Lil Rel Howery To Guest Star On Showtime’s ‘The Chi’
Two-time Grammy® nominee Luke James (Star, Little), La La Anthony (Power) and Lil Rel Howery (Get Out, Bird Box) have signed on to guest star in multiple episodes of the third season of the SHOWTIME drama series THE CHI. In addition, writer Justin Hillian (Snowfall) has been named showrunner and executive producer this season. Birgundi Baker (Empire, Chicago Med), who plays Kiesha, has been upped to a series regular. THE CHI is currently in production in Chicago and will return to the network in 2020.
Luke James will play Victor “Trig” Taylor, Jake’s (Michael V. Epps) estranged older brother who wants to reunite his fractured family, but takes an unconventional approach. La La Anthony will play Dominique “Dom” Morris, a savvy businesswoman with dreams of more lucrative opportunities. Lil Rel Howery will play Zeke Remnick, the owner of Sonny’s building who cares less about the community than the bottom line.
Created and executive produced by Emmy® winner Lena Waithe and executive produced by Academy Award®, Emmy and Golden Globe® winner Common (Selma), THE CHI is a timely coming-of-age story centering on a group of residents who become linked by coincidence but bonded by the need for connection and redemption. Season three cast includes Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine (Queen of Katwe), Jacob Latimore (Sleight), Alex Hibbert (Moonlight), Yolonda Ross (Treme), Shamon Brown Jr., Epps and Baker.
In addition to Waithe and Common, Aaron Kaplan (A Million Little Things, The Neighborhood), Rick Famuyiwa (Dope), Derek Dudley and Shelby Stone of Freedom Road Productions, Jet Wilkinson and Justin Hillian serve as executive producers. Produced entirely in its namesake city, THE CHI is produced by Fox 21 Television Studios. To learn more about THE CHI, visit SHO.com and follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Join the conversation using #TheChi.
Kevin Hart Being Sued For $60 Million Dollars By Woman Featured In Sex Tape
Kevin Hart is reportedly being sued by Montia Sabbag, the woman he was featured with in a sex tape made back in 2017. According to reports, she’s suing for $60 million for intentional infliction of emotional distress and invasion of privacy.
In the suit, Montia claims the 40-year-old comedian conspired with his friend (JT Jackson) to secretly record their encounter.
In 2017, Kevin made headlines when he cheated on his then-pregnant wife Eniko Hart.
Kevin and Montia were said to have hooked up in a Las Vegas hotel room and the incident was filmed allegedly by JT, who was later charged with 2 counts of extortion relating to alleged efforts to get money out of Hart to keep the tape under wraps.
JT denied ever extorting the comedian.
In Montia’s suit, she claims that the incident was planned by Kevin and JT, claiming that Kevin needed publicity and that’s why he and JT allegedly hid the camera.
She claims Kevin allowed his friend into the Cosmopolitan Hotel suite so he could set up hidden video recording devices to capture them in action.
Kevin has repeatedly denied having any knowledge of the recording. He also apologized for his infidelity.
Kevin is currently recovering from a serious car accident.
Source: thejasminebrand
Shane Gillis Out At ‘Saturday Night Live’ Following Racial, Homophobic Slurs
Comedian Shane Gillis won’t be part of Saturday Night Live after coming under fire for using racial and homophobic slurs during a conversation on a podcast.
“After talking with Shane Gillis, we have decided that he will not be joining SNL,” said a show spokesperson on behalf of executive producer Lorne Michaels. “We want SNL to have a variety of voices and points of view within the show, and we hired Shane on the strength of his talent as comedian and his impressive audition for SNL. We were not aware of his prior remarks that have surfaced over the past few days. The language he used is offensive, hurtful and unacceptable. We are sorry that we did not see these clips earlier, and that our vetting process was not up to our standard.”
Gillis, one of three new SNL castmembers announced Thursday, can be heard using a racial slur in a since-deleted video from 2018 on a YouTube channel called “Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast.”
“Chinatown’s fucking nuts,” Gillis says in a segment of the video dated on Sept. 26, 2018. “Let the fucking ch—s live there.” The video also shows Gillis mimicking a Chinese accent and mocking Chinese restaurants.
Additional audio from a separate 2018 episode of “Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast” shows Gillis and co-host Matt McCusker ranking how funny comedians are by race and using homophobic slurs. While referencing comedians like Judd Apatow, Gillis calls them “white faggot comics” and “fucking gayer than ISIS.”
Gillis took to his Twitter account to issue a statement, tweeting “I’m a comedian who pushes boundaries. I sometimes miss. If you go through my 10 years of comedy, most of it bad, you’re going to find a lot of bad misses. I’m happy to apologize to anyone who’s actually offended by anything I’ve said. My intention is never to hurt anyone but I am trying to be the best comedian I can be and sometimes that requires risks.”
Gillis is the latest comedian to deal with backlash over past offensive comments. Trevor Noah was criticized ahead of replacing Jon Stewart on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show over old tweets, including ones deemed antisemitic or offensive towards aboriginal women. Kevin Hart gave up his Oscars hosting gig this year when homophobic tweets of his resurfaced.
SNL returns Sept. 28 for its 45th season with host Woody Harrelson and musical guest Billie Eilish.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Tracee Ellis Ross Reunites With ‘Girlfriends’ On ‘black-ish’
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Fans waiting for a “Girlfriends” reboot are getting a little tease: the cast of the early 2000s sitcom is reuniting on an episode of “black-ish.”
Tracee Ellis Ross, one of the leading actors on “black-ish,” was also the star of “Girlfriends,” which ran from 2000 to 2008 and chronicled the lives of four black women living in Los Angeles.
Ross teased the reunion on social media, posting a video of herself on the “black-ish” set with Golden Brooks, Persia White and Jill Marie Jones, as she squealed with delight. “Girlfriends” had a strong and loyal fan base, and some have lobbied it to return in some form — perhaps a movie.
The episode will air Oct. 8th on ABC.
Saturday Night Live Adds Its First Asian Cast Member Bowen Yang
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 Is Quitting Acting After ‘Empire’
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, Four More Join Stephen King’s ‘The Stand’ For CBS All Access Series
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 And Being Treated At A Rehab Facitilty
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.”
Steve Harvey Purchases HDTV Channel From Mark Cuban!
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
Omari Hardwick To Star In New Thriller Titled ‘Spell’!
“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.
