September 30, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic(LOS ANGELES) — In the midst of grieving his ex-wife Naya Rivera, setting the record straight on rumors is not something Ryan Dorsey thought he’d have to do but, on Tuesday evening, he did just that. 

In a 12-minute-long Instagram video captioned, “Its not always black and white”, the 37-year-old actor detailed what life has been life for himself, his son Josey — who he shared with Rivera — and her sister, Nickayla, since the Glee star’s fatal drowning accident in July.

“I can’t believe that this is real life and I’m about to address any of this nonsense,” he began.  

“It’s truly sad that this is the world that we live in, where people were raised to think it’s OK to just spew hatred in general,” he said, referencing negative comments received after the tragedy. 

As for how he’s coping, the actor said, “I mean, man, saying that this is sad is the understatement of my life.”

Dorsey also addressed the ongoing speculation that he and Rivera’s 25-year-old sister have moved in together, explaining that Josey, 5, asked for that living situation. 

“Then he asked me if Titi can live with us. ‘I want Titi to live with us forever’ because she’s now the closest thing that he has to a mom,” Dorsey continued. “Because you’re gonna need all the help you can get as a single parent trying to build your career and navigate this disaster with your child… And to have to let him get what he wants, you know, what he asks for and what he needs right now, which is his family. Even though if you know it’s temporary and it’s not forever. It’s a temporary situation and after all that he’s had to go through, how could you deny him that?”

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

September 30, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic(LOS ANGELES) — Had The Morning Show not called up Jennifer Aniston to offer her the starring role, fans might have never seen the actress on the silver or small screen ever again.

Opening up on the SmartLess podcast with Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes on Tuesday, Aniston admitted that before being cast on the Apple TV+ series, she was flirting with the idea of quitting the industry.

“I would have to say, the last two years that has crossed my mind, which it never did before,” the Emmy winner disclosed, pinning the source of those thoughts on an “unprepared project” that “sucked the life out of me.”

Aniston did not disclose which project drove her to question her career, but admitted it did make her wonder “if [acting] is what interests me” anymore.

The hosts tried extracting more information from Aniston to see if they could identify what movie almost chased her out of the limelight, but she evaded taking the bait. 

All that Aniston revealed was that “the script [wasn’t] ready” and that she felt “stuck.” 

Thankfully, her time playing Alex Levy on The Morning Show restored her faith in her career and also resulted in her picking up a SAG Award as well as Golden Globes and Emmy Award nods this year. 

When Aniston was asked what career she would have pursued had she given up on acting, the Friends alum admitted she would have dabbled with interior design.

“I love it. It’s my happy place. It’s really a happy place for me,” she gushed.

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

September 30, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Charles McQuillan/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) — Meghan Markle has been the subject of much criticism throughout the years but that hasn’t stopped her from speaking out — and now, she’s sharing a few words of wisdom for others who want to do the same. 

The 39-year-old Duchess of Sussex spoke with Fortune‘s senior editor Ellen McGirt at the magazine’s Most Powerful Women virtual summit on Tuesday and shared that “it’s about being authentic.”

Markle, who’s had critics come for her after speaking up about topics like Black Lives Matter and naming the victims of police killings, added that most of the negativity comes from misinterpretation. 

“If you look back at anything I’ve said, it’s really interesting, because what often ends up being inflammatory it seems, is people’s interpretation of it,” she said. “But if you listen to what I actually say, it’s not controversial.”

“That is the takeaway that I have found, is if you don’t listen to all the noise out there, and you just focus on living a purpose-driven life and you focus on knowing what your own moral compass is … there are always going to be naysayers,” she continued. 

“I used to have a quote up in my room many, many moons ago, and it resonates now more than ever when you see the vitriol and noise that can be out in the world, and it’s by Georgia O’Keeffe. And it’s, ‘I have already settled it for myself so flattery and criticism go down the same drain and I am quite free.’ And the moment that you are able to be liberated from all these other opinions, of what you know to be true, then I think it’s very easy to just live with truth and live with authenticity and that’s how I choose to move through the world,” Markle concluded. 

“If you listen to what I actually say, it’s not controversial.”

Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, joined the #FortuneMPW Summit and shared her advice for speaking out on important issues: https://t.co/pSn3nFrdtQ pic.twitter.com/4bJ9NBoTuD

— FORTUNE (@FortuneMagazine) September 29, 2020

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September 29, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Gilbert Carrasquillo/WireImage(LOS ANGELES) — Queen Latifah has teamed up with Quibi for a brand-new series that will highlight influential Black women who have impacted American style, beauty and culture.

Quibi announced Black Equals Beauty Tuesday, a four-part documentary series that will help celebrate and honor the Black women who have fought against oppressive archtypes. Directed by The Same Difference helmer Nneka Onuorah, each episode will focus on a different archetype and show “how Black women, either by defining or rejecting these archetypes, have shifted and impacted American culture.”

Latifah joins Shakim Compere, Holly Carter and Cassian Elwes, who are also listed as producers on the project.

This is the latest project for Latifah under her Flavor Unit Entertainment banner. She previously worked Compere and Carter on the highly successful The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel for Lifetime.

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

September 29, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Art Streiber/NBC(LOS ANGELES) — It’s been almost a year since Gabrielle Union was fired as a judge from NBC’s America’s Got Talent after only one season. Now, Variety reports the actress has reached a settlement with the network.

“We’ve reached an amicable resolution. NBC Entertainment appreciates the important concerns raised by Gabrielle Union and remains committed to ensuring an inclusive and supportive working environment where people of all backgrounds can be treated with respect,” according to a joint statement from NBC and Union’s spokespeople.

Deadline reports Union received “significant” compensation from NBC as part of the settlement.

Union joined AGT in June of 2019, but her contract wasn’t renewed the following September, nor was fellow judge Julianne Hough’s.  June of this year, Union filed a discrimination suit against NBC and AGT‘s producers, Freemantle Media, claiming she was fired for speaking out about an on-set culture of racism, as well as workplace safety violations and other complaints.  She also claimed NBC’s entertainment chief Paul Telegdy threatened to retaliate against her for speaking out.

Variety reports that a subsequent investigation by NBC and FremantleMedia found no evidence of systemic racism, though the investigation reportedly wasn’t completed.

In May, Union discussed her negative experiences while on set of the competition series in a Variety cover story, including an alleged racist joke from guest judge Jay Leno and a lack of inclusiveness among producers.

Union said she initially signed up for AGT to become part of a “super diverse” show “that hails itself as the biggest stage in the world” and prides itself as “giving people the opportunity to shine where they otherwise probably wouldn’t.”  She also said she’d hoped her decision to speak out would bring “real change.”

“At the end of all this, my goal is real change — and not just on this show but for the larger parent company,” she told Variety. “It starts from the top down. My goal is to create the happiest, most high-functioning, inclusive, protected and healthy example of a workplace.”

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