Susan Buckner, best known to moviegoers as Grease‘s bubbly cheerleader Patty Simcox, died peacefully surrounded by loved ones in Miami on May 2.
Her death was announced by family.
Buckner’s Grease character was the Rydell High cheerleading pal of Olivia Newton-John’s Sandy. The 1978 film also starred John Travolta and Stockard Channing.
Born on January 28, 1952, in Seattle, Washington, Buckner was crowned Miss Washington in 1971 and represented the state in the Miss America pageant the following year. Soon after, she became one of The Dean Martin Show’s Golddiggers dancers, and that led her to become part of the all-girl group Fantasy and the musical duo Buckner and Pratt.
She also appeared on such variety shows as The Mac Davis Show, Sonny and Cher and, as a dancer and synchronized swimmer, The Brady Bunch Variety Hour.
In 1977, she landed her signature role of perky Patty Simcox, Grease‘s embodiment of pep and school spirit.
Her death was announced by family.
Buckner’s Grease character was the Rydell High cheerleading pal of Olivia Newton-John’s Sandy. The 1978 film also starred John Travolta and Stockard Channing.
Born on January 28, 1952, in Seattle, Washington, Buckner was crowned Miss Washington in 1971 and represented the state in the Miss America pageant the following year. Soon after, she became one of The Dean Martin Show’s Golddiggers dancers, and that led her to become part of the all-girl group Fantasy and the musical duo Buckner and Pratt.
She also appeared on such variety shows as The Mac Davis Show, Sonny and Cher and, as a dancer and synchronized swimmer, The Brady Bunch Variety Hour.
In 1977, she landed her signature role of perky Patty Simcox, Grease‘s embodiment of pep and school spirit.
- 5/7/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Ellen Travolta is making a return visit to General Hospital just in time for Brook Lynn and Chase’s upcoming wedding. The beloved actress will be reappearing on the soap as Gloria Cerullo who is back in Port Charles for the nuptials of her granddaughter Brook Lynn, played by Amanda Setton, and fiancé Chase, played Josh Swickard. Travolta debuted as the character in the mid-’90s and reprised the role for a number of episodes in 2023 around Thanksgiving, her first appearance on the show for 27 years. Now she is back again for what is likely to be only a brief stay. Travolta is known for her roles in sitcoms like Happy Days and All in the Family as well as being the older sister to Grease and Saturday Night Fever actor John Travolta. In a Michael Fairman TV article, Setton shared the special bond she shared with Travolta after filming...
- 4/23/2024
- TV Insider
Carrie Robbins, whose more than 30 years as a Broadway costume designer saw her involvement in 1972’s Grease, for which she contributed the production’s signature poodle skirts, and the nuns’ habits of 1983’s Agnes of God, died following a brief illness with Covid on Friday, April 12, at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Manhattan. She was 81.
Her death was announced by her friend Daniel Neiden.
Robbin’s Broadway career began somewhat inauspiciously with Leda and the Little Swan, a play that closed on Broadway before its scheduled opening at the Cort Theatre in 1968. Written by Amber Gascoigne and dealing with sex between generations of one family, Leda was called by William Goldman in his classic theater book The Season: A Candid Look at Broadway “the hardest show of the season to sit through.”
Robbins rebounded quickly on Broadway with a revival of You Can’t Take It With You the following year, and,...
Her death was announced by her friend Daniel Neiden.
Robbin’s Broadway career began somewhat inauspiciously with Leda and the Little Swan, a play that closed on Broadway before its scheduled opening at the Cort Theatre in 1968. Written by Amber Gascoigne and dealing with sex between generations of one family, Leda was called by William Goldman in his classic theater book The Season: A Candid Look at Broadway “the hardest show of the season to sit through.”
Robbins rebounded quickly on Broadway with a revival of You Can’t Take It With You the following year, and,...
- 4/16/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Calling all Latino filmmakers, John Travolta wants to work with you. Swinging by Panama to present his 1978 musical rom-com “Grease” at the 12th Panama International Film Festival (Iff Panama), Travolta professed his great love for “Mexico, Central America, South America, all of its parts.”
“There is an incredible humanity that prevails and is different from anywhere else in the world,” he told Variety.
Surprised to hear that Robert de Niro had starred in the Argentine series “Nada,” Travolta exclaimed: “I would have loved that, I would have enjoyed being lured to South America to play a part for a while.”
The closest he’s come to working with a Latino director was with Alfonso Cuarón, who produced the short film streaming on Disney+ “The Shepherd,” based on Frederick Forsyth’s 1975 novella, which follows a young Royal Air Force pilot flying home for Christmas across the North Sea. When the pilot...
“There is an incredible humanity that prevails and is different from anywhere else in the world,” he told Variety.
Surprised to hear that Robert de Niro had starred in the Argentine series “Nada,” Travolta exclaimed: “I would have loved that, I would have enjoyed being lured to South America to play a part for a while.”
The closest he’s come to working with a Latino director was with Alfonso Cuarón, who produced the short film streaming on Disney+ “The Shepherd,” based on Frederick Forsyth’s 1975 novella, which follows a young Royal Air Force pilot flying home for Christmas across the North Sea. When the pilot...
- 4/8/2024
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety Film + TV
Actor John Travolta’s worldwide fame began when he starred in two cultural paradigm-shifting films: Saturday Night Fever, and Grease. The star achieved a rare feat that few actors had done: staying at the top two spots at the domestic box office within eight months. However, now that record seems to be broken by Timothée Chalamet.
Timothée Chalamet’s starring roles in Wonka and the recent Dune: Part Two have made him a star like no other. The films were at the top spot in their opening weeks and only slightly slowed down with new releases. While Wonka grossed $218 million domestically in its lifetime run, Dune: Part Two currently stands at over $494 million and is only expected to earn more in the coming weeks due to less competition.
Timothée Chalamet’s Winning Streak At The Box Office Timothée Chalamet in Wonka
Actor Timothée Chalamet seems to be on a roll...
Timothée Chalamet’s starring roles in Wonka and the recent Dune: Part Two have made him a star like no other. The films were at the top spot in their opening weeks and only slightly slowed down with new releases. While Wonka grossed $218 million domestically in its lifetime run, Dune: Part Two currently stands at over $494 million and is only expected to earn more in the coming weeks due to less competition.
Timothée Chalamet’s Winning Streak At The Box Office Timothée Chalamet in Wonka
Actor Timothée Chalamet seems to be on a roll...
- 3/18/2024
- by Nishanth A
- FandomWire
Randal Kleiser was one of the first Hollywood filmmakers to hop on the Travolta Train — after watching John Travolta on Welcome Back, Kotter, the young director cast him in two of his earliest films: the television movie The Boy in the Plastic Bubble and his big-screen directorial debut, Grease. Kleiser told us that, after working with him on their first film, having Travolta as the lead in Grease was a no-brainer. (Click on the media bar below to hear Randal Kleiser) https://www.hollywoodoutbreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Randal_-Kleiser_Grease_john_Travolta_.mp3
Grease is currently streaming on Max and available on DVD, Blu-Ray, 4K, and most digital platforms.
The post ‘Grease’ Director Knew John Travolta Was The One That He Wanted appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
Grease is currently streaming on Max and available on DVD, Blu-Ray, 4K, and most digital platforms.
The post ‘Grease’ Director Knew John Travolta Was The One That He Wanted appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
- 2/16/2024
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
As December winds down, the credits are rolling on 2023 – and it’s been another tumultuous year in film. There have been highs, with incredible movies making their way to the screen, a raft of great directors making long-awaited comebacks, and exciting new voices making themselves heard. It’s been full of surprises, with thrilling announcements, rules broken, and big swings. And there have been lows too, with challenges for so many people in the industry, titles disappearing from circulation, and plenty of beloved names lost along the way.
Revisit the rollercoaster ride that was 2023 in Empire’s epic roundup of the biggest movie (and TV) news this year.
Game adaptations go huge
When it came to making game-to-screen adaptations that felt really successful, 2023 was when Hollywood finally hit ‘Start’. First there was The Last Of Us on HBO – the long-form series adaptation of Naughty Dog’s apocalyptic epic proving another...
Revisit the rollercoaster ride that was 2023 in Empire’s epic roundup of the biggest movie (and TV) news this year.
Game adaptations go huge
When it came to making game-to-screen adaptations that felt really successful, 2023 was when Hollywood finally hit ‘Start’. First there was The Last Of Us on HBO – the long-form series adaptation of Naughty Dog’s apocalyptic epic proving another...
- 12/20/2023
- by Ben Travis
- Empire - Movies
The timeless charm of The Archies has a unique way of whisking us back to the past, wrapping us in a blanket of sweet nostalgia. For those who’ve recently enjoyed the delightful throwback that is The Archies, I’ve curated a list of films that will keep you riding that wave of bygone bliss. Let’s stroll down memory lane with these five cinematic treasures. Feel the High School Spirit with Grease There’s nothing quite like the electrifying jive of Grease to transport us back to the high school days of yore. This classic musical, set in the retro era, resonates deeply...
- 12/16/2023
- by Steve Delikson
- TVovermind.com
December is here, and for many, that means watching Serendipity, the 2001 romantic comedy starring Kate Beckinsale and John Cusack. While the movie premiered more than two decades ago — yes, really — Beckinsale, who played destiny-obsessed Sara, has experienced serendipity in her own life. She once had a “very on-brand” Serendipity type of interaction in a hotel bathroom. Ahead, how she “fell apart” upon hearing about a fan of the movie. Plus, how Jennifer Aniston almost played Sara and where to watch Serendipity.
Kate Beckinsale had a ‘serendipitous’ experience meeting Kenickie’s real-life girlfriend
Like her Serendipity character, Beckinsale has found herself in a “serendipitous” situation from time to time. One particularly memorable moment happened in a hotel bathroom with the girlfriend of the late Grease star Jeff Conaway, who played Kenickie.
“From a very young age, I was really obsessed with Grease, like everybody was,” Beckinsale, 50, told Vulture in 2020. “I learned all the dances,...
Kate Beckinsale had a ‘serendipitous’ experience meeting Kenickie’s real-life girlfriend
Like her Serendipity character, Beckinsale has found herself in a “serendipitous” situation from time to time. One particularly memorable moment happened in a hotel bathroom with the girlfriend of the late Grease star Jeff Conaway, who played Kenickie.
“From a very young age, I was really obsessed with Grease, like everybody was,” Beckinsale, 50, told Vulture in 2020. “I learned all the dances,...
- 12/4/2023
- by Mandi Kerr
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Gerber family posed in a photo together as they celebrated Halloween at their yearly Casamigos party on Friday, including Rande Gerber, Cindy Crawford, Presley Gerber, Kaia Gerber and her boyfriend, Austin Butler.
Butler decided to go as New York artist Andy Warhol, completing his outfit with a camera, which he used to take pictures all night. Kaia matched her costume to her boyfriend’s, going as Edie Sedgwick, who is famously known to be one of Warhol’s superstars.
For his outfit, Butler wore a blond wig with an all-black outfit, including a turtleneck, leather jacket, jeans and black sunglasses. Kaia also went all out with a pixie cut wig, a black turtleneck, black tights, a fuzzy jacket and a cigarette behind her ear.
Kaia’s parents decided on a matching couple’s costume from Grease.
Rande dressed as Danny Zuko while Crawford was Zuko’s girlfriend, Sandy Olsson.
Butler decided to go as New York artist Andy Warhol, completing his outfit with a camera, which he used to take pictures all night. Kaia matched her costume to her boyfriend’s, going as Edie Sedgwick, who is famously known to be one of Warhol’s superstars.
For his outfit, Butler wore a blond wig with an all-black outfit, including a turtleneck, leather jacket, jeans and black sunglasses. Kaia also went all out with a pixie cut wig, a black turtleneck, black tights, a fuzzy jacket and a cigarette behind her ear.
Kaia’s parents decided on a matching couple’s costume from Grease.
Rande dressed as Danny Zuko while Crawford was Zuko’s girlfriend, Sandy Olsson.
- 10/30/2023
- by Nina Hauswirth
- Uinterview
Tons of stars came out and dressed up in their best costumes as Rande Gerber‘s Casamigos Halloween party!
The event was held on Friday night (October 27) in Los Angeles.
Among the attendees were: Alessandra Ambrosio, Cindy Crawford, Justin Bieber, Paris Jackson, Austin Butler, Kaia Gerber, Jessica Alba, Paris Hilton, Carter Reum, David Spade, Glen Powell, Chord Overstreet, Sarah Hyland, Charlotte McKinney, Gavin Rossdale, Lauren Conrad, Rachel Zoe, Shanna Moakler, Megan Fox, Machine Gun Kelly, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Ricky Gervais.
Everyone looked stunning in their Halloween costumes, but some of the most noteworthy looks from the night were Megan and Mgk‘s Kill Bill-inspired costumes, Justin‘s snorkeling gear, and Jessica and Paris‘ Britney Spears “Toxic”-themed looks.
The hosts, Rande and Cindy, were dressed as Danny and Sandy from Grease.
Other costumes were Austin as Andy Warhol and Kaia as his muse, Edie Sedgwick.
Also in attendance were Eiza Gonzalez,...
The event was held on Friday night (October 27) in Los Angeles.
Among the attendees were: Alessandra Ambrosio, Cindy Crawford, Justin Bieber, Paris Jackson, Austin Butler, Kaia Gerber, Jessica Alba, Paris Hilton, Carter Reum, David Spade, Glen Powell, Chord Overstreet, Sarah Hyland, Charlotte McKinney, Gavin Rossdale, Lauren Conrad, Rachel Zoe, Shanna Moakler, Megan Fox, Machine Gun Kelly, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Ricky Gervais.
Everyone looked stunning in their Halloween costumes, but some of the most noteworthy looks from the night were Megan and Mgk‘s Kill Bill-inspired costumes, Justin‘s snorkeling gear, and Jessica and Paris‘ Britney Spears “Toxic”-themed looks.
The hosts, Rande and Cindy, were dressed as Danny and Sandy from Grease.
Other costumes were Austin as Andy Warhol and Kaia as his muse, Edie Sedgwick.
Also in attendance were Eiza Gonzalez,...
- 10/28/2023
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Stephen King’s small-town horror gets a competently made yet thoroughly unnecessary new chapter, an easily skippable Halloween time-waster
The stratification of streaming content, divided up by individual studio, forced the manic plundering of back catalogues, turning any old property into a new way to lure in subscribers. It was a mostly cursed tactic, leaving us with unwanted answers to questions no one was bothering to ask: what if Gremlins but animated, what if Grease’s pink ladies but prequel, what if Fatal Attraction but Joshua Jackson and what if Sex and the City but terrible?
Unsurprisingly, most of these have failed and as we head toward a contraction of the industry after a record bloat, it seems unlikely that quite as many similar experiments will take place. It leaves a film such as Pet Sematary: Bloodlines feeling even more like a dusty old thing of the past, not...
The stratification of streaming content, divided up by individual studio, forced the manic plundering of back catalogues, turning any old property into a new way to lure in subscribers. It was a mostly cursed tactic, leaving us with unwanted answers to questions no one was bothering to ask: what if Gremlins but animated, what if Grease’s pink ladies but prequel, what if Fatal Attraction but Joshua Jackson and what if Sex and the City but terrible?
Unsurprisingly, most of these have failed and as we head toward a contraction of the industry after a record bloat, it seems unlikely that quite as many similar experiments will take place. It leaves a film such as Pet Sematary: Bloodlines feeling even more like a dusty old thing of the past, not...
- 10/5/2023
- by Benjamin Lee
- The Guardian - Film News
Just weeks after she died, Olivia Newton-John made her presence felt out of the blue. Well, more like, in blue form.
While speaking to People on the one-year anniversary of Newton-John’s death, the “Grease” star’s daughter, Chloe Lattanzi, and widower, John Easterling, shared the eerie way the late actress has kept a “supernatural” promise she made years ago.
“Two weeks after she passed my phone accidentally took a picture of my dog, and there floating by his head was a little blue orb, the same color as this,” said Lattanzi, 37, while pointing to an aquamarine pendant necklace gifted to her by her late mother before she died. “Mom and I had talked years back. We’d watch these paranormal shows, and I’d say, ‘You gotta show up for me.’ And she was like, ‘I’ll show up as one of those orb things.'”
Meanwhile, Easterling, 71, recalled...
While speaking to People on the one-year anniversary of Newton-John’s death, the “Grease” star’s daughter, Chloe Lattanzi, and widower, John Easterling, shared the eerie way the late actress has kept a “supernatural” promise she made years ago.
“Two weeks after she passed my phone accidentally took a picture of my dog, and there floating by his head was a little blue orb, the same color as this,” said Lattanzi, 37, while pointing to an aquamarine pendant necklace gifted to her by her late mother before she died. “Mom and I had talked years back. We’d watch these paranormal shows, and I’d say, ‘You gotta show up for me.’ And she was like, ‘I’ll show up as one of those orb things.'”
Meanwhile, Easterling, 71, recalled...
- 8/10/2023
- by Brent Furdyk
- ET Canada
Even with the ongoing WGA strike grinding Hollywood to a halt, seemingly nothing can stop Paramount from moving forward with plans for Sonic the Hedgehog 3. According to the film industry-related website Production List, cameras will roll on the threequel in London on August 31, 2023.
While details about Sonic the Hedgehog 3 remain a mystery, the sequel will likely introduce more fan-favorite characters from the more-popular-than-you-would-ever-think franchise, including Shadow the Hedgehog, who Paramount teased during an after-credits scene for Sonic the Hedgehog 2. While Shadow is a known quality, Sonic fans hope the film series is planning to introduce more characters, including Amy Rose, Big the Cat, Rogue the Bat, Cream the Rabbit, Vector the Crocodile, and more. So far, there has yet to be a word if Jim Carrey will return to reprise his role as Dr. Robotnik.
Jeff Fowler returns to direct Sonic the Hedgehog 3 from a screenplay...
While details about Sonic the Hedgehog 3 remain a mystery, the sequel will likely introduce more fan-favorite characters from the more-popular-than-you-would-ever-think franchise, including Shadow the Hedgehog, who Paramount teased during an after-credits scene for Sonic the Hedgehog 2. While Shadow is a known quality, Sonic fans hope the film series is planning to introduce more characters, including Amy Rose, Big the Cat, Rogue the Bat, Cream the Rabbit, Vector the Crocodile, and more. So far, there has yet to be a word if Jim Carrey will return to reprise his role as Dr. Robotnik.
Jeff Fowler returns to direct Sonic the Hedgehog 3 from a screenplay...
- 6/20/2023
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
If you’re a Grease fan who saw the original film in the theater back in the day and has fond memories of singing We Go Together on your way out of the theater, you may want to skip the following sentence: Believe it or not, the iconic movie adaptation of the stage musical opened in theaters 45 years ago. Of course, back in 1978, the movie was set in the past, so it had a feel of sentimentality to it — well, at least until Olivia Newton-John’s stunning transformation at the end. But Didi Conn, who played Frenchy in the film, says that even with the film now set more than six decades in the past, the story still has plenty of relevance in 2023. (Click on the media bar below to hear Didi Conn) https://www.hollywoodoutbreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Didi-Conn_Grease_Rev.mp3 Grease is currently streaming on Max and available on DVD,...
- 6/17/2023
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
Jasmine Cephas Jones, Blindspotting (Starz) Jones as Ashley Rose on Starz’s Blindspotting.
In Blindspotting, Jones plays Ashley Rose, a mother raising her young son with the help of her partner’s family while he serves time in prison for drug trafficking. “She’s very strong and puts her family first,” says Jones of her stoic character. “I always look at her as the superhero. There’s a lot of women like this in the world, who do it all in one day.” Where Ashley doesn’t need to keep it all together is in the moments when her character breaks the fourth wall, expressing her emotions in verse. “If you’re ever wondering how she’s feeling, this is the moment where she tells a secret to the audience,” explains Jones. “Usually, it’s a lot of pent-up feelings she needs to really express. We say it is her letters to her son Sean,...
In Blindspotting, Jones plays Ashley Rose, a mother raising her young son with the help of her partner’s family while he serves time in prison for drug trafficking. “She’s very strong and puts her family first,” says Jones of her stoic character. “I always look at her as the superhero. There’s a lot of women like this in the world, who do it all in one day.” Where Ashley doesn’t need to keep it all together is in the moments when her character breaks the fourth wall, expressing her emotions in verse. “If you’re ever wondering how she’s feeling, this is the moment where she tells a secret to the audience,” explains Jones. “Usually, it’s a lot of pent-up feelings she needs to really express. We say it is her letters to her son Sean,...
- 6/15/2023
- by Carita Rizzo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
I’ll admit to believing that the Sonic the Hedgehog movie would join the ranks of the many video-game movie failures, but here we are, with a sequel released last year and another on the way. There’s also a spin-off TV series centered around Knuckles with Idris Elba once again voicing the character. The cast of the Knuckles TV series has now added five new members.
Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future), Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride), Stockard Channing (Grease), Paul Scheer (Veep), and Rob Huebel (Children’s Hospital) have joined the cast of the Knuckles TV series. The nature of their characters remains unknown at this time. Previously announced cast members include Adam Pally, who will be reprising the role of Wade Whipple, as well as Edi Patterson, Julian Barratt, Scott Mescudi, and Ellie Taylor. Rory McCann and Tika Sumpter will also guest star in the series, with...
Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future), Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride), Stockard Channing (Grease), Paul Scheer (Veep), and Rob Huebel (Children’s Hospital) have joined the cast of the Knuckles TV series. The nature of their characters remains unknown at this time. Previously announced cast members include Adam Pally, who will be reprising the role of Wade Whipple, as well as Edi Patterson, Julian Barratt, Scott Mescudi, and Ellie Taylor. Rory McCann and Tika Sumpter will also guest star in the series, with...
- 6/14/2023
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
Singing and dancing auditions over Zoom, shoots in the rain in Vancouver and filming during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic — none of that stopped the cast and creators from bringing “big Grease energy” to the set of the Paramount+ series, Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies.
“Annabel [Oakes, showrunner] was the first to say, we should use Rizzo, we should use Stockard Channing as our North Star because she existed in that universe, it was big, but it was so grounded in truth,” says Conrad Woolfe, one half of the casting directing team behind Pink Ladies. “Rizzo was so grounded in something real.”
He, along with the creative team behind the new series, director and executive producer Alethea Jones, choreographer Jamal Sims, costume designer Samantha Hawkins and co-casting director Leigh Ann Smith gathered for a THR Presents panel, powered by Vision Media.
Set four years before Rizzo becomes the ring leader...
“Annabel [Oakes, showrunner] was the first to say, we should use Rizzo, we should use Stockard Channing as our North Star because she existed in that universe, it was big, but it was so grounded in truth,” says Conrad Woolfe, one half of the casting directing team behind Pink Ladies. “Rizzo was so grounded in something real.”
He, along with the creative team behind the new series, director and executive producer Alethea Jones, choreographer Jamal Sims, costume designer Samantha Hawkins and co-casting director Leigh Ann Smith gathered for a THR Presents panel, powered by Vision Media.
Set four years before Rizzo becomes the ring leader...
- 6/9/2023
- by Cori Murray
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Ari Notartomaso as Cynthia Zdunowski and Marisa Davila as Jane Facciano in ‘Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies’ episode 8 (Photo Credit: Eduardo Araquel / Paramount+)
Paramount+’s Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies episode eight opens with breaking news. Teenagers are out of control, what with their big hair, loose morals, and rock n roll music! And now the kids at Rydell want to play the devil’s music at their school dance. The horror!
Tippy St. Clair, the President of Rydell PTA, tells a local reporter that she strongly opposes this dance. However, the Pink Ladies believe change is necessary, while class president Buddy (Jason Schmidt) declines to be interviewed.
The reporter questions whether this could be the end of the world as we know it. As the episode concludes, fans may share those same concerns.
But back to the real business of the day: the dance committee meeting. The...
Paramount+’s Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies episode eight opens with breaking news. Teenagers are out of control, what with their big hair, loose morals, and rock n roll music! And now the kids at Rydell want to play the devil’s music at their school dance. The horror!
Tippy St. Clair, the President of Rydell PTA, tells a local reporter that she strongly opposes this dance. However, the Pink Ladies believe change is necessary, while class president Buddy (Jason Schmidt) declines to be interviewed.
The reporter questions whether this could be the end of the world as we know it. As the episode concludes, fans may share those same concerns.
But back to the real business of the day: the dance committee meeting. The...
- 5/18/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
John Travolta (Grease) and Katherine Heigl (Firefly Lane) have boarded the rom-com That’s Amore!, written and to be directed by two-time Academy Award winner Nick Vallelonga (Green Book), with Christopher Walken (Severance) also in talks to star.
The film heading into production in August follows Nick Venere (Travolta), who is a modern-day ‘Marty’ – he’s never been married and his best dating years are well behind him. He’s never heard the words ‘I love you” and figures he never will. Patty Amore (Heigl) has her share of problems, as well. Shy and introverted, she’s filled with various tics and nervous habits. A secret from her past, combined with her over-protective father, have caused her to withdraw from the dating game. But when Nick and Patty meet, literally bumping into one another, they share an immediate connection. When these two emotionally damaged people attempt to date one another,...
The film heading into production in August follows Nick Venere (Travolta), who is a modern-day ‘Marty’ – he’s never been married and his best dating years are well behind him. He’s never heard the words ‘I love you” and figures he never will. Patty Amore (Heigl) has her share of problems, as well. Shy and introverted, she’s filled with various tics and nervous habits. A secret from her past, combined with her over-protective father, have caused her to withdraw from the dating game. But when Nick and Patty meet, literally bumping into one another, they share an immediate connection. When these two emotionally damaged people attempt to date one another,...
- 5/11/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
“It was any big dream you could imagine,” says Marisa Davila as she recalls filming the “Grease is the Word” musical number in “Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies” on Paramount+. “I was just trying to soak it all in. People dancing on cars and having a big ensemble like that really pulled me into what I felt like what our version of a ‘La La Land’ number was…It’s the first number of the series. I think the intention was to remind people, this is the world, we’re coming back in, this is what it feels like, this is what you’re familiar with. Then we just take it and run for the rest of the season, now that we’ve reminded everyone what this ‘Grease’ energy is, we can do our own thing and make it an original series.” Watch the video interview above.
“Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies...
“Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies...
- 5/8/2023
- by Denton Davidson
- Gold Derby
Alexis Sides had big dreams when he moved from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, to Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Last year they came true. With only a few student films under his belt, Sides was cast as Potato (Pedro), the T-Bird in Paramount+'s prequel series Grease: Rise Of The Pink Ladies.
We caught up with Sides to chat about his experience filming the first season of the nostalgia-infused musical series.
When asked how the response has been from his family back home, Sides says, "Everybody's excited! It's been a long ride."
"Coming from Cabo San Lucas, such a small place, everybody [there] is so excited -- my mom and her boyfriend, my grandma, are all so proud. Everybody's been texting me. I'm ecstatic. It's just amazing to be part of this show."
A theatre kid growing up, Sides was already familiar with Grease. "In Mexico, Grease is a big thing. We call it Vaselina.
Last year they came true. With only a few student films under his belt, Sides was cast as Potato (Pedro), the T-Bird in Paramount+'s prequel series Grease: Rise Of The Pink Ladies.
We caught up with Sides to chat about his experience filming the first season of the nostalgia-infused musical series.
When asked how the response has been from his family back home, Sides says, "Everybody's excited! It's been a long ride."
"Coming from Cabo San Lucas, such a small place, everybody [there] is so excited -- my mom and her boyfriend, my grandma, are all so proud. Everybody's been texting me. I'm ecstatic. It's just amazing to be part of this show."
A theatre kid growing up, Sides was already familiar with Grease. "In Mexico, Grease is a big thing. We call it Vaselina.
- 4/25/2023
- by Mary Littlejohn
- TVfanatic
The director of Kokomo City has paid tribute to Rasheeda Williams Aka Koko Da Doll, who has been killed in Atlanta. She was 35.
Williams was one of the trans women to appear in the forthcoming documentary, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival in January.
The documentary features four Black trans sex workers living in Atlanta and New York City, and shows the persistent threat of violence they face each day.
Atlanta police are currently investigating the killing, which took place on Tuesday (18 April) and said in a statement: “Upon arrival, officers located a female victim with an apparent gunshot wound. She was not alert, conscious or breathing and pronounced deceased on scene by Afr [Atlanta Fire Rescue Department].
“Homicide investigators responded to the scene and are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident. The investigation continues.”
While police are yet to identify the victim by name, Kokomo City director D Smith told Deadline...
Williams was one of the trans women to appear in the forthcoming documentary, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival in January.
The documentary features four Black trans sex workers living in Atlanta and New York City, and shows the persistent threat of violence they face each day.
Atlanta police are currently investigating the killing, which took place on Tuesday (18 April) and said in a statement: “Upon arrival, officers located a female victim with an apparent gunshot wound. She was not alert, conscious or breathing and pronounced deceased on scene by Afr [Atlanta Fire Rescue Department].
“Homicide investigators responded to the scene and are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident. The investigation continues.”
While police are yet to identify the victim by name, Kokomo City director D Smith told Deadline...
- 4/22/2023
- by Jacob Stolworthy
- The Independent - Film
The Pop Group’s former frontman Mark Stewart has died. He was 62.
Stewart’s death was announced by his label Mute on Friday (21 April) in a tweet that reads: “We’ve lost such a dear friend, please respect the privacy of Mark’s Family and friends at this time.”
In a separate statement per The Guardian, they said: “In honour of this original, fearless, sensitive, artistic and funny man, think for yourself and question everything. The world was changed because of Mark Stewart, it will never be the same without him.”
A cause of death has yet to be announced.
Formed in 1972 by Stewart, guitarist John Waddington, bassist Simon Underwood, guitarist/saxophonist Gareth Sager, and drummer Bruce Smith, the British rock band have been considered pioneers of the late Seventies post-punk movement.
Much of their music, which covered a range of musical influences at the time, including punk, dub, funk,...
Stewart’s death was announced by his label Mute on Friday (21 April) in a tweet that reads: “We’ve lost such a dear friend, please respect the privacy of Mark’s Family and friends at this time.”
In a separate statement per The Guardian, they said: “In honour of this original, fearless, sensitive, artistic and funny man, think for yourself and question everything. The world was changed because of Mark Stewart, it will never be the same without him.”
A cause of death has yet to be announced.
Formed in 1972 by Stewart, guitarist John Waddington, bassist Simon Underwood, guitarist/saxophonist Gareth Sager, and drummer Bruce Smith, the British rock band have been considered pioneers of the late Seventies post-punk movement.
Much of their music, which covered a range of musical influences at the time, including punk, dub, funk,...
- 4/21/2023
- by Inga Parkel
- The Independent - Music
Scarlett Johansson and Gwyneth Paltrow have set the record straight on past rumours that they clashed on the set of Iron Man 2.
Over a decade ago, Johannson made her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut as Black Widow in the 2010 superhero sequel, alongside Paltrow who reprised herrole as Tony Stark’s assistant, Pepper Potts.
At the time, rumours swirled that the two did not get along on set. And while they have previously denied them, people still seem stuck on the notion that there was tension.
“People ask me, ‘Is it true that you and Scarlett Johansson didn’t get along on Iron Man?’” Paltrow told Johansson on the latest episode of her self-hosted podcast, The Goop Podcast.
“Is that a rumour?” Johansson asked. “You were so nice to me on that movie. I was so petrified. You were so nice to me! You could’ve been awful. I was so...
Over a decade ago, Johannson made her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut as Black Widow in the 2010 superhero sequel, alongside Paltrow who reprised herrole as Tony Stark’s assistant, Pepper Potts.
At the time, rumours swirled that the two did not get along on set. And while they have previously denied them, people still seem stuck on the notion that there was tension.
“People ask me, ‘Is it true that you and Scarlett Johansson didn’t get along on Iron Man?’” Paltrow told Johansson on the latest episode of her self-hosted podcast, The Goop Podcast.
“Is that a rumour?” Johansson asked. “You were so nice to me on that movie. I was so petrified. You were so nice to me! You could’ve been awful. I was so...
- 4/21/2023
- by Inga Parkel
- The Independent - Film
Broadway legend Patti LuPone has claimed she was snubbed from starring in Apple TV Plus’s Schmigadoon! because she was “too old”.
Currently in its second season, the musical series stars Keegan-Michael Key and Cecily Strong as a backpacking couple who stumble upon a town living in a 1940s musical and learn they can’t escape until they find true love.
While the absurdist show features several well-known singing sensations, including Kristin Chenoweth, Alan Cumming, Ariana DeBose, and Jane Krakowski, the 74-year-old Tony winner LuPone said she was denied a part due to her age.
“I wanted to be in Schmigadoon!, and I was too old,” LuPone told Mashable in a recent interview.
When asked to clarify what she meant, she responded: “Exactly what I said. We reached out to them and said I want to be in Schmigadoon!. They said, ‘Sorry. You’re too old.’”
She called the rejection...
Currently in its second season, the musical series stars Keegan-Michael Key and Cecily Strong as a backpacking couple who stumble upon a town living in a 1940s musical and learn they can’t escape until they find true love.
While the absurdist show features several well-known singing sensations, including Kristin Chenoweth, Alan Cumming, Ariana DeBose, and Jane Krakowski, the 74-year-old Tony winner LuPone said she was denied a part due to her age.
“I wanted to be in Schmigadoon!, and I was too old,” LuPone told Mashable in a recent interview.
When asked to clarify what she meant, she responded: “Exactly what I said. We reached out to them and said I want to be in Schmigadoon!. They said, ‘Sorry. You’re too old.’”
She called the rejection...
- 4/21/2023
- by Inga Parkel
- The Independent - TV
Shirley Ballas’ future with Strictly Come Dancing has been decided weeks after hinting she might quit.
Ballas has been a judge on the BBC dancing competition since 2017, having been brought on to replace Len Goodman as head judge.
However, Ballas suggested she was considering stepping away from the series after reaching an “all-time low” during the 2022 series.
“Last year, I was struggling,” she told The Mirror last month, adding: “It wasn’t just a little bit, it was a lot – the majority of it was in silence.”
Ballas said she received “truly awful” messages from online trolls, stating: “I felt the abuse snowballed out of control and impacted me in such a negative way. I’m a pretty stoic person, and I tend to hold everything in.”
When asked whether the online abuse would ever cause Ballas to quit, she said: “It was a difficult series, I’ll leave it at that.
Ballas has been a judge on the BBC dancing competition since 2017, having been brought on to replace Len Goodman as head judge.
However, Ballas suggested she was considering stepping away from the series after reaching an “all-time low” during the 2022 series.
“Last year, I was struggling,” she told The Mirror last month, adding: “It wasn’t just a little bit, it was a lot – the majority of it was in silence.”
Ballas said she received “truly awful” messages from online trolls, stating: “I felt the abuse snowballed out of control and impacted me in such a negative way. I’m a pretty stoic person, and I tend to hold everything in.”
When asked whether the online abuse would ever cause Ballas to quit, she said: “It was a difficult series, I’ll leave it at that.
- 4/21/2023
- by Jacob Stolworthy
- The Independent - TV
It’s Robert Smith‘s birthday so, naturally, fans of the singer are sharing what is commonly believed to be one of his greatest moments.
The musician, who is the frontman of The Cure, turns 64 today (Friday 21 April).
In 2019, he became a viral sensation on Twitter thanks to his hilariously deadpan response to an excitable reporter.
Smith was in attendance at that year’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, where The Cure were being inducted alongside Stevie Nicks, Janet Jackson, Def Leppard, The Zombies, Radiohead and Roxy Music.
The singer approached a chipper interviewer at Brooklyn’s Barclays Centre, who said to him: “Congratulations, The Cure – Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees 2019! Are you as excited as I am?”
Smith, without missing a beat, replied: “Um, by the sounds of it, no.”
The interviewer, brushing off the response, laughed in response, and asked him: “Oh, no, what are we going to do?...
The musician, who is the frontman of The Cure, turns 64 today (Friday 21 April).
In 2019, he became a viral sensation on Twitter thanks to his hilariously deadpan response to an excitable reporter.
Smith was in attendance at that year’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, where The Cure were being inducted alongside Stevie Nicks, Janet Jackson, Def Leppard, The Zombies, Radiohead and Roxy Music.
The singer approached a chipper interviewer at Brooklyn’s Barclays Centre, who said to him: “Congratulations, The Cure – Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees 2019! Are you as excited as I am?”
Smith, without missing a beat, replied: “Um, by the sounds of it, no.”
The interviewer, brushing off the response, laughed in response, and asked him: “Oh, no, what are we going to do?...
- 4/21/2023
- by Jacob Stolworthy
- The Independent - Music
Rachel Weisz has opened up about the graphic birthing scenes in the first episode of Dead Ringers.
The Prime Video series, based upon the 1988 David Cronenberg film of the same name, sees Weisz play a pair of twin obstetricians.
Episode one features a scene that shocked many viewers with its graphic depiction of childbirth.
Asked about the “visceral” moment on BBC’s Woman’s Hour radio show, Weicz explained: “[Writer Alice Birch] and I were really interested in showing birth in the first episode. I think we felt like it was something that we don’t often see.
She continued: “We’re incredibly used to seeing violence, and people being killed, death, blood surrounding that. We’re almost immune to that at this point. For me, it’s a beautiful moment. It’s something we’re really interested in showing.
“We didn’t want to be coy about it. We were really interested in seeing it.
The Prime Video series, based upon the 1988 David Cronenberg film of the same name, sees Weisz play a pair of twin obstetricians.
Episode one features a scene that shocked many viewers with its graphic depiction of childbirth.
Asked about the “visceral” moment on BBC’s Woman’s Hour radio show, Weicz explained: “[Writer Alice Birch] and I were really interested in showing birth in the first episode. I think we felt like it was something that we don’t often see.
She continued: “We’re incredibly used to seeing violence, and people being killed, death, blood surrounding that. We’re almost immune to that at this point. For me, it’s a beautiful moment. It’s something we’re really interested in showing.
“We didn’t want to be coy about it. We were really interested in seeing it.
- 4/21/2023
- by Louis Chilton
- The Independent - TV
Conductor Simon Rattle has spoken out about the existential threat facing the UK’s classical music scene.
Rattle, who currently serves as the music director of the London Symphony Orchestra, is set to conduct at a protest concert this week that will object to planned cuts by the BBC and Arts Council England (Ace).
It was recently revealed that the BBC Singers, a longstanding vocal ensemble that Rattle describes as the “best in the world”, is facing abolition as part of wider predicted cuts across the BBC’s classical music ecosystem.
Speaking to The Times, Rattle said: “The BBC and Arts Council England, the two largest funders of musicians in the country, seem to be operating a pincer movement against our art form.”
The BBC Singers are performing at the protest concert on Sunday, which will be held at London’s Barbican venue.
“I said I would like to pay...
Rattle, who currently serves as the music director of the London Symphony Orchestra, is set to conduct at a protest concert this week that will object to planned cuts by the BBC and Arts Council England (Ace).
It was recently revealed that the BBC Singers, a longstanding vocal ensemble that Rattle describes as the “best in the world”, is facing abolition as part of wider predicted cuts across the BBC’s classical music ecosystem.
Speaking to The Times, Rattle said: “The BBC and Arts Council England, the two largest funders of musicians in the country, seem to be operating a pincer movement against our art form.”
The BBC Singers are performing at the protest concert on Sunday, which will be held at London’s Barbican venue.
“I said I would like to pay...
- 4/21/2023
- by Louis Chilton
- The Independent - Music
A tech-savvy fan of The Simpsons has used digital processing to unearth a joke that has gone unheard for 33 years.
The joke in question comes in the classic season three episode “The Otto Show”, but had previously been inaudable.
In the episode, Marge is seen warning Bart over the volume of a rock concert he is attending, remarking: “I hope the Spinal Taps don’t play too loud.”
Homer then responds: “Oh Marge, I went to thousands of heavy metal concerts, and it never hurt me.”
The next shot shows Marge replying from Homer’s perspective, in which her voice is entirely drowned out by the sound of tinitus.
On the DVD commentary for the episode, the show’s creators had remarked that Marge was in fact saying some “pretty funny” dialogue, which “took a long time to write” but was then “mixed down so nobody could hear it”.
Twitter...
The joke in question comes in the classic season three episode “The Otto Show”, but had previously been inaudable.
In the episode, Marge is seen warning Bart over the volume of a rock concert he is attending, remarking: “I hope the Spinal Taps don’t play too loud.”
Homer then responds: “Oh Marge, I went to thousands of heavy metal concerts, and it never hurt me.”
The next shot shows Marge replying from Homer’s perspective, in which her voice is entirely drowned out by the sound of tinitus.
On the DVD commentary for the episode, the show’s creators had remarked that Marge was in fact saying some “pretty funny” dialogue, which “took a long time to write” but was then “mixed down so nobody could hear it”.
Twitter...
- 4/21/2023
- by Louis Chilton
- The Independent - TV
Ed Sheeran has released “Boat”, a new single described as a metaphor for depression.
The release follows “Eyes Closed”, the singer’s 14th chart-topping single in the UK.
Composed by the English seaside in the depths of winter, “Boat” is the opening song on the singer’s forthcoming album, Subtract.
An accompanying video, directed by Mia Barnes, shows the 32-year-old being engulfed by waves, echoing the singer’s comments on Instagram last month.
In a post announcing the album, Sheeran explained that Subtract reflects a period of turmoil. “I was spiralling through fear, depression and anxiety, I felt like I was drowning, head below the surface, looking up not but being able to break through for air.”
Sheeran recorded Subtract with Aaron Dessner in February last year, after experiencing various personal struggles.
“At the start of 2022, a series of events changed my life, my mental health, and ultimately the way I viewed music and art,...
The release follows “Eyes Closed”, the singer’s 14th chart-topping single in the UK.
Composed by the English seaside in the depths of winter, “Boat” is the opening song on the singer’s forthcoming album, Subtract.
An accompanying video, directed by Mia Barnes, shows the 32-year-old being engulfed by waves, echoing the singer’s comments on Instagram last month.
In a post announcing the album, Sheeran explained that Subtract reflects a period of turmoil. “I was spiralling through fear, depression and anxiety, I felt like I was drowning, head below the surface, looking up not but being able to break through for air.”
Sheeran recorded Subtract with Aaron Dessner in February last year, after experiencing various personal struggles.
“At the start of 2022, a series of events changed my life, my mental health, and ultimately the way I viewed music and art,...
- 4/21/2023
- by Meg Warren-Lister
- The Independent - Music
Celebrities including Ricky Gervais and Richard Osman have reacted to losing their “blue tick” on Twitter.
At the behest of Twitter CEO Elon Musk, the social media platform finally removed the “legacy verified” marks on celebrity profiles, with users now needing to pay a monthly fee in order to be “verified”.
Critics of the change have argued that the move will make it far easier for misinformation to spread, with users now unable to tell whether or not a celebrity account is legitimate.
When, late on Thursday (20 April), the “blue ticks” began disappearing from users’ profiles, those who had previously been “verified” started mocking the transition.
“My blue tick has gone. I’m not sure if I’m really me or not,” wrote Gervais, alongside a photograph of his face gurning in the bathtub.
Osman, star of Pointless and a bestselling novellist, wrote: “Farewell blue tick, old friend.
“Don’t forget,...
At the behest of Twitter CEO Elon Musk, the social media platform finally removed the “legacy verified” marks on celebrity profiles, with users now needing to pay a monthly fee in order to be “verified”.
Critics of the change have argued that the move will make it far easier for misinformation to spread, with users now unable to tell whether or not a celebrity account is legitimate.
When, late on Thursday (20 April), the “blue ticks” began disappearing from users’ profiles, those who had previously been “verified” started mocking the transition.
“My blue tick has gone. I’m not sure if I’m really me or not,” wrote Gervais, alongside a photograph of his face gurning in the bathtub.
Osman, star of Pointless and a bestselling novellist, wrote: “Farewell blue tick, old friend.
“Don’t forget,...
- 4/21/2023
- by Louis Chilton
- The Independent - TV
Mac DeMarco has shared a surprise new album with fans – and it’s 199 tracks long.
Titled One Wayne G , the record was released on streaming services on Friday (21 April).
Comprising nearly 200 songs recorded between 2018 and 2023, One Wayne G lasts for a total of nearly nine hours.
The songs are listed on the album in the chronological order of recording, with the majority titled simply by their recording date, eg: “20190826.”
Some, however, also have more conventional song titles, such as “No Doubt About It”, “Inside the Beavers Dam”, “She Get The Gold Star”, or “The Truth”. The majority of the songs are instrumental tracks.
Fans reacted in shock to the nature of the new release, sharing their thoughts on social media.
“I’m going to be feasting this weekend let’s goo,” one person wrote.
“This is crazy,” wrote another. “I’m going to slowly make my way through this album.
Titled One Wayne G , the record was released on streaming services on Friday (21 April).
Comprising nearly 200 songs recorded between 2018 and 2023, One Wayne G lasts for a total of nearly nine hours.
The songs are listed on the album in the chronological order of recording, with the majority titled simply by their recording date, eg: “20190826.”
Some, however, also have more conventional song titles, such as “No Doubt About It”, “Inside the Beavers Dam”, “She Get The Gold Star”, or “The Truth”. The majority of the songs are instrumental tracks.
Fans reacted in shock to the nature of the new release, sharing their thoughts on social media.
“I’m going to be feasting this weekend let’s goo,” one person wrote.
“This is crazy,” wrote another. “I’m going to slowly make my way through this album.
- 4/21/2023
- by Louis Chilton
- The Independent - Music
At a glance, Beef may look like a tale you already know well. The 10-part Netflix series follows a road rage spat between two dissatisfied millennials (Steven Yeun and Ali Wong) that snowballs into a bitter, dangerous feud. This notion – of a perennially escalating conflict between strangers – has been brought to the screen many times before, in everything from Steven Spielberg’s Duel to old Laurel and Hardy shorts like Big Business or Tit for Tat. “Blood will have blood,” said Macbeth, and it’s true. Or at the very least, property destruction will have property destruction.
But outside this age-old conceit, Beef is a distinctly modern parable, one that could only exist in the age of social media. In fact, its whole story – of misplaced rage, futile grudges and petty one-upmanship – is pretty much the perfect metaphor for online behaviour. Its very title tugs at this fact: these days,...
But outside this age-old conceit, Beef is a distinctly modern parable, one that could only exist in the age of social media. In fact, its whole story – of misplaced rage, futile grudges and petty one-upmanship – is pretty much the perfect metaphor for online behaviour. Its very title tugs at this fact: these days,...
- 4/15/2023
- by Louis Chilton
- The Independent - TV
When John Farrar turned up to a movie set at dawn clutching a demo of his hastily written “emergency song”, he didn’t have high hopes. The call had only come in the previous day, crying out for a last-minute number to plug a hole in the musical score for when the greaser with heart gets the good girl turned bad. Farrar hadn’t exactly been inspired in scratching it together – “desperate is probably the word”, he says. The director took one listen and hated it, but the last-day-of-school shot was already set up and they were all out of options. A choreographer threw together a dance routine on the spot. The scene went in the can inside seven hours, and so wrapped this hokey teen musical presumably bound for oblivion.
Or not. The movie was the 1978 musical smash Grease. The track, “You’re the One That I Want”. A...
Or not. The movie was the 1978 musical smash Grease. The track, “You’re the One That I Want”. A...
- 4/13/2023
- by Mark Beaumont
- The Independent - Film
When John Farrar turned up to a movie set at dawn clutching a demo of his hastily written “emergency song”, he didn’t have high hopes. The call had only come in the previous day, crying out for a last-minute number to plug a hole in the musical score for when the greaser with heart gets the good girl turned bad. Farrar hadn’t exactly been inspired in scratching it together – “desperate is probably the word”, he says. The director took one listen and hated it, but the last-day-of-school shot was already set up and they were all out of options. A choreographer threw together a dance routine on the spot. The scene went in the can inside seven hours, and so wrapped this hokey teen musical presumably bound for oblivion.
Or not. The movie was the 1978 musical smash Grease. The track, “You’re the One That I Want”. A...
Or not. The movie was the 1978 musical smash Grease. The track, “You’re the One That I Want”. A...
- 4/13/2023
- by Mark Beaumont
- The Independent - Music
"Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies" takes viewers straight back to high school, recounting the origin story of "Grease"'s infamous girl gang, the Pink Ladies. The show features a whole new slate of songs written for the series by hitmaker Justin Tranter, who designed the soundtrack to bridge a classic 1950s sound with more contemporary elements.
If you were wondering if the "Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies" cast are really belting out all those showstoppers, the answer is yes! A rep for the series confirmed to Popsugar that each and every one of the actors sings all their own parts. Singing and dancing were always requirements for the show's stars, as it turns out; actor Fiona Vroom, who plays Susan, shared that the casting process for "Rise of the Pink Ladies" required everyone to show off their singing, dancing, and acting skills. "I sent in quite a hefty audition,...
If you were wondering if the "Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies" cast are really belting out all those showstoppers, the answer is yes! A rep for the series confirmed to Popsugar that each and every one of the actors sings all their own parts. Singing and dancing were always requirements for the show's stars, as it turns out; actor Fiona Vroom, who plays Susan, shared that the casting process for "Rise of the Pink Ladies" required everyone to show off their singing, dancing, and acting skills. "I sent in quite a hefty audition,...
- 4/7/2023
- by Eden Arielle Gordon
- Popsugar.com
‘Rise of the Pink Ladies’ Stars Introduce Their Rydell High Students of the ‘Grease’ Prequel (Video)
You might end up hopelessly devoted to this Grease prequel, an origin story for the 1978 classic film’s scene-stealing Pink Ladies girl gang. Set in 1954 at good old Rydell High School, Paramount+’s candy-colored musical series features four very different girls who unite after getting fed up with gossip and exclusion. And lucky for us, TV Insider was able to catch up with the cast of Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies in our suite at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour to hear more about what’s in store for the season. The gang mastermind is brainy, well-behaved Jane Facciano (Marisa Davila) whose tipping point is when her jock ex-boyfriend lies about how far they went in the backseat of his car. Jane’s not about to let that slide. “She’s very optimistic, ambitious, and an idealist — which honestly wasn’t very welcome in the ’50s,” Davila tells us.
- 4/7/2023
- TV Insider
The following contains spoilers from the premiere of Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies.
Two familiar names (and one very familiar voice) pop up in the premiere of Paramount+’s now-streaming Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, adding a cheeky full-circle element to the musical prequel series.
More from TVLineFatal Attraction: Watch First Official Trailer for Upcoming Thriller Starring Lizzy Caplan and Joshua JacksonYellowstone's Kevin Costner, Other Main Cast No-Shows at PaleyFest, With Costner's Future on Series TBDParamount+ Makes Its Nielsen Streaming Chart Debut With 1923 -- Mandalorian Returns in No. 3 Spot
Set in 1954, Rise of the Pink Ladies chronicles the...
Two familiar names (and one very familiar voice) pop up in the premiere of Paramount+’s now-streaming Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, adding a cheeky full-circle element to the musical prequel series.
More from TVLineFatal Attraction: Watch First Official Trailer for Upcoming Thriller Starring Lizzy Caplan and Joshua JacksonYellowstone's Kevin Costner, Other Main Cast No-Shows at PaleyFest, With Costner's Future on Series TBDParamount+ Makes Its Nielsen Streaming Chart Debut With 1923 -- Mandalorian Returns in No. 3 Spot
Set in 1954, Rise of the Pink Ladies chronicles the...
- 4/6/2023
- by Andy Swift
- TVLine.com
Paramount+’s Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies is set four years before the events of Grease and tells the origin story of the Pink Ladies. Episode one, “We’re Gonna Rule the School,” introduces the new key characters while paying homage to the long-running Broadway musical and 1978 feature film.
And now to the recap:
It’s the start of Jane’s second year at Rydell after moving from New York, and she’s entering the 1954-1955 school year with Big Man on Campus Buddy (Jason Schmidt) at her side. Jane (Marisa Davila) isn’t sure why Buddy wants to be with her, given that she’s not exactly popular, and as we meet the couple, they’re parked at a secluded spot making out.
Buddy’s super happy she helped him plan a pep rally, and Jane’s hoping she can use it as a launching pad for a run for student council.
And now to the recap:
It’s the start of Jane’s second year at Rydell after moving from New York, and she’s entering the 1954-1955 school year with Big Man on Campus Buddy (Jason Schmidt) at her side. Jane (Marisa Davila) isn’t sure why Buddy wants to be with her, given that she’s not exactly popular, and as we meet the couple, they’re parked at a secluded spot making out.
Buddy’s super happy she helped him plan a pep rally, and Jane’s hoping she can use it as a launching pad for a run for student council.
- 4/6/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
To put it mildly, certain elements of Grease — both the 1971 stage musical and the 1978 film — have not aged well. The problems are epitomized by a line in the classic number “Summer Nights”: “Did she put up a fight?” In the 1950s America that Grease imagines, sexual politics mainly focus on how “far” the members of the guy gang the T-Birds can go with their dates, while their female counterparts the Pink Ladies mostly exist to accompany them to the drive-in.
- 4/6/2023
- by Gwen Ihnat
- Primetimer
Nearly half a century on, the argument rages on over whether Grease was overtly sexist for its girl-changes-to-please-a-boy ending, or secretly feminist for its vivid female characters and rejection of puritanical sexual mores. If Paramount+’s Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies has its way, there will be no corresponding debate over its own progressive stances. The prequel aims to tackle head-on the sexism and racism plaguing its 1950s setting, while also, of course, delivering infectious tunes, lovable characters and sweet teen romance.
The series succeeds at some of that. As a statement of social-justice ideals, Rise of the Pink Ladies is on uneven ground; as a musical, it’s disappointingly forgettable. But as a story about the joys of teen friendship and first love, it’s almost endearing enough to make up for its shortcomings in other areas.
Set four years before the events of the original Grease, Rise...
The series succeeds at some of that. As a statement of social-justice ideals, Rise of the Pink Ladies is on uneven ground; as a musical, it’s disappointingly forgettable. But as a story about the joys of teen friendship and first love, it’s almost endearing enough to make up for its shortcomings in other areas.
Set four years before the events of the original Grease, Rise...
- 4/5/2023
- by Angie Han
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The casting director of Grease has described the 1978 film musical as a “non-pc fairytale”.
Grease, which starred John Travolta and the late Olivia Newton-John as two high school students who fall in love, has faced criticism in recent years for its problematic elements.
In a new oral history of the film for The Guardian, casting director Joel Thurm also rejected one of the common criticisms of the film’s casting – that most of the actors look too old to accurately portray high school students.
“People might say the cast is too old, but Grease is not a documentary; it’s a fantasy,” he claimed. “It is a non-pc fairytale that is better for the cast not being teens.
“The only thing that was important was that the cast all looked about the same age as each other, which they did,” he added.
In 2021, Newton-John hit back at accusations that the...
Grease, which starred John Travolta and the late Olivia Newton-John as two high school students who fall in love, has faced criticism in recent years for its problematic elements.
In a new oral history of the film for The Guardian, casting director Joel Thurm also rejected one of the common criticisms of the film’s casting – that most of the actors look too old to accurately portray high school students.
“People might say the cast is too old, but Grease is not a documentary; it’s a fantasy,” he claimed. “It is a non-pc fairytale that is better for the cast not being teens.
“The only thing that was important was that the cast all looked about the same age as each other, which they did,” he added.
In 2021, Newton-John hit back at accusations that the...
- 4/5/2023
- by Louis Chilton
- The Independent - Film
As a prequel series hits our TV screens, the cast and crew of the hit film remember the auditions, the stage show and the ‘summer-long party’ of filming
Forty-five years ago, audiences first glimpsed the sun-kissed, palm-lined campus of Rydell High, the school setting for the movie musical Grease. Featuring star-making performances from John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, Grease immersed viewers in the camp melodrama of 1950s adolescence, replete with preening boys, blushing girls and explosive dance numbers.
Based on the 1971 stage musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, which had starred actors including Richard Gere and Barry Bostwick, Grease the film swapped the original’s grittier Chicago setting for the steamy heat of the west coast. Centring on the story of the car-obsessed T-Birds and their romances with the chain-smoking Pink Ladies, Grease was met with a mixed reception upon its release in 1978. “I’ve never seen an uglier large-scale musical,...
Forty-five years ago, audiences first glimpsed the sun-kissed, palm-lined campus of Rydell High, the school setting for the movie musical Grease. Featuring star-making performances from John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, Grease immersed viewers in the camp melodrama of 1950s adolescence, replete with preening boys, blushing girls and explosive dance numbers.
Based on the 1971 stage musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, which had starred actors including Richard Gere and Barry Bostwick, Grease the film swapped the original’s grittier Chicago setting for the steamy heat of the west coast. Centring on the story of the car-obsessed T-Birds and their romances with the chain-smoking Pink Ladies, Grease was met with a mixed reception upon its release in 1978. “I’ve never seen an uglier large-scale musical,...
- 4/5/2023
- by Ammar Kalia
- The Guardian - Film News
Daisy May Cooper and Jack Farthing return to our screens this week with Rain Dogs, a BBC series that has been described as The Last Of Us, except with poverty instead of mushroom zombies.
Jack himself drops by the show to tell us if that is indeed the case, and we also find out if Grease is still the word in Paramount's Rise Of The Pink Ladies and tune in to a grudge match for the ages in Netflix's Beef. Kay is on holiday this week so Beth Webb rejoins us (for her sins) and there may (or may not) be cake…
Listen to the episode on your podcast app of choice or the player above. And if you want to subscribe to Pilot TV+, find all the details here.
Jack himself drops by the show to tell us if that is indeed the case, and we also find out if Grease is still the word in Paramount's Rise Of The Pink Ladies and tune in to a grudge match for the ages in Netflix's Beef. Kay is on holiday this week so Beth Webb rejoins us (for her sins) and there may (or may not) be cake…
Listen to the episode on your podcast app of choice or the player above. And if you want to subscribe to Pilot TV+, find all the details here.
- 4/3/2023
- by James Dyer
- Empire - TV
Paramount Global is betting on a new e-commerce platform, ParamountShop, to be a unified direct-to-consumer shop for fans of its content brands across its film and TV operations. Creating one shopping window for products representing more than 125 content brands is designed to move the consumer products business to the next level by offering people “a mountain of merch.”
Pam Kaufman, Paramount Global’s president and CEO, int’l markets and global consumer products & experiences, spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about the goals behind the push, what fans of Top Gun, Yellowstone, Garfield or Paw Patrol can find in the store, what it changes for the entertainment conglomerate’s relationship with retailers and licensees and cross-promotion between the e-commerce platform and Paramount+.
Why did you decide to launch the unified online shop that provides an umbrella for merchandise across your brands and content franchises now?
One year ago, we became Paramount...
Pam Kaufman, Paramount Global’s president and CEO, int’l markets and global consumer products & experiences, spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about the goals behind the push, what fans of Top Gun, Yellowstone, Garfield or Paw Patrol can find in the store, what it changes for the entertainment conglomerate’s relationship with retailers and licensees and cross-promotion between the e-commerce platform and Paramount+.
Why did you decide to launch the unified online shop that provides an umbrella for merchandise across your brands and content franchises now?
One year ago, we became Paramount...
- 3/16/2023
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Henry Winkler is a television icon thanks to “Happy Days” and an Emmy Award winner thanks to “Barry,” but that doesn’t mean his hugely successful acting career is without regret. There’s one role that got away that still pains Winkler: Danny Zuko in “Grease.” In a recent interview with CNN’s Chris Wallace, Winkler revealed he rejected an offer to play the “Grease” leading man, a role that would go on to make John Travolta a huge movie star. The “Grease” offer came in during a time of professional crisis for Winkler.
“It was so bad that not only could I not find work, but I was sitting at my desk at Paramount and I literally thought, ‘Am I ever going to find anything with as much impact as the Fonz?'” Winkler said. “How will I know? Will anybody ever ask me? I’m not getting any offers.
“It was so bad that not only could I not find work, but I was sitting at my desk at Paramount and I literally thought, ‘Am I ever going to find anything with as much impact as the Fonz?'” Winkler said. “How will I know? Will anybody ever ask me? I’m not getting any offers.
- 11/14/2022
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
Since their debut as a men’s fashion piece more than 70 years ago, leather jackets have remained a staple in every guy’s wardrobe. And it’s easy to understand why: the best leather jackets make everyone feel f–king cool.
As with many pieces of clothing, the genesis of leather jackets is in military gear. Ffirst engineered for aviators in the first and second world wars, leather...
Since their debut as a men’s fashion piece more than 70 years ago, leather jackets have remained a staple in every guy’s wardrobe. And it’s easy to understand why: the best leather jackets make everyone feel f–king cool.
As with many pieces of clothing, the genesis of leather jackets is in military gear. Ffirst engineered for aviators in the first and second world wars, leather...
- 11/1/2022
- by Oscar Hartzog and John Lonsdale
- Rollingstone.com
Happy Harryween! On Monday, Harry Styles emerged on stage for his Halloween show at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles dressed in his best Danny Zuko, channeling Grease and performing a cover of the late Olivia Newton-John‘s “Hopelessly Devoted to You.”
While rocking a sleeveless black shirt with the word “Harryween” written on the back, and a thick black wig reminiscent of the beloved John Travolta character, Styles showed off his best Grease dance moves as he covered the standout track from the film’s soundtrack, and performed his typical setlist throughout the show.
While rocking a sleeveless black shirt with the word “Harryween” written on the back, and a thick black wig reminiscent of the beloved John Travolta character, Styles showed off his best Grease dance moves as he covered the standout track from the film’s soundtrack, and performed his typical setlist throughout the show.
- 11/1/2022
- by Tomás Mier
- Rollingstone.com
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.