John Waters Back In Director’s Chair For ‘Liarmouth; Indie Icon Writing/Helming for Village Roadshow Entertainment

EXCLUSIVE: A five-part video and podcast series celebrating the life and career of Broadway composer Lucy Simon – one of the final projects the sister of Carly Simon worked on prior to her death last week – launches today on YouTube and the Broadway Podcast Network.

Jenna Bush Hager's childhood would have been marred with strict rules, but she insists her childhood was not what it seems.MORE: See the Today cast as Real Housewives - and you won't believe their taglinesThe star for the most part grew up in the spotlight, as not only was her father President of the United States, which happened when she was nearing twenty, but her grandfather as well, when she was eight-years-old.Though surely being a First Granddaughter and First Daughter came with its challenges – and plenty of Secret Service – Jenna revealed her parents were actually surprisingly not strict with her.WATCH: Jenna Bush Hager explains why the Queen's death was a surprise to King Charles IIIMORE: Jenna Bush Hager's famous stand-in revealed on Today - and he's a hit with Hoda Kotb!Speaking on the latest episode of 4th Hour with Hoda & Jenna on 19 October, the host revealed the "long leash" her parents actually had her on.Her and co-host Hoda Kotb were discussing whether the two grew up with lots of guy friends, which led to the mom-of-three confessing that she would blame her guy friends for any "rebellious" activity she got caught doing.However, then she admitted: "I realized last night just how not strict my parents were… I mean they were not strict." Jenna has previously opened up about how her father handled her occasional misbehaviorShe explained: "I mean they didn't want to let me go on a 'car date' but then they caught me on a 'car date' and they were like, 'Fine,' you know." The best-selling author added: "They just gave us a very long leash."MORE: Inside Today show anchors' epic homes: Dylan Dreyer, Al Roker, Hoda Kotb and moreMORE: Jenna Bush Hager talks personal experience with dieting alongside a

John Boyega is one of a diminishing number of Hollywood film stars that hasn’t yet dived properly into the world of high-end TV drama. The 30-year-old actor has made several appearances on television—most notably winning plaudits for his searing portrait of a London policeman in Steve McQueen’s multi-award-winning BBC/Prime Video anthology Small Axe—but his career has largely been defined by roles in movies like Attack the Block and the third Star Wars trilogy.

Japanese director Naomi Kawase will preside over the international jury of the 44th edition of the Cairo International Film Festival, running November 13 to 22.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Village Roadshow Television has acquired the rights to Lana Harper’s novel “Payback’s a Witch” with the intention of developing it onto a TV series, Variety has learned exclusively. The book is the first installment in Harper’s “Witches of Thistle Grove” novel series, with the planned show set to take that name as well. Per the official logline, “Witches of Thistle Grove” is “a show about Emmy Harlow, a young woman with big dreams who abandoned her charming but podunk hometown to prove herself in the big city. When she’s suddenly called home nine years later to fulfill a family obligation — which, okay, happens to be arbitrating a centuries-old gauntlet — she’s forced to confront family rifts, broken friendships, and Gareth Blackmoore — a detestable but Hot AF ex who broke her heart and, it turns out, also screwed her friends: Her childhood bestie Linden Thorn, and the sexy, dangerous Talia Avramov, a bad-ass that Emmy always crushed on from afar. Reframing old friendships, reconciling with family, and enacting revenge are things Emmy used to hide from. But if she can face her fears, she can take her power back. And that’s critical. Because Emmy Harlow is a witch.”

Terrific news for fans of Outlander: Several favorites from seasons past will rejoin the action in the seventh season of the Starz drama that’s now filming in Scotland. Graham McTavish — who’s on HBO’s House of the Dragon — will reprise his role as Jamie’s uncle Dougal MacKenzie. Also returning is Nell Hudson as Laoghaire Fraser; Steven Cree as Old Ian Murray; Andrew Whipp as Brian Fraser, Jamie’s father; Layla Burns as Joan MacKimmie, Marsali’s sister and Jamie’s stepdaughter; and Lotte Verbeek as Geillis Duncan, Claire’s former friend-turned-enemy and a fellow time traveler. Several new actors will be joining the cast too, including Gloria Obianyo (Dune) as Mercy Woodcock, a free Black woman navigating the hardships of life in Colonial America; Rod Hallett (The Last Kingdom) as Benedict Arnold, the notorious Revolutionary soldier turned traitor; Chris Fulton (Bridgerton) as Rob Cameron, a new acquaintance of Roger and Brianna; Diarmaid Murtagh (Vikings) as Buck MacKenzie, the illegitimate son of Dougal MacKenzie and Geillis Duncan, and Roger’s ancestor, a role previously played by Graham McTavish in season five, and Kristin Atherton (Shakespeare & Hathaway) as Jenny Murray, Jamie’s sister and Young Ian’s mother, a role originated by Laura Donnelly in seasons one through three. Previously announced additions include Charles Vandervaart as William Ransom; Izzy Meikle-Small as Rachel Hunter and Joey Phillips as Denzell Hunter.

Pink Floyd‘s Roger Waters says he “couldn’t care less about AC/DC or Eddie Van Halen” in an explosive new interview with Joe Rogan.Waters, who has recently been criticised for comments about Russia’s war on Ukraine among other topics, sat down for a three-hour conversation on The Joe Rogan Experience, where he detailed some of his musical hates.“[I’m] not really interested in loud rock ‘n’ roll — which some people are and they love it, but I couldn’t care less about AC/DC or Eddie Van Halen or any of that stuff,” he told Rogan.“It’s just, who? I don’t go, ‘Who?’ because obviously I know the name. And I’m sure Eddie’s brilliant and a great guitar player and wonderful.

Nikki Finke, the veteran entertainment journalist who founded Deadline in 2006 and helped grow it into a major player among Hollywood trades, died Sunday morning in Boca Raton, FL after a prolonged illness. She was 68.

“Franchises are so fun,” said Jennifer Lawrence today at the BFI London Film Festival. The 32-year-old X-Men and Hunger Games alum then drew a big laugh, interjecting, “I could never do one now cause I’m just too old and brittle.” 

Universal Pictures Wins Big At 2022 BASE AwardsThe British Association for Screen Entertainment hosted the 42nd annual BASE Awards at Camden’s Roundhouse Thursday night and Universal Pictures led the winner’s list, taking home five awards, including Outstanding Innovation for Streaming ‘Live’ to Your Living Room: Stand-Up Comedy with Eddie Izzard and Dylan Moran, and Best in Class Packaging for Inglourious Basterds: Total Basterds Edition. Sony Pictures Entertainment and Warner Bros. Discovery followed close behind with four awards each. Sony Pictures Entertainment took home Campaign of the Year for New Release Film – Over 15m Box Office for Spider-Man: No Way Home, while Warner Bros. Discovery won Home Entertainment Campaign of the Year – TV for Game of Thrones: The Iron Anniversary.

Adam B. Vary Senior Entertainment Writer Legendary filmmaker John Waters is stepping back to the directors chair for the first time in 18 years, for an adaptation of his 2022 novel “Liarmouth: A Feel-Bad Romance.” Waters — a pioneering independent filmmaker who catapulted to cinema infamy with bad taste masterpieces like 1972’s “Pink Flamingos” and 1981’s “Polyester” — will write and direct the project for Village Roadshow, with Steve Rabineau producing. It will be Waters’ first movie since 2004’s “A Dirty Shame.” “‘Liarmouth’ is the craziest thing I’ve written in a while so maybe it’s fitting that my novel was shocking enough to jumpstart the engine of my film career,” the 76-year-old filmmaker said in a statement. “Thrilled to be back in the movie business, hopefully to spread demented joy to adventuresome moviegoers around the world.”

Jenna Bush Hager and her family are all in big celebration mode as they marked a huge family milestone.MORE: What Jenna Bush Hager has said about her rebellious teenage yearsThe Today Show host announced that over the weekend, she celebrated her niece's very first birthday.The Bush family got together to wish Cora Georgia Coyne, Jenna's twin sister Barbara Bush's daughter with husband Craig Coyne, a very happy first birthday. It is her first child with her husband, who she married in 2018.WATCH: Jenna Bush Hager explains why the Queen's death was a surprise to King Charles IIIMORE: Jenna Bush Hager wears figure-hugging dress and strappy heels for late night television appearanceDetailing all of the celebrations, the mother-of-three spoke to co-host Hoda Kotb about her birthday party, sharing an adorable selfie with Barbara and baby Cora, who has a crown on her head."There was some celebrating going on at your house," Hoda said, and both immediately gushed over how fast she was growing up and how adorable she looked in her little birthday crown.Jenna gave a glimpse of what the family got up to, saying: "So we had breakfast tacos, and some queso...

EXCLUSIVE: Village Roadshow Entertainment has hired Brian Gilbert to oversee the newly launched Village Roadshow Sports. Gilbert will oversee development of VREG’s original slate of sports content while also working closely with VREG’s existing film and television divisions to amplify relevant sports themes in their respective slates. Gilbert will report to Steve Mosko, CEO of Village Roadshow Entertainment Group, who made the announcement today.

Kaia Gerber is getting ready for a day of filming!

Jenna Bush Hager has become one of the most beloved members of the Today Show family for her candid nature and bubbly personality.MORE: Jenna Bush Hager wears figure-hugging dress and strappy heels for late night television appearanceHowever, she found fame long before that when she became the country's first daughter after her father, George W.