Steve Pond's Blog, page 5

SAG-AFTRA Refutes the Idea of ‘AI Actors’ Like Tilly Norwood, Reminds Producers of Contractual Obligations

The people in front of the camera have made their opinion on the possibility of “AI actors” such as Tilly Norwood gaining representation in Hollywood known, with SAG-AFTRA condemning the idea of synthetic performers on Tuesday.

“SAG-AFTRA believes creativity is, and should remain, human-centered. The union is opposed to the replacement of human performers by synthetics,” the Screen Actors Guild shared in a Tuesday statement.

“To be clear, ‘Tilly Norwood’ is not an actor, it’s a character generated by a computer program that was trained on the work of countless professional performers — without permission or compensation. It has no life experience to draw from, no emotion and, from what we’ve seen, audiences aren’t interested in watching computer-generated content untethered from the human experience,” they continued. “It doesn’t solve any ‘problem’ — it creates the problem of using stolen performances to put actors out of work, jeopardizing performer livelihoods and devaluing human artistry.”

“Additionally, signatory producers should be aware that they may not use synthetic performers without complying with our contractual obligations, which require notice and bargaining whenever a synthetic performer is going to be used,” their message concluded.

More to come…

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Lainey Wilson Returns to Host 2025 CMA Awards on ABC

Country music superstar Lainey Wilson will return to host the 59th Annual CMA Awards this November.

This marks the nine-time winner’s second consecutive year of hosting. The country artist is tied with Megan Moroney and Ella Langley for the most nominations at this year’s awards show with six respectively.

“I grew up watching the CMA Awards like it was the Super Bowl, so to be hosting for a second year is a true honor,” Wilson said. “I’m humbled that CMA has trusted me with this role, and I can’t wait to love on this genre that has given me so much.”

Wilson is nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year and is the only woman nominated for Entertainer of the Year, both of which she won at the 2023 awards show. Her song “4x4xU” is up for Song of the Year, and her album “Whirlwind” will compete for best album.

The CMA Awards winners are voted on by over 7,000 professional members of the Country Music Association. No performers and presenters for the awards show have been announced yet. Robert Deaton will serve as the executive producer of the awards show with Alan Carter directing and Jon Macks as head writer.

Wilson recently performed a rendition of “Go Rest High on That Mountain” for the In Memoriam segment at this year’s Emmy Awards with Vince Gill, honoring the television industry members that had passed that year.

The 59th Annual CMA Awards will broadcast live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena Wednesday, Nov. 19 from 8-11 p.m. EST on ABC and will be available to stream the next day on Hulu.

The post Lainey Wilson Returns to Host 2025 CMA Awards on ABC appeared first on TheWrap.

Philo Expands Core Subscription Offering With Ad-Supported HBO Max, Discovery+

Philo will add the ad-supported tiers of HBO Max and Discovery+ in an expansion of its Core paid offering starting Tuesday.

Current Core plan subscribers will receive access to both Warner Bros. Discovery streaming services at $28 for one month, before paying $33 per month. New subscribers can purchase the package immediately at $33 per month when billed directly through Philo.com.

Access to HBO Max and Discovery+ will be available through their respective apps once activated through a Philo account. Ad-free upgrades and the ability to watch Discovery+ and select HBO content in-app are planned for early 2026.

The partnership comes as Warner Bros. Discovery is aiming reach at least 150 million streaming subscribers by the end of 2026.

“The launch of HBO Max and Discovery+ on Philo underscores our commitment to meeting audiences wherever they are, with the stories they love,” Rich Palermo, WBD’s executive vice president of network and streaming distribution, said in a statement. “Between the blockbuster films and award-winning originals on HBO Max and the captivating documentaries and unscripted hits offered by Discovery+, this expanded partnership ensures Philo subscribers can enjoy even more of our world-class content.”

Philo’s latest expansion comes after it already integrated ad-supported AMC+ into its Core package for no additional cost. Core plan subscribers also have access to a standalone FAST service with over 100 channels, over 70 top-rated cable networks, including Hallmark Channel, Nickelodeon and BET; and unlimited one-year DVR.

“In today’s environment, it’s no longer enough to own just one component of the
viewership equation,” Philo chief operating officer Mike Keyserling said in a statement. “Modern platforms must provide a unified experience and serve every mode — live, VOD, FAST, SVOD — to retain relevance and revenue. The addition of the HBO Max library and its premium IP to our bundle means we can give our customers more of what they’ve been looking for, at an exceptional value.”

In February, Philo disclosed a total of 1.3 million paid subscribers and $450 million in revenue at the end of 2024. It also reported 3.4 million monthly active users, including both free and paid users, as of March.

“A key differentiator for Philo is that we understand our specific customer base and the content they’re excited to engage with,” Philo chief markeing officer Nii Addy said. “Over the years, we’ve seen an opportunity to tap into the urgency of premium original series and hit movies like those found on HBO Max, while nurturing the deep engagement of lean-back TV, like the content found across Discovery+ and our other popular networks. We believe adding this entertainment focused content at a reasonable price is an extension of our core value proposition for our current customers and opens the aperture for those who haven’t engaged with us before.”

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Jimmy Kimmel Hits Back at JD Vance’s Ratings Dig: ‘Bull—t’ | Video

Jimmy Kimmel celebrated his show’s return to Nexstar and Sinclair’s stations by calling out Vice President JD Vance and his “bulls–t” claims about his ratings.

The comedian kicked off his Brooklyn week for “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” by happily telling his audience that the late night show was broadcasting to “100% of the country tonight.”

As he continued, Kimmel thanked his loyal fans, who vocalized their support amid his suspension and the show being pre-empted on Nexstar and Sinclair stations — which ended on Friday.

However, he seemed less than pleased with Vance, who accused Kimmel of being talentless with poor ratings during an interview with Laura Ingraham last week.

Kimmel didn’t hold back with his response, noting in his monologue, “Vice President Maybelline was making the rounds attempting to defends his boss [Donald Trump] and the chairman of the FCC [Brendan Carr] with a new fairytale even a five year old wouldn’t believe.”

After showing a clip from the Vance-Ingraham sit down, Kimmel taunted: “I have some good news for you, J-Dog. We’re back on all the stations. Every home, every bar, every strip club and every prison in America. But, sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt your bulls–t. Go on.”

In response to Vance’s claim that his ratings weren’t “very good,” Kimmel accused the Trump administration having “rating somewhere between a hair in your salad and chlamydia.”

As we previously reported, Kimmel’s return to late night television on Sept. 23 brought in a whopping 6.3 million viewers.

He added, “In three-and-a-half years, I’m not the one who’s gonna be doing mascara tutorials on YouTube. How did we wind up with a president and vice president who wear more makeup than Kylie Jenner and Lady Gaga combined?”

Watch the full clip above.

“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.

The post Jimmy Kimmel Hits Back at JD Vance’s Ratings Dig: ‘Bull—t’ | Video appeared first on TheWrap.

Jon Stewart Blasts Left-Right Blame Game Triggered by Violence: ‘Post-Shooting Pastime’ | Video

Jon Stewart called out both sides of the aisle for their reactions to recent bouts of violence in the United States, including mass shootings in Michigan, North Carolina, Texas and Louisiana.

The comedian weighed in on the situation during Monday night’s episode of “The Daily Show,” where he opened the show with a reprimand for both Republicans and Democrats for the finger pointing in the aftermath of the various tragedies.

“As we mentioned, there’s a mass shooting now like, every couple of hours,” Stewart noted in his monologue. “Previously, the routine would be we express our shock. We express our sadness. We offer our thoughts and prayers. We spend a day, maybe two arguing about the appropriateness of bringing up guns at all. And then we do nothing until the next time.”

Yet, as Stewart shared with “The Daily Show” audience, politicians and the news media have since seemingly abandoned this response for a different “post-shooting pastime.”

He continued: “That new pastime is, ‘Was this one of yours?’ … It’s America’s new gender reveal tradition. ‘Boom, it’s bloom. Ha ha. I’m so happy to blame the left for the violence.’ The game is so ubiquitous, now we often play it before we even know who the perpetrator is.”

Stewart then slammed both left and right-wing media for pushing out “inconclusive arcana” in the name of blaming the other side.

“So, why has the news media become obsessed with right, left framing of violence?” Stewart went on. “Well, part of the reason is, they are following the lead of social media. Social media is doing it crazier and faster than anybody else. So, the media is trying to keep up.”

Before wrapping up his monologue, Stewart had a blunt message for those contributing to the left-right blame game.

He continued: “Who the f–k cares? These mass shootings don’t fit neatly into our left-right paradigm. Mass shootings are probably caused by complex fusion of mental health and access to weapons and attention-seeking, delusional nihilism married to an algorithmic underworld that set these horrific acts in motion. But, unfortunately, right-left paradigm is the only way our narcissistic media ecosystem sees anything anymore.”

Watch the full clip above.

“The Daily Show” airs weeknights at 11 p.m. ET/PT on Comedy Central.

The post Jon Stewart Blasts Left-Right Blame Game Triggered by Violence: ‘Post-Shooting Pastime’ | Video appeared first on TheWrap.

MrBeast Addresses Fan Concern Over Fire Stunt in Video: ‘We Take Safety Extremely Seriously’

MrBeast was forced to put out literal and figurative fires over the weekend after one fiery stunt in a YouTube video sparked concern from fans online.

The content creator, also known as Jimmy Donaldson, uploaded his latest video on Saturday, which was titled, “Would You Risk Dying For $500,000?,” and saw one contestant face a number of blazing “death traps” in an attempt to nab a cash prize.

The footage opened up with Donaldson asking the contestant, a stuntman named Eric, if he’d be willing to “risk burning alive” in the quest to earn half a million dollars.

After the contestant agreed to the challenge, he escaped being tied to a chair while a room burned down. The video also boasted several other stunts, including shooting someone out of a canon into fire.

It didn’t take long for the video to spread like wildfire, with many voicing their safety concerns for the contestant.

In response to the growing criticism, MrBeast issued statements on both YouTube and X. Specifically, in a pinned comment on the video — which has over 50 million views at the time of writing — the social media star promised fans that “we take safety extremely seriously.”

“Every challenge was tested by multiple stuntmen, we have a full rescue team on standby with firefighters, EMTs and divers equipped with an ambulance and fire truck,” he continued. “We also had a pyro team controlling the fires and multiple fire suppression methods on every challenge to ensure we could essentially turn off the fire if there was ever an issue.”

Donaldson went on to praise the production’s stunt coordinator and noted that they didn’t need to utilize any of the aforementioned safety systems.

He expressed a similar sentiment on X on Sunday, where he shared his surprise at how the video “blew up,” especially regarding the safety concerns.

“If you’re curious obviously we had ventilation for the smoke and a kill switch to cut off the fires,” he added. “We had professionals test this extensively and the guy in the video as stated is a professional stunt man. I take safety more serious than you could ever imagine.”

The video has prompted mixed responses from fans, with some applauding the stunt man’s skill and others comparing the challenge to Netflix’s “Squid Game” — which MrBeast (sort of) brought to life in a 2021 video.

For the record, Eric emerged from the stunts seemingly unscathed and with $350,000 in prize money.

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Emerald Fennell Defends Casting Margot Robbie & Jacob Elordi in ‘Wuthering Heights’ After Fan Pushback

Emerald Fennell has doubled down on her decision to cast Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi in her film adaptation of “Wuthering Heights,” despite receiving pushback from fans over the decision.

The Oscar winner shared insight into her casting choice while speaking at the Brontë Women’s Writing Festival on Friday, where she acknowledged the “huge responsibility” she felt while adapting Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel to the big screen.

She added, “It’s very personal material for everyone.”

As Fennell told the crowd at the festival — which took place in Brontë’s hometown in West Yorkshire — she had been “obsessed” with the book in her teens, and that one past edition of the novel inspired her casting of Elordi.

Namely, Fennell revealed she asked the “Euphoria” star to play the brooding Heathcliff on the set of “Saltburn,” as he “looked exactly like the illustration of Heathcliff on the first book that I read.”

She added, per BBC, “I had been thinking about making it [“Wuthering Heights”], and it seemed to me he had the thing … he’s a very surprising actor.”

However, fans of Brontë’s novel didn’t necessarily agree, given Heathcliff is notably described as dark-skinned in the novel. And so, the casting of white Elordi sparked outcry online, with some accusing the new iteration of whitewashing Heathcliff.

There was additional frustration from fans over the casting of Robbie as Catherine Earnshaw, the love interest of Heathcliff and a teenager in the book. Since Robbie is 35 years old, many felt the actress was too old for the role — however, Fennell made it clear she disagreed with this belief.

Per Fennell, Robbie was “not like anyone [she’s] ever met,” which was exactly what she needed for the role of Cathy.

As she continued, Fennell praised Robbie’s beauty, joking that the actress “could commit a killing spree and nobody would mind.”

“And that is who Cathy is to me. Cathy is somebody who just pushes to see how far she can go,” she continued. “So it needed somebody like Margot, who’s a star, not just an incredible actress — which she is — but somebody who has a power, an otherworldly power, a Godlike power, that means people lose their minds.”

“Wuthering Heights” arrives in theaters nationwide on Feb. 13, and internationally staring on Feb. 11.

The post Emerald Fennell Defends Casting Margot Robbie & Jacob Elordi in ‘Wuthering Heights’ After Fan Pushback appeared first on TheWrap.

‘Punch’ Broadway Review: A True Story of Manslaughter Makes a Mawkish Transfer to the Stage

On stage and in the movies, scenes set in a group therapy session or a psychiatrist’s office usually come off as something of a cheat. We’re offered a lot of psychological details and explanations without much effort from the writer. That theatrical shortcut is only part of the problem with James Graham’s new play “Punch,” which opened Monday at MTC Samuel J. Friedman Theatre after its world premiere at the U.K.’s Nottingham Playhouse in 2024.

In “Punch,” it’s not really a therapy session so much as it is a “restorative justice” meeting between two parents, (Victoria Clark and Sam Robards), and the young man (Will Harrison) who killed their son with just one lethal blow during a pub brawl. The 19-year-old is named Jacob because he is the author, Jacob Dunne, who was convicted of manslaughter for killing Joan and David’s son James Hodgkinson and went on to write “Right From Wrong” and co-founded the Common Ground Justice Project — of which Joan and David are advisors.

To criticize a play that tells this story of transformation is to be a grump. But good intentions aren’t enough to make a good play. The suspense leading up to the first meeting between the parents and Jacob is palpable, and in those early moments, it’s clear that there’s a lot of pent-up emotions ready to erupt at the mere choice of a wrong word, much less a whole question or pointed accusation. Obviously, the three of them eventually come to more than an understanding; they become good friends and Jacob goes on to have a beautiful wife, an adorable baby and a successful career. So where’s his Nobel Prize? And more important, where’s the drama after two hours and 20 minutes? The resolution here is much too easy and pat. Maybe that’s the way it transpired in real life, but the stage is another world.

Yes, it feels good to know that, occasionally, convicts like Jacob can turn their life around and go on to do good. And even more heartwarming, before he delivered the lethal punch, Jacob had all sorts of other formidable odds to overcome, stuff like dyslexia and autism, not to mention an economically disadvantaged childhood. We learn all these things because Will Harrison tells us every unfortunate feature of Jacob’s life. It is a narrative that’s not so much dramatized as it is told. Actually, it’s shouted at us by Harrison, who is an actor of not much nuance.

His loud performance is of a piece with Adam Penford’s splashy direction, which punctuates every other sentence coming from Harrison’s mouth with lots of lighting (by Robbie Butler) and sound effects (by Alexandra Faye Braithwaite).

There’s something else that Penford does that’s really grating. Even though he has 10 actors on stage, he relies on leads Clark and Robards to play minor characters with a mere switch of a hairdo or a shirt. It’s especially unfortunate to see Clark, a fine actor, resort to cheap tricks to go from playing the levelheaded mom to the cute grandma to some rowdy young street urchin.

As a playwright, Graham is as unsubtle here as he was with his previous ripped-from-the-headlines Broadway offering, “Ink,” about Rupert Murdoch. In one “Punch” scene, he has the owner of some Amazon-like warehouse, where Jacob briefly works on his way to rehabilitation, lecture us about an economy that has gone from producing things to simply shipping things. It’s a five-minute speech that I’ve heard at least once a week on MSNBC and delivered to better effect. To make it even more insufferable, Piter Marek delivers this New Finance 101 talk in the same hectoring manner that Harrison uses. And, of course, in another of Penford’s quick character switcheroos, Marek throws off his sports jacket to play a street thug in the very next scene.

Awkward, yes; impressive, no.

The post ‘Punch’ Broadway Review: A True Story of Manslaughter Makes a Mawkish Transfer to the Stage appeared first on TheWrap.

‘Pose’ Actress Indya Moore Calls Out Ryan Murphy for Silence on Trans Rights in Tearful Instagram Reel

“Pose” star Indya Moore slammed Ryan Murphy for his lack of vocal support for transgender artists in a 30-minute Instagram reel from Paris Monday.

In the tearful video, the transgender and non-binary actress first thanked “anyone that has supported trans people ever” before railing against the Trump administration’s stance on trans rights.

“I want to express my thanks and my gratitude to all the people who have ever given us jobs, given us work, allowing us to be able to speak out. But like, we really need y’all. We really, really need y’all,” Moore said, through tears. “Like, the fact that Ryan Murphy has been this silent — like, we really pissed you off that much, Ryan? Like Ryan Murphy, who upset you that much?”

Watch the video here.

Moore’s series “Pose” was co-created by Murphy, which explored New York City’s underground ballroom scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The series also focused on the intersectional experience for the African-American and Latinx LGBTQ+ community as they dealt with discrimination, the AIDS crisis, family and identity.

The actress went on to call on the television titan to use his platform to support trans artists and “do more.”

“You do need to address the racism, the violence and the targeting of people on your productions, Ryan Murphy. Yes, you do. You do need to make sure that trans people are paid equally.” she said. “Yes, Janet did the right thing.”

“Pose” executive producer Janet Mock slammed Murphy and fellow co-creator Steven Canals for not paying her more for her work on the show at the show’s premiere in 2021. The trans woman and activist confronted Murphy specifically and the executives behind the project, saying they did not compensate the trans talent on the series fairly.

“F— Hollywood,” she said. “Does this make you uncomfortable? It should. It should make you f—ing shake in your motherf—ing boots.”

Laverne Cox commented on Moore’s post, expressing her love and support.

“This call to action, this call to love, this call for empathy, acknowledging each other’s humanity both intra-community and for those who proclaim allyship,” Cox wrote on the post. “I’ve been weeping just like this. Weeping. But not showing it. But I hear you. I feel you deeply. I’m right there too.”

Actress Alyssa Milano and drag queens Shea Coulee and Peppermint also commented on Moore’s emotional Instagram reel.

In 2018, Murphy shared duirng the “Pose” Season 1 premiere that he wanted to create uplifting art about the queer community during Trump’s first administration.

“Our community is under such attack from this administration,” Murphy said. “I wanted to put something optimistic and uplifting out there.”

The post ‘Pose’ Actress Indya Moore Calls Out Ryan Murphy for Silence on Trans Rights in Tearful Instagram Reel appeared first on TheWrap.

‘Reading Rainbow’ Books New Host & Celebrity Guests After Almost 20-Year Break | Video

Take a look, a reboot is booked.

After nearly 20 years, “Reading Rainbow” is set to return with a new series on the YouTube channel KidZuko starting in October. Hosted by Mychal Threets (known on TikTok as Mychal the Librarian), this show will continue the premise of the original series — which was hosted by LeVar Burton and ran from the 1980s to the early 2000s.

For those unfamiliar with the beloved PBS show, “Reading Rainbow” encourages children to read, go to the library and have thoughtful conversations about books through a series of educational segments.

The official “Reading Rainbow” Instagram account released a first look at the series on Monday, and put Mychal the Librarian — a TikTok educational advocate — front-and-center as the new face of the reboot.

Throughout the clip, Threets teased that the show would feature “new friends, new projects and, of course, new books.”

“After nearly 20 years … Reading Rainbow is returning to motivate, help, and encourage kids to become avid readers with new episodes, new friends, new projects, and of course… new books! Make sure to follow the rainbow ,” the “Reading Rainbow” account posted.

You can watch the full trailer below.

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A slate of celebrities have already been announced to join Threets for the rebooted show, both as readers and on-camera cameos.

Rylee Arnold and Ezra Sosa of “Dancing with the Stars” fame will be guests on the show, as will Bellen Woodard, 14-year-old author of “More Than Peach.” Ebon Moss-Bachrach, who was identified as an “actor and Cat Dad,” is seen in the trailer reading to cats.

Jamie Chung, Gabrielle Union, Adam DeVine, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen all appear in the trailer as book narrators, too.

Threets has long been an advocate of local libraries and children’s education, spreading his love for literature on various social media platforms. The influencer and former librarian has gained traction in recent years as a positive influence both on- and offline. On his arm, followers can see a tattoo of a library card owned by the famed cartoon character Arthur Read.

For over a year, Threets has also served as PBS’ resident librarian. So, it’s safe to assume “Reading Rainbow” is now in good hands.

“Reading Rainbow” will launch with a four-episode short-form run every Saturday from Oct. 4 to Oct. 25. Each episode will release at 7 a.m. PST/10 a.m. EST. Episodes will also be embedded on ReadingRainbow.org.

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