September 24, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Christian Thompson/Disneyland Resort(ANAHEIM) — Chadwick Boseman is being honored with a new mural at Downtown Disney in California.

“King Chad” was created by former Disney Imagineer Nikkolas Smith and depicts Boseman, who played King T’Challa in Black Panther, giving a Wakanda salute to a child wearing a hospital gown and a Black Panther mask.

Boseman, who died last month at 43 following a battle with colon cancer, had famously visited with children at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“This one is special. My King Chad tribute is now on a wall on display at Downtown Disney,” Smith wrote on Instagram Thursday. “It is a full circle moment for me: my final two projects as a Disney Imagineer last summer were working on the Children’s Hospital project and the Avengers Campus. To millions of kids, T’Challa was a legend larger than life, and there was no one more worthy to fill those shoes than Chadwick Boseman. I’m so thankful to be able to honor Chadwick’s life and purpose in this way.”

Disneyland is not yet open to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Downtown Disney reopened in July with capacity restrictions.

Boseman’s death shocked the Hollywood community and his countless fans, as the actor had never publicly revealed his cancer diagnosis. His Black Panther co-star, Michael B. Jordan, reflected on the loss in an emotional social media post, remarking, “I wish we had more time.”

“I’ve been watching, learning and constantly motivated by your greatness,” Jordan wrote. “Through it all, you never lost sight of what you loved most. You cared about your family, your friends, your craft, your spirit. You cared about the kids, the community, our culture and humanity. You cared about me.”

“You are my big brother, but I never fully got a chance to tell you,” he added. “I’m more aware now than ever that time is short with people we love and admire.”

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

By Good Morning America
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

September 24, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

HBO Max(LOS ANGELES) — A new generation of Pretty Little Liars is on its way. 

Variety reports that HBO Max has ordered a spinoff-slash-reboot of the popular teen series, which originally ran for seven seasons on Freeform.

Titled Original Sin, the new series is set in modern time and centers around a group of young women who are being stalked by a mysterious person.  The show takes place 20 years after a series of events rattled the fictional town of Millwood, with the new group of characters now forced to make amends for their parents’ wrongdoings.  

Backed by the producing team behind Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and Riverdale, Original Sin is described as a “dark, coming-of-rage, horror-tinged drama.”  

Both Pretty Little Liars and Original Sin are loosely based on a series of young adult novels by author Sara Shepard. PLL‘s series finale aired in 2017.

By Cillea Houghton
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

September 24, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Communities in Schools of Los Angeles(LOS ANGELES) — Mandy Moore is going to be a mom!

The This Is Us star revealed Thursday she is pregnant with her first child with husband Taylor Goldsmith and due in “early 2021.”

Not only that, but Moore, 36, revealed they are expecting a boy.

The “Candy” singer announced the big news by sharing a series of black-and-white photos on Instagram, all featuring Goldsmith, 35, cradling her baby bump while she flashes a big smile to the camera in a few snaps.

Moore and Goldsmith, a fellow singer, married in November 2018, having previously gotten engaged in September 2017. The couple began dating in 2015.

By Carson Blackwelder
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

September 24, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Maarten de Boer/Contour (LOS ANGELES) — ViacomCBS is teaming up with some major star power in an effort to offer more opportunities for people of color and women.

The company has announced that they’ve set up a First Time Directors program that will produce 50 films from BIPOC and women filmmakers for Paramount Network, Comedy Central, MTV and other outlets under the Entertainment and Youth banner.

The program, which aims to tell diverse stories through the lens of diverse storytellers, will pair the filmmakers with A-list executive producers that include Angela Bassett and husband  Courtney B. Vance for their Bassett Vance Productions; Idris Elba as a part of his Green Door Films; Salma Hayekunder her Ventanarosa Productions banner; Priyanka Chopra Jonas for Purple Pebble Pictures; John Leguizamo and his Rebel Productions; and Eva Longoria for her UnbeliEVAble Entertainment company.

“We are thrilled to embark upon this very important journey with ViacomCBS in telling stories that are representative of communities of people who are often missing from the majority landscape of film and television,” said Bassett and Vance in a statement. “It means opening doors for new and fresh voices, both in front of and behind the camera, something that has always been a top priority for us.”

Meanwhile, Elba noted that he was “incredibly proud to join a group of such extraordinary talent and welcome this commitment from ViacomCBS to introduce opportunity into their business model.”

“When I set up Green Door one of my core philosophies was to promote and encourage a diversity of ideas from new voices who might otherwise be shut out of the industry establishment,” Elba declared. “I believe that this is a bold step forward and look forward to working with a new cohort of original storytellers.”

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

September 24, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for GO Campaign(LOS ANGELES) — Actors Robert Pattinson, Lily Collins and Ewan McGregor are joining forces to host the GO Global Gala 2020 in support of COVID-19 relief. 

Hosted by GO Campaign, People reports that the event will feature performances by HAIM, Katharine McPhee, David Foster, Judith Hill and Mary Elizabeth Winstead.  It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia stars Rob McElhenny and Kaitlin Olson will also appear. 

Additionally, viewers will have access to a raffle and special prizes to be awarded by the celebrity participants during the show. 

“We have the power and platform to make really impactful changes to so many people’s lives. I love supporting the GO Campaign and am excited about helping children and families in all these communities,” Collins says in a statement.

GO Campaign is an organization that provides aid to orphans and vulnerable children worldwide. Its COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund has awarded more than $179,000 in grants to front line organizations in countries including Haiti, Kenya and the U.S. 

Fans can register now for tickets to attend the free virtual gala, which streams on the GO Gala website on October 24 at 8 p.m.

By Cillea Houghton
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.