Many major tech companies, particularly those that operate in the TV hardware business, have dipped their toes into original content. Although it’s had its own free, ad-supported TV (FAST) channels for a while, is late to that party. Not for much longer though, as the company is set to release its first special, a short romance movie, on TCLtv+ this summer. There’s just one slight hitch: TCL is using generative AI to make original content for its platform, and early signs do not bode well.
The company has released the first trailer for Next Stop Paris, which it’s calling “the first AI-powered love story.” TCL used human writers, as well as actors for motion capture and voice performances. While it has artists in the US, Canada, UK and Poland working on the project, it relied heavily on generative AI.
“I am excited by this opportunity to differentiate us with original programming. AIGC [artificial intelligence generated content] for us is the beginning,” Chris Regina, TCL’s chief content officer, told . “It’s a new approach and it makes sense coming from a tech and hardware company that that’s where we’re going to start.”
The plot of Next Stop Paris, such as it is, sees a young woman going on her honeymoon to Paris alone after her fiancé ran off with someone in their wedding party. She meets a stranger on the train and the pair explore the French capital together.
TCL is hoping that original content can help draw viewers to TCLtv+ and help build a brand identity for the company. While it’s not entirely fair to judge a film based on a trailer, the Next Stop Paris clip gives a terrible first impression for both the project and TCLtv+.
The look of the characters changes throughout, from a moderately realistic style to the hyperrealism we often see from the likes of Midjourney, and they project all of the emotion of a pair of dead fish. Lip syncing is almost non-existent and the characters walk in a very unnatural way.
The trailer feels like the worst kind of fever dream. Saying this looks like garbage would be an insult to garbage. If “content is king,” as Regina put it, Next Stop Paris looks like a pauper.
The Hallmark Channel gets a lot of flak for its romance movies and romcoms, but at least there’s an earnestness and high level of care behind the network’s output, which does a lot to fill a gap in the theatrical slate. TCL is trying to muscle into that space too.
“There’s an audience there that’s watching our service and we see a hole in the marketplace with theatrical rom-coms not as prevalent,” Regina said. “They’re a guilty pleasure. You get under a blanket and watch in front of your TV set. So that’s the driver.” On top of that, TCL plans to make its original content shoppable and have AI-generated “characters in our shows that can be brand ambassadors and influencers for advertisers.”
Thankfully, TCL isn’t only working on AI-generated guff. “We are looking at doing traditional content. So movies, scripted shows, unscripted content, specials,” Regina, who wrote Next Stop Paris with TCL chief creative officer Daniel Smith, said. “The next thing we have brewing isn’t AI at all.” That’s good, because whatever’s next can’t look much worse than Next Stop Paris.
LAS VEGAS — Movie theater owners are still feeling the high from “ Barbenheimer.” The counterprogramming of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” brought audiences to cinemas around with the world, ultimately earning nearly $2.5 billion in combined ticket sales. But, gathered in Las Vegas this week for the annual CinemaCon convention and trade show, they’re also acutely aware that they need more than two movies to survive.
“It is not enough to rely solely on blockbusters,” said Michael O’Leary, the president and CEO of the National Association of Theater Owners. “To have a truly successful filmed entertainment industry, a variety of movies that appeal to movie goers is critical.”
That means, O’Leary said Tuesday, “a strong and vibrant market for movies with smaller or medium sized budgets.”
At CinemaCon, Hollywood studios, exhibitors and tech companies come together to preview what’s next in moviegoing, from the films that they hope will get audiences to the theaters to the latest and greatest in snacks, seating and projection. On stage, the message is (by design) optimistic about the future of cinemas and the industry’s capacity for evolution. Whether it’s streaming, piracy, VHS or television, the leaders in the filmed entertainment industry are always quick to remind that their business has survived its share of existential crises: Someone is always forecasting its demise.
O’Leary made a plea to “our friends in the financial industry” to invest more capital into the system, calling it a “smart investment” that benefits “creatives, studios, exhibition, local communities and, most importantly, movie fans.”
“We know that a movie that begins its journey with theatrical exclusivity is more successful in every subsequent ancillary platform,” he added. “This should appeal to people who want as many film fans as possible to see their movies, but also to people that want to make money.”
Studios including Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, Paramount, Disney and Lionsgate will all take the big stage at Caesar’s Palace to show new trailers or footage from their biggest upcoming films, from “Furiosa” to “Deadpool & Wolverine,” sometimes with the help of movie stars, to stoke excitement in the people who will put these films in their theaters.
2023 was a rollercoaster year for movie theaters. The overall box office was up 20% from the previous year in the U.S., surpassing $9 billion. But that’s still $2 billion shy of where the business was pre-pandemic. There were hits, like “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie,” of course, and other notable successes from traditional studios, like “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” “Wonka” and “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.” There were surprises like “Five Nights at Freddy’s” and “Cocaine Bear” and sleepers like “Anyone But You.”
There were also moments of successful innovation, including Taylor Swift and Beyoncé’s groundbreaking partnership with AMC Theaters to release their concert films, circumventing traditional studio middlemen. “ Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour ” made over $260 million worldwide, making it the highest grossing concert film of all time. Toho studios also self-distributed its first film ever, with “Godzilla Minus One,” which made over $114 million worldwide even with a limited release in the U.S.
But there were flops and disappointments too, and some of the tried-and-true genres like superhero movies proved to no longer be the industry supporting tentpoles that they once were. Streamed entertainment continues to be a formidable competitor for eyes and dollars as everyone continues to recover from the pandemic. In 2024, theater owners and studios are also having to grapple with a changed and somewhat depleted pipeline of films following the work stoppage caused by the dual Hollywood strikes.
But O’Leary said that a “great reimagination” is underway.
“Inflection points like these are moments of opportunity,” he added. “And this last year has shown me that the future of this industry—indeed, the state of this industry—is limitless.”
Charles Rivkin, the chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association, talked about the importance of film productions in the U.S., which he said “bolster communities” and account for 2.74 million American jobs. He also made an impassioned plea to combat piracy, which he said costs theaters more than $1 billion at the box office, and hopes to work with Congressional leaders to put for “site-blocking” legislation.
Rivkin closed by quoting best documentary winner and AP journalist Mstyslav Chernov’s Oscars speech from earlier this year, in which he said that “Cinema forms memories and memories form history” while accepting the statuette for “20 Days in Mariupol.”
Chernov’s words, Rivkin said, “Reminded us of the power and impact of what we do.”
LAS VEGAS — Movie theater owners are still feeling the high from “ Barbenheimer.” The counterprogramming of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” brought audiences to cinemas around with the world, ultimately earning nearly $2.5 billion in combined ticket sales. But, gathered in Las Vegas this week for the annual CinemaCon convention and trade show, they’re also acutely aware that they need more than two movies to survive.
“It is not enough to rely solely on blockbusters,” said Michael O’Leary, the president and CEO of the National Association of Theater Owners. “To have a truly successful filmed entertainment industry, a variety of movies that appeal to movie goers is critical.”
That means, O’Leary said Tuesday, “a strong and vibrant market for movies with smaller or medium sized budgets.”
At CinemaCon, Hollywood studios, exhibitors and tech companies come together to preview what’s next in moviegoing, from the films that they hope will get audiences to the theaters to the latest and greatest in snacks, seating and projection. On stage, the message is (by design) optimistic about the future of cinemas and the industry’s capacity for evolution. Whether it’s streaming, piracy, VHS or television, the leaders in the filmed entertainment industry are always quick to remind that their business has survived its share of existential crises: Someone is always forecasting its demise.
O’Leary made a plea to “our friends in the financial industry” to invest more capital into the system, calling it a “smart investment” that benefits “creatives, studios, exhibition, local communities and, most importantly, movie fans.”
“We know that a movie that begins its journey with theatrical exclusivity is more successful in every subsequent ancillary platform,” he added. “This should appeal to people who want as many film fans as possible to see their movies, but also to people that want to make money.”
Studios including Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, Paramount, Disney and Lionsgate will all take the big stage at Caesar’s Palace to show new trailers or footage from their biggest upcoming films, from “Furiosa” to “Deadpool & Wolverine,” sometimes with the help of movie stars, to stoke excitement in the people who will put these films in their theaters.
2023 was a rollercoaster year for movie theaters. The overall box office was up 20% from the previous year in the U.S., surpassing $9 billion. But that’s still $2 billion shy of where the business was pre-pandemic. There were hits, like “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie,” of course, and other notable successes from traditional studios, like “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” “Wonka” and “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.” There were surprises like “Five Nights at Freddy’s” and “Cocaine Bear” and sleepers like “Anyone But You.”
There were also moments of successful innovation, including Taylor Swift and Beyoncé’s groundbreaking partnership with AMC Theaters to release their concert films, circumventing traditional studio middlemen. “ Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour ” made over $260 million worldwide, making it the highest grossing concert film of all time. Toho studios also self-distributed its first film ever, with “Godzilla Minus One,” which made over $114 million worldwide even with a limited release in the U.S.
But there were flops and disappointments too, and some of the tried-and-true genres like superhero movies proved to no longer be the industry supporting tentpoles that they once were. Streamed entertainment continues to be a formidable competitor for eyes and dollars as everyone continues to recover from the pandemic. In 2024, theater owners and studios are also having to grapple with a changed and somewhat depleted pipeline of films following the work stoppage caused by the dual Hollywood strikes.
But O’Leary said that a “great reimagination” is underway.
“Inflection points like these are moments of opportunity,” he added. “And this last year has shown me that the future of this industry—indeed, the state of this industry—is limitless.”
Charles Rivkin, the chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association, talked about the importance of film productions in the U.S., which he said “bolster communities” and account for 2.74 million American jobs. He also made an impassioned plea to combat piracy, which he said costs theaters more than $1 billion at the box office, and hopes to work with Congressional leaders to put for “site-blocking” legislation.
Rivkin closed by quoting best documentary winner and AP journalist Mstyslav Chernov’s Oscars speech from earlier this year, in which he said that “Cinema forms memories and memories form history” while accepting the statuette for “20 Days in Mariupol.”
Chernov’s words, Rivkin said, “Reminded us of the power and impact of what we do.”
A casting agency in Atlanta has cut ties with the production of “Tulsa King” over claims that Sylvester Stallone, the star of the Paramount+ series, made disparaging remarks about background actors during a recent shoot for the mob drama’s second season.
Rose Locke Casting announced Sunday on Facebook that it had “chosen to part ways” with the series after Stallone and an unnamed director called some of the extras “ugly,” referring to one of them as a “tub of lard” and another as a “fat guy with a cane,” Deadline reported Monday. The casting agency also claimed Stallone, 77, made the suggestion that the production should bring in “pretty young girls to be around me” instead of the actors who were hired.
The accusations reportedly stemmed from last week’s filming of a bar scene in the series, which follows Stallone as a New York City mafia capo sent to Tulsa to establish criminal operations there after completing a lengthy prison term. The series premiered in 2022 and was renewed for a second season, becoming Stallone’s biggest role since he reprised his iconic Rocky Balboa character in the first two installments of the “Creed” trilogy. Production began at the beginning of the month.
“Tulsa King” director and executive producer Craig Zisk told TMZ that there was a conflict over how the scene was cast, but he denied that Stallone or anyone else insulted the background actors. Zisk claimed the actors were supposed to be between 25 and 35 years old, but the extras on set were instead older than expected. The actors were included in the scenes, Zisk said, but he confronted casting supervisor Rose Locke to require that she begin submitting headshots of extras for approval before hiring them.
Locke reportedly didn’t want to work that way and quit about an hour later.
Stallone has not publicly responded to the accusations against him.
Some of the claims about Stallone’s comments were discussed on private Facebook pages used by background actors.
“What the f— is up with these f—ing ugly background …” Stallone was accused of saying to a director, according to the moderator of one Facebook page who urged Georgia actors not to seek work on “Tulsa King.”
On another Facebook page for actors in South Carolina, moderator Dee Dee McDaniel Simmons said she didn’t want to believe what she had been hearing.
“At first I had hoped it was just a bad rumor started by 1 person who may have felt some type of way; but there have been countless people who were on set and have stated what they saw, how they were treated, etc.,” McDaniel Simmons wrote. “Sadly it seems Sly Stallone and crew made things miserable for the background artists and many have said the set was completely unprofessional and a total mess.”
An email Locke had sent to her team — shared by writer Julie Benson, who’s not connected to “Tulsa King” — said the resignation was due to a “clear toxic environment” on the set of the show.
Got this disturbing news from my Atlanta friend who’s background on Tulsa King this wk. Casting agent quit because she was so disgusted. My friend is feeling anxious about working now. @TheSlyStallone what do you have to say for yourself, sir? Beyond disappointed, I’m livid. pic.twitter.com/EYEuiaWtkf
Zisk said Stallone’s wife, former model Jennifer Flavin, was on the set last week and that Stallone didn’t say anything about “pretty women” being cast as background actors.
Deadline reported that one of the extras said it “hurt his soul” to be described negatively by Stallone.
Stallone’s longevity has been fortified by the staying power of the “Rocky” series and many of his earlier films. He was in Philadelphia in December to celebrate the city’s first “Rocky Day,” joining fans who traveled from far and wide to attend the event and see the fictional boxing hero’s statue outside the Art Museum. City officials now plan to expand the “Rocky” celebration into a festival.
Rose Locke Casting said it will finish out its commitments with the “Tulsa King” production until Friday.
“We send well wishes to whomever takes over the show,” the agency said. “We thank all of you great background artists for your continued support.”
Asher Grodman, who stars in the CBS show “Ghosts,” talks about the show. Grodman plays Trevor. He’s just one of the ghosts who resides at the Woodstone Mansion, which has been turned into a bed and breakfast by the owners, Sam and Jay.
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LOS ANGELES — LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tori Spelling filed for divorce Friday from her husband and former reality TV co-star Dean McDermott.
The former “Beverly Hills, 90210” actor petitioned to end the marriage of nearly 18 years in Los Angeles Superior Court. She cited irreconcilable differences.
Spelling’s petition says the two have been separated since June 17.
She is asking for sole physical custody and joint legal custody of their three sons and two daughters, whose ages range from 7 to 17. Physical custody determines with which parent the children primarily reside, while legal custody is who makes their major life decisions.
Spelling is asking the court to order McDermott to pay her spousal support and to pay for her divorce attorneys. No dollar amount was given.
The marriage was the subject of a reality show, originally titled “Tori & Dean: Inn Love” and later “Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood,” that ran on the Oxygen network from 2007 to 2012.
Spelling, the 50-year-old daughter of the late TV magnate Aaron Spelling, starred alongside Luke Perry,Shannen Doherty and Jennie Garth in the original “Beverly Hills, 90210” from 1990 to 2000. She also appeared in the films “Scary Movie 2” and “The House of Yes.”
McDermott, a 57-year-old Canadian actor, appeared on the Canadian TV series “Due South” and hosted the cooking competition show “Chopped Canada.”
Earlier this year at CES, Samsung announced its 2024 TV model lineup, which includes screens with Mini LED displays, quantum-dot-enabled OLEDs, and other, more affordable TVs. We like what we’ve seen so far, which makes Samsung’s current TV promotion pretty exciting if a new TV is in your budget for this year.
By no means will the free model be as nice as your preordered screen. The TU690T usually hovers around $500, and it doesn’t have modern features like local dimming, which helps make blacks appear darker and whites look brighter, and improves the contrast of the screen. But a free 65-inch TV can be a fantastic way to upgrade a friend or loved one’s aging TV set, or you can put it in a spare bedroom, work area, garage, or any other space where you might’ve wanted a screen but didn’t want to spend the money for it.
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The Nitty Gritty
Photograph: Samsung
How is Samsung able to give away free TV sets as a part of this promotion? We reached out to Samsung for comment but it hasn’t given us an answer yet. But hey, free TV! Here are the 2024 TV models that qualify for the deal:
Celebrity birthdays for the week of March 31-April 6:
March 31: Actor William Daniels (“St. Elsewhere,” ″Boy Meets World”) is 97. Actor Richard Chamberlain is 90. Actor Shirley Jones is 90. Musician Herb Alpert is 89. Actor Christopher Walken is 81. Comedian Gabe Kaplan (“Welcome Back Kotter”) is 80. Guitarist Mick Ralphs of Bad Company and of Mott the Hoople is 80. Actor Rhea Perlman (“Cheers”) is 76. Actor Ed Marinaro (“Hill Street Blues,” ″Sisters”) is 74. Guitarist Angus Young of AC/DC is 69. Bassist Bob Crawford of The Avett Brothers is 53. Actor Ewan McGregor is 53. Actor Erica Tazel (“Queen Sugar,” “The Good Fight”) is 49. Rapper Tony Yayo is 46. Actor-musician Kate Micucci (“Raising Hope,” comedy duo Garfunkel and Oates) is 44. Actor Brian Tyree Henry (“Atlanta” ″Book of Mormon”) is 42. Actor Melissa Ordway (“The Young and the Restless”) is 41. Jazz trumpeter Christian Scott is 41. Producer-songwriter Jack Antonoff of Bleachers (and of fun.) is 40. Actor Jessica Szohr (“Gossip Girl”) is 39.
April 1: Actor Don Hastings (“As the World Turns”) is 90. Actor Ali MacGraw is 85. Reggae singer Jimmy Cliff is 76. Keyboardist Billy Currie of Ultravox is 74. Actor Annette O’Toole (“Smallville”) is 72. Director Barry Sonnenfeld (“Get Shorty,” “Men in Black”) is 71. Singer Susan Boyle is 63. Actor Jose Zuniga (“Mission Impossible: 3,” ″Twilight”) is 62. Country singer Woody Lee is 56. Actor Jessica Collins (“The Young and the Restless”) is 53. Rapper-actor Method Man is 53. Filmmakers Albert and Allen Hughes (“Menace II Society,” ″Dead Presidents”) are 52. MSNBC host Rachel Maddow is 51. Actor David Oyelowo (“Selma,” ″The Butler”) is 48. Actor Sam Huntington (“Superman Returns,” ″Jungle 2 Jungle”) is 42. Actor Taran Killam (“12 Years a Slave,” ″Saturday Night Live”) is 42. Actor Matt Lanter (“90210”) is 41. Singer Hillary Scott of Lady A is 38. Drummer Arejay Hale of Halestorm is 37. Actor Asa Butterfield (“Hugo,” ″Nanny McPhee Returns”) is 27.
April 2: Actor Linda Hunt (TV’s “NCIS: LA,” film’s “The Year of Living Dangerously”) is 79. Actor Sam Anderson (“Lost,” ″ER,” ″Perfect Strangers”) is 77. Singer Emmylou Harris is 77. Actor Pamela Reed is 75. Drummer Dave Robinson of The Cars is 75. Country singer Buddy Jewell is 63. Actor Christopher Meloni (“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”) is 63. Singer Keren Woodward of Bananarama is 63. Country singer Billy Dean is 62. Actor Clark Gregg (“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” ″The New Adventures of Old Christine”) is 62. Actor Jana Marie Hupp (“Ed”) is 60. Guitarist Greg Camp (Smash Mouth) is 57. Guitarist Tony Fredianelli (Third Eye Blind) is 55. Actor Roselyn Sanchez (TV’s “Grand Hotel,” ″Without a Trace”) is 51. Actor Pedro Pascal (“The Last of Us,” “The Mandalorian”) is 49. Actor Adam Rodriguez (“Criminal Minds,” ″CSI: Miami”) is 49. Actor Michael Fassbender (“Shame,” ″Inglourious Basterds”) is 47. Keyboardist Jesse Carmichael of Maroon 5 is 45. Actor Bethany Joy Lenz (formerly Galeotti) (“One Tree Hill”) is 43. Singer Lee Dewyze (“American Idol”) is 38. Country singer Chris Janson is 38. Actor Drew Van Acker (“Training Day,” ″Pretty Little Liars”) is 38. Actor Jesse Plemons (TV’s “Fargo,” ″Breaking Bad”) is 36.
April 3: Actor Eric Braeden (“The Young and the Restless”) is 83. Actor Marsha Mason is 82. Singer Wayne Newton is 82. Singer Tony Orlando is 80. Singer Richard Thompson is 75. Bassist Curtis Stone of Highway 101 is 74. Guitarist Mick Mars of Motley Crue is 68. Actor Alec Baldwin is 66. Actor David Hyde Pierce (“Frasier”) is 65. Comedian-actor Eddie Murphy is 63. Singer-guitarist Mike Ness of Social Distortion is 62. Singer Sebastian Bach (Skid Row) is 56. Actor Jennie Garth (“Beverly Hills 90210″) is 52. Actor Adam Scott (“Severance,” “Parks and Recreation”) is 51. Guitarist Drew Shirley of Switchfoot is 50. Actor Matthew Goode (“Downton Abbey,” ″The Good Wife”) is 46. Actor Cobie Smulders (“How I Met Your Mother”) is 42. Singer Leona Lewis is 39. Actor Amanda Bynes is 38. Actor Rachel Bloom (“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”) is 37. Actor Hayley Kiyoko (“CSI: Cyber”) is 33. Bassist Sam Kiszka of Greta Van Fleet is 25.
April 4: Actor Craig T. Nelson is 80. Actor Christine Lahti (“Chicago Hope”) is 74. Singer Steve Gatlin of the Gatlin Brothers is 73. Actor Mary-Margaret Humes (“Dawson’s Creek,” ″History of the World Part 1″) is 70. Writer-producer David E. Kelley (“Ally McBeal,” ″The Practice”) is 68. Actor Constance Shulman (“Orange Is the New Black”) is 66. Actor Hugo Weaving (“The Matrix,” ″Lord of the Rings”) is 64. Talk show host Graham Norton is 61. Comedian David Cross (“Arrested Development,” ″Mr. Show”) is 60. Actor Robert Downey Junior is 59. Actor Nancy McKeon is 58. Country singer Clay Davidson is 53. Singer Josh Todd of Buckcherry is 53. Singer Jill Scott is 52. Bassist Magnus Sveningsson of The Cardigans is 52. Magician David Blaine is 51. Singer Kelly Price is 51. Singer Andre Dalyrimple of Soul for Real is 50. Guitarist Josh McSwain of Parmalee is 49. Actor James Roday (“A Million Little Things,” “Psych”) is 48. Actor Natasha Lyonne (“Poker Face,” “Orange Is The New Black”) is 45. Actor-comedian Eric Andre (“The Eric Andre Show”) is 41. Actor Amanda Righetti (“The Mentalist”) is 41. Actor-singer Jamie Lynn Spears (“Zoey 101″) is 33. Actor Daniela Bobadilla (“The Middle,” “Anger Management”) is 31. Singer Austin Mahone is 28.
April 5: Filmmaker Roger Corman is 98. Country singer Tommy Cash is 84. Actor Michael Moriarty (“Law and Order”) is 83. Singer Allan Clarke of The Hollies is 82. Actor Max Gail (“Sons and Daughters,” ″Barney Miller”) is 81. Actor Jane Asher is 78. Singer Agnetha Faltskog of ABBA is 74. Actor Mitch Pileggi (“The X Files”) is 72. Singer Peter Case of The Plimsouls is 70. Rapper-actor Christopher “Kid” Reid of Kid ‘n Play (“House Party”) is 60. Guitarist Mike McCready of Pearl Jam is 58. Musician Paula Cole is 56. Actor Krista Allen (“Baywatch,” ″What About Brian”) is 53. Actor Victoria Hamilton (“The Crown”) is 53. Country singer Pat Green is 52. Rapper-producer Pharrell Williams is 51. Rapper Juicy J (Three 6 Mafia) is 49. Actor Sterling K. Brown (Film’s “Black Panther,” TV’s “This Is Us”) is 48. Singer-guitarist Mike Eli of Eli Young Band is 43. Actor Hayley Atwell (“Marvel’s Agent Carter”) is 42. Actor Lily James (“Downton Abbey”) is 35.
April 6: Actor Billy Dee Williams is 87. Actor Roy Thinnes (“The Invaders”) is 86. Director Barry Levinson (“Rain Man,” “The Natural”) is 82. Actor John Ratzenberger (“Cheers”) is 77. Actor Patrika Darbo (“The Bold and the Beautiful”) is 76. Actor Marilu Henner (“Taxi,” ″Evening Shade”) is 72. Actor Michael Rooker (“Guardians of the Galaxy”) is 69. Guitarist Warren Haynes of Gov’t Mule is 64. Singer-guitarist Black Francis of The Pixies is 59. Actor Ari Meyers (“Kate & Ally”) is 55. Actor Paul Rudd is 55. Actor Jason Hervey (“The Wonder Years”) is 52. Bassist Markku Lappalainen (Hoobastank) is 51. Actor Zach Braff (“Scrubs”) is 49. Actor Joel Garland (“Orange Is the New Black”) is 49. Actor Candace Cameron Bure (“Full House”) is 48. Actor Teddy Sears (“24: Legacy”) is 47. Musician Robert Glasper is 46. Actor Eliza Coupe (“Happy Endings,” ″Scrubs”) is 43. Actor Charlie McDermott (“The Middle”) is 34.
After Quiet On Set revealed alleged abuse child actors faced, Zoey 101’s Chris Massey spoke out amid his mother praising accused predator and Nickelodeon showrunner Dan Schneider.
Source: Patrick McMullan / Getty
Brothers Kyle and Chris Massey, managed by their mother Angela Massey, became well-known actors among Young Millennials and Gen Z members. As child stars of Disney Channel and Nickelodeon’s biggest shows, they kept kids laughing throughout their careers.
On Zoey 101, Chris Massey played the character of Michael, a loveable Pacific Coast Academy student-athlete. Massey has remained relatively quiet since his time on the show, but he did appear in Zoey 102, a movie continuation of Zoey 101.
Amid many allegations against Dan Schneider, the creator of several Nickelodeon shows, including Zoey 101, wondered about more possible survivors. While Massey has not made an official public statement, he has promised to tell his story soon.
In early March 2024, a trailer for a docuseries detailing the lives of childhood stars began to circulate. It was clear that the focus of the docuseries would be on child stars of former Nickelodeon TV shows and their stories.
Quiet on the Set: The Darkside of Kids TV premiered on Investigation Discovery on Mar. 17, 2024. It featured many Nickelodeon stars, crew members, and writers as they told their experiences with the network, sexual abuse, harassment, toxic work environments, and Dan Schneider.
The film exposed many terrifying details, including Schiender’s alleged sexism, misogyny, inappropriate language, and overbearing behavior. Across multiple testimonies, child actors all revealed stories of mistreatment from the showrunner.
In an interview published on Schnieder’s YouTube channel, he admitted responsibility for a several inappropriate actions and admitted he owes certain people apologies. Still, the Massey brother’s mother, Angela Massey, sees Schneider as innocent.
See Chris Massey’s response to his mother’s comments after the flip.
Angela Massey Supports Dan Schneider, Chris Massey Vows To Tell His Own Story
Source: Angela Weiss / Getty
As the episodes of Quiet on the Set: The Darkside of Kids TV began to air, social media was lit up with commentary. Many users were mortified by the information revealed, but Angela Massey was one of the few to support Schneider publicly.
Angela took to Instagram with questionable grammar and stated, “Dan Schneider You are awesome. You are a genius I can’t thank this guy enough for the opportunity have gave my son and my family. BLAME THE PARENTS NOT DAN.”
Immediately, social media users reacted to her statement, including her son, Chris. Chris Massey took to his Instagram stories and stated, “my story will be told from me…. not from a parent, a friend, a co-worker… ME!!! and only ME… so please stop messaging me about what my mom said… respectfully.”
Many replies asked how she could support Schneider when her sons also worked with hin. In response, she called them “brainwashables.”
According to the Jasmine Brand, Angela did not stop there. Following her son’s comments, she doubled down. Angela added that the family had “an exemplary experience with Dan Schneider.”
She then turned her attention to TMZ. In an Instagram post, she expressed disdain for the docuseries. She charged the media with creating a documentary focused on TMZ founder Harvey Levin and allegations of a toxic work environment.
Angela also shared screenshots of emails sent asking TMZ to publish updated information on Kyle Massey’s sexual misconduct with a minor case. In 2021, Kyle was accused of sending inappropriate pictures to a 13-year-old. Angela claimed the allegations were false and asked TMZ to relay this information.
Angela defending Schneider shocked social media users, who reminded her of Kyle’s legal troubles. However, she continued to show support for Schneider. Users continue to wait for further statements from Chris.
The late Shirley Chisholm is having a moment. The first African American woman elected to Congress, and the first woman to run for president of the United States, Chisholm, who died in 2005 at the age of 80, is the inspiration for Shirley, a compelling but dramatically stilted docudrama starring a superb Regina King. The Netflix film continues an unexpected small-screen Chisholm boon, beginning with Udo Aduba’s vibrant depiction of her in an episode of the Cate Blanchett series Mrs. America and continuing in Hulu’s recent History of the World: Part 2, which finds an exuberant Wanda Sykes starring in a sitcom called Shirley!
Sykes bursts into song as Chisholm attempts to win over delegates at the 1972 Democratic National Convention, an irreverence that isn’t available to King, who must play it straight, per writer-director John Ridley’s determinedly intense reenactment of the convention’s tumultuous behind-the-scenes events. In focusing on Chisholm’s presidential campaign, Ridley, who wrote 12 Years a Slave, as well as the brilliant ABC series American Crime, which also starred King, sacrifices the details and range of Chisholm’s life and accomplishments, a choice that makes for a film that often struggles to find the personal in the political.
Shirley opens in 1968, as the 43-year-old New York state assemblywoman is elected to Congress. Each day, in her first week, she’s stopped in the rotunda by a Southern congressman. He’s a newcomer too, but can’t resist taunting her with the same observation, “Imagine, you making 42.5 like me.” There’s a world of contempt in the way his voice comes down hard on “42.5,” but he’s not prepared for Chisholm to answer him with her own sharp enunciation of the number. He slinks away, abased, however briefly. It’s a small moment, but one of the few in the film that offers a chance to see Chisholm squaring off, with her trademark wit and ferocity, against the institutional racism she must have encountered every day of her political life.
In a beat, three years pass and Chisholm has been petitioned to run for president by her constituents, who’ve raised a bit of money to get her started. She assembles a team of advisors, including her stalwart friends Wesley McDonald “Mac” Holder (the late Lance Reddick) and her head of finance, Arthur Hardwick, Jr. (Terrence Howard), as well as a former aide named Robert Gottlieb (Lucas Hedges) who agrees to be her youth coordinator. When she tells him she’s running for president, Gottlieb exclaims, “Right the hell on, Mrs. C.”
Not many in power support her — not the Congressional Black Caucus, or the leaders of the women’s rights movement. But on the road, Chisholm finds adoring crowds among people of color and among college students eligible to vote for the first time. Along the way, she takes on a young protégé, Barbara Lee (Christina Jackson), a Black activist (and future Congresswoman) who didn’t believe in voting until she met Chisholm.
In a movie overstuffed with men, Jackson and King spark off one another, and share one of the movie’s best scenes. Lee keeps pressing Chisholm to attend a Black political convention in Gary, Indiana, but Chisholm keeps refusing. Frustrated, Lee demands to know why. “They have made it clear they don’t care what Black women have to say,” says Chisholm. “That’s just how they are.” “They?” Barbara asks. “Men,” Chisholm replies. “Always plottin’ and plannin’.”
This is Ridley’s central theme, just as it was for Chisholm. It’s the endless machinations of powerful and wannabe powerful men, white and Black alike, that will prove to be the undoing of Chisholm’s daring last-minute bid to gain a spot for her platform at the ’72 Democratic National Convention in Miami. The road to that disappointment, filled as it is with arcane delegate math, is not completely gripping, but there’s beauty in the light that fills King’s face as Chisholm lists all that will be possible if they’re able to influence George McGovern’s administration. Afterward, her voice catches, as if she can’t believe she dared voice her truest dream.
It is in these small gestures that King finds Chisholm, even when it seems as if the screenplay itself is losing touch with her. It’s a deceptively physical performance. Shirley Chisholm walks and sits with her back straight at all times, but late one night, she comes home from the campaign trail to find that her husband (Michael Cherrie) hasn’t thought to leave her any dinner. She pulls a frozen dinner from the freezer and then sits at the kitchen table, too tired to put it in the oven. Leaning right, she takes off her glasses, crosses her leg, leans her head into her chin and falls asleep, a working woman in a plain kitchen, catching rest when she can, just like the women she grew up with, and like those she hopes to represent in the White House.
For the first time in years, I decided to watch The Bachelor.Maybe it’s because my friends were talking about it incessantly and I have a severe case of FOMO. Maybe it’s because I felt contractually obligated to write about something related to television and pop culture. Either way, I locked in for Season 28 led by Joey Graziadei, who the internet has spent the past year fawning over.
But here’s the thing: I genuinely have grown to vehemently dislike just about everyone in this show. As a 25 year old woman, I’m appalled by the behavior of everyone (including you, Joey). Last night’s Women Tell All episode left me with one consistent question: were the women aware what show they signed up for?
Beginning with Kelsey Anderson, who made it all the way to the final three and realized she might not be okay with him seeing other women. This is a similar problem that Maria Gorgas had, who essentially sent herself home via an epic self-sabotage attempt that resulted in her being deemed the people’s princess. However, I have my qualms with Gorgas as well.
Maria had her issues with Lea and Sydney among others, who respectively seemed more focused on fighting with other women in the house than talking to Joey. But this entire season, Maria has been complaining, or talking over someone, or talking herself out of being on the show, so I’m having trouble seeing why people are finding her inability to communicate impressive.
She started struggling beyond the inner-household issues when she realized she didn’t want to see Joey date a bunch of women. Sound familiar? Again, you all signed up to go on a show with 30 women and you’re angry he’s cheating on you? I understand why she’d want to be the next Bachelorette- the reverse is a much better situation.
Once a dying franchise, ABC somehow has revived The Bachelor with successful spinoffs like The Golden Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise. Yet, the thing about the show is that it’s a weird concept. These engagements hardly last, mostly because you get to know your future spouse within the span of three months…and in that span of time they’ve been dating many other people. Ideal.
Chef and restaurateur Jose Andrés inviting actors Jamie Lee Curtis, Bryan Cranston and O’Shea Jackson Jr. over for dinner in a new TV special and Jake Gyllenhaal starring in an update of the pulpy cult classic “Road House” are some of the new television, movies, music and games headed to a device near you.
Also among the streaming offerings worth your time as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: Shakira releases her first album in seven years, Paul Simon gets an expansive two-part documentary on MGM+ and a Nintendo sweetheart takes center stage in the game Princess Peach: Showtime!
— Fresh off its Oscar success, Justine Triet’s “Anatomy of a Fall” — along with award season’s favorite pooch, Messi — are coming to Hulu on Friday, March 22. The French courtroom drama stars Sandra Hüller as a wife accused of murdering her husband (Samuel Theis) by pushing him out a high window in the French Alps chalet. The film effectively puts their marriage on trial while offering Hüller an engrossing platform for all her cunning as a performer. “Anatomy of a Fall” won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and best original screenplay at the Academy Awards. In her review, AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr called it “a smartly constructed and wholly engaging whodunit, courtroom thriller, marriage drama and, at some points, satire.”
— Doug Liman gives the 1989 cult classic “Road House” a pulpy modern spin with Jake Gyllenhaal as a former UFC fighter hired as security for a seedy Florida Keys bar. Jessica Williams plays the owner of a road house under siege from a crime syndicate that eventually brings in even more muscle, and a dose of mania, in a fearsome fixer played by mixed-martial-arts fighter Conor McGregor. Though Liman, the director of “Edge of Tomorrow” and “Swingers,” has pleaded for the film to be theatrically released, “Road House” debuts Thursday on Prime Video.
– Paul Simon gets an expansive two-part documentary with “In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon,” from filmmaker Alex Gibney. After the first half premiered March 17 on MGM+, part two lands on Sunday, March 24. “In Restless Dreams,” which premiered last fall at the Toronto International Film Festival, surveys the varied chapters of Simon’s career, including his many years as a duo with Art Garfunkel, the recording of his 1986 album “Graceland” and the still unfolding, and music-making, life of the 82-year-old songwriter.
— AP Film Writer Jake Coyle
— Shakira returns with her first new album in seven years, “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” (“Women don’t cry anymore” in English, a lyric lifted from her smash hit “Music Sessions Vol. 53” with Argentine producer Bizarrap). It’s also her first full-length release since her split from soccer star Gerard Piqué — a pop album transformed by pain. “While writing each song I was rebuilding myself,” the Colombian musician said in a statement. “While singing them, my tears transformed into diamonds, and my vulnerability into strength.” Seven of the album’s 16 tracks have been previously released — including “TQG” with Karol G (also featured on Karol G’s “Mañana Será Bonito” album, one of AP’s picks for the best of 2023 ), “Te Felicito” with reggaetonero Rauw Alejandro, “Copa Vacía” with Manuel Turizo and more. “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” is the sound of reclamation for Shakira — and an addictive listen.
— There are eras to Waxahatchee, the musical moniker of Katie Crutchfield. Her story begins in the D.I.Y. power pop-punk of her band P.S. Eliot, the nihilism of early Waxahatchee records like “American Weekend,” and then, the current moment: “Tigers Blood,” a hell of a lot more country than her earlier releases, with the wisdom that came with sobriety and a move to St. Louis (that’s heard on her last album, 2020’s “Saint Cloud” and certainly now). There’s a lot to love here, like the acoustic ballad “365” and the Americana-flavored “Bored.” There’s also MJ Lenderman of the Asheville, North Carolina, indie rock band Wednesday, a new collaborator. It’s hard not to cozy up to the warmth of their harmonies on “Right Back to It,” a song — like many on this album — that celebrates the privilege of certain romantic mundanities, like settling into a long-term relationship.
— A debut album is an introduction. A sophomore release can be a make-or-break moment: Who is this person as an artist, what do they have to say, and are we still listening? Enter Fletcher, the queer pop powerhouse signed to Capitol Records who first broke out with the 2019 viral hit “Undrunk.” On “In Search of the Antidote,” she builds off the success of her earlier singles — still concerned with love and failed relationships, now through a matured lens.
— Gossip, the dance-punk band that gave the world Beth Ditto, is preparing to release their first new album in 12 years — and their first since they broke up shortly thereafter. It’s a return to their powers, now funkier than ever. At least, that’s obvious on the disco-informed title track, “Real Power.” Another new single, “Crazy Again,” is all palm-muted power chords and reserved synths. Indie sleaze revivalists, it is time to break out the neon.
— AP Music Writer Maria Sherman
— In a new special, James Beard-winning chef and restaurateur Jose Andrés invites actors Jamie Lee Curtis, Bryan Cranston and O’Shea Jackson Jr. over for dinner — but first they have to help him cook. The goal of the night isn’t perfection but to have fun. “Dinner Party Diaries with Jose Andrés” drops Tuesday on Prime Video. In an interview with The Associated Press, Andrés says he hopes the special brings awareness and donations to his nonprofit, World Central Kitchen, which delivers meals to people in disaster areas.
— A new Apple TV+ series called “Palm Royale” is bursting with big-name talent. Set in Palm Beach in 1969, Kristen Wiig plays Maxine, a woman desperate to be accepted into high society and a private club called the Palm Royale. At the beginning of the first episode, we see Maxine climb over a wall to get inside her coveted club. The cast includes Carol Burnett, Ricky Martin, Laura Dern, Allison Janney, Josh Lucas, Leslie Bibb, Kaia Gerber, Amber Chardae Robinson and Mindy Cohn. The show drops Wednesday.
— “Law & Order” creator Dick Wolf is dipping into the true crime world with a new docuseries on Netflix. “Homicide: New York” debuts Wednesday and features detectives, police officers and prosecutors recalling some of their most memorable murder cases. “Homicide: Los Angeles” is already scheduled to air on the streamer later this year.
— Diarra Kilpatrick created and stars in a mystery comedy for BET+ called “Diarra from Detroit.” It’s about a woman who has a great first date with a man she meets on Tinder. When she doesn’t hear from him again, Diarra concludes the only logical explanation is that he was kidnapped, so she launches an investigation. “Diarra from Detroit” premieres Thursday on BET+.
— Alicia Rancilio
— Princess Peach has been around for almost 40 years, but she’s usually stuck playing second fiddle to that bozo Mario. Princess Peach: Showtime! puts Nintendo’s sweetheart center stage, as she tries to save a struggling theater from a villain named Grape who’s way more into tragedy than comedy. Saving the show requires our heroine to make plenty of costume changes, so get ready for Cowgirl Peach, Detective Peach, Ninja Peach, Mermaid Peach and more. She’s not just playing dress-up — each outfit gives the princess different skills she’ll need to negotiate a constantly changing stage set. The curtain rises Friday, March 22, on Nintendo Switch.
— Dragon’s Dogma got decent reviews when it came out in 2012, and it has developed a cult audience over the years. In the meantime, its genre — let’s say “high-fantasy hack-and-slash role-playing” — has exploded with monster hits like Elden Ring. So at long last, Capcom is delivering Dragon’s Dogma II. You create your character, the “Arisen,” from scratch, building on typical RPG species like humans, elves and “beastrens” and jobs like warrior, archer and sorcerer. As you explore two sprawling kingdoms, you can recruit AI-controlled “pawns” to help complete your mission, which is to ”slay the Dragon and claim the throne.” If this sounds irresistible (you know who you are), the quest begins Friday, March 22, on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S or PC.
— Lou Kesten
___
Catch up on AP’s entertainment coverage here: https://apnews.com/entertainment.
Chef and restaurateur Jose Andrés inviting actors Jamie Lee Curtis, Bryan Cranston and O’Shea Jackson Jr. over for dinner in a new TV special and Jake Gyllenhaal starring in an update of the pulpy cult classic “Road House” are some of the new television, movies, music and games headed to a device near you.
Also among the streaming offerings worth your time as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: Shakira releases her first album in seven years, Paul Simon gets an expansive two-part documentary on MGM+ and a Nintendo sweetheart takes center stage in the game Princess Peach: Showtime!
— Fresh off its Oscar success, Justine Triet’s “Anatomy of a Fall” — along with award season’s favorite pooch, Messi — are coming to Hulu on Friday, March 22. The French courtroom drama stars Sandra Hüller as a wife accused of murdering her husband (Samuel Theis) by pushing him out a high window in the French Alps chalet. The film effectively puts their marriage on trial while offering Hüller an engrossing platform for all her cunning as a performer. “Anatomy of a Fall” won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and best original screenplay at the Academy Awards. In her review, AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr called it “a smartly constructed and wholly engaging whodunit, courtroom thriller, marriage drama and, at some points, satire.”
— Doug Liman gives the 1989 cult classic “Road House” a pulpy modern spin with Jake Gyllenhaal as a former UFC fighter hired as security for a seedy Florida Keys bar. Jessica Williams plays the owner of a road house under siege from a crime syndicate that eventually brings in even more muscle, and a dose of mania, in a fearsome fixer played by mixed-martial-arts fighter Conor McGregor. Though Liman, the director of “Edge of Tomorrow” and “Swingers,” has pleaded for the film to be theatrically released, “Road House” debuts Thursday on Prime Video.
– Paul Simon gets an expansive two-part documentary with “In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon,” from filmmaker Alex Gibney. After the first half premiered March 17 on MGM+, part two lands on Sunday, March 24. “In Restless Dreams,” which premiered last fall at the Toronto International Film Festival, surveys the varied chapters of Simon’s career, including his many years as a duo with Art Garfunkel, the recording of his 1986 album “Graceland” and the still unfolding, and music-making, life of the 82-year-old songwriter.
— AP Film Writer Jake Coyle
— Shakira returns with her first new album in seven years, “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” (“Women don’t cry anymore” in English, a lyric lifted from her smash hit “Music Sessions Vol. 53” with Argentine producer Bizarrap). It’s also her first full-length release since her split from soccer star Gerard Piqué — a pop album transformed by pain. “While writing each song I was rebuilding myself,” the Colombian musician said in a statement. “While singing them, my tears transformed into diamonds, and my vulnerability into strength.” Seven of the album’s 16 tracks have been previously released — including “TQG” with Karol G (also featured on Karol G’s “Mañana Será Bonito” album, one of AP’s picks for the best of 2023 ), “Te Felicito” with reggaetonero Rauw Alejandro, “Copa Vacía” with Manuel Turizo and more. “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” is the sound of reclamation for Shakira — and an addictive listen.
— There are eras to Waxahatchee, the musical moniker of Katie Crutchfield. Her story begins in the D.I.Y. power pop-punk of her band P.S. Eliot, the nihilism of early Waxahatchee records like “American Weekend,” and then, the current moment: “Tigers Blood,” a hell of a lot more country than her earlier releases, with the wisdom that came with sobriety and a move to St. Louis (that’s heard on her last album, 2020’s “Saint Cloud” and certainly now). There’s a lot to love here, like the acoustic ballad “365” and the Americana-flavored “Bored.” There’s also MJ Lenderman of the Asheville, North Carolina, indie rock band Wednesday, a new collaborator. It’s hard not to cozy up to the warmth of their harmonies on “Right Back to It,” a song — like many on this album — that celebrates the privilege of certain romantic mundanities, like settling into a long-term relationship.
— A debut album is an introduction. A sophomore release can be a make-or-break moment: Who is this person as an artist, what do they have to say, and are we still listening? Enter Fletcher, the queer pop powerhouse signed to Capitol Records who first broke out with the 2019 viral hit “Undrunk.” On “In Search of the Antidote,” she builds off the success of her earlier singles — still concerned with love and failed relationships, now through a matured lens.
— Gossip, the dance-punk band that gave the world Beth Ditto, is preparing to release their first new album in 12 years — and their first since they broke up shortly thereafter. It’s a return to their powers, now funkier than ever. At least, that’s obvious on the disco-informed title track, “Real Power.” Another new single, “Crazy Again,” is all palm-muted power chords and reserved synths. Indie sleaze revivalists, it is time to break out the neon.
— AP Music Writer Maria Sherman
— In a new special, James Beard-winning chef and restaurateur Jose Andrés invites actors Jamie Lee Curtis, Bryan Cranston and O’Shea Jackson Jr. over for dinner — but first they have to help him cook. The goal of the night isn’t perfection but to have fun. “Dinner Party Diaries with Jose Andrés” drops Tuesday on Prime Video. In an interview with The Associated Press, Andrés says he hopes the special brings awareness and donations to his nonprofit, World Central Kitchen, which delivers meals to people in disaster areas.
— A new Apple TV+ series called “Palm Royale” is bursting with big-name talent. Set in Palm Beach in 1969, Kristen Wiig plays Maxine, a woman desperate to be accepted into high society and a private club called the Palm Royale. At the beginning of the first episode, we see Maxine climb over a wall to get inside her coveted club. The cast includes Carol Burnett, Ricky Martin, Laura Dern, Allison Janney, Josh Lucas, Leslie Bibb, Kaia Gerber, Amber Chardae Robinson and Mindy Cohn. The show drops Wednesday.
— “Law & Order” creator Dick Wolf is dipping into the true crime world with a new docuseries on Netflix. “Homicide: New York” debuts Wednesday and features detectives, police officers and prosecutors recalling some of their most memorable murder cases. “Homicide: Los Angeles” is already scheduled to air on the streamer later this year.
— Diarra Kilpatrick created and stars in a mystery comedy for BET+ called “Diarra from Detroit.” It’s about a woman who has a great first date with a man she meets on Tinder. When she doesn’t hear from him again, Diarra concludes the only logical explanation is that he was kidnapped, so she launches an investigation. “Diarra from Detroit” premieres Thursday on BET+.
— Alicia Rancilio
— Princess Peach has been around for almost 40 years, but she’s usually stuck playing second fiddle to that bozo Mario. Princess Peach: Showtime! puts Nintendo’s sweetheart center stage, as she tries to save a struggling theater from a villain named Grape who’s way more into tragedy than comedy. Saving the show requires our heroine to make plenty of costume changes, so get ready for Cowgirl Peach, Detective Peach, Ninja Peach, Mermaid Peach and more. She’s not just playing dress-up — each outfit gives the princess different skills she’ll need to negotiate a constantly changing stage set. The curtain rises Friday, March 22, on Nintendo Switch.
— Dragon’s Dogma got decent reviews when it came out in 2012, and it has developed a cult audience over the years. In the meantime, its genre — let’s say “high-fantasy hack-and-slash role-playing” — has exploded with monster hits like Elden Ring. So at long last, Capcom is delivering Dragon’s Dogma II. You create your character, the “Arisen,” from scratch, building on typical RPG species like humans, elves and “beastrens” and jobs like warrior, archer and sorcerer. As you explore two sprawling kingdoms, you can recruit AI-controlled “pawns” to help complete your mission, which is to ”slay the Dragon and claim the throne.” If this sounds irresistible (you know who you are), the quest begins Friday, March 22, on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S or PC.
— Lou Kesten
___
Catch up on AP’s entertainment coverage here: https://apnews.com/entertainment.
Seoul — South Korea’s “Squid Game” actor Oh Young-soo has been found guilty of sexual misconduct, a local court said Friday, after he was charged with assaulting a woman in 2017. In 2022, the 79-year-old became the first South Korean to win a Golden Globe Award for best supporting actor in a series for his performance as a seemingly vulnerable old man in the mega-hit Netflix dystopian thriller.
The actor was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, the Seongnam Branch of the Suwon District Court told AFP. He was also ordered to complete 40 hours of classes on sexual violence, the court added.
Oh Young-soo arrives at the “Squid Game” FYSEE event, June 12, 2022, at the Netflix FYSEE at Raleigh Studios in Los Angeles.
Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
The victim’s own records of the assault and her claims are “consistent … and appear to be statements that cannot be made without actually experiencing them,” judge Jeong Yeon-ju said, according to the court.
Oh was indicted in 2022 without detention on charges of sexually assaulting a woman, who has not been identified, on two occasions.
The incidents took place when Oh was staying in a rural area for a theatre performance in 2017, on a walking path and in front of the victim’s residence, respectively, according to the Suwon District Court.
“Squid Game,” a series that depicts a dark world where marginalized individuals are forced to compete in deadly versions of traditional children’s games, quickly gained immense popularity on Netflix.
Within less than four weeks of its release in 2021, it attracted a staggering 111 million viewers.
The show’s success has amplified South Korea’s increasingly outsized influence on global popular culture, following global fame won by the likes of K-pop band BTS and the Oscar-winning film “Parasite.”
Multiple figures in South Korea’s film industry – including late filmmaker Kim Ki-duk and actor Cho Jae-hyun — have faced sexual assault allegations.
There are, of course, a few stipulations. One, the show is famously filmed inside isolation pods, where contestants can only communicate with their prospective matches through a speaker and must agree to get engaged before meeting in person (and, we guess, fucking). They then spend three weeks living in the same apartment complex in their city while learning more about each other and planning their wedding. Throughout the season, they also apparently drink lots of alcohol, which has in part been the subject of lawsuits brought by previous cast members against the show.
If you’re down with all of the above, you also have to answer a 69-question survey that includes information about your dating life, hobbies, dealbreakers, and a short 15-second video pitch, among other things. A third-party company then conducts background checks and psychological evaluations on the participants.
Who knows — this might just be your chance for Detroit romantics to find their happily ever after – or at the very least, 15 minutes of reality TV fame and a pumped-up Instagram following.
Spoiler alert: This contains spoilers for Young Royals Season 1 and Young Royals Season 2. If you haven’t watched those, I envy you. Your life is about to change. No spoilers for Young Royals Season 3.
I’ve been obsessed with Young Royals since it crossed my Netflix recommendation list. Marathoning episode after episode of Young Royals Season 3, I couldn’t stop thinking: Teens today are so spoiled.
Everybody says it, but it’s true. Teens have it so much easier. Sure, they must have unique problems. But queer teenagers have one thing I didn’t have: an abundance of queer cinema.
In high school, I watched every contemporary queer film available to me. With Tumblr as my launch point, I started with actual queer films like Blue Is The Warmest Color and then moved on to films with achingly intense queer subtext like Black Swan.
As for television, my life changed alongside everyone else’s when Ryan Murphy released Glee, the most unhinged and revelatory show I have seen to this day. Rewatching that show is more absurd each time — but no one was doing it like they were. A gay character that had an actual storyline including, but not limited to, his sexuality? It was the blueprint.
I also watched every single other show that Tumblr gave the stamp of approval for having queer storylines, even if they were in the background. It’s the only reason I watched Shameless to the end — which you might know as the launchpad for Jeremy Allen White, but I know for its groundbreaking queer relationship.
Between episodes of shows like Shameless and Eyewitness, I expanded to foreign films and TV. Not like a pretentious indie boy, but as someone starved for queer content, I’d take what I could get. I watched brooding Norwegian films like Jongens and North Sea Texas alongside soapy shows like SKAM because they were all I had.
Now, queer teens have Heartstopper, Everything Now, Sex Education, and more — and those are just the gay shows on Netflix. But some things never change: International queer TV is still top tier. After watching Young Royals Season 3, I can confirm that this season has some of the best episodes of TV I’ve ever watched. Tense and tender, Young Royals works because it leans into the messiness of adolescence, the idealism of youth, and the beauty of queerness to paint a portrait that feels grounded in reality but also infinitely hopeful.
When Will Young Royals Season 3 Come Out?
After months of commenting on @NetflixNordic Instagram posts (guilty), fans finally got an answer to their most pressing question: “When does Young Royals Season 3 come out?”
Alongside the Young Royals Season 3 trailer, we got not just one release date, but two.
Young Royals Season 3 is out now on Netflix. The first five episodes of the third and final season dropped on Monday, March 11th. But the show isn’t over yet. The final episode of Young Royals Season 3 will be released on Monday, March 18th.
Watch the Young Royals Season 3 trailer here:
Young Royals: Season 3 | Official Trailer | Netflixwww.youtube.com
Maybe teens today do have it hard — their dopamine-deprived brains have to wait a whole week for an episode of TV.
Season 3 will be released alongside a documentary, Young Royals Forever, about the making of the show. The show will chronicle the journey of this certified queer classic from casting to the final line of Young Royals Season 3. After that, it will truly be over.
Watch the Young Royals Forever trailer here:
Young Royals Forever | Official Clip | Netflixwww.youtube.com
What is Young Royals Season 3 about?
In a 2023 Netflix Nordic interview with Edvin Ryding and co-creators Rojda Sekersöz and Lisa Ambjörn, Edvin said, “We never problematize sexuality. We never problematize what is outside the norm. But rather, we problematize the norm.”
And it’s this problematic, normative world that Young Royals Season 3 explores. Wilhelm (Edvin Ryding) — Crown Prince of Sweden and king of grand gestures — ended Young Royals Season 2 by telling all of Sweden about his relationship with Simon (Omar Rudberg). But now that the world knows about their relationship, the world can intrude. Suddenly the two are battling Instagram comments as well as the centuries-old expectations of the Swedish monarchy. And unlike candied representations of boys-vs-monarchy we’ve recently seen (ahem, Red, White & Royal Blue), the powers that be put up a formidable fight.
The Season 3 teaser trailer (which I watched an unspeakable number of times), saw Wilhem and Simon together for the first time in the Palace. Season 2 began in the palace too. The Wille we found there was battling grief and betrayal, dreaming of a relationship with Simon that seemed out of reach. He references these dreams to Simon in Episode 1 of this season, saying: “It’s not how I imagined it.”
Indeed, the season that follows is not how Wille could have imagined it. Nor any of us. None of the fan theories and predictions have even scratched the surface of what ensues in Young Royals Season 3. And that’s to say nothing of the finale.
How does Young Royals Season 3 end?
For years, fans and critics alike have applauded Young Royals for representation. The cast is actually made of teenagers (though they’ve grown up in the four years since the show began), and small details like showing textured skin and normal outfits (as normal as the old-money Hillerska crowd gets) set it apart from teen shows like Riverdale, Euphoria, and even the Spanish hit Elité.
Mental health is also a major theme of the show. Our troubled protagonist Wilhelm has been struggling with so much in just one term at Hillerska — thank goodness he goes to therapy. Over the last three seasons, Edvin Rydings has put on a masterclass in portraying characters with mental health issues. The progression of how Wilhelm externalizes his anxiety is also telling of how the plot develops. Every choice is intentional, from the subtle lip-biting to the gut-wrenching screams. In Season 2, he was finally starting to connect how the outdated traditions he is beholden to contribute to his mental state. In Young Royals Season 3, will he finally figure it out?
For Simon, social class has always been an obvious barrier between him and the privileged Hillerska elite. But unlike his sister Sara, he doesn’t feel the need to change himself to fit in with his upper-class peers. Despite their taunts, he stands up for himself and speaks his mind. Season 3 asks: can he still do this under the watchful eye of the Royal Family?
The only critique I might have had of the representation in Young Royals Season 1 and Young Royals Season 2 was its quiet examination of race. Was it too quiet? Too subtle? Small gestures were obvious to me, a keen-eyed viewer who was also one of very few non-white students at a tiny boarding school. Things like Felice changing her hair from pressed to curly — and experiencing microaggressions because of it. Or Simon and Sara being ostracized not just for their class, but for their race.
In Young Royals Season 3, it becomes clear that the creators were building a foundation to thoroughly explore in this concluding act. From Felice’s racial disillusionment after being used as a token Black student to Simon’s thrust into the spotlight and being dubbed a “typical Latin lover,” race is foregrounded in a new way this season. All of these things create a world that becomes unteneable to navigate for our two protagonists. And how they stumble across it, experiencing friction at every turn and unable to communicate what they mean without who they are getting in the way, reflects so clearly the pitfalls of youth.
Is Young Royals Season 3 good?
The test of a good show is if you can stick by its characters even as they frustrate you. I, an adult woman, want to shake these Swedish boys all season. I want to force them into a room to really talk, to make them explain how they see things so that their differences stop surprising them. They have moments where they come to small revelations. “Isn’t that supposed to be a good thing,” Wille says of their differences in a Season 3 episode. “Aren’t we supposed to learn from each other?”
But moments like these are obstructed by what Young Royals Season 3 portrays so well: the inherent selfishness of youth. Even as they try their best to be there for each other, all the characters are clearly motivated by their own urgent, teenage desires. They’re also blinded by their teenage insecurities, thinking every problem they face is somehow their fault. Cue the miscommunication trope. In the words of a now-bygone TikTok trend: It’s a canon event, I can’t interfere.
And while we don’t know how it ends — we’ll have to wait for the finale for that — whatever happens, it will have been bold, brilliant, and beautiful. Young Royals Season 3, don’t break my heart!
Slowly but surely,Apple TV+ is finding its feet. The streaming service, which at launch we called “odd, angsty, and horny as hell,” has evolved into a diverse library of dramas, documentaries, and comedies. Now, it’s library is so packed, we’ve declared it “the new HBO.”
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Constellation
Around here we have a theory that Apple TV+ is the new HBO. At the same time, we also wonder among ourselves whether it’s the new Syfy. After opening with a bang in 2019 with For All Mankind, it has released a steady drumbeat of trippy, spacey, timey-wimey prestige shows, from Foundation to Severance. The latest is Constellation, an eight-part thriller about an astronaut (Noomi Rapace) who returns to Earth after a disaster in space to find things are very off. Brain-bending and tense, it’s the kind of sci-fi that sucks you in. Get lost.
Masters of the Air
Generally speaking, “World War II drama” and Steven Spielberg is probably enough to get anyone to click Play on this series, but it’s got a lot more than just a good elevator pitch. Based on Donald L. Miller’s Masters of the Air, this series dives deep into the lives of the 100th Bomb Group—aka the “Bloody Hundredth”—a group of pilots tasked with risking their lives to fight Nazi Germany from the air. Spielberg and Tom Hanks serve as executive producers, and the cast features Elvis himself, Austin Butler, as well as Saltburn’s Barry Keoghan and Doctor Who’s new Doctor, Ncuti Gatwa.
The New Look
Keeping with the World War II theme, The New Look follows Christian Dior, Coco Chanel, Pierre Balmain, and Cristóbal Balenciaga as they lay the path for modern fashion in Nazi-occupied Paris. The cast features Ben Mendelsohn as Christian Dior, Juliette Binoche as Coco Chanel, and Maisie Williams as Catherine Dior, and also has a soundtrack courtesy of Jack Antonoff that’s chock full of early 20th century music covered by the likes of Perfume Genius and Florence Welch.
Criminal Record
Apple TV+’s dramas are on a hot streak lately. Now that stellar series like For All Mankind and Slow Horses are finally getting audiences, the streamer is putting more in their queues with Criminal Record. Starring former Doctor Who Doctor Peter Capaldi, the crime drama follows two cops—Capaldi’s Daniel Hegarty and Cush Jumbo’s June Lenker—as they try to get to the bottom of a long-settled case. Daniel worked the case originally and got a confession; June got a fresh tip and wants him to reopen it and find out whether the man who went away for murder is actually innocent. Might sound a bit overdone, but the series also works in elements of law enforcement shortcomings and race in a rapidly-changing Britain for a series that’s about more than just one case.
Hijack
There’s this face Idris Elba does. He’s been perfecting it since he was Stringer Bell on The Wire. It’s the look of total calm even when he’s talking about the most harrowing thing you can imagine. That face gets a full workout in Hijack, in which Elba plays a corporate negotiator who finds himself trying to settle things with a group of, yes, hijackers who have taken over the flight he’s boarded to get home to his family. This series is seven episodes, roughly seven hours—the same length of the flight, and it follows the drama in the air and the political maneuvering below before attempting to stick the landing. Do stay around until the end.
For All Mankind
Long before Foundation, there was For All Mankind. The show not only set the tone for the kind of glossy prestige sci-fi Apple TV+ had ambitions to make, but it was also the streaming service’s attempt to plant its flag in the realm of streaming giants. A solid slice of alternate history, the show starts with a very smart premise: What if the US had been edged out in putting a man on the moon? How would the space-race rivalry between the Americans and the Soviets have played out? It’s mostly a slick, stylish, NASA-heavy period drama, but as this is from the brain of Ronald D. Moore, there are a few standout moments and episodes with attention shared around the large ensemble cast. It might be the best sci-fi show you’re not watching, and if that’s true you now have four seasons to catch up on.
Messi Meets America
If your home screen hasn’t made it obvious, Apple TV+ is super stoked about soccer these days. The streamer’s latest foray: Messi Meets America, a six-part docuseries about all-star player Lionel Messi’s move to Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami club. The first three episodes aired on October 11, 2023, and subsequent episodes aired in conjunction with last year’s MLS season. Messi Mania, indeed.
Lessons in Chemistry
Based on the debut novel from science writer Bonnie Garmus, Lessons in Chemistry is the story of Elizabeth Zott (Brie Larson), who gets hired to host a cooking show after she’s fired from the lab she was working in for doing science while female. Obviously, the show Elizabeth puts on ends up being about a lot more than just having dinner on the table at 6 pm, but we suggest you watch to find out just how revolutionary it is.
The Morning Show
Every streaming service needs a flashy mainstream drama with Hollywood heavyweights to pull in viewers. Apple TV+ has The Morning Show. When Alex Levy (Jennifer Aniston) loses her morning news program cohost Mitch Kessler (Steve Carell) following sexual misconduct accusations, she gets paired up with Bradley Jackson (Reese Witherspoon). What unfolds is a #MeToo-era drama full of TV network intrigue and Sorkin-lite dialog. In its second season, it went deep on Covid-19, and in the third season the series’ fictional network, UBA, finds itself dealing with the aftermath of a cyberattack. With that new season launching September 13, now is a good time to dive back in—or watch for the first time.
Shining Girls
This Elisabeth Moss psychological thriller/murder mystery came out in 2022 and never really got the buzz it likely deserved. All of that to say, you should probably watch it if you haven’t already. Moss plays Kirby, a woman who believes a recent Chicago murder may be linked to an attack on her many years prior. She teams with a Sun-Times reporter to investigate, but the deeper she digs the more her own reality starts to shift. Based on the book The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes, this series may seem like just another murder mystery, but its sci-fi twists put it one step ahead.
Foundation
WIRED called Foundation a “flawed masterpiece” in our review of the first season. Considering the complexities of adapting a sprawling Isaac Asimov book series, it was high praise. Now, the dizzyingly ambitious Foundation is back for its second season. Starring Jared Harris as Hari Seldon, a math professor who, along with his loyal followers, is exiled for predicting the oncoming end of the galactic empire that rules over them, the show often suffers under the weight of its own massive scope. But it also features wonderful performances from Lee Pace and beautiful images inspired by the James Webb Space Telescope. If you have a soft spot for big sci-fi dramas, this Game-of-Thrones-in-space wannabe is a must-watch.
The Crowded Room
Set in the late 1970s, The Crowded Room stars Tom Holland as Danny Sullivan, a young man arrested after a grisly shooting in New York City. Following his arrest, this 10-episode limited series unfolds into a twisty whodunit as interrogator Rya Goodwin (Amanda Seyfried) tries to suss out what happened with the shooting and the peculiar events in Sullivan’s past that may have shaped how he ended up involved. Holland told Extra that the shoot for The Crowded Room, which he also produced, “broke” him, leading to him taking a yearlong hiatus from acting. Want to see why? Watch now.
Silo
As WIRED’s Kate Knibbs noted in the wake of Silo‘s release, this show is prestige sci-fi gold. Based on a dystopian book trilogy by Hugh Howey, the series focuses on a subterranean bunker—the silo of the title—where humanity has sequestered itself after the apocalypse. Some are hoping to win the chance to reproduce, some are trying to solve mysterious murders. Everyone watching is enjoying figuring out what’s going on in this underground city—and what’s happening outside of it.
Ted Lasso
On paper, Ted Lasso sounds terrible. The inconceivable story of an American football coach who has never watched a game of soccer somehow landing himself a job as coach of a (fictional) Premier League club and trying to make up for his total lack of qualifications by being a nice guy. Sounds unwatchable, doesn’t it? And yet Ted Lasso has captured the hearts and minds of viewers on both sides of the pond with its large-as-life cast and irresistibly wholesome messaging, hoovering up awards in the process. The third and final season wraps up on May 31, so now is the perfect time to binge it all.
High Desert
The Patricia Arquette–aissance doesn’t get as much ink as Matthew McConaughey or Keanu Reeves did during their second comings, but it’s here—in part thanks to the rise of streaming. Between The Act and Severance, Arquette has received some of the highest accolades of her long career recently, and High Desert seems poised to keep the award nominations coming. While coming to terms with the death of her mother, Peggy (Arquette)—an addict—decides she wants to pick up the pieces of her life and become a private investigator. She finds an unwitting employer/sometime mentor in Bruce Harvey (Brad Garrett), but not everyone is onboard with Peggy’s career decisions—namely, her straitlaced sister (Christine Taylor). It’s an odd duck of a show, which is perfectly suited to Arquette’s ethereal acting style, allowing her to seamlessly flit between moments of tragedy and laugh-out-loud comedy, with the audiences doing their best to keep up. The all-star cast is made even more impressive by recurring appearances from Bernadette Peters as Peggy’s late mom.
Big Beasts
Look, Discovery doesn’t get to corner the market on animal documentaries—and this 10-part docuseries proves it. Featuring elephant seals, brown bears, orangutans, giant otters, and all kinds of massive mammals in between, it’s the perfect thing if you just want to escape and learn a few tidbits about nature. But the best part? It’s narrated by Tom Hiddleston, and there’s just something charming about hearing the voice of Loki talk about a bunch of different animals he could turn himself into in the blink of an eye.
The Big Door Prize
Continuing the “big” theme, The Big Door Prize, in which Chris O’Dowd plays a 40-year-old high school teacher named Dusty who’s pretty content with his life until a magic machine shows up in his small town. The machine, you see, tells people their life’s potential, and as soon as people around him start using it, everything changes. Marriages end, paths divert, and eventually Dusty must confront whether he’s happy in his own life.
Shrinking
Do you enjoy In Treatment but wish it was, you know, fun? Then Shrinking may be right for you. Created by Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein—of Ted Lasso fame—and Jason Segel, the show is about Jimmy (Segel), a therapist struggling to get over the death of his wife and reconnect with his daughter and patients. That may sound like a downer, and the show isn’t without its harder moments, but it’s buoyed by the fact that it’s also a workplace comedy focusing on the therapy practice where Jimmy works alongside Harrison Ford’s Paul and Jessica Williams’ Gaby. Shrinking, ultimately, is about the things people do to cope, but it also features a dream team of a cast and one very memorable party scene featuring an (unrelated) vomit-soaked piano and a super-stoned Ford.
Servant
Cinematically, M. Night Shyamalan can be a little hit-or-miss, but Servant, which the filmmaker executive produces and occasionally directs, is stellar. It’s about a Philadelphia couple—a chef and a news anchor—who lose a child only to have it mysteriously come back to life (maybe) with the arrival of their new nanny. (You really just need to watch the show for any of this to make sense.) Moody, freaky, and occasionally even funny, it’ll suck you in. And now that it wrapped its fourth and final season, there’s plenty to enjoy.
The Essex Serpent
Claire Danes doing her best trembling-chin acting in period garb; Tom Hiddleston as a town vicar; rumors about a mysterious mythological serpent—is there anything not to love about this show? No, there’s not. The Essex Serpent, based on the novel by Sarah Perry, follows a recent widow (Danes) as she heads to the countryside in Essex to investigate a “sea dragon.” There, she meets a vicar, Will (Hiddleston), who is far more skeptical of the serpent’s existence. Lush and inviting, it’s the ideal period mystery.
Severance
Out of all the shows on this list, Severance may be the one that firmly established Apple TV+ as a streaming player with edgy prestige content. Adam Scott plays Mark, a man distraught by the death of his wife who opts to undergo Severance, a procedure that divides his memories of work from those of his life at home. He’s quite happy with the setup until a former Lumon Industries coworker tracks him down when he’s out-of-office, setting off a series of events that makes him question not only Severance but the work his company does. From there, it only gets more weird and bleak with each passing minute. Tense and heartbreaking, this show, the bulk of which was directed by Ben Stiller, will keep you guessing and questioning the whole way through.
Little America
Originally released when Donald Trump was still president of the United States, Little America was and remains a timely reminder of what actually makes America great. Each episode of this anthology series focuses on a different story of immigrants living in America. From an undocumented high school student who discovers a talent for squash to a “bra whisperer” in Brooklyn, every one of these 30-minute vignettes—all of them based on real people—is inspiring and important viewing.
Mythic Quest
An all-too-rare example of a video game TV show that really works, Mythic Quest is one of the best new workplace comedies of the past few years. Presented in perfectly bingeable half-hour episodes, the show follows a fictional game studio known for its World of Warcraft–like MMO, Mythic Quest, as the people who make it slalom through their many quirky relationships. The writing is excellent, consistently funny and emotionally impactful when you least expect it, and the show manages to confront real issues in the industry without sacrificing laughs.
Dickinson
Hailee Steinfeld is a riotous young Emily Dickinson in this half-hour show from creator Alena Smith. It was part of the original Apple TV+ lineup and quickly distinguished itself thanks to its off-kilter vision of 19th century Amherst, Massachusetts. The first season is a set of sharp, surreal vignettes, inspired by Dickinson’s work and tracing the imagined life of the young poet, who is rebelling against her father, the town’s societal rules, and just about everything else. The second and third seasons go deeper, examining not only the poet’s life, but also the roles that race, gender, sexuality, and class played in the early days of America. If you’re a Dickinson stan, love a bit of smart queer dramedy, or just have a penchant for a modern soundtrack in a Civil War–era show, you’ll dig this.
If you’ve been looking for a fun watch for the entire family to enjoy, look no further than Iwájú, streaming on Disney + now!
Source: Courtesy / Disney
Kugali filmmakers—director Olufikayo Ziki Adeola, production designer Hamid Ibrahim and cultural consultant Toluwalakin Olowofoyeku spoke with BOSSIP about their new Disney series Iwájú. The project tells the story of a privileged island girl Tola and her friend Kole as they face tremendous danger from an evil man and his formidable helpers. Powered by their unique friendship, the pair use technology to overcome all obstacles!
Source: Courtesy / Disney
The series is set in a futuristic Lagos, but the Kugali team used the real Nigerian city as their main source of inspiration.
“Lagos is a huge city, one of the biggest cities in in in the world, so representing its entirety in a six episode miniseries is beyond the scope of that particular project,” Olufikayo Ziki Adeola told BOSSIP.
“Nevertheless, we wanted the show to at least give people a snapshot into the feel of Lagos, so although we feature a finite number of areas, the breadth of the areas that we feature give a representation as to the to the larger Lagos in many ways.”
Source: Courtesy / Disney
“Lagos is divided into the island — where the wealthy live, and the mainland — where the working class and those less fortunate live, and the physical locations that we go to in the story in both places give you a very clear sense,” Adeola continued. “So even though we feature one specific area of the island, if you go to almost anywhere in the island, having watched the show, you won’t feel like a fish out of water. Similarly in the mainland I think a lot of the mainland is centered in a specific place but if you go to other parts of the mainland, they’re also quite similar. So the key thing here is giving people a feel for Lagos and building something that is authentic.”
Source: Courtesy / Disney
Viewers are sure to love the advanced technology featured in Iwájú, including flying cars, robot pets and more.
“The first thing I looked at was ‘Where is Lagos, Nigeria right now?’ What would that future look like?” Hamid Ibrahim told BOSSIP. “I tried to avoid outside influences as much as I can… but we try to make it make sense for the Lagos we’re building and with Lagos everything was almost a consequence of the other thing. With the cars, in Lagos everybody I drives in a really crazy way, the traffic is insane — so the way the cars are built they have spherical wheels because you can move in every direction — right, left, back, front, very easily and that allows you to dodge around that craziness of traffic and then the wheels open up so you can fly. Of course they have flying cars! I don’t know why, maybe it just looks cool, but the specific reason was if you’re in Lagos traffic and you have enough money to fly over the traffic, you are going to fly over the traffic! So you have the flying cars to fly over the traffic. In Lagos, on the streets, a lot of vendors come to sell you stuff at your [car] window. In this world, you’re up in the air if you’re the most wealthy person. The venors want to reach the most wealthy people and make more money so they create drones that can fly up there to sell this stuff, so everything was built to serve real life Lagos where it is right now and kind of extend the vision of that 100 years from now and kind of build the possibility of it.”
Source: Courtesy / Disney
The Lagos of Iwájú is one where class issues continue to persist and our beloved Tola is too young to fully understand the dangers ahead. Her best friend Kole has a better idea of the realities of the world and they end up being put to the ultimate test of their relationship.
“The relationship between these two characters very was very deliberate because I wanted to give viewers the ability to experience a breadth of perspectives,” Adeola told BOSSIP. “With Tola you have a young girl who lives an affluent and privileged life and in Kole you have a young man who has had to deal with a significant amount of struggle in his life. When I reflect on my own childhood, I definitely was more in the Tola camp in terms of the conditions in which I grew up, and I often never could really fully understand the circumstances of people like Kole because there is such a huge division between these two worlds, even though you have people from the the mainland or from poorer communities coming to the wealthier communities to to work and and do a variety of of of tasks, it almost felt like we were of two separate worlds and I think part of what the story tries to achieve is how do we potentially bridge this gap.”
Nearly 30 years after Billy Madison, an early Adam Sandler vehicle that bravely explored the complicated relationship between man and gargantuan penguin, the comedian-turned-actor once again finds himself facing a colossal creature that just won’t leave him alone. Sure, Spaceman swaps the man-child sent back to K-12 schooling for a lonely astronaut journeying into deep space, subs the enormous flightless bird for a gigantic alien spider, and reduces the number of bits to near-zero, but the fact remains: Even accounting for his recent run of serious roles, the Sandman can still find ways to surprise us with a performance.
It’s been six months since the Czech Republic’s first independent astronaut Jakub Prochazka (Sandler) was launched into the outer reaches of our solar system. Ever-advancing toward an ominous purple mass of intergalactic dust known as the Chopra Cloud in a ship that appears to have seen better days, Jakub’s mission is relatively simple: collect a sample from the Chopra and bring it back to Earth. The hard part is actually getting there — especially when all the baggage left behind on his home planet is pulling at him like an increasingly taut bungee cord.
Jakub is in frequent communication with his terrestrial technician Peter (Kunal Nayyar), but the person he really wants to talk to is his pregnant wife Lenka (Carey Mulligan). It’s been a while since he’s heard from her, and it’s been even longer since he’s gotten anything encouraging about the status of their crumbling marriage. Combined with trouble sleeping, intense loneliness and those degrading (yet contractually obligated) sponsorship plugs he has to dispatch back to the boss, Commissioner Tuma (Isabella Rossellini), it’s possible he may reach his breaking point before he makes it to his destination.
Truth be told, his brain might already be broken. (And not in the way you’d expect from the lead of your typical Happy Madison production, either.) See, Jakob isn’t as solitary as he thought he was. Accompanying him on board is Hanuš (Paul Dano), a horrifyingly huge anthropomorphic spider with an even bigger sense of curiosity and an even larger heart. Together, this unlikely pair is going to sort through everything on Jakob’s mind: The problems with Lenka, the suppressed childhood trauma, and, if there’s time, maybe even unpack the very origins of life itself.
Even broadly speaking, Spaceman is unlike anything Sandler has done in his 35 years of film. The reason for that is twofold: a straight-laced script from debut screenwriter Colby Day and low-energy direction from Chernobyl Emmy-winner Johan Renck. Combined, Sandler ends up seeming a little out of his element. It’s not the sort of tailor-made screenplay he’s accustomed to, and as a result, I found it a little hard to acclimate to the film at first.
Alas, it also does Spaceman no favors to constantly evoke other (unfortunately, better) science fiction movies from the genre’s Jupiter-sized canon. Its restrained, melancholic feel is very Solaris — Andrei Tarkovsky’s 1972 version or Steven Soderbergh’s 2002 version, take your pick. Its “man vs. disarmingly calm foil with a threatening aura” setup is textbook 2001: A Space Odyssey. Even the Sad Space Husband thing is straight out of Damien Chazelle’s First Man. Looking beyond sci-fi, certain moments between Jakob and Hanuš recall similar dynamics between Tom Hanks and his volleyball buddy Wilson in Robert Zemeckis’s Cast Away (2000). Déjà vu, indeed.
As a recurrent Sandler apologist, it pains me to admit that I wasn’t immediately hooked by Spaceman (one solid gag early on involving an ad for nausea medicine aside). From initial critical darlings such as Punch-Drunk Love to the ongoing string of hits from The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) to Uncut Gems to Hustle, every one of the much-ballyhooed standup’s breakout hits was unquestionably built around him and his strengths. Spaceman doesn’t feel that way, however. Even with the opportunity to flex a new silly voice, the role lacks that signature Sandman essence it so desperately needs to rank alongside his best work.
Though I see this as a weakness, it may bode well for those who might not be so quick to roll out (or, in this case, being a Netflix Original, log on) for the latest Sandler project. And, to his credit, Sandler doesn’t do a bad job as Jakob — not by any means. It’s just that he dissolves into the character more so than he has in just about anything else in recent memory. Personally, it’s a bummer to see such squandered potential to swing for the fences during this current Sandlerssance. I imagine any fellow Sandler defender will echo my sentiments.
With Sandler’s disappearing act at the center, Carey Mulligan as the neglected wife on the fringe, and Paul Dano keeping it continually interesting as… well, Paul Dano in arachnid form, you’ve got all the makings of a mellow, moody movie night geared toward the indie crowd. Why not make it a double feature with last year’s Maestro, where Mulligan can be seen similarly sidelined?
Sure, Spaceman can’t compare to the gonzo heights of some of Sandler’s triumphs, but maybe that’s the key. Perhaps Sandler’s intention in playing Jakob was to have an excuse to beef up the portfolio with something more reserved than anything we’ve gotten from him before. If that’s the case, it’s a job well done: another previously unknown facet of this actor who, for my money, proves to be one of the most enigmatic and unpredictable A-listers of our time.
