Showbiz News

John Witherspoon, actor-comedian who for decades made audiences laugh in television shows and films, including the hit Friday franchise, died suddenly at his home today. He was 77. “It is with deepest sorrow that we can confirm our beloved husband and father, John Witherspoon, one of the hardest working men in show business, died today at his […]

Nearly 60% of the writing staff behind FX Networks’ series — a programming slate that includes “Pose,” “American Horror Story” and “Better Things” — are female or people of color, said FX Networks and FX productions chairman John Landgraf at the USC Gould School of Law-Beverly Hills Bar Association 2019 Institute on Entertainment Law and Business. That follows the network’s […]

Put on a happy face: In its fourth weekend in theaters, Warner Bros.’ “Joker” returned to the top of domestic box office charts, narrowly defeating Disney’s “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.” The two villains had been in a close race for first place, but Sunday estimates show “Joker” will walk away victorious with $18.9 million in […]

 Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis Presley movie at Warner Bros. has cast Australian actress Olivia DeJonge in the role of his wife Priscilla Presley. Priscilla Ann Presley nee Wagner, was born in Brooklyn, NY. She was married to Presley from 1967 to 1973 and was the chairwoman of Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE), the company that turned the King of Rock […]

A feature documentary about the late television star and chef Anthony Bourdain is in the works from Focus Features, CNN Films and HBO Max, to be directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Morgan Neville. The director, who won the Academy Award for 20 Feet from Stardom and was also behind last year’s doc breakout Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, will also […]

Actress Alexis Bledel has been bookish and sweet on “Gilmore Girls” and “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.” But the actress herself is now officially dangerous. Cybersecurity firm McAfee on Monday crowned Bledel the most dangerous celebrity on the internet in 2019. No other celebrity was more likely to land users on websites that carry viruses […]

Sean Hayes and Todd Milliner’s Hazy Mills Productions have joined the SAG Awards producing team. The guild announced this morning that Kathy Connell will once again serve as the show’s producer along with Hayes and Milliner in partnership with Avalon Harbor. “Attending the SAG Awards has always been a pleasure and a privilege for me,” Hayes said in statement. […]

Monica Lewinsky has teamed with “Catfish” co-host and producer Max Joseph to produce “15 Minutes of Shame,” a documentary for HBO Max about the culture of public shaming. “15 Minutes of Shame” is described as a look at people from around the world who have been caught up in a situation that involved public criticism and humiliation. Lewinsky […]

Not even an Oscar-winning director and one of the world’s most popular actors could save Gemini Man from getting bumped off at the box office. Ang Lee’s VFX-heavy film, starring Will Smith, faces losses of $75 million or more after opening to $20.5 million domestically over the Oct. 11-13 frame and finishing Sunday with an anemic worldwide […]

Kurt Sutter‘s long relationship with FX has run out of gas. The Sons of Anarchy creator has been fired by the cable network in light of multiple complaints about his behavior on the spinoff Mayans M.C., according to The Hollywood Reporter. Sutter sent a letter to the Mayans cast and crew following his dismissal in which he describes himself as “an […]

Mad About You star Helen Hunt is home resting today after a serious car accident. She currently stars opposite Paul Reiser in a limited series revival of the popular 1990s NBC comedy for Spectrum Originals. Production on the show, which is pre-shooting today, continues as scheduled. It is unclear yet whether Hunt will be able to return to work tomorrow. […]

Stephen Colbert is staying put at CBS. The host of The Late Show has signed a three-year contract extension that will keep him in place on the late night show through August 2023. His current deal was set to expire in summer 2020. “Stephen Colbert is one of the most entertaining, influential and relevant voices in America […]

Cuba Gooding Jr. pleaded not guilty Tuesday to misdemeanor charges he fondled women in two separate Manhattan incidents — and prosecutors hope to use a dozen similar and shocking complaints at trial from women across the country who say the “Men of Honor” star groped, grinded and grabbed them against their will. The DA’s office […]

Ronan Farrow’s “Catch and Kill,” which was released on Tuesday, details the Pulitzer-winning reporter’s extensive investigation into Harvey Weinstein’s behavior toward women and chronicles his experiences doing so at NBC News, where he first worked on his exposé before taking it to The New Yorker. NBC News has aggressively denied some of the reporting and […]

It’s about time, Rachel! Jennifer Aniston joined Instagram on Tuesday, October 15 — and shared a photo from her recent dinner with her former Friends costars. “And now we’re Instagram FRIENDS too,” the Emmy winner, 50, captioned the selfie. “HI INSTAGRAM.” Aniston was all smiles in the snap with Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer and Matthew Perry. She follows Kudrow, 56, Cox, […]

In the midst of closing a merger between CBS and Viacom, Shari Redstone is quietly exploring a plan to launch a conservative TV outlet meant to square off with the Fox News Channel, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter. This Redstone plan for a new TV service also would have a streaming component. THR has learned that Pluto, which […]

California’s latest wildfire is impacting Hollywood productions. The Saddleridge fire, which broke out in Sylmar near the 210 freeway Thursday night, has caused ABC’s Bless This Mess, NBC’s Perfect Harmony and Freeform’s Good Trouble to shut down production Friday (Oct. 11). Party of Five, SWAT, LA’s Finest and Penny Dreadful: City of Angels also called off filming. The fire has already burned more than 4,700 acres and destroyed […]

A familiar face will be landing in Roswell when The CW’s “Roswell, New Mexico” returns for its second season next year. Jason Behr, who starred as Max Evans on the original “Roswell” series in 1999, has joined the cast of the midseason drama in an undisclosed recurring role. Behr will appear in multiple episodes of […]

James Franco and two of his associates are facing a class-action lawsuit alleging that the actor’s Studio 4 acting and filmmaking school was actually a setup to provide them with a stream of young, impressionable women for sexual and financial exploitation. The suit, filed Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court and reviewed by The Times, […]

Bernie Sanders’ campaign says the Democratic presidential candidate has had a heart procedure for a blocked artery. The Vermont senator is canceling events and appearances “until further notice.” The campaign says the 78-year-old Sanders experienced chest discomfort during an event Tuesday and sought medical evaluation. The campaign says two stents were “successfully inserted” and that […]

Tom Hanks, decorated actor, Mr. Rogers lookalike and America’s dad, is set to be honored at next year’s Golden Globe Awards. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced Tuesday morning that Hanks, 63, will be the next recipient of the Cecil B. DeMille Award, an annual honor given to a “talented individual who has made a […]

Warner Bros. has weighed in on the mounting controversy surrounding “Joker,” an R-rated comic book adaptation that is being criticized for offering an in-depth portrait of a mass killer. In a statement on Tuesday, the studio hit back at suggestions that it is glamorizing a mass murderer. “Make no mistake: neither the fictional character Joker, nor […]

The wife of “Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary has been charged with “careless operation of a vessel” for a boat accident that killed 2 people in Canada last month. The Ontario Provincial Police told Fox News that Linda O’Leary was charged for the August 24 incident in which her smaller vessel struck a larger vessel in Ontario, Canada. Her […]

Sander Vanocur, the longtime correspondent for NBC News and ABC News who logged more than 40 years in print and television journalism, has died. He was 91. Vanocur died Monday night in a hospice facility in Santa Barbara of complications from dementia, his son, Christopher, told The New York Times. He made his home in nearby Montecito. […]

Cokie Roberts, a pioneering journalist who was perhaps best known for her savvy insight and analysis of politics, government and Washington D.C., has died at the age of 75, ABC News has announced. Her death was due to complications from breast cancer. “We will miss Cokie beyond measure, both for her contributions and for her […]