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Category: Entertainment

  • Political Backlash After Pro-Palestine Comments at Berlin Awards Ceremony

    Political Backlash After Pro-Palestine Comments at Berlin Awards Ceremony

    Onstage comments at this year’s Berlinale awards ceremony, which saw filmmakers call out the German and Israeli governments for the “genocide in Gaza,” have drawn a political backlash in Germany.

    Syrian-Palestinian director Abdallah Al-Khatib, winner of the Berlinale Perspectives section for his drama Chronicles of a Siege, said the current German government were “partners in the genocide in Gaza by Israel” and noted that “the long awaited day is coming, and when people ask you what happened, tell them: Palestine remembers. We will remember everyone who stood with us, and we will remember everyone who stood against us, against our right to live with dignity, or who choose silence or choose to be silent.”

    The comments prompted German environment minister Carsten Schneider to leave the gala in protest. In a statement, a spokesperson of the minister said Schneider “considers these statements unacceptable and therefore left the event during the speech.”

    Chronicles of a Siege is an episodic drama following the stories of a Palestinian population under siege amid the ruins of a destroyed city. The city is never named but it bears a strong resemblance to Gaza.

    Lebanese director Marie-Rose Osta, whose film Someday a Child won the Golden Bear for best short film, also used the stage for a political statement, denouncing Israeli bombings in her home country and what she described as a “collapse of international law” in the region.

    “In reality children in Gaza, in all of Palestine and in my Lebanon do not have superpowers to protect them from Israeli bombs,” she said. “No child should need superpowers to survive a genocide empowered by veto powers and the collapse of international law. … If this Golden Bear means anything, let it mean that Lebanese and Palestinian children are not negotiable,” she said.

    Conservative politicians took to the tabloids and social media to snap back at the directors and the Berlinale for giving them the platform.

    On X, Alexander Hoffmann, a parliamentarian for the conservative Christian Social Union party, called out what he termed the “disgusting scenes” at the awards ceremony, filled with “absolutely unacceptable…accusations of genocide, antisemitic outbursts and threats against Germany.” In his post, he said the ceremony underscored “the need to take a clear stance and classify antisemitism as particularly serious form of incitement to hatred. Whether in public, at events or online: there must be no platform for Israel haters.”

    Speaking to German tabloid Bild, Berlin mayor Kai Wegner said the awards ceremony was “misused for political destruction,” depriving many artists “of their unique moment of recognition for their work.” He claimed that those expressing pro-Palestinian views at the festival, “who present themselves here as pro-Palestinian activists are not concerned with human rights. They are not concerned with dialogue, peace or nuanced criticism. They are solely concerned with hatred of Israel.”

    Discussions about Israeli actions are particularly sensitive in Germany, which sees a historic responsibility to support Israel because of the legacy of the Nazi Holocaust. Following the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks on Israel by Hamas, that killed more than 1,200 people with more than 250 taken as hostages, the German government said Israel has a right to self-defense. Germany has continued to sell weapons to Israel throughout the conflict, though German Chancellor Friedrich Merz did pause approvals for new exports briefly, between August and November of last year, citing concerns German-made weapons could be used in Gaza.

    Merz has also criticized Israeli military action in Gaza, which has resulted in the killing of more than 70,000 people. A study published in the Lancet Global Health medical journal puts the death toll at more than 75,000, with women, children and elderly people among the majority of those killed.

    “Some people told me, maybe you have to be careful before you say what I want to say now, because you are a refugee in Germany, and there are so many red lines. But I don’t care. I care about my people, about Palestine,” said Al-Khatib at the Berlinale ceremony, raising a Palestinian flag at the end of his speech.

    The Berlin festival saw similar onstage proclamations and experienced a similar political backlash two years ago, when the Israeli-Palestinian documentary No Other Land won both the audience award and the best documentary prize. The film, which went on to win the best documentary feature Oscar, chronicles Israeli settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. In his acceptance speech, No Other Land‘s Israeli co-director Yuval Abraham called out what he termed the “apartheid” system in his home country, drawing outrage and accusations of “antisemitism” from (mostly conservative, mostly Christian) politicians in Germany.

    This year’s Berlinale was political from start to finish. Jury president Wim Wenders became the target of online outrage after saying, in response to a press conference question on Gaza, that filmmakers “have to stay out of politics.”

    At the awards ceremony on Saturday, Wenders tried to strike a conciliatory tone, saying the disputes were largely do to an “artificial discrepancy” between “the language of cinema,” which he described as “empathetic,” and the “effective” language of social media. “Activists are fighting, mainly on the internet, for humanitarian causes, namely the dignity and protection of human life. These are our causes as well, as the Berlinale films clearly show,” said Wenders. Speaking to the activists, he added “Most of us filmmakers applaud you. All of us applaud you. You do necessary and courageous work. But does it need to be in competition with us? Do our languages need to clash?”

    Contacted by The Hollywood Reporter, the Berlinale said it would respond on Tuesday.

  • Bérénice Bejo, Léa Drucker and Swann Arlaud Among 4,000 French Actors Slamming AI as a ‘Devouring Hydra’ Engaged in ‘Organized Plundering’

    Bérénice Bejo, Léa Drucker and Swann Arlaud Among 4,000 French Actors Slamming AI as a ‘Devouring Hydra’ Engaged in ‘Organized Plundering’

    Berenice Bejo, the Oscar-nominated of “The Artist,” Swan Arlaud (“Anatomy of a Fall”) and Lea Drucker (“Case 137”) are among the 4,000 French actors who have signed a vitriolic open letter denouncing what they describe as as an “organized plundering” of AI tools and are calling for urgent political action.

    Backed by Adami, the collective management organization for performers’ rights, the petition states that the industry has already been struggling with unauthorized voice cloning, image scraping and undervalued AI licensing deals for some time.

    “This tool, extraordinarily valuable for certain professions, is also a devouring hydra for the artists that we are,” says the letter. The signatories also pointing out that this “systematic plundering is not a fantasy — it is happening here and now;” citing a recent anecdote of an actor who was recently offered just €250 to authorize the use of his image by AI for a new advertising campaign for a major French company, replacing two full days of filming.

    Unauthorized voice cloning is also becoming increasingly widespread and has already prompted some to take legal action. Earlier this month, eight French dubbers of Hollywood stars, including Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, as well as animated characters such as Buzz Lightyear, issued a formal notice to a pair of AI companies, VoiceDub and Fish Audio, to demand that they remove all cloning models exploiting their voices from their platforms within eight days, claiming €20,000 in damages.

    The letter (unveiled by French newspaper Le Parisien today) emphasizes that many lesser-established actors, often lacking leverage, feel pressured to sign contracts granting AI rights, “despite the risks to their image and their future.” As such, French actors demand “guarantees that no artist will be forced to give up their digital identity.”

    The actors’ lobbying push comes as the European Union is in the process of rolling out its landmark AI Act, which sets transparency requirements on generative AI systems.

    The legislation, however, does not yet create a clear regime specifically addressing performers’ likenesses, biometric data or voice cloning. As such, French performers are urging French lawmakers to adopt stronger national measures so that “AI can coexist with the work of artists and respect for copyright and related rights.”

    Here’s the full open letter:

    On February 26, the Olympia will host the 51st César Awards ceremony. This unmissable event will be an opportunity to celebrate a rich artistic year and laugh at the witty remarks of Benjamin Lavernhe, master of ceremonies for this edition.

    But there is one subject that we, as actors and actresses, do not want to joke about. With our minds turned to the future of cinema, we are facing a profound change in our profession since the arrival of Artificial Intelligence. This tool, which is extraordinarily valuable for certain professions, is also a devouring hydra for artists like us.

    Not a week goes by without an artist warning about the brutal competition that AI poses to their work. Just recently, an actor was offered a contract to use his image by AI for the creation of a new commercial for a major French group, simply replacing two days of filming. A Faustian pact… paid 250 euros! The cloning of actors’ voices without their permission is becoming commonplace. Complaints have been filed again recently. The work of an actor or actress is then reduced to their personal attributes alone: a voice, a face.

    This systematic plundering is not a fantasy, it is happening here and now. It is unbearable, and it is happening right before our eyes. And sometimes it is hundreds of less established artists, who often cannot afford to turn down a contract, who give up their rights to AI, despite the risks to their image and their future. Beyond employment, it is the nature of the creation we want that is at stake.
    If the public and professionals are concerned and unanimous, the only possible response today lies with politicians. There is an urgent need to create a legal framework so that AI can coexist with the work of artists and respect for copyright and related rights. Recent legislative initiatives show that parliamentarians are becoming aware of the issue. We call on the entire political class to quickly address the issue of respecting artists’ rights in the face of this unregulated innovation.
    French cinema has always been able to embrace technological revolutions to fuel creativity while respecting the role of the artist.

    We, as actors and actresses, are now urgently calling for ambitious regulations that will enable France to embrace this digital shift without sacrificing either its cultural heritage or the performers who embody it.

  • BAFTA Apologizes to Michael B. Jordan, Delroy Lindo and Takes ‘Full Responsibility’ for N-Word Outburst: ‘We Will Learn From This’

    BAFTA Apologizes to Michael B. Jordan, Delroy Lindo and Takes ‘Full Responsibility’ for N-Word Outburst: ‘We Will Learn From This’

    The British Academy has responded to the controversy surrounding the BAFTA Film Awards on Sunday night, where Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson made a number of offensive comments during the show. Among his involuntary outbursts — caused by his condition — was the N-word, shouted when Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented the award for best visual effects to “Avatar: Fire and Ash.”

    In a statement issued on Monday, BAFTA said that it took “full responsibility” for putting its “guests in a very difficult situation and we apologise to all.” It also said it wanted to “apologise unreservedly” to Jordan and Lindo. “We would like to thank Michael and Delroy for their incredible dignity and professionalism,” it said.

    The situation was addressed in the ceremony on the night, where host Alan Cumming made two statements, thanking the crowd for its “understanding” of Davidson’s disability and apologizing should anyone have been offended (a line later criticized on X by “Sinners” production designer Hannah Beachler, who described it as “throwaway”).

    Davidson excused himself from the ceremony about halfway through, but the situation only escalated when the BBC kept the racial slur in its tape-delayed broadcast (something it too apologized for, before removing the program from its iPlayer streaming service).

    In its new statement, BAFTA also took time to praise Davidson for choosing to leave the ceremony and thanked him for his “dignity and consideration of others, on what should have been a night of celebration for him.”

    See the full statement from BAFTA below:

    At the BAFTA Film Awards last night our guests heard very offensive language that carries incomparable trauma and pain for so many. We want to acknowledge the harm this has caused, address what happened and apologise to all.

    One of our guests, John Davidson MBE, has Tourette Syndrome and has devoted his life to educating and campaigning for better understanding of this condition. Tourette Syndrome causes involuntary verbal tics, that the individual has no control over. Such tics are in no way a reflection of an individual’s beliefs and are not intentional. John Davidson is an executive producer of the BAFTA nominated film, I Swear, which is based on his life experience.

    We take the duty of care to all our guests very seriously and start from a position of inclusion. We took measures to make those in attendance aware of the tics, announcing to the audience before the ceremony began, and throughout, that John was in the room and that they may hear strong language, involuntary noises or movements during the ceremony.

    Early in the ceremony a loud tic in the form of a profoundly offensive term was heard by many people in the room. Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage at the time, and we apologise unreservedly to them, and to all those impacted. We would like to thank Michael and Delroy for their incredible dignity and professionalism.

    During the ceremony, John chose to leave the auditorium and watch the rest of the ceremony from a screen, and we would like to thank him for his dignity and consideration of others, on what should have been a night of celebration for him.

    We take full responsibility for putting our guests in a very difficult situation and we apologise to all. We will learn from this, and keep inclusion at the core of all we do, maintaining our belief in film and storytelling as a critical conduit for compassion and empathy.

  • Dropout to Stream U.K. Series ‘Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared’ in First-Ever Licensing Deal (EXCLUSIVE)

    Dropout to Stream U.K. Series ‘Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared’ in First-Ever Licensing Deal (EXCLUSIVE)

    Comedy streaming service Dropout will begin streaming British comedy series “Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared” on Monday. The show’s launch marks Dropout’s, formerly known as CollegeHumor, first-ever licensing deal, a three-year non-exclusive syndication agreement.

    Created by Becky Sloan and Joseph Pelling, “Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared” will launch with its web series version streaming on Dropout today, followed by a biweekly releases of the longer TV series version beginning March 20.

    Per the official Channel 4 synopsis for “Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared,” “What is a Job? Who are a family? And what is that horrible noise? Join three friends Red Guy, Yellow Guy and Duck as they learn about everything there is to know with the help of some friendly talking objects! But wait, maybe something’s not quite right here. Every teacher they meet on their journey seems a bit out of their depth. What lessons are they actually learning? ‘Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared’ is a deeply unsettling comedy puppet show, think the ‘Muppet Show’ relocated to ‘Twin Peaks.’ It started life as a YouTube phenomenon. Eleven years and a quarter of a billion views later, main characters Red Guy, Yellow Guy and Duck are now inside your television trying to get out.”

    Produced by Blink Industries, an Emmy, BAFTA and Annie-award winning production company and animation studio based in London, “Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared” is currently only available on Channel 4 in the UK. The streaming deal for the series comes amid rising subscriber numbers and increased development at Dropout.

    “‘Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared’ is one of my absolute favorite weird and wonderful internet things, and it gives me no small amount of pride that Dropout should be a home for it,” Dropout CEO Sam Reich said. “This marks a careful, experimental step into selective licensing for us, driven by our admiration for the show and our strong relationship with its creators.”

    Sloan and Pelling added: “We are both thrilled to hear that Dropout is going to put our puppet show on their website. They have assured us the episodes will be in full HD and have both sound and visuals in sync most of the time!”

  • ‘I Swear’ Subject John Davidson Says Tourette’s Tics Are ‘Involuntary’ After Shouting N-Word at BAFTAs: ‘Deeply Mortified if Anyone’ Thinks It Was ‘Intentional’

    ‘I Swear’ Subject John Davidson Says Tourette’s Tics Are ‘Involuntary’ After Shouting N-Word at BAFTAs: ‘Deeply Mortified if Anyone’ Thinks It Was ‘Intentional’

    Tourette’s activist John Davidson, who inadvertently shouted the N-word during the BAFTA Film Awards on Sunday night, has released a statement after widespread backlash.

    “I wanted to thank BAFTA and everyone involved in the awards last night for their support and understanding and inviting me to attend the broadcast. I appreciated the announcement to the auditorium in advance of the recording, warning everyone that my tics are involuntary and are not a reflection of my personal beliefs,” Davidson said. “I was heartened by the round of applause that followed this announcement and felt welcomed and understood in an environment that would normally be impossible for me. In addition to the announcement by Alan Cumming, the BBC and BAFTA, I can only add that I am, and always have been deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning.”

    He added: “I was in attendance to celebrate the film of my life, ‘I Swear,’ which more than any film or TV documentary, explains the origins, condition, traits and manifestations of Tourette Syndrome. I have spent my life trying to support and empower the Tourette’s community and to teach empathy, kindness and understanding from others and I will continue to do so. I chose to leave the auditorium early into the ceremony as I was aware of the distress my tics were causing.”

    Davidson, who first began experiencing tics and uncontrollable outbursts involving cursing at the age of 12, was a guest at the ceremony after a film about his life, “I Swear,” was nominated for five awards.

    In the movie, “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” star Robert Aramayo plays Davidson as he is diagnosed with the syndrome. Aramayo beat out Hollywood stars including Leonardo DiCaprio and Ethan Hawke to take home the leading man statue for his performance. The film, which was nominated in five categories, also won an award for casting.

    Davidson made a number of outbursts during the first half of the ceremony, including shouting “shout the fuck up” at BAFTA chair Sara Putt. When Michael B, Jordan and Delroy Lindo took to the stage to present the best visual effects award to “Avatar: Fire and Ash” he was also heard shouting the N-word.

    “Sinners” production designer, Hannah Beachler, who was also nominated for a BAFTA, later posted on X that “it happened 3 times that night and one of the three times was directed at myself on the way to dinner after the show.”

    She added: “I know we must handle this with grace and continue to push through. But what made the situation worse was the throw away apology of ‘if you were offended’ at the end of the show.”
    Before the ceremony began a floor manager introduced Davidson to the audience and warned them they may hear “some involuntary noises or movements.” Host Alan Cumming also twice interrupted proceedings to address Davidson’s outbursts, once to thank the audience, which include William and Kate, the Prince and Princess of Wales, for their understanding and the second time to apologize “if you are offended tonight.”

    Despite the show being aired with a two hour time delay on BBC One in the U.K., the n-word was not censored or edited from the broadcast. The uncensored broadcast also remained available on the BBC’s streaming platform iPlayer until midday on Monday when the broadcaster pulled it. It was also audible on the U.S. broadcast which went out on E! The BBC said in a statement: “Some viewers may have heard strong and offensive language during the BAFTA Film Awards. This arose from involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette syndrome, and as explained during the ceremony it was not intentional. We apologize that this was not edited out prior to broadcast and it will now be removed from the version on BBC iPlayer.”

  • Sony Orders 24 Episodes of ‘Reading Rainbow’ Reboot as Classic Kids Show Finds New Life

    Sony Orders 24 Episodes of ‘Reading Rainbow’ Reboot as Classic Kids Show Finds New Life

    The classic PBS children’s show Reading Rainbow is officially back, with the series securing a 24-episode pickup.

    Sony Pictures Television and Buffalo Toronto Public Media announced the pickup Monday.

    Mychal Threets, known as Mychal the Librarian on social media, will return as host, with Sesame Street and Ms. Rachel veteran Kristen McGregor joining the show as executive producer and showrunner.

    The show was revived last year with four digital episodes (20 years after the original incarnation hosted by LeVar Burton signed off the air) as a series for the Sony-owned YouTube channel KudZuko, garnering some 4.8 million views.

    While KidZuko will continue to get exclusive shortened episodes of the show, SPT is taking it to market, seeking to sell the 24-episode season to a TV network or streaming service. The company says talks are already underway.

    The four-episode revival featured guest appearances from Rylee Arnold (Dancing with the Stars), Ezra Sosa (Dancing with the Stars), Bellen Woodard (author for the children’s book “More Than Peach”), and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear), with Jamie Chung, Gabrielle Union, Adam DeVine, John Legend, and Chrissy Teigen among the celebrities narrating books featured in the show.

    The new season will feature many more celebrities and books, SPT says.

    In addition to McGregor, the series is executive produced by Michael Davies (Jeopardy!) for Sony’s Embassy Row, Tom Calderone and Nancy Hammond for Buffalo Toronto Public Media.

    The revival also marks something of a win for public media, after funding for the Corporate for Public Broadcasting was cut by the Trump administration last year. The Buffalo, New York-based public media station will benefit from having Reading Rainbow revived, providing a new revenue source once a buyer is found.

    “When I saw the response to the relaunch of Reading Rainbow and the enthusiasm for Mychal as host, it was clear there is a passionate audience that truly values educational children’s programming,” said Michael Davies, executive producer and president of Embassy Row. “This series offers more than entertainment—it empowers viewers through reading, which feels especially critical at a time when literacy rates are in historic decline. I’m incredibly excited to welcome Kristen and her expertise as we continue to evolve the show and discover what new magic Reading Rainbow can bring.”

    “We’ve been working for several years to bring Reading Rainbow back, and Michael Davies and Embassy Row have been the ideal partners to help make that vision a reality,” added Tom Calderone, CEO and president of Buffalo Toronto Public Media. “Seeing the impact these first four episodes have already had confirms that the timing is right — and that evolving the series for today’s audiences is both necessary and meaningful.”

  • From Trash to Treasure: How ‘The Girl Who Cried Pearls’ Turned Garbage Into an Oscar-Nominated Short

    From Trash to Treasure: How ‘The Girl Who Cried Pearls’ Turned Garbage Into an Oscar-Nominated Short

    For Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski, directors of the Oscar- and Annie Awards-nominated animated short film The Girl Who Cried Pearls, one man’s trash became miniature set materials for their stop-motion film that captures Montreal in the present and at the dawn of the 20th century.

    “People don’t necessarily appreciate when something is broken or dirty, it isn’t only that; it speaks to a history as it seems to carry, locked inside of itself, memories of another time,” Szczerbowski tells THR about recycling street waste to bring texture and authenticity to a tiny real-world set, where in reality, everything is fake.

    “There are no real, found locations. The light is not coming from the sun. Everything is a facsimile. So the more real material you stick into the image, the more it subconsciously works on an audience to make you forget about that illusion and buy it as reality,” he adds.

    Such trickery to assign great value to low-worth materials also underpins the surprise ending for The Girl Who Cried Pearls, which follows a poor boy falling in love with a girl overwhelmed by sorrow to the point her tears turn into pearls. The boy collects and sells the pearls for gain to a ruthless pawnbroker, even as he must choose between love or fortune. The film was nominated in the best short subject category, but lost to Snow Bear.

    The National Film Board of Canada filmmakers also opted to digitally replace the mouths of their hand-sculpted puppets to seamlessly match the sound of their dialogue and narration.

    “If it felt like they were CG mouths on top of a handcrafted puppet, then the whole illusion, the whole romance of stop-motion, of handcrafted work, would be shattered,” Lavis explains.

    And to avoid the appearance of simple wooden dolls as characters, Lavis and Szczerbowski had the heads of their puppets designed to look like old wood with multilayered oil painting that in reality are silicon molds placed on white plastic.

    The Montreal filmmakers also eschewed traditional storyboards for their animated film in favor of actors being invited into a studio to help shape their evolving script.

    During rehearsals with handheld cameras and angles, the actors were encouraged to capture with high-energy gestures and behaviors how the stop-motion puppets may eventually be shown in motion at 24 frames per second from their miniature set.

    “We don’t treat those actors like puppets. We want our puppets to act like people, and the best way to make that happen is to work with great performances,” Lavis adds of the actors being encouraged to be loose and playful in the studio, noting that the stop-motion animation to follow, by contrast, would be precise and painstaking.

    The animated short features Colm Feore as the narrator, with Patrick Watson doing the music and Brigitte Henry serving as artistic director.

    The Oscar nomination for The Girl Who Cried Pearls marks the second for Lavis and Szczerbowski, after their 2007 short Madame Tutli-Putli earned them their first. And, as with their first trip to the Oscars, they feel like winners already.

    “We didn’t come home from the last Oscars we went to as people who lost. We accomplished something beyond our wildest dreams by even being invited,” Szczerbowski says.

    Lavis adds that they want to represent their country and the National Film Board of Canada, which has put its faith in their animated short films, and the tight creative community in Montreal from which they draw inspiration and collaborators.

    “This is one of those cities that should exist in the world’s imagination, and one of our goals is to add a tiny bit of mythology to the streets that we walk through, the way that Hans Christian Andersen mythologized Copenhagen or the way New York romanticizes itself,” says Lavis.

    This story appeared in the Feb. 23 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.

  • ‘The Bachelorette’ Cast: Meet Taylor Frankie Paul’s 22 Men

    The dating reality series returns on March 22 with ‘The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ breakout stars as the lead. ABC has revealed all the contestants — see photos and bios of the men.

    Taylor Frankie Paul for 'The Bachelorette.'

    Taylor Frankie Paul for ‘The Bachelorette.’

    Disney/Sami Drasin

    The Bachelorette is almost back — and Taylor Frankie Paul is ready for another shot at love.

    Paul may be new to Bachelor Nation, but she’s no stranger to reality TV. She became the breakout star of Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives in 2024 and has built a strong social media following. The 31-year-old mom of three founded MomTok, the Utah-based mom influencer group, and now becomes the first Bachelorette selected outside of the franchise to lead her own season.

    Paul has been open about the “soft swinging” scandal involving her and other MomTok members, as well as the ups and downs of her first post-divorce relationship — including her domestic violence arrest and third pregnancy, which played out on the show. In a November interview with The Hollywood Reporter, she encouraged viewers to tune in and give her a chance.

    “I feel like if you were to ever watch me, hear my story, I think I come off a little bit differently than people would just assume,” she said.

    The Bachelorette returns March 22 for its 22nd season. The most recent season starred Jenn Tran in 2024. Though it ended in an engagement, the couple broke up while the show was still airing. During the After the Final Rose special, Tran revealed that her final pick, Devin Strader, ended the engagement over the phone. The Bachelorette skipped the 2025 season.

    The dating reality series is produced by Warner Horizon Unscripted Television, a Warner Bros. Television Group company. Scott Teti serves as executive producer.

    See photos and bios of the 22 men competing for Paul’s final rose, as revealed by ABC, below.

  • ‘Extra’ Renewed for Season 33 in 2026-27

    After undergoing a reset this season, the long-running entertainment news show will extend its run for another year.

    The show, produced by Warner Bros. TV Group’s Telepictures, has been renewed for a 33rd season in syndication. Fox Television Stations is the lead station group on the show, which has also been picked up by Nexstar, Sinclair, Scripps and other local station owners covering 95 percent of the country.

    Derek Hough took over as host of the show this season after Billy Bush’s departure. Extra also revamped its set and added new segments both in the broadcast show and on digital platforms. Weekend host and senior correspondent Mona Kasur Abdi and longtime correspondent Terri Seymour join Hough on air.

    “Thirty-three seasons of Extra reflects an enduring ​vision and a commitment to constant reinvention,” said Lauren Blincoe, senior vp current programming for Telepictures. “Nobody does this better than the Extra team, led by our phenomenal executive producer Jeremy Spiegel, supported by our dedicated staff and crew, and brought to life by Derek’s singular talent, further strengthened by the on-air excellence of Mona and Terri. As we head into season 33, we’re immensely proud of this powerhouse group and deeply grateful to our station partners and loyal viewers who’ve supported Extra for more than three decades.”

    Added Frank Cicha, executive vp programming for Fox TV Stations, “Amidst challenging times in syndication, the reinvention of Extra has emerged as a genuinely positive story. Congrats to Derek Hough, the entire team at Extra and everyone at Telepictures.”

    Extra is the second longest-running entertainment newsmagazine in syndication, behind Entertainment Tonight. It premiered in 1994 and has aired more than 9,000 episodes to date.

    “This renewal is a testament to the extraordinary Extra team, whose creativity, dedication and passion drive the show every day,” executive producer Spiegel said. “Derek’s energy, artistry, and creativity have helped us reimagine Extra in fresh and innovative ways, a perfect complement to the amazing work of Mona and Terri. We are grateful to Warner Bros. Discovery, Fox and all our station partners for their continued support and belief in Extra.”

  • ‘Extra’ Renewed by Telepictures and Fox TV Stations for Season 33

    ‘Extra’ Renewed by Telepictures and Fox TV Stations for Season 33

    Syndicated entertainment news strip “” has been renewed for Season 33 by the Fox-owned TV station group in key markets. Telepictures senior VP of current programming Lauren Blincoe and Fox Television Stations exec VP of programming Frank Cicha announced the pickup on Monday.

    This will keep “Extra” going through the 2026-2027 TV season. “Extra” introduced “Dancing With the Stars” judge Derek Hough as its new host in Season 32; the show is also led by senior correspondent and weekend host Mona Kosar Abdi, as well as correspondent Terri Seymour.

    “Amidst challenging times in syndication, the reinvention of ‘Extra’ has emerged as a genuinely positive story,” Cicha said in a statement. “Congrats to Derek Hough, the entire team at ‘Extra,’ and everyone at Telepictures.

    Jeremy Spiegel continues as exec producer of “Extra.” As part of the show’s evolution this season (including an opening dance number and new segments), “Extra” also launched the digital series “Rolling with the Stars,” featuring Hough as he interviewed “Dancing with the Stars” contestants in a golf cart.

    “Extra” has also expanded into longform content, including its Investigation Discovery program “Trapped: What Is Happening to Wendy Williams?”

    “Extra” is the second longest‑running entertainment news magazine in syndication, behind only “Entertainment Tonight.” The show has received 12 consecutive Daytime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Entertainment News Program, an honor it won in 2014 and 2016.

    “Thirty-three seasons of ‘Extra’ reflects an enduring ​vision and a commitment to constant reinvention,” Blincoe said. “Nobody does this better than the ‘Extra’ team, led by our phenomenal executive producer Jeremy Spiegel, supported by our dedicated staff and crew, and brought to life by Derek’s singular talent, further strengthened by the on-air excellence of Mona and Terri. As we head into Season 33, we’re immensely proud of this powerhouse group and deeply grateful to our station partners and loyal viewers who’ve supported ‘Extra’ for more than three decades.”

    “Extra” comes from Telepictures, which is part of Warner Bros. Television Group, and is distributed by Warner Bros. Discovery Content Sales. The show is currently cleared in 95% of the country, including on Fox Television Stations, Nexstar Media Group, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Tegna, Hearst Television, Scripps Broadcasting, Gray Media, Sunbeam Television, CBS, Mission Broadcasting, Morgan Murphy Media, Coastal Television, Allen Media, American Spirit, Lilly Broadcasting, News-Press & Gazette Company, Block Communications, Imagicomm Communications, Circle City Broadcasting, Weigel Broadcasting, Griffin Media, Marquee Broadcasting, Morris Network, Draper Media, Heartland Media, Heritage, Standard Media, Wray Properties Trust, Channel Communications, Community Broadcast Group and Price Media Corporation stations.

    “This renewal is a testament to the extraordinary ‘Extra’ team, whose creativity, dedication, and passion drive the show every day,” Spiegel said. “Derek’s energy, artistry, and creativity have helped us reimagine ‘Extra’ in fresh and innovative ways, a perfect complement to the amazing work of Mona and Terri. We are grateful to Warner Bros. Discovery, Fox and all our station partners for their continued support and belief in ‘Extra.’”