The AP names its Breakthrough Entertainers of 2021

What’s better than knowing Nicolas Cage is set to play Dracula in the upcoming film, “Renfield?” Well, how about knowing the full array of influences that he is inspired by? Especially if one of those influences comes from the most bonkers horror film of 2021, “Malignant.” Folks, we’re still a long way away from seeing “Renfield,” but can we already crown this as our Most Anticipated Film? Continue reading Nicolas Cage Names Bela Lugosi, Gary Oldman & ‘Malignant’ Among His Dracula Influences For

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe Blues Foundation has named Judith Black its new president and CEO, effective January 1, 2022. Black is co-founder and previously served as President of the Tarik Black Foundation, which has a mission to “provide young people access to practical information and exposure through real world experiences.” She also held senior posts at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, St.

If 2020 was a pandemic-induced pause, 2021 was when things started up again, albeit slowly and timidly. But that doesn't describe this year's eight Associated Press’ Breakthrough Entertainers of the Year: They seized their masks — and the moment.They are Damson Idris, Simu Liu, Rachel Zegler, Rauw Alejandro, Adrienne Warren, Saweetie, Anupam Tripathi and Sydney Sweeney.

LOS ANGELES -- As she pursued her dream to become an actor, Sydney Sweeney’s family lost their home, her parents got divorced and she spent countless nights crying herself to sleep because of the constant rejection.Hoping to put her family back together again, Sweeney vowed to find success and buy her parents a house when she turned 18.

Puerto Rico his friends and family used to call him Raulito, which eventually became Rauw for short.Alejandro has been on the rise for the past few years, but 2021 catapulted him into another level of success.

football in college.“I played football, track and volleyball," Saweetie told The Associated Press, which has named her one of its Breakthrough Entertainers of 2021. "You might be invited to the playoffs, but you have to win.

SEOUL, South Korea -- Anupam Tripathi said his grandfather sometimes read his palm and told him he’d be rich one day. His joking response?“Where is my money!”The 33-year-old Tripathi was rightfully doubtful.

If 2020 was a pandemic-induced pause, 2021 was when things started up again, albeit slowly and timidly. But that doesn't describe this year's eight Associated Press’ Breakthrough Entertainers of the Year: They seized their masks — and the moment.They are Damson Idris, Simu Liu, Rachel Zegler, Rauw Alejandro, Adrienne Warren, Saweetie, Anupam Tripathi and Sydney Sweeney.

NEW YORK -- Adrienne Warren had studiously avoided ever touching a Tony Award her entire stage career. Her motto was that she'd only hold one if she deserved to.On Sept 26, 2021, she finally held one.

Marvel for an Asian American superhero, he wasn’t vying for a job — he was venting at Hollywood’s status quo.“I was experiencing just such a frustration turning on the TV and, as a struggling actor, too, just really seeing the limits of what was possible for people that look like me,” said Liu, who has been named one of AP’s Breakthrough Entertainers of the Year.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterBrooke Bowman has been promoted to executive vice president of drama development and programming at Fox Entertainment.She succeeds Charlie Andrews in the role, with Andrews exiting the company. The parting with Andrews is said to be on good terms, with his contract simply coming to an end.Bowman was previously senior vice president in the Fox drama department.

LOS ANGELES -- Damson Idris transformed from his real life British-speaking Nigerian persona into a canny drug kingpin character with a West Coast accent on FX’s popular crime drama “Snowfall.”Idris made his presence felt as Franklin Saint, a young street-minded entrepreneur who was educated in an upper-class neighborhood, but determined to get into the drug game to take care of the people around him.

In another timeline, Rachel Zegler would have had her breakthrough moment last December.That was when Steven Spielberg’s rendition of “West Side Story” was supposed to open and introduce the world to the New Jersey high school student who responded to an open call on Twitter and beat out thousands for the part of Maria. But the pandemic had other plans.Yet 2021 wasn’t exactly spent waiting in the wings.

The Voice's season 21 finale kicked off on Monday night with some incredible performances from the Top 5!Night one of the two-part finale featured each of this season's finalists — Team Kelly's Girl Named Tom and Hailey Mia, Team Blake's Wendy Moten and Paris Winningham and Team Legend's Jershika Maple — taking the stage to try and win America's vote for one last time. Each of the Top 5 performed one new ballad, dedicated to someone special in their life, as well as one up-tempo song.As in the

The 2021 TIME Person of the Year is….Elon Musk. TIME’s Editor-in-Chief pointed out that Elon has had an “extraordinary influence for Life on Earth and life off Earth, too.” It’s no secret that he had an extreme dominance over “many things in America’s life right now” — from the space industry, to the automobile industry, to his influence on social media with millions of followers.

The stars are stepping out for the 2021 CNN Heroes: All-Star Tribute!

West Side StoryOut nowSteven Spielberg takes on the classic musical (above), pitting Sharks against Jets in 1950s New York. His star-crossed lovers are played by Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler, but the real appeal here is the lavish, push-the-boat-out musical entertainment.

Halle Bailey hits the red carpet in a sharp white lined jumpsuit for The Hollywood Reporter 2021 Power 100 Women in Entertainment event held at Fairmont Century Plaza on Wednesday afternoon (December 8) in Los Angeles.

K.J. Yossman BAFTA has unveiled its 2021 BAFTA Breakthrough cohort, including “It’s a Sin” star Lydia West and “Censor” director Prano Bailey-Bond.Supported by Netflix, the annual talent initiative, which originally launched in 2013 as “Breakthrough Brits,” was renamed BAFTA Breakthrough in May 2020 and expanded to include the U.S.

Mindy Kaling hits the red carpet in a chic dress alongside La Brea stars Natalie Zea ad Jack Martin at the 2021 E! People’s Choice Awards on Tuesday (December 7) at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif.