Rob Lowe Says ‘The West Wing’ Was ‘Super Unhealthy’ and He Felt ‘Very Undervalued’: Leaving It ‘Was the Best Thing I Ever Did’

Zack Sharf Digital News Director The upcoming “Hunger Games” prequel movie “The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” may not feature Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, but it does feature her longtime franchise director Francis Lawrence behind the camera. Francis Lawrences directed every “Hunger Games” sequel and is back for the Lionsgate prequel, which features “West Side Story” breakout Rachel Zegler in the lead role of Lucy Gray Baird, a tribute from District 12 who is mentored by a young Snow (Tom Blyth) for the 10th annual Hunger Games. “Katniss was an introvert and a survivor,” Lawrence told Empire magazine about the big difference between Katniss and Lucy.

EXCLUSIVE: We first told you about a year ago that Lionsgate was in talks with STX to distribute and market the Bob Simonds-run studio’s movies, and today we can report that both companies have closed a deal.

This is Day 113 of the WGA strike and Day 40 of the SAG-AFTRA strike. 

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter “The Outsiders,” a musical adaptation of S.E. Hinton’s 1967 novel and Francis Ford Coppola’s 1983 movie, is heading to Broadway. The show will open on April 11, 2024 at the Bernard B.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Greta Gerwig revealed in an interview with Hollywood First Look during her “Barbie” press tour that Timothée Chalamet visited the film’s set in London and lamented over not being able to star in the film. Gerwig directed Chalamet in both “Lady Bird” and “Little Women.” The filmmaker previously told CinemaBlend that Chalamet and her muse Saoirse Ronan were courted for cameo appearances in “Barbie” but scheduling conflicts got in the way. “I tried to get them both in it.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director “National Lampoon’s Vacation” star Anthony Michael Hall admitted at Fan Expo Chicago (via Entertainment Weekly) that he got caught trying to sneak onto the set of the 1983 comedy classic in order to see his co-star Beverly D’Angelo film a nude shower scene. Hall joined D’Angelo and fellow cast members Christie Brinkley, Randy Quaid and Dana Barron at the event. He stars in the comedy as Rusty Griswold, the son of Clark (Chevy Case) and Ellen (D’Angelo).

Zack Sharf Digital News Director In a recent interview with Rolling Stone to promote his directorial effort “Shortcomings,” actor and comedian Randall Park criticized Hollywood for taking the wrong lessons from a massive blockbuster like Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie.” The Margot Robbie-led comedy has earned over $1 billion at the worldwide box office, but Park said making more movies about toys should not be the industry’s takeaway. “I feel like, just in general, this industry is taking the wrong lessons,” Park said. “For example, ‘Barbie’ is this massive blockbuster, and the idea is: Make more movies about toys! No.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Given the $1 billion success of “Barbie,” it’s hard to picture anyone in the title role other than Margot Robbie. But the actor explained to Vogue back in May that it was actually Gal Gadot who was her first choice to star as Barbie. Robbie is a producer on “Barbie” and did not immediately envision herself in the role.

Rob Lowe has opened up about his “super unhealthy relationship” with The West Wing.The actor played the deputy White House Communications Director Sam Seaborn on the Emmy-winning NBC drama, but left partway through its fourth season.At the time, it was reported that Lowe left the show due to a salary dispute, as well as a creative disagreement over the amount of focus given to his character.In a recent appearance on the Podcrushed podcast, Lowe spoke about his decision to leave The West Wing, describing his relationship with the series as “super unhealthy”.“I felt very undervalued” he said, adding: “I did not have a good experience.”“I walked away from the most popular girl at school, but I also knew that it was a super unhealthy relationship, and it was the best thing I ever did.”Lowe subsequently went on to star in the sitcom Parks And Recreation, as well as procedural dramas Code Black and 9-1-1: Lone Star.Announcing his departure from The West Wing at the time, Lowe said in a statement to fans: “As much as it hurts to admit it, it has been increasingly clear, for quite a while, that there was no longer a place for Sam Seaborn on The West Wing.“Warners had allowed me an opportunity to leave the show as I arrived – grateful for it, happy to have been on it and proud of it. We were a part of television history and I will never forget it.”The actor did, however, later return to The West Wing for a couple of episodes towards the end of its run, including the series finale.

According to a CNN release, Lowe had left the show because he “was disenchanted over the unwillingness of producers to raise his $75,000-an-episode salary” while the show’s lead Martin Sheen was paid $300,000 per episode. Lowe released a statement at the time, saying his character did not fit the show anymore before he returned for two episodes during the show’s final season.He compared his departure to walking away from the “most popular girl at school.”“She’s the popular girl, everybody likes her, she’s beautiful, it must be great, all the things that people would say about making “The West Wing” to me.

Rob Lowe is getting candid about his time on “The West Wing”.

Tell us how you really feel about your time on “The West Wing,” Rob Lowe.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Jamie Dornan admitted in a new “Wired” video interview (via Insider) that he was “quite jealous” of Robert Pattinson during the early days of their career. Dornan, Pattinson and fellow stars such as Eddie Redmayne and Andrew Garfield all came up together as aspiring young actors in England. Pattinson’s career skyrocketed way ahead of his peers when he was cast as Edward Cullen in the “Twilight” franchise.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Now that “Barbie” has officially crossed the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office, speculation about a potential sequel has intensified tenfold. Greta Gerwig, who directed “Barbie” in addition to co-writing its script with Noah Baumbach, told The New York Times she has no ideas yet for a “Barbie 2.” However, she also told People magazine before the film joined the $1 billion club that she hoped her movie “is the launch of a world and a bunch of different Barbie movies.” “There’s a tone and a humor and a joy, and obviously the world is so beautiful,” Gerwig told the publication. “I want to go back to Barbie Land.” Margot Robbie was less assertive when asked about a “Barbie” sequel in pre-release interviews.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Adam Devine appeared on Theo Von’s “This Past Weekend” podcast during his press tour for Netflix’s “The Out-Laws” and shared his theory that Marvel movies and other superhero films killed the traditional Hollywood comedy. The “Workaholics” and “Pitch Perfect” alum noted that because Marvel movies rely so much on humor (see the “Ant-Man” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” franchises, for instance), they ended up becoming Hollywood’s new de facto comedy films. “You watch comedies nowadays and you’re like, this is not a fucking comedy,” Devine said.

the Telegraph, saying there are a few very good reasons why Tinseltown increasingly appears to be freezing the couple out — starting with the fact that they talk too much. The attention-seeking duo are no longer at the “top of many celebrities’ friendship lists,” according to Walden, due to their apparent love of spilling other people’s secrets to make a quick buck.

Piers Morgan's wife Celia Walden has slammed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for 'violating' the Hollywood A-lister code as she claims the couple have been snubbed due to their 'tendency to share' information.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Elizabeth Banks recently told Rolling Stone that the media was behind the “gendered agenda” of “Charlie’s Angels,” her 2019 action-comedy starring Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott and Ella Balinska that flopped at the box office. The director told The New York Times last year that she wished the film’s marketing “had not been presented as just for girls,” but now she told Rolling Stone that’s the only perspective the media was interested in perpetuating anyway. “So much of the story that the media wanted to tell about ‘Charlie’s Angels’ was that it was some feminist manifesto,” Banks said.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Nicolas Cage finally sounded off to USA Today on his brief return as Superman in Warner Bros.’ “The Flash.” The Oscar winner made a surprise cameo appearance as the Man of Steel he never got to play back in the late 1990s, although he did not say any lines. “Well, I was glad I didn’t blink,” Cage said about his brief return. “For me, it was the feeling of being actualized.

Harry and Meghan are reportedly being "ignored" by some of the biggest names in Hollywood as the Duchess is plotting to become a "power player" in Tinsel town.