Pretty soon, not even our TV screens will be safe from swooning over everyone's internet boyfriend, . The has signed on for HBO. The show is titled Lake Success, based on Gary Shteyngart's book of the same name, and will be Gyllenhaal's first foray into TV. Since the network has recently been able to lure in A-list stars like for Sharp Objects, his sister for The Deuce, and basically the entire cast of Big Little Lies, it makes sense that Gyllenhaal would want to make his small screen debut in an HBO show. According , Lake Success will follow a "narcissistic, self-deluded and hilariously divorced from the real-world hedge fund manager" named Barry Cohen (played by Gyllenhaal), who ends up escaping from his family and his past (as well as the SEC) by fleeing on a cross-country bus ride in search of the girl he fell in love with in college. As he hopes to redeem himself through this new romance, his wife, Seema, is left alone to raise their autistic son back in Manhattan while embarking on a new romantic relationship of her own. "Gary's novel is a beautifully executed character study highlighting the depth of human contradiction and complication, set against the timely backdrop of America today," Gyllenhaal said in a joint statement with producer Riva Marker. "We are thrilled to partner with HBO, who has consistently been home to some of the most exciting and acclaimed premium content over the past two decades."
April 12, 2019
Extra, extra! There's a new journalist at The Hawkins Post who's about to stir up trouble on . Fortifying its rock-solid main cast with , will introduce us to sketchy reporter Bruce, an up-to-no-good newsie with questionable morals and a twisted comedic sensibility. If the baddie in the looks familiar to you, that's because you've probably seen him before. Bruce is played by none other than Jake Busey, who's been terrifying us for years with his wild-card characters on TV and in films. And yes, if you recognize that last name, he is indeed Gary Busey's son. The 47-year-old actor is known for his part as evil serial killer Johnny Bartlett in the 1996 film The Frighteners (below). According to Busey, the so much that they created the character Bruce just for him. Bruce is an "" whose sense of humor is based on the bosses in the movie 9 to 5. Image Source: Johnny Bartlett isn't Busey's only off-the-rails role. He's appeared in plenty of cult classics over the years: Starship Troopers (1997), Home Fries (1998), and Tomcats (2001), among others. One of the actor's biggest TV parts was on From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series, in which he starred as Professor Aiden "Sex Machine" Tanner, a salacious vampire. On Freakish, he had a recurring role as Earl, a ruthless survivalist who takes advantage of the woman that he saves in a disaster. This year, Busey also guest-starred on NCIS as a shady conspiracy theory podcast host. Suffice to say, there's a thread of madness in many of the characters who he portrays. When he's not on screen, Busey is also a musician. He's played drums for the band Sons of the Lawless, which released the album Sweet Ride in 2010. In his personal life, he's also a new father to daughter Autumn with his partner, April Hutchinson. Currently, you can find updates about him on his active and accounts. Right now, it just so happens that he's promoting Dead Ant, a campy horror movie that ! Given Busey's terrifying past roles and his comments about the character, we're in for a ride with Bruce. How will he wreak havoc on the Hawkins community? You'll have to watch season three to get the full scoop!
April 11, 2019
If the fans are right, then the Hand of the Queen may be harboring a secret that could lead to Daenerys's downfall in season eight. Throughout season seven, seems to deteriorate by the episode, thanks in part to the presence of Jon Snow. From the moment he arrives on the scene, the Dragon Queen stops listening to her Hand and begins paying attention to her heart. Perhaps the most startling moment for Tyrion is when she burns the Tarlys alive for not bending the knee to her. One thing is certain: by the end of the season, he seems to be a bit disillusioned with Daenerys, and one scene in particular has some fans convinced he's going to betray his queen . . . if he hasn't already. Ranker writer Stephan Roget makes a compelling argument that the and her decision to, at least publicly, declare her support for the North suggests that her little brother is conspiring with her against Daenerys. Now, there's no love between Tyrion and his sister, which makes the idea that he's working with her in any capacity suspect. However, his love for Myrcella and Tommen is a known fact. He's also harboring some guilt over sending Myrcella away, an act that ultimately leads to her death. Knowing that his sister is expecting may be enough for him to strike a deal with her if he believes it would protect her unborn child. Related: Reddit user Ikkbinz believes to say she'll send her forces to the North in order to pacify Jon and Daenerys. They even suggest he may have offered to make sure Cersei's unborn child is declared the heir after Daenerys's reign because the Dragon Queen (supposedly) cannot conceive. Why would Tyrion want Jon and the Mother of Dragons to believe they'll have the help of the Southern Army when no help is coming though? The short answer is Jaime. For all of his talk, Tyrion does have a sense of loyalty to the Lannisters. However, it's nothing compared to his loyalty to the realm. In this moment in time, nothing matters more than defeating the Night King. As a strategic thinker, the youngest Lannister son knows that Daenerys and Jon need to focus on the threat in the North, and if Cersei straight-up denies her support in the war, then they'll be waging a war on two fronts. That's not ideal when an army of the undead is marching on Westeros. Furthermore, Tyrion knows Jaime will keep his word and ride North, even if Cersei believes her twin will stay by her side. Tyrion may believe that Jaime will be able to convince at least some soldiers to join him, but even if he doesn't, having a man with the level of military experience that Jaime has on their side could be vital in defeating the Night King. Related: In this way, Tyrion accomplishes three things: Jon and Daenerys keep their focus on the White Walkers, Jaime joins the fight in the North, and Cersei's unborn child is potentially protected for now. He may be hoping he can keep the current Queen of Westeros safe long enough for her to give birth so that his niece or nephew has a chance to live. This would also fulfill a prophecy surrounding Daenerys from the books. In the House of the Undying, she's told, "Three treasons will you know . . . once for blood and once for gold and once for love." Tyrion's betrayal would be the one for love - of his family and the realm. Given how tense things currently are between Tyrion and Daenerys, it's unclear whether he will continue to support her after the Night King is defeated. For now, though, the simple act of knowing Cersei is lying could be seen as a major betrayal because it could lead to disaster in the North if they don't have enough soldiers to hold back the Army of the Dead. Ultimately, Tyrion's decision may feel like the best solution for all involved, but his queen won't see it that way. If she learns that Tyrion made any move behind her back, then their alliance will be left in tatters. In turn, this could lead to that no one saw coming, all because the Hand of the Queen couldn't turn his back on his sister and brother's unborn child.
April 11, 2019
It's officially been two decades since in one of the more, uh, unique back-to-school films out there. In honor of the 20th anniversary of Never Been Kissed, Barrymore , which also happened to be the first film under her Flower Films production company. "Josie Grossie forever," wrote Barrymore on Instagram. As a refresher, Never Been Kissed follows copy editor Josie Geller as she takes on her first big writing assignment: an undercover look at the lives of high school students. Along the way, she is forced to face painful memories of her own high school experience, although she eventually falls in with the popular clique on her second go-around. Oh, and she also . "Josie Grossie forever." Looking back, Barrymore described the movie as "raw," "ridiculous," and "beautiful." She said, "All we wanted to do was make something that felt like the way so many of us feel growing up." Adding, "Everyone feels vulnerability while they are figuring out who they are and what they stand for. It also helps when you have the best cast and great music and everyone is making the same story!" About the whole student-teacher romance, though: In an interview with Page Six about the movie, Vartan said - even though Josie is actually an adult posing as a student. "I don't know if someone who had a darker disposition at the time, maybe the creep factor would have intensified it a bit. But, if I'm a 30-year-old man and I think this girl is 17, it's completely inappropriate," Vartan said. Despite that, Vartan does have fond memories of working on Never Been Kissed. "[Drew] showed up on the first day of shooting in an old, beat up, white Volvo and from that moment on she was my hero," he said. "She was just one of the sweetest, nicest people and treated everyone equally, which [is] the way it should be, but unfortunately it isn't always the case."
April 10, 2019
Those of us who've followed the lives of Rebecca Bunch (Rachel Bloom) and friends over four seasons of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend will no doubt come away with a lot of memories. First, there are the songs. From the ones that riff on pop hits (Beyoncé in Drake and The Weeknd in Selena Gomez in "") to the musicals ("," ," ""), and then those that parodied entire genres, like the joy that is " each week delivered new gems. If "You Stupid B*tch" isn't your inner monologue, are you even a millennial woman? Then, there are the characters. Though Rebecca is the star, she is nothing without her friends, and over the past few seasons, a number of smaller players (oh hi, White Josh) became just as beloved as the show's self-obsessed female lead. Who didn't want to hang out with Heather, go to Paula with our problems, or book Valencia as our wedding planner? (Or at least go to one of her yoga classes.) But above anything, we've followed Rebecca through some epic ups and downs. The show manages to yo-yo from gloriously inappropriate comedy moments (period sex, anyone?) to serious storylines like Rebecca's suicide attempt, without ever stopping for breath. By season four, Rebecca is finally in a better place, having quit her job as a lawyer to set up a pretzel stand, and she's enjoying the attention of three hot guys. The huge build up in the past few episodes led most of us to believe that the finale would be all about the "love quadrangle," with Rebecca finally choosing between her teenage love Josh (who just happens to live here), her former boss Nathaniel, and New Greg (TM), her ex who hates the world so much he became a totally different person. *cough* If "You Stupid B*tch" isn't your inner monologue, are you even a millennial woman? Throughout the show's run, during the best and worst times, Rebecca retreats into her imagination as a coping mechanism, creating elaborate musical numbers in her head to help her process the events of her life. When it comes to the finale, the perfect way to bring her story to a close is to acknowledge the importance of that. As Rebecca faces her big dramatic decision, she finds herself finally confiding in Paula that this is how she copes. Paula, being the badass b*tch BFF that she is, is nothing but supportive, encouraging Rebecca to to take her imagination and run with it. This is how Rebecca finally finds herself - not by choosing a guy, but by choosing herself. Through this, she finds the thing that makes her happy. For a show that focuses on tackling mental illness through humor, it's so important to end on a hopeful note. But to make it all about romance, and about other people being the solution to your own problems, would be unfair to Rebecca as a character, and to the fans who've followed her journey. If the reaction online is anything to go by, most fans really appreciated the fact that the final episode doesn't end with Rebecca finding her true love - I mean, it's Greg, right? - but in her music. It's the perfect ending to an imperfect show. And I think Rebecca (and her therapist) said it best:
April 10, 2019
After all these years of , it feels like we've become experts in a fictional world. We know our Dothraki from our Dornish neighbors and . The show - and the books that inspired it - has created a complicated world with a rich, messy history and complicated politics as much as the real world. While some of these groups have been name-dropped often, one is only mentioned occasionally, and not very clearly: the Andals. Who are these people, and why are they so important to the story we're following? Essentially, the Andals are the ancestors of most of the . According to Thrones lore, the Andals migrated from Essos to Westeros, supposedly after seeing visions of their god, and conquered most of the inhabitants there (aka the "First Men"). They intermarried with the First Men, and in the era in which Game of Thrones is set, the descendants of Andals are the dominant racial, linguistic, and cultural group. The majority of characters in GOT, then, are of Andal descent and follow Andal cultural customs. There are a couple of significant regions where the influence and bloodlines of the Andals never quite reached. The North - that is, the region of and the Night's Watch - was never conquered, so the gene pool of Northerners remains heavily First Men, rather than Andal. Similarly, Dorne was part of the Andal conquest but had a different culture, since so many of the Andals intermarried with eastern Essos refugees and created their own unique kingdom. On Game of Thrones, the term "Andal" is only used occasionally, and mostly in historical exposition. However, it's been used to identify one character in particular. Jorah Mormont, an exiled Northern lord who pledges loyalty to Daenerys, is sometimes called "Jorah the Andal" by the Dothraki, who lump together all Westerosi with that moniker. Ironically, , which means he's actually descended more from the First Men than the Andals, but the nomenclature goes to show just how much the culture of the Andals has become associated as the default of all of Westeros.
April 09, 2019
After taking a quick sip from her red Solo cup onstage at the on Sunday night, Maren Morris delivered a performance of "All My Favorite People" that solidifies why she's one of country's most talented new stars. The belted out the hit from , alongside the Brothers Osborne. Together on a stage decorated like Nashville's Santa's Pub, the three sang all about drinking on Tuesday nights, mixing their liquor with Crystal Light, and "back porch sittin' kind of therapy." Check out a few brief clips from Morris and Brothers Osborne's performance ahead, and then keep scrolling to see some of the coolest photos from their set! Related:
April 09, 2019