Steve Pond's Blog, page 6

Sean Penn Says Charlie Kirk Assassination Was ‘Different’ From Health Insurance CEO, Others: ‘We Need That Debate’

The shooting death of Charlie Kirk was “different” than that of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and of Minnesota House of Representatives Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Sean Penn said in an interview with the New York Times published Saturday.

“I think we need that guy. We need that debate,” he added.

Penn was asked about Kirk’s death because it occurred only days before he sat down with the Times. The actor thoughtfully laid out a response that measured what it means to be a “human on Earth” before he addressed the topic directly.

“First of all, just as a human on Earth, it’s fair to say I’m processing what happened. I’ve increasingly lost any kind of understanding about why we have as a country become so compliant with the public-facing polarization, when any of us who talk to each other understand that while there’s this incredible partisanship that is expressed in the power-hustling of politics and media, it isn’t the case with individuals,” Penn began.

“I’m getting to Charlie Kirk. These fashions of violence; this one seems different. It seems different than the members of Congress. It seems different than the insurance executive. It seems even different than the attempt on the president. There’s something about this one.”

Though Penn also said he didn’t follow Kirk’s work, he said he suspected the conservative podcaster was “one of these people who certainly I disagree with on almost everything.”

“I didn’t get the sense that he was one of these snake oil salesmen. I think we need that guy. We need that debate,” he continued. “We’ve gotta fight it out and find a compromise. These things do come into fashion, and the way we kill the fashion of it is people of conscience on both sides recognizing that if somebody really believes something, that’s your friend.”

After Penn was asked whether his answer depends on what someone believes, he clarified: “ I’m not talking about some sociopathic Nazism. I’m talking about if somebody believes that a human being starts at conception, if you can’t understand that concept, you’re just stupid. And if you’re not willing to tolerate the concept as a concept that’s held as deeply as I may have a belief that, I don’t know, let the woman decide. All of these are valid opinions. What’s the consensus in society, civilly? This murderer who shot the insurance executive? I’m no fan of health insurance companies, but Jesus, man, is that the best argument you got?”

Read the interview with Sean Penn at the New York Times.

The post Sean Penn Says Charlie Kirk Assassination Was ‘Different’ From Health Insurance CEO, Others: ‘We Need That Debate’ appeared first on TheWrap.

Toni Collette Thought ‘The Sixth Sense’ Was a ‘Spiritual Story’ – Not a Horror Movie

Toni Collette starred in 1999’s “The Sixth Sense” — but didn’t realize she was in a horror movie until several weeks into filming. As the actress told Q With Tom Power last week, “I just thought it was a beautiful spiritual story.”

The nature of the movie dawned on her after she walked by the editing bay on set, Collette added, and saw the editors cut a scene in which Cole, played by Haley Joel Osment, finds the ghost of Kyra, played by Mischa Barton.

“She reaches out and grabs him,” Collette said, “And the way it was shot, I was like, ‘Oh, holy s–, I think this is a horror movie.’

Collette will next star in “Wayward,” Mae Martin’s latest project.

The series is set within the troubled teen industry. Martin, who has had known several friends who were sent to schools for troubled youth, explained to TheWrap, “Because it was my best friend who got sent to one of these schools, and I always had a lot of guilt about it, because I felt like I should have been the one who was sent, imagining a scenario where I went to bust her out and then was in there with her trying to stay sane, was a really interesting exercise.”

The series also stars Leila (Alyvia Alyn Lind) and Abbie (Sydney Topliffe) as a pair of best friends who hope to leave the town they live in one day. While the show is about teen friendships, it’s also about “the intense codependent friendships where you feel like you can be full of yourself and you’re hysterically laughing all the time,” Martin also said.

The post Toni Collette Thought ‘The Sixth Sense’ Was a ‘Spiritual Story’ – Not a Horror Movie appeared first on TheWrap.

Nepali Filmmakers Challenge ‘Anjila’ International Feature Oscar Entry, Director Calls It ‘Personal’ Attack

A group of Nepali filmmakers has reportedly filed a formal complaint with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences that challenges the country’s submission of “Anjila” for the international feature Oscar, alleging conflicts of interest and violations of procedure. “Anjila” director Milan Chams dismissed the complaint as “personal disappointment” from rival filmmakers.

The protest targets the selection of “Anjila,” a biographical drama about Anjila Tumbapo Subba, captain and goalkeeper of Nepal’s women’s national soccer team, who stars as herself. The film traces her rise from a restrictive home life to leading the squad, highlighting her struggles against social expectations.

Chams called the complaint as “personal disappointment” and accused Samundra Bhatta, director of the competing film “Gunyo Cholo,” of offering up to $100,000 to dislodge his movie from consideration.

“She expressed complete confidence her film would be selected, citing personal relationships with committee members,” Chams said in a statement to Variety.

Neither Chams nor Bhatta responded to requests for comment Saturday. The Academy also did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

Filmmakers Deepak Rauniyar and Binod Paudel, among others, allege the process was conducted in near secrecy. They say the application window was reduced to nine days during a national crisis that included curfews and the prime minister’s resignation, leaving many unable to submit films. They also point to committee member Jeevan Kumar Parajuli’s dual role as both a voter and “Anjila’s” media coordinator as an “obvious conflict of interest.”

“This is so unfair to Nepali filmmakers,” producer Ram Krishna Pokharel wrote on social media, criticizing the lack of public notice.

The Academy requires each country’s selection committee to publish its process but does not dictate procedures beyond compliance with eligibility rules. Nepal’s submission deadline is Oct. 1, after which the Academy will vet entries.

The protesting filmmakers are urging the Academy to void Nepal’s submission and order a restart with a 30-day application window and independent oversight.

The post Nepali Filmmakers Challenge ‘Anjila’ International Feature Oscar Entry, Director Calls It ‘Personal’ Attack appeared first on TheWrap.

Meryl Streep Attends Dolce & Gabbanna Show in Miranda Priestly Hair, Meets Anna Wintour | Video

Meryl Streep certainly knows how to entertain! In video shared by Vogue on Saturday, Streep was filmed in full Miranda Priestly hair alongside the magazine’s Global Editorial Director (who is rumored to have inspired the actresses’ “The Devil Wears Prada” character).

The duo were also joined by “Devil” costars Stanely Tucci and Simone Ashley.

Photos from the show in Milan also revealed Streep and Wintour were seated next to one another, and there are rumors circulating that the group were filming a scene for the sequel to the 2006 film.

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A post shared by Vogue (@voguemagazine)

Vogue played into the performance perfectly and described Streep as “Miranda Priestley” in the video’s caption, which read, “Can you please spell Gabbana? Of course they can. Today in Milan, legendary Runway magazine editor Miranda Priestly caught up with Vogue’s Anna Wintour following the spring 2026 @dolcegabbana show. Tap the link bio to read all about this morning’s surprise appearance. Video by @styledumonde.”

“The Devil Wears Prada 2” will be released in May 2026.

The post Meryl Streep Attends Dolce & Gabbanna Show in Miranda Priestly Hair, Meets Anna Wintour | Video appeared first on TheWrap.

How to Watch the 2025 Global Citizen Festival

Global Citizen will host its 13th annual music festival in New York City this Saturday.

The festival brings together global music superstars in order to raise money to end poverty. This year’s festival will take place on the Great Lawn in Central Park, featuring performances from Shakira, Cardi B and Tyla. Last year Post Malone, Doja Cat, Lisa and Raye headlined the 2024 festival in New York.

Global Citizen has comitted to several sustainability efforts in producing the festival. This year’s festival will be all vegetarian and vegan with plastic-free concessions. They will also minimize food waste by donating excess food to local organizations including RePlate and Friendly Fridge BX. The festival’s main stage will be completely powered by the same SmartGrid battery system used to power Coldplay’s world tour, in partnership with the band and CES Power.

In addition to powerhouse music performances, the festival will feature speeches from philanthropic advocates throughout the programming, including Bill Nye and Kristen Bell.

The Global Citizen Festival will be streamed across the globe to 78 countries and is produced by Done+Dusted and Diversified Production Services.. For more on where to watch, keep reading.

What time does it start?

The music festival will take place Saturday Sept. 27 at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT.

Where can I watch?

Music fans can attend the festival at Central Park’s Great Lawn in New York City.

For fans at home, the 2025 Global Citizen Festival will be available stream on YouTube, Apple Music and the Apple TV app, the Amazon Music En Vivo channel on Twitch, the Amazon Live FAST channel on Prime Video and FireTV, Brut, DITU, iHeartRadio, Mediacorp, Veeps, ViX and VIZIO WatchFree+. The Global Citizen website and the Global Citizen app will also broadcast the festival all day.

To see how to view the festival internationally, visit the Global Citizen Festival’s watch page here. 

How can I get tickets?

Tickets to the Global Citizen Festival are free and can be earned by volunteering through the company’s campaign goals. Earlier this month, the organzation hosted a beach cleanup, and all participants earned a ticket to the festival.

Fans can also purchase tickets on Global Citizen’s website.

Who will perform?

The headliners for Saturday’s festival include Shakira and Cardi B, with performances from Tyla, Ayra Starr, Mariah the Scientist and Camilo.

Who will host the festival?

Global Citizen Ambassador Hugh Jackman will host the 2025 festival with special appearances from presenters Bill Nye, Adam Lambert, Danai Gurira and Liza Koshy.

What other celebrities will make appearances?

Other notable participants include Kristen Bell, Tony Goldwyn, Laurie Hernandez, Vladimir Duthiers, Lydia Kekeli Amenyaglo, Fy Rajaonarivelo, Esther Kimani, Omowumi Ogunrotimi and Valeriia Rachynska.

What is Global Citizen?

Global Citizen is an international advocacy organization on a mission to end extreme poverty. They organize campaigns and events to engage advocates worldwide to take action. The organization also gathers leaders in music, entertainment, public policy, media, philanthropy and the corporate sector to spread their mission. Since the movement began in 2008, the company has deployed $49 billion in commitments impacting 1.3 billion lives.

The post How to Watch the 2025 Global Citizen Festival appeared first on TheWrap.

White House Correspondent Slams Trump’s Comey Case: ‘Vindictive Prosecution’ | Video

This week New York Times White House correspondent Maggie Haberman had harsh words for Donald Trump’s “vindictive prosecution” against former FBI director James Comey.

Trump publicly called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue legal action against “Comey, Adam ‘Shifty’ Schiff, [and] Leticia [Letitia James]” who are all “guilty as hell” in a post shared to Truth Social Sept. 20. The indictment against Comey was released Thursday.

The former FBI director was indicted on one count for giving a false statement and on one count of obstruction of justice. Both charges were related to his September 2020 testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The former FBI director is the first senior government official, who investigated Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign over possible ties to Russia, to face federal charges.

Maggie Haberman Piles On Trump Over Weakness Of Comey Casehttps://t.co/30aEb916Ga pic.twitter.com/HN4GHcMO0e

— Tommy moderna-vaX-Topher (@tommyxtopher) September 27, 2025

While speaking to Anderson Cooper on CNN Friday, Haberman explained that the post itself could pose a problem to Trump’s legal threat. She said, “I think that most defense lawyers would probably use that post in some kind of a legal filing trying to get this case thrown out, be it arguing … a vindictive prosecution argument which, it’s not often successful to make that claim, but there can be other arguments against the evidence.”

“And I think, you know, that post plus the fact that there were prosecutors in the Eastern District of Virginia who put in a memo that they didn’t think that the case was strong enough to take to trial, that they thought that it was too weak to try to win a conviction on. All of that could raise red flags,” she added.

The indictment has been celebrated by MAGA enthusiasts but others have argued it’s unlikely the legal action will stand up in court.

Comey has appeared wholly unbothered by Trump’s threat. “My heart is broken for the Department of Justice, but I have great confidence in the federal judicial system, and I’m innocent,” he said in a video following the announcement. “So let’s have a trial, and keep the faith.”

Trump has had Comey in his crosshairs since the latter’s investigation into Russia’s attempts to influence the 2016 presidential election in the United States. Trump fired Comey from office in 2017, and the former FBI director has since become an outspoken critic of the president.

The case against Comey, who is charged with making a false statement and obstructing a congressional proceeding, could be thrown out early if his legal team is able to establish it was filed out of selective or vindictive prosecution, though the defense team will have to climb a steep hill to prove such an assertion. Per the U.S. Constitution, selection prosecution refers to the use of “an unjustifiable standard such as race, religion, or other arbitrary classification” and vindictive prosecution references legal action taken in retribution for exercising a legal right.

Trump’s pattern of attacking Comey repeatedly and viciously online could offer some support should the former director’s legal team pursue such a designation.

You can watch Haberman’s full interview in the video above.

The post White House Correspondent Slams Trump’s Comey Case: ‘Vindictive Prosecution’ | Video appeared first on TheWrap.

Greg Gutfeld Blames Democrats’ ‘Demonization’ for Violence, Defends His Insults as ‘Petty – but Not Deadly’ | Video

Greg Gutfeld has had multiple on-air meltdowns over political violence since the assassination of Charlie Kirk, suggesting a left-tilting imbalance that stems from their “demonizing” rhetoric – and this week, he put a fine point on his point.

“Can you get the people who would demonize us to change, or is it too ingrained?,” the Fox News late night host said Friday night. “For them it’s more than a disagreement. They call you fascist, a threat to democracy, Hitler. And if you plant that seed long enough, somebody’s going to act on it.”

Gutfeld suggested that Kirk’s killing and the Texas shooting at an ICE facility are evidence that the way Democrats act about conservatives is stoking severe, violent acts. The show rolled a series of clips with various people saying things like “Donald Trump’s modern-day Gestapo” and calling Trump an “authoritarian,” “fascist” and “Nazi.”

“They’ve got to admit they are playing with fire,” Gutfeld said. “You have a repetitive inflammatory message you released into the wild, you have followers, many of whom aren’t well, who will act on it.”

Gutfeld acknowledged that he himself is a top-selling merchant of nasty insults – just ask “The View,” whose hosts he targets on a nightly basis – but insisted there’s a different nature to his brand of roast.

“For anyone saying, but Greg, you do it too – I don’t,” he said. “I don’t demonize people. … [I say things like] ‘If it walks like a duck, swims like a duck, but eats like an elephant, it’s probably Joy Behar.'”

“See?” Gutfeld continued. “That’s petty. But it’s not deadly. No one goes after Joy Behar when I say she’s fat. I don’t say she’s a threat to democracy, just a threat to an all-you-can-eat buffet. In the hierarchy of slayers, that joke doesn’t come close to Hitler. […] Demonization has become their only tool.”

Gutfeld doesn’t mind the barbs thrown his way – “Call me short, loud, stupid, mindless, infantile, smelly. I’ll take it. … that’s how you let off steam. That’s how you defuse violence. Insults, ridicule, mockery. In the old days that’s how we dealt with differences. Not by calling us Hitler.”

At least one “Gutfeld!” panelist, Kat Timpf in this case, took issue with Gutfeld’s style of critique – particularly of Behar.

“I do agree that calling someone fat is not as bad as calling someone Hitler. Where you lose me is how that automatically means that calling someone fat is heroic,” Timpf said. “There is something I’ve been meaning to tell you for a really long time. I think now might be the time to do it. Should I do it? I don’t feel like Joy Behar’s fat. … She’s 82 years old. She looks great.”

Watch the entire exchange in the video clip above.

The post Greg Gutfeld Blames Democrats’ ‘Demonization’ for Violence, Defends His Insults as ‘Petty – but Not Deadly’ | Video appeared first on TheWrap.

7 Cozy Movies to Watch This Fall

Fall has finally arrived. For many, that seasonal shift means the start of a weeks-long Spooky Season marathon in which they revisit all of their creepy Halloween movie favorites. Fall onscreen does not have to be exclusively associated with knife-wielding slashers and vengeful spirits, though. As the following films prove, it can also mean amber leaves, love, coming-of-age, intriguing mysteries and even some absurd anthropomorphic animal hijinks.

Here are seven cozy movies that you can watch to help kick off fall this year.

“Little Women” (Sony Pictures Releasing)“Little Women” (2019)

There is vibrant life bursting through every frame of “Little Women.” Writer-director Greta Gerwig’s radical adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s seminal coming-of-age novel jubilantly bounces between the past and present, joy and sadness, winter and fall across its 135 minutes. Along the way, Gerwig and cinematographer Yorick Le Saux never fail to find the texture of each passing moment (think of the lingering cigar smoke in the publisher’s office where Saoirse Ronan’s Jo makes her money, or the wind on the beach where she goes with her family).

The movie’s portrait of fall in Massachusetts feels real enough that you could reach out and touch it, and Gerwig and Le Saux repeatedly create painterly compositions that ring with thematic depth and unspoken meaning. (Note: the faraway placement of the church in the scene captured above, just moments after Ronan’s Jo has refused a marriage proposal from her best friend). It is one of the coziest and best movies of the past 10 years, and an exceptional portrait of change and growth, which may be why it captures the vibes of autumn — itself a transitional season — so well.

“When Harry Met Sally…” (Columbia Pictures)“When Harry Met Sally…” (1989)

Odds are, when you think of what autumn looks like in film, you think of the orange New York City leaves in “When Harry Met Sally…” This Nora Ephron-penned 1989 classic not only reinvented and redefined the romantic comedy genre, it also delivered a vision of fall onscreen that remains ingrained in the minds of everyone who has witnessed it. 

The film’s version of New York Christmas and New Year’s is no less beautiful, but it is those images of Harry (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Meg Ryan) walking beneath the city’s amber-colored leaves that make the biggest impact. The film captures the aesthetic and atmospheric appeal of fall better than almost any other ever has. It’s iconic for a reason.

“Knives Out” (Lionsgate)“Knives Out” (2019)

If a movie was released Thanksgiving week, there is a good chance it is a great fall film. That is, at least, certainly the case for writer-director Rian Johnson’s “Knives Out.” This tongue-in-cheek, exceptionally entertaining murder mystery about a detective (Daniel Craig) who travels to investigate the mysterious death of a rich horror novelist was shot in and around Boston in the fall of 2018, and you can tell.

Everyone is dressed in thick cable knit sweaters and overcoats and you can practically hear the brown, fallen leaves crunching beneath characters’ feet as they walk around outside. Featuring a predominantly muted, neutral color palette, “Knives Out” offers a very different vision of fall than “When Harry Met Sally…” But it is no less cozy, and it delivers the kind of cup-of-coffee, murder-mystery-by-a-fire vibes that so many like to seek out once summer is over.

“Hoosiers” (Orion Pictures)“Hoosiers” (1986)

Here is a film that has no business looking as good as it does. Be that as it may, nearly every frame of “Hoosiers,” director David Anspaugh’s classic 1986 basketball film, is artistically lit and composed. Set in a small town in 1954 Indiana, its images combine together to create a striking portrait of a midwest American fall. Leaves blow in and out of the frame, fog clouds the shine of morning sunrises and stalks of wheat sway against lightly cold, crisp winds. 

The film may tell its story about a high school basketball team’s journey to a historic state championship win simply and without much fuss, but it finds the emotional and visual beauty lurking beneath its plot’s surface at every turn. The resulting movie is one of the most lived-in and stirring sports movies ever made — one that gives viewers an unexpectedly cozy way to ease into autumn.

“Fantastic Mr. Fox” (20th Century Fox)“Fantastic Mr. Fox” (2009)

“Fantastic Mr. Fox” is a film that is absolutely bursting with brilliant autumnal colors. Director Wes Anderson’s adaptation of the Roald Dahl novel of the same name is a stop-motion animated adventure about a tricky fox (voiced by George Clooney) whose thieving spree puts the lives of his family and his entire animal community at risk.

From the burnt orange skies of many of the film’s outdoor scenes to its hero’s orange fur and complementary brown suit, “Fantastic Mr. Fox” finds every chance it can to create stunning beauty out of its decidedly fall-inspired color scheme. One of two animated entries on this list, “Fantastic Mr. Fox” has climbed up the rankings of Great Fall Movies over the past 15 years, and for good reason. Few movies are quite as cozy and as fall as this one.

“Practical Magic” (Warner Bros.)“Practical Magic” (1998)

This would not be a proper list of great fall films without at least one witchy entry. Enter: “Practical Magic.” This beloved cult classic from actor-director Griffin Dunne is a celebration of love, sisterhood and feminine power. In case that was not enough, it is also overflowing with rich shades of green, yellow, red and orange. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman lead the film as a pair of witch sisters who are brought back together as adults, first by an unexpected death and then by the threat of an abusive boyfriend who just won’t stay dead. 

Thanks to its story and its supernatural, lightly macabre elements, “Practical Magic” has emerged as a cozy alternative to the more brutal, straightforwardly terrifying seasonal movies that people usually choose to watch in September and October. “Practical Magic” is, in other words, a playful, warm-hearted hug of a movie, and it has got enough witchy vibes to make it either a perfect lead-in to your annual spooky season marathon, or a mid-October palate cleanser.

“Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit” (DreamWorks Pictures)“Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit” (2005)

Like “Practical Magic,” 2005’s “Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit” has enough lightly spooky Halloween vibes to make it a perfect addition to anyone’s annual October watchlist. A lighthearted riff on classic Universal monster movies, this animated delight follows its iconic, eponymous inventor and dog as they end up in a battle with a giant, mutant rabbit that has begun to destroy their town’s vegetable crops. 

Overflowing with clever visual gags and British charm, “Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit” is a perfect film to watch on your couch while curled up under a blanket one fall night. It’s got all the Halloween vibes that you could possibly want, minus all of the decidedly un-cozy aspects that are present in most of the films associated with the month of October.

The post 7 Cozy Movies to Watch This Fall appeared first on TheWrap.

The 7 Best New Movies Streaming Free on Tubi in September

Listen, what’s better than watching a movie from the comfort of your home? Watching it for free, duh, an offer Tubi’s got you completely covered on.

Hilarious comedy classics, heartbreaking biopics and pop culture gems — take your pick. Tubi has it all. This list consists of titles we all know and love, as well as some you haven’t seen in a while but you’ve yearning to revisit. And others serve as career jumpoff projects for a few notable names in music and film.

Check out the list below.

“The Mask” (Getty Images)“The Mask” (1994)

It’s hard to nail down which of Jim Carrey’s films best represent his comedic genius, but “The Mask” is surely one of them. Adapted into a comedy from a violent Dark Horse comic series, “The Mask” came out in 1994 right along with Carrey’s two other box office hits “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” and “Dumb and Dumber” — marking Carrey’s breakout year and cementing him in Hollywood as a superstar talent. Rather than turning its hosts into sadistic murderers, like in the comics, director Chuck Russell’s version shaped timid bank clerk Stanley Ipkiss (Carrey) into a confident playboy no woman can deny — even nightclub singer Tina Carlyle (Cameron Diaz).

“Selena” (Warner Bros.)“Selena” (1997)

It’s always been “anything for Selenassss” for us, and that’s why the biopic “Selena,” which is centered on late Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla-Pérez’s rise to stardom and her tragic murder, makes the list. Like with Cameron Diaz in “The Mask,” “Selena” was Jennifer Lopez’s very first role in a major motion picture, and it helped her pivot from dancer and supporting actress to first on the call sheet in Hollywood. Lopez even went method for the role, as she spent time with Selena’s real-life sister Suzette Quintanilla to prepare for the role.

“Edward Scissorhands” (20th Century Studios)“Edward Scissorhands” (1990)

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know we’re covering a lot of ’90s movies, but let’s be honest, some of the most beloved and cinematically brilliant pieces come from that era … so, tough.

Anyway, let’s get into Tim Burton’s whimsical, heartbreaking and so eerily warm film “Edward Scissorhands.” Johnny Depp plays an inventor’s unfinished humanoid project who carries scissors for hands. After being welcomed into a suburbia, he quickly learns that his uniqueness doesn’t fit too well into their picture perfect, cookie cutter community. Edward Scissorhands spawned from a childhood sketch of Burton’s. Depp wasn’t the only one considered for the role, by the way. Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks and even Michael Jackson were thought of, but Depp dropped his days of being a Hollywood heartthrob in “21 Jump Street” to play the terrifyingly lovable character.

“The Waterboy” (Getty Images)“The Waterboy” (1998)

Adam Sandler suited up and hit the field as Bobby Boucher in his hit sports comedy “The Waterboy,” which follows a coddled mama’s boy whose athletic power is discovered by a losing football team’s coach. The film came out the same year as Sandler’s “The Wedding Singer,” smoothing out the “Saturday Night Live” alum’s path to a successful solo career.

“ATL” (Warner Bros.)“ATL” (2006)

Another acting debut was made in the crime-drama “ATL.” Grammy award-winning hip hop star and Atlanta native T.I. starred in the film, his very first acting role in a feature film, as Rashad, a teen growing up in Atlanta where he spends his time with friends participating in the city’s popular skating rink culture. It’s loosley based on the real life stories of the film’s producers Dallas Austin and TLC’s Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins,” and served as the directorial debut for music video producer Chris Robinson. T.I. was widely praised for his ability carry the film and it ultimately paved the way for him nab future roles, like “American Gangster” and “Takers.”

“The Fifth Element” (Getty Images)“The Fifth Element” (1997)

After that short break in the early 2000s, we’re back with another ’90s goodie. Because when it comes to films that define the sci-fi genre, there’s no way director Luc Besson’s “The Fifth Element” doesn’t make any top 10 list. The film, which follows a trio a group of oddballs who come together to save the Earth from a massive ball of fire, was a story idea Besson started when he was a teen.

Amanda Seyfried, Lacey Chabert and Rachel McAdams in “Mean Girls” (Credit: Paramount Pictures)“Mean Girls” (2004)

You know a film is a pop culture gem when you can’t help but quote it. “Saturday Night Live” star Tina Fey truly did her big one when she penned “Mean Girls,” which was inspired by the book “Queen Bees and Wannabes.” However, it was Fey’s own real-life experiences from high school that helped her shape some of the film’s plots. It went on to have two spinoffs, and it literally inspired fans to create a “Mean Girls” Day. Yeah, no seriously. When is it? Oct. 3, of course.

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Jodi Whittaker Says She ‘Wouldn’t Hesitate’ to Return to ‘Doctor Who’: ‘Absolute Joy’

Jodi Whittaker looks back on her time on “Doctor Who” fondly, the actress told the Times of London in an interview published Saturday — and “just wouldn’t hesitate” to return to the series if given the right opportunity. As she put it: “It’s absolute joy.”

Whittaker briefly returned to the BBC production for a cameo during the regeneration of the Doctor played by Ncuti Gatwa.

That particular regeneration left fans — and the series — in a lurch. Showrunner Russell T Davies exited the series, and Gatwa appeared to return as Billie Piper’s Rose, the erstwhile companion of both Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant’s Doctors.

Unfortunately, Whittaker wasn’t able to shed any light on what might happen next.

“Nobody tells you anything. They didn’t even tell Billie and me that the other was in it,” she explained. “I got on set and half the crew didn’t know [that Whittaker was appearing]. The thing that makes me laugh about ‘Doctor Who’ is the secrecy. You’re, like, ‘Oh, I have to get a day off work,’ but not say what job I’m doing.”

Whittaker also reflected on what it meant to become the first female Doctor in the show’s history.

“There needed to be a first and I didn’t fully appreciate it,” she says. In the show, “I’m not like Jack Lemmon in ‘Some Like It Hot’: ‘I’m a girl, I’m a girl!’ I just am. But once it was announced — as well as a few grumpy pumps — for a lot of people it felt like a really wonderful moment,” she added.

The actress wrapped her time on the series in October 2022.

“I’ve shot my version of regen, and it was singularly the most emotional day on set I think I’ve ever had,” Whittaker told Entertainment Weekly. “It’s a really bizarre feeling, because it’s the best time I’ve ever had on a job, and I made the decision to leave it, so it’s a really strange thing to do to yourself. It feels like you’re giving yourself stitches — like, ‘Why have you done it?’ But … it felt right.”

“It was a wonderfully-celebratory-slash-grief-ridden day that I could spend with the family that I’d made,” she added. “I suppose the best thing about it is that the episodes are still on. So until they’re off, I don’t have to really get my head around the fact that it’s not my part!”

The post Jodi Whittaker Says She ‘Wouldn’t Hesitate’ to Return to ‘Doctor Who’: ‘Absolute Joy’ appeared first on TheWrap.