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Category: Entertainment

  • Far East Film Festival’s Focus Asia Reveals 19 Projects, Debuts $20,000 White Light Award

    Far East Film Festival’s Focus Asia Reveals 19 Projects, Debuts $20,000 White Light Award

    Focus Asia, the industry section of the Far East Film Festival, has unveiled its full slate for the 2026 edition – 13 projects for the All Genres Project Market and six titles for Far East in Progress – alongside a new post-production prize backed by Bangkok-based White Light Studio. The market runs April 27-29 in Udine, Italy.

    The All Genres Project Market selection, chosen by a seven-member committee from more than 120 submissions across 24 countries, spans drama, coming-of-age, art-house, magical realism, crime, sci-fi and fantasy. The 13 projects, each representing a distinct territory, are: “A Way to Etretat,” directed by Su-Won Shin and produced by June Film (South Korea); “Adarna,” directed by Lois Patiño and produced by Elastica Films and Matriuska Producciones (Spain); “Dear Sơn An,” directed by Kim Quy Bui and produced by Varan (Vietnam) and A Company Film (Germany); “Holy Mother,” directed by Sinung Winahyoko and produced by KrossKultur Media (Indonesia); “I Have to Fuck Before the World Ends,” directed by Andrea Benjamin Manenti and produced by Volos Films Italia, Citrullo International (Italy), Epicmedia (Philippines) and Puffin Pictures (France); “Naked in Glendale,” directed by Haohao Yan and produced by Seesaw Productions (China) and Q&A Entertainment (U.S.); and “New Life,” directed by Yingtong Li and produced by Yitis Film (China).

    Rounding out the All Genres selection: “Noodles, Our Love Was Instant and Forever,” directed by Whammy Alcazaren and produced by Daluyong Studios and TwoFold (Philippines); “Route 7,” directed by Jinrung Chun and produced by Cloud11 Studios (Japan); “Snake in the Dreamscapes,” directed by Lou Yi An and produced by Content Digital Film and Hope Content Marketing (Taiwan); “Somewhere in the South,” directed by Ce Ding Tan and produced by Evil Genius Studio (Malaysia) and Giraffe Pictures (Singapore); “UFO Club,” directed by Milena Kaneko and produced by K2 Pictures and Bunbuku (Japan); and “Wake Me Up When the Mourning Ends,” directed by Kok Rui Lau and produced by Thousand Sails Pictures (Hong Kong), Volos Films Italia (Italy) and Janji Pictures Production (Malaysia).

    The six titles selected for Far East in Progress, the platform for Asian films in post-production seeking international distribution and festival premieres, are: “Doppel,” directed by Jun Tanaka and produced by Keyaki Works (Japan) and Solaria Film (Italy); “Good Death,” directed by Atsushi Funahashi and produced by Big River Film (Japan), Flash Forward Entertainment (Taiwan) and Harine Films (Poland); “Midnight Sun,” directed by Zhejian Michael Cong and produced by Màn Rán Studio (U.S.) and Oui Production (France); “Picturehouse,” directed by Nghiem-Minh Nguyen-Vo and produced by Girelle Production (France), East Films (Vietnam), Add Oil Films (Singapore) and Daluyong Studio (Philippines); “Sanamsar,” directed by Bat-Amgalan Lkhagvajav and produced by Media Crackers LLC (Mongolia); and “The Quiet Applause,” directed by Sungbin Byun and produced by Ssarinamu Film (South Korea). The strand is overseen by a selection committee headed by Marie-Pierre Vallé.

    The newly launched White Light/Focus Asia Award, valued at $20,000 in professional post-production services, will go to the strongest project drawn from both the All Genres Market and Far East in Progress. It marks the first time White Light Studio has participated in Focus Asia as a prize partner.

    The organizers pointed to recent alumni as evidence of the section’s track record: “Ah Girl” by Ang Geck Geck Priscilla screened at the International Film Festival Rotterdam earlier this year and is now in competition at FEFF28, while Yukari Sakamoto’s “White Flowers and Fruits” premiered at San Sebastian IFF in 2025.

    Italy’s Ministry of Culture remains the primary institutional backer of Focus Asia, with Cinecittà providing organizational support, including a special opening-night reception and a showcase of Italian producers. The Italian Trade Agency ICE has also deepened its partnership with the market, with the stated aim of increasing the attendance of senior Asian decision-makers. Separate co-production labs have been organized in collaboration with Cinecittà, CCIDAHK Hong Kong, and Telefilm Canada. Europa Distribution and Europa International return as partners, with the latter participating for the second consecutive year.

    New programming additions for 2026 include a Think Tank on animation developed with Anima Mundi, a Box Office Study panel covering the global performance of Asian titles, and a session on vertical content examining the rise of microdrama and its effect on IP development and digital distribution.

    The 2026 edition of Focus Asia is expected to draw more than 200 industry delegates from Europe, Asia and Canada.

  • ‘The ‘Burbs’ Gets Second Season at Peacock

    ‘The ‘Burbs’ Gets Second Season at Peacock

    Peacock has handed out a second-season order for The ‘Burbs, the series-length reboot of the 1989 cult classic starring Tom Hanks.

    Set in present-day American suburbia, The ’Burbs follows a young couple who have reluctantly relocated to the husband’s childhood home. Their world is upended when a new neighbor moves in across the street, bringing old secrets of the cul-de-sac to light, and new deadly threats shatter the illusion of their quiet little neighborhood, according to a synopsis from the producers.

    The rookie season of eight episodes for The ‘Burbs, which launched Feb. 8 on the same day as the Super Bowl, earned a top 10 debut over four weeks on Peacock.

    “We’re so thrilled that audiences loved season one of The ’Burbs and are going to get to spend more time in Hinkley Hills with Keke and the rest of this incredible cast. A huge congratulations to all of the writers, producers and crew who updated the beloved original film and made something funny, warm and highly contemporary,” Lisa Katz, president, scripted content at NBC and Peacock, said Monday in a statement.

    The series, created, written and executive produced by Celeste Hughey, sold to more than 100 territories internationally. The ensemble cast includes Jack Whitehall, Julia Duffy, Paula Pell, Mark Proksch and Kapil Talwalkar.   

    The ‘Burbs has Palmer executive producing the series alongside Seth MacFarlane, Erica Huggins, Aimee Carlson, Dana Olsen, Nzingha Stewart, Brian Grazer, Kristen Zolner, Natalie Berkus and Rachel Shukert.  Universal Studio Group’s UCP produces the series.

  • Phil Collins, Oasis, Billy Idol and Wu-Tang Clan Highlight Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2026 Class

    Phil Collins, Oasis, Billy Idol and Wu-Tang Clan Highlight Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2026 Class

    The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame officially unveiled its 2026 class on Monday night, with Phil Collins, Oasis, Billy Idol, Wu-Tang Clan, Luther Vandross, Sade, Joy Division/New Order and Iron Maiden all named as inductees.

    Ryan Seacrest and Lionel Richie revealed the inductees on the latest episode of American Idol for the show’s Rock Hall episode. Beyond the performer category, Queen Latifah, Graham Parsons, Celia Cruz Fela Kuti and MC Lyte will all be honored with the early influence award, while Linda Creed, Arif Mardin, Jimmy Miller and Rick Rubin will receive the musical excellence award.

    Artists reach Rock Hall eligibility when their debut recording turns 25 years old. Collins, Vandross and Wu-Tang Clan are all getting into the hall on their first nominations. Collins was previously inducted with Genesis back in 2010 and is now joining the rarer group of two-time inductees. Idol and Sade got the nod on their second nominations, with Idol earning his first nomination last year, while Sade was previously nominated in 2024. Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order and Oasis are all getting in on their third nominations.

    “Induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is music’s highest honor,” John Sykes, chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, said in a statement. “We look forward to celebrating these remarkable artists at this year’s ceremony — it’s going to be an unforgettable night.”

    Perhaps the biggest snub this year is Mariah Carey, who was denied once again on her third nomination after previously getting nominated in 2021 and 2023. Also denied entry this year are Lauryn Hill, Pink, The Black Crowes, Jeff Buckley, Melissa Etheridge and INXS.

    Outside of the performers, Ed Sullivan will be posthumously honored with the Ahmet Ertegun award, which is reserved for non-performing industry figures for their influence on music. The longtime TV fixture’s Ed Sullivan Show had a profound impact on bringing music to the masses, hosting historic television music performances from Emany acts including Elvis Presley, the Rolling Stones and, most famously, the Beatles. Those three Beatles performances in 1964 launched Beatlemania and the broader British Invasion, inspiring countless young musicians from Billy Joel to Bruce Springsteen and Aerosmith to get into music themselves. It’s arguably the most important music television performance of all time.

    The induction ceremony will tape on Nov. 14 at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles for the second year in a row, with the show then airing on ABC and Disney+ in December. The Rock Hall said the ceremony would return to Cleveland in 2027.

  • David Letterman Sounds Off on CBS Replacing ‘The Late Show’ After 33 Years With Byron Allen Comedy Hour: ‘They Don’t Wanna Spend Any Money’

    David Letterman Sounds Off on CBS Replacing ‘The Late Show’ After 33 Years With Byron Allen Comedy Hour: ‘They Don’t Wanna Spend Any Money’

    David Letterman has weighed in on CBS’ decision to replace “The Late Show” franchise after 33 years with Byron Allen’s comedy talk show “Comics Unleashed.” The network confirmed the change earlier this month. Stephen Colbert‘s “The Late Show” airs its final episode on May 21. Allen will take over the 11:35pm ET time slot on May 22 with back-to-back episodes of “Comics Unleashed.”

    “They don’t want to spend any money, so they’re going to make money,” Letterman said about the decision on a recent episode of his podcast. “They charge Byron Allen some reasonable price. He sells all the advertising for his ‘Comics Unleashed,’ and it’ll be, I think, 90 minutes or two hours of comics talking about funny stuff.“

    “The show is a pretty good idea,” Letterman added. “It’s all panel. Nobody’s doing any standup, except they’re seated doing standup.”

    “Comics Unleashed” currently airs after Colbert’s “The Late Show” on CBS. When it moves up an hour to replace the late night institution, Allen will continue to lease the 12:37am hour with the comedy game show “Funny You Should Ask.” The time buy deal is through the 2026-2027 TV season.

    Letterman started CBS’ “The Late Show” franchise in 1993 and hosted for 22 years before passing the baton to Stephen Colbert, who debuted in Sept. 2015. When the network announced last summer its shocking decision to cancel “The Late Show,” Letterman’s team responded by posting a 20-minute supercut on his YouTube page featured all the times he slammed CBS or made jokes at the network’s expense during his tenure on air. The caption to the supercut read: “You can’t spell CBS without BS.”

    Colbert announced last July that CBS was canceling not just his iteration of “The Late Show” but also the entire franchise come May 2026. While the decision was reportedly a “financial” one, it immediately sparked questions from industry figures about the politics involved given Colbert regularly attacks Donald Trump on air and CBS’ parent company, Paramount Global, was trying to get a merger approved with Skydance at the time.

    “This is pure cowardice,” Letterman later said in a YouTube video about the cancellation. “They did not do the correct thing. They did not handle Stephen Colbert — the face of that network — in the way he deserves to have been handled.”

  • Turner Classic Movies Acquires Documentary Feature ‘Beyond The Border: Latino Representation in Hollywood’ – Film News in Brief

    Turner Classic Movies Acquires Documentary Feature ‘Beyond The Border: Latino Representation in Hollywood’ – Film News in Brief

    Turner Classic Movies has acquired the exclusive rights to “Beyond The Border: Latino Representation in Hollywood,” a documentary feature directed, written and produced by the sister filmmaker duo Clara and Julia Kuperberg. The film will be released in September on TCM during Hispanic Heritage Month. 

    The documentary will trace a “century-long struggle for Latino representation, showing how artists reclaimed their image and reshaped cinema, and the way we imagine the world,” per the film’s logline, and will feature archives and film clips. Voices featured in the film include John Leguizamo, casting director Carla Hool, Esai Morales, Jimmy Smits, Edward James Olmos, director Gregory Nava, director Patricia Riggen, José Zúñiga and more. 

    “As French filmmakers, we’ve spent over 20 years exploring American cinema and culture, so in a way, this film is part of a larger journey,” said the Kuperbergs. “What has always fascinated us is how Hollywood not only reflects society, but also shapes global perceptions of identity, power, and belonging. When it comes to Latino representation, we were struck by a paradox. Latinos are a fundamental part of American history and culture, and one of the largest communities in the United States, yet their presence in Hollywood has long been limited, stereotyped, or overlooked. That gap between reality and representation felt both striking and urgent.”

    The Kuperbergs have made films together for more than two decades, writing, directing, producing and editing more than 60 documentaries through their company Wichita Films. Their work has screened at Cannes, by AMPAS and has been distributed globally across platforms including HBO Max, Amazon, Hulu and TCM.

    Martine Melloul serves as co-producer for the film and Daniel Talbott serves as executive producer. The film was produced by TCM Cinema and Wichita Films, in association with Kali Pictures.

  • Soccer Star Who Slammed Chappell Roan After Security Guard Confronted Daughter Says “Matter is Closed” After “New Information”

    Soccer Star Who Slammed Chappell Roan After Security Guard Confronted Daughter Says “Matter is Closed” After “New Information”

    Less than a month after soccer star Jorginho Frello slammed a security guard he believed worked for Chappell Roan for “extremely aggressive” behavior towards his 11-year-old daughter, Frello is sharing that “new information” has changed his “understanding of parts of what happened” and that he now believes the situation to be “closed.”

    On March 21, Frello said that while attending Lollapalooza Brazil, his 11-year-old daughter spotted the “artist she really admires, or used to admire,” tagging Roan twice in his initial Instagram Stories post, during breakfast at their hotel and walked past the artist’s table to make sure it was her.

    Frello did not name which of his children he was referring to but his wife, Catherine Harding, shares an 11-year-old daughter, Ada, with Jude Law.

    “She didn’t even approach her,” Frello wrote at the time. “She simply walked past the singer’s table, looked to confirm it was her, smiled, and went back to sit with her mum. She didn’t say anything, didn’t ask for anything.”

    What happened next, Frello said, was “completely disproportionate” as a “large security guard” came over to their table and addressed his wife and daughter in an “extremely aggressive manner,” adding that his wife, “shouldn’t allow my daughter to ‘disrespect’ or ‘harass’ other people.”

    Frello went on to criticize the artist after the incident left his daughter in tears.

    “I’ve lived with football, public exposure, and well-known people for many years, and I understand very well what respect and boundaries are. What happened there was not that. It was just a child admiring someone,” he wrote. “It’s sad to see this kind of treatment coming from those who should understand the importance of fans. At the end of the day, they are the ones who build all of this. I sincerely hope this serves as a moment of reflection. No one should have to go through this, especially not a child.”

    In closing, tagging Roan’s Instagram account, he wrote, “WITHOUT YOUR FANS, YOU WOULD BE NOTHING. AND TO THE FANS, SHE DOES NOT DESERVE YOUR AFFECTION.”

    Roan responded to the incident the next day, insisting the guard was not her “personal security,” who she didn’t ask to confront the mother and daughter, and Roan said she didn’t even notice them.

    “They did not come up to me. They weren’t doing anything. It’s unfair for security to just assume someone doesn’t have good intentions when they have no reason to believe, because there’s no action even taken,” she explained in a video. “I do not hate people who are fans of my music. I do not hate children. Like, that is crazy. I’m sorry to the mother and child that someone was assuming something that you would do something and that if you felt uncomfortable, that makes me really sad. You did not deserve that.

    Now, while Frello maintains that “the situation did occur as it was originally described,” he indicates his response was driven more by his protective instinct as a father. His initial statement, he writes on his Instagram Stories on Monday, came about “in the heat of the moment, after hearing that my child and wife had been approached by an adult male security guard in an intimidating way … My priority is, and always will be, protecting my family, and that is exactly what I did.”

    Saying the guard “has since confirmed publicly that he was representing another artist at the hotel at the time,” Frello adds it’s now clear that the guard wasn’t acting on Roan’s behalf.

    Frello said the incident was a “misunderstanding” and he’s “glad to set the record straight.”

    “It’s important to me that this is clarified fairly and accurately,” he said. “I regret the impact this situation has had on Chappell Roan, Catherine, Ada and our family.”

    Frello also shared that Roan reached out to his wife “privately” and both sides’ teams “spoke directly.” The artist, he said was “understanding and sympathetic” and he says based on the conversations with Roan’s team, it “became clear that she had no knowledge of what took place at breakfast and had not asked anyone to approach them.”

    In conclusion, he said he does “not support or encourage hate speech or online attacks from any side” and stressed the values of “respect, empathy and humility … As far as I am concerned, this matter is closed.”

  • How to Watch ‘Boy Band Confidential,’ Joey Fatone’s ID Docuseries on the Industry’s Dark Side

    How to Watch ‘Boy Band Confidential,’ Joey Fatone’s ID Docuseries on the Industry’s Dark Side

    ID’s latest limited series, Boy Band Confidential, is exposing the secret machinery behind the ’90s boy band boom via revealing interviews with NSYNC’s Lance Bass, Backstreet Boys’ AJ McLean and Boyz II Men’s Wanya Morris and Shawn Stockman. The four-part docuseries airs over two nights, April 13 and 14, from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. PT/ET on ID, and can be livestreamed on any streaming service that carries the network, including DirecTV (with a five-day free trial), Philo (with a seven-day free trial), Sling and Hulu + Live TV.

    At a Glance: How to Watch Boy Band Confidential

    Following its Investigation Discovery premiere, the four-parter will be available to stream on-demand via HBO Max, which can be bundled with Disney+ and Hulu for the best bang for your buck. To stream HBO Max for free, opt for a subscription to one of DirecTV’s signature packages — Entertainment, Choice or Ultimate — which gives customers their first three months of HBO Max for free, along with Paramount+ Premium, STARZ, MGM+ and Cinemax (see here for more details on these premium add-ons). Plus, DirecTV offers a five-day free trial for any plan, meaning new members can stream Boy Band Confidential (and everything else the packages have to offer) at no cost during the trial period.

    Where to Watch Boy Band Confidential: Air Date and Time, Where to Stream Online

    Executive produced by NSYNC’s Joey Fatone, the four-part documentary series premieres over two nights, April 13 and 14, from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. PT/ET on ID, which can be livestreamed via DirecTV (with a five-day free trial), Philo (with a seven-day free trial), Sling and Hulu + Live TV.

    As mentioned, all four episodes will also be available to stream on-demand via HBO Max, which can be bundled with Disney+ and Hulu for the best deal. Additionally, to stream HBO Max for free, opt for a subscription to one of DirecTV’s signature packages — Entertainment, Choice or Ultimate — which gives customers their first three months of HBO Max for free, along with Paramount+ Premium, STARZ, MGM+ and Cinemax. See here for more details on these premium add-ons and sign up for a five-day free trial period here. Keep reading to learn more about each option.

    How to Watch 'Boy Band Confidential' ID Docuseries Online Free Stream

    DirecTV

    Five-day free trial; packages from $19.99 per month

    ID is included in any of DirecTV’s signature packages: Entertainment, Choice, Ultimate and Premier. Plus, DirecTV is offering a five-day free trial for its streaming service, meaning new subscribers can catch the doc series at no cost.

    When signing up for any of these packages, customers can also add three months of HBO Max (along with Paramount+ Premium, STARZ, MGM+ and Cinemax) for free, which, as mentioned, will have Boy Band Confidential available to stream on-demand. See here for more details on these premium add-ons, which will be offered for three months at no cost during checkout.

    Philo Logo

    Philo

    Philo

    Seven-day free trial; packages from $25 per month

    Watch the ID channel on Philo, one of the most affordable cable alternatives. Following a seven-day free trial period, plans start at $25 per month with access to 70+ channels.

    How to Watch 'Boy Band Confidential' ID Docuseries Online Free Stream

    Sling

    Half off first month for select plans

    ID is included in Sling’s Blue Plan (40+ channels), starting at $45.99 per month.

    For the best bang for your buck, opt for Sling’s Orange & Blue plan, which gives subscribers access to everything both plans have to offer, and starts at $60.99 per month. Visit Sling.com for the full channel breakdown of each package.

    Hulu - Live TV's logo.

    Hulu + Live TV

    Three-day free trial; packages from $89.99 per month

    Watch ID for free with a three-day trial to Hulu + Live TV, which comes bundled with Disney+ and ESPN+, and starts at $89.99 per month.

  • Karol G Closes Out Coachella With Electrifying Set Heavy on Latin and Female Empowerment: ‘Don’t Feel Fear, Feel Pride!’

    Karol G Closes Out Coachella With Electrifying Set Heavy on Latin and Female Empowerment: ‘Don’t Feel Fear, Feel Pride!’

    Yet into the wee hours of Monday morning, as many exhausted festival attendees headed home and many online viewers simply ran out of energy, Colombian dynamo Karol G delivered an explosive performance that leaned heavily into Latin and female empowerment, covering multiple genres of music and guest appearances while showing off her formidable talents as a singer, performer and conceptualist. The show was an explosion of music, dancing, colors and symbols that words could never do justice — it’s streaming for another few hours (and for weekend two next Sunday) so dig in while you can.

    Karol was, as she noted, the first Latin female artist in 27 years of Coachella to headline. She leaned heavily into that role: The show opened with a spoken-word fable, with a translation in English appearing on the massive screens, about a young woman who “came into this world being wild, untamable, free” but was then repressed by a voice saying “If you want to belong, you must surrender to the world” — but of course she did not stay repressed forever, recovering her power as she “lloked around and felt the power of every woman by her side,” finishing with the words “Forever wild — Latina forever.”  

    Karol G at the 2026 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival – Weekend 1 – Day 3 on April 12, 2026 in Indio, California.

    Katie Flores/Variety

    She and a dozen-odd limber-limbed dancers clad in gold lame bikinis then tore into that song, performing on a giant, multi-level stage that was designed like a series of caves — symbolizing origin — with her (apparently all-female) musicians on the ground floor. After a rousing start (setlist below), what followed was a vivid, loving tribute to all different flavors and musical genres of Latin culture, as loaded with subtext as Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl headlining performance. An all-female mariachi band took the stage for a brief performance; Becky G and Mariah Angeliq joined Karol for sultry duets on “Mamiii” and “El Makinon” respectively; Puerto Rican rapper Wisin performed a long medley of his hits in the middle of the set; legendary Cuban trumpeter Arturo Sandoval delivered a powerful solo during “Ivonny Bonita”; Karol performed back-to-back with guitarist Greg Gonzales, of the band Cigarettes After Sex on a new song.

    Karol was an explosive presence throughout the show, leading a huge troupe of colorfully clad dancers onto the walkways leading into the crowd; performing atop a giant model of a macaw (another symbol of Latin culture) with its wings outstretched; performing with her dancers in a sculptured pool and incorporating the splashing water into the choreography; quieting things down with a couple of low-key ballads; and later going into the front row of the audience and looking on with an incredulous smile as a young woman rapped her lyrics note for note.

    Karol G performs at the 2026 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival – Weekend 1 – Day 3 on April 12, 2026 in Indio, California.

    Christopher Polk/Variety

    As the set wound down, Karol, surrounded by dozens of musicians and dancers, gave a brief speech, noting that it took 27 years for Coachella — which has leaned heavily into Latin music in recent years — to book a female Latin performer as a headliner before saying, “Before me there were so any legendary Latino artists that gave me the opportunity to be here tonight, so this isn’t just about me: This is about my Latino community,” she said to cheers.

    “And at the same time, this is for my Latinos that have been struggling in this country lately — we stand [with] them, and at the same time I am very proud because this brings out the best in us: unity, resilience, and a strong spirit. We do this because we want everyone to feel welcome to our culture, so I want everyone to feel proud of where you come from: Don’t feel fear, feel pride!”

    The set then closed out with ten minutes of joyous music and dancing from the entire troupe, punctuated by fireworks, blazing laser lights, blasts of flame and more. It was an explosive set that found Karol leaning heavily into her moment and emerging triumphantly.

    Karol G at the 2026 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival – Weekend 1 – Day 3 on April 12, 2026 in Indio, California.

    Christopher Polk/Variety

  • ‘The Rookie,’ ‘Will Trent’ Renewed at ABC

    ‘The Rookie,’ ‘Will Trent’ Renewed at ABC

    Both “The Rookie” and “Will Trent” have been renewed for new seasons at ABC.

    The renewal will take “The Rookie” to its ninth season, while it will bring “Will Trent” to its fifth. Both shows are currently airing new seasons on ABC, with both slated to air their respective season finales in early May.

    As previously reported, ABC has already renewed its primetime dramas “9-1-1,” “9-1-1: Nashville,” “High Potential,” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” Likewise, the hit comedy series “Abbott Elementary” was renewed in March. That means the only shows awaiting word on new seasons are the freshman drama “R.J. Decker” and the sophomore multi-cam comedy “Shifting Gears.”

    ABC recently shot a pilot for an offshoot of “The Rookie” titled “The Rookie: North.” Starring Jay Ellis, the pilot follows a man who joins the police force in the Pacific Northwest after a violent home invasion. At the time of this publishing, it is still awaiting word on a series pickup.

    “The Rookie” stars Nathan Fillion as John Nolan, Mekia Cox as Nyla Harper, Alyssa Diaz as Angela Lopez, Richard T. Jones as Wade Grey, Melissa O’Neil as Lucy Chen, Eric Winter as Tim Bradford, Jenna Dewan as Bailey Nune, Shawn Ashmore as Wesley Evers, Lisseth Chavez as Celina Juarez, and Deric Augustine as Miles Penn.

    Alexi Hawley created the series and serves as executive producer and showrunner. Mark Gordon, Fillion, Michelle Chapman, Bill Norcross, Brynn Malone, Moira Kirland, Bill Roe and Jon Steinberg are also executive producers on the series. It is produced by Lionsgate Television in partnership with 20th Television.

    “Will Trent” Ramón Rodríguez as Will Trent, Erika Christensen as Angie Polaski, Iantha Richardson as Faith Mitchell, Jake McLaughlin as Michael Ormewood, Kevin Daniels as Benjamin Franklin, with Sonja Sohn as Amanda Wagner.

    The series is based on Karin Slaughter’s “Will Trent” books. Liz Heldens and Daniel Thomsen developed the series for television and serve as executive producers along with Karine Rosenthal, Slaughter, Oly Obst, Jason Ensler, Ellen Marie Blum and Rodríguez. Heldens, Thomsen and Rosenthal also serve as showrunners. The series is produced by 20th Television.

  • Paul Williams on Muppets, Streisand and Sobriety

    Paul Williams on Muppets, Streisand and Sobriety

    Paul Williams, a Songwriters Hall of Famer and an Oscar and three-time Grammy winner, is being honored at the TCM Classic Film Festival, where he’ll attend screenings of two films for which he wrote tunes, 1979’s The Muppet Movie and 1987’s Ishtar. The 85-year-old spoke with THR from a convention, where many of his fans had not yet been born when he wrote “We’ve Only Just Begun” and “The Rainbow Connection” but may know him for his Daft Punk collaborations “Touch” and “Beyond.”

    How did you learn about your TCM tribute? Were you involved in selecting the films they’ll show?

    I got an email and was told that they had run out of people. (Laughs.) No, it’s wonderful, and TCM is such a great channel. The older I get, the more I appreciate classic films — my favorites include A Place in the Sun and Paths of Glory — and they are kept alive by TCM. At any rate, they picked the films for my tribute, and I was thrilled with the choices. Ishtar, to me, was one of my greatest challenges — being hired to write “bad songs” [for characters who are bad songwriters] was really interesting. As for The Muppet Movie, it started when I was a guest on The Muppet Show and met Jim Henson and all the Muppet performers, and we formed almost a blood brotherhood.

    Paul Williams in the ’70s, around the time he wrote “Rainy Days and Mondays” and Williams in 2026.

    Jim McCrary/Redferns/Getty Images; Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

    How did you get started in the business?

    I’ve described myself as an out-of-work actor who got really lucky. I did a movie called The Loved One [1965] and had a nice part in it. Then I worked for several months on a picture called The Chase [1966] with Marlon Brando and Robert Redford, but I was inches away from being an extra in that. And then I started writing songs. I think I write songs with my instincts as an actor — I try to crawl inside the characters and write like they would. The longest partnership of my life was with Roger Nichols, who was at A&M Records when I was signed there. They were looking for a lyricist for Roger. He would present me a finished melody. We wrote songs together like “We’ve Only Just Begun” and “Rainy Days and Mondays.”

    With “Evergreen,” my understanding is Barbra Streisand wrote the melody and you wrote the lyrics.

    I was hired [to write the songs for 1976’s A Star Is Born] by Barbra and [producer] Jon Peters. There was a song that I’d written with Kenny Ascher that she loved called “You and Me Against the World,” and she said, “There’s a scene after [Kris Kristofferson’s character is] killed where I find a song that he’s written, and I’d like to have something like ‘You and Me Against the World.’ “

    Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson in 1976’s A Star Is Born, for which Williams wrote the lyrics to “Evergreen.”

    Courtesy Everett Collection

    At one of my first meetings with Barbra, she sat down and took out a guitar, which she was just learning to play, and she went, “Could you do anything with this?” It was such a beautiful melody, but she was very shy and demure as she was offering it. I went, “Are you joking? I think that’s your love theme!” The shooting schedule was such that the song came very late in the shoot. I worked on Kris’ songs first, and I heard again and again from Barbra, “Where’s my lyric?” Eventually I wrote “Evergreen.”

    You were omnipresent as a public figure for many years — performing, acting, appearing on TV game shows, etc. — but then you sort of disappeared for a while. What was that about?

    I was a major cocaine addict and alcoholic, and for 10 years I was missing in action — it was as if somebody else was using my body. You know you’re an alcoholic when you misplace a decade. For me, the ’80s were essentially gone. But I just celebrated 36 years of sobriety. I went to treatment, and I loved it — I felt a connection to the world around me, I felt safe, and I felt unashamed. I felt like Lazarus, and I began to rebuild my life. Then I went to UCLA, got my certification as a drug and alcohol counselor and focused on that instead of music. The phone was not ringing, I was not the new kid in town, and I had a reputation that was not the best. But then a wonderful thing happened. The phone rang and it was Brian Henson [Jim’s son], who was doing The Muppet Christmas Carol [1992], and he asked if I would write the songs for it. It was the toe-in-the-water experience that gave me my musical career back.

    This story appeared in the April 8 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.