Vadim Perelman Set to Direct Docu-Series ‘The House with No Walls’ About John Bender Mystery

Maribel Guardia, the Costa Rican actress and singer, is slowly finding ways to smile with the love of her grandson, José Julián, following the sudden and tragic loss of her son, Julián Figueroa, who passed away from a heart attack on April 9th. As she continues to mourn her only child, whom she shared with his father, the late legendary musician Joan Sebastian, Maribel has turned to her beloved grandson for comfort, sharing touching moments with him on social media as she slowly begins to heal.This week, the actress returned to social media posting a video of a sweet moment with her grandson at the park.

Ed Meza @edmezavar Warner Bros. Intl. Television Prod. (WBITVP) has appointed former Fremantle exec Harry Gamsu as new VP, creative, for format, development and sales. He will report to Andrew Zein, SVP creative, for format development and sales and oversee relations between WBITVP’s international division and the WB’s U.S. TV production units Warner Horizon, Telepictures and Shed. Gamsu will also evaluate formats in WB’s catalogue for international exploitation and format sales to Canada. He succeeds Adam Steinman, who ankled WBITVP earlier this year. In his previous role as VP of non-scripted content acquisitions at Fremantle, Gamsu managed the U.S. content acquisition team and working on factual and entertainment series.

“Wheel of Fortune”host leaped to the defense of a contestant during Friday’s episode after she was mocked by a fellow player.A woman vying for the top spot named Alex was playing against Matthew, a forensic psychologist, and Mary Jane, a retired teacher, on April 14.When Alex incorrectly guessed an answer in the “Fun and Games” category, Matthew made a snide comment which caused Sajak to chime in to ease the tension.The clue read, “MIN_ _ _ _ RE G _ _ _,” with Alex answering, “Miniature goat?”Sajak declared the answer wrong, and Matthew guessed the correct answer, which was “miniature golf.”The forensic psychologist then turned to his fellow contestant, mocking her by saying: “Goats are small!”Alex started laughing at her answer, jokingly saying: “It’s like, fun and games, right!?”That’s when Sajak chimed in with: “What’s more fun than a little tiny goat?”“At least you can laugh at yourself,” he added.Viewers flocked to Twitter to voice their support for the Santa Monica native.Oh wheel of fortune…you never cease to amaze me.#MiniatureGoat pic.twitter.com/FWIcvm2CZO“Alex on #WheelOfFortune is a bada-s.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Dubai-based sales agency Cercamon has picked up international rights to “Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell” by first-time feature director Pham Thien An. The film will have its global premiere next month in the Directors Fortnight section of the Cannes film festival. Pham Thien An previously made short films “The Mute” in 2018 and the one-take “Stay Awake, Be Ready” in 2019. Both enjoyed a busy festival career, with “Stay Awake” earning the Illy Prize in Cannes followed by additional awards at the Palm Springs, Busan, Kyiv and Flickerfest events. “Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell” follows the emotional journey of Thien, who is entrusted with the responsibility of delivering his sister-in-law’s body to their hometown after a tragic motorcycle accident in Saigon. Amidst this heartbreaking task, Thien also takes care of his nephew, Dao, a five-year-old survivor of the accident. As they traverse the mystical landscapes of rural Vietnam, Thien embarks on a quest to find his long-lost brother and reunite him with Dao, a journey that ultimately leads him to question his faith.

Olivia Wilde landed her next big directing project, and it’s for a television series.

Julian Figueroa’s death at the age of 27 took his family and fans by surprise. Among those close to him, it was hard to believe that at his young age, the only son of Maribel Guardia and Joan Sebastian had suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. When asked if it was true, José Manuel Figueroa had no idea what had happened and reacted with doubt.

South Korean auteur Park Chan-wook returned to theaters last year with “Decision To Leave.” And by all accounts, it’s another masterwork from him, and one of the best films of 2022. Now Park returns to TV for the first time since 2018’s “The Little Drummer Girl” with “The Sympathizer,” set for an exclusive release on Max in 2024.

HBO has released the official teaser trailer and a new photo for the original limited series The Sympathizer, which will premiere in 2024. They provide a glimpse at the four characters played by Robert Downey Jr. who executive produces the series alongside co-showrunners Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar. The footage, which introduces the cast led by Hoa Xuande, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Ky Duyen, and Sandra Oh, was shown today during Warner Bros. Discovery’s unveiling of the Max streaming service.

Ready to sympathize with “The Sympathizer,” the miniseries adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen starring Hoa Xuande and Robert Downey, Jr.? Well, the first trailer for the series from Park Chan-wook and A24 is here. And it’s a doozy. Watch it above.HBO described the series as “an espionage thriller and cross-culture satire about the struggles of a half-French, half-Vietnamese Communist spy during the final days of the Vietnam War and his resulting exile in the United States.” The show also stars Fred Nguyen, Toan Le, Duy Nguyễn, Vy Le and Alan Trong, with Sandra Oh, Kieu Chinh, Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen and Robert Downey, Jr.

Ellise Shafer Robert Downey Jr. is a master of disguise in the trailer for “The Sympathizer,” a new spy series coming in 2024 to HBO’s rebranded Max streaming service. Based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, “The Sympathizer” stars Hoa Xuande (“Cowboy Bebop”) as a spy for North Vietnam who becomes embedded in L.A.’s refugee community. Headed by Park Chan-wook, who serves as co-showrunner, executive producer, writer and director, “The Sympathizer’s” official logline describes the show as “an espionage thriller and cross-culture satire about the struggles of a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy during the final days of the Vietnam War and his resulting exile in the United States.”

HGTV is moving head with its competition series Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge, a project that was originally set to star Stephen “tWitch” Boss and his wife Allison Holker before the dancer/deejay died in December.

Paul Walter Hauser reps the Boston Bruins while on the set of his new movie, The Instigators, ahead of the weekend in Quincy, Mass.

Naman Ramachandran Disney+ is set to take viewers on a journey through Tudor England with its latest series, “Shardlake.” Based on the internationally acclaimed Tudor murder mystery novels by C.J. Sansom, the four-part drama is set in 16th century England during the dissolution of the monasteries. The series will follow the story of Matthew Shardlake, played by Arthur Hughes (“The Innocents,” “Then Barbara Met Alan”), a lawyer with an acute sense of justice and one of the few honest men in a world beset with scheming and plots. Shardlake works for Thomas Cromwell, played by Sean Bean (“Time,” “Game of Thrones”), the dangerous and all-powerful right-hand man to Henry VIII.

EXCLUSIVE: Ving Rhames, Alfred Molina and Ron Perlman are the latest additions to Apple Original Films’ The Instigators starring Matt Damon and Casey Affleck. The A-list ensemble also includes Hong Chau, Paul Walter Hauser and Michael Stuhlbarg. Doug Liman is directing.

Gisele Bündchen continues to focus on her professional career and family life.

Richard Kuipers The third feature directed by Vietnamese superstar Ngo Thanh Van — better known to western audiences as actor Veronica Ngo in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” and “The Old Guard” — lives up to its title with a furious display of female revenge set in the seedy streets of late-’90s Ho Chi Minh City. Despite a routine plot and some abrasive tonal shifts, this tale of a motherly mentor turning three damaged young women into deadly assassins is packed with exciting action and boasts fine performances from four killers bound by blood, bullets and all manner of deadly weapons. Following a series of rowdy screenings in SXSW’s Midnighters section, “Furies” will stream worldwide as the first Vietnamese Netflix original feature on March 23.   

Ethan Shanfeld Fifth Season, the production house behind “Severance,” “Tokyo Vice” and “80 for Brady,” is developing series based on Jean Kwok’s 2014 novel “Mambo in Chinatown,” as well as her upcoming book “The Leftover Woman,” which hits shelves later this year. According to its official description, “The Leftover Woman” is “an evocative family drama and riveting mystery about the ferocious pull of motherhood for two very different women.” Published by William Morrow, the novel will be released on Oct. 10, 2023. “Mambo in Chinatown,” which landed on various year-end lists in 2014, is “about a young woman torn between her family duties in Chinatown and her escape into the world of ballroom dancing.”

Louis Vuitton has released the latest images from their new campaign for Drop 2 of “Creating Infinity,” a collaboration with the avant-garde Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama.

Ric de Azevedo, a King Family singer who later worked on the production teams of early 1980s series Private Benjamin and Enos but might best be remembered for a surprising, tearful moment during a Vietnam era Christmas special, died March 14 in Fruit Heights, Utah, of an undisclosed illness. He was 75.

Chvrches‘ Lauren Mayberry joined Coldplay on stage in São Paulo for a performance of the band’s 2019 song ‘Cry Cry Cry’.The Scottish trio are supporting the Chris Martin-fronted band on their current run of ‘Music Of The Spheres’ stadium shows in São Paulo, Brazil.During their fourth show at Estádio do Morumbi on March 18, the band invited the Chvrches’ frontwoman on stage for a rendition of ‘Cry Cry Cry’, which appeared on Coldplay’s eighth studio album ‘Everyday Life’.The original song features Jacob Collier on backing vocals. The English singer-songwriter also contributed to its writing.You can watch the official live video as well as fan-shot footage below.A post shared by CHVRCHES (@chvrches)CRY CRY CRY @coldplay @CHVRCHES #ColdplaySaoPaulo pic.twitter.com/dNFvS4WsCw— gio (@sug4rcane) March 16, 2023Coldplay continued their world tour with a series of rescheduled dates in South America starting on March 10.