July 22, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Netflix(LOS ANGELES) — Tory Belleci and Kari Bryon are honoring their late colleague and friend Grant Imahara. 

Imahara died unexpectedly on July 13 at the age of 49 and, in wake of his passing, Belleci and Bryon, who worked alongside Imahara on Mythbusters and Netflix’s White Rabbit Project, remembered their former colleague and shared touching tributes with Variety on Tuesday. 

Bellici’s tribute began with a memory of how the two first met back in 1997 when he “stepped through the doors of the ILM model shop.” He recalled being nervous but stated that he was put at ease the moment he encountered Imahara. 

“That was Grant, always welcoming, always helpful and always ready to solve a problem,” he wrote.

Belleci continued to praise Imahara for his “brilliant mind,” his generosity, and his passion for creating before leaving fans with a line that was sure to resonate.

He shared, “A wise Vulcan once said, “Change is the essential process of all existence.” This is the hardest change to accept.”

Meanwhile, Bryon admitted to both “crying and smiling” as she typed out her piece before sharing some of her heartwarming memories with Imahara.

She wrote, “If you drank too much you became the life of the party, doing your signature Pee-wee Herman dance on the bar, but still somehow got home early. You loved my dogs so much you let them lick you in the mouth, which was gross and incredibly sweet.” 

After stating that herself, Belleci, and Imahara were “beyond friends” she closed, “I am mad that you are gone. We weren’t done yet.”

“You should have at least dared me to eat a bug one more time,” Bryon added. “I’d eat all the bugs in the world to have you back.”

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

July 22, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Kevin Winter/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) — Chris Colfer penned a gorgeous eulogy for his longtime friend and Glee costar Naya Rivera, who drowned in California’s Lake Piru after taking her son out on a boat.

Colfer’s written tribute for Variety certainly tugged at the heartstrings as he reminisced about the actress, calling her “talented,” “hilarious” and “beautiful.”

“The process of losing her has been such a nightmare,” the New York Times bestselling author expressed. “She was the cool older sister you went to for advice, to blow off steam, or to get the hottest take on the latest gossip. Just being in Naya’s presence made you feel protected and regardless of the situation, you knew she’d have your back.”

Colfer touched upon all the ways Rivera’s presence made his experience on Glee infinitely better, from “defus[ing] a bomb with a witty remark” to watching her make magic when acting or singing.

Colfer also revealed that Rivera had the uncanny ability “to memorize scripts. With one glance, she would know all her lines and yours.”

But beyond being a talented actress and singer, Colfer said what the world truly lost was a one-of-a-kind person and friend who wasn’t afraid to be upfront or honest.

“To have a friend like her, even briefly, is to be blessed beyond belief. She is a shining example of the impact a person can have when one lives fearlessly,” the 30-year-old furthered. “Her loss is a tragic reminder to celebrate every moment we possibly can with the people we love because the only thing we know for certain about life is how fragile it can be.”

“Being a mom was perhaps Naya’s greatest talent of all,” He added. “As her final moments proved, Naya was an extraordinary mother until the very end.”

Rivera, 33, died July 8. 

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

July 22, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) — The late Robin Williams would have turned 69 on Tuesday and his daughter, Zelda Williams found a meaningful yet humorous way to celebrate his birthday.

“Today would’ve been Dad’s 69th birthday, so to honor him (& that glorious number), I will be donating $69.69 to as many local homeless shelters as I can,” The 30-year-old Williams announced in a tweet.  She also encouraged her fans to “join me if you like” to help make a difference.

“Regardless, know I am wishing you all at least one hearty, immature belly laugh on Dad today,” The voice actress further elaborated, nudging to the number’s double entendre.

Williams also shared which organizations she donated to, such as the Los Angeles LGBT Center, the Midnight Mission, Union Rescue Mission and others in order to inspire more donations.

However, it was only a matter of time before her financials were flagged for “suspicious activity,” as the Dead of Summer alum announced in a rather amused update.

“Welp, got the ‘suspicious activity’ email, so gonna have to slow down on 69s and go talk to a robot for a bit,” Williams cracked. “Thanks for joining me in honoring Dad (and the number 69) today!”

She then cheekily added that her day-long celebration was “nice.”

Robin Williams died by suicide on August 11, 2014.  He was 63.  

(The number for the 24-hour National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255.) 

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

July 22, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Michael Loccisano/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) — Jamie Lynn Spears is not one to mess with when it comes to her big sister Britney Spears. 

On Tuesday, the 29-year-old reposted tweets from public figures like Nina Parker, Halsey, Maren Morris, and Kevin McHale and praised them for speaking out about the intricacies of dealing with mental illness. 

Most commenters applauded Jamie for sharing the message with her two million Instagram followers, however, she also received some criticism for the post due to the #FreeBritney movement, which has fans concerned for the well-being of Britney who has been under a conservatorship ran by their father, Jamie Spears since 2008. 

A critic wrote, “How about your sister’s OBVIOUS mental illness? Why don’t you speak on that?” to which, the Zoey 101 alum clapped back, “You have no right to assume anything about my sister.”

“I have NO right to speak about HER health and personal matters,” she continued. “She is a strong, bada**, unstoppable woman, and that’s the only thing that is OBVIOUS.”

When pressed by another fan to “speak out and clarify all these assumptions” about Britney, Jamie lectured, “I would never speak out just to clarify things to the public, when the person it pertains to does not want that to happen.”

“I’d rather take all the hate, then speak about someone [sic]elses personal matter, that they want to keep private,” she defiantly concluded.

July 22, 2020 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Marianna Massey/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures International(SAN DIEGO) — San Diego Comic-Con@Home, kicking off today, is one of the many festivals and conventions pivoting in the age of the COVID-19 pandemic, and, while NOS4A2 star Zachary Quinto won’t be on a stage in front of thousands of fans, he’ll do his best under the circumstances.

Quinto tells ABC Audio, “We’re excited to be sharing the show with them, with the world under the circumstances, you know, giving people a place to maybe escape a little bit and and and go into a bit of a ride with us on the show is something that I think we’re all grateful to be able to offer.”

That said, the 43-year old actor says he’ll miss the excitement of a live event.

“You know, there’s something really electric about those giant convention halls and people’s energy and excitement, enthusiasm and questions,” he explains. “I think as with anything in this current climate, you know, the immediacy and the connection is removed from the experience. And that’s always a little bit of a bummer, isn’t it?

So what will the show’s Comic-Con panel look like in the age of COVID-19?

“We did a virtual panel for this year’s Comic-Con. So it was a conversation, you know, between Jamie O’Brien, our show runner, and Joe Hill, who wrote the book on which NOS4A2, the series is based and myself. And it was a great moderated conversation.”

Adds Quinto, who plays the show’s vampire villain Charlie Manx, “Hopefully, you know, people who are relegated to their homes will feel somehow a little bit more connected to us than they would otherwise.”

NOS4A2 airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on AMC.