‘The Lord Of The Rings’ Star Sir Lenny Henry Applauds Amazon’s Move Away From Tolkien’s Fair-Skinned Characters To Diverse Cast

Ken Starr, the prosecutor who led the relentless Whitewater investigation into then-President Bill Clinton and whose report on the case revealed intimate details of Clinton’s extramarital sexual relations, died Tuesday in Houston following complications from surgery. He was 76.

Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power star Cynthia Addai-Robinson has responded to racist abuse levelled at the series and its cast.The show and its actors have condemned “the relentless racism, threats, harassment and abuse” levelled at the series’ actors in recent days in regards to its diverse cast.Speaking to NME about her role as Queen Regent Míriel in the Amazon Prime Video show, Addai-Robinson addressed the trolls who have been “review-bombing” the series and targeting the show’s POC actors.“I would engage a healthy debate on a topic that I felt was coming from a place of respect and intelligence,” she said.“I do not engage with that other thing; that toxic thing. And in fact, I would never consider them to be fans.

Taking tentative steps back into living, but actually longing to get well enough to take up another tour, she gets a job as a pool cleaner much to her mother’s dismay. It is something simplistic enough that she can handle it, or at least believes so, but when her truck gives out on her she takes it to a auto repair where she meets a mechanic named James (Brian Tyree Henry), with whom she somehow forges an unlikely friendship, one that both take to awkward levels after being casual new friends, both in their own tentative ways exploring the possibilities beyond. Their connection as it turns out is the shared physical and psychological recovery process from a life-changing accident, in James’ case involving a car and the death of his nephew, and the loss of a leg. In a poignant and beautifully underplayed scene the details of his own trauma come to light as they sit by a pool she is taking care of. The fragile connection of two very fragile people, aching for some human interaction but almost incapable of letting go of themselve is heartbreaking. Both are caught in the crossroads of needing to love again, or even for the first time, but unconvinced it is something they deserve or even desire at this point in their lives.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer “Better Call Saul” actor Michael Mando has signed on to star opposite Brian Tyree Henry in Peter Craig and Ridley Scott’s upcoming Apple TV+ series “Sinking Spring,” Variety has learned. Based on the book “Dope Thief” by Dennis Tafoya, Apple’s eight-episode series “Sinking Spring” follows long-time Philly friends and delinquents who pose as DEA agents to rob an unknown house in the countryside, only to have their small-time grift become a life-and-death enterprise, as they unwittingly reveal and unravel the biggest hidden narcotics corridor on the Eastern seaboard. Mando will play the co-lead role of Manny Cespedes, a good-hearted friend of Ray’s (Henry), who he first met when they did time together in the Youth Authority, per the official character description.

Better Call Saul alum Michael Mando is set to star opposite Brian Tyree Henry in Apple TV+’s crime drama series Sinking Spring, from Top Gun: Maverick writer Peter Craig. The series is directed and executive produced by Ridley Scott via his Scott Free Productions.

The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power have issued a statement condemning “the relentless racism, threats, harassment and abuse” levelled against some of the show’s actors.Written by the actors and shared via Rings of Power’s Twitter page today (September 8), the statement comes after the series — a prequel to J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy — received racist backlash regarding the diversity of its cast.The statement addresses the treatment that “some of [the] castmates of color are being subject to”, with the lead ensemble — which includes POC actors Ismael Cruz Cordova, Sophia Nomvete and Lenny Henry — writing that they “refuse to ignore it or tolerate it.”We stand in solidarity with our cast.

Whoopi Goldberg is slamming trolls criticizing The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and House of the Dragon over their casting choices. Some fans on social media have called out the series on Prime Video and HBO for becoming “woke” and showing people of color in the fantasy worlds originally created by J. R. R. Tolkien and George R. R. Martin.

Henry Selick, the wildly original mastermind behind such extraordinarily conceived feature film animations as “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and “James And The Giant Peach,” marks his first feature film since 2009s unsettling creeper, “Coraline,” in “Wendell & Wild.” Debuting on Netflix later this year, the stop-motion animation, billed as a dark fantasy comedy horror, “Wendell & Wild” is based on a screenplay penned by Selick and Jordan Peele, who also produces and stars in a voice role alongside long time collaborator Keegan-Michael Key.

James Bond after Daniel Craig's final outing in No Time To Die. The official announcement will likely come in the next 12 months - but until then, the odds are all we have to go on.

SPOILER ALERT: The first two episodes of Prime Video’s epic The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power are live, and here is a gallery of photos from Season 1. Note that some of the images might be spoilers for those who haven’t watched yet.

SPOILER ALERT: This podcast contains details of the first two episodes of Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which debuted Thursday night. For more on the epic series, watch Deadline’s Inside The Ring: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power after-show that launches Saturday. 

global premiere last night — and thanked the showrunners for ignoring his notes on the series.The Amazon founder traveled to London’s Leicester Square for the premiere of the big-budget TV show in a move to establish its importance to the company.Bezos, 58, honored showrunners Patrick McKay and John D. Payne while introducing the first two episodes of the series.“Every showrunner’s dream – and I mean every showrunner – their dream is to get notes on scripts and early cuts from the founder and executive chairman,” the Amazon boss joked. “They loved that.

Lenny Henry has been open about his weight loss transformation over the years after debuting his slimmed down look on TV.

The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power descended on London last night (August 30) for the new series’ red carpet world premiere.At London’s historic Leicester Square, nearly 2,000 people – comprising cast, crew, fans and more – attended the Odean Luxe and Cineworld. Among them were all 22 of the series’ cast regulars, including Robert Aramayo (Elrond), Maxim Baldry (Isildur), Morfydd Clark (Galadriel), Sir Lenny Henry (Sadoc Burrows), Ema Horvath (Eärien), Lloyd Owen (Elendil) and Charles Edwards (Celebrimbor).Also in attendance were showrunners J.D.

Benjamin Walker, Ismael Cruz Cordova and Maxim Baldry were looking very dapper on the red carpet at the premiere of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on Tuesday (August 30) in London.

Kathie Lee Gifford became one of the most recognizable and beloved faces on daytime television.MORE: Kathie Lee Gifford pays poignant tribute to late friend and co-star Regis PhilbinHowever, while she may have gotten used to being on screen almost every day of her life, and it was a career she surely loved, she has no regrets about retiring from her hosting gigs.In a new interview with People Magazine, the star opened up about her life away from the spotlight, moving to Nashville, and why she loves it all so much.WATCH: Kathie shares glimpse inside lavish Tennessee homeMORE: Kathie Lee Gifford delights fans with epic return to Today ShowShe has called Nashville home for three years now, and revealed of her decision: "For the first time after longing to be back in California for 45 years or whatever it was, I just thought, 'I don't want to be there.

Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power star Lenny Henry has praised the series for its diverse cast.Henry, who plays Sadoc Burrows in the forthcoming Prime Video series rebooting the franchise, addressed the newfound inclusivity.“That’s to do with it being the 21st century; people want to see themselves,” the actor said in an interview with The Times.“Of course, if you go back, there’s going to be that thing that prevails because the books don’t say… although some of the characters are described as hard-skinned and darker in complexion… but that was then, this is now and we’re telling the story now.”Discussing the entertainment industry more broadly, Henry added: “I didn’t see anybody in charge of anything that looked like me for a very long time, so that is lonely.“You’ve got all of these people now saying the same things that I started saying in 2000, which is ,‘the industry needs to change and can it hurry up, please.’”Earlier this year, Lenny Henry said it was “interesting” to observe an apparent lack of “Black and brown faces” at Glastonbury festival as well as other UK events.A new trailer for The Rings Of Power was released last week, showcasing Middle-earth in its Second Age and teasing characters  including Galadriel, Elrond, High King Gil-galad and Celebrimbor.The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power is set to premiere on Amazon Prime Video from September 2.