Tag: Entertainment – Variety

The Roku Originals documentary, “Gamechangers: Mother/Athlete,” made its world premiere at the 24th annual Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival (MVAAFF) on Sunday afternoon. The intimate film is part of Roku’s “Gamechangers” series and follows WNBA stars Sheryl Swoopes, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Bria Hartley, Natalie Achonwa and Allison Feaster as they reflect on the joys and challenges of navigating pregnancy, postpartum and motherhood as professional athletes. 

“I think as viewers, as a public, we often see our athletes as heroes. They’re also human beings, and they’re dealing with a lot of the same day-to-day issues that we deal with,” director Christine Turner told me during a Q&A following the screening. As a storyteller and as a filmmaker generally, it’s always my hope and my goal to tell the stories of complex, multifaceted, multidimensional individuals. It’s important because everyone out there needs to see and understand that.”

Swoopes, who was the first woman to sign on to play in the WNBA during its inaugural season in 1997, got pregnant just ahead of the league’s first year. In the documentary, she reflects on how terrified she was to share her pregnancy with her team and with the public.

“There was a part of me that was like, ‘Everybody is counting on me. There’s no way I can get pregnant right now,’” Swoopes said. “At the same time, I have to say it wasn’t my plan, but it was done. And so that’s what I took from that. And listen, I just tried to do the best that I could do.”

It’s been nearly 30 years since the WNBA was established — funded by the NBA. However, in “Gamechanges: Mother/Athlete,” Swoopes and the rest of the players discuss the lack of resources, particularly regarding their maternal welfare. For nearly three decades, it’s been up to these women to figure out their schedules, finances and everything in between during their pregnancies and thereafter with little guidance or support from the organization. The WNBA did not offer fully paid maternity leave until 2018.

“I hope people come away with a greater appreciation of what Sheryl and so many other women in the league have done and gone through,” Turner said. “It’s incredibly hard, and it’s admirable and inspiring. I hope we get a better window into the issues women in the league and professional sports are facing. And then I hope that audiences can also just relate to something of themselves or their partner or their loved ones, their mothers or whatever.”

Motherhood and career are always going to be a balancing act, but it certainly can be done. For Swoopes, it’s all about embracing everything that comes with it.

“So many times, though, we get caught up in everything else going on around us that we don’t stop to concentrate and focus on ourselves mentally, physically, emotionally, all these things,” Swoopes said. “The first thing I would say is make sure you’re taking care of you before you take that next step. But the other part of that is, for myself, I didn’t plan. It just happened. And when it happened, I embraced it after I had to do all the other things. I would just say make sure you’re ready when it happens. And never question whether the decision you made was right or wrong. You live with that decision, and you make the most of it.”

“Gamechangers: Mother/Athlete” will stream free on The Roku Channel this fall.

Netflix has officially set the release date for “The Body,” which draws inspiration from ‘90s and Y2K teen movies such as “Carrie” and “Jennifer’s Body.”

Created by Quinn Shephard, a group of unholy Catholic school girls start to have prophecy-like visions that send their town into a panic after a dance-team initiation takes a turn for the worse. 

The eight-episode series will release on the streaming platform Nov. 11 with Kristina Bogic (“Playing Gracie Darling”) as Anya Butler, Sara Boustany (“PEN15”) as Elise Zakaria, Geena Meszaros (“The Order”) as Lisbeth Anderson, Nnamdi Asomugha (“The Knife”) as Father Franklin, Louisa Krause (“King Kelly”) as Maddie Delaney, Jackson Kelly (“The Pitt”) as Leo Anderson and Sofia Wylie (“The Map That Leads To You”) as Grace Franklin. 

Recurring cast members include Kyra Pierce, Phallon Pierce, Marcel Ruiz, Orlando Norman, Gabby Windey, Ashley Madekwe, Motell Foster, Cale Ambrozic, Anna Tierney, Chloe Longname, Sarah Abbott, Emily Roman, Michela Luci, Bella Neuspiel, Julia Lowe and Christine Solomon. 

Shephard also serves as showrunner and director. Executive producing are Peter Chernin, Amy Israel and Josh Stern for North Road; Riley Keough, Gina Gammell and Sacha Ben Harroche for Felix Culpa; and Blair Breard.

See first like photos below.

CASTING

Netflix has announced new additions to the cast of “The Sticks,” the official title for the hockey series created by Nick Naveda. 

Series regulars include Scott Bakula (“Quantum Leap”) as Coach Brody Hansen, Logan Marshall-Green (“Marshals”) as Coach Sully and Alex MacIsaac (“The Social Reckoning”) as Emma Boone. 

The newly announced recurring characters features Bryan Greenberg (“Emily in Paris”) as Cliff Barnes, Chelsea Field (“NCIS: New Orleans”) as Alice Hansen, Patrick Gallagher (“Big Sky”) as Principal Montgomery, Alison Araya (“Riverdale”) as Joan Garcia, Aman Smardon (“Allegiance”) as Kai Becker, Krista Bridges (“Narc”) as Frankie Ryder and Ben Cotton “(The Night Agent”) as Mr. Marchbanks. 

After a tragedy rocks a small hockey town in Minnesota, “a grieving wife steps behind the bench of the team her husband built, guiding a found family of wounded young athletes through a season of loss, love and rivalry that will decide whether South Dorothy has anything left to believe in, and who will lead it into its next chapter,” per the series logline.

“Sticks” will premiere on Netflix in 2027, with Naveda executive producing alongside showrunner Bridget Bedard and director Trey Edward Shults. Additional executive producers include Shawn Levy, Dan Levine and Robert Atwood for 21 Laps.

The eight-episode series previously announced cast members Michelle Monaghan as Harper Sullivan, Emilie Bierre as Riley Sullivan, Shari Chase as Henry Sullivan, Josh MacQueen as Rhett Nelson, Costa D’Angelo as Owen Boone, Carter Shimp as Austin Ryder, Ethan Holder as Cooper Cunningham, Isaac Arellanes as Manny Rodriguez, Chloe Avakian as Izzy Miller, Caleb Baumann as Elu, River Codack as Tyler Walker, Angus Albinati as Jack McGrath and Callum Orchison as Derek Marchbanks. 

See behind-the-scenes photos below. 

Ella Langley‘s “Choosin’ Texas” is unquestionably the biggest hit single of the year, and all that’s left to decide is where the seemingly unstoppable song ultimately lands among the biggest chart hits of all time. The country crossover smash just landed its 17th week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, which gives it still more bragging rights, as the tune is now in sole possession of the No. 4 spot on the list of historic chart-topping streaks.

As of last week, “Choosin’ Texas” was tied with three other songs that had also landed 16 weeks at No. 1: Morgan Wallen‘s “Last Night,” Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito” and Mariah Carey and Boys II Men’s “One Sweet Day.” Now that she has left those songs in the dust, there are just three more tunes to surpass to set an all-time record: Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” and Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” each of which was No. 1 for 19 weeks, and Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas,” the all-time record-holder with 22 weeks on top. Not long ago, it would have seemed impossible to imagine anyone edging past Carey’s holiday perennial, but with the roll Langley is on, another six weeks at No. 1 is not a laughable goal.

One reason to think that “Choosin’ Texas” may not be slowing down much, if at all, on its march toward setting further records: it just reached the top 10 on Billboard’s pop airplay chart for the first time this week, as stations that would have never, ever played a traditional country song find themselves giving in to audience demand. Overall radio play for the song was up 4% for the week, because of the added pop play, according to Billboard.

Langley landed another week at the top despite a strong showing from Ariana Grande, who has two songs in the top 10 as a result of the “Petal” album’s release. Leadoff single “Hate That I Made You Love Me,” which debuted on top when it came out in May, jumped back up from No. 8 to No. 2. One other song from the new set made it into the upper ranks: “Petal,” the album’s title track, debuted at No. 4.

Of course, the Grande resurgence means that country songs do not occupy all five of the chart’s top spots, as they did on last week’s historic chart. But the representation for the genre is barely diminished. Wallen’s “Been by Now” dropped just one position, to No. 3, in its second week out. Taylor Swift’s “I Knew It, I Knew You” fell two spots to No. 5. Stella Lefty’s freshman smash “Boston” dropped a single spot to No. 6. The Wallen/Langley duet “I Can’t Love You Anymore” dropped three slots to No. 7. And Langley’s “Be Her” slipped one spot to No. 10.

Obviously, there is not much room in the top 10 at present for anyone who is not either a country star or Ariana Grande. But two songs that don’t fit either of those criteria made the grade. “Dracula” by Tame Impala and Jennie is at No. 8, down two spots from last week, and Olivia Dean’s “So Easy (to Fall in Love)” is right behind it at No. 9, also down two slots.

While Grande wasn’t able to surge past Langley to reclaim the No. 1 spot on the Hot 100, she does own the top position on the Billboard 200 album chart with “Petal,” as reported Sunday. (Langley’s “Dandelion” album is No. 4 on that chart.)

This week’s metrics for “Choosin’ Texas,” as reported by Billboard, add up to 24.9 million official streams (down 2% for the week) and 54.5 million radio airplay audience impressions (up 4%)..

If “Choosin’ Texas” manages to go the distance and somehow beat “All I Want for Christmas” as the all-time leader in weeks at No. 1, it may be a short-lived victory, of course, since the Carey song has tended to go No. 1 for a few weeks every December in recent years. But who knows — at this rate, listeners could yet choose Texas over Xmas.

Comedian, actor, and entertainer Bill Bellamy will be presented with the Icon Award at the 2026 Whats Funny Comedy Festival, recognizing his decades of excellence and impact on stand-up comedy and entertainment.

The Whats Funny Comedy Festival was co-founded by Knowledge Beckom and Lil Rel Howery (“Get Out,” “Rel,” “Vacation Friends 2”) with the mission to spotlight Black and Brown comedians and make Chicago the “next great home of comedy discovery.”

The festival’s upcoming third edition will be held September 19-26 at venues throughout Chicago, including Comedy Bar, Laugh Factory, Bellagio 223, ETA Theater, and Wax Vinyl Bar. More than 50 comedians from 20 cities will perform in showcases, including Cousin Tiera, Correy Bell, Eva Evans, Rich Thomas, Shang and Chris ‘CP’ Powell, host of the latest reboot of BET’s “Comic View.”

On Sept. 21, Bellamy will receive the Icon Award during the inaugural Whats Funny Today Show Chicago Comedy Legends ceremony. Bellamy will be honored alongside 15 Chicago comedians whose careers helped shape the city’s comedy legacy. The celebration will conclude with a live taping of the “Whats Funny Today Show” podcast featuring Bellamy and special guests.

Another one of the week’s marquee events will be the live taping of Howery’s next stand-up comedy special on Sept. 20; his previous special, “Rel Talk,” was filmed during the inaugural Whats Funny Comedy Festival and released on Tubi last year. Howery will also lead a master class, sharing insights from his journey through stand-up, television and film.

“The Whats Funny Comedy Festival was created to celebrate the incredible legacy of Black comedy while creating meaningful opportunities for today’s comedians to learn, perform, and build lasting careers,” Beckom, the festival’s co-founder and executive director, said in a statement. “Every year we strive to elevate the experience for audiences and performers alike, and 2026 will be our biggest and most impactful festival yet.”

For the full schedule, tickets and additional information, visit the Whats Funny Comedy Festival website.

Singapore’s Silver Media Group has signed a memorandum of understanding with Indonesian boxing legend Chris John to develop “Dragon’s Dojo,” a mobile-first vertical animated series drawing on Indonesian folklore.

The project marks the first chapter of the ASERYA Asian Mythology Franchise.

The venture unites Silver Media Group with Chris John, longtime Indonesian TV executive Harun Kurniawan and Koollab Studios as co-production partners.

“Dragon’s Dojo” launches the ASERYA Universe, an interconnected Asian mythology franchise spanning animation, comics, games and merchandise. The universe pairs real-world figures with young protagonists, folklore and mythical beings drawn from across the continent, with the goal of introducing Asian stories to global audiences.

The story follows ancient creatures appearing in the modern world, prompting heroes from different countries to confront a rising darkness threatening the region. In “Dragon’s Dojo,” Chris John takes on an animated alter ego, cast as the head instructor and mentor at the show’s namesake martial arts academy, which works with young people facing hardship. As creatures from Indonesian mythology emerge to threaten his students’ community, Chris and his pupils find their fight extends beyond monsters to their own inner struggles.

The series is designed as a multi-platform franchise with potential extensions into comics, games and merchandise.

Chan Gin Kai, founder and CEO of Silver Media Group, said Asia holds some of the richest histories, cultures and mythologies in the world, but many of these stories remain little known outside their home countries.

“With ASERYA, we want to build an interconnected universe where these stories can come alive for a new generation of audiences,” Chan said. “‘Dragon’s Dojo’ is the beginning of that journey in Indonesia, combining the legacy of a true champion in Chris John with the power of mythology, action and values-driven storytelling. As we open the door to a wider universe of stories from across Asia, we hope to share this rich heritage with the world.”

Chris John said martial arts involves more than learning how to fight, teaching discipline, respect, courage and how to face life’s challenges. “Throughout my career, boxing has taught me that the greatest victories are not only achieved in the ring, but also in overcoming the challenges we face every day,” he said. “‘Dragon’s Dojo’ brings these values into an exciting adventure where young people can discover their strength, purpose and the courage to find their own path while experiencing the richness of Indonesian mythology.”

Kurniawan said Indonesia has extraordinary stories, legends and cultural heritage passed down through generations. “‘Dragon’s Dojo’ gives us an opportunity to bring these elements into a contemporary format and introduce them to audiences around the world,” he said. “We are creating something that is proudly Indonesian while being part of a much larger Asian storytelling universe.”

Koollab Studios co-founder Oliver Guse said the future of entertainment will be shaped by the collaboration between human creativity, technology and new approaches to storytelling. “At Koollab Studios, we believe innovation should empower creators to tell bigger and more ambitious stories while preserving the authenticity and emotional heart that make them meaningful,” Guse said. “‘Dragon’s Dojo’ represents an exciting opportunity to combine creative vision with new production possibilities, bringing Indonesia’s rich culture and mythology to audiences around the world.”

“Dragon’s Dojo” is in development, with production and release details to be announced.

Silver Media Group, founded by Golden Horse Award-winning producer Chan Gin Kai, manages a portfolio of more than 1,500 intellectual property assets spanning film, animation, games and graphic novels. The company has partnered with a fund manager licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore to establish the Silver Media Fund, an institutional-grade media investment vehicle focused on developing and financing scalable IP.

Koollab Studios was co-founded by Guse, who has spent three decades working in animation production, and focuses on production workflows built around emerging technologies.

The BFI London Film Festival has announced that two of the U.K.’s most acclaimed producers will lead the industry program at its upcoming 70th edition.

Pippa Harris, who produced “Hamnet,” “1917” and is currently working on “The Beatles” biopics, and James Wilson, who produced “The Zone of Interest,” “The Voice of Hind Rajab” and “Under the Skin,” are set to take part in their own spotlight conversations as part of the LFF’s industry forum.

Harris and Wilson will, according to the festival, discuss their careers, current projects and navigating the international film and TV market in a rapidly changing landscape. 

“This year our industry programme puts a spotlight on producers and the vital role they play in shepherding artistic visions from their earliest stages through to the screen,” said BFI London Film Festival director Kristy Matheson. “I’m delighted that industry colleagues will have the opportunity to hear from Pippa Harris and James Wilson – two esteemed producers whose unique creative careers have given us some of the most memorable and critically acclaimed films of recent years.” 

Harris is best-known for her longstanding partnership with Sam Mendes, with whom she co-founded Neal Street Productions. Alongside Oscar and BAFTA winners “Hamnet” and “1917,” her film credits including “Revolutionary Road,” “Jarhead” and recent family feature “The Magic Faraway Tree,” while on TV her productions include “Call the Midwife,” “Penny Dreadful” and “Britannia.”

Wilson, meanwhile, has an ongoing collaboration with director Jonathan Glazer, with whom he’s worked on both the Oscar and BAFTA-winning “The Zone of Interest” and “Under the Skin.” Last year, he produced Kaouther Ben Hania’s Oscar-nominated “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” while his other credits include Lynne Ramsay’s “You Were Never Really Here,” Aneil Karia’s “Hamlet” and “20,000 Days on Earth,” directed by Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard.

The full LFF industry forum programme will be announced mid- September. The festival runs Oct 7-18.

In a year without Glastonbury, music lovers have turned to other festivals in the U.K. and Europe to fill the void. There’s Primavera Sound in Barcelona, with its proximity to the beach and genre-diverse lineup, or Reading and Leeds in England for those who want a true camping experience with a rock-focused flair. But look a little further north and you’ll find a hidden gem that’s capturing the attention of both festivalgoers and artists around the world: Øyafestivalen in Oslo, Norway.

Compared to a juggernaut festival like Glasto — known for its sprawling grounds, mandatory camping and rowdy atmosphere — Øya, which kicks off on Wednesday, delivers a more intimate experience. The capacity is about 10 times less (with 22,000 people expected to attend each day this year), it’s held in Tøyen Park in the middle of Oslo and there’s a certain Scandinavian politeness that seems to keep people from getting completely off their faces. But over the past decade or so, Øya has consistently delivered huge headliners and some of the best, most varied lineup curation on the festival scene, booking everyone from Blur to Kendrick Lamar to Charli xcx.

This year’s four-day lineup is headlined by the Cure, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Sombr and homegrown artist Dagny, but also includes Geese, Wilco, Lily Allen, Clipse, Blood Orange and Tomora (the collaboration between Chemical Brothers’ Tom Rowlands and Norwegian singer Aurora). There’s truly something for everyone, and its relatively small capacity, lack of huge crowds and overall peaceful vibe make it possible to actually see the artist you’re watching.

“Everybody can book a big headliner and put on a big show, but it’s the details and taking care of everything — being really nerdy on where you put the toilets and the bars and the sound bleed between the stages — all these things are very important,” says Claes Olsen, who co-founded the festival in 1999 and serves as its booking manager. “That’s what makes it unique.”

It’s such an enjoyable experience for artists and attendees alike that many of them — like the Cure, Nick Cave, Wilco and Blood Orange this year — are repeat bookings. As its profile has grown worldwide, Olsen says artist requests to play the festival have increased as well. Nowadays, Øya books its lineup up to 17 months in advance.

“We’re getting tons [of requests] every day,” Olsen says. “So as a booker, one of the most important jobs we actually do is to say no to people, which is not that fun. It’s hard. But of course, we also have to reach out a lot.”

Something Olsen is particularly proud of is that the Cure — who previously headlined the fest in 2019 — asked to come back before the band plans to retire in 2029. “We got an email from the agent for the Cure saying that Robert Smith wanted to play Øya before they stopped being the Cure,” he says. “I’ve been a fan since I was a teenager, so that was pretty amazing.”

But it’s not just about attracting acts from the U.K. and U.S. for Øya — the festival puts a huge emphasis on local Norwegian artists, mixing them in throughout each day so it’s “not just them playing first and hoping somebody shows up,” Olsen says. And, the headlining spot on Saturday, the final day of the festival, always goes to a homegrown artist. This year, it’s dance-pop singer Dagny (pictured above), who hails from the city of Tromsø and broke through with hits like “Somebody” and “Drink About.”

For Dagny, headlining Øya has always been a dream, ever since she first played on a small stage at the festival a decade ago. “It’s kind of my Madison Square Garden, if you know what I mean,” she says. “Øya is one of those festivals where I feel like people are so open to music and to just being present, right there and then in the crowd. It’s really one of my favorites.”

She just released her third album, “Dancefloor Erotica,” which leans more into electro-pop and marks a real creative milestone in her career. “I feel weirdly out of my comfort zone, but at the same time I feel like I’m where I want to be,” Dagny says. “We have such a different energy now playing this record — it’s a bit darker, it’s a bit heavier, a bit more danceable.”

Another priority for Øya is gender parity, with the festival committing to a roughly even split between male and female performers. This year, Saturday’s main stage lineup is only women, headlined by Dagny but also including Lily Allen, Irish breakout CMAT and U.S. singer Hannah Cohen.

“Øya is real proof that [gender parity] doesn’t have to be a problem because they’re probably the biggest Norwegian festival and they always seem to get a pretty even balance,” Dagny says. “Not only am I the headliner on that stage with lots of female artists that day, but I think I’m also something like the fifth or sixth female artist to headline that slot in the last few years.”

This was of the utmost importance to U.K.-based feminist band Girl Group — four out of five members of which hail from Oslo — who are playing Øya for the first time. Having formed at the Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts in response to the male-dominated culture they experienced, Girl Group only works with women and nonbinary people, from the music-making process down to their videos and photography.

“They care a lot about the environment and feminism, and they try to make active choices for society, not just the festival itself,” Girl Group’s Mia Halvorsen says of Øya. “For us, being on a lineup with all the women we really value feels very special and meaningful. And obviously, our project is very political and very feminist, so it feels good to be seeing a bit more of that in festivals.”

In addition to its gender split pledge, Øya is a leader in festival sustainability, prioritizing waste management, stopping the use of fuel generators in 2008, and only serving meat-free food since 2024. Last year, the fest added human rights to this initiative, and is once again partnering with Amnesty International to fundraise for medical aid in Palestine.

“Working with Amnesty has helped us a lot to educate ourselves on the whole human rights situation, not only in Palestine but other places in the world as well,” Olsen says. “That work is super important going forward.”

As Øya has grown on the global stage, Norway as a whole has been experiencing a bit of a cultural moment. From Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value” bringing the country its first international feature Oscar earlier this year to their football team making it to the World Cup semi-finals, Norway’s profile is rapidly rising.

“It’s good to see Norwegian people charming the world a bit,” Olsen says. “It’s been really hard groundwork for the last 10 years, so I hope that continues.”

Dagny has not only observed an uptick in Norwegian artists being recognized internationally, but also on a local scale. “Music in the mother tongue has completely gone up,” she says. “I think after COVID, it’s pretty much just been Norwegian music that has been happening in Norway, with a few exceptions. Seeing how many Norwegian artists are doing so great, it’s helping to raise everyone’s bar of where we’re going to be at.”

Having lived in the U.K. for nearly a decade before moving back to Oslo before the pandemic, Dagny also believes that Norway’s environment contributes to her creative output. “Norway is thankfully a small and peaceful place, and sometimes what you need to be creative is time and space and quiet,” she says. “I think there is maybe something to the fact that I didn’t write an album until I moved back to Norway.”

Girl Group, who are currently based in Liverpool, have come to a similar realization — though for them, the artistic freedom they feel in Norway can be traced back to the way the country is run.

“We are a socialist country, we pay taxes, we have good education,” says Girl Group’s Katya Birkeland. “When you have good education, you get good directors, people who get to do acting, people who get to spend their time practicing football — you get people who get to do what they love.”

Adds member Maria Tollisen, “I think you need to be privileged and have a bit of financial safety and stability in order to be able to do art.”

Beyond just spotlighting homegrown acts, Øya also serves as a bit of a reunion for the local scene. “If you’re in a certain music scene in Oslo, it’s almost impossible to not have met a lot of [the acts],” Dagny says, mentioning that she’s looking forward to catching up-and-coming artist Ary and Tomora at the festival.

Girl Group also mentions Ary as a must-see artist, as well as the band Three40Four and singer-songwriters Elia and Ea Othilde. “One of my childhood best friends is a dancer for [Ary] now and I’ve not seen her for ages,” Birkeland says. “I can’t wait!”