mom who works too hard / Who loves her kids and never stops / With gentle hands and the heart of a fighter / I’m a survivor.”
Those lyrics have become the soundtrack to a hilarious TikTok challenge over the past few days, with app users setting the song over video clips of all the everyday inconveniences and mundane tasks that make them “a survivor.”
On her TikTok, the singer shared a short video of herself struggling through the heat to feed her two donkeys, only to find that they don’t appreciate her efforts. At the end, she turns to the camera to sing the title phrase, “I’m a survivor,” along with her song.
“When it’s time to feed your donkeys and they’re not the least bit impressed,” Reba captioned her post, which has amassed more than 12 million views in the days since she posted it.
“I’m a Survivor” was a top-five country hit for Reba upon its release, and it also became the theme song for Reba, the singer’s own sitcom, which aired on The WB in the mid-2000s.
Sure, getting inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is nice, but now New Jersey’s own Jon Bon Jovi is getting a real honor: a rest stop named after him on the Garden State Parkway.
The neighboring New Jersey Turnpike has rest stops named after historical New Jerseyites, like Thomas Edison, but the Parkway is going for star power, reports NorthJersey.com. The rest stop formerly known as — no joke — Cheesequake will now be known as the Jon Bon Jovi Service Area.
Other famed New Jerseyites who are getting the rest stop treatment include Whitney Houston, Frank Sinatra, Toni Morrison, James Gandolfini, salsa legend Celia Cruz and author Judy Blume. It’s all part of a campaign by the New Jersey Hall of Fame, which is installing displays about each rest stop’s famous namesake.
But wait, you ask — where’s the Bruce Springsteen Service Area?
“Bruce Springsteen respectfully declined to have a service area named after him,” a New Jersey Hall of Fame spokeswoman told NorthJersey.com. “It should be noted, though, that Bruce has been very supportive of the New Jersey Hall of Fame over the years, and is very much a part of the fabric of the Hall.”
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.
(NEW YORK) — As the end of summer approaches, teachers are already preparing for the school year ahead, which is happening again this year amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
To help teachers, select retailers are offering special back-to-school deals and discounts. Here are some of the retailers offering special deals now for teachers.
Target
Target is offering teachers a one-time, 15% discount on select classroom supplies and essentials now through July 31. Teachers need to sign up for Target Circle and verify their teacher status to be eligible.
All K-12 teachers, homeschool teachers, teachers working at daycare centers and early childhood learning centers, university or college professors and vocational/trade/technical school teachers are eligible, according to Target.
Staples
At Staples stores across the country, teachers and school administrators can get 20% off select purchases now through Sept. 30.
Parents can also help support teachers through Staples’ Classroom Rewards program, which gives a percentage of their qualifying purchase made at a Staples store back to an enrolled teacher or school administrator of their choice, according to the company.
To start getting discounts, parents, teachers and school administrators must download the Staples Connect app and enroll in Classroom Rewards.
Abt Electronics
Teachers who purchase $500 worth of Abt Electronics supplies are eligible for a $50 discount. This offer applies to teachers, teachers aides, teaching assistants, educational assistants, lifetime teaching credential holders, professors, speech pathologists and school administrators.
To use the discount, teachers must verify that they are eligible when they check out. Then, they will receive a promotion code to access their discount.
Meijer
Teachers can now get 15% off back-to-school supplies with a coupon at Meijer. The coupon covers 1,500 items that teachers can use in the classroom.
Michaels
Teachers are eligible year-round for a 15% discount at Michaels after verifying their profession and creating a Michaels account. The discount will apply if they provide their phone number or email at checkout online or in-person.
JOANN
By signing up for the Teacher Rewards Digital Discount Card, teachers can receive a 15% year-round discount at JOANN. To register for the card, teachers must show a valid educator identification.
Barnes & Noble
Teachers will receive 20% off qualifying book purchases at Barnes & Noble if they sign up to become a B&N Educator. The sign-up process, while free, must be done in-person at a Barnes & Noble location.
Dollar General
Dollar General is offering teachers a 30% discount on back-to-school supplies until Sept. 6. Teachers can use the discount after signing up for a Dollar General account, completing a teacher verification process and waiting 24 to 48 hours.
The discount applies to the purchase of pens, pencils, crayons, paper, notebooks, scissors, binders, folders glue, rulers, backpacks, lunch boxes and more.
Office Depot
Through Sept. 30, teachers who are Office Depot OfficeMax Rewards members are eligible for a coupon that allows them to earn 20% back in rewards when completing in-store purchases.
Teachers can also receive a 40% discount for school supplies such as classroom posters, instructional materials and name tags when completing an in-store purchase. For the discount to apply, teachers must show a valid teacher ID at checkout.
(ATLANTA) — Spelman College announced it will use federal funding to clear outstanding tuition balances for the past academic year of to address the financial hardships of students during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The historically Black college based in Atlanta, Georgia, will also offer a one-time 14% discount on tuition for the 2021-2022 academic school year and rollback mandatory fees to the 2017-2018 rate.
“This reset to the lower tuition rates of four years ago will have a long-term impact on affordability,” said Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D., president of Spelman, in a statement Tuesday.
The Spelman College financial relief comes after Clark Atlanta University, a neighboring HBCU in Atlanta, announced it would cancel outstanding tuition balances for the spring 2020 and summer 2021 semesters.
“We understand these past two academic years have been emotionally and financially difficult on students and their families due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That is why we will continue to do all we can to support their efforts to complete their CAU education,” Dr. George T. French, President of Clark Atlanta University, said in a statement last Friday.
For Ta’Lar Scott, a 21-year-old junior at Clark Atlanta University, having her $500 tuition balance canceled was the fresh start she needed to re-enroll to finish her undergraduate degree in social work after taking a semester off.
Like thousands of HBCU students, Scott has relied on federal grants and student loans to pay for her college education. With aspirations of becoming a teacher and now as an expectant mother, paying for school expenses in addition to re-enrollment was so daunting she considered not attending the fall semester.
“I was going to take this semester off and it was really because I knew I had a balance,” Scott told ABC News. “The university clearing my balance up kind of pushed me and let me know that I can do this. I’ll be fine. Regardless, I’ll have to learn how to adjust, which I’ve been doing all my life.”
HBCUs received approximately $2.6 billion through the CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, a $40 billion funding allocation set aside for higher education as part of the American Rescue Plan.
Clark Atlanta University and Spelman College are the latest of over 20 HBCUs using federal funding to provide financial relief and emergency funds for students in recent months. South Carolina State University, Delaware State University and Wilberforce University used federal COVID relief dollars to cancel student loan debt for eligible students.
ABC News’ Jianna Cousin contributed to this report.
(GREEN BAY, Wisc.) — Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers considered retiring amid a tumultuous offseason, he told reporters gathered at the team’s training camp Wednesday.
In his second day back with the team, Rodgers admitted he’s still not sure what, if anything, will change about the organization with whom his relationship had grown challenging.
Still, Rodgers is beginning preparations for his 17th NFL season, all of which have come with the Packers.
“I just want to be involved in conversations that affect my ability to do my job,” Rodgers explained. That, before detailing some of the examples of veteran players the team has released or failed to re-sign at different points in his career.
Asked whether he has any assurance his guidance will be followed more closely now, Rodgers admitted he couldn’t be certain.
“I wanted to help to organization, maybe learn from some of the mistakes in the past,” he said.
Rodgers said he voiced that desire in February, even offering to help recruit players to Green Bay. That conversation, he said, changed in March, after the team declined to commit to him as their quarterback beyond the 2021 season. In response, Rodgers says, he told the team “if you want to make a change and move forward, then go ahead and do it.”
And then, in April, when ESPN’s Adam Schefter broke news that Rodgers had told some people within the organization that he did not want to return, negotiations began. He says the team initially offered more money, which was not what he was looking for.
Earlier this week, the two sides agreed to void the final year of Rodgers’ current contract, and discuss his future with the team after 2021.
The tension between player and organization increased last year, when the Packers selected quarterback Jordan Love with their first-round draft pick.
Still, Rodgers was quick to point out that he is “not a victim here.”
“I made a ton of money here, and I’ve been really fortunate to play a long time and to play here.”
“At the same time,” he said, “I’m still competitive and I still feel like I can play, I proved it last year.”
Rodgers won the third NFL MVP Award of his career in 2020.
While he didn’t rule out a return to the Packers, he also said he was not promised the ability to dictate where he would play in 2022.
Will Smith is channeling Richard Williams, the father tennis champions Venus and Serena Williams, in the first trailer for King Richard.
Executive-produced by the Williams sisters, the film is based on real-life story of their father Richard, a man undeterred in “raising two of the most extraordinarily gifted athletes of all time.” The feature follows Richard’s journey to take Venus and Serena “from the streets of Compton, California to the global stage as legendary icons.” King Richard also stars Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton as Venus and Serena Williams, as well as Aunjanue Ellis, Jon Bernthal, Tony Goldwyn and Dylan McDermott. The film hits theaters and HBO Max on November 19.
In other news, a teaser for Lee Daniels‘ upcoming FOX drama, Our Kind of People, has been released. The promo features Yaya DaCosta as Angela Vaughn, a single mother who “risks it all” by moving her family to Martha’s Vineyard in hopes of taking her natural hair-care line to the next level. As previously reported, the series, also starring Morris Chestnut, LeToya Luckett and Lance Gross, is based onLawrence Otis Graham’s critically acclaimed book, Our Kind of People: Inside America’s Black Upper Class. Our Kind of People premieres on Tuesday, September 21, at 9 p.m. ET on FOX.
Finally, Lesley-Ann Brandt, Luke James and Erica Ash are among the stars added to Shudder’s upcoming horror anthology series Horror Noire, Deadline has learned. The anthology, which is said to showcase horror stories from Black directors and screenwriters, will feature six stories presented as a two-hour film. Those stories include Daddy,Bride Before You, Brand of Evil, The Lake, Sundown, and Fugue State.Horror Noire premieres in October on Shudder.
