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    Pete Davidson to Star Opposite Colin Jost in Wedding Comedy 'Worst Man'

    WENN

    To be produced by ‘Saturday Night Live’ creator Lorne Michaels, this upcoming film is based on an original story idea by Jost, Matthew Bass, and Theodore Bressman.
    Jun 18, 2020
    AceShowbiz – “Saturday Night Live” regulars Pete Davidson and Colin Jost are set to star in new wedding comedy “Worst Man”.
    The film, based on an original story idea by Jost, Matthew Bass, and Theodore Bressman, will follow a soon to be married couple and the family issues they must face before walking down the aisle.
    “SNL” creator Lorne Michaels will produce the film.
    The production comes as Jost is preparing for his own nuptials to movie star Scarlett Johansson, while Davidson is enjoying on-demand movie success as the star of Judd Apatow’s new film “The King of Staten Island”.

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    'This Is Us' Child Star Lonnie Chavis Can't Stop Crying on Set as He's Triggered by 'Racist' Scene

    WENN

    The 12-year-old actor recalls sobbing on set when he listened to a co-star acting out a racist character and recounts being accused of stealing tip money.
    Jun 18, 2020
    AceShowbiz – Young “This Is Us” star Lonnie Chavis struggled to hold back tears as he listened to a racist grandmother on the hit show, because it brought back awful memories from his real life.
    The 12 year old, who plays Randall Pearce in the TV drama, recalls the show’s director and writers trying to calm him down as he became emotional during the scene, admitting he had no way of explaining what was going on in his mind.
    “I started crying listening to an actor portray a racist grandmother toward my character,” he writes in a new essay for People magazine. “The director and writers told me that they didn’t need me to cry for the scene. However, it was hard for me not to cry as I witnessed what I had just learned was my reality. I wasn’t acting, I was crying for me.
    “Can you imagine having to explain to a room full of white people why I couldn’t hold back my real tears while experiencing the pain of racism…?”
    Lonnie also reveals he was racially profiled at a restaurant in San Diego, California, while visiting one of his young black co-stars.
    “Her black cousins and I were accused by a young white girl working the cash register of trying to steal the few tips in her tip cup,” he adds. “It was a huge ordeal that almost led to police being called on us while we were with our parents.”
    A white fan of the show came to the family’s rescue and explained Lonnie was “a professional actor on two television series currently airing” and added he “doubted I would need to steal her few dollars.”
    “My mother never played the ‘he’s an actor’ card,” Chavis explains. “She definitely knew and argued that we were being targeted merely because we were a group of young black children. Can you imagine someone thinking you are a thief just because of the colour of your skin? I can.”
    The young star also opens up about the drama that went down on his 10th birthday in 2018 when his father was detained by police for a traffic ticket.
    “After coming home late with my family from my birthday party, a Long Beach police officer twisted my dad’s arm behind his back and pulled him from our doorstep with the door opened…,” Lonnie recounts in the essay. “My mother ran to my room and told me with fear in her eyes to go into my little brother’s room and stay away from the windows. She put my new baby brother in my arms and told me that no matter what I hear from our front yard to not come to the door.”
    “I held my baby brother and cried as I could hear my mother yelling outside of our home. I thought my parents were for sure going to die going up against the police. By the grace of God, they are both still with me, and that racially motivated harassment against my father was dismissed. Can you imagine holding on to your three little brothers while thinking that you are all going to be orphans? I can.”
    The actor concludes the essay by writing, “Change has got to happen for unarmed Black citizens to not live in fear of being murdered. Can you imagine being me in 2020 and wondering what the future holds?”

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    Kristen Stewart Confirmed to Play Princess Diana in New Movie 'Spencer'

    WENN

    The ‘Twilight’ actress has been tapped to portray the late mother of Prince William and Harry in an upcoming movie written by ‘Peaky Blinders’ creator and directed by ‘Jackie’ helmer.
    Jun 18, 2020
    AceShowbiz – “Charlie’s Angels” star Kristen Stewart has signed on to play Princess Diana in director Pablo Larrain’s new film, “Spencer”.
    The film, written by “Peaky Blinders” creator Steven Knight, imagines a weekend in the early 1990s when Prince Charles’ wife decided her marriage to the heir to the throne wasn’t working.
    Production is expected to begin in early 2021 and the film is expected to be one of the hot ticket packages up for grabs at the virtual Cannes Market.
    Larrain, who previously enjoyed success with the biopics “Jackie” and “Neruda”, will also produce the film.
    The Chilean filmmaker accepts he might be considered an odd choice to direct a film about Princess Diana, but he insists he’s perfect, telling Deadline, “We all grew up reading and understanding what a fairytale is. Usually, the prince comes and finds the princess, invites her to become his wife and eventually she becomes queen. That is the fairytale. When someone decides not to be the queen, and says, I’d rather go and be myself, it’s a big big decision, a fairytale upside down. I’ve always been very surprised by that and thought it must have been very hard to do. That is the heart of the movie.”
    “How and why do you decide to do that? It’s a great universal story that can reach millions and millions of people, and that’s what we want to do. We want to make a movie that goes wide, connects with a worldwide audience that is interested in such a fascinating life.”
    And the director can’t wait to turn Stewart into Diana, calling the “Twilight” star “one of the great actors around today.”
    “Kristen can be many things, and she can be very mysterious and very fragile and ultimately very strong as well, which is what we need,” Larrain adds. “The combination of those elements made me think of her. The way she responded to the script and how she is approaching the character, it’s very beautiful to see. I think she’s going to do something stunning and intriguing at the same time. She is this force of nature.”
    “I’ve seen movies from Kristen that are so diverse it’s incredible, showing different layers and her diversity and strength as an actress. We’re very happy to have her, she’s very committed. As a filmmaker, when you have someone who can hold such a weight, dramatic and narrative weight just with her eyes, then you have the strong lead who can deliver what we are looking for.”
    He continues, “It’s a very energetic and beautiful script by Steven Knight, whose work I have admired for years. It captures what I have always found and that is an enormous amount of beauty in the power of Diana. When she had the stage of the world and what she had to say in her own story and how strong she could be when she needed to transform herself into something different, to find her own path. It’s a romantic story of a woman going through difficult times who finds the light and the solution.”
    “She died years after where our story is set and so we don’t deal with that. It’s only three days of her life and in that very small amount of time, you’re able to get into a wider, bigger perspective of who she was. We all know her fate, what happened to her, and we don’t need to go there. We’ll stay in this more intimate space where she could express where she wants to go and who she wants to be.”

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    John Boyega Hints at Possible Return to ‘Attack the Block’ Sequel More

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    John Boyega Hints at Possible Return to 'Attack the Block' Sequel

    Screen Gems

    The ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ actor reveals he has met with director Joe Cornish to discuss his possible return to the second installment of the cult science-fiction movie.
    Jun 18, 2020
    AceShowbiz – John Boyega has been talking to his “Attack the Block” director Joe Cornish about returning for a sequel to the cult science-fiction hit.
    The 2011 movie about a gang of south London teenagers fighting off an alien invasion earned raved reviews and started John’s rise to fame as a leading player in the revamped “Star Wars” franchise.
    In a chat on the Script Apart podcast, Joe revealed the actor has talked to him about reprising his role as the leader of the teens, Moses, in a sequel set a decade after the first film.
    “We’ve got ideas,” The Kid Who Would Be King filmmaker said. “I met with John a couple of months ago to talk about it. We’ve always had ideas after the first one. But obviously we’ve both been busy doing different things. In a way, the longer you leave it, the more interesting it is. So that’s all I’ll say.”
    Joe is also proud that some have revisited the film after John’s impassioned speech at a Black Lives Matter protest in London earlier this month, June 2020 as the star’s leadership skills and challenging of prejudice prompted comparisons with Moses’ heroism in the movie.
    “It’s wonderful that people are revisiting the film,” the director added. “Most of all, it’s a moment for John, and it’s a moment for hopefully some social change. To be a tiny little part of something that I hope is much, much bigger is exciting.”
    John subsequently commented on the sequel reports, quoting an Empire article and tweeting,”…think imma need the whole of London for an army on this one……”
    He also wrote that he “wouldn’t imagine” the movie without co-star Alex Esmail.

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    Bob Odenkirk Defends Blackface Sketch After Netflix Pulls His Show

    WENN

    The former ‘Breaking Bad’ actor insists his comedy is ‘always about the human element, never about making a political point’ in response to controversy surrounding blackface sketch.
    Jun 18, 2020
    AceShowbiz – Bob Odenkirk and David Cross took to Twitter to respond on Tuesday night, June 16, 2020 after Netflix pulled an episode of their show “W/ Bob & David” over a blackface sketch.
    The streaming giant opted to remove the episode, which showed Cross in blackface during an interaction between a police officer and someone at a DUI checkpoint, from their service due to the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement and protests taking place around the world.
    Following their decision, both stars had their say on their social media pages, with Cross writing, “Hey all, Netflix is going to pull this sketch from With Bob & David because the ridiculous, foolish character I play puts on ‘black face’ at one point. The point of this was to underscore the absurdity… well, here’s your last chance to figure it out.”
    And Bob added on his Twitter page, “We considered every choice we made doing our show, and always aimed to make you laugh and think, and never make an obvious or easy point… that very much includes this sketch. Our comedy is always about the human element, never about making a political point.”
    The show is the latest to be removed from streaming services amid the ongoing conversations about racial injustice – with Matt Lucas and David Walliams issuing a public apology over the blackface sketches in their show “Little Britain”, which was also pulled from BBC iPlayer and Netflix.

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    Eva Marcille Exits 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' to Focus on 'Other Opportunities'

    Instagram

    The former ‘America’s Next Top Model’ winner also notes that despite her decision, she is not on a bad term with her Bravo reality TV show co-stars, saying, ‘I love every single one of those black women.’
    Jun 17, 2020
    AceShowbiz – One housewife will be visibly absent when “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” returns for a new season. On Tuesday, June 16, Eva Marcille announced that she wouldn’t be returning to upcoming season 13 of the Bravo reality TV show.
    Eva, who joined “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” for two seasons, broke the news on “The Rickey Smiley Morning Show”. “I have a six-year-old daughter and two young boys still in diapers. They’re 24-hours a day, and there’s a lot of work to be done,” she shared on the radio show. “So I decided to spend my time and energy focusing on my kids and my community, and not so much reality show business.”
    The former “America’s Next Top Model” winner then noted that despite her decision, she wasn’t on a bad term with the other ladies on the show. “I want to be very clear, even though we fought on the show, I love every single one of those black women. They are queens all in their own right. They are stars. And I wish them the most successful season and transformational season 13 that ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta’ has ever seen,” she said.
    Later, she provided more details in an official statement which read, “I appreciate the bond of friendship that I have made with several of my cast mates and the strong personal relationships I have with numerous executives and producers at the Bravo and Truly Entertainment companies.”
    Eva went on saying, “I am thankful for the opportunity I was provided, however, after speaking with my family and representatives, I believe that what I hope to accomplish for the culture and community will be better served by focusing on other opportunities.”
    Eva joins Tinsley Mortimer as another Housewife that departed from the franchise. Tinsley previously announced her exit from “The Real Housewives of New York City”. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all my fans and friends who supported me and are happy for my fairy tale ending,” Tinsley explained.
    “Without #RHONY, I would never have met my prince charming, Scott,” she added. “Being a Housewife was such a fun experience, and I thank @bravoandy and all the wonderful people at Shed Media and @bravotv. Swipe for a trip down memory lane. I love you all so much!!”

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    Lena Waithe Joins Forces With Common for 'The Chi With Love' Charity Concert

    WENN

    Calling now ‘a time to uplift black artists’, ‘The Chi’ creator will be fronting the hour-long special along with other Chicago, Illinois-based artists to raise funds for the Equal Justice Initiative.
    Jun 17, 2020
    AceShowbiz – “The Chi” creator Lena Waithe is teaming with Common and other Chicago, Illinois-based artists for a virtual concert to raise funds for the Equal Justice Initiative.
    Waithe, whose series is set in the city, and Common, both of whom are also Chicago natives, will front the hour-long special, “The Chi With Love”. Common will also serve as an executive producer of the event.
    “The Chi has always been a show about celebrating black life and black love even in the midst of tragedy,” said Waithe in a statement. “Now is a time for us to uplift black artists. This virtual concert not only celebrates black music, but it celebrates the beautiful black people of Chicago. This is from us, with love.”
    Bosses at Showtime, the U.S. network that produces “The Chi”, have announced a $500,000 (£400,000) donation to the Equal Justice Initiative, an organisation working to end mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States’ legal system.

    “The Chi With Love” will air on June 21 at 7pm ET at https://www.youtube.com/thechionshowtime, ahead of the season three premiere of “The Chi” at 9pm ET on Showtime.

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    Eva Marcille Exits ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’ to Focus on ‘Other Opportunities’

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    Debra Messing to Make TV Return in White House Comedy Series

    WENN/Avalon

    Written by Ali Wentworth, ‘East Wing’ is said to be inspired by the experiences of the writer’s mother, who served as Social Secretary at the White House during Ronald Reagan’s presidency in the 1980s.
    Jun 17, 2020
    AceShowbiz – “Will & Grace” star Debra Messing is set to return to the small screen for a new White House comedy series.
    The actress will headline Starz series “East Wing”, written by Ali Wentworth, who is also set to appear on the show.
    The premise is inspired by the experiences of Wentworth’s mother, who served as Social Secretary at the White House during Ronald Reagan’s presidency in the 1980s. Messing will star as Hollis Carlisle, a woman juggling career and family while grappling with social anxiety.

    Messing recently concluded her role in “Will & Grace” when the 11th season of the series wrapped in April (20).

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