Albert Brooks Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

the long-running show.Jacques was one the many one-off characters who have tried to detour either Homer or Marge away from their marriage vows, but the couple always found their way back to one another, spurning the advances of an interloper.In the 1990 episode, Jacques was a bowling instructor who became besotted with Marge, who had taken up the sport to spite Homer after his selfish choice to gift her a bowling ball (with his name engraved on it) on her birthday.Resentful at her loutish husband, Marge is tempted by the attentions of someone new – but ultimately chooses Homer.In “Pin Gal”, which aired over the weekend Jacques returns to coach Marge for a bowling tournament. And actor Albert Brooks even comes back to voice the character.The most substantial part, if any, of "Another Simpsons Clip Show" was Marge and Homer sharing their moments of "almost-affairs" with each other.

When Harry Met Sally… has revealed that the film was originally supposed to conclude with a much more emotionally downbeat ending.Rob Reiner, who also helmed This is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride and Stand By Me, has revealed the reason for the last-minute switch to the classic 1989 romcom’s finale in a new podcast interview.During an appearance on CNN’s Who’s Talking with Chris Wallace, Reiner disclosed that the original script, which was written by the late Nora Ephron, did not see Harry (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Meg Ryan) getting hitched at the end.“I had been married for 10 years,” said Reiner. “I had been single for 10 years, and I couldn’t figure out how I was ever going to be with anybody, and that gave birth to When Harry Met Sally…”“I hadn’t met anybody, and so it was going to be the two of them seeing each other after years, talking, and then walking away from each other,” he continued.Reiner had been married to fellow film director Penny Marshall (Big, Awakenings) from 1971 to 1981, but had been single for several years before making this film.In the end, the film concluded with Harry running towards Sally at a New Year’s Eve party and spilling out his love for her.

EXCLUSIVE: Rebecca Hall has rouned out the ensemble cast of 20th Century’s Ella McCay, the new movie from filmmaker James L. Brooks. Lowden joins a cast that includes Emma Mackey, Jamie Lee Curtis, Woody Harrelson, Ayo Edebiri, Albert Brooks, Kumail Nanjiani, Jack Lowden and Spike Fearn.

Sanford and Son and The Jeffersons. He won five Emmys and was a member of the Television Academy Hall Of Fame.Tributes to the writer have poured in today (December 6). George Clooney said in a statement: “It’s hard to reconcile that at 101 years old, Norman Lear is gone too soon.

EXCLUSIVE: On the heels of a huge week for their Adam Sandler-led Netflix animated feature Leo, co-directed with Robert Smigel, David Wachtenheim and Robert Marianetti have signed with Independent Artist Group for representation.

For many younger film fans, the name James L. Brooks might not hold much significance.  Probably, this has much to do with the fact that most of his most influential work was at least 25 years ago, and Brooks hasn’t directed a film since 2010.

EXCLUSIVE: It’s been almost 13 years since James L. Brooks last directed a film and looks like fans of the Oscar-winning writer/director will soon have their wish granted as his next project nears production. Sources tell Deadline that not only as 20th Century come on to Brooks’ next film Ella McCkay but that Emma Mackey, Jamie Lee Curtis, Woody Harrelson, Ayo Edibiri, Albert Brooks, Kumail Nanjiani and Spike Fearn are in negotiations to star in the pic.

It was the Thanksgiving show for Bill Maher‘s Real Time, typically his last show of the fall season before a hiatus. But because of the Writers Guild strikes, the show will go on into December.

When I heard Rob Reiner was planning to direct a documentary on a true comic icon and genius named Albert Brooks I thought ‘now this will be good!’. Reiner (When Harry Met Sally, A Few Good Men, Stand By Me, This Is Spinal Tap etc etc) is not only a smart and highly talented filmmaker in his own right, but also a longtime friend of Brooks with whom he went to high school and even co-starred with him in drama dept productions. I am happy to report this HBO Original documentary, Albert Brooks: Defending My Life premiering Saturday night and then streaming on Max, not only more than met my high expectations, but exceeds them.

Pat Saperstein Deputy Editor Just about everybody in Hollywood is celebrating the end of the SAG-AFTRA strike after 119 days, but not everyone can do it with the same suave style as Kevin Bacon. The “Footloose” star posted a video on Thursday afternoon celebrating the end of the strike and performing his signature smooth dance moves in his unfinished barn. “Is this how I find out the strike is over?,” wrote one TikTok user on his video.

Stand up comic, “SNL” writer, actor, director: Albert Brooks has done it all. And he’s done it over the course of a six-decade-plus career.

UPDATED with lineup additions, 11:01 AM: The American Film Institute today added some films to its 2023 lineup. The five films selected by Guest Artistic Director Greta Gerwig are All That Jazz, An American in Paris, Wings of Desire A Matter of Life and Death and Pee-wee’s Big Adventure. She will introduce the latter two.

In late 1968, TV producer George Schlatter, riding high on his hit Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, pitched a new conceptual television show packed full of short clips, rapid movements, and controversial topics.

The American Film Institute on Thursday revealed the full lineup for this year’s AFI Fest, taking place in Los Angeles from October 25-29. It joins the previously announced fest opener, Sam Esmail’s Leave the World Behind, and closer in Bradley Cooper’s Maestro. Maxine’s Baby: The Tyler Perry Story is the Centerpiece film.

In 1979 Peter Falk and the late great Alan Arkin made the perfect odd couple in the classic action comedy, The In-Laws. It even spawned a not-bad remake with Michael Douglas and Albert Brooks in 2003. The difference between those films, and a bit of an attempt to do something similar in the cleverly-titled The Out-Laws, which starts streaming on Netflix today, is that those movies were genuinely funny, particularly the Arkin-Falk teaming, but this one, also a kind of Meet The Parents on steroids, relies far too heavily on non-stop and incessant action scenes to carry us through its 95 minute running time.

Tom Hanks turned down “When Harry Met Sally” because he was happily divorced and couldn’t relate.Hanks, 66, and Meg Ryan, 61, almost had a rom-com trio after starring in 1993’s “Sleepless in Seattle” and 1998’s “You’ve Got Mail,” both written and directed by Nora Ephron.But Hank’s wife Rita Wilson, 66, revealed that the “Forrest Gump” star declined the offer to star alongside Ryan in 1989’s “When Harry Met Sally” — also written by Ephron — because he couldn’t relate to the character of Harry Burns being depressed post-divorce.“People, probably don’t know this, but Tom was offered ‘When Harry Met Sally’ and he turned it down because he was going through a divorce and he was very happy to be not married,” Hank’s current wife said on the “Table for Two With Bruce Bozzi” podcast.“And so he could not understand that a person going through a divorce would have anything other than just like, ‘I’m so happy.’ But I loved that script,” Wilson continued.Hanks and his first wife Samantha Lewes got married in 1978 when Hanks was 21 years old and eventually divorced in 1987.

Bold Film’s longtime CEO Gary Michael Walters has stepped down to launch his own venture, Walters Media Group.Walters Media Group will focus on the development of studio-caliber film and television projects, independent film financing and production, and strategic consultancy to high-net-worth investors and media companies, Walters announced Thursday.“I am deeply appreciative of all the support Bold Films have given me over the past two decades,” Walters said in a statement. “I will miss my Bold family, but I have been yearning to create my own company for some time, and I am very excited to announce my upcoming slate shortly.”Walters, who has been with Bold Film since its founding in 2004, has produced as well as executive produced all of the company’s film and television projects, including “Whiplash” starring Miles Teller and JK Simmons, directed by Damien Chazelle; “Nightcrawler” starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Riz Ahmed, directed by Dan Gilroy; and “Drive” starring Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Oscar Isaac and Albert Brooks, directed by Nicolas Winding Refn.Bold’s commercial successes include action thriller “No Escape” starring Owen Wilson and Pierce Brosnan, and apocalyptic horror feature “Legion” with Paul Bettany and Dennis Quaid.

Bold Films’ longtime CEO Gary Michael Walters has stepped down from his position to form Walters Media Group.

McKinley Franklin author David Finfer, the Academy Award-nominated film editor of “The Fugitive,” died on Monday following complications that resulted from a heart attack. He was 80. Finfer was nominated for the Oscar as well as the American Cinema Editors and BAFTA awards for editing the 1993 film “The Fugitive,” which starred Harrison Ford. He worked with Albert Brooks on several movies including “Real Life,” “”Lost in America,” “Modern Romance” and “Defending Your Life.” Finfer’s career as a film editor took off with his first feature credit on “Ya Gotta Walk it like You Talk it or You’ll Lose that Beat.” He continued to work on a number of comedy and teen/family movies including “Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey,” “Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion,” “Snow Day,” “Waiting…” and “The Tooth Fairy.”

For decades now, indie filmmaker Nicole Holofcener (“Friends With Money,” “Lovely And Amazing,” “Please Give”) has been delivering sharply observed, bitingly hilarious, empathic, complex comedies about the human condition, family, and life’s ordinary struggles. Often compared to Albert Brooks, Woody Allen, and Walt Stillman, filmmakers of somewhat similar urbane comedies, Holofcener’s always had a tenderness and humanity that maybe seemed a little too far out of reach of those dudes, and yet, never dulling her comedic blade.

The Simpsons have called out a plot inconsistency following the return of character Jacques in the show’s 34th season.On Sunday’s episode (March 19) titled Pin Gal, Marge takes bowling lessons once again from French bowling instructor Jacques (voiced by Albert Brooks) – who previously tried to start an affair with her back in season one episode Life On The Fast Lane.In the episode, Homer has no knowledge of Marge and Jacques’ history. This, however, goes against events in season six episode Another Simpsons Clip Show, where Homer was informed of the almost-affair.The inconsistency was pointed out by viewers on Twitter: “Wait didn’t Marge literally tell Homer about Jacques in one of the clip shows in the Golden era?”Many people have senseless attachments to heavy, clumsy things… pic.twitter.com/bLdHgCyjqM— The Simpsons (@TheSimpsons) March 20, 2023Another added: “I don’t know if I like the idea of The Simpsons basically retconning Marge telling Homer how she almost cheated on him with Jacques in Another Simpsons Clip Show and having it be that Marge never told Homer about it.”You can check out more reactions below.I don't often catch the newer #TheSimpsons episodes, but I watched this one because I heard Jacques was returning.

The Simpsons is set to bring back a major season one character who almost ruined Homer and Marge’s marriage.Titled ‘Pin Girl’, the seventeenth episode of season 34 is set to air on Fox on Sunday, March 19.A synopsis for the episode reads: “A mysterious figure from Marge’s past returns to coach her for a bowling tournament.”On Twitter, The Simpsons co-showrunner Al Jean confirmed the mystery character to be Jacques, with voice actor Albert Brooks reprising the role.This will mark the first time Brooks has voiced Jacques in over 30 years, although he has previously performed as a number of other characters, including Homer’s former Bond-villain-esque boss Hank Scorpio.Fans were first introduced to Jacques, a French bowling instructor, in the season one, episode nine episode ‘Life On The Fast Lane’..@TheSimpsons Don’t nap on new episode Sunday. Pin Gal with the return of Jacques! pic.twitter.com/XpoxICBDyA— Al Jean (@AlJean) March 13, 2023The episode centres on Marge, who after becoming frustrated in her marriage, almost pursues an affair with Jacques.

Fresh with an injection of $170 million in Castle Rock financing with a lead investment from Derrick Rossi — the stem cell biologist who is co-founder of the Moderna vaccine — Rob Reiner is here at the Cannes Market for a myriad of reasons. One of them is to shoot Sharon Stone in Cannes this week, as part of the documentary film Albert Brooks: Defending My Life.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaRob Reiner is shooting a documentary about Albert Brooks and he’s lined up some major heavyweights to wax poetic about the filmmaker, actor and all-around comic genius.The director tells Variety that he’s already talked to or is planning to interview fellow comedians such as Larry David, Conan O’Brien, Sarah Silverman, Ben Stiller, James L. Brooks, Judd Apatow, Chris Rock, Wanda Sykes and Jonah Hill, as well as Sharon Stone, who worked with Brooks on 1999’s “The Muse.”“Albert is my really, really close friend,” says Reiner.

It is a sad day in the entertainment industry…

NEW YORK -- William Hurt, the Oscar-winning actor of “Broadcast News,” “Body Heat” and “The Big Chill,” has died. He was 71.Hurt's son, Will, said in a statement that Hurt died Sunday of natural causes.

Words like “legendary,” “favorite,” “dominating” and “incredible” were part of the reactions online to news of actor William Hurt’s passing. In most cases, it would be an exaggeration borne of an emotional moment, a way to honor a fallen presence with tributes that capture their feelings about someone who entertained them for a good portion of their lives.

Mark Wahlberg pulled off an amazing prank!

Mark Wahlberg can apparently be very convincing.

VENICE, Italy -- Tiffany Haddish may have Martin Scorsese to thank for her role in Paul Schrader’s “The Card Counter,” at least indirectly.It was Scorsese who opened Schrader’s eyes to the power of the comedic actor when he cast Albert Brooks in a vanilla — seemingly plain — role in “Taxi Driver.” Schrader asked him why and he said he thought Brooks would find something in it.“You cast a comic, they will break something in a role, even if it isn’t laughs.

the hosts conjectured that the character of Nemo never actually existed. In a “Beautiful Mind”-like twist of fate, Marlin — Nemo’s father, voiced by Albert Brooks — has just been imagining his son as a way to cope with the loss of his wife, Nemo’s mother, and their kids.It may sound ridiculous at first, but there could be some truth to this theory — at least according to the podcasters.“The word ‘nemo’ in Latin means ‘no one,’ ” they explained.

news of his passing. Icons of comedy and film like Steve Martin, Albert Brooks, Kathy Griffin, Marc Maron, Patton Oswalt and many more shared their experiences meeting and working with Grodin, with Martin referring to him as “one of the funniest people I ever met.” “I loved Charles Grodin so much.

Refresh For Updates Costars and fans alike remembered Charles Grodin today as one of film’s funniest actors and TV’s most compelling personalities. “So sad to hear,” tweeted Steve Martin, who appeared alongside Grodin in the 1984 comedy The Lonely Guy. “One of the funniest people I ever met…”

Every Tuesday, discriminating viewers are confronted with a flurry of choices: new releases on disc and on-demand, vintage, and original movies on any number of streaming platforms, catalog titles making a splash on Blu-ray or 4K. This biweekly column sifts through all of those choices to pluck out the movies most worth your time, no matter how you’re watching.

mourning the death of Larry King. His broadcast interviews with world leaders, movie stars and ordinary Joes helped define American conversation for a half-century.