October 16, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Greg Doherty/FilmMagic(LOS ANGELES) — Looks like we won’t be seeing a green tinted Tatiana Maslany after all.  The Orphan Black actress responded to reports that she was cast in an upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe series and chalked it up to a rumor that’s grown out of control.

Speaking to the Sudbury Star on Thursday, Maslany was asked if she was excited to star in her own Disney+ series and delivered the devastating blow that the reports were false.

“That actually isn’t a real thing and it’s like a press release that’s gotten out of hand,” the Emmy Award-winning actress declared. “It’s not actually a thing, unfortunately.”

Added the Perry Mason star, “I’ve been connected to these things in the past,” but it’s definitely not in her future at the moment.

Maslany lamented that so many people were convinced that the news was real, such as the BBC, but as for how the tall tale fooled practically everyone is anyone’s guess, she admits.

What probably helped further the rumors along was when actor Mark Ruffalo retweeted the report from Deadline shortly after it was published and seemingly confirmed it by remarking, “Welcome to the family, cuz!”

She-Hulk, aka Jennifer Walters, is the cousin of Bruce Banner/The Incredible Hulk.  Walters inherited some of her cousin’s abilities after receiving a life-saving blood transfusion from him following a serious accident.

Marvel has not responded to request for comment at this time.

Marvel is owned by Disney, the parent company of ABC News.

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

October 16, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Courtesy of WarnerMedia(LOS ANGELES) — It’s Christmas in October for fans of The West Wing.  The cast is reuniting for a stage version of the episode “Hartsfield’s Landing,” on HBO Max.

The reunion supports the When We All Vote initiative, and Richard Schiff, who plays Toby Ziegler the Communications Director to Martin Sheen’s President Josiah “Jed” Bartlet, tells ABC Audio the reunion has a simple goal.

“To motivate people, if they need it for some reason to overcome the obstacles that they might have in front of them to vote, because some of us have great obstacles to overcome. And that’s that’s that’s what I hope people come away with.”

Adds Schiff’s co-star Janel Maloney, “It sure seems like people have worked pretty hard to limit people’s access to to vote. And I think it’s so sinister and cynical and really heartbreaking to me and not what our country should be doing.”

Schiff says show creator Aaron Sorkin picked that particular episode for its timely message.

“This episode is an ode to what a beautiful thing it is that we in this country get to exercise, our votes and determine help determine collectively our future where that’s an exception to the rule in the world today.”

Shiff says getting back together with the old gang was “joyous and exhilarating.”

Maloney, who plays an assistant to Bradley Whitford’s Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman, agrees.

“I don’t think there’s really any chance that any of us are going to find that again. So we’re all really aware of that,” she explains. “And then just to get a chance in the middle of this pandemic, when all of us have been isolated, many of us that was our first time back to a set. So it was especially sweet.” 

October 15, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Courtesy of Netflix(NEW YORK) — Lovie Simone is one of the stars featured in the new Netflix anthology series Social Distance, which takes a closer look at people navigating in the new world of COVID-19.

In the series, Simone plays the girlfriend of Asante Blackk’s character, a man struggling to stay on his job when he really wants to protest police brutality following the murder of George Floyd.

Simone, who self-filmed for the role, tells ABC Audio that making the series during the quarantine was a difficult, but rewarding experience.

“It was challenging and I liked it,” she says. “It was challenging because, when you’re acting, you… just go off like micro expressions, body movements, and stuff like that to kind of give your cue.”

“But, it was really cool having to memorize the scene with your body and face too,” she continues, noting that her and Blackk were both filmed remotely and only saw each other on cameras. “And to work on that… it’s kind of hard not seeing his face and having to react to what I think he was doing.”

Even though apart, Simone and Blackk still managed to tackle the issue of protesting and its generational divide. Simone says she can see both sides of the argument, adding that she found other ways to stay “active.” 

“Your form of protest doesn’t always have to be just going out and holding a sign and being out there, like on the front lines and stuff like that,” she says. “There are other forms of like protesting, like voting… like spreading knowledge and not letting your white friends get away with certain sentences, certain words.”

Still, Simone believes that “accountability” will always be the best way to affect change, adding it’s time for more “one-on-one conversations.”

Social Distance is now available on Netflix.

By Candice Williams
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

October 15, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Disney+(LOS ANGELES) — Disney+ is gifting fans with a LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special featuring some famous voices from the Star Wars universe.

Among the actors reprising their roles in animated Lego form are Kelly Marie Tran as Rose Tico, Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian and Anthony Daniels as C3PO.

LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special will premiere on Tuesday, November 17, which is also known to fans as Life Day — a holiday first introduced in the 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special.

According to a press release, the special will follow Rey as she continues her Jedi training and gets sent into a cross-timeline adventure where she comes into contact with Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Yoda, Obi-Wan and more. She must try to make it back in time to celebrate Life Day with her pals Finn, Poe, Chewie, Rose and the droids.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

By Andrea Tuccillo
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

October 15, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Courtesy The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing(NEW YORK) — As Broadway remains shuttered due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s at least one bright spot for the theater community: the nominations for the 2020 Tony Awards have been announced.

The Alanis Morissette musical Jagged Little Pill scored the most nods out of any production, with 15, including Best Musical. Following close behind was Moulin Rouge! The Musical, with 14 nominations. Slave Play had the most nominations of any play, with 12, including Best Play.

Other nominees include Jake Gyllenhaal and Tom Sturridge, nominated for their dual leading roles in the play Sea Wall/A Life, which was also nominated in the Best Play category. Acting nods also went to Tom Hiddleston for Betrayal and Blair Underwood A Soldier’s Play.

In the Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play category, the nominees include Laura Linney for My Name is Lucy Barton, Audra McDonald for Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, and Mary-Louise Parker for The Sound Inside.

The 74th annual Tony Awards will be presented digitally this fall/winter. They were originally scheduled to take place back in June.

By Andrea Tuccillo
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.