TV/Film
‘Summer of Soul’ Producer Says Will Smith & Chris Rock ‘Robbed’ Oscar Moment With Slap, ‘Four White Guys’ Joke
One of the producers behind Summer of Soul (… Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), awarded the best documentary feature Oscar immediately in the aftermath of Will Smith’s onstage attack on Chris Rock, took to social media Wednesday not only to criticize Smith for his actions, but also Rock for a joke he made about the team when they won. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Summer of Soul‘s director Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and producers Joseph Patel, Robert Fyvolent and David Dinerstein had the unenviable task of walking to the stage to collect an award with the entire Dolby Theatre still reeling in shock from when Smith rushed the stage and assaulted Rock moments earlier. On Wednesday evening, Patel took to Twitter to give his side o...
A ‘Bridgerton’ Writer Used This Taylor Swift ‘Folklore’ Deep Cut as Inspiration
Who knew Taylor Swift was part of the folklore of Bridgerton? On Tuesday, a writer for the hit Netflix series revealed on Twitter that the soundtrack for a recent episode she penned was a Folklore deep cut. “Fun fact! My unofficial anthem while writing this episode of Bridgerton was ‘Illicit Affairs’ by @taylorswift13,” Abby McDonald tweeted. She also included a lyric from the song’s forlorn bridge that she found particularly inspiring: “‘You showed me colors/ You know I can’t see with anyone else…’” Explore See latest videos, charts and news While we would be remiss (and surely risk getting blacklisted by Lady Whistledown) for spoiling the episode in question — which, for the record, happens to be episode 5, titled “An Unthinkable Fate” — season 2 revolves around the love story of t...
Pat McGrath Labs Debuts Second ‘Bridgerton’ Collaboration: How to Shop the Collection
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. A collection fit for a queen! Pat McGrath Labs reteamed with Shondaland and Netflix for the second installment of the brand’s exclusive beauty collaboration inspired by the “romance and passion” of Bridgerton. Pat McGrath x Bridgerton II was released ahead of Bridgerton season 2, which arrived on Netflix last Friday (March 25). Inspired by the regency-era looks showcased on the series, the limited collection has lipsticks, eyeshadow, blush, body shimmer and more ranging from $23-$68. Bridgerton fans have the option of purchasing the products separately or in...
Teen Contestant Emyrson Flora Impresses With Adele Cover on ‘American Idol’: Watch
Cleveland teen Emyrson Flora has made the leap from singing in her bedroom to performing on the national stage in the proverbial blink of an eye, and made it seem effortless. Flora has made it to Hollywood Week on American Idol, and for this stage in the journey she played a big hand, by performing an Adele cover. The young Idol hopeful showcased her self-taught piano skills as she performed a solo rendition of “Love In The Dark,” which appeared on Adele’s global hit album 25, from 2015. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Gutsy move. In her pre-recorded intro, the 16-year-old high school recounted how the judges took a chance on her, and how she wanted to repay that faith. She did just that with a tone-perfect effort that had judge Katy Perry on h...
‘Atlanta’ Season 3 Episodes 1 & 2 Recap: ‘Sinterklaas’
Donald Glover‘s Atlanta returned after a four-year hiatus that felt more like an eternity on Thursday night (March 24) with a two-episode debut of season three. “Three Slaps” is sure not to be exactly what a starving fanbase was expecting but isn’t that the beauty in a show that keeps viewers’ emotions on a spinning carousel? Outside of a late appearance from Earn (Donald Glover), none of the original cast is seen in the season premiere. Explore See latest videos, charts and news FX’s caption for the episode even had jokes, “Wow it’s been a minute. I mean, I like this episode about the troubled kid but we waited 50 years for this?” The season kicks off with a conversation between a Black fisherman and a white redneck ironically named Earnest taking a boat out for a late-night fishing sessi...
Thingamabob, Cyclops Revealed on ‘The Masked Singer’: Watch
The latest edition of The Masked Singer had double the fun, as not one but two celebrities were unmasked. Cyclops and Thingamabob were the latest contestants left go from the hit Fox series, now in its seventh season. Cyclops, from “Team Bad,” reached the end of the line following a performance of Irene Cara’s ‘80s classic “Flashdance (What a Feeling).” The man under the mask was actor Jorge Reyes (“Lost,” “Hawaii Five-0”). Thingamabob, from “Team Cuddly”, was also sent packing, something that never happens in real life to the man behind the mask. The contest impressed with a rendition of MKTO’s “Classic”. The fluffy creature turned out to be Jordan Mailata, the giant Australian—born offensive tackle for the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest v...
Taylor Swift Pens New Song for ‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ Film: ‘I Wanted to Create Something Haunting’
Something ’bout North Carolina felt like home somehow. Taylor Swift revealed Tuesday (March 22) that she’s lending her voice and lyrics to the July-slated, Reese Witherspoon-produced film Where the Crawdads Sing with an original song titled “Carolina.” Explore See latest videos, charts and news The 11-time Grammy winner posted the film’s trailer — which includes her lyrics and low register voice filling spaces between leading lady Daisy Edgar-Jones and the rest of the cast’s dialogue — to Instagram, and explained in her caption how “Carolina” came to be. “Where The Crawdads Sing is a book I got absolutely lost in when I read it years ago,” she wrote. “As soon as I heard there was a film in the works starring the incredible @daisyedgarjones and produced by the brilliant @reesewitherspo...
Oklahoma K-pop Artist AleXa Impresses on Opening Night of American Song Contest: Watch
NBC’s American Song Contest, the red, white and blue adaptation of the Eurovision Song Contest, is officially underway. The format is a simple one: artists representing all 50 states, five U.S. territories and the nation’s capital perform an original song with more on-stage glitz and color than a confetti cannon. Eight weeks on, those 56 artists will be narrowed down to just one, and the best original song in the country will be declared. Oklahoma K-pop artist AleXa was a standout on opening night, with her performance of “Wonderland,” a number that fuses the grand spectacle of Korea’s hot genre with Latin beats. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Born in Tulsa, AleXa is no newbie. She moved to Korea in 2018, where she signed with ZB, a label owne...
Douglas Mills Leaves ‘American Idol’ Judges Speechless With Powerful Audition: Watch
Remember the name Douglas Mills. You’ll hear it again. The 18-year-old from Houston, TX, is a recipient of American Idol’s “golden ticket,” or rather, the “VIP affiliate ticket pass” from ABC Houston, redeemable for a trip to the auditions. It comes in silver, but it’s potential gold for anyone who scores one. “Music is my life, basically,” he says in the pre-recorded bit. “It’s my safe place from doubters and haters. And people who just don’t like me in general.” The route to the American Idol auditions hasn’t been an easy one for Mills. “When I was younger, I was bullied because I look different,” he explains. The cruel name calling was “very painful.” Music has helped and healed. Explore See latest videos, charts and news His song Sunday night (March 2) was “especially chosen for the Bl...
Ram Is Booted on ‘The Masked Singer’
Ram hit the wall on Wednesday night’s edition of The Masked Singer, as the horned beast became the season’s second contestant to be sent packing. Ram got episode 2 away with a cover of John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” facing off against Firefly, who impressed with a rendition of Ariana Grande’s “God Is a Woman.” In the end, Ram got the flick. Behind the mask was Joe Buck, the Emmy winning sportscaster who, to make matters even more interesting, has just announced his departure from Fox Sports to ESPN. The easter egg, for those hunting, was the Los Angeles Rams, winners of the 2022 Super Bowl. If there’s a silver lining for Buck, he now has more time to prepare for that new gig. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news He joins Duff Goldman, ...
Selena Gomez Developing New Series Based on ‘Sixteen Candles’
Make a wish, because Selena Gomez is putting a Latinx spin on the John Hughes classic Sixteen Candles. Together with collaborators Tanya Saracho and Gabriela Revilla Lugo, the pop star is developing a new half-hour sitcom titled 15 Candles, which will take a page from the 1984 coming-of-age movie starring Molly Ringwald. According to Variety, the comedy series “will follow four young Latinas in high school, navigating feelings of invisibility while exploring what it means to leave childhood behind as quinceañera season approaches.” Gomez will serve as executive producer on the project, which is headed to NBC streamer Peacock, while Saracho and Lugo are both expected to write and executive produce. Explore See latest videos, charts and news The Latinx-inspired take on Sixteen Candles is har...
‘Phoenix Rising’ Doc Offers Harrowing Look at Evan Rachel Wood Abuse Allegations Against Marilyn Manson
[Trigger warning: this article contains descriptions of domestic violence, as well as sexual and physical abuse.] Sometimes the film you set out to make is not the one you end up with. That’s the case with director Amy Berg’s intense two-part HBO documentary Phoenix Rising. The veteran filmmaker originally set out to document actress Evan Rachel Wood’s successful drive to lengthen the statute of limitations for domestic violence felonies in California from three to five years. As Wood was fighting for the Phoenix Act — which was signed into law in 2019 — Berg realized that any potential film would have to delve into Wood’s allegations against her former fiancé/boyfriend, shock rocker Marilyn Manson (born Brian Warner). That story makes up much of the first part (“Don’t Fall”) of the nearly...
