December 2, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

© 2020 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.(NEW YORK) — The LGBTQ-themed romantic comedy Happiest Season scored the biggest audience for a Hulu original film’s opening weekend, and Variety reports the film also spiked subscriptions for the service more than any other feature title.

In the movie that debuted on November 25, Kristen Stewart plays a young woman who plans to propose to her girlfriend at her parents’ home over the holidays — only to learn that her partner, played by Mackenzie Davis, never told them she’s gay. 

Actress and Happiest Season writer-director Clea DuVall and her partner, Mary Holland, wrote the film.  DuVall tells ABC Audio she felt the pressure to get it right.

“Yeah, I was so excited by the idea of getting to tell a big, bright, warm holiday story with a gay couple at the center of it, but yeah, it was intimidating. Because you want to get it right and you want to you know…hopefully create a movie that does well enough to that makes people see that content like this is something that audiences really want,” says DuVall.  

Happiest Season also stars Holland, Mary Steenbergen, Aubrey Plaza and Alison Brie, as well as Schitt’s Creek co-creator and star Dan Levy.

By Stephen Iervolino
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

December 2, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Cliff Lipson/CBS ©2020 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved(LOS ANGELES) — Like other shows, production on CBS’ hit military drama SEAL Team was abruptly shut down earlier this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic — right in the middle of star and episode director David Boreanaz’s shooting schedule.

However, the show returns tonight with a bang: a two-hour season four debut that will kick-off where last season’s cliffhanger left off: in Afghanistan, where Boreanaz’s character, Jason Hayes, and his Bravo Team track the son of a terrorist leader who took up the family business after the soldiers took daddy out. 

For Boreanaz, getting the chance to honor the real-life operators like the SEALs is one of his favorite elements of the series. Their reactions to the show are especially rewarding, the actor and director tells ABC Audio.

“You know, people have run into, people that even that I work with…the Tier One operators, Mark Owen, who brought the show to CBS, he’s kind of like the line to a lot of these guys, obviously, because he’s on deployment missions with them, and he’s the pipeline to kind of their reactions,” Boreanaz explains, adding, “They’re very enthusiastic about it.”

He adds of his character, “The way Jason Hayes compartmentalizes his existence in order to survive on the battlefield as well as the troubles he has at home — it hits true for a lot of people…”

Boreanaz goes on: “But what we’re so proud of is that it hits home to the people that matter and that they get what we’re doing. And that’s…some strong evidence that we’re we’re on the right path as far as telling these stories are concerned, of these brave men and women who serve our country and what they have to deal with when they’re on deployment and where they are at home.”

SEAL Team airs tonight at 9 p.m. Eastern on CBS.

By Stephen Iervolino
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

December 2, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Photo courtesy Centr(LOS ANGELES) — While 2020 has been — well, a lot, we can still take comfort in that age-old pastime of basking in the reflected glow of celebrity hotness. 

To that end, Ranker, which bills itself as “the world’s leading publisher for fan-powered rankings on just about everything,” has crunched the numbers and compiled a list of the what its millions of users considered the hottest male and female celebrities of the year. 

Once again, Chris Hemsworth topped the annual “Hottest Men” list — a threepeat. He’s in good company in the number-one slot when it comes to his “Most Beautiful” female counterpart: his fellow Avenger, Scarlett Johansson.

Coming in second place was K-Pop singer Kim Taehyung, best known as “V” from BTS; singer and Dunkirk actor Harry Styles ranked third. Captain America himself, Chris Evans, ranked fourth, and Hemsworth’s brother Liam rounded out the top five. 

As for the rankings of the fairer sex, Margot Robbie placed just below ScarJo, in second, followed by Jennifer Lawrence in third, Gal Gadot in fourth, and Alexandra Daddario in fifth pace. 

There are hundreds of choices on both lists, featuring faces from Michael B. Jordan to Prince Harry, so chances are you can find whomever tickles your fancy and vote each up or down.

By Stephen Iervolino
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

December 2, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

ABC/Eric McCandless, AMPAS(LOS ANGELES) — If you just started to adjust to the virtual concerts and award ceremonies, the 2021 Academy Awards are looking to buck the trend.

Variety reports that a representative from the Academy confirms, “The Oscars in-person telecast will happen.”

The ceremony, slated for April 25, 2021, has already been pushed back due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.  However, it appears the Academy is hopeful that theaters will return to normal capacity by then, which would afford more movie premieres and, thus, more Oscar contenders.

However, should movie theaters remain closed, the Academy is still planning on an in-person ceremony at LA’s 3,400-seat Dolby Theater and, with that, is making adjustments to abide by CDC guidelines.

“The Academy has done a walkthrough of the Dolby recently to see all the multiple options,” an awards publicist tells Variety.

The Academy, much like the rest of the world, is also remaining optimistic about next year due to promising news from the vaccine front.

Two vaccine candidates — from Pfizer and Moderna, respectively — are seeking emergency authorization from the Food and Drug Administration.

Pfizer’s hearing is set for December 10 and, should the FDA grant approval, Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar tells ABC News says plans are in motion to have the vaccine ready for delivery within 24 hours. 

Moderna’s hearing is set a week later.

But, even with a vaccine in circulation, however, it is still unknown what 2021’s awards landscape will look like.

Show-runners of the SAG Awards and the Critics Choice Awards, both of which will be held in March, are still weighing their options.

Representatives for both tell Variety that current options include an all-virtual show, an in-person show or possibly a hybrid ceremony as seen with the Emmys in September.

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

December 2, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

ABC/Craig Sjodin(LOS ANGELES) — Legendary film director Steven Spielberg has taken out a restraining order against a woman he says poses a danger to him and his family.

TMZ reports that, according to court documents filed Tuesday, Spielberg named the woman who has allegedly stalked him over the past few months and made threats against him.

The documents also claim the woman, identified as Sarah Char, has been arrested before for making criminal threats, stalking and harassment.

Included in the documents is a Twitter exchange, where Char allegedly says,  “If I have to personally MURDER people for stealing my IPs‚ I WILL. Get me?”

The Indiana Jones director also claims Char recently attempted to purchase a gun and, after learning of that from law enforcement, was worried that the woman would follow through on her threats.

Currently, Char is under court order to stay 100 yards away from Spielberg and his family.

Spielberg nor his representatives have responded to requests for comment at this time.

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