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Sebastian Stan is back as Bucky Barnes, aka the ruthless, one-armed Winter Soldier in the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe film, “Thunderbolts*,” but the highly trained super soldier is only one of his many great roles.

The award-winning actor is well known for his turn as an action hero, but he is also adept at comedy, dark psychological drama and embodying a number of real-life people on the big and small screen .

Here are our favorite roles of his so far:

Sebastian Stan in “Hot Tub Time Machine” (Credit: MGM/UA) Blaine in “Hot Tub Time Machine”

Not one of his “best” films, per se, but Sebastian Stan is one of the funniest things in this comedy as stereotypical ’80s bully Blaine, who flips out when he thinks time travelers John Cusack, Craig Robinson, Clark Duke and Rob Corddry are actually Russian spies. “They could be some kind of ’21 Jump Street’ spy battalion-type dudes,...

Ben Stiller's dark comedy, which made over $128 million at the box office, has landed on Netflix's global chart 18 years after its release. Stiller has been a consistent comedic presence since the 1990s, starting with his sketch comedy series, The Ben Stiller Show. He went on to make guest appearances in television shows like Friends, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Arrested Development, and Extras, the last of which earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series.

After beginning his career in television, Stiller transitioned to film and starred in a string of successful studio comedies, including romantic comedies like There's Something About Mary and Along Came Polly, and more absurdist and satirical style comedies such as Zoolander, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, and Tropic Thunder. Since the mid-2010s, Stiller has shifted back to television, directing episodes of Severance and other shows. However, many of Stiller's...

The upcoming fourth season of the Apple TV+ series Acapulco will be the comedy’s last on the streamer. Per Variety, the comedy was renewed for its fourth season back in August 2024, but at that time, it was not confirmed that it would be the final one for the series starring Eugenio Derbez.

The outlet has now confirmed that the fourth season, which will premiere on Apple TV+ on July 23, will be Acapulco’s last. “These four seasons have been magical,” said Derbez, who plays Máximo Gallardo on the series and is also an executive producer. The show follows a successful businessman (Derbez) as he reminisces about his younger years in the 1980s while working his dream job at a major resort called Las Colinas. The series currently boasts a 93% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

It’s “Bittersweet,” Says Series Star

“Acapulco brought joy and heart to audiences around the world,...

The Audacity has added to its cast as the cameras have started rolling for the new AMC drama. Thailey Roberge and Ava Marie Telek have joined Billy Magnussen, Sarah Goldberg, Zach Galifianakis, Lucy Punch, Simon Helberg, Rob Corddry, Meaghan Rath, Paul Adelstein, and Everett Blunck in the series.

The eight-episode series, from Jonathan Glatzer, will premiere in 2026. AMC released a press release with more information about the series.

“AMC Networks' upcoming Jonathan Glatzer drama, The Audacity, has officially begun production in Vancouver, Canada. Thailey Roberge (Reginald the Vampire - Bio) and Ava Marie Telek (Happy Face - Bio) complete the cast as Tess Phister and Jamison Park-Hoffsteader, respectively. Randall Park guest stars as Gabe, the qualm-free CFO of a data mining operation.

Set inside...

Before he was the Winter Soldier, Sebastian Stan was a snow bunny trying to make ends meet.

The Oscar nominee recalled how royalties from his appearance in 2010’s Hot Tub Time Machine helped him survive before he landed his role as the MCU‘s James ‘Bucky’ Barnes in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011).

“I was actually struggling with work,” he told Vanity Fair. “I had just gotten off the phone with my business manager, who told me I was saved by $65,000 that came in residuals from Hot Tub Time Machine.”

In director Steve Pink’s sci-fi romp Hot Tub Time Machine, Stan played the typical ’80s bully Blaine, who terrorizes a group of friends who travel back in time to their teen years at a 1986 ski resort.

Following his MCU debut, Stan continued to play the Winter Soldier in Captain America: The Winter Soldier...

There are many actors who come from humble beginnings (though less so these days) and remember a time when it was a struggle to pay the bills. And Thunderbolts* star Sebastian Stan is no exception. The Academy Award-nominated actor is sitting comfortably now thanks to numerous projects that have established him as one of the best actors of his generation, but before he arrived in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Stan was barely getting by. However, it was residuals from a largely forgotten 2010 comedy that helped him keep the lights on before he was cast in Captain America: The First Avenger.

Speaking with Vanity Fair, Stan reveals that he was in a rough spot acting-wise before he was cast in 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger as Bucky Barnes. It was a role that changed the trajectory of his career, but it was the residuals from the 2010 comedy film Hot Tub Time Machine...

Sebastian Stan is one of the most in-demand and most-respected actors in Hollywood. It certainly wasn’t always that way — not before Marvel came calling.

Stan told Vanity Fair he was “struggling with work” before being cast as Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier for 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger.

“I had just gotten off the phone with my business manager, who told me I was saved by $65,000 that came in residuals from Hot Tub Time Machine,” Stan recalled.

Thank goodness for the role of Blaine the ski-patrol bully. (Stan had also done 11 episodes of Gossip Girl by then.)

Hot Tub Time Machine starred John Cusack, Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson and Clark Duke as a group of guys who accidentally time-travel back to 1986 using a hot tub and must find a way to return to 2010. The supporting cast included Crispin Glover, Lizzy Caplan and Chevy Chase; Glover of Back to the Future fame,...

Exclusive: Emmy-nominated Erinn Hayes has been tapped as the female lead opposite Scott Foley in It’s Not Like That, a faith-based drama at Prime Video. Additionally, Brad Silberling has signed on to direct the pilot.

Created by Ian Deitchman and Kristin Robinson, who also serve as showrunners, It’s Not Like That follows Lori (Hayes), who is freshly divorced with two teens. Malcolm’s (Foley) a minister and recently widowed dad of three. Their families once did everything together, but now Lori and Malcolm must navigate their newly minted singledom, parenthood and the complexities of Malcolm being a modern-day minister. Is this the beginning of a love story? It’s not like that. Or is it?

It’s Not Like That, from Wonder Project, was given a cast-contingent series order at Prime Video last November and Foley’s casting, announced in February, lifted that contingency.

Series also is executive produced by Garrett Lerner,...

Exclusive: The next novel from Warm Bodies author Isaac Marion is to be adapted into a feature film.

Rights to Marion’s upcoming book The Overnoise has been snapped up by Nine Perfect Strangers maker Made Up Stories, whose bosses Bruna Papandrea and Steve Hutensky will produce alongside Jeanne Snow and Claudia Park.

Per the synopsis, “The Overnoise follows aspiring musician Robin Conway, who simply wants to complete her new album and maintain her record deal. Everything changes with the launch of ‘Infinite Connection’ – a revolutionary global wireless service promising seamless connectivity worldwide. However, the technology brings an unexpected and disturbing consequence: a persistent dissonant hum known as the ‘overnoise.'”

This is the second collab between Isaac and Papandrea, following the feature film adaptation of Warm Bodies, the New York Times bestseller, in 2013. The zombie comedy-romance, directed by Jonathan Levine, starred Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Rob Corddry, Dave Franco and John Malkovich among others.

This just in — AMC’s upcoming Silicon Valley drama is officially titled The Audacity and has just added Zach Galifianakis(The Hangover)to its cast. Created by Jonathan Glatzer(Better Call Saul),the show explores the lives of billionaires, struggles, and dreamers in the bubble of California’s technological hub. While Billy Magnussen(Road House)headlines The Audacity as Duncan,Galifianakis takes on the recurring role of Carl Bardolph, a disillusioned tech entrepreneur who has no interest in returning to Silicon Valley.

The ensemble cast of the show includes Sarah Goldberg, Lucy Punch, Simon Helberg, Rob Corddry, Meaghan Rath, Paul Adelstein, and Everett Blunck in prominent roles. Glatzer serves as the writer, showrunner, and executive producer on the eight-episode first season of The Audacity. Set against the backdrop of the modern tech revolution, the characters will navigate their personal lives and deal with the real-world impacts of AI, big data as they chase unicorn status.

Exclusive: Zach Galifianakis rounds out the main cast of AMC and AMC+’s Jonathan Glatzer Silicon Valley drama headlined by Billy Magnussen. Previously untitled, the series will now be called The Audacity. It will be among the highlights of AMC’s upfront event later today.

The Audacity, produced by AMC Studios, is set in the bubble of Silicon Valley. It features a cast of billionaires, strugglers, dreamers and others, chasing unicorn status, maintaining marriages, micro-dosing in search of futuristic solutions to present day problems, and channeling the audacity required to build a world that they are creating in front of our eyes. All while navigating the real life issues associated with the real world impacts of AI, big data, and the accelerating tech revolution.

Galifianakis will play the major recurring character of Carl Bardolph. Wealthy beyond imagination, disillusioned beyond repair, Carl Bardolph has spent years watching from the shadows as the tech world churns forward,...

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Twilight is one of the most popular film franchises on the face of the Earth, and one of the biggest reasons behind its success is the beloved genre – young adult. Based on the extremely popular novel series of the same name by Stephanie Meyer, the film series is set in the small town of Forks, and it follows Bella Swan, a teenage girl who falls in love with Edward Cullen, a century-old vampire. Twilight stars Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser, Ashley Greene, Kellan Lutz, Nikki Reed, and Jackson Rathbone. So, if you loved the teen romantic drama, fantasy elements, and a compelling story in the Twilight film franchise, here are some similar movies and TV shows you should check out next.

Vampire Academy Credit – The Weinstein Company

Vampire Academy is a teen fantasy...

You’d best binge on some HBO shows on Netflix, as several will be leaving the streamer this summer and fall!

HBO and Netflix have had an up-and-down relationship over the years. HBO was okay with licensing some of their original shows to the streamer but obviously wanted to keep some bigger ones on HBO itself. The coming of Max means HBO doesn’t need Netflix as much.

2023 saw a new deal premiering several HBO shows on Netflix, but it looks like that agreement is coming to an end. There is a chance it could be renewed, so some of these stay after all, which is common for streamers. However, per What’s On Netflix, here’s a quick look at the five HBO shows that may be leaving Netflix this summer.

Insecure season 5 Insecure seasons 1-5 (departure date: July 3)

Created by Issa Rae, this critically acclaimed comedy stars Rae...

From struggling actors to studio execs, these series show the real — and ridiculous — side of showbiz.

No matter where you live, there’s just something about Hollywood that pulls you in. The glitz, the glamour, the drama — and yeah, the dirt underneath it all — it’s always been fascinating. It’s the kind of place where anyone could blow up overnight (or crash just as fast), and that mix of ambition, chaos, and ego makes it perfect TV fodder. With the release of “The Studio,” which follows Seth Rogen as Matt Remick, the newly appointed head of Continental Studios trying to balance his artistic integrity with the Studio’s bottom line, it felt like a great time to recap the other epic series that pull back the curtain on showbiz. So, here are the top seven TV shows about Hollywood you can stream right now.

Top 7 TV shows about Hollywood on streaming right now:

No.

While the movie business has experienced a concerning degree of commercial and critical turbulence over the first three months of 2025, television has stepped up to provide entertainment seekers an impressive array of captivating new series, as well as stellar new seasons from returning shows. "Severance" just stuck the landing at the end of its celebrated second season, "The White Lotus" is back doing its darkly comedic thing with possibly its strongest cast to date, and "The Studio" is a brilliantly brutal Hollywood satire that takes no prisoners in showing viewers how the showbiz sausage is made.

Hence, it's a very high compliment to suggest that the new Max hospital drama, "The Pitt," might be the best of the '25 bunch thus far. Created by R. Scott Gemmill, a TV writing veteran who got his start on "ER" before taking the showrunning reins on "NCIS: Los Angeles," the show is a...

Exclusive: Lucy Punch (Amandaland) has been cast as a series regular in AMC and AMC+’s untitled Jonathan Glatzer Silicon Valley drama headlined by Billy Magnussen. Also added as a series regular is Everett Blunck.

The series, produced by AMC Studios, is set within the delusion bubble of Silicon Valley. The story follows an ethically compromised tech CEO (Magnussen) who is outrunning reputational damage as he tries to rescue his company from the brink of failure by any means necessary. Dragged into his chaos are his family, his kid’s elite prep school, an assortment of Sv power players and his psychiatrist (Sarah Goldberg).

Punch will play tech CEO’s wife who is having a retaliatory affair after her own husband’s infidelity. Blunck will play a high school student who moves to Silicon Valley to stay with his mom and stepdad.

In addition to Magnussen and Goldberg, they join fellow series regulars Meaghan Rath,...

Exclusive: Paul Adelstein (Prison Break) has been cast as a series regular in AMC and AMC+’s untitled Jonathan Glatzer Silicon Valley drama headlined by Billy Magnussen.

The series, produced by AMC Studios, is set within the delusion bubble of Silicon Valley. The story follows an ethically compromised tech CEO (Magnussen) who is outrunning reputational damage as he tries to rescue his company from the brink of failure by any means necessary. Dragged into his chaos are his family, his kid’s elite prep school, an assortment of Sv power players and his psychiatrist (Sarah Goldberg).

Adelstein will play Dr. Felder, a Freudian psychotherapist. In addition to Magnussen and Goldberg, he joins fellow series regulars Meaghan Rath, Rob Corddry and Simon Helberg.

Glatzer is writer, executive producer and showrunner. Gina Mingacci also executive produces.

Adelstein most recently guest starred on Netflix’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez and did...

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Shoresy is a Canadian sports comedy series created by Jared Keeso. The Hulu series is a spin-off of the popular series Letterkenny, and it follows Shoresy as he moves to Sudbury to join the struggling senior hockey team, the Sudbury Bulldogs. Shoresy stars Jared Keeso, Tasya Teles, Blair Lamora, Keilani Elizabeth Rose, Ryan McDonell, Camille Sullivan, Jonathan-Ismael Diaby, Terry Ryan, and Harlan Blayne Kytwayhat. So, if you loved the camaraderie, hilarious comedy, and memorable characters in Shoresy, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Letterkenny (Hulu & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Hulu

Letterkenny is a Canadian comedy series created by Jared Keeso. The Crave series is set in the fictional town of Letterkenny, and it follows the hilarious misadventures of its residents. Letterkenny stars Jared Keeso, Nathan Daniels, Michelle Mylett, K. Trevor Wilson, Dylan Playfair,...

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Running Point is a sports comedy series created by Elaine Ko, Mindy Kaling, Ike Barinholtz, and David Stassen. The Netflix series follows Isla Gordon, a former party girl who is suddenly appointed as the head of the family business, which is the pro basketball team Los Angeles Waves. She takes this opportunity to reform her image and put the flailing team back on the map. Running Point stars Kate Hudson, Drew Tarver, Scott McArthur, Brenda Song, Fabrizio Guido, Chet Hanks, and Tony Sandeman. So, if you loved the camaraderie, hilarious comedy, and compelling characters in Running Point, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Ted Lasso (Apple TV+ & Prime Video Add-On) Credit – Apple TV+

Ted Lasso is a sports comedy-drama series created by Stephen Levinson. Based on the promotional media for NBC Sports’s coverage of England’s Premier League,...

Exclusive: Simon Helberg will be tapping into his Big Bang engineering credentials for his next series role. He has been cast as a series regular opposite leads Billy Magnussen and Sarah Goldberg in AMC and AMC+’s untitled Jonathan Glatzer Silicon Valley drama.

The series, produced by AMC Studios, is set inside the bubble of Silicon Valley, amid misguided corporate cultures, moony innovation labs and cutthroat private high schools. It is centered around a rift between a self-appointed “inventor of the future” tech CEO Duncan (Magnussen) and his self-serving “performance psychologist” Joanne (Goldberg), who are engulfed in a scandal sparked by the exploitation of personal data.

Helberg will play Martin, the billionaire founder and CEO of an AI company. In addition to Magnussen and Goldberg, he joins previously cast Meaghan Rath and Rob Corddry.

Glatzer is writer, executive producer and showrunner. Gina Mingacci also executive produces.

Helberg is best known...

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Suits LA is a legal drama series created by Aaron Korsh. The NBC series is a spin-off to the USA Network series Suits, and it follows Ted Black, a former federal prosecutor from New York who is now running his own firm in Los Angeles with a group of highly qualified and charming lawyers. Suits LA stars Stephen Amell, Lex Scott Davis, Josh McDermitt, Bryan Greenberg, and Victoria Justice. So, if you loved thrilling legal drama, interpersonal relationships, and compelling characters in Suits LA, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Suits Credit – USA Network

Suits is a legal comedy-drama series created by Aaron Korsh. The USA Network series is set in New York City, and it follows Mike Ross, a college dropout, as he is hired as a lawyer by Harvey Specter, a charismatic attorney.

Rob Corddry is set to join AMC’s Silicon Valley project from “Succession” and “Bad Sisters” writer Jonathan Glatzer, alongside stars Billy Magnussen (“Made for Love”) and Sarah Goldberg (“Barry”).

Corddry is a series regular on the show, playing the character Tom Ruffage. The untitled series which is about a tech CEO (played by Magnussen) and his ‘performance psychologist’ (played by Goldberg). He was most recently seen on Max’s Chuck Lorre comedy “Bookie,” starring Sebastian Maniscalco, which was just canceled after two seasons.

Corddry was behind the fan favorite short-form series “Childrens Hospital,” which became a hit for Adult Swim and earned him four Emmys. (The show also spawned the spinoff “Medical Police” on Netflix.) Corddry is also known for starring opposite Dwayne Johnson in HBO’s “Ballers,” and as a correspondent on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.” He was one of the co-hosts of “Top Gear America...

Coming off Bookie, Rob Corddry has been cast as a series regular opposite Billy Magnussen and Sarah Goldberg in AMC and AMC+’s untitled Jonathan Glatzer Silicon Valley series.

The drama, produced by AMC Studios, is set inside the bubble of Silicon Valley, amid misguided corporate cultures, moony innovation labs and cutthroat private high schools. It is centered around a rift between a self-appointed “inventor of the future” tech CEO (Magnussen) and his self-serving “performance psychologist” (Goldberg), who are engulfed in a scandal sparked by the exploitation of personal data.

Corddry will play Tom Ruffage, the Deputy Under Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs who comes to Silicon Valley in search for help solving a major backlog in his department.

Glatzer and Gina Mingacci serve as executive producers on the yet untitled series.

Children’s Hospital alum Corddry was most recently seen on Chuck Lorre’s comedy series Bookie, which ran for two seasons on Max.

Well, this is a big, fat bummer you can bet on: After two short seasons on Max, the streamer announced it has canceled Bookie, a sitcom nestled in the world of sports betting. Why? While your guess is as good as mine (because the show is rife with great characters and plenty of humor), it’s likely due to poor ratings, despite the warm critical reception and acclaim it has received since its premiere in November 2023.

This reception, combined with a 90% Tomatometer and 86% Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes, is why Max absolutely made the wrong decision in cancelling Bookie. Audiences clearly loved the show, which brought us some big laugh-out-loud moments during its run.

A Max spokesperson said in a statement:

“For two seasons creators Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay and their hilarious cast, led by Sebastian Maniscalco, made us laugh while pulling back the curtain on the world of sports betting.

It's the end of the line for Bookie, the Max comedy series co-created by Chuck Lorre. The series served as a Two and a Half Men reunion of sorts, as Charlie Sheen also had a guest role in both seasons of the show.

Per Variety,Bookie has been canceled at Max after two seasons. Co-created by Lorre and Nick Bakay, the series starred comedian Sebastian Maniscalco (The Super Mario Bros. Movie) as a bookmaker in Los Angeles, while Sheen was featured in guest appearances as himself. The first season debuted in Nov. 2023, and Season 2 premiered this past December before wrapping up in February. Now, it's been confirmed that there won't be a Season 3.

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RelatedThis Is Why Melanie Lynskey Left Two and a Half Men

Melanie Lynskey's leaving Two and a Half Men made it obvious the show had some internal issues.

“For two seasons creators Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay and their hilarious cast,...

Bookie, the comedy series Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay created, has been canceled at Max after two seasons.

The series, which premiered on the Warner Bros. Discovery streamer in November 2023 and premiered its second season in December 2024, was not renewed for a third season.

“For two seasons creators Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay and their hilarious cast, led by Sebastian Maniscalco, made us laugh while pulling back the curtain on the world of sports betting,” a Max spokesperson told Deadline. “We won’t be moving forward with a third season, but we are grateful to have worked with such a brilliant team on this laugh out loud comedy.”

Sebastian Maniscalco starred as Danny Colavito in Bookie, which is about a veteran bookie who must fight to survive the legalization of sports gambling in Los Angeles.

Bookie also starred Omar Dorsey as Ray Ballard. The cast also included Andrea Anders, Vanessa Ferlito,...

A third season of Bookie is too rich for Max’s blood: The streaming service has cancelled the Chuck Lorre sitcom starring stand-up comedian Sebastian Maniscalco, TVLine has confirmed. (Our sister site Variety first reported the news.)

“For two seasons creators Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay and their hilarious cast, led by Sebastian Maniscalco, made us laugh while pulling back the curtain on the world of sports betting,” a Max spokesperson said in a statement. “We won’t be moving forward with a third season, but we are grateful to have worked with such a brilliant team on this laugh out loud comedy.

All bets are off.

“Bookie” has been canceled by Max after two seasons, Variety has learned exclusively.

The comedy series starred Sebastian Maniscalco as a veteran bookmaker in Los Angeles who must fight to survive the legalization of sports gambling while navigating unstable clients. Created by Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay, the show premiered on the Warner Bros. Discovery streamer in November 2023 and debuted its second season in December 2024.

“For two seasons creators Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay and their hilarious cast, led by Sebastian Maniscalco, made us laugh while pulling back the curtain on the world of sports betting,” a Max spokesperson said in a statement. “We won’t be moving forward with a third season, but we are grateful to have worked with such a brilliant team on this laugh out loud comedy.”

“Bookie” also starred Omar Dorsey as Rayfield “Ray” Ballard, Andrea Anders as Sandra, Vanessa Ferlito as Lorraine Colavito,...

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Alexandra Daddario is one of the most gorgeous and talented actresses working in the film industry right now. The American actress started her career in Hollywood early with the role of Laurie Lewis in All My Children. In the past, she has starred in many projects, such as San Andreas and Percy Jackson film series. Now, she is starring in AMC’s Mayfair Witches, which is based on Anne Rice’s popular book trilogy Lives of the Mayfair Witches. So, if you love Daddario’s performance, here are the best movies and TV shows starring Alexandra Daddario that you should check out right now.

10. The Layover Credit – Vertical Entertainment

The Layover is a sex comedy film directed by William H. Macy from a screenplay co-written by David Hornsby and Lance Krall. The 2017 film follows Kate and Meg, two...

Among the most popular stars working in the entertainment industry, Sebastian Stan has had huge success as an actor who can shine in both movies and television, as well as deliver wonderful performances that showcase the range of this performer. Moreover, many comic book fans will assuredly recognize this artist thanks to his turn as Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier in the MCU, although, despite garnering praise for the role, Sebastian Stan has always been making great works of art outside the MCU.

Specifically, the actor’s eclectic career reveals an artist who not only tries to make great television shows but also wants to redefine the landscape of cinema with each new film project. At the same time, Sebastian Stan has proven time and again why he should be recognized as more than a blockbuster star and instead should be viewed as a committed actor who excels at any genre or filmmaking scale.

Billy Magnussen (Made for Love, HBO’s one-and-done The Franchise) has boarded the cast of AMC Studios’ Silicon Valley series from writer and showrunner Jonathan Glatzer (Succession, Bad Sisters, Better Call Saul).

The as-yet-untitled series is set inside the bubble of Silicon Valley, “amid misguided corporate cultures, moony innovation labs and cutthroat private high schools,” the official synopsis tells us. “In our story, a scandal is sparked by the exploitation of personal data which unravels out of a rift between a self-appointed ‘inventor of the future’ tech CEO (to be played by Magnussen) and his self-serving ‘performance psychologist’ (Barry‘s...

Following its premiere in 2009, the sitcom quickly became a fan favorite, blending humor and emotion while exploring family dynamics over its 11-season run.

Ty Burrell in Modern Family | Credit: ABC

One of the most beloved characters in the series is Phil Dunphy, who is known for being the fun and goofy dad in Modern Family. However, the actor Ty Burrell almost missed out on landing his iconic role. The show came close to facing a major setback, as the network was initially opposed to casting the Emmy-winning actor in the remarkable role.

Ty Burrell opened up about his initial struggle to land the role of Phil Dunphy in Modern Family

The Modern Family creators Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan have opened up about how they specifically wrote the character of Phil Dunphy for Ty Burrell, an actor they deeply admired.

However, despite their enthusiasm, the network was not impressed with Burrell’s resume.

Congratulations to all the performers nominated for Academy Awards this morning!

While the acting nominations represent a professional pinnacle for most on the list, this is a good time to remember that many of these esteemed thespians also starred in some ridiculously dumb comedies. Here are five nominees who should be just as proud of these ludicrous laugh riots…

[subtitle]1Home Alone 2 [/subtitle]

Kieran Culkin nabbed his first Oscar nom for his supporting turn in A Real Pain, but no one knew pain like the kind Kevin delivered to the Sticky Bandits in Home Alone 2. Macaulay’s younger brother and his gigantic eyeglasses don’t have a ton of screen time in this sequel, but he steals the show every time he turns up. Hopefully, he’s still cashing those Pepsi checks.

2 InAPPropriate Comedy

The Brutalist's A.I.-assisted Adrien Brody proved he has a juvenile sense of humor with his shirtless,...

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Bookie is a comedy-drama series created by Chuk Lorre and Nick Bakay. The Max series follows a veteran bookie as he tries to survive in the face of sports gambling legalization while also dealing with unstable clients and worried family members. Bookie stars Sebastian Maniscalco, Omar Dorsey, Andrea Anders, Vanessa Ferlito, Jorge Garcia, Maxim Swinton, and Rob Corddry. So, if you loved the dark comedy, a bit of crime drama, and compelling characters in Bookie here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Mr. Inbetween (Hulu & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – FX

Mr. Inbetween is a dark comedy crime-drama series created by Scott Ryan. Based on Ryan’s 2005 film The Magician, the FX series follows Ray Shoesmith, an assassin and a divorced father who tries to find a balance between his life of crime and being a loving father.

There have been a number of different kinds of movie time machines — from phone booths, to ancient Japanese scepters, to a cocaine trafficker’s wacky sports car. But it wasn’t until 2010 that a character broke the time barrier using a magical jacuzzi.

Hot Tub Time Machine was a goofy, but mostly enjoyable comedy that found John Cusack, Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson and Clark Duke traveling back in time to the 1980s. At least it nailed the complex nature of meddling with the timeline in a way that few other time-travel films do.

Because it was a modest success, Hot Tub Time Machine spawned a sequel. And it’s not great. In fact, it’s quite bad. Even John Cusack didn’t want to return for Hot Tub Time Machine 2, and that guy once made a movie in which cell phone signals turn people into telepathic zombies.

But Hot Tub Time Machine 2...

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The comedy genre has been under attack for quite some time now as the studios have stopped making mid-budget comedy movies and refocused all their attention on big-budget blockbusters. Amidst all this, a niche sub-genre in comedy, like raunchy comedy films, has been forgotten. If it’s not a classic like American Pie or Road Trip, people don’t even remember most of the fantastic raunchy comedies that came out. So, we compiled a list of the best underrated raunchy comedies you might have missed out on.

The Girl Next Door (Netflix & Prime Video) Credit – 20th Century Studios

The Girl Next Door is a raunchy comedy film directed by Luke Greenfield from a screenplay co-written by Stuart Blumberg, David T. Wagner, and Brent Goldberg. The 2004 film follows Matthew, a high school senior who thinks that he has found his dream girl,...

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Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay are back together for the next chapter of their hit comedy with Bookie season 2. The 10-time Emmy nominee and Bakay's history of collaborations goes back to the former's second-ever created show with 1994's Grace Under Fire, in which the latter made a guest appearance, before later reuniting on Two and a Half Men, in which Bakay worked both in front of and behind the camera on Mom, Young Sheldon, The Kominsky Method and Bob Hearts Abishola. The Max show also served as Bakay's debut in the creator's chair, co-writing every episode with Lorre.

Bookie season 2 sees Lorre and Bakay returning to the world of underground sports gambling through the lens of veteran bookie, Danny, and his associate and former professional football player, Ray. Season 2 finds the duo encountering further changes to their business, including learning of offshore...

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Danny and Ray are facing more than just troublemaking clients in Bookie season 2. The duo were first brought to life in the first season of Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay's Max comedy by acclaimed stand-up comedian Sebastian Maniscalco and character actor Omar Dorsey. Season 1 of the show ended with Maniscalco's Danny still reeling from his wife, Sandra, leaving him to spend time with her mother amid his bookkeeping business becoming deadly, while Ray moved him, his grandma and her soon-to-be husband back to an affluent mansion.

Bookie season 2 picks up right from the events of the season 1 finale, with Danny racing off to Northern California to try and win Sandra back, all while conflicting with his mother-in-law. Ray, meanwhile, stays with his grandma to watch over Frank after his cardiac arrest in the season 1 finale, though finds his stabilizing life becoming...

The home stretch before Christmas has arrived, but there are plenty of new shows arriving on streamers this month to either binge before the end of the year.

Those in the mood for mystery can dive into No Good Deed on Netflix Dec. 12 or Laid on Peacock Dec. 19. The former is from Dead To Me creator Liz Feldman, and the latter stars Stephanie Hsu and Zosia Mamet with a touch more comedy.

Find the five best new shows streaming in December 2024 below:

Related: The Best 10 Movies To Stream This Month

Black Doves – Dec. 5 – Netflix

Keira Knightley in ‘Black Doves’

Keira Knightley stars as Helen Webb in Black Doves, an action filled spy show set in London at Christmas. Knighyley’s Webb is a dedicated wife, mother and spy. She has been secretly passing her politician husband’s secrets to the clandestine organization she works for, The Black Doves, for ten years.

Every once in a while, Sebastian Maniscalco’s stand-up persona creeps into his performance on Max’s “Bookie.” But rather than ask him to tone it down, executive producers Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay welcome the occasional slip.

“He bailed us out,” Bakay says of an upcoming episode of “Bookie,” which returns to Max with ten more episodes for Season 2, rolling out weekly starting Thursday, Dec. 12. “Sometimes we’ll ask for it when we’re in trouble. We’ll be like, ‘hey buddy, we got nothing here!’”

Fans of Maniscalco’s standup know what Bakay is talking about: Whenever he’s ready to make a point, the stand-up star will pause, throw on a thicker swagger and exaggerate the syllables in a certain word or phrase for comedic effect.

And he admits to it popping up on camera: “Sometimes the stage Sebastian comes out a little bit,” says Maniscalco, who...

Bookie returns to Max December 12 with a familiar face and the appearance of two TV comedy vets who were recruited to help spice up the action around the sports betting world.

Charlie Sheen is back to play himself in the second season of the Sebastian Maniscalco comedy, which follows bookie Danny (Maniscalco) as he and his partner, former NFL star Ray (Omar J. Dorsey), romp around Los Angeles trying to keep their illegal sports betting operation in play. The eight-episode second season will lead up to the season finale on Thursday, January 30.

“Charlie was such a home run for us in season one, we thought we’d extend the metaphor a little,” Nick Bakay, who co-created the comedy with Chuck Lorre, tells Deadline. “I don’t want to spoil things, but I refer to his arrival this season as Deus Ex Sheen. He is forever a part of the Bookie family.

Doing business with a man who made billions on child labor and may have murdered a past associate. Jokes about children being sexually abused in the foster system. Extreme and public intimate partner violence played for laughs because both partners are men. Though you might think plotlines like these went extinct circa Entourage and Sons of Anarchy, Bookie is doing its best to revive the antihero era. Sometimes it feels like a charmingly retro throwback; mostly it’s so sweaty and off-putting that it reminds you why they don’t make TV like this anymore.

Bookie, which premiered on Max late last November, was co-created by superstar EP Chuck Lorre and his frequent collaborator Nick Bakay, and wildly successful stand-up comic Sebastian Maniscalco stars as Danny, the titular bookie. Though some lip service is paid to the fact of legalized sports betting and how it could affect Danny’s business,...

Cameron Diaz is making her big return to acting after 11 years with Netflix’s Back in Action, dropping on January 17. Diaz has built a career that’s tough to ignore—her films have pulled in over $3 billion worldwide. Sure, not every movie has been a hit, but that’s part of what makes her career so interesting—she’s always kept us guessing.

Cameron Diaz returns after a hiatus | Netflix

From her breakout in The Mask to voicing the feisty Princess Fiona in Shrek, Diaz has proved she can hold her own in any genre. But like any actor with a long career, her filmography is a mix of wins and letdowns. Let’s look into her box office journey, and balance the hits against the flops that fell short of expectations.

The Mask, the Orgre, and the Money

The Mask brought Cameron Diaz to the big screen for the first time as Tina Carlyle,...

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Max is ready with an entertainment-packed December this year. The upcoming month will see the return of some of Max’s brilliant original crime comedy series Bookie and also a new original epic DC series Creature Commandos. Just like every month, Max is ready to overload you with great content. So, we’re here to tell you about the 5 new movies and TV shows coming to Max in December 2024.

Creature Commandos Season 1 (December 5) Credit – Max

Creature Commandos is an upcoming adult animated superhero action series created by James Gunn. Based on the characters from DC Comics, the upcoming Max series is the first series in the DC Universe and it revolves around a group of black ops team consisting of literal imprisoned monsters who fight against the threats facing the United States. Creature Commandos’ voice cast includes Steve Agee,...

Exclusive: Wayfarer Studios, the independent studio behind this summer’s smash hit It Ends with Us, has set a nationwide theatrical release for its sports drama The Senior, starring Michael Chiklis. Based on a true story, the film will be released by Allen Media Group’s Freestyle Releasing on March 7, 2025.

The Senior tells the story of Mike Flynt (Chiklis) who, 37 years ago, was kicked off his collegiate football team for an altercation with another teammate. Now at 59, Mike continues to carry that burden. But when he learns he still has a year of eligibility, he decides to go back to school to get his degree and try out for the team to redeem his past. Mike slowly starts to earn the respect of his much younger teammates, ultimately leading him on a journey to address his masculinity and resolve his generational trauma put upon by his father, while also addressing...

Exclusive: Four-time Primetime Emmy winner Rob Corddry has inked with Buchwald and Artists First for representation.

The Weymouth, Massachusetts native and Upright Citizens Brigade alum was the co-creator EP, writer and star of Adult Swim’s long-running comedy series, Childrens Hospital on which he played Dr. Blake Downs, Flake the Clown and Rory Spindell. Corddry took home four Emmy wins on the show for Best Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series and Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series in 2016, and 2012 and 2013 wins for Outstanding Special Class – Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment Programs. Childrens Hospital ran for 87 episodes.

Childrens Hospital spawned the spinoff series Medical Police which debuted on Netflix in 2020.

Corddry also starred alongside Dwayne Johnson in five seasons of the five-time Emmy nominated HBO series Ballers.

On the feature side, he is best known for starring in both installments of the cult classic franchise, Hot Tub Time Machine.

It's now been revealed when Bookie will return to streaming on Max. A new trailer has also been released, sharing a look at Charlie Sheen's return as a special guest in Season 2.

Per Max, Bookie Season 2 will premiere on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024. New episodes will then debut weekly on the streaming platform. The series comes from Two and a Half Men co-creator Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay, marking a special reunion of sorts. Following the well-publicized falling out between Sheen and Lorre during their Two and a Half Men days, the pair reconnected with a special appearance from the actor in Bookie Season 1. Like in the first season, Sheen is not expected to be featured heavily in Season 2, but his presence in the new trailer hints at what's to come from the controversial Hollywood star, who plays himself in the series.

Related 10 Best Rose Episodes in Two and a Half Men...

Bookie has its return date, and fans don’t have long to wait to see more of this comedy series from Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay. Max announced a December premiere date for season two with the release of a trailer.

Sebastian Maniscalco, Omar J. Dorsey, Vanessa Ferlito, Jorge Garcia, Andrea Anders, Maxim Swinton, and Rob Corddry star in the comedy series. Guest stars this season will include Charlie Sheen, Ray Romano, Zach Braff, and Brad Garrett.

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Sebastian Maniscalco and Omar J. Dorsey are back to collect. And this time, they’ve got a baby with them.

On Thursday, Max released the trailer for the eight-episode second season of Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay comedy “Bookie.” This season’s degenerate-gambler guest stars include Charlie Sheen, Ray Romano, Zach Braff, and Brad Garrett. For those keeping track at home, that’s two “Everybody Loves Raymond” stars, the guy from “Scrubs” whose character owes Maniscalco’s a cool $42,000, and Charlie Sheen, who just makes sense here.

Romano may just be a guest star here, but he is IndieWire’s star of the day. Ray Romano has now been featured in three different trailers today — and we haven’t even had lunch yet. He’s opposite Lisa Kudrow in the “No Good Deeds” trailer and appears as himself in “The Romano Twins,” a documentary made by Romano’s identical twin sons about growing up as,...

We’re getting the first look at Season 2 of Bookie, the Max original comedy from Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay, starring Sebastian Maniscalco and Omar J. Dorsey. The eight-episode second season returns on Thursday, December 12 with weekly episodes leading up to the season finale oin Thursday, January 30.

In the first trailer we get a glimpse of some of this season’s guest stars, including Charlie Sheen, Ray Romano, Zach Braff and Brad Garrett.

The dark comedy follows veteran Los Angeles bookie Danny (Maniscalco) as the potential legalization of sports gambling in California threatens to upend his business for good. Alongside best friend and former NFL player Ray (Dorsey), side-hustling sister Lorraine (Vanessa Ferlito), and reluctantly reformed drug dealer Hector (Jorge Garcia), Danny must contend with his increasingly unstable clients as he tries to settle their debts – all while making plenty of risky bets of his own. Full of relatable mishaps,...