Meredith Woerner Deputy Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.com Almost a year after the infamous Oscars slap, comedian Chris Rock is finally addressing what happened in his live Netflix special, “Selective Outrage.” After an hour of new material, the comedian dove into what thousands of audience members had been waiting to hear, breaking down the aftermath of the on-stage smack between him and Oscar-winner Will Smith. “You all know what happened to me, getting smacked by Suge Smith, everybody knows, everybody fucking knows,” Rock said. “I got smacked like a year ago… and people are like, ‘Did it hurt?’ It still hurts. I got ‘Summertime’ ringing in my ears.”

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.com A24 just swept the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Thanks to “Everything Everywhere All At Once’s” massive showing throughout the night (the multiverse movie took home four wins at the 2023 SAG Awards ceremony) and Brendan Fraser’s victory for “The Whale.” Thus making this the first time in history that a studio has captured every major film prize (minus the stunts award that went to “Top Gun: Maverick”). This colossal night for A24 feature “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, started early with Jamie Lee Curtis (who won for actress in a supporting role). Next up was Ke Huy Quan taking home the trophy for outstanding performance by a male actor in a supporting role. That was followed by Michelle Yeoh, who won for actress in a leading role, and then the show closed with a win for bestperformance by a cast in a motion picture. These four wins for “Everything Everywhere All at Once” broke the SAG record for most wins by a single film at the show.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.com If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. American Girl Dolls has immortalized what was once their most loyal fanbase.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.com The teaser trailer for the long-awaited “A Christmas Story” sequel is jam-packed with holiday nostalgia. From dusty “fragile” leg lamps to triple dog dare mistakes, the first look at the HBO Max movie sequel, officially titled “A Christmas Story Christmas,” promises all the holiday retread you could shake a turkey leg at. The original Ralphie, Peter Billingsley, returns to his iconic role now looking a lot more like “the old man” than the young little glasses-wearing kiddo who hungered for one thing, a Red Ryder air rifle. The 51-year-old actor joins past cast members as he returns to his hometown in hopes of recreating the magical Christmases from his past, this time for his own kids.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.com Mike Schank, guitarist, actor, friend and beloved subject of the 1999 documentary “American Movie,” died on Thursday morning, according to the Milwaukee Record. He was 56. The exceedingly gifted screamer was a highlight from the cult classic directed by Chris Smith. The film followed Wisconsin director Mark Borchardt as he attempted to film his fraught horror movie “Coven.” With a crew made up of friends and family members, just about every part of the production process fell apart, except for Schank, who was always there for his friend. Schank appeared as an extra, assistant, edit bay buddy and epic storyteller.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.com Guitarist, actor, friend and beloved subject from the 1999 documentary “American Movie” Mike Schank has died. According to the Milwaukee Record, Schank passed away early this morning, he was 56. The exceedingly gifted screamer was a highlight from the cult-loved documentary directed by Chris Smith. The film followed Wisconsin director Mark Borchardt as he attempted to film his fraught horror movie “Coven.” With a crew made up of friends and family members, just about every part of the production process fell apart, except for Schank who was always there for his friend. Schank appeared as an extra, assistant, edit bay buddy and epic storyteller.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.com If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. Babies, they’re adorable, sweet and (often) exceedingly expensive. But there are certain things that truly make your life easier as a parent, like the Frida Baby nose snot sucker (yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like) the cradle cap brush, sound machines and on-the-go diaper changing mats. Then there are the things you HAVE to have (normally) like bottles, milk storage bags and what not. Avoid draining your bank account on your little sweetie with the best baby deals available at the Prime Early Access sale. Here’s our roundup of trusted, tried and reliable products that we wish we had been able to buy on sale. These swaddles are pivotal. You can use them for anything, not just swaddling but also shade, a little extra warmth, wiping up baby messes, picnics, privacy shields anything. They’re an integral part of the diaper bag and so lightweight it doesn’t weigh you down. The Aden + Anais brand is highly recommended and they have all sorts of styles to choose from including gender neutral designs, woodland characters and Winnie the Pooh blankets that are really very chic and a lot less “cover my baby in free marketing for Disney.”

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.com The only soul Satan himself would come up to collect is getting a follow-up film. “Constantine” is back. Variety can confirm that Warner Bros. will make a sequel to the 2005 supernatural action film “Constantine” starring Keanu Reeves. The blockbuster star will reunite with original director Francis Lawrence, best known for taking over the “Hunger Games” franchise after the first film. “Constantine” has been a hot property in Hollywood, sparking a NBC series created by Daniel Cerone and David S. Goyer, and was even more recently being developed into a new series for HBO Max by J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions. However, sources tell Variety that the HBO Max series is now dead, although the streamer had been in early talks with an actor for the lead role before the new movie came together. Bad Robot’s “Madame X” series will also not be moving forward at HBO Max. Insiders say these decisions were not due to creative reasons, and expect to find a new home for both projects.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.com If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. “Star Wars” super couple Han Solo and Leia Organa survived the rebellion and each other long enough to start a family and have a son, Ben Solo, who would (SPOILER ALERT) eventually betray them both and kill his dad with a lightsaber.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.comEveryone’s favorite half-vampire is returning to theaters next year. Marvel Studios’ “Blade” will premiere Nov.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.com If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. It might be summertime but Hulu is delivering hot fall lewks on their murder mystery series “Only Murders in the Building.” Last year star Selena Gomez carried the fashion (quite literally) on her back with stunning burnt orange coats, sunny caps and statement headphones mixed together with bold plaids and turtlenecks.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.comVariety has been nominated for 72 Southern California Journalism Awards, including two for journalist of the year, three for entertainment journalist of the year and six nominations for criticism of TV, music and books.The awards, given out by the Los Angeles Press Club, honor outstanding journalism in the region across print, digital, radio and broadcast platforms.Executive editor Ramin Setoodeh and deputy music editor Jem Aswad are both up for journalist of the year. TV critic Daniel D’Addario along with chief film critic Owen Gleiberman and features editor Chris Willman are all nominated for entertainment journalist of the year.Aswad leads all Variety staffers with 14 total nominations, followed by Willman with nine nominations.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.comViewers continue to fall for “Heartstopper” long after its April drop on Netflix. For the third week in a row the series topped Variety’s Trending TV chart, earning nearly 600,000 more engagements for the week of May 2 to 8. The series was down week-over-week in terms of overall engagements, but first-season re-watches, people discovering the queer coming-of-age story for the first time, and fans clamoring for a second season (and profile icons) also added to the conversation.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.comWhile accepting his award for Variety’s Hitmaker of Tomorrow, Jack Harlow gifted the audience with a story from his childhood, revealing how a reading program stoked his competitive side, and how he’s been a voracious reader since he was a little kid.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.comThere were several hurdles Peter Jackson’s “Get Back” had to mount before the eight-hour documentary could premiere on Disney Plus, including persuading the surviving members of the Beatles to OK this pursuit, and sifting through 150 hours of audio and 60 hours of vintage footage and then restoring that delicate footage into crystal-clear quality.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.com All products and services featured by Variety are independently selected by Variety editors.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.comIs there anything scarier than an evil kid? Be it possessed, damned, vampiric or even ghostly, it’s pretty chilling to witness the sugar and spice spoil.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.com“Halloween” has been a staple of the spookiest season ever since John Carpenter unleashed the unrelenting monster Michael Myers on an unsuspecting suburban town in 1978. The man in the mask went from boy-murderer to indestructible killing machine, seemingly always drawn back to one person, his surviving sister Laurie Strode.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.comA young couple ponders life’s biggest questions of vows, adulthood, love and … “would you ever consider an open thing?” Check out the exclusive trailer debut for the charming romantic comedy “Mark, Mary & Some Other People” above.Hayley Law and Ben Rosenfield play the titular characters who reconnect after college.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.com All products and services featured by Variety are independently selected by Variety editors. However, Variety may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.The time to update your children’s bookshelves is now.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.comAlmost a year after the Tony Award nominations dropped, it’s finally time to announce the winners.Amid rising health concerns Broadway (and theater across the globe) went dark in March of 2020 as the world battled the pandemic. Only very recently has the curtain raised on the theater industry, with emotional returns for shows like “Wicked,” “Hamilton” and more.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.comThe Byrdes have blood on their hands again in the first glimpse of the fourth and final season of “Ozark” offered Saturday by Netflix as part of its Tudum global promotional event.The 90-second clip released by Netflix shows the couple at the heart of the series — Wendy and Marty Byrde, played by Laura Linney and Jason Bateman —  washing themselves up in a bathroom sink. Both have blood and some kind of grit on their hands, hair and upper body.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.comSince the launch of its streaming service, Disney has been pulling back the curtain to reveal how the magic is actually made on the studio lot. Giving fans wild access into some of the most intimate creative process moments, the “Gallery” series revealed the elaborate lengths Marvel went to to keep their comic book effects practical on “WandaVision.” And we’ll never forget witnessing Sterling K.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.com All products and services featured by Variety are independently selected by Variety editors. However, Variety may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.The first surprise is this vinyl release from Stanley Kubrick’s war drama “Full Metal Jacket.” The packages design was created by artist Alan Hynes.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.comThe first reviews for Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” are in, and the reactions are split.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.comSPOILER WARNING: Do not read if you haven’t seen “Black Widow,” now in theaters and on Disney Plus.“Black Widow” is full of layered surprises and heart, from Florence Pugh’s huge little-sister energy to Rachel Weisz’s stunning pig mind control. But truly the next breakout star in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov, a.k.a.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.comYour one and only source into the scandalous lives of Manhattan’s elite has returned. HBO Max has finally debuted the first footage from its “Gossip Girl” revival.Gone are the tights and headbands of yesteryear, the class of 2021 has a whole new vibe.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.comSo much of what makes “Hacks” work is the chemistry between its two central characters, played by Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder. The HBO Max comedy hinges on the connection between these two seemingly disparate women So how did this pair find that connection? By lobbing insults at each other in the dark.The very first interaction between comedians Deborah Vance (Smart) and Ava (Einbinder) in the pilot swiftly unravels into a sparring match.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.comWhat makes HBO Max’s “Hacks” stand out from a slew of new TV offerings (and other shows about the same topic of stand-up comedy), isn’t just its stellar cast, it’s also the premise that two women share a connection, despite being worlds apart, through the desire of making others laugh.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.com“Ted Lasso” is back. The AFC Richmond coach and team are reunited in the first ever trailer for the for the hotly anticipated second season.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.com All products and services featured by Variety are independently selected by Variety editors. However, Variety may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.We’re grateful for 4/20.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.com All products and services featured by Variety are independently selected by Variety editors. However, Variety may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.Spring is here and there’s no better way to celebrate the return of sunshine and allergies than with National Gin and Tonic Day.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.com All products and services featured by Variety are independently selected by Variety editors. However, Variety may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.“Top Chef” has returned and our hearts are full of quickfire delights and watching Padma Lakshmi discerningly analyze a plate of food.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.comSan Diego Comic-Con is returning in 2021. Despite recent news that the massive, pop culture convention would be going virtual in July, plans have changed.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.comDirector Judd Apatow describes himself as the “anti-David Fincher.”“I’m not the person that thinks you need to do 10 or 20 takes to get rid of all self-consciousness, to drain the actors so that they become so pure and in the moment,” the “King of Staten Island” helmer revealed on Variety’s Directors on Directors series.“I love it, I mean, what’s better than ‘Zodiac?'” Apatow continued.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.com All products and services featured by Variety are independently selected by Variety editors.