Talent competition shows have been a thing for years, and are still going strong with series like America’s Got Talent (which just ended its milestone 20th season), The Voice, and American Idol, to name a few. You never know what kind of people will audition and if they will be good or bad, and what the favorites will be, but that’s what makes it all entertaining. Unfortunately, the shows don’t always end up a success, such as Netflix’s newest take on the genre on the 2026 TV schedule.

The streamer’s reboot of Star Search, which originally ran from 1983 to 1995, is not living up to the hype of its competitors. Premiering on January 20, the new series failed to crack Netflix’s Global top 10 charts in the first week, according to Deadline, bringing in less than 2.3 million views with its first two episodes. That being said, it did reach No. 5 on the U.S.-specific Top 10, with South Africa's charts being the only other place it popped up, coming in at No. 9 there.

Considering the series is hosted by Anthony Anderson with judges Sarah Michelle Gellar, Chrissy Teigen, and Jelly Roll, it’s unknown why it’s flopping and hard. The original series was a huge success, and featured dozens of future stars such as Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake, Usher, Aaliyah, Alanis Morissette, LeAnn Rimes, Dave Chappelle, Rosie O’Donnell, and Adam Sandler. Even the aforementioned reboot host and reality TV obsessive Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Star Search, streamed live to give viewers the opportunity to vote from home using their remote controls or phones, highlights contestants in all genres of music, dance, and variety/comedy. It’s hard to tell if the live element harmed the show, as it could be a hit or miss with Netflix, but the fact that viewers at home are able to still vote could also help. The series was previously rebooted in 2003 and ran to 2004 on CBS, consisting of four seasons.

Reality shows on Netflix tend to do pretty well, and the streamer has been adding a lot of them in recent years. But while live sporting events have done well, specials such as Alex Honnold's stressful Skyscraper Live! climb weren't quite as viewer-friendly. That being said, it is still early in the season, and only a few episodes have dropped, so perhaps Star Search just needs to find its footing and really get that promo out so more people can tune in.

Of course, not all shows can be America’s Got Talent or The Voice, and not even Star Search can be Star Search. Those with a Netflix subscription can check out the reboot themselves and see if it’s worth sticking around for the entire season. New episodes stream live on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET.

Spoilers ahead for the fall finale of The Neighborhood in the 2025 TV schedule, called "Welcome to Secrets and Santa" and available streaming next day with a Paramount+ subscription.

The Neighborhood is currently in the midst of its eighth and final season, and CBS' longest-running current comedy has officially aired its very last Christmas episode as the fall finale. Everything was merry and bright by the end, complete with an engagement ring burning in somebody's pocket, but fans have even more to celebrate beyond what happened in the episode. Cedric the Entertainer took to social media to hype an upcoming episode for the 2026 TV schedule, and he was joined by real-life friend and upcoming guest star Anthony Anderson... as well as a very big cake.

The credits rolled on "Welcome to Secrets and Santa" with Calvin (Cedric the Entertainer) back in Tina's (Tichina Arnold) good books after a misunderstanding over their anniversary tradition, Marty working on proposing to Courtney (Skye Townsend), Malcolm (Sheaun McKinney) making the most of sparks flying with Mercedes (Amber Stevens West), Dave (Max Greenfield) spilling a secret to his wife, and Gemma (Beth Behrs) realizing that she was going to have a very hard time keeping that secret herself.

Now, fans are facing more than two months without any new episodes, but Cedric the Entertainer's Instagram post at least delivers something to get excited about. Take a look:

Hello there, Anthony Anderson! Based on Cedric the Entertainer's caption, he's evidently been wanting to bring the black-ish vet on board The Neighborhood for a while, and the timing and writing worked out for him in the upcoming 150th milestone episode. The Neighborhood star and EP appeared in two episodes of black-ish back in 2018, so it's fitting that Anderson makes it onto the CBS comedy before the series finale in the new year. "Welcome to Secrets and Santa" was Episode 143, so six episodes will have to air in 2026 before Anthony Anderson is on board for #150.

The news about the 150th episode with Anthony Anderson on set wraps up a big year for guest stars on The Neighborhood, and I don't just mean Holly Robinson Peete appearing as Calvin's ex in the Christmas episode. Tracy Morgan appeared in his second episode of the sitcom early in Season 8 before starring in the spinoff, called Crutch, that's available streaming on Paramount+. (The former 30 Rock actor opened up about feeling like "Iron Man" by filming multiple sitcoms at once.)

It's also not a surprise that Cedric the Entertainer would want Anthony Anderson to come on board The Neighborhood before the end, and not simply because of his own episodes of black-ish. The two comedians co-created AC Barbecue, a lifestyle brand for grilling enthusiasts with the goal of providing tools, flavor, and community for grilling. The two friends crafted specialty barbecue seasonings together, and the brand has since expanded to include campus kitchens and sit-down restaurants. They may have posed with cake to celebrate The Neighborhood's 150th episode, but the two actors know their way around a grill!

Cedric the Entertainer's post was admittedly short on details, so fans might have a bit of a wait before getting more information on the 150th episode. The Neighborhood doesn't return in 2026 until Monday, February 23, and the milestone presumably won't hit the airwaves on CBS until several weeks later. In the meantime, you can always revisit earlier seasons streaming on Paramount+, as well as the Crutch spinoff starring Tracy Morgan. The cancellation means The Neighborhood is running out of episodes overall, but Beth Behrs at least had a positive spin to how the comedy is ending.

With the 2025 TV schedule and Saturday Night Live’s 50th season, history is the buzzword of the moment. And while longtime cast member Kenan Thompson and the rest of his colleagues are forging a path ahead, it’s also an interesting time to look back.

Which leads us to the story of how the Nickelodeon mainstay of shows like All That and Kenan & Kel seemed to see a specific actor from one of the best 2000s movies always auditioning against him in his early career. That’s not to say that Mr. Thompson was upset about this fact, but rather he noticed a pattern that he highlighted when on the People podcast People in the ‘90s.

And according to his own account, Kenan Thompson was always up against the following TV and movie mainstay:

The ‘90s were certainly kind to both Kenan Thompson and Anthony Anderson. Whereas Thompson started his career with D2: The Mighty Ducks and migrated to those Nickelodeon gigs, Anderson had guest spots on NYPD Blue and roles in films like Liberty Heights.

Though strangely enough, both would make their own respective marks on cinematic fast food through parts in Good Burger and Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle. Albeit in very different ways, and with only Anthony Anderson threatening to burn down his respective restaurant.

However, there’s one of Anderson’s projects that Kenan Thompson holds up as the high water mark for his career. And if you were guessing it was 2005’s The Departed, you’d be absolutely correct. Thompson reflected on what that meant to him with this anecdote:

While one can’t speak for what Anthony Anderson holds as his most valued Kenan Thompson performance, it’s a valid guess that it would probably come from his work on SNL. Between Heidi Gardner highlighting the “perfection” of a recent sketch featuring the man himself. Or even the fact that Kenan Thompson’s SNL scripts are written differently in a flattering and trusting way, there’s a lot to choose from.

At any rate, it feels long overdue for Thompson and Anderson to show up in some sort of project together. Their experiences in the industry, as well as their acting talents, could make for an out of this world project. And the best part is, they wouldn’t have to audition at all for something that’s started with them in mind.

Kenan Thompson’s latest exploits on Saturday Night Live’s 50th season, as well as the Anthony Anderson seasons of Law & Order, can all be found in one place! If you’ve got a Peacock subscription, you can catch up with the recent work of both of these gentlemen.

If you’ve ever done any work around your own home, you will likely know that the possibility of hurting yourself while in the midst of such an act is simply not zero, especially if you don’t engage in the undertaking on a regular basis. As such, when Drew and Jonathan Scott remodel spaces with their famous guests on their HGTV series, Celebrity IOU, the occasional injury has happened. And, they just amusingly poked fun at Anthony Anderson’s “shriek” when he hurt himself on the show.

What Did Drew And Jonathan Scott Say About Anthony Anderson’s Reaction To Hurting Himself On Celebrity IOU?

Drew and Jonathan Scott are well known for many things (like their sense of humor, which landed them a hilarious cameo on Girls5Eva), but it’s entirely possible that they wouldn’t be the moguls they are today without the immense popularity of the Property Brothers. That HGTV hit (which almost went by a very different renovation-focused name) led to a number of spinoffs, including Celebrity IOU, which recently began its eighth season.

For the most part, remodels have gone off without much of an injurious hitch (not counting Michael Bublé’s post-demo day MRI), even though they get some help from the celebrities who are fixing places up for their friends/family. However, the Scotts just recalled to TV Insider when black-ish star Anthony Anderson sustained a relatively mild wound during Season 4, while discussing whether or not the celebrities have ever balked at doing something that might seem dangerous. After Drew responded with, “No. Safety is first, so I think they trust us,” Jonathan continued, and said:

Obviously, though the pain and (I’m sure) sight of quite a bit of his own blood was shocking to the former The Masked Singer competitor, Drew and Jonathan aren’t terrible people (Do you think Jonathan would have come up with a themed Scottish proposal to Zooey Deschanel if he were?) so they only feel free to poke fun at Anderson because everything turned out OK. While I think maybe even the comedic actor would be able to laugh at this now, I do completely understand why his immediate reaction was to let out a concerned “shriek.”

I once had a gardening accident that involved the sharper-than-expected blades of some scissors coming into contact with the delicate flesh of my inner arm. And, while I didn’t scream at the sight of my lovely brown skin parting to reveal the melanin-free organ underneath as the wound slowly filled with blood…um, it definitely made me very nervous and possibly a little light-headed. So, I totally get weirdly intense reactions when an injury actually isn’t that bad. As Drew added:

Yeah, man. Sometimes that’s how it goes when you hurt yourself, particularly if you didn’t see it coming and suddenly there’s blood everywhere. Luckily, Anderson (whose episode you can watch with a Max subscription) was alright in the end, and he didn’t end up emotional for a very different reason than the Celebrity IOU guest stars who frequently cry on the show.

The Law & Order franchise goes back all the way to 1990 when the very first show premiered on NBC, and has gone on to span six series with well over a thousand episodes between them. As such, a surprising number of actors who would become franchise icons and/or go on to become major stars actually appeared in the shows as more than one character. Read on for the biggest and most notable who weren't held back by just playing one person!

Kelli Giddish

Kelli Giddish is best known for playing Law & Order: SVU's Detective Amanda Rollins as a series regular from 2011 - 2023, and she even took the character over to Law & Order and Law & Order: Organized Crime for crossovers. Her first role in the franchise was as Kara Bawson in a Season 8 episode of SVU in early 2007, however, followed by playing Dana Stipe in a Season 7 episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent in late 2007.

Peter Scanavino

While Peter Scanavino has been playing Detective-turned-ADA Carisi on Law & Order: SVU since Season 16 in 2014, he got his start in the franchise as Robert Hassel in the first season of Trial by Jury in 2005, followed by playing Johnny Feist later that year on Criminal Intent. In 2013, he made his pre-Carisi SVU debut as Johnny Dubcek.

Camryn Manheim

Camryn Manheim's series regular gig in the franchise started with the Law & Order revival in 2022, and she spent three seasons as Lieutenant Kate Dixon. The lieutenant was Manheim's fourth character in Law & Order, however, as she appeared as Leila in Season 1 in 1991, Martha Rollins in Season 3 in 1993, and Beatrice Hines in Season 4 in 1994.

Diane Neal

Diane Neal joined SVU as a series regular in Season 5 in 2003 to play ADA Casey Novak. She would go on to become one of the Law & Order cast members who appeared in the most episodes by the time of her last installment in 2012. Her first episode was in Season 3 in 2001, though, when she played Amelia Chase.

Raúl Esparza

Franchise fans undoubtedly know Raúl Esparza best as ADA Rafael Barba, who he played on SVU for more than 100 episodes from 2012-2022 and would reprise for an SVU/Organized Crime two-parter. Years before debuting as Barba, he played Kevin Mulrooney in a 2009 episode of Criminal Intent and Dennis Di Palma in a 2010 episode of Law & Order.

Mehcad Brooks

Mehcad Brooks has been playing Detective Jalen Shaw on Law & Order since late 2022, when he joined the show to replace Anthony Anderson's Kevin Bernard. His franchise origin goes back to 2011, however, when he played Prince Miller in a Season 13 episode of SVU.

Jeremy Sisto

Jeremy Sisto may be best known in the nine-show Dick Wolf TV universe nowadays for playing Jubal Valentine across CBS' three FBI shows, but he was a series regular as Detective Cyrus Lupo for Law & Order's final three seasons before its initial cancellation in 2010. His first appearance in the show happened in Season 17 in 2007, when he played Clint Glover.

S. Epatha Merkerson

S. Epatha Merkerson may be most often found in NBC's One Chicago over the last decade thanks to her role on Chicago Med, but she's credited with nearly 400 episodes of Law & Order as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren, from 1991-2010. Her first character in the show was in the very first season, when she played Mrs. Denise Winters.

Jerry Orbach

Jerry Orbach's Lennie Brisco is arguably one of the franchise's most iconic detectives after nearly 300 episodes of Law & Order and another handful on SVU and Criminal Intent between 1991-2004, but you can first find him on the original Law & Order in the second episode of Season 2, where he played Defense Attorney Frank Lehrman.

Kevin Kane

Kevin Kane was promoted to series regular status on SVU for Season 26 for his role as Detective Terry Bruno, which he originated in Season 24. That wasn't his first SVU role, as he played Scott Ryland in Season 9 in 2008, Officer Greg Wilcox in Season 13 in 2012, Major Bowman in Season 17 in 2016, and Gary Kent in Season 20 in 2018. As if those aren't enough, he appeared in two episodes of Law & Order, first as Matt Preminger in 2002's Season 12 and then as a uniformed cop in Season 16 in 2005.

Jeffrey Donovan

Jeffrey Donovan helped launch Law & Order's 2022 revival as Detective Frank Cosgrove, who he played for Seasons 21 and 22 as a series regular. Fans can also find him much earlier in the series in other roles, first as Eddie Nicodos in Season 6 in 1995 and then as Jacob Reese in Season 17 in 2007.

Anthony Anderson

Anthony Anderson portrayed Detective Kevin Bernard for the last three seasons of the original run of Law & Order between 2008-2010, then reprised the role in the 2022 revival for one season. Before that, he played Detective Lucius Blaine in a memorable 2006 episode of Law & Order: SVU Season 7.

Tony Goldwyn

Law & Order introduced Tony Goldwyn as the new DA Nicholas Baxter in the second half of Season 23 in 2024 as the replacement for Sam Waterston's DA Jack McCoy. That wasn't his introduction into the larger franchise, however, as he played Frank Gorden across four episodes of Criminal Intent's sixth and seventh seasons, from 2007-2008.

Rick Gonzalez

Before Rick Gonzalez spent some time in the Arrowverse, he played Alfonso Cardenas way back in the very first season of Law & Order: SVU in 2000. More than twenty years later, he returned to the franchise to play Detective Bobby Reyes on Law & Order: Organized Crime, starting in 2022.

Dean Norris

Dean Norris kicked off a key role as Randall Stabler in Law & Order: Organized Crime's fourth season as the first of Elliot Stabler's siblings to appear on screen. His first franchise appearance happened more than a decade earlier, in the finale of the short-lived Law & Order: LA as Bob Kentner.

Betty Buckley

Betty Buckley is a Broadway legend, but she made the time to play two different characters over the years of Law & Order: SVU. Between Seasons 7-10, Buckley appeared in multiple episodes as Attorney Walsh. Starting in Season 23, she began playing Trial Division Chief Lorraine Maxwell, which she continued into Season 24.

Michael Trotter

Michael Trotter arrived on Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 4 to play the youngest Stabler brother. Before he debuted on OC in 2024, Trotter played Teddy Muncy in an episode of Law & Order: SVU Season 24 the previous year. In a fun bit of trivia, he's also married to former SVU series regular Jamie Gray Hyder.

Pedro Pascal

Pedro Pascal may be a big name in TV nowadays thanks to his lead roles in The Mandalorian and The Last of Us, but he made his rounds on the Law & Order circuit earlier in his career. He played Tito Cabassa in a Season 18 episode of Law & Order in 2008, visited Law & Order: Criminal Intent to play Reggie Luckman in Season 6 and Kip Green in Season 8, and dropped by Law & Order: SVU to play Agent Greer in Season 12.

Bradley Whitford

Following the end of The West Wing, Bradley Whitford arrived in the one and only season of Law & Order: LA to play Attorney Miklin in 2011. His two roles on SVU are more memorable, as he played a criminal named Frank Maddox in Season 15 back in 2014 before returning in Season 24 in 2023 to play the ailing husband of a victim in an episode directed by Mariska Hargitay.

Sarah Hyland

Sarah Hyland appeared in three different franchise shows as four characters, all before landing her part in Modern Family. Her first role was as Lily Ramsey in the Season 3 premiere of SVU in 2001, followed by playing Kristine McLean in Law & Order Season 15 in 2004. That was followed by Brianne Colby in Trial By Jury Season 1 in 2005, and then by Jennifer Banks in Season 10 of SVU again in 2009.

Cynthia Nixon

Cynthia Nixon won the Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama for playing Janis Donovan in the Season 9 premiere of SVU in 2007. That was only one of her three characters in the franchise, as she played Laura Di Biasi in Law & Order's first season in 1990 and Amanda Rollins (who is not the same as the SVU character) on Criminal Intent in Season 10 in 2011.

Ellen Pompeo

Before she landed her longtime role as Meredith Grey on Grey's Anatomy, Ellen Pompeo appeared as two characters on Law & Order. She played Jenna Weber in a Season 6 episode in 1996, followed by Laura Kendrick in Season 10 in 2000.

David Harbour

Prior to joining Stranger Things, David Harbour appeared as five different characters in Dick Wolf's TV franchise. First was Mike in a 1999 episode of Law & Order, followed by Terry Jessup in a 2002 episode of SVU''s fourth season, which he then followed by playing Wesley John Kenderson in Criminal Intent Season 4 in 2008, Jay Carlin in Law & Order Season 18 in 2008, and then finally Paul Devildis in Criminal Intent Season 8 in 2009.

Paget Brewster

Criminal Minds' Paget Brewster found time for another network TV crime procedural with two characters across three installments of Law & Order: SVU. First, she played Sheila Tierney in a Season 8 episode that aired on NBC in 2007, followed by two episodes of Season 14 in 2012 as Bureau Chief Paula Foster.

Allison Janney

Before she became an Emmy winner for the first time with The West Wing in 2000, Allison Janney was a repeat actor on Law & Order in the '90s. Her first episode was as Nora in the second season in 1992, followed by Ann Madsen in the fourth season in 1994.

Jeremy Allen White

Prior to joining Shameless and more than a decade before The Bear, Jeremy Allen White appeared in two consecutive seasons of Law & Order as two separate characters, starting with playing Jeremy in 2007 and then Andy Steel in 2008. In 2010, he moved over to SVU to play Michael Parisi in Season 11.

Paul Wesley

Ahead of his debut as a Salvatore brother in The Vampire Diaries, Paul Wesley landed a role as Danny Burrell in the Season 2 premiere of SVU in 2000, followed by playing Luke Miller in Law & Order: Criminal Intent Season 2 in 2002. Then he headed back to SVU in 2005 to play Luke Breslin in an early Season 7 episode.

Hayden Panettiere

Hayden Panettiere's name may be more synonymous with Heroes and Nashville than anything else, but she can be found in two episodes of SVU earlier in her career. First, she was Ashley Austin Black in a Season 2 episode in 2001, followed by a return to play Angela Agnelli in Season 6 in 2005.

Pablo Schreiber

While it's safe to say that Pablo Schreiber's most memorable Law & Order role was as William Lewis on SVU from Season 14-15, that certainly wasn't his only part. He previously played Dan Kozlowski in an SVU Season 8 episode in 2007, as well as Sean Hauser and Kevin Boatman in Seasons 16 and 19 (respectively) of Law & Order, and TJ Hawkins and Ed Lang in Seasons 4 and 7 of Criminal Intent.

Ann Dowd

Better known now for The Handmaid's Tale, Ann Dowd may hold the record for the most characters in the Dick Wolf franchise. On Law & Order, she played Teresa Franz in Season 1, Dorothy Baxter in Season 4, Patricia Smith in Season 6, and Dr. Beth Allison in Season 14. On Criminal Intent, she played Laurie Manotti in Season 4. For Trial by Jury, she played Karen Ames in Season 1. On SVU, she played Louise Durning in Season 2, Sally Wilkens in Season 4, and Lillian Siefeld in Season 10.

Chandra Wilson

Future Grey's Anatomy star Chandra Wilson arrived in the Law & Order franchise in 1992 to play Serena Price in the original show's second season. A decade later, she came to SVU as Nurse Jenkins in Season 4 and then returned in Season 7 in 2005 as Rachel Sorannis.

Elizabeth Mitchell

Lost's Elizabeth Mitchell appeared in two memorable episodes of Law & Order: SVU. She first portrayed Andrea Brown in a Season 4 episode that aired in 2003. She returned nearly ten years later in 2011 to play June Frye in a Season 12 episode.

Anthony Anderson has put in great performances and, in the process, he's repeatedly proven that he's a versatile actor. He's a performer who can do laugh-out-loud comedies or hard-hitting dramas. He hopped aboard the action thriller G20 earlier this year after replacing Jamie Foxx on the Fox game show We Are Family. The actor has really committed to his new action star status and, in doing so, he ultimately sustained an on-set injury. Following some time away from the set, Anderson jumped back into filming after hurting himself, and of course, he made some on-brand jokes about his injuries.

What Happened to Anthony Anderson On The Set?

The public was altered to Anthony Anderson's situation when he took to his Instagram account to let fans know how he was injured while filming a stunt for the action thriller. The 53-year-old actor shared a photo of himself lying on a hospital stretcher and gave the details on the matter while also getting off a quip or two in the process. He captioned the post, saying:

The star seemingly wanted to take on his new action role with gusto but, unfortunately, the two stunt actors and the chair won the battle this time. The veteran actor humorously couldn’t hold back his hostility toward the chair. If you want to see his injury and post in its entirety, check it out below:

The black-ish alum seemed to be in good spirits despite suffering the on-set injury. While his situation didn't seem too bad, the accident was serious enough for medics to get on the set and whisk him away to the emergency room. It's good that the situation wasn't as bad as some other on-set movie accidents have been, and good on the Hustle and Flow actor for checking in to let his followers know everything was fine.

What Did Anthony Anderson Say Upon Returning To The Set?

Anthony Anderson didn’t waste much time cracking jokes after getting cleared by the hospital to return to the G20 set. The Primetime Emmy Awards host was ready to get back to work when he posted on his Instagram. Unsurprisingly, he dropped some funny snapshots, as he rounded up the supposed culprits involved in his injury Look at the Hollywood actor’s hilarious return to set in the post below:

So he hopped right back into doing stunt work after his on-set incident, it would appear. Fortunately, this time, there wasn’t too much heavy lifting on his or the chairs’ part. However, it seemed those chairs in the post were only accessories to the incident, as the Barbershop actor pointed out the actual culprit in a follow-up Instagram post. He said about the orange and black print chair:

Well, at least, the game show host got a chance to confront his "attacker." (I think the set piece had it out for Anthony Anderson from day one.) One would think that this will serve as a learning experience for the jovial star as he furthers his work in the action genre. And here's hoping that the rest of production goes smoothly for him and everyone else in involved in the film.

Speaking of which, G20 also stars Oscar winner Viola Davis as well as Anthony Anderson's black-ish co-star, Marsai Martin. A release date hasn’t been announced yet but, in the meantime, keep your eyes peeled on the 2024 movie schedule, which includes upcoming action movies. 

This year's Emmy Awards arrived later than normal, but the winter timing didn't seem to have any adverse effect on the 75th annual ceremony, which wound up being one of the most enjoyable and respectfully breezy award telecasts in years. (Check out all the winners here.) With Anthony Anderson bringing his hosting credientials to television's biggest night of honors, the event wasn't exactly a hype-fest, but I spent so much less time counting down the minutes than usual. 

Perhaps it's because the Golden Globes a week prior were plagued by awkward and unfunny presenter segments and the semi-controversial jokes about Barbie and more that filled host Jo Koy's monologue and sporadic appearances. But I can only hope that the next year of awards shows lives up to the first Emmy Awards show of 2024, and here's a quick rundown of the reasons why I think it went so well.

Anthony Anderson Hosted Without Being A Jerk

Anthony Anderson can dish out and take roast-worthy barbs with the best of them, but that wasn't really on the agenda this time around. Rather than honing in on snark and catty comments, the black-ish vet largely kept the humor as light as could possibly be, both in tone and frequency. It was all about honoring the television medium, which is what it should be. And if someone is going to stand there and be affable AF every so often for 3 hours (even in American Horror Story's rubber suit garb), Anderson knows how to deliver.

All The Cast Reunions

The whole point of the Emmys is to celebrate the most memorable actors and shows of that era, and this year's telecast paid tribute to the big winners of past years with a variety of former co-stars reuniting on stage as presenters, sometimes within some very familiar looking settings. Seeing much of the surviving Cheers crew alongside Kelsey Grammer again just makes me want it to happen for real on Frasier even more. Martin's stars getting back on stage together hopefully means things remain on good terms, with fans still hoping for a revival to happen, which Tisha Campbel has discussed previously.

The Grey's Anatomy cast reunion with Katherine Heigl was a winner for all the most positive reasons, the Ally McBeal dance was kept short and sweet, and who doesn't love it when Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are able to jump back behind the "Weekend Update" desk for whatever reason? While it maybe doesn't quite count as a proper cast reunion, I did also love seeing A Black Lady Sketch Show vet Quinta Brunson alongside Season 1 guest star and TV legend Marla Gibbs. More of that, please. 

Past And Present Co-Stars As Presenters

It never fails to confuse me whenever award shows' approach to presenters is pairing up actors whom audiences have never seen on-screen together before, as opposed to groups of celebs who have years' worth of chemistry together. This year's Emmys did feature a bit of that, as well as some one-off presenters like Peter Dinklage and Carol Burnett.

But how fun was it to see the gang from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia take the stage as a group to poke fun at their annual snubbing? Or to see Ke Huy Quan excitedly presenting next to his cucumber-cool Loki co-star Tom Hiddleston? And while it would have been great for a larger reunion to happen, it was an emotional treat to see The Sopranos' Lorraine Bracco and Michael Imperioli together again. 

Recreated Sets And Other TV Callbacks

A moment that may have flown far over the the heads of younger Emmy viewers (which exist, right?) came when Arsenio Hall's name was announced similar to how he came out on his late night talk show, whose set background was one of several ways the set designers paid loving homage to familiar TV sets. Regardless of others' familiarity, I loved seeing Hall back in his hosting vibe as much as I loved seeing Ted Danson and George Wendt at the Cheers bar or Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers in the Bunkers' living room from All in the Family. Even the Twilight Zone homage to introduce AHS' Dylan McDermott was solid enough,  even if we didn't actually see the show's Murder House as advertised. 

Even beyond the sets, it was adorably quaint for some presenters such as Jason Bateman and Jodie Foster to have photos from their childhood days in the industry, with other moments featuring surprisingly brief montages from TV history. (I can't be the only one who thought the entire "75 moments" retrospective was being teed up.) The "In Memoriam" segment was also kept simple and subdued, though perhaps he most awkward moments of the night came with the stretches of silence without applause as the lesser-known departed were shown. 

Limited Time Wasted On Goofy Skits

Something that often mucks up award shows is a seemingly endless line of pointless skits that have little to do with TV, and are seemingly geared for attempts at internet virality. Given how low-key and praise-laden everything was, truly awkward segments were few and far between. The fact that Natasha Lyonne and Tracee Ellis Ross' chocolate-chomping homage to I Love Lucy came in the last 15 minutes of the broadcast, and didn't suck all the life out of me, was a revelation. It was ridiculous, mind you, but hats off to Ross for bringing 1000% to her Lucy, and to the show for giving viewers a mini-black-ish reunion on top of all the others. 

Anthony Anderson's Mom Doris > Music

As a way of getting longer-winded award winners off the stage, I had my reservations whenever Anthony Anderson revealed that his beloved mom Doris Bowman would be replacing the musical interruptions that traditionally (and rudely) urge talents to wrap it up. But I'll be damned if it wasn't a joy each time she popped up with her clock sign in hand, especially since the night went so smoothly that barely anyone required her efforts. Though John Oliver hilariously requested them directly during one of Last Week Tonight's wins. 

It Actually Ended On Time

Regardless of whether awards shows are fantastic or terrible, viewers' takeaway opinions of them rest largely on whether or not the damned things actually end when they're supposed to. At this point, audiences are generally aware that a built-in buffer of 10-15 minutes is often required to see who wins the biggest awards of the night. But the 75th Primetime Emmys made such pessimistic expectations moot by not only ending EXACTLY on time, but also by paying tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. whose speech, included in the 75 most impactful moments in TV history, aired over the closing credits.

So again, it wasn't the most groundbreaking or jaw-dropping Emmys night by any stretch, but for an evening where most of the awards were already a lock for The Bear, Succession and Beef, power to all involved for not being an offensive bore between all the predictable results. So let's hope we'll see more of this in the future, not only from the TV Academy but also at the Oscars.

Jamie Foxx was once tapped to host Fox’s new game show We Are Family, which sees contestants try to guess which celebrity a performer is related to before they're revealed. Following Foxx's medical "complication" in April 2023 though, he had to drop out of his hosting duties on the new series and leave his gig on Beat Shazam to Nick Cannon. Anthony Anderson was later announced to be replacing Foxx on WAF, and he’s now opening up about having to "step in" for the acclaimed actor after such a scary time. 

Anthony Anderson is no stranger to game shows. He served as a guest panelist on The Masked Singer Season 2 and was the Rubber Duck during Season 10. He's also been on Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge, Celebrity Prank Wars and hosted To Tell the Truth from 2016 to 2022. While We Are Family came under circumstances that he didn’t expect, he told ET that he was prepared to take over the job for his buddy:

It’s definitely a sweet gesture, especially considering the duo’s longtime friendship. It’s unclear if the Black-ish alum was approached to take over by Fox or by the actor's actual team but, either way, it sounds like he would have done it regardless. Plus, the series gives this year's Primetime Emmys host the chance to once again work with his mother, Doris Bowman. The two previously collaborated on Trippin’ With Anthony Anderson and Mama Doris and, now, the mother-son duo is back at it again. So long as Jamie Foxx doesn’t take back his job, as Anderson joked:

Jamie Foxx made his first public appearance in the aftermath of his medical emergency in December. At the time, he accepted the Vanguard Award at the Critics Choice Association’s Celebration of Cinema & Television, where he got candid about what had happened. He most recently starred in Prime Video’s critically praised movie The Burial, and Foxx has a number of upcoming projects as well. With that, I'm not sure Anthony Anderson will have to worry about Foxx taking over We Are Family any time soon since he has a lot on his plate. Foxx is, however, still attached to the production as an executive producer.

Meanwhile, the Barbershop alum has been quite busy himself and not just with his new game show. Since leaving the Law & Order revival, the star booked two shows back-to-back. He landed A&E’s Kings of BBQ with Cedric the Entertainer, as they tried to get their barbecue business off the ground while traveling across the country. He also was set to star in ABC’s single-camera comedy Public Defenders, but it was ultimately passed over by the network. 

Luckily, Anthony Anderson seems to be doing just fine with We Are Family, and I'm sure his friend, Jamie Foxx, is pleased that he's thriving and was willing to take over. You can check out the show, which airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on Fox as part of the 2024 TV schedule. Episodes are also available to stream with a Hulu subscription.

Actor Jamie Foxx is an acclaimed multitalent, which is why the public was so concerned when Fox had a medical crisis back in April. During this challenging time, Foxx was in the middle of filming Back in Action (which will be available with a Netflix subscription), and had to drop out of hosting game shows Beat Shazam and We Are Family. The latter ended up being hosted by Anthony Anderson, who has all the jokes about Foxx’s comeback after taking over.

Fans have spent months watching as the actor/recording artist recovered from his medical issue, with Foxx eventually breaking his silence and thanking the public for their support. He's has gotten a ton of love from fellow celebs, and Anthony Anderson is even finding the time to make lighthearted jokes about taking over for Foxx and his daughter on We Are Family. While speaking with ET about his career, the upcoming Emmy host said:

How cute is that? Folks who have tuned into We Are Family know that Anderson is hosting with his real-life mother Doris. And while Foxx is on the mend, the Black-ish star is joking that he and Mama Doris aren’t ready to give up their gig together. 

Obviously Anderson is joking here, as he is one of many celebs who have put their support behind the Dreamgirls icon during his time of need. We’ve seen The Rock and Will Smith reach out, among many others that have voiced their love and concern for Foxx. Later in his same interview, Anthony Anderson got real about his relationship with Jamie Foxx, saying:

All jokes aside, it’s clear there’s a ton of love shared between Anderson and Foxx. The two have had a long relationship, and so jumping in to host We Are Family was an act of affection, in addition to being a new TV gig for the 53 year-old actor. 

Back in December Foxx stepped out for his first public appearance since the health crisis, which is another hopeful sign for his generations of fans out there. And smart money says the public’s affection for him and interest in his recovery will make the upcoming Netflix movie Back in Action massively popular. 

We Are Family airs Wednesdays on Fox. Be sure to check out the TV premiere list to plan your next binge watch. 

Veronica Mars is one of the pivotal shows of the early 2000s. It was a critically acclaimed show with a dedicated fan base. Therefore, of course, many actors and actresses longed to be a part of it. The Veronica Mars actors were also talented and really helped give the show its identity. 

Even the Veronica Mars actors who guest starred added to the show’s appeal. Some of these guest stars and recurring characters were once unknown on Veronica Mars and are now household names. 

Let’s look back at some of the many now well-known actors who once appeared on the show.

Melissa Leo 

Academy Award winner Melissa Leo appears in over a hundred film and television projects. The Fighter earned her her first Oscar but she received critical acclaim and award-season recognition for many performances, including ones in Mildred Pierce, Louie, Prisoners, and Frozen River. 

Leo appeared in Veronica Mars Season 1 Episode 3, “Meet John Smith.” She plays Julia Smith, a transgender woman who reunites with her son after Veronica (Kristen Bell) helps him track her down. 

Jane Lynch 

You can’t think of Jane Lynch without thinking of Sue Sylvester from Glee. Sue is terrible but hilarious and often creates iconic moments with the main cast and the unforgettable Glee guest stars. In 2020, Lynch began hosting a revival of The Weakest Link. She has appeared in Two and a Half Men, Criminal Minds, Party Down (which is also co-created by Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas), Mascots, and The 40-Year-Old Virgin. 

Lynch makes a brief appearance in Veronica Mars Season 1 Episode 6, “Return of the Kane.” She plays Mrs. Donaldson. a faculty member that Veronica approaches about voter rigging at a Neptune High election. 

Jessica Chastain 

As one of the most respected actresses of the last decade, Jessica Chastain has won numerous awards, including an Academy Award. Her first Academy Award happened in 2022 for her performance in The Eyes of Tammy Faye. She also received Academy Award nominations for Zero Dark Thirty and The Help. Her filmography includes A Most Violent Year, Scenes from a Marriage, George and Tammy, and It Chapter Two.

Before Chastain could deliver one of her many great performances, she appeared in Veronica Mars. It was one of her first screen roles. She appears in the 7th episode of Season 1, “The Girl Next Door” as Sarah Williams. Sarah is a neighbor friend of Veronica's who goes missing. 

Aaron Paul 

Aaron Paul became a household name for playing Jesse Pinkman on Breaking Bad. He also played the character on El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie and Better Call Saul.  Some of Paul’s screen highlights include roles in Truth Be Told, Westworld, The Path, and BoJack Horseman. He’s also had a great cameo or 20 in various projects and made plenty of guest appearances, including in Black Mirror and The Simpsons. 

Paul plays Eddie LaRoche, the main suspect in a murder and disappearance case in Veronica Mars Season 1, Episode 11, “Silence of the Lamb.” His sketchy behavior makes him a likely culprit. 

Anthony Anderson 

Anthony Anderson has created many memorable characters throughout his career. A few include Dre in black-ish, Detective Kevin Bernard in Law & Order, J.D in the Barbershop movies, and Antwon Mitchell in The Shield. He also appeared in Psych, Shameless, Beats, and Scream 4. Anderson has so many great forgotten performances as well.

He plays a gangsta rapper and former criminal named Bone Hamilton in Veronica Mars Season 1, Episode 13, “Lord of the Bling.” He hires Keith (Enrico Colantoni) to help him locate his missing daughter, who also used to be a friend of Veronica.

Adam Scott 

Adam Scott is best known for comedic roles in television shows such as Parks and Recreation, Step Brothers, The Good Place, and Party Down. He’s also the star of the AppleTV+ hit series Severance. 

Scott takes on a much more serious role in Veronica Mars. He plays Mr. Rooks, a teacher that divides Veronica and Keith in Veronica Mars Season 1, Episode 14, “Mars v. Mars. He’s accused of having an affair with a student. Veronica believes that he is innocent, but Keith can’t ignore the evidence. It’s one of the best Veronica Mars episodes. 

Leighton Meester 

Leighton Meester’s performance is the reason Blair Waldorf is such a beloved Gossip Girl character. Her film and TV credits include The Roommate, Single Parents. Life Partners, Making History, The Orville, and How I Met Your Father. 

Meester appears on multiple episodes of Veronica Mars as Carrie Bishop. Her first appearance is in “Mars v. Mars.” Her character accuses Adam Scott’s character of having a secret sexual relationship with her. The character of Carrie Bishop returns in the Veronica Mars movie, but Andrea Estella plays her. 

Tessa Thompson 

Tessa Thompson’s fame really blew up when she started playing Valkyrie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, she has been in many well-known movies and TV shows. Some of her most popular movies include For Colored Girls, Dear White People, Selma, the Creed franchise, Sorry to Bother You, Passing, and Men In Black: International.

Tessa Thompson may be one of the people on this list that you do remember from Veronica Mars because she was a main character all throughout Season 2. She plays Jackie Cook, the main love interest of Wallace (Percy Daggs III). The character immediately left at the end of Veronica Mars Season 2. 

Taylor Sheridan 

Taylor Sheridan is an actor, director, and screenwriter. He has written many popular movies and TV shows, including Yellowstone, Mayor of Kingstown, 1883, and 1923. He also wrote the screenplay for the films Sicario, Hell or High Water, Wind River, Without Remorse, and Those Who Wish Me Dead.

Sheridan’s few acting credits include Veronica Mars. He had a recurring role as Danny Boyd in Veronica Mars Season 2. The character first appeared in Veronica Mars Season 2 Episode 8, "Ahoy, Mateys!" His character is part of a notorious crime family in Neptune.

Michael Cera 

Michael Cera may currently best be known for playing Allan in the Barbie movie. Before being the best male in Barbieland, he appeared in Juno, Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Arrested Development, Black Mirror, and Life and Beth. 

Cera appears alongside his Arrested Development co-star Alia Shawkat in Veronica Mars. They appear in the episode “The Rapes of Graff” from Season 2. He plays Dean, a student at Hearst College who leads Veronica and Wallace’s tour of the campus

Armie Hammer 

Armie Hammer first stepped into the spotlight by playing the Winklevoss twins in The Social Network. He then appeared in such popular movies as J. Edgar, The Man from U.N.C.L.E, Call Me by Your Name, Sorry to Bother You, and Death on the Nile.

Hammer appears in Veronica Mars Season 3 Episode 3, “Wichita Linebacker.” He plays Kurt Fenstermacher, a football player who may lose his scholarship if he can’t retrieve the team’s playbook that was stolen from him.

Paul Rudd  

It’s hard to imagine anyone who hasn’t heard of Paul Rudd. He’s been in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Ant-Man. He was Josh in Clueless. Mike in Friends. He’s also been in many iconic comedies such as Wet Hot American Summer, the Anchorman movies, The 40-Year Old Virgin, I Love You Man. He has so many great movies. Rudd has appeared in TV shows such as Parks and Recreation, Party Down, iZombie, and Only Murders in the Building. 

Rudd appears in Veronica Mars Season 3 Episode 17, “Debasement Tapes.” He plays Desmond Fellows, an aging rock star who Piz (Chris Lowell) gets to interview. However, the man is a disaster. 

There are a lot of other great actors and reality stars that you may have forgotten appeared on Veronica Mars, including Paris Hilton, Lisa Rinna, and Dianna Agron. You can catch all these stars and more by rewatching Veronica Mars. It’s definitely worth another rewatch.

Stream Veronica Mars on Hulu. 

Anthony Anderson has been one of Hollywood’s busiest actors for some time now, and it honestly feels like he’s never been without some kind of acting gig. As a result of his steady stream of work, he’s entertained audiences for nearly three decades now. In recent years, he delighted TV watchers with his role as Andre “Dre” Johnson on ABC’s black-ish, which he co-led for eight seasons. And after signing off alongside Tracee Ellis Ross and the cast, Anderson joined the Law & Order revival for one season and reprised his role as Kevin Bernard. His stints on both series may be over, but the comedian doesn’t seem set on resting. As it turns out, Anderson has landed not one, but two new shows!

Anthony Anderson Is Teaming Up With Another Comic For A Truly Tasty Series

Die-hard foodies are sure to get a kick out of the new production Anthony Anderson is cooking up with A&E. The network announced in a press release that it’s joined forces with Anderson for Kings of BBQ, a ten-episode, unscripted series. And if that weren’t exciting enough, the show will also see fellow comedian Cedric the Entertainer star alongside Anderson. The show will follow the two stars as they attempt to get their business, AC Barbecue, off the ground. In their attempt to do so, they’ll travel across the United States in order to learn the culinary tricks of the trade. Anderson released a statement on the series and seems excited to be embarking on this new journey: 

Seriously, I don’t know about you, but I’m getting hungry just thinking about all of the delectable dishes that the black-ish alum and the Neighborhood veteran will get to try. The show is set to have one-hour episodes, and I can’t help but be curious about what the comics will learn from the various pitmasters they’ll encounter during their travels. Of course, when Anthony Anderson isn’t licking his fingers from the flavorful, sauce-covered food, he’ll be working on another acting gig. 

Following The End Of Black-ish, Anthony Anderson Is Reteaming With ABC For Another Comedy

It didn’t take all that long for the 52-year-old Barbershop alum to return to his old stomping grounds at the alphabet network. He’s reportedly collaborating with the entertainment conglomerate on another single-camera comedy pilot called Public Defenders. Per Deadline, the workplace romp centers on a quartet of inexperienced public defenders who seek to effectively represent their defendants while dealing with the legal shenanigans that ensue as a result. 

The Transformers alum won’t be playing one of these wet-behind-the-ears legal eagles. He’ll take on the role of the group’s boss, Marshall. The trade describes the character as a seasoned law official, who’s recently become the deputy-in-charge. With that, he believes it’s his duty to assist his deputies in ultimately becoming defense attorneys and isn’t afraid to show a bit of tough love to move them along. Anthony Anderson also serves as an EP on the show alongside Randalll Einhorn, who’s widely known for his contributions to The Office and more recently, Abbott Elementary. Einhorn will reportedly direct the pilot as well, and he’s definitely a fitting choice for what sounds like an old-fashioned workplace comedy.

Needless to say, Anthony Anderson is going to have his hands full for the foreseeable future, and you honestly love to see the star remain booked and busy. Here’s hoping that both shows manage to make an impression on viewers. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go order some barbecue from a nearby take-out spot. 

Be sure to keep your eyes on CinemaBlend’s 2023 TV schedule so that you’ll know when you can expect to see these shows. Those who love the comedian can also stream all eight seasons of black-ish using a Hulu subscription, while Peacock subscription holders can check him out in Law & Order.

When you think of excellence in the sports world, Michael Jordan is one of the first people who comes to mind. The Chicago Bulls icon amassed a slew of accolades over the course of his playing career, including six NBA championships and five Most Valuable Player trophies. The man is simply the definition of a basketball icon, and much of his success can be attributed to his intense competitive nature. It’s that very passion that drives him to face off with friends in various activities during his downtime. And as it turns out, that passion also opened up an opportunity for Anthony Anderson to beat Jordan in a sport that’s not b-ball.

Anthony Anderson has been friends with Michael Jordan for a while now and seems to know him quite well. The comedian touched on his relationship with the hall of famer during an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show. The titular host coaxed Anderson into spilling a few details about Jordan. The actor eventually confirmed that his buddy is “competitive at everything.” Clarkson then asked Anderson if he’s ever beaten his chum at anything, and Anderson – who seemed humorously hesitant to share any specific details – confirmed that he has and told the following story:

The black-ish alum is definitely aware that not too many people can say they’ve beaten His Airness in some kind of competition. (I’d personally be shouting it from the rooftops while wearing a shirt that reads, “I beat MJ.”) But the actor is fairly humble about his accomplishment as to “preserve” his friendship with the celebrated athlete. I wouldn’t be surprised if he (respectfully) pulls out those bragging rights once every so often, though. You can see an excerpt from the comic’s talk show appearance down below:

A lot has been said about Michael Jordan’s competitiveness over the years, and it was also covered extensively in ESPN’s Emmy-winning docuseries, The Last Dance (which can be streamed using a Netflix subscription.) Though Jordan initially didn’t want to do the series, he eventually agreed and, in it, he didn’t hold back when discussing what fueled him on the court. He especially drove that point home during the end of the show’s seventh episode, when he delivered a passionate monologue. You can see that for yourself down below:

People may have varied thoughts when it comes to his method, but you honestly can’t argue with the results. Air Jordan got the job done and in the process, earned the respect of a number of his peers. Even Lakers legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson referred to him as the “strongest” athlete he’s ever seen. How exactly that strength translates to recreational activities with friends is hard to say but, based on what we know about him as well as Anthony Anderson’s comments, I’m sure the NBA GOAT gives it his all every time.

One thing I know for sure is that I don’t ever want to meet Michael Jordan on the golf course. I’d probably end up getting “smoked” like J.R. Smith did when the two of them played. Interestingly, Jordan’s former teammate, Scottie Pippen, thinks he could beat him at the sport but, considering their feud, I’m not sure if they’ll ever meet up to test that theory. Though I’m sure there are plenty of others, like Anthony Anderson, who will go head to head with the legend in the hopes of one-upping him.

 Abbott Elementary emerged as one of the biggest surprises of the 2021-2022 TV season. The show – which is produced by, written by, and stars Quinta Brunson – managed to strike a chord with audiences and earn itself a second season as a result. It also landed historic Emmy wins for Brunson and co-star Sheryl Lee Ralph, who gave an incredible speech. Of course, with new episodes on the way, there are a few things folks might be pondering, like what kind of guest stars might pop in. And if you ask me, there are a number of high-profile comedians, such as Anthony Anderson, who’d be perfect for guest spots. 

The school-centric workplace comedy, which has been compared to The Office, has already announced a few guest actors for Season 2. It was recently confirmed that Leslie Odom Jr., Lauren Weedman, and Keyla Monterroso Mejia are set to appear, though one can’t help but wonder who else could show up in the second season (and beyond, should the show continue). There are plenty are stars who would be a great fit for the sitcom, but it would be particularly fun to see a number of notable comedians lend their talents to the proceedings. So, let’s discuss the comedy vets who'd fit into the series:

Anthony Anderson

When it comes to comedy, Anthony Anderson has certainly been around the block, so to speak. He’s starred in notable comedies like Me, Myself & Irene and Barbershop as well as dramas like Hustle & Flow and The Departed. But, in recent years, he’s led the cast of ABC’s Black-ish, which capped off its eight-season run earlier this year. Anderson’s trying new things right now, after having returned for a season on the Law & Order revival. Surely he could pop onto Abbott for an episode. I’d personally love to see him play a high-ranking school exec who comes into conflict with the gang. 

Wanda Sykes 

It almost feels like there’s nothing Wanda Sykes hasn’t done at this point. The Emmy winner has a plethora of comedy films under her belt like Evan Almighty and Bad Moms. She’s also been a major fixture within the TV realm, having headlined her own sitcom, Wanda at Large, and having appeared on the likes of The New Adventures of Old Christine and The Good Fight. She also notably hosted the Oscars this year. At the moment, she’s also one of the stars of the Netflix family sitcom The Upshaws. She could certainly bring her comedic expertise to Abbott Elementary in any kind of role. 

Henry Winkler 

Honestly, what can you even say about Henry Winkler? The man has an illustrious career that spans nearly five decades and is marked with notable film and TV credits like The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Night Shift, The Waterboy and Parks and Recreation. And then, of course, there’s Happy Days, on which he played the iconic Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli. These days, Winkler stars on the HBO black comedy Barry, for which he won an Emmy in 2018. In short, Abbott would be lucky to have the seasoned actor. And, with his natural enthusiasm, I’d peg him to play the school’s over-the-top performing arts teacher. 

David Alan Grier 

There are plenty of potential ways that Abbott Elementary could utilize someone like David Alan Grier. Many comedy aficionados are probably aware that he rose to prominence in the ‘90s as a cast member on Fox’s In Living Color. From there, he’s starred and appeared on notable shows like Martin, My Wife and Kids, Happy Endings, and The Carmichael Show. Grier, who’s also a veteran of the stage, definitely knows how to get a laugh and could do that very thing on the ABC sitcom in almost any role. It’d be great to see him play the brother of Sheryl Lee Ralph’s Barbara Howard or even an old friend of William Stanford Davis’ lovable janitor, Mr. Johnson. 

Randall Park 

It’s really hard not to like Randall Park. The comedy vet has been at it for years now and has become a fan favorite in both TV and film. Trainwreck, Always Be My Maybe, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and Aquaman are only a few of the movie credits under his belt. On the TV side, he was the lead of ABC's comedy, Fresh off the Boat, appeared on HBO’s Veep and returned to Marvel and joined the cast of Disney+’s WandaVision. And yes, he famously played Steve/Asian Jim on The Office. I’d love to see him on Quinta Brunson’s series – and in a role as humorous as the one he played on NBC’s mockumentary. 

Patton Oswalt 

If you’re looking for a funnyman with great comedic chops, look no further than Patton Oswalt. The veteran stand-up comedian has been a comedy staple for some time and has greatly endeared himself to audiences. There’s a good chance you’ve seen him on shows like The King of Queens, Parks and Recreation, Community, Two and a Half Men, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Oswalt has a sharp sense of humor and a sweet core that would make him perfect for Abbott Elementary. If he’s not cast as a substitute teacher at the school, then I don’t know what we’re even doing. 

Donald Glover 

So, this one may be a long shot, but Donald Glover would be a fantastic guest star. He’s been one of the hardest-working people in show business for the past decade, having made a name for himself through NBC’s Community before starring in high-profile films like The Martian, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Solo: A Star Wars Story, and The Lion King. The Emmy winner is also the creator of the acclaimed FX dramedy, Atlanta, which is ending after four seasons this year. A fan of Abbott, Glover would be perfect as a potential new boyfriend of Janine Teagues, or even a sibling of hers. 

Whoopi Goldberg 

Speaking of Janine’s family, you can’t tell me that Whoopi Goldberg wouldn’t be a strong pick to play her seemingly negligent mother. Most are pretty familiar with the EGOT’s work, which ranges from movies like Ghost, Sister Act, and The Color Purple to TV shows like Whoopi, Everybody Hates Chris, and Star Trek: The Next Generation. Of course, she’s also been a co-host on The View for the past 15 years. The stand-up comic’s sharp wit would be a great addition to the show – and quite a match for the dry humor of Lisa Ann Walter’s Melissa Schemmenti. 

Carol Burnett 

There’s only one Carol Burnett, and she’d be an amazing Abbott Elementary guest star. The comedy icon’s career is legendary and was launched into the stratosphere with the debut of her self-titled variety show in the late ‘60s. The six-time Emmy winner has also become quite famous for her guest appearances in numerous shows like Mad About You, Hawaii Five-0, and Better Call Saul, which earned her massive love from fans. Right now, some are even campaigning for her to host Saturday Night Live. The 89-year-old actress is showing no signs of slowing down, and Abbott would be a firm addition to her already-illustrious resume. 

Abbott Elementary has the potential to tell some great stories should it remain on TV for years to come, and one would hope that Quinta Brunson and her collaborators utilize these stars and more at some point. But, more immediately, check out new episodes of the comedy when they air on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET as part of the 2022 TV schedule. You can also stream episodes next day with a Hulu subscription. 

Spoilers ahead for the season premieres of Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, and Law & Order: Organized Crime on NBC.

Law & Order returned for Season 22 in a history-making three-part crossover with SVU and Organized Crime, and the result was a cinematic television event with some of the biggest names in network television. As it happens, however, the event was missing one of the biggest names from Law & Order’s first revival season, as Anthony Anderson was nowhere to be seen as Det. Kevin Bernard, and none of the three episodes addressed his absence… for a reason. 

Anthony Anderson’s departure from Law & Order after returning for the first revival season was announced over the summer, so any fans who kept an eye out for L&O headlines during hiatus already knew not to expect him, but the Season 22 premiere paired up Jeffrey Donovan’s Frank Cosgrove with new series regular Mehcad Brooks’ Jalen Shaw right away with no mention of his partner as recently as the Season 21 finale in May. So, why did the series ignore the character? 

Well, it’s because the character will get a mention in the next episode. Law & Order showrunner Rick Eid (who was previously showrunner on Chicago P.D.) revealed back in August that Bernard will be mentioned in the second episode of Season 22, although it will be very brief. He didn’t share any details about why Bernard is missing, but even the promise of an update is more than P.D. fans got with the sudden absence of Lisseth Chavez as Officer Rojas a couple of years ago! 

So, the big reason for Bernard going unacknowledged in the premiere is that the show is saving the mention for next week’s second episode. As much as I would have probably appreciated at least a name drop, I can understand why Eid decided to skip it this week. 

The three-part crossover was packed from beginning to end, and had to combine the casts of three ensemble shows into one sprawling case that involved everything from sex trafficking to shootings to even an explosion. If the goal was to use every minute of screentime to set the stage and tell the story, then perhaps it was best to save the mention of Bernard for next week. Plus, it meant that Mehcad Brooks’ character’s arrival wasn’t overshadowed by however Kevin Bernard left. 

So, will the upcoming mention of Bernard be the last that viewers hear of him, and was the Season 21 finale the last time that anybody will see Anthony Anderson as the detective? The actor recently weighed in and told CinemaBlend that he “wouldn’t have a problem going back,” but shared that he wanted to “develop some new things.” 

Given that co-star Odelya Halevi only had good things to say about what he brought to set, I can imagine that he might return someday. For now, though, viewers can look forward to answers about his absence and seeing Detective Shaw in action with Cosgrove. 

See what’s next on Law & Order after the three-part crossover with new episodes in the 2022 TV schedule on Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. The original series opens up a full night of Law & Order action, with SVU at 9 p.m. and Organized Crime at 10 p.m. 

A number of Law & Order fans were heartbroken when it was confirmed that Anthony Anderson’s Kevin Bernard wouldn’t be back for Season 22. It was an unexpected development, considering that Anderson's reprisal helped him get over the end of black-ish. It's very likely that fans are hoping that the actor will portray the New York detective again at some point. Now, months after leaving the show, the L&O alum weighed in on if he’ll return to the long-running NBC drama.

Anthony Anderson's involvement in the revived Law & Order series did help it gain traction before it premiered, which is understandable -- given his popularity coming off of black-ish. The hit ABC series even led to the 52-year-old actor being honored as a Disney Legend at Disney’s D23 Expo this year. When it comes to a return to the NBC legal drama though, he told CinemaBlend at D23 that such a thing would have to be determined by the man who created this massive franchise of legal procedurals -- Dick Wolf:

It seems that at the time, Anthony Anderson was ready to do some things on his terms. Being part of an expansive TV franchise can be time-consuming, especially when there are multiple crossover episodes per season. It was previously mentioned that a desire to developing and pitching new shows, including an hour-long drama Miraculous, was Anderson's reason for leaving after one season.

But unsurprisingly, his exit from the NBC franchise didn’t mean there are any hard feelings between him and the Law and Order family. He will be missed as former co-star Odelya Halevi said working with him was an incredible experience, while Jeffrey Donovan will miss the locals calling out his co-star by name in public. So when you read about all of that love between colleagues, it shouldn't be surprising that the 52-year-old Det. Bernard actor went on to say that he'd be open to returning if the show would have him:

I, for one, would love to see Kevin Bernard back at the 27th precinct, and I wouldn't be surprised if he does return should the show run for a while. Hey, after all, Elliot Stabler made his way back to the franchise after having been absent for a decade. So Det. Bernard will just pop up on Law and Order or headline a spinoff in the future, perhaps?

But more immediately though, the revival will not give Anthony Anderson’s Bernard a huge sendoff but will address his absence with a brief mention in Season 22. The future looks bright for both Anderson and the storied NBC franchise, and one can only hope that the two cross paths again someday. 

Law and Order Season 22 will premiere on September 22 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and is just one of the many returning TV shows fans are anticipating for the 2022-23 TV season.

Law & Order fans were in for a big surprise over the hiatus following the successful Season 21 revival with the news that Anthony Anderson wouldn’t be back for Season 22. He was one of the biggest names attached to the revival, as he – along with Sam Waterston, who is returning – reprised a role from the original run of the series. The show won’t be back for another month, but the showrunner dropped some details about how Detective Kevin Bernard will be sent off. 

Anderson’s departure came as a particularly big shocker after he celebrated the news that Law & Order had been renewed for Season 22, but according to showrunner Rick Eid, fans shouldn’t expect a grand sendoff for Kevin Bernard. In fact, his exit won’t be mentioned until the second episode. Speaking with TVLine, Eid shared: 

Law & Order is a procedural show with more of an emphasis on the cases of the week than the characters (although that’s less true with spinoffs SVU and Organized Crime), so it’s not too shocking that Bernard is only getting “a little mention.” It’s also not unprecedented for shows under the guidance of Rick Eid. 

The current L&O and FBI boss formerly served as showrunner on NBC’s Chicago P.D., which wrote off two series regulars (Jon Seda and Lisseth Chavez) between seasons without much fanfare. (P.D. still has yet to explain what happened to Chavez’s Officer Rojas.) Anthony Anderson’s absence will undoubtedly be pretty conspicuous even if there’s not a lot of fuss about it. 

Not only was he one of the returning stars for the revival, but he is a big name in television thanks to the successful run of black-ish. To replace him, Law & Order sought out another TV veteran with Supergirl alum Mehcad Brooks coming on board as an NYPD detective who will partner Jeffrey Donovan’s Frank Cosgrove. 

Donovan only had good things to say about Brooks after meeting him over Zoom, and Rick Eid teased how the new character will join the team and partner with Cosgrove. Detective Jalen Shaw (Brooks) will work with Cosgrove during the three-show crossover with the season premieres of L&O, SVU, and OC in September. Shaw will then transfer to the precinct, and Eid elaborated:

Hopefully Kevin Bernard moved on for a good reason that will make his absence more bittersweet than tragic. It does seem safe to say that the show won’t reveal that he’s been killed off over hiatus, especially in light of Season 21 subverting expectations and not ending on any kind of cliffhanger. If the mention isn’t coming until Episode 2 of Season 22, then fans have more than a month to wait, with the premieres of Law & Order and the rest of the Dick Wolf shows airing in the week of September 19. 

If you want to revisit Anthony Anderson’s one and only revival season as a series regular, you can find all ten episodes streaming with a Peacock subscription. For some more viewing options now and in the coming weeks, be sure to check out our 2022 TV premiere schedule.

The list of 2022 Primetime Emmy nominations was finally revealed yesterday, and there are a plethora of shows that are in the running for the gold this year. The comedy categories are particularly stacked, as they feature hit shows like Ted Lasso, Abbott Elementary and Barry. However, one sitcom that didn’t make it into any of those categories is ABC’s black-ish, which signed off after eight seasons earlier this year. Of course, series star and producer Anthony Anderson is well aware of the snubs and, when he guest-hosted on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, he hilariously clowned the Television Academy for ignoring his show. 

A seasoned comedian, Anthony Anderson is always one to bring on the jokes, even when a situation doesn’t pan out the way that he hoped. The star, who’s filled in on Jimmy Kimmel Live! before, addressed black-ish’s Emmy snubs during his opening monologue. In doing so, he humorously provided his logic for why the series was passed over and evoked a few other noteworthy shows to make his case. And his thoughts definitely garnered some laughs from the live-studio audience, which included his own mother:

The actor would know a bit about who’s most likely to be named a murder suspect. After all, he is just coming off a one-season stint on the Law & Order revival and starred in two seasons of the OG show before that. In all seriousness though, it’s honestly a bit surprising that black-ish didn’t receive any love for its send-off season. On top of that, Anthony Anderson also joked that another actor who bears his name was nominated for Outstanding Actor In A Short Form Comedy Or Drama Series.

The Barbershop alum doesn’t seem all that bitter about the lack of Emmy love, though. He went on to conclude this portion of his opening spiel by hilariously taking solace in another honor – one that he doesn’t actually have, mind you:

Anthony Anderson is still well known for his role in the 2003 comedy, but I think his work on black-ish will age a bit better. The Kenya Barris-created sitcom debuted in 2014 and gradually became one of ABC’s signature shows. One of the best elements of it was the chemistry between Anderson and on-screen spouse Tracee Ellis Ross, who were both nominated for multiple Emmys during the show’s run. (Given how natural they were, it’s honestly surprising that there was a time when Ellis Ross didn’t like Anderson.)

The series capped off its run in April with its 175th episode, “Homegoing,” which featured an emotional final scene set to a classic Steve Wonder song. Anthony Anderson and his co-stars had all the emotions while reacting to the finale as did loyal viewers, who reacted on social media. The final season may not have nabbed any Emmy nominations, but the work that the cast and crew did will remain a part of TV history for years to come. And funny jokes aside, I’m sure that’s something Anderson knows and surely appreciates. 

All eight seasons of black-ish are available to stream with a Hulu subscription, and those in need of a new show to watch following its conclusion can find one on CinemaBlend’s 2022 TV schedule.

It's likely that some Law & Order fans were surprised when it was revealed that the revival would be losing a major star in Anthony Anderson. This came development came shortly after NBC delivered the exciting Season 22 renewal news for the show.  Viewers seemed to enjoy seeing Det. Kevin Bernard back on the case again alongside Jeffrey Donovan’s Det. Frank Cosgrove, and they may likely have questions regarding his exit. On that note, Anderson has now explained exactly why he decided to leave the legal drama after just a single season.

Ahead of his departure, the veteran actor had spoken highly of his return to the character of Det. Bernard. He even said that it helped him handle the conclusion of his sitcom, black-ish, which ended after eight seasons on the air. So one would think that he would've just stayed with the tried-and-true procedural. However, the 51-year-old actor seems to be setting his sights on more original content, based on his comments to ET:

It's true that black-ish did allow Anthony Anderson, who starred on the OG L&O for two years, to do some things on TV that were a bit more groundbreaking. He was also a producer on the comedy, so one can understand why he'd have a desire for the creative freedom he had on that show. 

Though he's left the NBC drama, that doesn’t mean the star is done with more dramatic projects. In fact, the To Tell the Truth host revealed that he and his producing team are shopping another TV drama at the moment:

So it looks like the star is already on the ball when it comes to his next project. Based on his sentiments, it would seem that it was always his plan to appear Law and Order revival for only one season. Ultimately, one would that that it was refreshing for him to briefly switch from comedy to drama after playing Andre Johnson for eight seasons. 

And though he's no longer on the show, his impact is still felt. His former Law and Order co-star, Jeffrey Donovan, talked about Anthony Anderson's exit, and said that he appreciated how his role helped to bring attention to the show while also saying that he'll miss working with the actor. Co-star Odelya Halevi also said that had an "incredible" experience working with Anderson. So while Anderson does have a firm replacement in Mehcad Brooks, he'll surely be missed.

Viewers will have to wait and see if Miraculous gets a pilot or series order but, hopefully, that'll pan out so that we get more of Anthony Anderson on the small screen. In the meantime, you can catch him as Det. Kevin Bernard on Law and Order Season 21 or Andre Johnson on black-ish by subscribing to Peacock and Hulu, respectively. And be on the lookout for Season 22 of the legal drama, which will premiere on September 22 on NBC at 8 pm ET.

Anthony Anderson has had an eventful year on the small screen in 2022, with the end of black-ish on ABC after eight seasons as well as his return to NBC to reprise his role as Detective Kevin Bernard on the Law & Order revival. To the surprise of fans, he ultimately left the revival after just one season, and the actor has opened up about how playing the detective again helped as he processed the end of black-ish.

The final episodes of black-ish actually were still airing when Law & Order returned for Season 21 in February, so Anthony Anderson was still delivering laughs on ABC while investigating crimes as Detective Bernard over on NBC. Now, more than a month after both black-ish and Law & Order Season 21 wrapped on their respective networks, the actor explained his decision to keep busy with more L&O right away, telling Variety:

Jumping from black-ish to Law & Order wasn’t exactly staying in the same genre, but it did qualify as leaving one longtime character behind and stepping back into the shoes of another character he’d played as a series regular. He’d previously explained why returning to Law & Order was a “no-brainer” for him, and L&O fans can attest to the fact that his performance as Bernard in Season 21 felt like Bernard back in the original run of the series, and he didn’t lose his dramatic edge after eight seasons of comedy.

In fact, it came as a surprise when the news broke that Anderson wasn’t going to return for Season 22. He joined in with celebrating the renewal once NBC announced that it (along with Law & Order: Organized Crime) would be joining SVU in the lineup for the 2022-2023 TV season. His L&O co-star Odelya Halevi has opened up about the experience of working with him in Season 21 as a returning star, but the show must go on.

Sam Waterston has been confirmed to return and make L&O history, while the show has already added Supergirl alum Mehcad Brooks to fill the vacancy left by Anderson. As for black-ish… well, the show closed on an emotional final scene complete with a Stevie Wonder song, which hopefully will help fans as well as the stars move forward. Plus, the grown-ish spinoff is still going strong, with the fifth season set to premiere in the 2022 TV schedule in late July.

You can also revisit black-ish streaming with a Hulu subscription now, and relive Anthony Anderson’s first and only revival season of Law & Order streaming with a Peacock subscription. Only time will tell if and when he'll return to network television, but between black-ish and L&O, he has proved that he can tackle both comedy and drama on television, so hopefully he won't be gone from the airwaves for too long.

Law & Order is currently several weeks into the hiatus ahead of Season 22, but the NBC show has already gone through some big changes since the surprising Season 21 finale. Anthony Anderson, who was one of two stars from the original series who returned for the revival, departed the show, and now Supergirl alum Mehcad Brooks has been cast to fill that void. In light of the big departure and casting news, it’s worth looking back at the cast of six series regulars who brought Law & Order back and remade it into a hit. When Odelya Halevi (who plays Samantha Maroun) spoke with CinemaBlend earlier this year, she shared her experience working with Anderson.

As Assistant District Attorney Samantha Maroun working on some very difficult cases, Odelya Halevi didn’t spend all of her time in front of the camera laughing. According to the actress when we spoke during Season 21 shortly after an episode showcasing Maroun’s dynamic with Anthony Anderson’s Det. Kevin Bernard, she shared her experience working with the black-ish star on such a very serious show:

Anthony Anderson as “one of the most hilarious people” makes sense despite Kevin Bernard as a pretty serious character. The actor was the star of a broadcast network sitcom for eight seasons and more than 170 episodes, and it was frankly impressive that he was able to transition so quickly from delivering laughs on black-ish to investigating Law & Order crimes alongside Burn Notice alum Jeffrey Donovan as Det. Frank Cosgrove. 

Odelya Halevi had nothing but good things to say about working with Anderson, which echoes comments that Donovan recently made to CinemaBlend about being “eternally grateful” for all the buzz that he created by returning to Law & Order, even if only for one season. 

Halevi’s ringing endorsement of her now former co-worker is just another example of ways that she has raved about her time on the show so far, including the joy of working with Sam Waterston as a longtime fan. She may spend most of her time as Maroun opposite Hugh Dancy as Executive ADA Nolan Price, but the full original cast of regulars sounds like they were tightly knit for Season 21. 

Even with the departure of Anthony Anderson, there’s a lot to look forward to with Season 22, and not just because Sam Waterston’s return means that he’ll be making history. Mehcad Brooks comes to Law & Order with plenty of television experience over the years of his career, notably including nearly 100 episodes of Supergirl. Brooks’ message after the news broke of his casting shows a lot of excitement about his new role. 

Besides, the Law & Order franchise hasn’t been running for more than thirty years without learning to adapt to new characters after saying goodbye to others. Unfortunately, fans will have to wait until the fall to see what’s on the way with Odelya Halevi’s Maroun as well as the rest as Mehcad Brooks’ new character joins the fold on NBC. In the meantime, you can always stream Season 21 with a Peacock subscription, and check out our 2022 TV premiere schedule.

It’s fair to say that Dave Chappelle has become somewhat of a polarizing figure in Hollywood these days. He’s long been noted for his edgier style of humor but, more recently, the comedian has stirred up controversy for telling jokes that many have perceived as being transphobic. Amid the backlash, Chappelle was set to have a theater named after him at his high school alma mater though, after a testy Q&A at the school, he shut down the idea and suggested a new one. Following this, fellow comedian Anthony Anderson shared his feelings on the name change.

During his formative years, Dave Chappelle attended the Duke Ellington School for the Arts in his native Washington, D.C. During the naming ceremony this week, Chappelle addressed the criticism he’s faced over the jokes featured in his latest Netflix special, The Closer. He then went on to say that the place should be named the Theater for Artistic Freedom and Expression. When TMZ subsequently caught up with Anthony Anderson after the event, the black-ish alum shared positive thoughts and commended the decision: 

Dave Chappelle’s The Closer hit streaming back in October and, shortly after its release, celebrities and LGBTQ+ organizations like GLAAD spoke out in opposition of it. Netflix head honcho Ted Sarandos addressed the situation at the time, saying that he did not believe that the special “crosses that (hate speech) line” and cited that the comic was entitled to his “artistic freedom.” The exec himself became embroidered in further controversy after internal emails explaining why the special would not be removed were leaked to the public. Sarandos later apologized for how things were handled. 

Since then, the Chappelle Show creator has been a significant topic of discussion among comedy aficionados. Some on social media argue that he crossed a line with his jokes, while others believe that he was expressing his freedoms as an artist. During the same interview with TMZ, Anthony Anderson was asked whether he viewed the comic as a pioneer of free speech, and the actor dropped more honest sentiments:

The former Law and Order star isn’t the only comedy staple to comment on the controversial comic’s current status. Jerrod Carmichael shared some strong thoughts on the entertainer and the state of stand-up. Carmichael, who recently came out as gayl, chastised the A Star is Born alum and some of his contemporaries for trying to “create a boogeyman to sell tickets,” with said boogeyman being cancel culture, in this case. Carmichael also questioned why a comedy vet of his status would want to “die on the hill” on which he's telling “childish jokes.” 

It’s becoming harder to deny the strong feelings people have about some of Dave Chappelle’s material. In May, he was attacked on stage during a performance at the Hollywood Bowl. After receiving several misdemeanor charges, his attacker, who identifies as bisexual, explained that he found the comic’s LGBTQ+ jokes to be “triggering.” Amid this  and Chappelle’s suggestion for Duke Ellington’s new theater, it’s possible that other stars like Anthony Anderson will weigh in. Exactly what they’ll have to say remains to be seen.

Anthony Anderson is saying a lot of goodbyes this year. In addition to his exit from Law & Order and the end of his ABC sitcom black-ish after eight seasons, he and his wife of 22 years ended their marriage. While divorce proceedings can often turn ugly as former couples decide who gets what, and where each party is going to live, the actor and Alvina Anderson seem to be moving steadily forward, with the decision to sell their multimillion-dollar home and help his ex secure her own place.

Anthony Anderson married Alvina in September 1999, and they share two grown children — Nathan, 22, and Kyra, 26 — which eliminates custody debates. When Alvina filed for divorce, she requested that the property attained during their marriage be divided between them, as well as spousal support, and it looks like the actor has agreed. According to court documents obtained by The Blast, the Andersons have agreed to list their 3,342 square-foot home in Los Angeles on June 30, splitting the money earned in the sale:

The Blast reports that the 6-bedroom, 5-bathroom house could be worth upwards of $2.3 million, which would hopefully leave each party with a sizable-enough sum to start fresh elsewhere. Furthermore, Anthony Anderson has agreed to co-sign a 12-month lease on a new residence for his ex-wife while negotiations continue. The actor will also pay spousal support at an amount that will be determined by his current income.

Anthony Anderson’s income is likely going through some changes, of course, as two of his major jobs just came to an end. He said “goodbye-ish” to his role as TV dad Dre Johnson on black-ish, as that series finale aired April 19. (All eight seasons are available to stream with a Hulu subscription.) While we’ve known for a year that Season 8 would be the sitcom’s last, Anderson’s other departure was far more surprising. 

After just one season of reprising the role of Detective Kevin Bernard on Law & Order’s revival, the actor announced he would not be returning for Season 22. When he originally signed on for Season 21, it was reported that he had planned to return for just one season to help with the relaunch. However, in the cliffhanger-eschewing season finale, there was no indication that Anthony Anderson would be bowing out, or that Detective Frank Cosgrove (Jeffrey Donovan) would be in need of a new partner. 

In fact, Anthony Anderson celebrated the news of Law & Order’s renewal for a 22nd season with a since-deleted Instagram post that said, “Detective Kevin Bernard is right back ya’ with the whole squad,” complete with congratulations to his “fellow castmates.” 

It’s unknown what made the actor (presumably) change his mind about returning to the bifurcated drama or if the events in his personal life had any part in his decision. Alvina Anderson previously filed for divorce in 2015, citing irreconcilable differences. In January 2017, however, the couple apparently reconciled and the divorce papers were rescinded.

We’ll keep an eye on what’s next for Anthony Anderson, and in the meantime be sure to check out our 2022 TV Schedule to see what premieres are coming soon!

The past TV season saw the return of Law & Order after a nearly 12-year hiatus, with Sam Waterston and Anthony Anderson reprising their beloved roles from the original series. Shortly after Season 22 ordered, however, Anderson was confirmed not be returning. But on the heels of that news, former L&O star Angela Harmon is weighing in on a possible return of her own.

Angela Harmon portrayed ADA Abbie Carmichael from Seasons 9 to 11 of the NBC legal drama. Fans haven’t seen the character since 2001, so a potential comeback would likely be welcomed by viewers. The Lifetime star discussed Law & Order with ET and admitted that she was contacted by franchise creator Dick Wolf and his team during Season 21. And if that weren't enough, her further comments are sure to get people pumped:

Angela Harmon appeared in a total of 72 episodes throughout her time on Law & Order, and she even popped into an additional six on SVU. The fact that there's some interest not only on Harmon's end but on Team Dick Wolf's as well could definitely bode well for our chances of seeing Abbie again. At present, Harmon is looking towards the release of her Lifetime movie, Buried in Barstow, and she has the thriller Arcas in development. Whatever her schedule, though, I'm sure Wolf and co. would accommodate her.

For those who need a refresher, Abbie Carmichael was written out after she accepted a job offer from the U.S. Attorney’s office in New York during the Season 11 finale. If she does come back, I'd be excited to learn about what she's been up to all these years. It would also be great to see her working alongside Sam Waterston’s DA Jack McCoy again.

News of Angie Harmon's apparent communication with Dick Wolf may be as surprising to some as Anthony Anderson's departure was. Anderson's initial contract was for only Season 21, as he merely wanted to help relaunch Law & Order. Despite his exit, he did still celebrate the news of the show’s renewal. The black-ish star “jumped” at the opportunity to reprise Detective Kevin Bernard after the ABC comedy ended, meaning he definitely still has a soft spot for the franchise. Let's hope we see him return at some point in the future as well.

Along with Angela Harmon, The Flash’s Jesse L. Martin has also discussed the possibility of coming back to Law & Order. But after landing the role in a new series, it's hard to say if it'll come to fruition. There are still a number of unknowns surrounding Season 22 but, if it does open the doors for stars like Harmon and Martin to reprise their roles, then color me excited!

As you wait for the new episodes, check out the latest season of Law & Order now on Peacock Premium.

Law & Order is saying goodbye to a major star, with the news breaking just one week after the Season 21 finale, which was also the first revival season. The revival was headlined by Sam Waterston and Anthony Anderson as the two familiar faces from the original run of the series, but now one is officially not going to be back. Anthony Anderson is not returning as Detective Kevin Bernard for Season 22 despite earlier indications that he would be back.

Anthony Anderson’s initial deal to return as Kevin Bernard was for one season, and Deadline reports that he returned to help relaunch Law & Order with no plans to stay beyond Season 21. Despite this, Season 21 ended without any indication that Anderson wouldn’t be back or that Cosgrove would be in need of a new partner with Bernard gone. It was a finale without any cliffhangers. 

All of this said, Anderson celebrated the news of Law & Order’s renewal after the good news was announced earlier in May. He took to Instagram with a message that explicitly said that “Detective Kevin Bernard is right back at ya’ with the whole squad,” complete with congratulations to his “fellow castmates” as well as the crew and production team. It has since been deleted from his account, but originally said:

Whether Anderson simply wasn’t ready to share the news when Law & Order was renewed or it wasn’t until more recently that the decision to depart was finalized, it previously seemed like Bernard was a sure thing for Season 22. There is no sign that he has ruled out returning for a guest appearance, but the matter seems to be settled about him as a regular. 

He’s also not the only one who only signed a one-year deal for the revival. Sam Waterston, who plays District Attorney Jack McCoy, also signed a deal for a single season of Law & Order, but there has been no announcement at the time of writing regarding whether or not he’ll be back for Season 22. 

Waterston did appear at the upfront presentation for NBC Universal, which was in promotion of programming for next season. It’s not confirmation that McCoy isn’t going the way of Bernard and bowing out, but the signs seem positive. Of course, McCoy isn’t exactly in the thick of the action on location quite as much as Bernard, and his interactions are primarily with Price and Maroun as ADAs. 

Anthony Anderson leaving Law & Order means that the investigative half of the series will look very different in Season 22, and viewers will presumably have to see Cosgrove bounce off of a new partner after spending a full season opposite Bernard. Still, if Anderson’s return was with the goal of getting the revival off to a strong start, then the ratings successes and renewal prove that he was part of what made it work. 

At the time of writing, none of the other series regulars from Season 21 are evidently expected to leave ahead of Season 22. If you want to relive the first revival season with Anthony Anderson as one of two familiar faces, you can find all ten episodes streaming with a Peacock subscription.

Not long after all three shows in CBS’ FBI franchise got renewals for two more seasons, NBC announced that Law & Order and Law & Order: Organized Crime will be joining the already-announced Law & Order: SVU for the 2022-23 TV season. With all three of Dick Wolf’s TV franchises in the clear, fans are going to be in for another season full of action. L&O star Anthony Anderson is celebrating, with an A+ joke response from the series.

Anthony Anderson was quick to jump back on the Law & Order train as Detective Kevin Bernard for the revival following the end of ABC's black-ish, and it's paying off already. Considering how well the 21st season has been doing since premiering earlier this year, it was only a matter of time before NBC renewed the series. After news broke of a 22nd season, Anderson took to Instagram to share the news, and his excitement, with his followers:

It’s definitely a relief knowing that all three Law & Order shows are coming back. While SVU returning for Season 24 has been a sure thing for quite some time now as it was part of a three-season renewal back in 2020, fans can breathe easily once again with the flagship series and OC now confirmed.

Meanwhile, Anthony Anderson is not the only one celebrating the renewal. In reply to his Instagram post, the official Law & Order account made a pretty hilarious and on-brand comment:

It’s always the best when brand accounts get in on the fun on social media, and it’s even better when they have a great joke to go along with the reply. The news of the renewals comes just over a week before the franchise is set to air the finales of the current seasons. Going into the season finales knowing that all three shows are coming back will definitely make watching them easier, especially if they end on cliffhangers.

Meanwhile, Season 21 of Law & Order jumped right into the action so smoothly that it didn't even feel like the series was off the air for more than a decade. With a mix of old and new characters, fans seem to like this revival. The show quickly went back to doing “ripped from the headlines” storylines, even including a celebrity conservatorship case.

While SVU and Organized Crime do well with crossovers that bring together Benson and Stabler, the mothership series looks to be doing just fine without any big episodes. However, that doesn’t mean it won’t happen, as Mariska Hargitay opened up about the possibility earlier this year. TVLine has since confirmed that she'll appear in the L&O Season 21 finale. 

The Law & Order season finales air on Thursday, May 19 starting at 8 p.m. EST on NBC! Check out CinemaBlend’s 2022 TV schedule to see what else to look forward to.

As black-ish hurdles toward its series finale, the fans and cast are looking back at the ABC comedy's eight-season run. Anthony Anderson has already kicked off the final farewell with an on-brand message for loyal viewers. Now, his TV wife, Tracee Ellis Ross, is getting refletive as the series nears its end. She gave some insight into what it was like filming the final episode, particularly shooting her final scene with her TV husband.

As the ABC comedy prepares for its conclusion, Tracee Ellis Ross is feeling joy and pride in being able to leave audiences with a great show. As Andre Johnson’s other half, Ross' Bow Johnson serves as a level-headed co-pilot and foil to her husband’s selfish ways. Of course, there have been times when the TV couple both participated in the same madcap activities. Having shared so many good times with Anthony Anderson, it's no surprise to hear that Ross got emotional when working on the last scene between the two of them, which was also on their final day of filming:

It's nice to know that in their last scene as co-stars, the two actors were able to share a moment solely between their two characters. It sounds like the perfect way for the black-ish co-stars to end their run together after playing house for eight seasons. Interestingly, the actress didn't specify if the TV couple’s final moment will be the final scene of the series. So we'll just have to wait to find out that tidbit.

Tracee Ellis Ross also revealed to People that her emotions spread to her TV children as well. Before filming her last scene with Anthony Anderson, the Girlfriends alum recalled giving herself “permission to cry” as much as she wanted to while constantly hugging her young co-stars. It got to the point where Anderson (who has returned to Law and Order) humorously called her for getting so emotional.

Of course, the co-stars weren’t always so emotionally bonded. Anthony Anderson recalled his TV wife hating him for more than a decade after he made a joke at her expense during an award show in 2005. It even carried over into a guest appearance on Tracee Ellis Ross’ former sitcom Reed Between the Lines and earlier seasons of black-ish. But now, the co-stars are clearly parting ways on good terms after years of bringing out the best in each other as performers. While it’s bittersweet to see them go, Anderson and Ross will go down as one of TV's most beloved couples, who also managed to lead one of the most successful Black sitcoms in decades.

It’s only a matter of weeks before viewers have to say goodbye to the Johnsons. The black-ish series finale has been set and will air on Apr. 19 at 9 pm EST on ABC. Its penultimate episode is next up on Apr. 12 at that same time. To see what other finales are coming up this spring, you can check out CinemaBlend's 2022 TV schedule.

It’s always sad to hear when a couple doesn’t work out, particularly when two people have spent a significant portion of their lives together. Anthony Anderson, who rejoined the Law & Order cast for the revival of the franchise’s flagship series, and his wife Alvina Anderson are reportedly ending their marriage after 22 years together. Alvina filed paperwork last week to divorce the Law & Order actor, five years after the two had previously reconciled.

Documents obtained by People show that Alvina Anderson cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split from her high school sweetheart, whom she married in September 1999. She is seeking spousal support and asking Anthony Anderson to pay her attorney fees. She has also requested that property attained during their marriage be divided between them, and the documents list a separate request for other property:

This is the second time Alvina Anderson has filed for divorce from the black-ish star. In 2015 she also had cited irreconcilable differences and requested spousal support. In January 2017, however, the couple apparently reconciled and the divorce papers were rescinded. Anthony Anderson and his wife share two children, Nathan, 22, and Kyra, 26. 

With the couple tying the knot at the end of the 20th century, it means that Alvina Anderson was already married to Anthony back in some of his earlier roles — even some you may possibly have forgotten about. His brief-but-hilarious appearance in the 2004 stoner comedy Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle is notable, and who could forget the security guard Terry Nolan, who was always in the wrong place at the wrong time, in the 2000 hit Big Momma's House?

The actor can currently be seen as the star of the hit ABC sitcom black-ish, which is in the  midst of its eighth and final season. He also recently rejoined Law & Order when the OG series returned after an 11-year hiatus for Season 21. Anderson plays Detective Kevin Bernard — a role he originally held from 2008-2010 — and after eight seasons of portraying Dre Johnson on black-ish, Anderson explained his decision to rejoin the NBC bifurcated series as wanting to “have a little fun in the dramatic space for a little while.”

We’re sad to hear about the end of this longtime couple’s marriage. Hopefully the proceedings go as smoothly as possible so that the former couple and their grown children can all begin the healing process.

Anthony Anderson can be seen on black-ish at 9:30 p.m. ET Tuesdays on ABC, as well as on Law & Order, which will return Thursday, April 7, from a short hiatus. The crime procedural airs at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. Also be sure to check out our 2022 TV schedule to see what new and returning shows are premiering soon.

This year has seen a fair number of comedies ending their respective TV runs, as HBO's Insecure already said farewell with its surprising conclusion, with black-ish and Atlanta preparing to end this year as well. Fans have known for a while now that the ABC comedy is coming to an end, and even though viewers will continue to get new episodes until the finale's airing, Anthony Anderson wanted the show’s devoted fanbase to know the Johnson family is thinking about them.

The black-ish star took to Instagram to get viewers to prepare for the comedy’s impending finale. Of course, saying goodbye to the Johnsons will be hard to do, but Anderson wants everyone to be celebrating the final episodes, rather than reveling in sadness that they're almost gone. In keeping with the ish universe's positive mindset, Anthony Anderson put up an on-brand message to the show’s dedicated viewers.

It was the perfect way to keep the comedy’s branding alive even as the series winds down to its finale. Anthony Anderson wanted fans to know he feels the way they do. Playing one of television’s favorite dads for eight seasons is a hard thing to let go of, as his message implied. It appeared the TV dad isn’t quite ready to say farewell to his TV family.

The wording of “goodbye-ish” felt final, yet open at the same time. Of course, Season 8 will be the final time viewers see the Johnson family in their current capacity. On the other hand, that doesn’t mean the TV family won’t continue to live on in some form, as the spinoff grown-ish was renewed for a fifth season. Audiences will continue following the life of Yara Shahidi’s Zoey with black-ish alum Marcus Scribner joining the Freeform comedy after the original series ends, and who's to say there won't be more spinoffs in the future?

Despite the sadness associated with black-ish’s ending, Anthony Anderson has moved on to his next big gig quickly, as he boarded the Law and Order revival. After switching from comedy to drama, Anderson still wanted to keep the black-ish train going even there, though, as he’d like to see TV daughter Marsai Martin on the crime drama revival to answer for all the underhanded dealings of Diane Johnson. So, keeping the connection to his TV family is still important to him. 

That was a far cry from the show’s beginning, as TV wife Tracee Ellis Ross has hilariously claimed she didn’t like the actor for years after a particularly embarrassing incident hosting the 2005 Vibe Awards. Luckily, the television husband-and-wife duo are on excellent terms now as they prepare to say goodbye to the long-running sitcom.

Fortunately, it will still be a minute before audiences will have to say ado to the Johnson family as black-ish will return on March 22 to start airing its final episodes. The ABC comedy has already cemented itself as one of the best Black sitcoms of the last 20 years. To see what other shows will be ending this year, check out our 2022 television schedule.

The highly anticipated Law & Order revival is almost here, and it’s bringing some OG characters with it. Among those returning is black-ish star Anthony Anderson, who portrayed NYPD Detective Kevin Bernard towards the end of the show’s original run. Now, the actor is speaking out about why he decided to return to the flagship legal drama so soon after the ABC comedy’s end.

At the NBC Scripted Press Day attended by CinemaBlend and other news outlets, Anthony Anderson spoke about coming back to Law & Order following the end of black-ish. The ABC comedy's final season was announced in May 2021 and, just about six months later, Anderson was announced to be returning for the legal drama. During the recent event, he was asked about whether or not he needed time in between the shows. Anderson then explained that there's a specific reason he “jumped at the opportunity” to return for L&O Season 21:

It’s rare that a show that's been off the air for over a decade returns and drops viewers right back into similar surroundings. So it’s not surprising that Anthony Anderson wanted to return, especially since he wasn’t even on Law & Order as long as some other stars. It’s clear that he will definitely miss black-ish, but it's great that he was able to turn to a show that he’s very familiar with.

Late last year, the Emmy-nominated actor spoke about shifting from comedy back to drama after the black-ish cancellation. Though such a thing would seem like a challenge, he was having fun with the change. There's nothing like adding a little dramatic spice to your life, and Law & Order will definitely give that to you. Still, I'd like to see him bring a little bit of Andre Johnson Sr. to Detective Bernard, because it would still be nice to get a few lighthearted moments from the character amidst the drama.

Along with Anthony Anderson, Sam Waterston is also coming back and reprising his role as Jack McCoy. While there aren’t any other confirmed franchise veterans, Jesse L. Martin recently expressed interest in returning to the show, but his role on The Flash could hold him back from that. Nevertheless, I'm just happy to have the show back, with an excited Anderson in tow.

Make sure to watch the Season 21 premiere of Law & Order on Thursday, February 24 on NBC! And check out CinemaBlend’s 2022 winter and spring TV schedule for info on other shows to catch this year.

For seven seasons, Black-ish has been a beloved television staple for viewers. The comedy’s success has been due in part to the amazing dynamic between Anthony Anderson and his celebrated TV wife, Tracee Ellis Ross. The two co-stars made viewers believe their on-screen romance, and they also have a warm relationship off camera. But according to Anderson, that wasn’t always the case. Apparently, Ellis Ross had initially disliked him for years, and the actor recently revealed why that was the case.

It’s weird to think that Tracee Ellis Ross and Anthony Anderson weren’t cool at some point in time, given how close they seem to be now. But as many people know, it's not unusual for there to be friction between stars. Before starring together, Anderson and Ross were running around the same Hollywood circles yet, as it turns out, a public appearance caused the former to be somewhat lukewarm about her future TV hubby. Anderson explained:

Most would probably agree that that was probably the wrong move, especially if your co-host isn’t in on the joke. So one can kind of see why the Girlfriends alum felt slighted at the time. Apparently, that incident impacted subsequent interactions between the Law and Order star and his future screen partner for years. In the same interview with Parade, Anthony Anderson revealed how it affected one particular instance in which they worked together prior to Black-ish:

I think fans, and ABC, are glad that the two were able to move past that. Because the co-stars were able to work out their differences, they've become one of television’s most beloved sitcom couples. Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross truly push each other to be the best, which has led to multiple award nominations --from Emmys to Golden Globes. So it's going to be bittersweet to watch them close out the  the series and move on to other work (like Anderson's Law and Order revival).

Though viewers will have to say goodbye to Dre, Bow and the rest of the Johnsons, the Kenya Barris-created Black-ish is sure to go out with a bang. The road to the series finale begins when the eighth season premieres on January 4 at 9:30 pm EST on ABC. And be sure to check out CinemaBlend's 2022 winter and spring schedule for more on other shows dropping in the new year.

In its prime, Law & Order was one of the most watched and successful shows on TV. The long-running series launched careers, spawned multiple spinoffs, and featured its fair share of appearances by actors before they were famous. But, after 20 seasons, NBC pulled plug on the crime procedural in the summer of 2010, bringing an end to the mothership of Dick Wolf’s massive television universe.

Now, after a break of more than a decade, Law & Order is coming back to the airwaves, not with a reboot, but a continuation of where things left off for the police who investigate crime and the district attorneys who prosecute the offenders. Here’s everything you need to know about Law & Order Season 21 before it returns.

Law And Order Season 21 Debuts February 24, 2022 On NBC

To the shock and surprise of just about everyone, NBC announced the revival of the long-dormant legal drama in October 2021, giving longtime fans of the series (both those who watched its original run, as well as many who found the show in syndication) plenty to celebrate. The good news just kept on coming the following month when it was revealed that the New York homicide detectives and prosecutors in the District Attorney’s office on Law & Order will return on February 24, 2022, as part of NBC's Thursday night lineup. An episode count has not yet been announced, but we should know more as we get closer to the Season 21 debut.

The Law And Order Season 21 Cast Includes Returning Stars Sam Waterston And Anthony Anderson

When Law & Order returns for its 21st season, a couple of its former stars will be returning to the small screen as well. Shortly after the revival was announced, it was revealed that Sam Waterston would be stepping back into the shoes worn by Jack McCoy all those years ago. Waterston, who is the second-longest tenured actor on the show at 16 seasons (S. Epatha Merkerson played Lt. Anita Van Buren for 17), isn't the only familiar face coming back.

Anthony Anderson, who joined the Law & Order cast part-way through Season 18, will also be returning to the show as Detective Kevin Bernard. There hasn’t been word on any of Waterston and Anderson’s former co-stars will be joining them.

The Return Of Law And Order Will Also Feature New Arrivals Jeffrey Donovan, Hugh Dancy, Camryn Manheim And Odelya Halevi

On top of the pair of returning actors, the Law & Order Season 21 cast will also feature some new faces. One of the biggest names to be announced so far is former Burn Notice lead Jeffrey Donovan, who will be taking on the role of an unnamed NYPD detective. Like so many other actors, this isn’t Donovan’s first appearance on the crime drama, as he played minor characters during the show’s original run.

Another new face appearing on Law & Order Season 21 is Hugh Dancy. The former Hannibal actor will be playing an assistant district attorney, though his identity has not yet been revealed by NBC. Camryn Manheim, who also appears on the Disney+ original series, Big Shot, will be taking on the role of Lieutenant Kate Dixon. Like Donovan, Manheim made several one-off appearances on Law & Order over the years. Odelya Halevi, of Good Trouble and NCIS fame, will portray Assistant District Attorney Samantha Maourn.

Law And Order Season 21 Will Continue The Show’s ‘Classic Bifurcated Format’

No surprise here, but when NBC announced Law & Order Season 21, the network also revealed that the show will stay true to its roots and will continue the “classic bifurcated format" that made the crime drama such a success all those years ago. So it looks like we’ll be hearing that iconic introduction when Law & Order airs shortly:

In no time at all, we’ll be watching Jack McCoy verbally tear down some murder suspect or pharmaceutical executive like it’s 1999 all over again.

Production On Law And Order Season 21 Kicked Off In December 2021

Executive Producer Dick Wolf, showrunner Rick Eid, and everyone else involved with Law & Order Season 21 weren’t wasting any time in getting the ball rolling on the beloved NBC show’s return. Not even three months after the revival was announced, the cameras started rolling.

On December 8, Anthony Anderson took to Instagram and shared an image of himself and Jeffrey Donovan filming a scene for the upcoming revival, saying that “day one” was officially in the books. There hasn’t been any word on how long it will take to complete shooting on the show’s 21st season (remember, the episode count hasn’t been announced yet), but be on the lookout as we get closer to its return.

Law And Order Creator Dick Wolf Has Been Trying To Get The Show Back On Air For Years Now

When fans hear the iconic “Dun, Dun” upon the return of Law & Order in February 2022, it will be nearly 12 years since there has been a new episode of the long-running crime procedural. With that monumental, and what was once unlikely, return, it should come as no surprise that show creator Dick Wolf is on cloud nine. When the revival was first announced, Wolf released a statement saying:

But, it’s not like Dick Wolf has been sitting on the sidelines waiting for the seemingly impossible to happen all these years. As Variety pointed out, Wolf tried to find a new home for Law & Order on TNT and AMC not long after NBC cancelled the series in 2010. Then in 2015, NBC and Wolf were in talks to bring the show back as a limited series, though those plans never panned out. Finally, this time, everything is working out.

Expect to hear much more about Law & Order Season 21 as we get closer to its February 24, 2022 debut on NBC. In the meantime you should get a head start on all the 2022 TV premiere dates so you don’t miss a moment of action on the small screen.

When Law & Order returns to NBC in 2022, fans of the police procedural will be happy to see a couple of familiar faces returning in their beloved roles. It was previously reported that black-ish star Anthony Anderson is returning as detective Kevin Bernard, and he'll be joined in some capacity or another by fellow Law & Order alum. Sam Waterston, who played the beloved District Attorney Jack McCoy for 16 seasons in the legal drama’s original run, has been confirmed to be returning for its 21st season.

Law & Order premiered on NBC in September 1990 and ran for 20 seasons before the network announced the canellation, with its last episode having aired on May 24, 2010. But with the continued success of its spinoffs, including the long-running Special Victims Unit and the newer recruit Organized Crime, the flagship series will return, as will the legendary creator Dick Wolf and the series' signature format that first showcases the police investigation and then leads into the DA’s prosecution. Along with the familiar faces, Law & Order Season 21 will introduce some new characters to keep things interesting. Let’s take a look at an updated cast list for NBC’s upcoming Law & Order revival.

Sam Waterston (Jack McCoy)

A star of the stage and screen, Sam Waterston played Jack McCoy for 16 seasons in Law & Order’s original run, earning three Emmy nominations in that time. Although the show has been off the air since 2010, Waterston has made a handful of appearances on its spinoff Law & Order: SVU, with his last guest role as McCoy coming in 2018 for Season 19. The actor currently stars as Sol, husband to Martin Sheen's Robert, on Netflix’s Grace and Frankie, which is in its last season. Known as well for his work on HBO's The Newsroom and Netflix's Godless, Waterston will also spend 2022 recurring in the Hulu limited series The Dropout, based on the podcast of the same name. 

Anthony Anderson (Kevin Bernard)

Like Sam Waterston, Anthony Anderson has signed a one-year contract to reprise his original character, Detective Kevin Bernard, on Law & Order Season 21. Anderson has starred in black-ish since 2014 as Dre Johnson, with the eighth and final season of the ABC sitcom set to premiere in early 2022. Since Law & Order's original run ended more than 10 years ago, Anderson has appeared in movies including Scream 4 and Barbershop: The Next Cut, as well as TV shows including Guys with Kids and Treme. And you can also catch him hosting the ABC game show To Tell the Truth.

Jeffrey Donovan (Unnamed NYPD Detective)

You likely know him best as the death-defying Michael from Burn Notice, but now Jeffrey Donovan is going to get a taste of handling things above-board (presumably) as an NYPD detective on the Law & Order revival. There’s not much information on his new role in the franchise, but hopefully he’ll bring his dry humor to the streets of New York. Donovan, who previously appeared in two episodes of the drama as unrelated characters, has also had memorable roles in Season 2 of Fargo and two seasons of the Hulu drama Shut Eye.

Hugh Dancy (Assistant District Attorney)

Hugh Dancy is another new face to Law & Order, the Hannibal vet thankfully doesn't have to worry about that face being eaten through his new role as an Assistant District Attorney. Details about Dancy’s new character are being kept mum for now. Dancy’s kept pretty busy on the small screen, playing John Zabel on Season 8 of Homeland and "not-a-cult" leader Cal Roberts on The Path, on top of the aforementioned Hannibal. He’s also no stranger to the theater, most recently appearing in the 2018 run of Apologia in New York, and he'll pop up on the big screen in 2022 via Downton Abbey: A New Era.

Camryn Manheim (Lieutenant Kate Dixon)

After playing three different small roles in Law & Order during its first 20-season run — with one of them being her very first TV performance ever — Camryn Manheim is officially joining the cast for Season 21 as Lieutenant Kate Dixon. This new character serves as the successor to Lieutenant Anita Van Buren, who was played by S. Epatha Merkerson, who was unable to return for the revival due to scheduling issues. Perhaps best known for her Emmy-winning role as Ellenor Fruit on The Practice, Manheim has also appeared in Extant, Ghost Whisperer and Stumptown.

Odelya Halevi (Assistant District Attorney Samantha Maroun)

Odelya Halevi will play Assistant District Attorney Samantha Maroun when the NBC courtroom drama returns next year. Halevi doesn’t have the extensive resume of her co-stars, but has enjoyed recurring roles on the third season of the Freeform drama Good Trouble and on Prime Video’s Good Girls Revolt. She’s also had guest roles in recent years on MacGyver, Midnight, Texas and NCIS.

Law & Order Season 21 is set to premiere on NBC on February 24, 2022, and will air on Dick Wolf Thursdays (not an official branding) alongside its spinoffs Law & Order: SVU and Law and Order: Organized Crime. Check out our 2022 TV Schedule to see what other shows are coming in the new year.

Anthony Anderson is going to be doing some genre transitioning, as he’s returning to Law & Order for the highly-anticipated upcoming 21st season. This change coincides with the end of his long-running ABC sitcom, black-ish. The actor seems to be excited about the move, as he recently posted a first look at his work on the new show. Now, he’s opening up about returning to the long-running legal drama and moving away from comedy for a while.

The actor talked with ET ahead of the final season premiere of his beloved comedy series. Though he'll surely miss the show, based on his comments, it sounds like he's excited to be returning to Law & Order after all these years:

Anthony Anderson appeared on NBC's long-running drama as NYPD Detective Kevin Bernard from 2008 to 2010. Just four years later, Anderson was cast as Andre “Dre” Johnson, Sr. in black-ish, on which he also serves as an executive producer. With the sitcom coming to an end, he’s looking towards what the future holds. And in the same interview with ET, he explained what it’s like going back to drama after doing comedy for the better part of a decade:

It was first announced in May that black-ish would coming to an end. At the time, series creator Kenya Barris took to Instagram to share the news of the show's renewal for an eighth and final season. He also made sure to note that it's coming to an end on its own terms, which doesn't always happen in the unpredictable realm of TV.

Though fans are sure to be disappointed to see the Johnson family go, there's another lingering piece within that franchise. There's currently a spinoff, Freeform's grown-ish, which has amassed a solid audience and will return with the second half of its fourth season in January. It's built up a greater following than fellow offshoot mixed-ish, which ran on ABC for two seasons before being cancelled earlier this year. There were also plans for another series called old-ish, which was to star Laurence Fishburne and Jenifer Lewis, but ABC announced in May of this year that there were no plans for a pilot.

Besides L&O and black-ish, Anthony Anderson has made his name on plenty other projects. He’s appeared on Veronica Mars, The Departed, The Shield, All About the Andersons, and Big Momma’s House among other series and movies. His upcoming reprisal on the drama is definitely exciting, and it'll be fun to see what else is in store for the upcoming revival.

Don’t miss Law & Order Season 21, which premieres on February 24, 2022 on NBC!

Law & Order is coming back in a big way. The legal drama aired its 20th and then-final season back in 2010 and NBC is bringing the show back for Season 21. Anthony Anderson, who portrayed Detective Kevin Bernard in the final seasons of the series, is giving fans a first look at the highly anticipated upcoming season. 

Anthony Anderson took to Instagram with a peek behind the scenes at Detective Bernard back on the beat following an 11-year hiatus. Despite the long break in between Seasons 20 and 21, Anderson quickly got back into his Detective flow and it’s like nothing changed:

It’s nice to see Anthony Anderson back on set as a character he hasn’t played in over a decade! The revival was first announced October 2021, and it was a “dream come true” for legendary creator Dick Wolf. With Law & Order: SVU in its 23rd season and Organized Crime in its second, it was only a matter of time before another Law & Order series made its way back to NBC. The return of the flagship series vs. another spinoff initially came as a surprise, though!

Earlier this year, NBC was developing a new Law & Order spinoff, called For the Defense. While it looked like it was a sure thing that it would join SVU and Organized Crime on Thursday nights, the network ended up passing on the series. It was a question of what NBC would get to replace the series, and even though The Blacklist is currently filling that empty Thursday night slot, it will be moving back to Fridays in February for Law & Order to take its place.

Anthony Anderson isn’t the only Law & Order star returning to the series. Sam Waterston, who portrayed Jack McCoy for the majority of the series, is coming back to reprise his role. Additionally, Burn Notice’s Jeffrey Donovan was cast as a lead in the revival. He’ll play a new NYPD Detective. It’ll be nice to have some old and new faces in the 21st season.

The new season of Law & Order will be something to look forward to considering how much the world has changed since its original series finale back in 2010. It’ll be interesting to see just who will pop up in the series and how closely it will connect to SVU and Organized Crime. Hopefully Anthony Anderson will post more behind-the-scenes content to keep fans occupied until Season 21 premieres.

There’s no telling whether Season 21 will be the only season of Law & Order but at least we’re getting a new season after so many years! Just how will the show pick up after the events of the Season 20 finale, and what have the characters been up to since? Find out when Season 21 of Law & Order premieres on February 24, 2022 on NBC in the winter and spring TV premiere lineup!

Netflix has long been a streaming platform known for putting out some seriously amazing original content, and it doesn’t look like it's trying to lose that reputation anytime soon. Netflix has a lot of original content coming in 2022, including a new Kenya Barris-helmed comedy starring Jonah Hill and Eddie Murphy. The film will act as the Black-ish director’s Netflix film debut, and it looks like Anthony Anderson, one of the stars of that ABC series, has graced us with a picture featuring some of the upcoming movie's star-studded cast.

Can you imagine going to just another day at work and running into Jonah Hill and Eddie Murphy? Even for an actor in Hollywood, that’s got to be one good day, and that’s exactly what happened to Anthony Anderson. The Black-ish actor shared a photo of himself amongst Jonah Hill, Eddie Murphy and others to his Instagram while exuding such a grateful and positive tone to be where he is. You can check out the post below:

It’s not clear how this meeting came to be, i.e. whether Anthony Anderson was just ready for another day filming the 8th and final season of Black-ish or if he was on set to film a scene for Kenya Barris’ new movie. That said, Stacey Morris, award-winning hair stylist for the stars, shared the same photo and suggestsed that Anderson is, in fact, going to have a scene in the film.

It would certainly make sense for Anthony Anderson to step into the Netflix film for a scene, seeing as he has some major rapport with Kenya Barris. They’ve been working together since 2014 on Black-ish. Anderson also has a connection to star Eddie Murphy that he references in his post. The two played “Ray and Cookie” in Life, an Oscar-nominated comedy from 1999. 

The Netflix film in question will be both written and directed by Kenya Barris, but Jonah Hill is also taking up the role as co-writer for the project. The comedy, in addition to Hill and Eddie Murphy, has some other pretty recognizable players in the cast, like Julia Louis-Dreyfus and David Duchovny. 

Other than the impressive cast and Kenya Barris heading the project, there isn’t much yet known about the film. Although it is still untitled, we do know that it will center around the clashing of cultures, which is backed up by its diverse cast list. 

The film will release sometime next year and should be the next film release featuring Eddie Murphy, with the long-awaited revival of Beverly Hills Cop 4 to follow sometime later. We have a much closer film to look forward to from Jonah Hill, though, as Adam McKay’s Don’t Look Up is set to arrive on Netflix on December 10. There’s still plenty of time before we’ll be able to check out Hill and Kenya Barris’ upcoming comedy, but plenty of other content is dropping to Netflix soon to tide us over in the meantime!

An English-language remake of 2002's Infernal Affairs, Martin Scorsese's The Departed was a star-studded action-thriller blockbuster, filled to the brim with big-name talents, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Anderson, Alec Baldwin, and Vera Farmiga, only a few short years before she found mainstream success. What was once intended to be a fun modernized throwback became one of the signature director's biggest critical/commercial successes and one of the best movies of the 2000s, resulting in Scorsese receiving his long-coveted Best Picture. It's hard to believe that nearly 15 years have passed since this crime film stormed into theaters, but the A-list ensemble continues to work actively on a number of big projects, which we'll share with you now.

Leonardo DiCaprio (Trooper Billy Costigan Jr.)

As Trooper Billy Costigan Jr., a determined police officer who infiltrates Frank Costello's crew, Leonardo DiCaprio plays the protagonist in Martin Scorsese's The Departed. Most notably, DiCaprio won an Oscar for The Revenant. He was also Oscar-nominated for What's Eating Gilbert Grape, The Aviator, Blood Diamond, Once Upon a Time In Hollywood, and The Wolf of Wall Street, which he also produced. His other film credits include Titanic, Catch Me If You Can, Inception, Revolutionary Road, Django Unchained, Romeo + Juliet, Shutter Island, The Quick and the Dead, and The Basketball Diaries. Additionally, DiCaprio appeared in J. Edgar, The Man with the Iron Mask, and Critters 3.

Moreover, on television, Leonardo DiCaprio appeared in NBC's Parenthood (the '90s one) and ABC's Growing Pains. Additionally, outside of acting, DiCaprio is the producer behind Out of the Furnace, Richard Jewell, Orphan, Live by Night, and Robin Hood (2018). Next, DiCaprio will be seen in Adam McKay's Don't Look Up. Currently, the actor is filming Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon, which he is also producing.

Matt Damon (Staff Sergeant Colin Sullivan)

In the role of Staff Sergeant Colin Sullivan, an undercover gangster nestled into the Massachusetts State Police, Matt Damon plays the mole in The Departed. Most notably, Damon starred in the title role of Good Will Hunting, which he also wrote alongside Ben Affleck. The actors won an Oscar for their screenplay. From there, Damon starred in the Bourne series, as well as The Talented Mr. Ripley, Saving Private Ryan, The Informant!, Rounders, The Rainmaker, All the Pretty Horses, Syriana, The Adjustment Bureau, Contagion, We Bought a Zoo, Elysium, The Martian, Downsizing, and Ford v Ferrari. Additionally, the actor co-wrote and starred in Gerry and Promised Land, which he also produced. Damon's other film credits include Dogma, Interstellar, Behind the Candelabra, Margaret, True Grit, Thor: Ragnarok, and the Ocean's movies.

Most recently, Matt Damon provided an uncredited cameo in Steven Soderbergh's No Sudden Move. Next, the actor stars in Stillwater. Damon also co-wrote, produced, and frontlines Ridley Scott's The Last Duel. Additionally, Damon will reprise his role as Actor Loki in Thor: Love and Thunder.

Jack Nicholson (Frank Costello)

Playing the part of Frank Costello, a leering, ferocious Irish mob boss, Jack Nicholson is the main antagonist in Martin Scorsese's The Departed. One of the most acclaimed and recognizable actors alive, Nicholson won three Oscars for his leading roles in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and As Good As It Gets, as well as his supporting turn in Terms of Endearment. His other Oscar-nominated performances include Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces, Chinatown, The Last Detail, A Few Good Men, Prizzi's Honor, Reds, Ironweed, and About Schmidt. Additionally, Nicholson played The Joker in Tim Burton's Batman.

Furthermore, Jack Nicholson's other film credits include The Shining, Something's Gotta Give, Anger Management, Carnal Knowledge, Reds, Broadcast News, and The Bucket List. The actor also directed and starred in Goin' South and The Two Jakes. Additionally, Nicholson wrote and helmed Drive, He Said and scripted Head and Thunder Island, among others. He was last seen in James L. Brooks' How Do You Know. Currently, Nicholson remains in retirement, though he has occasionally flirted with a comeback.

Mark Wahlberg (Staff Sergeant Sean Dignam)

As Sean Dignam, the Massachusetts State Police's confrontational staff sergeant, Mark Wahlberg played a bullish character with hidden secrets in The Departed. The musician-turned-actor was Oscar-nominated for this supporting turn. Previously known as Marky Mark, Wahlberg moved into acting with Renaissance Man, The Basketball Diaries, and Fear before Boogie Nights launched his career into movie stardom. Wahlberg was also Oscar-nominated for producing The Fighter, which he also starred in. His other movie credits include Lone Survivor, Shooter, I Heart Huckabees, Three Kings, The Perfect Storm, The Other Guys, Ted 1 & 2, Transformers: Age of Extinction, Transformers: The Last Knight, Daddy's Home 1 & 2, Instant Family, Deepwater Horizon, and Pain & Gain.

Most recently, Mark Wahlberg starred in and produced Paramount+'s Infinite. Next, he'll be seen in Joe Bell, which he also produced. Additionally, Wahlberg will play Victor Sullivan in Uncharted. Currently, he's filming Stu, which he also produced. Also, the A-list actor is working on Arthur the King.

Martin Sheen (Captain Oliver “Charlie” Queenan)

In the role of Captain Oliver Queenan, i.e. "Charlie," the state captain in the Special Investigation Unit, Martin Sheen is a prominent player in Martin Scorsese's The Departed. An Emmy-winning actor for his guest star appearance in Murphy Brown, Sheen is best known for playing President Josiah Bartlet in NBC's The West Wing. Additionally, the actor starred in Badlands, Apocalypse Now, The Subject Was Roses, Gettysburg, and The Way. His other film credits include The Amazing Spider-Man, Bobby, Catch Me If You Can, The American President, Wall Street, Firestarter, The Dead Zone, Gandhi, Dead Presidents, O, Selma, and Seeking a Friend for the End of the World. Outside of acting, he directed 1990's Cadence, starring his sons, Charlie and Ramón.

Additionally, on TV, Martin Sheen plays Robert Hanson in Netflix's Grace and Frankie, which is currently filming its seventh and final season. He also played John F. Kennedy in NBC's Kennedy. Most recently, Sheen was seen in Judas and the Black Messiah and 12 Mighty Orphans.

Vera Farmiga (Dr. Madolyn Madden)

Playing the part of Dr. Madolyn Madden, a psychiatrist caught in a relationship with Colin Sullivan, Vera Farmiga received one of her biggest early roles in The Departed. Most notably, Farmiga is Oscar-nominated for her supporting turn in Up in the Air. She also plays Lorraine Warren in The Conjuring movies, including Annabelle Comes Home. Additionally, Farmiga was Emmy-nominated for her lead performance as Norma Louise Bates in A&E's Bates Motel. She received a second Emmy nomination for Netflix's When They See Us. Farmiga also appeared in Running Scared, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Source Code, and Orphan. Moreover, the actress helmed and starred in Higher Ground.

Most recently, Vera Farmiga reprised her role as Lorraine Warren in The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. She also guest-starred in Netflix's Halston. Next, the actress will be seen in The Many Saints of Newark, The Salamander Lives Twice, and Apple TV+'s Five Days at Memorial. Also, Farmiga will play Eleanor Bishop in Disney+'s Hawkeye. Additionally, the actress is signed on to star in and produce the horror film, Bad Bloom.

Alec Baldwin (Captain George Ellerby)

As George Ellerby, the short-tempered captain of the Boston Police Department, Alec Baldwin plays a spirited character in Martin Scorsese's The Departed. Notably, Baldwin was Oscar-nominated for The Cooler. He also won two Emmys for his portrayal of Jack Donaghy in NBC's 30 Rock. Additionally, the acclaimed actor was Tony-nominated for his Off-Broadway take on Macbeth. His other film credits include Glengarry Glen Ross, The Hunt for the Red October, The Aviator, Working Girl, Beetlejuice, Working Girl, Married to the Mob, Talk Radio, Along Came Polly, Alice, It's Complicated, Miami Blues, and Pearl Harbor. Also, Baldwin co-starred in Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation and Fallout. Furthermore, he hosts ABC's Match Game and played Donald Trump on SNL.

Most recently, Alec Baldwin reprised his titular infant voice in The Boss Baby: Family Business. Currently, the actor can be seen in Peacock's Dr. Death. Next, he'll be seen in Supercell. Baldwin is also signed on to star in The Father and Rust, which he'll produce.

Anthony Anderson (Trooper Brown)

In the role of Trooper Brown, a fellow Boston police officer, Anthony Anderson plays a supporting character in The Departed. Most notably, Anderson has received multiple Emmy nominations as the star and producer of ABC's black-ish, where he plays Dre Johnson. He reprised his role in the spinoff shows, Freeform's grown-ish and ABC's mixed-ish. Additionally, Anderson starred in The WB's All About the Andersons and the final season of Fox's The Bernie Mac Show. Furthermore, Anderson is known for his work in The Shield, Law & Order, Treme, My Wife and Kids, Shameless, and 'Til Death. Additionally, Anderson is the host of ABC's To Tell the Truth. He's also a regular judge on Food Network's Iron Chef America.

Moreover, in film, Anthony Anderson is best known for Transformers, Kangaroo Jack, Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London, Me, Myself & Irene, Scream 4, Barbershop, Malibu's Most Wanted, Hustle & Flow, Scary Movie 3, and Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle. Also, the TV actor appeared in Life, Big Momma's House, and Romeo Must Die.

Ray Winstone (Arnold “Frenchie” French)

Playing the part of Arnold French, a.k.a. "Frenchie," Frank Costello's enforcer and closest companion, Ray Winstone was a right-hand man in Martin Scorsese's The Departed. Notably, Winstone starred in Sexy Beast, Beowulf, Nil By Mouth, Quadrophenia, Scum, Love, Honour, and Obey, Ripley's Game, Tracker, The Sweeney, Ashes, Jawbone, The Hot Potato, and 44 Inch Chest. His other notable film credits include Hugo, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, London Boulevard, Point Break (2015), Fool's Gold, Cats, Rango, Noah, Snow White and the Huntsman, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, King Arthur, Cold Mountain, Breaking and Entering, The Proposition, Edge of Darkness, King of Thieves, That Summer, and The Gunman.

Additionally, on television, Ray Winstone led ITV's Lenny Blue and Vincent. Her other TV credits include Robin of Sherwood, Ben Hur, Moonfleet, Great Expectations, The Trials of Jimmy Rose, Of Knights and Prophets, and Ice. Most recently, Winstone chewed the scenery as the villainous Dreykov in Marvel's Black Widow. Currently, the actor is filming a role in Prizefighter: The Life of Jem Belcher.

Kevin Corrigan (Sean Costigan)

As Sean Costigan, Billy's drug-dealing cousin, Kevin Corrigan provides a notable cameo in The Departed. Most notably, Corrigan played Uncle Eddie in Fox/The WB's Grounded For Life. His other TV credits include Fringe, Damages, The Get Down, Blue Bloods, Ray Donovan, Portlandia, Law & Order: SVU, Pearl, Community, Californication, Freaks and Geeks, and The Black Donnellys. Additionally, away from television, Corrigan can be seen in Slums of Beverly Hills, Goodfellas, Superbad, Pineapple Express, Big Fan, True Romance, Seven Psychopaths, Walking and Talking, Results, Henry Fool, Delirious, American Gangster, Please Give, Steal This Movie!, The Dictator, and The King of Staten Island. He also co-wrote and starred in Kicked in the Head.

Furthermore, Kevin Corrigan's other film credits include Knight of Cups, Unstoppable, Definitely Maybe, Lonesome Jim, Trees Lounge, True Romance, The Exorcist III, Detroit Rock City, The Next Three Days, Bad Boys, and Chelsea Walls. Most recently, the actor starred in Scenes from an Empty Church. Next, Corrigan will be seen in Montauk and American Murderer. He's also expected to play Frank Sinatra in The Playboy Interview.

The Departed is available to stream on Netflix and HBO Max.

For millions of women (and men), Jason Momoa has been a not-always-so-secret fantasy figure since his days on Game of Thrones. The combination of his chill vibes, tall stature and superhero physique pushed him to be one of Hollywood’s most desired stars. Practically any television show or movie Momoa is in these days becomes instantly more sexy from his mere presence, such is the Aquaman star's power. But can he make anything more alluring in such a way? This was put to the test as Momoa and Anthony Anderson stripped down for a “sexy” video involving baby oil and tuna fish juice and ironing. Hawt!

Is there anything that Jason Momoa can’t make sexy? The resounding answer is no, even though it's a bit of a sliding scale where canned food is concerned. While appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live, guest host Anthony Anderson challenged the star of Apple TV+'s See to give everyday household items that loving feeling. Of course, being the chill dude he is, the on-location Momoa was more than up for the challenge, and he took things a step further by going shirtless, giving himself a clear advantage. Momoa said to Anderson and the audience:

But the black-ish star wasn’t going to let Jason Momoa show him up, so Anthony Anderson decided to also go shirtless while still in the studio. It appeared taking on Will Smith’s dad bod challenge is starting to pay off, both physically and confidence-wise. After Anderson popped his shirt and tie off, things got even crazier. The first item in the “Jason Momoa can make anything sexy” challenge was hand sanitizer, and the actor wasted no time in squirting himself with it before rubbing it all over his upper body. So...so...sanitary.

But then they really stretched the ties that bind reality when Anthony Anderson tasked Jason Momma with making tuna fish sexy. And while the Aquaman side of the actor would probably rather talk to live tuna, Momoa was more than up for that challenge as well. He first decided to drizzle the tuna fish juice all over himself.

You better bet Jason Momoa wasn’t done making canned tuna look sexy yet, either. After that tuna juice shower, he proceeded to go to town on the actual tuna itself while offering up some hilarious sexy talk. And while the latter isn't heard in the GIF below, that doesn't make it any less...whatever the cross is between sexual and stomach-churning.

The final challenge Anthony Anderson provided sent the actor’s sexiness into a heated overdrive. Jason Momoa had to bring some sex appeal to the boring chore of ironing, and he took things up a notch by making it a far more physical act that it usually is for people at home. And yeah, there's baby oil involved, not to mention a lot of stroking and grinding and starching.

So, while some people's mileage may vary, I think it has been proven once again Jason Momoa can make anything sexy. Or at least more sexy than it was before he started pouring it down his bare chest. It might be a while before Anthony Anderson is on Momoa’s level, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't also feel free to iron any way he sees fit. To see all Momoa and Anderson’s sexiness on full display, check out the full clip below:

The actor will bring his signature sensitive beefcake vibes to Dune when the sci-fi epic arrives in theaters and on HBO Max on Oct. 22. But the sci-fi film isn’t the only time fans will see him in the near future, as Aquaman 2 is currently filming, which he'll head to once he finishes filming Apple TV+'s See Season 2, and there are even more upcoming Jason Momoa movies and shows on the horizon.

Will Smith’s “dad bod” reveal has inspired plenty of other men (famous and not) to post their quarantine-molded bodies online, which eventually birthed a social media challenge that has seen many of these men taking their fitness into their hands. One of the latest celebs to jump on the “dad bod’ bandwagon is black-ish star Anthony Anderson, and the sitcom dad threw himself into Will Smith’s challenge with a striking pose.

Anthony Anderson took to his Instagram to post a photo of himself taking on the same pose as Will Smith, and the black-ish vet even chose to give the Bad Boys for Life star and other participants a shout-out with his boisterous caption. Anderson decided to take the challenge a step further by setting up progress parameters. Check out the sitcom dad’s funny-yet-inspiring photo montage below:

With the “dad bod” challenge, Will Smith become an inspiration for millions of out-of-shape men to show off their untoned physiques with the promise of doing a better job in the physical fitness department. And while Smith has been known to fluctuate his weight somewhat for various roles, Anderson made waves years ago when black-ish was starting up, losing nearly 50 lbs. and redefining his look. So this challenge should feel quite familiar to him in some ways.

As with most fitness goals, Anthony Anderson needed and wanted a timeline and some boundaries, and it's always fun to have a fitness buddy(s) when trying to get healthier and into shape. Falling in line with the black-ish star’s brand of humor, the post showed one can be appropriately silly even when it comes to serious topics, and once again proved Anderson isn’t afraid to put himself out there in any way. The actor's funny response to Smith's challenge reached the masses in a completely different way, as revealed by Anderson in another post a few days later:

As previously mentioned, Anthony Anderson hasn’t been the only Hollywood star to accept Will Smith’s “dad bod” challenge. Fellow comedic actor Marlon Wayans took to Instagram to show off his quarantine body, and got quite honest about his quarantine weight gain, having marked his progression weeks before the challenge. Wayans gave followers an update on his progress a few days later with a mirror selfie, giving fans another look at how successful this challenge has been for some.

The “dad bod” challenge has certainly sparked discussions over men and body image. Oftentimes, only women’s body image issues are covered, with men’s bodies often treated as an afterthought or ignored completely. Will Smith, Anthony Anderson, Marlon Wayans and others moved the body positivity movement toward the male species, which is especially significant for Black men, as our health is oftentimes not prioritized. As such, it’s nice to see men embracing their various body types and shapes while aiming for a healthier lifestyle and outlook.

Will Smith and Anthony Anderson can serve as inspirations for others while widening the body positivity discussion. Anderson might have more motivation as his ABC sitcom was renewed for its eighth and final season. Either way, it’s nice to see even celebrities admitting to gaining pandemic weight and wanting better for themselves.

There have been some really great Anthony Anderson movies and TV shows over the years with performances that have earned him NAACP Image and Primetime Emmy Awards in programs like Black-ish. And since making his acting debut 25 years ago, Anderson has continued to remain a prominent figure in show business, both in front of and behind the camera, but during that time, the former Law & Order star has had appearances that may have been forgotten to the sands of time.

So, as we look forward to at least another 25 years of Anthony Anderson filling up our television screens and movie theaters, now's the perfect time to look back on some of those forgotten gems, those great comedic and dramatic roles that have made the actor such a success in Hollywood. Here are eight great performances you may have forgotten about.

Percy "Bone" Hamilton - Veronica Mars

There must be some unwritten rule in Hollywood that required all major stars to appear on Veronica Mars at one point in the show's four-season run. Well, you can add Anthony Anderson to that list following his 2005 appearance as Percy "Bone" Anderson, a record company owner with a checkered past who calls on Mars Investigations to help him find his missing daughter. Throughout the episode, Anderson's character walks the line between a tough guy and a father who would do anything for his daughter's safe return.

Anthony Anderson was already a star at this point in his career thanks to movies like Barbershop and Kangaroo Jack, but with so much time passing between now and the first airing of "Lord of the Bling," the appearance falls in forgotten territory unless you're a diehard Veronica Mars fan who's watched the series over and over.

Tony Brown - The Departed

Martin Scorsese's 2006 crime epic The Departed remains one of the best efforts from the legendary director in recent years thanks in part to its phenomenal cast. With Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, and a who's who of top talent in the early years of the 21st Century, it shouldn't come as a surprise that there are some actors who appeared in the movie who have been forgotten in the 14 years since its release.

You can include Anthony Anderson's Tony Brown in that category. We first meet Tony at the police academy with Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) and a few more times throughout the movie before one of the few decent cops on the force is killed just moments after his friend is killed in the film's most shocking moment. And admittedly, it's a small role for Anderson, but still one that stands out.

Antwon Mitchell - The Shield

Before FX was known for shows like Fargo and Sons of Anarchy, one of its most notable and controversial releases was the gritty cop drama The Shield. In addition to its main cast which included Michael Chiklis, Walton Goggins, and C.C.H. Pounder, Hollywood mainstays like the Glenn Close, Forest Whitaker, and Anthony Anderson appeared in extended guest roles throughout different seasons of the hit drama.

Between 2004 and 2005, Anthony Anderson showed up in 15 episodes as drug kingpin Antwon Mitchell, who attempted to improve his image following a stint in prison by becoming a community leader. However, with a show like The Shield, things are never as they seem and Antwon continues his operation behind closed doors while making himself a saint in front of the public. It's just a shame that The Shield doesn't get talked about as much as it should these days.

Anthony Anderson - All About The Andersons

Long before Anthony Anderson was bringing home awards for his performance on Black-ish, he had a sitcom of his very own, although it didn't have the run that his future show would get years later. Between 2003 and 2004, Anderson led All About the Andersons on The WB. The show, which only lasted 16 episodes before it was cancelled, centered on a single father and struggling actor (Anderson) after he is forced to move back in with his parents. Things aren't simple for the character (they never are) especially after he discovers that his old bedroom has been rented out to someone else.

It's a shame All About The Andersons didn't get the opportunity to really take off, especially when you consider the combination of Anthony Anderson and the legendary John Amos, who portrayed the struggling actor's father.

Terry Nolan - Big Momma's House

By the time the 21st Century rolled around, Martin Lawrence was a massive star and his summer 2000 hit comedy Big Momma's House only made a stronger case for the box office draw. Seriously, the movie remains one of the funniest of Lawrence's career and that era in general, 20 years later. In addition to Lawrence, the movie also featured a star-in-the-making with Terrence Howard, Paul Giamatti, Nia Long, and none other than Anthony Anderson.

Appearing as Terry Nolan, the dim-witted security guard who always finds himself at the wrong place at the wrong time, Anthony Anderson pretty much steals every scene he's in, but those appearances are few and far between. Anderson wasn't quite the movie star he would become when he appeared in Big Momma's House, which is probably why he's not as remembered here.

Jamaal Baileygates - Me, Myself & Irene

It's no secret that Jim Carrey's best work isn't found in the 2000 Farrelly Brothers' comedy Me, Myself & Irene. And while it's true that Carrey is borderline annoying in his approach to a character with split-personality disorder, one thing that can be agreed on by everyone is the amazing work by the actors who portrayed his three sons. Seriously, Jerod Mixon, Mongo Brownlee, and Anthony Anderson are consistently the best thing about the movie whenever they get a chance to shine.

This isn't the first movie to come to mind whenever Anthony Anderson's name is brought up, but it should be at the top of everyone's list for the way he and his brothers go from goofing around to absolutely tearing each other apart (lovingly, I should add) by breaking down complex issues dealing with their above-average intellect.

Teddy Brodis - Hang Time

Remember the NBC Saturday morning show Hang Time? Well, you're not alone if don't recall the teenage sitcom about the Deering Tornados boys' basketball team. Maybe that's why Anthony Anderson's character, Teddy Brodis, doesn't come up so much 24 years after he debuted on the show. Over the course of 39 episodes, a young Anderson brought comedic relief to the series that tackled a number of societal issues, including the teen smoking episode where Teddy tries to hide his smoking habits from his teammates and coach.

If anyone talks about Hang Time these days, it's mostly to remember a cameo from a young Kobe Bryant shortly after he was first drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the mid 1990s.

Burger Shack Employee - Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle

And then there is the Burger Shack employee from the 2004 stoner comedy Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle. In a brief, but hilarious appearance, Anthony Anderson's character not only tells the titular characters how to get to the famed 24-hour White Castle, he describes the burgers in such detail that it will make everyone want to go seek out those greasy square-shaped patties, even if you swore them off after a bad night shortly after you graduated from college.

The role doesn't get brought up as much as the appearance by Neil Patrick Harris later in the movie, but it still should be one we look back on and laugh at all these years later.

These are just a few of the great Anthony Anderson performances that get overlooked these days. And as much as I wanted to include the likes of Scream 4 and Anderson's appearances in horror parodies like Scary Movie 3 and Scary Movie 4, those titles come up from time to time, just not as much as they should.

Martin Scorsese is widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, not just for the big screen narrative he weaves and the memorable characters he brings to life, but also because of his artistry as a visual storyteller. He is a director who pays rigorous attention to subjects in frame of his camera, and by extension you could watch all of his movies on mute and still maintain a firm grasp on what’s happening in the plot. He has a brilliant eye for detail, and a perfect demonstration can be found in the background of numerous scenes in the 2006’s The Departed, which was high up on our best movies of the 2000s list.

If you’re paying close enough attention while watching the Best Picture-winning film, you may start to notice that there is a common motif in the production design of many key sequences: the presence of an X or multiple Xs. Per what was described above, this is hardly an accident, and happens to be not only a clever use of foreshadowing, but a direct tribute to one Martin Scorsese’s favorite directors.

This obvious is fully of spoilers from The Departed, so if you haven't gotten around to seeing the movie, we suggest you do that before continuing on...

What The Xs Mean, And Their Origin

To understand the use of Xs in The Departed, we have to take a trip back in history much further than 2006, as this story really begins in 1932 with the release of Howard Hawks’ Scarface (the original that Brian De Palma remade with Al Pacino in 1983). Hawks uses the shape throughout the movie to symbolize that living the life of a gangster means to live life as a marked man. Thus, the X is used to foreshadow death – and we see that repeatedly through Martin Scorsese’s film as an homage.

That’s arguably only half of the full interpretation, however. The whole plot of The Departed centers on characters who are acting duplicitously and betraying those they trust, and what’s a synonym for that? To double-cross. There are multiple levels in play here.

The Characters Marked For Death

So now that you know why there are so many Xs in the background of The Departed, let’s dig into the details and discuss exactly who it is among the extensive ensemble cast that winds up being marked for death (fun fact: the list includes every notable character who touches the envelope pictured above)

Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson)

Martin Scorsese wastes absolutely no time in The Departed deploying his first X, as it’s featured in what is the first original shot in the movie (not counting the archived footage that plays following the studio logos). It’s Jack Nicholson’s Frank Costello, draped in shadows, who passes a pair of crossed beams, and it means that those in the know are aware that he is not going to be among the plot’s survivors.

Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon)

Colin Sullivan gets away with a lot of horrible things in The Departed, and he is unquestionably one of Matt Damon’s most hateable characters, but it’s very early on that the audience is assured of his fate with a well-placed X in the second shot after the movie’s title card. Beyond that there are several others placed in his vicinity throughout the film, including some street graffiti, some tricks of the light, and when we discover that he is number 10 on the rugby team (a.k.a. Roman Numeral X). Of course, his end of the line is reached when he arrives home to discover Mark Wahlberg’s Sean Dignam waiting for him, but that’s only after he walks across a carpet with a red X pattern.

Billy Costigan Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio)

In the same way that the Xs offer hope for the death of The Departed’s villains, the symbolism generates dread when it comes to Leonardo DiCaprio’s Billy Costigan Jr. One of the biggest shocks of the film is when he gets a bullet in the head in the third act, but it’s less surprising when you remember the giant Xs at the airport, the icon used by Colin to delete his file on the computer, and even the duct tape behind his head when he’s trying to arrest Colin.

Oliver Queenan (Martin Sheen)

The case of Captain Queenan is kind of like the Rosetta Stone when it comes to the Xs in The Departed. If you witness them independently throughout the movie, you may not be entirely clear what they mean – but then Martin Sheen’s character flies past eight windows with crosses made of tape as he plummets to his death. After that point it’s pretty hard to miss what the Xs are symbolizing.

James Barrigan (James Badge Dale)

Much like the death of Billy Costigan, another one of The Departed’s late big surprises is the revelation that Colin Sullivan wasn’t the only member of the Boston Police Department working as a mole for Frank Costello’s criminal syndicate. James Badge Dale’s James Barrigan was also secretly feeding the gangster information, and that’s why he makes the call to assassinate Billy Costigan. Of course, the revelation comes paired with Barrigan standing right next to a pair of Xs, so you immediately know his fate is sealed (and the double crosses also hint that Colin is about to shoot him in the head).

Tony Brown (Anthony Anderson)

Lastly we have the sad story of Anthony Anderson’s Tony Brown. Unlike Colin Sullivan or James Barrigan, Brown is an uncorrupt trooper serving as an honorable member of the Boston Police Department, and the only reason he gets dragged into the whole mess that is The Departed’s plot is because he is a friend of Billy Costigan’s from the academy. Watching the film knowing about the Xs, you can’t help but feel bad when one pops up right next to him shortly before the elevator containing Billy and Colin closes its doors.

For your pleasure, we have created a gallery full of screenshots from The Departed featuring more than 20 of the background Xs – and you’ll note that all of them feature characters who aren’t still breathing when Roy Buchanan's "Sweet Dreams" begins to play and the end credits start to roll.

Does this bit of trivia improve your appreciation of Martin Scorsese’s Boston set gangster epic? Hopefully it does, and you can keep this bit of trivia in mind the next time you watch. Speaking of which, The Departed is currently streaming on HBO Max, and is also available for purchase at various digital outlets and on Blu-ray and DVD.

Since ESPN's The Last Dance retold the story of Michael Jordan and his notorious, competitive spirit, stories have been flooding in from all sorts of people about their experiences competing with the NBA Legend. Not all of them are NBA players either, as Black-ish's Anthony Anderson had a particularly hilarious story about the time he and Jordan went one-on-one in dominoes, which ended with Anderson pissing him off.

Anthony Anderson shared the story with Stephen A. Smith during the ABC special After The Last Dance, a follow-up special about the program. When pressed for a memory of Michael Jordan, Anderson revealed a story about a vacation with Jordan that went awry due to some games between the two of them:

As The Last Dance showed, Michael Jordan doesn't like to lose. Apparently, that translates to more than just basketball, as Anthony Anderson got the cold shoulder from the NBA icon for the entirety of their trip after their game. The upside is Anderson got the privilege of saying he dominated Jordan in something, which is not something I'd imagine many people can say at all.

Luckily, the bitterness and resentment of those dominoes games hasn't remained as the years have gone on. Anthony Anderson said that the two are able to laugh about it now, and that he's ready to let Jordan have another go at him in dominoes should he ever ask for it:

After The Last Dance is not the first time Anthony Anderson has told this story, and it's worth noting that other tellings make it a bit more obvious why Michael Jordan was so upset. In a 2011 interview with Conan O'Brien, Anderson revealed that Jordan had a massive lead over him and was talking trash with only 25 points left to score until he won. Anderson ended up pulling ahead and threw down some exceptionally heavy trash talk as he slammed the final domino on the table. It certainly makes Jordan's anger more understandable though, even so, Anderson was only engaging in trash talk Jordan started.

Black-ish has been renewed for Season 7 at ABC, and ESPN is already working towards creating the NFL's version of The Last Dance with Tom Brady. Continue to stick with CinemaBlend for updates on both, and for the latest news happening in television and movies.

If you've watched the Academy Awards for the past several years and forgot to change the channel after they were done, then you've almost definitely experienced the prestige-flipping tonal shift when Jimmy Kimmel Live! kicks off Kimmel's annual post-Oscars telecast. But now that the late night star has finally been tapped to host the Oscars himself, ABC was forced to come up with a solution to fill the timeslot. To do so, producers have brought in another big network star, Black-ish's Anthony Anderson, to front an official post-Oscar special, which will be chock-full of celebs and fashion.

Dubbed Live From Hollywood: The After Party, this inaugural special will lett Anthony Anderson and more reflect on the night's winners (and non-winners, we'll call them) in all of their post-telecast glory. The one-hour special will tackle interviews on the red carpet outside The Governor's Ball afterparty and, of course, there will also be lots of talks with entertainers backstage at the Dolby Theatre. The booze will likely be flowing, too.

For the special, Anthony Anderson won't have to worry about handling it all himself. He'll be joined by Good Morning America's co-anchor Lara Spencer, and they'll both be complemented by appearances from contributors such as ABC News' Chris Connelly and Yahoo Style's editor-in-chief Joe Zee. Not exactly on the level of "Matt Damon hidden inside Ben Affleck's coat," but I guess it works.

Anthony Anderson is a prime pick to host this initial post-Oscars event, since he's got more than enough charisma and mental dexterity to tackle in-the-moment interviews where anything can happen. He's also at the point in his career where he's showing up on TV as Anthony Anderson as much as he is as Black-ish's Dre Johnson and other fictional characters. Animal Planet only recently debuted Animal Nation with Anthony Anderson, he hosts the modern reboot for the game show To Tell the Truth, he's a morning and late show staple, and if there's a reality or game show with a celebrity edition, he's been on it. Anderson has done both Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Masterchef just this year, for the briefest of examples.

The 88th annual Academy Awards ceremony will air on ABC on Sunday, February 26, at 7:00 p.m. ET. For those looking to get in on the fun away from a TV, head to Oscar.com to check out red carpet footage and backstage shenanigans, and that also starts up at 7:00 p.m. ET. While waiting for it, check out this year's biggest Oscar snubs and then head to our midseason premiere schedule to see what's coming to your televisions soon.

We’ve all done it. Held and held and held a fart, to varying degrees of success. However, most of us haven’t let out the fart in the middle of the taping of a show as prominent as Law & Order. Anthony Anderson, however, has done just that and he let his co-star Jeremy Sisto take the blame for his actions. He recently shared the story on Late Night with Seth Meyers, revealing that he totally riled up his costar S. Epatha Merkerson during the farting incident and even stayed quiet when she called out the entire room on the rank smell. Here’s what he had to say:

Celebrities, they’re just like us.

Anthony Anderson said he continued walking out of the room as Merkerson was giving her little rant and totally let Jeremy Sisto take the blame for the devious act. The actor went on to apologize to S. Epatha Merkerson but also to Jeremy Sisto, who he absolutely wronged years and years ago when Law & Order was still filming. And while the above quote is great, Anderson is a pretty animated storyteller. You should totally check out his version of the events as they transpired, below.

This story could have ended on a sourer note if Jeremy Sisto hadn’t been such a champ. The actor totally took the blame rather than trying to pin it on one of the cameramen or Anthony Anderson himself when the scene was disrupted. Then the farting incident was put to rest, at least before last night’s Late Night with Seth Meyers brought the incident into the limelight one again.

Now, I just wish we knew which episode the three stars were filming when this momentous event went down. Similar to Alison Brie’s recent peeing story regarding the set of Mad Men, S Epatha Merkerson was clearly uncomfortable filming the scene and I wonder if her disgust at Anderson’s rank fart is clearly visible. Maybe the show used a different cut. Probably we’ll never know. All in all, though, I’m happy Anthony Anderson decided to clear the air even if he waited years to do so.

You can catch Anthony Anderson getting up to other random hijinks over at ABC when Black-ish airs on Wednesday nights at 8:30 p.m. ET. New episodes of Late Night with Seth Meyers air on weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET, only on NBC.

Have you ever watched Modern Family and wondered where all the black people are? Enter Blackish, ABC’s upcoming family comedy where the only race cards you’ll see played are the Jokers. Seriously, ABC should pay me $10 for that one, so I can go to the track with Laurence Fishburne.

Meet the Johnsons. There’s Andre (Anthony Anderson) – but you can call him Dre – the family patriarch with a great job and a wonderful wife in Rainbow (Tracee Ellis Ross). The two have four kids, including Zoey (Yara Shahidi), Jack (Miles Brown) and Diane (Marsai Martin) and Andre Jr. (Marcus Scribner), whose unwitting ancestral defiance will end up giving Dre a heart attack. And then there’s Fishburne as Pops, the old school presence serving as the probable impetus for this show’s narrative thrust.

Here’s the deal. Even though Dre’s life is seemingly perfect, he wonders if the arrival of the American Dream replaced his sense of cultural heritage. So he decides to up the ante on his family’s “blackness” and tries figuring out ways to honor their past while preparing for the future. This is the kind of idea that would work really well as an indie flick, but will possibly equal out to a string of stereotype-driven one-liners without a sense of anyone’s independence. The dashikis! The sitcomish homogeneity of this picture is striking.

But I could just be basing my gut wariness on the use of the names “Schlomo” and “Shmuel” as the son’s Hebrew names, and a few other to-be-expected gags. This might be a case of the promo shooting for the broadest jokes, with the real gems hidden in other moments.

The creative team is comprised of The Game writer Kenya Barris, co-creator of America’s Next Top Model, along with executive producers Larry Wilmore, whose The Minority Report will take over for The Colbert Report, Anderson, Fishburne, Peter Principato and Paul Young (Reno 911!. The first episode was directed by James Griffiths, the Episodes and Up All Night frequenter who made his feature debut recently with the dancing comedy Cuban Fury. And it looks pretty good, so there’s no problem there.

There’s definite potential in Anderson and Fishburne playing off of one another, and there are a plethora of ways the storylines can take the “be more black” angle. African dashikis included, natch. Plus, Ross has one of the best "what the hell is happening?" faces on TV. If you're itching for some more bar mitzvah jokes, take a longer look at that scene here.

Live the non-thug live with the Johnsons when Blackish premieres on ABC this fall. Check out ABC's 2014-2015 lineup here.

Photo Credit @ABC

It’s pretty crazy to think that Wes Craven’s Scream came on the scene 15 years ago. In that time, a lot of things have changed and that goes for the franchise’s cast as well. While Neve Campbell, David Arquette and Courtney Cox are all back for Scream 4, they’re joined by the next generation of stars, including Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere, Rory Culkin and Anthony Anderson.

A few weeks back (yes, I’ve known who the killer is for nearly a month now), the franchise’s newest stars gathered together for a press conference, where they talked about the experience working on the film, from working with the surprisingly funny Wes Craven, to their relationship with the original movies and scaring each other on set. Check it out below, and be sure to check out Perri’s exclusive interview with Craven that we posted last week.

Have you watched the whole series? What did you think when you were offered this?

Anthony Anderson: Well I did, I grew up watching this franchise, and you have a trivia question now, or it will be. I actually spoofed this movie in Scary Movie 3 and 4, and now I’m a part of the franchise that I spoofed. So I think it’s Scary Movie 5 that I will be a part of now. But, the genre, the franchise itself was fun to be a part of and to watch growing up. The way that Wes Craven tells his stories and intertwines the horror with humor, I think that’s what really separates this franchise of horror movies from the others. What do you guys think?

Emma Roberts: For me, I was obviously too young to ever see it when it came out in theaters, but it was one of those movies that I saw when I was a teenager and all my friends were obsessed with wanting to watch scary movies and this was one of the first few I saw. And I remember thinking, it was probably the scariest, just because, out of all of the horror movies of my generation, I think this was the most real kind of? You know, it’s the most plausible. And that’s why it’s so freaky, you know, like when a phone rings, you’re kind of freaked out. And when you see those big glass windows, you know what I’m talking about, it’s scary. So it was definitely creepy.

Have you ever been in a situation where you were with some friends at night and then somebody gets a mysterious phone call, or you’re watching a scary movie?

Emma Roberts: You know, my friends keep calling me and doing the voice and saying, “What’s your favorite scary movie?” and as much as I know it’s a joke I still can’t help like looking over my shoulder a little bit, because it’s creepy!

Rory Culkin: Yeah, I saw the first one when I was like eight years old, around. I was scarred for a little while. And then, after I got this part I went back and watched all three. Pretty solid. Not really dated, but it says a lot about its time.

Anthony Anderson: I just want to say that, I just found out who the real killer is in this movie. I did. I don’t know if they couldn’t trust me with the script, but they never gave me a script with the ending. I really just found out who the killers were.

Emma Roberts: Did you really? [laughs]

Anthony Anderson: Like fifteen, twenty…And I haven’t seen the movie yet! So I really don’t know who the killers are. Fifteen minutes ago I found out who the killers were! I mean of course they know because they saw it but dammit! I just found out. That it was the black guy! New decade, new room baby. The black guy doesn’t die first anymore.

This movie had a battle with the Internet, so how did you guys, how crazy was the lockdown on set?

Emma Roberts: I mean for me, when I read the script, before I signed on to do the movie, I had to go to Wes Craven’s house and sit down and read it. And when we got our scripts, we were all, I think all of us were scared because they were all watermarked, and so if you lost it, you knew who lost it, it would say “Emma Roberts” across the script. So we were all just, I was scared because I was just gonna be embarrassed if mine got lost and it’s on the internet with my name on it, so there were a couple times when I just was like, do I shred them? What do I do? Because there were times when I almost lost it.

Anthony Anderson: Well I did lose mine. And that’s why, I think, they never gave me the real script. What else has happened? I never thought I really had the real script because every time I would go home and study these lines, I’d show up on set, they’d give me a completely new set of sides for the day. And I was like, “This is just not the shit that you told me to study for yesterday!” So that’s how I knew they were pulling tricks on me, at least.

Emma Roberts: It was just him, for the record. [To Anthony] Just you.

How easy or hard to scare are you guys, either watching scary movies or in your real life? Is it hard to scare you or very easy to scare you?

Emma Roberts: I’m very easily scared. I was covering my eyes through most of Scream 4, and I was in the movie! [laughs] I saw it with my mom and she was like, “Honey I love you but I have to step out for a moment, I’m too scared,” and I was like, “You’re too scared? It’s me,” and she was like, “It’s just scary.” So we were all horrified. I was sitting next to a bunch of people and we were all in our seats with our knees up.

So you experience a lot of action in this movie, a lot of physical stuff, did it empower you at all to do a more physical role?

Emma Roberts: I’d love to do more action roles. I’m not very athletic, I have to say. I always played, like, “girl sports,” I was never really a big sport person. So this was definitely, for me, as far as the physical aspect of it, difficult. I’ve never been able to really run convincingly so I had to learn how to do that in this movie.

Anthony Anderson: She’s pigeon toed, knock-kneed and bowlegged. That makes it difficult to run in a straight line.

Rory, how much of a cinephile or a moviephile...

Anthony Anderson: Hold on! Rory is not a pedophile! [laughs]

How was it working with the originals?

Emma Roberts: It was fun, I mean it was cool! We all had a good time, I think everyone, we were in Michigan for three months so we all got to kind of bond and hang out. We would spend a lot of time together when we weren’t flying home.

[Hayden Panettiere, who is arriving late to the press conference, sneaks in]

Anthony Anderson: [interrupting] Ladies and gentleman, Ladies and Gentleman! Hayden is here!

So, working with the originals?

Rory Culkin: Yeah, it was cool. They were sort of in our position ten, fifteen years earlier.

Emma Roberts: Fifteen.

Rory Culkin: So they understood where we were coming from and it was pretty cool.

Anthony Anderson: They’re all fossilized. They’re old. We’re the new generation of the Scream franchise. I mean you know they’re just tired and old and bitter. It was great, working with the, you know, David Arquette and Courtney Cox and I have been friends for thirteen, fourteen years now. David and I have worked together in the past. So it was great to finally work a gig with him in a franchise that I grew up watching and spoofed and parodied, and one that I enjoyed. And we bonded, we’d rent out a lake house and be out there for three, four days at a time just having water balloon fights and barbeques and lovemaking and all kinds of things.

Hayden Panettiere: Oh, I know how their barbeques went.

Anthony Anderson: You should have been there.

Hayden Panettiere: It was more like, flames. [miming huge flames with her hands]

Anthony Anderson: You need fire! You need fire to cook red meat! [laughs]

Emma Roberts: I saw those flames

Anthony Anderson: Like David Arquette threw gasoline on the gasoline on the fire pit...

Hayden Panettiere: But then they were doing a photo shoot!

Anthony Anderson: You don’t use gasoline at home when you’re cooking ribs!

Hayden Panettiere: You did not look too disturbed by it, you were like, “I’m a man! I make fire!”

Anthony Anderson: And you ate our meat!

Hayden Panettiere: I did eat the meat, I did.

Hayden, you haven’t said what it was like working with the original cast in this movie and if you had seen the original movie, what you thought of it? Because we asked them all that before you came here.

Hayden Panettiere: Well I was seven when it came out, so I waited until a little bit later in life to experience Scream, and it was something that I was a big fan of. You know it’s got that aspect, that Halloween aspect with the masked person but at the same time it’s got that very realistic aspect of somebody, the fear of somebody breaking into your house, and that’s a terrifying thing. But it was a great experience. You know, it’s always a little bit nerve wracking when you come into a family. It was something that was already established, the family that was already established, they had been through so much together, they had been through these films together, and you really have to tread lightly on that and have respect for that and find your way into that that group, that family, and where you fit in. But they were always great with that. They really had an interest in knowing us and including us and really made that effort, and it made it just a great experience.

Anthony Anderson: God, you’re beautiful [laughs]. I will fight your man for you.

Hayden Panettiere: You might have to quit acting for that afterward.

Anthony Anderson: I don’t fight fair. I’m telling you that right now, you will never see it coming.

Hayden Panettiere: I know, I know. My dad’s a fireman from Brooklyn, he always told me in a fight there are no rules.

Anthony Anderson: None, whatsoever.

Hayden Panettiere: You just swing. That’s it.

Your character is very spunky and she’s very fearless. How similar are you to her?

Hayden Panettiere: Well I’d like to think of myself as those things, but...It goes both ways. I was drawn to her because she’s not like anyone I’ve ever played before. She’s very, she tries, she’s sarcastic, she’s got that tomboy aspect to her, which I can relate to. But she’s a horror movie buff, under it all, which is not what you expect from her. And then it’s a really cool element to her personality that’s unexpected and kind of clever. I can’t say that I’m the same in that way, but it’s a fun character to play.

There’s a difference between seeing ghostface on screen, and then working with the guy, working with Dane Farewell in makeup and full costume. What was it like growing up with an iconic character and then having him fucking chasing you down? And seeing the scene?

Emma Roberts: It was scary, I mean I would get, even though we knew who it was, I would get freaked out. Running away would get scary. There was a scene where I had to run up some stairs and he was really treading me down and I really almost just completely ate it and fell down because I was just getting really nervous. Yeah, it’s scary.

Hayden Panettiere: You were also in stilettos.

Emma Roberts: I was also in eight inch heels because apparently, I was too short.

Hayden Panettiere: And lifts.

Emma Roberts: Yeah. I’m like 5’2” on a good day and I think I was probably 5’7” or 5’9” in the movie because I had shoes this big [motions with hands] that were not ideal for running away from a serial killer.

Hayden Panettiere: It’s scary. You know, you’ve got the horror mask nowadays and a lot of them are very gruesome and they’ve got blood and scabs and this and that, but there is something just so scary about that mask. It’s so simple. And even the painting that it’s based off, you know, that, it’s just eerie. It just gets you in a way that only the simplistic, unexaggerated way that it’s done can really make you scared. I don’t like knives, either.

Hayden, Wes Craven tweeted that he had Ghostface scare you off camera.

Hayden Panettiere: Yes, he did.

So can you tell us about your experience, was anybody else pranked on set?

Hayden Panettiere: Well we were doing a scene in the bedroom and it’s this whole, “Dun dun DUN” scene, and you think he might be in the closet, and you open the closet, he’s not there. And then all of a sudden, he was there! And he wasn’t supposed to be there! It was JB, our prop guy, and he scared me half to death, and he disappeared. And I didn’t see him until the next day, I was looking around for him, and I didn’t see him until the next day and he was like, “Dude, I wanted to come back but I was, I felt so bad, you were so scared!” and so he definitely got me. You know you try to front like you’re all tough and them something jumps out of the closet and “AAH!” That was the end of the story.

It sounds like it was a very lively, fun set. Especially with Wes pulling pranks on you guys and everything like that. Can you tell me, just, more about working with Wes?

Hayden Panettiere: He’s a mastermind.

Anthony Anderson: I wouldn’t go that far, Hayden. He just does what he does, I’m not gonna say he’s a mastermind. [laughs] He’s good at what he does. I’m like the biggest and the baddest one on set, the loudest and...

Hayden Panettiere: Hey! Hey! Slow down I wouldn’t say that.

Anthony Anderson: Okay, you’re a close second, Hayden. And so, not unlike Hayden, Wes did the same thing to me in the exact same scene. I had no idea that that’s what he did to her, but I’m upstairs in the bedroom of the house, I’m going through the closet, and you know, nobody is supposed to be in there and I opened up the door, and I didn’t know the prop guy’s name and he jumped out wearing the mask, with a knife, and he scared me shitless to the point where I soiled myself [laughs].

Hayden Panettiere: It wreaked in the house for days.

Anthony Anderson: And then, that’s when I found out, you know, Wes really has a sense of humor and really cool to work with and for. And I didn’t know what to expect from Wes, given some of his earlier works. I grew up watching The Last House on the Left and some crazy stuff that Wes Craven did, and then you know, to get the opportunity to work with him, it’s like, “Okay, how is this guy, how is he really gonna be on set?” I was expecting this weirdo, this creep and all that. And I got a weirdo and a creep, but in a great way. Wes is the uncle, the grandfather that you want reading bedtime stories to your kids. It was just fun and interesting to see him that way and to work with him in that capacity and to be a part of a franchise like this and for it to be as successful as it is. As successful as we hope it continues to be.

Hayden Panettiere: It’s kind of like what you would expect Stephen King to be. You kind of expect him to be...

Anthony Anderson: No, he’s crazy [laughs].

Hayden Panettiere: But you expect them all to be weird. You expect them all to have that creepy aspect to them and be just kind of an odd duck. It was very interesting because Wes is very, he’s kind of shy, he’s very quiet, and then he comes out with these, all of a sudden, you get to know his sense of humor. He comes out with these amazing one liners where you’re like, “Dude that was really funny. That was really really really funny.” Because you don’t really know how to take him in the beginning, and then he comes out with these clever ones and he’s got this kind of, “Ha ha ha!” smirk on his face. But he makes you feel very at home. He makes you feel very comfortable to try different things and throws different things at you. And when you’re coming into something that’s so established like a Scream franchise, it’s sometimes the stuff outside the box you get a little bit nervous to try your own thing. You’re kind of waiting for somebody to escort you down this path and tell you exactly how it’s done. And what’s amazing, too, is the little nuances that go into making a horror movie, things that you don’t even think about doing. Like, Wes would come up and go, “Add a little jump there. Just add a little jump.” And it doesn’t feel right to you then, it feels odd and out of place, but you know that when it’s all pieced together that it’s just such a big part of having the audience come with you on this journey and really feeling that fear that the characters are feeling.

Have any of you successfully scared the living shit out of someone else?

Hayden Panettiere: I have a little brother, that’s a given. And vice versa, I got it back as he got taller than me.

Rory Culkin: Yeah, when I was younger I actually had a ghostface mask, and I stood in my sister’s room in the corner for like half an hour until she saw in the reflection, me behind her, and she freaked out and started slapping me. That’s the only story I got.

Hayden Panettiere: It’s dangerous. It’s dangerous to scare someone, you never know, like you see with those Americas Funniest Home Videos, this guy pops up on the porch and the guy punches him in the face. And he’s apologizing afterward, but it’s never a good idea to scare people.

Emma Roberts: I’m not good at scaring other people but I get scared so easily, I got scared on set. My sister is ten and she scares me with stupid things like fake spiders in my bed, so I’m really used to.

Hayden Panettiere: Well you’d be the person who would go, “AH!” and the person screams and you’d go “Aaahhh!”

Emma Roberts: Yeah, yeah, that’s me.

Anthony Anderson: None for me, I grew up in an area where if you screamed, scared someone, you got your ass whooped. You know, just reflex. So you didn’t play those games.

It was one thing to have Lake Bell call it quits just three days before filming began, but now it seems as though Wes Craven has lost another actress right in the middle of Scream 4’s very first week of shooting, Lauren Graham. The site that first reported on Graham’s casting, Ghouls on Film, is now saying Graham is out “due to date conflict and script changes.”

A date conflict? Is her role really that prominent that scheduling issues couldn’t be resolve at this point? And what about those script changes? Does that mean Jill Kessler’s (Emma Roberts) mother Kate has been removed from the film entirely or will the role be recast? You’re guess is as good as mine, but I’m thinking it’s a little late in the game for a character to be completely written out.

Like Bell, Graham’s exit isn’t devastating, but it is disappointing and even a little bit of a concern. When she first spoke about her casting with Jay Leno she seemed so genuinely excited about the project and there’s nothing more reassuring than that. But, oh well, we’ll get over it. The lasting issue is the possibility of a more serious problem with the production. Losing two actresses in two weeks, one in the midst of filming? It’s a little suspicious. I’ve got my fingers crossed my intuitions are wrong.

With shooting set to begin in just a few weeks, the blog Deep Said What (via Shock Till You Drop) came across one of the locations to be featured in Scream 4, Dearborn, Michigan’s Woodworth Middle School. The plan is to dress the build with a new façade. Why? So it’ll more closely resemble Woodsboro High from Scream because the building will be used for a flashback sequence.

As you can see in the image, the brickwork does look a lot like that of the Sonoma Community Center, the facility that starred as Woodsboro High in the first film. As STYD points out, Sonoma CC was Craven’s second choice for Woodsboro; he originally applied to use the Santa Rosa High School and struck a deal with the principal only to have the agreement revoked days before filming. Turns out the contract was merely verbal and when the school board decided the brutality of Scream might creep their students out, there was nothing Craven could do about it. Well, almost nothing. Craven threw this message in Scream’s closing credits, "And no thanks whatsoever to the Santa Rosa School Board."

So now back to this whole flashback concept; could it mean the Scream vets won’t meet a bloody end in the fourth film? Perhaps their involvement is restricted to these moments. Of course this is only speculation, but it’s certainly possible. Maybe the flashback will involve Lake Bell’s character who knew Sidney in her high school days. The character description does mention that Deputy Judy Hicks never made enough of an impression on Sid to remember, but possibly she’s got one instance buried deep in her memory when she and Hicks crossed paths and this could be it. Also, flashback or no flashback, if Scream 4 is about a new crop of Woodsboro High teens, wouldn’t you think they’d need to recreate the building anyway?

Sick of the Scream 4 casting news yet? I hope not because it’s still coming in. Shock Till You Drop caught two interesting details in EW’s piece on Lauren Graham’s casting, Anthony Anderson and Marielle Jaffe. EW includes the two names in their list of newcomers joining franchise alum Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette. Funny thing is, this is the very first we’ve heard about their involvement.

Even funnier? Anderson is a Scary Movie vet, the spoof franchise that began at Scream’s expense. Can the guy do a turnaround and legitimately act scared when a bowie knife is put to his throat? I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt and say yes. Returning to that casting call, perhaps he’ll play one of the two detectives. The character Detective Hoss actually seems like the kind of guy who could provide some comic relief. He’s described as “New school cop. College graduate raised on the CSI TV series.”

Jaffe is a little harder to place, because there are still a handful of vacant roles that she could qualify for. She’s young, blond and apparently had a role in Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. I can’t recall ‘Aphrodite Girl’s’ big moment, did catch a YouTube video she posted of herself singing Christian Aguilera’s “Beautiful” and she’s pretty good. Oh, and apparently she’s a model. (Can’t you tell by the picture?) Of the four young female roles still up for grabs, I’m guessing Jaffe is best suited for that of Bette, Sidney’s personal assistant. She seems a little old to play a high school student, but since when does that matter? If Wes Craven goes the teen route, Jaffe could end up as Patty, “A bouncy teenage girl with a fountainhead of pop culture that is impressive. Like all teenagers who live in Woodsboro, she is obsessed with the Woodsboro murders and with the STAB films,” Marnie, “friend of Patty's. Funny and mischievous; loves practical jokes. Sometimes pushes too far. Bored with Woodsboro's obsessions with murders that happened when she and her friends were toddlers” or Rebecca, “Cute, vain, over-achieving student at Woodsboro High School. Editor in Chief of the high school newspaper. She's a future Gale Weathers.” Your guess is as good as mine.