Leon Marchand, the swimming champion who turned out to become one of the Paris Olympics’ biggest stars — winning four gold medals for Team France — is authentically portrayed by his father in an event documentary series called “Leon Marchand, Beyond Gold.”
The three-part series, which was teased by commissioning broadcaster France Télévisions at Series Mania Festival in Lille, is produced by Quad Group’s Yann Le Bourbouac’h, whose track record in the field includes the smash hit Netflix documentary series “Tour de France: Unchained.” It follows Marchand, a native of Toulouse, in Southern France, over the course of one year, following the Paris Olympics’ adventure. It’s co-directed by Xavier Marchand and Sacha Vučinić (“Tour de France: Unchained”).
Certainly due to Marchand’s hot profile as a national hero (having broken a record of four Gold medals), the docu series brings together two major players who rarely collaborate: France Télévisions and TF1 Studios. As with “Tour de France,” “Leon Marchand, Beyond Gold” will not be a basic sports series. It will have a character-driven approach which Le Bourbouac’h developed closely with the athlete, his father, Xavier Marchand – also a swimming champion — and his entourage, to align on their vision they had for the documentary.
For Le Bourbouac’h, the series was approached like a fiction, and sheds light on how Marchand coped with his sudden fame in the wake of his four gold medals and how his life was ultimately very different from the way it appeared.
“What we filmed over the course of that year was Léon, who, after the Olympics, felt that the image people were painting of him — because he’d won a medal — was distorted,” says the Paris-based producer. “There were things that were false about who he was and all that. He wanted to set the record straight, and above all, he wanted to explain what his life was really like — that it wasn’t as rosy as people seemed to make it out to be.”
“Because people were saying he’d won four medals thanks to Louis Vuitton and Nike partnerships. He wanted to say: ‘To get here, guys, I work every single day,’” he continued. In fact, the documentary sees him pursuing his engineering studies.
It’s a true coming-of-age story, Le Bourbouac’h says, “because it’s really a look at what you do when you’ve won it all at 22, and we see Léon asking himself all the questions you have at that age: Who am I? Where do I come from? What’s the real purpose in my life now?”
Le Bourbouac’h points that gaining the trust of Marchand’s family was key to make this documentary, noting that he is “part of this young generation of athletes like Mbappé, who have their families around them. They were their pillars of support.” As such, it’s co-produced by CLOX, Marchand’s vehicle which he runs with his parents and brother.
The documentary will also be scored by hip French electro band The Blaze. “Hugo composes music, and in this case, he’s going to compose the music for the documentary with The Blaze — we set him up to meet The Blaze during filming and we filmed them teaching him.”
“He meets his idols, he does his thing, he makes the music, so he blossoms, if you will, alongside swimming,” says Le Bourbouac’h.
That one-year journey also shows Marchand stepping into adulthood after he graduates and obtains his engineering diploma.
“It’s about a son who leaves for good. At this end of the journey, he’s no longer Léon Marchand; he’s just Léon. You see that the father watching his son truly blossom and, on top of that, succeed in his studies.”
“There’s sports, there’s that storyline about the athlete, what he goes through on the tour, all the ups and downs, his return with the French national team, the World Championships in Singapore,” says Le Bourbouac’h. “And above all, it’s about a young man’s personal growth.”
Kate Hudson is getting back on the court for the second season of the Netflix sports comedy “Running Point,” returning as Isla Gordon, the sharp but underestimated executive who unexpectedly finds herself running the fictional basketball team, the Los Angeles Waves.
And the new episodes of the show, from executive producers Mindy Kaling, Ike Barinholtz and David Stassen, appear to take advantage of Hudson’s soft-shoe skills by putting the two-time Oscar nominee at center court with the team’s dancers.
Season 1 saw Isla — who, as the only daughter of the team’s owner, was often overlooked by her late father and undermined by her brothers (Drew Tarver, Scott MacArthur and Justin Theroux) — find her footing in her new role. But, in Season 2, which begins streaming on April 23, she’s no longer the surprise choice to lead the Waves; now, she’s the one with the target on her back.
“With the franchise finally rebounding after last year’s scandal, Isla is determined to prove she’s not just keeping the seat warm for her brother Cam (Theroux),” a synopsis teases. “What she doesn’t know is that Cam is quietly maneuvering behind the scenes to reclaim his post, turning every misstep into ammunition.”
The Season 2 trailer promises more hijinks and hilarity as Isla navigates the pressures of running the family business and navigating the high-stakes world of professional basketball, while balancing the drama of her personal life (with Max Greenfield and Jay Ellis as romantic interests). The ensemble cast includes Brenda Song, Fabrizio Guido, Chet Hanks, Toby Sandeman and Uche Agada, and recurring guest star Ray Romano, who plays the Waves’ new head coach.
Ike Barinholtz (far right, as Cousin Bennie) joins Drew Tarver, Justin Theroux, Kate Hudson and Scott MacArthur in “Running Point” season 2.
Katrina Marcinowski/Netflix 2025
Nicole Richie (as Nicole Vark), Octavia Spencer (as Diane Robicheaux) and Lisa Rinna in “Running Point” season 2.
Netflix
Kate Hudson (as Isla Gordon) and Scott Speedman (as Luke McShay) in “Running Point” season 2.
Katrina Marcinowski/Netflix 2025
The clip also reveals guest appearances by series co-creator Barinholtz, who plays the Gordon family’s kooky cousin Bennie, and Lisa Rinna, who appears as herself. Octavia Spencer (Hudson’s co-star in the Apple series “Truth Be Told”), Nicole Richie and Scott Speedman also appear as new characters.
“Running Point” also features recurring guest stars: Roberto Sanchez, Jon Glaser, Scott Evans, Rob Huebel, Marissa Reyes, Blake Anderson, Ken Marino, Tommy Dewey, Richa Moorjani, Aliyah Turner and Jake Picking.
“Every decision on and off the court counts,” the synopsis explains. “To survive the family power plays and the scrutiny of the board, she’ll have to rip up last season’s game plan and come up with a whole new playbook if she wants to close out the season on top.”
“Running Point” debuted last February and was quickly renewed for a second season. The show ultimately spent five weeks in Netflix’s global English Top 10 TV chart. Mindy Kaling, Barinholtz and David Stassen serve as writers and executive producers, with Stassen also serving as showrunner.
In addition to starring in the series, Hudson executive produces alongside Howard Klein, the Los Angeles Lakers’ Jeanie Buss and Linda Rambis. Jordan Rambis serves as producer. The series is produced by Kaling International in association with Warner Bros. Television, where Kaling is under an overall deal.
“At first, it was supposed to be made with a U.S. platform. But he didn’t have the freedom he wanted. For example, [they wanted] to have the first explicit scene only in episode five to tone down the romance,” said Julie Roy, executive director & CEO at Téléfilm Canada.
“He decided to go back to Canada, and kudos to Crave who had the courage to welcome the full project. For me, that’s a great example of not being Hollywood and being authentic. Authenticity is something that really works.”
“Heated Rivalry” became a global phenomenon, thanks to its explosive combination of hockey, romance and explicit scenes.
“This example is also interesting in terms of audience engagement. A high number of people just watched this series for the fifth time! It’s insane.”
Apart from Tierney’s hit, Roy listed other recent Canadian successes: “Empathy” and “North of North,” taking on Inuit stories.
“The diversity of Canada, the richness of its perspective and storytellers is such a great asset,” she said. But it’s also an industry. “It’s important to highlight that as well. In Canada, the economic impact of the creative industry is equivalent to aerospace industry, and it’s more than fisheries and automobile industry.”
Talking during Series Mania Forum’s panel about Global Audiovisual Alliances, Roy admitted that many Europeans want to collaborate with Canada. “I’ll be curious to see if this new convention would be open to welcome Canada in it.”
“We have 57 treaties of co-production, which is the highest number in the world. I think it’s quite an indicator that we really like to collaborate and co-produce and find international partnership.”
Gaëtan Bruel, CNC president, underlined: many people still believe in the future of creation.
“We [need to] keep true to our values, as Julie just mentioned, and the idea that creativity, taking risks and supporting the independent producers, these core principles and values, stay at the heart of what we do.”
He added: “The crisis in Hollywood may be a sort of good news, if we think less of who is the new ‘supreme leader’ of cinema and creation and more about how can we build together a new global governance for the moving image: a new multilateralism in which we don’t rely only on what is thought in Hollywood. There’s really a diversity at heart in Europe that really can be perhaps the new superpower.”
Klaus Zimmermann, managing partner at Les Productions Dynamic, observed that for every U.S. success, they have “50 failures.”
“I think that for the amount we have, we’re doing pretty well. With the streamers coming to Europe and investing, there’s an opportunity to create more shows, but also local shows. I don’t think this is a threat, but there needs to be courage and storytelling.”
Coming from Spain, which already established powerful relationships with Latin America, some producers aren’t dependent on Hollywood financing, noted Mariela Besuievsky (Tornasol Media).
“It’s true that the opportunities and windows that have opened are very big, and that also drives us to think in another way about the storytelling. I like what you said about ‘Heated Rivalry’: You have to find your own way and really believe that what you are telling and how you are telling it is going to communicate with the audience.”
According to Bruel, the real competition is no longer between national industries.
“Worldwide, we see audiences, especially the younger ones, shifting faster than expected toward free, low-cost content, of course more and more generated by AI. It’s an economical challenge for the creators, the producers, the broadcasters. It’s also, and perhaps above all, a sanitary catastrophe. This is a sanitary catastrophe,” he said, pointing at his phone.
“Our kids’ relationship with screens is becoming a health world problem, but also a democratic one. We have been discussing and forging alliances for a long time, but today we are facing a moment that is as important and as fascinating as the invention of cinema itself. The first revolution was led by the creators and the entrepreneurs. Today, it’s quite different. Today, we need policymakers, non-profit organizations and those who really care about the interest of the public.”
The rise of Korea has also been notable over the past few years, with Hyun Suk Yoo, Acting President of Kocca, talking about recent BTS comeback and the Korean wave, Hallyu, that brought about popular K-dramas.
“Rather than the government leading the success from the front, in order for the content ecosystem to function effectively, it would be more accurate to say that it played a supporting part from behind. From planning to production and distribution, in order to reduce the challenges faced by the industry, we are continuing to communicate with the stakeholders on the ground,” he said.
Besuievsky added that because of the changing rules of streamers, more deals are needed – also to gap finance new productions. “I feel that that the co-production laws were established many of years ago and they are moving more slowly than the changes we have been facing. It’s time to think in a more flexible way, but we cannot lose the regulatory framework that gives us security.”
Bruel mentioned TF1 and Netflix, which announced the first very strategic distribution deal.
“It was a way for them to meet halfway,” he said. “We believe, more than ever, that we need to think differently about how we can work together. We have a lot to learn from the streamers and they say they have a lot to learn from other models.”
Stokes — a “Bridgerton” alum recently seen in George Jacques’s Berlin-bowing “Sunny Dancer” — is set to star in the lead role of Miranda opposite Branagh’s Prospero. Other additions to the cast of the play — being directed by Richard Eyre — include Fred Woodley Evans as Ferdinand, Amara Okereke as Ariel and Ashley Zhangazha as Caliban.
The production is set run at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford from May 13 to June 20.
The classic follows Prospero, an exiled duke who conjures a storm to exact revenge on those who wronged him, only to confront the possibility of forgiveness — while his daughter Miranda discovers love for the first time.
“The play remains endlessly fascinating — I see it as Shakespeare’s autobiography, a meditation on art and freedom,” said Eyre. “Of course, there are themes of power, belonging, and colonisation that have long invited new readings and responses. ‘The Tempest’ is a story shaped by encounters between cultures and systems of power, a story of revenge and magic, and I am thrilled to be working with such an incredible company to tell this story.”
Stokes’ RSC debut comes following her recently completed lead read role on stage in the New York edition of Alexander Zeldin’s “The Other Place.” Other recent screen work includes lead roles in Netflix’s untitled Newfoundland-set limited series opposite Josh Hartnett, in addition to appearances in Celyn Jones’ “Madfabulous” and Noah Baumbach’s “Jay Kelly.”
SPOILER ALERT: Details follow for Season 14, Episode 11 of “The Masked Singer,” “Semi-Finals,” which aired March 25 on Fox.
There was no more fight left in Rachel Platten. The “Fight Song” singer was the latest celebrity to be revealed on Season 14 of the Fox singing reality competition “The Masked Singer.” Platten was unmasked as Pangolin.
Among the panelists, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg got it right with Platten. Ken Jeong guessed Lea Michelle. Robin Thicke went with Michelle Branch. Rita Ora thought it was Vanessa Carlton.
Meanwhile, before she was unmasked, Pangolin also gave one more “crack the case” clue case clue for her identity: Boxing gloves. “I like to stand strong in a fight. Especially when it counts. And this whole thing represents a huge win for me.”
Platten as Pangolin’s final performance was ““It Must Have Been Love,” by Roxette; on previous episodes, she sang “What A Feeling (Flashdance)” by Irene Cara; “Ironic,” by Alanis Morrisette; and “Mama, I’m Coming Home,” by Ozzy Osbourne.
With Pangolin gone, that leaves Galaxy Girl, Cat Witch, Pugcasso and Crane all left for next week’s finale.
Rachel Platten (Pangolin) joins Evan Ross-Næss (Stingray), Judge Greg Mathis (14 Karat Carrot), Alexi Lalas (High Voltage), Jack Wagner (Eggplant), Heidi Montag (Snow Cone), Billy Ray Cyrus (Owl), Teddi Mellencamp (Calla Lily), Claudia Oshry (Queen Corgi), Taraji P. Henson (Scarab), Tone Loc (Handyman), Tiffany Haddish (Le Who Who), Todd and Julie Chrisley (Croissants) and David “Big Papi” Ortiz (Googly Eyes) as the celebrities unmasked so far on “The Masked Singer” Season 14.
Back for Season 14 are host Nick Cannon, alongside panelists McCarthy Wahlberg, Jeong, Ora and Thicke.
New this season is “America’s Insider,” in which singer, dancer and social media personality Kylie Cantrall will share behind-the-scenes hints and clues for viewers. The twist: Cantrall is in costume as Cat Witch, but will only unmask for viewers — so the audience knows who she is, but the panelists don’t.
“The Masked Singer” Season 14 themed episodes include a tribute to “Star Trek,” the ‘90s comedy “Clueless,” the comic franchise “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” and the blockbuster “Twilight Saga” films. Also Fox’s new “Fear Factor” reboot featured host Johnny Knoxville in a “Fear Factor: House of Fear Night,” and an “Ozzfest Night” honored late rocker Ozzy Osbourne, including a special tribute by “Masked Singer” alum Kelly Osbourne (Season 2’s Ladybug) saluting her father’s musical influence.
The 18 Masked contestants in Season 14 include Eggplant, Pugcasso, Queen Corgi, the Croissants, Owl, 14 Karat Carrot, Snow Cone, Galaxy Girl, High Voltage, Googly Eyes, Scarab, Handyman, Crane, Le Who Who, Pangolin, Stingray, Cat Witch and Calla Lily.
Per the show, the Season 14 contestants have sold a combined 94 million records, received 47 Teen Choice Award nominations, 12 Emmy nominations, two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one Tony Award win and one Academy Award nomination.
Here were the performances on Wednesday’s episode.
Nick Cannon and Cat Witch, “The Masked Singer”
Cat Witch
Song: “Run to You,” by Whitney Houston
Previous songs: “Abracadabra,” by Lady Gaga; “Teenage Dream,” by Katy Perry; “It Will Rain,” by Bruno Mars; “Starships,” by Nicki Minaj
Clue: Related to Robin Thicke. “Robin, last time I told you worked with one of my family members. But we know each other because you welcomed my family into your home. You recorded with one of my parents. Also have a connection with Rita.”
Panel guesses: Noah Cyrus, Kylie Cantrall
Previous panel guesses: Charli D’Amelio, Addison Rae, Lisa from Blackpink; Victoria Justice, Ashley Tisdale, Zendaya, Hailee Steinfeld,Jamie Lynn Spears, Katseye members, Vanessa Lachey
Cat Witch voiceover: “My journal, I write all my personal secrets in it. But tonight, turn to page 20 for my top secret entry: A letter for someone special: Mom. All of this is possible because of you. You believed in me as a little girl and showed me exactly who I could be. And when I landed a role in a huge franchise, you were right by my side. The older I get, the more I relate to you. All those lessons you taught me, maybe I didn’t understand them at the time. I think I get it now. And while my life story is still being written, I feel safe following in your footsteps. You’re such a queen. Now watch me go after the crown.”
Galaxy Girl, “The Masked Singer”
Galaxy Girl
Song: “Misery Business,” by Paramore
Previous songs: “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl,” by Chappell Roan; “Just A Girl,” by No Doubt; “Drive,” by Incubus; Lights,” by Ellie Goulding
Clue: Connected to Nick Cannon. “You’re definitely closer to my husband. We go back early 2000s. I think you’ve probably partied with my husband but not me.”
Panel guesses: Ashlee Simpson, Aly Michalka
Previous panel guesses: Lindsay Lohan, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Emma Stone, Dixie D’Amelio, Anne Hathaway, Hillary Duff, Ashlee Simpson, Kate Hudson, Gwen Stefani, Taylor Momsen, Avril Lavigne
Galaxy Girl voiceover: “There’s a little detail I should probably share with you: This necklace. [Heart necklace with “best” and “friends,” broken in two.] I’ve looked up to one star my whole life. By day, we’d sing karaoke in her convertible. But by night, she’d take the world’s biggest stages by storm. And I watched in awe. I saw the awards, the glitz, the glam. But I also saw the public scrutiny, the headlines. I remember how much my heart would break for her. When it was my turn in the spotlight, I was scared to follow in her footsteps. But she prepared me for what was to come. And she’s always been my guiding light. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t some healthy competition. And that’s why I want to get to the finale. She may be a massive star. But finally, I’m the whole galaxy. I win!”
Pangolin, “The Masked Singer”
Pangolin
Song: “It Must Have Been Love,” by Roxette
Previous songs: “Ironic,” by Alanis Morrisette; “Mama, I’m Coming Home,” by Ozzy Osbourne; “What A Feeling (Flashdance)” by Irene Cara
Clue: Connected to Ken Jeong: “This person and I have been on camera together.”
Panel guesses: Lea Michelle, Rachel Platten
Previous panel guesses: Sara Bareilles, Christina Perri, Katy Perry, Vanessa Carlton, Michelle Branch, Meghan Trainor, Jennifer Nettles
Pangolin voiceover: “My best friend in the whole world was my nana. She would carry news clippings of me and force people to read them. Like, ‘have you heard about my granddaughter? She’s on the Emmys! She was feisty, funny and full of heart. I lost her a few years ago, and I miss her every day. Like when I became I mom, I went through a really tough time. I would sit there wondering how to get through. But then I think about Nana, and I hear her say, ‘you got this!’ And it really did get me through. That fierceness, it runs in the family. And it’s what’s driving me now to make new headlines. To fight and get to the finale!”
Pugcasso, “The Masked Singer”
Pugcasso
Song: “Bad Dreams,” by Teddy Swims
Clue: Connected to Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg. “We have shared a stage together.”
Panel guesses: Shay Mooney, Darren Criss
Previous songs: “Ordinary,” by Alex Warren; “Fake Plastic Trees,” by Radiohead; “Too Much,” by Spice Girls; “Dreams,” by the Cranberries
Previous panel guesses: Dan Reynolds, Darren Criss, Ryan Tedder, Jack Johnson, Rob Thomas, Pat Monahan, Vance Joy, Charlie Puth, Gavin DeGraw, Jason Mraz
Pugcasso voiceover: “There was a moment where everyone in America had their eyes on me. This hometown boy was thrown into interviews and photo shoots. The problem is, I’ve aways thought of myself as a musician, not a celebrity. I work really hard at a life as normal as possible for me and my family. I mean, my own kid doesn’t know that I’m famous. So you can imagine, I’d love to do the show, and I was lucky to be chosen. For me it’s about the art, the music. That’s why I want to make it to the finale. This has allowed me to do what I do best.””
Crane, “The Masked Singer”
Crane
Song: “Break Free,” by Ariana Grande
Clue: Connection with Rita Ora. “We love a little healthy competition. We were on TV together. Not a talk show, we were competing.”
Crane voiceover: “Take a deeper look at my DNA. When I had my breakout success, I’m talking multiplatinum. There was so much pressure to strike while the iron was hot. But behind closed doors, my world was falling apart. Both of my parents were sick. I had to be there for them. But when I shared my work with them, I could see joy. I didn’t realize it then, but I was inspiring them to fight. And seeing their light pushed me to keep going. We leaned on each other, and after several difficult years, we can finally take a deep breath. That’s why I want to make it to the finale. Being a fighter is in my blood.”
Past “The Masked Singer” winners include T-Pain as Monster (Season 1), Wayne Brady as Fox (Season 2), Kandi Burruss as Night Angel (Season 3), LeAnn Rimes as Sun (Season 4), Nick Lachey as Piglet (Season 5), Jewel as Queen of Hearts (Season 6), Teyana Taylor as Firefly (Season 7), Amber Riley as Harp (Season 8), Bishop Briggs as Medusa (Season 9), Ne-Yo as Cow (Season 10), Vanessa Hudgens as Goldfish (Season 11), Boyz II Men as Buffalos (Season 12) and Gretchen Wilson as Pearl (Season 13).
“The Masked Singer” comes from Fox Alternative Entertainment. Rosie Seitchik, Craig Plestis and Cannon are executive producers, while Seitchik serves as showrunner. The series is based on the South Korean format created by Mun Hwa Broadcasting Corp.
Hong Kong-based Act3 and Manila-based BlackOps Studios Asia have unveiled “A Thread of Steel,” a historical action drama, as the first major co-production under a newly formalized partnership, with Qymira set to star and director Pedring Lopez attached to helm.
The deal came together at the Hong Kong FilMart, where the companies’ previous collaboration “Shadow Transit” drew strong interest from international buyers and industry partners during a market screening. That response set the stage for the deeper tie-up now underway. APL Films, handling global sales and distribution on “Shadow Transit,” has begun marketing the title to buyers worldwide.
“A Thread of Steel” will be shot at Hengdian World Studios in China. Grounded in a historical setting, the film weaves together action, drama and character-focused narrative, with both companies aiming to deliver a production of international scale built on distinctly Asian storytelling.
“This project represents the true beginning of our long-term creative vision,” Leslie Loh of Act3 said in a statement. “‘A Thread of Steel’ is exactly the kind of cinematic storytelling we want to champion – ambitious in scale, emotionally grounded, and designed for global audiences.”
Lopez, who founded BlackOps Studios Asia and has built his reputation on visceral genre filmmaking, said the FilMart reception to “Shadow Transit” validated the direction both companies are pursuing. “With ‘A Thread of Steel,’ we’re expanding that vision into something even more cinematic – combining historical scope, action, and powerful character storytelling,” he said.
Beyond the lead title, the partnership has a broader slate of genre features in development targeting both theatrical and streaming markets internationally, with further announcements expected in the months ahead.
Disney+ has set an April 29 premiere for “Gold Land,” a Korean crime thriller marking the streaming debut of “Oldboy” screenwriter Hwang Jo-yoon.
Hwang Jo-yoon (“Oldboy,” “Memoir of a Murderer”) wrote the thriller about a woman whose relationship with a pilot leads her into dangerous territory when she’s manipulated into assisting smugglers. Soon she’s fleeing with stolen gold, headed back to the hometown she left behind.
Park Bo-young (“Light Shop”) plays Kim Heeju, with Kim Sung-cheol (“No Way Out,” “Troll Factory”) as Woogy, one of her pursuers from the smuggling ring. Kim Sung-hoon (“Chief Detective 1958,” “Confidential Assignment”) directs.
“Gold Land” debuts with two episodes April 29, then releases two episodes weekly until the May 27 finale.
The streamer has also set an April 10 premiere for “Perfect Crown,” a romantic comedy starring IU (“When Life Gives You Tangerines,” “My Mister”) and Byeon Woo-seok (“Lovely Runner,” “Strong Girl Nam-soon”). The series centers on a beloved royal family member facing internal palace conflicts who enters into a strategic marriage with a corporate dynasty heir, only to find their calculated arrangement complicated by genuine feelings. Park Joon-hwa (“Alchemy of Souls,” “What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim”) directs from a script by Yoo Ji-won. “Perfect Crown” will stream on Disney+ internationally and on Hulu in the United States.
Both titles expand Disney+’s Korean programming, which will also feature “Portraits of Delusion” (working title) with Suzy and Kim Seon-ho; “The Remarried Empress” with Shin Min-a, Ju Ji-hoon, Lee Jong-suk and Lee Se-young; plus second seasons of “Made In Korea” and “A Shop For Killers.” Current Korean offerings include espionage series “Made In Korea,” political thriller “Tempest” and fortune-telling competition “Battle of Fates.”
HBO’s “Harry Potter” series has released an official trailer, giving a peek into the new take on the Wizarding World as it makes its way to TV.
Newcomer Dominic McLaughlin stars as Harry Potter, the 11-year old wizard previously brought to life by Daniel Radcliffe. Alastair Stout and Arabella Stanton play his best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, as they enroll at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
The new show is a massive undertaking by HBO, which is adapting all seven of author J.K. Rowling’s books into seven seasons of television. The first eight-episode season is set to release this Christmas and takes on the first book, which was published in the U.S. as “The Sorceror’s Stone” and in the U.K. as “The Philosopher’s Stone.” (HBO is opting to use the U.K. title.)
The cast also includes John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts; Janet McTeer as Prof. McGonagall; Paapa Essiedu as Prof. Snape; Nick Frost as Hagrid; Luke Thallon as Prof. Quirrell; Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch; Bertie Carvel as Cornelius Fudge; Johnny Flynn as Lucius Malfoy and more. Many young actors are getting their first major roles on the series as well. Lox Pratt plays Draco Malfoy; Leo Earley plays Seamus Finnegan; Rory Wilmot plays Neville Longbottom; Gracie Cochrane plays Ginny Weasley; and Elijah Oshin plays Dean Thomas.
HBO dropped a first-look image on March 24 that showed McLaughlin as Harry in Gryffindor robes as he approaches the Quidditch pitch on the Hogwarts school grounds, surrounded by other students in their school clothes. The following day, the network released a trailer that introduced several more major characters.
Harry Potter (Dominic McLaughlin)
Image Credit: Photographed by Aidan Monaghan /
The trailer begins with Harry living in a cupboard under the stairs at the home of his aunt (Bel Powley) and uncle (Daniel Rigby), struggling to fit in with them or with his classmates at school. Soon, he finds a letter offering him admission to Hogwarts. On a train in London, Hagrid tells him how kind and brave his parents were before he sets off on the Hogwarts Express. Once he gets to school, the trailer shows him walking in the woods, taking classes and playing in the snow and unwrapping his first flying broom alongside Ron, Hermione and other classmates.
Ron Weasley (Alastair Stout)
Image Credit: Photographed by Aidan Monaghan /
Ron is first shown in the trailer hugging his mother, Molly Weasley (Katherine Parkinson), as Harry watched through a window from inside the Hogwarts Express. He explores Hogwarts with Harry and Hermione, and at the end of the trailer, while sitting across from Harry on the train, he asks, “Are you really Harry Potter?” When Harry smiles and nods, Ron gestures makes an explosion sound and gestures near his own forehead, marveling at Harry’s scar and grinning.
Hermione Granger (Arabella Stanton)
Image Credit: Photographed by Aidan Monaghan /
Hermione is seen in the trailer cheering for Harry during his quidditch match, sitting in Prof. Sprout’s (Sirine Saba) herbology class, exploring Hogwarts with Harry and Ron and riding the Hogwarts Express alongside them.
Dumbledore (John Lithgow)
Dumbledore is only shown for a brief moment in the trailer, wearing a hat and turning around in a candle-lit room. In a photo released by HBO, he wears his official Hogwarts robes and a pinky ring.
Snape (Paapa Essiedu)
Snape also only shows up briefly, illuminating a dark hallway with a light on the tip of his wand, though another photo shows him dressed in black in front of snow-covered trees.
Hagrid (Nick Frost)
Image Credit: Photographed by Aidan Monaghan /,Photographed by Aidan Monaghan /
In the trailer, while riding the metro in London, Hagrid tells Harry about his late parents. “Your parents were the kindest, bravest people I ever met. They were funny and clever, and they stood up for what they believed was right.”
“The next time I see you, we’ll be in Hogwarts,” the half-giant continues before Harry is shown on the next portion of his journey.
Prof. McGonagall (Janet McTeer)
McGonagall stands in front of a massive group of students in the trailer, waiting to welcome them to Hogwarts and oversee the process of sorting them into different houses.
Draco Malfoy (Lox Pratt)
In one shot in the trailer, Draco and his friends menacingly pull their wands out all at the same time — presumably trying to intimidate Harry, who is off-screen.
Dudley Dursley (Amos Kitson)
Image Credit: Photographed by Aidan Monaghan /
Harry is bullied by his cousin Dudley in the trailer. Dudley’s friends pin Harry against the wall of a school bathroom as Dudley approaches him, grinning.
Vernon and Petunia Dursley (Daniel Rigby and Bel Powley)
Image Credit: Photographed by Aidan Monaghan /
Harry’s aunt Petunia berates him and forcibly gives him a haircut in the beginning of the trailer, even pointing the scissors at his face. “I told you: You are a normal boy, and you’re going to start acting like one,” she says. “You think you’re something special? There is nothing special about you.”
Reed Hastings, co-founder and former CEO of Netflix, has gone into semi-retirement — and he now spends much of his time attending to the Utah ski resort he bought in 2023.
But he continues to serve on Netflix’s board as chairman of Netflix, and in a new interview, the exec spoke about the biggest risk facing Netflix: if AI-generated free content on platforms like YouTube becomes compelling enough to drive people to stop paying for Netflix.
In an interview with syndicated TV show “In Depth With Graham Bensinger,” Hastings said that he is “very confident” about the future of subscription entertainment. But he said Netflix has “a couple” of risks, mostly involving AI. He put it this way: “Does AI transform content creation in ways such that young people only watch YouTube, and YouTube content boosted with AI becomes cool and sexy enough that that takes all their time.”
Hastings said that Netflix has to “use AI well enough to improve our content, along with all the talent that we work with, so that we’re worth paying for. So YouTube’s free, and we’re a subscription, and so we have to justify, which has been the history of television, starting with HBO: Why pay for television? That was the initial thing. And HBO proved that they could do content good enough that it was worth paying for. And so the challenge for us is to use AI to improve the storytelling.”
Hastings, who stepped down as CEO of Netflix in early 2023 after leading the company for 25 years, is majority owner of Utah’s Powder Mountain ski resort. He bought the place in a 2023 deal for undisclosed terms under which he assumed the resort’s $100 million-plus in debt, per the New York Times.
About leaving as CEO, Hastings said, “So imagine you’re in a 25-year marriage, like I was with Netflix, and then suddenly you’re cast out. You’re free.”
About taking over Powder Mountain, he said, “this was sort of my rebound business.”
“This opportunity came and this was like somebody to love me, and it was like I could run something and take it over,” Hastings said about buying the ski resort. “I loved this place and, and love it still. So it was [that] I could do something impactful that I cared about, something totally different than Netflix — very visceral, working on everything from menus to lifts to design of different buildings to creating a community, compared to a high scale internet business.”
Also in the interview, Hastings said that after he stepped aside as CEO of Netflix, he cut his alcohol intake from three glasses a day down to one. He said he was self-medicating to deal with the stress of running the company.
“When I was working, I was stress eating and stress drinking,” Hastings told Bensinger. “When you’re self-medicating like that, you don’t know what would it be without it.”
Watch clips from episode of “In Depth With Graham Bensinger” featuring Hastings, scheduled to air across the U.S. in broadcast syndication on March 28:
Usher recently gave a video interview to Forbes where he defended Sean “Diddy” Combs and said the disgraced rapper and entertainment mogul has been “misrepresented.”
The Bad Boy Records founder was sentenced in October to 50 months behind bars after he was convicted on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. (His release from prison has since been moved up to April 2028.) Combs’ 2025 criminal trial ended with a split verdict, as he was acquitted of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, avoiding serious charges that could have landed him in prison for decades.
Asked by Forbes to name a word that comes to mind when he heard Combs’ name, Usher responded: “Legacy.”
“In many ways, I think certain people are prosecuted and maybe not recognized for the greatness that they offer,” Usher explained. “I don’t have anything negative to say about Sean Combs because my experience was not what the world has seen and how he’s been misrepresented. I’m not saying that every man is perfect. I’m not saying that all of us don’t have flaws. But I can’t with any sense of humanity not recognize the valuable contributions that this man made for us as Black entrepreneurs, for us as businessmen, for us as people who have transitioned culture and ideas into something that’s tangible.”
“So many people benefitted from what he created and I acknowledge that,” Usher continued, adding: “That’s who I see that man as. And that’s what I choose to remember. I put respect on his name because I realized that what I learned as a businessman before I even understood what business was came as a result of seeing the incredible things that he was able to do and the way that he positioned himself as a businessman.”
Combs’ 2025 trial began in early May and featured 34 witnesses accusing the rapper-producer of crimes ranging from drug distribution to physical abuse to sexual assault. A key piece of video evidence from 2016 depicted Combs violently beating his then-girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, the star witness of the trial who delivered a grueling four-day testimony. During the trial, Combs’ lawyers admitted to his pattern of domestic violence, reminding the jury that Combs was not charged with that specific crime.
Combs’ lead counsel Marc Agnifilo said in an interview with Variety after the trial that his client was hoping to “make something special out of his life,” adding that making more music is “way down the road.”
Watch Usher’s full interview with Forbes in the video below.
