Tina Fey to star in Netflix's The Four Seasons / Adan Canto dies at 42 / Amanda Knox producing a Hulu series on her life
PLUS: Aaron Rodgers accuses the media of misinterpreting his Jimmy Kimmel comments in order to "cancel" him.
Tina Fey to star in Netflix comedy series The Four Seasons that she co-created with 30 Rock writers
Fey is reteaming with Never Have I Ever co-creator Lang Fisher and Great News creator Tracey Wigfield — both of whom wrote for 30 Rock — on a comedy series adaptation of the 1981 Alan Alda film romantic comedy film The Four Seasons, which he wrote, directed and starred in. This will mark Fey's first TV starring role since 30 Rock ended in 2013. In The Four Seasons movie, Alda and Carol Burnett play a longtime married couple in a story revolving around three upper middle-class married couples living in New York City who take vacations together during each of the seasons whose friendship is shaken up by one of the men dating a much-younger woman. Rita Moreno also stars. Production on The Four Seasons is set to begin later this year. This is the second TV adaptation of The Four Seasons. Alda-produced a short-lived CBS series adaptation in 1984.
Adan Canto dies: The Cleaning Lady and Designated Survivor star was 42
The Mexican-born, Texas-raised actor and musician died Monday after a private battle with appendiceal cancer. Canto was a musician in Mexico City before embarking on acting career, making his American TV debut on Fox's The Following in 2013. He would go on to star in two ABC series: 2013-2014 ABC sitcom Mixology and 2015 soap Blood & Oil. He recurred on Fox drama series Second Chance in 2016 before joining ABC political drama Designated Survivor as White House deputy chief of staff and later chief of staff and vice-president-elect Aaron Shore opposite Kiefer Sutherland. For the past two seasons, Canto has starred on Fox drama series The Cleaning Lady, playing the gangster Arman Morales. “While his health did not allow him to film when production on the upcoming Season 3 started in December, following the end of the strikes, Canto was planning to rejoin the cast later in the season,” reports Deadline’s Nellie Andreeva. “The series will pay tribute to its star with a card in the Season 3 premiere.”
Amanda Knox to produce a Hulu limited series based on her life — with Monica Lewinsky on board as a producer
Warren Littlefield and Lewinsky are joining Knox in executive producing a series telling the story about Knox’s Italian wrongful conviction ordeal and its aftermath. "Written and executive produced by KJ Steinberg (This Is Us), the untitled limited series is based on the true story of how Amanda Knox was wrongfully convicted for the murder of her roommate Meredith Kercher and her sixteen-year odyssey to set herself free," reports Deadline's Nellie Andreeva, adding: "The Amanda Knox series had been on priority-track development at Hulu for awhile. Lewinsky, who also is known for her activism, teased it in an October appearance on Today about a PSA campaign about self-bullying."
Ahsoka Season 2 is officially in the works
The Rosario Dawson-led Star Wars series is set to come back for a second season, Lucasfilm revealed in announcing The Mandalorian & Grogu movie. "The Mandalorian & Grogu will lead Lucasfilm's ongoing feature-development slate, including films helmed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, James Mangold, and Dave Filoni, who is also currently developing Ahsoka Season 2, among those in the works," read the statement.
Jon Favreau is directing The Mandalorian & Grogu movie
The Mandalorian creator Favreau is bringing his Disney+ show to the big screen with The Mandalorian & Grogu, which will begin filming this year. Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy and Star Wars boss Dave Filoni will serve as producers. “I have loved telling stories set in the rich world that George Lucas created,” said Favreau. “The prospect of bringing the Mandalorian and his apprentice Grogu to the big screen is extremely exciting.”
Aaron Rodgers accuses the media of misinterpreting his Jimmy Kimmel comments in order to "cancel" him
One week after suggesting that Kimmel was on Jeffrey Epstein's notorious client list, Rodgers said today on The Pat McAfee Show that he wasn't accusing Kimmel of anything. “I totally understand how serious an allegation of pedophilia would be,” Rodgers said, according to Mediaite. “So, for him to be upset about that, I get it. Did you watch the quote? Because that’s exactly what I said — verbatim, what I said — on the show. I’m not stupid enough — even though you think I’m an idiot and you made a lot of comments about my intelligence — but I’m not stupid enough to accuse you of that with absolutely zero evidence. That’s ridiculous.” Rodgers not only slammed the media, but he went after one particular ESPN executive, Mike Foss, who called the QB's comments "a dumb and factually inaccurate joke about Jimmy Kimmel." Rodgers added: "This is the game plan of the media. This is what they do. They try and cancel. And it’s not just me. It’s nowhere near just me. I mean, you can look at all the different people who’ve been censored from the internet — especially during Covid. They’re canceling everyone on the censorship, using the government to try and censor people. And if that doesn’t work, then they go to name calling.” Rodgers also responded to Kimmel mocking him as a community college student who went to UC Berkeley on a football scholarship, but didn't graduate. “It’s impressive that a man who went to Arizona State and has 10 joke writers can read off a prompter,” Rodgers quipped. “My education at (junior college) and my three semesters at Cal, that I’m very proud of, has worked out for me and I’m glad to see it’s worked out for him as well. I wish him the best. Again, I don’t give a shit what he says about me. As long as he understands what I actually said and that I’m not accusing him of being on a list, then I’m all for moving forward.”
ALSO:
ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro reportedly called Jimmy Kimmel personally to smooth things over: “Jimmy Pitaro did call Jimmy Kimmel and did a pretty good job, I believe, of talking him down,” ESPN historian James Andrew Miller said on the Sports Media with Richard Deitsch podcast. “The two of them had a really constructive conversation. But the way that that was left, it could have been a terrible situation … if let’s say Jimmy Kimmel decided to send a note to Bob Iger and said, ‘next week, only one of [Kimmel or McAfee] is going to be on the air. You tell me which one of us it’s going to be.'”
Kaitlyn Dever officially joins The Last of Us Season 2 in the key role of Abby
Abby is described as "a skilled soldier whose black-and-white view of the world is challenged as she seeks vengeance for those she loved.” As The Hollywood Reporter's James Hibberd notes, "Dever has had a previous connection with the show, as the game’s fans lobbied for years for her to get the starring role of Ellie (which went to Bella Ramsey) given Dever’s striking resemblance to the Ellie character in the game. The 27-year-old even reportedly auditioned for the role, but producers wanted a younger actor for the part (Ramsey is 20)."
Rosie Perez to star opposite Billy Crystal in Apple TV+'s Before
Perez is joining Crystal and Judith Light on the 10-episode limited series starring Crystal as a child psychiatrist who, after recently losing his wife, Lynn (Light), encounters a troubled young boy who seems to have a haunting connection to Eli’s past. Perez will play a caring and strong-willed foster mother to Noah, one of Eli’s patients.
Denis Leary and O-T Fagbenle join Netflix's Ray Romano-led No Good Deed
They'll co-star with Romano, Lisa Kudrow, Linda Cardinelli, Luke Wilson, Abbi Jacobson and Poppy Liu in the dark comedy from Dead to Me creator Liz Feldman "that follows three very different families vying to buy the very same 1920s Spanish-style villa that they think will solve all their problems. But as the sellers have already discovered, sometimes the home of your dreams can be a total nightmare."
Donald Trump to appear for his first live Fox News interview in nearly two years
Trump will appear in a Fox town hall Wednesday from Des Moines, Iowa, his first live appearance on the cable network since April 2022. It's also his first live appearance since Fox News settled its Dominion lawsuit. "The relationship between Mr. Trump and the Rupert Murdoch-owned network has featured more drama than a season of Real Housewives," says The New York Times' Michael R. Grynbaum. "But Wednesday’s event is not only a turning point and a potential ratings winner for Fox News: It is also the former president’s first live interview on any major news network since he went on CNN last May, an event that drew harsh criticism for the volume and velocity of his unfiltered false claims."
Jake Johnson reacts to Minx's cancelation: "We were just starting to get at how weird, how crazy, these type of characters are"
“I really loved playing Doug Renetti. He was a truly special character. We were just starting to get at how weird, how crazy, these type of characters are.” Johnson told Decider after Starz opted last week not to order a third season of the 1970s-set drama series. Johnson reiterated, however, that the cancelation didn't surprise him. “It’s part of the game these days," he said. "I don’t think the game is about one or two projects now, I think it’s about 10 to 20. Sad, but you move on and try to find another one.”
Don Lemon, Jim Rome and Tulsi Gabbard are getting Twitter/X shows
CNN alum Lemon, sports radio personality Rome and former congresswoman Gabbard are part of Twitter/X's original content push. “I’ve heard you… and today I am back, bigger, bolder, freer!,” Lemon wrote in a statement posted to Twitter/X. “My new media company’s first project is The Don Lemon Show," Lemon wrote in a statement posted to Twitter/X. "It will be available to everyone, easily, whenever and wherever you want it, streaming on the platforms where the conversations are happening. And you’ll find it first on X, the biggest space for free space in the world. I know now more than ever that we need a place for honest debate and discussion without the hall monitors. This is just the beginning so stay tuned.”
The Good Doctor promotes Chuku Modu
The Dr. Jared Kalu actor will become a series regular for Season 7 years after making his first appearance in 2017.
Kelsey Grammer wants former Cheers co-star Shelley Long on Frasier
Grammer said on The Kelly Clarkson Show that a reunion between Frasier Crane and Long's Diane Chambers would “put something to bed” and “end up with a nice thing between them.”
Ryan Reynolds used Hugh Jackman's broken 2005 Emmy to accept his own Emmy for Welcome to Wrexham
Reynolds filmed a Creative Arts Emmys acceptance speech for his and Rob McElhenney docuseries' win for structured reality program, revealing on his Instagram Stories that he borrowed Jackman's 2004 Emmy that he won for hosting the Tony Awards.
David Krumholtz to guest on Law & Order: SVU
“LOVED working on L&O SVU these past couple weeks. Stay tuned!” the former Numb3rs star wrote on Instagram of his guest role.
Sinéad O'Connor died from natural causes
A London coroner's court ruled that the Irish singer died at age 56 of natural causes last Julyu. The court added that they have now ceased their involvement in O'Connor's death.
Peacock's Couple to Throuple trailer delves into the world of polyamory
The unusual reality show follows four couples “through the world of polyamory as they experiment with bringing a third partner into their relationship," according to Peacock. "Set at a remote tropical resort, the couples will meet, mingle, and date a group of singles, many of whom are experienced in polyamory. With three times the fun, the feelings, and drama, these relationships are put through the ultimate test to see if they are the perfect match." Couple to Throuple premieres with three episodes on Feb. 8.
3 Body Problem unveils a 2-1/2 minute official trailer: "Prepare yourself for something very strange"
"There's someone behind everything. You just have to dig," Netflix says of the long-awaited sci-fi epic based on Liu Cixin's sci-fi novel of the same name. Premiering March 21, 3 Body Problem is from Alexander Woo and Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.
Paramount+ unveils Sexy Beast's trailer
The drama series prequel to the 2000 cult British gangster movie of the same name premieres Jan. 25.
Tokyo Vice gets a Season 2 trailer and premiere date
The Ansel Elgort-led crime drama set in Japan's criminal underworld returns for its second season on Max on Feb. 8.
Watch the trailer for Will Trent Season 2
The Ramón Rodríguez-led ABC drama series returns Feb. 20.
Netflix releases the trailer for "We are the World" documentary The Greatest Night in Pop
Premiering Jan. 29, the documentary reveals how the iconic collaboration between music heavyweights almost didn't happen.
Kevin James is Irregardless in his new Amazon standup special trailer
In the family-friendly special Irregardless, James delivers his unfiltered take on parenting, marriage and getting older. Kevin James: Irregardless premieres Jan. 29.
Apple TV+'s The Dynasty: New England Patriots trailer focuses on Bill Belichick and Tom Brady's relationship
Premiering Feb. 16, The Dynasty looks at Belichick and Brady's two decades of New England Patriots dominance in the NFL.