ABC Entertainment

Jeff Bridges reveals he will appear in 'Tron: Ares'

Posted today at 2:23pm

Jeff Bridges, the original star of 1982's Tron, who played against a digitally de-aged version of himself in 2010's Tron: Legacy, has revealed he will be back for Tron: Ares.

He told the Film Comment podcast, "I'm heading off this Saturday to play a part in the third installment of the Tron story." Bridges added, "Jared Leto is the star of this third one. ... I'm really anxious to work with him. I've admired his work."

Bridges even commented on his last Tron outing, which had him at his age reprising as Kevin Flynn, battling against a digital doppelgänger of his younger self — or at least that was the idea.

"I didn't like the way I looked in it," Bridges admitted of his supposed twin, the nefarious Clu. "I felt like I looked more like Bill Maher than myself. It was kind of bizarre."

For Tron: Ares, Bridges said the world inside a computer in which his character lived is much more grounded. He noted there will be less artificial intelligence this time around and there are "practical" — that is non-CG — environments.

"There are beautiful sets that I've seen," Bridges said. "So we'll see."

Fans will have to see how Bridges will fit into the story: Tron: Legacy ended with Flynn seemingly sacrificing himself by absorbing Clu so that his son Sam, played by Garrett Hedlund, could escape back into the real world with Olivia Wilde's digital human Quorra.

Tron: Ares debuts October 10, 2025, from Disney, the parent company of ABC News.

Tennis, everyone? Search data shows spike in lessons with Zendaya's tennis movie 'Challengers'

Posted today at 1:35pm

© 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved/Niko Tavernise

Zendaya has already become a fashion icon, and now the Emmy-winning star might be responsible for influencing people to take up tennis.

At least that's according to research from the casino website Vegas Gems, which noted worldwide searches for "tennis lessons" spiked with the release of her new film Challengers, which aced the box office over the weekend.

According to the search data, interest in tennis lessons jumped 54%, reaching their highest point in 12 months when the sultry sports film from Luca Guadagnino debuted.

Granted, the French Open and Wimbledon will be played soon. But considering Zendaya has 184 million Instagram followers, it's quite plausible she's the main source of the search spike.

If you doubt Zendaya's influence, consider that the film, in which she stars with Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor, has amassed over 114 million views on TikTok worldwide, according to the website's research.

Methodology and results have not been verified or endorsed by ABC News or The Walt Disney Company.

Jerry Seinfeld vents that political correctness has ruined the sitcom

Posted today at 1:09pm

Jerry Seinfeld, whose eponymous sitcom is always listed among the all-time TV greats, is lamenting the loss of television comedy. He tells The New Yorker Radio, "People always need [comedy]. They need it so badly and they don't get it."

Jerry continues, "It used to be that you'd go home at the end of the day, most people would go, "Oh, Cheers is on. Oh, M.A.S.H. is on. Oh, [The] Mary Tyler Moore [Show]’ is on, All in the Family is on.' You just expected [there will] be some funny stuff we can watch on TV tonight."

"Well, guess what? Where is it? Where is it?" the Unfrosted director asks rhetorically, venting, "This is the result of the extreme left and P.C. crap and people worrying so much about offending other people."

He adds, "When you write a script, and it goes into four or five different hands, committees, groups – 'Here’s our thought about this joke' – well, that's the end of your comedy."

Incidentally, Jerry mentions Curb Your Enthusiasm, former Seinfeld co-creator Larry David's recently-wrapped show, was immune to that interference, noting, "He's old enough [to say], 'I don't have to observe those rules, because I started before you made those rules.'"

Jerry notes that to get their fix of comedy, audiences are turning to stand-up comics "because [comedians] are not policed by anyone. The audience polices us. We know when we're off track. We know instantly. And we adjust to it instantly."

"With certain comedians now, people are having fun with them stepping over the line, and us all laughing about it," he continues, adding if it "doesn't go down well ... He or she can take all the blame."

Wrexham's Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney team up with Eva Longoria to co-own Mexican soccer team

Posted today at 11:20am

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have made underdog Welsh football club Wrexham AFC a winner, and Variety reports they are apparently hoping to put their Midas touch on Mexico's century-old Club Necaxa.

According to the trade, one of the team's investors, Eva Longoria, brought the pair into the fold, and Rob and Ryan purchased a stake in the team.

The co-chairs of Wrexham spun their enthusiasm — and money — into team promotions for Wrexham, as well as five Emmys for their FX docuseries Welcome to Wrexham. The trade reports their role inside the team isn't yet known, but Variety speculates they could be eyeing a similar series spotlight for Necaxa, which like Wrexham is beloved, but hasn't been competitive in years.

The team is currently 14th in Mexico and 23rd in North America, according to FootballDatabase.com.

Keanu Reeves hitting the road with Roku docuseries 'The Arch Project'

Posted today at 10:50am

Keanu Reeves is revving up a new docuseries project for Roku called The Arch Project.

Sharing a name with Arch Motorcycle, the company the John Wick franchise star founded with Gard Hollinger, the show will see Keanu and Hollinger chasing down creativity in all its forms.

"This new series follows Hollinger and Reeves on a quest to find the answer to the question: 'Where does human creativity and ingenuity come from?" according to the streaming service. "Fueled by their own curiosity and desire to learn, Hollinger and Reeves help find and explore the stories of those whose ideas and achievements they admire."

"We'll join these mavericks to meet and learn how their unique views help fuel them to shape and change the world and hopefully find some answers to that never-ending question," Roku says.

Hollinger and Reeves offer, "We've sought out artists, innovators, and creators whose stories we hope will inspire viewers to find answers that help unlock their own creativity."

The "one-of-a-kind docuseries hopes to " inspire us all to dream bigger and bolder," said Sean Boyle with Roku Originals.

Reeves recently starred in and produced another docuseries, Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story, which is now streaming on Hulu and Disney+.

Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris make their red carpet debut as a couple

Posted today at 9:15am

Sophia Bush and Ashlyn Harris went red carpet official as a couple while attending the White House Correspondents' Dinner this weekend.

During the Saturday outing, the pair appeared at the event in coordinating looks, wearing all-black ensembles by the same designer, Harbison Studio.

Bush stunned in a black strapless dress with a corset bodice, meanwhile, Harris opted for black pants and a matching vest with gold button details.

The couple sported huge smiles on their faces while posing for the camera.

Their red carpet debut comes a few days after Bush opened up about finding new love with the former soccer player in a personal essay she wrote for Glamour.

"I didn't expect to find love in this support system. I don't know how else to say it other than: I didn't see it until I saw it," she wrote in her cover story that was published Thursday.

Last year, Bush filed for divorce from husband Grant Hughes on Aug. 4, 2023, noting the date of separation as June 27, 2023 -- just over one year after they tied the knot on June 11, 2022. Bush cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split.

'Mufasa: The Lion King' teaser trailer debuts exclusively on 'Good Morning America'

Posted today at 8:30am

The teaser trailer for Barry Jenkins' Mufasa: The Lion King is ready to roar.

The first look at the highly anticipated film features Aaron Pierre as the voice of Mufasa, the role previously voiced by James Earl Jones in previous Lion King movies.

"This story begins far beyond the mountains and the shadows, on the other side of the light. A lion was born without a drop of nobility in his blood. A lion who would change our lives forever," a voiceover says.

We see sweeping shots of the recognizable savannah and all the creatures that call it home -- including giraffes, hippos, elephants, and, of course, lions.

"Destiny awaits you," the voiceover says later in the clip, which ends with Mufasa taking a giant leap.

Jenkins told GMA he was drawn to the "powerful" script written by Jeff Nathanson and the chance to tackle something as culturally resonant as The Lion King universe.

The If Beale Street Could Talk director said it not only shows how Mufasa became the kingly figure he is, but also "how people who may be alone can find strength by coming together."

Jenkins recalls watching the 1994 animated version after he moved in with his sister, a single mom; he helped her raise his two nephews.

"It's the first time you see children really process grief in a way that is very direct and blunt, and yet the film presents it in a way that they're made whole," he explained. "So it had this very special meaning for me. That was a really hard time for my sister and I, but this was something that was really beautiful."

Mufasa: The Lion King roars into theaters December 20.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban joined by teenage daughters for 1st time on red carpet

Posted today at 8:09am

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban turned their red carpet appearance into a sweet family affair this weekend.

Kidman was the honoree at the 49th American Film Institute Life Achievement Award Gala on Saturday, and the teenage daughters of the actress and the singer -- Sunday, 15, and Faith, 13 -- made their first red carpet appearance together with their parents at the event to celebrate their mom.

Kidman is the first Australian actor to receive the AFI honor at the star-studded event, which was held at Los Angeles' Dolby Theatre.

During the evening, Meryl Streep presented the achievement award to fellow Oscar winner Kidman, who received a standing ovation from the crowd when accepting the honor, according to AFI.

"It is a privilege to make films," she said in her speech. "And glorious to have made films and television with these storytellers who allowed me to run wild and be free and play all of these unconventional women. Thank you for making me better at my craft and giving me a place, however temporary, in this world. Thank you for inviting me into your movie families. Thank you for my childhood dream that became a reality."

Kidman also mentioned her daughters and husband in her acceptance speech, per People, noting that she has had an "enormous amount of luck" in her life.

"There's also the most important thing, love," she said. "Big, big love. And then right there is the love of my life, and the loves of my life. My daughters have never been anywhere publicly with me on a red carpet, tonight was their first night, so they're here, Sunday and Faith."

In addition to Sunday and Faith, Kidman is also a mom to two adopted children, Bella and Connor, whom she shares with ex-husband Tom Cruise.

In Brief: The sun goes down for 'NCIS: Hawai'i', and more

Posted today at 7:30am

NCIS: Hawai'i's current third season will also be its last. Vanessa Lachey, who plays Special Agent in Charge Jane Tennant in the NCIS spinoff took to her Instagram Story on Sunday to share her disappointment over the cancellation, writing, "Trying to explain this news to my daughter ... and she makes me Mickey ears so I can 'smile.'" She added, "This decision was bigger than a TV show." Tori Anderson, who portrays FBI agent Kate Whistler, shared, "Having a really hard time processing this one ... This is a huge loss for representation." NCIS: Hawai'i follows Tennant and her team, who "balance duty to family and country, investigating high-stakes crimes involving military personnel, national security, and the mysteries of the island itself," per the network ...

Season 50 of Survivor will feature all returning players, host Jeff Probst revealed at a Survivor FYC showcase on Saturday, April 27, according to Variety. "About 10 seconds ago, we just decided, thanks to all the fans that were in attendance at the FYC event here in Hollywood, that Survivor 50 will be returning players — and you all are part of it," he shared later in an Instagram video. Survivor, currently in its 46th season, airs Wednesdays on CBS ...

Marla Adams, best known for playing Dina Abbott Mergeron on the CBS daytime drama The Young and the Restless, died Thursday in Los Angeles, according to The Hollywood Reporter. She was 85. Matt Kane, director of media and talent for Y&R, broke the news. The cause of death was not revealed. Adams' soap opera career began on CBS’ The Secret Storm, where she played Belle Clemens from 1968 until the show's cancelation in 1974. Adams joined Y&R in 1982-85, and returned for brief stints in 1991, 1996, 2008 and 2017. In 2021, Adams won a Daytime Emmy for her work ...

'Challengers' aces the competition with $15 million box office debut

Posted today at 5:00am

Challengers, Luca Guadagnino's romantic tennis drama starring Zendaya, opened in first place at the domestic box office, grabbing an estimated $15 million. The film added an estimated $10 million overseas, for a global tally of $25 million.

Meanwhile, Zendaya's other release, Dune: Part Two, crossed $700 million at the global box office.

The faith-based drama Unsung Hero finished a distant second at the North American box office, earning an estimated $7.75 million in its opening weekend, followed by Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, delivering an estimated $7.2 million in its fifth week of release. The latest film set in the so-called Godzilla Monsterverse has racked up $181.7 million domestically and $519.4 million worldwide.

Last week's top film, Civil War, dropped to fourth place, grossing an estimated $7 million in its third week of release. The film has grabbed $56.2 million in North America thus far and $86.2 million globally.

Rounding out the top five was the horror film Abigail, earning an estimated $5.3 million for a domestic total of $56.2 million. Worldwide, Abigail has scared up $28.6 million.

'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy coming back to theaters

Posted Friday afternoon

'The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring' - New Line/WireImage

Peter Jackson's Oscar-winning epic The Lord of the Rings trilogy is returning to theaters for three days in June.

The extended and remastered cuts of 2001's The Fellowship of the Ring, 2002's The Two Towers and the finale, 2003's The Return of the King, will screen starting June 8 thanks to a collaboration between Warner Bros. Pictures and Fathom Events at participating chains, including Cinemark, AMC and Regal.

The acclaimed adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved sword and sorcery books begins with Fellowship on June 8, followed by The Two Towers on June 9 and The Return of the King on June 10.

Check out Fathom Events for details.

The movies made a combined $3 billion in theaters. The Return of the King won 11 Academy Awards out of 11 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director for Jackson, tying Ben-Hur and Titanic for the most Oscars won by a single film.

Kevin Spacey claps back after 'Spacey Unmasked' documentary trailer debuts

Posted Friday afternoon

The trailer to Spacey Unmasked, a documentary about Kevin Spacey from the U.K.'s Channel 4 that will debut there on May 6, has debuted online.

Thanks to a deal with Warner Bros. Discovery, the doc will also air in the States at some point, Variety reports.

In 2017, the Oscar- and Emmy-winning House of Cards star's career was sidelined by sexual assault allegations. He was found not guilty in July 2023 in a London court of a series of sexual assaults against several accusers.

The trade says the documentary was in the works before Spacey's acquittal and the film's producers acknowledge it.

According to a logline published by the trade, "Spacey Unmasked is a forensic look at a man who was once one of the most admired and respected actors in the world. Featuring never-seen-before interviews and archive, the series examines his life from childhood to early success on Broadway and subsequent meteoric rise to stardom."

Producers explain, "This two-part series will investigate Spacey's conduct and talks to multiple men unconnected to that case," teasing that almost all those men have never spoken to media before.

In response to the trailer news, a rep for Spacey sent Variety a cheeky statement from the actor, who reportedly said, "I'm honored to be starring in my first film with Warner Brothers in many years. I hope the Academy takes note of some of the great acting by the lesser known cast."

ABC Audio attempted to confirm the comment, but had not received word back from Spacey's camp as of press time.

Ryan Gosling sings again in new 'Fall Guy' stuntman tribute

Posted Friday afternoon

Ryan Gosling apparently hasn't let his pipes cool down since his "I'm Just Ken" Oscar night showstopper. In a new spot promoting The Fall Guy, the Academy Award nominee goes for an eventful ride with members of his upcoming action-comedy's stunt team.

The film was directed by stuntman-turned-blockbuster director David Leitch, who calls Ryan to talk through the shots in the promo spot. Gosling learns they're shooting "like a Carpool Karaoke kind of thing" as he drives around in a green street racer.

"No singing," Leitch advises. Just pick up the stuntmen Logan Holladay, Ben Jenkin and Troy Brown.

But Ryan ignores that direction and starts blasting Journey's classic track “Any Way You Want It" — and because stuntmen are stuntmen, their pickups are anything but ordinary.

Holladay is first, insisting he drives — after popping a wheelie on a motorcycle.

As the pair drift around what's likely Universal's back lot, Gosling spots Jenkin; Holladay hits him with the car, carries him on the hood for a spell, then stops short, sending the performer rolling onto the pavement.

"You can't just get in the car, can you?" Gosling asks a crumpled Jenkin. "Where's the fun in that?!" Jenkin asks as he hops in.

The trio all take turns singing Journey, with Jenkin from the back seat giving Steve Perry a run for his money.

Then they stop for Brown, who free-falls from the top of a building to meet them, explaining he's too claustrophobic to take an elevator.

Leitch then calls them out, saying they need to reshoot, as they "don't have the rights" to the song. "Any way you want it," Ryan replies.

The Fall Guy, also starring Emily Blunt, opens May 3.

Lori Loughlin gives first interview following college admissions scandal

Posted Friday afternoon

While she didn't mention the college admission scandal that left her behind bars, Full House star Lori Loughlin recently gave her first post-scandal interview to the magazine First for Women.

Loughlin and her designer husband Mossimo Giannulli pleaded guilty in May 2020 after paying $500,000 to get their two daughters into the University of Southern California as crew recruits, when neither child participated in the sport.

Loughlin served two months behind bars and Giannulli was sentenced to five months in prison, in addition to a $250,000 fine and community service.

The 59-year-old actress spoke about perseverance and forgiveness in the cover story.

"I try to be a forgiving person. I'm not one to hold onto stuff," she says.

Loughlin adds, "Stuff happens to everyone. We've all been in positions to ask for forgiveness but to ask for it, you have to learn and know how to give forgiveness, too."

"No one is perfect, we all make mistakes. So I was always told to let stuff go," Loughlin notes. "And I think for your own health, you have to let things go because you can't hang on to negativity. Life’s too short."

The actress adds, "Everyone has good times and bad times. That’s life. I think you just have to pick yourself up. Nobody said life was going to be a breeze. There’s beauty in life, but there’s also hardship in life."

Incidentally, Loughlin spoofed her scandal in the final season of Curb Your Enthusiasm, when Larry David successfully helped her join a country club that had rebuffed her over the Varsity Blues investigation -- however, he finds she cuts corners in other ways.

Reality Roundup: Lisa Vanderpump claps back, 'Little People, Big World' couple exits and more

Posted Friday afternoon

Have no fear, your reality roundup is here! Here's a look at what happened in the world of reality television this week:

Vanderpump Rules (Bravo)
Lisa Vanderpump has responded to former Vanderpump Rules cast member Jax Taylor's claim that the reality show is scripted. "I think it's absolutely ridiculous to say 'scripted,'" Vanderpump told Entertainment Tonight. "Nobody can write a script like Vanderpump Rules." She said perhaps Taylor planned what he was going to say on the series ahead of time. "Maybe what Jax says is scripted. Maybe he sits at home, in his little bedroom and writes his own scripts. Well, what do I know? Anyway, for the most part, anything Jax says doesn't make any sense to me," Vanderpump said.

Little People, Big World (TLC)
Zach and Tori Roloff, stars of Little People, Big World, are officially exiting the show after 25 seasons. The latest season's finale on Tuesday, April 23, serves as the couple's final appearance on the program. Zach and Tori first mentioned their departure in a YouTube video they posted back in February. “We are not coming back to Little People, Big World. Like, we are done,” Tori said. “That chapter has closed.”

RuPaul's Drag Race (MTV)
Celebrate drag culture as RuPaul's DragCon returns to LA this year. The event will take place on July 19 and July 20 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Fans will be able to have meet and greets with their favorite queens, as well as watch performances and purchase exclusive merchandise. Tickets can be purchased at rupaulsdragcon.com.