September 4, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Photo credit: Melinda Sue Gordon(NEW YORK) — John David Washington landed a role of a life time in the Christopher Nolan-directed spy film Tenet. 

The film, which stars Washington as a CIA agent called “The Protagonist” was originally set to be released in U.S. theaters in July, but was pushed back until September 3 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Washington tells ABC Audio that he feels “a great deal of relief… now that it’s out.”

“It’s been released overseas already and they’ve been responding positively to it,” he says. “So, I’m just so excited and relieved that it’s finally getting released. I wasn’t sure if it was going to this year and if they’re going to go streaming or whatnot.”

While the early positive response to the film has been exciting for Washington to see, the actor admits he did have his moments of uncertainty when it came to the physical demands of his role.

“Definitely the most physical ask of my career. And it’s encouraged me to do more rom-com,” he laughs. “I don’t know if I could put my body through it. I mean, I give a shout out and respect to, like, The Rock and Bruce Willis and Jean-Claude Van Damme. These guys that you just loved to see in those movies.”

“What they put their bodies through, so much more respect for them,” Washington continues. “And all the stunt guys out there, men and women that do it daily and put their lives at risk, their health at risk. It is quite a challenge.”

Still, the BlacKkKlansman star admits he “loved every moment of it.”

“But, to do this like once a year? I don’t know,” he quips.

Tenet, also starring  Robert Pattinson, is now available in select theaters across the U.S.

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

September 4, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

iStock/NoDerog (LOS ANGELES) — Christopher Nolan’s Tenet hits theaters this weekend, the first real Hollywood blockbuster to open wide since the start of the pandemic. It will be a real test for the box office, and a real test for theaters.

For moviegoers who may be a little worried about reentering a theatre, Mooky Greidinger, CEO of the second largest movie theater chain in the world, Cineworld, which owns Regal Cinemas in the U.S., says the theater is a pretty safe place to be, compared to other environments.

“The social distancing is far, far bigger than in a restaurant or in any other place,” he explains. “And if you take your mask out for 10 minutes or something to eat your popcorn and your drink is no harm.”

“They’re in the seat all the show. Everybody is looking at the same direction. So people are not facing one another. People are not talking,” he adds. “And so if we compare ourselves to other environment, because we are keeping social distancing and because of the fact that everybody needs to wear a mask in the cinema, I think we are a very safe environment.”

To put some customers minds even more at ease, Greidinger tells ABC Audio that in theaters where they’ve been open so far, the mandatory mask policy hasn’t been an issue.

“We had very, very small number of incidents of people, you know, rejecting the masks,” he reveals. “Very, very small number of any arguments or complaints was about the mask. A much less than we expected. We didn’t expect much. But we said there will be some incidents here and there are almost zero.”

September 3, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

September 3, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for BET(LOS ANGELES) — Issa Rae, Daily Show host Trevor Noah and director Greta Gerwig are among the many entertainment figures included on Fortune‘s 40 Under 40 list this year. 

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the publication adjusted its annual list by creating five categories — finance, technology, health care, government and politics, and media and entertainment — each containing the 40 most influential people in their respective domains.

The media and entertainment sector features a mix of actors, directors and artists. Among them are Little Women director Gerwig, along with Rae, who made history as the first Black woman to create and star in her own show with HBO’s Insecure.   

Dan Levy also made the cut as co-creator, executive producer and co-star of the popular sitcom Schitt’s Creek, along with actor and fashion designer Zendaya, whose resume spans creating the first celebrity direct-to-consumer fashion line in 2016, to being Emmy nominated for HBO’s Euphoria.  

Other stars who appear on the list include Beyonce, TikTok star Charlie D’Amelio, Fleabag star Phoebe Waller-Bridge, SNL star Bowen Yang, journalist Ryan Farrow, music manager Scooter Braun, I Will Destroy You star and creator Michaela Coel, Black Panther director Ryan Coogler and more.  

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

September 3, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Djeneba Aduayom for Women’s Health(LOS ANGELES) — Gabrielle Union rocked her natural curls for the October cover of Women’s Health Magazine, courtesy of her natural hair care line, Flawless. 

On Thursday, the 47-year-old actress, mom and wife shared a few behind the scenes pictures from the cover shoot, which she says revealed her true self.

“It was the 1st time feeling truly like myself in front of the camera,” Gabrielle wrote on Instagram. “The me that my loved ones see every day. The me that fights daily for my peace and the peace of others. The imperfect warrior that’s lost more battles than I’ve won, but still keeps on fighting. At this grown age, I feel like I’m finally ME. And I can breathe. And as long as I have breath, [I] can keep fighting.”

Maintaining her peace is of super importance to Gabrielle, especially since moving out of Los Angeles a few months ago.

“I think I was brought to this home for a reason. Finding that peaceful balance with nature, and understanding that we moved into their space,” she shared with Women’s Health. “This is so not my normal language, but I don’t have other words to describe it.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Union admitted she was having a hard time dealing with her mental health amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests, which has put her “PTSD into overdrive.”

But Union credits therapy for helping to keep her grounded during these trying times, as she’s still able to tap into her freedom. “I feel different in my body. I feel freer,” she says.

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