September 18, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Charles Sykes/Bravo(ATLANTA) — It’s the end of an era — for now. NeNe Leakes has revealed that she will not return the The Real Housewives of Atlanta for Season 13. 

Leakes, 52, who was apart of the original cast when the show began in 2008, shared her decision in a YouTube video on Thursday titled, “Listen Closely, I got something to tell you.”

“Thank you to all of you guys that have been showing me a lot of love and support as of late…” the reality star began. “I have been on an extremely, extremely long, exhausting, tiring, emotional negotiation. There has been a lot of emotion flying on both sides. It has been hard, and I have made the very hard and difficult decision to not be a part of Real Housewives of Atlanta season 13.”

“It wasn’t an easy decision for me,” Leakes continued. “It was hard. I started on The Real Housewives of Atlanta in 2008. We took off like a rocket… You could have never told me that I would start on this little show and it still be going strong 13, 14 years later. And it is. I’m just so happy that I can say that I was a part of a genre that opened up doors for Black ensemble reality shows to step up and be a part of what we all now love so much, reality TV.”

She ended the video promising viewers, “I will see you again. Real soon.”

Whether or not that means she will hold a peach again remains to be seen but Bravo seems open to the idea. 

In a statement to People, a rep for the network wished Leakes well and added, “She’s been instrumental since the start and will truly be missed, and maybe one day she’ll hold the peach again.”

By Danielle Long
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

September 18, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic(LOS ANGELES) — There’s a new Hulk joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe and her name is Jennifer Walters, AKA She-Hulk.  Orphan Black star Tatiana Maslany will help usher in the MCU’s next phase, starring in the Disney+ series about the titular green heroine.

Deadline reports that Marvel Studios has also tapped Marry Me‘s Kat Coiro to serve as the series’ director and Rick and Morty‘s Jessica Gao to pen the script.

Fans reacted enthusiastically to the news that that the Emmy Award winning actress is the newest member of the extended MCU family.  Some even joked that if other actors don’t watch out, Maslany will “be playing all the characters” given how she seamlessly juggles numerous roles on Orphan Black.

She-Hulk, created in 1980 by Stan Lee and John Buscema, is one of Marvel Comic’s most beloved female superheroes.  

The Disney+ series will be the character’s live-action debut and there’s already rumors that Mark Ruffalo, who plays Bruce Banner/Hulk will have a cameo of sorts given that the two characters are related.

In the comics, Jennifer Walters and Bruce Banners are cousins and, after the hotshot lawyer is involved in a deadly accident — she requires a life-saving blood transfusion from her cousin to survive.  However, she accidentally inherits his Hulk powers in the process.

She-Hulk, while big and green, retains Jennifer’s personality and intelligence when transformed.  But, just like her cousin, she is prone to outbursts of anger and becomes stronger when she rampages.

Ruffalo delighted in the news, tweeting on Thursday, “Welcome to the family, cuz!”

She-Hulk, the Disney+ series, joins a slate of MCU-centric shows arriving on the streamer.  Loki, The Falcon and Winter Soldier and WandaVision are all set to premiere on the service next year.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

By Megan Stone
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

September 18, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Turner(LOS ANGELES) — Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston finally reunited Thursday for the Dane Cook Presents Feelin’ A-Live: Fast Times at Ridgemont High charity table read that left fans howling.

Several A-listers reenacted the 1982 classic film, but all eyes were on Pitt and Aniston — who famously broke up in 2005 and haven’t appeared on screen together since — to see what roles they’d play.

The two were cast as Brad Hamilton and Linda Barrett, respectively, who share a hilarious but extremely NSFW scene together in the film.  Linda is the object of Brad’s affections and he expresses his desires like any teenage boy, by acting out a sexual fantasy about her in the — unfortunately unlocked — bathroom.

That moment was made all the more hilarious thanks to Morgan Freeman, who was tasked to narrate the movie and — ultimately — that spicy yet cringeworthy scene where Brad envisions a bikini-clad Linda walking up to him before the real Linda bursts through the door and catches him with his pants down — literally.  

Besides Freeman’s signature monotone delivery, Aniston and Pitt proved that they still have their intense comedic chemistry and fully threw themselves into their roles.

With the three feeding off each other, everyone who volunteered to take part in the read fought to keep their laughter to a minimum.  Jimmy Kimmel, however — who played a variety of characters — couldn’t help but burst into a giggle fit.

Shia LeBeouf, who played the main character Spicoli, also earned comedic nods for hamming up his role and even dressing for the part — complete with a cigarette and going shirtless for his introduction.

The Fast Times at Ridgemont High table read served as a charity stream to benefit the COVID-19 relief funds CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort) and REFORM alliance.

By Megan Stone
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.