Meet Saturday Night Live’s new cast additions for its upcoming 45th season. Chloe Fineman, Shane Gillis and Bowen Yang have been tapped as new featured players on NBC’s venerable late-night sketch comedy program.
Yang joined SNL as a staff writer last season and is co-host of the Las Culturistas podcast. The promotion of Yang, son of Chinese immigrants, marks a milestone for representation on the program where he will be the first full-time East Asian cast member. (SNL alum Fred Armisen is a quarter Japanese, and fellow former SNL-er. Rob Schneider is a quarter Filipino.)
The deficiency, which led to SNL production designer Akira Yoshimura being recruited to play Asian Star Trek character Sulu in a 2017 Star Trek skit featuring Chris Pine, was addressed on the show by then-new cast member Melissa Villaseñor in a sketch about the 2016 Vice-Presidential debate. “Hello, I’m the new Hispanic cast member,” she said in the skit, “and I’ll be playing Asian moderator Elaine Quijano. Because baby steps.”
In addition of Armisen and Schneider, SNL’s cast previously included Nasim Pedrad who is of Iranian descent..
Fineman was a New Face at the 2018 Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal and has been a regular performer at the Groundlings.
Gillis was recently recognized as a New Face at the 2019 Just for Laughs Festival.
The cast additions follow the exit of mainstay Leslie Jones, who is leaving SNL after five seasons. Fineman, Gillis and Yang will join returning veteran SNL cast members Kate McKinnon, who is returning for an eighth season, along with the rest of the troupe, led by fellow veterans Kenan Thompson, Aidy Bryant and Cecily Strong.
Season 45 of SNL premieres on September 28 with Woody Harrelson, in his fourth appearance as host, and musical guest Billie Eilish.
Saturday Night Live is produced in association with Broadway Video. The creator and executive producer is Lorne Michaels.
Source: Deadline
Terrence Howard fans had better enjoy the final season of “Empire” because that’s the last time you will ever see him on the big or small screen.
Howard said with a calm certainty during an interview that he is giving up the acting game at age 50.
In addition to “Empire,” Howard has starred in multiple blockbuster movies and critically-acclaimed sagas over his long and illustrious career. Among them are: The Best Man, The Best Man Holiday, Hustle & Flow, The Butler, The Crash, Ray, The Players Club, Idlewild, Big Mamma’s House, Dead Presidents, Iron Man and “The Jacksons: An American Dream,” and many more.
“I’m done with acting. I’m done pretending,” Howard said resolutely and emotionless.
Howard made the surprising declaration on the “Empire” set with “Extra” correspondent Miss USA Cheslie Kryst. She had asked the fiery and intense actor what projects he will pursue once “Empire” completes its upcoming sixth and final season.
When Howard was pressed by Kryst to give details and if he’d go off into philanthropy, Howard came off cryptically. “No, not philanthropy; I’m just focusing on bringing truth to the world.”
Howard did not elaborate on what he meant by delivering the “truth.” But he did mention that he will miss his “Empire” castmates very much, including embattled actor Jussie Smollett.
“I love the cast members,” Howard told Kryst. “I will miss them a great deal, and the crew.”
These pronouncements come on the heels of being investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice for possible criminal tax evasion.
The Blast obtained court documents that state the U.S. Attorney’s Office is probing into possible financial crimes involving Howard, his third wife Mira Pak and Universal Bridges Inc. which is owned by Pak.
Check out Howard’s surprising announcement below:
Whoopi Goldberg is set to star alongside Jovan Adepo (When They See Us), Owen Teague (Mrs. Fletcher), Brad William Henke (Orange is the New Black) and Daniel Sunjata (Rescue Me) in The Stand, an adaptation of Stephen King’s novel at CBS All Access. They join previously announced cast members James Marsden, Amber Heard, Odessa Young and Henry Zaga. Goldberg and King made the announcement this morning on ABC’s The View.
Written by Josh Boone and Ben Cavell, The Stand is King’s apocalyptic vision of a world decimated by plague and embroiled in an elemental struggle between good and evil. The fate of mankind rests on the frail shoulders of the 108-year-old Mother Abagail (Goldberg) and a handful of survivors. Their worst nightmares are embodied in a man with a lethal smile and unspeakable powers: Randall Flagg, the Dark Man.
Goldberg’s Mother Abagail is a prophet who receives visions from God and guides survivors of the superflu.
Adepo will play Larry Underwood, a young musician with a taste for fame, as well as illegal substances. When the plague hits, he is forced to confront his demons as he makes his way to the new world.
Teague will portray Harold Lauder. After the superflu ravages his town, Harold goes in search of others with fellow survivor Frannie Goldsmith. While his intentions are good, jealousy and his infatuation with Frannie threaten to lead him down a dark path.
Henke will portray Tom Cullen, Nick Andros’ traveling companion who is developmentally disabled due to a terrible fall as a child. A sweet soul, he will be instrumental in their fight for survival.
Sunjata will play Cobb, a member of the military tasked with supervising Stu Redman as the government searches for a cure during the outbreak of the superflu.
The series will be produced by CBS Television Studios. Josh Boone and Ben Cavell will write and executive produce, with Boone also directing. Stephen King will write the last chapter of the series, providing a new coda that isn’t found in the book. Roy Lee, Jimmy Miller and Richard P. Rubinstein will also serve as executive producers with Will Weiske serving as co-executive producer. Knate Lee, Jill Killington and Owen King will serve as producers.
Goldberg is moderator of Emmy-winning The View. She won a supporting actress Oscar for her performance in Ghost, and has also starred in such films as Made in America, Boys on the Side, Ghosts of Mississippi and Girl, Interrupted. She most recently starred in Paramount Pictures’ comedy Nobody’s Fool opposite Tiffany Haddish and in Furlough.
Adepo was most recently seen as Antron McCray in Ava DuVernay’s critically praised When They See Us. He also starred as Lionel in the special event Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s All in the Family and The Jeffersons. Adepo will reprise his role as Danny in the critically acclaimed series Sorry for Your Loss and will star as Marcus in the upcoming season of Jack Ryan. He’s repped by Gersh, Strategic and Powerline Entertainment.
Up next, Teague will co-star alongside Kathryn Hahn in HBO’s Mrs. Fletcher. In film, he will next be seen on the big screen reprising his role as Patrick Hocksetter in the second installment of It, in theaters this month, and will also appear in the thriller Mary, out in October and the upcoming The Empty Man. Teague is repped by Management 360, CAA, and Myman Greenspan Fox Rosenberg Mobasser Younger & Light.
Henke is best known as prison guard Desi Piscatella in Orange Is the New Black. Other television credits include Justified, Sneaky Pete, October Road and The Bridge. He is currently shooting the limited series Manhunt: Lone Wolf. He’s repped by APA and JR Talent Group.
Sunjata, known for his role on Rescue Me, also starred on Graceland and Notorious and has been seen on Animal Kingdom, Happy! and Manifest. He also will recur on #Freerayshawn opposite Stephan James and Laurence Fishburne.
Source: Deadline
Kevin Hart is out of the hospital 10 days after his terrifying car crash.
The actor, 40, was discharged and is now recovering from his injuries in a rehabilitation facility, a source tells PEOPLE.
Hart was hospitalized and underwent surgery after suffered “major back injuries” when his Plymouth Barracuda veered off the road and landed in a ditch earlier this month.
The comedian was hurt after the vehicle’s driver, friend Jared Black, lost control and crashed through wooden fencing just before 1 a.m. on Mulholland Highway in Malibu, a spokesperson for the California Highway Patrol previously said.
Hart’s wife, Eniko Parrish, told TMZ reporters outside the hospital last week that Hart is doing “great” and is expected to fully recover.
“He’s gonna be just fine. He’s good, everybody’s good. Thank god,” she said as she returned from a coffee run. “He’s fine, he’s awake.”
In audio obtained by the TODAY show days after the accident, an unnamed woman told a 911 operator, “I need someone to come get him.”
When asked by the operator for details of the incident, the woman said, “I don’t know what happened. He’s just here. He’s not coherent at all,” before adding, “He can’t move.”
The caller explained the incident had occurred “20 minutes ago” and described it as taking place “outside of our gated community.”
Hart bought himself the Barracuda as a 40th birthday present in July, and showed off his new ride on Instagram, noting he’d nicknamed it “Menace.”
His friend and Jumanji costar Dwayne Johnson gave an update on Hart during an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show earlier this week.
“Everything is good, I spoke with Kevin, I actually refer to him as my son,” Johnson, 47, joked. “These things happen in life, and thank God he was strapped in tight to his car seat. We spoke to his pediatrician and he’s doing very well. He’s bummed he couldn’t be here, as you know, but l love the guy. He’s one of my best friends. Thank God, it could’ve been a lot worse. He’s a lucky man. I wish him the best.”
Mark Cuban has sold a majority stake in his HDNet cable channels to Leonard Asper’s Anthem Sports & Entertainment.
Entertainer and ubiquitous TV host Steve Harvey has signed on with Toronto-based Anthem as an investor in the deal that includes the music-focused AXS TV channel and HDNet Movies. Anschutz Entertainment Group and Cuban remain equity partners in the venture as well. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Founded in 2011, Anthem operates linear and digital channels in the U.S. and Canada devoted to wrestling, boxing, hunting and fishing and gaming.
“Anthem was founded with a mission to deliver compelling, targeted content and experiences to passionate fans globally on the platform of their choice. The music, sports and entertainment communities served by these channels are a natural extension and perfect complement to our existing properties,” said Asper, who is CEO of Anthem and former CEO of CanWest Global Communications Corp. “The addition of AXS TV and HDNet Movies will allow for increased content ownership, digital expansion and even more compelling programming for consumers and our distribution partners.”
Cuban founded the company in 2001 as HDNet to capitalize on the growth of high-definition programming options. The HDNet channel was relaunched as AXS TV in 2012 as a partnership among Cuban, AEG, Ryan Seacrest Media and CAA. AEG’s global partnerships advertising sales unit will continue to handle sales for the channel alongside Anthem.
“Anthem’s combination of targeted brands, enthusiastic audiences, operational expertise, international footprint and vision makes them an ideal partner to take AXS TV and HDNet Movies to their next levels,” Cuban said. “Given Anthem’s portfolio of premium content and complementary programming networks, we could not ask for a better home, and we are looking forward to the results we will collectively generate for this new partnership.”
Harvey said he planned to be involved in content development for the expanded channels group. Harvey’s Steve Harvey Global unit will have a seat on Anthem’s board.
“My team and I see great opportunity in Anthem,” Harvey said. “They have incredible shows, experiential entertainment, and a huge reach. We look forward to collaborating with Anthem on content development that will surprise and delight this newly expanded audience.”
Anthem’s channel roster at present includes Fight Network, which reaches 43 million homes in the U.S. and Canada, Impact Wrestling, Pursuit Channel and Game TV.
Source: Variety
“Power” star Omari Hardwick is in final negotiations to lead the upcoming horror-thriller “Spell,” sources say.
Hardwick’s attachment to the Paramount Players project comes just as his hit crime drama is set to finish up with its sixth and final season.
“Spell” follows a man (Hardwick) who crashes his plane while en route to rural Appalachia with his family for a funeral and awakens to find himself totally alone and without his bearings. Relieved to be discovered by a seemingly kind elderly couple, he has no way of knowing the dark machinations that lie in wait as he is pulled deeper and deeper into a sinister world.
“Hush” (2008) and “House at the End of the Street” director Mark Tonderai will helm from a script by “Point Break” (2015) and “Total Recall” (2012) scribe Kurt Wimmer. Wimmer will also produce along with Gordon Gray, Morris Chestnut and Brian Wilkins.
“Spell” will hit theaters Aug. 28, 2020.
Hardwick, who spent six seasons on Starz’ most-watched cable show “Power” as James St. Patrick, has also appeared in numerous films, including Boots Riley’s “Sorry to Bother You” and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau’s crime drama “Shot Caller.” He also starred in Tyler Perry’s rom-com “Nobody’s Fool” alongside Tiffany Haddish, Tika Sumpter and Whoopi Goldberg.
Source: Variety
NEW YORK, NY — BET Networks, a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), and Tyler Perry Studios today announced that, BET+, their joint venture and premier subscription video-on demand service, will launch in the U.S. on Thursday, September 19. For $9.99 per month, BET+ will feature more than 1,000 hours of premium content, including exclusive new original programming and fan-favorite series, movies, and specials from BET Networks, as well as a host of leading African American content creators, including Tyler Perry, Tracy Oliver, Will Packer and more.
“We are thrilled to offer a streaming experience of content curated for the underserved African American audience with BET+. African Americans have a higher SVOD adoption rate than any other consumer base on the market, which is why BET+ is a natural complement of BET’s linear network, which has been and continues to be the leading home of black culture for decades,” said Scott Mills, President of BET Networks.
“In our first year, we will release a BET+ original project almost every month, adding to our lineup of deep and diverse content,” said Devin Griffin, General Manager BET+. “We’re focused on super-serving lovers of Black stories by working with top talent, and supporting fresh new voices, on both sides of the camera.”
BET+ will offer consumers an original and diverse collection of premier African American-focused dramas, sitcoms, film, stand-up comedy, and specials in the streaming universe. It will also be the official home of Tyler Perry’s collected works across film, television, and the stage. BET+ programming will be ad-free, with new titles added on a monthly basis.
BET+ will launch with several FIRSTS including:
Premiering at launch, BET+ will feature new exclusive original series “First Wives Club” – a nine-episode scripted drama from acclaimed “Girls Trip” screenwriter Tracy Oliver – and “Bigger”– a ten-episode series from Will Packer, blockbuster hit-maker of titles such as “Ride Along” and “Think Like a Man.”
In addition to its new original content, BET+ will become the exclusive SVOD home to the beloved comedy series “Martin.” This is the first time “Martin” will be available on a streaming service.
BET+ will house Tyler Perry’s box office-topping theatrical films, including films from the “Madea” series; original series and a selection of Perry’s stage plays: “Meet the Browns,” “Daddy’s Little Girls,” “Temptation: Confessions Of A Marriage Counselor,” and more.
BET+ will offer a premium selection of African American TV, movie and musical content including BET’s beloved library series, films, documentaries, and specials such as “The Bobby Brown Story,” “The New Edition Story,” “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” “The Quad,” “Being Mary Jane,” “Love & Happiness: An Obama Celebration, ” “College Hill,” “Comic View,” “Hell Date,” “Keyshia Cole: All In,” “Nellyville” “Reed Between The Lines,” “Ali: People’s Champ,” “Katrina: 10 Years Later,” “Killer Curves,” “BET Awards,” “Hip Hop Awards,” “Soul Train Awards,” “Black Girls Rock,” “Boomerang,” “Harlem Nights,” “Baby Boy,” “Belly,” “Coach Carter,” “Coming To America,” “Higher Learning,” “Losing Isaiah,” “Poetic Justice,” “Tina Turner Live In Holland,” and more will be available at launch.
In the coming months, BET+ will also feature stand-up comedy specials from D.L. Hughley, Eddie Griffin, Nick Cannon, Sasheer Zamata (Saturday Night Live), Lil Rel (Get Out), Gina Yashere (The Daily Show), Sinbad and more.
Library series from Viacom’s Portfolio of BET sister networks, including VH1’s “Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta,” “Basketball Wives,” “T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle,” Comedy Central’s “Why? With Hannibal Buress”, MTV’s “Todrick,” TV Land’s “Soul Man,” Nick @ Night’s “Instant Mom,” and more will also join the service.
BET+ will be available at launch on mobile and connected TV devices with a dedicated web experience coming later this year.
BET will continue to feature new originals and loved series, including the Tyler Perry original series, “The Oval,” and “Sistas” premiering Wednesday, October 9 on BET. BET fans will have additional access points to BET content on BET.com and the BET Now app for TV Everywhere users. In addition, BET’s recently launched channel on Pluto TV, the leading free streaming television service in the U.S., will continue to feature hundreds of hours of classic films and box office hits from the best of black Hollywood.
For BET+ updates, exclusive social content and more follow the official hashtag #BETplus.
John Wesley, the actor best-known for playing Dr. Hoover on “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air,” has died. He was 72.
Wesley died from complications due to a long battle with multiple myeloma, his family confirmed to Variety.
Gerry Pass, Wesley’s manager and producer, said in a statement, “John Wesley was a gift to the world, for his kindness and grace are immortalized in his works of theatre, TV and film. I am heartbroken to have lost a dear friend today.”
Born on Aug. 3, 1947 in Lake Charles, La., John Wesley Houston went on to hold degrees from the University of California, San Diego and the University of San Diego. Before he began acting, Wesley served in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. Over his expansive career, Wesley worked with talent including Denzel Washington, Albert Finney, Barbra Streisand, Tim Burton and Morgan Freeman.
Wesley holds more than 100 film and television credits, including “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air,” “Missing in Action,” “Big Fish,” “Stop, Or My Mom Will Shoot,” “Always Outnumbered” with Laurence Fishburne and “Martin.” He also enjoyed cameos on “Frasier,” “The Jefferson’s,” “Benson” and “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” Most recently, he co-starred in 2016’s “The Midnighters,” a true crime thriller directed by Julian Fort. His last project was “Second Acts,” a short film created by Gerry Pass and directed by Anya Adams.
Wesley also appeared on the stage in Ionesco’s “Macbett” and Lillian Hellman’s “Toys in the Attic” at the Old Globe Theatre, as well as “An American Clock” by Arthur Miller and “Wild Oats” at the Mark Taper Forum.
Wesley is survived by his wife, Jenny Houston; his mother, Hazel Baskin; his daughters, Kimiko Kamiel Houston and Kinshasha Houston; stepson, Kyler Richie; siblings and grandchildren.
Source: Variety
Paramount Pictures has signed Will Smith to produce and star in a movie adaptation of Marcus Sakey’s dystopian trilogy “Brilliance.”
Akiva Goldsman will write the script and produce with James Lassiter and Shane Salerno. “Brilliance” will be a co-production between Goldsman’s Weed Road, Smith’s Westbrook and Overbrook and Salerno’s the Story Factory.
The story is set in a world where 1% of the children are born with powerful intellectual gifts and demonized by society. A director is not yet on board.
Smith starred in “Aladdin” and will next be seen in Ang Lee’s sci-fi thriller “Gemini Man,” which Paramount opens on Oct. 11th.
Kevin Hart was involved in a major car crash on Labor Day, riding as a passenger in an old Plymouth Barracuda with two other people that somehow went off the road and ended up in a ditch. Now, TMZ has collected some new details on the crash, and it sounds like Hart’s injuries might be even more extensive than initial reports suggested. According to unnamed sources, naturally, Hart suffered multiple spinal fractures in the crash, and while an initial surgery to fuse two of them was a success, TMZ’s very dramatic report notes that he’s still “going through hell” and has been “heavily medicated” to deal with the pain. He is still expected to make a full recovery, but it could take “several weeks—if not months,” so it stands to reason that some of his upcoming projects will probably be impacted (though nothing has been officially announced).
Meanwhile, TMZ’s search for any, you know, TMZ-friendly angles to the crash has apparently come up empty: The site’s sources say that Hart had spent the day with his wife at home, and he and the other two people in the car had not been on a “wild night out on the town at a bar or restaurant” before the crash.
The driver, Jared Black, apparently suffered similar injuries to Hart, but his current condition has not been confirmed.