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    Cynthia Erivo's Aretha Franklin Series Shut Down Following Covid-19 Scare

    National Geographic/Richard A DuCree

    The National Geographic project has halted production on the upcoming ‘Genius: Aretha’ series after one of the cast members contracted the deadly virus.

    Oct 21, 2020
    AceShowbiz – Production on Cynthia Erivo’s Aretha Franklin series has been shut down after a cast member tested positive for COVID-19.
    Filming on National Geographic’s “Genius: Aretha” resumed three weeks ago after the pandemic shut the show down in March (20), and now it’s on hold again.
    Deadline sources claim the set went into lockdown early on Tuesday (20Oct20) after a background actor contracted the coronavirus. It is unclear how long the shutdown will last and the show’s producers at Touchstone Television have yet to comment.

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    Executive producer and director Anthony Hemingway had completed half of the eight-episode drama, in which Erivo plays the late Queen of Soul, when production shut down in mid-March. Filming began in December (19).
    The life and legacy of Aretha Franklin was also brought to the big screen in a biopic called “Respect”. The late music icon handpicked Jennifer Hudson to play her on the movie before she passed away in 2018.
    In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Hudson weighed in on the Nat Geo project, “I know that Aretha was adamant that [her life] be a film. If it’s not a film, it’s nothing. I’m just honored that she picked me to play her. I mean, who can say that? And again, I would have never done it without her wishes.”
    Following Franklin’s death, Hudson saved her text exchange with the icon. “I still have the text chains, so every now and then I look back at them,” she explained of their connection. “The last time I spoke to her was Aug. 8, [2018,] and I can honestly say she sang until her last breath.”

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    Sigourney Weaver, 71, Insists on Doing Her Own Underwater Stunts for 'Avatar' Sequel

    WENN

    The original ‘Ghostbusters’ actress has trained with military experts to improve her diving skills to prepare herself for the underwater stunt filmed for the upcoming ‘Avatar’ sequel.

    Oct 21, 2020
    AceShowbiz – Sigourney Weaver was determined to tackle difficult underwater scenes in the “Avatar” sequel to prove she’s still an action woman at 71.
    The actress reunited with director James Cameron for the “Avatar” sequels and admits she was initially overwhelmed by the amount of underwater scenes in the script, but she worked hard to prove she wouldn’t need a diving double.
    “I had some concerns, but that’s what the training was for,” she tells the New York Times’ T magazine. “And I really wanted to do it. I didn’t want anyone to think, ‘Oh she’s old, she can’t do this.’ ”

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    The actress, who will reprise her role as Dr. Grace Augustine in the film, took to the waters of Hawaii and Key West, Florida to improve her diving skills, and even learned to hold her breath for six minutes while training with military experts.
    “My hope is that what I receive from the universe is even more outrageous than anything I can think of,” Weaver added. “I don’t really say to myself, ‘Well, you can’t do this’. Or, ‘You can’t do that.’ ”
    The four films were initially set to be released in 2021, 2023, 2025 and 2027 but each has been pushed back a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The original “Avatar” movie was released in 2009 and became the biggest film of all-time. It has since been toppled by “Avengers: Endgame”.
    Sigourney Weaver will reunite with Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana in the upcoming sequels. They are joined by a group of new members that include Kate Winslet, Edie Falco, and Vin Diesel.

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    Hilary Swank's 'Away' Gets Canned After One Season

    Netflix

    The new freshman show about an international crew’s first expedition to planet Mars will not return for a second season after it was called off by Netflix.

    Oct 21, 2020
    AceShowbiz – Hilary Swank’s Netflix show “Away” has been axed after just one season.
    According to Deadline, officials at the streamer have decided against moving forward with a second season of the space travel series, which also starred Vivian Wu, Mark Ivanir, Ray Panthaki, and Ato Essandoh as well as Josh Charles and Talitha Bateman.
    The show centred on astronaut Emma Green, who prepares to lead an international crew on the first mission to Mars and must reconcile her decision to leave behind her husband and teenage daughter when they need her the most.
    However, as the mission intensifies, the crew’s personal dynamics and the effects of being away from home become increasingly complex.

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    Two-time Oscar-winner Swank previously opened up about her battle with claustrophobia on the show, explaining she had never suffered from it previously but she developed it on set because of the spacesuit she had to wear.
    “To the point my entire body broke out in sweat and I was drenched within 30 seconds and my face looked like a very ripe tomato…and I almost passed out while trying on my finished spacesuit and helmet for the first time,” she explained.
    “BUT, our mental minds do control a lot, if not everything. After six months, I was not able to overcome my claustrophobia, but I was able to come to a type of meeting of the minds with it.”
    Netflix has also canceled “GLOW”, “Teenage Bounty Hunters”, “The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance”, “Altered Carbon”, “The Society”, and “I Am Not Okay With This”.

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

    Sky History

    The new television show has been postponed by U.K. channel amid controversy after a trailer showed one of the contestants with what appeared to be a neo-Nazi tattoo.

    Oct 21, 2020
    AceShowbiz – Bosses at U.K. TV network Sky have suspended broadcasts of their new show “The Chop” after critics took aim at a trailer, which featured a contestant with what looked like a neo-Nazi tattoo.
    The Sky HISTORY channel’s carpentry contest, hosted by comedian Lee Mack, hit headlines on Tuesday (20Oct20) after a promotional clip was posted online, and many viewers noticed one heavily-tattooed contestant, named Darren, 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.
    Sky HISTORY bosses initially defended the show and the contestant, insisting the tattoo represents the year Darren’s father died.

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    “Darren’s tattoos denote significant events in his life and have no political or ideological meaning whatsoever,” a statement posted on Twitter read. “Amongst the various numerical tattoos on his body, 1988 is the year of his father’s death. The production team carried out extensive background checks on all the woodworkers taking part in the show, that confirmed Darren has no affiliations or links to racist groups, views or comments.”
    The statement failed to appease some critics, however, with some Twitter users explaining the font used for the tattoo resembled the Fraktur typeface used by the Nazis in World War Two Germany.
    The controversy has now prompted TV bosses to remove the teaser video for the new show and postpone upcoming episodes.
    SKY’s senior communications manager David Clifton tells WENN, “While we further investigate the nature, and meaning, of Darren’s tattoos, we have removed the video featuring him from our social media pages, and will not be broadcasting any episodes of The Chop: Britain’s Top Woodworker until we have concluded that investigation. Sky HISTORY stands against racism and hate speech of all kinds.”

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    Harvey Weinstein Accuser Teams Up With Diane Warren to Pen #MeToo Musical

    WENN/Nicky Nelson/FayesVision

    To debut in November, ‘The Right Girl’ will be directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Susan Stroman, and offers a fictionalized account of Louisette Geiss’ experiences post-assault.

    Oct 20, 2020
    AceShowbiz – Harvey Weinstein accuser Louisette Geiss is set to unveil a musical detailing the career fall-out she endured after she was allegedly assaulted by the mogul.
    The former actress has co-written “The Right Girl”, which will debut next month in the form of a filmed performance. Featuring music by renowned songwriter Diane Warren, the show will be directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Susan Stroman.
    Geiss, a former actress, was one of many women who came forward with accounts of sexual misconduct against the disgraced film producer and the upcoming showcase offers a fictionalised account of her experiences and the career fall-out she endured after an encounter at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah, during which she alleges Weinstein masturbated in front of her.

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    “Though the story is fictionalized, almost all of the dialogue, lyrics and situations came directly from these contributors and publicly reported stories,” Geiss said in a statement. “Our goal, from day one, has been to amplify and honor these women’s stories, and encourage audiences to help them change the world.”
    The cast of “The Right Girl” includes a range of theatre stars, including Alysha Umphress, Jenna Ushkowitz, Tony Yazbeck, Heath Calvert, Steve Rosen, and Robyn Hurder. The performance will screen at the Barrington Stage Company in Pittsfield, Massachusetts on November 1.
    Weinstein is currently serving a 23-year prison sentence after a jury convicted him of forcibly performing oral sex on former “Project Runway” production assistant Miriam ‘Mimi’ Haleyi in 2006 and raping hairstylist Jessica Mann in 2013. In addition to his current sentence, the producer is currently awaiting extradition to Los Angeles in connection with offences related to three other victims and, earlier this month, he was hit with six additional criminal charges related to three alleged rapes in Beverly Hills, California.

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    Chris Hemsworth Shares Pic From Snoozy 'Thor: Love and Thunder' Script Meeting

    Marvel Studios/Jasin Boland

    Sharing a picture of director Taika Waititi taking a nap during the business gathering, the actor pokes fun at his ‘storytelling prowess’ that causes the helmer to feel sleepy.

    Oct 20, 2020
    AceShowbiz – “Thor: Love and Thunder” isn’t going to film until next year, but Chris Hemsworth has given a look at behind the scenes of the pre-production. Taking to his Instagram account on Monday, October 19, the Australian actor shared a picture of the movie director, Taika Waititi, taking a nap during the first script meeting.
    In the image, the “Thor: Ragnarok” helmer wrapped himself in a blanket while lying on the grass. Covering his face with a blue hat, he seemed to be in deep sleep while another crew member in the background was also falling asleep on the green field. A third person, a female crew member, was seen relaxing on a colorful blanket but stayed awake.
    Hemsworth accompanied the photo with an equally hilarious caption that poked fun at his riveting ideas for the upcoming “Thor” film. “Terrific first script meeting for ‘Thor Love and Thunder’ with our ever fearless leader Taika Waititi,” he quipped. “My notes were so detailed and intense that the only way for Taika to fully absorb them was to roll himself into a tight cocoon and bake in the endless possibilities of where the film will take us. The bloke in the background was equally riveted by my storytelling prowess.”

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    In other news, Hemsworth has teased “dramatic changes” in the next installment of the God of Thunder film franchise. “I’m supposed to be shooting ‘Thor’ right now, but obviously it got pushed back,” he said in a conversation with Kriti Kharbanda for Swisse Vitamins & Supplements, a company he becomes an ambassador for. “I’ll be starting that in January. This is the fourth time with a Thor film and the eighth Marvel film overall. Very excited, excited to try something different.”
    “The last three films, I think we certainly pushed the envelope. We’ve had a few different versions of the character,” he shared. “Now people expect dramatic change. We’ve got our work cut out for us. Taika Waititi, he’s back to direct. He’s writing the script right now. Natalie Portman is going to be in the film, Tessa Thompson. So, we’ve got a fantastic slew of actor’s in there, and cast and crew.”
    “Thor: Love and Thunder” will be based on the graphic novel “The Mighty Thor”, which sees Jane Foster battling breast cancer and turning into the female version of Thor. Portman previously confirmed her character’s storyline, saying, “I can’t tell you that much. I’m really excited. I’m starting to train, to get muscles. If there can be all these female superheroes, the more of them they are, the better it is. I’m trying to think – it’s based on the graphic novel of The Mighty Thor. She’s going through cancer treatment and is a superhero on the side.”
    “Thor: Love and Thunder” is slated for February 11, 2022 release in the United States.

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    Chadwick Boseman Lets Out Emotion in First Trailer of His Final Film 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom'

    [embedded content]

    The late ‘Black Panther’ actor portrayed Ma Rainey’s band member Levee, an ambitious, yet under-appreciated trumpeter who aspires to make his own mark in the Chicago music scene.

    Oct 20, 2020
    AceShowbiz – Here’s a new official look at Chadwick Boseman’s final film “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”. Netflix has released the first trailer of the film starring the late actor and Viola Davis, after previously previewing it with some first-look photos.
    In the upcoming drama based on the play of the same name by August Wilson, Boseman portrayed Ma Rainey’s band member Levee, an ambitious trumpeter who aspires to make his own mark in the Chicago music scene by putting a contemporary spin on old-fashioned songs. Yet, his works are under-appreciated by his own colleagues and white music executives, leading to some emotional moments in the trailer.
    Davis takes on the title role, who is described as the legendary “Mother of the Blues.” Set in 1920s, the movie centers on a fateful recording session of “Mother of the Blues” as tensions rise between Ma Rainey, her ambitious horn player and the white management determined to control the legendary “Mother of the Blues”.

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    “Late to the session, the fearless, fiery Ma engages in a battle of wills with her white manager and producer over control of her music,” according to the official synopsis. “As the band waits in the studio’s claustrophobic rehearsal room, ambitious trumpeter Levee – who has an eye for Ma’s girlfriend and is determined to stake his own claim on the music industry – spurs his fellow musicians into an eruption of stories revealing truths that will forever change the course of their lives.”
    Boseman was battling colon cancer while filming “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”, though none of the production crew and his co-stars knew about it. He completed the production before his passing on August 28. He was 43.
    George C. Wolfe directs the film, with Ruben Santiago-Hudson writing the script. Denzel Washington co-produces it with Todd Black and Dany Wolf. Glynn Turman, Colman Domingo and Michael Potts are also among the cast members.
    “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” is set to be released December 18 on Netflix.

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    Letitia Wright on 'Black Panther' Sequel Talks: We Are Still Mourning Chadwick Boseman

    PORTER Magazine

    The second installment of the Marvel film was a May 2022 release date before the COVID-19 outbreak and the passing of its lead actor following a secret battle with cancer.

    Oct 20, 2020
    AceShowbiz – Letitia Wright and her “Black Panther” castmates will revisit the future of the Marvel film franchise after they’ve stopped mourning the death of the movie’s star, Chadwick Boseman.
    The actor lost his secret battle with cancer in August at the age of 43, leaving a planned sequel for the the superhero blockbuster up in the air, and Wright, who played Shuri in the first “Black Panther” movie, has revealed those involved are still too grief stricken to discuss a second instalment.
    “We’re just still mourning Chad, so it’s not something I even want to think about,” the actress told Porter magazine, revealing she’s not even sure there is a ‘Black Panther’ franchise without Boseman.
    “The thought of doing it without him is kinda strange,” she added. “We’re just grieving at the moment, so it’s trying to find the light in the midst of it.”

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    “Black Panther 2” was announced last August (19) and prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, it was given a release date for May, 2022.
    Chadwick died of colon cancer on August 28 at age 43. He was buried at Welfare Baptist Church Cemetery in the town of Belton – 11 miles from his hometown of Anderson in the state. According to his death certificate, obtained by the Associated Press, the 43-year-old passed away at his home in Los Angeles’ Griffith Park neighborhood. His cause of death was listed as “multiple organ failure” with colon cancer as the underlying cause.
    Following his death, Disneyland immortalized the fan-favorite actor with a new mural which was put in the Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California.

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