Taraji P. Henson has joined the cast of Peacock’s limited series Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist in the series regular role of Vivian Thomas, a savvy businesswoman and Chicken Man’s (Kevin Hart) mistress.
The series reunites Henson with Hart who have collaborated on multiple projects including the films Think Like a Man and Not Easily Broken. Additionally, Fight Night also brings Henson back together with Terrence Howard and Craig Brewer, with whom she collaborated on Hustle & Flow and Empire, among other projects.
Set in Atlanta, Fight Night tells the infamous story of how an armed robbery during the night of Muhammad Ali’s historic 1970 comeback fight changed not only one man’s life but an entire city’s destiny.
As Deadline exclusively revealed on Wednesday morning, Dexter Darden will star as the legendary boxer in the limited series. In addition to Henson,...
The series reunites Henson with Hart who have collaborated on multiple projects including the films Think Like a Man and Not Easily Broken. Additionally, Fight Night also brings Henson back together with Terrence Howard and Craig Brewer, with whom she collaborated on Hustle & Flow and Empire, among other projects.
Set in Atlanta, Fight Night tells the infamous story of how an armed robbery during the night of Muhammad Ali’s historic 1970 comeback fight changed not only one man’s life but an entire city’s destiny.
As Deadline exclusively revealed on Wednesday morning, Dexter Darden will star as the legendary boxer in the limited series. In addition to Henson,...
- 1/31/2024
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
Did you know that the “P” in Taraji P. Henson stands for Prolific? Just kidding. It actually stands for Penda, which in Swahili means “hope/love.”
But prolific might actually be too small a word to contain the wealth of Henson’s ambitious, wide-ranging career: Oscar-nominated blockbusters, must-see TV, a primetime musical (NBC’s “Annie Live!”) and movies known for their eminent re-watchability.
Now, as the tantalizing, tender-hearted Southern belle Shug Avery in Blitz Bazawule’s musical adaptation of “The Color Purple,” Henson is capping a banner year in which she could have become an Egot recipient with her 2023 work alone: her Emmy-nominated performance as Quinta Brunson’s cash-strapped mom on “Abbott Elementary”; being a principal on the “Purple” soundtrack; and making her first foray as a Broadway producer with the critically acclaimed “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding.” B
ut when it was suggested that she’s versatile enough to...
But prolific might actually be too small a word to contain the wealth of Henson’s ambitious, wide-ranging career: Oscar-nominated blockbusters, must-see TV, a primetime musical (NBC’s “Annie Live!”) and movies known for their eminent re-watchability.
Now, as the tantalizing, tender-hearted Southern belle Shug Avery in Blitz Bazawule’s musical adaptation of “The Color Purple,” Henson is capping a banner year in which she could have become an Egot recipient with her 2023 work alone: her Emmy-nominated performance as Quinta Brunson’s cash-strapped mom on “Abbott Elementary”; being a principal on the “Purple” soundtrack; and making her first foray as a Broadway producer with the critically acclaimed “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding.” B
ut when it was suggested that she’s versatile enough to...
- 1/9/2024
- by Jason Clark
- The Wrap
The hit London revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard is heading to Broadway later this year and bringing star Nicole Scherzinger and the rest of the West End principal cast with it.
As Deadline’s Baz Bamigboye revealed before Christmas, Scherzinger will make her Broadway debut reprising her acclaimed performance as Norma Desmond.
Although production dates and venue are still to be announced, producers said today that the musical will star Scherzinger along with her West End castmates Tom Francis (as Joe Gillis), Grace Hodgett-Young (Betty Schaefer) and David Thaxton (Max Von Mayerling).
In addition to preview and opening night dates, additional casting will be announced shortly. A fall 2024 opening has been widely speculated.
Directed by Jamie Lloyd (A Doll’s House) and produced by his Jamie Lloyd Company, Sunset Boulevard began performances in London last September, receiving critical acclaim for its streamlined reimagining and what The New York...
As Deadline’s Baz Bamigboye revealed before Christmas, Scherzinger will make her Broadway debut reprising her acclaimed performance as Norma Desmond.
Although production dates and venue are still to be announced, producers said today that the musical will star Scherzinger along with her West End castmates Tom Francis (as Joe Gillis), Grace Hodgett-Young (Betty Schaefer) and David Thaxton (Max Von Mayerling).
In addition to preview and opening night dates, additional casting will be announced shortly. A fall 2024 opening has been widely speculated.
Directed by Jamie Lloyd (A Doll’s House) and produced by his Jamie Lloyd Company, Sunset Boulevard began performances in London last September, receiving critical acclaim for its streamlined reimagining and what The New York...
- 1/4/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Alice Walker started the phenomenon with her Pulitzer-winning 1982 book, and three years later Steven Spielberg turned it into a movie that got 11 Oscar nominations. In 2005, it took on new life as a Broadway musical, and in 2015 that musical got a Tony- and Grammy-winning revival.
Along the way it made big film and stage stars out of Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey, Cynthia Erivo, Danielle Brooks and Fantasia Barrino, the latter now making her feature starring debut as Celie in the new film version of the musical she led 18 years ago on Broadway. The Color Purple is indestructible, and that is also a good word to describe director Blitz Bazawule’s and screenwriter Marcus Gardley’s take that breathes exciting life into the story for new and older generations but also, to quote an original song from this film, really finds a way to “Keep It Movin’.”
Musicals have gone through a tough time recently.
Along the way it made big film and stage stars out of Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey, Cynthia Erivo, Danielle Brooks and Fantasia Barrino, the latter now making her feature starring debut as Celie in the new film version of the musical she led 18 years ago on Broadway. The Color Purple is indestructible, and that is also a good word to describe director Blitz Bazawule’s and screenwriter Marcus Gardley’s take that breathes exciting life into the story for new and older generations but also, to quote an original song from this film, really finds a way to “Keep It Movin’.”
Musicals have gone through a tough time recently.
- 12/19/2023
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Nicole Scherzinger has signed with Ymu Group for global 360 management, as the Pussycat Dolls singer and TV star begins her West End run in Sunset Boulevard.
The Masked Singer panelist and Olivier-nominated singer will work with multi-disciplinary Ymu team across music, live, literary, social media and brand partnerships – to develop her brand. She was previously with Lateral Management.
Scherzinger has sold more than 60 million records, both solo and as lead singer of The Pussycat Dolls, won rave reviews for her role in the 2014 theater revival of Cats and acted in 2016 Disney animated film Moana. She’s been a judge on Fox’s The X Factor, was a cast member on NBC’s Annie Live! in 2021 and won Dancing with the Stars back in 2010.
She is now starring as Norma Desmond in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre in London.
“Nicole is an extraordinary talent...
The Masked Singer panelist and Olivier-nominated singer will work with multi-disciplinary Ymu team across music, live, literary, social media and brand partnerships – to develop her brand. She was previously with Lateral Management.
Scherzinger has sold more than 60 million records, both solo and as lead singer of The Pussycat Dolls, won rave reviews for her role in the 2014 theater revival of Cats and acted in 2016 Disney animated film Moana. She’s been a judge on Fox’s The X Factor, was a cast member on NBC’s Annie Live! in 2021 and won Dancing with the Stars back in 2010.
She is now starring as Norma Desmond in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre in London.
“Nicole is an extraordinary talent...
- 10/12/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Los Angeles, April 2 (Ians) Actress Taraji P. Henson has joined ‘Abbott Elementary’ and will be seen in a major guest role.
The ‘Empire’ star Taraji P. Henson, who will play Vanetta on the hit comedy series, reports Variety.
The casting of Henson was revealed Saturday at the Paley Center for Media’s annual PaleyFest LA event, where an ‘Abbott Elementary’ panel featured stars Sheryl Lee Ralph, Lisa Ann Walter, Tyler James Wiliams and William Stanford Davis in person, as well as Janelle James and Chris Perfetti via Zoom from New York.
Pre-taping a message was star and executive producer Quinta Brunson, who wasn’t able to attend – as she’s hosting tonight’s installment of Saturday Night Live.
In the ‘Abbott Elementary’ episode ‘Mom’, Janine (played by Brunson) is planning a Memorial Day weekend solo trip. But that’s derailed when her mother Vanetta, played by Henson, shows up unannounced and asks for help.
The ‘Empire’ star Taraji P. Henson, who will play Vanetta on the hit comedy series, reports Variety.
The casting of Henson was revealed Saturday at the Paley Center for Media’s annual PaleyFest LA event, where an ‘Abbott Elementary’ panel featured stars Sheryl Lee Ralph, Lisa Ann Walter, Tyler James Wiliams and William Stanford Davis in person, as well as Janelle James and Chris Perfetti via Zoom from New York.
Pre-taping a message was star and executive producer Quinta Brunson, who wasn’t able to attend – as she’s hosting tonight’s installment of Saturday Night Live.
In the ‘Abbott Elementary’ episode ‘Mom’, Janine (played by Brunson) is planning a Memorial Day weekend solo trip. But that’s derailed when her mother Vanetta, played by Henson, shows up unannounced and asks for help.
- 4/2/2023
- by News Bureau
- GlamSham
“Abbott Elementary” will finally reveal Janine’s mother on the ABC comedy’s April 12 episode, and even though it’s April Fool’s Day, we’re not (Cookie) Lyon: It’s “Empire” star Taraji P. Henson, who will play Vanetta on the hit comedy series.
The casting of Henson was revealed Saturday at the Paley Center for Media’s annual PaleyFest LA event, where an “Abbott Elementary” panel featured stars Sheryl Lee Ralph, Lisa Ann Walter, Tyler James Wiliams and William Stanford Davis in person, as well as Janelle James and Chris Perfetti via Zoom from New York. Pre-taping a message was star and executive producer Quinta Brunson, who wasn’t able to attend — as she’s hosting tonight’s installment of “Saturday Night Live.”
In the “Abbott Elementary” episode “Mom,” Janine (played by Brunson) is planning a Memorial Day weekend solo trip. But that’s derailed when her mother Vanetta,...
The casting of Henson was revealed Saturday at the Paley Center for Media’s annual PaleyFest LA event, where an “Abbott Elementary” panel featured stars Sheryl Lee Ralph, Lisa Ann Walter, Tyler James Wiliams and William Stanford Davis in person, as well as Janelle James and Chris Perfetti via Zoom from New York. Pre-taping a message was star and executive producer Quinta Brunson, who wasn’t able to attend — as she’s hosting tonight’s installment of “Saturday Night Live.”
In the “Abbott Elementary” episode “Mom,” Janine (played by Brunson) is planning a Memorial Day weekend solo trip. But that’s derailed when her mother Vanetta,...
- 4/1/2023
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: In a competitive situation, Peacock has landed for development, The Show Must Go On, an hourlong murder mystery anthology, which would mark the first time Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera musical is used as part of a TV series. The high-profile project comes from the Zoey’s Extraordinary Playbook creator Austin Winsberg, former top TV executive and award-winning producer Robert Greenblatt, Egot Lloyd Webber, as well as Zoey’s producer The Tannenbaum Company, pilot director Richard Shepard and studio Lionsgate Television.
Written by Winsberg, The Show Must Go On is a darkly comedic murder mystery anthology series. Each season would take place in the days leading up to a big, live, televised event and would tackle a new murder with a refreshed cast.
Season 1 is set behind the scenes during the making of a fictitious version of Lloyd Webber’s worldwide mega-hit: The Phantom of The Opera Live!
Written by Winsberg, The Show Must Go On is a darkly comedic murder mystery anthology series. Each season would take place in the days leading up to a big, live, televised event and would tackle a new murder with a refreshed cast.
Season 1 is set behind the scenes during the making of a fictitious version of Lloyd Webber’s worldwide mega-hit: The Phantom of The Opera Live!
- 9/9/2022
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Creative talent behind programs such as NBC’s musical Annie Live!, Netflix’s video game-inspired animated series Arcane, and Tim Miller and David Fincher’s Love, Death + Robots anthology series are among this year’s juried Emmy winners. These honors were handed out during the Creative Arts Emmys on Sept. 3 and 4. An edited version of the presentations will air Sept. 10 on Fxx, followed by a Hulu release.
Recipients of Emmys in the juried categories include writer-director Alberto Mielgo, who is honored for the character design of his animated “Jibaro” episode of Love, Death + Robots, which follows a siren who attempts to lure a knight with her dancing.
“This is some sort of toxic relationship between two predators, the golden woman and hero. It’s very open to interpretation, which is something that I like,” says the multi-Emmy winner, who earlier this year won...
Creative talent behind programs such as NBC’s musical Annie Live!, Netflix’s video game-inspired animated series Arcane, and Tim Miller and David Fincher’s Love, Death + Robots anthology series are among this year’s juried Emmy winners. These honors were handed out during the Creative Arts Emmys on Sept. 3 and 4. An edited version of the presentations will air Sept. 10 on Fxx, followed by a Hulu release.
Recipients of Emmys in the juried categories include writer-director Alberto Mielgo, who is honored for the character design of his animated “Jibaro” episode of Love, Death + Robots, which follows a siren who attempts to lure a knight with her dancing.
“This is some sort of toxic relationship between two predators, the golden woman and hero. It’s very open to interpretation, which is something that I like,” says the multi-Emmy winner, who earlier this year won...
- 9/3/2022
- by Carolyn Giardina
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It’s not easy to break into the Emmy race for Best Animated Program for a show’s first season. Just ask the people behind “Family Guy,” “Archer” and “BoJack Horseman.” But this year, Netflix’s “Arcane” was able to do it and could very well win the prize for its first year of eligibility, becoming the first one to do so since “Over the Garden Wall” in 2015. In order to claim victory, the show will have to beat back three other programs with multiple wins in the category and another freshman series that’s based on the biggest property in cinema.
See 2022 Emmy nominations: Complete list of contenders for 74th Primetime Emmys
“Arcane” has submitted its sixth episode for Emmy eligibility, “When These Walls Come Tumbling Down.” Viktor is trying to come to terms with his terminal diagnosis and shows Jayce the potential that the hex core has to heal people.
See 2022 Emmy nominations: Complete list of contenders for 74th Primetime Emmys
“Arcane” has submitted its sixth episode for Emmy eligibility, “When These Walls Come Tumbling Down.” Viktor is trying to come to terms with his terminal diagnosis and shows Jayce the potential that the hex core has to heal people.
- 9/1/2022
- by Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
Click here to read the full article.
The 2022 Emmy Awards has revealed winners in a number of juried categories, including animation, costume, hairstyling, makeup and motion design.
Netflix’s Arcane scored three wins in the animation category, while NBC musical Annie Live! won for outstanding hairstyling for a variety, nonfiction or reality program. Apple TV+’s Home After Dark won the award for outstanding motion design.
The juried awards will be presented at the 2022 Creative Arts Emmy Awards that are taking place this year on Sept. 3 and Sept. 4 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California.
The entrants for the categories are screened by a panel of respective peers in the categories. One, more than one or none could be awarded an Emmy, and for this reason, winners are picked by a one-step evaluation and voting procedure, followed by a thorough review of the project.
See below for the juried...
The 2022 Emmy Awards has revealed winners in a number of juried categories, including animation, costume, hairstyling, makeup and motion design.
Netflix’s Arcane scored three wins in the animation category, while NBC musical Annie Live! won for outstanding hairstyling for a variety, nonfiction or reality program. Apple TV+’s Home After Dark won the award for outstanding motion design.
The juried awards will be presented at the 2022 Creative Arts Emmy Awards that are taking place this year on Sept. 3 and Sept. 4 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California.
The entrants for the categories are screened by a panel of respective peers in the categories. One, more than one or none could be awarded an Emmy, and for this reason, winners are picked by a one-step evaluation and voting procedure, followed by a thorough review of the project.
See below for the juried...
- 8/11/2022
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
And the Emmys go to … the animated show “Arcane,” the costumes and makeup for “We’re Here,” the hairstyling for “Annie Live!” and a number of other achievements that were announced on Thursday by the Television Academy.
The winners were announced in the Emmy’s juried categories, in which panels can choose multiple winners or opt not to give out awards at all. They came in the animation, costume, hairstyling, makeup and motion design categories.
The awards will be presented at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, which will take place in a pair of ceremonies on Sept. 3 and 4 at the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles.
The winners:
Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation
“Arcane” • The Boy Savior • Netflix • A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix
Anne-Laure To, Color Script Artist
“Arcane” • Happy Progress Day! • Netflix • A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix
Julien Georgel, Art Direction
“Arcane” • When These...
The winners were announced in the Emmy’s juried categories, in which panels can choose multiple winners or opt not to give out awards at all. They came in the animation, costume, hairstyling, makeup and motion design categories.
The awards will be presented at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, which will take place in a pair of ceremonies on Sept. 3 and 4 at the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles.
The winners:
Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation
“Arcane” • The Boy Savior • Netflix • A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix
Anne-Laure To, Color Script Artist
“Arcane” • Happy Progress Day! • Netflix • A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix
Julien Georgel, Art Direction
“Arcane” • When These...
- 8/11/2022
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
If he wins for “Annie Live!,” choreographer Sergio Trujillo will add an Emmy to his Tony Award. Trujillo wanted to make the classic musical accessible to a younger generation. With brand new dance arrangements and adding his own stamp on the moves, he worked with the cast and ensemble for five weeks, and although he approached it as if prepping for a Broadway show, he says, “I didn’t choreograph this piece to the stage. I choreographed it with the camera [in mind] and that was magical.”
Twelve-time Emmy nominee and three-time Emmy winner Derek Hough goes up against “Dancing With the Stars” in the choreography category; he’s nominated alongside fellow choreographer Tessandra Chavez for “Step Into … the Movies With Derek and Julianne Hough.”
Hough who is now tied with the legendary Debbie Allen for most nominations for choreography had 10 days to prep for the musical numbers paying homage to “La La Land,...
Twelve-time Emmy nominee and three-time Emmy winner Derek Hough goes up against “Dancing With the Stars” in the choreography category; he’s nominated alongside fellow choreographer Tessandra Chavez for “Step Into … the Movies With Derek and Julianne Hough.”
Hough who is now tied with the legendary Debbie Allen for most nominations for choreography had 10 days to prep for the musical numbers paying homage to “La La Land,...
- 8/5/2022
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Taraji P. Henson (Empire) will lend her voice to Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie—Spin Master Entertainment, Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies’ sequel to 2021’s Paw Patrol: The Movie, which opened in the number one spot in more than 25 countries and grossed over 150M worldwide.
Paw Patrol: The Movie stemmed from Spin Master’s series Paw Patrol, which debuted on Nickelodeon in the U.S. in 2013. The children’s TV show centers on the young boy Ryder and his crew of search and rescue dogs known as Paw Patrol, watching as they go on missions to protect their community of Adventure Bay and nearby areas. Last year’s Paw Patrol film saw Ryder (Will Brisbin) and the pups be called to Adventure City to stop Mayor Humdinger (Ron Pardo) from turning the bustling metropolis into a state of chaos. With a simultaneous day-and-date release on Paramount+ in the U.S.
Paw Patrol: The Movie stemmed from Spin Master’s series Paw Patrol, which debuted on Nickelodeon in the U.S. in 2013. The children’s TV show centers on the young boy Ryder and his crew of search and rescue dogs known as Paw Patrol, watching as they go on missions to protect their community of Adventure Bay and nearby areas. Last year’s Paw Patrol film saw Ryder (Will Brisbin) and the pups be called to Adventure City to stop Mayor Humdinger (Ron Pardo) from turning the bustling metropolis into a state of chaos. With a simultaneous day-and-date release on Paramount+ in the U.S.
- 5/24/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Harry Connick Jr. (Dolphin Tale) and Mira Sorvino (Shining Vale) are set to star in the romantic comedy The Islander, from Cyprus-based filmmaker Stelana Kliris, which has also cast newcomer Ali Fumiko Whitney (The Road Dance).
The film shooting next month in Cyprus follows a has-been musician (Connick Jr.) as he moves, sight unseen, to a remote cliffside house on an island, only to discover his new home has an unfortunate notoriety. Through a series of charming mishaps, it turns out maybe love can be found right where he left it.
Kliris will direct from her own screenplay, and produce alongside Keith Arnold and Steven Shapiro. The project is from Uinta Productions (Tommy’s Honour) and Kliris’s Cyprus-based Meraki Films, in association with Das Films (The November Man), with support from the Cyprus Ministry of Education and Culture, and the Cyprus Film Commission’s incentives scheme. Pic will...
The film shooting next month in Cyprus follows a has-been musician (Connick Jr.) as he moves, sight unseen, to a remote cliffside house on an island, only to discover his new home has an unfortunate notoriety. Through a series of charming mishaps, it turns out maybe love can be found right where he left it.
Kliris will direct from her own screenplay, and produce alongside Keith Arnold and Steven Shapiro. The project is from Uinta Productions (Tommy’s Honour) and Kliris’s Cyprus-based Meraki Films, in association with Das Films (The November Man), with support from the Cyprus Ministry of Education and Culture, and the Cyprus Film Commission’s incentives scheme. Pic will...
- 4/28/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The 2022 NAACP Image Awards were presented on BET tonight, with Jennifer Hudson emerging as a top winner, taking home both the coveted Entertainer of the Year and Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture awards. Will Smith also emerged as Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture, with “The Harder They Fall” winning Outstanding Motion Picture. Many more winners were announced this week during the non-televised NAACP Image Awards.
Take a look at the full winners list below.
Entertainer of the year
Jennifer Hudson
Lil Nas X
Megan Thee Stallion
Regina King
Tiffany Haddish
Outstanding motion picture
“The Harder They Fall”
“Judas and the Black Messiah”
“King Richard”
“Respect”
“The United States vs. Billie Holiday”
Outstanding actor in a motion picture
Will Smith, “King Richard”
Denzel Washington, “The Tragedy of Macbeth”
Jonathan Majors, “The Harder They Fall”
Lakeith Stanfield, “Judas and the Black Messiah”
Mahershala Ali, “Swan Song”
Outstanding actress in a motion picture
Jennifer Hudson,...
Take a look at the full winners list below.
Entertainer of the year
Jennifer Hudson
Lil Nas X
Megan Thee Stallion
Regina King
Tiffany Haddish
Outstanding motion picture
“The Harder They Fall”
“Judas and the Black Messiah”
“King Richard”
“Respect”
“The United States vs. Billie Holiday”
Outstanding actor in a motion picture
Will Smith, “King Richard”
Denzel Washington, “The Tragedy of Macbeth”
Jonathan Majors, “The Harder They Fall”
Lakeith Stanfield, “Judas and the Black Messiah”
Mahershala Ali, “Swan Song”
Outstanding actress in a motion picture
Jennifer Hudson,...
- 2/27/2022
- by William Earl
- Variety Film + TV
Taraji P. Henson has signed on to star alongside H.E.R. and Corey Hawkins in Blitz Bazawule’s (Black Is King) adaptation of The Color Purple for Warner Bros., Deadline has confirmed.
The upcoming film is based on the Tony-winning musical from Marsha Norman, Brenda Lee, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray, which was based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning epistolary novel by Alice Walker. It comes on the heels of a classic 1985 film adaptation from director Steven Spielberg and centers on Celie, a Black Southern woman who struggles to find her identity after suffering abuse from her father and others over the course of four decades.
Henson will play Shug Avery, a jazz and blues singer played in Spielberg’s adaptation by Margaret Avery, and by icons including Jennifer Hudson in various adaptations for the stage.
The Chi‘s Marcus Gardley handled the screenplay adaptation. Oprah Winfrey, who played Sofia in the 1985 film,...
The upcoming film is based on the Tony-winning musical from Marsha Norman, Brenda Lee, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray, which was based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning epistolary novel by Alice Walker. It comes on the heels of a classic 1985 film adaptation from director Steven Spielberg and centers on Celie, a Black Southern woman who struggles to find her identity after suffering abuse from her father and others over the course of four decades.
Henson will play Shug Avery, a jazz and blues singer played in Spielberg’s adaptation by Margaret Avery, and by icons including Jennifer Hudson in various adaptations for the stage.
The Chi‘s Marcus Gardley handled the screenplay adaptation. Oprah Winfrey, who played Sofia in the 1985 film,...
- 2/1/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Oscar- and Emmy-nominee Taraji P. Henson will star as Shug Avery in Blitz Bazawule’s “The Color Purple.”
The forthcoming Warner Bros. movie is an adaptation of the Tony-winning Broadway musical, which is itself an adaptation of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. The production is directed by Bazawule, best known for his work on Beyoncé’s “Black is King,” “The Burial of Kojo” and “Cherish the Day.”
Marcus Gardley (“The Chi”) wrote the screenplay, based on Alice Walker’s novel, the 1985 Warner Bros. Pictures film, and the stage musical.
In Steven Spielberg’s 1985 film version, Margaret Avery played Shug Avery — the jazz and blues singer introduced as Mister’s long-time mistress before becoming Celie’s confidant — while such talents as Jennifer Hudson, Michelle Williams, Heather Headley, Elisabeth Withers, Angela Robinson and Nicola Hughes took on the role in productions of the stage musical.
Oprah Winfrey, who made her feature...
The forthcoming Warner Bros. movie is an adaptation of the Tony-winning Broadway musical, which is itself an adaptation of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. The production is directed by Bazawule, best known for his work on Beyoncé’s “Black is King,” “The Burial of Kojo” and “Cherish the Day.”
Marcus Gardley (“The Chi”) wrote the screenplay, based on Alice Walker’s novel, the 1985 Warner Bros. Pictures film, and the stage musical.
In Steven Spielberg’s 1985 film version, Margaret Avery played Shug Avery — the jazz and blues singer introduced as Mister’s long-time mistress before becoming Celie’s confidant — while such talents as Jennifer Hudson, Michelle Williams, Heather Headley, Elisabeth Withers, Angela Robinson and Nicola Hughes took on the role in productions of the stage musical.
Oprah Winfrey, who made her feature...
- 2/1/2022
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
The Costume Designers Guild on Wednesday revealed nominees for its 24th annual CDG Awards, recognizing excellence in the craft across eight film, TV and short-form categories. The guild also said its winners will be announced at an in-person ceremony March 9 at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica.
Voters in the guild, IATSE Local 892 select nominees in three film categories: Period, Contemporary and Sci-Fi/Fantasy. Among the notable nominees this morning include costume designers from fashion-forward titles like MGM/Uar’s House of Gucci (Janty Yates), Disney’s Cruella (Jenny Beavan) and A24’s wild ride Zola (Derica Cole Washington). Other nominees included Black Panther Oscar winner Ruth E. Carter, this time for Amazon’s Coming 2 America.
Superhero titles were prominent on today’s noms list, with mentions for Marvel movies Spider-Man: No Way Home and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and DC’s The Suicide Squad.
Voters in the guild, IATSE Local 892 select nominees in three film categories: Period, Contemporary and Sci-Fi/Fantasy. Among the notable nominees this morning include costume designers from fashion-forward titles like MGM/Uar’s House of Gucci (Janty Yates), Disney’s Cruella (Jenny Beavan) and A24’s wild ride Zola (Derica Cole Washington). Other nominees included Black Panther Oscar winner Ruth E. Carter, this time for Amazon’s Coming 2 America.
Superhero titles were prominent on today’s noms list, with mentions for Marvel movies Spider-Man: No Way Home and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and DC’s The Suicide Squad.
- 1/26/2022
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Pussycat Dolls members Jessica Sutta and Carmit Bachar say that lead singer Nicole Scherzinger canceled the group’s reunion tour without telling them, according to a social media post from the pair, who claim the first they learned of the cancellation was in the singer’s Instagram Story.
“We want to say how incredibly disappointed we are to learn of an announcement made on Instagram that the Pussycat Dolls reunion tour is canceled,” Bachar and Sutta said in a joint statement posted to their Instagram accounts on Saturday. “As of now, there has been no official notification of that. Either way, it seems as though it’s the end of a chapter to an incredible, life-altering experience filled with some awesome memories that we will forever be grateful for.”
View this post on Instagram
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The Pussycat Dolls – Scherzinger, Bachar and Sutta along with Ashley Roberts,...
“We want to say how incredibly disappointed we are to learn of an announcement made on Instagram that the Pussycat Dolls reunion tour is canceled,” Bachar and Sutta said in a joint statement posted to their Instagram accounts on Saturday. “As of now, there has been no official notification of that. Either way, it seems as though it’s the end of a chapter to an incredible, life-altering experience filled with some awesome memories that we will forever be grateful for.”
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The Pussycat Dolls – Scherzinger, Bachar and Sutta along with Ashley Roberts,...
- 1/10/2022
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
ABC scored the highest primetime demo rating and viewership for the second Monday in a row with coverage of the Minnesota Vikings-Chicago Bears game.
Earning a 1.4 rating in the 18-49 demo and 7.54 million viewers, per fast affiliates, ABC’s Mnf coverage shined bright against other networks’ primetime slates – which boasted reruns and holiday content. ABC’s latest Monday was down from its previous football coverage but rose in viewers. The Monday showdown concluded with the Vikings dominating the Bears 17-9.
NBC featured a rerun of its Annie Live! production while CBS opted for a repeat of One Last Time: An Evening with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga. Fox’s evening consisted solely of The Secrets of Christmas: Revealed
Having a more eventful evening on Monday was the CW, which saw the Season 5 premiere of Dynasty. The CW drama was up from both its Season 4 premiere in...
Earning a 1.4 rating in the 18-49 demo and 7.54 million viewers, per fast affiliates, ABC’s Mnf coverage shined bright against other networks’ primetime slates – which boasted reruns and holiday content. ABC’s latest Monday was down from its previous football coverage but rose in viewers. The Monday showdown concluded with the Vikings dominating the Bears 17-9.
NBC featured a rerun of its Annie Live! production while CBS opted for a repeat of One Last Time: An Evening with Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga. Fox’s evening consisted solely of The Secrets of Christmas: Revealed
Having a more eventful evening on Monday was the CW, which saw the Season 5 premiere of Dynasty. The CW drama was up from both its Season 4 premiere in...
- 12/21/2021
- by Alexandra Del Rosario
- Deadline Film + TV
Thursday primetime unsurprisingly belonged to Fox’s coverage of the NFL game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings as the sports event drew in the night’s biggest audience and highest demo rating.
The Minnesota Vikings pulled through with success, beating the Steelers 36-28. The game brought in a 2.3 rating in the 18-49 demo and 9.51 million viewers, per fast affiliates. While the latest NFL event meant yet another Thursday win for Fox, the game fell sharply from last week’s Cowboys-Saints showdown, which was up against NBC’s Annie Live! production.
In the non-sports side of Thursday primetime, Young Sheldon earned the evening’s second-highest demo rating – tied with Law & Order: Organized Crime – and viewership. Steady from the week before, Young Sheldon bested Station 19, The Blacklist and Walker, which has a prequel series in the works at the CW.
All of CBS...
The Minnesota Vikings pulled through with success, beating the Steelers 36-28. The game brought in a 2.3 rating in the 18-49 demo and 9.51 million viewers, per fast affiliates. While the latest NFL event meant yet another Thursday win for Fox, the game fell sharply from last week’s Cowboys-Saints showdown, which was up against NBC’s Annie Live! production.
In the non-sports side of Thursday primetime, Young Sheldon earned the evening’s second-highest demo rating – tied with Law & Order: Organized Crime – and viewership. Steady from the week before, Young Sheldon bested Station 19, The Blacklist and Walker, which has a prequel series in the works at the CW.
All of CBS...
- 12/10/2021
- by Alexandra Del Rosario
- Deadline Film + TV
Thursday was a busy one as broadcast primetime offerings ranged from the usual sitcoms on CBS and dramas on CW to Annie Live! on NBC, football on Fox and Alec Baldwin’s dramatic Rust tell-all on ABC. Of the offerings, however, Fox’s coverage of Thursday Night Football‘s Dallas Cowboys-New Orleans Saints game took the spotlight.
The latest showdown saw the Cowboys win 27-17 and earn top numbers in both the demo and viewership, per Nielsen fast affiliates. While Tnf typically dominates Thursday, competition was stiffer than usual with Annie Live! going head-to-head across the three hours.
The live musical performance featured Celina Smith in the titular role, Taraji P. Hensen, Nicole Scherzinger, Harry Connick Jr., Titus Burgess and more. Annie Live! marked the lowest Live+Same Day results for an NBC musical; NBC’s first live holiday...
The latest showdown saw the Cowboys win 27-17 and earn top numbers in both the demo and viewership, per Nielsen fast affiliates. While Tnf typically dominates Thursday, competition was stiffer than usual with Annie Live! going head-to-head across the three hours.
The live musical performance featured Celina Smith in the titular role, Taraji P. Hensen, Nicole Scherzinger, Harry Connick Jr., Titus Burgess and more. Annie Live! marked the lowest Live+Same Day results for an NBC musical; NBC’s first live holiday...
- 12/3/2021
- by Alexandra Del Rosario
- Deadline Film + TV
In the latest TV show ratings, NBC’s production of Annie Live! averaged 5.2 million total viewers and a 0.9 demo rating (per fast nationals), easily leading Thursday’s non-nfl fare in the demo.
TVLine readers gave the production an average grade of “B+”; vote here.
More from TVLineThe Voice: Sound Off on Our Picks for the Acts Likeliest to Make the Final FiveAnnie Live!: Grade NBC's Latest MusicalTV Ratings: Masked Singer Goes Low, Tree Lighting Draws Biggest Crowd
Nielsen finals will trickle in later. Until then, here is how TV’s musical events of the past eight years have netted...
TVLine readers gave the production an average grade of “B+”; vote here.
More from TVLineThe Voice: Sound Off on Our Picks for the Acts Likeliest to Make the Final FiveAnnie Live!: Grade NBC's Latest MusicalTV Ratings: Masked Singer Goes Low, Tree Lighting Draws Biggest Crowd
Nielsen finals will trickle in later. Until then, here is how TV’s musical events of the past eight years have netted...
- 12/3/2021
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
Before its first commercial break, NBC’s Annie Live! offered: newcomer Celina Smith’s thoroughly winsome rendition of “Maybe”; a group of orphans krumping and cartwheeling their way through “It’s a Hard Knock Life”; the introduction of Taraji P. Henson’s slithering interpretation of Miss Hannigan as The Grinch Who Tried to Steal an Orphan’s Christmas; one very well-behaved dog; and Smith belting out the anthemic “Tomorrow.”
That’s all in 20 minutes, and if I’d stopped watching Annie Live! and called it a night, NBC would have had a minor triumph on its hands — ...
That’s all in 20 minutes, and if I’d stopped watching Annie Live! and called it a night, NBC would have had a minor triumph on its hands — ...
- 12/3/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Before its first commercial break, NBC’s Annie Live! offered: newcomer Celina Smith’s thoroughly winsome rendition of “Maybe”; a group of orphans krumping and cartwheeling their way through “It’s a Hard Knock Life”; the introduction of Taraji P. Henson’s slithering interpretation of Miss Hannigan as The Grinch Who Tried to Steal an Orphan’s Christmas; one very well-behaved dog; and Smith belting out the anthemic “Tomorrow.”
That’s all in 20 minutes, and if I’d stopped watching Annie Live! and called it a night, NBC would have had a minor triumph on its hands — ...
That’s all in 20 minutes, and if I’d stopped watching Annie Live! and called it a night, NBC would have had a minor triumph on its hands — ...
- 12/3/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Annie Live! is NBC’s 10th telecast of a Broadway musical. The show has gone through a variety of adaptations, previously the 2014 Annie film starring Quvenzhané Wallis, and now Annie Live! starring Celina Smith in the titular role. So how does it stack up among the rest? Well, it’s somewhere in the middle, with several positive elements and equally negative ones.
To recap the story of the orphan Annie, she’s an 11-year-old girl in an orphanage under the supervision of Miss Hannigan (Taraji P. Hensen). Abandoned by her parents, things look glum for our heroine. But she always keeps positive and continues to manifest her dreams. Her luck suddenly changes when she meets Grace Ferrell (former Pussycat Dolls lead singer Nicole Scherzinger) and billionaire Oliver Warbucks (Harry Connick Jr.), who takes her into his home and becomes smitten by the young child’s charm.
To recap the story of the orphan Annie, she’s an 11-year-old girl in an orphanage under the supervision of Miss Hannigan (Taraji P. Hensen). Abandoned by her parents, things look glum for our heroine. But she always keeps positive and continues to manifest her dreams. Her luck suddenly changes when she meets Grace Ferrell (former Pussycat Dolls lead singer Nicole Scherzinger) and billionaire Oliver Warbucks (Harry Connick Jr.), who takes her into his home and becomes smitten by the young child’s charm.
- 12/3/2021
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
NBC this Thursday night added to its repertoire Annie Live! Did you love it like tomorrow (which, I hear, is always a day away)?
Annie Live! starred 12-year-old Celina Smith, of Atlanta, as the titular orphan, while Harry Connick Jr. (Will & Grace) in a novelty-store bald cap played Daddy Warbucks and Taraji P. Henson (Empire) filled Miss Hannigan’s sensible shoes.
More from TVLineThe Voice: Sound Off on Our Picks for the Acts Likeliest to Make the Final FiveRatings: Annie Live! Tops Non-NFL FareTV Ratings: Masked Singer Goes Low, Tree Lighting Draws Biggest Crowd
Rounding out the main ensemble...
Annie Live! starred 12-year-old Celina Smith, of Atlanta, as the titular orphan, while Harry Connick Jr. (Will & Grace) in a novelty-store bald cap played Daddy Warbucks and Taraji P. Henson (Empire) filled Miss Hannigan’s sensible shoes.
More from TVLineThe Voice: Sound Off on Our Picks for the Acts Likeliest to Make the Final FiveRatings: Annie Live! Tops Non-NFL FareTV Ratings: Masked Singer Goes Low, Tree Lighting Draws Biggest Crowd
Rounding out the main ensemble...
- 12/3/2021
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
NBC’s holiday-season live-musical franchise is so proudly square that it’s surprising it took this long for them to get to “Annie.”
The recent tradition, launched by the producers Neil Meron and the late Craig Zadan, of ceding a night of network primetime to a scrappy, let’s-put-on-a-show broadcast seems to have found its perfect match in “Annie.” The family-oriented musical has never had the remotest claim on coolness. And, coming as it did in a flickering moment in which a production of this sort felt possible but still novel, “Annie Live!,” starring Celina Smith as its optimistic orphan, made its goofy eagerness to be liked, and its occasional raggedness, into assets.
The show’s staging allowed songcraft and showmanship to be the stars; numbers played out against minimalist backdrops, and the live audience was largely heard in eruptive applause but seen only in shadow. The scant amount of...
The recent tradition, launched by the producers Neil Meron and the late Craig Zadan, of ceding a night of network primetime to a scrappy, let’s-put-on-a-show broadcast seems to have found its perfect match in “Annie.” The family-oriented musical has never had the remotest claim on coolness. And, coming as it did in a flickering moment in which a production of this sort felt possible but still novel, “Annie Live!,” starring Celina Smith as its optimistic orphan, made its goofy eagerness to be liked, and its occasional raggedness, into assets.
The show’s staging allowed songcraft and showmanship to be the stars; numbers played out against minimalist backdrops, and the live audience was largely heard in eruptive applause but seen only in shadow. The scant amount of...
- 12/3/2021
- by Daniel D'Addario
- Variety Film + TV
The sun'll come out tomorrow, but you don't have to wait that long for NBC's Annie Live! because it's happening tonight, Thursday, Dec. 2! When the official cast photo of the highly anticipated live production was revealed on Nov. 24 exclusively with E!, we couldn't wait to see 12-year-old newcomer Celina Smith take on the beloved orphan Annie in the classic musical. And with an A-list lineup of supporting superstars that includes Taraji P. Henson and Harry Connick Jr., you won't want to miss this holiday event. NBC has made a habit of transforming adored Broadway musicals to live specials, starting with The Sound of Music Live! starring country...
- 12/2/2021
- E! Online
For audience members checking in at the final dress rehearsal of NBC’s “Annie Live!” on Dec. 1, there was an additional stop along the usual security gauntlet. Between the airport-style metal detectors and the Yondr phone sequestration, everyone was required to show ID and proof of vaccination and was given a color-coordinated mask to wear throughout the show.
Producing a live musical for television is always a massively intricate endeavor, and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic added yet another layer of complexity. Every time the army of black-clad crew members swarmed the stage during the rehearsal’s commercial breaks, their masks were a constant reminder of the safety procedures to which the entire cast and crew had adhered for the many weeks that the live event has been in production.
“We’re observing all these protocols and being very, very careful,” said Robert Greenblatt, the former NBC exec who is producing “Annie Live!” “In rehearsals,...
Producing a live musical for television is always a massively intricate endeavor, and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic added yet another layer of complexity. Every time the army of black-clad crew members swarmed the stage during the rehearsal’s commercial breaks, their masks were a constant reminder of the safety procedures to which the entire cast and crew had adhered for the many weeks that the live event has been in production.
“We’re observing all these protocols and being very, very careful,” said Robert Greenblatt, the former NBC exec who is producing “Annie Live!” “In rehearsals,...
- 12/2/2021
- by Gordon Cox
- Variety Film + TV
2021 is nearly in the books and Hulu is celebrating by heading back to the past…like, the way past. With its list of new releases for December 2021, Hulu is going positive Medieval with two swords and shield original series arriving this month.
Animated comedy Crossing Swords premieres its second season on Dec. 10. This stop-motion style tale follows Patrick (Nicholas Hoult) as he works his way up the feudal latter of The Kingdom. This will be complemented by Dragons: The Nine Realms on Dec. 23. This series is set in the How to Train Your Dragon universe and takes place over 1,000 years after the events of the films. In it, a group of modern day kids uncover the secret truth about dragons.
Hulu also has some more current options for TV this month. Original comedy Pen15 premieres the second half of its second season on Dec. 3. Watch it to relive the trauma...
Animated comedy Crossing Swords premieres its second season on Dec. 10. This stop-motion style tale follows Patrick (Nicholas Hoult) as he works his way up the feudal latter of The Kingdom. This will be complemented by Dragons: The Nine Realms on Dec. 23. This series is set in the How to Train Your Dragon universe and takes place over 1,000 years after the events of the films. In it, a group of modern day kids uncover the secret truth about dragons.
Hulu also has some more current options for TV this month. Original comedy Pen15 premieres the second half of its second season on Dec. 3. Watch it to relive the trauma...
- 12/1/2021
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Tomorrow, tomorrow! You're only a day away from NBC's Annie Live!, but before the all-star cast takes the stage for the brand new rendition of the beloved 1977 musical, E! News caught up with Taraji P. Henson, Harry Connick Jr., Nicole Scherzinger, Tituss Burgess, Megan Hilty and little orphan Annie herself, Celina Smith, to hear their thoughts on the upcoming production. More specifically, we asked each cast member to describe Annie Live! in just one word. Take a look at the exclusive clip above to hear their answers! Up first? Taraji, who's playing mean old Miss Hannigan. "Annie, in one word, to me, is hope," she told E! News. Hilty gave the...
- 12/1/2021
- E! Online
This weekly feature is in addition to TVLine’s daily What to Watch listings and monthly guide to What’s on Streaming.
With nearly 500 scripted shows now airing across broadcast, cable and streaming, it’s easy to forget that a favorite comedy is returning, or that the new “prestige drama” you anticipated is about to debut. So consider this our reminder to set your DVR, order a Season Pass, pop a fresh Memorex into the Vcr… however it is you roll.
More from TVLineLa Brea Recap: Back to the FutureZoey's Extraordinary Christmas Trailer: Zoey Is Determined to Restore Family's Yuletide...
With nearly 500 scripted shows now airing across broadcast, cable and streaming, it’s easy to forget that a favorite comedy is returning, or that the new “prestige drama” you anticipated is about to debut. So consider this our reminder to set your DVR, order a Season Pass, pop a fresh Memorex into the Vcr… however it is you roll.
More from TVLineLa Brea Recap: Back to the FutureZoey's Extraordinary Christmas Trailer: Zoey Is Determined to Restore Family's Yuletide...
- 11/27/2021
- by Ryan Schwartz
- TVLine.com
For the seventh time, NBC is going to be staging an iconic musical live on its airwaves, as it will broadcast Annie Live! next week. Even though she’s had very limited stage experience, Oscar and Emmy Award nominee Taraji P. Henson will be starring as the villainous orphanage owner, Miss Hannigan, in the production. As […]
The post Taraji P. Henson’s Ready For A Little Or-Fun With ‘Annie’ appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
The post Taraji P. Henson’s Ready For A Little Or-Fun With ‘Annie’ appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
- 11/26/2021
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
Broadway’s original Annie, Andrea McArdle, will no longer be appearing in NBC‘s upcoming Annie Live! special due to a family-related matter. “I am saddened to announce I will not be participating in Annie Live!,” said McArdle (via Deadline), who was set to play Eleanor Roosevelt in the live show. “My father is currently in the hospital, and I need to put all of my energy into his health and well-being. I wish everyone involved with the production great success. Break a leg everyone.” McArdle received a Tony Award nomination for her performance in the original 1977 Broadway production of Annie, where she sang her legendary rendition of the song “Tomorrow.” NBC confirmed her casting in the new special earlier this month after McArdle teased her role during a Today Show appearance. “We love Andrea McArdle and our entire company is sending best wishes to her and her father,” said Bob Greenblatt,...
- 11/25/2021
- TV Insider
Andrea McArdle, Broadway’s original Annie, is stepping away from her role as Eleanor Roosevelt in NBC’s upcoming Annie Live! special due to a family matter.
“I am saddened to announce I will not be participating in Annie Live!,” McArdle said in a statement. “My father is currently in the hospital, and I need to put all of my energy into his health and well-being. I wish everyone involved with the production great success. Break a leg everyone.”
Bob Greenblatt, Executive Producer of Annie Live! said, “We love Andrea McArdle and our entire company is sending best wishes to her and her father. Our Annie, Celina Smith, is thrilled to have met her and she’s excited about following in her incredible footsteps.”
McArdle, who was Tony-nominated for her performance as the title character in the original 1977 Broadway production of Annie – and with her powerhouse vocals made a modern-day...
“I am saddened to announce I will not be participating in Annie Live!,” McArdle said in a statement. “My father is currently in the hospital, and I need to put all of my energy into his health and well-being. I wish everyone involved with the production great success. Break a leg everyone.”
Bob Greenblatt, Executive Producer of Annie Live! said, “We love Andrea McArdle and our entire company is sending best wishes to her and her father. Our Annie, Celina Smith, is thrilled to have met her and she’s excited about following in her incredible footsteps.”
McArdle, who was Tony-nominated for her performance as the title character in the original 1977 Broadway production of Annie – and with her powerhouse vocals made a modern-day...
- 11/24/2021
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
The sun'll come out tomorrow, but today, E! News is bringing you an exclusive look at the first full cast photo from NBC's Annie Live!. Front and center in the below snapshot is 12-year-old triple threat Celina Smith, who plays the titular role of Annie, starring opposite Taraji P. Henson as the mean old Miss Hannigan. Joining Celina and Taraji are Harry Connick Jr. as Sir Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks, Nicole Scherzinger as Warbucks' secretary Grace Farrell and Tituss Burgess as Hannigan's brother, Rooster. The exciting reveal comes just a little over a week before the premiere of Annie Live! on Dec. 2. Smith, who landed the part of Annie after a...
- 11/24/2021
- E! Online
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Black Friday is a great time to save big on that new TV you’ve been eyeing for months, and a perfect opportunity to get discounts on streaming subscriptions. Hulu is already among the cheaper streaming options out there, but the price is dropping even further thanks to the annual Black Friday deal announced on “Good Morning America.”
From now until November 29, new and eligible returning subscribers (who have not been subscribed to the service in the past month) can join Hulu’s ad-supported tier for just $0.99 a month for a year. The ad-supported tier will cost $6.99 a month after the first year. This special offer cannot be combined with any free trial of Hulu’s ad-supported plan,...
Black Friday is a great time to save big on that new TV you’ve been eyeing for months, and a perfect opportunity to get discounts on streaming subscriptions. Hulu is already among the cheaper streaming options out there, but the price is dropping even further thanks to the annual Black Friday deal announced on “Good Morning America.”
From now until November 29, new and eligible returning subscribers (who have not been subscribed to the service in the past month) can join Hulu’s ad-supported tier for just $0.99 a month for a year. The ad-supported tier will cost $6.99 a month after the first year. This special offer cannot be combined with any free trial of Hulu’s ad-supported plan,...
- 11/23/2021
- by Latifah Muhammad
- Indiewire
The musical event of the Holiday Season, “Annie Live!” will air on Thursday, December 2 at 8 p.m. Et/Pt on NBC. The full cast of the star-studded broadcast has now been revealed! As previously announced, Celina Smith will light up center stage in the title role of Annie. Smith joins an all-star ensemble including Taraji […]
The post NBC Announces ‘Annie Live’ Full Cast appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
The post NBC Announces ‘Annie Live’ Full Cast appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
- 11/16/2021
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
Actor Alan Toy is set to play Franklin Delano Roosevelt in NBC’s upcoming Annie Live! holiday event, becoming the first actor to have contracted polio in the role of the president who famously had the same disability.
The character of Fdr makes a brief but memorable appearance in the musical.
“It is a huge honor to join such a talented ensemble,” said Toy, an actor and activist who speaks often on how mass media depictions of disability influence that community’s place in society. “Fdr has always been a role model of accomplishment for me, and I’m thrilled to be able to play him.”
Toy also congratulated NBC and the Annie Live! producers “for authentically casting a person with a disability for this role. I’m proud to represent the community and hope that we will continue to see more of the Disability Community in roles across entertainment media.
The character of Fdr makes a brief but memorable appearance in the musical.
“It is a huge honor to join such a talented ensemble,” said Toy, an actor and activist who speaks often on how mass media depictions of disability influence that community’s place in society. “Fdr has always been a role model of accomplishment for me, and I’m thrilled to be able to play him.”
Toy also congratulated NBC and the Annie Live! producers “for authentically casting a person with a disability for this role. I’m proud to represent the community and hope that we will continue to see more of the Disability Community in roles across entertainment media.
- 11/15/2021
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Bet your bottom dollar this cast is making history! Alan Toy has been cast as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in NBC’s Annie Live! musical, airing Thursday, December 2. The network previously announced that triple-threat veterans Taraji P. Henson, Harry Connick Jr., Nicole Scherzinger, Tituss Burgess, and Megan Hilty will headline the cast, with newcomer Celina Smith at the helm in the titular role of Annie. Like F.D.R., Toy is a polio survivor. He is the first actor with paralysis to portray F.D.R. in a production of Annie. “It is a huge honor to join such a talented ensemble,” Toy said in a press statement. “F.D.R. has always been a role model of accomplishment for me, and I’m thrilled to be able to play him. I tip my hat to NBC and the producers of Annie Live! for authentically casting a person with a Disability for this role.
- 11/15/2021
- TV Insider
The (live) show must go on, even if it means making a key change. Such is the case for the role of the larger-than-life Lily St. Regis in NBC’s upcoming Annie Live!, premiering on Thursday, December 2. Megan Hilty is replacing Jane Krakowski, Deadline reports. Krakowski is “experiencing a breakthrough Covid case while working on a separate project in Ireland despite being double vaccinated, a regular testing process and abiding by protocols,” according to NBC. “I am beyond thrilled to join this all-star cast, crew and creative team,” Hilty in a statement to Deadline. “My family and I have been super fans of Annie for as long as I can remember, and we always look forward to the epic televised musicals produced by Bob Greenblatt & Neil Meron, so to be a part of this particular production is an honor and a dream come true. I wish Jane the speediest of...
- 11/12/2021
- TV Insider
Exclusive Jane Krakowski has stepped down from the role of Lily St. Regis in NBC’s upcoming Annie Live! after being diagnosed with a breakthrough case of Covid, the network said Friday. Smash star Megan Hilty will step into the role.
“I am beyond thrilled to join this all-star cast, crew and creative team,” said Hilty in a statement. “My family and I have been super fans of Annie for as long as I can remember, and we always look forward to the epic televised musicals produced by Bob Greenblatt & Neil Meron, so to be a part of this particular production is an honor and a dream come true. I wish Jane the speediest of recoveries and hope to do her proud.”
According to NBC, Krakowski is “experiencing a breakthrough Covid case while working on a separate project in Ireland despite being double vaccinated, a regular testing process and abiding by protocols.
“I am beyond thrilled to join this all-star cast, crew and creative team,” said Hilty in a statement. “My family and I have been super fans of Annie for as long as I can remember, and we always look forward to the epic televised musicals produced by Bob Greenblatt & Neil Meron, so to be a part of this particular production is an honor and a dream come true. I wish Jane the speediest of recoveries and hope to do her proud.”
According to NBC, Krakowski is “experiencing a breakthrough Covid case while working on a separate project in Ireland despite being double vaccinated, a regular testing process and abiding by protocols.
- 11/12/2021
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
NBC is kicking off the holiday season as it always does with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 25, and it’s the 95th march! This year’s event, as the parade takes to the streets of New York City, will feature 15 giant character balloons, 28 floats, 36 novelty and heritage inflatables, more than 800 clowns, 10 marching bands and nine performance groups, a host of musical stars, and Santa Claus. It will air from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in all time zones on NBC and Telemundo, as well as be live-streamed on Peacock. Today‘s Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, and Al Roker will host the three-hour telecast for NBC and Peacock, while En Casa con Telemundo’s Ana Jurka and Carlos Adyan, accompanied by Freddy Lomelí, will host Telemundo’s coverage. The Broadway performances include Six, Moulin Rouge!, and Wicked, as well as a sneak preview of NBC’s upcoming Annie Live!...
- 11/1/2021
- TV Insider
You're never fully dressed without a smile—and the first look at the Annie Live! cast together will surely put a grin on your face! NBC's live holiday musical event, premiering Dec. 2, stars Taraji B. Henson as orphanage villain Miss Hannigan, Harry Connick Jr. as "Daddy" Warbucks and newcomer Celina Smith in the titular role of Annie. Nicole Scherzinger co-stars as Warbucks' secretary Grace, Jane Krakowski is Lily and Tituss Burgess plays Hannigan's brother Rooster. And, E! News has an exclusive sneak peek at the Annie Live! poster, a modern interpretation of the classic Broadway artwork. Connick Jr. debuts his bald look, as...
- 10/26/2021
- E! Online
NBC revealed a first look at Celina Smith as Annie in “Annie Live!,” which airs on Dec. 2 at 8 p.m.
The image sees Smith wearing the titular orphan’s famous white-collared red dress, “holding hands” with the dog who will play Sandy in the production. Smith, who is 12 years old, was cast after NBC’s nationwide search for a “future star” to take the iconic role. She’s most recently been seen as Rebecca in “Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan” on Nickelodeon and has also played Young Nala in the touring company of “The Lion King.”
“Annie Live!” also stars Harry Connick Jr. as Daddy Warbucks, Taraji P. Henson as Miss Hannigan, Nicole Scherzinger as Grace Farrell, Tituss Burgess as Rooster Hannigan and Jane Krakowski as Lily St. Regis. Executive producers include Robert Greenblatt, Neil Meron and Alex Rudzinsky, with Lear deBessonet and Alex Rudzinski directing. Choreography will be led by Sergio Trujillo.
The image sees Smith wearing the titular orphan’s famous white-collared red dress, “holding hands” with the dog who will play Sandy in the production. Smith, who is 12 years old, was cast after NBC’s nationwide search for a “future star” to take the iconic role. She’s most recently been seen as Rebecca in “Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan” on Nickelodeon and has also played Young Nala in the touring company of “The Lion King.”
“Annie Live!” also stars Harry Connick Jr. as Daddy Warbucks, Taraji P. Henson as Miss Hannigan, Nicole Scherzinger as Grace Farrell, Tituss Burgess as Rooster Hannigan and Jane Krakowski as Lily St. Regis. Executive producers include Robert Greenblatt, Neil Meron and Alex Rudzinsky, with Lear deBessonet and Alex Rudzinski directing. Choreography will be led by Sergio Trujillo.
- 10/22/2021
- by Selome Hailu
- Variety Film + TV
E! News' Nina Parker put it best: Celina Smith, the 12-year-old actress set to play the titular role in NBC's Annie Live!, is "gonna be a big star, honey!" Celina joined Nina and co-host Justin Sylvester on Wednesday, Oct. 6's Daily Pop, hinting at what's to come for the live rendition of the beloved 1977 musical, which tells the story of an orphan taken in by a New York City billionaire. First thing's first though—how did Celina react to scoring the part? "I was bouncing off the walls, I kid you not," Celina recalled. "Like, you could've sworn there was a kangaroo in the house or something. It was amazing and it was probably one of the best moments of my...
- 10/6/2021
- E! Online
Taraji P. Henson is bringing her fabulous fashion to the 2021 Emmys red carpet. The 51-year-old star arrived at Los Angeles' L.A. Live in a black floor-length, long-sleeved sheer Elie Saab gown adorned with dazzling silver sequins. Henson's low-cut dress oozed sex appeal by showing off lots of cleavage but also provided some practicality with always useful pockets. The star completed her stunning look with giant diamond earraings and matching rings. Henson talked to E! News exclusively on the red carpet and dished to co-host Karamo that's she's still "reaching out" Carol Burnett as she prepares to take over the role of Miss Hannigan in NBC's Annie Live! later this...
- 9/19/2021
- E! Online
Emmy Award nominee Bernadette Peters fully supports the casting of young Black actress Celina Smithto lead NBC’s Annie Live!, a musical TV special with Smith portraying little orphan Annie.
“Yes, I think as long as it makes sense, and I think it does,” Peters, who starred in the 1982 film Annie, told Deadline at the Creative Emmy Awards on Sunday. “I think that was a fabulous idea. I think changing casting and making things more diverse is a great idea.” (Watch the video above.)
The Annie character was born in the 1924 comic strip created by Harold Gray as a young white girl with curly red hair, which is how the character was portrayed on Broadway and in the 1982 film.
A 2014 contemporary remake of the 1982 film also titled Annie, cast Quvenzhané Wallis as the titular character. It was the property’s first project to have a Black actress portray the lead.
“Yes, I think as long as it makes sense, and I think it does,” Peters, who starred in the 1982 film Annie, told Deadline at the Creative Emmy Awards on Sunday. “I think that was a fabulous idea. I think changing casting and making things more diverse is a great idea.” (Watch the video above.)
The Annie character was born in the 1924 comic strip created by Harold Gray as a young white girl with curly red hair, which is how the character was portrayed on Broadway and in the 1982 film.
A 2014 contemporary remake of the 1982 film also titled Annie, cast Quvenzhané Wallis as the titular character. It was the property’s first project to have a Black actress portray the lead.
- 9/13/2021
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
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