Hank Azaria Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Hank Azaria has previously expressed his regret for playing the character Apu in The Simpsons, with a stereotypical Indian accent. 

EXCLUSIVE: A new single-camera comedy series is in the works at Fox from Denis Leary, Jack Leary and Joel Church-Cooper.

Hank Azaria, who recently went public with his thanks to his friend, the late Matthew Perry, for helping him get sober in 2006, has joined the producing team – along with Jason Biggs and Edie Falco – of The White Chip, an upcoming Off Broadway “recovery comedy” by Sean Daniels.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Jason Biggs, Edie Falco and Hank Azaria have joined the producing team of “The White Chip,” a comedy that will premiere Off-Broadway in 2024. Described as a “wry and wild” journey, the story follows an alcoholic’s unusual path to sobriety. They will work with the previously announced lineup of Annaleigh Ashford, John Larroquette (“Night Court”) and writer-activist Ryan Hampton.

Friends co-star Matthew Perry, saying it was an “honour” to share the stage with him.After the cast of Friends released a joint statement shortly after Perry’s death on October 28, LeBlanc, who played Joey in the sitcom, has now posted his own tribute on Instagram (November 14).“Matthew. It is with a heavy heart I say goodbye,” LeBlanc wrote in the post, alongside some stills from Friends. “The times we had together are honestly among the favourite times of my life.“It was an honour to share the stage with you and to call you my friend.

The Simpsons co-creator James L. Brooks has confirmed that Homer Simpson will continue to strangle Bart on the show.Earlier this month, the animated sitcom appeared to confirm it had retired the long-running joke, which saw Homer frequently strangle his son.The reveal was made in season 35 episode McMansion & Wife, in which Homer tells wife Marge that he’s changed his ways when visiting a new neighbour.However, Brooks has suggested to People that the gag will continue to run after all, saying: “Don’t think for a second we’re changing anything.”The producer then shared an illustration of Bart holding a smartphone as Homer strangles him, accompanied by the headline: “Simpsons: No more strangling.” Homer yells to his son: “Why you little clickbaiting-!!”Brooks added: “Nothing’s getting tamed.

the November 3rd ceremony in the Forest Lawn cemetery in Hollywood Hills.“I was at the funeral last weekend,” the “Simpsons” actor told The Messenger. “You know, sad.

Friends, was found dead in his Los Angeles home on 28 October, aged 54. Perry was laid to rest at a private funeral in the city on 3 November.According to E! News, the certificate states that his cause of death is still “deferred” following the latest reports that his initial autopsy results were inconclusive.

The Simpsons, detailed in an op-ed for The New York Times his first meeting with Perry, who died aged 54 last month (October 28).“We met almost 40 years ago, and he was, by far, the funniest friend I ever had,” Azaria wrote. “He also was the person who helped me get sober.”Perry, who had been open about his struggles with drugs and alcohol throughout his life, took Azaria to his first A.A.

beloved animated series’ longest-running gags. “Times have changed,” Homer Simpson announces to wife Marge in Episode 3 of the current batch, referencing the portly patriarch’s penchant for strangling son Bart.Making its debut on Fox in late 1989, cartoonist Matt Groening’s groundbreaking show was controversial from the start — partly for the reoccuring scenes where a rage-filled Homer works out his frustration over Bart’s behavior by squeezing him tightly around the neck, causing the boy’s eyes to bulge out.Finally, in the recent episode, titled “McMansion & Wife,” the rotund — and apparently, reformed — lead character announces he’s moved on from the torturous tactic during a tête-à-tête with a new neighbor named Thayer, The Independent reported.When Homer goes to shake hands with Thayer, the man comments on his firm grip.

Hank Azaria paid tribute to his good friend Matthew Perry, crediting the Friends star with helping him get sober, in a video shared on Instagram.

to X (formerly Twitter) Azaria, 59, recalled how he and Perry, who was found dead at his California home on Saturday, would often spend many nights drinking and laughing together. “Matthew was the first friend I made in Los Angeles, when I moved there. I was 21, he was 16,” Azaria began in his lengthy tribute, adding that the pair met while filming a TV pilot for a show called “Morning Maggie.” “Matthew and I became really good friends,” Azaria continued.

Hank Azaria is paying tribute to his longtime friend Matthew Perry.

Arthur Schopenhauer espoused, “Wealth is like sea-water; the more we drink, the thirstier we become; and the same is true of fame.” There is perhaps no thirstier example of this truth than HBO’S “The Idol,” the network’s over the top ode to synth moans and the under boob.Branded by critics as cringey at best and torture porn/rape fantasy at worst, the show follows controversial pop star Jocelyn, played by Lily-Rose Depp as she falls for ponytailed cult leader Tedros, played by Abel Tesfaye, the artist formerly known as The Weeknd who also co-wrote and produced the series. Tesfaye, whose acting talents have been the source of much debate, has fired retaliatory Twitter shots at both “Rolling Stone,” and less predictably, Oreo cookies.

The Idol is heading towards its season finale.

Ethan Shanfeld “There is some kinky-ass shit in this house,” says Destiny in the fourth episode of HBO’s “The Idol,” apparently assuming the role of this series’ viewers. “This shit is weird, scary shit.” As the Weeknd’s Tedros tightens his grip on Lily-Rose Depp’s Jocelyn — both metaphorically and literally, with his hands around her waist in the studio — her managers, played by Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Hank Azaria, plot to save their troubled client from the predatory nightclub mogul. At the beginning of the episode, Destiny (Randolph) and Chaim (Azaria) run through Tedros’ rap sheet, which is full of violence and abuse charges. Oh, and his real name is Mauricio Costello Jackson.

Hank Azaria is defending his new HBO drama, , following controversy over the show's nude scenes.Appearing on the third hour of the  show Tuesday, Azaria said «every care was taken,» a sentiment the show's star, Lily-Rose Depp has echoed in her defense of the series.«I was mercifully left out of the nude shenanigans personally, but I can tell you that I know Lily-Rose [Depp], who was the center of all that mainly, has said publicly and privately how protected and taken care of and collaborated with and listened to and safe she felt,» Azaria said. «I know every care was taken, not just with those kind of scenes, but there are many kinds of sensitive scenes in this show, and I certainly felt safe that way and collaborated with.» stars Depp as Jocelyn, an up-and-coming pop singer who is pressured and influenced by Tedros (The Weeknd), a charismatic cult leader/self-help guru who promises Jocelyn everything and will stop at nothing to make her famous.Azaria also referenced a  expose which claimed that production of the series had «gone wildly, disgustingly off the rails,» calling the outlet's report «ridiculous.»«It seemed to be in that piece connected to what they called the 'chaotic nature of the set,' and how it was really haphazard, and that I can tell you is ridiculous… I understand how certain people could feel that way.

The buzz surrounding HBO’s controversial new series The Idol might just be working to its benefit.

"The Idol" has only aired two episodes, but week to week has faced intense criticism and controversy, some of which occurred before the series even premiered. Lily-Rose Depp plays a rising pop star, struggling with a comeback who meets a self-help guru and cult leader (played by Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye), who begins to exert undue influence on her as she’s pulled into the underbelly of the music industry.

The Weeknd is about to make his first foray into TV with HBO‘s The Idol, a new drama premiering today (June 4).Created by Euphoria’s Sam Levinson, Reza Fahim and Tesfaye, the series follows a self-help guru and leader of a modern-day cult, who develops a complicated relationship with an up-and-coming pop idol.Lily Rose Depp (The Dancer) and Tesfaye lead the cast, supported by Suzanna Son, Troye Sivan, Moses Sumney, Jane Adams, Dan Levy, Eli Roth, Mike Dean and Hank Azaria.Back in April, it was reported that the series underwent reshoots and was “adjusting” its cast and crew to serve a new direction. The show had already shot in and around Los Angeles, but many of the reshoots took place in Tesfaye’s personal mansion in Bel Air.The artist purchased the 33,000-square-foot property — which sits on a 1.6-acre plot of land — in 2021 for $70 million (£56million).

The Idol was first announced, there were some stellar names attached to the project, namely Abel Tesfaye (AKA The Weeknd), Lily-Rose Depp, Dan Levy, Eli Roth, Hank Azaria and the late Anne Heche. Then, as if that wasn't enough, they just kept coming: Troye Sivan, Hari Nef and finally, an artist called Jennie Ruby Jane. Jennie Ruby Jane is the stage name for the acting debut of one of the biggest names in K-Pop (and pop music in general) right now: Jennie Kim, or as she’s better known, the mononymous Jennie from the stratospherically successful girl band, Blackpink.

HBO‘s new drama series The Idol has arrived – you can find episode details below.Created by Euphoria’s Sam Levinson, Reza Fahim and Abel Tesfaye aka The Weeknd, the The Idol follows a self-help guru and leader of a modern-day cult, who develops a complicated relationship with an up-and-coming pop idol.Lily Rose Depp (The Dancer) and Tesfaye lead the cast, supported by Suzanna Son, Troye Sivan, Moses Sumney, Jane Adams, Dan Levy, Eli Roth, Mike Dean and Hank Azaria.There will be six episodes of the HBO drama in total, with the first airing on June 4, 2023 at 9pm ET (1am GMT). Each episode will be roughly an hour long.Viewers can watch the show on both HBO and streaming service Max.The first teaser trailer was released on July 17, 2022 – you can watch it above.

Abel Tesfaye (The Weeknd) and Lily-Rose Depp have continued to dismiss reports of a toxic environment surrounding the production of their forthcoming, Sam Levinson-directed HBO drama series The Idol. In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, Depp refers to the atmosphere on set as a “lighthearted” one with “lots of laughs… music, dancing around, and that kind of energy.” Elsewhere in the interview, she discusses the varying acting processes of the show’s cast, which also includes Suzanna Son, Jane Adams, Dan Levy, Eli Roth, Rachel Sennott, Hari Nef, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Hank Azaria, as well Moses Sumney, Mike Dean, Troye Sivan, Ramsey, and BLACKPINK’s Jennie. Read Next: The Idol review: a need to provoke renders The Weeknd’s TV debut tedious “I don’t think anybody went full method — nobody lost their minds,” she says.

Anna Tingley If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. “The Idol,” one of the buzziest shows of the summer, hits Max this Sunday, June 4, at 6 p.m. PT.

We’re getting a new sneak peek at HBO’s upcoming series The Idol.

McKinley Franklin editor HBO has released the official trailer for its explicit Sam Levinson-directed series “The Idol,” which is set to premiere on June 4. “The Idol” premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, making it the first television show to officially debut at the festival. The series stars Lily-Rose Depp as rising pop star Jocelyn and Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye as Tedros, a powerful, sex-obsessed cult leader.  After calling off her latest tour, Jocelyn is on a mission to reignite her career, with big dreams of becoming the biggest star in the industry. After she meets Tedros, Jocelyn is swiftly drawn into his world, where he promises to expand her career to new heights — at any cost.

UPDATED: “You’re the American dream. Rags to riches. Trailers to mansions. You are f***ing Jocelyn. Just be you.” HBO released the final trailer Tuesday for music drama The Idol, starring Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye and Lily-Rose Depp, ahead of its June 4 premiere. Watch it above.

So many stars stepped out to celebrate Warner Bros. Studios’ 100th Anniversary during the 2023 Cannes Film Festival!

The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp pose together at the photocall for The Idol at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday (May 23) in Cannes, France.

CANNES (Reuters) - "The Idol," HBO's much-hyped new series from the creator of "Euphoria" that bills itself as the "sleaziest love story in all of Hollywood," premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday. Travis Scott, Stella Maxwell and Julia Fox, wrapped in a plastic gown and wearing dark lipstick, joined Lily-Rose Depp and Abel Tesfaye, the stars of the show, on the red carpet, surrounded by screaming fans who packed the Croisette boulevard. Depp - whose famous father, Johnny Depp, also had a premiere at the festival - stars as Jocelyn, a pop singer trying to stage a sexier-than-ever comeback after suffering a nervous breakdown.

The stars of HBO’s highly-anticipated new series The Idol have arrived at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival!

The Weeknd has once again paired up with producer Mike Dean for four new tracks that appear on the latter’s new album ‘4:23’ – check them out below.‘4:23’ was released yesterday (April 28) and is Dean’s fourth studio album, following on from 2020’s ‘4:22’.The Weeknd (real name Abel Tesfaye) served as executive producer on the album and features on four tracks: ‘Artificial Intelligence’, ‘Defame Moi’, ‘More Coke!!’, and ‘Emotionless’ (which he also co-wrote).Check it out below. Dean and Tesfaye have worked together on numerous projects including The Weeknd’s 2015 album ‘Beauty Behind The Madness’ as well as ‘Where You Belong’, which was written for the Fifty Shades Of Grey soundtrack.More recently, the pair collaborated on ‘Double Fantasy’, the Future-led track lifted from upcoming HBO series The Idol, which both Dean and Tesfaye will star in.Album “4:23” @therealmikedean, co-produced by @theweeknd TONIGHT pic.twitter.com/9mJU9qGg3N— The Weeknd News (@NewsWeeknd) April 27, 2023The Idol also features Lily-Rose Depp, Moses Sumney, Hank Azaria, and Jennie of BLACKPINK.Rolling Stone did a report on the series mid-production and wrote that The Idol was “torture porn”. 13 anonymous sources from the show’s cast and crew have spoken out on the production of the anticipated series, calling it “a shitshow”.Tesfaye, Depp and HBO all responded to the claims, with The Weeknd tweeting, “Did we upset you?” alongside a clip from the show of him and Depp’s characters denouncing the magazine..@RollingStone did we upset you? pic.twitter.com/Uyx06lyRgx— The Weeknd (@theweeknd) March 1, 2023The series will premiere at this year’s Festival De Cannes and is set to be released on June 4.

A sequel to Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story is officially in the works after nearly 20 years, with Vince Vaughn set to reprise his role. Deadline reports that a sequel to the cult comedy starring Vaughn and Ben Stiller is in early development at 20th Century Studios, with Vaughn likely to produce.

Play ball! A Dodgeball sequel is officially in the works — and Vince Vaughn has reportedly signed on to reprise the role of Peter La Fleur.

NPR’s podcast “Code Switch.” Apu is a recurring Indian-American character in the show who runs the Kwik-E-Mart convenience store, which often keeps him from his wife and eight children. Azaria was first publicly called out in 2017 when comedian Hari Kondabolu, 40, who’s of Indian descent, expressed his anger over the character and Hollywood’s decades-long depictions of South Asians in the documentary “The Problem with Apu.” Azaria, who no longer voices Apu, and Kondabolu finally sat down and had their first public conversation to address the controversy in a podcast episode titled “The Fallout of a Callout.”Kondabolu described Azaria’s voicing of Apu as “a white guy doing an impression of a white guy making fun of my father.”“If I saw Hank Azaria do that voice at a party, I would kick the s–t out of him,” he said.

Matt Donnelly Senior Film Writer Rihanna has been cast in the voice role of Smurfette, in a new animated feature from Paramount Animation. The superstar showed in person to CinemaCon, the annual convention of movie theater owners, to make the announcement. “I tried to get the Papa Smurf role but It didn’t work out,” the singer joked on stage at Daesar’s Palace Hotel and Casino. Appearing with Paramount Animation head Ramsey Naito, it was revealed that Rihanna will star, write and record original songs, and produce the upcoming projects. Rihanna previously lent her voice to the DreamWorks animated feature “Home,” which grossed over $380 million at the worldwide box office. Her live action screen credits include “Battleship,” “This Is the End,” “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets,” “Ocean’s 8” and “Guava Island.”