Disney and Will Smith shared the first photo of the cast of Aladdin, the upcoming live-action adaptation of the classic animated film. Will Smith’s selfie features his fellow cast members Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, and Marwan Kenzari. John August (Big Fish, Frankenweenie) penned the screenplay and Guy Ritchie (King Arthur: Legend of the Sword) is directing the action adventure film which brings Disney’s animated classic to life. Production is currently taking place at Longcross Studios outside London.
Disney confirmed the cast and released very brief character descriptions:
The Aladdin cast includes two-time Oscar® nominee Will Smith (Ali, Men in Black) as the Genie who has the power to grant three wishes to whoever possesses his magic lamp; Mena Massoud (Amazon’s Jack Ryan) as Aladdin, the hapless but lovable street rat who is smitten with the Sultan’s daughter; Naomi Scott (Power Rangers) as Princess Jasmine, the Sultan’s beautiful daughter who wants to have a say in how she lives her life; Marwan Kenzari (Murder on the Orient Express) as Jafar, an evil sorcerer who devises a nefarious plot to unseat the Sultan and rule Agrabah himself; Navid Negahban (Homeland) as the Sultan, the ruler of Agrabah who is eager to find a proper husband for his daughter, Jasmine; Nasim Pedrad (Saturday Night Live) as Dalia, Princess Jasmine’s hand maiden and confidante; Billy Magnussen (Into the Woods) as Prince Anders, a suitor from Skanland and potential husband for Princess Jasmine; and Numan Acar (Homeland) as Hakim, Jafar’s right-hand man and head of the palace guards.
Dan Lin (The Lego Movie) is producing and Marc Platt (La La Land), Jonathan Eirich (Deathnote) and Kevin De La Noy (The Dark Knight Rises) are on board as executive producers. Alan Menken, who won Oscars for the animated Aladdin’s “A Whole New World” and for the film’s score, is in charge of the score which will feature new recordings of the animated classic’s original songs he wrote with Oscar-winning lyricists Howard Ashman (Little Shop of Horrors) and Tim Rice (The Lion King). Menken will be teaming up with Oscar winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land) to write two new songs specifically for the live-action film.
Disney has not yet set a release date. The animated film opened in theaters in 1992 and earned five Academy Award nominations, winning two. Ron Clements and John Musker co-directed the critically acclaimed film which featured the voices of Robin Williams as the Genie, Scott Weinger as Aladdin, Linda Larkin as Princess Jasmine, and Gilbert Gottfried as Iago.
Sasha Pieterse and Gleb Savchenko in ‘Dancing with the Stars’ season 25 (ABC/Craig Sjodin)
Season 25 of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars will feature a WWE superstar, an NBA champion, Sasha Pieterse from Pretty Little Liars, an ’80s pop singer, and one of Shark Tank‘s Sharks. This season’s “stars” were revealed on Good Morning America along with which professional each will be partnering with for season 25. ABC’s set a September 18, 2017 at 8pm ET/PT premiere for the new season, once again hosted by Emmy winner Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews.
Season 25 marks the first season ABC will host an official Dancing with the Stars Fantasy League. Per ABC: “The game allows players to predict which couple will win the season and take home the coveted Mirrorball Trophy. Players earn points for correct predictions, and each point is an entry into the grand-prize drawing for a chance to win a trip for four to Disney’s Aulani Resort in Hawaii and other exclusive prizes. Beginning September 19, fans can also play the weekly game to earn more points and chances to win. Each week, players choose three couples they predict will earn the highest scores in that week’s episode(s). Each point the couples earn on the show is another entry towards the Grand Prize and First Prize sweepstakes.”
More info’s available on the DWTS Fantasy League at abc.com/dfl.
Dancing with the Stars Season 25 Partners:
Barbara Corcoran with Keo Motsepe
Debbie Gibson with Alan Bersten
Derek Fisher with Sharna Burgess
Drew Scott with Emma Slater
Frankie Muniz with Witney Carson
Jordan Fisher with Lindsay Arnold
Lindsey Stirling with Mark Ballas
Nick Lachey with Peta Murgatroyd
Nikki Bella with Artem Chigvintsev
Sasha Pieterse with Gleb Savchenko
Terrell Owens with Cheryl Burke
Vanessa Lachey with Maks Chmerkovskiy
Victoria Arlen with Val Chmerkovskiy
Dancing with the Stars Celebrities:
BARBARA CORCORAN – Barbara Corcoran’s credits include straight D’s in high school and college and 20 jobs by the time she turned 23. It was her next job that would make her one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the country: she borrowed $1,000 and quit her job as a waitress to start a tiny real estate company in New York City. Over the next 25 years, Barbara would parlay that $1,000 loan into a $5 billion real estate business, building the largest and best-known brand in the business.
Corcoran is the author of the bestseller Shark Tales: How I Turned $1,000 into a Billion Dollar Business! Corcoran is a motivational and inspirational speaker. She is a frequent small business and real estate contributor on every major network. She has been an investor/Shark for the past nine seasons on ABC’s three-time Emmy award winning show, Shark Tank.
Follow Barbara @BarbaraCorcoran – Follow Keo @keodancer
DEBBIE GIBSON – For 30 years, Debbie Gibson has proven she’s an entertainer of immeasurable talent. From singer, songwriter and musician to actress and dancer, she embodies what it truly means to be an entertainer. A music prodigy, Gibson exploded on the Billboard Pop Charts at the tender age of 16 with the self-penned “Only in My Dreams.” The “Original Pop Princess” quickly became the youngest artist ever to write, produce and perform a No. 1 hit song, “Foolish Beat,” and entered the Guinness Book of World Records. To date, she is still the youngest female to hold that record. She has sold more than 16 million albums worldwide, performed for British Royalty and hosted The American Music Awards, produced by friend and legend Dick Clark.
After conquering the pop world with three consecutive albums and world tours, she set her sights on the theater and starred in 17 musicals in 17 years. Gibson made her mark in the Broadway production of “Les Miserables” as Eponine. She broke box office records in the London West End production of “Grease” as Sandy. She then took the stage in the U.S. Broadway tours of “Grease” as Rizzo and “Funny Girl” as Fanny Brice. She also wowed critics as Belle in Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” Gypsy Rose Lee in “Gypsy,” Cinderella in the national production of “Cinderella,” with Eartha Kitt, Velma Kelly in “Chicago,” and Sally Bowles in the Broadway revival of “Cabaret,” with Neil Patrick Harris. Gibson bridged the gap between pop music and Broadway with her one-woman show, “Pop Goes Broadway.” She currently has two original Broadway musicals in the works, one with Jimmy Van Patten entitled “Flunkytown” and the other entitled “Skirts” as composer and lyricist with Hilary Carlip and Katie Ford.
To fill her passion of mentoring and fostering young performers and songwriters, she also created Debbie Gibson’s Electric Youth, a series of performing arts camps and music boot camps. Gibson made her debut in the world of orchestration for Dr. Rutledge’s documentary 3 Billion and Counting, about Malaria prevention in third world countries. She collaborated on the score and the powerful closing credits song, “Rise,” which was shortlisted for an Academy Award nomination. She also composed two original songs for “Cirque Dreams Symphony,” which toured the U.S.
In 2012 Gibson raised more than $50,000 for Children International on The Celebrity Apprentice and made a cameo in the film Rock of Ages. In 2011 she starred with Tiffany in the SyFy hit Mega Python vs. Gatoroid, which led to a joint sold out tour as well as a performance on GMA’s Summer Concert Series. She also appeared in Katy Perry’s hit music video for “Last Friday Night (TGIF).” In 2014 she starred as a celebrity judge on ABC’s Sing Your Face Off, and joined an esteemed list of musical performers as a 2014 inductee of the Long Island Music Hall of Fame. She starred in the 2015 original movie The Music in Me, featuring a new, original song, “Promises.” She wrote a new song, “Angel,” for the debut album of Nickelodeon star Isabela Moner, co-wrote and is featured on Big Black Delta’s electro-pop song “RCVR,” and was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from Rockers on Broadway in 2015. In 2016 Gibson created, executive produced and starred in Hallmark Channel’s Summer of Dreams, which featured her new, original song, “Wonderland,” and a new acoustic version of her self-penned debut, hit single, “Only in My Dreams.”
Follow Debbie @DebbieGibson – Follow Alan @Dance10Alan
DEREK FISHER – Derek Fisher spent his entire pre-NBA life in Little Rock, Arkansas. His work ethic and determination were evident even from a young age, but basketball was always what drove him. A stand-out guard in high school, he starred for Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High. Even as a teenager, his leadership qualities were on display for all those who encountered him.
In 1996 he was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers and went on to play more than 18 seasons in the NBA, a majority with the Lakers, with whom he won 5 NBA Championships. Fisher is the all-time NBA record holder in playoff games played. While playing for the Lakers, he hit a buzzer beater with 0.4 second left in game 5 of the 2004 Western Conference Semifinals against the San Antonio Spurs, which the NBA lists as the 18th-greatest playoff moment of all time. Fisher also served as president of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), while playing.
In 2014 he was hired by the New York Knicks to be the team’s head coach and became one of the only players to get a head coaching job in the NBA directly from playing. In 2016 he moved back to Los Angeles and began to work professionally as a broadcaster, making appearances on TNT, NBA TV and Spectrum SportsNet. Fisher made multiple appearances on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” and was on TNT’s new “Player’s Only” coverage, where former NBA players provided color commentary on games. He worked alongside with Shaquille O’Neal, Grant Hill and Brent Barry, among others. At the start of the 2016-17 NBA season, Fisher joined Spectrum SportsNet as an in-studio analyst for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Fisher’s passion for impacting the lives of young people motivated him to create a camp experience for children and teens of all skill levels. In 2009 he started the Derek Fisher Basketball Academy, which is dedicated and focused on developing the basketball, leadership and life skills of each camper. He currently resides in Los Angeles with his family.
DREW SCOTT – Drew Scott is co-founder of Scott Brothers Entertainment and Scott Living. He and his twin brother, Jonathan, host multiple top-rated HGTV series, including the Emmy-nominated Property Brothers, Brother vs. Brother and Property Brothers at Home, and their shows are watched by millions of fans in over 150 countries. A New York Times bestselling author and one of People’s “Sexiest Men Alive,” Scott is also a bona fide social media influencer with over three million followers across his social platforms.
Born and raised in Canada, Scott’s passion for all things entrepreneurial began at age seven when he and Jonathan started their first business. By 18, they were buying and flipping homes, and by their mid-20s they had a thriving real estate, design and renovation business with hundreds of clients.
Scott’s love of acting began during elementary school. He then started doing improv, sketch and standup comedy while in high school. Later, he booked roles in popular TV series such as Smallville and Breaker High. Eventually, he and Jonathan were approached to host a home renovation show called My Dream Home, which later became Property Brothers.
In addition to his television and social media success, Scott is one half of a rising global lifestyle brand, which includes multiple extensions into music, media and retail. He and Jonathan established “Scott Brothers Entertainment,” which produces award winning and engaging content in all genres for TV, film and digital platforms. The brothers expanded their brand with the creation of “Scott Living,” a designer collection of indoor and outdoor furniture, décor and bedding. In 2015 the Scott brothers wrote and recorded two original tracks, “Hold On” and “Let the Night Shine In,” with music producers Victoria Shaw and Chad Carlson. “Hold On” hit the Billboard Hot Country charts within the first month of its release. In January 2017 they put their own country spin on Flo Rida’s wildly popular single “My House” with 100% of the single’s proceeds being donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Last year, he and Jonathan released their first book, Dream Home: The Property Brothers’ Ultimate Guide to Finding & Fixing Your Perfect House. It was both a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller. Scott will release a memoir, co-authored with brother Jonathan, entitled It Takes Two: Our Story, on September 5, 2017.
Outside of his career endeavors, Scott serves as a global ambassador for World Vision, working to improve child protection domestically and abroad. His wide-ranging philanthropic contributions include working with a variety of charities such as Artists for Peace and Justice, The American Red Cross and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, among others. He is also very active when it comes to environmental responsibility and the advancement of clean, renewable energies.
Follow Drew @MrDrewScott – Follow Emma @EmmaSlaterDance
Frankie Muniz and Witney Carson in ‘Dancing with the Stars’ (ABC/Craig Sjodin)
FRANKIE MUNIZ – Francisco ”Frankie” Muniz IV is an American actor, musician, writer, producer, race car driver and band manager. He is best known for playing the title character in the FOX comedy Malcolm in the Middle, which earned him an Emmy Award nomination, two Golden Globe Award nominations and The Hollywood Reporter’s ”Young Star Award.” On the feature side, he is best known for his work in My Dog Skip and playing the title role in the film Agent Cody Banks, as well as its sequel Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London. Muniz also starred in the 2002 blockbuster Big Fat Liar, opposite Amanda Bynes and Paul Giamatti. He recently shot the lead of the independent drama feature The Black String, for director Brian Hanson.
Apart from his love of acting, Muniz is also an accomplished race car driver, having competed in the Champ Car Atlantic Championship. He additionally has a passion for music and manages the alternative band Astro Lasso.
JORDAN FISHER – 2016 was a breakout year for multi-talented artist Jordan Fisher, whose talent clearly knows no boundaries, from TV to music to film and, most recently, Broadway. In January, Fisher’s take as Doody in FOX’s Emmy-winning broadcast of Grease: LIVE earned him critical acclaim and was deemed the show’s breakout star by MTV and People Magazine. That spring, he released his first single, “All About Us,” which was produced by Oak Felder (Alessia Cara, Arianna Grande, Rihanna) and melded influences of pop/soul/R&B. The song was the #2 most added song and a top 30 hit at pop radio. In August, Fisher released his self-titled EP, which debuted #18 on the Billboard Heatseeker album chart.
After performing on The Today Show, the ESPY’s Red Carpet Special and opening for Alicia Keys at the Apple Music Festival, Fisher was tagged to perform the end title credit to Disney’s hit animated feature film Moana with award winning songwriter/producer Lin-Manual Miranda. Fisher, who has been called out by Miranda as “super-talented,” saw a lifelong dream of performing on Broadway come to fruition when he joined the cast of Miranda’s uber-hit “Hamilton,” where he took on the dual roles of John Laurens and Philip Hamilton.
When ABC was curating the music for When We Rise, an eight-hour miniseries event with music guiding the four and a half decade storyline, they looked no further than Fisher to cover the 70’s classic, “I’d Love to Change the World.” The song opened the two-hour premiere, directed by Gus Van Sant.
The underlying thread to all Fisher’s success across the board is music. He’s not just a multi-talented performer but also a storyteller. His influences are diverse and can be traced back to his days growing up in a football town outside of Birmingham, Alabama, where he cultivated his tastes by listening to everything from Luther Vandross to Metallica while simultaneous developing his acting skills at the Birmingham-based Red Mountain Theatre Company. With a bright future in front of him, 2017 is sure to be another banner year as Fisher readies his debut full-length album. This fall he will release his new single “MESS” with Hollywood Records.
Follow Jordan @Jordan_Fisher – Follow Lindsay @lindsayarnold
LINDSEY STIRLING – Lindsey Stirling is one of the biggest artist development breakthrough stories in recent years. An acclaimed violinist from Gilbert, AZ., she entered a futurist world of electronic big beats and animation, using her classical violin training, to leap through the music industry with almost 10 million YouTube subscribers, over 1.9 billion views on her YouTube channel, two Billboard Music Awards, Billboard chart-topping hits and sold out tours worldwide. She’s created a new music world where modern classical meets the infectious energy of dance and electronica.
Stirling’s most recent and critically acclaimed third studio album, “Brave Enough,” debuted at #5 on Billboard’s Top 200 Album Chart and went on to score the #1 spot on Billboard’s year-end Top Dance/Electronic Album list. Collaborations on the album include ZZ Ward, Andrew McMahon and the Wilderness, Rivers Cuomo and Christina Perri, to name a few, and earned Stirling a 2017 Billboard Music Award for “Top Dance/Electronic Album.”
Stirling’s professional journey began in September of 2012 with the release of her self-titled debut album. Featuring her smash hit “Crystallize,” which has racked up over 177 million YouTube views, the album reached #1 on Billboard’s Dance/Electronic Chart and Classical Album Chart, earned her a 2014 Billboard Music Award nomination for “Top Dance/Electronic Album” and was certified Gold by the RIAA. The album reached #1 on Billboard’s Dance/Electronic Chart and Classical Album Chart and peaked at #23 on the Billboard Top 200.
In 2014 Stirling released her sophomore album “Shatter Me,” which debuted at #2 on Billboard’s Top 200 album chart and has sold over a quarter million copies in the U.S. It was #2 on the Billboard Year End Dance Electronic Album Chart, #1 on the iTunes Album Chart, spent an impressive 21 weeks straight at the #1 spot on the Billboard Classical Album Chart and was recently certified Gold by the RIAA. The album includes a collaboration with Halestorm lead singer Lzzy Hale on her smash single “Shatter Me,” which has over 72 million views on YouTube and took home the 2015 Billboard Music Award for “Top Dance/Electronic Album.”
In 2016 Stirling released her first book with Simon & Schuster, a memoir called The Only Pirate at the Party, which she co-wrote with her sister, Brook S. Passey. The book debuted on the New York Times’ best-seller list and shares stories of her humble yet charmed childhood, humorous adolescence, life as a struggling musician, personal struggles with anorexia, and finally, success as a world-class entertainer. Next up, Stirling will lend her likeness to a new comic book series called Sparrow, for which she teamed up with artist/writer Darick Robertson and co-writer R. Eric Lieb; and a Christmas album is set to be released via Concord Records later this fall.
Follow Lindsey @LindseyStirling – Follow Mark @MarkBallas
NICK LACHEY – Nick Lachey, a multi-platinum recording artist, television personality and businessman, first rose to stardom as the front-man of the popular band 98 Degrees, selling over 10 million albums worldwide and charting several top-40 hits. In 2003 he launched a successful solo music career and segued into television when he starred in Newlyweds, one of MTV’s most successful shows in the network’s history.
In addition to his music career, Lachey has been a prominent television personality and producer over the last decade, having hosted and starred in a number of major national network programs and specials, including VH1’s national morning show “Big Morning Buzz Live Hosted by Nick Lachey.” In 2015 he executive produced and was featured in A&E’s popular docuseries Lachey’s Bar that followed brothers Nick and Drew Lachey as they opened a new sports bar in their hometown on Cincinnati, Ohio.
Lachey’s additional television credits include NBC’s highly-rated acapella competition show The Sing-Off, The Winner Is, ABC’s Battle of the Network Stars, NBC’s Clash of the Choirs (where Team Lachey took home the championship and most importantly a check for $250,000 for the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital), Rockefeller Christmas Spectacular and Macy’s 35th Annual 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular. Lachey has also guest starred on a number of popular television series, including CBS’s hit show Hawaii Five-O, CW’s One Tree Hill, Charmed and ABC’s Hope & Faith. Behind the scenes, he created and executive produced the hit MTV series Taking the Stage, based on the lives of students at his beloved alma mater, the School for Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati, which ran for two seasons.
In 2003 Lachey launched his solo music career for which his second record, ”What’s Left of Me” (2006), went to number two on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart. His additional solo projects include “Soul-O” (2003) and “A Father’s Lullaby” (2013), the latter of which was a unique collaboration with Fisher Price inspired by his first born son Camden. His fourth solo album, “Soundtrack of My Life,” was released in November 2014.
Lachey reunited with 98 Degrees in 2013 to release their 5th studio album, “2.0,” and embarked on a North America tour with New Kids on the Block and Grammy award-winning group Boyz II Men. In 2016, 98 Degrees headlined the popular My2K Tour, featuring O Town, Dream and Ryan Cabrera. 98 Degrees will release their second Christmas album, “Let It Snow” (a follow-up to their 1999 platinum holiday record “This Christmas”),which will be available on October 13th with a tour to follow.
In addition to his work in music and television, Lachey remains a constant advocate for children’s and humanitarian causes through his work with organizations including Autism Speaks, Feeding America, Make-a-Wish Foundation, The Boys & Girls Club, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), VH-1 Save The Music, The Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and The Cincinnati School for Performing Arts. He is also founder and President of The Nick Lachey Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to helping children, families and communities in need throughout the United States. Lachey currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife Vanessa and three children Camden, Brooklyn and Phoenix.
Follow Nick @NickLachey – Follow Peta @PetaMurgatroyd
NIKKI BELLA – If there’s a barrier to be broken or an accolade to be earned, Nikki Bella has done it, and done it with style. Bella is a philanthropist, empowered woman, executive producer, YouTuber, motivational speaker and longest reigning Divas Champion.
A self-admitted ‘tomboy’ with a feminine side, Bella originally planned to play professional soccer until a leg injury ended her career. From there, she followed her twin sister Brie’s lead into WWE. Unsuccessful in seizing spots in the 2006 WWE Raw Diva Search, The Bellas caught the eyes of execs and soon landed in FCW. Training for the competition they’d soon crush, she and her sibling made their way onto the main roster in 2008 and turned heads whenever they set foot inside the ring. But don’t be fooled — Bella is more than just a pretty face. With a dash of ‘twin magic,’ she and her sister stirred up WWE, culminating with a Divas title reign apiece in 2011 and 2012. But after a brief sabbatical from WWE, the sisters began an astonishing reinvention, with Nikki cementing herself as the division’s mean-girl powerhouse and earning a Divas title reign that lasted a record-setting 301 days. Now, as a pivotal member of the SmackDown LIVE roster, Bella continues to test the limits of competition in a complete and totally fearless fashion.
Bella is the star of E!’s hit reality shows Total Bellas and Total Divas. She and Brie are continuing to grow their brand with their birdie bee apparel line and Belle Radici wine.
SASHA PIETERSE – Film and television star Sasha Pieterse is best known for her lead role on Freeform’s Pretty Little Liars, which wrapped its seventh and final season earlier this year. Despite being only 12 years old when she landed the role on what would go on to become one of the network’s most popular and successful shows, she held her own as the youngest regular cast member with already years of professional experience beneath her belt.
The Johannesburg native immigrated to America with her family for greater opportunities. The daughter of professional acrobatic dancers, Pieterse became accustomed to the rigors of a career in entertainment at an early age. When she was just four and a half years old, she met with a Los Angeles agent who quickly signed her, and she has been acting and modeling ever since.
Pieterse got her start in television in 2002 at the age of six, starring in the WB comedy series Family Affair, a remake of the late 1960s hit, as Buffy, opposite Gary Cole. She was awarded with a Young Artist’s Award for her work on the series. She appeared in the hit series Heroes and guest starred in House M.D. She also starred in the telefilm Claire, opposite Valerie Bertinelli, and appeared in the Disney Channel Original Movie, Geek Charming. Pieterse’s first major film role was as the Ice Princess in Robert Rodriguez’s The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl 3D, with Taylor Lautner and George Lopez. In 2007 she starred in The Air I Breathe, alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar. She also appeared in Good Luck Chuck, X-Men: First Class and the critically acclaimed film Inherent Vice, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and starring opposite Reese Witherspoon, Joaquin Phoenix and Martin Short.
In addition to her successful acting career, Pieterse has launched her singing career releasing four singles with co-writer and producer, Dan Franklin.
TERRELL OWENS – Philanthropist, entrepreneur, fitness expert, model, motivational speaker, humanitarian, loving father and the NFL’s 6-Time Pro Bowler, Terrell Eldorado Owens is a man on a mission. His extraordinary skills on the gridiron and elite athleticism raised the bar for Wide Receivers in the league. Owens is credited with being one of the most exciting and electrifying players to ever play the game, with 1078 Receptions, 15,935 yards and 153 touchdowns during the span of his 15 year career.
Owens was born in Alexander City, AL, where he attended Benjamin Russell High School. There he excelled in several sports including football, basketball, baseball and track. After being recruited by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), Owens made a name for himself as an explosive receiver, earning first team All-Southern Conference honors and setting a school record for catching a pass 11 consecutive games.
Owens was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round of the 1996 NFL draft, spending eight seasons with the team. He made his mark in the league by amassing a highlight reel of spectacular plays and performances. This includes a game-winning touchdown against the Green Bay Packers in a 1998 wild-card playoff games that was dubbed “The Catch II”; a record breaking day of December 17, 2000 when he surpassed the 50 year old mark for the single-game reception total; and his role in leading the 49ers to the second greatest comeback in NFL playoff history, which occurred against the New York Giants in 2002. In 2004 Owens joined the Philadelphia Eagles, making an immediate impact on the team, averaging one touchdown per game. This helped the Eagles to win 13 of its first 14 games, paving the way to Super Bowl XXXIX. Despite a late season injury that doctors had projected would take weeks to heal, Owens started the game and had nine receptions and 122 yards in a disappointing loss to the New England Patriots.
Owens went on to play for the Dallas Cowboys, embarking on another storied legacy. In his first season with the team, he led the league with 13 regular season touchdowns, and this despite a serious tendon injury to his finger. While doctors recommended season ending surgery, Owens elected to wait until the end of the season to repair the damage. In 2007 he set a Dallas Cowboys record with 15 touchdown receptions and helped lead the team to the NFC East divisional title for the first time since 1988. He also amassed 69 catches for 1,052 yards and 10 touchdowns in his last season for the Dallas Cowboys. Owens entered his 14th NFL season with the Buffalo Bills. It was in this season that he became only the sixth player to record 1,000 career catches. He also added stints with the Cincinnati Bengals and the Seattle Seahawks to his resume.
Owens has garnered countless awards and accolades for his work on and off the field, including six Pro Bowl appearances, five-time Associated Press All-Pro, Recorded Five Seasons with 13 or more touchdowns, and the first to score a touchdown in seven straight “Monday Night Football” games. On September 15, 2008 in yet another remarkable Monday Night Game, Owens moved into second place on the NFL’s all-time career touchdown list.
Owens’ work on the field is only mirrored by his accomplishments off the field, including partnering with the Alzheimer’s Association, which is near and dear to his heart. His beloved grandmother Alice succumbed to the disease three years ago. He also testified before Congress to raise awareness about the disease. Owens is also a respected and best-selling author, penning a children’s book, Little T Learns to Share, and a fitness book, T.O.’s Finding Fitness. His latest endeavor, the “What TO Do” Global Campaign, is an initiative aimed at empowering and motivating youth around the world through speaking, workshops and with the launch of an inspirational clothing line for men, women and children.
VANESSA LACHEY – As the winner of the 1998 “Miss Teen USA” pageant, Lachey (then Minnillo) was awarded the title and honor of Miss Congeniality 1998, which was voted on by her peers. She later went on to serve as a backstage correspondent for “The 50th Annual Miss USA Pageant” in 2001, a judge for “Miss Teen USA” in 2007 and co-host of the 2007 “Miss Universe Pageant” in Mexico City.
In 2003 Lachey started at MTV Networks, where she served as co-host for “Total Request Live” and “MTV Hits.” She hosted several MTV specials, including “MTV’s Prom Date,” “The Real World San Diego Reunion” and “Spring Break Celebrity Fantasies.” In 2002 she hosted the UK crossover hit “Top of the Pops” for The WB and also hosted the live finale of UPN’s “The Road to Stardom with Missy Elliot.”
For two seasons, Lachey was the New York-based correspondent for Entertainment Tonight, the #1 syndicated entertainment newsmagazine in the world. During her time with Entertainment Tonight, she reported on the latest news regarding music, film, television and fashion. Lachey starred in the FOX comedy Dads, executive produced by Seth MacFarlane, and was on the NBC series Truth Be Told, opposite Mark-Paul Gosselaar. Additional television credits include co-hosting the popular ABC Series Wipeout, as well as appearing as co-host on the reality show True Beauty. She also guest starred on Hawaii Five-O, 30 Rock, How I Met Your Mother, CSI-NY and USA’s Psych. Lachey will next be seen co-hosting Top Chef Junior with Curtis Stone, which will debut on Universal Kids in October.
Follow Vanessa @VanessaLachey – Follow Maksim @MaksimC
VICTORIA ARLEN – Face it. Embrace it. Defy it. Conquer it. These are the words that ESPN TV personality, Paralympic Gold Medalist and World Record Holder Victoria Arlen lives by every day. At the young age of 11, the lifelong swimmer and athlete fell ill with Transverse Myelitis, a rare viral disease that left her in a four-year long coma and without use of her legs for nearly 10 years. Unbeknownst to those around her at the time, Arlen could hear the conversations going on in her hospital room while she was in the coma as doctors expressed losing hope for any sort of improvement in her condition. However, with unwavering support from her family, her health improved tremendously.
In June of 2010, Arlen, determined to reach her childhood dream of competing in the Olympic Games, returned to the pool for the first time in years. In the spring of 2012, not only did she participate in four events at the London Paralympic Games, but she also took home one Gold and three Silver medals while also setting a world record in in the 100-meter free.
Following her successful and inspirational recovery, Arlen has since become an on-air TV personality with ESPN. She has reported for numerous sports programs, including X-Games, Invictus Games, The ESPY Awards, Special Olympics World Games and SportsCenter. Her dedication, charisma, and inspirational story has not gone unnoticed. Once in the public eye after the 2012 Paralympic Games, the 21-year-old came to symbolize a beacon of hope for many. Since then, she has presented as the keynote speaker at many functions, including for TEDx and several Fortune 500s, like Disney, Pfizer and Liberty, sharing her remarkable story across the country.
Sophie Skelton (Brianna Randall) and Richard Rankin (Roger Wakefield) in ‘Outlander.’ (Photo Courtesy of Starz)
There’s a new man on Starz’ Outlander. Fans of Sam Heughan and Tobias Menzies have already taken a liking to Richard Rankin as Roger in his brief appearance during season two. Season three is where Outlander really gets into Brianna (Sophie Skelton) and Roger’s storyline from the Diana Gabaldon books.
The cast of Outlander was at a Television Critics Association event for Starz and Showbiz Junkies sat down with Rankin one-on-one to talk about his increasing role in the show. Outlander returns September 10, 2017 on Starz.
This might sound crazy but a fan actually wanted me to ask why you went with a beard instead of clean-shaven for Roger?
Richard Rankin: “Well, the truth is that wasn’t my choice. There was a series of photographs and things done where I went into makeup/costume tests. I think it may have been Ron (Moore). I’m not entirely sure but someone didn’t like the clean-shaven look for Roger so we went with a beard. There were many variations of that beard so I think they just felt it was more fitting with the period, this academic, this one assistant professor would more likely be fuzzy than not I suppose.”
What was the scene you auditioned with?
Richard Rankin: “Oh, there were many, many, many auditions. I had audition scenes with Claire, audition scenes with Brianna, a mixture of the two and they were all crucial scenes which have yet to come, actually. There weren’t many scenes that I auditioned with that were in season two and most of them weren’t even in season three. So, I think they just wanted to get a good sense of where we may go with the characters. A lot of them were spread out over the books rather than already adapted scenes for television.”
Outlander is such a sweeping, romantic show. Do you feel that atmosphere on the set?
Richard Rankin: “Yes. It’s an epic. It’s an epic show. There are so many people involved. We’ve got an amazing production team from the showrunners, from Ron and Matt (Roberts) and Maril (Davis) and all of our execs and writers. They’re very hands-on. They’re a very passionate group themselves and they love the show so much that that filters down through the rest of the team. There’s always that energy on set, that excitement about the show that we’re making, I believe, a really quality TV show.”
Had you ever done a ‘60s era period piece before?
Richard Rankin: “No. It’s a period piece whichever way you look at it, right? I’ve done period before. The earliest I’ve been back is World War I. I did this show called The Crimson Field which was set in World War I so predates where we find Roger and Brianna, but nothing from the swinging ‘60s. This is my first.”
Did you do any research?
Richard Rankin: “Oh yeah, I did a ton of research. The time period itself, I wanted to obviously have an awareness of the ‘60s and where we find Roger, the culture, the music, the political scene at the time, what was going on, major historical events just to give yourself a sense of place. This is what any actor does I suppose, but I read a lot of the books to give myself a sense of Roger, give myself a flavor of what he’s about. Obviously, he’s a historian so I ventured off into more remote parts of Scotland that I thought Roger might have because he’s so passionate about that field, I thought I’ll give myself an idea of what that would be. I think because the piece – a lot of it is historically accurate and obviously we’re touching on major historical events throughout the story which is one of the things I think is great about it, then I think it’s important we have an awareness of these elements of the story that we’re telling.”
Is Roger socially aware and politically conscious?
Richard Rankin: “Yeah, obviously that doesn’t really factor too much into the story but I think as an academic, as the intellectual that Roger is, I think he’s getting in touch with that scene.”
You were the only one on the panel who read through book five. Did you learn anything in that book that gives you an advantage for your performance?
Richard Rankin: “Oh no, I don’t think it gives you an advantage. People who have read the books, Caitriona (Balfe’s) read some, Sophie’s read a few of the books, we’re all reading them for maybe slightly different reasons. I don’t think there’s any point in seeing too far ahead with your character because you’re not playing that yet. You don’t want that to taint the performance that you’re giving now. The reason that I read ahead was just to get an idea, because I didn’t have a whole lot of material available to me when we started on season two. I just wanted to get a more rounded idea of what Roger was about and what the fans would expect and their perception of him. And also to give myself an idea of where he was headed so I’m then in a better position to plot that throughline for Roger.”
Could anything prepare you for meeting the Outlander fans?
Richard Rankin: “Nothing can prepare you for meeting the Outlander fans. They’re an incredible group of people, second to none I think. They’re a very passionate and vocal bunch. They’re really committed to the show. Without such an invested fan base, the show obviously wouldn’t be where it is today and continued to grow. They really help spread the word. Their love for the show is just infectious.”
Did you have any memorable encounters at Comic Con?
Richard Rankin: “I met Ricky Whittle from American Gods who is my new bestie. We were on the New Warriors panel so that was cool. He’s a really cool guy. I really got on with him. I think that’s going to be a friendship for life, so that was worth doing that.”
And from fans?
Richard Rankin: “There was only one fan that particularly stood out because when she got to Sophie and I, she was like, ‘So, what do you guys do? Are you in the show?’ And I was like, ‘What? How are you on this autograph panel?’ She said, ‘Oh no, I only watched up to halfway through season two.’ And I was like, ‘Actually, I’m just crew. I’m security for these guys. Actually, I’m a signing double for Sam.’ So that was pretty funny.”
Do you have anything coming out after Outlander?
Richard Rankin: “Oh no, I’m pretty committed to Outlander for the foreseeable future. I think we have a lot of big stuff coming up that we’ve yet to film and that’s going to keep us very much involved with the production for the next while anyway.”
Even though Roger is not on the ships, are your sets going to be in South Africa just so the whole crew is together?
Richard Rankin: “Well, I’m not sure because I haven’t read any of the scripts. I know the story of season four but I haven’t read any of the scripts. I don’t know how they’re going to adapt that or what elements of the story they’re going to tell or how they’re going to tell the story. The writers are so good when they’re adapting it to keep, I suppose, the essence of the story, the main throughline of the story but they may have to change things for logistical or storytelling reasons. I’m not sure how yet we’re going to do that so I can’t really say. There is a part of book four where Roger has a voyage on his own and he meets some new key characters in book four, but whether or not that comes over the screen I don’t know.”
How quickly did you know you had chemistry with Sophie?
Richard Rankin: “I don’t. I don’t. There is no chemistry there. No, well straight away. When you do a chemistry test, I think it’s immediately apparent if you’re clicking with someone. It’s not something you really have to hash out or work at. Obviously when you’re at that stage of casting, you know the characters inside out, you know the story and you know the scene, so it’s just a case of seeing if you get in front of that camera for the test and if it just clicks. If there’s just that spark there. Obviously with Sophie that was present immediately.”
Sarah Paulson as Ally Mayfair-Richards in ‘American Horror Story: Cult’ (Photo by Frank Ockenfels/FX)
The season premiere of FX’s freaky American Horror Story: Cult, the seventh season of AHS, begins with Trump and Clinton announcing they’re running for president. The MAGA signs and American flags wave, and there’s a snippet of Jeb Bush declaring he finds Trump’s actions abhorrent. Clinton’s emails are brought up along with all the media attention they received, but still the polls indicate she’s heading toward a win. The focus of the news reports shifts to protests, fighting in the streets, and altercations at Trump’s rallies.
And now we come to the fateful night of November 8, 2016. Election Night arrives and Kai Anderson (Evan Peters) watches from his Michigan home as Trump’s victory is announced on Fox News. The reporters declare the election’s the most surreal in history, while on his sofa Kai says, “The revolution has begun.”
The mood’s less than celebratory in Ally Mayfair-Richards’ (Sarah Paulson) house. Clinton lost, but Ally refuses to accept the defeat until MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow confirms it. Ally’s friends discuss how this could have happened, while over at Kai’s place he’s screaming U.S.A. repeatedly and telling the world to f*ck off.
Ally’s devastated as she watches Pence introduce Trump as President. She cries and screams into her hands, upsetting her young son, Oz (Cooper Dodson). Ally’s unable to control her anguish, and her wife Ivy’s (Alison Pill) attempts at calming her down fall on deaf ears.
Ally wails about Merrick Garland who will never become a Supreme Court Justice under Trump, while over at Kai’s place he’s overjoyed at the outcome and happily munching on an orange Cheetos-ish snack.
Ally’s friends are dumbfounded Michigan went for Trump and pissed at Jill Stein for taking votes Hillary needed. Ally and Ivy’s friend and neighbor Mr. Chang (Tim Kang) is also angry at his wife, Marylin (Nanrisa Lee), because she didn’t vote and he’s mad so many people cast protest votes. He’s concerned Ally and Ivy might lose their rights as a married lesbian couple. Oz is also worried his moms won’t stay married, but they assure him it will be okay.
Kai places the orange treats into a blender and then smears their liquefied form on his face. He imitates Trump’s hand gestures while looking very orange.
Winter Anderson (Billie Lourd) is on the phone with a friend, and she can’t believe she gave a year of her life for this election. She dropped out of college to help the Clinton campaign, and she claims not to know what’s real anymore. “She was supposed to win. Is this really happening?” asks Winter on the verge of tears. Her friend warns her not to self-harm just as orange-faced Kai jumps on her bed. Winter punches him and yells at him to get out, pissed he’s there to rub it in.
Once she’s off the phone, they hook pinkies. Kai seems completely satisfied that “everyone” is scared now.
Next, we get a visit from an AHS fan-favorite character. A couple’s about to have sex in a field when the woman freaks out, thinking someone is watching. The man tells her about Twisty the Clown and the people he hacked to death, just as we see Twisty approaching. He bows in front of the couple and produces a bouquet of fake flowers. The man pulls a gun and shoots Twisty in the stomach to no effect. Twisty slices the man’s throat and then repeatedly stabs him in the chest while the girl makes a run for it as she dials her cell phone for help. She crosses a footbridge and hides in Twisty’s old school bus, however, the 911 operator’s voice gives away her hiding place.
Twisty rips her apart and tears out her tongue. He then picks up the cell phone, removes the mask covering the missing lower half of his face, and says, “Wrong number.”
It turns out, the Twisty tale was actually from a comic book Oz was reading. Ally catches him reading it in bed after he’s supposed to have been asleep and forces him to fork over the reading material. When she sees Twisty on the cover, she has a horrible panic attack. Ivy once again comforts Ally, as she explains to Oz that Ally has an irrational fear of clowns.
Ally gets herself under control and apologizes for her phobias affecting Oz. Ivy gives her a gentle kiss and says they’ll work through it.
A cleaned-up Kai addresses the city council, asking what humans love the most. He answers his own question and says humans love fear the most as the council members exchange looks. “Fear is currency. It has value. We don’t need more cops, we need less,” proclaims Kai. He’s convinced if people live in fear, they no longer will have to think for themselves. Ally and Ivy’s neighbor is the head of the council and he wants to know if Kai’s suggesting they let chaos reign so people will give them unlimited power to do what’s best. Mr. Chang says he appreciates that Kai feels free to join society now that Papa Bear Trump’s been elected, but he also believes Trump’s a blip. He suggests Kai go meet people now that he’s no longer living in his parents’ basement and find out about the real world.
As Kai’s leaving he says, “There’s nothing more dangerous in this world than a humiliated man.”
Ally talks to her psychiatrist, Dr. Vincent (Cheyenne Jackson), confessing she doesn’t know how she’ll make it through the next four years. She relives the election night over and over again, and now her old phobias have all been triggered – clowns, confined spaces, blood, particles in the air, the dark, a coral thing in the doctor’s office that keeps looking at her. Dr. Vincent picks it up off the shelf and Ally says it’s the holes in the coral she finds repulsive. Ivy got her through this once before after 9/11, and then Barack Obama was elected and the world was a better place. She loved him and was proud of her President. Dr. Vincent admits he’s been getting through it by deleting all his social media accounts. He prescribes an anti-anxiety medication since her reaction has been so extreme. He says it will be okay, but Ally honestly doesn’t think so.
Evan Peters as Kai Anderson in ‘American Horror Story: Cult” (Photo by Frank Ockenfels/FX)
Ally heads to grocery store where the clerk informs her all of his customers are home watching Trump deliver a speech on TV. Ally and the clerk exchange pleasantries, and she mistakenly believes they share the same political views. The clerk puts on his MAGA hat, declaring he’s happy there’s a real leader in Washington now.
Ally doesn’t reply and instead heads down an aisle. She glances up at a mirror and sees two creepy figures in clown masks behind her. Frightened, she calls out hello but no one answers. She keeps shopping, but she’s clearly freaked out.
Ally makes it to the end of an aisle and sees two people in grotesque clown masks having sex on the watermelons. She tries to catch her breath when loud music suddenly blares over the speakers and more people appear in horrifying masks. She heaves a wine bottle at one on a scooter and he holds up a large knife as he rides by. Ally grabs another bottle and races down the aisle. The scooter creature appears again and she throws the wine and misses. She runs screaming from the store.
Ally’s car is the only one in the parking lot and when she gets in she immediately calls Ivy in pure panic mode. She tells Ivy they’re trying to kill her. Ivy says she’s calling the police and to stay where she is. Just then Ally looks in her rearview mirror and sees a clown in the backseat, panics, and crashes into the light post.
The police leave Ally and Ivy’s house after taking a report, and Ivy says the police are looking into the incident. The clerk only saw her throwing bottles of wine and screaming, and claims not to have seen the masked clowns or heard the music. Ally swears she’s not making it up and thinks she was targeted. She believes since they had clown masks, and the masks had holes, they knew her fears and wanted to murder her.
Ally and Ivy make it into work at their restaurant, with Ally needing to play catch up because she hasn’t been there since the election. Ivy reminds her they had an agreement that Ally was the face of the restaurant and Ivy is supposed to be in the back making it work. Ally can’t function because of the election, but Ivy’s trying to get on with life. She wants more from their marriage, and Ally asks if Ivy wants to leave her. Ivy reminds her she’s stood by her, even when her story sounded crazy, and she just wants the old Ally that she loves back. “Isn’t this more important than some stupid election?” asks Ivy. Ally swears she wants to conquer her phobias.
Argument over, they walk home arm in arm. But, they’re not back to a good place in their relationship yet. It turns out Ally voted for Jill Stein because she hates Trump but didn’t trust Hillary. Ivy doesn’t forgive her since they only needed 10,000 votes to turn the state blue. As they argue on a street corner, Kai spills his coffee all over them. He claims he tripped, but Ally calls him an asshole given there was room to go around them. He walks away, but not before calling Ally a bitch.
Winter applies for the job of Oz’s nanny, answering the ad for a part-time position in a two-mother household.
A flashback to a pinky promise with Kai finds him asking her what fills her heart with dread. The scene switches to Winter telling Ivy and Ally she loves children. Back to her time with Kai, Winter reveals her most humiliating experience was in 5th grade when someone copied a love letter she wrote to Paula Abdul. That confession to Kai and his follow-up question as to whether she’s a lesbian transitions to Winter telling Ally and Ivy she went to Vassar – English Lit, Women’s Studies. She adds that she took off a year to campaign for Hillary and claims her proudest moment is when Lena Dunham retweeted her.
Another brief flashback shows Kai trying to get Winter to say who she wants to kill. In response to what scares her the most, this time she replies, “Honestly, Kai, you.”
In a parking lot at night, Kai sings “La Cucaracha” and puts a condom on his penis. He fills it up with urine and heaves it at a group of Mexicans standing around a pickup. He tells them they’re not welcome here anymore and they attack. They beat him senseless, unaware it’s a setup and he’s filming the assault.
Back at their restaurant, Ivy pours Ally a glass of wine before returning to the kitchen to prepare a new possible addition to their menu. Ally checks Twitter reads a tweet from Trump, and says, “Stop tweeting!”
Ivy returns and sets a meal in front of Ally, and finally, Ally focuses on the plate. She once again freaks out when she sees blood coming up through holes in the main course.
Winter babysits Oz, helping herself to soup and asking which one of his mothers is his real mom. He says they both are but he doesn’t know which one gave birth to him. He admits he doesn’t know his father as he draws a picture of Twisty the Clown killing someone with a large knife. She asks if he’s ever seen a real dead body, and Oz shakes his head no.
Winter shows Oz the dark web – “where you can find all the cool stuff” – and asks if he’s scared. He claims he’s not.
Ally sees the clown again as her wine glass crashes to the floor. Ivy races in and Ally tells her she saw a clown. Ivy’s less than comforting this time, asking her wife if she’s insane. Ally admits she hasn’t been taking her medicine and now she thinks she might actually be losing her mind.
Winter shows Oz a person being stabbed to death, but he doesn’t want to see it anymore. She assures him this is like a vaccination for his brain and it will only serve to make him stronger. When Winter goes to get cookies, Oz heads to the window and sees Ally’s clowns getting out of an ice cream truck. They stare up at his house and Oz screams and moves away from the window.
Ally and Ivy drive home, both still upset. They arrive on their street to discover their house is now an active crime scene. Racing past the police tape, they find Oz alive and well. Winter’s also alive, but the Changs aren’t as fortunate. The Changs are dead and Oz claims the clowns did it. Oz says the clowns got out of the ice cream truck, stared at him, and then he ran and got Winter.
A flashback reveals that when they went over to check on the Changs, they heard screaming. Oz and Winter watched through a window as the clowns butchered the Changs.
After Oz walks away, Winter tells Ally and Ivy that Oz imagined the whole clown story. They didn’t exit the house until after they saw the police cars. Winter then shows them the comic book with clowns she found in his room.
Ally and Ivy ask Detective Samuels (Colton Haynes) what happened and if they’re safe. He reveals the deaths were the result of a murder/suicide.
After everyone’s gone, Ally hears noises in the house. She turns to Ivy, but it’s a clown and not Ivy sharing her bed.
Bleecker Street’s unveiled the official trailer and poster for The Man Who Invented Christmas. The holiday-themed tale finds Dan Stevens (Legion, Beauty and the Beast) playing Charles Dickens and Christopher Plummer as Ebenezer Scrooge. Jonathan Pryce also stars in the comedy film heading to theaters on November 22, 2017.
The Plot:The Man Who Invented Christmas tells of the magical journey that led to the creation of Ebenezer Scrooge (Christopher Plummer), Tiny Tim and other classic characters from A Christmas Carol. Directed by Bharat Nalluri (Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day), the film shows how Charles Dickens (Dan Stevens) mixed real life inspirations with his vivid imagination to conjure up unforgettable characters and a timeless tale, forever changing the holiday season into the celebration we know today.
Warner Bros. Television’s Deception and Castle Rock will make their New York Comic Con (NYCC) debut on Sunday, October 8, 2017. Deception starring Jack Cutmore-Scott, Amaury Nolasco, and Vinnie Jones will be premiering midseason on ABC while Castle Rock with Bill Skarsgard, André Holland, and Melanie Lynskey will debut on HULU in 2018. WBTV’s also bringing Gotham season four cast members to NYCC for a panel that will screen footage from the show’s upcoming fourth season, as well as a panel and Q&A with Blindspot season three stars.
The New York Comic Con will run October 5th through October 8th at the Javits Center.
Warner Bros TV New York Comic Con Schedule:
Sunday, October 8, 2017
11:00am-12:00 p.m. Deception Special Sneak Peek Pilot Screening and Q&A — From Chuck co-creator Chris Fedak, the Blindspot creative team of Martin Gero, Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter, Emmy®-winning director David Nutter (Game of Thrones, The Flash) and renowned magician/puzzle creator David Kwong (Now You See Me, Blindspot), Deception is a thrilling crime drama that combines FBI counter-espionage with the mysterious world of magic and misdirection. When his career is ruined by scandal, superstar magician Cameron Black has only one place to turn to practice his art of deception, illusion and influence — the FBI. Using every trick in the book and inventing new ones, he will help the government catch the world’s most elusive criminals while staging the biggest illusions of his career.
Deception stars Jack Cutmore-Scott, Ilfenesh Hadera, Lenora Crichlow, Amaury Nolasco, Justin Chon, Laila Robins and Vinnie Jones. Join us for an exclusive pilot screening followed by a Q&A with series stars and producers. From Berlanti Productions and Quinn’s House in association with Warner Bros. Television, Deception premieres midseason on ABC. Become a fan of Deception on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DeceptionABC, and follow the show on Twitter at @DeceptionABC. Room 1A10 in the Javits Center
2:00 p.m. Warner Bros. Television Takeover: Join stars and producers from Warner Bros. Television series, including Blindspot, Castle Rock and Gotham, for exclusive footage and Q&As in the Hammerstein Ballroom at the Manhattan Center.
• 2:00-3:00p.m. Blindspot: Special Video Presentation and Q&A — Following the shocking second season finale, revealing a new set of luminescent tattoos planted on Jane’s body, join Blindspot as it returns for its sophomore appearance at New York Comic Con! Sullivan Stapleton and Jaimie Alexander star in this one-hour action thriller from Berlanti Productions and Quinn’s House, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television. Alexander stars as Jane Doe, a mysterious woman found in Times Square with her memory erased and her body covered with a series of coded tattoos. As Jane and the FBI team who discovered her — including agents Kurt Weller (Stapleton), Edgar Reade (Rob Brown), Tasha Zapata (Audrey Esparza) and the tech-savvy Patterson (Ashley Johnson) — work to decipher, investigate and solve the complex treasure map of her tattoos, an ever-widening web of conspiracy and corruption is revealed, as is the truth behind Jane’s true identity and the organization that sent her to the FBI in the first place.
Season three jumps two years forward. Weller finally tracks down Jane, who’s been on the run. After the two discover a new set of luminescent tattoos planted on Jane’s body, Jane is forced to return to the FBI. Weller, Jane, and the rest of our FBI team set out to solve these new puzzles and stop the dangerous conspiracies they reveal. But the tattoos also expose the team’s darkest secrets… Join us for a special video presentation followed by a Q&A with series stars and producers. Blindspot returns for its third season on its new night, Fridays, at 8/7c, starting October 27 on NBC. Become a fan of Blindspot on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NBCBlindspot and follow the show on Twitter @NBCBlindspot.
• 3:00-3:40p.m. Castle Rock: Exclusive Video Presentation and Q&A — From J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions (Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Person of Interest, Fringe, Lost), best-selling author Stephen King and executive producers/writers Sam Shaw (Manhattan) and Dustin Thomason comes Hulu Original Castle Rock, a psychological-horror series set in the Stephen King multiverse. Combining the mythological scale and intimate character storytelling of King’s best-loved works, Castle Rock is an original suspense/thriller — a first-of-its-kind reimagining that explores the themes and worlds uniting the entire King canon, while brushing up against some of his most iconic and beloved stories.
Castle Rock stars André Holland (Moonlight), Melanie Lynskey (Togetherness), Bill Skarsgård (IT), with Jane Levy (Suburgatory) and Sissy Spacek (Carrie). Join us for an exclusive video presentation followed by a Q&A with series stars and producers. From Bad Robot Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, Castle Rock premieres 2018 on Hulu.
• 3:40-4:40p.m. Gotham: Special Video Presentation and Q&A — As Gotham’s origin story continues to unfold, the stakes will be higher than ever in season four! With the Court of Owls decimated, the aftermath of the Tetch virus crippling the city, and every (surviving) villain in Gotham’s underworld jockeying for power, Jim Gordon and the GCPD will have their hands full. And that’s just the beginning! What threat does Ra’s al Ghul pose, will Penguin successfully license crime, and what does Bruce Wayne’s epic season finale reveal mean for Gotham City, and his ultimate destiny? Join Gotham as the show returns to New York Comic Con for a special video presentation, followed by a Q&A with series stars and producers. From Warner Bros. Television, Gotham airs on its new night, Thursdays at 8/7c beginning September 21 on FOX, and Gotham: The Complete Third Season is available now on Digital, Blu-ray™ and DVD. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GOTHAMonFOX, and follow the show on Twitter at @Gotham.
Universal Pictures just released a new trailer for the fourth entry in the Insidious movie franchise, Insidious: The Last Key. Insidious co-creator Leigh Whannell wrote Insidious: The Last Key and The Taking of Deborah Logan‘s Adam Robitel directed. James Blum (The Purge, Get Out), Oren Peli (Paranormal Activity), and Whannell’s Insidious co-creator James Wan produced the horror film which is set to open in theaters on January 5, 2018.
The cast is led by franchise veteran Lin Shaye and includes Whannell, Angus Sampson, Josh Stewart, Caitlin Gerard, Kirk Acevedo, Javier Botet, Bruce Davison, Spencer Locke, Tessa Ferrer, Ava Kolker, and Marcus Henderson. Steven Schneider, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Charles Layton, Bailey Conway Anglewicz, Couper Samuelson and Whannell executive produced the horror film.
The Plot: The creative minds behind the hit Insidious trilogy return for Insidious: The Last Key. In the supernatural thriller, which welcomes back franchise standout Lin Shaye as Dr. Elise Rainier, the brilliant parapsychologist faces her most fearsome and personal haunting yet: in her own family home.
ABC, CBS, CMT, FOX, and NBC are joining forces for Hand in Hand: A Benefit for Hurricane Harvey Relief, a one-hour special fundraising event to help those affected by Hurricane Harvey. The telethon will air live on Tuesday, September 12, 2017 at 8pm ET/PT (tape delayed on the West Coast), and will feature appearances by George Clooney, Jamie Foxx, Tori Kelly, Karlie Kloss, Beyoncé, Matt Lauer, Rob Lowe, Matthew McConaughey, Dennis Quaid, Julia Roberts, Kelly Rowland, Adam Sandler, Ryan Seacrest, Blake Shelton, Michael Strahan, Barbra Streisand, Oprah Winfrey, and Reese Witherspoon.
The telethon will take place live from the Universal Studios Lot in Los Angeles, Times Square in New York, The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, as well as a live performance by George Strait from his benefit concert in San Antonio’s Majestic Theatre. Funds raised will go toward assisting the United Way of Greater Houston, Habitat for Humanity, Save the Children, Direct Relief, Feeding Texas and The Mayor’s Fund for Hurricane Harvey Relief (administered by the Greater Houston Community Fund) through the Hand in Hand Hurricane Relief Fund managed by Comic Relief Inc.
SB Projects is producing Hand in Hand and founder Scooter Braun will executive produce with Allison Kaye, Jesse Ignajatovic, Evan Prager, Bernard ‘Bun B’ Freeman, and Chris Choun.
In addition to airing live on ABC, CBS, CMT, FOX, and NBC, Hand in Hand will stream live on Facebook and Twitter. (#HandInHand)
Richard Rankin (Roger Wakefield), Caitriona Balfe (Claire Randall Fraser), and Sophie Skelton (Brianna Randall) in ‘Outlander’ season 3 (Photo Credit: Starz)
Outlander fans got their first look at Brianna (Sophie Skelton) at the end of season two. Stuck in the present, at the end of a marriage to Frank (Tobias Menzies), Claire (Caitriona Balfe) finally told Bree the truth about her father. Naturally, a modern woman of the ‘60s did not believe her mother traveled through time to conceive her.
Season three, based on Diana Gabaldon’s third book in the Outlander series, Voyager, brings Brianna and Roger (Richard Rankin) fully into the complicated, time-traveling love story. Showbiz Junkies sat down with Skelton at a Television Critics Association party for Starz to talk one-on-one about the new season. Outlander returns September 10, 2017 on Starz.
Did anything or could anything prepare you for how passionate the Outlander fans are?
Sophie Skelton: “No. Luckily, season one had already come out so we sort of had a taste of it just from Caitriona, Sam (Heughan), and Tobias. But no, it’s amazing. They are so passionate and it’s just wonderful. To meet them at Comic Con was really cool as well. I meet a lot of them on Twitter and Richard and I have a really nice rapport with them on Twitter, so to meet them in person is amazing. Yeah, it’s nothing you can really prepare for. It’s just wonderful. They’re still invested in the show, so it’s great to be a part of.”
What in person encounter with fans stood out for you?
Sophie Skelton: “It was my first Comic Con. One of the funny ones, a girl came up to Richard and I, we were sort of at the end of the panel. A girl came up when we were signing and she said, ‘So who’re you two? You cast?’ ‘No, we’re crew. We’re not cast.’ That was quite funny. Just some amazing people. There are some amazingly talented fans, too. This woman who did a cross-stitch thing of Sam’s face and it took her nine months but it was amazing and she brought it with her.”
You have the normal reaction when Claire tells you your father is from the 1700s. Does it add a layer to play that normal reaction when you know in the show it’s true?
Sophie Skelton: “Yeah, that’s the thing. Everything in the show seems so real. The time travel and because it’s all rooted in history, it does feel very real. So, I’ve watched a lot of the show and you have to take yourself out of your own shoes to be in Brianna’s shoes. Bree’s very stubborn and she’s a very logical person. I think if anyone told you that, as you say, that would be your natural reaction. With Brianna, we wanted to make that reaction really strong too in that she says some things that I wouldn’t personally say. When she says to Claire, ‘I wish you were dead instead of Frank,’ but when you’re in Brianna’s shoes, you really just have to feel how she would react in that moment. You can’t ever judge your character. So yeah, sometimes it is kind of hard to play that, especially when we played it slightly differently in the series in that Roger kind of leaves Claire. You just have to get yourself into Brianna’s head and completely believe yourself that this element of this story is completely true. Once you’re in that mindset, you have to roll with that.”
How does Brianna change the dynamic of Frank and Claire’s relationship?
Sophie Skelton: “I think Bree is the glue that holds them together. The beautiful thing about Brianna being in their life is that she does make it more bearable for the two of them. I think for Claire she is that reminder of Jamie every day. I’m sure for Frank that was extremely difficult too. There’s a line in season three where Bree says, ‘Dad had to look at me every day. Did he hate me? I must remind him every day of the man who fathered me.’
There’s just a beautiful dynamic between the three of them, too. You see it in the graduation scene. Claire and Frank are genuinely so proud of Bree. I think for Brianna, Frank really, really was her dad. There’s so much love and respect and adoration there from Bree in terms of Frank. So, I think it creates a nice family dynamic for the three of them. I think Brianna’s really just held them together and made life a little more bearable I think for them, almost helped them bury their past a little bit even though it’s so abundantly clear every day because Brianna does resemble Jamie. I think at the same time, she allows them to have a semi happy life. I think that allows Frank to bury what he thought about Claire having an affair.”
How different was being in the whole season, not just the one in season one?
Sophie Skelton: “Yeah, it was really nice to be in a little bit more because we come in quite early on. It was nice to commence the season with everyone as opposed to coming in at the end of season two where everyone was ready to drop and here we are bounding in, fresh-faced ready to start. It was really nice. I’ve read the books and you end up living with the character from season to season anyway so even though there’s a long hiatus, you’re still prepping on the character, still thinking Brianna all the time. So, it was really nice to just be on set with them for a long time.”
You’re still playing a character in the past. How do you relate to a girl in the ‘60s?
Sophie Skelton: “I think for Bree she almost has that Claire element in that she’s a woman sort of out of her time. Brianna’s very modern for a ‘60s young woman because she’s intellectual like Claire. She’s a major in history, a really good university. ‘60s was kind of that really modern time where people start to experiment with, I’m not saying Brianna did, but drugs and sex and everything. People are really coming out of their shell in the ‘60s. So, I think it was good to bring a modern element into Brianna anyway but yeah, I did have to look at people in the ‘60s and how they would act, how they hold themselves. Especially for Bree because she’s not your average woman in the ‘60s. It was rare that women went to university then, so she has a pride about her which I think is a very, very good example of the time, really.”
Sophie Skelton (Brianna Randall) and Richard Rankin (Roger Wakefield) in ‘Outlander.’
What are some modern words you have to keep out of your vocabulary in the ‘60s?
Sophie Skelton: “I think also for me, because I have a very different vocabulary to Americans anyway, a lot of the time I’ll say things and Americans are just like, ‘What on earth are you talking about?’ I think for Bree, luckily, so there’s nothing you have to think about. There’s a nice bit in the series where Claire says f*** or something and that’s in the book. At the time, even Bree is sort of, ‘Mom, I can’t believe you’re saying that.’ If you look at American girls now, they say ‘like’ a lot or things like that. I think for Bree, that’s not really in her vocabulary.”
Is Bree a politically active feminist in the ‘60s?
Sophie Skelton: “Yeah, I think that’s something that’s so wonderful about the show. It doesn’t preach feminism but it really is a part of it. You have such a strong lead female character and Claire really carries the show. Really then it’s put a kind of spin on that. Brianna and Claire are very similar, very stubborn, very strong-minded. Not in an annoying way. It’s not too harsh. It’s just there. I think that’s a really nice thing to be able to play a strong-minded woman like that. She is the female version of Jamie. It’s really nice to be able to have that in the show and have that quality.
Caitriona was talking today about sometimes shows either way have a female lead with men being sexualized around them or vice versa, male lead with females being sexualized around them. I think it’s really nice that everyone has a central story to their character. It’s not just any sort of two-dimensional character. Everyone’s really 3D. I think without preaching feminism, that just naturally has the kind of quality in there anyway.”
What was the scene you auditioned with?
Sophie Skelton: “Oh wow. The first time around, because I actually first auditioned for Brianna in 2014 and there was a scene that they gave me, dummy sides because it wasn’t written yet, from it would’ve been Voyager actually where Claire, Roger, and Brianna are looking for Jamie through history books and things and they’re talking about the Dun Bonnet and Red Jamie and all this. So that was one of my scenes, looking at the map to work out where Red Jamie would’ve been in the parallel timeline in the 1700s. When the audition came around again a year later, I had a scene with Caitriona from episode 13, season two, the one where Brianna finds out about Jamie. And then I had a couple of scenes with Roger which were dummy scenes from season four in fact.”
Do you have anything else coming out?
Sophie Skelton: “I’ve got a couple of films coming out. They’re both Lionsgate with a production company I’ve worked with before. One of them is a remake of the cult classic Day of the Dead, the 1985 George Romero one. It’s written by Mark Tonderai. That’s coming out soon and then again with the same production company, I did a film with Nicolas Cage. I play his daughter and it’s called 211. It’s based on the North Hollywood bank robberies. They’re both really strong women, too. Day of the Dead’s cool because we changed the story slightly. I play a woman called Zoe and she’s the lead of the movie so it’s kind of a cool, another strong female character which is really nice.”
Is Day of the Dead still a scenario with scientists?
Sophie Skelton: “Yes, she’s a med student. It actually starts off, you see her in medical school. She’s a med student. She’s quite meek. And then it cuts to five years later where’s become almost like this army girl and she’s still trying to find a vaccine for the zombie virus. That was Millennium Films. They were actually filming Hitman’s Bodyguard at the same time we were there so it should be good.”
Nicolas Cage is my favorite actor so I’m definitely going to see 211.
Sophie Skelton: “He’s a really nice guy. That was a lot of fun. I play his daughter. My character is married to his partner. His partner, they’re two cops.”
Is it one of his intense performances?
Sophie Skelton: “I’m sure. I’m sure it will be, actually.”
Fox’s new sci-fi series The Orville‘s released a five minute 360 behind the scenes look into the concept of the show and the main characters. In the video, series creator/executive producer Seth MacFarlane explains what’s in store for viewers when they tune into the one-hour sci-fi comedy/drama set to premiere on September 10, 2017 at 8pm ET/PT. The first two episodes air on Sundays after the NFL doubleheader and then on September 21st The Orville moves to its regular time slot on Thursdays at 9pm ET/PT.
In addition to MacFarlane as Commanding Officer Ed Mercer, the season one cast includes Adrianne Palicki (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) as First Officer Kelly Grayson, Penny Johnson Jerald (24) as Dr. Claire Finn, Scott Grimes (Justified) as Gordon Molloy, Peter Macon (Shameless) as Bortus, Halston Sage (Neighbors) as Alara Kitan, J Lee (American Dad) as John LaMarr, Mark Jackson (That Royal Today) as Isaac, and Chad L. Coleman (The Walking Dead) as Klyden.
The Plot: The series is set 400 years in the future that follows The Orville, a mid-level exploratory spaceship. Its crew, both human and alien, face the wonders and dangers of outer space, while also dealing with the familiar, often humorous problems of everyday life.
