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Today in Entertainment: Debut of Debbie Reynolds-Carrie Fisher documentary pushed up

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Here’s what’s new and interesting in the world of entertainment and the arts today:

Who knew eggs could be so sexy? Oprah Winfrey did

(Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Everyone knows that breakfast is the most important meal of the day... but the sexiest? That’s new.

At least, that’s what Oprah Winfrey said during her Tuesday appearance on “The Late Show” with host Stephen Colbert. The mighty O was promoting her first cookbook, “Food, Health and Happiness,” and went step by step through her “sexy breakfast” recipe.

“What makes breakfast sexy?” Colbert asked. For this particular recipe, jalapeños added a kick.

The two bantered while whipping up eggs with salsa and avocado. “We have a reluctant tomato,” Colbert said while attempting to make salsa in a food processor. “Which was actually my stripper name when I was younger.”

Winfrey, a spokeswoman for Weight Watchers, also discussed the weight-loss company’s point system. In 2015, Winfrey announced that she bought a 10% stake in Weight Watchers. And last month, Winfrey appeared in two new ads celebrating dropping more than 40 pounds through the program.

But healthy definitely doesn’t mean bland. When Colbert took a bite of the dish, after adding a bit of truffle zest, he had this to say:

“That is extremely sexy, and I’m in a relationship right now.”

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‘Tonight Show’ lands Michelle Obama’s final late-night interview as first lady

(Manuel Balce Ceneta / Associated Press)

Michelle Obama will make her final talk show appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” Jan. 11, arriving on the heels of President Obama’s farewell address in Chicago.

FLOTUS first appeared on “The Tonight Show” in 2014, as a guest on the recurring “Ew!” sketch with Fallon and Will Ferrell. A year later, she returned to bust out her best dance moves for an “Evolution of Mom Dancing” sketch, in honor of her “Let’s Move” campaign.

Obama has been making the television rounds as her time in the White House comes to a close. She recently sat down with Oprah Winfrey for a special interview in which she reflected on the topic of hope.

And President Obama will also be making a final TV appearance on History’s two-hour special, “The 44th President: In His Own Words,” on Jan. 15.

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Mariah Carey’s New Year’s Eve performance? ‘It just don’t get any bettah’

(Theo Wargo / Getty Images)

A few hours before midnight, the West Coast got the warning: Mariah Carey’s New Year’s Eve debacle on ABC was headed this way, and it wasn’t going to be pretty.

There were, ahem, technical difficulties.

Those difficulties, on a show that aired live in the EasternTime Zone, left Carey hanging out on stage frustrated and unable to sing as her backup dancers went through the motions around her.

The performance on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest” was billed as “the last big performance of 2016 by Mariah Carey,” who in 2005 was the show’s first act to go live from Times Square.

Problems were evident from the start of the set, with Carey unable to hear the music she was supposed to be singing along with. She called for audio technical help.

That help never came.

Ultimately, as the backing track finally ended, the singer turned on a heel, amid a frame of feathers, and booked it offstage as fast as she could in heels that high.

The critics online — where everyone’s a comedian, and some people are quite funny — cut Mariah no slack.

At least Mariah appeared to know how badly it had gone, signing off in true diva fashion and putting a fork in 2016 along with the rest of us.

But in the spirit of a fresh start in 2017, at least a few people found something nice to say.

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TCM to honor Debbie Reynolds with 24-hour film tribute

Debbie Reynolds and Gene Kelly in "Singin' in the Rain" will be part of a 24-hour film tribute to Reynolds on TCM on Jan. 27.
(Movie Poster Image Art / Getty Images)

The Debbie Reynolds tributes continue. TCM has announced it will air a 24-hour film tribute to Reynolds starting Jan. 27. The 84-year-old actress died Wednesday, just one day after the death of her daughter, Carrie Fisher.

Reynolds, of course, was known for her breakout role opposite Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor in the 1952 musical “Singin’ in the Rain,” as well as her Academy Award-nominated performance in 1964’s “The Unsinkable Molly Brown.”

For fans hoping to catch Reynolds on the silver screen, TCM Big Screen Classics and Fathom Events will be hosting nationwide showings of “Singin’ in the Rain” on Jan. 15 and 18 (ticket are available online).

Here is the schedule for TCM’s Debbie Reynolds marathon (all times Pacific):

  • 3 a.m.: “It Started With A Kiss” (1959)
  • 4:45 a.m.: “Bundle of Joy” (1956)
  • 6:30 a.m.: “How the West Was Won” (1963)
  • 9:30 a.m.: “The Tender Trap” (1955)
  • 11:30 a.m.: “Hit the Deck” (1955)
  • 1:30 p.m.: “I Love Melvin” (1953)
  • 3 p.m.: “Singin’ in the Rain” (1952)
  • 5 p.m.: “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” (1964)
  • 7:30 p.m.: “The Mating Game” (1959)
  • 9:30 p.m.: “The Catered Affair” (1956)
  • 11:15 p.m.: “The Singing Nun” (1965)
  • 1 a.m.: “How Sweet It Is!” (1968)
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Will L.A.’s small theaters thrive or decline under controversial new wage rules?

Theater loves metaphor, so let’s call John Perrin Flynn, the artistic director of the Rogue Machine theater company in L.A., our Ghost of Christmas Future as we face the big question for 2017: As controversial new wage rules kick in for the city’s small theaters, will the local scene thrive or decline?

It’s a question that has hovered since April 2015, when Actors’ Equity Assn. passed the 99-Seat Agreement for local companies performing in Los Angeles County theaters with fewer than 100 seats. The change prompts small companies to increase actor pay from a tiered stipend system (often $7 to $25 per performance) to a minimum hourly wage for all work, including rehearsals as well as time spent on set for performances.

Somewhere in all of this is the idea that commerce must come first. Theater is not commercially viable in and of itself, so art loses.

— John Perrin Flynn

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Mormon Tabernacle Choir member resigns over planned Trump inauguration performance

(George Frey / AP)

A member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir has resigned because of the group’s decision to perform at Donald Trump’s inauguration.

The singer, Jan Chamberlin, shared her resignation letter on Facebook on Thursday explaining that she felt “betrayed” and that she “simply cannot continue with the recent turn of events.”

“Since ‘the announcement,’ I have spent several sleepless nights and days in turmoil and agony,” wrote Chamberlin. “I have reflected carefully on both sides of the issue, prayed a lot, talked with family and friends, and searched my soul.”

Chamberlin, who said she has been with the choir for five years, explained that sitting out the inaugural performance was not enough.

“Looking from the outside in, it will appear that Choir is endorsing tyranny and fascism by singing for this man,” said Chamberlin, which she believes would damage the choir’s image and networking.

Chamberlin echoes the sentiments of more than 21,000 people who have signed an online petition disagreeing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s decision to perform at the inauguration. According to the organizer of the campaign, most of the signatures are from members of the Mormon church.

“I hope that we and many others will work together with greater diligence and awareness to calmly and bravely work together to defend our freedoms and our rights for our families, our friends, and our fellow citizens,” Chamberlin added in her letter. “I hope we can throw off the labels and really listen to each other with respect, love, compassion, and a true desire to bring our energies and souls together in solving the difficult problems that lie in our wake.”

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir has previously performed at the inaugurations of Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson (1965), Richard M. Nixon (1969), Ronald Reagan (1981), George H.W. Bush (1989) and George W. Bush (2001).

Read Chamberlin’s full message here.

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HBO moves up debut of Debbie Reynolds-Carrie Fisher documentary ‘Bright Lights’

In the wake of the tragic deaths of Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher this week, HBO announced Friday that it has pushed up the debut of the mother-daughter documentary “Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds” to Jan. 7 at 8 p.m. (ET/PT).

HBO describes the film, which had showings at several film festivals including Cannes and Telluride, as “an intimate portrait of Hollywood royalty in all its eccentricity.” It chronicles the complex relationship between the dynamic duo, who lived next door to each other in the same Beverly Hills compound.

Read MoreRELATED: ‘Bright Lights’ peels back the curtain on Carrie Fisher’s legendary Hollywood family

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‘Twilight Zone,’ O.J. and James Bond: A rundown of TV’s New Year’s marathons

From the coverage of the big ball dropping above an overcrowded Times Square to the N.Y.E.L.A. celebration scheduled for Grand Park downtown, there are plenty of festive means to see off 2016.

But for all your end-of-year plans that may not involve forced toasts and funny hats, television has you covered with a variety of programming marathons to keep your spirits up. Follow the link below for a rundown of some ways to wait out — or avoid entirely — the start of any party plans you may have to greet 2017.

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Steve Martin deletes Twitter tribute to Carrie Fisher after backlash

Steve Martin and Carrie Fisher.
(Casey Curry / Invision / AP; Chris Pizzello / AP)

Friends and fans alike took to social media to mourn Carrie Fisher’s death on Tuesday, including Steve Martin, who shared a message over Twitter. But Martin deleted his tweet soon after accusations that it was sexist.

“When I was a young man, Carrie Fisher was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. She turned out to be witty and bright as well,” Martin wrote.

Some called out Martin for focusing on her physical appearance, a topic Fisher spoke out against throughout her career. Others noted that Fisher likely wanted to be remembered for more than just being pretty.

After the tribute had been deleted, a contingent of supporters jumped to Martin’s defense, while others surmised that Fisher likely would have laughed about the matter.

Fisher, of course, was outspoken in her feminism, especially in regards to her legacy as Princess Leia. She did not hesitate to call people out on their perceptions and sexualization of the character.

Then again, Fisher herself reduced Martin to a one-night stand in a 1999 interview she conducted with the actor for The Times. “I slept with Steve Martin once and once only, 20-some years ago. And I interviewed Steve Martin once and once only, 20-some days ago,” she began the piece. “You do the math.”

“This interview will be the last in the series I did in my upcoming book, titled ‘Famous Men I Have Slept With So I Could Interview Them Later,’ due out in the fall for Simon & Schuster,” Fisher added.

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Citing diabetes complications, Rob Kardashian hospitalized overnight and released Thursday morning

Black Chyna and Rob Kardashian.
(Greg Doherty / Getty)

Rob Kardashian was reportedly hospitalized overnight after a diabetes flareup Wednesday but was released Thursday morning.

The 29-year-old “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” star was not feeling well Wednesday and checked himself into a hospital after realizing his symptoms were diabetes-related, according to People.

TMZ reported that Blac Chyna and Kris Jenner rushed to the hospital to join him in the emergency room Wednesday night.

In December 2015, Kardashian was hospitalized and diagnosed with diabetes but declared earlier this year that he was “completely free” of the disease. Kardashian also credited Chyna for helping him to focus on his health.

Kardashian and Chyna recently welcomed their first child, daughter Dream Renee Kardashian, but have since hit a rough patch, including a brief (but public) split. The strain in their relationship has reportedly caused Kardashian to slip back to old, unhealthy habits.

Kardashian left the hospital Thursday morning, according to TMZ.

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Donald Trump, Taylor Swift, Kim Kardashian and more: The top 10 celebrity stories from 2016

President-elect Donald Trump and Kanye West
President-elect Donald Trump and Kanye West
(Seth Wenig / Associated Press)

Brangelina broke up. Kim Kardashian dropped off social media. Hollywood lost the election. In a year when the seemingly impossible became reality on a very regular basis, the celebrity-scape hardly knew what hit it.

Here are 10 of the most buzzed-about celeb stories from 2016.

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Carrie Fisher memorials continue in Downtown Disney, at Alamo Drafthouse and with a tribute parade in New Orleans

Jay Cotton Jr., 4, of Whittier, sits on his father Jay Cotton's shoulders during a lightsaber vigil for "Star Wars" actress Carrie Fisher held in Downtown Disney.
(Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

Memorials for Carrie Fisher -- who died on Tuesday -- are ramping up as Downtown Disney in Anaheim hosted a lightsaber vigil, screenings are planned at multiple Alamo Drafthouse theaters and a tribute parade is in the works in New Orleans.

The Downtown Disney event drew about 100 people who, with lightsabers raised, honored the memory of Fisher. The 501st Legion of “Star Wars” fans is already working to put on a big demostration at Star Wars Celebration in April, with other events in the early stages of planning.

Other lightsaber vigils and screenings of Fisher’s non-“Star Wars” hits -- “When Harry Met Sally,” “The Blues Brothers” and even “The ‘Burbs” -- will take place in multiple locations for Drafthouse denizens in Texas, Virginia and Nebraska. The first of which is Wednesday night at Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar in Austin and numerous other locations in Texas. There is a list below of the places and screenings.

On Friday, the Leijorettes, a squad of more than 100 costumed Princess Leias, are expected to lead the Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus Carnival marching group in a tribute parade in New Orleans honoring Fisher. Chewbacchus, one of the fastest-growing Mardi Gras organizations, was inspired by the “Star Wars” franchise. The gathering is still finalizing permits for the march, and a Facebook page has been set up to get further details about the event.

Other Drafthouse locations and activities:

-- Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar (Austin, Texas) is holding a lightsaber vigil Wednesday, which started at 6:30 p.m. (you can read more about what that will entail here).

-- The Winchester Alamo Drafthouse (Winchester, Va.) will hold a screening of “When Harry Met Sally” Saturday at 10 p.m., and a memorial event will be launched that screening.

-- The Drafthouse in Omaha will be holding two in memoriam screenings: “The Burbs” (Jan. 5 at 7:30 p.m.) and “When Harry Met Sally” (Jan. 6 at 7 p.m.). Tickets to both of those screenings will be on sale soon.

-- Non-Austin Drafthouse locations in Texas (New Braunfels, Stone Oak, Park North, Westlakes, and Laredo) are holding lightsaber vigils Wednesday that started at 6:30 p.m. Houston’s Mason Park location will hold a lightsaber vigil at 6:45 p.m. Friday, and the Lubbock location will be holding its lightsaber vigil Friday as well, at 7 p.m.

-- Additionally, Park North (San Antonio), Laredo and Market Place (New Braunfels) locations will be holding free memorial screenings of “The Blues Brothers” throughout the weekend. These theaters will be accepting donations before and after the show to DBSA San Antonio, a nonprofit support group for people with mood disorders, such as bipolar disorder and depression (learn more about DBSA at www.dbsalliance.org).

UPDATE: Hollywood legend Debbie Reynolds, mother of Carrie Fisher, passes away the day after her daughter

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Stars on social media react to death of Debbie Reynolds so soon after Carrie Fisher’s passing

The reaction to the death of Debbie Reynolds was swift on social media, with most commenting on the timing of her passing, just a day after her daughter Carrie Fisher died.

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Debbie Reynolds dies at 84, one day after the death of daughter Carrie Fisher

Debbie Reynolds’ life was the stuff of movie legend, from her start as an ingenue playing opposite Gene Kelly in the classic 1952 musical “Singin’ in the Rain,” to her part in one of Hollywood’s most notorious scandals.

And her death Wednesday at the age of 84 had the kind of tragic story line Hollywood made famous, coming only one day after her daughter Carrie Fisher, died at the age of 60.

Reynolds’ son Todd told media outlets that his mother was under stress over the death of her daughter and suffered a stroke at her home at about noon. Reynolds told him she missed her daughter and wanted to be with her.

On Tuesday, Reynolds had posted a statement on Facebook about the outpouring of grief about her daughter’s unexpected death. Fisher, a well-known actress and author in her own right, died four days after suffering a cardiac incident on a flight from London back to Los Angeles.

“Thank you to everyone who has embraced the gifts and talents of my beloved and amazing daughter,” she wrote. “I am grateful for your thoughts and prayers that are now guiding her to her next stop. Love Carries Mother.”

Reynolds’ singing and dancing in “Singin’ in the Rain” and other musicals and frothy entertainment turned her into America’s Sweetheart and a potent box office star for years. She became famous near the end of the Golden Age of Hollywood and was a link to the great studio era.

And like the stalwart heroines she played, Reynolds never quit. She continued performing for the rest of her life on screen and stage, including a one-woman revue highlighting her remarkable life on screen and off. She was also a major collector of Hollywood memorabilia.

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Debbie Reynolds’ condition unknown after she is rushed to the hospital

Debbie Reynolds
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

UPDATE: Hollywood legend Debbie Reynolds, mother of Carrie Fisher, passes away the day after her daughter

Hollywood legend Debbie Reynolds was rushed to a hospital Wednesday after falling ill, a source with knowledge of the situation told The Times.

The emergency comes a day after Reynolds’ daughter, actress and author Carrie Fisher, died after a heart episode on a flight from London to Los Angeles.

Read MorePHOTOS: Debbie Reynolds: Career in photos

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GoFundMe campaign warns 2016 to stay away from Betty White

(Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

With just a few days remaining in the year, one man has decided to make it his mission to protect Betty White from 2016’s evil ways.

It’s no secret it has been a rough year in terms of celebrity losses. From David Bowie and Alan Rickman in January to George Michael and Carrie Fisher in recent days, many high-profile, generation-defining stars have died in 2016. Prince, Florence Henderson, Gwen Ifill, Leonard Cohen, Gene Wilder, Alan Thicke and Muhammad Ali are just some of the notable figures we’ve lost over the last 12 months.

But as far as Demetrios Hrysikos is concerned, our nation’s beloved grandmother will not be among them. On Tuesday, the South Carolina resident launched a crowdfunding campaign to protect the 94-year-old White, and promptly reached his $2,000 goal. (Within nearly 24 hours, 276 people had contributed abouty $2,900.)

“If she’s OK with it, I will fly to where ever Betty White is and keep her safe till Jan 1 , 2017.” Hrysikos promised on the GoFundMe page.

Known for her roles on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and “The Golden Girls,” White’s recent credits include starring in the series “Hot in Cleveland” as well as a guest spot on “Bones.”

In the event that White would prefer not to have “a strange Greek standing guard outside her door,” Hrysikos said all proceeds from the fundraiser will be donated to the Spartanburg Little Theatre.

“2016 has taken so many great artists, and SLT helps support and nurture new budding talent in our town,” Hrysikos explained in an update on GoFundMe. “I’d like to think that Betty, Carrie [Fisher], and [David] Bowie would be happy with any proceeds going to that cause, which I assure you it will!”

Not everyone was buying Hrysikos’ generosity, though. “Such a scam. Donate to the theatre directly if you want to,” one detractor wrote on the GoFundMe page.

But others defended the seemingly random act of kindness. As another commenter put it, “If I had the funds, I would donate just based on the fact that this wonderful man made me laugh during what is obviously one of the worst years.”

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Does Jennifer Lopez know why that hotline bling? Drake and Lopez fuel romance rumors

Are Drake and Jennifer Lopez dating? Perhaps.

What is certain is that Lopez and Drake shared the same photo showing them cozied up on Instagram on Tuesday night. Neither star captioned the photo, leaving fans to speculate about the nature of their relationship.

The snapshot has sparked new innuendo about their potential romance, which first started making the rounds earlier this month when Drake attended one of Lopez’s Las Vegas shows.

The two also commemorated that occasion by sharing a matching Instagram selfie, with Drake including a heart-eyed emoji in his caption. Fans who stumbled on the photo were left to decide whether this was professional admiration or a subtle confession of his true feelings.

The 30-year old rapper was then spotted at Lopez’s show the following week, before the 47-year old singer and actress apparently joined him in West Hollywood for a private dinner (with 20 or so other people).

Though neither Drake nor Lopez have actually confirmed (or denied) rumors, eagle-eyed social media watchers have noticed that Rihanna has stopped following both stars on Instagram since the speculation first ignited.

Lopez shared some thoughts in her Christmas message to fans over on Instagram.

“This year I can honestly say my heart is full,” wrote Lopez. “This year had its ups and downs, but as I sit here in my living room ... I feel surrounded by love and overflowing with gratitude for the many new blessings in my life!”

Earlier this year Lopez split from her longtime beau, Casper Smart.

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‘Yesterday was a horrible day’: Paul Simon remembers his onetime love Carrie Fisher

Carrie Fisher, then 26, and Paul Simon, 41, in 1983 after being wed in a private ceremony.
(Mario Suriani / Associated Press)

By most accounts, particularly in Peter Ames Carlin’s new biography, “Homeward Bound: The Life of Paul Simon,” the iconic musician had a topsy-turvy relationship with Carrie Fisher, his onetime flame whom he married in 1983 and divorced less than a year later.

On and off, Simon and Fisher were together for more than a decade, and in her 2008 memoir “Wishful Drinking,” Fisher claimed her former husband had written a number of songs about her, including “She Moves On.” Their romance is also the subject of “Hearts and Bones,” and Fisher appeared in the video for Simon’s “Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After the War” (see below).

“If you can get Paul Simon to write a song about you, do it,” she wrote in “Wishful Drinking.” “Because he is so brilliant at it.”

UPDATE: Hollywood legend Debbie Reynolds, mother of Carrie Fisher, passes away the day after her daughter

On Wednesday morning, Simon tweeted a short statement on Fisher’s sudden passing on Dec. 27, keeping his sentiments short but sweet.

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‘Star Wars’ fan group 501st Legion mourns the loss of Carrie Fisher, whom they call ‘royalty,’ and plans memorials

The largest contingent of “Star Wars” fans in the world, the 501st Legion or Vader’s Fist, joined others in grieving from the loss of Carrie Fisher, who died at 60 after suffering a cardiac incident on a flight from London.

The charitable cosplay group posted on their Facebook page saying: “The Empire may have captured the Princess, but the Princess captured our hearts.“

UPDATE: Hollywood legend Debbie Reynolds, mother of Carrie Fisher, passes away the day after her daughter

Already, memorials are being planned for Fisher. The ladies of the Rebel Legion, the 501st’s sister organization, are already organizing a memorial to be held during Star Wars Celebration in Orlando next April. They plan “to have as many of our ladies dressed as Princess Leia as possible,” said Shana Rich, a member of the public relations team for the 501st Legion.

The group does have splinter units worldwide, so events being planned are coming in slowly. In Colorado, members of the local chapters of the 501st and Rebel Legion are holding a public vigil Wednesday night from 5 p.m. to 7p.m. (Mountain Time) at Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum in Denver.

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Remembering Carrie Fisher: Empowering wit, strong words and leaving the universe forever changed

Carrie Fisher at the red-carpet premiere of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" in Hollywood.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Last year, months before “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” officially reunited the original cast and crew of the Millennium Falcon, there was a small disturbance in the Force. A disgruntled father on the East Coast, outraged over an action figure depicting Princess Leia in her infamous “slave” bikini costume, had denounced the toy as “inappropriate,” sparking a heated debate among fans and critics about the political implications of the outfit.

UPDATE: Hollywood legend Debbie Reynolds, mother of Carrie Fisher, passes away the day after her daughter

The woman behind the bikini, actress Carrie Fisher, answered the controversy in typical frank Fisher fashion. “The character is wearing that outfit not because she’s chosen to wear it. She’s been forced to wear it. She’s a prisoner of a giant testicle who has a lot of saliva going on. She does not want to wear that thing and it’s ultimately that chain, which you’re now indicating is some sort of accessory to S&M, that is used to kill the giant saliva testicle.… That’s asinine.”

And just like that, Fisher reclaimed the “slave Leia” look for feminism.

Converting a Frank Frazetta-inspired, barely-there metal two-piece into a flag for female empowerment was just one small example of Fisher’s ability to change the narrative in Hollywood — a career-turned-calling that tragically ended with her death Tuesday

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Carrie Fisher, the writer, edited ‘Empire’ and leaves a legacy of witty and self-aware scripts and novels

Out on the Internet, along with the many heart-touching tributes to Carrie Fisher, photographs of her as Leia Organa, either as princess (the original trilogy) or general (from “The Force Awakens”) and with her beloved French bulldog Gary, there’s another picture, originally placed there by cinema documentarian Will McCrabb, showing a page of the script of “The Empire Strikes Back.” On the script are several edits, in red pen, condensing and improving the script. McCrabb said the hand that put the edits there was Carrie Fisher’s, noting on Twitter that Fisher herself confirmed it to him.

Is he correct? The edits might have been made by Irwin Kershner, “Empire’s” director, instead. At the time — 1979 — Fisher would have been 22 years old. Yet here she was, looking at a script written by Lawrence Kasdan, who would go on to several screenwriting Oscar nominations, and Leigh Brackett, Howard Hawks’ secret screenwriting weapon and one of the great science fiction writers of her time, and thinking “this needs some fixing.” And then getting out her pen and doing just that.

Whoever made the edits wasn’t wrong. At least some of the edits to the scene (in which Leia, Han and Chewbacca plot a course to visit Lando Calrissian) made it to the final cut of the film. Simpler, tighter, better — and with the rhythm of speech rather than exposition (science fiction, forever the genre of people explaining things to other people). Carrie Fisher played a galactic princess, but she had a working writer’s gift for understanding how people talk, and how language works. At 22.

Read MoreUPDATE: Hollywood legend Debbie Reynolds, mother of Carrie Fisher, passes away the day after her daughter

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‘A free date with the princess and a bucket of popcorn’: When Carrie Fisher gently pranked a ‘Star Wars’ moviegoer

In the hours after the death of Carrie Fisher on Tuesday, the “Today” show released a 1977 video of Gene Shalit interviewing the fresh-faced cast of the original “Star Wars” just after it debuted in theaters. (See below.) Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Fisher, who was then just 20, told Shalit that they were still at the point in their careers where they could show up unnoticed at movie theaters and watch “Star Wars” with paying audiences.

“It’s easy,” Fisher said.

But she did describe one encounter when she didn’t get away unrecognized, a precursor of the fandom that would grow exponentially with each new installment of the saga.

“This one guy had seen it 12 times,” she told Shalit.

“What was his reaction?” Shalit asked.

“The princess!” Fisher said, mimicking the moviegoer raising his hands in shock.

“Did he ask you out?” Shalit asked.

Fisher, showing her wit in the face of Shalit’s rather lame question, then described a gentle pranking of the moviegoer.

“I ... told him I was the prize,” she told Shalit. “That the 20th Century Fox office had heard he’d seen it 12 times and he got a free date with the princess and a bucket of popcorn. He believed it.”

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‘How dare you take her from us,’ Joely Fisher says of Carrie Fisher’s death

Joely Fisher, daughter of Eddie Fisher and Connie Stevens, called the death of half-sister Carrie Fisher “unfathomable” and declared her own heart broken Tuesday.

UPDATE: Hollywood legend Debbie Reynolds, mother of Carrie Fisher, passes away the day after her daughter

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Lisa Edelstein on Carrie Fisher: ‘She carried the weight of being a living legend wherever she went’

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Actress and writer Carrie Fisher, who rose to prominence portraying Princess Leia in the “Star Wars” franchise, died Dec. 27 at age 60. Actress Lisa Edelstein, who worked with Fisher when she appeared on ‘Girlfriend’s’ Guide to Divorce,’ responded to the news with the following:

I met Carrie through a friend years before I had the opportunity to work with her. She was hilarious, sharp and witty, with a brain that worked so fast it was both thrilling and slightly terrifying to talk to her. Whether she wanted to or not, she carried the weight of being a living legend wherever she went. The first time she came onto the set of ‘Girlfriends’ Guide To Divorce,’ it was as if the air itself shifted. Our crew, normally a boisterous bunch, were quiet, focused, intensely respectful. But it was hard to keep that seriousness for long as Gary, her dog, snorted and wriggled around the set. She really loved that Gary. (He is a really cute guy.) I didn’t know her well enough, as far as I’m concerned, but she always talked to me as if I was far more informed about her life then I was. Perhaps that’s because so much of her life was so exposed, or perhaps it was just the way she was. But I appreciated the feeling of intimacy, however brief, and I am -- as we are all, saddened by her passing.

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Tina Fey on Carrie Fisher: ‘I feel so lucky that I got to meet her’

(Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

Actress and writer Carrie Fisher, who rose to prominence portraying Princess Leia in the “Star Wars” franchise, died Dec. 27 at age 60. Actress and writer Tina Fey responded to the news with the following statement:

Carrie Fisher meant a lot to me. Like many women my age, Princess Leia occupies about sixty percent of my brain at any given time. But Carrie’s honest writing and her razor-sharp wit were an even greater gift. I feel so lucky that I got to meet her.  I’m very sad she is gone.

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Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy on Carrie Fisher: ‘It is difficult to think of a world without her’

Actress and writer Carrie Fisher, who rose to prominence portraying Princess Leia in the “Star Wars” franchise, died Dec. 27 at age 60. Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy responded to the news with the following statement:

Carrie holds such a special place in the hearts of everyone at Lucasfilm it is difficult to think of a world without her. She was Princess Leia to the world but a very special friend to all of us. She had an indomitable spirit, incredible wit, and a loving heart. Carrie also defined the female hero of our age over a generation ago. Her groundbreaking role as Princess Leia served as an inspiration of power and confidence for young girls everywhere. We will miss her dearly.

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Steven Spielberg on Carrie Fisher: ‘She didn’t need The Force’

Actress and writer Carrie Fisher, who rose to prominence for portraying Princess Leia in the “Star Wars” franchise, died Dec. 27 at age 60. Director Steven Spielberg responded to the news with the following statement:

I have always stood in awe of Carrie.  Her observations always made me laugh and gasp at the same time.  She didn’t need The Force.  She was a force of nature, of loyalty and of friendship.  I will miss her very much.

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Harrison Ford on Carrie Fisher: ‘She lived her life bravely’

Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher on Nov. 13, 1978.
(George Brich / Associated Press)

Actress and writer Carrie Fisher, who rose to prominence for portraying Princess Leia in the “Star Wars” franchise, died Dec. 27 at age 60. “Star Wars” costar Harrison Ford responded to the news with the following:

Carrie was one-of-a-kind … brilliant, original.  Funny and emotionally fearless.  She lived her life, bravely. ... My thoughts are with her daughter Billie, her mother Debbie, her brother Todd, and her many friends. We will all miss her.

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Disney CEO Bob Iger on Carrie Fisher: ‘She will be sorely missed’

Carrie Fisher was one-of-a-kind, a true character who shared her talent and her truth with us all with her trademark wit and irreverence. Millions fell in love with her as the indomitable Princess Leia; she will always have a special place in the hearts of ‘Star Wars’ fans as well as all of us who were lucky enough to know her personally. She will be sorely missed, and we join millions of fans and friends around the world who mourn her loss today.

— Bob Iger, chairman and chief executive officer of the Walt Disney Co.

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Carrie Fisher: Front page news even before she was born

Carrie Fisher, who died today at 60, had the rare distinction of making the front page of the Los Angeles Times before she was even born. Here’s the March 27, 1956, announcement:

Debbie Reynolds, actress, and Eddie Fisher, singer, are anticipating becoming parents about November, according to information conveyed to Mrs. Raymond Reynolds, mother of Mrs. Fisher, over the phone from New York yesterday.

Miss Reynolds told her mother that all the tests made in the eastern city indicated they could look forward to the happy event.

The couple were married Sept. 26 last year at Grossinger N.Y,. a resort in the Catskill Mountains.

As the child of two major stars, Carrie Fisher lived her early years in the spotlight before going on to play one of the most beloved roles in modern cinema: Princess Leia in the original blockbuster “Star Wars” films.

Here are some early Los Angeles Times shots of Fisher with her famous mother.

Above, Carrie Fisher, almost 2, leaving her Los Angeles house with her mother on Sept. 9, 1958. The following day her parents announced that their marriage, considered ideal by many in Hollywood, was over.

Eddie Fisher had famously fallen for Elizabeth Taylor, the widow of his close friend Mike Todd. Decades later, Taylor and Reynolds, who had been friends prior to the scandal, starred together in “These Old Broads,” a film written by Carrie Fisher.

(Ray Graham / Los Angeles Times)

Above, Fisher, 3, gives her mother a hug after her afternoon nap in their home in West Los Angeles, on Nov. 16, 1959.

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Carrie Fisher, who blazed a path as ‘Star Wars’ heroine Princess Leia, dies at 60

Actress Carrie Fisher, shown in 2007.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Actress and writer Carrie Fisher, who rose to global fame as the trailblazing intergalactic heroine Princess Leia in the “Star Wars” franchise and later went on to establish herself as an author and screenwriter with an acerbic comic flair, has died.

UPDATE: Hollywood legend Debbie Reynolds, mother of Carrie Fisher, passes away the day after her daughter

Fisher suffered a heart attack Friday during a flight to Los Angeles from London, where she had been filming the third season of the Amazon comedy series “Catastrophe.” Upon landing, she was quickly rushed to UCLA Medical Center, but after three days in intensive care, she died, a family publicist confirmed. She was 60 years old.

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Ricky Harris, known for roles in ‘Dope,’ ‘Everybody Hates Chris’ and skits with Snoop Dogg, dies at 54

Ricky Harris in 2005.
(Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images)

Ricky Harris, a comedian known for both his racy stand-up act and his appearances in family-friendly fare such as the TV series “Everybody Hates Chris,” died Monday, his manager said. He was 54.

The cause was not immediately known. But Harris’ manager, Cindy Ambers of Art/Work Entertainment, said Harris had suffered a heart attack two years ago.

Fellow performers posted condolences on social media.

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George Michael’s duet with Aretha Franklin helped others see his transition into a ‘serious’ artist

English singer-songwriter George Michael during his "Faith" world tour in 1988.
(Michael Putland / Getty Images)

In November 1998, George Michael appeared on the “Late Show With David Letterman” to promote his new greatest-hits collection — and to publicly address his arrest earlier that year for lewd conduct in a Beverly Hills restroom.

The English pop star, pressed to explain what happened at Will Rogers Memorial Park, told Letterman he’d been a victim of police entrapment but acknowledged, “I’m no stranger to outdoor nooky.”

At that, the late-night host summoned up some faux outrage over Michael’s use of a naughty word.

“I’m not allowed to say ‘masturbation,’” the singer replied, stroking his artfully shaped mustache. “I’d have to say ‘nooky.’”

The exchange was a signature George Michael moment — expertly maneuvering around a silly rule, and then slipping in the prohibited term anyway — one of many transgressions in a remarkable career that ended too early when he was found dead Sunday in his home at age 53.

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‘Rogue One’ and ‘Sing’ take the top box office spots over the Christmas holiday

Call it the Force. Call it moviegoers hungry for a sassy robot and some daring acts of galactic rebellion. For the second Christmas movie season in a row, a “Star Wars” franchise film has dominated the holiday box office.

Also for the second year in a row, North American ticket sales are projected to exceed $11 billion, according to the entertainment data firm ComScore. And as the year comes to a close, 2016 is expected to see a 1.5% increase in ticket sales over 2015 ($11.3 billion versus $11.1 billion).

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” vanquished all others in its second week of wide release, hauling in $96.1 million over the four-day holiday weekend — with an additional $237.4 million from international screens.

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The time George Michael was the driving force behind early episodes of ABC’s ‘Eli Stone’

Pop superstar George Michael, who passed away Sunday at the age of 53, was known and beloved for his hit records and phenomenal live performances. But in 2008, he also proved game to be part of an endearingly quirky ABC series called “Eli Stone.”

Created by Greg Berlanti (“Brothers & Sisters,” “Arrow”) and Marc Guggenheim (“Arrow,” “Trollhunters”), the legal dramedy chronicled the life of the title character, a San Francisco lawyer played by Jonny Lee Miller (“Elementary’s” Sherlock Holmes).

Throughout early episodes of the first season — which were named after Michael song titles including “Faith” and “One More Try” — Stone had occasional hallucinations, including several that included Michael singing his songs. Stone was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm that partially explained his visions but the story paid off when Michael appeared in an episode not as a hallucination but as an actual client for Stone.

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‘Voice of an angel’: Celebrities react to the death of George Michael

Singer George Michael performs in front of 11,000 people to mark World AIDS Day at London's Wembley Arena in 1993.
(Gill Allen / Associated Press )

The Internet was in shock Sunday as it learned of the sudden passing of pop music star George Michael.

Michael passed peacefully at home over the Christmas holiday, the singer’s publicist said in a statement.

As fans of the musician worked through their grief on social media, many expressed their love by giving the singer of “Last Christmas” their hearts.

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The troubled life of George Michael: Drugs, run-ins with the police and health problems

George Michael performs in Abu Dhabi in 2008.
(Karim Sahib / AFP-Getty Images)

George Michael, who died peacefully at his home in Goring, England, according to his publicist, had run into legal and health troubles during the last decade. The Ministry of Gossip blog documented many of the stories.

2010: George Michael charged with pot possession, unfit driving

George Michael, arrested after a July car wreck in London, was charged Thursday with pot possession and impaired driving, according to London’s Metropolitan Police.

The singer, 47, had waited for police to arrive after allegedly ramming his Range Rover into a storefront on July 6. At the time, the Daily Mail reported that Michael had not been drinking and was not given a breath test.

Read More2010: George Michael released after four weeks in prison

Singer George Michael was released from prison Monday after serving four weeks of an eight-week sentence for driving under the influence of drugs.

“I’m coming out here on my own so that you realize I just want to start again,” Michael said Monday to members of the media gathered outside his home in North London, according to multiple reports. “I’m going to try and stop running away from you guys.” He also thanked those who supported him, calling it “quite inspiring.”

Read More2011: George Michael thanks doctors for saving his life [Video]

George Michael, short of breath while speaking to reporters outside his London home on Friday, thanked doctors in Austria for their care during “by far, the worst month” of his life, and hinted at the dire nature of his condition while he’d been in the hospital.

“They spent three weeks keeping me alive, basically,” said the singer, 48, who had to cancel a number of dates at the end of his Symphonica tour after contracting streptococcus pneumonia. He was taken to AKH Hospital in late November, nixing his Nov. 21 show just two hours before it was to start.

Michael, who was released from the hospital Thursday and looked thin on camera Friday, said he was still weak but felt “amazing.”

Read More2012: George Michael explains post-coma accent, shreds Rupert Murdoch

George Michael is delighted to be alive, but when he came back to life out of a coma last December, he spent a couple of days speaking in an accent that wasn’t his own.

While doctors worried that he had brain damage following a horrid bout with pneumonia that included days in a coma, Michael told Britain’s LBC radio, it turned out the London-born chap was just channeling a “Bristolian,” West Country accent from a British comedy called “Nighty Night,” which he’d been watching regularly with a friend shortly before falling so ill in Austria.

When he awoke and doctors asked him if he knew who he was, he said he answered, “King of the world?”

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George Michael dies at 53; the creative half of Wham! became a Grammy-winning solo artist

George Michael, the English singer-songwriter who shot to stardom in the 1980s as half of the pop duo Wham! and went on to become one of the era’s biggest pop solo artists with hits such as “Faith” and “I Want Your Sex,” died over the Christmas holiday. He was 53.

Michael died peacefully at his home in Goring, England, according to his publicist. She said he had not been ill. In a statement, Thames Valley Police called Michael’s death “unexplained but not suspicious.”

Teamed with guitarist Andrew Ridgeley in Wham!, Michael soared to fame in Britain in the early ’80s with hits such as “Young Guns (Go For It!),” “Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do)” and “Bad Boys.”

The duo’s “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” was an international million-selling single that put Wham! on the map in America, where it reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in late 1984.

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Netflix renews ‘Fuller House’ for Season 3

Were you naughty this year? Were you nice? It doesn’t matter, because Netflix is bringing back “Fuller House” for a third season either way.

Netflix delivered the news to fans on Saturday via various social media platforms, confirming that the spin-off series would return with new episodes in 2017.

The renewal news comes as little surprise to those following the career of “Fuller House” star Candace Cameron Bure, who left her position as co-host of “The View” in December, citing increased career demands on “Fuller House” and other projects.

The spin-off of “Full House” has found success in its life on Netflix, with the series centered around D.J. Tanner-Fuller (Cameron Bure), sister Stephanie Tanner (Jodie Sweetin) and best friend Kimmy Gibbler (Andrea Barber) as they balance careers, kids and courting in a house that is full.

The first two seasons of “Fuller House” are available to stream on Netflix.

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A mother’s thanks: Debbie Reynolds tweets in wake of daughter Carrie Fisher’s hospitalization

Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Update, Dec. 27: Carrie Fisher has died at the age of 60.

It’s Christmas day and many in Hollywood remain heavy-hearted after the Friday hospitalization of actress and author Carrie Fisher.

Fisher, best known for her iconic portrayal of Princess (and General) Leia in the “Star Wars” series, suffered a “cardiac episode” aboard a flight from London to LAX and is currently in intensive care at UCLA Medical Center.

Debbie Reynolds, star of stage and screen and Fisher’s mother, tweeted about the incident for the first time early Sunday afternoon.

“Carrie is in stable condition,” said Reynolds. “If there is a change, we will share it.” She then went on to thank friends and fans for their prayers and good wishes.

Other science-fiction stars shared their continued concerns for Fisher on Sunday, including Fisher’s “Star Wars” costar Mark Hamill and “Star Trek” legend William Shatner.

From the archives: Carrie Fisher was front page news before she was even born >>

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Carrie Fisher’s fellow passengers say she ‘wasn’t breathing’ before landing

Two people aboard a flight from London to Los Angeles said via social media that they saw Carrie Fisher stop breathing before the plane landed at LAX.

On Friday, airport police responded to calls of an unresponsive female passenger on board. Emergency officials confirmed that that passenger was Carrie Fisher, the 60-year-old actress and writer who rose to fame playing Princess Leia in the “Star Wars” movies.

She is reported to be in critical condition after experiencing a “cardiac episode” on the 11-hour flight.

Actors Anna Akana and Brad Gage tweeted that they were on the same flight and saw what happened.

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Carrie Fisher on Princess Leia: ‘She’s like a superhero’

(Robert Carter / For The Times)

Actress and writer Carrie Fisher has died after suffering a cardiac episode during a flight from London to Los Angeles on Dec. 23. Prior to the release of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” Fisher spoke to The Times about the film, Princess Leia and her “Star Wars” legacy. Below is an excerpt from a story originally published on Dec. 4, 2015.

Fisher would know what it takes to make a lasting legacy in this franchise. The first few precious moments of “A New Hope” follow the angry revolutionary pulling together a contingency plan to smuggle spy documents off a spaceship. Unafraid of being taken hostage by the nefarious Empire, Princess Leia blasts the invading Imperial Stormtroopers. Leia shoots first.

In captivity, Leia proceeds to throw some truly galactic shade: “Darth Vader, only you could be so bold,” “Gov. Tarkin, I should have expected to find you holding Vader’s leash. I recognized your foul stench when I was brought on board,” and the classic, “Aren’t you a little short for a Stormtrooper?”

While Han Solo shirks responsibility and Luke Skywalker fumbles around with his evolving, boyish perception of the hero, Leia gets things done. When her own rescue goes awry, she grabs the blaster herself and finds a way out. She’s not just a princess but a radical fighting for freedom under a tyrannical empire.

“She had contempt for and worked with men, and I liked that,” Fisher says. “There was something human about her. It showed that she could do whatever she needed to do, and if she could do that, then everybody could do it. People identified with her. She’s like a superhero.”

Kennedy, who took over the reins for Lucas in 2012, agrees. “When Princess Leia hit the scene in 1977 she was a pretty formidable character. I give George [Lucas] a huge amount of credit,” she says. “Leia really held her own. We used that as kind of a touchstone for why it was so important to have a strong female character and hopefully many more strong female characters in the ‘Star Wars’ universe.”

The new film reintroduces Leia 30 years after the war. She’s no longer a princess but a general. And she’s still very much in command — “still walking and talking,” Fisher says. “She doesn’t have any mortal wounds or disease.” But, she warns, “things have happened that have been difficult.”

Fisher was mum on the rest of her character’s details but didn’t mind sharing a moment of nostalgia she felt on the set of the new film:

“You’re so self-conscious, you’re exhausted before you get out of your trailer. I was in my trailer in the back and I heard Harrison. I recognized how his boots sound, and I heard him say, ‘Is Carrie here?’ That was funny. That was like we’re back on ‘Star Wars’ campus.”

In response to this reporter’s surprise that the actress who brought to life Princess Leia — general of the new resistance — was self-conscious, Fisher let out a guffaw. “I think everyone thinks the same way, only [some] people pretend better. ‘I’m going to do badly this time. I look like .... The new people are better. What am I going to do? My hair looks bad again.’”

Fisher may still get nervous, but that doesn’t change her legacy. Nor did it stop her tenacious response about the recent kerfuffle over her character’s notorious bikini. A frustrated father in Deptford, Pa., went viral in a Fox 29 report over a Target store selling Princess Leia action figure toys dressed in the divisive “slave Leia” ensemble (a metal two-piece the character was forced to wear while prisoner to character Jabba the Hutt). The man was perturbed it was being sold in the toy aisle and flustered over how he was going to explain the toy’s chain to his daughters.

“How about telling his daughter that the character is wearing that outfit not because she’s chosen to wear it. She’s been forced to wear it,” Fisher advises. “She’s a prisoner of a giant testicle who has a lot of saliva going on and she does not want to wear that thing and it’s ultimately that chain, which you’re now indicating is some sort of accessory to S&M, that is used to kill the giant saliva testicle…. That’s asinine.”

Truly the contempt for the scruffy-looking nerf-herders of the world is very much alive and well in Fisher.

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A&E says ‘Generation KKK’ is about exposing hate to end it

A&E’s latest preview for “Generation KKK” focuses on the anti-hate activists who appear in the upcoming reality series.

“Generation KKK documents activists working to expose and end hatred,” A&E reiterated in a tweet that shared the new clip. “In the KKK, hatred is passed down as legacy. It must stop.”

The documentary series ignited immediate backlash for the network, with critics arguing it normalizes hate groups. Actress Ellen Pompeo has led calls to boycott A&E, and online petitions have demanded the series be canceled.

A&E has insisted normalizing the Ku Klux Klan and its racist stances was not its intention.

“We certainly didn’t want the show to be seen as a platform for the views of the KKK,” A&E general manager Rob Sharenow told the New York Times. “The only political agenda is that we really do stand against hate.”

It turns out “Generation KKK” has the approval of the Anti-Defamation League, which classifies the Klan as “a racist, anti-Semitic movement with a commitment to extreme violence to achieve its goals of racial segregation and white supremacy.” The civil-rights organization revealed that it worked closely with A&E to develop the show.

Some people who have seen early footage of “Generation KKK” believe A&E has been successful in its execution.

Others insist that the show “does something worse than just provide a platform for the KKK,” with one critic charging that A&E uses its formulaic approach to “transform [‘Generation KKK’s’] bigots into colorful characters, thereby placing them on the same plane as the rest of cable TV’s freaky reality stars.”

“Generation KKK” is slated to premiere Jan. 10. You can watch an extended preview of the show below.

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Not-so-friendly skies: Passenger harasses Ivanka Trump on JetBlue flight

Ivanka Trump was reportedly harassed by a fellow passenger on a JetBlue flight Thursday morning.
(Charles Krupa / Associated Press)

Ivanka Trump experienced some unexpected turbulence before takeoff on a Thursday morning JetBlue flight.

As TMZ reported, the daughter of President-elect Donald Trump was sitting with family on a commercial flight leaving New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport when a passenger began taunting her.

“Your father is ruining the country,” the passenger yelled at her, according to the website. “Why is she on our flight? She should be flying private.”

But Ivanka Trump, who was in the coach section, sat calmly, diverting her three children’s attention from the disturbance. As JetBlue personnel escorted the passenger off the flight, he continued screaming, “You’re kicking me off for expressing my opinion?!”

The husband of the passenger, Hunter College professor Matthew Lasner, posted a now-deleted tweet an hour before takeoff: “Ivanka and Jared at JFK T5, flying commercial. My husband chasing them down to harass them. #banalityofevil”

JetBlue released a statement about the incident, saying, “The decision to remove a customer from a flight is not taken lightly. If the crew determines that a customer is causing conflict on the aircraft, the customer will be asked to deplane, especially if the crew feels the situation runs the risk of escalation during flight. In this instance, our team worked to re-accommodate the party on the next available flight.”

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First Katie Couric, now Meredith Vieira will guest host on NBC’s ‘Today’ show

Katie Couric and Meredith Vieira
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times; Richard Shotwell / Invision/ Associated Press)

Katie Couric and Meredith Vieira are returning to their old stomping grounds next year. NBC’s “Today” show has booked them to be guest hosts in January.

As The Times previously reported, Couric will be back to join Matt Lauer for the week of Jan. 2, filling in for co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, who is on maternity leave.

NBC has also announced that Vieira, who joined the “Today” show to anchor after Couric departed in 2006, will co-host the morning show the following week, starting Jan. 9.

Vieira, who left “Today” in 2011, hosted her own daytime talk show from 2014 to 2016.

Couric and Vieira will be back alongside their old colleague Lauer, who will mark his 20th anniversary with the program in 2017.

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Adam Saleh, YouTube prankster, says Delta bounced him from flight for speaking Arabic

Delta Air Lines removed YouTube star Adam Saleh from a recent flight in London.
(David Goldman / Associated Press)

Delta Air Lines finds itself at the center of another passenger controversy, but this time the patron in question has a platform with nearly nearly 4 million subscribers.

YouTube star Adam Saleh, best known for pranking videos, as well as snapshots into how the world treats Muslims, was removed from a Delta flight Wednesday after an incident that Saleh claims was sparked by him speaking Arabic on the plane.

Saleh took video of the immediate aftermath of the encounter, as Delta was trying to remove him from the plane; he continued to livestream the event from the airport.

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New episodes of ‘Steven Universe’ to air in January

Cartoon Network has announced that it will be kicking off 2017 with brand-new episodes of fan-favorite shows including “Steven Universe,” “Adventure Time” and “Regular Show.”

Five new episodes of “Steven Universe” will premiere in a weeklong event kicking off on Jan. 30. Here are the titles and synopses for the upcoming episodes:

  • “Steven’s Dream” (Jan. 30): A strange dream prompts Steven to search for answers.
  • “Adventures in Light Distortion” (Jan. 30): Steven and the Gems take off on a search and recovery mission.
  • “Gem Heist” (Jan. 31): The Gems try to pull off a heist.
  • “The Zoo” (Feb. 1): Steven visits a special zoo.
  • “That Will Be All” (Feb. 2): Steven and the Gems make a daring escape!

Mordecai, Rigby and the rest of the “Regular Show” gang will jump-start the network’s batch of new episodes with “Kill ‘Em With Kindness” airing Jan. 14. The long-running show will be airing its hourlong series finale, which promises an epic final battle to decide the fate of the universe, on Jan. 16.

“Adventure Time” returns Jan. 23 with a week’s worth of new episodes before kicking off “Islands,” its eight-part miniseries, on Jan. 30. The miniseries, which will see Finn, Jake, BMO and Susan Strong exploring Finn’s mysterious past, will air over four consecutive nights.

New episodes of “Teen Titans Go!” and “Mighty Magiswords” will also premiere Jan. 27.

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Woof! Wes Anderson reveals his next film and its stars

Wes Anderson has officially announced his new film, an animated feature called “Isle of Dogs.”

While keeping the plot secret in Tuesday’s video announcement, the filmmaker did unveil the movie’s impressive voice cast, which features many of his frequent collaborators.

Joining Anderson in the video was one of the film’s stars, Edward Norton, who shared a little bit about his “Isle of Dogs” role. Norton will be playing one of the “lead dogs” named Rex.

“Isle of Dogs” will also feature Bryan Cranston, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Scarlett Johansson, F. Murray Abraham, Tilda Swinton, Kunichi Nomura, Harvey Keitel, Akira Ito, Akira Takayama, Koyu Rankin, Yoko Ono, Courtney B. Vance, Greta Gerwig, Frances McDormand, Bob Balaban and Liev Schreiber.

Anderson fans, of course, may be a bit wary learning that his new project revolves around dogs, considering the director’s track record when it comes to man’s best friend.

“Isle of Dogs” will mark Anderson’s return to animation following 2009’s “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” the positively received stop-motion animated film based on the Roald Dahl children’s book.

Anderson’s announcement was made in conjunction with his Crowdwise campaign to raise money for the nonprofit Film Foundation.

Watch the video above.

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New movie reviews: ‘Sing,’ ‘Assassin’s Creed,’ ‘Passengers’ and more

- Video game adaptation “Assassin’s Creed” chases violence across the ages

Watch Michael Fassbender and more in “Assassin’s Creed.”

- Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt are lost in space in the predicable sci-fi thriller “Passengers”

Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence star in “Passengers,” a film about two people on a journey through space to a new home, awakened from suspended animation 90 years too early when their ship malfunctions.

- Packed with pop tunes, “Sing” discovers the simple fun in putting on a show

“Sing” trailer

- “Patriots Day” finds Mark Wahlberg and Peter Berg at their best in a fine tribute to the people of Boston

“Patriots Day” is an account of the Boston Marathon bombing.

- Pedro Almodóvar’s radiant melodrama “Julieta” is a work of subdued mastery

MORE: Movie reviews >>

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Paul McCartney, Jimmy Fallon and the Roots, and ‘Sing’ cast are simply having a wonderful Christmastime

Late-night television’s countdown to Christmas continues. Jimmy Fallon unveiled his most recent a cappella efforts on Tuesday’s “Tonight Show,” tapping the cast of the new animated film “Sing” to cover Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime.” The special guests? The Roots and Macca himself.

Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson, Matthew McConaughey, Tori Kelly and Seth MacFarlane voice various animals with vocal chops on “Sing.” Arranged as usual in a configuration reminiscent of “The Brady Bunch,” their animated characters also pop up in the segment while they make merry.

The fun rendition of the holiday tune is, of course, kicked up a notch when McCartney joins the party.

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Amy Schumer buys back her father’s old farm, after losing it to bankruptcy

In a series of Instagram posts on Monday, Amy Schumer revealed that she had bought back her father’s old farm for him.

“We lost the farm when we lost everything else,” the comedian shared. “But today I got to buy it back for him.”

After her father, Gordon, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, her family went bankrupt when Schumer was a little girl. She also posted a sweet video of herself as a child wandering through a cornfield on the farm.

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Margot Robbie confirms marital bliss in one perfect Instagram post

Aussie actress Margot Robbie made rumor a reality on Monday with an Instagram post confirming that she and longtime love Tom Ackerley did indeed wed over the weekend.

The stunning shot features the newlyweds smooching in the background, with Robbie’s hand in the foreground, extending a single, significant finger.

No, not that one. The other one.

Check out the ring and the lovebirds below.

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Tom Arnold claims he has footage of Donald Trump saying ‘every dirty, every offensive, racist thing ever’

Actor Tom Arnold is making waves with recent claims that he has outtakes from “The Apprentice” that feature President-elect Donald Trump using inflammatory language.

Arnold, who rose to prominence in the 1990s after his highly publicized marriage to Roseanne Barr and a breakthrough role in “True Lies,” appeared on Seattle radio program “The Dori Monson Show” on Friday and said he had footage of Trump “saying every dirty, every offensive, racist thing ever.”

Monson inquired why he hadn’t leaked the tape, given the response to the Access Hollywood footage that resulted in the firing of Billy Bush.

“When the people sent it to me, it was funny,” Arnold said, explaining that hundreds of people have seen the footage that was sent around years ago as a Christmas video.

“He wasn’t going to be president of the United States. It was him sitting in that chair using the N-word, using the C-word, calling his son [intellectually disabled],” Arnold said.

Arnold then went on to recount the Sunday before the election, allegedly being called by good friend Arnold Schwarzenegger’s CAA agent and Hillary Clinton, asking for him to release the tapes.

But at that point, Arnold asserted that the people originally responsible for the distribution of the footage, two editors and an associate producer, were “scared to death.”

“They were scared of his people. They’re scared they’ll never work again,” said Arnold. “There’s a $5-million confidentiality agreement.”

“If that had gotten released, it absolutely would have finished him,” Monson told Arnold.

Arnold disagreed.

“I think if the people that like him saw him saying the N-word, matter-of-factly saying this stuff, I think they would have liked him more for being politically incorrect,” said Arnold.

Audio of the interview is below, with Arnold’s remarks beginning at the 26-minute mark.

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Dane DeHaan gets into ‘A Cure for Wellness,’ but that may not be good for his health

The trailer for “A Cure For Wellness.”

Gore Verbinski, the visionary director of the first three “Pirates of the Caribbean” films, returns to movie theaters in February with “A Cure for Wellness,” his first release since 2013’s “The Lone Ranger.”

“Wellness” follows a young executive (Dane DeHaan) tasked with retrieving his company’s CEO from a Swiss spa and arriving to find himself consumed by the illness that plagues all patients at the wellness center.

Released Tuesday, the movie’s newest trailer shows what appears to be a greatest-hits mash-up of some of the most memorable psychological thrillers in history, with overtones of “Misery,” “Rear Window,” “The Shining” and “Shutter Island” all colored with a palette akin to the sun-bleached bones of a whale carcass. And it appears to take place at the Swiss branch of the Hotel California.

“A Cure for Wellness” is set to open in theaters Feb. 17.

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Margot Robbie might have secretly wed over the weekend

Reports out of Australia allege that "Suicide Squad" star Margot Robbie married longtime boyfriend Tom Ackerley over the weekend.
(Evan Agostini / Invision / Associated Press)

Suicide Squad” star Margot Robbie might have wed longtime beau Tom Ackerley in a secret ceremony in Byron Bay, Australia, according to the Daily Telegraph.

The couple have been involved since meeting on the set of the movie “Suite Française” in 2013, Ackerley was an assistant director on the film.

Robbie arrived in her home country last week wearing a shirt emblazoned with “Say ‘I Do’ Down Under,” the slogan of Australia’s marriage-equality movement, a wardrobe choice that gains retroactive significance in light of wedding rumors.

“We were friends for so long,” Robbie said of Ackerley in a May interview with Vogue. “I was always in love with him, but I thought, ‘Oh, he would never love me back. Don’t make it weird, Margot. Don’t be stupid and tell him that you like him.’

“And then it happened, and I was like, ‘Of course we’re together. This makes so much sense, the way nothing has ever made sense before,’” Robbie said.

Representatives for Robbie did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment Monday morning.

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Review: The off-kilter charms of ‘Amelie’ sing with spirit at the Ahmanson

(Mariah Tauger / For The Times)

“Amélie, A New Musical,” which began at Berkeley Repertory Theatre last year, has brought its whimsical magic to the Ahmanson Theatre, where a retooled production starring Phillipa Soo (late of Broadway’s “Hamilton”) had its official opening on Friday.

The show is headed to Broadway in the spring, but L.A. has the timing just right: This fanciful musical is the perfect holiday bauble.

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MORE: Theater reviews >>

MORE: Best theater of 2016: A strong showing for women in an otherwise challenging year

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Eating a doughnut, David Lynch teases return as Gordon Cole for ‘Twin Peaks’

Not much is known about the plot of David Lynch’s upcoming “Twin Peaks” revival, and the show’s latest teaser is no more illuminating. It does, however, feature Lynch eating a doughnut while the “Twin Peaks” theme plays.

Lynch, of course, played hard-of-hearing FBI bureau chief Gordon Cole in the original “Twin Peaks,” as well as in the film “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me.”

Showtime’s upcoming limited series will see the return of “Twin Peaks” favorites including Kyle MacLachlan as Special Agent Dale Cooper and Miguel Ferrer as FBI Agent Albert Rosenfield. Sheryl Lee, Ray Wise, Dana Ashbrook, Bobby Briggs, James Marshall, Russ Tamblyn, Sherilynn Fenn, David Duchovny and Mädchen Amick are also set to return.

“Twin Peaks” will also add some new faces to the fictional town including Laura Dern, Naomi Watts, Amanda Seyfried, Matthew Lillard, Jim Belushi, Trent Reznor, Eddie Vedder and Sharon Van Etten.

The new “Twin Peaks” series is scheduled to air next year.

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‘Blade Runner 2049’ trailer unites Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford

“Blade Runner 2049” features Ryan Gosling, Jared Leto and Harrison Ford.

It’s finally here. The first trailer for director Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming “Blade Runner” sequel has been released, giving fans their first look at the mysterious and very sandy future.

Although the trailer does not reveal much about the plot, the “Blade Runner 2049” synopsis released earlier today explains that it takes place 30 years after the first “Blade Runner” film. Ryan Gosling plays a new blade runner on a journey to find Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford).

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MORE: The ‘Blade Runner’ sequel finally has a title but what does it mean?

WATCH: More movie trailers >>

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Sylvester Stallone says he would decline arts job from Trump

Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone
(Rob Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Mr. Stallone is not headed to Washington.

Sylvester Stallone has squashed speculation sparked by last week’s reports that President-elect Donald Trump was eyeing the actor for chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts.

“I am incredibly flattered to have been suggested to be involved with the National Endowment [for] the Arts,” Stallone said in a statement released by his publicist. “However I believe I could be more effective by bringing national attention to returning military personnel in an effort to find gainful employment, suitable housing and financial assistance these heroes respectfully deserve.”

Stallone has long been sympathetic to the plight of America’s veterans. Last December, he auctioned off more than 1,400 props and pieces of film memorabilia, raising over $3 million. He donated a portion of the proceeds to charities that assist veterans and wounded military personnel.

In 1982, Stallone starred in “First Blood,” the first film in the “Rambo” series that centered around John Rambo, a Vietnam War veteran who struggled with reacclimating to civilian life after his violent experiences in combat.

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Zsa Zsa Gabor, an actress who turned her celebrity into a commodity, dies at 99

The best known of three glamorous sisters from Hungary, actress Zsa Zsa Gabor pioneered a modern version of celebrity: She was famous for being famous.

With the advent of television talk shows, Gabor became a frequent guest as early as the 1950s, charming audiences with her fractured English and slightly risque jokes about her reputation as an oft-married seductress fond of men and money.

“Husbands are like fires. They go out if unattended,” she would say. Or “I want a man who is kind and understanding. Is that too much to ask of a millionaire?”

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‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ nabs $155 million: ‘This is the start you wish for’

Wth a last-minute jolt to the 2016 box office, Disney’s “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” shot past all other competition to land the third-best opening of the year.

The film brought in an estimated $155 million in the U.S. and Canada, surpassing analyst expectations of $140 million to $150 million. “Rogue One” is also a hit internationally, with $135.5 million, which is below analyst expectations of $150 million.

“This is the start you hope for. This is the start you wish for,” said Dave Hollis, Disney’s distribution chief. “We’re ecstatic about the very excited response from audiences.”

With an estimated $200-million production budget, “Rogue One” takes place before the events of George Lucas’ first “Star Wars” film, from 1977, and focuses on a band of rebels who must steal plans for the Death Star. The first spinoff film in the long-running space opera franchise, it stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna and Alan Tudyk, among others.

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First Lady Michelle Obama to Oprah: ‘Now we’re feeling what not having hope feels like’

First Lady Michelle Obama appears somber in the first footage from her recent interview with Oprah Winfrey.

The first look at the interview aired Friday on “CBS This Morning” and featured Obama reflecting on her husband’s lasting legacy of hope.

“I think that we feel the difference now. See, now we’re feeling what not having hope feels like,” Obama said. “Hope is necessary. It’s a necessary concept.

“What else do you have, if you don’t have hope?” she posits. “What do you give your kids if you can’t give them hope?”

“First Lady Michelle Obama Says Farewell to the White House — An Oprah Winfrey Special” caps a momentous year for Obama, who fired up crowds while campaigning for Hillary Clinton. At the time, she was adamant in her refusal to mention Donald Trump by name, a choice she repeats in the sneak-peek interview clip.

Winfrey conducted the first lady’s final one-on-one interview inside the White House on Wednesday, and it will air on CBS at 9 p.m. Monday, with a rebroadcast on OWN on Dec. 21.

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Julia Roberts to make the leap to TV in new limited series

Julia Roberts is poised to star in a limited series based on Maria Semple's novel "Today Will Be Different."
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Things are about to get very different for Julia Roberts, as the longtime film star transitions to television in a new limited series based on Maria Semple‘s novel “Today Will Be Different,” according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Semple’s novel centers on Eleanor Flood, who begins her day vowing that she will be her best self, before her life and past begin unspooling before her eyes.

Megan Ellison’s Annapurna Pictures will be producing the project, making it the second adaptation of Semple’s work planned for the company, with Richard Linklater and Cate Blanchett already attached to a film adaptation of her 2012 novel, “Where’d You Go, Bernadette.”

“I’m giddy that Eleanor Flood will be brought to life by Julia Roberts and am elated to collaborate with Megan Ellison, Sue Naegle and the team at Annapurna on this endeavor,” Semple told the Hollywood Reporter. “This will be a fun ride!”

Naegle, president of Annapurna’s newly created TV division, Ellison and Semple will all serve as executive producers on the project, with Roberts producing the series under her Red Om Films banner.

Semple will also tackle adaptation duties for the series, unsurprising given her prior experience working on shows including “Suddenly Susan,” “Mad About You” and “Arrested Development.”

The role marks Roberts’ first extended stint on the small screen, having previously appeared in Ryan Murphy’s HBO TV movie “The Normal Heart,” as well as in episodes of “Friends” and “Law & Order.”

No network is currently attached to the project.

Maria Semple talks about her book: “Where’d You Go, Bernadette”

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Look, it’s Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively’s children -- plus his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

(Mike Nelson / EPA)

Ryan Reynolds got a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame on Thursday, rocking the happy family vibe as he and wife Blake Lively brought their kids along for the ride. Gushing, it turns out, was the theme of the day.

Reynolds called out Lively in his acceptance speech, saying, “You’ve made me the father of my dreams, when all I thought I had was ‘fun uncle’ potential.”

And yup, the public got its first long look at their 3-year-old daughter, James, as well as the baby we’ll call the New One (since the couple has yet to reveal the name or verify the gender of the child who arrived this fall -- grr, privacy!).

Before the actor took the mike, “Deadpool” writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernmick gushed all over their action anti-hero, with Reese saying, “He’s not just a great man, he’s a good man.”

Friend and sometime costar Anna Faris had plaudits of her own. “Acting with Ryan is like playing an incredibly intense game of ping-pong,” she said, then went on to describe the experience as “thrilling and terrifying,” which from her definitely sounded like a compliment.

Later, Lively made it clear on Instagram how loverly she felt toward her guy, writing, “Proud is a pitiful word to describe how I felt today. @vancityreynolds The permanence of your impact is undeniable ... Always has been, but now we have a fancy [star] to show for it.”

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The cream of this year’s crop in arts and entertainment

(Clockwise from top left: Andrew Harnik / Associated Press; FX; Sony Computer Entertainment; A24 Films)

The Los Angeles Times looks back at the year in entertainment and the arts, highlighting the best in movies, music, TV, theater, books, art and more:

MOVIES:

-- “Loving,” “Jackie” and “Hail, Caesar!” were among the year’s best in Kenneth Turan’s opinion

-- “Silence,” “Moonlight,” “Manchester by the Sea” made the cut for Justin Chang’s list

Kenneth Turan reviews the Jacqueline Kennedy biopic “Jackie,” directed by Pablo Larraín and starring Natalie Portman, who shows us aspects of the the first lady we might not have known before. Video by Jason H. Neubert.

MUSIC:

-- The 10 best albums of a year defined by loss

-- Times music writers pick their favorite songs of 2016

-- Where culture went in 2016, Beyoncé went

Leonard Cohen
(Joel Saget / AFP/Getty Images)

TV:

-- ‘Atlanta,’ ‘Baskets’ and ‘Insecure’ among the best on TV in 2016

-- From ‘Full Frontal’ to ‘Fleabag,’ it was a fertile year for television

VIDEO: Watch Sterling K. Brown, who plays Christopher Darden, talk about converging with his character in the glove scene of “The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.”

THEATER:

-- A strong showing for women in an otherwise challenging year...

-- ... and yet ...

FULL COVERAGE: Entertainment 2016: Year in Review

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James Corden’s ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ Carpool Karaoke is all we wanted for Christmas

James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke segments have been among the highlights of the fun side of late-night television this year, and it looks like he’s saved one of his best for last.

Donning a festive holiday sweater, Corden has his car loaded with everything you need to celebrate the holidays: gifts, a tree, a Christmas wreath and Mariah Carey. Corden, apparently, has tapped Carey to help with his last-minute Christmas shopping.

“What would be the best gift?” Corden asks the diva. “What would you want for Christmas?”

“I don’t know,” Carey answers, hesitant to ask for anything that might be too expensive. But after some encouragement from Corden, she decides: “I want you to sing my song ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You.’”

And Corden delivers.

Not long after Carey and “The Late Late Show” host suddenly break out into the popular Christmas tune, the video cuts to various past Carpool Karaoke guests also singing along.

The segment was obviously long in the works. Corden enlisted Adele, Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas, Elton John, Selena Gomez, Lady Gaga, Chris Martin, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Gwen Stefani. And clearly they’re all having a blast with the holiday chestnut, even if most of them can’t hit that high note at the end. (Not even Adele!)

Watch the full segment above.

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Trump reportedly eyeing Sylvester Stallone for key arts role

Sylvester Stallone, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts? Perhaps.
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

The next chairman of the National Endowment of the Arts might have the soul of an artist and the eye of the tiger.

The DailyMail.com reported Thursday that President-elect Donald Trump was looking to appoint veteran action star Sylvester Stallone to the position overseeing the NEA.

The endowment was created in 1965 by President Lyndon B. Johnson and Congress to preserve the country’s artistic traditions while cultivating an environment for culture to thrive.

In January, Stallone expressed his admiration for Trump, even as he admitted that the businessman’s personality might not translate to running the free world.

“I love Donald Trump,” Stallone told Variety. “He’s a great Dickensian character. You know what I mean?

“There are certain people like Arnold [Schwarzenegger], Babe Ruth, that are bigger than life. But I don’t know how that translates to running the world,” Stallone said.

Appointing Stallone, which requires confirmation by Congress, would continue Trump’s evolution from “deplorables” to “Expendables,” with Schwarzenegger, Stallone’s co-star from the film series, taking over hosting duties for Trump when “The New Celebrity Apprentice” debuts in January.

Stallone might seem like an unconventional choice for the position, but he would not be the first actor to fill the role. Four-time Oscar and eight-time Emmy nominee Jane Alexander (“Warm Springs,” “Testament”) served as NEA chairperson under President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1997.

Representatives for Stallone did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment Friday morning.

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Mahershala Ali to be feted at Palm Springs film festival

Mahershala Ali
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Oscar front-runner Mahershala Ali has garnered overwhelming praise for his supporting actor performance in “Moonlight,” and the accolades keep coming.

The Palm Springs International Film Festival announced Friday that Ali will be presented with the Breakthrough Performance Award at its annual Film Awards Gala on Jan. 2.

“Mahershala Ali is one of the most in-demand actors in film and television,” festival chairman Harold Matzner said in a statement.

“Ali gives one of the best supporting performances of the year in ‘Moonlight’ as Juan, a Miami drug dealer who opens his doors to Little when he sees the boy being chased through the streets by a gang,” he added. “For this role that has already received several awards and is sure to receive many more, it is our honor to present the Breakthrough Performance Award to Mahershala Ali.”

Though Ali has been on the radar of the film and TV industry since his role as Dr. Trey Sanders on NBC’s “Crossing Jordan” in 2001, he has had a banner year in 2016, with a role on Netflix’s “Luke Cage” series, as well as in the upcoming film “Hidden Figures.”

Past recipients of the Breakthrough Performance Award include Marion Cotillard, Jennifer Hudson, Brie Larson and Lupita Nyong’o, all of whom went on to win the Academy Award for their recognized performances.

Other actors and films being celebrated at this year’s festival include Annette Bening, Amy Adams, Casey Affleck, Tom Hanks, Nicole Kidman, Ruth Negga and the casts of “La La Land” and “Hidden Figures.”

The Palm Springs International Film Festival is set for Jan. 2-16 at the Palm Springs Convention Center.

WATCH: Supporting actor Oscar nominee Mahershala Ali talks about his surprise and delight in recognizing traits of people he’s known in the script for “Moonlight.”

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The characters and stories in video games such as ‘Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End’ and ‘Oxenfree’ held VR at bay in 2016

Naughty Dog's "Uncharted 4: A Thief's End" takes the series on a more personal path.
(Naughty Dog / Sony Computer Entertainment)

This was supposed to be the year that virtual reality went mainstream, but a little game called “Pokemon Go” crashed the party. The mobile title became a sensation — albeit briefly — and brought augmented reality to the populace. That is, it used digital trickery to insert little Pokemon critters into the real world, no goggles required.

Of all the popular media, games are where technology continues to be a primary driving factor. And for all the flashiness of PlayStation VR or the Oculus Rift, mobile continues to dominate. In addition to “Pokemon Go,” another title associated with Nintendo, “Super Mario Run,” is poised to own December, with some estimating the game to secure more than 50 million downloads after its mid-month launch.

The virtual reality revolution will have to wait.

For now, the best games are still those that don’t require a headset. Today, three years into the current console generation of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, developers, as evident by titles such as “Mafia III” and “Dishonored 2,” are pushing just as heavily on character and social commentary as they are tech. Race, class and even cancer are now topics games have touched, if not yet fully conquered.

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‘Rogue One’ actress Felicity Jones on the world embracing a female action lead: ‘We’re there now’

Felicity Jones
(Jay L. Clendinin / Los Angeles Times)

Despite the media and fan excitement generated by the consecutive casting of a female lead in the two most recent “Star Wars” movies, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” star Felicity Jones seems politely unsurprised.

“I’m asked a lot, ‘Oh, my God. It’s a female lead.’ I sort of feel like, if it was a giraffe leading it, then that would be a weird point of conversation,” Jones says. While the rest of Hollywood is still struggling to diversify their call sheets, Jones has already moved on to the next phase, where casting a woman in an action movie is old news.

“It would be very unusual to have a giraffe as the lead,” Jones repeats with such calm sincerity that it makes the listener unsure if it’s OK to make jokes about how a giraffe would fit into the Millennium Falcon.

In the midst of a whirlwind “Star Wars” press tour, Jones has stopped for a brisk tea at the Hotel Bel-Air, just a few hours before she and the rest of the “Rogue One” cast will climb out of a life-size X-Wing spacecraft on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” For someone who is mere moments from climbing out of a giant spaceship in heels on television, she’s collected, focused and unafraid to challenge the very premise of my questions.

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‘Rogue One’ might be too dark for younger kids — but they’ll probably see it anyway

For nearly 40 years, the “Star Wars” franchise has been targeted at all ages, from the youngest padawans to the most grizzled Jedi masters. Speaking to the Los Angeles Times in 1977, shortly before the release of “A New Hope,” George Lucas said he thought of the film — which was initially rated G until its studio backers asked for a less kiddie-sounding PG — as “a movie Disney would have made when Walt Disney was alive,” sagely predicting: “If I make money, it will be from the toys.”

The latest installment in the franchise, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” which hits theaters Friday, is something a bit different. As the title suggests, it’s gone slightly rogue.

The story of a secret Rebel mission to steal the plans to the Empire’s Death Star, “Rogue One” is the first film in the franchise that truly leans into the “wars” in “Star Wars,” featuring a kind of visceral violence, un-glossy naturalism and moral complexity unlike anything ever seen before in Lucas’ space opera. The film carries the same PG-13 rating as last year’s “The Force Awakens,” but you’d have to reach back to 1980’s “The Empire Strikes Back” to find a “Star Wars” movie this darkly hued.

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CBS going back ‘to the moon’ with ‘Honeymooners’ reboot

Bang, zoom, CBS may go back to the moon.

Bob Kushell, the man behind the development of ABC’s reboot of “The Muppets,” has been tapped to write the script, as well as executive produce, a modern take on the beloved 1950s television series “The Honeymooners,” according to the Hollywood Reporter.

The rebooted series will again focus on two couples, both friends and neighbors, one of whom divorced before reconciling four years later.

CBS continues to try its hand at reboots, despite finding varied levels of success with them. The network canceled “Rush Hour” in May after a single, lackluster season and declined to exercise its option for more episodes of Season 3 of “The Odd Couple.” But a strong reception for recently rebooted “MacGyver” seems to be holding the network’s interest in revivals.

It remains unclear how “The Honeymooners” will fare with modern audiences, given that they might be a bit more circumspect at the prospect of a sitcom protagonist threatening to pop his wife in the mouth.

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The Times’ film writers name their favorite movies of 2016

With 2016 coming to a close, The Times’ film writers have compiled their Top 10 favorite releases of the year.

-- “Loving,” “Jackie” and “Hail, Caesar!” were among the year’s best in Kenneth Turan’s opinion

-- “Silence,” “Moonlight,” “Manchester by the Sea” made the cut for Justin Chang’s list

-- Mark Olsen’s choices were notable for the way they explored issues between men and women

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New movie reviews: ‘Fences,’ ‘Star Wars,’ ‘Neruda’ and more

- Powerhouse performances can’t separate Denzel Washington’s “Fences” from its stage roots

- “Collateral Beauty” finds Will Smith at the center of a maudlin, manipulative holiday-themed sympathy card

- “Rogue One” adds an uneven but thrilling wrinkle to the mythology of “Star Wars”

- Pablo Larraín’s “Neruda” is a richly imagined biographical fantasia

- “Barry” is the amiably low-key, mostly imagined portrait of the man who would be president

- Peter O’Toole and Katharine Hepburn roar through the lovingly restored Oscar winner “The Lion in Winter”

MORE MOVIE REVIEWS >>

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Face off: See Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jimmy Fallon abuse Snapchat filters

Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger stopped by “The Tonight Show” Wednesday evening to chat about the pending debut of “The New Celebrity Apprentice” and swap faces with host Jimmy Fallon.

Schwarzenegger and Fallon used Snapchat to conduct a portion of the interview, which resulted in a delightful moment when the “Predator” star couldn’t stop giggling at his own deer face.

Eventually, Fallon asked the tough questions like, “What do you want for Christmas?” and Schwarzenegger, while using the puppy filter, gave the most perfect answer of all time: “A six-slice toaster.”

What Fallon did not inquire about during Schwarzenegger’s interview was how the rebooted “Apprentice” series would operate in light of past star Donald Trump’s rise to supreme leader.

It’s logical for Fallon to avoid the matter, given that both “Tonight Show” and “Apprentice” are broadcast on NBC, who’s currently dealing with fallout from news that Trump would remain an executive producer on his former series, as well as Fallon’s own history of hair-tousling with the president-elect.

Not to fear, though. Fallon did ask Schwarzenegger what his version of Trump’s catchphrase, “You’re fired,” would be. Drawing on his film career, Schwarzenegger decided on, “You’re fired, get to the chopper!”

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Times music writers pick their favorite songs of 2016

Freshen up those playlists. Times writers pick their favorite songs of the year, including tunes from Drake, Beyonce, Mitski, Leonard Cohen and more.

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Dolly Parton’s ‘Smoky Mountains Rise Telethon’ raises millions for Tennessee wildfire victims

Dolly Parton talks with Kenny Alphin, center, and John Rich of Big & Rich during tapings for the "Smoky Mountains Rise Telethon" on Dec. 13.
(Mark Humphrey / Associated Press)

Dolly Parton’s three-hour “Smoky Mountains Rise Telethon” to benefit the victims of wildfires in and around Gatlinburg, Tenn., raised millions on Tuesday night.

The Pigeon Forge, Tenn., native helmed the effort on behalf of the Dollywood Foundation’s My People Fund, which provides $1,000 a month for up to six months to families in Sevier County who lost their homes to the fires in late November. Fourteen people died and more than 2,400 homes were destroyed, with total damage estimated around $500 million.

Performers on the show, which was held in Nashville, included Big & Rich, Reba McEntire, Kenny Rogers, Alabama, Hank Williams Jr., Cyndi Lauper and more. Kiefer Sutherland, Locash, Amy Grant and Willie Geist were among those who shot PSAs on behalf of the effort, and Paula Deen and DeMarco Murray could be seen working the phones.

A lot of cash was already been banked before the curtains went up: $100,000 from the Academy of Country Music was matched by Taylor Swift, and $125,000 from the Country Music Assn. was matched by eastern Tennessee native Kenny Chesney, according to Dollywood.

An additional $250,000 in relief from Chesney and the CMA will go “where need is the greatest,” the association said last week. The telethon, which was broadcast on several channels and streamed online and on radio, aimed to bring in $13 million.

Parton told the Associated Press she expected to be “devastated” when she returned home at Christmas and paid a visit to the fire zone.

“We are mountain tough,” she said. “They have to be tough. ... That’s why it is so important, because all of these people, even though they are not blood kin, they really do feel like my people.”

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‘This nomination truly means the world to me’: Emma Stone on her SAG recognition

Nominated for her work as an up-and-coming actress in “La La Land,” Emma Stone released a statement about being recognized by the Screen Actors Guild Wednesday morning.

“Thank you so much to my fellow actors in the Screen Actors Guild for this incredible recognition,” said Stone, whose performance garnered her a Golden Globe nomination on Monday.

“I am so honored to be in category with women whose work I have such deep admiration for,” she added. “Playing an actor in ‘La La Land,’ stumbling, doubting, and working toward her dreams was a deeply meaningful (and complicated and joyous and crazy) experience. This nomination truly means the world to me. Thank you.”

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‘Manchester by the Sea,’ ‘Fences’ and ‘Moonlight’ top SAG Awards nominees

Screen Actors Guild Awards voters mostly went along with the crowd Wednesday, nominating the actors and ensembles from “Moonlight” and Manchester by the Sea,” but, notably, overlooking the ensemble from “La La Land” in the cast category.

Among the movie pairings nominated for this year’s SAG Awards: Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone from “La La Land,” Denzel Washington and Viola Davis from “Fences” and Casey Affleck and Michelle Williams from “Manchester by the Sea.”

Read MoreMORE: See the complete list of nominations >>

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Sterling K. Brown moved to tears after SAG nominations

Actor Sterling K. Brown was recognized this morning with two individual SAG nominations for his work on both NBC’s “This Is Us” and “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.” And the honor moved him to tears.

Shortly after nominations were announced, Brown shared a video of himself thanking SAG and expressing with deep emotion how meaningful it was to be recognized by his peers.

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Jackie Evancho will sing the national anthem at Donald Trump’s inauguration

Jackie Evancho, the 16-year-old classical singer who finished second on “America’s Got Talent” when she was only 10, will sing the national anthem at the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump on Jan. 20, she announced Wednesday on the “Today” show.

“It’s a little nerve-wracking, but I’m honored. I get to perform for the office. I’m very excited,” she said.

It’s not the first time she’s gotten the call of duty: Evancho sang “O Holy Night” in front of President Obama at the National Tree Lighting ceremony in 2010, and she and her mom were greeted by POTUS 44 in 2012 at the National Prayer Breakfast, where she sang “To Believe.” She’s also performed at Mar-A-Lago events, where she met Trump.

Despite her experience, the young singer said she is nervous about performing “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

“Definitely. I’m nervous right now. I get nervous for everything,” she told the “Today” crew. “I suck it up.”

(The latest Inauguration Day entertainment rumor, by the way? The president-elect is said to be meeting Friday with Andrea Bocelli to discuss the gig, according to Page Six.)

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‘Growing Pains’ actor Alan Thicke dies at 69

Alan Thicke in the pressroom at the 42nd Daytime Emmy Awards at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank.
(Richard Shotwell / Invision )

Alan Thicke, an actor best known for helping set a template for parenting ideals in the ’80s sitcom “Growing Pains,” has died. He was 69.

His death was confirmed with The Times on Tuesday evening by the publicist of his son, pop-soul singer Robin Thicke.

The Times spoke with Robin Thicke on Tuesday evening, and he called his father “the greatest man I ever met” and “always a gentleman.” He confirmed that Thicke suffered a heart attack while playing hockey with his son Carter, and that one of the last things he said was a compliment to his son on a nice shot.

“The good thing was that he was beloved and he had closure,” said Robin Thicke, who credited his dad, an accomplished musician himself, with being an inspiration and very supportive of his music career. “I saw him a few days ago and told him how much I loved and respected him.”

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Loretta Lynn keeps Christmas country with new album, video, and calendar

Loretta Lynn -- the country queen who once bragged that she’d “like to hit [Santa] in his ho-ho-ho!” -- doesn’t mess around with Christmas music.

While other singers drip with sentiment (don’t click here), the Coal Miner’s Daughter spices up the season with some sass.

She made a classic (and underrated) Christmas album in 1966 simply titled “Country Christmas.” Fifty years later, Lynn followed it up with October’s “White Christmas Blue,” a new collection of down-home yuletide tunes.

CMT released on Tuesday a new video for “Country Christmas,” a standout track from the new album. With John Carter Cash, Johnny and June’s son, who co-produced “White Christmas Blue,” picking an acoustic guitar, Lynn strolls down memory lane with private video footage of her family at Christmastime.

“White Christmas Blue” caps a celebrated year for the singer, coinciding with Lynn’s recent Grammy nomination for best country album (for this year’s “Full Circle”) and a new Advent Calendar counting down the days till Christmas. Each day offers a new nugget of holiday joy.

(Attention, country cooks: You don’t want to miss Dec. 3’s entry on Loretta’s recipe for her famous chicken ‘n’ dumplins.)

And while we’re talking about Lynn’s Christmas albums, let’s not forget this spirited chestnut from ’66...

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‘Zombieland’ director Ruben Fleischer tapped to helm ‘Jekyll’

Director Ruben Fleischer started with zombies, moved on to gangsters and is now looking to tackle the classic tale of Jekyll and Hyde.

Deadline reported Tuesday morning that Lionsgate had tapped Fleischer to helm “Jekyll,” starring Chris Evans, an adaptation of a 2007 British series of the same name.

Fleischer got his directorial feature film debut with 2009’s commercial and critical success “Zombieland” before directing “Gangster Squad,” starring “La La Land” lovebirds Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, in 2013.

This adaptation of “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” first published by Robert Louis Stevenson in 1886, centers around Tom Jackman, a modern-day descendent of Jekyll who begins to experience the same infamous internal transformation as his ancestor.

Evans became attached to the project in July.

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Jennifer Lawrence gets mad, then gets even with Chris Pratt on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’

Jennifer Lawrence has had enough of “Passengers” costar Chris Pratt’s media tour high jinks and decided to get even Monday night with a little help from Jimmy Kimmel.

Pratt has pulled an ongoing social media gag throughout the film’s worldwide promo campaign, posting selfies with his lovely costar -- except Lawrence is edged out of each photo.

Lawrence decided to get even with Pratt during a visit to “Jimmy Kimmel Live” Monday night, enlisting Kimmel and sidekick Guillermo to help her deface a photo of Pratt that just happened to be an advertisement for the film emblazoned on the side of a double-decker tourist bus.

Will this be the end of the “Passengers” media tour prank war?

Nah. At least not until the film debuts Dec. 21.

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Beyoncé, ‘black-ish’ and ‘Birth of a Nation’ all score big with NAACP Image Award noms

Beyoncé
(Daniela Vesco / Invision for Parkwood Entertainment / AP)

The NAACP announced nominations for the 48th Image Awards on Tuesday, honoring accomplishments of people of color in entertainment, including, music, film, television and literature.

“Moonlight” and “The Birth of a Nation” led film candidates with six nods each, while the sisters Knowles scored big musically, with Beyoncé nabbing seven nominations, besting younger sister Solange’s five.

In television, everything was coming up “black-ish,” with the ABC comedy nabbing 12 nominations overall.

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Review: ‘Rogue One’ is an ambitious but uneven addition to the ‘Star Wars’ galaxy

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” is storming into theaters a year after “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” but the brisk and momentous story it has to tell is actually set about three decades earlier.

It’s a testament to the ongoing cultural viability and commercial supremacy of “Star Wars” that moviegoers of every generation will have little trouble mentally accommodating yet another wrinkle in its epic mythology. And, more likely than not, they will dutifully clear a place in their hearts for “Rogue One,” a swiftly paced, rough-and-ready entertainment that, in anticipating the canonical events of “A New Hope,” manages the tricky feat of seeming at once casually diverting and hugely consequential.

The trailer for “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.”

Read MoreMORE: ‘Rogue One’ reactions land after the star-studded ‘Star Wars’ premiere party

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Annette Bening to receive Career Achievement Award at 28th Palm Springs film fest

Annette Bening
Annette Bening
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Annette Bening’s sterling body of work, accomplished during nearly 30 years in the film industry, is cause for celebration. And that’s exactly what the Palm Springs International Film Festival has in mind.

PSIFF announced Tuesday that Bening will be honored with the Career Achievement Award at its annual Film Awards Gala on Jan. 2.

“Throughout her career, Annette Bening has brought to the screen many memorable performances including the four films for which she was nominated for an Academy Award: ‘American Beauty,’ ‘The Grifters,’ ‘The Kids Are All Right’ and ‘Being Julia,’” festival chairman Harold Matzner said in a statement.

“Bening creates yet another memorable award-winning role portraying Dorothea, a free-spirited single mother raising her teenage son in Mike Mills’ upcoming film ‘20th Century Women,’” he added. “It is our great honor to present the Career Achievement Award to Annette Bening.”

Past recipients of the PSIFF Career Achievement Award include Clint Eastwood, Glenn Close, Morgan Freeman and Sally Field.

Other actors and films being celebrated at this year’s festival include Amy Adams, Casey Affleck, Tom Hanks, Nicole Kidman, Ruth Negga and the casts of “La La Land” and “Hidden Figures.”

The Palm Springs International Film Festival will be held at the Palm Springs Convention Center from Jan. 2-16.

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Canadian director Xavier Dolan: ‘I don’t know what this profession is about sometimes -- what are we seeking?’

When Xavier Dolan last offered his thoughts to The Times, he was feeling pretty roughed up by reviews for his coming-home drama “It’s Only the End of the World.”

The French Canadian auteur’s film premiered at Cannes, where the reactions were swift and often merciless -- decrying, among other things, a shrill tone and in-your-face dysfunction. Dolan took particular offense at assessments he felt were unduly personal and a mentality he thought was unfairly lemming-like.

“This is not journalism. It’s gossip. It’s pretending to be a sophisticated analysis, but really it’s cheap psychology,” he said. It was one of a number of blunt comments he made during the conversation.

Plenty has changed in the seven months since. Like, a lot.

I can’t just be emotional in films and then turn it off in interviews in the rest of my life and pretend I’m cool with everything.

— Xavier Dolan

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Black film critics honor ‘Moonlight,’ ‘Queen Sugar,’ ‘13th’ and ‘Lemonade’

The African American Film Critics Assn. announced Monday its honors for the best in film and television of the year. The critics recognized Barry Jenkins’ “Moonlight” as its top picture (and best independent film) and Ava DuVernay’s “Queen Sugar” as its top show. Also receiving honors were Beyonce’s self-titled film-album “Lemonade” and DuVernay’s Netflix documentary on mass incarceration, “13th.”

“Our members had a plethora of outstanding movies, documentaries and TV shows to choose from this year,” said Shawn Edwards, AAFCA’s co-founder. “It was an exceptional year in terms of the quantity and quality of films about the black experience. And while this by no means solves the diversity issue in the film industry it was definitely refreshing to have such a wide range of exceptional work to choose from to honor and celebrate with our approval.”

The national organization of black entertainment critics, in operation since 2003, will hold its eighth AAFCA Awards in Hollywood on Feb. 9 to formally honor those recognized. The event is expected to be a landmark one, especially considering the group dubbed 2016 the best year ever for blacks in film.

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Green Day, Beck and Weezer call on 1994 glory at KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas

Beck performs Sunday during KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas concert at the Forum.
(Amy Harris / Invision)

“It’s like some kind of cosmic convergence.”

That’s how Beck described his appearance alongside Green Day and Weezer at KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas concert Sunday at the Forum.

The three acts, he pointed out, released their breakthrough albums within months of each other in 1994. And now here they were, more than two decades later, headlining this annual year-end blow-out presented by Los Angeles’ influential modern-rock radio station.

What Beck didn’t say — but what the show made clear — is that lately he and his fellow veterans have been getting in the spirit of those early days following separate periods of experimentation.

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‘The Fate of the Furious’ trailer drops and, yes, there is a submarine

Vin Diesel and crew are back for the previously titled “Furious 8,” now being released as “The Fate of the Furious.”

Vin Diesel’s Dominic Toretto, star of all of the “Fast and Furious” movies except for the “Tokyo Drift” diversion, would never turn his back on family, right? Say it ain’t so!

On Sunday, the trailer for “The Fate of the Furious” -- which had previously been called “Furious 8” -- dropped, along with a few bombs in the story line.

Charlize Theron joins the cast, which includes the familiar crew of Dwayne Johnson as Hobbs, Jordana Brewster as Mia, Michelle Rodriguez as Letty “Ortiz” Toretto, Tyrese Gibson as Roman Pearce, Ludacris as Tej Parker and newer family member Nathalie Emmanuel as Ramsey.

Another odd addition to the family? Jason Statham as Deckard Shaw, who is one of the few bad guys to go up against the group and survive. He may not be part of the family, but it looks he’ll be part of the team.

Just when you thought that this crew and these movies had done all the vehicular destruction and crazy car chases that they could do, in comes a submarine. Cars and a tank, trying to outrun a submarine. This is the kind of stuff “Fast & Furious” franchise fans will line up (in theaters April 14) to see.

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Expect to dance ‘All Night Long’ when Lionel Richie and Mariah Carey tour next year

Pop legends Lionel Richie and Mariah Carey announced Monday that they are teaming up for an “All the Hits” tour next year, a decidedly odd couple of hitmakers going on the road together.

Billed as “Lionel Richie: All the Hits With Very Special Guest Mariah Carey,” the tour will no doubt spark sing-alongs in every city. From his hits — “All Night Long (All Night),” “Hello,” “Dancing on the Ceiling” — to hers — “Vision of Love,” “Fantasy,” “Always Be My Baby” — they’ll have plenty of anthems to choose from.

The 35-date tour kicks off in March, with the duo setting up shop at the Hollywood Bowl for two nights next summer (May 5 and 6). Tickets go on sale Dec. 17.

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The Golden Globes nominations have been revealed, and it’s good news for ‘La La Land’ and ‘O.J. Simpson’

The nominations for the 74th Golden Globe Awards have been announced. Issa Rae, Natalie Portman and Ruth Negga got nominations for their work this year in television and film. “Sausage Party” was surprisingly shut out of most of the (announced) nods but “Zootopia” slipped into the nominations for animated feature. But the biggest surprise was the multiple noms for comic book underdog “Deadpool.”

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Bryan Cranston revives Walter White of ‘Breaking Bad’ to satirize Trump’s ‘alt-good’ Cabinet picks on ‘SNL’

Walter White lives!

Well, at least he did for a few minutes on “Saturday Night Live.”

Emmy winner Bryan Cranston revived his high school science teacher-drug lord character from the now-defunct “Breaking Bad” during Saturday’s show.

Imagine if Walter White were selected by President-elect Donald Trump to be the new head of the Drug Enforcement Administration. That was the basis of “SNL’s” latest cold open, poking fun at several of Trump’s real-life cabinet picks that have left many political pundits befuddled.

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Stevie Wonder and friends like Lionel Richie, John Legend raise more than $500,000 at House Full of Toys concert

Queen Latifah marvels at Stevie Wonder's harmonica solo during one of her numbers at Wonder's 20th anniversary House Full of Toys benefit concert at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles.
(Randy Lewis/Los Angeles Times)

There’s nothing inherently wrong with the idea of a jewelry exhibit focusing on items made of silver, ruby, emeralds and turquoise — unless the guy hosting the exhibit is sitting on a trove of gold, platinum and diamonds that he shares only in brief glimpses.

That was a bit the way the 20th-anniversary edition of Stevie Wonder’s House Full of Toys holiday benefit show played out Friday at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles.

The event’s raison d’etre is to collect toys and other donations from concertgoers for distribution to underprivileged children and their families in the Southland.

House Full of Toys has raised more than $500,000 for the Junior Blind organization, according to a spokeswoman for the event, and has provided toys to more than 30,000 children over the years.

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Reacting to the ‘Rogue One’ world premiere: Stars, fans and an X-Wing fighter

"Rogue One" actor Riz Ahmed attends the premiere for "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" on Saturday night.
“Rogue One” actor Riz Ahmed attends the premiere for “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” on Saturday night.
(Marc Flores / Getty Images for Disney)

There ain’t no party like a “Star Wars” party, ’cause a “Star Wars” party has spaceships. Very few premiere nights can brag about parking an X-Wing in the middle of Hollywood Boulevard or sandwiching a bar between the wings of a massive TIE fighter, but that is just the way the galaxy far, far away rolls.

Disney and Lucasfilm shut down a large chunk of Hollywood on Saturday night to unveil “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” Directed by Gareth Edwards, it is the first “Star Wars” flick not directly tied to the episodic films from the past.

Reshoot rumors and tight-lipped plot lockdowns — the media were shown only 28 minutes of footage before interviews to avoid potential spoilers — created a swirl of nervous anticipation before the screening at the Pantages Theatre. But after the credits rolled, the crowd (including actor Fred Savage, “Thor: Ragnarok” director Taika Waititi, Fall Out Boy bassist-songwriter Pete Wentz and musician Moby) was ready to make merry at the after-party.

"Rogue One" star Felicity Jones signs Christopher "Dude Vader" Canole's helmet.
(Charley Gallay / Getty Images)
A TIE fighter at the world premiere of "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story."
(Jesse Grant / Getty Images for Disney)

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Charging parents to give their children access to modeling and entertainment jobs is a growing worry

Amelia Su-Lin Crawford's mother paid $1,000 for three dresses made by fashion designer Tiffany Cooper to advance her daughter's modeling career.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Amelia Su-Lin Crawford stood near the corner of the expansive ballroom and handed out coupons for children’s clothing store Little T’s Boutique.

It was the day before the Oscars, and the then-8-year-old child model was working for one of several companies gathered at an Academy Awards gifting suite, where reality-TV personalities and other performers collected swag from businesses while posing for photographers.

In order to attend the event in Hollywood, Amelia’s mother, Amanda Crawford, said she paid $1,000 to fashion designer Tiffany Cooper, the owner of Little T’s.

Crawford, a resident of Corona, brought her daughter to the February event to meet VIPs who might advance her modeling and acting career. The fee gave Amelia access to the suite and a sleeveless pink-and-gray dress that she wore there, Crawford said. She later received two more dresses.

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KLOS moves after almost 50 years, ending its Culver City stay with ‘Breakfast With the Beatles’ show

"Breakfast with the Beatles" host Chris Carter in the KLOS-FM studio in 2008.
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

A long chapter in Los Angeles rock radio comes to an end today, Dec. 11, when radio station KLOS-FM (95.5) broadcasts its final programs out of the Culver City studio where it has been based since 1969 and moves to a new location nearby.

The long-running “Breakfast With the Beatles” show will be the final program broadcast from the La Cienega Boulevard studio, and when it ends at noon, the station will switch over to Sunday afternoon host Marci Wiser’s show from the new studios.

The building that’s been home to KLOS for nearly 50 years— from the dawn of the era of underground FM rock radio — was put up for sale earlier this year, the offices to be subdivided.

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‘Office Christmas Party’ can’t topple ‘Moana’ atop the weekend box office as ‘Rogue One’ looms

Jason Bateman, Olivia Munn, Jennifer Aniston, Jamie Chung, Kate McKinnon and Courtney B. Vance star in “Office Christmas Party.”

Holding on to its top spot for the third week, Disney’s “Moana” reigns supreme over the weekend box office. Paramount’s new release, “Office Christmas Party,” couldn’t attract a large enough adults-only audience to unseat the animated picture.

“Moana” garnered an estimated $18.8 million in the U.S. and Canada, beating analyst projections of $16 million. The Dwayne Johnson-voiced picture has grossed more than $145 million to date.

Pulling in $17.5 million, “Office Christmas Party” failed to meet analyst expectations of $20 million. It did, however, come in well above the studio’s projections of $13 million to $15 million. The $45-million movie made $8.9 million internationally.

The raunchy R-rated comedy follows a company holiday bash that gets way out of hand. It features an ensemble cast of notable stars Jason Bateman, T.J. Miller, Jennifer Aniston and Kate McKinnon.

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‘Days of our Lives’ villain Joseph Mascolo passes away at age 87

Joseph Mascolo, best known as seemingly indestructible villain Stefano DiMera on NBC’s long-running daytime soap opera “Days of Our Lives,” died Friday after an extended battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Mascolo originated the role of DiMera in 1982 and revisited the role often until the character’s death in January of this year.

“It is with great sorrow that we share the news of the passing of our dear friend and beloved member of the Days of our Lives family, Joseph Mascolo,” said “Days” executive producer Ken Corday in a statement released Friday afternoon. “The smile on Joe’s face is something we’d all come to find comfort in, and he will be sorely missed. His larger than life presence, kind heart, and unwavering positivity has impacted us all for decades, and will live on in the memories of his many fans. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family during this difficult time.”

Actors who worked with Mascolo throughout his career expressed their sadness as news of his passing spread.

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Amy Adams to receive honor at 28th Palm Springs film fest

Amy Adams
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

It’s only taken five Academy Award nominations, but actress Amy Adams has finally arrived.

The Palm Springs International Film Festival announced Friday that Adams will be honored with the Chairman’s Award at its annual Film Awards Gala on Jan. 2.

“Throughout her career, Amy Adams has continuously challenged herself with complex roles,” festival chairman Harold Matzner said in a statement. “This is reaffirmed in her most recent project, ‘Arrival,’ where she anchors the film with an award-winning performance as a prominent linguist, Dr. Louise Banks, as she attempts to communicate with creatures in one of a dozen space crafts that visit Earth. It is our honor to present the Chairman’s Award to Amy Adams.”

The Chairman’s Award is the third honor Adams has received from the Palm Springs International Film Festival over the years. In 2009 she was recognized with the Spotlight Award for her performance as a young nun in “Doubt,” and she received accolades for Ensemble Performance for her contributions to “American Hustle.”

Other actors and films being feted at this year’s festival include Casey Affleck, Tom Hanks, Nicole Kidman, Ruth Negga, and the casts of “Hidden Figures” and “La La Land.”

The Palm Springs International Film Festival will be held at the Palm Springs Convention Center from Jan. 2-16.

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Judge Reinhold on airport arrest: ‘At best, it’s a cautionary tale’

Actor Judge Reinhold was full of regret the day after being arrested at Dallas Love Field Airport on Thursday after resisting a TSA pat-down.

“I have to say that the past 48 hours have been the most unusual, hair-raising and regrettable two days of my life. At best, it’s a cautionary tale,” Reinhold said in a statement released Friday by his attorney, Tom Melsheimer.

In the statement, the actor, best known for roles in “Beverly Hills Cop” and “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” described having a bad reaction to an antibiotic, which partly led to his airport debacle.

“Rescheduled flights for the next morning,” Reinhold’s statement read. “Successfully walked through the TSA scanner only to be told by a trainee that it looked like I had a mysterious shape in my backpack. This turned out to be a dense stack of DVD and CDs I ALWAYS carry without incident.”

After TSA flagged Reinhold’s bag, the actor refused a pat-down.

“Two Dallas police officers came over and gave me every opportunity to keep my mouth shut. I didn’t comply with the pat down or their suggestions. This led to my arrest. I knew better, I just didn’t do the right thing,” Reinhold stated.

“I want to apologize to the Dallas Police for wasting their time today,” Reinhold’s statement concluded. “I want to acknowledge TSA’s experienced agents as well as the recent influx of trainees that seem unprepared to detain people.”

Reinhold was taken to Dallas County jail Thursday and charged with a Class C misdemeanor. He was released from jail early Friday morning.

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Critics’ Choice Awards host T.J. Miller arrested on suspicion of battery

“Silicon Valley” actor and host of the upcoming Critics’ Choice Awards T.J. Miller was arrested early Friday morning on suspicion of battery on a car service driver in the Hollywood Hills, according to police.

Miller is scheduled to host the Critics’ Choice Awards gala on Dec. 11, broadcast live on A&E at 5 p.m. Pacific.

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The first trailer for Marvel’s ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ features plenty of Iron Man

The first trailer for the Marvel and Sony Pictures Entertainment superhero collaboration “Spider-Man: Homecoming” is out, and it’s bringing together a whole lot more than two studios. The new Spider-Man movie is making full use of their crossover, with lots and lots of Iron Man.

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Surprise! Taylor Swift and Zayn Malik just dropped a duet for ‘Fifty Shades Darker’ soundtrack

That sound you just heard was Taylor Swift blowing your mind.

After a month in which she and Drake may or may not have been dating and may or may not have been collaborating (the verdict appears to be no in both cases), Swift just pulled off a surprise. She dropped a new song Thursday night with an unexpected collaborator, just not the one people had been theorizing about.

Zayn Malik — former member of One Direction, current boyfriend of Swift squad member Gigi Hadid — joined Swift on “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever,” a track from the upcoming “Fifty Shades Darker” soundtrack.

Though the collaboration was done on the down low, the accompanying social media push announcing it was not, with both Swift and Malik posting about the song, as well as Hadid and Lena Dunham, whose longtime boyfriend and Fun. lead guitarist Jack Antonoff co-wrote the song.

Swift and Malik’s collaboration will appear on the “Fifty Shades Darker” soundtrack. If it’s anything like the soundtrack for its predecessor, “Fifty Shades of Grey,” it’ll be a commercial juggernaut. The first one sold more than 2.2 million copies, bolstered by sultry hits from the Weeknd, Beyoncé and Ellie Goulding.

“I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” is available on iTunes, but you can hear a 30-second snippet below.

“Fifty Shades Darker” will be released Feb. 10.

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Trump to remain executive producer on ‘Celebrity Apprentice’

President-elect Donald Trump is retaining his executive producer credit — and financial ties — with the NBC reality show “Celebrity Apprentice” as he transitions to his new role in Washington.

NBC is preparing to launch “The New Celebrity Apprentice” on Jan. 2 with former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger stepping in as the show’s boardroom judge. He replaces Trump as the lead character who decides the fates of various contestants.

Trump’s ongoing financial arrangement with “Celebrity Apprentice” was confirmed late Thursday by a person close to the show who was not authorized to discuss the matter. The Times reported on Trump’s planned ongoing relationship with “Celebrity Apprentice” last week.

It is unclear how much money the president-elect will receive as an executive producer of the show, which was created by producer Mark Burnett. The show for many years was a ratings machine for NBC’s prime-time schedule and a big moneymaker.

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Mick Jagger has a new baby (his 8th) to go with the Rolling Stones’ new blues album

Mick Jagger and Melanie Hamrick.
(Evan Agostini / Associated Press, left; Rabbani and Solimene Photography/Getty Images, right)

Last week it was a new Rolling Stones album. This week, Mick Jagger has a new baby boy.

The 73-year-old rock legend and ballerina Melanie Hamrick, 29, welcomed a son Thursday in New York, Jagger’s rep told the Associated Press.

The child is Jagger’s eighth and has siblings from 46 to 17 — including Karis, with Marsha Hunt; Jade, with Bianca Jagger; Lizzie, James, Georgia and Gabriel, with Jerry Hall; and Lucas, with Luciana Gimenez Morad. He also has grandkids and even a great-granddaughter, who was born to Jade’s daughter, Assisi, in 2014.

The rock star and Hamrick, a full member of ABT’s corps de ballet since April 2004, have been together since 2014.

REVIEW: The Rolling Stones’ “Blue & Lonesome” is an amplified death wheeze -- and it rules. READ MORE >>

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Candace Cameron Bure announces departure from ‘The View’

Actress and co-host of “The View” Candace Cameron Bure has decided to focus on her own full house for awhile, announcing Thursday that she was leaving the daily talk show in order to spend more time with her children, in the face of other growing career commitments.

“The commute of going West Coast to East Coast every single week for me has been tough on me and hard for my family as well,” she told the audience. “I want to make sure that I am able to spend as much time with my children.”

Cameron Bure also attributed the choice to the success she’s found working with the Hallmark Channel as well as Netflix’s “Fuller House.”

Given that Cameron Bure’s announcement comes just a day before the debut of the second season of “Fuller House,” it seems fair to assume that Netflix has plans for the series stretching into the future.

Cameron Bure originally joined “The View” as a co-host in August 2015.

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Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron’s abs star in first ‘Baywatch’ trailer

As skeptical as people might have been at the prospect of a “Baywatch” feature film, the first trailer, released Thursday, suggests that the project may end up being a good time after all.

Anchored by Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron (or, more specifically, Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron’s collective abs), the trailer flaunts a jokey, self-deprecating vibe akin to those from the “21 Jump Street” films starring Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill.

Though it’s yet another film starring Johnson as a no-nonsense professional forced to deal with a rambunctious upstart, both Johnson and Efron’s comic timing sparks some chemistry.

Also, if all else fails, there are a lot of attractive people running in this film, so at least it has that going for it.

Check out the trailer below, and keep in mind it’s chock-full of sophomoric humor and moderately questionable language.

Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron and Priyanka Chopra star in “Baywatch.”

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Will ‘Hamilton’s’ Lin-Manuel Miranda join the EGOT club with ‘Moana’?

Lin-Manuel Miranda
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Are you ready to make room in the EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) club for Lin-Manuel Miranda? The mastermind behind the Broadway sensation “Hamilton” is on track to add the final awards puzzle piece with one of his original songs for the Disney animated feature “Moana.” Miranda’s soaring anthem “How Far I’ll Go” topped iTunes’ downloads chart over Thanksgiving weekend, giving it the inside track to become the latest Disney number to win the Oscar for original song.

Take a look at the races for song and score, as well as animated feature

MORE: Lin-Manuel Miranda navigates the Pacific to help send ‘Moana’ on a daring adventure

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Madonna, James Corden strike a pose (many of them) during ‘Carpool Karaoke’

Texting and driving is dangerous. Vogue-ing and driving is dangerously fun to watch.

Madonna, who joined James Corden for “Carpool Karaoke” on Wednesday night’s “Late Late Show,” committed deeply to her in-car performance of “Vogue,” working the looks and the poses and ultimately stretching first one leg and then the other straight up to the ceiling of the car while she kept her place in the shotgun seat.

“I mean, I feel so inadequate,” the late-night show host said sheepishly before attempting — but definitely not succeeding at — the same move.

(Safety-first folks can chill out, by the way. The vehicle wasn’t moving when both of Corden’s hands were off the wheel. Later in the segment, though, Madonna had one leg hanging out the window and was grinding on the car, so that probably wasn’t very safe at all.)

Other observations: Madonna is very flexible; Corden is not. Corden likes red flannel; Madonna does not. Corden has a British accent; Madonna does not. Well, for the most part she doesn’t. Except when she does. Corden’s appears to have been a bit contagious.

Insightful Madonna quote of the day? “If you let people get away with bad behavior,” she said, “they’re gonna do it again.”

And that’s how pop icons are made.

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Sia and husband Eric Anders Lang announce separation

Erik Anders Lang and Sia
(Todd Williamson/Invision/AP)

Just hours after she garnered three Grammy nominations, singer-songwriter Sia Furler and husband Eric Anders Lang announced their separation.

“After much soul searching and consideration, we have made the decision to separate as a couple,” the joint statement read, as provided to The Times by a representative for the couple. “We are, however, dedicated to remaining friends.”

“There will be no further comment,” the statement concluded.

The notoriously private artist, who often performs with a blond wig serving as a curtain over her face, married Lang in August 2014 in a ceremony at Sia’s home in Palm Springs.

The morning of her nuptials, she tweeted her feelings about the impending ceremony.

Announcement of the separation comes during a tumultuous week for the singer, who scored Grammy nominations Tuesday for duo/group performance, pop vocal album and song written for visual media.

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‘The Bachelor’ reveals its new cast -- and here we thought Nick Viall was the shark

ABC has announced the roster of women who’ll be competing for Nick Viall’s attention on the next incarnation of “The Bachelor” -- and we can expect one of them to show up dressed as a shark. Or a dolphin. Something with fins, at least. We really hope it’s Left Shark.

Alexis, an aspiring dolphin trainer, will apparently give “Chris Cupcake” from Kaitlyn Bristowe’s season a run for the weird-arrivals money when the instant-romance show kicks off its new cycle next month.

Viall, 36 and a veteran of two “Bachelorette” cycles and one “Bachelor in Paradise,” will kick off his new stint by narrowing 30 women down to 22. They range in age from 23 (the aforementioned Alexis, photographer Hailey, sales manager Ida Marie and mental health counselor Taylor) to 31 (neonatal nurse Danielle M. and attorney Rachel).

The 21st incarnation of ABC’s “Bachelor/Bachelorette” franchise -- which, according to spoiler site Reality Steve, wrapped filming before Thanksgiving -- debuts Jan. 2, but eager fans can get an appetizer earlier that day: Once again, “The Bachelor” will have a float heading down Colorado Boulevard in the Tournament of Roses’ annual Rose Parade.

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He’s coming: Teaser for ‘Spider-Man’ released

Fans who can’t wait for the new trailer for “Spider-Man: Homecoming” got a very small treat Wednesday: a short video clip to tease Thursday’s debut of a trailer.

The short preview sees Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) confront Peter Parker (Tom Holland) about his choice of attire before directing the teenage superhero to a case sent over from Tony Stark.

“A minor upgrade,” read the card from Stark.

The video includes a first look at Spider-Man’s new suit, which incorporates web wings. The underarm webbing is a nod to a classic Spidey look as drawn by co-creator Steve Ditko, and has not been seen on any previous movie incarnations of the hero.

The full trailer will air Thursday on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”

“Spider-Man: Homecoming,” featuring Holland, Robert Downey Jr., Marisa Tomei, Donald Glover, Michael Keaton, Zendaya, Hannibal Buress and more, is set to arrive in theaters July 7.

Watch the teaser clip below.

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Donald Trump admits he likes Alec Baldwin, but not his ‘mean-spirited’ ‘SNL’ imitation

Donald Trump
(Gerry Broome / AP)

It appears Donald Trump has no plans to stop watching “Saturday Night Live.” Or stop tweeting about it.

On Wednesday during an interview on the “Today” show, Matt Lauer asked Trump about his habit of picking fights and sharing his grievances over Twitter. Specifically, Lauer was curious about Trump’s continued beef with “SNL.”

The president-elect has been a vocal critic of the comedy show, especially since Alec Baldwin portrayed him in various skits throughout the campaign.

“Can we agree, President-elect Trump, that at this stage, it would be better for you to simply stop watching ‘SNL’ as opposed to watching it and then complaining about it?” Lauer asked.

But Trump couldn’t agree.

Watch the segment below.

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Ryan Adams announces new album and wonders if you still love him

It’s been two years since Ryan Adams has released an album of new original music, and he’s wondering if you still love him.

The singer-songwriter posted to Instagram on Tuesday night announcing his upcoming album, “Prisoner,” to be released Feb. 17. He also shared the first track, “Do You Still Love Me?”

“Prisoner” will be Adams’ first collection of original music since his 2014 self-titled album, though Adams has released several other albums since then.

In 2015, Adams put out “1989,” a song-for-song cover of Taylor Swift’s album of the same name. Earlier this year he reissued his debut album, “Heartbreaker,” as a deluxe box set.

Plenty has changed in the two years since the release of “Ryan Adams,” including the artist’s divorce from actress and singer Mandy Moore (“This is Us”).

Adams recently told the Japan Times that his “very public divorce” prompted him to start working on the album, a process he described as “humiliating.”

That certainly casts the opening track, over the crunch of power chords, in a particular light: Adams croons, “I been thinking about you, baby,” before a chorus repeatedly asks, “Do you still love me, babe?”

“Prisoner” is available for presale, giving you the first taste of the album with “Do You Still Love Me?” as an instant download.

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Fiona Apple takes aim at Donald Trump in parody of ‘The Christmas Song’

Fiona Apple
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Looks like it’ll be a dark Christmas for Fiona Apple. The “Shadowboxer” singer has delivered a rewritten version of “The Christmas Song” that aims to hit President-elect Donald Trump below the belt.

Her a cappella rendition of the holiday classic popularized by Nat King Cole -- “Trump’s … Roasting on an Open Fire” -- is making the rounds and can be found, among other places, on a Tumblr page dedicated to Apple’s videos.

Apple, 39, whose song “Container” anchors the title sequence for Showtime’s “The Affair,” goes all Sinead O’Connor at the end of the video, tearing up a picture of the president-elect.

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‘Due to overwhelming demand,’ Kid Rock introduces Trump-related merchandise

Citing “overwhelming demand,” musician and burgeoning fashion template Kid Rock announced Monday that his official merchandise store would now be offering a selection of Donald Trump-themed items.

Among the new gear is a shirt emblazoned with “God, Guns & Trump,” as well as several products with less savory catchphrases.

Twitter responses to the artist’s announcement were mixed, with some fans chiding the Michigan native for being too political, and others hoping that the merchandise was just a forerunner to Kid Rock performing at President-elect Trump’s inauguration.

Kid Rock was one of Trump’s most prominent celebrity supporters throughout his presidential campaign. In 2012, the musician endorsed Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

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Behind the scenes of ‘Hairspray Live!’

A calorie-rich serving of bright colors and a motley crew of star power is making for a hallucinogenic visual on a soundstage in Universal City. Kristin Chenoweth skedaddles across the floor. Harvey Fierstein and Martin Short bow in front of a swarm of adoring dancers. All the while pop powerhouses Ariana Grande and Jennifer Hudson effortlessly belt out a sway-inducing song against a glittery, electric-blue backdrop.

But this is no hallucination. This is “Hairspray Live.”

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Peter Vaughan, Maester Aemon on ‘Game of Thrones,’ dies at 93

Peter Vaughan, the British character actor best known in the U.S. as Maester Aemon on HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” died Tuesday at age 93.

Vaughan, whose agent confirmed his death, had a wide resume in British television; his credits listed on IMDb go back to 1954.

The actor was surrounded by his family when he died, his agent said. Vaughan’s “Thrones” character left the show in a Season 5 episode that aired in May 2015.

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Bernardo Bertolucci says ‘Last Tango in Paris’ outcry is misguided

"Last Tango in Paris" director Bernardo Bertolucci at the 11th annual Rome Film Festival in October.
(Giorgio Onorati / EPA)

The violent sex was scripted — but the butter wasn’t.

So said “Last Tango in Paris” director Bernardo Bertolucci on Monday in response to outrage over the weekend from the likes of Jessica Chastain, Evan Rachel Wood, Chris Evans and others after they came across a 2013 interview in which the Italian auteur seemed to say he and actor Marlon Brando had conspired to spring an unscripted sex scene on a nonconsenting Maria Schneider.

“To all the people that love this film — you’re watching a 19yr old get raped by a 48yr old man. The director planned her attack. I feel sick,” Chastain tweeted Saturday. “The Office” actress Jenna Fischer called for all copies of the film to be “destroyed immediately.”

The director said Monday — in Italian, in a statement obtained and translated by Variety — that there was a “misunderstanding” about that interview. “I decided with Marlon Brando not to inform Maria that we would have used butter. We wanted her spontaneous reaction to that improper use.” The rest of the scene, he said, was in the script.

Schneider, who died in 2011, told the Daily Mail in 2007 that she learned about the plan to use butter as a lubricant right before cameras rolled, and said that “during the scene, even though what Marlon was doing wasn’t real, I was crying real tears. I felt humiliated and to be honest, I felt a little raped, both by Brando and by Bertolucci.”

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Selena TV series in limbo after late singer’s father files lawsuit

Abraham Quintanilla Jr., father of the late Tejano star Selena.
(Paul Iverson / Associated Press)

Fans of the late Tejano music superstar Selena who were excited by last week’s announcement about a potential television series based on her life now might be disappointed.

Abraham Quintanilla Jr., Selena’s father, filed a lawsuit Friday against production company Endemol Shine Latino and Selena’s widower, Chris Pérez, claiming that the singer’s estate owns “all proprietary rights in the name, voice, signature, photograph, and likeness of Selena.”

Quintanilla’s lawsuit claims that Pérez signed an agreement two months after Selena’s death in 1995 that gave the estate rights to all entertainment properties regarding the artist in exchange for 25% of net profits, according to court documents obtained by Forbes.

Endemol’s series would be an adaptation of Pérez’s 2012 book, “To Selena, With Love,” written about his life with the singer. Quintanilla’s lawsuit alleges that the book, which features Selena’s image on the cover and includes stories of her life, is unauthorized, invalidating Endemol’s contract.

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Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama are teaming up to help first lady say goodbye

As 2016 comes to its inevitable conclusion, so does the Obama family tenancy at the White House.

To commemorate the occasion in true first lady style, Michelle Obama is inviting Oprah Winfrey, the closest thing America has to a fairy godmother, into her family’s private residence. They’ll discuss the last eight years as well as what lies ahead.

The timing couldn’t be better: Obama is perhaps at the peak of her popularity with her magnetic speeches campaigning for Hillary Clinton and memorable turn with James Corden for “Carpool Karaoke.”

“First Lady Michelle Obama Says Farewell to the White House – An Oprah Winfrey Special” will first air Dec. 19 on CBS, with an encore showing Dec. 21 on OWN, the Oprah Winfrey Network.

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‘The Bachelor’ bets that Waukesha, Wis., is for lovers

ABC announced Monday that the landmark dating reality show will be returning for its 21st season on Jan. 2 with 30 beautiful, accomplished women competing for the love of one beautiful, probably employed man.

Nick Viall will return for his fourth stint as part of “The Bachelor” franchise, having been rejected twice previously on “The Bachelorette” and once on “Bachelor in Paradise.”

As part of his elaborate mating ritual, a few lucky women will get to accompany Viall to his hometown of Waukesha, Wis., where they will most likely be tasked with making cheese or evading Slenderman.

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Jimmy Kimmel will host of the 2017 Academy Awards

Jimmy Kimmel onstage at the 2016 Emmys.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Jimmy Kimmel has been selected as host of the 2017 Academy Awards, according to reports.

The star of “Late Night with Jimmy Kimmel,” which also airs on ABC, is no stranger to emcee duties, having hosted the Emmy Awards twice, in 2012 and earlier this year. He has also hosted the ESPYS and American Music Awards.

But it will be his first time leading the largest nonsports televised event of the year. He will follow in the footsteps of recent hosts Chris Rock, Neil Patrick Harris and Ellen DeGeneres.

The 89th Academy Awards will air on ABC on Feb. 26.

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That’s a wrap: Tom Cruise dies and comes back to life in ‘The Mummy’ trailer

The first trailer for “The Mummy” features a plane crash that not even Tom Cruise can survive, but that’s just the beginning. Much like the titular monster, Cruise’s Nick Morton also somehow rises from the dead.

The trailer offers fans a first look at the rebooted franchise, which also serves as the kickoff of Universal’s upcoming shared monster universe.

“Welcome to a new world of gods and monsters,” says Russell Crowe, before introducing the new Mummy, Princess Ahmanet (played by Sofia Boutella), there to “claim what she has been denied.”

Spearheaded by Alex Kurtzman (who is directing “The Mummy”) and Chris Morgan, the upcoming cinematic universe will feature new takes on classic Universal monsters including Frankenstein’s monster, Dracula, the Wolf Man, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, the Invisible Man and the Bride of Frankenstein.

Cruise shared a behind-the-scenes video on Twitter, including a sneak peek at a fight scene between the characters played by Cruise and Crowe.

In addition to Boutella, Cruise and Crowe, “The Mummy” also features Annabelle Wallis and Jake Johnson. The film is set to be released June 9.

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PlayStation Experience whips up excitement with game trailers for ‘Last of Us Part II,’ ‘Nioh’ and more

Highlighting upcoming consoles, games and accessories from Sony’s video game family, this weekend’s PlayStation Experience, or PSX, news conference introduced a lot of trailers to fans at the Anaheim Convention Center.

Thousands were looking to get their hands on the PS4 Pro, presented on 4K TVs, and take part in dozens of PlayStation VR demos. Playable games included “Gran Turismo Sport,” “Horizon Zero Dawn,” “The Last Guardian,” “Nioh” and “Resident Evil 7: Biohazard.”

“Street Fighter V” players also gathered at the conference to participate in the Capcom Cup tournament, competing for over $250,000 in prizes and the chance to be crowned the “Street Fighter V” world champion. In the end, Team Liquid’s Du “NuckleDu” Dang became the champion in the event’s first all-American final.

Trailers that made an impression included:

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Obama’s last class of Kennedy Center honorees include a queen of gospel (Mavis Staples) and a king of drama (Al Pacino)

Rocker Glenn Frey died before he could accept a Kennedy Center Honors award last year, but his Eagles bandmates and four other artists were feted Sunday at a bittersweet edition of the glitzy annual gala, the last of the Obama administration.

Actor-director Al Pacino, singer-songwriter James Taylor, singer Mavis Staples and pianist Martha Argerich rounded out the Kennedy Center class of 2016.

The Eagles, credited with shaping the Southern California sound with hits such as “Life in the Fast Lane,” “Desperado” and “Hotel California,” were to receive Kennedy Center Honors last year, but their awards were postponed when band co-founder Frey took ill. He died Jan. 18 at age 67 from complications of rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative colitis and pneumonia.

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Oakland’s Ghost Ship fire is a moment of reckoning for the music community and local governments

Debris inside a warehouse where a fire killed at least 36 people during a club-style party.
(David Butow / For The Times)

The fire that ripped through an electronic music concert at an Oakland warehouse-turned-art space Friday night was a worst-case scenario for anyone who attends such events.

As of Monday morning, 36 bodies were recovered, with more people unaccounted for. Officials fear the death toll could rise to 40. It might be one of the worst disasters in the history of live music in North America.

There are risks in throwing any kind of off-the-grid event, but it’s hard to imagine a more nightmarish confluence of structural failures. Early reports say that the warehouse building, known as the Ghost Ship, filled with art installations and ad-hoc construction, was unsuited for public events. Despite a lack of permits for residential occupancy, some familiar with the location described it as a live/work space with no working sprinklers or smoke detectors and a makeshift staircase to a second floor that trapped fans upstairs once the fire broke out.

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‘Moonlight’ wins multiple LAFCA honors, including film and director

The Los Angeles Film Critics Assn. announced its 2016 winners for the best in film Sunday. Leading the pack with honors was “Moonlight,” which took home four awards: for director (Barry Jenkins), supporting actor (Mahershala Ali), cinematography (James Laxton) and best picture.

Also recognized with first place or runner-up honors were “Manchester by the Sea,” “La La Land” and “O.J.: Made in America.”

LAFCA’s 2016 winners will be honored at a dinner on Jan. 14, where actress Shirley MacLaine will receive a career achievement award. The entire ceremony is dedicated to director Curtis Hanson, who died in September.

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‘Moana’ stays at No. 1 on a sleepy box office weekend as Christmas films loom

Following a massive box office performance during the Thanksgiving holiday, Disney’s “Moana” and Warner Bros.’ “Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them” continue to be the top performers, leading a host of other holdovers on a weekend that was as sleepy as expected.

In its second week, “Moana” pulled in another $28.4 million, surpassing analyst expectations of $25 million. The animated picture featuring the voices of Dwayne Johnson and newcomer Auli’i Cravalho has grossed $119.9 million domestically. When added to its international gross of $57.5 million, “Moana” has already made back its $150-million price tag.

“Fantastic Beasts” landed in second place in its third week with $18.5 million. Though such a performance is lower than analyst projections of $20 million, it is proof that the “Harry Potter” spinoff from J.K. Rowling is of major interest to its audience. The movie, starring Eddie Redmayne as a magical zoologist, has collected a total of $183.5 million domestically and $424.4 million from foreign countries, for a global gross of $607.9 million — a positive sign for the five-film series Rowling is expected to write for the studio.

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Luke Bryan scuffles with fan making ‘crude hand gestures’ at charity concert

Luke Bryan
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Luke Bryan may not have started the fight, but he definitely finished it.

Performing at the Charlie Daniels’ Volunteer Jam in Nashville, Bryan was caught on video gesturing toward a crowd member to move forward. He then appeared to strike the man.

A statement released by representatives for Bryan stated, “A man in front row was making crude hand gestures toward Luke during his performance.

“It was insulting not only to him, but more importantly to the men, women and families sitting around him who were there to support and celebrate Charlie Daniels and the efforts of raising money for the military veterans — some of who were in the audience.”

The Volunteer Jam originated in 1974 as a homecoming for the Charlie Daniels Band’s return to Tennessee. The 2016 concert featured performances by Bryan, as well as Kid Rock, Three Doors Down and Travis Tritt, with a portion of the proceeds going to “The Journey Home Project,” which helps veterans organizations.

The fan who drew Bryan’s scorn was subsequently escorted from the venue by security.

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Kristen Stewart owns downtown Los Angeles as the Rolling Stones sing the blues in new video

Kristen Stewart is queen of downtown Los Angeles in a new Rolling Stones video that sees the actress racing the streets in a 1960s-era blue Mustang.

On Friday the Rolling Stones released “Blue & Lonesome,” the band’s first-ever covers album.

For the “Ride ‘Em on Down” video, the album’s third single, Stewart takes to the streets of L.A. while consuming a blue lollipop and blowing through a red light at the corner of Central Avenue and 4th Street.

The video then crosscuts between Stewart swerving all over the 4th Street Bridge and taking a sultry dance break at what appears to be the Valero at the corner of Alameda and 5th.

Check out all the downtown highlights in the above video, including an inevitable trip to the Los Angeles River’s concrete culverts.

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20 contenders emerge for visual effects Oscar, including ‘Captain America: Civil War’ and ‘Rogue One’

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Friday the 20 films that are in the running for the visual effects category for the 2017 Oscars.

The list is dominated by superhero movies, including “Captain America: Civil War,” “Doctor Strange” and “Suicide Squad.”

The candidates also include plenty of children’s fare, with “Jungle Book,” “The BFG” and “Kubo and the Two Strings” all making the cut.

The list of 20 was established by the Academy’s Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee. In a few weeks’ time, the committee will cull the list to the 10 films that will be eligible for nominations voting.

Nominations for the Academy Awards will be announced Jan. 24, and the 89th Oscars ceremony will be held Feb. 26, 2017, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

The full list of nominees:

“Alice through the Looking Glass”

“Arrival”

“The BFG”

“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”

“Captain America: Civil War”

“Deadpool”

“Deepwater Horizon”

“Doctor Strange”

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”

“Independence Day: Resurgence”

“The Jungle Book”

“Kubo and the Two Strings”

“Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children”

“Passengers”

“Rogue One”

“Star Trek Beyond”

“Suicide Squad”

“Sully”

“Warcraft”

“X-Men: Apocalypse”

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Is Cuba’s art scene headed for a crackdown or a blossoming after Fidel Castro’s death?

A portrait of Fidel Castro seen in a Havana shop in February 2015.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Ever since he was sidelined by illness from his role as Cuba’s leader in 2006, Fidel Castro loomed like a historical shadow.... But last week’s death of El barbudo (the bearded one), as he was known, nonetheless marks a titanic turning point for Cubans. Among them: The country’s artists. For nearly six decades, culture has been tightly controlled by the government, both through patronage and censorship. And even though Castro’s death may not bring immediate liberties to artists in search of free expression, it does mark a tremendous psychological milestone....

“[Castro] was the most potent living symbol of the revolutionary period of the 20th century — and not just for Cubans,” says curator Dan Cameron. “For many Latin Americans, for people around the world, including people who were born many decades after the revolution happened, he is a really important symbol of defiance.” ...

There has been a resistance to change...But with [Castro’s] death, it’s hard to imagine that things will stay the same.

— Dan Cameron, curator

None of this means that freedom of expression is going to blossom in Cuba overnight.

In fact, on Saturday, Cuban dissident artist Danilo Maldonado Machado, known as El Sexto, was reportedly taken into custody by the authorities after celebrating Castro’s death on social media. Moreover, the authorities have banned live music and alcohol around the country during an official nine-day period of mourning (to the dismay of international tourists).

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See the first stylish look at Elisabeth Moss and Joseph Fiennes in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’

Hulu on Friday released images from the upcoming series “The Handmaid’s Tale,” giving fans their first glimpse of the adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s classic dystopian novel.

The series, like the book, will examine life within Gilead, a society operating in what was once the United States. But now it’s overseen by a fundamentalist regime that treats women as chattel in the face of environmental disaster and plummeting birth rates.

Elisabeth Moss (“Mad Men”) stars as Offred, a fertile woman working against her will as a handmaiden, whose sole purpose is to help repopulate a dying world. Offred works in the home of the Commander, played by Joseph Fiennes (“Shakespeare in Love”).

The first images of the series are stylishly shot, playing with light and color and teasing a moody dystopia that may hit close to home when the show debuts in April.

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New movie reviews: ‘Jackie,’ ‘Miss Sloane,’ ‘Lion’ and more

- Jessica Chastain stars in “Miss Sloane,” a political thriller “packed with the sort of dazzlingly acerbic flights of verbiage that bring Paddy Chayefsky and Aaron Sorkin to mind.”

- The problem “Lion” has to deal with is that, despite stars as strong as Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman and Rooney Mara, it’s impossible to get people into theaters without acknowledging the story’s irresistible specifics.

- Despite some strong moments and an ace supporting cast, “The Comedian” never kills and Robert De Niro is never quite convincing in the lead role.

- Tragedy hovers over the “gorgeous and ghostly” Nick Cave documentary “One More Time With Feeling.”

- “Jackie,” starring Natalie Portman as Jackie Kennedy, is a “smart” and “thoughtful” biopic.

MORE MOVIE REVIEWS >>

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Is J. Cole taking shots at Kanye West on his new track?

J. Cole
(Robin Marchant / Getty Images)

Rapper J. Cole on Thursday night released a new documentary about the making of his upcoming fourth album, and 12 hours later the Internet is convinced that one of the album’s songs is a shot at Kanye West, who spent a portion of last month in the hospital following what’s been described as a nervous breakdown.

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Get out that comb: The ‘Hairspray Live’ soundtrack is here

Eager to know every step and every song from “Hairspray Live”? Now you can get a head start. The official soundtrack to NBC’s upcoming live production of the hit Broadway musical, which was adapted from the John Waters film, has been released.

Maddie Baillio’s rendition of Tracy Turnblad’s opening number, “Good Morning, Baltimore,” kicks off the 19-track cast recording, which also features a duet between Ariana Grande as Tracy’s best friend, Penny Pingleton, and Jennifer Hudson’s Motormouth Maybelle.

The live musical’s powerhouse ensemble also includes Harvey Fierstein, who is reprising his Tony-winning role as Edna Turnblad; Kristin Chenoweth as Velma von Tussle; Martin Short as Wilbur Turnblad and Derek Hough as Corny Collins.

“Hairspray Live” airs Dec. 7. Check out the songs below.

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‘Pork in the Desert’? See Emma Stone adorably bomb the ‘Singing Whisper Challenge’

“La La Land” star Emma Stone dropped by “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” on Thursday night to talk about the film and play a round of “Singing Whisper Challenge” with the host.

For those unfamiliar with the feature, guests don noise-cancelling headphones playing loud music and try to guess what song Fallon is whisper singing.

Stone hilariously bombs the first song, Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.,” at one point theorizing that the song appeared to be “Pork in the Desert.”

Check out the entire sketch above and see how Stone’s giggle-inducing failure is probably all Fallon’s fault anyway.

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Jessica Chastain on the challenges of playing a relentless Washington lobbyist in ‘Miss Sloane’

Jessica Chastain.
(Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

When Jessica Chastain first read Jonathan Perera’s script for “Miss Sloane,” a number of things immediately popped to her. There was the screenplay’s impressive “Sorkin-esque” dialogue. There was the opportunity to work with director John Madden, with whom she first collaborated on 2010’s “The Debt.” And, there was Elizabeth Sloane herself, a top Washington, D.C., lobbyist whose hunger to win drives her to sometimes jaw-dropping extremes.

“You can be addicted to drugs, alcohol, food, sex, whatever it is. Elizabeth is addicted to the win,” Chastain says. “Everything about her is about ‘the win.’ It’s the unwinnable that gets her higher, and she goes after that.”

They presented themselves in this world, which was a boy’s club, with a ferocity and an intimidation. You could feel them before they walked into the room.

— Jessica Chastain

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‘La La Land’ leads the pack with 12 nominations for Critics’ Choice Awards

The Broadcast Film Critics Assn. announced its film nominees for the 22nd Critics’ Choice Awards on Thursday, with whimsical Los Angeles love story “La La Land” landing 12 nominations.

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone both garnered nominations for their performances in the film, as did Damien Chazelle for director and screenplay.

“Arrival” and “Moonlight” scored a hefty 10 nominations each, including nods for picture and director.

Due to the inclusion of genre-specific categories, several actors managed multiple nominations, some for the exact same role.

Read MoreMORE: New York Film Critics Circle gives best picture to ‘La La Land’

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Review: ‘Jackie’ is a transporting, transfixing biopic

Jackie, we hardly knew you.

Though no more than that single name is needed to bring to mind an entire universe of memories, mythology and celebrity, the woman it conjures had a core mystery that remained unassailable despite media scrutiny of the most relentless kind.

To convincingly pull the curtain back on that kind of a life, to be true to the tragic history and alive to the unexplored drama, to take smart and fearless ownership of what could have been an overly familiar story could not have been more difficult.

But what makes the success of “Jackie” even more remarkable is the paradoxical team that came together to persuasively imagine the behind-the-scenes drama that followed the Nov. 22, 1963, assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

“Jackie” follows First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, played by Natalie Portman, after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Crafting the compelling script, which won the screenwriting prize at Venice, was a man best known as a successful television executive. Directing this story of an American legend was a Chilean filmmaker who’d never worked in English before. And the star was an actress who, despite an Oscar already under her belt, seems with this performance to be finally coming into her own.

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CMT releases a new ‘Nashville’ trailer

Weddings, babies and teenage emancipations — oh, my! Fans of “Nashville,” rejoice: New episodes of your favorite country music drama are on the way.

CMT, which picked up the TV series for a fifth season after ABC canceled it, released the first official trailer for the return of the show centered around the always-complicated lives of country music stars Rayna James (Connie Britton) and Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panettiere).

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