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Tony Todd, the prolific actor who brought an evil presence to the horror movie franchises Candyman and Final Destination, has died at the age of 69.

Todd’s rep confirmed the actor’s death to Variety, adding that he died Wednesday at his home in Marina Del Rey, California. No cause of death was provided.

Over a career that spanned five decades, Todd accrued hundreds of on-screen and voice-acting credits, beginning with a role in the 1986 Vietnam War classic Platoon. Following a leading turn in the 1990 remake of Night of the Living Dead,...

Tony Todd’s Net Worth in 2024 ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Actor Tony Todd, known for his memorable performance as William Bludworth in the Final Destination film series, passed away at 69. The actor breathed his last on November 6th, 2024, at his home in Los Angeles.

Todd’s career lasted almost four decades, during which he appeared in more than 240 films and shows. In addition to critical acclaim and fans’ love, the actor also saw commercial success and accumulated considerable wealth.

Tony Todd’s Net Worth

According to the website Celebrity Net Worth, Tony Todd’s net worth was $4 million at the time of his death in November 2024. He earned most of this money through his career in movies, TV, and voice acting. One of his most famous roles is in the horror movie Candyman, where he played the titular character of a supernatural killer. During the film’s shoot, he even allowed...

Tony Todd, an actor who played the killer in Candyman and appeared in the Final Destination franchise and Platoon among more than 240 film and TV credits spanning 40 years, died November 6 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 69.

His reps confirmed the news to Deadline but did not provide a cause of death.

Tony Todd in ‘Platoon’

Born on December 4, 1954, in Washington, D.C., Todd pursued acting at the Eugene O’Neill National Actors Theatre Institute and Trinity Rep Conservatory, where he honed his skills and developed his commanding style. Among his first screen roles was playing the heroin-addicted Sergeant Warren in Oliver Stone’s Best Picture Oscar-winning Vietnam War classic Platoon.

Todd went on to guest on such popular 1980s and ’90s series as 21 Jump Street, Night Court, MacGyver, Matlock, Jake and the Fatman, Law & Order, The X-Files, NYPD Blue, Beverly Hills 90210, Xena: Warrior Princesss and Murder,...

Hallmark stars Ashley Williams and Nikki DeLoach hosted the seventh annual Dance Party to End Alz: Halloween Edition on Sunday, Oct. 27 at Avalon in Hollywood, which raised $250,000 and counting for the Alzheimer's Association research grant program.

The event founded by Kimberly Williams-Paisley was emceed by Jonathan Bennett and Melissa Peterman.

Williams and DeLoach opened the evening with a surprise performance of “Thriller.” The duo welcomed guests and shared why co-hosting the event meant so much to them after both losing a parent to dementia. Williams’ mom, Linda, passed away with Alzheimer’s in 2016, and DeLoach’s dad, David, passed away with Pick’s disease, a rare form of dementia, in 2021.

Dressed in a variety of Halloween costumes, performers took to the stage covering their favorite hits. Accompanied by house band Casual Encounters, performances included:

Caleb Polaha’s versions of “Friends In Low Places”

Charles Esten's take on “Break on Through,...

90 Day Fiance star Angela Deem has been through many controversies following her split with Michael Ilesanmi. The two parted ways by the end of Hea Tell-All. The Georgia native insists her husband scammed her and that he has another woman in New Jersey. Michael explained that his decision to run away was due to the mistreatment he was experiencing from his wife. Fans and even cast members have mixed opinions about their situation. One of them was Jovi, who said that he’s “Team Angela” during the latest Pillow Talk episode. Keep reading to see what Angela has to say about it.

90 Day Fiance: Jovi Dufren Shows Support For Angela Deem

During the latest Pillow Talk episode, Jovi shared his opinion regarding Angela and Michael’s nasty situation. According to the 90 Day Fiance star, he agrees with Angela that Michael doesn’t deserve the visa if...

Angela Deem has gained yet another supporter amid her split from Michael Ilesanmi.

Season 8 of 90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After? put Angela and Michael’s tumultuous marriage on center stage.

Fans of the franchise watched some of their most explosive arguments to date, and Angela lost her cool on her castmates who supported Michael.

Once Part 5 of the Tell All aired, we learned that Michael eventually had enough of Angela’s antics and left her earlier this year.

In the fifth installment of the Tell All, Michael shared a self-recorded video detailing how he left Angela’s Georgia home on foot and walked for hours without a cell phone or any personal belongings.

In her own self-recorded video, Angela stated that she would see Michael soon, “either getting on a plane or in a courtroom.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Michael Ilesanmi (@mykol_01)

The episode...

Yellowstone co-creator Taylor Sheridan is returning to the trenches with Zoe Saldaña for Lioness Season 2, premiering Sunday, October 27. The espionage thriller is filming in Texas, with MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios leading the charge. Zoe Saldaña leads the drama as Joe McNamara, the hard-lined chief of the CIA’s Lioness program. With her female undercover operatives willing to embrace any mission, the group assassinates the world’s most dangerous terrorists. Today, Paramount is thrilled to share the premiere date for Lioness Season 2 alongside a gallery of first-look photos from upcoming episodes.

Here’s the official synopsis for Lioness Season 2 courtesy of Paramount+:

As the CIA’s fight against terror moves closer to home, Joe (Saldaña), Kaitlyn (Kidman), and Byron (Kelly) enlist a new Lioness operative to infiltrate a previously unknown threat. With pressure mounting from all sides, Joe is forced to confront the profound personal sacrifices she has...

In the 80s and 90s, an interesting cycle of inspirational teacher movies was being made. You know the type – the film where a big star plays a down-and-out teacher who gets posted in some crime-ridden school, and they manage to turn things around? Often, they were based on true stories, like Stand and Deliver, Dangerous Minds, Lean on Me and a few others. Then, there were the more fanciful, tough-guy teacher movies, like Nick Nolte’s Teachers and James Belushi’s underrated The Principal.

But of all these movies, the most badass, by far, is a little movie called The Substitute starring Tom Berenger.

In it, he plays a mercenary who goes undercover as a substitute teacher to avenge a brutal assault on his girlfriend, a crusading teacher played by Heat’s Diane Venora. While initially only planning on staying long enough to find the teens responsible, he finds himself...

On Friday, May 10, Multiple Sclerosis (Ms) advocate and Center Without Walls founder Nancy Davis welcomed guests to the Fairmont Century Plaza for the 31st Annual Race to Erase Ms Gala.

The event raised over $1.5 million to benefit the Race to Erase Ms and its Center Without Walls program, a collaboration of top Ms research centers working together as a team on ground-breaking research with the goal of treating and, ultimately, finding a cure for Ms. The star-studded event, hosted by Caroline Rhea, featured performances by Natasha Bedingfield and A Great Big World. Additionally, L’Agence kicked off the evening with a fashion show.

Guests at this year’s landmark event included Race to Erase Ms Founder Nancy Davis, host Caroline Rhea, performers Natasha Bedingfield and A Great Big World, L’Agence Founder and Chairman Jeff Rudes, Fashion Director Tara Rudes-Dann, and other special guests including Alan Bersten, Amanda Kloots, AnnaLynne McCord,...

Michael Imperioli is reflecting on his first Hollywood gig, one that made him believe he was a “horrible” actor.

“The Sopranos” actor recalled during an interview with The New Yorker his movie debut in 1989 film “Lean on Me,” directed by John Avildsen. According to Imperioli, Avildsen left a less-than-ideal impression, and was “not very nice” to the child actors on set. Imperioli was one of the extras who had a line in a crowd sequence; his scene was ultimately cut from the final film.

“My first experience on a movie was ‘Lean on Me,’ which was directed by John Avildsen, who did ‘Rocky.’ And he was very impatient. He was not very nice, to be honest,” Imperioli said. “I think he was overwhelmed because there were, like, a thousand high-school kids in this. He made me audition in the cafeteria during the lunch break with, like, hundreds of kids. It was horrible.

Jon Batiste took to the Oscars stage on Sunday to perform “It Never Went Away” from his nominated documentary American Symphony. Batiste showcased the intimate, emotional song at a grand piano alongside the accompanying Oscar orchestra, earning passionate applause from the crowd.

Jon Batiste performs "It Never Went Away" from #AmericanSymphony at the 2024 #Oscars pic.twitter.com/nsuHQqNE3h

— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) March 11, 2024

The artist is up for this year’s Best Original Song award for “It Never Went Away” from his documentary American Symphony, which Rolling Stone called...

If you’re like us here at Reel Action, you probably love martial arts movies. And if you love martial arts movies, chances are, you are a fan of Mark Dacascos. And if you’re a fan of Mark Dacascos, then you probably know the movie, Only the Strong. Only the Strong is the best Jean-Claude Van Damme movie that Van Damme never starred in. In fact, if you look at the director’s filmography, he had a successful collaboration streak with Jcvd that led to Only the Strong. However, the movie actually fares better without him, because it features a star-making turn by the unanimously perceived underrated martial arts actor Mark Dacascos. Add in the teacher-savior plot and an introduction to a unique brand of martial art and you have an incredibly fun way to spend 90 minutes. We talk Only the Strong on this entry of Reel Action.

The...

It’s an interesting month on HBO and Max this March, as two acclaimed films hit the streamer along with some intriguing original programming.

First up in the movies arena is the streaming debut of Wonka, starring Timothée Chalamet. From beloved Paddington director Paul King, the film follows the adventures of a young Willy Wonka as he looks to become the world’s best (and weirdest) chocolatier. Later in March on Max, there’s also Dream Scenario, a highly-regarded comedy boasting Nicolas Cage as Paul Matthews, who suddenly starts appearing in people’s dreams for unknown reasons, and who naturally becomes very famous as a result of this strange phenomena.

Series-wise, the biggest show on Max this month is The Regime. It packs a solid cast, including Kate Winslet, Matthias Schoenaerts, Andrea Riseborough, Martha Plimpton, and Hugh Grant, and tells the story of “life within the walls of a modern...

Matthias Schoenaerts and Kate Winslet in ‘The Regime’ (Photograph by Miya Mizuno/HBO)

Max’s March 2024 streaming lineup includes the premiere of The Regime starring Oscar winner Kate Winslet as a paranoid chancellor with major control issues. The streaming service’s March slate also includes the debut of The Girls on the Bus starring Melissa Benoist, Carla Gugino, Natasha Behnam, and Christina Elmore as political journalists.

Documentaries A Revolution on Canvas and The Lionheart along with the comedy docuseries Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show will premiere in March 2024. And Wonka and Dream Scenario make their streaming debuts.

Series & Films Arriving On Max In March 2024

March 1

127 Hours (2010)

Alvin and The Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2015)

Baby Mama (2008)

The Ballad of Lefty Brown (2017)

The Best Man Holiday (2013)

Bullet Head (2018)

Cabaret (1972)

Captain Fantastic (2016)

Deadpool (2016)

Dear White People (2014)

Dope (2015)

The Expendables (2010)

The Expendables 2 (2012)

The Expendables 3 (2014)

The Farewell (2019)

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

Fruitvale Station (2013)

Godzilla...

Music legend Stevie Wonder led the charge as stars paid tribute to the music legends the world lost last year at the 2024 Grammy Awards.

He kicked off the ceremony’s annual ‘In Memoriam’ segment by paying tribute to his late friend and fellow musical icon, Tony Bennett, who died in July 2023 at age 96, reports ‘People’ magazine.

“I remember hearing Tony Bennett singing ‘For Once in My Life’ when I was like 13 or 14 years old,” Stevie, 73, began the tribute. “But what’s amazing is I was able to actually sing the song with someone that I admired for so long, not just because of his voice, which was incredible, but because of his art, his love for art, his love for peace, his love for unity, his love for civil rights.”

“I remember as a little boy him being in places where most people would not even go stand for the right of freedom for everyone,...

The Recording Academy recognized many of the musicians and people who worked behind the scenes in the music industry who have died in the past year during the Grammy Awards on Sunday night. Tony Bennett, Sinead O’Connor, Clarence Avant, Jimmy Buffet, and Tina Turner were among those celebrated.

Stevie Wonder, who on Thursday presented Mariah Carey with the Global Impact Award at the Black Music Collective Ceremony, performed a touching piano-backed rendition of Bennett’s “For Once in My Life,” reviving a duet together as a video of Bennett played in the background,...

Stevie Wonder opened the In Memoriam segment of the 66th Grammy Awards, giving tribute to Tony Bennett before performing alongside a recording of the man and showing those who we lost last year. Names like Harry Belafonte, Jimmy Buffett, and others appeared on the screen before Annie Lennox took the stage for a secondary performance. More names, such as Gary Rossington and Sinead O’Connor, appeared before Lennox called for peace around the world. After that, the carousel of names on faces began to cycle through, with names like Clarence Avant appearing. Lenny Kravitz then came to honor the pioneer as a music executive and the “Black Godfather” of entertainment. Another performance began, this time featuring Jon Batiste with a rendition of “Lean on Me.” DJ Mark and Gangsta Boo from Three 6 Mafia and Magoo were also mentioned. Finally, Oprah Winfrey came out to give a tribute to Tina Turner, following Mylie Cyrus‘ performance,...

Lenny Kravitz is putting his body on display during his appearance at the Grammys.

The 59-year-old entertainer wore a sheer top that bared his muscular physique at the 2024 Grammy Awards on Sunday (February 4) at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Lenny was at the event to participate in the In Memoriam segment, in which he introduced Jon Batiste‘s performance of “Lean on Me” to pay tribute to Clarence Avant.

In the audience, Lenny was seated next to Olivia Rodrigo, who is nominated for a bunch of awards tonight for her album Guts.

Make sure to tune in Tonight for the Grammys, hosted by Trevor Noah for the fourth time. The show is airing on CBS and streaming on Paramount+ starting at 8pm Et. Check out the full list of nominations, led by Sza with a whopping nine nods!

Stevie Wonder, Annie Lennox, Fantasia Barrino and Jon Batiste helped pay tribute to late musical icons during Sunday’s 2024 Grammys.

Tina Turner, Tony Bennett, Sinead O’Connor and Clarence Avant were remembered in emotional performances by the group of singers, each performing a hit song from each of the artists.

Wonder kicked off the tribute to Bennett onstage with a mash-up performance of “For Once In My Life” and “The Best Is Yet To Come.”

Sinead O’Connor was honored by Lennox with a performance of “Nothing Compares 2 U,” who was also joined by Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman, the Grammy-and-Emmy-winning musicians who played in Prince’s band The Revolution. (Prince also wrote the song.) At the end of her performance, Lennox called for a ceasefire and peace in the world.

Batiste honored music executive Clarence Avant with a performance introduced by Lenny Kravitz. Batiste performed a medley of “Ain’t No Sunshine,...

Many people often blasphemously (and hilariously) joke around that Morgan Freeman is God. Not only because of his pitch perfect casting as God but also due to his smooth, defining and, yes, god-like is Morgan Freeman’s voice that one can’t picture penguins or parts of nature or, yes, God, without hearing the man. One reason could be that we’ve only ever really known Morgan Freeman as an older actor, not striking a chord with mainstream audiences until he was in his 50s.

Soon enough his skills, screen presences and voice had Hollywood calling every time they needed a kind wise grandfather types or a grizzled vet from either side of the the law or any type of narration in any type of film. That persona has marked him as a welcome figure throughout modern cinema – despite the nearly constant cash grabs that pad out the unfortunate bulk of his filmography.

This coming month, the free streamer Tubi is adding dozens of new titles to its library, from Academy Award-nominated genre-bending thrillers like 2019’s “The Lighthouse” to rom-coms that have dominated culture for decades, such as Nora Ephron’s quintessential “When Harry Met Sally.”

Check out The Streamable’s picks for the best of Tubi’s February additions, and find out everything coming to the platform this month!

Watch Now Free TubiTV.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to Tubi in February 2024? “If Beale Street Could Talk” | Thursday, Feb. 1

Barry Jenkins follows up his Oscar-winning “Moonlight” with another Oscar nominee in this adaptation of James Baldwin’s novel of the same name. KiKi Layne and Stephan James lead the cast as Tish and Fonny a devoted couple who have been friends since childhood who dream of a future together but whose plans are derailed when Fonny is arrested...

Sebastian is now streaming on Tubi and Amazon Prime Video and we have the trailer, poster, and synopsis.

The crime-driven horror film in which a serial killer ravages a city stars horror icon Jamie Bernadette (I Spit on Your Grave: Deja Vu), Darius McCrary (Family Matters), Torrei Hart (Hollywould), and Luca Della Valle (Distant Vision). The supporting cast includes Clifton Powell (Ray), Cocoa Brown (9-1-1), Jermaine Hopkins (Lean on Me), Jayson Warner Smith (The Walking Dead), Tracey Graves (Super Turnt), Michael Emery (Station 19), and Jermel Howard (Luke Cage). The film is written and directed by Mann Robinson (Super Turnt).

Sebastian is already climbing Tubi’s most-watched lists, having gone viral on social media the day of its release with opinion leaders in film openly praising the movie. Noted film producer Jan O’Connell (I Spit on Your Grave: Deja Vu) compared the film to the popular 1995 film “Se7en...

Sandra Reaves-Phillips, the actress and singer who appeared in the films ’Round Midnight and Lean on Me and portrayed six legendary divas in a one-woman, tour de force stage show, has died. She was 79.

Reaves-Phillips died Friday at her home in Queens, family spokesperson Sandra Lanman told The Hollywood Reporter. She had been in failing health since falling off a stage during a performance of Raisin in St. Louis in 2004 and enduring serious auto accidents in 2014 and ’15 in New York.

The South Carolina native worked opposite Maurice Hines in his 2006 Broadway musical Hot Feet, and she portrayed Mama Younger and Bertha Mae Little, respectively, in Raisin on Broadway and national and European tours and in a 1999 off-Broadway production of Rollin’ on the T.O.B.A.

Reaves-Phillips was featured with saxophonist Dexter Gordon in Bertrand Tavernier’s ’Round Midnight (1986) in the role of Buttercup, and in the Morgan Freeman-starring...

Paula Patton and her son Julian just made their first red carpet appearance together!

The 48-year-old Precious actress was joined by her 13-year-old son while attending the opening night performance of Mj The Musical at the Pantages Theatre on Thursday (December 21) in Hollywood.

Some other celebs in the crowd included Thuso Mbedu, David Oyelowo, The Talk‘s Amanda Kloots, and American Idol‘s David Archuleta. Also walking the carpet was the show’s star Roman Banks.

Mj The Musical is playing at the Pantages Theatre through January 28.

Julian‘s dad is singer Robin Thicke and just a couple weeks ago, Julian showed off his own vocal talents at a school concert.

“This was the best birthday gift ever...

In early 1991, 20-year-old Tupac Shakur was torn between ambitions of acting and rapping, and struggling to catch a break on both fronts. He had studied theater at the Baltimore School for the Arts and toured with the west coast hip-hop collective Digital Underground, but acting opportunities were scarce and he had yet to finish the demo tape that would launch him to stardom. His luck would turn when Digital Underground’s road manager, Sleuth, received a call from Cara Lewis, the group’s booking agent at William Morris. A film director named Ernest Dickerson was looking for actors for a movie called Juice and they invited Money-b, a fellow member of the collective, to audition. Dickerson had earned acclaim for his work as Spike Lee’s director of photography on a run of films, including She’s Gotta Have It, School Daze, Do the Right Thing, Mo’ Better Blues, and Jungle Fever.

Clarence Avant, who was dubbed the “Godfather of Black Music,” died Sunday in Los Angeles, his family has confirmed. He was 92.

A statement provided by his family including son-in-law Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s co-ceo, announced Avant’s passing “with a heavy heart,” and said he had “passed away gently.”

“Through his revolutionary business leadership, Clarence became affectionately known as ‘the Black Godfather’ in the worlds of music, entertainment, politics, and sports,” the statement said. “Top artists and executives like Quincy Jones, JayZ, Whitney Houston, Pharrell Williams, Lionel Richie, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Sean Combs, L.A. Reid, Suzanne de Passe, Kenny ‘Baby Face’ Edmonds, Jon Platt, Irving Azoff, Snoop Dogg Reginald Hudland, Benny Medina and Queen Latifah all credit Avant for his inspiration and guidance.”

The news comes almost two years after the shooting death of his wife, Jackie Avant, during a break-in at the family’s Beverly Hills home...

The following article is written by Michael Lee Nirenberg, author of the forthcoming oral history Cinematic Immunity.

In light of recent labor actions by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA that have shut down commercial film and television for the foreseeable future, it’s a prime opportunity to share an excerpt from my forthcoming oral-history book, Cinematic Immunity. The 1990 Producer Lockout is a lesser-known chapter in the tense history of Hollywood’s labor relations. Personally, I only know about it from having worked with people who survived it. During the 2007 writer’s strike I was a rookie movie-tv scenic artist in United Scenic Artists Local 829. I got my union card earlier that year and was getting a crash course in organized labor.

During the 1990 negotiations with IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees) the studios were pushing what was called the Hollywood Basic contract onto New York unions. They used this contract on the West Coast,...

Horror Icon Jamie Bernadette Stars in Serial Killer Film Sebastian, Now Streaming on Tubi: "Sebastian is now streaming on Tubi and we have the trailer, poster, and synopsis. The crime-driven horror film in which a serial killer ravages a city stars horror icon Jamie Bernadette (I Spit on Your Grave: Deja Vu), Darius McCrary (Family Matters), Torrei Hart (Hollywould), and Luca Della Valle (Distant Vision). The supporting cast includes Clifton Powell (Ray), Cocoa Brown (9-1-1), Jermaine Hopkins (Lean on Me), Jayson Warner Smith (The Walking Dead), Tracey Graves (Super Turnt), Michael Emery (Station 19), and Jermel Howard (Luke Cage). The film is written and directed by Mann Robinson (Super Turnt).

Sebastian is already climbing Tubi’s most-watched lists, having gone viral on social media the day of its release with opinion leaders in film openly praising the movie. Noted film producer Jan O’Connell (I Spit on Your Grave: Deja Vu...

On Friday, June 2, Multiple Sclerosis (Ms) advocate and Center Without Walls founder Nancy Davis welcomed guests to the Fairmont Century Plaza for the 30th Annual Race to Erase Ms Gala.

Flo Rida performs onstage during the 30th Annual Race To Erase Ms Gala

Credit/Copyright: Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Race to Erase Ms

The event raised over $2 million to benefit the Race to Erase Ms and its Center Without Walls program, a collaboration of top Ms research centers working together as a team on ground-breaking research with the goal of treating and, ultimately, finding a cure for Ms. The star-studded event featured performances by Flo Rida and Siedah Garrett. Additionally, Cinq à Sept kicked off the evening with a fashion show, featuring the Fall 2023 Fashion Collection.

Guests at this year’s landmark event included Race to Erase Ms Founder Nancy Davis, performers Flo Rida and Siedah Garrett, and special guests Alan Bersten,...

Who is your daddy, and what does he do? In Joseph Baena’s case, his father is Arnold Schwarzenegger, a former governor and one of the most incredible action heroes ever. According to Deadline, Baena is joining the cast of Gunner alongside Luke Hemsworth and Morgan Freeman.

Dimitri Logothetis (Jiu Jitsu) directs from a script he co-wrote with Gary Scott Thompson (The Fast and the Furious). The film revolves around Special Forces veteran Lee Gunner (Hemsworth), who takes his two sons on a camping trip. While roughing it, the boys find a fentanyl lab and get kidnapped by drug runners. Unfortunately for the drug runners, Gunner is highly trained, and you don’t want to piss this Papa Bear off in the woods. Stopping at nothing to bring his family home safely, Gunner unleashes on the criminal cartel, even after the FBI and local police get involved.

Joseph Baena plays Wally,...

Fans have been waiting on the Charter School battle, and Abbott Elementary did not disappoint. The team confronted the oncoming vote for the school's future together, and it was a riot.

Draymond, a former student of Barbara's and their primary antagonist, was played by the astonishingly talented Leslie Odom, Jr. His character was sleazy and phony, but he carried it oh so well.

On Abbott Elementary Season 2 Episode 19, the staff banded together, and it further solidified Abbott's place in the community and on television.

The writers had a field day because everyone was in their hilarious element. They even featured newer teachers who stole their respective scenes. This episode is undoubtedly worth the watch.

It had that feel-good vibe of knowing that a community could come together for more than just a good time. The show is building not only a community but a world, and it's engaging and...

During Morgan Freeman’s award-winning career, he’s only played two real-life roles on the big screen: Nelson Mandela in Invictus and Joe Clark in Lean on Me. When Lean on Me was released in 1989, Freeman had already established himself as one of Hollywood’s top actors, with two Oscar nominations under his belt already. So, when asked to portray a real-life character for the first time in Lean on Me, Freeman told us that his preparation simply involved studying Clark, with an emphasis on all the little things. (Click on the media bar below to hear Morgan Freeman) https://www.hollywoodoutbreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Morgan_freeman_Lean_On_Me_.mp3

Lean on Me is currently streaming on HBO and available on DVD and most digital platforms.

The post To Play ‘Lean On Me’ Teacher, Morgan Freeman Studied Hard appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.

A few of The Rolling Stones‘ songs managed to become famous without even being singles in the United States or the United Kingdom. Some of the tracks on this list are well-known for their amazing songwriting. On the other hand, others are well-known because they’re so infamous.

The Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger | Evening Standard / Stringer 5. ‘Gimme Shelter’

“Gimme Shelter” might be one of the most famous album tracks of all time. It’s one of The Rolling Stones’ songs that captures the chaos, confusion, and hope of the late 1960s. If The Rolling Stones had never recorded another song besides “Gimme Shelter,” they’d still have a place in rock ‘n’ roll history.

The track served as the opening of The Rolling Stones’ Let It Bleed. Notably, none of the songs from that album became singles in the United States or the United Kingdom.

4. ‘Under My Thumb’

“Under My Thumb” has a great beat.

Every few years there comes another drama that focuses on a teacher facing seemingly insurmountable odds with a group of students who are challenging to teach. Typically, these movies, such as "To Sir, with Love" starring Sidney Poitier, "Stand and Deliver" with Edward James Olmos, "Lean on Me" led by Morgan Freeman, or "Dangerous Minds" with Michelle Pfeiffer, take place in urban settings where the school is overridden with crime and drugs, resulting in students who have no respect for authority and no interest in learning. Of course, that all changes when each film's respective teacher offers up some kind of revelatory lesson that sparks the interest of the young minds who maybe just need an opportunity to leave their rough upbringing behind. 

The new Sundance-selected drama "Radical," written and directed by Christopher Zalla and starring Eugenio Derbez, is one of those movies, but there's something a bit different about...

When I majored in journalism at Western Michigan University, my professors routinely showed movies in the classroom to complement their lesson plans. In my investigative journalism course, for example, one professor had us watch the 2015 biographical film "Spotlight," which is based on The Boston Globe's uncovering of a child sex abuse scandal committed by local Roman Catholic priests. When it came to lessons on the career-killers plagiarism and fabrication of sources, another professor showed the 2003 biographical drama "Shattered Glass," which recounts disgraced journalist Stephen Glass' professional demise after he fabricates stories for "The New Republic" magazine. The movie was a box office bomb, but if you have any interest in journalism or are a Hayden Christensen fan — he stars as Glass — I urge you to give it a watch.

Some years later, I came across another movie that tackles fabrication in journalism: 1987's "Street Smart," starring Christopher Reeve. Initially,...

I loved "Driving Miss Daisy" before I even saw the movie, actually. I remember running around as a kid teasing slow drivers — and slow-moving people in general for that matter — by calling them Driving Miss Daisy because I thought the movie was about an old lady who drove slowly and held up traffic. When I finally watched the 1989 comedy-drama, it only reinforced my adoration. Jessica Tandy shined in her role as Daisy Werthan, an elderly but prideful white Jewish widow who, from the late 1940s and into the early '70s, develops a bond with her kindly Black chauffeur, Hoke Colburn (Morgan Freeman) in Georgia. In my eyes, "Lean on Me," "The Shawshank Redemption," and "Driving Miss Daisy" are Freeman's best movie roles.

Miss Daisy and Hoke's relationship helped shape my knowledge of race relations during the civil rights era beyond the documentaries I watched in school. For example,...

Euphoria‘s filled with plenty of dramatic moments for its talented young stars, but the Season 2 blooper reel is teasing a much lighter side of things. It turns out that keeping a straight face is harder done than said as the segment opens with Rue (Zendaya) and Jules’ (Hunter Schafer) Brokeback Mountain fantasy sequence. As they recite their lines, Schafer’s utterance of, “Good girl,” to the pony in the scene leads Zendaya to lose it, and ultimately spreads a sense of uncontrollable laughter. (Credit: HBO) What follows is a flurry of clips and tidbits which feature clumsy moments for stars like Javon “Wanna” Walton who accidentally trips over something while walking past the camera. And actress Alexa Demie who plays Maddy can’t help but crack a smile and exhibit some silly faces between scenes. Laughs abound, and some blunders make for comedic outtakes, like favorite Angus Cloud‘s...

Five years ago, DJ and producer Calvin Harris released Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1, an All-Star Weekend for pop-edm: There was Frank Ocean teaming up with Migos on the breezy “Slide,” and Katy Perry and Pharrell Williams being flanked by Big Sean on the hiccuping “Feels.” It was part flex of Harris’ collaborator-wrangling muscle, part party record, part way for Harris to indulge in his love of the era where disco and funk commingled, and it spawned enough hit singles that a sequel was inevitable.

The second entry in the...

Calvin Harris’ upcoming Funk Wav Bounces Vol.2 LP is packed to the brim with special guests and on Friday, the British DJ gave fans the latest taste of the album with the release of “New to You” featuring vocals from Normani and Tinashe, along with a rap verse from Offset.

“This might be news to you/This thing might feel new to you,” Normani coos on the song’s chorus. “But if you like everything/I think you might love me, baby.” Offset build’s upon the ytrack’s sexy,...

Hopefully you’ve boldly gone and watched all of “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” on Netflix before it leaves this month. Or, barring that, it might be time to subscribe to Paramount+, it’s next likely home. Also leaving Netflix this month is all of “Chicago Med” and “30 Rock,” which will probably wind up on Peacock.

But that’s not all – there are also a ton of great movies leaving the streaming platform this month, including Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained,” David Fincher’s “The Social Network,” Robert Zemeckis’ “Forrest Gump,” the 2009 remake of “Friday the 13th” and the 2013 remake of “Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” Catch them while you still can!

Check out the full list of what’s leaving Netflix in July 2022 below.

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July 1

“The Social Network”

“Star Trek: Deep Space Nine:” Seasons 1-7

“We Have Always Lived...

A new month has arrived, which means a fresh batch of movies and TV shows streaming on Netflix. While many are no doubt still making their way through “Stranger Things” Season 4, June brings the arrival of a new season of another beloved Netflix series: “The Umbrella Academy.” The third season of the semi-superhero show premieres June 22 and finds the gang stranded in a timeline where the Umbrella Academy does not exist, while battling not only a rival team but also plenty of timeline-altering shenanigans.

In terms of new Netflix original films, June 17 sees the debut of “Spiderhead,” a psychological thriller starring Chris Hemsworth, Miles Teller and Jurnee Smollett and directed by “Top Gun: Maverick” filmmaker Joseph Kosinski.

June will also see the debut of the new Adam Sandler-fronted basketball inspirational drama film “Hustle” on June 8, while a litany of comedy specials from the likes of Pete Davidson and Amy Schumer...

Just one month after debuting a fan favorite genre hit in the form of Stranger Things season 4, Netflix is once again coming out with the big guns for its list of new releases for June 2022.

The Umbrella Academy season 3 is set to be released June 22 and it will be a busy one for the Hargreeves family of crime fighters. After averting a 1963 nuclear apocalypse in season 2, the gang returns to the present only to find there’s a new team called the Sparrows living in their house. Based on the trailer for season 3, hilarity and many superpowers punches thrown will ensue.

Read more TV The Umbrella Academy Officially Introduces The Sparrow Academy By Alec Bojalad TV The Umbrella Academy Season 3: What To Expect By Michael Ahr

Other Netflix TV original series of note this month include the vampire love story First Kill (June 10) the Melissa McCarthy comedy God’s Favorite Idiot...

The weather isn't the only thing heating up this summer. Netflix has announced what TV shows and movies are coming to the streaming platform this June—and it's enough to keep you entertained as you cool off from the hot weather. Starting June 1, fan favorites like Mission: Impossible, Player's Club, The Amazing Spider-Man, Lean on Me, It, Soul Plane, Troy, Dumb and Dumber, Titanic and more will be available to watch anytime. And if you're looking for new content, don't worry comma Netflix has you covered with films like Hustle, which follows a basketball scout—played by Adam...

On Friday, May 20, Multiple Sclerosis (Ms) advocate and Center Without Walls founder, Nancy Davis, welcomed guests to the Fairmont Century Plaza for the 29th Annual Race to Erase Ms Gala.

Siedah Garrett, Nancy Davis and guests are seen onstage with Chic during the 29th Annual Race To Erase Ms

Credit/Copyright: Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Race to Erase Ms

The event raised over 1.4 million to benefit the Race to Erase Ms and its Center Without Walls program, a collaboration of top Ms research centers working together as a team on ground-breaking research with the goal of treating and, ultimately, finding a cure for Ms. The star-studded event featured a performance by Grammy Award-winning composer, producer, and guitarist Nile Rodgers and Chic. Additionally, Tommy Hilfiger presented its latest adaptive collection in a fashion show at this year’s gala. First launched in 2017, the adaptive line features innovatively designed clothing that...

“American Idol” Top 24 performances continued as planned on Monday night, but there was one shocking moment viewers weren’t expecting. About 30 minutes into the episode, Platinum Ticket winner Kenedi Anderson took the stage to sing “Human” by Christina Perri. Afterwards, the 17-year old’s critique from judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie was edited out. Instead, host Ryan Seacrest cut in for an announcement.

See ‘American Idol’: How to vote for your favorite Top 24 artist of Season 20

“Well you might have noticed that there was no voting information for Kenedi’s performance just now,” Seacrest was filmed saying from his radio studio. “Since we taped these shows in Hawaii earlier, Kenedi has decided to withdraw from our show for personal reasons. We send her well wishes and, needless to say, we have incredible talent on this historic season with more iconic ‘Idol’ performances coming up right now.

“American Idol” continues on April 3 for its fifth season on ABC and 20th overall. As always, Ryan Seacrest hosts the reality TV competition series while country superstar Luke Bryan, pop princess Katy Perry and Oscar-winning singer/songwriter Lionel Richie make up the judging panel. In this episode Hollywood Week continues with contestants pairing up for the Duets challenge. If they survive this round they will make it to Round 3: Hollywood Showstoppers.

See ‘American Idol’ episode 7 performances ranked: All 28 Hollywood Week singers (we saw) from worst to best

This season the judges embark on yet another nationwide search for America’s next singing sensation. Auditions were held in Nashville, Tennessee, Austin, Texas and Los Angeles, California. If given a golden ticket, hopeful idols advanced to the Hollywood round. In a new twist this season, three contestants were given a Platinum Ticket, which allowed them to skip the first phase of Hollywood week.

The home invasion that resulted in the shooting death of Jackie Avant this morning might not have been a “random attack,” Beverly Hills Police Chief Mark Stainbrook said at a news conference this afternoon.

“I don’t think that it’s a random attack,” Stainbrook said, “but I can’t speculate on that right now.” The new police chief declined to speculate on a motive for the home invasion, or whether robbery was the intended crime.

Stainbrook, who was sworn in as chief on Tuesday, called the Avant family’s contributions to the entertainment and Beverly Hills communities “unmatched” and said today was “a difficult day for our city.”

Avant, the wife of legendary music executive Clarence Avant and mother-in-law of Netflix co-ceo Ted Sarandos, died around 2:30 a.m. today after being shot at the couple’s Trousdale Estates home near Beverly Hills. Stainbrook would not comment on the number of intruders,...

Jacqueline Avant, the 81-year-old wife of veteran music executive Clarence Avant, was shot and killed in a home invasion robbery at the couple’s Beverly Hills-area house last night.

According to reports, confirmed by Deadline, Jacqueline Avant was killed when multiple shots were fired during an attempted robbery at the Avant home in the Trousdale Estates near Beverly Hills.

Jacqueline and Clarence Avant are the parents of Nicole Avant, who is married to Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos.

Beverly Hills police confirmed a shooting death in the neighborhorhood, but have not yet confirmed the name of the victim. Police received a call about a shooting at 2:23 a.m. and arrived to find a victim with a gunshot wound. The suspect or suspects were no longer at the scene.

Beverly Hills Fire Department paramedics transported the shooting victim to a local hospital, but the victim did not survive.

Netflix confirmed that the victim was Jacqueline Avant.

One year after “Sound of Metal” made a significant impact at the Oscars, Sian Heder’s “Coda” shows itself as an outstanding example for representation in the disability community, and could be one of the heartwarming family films of the year that finds its way to Academy attention.

Distributed by Apple TV Plus, which bought the film at the Sundance Film Festival for a record-breaking $25 million, “Coda” is bowing in theaters and on the streaming platform. Following excellent reception and feedback at an official Academy screening last week, and a hearty 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes, Apple could have one of its strongest awards contenders to date. Last year the streamer nabbed its first two nominations, for “Wolfwalkers” in animated feature and “Greyhound” in sound. With Heder’s feature, along with Joel Coen’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth” and Todd Haynes’ documentary “The Velvet Underground,” Apple could have its best shot at major recognition yet.

The sound production facilities at Sony Pictures have received an update to incorporate state-of-the-art technology. Television mix stages 6 and 7 now support Dolby Home Theater Atmos (9.1.6) and Dolby mixes with Imax support integrated.

“You have to have the right technology. You have to be able to give the talent the tools they need to succeed, and have clients and filmmakers want to work with them,” says Tom McCarthy, Sony’s exec VP of post-production facilities, who was a sound editor on films including “Arachnophobia” and “Lean on Me.”

The increase in streaming clients for episodic television production is driving the need for the Atmos upgrade. McCarthy hopes to renovate one more stage over the next year; so far, 10 of the 14 stages have been upgraded to meet the demand.

Lane Burch (who worked as a foley mixer on movies such as “National Security” and “Road to Perdition”), Sony’s executive director of post-production sound engineering,...