November 23, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

iStock/shironosov(LOS ANGELES) — (NOTE LANGUAGE) By now, you should respect the power of the Zoom mute button, but in case you need a reminder, look no further than Euphoria star Lukas Gage, who caught a famous director on a hot mic shaming the actor for his small apartment. 

Gage was about to audition via Zoom, when he overheard the British director pitying the performer’s place. “These poor people live in these tiny apartments,” the director says, not knowing Gage is listening — and recording the moment. Gage interrupts him.

“I know it’s a sh***y apartment, that’s why give me this job so I can get a better one,” the actor smiles.

“Oh my God, I’m so, so sorry, Lukas!” says the “mortified” director. 

Gage was “totally” willing to call it even, saying, “Listen: I’m living in a four-by-four box, it’s fine. Just give me the job and we’ll be fine.” 

The actor later posted a “PSA” to his followers with the video, captioning it, “if you’re a sh** talking director make sure to mute ur shit on zoom mtgings.”

The exchange attracted calls of support for the actor.

“What an honest young actor. What a dumba** director. You’ll go farther than he will…” Tweeted Aquaman‘s Patrick Wilson. 

Judd Apatow tweeted, “As a young man I would have dreamed of an apartment like this one. Look at that sweet flat screen! The guitar! The moldings!” 

Another Twitter user agreed, asking for a shot of the actor’s apartment to use as his own Zoom background.

Incidentally, many Internet commenters on Deadline allege that the filmmaker is Kingsman series director Matthew Vaughn, who’s married to model Claudia Schiffer. That rumor got rolling when his alleged baby mama and X-Men: First Class star January Jones replied to Gage’s post with, “I have a guess.” 

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

November 23, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Courtesy Sony Pictures(NEW YORK) — On Wednesday, the Hulu holiday romantic comedy Happiest Season comes home for the holidays.

The movie, directed, and co-written by actress and filmmaker Clea Duvall, features an all-star cast, including Kristen Stewart, Mackenzie Davis, Alison Brie, Dan Levy, Victor Garber, and Mary Steenbergen. 

In the film, Stewart’s character Abby agrees to visit her girlfriend Harper’s family for the holidays, with the intention of popping the question to Davis’ character. However, there’s a catch: she learns Harper’s family is not only conservative, but doesn’t know she’s gay. 

Mary Steenbergen plays Tipper, the tightly-wound matriarch of the family, who is preoccupied with her husband’s run for office and projecting a picture-perfect view of their family because of it.

Steenbergen tells ABC Audio, “I just love the film because every single character in the film goes somewhere as a result of this singular moment of bravery where Mackenzie’s character says who she really is. And it is just since each of us to an important place.”

Alison Brie plays Sloane, Harper’s even more tightly-wound sister. An over-achiever with a handsome husband and two seemingly perfect kids — and who is on a nickname basis with Gwyneth Patrow, thanks to a partnership with Paltrow’s lifestyle empire Goop — she seems to have it all. However, we learn appearances can be deceiving.  For the former Community star, the authenticity of the script grabbed her.

“[Y]ou didn’t feel like it was a send up of a holiday movie or a cliche in any way, it felt so grounded and real,” says Brie. “I think we all found ways to connect with our characters in a genuine capacity rather than playing any of them as stereotypes or tropes of holiday movies. And you can tell.”

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

November 23, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

ABC/Arturo Holmes(LOS ANGELES) — Mahershala Ali reveals he accepted a role in David Fincher’s 2008 film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, but only on the condition that he wouldn’t have to film a love scene with co-star Taraji P. Henson.

The 46-year-old actor, who converted to Islam while studying for a master’s degree at NYU, explained on Common’s Mind Power Mixtape podcast that filming the scene would go against his religion, according to the New York Post.

“So my old agent called me and said, ‘Mahershala, you got the part,’” he recalls.  “And I said, ‘There’s just one thing — there is that one sex scene where they kiss. If there’s a sex scene, I can’t do it.’”

Fortunately, Fincher relented and agreed to toning down the scene.

“Taraji and I begin to kiss, and we fall out of the frame…It wasn’t clear if [Fincher] was trying to have like some bumping and grinding…which I doubt he was,” says Ali.  “But for me even…at that time, 15 years ago, I was still like, ‘OK, I can only go up to this point,’ just because of — just trying to hold a space of respect for my religion.”

The Oscar-winning actor stars in the upcoming Apple TV+ film Swan Song, opposite Glenn Close, Awkwafina and Naomi Harris.

By George Costantino
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

November 23, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

ABC/Randy Holmes(LOS ANGELES) — (NOTE LANGUAGE) Kevin Hart is getting the last laugh. 

The 41-year-old comedian recently came under fire for dressing his newborn in a shirt that bared the name of his latest comedy special, Zero F***s Given. Many were unhappy that the baby’s clothing contained profanity and one even warned that child protective services could be giving him a call as a result. 

The Jumanji star seemingly ignored the comments, until Sunday, when he acknowledged the critics in an Instagram post.

Alongside a photo of a headline that read “Kevin Hart Slammed For Dressing Newborn In ‘Profanity-Laced’ Outfit, Fans Suggest Child Services Will Be Calling If He Doesn’t Take The Shirt Off” Hart wrote, “This is the world that we are currently living in.”

“[Stuff] is funny and sad at the same time…. Y’all motha fa’s need to grow up and get a hobby,” he continued. “…Once again I could give “Zero Fs”……Now go watch my special on NETFLIX.”

“Stupidity at the highest level,” he added. “This is why my mindset is what it is in my comedy special.”

Hart welcomed a baby girl, Kaori Mai, with wife Eniko Parrish on September 29. This is the second child for the couple who also share three-year-old son Kenzo Kash. Hart also has two children — 15-year-old daughter Heaven and 13-year-old son Hendrix — from his previous marriage to Torrei Hart. 

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

November 23, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) — Actress Hilary Duff must spend at least two weeks away from her family after being exposed to COVID-19.

The Younger star on Saturday took to her Instagram stories to unhappily reveal, “Exposed to covid…Quarantine day 2.”

The 33-year-old revealed that she is isolating in the family’s basement to ensure that, should she have the infectious virus, she doesn’t accidentally spread it to husband Matthew Koma or her two children — eight-year-old Luca and two-year-old Banks.

Despite the mounting frustration, Duff and her family are already finding ways to feel less lonely, such as loudly stomping on the ground three times — a code to tell each other “I love you.”

The “So Yesterday” singer gleefully filmed herself sending the message to Luca and waiting in anticipation for a response.   A wide and thankful smile breaks across Duff’s face when, after a few seconds, hears her son’s feet stomping above her.

Duff also revealed that her kids may have gone overboard with gifts, revealing on Sunday that “My sweet family was leaving so many sweet treats outside my door, I finally threatened to run up stairs… break quarantine and breathe all over them.”

To prevent her from spending the next two weeks indulging on desserts, her kids hilariously “left an apple pie… candle” at the door — which she happily lit.

However, the Lizzie McGuire alum is definitely counting down the days until she can physically hold her children… because their dad is not doing the best job at dressing them or styling their hair.

Duff shared several photos Koma sent her and bemoaned her daughter’s cowlick and mismatching clothes.

The actress also admitted Sunday that she may already be losing it, posting a hilarious video of her barking at the family’s new puppy.

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