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Anthony Stewart Head is "seriously gutted" over allegations against Joss Whedon

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Head, center, next to Whedon with “Buffy” cast members in 2003 — Albert L. Ortega/WireImage(LONDON) — Anthony Stewart Head, who played Buffy Summers’ awkward yet affable watcher Giles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, has broken his silence about the ongoing misconduct allegations against director Joss Whedon.

Speaking on the British show This Morning, the 66-year-old actor was asked about his working relationship with the disgraced director and if he witnessed the alleged mistreatment while on set.

“I’ve been up most of the night just, just running through my memories thinking, ‘What did I miss?’ because, and this is not a man saying ‘I didn’t see it so it didn’t happen,'” Anthony said, gesturing to the bags under his eyes from the lack of sleep.  

“I’m gutted.  I’m seriously gutted because one of my memories, my fondest memory about [Buffy] is the fact that it was so empowering,” the British actor expressed. “Not just the words in the script but just the family feel of the show.”

He also expressed sympathy to his former cast mates who were allegedly mistreated by the director, adding, “I’m really sad that if people went through these experiences… I was sort of like a father figure.”

Speaking about the allegations from Charisma Carpenter, Michelle Trachtenberg and Sarah Michelle Gellar, Anthony was admittedly uncomfortable that he “didn’t know this was going on” and that he wished “someone would have come to me” so he could have helped in some way.

He also spoke of the highs and lows while working on television, stating,”If you’re all there for a long time, people lose their tempers” and brought up the recently incident of Tom Cruise who was secretly recorded ranting at several crew members for not following COVID-19 social distancing guidelines.

Anthony played Rupert Giles on all seven seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which ran from 1997 to 2003.

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

Olivia Munn issues powerful statement rallying against "Asian Hate"

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Karwai Tang/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) — Actress Olivia Munn is calling out a disturbing trend, a rise in anti-Asian hate crimes.  In a powerful written message, which she shared Wednesday, the Newsroom alum implored her followers to stand up and “Stop Asian Hate.”

“Over the past few days I’ve found myself at a loss for words at the rise of anti-Asian hate crimes. The racist, verbal and physical assaults have left my community fearful to step outside,” the 40-year-old actress stated on Twitter.

“These hate crimes have spiked since Covid and continue to increase even though we ask for help, even though we ask our fellow Americans to be outraged for us, even though we ask for more mainstream media coverage,” continued Munn. “Hate crimes against Asian Americans have become so bad that in just the past week a 91-year-old Asian American man was attacked from behind as he walked down the street in Oakland.”

She singled out several other disturbing incidents that recently took place, including the murder of an 84-year-old Thai man, Vicha Ratanapakdee, who died after being brutally shoved to the ground by a teenager earlier this year.

“To simply exist as a minority in this country is seen as a protest to some,” said Munn. “We need help amplifying the outrage. We need help to feel safe in our country. We need help to be safe in our country.”

Munn, who has since changed her Twitter bio to read “Proud Asian American,” isn’t the first Asian American actor to speak out against the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes.

Harold & Kumar star John Cho wrote a Los Angeles Times essay in April about how COVID-19 has contributed to a rise of anti-Asian discrimination and racism in the country.

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

Robin Wright reflects on her directorial debut, 'Land': "It was the greatest experience"

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Courtesy of Focus Features(LOS ANGELES) — Land, Robin Wright’s directorial debut, will transport its audience into the most extreme weather conditions when it roars into theaters Friday, February 12.

Wright, who transitioned from in front of the camera in movies like The Princess Bride, took her first foray behind the camera for this daring story. 

The survival film tells the story of a woman named Edee, who so filled with grief that she feels the only way to cope is to move to the mountains and try to survive on her own.

The movie, which takes place in the Rockies but was actually shot in Alberta, Canada, presented several challenges for Wright.  As for what she said was the hardest part about making her directorial debut, the 54-year-old Emmy nominee admits to ABC Audio the weather was the worst.

“It was so cold there. We need another word for freezing. It was like, freezing was an understatement,” she dished, who admitted she and the crew spent a good amount of time “trying to keep yourself sane in the weather.”

Frigid temperatures aside, Wright found the experience incredibly rewarding and also picked up a few new talents.

“Now I know how to chop wood,” she laughed and, despite living in sprawling properties in warmer climates, believes she could do exactly what Edee accomplished. “I could live on the mountain for sure. For sure.”

If she would film Land in the bitter cold all over again, Wright says she would.

“It was the greatest experience for my first feature directorial debut. Incredible,” she smiled. “I love the beautiful message that it has, and I hope people walk away from it just feeling empowered and hopeful about our new future that’s coming.”  

Land, also starring Demian Bichir, is in theaters now.

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

"It's changed my life": Kristen Wiig reveals she's married; talks work and family life during the pandemic

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ABC/Rick Rowell(LOS ANGELES) — (NOTE LANGUAGE) Kristen Wiig let slip that she and fiancée Avi Rothman have already tied the knot. 

The SNL vet and Wonder Woman baddie made the revelation on The Howard Stern Show Wednesday.

Wiig revealed married life — and being a mother to her infant twins — has been a bright spot during the pandemic.

“Besides the fact that we are where we are, it’s hard to not feel so much of the s*** and struggle that’s going on, in my home, I’m very lucky about having these two babies and my husband,” the star told Stern.

Wiig said of her family, “They make it all better, and it’s changed my life.” 

The actress admits that while she’s not going “to an actual set,” because of COVID-19 shooting rules, but even taking time to promote her new comedy Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar got her homesick.

“[I]t’s really hard because I’m always convinced they’ll forget who I am if I’m gone for a day. I have looked at my children and been like, ‘I am your mother.'”

Wiig’s latest project, the comedy Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar, which also stars 50 Shades of Grey‘s Jamie Dornan, debuts in limited theaters and On Demand tomorrow.

By Stephen Iervolino
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

'The Mandalorian''s Pedro Pascal, 'Game of Thrones'' Bella Ramsey to star in video game adaptation 'The Last of Us'

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PlayStation/Naughy Dog(LOS ANGELES) — Game of Thrones veterans Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey will be reuniting one another and HBO for a series adaptation of Naughty Dog’s hit video game series The Last of Us

The news was confirmed by the company’s co-president and Last of Us writer/director, Neil Druckman, who posted the news to Twitter. “Stoked to have Pedro aboard our show!” he said of the Mandalorian and Narcos lead.

Following the events of the game, the series would have Pascal playing Joel, a smuggler ferrying a teenage girl named Ellie out of a dangerous quarantine zone and across a post-apocalyptic United States. Ramsey, who played Lyanna Mormont in HBO’s Game of Thrones, will play Joel’s charge. Pascal played Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones, who famously met a grisly end at the hands of The Mountain.

For a video game adaptation, there are some heavy hitters behind the scenes as well.  Variety reports Emmy-winning Chernobyl creator and writer Craig Mazin is co-writing and producing with Druckman. Another Emmy winner, Game of Thrones producer Carolyn Strauss, is also shepherding the project.

By Stephen Iervolino
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.