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Jamie Lynn Spears on ‘Zoey 102’ Reunion Movie: “Pinch-Me Moment”

Jamie Lynn Spears said reuniting with her Pacific Coast Academy squad for Zoey 102 was a “surreal” experience.

During an interview with Entertainment Tonight, published online Thursday, the actress opened up about how the upcoming movie materialized to begin with, saying it was a “pinch-me moment a lot of times.”

“It’s something we’ve worked on really hard for years to get, being patient to make sure it’s right, putting the right things in place,” she said. “And then it’s like a dream come true. It’s this thing you’ve been talking about and working on and trying to bring to life.”

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Spears added that she almost couldn’t believe it was real until they started filming. “The first day I walked on set, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, we really did it. We’re here, we’re doing it,’ so it is surreal,” she said.

Zoey 102, a follow-up to the hit Nickelodeon series, Zoey 101, sees Zoey (Spears) and some of her fellow PCA alumni reunite for Quinn (Erin Sanders) and Logan’s (Matthew Underwood) wedding. Sean Flynn, Christopher Massey and Abby Wilde also reprise their roles as Chase, Michael and Stacey, respectively.

The actress said she has “always dreamed of” getting the opportunity to revisit her character, which was such a huge part of her childhood. “It’s one of those things that I wasn’t sure if it could ever happen,” she added. “But I always dreamed of being able to do it and see where she is.”

Prior to the film, the cast also staged a reunion during the pandemic on the sketch comedy show, All That, as well as posting a TikTok video together in October 2020.

Spears also told the outlet that she doesn’t just credit the cast and crew for bringing the reunion movie to life.

“The fans are the only reason we got to do it the first time and they’re definitely the only reason we get to do it the second time,” she said. “After that [first reunion] was when we really started saying, ‘We need to hurry up and get this done.’ So we worked hard and finally brought it to life and it’s all because of the fans.”

Spears added that it was definitely “worth the wait” for the movie. “I think we did them [fans] justice,” she continued. “I think they’re going to be really happy.”

Zoey 102 hits Paramount+ on July 27.

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Christopher Nolan Says Directing James Bond Film Would Be an “Amazing Privilege”

Christopher Nolan is sharing his admiration for the James Bond franchise and why it would be an “amazing privilege” to direct a film of 007.

While speaking with host Josh Horowitz on a recent episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the Oppenheimer director admitted that he would gladly accept the opportunity if presented at the “right moment.”

“The influence of those movies on my filmography is embarrassingly apparent. And so there’s no attempt to shy away from that. I love the films,” Nolan said. “You know, it would be an amazing privilege to do one.”

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But the filmmaker noted that when you take on a character or project like the iconic British spy franchise, “you’re working within a particular set of constraints” and must approach it with the “right attitude.”

“It has to be the right moment in your creative life where you can express what you want to express and really burrow into something within the appropriate constraints because you would never want to take on something like that and do it wrong,” he added.

Taking on a legendary character wouldn’t be anything new for the Oscar-nominated director, as he brought Christian Bale’s Batman to life in the Dark Knight trilogy. But if he took on James Bond, Nolan explained that he would need to be allotted some creative freedom throughout the project.

“You wouldn’t want to take on a film not fully committed to what you bring to the table creatively. So as a writer, casting, everything, it’s a full package,” he said. “You’d have to be really needed, you’d have to be really wanted in terms of bringing the totality of what you bring to a character. Otherwise, I’m very happy to be first in line to see whatever they do.”

Nolan previously revealed in a 2017 interview with Playboy that he has kept in contact with “producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson over the years” and would “definitely” be down to take on a film in the hit franchise.

“I deeply love the character, and I’m always excited to see what they do with it,” he said at the time. “Maybe one day that would work out. You’d have to be needed, if you know what I mean. It has to need reinvention; it has to need you. And they’re getting along very well.”

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Apple AirTag Vs Tile: Which Is The Better Bluetooth Tracker?

The most stand-out difference between AirTag and Tile is compatibility. AirTags are designed to smoothly pair with your device in just a few button presses but, as you might expect, that device has to be made by Apple. It makes them the obvious choice for owners of multiple Apple devices because it’s hard to beat the seamless collaboration between the various different products. Once you’ve connected an AirTag to your Apple ID using an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, you can locate the tag using any Apple device attached to that ID. This means you can locate an AirTag on your Mac, MacBook, or Apple Watch.

While seamless compatibility with a limited number of devices is Apple’s strength, free-form compatibility with a large range of brands and devices is Tile’s. They work with both Apple and Android devices, meaning you can pair your Tile with anything from an iPhone to a Samsung, Google Pixel, or a OnePlus, as well as any Android tablet.

The main requirements for a pairing device are an up-to-date OS and Bluetooth 4.0 or higher, though some devices such as the Huawei P40 and above are not supported. Smart assistants like Echo, Alexa, Google Nest, and Siri also count as compatible devices. You can even access your Tile account on a desktop computer or laptop, but Tile says their service works best on a mobile app.

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LL Cool J laughs at idea of Miranda Lambert stopping concert to scold selfie-taking fans: ‘Get over it, baby!’

LL Cool J fans should feel free to take all the selfies they want at his concerts. 

The rapper, 55, chided Miranda Lambert this week after a video from one of her concerts in Las Vegas went viral when she stopped in the middle of her song “Tin Man” to call out a group of women for taking photos. 

“I’m gonna stop right here for a second,” the 39-year-old country star told the crowd a week ago. “These girls are worried about their selfie and not listening to the song. It’s p—ing me off a little bit.” 

When asked if he would do the same thing at one of his shows, LL Cool J laughed hysterically, before telling Audacy’s “Mercedes in the Morning” “Uh, no.” He continued to crack up, adding, “Miranda, get over it, baby!” 

MIRANDA LAMBERT DESTROYING FAN’S BEACH BALL MID-CONCERT RESURFACES AS SINGER IS LABELED ‘ENTITLED’ 

LL Cool J jokingly told Miranda Lambert “Get over it, baby!” over fans taking photos at concerts.  (Getty)

“Your job as an artist is to create art,” he said. “The way that fans interact with that art or engage with it or appreciate it is up to them!”

He continued, “If you want to come to my show and sit there and eat a bowl of potato salad with a baseball hat down to your nose, that’s what you choose to do. You’ve got to let the fans do what they want to do. What about all of the thousands of people who aren’t doing that? What, you got rules? No yellow shirts!” 

MIRANDA LAMBERT SHARES THE ‘SECRET SAUCE’ TO HER HAPPY MARRIAGE 

The “I’m Bad” rapper said he had “nothing unkind” to say about Lambert, adding “I wish her the best and she has a right to her feelings, but for me, I let the fans be the fans, do what they want to do.”

He said his fans should feel free to “come to the show and enjoy yourself. It’s going to be three and a half hours of nonstop hip hop. If you want to take selfies, if want to bring the old camera, the old Polaroids from the early 1800s, that’s up to you.” 

LL Cool J said his fans should feel free to do what they want at his concerts, including taking selfies, Polaroids or eating potato salad.  (Scott Gries/NBC via Getty Images)

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Lambert’s outburst caused some fans to cheer her on while others left the show. 

In a fan-recorded video, a person could be heard saying to those around her, “Let’s go. C’mon. You don’t do that to fans.” 

Some fans cheered Mirnada Lambert’s brazen move while others walked out of the show.  (John Shearer/Getty Images for Miranda Lambert)

One of the women who was reprimanded by Lambert told NBC News she was “appalled” by the interaction. 

“It was 30 seconds at most,” Adela Calin, 43, said. “We took the picture quickly and were going to sit back down.”

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She added, “It felt like I was back at school with the teacher scolding me for doing something wrong and telling me to sit down back in my place … I feel like she was determined to make us look like we were young, immature and vain. But we were just grown women in our 30s to 60s trying to take a picture.”

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One Strange New Worlds/Lower Decks Joke Directly References A Common Fan Complaint

This joke goes beyond pointing out a simple tonal difference: it also pokes fun at the early days of “Star Trek: Lower Deck,” when fans and critics alike blasted the show for being frenetic and obnoxious compared to the many hour-long drama versions of the beloved series. You don’t have to look far to find reviews of the first season of “Lower Decks” that call it out for being too loud and fast. The Guardian’s Noah Gittell called it “a little too breezy for its own good,” while Polygon’s Samantha Nelson criticized the way the characters were “constantly spewing rapid-fire dialogue” in hopes that some of the quips will land. The Playlist’s Brian Tallerico wrote that the show “[seems] to mistake hyperactivity for ingenuity,” while Roger Ebert’s Roxana Hadadi said the series burned through enough storylines to fill several episodes in one.

Many fans have come around to “Star Trek: Lower Decks” in the years since it first aired, but back in 2020, it was hard to ignore the fact that a Trek show made in the spirit of shows like “Family Guy” and “Rick & Morty” (“Lower Decks” is created by Mike McMahan, who worked on the latter) didn’t feel much like the Trek we knew and loved at all. Three seasons in, the peppiness of the series mostly seems like a feature rather than a bug, but it’s still a shock for those who haven’t encountered it firsthand – like Spock, Pike, and the rest of the Enterprise crew. “These Old Scientists” has fun with this idea, but turns it on its head in an endearing way, noting that it’s the regular live-action Trek crews who seem like weirdos to Boimler and Mariner, not the other way around.

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Robin Williams’ kids pay tribute to the late actor on what would’ve been his 72nd birthday: ‘Love you forever’

Robin Williams’ children honored the late actor on what would have been his 72nd birthday.

On Friday, the “Mrs. Doubtfire” star’s son Zak, 40, and daughter Zelda, 33, shared touching tributes to their father on social media. 

“Happy 72nd Dad! Was remembering how much I used to love that look you’d give,” Zak captioned a photo of Williams from his 1987 war comedy “Good Morning America.”

Robin Williams’ children remembered their late father with touching tributes on what would have been his 72nd birthday. (Getty)

He continued, “That look with a mischievous, loving grin that your friends and loved ones knew so well. Joyous and curious and wondrous. Miss you and love you forever!” 

ROBIN WILLIAMS’ DAUGHTER ZELDA HONORS LATE FATHER’S 69TH BIRTHDAY BY DONATING TO HOMELESS SHELTERS

In the film, Williams played U.S. Air Force Sergeant Adrian Cronauer, who is sent to Saigon to work as a radio DJ entertaining troops during the Vietnam War. The Chicago native’s performance earned him a Golden Globe award for best actor in a motion picture musical or comedy. He was also nominated for a best actor Academy Award and a BAFTA Award for best actor in a leading role.

The beloved actor was a father of three. He shared Zak with his first wife Valerie Valerdi, to whom he was married from 1978 to 1988. In addition to Zak and Zelda, Williams was also father to son Cody, 31, who does not appear to have social media.

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The comedian shared Zelda and Cody with his ex-wife Marsha Garces. The two tied the knot in 1989 but later divorced in 2010. Williams was married to his third wife Susan Schneider from 2011 until his death in 2014.

Last year, Zak marked what would have been his father’s 71st birthday by sharing a photo of Williams posing with a bicycle while dressed in cycling gear and sporting a helmet.

“Happy 71st Birthday Dad! I’ll be remembering you today as you would want to be remembered, in spandex. Miss you and love you always!” “The Graduates” actor wrote in the caption of his Instagram post.

In her tribute to her father, Zelda noted that if Williams were still alive, he would have been supporting the ongoing Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA)  strikes.

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The “Teen Wolf” alum shared a throwback snap of Williams on the picket lines during the 2008 WGA strike, writing, “Happy birthday to Poppo, who definitely would’ve been out there fighting the good fight for art and artists today and always.”

In 2019, Zelda shared an emotional Instagram post when Cody married his longtime girlfriend Maria Flores on what would have been Williams’ 68th birthday.

“The 21st of July has meant many things to me over the years,” Zelda wrote in the since-deleted post, via USA Today. “It was the day my Dad was born, and the last day I got to see him. That last one had begun to usurp the joy of the first …in recent years… until two days ago, when it became something new.”

She continued, “On the 21st of July, 2019, it became the day I officially gained a new sister!”

“To (Maria) and Cody, you are a light in all of our lives,” Zelda added. “I’m so grateful to have paid witness to your love over the years, to have watched you grow and care for each other in ways we should all be so lucky to experience. You were already part of the family in my eyes, but now there’s an official slip of paper somewhere that agrees!”

“Zak, Mom and I love you both dearly, and I think I can speak for all of us when I say CONGRATULATIONS TO THE BRIDE AND GROOM!” she concluded.

Williams shared Zak with his first ex-wife Valerdi. He was also father to Zelda and Cody, whom he shared with his ex-wife Marsha Garces. (Jim Spellman/WireImage)

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Williams died by suicide on Aug. 11, 2014. The comedian struggled with addiction throughout his career and had completed a rehab stint shortly before his death. Following his death, it was found that the actor was suffering from Lewy Body Dementia.

“It is important to note that patients with diffuse Lewy Body Dementia frequently present with Parkinsonian motor symptoms and … depression and hallucinations,” the pathology report said at the time.

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If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Fox News Digital’s Lauryn Overhultz contributed to this report.

Ashley Hume is an entertainment writer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to ashley.hume@fox.com and on Twitter: @ashleyhume

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The 5 Best Headsets For Your Nintendo Switch In 2023

The Skullcandy PLYR 1 over-ear gaming headset is not the cheapest on this list, but still has an impressive list of positives. The headset has a total battery life of 24 hours and offers rapid charging capabilities so you can enjoy your Switch gaming with minimal risk of your headset dying mid-game. The microphone features include a detachable boom, Clear Voice Smart Mic, LED Mic Mute Indicator, and a secondary mic. The headset also has onboard controls you can use for powering on and off, Bluetooth pairing, adjusting the volume, mic muting the microphone, sidetone, EQ modes, and switching between play and pause.

The PLYR 1 has one specific feature that sets it apart from other headsets: Tile incorporation. The headset uses Tile App technology as a tracker, meaning if your headset is misplaced or stolen you’ll be able to locate it through the Tile technology. The price comes in at around $130, though be aware that if you want to take advantage of the wireless feature you’ll have to buy an additional adapter through Skullcandy.

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Kevin Feige Had To Occasionally Stop The Marvels Director Nia DeCosta From Being A Comic Nerd

Yes, DaCosta was familiar with Ms. Marvel going into the project and is likely familiar with the way the character’s powers have been changed to fit her live-action iteration. Indeed, DaCosta found a kinship with Kamala Khan in that they both were nerds from nearby neighborhoods. She said: 

“I’m a big nerd from New York City, and here was this hero who was a big nerd from Jersey City, writing fan fiction the way I used to when I was that age. […] It was really fun to feel close to that character in that really specific way, in a way you don’t often feel when it’s Iron Man or Thor. That was so exciting to me, knowing that I could be a part of bringing this character who I’ve loved for a decade to the big screen.”

Kamala Khan is played by Iman Vellani, reprising her role from the TV series “Ms. Marvel,” of which DaCosta directed an episode. Vellani noted that DaCosta’s nerdiness wasn’t so important on set as her professionalism. The actress said that DaCosta was able to keep morale on set very high, which is a difficult task given the scope and budget of the production. “She has a really calm vibe,” Vellani said. 

When it came to Kevin Feige, however, DaCosta admits she lost her cool a little bit. Not that she has a temper. She just fell back on her nerd instincts and began thinking of Ms. Marvel in her 2013 iteration and not Ms. Marvel on the screen. 

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The Key To The Avatar: The Last Airbender Finale Was Planned From The Beginning

Speaking to Newsweek for the 10th anniversary of “Sozin’s Comet,” co-creator Bryan Konietzko explained that a lot of the story, the characters, and the world were created as they were pitching the show to Nickelodeon. “We expanded upon many of those ideas in the subsequent months as we created the series bible and then the test pilot.”

Part of that test pilot, which you can watch online, is the lion turtle itself. It appears in an earlier version of the opening title sequence right behind Aang, in massive statue form. “It wasn’t just part of the production design — we were planning its role in the finale even that far back,” Konietzko added. Indeed, though we don’t see the actual lion turtle until the finale, we see images of it throughout the series, like on a white lotus tile, or mentioned by Wan Shi Tong in The Library episode of season 2, or in several statues in the house of Piandao, Sokka’s master.

The lion turtle’s appearance and power may have been a bit sudden, sure, but it is clearly a part of the world long before we meet it. More importantly, it does support the idea we see over and over in both “Avatar” shows, that the spirit world is simply way more vast, ancient, and powerful than we know. 

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Acquisition pause, Venom, and Ubisoft’s ‘large game’ | Kaser Focus

Missed the GamesBeat Summit excitement? Don’t worry! Tune in now to catch all of the live and virtual sessions here.

Another long week on the books, and luckily this one was not entirely dominated by the Microsoft-FTC-Activision Blizzard scuffle. In fact, given that Microsoft and Activision Blizzard have extended their deadline for the acquisition to October, it appears that the whole event is on ice for the near future. This gives both parties (and the U.K.’s CMA) more time to negotiate. Anyway, if I have to go one more week doing a column on the FTC vs Microsoft, I’m going to go slightly more mad than usual. So instead, let’s talk about some other stuff that happened this week.

Ubisoft posted a slight dip in sales for Q1 FY24, though CEO Yves Guillemot remains optimistic, saying it was a “better-than-expected performance.” The company also revealed it plans to launch 10 games in this fiscal year, including Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, Rainbow Six Mobile, The Crew Motorfest, The Division Resurgence, Just Dance 24, XDefiant, Prince of Persia The Lost Crown, Skull & Bones (FINALLY) and “another large game.” Your guess is as good as mine as to what that last one could be.

PlayStation dropped a new story trailer for the upcoming Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, which finally gave us a good look at Venom. They’re still very shy about letting us hear Tony Todd’s voice — across two trailers, he’s said nine words. But it still looks very good and I’m excited to hear more. Speaking of trailers, Netherrealm today released two new trailers for Mortal Kombat 1. In the first, we saw three new confirmed kombatants: Li Mei, Tanya and Baraka. In the second, we got our first confirmed DLC kharacters, and the rumors were true: Homelander, Omni-Man and Peacemaker join the fray, as do returning fighters Takeda, Ermac and Quan Chi.

As for my personal gaming schedule, I can finally, FINALLY play Final Fantasy XVI now that my husband has finished it. The sacrifices I make for love, honestly. But now I can finally see what all the fuss is about — I’ve barely made it a few hours into the game and I’m already loving how different the game is from previous titles. You know me, I love a good spectacle action game and it certainly is that so far. I’ll probably also play some Pikmin 4 now that it’s finally out. I’ve never played a Pikmin game before, so this’ll be shiny and new for me!

What to play this week

What’s new:

Pikmin 4Xenonauts 2ViewfinderPokémon SleepMy Friendly NeighborhoodCross TailsBrewpub Simulator

New on subscription services:

Techtonica (Xbox Game Pass)Toem (Xbox Game Pass)The Cave(Xbox Game Pass)Maquette (Xbox Game Pass)Figment 2: Creed Valley (Xbox Game Pass)The Wandering Village (Xbox Game Pass)It Takes Two (PlayStation Plus Extra+Premium)Sniper Elite 5 (PlayStation Plus Extra+Premium)Snowrunner (PlayStation Plus Extra+Premium)World War Z (PlayStation Plus Extra+Premium)The Ascent (PlayStation Plus Extra+Premium)Undertale (PlayStation Plus Extra+Premium)SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated (PlayStation Plus Extra+Premium)Melty Blood: Type Lumina (PlayStation Plus Extra+Premium)Dysmantle (PlayStation Plus Extra+Premium)Dynasty Warriors 9 (PlayStation Plus Extra+Premium)Samurai Warriors 5 (PlayStation Plus Extra+Premium)My Little Pony: A Maretime Bay Adventure (PlayStation Plus Extra+Premium)Fast & Furious: Spy Racers Rise of SH1FT3R (PlayStation Plus Extra+Premium)Monster Jam Steel Titans (PlayStation Plus Extra+Premium)Gravity Crash Portable (PlayStation Plus Premium)Twisted Metal (PlayStation Plus Premium)Twisted Metal 2 (PlayStation Plus Premium)Wytchwood (Prime Gaming)Embr (GeForce Now)Stardew Valley+ (Apple Arcade)

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