March 12, 2021 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Courtesy HBO(LOS ANGELES) — (NOTE CONTENT) The bombshell Allen V. Farrow documentary concludes Sunday on HBO, which will deliver a deep dive into the disturbing allegations against embattled director Woody Allen brought against him by his family.

Allen is accused of molesting his daughter Dylan Farrow in the 90s, a claim he denies.

Allen V. Farrow co-director Amy Ziering sat down with ABC Audio to chat about the pending finale, which she says will cover a lot of material.

“There’s more shocking information. This is a story we thought was played out in the 90s, but it had this afterlife and reverberation for decades,” said Ziering. “Actually new information came forward in the 2010s.”

The finale will cover these new allegations and investigate to “see where where the truth lies,” says Ziering.

“We also we also find out what was the result of the criminal investigation and that you find out in episode four,” she teased.

Ziering also revealed that she offered to sit down with Allen and discuss the charges against him, but says he has yet to come to the table.

“We’d welcome talking with him,” said Ziering. “The offer is always there. Standing offer.”

Co-director Kirby Dick also discussed the impending series finale with ABC Audio to expand more on HBO’s offer to allow Allen to share his side of the story.

Dick mentioned how Allen said in a statement after the first episode aired that he was only invited to participate in the series a few months ago, and given just days to respond — which Kirby says is not the case.

“He was given… weeks to respond and he didn’t respond,” said Kirby.  “We obviously wanted to include an interview [with him.]”  

Allen V. Farrow wraps up Sunday night on HBO.

By Megan Stone and Jason Nathanson
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

March 12, 2021 • No Comments • Entertainment News

(LOS ANGELES) — Dwayne Johnson can add a new title to his impressive resume — emoji creator.

The actor/tequila mogul/XFL owner revealed late Thursday that a brand new truck emoji is coming out all thanks to him.

Johnson, 48, shared a cheeky video to his Twitter, proving that his January 5, 2016 tweet is what inspired the new addition apparently heading to smartphones everywhere.

The Jumanji actor wrote at the time, “Good mornin’ from the south.  Lets get to work.. (insert non existent pick up truck emoji)”

From there, whenever Johnson wanted to convey he was hard at work, he’d pointedly include “(insert non existent pick up truck emoji)” in his tweets, which apparently caught on with fans and sparked a national dialogue about the need for the new emoji.

Johnson also jokingly referred to past magazine covers that flaunted his importance, from being an “influential” celebrity to being the “Sexiest Man Alive.”

“Sometimes you have to speak & tweet things into existence,” he captioned the video. “I (and the world) needed a truck emoji. Ladies & gents – I give you, the NEW TRUCK EMOJI.”

Playing off the song he sang in Disney’s Moana, Johnson closed out the announcement by using the hashtag “#YoureWelcome.”

Those interested in seeing the new blue pickup truck emoji can check out Johnson’s video, where he unveils it at the end of his announcement.

The Hobbs & Shaw star hinted that he may have a hand in creating other emojis in the future, as the video briefly showcased his emoji wishlist.

Included in his hastily written down list, Johnson expresses that he wants a “bigger bicep emoji,” “double fist protein shakes,” a “throwing body through wall emoji” and an “even bigger pancake stack” — among others.

By Megan Stone
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

March 12, 2021 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Apple TV+(NEW YORK) — Marvel movie directors Joe and Anthony Russo get back to their modest-budget beginnings with their new film, Cherry, which is now streaming on AppleTV+.

The movie, which stars Spider-Man actor Tom Holland, is based on Nico Walker’s 2018 novel of the same name. Holland plays a young man who drops out of college and joins the Army after suffering a broken heart, only to return home returns to his true love stricken with combat PTSD. He soon turns to a life of crime when both become hooked on opioids. 

The opioid crisis hit close to both the Russo family personally, and to their hometown of Cleveland, where the movie is set, Joe Russo explained to ABC Audio.

“This was a city that saw a great economic depression 30 years ago…” said Russo, but as it recovered, opioid addiction moved in.

Calling it “an existential blight,” Joe says, “these drugs have been scientifically engineered to make people addicted to them. And they were peddled by doctors who are paid to prescribe them….[I]t’s ballooned into a crisis of utterly tragic proportions.”

Cherry was a true family affair, with the Russos’ sister, Angela Russo-Otstot, co-writing with Jessica Goldberg.

“[S]he’s a bit younger than Joe and I,” Anthony says of their sister, “but…over the years…we’ve had the opportunity to work with her in a variety of ways… And this has definitely been the most intimate and most exciting way…”

Anthony adds, “It was a really special experience for all of us and I think really appropriate because…the primary motivation to make this movie was so deeply personal and did have to do with our…family experiences.” 

By Stephen Iervolino
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

March 12, 2021 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Monty Brinton/CBS @2021 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.LONDON — (NOTE LANGUAGE) Sharon Osbourne has apologized after a heated exchange on The Talk in which she defended her friend Piers Morgan’s right to say whatever he wants about Meghan Markle.

However, that didn’t sit well with Morgan, who quit Good Morning Britain rather than apologize for saying he didn’t’ believe “a word” of the Duchess of Sussex’s interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Morgan re-posted Osbourne’s apology Friday morning, adding, “Sharon’s been shamed & bullied into apologising for defending me against colleagues accusing me of racism because I don’t believe Meghan Markle’s bulls***…I demand an apology from those @TheTalkCBS bullies for their disgraceful slurs against ME.”

Osbourne had tweeted early Friday morning, “After some reflection, after sitting with your comments & sitting with my heart I would like to address the discussion on ‘The Talk’ this past Wednesday.”

She added in part, “…I have deep respect & love for the Black community. To anyone of colour that I offended and/or to anyone that feels confused or let down by what I said, I am truly sorry.”

She went on: “I panicked, felt blindsided, got defensive & allowed my fear & horror of being accused of being racist take over. There are very few things that hurt my heart more than racism so to feel associated with that spun me fast! I am not perfect, I am still learning like the rest of us & will continue to learn, listen and do better.”

Her exchange on CBS chat show earlier in the week saw an exasperated Osbourne saying to co-host Sheryl Underwood, “Educate me! Tell me what [Piers] said that was racist!”

Underwood replied that Morgan’s negative comments about Markle had “the implication” of being racist.

For his part, Morgan doubled down on his comments Wednesday morning, calling Markle’s comments “contemptible” and a “diatribe of bilge.”

By Stephen Iervolino
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.