Month: April 2024

Don Johnson is the latest addition to the cast of Ryan Murphy’s upcoming ABC drama series “Dr. Odyssey.” Per Deadline, Johnson will star opposite Joshua Jackson in Dr. Odyssey, set to debut this fall.

Variety reported that plot and character details for the show are being kept under wraps, but sources say the series is believed to be a medical procedural, possibly set on a cruise ship. It is slated to premiere during the 2024-2025 broadcast season, and will be the first new broadcast show from Murphy’s eponymous production company since ‘911: Lone Star’ premiered on Fox in early 2020. Disney’s 20th Television is producing with Ryan Murphy Television.

Dr. Odyssey marks Jackson’s first network series since Fox’s Fringe ended in 2013. The ‘Dawson’s Creek’ alum also recently starred in Paramount+’s Fatal Attraction and in the first season of Peacock’s anthology Dr. Death, and will be part of Sony Pictures’ next ‘Karate Kid’ film.

Johnson rose to fame in his role as Sonny Crockett on the classic 1980s NBC series Miami Vice, and as the title character in the CBS series Nash Bridges (1996). His recent credits include the Emmy-winning HBO limited series Watchmen, Rian Johnson’s ‘Knives Out’ and the Book Club feature franchise.

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Nicole Kidman will return for the second season of Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers. The sophomore run of the drama will again revolve around the wellness resort headed up by Kidman’s character, Masha, and will feature a new cast of series regulars led by Henry Golding, Mark Strong and Lena Olin.

Golding (‘Crazy Rich Asians’) will play the character Peter, with Strong (‘Kingsman: The Golden Circle’) to portray David, and Olin (Alias) to appear in the role of Helena. Other character details have not been revealed.

Golding, Strong and Olin join a cast that includes the previously announced Murray Bartlett, Annie Murphy, Dolly De Leon, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, King Princess, Aras Aydin, Lucas Englander and Christine Baranski, all of whom have recurring roles.

Nine Perfect Strangers is based on Liane Moriarty’s novel of the same name. The drama launched in August 2021 with an all-star cast that included Kidman, Melissa McCarthy, Bobby Cannavale, Michael Shannon and Manny Jacinto.

Nine Perfect Strangers is executive produced by David E. Kelley (‘Big Little Lies’), who also serves as showrunner. The series premiered in 2021.

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The New York State Court of Appeals has overturned Harvey Weinstein‘s rape conviction from 2020, making the 4-3 decision on Thursday, April 25 on the basis that the judge on the trial prejudiced Weinstein with “egregious” improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.

According to the Associated Press, the decision also stated: “We conclude that the trial court erroneously admitted testimony of uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts against persons other than the complainants of the underlying crimes. The remedy for these egregious errors is a new trial,” and also noted that testimony “served no material non-propensity purpose” and “portrayed defendant in a highly prejudicial light.”  The court claimed that there was “an abuse of judicial discretion to permit untested allegations of nothing more than bad behavior that destroys a defendant’s character but sheds no light on their credibility as related to the criminal charges lodged against them.”

Weinstein was charged after being accused of forcibly performing oral sex on a woman in 2006 and raping another women in 2013; he was found guilty in February 2020 of criminal sexual act in the first degree and rape in the third degree in a New York City courtroom, and was subsequently sentenced to 23 years in prison.

PEOPLE reports that it is unclear at this time if Weinstein, 72, will face another trial in connection with these charges. The former Hollywood mogul will be transferred to the custody of prison authorities in California and will remain imprisoned, stemming from his Los Angeles conviction in 2022 on other rape charges, where he was sentenced to 16 years in prison. (Weinstein was acquitted in Los Angeles on charges involving one of the women who testified in New York.).

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Amazon Prime Video announced that NFL star Travis Kelce, tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, will host the new game show ‘Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?,’ a spinoff of the series ‘Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?’ Amazon Prime Video posted on their socials:  “the man with the answers. Travis Kelce will host ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A CELEBRITY? Coming soon to Prime Video.”  Twenty episodes of the new game show have been ordered, though no launch date has been set.

Each game will feature an adult contestant who will call on a classroom full of celebrities to help them answer 11 questions on a range of subjects, pulled from elementary school curriculum, in pursuit of a $100,000 prize. An official synopsis reads: “they are not competing against the stars… they’re enlisting their help and, in some cases, can even ‘cheat’ off of them. And on the final question, worth $100,000, the contestant selects one celebrity to discuss the answer with before locking in. The final question is always at the 6th grade level.”

Lauren Anderson, head of AVOD originals unscripted and targeted programming at Amazon MGM Studios, said in a press release: “For years, fans around the world have tested their smarts with this fun, nostalgic game show, and we look forward to bring this reimagined format to Prime Video. Travis has proven to be an incredible talent on and off the field, and we appreciate the trust he has placed in us with his first foray into television. His natural, comedic dynamic with our panelists and guests, coupled with some exciting new twists, will keep our global customers coming back week after week.”

Kelce says in a statement via Entertainment Weekly: “I grew up loving game shows, and I’m excited to be following in the footsteps of so many TV icons by hosting my very first one with ‘Are you Smarter than a Celebrity?’ The original show is a great success, so to be bringing a new format with everyone’s favorite celebrities to the screen, will definitely be entertaining. I’m just happy to be on the hosting side of the equation here and excited to see how these famous faces keep up.”

Kelce is an eight-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro; his new hosting gig comes months after winning Super Bowl LVIII with the Chiefs in February (his third Super Bowl win) He is also famously dating superstar Taylor Swift, and hosts a podcast called ‘New Heights’ with his brother, former NFL offensive lineman Jason Kelce.

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Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is featured in the music video for good buddy Chris Janson’s latest single “Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get”.  Janson shares: We had a great time making this video. Tons of genuine real fun. From Tennessee to Texas, we made it happen. Can’t thank DJ enough for starring in it and for being a great friend to me.” 

Per Billboard, the video isn a ‘fun escapade as the two ride around a field and lounge in the back of a 1970 brown Ford Explorer in the clip, laughing and enjoying each other’s company.’

Johnson and Janson met in 2022 in California, when Janson was with his son. They spotted Johnson in a parking lot while they were both waiting for their cars, and Janson says: “If it weren’t for my kid going, ‘Oh my gosh, The Rock is right in front of us! Daddy, please ask for a picture,’ this would have never maybe happened. I’m a pretty shy guy. I’ve never once, I’m proud to say, asked for a photo, because I understand the extent of what it constitutes when you are in the public eye. But God works in mysterious ways.”

Johnson adds: “’we bonded so quickly in a parking lot waiting for our cars to pull around – talking about ‘The Blues Man,’ talking about the Opry…what really moved me was Chris’ humility, his love for not only country music, which I love as well but his desire to work hard and take care of his family. He does it with such a grace and style – again, his humility, gratitude and always bringing some fun to the mix made us fast friends and I’m happy to be a part of his video.”

Check out the video for ‘Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get’ – here.

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Apple TV+ has renewed the mystery-thriller series The Last Thing He Told Me for a second season. Jennifer Garner stars in the series as Hannah Hall, a woman who must forge a relationship with her 16-year-old stepdaughter Bailey (Angourie Rice) in order to find the truth about why her husband has mysteriously disappeared.

Season 1 of The Last Thing He Told Me was based on Laura Dave’s best-selling novel; while season two will be based on the author’s newly announced sequel to her book of the same name. The latter is set to be published in 2025, ahead of the show’s Season 2 premiere.  Garner, Rice, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and David Morse will return in the new season.

Garner said in a statement: “Like so many people, I fell for Hannah on page one of Laura Dave’s gripping novel. The move to actor and producer from reader and super fan was delicious — and made even sweeter by collaborating with Laura, Josh, Reese and everyone at Hello Sunshine, as well as the amazing teams at Apple and 20th. Being part of this group, not to mention part of such a stellar cast, was a career highlight for me. I’m thrilled to get to tell more of Hannah’s story — I couldn’t have said yes more quickly to season two! These characters and their story mean so much to me, as I know they do to the many who have championed our show; we’re excited to give audiences even more with this next chapter.”

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