Entertainment

"It hurt": Ben Stiller talks the negative and positive effects of 'Zoolander 2' tanking

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In the forthcoming May 7 episode of David Duchovny’s Fail Better podcast, Ben Stiller unpacked what Zoolander 2 bombing did for him — for better or worse.

The 2016 movie tanked at the box office and was critically drubbed, which took a toll on him, Stiller says in the interview.

"It hurt," Stiller said, according to The Wrap.

“I thought everybody wanted this, and then it’s like, 'Wow, I must have really f***** this up. Everybody didn’t go to it. And it's gotten these horrible reviews."

Stiller adds, "It really freaked me out because I was like, 'I didn’t know [it] was that bad?'"

The director of the 2008 comedy Tropic Thunder recalls, "What scared me the most on that one was l’m losing what I think what's funny, the questioning yourself,” he added. “It was definitely blindsiding to me. And it definitely affected me for a long time.”

That said, there was a silver lining. "The wonderful thing that came out of that for me was ... if that had been a hit, and they said 'Make Zoolander 3 right now' ... I would have just probably jumped in and done that."

Stiller added, "Even if somebody said, 'Well, why don’t you go do another comedy or do this?’ I probably could have figured out something to do. But I just didn’t want to."

What came from that break was developing some limited series, like 2018's Escape at Dannemora, for which he was nominated for an Emmy in the directing category, and the Emmy-nominated Apple TV+ series Severance.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Tina Fey, Steve Carell to reunite for Netflix comedy series 'Four Seasons'

Sylvain Gaboury/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

Date Night co-stars Tina Fey and Steve Carell will reunite for Fey's eight-episode Netflix comedy series called Four Seasons, ABC Audio has confirmed. 

The series is based on actor/director Alan Alda's 1981 film of the same name, which also starred Carol Burnett, Rita Moreno, Sandy Dennis and Len Cariou.

Fey co-created and will star in the show, which centers on three married couples who vacation together every season and how the collective relationship is strained when one of the partners strays with a younger woman. 

The film was also adapted into a CBS TV show in 1984. 

Fey co-created the show with Lang Fisher and Tracey Wigfield, with whom she worked on her Emmy-winning NBC comedy 30 Rock. Fisher co-created Never Have I Ever, which ran for four seasons on Netflix, and Wigfield created Great News and Saved by the Bell for the streaming service.

Emmy and Oscar nominee Carell previously appeared in Netflix's comedy series Space Force.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Disney+ drops trailer to Ron Howard-directed documentary 'Jim Henson Idea Man'

Disney+

On Wednesday, Disney+ released the official trailer for the upcoming Jim Henson Idea Man, the documentary from Oscar-winning director Ron Howard that looks into the life and legacy of the iconic Muppets creator. 

Henson died May 16, 1990, at age 53 of bacterial pneumonia.

He created some of the world's most cherished characters, including classic Muppets like Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy and all of Sesame Street’s iconic residents, including Big Bird, Grover, Cookie Monster, and Bert and Ernie. Henson was also the creative force behind the fantasy films The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth, the latter starring David Bowie.

"He showed people the good in all of us," a voice-over states. 

Another offers, "From a very early age, he had the feeling that he was here for a purpose."

The doc features archival photos, diary entries and interviews with Henson, including an interview in which he recalls the humble origins of Kermit: "My mother's coat and a ping pong ball. That's how it started."

Disney+ calls Jim Henson Idea Man "an unprecedented, intimate look at Henson's illustrious, revolutionary career and complex personal life."

The streaming service continues, "Using never-before-seen personal archival home movies, photographs, sketches, and Henson’s personal diaries, as well as interviews with those who knew him best, the film is the definitive portrait of one of the world’s most inspiring and iconoclastic creators."

One of those interviewed is former Muppeteer Frank Oz, who performed Yoda in the Star Wars films, among many other Henson characters. "If Jim was here, I'd just have to thank him," he said, his voice quavering.

The documentary will premiere May 31 on Disney+.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Keke Palmer announces the "next chapter" in her life with new 'Master of Me' book

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Keke Palmer has turned a page in her life and will be inviting people to do the same with her forthcoming book, Master of Me.

"This book means growth to me. It signifies the next chapter of my life," she tells People.

"It imparts the wisdom I've learned with the earnesty [sic] of knowing that I'm still changing," she says of the opus, which will debut from Flatiron Books on November 19.

It is Palmer's follow-up to her 2017 book, I Don't Belong to You: Quiet the Noise and Find Your Voice.

"I am looking forward to having this book out in the world because I know we are all dealing with the same things," Palmer tells the magazine. "We are all trying to love ourselves and learn ourselves."

She adds, "This book is my honest revelations of how I'm staying afloat and my hope and desire is to not even necessarily 'help' readers but to share with them." Keke says, "Sometimes we all feel alone but we aren't. And even those of us who seem to be doing well still struggle."

The book will explore the "Serious" singer, Nope star and Emmy-winning Password host's relationships and motherhood, as well as how she is moving forward with her career. 
 

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Original star Luke Kleintank out, Teri Polo in at 'FBI: International'

CBS

There's another changing of the guard at CBS's FBI: International, as another one of its original stars is stepping down.

According to a statement published by Deadline, Luke Kleintank, who played Special Agent Scott Forrester on the Dick Wolf-produced series for three seasons, is turning in his badge.

The trade also notes that Meet the Parents franchise veteran Teri Polo is stepping onto the beat.

According to Kleintank, he made the decision "[a]fter much thought and consideration," adding his change of heart "is driven by my unwavering commitment to my family, whose love and well-being are paramount in my life."

The actor went on to say he's "profoundly thankful for the extraordinary cast and crew of the show, who have not only been colleagues but also a family away from home. Their unwavering dedication and remarkable talents have made every moment on set an unforgettable journey that has enriched my life in countless ways."

He also thanked the fans of the show "who have supported us through the first three seasons." His last episode will air May 7.

Nothing is known yet about Polo's role in the show, except she'll join for the last two episodes of the current third season and will be a part of the show going forward if it is renewed.

At the beginning of season 3, another original cast member, Heida Reed, left the show; she played Kleintank's superior, Special Agent Jamie Kellett.

 

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Felicidades! Paramount+ already renews new 'Dora' animated series for second season

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Dora, the CG-animated reboot of the classic kids show Dora the Explorer, has been renewed by Paramount+ for a sophomore season, a month after its debut on the streamer.

The Nickelodeon Animation-produced show follows its plucky, titular bilingual heroine, voiced by Diana Zermeño, on all new adventures with her monkey pal Boots (Asher Colton Spence).

In the announcement, Paramount+'s executive VP of programming Jeff Grossman said he's "thrilled that our audience has already embraced Dora," calling the show "an incredible opportunity to introduce this beloved character and iconic franchise to a whole new generation."

President of Paramount and Nickelodeon Animation Ramsey Naito enthused, "Our audiences have embraced the new Dora series with open arms, and it’s incredible how she continues to capture the imaginations of preschoolers around the world with her extraordinary rainforest adventures."

Naito added, "We can't wait for kids to discover all of the new fantastical places and colorful characters in the second season while learning and playing along with their good friend Dora."

The original Dora the Explorer series ran on Nick from 2000 to 2014 and spawned a 2019 live-action movie starring Isabela Moner as the adventurer.

The new series features the original voice of Dora, Kathleen Herles, as Dora's mom, Mami.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Online casino looks into 'Joker' sequel's Oscar odds for Joaquin and Gaga

Warner Bros. Pictures

The teaser trailer for Joker: Folie à Deux debuted on April 9, but an online casino is already looking at its chances at the Oscars.

Joaquin Phoenix took home his first Oscar for playing Arthur Fleck aka Joker in the 2019 blockbuster original, but no single actor has ever won an Academy Award for playing the same character twice.

However, Casinos.com says he has a good shot: The site posted Joaquin has 4/6 odds to repeat the feat for the sequel. For the non-betters out there, those are known as "short" — favorable — odds. It works out to be a 60% probability.

The odds are longer for Phoenix's Harley Quinn, Lady Gaga, to score a Best Actress trophy for the sequel — but it's still possible, according to the site. Gaga's odds are 11/8, with an implied probability of 42%.

Gaga already has a Best Original Song Academy Award for the A Star is Born tune "Shallow."

The original Joker made more than a billion dollars worldwide, but the site says director and co-writer Todd Philips could beat his own high score: He's got a 44.4% chance, according to the site.

Methodology and results have not been verified or endorsed by ABC News or The Walt Disney Company.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


In Brief: Pacino haunts exorcism thriller 'The Ritual', and more

Netflix has tapped Thandiwe Newton for a role in the third season of the hit series Wednesday, according to Variety. The Westworld actress joins fellow series newcomer Steve Buscemi. All that's known about season 2 at this point is that Jenna Ortega will return as the titular character. Wednesday ranks as one of Netflix's most-watched shows ever and won four Emmys ...

Deadline reports Masters of the Air's Callum Turner has landed the lead role in the Apple TV+ drama Neuromancer. The series adaptation of the William Gibson novel follows "a damaged, top-rung super-hacker named Case — played by Turner — who is thrust into a web of digital espionage and high stakes crime with his partner Molly, a razor-girl assassin with mirrored eyes, aiming to pull a heist on a corporate dynasty with untold secrets," per the streaming service ...

Al Pacino and Dan Stevens have signed on to star in the upcoming XYZ Films horror feature The Ritual, according to Variety. Based on the true story of Emma Schmidt "whose demonic possession culminated in harrowing exorcisms," Variety reports, The Ritual follows two priests — one who questions his faith and another who is coming to terms with his troubled past, played respectively by Stevens and Pacino — who must put aside their differences to save a possessed young woman ...

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Idina Menzel announces tour including Broadway hits from 'Wicked,' 'Rent' and more

Scott Kowalchyk/CBS

Idina Menzel will be bringing Broadway hits to the concert stage.

The Rent star announced her Take Me or Leave Me Tour on Tuesday, which will be kicking off in mid-July and running through the summer. It will feature hits from Broadway classics Rent and Wicked, as well as more music.

Along with Broadway hits, the tour will feature music from her 2023 dance album, Drama Queen.

Menzel will perform in 21 cities, beginning on July 19 in Seattle, Washington, and culminating on August 18 in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Artist presale tickets, along with VIP packages, will go on sale April 24, while general tickets will be available on April 26.

Menzel won a Tony Award in 2004 for her role as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, in Wicked. Prior to that, Menzel gained prominence for originating the role of Maureen in the Broadway classic Rent. Menzel's other prominent roles include playing Elsa in Frozen and Frozen II.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo, Judy Greer reunite for the 20th anniversary of '13 Going on 30'

Snap Stills/REX/Shutterstock

Jennifer GarnerMark Ruffalo and Judy Greer are celebrating 20 years of 13 Going on 30.

On Tuesday, the stars of the beloved film reunited virtually to talk about the film and walk down memory lane.

"Twenty years," Garner wrote in the caption of the video, which was shared in a joint Instagram post. "We are three Boomers braving zoom— because we want to thank you."

In fact, the title of the Zoom read 13 Going on Boomer.

"To every person who has loved this movie along with us: Thank You," she added. "We see you, we appreciate you and we love you back. Forever thirty, flirty and thriving!"

The actors talked about several things in the video, from certain scenes — including the part in the film where they all dance to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" — to the reaction over the years from fans who have shared their love for the film.

For fans who know the significance of Razzles in the film, the stars also pretend to "cheers" the candy in their hand.

At one point in the video, Greer is shocked to learn that actress Brie Larson was in the movie.

"She was a six chick!" Garner tells her.

13 Going on 30 premiered on April 23, 2004.

The film followed Garner's character, Jenna Rink, who, after being bullied, wishes on her 13th birthday that she was 30 years old. Her wish comes true when she wakes up in the body of her 30-year-old self. Ruffalo played Jenna Rink's best friend, Matt Flamhaff, and Greer played Lucy Wyman.

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'Blink Twice' trailer: Zoë Kravitz's directorial debut starring fiancé Channing Tatum is here

Amazon MGM Studios

The trailer for Zoë Kravitz's directorial debut, Blink Twice, has arrived.

The coming attraction opens with Kravitz's fiancé, Channing Tatum, who plays tech billionaire Slater King.

He meets cocktail waitress Frida, played by Naomi Ackie, at what appears to be a fundraising gala, and invites her to join him and his friends on a dream vacation on his private island.

Things take a turn when all of Slater's guests drop their cellphones in a bag and suspicious events happen, like when a knife belonging to one of the guests goes missing.

Later on in the trailer, a clip shows Ackie discovering the missing knife after it slips out from behind a bathroom mirror.

"Wild nights blend into sun soaked days and everyone's having a great time," according to a synopsis for the film. "No one wants this trip to end, but as strange things start to happen, Frida begins to question her reality."

"There is something wrong with this place," the synopsis continues. "She'll have to uncover the truth if she wants to make it out of this party alive."

The film also stars Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona, Kyle MacLachlan, Haley Joel Osment, Geena Davis and Alia Shawkat.

Blink Twice will hit theaters on August 23.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


'20 Days in Mariupol' and 'STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie' among first nominees for 84th Peabody Awards

Apple TV+

On Tuesday, 41 nominees from the Documentary, News, Public Service and Radio/Podcast categories were announced for the 84th annual Peabody Awards.

The award's organizers noted nominees were chosen "by a unanimous vote of 32 jurors from more 1,100 entries from television, podcasts/radio and the web."

The honor "celebrates the best storytelling across broadcasting and streaming media," and among the first nominees announced for this year's prize were the Oscar-winning PBS documentary 20 Days in Mariupol and Apple TV+'s heralded documentary STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie.

Among the nominees in the News category was ABC News Studios' IMPACT x Nightline: On The Brink, centering on access to women's health care, which is streaming on Hulu.

A full list of the first nominees can be found here.

In a statement, Jeffrey Jones, executive director of Peabody, said, "From exposing injustice to capturing the struggles and triumphs of inspirational figures across the world, these extraordinary nominees demonstrate the power and beauty of compelling storytelling."

He added, "Peabody believes these nominees deserve special recognition for crafting bold stories that continue to inspire us, but also challenge us to do better."

The nominees for the remaining categories, which include Entertainment, Arts, Children's/Youth and Interactive & Immersive, will be announced on Thursday, April 25.

The winners of the 84th annual Peabody Awards will be announced on May 9 and then celebrated on June 9 at a ceremony in Los Angeles.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Apes, together viral: 20th Century Studios not monkeying around with 'Kingdom of the Apes' promo stunt

20th Century Studios

In a stunning gag that 20th Century Studios head Steve Asbell rightly predicts "will open up an entirely new front on the CGI vs. practical effects twitter debate," the studio set loose real-life ape costumers atop equally real horses on California's famous Venice Beach on Tuesday. 

These weren't just dudes in monkey suits: The costumes were perfect replicas of the figures seen in the forthcoming film, and Matt Reeves' Caesar trilogy before them — though those used visual effects to bring them to life.

Videos shot by passersby of the promotional stunt quickly made it online and were reposted by Absell.

The footage shows not just the commitment made by makeup and costuming professionals in bringing the apes from the movies to reality, but by the actors inhabiting the characters: they look deadly serious as they patrol their stunned human subjects. 

Set generations after Reeves' blockbuster trilogy, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes takes place in a time when "apes are the dominant species living harmoniously and humans have been reduced to living in the shadows," according to the studio. 

The movie opens in theaters May 10.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Both 'Mean Girls' movies coming to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray on April 30

Paramount Pictures

Get in, loser, we're going Blu-ray shopping: Both the 2004 original Mean Girls and its 2024 musical version are coming to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc on April 30.

The double feature's release date celebrates the April 30, 2004, release of the first film, which introduced fans to Lindsay Lohan's Cady Heron, and Rachel McAdams' Regina George and her dreaded Plastics — who totally didn't make "fetch" happen.

It also marks the first time both films will be available on the high-def format. 

Tina Fey's original Mean Girls went on to ... fetch more than $130 million worldwide. It also spawned a hit Broadway show, which in turned spawned a filmed version of the musical, starring its Broadway iteration of Regina, Reneé Rapp.

Succeeding Lohan as Cady was Angourie Rice, who starred along with the original film's writer and co-star Fey, as well as Auliʻi Cravalho, Avantika, Jenna Fischer and Busy Philipps.

The musical, which incidentally wasn't advertised as such at first, went on to gross more than $102 million worldwide since its January 2024 debut.

Paramount Home Entertainment's special 20th anniversary 4K Ultra HD release comes in a collectible hot pink case with a limited-edition Burn Book sleeve and includes a new featurette entitled "Mean Girls: Class of '04," as well as access to a digital copy of the film. 

There's also a commentary from director Mark Waters, writer Fey and producer Lorne Michaels, deleted scenes and other goodies. 

The Blu-ray for the new Mean Girls comes similarly stacked, boasting 30 minutes of bonus content. There's a feature called "A New Age of Mean Girl"; a deep dive into the film's choreography; and the "Not My Fault" music video with Rapp and Megan Thee Stallion.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Slaying to save the world: Cast revealed for first charity version of 'RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars'

Pari Dukovic/World of Wonder/Paramount+

Paramount+ revealed the cast of the ninth iteration of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Tuesday, the first version where charity is taking center stage.

Eight queens are returning to "use their drag superpowers to save the world," the streaming service announced: At stake is not only a coveted spot in the Drag Race Hall of Fame, but a supersized donation of $200,000 provided by the nonprofit The Palette Fund for each hopeful's charity.

The series returns on May 17, when new episodes of the behind-the-scenes show RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars: Untucked will also drop on Paramount+.

Here's a list of who will hit the stage for season 9, and the nonprofits for which they'll be strutting their stuff:

Angeria Paris VanMichaels, Season 14 -National Black Justice Coalition

Gottmik, Season 13 -Trans Lifeline

Jorgeous, Season 14 -National Alliance on Mental Illness

Nina West, Season 11 -The Trevor Project

Plastique Tiara, Season 11 -The Asian American Foundation (TAAF)

Roxxxy Andrews, Season 5, All Stars 2- Miracle of Love Inc.

Shannel, Season 1,All Stars 1 -Anxiety and Depression Association of America

Vanessa Vanjue, Season 10, 11 -ASPCA

 

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


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