Steve Pond's Blog, page 203

White House Correspondents Association Dinner Ditches Headliner Amber Ruffin ‘to Ensure the Focus Is Not on the Politics of Division’

Comedian Amber Ruffin will no longer headline the 2025 White House Correspondents Association dinner, WHCA president Eugene Daniels told members on Saturday. In fact, no one will.

In a letter, first made public by CNN analyst Brian Stelter, Daniels said the WHCA board voted unanimously to abandon a comedic headlining act entirely, which he asserted was to “ensure the focus is not on the politics of division.”

WHCA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from TheWrap. Ruffin has not commented publicly. The 2025 WHCA Dinner takes place Saturday, April 26.

The news comes about 14 hours after White House Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich complained bitterly about Ruffin’s political jokes in a social media post, referring to her as a “2nd rate comedian” and demanding that journalists skip the WHCD dinner, which he called a “hate-filled and violence-inspiring event.”

However, according to Stelter, “this change was already in the works” and Budowich’s complaining played no role in the decision to cancel Ruffin’s headlining performance.

If that’s the case, Ruffin doesn’t appear to have know about that discussion, as the material Budowhich complained about came from her appearance on Thursday’s episode of the Daily Beast podcast, as seen below:

Ruffin was announced as the WHCA Dinner headliner in February. “She has the ability to walk the line between blistering commentary and humor all while provoking her audience to think about the important issues of the day. I’m thrilled and honored she said yes,” Daniels said at the time.

This year’s event comes during a particularly rough time for the organization, which has been increasingly redundant since Donald Trump took office in January.

Trump of course steadily escalated attacks on independent media, most notably on Feb. 14 when he banned the Associated Press from the White House because the organization refuses to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.” 11 days later, the administration shut the WHCA out entirely by taking full control over the White House press pool.

Since then, the WHCA has struggled to define itself, declining to call for a unified response to these conflicts and largely staying out of AP’s legal battle with the Trump administration over that ban. On Wednesday, a month and a half after the ban, WHCA finally asked members to show “solidarity” for AP — by wearing pins that say “First Amendment” at the white house or on TV, adding a First Amendment graphic to their social media profiles, or supporting AP in person at court. Though just for a day.

In March Ruffin mocked Trump over the AP Ban, saying in part, “I saw he banned the Associated Press from the Oval Office because they kept saying Gulf of Mexico. And I was like, what? Now you care about deadnaming. Fine. Well, I’m going to start renaming stuff, too.”

The post White House Correspondents Association Dinner Ditches Headliner Amber Ruffin ‘to Ensure the Focus Is Not on the Politics of Division’ appeared first on TheWrap.

The 7 Best New Movies on Netflix Right Now

Netflix‘s additions to its platform this month include a pair of underrated, wildly different gems from last year and a few bona fide film classics. Fortunately, the streamer’s March titles are a diverse bunch, too, which means that whether you’re in the mood for an entertaining thriller or a meditative drama, you will not have to look far for something to watch. You certainly can’t go wrong with any of the following seven films.

Here are TheWrap’s picks for the best new-to-Netflix movies streaming on the platform in March.

“Sicario” (Lionsgate)“Sicario” (2015)

Directed by Denis Villeneuve and written by “Yellowstone” creator Taylor Sheridan, “Sicario” is a propulsive, nerve-wracking thriller about a naive FBI agent (Emily Blunt) who is recruited by a CIA officer (Josh Brolin) to join a joint task force assigned to hunt down the head of a ruthless drug cartel. Along the way, the ideals of Blunt’s Kate Macer are beaten down and shattered as she is forced to cross ethical and legal lines and is faced with remorseless rage and all-consuming grief in the form of Alejandro Gillick (Benicio del Toro), a former Mexican lawyer turned paid assassin. 

Featuring more than a few tense, impeccably staged action sequences and a commanding performance from del Toro, “Sicario” introduced many to Sheridan’s now well-known style of brutal, unflinching screenwriting and Villeneuve’s skills as a master of mood and suspense. 10 years later, he has only repeatedly proven himself as a filmmaker capable of consistently holding your attention — no matter how large his canvas is. “Sicario” remains one of his most memorable and impressive achievements.

“Beginners” (Focus Features)“Beginners” (2011)

One of the most underrated movies of its decade, writer-director Mike Mills’ “Beginners” is an observant, deeply moving dramedy about a man (Ewan McGregor) coming to terms with the deaths of his parents, all while falling in love with an illusive, similarly closed-off actress (Mélanie Laurent). The film features an Oscar-winning supporting performance from Christopher Plummer, who plays in flashbacks the elderly father of McGregor’s Oliver who came out as gay in his 70s. The film, inspired by Mills’ relationships with his own parents, uses a mix of still photographs, drawings and subdued cinematography to create a portrait of grief, love and emotional growth.

The film’s high point may be a montage in which McGregor’s Oliver reflects on his parents’ lives and hardships in relation to his bond with Laurent’s Anna, observing, “We didn’t go to war. We didn’t have to hide to have sex. Our good fortune allowed us to feel a sadness that our parents didn’t have time for — and a happiness that I never saw with them.” The journey to understanding both ourselves and those we love is a process that never ends. But that doesn’t mean we should stop doing either. “Beginners” reminds us of that.

“Blade Runner” (Warner Bros.)“Blade Runner” (1982)

Ridley Scott’s 1982 classic, “Blade Runner,” is a mesmerizing cyberpunk dream. Set in a futuristic, alternate reality Los Angeles, the film follows Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a cynical cop assigned to hunt down a fugitive group of synthetic androids known as replicants. As Deckard sets out to kill his targets and their leader, the charismatic Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer), he meets and falls in love with another replicant, Rachael (Sean Young). Their relationship forces him to question not only his own identity but also his conception of humanity itself — an inner conflict that reaches its climax in Deckard and Batty’s breathtaking, oft-quoted third act confrontation. 

Butchered before its release by studio notes, “Blade Runner” has slowly, through multiple director cuts and re-releases, been returned to Scott’s original vision. The resulting film is, thanks to Scott’s atypically impressionistic direction, Jordan Cronenweth’s dreamy, neon-lit noir cinematography and Vangelis’ haunting, transportive score, a visually and sonically astounding sci-fi film about the power of connection and the importance of dreaming beyond one’s own assigned station. Its sequel isn’t bad, either.

“Do the Right Thing” (Universal Pictures)“Do the Right Thing” (1989)

A classic that holds, in terms of its importance and enduring resonance, a uniquely powerful place in American film history, writer-director Spike Lee‘s “Do the Right Thing” is a dramedy of profound, scalding power. Unfolding over the course of one hot summer day, the film follows the diverse members of a Brooklyn neighborhood as the community’s various racial tensions gradually boil over. Featuring Lee’s trademark, jubilant style and typically unflinching perspective, the film is tense, bitingly funny, observant and heart-wrenching. Its final act is a masterclass in delicate yet fierce storytelling, and it is filled with affecting, overwhelming layers of sadness and rage.

Both ahead of its time and yet long overdue, “Do the Right Thing” is a considerate, unwavering examination of racism in America that leaves a lasting mark. Across its 120 minutes, Lee powerfully explores the ways in which minorities are taught to turn on each other rather than their oppressors and how obsessing about the things that separate us rather than bond us together is a self-destructive act that can have catastrophic consequences. Over the past 36 years, the film has not lost an ounce of its power.

“Black Hawk Down” (Sony Pictures Releasing)“Black Hawk Down” (2001)

The second film on this list directed by Ridley Scott, “Black Hawk Down” is a unique entry in his filmography. The director is best known now for his often classical period epics (“Gladiator,” “Kingdom of Heaven”), but “Black Hawk Down” has little in common with those films, or even “Blade Runner” for that matter. Based on a 1999 non-fiction book by journalist Mark Bowden, the film dramatizes the real-life story of the military helicopter crew that crashed during the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu between the forces of the United Nations Operation in Somalia II and soldiers of the Somali National Alliance. 

Featuring an impressive ensemble cast including Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Eric Bana, Tom Sizemore, Sam Shepard, Jason Isaacs, Hugh Dancy, Orlando Bloom, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Tom Hardy, it is a chaotic, pulse-pounding military thriller that feels like a purposefully grimy, explosive diversion away from the kind of stately dramas Scott had become better known for at the time. It is, by no means, Scott’s best film. It is, however, an infectiously anxious thriller, and it serves as further proof that Scott has a better handle on large-scale action filmmaking than *almost* any other Hollywood filmmaker of the past 40 years.

“Trap” (Warner Bros. Pictures)“Trap” (2024)

Hitchcockian in its style and choice of perspective, “Trap” is a demented, playful thriller from writer-director M. Night Shyamalan. Anchored by a spell-binding, diabolical lead performance from Josh Hartnett, “Trap” follows Cooper (Hartnett), a serial killer who realizes too late that the Eras Tour-esque concert he has taken his daughter (Ariel Donoghue) to is doubling as an FBI trap to catch him. A majority of the film’s runtime is dedicated to Cooper’s increasingly desperate attempts to evade the FBI, and when it was released last year, many moviegoers took issue with the thriller’s dubious dramatic logic and Shyamalan’s admittedly stilted dialogue. 

“Trap” is, however, far better than its most passionate naysayers would have you believe. It is relentlessly entertaining and gleefully twisted — making it one of Shyamalan’s few films that actually feels like it is in on the joke. In its interest in the nature of evil and its desire to make the audience root for the bad guy, “Trap” is also a fitting, refreshingly modern companion to the kind of darkly funny, perverse thrillers that Alfred Hitchcock and Brian de Palma once built their careers making. There are not enough mainstream films like it nowadays, which only makes watching “Trap” that much more enjoyable.

“The Outrun” (StudioCanal)“The Outrun” (2024)

Another 2024 gem, “The Outrun” was not nearly as divisive as “Trap,” nor was it as widely seen. If you missed it last year, you should seek it out now. Based on a memoir by Amy Liptrot, director Nora Fingscheidt’s drama follows Rona (Saoirse Ronan), a young woman struggling with alcoholism who moves to London, experiences love, excitement and heartbreak and then returns home to Scotland’s Orkney Islands to rehabilitate herself. The film, which flew under the radar last year, sometimes loses control of its non-linear structure, and its unflinching depiction of its protagonist’s alienating, self-destructive struggles with alcoholism may make it too difficult for some to watch.

Those who give “The Outrun” their time and attention, though, will be rewarded. It is a vibrant, bold film about how hard it can be to recenter after you lose your footing, as well as the difficulty of finding new ways to feel rooted in the world that don’t require you to destroy yourself. It also might just feature the best performance of Ronan’s career to date, and that is saying a lot, considering she had already cemented herself as one of the greatest actresses of her generation long before 2024.

The post The 7 Best New Movies on Netflix Right Now appeared first on TheWrap.

Every Guest Star in Apple TV’s ‘The Studio’

Hollywood may be a small world, but it’s actually a pretty large industry, and “The Studio” is getting a lot of famous faces from it to help tell their story.

Now streaming on Apple TV+, the series created by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg centers on Matt Remick (Rogen) as he’s suddenly given his dream job of running a movie studio. The studio itself is fictional, as are the movies it creates in the show, but the actors and creators it employs are very real.

With the first two episodes available now, fans have already seen a handful of the famous faces that pop in on the series, including Martin Scorsese and Bryan Cranston.

But brace yourself, because more are coming.

You can check out the full list of guest stars for the series below.

Aaron SorkinAdam ScottAnthony MackieAntony StarrArthur KengBill WattersonBryan CranstonCharli D’AmelioCharlize TheronChris GannCourtney PaurosoDan BlackDave FrancoDavid KrumholtzDerek WilsonDevon BostickDewayne PerkinsErin MoriartyGreta LeeIce CubeJean SmartJen StatskyJessica ClementsJessica St. ClairJohnny KnoxvilleJosh HutchersonKeyla Monterroso MejiaKit HooverLarry BrownLil Rel HoweryLisa GilroyLucia AnielloMartin ScorseseMatt BelloniNicholas StollerOlivia WildeOwen KlineParker FinnPaul DanoPaul W. DownsPeter BergQuinta BrunsonRamy YoussefRebecca HallRhea PerlmanRon HowardSarah PolleySteve BuscemiSugar Lyn BeardTed SarandosThomas BarbuscaTrevor TordjmanZac EfronZack SnyderZiweZoë Kravitz

The post Every Guest Star in Apple TV’s ‘The Studio’ appeared first on TheWrap.

Denis Arndt, Tony-Nominated Broadway Actor Also Known for Numerous TV Roles, Dies at 86

Denis Arndt, who starred in several shows for David E. Kelly including “L.A. Law,” as well as in the Broadway performance of “Heisenberg,” has died. He was 86.

Arndt’s death was , who wrote in part, “He died peacefully in his bed in his beloved cabin home of almost 50 years in Ashland, Oregon; he wouldn’t have had it any other way.”

“The year he was born, 1939, the Wizard of Oz came out showing the first movie in color after Dorothy found Oz. That was like Dad’s life. It started out in black and white and blossomed into a life of color, brilliance, daring adventure, and passion. And it was also a little bit trippy, like Oz,” the family continued.

Arndt debuted as “L.A. Law” lawyer Jack Sollers during the show’s fifth season in 1990. He again played a lawyer on “Picket Fences” for four seasons and spent the following years in and out of Kelley’s productions, including “Chicago Sky,” “Ally McBeal,” “Boston Public,” and “Boston Legal.”

He took on the role of Alex Priest in Simon Stephnens’ “Heisenberg” at age 77. In the play, his character has the opportunity to explore the possibility of love again in his senior years after a woman mysteriously kisses him at a train station.

“He had absolutely given up on love and made his peace with it,” Arndt told Broadway World in 2016. “Love is a synaptic connection in your brain,” he continued. “Alex doesn’t talk about his emotional response to the world, he sees that as a problem. Alex likes the rational reality of how animals fit together and that cows have a seam.”

“He knows where he is in time,” Arndt also said, “and he’s no pushover. He’s not searching for anything, he’s there at the end of his life, there’s not much time left.”

Arndt also added that he liked the character because he could relate to him. “We’re both old men in a society that doesn’t have much for old men to do,” Arndt said. “He likes the rationality of how animals fit together and how he and Georgie fit together. He’s almost stoic, not materialistic, certain about the spiritual side because he has a deceased sister he talks to in his dreams.”

In addition to his Hollywood career, Arndt’s family also wrote, “Dad was a Vietnam veteran helicopter pilot who was awarded the Purple Heart twice. He went on to fly helicopters in Alaska. After leaving the dangerous life of a helicopter pilot, he moved to Seattle, where a friend persuaded him to audition for a local theatre.”

“Of course, Dad got the main role,” the obituary continued. “And he was brilliant. He carried his brilliance, passion, and dedication into his second career as an actor, both on stage and on screen. He spent multiple seasons at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.”

“In his own way, Dad lived his life as a full and generous performance, known for his incredible wit, charm, rebel spirit, irreverence, sense of humor, grittiness, and passion for his art. His legacy, both on and off stage, will live on in the hearts of family, friends, and community members.”

Arndt was born on February 23, 1939, in Issaquah, Washington. Following his military service he graduated from the University of Washington and founded the Intiman Theatre in 1972.

Denis Arndt is survived by his wife Magee Downey and their three children, Bryce, McKenna and Tanner, as well as by his four children Scott, Tammy, Laurie, and Kirsten, and “many” grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.

The post Denis Arndt, Tony-Nominated Broadway Actor Also Known for Numerous TV Roles, Dies at 86 appeared first on TheWrap.

‘A Working Man’ Swipes No. 1 From Sinking ‘Snow White’ With $15 Million Box Office Opening

While a big second weekend drop was expected for Disney’s “Snow White,” it was also expected to hold on to the No. 1 spot. But that may not happen, as Amazon MGM’s action film “The Working Man” starring Jason Statham is set to swipe the top spot with an industry estimated $15.6 million opening weekend.

“A Working Man” is doing this with nearly a thousand fewer screens than “Snow White,” earning $5.5 million from 3,262 theaters on opening day. Critics were tepid on this film compared to Amazon and Statham’s last film, “The Beekeeper,” giving it a 53% Rotten Tomatoes score. But the film’s largely male opening day audience was generally pleased, giving it a B on CinemaScore to go with a 91% audience RT score.

“Snow White,” meanwhile, is sinking by 67% from its $42 million opening weekend, earning an industry estimated $13.8 million. With $66.4 million domestic, it will struggle just to reach $100 million in North America as its fate as a box office bust is sealed.

Also within striking distance of “Snow White” is Fathom’s “The Chosen: Last Supper,” the theatrical screening of the latest episodes from the hit Christian streaming series’ fifth season. Covering Jesus Christ’s famed return to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday up to his famed Last Supper with his apostles, the latest screening is earning an estimated $12.7 million from 2,235 theaters, well above single-digit projections.

In fourth is Universal/Blumhouse’s “The Woman in the Yard,” which earned a $9 million opening from 2,842 theaters. That’s slightly above pre-release projections, but the film is likely to be frontloaded as it has been received poorly with a C- on CinemaScore and Rotten Tomatoes scores of 39% critics and 48% audience.

Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and starring Danielle Deadwyler, the horror film won’t be a flop for Universal as it carries a $12 million budget it in line with Blumhouse’s thrifty strategy. But it continues a slump of original titles that began in 2024 for the once dominant horror outlet that may require sequels to films like “M3GAN” and “Five Nights at Freddy’s” to snap.

Another horror film, A24’s “Death of a Unicorn,” is faring worse with a $5 million opening from 3,050 locations. With a more comedic tone than “Woman in the Yard,” audience reception is somewhat better with a B- on CinemaScore and a 72% RT audience score. But tepid critical reception from its SXSW premiere may stunt word-of-mouth from spreading for this $15 million production.

The post ‘A Working Man’ Swipes No. 1 From Sinking ‘Snow White’ With $15 Million Box Office Opening appeared first on TheWrap.

Is Seth Rogen’s ‘The Studio’ Based on a True Story?

Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s new series “The Studio” is now streaming, and though it tells the story of employees at a fictional movie studio, it includes some really famous guest stars playing themselves, and pokes fun at how Hollywood actually works. So you might be wondering: is it based on a true story?

Now on Apple TV+, the series centers on Matt Remick (Rogen), a longtime cinephile and movie executive who gets bumped up to his dream job of studio head. All he wants is to make true “cinema” and earn the love and support of every actor he can.

Granted, that’s a little hard when he has to make decisions more from a business perspective, rather than a creative one. But he’s doing his best, and what follows is 10 episodes of seeing the Hollywood machine from his eyes.

Is that how the industry actually works though?

Is it based on a true story?

In the grand scheme of things, no, “The Studio” isn’t based on any one story or any one studio executive. Continental Studios is entirely fictional too. However, the series definitely draws inspiration from real life.

As Rogen explained to TheWrap, Catherine O’Hara’s character in the series is indeed based on former Sony head Amy Pascal.

“We sent her the show as soon as it was finished, so she could watch it. We really came up at Sony under her leadership, and she was someone who taught us a ton about the industry and who was a really inspirational figure to us in a lot of ways,” Rogen explained. “She took huge risks and huge gambles, and she’s essential to me and Evan having the careers and lives that we currently have.”

Rogen has also noted that Bryan Cranston’s character takes after Warner Bros. Discover head David Zaslav.

So yes, the series borrows from real-life people and experiences — the entire first episode details how IP is the hot thing right now, and Matt has to make a Kool-Aid movie because the studio has the rights — to tell a realistic story.

The post Is Seth Rogen’s ‘The Studio’ Based on a True Story? appeared first on TheWrap.

Bill Maher Says He’ll Never Be a Republican ‘Because I Don’t Want to Live in North Korea’ | Video

Bill Maher laid into Republicans during his “New Rules” segment on Friday’s “Real Time,” which he started by explaining to people who ask why, if he roasts “the woke nonsense peddlers, why don’t you go all the way and join” the right wing.

“Let me give you the short answer,” Maher said. “Because I don’t want to live in North Korea.”

Maher then noted the incredible propaganda deployed for North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, who “has state stenographers who follow him everywhere and scribble his genius ideas into their notebooks and applaud. Well, Republicans, that’s you now. Republican Congressman Anderson McDowell wants to name Dulles airport after Trump. It will be like other airports, except the International Terminal only has departures.”

Maher then mentioned a recent Republican tribute to Trump, the proposed bill to add him to Mount Rushmore, and then he discussed Trump’s takeover of the Kennedy Center

“The Kennedy Center is not something I really care a lot about. But I do care that an American president doesn’t see anything wrong with him personally taking it over, or that his communications director Stephen Chung said it was justified because Trump, quote, ‘is a virtuoso and his musical choices represent a brilliant palette of vibrant colors when others often paint in pale pastels.’ Jesus, Stephen, don’t get any in your hair.”

And yes, a Trump official really did say that. Read more here.

Then Maher noted how “Republicans dance like Trump now. They may name weapons systems after him. They’ve even dressed like him with the trademark suit and tie, available exclusive, available exclusively at Banana Republic,” adding, “all these super macho guys eating the ass of another man.”

Maher ran through some other recent examples of incredible sycophancy by Trump officials, and said that while “Tthere is a level of Trump derangement syndrome on the left, will you admit that this s— is also deranged?”

“A Trump speech this month to a joint session of Congress, he claimed the government had spent $8 million making mice transgender. It did not. The $8 million was for transgenic mice, mice that were being genetically modified to study how hormone treatments affect human health,” Maher continued. “We were splicing their genes, not making them compete in women’s sports.”

“Here’s the important thing about this, the fact that President Trump got this wrong isn’t what bothers me… What’s worrisome about it is that nobody around the President would dare tell him that transgenic is not transgender. It makes you think that if Trump came down one day and his fly was open, Republicans wouldn’t tell him. They’d just start showing up with their flies open,” he continued.

“So, so I know my Republican friends, when you hear ‘cult,’ you roll your eyes. But let me add one thing to it that you might not have heard. You know, a cult is really a cult when the leader asks you to turn on friends and family because they’re the only ones who are a threat to deprogram you, it’s why Tom Cruise doesn’t talk to his own kid. Which brings me to America, suddenly saying to our closest friend in the world, you know what? ‘F— Canada,’ for no particular reason,” Maher said.

“I don’t know for sure where Jesse waters of Fox News stood on invading Canada 12 weeks ago, but I’m guessing it wasn’t on his mind at all,” Maher went on. “But now his message for Canada is the fact that they don’t want us to make take them over… But Canada isn’t threatening us. For God’s sakes their flag is a leaf. Even Joe Rogan, a Trump voter, said, ‘Why are we upset at Canada? This is stupid.'”

“Okay, Maga, people, that’s called thinking for yourself. At the end of Trump’s first term, there were still some people who would occasionally correct him on little details, like, you lost that last election. But now we have Lauren Boebert saying we must rally behind President Trump to secure his third term, something Steve Bannon is advocating for as well,” Maher added, nodding of course to the fact that the only way Trump could legally serve a third term would be to change the constitution.

“And you know, you just know that soon, the entire Republican Party will be on this page. Okay, there’s no fuzz on this. It’s as clear as 123, presidents get two terms, not more, no matter how wonderful you think they are. It’s written in black and white in the Constitution. Guys, you know this is wrong. You know in your heart, this is the moment when Rome stops being a republic. So come on, be like those mice and grow a pair of balls,” Maher urged.

Watch the whole thing here:

The post Bill Maher Says He’ll Never Be a Republican ‘Because I Don’t Want to Live in North Korea’ | Video appeared first on TheWrap.

Doctor Inspired to Go Into Medicine by ‘ER’ Gets Noah Wyle to Autograph His Board Certification | Video

“The Pitt” star Noah Wyle got a pleasant surprise on Thursday during a visit to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles when he encountered a longtime fan — who also happens to be a real life doctor inspired to go into medicine by John Carter, the character Wyle played on NBC’s hit drama “ER” for 11 seasons.

While they were talking, the doctor, Brad Goldberg surprised Wyle by asking for his autograph — on his medical board certification.

The moment came as Wyle and “The Pitt” were visiting as part of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles’ annual Make March Matter fundraising campaign.

“I do think, you know, besides the entertainment factor, [“The Pitt”] brings a lot of attention to the work we do here, and the challenges we experience, and, you know, conveying that to the general public and all the issues in healthcare now, so thank you for that,” Goldberg told the cast members.

At that point, as the tour guide started to take them elsewhere, Goldberg addressed Wyle directly, telling him, “you’re a big part of me going into emergency, growing up my parents [watching “ER”].”

“Sorry for that,” Wyle joked.

“Can I ask you to sign my,” Goldberg said as he handed the document to Wyle.

“Holy smokes,” Wyle replied as he realized what he was looking at, “Are you kidding me?”

“This is my board certificate,” Goldberg explained for everyone else. “This means more than coming from the actual board.”

“Wow, this is a first for me,” Wyle said as he signed.

“Awesome, Brad,” someone said off camera.

“American Board of Pediatrics,” Goldberg replied before turning to Wyle and adding, “Thank you so much.”

“It’s entirely my pleasure,” Wyle said.

After the clip was posted online, Goldberg confirmed it was him, adding, “Thank you to the whole cast for highlighting our work. Very special shoutout to Noah Wyle, whose iconic Dr. John Carter on ER inspired my EM journey, he even signed my board certification! I’m finally official at PGY-12.”

Watch the clip, and see Dr. Goldberg’s comment, below:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Children's Hospital L.A. (@childrensla)

Hey that’s me! Thank you to the whole cast for highlighting our work. Very special shoutout to Noah Wyle, whose iconic Dr. John Carter on ER inspired my EM journey, he even signed my board certification! I’m finally official at PGY-12. pic.twitter.com/t1B8VPuD3X

— Brad Goldberg, MD (@BradGoldbergMD) March 28, 2025

And yes, Goldberg included a photo of the autograph.

The post Doctor Inspired to Go Into Medicine by ‘ER’ Gets Noah Wyle to Autograph His Board Certification | Video appeared first on TheWrap.

AfroAnimation Summit 2025 Kicks Off Next Week

AfroAnimation Summit 2025 (AAS), which brings together leaders within the animation and gaming industries, is officially set to kick off in Burbank, California, the first week of April.

The AfroAnimation Summit was founded by Keith White and Rio Cyrus in an effort to provide animators, storytellers and creators with opportunities to network, develop their careers and gain industry access through a program series of panel discussions, workshops, competitions and more. This year will be its fifth edition.

During the event, the summit will present an exclusive screening of “Iyanu,” the animated fantasy hero series that’s heading to Cartoon Network and Max from creator, executive producer and showrunner Roye Okupe. The series, which is deeply rooted in Nigerian culture, music and mythology, was developed and produced by Lion Forge Entertainment, the producers behind “Hair Love.” The screening will be shown at the AMC Burbank 16 theater on April 3 at 12:30 p.m., and will be followed by discussion with Okupe.

In addition, the convention will include its FRWD Awards Dinner on April 4 at Castaway Burbank, where films and voiceover actors from the last year will be awarded. Nominees include Viola Davis, Lupita Nyong’o, Angela Bassett and Pharrell Williams.

The event starts up with a “Kick Off Party” on April 1 before the summit begins on April 3 and wraps April 4.

The post AfroAnimation Summit 2025 Kicks Off Next Week appeared first on TheWrap.

‘The Penguin Lessons’ Review: Antifascist Waterfowl Drama Is a Good Egg, Really

Penguins are some of the cutest animals in the world, second only to — and I admit that I may be slightly biased — my two cats. Yes, whether penguins are marching, surfing, dancing or trying to blow up Gotham City with rockets strapped to their backs, every movie is better with at least one cute little waterfowl in it. Even a drama about an English teacher fighting fascism in Argentina in the 1970s while learning to love again.

“The Penguin Lessons” (or as I like to call it, “Goodbye Fish ’n’ Chips”) stars Steve Coogan as Thomas Michell. He’s a grumpy gus who’s given up on life. He moves into St. George’s, a boarding school for rich children in Argentina in 1976, expecting to coast by with zero effort. He doesn’t even care about the country’s violent political upheaval. When a coup d’état is declared, he’s just happy to get a week off.

Thomas tries to impress a woman by rescuing a penguin on the beach, but when that still doesn’t get him laid, he decides to return the freshly scrubbed penguin to the ocean. The cute little whippersnapper refuses to leave his side, and before long he’s stuck with the darned thing, hiding it from the snooty headmaster (Jonathan Pryce) while also using his new pet, Juan Salvador, to trick his students into paying attention in class.

Oh yeah, and while all this adorable falderal is falderalling, the new Argentinean government is abducting political dissidents by the thousands. This includes a spirited St. George employee (Alfonsina Carrocio, “Society of the Snow”), who is kidnapped right in front of Thomas’s eyes. The guilt he feels about doing nothing drives him to do something, because now that fascism has hurt somebody he cares about, it suddenly matters.

“The Penguin Lessons” comes from director Peter Cattaneo, best known for his Oscar-nominated dramedy “The Full Monty,” a film which deftly balanced sensitive working class commentary with a twee narrative hook about average joes who turn to sex work in hard times. His latest has a similar premise, a cutesy story about a curmudgeon and his heartwarming new pet, set against the backdrop of a disturbing chapter in world history. It’s a bit like watching a remake of “Air Bud” that takes place during “The Battle of Algiers.”

The events of “The Penguins Lessons” really happened, more or less, which gives Cattaneo’s film an out in the premise department. But it’s bizarre to watch a film about political turmoil and human suffering from the perspective of an outsider whose problems are so small that adopting a penguin can fix them. Then again, if audiences expecting a cute penguin movie are forced to engage with the fact that any government which abducts people for having different political views is evil, and that everyone must do everything in their power to stop that miscarriage of justice, then nobody can say “The Penguin Lessons” isn’t at the very least well-timed.

There isn’t a whole more to say about it, frankly. Steve Coogan is Steve Coogan-y as usual, bringing a wry comic delivery to his most sullen lines of dialogue. The supporting cast is uniformly strong, especially Vivian El Jaber as the heartbroken mother of a kidnapping victim. The beats all get hit, and hit hard enough to resonate. If you’re not crying at the end, when “The Penguin Lessons” wants you to cry, then you’re the one who really needs a penguin. That oughta warm that icy heart of yours.

The post ‘The Penguin Lessons’ Review: Antifascist Waterfowl Drama Is a Good Egg, Really appeared first on TheWrap.