Erik Pedersen Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorNetflix uploaded a record 160 nominations for the 72nd annual Primetime Emmy Awards on Tuesday, swamping trophy rival HBO’s 107 noms. But the premium cabler has the program that scored the most mentions with 26 for its limited series Watchmen.See the charts below.Amazon’s Emmy fave The Marvelous Mrs.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorClimate change has been shoved out of the news spotlight by a few other ongoing crises in recent months, but it remains a key issue. Now a new digital series is set to use humor to help speed the topic’s spread.The Office alum Rainn Wilson is set to host An Idiot’s Guide to Climate Change, which premieres today online.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorWelcome to Jurassic World — the other side of the island. Netflix has set a global September 18 launch date for Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous its animated series from executive producers Steven Spielberg, Colin Trevorrow and Frank Marshall and EP/showrunners Scott Kreamer and Aaron Hammersley.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorAbout that “drive-in concert” in the Hamptons featuring the Chainsmokers that devolved into a 2019-like show with hundreds of people side by side in the pit: Andrew Cuomo on Line 1.New York’s governor has launched an investigation of the EDM duo’s Saturday show, which was billed as being only for people in their cars and other “designated areas.” But social distancing didn’t rule the day, as evidenced by a video shared by a guy who was onstage with the group:The

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorYou might have detected a whiff of discord in the American Experiment of late. As citizens, groups, politicians and most everyone digests, deals with and/or takes a side on the racial issues roiling the country, one prominent politician went on record last week to label slavery a “necessary evil.”Actually, GOP Sen.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorIn an era of captive TV audiences, Freeform is about to dive into Love in the Time of Corona. The four-part, two-night rom-com, which was ordered to limited series in early May, will air at 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, August 22 and 23.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorEXCLUSIVE: What goes up must come down. Discovery and Science Channel will follow Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley as they become the first astronauts to land at sea since the Ford administration.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorHBO has set a new talk show special fronted by Megan Rapinoe in which the Team USA soccer star engages guests in today’s cultural conversations. Seeing America with Megan Lapinoe kicks off at 10 p.m.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorThe Duke and Duchess of Sussex are suing for invasion of privacy over photos of their young son that were taken while the family was in their Southern California home.In a suit filed Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court (read it here), Meghan Markle and England’s Prince Harry name a John Doe paparazzo, another “individual or business entity whose name is not currently known” they say is shopping the photos taken by the first defendant, along with multiple other

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorNina Dobrev and Made Up Stories have acquired the rights to Greer Macallister’s novel Woman 99 to develop as a TV series starring the Vampire Diaries alum. Dobrev also will executive produce alongside Made Up Stories founder Bruna Papandrea.Historical thriller Woman 99 follows a young woman whose quest to free her sister from an infamous insane asylum risks her sanity, her safety and her life.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorSyfy said today that production has resumed on the fifth and final season of Van Helsing, its action-horror series from Nomadic Pictures and Dynamic Television. Sons of Anarchy alum Kim Coates has joined the cast along with Ali Liebert and Steve Bacic.Coates — who co-starredas “Tig” Trager on SOA — will play Count Dalibor, the husband of Olivia who, despite his best intentions, makes some disastrous choices.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorComing soon to a streaming device in your city: It’s Julie and the Phantoms. Netflix has dropped the needle on the cast, premiere date, first photos and a promo for its new musical dramedy from Kenny Ortega.Madison Reyes is set as frontwoman of the live-action series, which premieres September 10. She plays Julie, a high schooler who lost her passion for music after her mom died last year.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorFox News’ Chris Wallace scored a rare sit-down with President Donald Trump over the weekend, and it’s fair to say that POTUS didn’t exactly sail through it.Trevor Noah examined that interview on Monday’s edition of The Daily Social Distancing Show. Calling Wallace “the only reporter at Fox News who isn’t trying to become the next press secretary,” he said, “you can tell that he wasn’t because this was no softball interview.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorJonathan Oppenheim, an Emmy-nominated documentary editor who cut such films as Paris Is Burning and Sister Helen along with P.O.V. and Frontline entries for PBS, has died.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorCAA has signed a non-exclusive strategic partnership agreement with United Media Asia, a Singapore- and Indonesia-based content finance, production and distribution company.The partnership continues CAA’s relationship with UMA, which recently signed an exclusive first-look deal with Southeast Asia’s largest media conglomerate, Kompas Gramedi.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorNetflix’s has rounded out the team and set a tipoff date for its basketball-themed adult animated series from creator Ben Hoffman, Phil Lord, Chris Miller & 20th TV.Rob Riggle, Natasha Leggero, Ron Funches, Cleo King and A.D. Miles have joined the voice cast of Hoops alongside Jake Johnson.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorEXCLUSIVE:  Quibi is developing 137 Things My Wife Hates About Me (working title), a multi-camera comedy from Life in Pieces and Perfect Harmony writer Joe Cristalli and Warner Bros Television.The show follows Danny, who happens upon a list of 137 things his wife Holly hates about him. His mission instantly becomes rectifying every item, for the sake of their marriage.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorDuring these turbulent times, HBO Max wants you to just … relax. The streamer has ordered A World of Calm, a series based on the popular app and narrated by a slew of big names.The 10-episode order co-produced by Calm and Nutopia is HBO Max’s first brush with the health and wellness space.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorDave Kajganich (AMC’s The Terror, Amazon’s Suspiria) has signed an overall deal with Fox 21 Television Studios to create, develop and produce series for network, cable and streaming platforms.“Dave Kajganich has been one of our favorite writers for some time now and one of the people we are most often asked about by the platforms around town,” said Bert Salke, president of Fox 21 TV studios, a division of Disney TV Studios.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorNetflix has set the first animated TV series based on the long-running Usagi Yojimbo comic books by Stan Sakai.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorTrevor Noah is getting in the Quibi game. The Daily Show show will put his self-professed gaming skills to the test in Player vs.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorHillary Clinton was the guest Monday on The Daily Social Distancing Show with Trevor Noah, and the former Secretary of State and presidential candidate talked about Donald Trump, Roger Stone, voter suppression and the one thing one everyone’s mind — what she’s been up to in isolation.After discussing the 100th anniversary of American women getting the right to vote and her work with the nonprofit Onward Together, she got to the really important stuff.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorBryshere Gray, who played Hakeem on the Fox drama Empire, was arrested near Phoenix today after his wife told police he assaulted her for hours and choked her unconscious at their home Sunday night.Local police said the actor was arrested early Monday outside his home in suburban Goodyear, AZ.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorGrant Imahara, a former MythBusters and White Rabbit Project host who earlier worked as a modelmaker for Industrial Light + Magic, died Monday. He was 49.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorIs California ready for a Senator Hefner? Cooper Hefner, son of the late Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, is folding out an exploratory campaign to run for the state’s 30th District, which includes Los Angeles.The seven-year seat holder, Sen. Holly Mitchell, is running for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in November.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorUPDATED, JULY 10, 11:15 AM Netflix announced that its inaugural Netflix Is A Joke Fest will no longer take place in 2020. The service cited “the health and safety of fans” as a primary driver of the decision.The event was announced on March 2 with much fanfare.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorAlan Donnes, who worked as a stand-up comic before producing films, acting, doing radio, writing about sports and running National Lampoon, died July 8 of bacterial meningitis in Los Angeles. He was 57 and had been hospitalized for three weeks.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorTom Halleen has left his job as EVP Programming Strategy, Acquisitions and Scheduling at AMC Networks to become the founding dean of Biola University’s new School of Cinema and Media Arts.Robyn DeMarco, who joined AMC from Viacom in April, has been upped to replace him.Halleen, who came to AMC as VP Programming and Scheduling in 2003, is joining the private university in La Mirada, CA, after nearly 30 years in the entertainment industry.

Bruce Haring, Erik Pedersen Global golfing icon Tiger Wood’s journey through success, scandal, injuries and one of the most amazing comebacks in sports history will be detailed in a two-part documentary series from HBO Sports and executive producer Alex Gibney.Tiger is now in production and anticipated to bow on Dec. 13 and Dec.

Bruce Haring, Erik Pedersen Global golfing icon Tiger Wood’s journey through success, scandal, injuries and one of the most amazing comebacks in sports history will be detailed in a two-part documentary series from HBO Sports and executive producer Alex Gibney.Tiger is now in production and anticipated to bow on Dec. 13 and Dec.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorThere will be one last batch of new episodes for Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorJude Law is in talks to play the villainous Captain Hook in Peter Pan & Wendy, Disney’s live-action update of its 1953 toon classic, Deadline has confirmed.David Lowery is directing the pic from a screenplay he wrote with Toby Halbrooks, based on the J.M. Barrie novel.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorAs more and more Confederate monuments are toppled or mothballed in the United States, Justin Timberlake is speaking out in support.The actor and Oscar-nominated singer-songwriter went on social media to support the movement, advocating for the removal of a bust from the Tennessee State Capitol. “When we protest racism in America,” the Memphis native wrote, “people think we are protesting America itself.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorA two-night Oprah Winfrey special helped drive TLC to its best quarter ever in a pair of key demos with the just-ended April-June frame.The numbers were boosted by OWN Spotlight: Where Do We Go From Here?, which focused on the killing of George Floyd Death, its aftermath and race in America. Hosted by Winfrey and airing June 9 and 10, it reached 25.2 million viewers in Live+3 since its premiere across all of Discovery’s platforms.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorAnthony Anderson stepped in to guest-host Jimmy Kimmel Live! tonight, the first episode since the ABC late-night staple and next Emmys host — announced he was taking the summer off. Watch the Black-ish star’s monologue above.Anderson, who also will fill in Tuesday night, talks about the maskless and socially undistant Fourth of July parties that cable news slobbered over all weekend.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorHang on to your filler paper, The Office fans: The NBC sitcom turns 15 this year.