March 11, 2021 • No Comments • Entertainment News

ABC(LOS ANGELES) — Kerry Washington is taking a break form social media — but that doesn’t mean she’s going to miss out on posting for some of the “special moments” that will pass while she’s gone. 

On Wednesday, the Little Fires Everywhere star shared a video to social media announcing her upcoming hiatus along with the caption, “I love you guys. But it’s time for me to take a little break from the socials.”

“I know there’s gonna be a lot of special moments unfolding in the next few weeks so I put together a video of all the moments that we would have shared together this month,” she added. “Enjoy! Miss you already.”

In the video Kerry shouted out the first day of spring, March Madness, National Popcorn Day, and even wished her celebrity colleagues Eva Longoria, Reese Witherspoon, and Mariah Carey a happy birthday.

Kerry didn’t explain the break any further, but ended the video with a simple message, “See you soon!”

By Danielle Long
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

March 11, 2021 • No Comments • Entertainment News

ABC/Mike Rosenthal (LOS ANGELES) — Heading into Thursday’s midseason premiere, Grey’s Anatomy showrunner Krista Vernoff says the future of the Shonda Rhimes medical drama, now in its 17th season, is still up in the air.

After months of talks without striking a renewal deal, she tells The Hollywood Reporter, “I’m planning a season and a finale that could function as either a season finale or a series finale.”

Adds Vernoff, “I’m planning for both contingencies and it’s hard and it’s not ideal.  It’s not where I wish we were.”

The snag seems to be between ABC parent company Disney and Grey‘s star Ellen Pompeo, who signed a deal in 2017 that made her television’s highest-paid actress in a primetime drama series. That pact, which carried her through season 16, was extended to cover season 17 as part of a two-year pickup in 2019.  Pompeo is again asking for a salary increase as part of the renewal discussions.

Vernoff says she’s asked ABC to inform her ahead of time if season 17 will indeed be the last.

“I’ve told them that I have to know before I’m making the finale what we’re making,” she revealed to THR, explaining, “There are a couple of character threads that will change,” explaining “Either there will be closure or I will build something in that allows me to have a bit of a cliffhanger and a thread for next season.”

Incidentally, Pompeo recently told CBS Sunday Morning. that the show’s future past this season isn’t certain. “We honestly have not decided,” she said. “We’re really trying to figure it out right now.”

Grey’s Anatomy airs tonight at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.

By George Costantino
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

March 11, 2021 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Amazon Video(LOS ANGELES) — Eddie Murphy is setting a high bar when it comes to actors who could play him in a potential biopic.

After his Coming 2 America co-star Arsenio Hall suggested that SNLalum Jay Pharoah could play him in a film, Murphy tells ABC Audio that Pharoah is just too limited to really capture him authentically.

“He could do an impression, [but] it’s different,” Murphy says of Pharoah. “Doing an impression of someone and capturing someone’s essence is different.”

“When you do a biopic, you want to capture their essence. Where you’re not doing an impression and you don’t have to look like them,” he continues. “You just captured it.”

Murphy goes on to share some examples of what he’d like to see in an actor’s portrayal.

“Like what Angela Bassett did with What’s Love Got to Do With It. She captures Tina Turner,” he says.

“Or what Denzel [Washington] did in Malcolm X,” Murphy explains. “Denzel didn’t look like Malcolm X, but halfway through the movie he starts looking like Malcolm X. There’s a scene where he’s on an airplane and coming back from Mecca and he’s not even saying anything, just kind of like sitting there. And he turned into Malcolm X.”

The comedy legend also applauded Jamie Foxx’s 2005 Oscar-winning portrayal of Ray Charles.

“There’s a scene in Ray when Jamie’s not talking. He’s standing there at the top of steps — just standing there and he… literally turns into… he is Ray Charles,” Murphy declares. “And you want to do that. You want to capture their essence.”

“I don’t know who can capture my essence like that!” he laughs.

By Candice Williams
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

March 11, 2021 • No Comments • Entertainment News

Leonardo Volcy/Men’s Health(LOS ANGELES) — People‘s “Sexiest Man Alive” Michael B. Jordan is on the April cover of Men’s Health magazine. 

On Wednesday, the actor shared the cover of his muscle-toned body and thanked the publication for creating a “space to speak” on his purpose. 

“Past months, I’ve focused on finding a balance between being present while living in the future. I was humbled by the beauty of the Caribbean and the time to catch my breath,” wrote Jordan in the caption.

“Finding personal time is important to your mental state. I feel calm and ready to move forward this year. Thank you to Men’s Health for the space to speak about my preparation and living in my purpose.”

The Creed star noted longevity and “legacy” as two themes he plans to focus on going into the rest of the year. 

“[This past year] was just me really becoming a man,” Jordan told Men’s Health. “That’s such a cliché, overused term, and it has a lot of baggage to it. But I think when personal purpose and meaning align, it allows you to be a man. I’ve been doing this for 20-plus years…Now I get the opportunity to lead by example.”

“[I] think about legacy a lot. What I leave behind is something that I think about a lot,” he continued. “This past year brought a lot of that to the forefront of my brain. I lost a friend in Chadwick [Boseman]. There are a lot of things I want to accomplish, and I know time is limited and life is short, [so] I try to not take it for granted.”

Boseman passed away August 28 after his silent battle with cancer. Boseman and Jordan were acting friends, who grew even closer after playing arch rivals in Black Panther.

By Rachel George 
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

March 11, 2021 • No Comments • Entertainment News

ABC (TEXAS) — Could we be calling him Governor Matthew McConaughey in the future?  The Dallas Buyers Club star let it slip on Wednesday that he is considering throwing his hat into Texas’ gubernatorial race next year. 

During his appearance on The Balanced Voice podcast, the 51-year-old McConaughey reflected on how he sees himself as a leader.

Said the Oscar winner, “I’m looking into now again, what is my leadership role? Because I do think I have some things to teach and share, and what is my role? What’s my category in my next chapter of life that I’m going into now?”

McConaughey allowed that, while he “still feel[s] very much like a peer,” that he has come to understand that he has “wisdom to share.”

The Greenlights author says his time teaching at Texas’ Moody College of Communication as part of the Department of Radio-Television-Film opened his eyes.

McConaughey says he’s shared his life experiences and learnings “that I think is obvious” with his students, of which he quickly learns they “had no idea.”

Because of the impact he’s leaving, he added that he is “stepping into more leadership… teaching positions.”

When pressed by the host, Crime Stoppers CEO Rania Mankarious, about whether or not his upcoming leadership roles involve a run for governor of Texas, of which current Gov. Greg Abbot is up for reelection in 2022, McConaughey confirmed, “It’s a true consideration.”

The actor also shared his “three epics” that make up the backbone of his life, which he reveals are his three children — Levi, 12, Vida, 11, and eight-year-old Livingston — of whom he shares with wife Camila Alves.

He says his children are “the greatest light or shadow that Camila and I can leave [behind.]”

By Megan Stone
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.