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There’s no question Carrie Coon broke out with HBO series “The Leftovers.” Landing that role was a big deal for the actress. “I had little on-camera work up to that point,” she told IndieWire over Zoom. “I had done some commercial work in Chicago. I had done one guest star on ‘The Playboy Club,’ with Laura Benanti. I didn’t have that much on-camera experience.”

But a Tony nomination for her performance as Honey in Steppenwolf’s 2012 production of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” opened doors to meetings with casting directors — and her husband Tracy Letts. Ellen Lewis had Coon in for an audition. “I met with Damon [Lindelof],” said Coon. “I shot the pilot, which was only one speech, and then I went off and did ‘Gone Girl,’ which I also booked off a tape in my living room. I went through David Fincher boot camp. [‘The Leftovers’] was my first series regular job.

One of the few moments of calm in Lee Daniels‘ new Netflix thriller “The Deliverance” comes when the tormented Jackson family sits down together to watch a favorite movie. The movie Daniels chose to bring three generations together in a communal viewing experience? The 1967 adaptation of Jacqueline Susann’s camp classic “Valley of the Dolls.”

For Daniels, it was a tip of the hat to a movie he loves even though he doesn’t exactly think it’s good. “It’s one of my favorite films, and I still don’t know why,” he told IndieWire’s Filmmaker Toolkit podcast. “It really is camp, but in a bad way camp. Not in a good way. But I love it, I live for it.”

The “Valley of the Dolls” reference in “The Deliverance” isn’t just a tribute to a favorite movie; it’s also a callback to one of Daniels’ unrealized projects.

Exclusive: Producers Robert Greenblatt and Neil Meron are developing the Broadway-bound Studio 54 The Musical, a new work with a book by Chad Hodge and set to feature a full playlist of hits from the disco era.

Directed and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Sergio Trujillo (Ain’t Too Proud—The Life and Times of the Temptations), the Broadway-bound Studio 54 musical will trace “the astonishing ascent and sudden downfall of the most legendary club in nightlife history.”

“Neil Meron and I started talking about the amazing story of Studio 54 as a possible series years ago,” said Greenblatt in an exclusive statement to Deadline, “but we finally came to our senses and realized we had the perfect musical right under our noses.”

Add Meron, “And with book writer Chad Hodge and the incredible Sergio Trujillo, who came of age during the disco dance craze in Toronto and New York, we have the...

Liz Truss resigned from her position as Prime Minister on October 20, making her 44-day tenure the shortest in history.” 528 times.) But as any true pop culture fanatic knows, six weeks can be an eon in terms of TV. That’s how long it took for the second season of “Fleabag” to air!

Of course, not all shows are able to hang on as long as Truss did — with the notable exception of “Joey”; at least Truss is leaving with a shred of dignity intact. While the political pundits discuss what will happen now, let’s take a look at six infamously short-lived series that got pulled before Truss did.

1. “Emily’s Reason’s Why Not”

Length of Run: 1 week

Poor Heather Graham. This rom-com about a self-help book editor struggling with her dating life aired exactly one episode in 2006. Maybe Truss herself compiled a list of reasons she should not remain in power.

The dramatic TV series "The Playboy Club" stars actress Amber Heard, debuting.September 19, 2011 on NBC:

Set in 1963, the series centers around the employees (known as 'Bunnies') of the first Playboy Club in Chicago.

Cast included Heard, Eddie Cibrian, Naturi Naughton, Laura Benanti, David Krumholtz, Leah Renee, Sean Maher, Jenna Dewan, Wes Ramsey and Troy Garity.

Development on the series, originally titled "Bunny Tales", began in 2009 under executive producer Chad Hodge, as a co-production between 20th Century Fox Television and Imagine Entertainment, with Brian Grazer and Francie Calfo executive producing.

Star Amber Heard defended the sexy series at a 2011 Television Critics Association panel.

"This is about choice," said Heard. "Ultimately (the series) is a different generation with different opportunities and different expectations for women."

The series was picked up in Canada by Citytv, airing on the same night as the NBC telecast.

"...'The Playboy Club' : Where Men...

Scene 2 Seen is back in business!

Want to remind you all that I’ll publishing episodes all weeks before going back o my regular publishing schedule of three times a month, on Tuesdays at 3:30 p.m. Et/12:30 p.m. Pt. With that said, lets get into today’s guest!

You may have first recognized Naturi Naughton from the platinum-selling pop trio 3Lw. When her time in the group was over, she pursued acting and has been an unstoppable force.

Now she’s trying her hand at directing, as she makes her helming debut with BET Her’s short film Behind the Smile. Written by Lori Conway Ray, it focuses on a newly promoted anchorwoman who falls into a severe depression when she is forced to choose between her dream job and her vitiligo support group.

On the Starz show Power, Naughton plays Tasha St. Patrick. When she finished...

Sneak Peek the dramatic TV series "The Playboy Club", starring actress Amber Heard, that debuted September 19, 2011 on NBC:

Set in 1963, the series centers around the employees (known as 'Bunnies') of the first Playboy Club in Chicago.

Cast included Heard, Eddie Cibrian, Naturi Naughton, Laura Benanti, David Krumholtz, Leah Renee, Sean Maher, Jenna Dewan, Wes Ramsey and Troy Garity.

Development on the series, originally titled "Bunny Tales", began in 2009 under executive producer Chad Hodge, as a co-production between 20th Century Fox Television and Imagine Entertainment, with Brian Grazer and Francie Calfo executive producing.

Star Amber Heard defended the sexy series at a 2011 Television Critics Association panel.

"This is about choice," said Heard. "Ultimately (the series) is a different generation with different opportunities and different expectations for women."

The series was picked up in Canada by Citytv, airing on the same night as the NBC telecast.

"...'The Playboy Club'...

Alfred Hitchcock’s magnum opus film, Psycho is returning to cinemas from today, 27th May. This stunning 4K restoration of the original theatrical cut includes an extra 13 seconds of restored footage – so it can once again be seen as it was originally shown in cinemas back in 1960, exactly as intended by Hitchcock. To celebrate, here are ten things you probably didn’t know about Psycho:

Melon-terror! What did Alfred Hitchcock use to create an authentically terrifying stabbing sound? A melon. Specifically, a casaba melon. Hitchcock and his sound guy are said to have tested all kinds of melons before settling on the casaba – its thick skin gives a denser sound than other varieties. This, combined with a slab of steak, proved the perfect combination. Body Double: in the iconic shower scene, Playboy cover girl Marli Renfro had the uncredited role of Janet Leigh’s body double – and it is her...

Federal prosecutors are pushing back hard after the two men charged with the 2002 slaying of Jam Master Jay filed motions asking the court to either dismiss their narcotics-related murder indictments outright or give them separate trials to cure issues related to a Playboy article about the legendary Run-dmc DJ’s death.

In a new 34-page court filing, prosecutors from the Eastern District of New York slam “complaints” from co-defendants Karl Jordan Jr. and Ronald Washington that the government “intentionally” delayed their 2020 indictment to gain a tactical advantage. According to prosecutors,...

Tom Cruise’s long-delayed “Top Gun: Maverick” is finally set to blast off in theaters later this month, but making a follow-up to his classic 1986 action drama was not always of interest. A 1990 interview Cruise gave to Playboy magazine during the publicity tour for “Born on the Fourth of July” has resurfaced from Gizmodo and finds the A-list star calling the idea of making a “Top Gun” sequel “irresponsible.” Cruise was responding to the interviewer calling “Top Gun” a “Nintendo game and a paean to blind patriotism” in comparison to “Born on the Fourth of July.”

“Some people felt that ‘Top Gun’ was a right-wing film to promote the Navy. And a lot of kids loved it. But I want the kids to know that that’s not the way war is — that ‘Top Gun’ was just an amusement park ride, a fun film with a PG-13 rating that was not supposed to be reality,...

Hollis Resnik, a Chicago theater legend who made her mark in productions of Follies, Les Miserables, Cabaret and Sunset Boulevard, died Sunday night from heart failure. She was 66.

Her death was announced by Rev. Jim Heneghan, a family friend and spokesperson.

“She was, for decades, a reigning diva of the Chicago theater,” wrote Tribune critic Chris Jones, “a rich-voiced star of musicals with a singular presence, a crackling sense of humor, and a larger-than-life persona, on and off the stage.”

Resnik was in the movie Backdraft and appeared on TV shows such as Crime Story, The Untouchables and The Playboy Club. But it was in national touring productions and on Chicago stages that she left her mark.

Resnik’s stage roles included Fantine in national touring productions of Les Misérables, Edith Beale in Grey Gardens at Northlight Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz,...

Nearly 40 years ago, Hugh Hefner’s former personal butler wrote a memoir about his time working at the Playboy Mansion. The book has remained unpublished — until now.

“The Dark Secrets of Playboy,” from Around the Way Publishing, will tell the story of Stefan Tetenbaum’s experiences as Hefner’s butler in the late ’70s and early ’80s. The memoir is now available digitally on Amazon and Kindle.

Tetenbaum’s memoir and personal accounts of what he witnessed while working for Hefner also inspired the recent A&e docuseries, “Secrets of Playboy,” which examines Hefner’s empire through the lens of the #MeToo era. (Tetenbaum also appeared on-camera in the docuseries.)

“My story at the Playboy Mansion West during the peak years [of] 1978-80s was an extraordinary period of Playboy Enterprises’ power and fame,” Tetenbaum says in a statement, exclusive to Variety. “Working alongside Hefner gave me incredible insight into the...

Jam Master Jay’s alleged shooter, now charged with the Run-dmc DJ’s 2002 slaying, wants his murder indictment dropped or a separate trial that’s severed from a co-defendant who previously spoke about the killing in Playboy magazine.

In a new motion filed Monday in Brooklyn Federal Court, lawyers for Karl Jordan Jr. said his murder charges should be dismissed because the government waited too long to seek the August 2020 indictment with claims Jordan broke into Jam Master Jay’s Queens studio on Oct. 30, 2002, and opened fired as revenge for a cocaine deal gone bad.

If you're a serious Taylor Swift fan, your preferred version of the game Wordle is probably Taylordle, which has a similar concept but features only Taylor Swift-related words as the answers. It's the perfect crossover for fans of word games and pop culture. There's one key difference between the original game and its Taylor Swift counterpart, which is that the creators of Taylordle (the hosts of the "Holy Swift" podcast) recently expanded the game to include six-, seven-, and eight-letter words, in addition to the original five-letter-word format. That gives players many more words to guess from and gives the creators more flexibility to keep the game running. After all, as prolific as Swift is, even her brilliant lyrics can't provide us with five-letter words forever. If the new Taylordle addition has you stumped, here's a list of over 100 seven-letter words inspired by Swift's life and songs. Let's get guessing.

"The Knick" and "Castle Rock" star Andre Holland is circling "The Big Cigar," an upcoming Apple TV+ miniseries about Black Panther Party co-founder Huey P. Newton and his flight from the FBI to Cuba in the 1970s. Don Cheadle will direct the first two episodes of the six-episode series, which is set to be adapted from a Playboy magazine article. Cheadle previously directed and starred in the 2015 Miles Davis biopic, "Miles Ahead."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, "The Big Cigar" will follow "how Newton turned to his best friend, 'Easy Rider' producer Bert Schneider, and eluded a nationwide manhunt" before fleeing the country to...

The post Andre Holland to Lead Apple TV+ Historical Black Panther Drama Series, The Big Cigar appeared first on /Film.

Apple TV+ on Thursday announced that André Holland (Moonlight, The Eddy) is poised to play Black Panther leader Huey P. Newton in the limited series The Big Cigar, with Don Cheadle (Black Monday) on board as director and executive producer.

Adapted from a Playboy magazine article by Joshuah Bearman (Argo) and written by Jim Hecht (Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty), the six-part series will tell “the extraordinary, hilarious, almost-too-good-to-be-true story of how Newton relied on his best friend, Bert Schneider, the Hollywood producer behind Easy Rider, to elude a nationwide manhunt and escape to Cuba while being...

Apple has ordered the limited series “The Big Cigar” about Black Panther leader Huey P. Newton, Variety has learned.

The six-episode series hails from Warner Bros. Television, with André Holland in talks to star as Newton. Jim Hecht, who recently created “Winning Time” at HBO, serves as writer and executive producer. Janine Sherman Barrois, the showrunner for shows like “Claws” and “Self Made” and the creator and showrunner of “The Kings of Napa” at OWN, will serve as showrunner and executive producer. Don Cheadle is onboard to direct and executive produce the first two episodes.

Based on the Playboy article of the same name by Joshuah Bearman, “The Big Cigar” tells the true story of how Newton relied on his best friend, Bert Schneider — the Hollywood producer behind “Easy Rider” — to elude a nationwide manhunt and escape to Cuba while being pursued into exile by the FBI.

Hecht co-wrote the...

The wild story of how Black Panther leader Huey P. Newton was able to elude a nationwide manhunt and escape to Cuba while being pursued into exile by the FBI is being turned into a TV series for Apple.

The streamer has ordered six-part limited series The Big Cigar.

Moonlight and The Eddy star André Holland is in talks to star as Newton and the series comes from Claws showrunner Janine Sherman Barrois, Don Cheadle, Jim Hecht, Joshuah Bearman and Warner Bros. TV.

The series is based on the eponymous Playboy magazine article from Bearman, who will also serve as executive producer.

It tells how Newton escaped to Cuba to avoid prosecution for murder with the help of Bert Schneider, the Hollywood producer behind Easy Rider, as well as a few other celebrity radicals.

Jim Hecht, who co-created HBO’s Winning Time, writes and exec produces, based on a story that he created with Bearman.

Country star Maren Morris reflected proudly on her 2019 shoot for Playboy, which some fans criticized her for, in Instagram posts ahead of the release of her new album Humble Quest. “I did playboy in 2019 and got a lot of hate at the time, but I’m the proudest that I showed country, female sexuality in […]

The post Maren Morris Shuts Down Critics Of Her Topless ‘Playboy’ Shoot appeared first on uInterview.

Bill Maher slammed the GOP, the ACLU, MTV, Tucker Carlson and Playboy magazine in a Real Time segment Friday that took aim at how companies change their brand but keep their name.

Maher opened his nine-minute “New Rule: Stand By Your Brand” by decrying how TLC, a.k.a. The Learning Channel, and A&e, short for Arts & Entertainment, have long deviated from their original mission statement.

After noting how the former lived up to its Learning Channel name, Maher listed some of TLC’s current programming: “Cake Boss, Gypsy Sisters,...

Exclusive: Audible has snapped up the rights to three podcasts from Audio Up – two series created by James Ellroy, the Demon Dog of American literature, and The Playboy Interviews.

The Amazon-owned company will launch two Ellroy adaptations – Hollywood Death Trip and American Tabloid – and The Playboy Interviews, which features the voice talents of the likes of Michael Shannon and Taye Diggs, as Audible Originals.

It comes on the back of a deal between the two companies for Maejor Frequency, a series fronted by Justin Bieber and Drake collaborator Brandon Green.

Hollywood Death Trip will launch first on July 7 2022. The five-part series will take listeners on a nocturnal tour of murder and mayhem in LA.

The series, based on his own true crime reporting, will be narrated by Ellroy and will tell the story of a slew of memorable mid-century murders.

Episodes include Glamour Jungle, which explores the 1963 unsolved murder of Karyn Kupcinet,...

A&e is expanding its documentary series “Secrets of Playboy” with two additional episodes that will delve further into Hugh Hefner and his legacy through conversations with women who have never spoken up before.

“Secrets of Playboy” examines Hefner’s Playboy empire, unearthing allegations of coercion, sexual assault, drugging and manipulation from various women over decades. Since its premiere this past January, it has become A&e’s most-watched series launch in more than five years.

“Secrets of Playboy” airs Monday nights. The two new hourlong episodes will begin airing on March 28 and won’t be documentary style, like the current 10-episode series has been formatted. Instead, they will present new conservations, hosted by investigative journalist and former Playboy model Lisa Guerrero.

The new episodes will explore “The Girls Next Door” chapter of Hefner’s reign, taking a look into the E! series that aired in the 2000’s and revolved around Hefner’s younger girlfriends,...

Hulu’s “Pam & Tommy” has set the internet alight as viewers tune in each week to see Lily James and Sebastian Stan take on the wild antics of Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee. Not only are audiences talking about the amazing transformations, but they’re also buzzing about the costumes, or in some scenes, the lack of.

Costume designer Kameron Lennox worked on nailing the signature looks such as that iconic red “Baywatch” outfit, as well as tailoring outfits to fit the prosthetics needed on Stan as he struts around in thongs.

Lennox broke down how she pulled off some of the show’s outfits.

The Baywatch Outfit

Pamela Anderson shot to international stardom while playing C.J Parker on the hit series “Baywatch.” She became synonymous with the red lifeguard bathing suit worn by her character.

Lennox says that out of all the outfits she created, this was...

P. J. O’Rourke, the political satirist, NPR panelist and bestselling author whose early work with National Lampoon included contributions to the influential Lemmings show, died today of lung cancer. He was 74.

His death was confirmed by his publisher Grove Atlantic, United Talent Agency and by Peter Sagal, host of NPR’s Wait Wait . . . Don’t Tell Me program. O’Rourke served as a regular panelist on the NPR program.

O’Rourke, who began his journalism career as a left-leaning Gonzo journalist before moving toward conservative libertarianism during the 1980s, wrote for such publications as Playboy, Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone, where he served for a time as foreign-affairs desk chief. In 1996, he was the conservative commentator in the point-counterpoint segment of 60 Minutes.

In 2008, O’Rourke covered the presidential election as a “Real Time Real Reporter” for HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher.

In recent years, O’Rourke wrote for The Atlantic Monthly,...

Crystal Hefner has "healing" on the brain. The former Playboy Playmate and widow to Hugh Hefner has shared a new update on her mental health journey in an Instagram post on Monday, Feb. 7. Crystal wrote, "So happy to have found the last puzzle piece in my healing journey." In a series of photos, Crystal was seen standing next to Dr. Daniel Amen, a psychiatrist, brain disorder specialist and director of the Amen Clinics. The 35-year-old model wrote, "I highly recommend if you are having a hard time mentally to really dig deep and find out what's going on because there are so many ways to help yourself get better and feel better." Digging deep, Crystal...

Hugh Hefner was revolutionary. Praised for his part in the sexual revolution of the 1960s, the Playboy founder was ahead of his time as an early proponent of gay rights, abortion and birth control. He was progressive with inclusion at his company when racism was rampant.

But, according to a new docuseries, Hefner was also a monster — one who would drug women, coerce them into sex, secretly record them in the bedroom and use his power and connections to blacklist and silence them into fear.

A&e’s 10-part “Secrets of Playboy,” which is airing Monday nights and had the network’s biggest premiere since Leah Remini’s Scientology series in 2016, re-examines Hefner and his Playboy Enterprises through the lens of 2022.

“I think that Hef had two sides to him and they were radically different,” says the doc’s director Alexandra Dean, who also directed Paris Hilton’s YouTube Originals documentary,...

A biopic on the final days in the life of actress, model and Playboy Playmate Anna Nicole Smith called “Hurricanna” is in the works and being presented to buyers at the European Film Market.

Francesca Gregorini, a director on “Killing Eve,” is set to direct the feature based on a script by Rachel and Matt Sarnoff. The film will focus on Smith’s final days as she embarks on a 36-hour odyssey with her therapist, leading up to the model’s death.

Earlier on Monday, TheWrap reported that “Glow” actress Betty Gilpin was in talks to star as Smith in the film, but an individual close to the actress says she’s now no longer in discussions, citing scheduling issues. Holly Hunter remains in discussions to portray Smith’s therapist Khristine.

Sierra/Affinity is handling international sales and will make the movie available to buyers for the first time at...

A biopic of model, actress and TV personality Anna Nicole Smith is in the works, we can reveal.

Oscar winner Holly Hunter (Succession) is in talks to co-star in the project called Hurricanna, which Sierra/Affinity is launching for the virtual EFM.

Glow star Betty Gilpin was until very recently in discussions to play the model, actress and TV personality but the actress has just had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts.

The movie will chart how in an attempt to save Smith’s life, her devoted therapist, Khristine (Hunter), embarks on a 36-hour odyssey in which she unknowingly delivers the fatal blow. Producers describe the project as exploring the “immense hurricane-like force that was Anna Nicole Smith, and the fateful string of events that led Anna to destroy everything in her path, including herself and those closest to her.”

Smith first gained popularity in Playboy magazine and went on to model for Guess,...

Nearly five years after the death of husband Hugh Hefner, Crystal Hefner is crystal clear on who she is. In a recent Instagram post, the self-described model turned traveler got candid about all the internal "suffering" she has faced while in the public eye. "As most of you know, I grew my following during my 'Playboy' years," she said. "In short, sex sells." But now at age 35, Crystal feels she is more "authentic" than ever, saying she feels like "I belong more to myself." That realization came in part from removing "everything fake" from her body, purging her old photos and embracing what she suggested to...

It wasn't all bunny ears and star-studded parties in the Playboy world—at least not according to the women in this new docuseries. Secrets of Playboy, premiering Jan. 24 on A&e, dives into what many women in that world have called the "dark sides" of Playboy. In the trailer, exclusive to E! News, the Bunny Mother, Pj Masten, says "there was a secret world" behind Hugh Hefner's billion-dollar empire. The 10-episode documentary features archival footage of Hefner with Anna Nicole Smith, Pamela Anderson, the Girls Next Door and Jenny McCarthy. "Playboy was all about powerful men preying on beautiful young women," Masten said. "The Playmates, the...

Jenna Dewan is currently appearing on ABC's The Rookie and The CW's Superman & Lois.

The beloved star will also be returning to Lifetime.

The cabler announced this week a two-picture deal with the entertainer to star in, and executive produce two new movies for Lifetime.

The projects are currently in development, and one will be a film for the for the network's annual It's a Wonderful Lifetime holiday movie slate.

Dewan previously starred in the series Witches of East End and highly rated movies She Made Them Do It and Fab Five: The Texas Cheerleader Scandal for the network.

Dewan will produce through her company, Everheart Production, alongside executive Kyle McNally.

"We are thrilled to have Jenna return to Lifetime's air, but even more so, we are excited to have her step into a Broader Focus behind-the- camera role to executive produce the projects," said Tanya Lopez, EVP Scripted Content,...

It’s a Cold War thriller in the steamy tropics! The Reds are making their move in Malaya and four vibrant people are caught in the crosshairs: rich rubber planter William Holden, revolutionary strategist Tetsuro Tanba, peaceful teacher and activist Capucine, and adventurous Governor’s daughter Susannah York. Director Lewis Gilbert keeps a rickety script on its feet drama-wise and superb cinematography (Freddie Young) and impressive music (Riz Ortolani) do the rest. The show ended up being most noted for a nude swimming scene scooped in the pages of Playboy.

The 7th Dawn

Blu-ray

Kl Studio Classics

1964 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 123 min. / Street Date January 4, 2022 / available through Kino Lorber / 24.95

Starring: William Holden, Susannah York, Capucine, Tetsuro Tanba, Michael Goodliffe, Allan Cuthbertson, Sydney Tafler, Maurice Denham.

Cinematography: Frederick Young

Production Designer: John Stoll

Art Director: Herbert Smith

Film Editor: John Shirley

Original Music: Riz Ortolani

Associate Producer: John Dark

Written for the...

Wanda Young, a member of the legendary Motown girl group the Marvelettes and lead singer on their hits like “I’ll Keep Holding On” and “Don’t Mess With Bill,” has died at the age of 78.

uDiscoverMusic first reported that Young, who also performed under the name Wanda Rogers, had died. No cause of death was provided.

“We are so saddened by the news of Wanda Young of the Marvelettes passing,” Motown’s official Twitter account wrote Thursday. “What an impact she has had on the world of Classic Motown...

Holly Madison is reflecting on her past romance with the late Hugh Hefner. The Girls Next Door star, who dated the Playboy magazine founder between 2001 and 2008, recently opened up about the early days of their relationship. Speaking on the Power: Hugh Hefner podcast during the Dec. 13 episode, Holly recalled her first date with the late media mogul, who passed away in 2017 at the age of 91 after going into cardiac arrest and suffering respiratory failure. According to Holly, she initially agreed to go out with Hugh after there was a "spot open" when one of his girlfriends had left the mansion in 2001. "I didn't really know what went on with them sexually," the...

Humans are stupid and can’t be expected to agree on anything, even if their existence depends on it. That’s the “hilarious” insight Adam McKay wants to impart with “Don’t Look Up,” a smug, easy-target political satire in which two earnest astronomers (Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence) have one hell of a time trying to convince an attention-deficit president or bobblehead media (repped by Cate Blanchett and Tyler Perry) that there’s a comet hurtling toward Earth.

“Keep it light, fun.” That’s the advice a cable talk-show producer gives “the sky is falling” scientists Dr. Randall Mindy and Kate Dibiasky when the pair appear on “The Daily Rip” to share the news with the masses. Except the sky is falling, and these two can’t get anyone to take them seriously. They’ve already been to the White House, where Streep’s Trump-like President Orlean (also the name...

Jenny Mollen’s debut novel City of Likes is getting the television treatment even before its hits shelves in 2022. The Nacelle Company, which published the book, will adapt the novel for television under its first look comedy deal with Sony Pictures Television.

Set to hit shelves April 26, 2022, City of Likes centers on Megan Chernoff, a talented but unemployed copywriter in an identity crisis after the birth of her second child. Seeking a fresh start, she and her family move to New York City, where she meets Daphne Cole—a gorgeous, stylish, well-known momfluencer. To Meg’s surprise and delight, Daphne shows an inordinate amount of interest in Meg, showering her with compliments, attention, gifts, and all the perks that come with having a massive digital platform. Before she knows it, Meg finds herself immersed in Daphne’s world—hobnobbing at exclusive power mama supper clubs, partaking in fancy wellness rituals,...

The Rookie fans, you have the right to remain invested in Nolan and Bailey’s budding relationship. Jenna Dewan has been promoted to series regular on the ABC cop procedural, our sister site Deadline reports.

When TVLine spoke with showrunner Alexi Hawley ahead of The Rookie‘s fourth season, he said at the time, “Miss Dewan is recurring, but we love her and we’re using her a lot. I love that [Bailey] basically is a Swiss Army knife of careers and jobs. So we will see her as a firefighter, we’ll see her do a little fighting from her Capoeira instruction,...

Jenna Dewan is set to make her return to The CW as her Supergirl character Lucy Lane for Season 2 of Superman & Lois, Deadline has confirmed.

Dewan, who is set to recur, made her debut as Lucy Lane, Lois Lane’s younger sister, for Supergirl’s debut season back in 2015. Smart and driven, Lucy doesn’t back down to anyone, with a chip on her shoulder stemming from an unresolved childhood trauma.

Superman & Lois stars Tyler Hoechlin as Clark Kent/Superman, Elizabeth Tulloch as Lois Lane, Jordan Elsass as Jonathan Kent, Alexander Garfin as Jordan Kent, Erik Valdez as Kyle Cushing, Inde Navarrette as Sarah Cushing, Wolé Parks as The Stranger, Adam Rayner as Morgan Edge with Dylan Walsh as General Samuel Lane and Emmanuelle Chriqui as Lana Lang Cushing.

News of Dewan’s return to the CW comes as Supergirl, starring Melissa Benoist, nears the end of its six-season run.

Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond’s comeback comedy performed decently enough at the box office, but its real accomplishment is vaulting Walter Matthau into mainline stardom. Matthau embodies the most venal ambulance chaser alive: Whiplash Willie Gingrich. His sad insurance scam scramble for unearned, undeserved loot is more of an exposé of sagging American values than anything particularly satirical. Jack Lemmon is the straight man this time around. He spends much of the movie in a medical collar, being victimized to make a fast buck. But Matthau hits the laughs out of the park — it’s an inspired performance that won him a Best Supporting Oscar. “You know Willie. He could find a loophole in the Ten Commandments.”

The Fortune Cookie

Blu-ray

Kl Studio Classics

1966 / B&w / 2:35 widescreen / 125 min. / Meet Whiplash Willie / available through Kino Lorber / 24.95

Starring: Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Ron Rich, Judi West, Cliff Osmond, Lurene Tuttle.

Cinematography:...

Take a look at the new and improved Brit pop singer "Adele" ("Skyfall") posing for the November 2021 issue of "Vogue" (UK) magazine photographed by Steven Meisel: 

With sales of over 120 million records since her debut in 2008, Adele has won multiple Grammy awards plus an Oscar for "Skyfall". In 2021, Adele was named the UK's best-selling female album artist of the 21st century, based on 'Official Charts Company' data. 

"I don't make music for eyes. I make music for ears," she said. 

"I have insecurities of course, but I don't hang out with anyone who points them out to me. 

"I make music to be a musician not to be on the cover of 'Playboy'. The focus on my appearance has really surprised me...

"I don't care about clothes, I'd rather spend my money on cigarettes and booze..."

Click the images to enlarge....

The enduring legacy of actor John Wayne, America’s ultimate cowboy, will be celebrated this month, fittingly enough, by the Cowboy Channel in association with the John Wayne: An American Experience museum in Fort Worth, Texas. The “Duketober” celebration is a month-long airing of classic John Wayne movies via broadcast and streaming. It will culminate with a 50th anniversary live panel discussion on Nov. 3 in remembrance of Big Jake, the 1971 movie that bought Wayne together with sons Ethan and Patrick, who will participate in a discussion about his films and career. Wayne’s legacy has taken a few hits in the last couple of years. A 50-year-old Playboy magazine interview outlining some of his controversial views on race surfaced, sparking his USC alma mater to remove an exhibit on him. There’s also a movement to remove his name from the Orange County airport. So far, that action has failed to gain ground.

Crystal Hefner will always stand by Hugh Hefner's side. The former Playboy bunny candidly shared how she feels about those speaking ill of her late husband, who passed away in 2017 at the age of 91 after he went into cardiac arrest and suffered a respiratory failure. On Monday, Sept. 27, Crystal honored the Playboy magazine creator on the fourth anniversary of his death, while also defending him against the critics in an exclusive interview with E! News' Daily Pop. When asked how she feels about Hugh's ex-girlfriends making negative comments about him, Crystal didn't hold back.  "I...

“You’ve always treated me as a monster, Trudy. Now you’re going to be one.”

Cinedigm, the leading independent streaming company super-serving enthusiast fan bases, announced today that The Film Detective (Tfd), the classic media streaming network and film archive that restores and distributes classic films, is releasing a special-edition version of the 1950s cult classic, Frankenstein’s Daughter (1958), starring John Ashley and Sandra Knight, on Blu-ray and DVD Oct. 19.

Fans of low-budget horror will recognize many familiar faces,including John Ashley, Harold Lloyd, Jr., and former Playboy Playmate of the Month, Sally Todd. For director Richard E. Cunha, Frankenstein’s Daughter was released in the heat of a historic year for low-budget favorites, also having directed such cult classics as She Demons (1958), Giant from the Unknown (1958) and Missile to the Moon (1958).

Frankenstein’s Daughter finds Dr. Oliver Frank (Donald Murphy) carrying on the legacy of his late grandfather, the notorious Dr.

The Gotham Group announced today it has signed model, writer, director and transgender advocate Geena Rocero.

Rocero is currently directing and executive producing the four-part original documentary series Caretakers, a partnership with the Wnet Group’s Chasing the Dream multi-platform reporting initiative. Caretakers examines poverty, opportunity and justice through the lives of Filipino Americans. It will premiere on YouTube and PBS.org on October 8 in celebration of Filipino American History Month.

“I am so excited to join The Gotham Group family,” said Rocero. “To have a team that understands and believes in my vision is what all artists are looking for. Can’t wait for the world to see Caretakers.”

In 2023, Penguin Random House imprint Dial Press will publish Rocero’s memoir Open the Light, in which she will share her full story for the first time. It was acquired in a six-figure deal at auction.

“Geena is an inspiring artist and advocate,...

The dark side of Hugh Hefner’s Playboy empire will be exposed in a new 10-part A&e docuseries, “Secrets of Playboy”. In a new trailer for the upcoming series, people who were once in Hef’s inner circle are seen talking about their own experiences with Playboy. “There was a side of Playboy that nobody wants to talk about,”...

It's Dolly Parton's world and we're just living in it.  Case in point: The singer recreating her 43-year-old cover of Playboy. Back in October 1978, the then-32-year-old "Jolene" singer starred on the cover of the iconic magazine and apparently, it's a favorite of Parton's longtime husband, Carl Thomas Dean. So, in honor of his 79th birthday, the star got back into her bunny ears.  "Today is July 20. It's my husband Carl's birthday and you're probably wondering why I'm dressed like this? Well, it's for my husband's birthday," she said in a video shared on Instagram. "Remember sometime back I said I was going to pose on the Playboy magazine...

Dolly Parton is celebrating hot girl summer by dressing up as a Playboy Bunny to reimagine her iconic magazine cover from 1978. The singer shared a video on Twitter in honor of her husband’s birthday, noting that she always wanted to pose for Playboy a second time.

“Today is July 20th,” Parton explains in the video. “It’s my husband Carl’s birthday and you’re probably wondering why I’m dressed like this. Remember some time back I said I was going to pose for Playboy magazine when I was 75? Well,...

Exclusive: A slew of stars including Rosanna Arquette, Taye Diggs, Gael Garcia Bernal and Maya Hawke, are to portray famous figures across history in a new podcast series from Playboy and Audio Up.

The two companies are launching Playboy Interview, an audio series that features teleplay-style re-enactments of the most iconic Playboy interview conversations.

Other stars also include Shea Whigham, Michael Shannon, Kevin Corrigan and Gina Gershon.

The series, which is set to debut in September, will see Arquette voice feminist pioneer Betty Friedan, Diggs will portray Muhammad Ali, Garcia Bernal plays Salvador Dali, Shannon is Tennessee Williams, Shea Whigham is John Wayne, Maya Hawke is Helen Gurley Brown, Kevin Corrigan is Frank Sinatra and Gina Gershon is Oriana Fallaci.

The first two episodes will feature “conversations” with Friedan and Ali.

The series is based on the classic Playboy Interview, which started in 1962 with Alex Haley’s conversation with Miles Davis...

"Selena" actress Christian Serratos poses for "Bello" magazine:

Serratos first role was 'Suzie Crabgrass' in the "Nickelodeon" TV series "Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide" (2004).

Her role as 'Angela Weber' in the feature "Twilight" won her the 'Young Supporting Actress' award in the 'Best Performance in a Feature Film' category at the 30th 'Young Artist Awards'.

Serratos reprised the role in the "Twilight" sequels "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" and "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse".

She played the recurring character of 'Rosita Espinosa' in the fourth season of AMC's series "The Walking Dead" making her first appearance at the end of the 10th episode "Inmates". She was promoted as a series regular for the fifth and sixth season.

In the March 2015 issue of "Playboy" magazine, Serratos was featured in the "After Hours" section.

Currently starring as pop singer "Selena" in the Netflix TV series... ...Serratos continues promoting 'animal activism',...

On March 6, 1978, during a legal battle in Georgia over obscenity charges, Larry Flynt, the owner and publisher of Hustler magazine, was shot on the sidewalk, an assassination attempt that left him partially paralyzed. It didn’t take long for him to become an iconic figure in his gold wheelchair, but the shooting devastated him. It kicked-off a five-year descent into drugs, overeating, and a paranoid withdrawal from the world. By 1983, Flynt had pulled himself out of the swamp of despair, and one of the inspirations to do so is that he now had a cause. He convinced himself that either the CIA or the FBI was behind the assassination attempt. After years of legal fights over Hustler, Flynt already saw the U.S. government as his adversary; now he was convinced that it had become his mortal enemy, from President Reagan on down. He was going to get his revenge. How?...