County Wake Showbiz Latest News and Updates

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Sally Aitken a two-time Emmy nominated writer and director (“Playing with Sharks”) and producer and media executive Aline Jacques (“Lindy Chamberlain: The True Story”) have launched SAM Content. The Sydney-based independent production company will develop and produce all genres of unscripted and scripted projects for local platforms and the international marketplace. They open their doors with four film and TV shows in production with Australian broadcasters and screen agencies. They include an untitled Wiggles project in partnership with Augusto Entertainment’s Cass Avery and Daniel Story, and with funding from federal screen agency Screen Australia. The Wiggles is a successful children’s musical group that has been on the scene for 30 years and has been involved with both TV and film.

Selome Hailu Bruna Papandrea’s production company and Fifth Season, formerly known as Endeavor Content, have acquired the rights to “The Wakes,” Dianne Yarwood’s upcoming debut novel, Variety has learned exclusively. “The Wakes,” which will be published in 2023, is described as heartfelt, funny and uplifting story about two failing marriages, two strangers falling in love, two friends embarking on a catering business — and the funerals that connect them all. This is a book about living. After all, the thing about death is that it makes life important. Hachette will release “The Wakes” in Australia, while Orion Publishing imprint Phoenix Books will publish in the U.K. The book was acquired by Hachette Australia and Orion imprint, Phoenix, in a six-figure two-book deal. Rebecca Saunders, head of fiction at Hachette Australia, struck the deal with Catherine Drayton at InkWell Management, with U.K. and Commonwealth rights, excluding Australia, going to Francesca Main at Phoenix.

As the world mourns Queen Elizabeth II after her death last week, Prince Harry met with grievers outside of Windsor Castle to share his thoughts on the passing of his grandmother. «It's a lonely place up there now without her,» the royal said in a video captured by on Saturday. «Every room she was in, we felt her presence throughout.»Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, reunited with his brother, Prince William, and his sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, to view floral tributes outside of the Queen's home. The unexpected reunion came just two days after Her Majesty died on Thursday.

BAFTA’s traditional pre-Emmy soirée will not take place this weekend as scheduled. Following the news today of Queen Elizabeth II’s death at the age of 96, a decision was made not to proceed with the event.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor WWE exec and pro wrestler Paul “Triple H” Levesque has officially taken the title of chief content officer, and he’s also received a salary raise along with three other top company execs. In addition, the company said it promoted chief financial officer Frank Riddick to the position of president, where he will continue in his role as CFO. WWE disclosed the exec info in an SEC filing Friday. The changes come after Vince McMahon, formerly WWE’s chairman and CEO, resigned from the company on July 22, amid an investigation by the board of directors into misconduct allegations.

stepping away from his Hollywood career. As Willis’ lives with the medical disorder, which affects one’s ability to communicate through speech and language, his wife Emma Heming Willis is being open about dealing with grief and one piece of advice one of her husband’s daughters once told her.  Bruce Willis’ wife took to Instagram on Tuesday to share what she’s been up to as of late.

K.J. Yossman Next year’s edition of German metal festival Wacken Open Air sold out in six hours, according to organizers.The entire ticket allocation was sold out during the pre-sale, Variety understands.Headlined by Iron Maiden, Wacken Open Air is set to take place from Aug.

Fargo has rounded out the main cast of its upcoming fifth installment, with Joe Keery (Stranger Things, Free Guy), Lamorne Morris (New Girl, Barbershop: The Next Cut) and Richa Moorjani (Never Have I Ever) joining the previously announced Juno Temple, Jon Hamm and Jennifer Jason Leigh.

“We’re not going to launch a movie until it’s ready.”

In a complete about-face from the business strategy employed by former WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar, Warner Bros. Discovery boss David Zaslav made it firm today that the new merged entertainment conglomerate “will fully embrace theatrical.” Period.

The BBC spent £44M ($53M) on 67 diverse TV shows last year, setting the corporation on track to hit its £100M ($121M) target by 2023/24.

A Bachelor Nation falling out? Tyler Cameron and Matt James were friends for years before the latter got the gig as the season 25 Bachelor, but some fans are convinced his romance with Rachael Kirkconnell has put a strain on his bromance with Cameron.

EXCLUSIVE: After announcing its acquisition of the Australian animation studio Animal Logic during yesterday’s earnings call, Deadline has learned that Netflix is making internal moves that will streamline its coterie of executives who’ll steer the Film Animation division.

Slipknot have announced their seventh studio album, ‘The End, So Far’ with the release of a fresh new single, ‘The Dying Song (Time To Sing)’.Released on Wednesday (July 20), ‘The Dying Song (Time To Sing)’ serves as the second preview of the album following ‘The Chapeltown Rag’ late last year. ‘The Dying Song (Time To Sing)’ also comes with a music video directed by the band’s own Shawn ‘Clown’ Crahan.Watch the music video for ‘The Dying Song (Time To Sing)’ below.Slipknot’s seventh studio album, ‘The End, So Far’, will be released on September 30 via Roadrunner Records.

EXCLUSIVE: The 2x WGA Award nominee and Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast member has wrapped production on her feature film directorial debut, First Time Female Director, Deadline has learned.

EXCLUSIVE: Fox is developing Billionaire Class, a one-hour drama from writer Eric Haywood (Law & Order: Organized Crime, Manifest), Malcolm Spellman and Nichelle Tramble Spellman’s The 51 and Fox Entertainment.

No reason to curb your enthusiasm, TV fans: JB Smoove and Melissa Fumero are set to read the Primetime Emmy nominations on July 12, the TV Academy said today.

[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]

Ludacris, was shot Sunday night in Atlanta, Georgia.Atlanta police confirmed to ET that officers responded to a report of multiple persons shot on Sunday at approximately 11:35 p.m. Officers located three adult males with gunshot wounds — Zulu among them — and the victims were transported to a local hospital.One man was later pronounced dead, however authorities confirmed to ET that Zulu was one of the surviving victims. Police declined to comment on his current condition.Homicide investigators responded to the scene to begin investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.Atlanta police told ET that the investigation remains active and ongoing at this time, and that no suspects have been taken into custody.WSB-TV’s Michael Seiden reportedly received a comment from Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, who stated, «We are fortunate to report that Chaka Zulu is in stable condition and recovering.

Ludacris, was shot Sunday night in Atlanta, Georgia.Atlanta police confirmed to ET that officers responded to a report of multiple persons shot on Sunday at approximately 11:35 p.m. Officers located three adult males with gunshot wounds — Zulu among them — and the victims were transported to a local hospital.One man was later pronounced dead, however authorities confirmed to ET that Zulu was one of the surviving victims. Police declined to comment on his current condition.Homicide investigators responded to the scene to begin investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.Atlanta police told ET that the investigation remains active and ongoing at this time, and that no suspects have been taken into custody.WSB-TV’s Michael Seiden reportedly received a comment from Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, who stated, «We are fortunate to report that Chaka Zulu is in stable condition and recovering.

A Republican politician in Utah is drawing attention to her remarks on abortion for all the wrong reasons.

Ireland Baldwin is sharing her own experiences with abortion about the Supreme Court's decision on Roe v. Wade.

Meadow Walker is weighing in on the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade with her own personal story.

As reaction to the Supreme Court’s overturning of abortion rights in America sweeps the nation, Hollywood studios are focusing on the protection of employees’ access to health benefits, including travel. As of yet, they haven’t opined on the controversial decision by the conservative court.

Chris Daughtry is opening up about going through real loss.

FKA Twigs is opening up about her decision to go public with her allegations against ex Shia LaBeouf.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorSpotify has created an 18-member council to advise the company on policies addressing harmful content on the audio platform “while making sure we respect creator expression.”The move comes after a backlash earlier this year against Spotify and Joe Rogan, host of the No. 1 podcast on the service, over accusations that “The Joe Rogan Experience” spread COVID misinformation.

Cynthia Littleton Business EditorA group of 200 top writers, producers and directors have signed an open letter backed by the Brady gun violence organization that includes a pledge to incorporate gun safety best practices into their shows and to scrutinize the use of firearms in storytellling.The list of signatories includes Shonda Rhimes, Bill Lawrence, Jimmy Kimmel and the “Jimmy Kimmel Live” writing staff, Michelle and Robert King, Judd Apatow, Steve Levitan, David Shore, Matt Nix, Dan Lin and Jenni Konner. The letter frames gun safety an urgent social issue for the industry to embrace, in the same way that intentional depictions of such topics as cigarette smoking, drunk driving, the use of seat belts, marriage equality and LGBT rights helped change cultural attitudes and save lives.

Foals have performed a pair of recent singles while appearing on Later… with Jools Holland.The band played both ‘2am’ and ‘2001’ – which arrived in February and May, respectively – during their appearance. Both will feature on the band’s upcoming seventh studio album, ‘Life Is Yours’, which is slated to arrive this Friday (June 17).Watch Foals perform ‘2am’ and ‘2001’ on Jools below:In addition to ‘2am’ and ‘2001, ‘Life Is Yours’ will feature singles ‘Wake Me Up’ (which won Best Music Video at the BandLab NME Awards 2022) and ‘Looking High’.

Harry Styles is doing more than just calling for an end to senseless gun violence. He's taking action by pledging $1 million to a gun safety group. The «Watermelon Sugar» singer will make the mega donation to the Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, the education, research and litigation arm of Everytown for Gun Safety, the nation's largest gun violence prevention organization.

Harry Styles‘s upcoming Love On Tour will be giving back in a big way.

Ahead of its midnight premiere, Netflix has added a content warning to the fourth season of Stranger Things following the deadly school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

Selome Hailu Lifetime has delayed the premiere of Mckenna Grace’s horror film “The Bad Seed Returns” in light of the elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.The network confirmed to Variety that “The Bad Seed Returns” will now premiere later in 2022. Lifetime has notified the Television Academy that the film will no longer debut during the eligibility window for the 2022 Emmys, which ends on May 31.15-year-old Grace, who is from Grapevine, Texas, tweeted on Wednesday that she no longer felt comfortable promoting the film due to the shooting.“In the wake of the recent tragedy in my home state of Texas, we have decided to delay the release of ‘The Bad Seed Returns.’ Lifetime and everyone involved are in agreement,” Grace wrote.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle EditorTuesday night’s red carpet premiere of “Physical” Season 2, starring Rose Byrne and Murray Bartlett, has been scaled back in the wake of today’s deadly shooting in Texas that left 18 students and one teacher dead.“Out of respect for today’s tragedy in Texas, tonight’s screening of ‘Physical’ Season 2 will be a private event with no press,” reads an email sent to members of the press on Tuesday afternoon that was signed by the Apple TV+ show’s cast and creative team. “We thank you for wanting to be there with us, and know that you join with us in our heartfelt support for all of the families affected by today’s event.”In addition to Byrne and Bartlett, the guest list also includes co-stars Rory Scovel, Dierdre Friel, Della Saba and Paul Sparks, as well as showrunner Annie Weisman and executive producers Marty Adelstein, Alissa Bachner and Becky Clements.

The season-ending episode of “FBI” scheduled to air on Tuesday, May 24 has been pulled from the schedule.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterCBS has pulled the Season 4 finale of “FBI” in light of the shooting at a Texas elementary school that saw over a dozen children murdered on Tuesday.The episode has been pulled due to the fact that the storyline concerned a school shooting. The official synopsis reads: “As the team investigates a deadly robbery that garnered a cache of automatic weapons for the killers, they discover one of the perps is a classmate of Jubal’s son, who is reluctant to cooperate with the case.”A repeat of “FBI” will air in the finale’s place. A new airdate for the finale has yet to be determined.Tuesday’s shooting took place at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX.