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Zendaya gave 'Spider-Man' co-star Tom Holland this advice on dealing with fans

• No Comments • Entertainment News

JoJo Whilden/Sony Pictures Entertainment(NEW YORK) — (NOTE LANGUAGE) Despite being a highly accredited actor, Tom Holland sometimes needs a little advice on navigating Hollywood. Thankfully he’s got his Spider-Man co-star Zendaya to help him out.

In an interview with British GQ, the 24-year-old actor opened up about the moment that the actress was able to give him some tips on how to interact with fans. 

“Talking to Zendaya‘s helped me a lot, actually,” Holland admitted.

“I used to come across sometimes as a bit of a [jerk] to fans, mainly as I was always so surprised that they’d want a picture with me or signature or whatever,” he explained. “I’d have the typical Londoner reaction, one of instant suspicion: ‘Why are you talking to me?’ Zendaya spotted this and quickly told me that this sort of reaction was going to be more aggro than just smiling and taking the picture.”

“She totally changed the way I am able to be more comfortable in public,” he added. 

By Danielle Long
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Blake Shelton is shocked when former bandmate auditions for 'The Voice'

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Trae Patton/NBCBlake Shelton got quite the surprise during Monday night’s season premiere of The Voice. 

When Pete Mroz took the stage for the blind auditions during the episode, performing Blind Faith‘s “Can’t Find My Way Home,”  both Blake and John Legend hit their buzzers. But when Blake turned around, he was met with a face from the past. 

“I think I’m the old guy here,” the 45-year-old hopeful said, prompting Blake and his fellow coaches to state that he, in fact, is the resident “old guy.” “I’m gonna get to you,” Pete said pointing at Blake.

“It sounds like there’s some history there, and that’s normally not a good thing with me,” the country star joked. 

Pete shared how he got his start in Nashville as a songwriter and musician, using the name Pete Mitchell. Upon hearing that name, Blake immediately recalled how he used to be in a band with Pete called the Young Riders, and revealed that they hadn’t seen each other in 25 years. 

“You stole my bass player,” Pete said.

“No, I gave your bass player a job,” Blake retorted, laughing. “Obviously we would have a blast if we got to work together again. No joke, I would love it.”

Blake clearly made a compelling argument: Pete did choose the “Minimum Wage” star as his coach.    

The Voice airs on Monday and Tuesday nights on NBC at 8 p.m. ET. 

By Cillea Houghton 
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

'Raya and the Last Dragon' star Kelly Marie Tran muses on scoring the Disney pop-culture Triple Crown

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Disney(LOS ANGELES) — On Friday, Star Wars actress Kelly Marie Tran will be heard voicing the heroic warrior Raya in Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon.

The film is already winning praise for its stunning visuals and strong representation of the Asian community.  While its setting, Kumandra, is fictional, its world is based on Southeast Asia, and brought to life by an all-Asian main cast, including Tran, Marvel movie veterans Benedict Wong, and Gemma Chan, Emmy-winner Sandra Oh, The Good Doctor star and producer Daniel Dae-Kim, and Awkwafina. 

The role of Raya puts Tran firmly in the running to score something of a pop-culture Triple Crown: Like Mandalorian and Mulan star Ming-Na Wen, Tran has now appeared both in the Star Wars universe and a Disney movie. 

So if she can nab a role in a Marvel property, like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. veteran Ming-Na did, she’d be in a very exclusive club indeed. 

Tran was tickled at the Triple Crown potential, but certainly wasn’t ruling it out to ABC Audio. Putting her hands on her heart when she heard Ming-Na’s name mentioned, Tran gushed, “We’ll see. I hope to have a long career ahead of me, and, obviously, all hail Ming-Na Wen!” 

She then made a “We’re not worthy” gesture and called the actress one of her personal role models.

And as for that Triple Crown, Tran laughed, “I hope to join her!” 

Raya and the Last Dragon premieres March 5 in theaters and on Disney+.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

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

Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood voice support for music educators: "We love you guys"

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Michael Loccisano/Getty ImagesThe National Music Council and the National Federation of State High School Associations have tapped several country artists to voice their support for music education and how it’s impacted their lives, including Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood. 

The superstar couple opens the video, with Garth sending a “big hello and a big thank you and a big ‘keep it going’ to the music teachers that are teaching music in schools today during the pandemic.”  He cites music as “the most powerful sword for communication,” adding, “Everybody loves music, everybody should, it’s within us all.” 

Trisha shares that she has a “special place” in her heart for teachers, since her late mother was a schoolteacher. “We all know how important music is in our lives to keep us sane, especially during this time. So thank you for what you’re doing,” she added.

John Rich of Big & Rich, CMT Next Women of Country inductees Chapel Hart and Rosanne Cash also appear in the video, with John crediting music education with teaching him “discipline” and “opening up my mind in many areas.”  

“So you stay strong, and you keep those kids apart, but bring them together through the glorious gift of music. We love you guys,” Garth says, in closing. 

The video serves as the launch of Music In Our Schools Month, a campaign that encourages schools to understand the value of music education. 

By Cillea Houghton 
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Golden Globe winner Andra Day shares significance of winning awards as a new actress

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Photo credit: Takashi Seida(NEW YORK) — Golden Globe winner Andra Day isn’t taking award show season lightly.

Considering her dramatic transformation in becoming the renowned Jazz singer Billie Holiday — which included a 40-pound-weight loss — Day tells ABC Audio that to be recognized in Hollywood for her portrayal would be “amazing.”

“It was a huge reward for me to be on set with [director] Lee Daniels, with Trevante [Rhodes], with Garrett Hedlund, with Tyler James Williams, with all of my cast,” she says. “These are gargantuan talents and people with even greater integrity. [So] it would be great. It would be such a blessing and I would be grateful for it.”

The “blessing” of winning didn’t take long for the “Rise Up” singer when she took home the Best Actress Award in a Motion Picture – Drama at Sunday night’s Golden Globes. Day says being honored for her moving depiction of Holiday makes her job as an actress all “worth it.” 

“It was worth it to just sort of put our bodies through,” Day explains. “Everything we put our bodies through on set. And the not sleeping, and the stress of whatever time, and budgets, and trying to honor her legacy.”

Daniels quickly interjects, telling Day that they did honor Holiday’s legacy with the film.

“We did Andra, we did,” he notes. “And I think that the most important thing we did was that the truth was finally told.”

“And it’s not going to be Lady Sings the Blues, which we loved, but it’s not going to be there anymore. We now know what happened with Billie Holiday in The United States [vs. Billie Holiday],” he adds.

The United States vs Billie Holiday is available to stream on Hulu.

By Candice Williams
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.