OUTMusic Award winner Justin Utley has released the single "All Is Bright"—his first holiday release, a press release noted. Utley described the song as a little-bit of Lumineers/Mumford & Sons mixed in with a lot-a-bit of himself: "It's a unique sound that I believe has the makings to become a new holiday favorite," adding, "'All is Bright' is about bringing people together to celebrate something meaningful and special."
Olympian skier (and part-time actor) Gus Kenworthy released his latest campaign as a model, now with Prada, out.com noted. The campaign is his first foray into the high-fashion industry. Prada's website describes the new line as "a metropolitan wardrobe of dynamic clothing" and "an urban uniform inspired by sports and survival, geared towards movement, lightness and ease, and dominated by a black and Linea Rossa red [colored] palette for immediate visual identification."
In the new video game Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate, classic character Mileena is shown to be in a lesbian relationship with a fellow fighter, out.com revealed. Mileena is a genetic experiment clone of the Edenian princess Kitana, mixed with Tarkatan (a brutal, demon-like race) blood. She's been an antagonist throughout the series, starting with her appearance in Mortal Kombat II. While she recently died, MK 11 sees her being plucked from the past to get a new chance at life.
On Wed., Dec. 2, Dekkoo will premiere the LGBTQ short film Jackplot, according to a press release. As the global pandemic plunged creatives into uncertainty and hardship, Dekkoo launched their Love and Distance short film competition, with the grand prize being claimed by UK-based filmmaker Marco De Luca. For his short film Two Meters Apart, De Luca received a $2,500 cash prize and a deal to create a new short film as a Dekkoo Original with a budget of $5,000—and De Luca made Jackplot with the winnings. In the movie, two handsome husbands drive home from the races after having won the jackpot—but disagree on how to spend the cash and end up involved in a tragedy.
DC Comics is introducing a non-binary character in "Kid Quick," who will appear in December in a holiday-themed comic-book anthology called DC's Merry Multiverse, according to Deadline. The alternate-universe character, like The Flash, can move at super speed and will use the "they/them" pronouns when being referenced. Kid Quick joins the Suicide Squad character The Aerie, a non-binary antihero; and Marvel Comics' two non-binary characters, Snowflake and Safespace.
After 17 years on The Las Vegas Strip, Cirque du Soleil's "Zumanity" is closing permanently, the Reno Gazette Journal reported. "Zumanity," at New York-New York, is the first Cirque du Soleil show to permanently close since the company shut down all productions due to COVID-19 concerns. The company had six shows operating in major Las Vegas casino hotels when coronavirus crushed travel and closed casinos for nearly three months: "Zumanity," "O," "The Beatles LOVE," "Ka," "Mystere," and "Michael Jackson ONE." Cirque du Soleil announced in June it was filing for bankruptcy.
Siblings Rufus, Martha and Lucy Wainwright bring their Christmas show "A Not So Silent Night—Virtually Together" to a global audience for the first time streaming live on veeps.com on Sunday, Dec. 20, at 2 p.m. CT from Los Angeles, Montreal and New York, a press release announced. (They will be joined by aunts, mothers, fathers, nieces, cousins, sons and daughters of the musical clans of the Wainwrights, McGarrigles and Roches.) Tickets start at $20 each.
A dialogue discrepancy in the final episode of Supernatural has resulted in controversy, EW.com noted. In a scene, the angel Castiel (played by Misha Collins) says he loves Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles). In the English version, Castiel says, "I love you," and then Dean responds, "Don't do this, Cas." But in the Spanish version, Dean says, "Y yo a ti, Cas"—"And I you, Cas." Also, a contingent of fans have long wanted the two characters to be a couple, even though the producers have maintained that Dean is straight. Collins blamed a "rogue translator" for the dialogue change.
In late November, Miley Cyrus revealed in an interview with Zane Lowe for Apple Music's New Music Daily that she was two weeks sober after she recently "fell off" her sobriety during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, according to people.com . "One of the things I've used is, 'Don't get furious, get curious,'" she said. "So don't be mad at yourself, but ask yourself, 'What happened?'" Cyrus also reflected on the importance of being sober at 27—the age when stars like Kurt Cobain, Amy Winehouse, Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin died after struggling with addiction. (Cyrus is now 28.)
Latin music star Bad Bunny tested positive for COVID-19, according to Page Six. The performer, whose real name is Benito Martinez Ocasio, announced the news the day after dropping out of a scheduled performance at the 2020 American Music Awards, where he had been slated to sing "Dakiti," his hit with Jhay Cortez. He was awarded with AMAs for Favorite Male Latin Artist and Favorite Latin Album.
Chris Hemsworth and Chris Pratt will both star in the next Thor movie, Thor: Love and Thunder, Yahoo! News noted. After Hemsworth posted a picture of him working out on Instagram, Pratt responded in his comments that he needed to calm things down, saying, "Hey bud. Just heard from my trainer and he needs you to stop working out because since we're gonna be in the same movie and everything he doesn't want me to stand next to you if you look like that." Thor: Love and Thunder—which will also star Natalie Portman, Tessa Thompson and Christian Bale—will open in theaters in 2022.
Speaking of Hemsworth, Hulk Hogan said Hemsworth is now officially "ready" to play him in the upcoming Hulkamania biopic since Hemsworth has been working out so much, Movieweb noted. Last year, it was reported that Hemsworth would be playing Hogan in a biopic about the wrestling megastar.
Trevor Noah, host of Comedy Central's Daily Show, will emcee the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, Deadline noted. The special is set for live broadcast on both coasts on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021 (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT) on CBS and CBS All Access. Noah said, "I think as a one-time Grammy nominee, I am the best person to provide a shoulder to all the amazing artists who do not win on the night because I too know the pain of not winning the award! (This is a metaphorical shoulder. I'm not trying to catch corona.)"
Glee alumna Amber Riley is returning to series television as the star of another music-driven broadcast comedy series, according to Deadline. Riley is set to headline and co-executive produce Dream; in the series, when her son graduates from college, former teen mom Dream Morgan (Riley) turns her life upside down to pursue her dream of becoming a singer.
Pose co-star Johnny Sibilly has been tapped to be the host of Logo TV's Logo Live digital series, out.com noted. The show is a "live rundown of the day's trending stories with celebrity guest interviews" according to a media alert and will stream on Logo TV's Instagram. In one promotional video the actor, who is also a producer, twerks among floating text announcing the show details.
Almost two years after Netflix canceled One Day at a Time after three seasons, the praised reimagining of Norman Lear's 1970s sitcom is losing its network home again, as Pop declined to order more episodes, Deadline noted. Following the end of Schitt's Creek, One Day at a Time was Pop's last remaining scripted series. Sony Pictures TV plans to exhaust every avenue for keeping One Day at a Time alive.
The Smashing Pumpkins released their highly-anticipated 11th studio album, CYR (via Sumerian Records), a press release announced. A 20-track double album, produced by Billy Corgan in Chicago, also joined by fellow founding members Jimmy Chamberlin, James Iha and guitarist Jeff Schroeder. In other news, to commemorate its 25th year anniversary, the band revealed exclusive details on the forthcoming 33-track sequel to the Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness album, as well as Machina—the third in a trilogy of expansive and conceptual works underway.
On the heels of two performances at the American Music Awards and ahead of the arrival of a new Netflix documentary, singer/songwriter Shawn Mendes (along with longtime manager Andrew Gertler) announced their entry into original content with Permanent Content, Variety noted. It's a new film and television production company that will develop scripted and documentary projects "focused on issues that impact or are important to today's youth." Among its first projects is the Netflix Original documentary In Wonder, which chronicles Mendes' rise to the top of pop music.
The late actor Chadwick Boseman will be honored in the original Black Panther with a new opening montage highlighting his appearance in the title role, Deadline reported. Disney Executive Chairman Bob Iger touted the change on Twitter. The first viewing of the change took place Nov. 29 during a Disney+ showing of the film.
A death certificate stated that James Bond legend Sean Connery died of pneumonia, heart problems and "old age," Page Six noted. The 90-year-old Hollywood legend died at 1:30 a.m. on Oct. 31 in his home in the Bahamas, according to the death certificate obtained by TMZ. Connery's wife of 45 years, Micheline Roquebrune, previously said that he also had a long battle with dementia and "went peacefully." His occupation was listed as "retired actor."
Film star and comedian Faizon Love filed suit against Universal Studios for what he called "the company's decade-long, racist advertising campaign" for the 2009 film Couples Retreat, in which Love starred, a press release announced. Love was one of eight principal stars and one of only two Black stars, along with Kali Hawk, in the comedy film, which has grossed over $171 million to date. Love's contract with Universal guaranteed him star billing on par with six of his co-stars, including in advertising and promotional materials for the film. However, when the picture was released internationally, the studio used a different poster from which Love and Hawk's faces and names were removed.
Jennie Garth and Tori Spelling got emotional as they discussed late co-star Luke Perry's first episode of Beverly Hills, 90210, according to Us Magazine. "That was a pretty exciting thing for everyone, I think, not just those of us who got to work with him. It was a big deal. Dylan McKay was a big, big deal in the history of television," Garth said on a recent episode of the "9021OMG" podcast, which she hosts with Spelling. Perry, who played McKay on the '90s drama, died in March 2019 at age 52 after suffering a massive stroke.
Jillian Michaels reignited feuds with both Andy Cohen and Al Roker over the keto diet, in addition to blasting former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Teddi Mellencamp and her All In accountability program, according to Page Six. Michaels' beef with Cohen began last year when the trainer denounced the keto diet as a "bad plan for a million reasons." Roker—who lost 40 pounds on the keto diet—tweeted at the time that Michaels "promoted on camera bullying, deprivation, manipulation and more … in the name of weight loss," while on The Biggest Loser. Recently, on the "#ADULTING" podcast with Zack Peter and Abigail Fraher, Michaels said, "Like with keto—Al Roker and Andy Cohen—I was like, 'Great, let's have this debate!' [They were] gone. Vanished! Bye, bye. Gone!"
The Drew Barrymore Show faced backlash after airing a wedding between a teacher and his alleged former physics student, Page Six noted. Barrymore and crew surprised Dan and Selina, a couple forced to cancel their wedding plans due to COVID-19 with an on-air ceremony. Once the clip was posted online, however, viewers began alleging that the bride and groom met when she was his 17-year-old student, which some believe explains the vague relationship history they provided producers.
In a video titled "Unforgiven," which was posted on Instagram, Dave Chappelle said he had asked Netflix, where he has a deal for standup specials, to take Chappelle's Show—which the streamer had licensed on a non-exclusive basis—off the service, Deadline reported. Netflix honored Chappelle's request, and removed the show.
The crime-thriller movie Echo Boomers—with Michael Shannon, Alex Pettyfer and Patrick Schwarzenegger—will be out on DVD on Dec. 15 via Paramount Home Entertainment, a press release noted. Recent college graduate Lance Zutterland (Schwarzenegger) is pulled into a criminal operation—but with the cops closing in, tensions mount and Lance soon discovers he is in over his head with no way out.
Mads Mikkelsen is set to officially take over for Johnny Depp as Gellert Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts 3, Movieweb noted. It was rumored for a few weeks that Mikkelsen was who Warner Bros. had in mind to replace Depp. Warner Bros. asked Depp to resign after he lost his libel lawsuit against a U.K. tabloid that referred to him as a "wife-beater" in a headline.
