HBO reteaming with Gillian Flynn / Expats is blocked in Hong Kong / Chita Rivera, electrifying Broadway star, dies at 91
PLUS; Evan Rachel Wood still doesn't know Westworld's ending, saying not getting closure "was awful in a lot of ways.:"
HBO reteaming with Gillian Flynn for potential limited series Dark Places
Flynn, whose 2006 debut novel Sharp Objects was adapted as the Amy Adams-led 2018 HBO limited series of the same name, is reuniting with HBO to develop a limited series adaptation of her 2009 mystery novel Dark Places. Flynn will serve as co-creator, writer and co-showrunner with Escape at Dannemora co-creator Brett Johnson. Dark Places marks Flynn's first TV series since Amazon’s 2020 sci-fi series Utopia, an adaptation of a British series of the same name that was canceled after one season. Here’s the official logline for Dark Places: “Libby Day was seven when her mother and two sisters were murdered in the famous 1985 ‘Satan Sacrifice of Kinnakee, Kansas.’ She survived—and famously testified that her teenage brother, Ben, was the killer. Twenty-five years later, a pair of mother/daughter true crime ‘detectives’ locate a grownup Libby and pump her for details, believing that Ben is innocent. Libby, having spent her youth working the talk show circuit, hopes to once again turn a profit off her tragic history: She’ll reconnect with the players from that night and report her findings —for a fee. As Libby’s search takes her from shabby Missouri strip clubs to abandoned Oklahoma tourist traps, the unimaginable truth emerges, and Libby finds herself right back where she started—on the run from a killer.”
Expats is blocked in Hong Kong, where the Amazon series is set
When viewers in Hong Kong try to watch the recently released Amazon Prime Video six-episode series from Lulu Wang, they get a message saying that “this video is currently unavailable to watch in your location.” As the Associated Press explains, "the city has hardened its controls over political speech after 2019 anti-government protests rocked the city. In 2020, China passed a National Security Law that criminalized political activities, such as protesting for independence. Since then, hundreds of activists have been arrested or driven into exile, while opposition-leaning media have been forced out of business. The first episode of Expats includes a brief scene in which people at a rally chant in Cantonese 'I want real general elections.'"
Jay Leno downplays reports he’s trying to become his wife Mavis Leno's conservator: "She's fine, everybody's good, we're doing well"
"I just set up a will, in case something happens," Leno told paparazzi Monday when asked about recent reports that he filed to be his wife's conservator because she has dementia. Jay and Mavis Leno were spotted at a comedy club on Sunday night. According to documents obtained by People, Leno, 73, submitted the conservatorship filing on Friday following her dementia diagnosis. He initiated the filing to set up a living trust for Mavis, 77, to ensure that she has "managed assets" to provide her with future care if he died.
SNL 1975 movie casts Garrett Morris, Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase and John Belushi actors
Jason Reitman's film dramatizing the launch of Saturday Night Live has cast Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris, Dylan O'Brien as Dan Aykroyd,, Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase and Matt Wood as John Belushi.
Evan Rachel Wood still doesn't know Westworld's ending, saying not getting closure "was awful in a lot of ways"
“I asked the creators after we got canceled, ‘Can you please just tell me how you’re going to end?’ And they wouldn’t tell me,” Wood tells The Hollywood Reporter, laughing. “I think because, I don’t know, maybe somehow, someway, in some iteration we’ll get to finish it, but I still don’t know. It does still keep me up at night.” Wood adds: "It was devastating in a lot of ways because, first of all, they don’t tell us where the show is going. We were just always told, ‘We know how the show ends,’ when we started. They weren’t writing it as we went along. They had an idea, and we were all just on a bed of nails waiting to see and hear what the conclusion of this was. What it all meant." Wood wants to make it clear she's not trashing the show's creators. "I’m never going to speak without gratitude about any of my experiences, but it would have been nice to be able to complete the story we wanted to finish," she says.
Chita Rivera, electrifying Broadway star, dies at 91
"The fire-and-ice dancer, singer and actress who leapt to stardom in the original Broadway production of West Side Story and dazzled audiences for nearly seven decades as a Puerto Rican lodestar of the American musical theater... died on Tuesday in New York," writes Robert D. McFadden in her New York Times obituary. Rivera's notable TV work includes performing on The Judy Garland Show and The Ed Sullivan Show, recurring on One Life to Live and recurring on CBS' The New Dick Van Dyke Show in the 1973-1974 season as Dick Van Dyke's neighbor. She also guest-starred on a 2005 episode of Will & Grace and lent her voice to two episodes of Dora the Explorer.
CBS delivers the NFL’s most-watched AFC Championship Game ever
About 55.47 million watched Sunday’s game featuring the Kansas City Chiefs victory over the Baltimore Ravens, plus Taylor Swift. ALSO: NFL has its most-watched playoffs ever, averaging 38.5 million viewers per game.
Tom Brady confirms he'll be in the NFL on Fox's No. 1 booth this fall, replacing Greg Olsen
"I've been out to the FOX studios a few times and I'm really excited to join an amazing team," Brady said today on The Pat McAfee Show. ALSO: What will Greg Olsen do now?
Edie Falco takes on dairy farming in a PETA Super Bowl ad
The harrowing ad features The Sopranos alum prepping a meal in her kitchen when two burly, mean-looking men bust in and take possession of her cheese, according to EW. "That's my cheese!" says Falco, surprised. "Please don't take my cheese away."
Suits stars, Jury Duty's Ronald Gladden and Meghan Trainor to appear in a Super Bowl ad for e.l.f. Cosmetics
Suits alums Gina Torres, Rick Hoffman and Sarah Rafferty will appear in the court-themed ad, along with comedian Benito Skinner NFL analyst Emmanuel Acho RuPaul’s Drag Race’s HeidiNCloset, Gladden and Trainor.
Jenna Ortega to star in a Doritos Super Bowl ad
Watch a preview of the Wednesday star's Super Bowl ad for Doritos Dinamita.
Kate McKinnon's Hellmann's mayonnaise Super Bowl ad pokes fun at Pete Davidson's dating life
McKinnon reteams with her former SNL colleague in a "Mayo Cat" ad.
A Celine documentary is coming to Amazon
I Am: Celine Dion is "not an expansive look at the life and times of the iconic pop singer, instead capturing a snapshot of a pivotal time in her career," per Variety. "The documentary spans about a year and chronicles Dion’s battle with Stiff Person Syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that affects the brain and the spinal cord. In the case of Dion, the illness halted her livelihood and ability to perform."
Top Boy may get a spinoff on Netflix revolving around Jasmine Jobson's Jaq Lawrence character
“We are talking to Netflix about a spin-off, which will be around Jaq,” said Top Boy creator Ronan Bennett in a BBC interview. Bennett joked that Netflix will “probably be angry with me for mentioning it” and said “I’ve learned through bitter experience not to talk too much about shows that are in the future.”
Lifetime orders sequel to Single Black Female, with Amber Riley, Raven Goodwin and K. Michelle reprising their roles
The Lifetime TV movie Single Black Female 2: Simone’s Revenge is set to premiere on March 2.
Larry David to discuss Curb Your Enthusiasm on stage in Boston and Washington, D.C.
David will make the two in-person “A Conversation With Larry David” appearances on March 29 and April 1, ahead of his in-person appearance at PaleyFest in Los Angeles.
Ben Feldman starring in Australian comedy crime caper Population 11
Made for the Stan streaming service, Population 11 is based on a true story revolving around a man named Hugo, who goes missing from a tiny outback town of only 12 residents. Feldman plays his son Andy, a suburban Ohio bank teller, (who) has journeyed across the world to visit and is alarmed when he discovers he is missing," per Deadline. "Andy teams with another outsider Cassie (Perry Mooney) on a quest to find his father, and the pair find themselves in increasing danger as they delve into the secrets of this tiny outback town, where everyone is a suspect." Watch Population 11’s trailer.
Abbott Elementary to visit schools in 18 states for "Lunch Break" tour
The “Lunch Break with Abbott Elementary National Tour” will feature a giant, street-legal Abbott Elementary-themed lunch box vehicle will stop by underserved school districts to hand out tin lunch boxes including sandwiches, sides and beverages sourced from local businesses in each city as well as reusable Abbott-themed tote bags filled with school and desk supplies. The giant lunch box will also make surprise pop-up appearances for photo-ops with fans.
Squid Game's Park Hae-Soo boards Daniel Dae Kim Amazon spy series Butterfly
Park, Kim Tae-hee, and Nayoon Kim have all joined the spy thriller series based on the BOOM! Studios graphic novel of the same name.
Wendie Malick, Nico Santos Rob Corddry to guest-star on Not Dead Yet Season 2
The ABC comedy returns for its second season on Feb. 7.
Happy 50th birthday, Olivia Colman!
The Oscar- and Emmy-winning former The Crown star celebrates a milestone birthday today.
Joy Reid apologizes for hot mic F-word on MSNBC
During a clip on The Reid Out Monday night, Reid could be heard saying “starting another f*cking war," later explaining: “I was chatting during a clip that was playing and you know, we try to keep this show very PG-13, so I just want to apologize to anyone who was listening to my behind-the-scenes chatter. Deeply, deeply apologize for that.”
Good Trouble star Michael Galante is leading Don't Look Now comedy pilot to showcase visually impaired actors
The potential series, revolving around a diverse group of dedicated teachers and staff as they navigate the daily challenges of their work, has the aim of authentically portraying "the lives of individuals within the visually impaired community, offering a fresh perspective that is as enlightening as it is entertaining," says director Geno Marx.
Dominic West is glad The Crown is over: "I read all the reviews and spent two days in bed"
“It’s such a relief now to go back to theatre and not have to talk about the monarchy anymore," West told BBC Radio, adding of reading the reviews: “All reactions worry me. I read all the reviews and spent two days in bed. So yes, I’m a sensitive soul, I worry about what people think.”
Watch Amazon's trailer for The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy
The sci-fi animated series, premiering Feb. 23, stars Stephanie Hsu as Dr. Sleech and Keke Palmer as Dr. Klak — aliens, best friends, and intergalactically renowned surgeons—as they tackle anxiety-eating parasites, illegal time loops and deep-space STIs.