Philippa Kaur

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    'The Craft: Legacy' Director Enlists Real Witches and LGBTQ Activist to Oversee Movie Script

    Columbia Pictures

    Zoe Lister-Jones recruits a transgender expert to oversee the script as she claims transgender women must be included in the narrative of ‘the young women stepping into their power.’

    Nov 1, 2020
    AceShowbiz – “The Craft: Legacy” writer/director Zoe Lister-Jones was so committed to addressing modern race and gender norms she decided one of her leading characters should be a transgender Latina.
    The actress-turned-filmmaker also recruited a transgender issues expert as a script consultant to make sure there was nothing in her film – a revamp of cult classic “The Craft” – that could upset the LGBTQ community.
    “If you are telling the story of young women stepping into their power, Trans women must be included in that narrative,” she says.
    And producer Jason Blum was thoroughly behind his director’s vision, adding, “We worked closely with GLAAD, who really helped us find the right people, and they were very instrumental in the casting process for us. GLAAD helped us write breakdowns. They helped us get the word out and gave us specific casting suggestions.”

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    As a result, Latina transgender activist and actress Zoey Luna was cast as Lourdes.
    Lister-Jones also hired three witch experts, including Pam Grossman, the author of “Waking the Witch: Reflections of Women, Magic, and Power”, and Bri Luna, as consultants to make sure the film was grounded in actual tradition and custom.
    “I wanted to be really respectful of the witchcraft community and the varying traditions of witchcraft,” the director explains. “Pam, Bri and Aerin (Fogel) each come from different traditions… Aerin would close and open circles for us authentically at the beginning and end of each shooting day.”
    “On our first day of shooting, she led a ceremony for 10 of us women. It was an incredible ritual – an intention-setting ceremony for the film. And it was so moving. I thought, ‘Why aren’t we doing this for every project?’ It’s not just Wicca – it’s the traditions of West Africa or Latin America or Eastern Europe. It really embodies the intersectionality of what feminism should look like – and witchcraft is very much about embodying the divine feminine.”
    “All of the actresses related to a lot of the witchy things in the script. They were sharing their zodiac signs, what crystals they had… and they were comparing their rising signs. They were embodying their characters as they all fell in love with each other. It was kismet.”

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    CNN Fires Back at Kirstie Alley Following COVID-19 Fearmonger Criticism

    WENN/Ivan Nikolov

    The 69-year-old former ‘Cheers’ star, who is a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump, has taken to her Twitter account to call out the liberal network over its constant COVID-19 fearmonger.

    Oct 31, 2020
    AceShowbiz – Kirstie Alley is one of outspoken Donald Trump supporters, so it won’t be surprising to know that she’s not a fan of CNN. Still, the former “Cheers” star took to Twitter to further make public her sentiment towards the liberal network with a condemning tweet on Friday, October 30.
    Criticizing the network over its constant fearmonger, Kirstie wrote on the blue bird app, “I now Know why my personal friends who walk around in SHEER TERROR of contracting Covid are simply CNN viewers!” She went on to say, “I decided to watch CNN myself to get a their viewpoint and oh my God DID I EVER!!!! IF YOU TOO WANT TO LIVE IN TERROR WATCH CNN!! FEAR OF DYING IS THEIR MANTRA! OMG.”
    It didn’t take long for CNN to catch wind of the tweet. The network decided to hit back at the actress with a more personal jab in its response. Replying to Kirstie’s tweet, CNN said, “Kirstie, you are welcome to change the channel – just like countless viewers did every time ‘Veronica’s Closet’ came on TV,” referring to the NBC sitcom starring Kirstie as Veronica Chase. “But don’t downplay the loss of nearly 230K American lives. And please, wear a mask.”

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    In response to CNN’s vicious clapback, NewsBusters managing editor Curtis Houck wrote, “This is some grade-A juvenile stuff here, CNN. But this is also very on-brand of you. No class. No ethics. It’s all a game.” Another user added, “That washed up actress, Kirstie Alley went after CNN. It did not go the way she’d hoped.”

    Kirstie Alley and CNN were feuding on Twitter.
    However, some others jumped to Kirstie’s defense, calling out CNN for being unprofessional. “Unprofessionalism at its finest! Continuing to show your true colors CNN,” one said. Meanwhile, another reply read, “Here’s something I did not know: Veronica’s Closet was the #3 rated show in 1998 — pulling in 24 million viewers every episode. Which is what, more than the entire CNN prime time lineup pulls every week?”
    Earlier this month, Kirstie received huge backlash after declaring her support to Donald. Calling out the haters, the 69-year-old tweeted, “Don’t think I’ve ever seen so much name-calling in my life. Definitely not on my site here anyway I guess I’m not allowed to have a viewpoint without being called a really nasty names by what I’m going to suppose are really nasty people.”

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    Sacha Baron Cohen Donates $100K to Pranked 'Borat' Babysitter Who's Paid Only $3,600 for the Movie

    Amazon Prime/GoFundMe

    The ‘Borat’ actor makes a $100,000 donation to Jeanise Jones after it was revealed she ‘wasn’t paid much money’ for the new flick ‘Subsequent Moviefilm’.

    Oct 31, 2020
    AceShowbiz – Sacha Baron Cohen has pledged $100,000 (£77,500) to “babysitter” Jeanise Jones’ Oklahoma community, after she made a big impact with her scene-stealing appearance in “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”.
    Jones was one of the sequel’s breakout stars and quickly became a fan favourite after appearing as a “babysitter” hired to watch Borat’s 15-year-old daughter – played by the 24-year-old Bulgarian actress Maria Bakalova.
    While filming, Jones was reportedly told she would be appearing in a documentary about child brides and that the film would largely only be seen overseas.
    Pastor Derrick Scobey, of Jones’ Ebenezer Baptist Church, previously set up a GoFundMe crowdfunding page in her honour, as she was told she’d be playing a ” ‘Black Grandmother’ in a ‘documentary.’ ”
    “Jeanise emerged as that person and she was completely unaware that this was a comedy, and all of this was made up,” reads a statement on the page. “The joke is on us/Jeanise and that’s no problem.”

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    It adds that Jones “wasn’t paid much money” for the film and she was worried about the fate of Bakalova’s Tutar for the duration of filming.
    When WENN went to press, the fundraiser had already amassed over $140,000 (£108,500) and, outside of the online platform, Cohen also donated $100,000 in Jones’ honour.
    Scobey told People, “I was blown away but not surprised because I was told about what type of heart this man has. Maybe it’s a little risque, some of the things in the movie, but he has a good heart.”
    “While all these people around the world are loving how she’s the moral compass of the movie, she’s sitting here serving people in the dark and in the cold,” he added of Jones. “This is who we are. This is what we do for our community, and we love our community.”
    “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” is currently screening on Amazon Prime Video.

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    Carpentry TV Show Canceled Following Backlash Over Contestant's Nazi Tattoo

    Sky History

    The ‘Chop: Britain’s Top Woodworker’ show has been called off following controversy after one of the contestants was seen sporting what looked like a neo-Nazi tattoo.

    Oct 31, 2020
    AceShowbiz – Woodworking TV show “The Chop: Britain’s Top Woodworker” has been cancelled after a contestant was alleged to have neo-Nazi symbols tattooed on his face.
    The Sky HISTORY channel’s carpentry contest, hosted by comedian Lee Mack, hit the headlines earlier this month (Oct20) after a promotional clip was posted online of a contestant, Darren Lumsden, who had skin art featuring an ’88’ on his face.
    The numerals commonly used by neo-Nazis to represent their Adolf Hitler salute ‘Heil Hitler’ as H is the eighth letter of the alphabet.

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    After initially defending Darren, who denies his body art is a reference to Neo-Nazism, and then suspending the show, channel chiefs announced they would cancel the programme on Friday (30Oct20).
    A statement tweeted out by the channel reads, “A contestant’s tattoos included symbols that could be connected to far-right ideologies and could cause offence; we sincerely apologise for that and we are sorry that our processes did not prompt further investigation at an earlier stage.”
    “The contestant continues to strenuously deny that he has, or ever had, far-right leanings. We are thoroughly reviewing our internal processes following the investigation. (production company) AETN UK and Sky History stand against racism and hate speech of all kinds.”
    Sky HISTORY bosses initially claimed to have looked into Darren’s inkings and found that the number 88 was the year of his father’s death. However, viewers pointed out other tattoos with white supremacist connotations and later it emerged his dad was alive and well and living near Bristol, England.

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    David and Victoria Beckham Secure $20.5M Deal to Share Family Videos on Netflix

    WENN

    David Beckham and his fashion designer wife have reportedly inked a multi-million deal with the streaming giant to release their family footage for a documentary on their life.

    Oct 31, 2020
    AceShowbiz – David and Victoria Beckham are reportedly set to share never-seen-before home movies as part of a new deal with Netflix.
    According to sources, the couple has signed a deal with the streamer worth in excess of $20.5 million (£16 million) to release archives of home footage for a documentary about their life.
    The soccer star will feature in intimate camcorder footage from family birthdays, Christmases, and other celebrations, reports allege, with insiders telling British tabloid The Sun the fly-on-the-wall programme will also recount the couple’s love story from their early dates to the present day.

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    “This is a real coup for Netflix – and will show a completely different side to David, one the public very rarely get to see,” they shared. “David’s family are all massive archivers; they’ve been proudly documenting his career since he was a boy and have kept all the old local newspaper cuttings, school records and team photos throughout the years.”
    “There’s even some classic camcorder footage from various birthdays, Christmases and special occasions, as well as some hilarious insights into David and Victoria’s early dates.”
    The insider added, “Needless to say, David is bound to come off brilliantly while viewers will get to see Victoria’s quick wit. A camera crew will also document David’s life now, following him around the globe as he fulfils various business ventures.”
    David and Victoria’s children, Brooklyn, 21, Romeo, 18, Cruz, 15, and Harper, nine, are also expected to feature in the forthcoming project, produced under their Studio 99 company, which is unlikely to air until early 2022 amid the pandemic.

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    'Justice League' Helmer Joss Whedon Calls Ray Fisher's Claim of Altering Actor's Skin Color 'False'

    WENN/FayesVision

    The cyborg depicter has detailed an alleged instance which prompted him to speak out about Whedon, saying that he heard ‘blatantly racist conversations’ among studio executives.

    Oct 30, 2020
    AceShowbiz – “Justice League” director Joss Whedon has denied Ray Fisher’s latest allegation that he digitally altered the skin tone of a person of color in the movie. In a statement released through his spokesperson, the filmmaker labeled the claim as “false.”
    “The individual who offered this statement acknowledged that this was just something that he had heard from someone else and accepted as truth, when in fact simple research would prove that it was false,” Whedon said in the statement.
    Explaining the editing process of a movie, “The Avengers” helmer continued, “As is standard on almost all films, there were numerous people involved with mixing the final product, including the editor, special effects person, composer, etc. with the senior colorist responsible for the final version’s tone, colors, and mood.”
    “This process was further complicated on this project by the fact that [original director] Zack [Snyder] shot on film, while Joss shot on digital, which required the team, led by the same senior colorist who has worked on previous films for Zack, to reconcile the two,” the statement claimed.
    But Fisher stands firm on his claim. In response to Whedon’s denial, the Cyborg depicter said in a statement to CinemaBlend, “This is only a hair’s breadth away from Berg’s, ‘Fisher was upset about booyah’ defense.”

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    “I’ve been trying my best to make sure that Joss Whedon and Jon Berg aren’t able to be thrown completely under the bus by the other guys. But when they make these half baked knee-jerk excuses publicly, they make my job a lot harder. I’m settling in with my family for the night,” he said, before promising, “I’ll have a more in-depth response tomorrow.”
    Previously, Fisher elaborated his allegations of toxic work environment which he first raised against Whedon in July. In an interview with Forbes, he claimed to have heard “blatantly racist conversations” among studio executives.
    “What set my soul on fire and forced me to speak out about Joss Whedon this summer was my becoming informed that Joss had ordered that the complexion of an actor of color be changed in post-production because he didn’t like the color of their skin tone,” the 33-year-old actor said. “Man, with everything 2020’s been, that was the tipping point for me.”
    The magazine noted that multiple actors of color had their parts heavily reduced or completely cut from the film’s theatrical release, including Ryan Choi’s Zheng Kai and Kiersey Clemons’ Iris West. In response to this, Whedon’s representatives said that these decisions were made prior to him leading the project.
    But Fisher said that “race was just one of the issues with the reshoot process.” He also complained about “massive blowups, threats, coercion, taunting, unsafe work conditions, belittling, and gaslighting like you wouldn’t believe” on the set.
    Warner Bros. has since launched an internal investigation regarding Fisher’s claims, though the studio claimed that Fisher was not cooperative with a third-party investigator.

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    Patrick Wilson 'Thrilled' to Take Director Seat for 'Insidious 5'

    WENN/Phil Lewis

    After his appointment was announced during producer Jason Blum’s Blumfest event, the Josh Lambert depicter in the original horror film describes it as ‘a full circle moment’ for him.

    Oct 30, 2020
    AceShowbiz – Actor Patrick Wilson is stepping behind the camera for the latest instalment in the “Insidious” franchise.
    The news was announced during producer Jason Blum’s Blumfest event on Thursday, October 29.
    Wilson appeared in the original “Insidious” and the film’s sequel, alongside Rose Byrne, and the latest outing will focus on their characters as they deal with sinister forces while their son Dalton (Ty Simpkins) begins college, 10 years after the film series launched.
    “I’m honored and thrilled to be at the helm of the next ‘Insidious’ installment, which will provide an amazing chance to unpack everything the Lamberts went through a decade ago, as well as deal with the consequences of their choices,” Wilson said in a statement.

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    “Directing the movie is both professionally and personally a full circle moment for me, and I am extremely grateful to be entrusted in continuing to tell this frightening and haunting story.”
    Steven Bersch, President of Screen Gems, added, “We’re excited to have Patrick return as Josh and to make his directorial debut in a franchise he helped launch, and to drive the story Further into the next generation with Ty.”
    The fifthquel will be distributed worldwide by Sony Pictures. Scott Teems wrote the script based on a story by franchise co-creator Leigh Whannell. “Insidious 5” currently still has no release date.
    Wilson is also starring in another horror franchise, “The Conjuring”, alongisde Vera Farmiga. They play real-life couple and paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, who are associated with prominent cases of haunting.

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    'KUWTK': 'Attentive' Tristan Thompson Helps Khloe Kardashian During Her COVID-19 Quarantine

    Instagram

    A new episode of ‘Keeping Up with the Kardashians’ sees the Good American jeans founder’s ex-boyfriend lending a hand to care for their daughter True while she was in self-quarantine in her room

    Oct 30, 2020
    AceShowbiz – Khloe Kardashian was grateful to Tristan Thompson for helping her when she had COVID-19 earlier this year. A new episode of “Keeping Up with the Kardashians”, which aired on Thursday, October 29, saw her ex-boyfriend lending a hand to care for their daughter True while she was in self-quarantine in her room.
    “Thank God Tristan is back in California,” Khloe shared in the episode. “No matter how sick I am, I’m still constantly focused and thinking about True. Is she okay? Does she miss me? So having her dad here gives me a little more time to focus on just me trying to get better…because this s**t is unreal.”
    The Cleveland Cavaliers player celebrated his birthday with their daughter just days into Khloe’s quarantine. Even though she couldn’t be there physically, Khloe revealed that she showed her appreciation through FaceTime and gifts. “I really appreciate how attentive and responsible he’s been,” she shared.

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    “He asks me breakfast, lunch and dinner what I want to eat. He literally gets it for me, puts it on a tray, leaves it at the side of my door. We have a little system. So I want him to really feel celebrated and loved. He’s been helping take care of True while I’ve been on lockdown in my bedroom,” she continued recalling.
    In the episode, the Good American jeans founder opened up about her health issues. “I just found out that I do have corona. I have been in my room,” she said while lying on her bed. “It’s gonna be fine, but it was really bad for couple days, vomiting and shaking and then hot and then cold.”
    “I suffer from migraines, but this was the craziest headache. I wouldn’t say it was a migraine,” she continued to describe her symptoms. “The cough in my chest would burn when I would cough. My throat is still not fully recovered, clearly. Let me tell you, that s**t is real. But we’re all going to get through this. I’m praying if we all follow orders and listen, we’re gonna be OK.”

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